Hong Kong: Bay area gives impetus to dev't Chief Executive Carrie Lam In order for you to have a better understanding of why Hong Kong is so keen to participate or even to take a lead in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, I have to spend a few minutes to talk about Hong Kong's competitive strengths. We have the second largest Australian community in the world, and we have a very sizeable Australian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong. So, the things that I'm going to say should be very familiar to you, but it's still worth reminding every one of you, including myself as the Chief Executive, that Hong Kong has a lot of competitive strengths in promoting our economy. The unique strength is of course the very unique practice of "one country, two systems". Very soon we'll be celebrating the 22nd anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. I can say that the principle of "one country, two systems" has been implemented very successfully in Hong Kong, and that underpins Hong Kong's continuous success and prosperity. Hong Kong is one of the world's most competitive economies. The Institute of Management Development, which is based in Switzerland, in its world competitiveness report ranked us number two in 2018 after the US. In terms of being a free economy, Hong Kong has been ranked number one for many years. For the US-based Heritage Foundation, Hong Kong has been ranked the freest economy in the world for 25 years in a row. Similarly, for the Canadian-based Fraser Institute, we have been number one since 1990. More recently, the Legatum Institute based in the UK has produced for the first time an index on economic openness, and Hong Kong again ranked number one in terms of economic openness. According to the World Bank, we are the world's number four in the ease of doing business. Let me just continue on our strengths, and this is something very, very important and something that I will safeguard fiercely in Hong Kong, especially we have distinguished judges in the audience. Governor Linda Dessau and Judge Tony Howard used to be our legal colleagues, many years ago of course. Hong Kong has highly regarded rule of law and judicial independence, and again this is being recognised worldwide. We are ranked the world's number 14 in terms of rule of law according to the World Bank's Governance Indicators, 13th in judicial independence according to the World Economic Forum, and in Asia, we are Asia's number one in terms of the independence of the judiciary. Independent judiciary Judicial independence is not just practised here. It's being guaranteed under the Basic Law, which is our mini-constitution, and most important of all, by design, under the Basic Law one of the very essential features to demonstrate and to prove the independence of the judiciary is we continue to appoint overseas judges from other common law jurisdictions, especially to sit on our Court of Final Appeal. Prior to 1997, cases reaching final appeal were heard in the Privy Council in the UK. After 1997, final adjudication takes place in Hong Kong, and we have this Court of Final Appeal comprising not only distinguished local judges but also very distinguished overseas judges. We now have 14 such eminent judges from the common law jurisdictions of Australia, Canada and the UK. I'm very pleased to say and we are very honoured to have four eminent judges from Australia, including two former Chief Justices of Australia and former Chief Justice of the state of New South Wales. They are really very distinguished. I had the honour of meeting a couple of them when I was visiting Sydney a few years ago, and they spoke very highly of Hong Kong's rule of law and independence of the judiciary. Hong Kong has very excellent professional services, and I'm pleased to say some of these high-value professional services are delivered by Australian professionals. We are ranked number three in terms of being a global financial centre, only after New York and London. In terms of our securities market, in six out of the last 10 years, Hong Kong came first in terms of IPO fundraising. Last year, US$36.7 billion was raised through IPOs. We have the largest offshore renminbi centre because, under "one country, two systems", we have this advantage of being part of the People's Republic of China. Now 75% of all offshore renminbi transactions actually take place in Hong Kong. Over the past few years, partly because of the initiative to open up the Chinese economy, including the financial services, partly it's to help boost Hong Kong's financial markets, we have been given special initiatives in the form of Stock Connects. Our stock market is connected to the Shanghai stock market and the Shenzhen stock market. After I took office in July 2017, we have launched Bond Connect. We hope to have more connects in time to come in insurance and private wealth management and so on. And we have a full range of legal and business services providers supporting the growth of all our economic sectors. We have very strong international connections, and this is something very unique in the Greater Bay Area. I would say that this is our unique advantage. We have our very important and world-renowned Hong Kong International Airport, which will have the capacity to serve as an international aviation hub for the Greater Bay Area. Last year we served 74 million passengers, which made us the world's number three. In terms of air cargo, Hong Kong ranked number one last year, looking after over five million tonnes of air cargo and airmail. We have a global business network supported by 13 of what we call Economic & Trade Offices (ETOs) all over the world, including the ETO in Sydney, and we are very blessed to have 8,700 Mainland and overseas companies setting up offices in Hong Kong. They are offices with their parent company still in their own country but they have a very important office in Hong Kong, either as a regional headquarters, a regional office or a local office. Safe city Another strength is we are a very safe city. For any investor to consider setting up office, taking their family to work and live in Hong Kong, public order and safety is very, very important. Hong Kong is one of the safest cities in the world. Last year's crime rate was 728 cases per 100,000 population, which is our lowest since 1970, and perhaps one of the lowest in the world. And we have a very efficient and clean government. Just last week, the World Justice Project (WJP) co-hosted a symposium with our Independent Commission Against Corruption in Hong Kong and Ms Elizabeth Andersen, the Executive Director of the WJP, had this to say: "Absence of corruption is a real strength (of Hong Kong)" and "overall, Hong Kong performs very well in our (rule of law) index across all factors". This is a testimony of the clean and efficient government and private sector in Hong Kong. Let's come to the Greater Bay Area - a little bit of facts about the Greater Bay Area. The Greater Bay Area comprises the two Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macao and nine cities in the Guangdong Province. Guangdong has more than nine cities, of course, but these are the more affluent cities in Guangdong and they all are in the proximity of the Pearl River Delta. The Greater Bay Area is an area of about 56,000 sq km, a population of 71 million, but still growing, and a combined GDP of US$1.6 trillion, which is bigger than the whole of Australia. This is really a very important part of the People's Republic of China. Some of the characteristics about the Greater Bay Area - It has very distinctive geographical advantages because it has a very intensive cluster of ports and airports, right at the Pearl River Delta. It has very robust economic strength, particularly in the Mainland cities in Guangdong. It has a high concentration of key factors in innovation. I understand some of our Australian friends have been brought to Shenzhen, so you have a good feel of this innovation in Shenzhen. And we have advanced level of internationalisation, particularly because of Hong Kong. Hong Kong, Guangdong and Macau have always had very close co-ordination since 1997. The Governor of Guangdong and myself co-host the annual high-level meeting every year. The one for 2019 has actually just taken place last week. This solid co-operation foundation helps us to easily put ourselves into gear in delivering the Greater Bay Area. And most important of all, we have systemic strengths under the "one country, two systems" principle. I'm sure you know that there are other great bay areas in the world. I'll give you a little bit comparison about this Greater Bay Area with the other three bay area economies in the world. They are the Tokyo Bay Area, the New York Metropolitan Area and the San Francisco Bay Area. In terms of size, we are the largest. In terms of population, we are the greatest. In terms of GDP, we are lagging slightly behind New York and Tokyo Bay, but I am sure that we will catch up very soon - not because of Hong Kong, but because of the about 6% growth in the Mainland of China, including Guangdong. I have mentioned about the geographical distinctive advantages. If you look at our port and airport combined, we have I think really the busiest airport clusters and port clusters. In terms of air passenger traffic, we look after over 200 million passenger trips a year. In terms of port throughput, it's 66.5 million TEUs, because of several important ports which are amongst the world's top 10 ports. National strategy The Greater Bay Area is now a national strategy. It is not just Hong Kong, Guangdong, Macau coming together to co-operate. It has been elevated to a national strategy with a mission to do two things. One is it will be a new attempt to break new ground in pursuing opening on all fronts. Secondly, it is also unique to the Greater Bay Area, which is unavailable in the Shanghai area or in the Beijing area. It will be regarded as a further step in taking forward "one country, two systems". After over 20 years, the Central People's Government is very devoted and committed to "one country, two systems", but we feel that there is room for taking this principle of "one country, two systems" to the next level, where it will bring a lot of advantages to both Hong Kong and Macau. The objectives of the Greater Bay Area development are, first, to promote co-ordinated regional economic development. Second is to give new impetus to the development of Hong Kong and Macau. That is what I mean to take forward the "one country, two systems". Third is to build a new system of open economy. And fourth is to provide a role model for high-quality development. In order to achieve the mission and objectives, this Greater Bay Area Outline Development Plan has set for us at the outset several important guiding principles. One is we should fully and faithfully implement "one country, two systems". Secondly is we should deepen mutually beneficial co-operation, and thirdly we should support the nation's innovation-driven development strategy. And here I would pause and remind our Australian guests that the Australian Chamber's position paper has this very important phrase which I like a lot. It says that Hong Kong's advantages lie in "one country, two systems" and it is very important for Hong Kong's continued success to uphold "one country, two systems". But this continued implementation of "one country, two systems" as well as Hong Kong taking advantage of the commercial opportunities in the Greater Bay Area are not mutually exclusive. We could, on the one hand, uphold and even bring to new height the "one country, two systems"; and at the same time take full advantage of the opportunities available under the Greater Bay Area. So, any worry and rumour and speculation that once we co-operate and take a greater part in the Greater Bay Area economy, Hong Kong will lose unique characteristics, the "one country, two systems" principle will be eroded, there's absolutely no truth in that sort of statement. I just want to reassure you that that is how we are going to take forward the Greater Bay Area. Some important milestones in the Greater Bay Area development - On July 1, 2017, that is the day when I took office, as witnessed by President Xi Jinping himself, the three Governments of Hong Kong, Macau and Guangdong together with the National Development & Reform Commission signed the Framework Agreement setting out the parameters and principles for the Greater Bay Area. We then took almost 18 months to craft out this very important Outline Development Plan. At the same time, we made a request to the Central Government that since it is a national strategy and since we envisage that as we take forward the Greater Bay Area with innovation, we will need some breakthroughs in Central Government policies, and we will need the Central Government to have a mechanism to listen to our views and also to respond to our needs. So Vice Premier Han Zheng is now chairing a Greater Bay Area development leading group, comprising over 20 ministries in the Central People's Government, myself and the Chief Executive of Macao. This is indeed the first time since reunification that the Hong Kong Chief Executive has a role in a central leading group on a very important initiative. As a result of the first meeting held last August, we have one key deliverable - the Greater Bay Area will develop an international innovation and technology hub. On February 18 this year, this Outline Development Plan was finally promulgated and, a few days later, the three governments hosted a major symposium - I think the Consuls General and the Chambers were all invited to this symposium - to talk about the Outline Development Plan. The leading group chaired by Vice Premier Han Zheng hosted the second plenary meeting on March 1 this year and as a result we announced eight measures to facilitate the flow of people and goods in the Greater Bay Area, including two very innovative tax measures. I notice in the Australian Chamber's position paper, tax occupies a very prominent position as expected. These two tax measures are very innovative. One is despite the difference in tax rate, for example for income tax between Hong Kong and Guangdong, every of the nine cities in Guangdong under the Greater Bay Area could offer subsidies to talents in order to make up the difference. So if we charge in Hong Kong the highest tax rate 15% for income tax, Mainland maybe 30, 40, the difference will be paid by the city government if you are a talent or a sought-after professional. Each city will define and come up with their own list of talents. I am sure they would be very flexible and very generous because they do need talents to do many of the things they want to do. Additional tax incentive Another tax measure is very interesting. With the proximity between Hong Kong and this Greater Bay Area, I can imagine a lot of professionals, whether you are a doctor, an accountant and a lawyer, will have to go to the Greater Bay Area, like Shenzhen, Dongguan, Foshan, to do your daily business. In normal taxation terms, once you cross the border, that is counted as one day. If you stay for over 183 days in the Mainland, then you'll be liable to Mainland tax. This tax measure that we have got is if you stay less than 24 hours during that day, it is not a day. That means you could continuously commute between Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area. I wouldn't go into detail here - I would welcome you to go to our Greater Bay Area website of the Hong Kong SAR Government. The Outline Development Plan has listed seven areas of development. But the most important one at the forefront is the technology side. It's I&T. But at the same time, ecological conservation is also very important and we need a lot of talents and expertise from Australia on how to do ecological conservation, energy efficiency, renewable energy and so on. Hong Kong's key roles in the Greater Bay Area actually cover many aspects, and in many of the aspects we are happy to work with overseas professionals and providers. One is financial services. I don't need to go into detail on that. The second would be transport and logistics, especially in high-end logistics - air cargo, maritime services. Development roadmap I want you to look at this map. This is a very interesting map of the Pearl River Delta. In order to have a one-hour living zone within the Pearl River Delta, we need more connections. This is across the Pearl River Delta. This red line is the high-speed train that we have just opened last September. The Hong Kong section is only 26km but then it connects to the extensive high-speed railway network of Mainland which now spans 29,000km. It now only takes less than 20 minutes to go to Shenzhen and 43 minutes to Guangzhou. And across the east side and the west side of the Pearl River Delta, there are several bridges. The bottom one is the one we opened last October - the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, which has shortened the distance between Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macau from four hours to 45 minutes. Nowadays we don't need to take a hydrofoil to Macau - you can drive to Macau. Above this one is another tunnel and bridge infrastructure under construction - that is called the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link. It would be ready in 2024. Above it is a very old bridge call the Humen Bridge. And above it is a bridge just opened two months ago called the Nansha Bridge. Nansha is a very important special economic region in the city of Guangzhou, in which we are going to have a new university from Hong Kong - the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology is going to build a brand-new campus in the city of Nansha. Again in I&T, we are doing a lot in the last two years. We have invested heavily in this area. Since I took office, I have allocated $100 billion in I&T from hardware to training to research funding and so on. Legal services are very important. There are a lot of lawyers from Australia who are welcome to participate in the dispute resolution services in the Greater Bay Area. Other sectors include our high-quality medical services, higher education and creative industry. Chief Executive Carrie Lam gave these remarks at the AustCham Westpac Australia-China Business Awards Gala Dinner 2019 on May 28. This story has been published on: 2019-05-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. More than victims: Migration images provide a chance to tell a greater story COLUMBIA, Mo.-- One of the most devastating images from 2015 shows a 3-year-old boy, Alan Kurdi, facedown and unmoving on a beach in Turkey. Alan had drowned during an attempt to escape Syria, and the image sparked outrage and concern worldwide over the refugee crisis in Europe. It also highlighted the power a single image can have. Now, Keith Greenwood, an associate professor in the Missouri School of Journalism, has found that a majority of photos depicting the 2015 Syrian refugee crisis portrayed the refugees as victims. Greenwood said this finding has implications for how the public perceives migratory events, including current ones such as the influx of migrants arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border. The study also underscores the responsibility of photojournalists to convey a broader story with their pictures. "Typically, powerful or shocking photos of migrants get the greatest reaction," Greenwood said. "However, those potentially dark moments don't always capture the full scope of the event. Photojournalists and news organizations have a big opportunity to tell a greater story." Greenwood and TJ Thomson, a Missouri School of Journalism alumnus, analyzed more than 800 photos from the 2015 Syrian refugee crisis that were submitted by photojournalists for the 2016 Picture of the Year International competition. They found that more than 600 of the photos depicted the migrants as victims dependent on foreign aid, including refuges being detained or waiting in a migrant camp. Only 186 of the photos showed the refugees with some amount of agency, such as refugees looking for food or bathing themselves. Out of the entire collection, only a single photo showed refugees in an educational setting. Photographs are used by the public to make sense of news stories. If an individual only sees images of migrants clashing with police at a border, for example, they might be more inclined to think the situation more militarized than if they had seen photos of migrants peacefully waiting in line to go through a border checkpoint. However, Greenwood adds that individuals viewing images tend to accept or reject them based on their own personal belief system. "Research shows that people view photos through their own frame of reference and judge them accordingly," Greenwood said. "For example, a person who believes migrants are a threat might find that a photo of a migrant throwing tear gas at a border officer enforces their opinion, but they might reject an image of a migrant shown in a more peaceful light as a one-time thing." While photojournalists are often limited by their assignment, Greenwood recommends that news organizations take note of how their visual storytelling is framing a migration event and work to present the bigger picture through daily photographs made in the field. "There needs to be a greater discussion on telling the broader story -- a migrant's story doesn't end once they cross the sea or make it through the border," Greenwood said. "If news organizations leave out what happens to migrants once they've settled in to a new place and are working to make a new life, they might be missing out on a huge opportunity." "Framing the migration: A study of news photographs showing people fleeing war and persecution," was published in the International Communication Gazette. The coauthor, TJ Thomson, is an alumnus of the Missouri School of Journalism and currently a lecturer in digital journalism at Queensland University of Technology in Australia. ### This story has been published on: 2019-05-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. 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. Alberta is facing a mild recession as weakness in the oil sector is exacerbated by concerns about the carbon tax and pipeline issues. With investment in the energy sector weak, the Conference Board of Canada says the province will enter negative growth; but there will also be slower growth for Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. Nationally, real GDP will slow to 1.4% in 2019 before recovering to an expected 2% in 2020. Bucking the trend will be New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island; the region will benefit from strong net international migration and see stronger economic growth in 2019. Chinas move to block imports of Canadian canola, peas and soybeans, as well as pork from some Quebec producers, will hurt the agriculture sector across the country. While the outlook is generally sound for most provinces, there are challenges and risks. A slump in oil sector investment and fiscal austerity in Ontario are expected to be part of the economic landscape for some time to come while elevated household debt levels and moderate household income growth are weighing on consumer spending across the country. Said Marie-Christine Bernard, Director of Provincial Forecast, The Conference Board of Canada. 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. By Kyle Lovern In the Bible, the apostle Paul reminded those who would listen of[Read More] Jillian Groening was 25 when she got a phone call she never wanted to get. It was her doctor, informing her she was pregnant. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 28/5/2019 (945 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Jillian Groening was 25 when she got a phone call she never wanted to get. It was her doctor, informing her she was pregnant. "I'm someone who, as of right now, is pretty confident I don't want kids," says Groening, now 29. "I love children and I love my pals who have kids, but it's not something I've ever seen in my future." Jillian Groening is an abortion counsellor at the Women's Health Clinic. (Kristiane Church) She was in a relationship and in between birth-control methods at the time. "Having a kid at that time was not an option, not at all. Getting that phone call from my doctor about being pregnant was the worst," she says. For Groening, finding Women's Health Clinic was like locating a lighthouse at sea. WHC, along with Health Sciences Centre, are the two places one can obtain abortion care in Winnipeg. "Being able to talk to a counsellor who was really knowledgeable and validating and become informed of options was fantastic," she says. "It's so pro-choice, no matter what route you want to take." Groening was so moved by the care she received when she got her abortion, she became an abortion counsellor herself at WHC. Abortion stories like Groening's are not uncommon. In fact, they are more common than people may realize. But, for a legal medical procedure that's endlessly debated and politicized, the realities of abortion remain largely hidden from view. There is an intense focus on abortion rights thanks to news out of the United States, where several states are rushing to pass aggressive restrictions on the procedure in a systematic attempt to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that protects a woman's privacy rights, allowing her to choose to have an abortion. The unstable landscape of reproductive rights south of the border is stirring up anxiety in Canada as well as renewing conversations about the inequities in access that exist here. Even those attempting to make laws on the procedure... lack basic understanding of how pregnancy and abortion work Whenever abortion re-enters the news cycle, the amount of ignorance, misinformation and fear-mongering that exists is brought into stark relief. Even those attempting to make laws on the procedure such as the Ohio Republican who laughably suggested an ectopic pregnancy, in which an embryo attaches outside the uterus, can be relocated to the uterus lack basic understanding of how pregnancy and abortion work. "People need to realize abortion is part of reproductive rights and health," Groening says. "We need more education in that realm." To that end, the Free Press sat down with Dr. Nadin Gilroy, who is an abortion provider as well as the medical director of the abortion program at Women's Health Clinic, to get the facts on abortion. Who gets an abortion? The age range of women Dr. Nadin Gilroy sees is between 15 and 45. (Photos by Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press) The short answer is, any person who can get pregnant and does not want to be pregnant. The reasons for needing abortion care are personal and varied. "We generally think of abortion as women who, for whatever reason, understand that this is not a good time for them to carry a pregnancy to term and have a child," Gilroy says. "However, there are also women who find themselves in situations where they find that there are issues or anomalies with the fetus that are not compatible with life or pose a danger to the fetus and the mother." Gilroy points out that those kinds of terminations are also done away with when laws are changed or the procedure is made inaccessible. 'A lot of the women I see already have children. They don't make these decisions in isolation, and they don't make them frivolously. They think this through very carefully' Dr. Nadin Gilroy "And those issues are potentially discovered in later stages of pregnancy," she says. "To demonize families who find themselves in these incredibly difficult situations where they have to make difficult decisions around their health and change course at a time when they were expecting something different is absolutely cruel." The age range of women Gilroy sees is anywhere between 15 and 45, and sometimes older than that. "A lot of the women I see already have children," she says. "They don't make these decisions in isolation, and they don't make them frivolously. They think this through very carefully. "I don't see how men can absolve themselves from the picture and the discussion because I know for a fact a lot of them are involved in these conversations with their partners and the decision is made together," she adds. "I sometimes feel it would be helpful if they started to speak up a little louder, too." What happens before an abortion? You pee on a stick and two blue lines appear, or you get a call from the doctor. The pregnancy test is positive. Then what? "If a woman finds herself pregnant and decides she wants an abortion, she would call one of two numbers: the hospital intake number or the Women's Health Clinic intake number. In that first encounter, they will ask her certain questions about how far along she might be and, based on that, she'll either get booked with us in our program or referred to the hospital and their program. Then she gets an appointment." For the purposes of this article, we will focus on the process at Women's Health Clinic. When a client arrives at the appointment, a medical history is taken, and then an ultrasound is performed to see how far along the pregnancy is. "Women at the Women's Health Clinic who are nine weeks pregnant or under have the option of having a medication abortion or a surgical abortion," Gilroy says. "Over nine weeks it would have to be a surgical abortion." A medical abortion involves two oral medications: mifepristone and misoprostol. In Manitoba, the highest gestational age in terms of termination is 19 weeks and six days at the hospital; at the Women's Health Clinic, it's 15 weeks and six days. "The majority of women we see are between six and 10 weeks," Gilroy says. In the U.S., several states have passed so-called heartbeat bills, which would ban abortion at six weeks, or once a "fetal heartbeat" can be detected. But "heartbeat" is not a medically accurate term for what is detected at six weeks, Gilroy says. "They're talking about detecting heart motion on an ultrasound," she says. "People, when they hear that, imagine a body and vascular system like yours and mine. That's not happening. When a woman goes through with a pregnancy, generally speaking, it's rare you'd detect heartbeat sound with a doppler at around eight weeks. It's much more common around 10 or 11 weeks." Once the type of abortion has been determined, the client will then meet with a counsellor, who is there to make sure this is indeed the client's choice, and that there's been no outside pressure or coercion. From there, they discuss the client's health in general as well as any concerns about the procedure. The counsellors will also go over a birth-control plan and methods with the patient, as well as the consent to the procedure. There is no cost to have a medical or surgical abortion at Womens Health Clinic so long as one has a Manitoba Health Card or coverage from another province. What happens during a medication abortion? First, an IV is started and blood is drawn. An IV is started and blood is drawn. "The bloodwork that's done checks for the blood type and Rh status, which is an important piece in pregnancy and some women are Rh negative. They are also offered a check for any STIs, which is up to them. For the medication abortion clients, a beta hCG is sent off. That's the pregnancy hormone, basically, that can be measured in the blood," Gilroy says. "If they have chosen a medication abortion, they are seen by the physician who reviews the medical history and makes sure there's no contraindication to a medication abortion. We review the counselling forms and ultrasound. If everything looks like it's within guidelines and best practices, we explain the medication." What is commonly referred to as the "abortion pill" is really two oral medications: mifepristone and misoprostol. These medications are not the same as Plan B, or "the morning-after pill," which attempts to prevent the implantation of a fertilized egg. "We go over how to take them, what to expect, what would be things to be concerned about," Gilroy says. Mifepristone is taken at the clinic, misoprostol is taken at home. Bleeding is expected, excessive bleeding is not. The guidelines for excessive bleeding are filling two maxi pads "those fat ones no one wants to wear" in one hour, for two hours in a row, or passing a clot larger than the size of a lemon. The regimen on mifepristone and misoprostol, known under the brand name Mifegymiso, has been heralded as a game-changer when it comes to improving access to abortion care because they can be taken remotely. Ibuprofen is recommended for pain management. Aspirin may increase bleeding. Clients will leave with information about the birth-control plan they've chosen, usually with a sample or prescription, as well as a follow-up bloodwork requisition. "In order to determine (the medication abortion) was successful, we do two things: one is that we repeat the beta hCG five days after taking the mifepristone and we compare the first level drawn when they were with us to the level that was drawn later," Gilroy says. "We know it should have dropped by more than 80 per cent." The second part is a follow-up, by phone or in person, where a nurse goes through a set of questions and women are able to share their experience. The regimen on mifepristone and misoprostol, known under the brand name Mifegymiso, has been heralded as a game-changer when it comes to improving access to abortion care because they can be taken remotely. But barriers remain, including, most significantly, cost. The drug is only available for free at the three clinics that provide medication and surgical abortions in Manitoba WHC and HSC in Winnipeg, and the Brandon Regional Health Centre. Those living outside of those communities have to pay about $350. What happens during a surgical abortion? The pre-op room at the Women's Health Clinic. The first part of the process is the same as a medication abortion. Patients will change into a wraparound skirt and will move into the waiting room. In the procedure room, the client is introduced to a nurse who is there to support the patient, a medical assistant who supports the physician, and the physician. "At this point, the physician would have reviewed her chart, that there's no concerns, that the choice of birth control doesn't pose issues with medical history, and that the ultrasound was good and showed what we needed to see to proceed. If all of that is fine, we have a brief conversation with the patient reviewing consent again, checking in one more time, reviewing the birth-control plan." The client will get into position in the procedure room and be given a sedative and a painkiller. The nurse will get the client into position. The client will receive midazolam, a sedative, and fentanyl, a painkiller, for what's called a "procedural sedation," which doesn't put a person out completely. Some women choose not to use medication at all. The physician will conduct a bi-manual internal exam, similar to a Pap test, which is done to assess the position and size of the uterus, and confirm information from the ultrasound. "There's a nice picture above the bed women lay on of the Three Sisters, the three massive spruce trees in B.C.," Gilroy says. "Those trees generally start to move once the medication starts to work, but it's a feeling of being in a forest rather than in a procedure room." The abortion is performed under sterile conditions. A speculum is inserted and a swab is taken to test for chlamydia and gonorrhea as well as for bacterial vaginosis, an overgrowth of bacteria in the vagina that's common in pregnancy. If BV is present, it's treated with antibiotics to make sure no infection is transferred to the uterus. The abortion is performed under sterile conditions. Local freezing is applied around the cervix, which is then dilated. The physician uses an instrument called a manual vacuum aspirator a small tube and a syringe that are attached to each other to empty the contents of the uterus. "For women of slightly higher gestational age, a machine is used." The procedure itself takes two to three minutes. Clients will then move to the post-op area, where their heart rate, blood pressure and saturation are monitored. Usually within 15 and 20 minutes, they'll get up and go to the washroom and report on bleeding, if any. As with the medication abortion, patients will receive information on what constitutes excessive bleeding of infection. They are advised not to insert anything into the vagina for seven days, and not to soak in hot tubs, which could lead to infection. They will need a ride home. And as with the medication abortion, clients will be provided with their birth-control choice and instructions, including when to start it. If a client chooses an intrauterine device (IUD), the physician can do the insertion right after the abortion procedure is done while they are frozen so they don't have to come back to the clinic. How can I expect to feel emotionally after an abortion? Clients will have their heart rate, blood pressure and saturation monitored in the post-op area. It's typical to feel a range of emotions post-abortion. There's no "right" way to feel. Groening, like many women, reported feeling an overwhelming sense of relief after her abortion. "After a month of worry and stress and anxiety about having something I didn't want... oh my gosh, I can't imagine continuing a pregnancy to term that you didn't want," she says. "Six weeks was stressful enough." "I think the emotional work women do to come to the decision, if there is that piece, is usually done by the time they've made their decision," Gilroy says. "Most women are hugely relieved and thankful they have this available to them in a safe environment." Women's Health Clinic does provide post-abortion counselling if needed. How can we challenge the stigma surrounding abortion? "One of the pieces is not to hide it, to talk about it," Gilroy says. "To use the word 'abortion' without whispering or hiding it behind your hand. And to challenge our people in our lives, including the men in our lives, to understand that it's very common for a woman to have had an abortion and likely they have someone in their lives who has had one, and to be curious about that and to ask what that meant, because most will tell you it meant a great deal to them in terms of where they're at now in their lives. 'One of the pieces is not to hide it, to talk about it. To use the word "abortion" without whispering or hiding it behind your hand' Dr. Nadin Gilroy "And to not let go of reminding our politicians that they have a responsibility to ensure all health care is available to all of us. Stigma happens because we hide things. The only way to counteract that is to be upfront and loud about it." "Once you start talking to friends and other women in your life, you realize so many of them have that experience in their past," Groening says. "Some feel more open about talking about it than others and that's OK, too. It's such a normal part of having a uterus." jen.zoratti@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @JenZoratti Jen Zoratti | Next A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Former FBI director James Comey said he has never seen U.S. President Donald Trump laugh. KODIAK, Alaska - An Alaska senator has written to the U.S. trade representative asking for Alaska fish species to be removed from a list of goods facing tariffs, a report said. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/5/2019 (944 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. KODIAK, Alaska - An Alaska senator has written to the U.S. trade representative asking for Alaska fish species to be removed from a list of goods facing tariffs, a report said. Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer last week, The Kodiak Daily Mirror reported Tuesday. As part of an ongoing trade dispute with China, earlier this month the Trump Administration announced an increase in tariffs from 10% to 25% on $200 billion worth of products and tariffs on an additional $300 billion worth of Chinese imports. Sullivan said he asked Lighthizer to consider removing tariffs from seafood fished in Alaska including salmon, some species of rockfish and flatfish, Pollock, and Pacific cod. The increase in tariffs is "creating tremendous uncertainty" for the industry and "is deeply troubling, because they continue to potentially negatively impact the very Americans the administration is trying to help," Sullivan's letter said. The letter was also signed by Sen Lisa Murkowski and Rep. Don Young, who are both Republicans. Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The administration risks "losing critical congressional support" if the tariffs result in targeting Americans, "like hard working Alaskan fisherman who harvest a world class product from our well-managed fisheries," the letter said. Sullivan said he met with Lighthizer last week. "He was very engaged. My office and his office have been working this non-stop for the last couple of weeks," Sullivan said. Sullivan said he hoped the request would encourage the administration not to repeat the "inadvertent shooting of ourselves in the foot." ___ Information from: Kodiak (Alaska) Daily Mirror, http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com MONTREAL - The Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec has fired four senior executives, including the chairman and chief executive of its mortgage financing subsidiary Otera Capital following an in-depth internal investigation of ethical breaches. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/5/2019 (944 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. MONTREAL - The Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec has fired four senior executives, including the chairman and chief executive of its mortgage financing subsidiary Otera Capital following an in-depth internal investigation of ethical breaches. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The investigation confirms that the actions of subsidiary president Alfonso Graceffa, economist Edmondo Marandola and vice-president Martine Gaudreault were not appropriate but not interconnected. The fourth person has not been identified. The Journal de Montreal revealed irregularities in February, including that Graceffa obtained 11 loans totalling more than $9 million from an Otera subsidiary to finance income properties he owned. It also revealed that Marandola was moonlighting as a real estate developer and that Gaudreault and her husband, Alain Cormier, were in business together and that Cormier had business ties with the Rizutto Mafia clan. Caisse president Michael Sabia says he's reassured by the fact that "no misuse of funds" was found and that Otera's portfolio has retained its integrity. But he acknowledged that the ethical shortcomings of a few people is "shocking" and "unacceptable." The investigation cost $5 million and involved 120 people, including a team of specialized lawyers, forensic accountants, criminal intelligence experts and other experts in economic intelligence specialized in money laundering issues. The Caisse restructured Otera by splitting the roles of board chairman and chief executive, formerly occupied by Graceffa, appointing the head of risk and affiliate relations as chairman, naming Rana Ghorayeb as CEO and renewing other members of the board. Quebec Premier Francois Legault says he's satisfied by the Caisse response to the investigation, adding that the irregularities were an exception for the Quebec pension fund manager. Opposition parties were more critical, saying it minimizes the scale of the problems. CALGARY - One of Canada's largest oilsands producers is getting bigger in a $3.78-billion buyout that hastens the exit from the sector of yet another major foreign-owned rival. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/5/2019 (945 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., at the company's annual meeting in Calgary on May 3, 2012. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh CALGARY - One of Canada's largest oilsands producers is getting bigger in a $3.78-billion buyout that hastens the exit from the sector of yet another major foreign-owned rival. Calgary-based Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. announced Wednesday it is buying the northern Alberta oilsands and heavy oil operations that Oklahoma City-based Devon Energy Corp. put on the block in February. Canadian Natural shares fell in early trading in Toronto, but rebounded as analysts rated the price of about $29,400 per flowing barrel of daily production attractive for the buyer in comparison with other recent deals. "The transaction ... is a win-win deal for both Devon and Canadian Natural," said Steve Laut, CNRL's executive vice-chairman, on a conference call with analysts. "(It gives) Devon the ability to achieve its objective of exiting Canada and Canadian Natural the opportunity to leverage our economies of scale, our technical and operating expertise and capture significant synergies to add incremental value from these very high-quality assets." The Devon assets represent the "textbook definition of excellent fit," Laut said, adding his company has already identified $135 million in synergistic annual cost savings it aims to achieve by the end of the year. On a map in a website presentation, Devon's 108,200-barrel-per-day Jackfish oilsands project south of Fort McMurray is shown adjacent to Canadian Natural's Kirby North and Kirby South projects. All produce raw bitumen crude using steam-assisted gravity drainage technology, where steam is injected into a horizontal well to melt the heavy sticky oil and allow it to drip into a parallel well to be pumped to surface. Another map shows Devon's conventional heavy oil properties, which produce about 20,100 bpd, farther to the south and surrounded by Canadian Natural lands. Devon's production is currently restricted to about 122,800 bpd because of Alberta government production curtailments. "This transaction creates value for our shareholders by achieving a clean and timely exit from Canada, while accelerating efforts to focus exclusively on our high-return U.S. oil portfolio," Devon chief executive Dave Hager said in a statement on Wednesday. Wednesday's deal is Canadian Natural's seventh major acquisition since 2014, when it struck a $3.12-billion agreement to buy most of Devon's non-heavy oil Canadian assets, according to a report from Wood Mackenzie. "This continues the trend of Canadian-domiciled consolidation that we've seen since 2016," said analyst Stephen Kallir. "In 2020, the oilsands will produce 3.3 million bpd and just four companies now account for 85 per cent of that volume." Wood Mackenzie points out Canadian Natural stands to be the largest producer in Canada with 1.2 million barrels of oil equivalent per day when the latest Devon deal closes. That would make it the 25th largest producer in the world and eighth largest if you don't include companies owned by government. The exit of Devon from the oilsands follows recent Canadian oilsands asset sales by foreign companies including Norway's Statoil, France's Total SA, Arkansas-based Murphy Oil and Houston-based ConocoPhillips. The deal is expected to close by June 27, but its effective date is Jan. 1, 2019. The accumulated cash flow from the first half of the year means Canadian Natural will only have to borrow $3.25 billion in a three-year term loan to finance the deal, said chief financial officer Mark Stainthorpe. The company expects to be able to continue to maintain its dividend and share buyback programs and its balance sheet will continue to strengthen despite the new debt, he added. Canadian Natural is moving about 14,000 bpd of oil on railcars and is looking at adding more, but the Devon production comes with sufficient market access, said president Tim McKay. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Canadian Natural says it will add about 735 new employees from Devon, including both field and head office personnel. The company said the deal includes 607,000 hectares of land, of which 405,000 hectares are undeveloped. The lands contain proved reserves of about 730 million barrels of oil. By year-end, Canadian Natural's production mix is expected to be 250,000 bpd of thermal oil, 450,000 bpd of oilsands mining and upgrading, 150,000 bpd of conventional light crude oil and natural gas liquids, 120,000 bpd of heavy crude oil and 220,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day of natural gas. Follow @HealingSlowly on Twitter. Companies in this story: (TSX:CNQ) Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version used billion instead of million in paragraph 14. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/5/2019 (945 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. FILE - This May 28, 2017 file photo shows Christian Louboutin at the award ceremony at the 70th international Cannes Film festival in Cannes, France. Louboutin and his famous towering, red-soled shoes are being awarded a prestigious fashion honor. The French designer will be the next honoree of the Couture Council of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology. The annual award is given in early September, launching New York Fashion Week. (Photo by Arthur Mola/Invision/AP, File) NEW YORK - From a tiny bottle of nail polish, a luxury fashion empire was born. Designer Christian Louboutin says he was experimenting in his factory one day when he suddenly seized his assistant's bottle of red polish to blot out the usual black soles and try some bright colour. FILE - In this May 28, 2017 file photo Christian Louboutin attends the award ceremony at the 70th international Cannes Film festival in Cannes, France. Louboutin and his famous towering, red-soled shoes are being awarded a prestigious fashion honor. The French designer will be the next honoree of the Couture Council of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology. The annual award is given in early September, launching New York Fashion Week. (Photo by Arthur Mola/Invision/AP, File) The experiment stuck, obviously. And now Louboutin's red-soled stilettos, featuring sky-high heels and fetching sky-high prices, are "utterly iconic as a symbol of erotic femininity," says Valerie Steele, director of The Museum at FIT explaining why Louboutin has been chosen as this year's honoree of the museum's Couture Council. The prestigious honour, awarded each year at the beginning of New York Fashion Week in September, usually goes to a clothes designer. But, Louboutin told The Associated Press this week, fashion lovers have a special relationship with shoes more than with clothes, or at least different. "The woman carries the clothes. But the shoes? They carry the woman," the Paris-based designer said Tuesday in a telephone interview. "So it's a very different interaction." The shoe, he said, "is a pedestal. But this little thing on your feet is also making you a different person, in a lot of ways. It's affecting the entire silhouette and the way you're going to walk and move." There's another advantage, he adds, to footwear: The wearer can see it. "If you have a dress, you can't see it unless you have a mirror. But if you have a pair of shoes, you can still look at your feet. All the time." Steele, at FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology), says shoes have always been an important part of the museum's voluminous collection, which includes some 4,000 pairs "and counting." "People really obsess over their shoes," she says. She calls Louboutin's red soles "a stroke of genius what a simple and yet effective thing, because red is coded for us as the colour of passion and seduction and love ... but who would have thought to have put it on the sole of a shoe?" Louboutin also designs men's shoes, but it's women's footwear he's famous for, especially the heels (though he designs flats, too). They range from hundreds of dollars per pair well into the thousands, depending on the adornment. They're loved by celebrities; "I'm throwing on my Louboutins," goes the chorus of a 2009 Jennifer Lopez song. FILE - In this Feb. 26, 2015 file photo, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin wears Christian Louboutin shoes while she speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Md. Louboutin, designer of the famed red-soled heels loved by celebrities and luxury shoe fans around the world, will be the next honoree of fashion's Couture Council. The French designer will be feted at the Couture Council luncheon in early September 2019, launching New York Fashion Week. The event benefits the Museum of the Fashion Institute of Technology. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File) Louboutin, 56, says his career began with a childhood hobby of sketching shoes. "When adults asked what I wanted to do when I grew up, I said I wanted to draw shoes," he says. "But I didn't think it was a real job." He'd been designing for several years when he discovered the red-sole idea in the early '90s. A few weeks after the nail polish experiment, he says, he was in his Paris shop, watching a couple consider a pair of shoes with typical black soles. His female co-worker felt the man was "very handsome," Louboutin says, and watched as he turned over a pair of shoes to find nothing interesting on the soles. When the couple left, the co-worker remarked that she should have put her phone number on the soles. Louboutin took that as a sign, he says, "that the sole should have its own identity." He considered changing the colour every season, but then realized that red the colour of blood, he points out was unique. "I had many customers who would only wear black, but they wore red on their lips or on their nails," he says. Louboutin's shoes are worn by fashionistas around the world first lady Melania Trump seems to be a fan, often photographed in Louboutins like a towering yellow pair she wore recently in Japan. Louboutin says only that he enjoys seeing who wears the shoes, and how. "My job is designing shoes and producing an object of desire for women," he says. "After that it's no longer in my hands, and I'm no one to judge who is wearing them or how you should wear them." He adds that although celebrities are obviously good for business, his preference is to discover someone he doesn't know, looking good, in his shoes. Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "I'm walking in the street, and I look at the shoes and they look good and I'm almost jealous," he says. "And then I look and it's a red sole, and I go woo-hoo!" The Couture Council luncheon on Sept. 4 coincides with a new exhibit at The Museum at FIT: "Paris, Capital of Fashion," running Sept. 6 to Jan. 4. ___ Online: https://www.fitnyc.edu/museum/ ___ This story has been corrected to show that Louboutin is 56, not 55. TACOMA, Wash. - A federal judge has denied a motion to dismiss an animal mistreatment lawsuit against a Washington state wildlife farm, handing an initial victory to animal rights activists, a report said. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 28/5/2019 (945 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. TACOMA, Wash. - A federal judge has denied a motion to dismiss an animal mistreatment lawsuit against a Washington state wildlife farm, handing an initial victory to animal rights activists, a report said. The Animal Legal Defence Fund sued Olympic Game Farm in December, saying the Sequim-area business is in violation of the Endangered Species Act, Peninsula Daily News reported Tuesday. The lawsuit asks the court to require the drive-thru wildlife exhibit 95 miles (153 kilometres) northwest of Tacoma to give away its endangered or threatened species to a sanctuary. The decision allows the lawsuit to move forward. The two sides must hold a settlement conference and enter mediation by the end of March 2020 and prepare for a trial scheduled for May 2020. The Game Farm filed a motion in March to dismiss state public nuisance and animal cruelty claims, saying state law does not recognize private cause of action to enforce cruelty laws. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The state limits who can bring a public nuisance claim, but a private party must show special injury distinct from what the general public has suffered, according to the dismissal order by U.S. District Judge Ronald Leighton. The Game Farm attempting to isolate the public nuisance claim from the lawsuit was "an attempt to prune this 'Bonsai tree' with tweezers and fingernail clippers," Leighton wrote. The farm already acknowledged violating state law, "namely that they are not accredited but 'possess or display Roosevelt Elk,'" Leighton said. Roosevelt elk is one of the species the state bars non-accredited facilities from possessing, Leighton said. ___ Information from: Peninsula Daily News, http://www.peninsuladailynews.com MONTREAL - A Quebec judge has ruled there is enough evidence to send SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. to trial on charges of fraud and corruption, surprising few and prompting a further tumble in the beleaguered firm's share price. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/5/2019 (945 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The SNC-Lavalin headquarters is seen in Montreal on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019. A court of Quebec judge is expected to rule today on whether SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. will proceed to trial on charges of fraud and corruption. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson MONTREAL - A Quebec judge has ruled there is enough evidence to send SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. to trial on charges of fraud and corruption, surprising few and prompting a further tumble in the beleaguered firm's share price. "Given the threshold to be met by the prosecution at the stage of the preliminary inquiry, this outcome was expected," said SNC-Lavalin chief executive Neil Bruce in a statement. The company has previously pleaded not guilty and Bruce said that "we will vigorously defend ourselves to get the right outcome and be acquitted." The Montreal-based engineering and construction giant is accused of paying $47.7 million in bribes to public officials in Libya between 2001 and 2011. The company, its construction division and a subsidiary also face one charge each of fraud and corruption for allegedly defrauding various Libyan organizations of $129.8 million. Judge Claude Leblond's decision, which is subject to a publication ban, is the latest step in criminal proceedings that began last fall after SNC-Lavalin failed to secure a deferred prosecution agreement, a kind of plea deal that would have seen the firm agree to pay a fine rather than face prosecution. Over the past four months, SNC-Lavalin has been at the centre of a political controversy following accusations from former attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould that top government officials pressured her to overrule federal prosecutors, who had opted not to negotiate a deferred prosecution agreement with the company. "The director of public prosecution has made a decision in that regard," said prosecutor Richard Roy, asked by reporters whether SNC-Lavalin could still secure an agreement and sidestep a trial. Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada David Lametti speaks with the media following party caucus on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Wednesday May 29, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld Despite the high profile afforded to the case, "SNC-Lavalin will have a fair trial," he added. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has argued that a criminal trial could trigger the company's exit to the United States and the loss of thousands of jobs, a sentiment that was supported by an internal SNC-Lavalin document obtained by The Canadian Press. "We respect the independence of our judiciary and were not going to comment on an ongoing court case, but as Ive said many times, were always going to fight for Canadian jobs in ways that uphold the rules," Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa Wednesday. SNC-Lavalin warned federal prosecutors last fall about a possible plan to split the company in two, move its offices to the U.S. and chop its Canadian workforce to 3,500 from 8,700 before eventually shuttering its domestic operations if it didnt get a deal to avoid criminal prosecution. Experts viewed the ruling as expected, though that didn't stop SNC shares from falling more than three per cent Wednesday to close at $24.17, a 14-year low capping off a month that opened with disappointing earnings results. The company's market valuation has dropped by $1.59 billion, or 27 per cent, over the past 30 days to $4.25 billion. Shares are trading at roughly half their October prices. A conviction could lead to a ban on federal bidding for up to 10 years. It could also prompt a ban on bidding for projects backed by the World Bank, "which is not a big percentage of what they do," said Karl Moore, an associate professor at McGill University's business school. He said a potential conviction would allow competitors to "make hay" of the company's situation. "They would make sure that their potential clients and current clients around the world are aware of it, and go, 'Even their own government doesnt trust them,'" Moore said, echoing concerns from the CEO. "If the company is convicted, you cant invoke the defence that this was a bunch of rogue employees," added Ian Lee, an associate professor at Carleton Universitys business school. Nearly one-third of SNC-Lavalins $9.3 billion in revenues in 2017 came from Canada, down from roughly 60 per cent of revenue in 2014. Analysts estimate that up to one-half of home-turf revenues stem from federal contracts. Attorney general David Lametti, who declined to comment, could technically extend an offer for a deferred prosecution agreement up until a guilty finding is handed down. "In the meantime, SNC-Lavalin continues to remain unrestricted in bidding and winning Canadian government funded contracts," said analyst Derek Spronck of RBC Dominion Securities in a note to investors. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. In a wide-ranging interview Wednesday, Wilson-Raybould said SNC-Lavalin's trial "will proceed in the way that it's supposed to proceed." "I'm very comfortable and confident with the approach that I took as the attorney general with respect to SNC and with respect to my role generally throughout the three and a bit years that I was in that position," said the former attorney general. The company is due back in court in Montreal on June 7 to choose a trial by jury or by judge alone. Prior to that, it can opt to apply within 30 days to the Superior Court of Quebec to have Wednesday's lower court decision quashed. "We are evaluating whether errors at law could justify seeking a judicial review of the decision," the company said in an email. Companies in this story: (TSX:SNC) - With files from Kristy Kirkup TOKYO - Fiat Chrysler's proposal to merge with Renault was presented to Nissan on Wednesday, adding another big question to the list of uncertainties facing the Japanese automaker. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/5/2019 (945 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. FILE - In this March 12, 2019, file photo, Renault Chairman Jean-Dominique Senard, left, speaks as Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa listens during a joint press conference at the Nissan headquarters in Yokohama, near Tokyo. Fiat Chryslers proposal to merge with Renault was presented to Nissan on Wednesday, May 29, adding another big question to the list of uncertainties facing the Japanese automaker. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File) TOKYO - Fiat Chrysler's proposal to merge with Renault was presented to Nissan on Wednesday, adding another big question to the list of uncertainties facing the Japanese automaker. Nissan Motor Co. has been slammed with nose-diving profits and a tarnished reputation since the arrest of its former chairman Carlos Ghosn in November on financial misconduct allegations. Renault chairman Jean-Dominique Senard was in Tokyo for a board meeting of the three-way alliance among Renault, Nissan and smaller Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors Corp. "There was an open and transparent discussion on FCA's recent proposal to Groupe Renault. The meeting also discussed and positively concluded several current operational alliance matters," the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance said in a statement, while declining to give details. A quick resolution had not been expected. But it's clear the proposal from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, which brought together the Italian and American manufacturers, complicates matters at a time when Nissan has plenty of problems. "It's really important for Nissan to jockey for an equal position," to gain bargaining power among the companies, said Katsuya Takeuchi, senior analyst at Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities. But that's extremely difficult when its finances are in deep trouble, weakening its position, and requiring full managerial attention as well as money, Takeuchi said. Nissan's profit for the fiscal year ended in March totalled 319.1 billion yen ($2.9 billion), down from 746.9 billion yen the previous fiscal year, its worst showing since the global financial crisis a decade ago. Its profit for the fiscal year through March 2020 is expected to drop to 170 billion yen ($1.5 billion), due to restructuring, rising material costs and other expenses. "If it had a trump card it could use, it would have used it already," Takeuchi said of Nissan's woes. Until recently, Nissan had been more profitable than Renault. But Renault, which came in to rescue Nissan from the brink of bankruptcy 20 years ago, remains the dominant partner, owning 43% of Nissan. Ghosn had worked as the charismatic glue of sorts for the alliance. But now he awaits trial. Ghosn says he is innocent of the charges of falsifying retirement compensation reports and of diverting Nissan money for his investment losses and personal gain. His courtroom fight could take years. Masayuki Kubota, chief strategist at Rakuten Securities, believes Fiat Chrysler, with its offerings like the Jeep that don't overlap with Nissan's lineup, and its strength in the U.S. market, has a lot to offer Nissan, perhaps even more than Renault. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Partnerships are increasingly critical in the intensely competitive globalizing auto industry, according to analysts, delivering cost cuts, market co-operation and auto parts-sharing. Going at it alone is precarious. But that doesn't mean companies, hailing from differing corporate and social cultures, can get along. Falk Frey, a senior vice-president and auto analyst at Moody's, said combining Fiat Chrysler and Renault made "strategic sense and could create a substantial amount of synergies," but warned of "significant execution risks" because of Renault's alliance with Nissan and Mitsubishi. Renault's board will hold a meeting early next week to decide whether to agree to the proposal. Even if the decision is yes, consultations with unions, governments, antitrust authorities and other regulators are expected to take a year. ___ Follow Yuri Kageyama on Twitter https://twitter.com/yurikageyama On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/yurikageyama/?hl=en VANCOUVER - A lockout notice issued by the group that represents more than 50 waterfront employers in British Columbia was expected to take effect Thursday, but a spokesman for the union said neither side could discuss the state of negotiations after a mediator imposed a news blackout. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/5/2019 (945 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A Helijet helicopter preparing to land at the harbour passes by cranes used to load and unload container ships at the DP World marine terminal at Port Metro Vancouver, in Vancouver, B.C., on Friday March 16, 2018. Longshore workers have issued 72-hour strike notice that could see two Port of Vancouver container terminals behind picket lines by Monday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck VANCOUVER - A lockout notice issued by the group that represents more than 50 waterfront employers in British Columbia was expected to take effect Thursday, but a spokesman for the union said neither side could discuss the state of negotiations after a mediator imposed a news blackout. Bill Tieleman said Wednesday representatives for the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the B.C. Maritime Employers Association could be negotiating through the night. Union president Rob Ashton said earlier that his members are committed to keeping open the ports from Vancouver to Prince Rupert and if they wanted to close them that would have been done when the strike notice expired on Monday. "We don't want to drag the people of B.C., and honestly, the people of Canada, because that's who we affect, into this dispute. We don't want to bring the government into it, because they don't need to be in it," Ashton said. Strike notice issued by the union covered only the DeltaPort and VanTerm terminals in Metro Vancouver. That notice was minimized Sunday to an overtime ban for about 2,000 workers at those terminals. Jeff Scott, chairman of the employers association that bargains on behalf of terminal operators for ports in Vancouver, New Westminster, Prince Rupert, Stewart and on Vancouver Island, said Tuesday that the overtime ban had escalated to work stoppages. Terminals could no longer operate efficiently, Scott said, so the decision was made to issue lockout notice affecting about 7,000 workers and every seaport in B.C. The potential widespread financial impact could amount to about $5 billion a day across Canada, Scott said. Ashton said the notice does not cover B.C.'s grain or cruise ship terminals. But he said the broad lockout notice was "shocking" and came without warning after talks had stalled, although the union wasn't prepared to abandon mediated sessions. "We are going to show up at federal mediation today, I believe the employer is coming as well, because we've got a job to do. And that job is to negotiate a free collective agreement that is fair for the members of the ILWU as well as for members of the association." Automation is a key sticking point in negotiations. Scott said improved automation would protect jobs. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "In the last 10 years we've been continually investing in automation and technology and during those years the overall hours have increased by 52 per cent and the total workforce has increased by 34 per cent," he said. Ashton disagreed, saying automation "decimates" terminals, particularly container terminals. He said he hopes the federal government will not impose an agreement but will respond in the same way it handled last year's job action at CP Rail, by urging the two sides to co-operate. "That's what we're hoping for, is the government to say 'figure it out, get it done,' " he said. "And that's what the longshore bargaining committee plans to do. Get it done." He said he had packed his suitcase in the hope Wednesday's meeting developed into progressive talks. The union has been without a contract for 17 months and a federal mediator has been involved in the talks since February. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - U.S. Interior Secretary David Bernhardt has agreed to put off oil and gas leasing for a year on land that Native Americans consider sacred surrounding Chaco Culture National Historical Park in northwestern New Mexico. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/5/2019 (944 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. U.S. Interior Secretary David Bernhardt listens while Chaco Culture National Historical Park Chief of Interpretation Nathan Hatfield talks during a tour of Pueblo Bonito in San Juan County, N.M., Tuesday, May 28, 2019. Bernhardt has met with tribal leaders Tuesday who are supporting legislation to prevent drilling on land they consider sacred around Chaco Culture National Historical Park. (Hannah Grover/The Daily Times via AP) ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - U.S. Interior Secretary David Bernhardt has agreed to put off oil and gas leasing for a year on land that Native Americans consider sacred surrounding Chaco Culture National Historical Park in northwestern New Mexico. The decision comes after Bernhardt visited the site Tuesday and met with leaders of the Navajo Nation and Pueblo tribes that have been fighting to protect culturally significant sites beyond the park, with its stone structures that were used by an ancient civilization. The area has been central to an ongoing dispute over drilling in the San Juan Basin in northwestern New Mexico and southwestern Colorado, one of the nation's oldest production areas. A coalition of tribes has called repeatedly for a moratorium on energy development, while members of New Mexico's congressional delegation have introduced legislation to officially create a buffer zone within 10 miles (16 kilometres) of the park. Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez, right, and U.S. Interior Secretary David Bernhardt look out over Pueblo Bonito, at Chaco Culture National Historical Park, N.M., Tuesday, May 28, 2019. Bernhardt has met with tribal leaders who are supporting legislation to prevent drilling on land they consider sacred around Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Nez has previously said that many tribes want a greater area around Chaco protected from industrial incursions. (Hannah Grover/The Daily Times via AP) Advocates welcomed Bernhardt's decision, but some cautioned that it was a stop-gap measure. They argued for passing the legislation, which they say would protect the area's archaeological and sensitive landscapes by halting new oil and natural gas lease sales on federal holdings within the buffer zone. The delay on leasing will give the U.S. Bureau of Land Management time to finish drafting an updated management plan to guide energy development on federal land across the region. Bernhardt requested that the plan include an alternative that reflects tribal leaders' views and the boundaries sought by lawmakers. "I walked away with a greater sense of appreciation of the magnificent site managed by the National Park Service and a better understanding of the tribal leaders' views of its cultural significance," Bernhardt said after his visit. The Bureau of Land Management in recent years has put off leasing parcels within the buffer zone, but most of that area is Navajo land and individual Navajo allotments. The legislation would not affect mineral rights on that land, meaning development would still be possible. The 328 square miles (850 square kilometres) of allotted land has 628 oil and gas leases, according to the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs. In the last fiscal year, the agency said it paid out $32 million to those with land rights. Robert McEntyre, a spokesman for the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association, said Wednesday that the industry has been operating in the basin for nearly a century and has become an integral part of the economy. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "Whatever BLM decides to do, it's our hope that they'll balance what they're hearing from some of the anti-oil groups with what they're hearing from residents who actually live in that area and their desire to see some economic growth," he said. Bernhardt acknowledged during his visit that the Bureau of Land Management has a "complex mission" of managing a range of land uses. A thousand years ago, Chaco had been an economic and ceremonial hub for the ancestors of Pueblo people, whose present-day villages are situated throughout much of New Mexico. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the park's stone walls, staircases and other architectural remnants stand against a backdrop of cliffs and rocky outcroppings. Smaller archaeological sites and individual Navajo Nation family allotments can be found beyond the park's boundaries. ___ This story has been corrected to show the park's name was incorrect. The owner of an independent chain of Winnipeg grocery stores says hes hiring a hot-shot lawyer to take the province to court over a $10,000 fine for opening one of his locations on Good Friday. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/5/2019 (945 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The owner of an independent chain of Winnipeg grocery stores says hes hiring a "hot-shot" lawyer to take the province to court over a $10,000 fine for opening one of his locations on Good Friday. Provincial law prohibits most stores from opening on statutory holidays. Munther Zeid, who owns five Food Fare stores, said he was handed notice of the fine Tuesday by a pair of city police officers. Zeid said he has kept stores open on most statutory holidays, including Good Friday, and has operated in defiance of the law for more than 20 years without the province so much as calling in a warning. (The only days Food Fare locations are closed are Christmas Day, New Years Day and Easter Sunday.) 'I'm going to get myself a nice, hot-shot lawyer and fight it. Hey, maybe the province will... waive the fine. I'm going to continue to open' Munther Zeid "Its bull----," Zeid said Tuesday afternoon. "Im going to get myself a nice hot-shot lawyer and fight it. Hey, maybe the province will... waive the fine. Im going to continue to open." The grocer said the law governing statutory holidays is patently unfair: casinos, cannabis shops and beer stores all get a pass which allows them to be open. "Im fighting it. Ill lose a-hundred-grand on this one just to prove a point, because its wrong," Zeid said. "How can you say to people, No, were not going to allow you to buy food and have your family day, as youre encouraging people to do. And then encourage them to have their family day at the casino. "Or say, Lets have a family day and get high. Really?" Zeid recounted a series of events suggesting the grocery chain was targeted this year. Good Friday (April 19) began with a police cruiser pulling up at one of the Food Fare locations, and a provincial employee identifying himself to staff as working for Manitoba Labour Board. The worker verbally warned Zeids brother he would risk a fine by opening the store that day. The brother decided not to open the store. One by one, family members who run other Food Fare locations also decided to not to open. Zeid was at the Portage Avenue and Mount Royal Road location, about to lock up, when a customer arrived, asking to duck in for a "litre of cream for his coffee." He allowed it. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Just before closing time at 5 p.m., "A labour board official walks in and said, I demand your payroll records. You know youre not supposed to be open," Zeid said. "I said, Yeah, I know, but if your boss can open up the casinos and allow weed to be sold and beer sold today, I can open, too." Meanwhile, the provinces practice of forcing stores to be closed for statutory holidays puts Manitoba behind the rest of the country, according to the Retail Council of Canada. The council called for an update of the rules, according to media reports about the Food Fare fine. Store closings on statutory holidays are decisions left up to municipalities in most other provinces, a council official said. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business told media it should be left up to business owners to decide whether they open on statutory holidays. alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca OTTAWA NDP Leader Wab Kinew is distancing himself from left-wing activists, saying they promote "hate and oppression" by flying the Soviet flag. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 28/5/2019 (945 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA NDP Leader Wab Kinew is distancing himself from left-wing activists, saying they promote "hate and oppression" by flying the Soviet flag. "There is no appeasement that I have to do as a leader," Kinew said Tuesday in an interview on the sidelines of a union conference in Ottawa. On Monday, Southdale MLA Andrew Smith tweeted a photo of Kinew and other NDP MLAs and candidates at a Winnipeg rally last Saturday beside the red flag of the Soviet Union. Smith decried them for supporting "a tyrannical and oppressive regime" which his maternal grandparents escaped after relatives died in the Holodomor, the forced starvation of Ukrainians. Seeing the NDP MLAs standing beside the Soviet Flag reminds me of when I took over the constituency office from the former Southdale NDP MLA, I found a Soviet Flag. My grandparents fled to Canada from the tyranny of the socialist #SovietUnion. #mbpoli pic.twitter.com/c66AyqVvGy Andrew Smith (@smith4southdale) May 27, 2019 "I was very disheartened to see anybody would be standing, knowingly, in a picture like that," he said in an interview. By Tuesday, the PC Party added a caption to the photo, and was tweeting it from its party account. Kinew said he suspected the PCs were trying to link the NDP with radicals ahead of a snap election. "This is something that the Tories have kicked up to cause a distraction," Kinew said. Provincial NDP leader Wab Kinew (far right) at the Solidarity Forever Parade on Saturday. (Facebook) "That said, I'm not a communist sympathizer by any means. I recognize the communist regimes in the Soviet Union and China are responsible for the deaths of tens of millions of people," he said, describing himself as "not even much of socialist I'm a progressive young person." On Twitter, Smith also claimed he found a Soviet flag in this constituency office he took over from the NDPs Erin Selby. That was news to Selby, who said she and her former staff only ever had Manitoba and Canada flags. "None of us quite understand where this is coming from," she said. "A lot of people see it as a symbol of hate and oppression, and representing crimes against humanity." Smith said it was no false flag he said a staffer came across the flag, tucked under the carpet when they were moving into the 119 Vermillion Rd. office in 2016. The flag flap has upset Mieke Ruth, who helps runs a socialist club at the University of Winnipeg. "Its sad to see Wab capitulate so easily," said Ruth. She said Soviet Union was "far from a utopia" but deserves a nuanced unpacking of its successes and failures, instead of dismissing it as "a horrible human-rights abuser." I condemn all symbols of hate and oppression, including the Soviet flag. I am reaffirming my commitment to stand against all genocides and crimes against humanity Wab Kinew (@WabKinew) May 27, 2019 Her campus group struggles with whether to use the hammer and sickle, because the "bad optics" draw controversy instead of debate. University of Manitoba geopolitics professor Radhika Desai said Kinew should have instead stood up to "typical mainstream anti-communism" that dates back to the Cold War. Desai said the whole point of people bringing the flag to the demonstration harks back to the role of communists in the 1919 General Strike, which helped build labour rights. "These are the radical traditions to which we owe many of the things we are thankful for, whether it is a socialized health-care system, public education or the welfare state," said Desai, head of Canadas Society for Socialist Studies. dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca A group of nurses at Seven Oaks General Hospital has told the Manitoba government they are concerned about patient care and safety in the facility. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 28/5/2019 (945 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A group of nurses at Seven Oaks General Hospital has told the Manitoba government they are concerned about patient care and safety in the facility. "Seven Oaks General Hospital has been running at over-capacity for the past few months," the 15 nurses wrote in a May 22 letter to Health Minister Cameron Friesen, noting three units have opened extra beds. "Nurses are isolated in this type of work environment and working alone with one health-care aide. These situations are very dangerous for patients and raise several safety issues." The nurses also outlined problems with "unsafe transfers from other hospitals" and high-acuity patients being admitted to units meant for sub-acute (low-risk) patients. Diagnoses such as congestive heart failure, sepsis and unstable angina were being admitted to sub-acute care, they reported. "The definition of sub-acute is very unclear from the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA), management and all other supporting staff (and) we have yet to receive a proper response," the nurses said. Nova Scotia-based consultant Dr. David Peachey whose report to the province is serving as the blueprint for systemic changes to health care in Winnipeg made similar remarks when he was in the city earlier this month. In assessing the changes implemented thus far, Peachey noted the province should eliminate the sub-acute bed category altogether. Friesen acknowledged confusion over the term is something the province is addressing. "We need consistent and reliable understanding of what is meant by those terminologies as we move forward," he said. In a statement, the WRHA referred to sub-acute beds as low-acuity units meant for patients with stable vital signs, and low or stable oxygen requirements; for those who are "unlikely to decompensate" and "do not require the services or expertise of an acute unit." WRHA staff met with the Seven Oaks nurses Tuesday to discuss their letter. "The feedback and insight from nurses and staff is critical as we work together on a timely and responsive plan for transitioning additional Seven Oaks family medicine units to a low-acuity model as part of the Healing our Health System plan," a WRHA spokesman wrote by email. The health authority said the number of contingency beds at Seven Oaks has fluctuated during winter and spring, from a high of 36 to a low of zero. Thirteen contingency beds are currently being used in family medicine units. Seven Oaks' emergency room is scheduled to become an urgent-care centre by September. For Wendy Carriere, a member of the community group Save 7 Oaks E.R., that prospect is already "scary," so hearing alarm raised by hospital staff isn't helping to quell fears. "Nurses go into this profession because they want to help, theyre nurturers. And now theyre struggling," she said. "Theyre wanting to still take care of people and follow their passion. But theyre kind of having one hand held behind their back because theyre getting these cases where theyre not equipped to handle them." Save 7 Oaks E.R. is hosting a noon-hour rally at the hospital Wednesday in opposition to pending system changes. Darlene Jackson, president of the Manitoba Nurses Union, said she wasn't surprised by the nurses' letter. "Theres a total lack of capacity of beds and whats happening is patients are being transferred to Seven Oaks whether they are fit to be in a sub-acute unit whatever that means or an acute unit. Theres just no place else to put these patients," she said. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "And it is absolutely distressing for these nurses because they want to provide safe, quality patient care and these changes make it extremely difficult and almost impossible in some cases." When it comes to evaluating the health-care system overhaul, Friesen said the government is listening to front-line staff. "Today, right now as we speak, there are system leaders engaged with those nurses," the minister said Tuesday afternoon. "Our message to health-care providers in Manitoba, front-line workers, is clear. We value very much what you do. Its hard enough to be a front-line worker in health care any day. In the middle of system change, its a bit tougher. We acknowledge that. We know that this is not the end state. We are in some very significant transition." jessica.botelho@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @_jessbu OTTAWA The Liberals have turned to a former Supreme Court justice in the hopes of salvaging the troubled Manitoba Hydro line to Minnesota. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/5/2019 (945 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA The Liberals have turned to a former Supreme Court justice in the hopes of salvaging the troubled Manitoba Hydro line to Minnesota. The Liberals have commissioned former Supreme Court judge Frank Iacobucci to advise on the Manitoba-Minnesota Transmission Project, suggesting both the hydro line is a priority for Ottawa, and it is at risk of long delays. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is scheduled to sit down today in Ottawa with Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister, who requested a meeting about the stalled project. The $453-million line aims to export some of Manitobas overcapacity of hydroelectricity by June 2020, to offset Hydros debt and to lower carbon emissions. Earlier this month, the Liberals delayed their decision on whether to approve the project over Pallisters spat with the Manitoba Metis Federation. That prompted First Nations to come forward with their own concerns about not being adequately consulted. Pallister insists the province went above and beyond its requirement to speak with Indigenous communities and try assuaging their concerns. The premier has said hes open to compensation for adversely affected communities, but cancelled a 50-year, $67.5-million deal between Hydro and the MMF a year ago, calling it "hush money." That cash was in exchange for the MMF not contesting the project during its assessment process. First Nations such as Roseau River now say neither the province nor Ottawa made a serious effort to hear their concerns, which largely surround treaty land claims that have languished for decades. Long Plain First Nation formally withdrew its support of the project April 30, according to a letter obtained by the Free Press, which is marked "private and confidential." The federal Liberals are considering beef up the National Energy Boards final conditions on the project, which Pallister warns could mean delays. Ottawa currently has until June 14 to decide on whether to give the green light a deadline it could extend for a third time. Adding 12 months to the proposed construction timeline would cost taxpayers $200 million, the premier has said. Yet, Ottawa fears a last-minute court ruling that blocks the Hydro project, similar to a judges finding last August that halted the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. That ruling prompted the Liberals to appoint Iacobucci to oversee pipeline consultations. Federal sources said the government has also asked him to advise on their approach to the Hydro line negotiations. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Southern Chiefs Organization Grand Chief Jerry Daniels, who represents the Manitobas southern reserves, said First Nations want half the profits or royalties from the transmission project. "Government-to-government means that we need to be in a partnership; were not (only) consulted after the fact," Daniels said, arguing the First Nations should be at Wednesdays meeting. "Its going through our territory." To avoid lawsuits and injunctions, Ottawa must be able to demonstrate the federal and provincial governments exercised their "duty to consult" by trying hard enough to get Indigenous buy-in, even if the project proceeds without First Nations and Metis support. Provincial NDP Leader Wab Kinew said hes confident the project will proceed, though he felt Pallister might speed up the process by meeting regularly with the impacted Indigenous communities instead of "launching attacks through the media." Kinew said Pallister has been "needlessly antagonistic" with Trudeau but also blamed the Liberals for inconsistently funding for treaty-land research bodies. Those groups help First Nations advance land claims, which they can use to establish hunting zones and businesses. dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca It started when police spotted a bicyclist who nearly caused several collisions by veering in and out of traffic and it ended with the largest-ever seizure of homemade guns in Winnipeg and the arrest of the person accused of building them. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 28/5/2019 (945 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. It started when police spotted a bicyclist who nearly caused several collisions by veering in and out of traffic and it ended with the largest-ever seizure of homemade guns in Winnipeg and the arrest of the person accused of building them. The seizures are also part of an increasing number of firearms seizures in recent years, as well as seeing Manitoba lead the nation in the number of violent crimes with a firearm being present. KEVIN ROLLASON / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Max Waddell of the organized crime unit inspects one of the seized homemade firearms Police Insp. Ian Waddell, of the organized crime division, said on Tuesday that officers were able to seize 11 homemade firearms police call them "improvised firearms" or "zip guns" after a search of a home in the 500 block of Maryland Street late Sunday night. "It is the largest (seizure) to date to get this many improvised firearms at one time at one place," Waddell said. "This is the reality of the street. It is much easier to manufacture them than to get a legitimate firearm. "The improvised firearms are capable of acting like a regular firearm... (and) what is concerning is two of the improvised firearms were loaded." Waddell said the weapons constructed with materials such as pipes, parts from stolen bicycles and springs could also injure the person making them or using them. "It is clearly an individual responsible for manufacturing," he said. "They are not only manufacturing but putting them in the hands of criminals." Waddell said the police service's Guns and Gangs unit was patrolling around Balmoral Street and Cumberland Avenue when they spotted the bicyclist at about 6 p.m. He said officers tried to speak to the man, but he fled on his bike. When officers followed, saw him pick up the bike, and spotted a homemade firearm in his waistband, they chased him into the home and arrested him and a woman there. A few hours later officers came back with a search warrant. Police also seized a .22-calibre bolt-action prohibited firearm, about one gram of methamphetamine, and various power saws and tools to cut through metal to fashion the homemade firearms. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Leslie Randolph Beaulieu, 27, has been charged with several offences including weapons manufacturing and trafficking. A woman who was in the home, Krista Marie Roulette, 38, has been charged with possessing a firearm knowing its possession was unauthorized. Both have been detained in the Winnipeg Remand Centre. Meanwhile, Waddell said 773 firearms were seized by police in 2016, but that has jumped sharply to 1,747 seized last year. He also said that, while across the country there were 25 victims of firearm-related violent crime per 100,000 people, in Manitoba the rate is 48 victims per 100,000 population. "That's nearly double the Canadian average," he said. Waddell said homemade guns are now the second most commonly-seized type of crime gun, after sawed-off firearms. He said they have jumped from having three seized in 2016, to 52 in 2018, and to 31 seized so far this year. "We're asking for the public to call us," he said. "We can all play a role in making sure firearms don't fall into the wrong hands." kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca Seventeen-year-old Dorian (Dory) Sanderson has been identified by Winnipeg police as the city's 19th homicide victim of 2019. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 28/5/2019 (945 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Seventeen-year-old Dorian (Dory) Sanderson has been identified by Winnipeg police as the city's 19th homicide victim of 2019. Dorian died after a group of people began fighting on the street on the 300 block of Alfred Avenue on Sunday, at about 9:20 p.m. He was rushed to hospital in critical condition, but died of his injuries. FACEBOOK Dorian "Dory" Sanderson is the city's 19th homicide victim this year. He was shot and killed Sunday on Alfred Avenue. Winnipeg Police Service spokeswoman Const. Tammy Skrabek said Tuesday no arrests had yet been made, and officers were still conducting interviews. At the side of the boulevard on Alfred, just after noon Tuesday, five people were quietly sitting and remembering Dorian. A vase of flowers was on the street, a poster on a tree bears Dorian's name, and in a nearby metal fire pit, chopped firewood was burning. Jodi Orvis, who said her daughters knew Sanderson, said the fire would burn for four days. "We have to keep the fire going to help his spirit go up," Orvis said. "I'd say to the ones who did this: 'This is real life. You took his spirit. This is somebody's son, somebody's brother. And this was cowardly. You didn't need 10 boys to kill one,'" she said. "That's just a coward." Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Posters and flowers on Alfred Street in honour of Dorian Sanderson in Winnipeg on Tuesday. Denise Desmarais, who lives in a home facing the homicide scene, is helping keep the fire going. "My uncle has some logs out back that he cut last year and he just left it," Desmarais said. "It's all dry, so it will burn. He is coming back and he's going to chop it to firewood so they can use it. I know how it is they have to keep the fire going to get him to a better place. I just want to help." Meanwhile, Skrabek said police have not yet released the name of a man killed in a Greencrest Avenue residence in Fort Richmond on May 24, because they are still locating next of kin. She said no arrests had yet been made in the case. Also, Skrabek said no one has yet been charged with the Saturday morning stabbing death of 25-year-old Shaylnne Marie Hunter in a home on the 400 block of Simcoe Street. kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca World Environment Day is June 5. This year, we should mark it not with speeches or extra composting, but by calling the situation we are in a climate emergency. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/5/2019 (945 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion World Environment Day is June 5. This year, we should mark it not with speeches or extra composting, but by calling the situation we are in a climate emergency. This is one of the points Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg (recently on the cover of Time magazine) has been hammering in her speeches at the European Parliament, in the British Parliament, at Davos in Switzerland and elsewhere. Stop talking about climate change and ways to respond to it. This dodges the urgency of the problem, and reduces it to one among the many problems that we all must deal with daily. It also thus allows politicians to stack "climate change" in a pile with all the problems they are urged to confront someday, when they have time and budget. Call it what it is a climate emergency and mobilize everything to deal with it as we would when we deal with a political, economic or military crisis. All hands on deck, and all sailors to the braces we must either struggle through this crisis by working together or we are all, quite literally, sunk. As the seas rise and the storms become more violent and frequent, such nautical images and analogies are inevitable. Small island developing states are already contemplating evacuation to new locations that will remain above water. More ominously, if one of the ice sheets underneath Antarctica continues to disintegrate, detach and then melt, the resulting five-metre rise in global sea levels will wipe out coastal cities and communities all around the world. This kind of talk about a climate emergency will no doubt motivate the fossil fuel companies and their minions to once again send in the internet trolls to deny this reality, or at least to distract or deflect the readers attention from the crisis we face in our generation. It is time for our governments municipal, provincial and federal to follow the lead of other jurisdictions around the world and call what we are facing a "climate emergency." It is not enough to pull on our chin hairs and talk about climate change, or to debate (as the waters rise and our forests burn) whether it is real. Still more absurd, in a world of 7.5-billion-plus people, is the discussion about whether humans have actually contributed to the problem. Documents are being discovered now that demonstrate fossil fuel companies not only knew about global warming back in the 1980s, they also accurately predicted its current levels and effects. And yet, they hid the information, engaging in a 40-year campaign to deny, distract and deflect public attention and political reaction, all the while racking up trillions in subsidies from governments everywhere to further pad their collective pockets with cash from the very people whose futures they knew they were ruining. The United Kingdom and Ireland were the first two member states of the United Nations to declare our situation a climate emergency. They have been followed by more than 500 regional governments so far, ranging from Catalonia to Kingston, Ont. Winnipeg should be on that global list. The citys Climate Action Plan at least has the potential to do something that would make a difference. Declaring a climate emergency would underline the importance of making the real and immediate changes to how we live together that this emergency situation requires. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The Metropolitan Capital Region, which comprises of 18 municipalities that include and surround Winnipeg, could do the same, if the neighbouring municipalities could hold each other to account or perhaps they could push Winnipeg into taking the lead. As for the province, declaring a climate emergency would be a good campaign issue, something that would help voters decide which party and which candidates really have the best interests of future generations of Manitobans in mind. Forget the rhetoric of climate pillars and green reports with Manitobas emissions actually going up, clearly other things are more important to this current crop of provincial politicians. For the sake of our children and grandchildren, this situation has to change right now. If the Pallister government thinks our climate emergency is unimportant, or just one of a long list of issues on their "someday" list somewhere far behind reducing the provincial sales tax then perhaps we need someone else to lead the province into its uncertain future. Either way, whether or not the province should declare a climate emergency makes for crucial campaign fodder. No party yet has a lock on how to respond to this emergency we need more evidence of their good ideas and their commitment to really make a difference but honestly recognizing the urgency of the problem, and the need to take serious steps to respond to it, would be a good place for any new government (or successful candidate) to start. Peter Denton is a sustainability activist, author and speaker based in Manitoba. Its not very often that you get a chance to relive something as profound as parenting a young child, but quite out of the blue, four months ago, a little girl I love came to live with me. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/5/2019 (945 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion Its not very often that you get a chance to relive something as profound as parenting a young child, but quite out of the blue, four months ago, a little girl I love came to live with me. She is a close relative, and the circumstances that brought her to me are the usual combination of family difficulties and dysfunction. It has been years since Ive shared my home with anyone, so becoming the equivalent of a single mother late in life has put to the test all the good things I believe about myself. For example, I like to think of myself as patient, loving, gracious and kind. Turns out, I can also be quite the wicked witch. "I really dont like you sometimes," she announced the other day. "I totally get that," I replied. No point in pretending everything is perfect. But sometimes, everything really is. She carpets the house with mash notes to me: "I love you, Auntie." "I love you so, so, so much." "You are the best." The needs of children are all-encompassing, something that is too easy to forget after they sprout wings and fly away. My daughter is a young adult; my stepchildren are middle-aged, and I have forgotten so much. But the little ones they are the suns of their own solar systems, and the planets whose gravitational pull ceaselessly drags us to them. Our needs and desires must come second to theirs. Remembering this has been my greatest challenge; its not about me anymore. When we are irritable and rushing, children need long hugs and kisses. When we want to curl up with a book, they need to be wrapped in towels and held close after a bath. When all we want to do is flop on the couch and watch Game of Thrones, they need stories and back rubs. I so look forward to her bedtime. Sometimes, the two of us have perfect days and calm, lovely evenings. Sometimes, we have days full of meltdowns and tears (mostly hers) and difficult bedtime conversations. But mostly, with the help of our family and extraordinary friends, we are doing surprisingly well. Together, we have built a very dependable little village, and it is a good one. Two weeks ago, at breakfast, she looked at me, cracked a giant smile and said, "You know what, Auntie? We make a pretty good team." Then she high-fived me. I walked into my bathroom and wept. One of the beautiful things about living alone is that you are never beholden to anyone elses whims or needs. Your time is your own. Routines be damned. Children, on the other hand, crave the comfort of unwavering routines. It took me too long to relearn this. I would start cooking dinner too late, or run out of milk, or forget to buy the only salad dressing she will eat. I am happy to report that she now has me trained. After school, there is homework, followed by dinner, followed by a debate over whether dessert is appropriate. Then comes bath time, during which she gives her finest singing performances. We read Charlottes Web, Dog Man or Amelia Bedelia. There is a mandatory 10-minute back rub, always to the strains of the "Govi" guitar channel on Pandora, a couple of bear hugs and several smoochy kisses. And then, without fail, she extracts the same promise from me: "Check on me in five minutes." Of course, I do. Game of Thrones can wait. Over spring break, we decided to take a road trip. Scratch that. I decided. The little girl has not travelled much, and it seemed like a great idea to pack up the car and drive to San Francisco, where we would stay a couple of days with her cousins before spending a night in Carmel with friends, then meander home down Highway 1. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "Were going to spend how many hours in the car?" she asked, incredulous. "Why cant we take an airplane?" On the first morning of our drive, after two bathroom stops, three "Im hungrys" and four "Im boreds," I asked myself the same question. When I was forced to stop for a third bathroom visit in 250 kilometres, part of me wanted to scream. I didnt. I silently recited my new motto: "Love and patience. Love and patience. Love and patience." We put on music. Her music, of course. An endless repetition of the same 10 songs on her favourite Pandora station, kids movie soundtracks. She has a fabulous voice. Together, we belted out the songs from Moana. Beauty and the Beast. Trolls. Sing. During our first visit to the pediatrician, the doctor told us that children should ride in the back seat until age 21. She was joking, of course, but we took her point. My niece only ever rides in the back seat. But in truth, she is driving this family now. Los Angeles Times If someone were accused of a crime and police suspected that evidence could be found on their phone, would it surprise you to learn that the police can order them to provide their password? Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/5/2019 (945 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion If someone were accused of a crime and police suspected that evidence could be found on their phone, would it surprise you to learn that the police can order them to provide their password? Following Britains lead, Australia recently passed a law that allows police to compel decryption, which means forcing an accused person to provide their password or unlock a device. However, in Canada and the United States countries with a constitutional bill of rights courts are divided on whether compelling a person to reveal their password should be legal. The issue comes up in cases where police need evidence on a laptop or phone that no company or agency can help them retrieve without a password, or without possibly destroying the data. Does ordering you to hand over your password entail a form of self-incrimination or a violation of the right to silence? Would granting police the power to compel passwords cross a line centuries old against forcing a person to speak to build the case against them? Or should rights act as a trump card, effectively shutting down prosecutions leaving victims without justice and shielding criminals from the law? A recent Ontario case is the first in Canada to deal with the matter directly, and highlights whats at stake. As a law professor focusing on technology and rights, I was keen to see how the court would resolve these issues. Warrants for electronic data In the 2019 case of R v. Shergill, the accused was charged with a series of sexual and child pornography offences involving a 15-year-old girl. Police obtained his phone upon arrest and a warrant to search it, but couldnt open it without a password. There are at present no powers in Canadian law that explicitly authorize police to compel an accused to provide a password or unlock a device. But courts do have the power to compel a person to help police do something to execute a warrant. The Crown in Shergill asked the judge for an assistance order that would compel the accused to open his phone. In response, the defence argued that doing so would offend Canadas Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Drawing on American case law, the Crown responded that an order to compel a password would be Charter-compliant for two reasons. Complying with the Charter First, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms does not rule out all forms of compulsion: it permits an accused person to be forced to provide fingerprints, breath and DNA samples. It only prevents the Crown from compelling the accused to testify. The Crown conceded that handing over a password is a form of testimony, but says the data on the phone is not. Since the data existed before the investigation, compelling an accused person to reveal their password does not force the accused to assist in creating the evidence against them; it only forces them to reveal that they know the password, a fact the court can exclude from the evidence considered in the trial. Some scholars have gone further, arguing that a password shouldnt even be considered testimony, since it doesnt serve the same expressive function as other forms of speech traditionally protected under the Constitution, such as art or political opinion. The purpose of compelling an accused to reveal their password is not to conscript the accused in helping the prosecution build a case: it simply enables the state to access evidence to which it is lawfully entitled. The weight of tradition Justice Philip Downes, who presided over R v. Shergill, disagreed, setting out reasons that closely parallel the prevailing view on password compulsion in U.S. courts. The act of providing a password or unlocking a phone is a form of testimony, because it entails communicating something that exists only in ones mind. It is closer in nature to revealing the combination of a safe rather than handing over a physical key. The data on a phone is also closely tied to the password. In practical terms, since police are unlikely to access the phones data without the password, it is unrealistic to say that when an accused is compelled to unlock a phone, the data pre-exists being compelled to do so. Essentially, by handing over their password, the accused creates the evidence used against them. The judge conceded that encryption poses a serious hurdle for police. Constitutional rights should not serve as an absolute trump card over the states interest. But the breach of the accuseds rights here was fundamental in nature and the weight of authority favoured the accused. Passwords as testimony Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The debate in Canada and the U.S. over whether password compulsion is legal turns on the same core issues: is a password a form of testimony? Does the accused help to create the case against them by unlocking a phone? And what is the states interest here? Does encryption pose an insurmountable hurdle to prosecution, or is it often only a matter of convenience? Some law scholars argue that with an ever-growing abundance of other sources of data, compelled decryption is really only a matter of convenience. Others argue that in serious cases murder, sexual assault we cant always find a true substitute for the data we fail to access behind encryption. One possible way forward is to engage in a balancing of interests on a case-by-case basis, similar to what we do when we decide whether evidence obtained in violation of rights should still be admissible. In each case, we could weigh the severity of the breach with the seriousness of the offence. Regardless of the solution, however, the problem that data encryption poses to law enforcement continues to pose a challenge. For a society that values the rule of law, it will force us to make hard choices between liberty and justice. Robert Diab is an associate professor in the faculty of law at Thompson Rivers University. This article was first published at The Conversation Canada: theconversation.com/ca. WASHINGTON - Special counsel Robert Mueller said Wednesday that charging President Donald Trump with a crime was "not an option" because of federal rules, but he used his first public remarks on the Russia investigation to emphasize that he did not exonerate the president. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/5/2019 (945 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. FILE - In this March 24, 2019 photo, Special Counsel Robert Mueller walks past the White House, after attending St. John's Episcopal Church for morning services, in Washington. Mueller will make his first public statement on the probe on Wednesday, May 29.(AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File) WASHINGTON - Special counsel Robert Mueller said Wednesday that charging President Donald Trump with a crime was "not an option" because of federal rules, but he used his first public remarks on the Russia investigation to emphasize that he did not exonerate the president. "If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so," Mueller declared. The special counsel's remarks stood as a pointed rebuttal to Trump's repeated claims that he was cleared and that the two-year inquiry was merely a "witch hunt." They also marked a counter to criticism, including by Attorney General William Barr, that Mueller should have reached a determination on whether the president illegally tried to obstruct the probe by taking actions such as firing his FBI director. Mueller made clear that his team never considered indicting Trump because the Justice Department prohibits the prosecution of a sitting president. Special counsel Robert Muller speaks at the Department of Justice Wednesday, May 29, 2019, in Washington, about the Russia investigation. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) "Charging the president with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider," Mueller said during a televised statement . He said he believed such an action would be unconstitutional. Mueller did not use the word 'impeachment," but said it was the job of Congress not the criminal justice system to hold the president accountable for any wrongdoing. The special counsel's statement largely echoed the central points of his lengthy report, which was released last month with some redactions. But his remarks, just under 10 minutes long and delivered from a Justice Department podium, were extraordinary given that he had never before discussed or characterized his findings and had stayed mute during two years of feverish public speculation. Mueller, a former FBI director, said Wednesday that his work was complete and he was resigning to return to private life. Under pressure to testify before Congress, Mueller did not rule it out. But he seemed to warn lawmakers that they would not be pulling more detail out of him. His report is his testimony, he said. "So beyond what I have said here today and what is contained in our written work," Mueller said, "I do not believe it is appropriate for me to speak further about the investigation or to comment on the actions of the Justice Department or Congress." FILE - In this Jan. 4, 2019, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., right, htalks with Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., center, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, at the Capitol in Washington. Special counsel Robert Mueller said May 29, 2019, he believed he was constitutionally barred from charging President Donald Trump with a crime but pointedly emphasized that his Russia report did not exonerate the president. Nadler, in a statement, said it falls to Congress to respond to the "crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump and we will do so." (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, file) His remarks underscored the unsettled resolution, and revelations of behind-the-scenes discontent, that accompanied the end of his investigation. His refusal to reach a conclusion on criminal obstruction opened the door for Barr to clear the president, who in turn has cited the attorney general's finding as proof of his innocence. Mueller has privately vented to Barr about the attorney general's handling of the report, while Barr has publicly said he was taken aback by the special counsel's decision to neither exonerate nor incriminate the president. Trump, given notice Tuesday evening that Mueller would speak the next morning, watched on television. For weeks, he had been nervous about the possibility about the special counsel testifying before Congress, worried about the visual power of such a public appearance. Shortly after Mueller concluded, the president, who has repeatedly and falsely claimed that the report cleared him of obstruction of justice, tweeted a subdued yet still somewhat inaccurate reaction: "Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you" While claiming victory, the tone of the president's tweet was a far cry from the refrain of "total exoneration" that has dominated his declarations. Mueller's comments, one month after the public release of his report on Russian efforts to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton, appeared intended to both justify the legitimacy of his investigation against complaints by the president and to explain his decision to not reach a conclusion on whether Trump had obstructed justice in the probe. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders speaks outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, May 29, 2019, about special counsel Robert Mueller's remarks. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) He described wide-ranging and criminal Russian efforts to interfere in the election, including by hacking and spreading disinformation interference that Trump has said Putin rejected to his face in an "extremely strong and powerful" denial. And Mueller called the question of later obstruction by Trump and his campaign a matter of "paramount importance." The special counsel said the absence of a conclusion on obstruction should not be mistaken for exoneration. A long-standing Justice Department legal opinion "says the Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing," Mueller said. That would shift the next move, if any, to Congress, and the Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, which would investigate further or begin any impeachment effort, commented quickly. New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler said it falls to Congress to respond to the "crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump and we will do so." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has so far discouraged members of her caucus from demanding impeachment, believing it would only help Trump win re-election and arguing that Democrats need to follow a methodical, step by step approach to investigating the president. But she hasn't ruled it out. On the Republican side, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said that Mueller "has decided to move on and let the report speak for itself. Congress should follow his lead." Trump has blocked House committees' subpoenas and other efforts to dig into the Trump-Russia issue, insisting Mueller's report has settled everything. The report found no criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia to tip the outcome of the 2016 presidential election in Trump's favour. But it also did not reach a conclusion on whether the president had obstructed justice. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Barr has said he was surprised Mueller did not reach a conclusion, though Mueller in his report and again in his statement Wednesday said he had no choice. Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein then stepped into the void, deciding on their own that the evidence was not sufficient to support a criminal charge. "Under longstanding department policy, a president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office," Mueller said. "That is unconstitutional. Even if the charge is kept under seal and hidden from public view that, too, is prohibited." Barr, in Alaska for work and briefed ahead of time on Mueller's statement, did not answer a question about the Mueller probe Wednesday at the end of a roundtable discussion with Alaska native leaders. He has said that he asked Mueller during a March conversation if he would have recommended charging Trump "but for" the Office of Legal Counsel opinion, and that Mueller said "no." Mueller, for his part, earlier complained privately to Barr that he believed a four-page letter from the attorney general summarizing the report's main conclusions did not adequately represent his findings. Barr has said he considered Mueller's criticism to be a bit "snitty." ____ Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick, Lisa Mascaro and Jonathan Lemire contributed to this report. All Bluff Country Co-op events in June. All events are open to the public. To RSVP, call 507-452-1815. Tuesday, June 4: Tasty Tuesdays, 10:30-11:30 a.m. In this new series held on the first Tuesday of every month, the co-op will introduce fruits and veggies to children 5 and under. Each child will receive a free fruits and veggies passport, which the co-op will use as a guide as everyone explores new tastes. Free, but space is limited. Please RSVP at 507-452-1815. Saturday, June 8: Drop-In DIY, Natural Bug Spray, 10-11 a.m. Stop in and make your own all-natural bug spray. Fee: $5 owners, $7 non-owners. (Fee includes everything you need to make a 4-ounce bottle of bug spray.) No need to RSVP. Thursday, June 13: Teen Cuisine, Vegetarian Sushi Rolls and Mindfulness, 5-7 p.m. Join Trish Johnson and Nico Stern (a teenager himself) as they lead our local teens through a fun, interactive evening of vegetarian sushi roll making and eating. This 2-hour class offers teens the opportunity to explore chopping, tasting, rolling and eating sushi together. Mindfulness, particular to mindful eating, will be incorporated throughout the class. Plan on lots of fun, engagement and plenty of delicious healthy food. This topic was requested by teens. Free, but space is limited. Please RSVP at 507-452-1815. Saturday, June 15: Kids Cook, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Kids ages 5-12 will have fun in this interactive introduction to cooking. Free, but space is limited. Please RSVP at 507-452-1815. Tuesday, June 18: Yoga at the Co-op, 12:05-12:50 p.m. Make a lunch date with your yoga mat at the Co-op. In this partnership with Infinity Wellness, the Co-op offers a free yoga class in the Community Room on the third Tuesday of each month. Mollee Sheehan will lead this gentle, all-levels 45-minute sequence. Please bring your yoga mat if have one. Free, but space is limited. Please RSVP at 507-452-1815. Tuesday, June 18: Herb Walk, 6-7:30 p.m. Join Herbalist Bonnie Kreckow for a walk to identify woodland plants and learn their medicinal benefits. Meet at Farmers Park at the bottom of Lewiston Hill in the arches. In case of rain, the walk will be rescheduled. $12 BCC owners, $15 non-owners. Please RSVP at 507-452-1815. Saturday, June 22: Class & Dinner: Lets Roll! Sushi & Spring Rolls, 5:30-7:30 p.m.: Gain the skills to make veggie sushi and spring rolls in your own home. Well create custom sushi/spring rolls and a delicious dipping sauce. Learning the art of rolling sushi is fun, simple and makes a great reason to gather a group of friends to roll sushi together. You will leave with sushi to bring home and an evening to remember. Bring containers to take some home. Fee: $15 non-owner, $12 owner. Sunday, June 30: Coffee Chat, 9-10:30 a.m. Ever wonder what its like to be on the Co-op board of directors? Stop in to chat with the board. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A Winona mother who said she gave her ailing toddler laxatives and disconnected his feeding tube so doctors would play closer attention to him will avoid more jail time. Instead, Megan Lee Kafer will receive mental health counseling and enter other programs to help mothers with postpartum depression. Kafer, 25, who pleaded guilty to one felony count of child endangerment in February, was sentenced to three years probation in Ramsey County Court by judge George Stephenson on Tuesday. The terms of Kafers probation call for her to follow mental health counseling recommendations, complete the Mother-Baby Program at the Hennepin County Medical Center, complete a program at Highland Meadows Counseling Center in Rochester and cooperate with Winona County Child Protection. If she successfully completes probation, the felony conviction will be reduced to a misdemeanor. A no-contact order remains in place. Kafer and her husband have two children. The Pioneer Press reported Tuesday that Kafer is allowed supervised visits with her son. Kafer was given credit for three days served at the Ramsey County Correctional Facility. In February, Kafer said a postpartum-induced delusion that doctors were failing her child compelled her to make him sicker. She was arrested in July of 2018 at Childrens Hospital in St. Paul when she tried to feed him a laxative mixed with water through a syringe she kept hidden under a blanket. At her plea hearing, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported she told Stephenson that she now can see her actions were wrong. They made sense at the time, but they dont now, she said. Kafers phone included internet searches for MiraLax overdose, How to make a baby really sick and Mom gets 20 years to life for poisoning son with salt, according to court records. Her son suffered a seizure and underwent numerous procedures and surgeries, according to court records. According to the Pioneer Press, her attorney, David Lundgren, told the court Tuesday that Kafer is a loving mother who made bad choices amid a mental health crisis that she has committed to resolve ever since. She understands the harm she caused her son and she wants to ensure it never happens again, Lundgren said. Her attorney said her family is looking forward to the day it can reunify, the Pioneer Press reported. Sarah Horner of the Pioneer Press contributed to this report. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 My husband and I have lived in Winona area for 16 years. Our daughters grew up here and received their educations here. I have watched with dismay the increasing divisiveness in the community towards our Winona Area Public Schools. I have watched with concern over the years as good-hearted, well intentioned people elected to the school board have struggled and failed to come together to work as a team. I have observed first-hand how the deck is stacked against the superintendent (current, past and I fear future), making an already challenging job almost an impossibility. The reputation of our schools isnt what it should be, and it is causing very real impacts on economic development in this community. The negativity is driving people to send their children to other schools, it is making it harder for local employers to attract people to move here for jobs and it is creating a toxic work environment for our great teachers. It is past time for a new direction to be pursued for WAPS. Lets start a new community conversation. Most residents have no idea that Winona is an out of sync with the rest of the state in how we elect school board members. Winona is among only a few school districts that still elect school board members based on a Ward system. Ninety-nine percent of all school board elections in the state are at-large elections. This the direction Winona needs to head. Let me explain why. A ward or district-based system of election limits candidates. A qualified, interested candidate can only run for school board in Winona when a term opens up in their neighborhood, or ward. This severely limits the number and the quality of candidates in every election cycle. It also creates an unfair environment for those candidates both during the election process and after being elected to the school board. It makes them a target for people who live in a particular part of the school district who then view their school board member as someone who must represent their ward. School board members are unfairly lobbied and targeted by individuals who have single agenda items or very narrow points of view about topics such as facilities, programs and budget issues. The ward-based system of electing school board members invites divisiveness and an us-against-them mentality. We shouldnt be surprised that the WAPS school board has a long-standing history, even a culture, of combativeness. The way the election process is set up in Winona creates that exact outcome. For a real opportunity for unity to occur on the WAPS school board, all members should be at-large. Then, all school board members could govern first and only from the perspective of what is best for the entire school district, not just for the desires of a particular neighborhood. There is another good reason that voters should want to move towards an all at-large school board election. When you go to the polls to vote on Election Day, imagine how great it would be to vote for the best of the best of the candidates, based on their qualifications and leadership style, and not be limited by where they happen to live. I have been frustrated on many Election Days that I could not cast my vote for the candidates that I believed were best suited to serve on the school board, all because we lived in different parts of the school district. This should not be so! If we want real, long-reaching, systemic changes to WAPS, this is a good place to start. Current school board members could lead the way. Set aside your neighborhood mentality and take bold new steps to create a district-wide mentality. Make dramatic changes now that will pay out huge benefits in the future. Its time to get in-step with the rest of the school districts in Minnesota. Its time for an all at-large elected school board for Winona Area Public Schools. Della Schmidt is the former president of the Winona Area Chamber of Commerce and lives in Stockton. She wrote this after she left the Chamber, and it reflects her views as a community member. Love 6 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 1 Angry 2 JUNEAU A 50-year-old Rubicon man faces up to 10 years in prison for his fifth offense of drunken driving after he contacted authorities on Sunday believing his neighbors had taken his dog. John Walter Reed is also charged with a misdemeanor charge of operating a motor vehicle while revoked. Dodge County Circuit Court Judge Steven Bauer placed Reed on a $2,000 cash bond and ordered him to maintain absolute sobriety and not leave the state of Wisconsin while the case is pending. He was also ordered to not operate a motor vehicle unless he has a valid Wisconsin drivers license. According to the criminal complaint, a Dodge County deputy made contact with Reed on Sunday at 4 p.m. for a report of a potential dognapping complaint he filed against his neighbor. Reed told the officer that he drove around his neighborhood looking for his dog. Reed had contacted dispatch at 3 p.m. He allegedly told authorities that his dog was unleashed and got out of his yard and he believed his neighbors had changed the dogs collar and were claiming it was their dog. The neighbor had also contacted dispatch believing Reed was going to claim that her dog was his. TERRI PEDERSON A group of Beaver Dam Middle School eighth-graders presented a tribute video to a longtime substitute teacher Wednesday, thanking him for his ongoing service. Tom Bock said he was a stay-at-home parent 33 years ago, when he started substituting for teachers in the Beaver Dam Unified School District. The video, shown after the middle schools annual talent show, caught Bock by surprise, but explained some recent conversations. Im totally surprised, Bock said. It does explain why everyone was asking me about my retirement in the last month or so. For the record, Bock is not retiring from substituting for the district. Two eighth-grade students came up with the idea to honor him after being inspired by a video shown by Brent Camalick, the founder of Dude. Be Nice., during a school assembly in February. The California-based media company promotes socially minded video content while selling clothing with positive messages. Eighth-graders Vivi Thomas and Maddie Kuenzi came up with the idea of creating the video. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Concerned residents received new information about the proposed landfill expansion outside of Mayville. Advanced Disposal is seeking a 100-foot expansion of the Glacier Ridge landfill, south of the city, to expand its life by a few years, which has drawn opposition from officials in Mayville. The state Department of Natural Resources held a public comment hearing in late April, accepted written comments, and is now working on coming to final decision about whether the landfill expansion is feasible. The DNR sent a letter to people who were involved in the public comment process that was obtained by the Daily Citizen, signed by Adam Hogan, a hydrogeologist with the DNR. One of the major concerns residents have over the landfill is its odor. In the letter, the DNR acknowledges that landfills do produce odors at times. The letter said the municipal landfills are required to limit odors by placing six inches of soil cover over waste every day and to install a gas extraction system to either flare the gas or convert in into energy. The landfill is required to monitor emissions from the landfill as well and provide that information. There will also be an odor control plan put in place if the expansion is approved. Santas Mailbag Audio Article Dear Santa, Hi it is me, Ryder. I have been bad and good this year. For Christmas, I would like a Nintendo Switch, a game, a Beyblade arena, and a Minecraft Lego set. I hope you have a safe trip! I will leave a gingerbread house for you on Christmas... Malta-McConnelsville Rotary, family friend remember Doc Richmond Audio Article Last week, The Herald released a series of statements from family, friends and community members remembering local titans Doc and Sally Richmond. The pages of last weeks paper could not contain the incredible outpouring of love for these two individuals. Here are two other statements The Herald received. First, the... Morgan students give various presentations at December board meeting Audio Article The December meeting of the Morgan Local School District Board of Education took place on Monday, Dec. 13, and featured several students providing details of recent school-related trips. After the meeting was called to order and the minutes from the November meeting approved, the meeting moved onto staff presentations. High... IT Director deals with phone issues and records retention Audio Article This is the November 2021 report from Jeff Babcock, IT Director Several changes were made to the Clerk of Courts voicemail setup. Somehow, the office voicemail was set to go to a nonexistent email address. This issue was resolved, and voicemail is now working normally. Changes were also made to... BBB Scam Alert: Receive a text with a surprise offer? Dont click that link! Audio Article Everyone loves a deal including scammers. Con artists often offer too good to be true discounts in the hope that price-conscious consumers will jump on these deals without doing their research. Recently, BBB Scam Tracker has seen numerous reports of scammers impersonating well-known companies and offering discounts, some of... WSCC student motivated by family to persevere Audio Article Like many adult learners, Washington State Community Colleges (WSCC) Student of the Month, Megan Boyd, enrolled in college to set a good example for her children. Greater still, she felt compelled to earn her degree to provide her family with security as they face an uncertain tomorrow. Boyds decision to... In the juveniles room, officers found two grinders with THC residue in them, a glass pipe and a rubber/metal pipe with THC in them, 7.7 grams of THC in a plastic bag, and a scale with THC residue on it, two vape pens, a Capn Crunch vape cartridge box, a rubber container with THC residue, a plastic bag containing about 0.1 grams of THC, a glass bong containing THC residue, and money. Five $1 bills of that money matched the money used to purchase THC from the juvenile in the controlled buy on April 19. In Brewers room, officers found two scales, a straw piece with a white powdery substance inside of it, a plastic container with a white powdery substance in it, a rolled up $1 bill, two glass containers with a white powdery substance inside them, two brass pipes, a prescription bottle with about 0.2 grams of THC inside it, a piece of tinfoil with about 0.7 grams of THC insite it, a wooden box and metal pipe with THC residue in it, a cob pipe with THC residue in it, a lighter, a wood box with about 2 grams of THC in it, three small dime bags with white substances in them of 0.5 grams, 1 gram, and 0.4 grams, and a rolled up $10 bill. In total, the officers found 10.7 grams of THC and 1.9 grams of methamphetamine. Brewer signed a $2,000 signature bond, and is scheduled for an initial appearance at the Juneau County Justice Center June 5. The juvenile also signed a $2,000 signature bond, and is scheduled for an initial appearance at the Juneau County Justice Center June 5. Reach Christopher Jardine on Twitter @ChrisJJardine or contact him at 608-432-6591. 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. Portages signature event keeps getting bigger. Thirty-seven vendors, craft and activity stations will be set up Saturday in downtown Portage for Canal Days, an increase from 30 stations in 2018, event organizer Fiorella Neira said. The parade, which starts at 11 a.m. Saturday, has 34 participants this year about a half-dozen more than last year. In total offerings Friday through Sunday, Canal Days has grown steadily for at least the past four years, Neira said. It regularly attracts about 500 visitors. We pay attention to what the people enjoy, she said of the event sponsored by the city and its Business Improvement District. Canal Days kicks off at 4 p.m. Friday on Clark Street with a beer tent and cookout courtesy of the Elks Lodge, where the Back Alley Kings a Portage blues and classic rock band performs at 7 p.m. The Elks Lodge also will sponsor a fisheree for children ages 12 and under from 9:30 a.m. to noon Sunday at Pauquette Park. In everything she does, Wisconsin Dells High School valedictorian Tess Jisa aims to set herself apart. She finished an illustrious high school career atop her class in academics. She played Reno Sweeney in the high schools production of Anything Goes, their first musical in years. She traveled to Europe with the Wisconsin Ambassadors of Music, and even that only scratches the surface of her talents. In the fall, Jisa is off to University of Nebraska to pursue an unusual combination of studies: engineering and musical theatre. When asked how shes going to juggle such disparate fields of study, she responds with a casual positivity, backed by realistic expectations. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} I really like math and I really like music, Jisa said, shortly following a speech at her graduation ceremony. Just because theater is so uncertain, its kind of a one-in-a-million chance, so I dont want to just put everything in that. Make no mistake, Jisas dream is to be a star on the stage. When asked which shed pick, between theater and engineering if given the opportunity, she cant say theater fast enough. But Jisa is a realist, and her fallback isnt too far a fall, given her passion for math. Intrinsyc Technologies Corporation provides solutions for the development and production of mobile, embedded, and Internet of Things devices in the United States, the Asia Pacific, Europe, Canada, and internationally. It operates through two segments, Embedded Computing Hardware; and Services and Software. The company's embedded computing products include embedded development kits, vertical market reference designs and development platforms, mobile application development platforms, and production-ready embedded computers. It also provides designs, develops, and manufactures the Open-Q line of embedded computing products, system on modules, and single board computers, as well as peripheral boards. In addition, the company offers turnkey product design and development, testing, and certification services to original equipment manufacturers, original device manufacturers, technology providers, and other companies. Further, it provides device driver development services; telephony software and wireless integration services; electrical, mechanical, and radio frequency design, testing, and certification services; and J-Integra, a middleware solution for connecting Java directly to .NET, COM, and exchange objects. The company was formerly known as Intrinsyc Software International, Inc. and changed its name to Intrinsyc Technologies Corporation in June 2014. Intrinsyc Technologies Corporation was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Read More American Consumer News, LLC dba MarketBeat 2010-2021. All rights reserved. 326 E 8th St #105, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 | U.S. Based Support Team at [email protected] | (844) 978-6257 MarketBeat does not provide personalized financial advice and does not issue recommendations or offers to buy stock or sell any security. Our Accessibility Statement | Terms of Service | Do Not Sell My Information 2021 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research. 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 Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF's stock was trading at $37.30 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 (Coronavirus) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, VWO stock has increased by 31.5% and is now trading at $49.04. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. 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.. The following companies are subsidiares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft: 87 Leonard Development LLC, ABFS I Incorporated, ABS MB Ltd., Acacia (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Accounting Solutions Holding Company Inc, Alex. Brown Financial Services Incorporated, Alex. Brown Investments Incorporated, Alfred Herrhausen Gesellschaft mbH, Amber Investments S.a r.l., Ambidexter GmbH, Ambidexter GmbH i.L., Argent Incorporated, BHW - Gesellschaft fur Wohnungswirtschaft mbH, BHW Bausparkasse Aktiengesellschaft, BHW Holding GmbH, BHW Kreditservice GmbH, BNA Nominees Pty Limited, BT Globenet Nominees Limited, BTAS Cayman GP, BTD Nominees Pty Limited, Baincor Nominees Pty Limited, Bainpro Nominees Pty Ltd, Baldur Mortgages Limited, Bankers Trust Investments Limited, Barkly Investments Ltd., Bayan Delinquent Loan Recovery 1 (SPV-AMC) Inc, Bayan Delinquent Loan Recovery 1 (SPV-AMC) Inc., Berkshire Mortgage Finance, Betriebs-Center fur Banken AG, Biomass Holdings S.a r.l., Birch (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Blue Cork Inc, Blue Cork Inc., Borfield Sociedad Anonima, Breaking Wave DB Limited, Cape Acquisition Corp., CapeSuccess Inc., CapeSuccess LLC, Cardales UK Limited, Cardea Real Estate S.r.l., Career Blazers LLC, Career Blazers Management Company Inc, Career Blazers Management Company Inc., Career Blazers Personnel Services Inc, Career Blazers Personnel Services Inc., Career Blazers Personnel Services of Washington D.C. Inc. Washington D.C., Caribbean Resort Holdings Inc, Caribbean Resort Holdings Inc., Carpathian Investments Designated Activity Company, Cathay Advisory (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Cathay Advisory (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Cathay Asset Management Company Limited, Cathay Capital Company (No 2) Limited, Cedar (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Centennial River 2 Inc., Centennial River Corporation, Chapel Funding, Charlton (Delaware) Inc, China Recovery Fund LLC, China Recovery Fund LLC, Cinda - DB NPL Securitization Trust 2003-1, City Leasing (Thameside) Limited, City Leasing Limited, Consumo S.p.A., Consumo Srl in Liquidazione, Cyrus J. Lawrence Capital Holdings Inc., Cyrus J. Lawrence Capital Holdings Inc., D B Investments (GB) Limited, D&M Turnaround Partners Godo Kaisha, D.B. International Delaware Inc., D.B. International Delaware Inc., DAHOC (UK) Limited (in members' voluntary liquidation), DAHOC Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, DB (Barbados) SRL, DB (Malaysia) Nominee (Asing) Sdn. Bhd., DB (Malaysia) Nominee (Tempatan) Sendirian Berhad, DB (Pacific) Limited, DB (Pacific) Limited New York, DB (Pacific) Limited New York, DB Abalone LLC, DB Alex. Brown Holdings Incorporated, DB Alps Corporation, DB Aotearoa Investments Limited, DB Asia Pacific Holdings Limited (in voluntary liquidation), DB Asset Finance I S.a r.l., DB Asset Finance II S.a r.l., DB Aster II LLC, DB Aster III LLC, DB Aster Inc., DB Aster LLC, DB Beteiligungs-Holding GmbH, DB Boracay LLC, DB Capital Investments Sarl, DB Capital Markets (Deutschland) GmbH, DB Capital Partners Inc., DB Capital Partners Inc., DB Cartera de Inmuebles 1 S.A.U., DB Cartera de Inmuebles 1 S.A.U., DB Chestnut Holdings Limited, DB Commodity Services LLC, DB Consorzio S. Cons. a r. l., DB Corporate Advisory (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., DB Covered Bond S.r.l., DB Credit Investments S.a r.l., DB Delaware Holdings (Europe) Limited, DB Direkt GmbH, DB Elara LLC, DB Energy Commodities Limited (in members' voluntary liquidation), DB Energy Trading LLC, DB Enfield Infrastructure Holdings Limited, DB Equipment Leasing Inc., DB Equipment Leasing Inc., DB Equity Limited, DB Finance (Delaware) LLC, DB Finance (Delaware) LLC, DB Finance International GmbH, DB Ganymede 2006 L.P., DB Global Markets Multi-Strategy Fund I Ltd., DB Global Technology Inc., DB Global Technology Inc., DB Global Technology SRL, DB Group Services (UK) Limited, DB HR Solutions GmbH, DB Holding Fundo de Investimento Multimercado Investimento no Exterior Credito Privado, DB Holdings (New York) Inc., DB Holdings (New York) Inc., DB Holdings (South America) Limited, DB IROC Leasing Corp., DB Immobilienfonds 1 Wieland KG, DB Immobilienfonds 2 KG i.L., DB Immobilienfonds 4 KG i.L., DB Immobilienfonds 5 Wieland KG, DB Impact Investment (GP) Limited, DB Impact Investment Fund I L.P., DB Impact Investment Fund I L.P., DB Industrial Holdings Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG, DB Industrial Holdings GmbH, DB Intermezzo LLC, DB International (Asia) Limited, DB International Investments Limited, DB International Trust (Singapore) Limited, DB Investment Managers Inc., DB Investment Managers Inc., DB Investment Partners Inc., DB Investment Partners Inc., DB Investment Resources (US) Corporation, DB Investment Resources Holdings Corp., DB Investment Services GmbH, DB Io LP, DB Litigation Fee LLC, DB London (Investor Services) Nominees Limited, DB Management Support GmbH, DB Managers LLC, DB Municipal Holdings LLC, DB Nexus American Investments (UK) Limited (in members'voluntary liquidation), DB Nexus Investments (UK) Limited (in members' voluntary liquidation), DB Nominees (Hong Kong) Limited, DB Nominees (Singapore) Pte Ltd, DB Omega BTV S.C.S., DB Omega Holdings LLC, DB Omega Ltd., DB Omega S.C.S., DB Operaciones y Servicios Interactivos Agrupacion de Interes Economico, DB Overseas Finance Delaware Inc., DB Overseas Finance Delaware Inc., DB Overseas Holdings Limited, DB PWM, DB Portfolio Southwest Inc., DB Print GmbH, DB Privat- und Firmenkundenbank AG, DB Private Clients Corp., DB Private Wealth Mortgage Ltd., DB RC Holdings LLC, DB Re S.A., DB Service Centre Limited, DB Service Uruguay S.A., DB Services Americas Inc., DB Services Americas Inc., DB Servizi Amministrativi S.r.l., DB Strategic Advisors Inc., DB Strategic Advisors Inc., DB Structured Derivative Products LLC, DB Structured Derivative Products LLC, DB Structured Finance 1 Designated Activity Company, DB Structured Finance 2 Designated Activity Company, DB Structured Holdings Luxembourg S.a r.l., DB Structured Products Inc., DB Structured Products Inc., DB Trustee Services Limited, DB Trustees (Hong Kong) Limited, DB U.S. Financial Markets Holding Corporation, DB UK Bank Limited, DB UK Holdings Limited, DB UK PCAM Holdings Limited, DB USA Core Corporation, DB USA Corporation, DB Valoren S.a r.l., DB Value S.a r.l., DB VersicherungsManager GmbH, DB Vita S.A., DBAB Wall Street LLC, DBAH Capital LLC, DBAH Capital LLC, DBCIBZ1, DBCIBZ2, DBFIC Inc., DBFIC Inc., DBNZ Overseas Investments (No.1) Limited, DBOI Global Services (UK) Limited, DBOI Global Services Private Limited, DBR Investments Co. Limited, DBRE Global Real Estate Management IA Ltd., DBRE Global Real Estate Management IB Ltd., DBRE Global Real Estate Management IB Ltd., DBRE Global Real Estate Management US IB L.L.C., DBRMS4, DBRMSGP1, DBUK PCAM Limited, DBUKH No. 2 Limited, DBUSBZ1 LLC, DBUSBZ1 LLC, DBUSBZ2 S.a r.l., DBUSBZ2 S.a r.l., DBX Advisors LLC, DBX ETF Trust, DBX Strategic Advisors LLC, DBO Vermogensverwertung GmbH, DEBEKO Immobilien GmbH & Co Grundbesitz OHG, DEE Deutsche Erneuerbare Energien GmbH, DEUFRAN Beteiligungs GmbH, DEUKONA Versicherungs-Vermittlungs-GmbH, DEUTSCHE BANK A.S., DG China Clean Tech Partners, DI Deutsche Immobilien Treuhandgesellschaft mbH, DIB-Consult Deutsche Immobilien- und BeteiligungsBeratungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., DISCA Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, DNU Nominees Pty Limited, DSL Portfolio GmbH & Co. KG, DSL Portfolio Verwaltungs GmbH, DTS Nominees Pty Limited, DWS Alternatives France, DWS Alternatives Global Limited, DWS Alternatives GmbH, DWS Asset Management (Korea) Company Limited, DWS Beteiligungs GmbH, DWS CH AG, DWS Distributors Inc., DWS Distributors Inc., DWS Far Eastern Investments Limited, DWS Group GmbH & Co. KGaA, DWS Group Services UK Limited, DWS Grundbesitz GmbH, DWS International GmbH, DWS Investment GmbH, DWS Investment Management Americas Inc., DWS Investment Management Americas Inc., DWS Investment S.A., DWS Investments Australia Limited, DWS Investments Hong Kong Limited, DWS Investments Japan Limited, DWS Investments Shanghai Limited, DWS Investments Singapore Limited, DWS Investments UK Limited, DWS Management GmbH, DWS Real Estate GmbH, DWS Service Company, DWS Trust Company, DWS USA Corporation, De Heng Asset Management Company Limited, De Meng Innovative (Beijing) Consulting Company Limited, DeAM Infrastructure Limited, Deloraine Spain S.L., Delowrezham de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Deposit Solutions, Deutsche (Aotearoa) Capital Holdings New Zealand, Deutsche (Aotearoa) Foreign Investments New Zealand, Deutsche (Mauritius) Limited Port, Deutsche (New Munster) Holdings New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Access Investments Limited, Deutsche Aeolia Power Production Societe Anonyme, Deutsche Alt-A Securities Inc., Deutsche Alt-A Securities Inc., Deutsche Alternative Asset Management (France) SAS, Deutsche Alternative Asset Management (UK) Limited, Deutsche Asia Pacific Holdings Pte Ltd, Deutsche Asset Management (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Asset Management (Japan) Limited, Deutsche Asset Management (Korea) Company Limited, Deutsche Asset Management S.A., Deutsche Asset Management S.G.I.I.C. S.A., Deutsche Australia Limited, Deutsche Bank (Cayman) Limited, Deutsche Bank (Chile), Deutsche Bank (China) Co. Ltd., Deutsche Bank (China) Co. Ltd., Deutsche Bank (Malaysia) Berhad, Deutsche Bank (Suisse) SA, Deutsche Bank (Uruguay) Sociedad Anonima Institucion Financiera Externa, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft, Deutsche Bank Americas Holding Corp., Deutsche Bank Bauspar-Aktiengesellschaft, Deutsche Bank Capital Finance LLC I, Deutsche Bank Capital Finance Trust I, Deutsche Bank Europe GmbH, Deutsche Bank Financial Company, Deutsche Bank Holdings Inc., Deutsche Bank Holdings Inc., Deutsche Bank Insurance Agency Incorporated, Deutsche Bank Insurance Agency of Delaware, Deutsche Bank International Limited, Deutsche Bank Investments (Guernsey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A., Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. - Fiduciary Deposits, Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. - Fiduciary Note Programme, Deutsche Bank Mutui S.p.A., Deutsche Bank Mexico S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple, Deutsche Bank Mexico S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple, Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, Deutsche Bank National Trust Company Los, Deutsche Bank Nominees (Guernsey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Nominees (Jersey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Polska Spolka Akcyjna, Deutsche Bank Representative Office Nigeria Limited, Deutsche Bank S.A. - Banco Alemao, Deutsche Bank S.A. - Banco Alemao Sao, Deutsche Bank SPEARs/LIFERs Series DBE-8011 Trust, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Limited, Deutsche Bank Services (Jersey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Sociedad Anonima Espanola, Deutsche Bank Sociedad Anonima Espanola, Deutsche Bank Societa per Azioni, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Delaware, Deutsche Bank Trust Company National Association, Deutsche Bank Trust Company National Association, Deutsche Bank Trust Corporation, Deutsche CIB Centre Private Limited, Deutsche Capital Finance (2000) Limited, Deutsche Capital Hong Kong Limited, Deutsche Capital Management Limited, Deutsche Capital Markets Australia Limited, Deutsche Capital Partners China Limited, Deutsche Cayman Ltd., Deutsche Colombia S.A.S., Deutsche Custody N.V., Deutsche Domus New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Equities India Private Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 1 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 2 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 3 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 4 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance No. 2 Limited, Deutsche Foras New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Immobilien-Leasing mit beschrankter Haftung, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Immobilien-Leasing mit beschrankterHaftung, Deutsche Global Markets Limited, Deutsche Group Holdings (SA) Proprietary Limited, Deutsche Group Services Pty Limited, Deutsche Grundbesitz Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Deutsche Grundbesitz Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., Deutsche Grundbesitz-Anlagegesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Deutsche Holdings (BTI) Limited, Deutsche Holdings (Grand Duchy), Deutsche Holdings (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Deutsche Holdings (Malta) Ltd., Deutsche Holdings Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 2 Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 3 Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 4 Limited, Deutsche Immobilien Leasing GmbH, Deutsche India Holdings Private Limited, Deutsche International Corporate Services (Ireland) Limited, Deutsche International Corporate Services Limited, Deutsche International Custodial Services Limited, Deutsche Inversiones Dos S.A., Deutsche Inversiones Limitada, Deutsche Investments (Netherlands) N.V., Deutsche Investments India Private Limited, Deutsche Investor Services Private Limited, Deutsche Knowledge Services Pte. Ltd., Deutsche Leasing New York Corp., Deutsche Mandatos S.A., Deutsche Master Funding Corporation, Deutsche Mexico Holdings S.a r.l., Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Group Limited, Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Group Public Limited Company, Deutsche Mortgage & Asset Receiving Corporation, Deutsche Mortgage Securities Inc., Deutsche Mortgage Securities Inc., Deutsche Nederland N.V., Deutsche New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Nominees Limited, Deutsche Oppenheim Family Office AG, Deutsche Overseas Issuance New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Postbank, Deutsche Postbank Finance Center Objekt GmbH, Deutsche Postbank Funding LLC I, Deutsche Postbank Funding LLC II, Deutsche Postbank Funding LLC III, Deutsche Private Asset Management Limited, Deutsche Securities (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Securities (Proprietary) Limited, Deutsche Securities (SA) (Proprietary) Limited, Deutsche Securities Asia Limited, Deutsche Securities Australia Limited, Deutsche Securities Inc., Deutsche Securities Israel Ltd., Deutsche Securities Korea Co., Deutsche Securities Mauritius Limited, Deutsche Securities Menkul Degerler A.S., Deutsche Securities S.A., Deutsche Securities S.A. de C.V. Casa de Bolsa, Deutsche Securities S.A. de C.V. Casa de Bolsa, Deutsche Securities Saudi Arabia, Deutsche Securities SpA, Deutsche Securities Venezuela S.A., Deutsche Securitisation Australia Pty Limited, Deutsche Services Polska Sp. z o.o., Deutsche StiftungsTrust GmbH, Deutsche Strategic Investment Holdings Yugen Kaisha, Deutsche Trust Company Limited Japan, Deutsche Trustee Company Limited, Deutsche Trustee Services (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Trustees Malaysia Berhad, Deutsche Wealth Management S.G.I.I.C. S.A., Deutsches Institut fur Altersvorsorge GmbH, Durian (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., EC EUROPA IMMOBILIEN FONDS NR. 3 GmbH & CO. KG i.I., Elba Finance GmbH, Elizabethan Holdings Limited, Elizabethan Management Limited, Emerald Asset Repackaging Designated Activity Company, Erste Frankfurter Hoist GmbH, European Value Added I (Alternate G.P.) LLP, Exinor SA, FARAMIR Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungs GmbH, FRANKFURT CONSULT GmbH, Fiduciaria Sant' Andrea S.r.L., Finanzberatungsgesellschaft mbH der Deutschen Bank, Franz Urbig- und Oscar Schlitter-Stiftung Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-037, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-039, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-040, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-041, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-043, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-044, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-047, Funfte SAB Treuhand und Verwaltung GmbH & Co. Suhl "Rimbachzentrum" KG, G Finance Holding Corp., G.O. IB-US Management L.L.C., G918 Corp., GAC-HEL Inc., GWC-GAC Corp., Galene S.a r.l., Gemini Technology Services Inc., German American Capital, German American Capital Corporation, Gladyr Spain S.L., Global Markets Fundo de Investimento Multimercado, Global Markets III Fundo de Investimento Multimercado - Credito, Greenwood Properties Corp., Grundstucksgesellschaft Frankfurt Bockenheimer Landstrae GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Kerpen-Sindorf Vogelrutherfeld GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Leipzig Petersstrae GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Wiesbaden Luisenstrae/Kirchgasse GbR, HTB Spezial GmbH & Co. KG, Hollandsche Bank-Unie, IOS Finance EFC S.A., ISTRON Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungs-GmbH, IVAF I Manager S.a r.l., IVAF I Manager S.a r.l., Immobilienfonds Buro-Center Erfurt am Flughafen Bindersleben I GbR, Immobilienfonds Buro-Center Erfurt am Flughafen Bindersleben II GbR, Immobilienfonds Mietwohnhauser Quadrath-Ichendorf GbR, Immobilienfonds Wohn- und Geschaftshaus Koln-Blumenberg V GbR, J R Nominees (Pty) Ltd, Joint Stock Company Deutsche Bank DBU, Jyogashima Godo Kaisha, KEBA Gesellschaft fur interne Services mbH, Kidson Pte Ltd, Konsul Inkasso GmbH, Kradavimd UK Lease Holdings Limited, LA Water Holdings Limited, LAWL Pte. Ltd., Latitude Australia Secured Personal Loans Trust, Leasing Verwaltungsgesellschaft Waltersdorf mbH, Leonardo III Initial GP Limited, Lindsell Finance Limited, London Industrial Leasing Limited, MEF I Manager S. a r.l., MEF I Manager S. a r.l., MHL Reinsurance Ltd., MIT Holdings Inc., MIT Holdings Inc., MPP Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Maher Terminals Holdings (Toronto) Limited, Morgan Grenfell & Company, MortgageIT, MortgageIT Inc., MortgageIT Inc., MortgageIT Securities Corp., Motion Picture Productions One GmbH & Co. KG, NCW Holding Inc., Navegator - SGFTC S.A., Navegator - SGFTC S.A., New 87 Leonard LLC, Nordwestdeutscher Wohnungsbautrager Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, OOO "Deutsche Bank TechCentre", OOO "Deutsche Bank", OPB Verwaltungs- und Beteiligungs-GmbH, OPB Verwaltungs- und Treuhand GmbH, OPB-Holding GmbH, OPB-Nona GmbH, OPB-Oktava GmbH, OPB-Quarta GmbH, OPB-Quinta GmbH, OPB-Septima GmbH, OPPENHEIM Capital Advisory GmbH, OPPENHEIM Flottenfonds V GmbH & Co. KG, OPPENHEIM PRIVATE EQUITY Manager GmbH, OPPENHEIM PRIVATE EQUITY Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, OPS Nominees Pty Limited, OVT Trust 1 GmbH, OVV Beteiligungs GmbH, Opal Funds (Ireland) Public Limited Company, PADUS Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, PARTS Funding LLC., PB Factoring GmbH, PB Firmenkunden AG, PB International S.A., PB Spezial-Investmentaktiengesellschaft mit Teilgesellschaftsvermogen, PBC Banking Services GmbH, PCC Services GmbH der Deutschen Bank, PT Deutsche Sekuritas Indonesia, PT. Deutsche Verdhana Sekuritas Indonesia, Pan Australian Nominees Pty Ltd, Peruda Leasing Limited, Plantation Bay Inc., Plantation Bay Inc., Postbank Akademie und Service GmbH, Postbank Beteiligungen GmbH, Postbank Direkt GmbH, Postbank Filialvertrieb AG, Postbank Finanzberatung AG, Postbank Immobilien GmbH, Postbank Immobilien und Baumanagement GmbH, Postbank Immobilien und Baumanagement GmbH & Co. Objekt Leipzig KG, Postbank Leasing GmbH, Postbank Service GmbH, Postbank Systems AG, QR Tower 2 LLC, Quantiguous, R.B.M. Nominees Pty Ltd, REO Properties Corporation, RREEF, RREEF America L.L.C., RREEF China REIT Management Limited, RREEF European Value Added I (G.P.) Limited, RREEF Fund Holding Co., RREEF India Advisors Private Limited, RREEF Management L.L.C., RTS Nominees Pty Limited, Reference Capital Investments Limited, RoPro U.S. Holding Inc., RoPro U.S. Holding Inc., Route 28 Receivables LLC, Route 28 Receivables LLC, SAB Real Estate Verwaltungs GmbH, SAGITA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SAPIO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SCUDO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., SEDO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., SENA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Kamenz KG, SIFA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SOLIDO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SP Mortgage Trust, SPINO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., SPV I Sociedad Anonima Cerrada, SPV II Sociedad Anonima Cerrada, STATOR Heizkraftwerk Frankfurt (Oder) Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Sal. Oppenheim, Sal. Oppenheim Alternative Investments GmbH, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. AG & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. Beteiligungs GmbH, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. Komplementar AG, Sechste Salomon Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Sechste Salomon Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., Service Company Four Limited, Sharps SP I LLC, Singer Island Tower Suite LLC, Somkid Immobiliare S.r.l., Stelvio Immobiliare S.r.l., Structured Finance Americas LLC, Structured Finance Americas LLC, Swabia 1. Vermogensbesitz-GmbH, Suddeutsche Vermogensverwaltung Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, TAKIR Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, TELO Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, TEMATIS Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., TERRUS Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., TESATUR Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Halle I KG i.L., TESATUR Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Nordhausen I KG i.L., TOSSA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, TRIPLA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, TRS Aria LLC, TRS Leda LLC, TRS Maple II LTD, TRS Oak II LTD, TRS SVCO LLC, TRS Scorpio LLC, TRS Tupelo II LTD, TRS Venor LLC, TRS Walnut II LTD, Tagus - Sociedade de Titularizacao de Creditos S.A., Tasfiye Halinde Deutsche Securities Menkul Degerler A.S., Tempurrite Leasing Limited, Thai Asset Enforcement and Recovery Asset Management Company Limited, Tianjin Deutsche AM Fund Management Co. Ltd., Treuinvest Service GmbH, Triplereason Limited, UKE Beteiligungs-GmbH, UKE Grundstucksgesellschaft mbH, UKE s.r.o., Ullmann - Esch Grundstucksgesellschaft Kirchnerstrae GbR, Ullmann - Esch Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Disternich GbR, Ullmann Ullmann Krockow Krockow Esch GbR, VCJ Lease S.a r.l., Vesta Real Estate S.r.l., VOB-ZVD Processing GmbH, WEPLA Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, WEPLABeteiligungsgesellschaftmbH, Wealthspur Investment Ltd., Whale Holdings S.a r.l., World Trading (Delaware) Inc., World Trading(Delaware)Inc., Zumirez Drive LLC, db PBC, and norisbank GmbH. RATIONAL Aktiengesellschaft develops, produces, and sells professional cooking appliances for industrial kitchens worldwide. It offers SelfCookingCenter and CombiMaster Plus combi-steamers, as well as care products for combi-steamers; VarioCooking Center, a multifunctional cooking appliance that cooks in liquids or direct contact with heat; and ConnectedCooking connectivity solution, an online portal for the professional kitchen. The company also provides accessories, service parts, and services for its products. It serves restaurants and hotels; catering operations, such as company canteens, hospitals, schools, universities, military facilities, prisons, and retirement homes; and quick service restaurants, caterers, supermarkets, bakeries, snack outlets, butchers' shops, and service stations. The company sells its products through independent distribution partners. RATIONAL Aktiengesellschaft was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Landsberg am Lech, Germany. Read More Andeavor Logistics LP operates as a diversified midstream company in the United States. The company's Terminalling and Transportation segment comprises the Northwest pipeline system, including a regulated common carrier products pipeline running from Salt Lake City, Utah to Spokane, Washington and a jet fuel pipeline to the Salt Lake City International Airport; a regulated common carrier refined products pipeline system connecting its refinery to its terminals in Anchorage, Alaska; tankage and related equipment at the refinery; and crude oil and refined products terminals and storage facilities in the western, and southwest and midwestern U.S. This segment also consists of marine terminals in California and Washington; a rail-car unloading and petroleum coke handling facilities; marine terminals; a manifest rail facility; an asphalt trucking operation; a petroleum coke handling and storage facility; asphalt terminalling and processing services; and other pipelines, which transport products and crude oil from its refineries to nearby facilities in Salt Lake City and Los Angeles. Its Gathering and Processing segment includes crude oil and natural gas, NGLs, and produced water gathering systems in the Bakken Shale/Williston Basin area of the Bakken Region, the Green River Basin, the Rockies Region, the Permian Basin System, and the Four Corners System, as well as crude trucking operations, and gas processing and fractionation complexes. The company's Wholesale segment consists of bulk petroleum distribution facilities and a fleet of refined product delivery trucks. Tesoro Logistics GP, LLC operates as the general partner of the company. The company was formerly known as Tesoro Logistics LP and changed its name to Andeavor Logistics LP in August 2017. Andeavor Logistics LP was founded in 2010 and is based in Findlay, Ohio. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Newmont: AC40689 Limited, Administradora de Negocios Mineros S.A. de C.V., Australian Capital Territory, Battle Mountain Resources Inc., Cayman Pampas Ltd., Con Exploration Ltd., Datawave Sciences Inc., Dawn Mining Company LLC, ELLC Grazing Membership LLC, EMH (BVI) Inc., Elko Land and Livestock Company, Empresa Minera Maria SRL, Fronteer Development (USA) LLC, Fronteer Development LLC, Fronteer Royalty LLC, GCGC LLC, GMK Investments Pty Ltd, Galore Creek Mining Corporation, Galore Creek Partnership, Glamis Rand Mining Company, Gold S.p.A., Goldcorp (Barbados) Inc., Goldcorp America Holdings Inc., Goldcorp Aureus Inc., Goldcorp Aurum Argentum Inc., Goldcorp Canada Ltd., Goldcorp Capital Corporation, Goldcorp Exeter Ltd., Goldcorp Faja de Plata S.A. de C.V., Goldcorp General Holdings Ltd., Goldcorp Global Services Inc., Goldcorp Holdings Europe B.V., Goldcorp Holdings GmbH, Goldcorp Inc., Goldcorp Insurance Company Inc., Goldcorp Internacional S.A. de C.V., Goldcorp Kaminak Ltd., Goldcorp Latin America Finance Limited, Goldcorp MC Holding S.p.A., Goldcorp Penasquito S.A. de C.V., Goldcorp Porcupine Nominee Ltd., Goldcorp Red Lake Nominee Ltd., Goldcorp Stratum Inc., Goldcorp Tesoro Inc., Goldcorp Trading GmbH, Goldcorp USA Holdings Ltd., Goldcorp USA Inc., Goldcorp USA Services Inc., Goldfields Power Pty Ltd, Hemlo Gold Mines (Ghana) Limited, Holdco S.p.A., Honduras Holdings Ltd., Hospah Holdings Company, Idarado Mining Company, International Mineral Finance S.AR.L., MMC Acquisition Limited, Mexicana Resources Inc., Minera Alumbrera Ltd., Minera BMG, Minera Choluteca S.A. de C.V., Minera Faja de Plata S.A. de C.V., Minera Los Tapados S.A., Minera Newmont (Chile) Limitada, Minera Penasquito S.A. de C.V., Minera Yanacocha S.R.L., Miramar Gold Corporation, Miramar HBG Inc., Miramar Northern Mining Ltd., Montana Exploradora de Guatemala S.A. de C.V., Moydow Limited, Musto Explorations (Bermuda) Ltd., N.I. Limited, NP Kalgoorlie Pty Ltd, NVL (USA) Limited, NVL Haiti Limited S.A., NVL PNG Limited, NVL Solomon Islands Limited, Nevada Eagle Resources LLC, Nevada Gold Mines LLC, New Verde Mines LLC, Newmont (Guyana) Incorporated, Newmont AP Power Pty Ltd, Newmont Australia Investment Limited, Newmont Boddington Pty Ltd, Newmont Bolivia Limited, Newmont CC&V Mining Corporation, Newmont Canada Corporation, Newmont Canada Holdings ULC, Newmont Capital Limited, Newmont Capital Pty Ltd, Newmont Colombia S.A.S., Newmont Euronimba B.V., Newmont FH B.V., Newmont GTR LLC, Newmont Galore Creek Holdings Corporation, Newmont Ghana Gold Limited, Newmont Gold Company, Newmont Gold Pty Ltd, Newmont Goldcorp Australia Pty Ltd, Newmont Goldcorp Boddington Pty Ltd, Newmont Goldcorp Exploration Pty Ltd, Newmont Goldcorp Integrated Services Inc., Newmont Goldcorp Red Lake Holdings Ltd., Newmont Goldcorp Services Pty Ltd, Newmont Goldcorp Tanami Pty Ltd, Newmont Golden Ridge Limited, Newmont Holdings ULC, Newmont Indonesia Investment Limited, Newmont Indonesia LLC, Newmont International Exploration Pty Ltd, Newmont International Group BV, Newmont International Services Limited, Newmont Investment Holdings LLC, Newmont Landco Pty Ltd, Newmont Latin America Limited, Newmont McCoy Cove Limited, Newmont Mineral Holdings B.V., Newmont Mines Limited, Newmont Mining Finance Pty Ltd, Newmont Mining Holdings Pty Ltd, Newmont NGL Holdings Pty Ltd, Newmont Nevada Energy Investment LLC, Newmont North America Exploration Limited, Newmont Nusa Tenggara Holdings B.V., Newmont Overseas Exploration Limited, Newmont Pacific Energy Pty Ltd, Newmont Peru Limited, Newmont Power Pty Ltd, Newmont Realty Company, Newmont Second Capital Corporation, Newmont Suriname LLC, Newmont Technologies Limited, Newmont USA Limited, Newmont Ventures Limited, Newmont Woodcutters Pty Ltd, Newmont Yandal Operations Pty Ltd, Newmont de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Normandy Company (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Normandy Overseas Holding Company Sdn Bhd, Nusa Tenggara Partnership B.V., Orcana Resources Inc., Oroplata S.A., PT Newmont Minahasa Raya, Pequop Exploration LLC, Peridot S.A., Pittston Nevada Gold Company Ltd., Pueblo Viejo Dominicana Corporation, Red Lake Gold Mine Services Ltd., Resurrection Mining Company, Saddleback Investments Pty Ltd, San Juan Basin Holdings Company, Santa Fe Pacific Gold Corporation, Sermineros de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Sermineros de Mexico S.A. de C.V. <0.0010% Sermineros Zacatecas S.A. de C.V., Sociedad Contractual Minera El Morro, Suriname Gold Project CV, Takari Mining SAS, Talapoosa Mining Inc., The LeClair Consolidated Mines Company, The Matoa Gold Mining Company, US Mineral Company Inc., Vol Mines Limited, and West Pequop Project LLC. iShares National Muni Bond ETF's stock was trading at $114.45 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, MUB shares have increased by 1.7% and is now trading at $116.41. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. 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. The following companies are subsidiares of BlackRock: Acero Cooperatief U.A., Acero Holdings I B.V., Amethyst Merger Sub LLC, AnalytX Hosting LLC, AnalytX LLC, AnalytX Software LLC, Aperio, Aperio, Aquila Heywood, Asia-Pacific Private Credit Opportunities Fund I (GenPar) Ltd., BAA Holdings LLC, BFM Holdco LLC, BLK (Gallatin) Holdings LLC, BLK SMI LLC, BR Acquisition Mexico S.A. de C.V., BR Jersey International Holdings L.P., Beijing eFront Software Company Limited, BlackRock (Barbados) Finco 1 SRL, BlackRock (Channel Islands) Limited, BlackRock (Luxembourg) S.A., BlackRock (Netherlands) B.V., BlackRock (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BlackRock (Singapore) Holdco II Pte. Ltd., BlackRock (Singapore) Holdco Pte. Limited, BlackRock (Singapore) Limited, BlackRock AP Investment Holdco LLC, BlackRock Advisors (UK) Limited, BlackRock Advisors LLC, BlackRock Advisors Singapore Pte. Limited, BlackRock Alternative Advisors GP Holdings LLC, BlackRock Alternatives Management LLC, BlackRock Argentina Asesorias Ltda., BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited, BlackRock Asset Management Deutschland AG, BlackRock Asset Management International Inc., BlackRock Asset Management Investor Services Limited, BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited, BlackRock Asset Management North Asia Limited, BlackRock Asset Management Schweiz AG, BlackRock Asset Management UK Limited, BlackRock Australia Holdco Pty. Ltd., BlackRock Brasil Gestora de Investimentos Ltda., BlackRock Cal 1 Investor LLC, BlackRock Canada Holdings LP, BlackRock Canada Holdings ULC, BlackRock Capital Holdings Inc., BlackRock Capital Investment Advisors LLC, BlackRock Capital Management Inc., BlackRock Cayco Limited, BlackRock Cayman 1 LP, BlackRock Cayman Capital Holdings Limited, BlackRock Cayman Finco 2 Limited, BlackRock Cayman Finco 3 Limited, BlackRock Cayman Finco Limited, BlackRock Cayman West Bay Finco Limited, BlackRock Cayman West Bay IV Limited, BlackRock Cayman Z Limited, BlackRock Channel Islands Holdco Limited, BlackRock Chile Asesorias Limitada, BlackRock Colombia Holdco LLC, BlackRock Colombia Infraestructura S.A.S., BlackRock Colombia SAS, BlackRock Company Secretarial Services (UK) Limited, BlackRock Corporation US Inc., BlackRock Delaware Holdings Inc., BlackRock Enterprise Management Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BlackRock Europe Development Management Limited, BlackRock Execution Services, BlackRock Finance Europe Limited, BlackRock Financial Management Inc., BlackRock Finco LLC, BlackRock Finco UK Ltd., BlackRock First Partner Limited, BlackRock France SAS, BlackRock Fund Advisors, BlackRock Fund Management Company S.A., BlackRock Fund Managers Limited, BlackRock Funding International Ltd., BlackRock Funds Services Group LLC, BlackRock Germany GmBH, BlackRock Group Limited, BlackRock HK Holdco Limited, BlackRock Holdco 2 Inc., BlackRock Holdco 3 LLC, BlackRock Holdco 4 LLC, BlackRock Holdco 5 LLC, BlackRock Holdco 6 LLC, BlackRock Hungary Kft, BlackRock Index Services LLC, BlackRock Infrastructure Management I LLC, BlackRock Institutional Services Inc., BlackRock Institutional Trust Company National Association, BlackRock International Holdings Inc., BlackRock International Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (Australia) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (Dublin) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (Korea) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BlackRock Investment Management (Taiwan) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management Ireland Holdings Limited, BlackRock Investment Management LLC, BlackRock Investments LLC, BlackRock Japan Co. Ltd., BlackRock Japan Holdings GK, BlackRock Jersey Finco 2 Limited, BlackRock Latin America Holdco LLC, BlackRock Latin American Holdings B.V., BlackRock Life Limited, BlackRock Lux Finco S.a r.l., BlackRock Luxembourg Holdco S.a r.l., BlackRock Mexican Holdco B.V., BlackRock Mexico Infraestructura I S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Infraestructura II S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Infraestructura III S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Manager II S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Manager III S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Manager S de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Operadora S.A. de C.V. Sociedad Operadora de Fondos de Inversion, BlackRock Mortgage Ventures LLC, BlackRock Niagara LLC, BlackRock Operations (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., BlackRock Overseas Investment Fund Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BlackRock PC Holdings LLC, BlackRock Pensions Limited, BlackRock Peru Asesorias S.A., BlackRock Property Consulting (Beijing) Co. Ltd., BlackRock Property France S.a.r.l., BlackRock Property Lux S.a.r.l., BlackRock Property Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., BlackRock Realty Advisors Inc., BlackRock Saudi Arabia, BlackRock Scale Holdings LLC, BlackRock Services India Private Limited, BlackRock Singapore III Pte. Ltd., BlackRock Slovakia s.r.o., BlackRock Strategic Investors GP LLC, BlackRock Strategic Investors LP, BlackRock Trident Holding Company Limited, BlackRock UK (Alpha) Limited, BlackRock UK (Beta) Limited, BlackRock UK (Delta) LP, BlackRock UK (Gamma) Limited, BlackRock UK (Sigma) Limited, BlackRock UK 2 LLP, BlackRock UK 3 LLP, BlackRock UK 4 LLP, BlackRock UK A LLP, BlackRock UK Holdco 2 Limited, BlackRock UK Holdco Limited, Blackhawk Investment Holding LLC, CIE Automotive, Cachematrix Holdings, Cachematrix Holdings LLC, Cachematrix Integrations Private Limited, Cachematrix Software Solutions LLC, Cachematrix UK Limited, FutureAdvisor Inc., Glass Mountain Pipeline, Global Energy & Power Infrastructure Advisors LLC, Global Energy & Power Infrastructure II Advisors LLC, Grosvenor Alternate Partner Limited, Grosvenor Ventures Limited, HLX Financial Holdings LLC, MGPA (Bermuda) Limited, MGPA (Exec) Limited, MGPA Limited, Mercury Carry Company Ltd., Mercury Private Equity MUST 3 (Jersey) Limited, Object Capital Technology Inc., Phoenix Acquisition B.V., Phoenix Acquisitions Holdings LLC, Portfolio Administration & Management Ltd., Prestadora de Servicios Integrales BlackRock Mexico S.A. de C.V., SVOF/MM LLC, St. Albans House Nominees (Jersey) Ltd., State Street Research & Management, Tennenbaum Capital Partners LLC, Tennenbaum Capital Partners LLC, Tlali Acero S.A. de C.V. SOFOM ENR, Trident Merger LLC, eFront, eFront, eFront (Jersey) Limited, eFront DMLT Holdings LLC, eFront DMLT Holdings S.R.L, eFront DR S.R.L, eFront Do Brasil Solucoes Informaticas Para Sistemas Financeiros Ltda., eFront FZ-LLC, eFront Financial Solutions Inc., eFront GmbH, eFront Holding II SAS, eFront Holdings SAS, eFront Hong Kong Limited, eFront II SAS, eFront Kabushiki Kaisha, eFront Ltd, eFront SAS, eFront Singapore Pte. Ltd, eFront Software Luxembourg S.a r.l., eFront Solutions Financeieres Inc., eFront d.o.o. Beograd, iShares (DE) I Investmentaktiengesellschaft mit Teilgesellschaftsvermogen, and iShares Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC. Veritiv Corp. engages in business-to-business distributor of print, publishing, packaging, facility solutions, print and publishing products and services. The firm provides logistics and supply chain management solutions to its customers. It operates through the following segments: Print, Publishing, Packaging and Facility Solutions. The Print segment sells and distributes commercial printing, writing, copying, digital, wide format and specialty paper products, graphics consumables and graphics equipment primarily in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The Publishing segment involves in sale and distribution of coated and uncoated commercial printing papers to publishers, retailers, converters, printers and specialty businesses for use in magazines, catalogs, books, directories, gaming, couponing, retail inserts and direct mail. The Packaging segment provides standard as well as custom and comprehensive packaging solutions for customers based in North America and in key global markets. The Facility Solutions segment sources and sells cleaning, break-room and other supplies such as towels, tissues, wipers and dispensers, can liners, commercial cleaning chemicals, soaps and sanitizers, sani Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Pfizer: AH Robins LLC, AHP Holdings B.V., AHP Manufacturing B.V., Agouron Pharmaceuticals LLC, Alacer, Alpharma Holdings LLC, Alpharma Pharmaceuticals LLC, Alpharma Specialty Pharma LLC, Alpharma USHP LLC, American Food Industries LLC, Anacor Pharmaceuticals, Anacor Pharmaceuticals Inc., Angiosyn, Array BioPharma, Ayerst-Wyeth Pharmaceuticals LLC, BIND Therapeutics Inc., BINESA 2002 S.L., Bamboo Therapeutics, Bamboo Therapeutics Inc., Baxter International - Marketed Vaccines, BioRexis, Bioren, Bioren LLC, Blue Whale Re Ltd., C.E. Commercial Holdings C.V., C.E. Commercial Investments C.V., C.P. Pharmaceuticals International C.V., CICL Corporation, COC I Corporation, Catapult Genetics, Coley Pharmaceutical GmbH, Coley Pharmaceutical Group, Coley Pharmaceutical Group Inc., Continental Pharma Inc., Covx, Covx Technologies Ireland Limited, Cyanamid Inter-American Corporation, Cyanamid de Argentina S.A., Cyanamid de Colombia S.A., Distribuidora Mercantil Centro Americana S.A., Encysive Pharmaceuticals, Encysive Pharmaceuticals Inc., Esperion LUV Development Inc., Esperion Therapeutics, Excaliard Pharmaceuticals, Excaliard Pharmaceuticals Inc., Farminova Produtos Farmaceuticos de Inovacao Lda., Farmogene Productos Farmaceuticos Lda, Ferrosan A/S, Ferrosan International A/S, Ferrosan S.R.L., FoldRx Pharmaceuticals Inc., Foldrx Pharmaceuticals, Fort Dodge Manufatura Ltda., G. D. Searle & Co. Limited, G. D. Searle International Capital LLC, G. D. Searle LLC, GI Europe Inc., GI Japan Inc., GenTrac Inc., Genetics Institute LLC, Greenstone LLC, Haptogen Limited, Hospira, Hospira (China) Enterprise Management Co. Ltd., Hospira Adelaide Pty Ltd, Hospira Aseptic Services Limited, Hospira Australia Pty Ltd, Hospira Benelux BVBA, Hospira Chile Limitada, Hospira Deutschland GmbH, Hospira Enterprises B.V., Hospira France SAS, Hospira Healthcare B.V., Hospira Healthcare Corporation, Hospira Healthcare India Private Limited, Hospira Holdings (S.A.) Pty Ltd, Hospira Inc., Hospira Invicta S.A., Hospira Ireland Holdings Unlimited Company, Hospira Ireland Sales Limited, Hospira Japan G.K., Hospira Limited, Hospira Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Hospira NZ Limited, Hospira Nordic AB, Hospira Philippines Inc., Hospira Portugal LDA, Hospira Produtos Hospitalares Ltda., Hospira Pte. Ltd., Hospira Pty Limited, Hospira Puerto Rico LLC, Hospira Singapore Pte Ltd, Hospira UK Limited, Hospira Worldwide LLC, Hospira Zagreb d.o.o., ICAgen, Idun Pharmaceuticals, Industrial Santa Agape S.A., InnoPharma, InnoPharma Inc., International Affiliated Corporation LLC, JMI-Daniels Pharmaceuticals Inc., John Wyeth & Brother Limited, Kiinteisto oy Espoon Pellavaniementie 14, King Pharmaceuticals Holdings LLC, King Pharmaceuticals LLC, King Pharmaceuticals Research and Development LLC, Korea Pharma Holding Company Limited, Laboratoires Pfizer S.A., Laboratorios Parke Davis S.L., Laboratorios Pfizer Ltda., Laboratorios Wyeth LLC, Laboratorios Wyeth S.A., Laboratorios Pfizer Lda., MTG Divestitures LLC, Mayne Pharma IP Holdings (Euro) Pty Ltd, Medivation, Medivation Field Solutions LLC, Medivation LLC, Medivation Neurology LLC, Medivation Prostate Therapeutics LLC, Medivation Services LLC, Medivation Technologies LLC, Meridian Medical Technologies Inc., Meridian Medical Technologies Limited, Monarch Pharmaceuticals LLC, Neusentis Limited, NextWave Pharmaceuticals, NextWave Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, P-D Co. LLC, PAH USA IN8 LLC, PF Americas Holding C.V., PF Asia Manufacturing B.V., PF PR Holdings C.V., PF PRISM C.V., PF PRISM Holdings S.a.r.l., PF Prism S.a.r.l., PFE Holdings G.K., PFE PHAC Holdings 1 LLC, PFE Pfizer Holdings 1 LLC, PFE Wyeth Holdings LLC, PFE Wyeth-Ayerst (Asia) LLC, PHILCO Holdings S.a r.l., PHIVCO Corp., PHIVCO Holdco S.a r.l., PHIVCO Luxembourg S.a r.l., PN Mexico LLC, PT. Pfizer Parke Davis, Parke Davis & Company LLC, Parke Davis Limited, Parke Davis Productos Farmaceuticos Lda, Parke-Davis Manufacturing Corp., Parkedale Pharmaceuticals Inc., Peak Enterprises LLC, Pfizer, Pfizer (China) Research and Development Co. Ltd., Pfizer (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Pfizer (Perth) Pty Limited, Pfizer (Thailand) Limited, Pfizer (Wuhan) Research and Development Co. Ltd., Pfizer AB, Pfizer AG, Pfizer AS, Pfizer Africa & Middle East for Pharmaceuticals Veterinarian Products & Chemicals S.A.E., Pfizer Anti-Infectives AB, Pfizer ApS, Pfizer Asia Manufacturing Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Asia Pacific Pte Ltd., Pfizer Atlantic Holdings S.a.r.l., Pfizer Australia Holdings B.V., Pfizer Australia Holdings Pty Limited, Pfizer Australia Investments Pty. Ltd., Pfizer Australia Pty Limited, Pfizer B.V., Pfizer BH D.o.o., Pfizer Baltic Holdings B.V., Pfizer Biofarmaceutica Sociedade Unipessoal Lda, Pfizer Biologics (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd, Pfizer Biologics Ireland Holdings Limited, Pfizer Biotech Corporation, Pfizer Bolivia S.A., Pfizer Canada Inc., Pfizer CentreSource Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Chile S.A., Pfizer Cia. Ltda., Pfizer Colombia Spinco I LLC, Pfizer Commercial Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer Commercial Holdings TRAE Kft., Pfizer Commercial TRAE Trading Kft., Pfizer Consumer Healthcare AB, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare GmbH, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare Ltd., Pfizer Consumer Manufacturing Italy S.r.l., Pfizer Corporation, Pfizer Corporation Austria Gesellschaft m.b.H., Pfizer Corporation Hong Kong Limited, Pfizer Croatia d.o.o., Pfizer Deutschland GmbH, Pfizer Development LP, Pfizer Development Services (UK) Limited, Pfizer Domestic Ventures Limited, Pfizer Dominicana S.R.L, Pfizer ESP Pty Ltd, Pfizer East India B.V., Pfizer Eastern Investments B.V., Pfizer Egypt S.A.E., Pfizer Enterprise Holdings B.V., Pfizer Enterprises LLC, Pfizer Enterprises SARL, Pfizer Europe Finance B.V., Pfizer Export B.V., Pfizer Export Company, Pfizer Export Holding Company B.V, Pfizer Finance Share Service (Dalian) Co. Ltd., Pfizer Financial Services N.V./S.A., Pfizer France International Investments, Pfizer Free Zone Panama S. de R.L., Pfizer GEP S.L., Pfizer Global Holdings B.V., Pfizer Global Supply Japan Inc., Pfizer Global Trading, Pfizer Group Luxembourg Sarl, Pfizer Gulf FZ-LLC, Pfizer H.C.P. Corporation, Pfizer HK Service Company Limited, Pfizer Health AB, Pfizer Health Solutions Inc., Pfizer Healthcare Ireland, Pfizer Hellas A.E., Pfizer Himalaya Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer Holding France, Pfizer Holding Ventures, Pfizer Holdings Corporation, Pfizer Holdings Europe Unlimited Company, Pfizer Holdings G.K., Pfizer Holdings International Corporation, Pfizer Holdings International Luxembourg (PHIL) Sarl, Pfizer Holdings North America SARL, Pfizer Hungary Holdings TRAE Kft., Pfizer Inc., Pfizer Innovations AB, Pfizer Innovations LLC, Pfizer Innovative Supply Point International BVBA, Pfizer International LLC, Pfizer International Markets Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer International Operations, Pfizer International S. de R.L., Pfizer International Trading (Shanghai) Limited, Pfizer Investment Capital Unlimited Company, Pfizer Investment Co. Ltd., Pfizer Investment Holdings S.a.r.l., Pfizer Ireland Investments Limited, Pfizer Ireland PFE Holding 1 LLC, Pfizer Ireland PFE Holding 2 LLC, Pfizer Ireland Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer Ireland Ventures Unlimited Company, Pfizer Italia S.r.l., Pfizer Italy Group Holding S.r.l., Pfizer Japan Inc., Pfizer LLC, Pfizer Laboratories (Pty) Limited, Pfizer Laboratories Limited, Pfizer Laboratories PFE (Pty) Ltd, Pfizer Leasing Ireland Limited, Pfizer Leasing UK Limited, Pfizer Limitada, Pfizer Limited, Pfizer Luxco Holdings SARL, Pfizer Luxembourg Global Holdings S.a r.l., Pfizer Luxembourg SARL, Pfizer MAP Holding Inc., Pfizer Manufacturing Austria G.m.b.H., Pfizer Manufacturing Belgium N.V., Pfizer Manufacturing Deutschland GmbH, Pfizer Manufacturing Deutschland Grundbesitz GmbH & Co. KG, Pfizer Manufacturing Holdings LLC, Pfizer Manufacturing Ireland Unlimited Company, Pfizer Manufacturing LLC, Pfizer Manufacturing Services, Pfizer Medical Technology Group (Belgium) N.V., Pfizer Medicamentos Genericos e Participacoes Ltda., Pfizer Mexico Luxco SARL, Pfizer Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pfizer Middle East for Pharmaceuticals Animal Health and Chemicals S.A.E., Pfizer New Zealand Limited, Pfizer Norge AS, Pfizer North American Holdings Inc., Pfizer OTC B.V., Pfizer Overseas LLC, Pfizer Oy, Pfizer PFE ApS, Pfizer PFE AsiaPac Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Australia Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Australia Pty Ltd, Pfizer PFE B.V., Pfizer PFE Baltic Holdings B.V., Pfizer PFE Belgium SPRL, Pfizer PFE Brazil Holding S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE CIA. Ltda., Pfizer PFE Chile Holding LLC, Pfizer PFE Colombia Holding Corp., Pfizer PFE Colombia S.A.S, Pfizer PFE Commercial Holdings LLC, Pfizer PFE Croatia Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Eastern Investments B.V., Pfizer PFE Finland Oy, Pfizer PFE France, Pfizer PFE Global Holdings B.V., Pfizer PFE Ireland Pharmaceuticals Holding 1 B.V., Pfizer PFE Italy Holdco 2 S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Italy Holdco S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Pfizer PFE Limited, Pfizer PFE Luxembourg S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Mexico Holding 3 LLC, Pfizer PFE Netherlands Holding 1 C.V., Pfizer PFE New Zealand, Pfizer PFE New Zealand Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Norway Holding S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE PILSA Holdco S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Peru Holding LLC, Pfizer PFE Peru S.R.L., Pfizer PFE Pharmaceuticals Israel Holding LLC, Pfizer PFE Pharmaceuticals Israel Ltd., Pfizer PFE Private Limited, Pfizer PFE S.R.L, Pfizer PFE Service Company Holding Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer PFE Singapore Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Singapore Pte. Ltd., Pfizer PFE Spain B.V., Pfizer PFE Spain Holding S.L., Pfizer PFE Sweden Holding 2 S.a.r.l., Pfizer PFE Sweden Holding S.a.r.l., Pfizer PFE Switzerland GmbH, Pfizer PFE Turkey Holding 1 B.V., Pfizer PFE Turkey Holding 2 B.V., Pfizer PFE UK Holding 4 LP, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 1 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 2 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 3 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 4 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 5 LLC, Pfizer PFE spol. s r.o., Pfizer PFE Ilaclar Anonim Sirketi, Pfizer Pakistan Limited, Pfizer Parke Davis (Thailand) Ltd., Pfizer Parke Davis Inc., Pfizer Parke Davis Sdn. Bhd., Pfizer Pharm Algerie, Pfizer Pharma GmbH, Pfizer Pharma PFE GmbH, Pfizer Pharmaceutical (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Pfizer Pharmaceutical Trading Limited Liability Company (a/k/a Pfizer Kft. or Pfizer LLC), Pfizer Pharmaceuticals B.V., Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Global B.V., Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Israel Ltd., Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Korea Limited, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals LLC, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Pfizer Pigments Inc., Pfizer Polska Sp. z.o.o., Pfizer Private Limited, Pfizer Production LLC, Pfizer Products Inc., Pfizer Products India Private Limited, Pfizer Research (NC) Inc., Pfizer Romania SRL, Pfizer S.A., Pfizer S.A., Pfizer S.A. (Belgium), Pfizer S.A. de C.V., Pfizer S.A.S., Pfizer S.G.P.S. Lda., Pfizer S.L., Pfizer S.R.L., Pfizer SRB d.o.o., Pfizer Saidal Manufacturing, Pfizer Sante Familiale, Pfizer Saudi Limited, Pfizer Seiyaku K.K., Pfizer Service Company BVBA, Pfizer Service Company Ireland Unlimited Company, Pfizer Services 1, Pfizer Services LLC, Pfizer Shared Services Unlimited Company, Pfizer Shareholdings Intermediate SARL, Pfizer Singapore Holding Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Singapore Trading Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Spain Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer Specialties Limited, Pfizer Strategic Investment Holdings LLC, Pfizer Sweden Partnership KB, Pfizer TRAE Holdings Kft., Pfizer Trading Polska sp.z.o.o., Pfizer Transactions Ireland Unlimited Company, Pfizer Transactions LLC, Pfizer Transactions Luxembourg SARL, Pfizer Transport LLC, Pfizer Ukraine LLC, Pfizer Vaccines LLC, Pfizer Venezuela S.A., Pfizer Venture Investments LLC, Pfizer Ventures LLC, Pfizer Worldwide Services Unlimited Company, Pfizer Zona Franca S.A., Pfizer spol. s r.o., Pharmacia, Pharmacia & Upjohn Company Inc., Pharmacia & Upjohn Company LLC, Pharmacia & Upjohn LLC, Pharmacia & Upjohn S.A. de C.V., Pharmacia Brasil Ltda., Pharmacia Hepar LLC, Pharmacia Holding AB, Pharmacia Inter-American LLC, Pharmacia International B.V., Pharmacia LLC, Pharmacia Limited, Pharmacia Nostrum S.A., Pharmacia South Africa (Pty) Ltd, PowderJect Research Limited, PowderMed, Purepac Pharmaceutical Holdings LLC, Redvax, Renrall LLC, Rinat Neuroscience, Rinat Neuroscience Corp., Roerig Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Roerig S.A., Sao Cristovao Participacoes Ltda., Searle Laboratorios Lda., Serenex, Servicios P&U S. de R.L. de C.V., Shiley LLC, Sinergis Farma-Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Site Realty Inc., Solinor LLC, Sugen LLC, Tabor LLC, The Pfizer Incubator LLC, Therachon, Thiakis Limited, Treerly Health Co. Ltd, US Oral Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd, Upjohn Laboratorios Lda., Vesteralens Naturprodukter A/S, Vesteralens Naturprodukter AB, Vesteralens Naturprodukter AS, Vesteralens Naturprodukter OY, Vicuron Holdings LLC, Vinci Farma S.A., W-L LLC, Warner Lambert, Warner Lambert Ilac Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Warner Lambert del Uruguay S.A., Warner-Lambert (Thailand) Limited, Warner-Lambert Company AG, Warner-Lambert Company LLC, Warner-Lambert Guatemala Sociedad Anonima, Warner-Lambert S.A., Whitehall International Inc., Whitehall Laboratories Inc., Wyeth (Thailand) Ltd., Wyeth AB, Wyeth Australia Pty. Limited, Wyeth Ayerst Inc., Wyeth Ayerst S.a r.l., Wyeth Biopharma, Wyeth Canada ULC, Wyeth Consumer Healthcare LLC, Wyeth Europa Limited, Wyeth Farma S.A., Wyeth Holdings LLC, Wyeth Industria Farmaceutica Ltda., Wyeth KFT., Wyeth LLC, Wyeth Lederle S.r.l., Wyeth Lederle Vaccines S.A., Wyeth Pakistan Limited, Wyeth Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Company, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals FZ-LLC, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals LLC, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Limited, Wyeth Puerto Rico Inc., Wyeth S.A.S, Wyeth Subsidiary Illinois Corporation, Wyeth Whitehall Export GmbH, Wyeth Whitehall SARL, Wyeth-Ayerst (Asia) Limited, Wyeth-Ayerst International LLC, and Wyeth-Ayerst Promotions Limited. Fierce thunderstorms and deadly floods are putting millions at risk across the Midwest and Northeast, following on the heels of twisters that slammed the same part of the country. One person was killed in Arkansas Tuesday evening after drowning in floodwater, police told CNN. The victim, a 64-year-old man, had been driving a small Suzuki SUV, Barling police officer James Breeden said. Authorities said the vehicle appeared to have driven into a flooded roadway that had been barricaded. A deputy sheriff saw a body floating in the water and attempted a rescue, Breeden said. The man's body was located near Fort Chafee. The flooding in Arkansas is part of the severe weather facing several states across the country. More than 39 million people are under an enhanced risk of severe weather from northeastern Texas through the Ohio Valley and into the Northeast, CNN Meteorologist Michael Guy said, with the main threats starting Wednesday afternoon. The National Weather Service said areas from Texas through the Mid-Atlantic Coast can expect severe storms, with "multiple rounds of storms expected in some areas." "A concentration of strong thunderstorms with heavy rainfall" will continue in parts of Missouri, Iowa and Illinois with ongoing flash flooding, the weather service said. Hourly rain totals of up to 2 inches are possible, with some areas seeing up to 3 inches. The weather service also issued a severe thunderstorm watch for parts of Arkansas and Oklahoma warning of "large hail events" and wind gusts reaching 70 mph. As storms move through the region, the primary concern will be flooding, the weather service in Illinois said. Some places will see 'historic' flooding The Arkansas River is expected to crest Wednesday afternoon at around 41 feet, Arkansas emergency management told CNN. "This is looking to be record-breaking all along the Arkansas River, and this is something we have never seen before," spokeswoman Melody Daniel said. All the levees set up have worked so far, Daniel said. Two of them have overtopped, but have not failed. "This is the highest the river has ever been in recorded history," Breeden told CNN. Daniel said more than a dozen counties are expected to see historic flooding. Those counties are: Sebastian, Crawford, Logan, Johnson, Yell, Pope, Perry, Conway, Faulkner, Pulaski, Jefferson, Lincoln and Desha County. Up to 50 homes could be impacted by the floods, the city of North Little Rock said on Facebook. Any significant rainfall could affect drainage issues and increase the number of homes that will be impacted. "Respect all barricades and road and trail closures," the city posted. "They are there for your protection. Do not put our emergency responders in a position that would be dangerous to you and them." In Ozark, Arkansas, the river will likely break its record Thursday before it crests Friday, Guy said. "The last crest to break the record was in 1943," he said. "The last time the river was this high at this location was 1990." Flooding near the site already occurred once this year in early January. Further north, officials are warning of fast rises on the lower Des Moines River in Iowa and on the Fox River in northeastern Missouri. Both are expected to reach major flood stage -- which could lead to flooding -- by Wednesday. Record-breaking May rains Tuesday's rain broke records in Kansas City, the National Weather Service said. The city received 1.56 inches of rainfall which boosted the monthly total to 12.81 inches. The previous record for the month of May was set in 1995 at 12.75 inches. "This also makes this May the 3rd wettest month for ANY month in (Kansas City's) 131-year period of record," the weather service tweeted. 13 straight days of tornadoes The past 13 days have seen twisters touch down in multiple cities throughout the country. Since Monday, there's been 76 tornado reports. In western Ohio, which was ravaged by three tornadoes Monday night, one person was killed in the city of Celina, and seven others were injured, Mayor Jeff Hazel said. The storm apparently pushed a vehicle into a house there, killing 81-year-old Melvin Dale Hanna, the mayor said. A tornado ripped through Linwood, Kansas, late Tuesday evening, but all residents appeared to be safe. Homes outside the city's limits were "all gone," Mayor Brian Christenson told CNN. Damage from the storms that swirled through Kansas Tuesday was centralized in three areas around Douglas County, Sgt. Kristen Channel with the Douglas County Sheriff's Department told CNN. Homes near Lone Star Lake, Pleasant Grove and Berg Acres -- which are all about two miles south of Lawrence -- were all damaged. There are currently no reports of fatalities, Channel said, but some people had to be taken to the hospital after suffering storm-related injuries. LMH Health, formerly Lawrence Memorial Hospital, has activated its emergency incident command center and is receiving patients with injuries, President and CEO Russ Johnson said in a tweet. Another tornado was confirmed by the National Weather Service in Berks County, Pennsylvania, "based on video received showing a tornado on the ground." It moved through the area Tuesday evening. Morgantown was one of the hardest-hit areas in the county, but Caernarvon Township Police Department Chief John Scalia told CNN affiliate KYW there were no injuries. "When you drive around, see the destruction, you realize how lucky we are nobody was hurt," Scalia said. More than 1,000 flights delayed or canceled As storms moved through eastern Kansas and western Missouri Tuesday night, the Kansas City International Airport halted all flights late Tuesday and crews worked to clear debris out of the runways. The airport re-opened early Wednesday and said on Twitter: "We apologize for the inconvenience. A tornado destroyed homes and businesses miles away & debris rained down onto the airport. Our crews had to clean it up in order to be safe." Nearly 900 flights headed into and out of Chicago's O'Hare International Airport were delayed early Wednesday and another 166 were canceled, according to FlightAware.com New York's LaGuardia International Airport and New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport had more than 775 delayed flights heading in and out, combined as of early morning Wednesday. Record-breaking tornadoes in the past month The National Weather Service reported eight tornadoes hit Ohio between Monday and Tuesday. Three EF-3 tornadoes slammed much of Montgomery County, Beavercreek Township and the city of Celina. An EF-2 tornado touched down in northeastern Montgomery County, south of the city of Vandalia and another was reported near the village of Laurelville. There was an EF-1 tornado south of Tarlton and two EF-0 spinners in Miami and Montgomery counties, near Phillipsburg and southeast of Circleville. In the past 30 days, there have been more than 500 tornado reports across the country. There are only four other recorded instances when more than 500 US tornadoes were observed in a 30-day period: in 2003, 2004, 2008 and 2011, according to Patrick Marsh, a meteorologist with the weather service's Storm Prediction Center. ROME, N.Y. -- Just a few months after this devastating fire at Petersons Pet Shop in Rome the two police officers and a firefighter responsible for saving a life received recognition for their actions. The Liberty Medal is the highest honor the state can give out. The recipients are Rome police officers Matthew Hall and Ryan Crever, along with Rome firefighter joseph Hojnacki. When the fire broke out, the two officers and the fire fighter ran in to the second-floor apartment to rescue the resident and his dog. He was unable to walk, so they had to carry him and his dog down by hand. Senator Joe Griffo was proud to present them the award. "These three went over and beyond, saving an individual's life, saving an animal, his companion. And I believe worthy of recognition. This is the highest civilian award that we can give for this type of situation and this reason, Griffo said. Rome Mayor Jackie Izzo says there will be an announcement soon regarding what will be done with the site where the pet store once stood. INDIANAPOLIS (WLFI) Saint Joseph's College at Marian University is ready to use its earn and learn model at its new school. July 8th is the opening date for what's being called St. Joe Indy. As we previously reported Saint Joe's suspended operations in 2017 due to millions of dollars of debt and its accreditation was on the line. The new St. Joe Indy will offer two degrees; a liberal arts degree and a business degree. Fifty students are enrolled for the first semester. They will earn a degree in 22 months and earn an income along the way. The executive director said the school wants to play a role in fixing workforce shortages. "Every employer partner we bring on is a part of the conversation," said Jeffrey Jourdan. "We do see ourselves as a talent pipeline, a feeder of talent to industry and to these employer partners." St. Joe will eventually have 300 to 400 students enrolled. It will have 30 employer partners that will help with placement of students. Some of those include One America, Community Health and Allison Transmission. Scallops are marine bivalve mollusks found in all the world's oceans. They are highly prized as a food source in many countries around the world. According to the Product Complexity Index, scallops come in position 914 among the list of the most complex products. When ranked as per the products traded the most in the world, this product comes in position 3258. The United Kingdom is the worlds leading exporter of scallops. The other leading exporters are Canada, Japan, the US, and South Korea. Top Exporters of Scallops The United Kingdom The United Kingdom is the worlds number one producer of scallops. Seafood exports from the UK dominate the European markets. The latest data shows that France is among the leading importers of the UKs seafood. Scallops are very important to the UK seafood industry. Between 2013 and 2017, the sales quantity of scallops has been on the rise. In 2017 alone, the amount was approximately 65 million US dollars. Canada Canada is the second largest exporter of scallops. A report on the 2017 exports indicates that out of its exports, the country sold scallops valued at 51.1 million US dollars. Canada mainly exports Atlantic sea scallops. The main export market for Canadian seafood and scallops is the US. However, countries such as China and Japan also account for Canadians export markets, among other countries in the world. Japan Japan is among the major sources of seafood in the world. The coastlines and the deep sea surrounding Japan's islands provide an avenue to tap the seafood resource. The 2017 report on exports indicates that the country managed to export scallops of approximately 40.9 million US dollars. The countries which provide export markets for the Japan scallops and other seafood include the US and China. Other countries also source their seafood from this region though in smaller quantities as compared to the two main importers of these products. United States Although many countries such as Canada and Japan export their seafood to the United States, it also has foreign markets for its seafood products. With scallops exports, the US came fourth after it managed to export a total of approximately 50.7 million US dollars in value of the product. The major export markets for the US scallop industry are the Netherlands, France, Canada, and many European countries. South Korea South Korea is also among the major sources of scallops and much other seafood. In 2017, the total value of scallop exports amounted to a whopping 25.4 million US dollars. This value puts the country in a strong position to serve international markets with scallops with the US benefiting from its exports. Other countries which receive scallops from South Korea include Japan, China, and Canada. Significance of Scallops Apart from being a source of food, scallop exports have helped in bolstering international trade. As noted from the above countries, there is a circulation of scallops whereby one country exports to the other in exchange for foreign currency. Besides, there is fostering of international relations in the process of exchanging the products and services between countries. Richard Burns shot Robert Reid a questioning look. He wasnt convinced. In fact, he was convinced Reid was wide of the mark. Its not often youre wrong, RB said to the Scot sitting alongside. But youre wrong this time. Theres no way that times right. Reid pointed out that, if anything, hed been conservative with his timing. There was only one thing for it. Against the teams instructions, they would do another run. They did another run. The result was the same. Burns and Reid stopped at the top of a hill above Girona and sat there, trying to take in what had just happened. We often did that in a test, said Reid. Richard would stop and just digest everything, then wed discuss what had happened. We were doing that when the radio came to life. It was the man behind the numbers they were struggling to compute, Prodrive designer Christian Loriaux. Ave you crashed it? Whats appened, said Loriaux in his unmistakable mix of Belgian cockney. The team had no data. The car had gone quiet and they feared the worst. Subaru's new Impreza wowed Burns and Reid Christian asked us to go straight back in after the first run, Reid said to Burns. I know, came the reply. But I had to try to understand how this cars so much faster. So. Much. Faster. The Subaru Impreza WRC Loriaux and Prodrive technical director David Lapworth delivered for a Portuguese debut 19 years ago was a game-changer. Burns had run the new machines predecessor the WRC99 up the Catalan gravel road to set a benchmark and, when the car codenamed P2000 followed, the result was greeted with disbelief. It was a second a kilometre faster, said Reid. That sort of thing didnt happen. That sort of time couldnt be found. But Prodrive had found it. Understandably, the Subaru World Rally Team couldnt wait for Portugal and the cars debut. There were a few teething troubles, Reid remembers. The car was really quick straight away, but I we lost the power steering in one stage. We got the car back to service and the team changed the pump. The team celebrated a debut win with the car in Portugal "Just as Richard was reversing out of service, he said: 'I dont believe it' The pump had failed again and we had to do a loop of three stages with no assistance. Then the engine was cutting out in Arganil and there were some more problems, but despite all of that we went into the final day 14sec behind Marcus Gronholm. We took 12 of those back on the first Ponte de Lima stage, then we were back into the lead on the next one and we stayed there until the finish. I remember going through the final stage, DR (David Richards, SWRT team principal) was standing on top of an old wrecked van in the middle of the stage, giving us split times. Getting to the finish was incredible. Wed won and the emotion was huge. The team had developed this amazing car, but then wed had a tough rally and still won. Christian was in tears. I think everybody was in tears! The car went on to become known as the Impreza WRC 00, but to Prodrive it would always be the P2000. To Burns and Reid it would always be remembered as the favourite. Head to WRC+ to watch All Live from Vodafone Rally de Portugal, including every stage broadcast live, breaking service park news and expert studio analysis. VIDEO More News [May 29, 2019] Charter School Associates Selects GTT for Managed SD-WAN GTT Communications, Inc. (NYSE: GTT), the leading global cloud networking provider to multinational clients, announced today that it is providing managed SD-WAN service to connect 16 schools and a central data center administrated by Charter School Associates, Inc (CSA) in Florida. GTT SD-WAN provides CSA with cost-effective connectivity to transport vital information supporting school administration and course curriculums. The service enhances network performance, improves access to cloud applications and reduces the amount of IT resources CSA requires to operate its wide area network. "We support our schools in making education their priority. GTT's managed SD-WAN reduces the strain on scarce IT resources and improves performance for applications that are mission-critical in delivering outstanding learning environments," commented Joaquin Infante, director of information technology at CSA. "GTT stood out among those w evaluated for this network deployment for its responsiveness, ability to match our specific requirements, managed service experience and industry-leading internet network." GTT connects CSA's 16 school locations to its central data center with near real-time failover capability. Each location is served with dual, redundant access that includes one dedicated internet circuit and one broadband connection. SD-WAN enables CSA to use both lines simultaneously, increasing available bandwidth. The service allows CSA to prioritize traffic by application and route over the best available connection at any given time. "GTT is proud to support educational organizations such as Charter School Associates with connectivity for cloud applications," stated Rick Calder, GTT president and CEO. "Deploying software-defined networking technologies can result in significant performance benefits to enhance educational experiences and outcomes. GTT's fully managed service allows the school administration staff to focus on their important mission of bringing the best educational opportunities possible to students of the charter schools." About GTT GTT connects people across organizations, around the world and to every application in the cloud. Our clients benefit from an outstanding service experience built on our core values of simplicity, speed and agility. GTT owns and operates a global Tier 1 internet network and provides a comprehensive suite of cloud networking services. For more information on GTT (NYSE: GTT), please visit www.gtt.net. About Charter School Associates, Inc. Charter School Associates develops and operates successful K-12 charter schools across the state of Florida. CSA schools are performance-based centers of learning and teaching characterized by a challenging curriculum, highly qualified teachers and rigorous accountability to parents, students, and state and district authorities. For more information on CSA, please visit www.charterschoolassociates.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005173/en/ [ Back To www.mobilitytechzone.com\broadband-stimulus's Homepage ] A Swedish district court this week rejected an application by Julian Assanges lawyers for a June 3 hearing into bogus sexual misconduct allegations to be delayed. The ruling was made despite the fact that the WikiLeaks founder is reportedly too ill to consult with his lawyers and has not received English-language translations of the arrest warrant or underlying evidence against him. The hearing is to decide whether Sweden will formally detain Assange in absentia. Julian Assange It follows shortly after the US unveiling 17 additional espionage act charges against Assange, which carry a potential sentence of 170 years in prison. While the US charges are aimed at abolishing freedom of the press and free speech, the Swedish extradition bid is an attempt to blacken Assanges name and provide an alternate route for his dispatch to a US prison. Per Samuelson, one of Assanges Swedish defence lawyers, told Reuters on Tuesday that he made the request for the hearing to be delayed after meeting with Assange at Britains Belmarsh Prison on Friday. One of the reasons for the application, he said, was that Assanges health situation on Friday was such that it was not possible to conduct a normal conversation with him. I meant that it should be postponed until I had time to meet again and go through the issues in peace and quiet, Samuelson added. I suggested no specific date and meant it should be postponed until everything was ready, but the district court has now decided that this wont happen. There are unconfirmed reports, in the Swedish and Danish-language press, that Assange has been transferred to the hospital ward of the prison. Stefania Maurizi, an Italian journalist who has collaborated closely with Assange and WikiLeaks for the past decade, tweeted this morning: Following the press reports on Julian Assanges health, I just heard he is very unwell and am seriously concerned. Its a real scandal how his health has been undermined by arbitrary detention by Sweden and the UK. I will NOT be silent. Renata Avila, a prominent human rights and technology lawyer who has also worked with WikiLeaks, wrote: He needed urgent assistance after his expulsion from the Embassy. Instead, he was not allowed to receive adequate medical treatment. Avila noted that the Azerbaijani journalist Emin Huseynov had spent roughly one year in Switzerlands Baku embassy to escape political persecution. After this it had taken him at least a month of treatment to go back to normal. Pointing to the protracted detention of Assange in Ecuadors London embassy, Avila commented Imagine after 7 years! Brutal. In 2016, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention determined that Assange had been arbitrarily detained in the Ecuadorian embassy, as a result of the threats of the British police to arrest him on bogus bail offences and the prospect that he would be extradited to the US. During his time in the embassy, Assange was deprived of direct sunlight and was unable to receive adequate medical care, including treatment for a severe dental infection. Doctors who examined him repeatedly warned that Assanges detention was causing potentially irreversible damage to his health. Following his conviction on the bail charges, shortly after his arrest on April 11, Assange has been held in harsh conditions at Belmarsh Prison. He is limited to two personal visits per month. There are severe restrictions on his communications. The conditions he faces are a damning indictment of those, including a host of journalists at the Guardian, who declared for years that Assange could walk out of the embassy and enjoy humane treatment at the hands of the British authorities. The rejection of the request for the Swedish hearing to be delayed also casts further light on the international legal vendetta to which Assange is being subjected. According to Swedish publications TT and the Upsala Nya Tidning, Samuelson has stated that he is only able to communicate with Assange through personal visits at Belmarsh booked well-in-advance, or via conferences from a law office in London. He is not able to contact Assange from Sweden. The lawyer also reportedly said that Sweden is proceeding with the June 3 hearing in the Upsalla District Court, despite the fact that the arrest warrant and underlying evidence against Assange will not be translated into English before June 10. According to the Upsala Nya Tidning, Swedens Deputy Chief Prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson blithely declared that it was only necessary for Assange to be informed of the contents of the warrant, not provided with a copy of it in a language that he can read. This dismissal of Assanges basic legal rights underscores the politically motivated character of the Swedish proceedings. Persson had previously pushed for the hearing to be convened on May 22, before Assange had even had a chance to speak to his lawyers. Swedish prosecutors reopened the preliminary investigation earlier this month, after it was previously dropped twice over the past eight years. They did not indicate that any new evidence had been obtained. WikiLeaks lawyers have previously published ample documentation to demonstrate that the allegations against Assange were concocted. Text messages from one of the supposed victims in 2010, for instance, stated I did not want to put any charges against JA and it was the police that made up the charges. In 2017, Swedish prosecutors abandoned the investigation. They had never issued any formal charges. Claims that they could not proceed with the case because Assange was in Ecuadors London embassy were a fraud. Since 2010, Swedish authorities have laid charges in absentia against a number of individuals who are outside the country. Documents obtained by Italian journalist Maurizi under freedom of information requests in 2017 and 2018 further discredited the investigation. They demonstrated that the British Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) insisted in 2010 and 2011 that Swedish authorities reject Assanges offer for them to question him in Britain, or via video link, rather than seek an extradition arrest warrant. They also showed that the Swedes had been considering dropping the investigation as early as 2013. The British CPS insisted that they continue it, with the lead CPS lawyer who handled Assanges case warning Dont you dare get cold feet!!! Other emails, including one from the US Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) to Swedish prosecutor Marianne Nye, were inexplicably deleted. The FBI has played a central role in the US campaign to destroy WikiLeaks. The unprecedented international political and legal campaign against Assange underscores the urgent need for workers, students and young people to come to the defence of the WikiLeaks founder. His persecution is aimed at setting a precedent for the suppression of mounting popular opposition to war, inequality and authoritarianism. The WSWS calls on all defenders of democratic rights in Britain to attend Assanges next hearing over the US extradition request, on Thursday May 30 at Westminster Magistrates Court in London. Contact us to get involved in the crucial fight for Assanges freedom. Former CEO of Lynch, Jones & Ryan brokerage now works to improve the business district of Fifth Avenue in New York City. Tens of thousands of school students left classes and joined protests in cities and towns throughout New Zealand last Friday, as part of the second coordinated wave of school strikes this year, involving 119 countries. The protests, demanding action to address climate change and the environmental crisis, were also joined by significant numbers of workers and university students. Protests were held at 24 locations around the country. Thousands of people staged a rally and lie-in on Queen Street and Aotea Square in central Auckland. In Wellington, students marched to parliament. Thousands more protested in Christchurch, Dunedin, Nelson, New Plymouth, Hamilton and other towns. Fridays protests reflected a shift to the left among young people, which is part of a broader radicalisation of the working class internationally in opposition to climate change, soaring social inequality, and the growing dangers of war, dictatorship and fascism. A previous global school strike on March 15 also attracted tens of thousands of participants in New Zealand, but was overshadowed by the Christchurch terrorist attack that afternoon, in which a right-wing extremist killed 51 people. The latest student strike occurred just days before a nationwide teachers strike, scheduled for May 29. More than 52,000 primary and secondary teachers will today take part in one of the largest strikes in decades. They are demanding significant pay increases and improvements to staffing and resources, following a decade of austerity which has led to a crisis in public schools. While some school administrations supported the student strike, others threatened to punish those taking part. Secondary Principals Association president Michael Williams told Newshub that at his school, Pakuranga College, students would be marked absent, unjustified, and could receive a detention. One Auckland strike organiser, Western Springs College student Luke Wijohn, told Radio NZ that some protesters were risking detentions, risking losing credits, risking threats of suspensions because were not going to have a future if we dont do more for climate change. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who heads the Labour-led government, posed as a supporter of the protests. The day before, Ardern met 12-year-old Christchurch student Lucy Gray, the convenor of School Strike 4 Climate (SS4C). They discussed the governments Zero Carbon Bill, currently before parliament, which sets a goal of eliminating greenhouse gases by 2050, excluding methane from livestock. Ardern claimed that the Bill would help to limit global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees. The legislation, submitted by Green Party co-leader and Minister for Climate Change James Shaw, is supported by Labour, New Zealand First and the opposition National Party. The Bill is essentially meaningless because none of its targets can be enforced. There is no mechanism to compel big business, the main source of pollution, to adopt clean energy and reduce emissions. A Climate Change Commission will be established to provide advice to governments and corporations, which will simply be ignored if the recommended actions affect profits. Protest organisers who spoke outside parliament in Wellington criticised the legislation for not being ambitious enough. SS4C is demanding that the government declare a climate emergency, legislate for zero carbon to be achieved 10 years earlier and penalise businesses that do not meet emission reduction targets. The organisers, however, praised the Zero Carbon Bill as a good first step and have directed young people to pressure the government by making submissions to the parliamentary select committee. Many protest leaders blamed the population as a whole for the climate crisis. One speaker exhorted the crowd to eat less meat and dairy, use less plastic, consume less, buy less, fly less, drive less Others blamed the older generation, or the white privilege supposedly enjoyed by people of European descent. Such positions are false and reactionary, and serve to divide the working class. They divert attention from the real problem: any effort to seriously address the ecological crisis is blocked by the capitalist system, in which every important decision is dictated by the super-wealthy elites in the world divided into competing nation states. In contrast to SS4C and other groups such as the Greens-aligned Generation Zero, and Extinction Rebellion, many student protesters told the WSWS that they agreed climate change could not be halted without abolishing capitalism. Eli, from Samuel Marsden College in Whitby, said: Despite how many protests there have been and how long people have demanded that parliament change their policies, nothing has happened. We need to do something about it because we really havent got much time left. Shana, Holly and Harley, from Heretaunga College in Upper Hutt, said they considered themselves socialists. Shana said, I dont think were able to vote in enough restrictions on polluters and called for a revolution. In an ideal society, she said, if something is bad for the majority of people then we wouldnt do it. Holly said the Zero Carbon Bills target was far too late since studies have found there is a 12-year window to halt climate change. She also believed capitalism is the root of the issue and governments keep approaching climate change with the same stupid solutions. Harley added that corporations have too much control and capitalism throws away all common sense and ethics in favour of profit. Joe and Flynn, from Wellington High School, said most of their classmates had joined the protest. Flynn said climate change was melting the ice-caps and all the creatures on them will probably die and every place will flood. Joe added that by the time we have kids this earth wont be safe for them to live in. Governments are not doing enough. I havent heard anything thats happened since the last strike. He called for stricter control over corporations. They just own way too much, theyve got so much power. George, a geography student at Victoria University of Wellington, said the environment is changing, some weather patterns are getting so vastly different. Its something that we need to deal with or else were going to get famines, floods and droughts all across the globe. George said that a very small number of companies were responsible for the majority of carbon emissions in the atmosphere. He agreed that capitalism definitely had to be abolished, and that climate change could only be addressed with international planning. Regarding the governments legislation, he commented: One thing I found concerning is theres no real accountability in it, and also the fact that governments can buy carbon [credits] from other countries, so its kind of cheating. Such market-based emissions trading schemes have completely failed to reduce the danger of climate change. Lancashire police in north west England have revealed that they have been passing on the details of disabled anti-fracking protestors who are claiming benefits to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). Planning permission for the shale gas company Cuadrilla to drill at the Preston New Road site near Blackpool had initially been refused by Lancashire County Council. It was later approved by the secretary of state on appeal, allowing work to go ahead in October 2016. Police have defended their actions, claiming that they have a duty to alert the DWP if officers receive information that clearly suggests fraud maybe being committed. In a statement the police said, The DWP are a partner agency and where we have information to suggest that fraud may be being committed we have a duty to pass that on, including video footage if we have it. They are the appropriate agency and it is their decision what, if any, action should be taken. The Independent newspaper reported that at least two activists who attended anti-fracking protests at the Preston New Road site Blackpool had to attend interviews with the DWP. Both were questioned as to the validity of their claim to disability benefits. One of the protestors, Neil Sheldrick, who has a spinal disability, told the newspaper that this had all got on top of me It is making me feel very low. Im being targeted for something I believe in. Neil used to work in the Merchant Navy and was injured while working on a ship. He received a lifetime award of industrial injuries disablement benefit. Two months after starting to protest at the Preston New Road site, he was called in to be interviewed by the DWP. Neil said that his own GP could not understand why he had been sent in for a reassessment of his benefits. The doctor wrote on his notes that I shouldnt need to be assessed again because spinal cord injuries do not repair themselves. Another protestor at the site, a disabled woman, who has a fluctuating condition, had her benefit claim suspended and her Motability car removed. Motability cars are provided via the disabled persons benefit, enabling that person to get around and maintain independence. She had been stopped by a police officer while driving to a protest. The officer had said to her that they were duty bound to tell Motability that youre using your car for illegal purposes. She was later interviewed by the DWP under caution and was ordered to pay back 6,000. Her file has been sent to the Crown Prosecution Service. When the DWP interviewed the woman, she was asked about footage that showed her walking a few steps forward and then a few steps back, and about being seen leaning on a bicycle as she walked up a hill. What they were saying was absolute rubbish. Where are the photos of me falling over, me sleeping for 12 to 16 hours? The police and DWP are trying to curtail peoples human rights by trying to stop them protesting. They are making me worry every time I go out to somewhere like that that it is going to cost me my ability to pay my rent, because they are going to say, If you are able to stand at the gates, you should be able to do a full years work. The Network for Police Monitoring (Netpol) published a report, in November 2017, Protecting the Planet is not a Crime. It examined the tactics the police have used against anti-fracking protestors and focusses in large part on the protests in Lancashire. The report highlights how large numbers of officers have been using aggressive and confrontational tactics, most notably in Lancashire and North Yorkshire, intent on making it as difficult as possible for residents to effectively protest. Netpol saw evidence that the police had knocked campaigners unconscious, pushed people into hedges, and violently dragged older people across the road, shoving others into speeding traffic. There was evidence that there had been force used against disabled protestors, including pushing people out of wheelchairs and officers using painful pressure point restraint techniques. Neil Sheldrick was injured after being told to move by a police officer to allow a lorry to leave the site. A police officer pinned him down after bringing his knee down onto Sheldricks thigh with force. He only released the restraint when Sheldrick screamed out. Sheldrick has consistently protested peacefully at the site while sat in his wheelchair holding a placard and never tried to obstruct lorries entering or leaving the site. There have been accusations by campaigners that the police have also ignored violent and unlawful actions carried out by private security firms employed by Cuadrilla. These protests have involved many who live in rural communities taking part in demonstrations for the first time, with little experience of how the police behave. The report points to the escalation in confrontational tactics adopted by the police, spurred on by supporters of the shale gas industry mainly carried out through the pages of the Times, calling on the courts and police to deal with anti-fracking protestors more robustly. On March 11, the Times reported that after complaints to the Home Office by local pro-business leaders, Lancashire Police are taking a tougher line with local protestors, some of whom are anti-capitalist activists. The Times published unsubstantiated serious allegations on March 21 that anti- fracking protestors have adopted the tactics of animal rights extremists by targeting employees and supporters of shale gas companies. The report highlights the role of the GMB trade union, who gave a press release calling for a crackdown on fracking activists. Union News reported the GMBs position extensively in an article, GMB calls for crackdown on anti-fracking activists. It explained that The GMB has joined with the business community in calling for the rights of those working in the emerging shale gas industry to be protected whilst respecting the rights to peaceful protest. The GMB, along with the Chamber of Commerce, has written to political leaders asking them to make sure police and judiciary take a firm line with protestors that target shale gas suppliers. The targeting of supply chain companies like this is reminiscent of tactics used by animal rights extremists, Union News declared, citing approvingly GMB national officer Stuart Fegan declaring that protestors should not be allowed to prevent workers from getting to and from their jobs just because they disagree that the workers employer has decided to legally explore the opportunities that the new onshore shale gas industry brings, as well as a statement by chief executive of the North and Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce Babs Murphy complaining of businesses fearing that they will be targeted with some sort of retaliation, be that physical blockades by protestors or reputationally damaging and distressing comments posted on social media. The Community Union supports the GMBs position. This makes clear that the protection of the financial interests of the shale gas companies is considered paramount for the union bureaucracy, which is actively hostile to the concerns raised by protestors genuinely worried about the impact of fracking on the environment. The results of Sundays European election vote in France point to an extraordinary degree of hostility toward and alienation from the entire capitalist political establishment among workers and young people. However, such is the rottenness of the official left and pseudo-left of the Socialist Party and Jean-Luc Melenchons Unsubmissive France that the far-right National Rally (RN) of Marine Le Pen was able to secure a narrow victory. She did so by exploiting anger over conditions of social misery, posturing as an anti-establishment tribune of le peuple against the elites, and demagogically blaming immigrants for the social crisis caused by capitalism. The party of President Emmanuel Macron, which for six months has responded to yellow vest protests with mass arrests, tear gas, rubber bullets and the deployment of the military, came in second with 22.41 percent of the vote, against the National Rallys 23.3 percent. The largest portion of the electorate48.7 percent, according to Ipsos pollingrefused to vote for anyone at all. Among those earning less than 1,200 euros per month, the abstention rate was 58 percent. It was 52 percent for those earning between 1,200 and 2,000 euros. A significant majority of the youth, more than 60 percent of those under 34, did not vote. Relatively large numbers of workers voted for Le Pens party not out of support for its policies, but as a protest against the policies of the government and the president of the rich, who printed tens of thousands of leaflets displaying only his own face, despite not being a candidate. The RN received the ballots of 26 percent of voters who said they did not subscribe to any party, by far the largest percentage of any candidate slate. The two traditional capitalist parties that together have ruled France since the Algerian War of Independence in the 1950s and early 1960s, the Socialist Party (PS) and the Republicans, were decimated, receiving a combined 14 percent. The Gaullist Republicans fell to just over 8 percent. Almost one third of those who voted for Republican candidate Francois Fillon in the first round of the 2017 presidential election switched to Macrons slate, according to Ipsos. The PS received 6 percent of the vote, its lowest result ever. It scraped across the five percent threshold for entering parliament. Its vote in the EU elections has fallen precipitously from 28.9 percent in 2004 to 16.5 percent in 2009 and 14 percent in 2014. According to Ipsos, it received the votes of just three percent of employes (administrative and service and hospitality workers) and eight percent of ouvriers (industrial and manufacturing workers). The party is reviled as a tool of big business, having imposed pro-corporate policies that have torn apart the lives of workers and their families over decades. Macron, who emerged out of the PS and served as finance minister under his PS predecessor Francois Hollande, has continued and intensified all of Hollandes austerity policies, including the tearing up of the Labor Code to facilitate mass layoffs by corporations. The collapse of the PS mirrors the repudiation by the working class of social-democratic and center-left capitalist parties internationally, including in Germany, the UK and in the recent federal elections in Australia. The most direct beneficiaries of the decline of the PS were the Greens, who outperformed all pre-election polls to win 14 percent of the vote. This was overwhelmingly due to the youth vote, with 28 percent of those aged 25-34 and 25 percent of those 18-24 voting for the party. The Greens were the undeserving beneficiaries of a growing politicization of broad layers of youth, which has been expressed in the Friday for Future demonstrations and opposition to the refusal of bribed governments to take any measures to avert global warming. The Greens will do nothing to address climate change because they support the source of global warming, the capitalist profit system and the subordination of society to the interests of giant corporations. It is a party of big business, which has supported wars and attacks on the working class when in government, most notably in Germany from 1998 to 2005 and Australia from 2012 to 2015. The most marked collapse of any partys vote was that for Jean-Luc Melenchons Unsubmissive France. It won 6 percent of the vote, down from 19.58 percentor seven million peoplein 2017. While Melenchons presidential voters were slightly more likely than those of any other party to abstain from the EU elections, 64 percent of them simply voted for other candidates. The past 18 months have provided a sharp exposure of Melenchons policies. He has refused to offer anything to satisfy the demands of the yellow vest protesters for social equality. Instead, he has denounced any perspective oriented to unifying the working class in the struggle for socialism and insisted that there must be an institutional solution to the protests. He made this more explicit in April, calling for a popular federation coalition with the hated Socialist Party. Melenchons nationalist calls for a movement of the people only strengthen the appeal of the RNs populist demagogy. In the lead-up to the vote, Andrea Kotarac, one of Melenchons leading members, announced that he was supporting the RN, declaring that it most consistently articulated his own long-held and publicly expressed nationalism and opposition to immigration. Le Pen publicly thanked Kotarac after the vote. Melenchon, like Labour leader Corbyn in the UK, Podemos in Spain and Syriza in Greece, is increasingly exposed for what he is: a faithful servant of the capitalist class committed to defending the profit system at all costs from any challenge by the working class. His essential role is to disorient workers and youth and block those seeking a genuine socialist perspective from finding it. The outcome is that the political descendants of the Nazi-collaborationist Vichy regime are able to capitalize on social distress, winning 29 percent of the votes of the unemployed, 40 percent of ouvriers and 27 percent of employes, significantly more than any other party. Le Pen beat Macron in every income bracket below 3,000 euros per month, and, as in 2014, carried rural and deindustrialized areas to the north and east of the country that have seen mass layoffs over the past three decades. In percentage terms, however, Le Pens vote declined slightly from 2014. The Macron government has already made clear that its response to the election will be a further shift to the right. On Sunday night, Prime Minister Edouard Phillippe sought to deny the responsibility of his own government for the victory of the RN while legitimizing the neo-fascist party. He declared that it does not suffice to speak of anger or rejection in the vote, but that the RN had become one of the grand political forces and all the political representatives must hear this message of the French. We have received it loud and clear. This continues the governments efforts to promote the extreme right, including Macrons hailing of Nazi collaborator Marshal Philippe Petain last November and his Republican salute to Le Pen immediately after his inauguration. Macron, along with the Socialist Party and the Greens, campaigned against the RN on the nationalist and militarist basis that its opposition to a European army would be an obstacle to aggressively asserting French imperialisms interests internationally. This underscores the fact that there is no progressive faction of the bourgeois political establishment. As the working class mounts an initial offensive against Macron with strikes and protests, including the yellow vest movement, the ruling class is turning toward dictatorship as it prepares for war and intensifies its attacks on workers and youth. Many voters in Germany used their ballot in the European elections to express their rejection of the grand coalitions right-wing policies. But the anger over unbearable working conditions, rising rents and the growth of militarism could find no conscious political expression within the framework of the EU elections. Instead, it resulted in the strengthening the Greens and a number of small parties. The Christian Democrats (CDU) and Social Democrats (SPD) together lost 18 percent of the vote, as both parties recorded their worst ever result. Compared to the European elections five years ago, the Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) lost 6.4 percentage points and dropped to 28.9 percent. The SPD lost 11.5 percentage points, securing just 15.8 percent of the vote. Compared with the 2017 federal election, the SPD lost 3.6 million votes, while the CDU/CSU lost 4.5 million. The mobilisation against the grand coalitions right-wing policies was also reflected in the 13.3 percent increase in turnout to 61.4 percent. Among young voters, opposition to the government was even more pronounced. In the 18-29 age group, the SPD won a mere 9 percent, while the CDU/CSU secured 13 percent. Even among those aged 30 to 44, the SPD got just 12 percent. The Left Party failed to profit in any way from the opposition to the government. Instead, it was punished. The Left Party is not seen as an oppositional force, but as part of the political establishment. The party won 5.5 percent of the vote, almost 2 percent less than in the last European elections and some 3.7 percent less than in the last federal election. In regions where the Left Party holds governmental responsibility, such as in Thuringia, where its minister president, Bodo Ramelow, leads a government committed to pro-capitalist and anti-worker measures, the drop in support was even greater, at 8.7 percent. The state election in Bremen, which was held simultaneously with the European elections, provided a similar picture. For the past 74 years, since the end of World War II, the SPD held power in Bremen and was the largest party there. But the SPD lost 8.2 percent of the vote in its stronghold, falling back to second place behind the CDU, with just 23.9 percent. This was the price for a ruthless austerity programme imposed by the SPD in collaboration with the Greens over the past four years. The vote against the grand coalition was also directed against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). The right-wing extremist party was able to improve its result from the 7.1 percent it obtained in its first European election in 2014, winning 11 percent. But it received 1.7 million fewer votes than in the 2017 federal elections, when it polled 12.7 percent. This despite the fact that the media deliberately hyped the right-wing extremists and predicted that they would make massive gains. The main beneficiaries of the anti-grand coalition vote were the Greens, who almost doubled their share of the vote to 20.5 percent. Among voters under 30 years of age, the Greens won 29 percent. In this age group, a series of small parties not represented in the federal parliament took 27 percent of the vote. Overall, these parties won 13 percent. For example, the satirical party called The Party won two seats. It focused its criticism during the election campaign chiefly on refugee policy and the EUs military rearmament. Many people voted for the Greens because they placed central focus on the issue of climate change and were perceived to be a left-wing alternative. But this is an illusion. In recent years, the Greens have emerged as the party of German militarism, supporting all foreign military interventions and demanding increased defence spending. It is involved in nine out of the 16 German state governments, and a Green Party member is minister president in Baden-Wurttemberg. The record of the Greens wherever they are in government shows that they are just as committed as all the other parties to social spending cuts, military rearmament and the deportation of refugees. On election night, Green Party lead candidate Meike Schaefer stressed that in Bremen, the Greens would continue with their right-wing policies. We want to maintain the debt brake, we want to get rid of debt, she told public broadcaster ARD. The grand coalition parties also announced on election night their intention to continue the hated policies for which they were punished at the ballot box. This was stated most explicitly by former SPD leader and former Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel. Speaking on the Anne Will talk show, he argued that the SPD should have placed more emphasis on its aggressive foreign policy during the election campaign. The key issue is Europes sovereignty in the world, he said. This involves Europe asserting itself in a totally crazy world. Europe cannot allow America and China to talk among themselves and manage everything on their own, he added, but must instead intervene and make sure that instead of a G-2, at least a G-3, including us, exists. CDU leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer called for the restriction of free speech during a Monday press conference. She accused a group of YouTubers who published critical comments on the CDU prior to the election of engaging in spin, and demanded as a consequence new regulations for the digital sphere. The entire ruling elite is responding to the growth of social and political opposition, particularly among young workers and students, with a further shift to the right and an intensification of their policies of militarism, social spending cuts and the strengthening of the state apparatus at home and abroad. This will only intensify the conflict with the vast majority of the working population. Already during the election campaign, 40,000 people demonstrated in Berlin against increasing rents and demanded the nationalisation of property companies and hedge funds. Earlier this year, tens of thousands of public-sector workers struck as part of the latest round of collective bargaining to protest against the terrible conditions in schools, unbearable working conditions and low wages. In March, thousands of transport workers struck in Berlin, shutting down the city. This growing radicalisation is part of a European and global trend. In France, the yellow vest movement shows no signs of abating. Tens of thousands have protested week after week against low wages, social inequality and the Macron government, in spite of police brutality and a hostile media campaign. In Poland, over 300,000 teachers went on strike against the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) governments policies. It was the first national strike in Poland for decades. In addition, strikes have been launched by autoworkers and other industrial workers in Romania, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Serbia and Kosovo, and mass protests have occurred in Hungary against the right-wing governments so-called slave law, which forces employees to work overtime and is supported by German companies. These strikes and protests are only the beginning. Given the governments right-wing policies, they will inevitably expand and come into conflict not only with the grand coalition, but the entire German ruling elite. To prepare these struggles and arm it with a revolutionary programme, the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (SGP) participated in the election campaign. At a series of election meetings in Germany and across Europe, the SGP, together with its European sister parties, advanced an international socialist programme, which now assumes decisive significance. On this basis, and despite a media blackout and efforts to censor the World Socialist Web Site and social media, the SGP won 5,300 votes and gained important new contacts and members. Educators in Honduras have been on a general strike since Thursday, and university students, doctors and nurses have carried out demonstrations and partial strikes since May 20 against the government of Juan Orlando Hernandez (JOH) of the National Party (PNH). All regions of the country have seen roadblocks, marches, and university occupations, including a march of tens of thousands of people Monday and Tuesday in the countrys capital, Tegucigalpa. Virtually all have been met with violent repression by the Honduran police and military. This follows an initial week of strikes that began on April 26 against two proposed reforms aimed at privatizing health care, pensions and education. The reforms are dictated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and involve expedited budget cuts and mass layoffs. On Monday night, a large contingent of demonstrators protested in front of the US embassy in Tegucigalpa in an acknowledgement that the social attacks imposed by the Honduran ruling class originate in Wall Street boardrooms and in Washington DC. Amid a growing resurgence of the class struggle, including among tens of thousands of US teachers fighting in defense of public education, the Honduran trade unions and the opposition parties have done everything possible to keep workers from appealing to their class brothers and sisters across the region and particularly the United States for a common political struggle against social austerity, militarization and corporate attacks led by US imperialism. On May 21, as the protest movement reached new proportions, the Trade Union of Public Education Employees (SIEMPE) and the Honduran Medical Association convoked a National Assembly of Departmental Platforms for the Defense of Health and Education, as a negotiating table to contain the protests and channel them behind talks with the ruling National Party. The corporate media, along with the student and pseudo-left organizations, including those that orbit the ostensible opposition party, Libre, have promoted the president of the Medical Association, Dr. Suyapa Figueroa, as the spokeswoman of the protests, citing her vocal condemnations of the social crisis. In an interview with CNN last Friday, for instance, Figueroa said the health care system has not been able to perform surgeries. There have been instances of no water for developing x-rays. No water at operating rooms to wash ones hands. She soon added, however, that the protest movement was apolitical and that this struggle has a lot of people that belong to the ruling party, which is only natural, and they are supporting us. The government, however, has made clear that it will respond to any challenge to the interests of the Honduran and international financial elites in a totally uncompromising and ruthless fashion. The corresponding ministers announced yesterday sanctions and firings against teachers, along with criminal charges against medical personnel and the hiring of replacement scabs. A new criminal code that went into effect May 15 criminalizes demonstrations in the broadest terms with up to four years in prison and 15 years for leaders or promoters. It also establishes a prison term of 3 to 10 years for carrying out abortions. During the last week, teachers have repeatedly denounced to reporters and in social media the presence of the Tigres special forces participating in the repression against demonstrations. National Police officers and the lethal Tigres were recorded accompanying a plainclothes agent on Monday unsuccessfully trying to kidnap two teachers seeking refuge at a restaurant in the town of Santa Cruz de Yojoa. On April 29, a plainclothes police officer shot a teacher protester in Tegucigalpa with live ammunition. The Honduran special forces deployed against workers and youth were trained by the US Green Berets for urban combat. In 2015, the US Army described their training: Many periods of instruction focused on instilling fundamental principles of close quarters battle and knowing how to execute them amidst the chaos that is combat. The commander of the US 7th Special Forces Group in charge of the training, Col. Christopher Riga, declared during the graduation, I promise you at some point in time, together, well be on target killing terrorists and drug traffickers together. The last decade has been marked by deadly military and police crackdowns against mass antigovernment protests and activists in Honduras to resist the dramatic deterioration of living standards. This escalation of the police-state measures to enforce social attacks has proven to be the purpose of the military coup orchestrated by the Democratic Party administration of Barack Obama in June 2009 to topple president Manuel Zelaya. Emails released in 2010 by WikiLeaks showed that the State Department under Hillary Clinton backed the coup and used the Organization of American States to undermine opposition by other governments. It is the preparation of new imperialist crimes, including the continued backing of the murderous regime in Tegucigalpa, that is fueling the ongoing persecution by Washington of WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, and the jailing of the former army specialist who leaked those diplomatic cables, Chelsea Manning. The Honduran congress approved the education and health care bills after a month of negotiations between the regime and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which finally agreed to a two-year deal involving a credit line and policies to improve the framework of macroeconomic policies, elevate the quality of public spending and strengthen the rule of law. The immediate step announced by the chief IMF negotiator, Esteban Vesperoni, was a $311 million loan to the Honduran government, partially to rescue the state-owned National Electric Company (ENEE). Ironically this money will facilitate the implementation of the structural electric sector law, which privatized the distribution of electricity in 2014. Vesperoni also ordered revising the contract with the [private] Empresa Energia Honduras (EEH) to incorporate the necessary incentives. In 2016, in the words of EEH general manager German Garcia, the whole distribution network of the country was given in a trust to Ficohsa [Honduran Commercial Finance Bank] and we won the bid. The example of ENEE spells the fate for the still unannounced measures regarding health care and education. The latest loan adds to hundreds of millions more flushed by the IMF in this period through the bankrupt ENEE, the privatization of which has channeled vast wealth to the Honduran and international financial elitehanding out slices to Wall Street creditors through the IMF. Other beneficiaries include Ficohsa owner and Honduran billionaire Camilo Atala as well as Colombian magnate William Velez, the majority owner of EEH through his Grupo ETHUSS. One of the other uses for these funds has also been expanding the Honduran military, which became a top debtor of ENEE. In the final analysis, the working class has paid the cost through more than 2,000 layoffs and other concessions at ENEE as well as constant hikes of the electricity rates. Thousands more have been fired under the Hernandez administration in the Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (SANAA), Honduran telecommunications Hondutel, the National Port Company, the state tax agency (DEI) and other public agencies as part of the escalated drive of privatizations and social cuts dictated by the IMF. The government has denied that the education and health care bills will result in mass layoffs, but it has openly stated their goal: saving $300 million, the bulk of which will go to servicing the public debt to financial vultures and building up the repressive apparatus. The wreckage of the health care system, including the outward stealing of hundreds of millions of dollars by the PNH regime under Porfirio Lobo, has led to thousands of unnecessary deaths while feeding the business of private clinics. While expanding the ranks of the super-rich in Honduras, the effects for most of the population have been calamitous, with the poverty rate increasing more than 10 percent since the 2009 coup to roughly 70 percent of the population. Economists at the National Autonomous University (UNAH) predicted that 110,000 more people will fall below the official poverty line this year. Despite the brutal repression by the Honduran state, the struggles against these intolerable conditions, which in turn fuel thousands of yearly killings from gang warfare, will only grow larger and more militant. Hundreds of thousands of educators, doctors, students, other workers and peasants from Honduras and the region continue to seek safer and better conditions for themselves and their families by migrating north in the face of the anti-immigrant policies by both Democratic and Republican administrations that have culminated in the militarization of the border, squalid detention camps, family separation and the gradual destruction of asylum rights by the Trump White House. The number of apprehensions at the US-Mexico border, mostly of migrants from northern Central America, topped 100,000 per month in March and April, nearly doubling the record highs in 2014. Last Thursdays announcement by the US Justice Department of espionage charges against Julian Assange has made clear that the Trump administrations persecution of the WikiLeaks founder is the spearhead of a drive to overturn the First Amendments guarantee of speech and press freedom and criminalize genuine journalism. So brazen is this attack on democratic rights that even newspapers that have supported internet censorship, defended US war crimes, engaged in character assassination against Assange and supported his indictment on hacking charges felt compelled to warn about the dangerous precedent being set by the use of the Espionage Act to prosecute a media outlet for publishing government secrets. These include the New York Times, the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal, all of which published editorials protesting against the latest charges against Assange. Yet the Democratic Socialists of America has said nothing. The DSA National Political Committee has issued no statement. The organizations official publication Left Weekly as well as its affiliated publication Jacobin, along with Jacobins publisher Bhaskar Sunkara, have remained totally silent about Assanges indictment under the Espionage Act. They have not so much as tweeted a story reporting the indictment. The silence of the DSA on the nightmarish persecution of Julian Assange must certainly trouble those members and supporters of the organization who have been led to believe that it is socialist and, therefore, opposed to imperialism and committed to the defense of democratic rights. Why, they must wonder, does the DSA remain silent on the persecution of Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning? First of all, this is not a political oversight or mistake. On May 17, five days before the new charges were brought, the DSAs International Committee, an internal caucus of the US organization, signaled its support for Assanges persecution by demanding that he be made to answer the trumped-up rape allegations by Swedish authorities. In the aftermath of Assanges brutal extraction from the embassy and transfer to Belmarsh Prison last month, Swedish prosecutors have revived their previously closed investigation as well as their extradition request. It is well known that any transfer of Assange to Sweden would be the prelude to his extradition to the US to face a drumhead trial and life in prison, if not elimination. Reports by the United Nations have documented Swedens total surrender of power to US authorities carrying out illegal rendition and torture. The reports detail how Sweden had passively allowed US military personnel to mistreat detainees on Swedish soil (including stripping, blindfolding, hooding, manacling, forcible sedation by forced anal suppository, handcuffing into specially designed stress position harnesses, etc.) and in delivering them to torture in third states. In its acquiescence to Assanges persecution, the DSA typifies the organizations of the middle-class pseudo-left more broadly. International Viewpoint, the publication of the Pabloite International Secretariat, has never written a single article with the word Assange in the headline, and has only mentioned him in passing a handful of times. US-based Socialist Alternative has not mentioned Assanges name in the past year. Britains Socialist Worker has demanded that Assange be extradited to Sweden. How can the response of these organizations, which ranges from silence to open support for Assanges persecution, be explained? In 2010-2011, when the concocted rape allegations against Assange were first put forward, the middle-class left rallied to his defense. It is impossible to take the allegations against Assange at face value, declared Socialist Worker, the publication of the now-defunct International Socialist Organization (ISO). That position was soon abandoned. By 2012, following the revolutionary uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt and US imperialisms responsethe wars for regime change in Libya and Syriathe ISO had shifted its position. It declared: [I]t is surely quite possible to take these rape allegations against Assange seriously, and not participate in typical patriarchal denigration of women reporting rape, while at the same time taking the US threat to Assange seriously and supporting efforts to resist that. But this proved impossible and the ISO dropped any opposition to Assanges persecution from 2012 until its dissolution earlier this year. The pseudo-lefts abandonment of Assange coincided with its support for US imperialist wars in the Middle East and apologetics for Washingtons aggressive moves against Russia and China. Australias Socialist Alternative publicly attacked knee-jerk anti-imperialism. In Indefensible: Democracy, Counterrevolution, and the Rhetoric of Anti-Imperialism, published by the ISOs Haymarket Books, Rohini Hensman denounced Assanges affinity to Putin as part of a broadside against all those, including the International Committee of the Fourth International and journalist John Pilger, who opposed the US regime-change operation in Syria. While the DSA has remained somewhat more cautious in demanding US intervention in Syria, it has trafficked in the same lies peddled by the CIA and its allies, including the claim that the US-backed Islamist insurgency constituted a popular revolution. It has, moreover, supported US claims, since discredited, that the Syrian government used chemical weapons. The DSA is centering its political activity on promoting the 2020 presidential candidacy of Bernie Sanders, who has repeatedly reaffirmed his commitment to US imperialism. He declared in 2016 that a Sanders presidency would support special operations abroad and drones, all that and more. The Democratic Socialists of Americas silence on Assange makes clear the political implications of their subordination to the Democratic Party. For two years, the Democrats have made Assange their bogeyman, presenting him as the central link in their imagined conspiracy between the Trump White House and the Kremlin. They identified their loss in the 2016 electionthe result of their putting forward a detestable warmonger and Wall Street flack as their candidatewith WikiLeaks exposure of the Democratic Party establishments efforts to rig the primary election against Sanders and its publication of Clintons groveling speeches to Wall Street. Sunkara and his associates in the DSA leadership know full well that a campaign in defense of Assange would be unacceptable to Bernie Sanders and other phony progressive imperialists in the Democratic Party. They also know that the defense of Assange is unacceptable to those segments of the DSA who are committed to identity politics. This is a rightwing milieu that embraced the frameup of Assange on the totally bogus allegations of rape. The DSAs support for imperialism and its silence on the persecution of Assange express its essential social character as an organization of the affluent upper-middle class, fundamentally indifferent to basic democratic issues. The unconditional defense of Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning is a basic class issue and responsibility. Those who try to evade or sabotage this political obligation have nothing whatsoever to do with socialism. Within the working class, among young people and in sections of the middle class, there is deep and broad support for Assange, as well as for the persecuted and imprisoned whistleblower Chelsea Manning. Millions in the US and around the world see Assanges exposure of the crimes of the US military as an enormous service to mankind. This support must be mobilized, in opposition to the Democratic Party, to demand freedom for Assange and Manning as part of the struggle against the capitalist system, which is the source of war, social inequality and dictatorship. On April 28, American film director John D. Singleton, best known for 1991s Boyz n the Hood, died due to complications following a stroke he had suffered earlier in the month. He was only 51. John Singleton in 2013 Singleton directed nine feature-length films, while producing another 11, with numerous television, writing and acting credits also to his name. Throughout the 1990s, Singleton gained a measure of critical acclaim and commercial success for making films best described as coming-of-age hood dramasfilms focusing on the lives of African-American youth in inner-city America. His first film, Boyz n the Hood (featuring Cuba Gooding Jr., Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett), earned Singleton an Academy Award nomination as Best Director. He was only 22 years old at the time of shooting the film. The work has weaknesses bound up with its racialist outlook and moralizing tone. There are also serious awkwardnesses in the screenplay and dialogue (Singleton later admitted that he was only learning how to direct while the film was being made). It is impossible to separate the more important flaws in Singletons film from the genuine cultural problems of the period in which it was made. This was the reactionary era of the final victory of the free market and capitalism, the end of socialism and even the end of history! The population was bombarded with this drivel nearly 24 hours a day. It had an impact. Even those artists at the time who strove for a certain oppositional approach found it difficult to resist the supposedly insurmountable arguments in favor of the present system. Opposition often came to mean anger or resistance along racial or gender lines. In Boyz n the Hood, there is a persistent and self-conscious racialist theme or mood: the viewer is continuously reminded that he or she is seeing a movie starring African Americans, in an African-American neighborhood, being directed by an African American. That kind of narrow outlook is artistically debilitating. The characters interactions in Singletons version of real life in inner-city black America largely feel imposed and stilted. Laurence Fishburne and Cuba Gooding Jr. in Boyz n the Hood (1991) The directors own conceptions, or some version of them, presumably find expression in a monologue addressed to Tre (Gooding) and Ricky (Morris Chestnut) by Furious Styles, Tres father (Fishburne): What we need to do is keep everything in our neighborhood, everything, black. Black-owned with black money. Just like the Jews, the Italians, the Mexicans and the Koreans do. Along the same lines, Doughboy (Ice Cube) later remarks: Turned on the TV this morning. Had this shit on about how were living in a violent world. Showed all these foreign places. How foreigners live and all. I started thinking, man. Either they dont know, dont show or dont care about whats going on in the hood. They had all this foreign shit. This kind of severe backwardness or accommodation to backwardness was not going to help anyone. Singleton, who also wrote the script, clearly did not see racism and the social disaster in the US as being of a piece with the global situation facing the working class, including the Iraqi and Middle Eastern populations under assault in the first Gulf War. He chose to view the condition of blacks in America as a moral and cultural issue bound up with being excluded from receiving proper representation. As though the vast numbers of Iraqis, Serbs, Haitians, Somalis and Rwandans, who were victims of imperialism in those years, were being given privileged treatment by having their deaths reported on the evening news! Ultimately, Boyz n the Hood is most memorable for its jarring depictions of violence and social tragedy in inner-city Los Angeles, features of life that overtake the films characters without warning. Tre and his childhood friends Ricky and Doughboy are forced to grow up fastsome of them only to die young. The film was instrumental in establishing the hood drama subgenre in American filmmaking, for better or worse. A host of films throughout the 1990s and early 2000s (Juice, Menace II Society, New Jack City, Dead Presidents, etc.) followed in the footsteps of and employed many of the motifs established by Singleton. Singletons following films were even less successful. Higher Learning (1995), an ensemble film featuring Omar Epps, Kristy Swanson and Michael Rapaport, as well as appearances again by Ice Cube and Fishburne, has moments of social insight and demonstrates sensitivity toward the plight of its characters, a group of students at a fictional university rife with social tensions. Michael Rapaport and Cole Hauser in Higher Learning (1995) Rapaports character, the socially awkward and isolated Remy, is bullied and ostracized by his black classmates and unable to fit in with any particular social group. Certain scenes are convincing, including those of Remy gradually being taken in by neo-Nazi skinheads who promise him they take care of their own. Though the racial tensions at the fictional Columbus University seem overwrought (how is it possible for a fascist skinhead gang to exist so easily on the grounds of a liberal university with a large minority population?), one does get a sense of the process that brings about such warped social views. To the directors credit, Higher Learning seems to take the position that all forms of racial separatism are harmful. Unfortunately, moments or sequences with this level of insight and nuance were few and far between in Singletons films and became increasingly rare as his career proceeded. His Rosewood (1997) was based on a race riot that occurred in rural northern Florida in 1923. White residents from the town of Sumner, reacting to what proved to be a false report that a black man beat and raped a white woman, burned the predominantly black community of Rosewood and murdered several of its citizensthe exact number is unknown. One of the black residents, in self-defense, shot and killed two or more of the white attackers. The racist atrocity went unpunished at a time when lynchings in Florida were common and leading politicians in the state openly advocated white supremacy. In 1922, an editor of the Gainesville Daily Sun, published 50 miles from Rosewood, admitted to being a member of the Ku Klux Klan and praised the organization. Such an event thoroughly deserves artistic treatment and exposure. The Jim Crow system of racial segregation and the horrific crimes committed to maintain it form part of the brutal history of class rule in America. Racism was officially encouraged and sponsored in the South to divide the black and white poor, divert attention from the extreme levels of exploitation and poverty, and reinforce the one-party dictatorship of the Democratic Party. Moreover, in the aftermath of the first world war and the Russian Revolution, the ruling class in America organized the first Red Scare and promoted anti-immigrant hysteria. It was a time of tremendous economic dislocation and social tension. Singleton is simply out of his depth, however, when he tries to deal with complex social and historical questions. The racist mob in Rosewood is treated as an organic, almost inevitable expression of the latent suspicions, insecurities and attitudes of the white population that bubble to the surface more or less arbitrarily in 1923. The unstated proposition of the film is that such attitudes still fester, only waiting to resurface. Singleton played fast and loose with historical fact, presumably for the purpose of inspiring his audience. Centrally, he created a fictional Mr. Mann (Ving Rhames), a returning World War I African-American veteran, who encourages Rosewoods black residents to defend themselves and wields pistols himself. The New York Times review observed that the film portrayed life in Rosewood before the riot as belonging to an idyllic past in which black families are intact, loving and prosperous and described Mann as a black superhero who changes the course of history when he escapes the noose, takes on the mob with double-barreled ferocity and saves many women and children from death. Singleton explained his attitude toward the events and toward history: I had a very deepI wouldnt call it fearbut a deep contempt for the South because I felt that so much of the horror and evil that black people have faced in this country is rooted here. ... So in some ways this is my way of dealing with the whole thing, he told the Times. The results are unsatisfying. Inventing myths or legends to encourage racial pride, instead of examining the concrete, painful course of events and drawing out their essential truth, does not help anyone, either. Despite its serious subject matter, Rosewood, unhappily, is a turn away from a serious study of history in the direction of wishful, postmodernist thinking and the cheap resolution of difficult contradictions, a step in the direction of what was to come along a decade and a half later in the form of far more retrograde works such as Quentin Tarantinos Django Unchained. From this point of view, the subsequent shift in Singletons filmmaking toward big-budget Hollywood action filmsin other words, unabashed fantasy filmsis not so remarkable or unpredictable. Included in that series of films are the 2000 remake of the 1971 blaxploitation film Shaft (starring Samuel Jackson, Christian Bale and Jeffrey Wright); the forgettable 2003 sequel (2 Fast 2 Furious) to 2001s equally forgettable Fast and the Furious; and Four Brothers (2005) with Mark Wahlberg, characterized, in the words of one critic, by ultra-violent, vigilante-glorifying action. During this period, Singleton also produced and funded certain interesting works, including 2005s Hustle & Flow, starring Terrence Howard as a Memphis pimp seeking to leave the profession to pursue music. The film is notable for its seriousness in depicting its semi-lumpen characters who somehow are not entirely morally destroyed by their circumstances. Sadly, however, the film turns out to be fairly narrow and conventional in its promotion of the American Dream and the pursuit of success. Samuel L. Jackson in Shaft (2000) Singletons final years were concentrated in television writing, directing and production. He wrote, directed and produced material for the FX series Snowfall, about the cocaine trade in 1980s Los Angeles, during its 2017 season. He also directed episodes of Empire (in 2015), American Crime Story (in 2016), Rebel (in 2017) and Billions (also 2017). Speaking of the transformation of Singleton and others, from independent filmmaking to studio extravaganzas, the WSWS wrote in 2015 that the economics of [corporate Hollywood tend] to herd a certain category of artists in the direction of the blockbusters. These artists often have vaguely oppositional or left views, but nothing that would stand in the way of making wise and seemingly inescapable career choices. Concluding, we stated these artists are [l]argely cut off and insulated from broad layers of the population, from its hardships and seething anger, and their lack of definite social and historical views renders them vulnerable to the siren song of these vast and lucrative productions. In the case of Singleton, whose political views embraced a form of identity politics and black nationalism perfectly suitable to the Democratic Party milieu to which he belonged, this transformation was less dramatic than in the case of a number of others, although his trajectory followed the same general path. Fundamentally, the limited and then declining quality of Singletons work was bound up with the mostly stagnant political and cultural period within which he came of age and worked, marked by the degeneration of the Civil Rights movement, the suppression of the class struggle by the trade unions and the rise of financial parasitism, deindustrialization and a wealthy layer of the upper middle class. The latter was increasingly self-absorbed and focused on its own personality and identity, unconcerned with the plight of the population as a whole. At his best, Singletons work shows warmth and concern for his films struggling but dignified characters, particularly at a time when the supposed glory of the free market and corporate wealth were proclaimed to be all that mattered. In particular, his earlier work deserves viewing. 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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 Representatives of the Hungarian and Slovak governments signed an agreement on building a new bridge across the river Ipoly between Dregelypalank in Hungary and Ipelske Predmostie (Ipolyhidveg) in Slovakia. Laszlo Palkovics, Hungarys minister of innovation and technology, said the agreement was the fourth bilateral accord to be signed over the past year on building bridges along a 250km section of the Ipoly, a part of the border between the two countries. Arpad Ersek, the Slovak transport and construction minister, said that the new bridge would be completed by the spring of 2020. The EUs Interreg Programme in April 2018 provided funding for four bridges to develop local road connections between Hungary and Slovakia. Photo: Slovak Transport Ministry's Facebook page This month at the movies reboots, retreads and revisits, in every direction as far as the eye can see. Hankering for more Men in Black? Good news! Feel like one more go-round with foot-tall murderer Chucky? Youre in luck! In need of another dose of far-out soul from John Shaft? Todays your day! Throw in sequels for the X-Men and Toy Story franchises, and were approaching a critical mass of nostalgia. Also on deck: a downtempo zombie invasion from Jim Jarmusch and a fantasy soundtracked to the tunes of the Beatles. Heres whats coming to a theater near you this June. Related stories 'Avengers: Endgame' and the State of the Modern Superhero Movie Summer Movie Preview 2019: From Avengers to Tarantino Anna (June 21st) The latest addition to Luc Bessons long line of lady killers is Anna Poliatova (Russian model Sasha Luss), bred to be the ultimate assassin. And at this point in the French writer-directors filmography, we pretty much know what to expect: a few sexy wigs, a twist or two, a supporting cast having some fun (see: Helen Mirrens cantankerous elder operative) and action set pieces in flagrant defiance of basic physics. If the movie is half as exciting as the restaurant sequence featured in the above trailer, you may want to bring heart medicine. Childs Play (June 21st) Chucky, the most stab-happy maniac in the annals of evil cinematic toys, has returned to show the Conjuring franchises Annabelle how its done. The pint-sized pyscho unleashes hell on young Andy (Gabriel Bateman of Lights Out fame), mom Karen (Aubrey Plaza), and the police officer (Brian Tyree Henry) assigned to their case. Theres a sinister corporation in the mix as well, offering a unsettling glimpse into the fiendish process by which Chucky was able to enter our world. Did we mention Mark Hamill voices this generations take on the slasher movie murder-doll? Story continues Dark Phoenix (June 7th) The chronology-hopping timeline of the X-Men movies looks like a game of cats cradle at this point, so heres where matters currently stand: A decade has passed since the events of Apocalypse. A grateful America reveres the X-Men as heroes; Magneto has defected to his mutants-only island nation of Genosha. Then a solar flare hits the super-team during an intergalactic mission, and suddenly Jean Grey (Game of Thrones alum Sophie Turner) finds herself with unlimited power. She renames herself Phoenix and, well, readers of the comics know what happens next. (In short: All hell breaks loose.) The Dead Dont Die (June 14th) Jim Jarmusch: zombie-moviemaker? (Not to be confused with zombie moviemaker). The indie-cinema icon dips his toe into the horror subgenre with this tale of the walking dead and the local law enforcement folks namely, a skeptical Bill Murray, a mild-mannered Adam Driver and fearful Chloe Sevigny who try to contain them. Luckily, theyll get help from an assortment of eccentric townspeople, with an ensemble cast including Tilda Swinton, Selena Gomez, Steve Buscemi, Danny Glover, Tom Waits and the RZA. Board up the doors and prepare for the worst. The Last Black Man in San Francisco (June 7th) Real-life friends Joe Talbot and Jimmie Fails co-created this drama loosely based on Fails own experience growing up in the Bay Area. A young man (played by Fails himself) harbors an obsession with the Bay Area Victorian he briefly lived in as a kid. When the houses ownership becomes the issue of a dispute and temporarily unoccupied, he and his playwright buddy (Jonathan Majors) move in and start restoring the residence. But the currents of gentrification dont change so easily. A hit at Sundance, this could very well be the best movie of 2019. Late Night (June 7th) Mindy Kaling plays Molly Patel, an inexperienced comedy writer plucked from obscurity by talk-show legend Katherine Newbury (Emma Thompson) to add a dash of color to her blindingly white and male writing staff. The young, ambitious woman resolves to prove that she can do more than fulfill a quota, and might just provide the veteran late-night hosts flagging program with the shot in the arm it so desperately needs. Kalings signature romcom wit hits a few more hot buttons than usual in this riff on The Devil Wears Prada, as well as giving Thompson one hell of a meaty, acid-tongued role. Men in Black: International (June 14th) Tessa Thompson holsters her laser-gun as new MiB recruit agent M, paired with headstrong Agent H (Chris Hemsworth) under the orders of head honcho High T (Liam Neeson). So many letters! The duo is tasked with putting the kibosh on a situation involving a dangerous artifact, an extraterrestrial named Pawny (voiced by Kumail Nanjiani) and a pair of creepy shape-shifting twins. Never mind the M.I.A. Will Smith; expect this to be the franchises sci-fi/action/wisecracking summer-blockbuster business as usual. Shaft (June 14th) Whos the cat that wont cop out when theres danger all about? After all these years, the answer is still the same, but this reboot gives audiences not one, not two but three Shafts for the price of one. The O.G. John Shaft (Richard Roundtree, reprising his career-defining role) has gone into retirement, leaving the crimefighting mantle to his nephew John Shaft II (Samuel L. Jackson). Hes got a son of his own, but his relationship to John JJ Shaft Jr. (Jessie Usher) has grown strained. Then a suspicious disappearance brings the family back together for a multi-generational beatdown. And before you ask, yes, theyre all bad mother- what?! Were just talkin about Shaft! Toy Story 4 (June 21st) Things take a turn for the existential in the latest installment of Pixars flagship series, as the crude creation known as Forky (voiced by Tony Hale) wrestles with the question of what it means to be a toy. Then the new favorite toy gets lost. Woody (Tom Hanks) has to find him. He gets separated from the gang. Buzz (Tim Allen) leads an expedition to retrieve them. You know the drill. New pals to aid our beloved playthings on their quest include Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele as a pair of smart-mouthed carnival plushies and Keanu Reeves as an Evel Knievel-style daredevil named Duke Caboom. Yesterday (June 28th) What if you woke up one day to find that nobody but you had any idea who or what the Beatles are? Would you recreate their music to the best of your ability, pass it off as your own and ride that gravy train all the way to overnight stardom? If so, then youre well into the first act of this speculative-fiction musical from screenwriter Richard Curtis (Love Actually) and director Danny Boyle, in which a hapless English guitarist (Himesh Patel) lands in one such fantastical situation. Sure, he realizes his long-unfulfilled dreams of fame and fortune. But maybe all he needs is love, in the form of his long-suffering manager/friend (Lily James)? Sign up for Rolling Stones Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. It might be a bit much to say that Beth Leavels roster of Broadway credits The Drowsy Chaperone, Elf, Young Frankenstein, among many others has been leading inexorably to the show for which shes again been Tony nominated, but neither could anyone doubt that the The Prom is anything but a big, fluffy corsage gifted at just the right moment, perfectly chosen. In a part literally written for her, Leavel plays Broadway diva Dee Dee Allen, a showstealer from way back. By now, you probably know the story. A gang of Broadway veterans, looking for a little good press after a big flop, invade smalltown USA to speak out for a high school girl who has been banned from taking her girlfriend to the high school prom. Cultures clash, lessons are learned, and The Prom has been embraced by audiences and critics alike. Related stories Comedian Jacqueline Novak Sets Off Broadway Run With Comedy World On Its Knees The Prom has become this seasons little show that could, sharing the Tony air with edgier fare like Hadestown, Oklahoma!, What the Constitution Means To Me and Gary: A Sequel To Titus Andronicus. And while The Prom might seem an innocent among more stylistically knowing productions, it bears remembering just how courageous this little musical about high school girls in love really is. When a performance from the musical aired during the Macys Thanksgiving Parade last November, including the girls kiss, Twitter trolls did their trolling. But to no avail. The show goes on. The Prom, directed by Casey Nicholaw, with book by Bob Martin & Chad Beguelin, music by Matthew Sklar and lyrics by Chad Beguelin, original concept by Jack Viertel, is playing at the Longacre Theatre. The cast includes Brooks Ashmanskas, Beth Leavel, Christopher Sieber, Caitlin Kinnunen, Isabelle McCalla, Michael Potts, Angie Schworer, Courtenay Collins and Josh Lamon. The Proms Tony nominations include Best Musical; Best Direction; Best Book; Best Original Score; Caitlin Kinnunen, Leading Actress/musical; Beth Leavel (Leading Actress/musical); Brooks Ashmanskas, (Leading Actor/musical). Story continues This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity. Deadline: Is rollercoaster the right word to describe getting to this point with The Prom? Beth Leavel: Ive been trying to think of the right word to explain everything, and its impossible. Im going to have to make one up, and Ill get back to you when I think up some fabulous word. Like supercalifragilistic but better. Deadline: Because of the subject matter, audiences might assume The Prom had been written very recently, but it has a history. Leavel: Well, me, myself and I have been associated with it for seven years, and I think that the creative started with an idea that Jack Viertel pitched to Casey Nicholaw based on a real event that it happened with a girl and a prom, and that must have been, oh gosh, eight or nine years ago. This was around the time I was doing Elf for the second time on Broadway. I ran into Matt [Sklar] and Chad [Beguelin], who were the writers and I said, what are we going to do next? And he hinted that they were writing a role for me and Im like, oh thats fantastic. You know, blah, blah well see if that happens, and lo and behold about three years later, Casey said could you come do a table read for, what I believe was then just called the Untitled Casey Nicholaw project. In that room was Brooks Ashmanskas, Chris Sieber, Angie Schworer and I, and we read what was the very beginning of what now is The Prom. So that was seven years ago. Then, after the marriage equality law passed, there was a moment that the creators told me that they wondered, Oh my gosh, is it timely anymore? And then lo and behold, look what happened two years ago and now its more timely than ever. So, it takes a long time to give birth to a Broadway musical, but I guess in the scheme of things, seven years is not that long. Deadline: You were in The Drowsy Chaperone 13 years ago, and that seems like yesterday to me. Leavel: Somebody told me it was 13 years ago, and I went No, it wasnt. Thirteen years ago! And by the way, this is my 13th Broadway show, there are 13 people making their Broadway debuts in this show, and this is some of our producers 13th show. So, I figured we are just surrounded by the number 13. Deadline: So that table read for what became The Prom, were all the parts written for those specific actors, as Dee Dee was for you? Leavel: Yes, they were. Four people, can you imagine? That never happens. Deadline: So that leads right to the next question. What did the creators see in you guys that would become these characters? Leavel: We all know each other really well, so theres a shorthand with everything. Casey and Bob and Matt and Chad know my comedy. When I first read Dee Dee seven years ago, she was even worse than she is now, and I thought, Great, Im a narcissistic self-centered, diva bitch, thank you so much. But what I love about Dee Dee and whats been really explored in the seven years is that yes, she is all of the above narcissistic, diva, self-centered but now she has a discovery, and I cant stand to use this word, but its true, she has a journey. She actually has an arc, where she comes to realize something about herself and her heart. So, thats what I love about it, but you know, funny is funny, and Brooks and Chris and Angie and I do funny. Deadline:: Have you been surprised or taken aback by how warmly received the show has been? Leavel: I dont think, Ive ever, ever, never been in a show or a piece of theatre that has affected an audience in such a way. Now each audience member may say it affected him or her in a certain way, but we feel it on stage during those last 15 minutes of our show. I hear people crying, I feel them leaning in. We had no idea that it was going to do that. I mean, we all love this show, or we wouldnt have stuck with it for seven years. Deadline: Were you surprised that its found an audience beyond the Broadway community that it has so much fun poking at? Leavel: I knew it would, but the other part of me was going, Oh I hope, I hope. You know a truthful, good, well-crafted piece of theatre will reach out and affect everyone. Men, women, gays, straight, Republican, Democrat, whatever, and thats what this has done. Some of my relatives have come up from North Carolina and feel the same way about The Prom as the person I did an Off Broadway show with 16 years ago. That is excellent, and that just doesnt happen. Its so wonderful and special, and its a privilege for us to be there and to tell this story and send this message out and have people laugh. Deadline: Have there been any surprising reactions in the opposite direction? I would imagine people coming to see it know what theyre getting into. Leavel: I dont know about that. Some people do, some people just go Oh, lets go see this show. But if there has been a negative reaction, I havent heard about it, or I dont seek it out. Deadline: The show really came into national prominence last Thanksgiving, during that wonderful little moment during the Macys Parade Leavel: Wasnt that great? Deadline: What was going through your mind that day? Leavel: Well, let me tell you what I was thinking that day. A) It was four oclock in the morning when I got up, and B), It was five degrees when I got outside. Im in front of Macys, and Im in a little teeny jumpsuit. So, that was the predominant thought of the cast are we going to die? No? Okay great, well just do it. We knew they would be kissing but it just felt like oh, thats the beautiful ending to their story, the scene. I didnt think it was going to be any big deal, and yes there was a flare up of emotion and some people having [negative] opinions, but guess what? It disappeared, and now all we hear is, Oh, that Macys Day kiss! I just think, good for us, good for them, good for Macys. Good for our creative team to say, yeah, this is our story, these women are in love, isnt it beautiful? Deadline: You and Caitlin Kinnunen have been Tony-nominated for best leading actress in a musical. Do you talk about it with each other? Leavel: Oh, absolutely. You know people ask, are you competitive, and its just the exact opposite. I care so much for her and vice versa, and I am so proud of her and could not be happier. She comes into my dressing room every night, and we just have a how are you doing, what do you need, how are you feeling? We just take care of each other because its a really fabulous yet stressful, exhausting time. So, its nice to have someone, including Brooks, going through the same situation. We get together and just have like little group therapy and tell each other were fabulous, and were going to survive and how much we love each other. Its great and I feel for her, she deserves it. Deadline: Has there been an audience reaction that really stands out or caught you off guard? Leavel: I got a very long letter from a fan that said the show saved her life. She went into glorious detail about why, which I dont want to share, but it was so astonishing and so moving. Ive gotten several of those, particularly from the young LGBTQ community, that told me how seeing themselves reflected and mirrored on a stage, in such a loving, powerful way, has changed their life. And then other people just say its the funniest thing theyve ever seen. Deadline: The actress who plays the mother, the villain of the piece Leavel: Courtenay Collins. Deadline: Courtenay Collins. I wonder if she gets a different reaction? Leavel: Ill have to ask her! Shes never said anything, and her character also has an arc of self-discovery, so shes been written to be a real human being and not just the bad guy, but Im going to ask her about that tonight. Now Im curious. Deadline: If you could throw yourself five years into the future, how might you look back on this show? Leavel: Lets put it this way, during Drowsy Chaperone, I was asked that same kind of question, and I said Drowsy Chaperone is the best thing thats ever happened to me. Now, I would say that The Prom is the most outstanding moment of my career and the one that I am most proud of. Talk to me in five years, and hopefully, Ill go, oh, my gosh I have something else to celebrate with you. But right now, this just feels like the pinnacle of everything Ive worked up to in my worker-bee mentality. I just like to work, and here is this beautiful gift that has been given to me. I mean, how often in an artists life do they get a piece of theatre written specifically for their comedy, their gifts, their money notes, and then get to create that in a room full of people that you consider your family and your tribe, and who you would follow to the ends of the earth to be in the room with. Thats just a win, a win all over the place. Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. As Priya settles into Clarkes body, Skaikru starts to realize whats really going on in Sanctum. In movies and TV, people who are immortal are often depicted as lonely. Theyve outlived their friends and family and even brief acquaintances. But in Sanctum, thats not necessarily the case. As long as there are enough nightbloods, friends and family can live on alongside each other. The Primes love their immortality and are willing to take others lives for it. Case in point: Josephine doesnt spend a second feeling bad about taking over Clarkes body. She has other things on her mind like getting revenge on her best friend/murderer Kaylee, who pushed her off a cliff to her death. Kaylee says was trying to protect Sanctum; Josie repays her by slicing open her throat. Then she steps over her body and goes to take a shower. Her parents check on her later to see how shes adjusting to her new bodyand the fact that she just killed her best friend. Nothing seems to faze her, though. Shes dancing to music and painting. Russell and Simone tell her she needs to keep her identity a secret. Not only do they want to avoid backlash from the space visitors, but they dont want the other Primes to know that Josie skipped the line for resurrection. She says that if they ran her breeding program, there wouldnt be such a long process. Her father reminds her that humans arent cattle and that consent is important. (Of course, he didnt care too much about Clarkes opinion when he decided to bring back his daughter.) To keep all of this quiet, the Lightbournes have placed Jade as Josies bodyguard and tasked her with finding out how many other hosts they could steal from Skaikru. Youd think this would be a difficult task for her since she knows nothing about Clarke and her people, but its not like at all. When Josie walks into the tavern, she seamlessly slips into convos with Clarkes friends. Even when Gaia speaks to her in Trigedasleng, Josie figures out how to fake it. She then okays Madi going to school and tells Bellamy to chill out. She doesnt really raise red flags with Clarkes people. Although, she definitely should. Story continues Jordan can be excused because 1) he technically just met her and 2) hes too concerned with what happened with Delilah/Priya. She doesnt seem to know Jordan or *gasp* what her own favorite flower is. The guys give him a hard time about caring so much about a one-night stand. Gaia, on the other hand, says this naming thing is part of their religion and they should all respect it. Squirreled away in the medical library, Abby has no idea any of this is going on. Shes spent all her time trying to find a way to save Kane. Josie/Clarke spies on her for a little bit before walking in and talking to her mother; she deduces that at least Kane isnt a nightblood. Abby tells her shes read this book on eugenics. You thought what we did in Beccas lab was bad? Abby asks. That woman was a monster. Little does she know, that woman is currently in her daughters body. And red flag alert: Clarke writes with her right hand. Abby just dismisses it, though, when Jossie shows her a bug that could help with Kanes surgery. Back at the tavern, Murphy and Bellamy realize Jordan is missing, and they know where he must have gone: the palace. They sneak out after him, but Josie sees and follows. And Gaia pops in, too. They all find themselves in a room full of skeletons, which is totally not creepy. Gaia notices the mark of the flame on all of the skulls and thinks they must be commanders. Clarke warns them that this is Sanctums holiest place and that they should get out. But then Jordan finds a secret door They are now in the room where it happens, so to speak. Jordan opens up their computer and finds a file that shows the first successful resurrection. After 25 years of trying on test subjects (a.k.a. children), Gabriel and her dad, Russell (the first version of Russell we saw, the one who killed almost everyone under the first red sun), have a teenager strapped to an operating chair. (Oh, and Gabriel is the original Hot Doctor! So many pieces falling into place.) The group watching realizes that these people arent creating commanders; this tech pre-dates the flame. They watch as this chip overwrites a young womans brain and Josie comes forth in her first resurrection. Murphy is enamored by the fact that the people in Sanctum are immortalsomething Josie picks up onwhile Jordan says theyre murderers. Gaia says its worse than that because they manipulate people into thinking theyre giving their lives for a higher purpose. Bellamy asks Clarke what she thinks, and she says the people of Sanctum dont pose a threat to them. He points out that they pose a big threat to herand to Madi. Josie relays all of this to her parents immediately. Shes ready to give up on being Clarke, but they tell her she needs to do it long enough so they can figure out how to revive all the Primes so it wont matter that Josie went out of order. Madi hears about this Sanctum revelation later and isnt thrilled. She says by staying in Sanctum, theyre condoning this behavior. (Smart girl!) Murphy thinks there isnt an alternative, but Bellamy says they just need to build another compound. And another red flag alert: Clarke says, I agree with John. They all give her side eye before Gaia says what theyre doing is a perversion of everything Bekka Pramheda stood for. Murphy says Becca wasnt a god either, and Abby proved that when she turned Clarke into a nightblood. Obviously, Josie takes note of this. Meanwhile, Priya walks into the tavern and Jordan publicly tries to shame her. Delilahs mother tries to smooth things over, and Josie uses that public outcry as an opportunity to sneak out. Bellamy follows her and speaks to her in Trigedasleng. Josie is smart, though, and figures out he wants her to ditch her bodyguard, Jade. They duck into a private area, where Bellamy finally, finally, finally realizes something is wrong. But so does Josie. She injects Bellamy in the neck and says, Josephine Lightbourne, nice to meet you, before he passes out. Meanwhile in the woods, Diyoza and Octavia are chasing after Xavier, who leads them right into a trap: this planets version of quicksand. He tells them not to fight or theyll die faster. Of course, O fights like crazy and sinks down fast. Diyoza says she reminds her of herself when she was younger. She says that Xavier wont let them die, that hes watching from nearby. And he is he says he just wants to know how many nightbloods there are in their group. But before they can give anything away, a temporal flare begins. Google doesnt really help me explain what this is, but basically, there are orbs of light shooting down from the sky. Xavier quickly pulls Diyoza out, but they cant get Octavia in time. She goes under the quicksand just as the light hits where she is. Its burned out the forest and turned her sand into glass, maybe? Anyway, Diyoza rushes back, beats at the glass-like-stuff and is able to yank Octavia out. Only problem is O now has the hand of a 90-year-old woman. Things are not going great for the Blake siblings today. Back in the medical library, Josie oversees Jackson and Abby having an argument about her new addiction: trying to save Kane. Abby says its not about replacing the pills, its about saving the one person who was good. He never gave in during the Dark Years and she thinks he deserves to live. Josie knows Abby is the key to Sanctums survival, but thats not the person she needs right now. She needs Murphy. When Clarke calls Murphy John for the second time and says pennies are something from her time, he puts two and two together. Someone else is in Clarkes body. Before you freak out, she says to him while posing a single question. How would you like to be immortal, too? Im listening, says John Murphy. Yikes. Josies secret clearly isnt going to be kept a secret from everyone for too much longer, but just because people will knowwhat can they do, and whose side will they choose? Despite everything theyve been through, Id like to believe that most of them, Murphy included, would fight to get Clarke back if they can. Related content: Photo credit: Allie Holloway From Esquire SHOP $215, sabah.am Welcome to The Esquire Endorsement. Heavily researched. Thoroughly vetted. These picks are the best way to spend your hard-earned cash. Sleaze is not dead. It came roaring into the cultural consciousness last summer, and it's still going strong. It is evolving, but it remains polarizing. Some might even argue that it is simply bad. I would disagree with them because, again, it is polarizing. Sleaze is a look, but it is also an ethos. It is ridiculousness for ridiculousness's sake, but it is also a knowing wink to other adherents that you get it, and you know exactly what you're doing. I tell you all this because I have found a pair of blue leopard-print slip-on shoes made from hair-on leather. They are by the brand Sabah, and they are out there. They are, for some-okay, for many-entirely too much. And I love them. This is why. Photo credit: Allie Holloway You can't fake it in these shoes. A pair of blue, leopard-print, cow-hair slip-ons demand something of you. They demand that you wear them with confidence and intention. You can't step out of the house with something this loud on your feet and expect people not to notice. Their entire existence is predicated on getting attention. It's the whole damn point! And that means when I wear them this summer, I'm going to get looks. Some will come in the form of a side-eye. Others will be knowing winks (at least I hope they'll be). But with a pair of shoes like this, it's about reveling in their extreme nature. It's about having fun and not apologizing for it. SHOP $215, sabah.am Photo credit: Allie Holloway They've got a real story behind them. Sabah isn't an age-old brand, but the techniques and traditions it references have some serious historical bonafides. The company was founded in 2013 by a guy named Mickey Ashmore, who lived in Turkey for a spell while working for Microsoft. He'd been given a pair of traditional Turkish slippers by the grandmother of his girlfriend at the time and started wearing them everywhere. Story continues As it does in this sort of story, that lead to the founding of a company. Ashmore's pair started falling apart, so he found a man named Orhan working in Gaziantep, a town along the southern Turkish border. Orhan's family had been making shoes in the same style since the 1800s and obliged Ashmore with a new pair-less curly-toed, with better leather and rubber soles-that became the prototype for Sabahs. Six years later, the brand is still making shoes in Gaziantep, albeit with a few extra folks to help Orhan and his wife out. Photo credit: Allie Holloway They're built beyond trends. Sleaze may, one day, pass from this earth. The idea of truly going for it with a pair of blue leopard shoes may seem even crazier in the future than it does now. That's nothing to cry about! Part of embracing style means embracing both the ephemeral and the permanent and mixing those two in a way that feels exciting. These Sabahs are built for that interplay. Though this particular style is of-the-moment, the way it's made-by hand, using high-end materials and a replaceable sole-means it's designed to last and even get better with age. So even if something bold and bright isn't your cup of tea, maybe you'll find yourself drawn to a pair of the brand's more understated offerings. Give 'em a shot! Then, once you feel the quality for yourself, go back and get the blue leopard. Summer's here and it's time to get a little wild. Prop styling by Miako Katoh Photography by Allie Holloway ('You Might Also Like',) GQ Australia says the magazine is disappointed with the recent leak of topless Iggy Azalea photos taken during a 2016 magazine shoot, with the magazines editor Michael Christensen condemning the incident.We were very disappointed to learn that outtakes from a 2016 photo shoot which were not approved or intended for publication appear to have been stolen from the photographer, Christensen said in a statement to TheWrap. We understand an investigation is underway and join the condemnation of the publication of these images.Azalea suspended her social media accounts Monday after the semi-nudes leaked online. The 28-year-old Australian rapper returned briefly to Twitter that same day to issue a statement of her own on the matter and said she would press charges against whoever was responsible.Also Read: Iggy Azalea Topless Photos Leak Prompts Rapper to Delete Social Media AccountsI feel blind sided, embarrassed, violated, angry, sad, and million other things. Not solely because I did not consent to this, but because of the vile way people have reacted, Azalea said. The outright wicked things people say is overwhelming and makes me feel like throwing up.I fully intend to find out where the leak originated from and pressing criminal charges in regards to this. Its important to me that someone actually be held accountable for their actions and the way it impacts my life, she added.Reps for Azalea did not immediately respond to request for comment on the GQ statement or whether they had yet made good on the musicians plan to file charges.Read original story GQ Australia Condemns Release of Stolen Iggy Azalea Topless Photos At TheWrap GQ Australia says the magazine is disappointed with the recent leak of topless Iggy Azalea photos taken during a 2016 magazine shoot, with the magazines editor Michael Christensen condemning the incident. We were very disappointed to learn that outtakes from a 2016 photo shoot which were not approved or intended for publication appear to have been stolen from the photographer, Christensen said in a statement to TheWrap. We understand an investigation is underway and join the condemnation of the publication of these images. Azalea suspended her social media accounts Monday after the semi-nudes leaked online. The 28-year-old Australian rapper returned briefly to Twitter that same day to issue a statement of her own on the matter and said she would press charges against whoever was responsible. Also Read: Iggy Azalea Topless Photos Leak Prompts Rapper to Delete Social Media Accounts I feel blind sided, embarrassed, violated, angry, sad, and million other things. Not solely because I did not consent to this, but because of the vile way people have reacted, Azalea said. The outright wicked things people say is overwhelming and makes me feel like throwing up. I fully intend to find out where the leak originated from and pressing criminal charges in regards to this. Its important to me that someone actually be held accountable for their actions and the way it impacts my life, she added. Reps for Azalea did not immediately respond to request for comment on the GQ statement or whether they had yet made good on the musicians plan to file charges. Read original story GQ Australia Condemns Release of Stolen Iggy Azalea Topless Photos At TheWrap Actor Jason Mitchells behavior on the set of The Chi was allegedly so bad, he had to undergo HR training after multiple women complained about his behavior. According to The Hollywood Reporter, second-season showrunner Ayanna Floyd revealed she also had issues with Mitchell and claimed the shows creator, Lena Waithe, was well aware of his [] Jason Mitchell Actor Jason Mitchells behavior on the set of The Chi was allegedly so bad, he had to undergo HR training after multiple women complained about his behavior. According to The Hollywood Reporter, second-season showrunner Ayanna Floyd revealed she also had issues with Mitchell and claimed the shows creator, Lena Waithe, was well aware of his problems. She said everyone involved with production knew of Mitchells behavior. She claimed that multiple complaints were filed against Mitchell with human resources. Floyd says the actor made her a target when he found out she told an actress to report his alleged behavior. The report says Mitchell had to undergo HR training but he allegedly failed to change his conduct. Jason Mitchell was fired from The Chi following Netflix dropping him from Desperados. Netflix allegedly fired him after he made actresses uncomfortable immediately after arriving on set in Mexico. Netflix investigated the situation after the actor allegedly made highly inappropriate remarks to two actresses in the film. Mitchell was also by his talent agent and his management team. Tiffany Boone, who plays Jerrika on The Chi, reportedly complained to producers about Mitchell allegedly sexually harassing her. She claimed to feel unsafe while shooting scenes with the actor. Boone was not the only one to complain about the star, with multiple women allegedly having issues with the actor. The post Jason Mitchell Accused by Showrunner of The Chi of Targeting Her for Reporting Him to HR appeared first on The Blast. Every year on the first Monday of May, the Met Gala takes place in New York City, and the creme de la creme of the fashion world and Hollywood dress to the nines in whatever that years theme may be. This year the theme was camp, and A-listers presented what they believed was camp and out of all the photos that came out of the event, only a handful actually seemed to understand the concept.The rest? Trying too hard, bland, or just plain lost. The exact same thing could be said of Ma, director Tate Taylors latest film, which attempts to be a campy psychological thriller but gets so lost in trying to construct a message that all the exaggerated thrills die before even lifting off.When Maggie (Diana Silvers, Booksmart) and her mom Erica (Juliette Lewis) move back to Ericas hometown in rural Ohio, Maggie instantly connects with a group of kids in her new school. On the first night Maggie hangs out with her new friends, they take turns trying to get an adult to buy them alcohol from the local liquor store, and Sue Ann (Octavia Spencer), a lonely vet tech, decides to help them out.Watch Video: Octavia Spencer Traumatizes Teenagers in Chilling 'Ma' First TrailerSoon, Sue Ann isnt just buying the kids booze; she starts throwing alcohol-fueled parties in her basement for Maggie, her friends, and even more kids from school, taking on the nickname of Ma. Maggie and company start to pull away from Ma after she starts sending them all repeated text messages and videos in a way thats far too creepy and overly familiar. But Ma has some secrets from her past, and once she starts to unravel, no one is safe.Ma had a chance to be a fantastic campy thriller. The script practically screams THIS IS CAMP on every page, with Taylor (The Help) and writer Scotty Landes (Workaholics) hitting that exaggerated tone often. But then, as if second-guessing themselves, Taylor and Landes lose their way by pivoting to a poorly executed attempt to create some sort of statement about one womans mental illness as a result of a trauma.Also Read: Octavia Spencer, Melissa McCarthy to Star in Ben Falcone's Superhero Film 'Thunder Force'Its not that men cant necessarily write a womans journey through trauma, but neither Taylor or Landes seem prepared to deal with it beyond a two-step process: She gets weird, and then she snaps. It felt very similar to how the Game of Thrones creators swiftly tried to take Daenerys Targaryen the survivor to Dany the Mad Queen when there are better, more fleshed out ways to detail a womans descent into madness.The history of depicting mental illness in horror films particularly for women is almost as old as the genre itself, but as of late, filmmakers are taking more nuanced creative approaches. Last years Hereditary is a great example of how to use mental illness to create a feeling of despair and terror, but it took care not to make a villain out of either the disease or the person suffering from it. Ma doesnt spend enough time trying to understand those complex layers. While the film doesnt spell out that Sue Ann is suffering from a mental illness, it suggests it to varying degrees in several scenes. People living with a mental illness are not necessarily dangerous, and they definitely dont all decide to just start killing people one day.Also Read: Tate Taylor to Direct Jessica Chastain's 'Eve' After Matthew Newton's Post-MeToo ExitOctavia Spencer gives more than she gets from the film; what she can communicate with just her eyes, or a tiny muscle shift in a smile, is sheer artistry. Spencer knows this character inside and out and that Sue Ann is an outrageous representation of a killer and she uses that knowledge in her facial expressions and physicality to craft a character you just want to keep your eyes on the whole time. Silvers is another standout, embodying a more modern version of a final girl with poise and aplomb. Shes believable as a doe-eyed new kid but equally tough as the daughter of a single mother. Without Spencer and Silvers, the entire film would fall apart.The production design itself also lends an aura of campiness, with a few set pieces that are aching to be defined further, but neither production designer Marc Fisichella (The Maze Runner) nor Taylor choose to address them. Personally, I see set pieces as some chefs see a food plate; everything must be edible and must complement the meal. Pieces in a scene or sequence are necessary to tell the story further or to define a character, and yet several items here seem to have importance but being forgotten completely. A fate that will probably extend to Ma itself. Read original story Ma Film Review: Octavia Spencer Outshines a Would-Be Campy Thriller That Is Neither At TheWrap Every year on the first Monday of May, the Met Gala takes place in New York City, and the creme de la creme of the fashion world and Hollywood dress to the nines in whatever that years theme may be. This year the theme was camp, and A-listers presented what they believed was camp and out of all the photos that came out of the event, only a handful actually seemed to understand the concept. The rest? Trying too hard, bland, or just plain lost. The exact same thing could be said of Ma, director Tate Taylors latest film, which attempts to be a campy psychological thriller but gets so lost in trying to construct a message that all the exaggerated thrills die before even lifting off. When Maggie (Diana Silvers, Booksmart) and her mom Erica (Juliette Lewis) move back to Ericas hometown in rural Ohio, Maggie instantly connects with a group of kids in her new school. On the first night Maggie hangs out with her new friends, they take turns trying to get an adult to buy them alcohol from the local liquor store, and Sue Ann (Octavia Spencer), a lonely vet tech, decides to help them out. Watch Video: Octavia Spencer Traumatizes Teenagers in Chilling 'Ma' First Trailer Soon, Sue Ann isnt just buying the kids booze; she starts throwing alcohol-fueled parties in her basement for Maggie, her friends, and even more kids from school, taking on the nickname of Ma. Maggie and company start to pull away from Ma after she starts sending them all repeated text messages and videos in a way thats far too creepy and overly familiar. But Ma has some secrets from her past, and once she starts to unravel, no one is safe. Ma had a chance to be a fantastic campy thriller. The script practically screams THIS IS CAMP on every page, with Taylor (The Help) and writer Scotty Landes (Workaholics) hitting that exaggerated tone often. But then, as if second-guessing themselves, Taylor and Landes lose their way by pivoting to a poorly executed attempt to create some sort of statement about one womans mental illness as a result of a trauma. Story continues Also Read: Octavia Spencer, Melissa McCarthy to Star in Ben Falcone's Superhero Film 'Thunder Force' Its not that men cant necessarily write a womans journey through trauma, but neither Taylor or Landes seem prepared to deal with it beyond a two-step process: She gets weird, and then she snaps. It felt very similar to how the Game of Thrones creators swiftly tried to take Daenerys Targaryen the survivor to Dany the Mad Queen when there are better, more fleshed out ways to detail a womans descent into madness. The history of depicting mental illness in horror films particularly for women is almost as old as the genre itself, but as of late, filmmakers are taking more nuanced creative approaches. Last years Hereditary is a great example of how to use mental illness to create a feeling of despair and terror, but it took care not to make a villain out of either the disease or the person suffering from it. Ma doesnt spend enough time trying to understand those complex layers. While the film doesnt spell out that Sue Ann is suffering from a mental illness, it suggests it to varying degrees in several scenes. People living with a mental illness are not necessarily dangerous, and they definitely dont all decide to just start killing people one day. Also Read: Tate Taylor to Direct Jessica Chastain's 'Eve' After Matthew Newton's Post-MeToo Exit Octavia Spencer gives more than she gets from the film; what she can communicate with just her eyes, or a tiny muscle shift in a smile, is sheer artistry. Spencer knows this character inside and out and that Sue Ann is an outrageous representation of a killer and she uses that knowledge in her facial expressions and physicality to craft a character you just want to keep your eyes on the whole time. Silvers is another standout, embodying a more modern version of a final girl with poise and aplomb. Shes believable as a doe-eyed new kid but equally tough as the daughter of a single mother. Without Spencer and Silvers, the entire film would fall apart. The production design itself also lends an aura of campiness, with a few set pieces that are aching to be defined further, but neither production designer Marc Fisichella (The Maze Runner) nor Taylor choose to address them. Personally, I see set pieces as some chefs see a food plate; everything must be edible and must complement the meal. Pieces in a scene or sequence are necessary to tell the story further or to define a character, and yet several items here seem to have importance but being forgotten completely. A fate that will probably extend to Ma itself. Read original story Ma Film Review: Octavia Spencer Outshines a Would-Be Campy Thriller That Is Neither At TheWrap A futuristic dark comedy from Patrick Somerville and director Cary Fukunaga, Maniac was an exceedingly ambitious project, in terms of its makeup and hair design, with a series of characters that were visually reinvented for each new episode. Starring Emma Stone and Jonah Hill, the miniseries follows Annie and Owen, two strangers who connect during a mind-bending pharmaceutical trial, which promises to tap into trauma and cure the mental illness that ails each. Over the course of 10 episodes, the characters are whisked away into drug-induced fantasies, where they take on new personas, and confront different versions of the people in their lives attached to their own personal experiences of pain. Related stories 'Maniac' Creator Patrick Somerville On Making A Embarking on their first television series as a team, hair designer Fria Aradottir and makeup artist Judy Chin had their work cut out for them with Maniac. Taking Annie and Owen through a series of idiosyncratic scenariosincluding a 1980s Long Island lemur caper, a 1940s mansion seance, and a fantasy epic a la Lord of the Ringsthe pair were always working on the fly, finding surprising looks for the pairs alter egos. As far as worldbuilding through hair and makeup, there was also the series principal realitya surreal vision of near-future New York City, with touches of the 80sand Neberdine Pharmaceutical Biotech, where a team of oddball scientists monitor Annie and Owens trials as they occur. A trippy genre-bender, Maniac represented a kind of creative experience that neither Aradottir nor Chin had had before. People who do sketch comedy shows maybe have this sort of experience with their cast, but Ive certainly have never had the opportunity to develop al these looks for one actor, or a cast of actors. Weve had the fortune of doing some great characters in our careers in the past, but to do it all in one show was pretty incredible for all of us, the latter artist reflects. Reinventing every actor in multiple looks was really challenging. But even though we were crying, we loved every second of it. Story continues What were your first impressions when you read scripts for Maniac? Judy Chin: I remember reading the first couple of episodes and thinking, What on earth is happening here? I was intrigued and excited to learn more. One thing that I knew would make the thing was the castbut also, Cary Fukunaga. Ive always thought that hes a really interesting director, and I thought anything that he might be involved in, especially with this script to start with, was going to be interesting. Fria Aradottir: I didnt really get the scope of it, and what it was all about, until maybe the second production meeting, and it just kept growing from there. This was something that hadnt maybe been done before, so that was exciting and intriguing. What did your early conversations with Fukunaga and Patrick Somerville reveal, in terms of an aesthetic focus for the show, and the challenges you would have to overcome? Chin: I feel like Fria and I had a lot of moments where we were like, Okay We would read elves. What does that mean? How elf-y do you want it? I feel like they knew exactly what they wanted, but they wanted us to fight for it and figure it out. Wed come up with images, and then wed take them away. Wed come up with more images, and wed be like, No, that cant be what they mean. Wed just be like, You know what? Were just going to throw it out there, and we would present ideas, and they were like, Yeah, thats exactly it! Aradottir: It wasnt so forthcoming always, what the reason was. It was obviously a bit in the script, and the biggest hurdle for us was, we were always shooting and prepping for the next episode. Thats what made the show so massive for us, because wed in the 50s and prepping for the elf magical world [simultaneously]. It made for a lot of work sometimes, on the day. Chin: Remember when we showed Cary pictures of Emma in her elf look for the first time? We were both terrified. Aradottir: Of course, we were excited about it, but it was nerve-wracking sometimes. But by the time this presentation came about, I think we had gained so much trust within our vision, with Cary Fukunaga, that he trusted that we would serve the show well. What informed your principal looks for Emma Stone and Jonah Hill, within the shows primary reality? Chin: The makeup was very minimal. What I was trying to capture with both of them was a very raw, very real look. We needed them to also look attractiveand they both are attractive, no matter what you do to thembut I wanted them both to have a bit of an edge. What that meant for me was actually making them look a little bit worse, in an edgy sort of way, but with a little bit of sexy darkness, keeping it very bare at the same time. Aradottir: For Annie, I just wanted her as if she [didnt] wash her hair all the time, and certainly didnt fix it. She washed it, parted in the middle, and combed it, but I wanted her to stay quite raw and basicnever done. Because there were so many more looks to come that were so done and thought out. But one thing I always wanted, when I saw that she was going to be multiple characters, was for her to stay blonde throughout the whole thing. Because I thought it was possibly too jarring for the eye, if you she was in multiple hair colors throughout. That was the main thing with her: Even though she was in massively different looks, she was always a blonde, just to keep one common thread to her. Each of the lab workers at Neberdine Pharmaceutical Biotech has a memorable look. What inspired your approach to Dr. Azumi Fujita, played by Sonoya Mizuno? Chin: Sonoyas character had a lot of elements to her. Shes a nerdy scientist whos passionate about her work. For me, it was combining the scientist look with a sexy girl, but not in a traditional way. You might typically think that a character like that might not wear makeup, but I wanted her to. I think you read her makeup, but in a way, you dont feel it. She wears lashes, and her makeup is always the same. She has the same lip, the same eyes, but theres definitely something very sexy about her. But its like she has no idea how attractive she is. Aradottir: Nerds in general can be very sexy. Azumis haircut and style was totally inspired, per Cary Fukunaga, by Rei Kawakubo, a Japanese artist and designer, [who] designs for Comme des Garcons. Then, all the other characters in the lab unfolded and came together after that. Dr. Mantleray is another interesting case. What was the thinking there? Aradottir: Theres a long story behind what he ended up being that I cannot really reveal, but the darkness and denseness of his hair was a little bit inspired by Asian hair. I hope this is not a [politically incorrect] way of describing it, but we wanted him to sort of stay in the same family as Azumi. They were similarly kind of nerdy and weird, with the dense, dark hair. Chin: His character was really fun because its like his hair was just a little too black, his skin was just a little too tan, a little too sculpted. Aradottir: He was always a notch off. Annie and Owens drug trial takes them into a new fantasy realm in each episode of the series. Were the varying looks each character takes on mapped out far in advance of the shoot? Aradottir: I create the best in the moment. I cant really foresee and plan terribly much in advance. So, it all sort of happened organically, as we started to think about the next episode, or two episodes down the line. Chin: Thats exactly how every look went. Wed read the script, wed think we had a plan, but the thing is, we never really had the time to properly test them out. Its so great when you can look at something, you test it, and then you have the time to breathe, and tweak and change it Aradottir: But there was none of that. Chin: No. [Laughs] Having a strong idea of the vision of what we wanted to do, we knew what we were going to try to grab off our tables and put on our actors, but we never really had a lot of time to work things out. It was a lot of hoping and praying. Aradottir: There was next to zero prep for us in the beginning of the show. So, you rely very hard on the people that are supporting you and your team, to try to catch up. We were always trying to catch up and prep for the next, and this is where your partner is really crucial. Since its all happening in the moment, and we have similar aesthetics, we work well together. Thats what Maniac was for me. It all sort of unfolded back and forth between the two of us. In todays world, you can also be a little bit more spontaneous because theres so much available on the internet. Back in the day, you had to go to the library; you had to collect books and magazines. But now, its more of a push of a button. We can collect a bunch of images, bounce it off of each other, and make a mood board. Which of the worlds explored in the show was most interesting to you? Aradottir: One of my favorites is the one at the mansion that takes place in the 40s. I just love the 40sthe wardrobe, and the red lips, and the beautiful, sculpted hair. Its so rich and luxurious, and such a definite silhouette, from head to toe. One more [interesting] thing is the reoccurring twins. I think the first time we did them was in the 40s, and thats when Judy and I decided that they should stay [as a recurring visual motif]. Then, we decided that whenever they came back, they should always be in matching hairdos, and matching makeup. They were so much fun to recreate for all these different episodes. Chin: For me, the 40s and the elf looks stand out the most, because they were the most fun to do. They were the most beautiful and most challenging, in many ways. For the elf world, we created an entire world, down to the background actors who played the soldiers, and the facial hair we applied to all these guys, and Trudie [Styler]s character. And the twins, the way they kept reappearing in each episode in different looks, it was like, Okay fine, were reinventing all these people. We may as well add two more twins! As you mentioned, Stone and Julia Garner are transformed into elves for Episodes 7 and 8. What kinds of challenges presented themselves in their magical domain? Chin: Well, the elves have pointed ears. [Laughs] With the schedule we were keeping, it was really challenging to get their ears lifecasted, and then sculpted and approved, on such a short time schedule. But when youre talking elf ears, theres a fine line between Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter, and Yoda, even. Emmas ears are hacked off in a rough way; she sort of hacks them off herself, because theyre really raggedy, and she doesnt want to be an elf. Her character is supposed to be half human, so hers are different from Julias. Again, as things evolved, it was like, Oh, this actor is going to have ears, and this actors going to have ears. And were like, What? No! We dont have time to make ears for everybody. It turned out to just be Sally [Field] and Julia and Emma, but that was a really fun world to make because it was just total fantasy. Emmas look was really fun to do because shes done so much in her life, but no ones ever made her look like this before. Beauty, and grunge, and fierceness, all mixed up. Aradottir: Shes quite the warrior, and being that Im a Viking, thats where my first inspiration came fromimages of Vikings and warriors from 1100 years ago, what I imagined they would have looked like. Lots of extensions, lots of braids, lots of fabrics piled in. And the outcome, between the makeup and hair, was quite impressive. Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. A missing 5-year-old Utah girls body has been recovered after the uncle who was charged Wednesday with her kidnapping and murder told authorities where to find it, the mans attorney tells PEOPLE. He knows hes involved in a very, very serious matter, says Shannon Demler, the defense attorney for accused suspect Alex Whipple. After I met with him for a few hours, he decided it would be best for everyone involved if he told the authorities the location of the body. Demler declined to elaborate further, or indicate how the 21-year-old Whipple would plead to the charge in the alleged murder of his niece, Elizabeth Lizzy Shelley, who was reported missing from her familys Logan City home Saturday morning. Weve been negotiating with the county attorneys office to resolve the matter, he says. We havent made a decision on how its all going to proceed at this point. Authorities announced the charges against Whipple at a news conference Wednesday before they had discovered the girls body. He was accused of aggravated murder, child kidnapping, obstruction of justice, and desecration of a body. Logan City Police Chief Gary Jensen revealed at the news conference that authorities had uncovered various new pieces of evidence, including a broken knife with blood on it that allegedly matched a knife missing from Shelleys home. They also found a teal skirt with blood on it; Whipples wristwatch and sweatshirt also allegedly had blood on them matching Shelleys blood, he said. Additionally, Jensen stated that theyd found a PVC pipe bearing a palm print that allegedly matched Whipples print. Prior to the defense attorneys confirmation to PEOPLE that the body had been located, Jill Parker of the Cache County Attorneys Office released a statement Wednesday on behalf of the girls family stating: As a family we are overwhelmed, scared and sad at the recent tragic events that have touched our lives. Story continues Shelley was reported missing Saturday after family members awoke around 9 a.m. to find her and Whipple, an uncle whod arrived unexpectedly the night before, both gone from her Logan City home. Elizabeth Police later encountered Whipple, who was on foot, around 3 p.m. Saturday about 10 miles away in a rural area of Cache County. He failed to identify himself to officers and had an outstanding warrant for his arrest for not checking in with probation officers. He was also in possession of drug paraphernalia, according to authorities. Alex Whipple | Cache County Sheriff's Office Whipples criminal past includes a 2016 assault conviction involving domestic violence, and he was on probation for a 2017 conviction for drug possession and a separate 2017 case where he pleaded guilty after leading police on a chase in a stolen vehicle, reports The Salt Lake Tribune. On Saturday, Whipple was arrested on the probation violation and booked into the Cache County jail. On Tuesday, he was ordered held without bail over the objection of his defense attorney, reports The Herald Journal. RELATED: Utah 5-Year-Old Vanished Over Weekend, Now Uncle is Suspect in Disappearance Elizabeth Police Captain Tyson Budge previously told PEOPLE: We have items involved in this incident that we can forensically link to (Whipple) and her from the residence, and also evidence off of him we can link to her. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. Authorities say Whipple showed up Friday night at his sisters home, where the family stayed up late and Lizzy last was seen around 2 a.m. Saturday. When the parents went to bed she was in the home and Alex was still in the home, said Budge. They woke up and both were gone. When found later that day by police, Whipple lied about his whereabouts and previously had been uncooperative with authorities, said Budge. He said he left around sunrise, he said. We dont have any reason to believe anything he told us. His story changed quite a bit. Searchers seeking clues in the disappearance of Elizabeth The search by local, state and federal agencies proved a challenge before they were told exactly where to look. She is a 40-pound little teeny girl and it is difficult, Budge said before the body was located. There is a lot of space to search. He had a lot of hours alone and a lot of space alone. Searchers look for signs of 5-year-old Elizabeth On Tuesday, police had shared additional images of Whipple on social media and sought the publics help to track his movements. These are photos of Alex Whipple and his clothing on Friday May 24, according to a Facebook post from the department. We hope this helps you as you are checking your cameras and smart doorbell systems. If you have video footage please report it to dispatch at 435-753-7555. Special Counsel Robert Mueller spoke publicly Wednesday for the first time since he was appointed two years ago to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 election and any Trump campaign coordination with Russia. I am speaking out today because our investigation is complete, he began. The attorney general has made the report on our investigation largely public. We are formally closing the special counsels office and as well Im resigning from the Department of Justice to return to private life. Muellers remarks, which lasted 10 minutes, reiterated the key conclusions of the special counsels report, including he and his team could not determine whether President Trump committed a crime. If we had confidence that the president did not commit a crime, we would have said so, he said. Related stories The Navy Put the USS John McCain 'Out of Sight' to Avoid Triggering Trump Democratic Candidates Amplify Calls for Impeachment Following Mueller's Statement As he did in his report, Mueller explained that his office was bound by Justice Department regulations that prohibit a sitting president from indictment: Charging the president with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider. Special counsel Robert Mueller explained why he couldnt charge President Trump with a crime. Mueller reiterated the finding in his report, saying if his office had confidence that the President clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so. https://t.co/q1crzE7trV pic.twitter.com/fQX3N4KH8f CNN (@CNN) May 29, 2019 Mueller added that it would be unfair to potentially accuse somebody of a crime when there can be no court resolution of the actual charge. Between longstanding Justice Department policy and the belief that it would unfair to indict a president, Mueller said he and his team concluded that we would not reach a determination one way or the other about whether the president committed a crime. That is the offices final position and we will not comment on any other conclusions or hypotheticals about the president. Story continues While Mueller spoke positively of Attorney General Barr in his remarks, his explanation for why he couldnt indict the president contradicted Barrs initial explanation of how Mueller reached his no-indictment decision. Barr told reporters during his April 18th press conference to pre-spin the special counsels findings that Mueller had made it very clear several times that his decision not to charge the president with crimes wasnt due to the DOJs policy against indicting a president. But Mueller said precisely that in his remarks Wednesday: The special counsels office is part of the Department of Justice and by regulation it was bound by that department policy. The White House confirmed that it was notified late on Tuesday that Mueller would be making a statement. Trump responded on Twitter shortly after Mueller spoke. Nothing changes from the Mueller Report, he wrote. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you. Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2019 Since Mueller submitted his findings to the Justice Department in April, pressure has intensified for him to speak publicly about the investigation. Attorney General William Barr and President Trump have both claimed the report exonerates the president of any wrongdoing, but the contents of the report tell a different story. Though Mueller concluded that the Trump campaign did not criminally conspire with Russia, he detailed how the campaign willingly accepted help from the foreign adversary. Mueller also outlined several instances in which the president appeared to have obstructed justice. Mueller chose not to indict Trump on obstruction charges either, instead placing the onus on Congress to act on his findings. Following the reports release, there were indications that Mueller and his office were not happy with the way the Barr characterized the special counsels findings. Later in April, it was revealed that Mueller wrote a letter to Barr disputing the principal conclusions of the report the attorney general released in the form of a four-page letter to Congress shortly after the report was submitted. Mueller wrote that Barrs letter did not fully capture the context, nature and substance of the investigation. There is now public confusion about critical aspects of the results of our investigation, he added. This threatens to undermine a central purpose for which the Department appointed the Special Counsel: to assure full public confidence in the outcome of the investigations. Mueller also reportedly voiced his reservations to Barr over the phone. When Barr testified before Congress earlier this month, he said he called Mueller after receiving the special counsels letter. Barr said that Mueller told him he hadnt misrepresented the report, and was only concerned with how the press had covered Barrs initial conclusions. Barr also said that Mueller wanted him to release summaries of the reports two volumes, but he objected. It was my decision how and when to make it public. Not Bob Muellers, Barr said. Democrats have called on Mueller to testify publicly about several key pieces of the report and the aftermath of its submission. In early may, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-NY) said his committee had agreed to hear testimony from Mueller later in the month. A few weeks later, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) said Mueller is going to testify. The American people have a right to hear what the man who did the investigation has to say, and we now know we certainly cant rely on the attorney general who misrepresented his conclusions, Schiff said on ABCs This Week. But a few days after Schiffs comments, CNN reported that some on Muellers team said the special counsel was hesitant to testify, fearing he would come across as political. Though Nadler declined to comment on the report of Muellers reticence, he had said in the past that he would subpoena the special counsel if he would not agree to testify voluntarily. In his brief remarks, Mueller did not entirely rule out appearing before Congress but said he wanted the Special Counsels report to speak for itself. We chose those words carefully and the work speaks for itself. And the report is my testimony. He said that his office was not involved in the conversations between the Justice Department and Congress over whether the underlying evidence used by the Special Counsel to write its report would be shared with lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Mueller concluded his remarks the first and perhaps final time the public will hear from him by reiterating the seriousness of the assault on U.S. elections and democracy during the 2016 campaign. There were multiple systematic efforts to interfere in our election, Mueller said. And that allegation deserves the attention of every American. Thank you, thank you for being here today. Read a full transcript of Muellers statement here. Sign up for Rolling Stones Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. No one saw Lil Nas X coming. His race to ubiquity came impossibly quickly, and its a rare instance of an artists industry story the making-of chronicle of an underdog star becoming to wide audiences as compelling as his music. Ever since the 20-year-old rapper rose into the public eye a few months ago, first on the madcap video platform TikTok and then in headlines amid controversy over country-music charts, fans and executives alike have been scrambling to work out the method behind his one-song success. Of the dissections of Lil Nas Xs Old Town Road, which has sat at the top of music charts for eight weeks now, neither the treatises on its roots as a social-media meme nor the examinations of the charming sonic wackiness of its melody have paid much attention to one crucial aspect of the story: how and why the songs underlying beat the source of its all-important Nine Inch Nails banjo sample only cost the rapper $30. That Lil Nas X was able to put together a chart-smashing song for less than the price of a tank of gas is a perfect testament that the traditional structure of the music business has blown apart. Related stories Lil Wayne Taps Travis Scott, Meek Mill for Fifth Lil WeezyAna Fest Is Streaming Music Dangerous to the Environment? One Researcher Is Sounding the Alarm I dont know if Im living in some type of simulation at this point, Lil Nas X recently told Rolling Stone. His smash hit only started taking shape in June 2018, when a Dutch teenager named Kiowa Roukema, a.k.a. Young Kio, tossed a trap beat under a banjo loop pulled from the Nine Inch Nails song 34 Ghosts IV, which hed found on a whim while browsing YouTubes recommended section. He uploaded it as Future type beat (though it doesnt really sound like a Future type beat) to a website called BeatStars. In November, it caught the attention of Montero Hill, a.k.a. Lil Nas, who had only been making music for a few months out of boredom from his sisters home in Atlanta, Georgia. Nas recorded a song to the beat, and by the close of the year, the pairs work was all over the internet, without the two ever meeting. Story continues BeatStars is a digital marketplace where producers and artists are able to link up without ever getting into a studio together. Artists can pay a bargain-rate fee to download a beat, leaving it open to other artists to use as well, as Lil Nas X did. If they shell out a little more, they can get an exclusive license. The website is the brainchild of Abe Batshon, a musician-entrepreneur who only found out that Old Town Road came out of a BeatStars deal after the track blew up on music charts and he checked his records. I dont think Young Kio even knew about the song until it started having legs and trending on TikTok, Batshon, who runs the company with a team of about 20 people headquartered in Austin, Texas, tells Rolling Stone. Lil Nas X was just another customer. The majority of the time, the artist and the producer never meet each other. A number-one song coming out of an online marketplace is pretty exciting stuff, Batshon says, proudly. He launched BeatStars when he was working in music distribution in 2008 introducing the idea of a collaborative digital hub long before most of the industry had even fully embraced the internet. Inspiration came from his own experiences in high school trawling AOL chatrooms and persuading producers to lease beats to him because he couldnt afford their thousand-dollar fees. Today, BeatStars has more than a million users, and Batshon says producers are on track to earn $40 million from the platform this year, which is double the amount they earned in 2018. Sellers span 160 countries and range from 14 to 70 years old. When an artist finds something they want to lease on BeatStars, they sign a license agreement that typically covers a standard set of performance, mechanical and synchronization rights and waives future royalties. Producers, who can customize these agreements as they see fit, charge between $20 and $200 for a beat and keep either 70% or 100% of revenue depending on whether theyre on the free or subscription tier of the site. Some users, such as a dancehall producer in Albania, make as much as $40,000 a month, Batshon says. I always knew collaboration would move completely to the internet, he says. I saw that producers are completely, out of this whole equation, the lowest stakeholders in the song. One in a million producers can get a hit record. But how many producers are creating amazing content from all over the world, outside of Los Angeles and New York? Picture-perfect as it sounds, there is one elephant-in-the-room issue with producers leasing music to artists for cheap: While BeatStars transactions and licensing agreements are fully above-board, the site cant guarantee that the underlying beat always has its own copyrights sorted out namely, in the case of a producer using samples of other music in a beat. If an artist commercially releases a song with an uncleared sample in it, the artist who is sampled can sue them for track credit and back royalties. One recent high-profile example is Nicki Minajs Baby Can I Hold You, which featured an uncleared sample from Tracy Chapman that sparked a still-ongoing lawsuit. Young Kios sample of the Nine Inch Nails banjo bit was not cleared prior to it being uploaded to BeatStars meaning it was played millions of times without the bands approval or attribution. Because Lil Nas X self-released Old Town Road before he signed with Sonys Columbia Records in March, either he or Sony likely had to pay the band a substantial sum of money in back royalties after the song got popular, and definitely before Billy Ray Cyrus hopped onto the remix, people familiar with the matter say. (Nine Inch Nails released the song under a 2008 Creative Commons license, but such a license does not cover sharing and remixing for commercial purposes.) The amount that has to be paid retroactively for a sample usually comes down to the size of the audience, the prominence of the sample, and the leverage of the sampled artist whether theyre a household name, for example and it often swells if a song has hit the top of the charts. Reps for Nine Inch Nails and Trent Reznor did not respond to multiple requests for comment, and the publishing companies representing the artists respective catalogs declined to comment. Artists will go after whoever has the biggest wallet to get their back-revenue, Deborah Mannis-Gardner, whose company DMG Clearances is known for clearing samples for artists from Drake to Lady Gaga, tells Rolling Stone. In this case, because the artist was picked up by Sony, they mightve hit Sonys publishing company but Sony might have said This was released prior to us picking it up. They may go after the artist, if the artist was paid an advance. But in each case people are going to point fingers. The artist points fingers at the producer who dropped the sample in, and the producer says they didnt release it as a song. Royalty splits from sampling are a notoriously messy and often arbitrary business. When Ariana Grande released 7 Rings with The Sound of Musics My Favorite Things as the backbone, negotiations resulted in 90% of the royalties of the song going to Rodgers and Hammerstein, two songwriters who died decades ago. Just last week, another example of gasp-inducing split rates (re)entered the public realm when the Rolling Stones decided to give back the royalties for Bittersweet Symphony to The Verve, after it had forced Richard Ashcroft to hand over 100% percent of royalties from the song in a lawsuit two decades ago. In the case of Old Town Road and other songs that are born out of BeatStars deals, some sources say the company cant be held responsible for uncleared samples because it is offering producers arrangements of compositions, not ready-for-sale commercial products. But others in the industry strongly disagree with that view, believing online music marketplaces should establish a process by which each beat uploaded is reviewed and cleared. People have this mentality of Well if its only on SoundCloud and not being sold, why do I need to clear?' Mannis-Gardner says. You need to clear because theres streaming revenue and people lose out, and because youre sampling something to create something to promote yourself as an artist. Promotion is not free. We are constantly going back and clearing stuff that wasnt initially cleared. But, she adds, If someone uses something and the artist sampled is not adamantly against it or repulsed, we always try to work out a deal. Its the music industry. You can always work out a deal and make something happen. While the music business wrestles with how to deal with novel business models like that of BeatStars, such disruption is old hat to people in the taxi business or the hotel industry or any other market thats been thoroughly upended by the gig-economy mentality. BeatStars isnt alone in its field: A number of other sites like SoundBetter, Airgigs, Airbit and SoundClick operate like a Taskrabbit service marketplace for music, offering affordable vocals, lyrics and melodies for musical projects. These work-for-hire music sites have radically cut down the cost of music production and allowed, along with a wave of cheap production and distribution software in the last decade, ostensibly painless and almost instantaneous paint-by-numbers music-making. The rise of so-called type beats in music also raises concerns about limited creativity and easy conformity, especially when producers make beats expressly to mimic a specific artists sound (and find musicians via search bars). Batshon, at least, is not worried about beat marketplaces leading to mediocre music because of the breadth of sounds from which artists can choose. The beauty of BeatStars is that the best music rises to the top, Batshon says. Recording artists are not really interested in the name recognition of the producer. Its all about the music. Its the attention economy. Everyone is creating. Now, the new world of gig music is big enough now to attract some celebrity names. BeatStars, which Batshon says the music industry laughed at when it first launched in 2008, helped Future find two of the beats on 2017s HNDRXX Fresh Air and the chart-topper Selfish featuring Rihanna from Las Vegas producer Mantra; Tekashi 6ix9ines bruising Kooda and Rondo both have beats licensed from BeatStars producer Koncept P. On SoundBetter, artists selling their services include OK Go drummer Kan Konopka, former Morrisey guitarist Neil Taylor, Grammy-winning engineer Jeff Ellis and Beatles engineer Geof Emerick. As more major artists flock to these new, whip-fast music production services, the music industry is forced to try and figure out how it can adapt its traditionally slow-moving business model and fixed label-publisher-artist hierarchy to accommodate new means of producing music. Its a question that executives have to reckon with at every turn: On TikTok, where Old Town Road first blew up, for example, users and record labels are lobbying the video-media app to pay artists and meme-makers real sums of money rather than treating them as hobbyist users. With type beats, some labels are hiring the producers directly so that they dont miss out on any stray revenue streams. Wall Street is intrigued, too. Batshon says he receives inquiries from venture capitalists every week, but he wants to wait and see what else the company can become first. Nas and Kio their lives have completely changed, he says. All the labels are scouring BeatStars for their next producers, using it as a discovery tool. I wanted to open a new door and create a more fair playing field and thats what happened. Its up to the industry to decide where to go next. Elias Leight contributed reporting. Sign up for Rolling Stones Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Photo credit: Chip Somodevilla - Getty Images From Esquire I never want to play poker with Robert Mueller. If he played his cards any closer to his vest, they'd be in his back pocket. He spoke for nine minutes on Wednesday, never going far beyond what his report already said, and boosting its book sales. He made Attorney General William Barr look like the lawn ornament that he is. He once again tossed the whole thing into the lap of Congress. He clearly said that he did not indict the president* for a crime solely because he believes that it is unconstitutional to do so. And the signifying was clear and simple. "If we had had confidence that the President clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so. We did not however make a determination as to whether the President did commit a crime." "Under longstanding department policy, a president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office... Charging the president with a crime was, therefore, not an option we could consider." "When a subject of an investigation obstructs that investigation or lies to investigators, it strikes at the core of their government's effort to find the truth and hold wrongdoers accountable." (An aside: it really is time to dump this DOJ policy, which essentially makes a criminal president above the criminal law.) Photo credit: Anadolu Agency - Getty Images More significant, at least from this seat, was Mueller's discussion of the Russian ratfcking of the 2016 election and the ongoing attempts to ratfck the 2020 election. This section of his report is the basis for the "No collusion" half of the "No collusion. No obstruction" litany that everybody down at Camp Runamuck says with their morning prayers, and that Mueller pretty much left as a pointed open question on Wednesday. There was no hoax. There was no coup. There was an attack, and there soon will be others, so saddle up, you idiots. "The indictment alleges that they used sophisticated cyber techniques to hack into computers and networks used by the Clinton campaign. They stole private information and then released that information through fake online identities and through the organization, Wikileaks. The releases were designed and times to interfere with our election and to damage a presidential candidate. And at the same time as the grand jury alleged in a separate indictment, a private Russian entity engaged in a social media operation where Russian citizens posed as Americans in order to influence an election." Story continues Here he is saying that a) the Russian ratfcking was aimed at damaging Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign and b) that it was meant to influence the election in a certain direction-i.e. to benefit the Trump campaign. You may recall some stories at the time that alleged the Russians were engaged in some nihilistic, non-partisan ratfcking in order merely to create chaos in the American political system. No, Mueller said on Wednesday. The Russian ratfcking had one definite purpose: the election of Donald Trump. The Russian ratfckers, and the Volga Bagmen behind them, wanted this incompetent, vulgar talking yam to be president*. Photo credit: Getty Images Anybody who wants to know why that was the case-like, say, several committees in the House of Representatives-is free to explore the reasons at length. To believe still that Mueller's investigation definitively concluded, "No collusion," you have to believe that all this effort and expense to influence an election in favor of a guy whose businesses already depended on Russian money, and who at the time was trying to close a major real estate deal in Moscow, was all a happy accident, a blessing from above on the Trump campaign. All of this, of course, was in the report. But watching Mueller say it out loud was a compelling bit of theater. And that brings us to the most disappointing thing about Mueller's brief appearance on Wednesday: his stated reluctance to appear before Congress. He has no excuse left. He is a private citizen now. And if he only repeats what's in the report, on television, in front of the country, it will contribute mightily to the political momentum behind the demands that Congress do its damn job or shirk its duty entirely. He still needs to testify. He still needs to take questions. He's only a citizen like the rest of us now, and he has a duty to do the right thing. We all do. Respond to this post on the Esquire Politics Facebook page here. ('You Might Also Like',) FILE PHOTO: A general view during sunny spring weather from Monte Bre shows Lake Lugano and the city of Lugano By John Miller ZURICH (Reuters) - Switzerland's highest court has rejected Italy's request for the return of an oil painting attributed by some to Leonardo Da Vinci, ruling no Swiss laws were broken when the work was brought over the border. Titled "Portrait of Isabella d'Este" and dated to the 16th century, the painting became the subject of an international tug-of-war after an Italian woman, Emidia Cecchini, sought to sell it in 2013. Police were alerted to its existence when an Italian lawyer surfaced with a mandate to sell it for no less than 95 million euros ($106 million). Art experts have yet to agree on whether it really is by the Renaissance master. An Italian investigation into possible tax crimes and insurance fraud uncovered evidence that led police in 2015 to the painting in a vault in the Swiss town of Lugano, a lakeside banking centre in the Italian-speaking south where many Italians have crossed the border to deposit assets. Cecchini, who Swiss court documents said was convicted in Italy with two others for their role in exporting the picture, has always maintained the painting had been in Switzerland for a century, taken there by her relatives who at one time lived in the country, Swiss and Italian media have reported. The Swiss verdict clears the way for the work's return to Cecchini, from Pesaro. Cecchini's attorney did not respond to email and telephone requests for comment on Wednesday. Italy's Justice Ministry declined to comment. Italy demanded its seizure on grounds it had been trafficked out of the country illegally to Switzerland. In a decision published on Wednesday, the Swiss Federal Tribunal declined Italy's request for the painting's return, ruling its export to Switzerland was not liable to prosecution. "Subject to any other international agreements, no state is required to apply foreign public law within its borders," the Federal Tribunal said in a statement. Story continues Under Swiss law regulating international cultural property transfers, people may face prosecution for illegally transporting objects of unique value if they are listed in a Swiss federal registry or, in this case, in a corresponding Italian inventory. For this painting, however, that was not the case, the Swiss court wrote. The portrait, a 24-inch by 18-inch oil-on-canvas of a noblewoman, resembles a charcoal study by da Vinci that hangs in Paris's Louvre museum. There is discussion among art experts about whether it is really a da Vinci. Carlo Pedretti, a da Vinci expert and professor at the University of California Los Angeles before he died last year, told media in 2015 its origins merited more study but could not confirm whether da Vinci was involved in painting it. ($1 = 0.8969 euros) (Reporting by John Miller; Additional reporting by Francesca Piscioneri in Rome; Editing by Alison Williams) Custodian who frequently dressed as Nintendo's Mario character retires originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com This custodian is super: no-pun-in-tendo! David Howard, 62, has been the custodian at Johnson Primary School in Tucson, Arizona, for the past 20 years. But the elementary school students know him for much more than keeping their classrooms clean. The kids simply call him Mario. I would tell the kids, If you behave and listen to the teachers and the staff, my friend Mario will come to school, Howard said. PHOTO: Custodian David Howard retires from Johnson Primary School after dressing up as Mario for years. (Kenny Wade Whetton ) Howard has been dressing up as the popular Nintendo character for the past 10 years, bringing smiles to students' faces and excitement to the school. Kids started coming to school because they didn't want to miss Mario, Howards daughter, Stephanie Howard, told "Good Morning America." My dad never called in sick or took time off. He always had a great work ethic and would take pride in his work -- no matter what he was doing." PHOTO: Custodian David Howard retires from Johnson Primary School after dressing up as Mario for years. (Kenny Wade Whetton ) Howard said it all started in 2009 when he didnt have a costume for a Halloween party at the school. But he realized he had all the materials needed to make a homemade Mario outfit. The kids loved it so much, he said, that he began wearing the costume periodically. He would dress up randomly so they would be surprised, Stephanie Howard added. PHOTO: Custodian David Howard retires from Johnson Primary School after dressing up as Mario for years. (Kenny Wade Whetton ) Howard began wearing the costume about once every two months. The beloved custodian would go above and beyond in all ways, including flying kites with students during recess. A lot of the kids don't have parents that have the time or resources to take them kite flying, Stephanie Howard said. Its an experience he missed out on as a child and he didnt want the same for the kids at the school. So when Howard retired last week, Johnson Primary principal Rose Cota worked with his family and friends to put together a special send-off, complete with cake, posters and thank you cards. Wearing his Mario costume one last time, Howard walked around the school as students and faculty lined the halls to say their goodbyes. Story continues PHOTO: Custodian David Howard retires from Johnson Primary School after dressing up as Mario for years. (Kenny Wade Whetton ) PHOTO: Custodian David Howard retires from Johnson Primary School after dressing up as Mario for years. (Kenny Wade Whetton) Every time I would come to work, they would ask wheres Mario? Im going to miss their smiles, Howard said. Many students were in tears as they said their goodbyes to the caring janitor who had become a staple at the elementary school. (MORE: This teacher had her whole kindergarten class sign her dress) (MORE: Retiring janitor is moved to tears as children make him 'king' for a day) Teen paralyzed in gymnastics accident takes 1st steps in years to walk graduation stage originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com A high school student from Kansas who's paralyzed from the waist down took her first steps in years, across the graduation stage to receive her diploma in a moment that had the whole stadium in tears. Anna Sarol, 18, from Kansas City, rose to her feet with the help of a walker, braces and her siblings at her graduation ceremony Olathe Northwest High School on May 19 -- almost four years after a gymnastics accident following a fall on the uneven bars left her confined to a wheelchair. "I told my family we are going to stand up, I don't care if the people behind us can't see, but I didn't realize it would be a standing ovation, the whole stadium was standing," Louicee Sarol, Anna's mom, told "Good Morning America." PHOTO: Anna Sarol walked for the first time in years across her graduation stage with the help of her siblings, pictured here. (Pure in Art Photography ) (MORE: 4-year-old girl with spina bifida walks for first time as her friends cheer her on) Louicee Sarol said that she is "very, very proud of Anna" and the strength she has shown since the accident. "From a mother's perspective, it hurts to see your child like this, but she is my strength," she said. "Here is my Anna -- yes, she can't walk, but she is inspiring people." "The only time I saw Anna cry when was when she was hurting," her mom said. "She couldn't get up, and she didn't realize until a day after the surgery that she was paralyzed." Still, she added, "Her attitude was, 'Life goes on, it could be worse.'" Seeing her daughter walk for the first time in years was "just the best feeling," Louicee Sarol said. "Everybody, almost the whole stadium, was crying," she added. "I looked back and parents are in tears of joy, all for Anna." PHOTO: Anna Sarol walked for the first time in years across her graduation stage to receive her diploma. (Pure in Art Photography ) Anna Sarol said that almost immediately after the injury four years ago, "I made a promise to myself that I'll be determined to walk the grad stage, if I could walk at that point." Story continues (MORE: 'Baby Shark' song helps 2-year-old girl with spina bifida learn to walk) She said she practiced with the help of her brothers and sisters, but when the day came came she admits she was nervous. "I was very nervous, very anxious about the whole situation because my classmates haven't seen me walk since freshman year," she said. "I could hear the whole crowd, and I looked up and I saw everybody on their feet, including everyone in the stadium and everyone in my class," she said. "They all knew how hard I had been working towards this for the past couple of years." She described the feeling as "just incredible." After her walk, Anna Sarol said she had "so many people come up to me and say, 'We don't know you, but we've been following your journey, and we were all crying.'" After finishing up high school, she said she hopes to become a motivational speaker, and is already sharing inspirational stories on her website and Facebook page, Pray for Annaboo. She is also currently raising money for a prosthetic exosekeleton so that she can be able to walk again on her own. All about ube: How one foodie is bringing the Filipino favorite to the main stage originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com This cafe makes some of the most Instagrammable desserts -- and theyre all purple! For the past five years, Cafe 86 in Southern California has taken Instagram by storm with its unique desserts that all include one main ingredient: ube, or purple yam. If you eat ube on its own, there really isnt much flavor, said Cafe 86 co-owner Ginger Dimapasok. But once you mix it with sugar, coconut milk and butter, it changes the taste with silky, rich and vanilla undertones. Their love of food and Filipino backgrounds inspired Ginger and her husband, James, to share a piece of their culture through the flavors of their childhood. Ube is a staple in most Filipino desserts. She said that the color usually shocks people at first, but theyre pleasantly surprised by the taste when they try it. Now, Cafe 86 incorporates ube in every dessert on its menu. Born to be a foodie Ginger, who was born and raised in the Philippines, got the cooking bug from her mother, who she says is an excellent cook. Ginger would help out at her familys restaurant as a kid, but she didnt have to travel far to indulge her interest in making pastries. Story continues My love for cooking was inspired by the bakery next door to my parents restaurant, said Ginger. I would go back and forth next door. Ginger said that she loved seeing the pastry chefs at the bakery make wedding cakes, and she would spend so much time observing them. To this day, she still gets nostalgic when she steps foot in local Filipino bakeries in Southern California. From that moment on, she was influenced by other chefs, such as Julia Child and Chef Nora Daza, who Ginger describes as the Filipina Julia Child. Ginger attended New Yorks Natural Gourmet Institute for Food and Health in 1999 where she mastered her skills as a chef. However, it wasnt until 2012 that Ginger and her husband started talking about the idea of opening up a cafe of their own. PHOTO: Ginger Dimapasok with friends and her culinary school cohort at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Food and Health. (Ginger Dimapasok) We are both foodies and we love trying new things, so we wanted to come up with something of our own, she told GMA. Bringing ube to the masses In 2014, Ginger and her husband opened the doors to their first Cafe 86 location in Chino Hills, California. PHOTO: Ginger and her husband, James pose at their Cafe 86 location in Chino Hills, Calif. (Ginger Dimapasok) At first, Ginger thought it was just going to be a regular bubble teashop serving coffee and other drinks, but she wanted to make her shop unique with the addition of ube desserts. The first ube creation that she ever sold was her now-famous ube truffles -- ube rolled like a large cake pop and coated with crushed Oreo crumbles. Its still the most popular and addictive dessert that they sell. Today, Cafe 86 has grown to three more locations including a shop in Las Vegas. and it celebrates the purple yam with more than 50 ube-related dessert items on its menu. Since their first shop opening five years ago, the menu has evolved with ube additions such as bread pudding, cheesecake and even Pop Tarts filled with the purple goodness. Ginger has also creatively fused different desserts from various cultures together, creating things such as ube panna cotta and ube conchas. (MORE: Booze-infused pudding is the adult Jell-O shots we didn't know we needed) They even put their own spin on classic Filipino desserts such as their ube cupcakes topped with leche flan, a Filipino custard and halo-halo, a shaved-ice dessert made with coconut, fruit and ube ice cream. Today, Gingers innovative dessert ideas have garnered a large following on Instagram and have sparked a conversation about Filipino cuisine. She said that the outpouring of support toward her cafe keeps her on her toes and inspires her to come up with more ideas to incorporate ube in new dishes. (MORE: All-natural cotton candy is here, so we'll be eating it all summer long) With her cafe, Ginger wants to make ube a staple ingredient that people use in restaurants across the country. She also hopes that local farmers will grow purple yams so that its more accessible for chefs to integrate into their menus. The ultimate goal is to bring ube to the main stage and be able to make ube as normal as matcha is today, she said. IF THE SHOE FITS: Christian Louboutin will be the guest of honor at the Couture Council of The Museum at FITs annual luncheon. The footwear designer is internationally known for his red-soled footwear that is routinely worn by a slew of celebrities including Rachel Brosnahan, Bella Hadid, Adriana Lima, Martha Hunt and Hailey Clauson in recent weeks alone. Louboutin will receive this years Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion at the Sept. 4 event at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center. As in years past, the luncheon is the unofficial curtain-raiser to New York Fashion week and it will benefit The Museum at FIT. Related stories Michael Kors' Parent Company, Capri Holdings, Is in Growth Mode What, Me Worried? Under Armour's Stock Is Up After New J.P. Morgan Note Louboutin has been singled out for his lifelong dedication to the art and craft of fashion by an advisory committee, chaired by MFITs director Valerie Steele. The committee includes: Harpers Bazaar editor in chief Glenda Bailey, Vogues international editor at large Hamish Bowles, Triple Five Groups chief creative officer Ken Downing, Bergdorf Goodmans senior vice president of fashion and store presentation director Linda Fargo, Fashion Art Forecastings executive consultant Nicole Fischelis; Kyoto Costume Institutes director emerita Akiko Fukai; Couture Council board member Kamie Lightburn; The Museum at FITs deputy director Patricia Mears; Vogues Suzy Menkes; fashion historian and author Caroline Milbank, and author and The Happy Grownup web site founder Hal Rubenstein. In addressing the honor, Louboutin said, While my designs have roots in Paris, I feel very lucky to have access to some of the most specialized craftsmanship in the world; that has allowed me to push my creative boundaries and celebrate inclusivity and self-empowerment through cultural exchange. The designer has plans to expand his design portfolio. He also intends to create his first hotel and restaurant in Alentejo, Portugal, where he has owned a holiday home for years. The aim is to finish the project by summer 2020. Apparel is not imminently in the cards for the designer. He told WWD in March, For the moment, Im perfectly happy and Im perfectly busy. Story continues Over the years Louboutin has donated his shoes to the museum, where they have been featured in exhibitions and the designer has addressed students at FIT, according to the schools president Joyce F. Brown. He also received an honorary degree at FITs 2014 commencement. Co-chaired by philanthropists Melissa Mafrige Mithoff and Amelia Ogunlesi, this falls luncheon has Nordstrom as a presenting sponsor. Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Algiers (AFP) - Thousands of Algerian students and teachers took to the streets of the capital Tuesday chanting slogans against the armed forces chief currently dominating the country and plans for an election in July. Protesters are keeping up the pressure on the ruling elite with demands for more sweeping changes in the North African state nearly two months after veteran president Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigned. Military chief Ahmed Gaid Salah has emerged as a de facto strongman after easing his former boss from power but demonstrators insist he and other Bouteflika-era stalwarts must go before a new presidential poll can be held. "No elections, mafia gangs," shouted the crowds as they marched peacefully through Algiers in the face of heavy police deployment. The latest protests came as Gaid Salah called for "mutual concessions" between the country's interim leaders and those taking to the streets. Gaid Salah has repeatedly called for a constitutional solution through a July 4 presidential election. But only two little-known figures submitted their candidacies on time for the disputed poll, raising doubts about plans to stage it. Algeria has been rocked by months of protests since the ailing Bouteflika announced in February that he would run for a fifth term. He quit office but protesters have kept up mass demonstrations calling for an overhaul of the "system" and departure of key Bouteflika-era figures. Under the constitution, interim president Abdelkader Bensalah has 90 days to organise a presidential election from the date of his appointment on April 9. By Alistair Smout and Gabriela Baczynska LONDON/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union will not renegotiate the Brexit deal that Prime Minister Theresa May agreed, Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said on Tuesday, as concerns grew that a successor to May could trigger a confrontation with the bloc. Brexit is up in the air after May announced plans to step down, triggering a leadership contest in the ruling Conservative Party that could bring a new prime minister to power who wants a much more decisive break with the EU. One of the candidates, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, said it would be "political suicide" to pursue a no-deal Brexit, a reprimand to frontrunner Boris Johnson who said last week that Britain should leave with or without a deal by the end of October. Hunt, who voted to stay in the EU in the 2016 referendum but now accepts Brexit, said he would try for a new agreement that would take Britain out of the EU customs union while "respecting legitimate concerns" around the Irish border. The EU, though, said there would be no renegotiation. "I will have a short meeting with Theresa May, but I was crystal clear: There will be no renegotiation," Juncker said before a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels. Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said he believed the risk of Britain crashing out of the bloc without any divorce agreement was growing. "Well I think there is a growing risk of a no deal. There's a possibility that the new British prime minister may try to repudiate the withdrawal agreement," he told reporters. Any successor to May will have to accept that the Brexit divorce deal she agreed will not be ratified by the current British parliament so they will have to find a solution to the Irish border issue that upset many lawmakers. Many Brexit supporters opposed her deal because of a "backstop" that requires Britain to adopt some EU rules indefinitely unless a future arrangement is found to keep open the land border between Northern Ireland and Ireland. Under laws now in effect, Britain will automatically leave the EU on Oct. 31 without an agreement unless parliament approves one first, the EU grants an extension, or the government revokes its decision to leave. NO-DEAL BREXIT? Pitching himself in contrast to Johnson and others who insist leaving the EU without a deal must remain on the table, Hunt said any such move would be blocked by lawmakers and trigger a national election. "Trying to deliver no deal through a general election is not a solution; it is political suicide," Hunt wrote in Tuesday's Daily Telegraph. "A different deal is, therefore, the only solution and what I will pursue if I am leader." Trade minister Liam Fox, who is not running for the premiership, said while leaving with a deal was preferable, the leadership candidates were agreed that leaving the EU without a deal was better than not leaving. "If the EU doesn't want to negotiate any changes - which I think would be unfortunate and I think would be quite surprising - then I think that of course does increase the chance of a no-deal exit," Fox said during a trade visit to Egypt. Rivals for the top job were quick to reject Hunt's views. "Political suicide actually lies in not having a clean break from the EU and not leaving on the 31st October," Esther McVey, a Brexit hardliner and former minister who is standing for the leadership, said in a tweet. Under the party's rules for picking a new leader, Conservative lawmakers will select a shortlist of candidates and put them to the party's members for a vote. So far 10 candidates have said they are running. The Conservative Party had a disastrous showing in European elections at the weekend, losing most of its support to a new Brexit Party, which topped the poll while calling for a swift no-deal exit from the EU. Other parties that want to halt Brexit altogether also surged in the vote, leaving little space in the middle for Britain's two main traditional parties, the Conservatives and Labour, both of which had campaigned in favor of a compromise. Labour has since edged closer to a position that could make it possible to call off Brexit, saying a public vote - either a new national election or second referendum - is the way to reunite the country. Several of Labour's senior figures have called on its leadership to go further and openly call for a new referendum in which the party would campaign to stay in the EU. (Writing by Guy Faulconbridge; Additional reporting by Kylie MacLellan and William James in London and Aidan Lewis in Cairo; Editing by Peter Graff and Frances Kerry) Ottawa (AFP) - Canada's most populous province of Ontario on Monday announced plans to sue opioid makers to recover health care costs related to the deadly addiction epidemic. Ontario's attorney general, Caroline Mulroney, said the province will join a lawsuit launched last year by British Columbia against more than 40 opioid manufacturers and wholesalers. "The opioid crisis has cost the people of Ontario enormously, both in terms of lives lost and its impact on health care's front lines," Mulroney said. She unveiled legislation to set up the legal action "to battle the ongoing opioid crisis and hold manufacturers and wholesalers accountable for their roles in it." More than 10,000 Canadians have died of opioid-related overdoses since 2016, according to government figures. Combatting the crisis is estimated to have cost Ottawa nearly Can$400 million (US$300 million). Historically, opioid overdose deaths -- mainly from the powerful painkiller fentanyl -- were concentrated among drug addicts. But many victims became addicted to prescribed painkillers before turning to street drugs and others were experimenting with recreational drugs for the first time. Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario have been the hardest hit provinces but the epidemic has affected every part of the country. The British Columbia suit named opioid manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors as defendants -- including Purdue, whose popular OxyContin drug has been blamed for triggering the crisis. "These opioid manufacturers and wholesalers failed to warn doctors and the public of the dangers of opioids and marketed them as safer and less addictive than other medications when they were not," Ontario alleged in a statement. Mulroney said Ontario intends to invest any award from the suit in mental health and addiction services. Neither British Columbia nor Ontario have yet said how much they would be seeking in damages. January is National Blood Donor Month, a time to recognize the importance of giving blood and platelets while honoring those who roll up a sleeve to help patients in need. To celebrate, Dunkin of Greater Philadelphia is teaming up with... By James Oliphant WASHINGTON, May 29 (Reuters) - Seeking to cull its crowded 2020 presidential field, the Democratic Party will make it tougher for candidates to qualify for a third debate scheduled for September. The party will require contenders to meet both a higher polling standard and a larger fundraising target, the Democratic National Committee said on Wednesday. In the first two debates, scheduled for June and July, contenders have to meet just one of the two criteria, leaving open the possibility that as many as 20 of the 24 announced Democratic candidates could be on stage. Under the new standards, candidates must reach 2 percent or higher in four public opinion polls, conducted nationally or in early voting states, and must demonstrate they have received contributions from 130,000 unique donors as well 400 unique voters in 20 states. The tougher criteria are double those of the first two debates. The third debate will be held on Sept. 12 and may be extended to the following evening if enough candidates qualify. The debate, whose location has yet to be announced, will be sponsored by ABC and Univision. The same criteria will apply for the fourth debate in October, the DNC said. The sprawling field has made it difficult for lesser-known candidates to register in the minds of Democratic voters, with several polling at 1 percent or less nationally. Late-announcing candidates such as New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and U.S. Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado are among those who have struggled to meet the initial debate criteria. Bennet was critical of the winnowing process in an interview this week with Fox News. (Reporting by James Oliphant Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Steve Orlofsky) By Nate Raymond (Reuters) - Johnson & Johnson is set to face trial on Tuesday in a multi-billion dollar lawsuit by the state of Oklahoma accusing the drugmaker of helping fuel the opioid epidemic. The case, filed by Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter, is the first of more than 2,000 lawsuits to go to trial over claims that opioid manufacturers deceptively marketed painkillers to downplay the risk of addiction. Opioids, including prescription painkillers and heroin, played a role in a record 47,600 U.S. overdose deaths in 2017, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The company denies wrongdoing and says it marketed its products appropriately. The nonjury trial will be heard by Cleveland County District Judge Thad Balkman in Norman, Oklahoma. The following is a summary of where and how the opioid litigation is playing out across the United States: * The lawsuits allege drug manufacturers like Purdue, Johnson & Johnson, Teva and Endo International Plc carried out marketing campaigns that deceptively promoted the benefits of using opioids to treat chronic, rather than short-term. Many of them also name as defendants wholesale drug distributors like AmerisourceBergen, McKesson Corp and Cardinal Health who are accused of ignoring red flags indicating the painkillers were being diverted for improper uses. The suits generally seek to recover money that states and municipalities say they have spent and will incur to address drug abuses and overdoses. * Of the more than 2,000 lawsuits nationally, the majority of cases - 1,850 brought primarily by municipalities and counties - are consolidated before a federal judge in Cleveland, Ohio. * U.S. District Judge Dan Polster, who oversees the federal litigation, has pushed for a global settlement, saying at a hearing in January 2018 that he wanted to "do something meaningful to abate this crisis." But such a settlement has not been reached, prompting the judge to begin scheduling trials. The first federal trial begins in October. Story continues * Many other lawsuits are pending in state courts, particularly ones brought by state attorneys general like Hunter. The vast majority of these suits are against Purdue, which launched OxyContin in 1996. Many also name members of the wealthy Sackler family, which owns Purdue. * Hunter's lawsuit against J&J alleges its marketing of opioids created a public nuisance that helped cause the epidemic and that the company should be required to pay for correcting, or "abating," that problem. The state has said in court filings the potential cost could reach $17.5 billion. * The drugmakers deny wrongdoing, arguing their products carried U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved labels that warned of the addictive risks of opioids. They say they did not cause the damage the epidemic has had on states and localities. * Purdue, which has been considering filing for bankruptcy amid the litigation, agreed in March along with the Sacklers to a $270 million settlement with Oklahoma. The Sacklers were not named as defendants in that case and voluntarily agreed to contribute to the settlement. * Teva on the eve of trial agreed on Sunday to pay $85 million to resolve Oklahoma's claims against the company. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Paul Simao) Paris (AFP) - The son of a Frenchwoman killed in Ireland in 1996 on Wednesday accused a British man accused of her murder of lacking courage in failing to show up for his trial in Paris. Ian Bailey is being tried in absentia after Ireland refused to extradite the 62-year-old former journalist over the killing of Sophie Toscan du Plantier, the wife of a prominent French film producer. "I can only regret that the defendant is not here today," said the son of the victim, Pierre-Louis Baudey-Vignaud, in court on the third day of the trial. "The cruel failure to come and explain the contradictions that were evoked over the last three days shows a very great lack of courage," said Baudey-Vignaud, 38. Baudey-Vignaud, who named his daughter Sophie in tribute, praised his mother, who died aged 39 when he was 15, as a "women full of love". - 'I believed my son' - Several witnesses who gave evidence at his trial in Paris on Tuesday said Bailey indicated he had committed the crime afterwards. The first witness, Amanda Reed, told the court that Bailey had confessed to her son a few months after Sophie Toscan du Plantier was beaten to death at her holiday home in County Cork in southwest Ireland. Reed's son, who was 14 at the time, gave a statement to the Irish police afterwards, but declined an invitation to testify at the French trial because he remains traumatised by the case. "He was terrified. I believed my son and I have never questioned what he said," Reed, 60, told the court, according to a French translation of her remarks in the witness box. Bailey, who was twice arrested by Irish police but never charged, denies killing Toscan du Plantier, the wife of Daniel Toscan du Plantier, the former director-general of the Gaumont Film Company and who died in 2003. He was found with scratches afterwards which he attributed to a Christmas tree and cutting up a turkey for dinner. A lawyer for Bailey, who now sells pizzas in the Irish village of Schull where the murder occurred, has called the French trial a "judicial error". Story continues - Odd conversation - A second witness, Bill Fuller, a cook and former friend of Bailey, told the court on Tuesday that the suspect had confessed to him in an odd conversation during which he referred to himself in the second person. "It's you who killed her," Fuller remembered Bailey saying, adding that Bailey had been sexually attracted to Toscan du Plantier and often talked about himself in the second person. "You went to her house at 2am to try your luck. You scared her and to calm her down you hit her, but it went too far," Fuller quoted Bailey as saying, according to remarks relayed by the French court translator. A third witness, an editor at The Sunday Tribune newspaper in Ireland who had employed Bailey to write about the murder, sent a statement to the court. She said that Bailey had told her he had killed Toscan du Plantier to resurrect his journalism career. French authorities automatically open an investigation when any French citizen is killed abroad and the decision to prosecute Bailey was taken following a complaint by the family of the victim in 1997. A verdict is expected on Friday. On the basis that Irish justice has found no case against Bailey his lawyers spoke of "a judicial error" in France, adding that their client had "already been condemned" there. Chinese telecom giant Huawei stepped up its legal battle on Wednesday to overturn US legislation barring American federal agencies from buying its products amid an escalating high-tech dispute. Huawei filed suit against the US bill in March, calling it "unconstitutional" and saying the US Congress had failed to provide evidence to support its restrictions on Huawei products. The company filed a motion for summary judgment on Wednesday (Tuesday in the United States), seeking a quick determination by US courts on whether the case has merit to proceed. "The US government has provided no evidence to show that Huawei is a security threat. There is no gun, no smoke. Only speculation," Huawei's chief legal officer Song Liuping told reporters. Speaking at Huawei headquarters in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, Song added that US politicians "want to put us out of business". The firm also faces a broader US executive order preventing the use of its equipment in the United States as well as the more damaging inclusion this month on an "entity list" that cuts it off from critical American-made components for its products, though a 90-day reprieve was issued. Huawei, the world's biggest supplier of telecommunications networking equipment and number-two smartphone manufacturer, has emerged as a central bone of contention in the worsening China-US trade rivalry. Washington fears Huawei systems could be manipulated by Beijing to spy on other countries and disrupt critical communications, and is urging nations to shun the company in 5G networks. Chinese state media on Wednesday suggested that Beijing could fight back in the trade war by cutting exports of rare earths to the United States, depriving US companies of a key material to make everything from smartphones to televisions and cameras. - 'Singling out Huawei' - Huawei's case against the US was filed in a US District Court in Plano, Texas, challenging what it called an "unconstitutional" National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) preventing government agencies from buying its equipment, services, or working with third parties that are Huawei customers. Story continues The firm has argued that the bill violates US law by "singling out Huawei for punishment". Song said the US campaign against the company violates market norms and will bring harm to US consumers as well as 3.1 billion customers around the world that Song said rely on Huawei products and services. But he brushed away warnings by industry observers that the ban on buying US-made components puts the company's survival at risk. Song said Huawei has prepared for years for unforeseen "extremities" in the market. Company founder Ren Zhengfei has said recently those preparations have included stockpiling semiconductors to see it through potential disruptions to its supplies of US and other foreign components. "We have the capability to continue to provide our major products to customers including sales and services," Song said. "Our major products will not be affected these actions." A similar previous action against Chinese telecom company ZTE nearly put it out of business, before it accepted a massive fine to resolve the situation. Asked whether Huawei, like ZTE, would be willing to accept a US fine to be removed from the entity list, Song did not rule it out. He said Huawei would explore various options open to it under the framework of the US action, including "legal reviews and appeals". "As for (whether Huawei would accept) a fine, ultimately that has to be based on facts or evidence. We cannot equate ourselves to any other company," he said. Huawei said a hearing on its move for summary judgement has been set for September 19. The firm's proactive battles in US courts signal it is willing to use all means, including national courts, to prevent exclusion from a race to the 5G market -- the future of high-speed telecommunications. (Reuters) - Chinese telecom company Huawei held on to its spot as the world's second biggest smartphone vendor in the first quarter, before being blacklisted by the United States, research and advisory firm Gartner said. Gartner also said Huawei continued to reduce the gap with Samsung, but warned that growth could be limited in the near term. The United States on May 15 blocked Huawei from buying U.S. goods saying the company was involved in activities contrary to national security. The Trump administration softened its stance last week by granting Huawei a license to buy U.S. goods until Aug. 19. Gartner said Samsung retained its top spot in worldwide smartphone sales, achieving a 19.2% market share in the first quarter of 2019. Huawei achieved the highest year-over-year growth among the world's top five - Samsung, Huawei, Apple and Chinese smartphone makers OPPO and Vivo. Huawei sold 58.4 million smartphone units in the quarter, with growth across all regions, the report showed. Total global sales of smartphones to end users fell 2.7% in the quarter, with 373 million units sold Huawei did particularly well in two of its biggest markets, Europe and Greater China, where its smartphone sales grew by 69% and 33%, respectively. Huawei has a 29.5% market share of Greater China's smartphone market. But the impact of the U.S. action against Huawei is likely to spook buyers. PriceSpy, a product comparison site that attracts an average of 14 million visitors per month, said last week that Huawei handsets were drawing fewer clicks from online shoppers. "Unavailability of Google apps and services on Huawei smartphones, if implemented, will upset Huawei's international smartphone business which is almost half of its worldwide phone business," Anshul Gupta, senior research director at Gartner, said. "Not the least it brings apprehension among buyers, limiting Huawei's growth in the near term," he added. Companies that have either shunned Huawei completely or restricted buying from the company include Google, Softbank's ARM, Analog Devices, U.S. chipmakers Intel Corp, Qualcomm Inc, Xilinx Inc, Broadcom Inc, Japanese electronics maker Panasonic Corp and BT Group's EE. (This story corrects headline and lead to make clear ban came in to force after the first quarter) (Reporting by Noor Zainab Hussain in Bengaluru. Editing by Jane Merriman/David Evans) By Sijia Jiang HONG KONG (Reuters) - Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei is reviewing its relationship with FedEx Corp after it claimed the U.S. package delivery company, without detailed explanation, diverted two parcels destined for Huawei addresses in Asia to the United States and attempted to reroute two others. Huawei told Reuters on Friday that FedEx diverted two packages sent from Japan and addressed to Huawei in China to the United States, and attempted to divert two more packages sent from Vietnam to Huawei offices elsewhere in Asia, all without authorization, providing images of FedEx tracking records. Reuters could not verify the authenticity of the records. Shown the images of the tracking records, FedEx declined to make any comment, saying company policy prevented it from disclosing customer information. Huawei said the four packages only contained documents and "no technology," which Reuters was unable to independently confirm. Huawei declined to elaborate on why it thought the packages were diverted. "The recent experiences where important commercial documents sent via FedEx were not delivered to their destination, and instead were either diverted to, or were requested to be diverted to, FedEx in the United States, undermines our confidence," Joe Kelly, a spokesman for Huawei, told Reuters. "We will now have to review our logistics and document delivery support requirements as a direct result of these incidents," the spokesman said. Huawei acknowledged to Reuters that one package originating in Vietnam was received by Friday, and the other was on its way, according to FedEx tracking records provided by Huawei. FedEx spokeswoman Maury Donahue told Reuters the packages were "misrouted in error". She acknowledged in an earlier statement that the U.S. Department of Commerce had recently added Chinese companies and affiliates to its "Entity List", but did not elaborate. FedEx was not requested to divert the packages by any other party, she added. "This is an isolated issue limited to a very small number of packages," said FedEx, referring to the four parcels affected. "We are aware of all shipments at issue and are working directly with our customers to return the packages to their possession." FedEx China on Tuesday apologized on its Chinese social media account for the "mishandling" of Huawei packages and confirmed there was no "external pressure" to divert packages. The U.S. Department of Commerce did not reply to a request for comment on whether the incident might be related to its move on May 16 to add Huawei to the so-called "Entity List," preventing it buying certain items from U.S. companies without U.S. government approval. FORMAL COMPLAINT The United States believes Huawei, the world's largest telecom network gear maker leading the way in creating the next generation of wireless networks known as 5G, is a potential espionage threat because of its close ties with the Chinese government. Huawei has repeatedly denied it is controlled by the Chinese government, military or intelligence services. The issue has become a flashpoint in an escalating trade battle between the world's two biggest economies. The two packages sent on May 19 and May 20 from Tokyo, intended for Huawei in China, ended up in Memphis, Tennessee, the headquarters of the U.S. company, by May 23, according to images of FedEx tracking records shown to Reuters by Huawei. The two packages originating from Hanoi on May 17, destined for Huawei's Hong Kong and Singapore offices, were held up after arriving in local FedEx stations in Hong Kong and Singapore on May 21 for "delivery exception," according to other images Huawei showed Reuters. According to FedEx's website, the status "exception" means an unexpected event is preventing delivery of a package, for example a customs delay, a holiday, or no one being available to accept delivery. FedEx declined to give details on what the exception was in this case. According to Huawei, a FedEx customer service representative in Vietnam replied to their inquiry on May 22 when two expected packages did not arrive on time, saying: "Please be informed that FDX SG received notification from FDX US to hold and return the package to US. Hence, the shipment is not deliver to consignee and now being hold at FDX station and under process to RTS it (return to sender)," the representative wrote in broken English, according to an email Huawei showed to Reuters. Huawei told Reuters that both Vietnam packages were sent by its shipping agent, a contractor to Huawei whom it did not identify, and contained urgent documents. It said the shipping agent refused permission for FedEx to send the packages to the United States and instructed they be returned, Huawei told Reuters. Reuters could not confirm that. Huawei told Reuters it only learned that the Japan-originated packages, which were sent by suppliers that it did not identify, had been diverted to the United States after checking FedEx's tracking record. The company said it has lodged a formal complaint with China's postal regulator, which it said is investigating the incident. China's State Postal Bureau did not return a request for comment. (Reporting by Sijia Jiang in Hong Kong; Additional reporting by Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles, James Pearson in Hanoi, Ankit Ajmera in Bengaluru and Yawen Chen in Beijing; Editing by Bill Rigby) Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told FOX Business Maria Bartiromo that Huawei Technologies' ties to the Chinese Communist Party pose the greatest threat to Americas economic and national security. Huawei is an instrument of the Chinese government. Theyre deeply connected. Its something that hard for Americans to understand, Pompeo said during an exclusive interview on Mornings with Maria Wednesday. Chinese companies operate under a set of different rules where business practices could be influenced by politics unlike in the United States, according to Pompeo. Our companies cooperate with the United States government, that is they comply with our laws. But no president directs an American private company; thats very different in China, he said. They just simply operate under a different set of rules. Thats the most fundamental thing I think people need to try and get their head around. Pompeo points out Huawei isnt bound by any laws from sharing American intellectual property with the Beijing government. If its the case, that the Chinese Communist Party wanted to get information from technology that was in the possession of Huawei, it is almost certainly the case that Huawei would provide that to them, he said. That deep connectivity exists inside the way their political economy operates. Thats very different in the United States. Thats the threat that President Trump sees from Huawei. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX BUSINESS APP Related Articles JERUSALEM (AP) Israel's parliament voted to dissolve itself early Thursday, sending the country to an unprecedented second snap election this year as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a governing coalition before a midnight deadline. The dramatic vote, less than two months after parliamentary elections, marked a setback for Netanyahu and sent the longtime leader's future into turmoil. Netanyahu, who has led Israel for the past decade, had appeared to capture a fourth consecutive term in the April 9 election. But infighting among his allies, and disagreements over proposed bills to protect Netanyahu from prosecution stymied his efforts to put together a majority coalition. Rather than concede that task to one of his rivals, Netanyahu's Likud party advanced a bill to dissolve parliament and send the country to the polls for a second time this year. "I didn't spare any effort to avoid unnecessary elections," Netanyahu said after the vote, lashing out at an ally-turned-rival, Avigdor Lieberman, who refused the prime minister's offers to join the government. He said the country was being forced to hold "unnecessary, wasteful elections because the people had their say. They didn't have their say enough for what Mr. Lieberman wants." Had the deadline passed without the vote, Israel's president would have given another lawmaker, most likely opposition leader Benny Gantz, an opportunity to put together a coalition. After the vote, Gantz angrily accused Netanyahu of choosing self-preservation over allowing the country's political process to run its course. Gantz said that Netanyahu opted for "three crazy months" of a new campaign and millions of wasted dollars over new elections because he is "legally incapacitated" by looming indictments. "There is no other reason," Gantz said. The country now plunges into a new election campaign that will last at least three months under Israeli law. With much of the country on vacation in late August, a tentative date of Sept. 17 was set. Story continues The campaign looks to complicate Netanyahu's precarious legal standing. Israel's attorney general has recommended pressing criminal charges against him in three separate corruption cases, pending a hearing scheduled for October. Even if Netanyahu wins the election, it is unlikely he will be able to form a government and lock down the required political support for an immunity deal before an expected indictment. That would force him to stand trial and put heavy pressure on him to step aside. The political uncertainty could also spell trouble for the White House's Mideast peace efforts. The U.S. has scheduled a conference next month in Bahrain to unveil what it says is the first phase of its peace plan, an initiative aimed at drawing investment into the Palestinian territories. With the Palestinians, who accuse the U.S. of being unfairly biased toward Israel, opposed to the plan, and Netanyahu preoccupied with re-election, it remains unclear how the Americans will be able to proceed. President Donald Trump's top Mideast adviser, son-in-law Jared Kushner, was in Israel and scheduled to meet with Netanyahu on Thursday. That Netanyahu struggled to secure a majority coalition in the 120-seat parliament was a shocking turn of events for the country's dominating political figure. In the April 9 vote, Likud and its hardline nationalist and religious parties captured a majority of 65 seats. The immediate cause of the crisis was his dispute with Lieberman, a former aide who leads the small Yisrael Beitenu faction. The men had clashed over Lieberman's demand to subject ultra-Orthodox religious males to the military draft, which is compulsory for most Jewish males. Without Lieberman's five Knesset seats, Netanyahu had no parliamentary majority. But the deeper issue is connected to Netanyahu's legal troubles. Facing a likely indictment, he had pushed his coalition partners to pass legislation that would grant him immunity and curb the powers of the country's Supreme Court. Opposition parties strongly oppose granting Netanyahu immunity, robbing him of any alternatives to Lieberman as he tried to form a coalition. For the past two decades, Lieberman has alternated between being a close ally and a thorn in the side of his former boss. He has held a number of senior Cabinet posts, including defense minister and foreign minister. Lieberman's base of support is fellow immigrants from the former Soviet Union, and he takes a hard line toward the Palestinians but also is staunchly secular. He has demanded that the parliament pass pending legislation that requires young ultra-Orthodox men to be drafted into the military. Years of wide exemptions for religious men have generated resentment among the rest of Jewish Israelis, who are required to serve. "I am not against the ultra-Orthodox community. I am for the state of Israel. I am for a Jewish state but against a Halachic state," Lieberman wrote on Facebook early Wednesday, using a term that refers to a Jewish state governed by Jewish law. The ultra-Orthodox parties consider conscription a taboo, fearing that military service will lead to immersion in secularism, and insist the exemptions should stay in place. Netanyahu, dependent on the parties' political support, says they have compromised enough and refuses to press them further. Netanyahu maintained contacts with Lieberman and other parties in hopes of forging a deal as a parliamentary debate took place. Many of the Likud speakers lashed out at Lieberman, accusing him of forcing an unnecessary election. But as a parliamentary debate stretched toward midnight, it became clear there would be no compromise. A bitter Netanyahu claimed after the vote that Lieberman "had no intention" to compromise and made unrealistic demands. "He is dragging the entire country for another half a year of elections," he said. Rabat (AFP) - US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner met Morocco's King Mohammed VI on Tuesday in Rabat as part of a fresh push on a long-promised but yet-to-be-delivered peace plan for the region. The trip -- which will also include stops in Amman and Jerusalem -- comes amid a flurry of other administration moves to shore up alliances with Arab allies against Iran and the deployment of warships and bombers to the region. Kushner is accompanied by Jason Greenblatt, Trump's special representative for international negotiations, and Brian Hook, the special US representative for Iran. The meeting in Rabat focused on developments in the Middle East and North Africa as well as strengthening the partnership between Morocco and the US, a palace spokesman told AFP. Greenblatt tweeted that he and Kushner shared an iftar dinner -- the traditional meal to break the daily fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan -- with Morocco's king, Crown Prince Moulay Hassan and Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita. "Thank you to His Majesty for a special evening and for sharing your wisdom," Greenblatt wrote. "Morocco is an important friend & ally of the United States." The Trump administration is expected to unveil the peace plan -- after numerous failures by its predecessors -- possibly as early as next month, but the Palestinians have already rejected it as heavily biased in favor of Israel. Washington has yet to commit to an exact timetable with respect to the political aspects of the plan. Kushner is the chief architect of the proposals and Greenblatt, a longtime Trump lawyer, has served as his right-hand man on the Middle East initiative. Upon his arrival in the White House more than two years ago, Trump proclaimed his ambition to secure a final accord ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But the odds of his succeeding where every previous US president -- Republicans as well as Democrats -- have failed appear particularly low. Story continues Palestinians have boycotted the process since Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in December 2017. - Bahrain conference - The US is expected to roll out the economic aspects of the peace plan at a conference in Bahrain on June 25-26. Co-hosts US and Bahrain have billed it as "a pivotal opportunity... to share ideas, discuss strategies and galvanize support for potential economic investments and initiatives that could be made possible by a peace agreement." But Palestinian political leaders say they will boycott it and Palestinian business leaders said they won't go either, raising further questions about the plan's viability. "Any economic project without a political solution is selling an illusion," said Arafat Asfour, chairman of the Palestine Trade Center. Among those declining an invitation was Bashar al-Masri, a high-profile Palestinian businessman who worked with international partners and in cooperation with the Israelis to invest $1.4 billion in the new Palestinian town of Rawabi. Kushner, who will join up with Trump in London after his Middle East trip, has been evasive about the US plan, which has been shrouded in secrecy. While promising new ideas to revive a moribund peace process, he has refused to talk about a two-state solution, the formula that has long been at the heart of international efforts to achieve peace and also the official US position. Instead, he has looked to an alliance with the Saudis against Iran as a way to gain Arab support for his plan. Three days before Kushner's trip, Trump authorized $8.1 billion in arms sales to Saudi Arabia and other Arab allies, bypassing Congress. Arms sales to the kingdom were frozen after the assassination of Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi in October and in response to mounting concerns over the human toll of a Saudi-led armed campaign in Yemen. But the administration defended the sales as necessary "to deter Iranian aggression and build partner self-defense capacity." Associated Press Just before Thomas Randele died, his wife of nearly 40 years asked his golfing buddies and his co-workers from the dealerships where he sold cars to come by their home. For the past 50 years, he was a fugitive wanted in one of the largest bank robberies in Clevelands history, living in Boston under a new name he created six months after the heist in the summer of 1969. How he was able to leave behind one family and create a new life while evading a father and son from the U.S. Marshals Service who never gave up their hunt is just now being pieced together. Washington (AFP) - Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday waded into the growing debate in the United States about the hot-button issue of abortion, urging the Supreme Court to bar "selective" abortions based on sex, race or potential disability of the fetus. The comments by Pence, a devout Christian who signed anti-abortion bills while serving as governor of Indiana, coincide with moves by Republican-led legislatures in several states to restrict access to the procedure. Opponents of abortion are seeking to eventually challenge the 1973 US Supreme Court ruling in the case of Roe vs Wade, which made abortion legal nationwide. In the latest moves, the only abortion clinic in Missouri may be forced to close and the legislature in Louisiana inched closer to passing a bill that would ban abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. Early on Tuesday, the Supreme Court upheld part of an Indiana law signed during Pence's tenure as governor that requires the remains of aborted fetuses to be cremated or buried, but sidestepped a separate case on the "selective" abortions clause. A lower court had struck that segment of the law down, and the Supreme Court said it would not weigh in until other appellate courts do so. Pence's office welcomed the ruling on the disposal of remains of aborted fetuses and said it remained "hopeful that at a later date the Supreme Court will review one of numerous state laws across the US that bar abortion based on sex, race, or disability." "Countries across the globe prohibit selective abortion -- and the United States should do the same," said the statement from Pence's press secretary Alyssa Farah. The two Indiana cases were being closely watched as an indicator of how the top court -- which now has a conservative majority -- may eventually decide on the divisive issue, should it choose to accept a case. The southern state of Alabama passed a bill this month that amounts to a near-total ban on ending a pregnancy, even in cases of rape and incest. Story continues Performing an abortion would be a crime that could land doctors in prison for 10 to 99 years. Abortions would only be legal if the life of the mother is in danger or the fetus has a fatal condition. - 'Public health crisis' - Since taking office, President Donald Trump has appointed two conservative justices -- Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh -- and liberal members of the court are now outnumbered five to four. Conservative-leaning Chief Justice John Roberts is seen as the potential swing vote if the constitutionality of abortion eventually comes before the court. In Missouri, Planned Parenthood warned Tuesday that the only abortion clinic in the midwestern state risks being shut down on Friday if the state health department does not renew its license. "This is a real public health crisis," said Leana Wen, the president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, which provides abortions and reproductive health care. "Missouri would be the first state in the country to go dark -- without a health center that provides safe, legal abortion care," said Wen, who herself is a doctor. "More than a million women of reproductive age in Missouri will no longer have access to a health center in the state they live in that provides abortion care." In Louisiana, legislation is moving forward that would ban abortion once a fetal heartbeat has been detected, which can be as early as six weeks. Several other states have passed similar laws including Georgia. The state's Democratic governor has indicated that he may sign it if it reaches his desk. In another development, Netflix said it would reconsider its investment in Georgia should a controversial abortion law in the southern state, known as the Hollywood of the South, go into effect. "We have many women working on productions in Georgia, whose rights, along with millions of others, will be severely restricted by this law," Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos said in a statement to Variety. "Given the legislation has not yet been implemented, we'll continue to film there -- while also supporting partners and artists who choose not to," Sarandos said. "Should it ever come into effect, we'd rethink our entire investment in Georgia." Following adoption of the law in Georgia, where a number of blockbusters, including "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Black Panther," as well as TV series are shot, there have been mounting calls for Hollywood to snub the state. Such a move would lead to major economic losses for Georgia, which last year reported some 92,000 jobs and an economic impact of more than $9 billion from film and TV production. (Repeating without changes for wider distribution) By Jeff Mason and Malcolm Foster TOKYO, May 27 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday a deal with Iran on its nuclear program was possible, crediting economic sanctions for curbing activities Washington has said are behind a spate of attacks in the Middle East. "I really believe that Iran would like to make a deal, and I think that's very smart of them, and I think that's a possibility to happen," Trump said during a news conference with Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo. "It has a chance to be a great country with the same leadership," Trump said. "We aren't looking for regime change - I just want to make that clear. We are looking for no nuclear weapons." In Tehran, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Iran was not seeking nuclear weapons, which its supreme leader had banned in an edict, adding on Twitter that U.S. policies were hurting the Iranian people and causing regional tensions. "Actionsnot wordswill show whether or not that's @realDonaldTrump's intent," Zarif said. President Hassan Rouhani said in October the United States was seeking "regime change" in Iran, adding that the current U.S. administration was the most hostile that the Islamic Republic had faced in its four decades. Tensions have risen between Iran and the United States after this month's attack on oil tankers in the Gulf region. Washington, a firm backer of Tehran's regional rival Saudi Arabia, has blamed the attacks on Iran, which denies the accusations. The United States has deployed a carrier strike group and bombers to the and announced plans to deploy 1,500 troops to the Middle East, prompting fears of a conflict. Trump's national security adviser John Bolton said on Saturday that the United States had "deep and serious" intelligence on threats posed by Iran, without providing details. Story continues Trump, on a four-day visit to Japan, welcomed Abe's help in dealing with Iran after broadcaster NHK said Japan's leader is considering a trip to Tehran as early as mid-June. Iran said a visit was unlikely in the near future. "I know for a fact that the prime minister is very close with the leadership of Iran, and we'll see what happens," Trump said. At his joint news conference with Trump, Abe said Japan would do what it can on the Iran issue. Trump last year withdrew the United States from a 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran, and is ratcheting up sanctions seeking to end Iran's international sales of crude oil and strangle its economy. Japan was a major buyer of Iranian oil for decades before U.S. sanctions which Trump said were taking effect. "They were fighting in many locations," he said of Iran. "Now they are pulling back because they have serious economic problems." Bolton, who has spearheaded an increasingly hawkish U.S. policy on Iran, described recent bomb attacks on tankers off the United Arab Emirates and a pipeline pumping station in Saudi Arabia, as well as a rocket attack in Baghdad's Green Zone, as "manifestations of concern" about Iran. Iran has distanced itself from the bombings and on Sunday, Zarif said his country will defend itself against any military or economic aggression. (Additional reporting by Tim Kelly, and Dubai newsroom; Writing by Tim Kelly and Malcolm Foster; editing by Darren Schuettler and Howard Goller) The case involves a cross-border shooting of a Mexican teenager by an American border patrol agent. The question before the justices is whether federal law enforcement officers can be sued for civil rights violations in cases where there is no other legal remedy. The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it will hear a dispute involving the cross-border killing of a Mexican teenager by an American border patrol agent. The question before the justices is whether federal law enforcement officers can be sued for civil rights violations in cases where there is no other legal remedy. Arguments are likely to be scheduled for the court's term beginning in October, and could fuel debates over border security and President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown during the heated months preceding the next presidential election. A decision in the case is expected by June of 2020. The case concerns the 2010 killing of Sergio Hernandez, a 15-year-old Mexican teenager, by Jesus Mesa, then a border patrol agent. Hernandez's family has said that the teenager was unarmed at the time he was killed. Mesa was in the United States and Hernandez was in Mexico at the time of the shooting. The Department of Justice investigated the incident and decided not to pursue charges in 2012 , saying that Mesa did not act inconsistently with the government's use of force guidelines. "The U.S. government regrets the loss of life in this matter," the DOJ said at the time, and noted that the shooting "occurred while smugglers attempting an illegal border crossing hurled rocks from close range." In a statement, Bob Hilliard, a partner at the law firm Hilliard Martinez Gonzales and the lead attorney representing the Hernandez family, said "the deadly practice of agents, standing in the United States and shooting innocent kids across the border must be stopped. It's never right. It's never constitutional. This is one of those times when morality and our U.S. constitution line up perfectly." Story continues The dispute raises legal questions that extend beyond the contemporary debate over the security of the southern border, according to Steve Vladeck, a law professor at the University of Texas who is one of the attorneys arguing on behalf of Hernandez's family. "Optically, the cases look like they are part and parcel of the maelstrom of current political discourse over immigration. And there is some truth to that," Vladeck said in a November interview, referring to his case and another related dispute. "But the actual legal questions are in a sense much less headline driven and much more important." Vladeck said the heart of the matter was when, if ever, federal courts should be allowed to provide damages to victims of constitutional violations by government officials. The Supreme Court heard Hernandez's case before, in 2017. The court at the time declined to decide the issue of whether Hernandez's family could sue. The court cited its decision in a separate case that term, which limited the circumstances under which a government official can be held liable for constitutional violations. More From CNBC Beirut (AFP) - Syria's regime has increased its deadly bombardment of Idlib in recent weeks, but analysts say that is unlikely to signal an all-out offensive on the jihadist bastion. Why the alarm? Eight years into Syria's civil war, the government has notched up a series of victories against rebels and jihadists, and controls around 60 percent of the country. Two regions largely remain beyond its control: a Kurdish-held swathe of the northeast and a northwestern region controlled by Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. The jihadist bastion is supposed to be protected from any massive onslaught by a buffer zone deal signed in September by regime ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey, which shares a border with Idlib. But deadly bombardment by the regime and its Russian ally has spiked in recent weeks, and pro-government fighters have seized several towns on its southern flank. The increased air strikes and rocket fire since late April have killed more than 270 civilians, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says. At least 13 were killed on Wednesday alone, the Britain-based monitor said. The spike in violence has also displaced some 270,000 people from their homes, knocked 19 hospitals out of service and damaged several more, the United Nations says. Is this a full-blown offensive? But analysts are sceptical that the regime's bombing is the start of an all-out battle for the enclave. "I strongly doubt this offensive will aim to retake the entire Idlib region," said Aron Lund, from US think tank The Century Foundation. "Retaking the whole area would be a massive undertaking that Turkey would be sure to resist, not least because it would send hundreds of thousands of refugees streaming toward the Turkish border." Under the buffer zone deal signed in September, jihadists were supposed to withdraw from the planned demilitarised zone. Turkish troops were to deploy to observation points around it, and traffic would be restored to two commercial arteries running through the province. Story continues Turkish forces have since deployed as monitors, but the jihadists never pulled back from the planned buffer and the roads were not re-opened. Yet analysts say the deal, born of the so-called Astana negotiations track between Russia, fellow regime ally Iran, and Turkey, is not dead yet. "Russia doesn't want to cut the last thread of the Astana process or its relationship with the Turks," said Nawar Oliver, an analyst from the Turkey-based Omran Centre for Strategic Studies. "There's still hope." The Observatory said Turkish troops were rotated at one of the monitoring points near Idlib as recently as Tuesday. So what does the regime want? Fellow analyst Sam Heller said the regime was instead seeking gains against HTS and allied rebels on the region's peripheries. "Rather than a total offensive, Damascus and Moscow instead seem to be aiming for a few specific areas along the edge of the larger Idlib area," the International Crisis Group analyst said. Capturing areas like the western flank of the bastion "will put more distance between rebels and government-held areas they've shelled", including the key Russian airbase of Hmeimim, he said. Damascus and Moscow have repeatedly accused "terrorist groups" -- a catch-all term for jihadists and more moderate rebels -- of using Idlib to launch attacks against Hmeimim. But the regime might also be also piling pressure on Turkey to further implement the terms of the September deal, including the opening of the two key highways, Heller said. They include a section of the M5, a road that before the war crossed the entire country, connecting the Turkish frontier in the north with the Jordanian border in the south. In recent years, the regime has retaken control of the majority of that artery, to the south of Idlib. President Bashar al-Assad's regime has repeatedly said that eventually all of Idlib will return to regime control. Syria's UN envoy Bashar Jaafari on Tuesday said Damascus "will spare no effort" to free the residents of Idlib from jihadist control. Shares of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited TEVA fell almost 12.4% on May 28 following media reports of a rating downgrade of the company by an analyst at UBS Group AG UBS. The analyst downgraded the company following the announcement of a settlement with the state of Oklahoma related to abuse of opioids. The analyst believes that Tevas litigation costs related to opioid abuse and price fixing of generic drugs can run into several billions of dollars. On May 26, Teva agreed to pay $85 million to resolve Oklahomas claim that the company was among the entities responsible for opioid epidemic in the state. The settlement comes just before the start of the trial against the company as well as J&Js JNJ subsidiary, Janssen in the opioid abuse case. While J&J fell 1.3% on Monday, Mylan MYL, another company accused in the drug fixing litigations, declined 5.7%. The decline in Mylans shares was likely due to anticipated rise in litigation cost as well. In the press release, Teva stated that the settlement with the state does not establish the allegation against the company but was rather part of the companys strategy to focus on long-term stability by removing the court trial overhang. Moreover, the company defended itself by stating that the companys approval for a generic version of naloxone spray last month will help it fight opioid epidemic. The drug is widely recognized as an essential lifesaving medication to combat opioid abuse. Tevas shares have declined 29.5% so far this year compared with the industrys decline of 7.6%. In a separate press release, the company announced that it has received approval for Ranexa extended release tablet, which is indicated for the treatment of chronic angina. Sales of the drug in the past 12 months ending February 2019 were $938 million, representing a significant market in the United States. Teva has a strong pipeline of generic drugs with several pending regulatory filings in the United States and Europe. This should help the company maintain its strong position in the global generics market. The company is focusing on expanding into emerging markets, which have higher potential as penetration remains low. The company is also undertaking several restructuring initiatives, which are expected to generate $3.0 billion in savings by the end of 2019, improving margins. Story continues However, Teva is facing multiple challenges, which can hinder its growth, including accelerating generic competition for multiple sclerosis drug, Copaxone, and new competition for branded products as well as pricing erosion in the U.S. generics business. The company also has a huge debt load. Perrigo Company plc Price Perrigo Company plc Price Perrigo Company plc price | Perrigo Company plc Quote Zacks Rank Teva currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Will you retire a millionaire? One out of every six people retires a multimillionaire. Get smart tips you can do today to become one of them in a new Special Report, 7 Things You Can Do Now to Retire a Multimillionaire. Click to get it free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) : Free Stock Analysis Report UBS Group AG (UBS) : Free Stock Analysis Report Mylan N.V. (MYL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (TEVA) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Paris (AFP) - France's domestic intelligence service on Wednesday questioned a journalist who broke the story of a scandal that shook President Emmanuel Macron, the latest in a growing number of reporters to be quizzed in a trend that has disturbed press freedom activists. Ariane Chemin, who works for the daily Le Monde, said she was questioned by the General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI) for some 45 minutes in the presence of her lawyer after being summoned last week. "I explained that I only did my job as a journalist," she told AFP after the meeting. She added that she had insisted on her right to protect her sources while carrying out work in the public interest based on a law dating to 1881. "They asked me many questions on the manner in which I checked my information, which was an indirect way of asking me about my sources," Chemin said. Le Monde's managing director Louis Dreyfus was also questioned by the DGSI on Wednesday. Chemin has written a series of articles over former presidential bodyguard Alexandre Benalla, who was fired last year after he was filmed roughing up a protester in one of the biggest scandals to shake Macron to date. It was a July 18 article by Chemin that first reported that Benalla had beaten the May Day demonstrator while wearing a police helmet. The summons stemmed in particular from articles about former air force officer Chokri Wakrim, the partner of Marie-Elodie Poitout, the ex-head of security at the prime minister's office. Poitout resigned her post after media revelations that she and Wakrim had welcomed Benalla to their home in July but insisted it had only been a social affair. The Elysee has been accused of covering up the affair by failing to report Benalla to the authorities. - 'Only doing her job' - The secret service has already summoned seven reporters who published details over how French arms sold to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were being used in Yemen's civil war, sparking an outcry by press freedom activists. Story continues The SNJ-CGT union called for a demonstration outside the headquarters of the DGSI on Wednesday "in support of those journalists summoned by the French state in violation of the law on press freedom." The association of Le Monde Reporters (SRM) said on their Twitter account that Chemin was simply "bringing to the attention of citizens information that was in the public interest and thus was only doing her job." But Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet told the French Senate on Wednesday that the summons should "in no way be seen as an attempt at intimidation or a threat". She said the summons for Chemin was issued as part of a preliminary enquiry carried out under the supervision of the Paris prosecutor following a complaint by a special forces member that his identity had been revealed by the paper. Senior journalists from 37 French media outlets, including Agence France-Presse, Le Figaro daily, France 2 TV and Mediapart, signed a statement supporting the journalists who were questioned over the Yemen controversy, saying they were "just doing their jobs". Disclose has pressed ahead with its reporting on the issue, saying on Tuesday that a shipment of munitions for French Caesar cannons would be loaded at a Mediterranean port onto a Saudi ship. Welcome to Morningstar.co.uk! You have been redirected here from Hemscott.com as we are merging our websites to provide you with a one-stop shop for all your investment research needs.To search for a security, type the name or ticker in the search box at the top of the page and select from the dropdown results.Registered Hemscott users can log in to Morningstar using the same login details. Similarly, if you are a Hemscott Premium user, you now have a Morningstar Premium account which you can access using the same login details. By Alex Dobuzinskis (Reuters) - Thousands of Arkansas and Oklahoma residents braced for more flooding on Wednesday and some evacuated their homes, as forecasts of further rain drove fears that decades-old levees girding the Arkansas River may not hold. More than a week of violent weather, including downpours and deadly tornadoes, has lashed the central United States, bringing record-breaking floods in parts of the two states, turning highways into lakes and submerging all but the roofs of some homes. "This is a flood of historic magnitude," Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson told a news conference on Wednesday, joined by state and federal emergency officials. Of the Arkansas River, he said: "It's a beautiful sight until it comes to get you." Flooding has already closed 12 state highways, the governor said, and 400 households have agreed to voluntary evacuations. Hutchinson sent a letter to President Donald Trump on Wednesday, asking for a federal emergency declaration for Arkansas. The levee system along the Arkansas River "has not seen this type of record flooding" before, Hutchinson said in his six-page letter. More heavy downpours are forecast through Wednesday night over much of Oklahoma and Arkansas, with between 1 and 3 inches (2.5 to 7.6 cm) expected, said Patrick Burke, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center. By early June, rivers are expected to crest to the highest levels on record all the way down to Little Rock, Arkansas, Burke said. In Tulsa, Oklahoma's second largest city, Mayor G.T. Bynum warned that the city's levees were being tested "in a way that they have never been before." So far, he said, the 20-mile (32 km) levee system, which protects some 10,000 people, was working as designed and being patrolled around the clock by the Oklahoma National Guard. Staff at the Harvest Church West Tulsa, which sits behind a levee a few blocks from the Arkansas River, moved furniture and sound and office equipment from the basement to the church's second floor and relocated staff out of the neighborhood. "For levees that are 70 years old, they're holding well but they're not designed to hold the pressure this long, which is what the fear is at this point," Chuck Barrineau, the church's lead pastor, said in a phone interview. At least six people have died in the latest round of flooding and storms in Oklahoma, according to the state's Department of Health. More than 300 tornadoes have touched down in the Midwest in the last two weeks. Tornadoes pulverized buildings in western Ohio on Monday, killing one person and injuring scores of others. (Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles, Rich McKay in Atlanta, and Jonathan Allen in New York; Editing by Leslie Adler and Rosalba O'Brien) By Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senior White House adviser Jared Kushner is leading a U.S. delegation to the Middle East this week seeking support for a late June workshop aimed at helping the Palestinians, a White House official said on Tuesday. Kushner, Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt, U.S. Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook, and Kushner aide Avi Berkowitz began their trip in Rabat and were to travel to Amman and Jerusalem, arriving in Israel on Thursday. Kushner also will attend the Bilderberg conference in Montreux, Switzerland, where he is expected to be a speaker, at the end of the week and then will meet U.S. President Donald Trump in London when the latter makes a state visit there next week. The trip is similar to one that Kushner and Greenblatt took in February to Gulf states to drum up support for the economic portion of a Middle East peace plan they have been developing on behalf of Trump. The official said one reason for this week's trip is to bolster support for a June 25-26 conference in Manama, Bahrain, in which Kushner is to unveil the first part of Trump's long-awaited Israeli-Palestinian peace plan. The plan, touted by Trump as the "deal of the century," is to encourage investment in the West Bank and Gaza Strip by Arab donor countries before grappling with thorny political issues at the heart of the conflict. Palestinian leaders have been sharply critical of the effort. "We didn't mandate anyone to negotiate on our behalf, and if anyone wants to trade the interests of the Palestinians for their own benefit, let them do it out of their own pockets," chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told Reuters. "We urge all Arabs who have accepted to go to Bahrain to reconsider out of respect for the Palestinians," he said. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have said they will participate, and a senior U.S. official said officials from Qatar have said privately their country was expected to attend as well. The Russian foreign ministry took a dim view of the conference in a statement on Tuesday, saying the United States was attempting to "impose an alternative vision of the Palestinian-Israeli settlement. "The Palestinian leadership has already categorically refused to take part, saying that the PLO will not surrender to anyone its exclusive rights to make crucial decisions regarding the realization of Palestinians national aspirations," it said. Participants in the conference in Manama are expected to include 300 to 400 representatives and business executives from Europe, the Middle East and Asia, and possibly some Palestinian business leaders. A source familiar with the planning said it appeared Egypt, Jordan and Oman, as well as the G7 countries, also would send representatives to the conference. (Reporting by Steve Holland; Additional reporting by Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber in Moscow; Editing by Susan Thomas, James Dalgleish and Jon Boyle) Washington (AFP) - Talks in Norway between Venezuela's government and the US-backed opposition should focus only on President Nicolas Maduro's removal, Washington said Tuesday. "We note the talks in Norway. As we have repeatedly stated, the United States believes the only thing to negotiate with Nicolas Maduro is the conditions of his departure," State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus told reporters. "While previous efforts to negotiate have failed because the regime has used them to divide the opposition and gain time, we hope that the talks in Oslo will focus on the departure of Maduro as a precondition for progress," Ortagus said. President Donald Trump's administration has repeatedly ruled out dialogue with Maduro, a leftist firebrand who presides over a crumbling economy. But Norway succeeded in arranging talks between Maduro's government and Juan Guaido -- recognized as interim president by the United States and more than 50 other countries -- after an opposition-led uprising last month fizzled out. 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. Balloons blow in the wind at an entrance to the Zillah High School track and football field where four students were injured earlier Wednesday, May 1, 2019. The students were in a bouncy house when it was picked up and flipped by the wind. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close President Donald Trumps top Mideast advisers face skeptical audiences as they visit several locations in the region and in Europe starting Tuesday to rally support for what they have billed as a workshop on the economic foundations of peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The White House is promoting the June 25-26 meeting in the Gulf state of Bahrain as the first phase of its long-awaited Mideast peace plan, which envisions large-scale investment and infrastructure work, much of it funded by wealthy Arab countries, in the Palestinian territories. But American officials say the Bahrain conference will not include the core political issues of the conflict: borders of a Palestinian state, the status of Jerusalem, the fate of Palestinian refugees or Israeli security demands. White House adviser Jared Kushner with President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu (Photo: Reuters) A White House official said the trip, with stops in Morocco, Jordan, Israel and Europe is part of our ongoing efforts to achieve peace between Israel and the Palestinians but offered no specifics. The official was not authorized to speak publicly about the meetings and spoke on condition of anonymity. The Palestinians will not attend the Bahrain meeting, rejecting the parameters of the conference, while key American allies Egypt and Jordan have not announced their plans for participation. For now, the Americans are pinning their hopes on wealthy Gulf states, led by Saudi Arabia, hoping their regional influence and deep pockets can make the conference a success. The Saudis, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, along with host Bahrain, have accepted invitations to attend. This has fueled Palestinian jitters that they will come under heavy pressure to accept large sums of money in exchange for freezing or abandoning aspirations for an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip. The deal of the century or the deal of shame will go to hell, with Gods will, and the economic project they are working on next month will go to hell too, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said this week. Whoever wants to solve the Palestinian issue must start with the political issue, not by selling the illusions of billions (of dollars. Jared Kushner, Trumps senior adviser and son in law, announced the plans for the Bahrain conference last week, saying it would focus on economic issues and investment in the Palestinian territories. The absence of a political horizon has put American allies in the region in a bind. Heavily reliant on the U.S. for political and military support, it is difficult for countries like Jordan to say no to the invitation. But the Palestinian issue resonates deeply with the Arab public and it is difficult for leaders to embrace a plan that does not promise the Palestinians a state. In accepting the invitation to the Bahrain conference, Gulf countries have been careful to express solidarity with the Palestinians but have also signaled flexibility. These countries have forged quiet relationships in recent years with Israel, driven primarily by a shared animosity to Iran. Those concerns, and readiness to engage with Israel, appear to outweigh any sympathies they may feel with the Palestinians. Saeb Erekat, a top Palestinian official (: AFP) Dialogue with Israel is a positive thing, Anwar Gargash, the UAEs minister of state for foreign affairs, recently told journalists. I think this is something that we need to do, but at the same time the dialogue with Israel doesnt mean that we dont disagree with them politically. Palestinian officials have called on Arab countries not to attend the Bahrain workshop. Abbas is expected to step up those calls at a pair of conferences later this week in Saudi Arabia. But changing their minds may be difficult. In a recent editorial, the editor in chief of a Saudi newspaper with close ties to the palace urged the Palestinians to give the Trump plan a chance. The Palestinians should negotiate hard, and then take what they can to secure a nation state for future generations, Faisal Abbas wrote in the Arab News. There is nothing to be gained from a refusal to come to the negotiating table. In another important diplomatic breakthrough, Qatar, which has been embroiled in a bitter dispute with Saudi Arabia, has agreed to attend, a possible precursor of a broader reconciliation among Gulf rivals. Beyond the Gulf, the plan appears to face skepticism. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, President Trump and Jared Kushner (: ) Jordan is in an especially sensitive situation. A majority of the population has Palestinian roots, and the kingdom borders the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the heartland of any future Palestinian state. Any perception that Jordan is selling out the interests of the Palestinians would be deeply unpopular and possibly even destabilizing. Ahead of Kushners arrival, Jordans foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, indicated he is uncomfortable with the economy-first approach. The official Petra news agency said that in a phone call with his Irish counterpart, Safadi stressed that any economic plan to handle the consequences of the conflict cant be an alternative to a comprehensive political plan that aims at fulfilling the two-state solution. Safadi stressed that all efforts for solving the conflict need to begin from the fact that ending occupation is the path for peace, the agency said. Egypt, a key U.S. and Israeli ally that borders Gaza, also has not said whether it will attend. An Egyptian official said businessmen who do business with Israelis might take part in the conference as individuals. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter with the media. President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has repeatedly called for the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. Kushners visit to the region started Tuesday in Morocco, a moderate Arab state that has low-level ties with Israel. From there he was to head to Jordan, then Israel and on to Europe. Jordan's King Abdullah II (: AP) The European Union has not said whether it will attend the conference, while Russia, another key player in the region, late Tuesday called the meeting an attempt by Washington to enforce its views on the Middle East. A statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry criticized what it called the United States stubborn desire to replace the task of achieving a comprehensive political settlement with a package of economic bonuses that dilutes the principle of two states for two peoples. After more than two years of work, Kushners team still has not unveiled its political vision. But his few public statements have indicated they will focus heavily on so-called economic peace while sidelining or ignoring the longstanding Palestinian goal of independence. The two-state solution continues to enjoy the broad support of the international community. Abbas and his autonomy government in the West Bank cut off ties with the White House after Trump recognized contested Jerusalem as Israels capital in December 2017. Though Trump said his declaration did not determine the citys final borders, the Palestinians saw the move as unfairly favoring Israel. U.S. cuts in aid, and the closure of the Palestinian diplomatic office in Washington, further deepened their suspicions. Saeb Erekat, a top Palestinian official, noted this week that the Palestinians were not even consulted about the Bahrain conference. Let us be clear, he wrote in the New York Times. There will be no economic prosperity in Palestine without the end of the occupation. An open-government watchdog group and several news outlets sued Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and members of the Cabinet on Tuesday in an effort to stop them from holding a Cabinet meeting while on a trade mission in Israel. The prime minister has been a vocal critic of Iran over the years, accusing the Islamic Republic of sinister intentions at every opportunity. But the outspoken Benjamin Netanyahu has remained uncharacteristically quiet throughout the current crisis between the U.S. and Iran. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter While Israel has welcomed Washington's pressure on Tehran, the crisis has nonetheless put Netanyahu in a delicate position, not wanting to be seen as pushing the Americans into a military confrontation and wary of being drawn into fighting with Iran's powerful proxy, the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Netanyahu gives presentation on Iran's nuclear activity (Photo: AP) "In recent developments, Israel has taken the backseat. There's one reason for this: it's not in Israel's interest to take the lead," said Yoel Guzansky, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies, a Tel Aviv think tank, and former Iran analyst in the prime minister's office. It's a new look for Netanyahu, who has made Iran his top priority during his decade-long tenure. Netanyahu has repeatedly accused Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons - a charge it denies - and criticized its support for anti-Israel militants, development of long-range missiles and frequent calls for Israel's destruction. He has compared the Islamic Republic to Nazi Germany, and famously gave a speech to the U.S. Congress against the U.S.-led international nuclear deal with Iran in 2015. The speech infuriated then-President Barack Obama, and remains a sore spot with U.S. Democrats. Since President Donald Trump was elected, things have shifted in Netanyahu's favor. The Israeli leader strongly encouraged Trump's decision last year to withdraw from the nuclear deal. He also has welcomed the renewal and tightening of U.S. sanctions on Iran. The U.S. pullout from the nuclear deal, which gave Iran relief from painful economic sanctions in exchange for limits on its nuclear activities, lies at the root of the current crisis. Echoing Israel's arguments, Trump has said the deal failed to sufficiently curb Iran's ability to develop a nuclear-weapons capability and did not address Tehran's support for militant groups and its missile program. The renewed sanctions, meanwhile, have sent Iran's economy into freefall. In recent weeks, tensions have soared as the U.S. beefed up its military presence in the Gulf in response to a still-unexplained threat from Iran. The aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln in the Persian Gulf (Photo: AP) The U.S. also has accused Iran of being behind a string of incidents, including alleged sabotage of oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and a rocket that landed near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, while Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi rebels have launched a string of drone attacks targeting Saudi Arabia. Iran in turn has announced it is quadrupling its production capacity of low-enriched uranium, making it likely the country will soon exceed stockpile limits set by the nuclear accord. Iran also gave Europe a July 7 deadline to set new terms for a nuclear deal or it will enrich uranium at higher levels, closer to weapons grade. If Iran begins ramping up uranium enrichment, all eyes will turn to Israel, which in the past has issued veiled threats to strike and carried out similar assaults on Syrian and Iraqi nuclear facilities. Earlier in this decade, Israeli officials strongly considered attacking Iranian nuclear installations, though doing so would be a difficult task. Iran, about 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) from Israel, has a sophisticated air defense system and has spread out its nuclear facilities, building some underground or in the side of a mountain. All of this has made Netanyahu's low profile especially noticeable. In a recent speech, he repeated his longstanding position that Israel will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. Otherwise, he and other officials have said little, trying to portray the standoff as a U.S.-Iran dispute. Cabinet minister Tzachi Hanegbi, who is close to Netanyahu, said earlier this month that he sees two potential outcomes of the crisis, both of which he described as good for Israel. The Iranians, he said, will meet U.S. demands, return to negotiations and reach a new and improved agreement, or there will be a conflict. "I don't really believe that the Iranians or the Americans are currently seeking a conflict," Hangebi told the Army Radio station. If there is one, Iran stands no chance against a super power like America, he said. Guzansky, the Tel Aviv researcher, said Israel has to be careful about being seen as encouraging the U.S. to attack Iran. In 2002, a year before the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Netanyahu, as a private citizen, testified to Congress that toppling Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein would be a "good choice" that would benefit the region. "Israel cannot risk being seen as the one who led the U.S. and Iran to a confrontation, in the case of a loss of American lives. The price in U.S. public opinion and in world leaders' opinions would be too high," Guzansky said. Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump (: ") He said the fact that Israel has become a "very partisan" issue - with support much stronger among Republicans than Democrats - added to the risk. For now, Israeli officials believe the risk of a direct confrontation with Iran remains unlikely. Instead, they believe the biggest immediate threat is the possibility of Iran unleashing its regional proxies along Israel's borders - Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria and Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip - as retaliation for a U.S. attack. Even that scenario seems distant. Israeli officials say the situation on the ground has not changed fundamentally. Israel has closely monitored Hezbollah and its other enemies for years, and occasionally acts against them. Israel has acknowledged carrying out hundreds of airstrikes against Iranian and Hezbollah positions in Syria in recent years. On Monday, for instance, the Israeli military said it struck an anti-aircraft position in Syria after it fired at an Israeli warplane. "We monitor," said an Israeli military official. "We're not looking to escalate." He spoke on condition of anonymity under army protocol. But it may be difficult for Israel to keep its distance if fighting breaks out between the U.S. and Iran. Yaakov Amidror, Netanyahu's former national security adviser, said the biggest threat to Israel, by far, is Hezbollah, a powerful militant group that fought Israel to a stalemate during a 2006 war. Since then, Hezbollah has gained valuable battlefield experience fighting alongside government troops in Syria's civil war and is believed to have amassed a vast arsenal of missiles aimed at Israel. "We'd have to face 130,000 rockets and missiles. It would lead to a devastating war," Amidror said. "Israel would be in the direct line of fire and the burden would fall on our shoulders directly." A semi-official Iranian news agency says a cleric was stabbed to death in the country's south and that police have identified a suspect in the attack. The report says cleric Mohammad Khorsand, a Friday prayer leader in the city of Kazeroon, was killed while on his way home from a religious ceremony. The report provided no further information and didn't say anything about a possible motive for the attack. It's the second attack on a cleric in Iran recently. In April, a cleric was shot and killed in the western city of Hamadan. Leaders, for the most part, are identified by one of two traits. They can be visionaries, initiating historic processes. Alternatively, they can be followers who charter their course based on the direction of the wind. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Menachem Begin was a visionary, initiating policy and changing the course of history. Despite opposition from his own political camp, the former prime minister signed a peace treaty with Egypt, weighing the cost and benefit of losing strategic depth in the Sinai Desert, in exchange for an end to war between the nations. Anwar Sadat, Jimmy Carter and Menachem Begin at the White House for the 1979 Israel-Egypt peace deal (: gettyimages) Where is such a leader today? Where is the brave visionary who will protect Zionism for future generations. Where is the leader that will take on what others have avoided for the past 50 years, namely Israel's eastern border? The West Bank is to this day a controlled territory. There is no question of our right to it or our duty to hold on to it to ensure our security until a political solution is found. But even if one can be found, it is so far out of sight. So what can we do in the meantime? The settlement of Ma'ale Adumim (Photo: AP) There are 15 million people between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. Half of them are not Jewish. That is why Israel's leaders have always stopped short of annexation of the West Bank. Now, political considerations that have nothing at all to do with security are endangering Zionism itself with this proposed annexation of Judea and Samaria. There is a consensus among Israelis that the major West Bank settlement blocs and East Jerusalem neighborhoods will always remain in Israeli hands. This is also becoming more recognized, albeit unofficially, by Palestinian and other Arab leaders in the region. Why then embark on a one-sided annexation that will set the West Bank ablaze, put lives at risk and end any future hopes for a viable political solution? Annexation, pushed by political parties vying for a role in government, will bring about the nightmare most feared by security officials. Jewish settlements will surround 170 separate pockets made up of 2.6 million Palestinians. Is the Zionist dream to be replaced by the Arab one of a single state with a Jewish minority? Have the last election results, as the settlers claim, given the government a mandate for that? A responsible government must strengthen Israel's control inside the settlement blocs but must also ensure that a secure Jewish democracy can survive by separating from millions of Palestinians. So long as there is no Palestinian partner for a peace agreement, and the possible emergence of one is still far off, it is up to us to define our eastern border, incorporating the settlements and neighborhoods we intend to hold, and concentrate our recourses on them and freezing development of any settlements east of that boundary. A West Bank settlement outside the major blocs (Photo: Reuters) (Photo: Reuters) We should employ our border patrol units along that line, although our military and security forces should still operate beyond it to secure our safety until the time a political agreement is viable. This government must consider the repercussions from annexation and be clear about its strategy to maintain a Jewish majority in Israel - and Zionism itself. All policies should then be presented to the public to be decided by referendum or elections. Ending the Zionist vision should not be done or decided upon as part of coalition talks. Likud minister Ze'ev Elkin accuses the Yisrael Beytenu leader of intransigence in the political crisis, telling Ynet that Liberman has shown no signs of compromise. "Liberman comes with an attitude of 'give me 100 percent (of what I ask) or there will be elections.' Any reasonable person realizes that this will lead to elections," he says. Elkin adds: "So far, Liberman is blocking the establishment of a right-wing government and is in fact obstructing it. He is giving no indication that he is looking for a solution" to the crisis. AMMAN, Jordan -- Presidential adviser Jared Kushner is in Jordan as he tries to rally Arab support for a U.S. peace conference next month in Bahrain. Jordan, a key U.S. ally, has not yet said whether it will attend. Kushner, who arrived from Morocco, has said the conference will focus on the economic foundations of peace between Israel and the Palestinians. The conference will not include core political issues, such as Palestinian statehood. The Palestinians have rejected the conference. The White House confirmed Kushner was in Amman on Wednesday, but gave no details. Reliant on American political and military support, it will be difficult for Jordan reject the invitation. But with most of its people of Palestinian descent, it will be difficult to embrace a plan that does not include a Palestinian state. ISTANBUL -- A senior Turkish official says President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and U.S. President Donald Trump have agreed to meet on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Japan being held June 28-29. In a tweet Wednesday, Erdogan's Communications Director Fahrettin Altun also said the president reiterated Turkey's offer for a joint group to overcome an impasse with the U.S. on Turkey's pledge to buy Russian-made S-400 missiles. U.S. officials say the S-400s would pose a risk to Turkey's F-35 fighter jet program and warned Ankara it risked being kicked out of the F-35 program and could face U.S. sanctions. WASHINGTON -- Special counsel Robert Mueller said Wednesday he believed he was constitutionally barred from charging President Donald Trump with a crime but pointedly emphasized that his Russia report did not exonerate the president. "If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so," Mueller said. "We did not however make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime." He cautioned lawmakers who have been negotiating for his public testimony that he would not go beyond his report in the event he appears before Congress. But he also signaled that Congress was the proper venue, not the criminal justice system, for deciding whether action should be taken against the president in connection with allegations that Trump and aides obstructed the investigation of Russian interference to help the Republican in the 2016 election campaign. The Future Lab corps, a new unit in the IDF's Information Technology division, has developed an advanced virtual training environment that will revolutionize the world of simulators used by the ground forces. The simulator, which is currently in advanced stages of development and will be tested in combat units in the coming weeks, looks just like a computer game, but has special layers added to it to provide an unprecedented training experience. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Presently, simulators for combat units are essentially rooms with a large screen upon which the battle environment is projected and soldiers use guns with a laser attachment to shoot at targets on the screen. Simulated urban combat With the new simulators, soldiers wear virtual reality glasses with high resolution screens and use earphones with 3D sound. The need for the new simulators stems from the fact that an entire generation of soldiers and officers have little familiarity with actual heavy combat, since it has been some time since Israel has been involved in a conventional ground war. Future Labs corps During Operation Protective Edge (2014), the ground fighting was limited to only a few kilometers inside Gaza, and since 2006, 13 years ago, IDF forces have not entered Lebanon. Future Lab corps has developed advanced animation that realistically replicate a typical Lebanese street or the alleyways of the old city of Nablus places IDF troops are likely to find themselves in. The system also includes sounds characteristic to the location on screen. Simulated combat scene The system also includes smart lighting that changes according to where the soldier is standing for a more realistic effect. While using the simulator, "players" wield rifles similar to those issued by the IDF and can maintain contact with the Air Force. It can also simulate Hamas and Hezbollah tunnels as the combat environment. The IDF intends to implement the system into basic training for new recruits, before incorporating it into routine battalion size training exercises. Gamers The unit is now working together with personnel from special forces units on an electronic protection vest that combatants can wear in the battlefield. The new vest will be capable of "feeling" the environment and identify rain or grenade shrapnel in proximity to the wearer. LONDON - Iran will not negotiate with the United States, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday, after President Hassan Rouhani signalled talks with Washington might be possible if sanctions were lifted. Washington withdrew last year from an international nuclear deal signed with Tehran in 2015, and it is ratcheting up sanctions in efforts to shut down Iran's economy by ending its international sales of crude oil. Our classes are small at St. Joes. Last year, out of the four grades I taught, my biggest class was 13 and my smallest was 3. In my experience and in my colleagues experience, this provides a unique opportunity to interact with students in a more individualized way. One of the largest strengths of St. Joes, in my opinion, is the individualized education we are able to provide to each of our students, whether they need challenged or whether they need some extra TLC. I like that we get to have so many unique experiences with our students, said Ms. Teresa Kathman, the middle school science and math teacher at St. Joes. The smaller class sizes allow us to try new things many times throughout the year. We also can include some things that just may not work well with a bigger class. Another advantage that grows out of a smaller student body is our ability as staff members to know each and every student in the building. On my morning duty days, I could most always be found chatting with the younger students. It has been fun getting to know these little guys, and Im excited to see them grow and even more excited to eventually have them in one of my classes. YORK Contrary to the traditional saying, there can be such thing as a free lunch. York Public Schools Food Service is serving free or low-cost breakfasts and lunches for anyone in the community this summer. Thats right anyone. York Public Schools Food Service is serving free or low-cost breakfasts and lunches for anyone in the community this summer. Thats right anyone. The U.S. Department of Agricultures (USDA) Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) -- also known as the Summer Meals Program is again coming to York. The program reimburses qualifying nonprofit community organizations who serve free, healthy meals to children and teens in low-income communities. York Public Schools Food Service Director Betty Moyle said SFSP gives her team an opportunity to fill the need for free and reduced meals, while including others in the community. Its awesome for kids whose family cant afford it, or if parents just want a break, Moyle said. U/W Products; Digital White Paper; 40% of MLOs Close How Much Total Volume? Lenders ask themselves, Would you fund loans where people cannot buy or sell houses because they cant check, or record, liens? Probably not, and this month Baltimore joined other cities that have fallen prey to crippling ransomware attacks. Using a ransomware variant called RobbinHood, hackers crept under firewalls crippling key city systems. Our industry is always under attack. The Buffalo News reports that apartment developer Robert Morgan and others have been indicted for 114 counts of mortgage fraud took place from 2007 through earlier this year involving conspiring to defraud banks, as well as Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, by providing false financial information and other documents to inflate commercial property values, deceiving loan servicers [to] conceal the actual financial condition of the properties, and manipulating income and expense for propertiesto meet lender requirements. Lender Products and Services Stearns Wholesale is excited to announce a new feature that allows its brokers to control the condition process within SNAP 2.0. With the snap of your fingers, you can push files directly to underwriting for review and speed up the condition review process. Loans move faster so you gain valuable time back. For 30 years, Stearns has empowered their brokers with tools to help them work smarter, more efficiently and close more loans. Hear from tenured Account Executive, Frank Burruel, about Stearns' unrelenting commitment to providing the tools and service their brokers need to grow. AAG, NMLS# 9392), a leader in senior home equity solutions, is hosting a live learning and networking session focused on utilizing the data behind Americas retirement crisis to explore the opportunity that awaits. Last year, AAG moved from a monoline product company, selling only reverse mortgage loans, to a home equity solutions business offering a full suite of products and services, putting AAG in a category of one Register now for AAGs June 5th Networking Sessions! When a borrower goes into delinquency, it means theres a disruption to the lenders cash flow, right? Which is not good. And if the lender doesnt have the technology to discover it for several months, theyre probably missing out on a lot of cash. Thats really not good. TMS has a blog out right now that explains just how their people and technology help borrowers avoid, as well as get out of, the delinquency state. TMS takes a proactive approach to the whole delinquency issue so a lender can work with borrowers to make sure they get on the right track and stay on it. Which also means that the lenders cash flow is doing what it supposed be doing: flow. BCG tells us that digital mortgages are here to stay and has released a white paper on the next wave of digital transformation in mortgage. The next generation of homebuyers wants a digital-first experience from end-to-end. The paper takes a close look at how digital solutions are poised to help lenders fight their way through tough times ahead. View the white paper here. Deephaven IDENTI-FI AUS, a first of its kind technology, aims at helping originator pre-qualify loans at the point of sale. The IDENTI-FI AUS is powered by LoanScorecard and utilizes LoanScorecard's Portfolio Underwriter technology which analyzes the 1003, fully evaluates the credit report and runs against Deephaven's underwriting guidelines, exception logic, & matrices to provide originators with an instant-read on potential options across Deephaven's non-agency loan programs. This, in turn, enables originators to place loans that might otherwise not qualify. This new technology is free, available 24-7, and is now at the originator's fingertips. To find out more about Deephaven's new technology or its suite of Non-QM products, email Wholesale, Correspondent, or visit https://deephavenmortgage.com/. Hey lenders, is your team killing it right now? Are you catching deals falling from the sky? So, I guess you don't need all those deals from your database while the market is this hot, right?? WRONG!!! This is the part of the rollercoaster that you and your team love, but rollercoasters are great for theme parks but terrible for business. Soon you'll be on the "I hope we can make it through this dry period" ride and then you are scrambling to get a deal. That's dumb!! Smart lenders are using Automated Borrower Intelligence from Sales Boomerang. Lenders using this service are smiling all the way to the bank with over $700MM in new originations this year. All of these notifications came from their own database which means 100% of these deals came from existing relationships. Schedule your demo today and get off the rollercoaster. Floify has just rolled out their newest partnership and integration with one of the industrys leading credit reporting vendors, Partners Credit. Floifys Partners Credit integration enables lenders who are using Floify to streamline their mortgage process to automatically collect a borrowers credit report from Partners Credit upon submission of a loan application or on-demand directly from their Floify account. Floifys integration with Partners Credit also eliminates the hassle of collecting credit reports by empowering borrowers to digitally submit consent directly to lenders in just a few clicks. Once ordered, borrower credit reports are seamlessly and securely delivered to the corresponding loan file. Floifys integration with Partners Credit adds to their massive selection of credit, CRM, LOS, VOA/VOI/VOE and productivity solutions available to Floify customers who also subscribe to these services. To learn more about Floifys new integration with Partners Credit, or their dozens of other integrations, request a live demo! Efficiency According to data from STRATMOR Groups Originator Census study, the top 40 percent of originators account for more than 80 percent of total volume, a measure which has not changed by more than one percent in any given year. That means that 60 percent of an average lenders sales force produces only 17 percent of total volume. The bottom 60 percent close less than one-half of one loan monthly. Whats a lender to do? In a recent article in the Insights Report, STRATMOR Senior Partner Nicole Yung suggests that lenders need to actively manage out low producers. Our data shows that even for the bottom 20 percent, almost 60 percent of terminations are voluntary, which means these originators are leaving on their own versus the company managing them out or up. If lenders are looking to cut costs, they must be more aggressive in terms of managing sales. Set expectations and stand behind them. If youre looking for strategies to help you stabilize in this environment and build a scalable foundation for future growth, see, Strategies for Mortgage Lenders to Maintain Profitability by STRATMOR Senior Partner and CEO, Lisa Springer. Vendor News Non-banks now account for more than 60% of all newly originated mortgages, which means the use of warehouse lines has become an integral part of the origination process. Michael McFadden, former Finance executive from Stonegate Mortgage, has announced the launch of OptiFunder to automate and optimize the use of warehouse lines for non-bank mortgage originators. OptiFunder leverages Machine Learning and a patented Optimization algorithm to ensure originators achieve the absolute highest spread on warehouse. You best-ex your loan sales, now you can best-ex your warehouse funding. Until now, the funding process has been a forgotten part of the origination process. OptiFunder is fully integrated with the LOS, Warehouse Lender, and Document Custodian to bring automation to a currently manual process. Cherry Creek Mortgage announced the launch of Connections, its new mobile app designed specifically for real estate agents and builder partners. The app provides loan transparency, real-time collaboration, and digital automation of critical touchpoints between the stakeholders involved in a residential mortgage. Read more about its App here. Consolidated Analytics launched its Consolidated Collateral Analysis (CCA), a collateral risk reporting tool that assesses the integrity and accuracy of an underlying appraisal by combining a licensed review appraiser's analysis and commentary with an intelligent, rules-driven risk score, and an Automated Valuation Model (AVM). Key features of the CCA tool include Appraisal Risk Analysis, Collateral Risk Score, embedded Automated Valuation Model, and a Review Appraiser's Value. Capital Markets Tensions over trade between the US and China continued to be the main focus in recent weeks as a resolution appears to be further away than markets were anticipating. As a result, last week yields on the US 10-yr fell from 2.41 at the start the week to 2.32 by weeks end. Trade data was disappointing in April but it was impacted greatly by the grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX and its impact on civilian aircraft orders. Nonetheless, orders will likely be impacted by the trade negotiations as well as slower overall global growth. A positive outcome from all this has been a decline in mortgage rates which saw the rate on a 30-yr fixed drop to 4.14 percent in April; contributing to new home sales running 7.0 percent ahead of last years pace. Headline new home sales showed a decline in April but this was after Marchs number were revised upward to a cycle-high 723,000 annual unit pace. Aprils 673,000-unit pace was the fourth strongest since 2007. Existing home sales continue to run slightly below last years pace but are expected to strengthen. As a reminder, new home sales are counted when the contract is signed while existing home sales are counted after closing. Yesterday fixed-income securities began the holiday-shortened week in rally-mode, including the 10-year dropping to 2.27%, as the long weekend did not produce any notable progress in trade talks with China. President Trump added salvo to the fire by saying that China is ready for a trade deal, but the U.S. is not ready to make a deal with China just yet. Weekend elections to the European Parliament saw a continuation of a recent trend of growing popularity among nationalist and populist parties. Meanwhile, in Germany, Bloomberg reported Chancellor Angela Merkel now plans to stay in her post until 2021 due to a belief that her successor is not ready to assume the leadership position, and the European Commission may begin a disciplinary process next week over Italy's 2018 debt levels that could lead to a $3 billion fine. We start the morning with news that Federal Reserve Bank of New York Markets chief Simon Potter will step down on June 1. Weekly mortgage applications for the week ending May 24 from the MBA kicked off todays calendar (-3.3%, refis dropping 6%). There is some second-tier economic news to be released today, as well as the Bank of Canadas monetary policy decision and statement where rates are expected to remain steady. We begin today with Agency MBS prices better by a solid .125 and the 10-year yielding the easy to remember 2.22%. Jobs Nations Lending is proud to announce and congratulate two of our high performing branches for being recognized within their local communities. Our Ocean City, Maryland branch, led by Michael Ciorrocco, was just named a Best Mortgage Company by The Metropolitan Magazine (Berlin & Ocean City regions) by the magazines readers. The Providence Journal named our Cranston, Rhode Island branch, led by Ken Ferranti as a Peoples Choice Award for Best Mortgage Lender for 2019. We are excited to see that both of these Leaders have been recognized in their communities for the great work that they do. said Corey Caster, EVP of National Production at Nations Lending. Our goal is to fully support each of our branches in every way possible. Nations Lending is a well-established, Agency/Government Servicer, licensed in 47 states. We are proud to service 100% of the Agency loans we originate. For more information and opportunity on how to join our growing organization, please visit the company's website. NEXA Mortgage, the fastest growing mortgage broker in America, per growjo.com, is expanding. We are looking for a LO's and Branches in AZ, CA, OR, WA, ID, CO, TX, UT, GA, and MT. NEXA is soon to be licensed in NC, SC, VA, MD, IL, WI, NM, and NV. The time has come: We help transition Bankers to Brokers, so don't be left behind. We have fantastic processors who only get paid when the deal closes, just like you. The Best Support in the Business. Be the low rate leader in your market with an industry disruptive compensation plan including revenue share. Contact Michael Neill or click here to set up a WHY NEXA Zoom meeting. By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] HURLEY The Iron County Board of Supervisors expressed its support for a proposed easement expanding access for recreation in the county, passing a resolution in support of the easement purchase Tuesday. The resolution supports the proposed Great Northern Conservation Access Easement agreement between the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Keweenaw Land Association, which would involve more than 14,000 acres in the towns of Carey, Knight and Mercer. The states Natural Resources Board approved purchasing the easement earlier thi... WAKEFIELD CITY councilman Dale White, center, addresses his colleagues during a Monday evening meeting as Kay Wiita and Jim Anderson listen. By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] WAKEFIELD - A Monday evening meeting of the Wakefield city council resulted in city manager Rob Brown volunteering to verify, firsthand, the status of city sidewalks. "I will go out, and I will try to get a rough estimate of what we're looking at," said Brown, who had begun the discussion by referring to a formal staff report he had prepared for council members. Brown said that, in the few months he's been in his position, several residents have asked whether the city can share costs in repairing or replacing sidewalks. Meanwhile, he and other staff... Yuma News Yuma, Arizona - This morning at about 4:58 a.m., Yuma Police officers responded to a motorcycle versus pick-up truck collision that occurred in the 3000 block of S. Avenue 3E. The motorcycle, a 1999 Honda VTR, was southbound in the 3000 block of S. Avenue 3E when it collided with the rear end of the 2003 Chevy pick-up truck. The motorcycle rider, a 31 year old male, was pronounced deceased on scene. The 65 year old male driver of the pick-up truck was uninjured. Speed appears to be a factor in this collision. The Yuma Police Department encourages anyone with any information about this case to please call the Yuma Police Department at (928) 373-4700 or 78-Crime at (928) 782-7463 to remain anonymous. Today Mostly sunny. High 63F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Tonight Mostly clear skies this evening will give way to mostly cloudy skies overnight. Low 48F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Tomorrow Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 67F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business. Paramedics and emergency medical technicians, often the first responders to horrific crime and accident scenes, want to be included in a bill under consideration in the state Senate that would expand benefits for workers suffering from PTSD. The bill, if approved, would allow police officers, parole officers and firefighters to make workers compensation claims for post-traumatic stress syndrome. A similar bill was raised in 2015 and included EMTs. Although it was supported by unions and lawmakers, ambulance companies and advocates for municipalities opposed it as too costly and too vague. A revised 20-page bill negotiated by the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, the unions and lawmakers limits the length of time an injured officer, firefighter or parole officer would receive workers compensation. It also defines the medical criteria for claiming workers compensation, including what types of trauma an employee witnesses. But thousands of EMTs and paramedics across the state have signed a petition calling on lawmakers to include them. While this is a huge step forward for fire and police across Connecticut, the bill as passed completely ignores a huge portion of the states first responders, said Philip Petit, national director of the International Association of EMTs and Paramedics. These benefits are crucial for all first responders and EMS professionals across Connecticut deserve access to these resources. Late Wednesday, a Republican amendment to include EMTs drew opposition from Democrats who feared it could jeopardize the agreement that led to the existing bill. The legislation was tabled and its hopes for passage this session are now in doubt. Open to talks The proposal represents the consensus from a year-long effort by a group of municipal leaders and police and fire leaders to provide PTSD benefits for the first time in a responsible way ... and in a manner that is cost sustainable, CCM spokesman Kevin Maloney said in an earlier email. The working group focused on seeking the best possible way to initially provide cost-sustainable benefits and focused on two primary public safety groups police and fire. We remain open to how the benefits may need to be improved over time. David Lowell, speaking for the Association of Connecticut Ambulance Providers, opposed the 2015 bill because he felt it would create an increased hardship on all Medicaid and Medicare providers at a time when rates have been cut. ACAP asked that emergency medical technicians and paramedics and ambulance drivers be exempt from the plan. Lowell, who is also executive vice president of Meriden-based Hunters Ambulance, said the new bill better defines the terms of the proposed law and opens a discussion toward future inclusion. The current proposal needs additional changes but provides a number of important coverage details previously absent, according to a press statement from ACAP. Although the current version does not include emergency medical technicians and paramedics, we believe there are now sufficient details that warrant consideration and we, the member companies of ACAP, are open to such discussions and consideration. Hunters, AMR Hunters Ambulance and Global Medical Response, the parent company of American Medical Response, have employee assistance programs available for workers facing difficulties after witnessing trauma. Those include crisis counseling, chaplains, and coverage for psychiatric sessions. Both Lowell and a representative for GMR said the workers compensation coverage would be in addition to existing programs. While Lowell said the current proposal is a foundation for future talks, GMR supports adding EMTs to the current bill. This measure is an important step in recognizing the contributions of all first responders, GMR vice president Chuck Babson said in an email. At AMR, we strongly believe EMTs and paramedics should be included, because they also experience PTSD. We stand by our employees in Connecticut and will continue to advocate for fair treatment in coverage for all first responders. mgodin@record-journal.com 203-317-2255 Twitter: @Cconnbiz The 2019 Lok Sabha election results are out. The incumbent government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has trounced a motley group of splintered Opposition or whatever in the name of Opposition. The entire nation rose to vote for development and prosperity alone in unison. I behold mainly two pillars of the grand victory on a solid foundation laid down by Dr KB Hedgewar. I must first address the issue as to why I address Dr Hedgewar as the greatest visionary of 20th century. The concept of Hindu unity never existed anywhere in the country, anywhere in Sanatana scriptures or in intellectualism of any variety anytime in past to the best of my knowledge. Hindus continued to be traumatised for centuries first by invaders then by our own people influenced by variety of ideologies smuggled into the country by invaders. As a young Congressman, Dr Hedgewar was deeply disturbed to observe that nobody, absolutely nobody had even an inkling of inclination to worry about the security of Hindus while they all rushed whenever non-Hindus were in slightest of trouble. He had lot of hopes from Congress in this regard which were dashed soon, and Dr Hedgewar walked out of the Congress in disgust. He resolved to constitute an organisation to address the issue in terms of human resource development, to raise a well-knit, well-organised vibrant community of Hindus imbued with Sanatana values and nationalism bang at the grass-root level. The RSS was founded in 1925 though it took almost 80 years to attain critical mass and a mighty voice to reckon with. Meanwhile Congress continued with their anti-Hindu / anti-national policies behind the subterfuge of secularism / unity in diversity / inclusivity concurrently plundering national wealth and stashing that abroad. Owing to human awakening activities of RSS, masses all over the nation started realising how were they being hoodwinked and fleeced hitherto on all fronts and they must gear up to reverse their destiny. This realisation is best exemplified by Smriti Irani who unravelled the utter lack of development in VIP constituencies like Amethi, lorded over by Nehru-Gandhi-Vadra Dynasty for decades. The exposure turned out to be so pathetic that it stunned the nation. Suddenly, the expose assumed national dimensions and people in the country realised, entire country was shabbily treated like Amethi / Rae Bareli for seven decades, post-1947. Serial exposes climaxed by Smriti Irani in Amethi constitute one of the two important pillars of the historic mandate. When Narendra Modi appeared on nation's political horizon as Chief Minister of Gujarat and details of his outstanding performance began diffusing around, people started yearning for replication of all that at national level. Overcoming all odds and entry-barriers raised by the malevolent contriving Opposition, he gathered absolute majority in Lok Sabha in the 2014 elections, after a gap of three decades. With the absolute majority so attained in Parliament, Narendra Modi went on a massive spree of development schemes to deliver social equity right in hands and palms of those who deserved it in every nook and corner of the nation irrespective of distance from New Delhi, entirely devoid of middlemen. In fact, he had transcended the 'Khan Market Gang' and the 'Lutyens Looters' right when he was Gujarat Chief Minister itself. The Opposition consistently believed the 2014 mandate was a fluke and persisted raising high octane hue and cry on flimsy issues in the fond hope of voters pressing Congress button in EVMs, unable to see the right button thick in dust kicked up like the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. They failed to read between lines of PM Modi's statements, "65% population of the country is below 35 years of age", insinuating at the urgency of paradigm shift in national perspectives required. The Opposition refused to heed to it, persisted with the adherence to the same old 'Garibi Hatao' mindset and landed with disastrous electoral defeat. Unfortunately for them, the 2019 mandate turned out to be so decisive that they are now stunned and shaken to the core, worried about their existence. It is this, thunderous nature of mandate that established beyond an iota of doubt, social equity was indeed delivered in right palms, crores of citizens started dreaming of prosperity, development as the sole objective of politics and politics with impeccable integrity is indeed, possible and attainable. With those historic developments in the background, the massive mandate of the 2019 Lok Sabha election was certainly inevitable. When social equity and development are genuinely assured, vices like Naxalism / Marxism / anti-nationalism gradually fade away into oblivion. This election is not only a harbinger of prosperity for all but also evolutionary transition into a new Bharat altogether, whose forehead is smeared with sandalwood while head raised high in self-esteem, a redefined nation that blends Vedic wisdom with robotics, ancient art and culture with newer horizons, every citizen as an embodiment of a composite nation, justice for all and appeasement for none. For the Opposition, they do not appear to be talented enough to evolve, loaded with a very heavy baggage of evil deeds. The nation now requires a sparkling bright brand new Opposition, possibly genuinely centrist in ideological disposition endowed with impeccable nationalism and unimpeachable integrity. That will be a watershed development in Bharatiya politics. This mandate has already determined course of events for the nation for next five decades or so. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.) New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed plea of Karti Chidambaram, son of senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, seeking return of Rs 10 crore that he had deposited with court's registry for travelling abroad. SC had on January 30 had allowed Karti, facing probe in the INX Media and the Aircel Maxis cases, to travel abroad after depositing Rs 10 crore as security. The apex court had also asked him to file an undertaking indicating his flight details and the date of arrival in India adding that he must surrender his passport on return and not to "open or close any bank account overseas". Karti's cases are being probed by the ED and the CBI. Rejecting, Karti's plea, the court said that that every time he seeks to go abroad, he must deposit the above amount to the court. Court also said that it would be better for him to focus on his parliamentary constituency. The court, also pointed out that Karti's attitude towards cooperation in the investigation has not been satisfactory. If you still have this attitude, then we will have a tough stance, the court added. New Delhi: The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has proposed to formulate a national retail policy to support growth of domestic trade, an official said. This proposal is part of the 100-day action plan prepared by the department, under the commerce and industry ministry, for the new government. "A national retail policy will be formulated to support development of the sector that would benefit 65 million small traders," the official said. In February, the subject of domestic or internal trade was shifted to DPIIT from the consumer affairs ministry, which was earlier the nodal agency for regulating the fast-growing sector. The department is already in the process of formulating guidelines on e-commerce and, hence, it would be appropriate for the ministry to come out with norms for retail trade, the official added. Views of all stakeholders, including state governments, would be taken while framing the policy as retail trade is also governed by the Shops and Establishment Act, which is implemented by states. Domestic traders' body Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has time and again requested the government for the policy. It has said these steps will not only strengthen the domestic trade but also improve export performance of the country. According to CAIT, over 6.5 crore small businesses are engaged in the sector across the country. The demand for the policy from domestic traders came after multi-national retail firms entered the Indian markets and started providing huge discounts of goods. According to the action plan, large-scale programme for capacity building of managers of small businesses would be undertaken to improve productivity. New Delhi: A Delhi Jal Board meeting was deferred after BJP members vociferously protested over the AAP government's alleged failure to deal with the "worsening" water crisis in the city. BJP leaders on the board had asked some "tough questions" to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who heads the DJB, during its meeting on Monday, the saffron party's councillor from Sadar Bazar, Jai Prakash, told PTI on Tuesday. The meeting plunged into commotion and Kejriwal left soon after. The board will meet again at 11 am on Wednesday, DJB sources said. Live TV Several areas in the national capital every summer face water crisis. "It's peak summer and the government has no plan to tackle the worsening water crisis in areas such as Kirari, Sangam Vihar, Chandni Chowk and localities across the Yamuna river. They (AAP government) have been saying these areas will get water but nothing has happened so far," Prakash said. "At a meeting held earlier, we had also brought to their notice leakages in drinking water pipelines at more than a hundred places in Delhi. If they plug these leakages, a lot of water can be saved and given to those who need it," he said. These meetings are not meant to pass resolutions, they are meant to prepare definite plans to ensure water supply in unauthorised colonies, JJ clusters and villages, Prakash said. Citing a news report, the BJP councillor alleged that the DJB gave tenders to 17 private companies blacklisted by its vigilance department. "It's waste of public money," he said. The Delhi government's anti-corruption branch has booked the 17 firms and DJB engineers after payment worth around Rs 5 crore was allegedly released to these companies despite them failing to deliver equipment and services. Prakash said the BJP is seeking to corner the AAP government on the issue at the meeting on Wednesday. AAP MLA Alka Lamba told PTI that a number of party MLAs had a few days ago conveyed their concerns over the acute water shortage in the national capital to the chief minister in their private WhatsApp group. Lamba said the MLAs rued that their poll campaign got affected as they devoted most of their time tackling water woes in their areas. At least one terrorist was killed when an encounter broke out on Wednesday morning between terrorists and security forces in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir. At least two or three terrorists are believed to be trapped in Tazipora of Mohammadpora area of the district and gunfight is underway. Live TV A joint team of 9 Rashtriya Rifles, Jammu and Kashmir police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) launched an operation after inputs about the presence of terrorists in Zangalpora village of the district. The cordon and search operations turned into an encounter. The mobile and internet services have been suspended in the district as a precautionary measure. This is a developing story. More details are awaited. New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs has said that both India and China are in touch with each other regarding the second informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping that will take place in India later this year. The summit is likely to take place in October, though the venue hasn't been decided. Live TV The ministry in its release said, "The two sides are in touch, through diplomatic channels, to finalise the date and venue for the meeting. Details about the visit will be announced in due course after the details are finalized." During the first Informal Summit in Wuhan in April 2018, Xi had accepted the invitation of PM Modi to visit India for the next Informal Summit in 2019. The informal summit in Wuhan, which happened in the backdrop of the Doklam crisis of 2017 is considered an important milestone in India-China ties as it helped re-set the ties between the two Asian neighbours. The Doklam crisis witnessed a long standoff for over two months between Indian and Chinese forces after Bejing attempted to build a road in Bhutanese territory of Doklam. Xi and PM Modi met four times in 2018 starting with Wuhan summit, followed by meetings on the sidelines of SCO, BRICS and G20. After the Lok Sabha election PM-elect Modi, Xi had written a letter congratulating him on his victory. In the letter, Xi noted the "great importance he attached to the development of India-China relations" and his "desire to work with Prime Minister Modi to take the closer development partnership between the two countries to a new height", according to an MEA release. They are likely to meet on the sidelines of SCO summit in Kyrgyzstan in the second week of June. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be addressing Parliament of Maldives -- People's Majlis -- during his visit to the country from 7-8 June. This will be his first foreign visit after being re-elected as the Prime Minister. The Majlis took up the matter on Wednesday and passed a motion with consensus. It is mandated as per their process that if any foreign leader has to address Parliament, the decision has to be approved by the MPs. Live TV In the last six months, there have been a series of high-level visits between India and Maldives. PM Modi had visited the island country during the oath-taking ceremony of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. This visit was followed by visits by Maldivian foreign minister Abdulla Shahid and President Solih. In March year, Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj visited the country and announced 100 million rufiyaa grant. Under the grant, two new projects, financial support to establish Emergency Medical Services and construction of classrooms were announced. The Maldives is a key country in the Indian Ocean region and lies in the heart of busy shipping lanes connecting Africa with Asia. The previous administration under President Yameen had junked the "India first" policy for a pro-china policy. After taking over as the PM in 2014, Modi had visited Bhutan as his first foreign visit. During the visit, he had addressed the joint session of Parliament in Bhutan. In a big development in medical student Payal Tadvi suicide case, the police on Tuesday arrested two of the three accused doctors, Bhakti Mehre and Hema Ahuja. Bhakti Mehre was arrested from sessions court in the evening, while Hema Ahuja was arrested Tuesday night. Mumbai police have also arrested the third accused in the case, Ankita Khandelwal on Wednesday morning. Medical student Payal Tadvi suicide case: Two of the three accused doctors, Bhakti Mehre and Hema Ahuja, have been arrested. Hema Ahuja was arrested last night (in pics) while Bhakti Mehre was arrested from sessions court yesterday evening. #Mumbai pic.twitter.com/WSmL02xRTW ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2019 The administration of Mumbai's BYL Nair Hospital has suspended the head of the gynaecology department and three other women doctors in connection with the case. The three doctors have been booked under the Atrocities Act, the Anti-Ragging Act and the IT Act and Section 306 (abetment to suicide) of the IPC. Payal Tadvi had committed suicide on May 22 after she allegedly faced casteist slurs. Tadvi's family also accused the doctors of insulting her for belonging to a scheduled tribe.She and her family had in the past complained to the hospital authorities of the alleged ragging, taunting on her tribal status and other forms of harassment by the three senior women doctors. Tadvi's friends had appealed to the authorities to take stringent administrative and penal action against the accused. Meanwhile, the state women's commission on Monday asked the Dean to submit a report in the case. In a letter to the Dean of the Mumbai civic body-run BYL Nair Hospital Ramesh Bharmal, the Maharashtra State Commission for Women had asked whether the institution had implemented Anti-ragging Act effectively. The report also seeks information on "lack of communication" between the administration and students. The commission has asked the hospital to submit the report within eight days. Payal Tadvi belonged to a Muslim tribal family of Jalgaon. She was a second-year post-graduate student in obstetrics and gynaecology and had earlier served in the tribal areas of Gadchiroli. The 25-year-old Tadvi had joined the hospital on May 13, 2018. For his part, State cabinet minister of medical education Girish Mahajan on Tuesday said that strong action will be taken against the accused. New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday summoned Robert Vadra, husband of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, in connection with a money laundering case involving overseas properties owned by him. Vadra has been asked to appear before the agency officials on Thursday morning. He is facing legal heat in a case of money laundering related to purchase of a property worth 1.9 million pounds in London. Live TV On April 1, Vadra was granted anticipatory bail in the case. However, he was ordered not to fly out of India without prior permission. The court also asked Vadra not to tamper with any evidence and influence any witness in the case. An anticipatory bail was also granted to Vadra's close aide Manoj Arora in the same case. On Monday, Delhi High Court issued a notice to Vadra and Arora after the ED had filed a plea challenging anticipatory bail granted to them. The court asked for a reply from the duo and the next date of hearing was scheduled for July 17. Former Rajasthan education minister Vasudev Devnani on Tuesday slammed the Congress for affixing 'son of Portugal' to RSS ideologue and freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar's description in social science textbooks of class 10 in Rajasthan. It may be recalled that after coming to power in Rajasthan, the Congress government had constituted a textbook revision committee and based on the findings of the committee, the short biography of Savarkar introduced by the previous BJP government was revised. Now, the social science textbooks of class 10 mention that Savarkar had described himself as "son of Portugal" while seeking clemency from the British government in 1910-11. Devnani slammed the Congress government in a series of tweets and said that the state government should take inspiration from former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who had described Savarkar as the "byword for daring and patriotism." The former prime minister had called Savarkar "a classical revolutionary and countless people drew inspiration from him", Devnani said. "Former prime minister Indira Gandhi recognised and hailed the legacy of great freedom fighter Veer Savarkar. The then government had issued a commemorative stamp on Veer Savarkar in 1970. Indira Gandhi had donated a sum of Rs 11,000 from her personal account to Savarkar Trust and ordered the Films Division to produce a documentary on his life," Devnani tweeted. He noted that it is an insult to call Savarkar "son of Portugal". Live TV Rajasthan Education Minister Govind Singh Dotasara hit back at Devnani claiming that the changes were made by the experts committee. "What can I say? A committee of experts have written it based on authenticity and their recommendations. I can only say that whatever has been written in the textbooks have been written based on the recommendations of educationists," Dotasara told. Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday claimed Savarkar was the first proponent of the two-nation theory and the idea was later taken forward by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the late founder of Pakistan. "Savarkar, who was a leader of the Hindu Mahasabha, had sown the seed of division of the country which was later implemented by Muhammad Ali Jinnah," he had said. In response, former chief minister and BJP vice-president Raman Singh said Baghel's comments reflect the shock that the party has suffered in the recently concluded Lok Sabha election. "The comments came as a result of shock over his party's debacle in the Lok Sabha polls," he said adding that a debate on division and background of division of the country is not required today. MERIDEN A New Britain man pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges in a 2018 assault that left two men injured at a Bobs Store warehouse off Research Parkway. Edgar Soto, 21, of 289 Cherry St., New Britain, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit second-degree assault and violation of a protective order during an appearance in Meriden Superior Court. According to statements in court, there is a plea deal agreement to sentence Soto to three years, suspended after 30 days to serve, followed by two years probation. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 6. On Aug. 30, 2018, police responded to Bobs Stores and Eastern Mountain Sports, 160 Corporate Court, for a report of gunshots and an assault, according to Sotos arrest warrant. A woman was walking to her car with a man when a car pulled up beside them. Two men, one of whom was identified as Soto, got out of the car and assaulted the man, the warrant said. Soto and the second suspect also assaulted another male employee who tried to intervene. The warrant said the second suspect struck the employee in the head with a gun, causing it to discharge. Both injured men were taken to MidState Medical Center. One suffered a laceration to his neck. lsellew@record-journal.com 203-317-2225 Twitter: @LaurenSellewRJ JAMMU: Two persons were arrested on Tuesday while they were shooting videos and taking photographs outside an Army camp in Jammu, officials said, adding that it is suspected that the duo was spying for Pakistan. Officials said that the two suspected spies were currently in police custody and are being questioned at a joint interrogation centre. The two were arrested after an army patrol noticed them moving suspiciously at Parmandal Morh near Ratnuchak Military Station. It is learnt that one of the arrested person hails from Kathua, while the other is from Doda. Army officials told PTI that both men were seen taking pictures and videographing the military station. The officials also scanned their mobile phones and found that both of them were in regular contact with some persons in Pakistan. It was also found that the two men have also shared some videos with some people based in Pakistan a few hours before their arrest. The arrested persons are identified as Mushtaq Ahmad of Doda district and Nadeem Akhtar of Kathua district. Sources said that during preliminary interrogation they have admitted to being in touch with their handlers in Pakistan. UK Board Result 2019 Class 12, Class 10: The Uttarakhand Board of School Education (UBSE) will declared the final the results of Uttarakhand Board Class 12th (Intermediate) and Class 10th on May 30 at 10:30 am on its official website ubse.uk.gov.in. Candidates can also check their results on third party sites such as examresults.net and indiaresults.com. The UK Board Class 12 (Intermediate) exam was held from March 1 to 26, 2019, while Class 10 exam was held from March 6 to 24 for the academic year 2018-2019. Over 2.74 lakh candidates appeared for these board exams, including 1.49 lakh candidates for Class 10th examination and 1.24 lakh students took Class 12th exam. Here's how to check Step 1: Visit one of the following websites- ubse.uk.gov.in uaresults.nic.in examresults.net/uttarakhand uttarakhand.indiaresults.com Step 2: Click on Uttarakhand Board Class 12th, 10th result's link Step 3: Enter the roll number, registration number and other details and click on submit. Step 4: Uttarakhand Board Class 12th result and Uttarakhand 10th result will be displayed on the screen Candidates are advised to download a copy and save it for future use. The Results published on this website are for immediate information to the examinees. Although every effort is made to maintain the accuracy of the results, error may creep in inadvertently due to extraneous reasons beyond the control of either NIC or the concerned Institution/board. NIC does not take any responsibility for contents recieved from respective Institution/board/university. The role of NIC Uttarakhand is limited to technical support to concerned Institution/board for hosting the examination results on NIC's website. Students are advised to verify their marks with the official hard copy issued from the respective Institution/board, said a notice on the official website. Washington: Walmart Inc has appointed Suresh Kumar, a former employee of Alphabet Inc-owned Google and Amazon.com Inc, as its new chief technology officer as it tries to fuel an internal tech transformation and boost its e-commerce business. Kumar most recently worked as a vice president and general manager of display, video, app ads and analytics at Google. He will directly report to the retailer`s Chief Executive Doug McMillon, Walmart said on Tuesday. "Suresh has a unique understanding of the intersection of technology and retail, including supply chain, and has deep experience in advertising, cloud and machine learning," McMillon said in a release. "He has a track record of working in partnership with business teams to drive results." Kumar`s appointment comes as Walmart is undertaking massive investments in its e-commerce business to compete more effectively with Amazon and preparing for a big splash in the world of advertising. Reuters was first to report Walmart`s planned meeting with large corporate ad buyers in New York this week. The retailer`s e-commerce success has been erratic over the years but sales growth in the past few quarters has shown signs of consistency. In February, Walmart said it expects its e-commerce losses to increase this year, due to ongoing investments, but that it is focused on increasing return customer visits and strengthening its online product assortment. Kumar will replace Jeremy King, who left the retailer in March and was responsible for revamping Walmarts U.S. e-commerce technology platform by making it faster, more competitive and customer-friendly, all of which have been key to the retailers fight against its e-commerce rivals. Prior to Google, Kumar worked at Microsoft Corp and also spent 15 years at rival Amazon.com Inc in various leadership roles, including vice president of technology for retail systems and operations. Bengaluru: Karnataka Congress Legislature Party (CLP) is all set to meet on Wednesday (May 29) amid reports of a rift between Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) alliance in the state. According to sources, top Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and KC Venugopal rushed to the state capital to diffuse the simmering tension in the coalition. The meeting would be held at a Bengaluru hotel at 6 pm on Wednesday to discuss the current political developments. In a letter to party MLAs, including members of the legislative council, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, CLP leader Siddaramaiah directed all members to be present at the meeting. "All MLAs should be present at the meeting without fail and give valuable suggestions," it said, adding that Deputy CM G Parameshwara, Pradesh Congress President Dinesh Gundu Rao, among others, would be present, quoted news agency PTI. The Congress-JD(S) alliance faced a rout in the recent Lok Sabha polls with both parties managing to win just one seat. Congress won Bangalore Rural but lost 20 seats, including 9 where the outgoing members re-contested. Ally JD(S) retained Hassan and lost six seats. Amid growing discontent within the parties, with several MLAs have blamed the alliance for "worst ever" performance, coalition leaders fear BJP may poach its MLAs taking advantage of the situation. Out of the 224-member Karnataka assembly, the BJP has 105 MLAs, Congress-78, JD(S)-37, BSP (1), Independent (1) (both supporting the ruling alliance) and KPJP (1). BJP's Karnataka chief B S Yeddyurappa said it would be "better" if the ruling Congress-JD(S) coalition in the state dissolves the Assembly and goes for fresh polls. Yedurappa is likely to be in Delhi on Wednesday to meet BJP top brass and discuss the situation. Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Tuesday met Congress state chief Dinesh Gundu Rao and Siddaramaiah to strategise the ruling Congress-JD(S) government`s political development after the landslide victory of BJP in the concluded Lok Sabha polls. NEW DELHI: Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah is likely to be given charge of the Finance Ministry in the second term of Narendra Modi government that will take oath on Thursday. Shah, who was a Rajya Sabha member resigned from the upper house on Wednesday after he won the Lok Sabha election from the Gandhi Nagar Lok Sabha seat. The BJP president created history by winning the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat with a margin of 5.57 lakh votes against his nearest Congress rival CJ Chavda. Shah polled 8.94 lakh votes, while Chavda secured 3.37 lakh votes. The Finance Ministry in the first term was held by Arun Jaitley but owing to his ill health, he has formally requested the PM to be not be given any official responsibility in the next ministry. In a letter to Modi, Jaitley wrote, "During the last eighteen months, I have had some serious health challenges. My doctors have enabled me to emerge out of most of them. After the campaign had concluded and you were leaving for Kedarnath, I had orally informed you that even though I was able to discharge the responsibilities assigned to me during the campaign, I would in future, for some time, like to keep away from any responsibility. This will enable me to concentrate on my treatment and health." Live TV Modi and Shah had met earlier in the day to finalise the members of the new Council of Ministers including those who will be part of the Cabinet. Sources said that during the meeting, which lasted for about five hours, the two leaders have finalised the names of new ministers. It is expected that PM Modi and around 65 ministers would take oath on Thursday. Sources said that the new ministry would be a mix of experience and youth, and the BJP would also like to strike the right regional and caste balance with it. Sources said that key ministries like home, finance, defence and external affairs may see some changes. It is expected that the prime minister would not go for major change in important ministries and may repose faith in old ministers like Sushma Swaraj, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari etc. It is, however, expected that West Bengal, Odisha and the Northeast where the BJP performed exceeding well in Lok Sabha election 2019, will find good representation in the new ministry. The oath ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday evening at 7 pm and it will be attended by leaders from BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) nations. The list includes Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand and also Nepal and Bhutan. New Delhi: A day ahead of the swearing-in ceremony, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah held a lengthy meeting over the formation of the council of ministers. Wednesday's meeting was held at PM Modi's official residence at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg and lasted nearly four hours. It is reported that the matter of the new council of ministers was deliberated upon at length before the swearing-in ceremony which will take place at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday. It is possible that a number of new faces are included in the council of ministers, some possibly getting key portfolios. A number of women too could be included and it is reported that the new council of ministers may possibly have about 35% fresh faces. In the meeting, the matter of Arun Jaitley opting out of any responsibilities in the new government - due to his prevailing health conditions - may have also been discussed. It is possible that Shah takes over as the new finance minister, say sources. Then there are the issues of how many berths NDA alliance members like Shiv Sena and JDU may get in PM Modi's new government. The matter is believed to have been discussed by Shah and PM Modi. Reports suggest that both parties could get two berths each. Sources say that Sena chief Udhav Thackeray has forwarded Arvind Sawant's name. It is also speculated that LJP and Apna Dal could get one berth each. Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah, union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and DMK leader Kanimozhi on Wednesday resigned as Rajya Sabha members. The three leaders resigned from the upper house after they were elected to the Lok Sabha in the recently concluded election. The BJP president created history by winning the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat with a margin of 5.57 lakh votes against his nearest Congress rival CJ Chavda. Shah polled 8.94 lakh votes, while Chavda secured 3.37 lakh votes. Ravi Shankar Prasad won his first Lok Sabha election, defeating his colleague-turned opponent Shatrughan Sinha by more than 2.84 lakh votes from Patna Sahib. Prasad garnered 6.07 lakh votes while Sinha, who joined Congress earlier this year, managed 3.22 lakh votes. Kanimozhi, daughter of the late party patriarch M Karunanidhi won the Thoothukudi Lok Sabha constituency by defeating her BJP rival by more than three lakh votes. Kanimozhi trounced BJP leader and Tamil Nadu unit President Tamilisai Soundararajan by a margin of 3.47 lakh votes. New Delhi: The oath-taking ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his new council of ministers on Thursday at the Rashtrapati Bhavan will be attended by several national and international leaders. The swearing-in ceremony will begin at 7 pm on Thursday. The leaders from BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) countries - Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan - are on Prime Minister's guest list and so are Kyrgyzstan President Sooronbay Jeenbekov, Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar on Tuesday said that the ceremony will be attended by Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid, Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena, Myanmar President U Win Myint, Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Bhutan Prime Minister Lotay Tshering. Thailand will be represented by its Special Envoy Grisada Boonrach while Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will be absent from the ceremony due to prior commitments. Live TV This time, India has not sent out an invite to the leaders of SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) countries as it had done in 2014. Back then, owing to the invite to SAARC leaders, the then Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif had attended PM Modi's swearing-in. Along with foreign dignitaries, several leaders from opposition parties and Chief Ministers have also been invited to the ceremony. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao are some of the leaders who will be in attendance on Thursday. PM Modi was re-elected for a second consecutive term on May 23 with a thumping majority after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won 354 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha election. In March 2019, before the seven-phased Lok Sabha election were about to begin, Time magazine had featured Prime Minister Narendra Modi on its cover and referred to him as 'India's Divider-in-Chief'. Months later, after election results gave a massive mandate to the Bharatiya Janata Party paving way for him to become India's prime minister fpr the second time, the magazine has yet again published another article. However, this time, the article heaps praises on Modi. The article titled 'Modi Has United India Like No Prime Minister in Decades', claims that his win is a "victory for meritocracy, and for opportunity, thanks to a slate of welfare policies for the countrys extreme poor." The article states that the Modi government through its socially progressive policies has been able to bring many Indians, both Hindus and religious minorities, out of poverty at a faster rate than its predecessors. The article lauded Modi for the Swachch Bharat Abhiyaan, in which it claimed that the government more than delivered on its promises. The article also credits him for stabilising the volatile economy that he inherited from the Congress-led UPA government, and digital transformation that has been done by the government. "He has understood, like no other predecessor, how the much-admired tech skills of Indians can be used to transform society," the article reads. The opinion has been written by Manoj Ladwa, founder and chief executive of the India Inc. Group. In 2014, he had led the Research Analysis & Messaging division of the Narendra Modi for Prime Minister campaign. Live TV The article in the March edition criticising Modi was written by Aatish Taseer, who is the son of journalist Tavleen Singh and late Pakistani politician and businessman Salmaan Taseer. Taseer wrote that "If in 2014, he (Modi) was able to exploit differences in order to create a climate of hope, in 2019 he is asking people to stave off their desperation by living for their differences alone.'' "Not only has Modi's economic miracle failed to materialize, but he has also helped create an atmosphere of poisonous religious nationalism in India," he had added. In the same edition in March, another article "Modi the Reformer" was also published which was authored by Ian Bremmer, president and founder of Eurasia Group, a global political risk research and consulting firm. Bremmer wrote that while Modi's economic record is mixed, "India still needs change, and Modi remains the person most likely to deliver. He has improved relations with China, the US and Japan, but it's his domestic development agenda that has done the most to improve the lives and prospects of hundreds of millions of people". New Delhi: Congress workers and leaders have been working overtime to convince Rahul Gandhi to reconsider his decision to resign as party chief after a massive defeat in Lok Sabha election 2019. Congress managed to win just 52 seats in the recently-concluded election, bowing out in several states - including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh where the party had seized power in the Assembly elections last December. Taking moral responsibility for the defeat, Rahul had decided to step aside as Congress chief - a decision which has apparantly left party leaders and workers shocked. While in the days since Congress Working Committee meeting last Saturday, when Rahul expressed his wish to step down, several leaders have appealed to him against his decision, the party chief has reportedly remained firm. Even Congress allies like RJD's Lalu Prasad Yadav and MK Stalin have advised against such a move but their words have not had the desired effect. On Wednesday, a day before Narendra Modi is to take oath for his second stint as the country's PM, Sheila Dikshit rushed to Rahul and appealed to him to re-think his decision. "I have given him the message that he should not resign. We want him to continue on his post, otherwise it will cause us pain. We have conveyed that to him," she said. Around the same time, there were reports from Jaipur that Congress workers here had started a yagya (Hindu ritual with mantras) in an effort to make Rahul take back his decision to step aside as Congress chief. The yagya has been organised at the party headquarters here. Congress official Gopal Delwal told Zee News that the prayer ceremony will continue till the time Rahul abandons his decision to quit. Congress leaders reaching out to Rahul with appeals, many reportedly pleading with him, and workers holding placards and performing religious rituals has made many question what Rahul's political achievements are to warrant such devotion and admiration. Critics have torn into Rahul for having limited political acumen which has only resulted in Congress now possibly facing an existential crisis. They, as well as political rivals, maintain that the only reason Rahul continues to be at the helm of Congress is because of his surname and family background and that the frantic appeals against his decision to step aside betray the blind devotion to dynasty within Congress. MERIDEN The City Councils Finance Committee unanimously authorized bonding an additional $2.23 million for upgrades to the citys wastewater treatment plant, bringing the projects total to $50 million. Public Utilities Director Dennis Waz told councilors Tuesday night that the additional money is needed to cover $1.3 million in accrued interest the city will pay as part of a low-interest state loan for the state-mandated project. The remaining $900,000 is being included to cover any possible legal or financial issues. Waz said some of that money may never be spent. My goal was, before I left, to make sure everything regarding this project was in place so that when (new Public Utilities Director Richard Meskill) came aboard, all the finances would be present and accounted for, Waz, who is retiring next month, told councilors Tuesday. Meskill, who started Tuesday, also attended the meeting. Waz doesnt foresee any additional funding requests, noting that the $50 million price tag includes contingency funds. Meriden expects a state grant to cover 38 percent of the project's costs. The city will receive a 20-year, low-interest loan for the remaining costs. The project includes state-mandated upgrades to the phosphorus removal process at the citys water pollution control facility, as well as a wholesale upgrade to the remote Silver Lake pump station, which Waz said is in dire need of repairs. Meriden is one of several local municipalities completing upgrades to meet stricter phosphorus discharge limits being enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency. Phosphorus is considered an environmental hazard because it causes algae blooms, which deplete oxygen in water bodies and pose a threat to wildlife. Nobody wants to do this, but were mandated said Finance Committee Vice Chairman Walter Shamock. So I just want the public to know that were not indiscriminately spending the money. The $1.3 million represents how much interest the city will accrue during construction, which is expected to begin this summer and last around 33 months. Waz said he asked that the accrued interest be added to the projects old price tag of $47.7 million at the recommendation of state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, which has oversight over the phosphorus upgrades. The city recently submitted its application to the DEEP for the grant funding and low-interest loan. Once the application is approved, Waz said the city will proceed with awarding a construction contract. Barring an unforeseen development, the contract will be awarded to the "lowest apparent bidder" C.H. Nickerson & Co. Inc., a Torrington-based contractor that has completed wastewater treatment plant upgrades for several Connecticut municipalities. mzabierek@record-journal.com 203-317-2279 Twitter: @MatthewZabierek Guwahati: Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hoped to see Rahul Gandhi as the Congress president for 50 more years as it will be helpful to the party. His remarks come after Rahul offered to step down from his party post after a humiliating failure in the Lok Sabha election 2019. Sarma said the Opposition would benefit if Rahul was not the leader. Live TV "In Parliament, there should be space for the Opposition. So, if there is no Rahul Gandhi then there is a possibility of a vibrant Opposition. But if I look from BJP`s point of view and not India`s, then we wish that Rahul Gandhi continues as Congress president for the next 50 years," he said. Interestingly, Sarma, who is the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) convener, had joined BJP in 2015 after a two-decade-long stint with Congress. After his party's Lok Sabha poll debacle, Rahul Gandhi had offered to resign on May 25 during a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), which had unanimously rejected his offer and authorised him to overhaul and restructure the party at all levels. The CWC meeting was held in the backdrop of the Congress winning just 52 Lok Sabha seats and drawing a nought in 18 states and Union Territories. Gandhi himself lost from the family bastion of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, though he won from Wayanad in Kerala. On Tuesday, DMK chief MK Stalin requested Rahul not to step down from his post, saying he has won the hearts of the people though his party lost the general election. Amid reports that Gandhi was firm on quitting, Stalin spoke to the Congress top leader over the phone and "appealed to him to give up the idea of resigning as party president", the DMK said. RJD supremo Lalu Prasad termed Rahul's offer to resign as suicidal and said it would amount to "falling into the BJP's trap". Rahul's offer to step down as Congress president would not only be suicidal for his party but for all the social and political forces battling against the RSS, Prasad said on Twitter. Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will not attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in on May 30, she tweeted on Wednesday, a day ahead of the ceremony. "The oath-taking ceremony is an august occasion to celebrate democracy, not one that should be devalued by any political party," read the caption of her letter to PM Modi, in which she explained why she will give the ceremony a miss. The West Bengal CM wrote that she was forced to turn down the invitation after coming across media reports in which the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claimed that over 50 people were murdered in poll-related violence across the state. "This is completely untrue," she wrote. The oath-taking ceremony is an august occasion to celebrate democracy, not one that should be devalued by any political party pic.twitter.com/Mznq0xN11Q Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) May 29, 2019 "Congratulations. new Prime Minister, Narendra Modi ji. It was my plan to accept the 'Constitutional invitation' and attend the oath-taking ceremony. However. in the last one hour, I am seeing media reports that the BJP is claiming 54 people have been murdered in political violence in Bengal. This is completely untrue. There have been no political murders in Bengal. These deaths may have occurred due to personal enmity. family quarrels and other disputes; nothing related to politics. There is no such record with us," read her statement. "So, I am sorry, Narendra Modi ji, this has compelled me not to attend the ceremony," it added. "The ceremony is an august occasion to celebrate democracy, not one that should be devalued by any political party which uses it as an opportunity to score political points. Please excuse me," she further wrote. Live TV PM Modi had invited Mamata to the swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday and she had accepted it. During the seven-phase Lok Sabha election, BJP and her party Trinamool Congress (TMC) locked horns in West Bengal. Violence marred every phase of poll. PM Modi and Mamata were also engaged in a war of words. West Bengal witnessed a saffron surge in the Lok Sabha election as the BJP swept 18 of total 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The TMC won 22 seats, down from 34 in 2014. On Tuesday, several TMC MLAs and councillors also joined BJP. NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress MLA Manirul Islam on Wednesday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Delhi. Along with him, other party leaders Gadadhar Hazra, Mohd Asif Iqbal and Nimai Das also switched over to the BJP. BJP leaders have added that not just MLAs, a few former MPs of TMC are also in touch with the party and have expressed their desire to join BJP in its "fight against the misrule of the TMC". The leaders who have joined BJP today add to the list of three MLAs, including BJP leader Mukul Roy's son Subhrangshu Roy, and over 50 councillors, most of them from the Trinamool Congress, who moved to the saffron party on Tuesday. Live TV The series of joinings comes after the BJP bagged 18 Lok Sabha seats in the state, only four less than TMC's 22 in the recently-concluded election. The Trinamool Congress downplayed the development and claimed that the leaders have been made to join BJP at gunpoint. "One suspended MLA of Trinamool joined BJP yesterday. The others were from Congress and CPI(M). The number of councillors is 6. That too they were forced at gunpoint to do so," the TMC said in a tweet. The Trinamool Congress leadership Tuesday had accused the BJP of indulging in horse-trading. However, the BJP has refused the allegations and called them baseless. "If someone wants to join BJP and fight against TMC's misrule, how can we stop it. And TMC leaders should be the last person to talk about horse trading, when TMC poached on Congress and CPI(M) MLAs in last few years, what was that? Is it not horse trading?" BJP leader Mukul Roy said. New Delhi: The oath-taking ceremony of Narendra Modi for the Prime Minister's office will be a grand spectacle at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhawan and will be attended by 4 Presidents, 3 Prime Ministers, One special envoy, India's top political class and the entire diplomatic corp. Millions will be watching it television and social media, as always is expected to see millions of tweets and posts. The 4 Presidents at the ceremony are - President of Bangladesh, Md. Abdul Hamid, President of Sri Lanka, Maithripala Sirisena, President of Sri Lanka, Maithripala Sirisena, President of Kyrgyzstan, Sooronbay Jeenbekov and President of Myanmar U Win Myint. The three PMs include Prime Minister of Mauritius, Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Prime Minister of Nepal K.P. Sharma Oli and Prime Minister of Bhutan Dr. Lotay Tshering. BIMSTEC leaders will also be coming at the oath-taking ceremony. Narendra Modi has been getting congratulatory calls and messages by world leaders since the election results were announced on May 23. Nepal Ambassador Nilambar Acharya said, "We have close relations and we are confident that relationship will get further impetus in the 2nd term of Narendra Modi" Thailand, one of the BIMSTEC country, is being represented by special envoy Grisada Boonrach since due to there own government formation. "Thailand applauds India's vibrant democracy & welcomes the swearing in of a new government. The next 5 years will see a New India @ 75 & dynamic change. Strong neighbours can reinforce this. That's why we are honoured to be here", Chutintorn Gongsakdi, Ambassador of Thailand said. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan envoy Austin Fernando said, "We must remember that we are not only friends and neighbours, but relations too. Our mutual relations will certainly benefit both countries also in the future under PM Narendra Modi's second tenure of office." Before the oath-taking ceremony, PM will pay homage to father of nation Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat, the samadhi of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Atal Samadhi and the National War Memorial in front of India Gate, before he takes oath at Rashtrapati Bhawan at 7 PM. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday met BJP chief Amit Shah at this official residence to finalise the members of the new Council of Ministers including those who will be part of the Cabinet. Sources said that during the meeting, which lasted for about five hours, the two leaders have finalised the names of new ministers. Speculations are rife that Shah would also join the Cabinet, but BJP sources have dismissed the rumors as mere "speculations". It is expected that PM Modi and around 65 ministers would take oath on Thursday. Sources said that the new ministry would be a mix of experience and youth, and the BJP would also like to strike the right regional and caste balance with it. PM Modi and Shah will meet again in the coming days for portfolio allocation. Sources said that key ministries like home, finance, defence and external affairs may see some changes. Arun Jaitley, who is not keeping well, may not take charge as finance minister. It is expected that the prime minister would not go for major change in important ministries and may repose faith in old ministers like Sushma Swaraj, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari etc. It is, however, expected that West Bengal, Odisha and the Northeast where the BJP performed exceeding well in Lok Sabha election 2019, will find good representation in the new ministry. Live TV The oath ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday evening at 7 pm and it will be attended by leaders from BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) nations. The list includes Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand and also Nepal and Bhutan. The following leaders have confirmed their participation at the swearing-in ceremony of the Prime Minister: Mr Md Abdul Hamid, President of Bangladesh; Mr Maithripala Sirisena, President of Sri Lanka; Mr Sooronbay Jeenbekov, President of the Kyrgyz Republic; Mr U Win Myint, President of Myanmar; The Hon. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Prime Minister of Mauritius; Rt Hon KP Sharma Oli, Prime Minister of Nepal; Dr Lotay Tshering, Prime Minister of Bhutan; and Mr Grisada Boonrach, Special Envoy of Thailand, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao are also expected to attend the ceremony. New Delhi: After spearheading the political attack against Narendra Modi before and during Lok Sabha election 2019, life has come a full circle for Rahul Gandhi who will now attend the swearing-in ceremony of his nemesis. It was confirmed on Wednesday that both Rahul and his mother - UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi - will attend Thursday's oath-taking ceremony which will see Narendra Modi take over as PM of the country for the second successive term. The ceremony will once again take place at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and several national and international dignitaries are expected here. The ceremony could well be a stamp on Congress' massive electoral defeat which saw the party winning just 52 seats. The party was routed in almost every state by PM Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party which cruised past the 300-seat mark on its own. This despite a furious campaign led against the BJP by Rahul who had attacked the National Democratic Alliance government on numerous fronts - from farmer-issues to jobs and more. Rahul had also singled out PM Modi, referring to him as a thief and had alleged wrongdoings in the deal for Rafale fighter jets with France's Dassault Aviation. In the end, all of it came to nought and Rahul took full responsibility for Congress' loss. He has even decided to step down as Congress chief - a decision that has not gone down well with party workers and leaders. Rahul, however, is not the only political adversary of PM Modi who is currently licking his wounds from defeat in Lok Sabha election 2019. Mamata Banerjee too had led an intense and bitter campaign against PM Modi and the BJP. The TMC chief is believed to have harboured dreams of becoming the next PM. All she received, in the end, was an invite for the swearing-in ceremony which was eventually turned down by the West Bengal CM. In Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal was no less of a critic of PM Modi but his Aam Aadmi Party was swept aside as BJP triumphed in all seven parliamentary seats here. Kejriwal has received an invite for Thursday's ceremony and has confirmed his presence. The ceremony will start from 7 pm and the Rashtrapati Bhavan is all decked up to welcome Narendra Modi as the PM once again. Jaipur: A senior Congress legislator of Rajasthan who contested recently concluded Lok Sabha elections from Kota has advised the party to resolve the internal crisis amicably to ensure that the state government remains stable. Ramnarain Meena, who was among 25 candidates of the party who faced defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, said the BJP's top leadership might "try to take advantage of the crisis in the Congress and constitutional provisions might be manipulated by the Centre to destabilise the Ashok Gehlot government". "I fear that Prime minister Narendra Modi may attempt to destabilise the government by manipulating and misusing Article 356 of the Constitution (President's rule). Therefore, our leaders should resolve the crisis in the party amicably, as a family," Meena told PTI ahead of the Congress' state executive committee meeting here Wednesday. Meena, who is not a member of the committee, said Congress president Rahul Gandhi was trying to take on Prime Minister Modi and his struggle should be strengthened instead of allowing the crisis to further deepen. Live TV "I will certainly express my views on the party forum if I am asked to. The internal crisis should be resolved amicably," Meena, a five-time MLA, said. Raising question on EVMs, Meena said that the machines were not beyond doubt and tampering with the machines was possible. "Democracy in the country is under threat and Prime Minister Narendra Modi can do anything against the interest of the democracy. It is high time all organisations having faith in democratic values come together and face the challenge strongly," he said. Having suffered rout in the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress is holding its executive committee meeting chaired by PCC president and Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot in Jaipur. The party, which came to power and formed the state government in December last year, failed to win even a single seat in the Lok Sabha polls. The BJP won 24 and its alliance partner RLP won one seat. In the 200-member strong Rajasthan Assembly, the Congress has 100 MLAs and its ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) has one MLA. It is also supported from outside by 12 out of total 13 Independent MLAs and by the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which has six MLAs. The BJP has 73 seats in the state assembly. Jaipur: The Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee will meet on Wednesday (May 29) at the state party headquarters. The meeting will be presided by the Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot, a party spokesperson said. All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Avinash Pandey and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot will also attend the meet. Live TV This will be the state unit's first executive committee meeting after the party's debacle in Lok Sabha polls. Congress could not win even a single seat out of the 25 Lok Sabha constituencies in Rajasthan, months after emerging victorious in state Assembly poll and forming the state government. The poll debacle in Rajasthan has stirred up a hornest's nest in the party's state unit, with many revolting against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's leadership. Rajasthan Minister Udai Lal Anjana alleged that the party's situation would have been different if CM Gehlot had not pushed his son's candidature from Jodhpur and instead fielded him from Jalore. He also questioned the distribution of tickets and on the Congress not aligning with Hanuman Beniwal`s Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP). Another state Congress leader Sushil Asopa also took to social media to share his disappointment and said the Lok Sabha election results in Rajasthan had been different if Congress leader Sachin Pilot been made chief minister. Both Gehlot and Pilot met Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the national capital on Tuesday evening. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has offered to resign from the president's post after the party's shambolic performance in Lok Sabha election 2019. Of the 542 seats, the party won 52 as against BJP's tally of 303. However, Rahul`s offer of resignation was unanimously rejected by the CWC. While the party remains the main opposition party in the house, it is not qualified to have a Leader of Opposition in the 17th Lok Sabha. Meanwhile, Congress is preparing itself for a post-Gandhi scenario. The Congress Working Committee is likely to meet again on May 29 to discuss a replacement for Rahul Gandhi, said sources, adding that Rahul feels it is time a non-Gandhi took over the reins of the party. New Delhi: Rashtrapati Bhavan is putting final touches to its preparations ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi and his ministers on Thursday. With a long list of guests expected at the much-awaited ceremony, no effort is being spared to ensure that it is a grand success. While security at the Rashtrapati Bhavan - home to President Ram Nath Kovind - is always at its tightest, re-checks have been done in view of the VVIPs expected to be present here on Thursday. A number of international dignitaries, including leaders from Bimstec countries, will also be present at the ceremony which would mark the second term in office for PM Modi. As many as four Presidents and three PMs are going to be present. While in 2014, the number of guests at PM Modi's swearing-in ceremony was around 5,000, it has gone up to 8,000 this time. This includes all parliamentarians who have been sent invites. The list of guests has been prepared by Rashtrapati Bhavan in consultation with the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). A list was also sent by the Bharatiya Janata Party. The corporate world too would be represented with the likes of Uday Kotak (Kotak Mahindra Bank), Ratan Tata (Tata Trusts), Dilip Sanghvi (Sun Pharma) and Ashish Chauhan (BSE) having confirmed their presence. At the time of filing this report, industrialists like Mukesh Ambani, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Anand Mahindra and SBI chairman Rajneesh Kumar had not officially confirmed their attendance but are almost certain to be present as well. Much like five years ago, however, the ceremony will take place in the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan. Once again, a stage will be placed on the left of the main gate leading inside Rashtrapati Bhavan. The ceremony will take place on this stage. The first row in the audience has been reserved for foreign dignitaries and high-profile guests from within the country. The starting time this year has been pushed back by an hour - to 7pm - due to the hot weather. High Tea will be served and the menu includes lemon tart, sandwiches, samosas and sweets. The list of food items also includes non-vegetarian dishes. (Reporting by Pankaj Choudhary/Zee Media Bureau) Jaipur: With uncertainty looming over Rahul Gandhi continuing as Congress President, there is speculation that Sachin Pilot too may quit as Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress chief along with his team of MLAs, in case Gandhi quits his post. Party sources say Rahul Gandhi was instrumental in making Pilot as the state Congress chief in 2014. After the Assembly polls late last year, Pilot was made Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot`s deputy. With Congress chief himself mulling over his resignation, Pilot`s future hangs in the balance, sources said. In the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly, the Congress has 100 members, the BJP 73 members, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) 6, Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) 3, Communist Party of India-Marxist 2, Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) 2, the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) 1 and 13 Independent members. The Gehlot government is supported by the 6 BSP MLAs and 12 Independents. However, it appears to be in a crisis at present. On Monday, the BSP MLAs were expected to meet Governor Kalyan Singh. However, the meeting was cancelled at the last minute. A state minister, Congress` Lalchand Kataria, is also reported to have tendered his resignation, though there was no confirmation from the offices of the Chief Minister and the Governor. Another Congress leader said: "Sachin Pilot is intelligent, educated and has gained credibility as a farmer leader too. He can be a good leader anywhere in the country. There are fair chances that the party may assign him to a new location. Live TV "Also, Pilot`s five-year tenure as state Congress Committee chief ended in March. He was given an extension till October in view of the Lok Sabha polls. Now that might be preponed," said the Congress leader. In case the Congress asks him to shift base, there are chances of Pilot deserting the Congress and then staking his claim to form a government, along with a few independent and BJP MLAs. This way he would get to become the chief minister. "Before the Assembly elections, Ashok Gehlot was the All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary and Pilot was the Rajasthan Congress Committee President. There was a clear segregation of their roles," said the Congress leader. Ahead of the Assembly elections in December last year, when Pilot was projected by the Congress as its chief ministerial face in Rajasthan elections, Gehlot insisted on being given a ticket from Jodhpur. "After the elections, Pilot fought for the Chief Minister`s post because he had toiled for five years to build the party in Rajasthan. However, he did not get what he deserved. Party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh preferred Gehlot`s seniority and he was made the Chief Minister," said a Congress leader. Gehlot was also asked to take care of the party`s Lok Sabha election campaign. But the Gehlot-Pilot team of young and old blood failed to show any magic in the parliamentary elections where Congress suffered a rout. MERIDEN Two female students were charged after one deployed pepper spray in a Lincoln Middle School classroom Wednesday morning. Police responded to the Centennial Avenue school around 10:25 a.m. A 12-year-old girl brought pepper spray to the school and another 12-year-old girl dared her to spray it in the classroom, Sgt Darrin McKay said. The student pointed it toward the floor and sprayed it. Three adults and 26 children were in the classroom at the time. Two teachers and two students were taken to MidState Medical Center for treatment of respiratory distress, McKay said. The two students involved were arrested and charged with reckless endangerment and breach of peace. Their names were not released due to their age. They will be issued a summons for juvenile court. Principal Dianne Vumback issued a statement to parents and the media Wednesday afternoon, saying that a student had sprayed pepper spray in one classroom and that students in the classroom received medical attention from the school nurse and if necessary medics. Students involved in releasing the spray were dealt with appropriately, Vumback said in a statement Wednesday. The spray was dispersed on the floor and clearly impacted all students and staff in the classroom. Two students and two staff members were sent to the hospital and have since been released. All other students returned to their normal school day. She called the incident isolated and credited the Fire Department for making sure any impacted students were safe. Parents of students in the classroom where the spray was deployed reported on social media that they picked their children up from the school. mgodin@record-journal.com 203-317-2255 Twitter: @Cconnbiz Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana on Wednesday in its latest editorial reminded the Narendra Modi government about the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, adding that the construction of the temple should be done soon. This comes within a week after the result of the Lok Sabha election was declared ushering in another term for the Modi government. The mouthpiece also said that the result of the election is the mandate of the people in support of Ram Rajya and Ram Temple. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had also promised that the work of Lord Ram will definitely be done, it said. Live TV Hundreds of kar sevaks have sacrificed their lives for the construction of the Ram temple, read the mouthpiece. It also said that the ideology of this government is such that the martyrdom and blood of the kar sevaks will not go in vain. The mouthpiece also said that the Shiv Sena leaders along with its victorious MPs will soon visit Ayodhya. The editorial even compared the swearing-in ceremony of the Prime Minister with the coronation ceremony of Lord Ram. Taking a swipe at the Opposition, the editorial compared them to the mythological characters from Ramayana and Mahabharata--Ravana, Vibhishan, and Kamsa. The party also reminded that before the election, the Modi government had clarified that the foundation of the temple will be done in Ayodhya but with the consent of the Supreme Court and according to the law. It said that though it agrees with the role of the apex court, it should also accept the public sentiment or mandate. KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress' core committee meeting, earlier scheduled to be held on May 31, has been postponed after party chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accepted the invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony. The meeting is now likely to be held on Monday, June 3. I have spoken to other Chief Ministers also. Since it is a ceremonial program, we thought of attending it. Yes, I will go," she said. Modi will be sworn in for a second term as the Prime Minister on Thursday (May 30) at 7 pm in Rashtrapati Bhavan, along with members of the Union Council of Ministers. Banerjee made major some changes in her cabinet on Tuesday following the drubbing her party, Trinamool Congress, received in the Lok Sabha elections. The reshuffle comes amid a stupendous performance of the BJP in West Bengal, where it won 18 Lok Sabha seats, only four less than Banerjee's TMC out of the total 42 parliamentary constituencies in the state. Meanwhile, three MLAs from West Bengal, including Trinamool Congress-turned-BJP leader Mukul Roy`s son Subhrangshu Roy, along with more than 50 councilors on Tuesday joined the BJP in New Delhi. Elaborate arrangements have been made for the swearing-in-ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Council of Ministers which will be held on Thursday at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in Delhi. The ceremony which will begin at 7.00 PM and will see high-profile dignitaries in attendance. A number of Heads of States, Heads of Governments, Constitutional Authorities, Diplomats, senior political leaders, Government officials, media persons are scheduled to attend the ceremony. In view of the VVIP movement, elaborate security and traffic arrangements have been made for smooth conduct of the function. The following roads in Delhi will be closed for movement of the general public between 4 PM to 9 PM on Thursday. 1. Rajpath (from Vijay chowk to Rashtrapati Bhawan) 2. Vijay chowk and adjoining areas including North and South fountain. 3. South Avenue 4. North Avenue 5. Dara-Shikoh Road 6. Church Road. In addition, necessary traffic diversions shall be given on the following roads which are expected to face congestion due to the ceremony. 1. Akbar Road 2. Rajpath 3. Teen Murti Marg 4. Krishna Menon Marg 5. Pandit Pant Marg 6. Talkatora Road 7. Gurudwara Rakab Ganj Road 8. Tyagaraj Marg 9. S.P. Marg 10. Khushak Road 11. K. Kamaraj Marg 12. Rajaji Marg 13. Shanti Path 14. Raisina Road (beyond R/A Rail Bhawan towards Parliament House) 15. Moti Lal Nehru Marg (beyond R/A Udyog Bhawan towards R.P. Bhawan) The general public has been advised to avoid the above-mentioned roads between 4 pm and 9 pm. Traffic signages have also been provided for the information of invitees. All motorists are advised to follow the directions of the traffic police on duty. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday refused to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony after earlier accepting the offer. The Chief Minister said that she is forced to refuse after the Bharatiya Janata Party has been claiming that 54 people have been murdered in political violence in Bengal. "The oath-taking ceremony is an august occasion to celebrate democracy, not one that should be devalued by any political party," she said in a tweet. Here is the full text of letter sent by Mamata to Modi: "Congratulations. new Prime Minister, Narendra Modi Ji. It was my plan to accept the 'Constitutional invitation' and attend the oath-taking ceremony. However. in the last one hour, I am seeing media reports that the BJP are claiming 54 people have been murdered in political violence in Bengal. This is completely untrue. There have been no political murders in Bengal. These deaths may have occurred due to personal enmity. family quarrels and other disputes; nothing related to politics. There is no such record with us. So, I am sorry, Narendra Modi Ji, this has compelled me not to attend the ceremony. The ceremony is an august occasion to celebrate democracy, not one that should be devalued by any political party which uses it as an opportunity to score political points. Please excuse me." The oath-taking ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his new council of ministers will take place at 7 pm on Thursday at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The leaders from BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) countries - Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan - are on Prime Minister's guest list and so are Kyrgyzstan President Sooronbay Jeenbekov, Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth. Live TV External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar on Tuesday said that the ceremony will be attended by Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid, Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena, Myanmar President U Win Myint, Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Bhutan Prime Minister Lotay Tshering. Thailand will be represented by its Special Envoy Grisada Boonrach while Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will be absent from the ceremony due to prior commitments. PM Modi was re-elected for a second consecutive term on May 23 with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) winning 354 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha election. NEW DELHI: With Rahul Gandhi determined to quit as the party president in wake of the poll debacle, a move supported by his mother Sonia Gandhi and sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress is preparing itself for a post-Gandhi scenario. Live TV According to sources, efforts to placate Rahul to take back his resignation has yielded little results so far. Hectic activities were witnessed on Tuesday with a series of visitors meeting Rahul and Priyanka in the national capital to tide over the current crisis and discuss a complete structural overhaul of the party. As Congress scrambles to defuse the crisis triggered by Rahul's insistence on resigning from his post, the party is also now beginning to prep itself for 'what next' scenario. The Congress Working Committee is likely to meet again on May 29 to discuss a replacement for Rahul Gandhi, said sources, adding that Rahul feels it is time a non-Gandhi took over the reins of the party. Rahul Gandhi offered to resign from the post of party president after Congress' shambolic performance in Lok Sabha election 2019. Of the 542 seats, the party won 52 as against BJP's tally of 303. However, Rahul`s offer of resignation was unanimously rejected by the CWC. While the party remains the main opposition party in the house, it is not qualified to have a Leader of Opposition in the 17th Lok Sabha. The Gandhi family's problem with senior leaders' role in the party crisis at central and state levels also been made amply clear, said sources. Rahul is not at all open to the suggestion that a number of working presidents be appointed under him, sources added. The situation has also put the Congress rank and hierarchy in a spot, with several senior party members and ally leaders asking Rahul to stay back and go for a complete organisational overhaul of the party. Mumbai: Actress Katrina Kaif, who recently shot for an episode of 'BFFs with Vogue - Season 3' along with Anaita Shroff Adajania, revealed actor Arjun Kapoor is her 'rakhi' brother. During a popular game in the show 'Say it or Strip it', anchor Neha Dhupia asked Katrina, "If Ranbir and Alia, and Arjun and Malaika got married literally same day, same time, which would you attend." To this, Katrina replied saying, "If I'd have to pick one, I'd pick Arjun because he is my rakhi brother. I tied him a rakhi on the day 'Sheila ki Jawaani' was released and he didn't really like me. 'Arjun, do you want to be my rakhi brother?' He was like 'No!' (and) I was like Arjun you're going to be my rakhi brother." After months of speculation, Arjun finally opened up about his relationship with Malaika. Ranbir, on the other hand, was rumoured to be dating Katrina before moving on to Alia. In an interview with Filmfare, the actor said he doesn't want people to think that they are still hiding. "We've come out because we feel the media has given us dignity. Theres a certain understanding the media has... they've been respectful, kind, honest and decent about it. That is why I felt comfortable. You recoil when there's a certain 'gandhagi' that comes with the territory. When purposely people irk you by saying, writing or asking things... there hasnt been any of that," he said. Arjun and Varun Dhawan, who allegedly had created a 'I Hate Katrina Kaif' club in their younger days, recently decided to make amends with the actress and created a 'I Love Katrina Kaif' club. Varun and Arjun also presented Katrina with a token of their faithful friendship - a huge Dalmatian trophy. On the work front, Katrina awaits the release of her upcoming period film 'Bharat'. New Delhi: The Reserve Bank of India has decided to extend the usage timings for `Real Time Gross Settlement` (RTGS) system from June 1. Issuing a notification to this effect, RBI said, It has been decided to extend the timings for customer transactions (initial cut-off) in RTGS from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm. Here is the new RTGS time window June 01, 2019 RTGS is a financial transaction system, where there is continuous and real-time settlement of fund transfers, individually on a transaction-by-transaction basis. However, the system does not works on a 24-hour basis. RBI furhter said that the time-varying charges for transactions in RTGS from 1 pm to to 6 pm shall be Rs 5 per outward transaction. Here is the time varying charges structure: The current RTGS service window for customer transactions is available to banks from 8 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. on a working day, for settlement at the RBI`s end. Bikaner: A massive fire broke out at an oil refinery in Rajasthan's Bikaner in the wee hours of Wednesday. The fire-fighting operations are currently underway. The incident took place in Khara Industrial Area of Bikaner at around 2 am. Rescue personnel rushed to the spot. The blaze is to be brought under control. All fire brigades of the city at present at the scene. The fire department and police have been struggling to douse the flames of the past five hours. More details awaited Director Selvaraghavan last directed Iraandam Ulagam which released back in 2013. After six long years, the filmmaker is back with another film and it is called NGK. The film is releasing on May 31 and fans are pretty excited. As part of promotions in Telugu, the director spoke to the media on Tuesday in Hyderabad and looks pretty confident on bagging a hit with this political thriller. Asked about what inspired him to make this film, Selvaraghavan said, My inspiration to make NGK is the selfish side that exists within all of us. When a selfish man wants luxury or even something better for the society, he will go to any extent. What if a farmer does that? What if a common man decides to do that and gets involved in various issues politically? So the kind of changes he will bring is the society forms the story of Nandha Gopala Krishna. Selvaraghavan is known to be pretty strict on the sets and for making the actors give multiple takes for various scenes. In fact, the actors, after the shot, wait for ten minutes to get an okay from the director. Talking about this, the director said, I want to bring the best out of my actors and the magic has to be brought out of them. Or else we get only satisfactory shots. If we want the best, taking multiple takes is definitely not a bad idea. This film has Rakul Preet Singh and Sai Pallavi as the leading ladies and both of them play strong roles, as per the director. Actor Suriya Sivakumar says he is happy to have stepped into the shoes of Nandha Gopala Krishna (NGK), who wants to do something better and big to make the society and country a better place to live in. The film is also titled NGK and is directed by Selvaraghavan and has Rakul Preet Singh and Sai Pallavi as the leading ladies. The film, which is shot in Tamil, is dubbed into Telugu and is being released. As a part of the promotions in Hyderabad, the actor spoke to media and here is an excerpt from the interview. A political drama after 15 long years since the release of Yuva. Was this gap purposeful? No gap if purposeful or intentional. I dont know why, but a political genre film couldnt happen after that. I was busy do9ing films in other genres and commercial entertainers. And I think I didnt any script it was as interesting as NGK and no director like Selvaraghavan came to me with such script. I didnt happen. Thats it! What are the aspects which have convinced you to NGK? There are many aspects I should say. Firstly, it is the director. I have been wanting to work with Selvaraghavan for a long time and finally, when the day came, I was on cloud nine. He came to me with four scripts and I chose the script of NGK. It is an intense political drama which is pretty much similar to the many present situations in our society. We heard that working with Selvaraghavan is like going to school again. Is it true? Yes. More than going to school, I should say it is like being in an ashram. Right from the first day to the last, the sets were very much silent. No mobile phones, no time pass, no guestsonly discipline and focus on work. Yes, it is a school and such a school from where we dont want to pass out as soon as possible, but will miss all that it taught you to do. WALLINGFORD Lyman Hall High School valedictorian Brian Behrens is just as passionate about his academics as he is about his rank as an Eagle Scout. Scouting has been a very big part of my life, said Behrens, a scout for 12 years. Its shown me great wonders and given me awesome opportunities. The 18-year old said that throughout his time in high school he has always been dedicated to his studies and was honored to be named valedictorian. However, reaching the status of Eagle Scout, the highest ranking position of the Boy Scouts of America, has been a goal for much longer, he said. As part of his training, Behrens completed an Eagle Scout project involving a plan to revitalize the senior court at the high school in an effort to give back to his community. The project includes the installation of a bench, picnic table and several areas of new flowers. I saw senior court, which is placed pretty much smack dab in the middle of Lyman Hall, as an opportunity to improve the motivation for students to go outside, have some fresh air and also have a relaxing and peaceful environment to relax and eat lunch or study, he said. Behrens said he knew he was among the top of his class but didnt expect to be named valedictorian. It was a surprise to me. Even though I value studying and I value learning and I love to do it, I just didnt think Id be the first, he said. There are many other exceptionally intelligent people here at Lyman Hall. It hadnt crossed my mind. Wants to learn Sarah Serkin, who taught Behrens AP Calculus class his junior year, said she wasnt surprised to find out he was valedictorian. Serkin met Behrens during his freshman year when he requested to take Algebra 2 in the summer so that he could take Pre-Calculus his sophomore year. The request impressed Serkin. Hes a lot of fun. He loves to learn so he challenges himself, she said. Its awesome to have a student who doesnt just want to memorize Honestly, he could care less about the grade. He wants to learn. Behrens contacted her last year when school was closed during the microburst to ask for more work to do. She gave him puzzles and challenges to work on. Behrens said because he completed the highest level of math available at the school his junior year AP Calculus he decided to take college level courses this year at Southern Connecticut State University. Just really for the challenge and for the educational benefit, Behrens said. Behrens will attend the University of Connecticut in the fall and double major in applied mathematics and chemistry. jroman@record-journal.com 203-317-2420 Twitter: @JenieceRoman Mumbai: Abhay Deol, who is venturing into streaming space with the Netflix release of his film 'Chopsticks', says the new technology is disruptive and will bring fundamental changes to viewing experience. The actor, known for his critically-acclaimed performances in films such as 'Dev D', 'Manorama Six Feet Under' and 'Shanghai', says he has been following the evolution of streaming for a while now. 'Chopsticks', also starring Mithila Palkar, releases on Netflix on May 31. "Ever since Netflix hit the scene, I was like when will they come here? Clearly, we need them for our evolution. And having seen what Netflix has done abroad and knowing where technology is going, I knew it is bound to be destructive. Disruption can be very good for change," Deol told PTI in an interview. Digital boom, according to him, does not automatically mean that big screens are going to go away. "Something that is action-oriented and large on production value, definitely you will like to see it on the big screen because it is a large scale movie. As a creative person, there is always a certain romanticism in watching your film release on the big screen. I don't think it will ever go away," he said. "In the West, all the good drama moved to TV and only superhero films are released (in theatres) because theatres have become about spectacles and extravagant locales. "Something like 'Chopsticks' feels fine on the big TV. It is bittersweet thing, there are some things that you get here (on streaming platforms) and something that you don't get. The biggest plus point (about digital release) is that the content is pure and it is told from the perspective of the filmmaker rather than from the perspective of the studio," he added. Deol said he was one of the firsts to realise the potential of multiplexes as that is where his middle-of-the-road films were working while single screens catered to commercial entertainers. "I experienced a new platform and its impact when I was making my films back in my early years of my career. When the multiplex was coming up, how do you think 'Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!' or 'Manorama Six Feet Under' or 'Ek Chaalis Ki Last Local' or 'Dev D' released. (They released) because of the multiplex coming up. Before that, single screens were there and they would not have released (those films)." The bone of contention in some quarters is the lack of censorship in digital space and there are talks to regulate the space but Deol believes censoring isn't a solution. The actor said the audience should be the one to judge what they want to watch or not. "You want to protect people from sex and violence but they are going to get that anyway from the Internet. So might as well allow artistes and OTT platforms to work on controversial and provocative subjects. They should be able to have a nuanced dialogue through their writing and filming. Let the public be the deciding factor." In 'Chopsticks', Deol plays the role of a conman named Artist. Earlier, the actor played a conman in 'Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!'. Drawing differences between the two characters, he said, "If Lucky was a lower class boy from Delhi, then Artist is a middle class urban guy from Mumbai. "He is educated while Lucky wasn't. Lucky is ambitious and there is a certain bitterness in him that he wasn't given the same amount of opportunities in life while Artist creates his own opportunities and for him stealing is an art and everything he does is out of passion or creativity." The film, directed by Sachin Yardi, also stars Vijay Raaz. Indian music giant T Series on Wednesday became the first YouTube channel to have gained 10 crore subscriber-base. As of 5 pm on Wednesday, it has 100,012,974 subscribers. T Series is currently at the top spot when it comes to subscriber base on YouTube after it dethroned Swedish gamer Felix Kjellberg's channel PewDiePie. T Series and PewDiePie had been involved in a neck and neck contest for months for the top YouTube spot. As of Wednesday, PewDiePie has 96,184747 subscribers. Led by Bhushan Kumar, T-Series had just 3 crore subscribers at the beginning of 2018 and rocketed to over 7 crore in a short time. The meteoric rise was propelled by the introduction of new changes in Indian mobile and data service. T-Series is a popular music and production house in India since the 1980s. It has 29 TV channels in several Indian languages. It hosts some of the biggest Indian artists, drawing millions of views. Live TV In May, a soft-spoken and uncharacteristically serious Felix 'PewDiePie' Kjellberg had called for an end to the Subscribe to PewDiePie campaign. His message came after terrorist Brenton Tarrant on 15 March 2019 opened fire and killed 51 people inside two mosques in New Zealand's Christchurch. The 28-year-old Australian mercilessly shot dead people gathered for prayers inside a mosque in an otherwise peaceful locality. Before carrying out the attacks, he said on FB live stream, "Remember lads, subscribe to PewDiePie." Speaking about the incident, more than 45 days after the attacks, PewDiePie says in the video, To have my name associated with something so unspeakably vile, has affected me in more ways than Ive let show. Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government increased the ad-hoc bonus to Rs 4,000. Last year the ad-hoc bonus was Rs 3,800. Employees earning more than Rs 30,000 per month are eligible for this. Muslim employees are eligible to get this bonus ahead of Id-ul-Fitre on June 4 to 5, while other employees will receive it before Durga Puja. The disbursement of Ad-hoc Bonus sanctioned hereinabove should be made in case of Muslim State Government employees before the Festival of Id-Ul-Fitre and in case of other State Government employees (other than Muslim State Government employees) such disbursement should be made between 23rd September, 2019 and 1 October, 2019. In case of failure, the disbursement should be made as early as possible before the festival of Id-Ul-Fitre/ Durga Puja, said a notice from the state government. The casual workers who worked for at least for 120 days and employees on consolidated pay in the year 2018-2019 are also entitled to ad-hoc bonus. BEIJING: The Chinese government signalled on Wednesday that it would not follow Taiwan`s example on same-sex marriage after the first legal unions in Asia were hailed by activists as a social revolution for the region. Taiwan`s parliament passed a bill this month that endorsed same-sex marriage. More than 360 same-sex couples married on Friday after years of heated debate over marriage equality that has divided the self-ruled and democratic island. China, which claims Taiwan as its own sacred territory, has a thriving gay scene in major cities, but there has been little sign that the ruling Communist Party will legalise same sex marriage, despite activists pushing for it. Speaking at a regular news briefing, An Fengshan, spokesman for China`s policy-making Taiwan Affairs Office, said they had "noted reports on the island" about same-sex marriage. "The mainland has a marriage system of one man, one woman," he added, without further elaboration. Individual legislators have occasionally in recent years proposed legislation during China`s annual meeting of parliament in March to legalise same-sex marriage, without success. There are no laws against same-sex relations in China and despite growing awareness of LGBT issues, the community has been the target of Chinese censors in recent months. Islamabad: Pakistani airspace on its eastern border with India will remain closed until June 14, a civil aviation official said on Wednesday, the latest extension months after a standoff between the arch-rivals. Pakistan closed its airspace in February after a suicide attack by Pakistan-based terrorist organisation JeM in Jammu and Kashmir led to aerial bombing missions on each other's soil and a fighter dogfight over Kashmir. Foreign carriers using Indian airspace have been forced to take costly detours because they cannot fly over Pakistan. The closure mainly affects flights from Europe to Southeast Asia. "The closure will continue until June 14," a spokesperson for Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority told Reuters, without giving further details. Pakistan lies in the middle of a vital aviation corridor and the airspace restrictions impact hundreds of commercial and cargo flights each day, adding flight time for passengers and fuel costs for airlines. Pakistan is certain to stay on the greylist when the next meet of Financial Action Task Force or FATF takes place, an official from FATF member countries said on Wednesday. The grouping, which looks in to money laundering and terrorism financing issues, will meet from 16th to 21st June in Orlando, Florida. During the meet, it will be discussing Pakistan's listing and if the country has taken any action to combat terror financing. FATF's Asia-Pacific Group (APG), which met in China in mid May, was not impressed by Pakistan's action on terror financing. Islamabad was put on the greylist in 2018 which means the country comes under financial jurisdiction with 'structural deficiencies' in anti-money laundering (AML) and combating the financing of terrorism (CFT) or just supports financing of terror. In June of 2018, Pakistan had made a high-level political commitment to work with the FATF and Asia Pacific group to strengthen its AML/CFT regime and to address its strategic counter- terrorist financing-related deficiencies. Being in FATF's grey list has caused a loss of $10 billion to Islamabad and if Islamabad fails to take any concrete action on terror, it might be put on the black list. The FATF in its February meet had come hard on Pakistan saying it has not demonstrated a proper understanding of the Terror Financing risks posed by "Da'esh, AQ, JuD, FiF, LeT, JeM, HQN, and persons affiliated with the Taliban." SYDNEY: Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O`Neill formally resigned on Wednesday after losing the support of parliament during weeks of political turmoil in the South Pacific island nation. O`Neill was met with applause when he announced to parliament in Port Moresby that he had delivered his resignation to Governor-General Bob Dadae on Wednesday morning. He said it was likely he would be replaced on Thursday, drawing a line under a period of political chaos. Parliament adjourned until 10 a.m. on Thursday (midnight GMT Wednesday) soon after O`Neill finished speaking. Analysts say the political turbulence could delay resource projects on the drawing board and major energy companies involved in PNG, including Total SA and ExxonMobil Corp, are watching closely. Political instability is not unusual in the poverty-stricken but resource-rich South Pacific archipelago. However, growing concern over resource benefits not reaching the poor has driven the latest attempts to topple O`Neill. "It has been my great honour to serve this nation and lead this nation almost for eight years. Unfortunately politics in PNG plays out this way," O`Neill told parliament. "For the interests of the ongoing political stability and to ensure that we create confidence in the business community and the economy so that we can continue to have social unity in the country, it is important that I vacate this seat so that we can be able to move on," he said. O`Neill was embraced by supporters and shook hands with opposition lawmakers after addressing parliament. He had promised to resign on Sunday after a string of defections plunged his leadership into question and cost him his parliamentary majority. "You have taken a decision that I think your country would be proud of," opposition leader Patrick Pruiatch told parliament. "I think you have responded and you have demonstrated leadership." Pruiatch is a leading candidate to replace O`Neill. Parliament can replace O`Neill on its next sitting day once his resignation is accepted by Dadae. The political uncertainty has knocked almost 5% from shares in Oil Search Ltd, an Australian partner in large liquefied natural gas developments in PNG, since the challenge to O`Neill gained traction on Friday. However, the head of another development partner, Santos Ltd, dismissed concerns that final investment decisions on LNG expansion could be pushed beyond their 2020 targets. Pope Francis said he was willing to tell US President Donald Trump in person that it is wrong to build border walls and appeared to warn him not to resume a policy of separating families. In a wide-ranging television interview with Mexico`s Televisa aired on Tuesday, the pope also shrugged off criticism from ultra-conservative Roman Catholics who call him a heretic. Francis, who has clashed with Trump before on migration issues, discussed the situation at the US-Mexican border with veteran Vatican reporter Valentina Alazraki, who is Mexican. "I don`t know what`s happening with this new culture of defending territories by building walls. We already knew one, that (one) in Berlin, which brought so many headaches and so much suffering," he said. "Separating children from their parents goes against natural law, and those Christians ... you can`t do it. It is cruel. It is among the greatest of cruelties. And to defend what? Territory, or the economy of a country or who knows what," he said, adding that such policies were "very sad". Asked if he would tell Trump the same thing to his face if the president were sitting opposite him instead of the reporter, Francis said: "The same. The same because I say it publicly ... I have even said that those who build walls end up being prisoners of the walls they build." Trump, who met the pope at the Vatican in 2017, has said the wall is needed to address a crisis of drugs and crime flowing across the border into the United States and has clashed with the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives and some judges on how to fund it. Last year, Pope Francis criticised the Trump administration policy of separating children from parents who had illegally crossed the US-Mexico border, a policy Trump later reversed after a widespread outcry. Last month, Trump denied media reports that his administration was considering reinstating the policy. No further meeting between Trump and the pope is planned. Francis was also asked about a group of ultra-conservatives who earlier this month began a signature campaign urging bishops to denounce him as a heretic over a range of topics from communion for the divorced to religious diversity. Francis said he did not feel hurt and took it "with a sense of humour," adding, "I pray for them because they are wrong, and, poor people, some of them are being manipulated." By PTI NEW DELHI: IT-major Cognizant, which has close to two lakh employees in India, will hand out over 18 per cent higher pay packages to entry-level engineers joining next year, according to industry sources. Engineering students graduating in June 2020 will see the offer made by the US-based company increased from Rs 3.38 lakh per annum to Rs 4 lakh, they said. IT companies are slated to visit campuses around August-September this year to present offer letters for next year. Confirming the salary increase, a Cognizant spokesperson said the company already offers higher packages for employees with "premium" skills in digital technologies. "In line with that, we have decided to increase the compensation of entry-level engineering graduates, as digital technologies have become an integral part of engineering curricula in progressive institutions from where we recruit talent," the spokesperson said. The spokesperson pointed out that with the growing need for digital talent, Cognizant has also been investing in reskilling and upskilling of its employees at scale. "In calendar 2018 alone, we reskilled and upskilled over 1.5 lakh of our employees on digital skills," the spokesperson said. According to placement officers, Cognizant usually hires about 15,000-20,000 freshers on an average every year. The entry-level annual salary for graduate engineers is currently around Rs 3.30-3.60 lakh. Cognizant, which gets about 33 per cent of its revenue from digital solutions, has been actively hiring from Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and has made more than 500 offers in IITs across India in the last three years. The Cognizant spokesperson, however, declined to comment on the number of job offers made at engineering campuses in India. Interestingly, the move comes at a time when the company has said that as part of a realignment scheme, the 'management is currently evaluating various strategies, including additional employee separation programmes'. "The timing, nature and magnitude of these initiatives are not finalised at this time. As such, we cannot provide realignment charges on a forward-looking basis without unreasonable effort," the company said in its March 2019 quarter results. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued a lookout notice for the promoters of DHFL and 19 other defaulters at the request of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) as part of its crackdown against defaulters leaving the country. According to officials, the lookout notice is against Kapil Wadhawan, Aruna Wadhawan and Dheeraj Wadhawan, the three primary promoters of DHFL. This time the government cannot allow any defaulters to fly abroad. The ministry (MCA) gave a list of 20 defaulters last week, which included promoters of Jet, DHFL, a leading steel and power company, and the promoter of a realty company. This week, a fresh list will be given to the MHA, an official from the MCA said. The government has already faced embarrassment after Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi and about a dozen other individuals fled the country after alleged defaults and fraud. The corporate affairs ministry has initiated the move following a green signal from the PMO to tighten the noose around companies, promoters and directors involved in serious fraud and irregular transactions. Last week, Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal and his wife Anita Goyal were deplaned from a Dubai-bound flight after the couple was denied permission to travel abroad by the immigration authority at Mumbai airport in the light of the current crisis at the now-grounded Jet Airways. The list also had the names of DHFL promoters in order to prevent them from leaving India till the investigation is completed. An investigation by the MCA has reportedly found that addresses provided by DHFL subsidiaries and its associated companies did not exist. While the companies denied receiving any such notice, shares of DHFL dropped as much as 7 per cent in intraday trade. In January, news reports surfaced in the media reporting that the DHFL promoters allegedly siphoned off Rs 31,000 crore out of bank loans of Rs 97,000 crore. The company denied the allegation. PMO NOD FOR ACTION The corporate affairs ministry has initiated the move following a green signal from the PMO to tighten the noose around companies, promoters and directors involved in serious fraud and irregular transactions. The government has already faced embarrassment after Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi and about a dozen other individuals fled the country after alleged defaults and fraud. By PTI NEW DELHI: Maruti Suzuki India on Wednesday said it will invest Rs 24 crore to set up a 5 MW solar power plant at its Gurugram facility. The company recently laid the foundation stone for the captive solar power plant which is expected to be commissioned in the current financial year, Maruti Suzuki India said in a statement. The proposed plant will help offset CO2 emissions to the tune of over 5,390 tonnes annually, for the next 25 years, it said adding that the plant would be the second grid-based solar power plant for Maruti Suzuki. The first solar power plant was set up in 2014 at Manesar, with 1 MW capacity. In 2018, it was further expanded to 1.3 MW. "This solar power initiative is in line with the company's philosophy to adopt environment-friendly technologies and lower CO2 emissions," Maruti Suzuki India MD & CEO Kenichi Ayukawa said. Through this solar power plant facility the company will harness renewable energy for its business needs over the next 25 years, he added. Sunitha natti By Express News Service HYDERABAD: The Indian pharmaceutical industry, which is battling a host of challenges, including scrutiny by the US FDA, litigation on alleged drug price rise in the US, and global headwinds, hopes that the Modi government will kick off reforms and policy initiatives that couldnt be rolled out in its previous tenure. For instance, in 2015, the government announced setting up of a uniform code for pharmaceutical marketing practices but is yet to introduce a law or issue any relevant regulations. The proposed code prevents alleged unfair practices and nexus between pharma companies and medical practitioners to market drugs. Also, unlike developed countries, India doesnt have a body that regulates healthcare innovation and grants exclusivity. Once the exclusivity period ends, the drugs enter the price control regime. Globally, the pharma industry has been taking regulatory stick allegedly for high prices (recall the recent litigation in the US against 20 large pharma companies including Indian firms), but most countries have designated laws preventing authorities from overstepping. Back home, while the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority identifies the list of essential medicines to be brought under price control, the pharma lobby is miffed that it discourages investments in innovation. This could even derail the governments ambition of moving from Made in India to Developed in India, said an industry analyst. A key thing the industry would like is a cut in GST to 5 per cent on the rental of healthcare properties to fund capacity expansion, besides a policy on healthcare skill development and a research agency for healthcare and pharma studies. Earnings should post a cyclical recovery (led by launches and facility clearance), but structural challenges persist and we expect margins and return ratios to remain below historical levels, even in the medium term, said brokerage Jefferies India, adding that the monthly growth in the past year was above 10 per cent and the sector is expected to maintain it in the coming months. China offers a big market opportunity and a bilateral trade dialogue to ease processes would lift the Indian pharma sector. Indian firms face challenges in China Indian firms face hurdles due to delays in product registration in countries like China, and high costs incurred during the process as against, say, Chinese firms having minimal obstacles in contract manufacturing in India. Also, clinical trials and bioequivalent studies done in India are accepted by the US FDA and EU regulators, but not by China. By PTI WASHINGTON: The Trump administration on Tuesday removed India from its currency monitoring list of major trading partners, citing certain developments and steps being taken by New Delhi which address some of its major concerns. Switzerland is the other nation that has been removed by the US from its currency monitoring list which among others include China, Japan, South Korea, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam. "India has been removed from the monitoring list in this report, having met only one out of three criteria 'a significant bilateral surplus with the US' for two consecutive reports," the Treasury Department said in its latest semi-annual report on macroeconomic and foreign exchange policies of major trading partners of the US sent to the Congress. After purchasing foreign exchange on net in 2017, the central bank steadily sold reserves for most of 2018, with net sales of foreign exchange reaching 1.7 per cent of GDP over the year, it said. India maintains ample reserves according to the IMF metrics for reserve adequacy, it said. In both Switzerland and India, there was a notable decline in 2018 in the scale and frequency of foreign exchange purchases, the report said. "Neither Switzerland nor India met the criteria for having engaged in persistent, one-sided intervention in either the October 2018 report or this report. Both Switzerland and India have been removed from the monitoring list," the Treasury said in its report running into over 40 pages. India for the first time was placed by the US in its currency monitoring list of countries with potentially questionable foreign exchange policies in May 2018 along with five other countries - China, Germany, Japan, South Korea and Switzerland. In its next report in October 2018, the Treasury had said that India has made improvements and its name would be removed from the currency manipulation list in the next report. "India's circumstances have shifted markedly, as the central bank's net sales of foreign exchange over the first six months of 2018 led net purchases over the four quarters through June 2018 to fall to USD 4 billion, or 0.2 per cent of the GDP," the Treasury had said in its October 2018 report. Donita Jose By Express News Service HYDERABAD: Is lack of access to credit slowing down women entrepreneurs from starting their own ventures, or scaling up their ventures? Despite plenty of loan options being in place from the Mudra and Startup India schemes, experts feel that many women entrepreneurs continue to face hurdles in accessing them due to lack of awareness and financial know-how. It is learnt that several women entrepreneurs, both in startups and those scaling up their businesses, know about the existing schemes and benefits that can fetch them capital, but often fail to make the cut with the banks as they lack the skills in completing the formalities. For instance, when it comes to the operationalising part, they may not have a sound business plan in place, or know how to put across their projects or may lack the know-how on how to communicate the same to the banker. Some women entrepreneurs may not get into the operational aspects of balance sheets, working capital, business projections etc, Deepthi Ravula, CEO of We Hub, said. Experts also note that for Startups, debt financing, on the whole, can become a challenge irrespective of the gender. With startups in general, the case is that they do not have a lot of equity to offer since they have no collateral or asset backing as security, which makes banks reluctant to offer loans, noted Saloni Khandelwal, Founder, Transaction Square. She further said that many bankers fail to understand the new evolving nature of business. A lot of startups are technology intensive or skill driven with very little assets to offer as collateral. For instance, a bakery is highly skill driven, but unlike a factory, where land and machinery can be put as collateral, a bakery trying to expand their operations may not have that, Saloni said. To overcome this gap, We Hub has planned a loan mela in the city. TS to participate in Female Entrepreneurship Summit in the Netherlands Telangana will now be represented at the Female Entrepreneurship and the Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2019 which will take place in the Netherlands next month. Representing the State will be WE Hub CEO Deepthi Ravula. By Express News Service CHENNAI: Four constables have been transferred and an inquiry is underway after they allegedly received Rs 80,000 as bribe from an electronic goods owner at Triplicane here. Sunny Lloyd, Rajasekaran, Anandraj and Ashok Kumar were attached to Triplicane station. Recently, they learnt that one Shahul Hamid, who has an electronic goods shop allegedly smuggles goods from Malaysia and sells them in the city. Following which, Anandraj and Rajasekaran threatened Hamid to pay Rs 2 lakh promising not to arrest him and seize the goods, said a police source. Fearing this, Hamid asked them to come next week. Meanwhile, he had shifted 500 mobile phones, 90 laptops from his godown to another place. The duo had come and brought Ashok Kumar along. They found all the goods missing. But, they made Hamid pay Rs 80,000. Hamid allegedly argued with the police personnel that he did not do anything illegal. But they made him pay `80,000 so that he would not be booked. Later, Lloyd was also said to be helping the trio, the source said. Shahul Hamid filed a police complaint and the four personnel were asked to report at the control room for interdepartmental action. A senior police officer said further action will be taken after inquiry. Ayesha Singh By Express News Service Call it a desperate attempt to challenge bigotry or a helpless plea to end the conflict, Major Vijai Singh Mankotia, 79, who has served in the army for 16 years, and has seen turmoil microscopically, is assured of its futility. But the only means for ending war, both outside and within is love, feels Major Mankotia as he launches his new book, Upheaval. Through his novel, he indicates that young people are willing to break free of this horrid past for a greater understanding of each other. Lets not be impediments for them, he says. Major Mankotia also challenges the primitive idea of religion used as an instrument to control people. The only way to overcome this barrier is love, not AISI kind of fundamentalism that distracts us from the goal of egalitarianism, says Mankotia. He achieves these intents through the protagonists in his book, who despite coming from different backgrounds, are able to love each other without letting their differences get the better of them. Major Vijai Singh Mankotia Upheaval narrates the nauseous conflict for dominance through protagonists Himanshu Mishra from India and Rubyana Sherzai from Pakistan, two people madly in love. But Mishra is the son of the former Prime Minister who is expected to succeed in his fathers position, and Sherzai is sent to foster care once her parents die. The two meet at Harvard University where Mishra has gone to give a speech on the issues of law, injustice and imbalanced state of affairs, while Sherzai has come there as a student attend this discussion. She falls in love with him upon hearing his thoughts as she wholeheartedly identifies with these. Thereon mulls a love story, the future of which is questionable given their political circumstances. A constant factor in his previous books, Patterns of Destiny and Turmoil, and now in Upheaval, is turbulence. Anyone who has been to battle will tell you that clashes of any kind rip you of your peace and sanity. And in this book I highlight how two young people in love are tangled in the most politically tempestuous drama exacerbated by the world around them, reveals Major Mankotia, who feels that while the Britishers divided India and Pakistan, we are equally to blame for aggravating the situation. Theres such a formidable split between them [Pakistan] and us. Were ready to destroy each other through nuclear warfare, says the dejected author, hoping initiatives like his book will change mindsets. Dileep V Kumar By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Bolstering its fight against dengue fever, the state Health Department is pondering over the idea of collaborating with Singapore University of Technology and Design to chalk out an artificial intelligence system that could predict dengue outbreaks up to three months in advance. The department, which is planning to chalk out a state-level dengue management protocol, is also exploring the practicality of switching to a multi-pronged strategy in dengue control. It was during the third workshop of the Government of Kerala-WHO Dengue Study 2017-19 that the department listed out its future plans for fighting dengue. A marked variation in its surveillance and vector-control activities will come as part of the proposed zero dengue death initiative, said Dr Aravind R of the Infectious Diseases Department, Thiruvananthapuram Medical College. Through the ZDD programme, th e aim is not to bring down dengue-related deaths to zero. Its impossible. The objective is to reduce the case fatality rate in a phased manner. In this initiative, the introduction of artificial intelligence system will be of great help. Many countries had moved to the same, he said. Delivering a talk on ZDD Initiative and Updates in Clinical Management, Aravind said the faculty member of the Singapore University B T Balamurali had expressed his willingness to collaborate with the Health Department for devising the artificial intelligence system. At the same time, it has also been informed in the workshop that the ZDD is being piloted at the SAT Hospital, Medical College Hospital and General Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. Meanwhile, Dr Anish T S of the Community Medicine Department, Thiruvananthapuram MC, said it was high time the health workers looked beyond the larval indices and focused on adult mosquitoes. He also added initiatives like mosquito trap, mosquito repellent curtains and others should have to be introduced in households and hospitals for effective mosquito control. The dengue seroprevalence study, a first-of-its-kind in the country itself, is aimed at chalking out policy decisions to address the outbreak of dengue in the future and for finding reasons behind the outbreak in 2017. Though the final report is due in October, the study also increases the prospects of the state in establishing a World Health Organization Collaborative Centre in dengue. If established it could become the first-of-its-kind in the South-East Asian region itself. The workshop which is expected to be the last in its series was organised by the Directorate of Health Services, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, State Public Health Lab and others. By PTI NEW DELHI: The presidents of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday were among a host of foreign dignitaries who confirmed their attendance at Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony for a second term on Thursday. The prime ministers of Nepal, Mauritius and Bhutan, as well as a special envoy of Thailand, have also conveyed to India about their participation at the event, the Ministry of External Affairs said. It said the government has also invited leaders of the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) countries for the swearing-in ceremony. "The following leaders have confirmed their participation at the swearing-in ceremony of the Prime Minister: Md. Abdul Hamid, President of Bangladesh; Maithripala Sirisena, President of Sri Lanka; Sooronbay Jeenbekov, President of the Kyrgyz Republic; U Win Myint, President of Myanmar," it said in a statement. Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Nepal's Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, Prime Minister of Bhutan Lotay Tshering, and Special Envoy of Thailand Grisada Boonrach have also confirmed their attendance, the MEA said. "We look forward to receiving the dignitaries in New Delhi for the ceremony. We will keep you abreast of any related developments, including bilateral engagements, in due course," the MEA added. By Express News Service PATNA: The Bihar police on Wednesday recovered five bodies from two separate places in Gaya and Nawada districts of the state. The police suspect that three of the five include youths allegedly abducted from Jamui. The Gaya police recovered the bodies of two unidentified youths, aged between 20 and 25, from a roadside place. The throats of these youths bore cut marks. The cops suspect the injuries were made with the help of sharp-edged lethal weapons. The passersby who spotted the bodies on Wednesday morning informed the Ghatsila police immediately who reached the spot but couldn't recover any identity cards from the deceased. In the second incident, the Kakolat police in Nawada district recovered the bodies of three youths on Wednesday morning from a hilly place. according to the police, the three were allegedly kidnapped from Jamui, killed and dumped at an isolated hilly place. The district police in Gaya and Nawada have launched an investigation in the incidents. Prasanta Mazumdar By Express News Service ITANAGAR: The first elected government of the BJP in Arunachal Pradesh was installed on Wednesday with the swearing-in of Chief Minister Pema Khandu and his council of ministers. Governor Brig (retd) BD Mishra administered the oath of office and secrecy to Khandu and his ministerial colleagues at the swearing-in ceremony held in Itanagar. Chowna Mein took oath as the Deputy CM. Ten others sworn in as ministers were Wangki Lowang, Tage Taki, Tumke Bagra, Bamang Felix, Mama Natung, Nakap Nalo, Honchun Ngandam, Alo Libang, Kamlung Mosang and Taba Tedir. Nalo and Tedir had won the elections for the first time. The portfolios will be allocated soon. Khandu described the day as historic. Today is a historic day for Arunachal Pradesh. This is for the first time that a full-fledged BJP government has been installed in the state. I thank people for their support, he told journalists at the end of the swearing-in ceremony. Under the leadership and guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a lot of works are to be done in Arunachal. Our priority sectors will be law and order, health, education besides solving the problem of unemployment. Despite potentials in the state, we are faced with the problem of unemployment. We will bring in investments from outside to solve it. I assure people that we will run a clean, transparent and corruption-free government, the CM committed. The swearing in ceremony was attended by CMs Sarbananda Sonowal of Assam, N Biren Singh of Manipur, Conrad K Sangma of Meghalaya, Biplab Kumar Deb of Tripura and Neiphiu Rio of Nagaland besides Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav and Assam minister and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma. The BJP had grabbed 41 of the states 60 seats in the April 11 elections. The party had captured power twice in the past but that was through political maneuvering vis-a-vis the politics of defections. In July 2016, Khandu, who was then a Congress Minister, had taken over as the CM after Nabam Tuki relinquished the post in the wake of a power struggle. However, soon, Khandu and a large number of his Congress colleagues defected to the Peoples Party of Arunachal (PPA), effectively making it a PPA government. A few months later, most of them had defected to the BJP and it became a BJP government. In August 2003, the BJP had taken over from United Democratic Front and was in power for eight months when the then CM Gegong Apang of Arunachal Congress and MLAs from various other political parties defected to the saffron party. Rajesh Kumar Thakur By Express News Service PATNA: No doubt, we have been defeated by unexpected results came out from the recently concluded Lok Sabha election in favour of NDA but we are not dejected. There is no threat to the unity of Mahagatbandhan (grand alliance) because we are still as united as we were when the alliance was formed, claimed RJDs leader of opposition in state assembly Tejashawi Yadav on Wednesday here. Speaking after attending the meeting of Mahagatbandhan, held at the residence of former CM Rabri Devi, Tejashawi Yadav, accompanied by RLDSP Upendra Kushwaha and VIPs Mukesh Sahani, alleged that recent results of Lok Sabha elections were well managed by the NDA through an engineered electoral conspiracy. But defeat shows a way and we will find a way in the next assembly election to route out the NDA, he averred. Yadav admitted that results, gone in favour of the NDA, were never expected by them (leaders in Mahagathandhan) even in the wildest of their dreams. If turn-ups of people seen at the rallies, which were addressed jointly by NDA leaders were poorest among the poor in numbers and crowd-pulling but results sprang a surprise, he said. He accused the NDA of misleading the people through set agendas instead of fighting elections on real people-facing issues The people have been misled by their misplaced trust in NDA, he quipped. READ| 'Quit RJD if you have a problem with Tejashwi': Brother Tej bats for his 'Arjun' after Bihar loss Let the state assembly elections come, we will take on the opponents. In elections for the Lok Sabha, issues happen to be different from the issues upon which the elections are fought for assembly, he said, adding that a committee was formed to study out what went wrongs in LS elections. Upon being asked, why no leader of state Congress party attended the alliances post-poll debacle review meeting, Tejashawi Yadav said he was in regular contact with Congress president Rahul Gandhi. He said: Congress President Rahul Gandhi has invited me to attend a meeting with the Congress, likely to be held in next few days. We will expose the NDAs conspiracy by going before the people. On being asked, he said no invitation has been by him so far for attending the swearing-in ceremony of PM Narendra Modi. He said had he been received an invitation, the party would have decided whether to go or not to attend the swearing-in ceremony. Meanwhile, state president of Congress Party Madan Mohan Jha said he had assigned a representative of party to attend the meeting of Mahagatvandhan. I had to come to Darbhanga due to an urgent unavoidable work but had asked to send a parts representative, he told the media. Former CM and president of Hindustan Awami Morcha (HAM) Jitan Ram Manjhi reportedly could not attend the meeting because of pain in his teeth. He had sent his son to attend the meeting. By IANS NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the Centre to file a response on a plea seeking implementation of a proposal by the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (NCRWC) on population control and a 'two-child norm' criterion for government jobs. A Division Bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice Brijesh Sethi issued a notice to the Centre and listed the matter for September 3. The court was hearing public interest litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, seeking direction to the Centre to ascertain the feasibility of implementing the 24th recommendation of the NCRWC (Justice Venkatchaliah Commission) on population control. ALSO READ | Why do Ramdevs ideas get undue attention? In his plea, Upadhyay said the right to clean air, drinking water, health, peaceful sleep, shelter, livelihood and education could not be secured for citizens without effective population control. Stating that the government has not implemented the NCRWC proposals, the petitioner sought withdrawal of statutory rights like the right to vote, contest elections and own property. Upadhyay requested the court to direct the government to spread awareness about population explosion and provide contraceptive pill, condoms and vaccines to economically weaker sections and below poverty line families. He also sought direction to the Law Commission to prepare a comprehensive report on population explosion within three months. ALSO READ | Third child should be devoid of rights, blanket ban on cow slaughter, liquor: Baba Ramdev He said India accounted for only 2 per cent of agricultural land and 4 per cent drinking water but the population was 20 per cent of the world. If India was compared with China, then India's agricultural area was only one-third of that country while the rate of population growth three times that of China, he said. "The population explosion is the root cause of most of our problems like shortage of water, forests, land, cloth, house, poverty, employment, hunger and malnutrition," the petitioner said. He said population explosion also led to the crime. Manish Anand By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Amid intense speculation on the position of Arun Jaitley in the Union Cabinet in view of his ill health, the outgoing finance minister on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi saying he wanted to opt out. Later in the day, Modi called on him, triggering a fresh buzz on his offering Jaitley a ministerial berth without portfolio. ...I would in future, for some time, like to keep away from any responsibility. This will enable me to concentrate on my health and treatment, Jaitelys letter read. While the names of outside experts, including those of former RBI Governor Bimal Jalan and NITI Aayogs first vice-chairman Arvind Panagariya, figured in the wild guesses of a few, most BJP leaders maintained that the finance portfolio ought to be held by a political person for wider people connect. With indications that Modi would leave three key ministers Sushma Swaraj, Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari undisturbed, sources indicated that Shah may get finance. For the position of Lok Sabha Speaker, the names of Santosh Gangwar, S S Ahluwalia, Thawar Chand Gehlot and Narendra Singh Tomar are doing the rounds. Since the past four days, Shah has held a number of parleys with Modi on government formation. Shah met Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in the day amidst indications that the JD(U) would be joining the council of ministers with at least three berths, including one of Cabinet rank. The Lok Jan Shakti Party (LJP) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) made it clear that Ram Vilas Paswan and Harsimrat Kaur would be their respective nominees in the Cabinet. ALSO READ | RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das meets outgoing Finance Minister Arun Jaitley The Shiv Sena and AIADMK are likely to bag three and two berths, respectively, sources said. JD(U)s Munger MP Rajiv Ranjan Singh, who was a minister in Bihar but resigned a couple of days ago, and Rajya Sabha member T C P Singh, considered close to Nitish, are on the list of probables. ALSO READ | NDA's victory miraculous win; people rejected royalties, dynasties: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Another point of interest will be the portfolios of giantkillers like Smriti Irani, who trounced Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Amethi, and K P Yadav, who defeated Congress general secretary Jyotiraditya Scindia in Guna. The BJPs West Bengal push and its Mission South are also likely to be reflected in the new government, with Kerala hoping to get three berths. Sena may get three berths Within Shiv Sena, Rajya Sabha MP Anil Desai and Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg MP Vinayak Raut are the frontrunners. The names of Pratamsinh Jadhav and Bhavna Gavli, too, are doing the rounds. By PTI MUMBAI: A special court on Wednesday remanded three doctors of a state-run hospital, who were arrested for allegedly abetting the suicide of a junior colleague by tormenting her with casteist slurs, in police custody till May 31. Additional Sessions Judge R M Sadrani accepted the police's argument that the custody of Bhakti Mehere, Hema Ahuja and Ankita Khandelwal was required to ascertain if the victim left a suicide note and if the accused destroyed or misplaced it. The police further told the court that while the mobile phones of the accused were seized, further time was required to recover their WhatsApp chats with the victim. The police claimed that Payal Tadvi's body had a few injury marks which needed to be probed further, for which the postmortem report was awaited. The three doctors were booked after their 26-year-old junior colleague at B Y L Nair Hospital allegedly hanged herself at her hostel room last Wednesday. While Mehere was arrested on Tuesday evening, Ahuja and Khandelwal were caught in the early hours of Wednesday, a police official said. ALSO READ | Payal Tadvi death: End caste discrimination in medical colleges, urge health networks Advocate Nitin Satpute, appearing for the victim's family, alleged that the injury marks revealed Tadvi was killed and hence, the accused should be booked under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code. However, the accused's lawyer, Aabad Ponda, argued that the three doctors were not even aware of Tadvi's caste. "Abetment of suicide is when someone intentionally wants to harm the person, but the accused (in this case) had only pulled her up for work and there was no mens rea (intention) to harm her," he said. If the victim found no other option, she could have walked out of her job or lodged a complaint with the higher authorities (of the hospital), which she did not, he said. Citing a WhatsApp chat, Ponda said that Tadvi told her mother no one in the hospital knew which caste she belonged to. He said the police was just relying on the complaint of the victim's mother who did not attribute any specific role of the three accused in connection with the incident. Another lawyer of the accused, Sandeep Bali, told the court that the victim was married to a doctor, but instead of staying with him, she was residing at a hostel. ALSO READ | Dr Payal Tadvi case: Doctor accused of abetting junior colleague's suicide arrested "So, there might be a family issue that could have led her to take the extreme step," he said. The defence lawyers also said that the room where Tadvi was allegedly found hanging was locked from inside, so there was no possibility of someone else being there. The accused persons did not have access to Tadvi's room and it was the police who broke open the door and found the body, they said. The three accused told the court that after the incident last Wednesday, they went to the hospital dean's office where they waited for about two to three hours to record their statements. After Tadvi ended her life last week, her family alleged that the doctors taunted her by ragging and hurling casteist abuses as she belonged to a Scheduled Tribe. The accused were subsequently booked under provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, the Anti-Ragging Act, the IT Act and section 306 (abetment to suicide) of the Indian Penal Code. By Express News Service MUMBAI: Two more doctors at a state-run hospital here were arrested for allegedly abetting the suicide of a junior colleague by passing casteist slurs at her, police said on Wednesday. An accused doctor was arrested on Tuesday in connection with the suicide. All the three accused were produced in a court here and remanded in police custody till May 31. The court accepted the police argument that the custody of the three accused Bhakti Mehere, Hema Ahuja and Ankita Khandelwal was required to ascertain if the victim left a suicide note and if the accused destroyed or misplaced it. The police told the court that while the mobile phones of the accused were seized, more time was required to recover their WhatsApp chats with the victim. The police claimed that the victims body had a few injury marks which needed to be probed. The postmortem report was awaited, they said. While Mehere was arrested after initial interrogation, Hema Ahuja and Ankita Khandelwal were nabbed in the early hours on Wednesday, a police officer said. ALSO READ | Payal Tadvi death: End caste discrimination in medical colleges, urge health networks The two were arrested from Pune and Mumbai, Deputy Commissioner of Police (zone III) Avinash Kumar said. The three doctors were booked after their 26-year-old junior colleague Payal Tadvi at the Mumbai civic body-run BYL Nair Hospital allegedly hanged herself at her hostel room last Wednesday, a senior police official said. Her family alleged that the doctors taunted her by ragging and hurling casteist abuses as she belonged to a Scheduled Tribe. The accused were booked under the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, Anti-Ragging Act, IT Act and section 306 (abetment to suicide) of the Indian Penal Code. Advocate Nitin Satpute, appearing for the victims family, claimed that the injury marks revealed Tadvi was killed. Accuseds version The accuseds lawyer, Aabad Ponda, argued that the three doctors were not aware of Payal Tadvis caste. If the victim found no other option, she could have walked out of her job or lodged a complaint, he said. Sana Shakil By Express News Service The largest party to have emerged in Lok Sabha, the BJP, does not have even one Muslim MP. The NDA has just one Muslim MP, which is you. Your views on this? The fact that there is a combination of parties in the NDA that has got 353 seats and yet there is only one Muslim MP is definitely a matter of concern. I feel more nominations should have been given by the BJP and the NDA at large. Obviously, this needs to be relooked. The heartening thing this time is that the Prime Minister has unequivocally said sabka saath sabka vikas and sabka vishwas. It should augur well for the Muslim community in future provided they accept the olive branch. I think he means it, especially with the kind of mandate hes got this time. His stature has gone up not only in India but worldwide and it should be another feather in his cap if he anoints the sentiments of Muslims in general and minorities at large. You are saying it is now upon Muslims whether they decide to accept the olive branch. But many claim that Muslims were sidelined by the BJP government in the last five years. There were many cases of violence against Muslims. Your take? Such incidents might happen but the thing is to vehemently oppose them, which is what the PM has done of late which was unfortunately missing in the past. The utterances of Pragya Thakur were forcefully condemned by the Prime Minister. His heartening statement to win the vishwas (trust) of minorities was mainly hinted at Muslims. The PM realises there is lack of trust among minorities towards the ruling dispensation, which he is trying to address. If the PM makes a strong comment about some incident, it does carry a lot of weight and goes down to the lowest level. By reaching out to the minorities, he has sent a strong message that these kinds of incidents will not be tolerated and we need a cohesive India. The PM needs to take all the sections of society together so that a very strong India, a new India emerges. What do you think contributed to your alliances historic win in Bihar? Was it the popularity of Modi? Do you agree with the argument that this election was fought entirely on Modi jis name? It was a combination of factors. The kind of alliance we formed in Bihar, namely the BJP, the JD(U) and the LJP, my party, was a very formidable combination. Of course, the number one factor was the Modi wave the feeling that India needs a very strong and powerful government. But the fact that on economic and development front, the government didnt fare badly and the fact that Nitish ji came into the NDA fold was also a great support to the alliance because his development plank in Bihar has done well. Also, Nitish ji has done a lot for the minorities in Bihar. Our chief Ram Vilas Paswan ji, who has been in politics for 50 years, was, of course, an important factor in the Bihar victory. He is known for his social standing and he takes along with him all the weaker sections of society the minorities, the Dalits, the farmers etc. This combination together was a very formidable combination. Not to say that the other alliance was weak. On paper, they looked formidable, too, but when disparate individuals come together without any ideology, it doesnt percolate down to the grassroots. This is what happened and the results are out for everyone to see. Except one seat, it was a complete washout for other parties. The vote share of LJP, which also won all its six seats, also increased to 7.88% from 6.40% in 2014. What contributed to it? The LJPs constituencies remained the same and all MPs worked hard and did well. The result is indicative of the hard work. I can speak for myself I did my best and probably I also contributed to a rise in the vote share. All of us did our bit and the hard work paid off. Ram Vilas Paswan maintains his record of being the perfect political weathercock. Did you sense a Modi wave in the country before exit polls, and the results confirmed it? Nobody had an idea that it would be such a wave as people are now calling it. Even we couldnt get that and probably the voters didnt let the feelings out then. Eventually, it was a tsunami. I sensed that there was solid support for Modi ji when I was doing the rounds of my constituency. But we could not gauge that it would be that strong. How do you read Modis speech where he talked about reaching out to the minorities and make efforts to see to that Muslims stop living in fear? Why is there an impression that Muslims are living in fear and what efforts, as an NDA ally, will you make in this regard? In my constituency and in a lot of places in Bihar, that fear is not there. But by and large, there is a kind of disconnect between the BJP and the Muslims. This was exacerbated by the lynchings and a few very rabid utterances by some political leaders which were in very bad taste and such kind of utterances should never be made. The only thing is that these things should have been condemned, as our Prime Minister has done now. By IANS NEW DELHI: If BJP organisational architect Amit Shah joins the Cabinet, the decks are being cleared for the baton to be handed over to Health Minister J.P. Nadda as the new President. Nadda is expected to work closely with Shah even if the latter demits office, for the election whirligig simply doesn't end. Once the Union Budget is out of the way on July 10 (in all probability), then sometime in September this year, three states will go to the polls -- Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Haryana. Nadda will then oversee the election campaign strategy. Thereafter there is a possibility of polls in Jammu and Kashmir and even a highly wobbly Karnataka where the coalition appears to be skating on thin ice. Early next year, the battle for Delhi will gain precedence over everything else. ALSO READ | PM Modi, Amit Shah hold extensive discussion for around five hours Fifty-nine-year-old Nadda is a Brahmin and a Rajya Sabha member who keeps a low profile but is also parliamentary board secretary of the BJP. Nadda is known as a master strategist in his party. The party had given him charge of Uttar Pradesh in the recently concluded hustings. The party bagged 62 out of 80 Lok Sabha seats. Apna Dal bagged two against a caste calculus driven combine of BSP and SP. Educated at St. Xaviers School, Patna, Nadda thereafter did his B.A. from Patna College, Patna University and LL.B. from Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla. He is three-time MLA in the Himachal Assembly. He came to the upper house from Himachal Pradesh and was appointed Minister in 2014. He now has to meet the exacting standards set by Amit Shah. With the BJP securing a fresh beach head in the south in Telangana where it has won four seats along with 23 in Karnataka, Nadda is expected to focus on operation south to expand the BJP's footprint and become truly pan Indian. A confident Nadda during his first visit to Lucknow after being appointed Uttar Pradesh election in-charge in January this year had exuded confidence that the BJP will win 74 Lok Sabha seats out of 80 in Uttar Pradesh and downplayed the SP-BSP alliance in the state for the general elections. At a meeting with senior office bearers of the party, Nadda, had predicted that the BJP would register a handsome win in the Lok Sabha polls and all records will be broken -- "We shall increase our tally of Lok Sabha seats from the state by winning 74 seats, one more than last time." In the 2014 general elections, the BJP had won 71 Lok Sabha seats in the state and two other went to its ally -- the Apna Dal. The BJP won 62 against a tough opposition while the alliance only managed 15. Namita Bajpai By Express News Service LUCKNOW: Unreasonable behaviour of a few security guards deployed by Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC) created an ugly scene at state capitals Mavaiyya metro station when six burqa-clad women were stopped from boarding a metro train here on Monday morning. The security guards allegedly insisted that the women should take off their veil before boarding the train. The incident came to light when Maaz Mohammad who was flanking the women, lodged a written complaint to LMRC addressing Managing Director Kumar Keshav narrating the series of events. As per his complaint, when he, along with the women of his family, was about to board the Metro train from Mavaiayya metro station to Alambagh metro station after purchasing tickets and was moving towards check-in spot, the male guards on duty stopped the women who were in a burqa. They insisted that the women accompanying Maaz Mohammad should take off their burqa before boarding the train. The ladies were ready to take off the burqa in the female enclosure for security check. Since there was no female security personnel, so the male guards were adamant and insisted on getting the burqa off in front of them, wrote Maaz Mohammad. The male guards even refused to allow the group to board the Metro. Consequently, Mohammad dropped the idea of taking the train and went back to return the tickets. Seeking a stern action against the errant guards for their brazenness, Maaz Mohammad, in his letter, asked the LMRC MD whether the metal detectors installed at Metro Station were not sufficient for security check. This is the first of its kind incident reported so far from a metro station since the LMRC started its operations in 2017. Reacting to the incident, CSC, LMRC UC Srivastava claimed that LMRC had received the complaint and it was corroborated by the CCTV footage. Srivastava claimed that the incident had come to the knowledge of authorities and a probe was ordered into the issue. He assured of stern action against the guilty. The Swedish parliament leader hailed PM Nguyen Xuan Phucs visit, the first by a Vietnamese PM since 1999, in the context of the two countries organising various activities to mark the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relationship. For his part, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc emphasized that the Vietnamese high-level delegations visit on the occasion of the important anniversary aims to demonstrate Vietnams high valuation of the support that the Swedish people had given to Vietnam both in the past and at present. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) and Speaker of the Swedish parliament Andreas Norlen (Photo: VNA) He praised the contributions made by the Swedish parliament to the development of bilateral relations, and urged the parliaments of both countries to continue working together to assist with the implementation of new agreements and cooperation directions between Vietnam and Sweden. PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc expressed his hope that the two parliaments consider the establishment of friendship parliamentarians groups to help boost their cooperation. He informed his host on the outcomes of his meeting with King Carl XVI Gustav and talks with PM Stefan Loefven, during which the two sides agreed upon a range of measures to further the bilateral ties in a win-win partnership. The Vietnamese government leader asked the Swedish parliament to continue creating favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community in the country to settle down and integrate into the host society while preserving their national cultural identity, thus contributing to the friendship and mutual understanding between the two countries and nations. Andreas Norlen affirmed that the Swedish parliament supported and would make efforts to push for the early signing and ratification of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement and the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement, which benefits all sides. He said the signing of the FTA will create a strong impetus for economic and trade cooperation between Vietnam and EU member countries, including Sweden. PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc conveyed an invitation to visit Vietnam from Chairwoman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan to Speaker Andreas Norlen./. By Online Desk West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday decided not to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister citing 'untrue" claims by the BJP that 54 of their workers were murdered in Bengal. This comes after Banerjee on Tuesday confirmed her presence at the ceremony to be held on May 30. "Congratulations, new Prime Minister, Narendra Modiji. It was my plan to accept the "constitutional invitation" and attend the oath-taking ceremony. However, I am seeing media reports that the BJP is claiming 54 people have been murdered in political violence in Bengal in the last one year. This is completely untrue. There have been no political murders in Bengal. These deaths may have occurred due to personal enmity, family quarrels and other disputes, nothing related to politics. There is no such record with us," Banerjee said in a tweet explaining her decision. "So I am sorry, Narendra Modi ji, this has compelled me not to attend the ceremony. The ceremony is an august occasion to celebrate democracy, not one that should be devalued by any political party which uses it as an opportunity to score political points. Please excuse me," she wrote on Twitter. In what is perceived as a message to the Trinamool supremo, the Prime Minister has specially invited families of over 50 BJP workers who were killed in Bengal for his swearing-in ceremony on Thursday. The families will be among 7,000 BJP invitees, who will be staying in Delhi under party care, reported NDTV. ALSO READ | Mamata attending Modi's swearing-in to save nephew: BJP The party has booked their train tickets and informed them personally, BJP leader Mukul Roy informed the media. "It is a gesture of showing respect to our martyrs who died while working for the party during the violence unleashed by Trinamool Congress (TMC) goons," he said. According to BJP sources, it is a "message" for Mamata Banerjee and the TMC that West Bengal is on the priority list of the saffron party. A senior TMC leader alleged that the kin of BJP workers have been invited to the ceremony to "humiliate" the state administration. "Had they been so serious about showing respect to the family of martyrs, they should have also called the family members of TMC workers who were killed in the violence." ALSO READ | With Modi back in power, it's about time for Ram temple to be built in Ayodhya: Shiv Sena "By not doing so, the message they want to give is quite obvious," the TMC leader said. The decision was taken in a five-hour meeting between Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah at the former's home in Delhi Tuesday night. As per saffron party leaders, the cadres were killed during Panchayat or local body polls last year and the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections 2019. "The gesture is meant to convey to the party's cadre in Bengal that the central leadership cares for them and stands by them against violence by Trinamool Congress workers," said the party sources. Amit Shah also paid tribute to the workers even in his address at BJP's victory meeting on May 23, after the Lok Sabha results. The Parliamentary elections in Bengal got marred by the incidents of violence throughout the seven phases. Out of 42 seats in Bengal, While BJP zoomed to 18 seats from its 2014 tally of two, the ruling Trinamool dropped sharply from 34 to 22. The saffron party also improved its vote share from 17 per cent to 40.25 per cent this time around, along with gaining politically in more than 120 assembly constituencies there. ALSO READ | TMC says party MLAs joining BJP like 'rats abandoning a ship sensing danger' On Tuesday, problems aggravated further for Mamata as Subhrangshu Roy, son of Trinamool founder and senior BJP leader Mukul Roy joined the saffron party ranks in Delhi, along with fellow party MLA Tusharkanti Bhattacharjee and CPM's Bengal legislator Devendra Roy. Senior party leaders, including West Bengal party in-charge Kailash Vijayvargiya and Roy, were present at the party headquarters on the occasion. "Like the elections were held in seven phases in West Bengal, joinings in BJP will also happen in seven phases. Today was just the first phase," Vijayvargiya asserted. Subhrangshu was earlier suspended from Trinamool for six years on May 25 for 'anti-party' activities. The party likened the turncoats to 'rats abandoning a ship sensing danger' and said people will give them a befitting reply. "We will expel them from the party. Subhrangshu is already under suspension. We are not bothered about such opportunists. People will give them a befitting reply. If some of the leaders join the BJP just because it has won a few seats, they are nothing, but rats who abandon a ship sensing danger. It is good that they have left our party," senior TMC leader and minister Firhad Hakim said. (With agency inputs) Rajesh Asnani By Express News Service JAIPUR: Amidst rumours of BSP MLAs in Rajasthan extending their support to the BJP, party's matriarch Mayawati on Wednesday gave strict instructions to all six MLAs to not "sell their faith". She asked the MLAs to not play into the hands of the "divisive" and "communal forces" of the Opposition. She also issued a warning that if her MLAs didn't adhere to the party lines, they would be dismissed from the party. Mayawati's statement comes as a relief to the Congress party, which has been facing several challenges after facing a humiliating defeat in the Lok Sabha elections. There was speculation about the withdrawal of support from the government after five BSP legislators program to meet the Governor on Monday. Mayawati immediately took cognizance and made it clear that her party's legislators should not be misled by any communal and racist party. BSP has been supporting the government from outside, which will continue. READ| Congress will analyse reasons behind people electing BJP in Rajasthan: Sachin Pilot National Vice President of the party Ramji Gautam said that Mayawati has instructed BSP MLAs not to sell their faith. "If any legislator did this and found to be involved in an anti-party activity then strict action will be taken against him, he can be thrown out of the party." The Congress has 100 members in the 200-member Rajasthan Legislative Assembly. There are 73 MLAs of the BJP, six from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), three from the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP), two from the CPI (M), two from the Indian Tribal Party, one from the Rashtriya Lok Dal and 13 independents. The six BSP MLAs have given their support to the government. The BSP MLAs we're scheduled to meet the Governor Kalyan Singh but the meeting was cancelled later. Kumar Vikram By Express News Service NEW DELHI: In order to win the trust of all, the Modi government, which will begin its second innings in a few days, will focus majorly on agriculture and infrastructure in its first three-four months. According to sources, the government will expand the reach of the central scheme of direct income support to farmers by removing the land ceiling. Currently, farmers having 2 hectares of land can avail the scheme. Secondly, the country will see a major infrastructure push, both in urban and rural areas. It will include doubling the length of highways to two lakh km in next five years, construction of roads under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), increasing the number of smart cities beyond 100 and fast-tracking the delayed projects. The government is of the view that the initiatives will also help in improving the job scenario in the country. Sources said all the ministries have been asked to submit their plan of action for 100 days of the government. Weeks ahead of the national elections, the government had announced a direct income scheme under which farmers will get Rs 6,000 a year in three installments. Sources said the eligibility condition of having 2 hectares of land may be removed to reach out to all sections of farmers. On the issue of infrastructure development, the government will go by be the BJP manifesto which promised projects worth `100 lakh crore in the next five years. The Road and Transport Ministry has already planned nearly 50,000 km of highways across the country and proposals may be cleared within a few weeks of the government formation. In rural areas, the government will focus on the flagship PMGSY involving the construction of 1.25 lakh km of link roads. The Smart City scheme might see an expansion. The affordable housing sector under PM Awas Yojana will be fast-tracked. The government will also ensure better implementation of social sector schemes like scholarship for SC/ST students, Jan Dhan and Atal Pension schemes. Action plan of new government In a bid to reach out to more farmers, the new government may remove the eligibility condition for them to have 2 hectares of land to avail the central scheme of direct cash transfer of Rs 6,000 a year in three instalments. All the ministries have been asked to submit their plan of action for 100 days of the government The Smart City scheme might see expansion beyond 100 cities. By Online Desk In what is perceived as a message to Trinamool supremo and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, the Prime Minister has specially invited families of over 50 BJP workers who were killed in poll violence in the state his swearing-in ceremony on Thursday. The families will be among 7,000 BJP invitees, who will be staying in Delhi under party care, reported NDTV. The party has booked their train tickets and informed them personally, BJP leader Mukul Roy informed the media. "It is a gesture of showing respect to our martyrs who died while working for the party during the violence unleashed by Trinamool Congress (TMC) goons," he said. According to BJP sources, it is a "message" for Mamata Banerjee and the TMC as West Bengal is on the priority list of the saffron party. A senior TMC leader alleged that the kin of BJP workers have been invited to the ceremony to "humiliate" the state administration. "Had they been so serious about showing respect to the family of martyrs, they should have also called the family members of TMC workers who were killed in the violence." "By not doing so, the message they want to give is quite obvious," the TMC leader said. The decision was taken in a five-hour meeting between Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah at the former's home in Delhi Tuesday night. ALSO READ | Mamata attending Modi's swearing-in to save nephew: BJP As per saffron party leaders, the cadres were killed during Panchayat or local body polls last year and the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections 2019. "The gesture is meant to convey to the party's cadre in Bengal that the central leadership cares for them and stands by them against violence by Trinamool Congress workers," said the party sources. Amit Shah also paid tribute to the workers even in his address at BJP's victory meeting on May 23, after the Lok Sabha results. The Parliamentary elections in Bengal got marred by the incidents of violence throughout the seven phases. Out of 42 seats in Bengal, While BJP zoomed to 18 seats from its 2014 tally of two, the ruling Trinamool dropped sharply from 34 to 22. The saffron party also improved its vote share from 17 per cent to 40.25 per cent this time around, along with gaining politically in more than 120 assembly constituencies there. On Tuesday, problems aggravated further for Mamata as Subhrangshu Roy, son of Trinamool founder and senior BJP leader Mukul Roy joined the saffron party ranks in Delhi, along with fellow party MLA Tusharkanti Bhattacharjee and CPM's Bengal legislator Devendra Roy. ALSO READ | With Modi back in power, it's about time for Ram temple to be built in Ayodhya: Shiv Sena Senior party leaders, including West Bengal party in-charge Kailash Vijayvargiya and Roy, were present at the party headquarters on the occasion. "Like the elections were held in seven phases in West Bengal, joinings in BJP will also happen in seven phases. Today was just the first phase," Vijayvargiya asserted. Subhrangshu was earlier suspended from Trinamool for six years on May 25 for 'anti-party' activities. The party likened the turncoats to 'rats abandoning a ship sensing danger' and said people will give them a befitting reply. ALSO READ | TMC says party MLAs joining BJP like 'rats abandoning a ship sensing danger' "We will expel them from the party. Subhrangshu is already under suspension. We are not bothered about such opportunists. People will give them a befitting reply. If some of the leaders join the BJP just because it has won a few seats, they are nothing, but rats who abandon a ship sensing danger. It is good that they have left our party," senior TMC leader and minister Firhad Hakim said. I am happy to be invited. I never miss a constitutional ceremony, she said in Kolkata. (With inputs from agencies) By PTI JAMMU: The BJP Wednesday took a dig at the National Conference, saying it did not file candidates in Jammu and Ladakh regions fearing a rout at the hands of the saffron party. J&K BJP spokesperson Brig Anil Gupta (retd) told reporters here that the NC got just seven per cent vote in the Lok Sabha polls and is "rattled and unnerved" as the BJP secured a massive 46 per cent. According to Election Commission data, the BJP, which won three Lok Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir, secured 46.4 per cent votes, its highest-ever vote share of in the state. The National Conference, which bagged three seats in the Kashmir region, got just 7.89 per cent votes. "Sensing that they are in danger, the NC is trying to lure people through lollipop politics by promising regional councils, which it strongly opposed in the past," Gupta added. "The NC leadership has begun its ugly campaign of lies and falsehood to mislead the people, as a prelude to its campaign for the assembly elections," he said. Reacting to NC provincial president Devender Rana's statement on Tuesday that his party will surpass its 1996 tally of 57 seats in the state assembly, Gupta said much water has flown in the Jhelum and Tawi rivers since then, including massive floods which washed away the NC from the political scene of the state. Rana said the poll outcome on the seats the NC contested is "testimony of the public support" the party enjoys. Gupta said, "The party (NC) did not field candidates (against BJP in LS polls) in Jammu and Ladakh regions for fear of a defeat (in 2014 and 2019). They don't have cadres and candidates. With a mere 7 per cent vote share, how can the party claim to be a voice of the majority?" He alleged the NC has been instrumental in a "blatant discrimination" against Jammu and Ladakh regions. "Beginning with Lands Reforms Act depriving Jammu Dogras of their landed property, denying citizenship to West Pakistan refugees, promoting gender inequality, declaring July 13 as martyrs day, humiliating Maharaja Hari Singh, suppressing the Dogra heritage, lopsided recruitment in government jobs and civil secretariat denying proportional representation to Jammu are endless points", the BJP spokesperson said. The NC has to reconcile to the fact that Jammu and Ladakh will never give their mandates to a "pro-terror, pro-separatism and anti-Army party", Gupta added. Manish Anand By Express News Service NEW DELHI: PM-designate Narendra Modi has almost made up his mind on how his new Cabinet should look like, according to sources. It will be guided by the principles of continuity, grooming leadership for future, and maintaining robust organisational strength for the BJP, it is learnt. Modi has concluded consultations with key aides, including BJP chief Amit Shah, for the formation of the council of ministers. The Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh is also learnt to have shared inputs for the government formation, through joint general secretary Krishna Gopal Sharma. ALSO READ | Bangladesh, Myanmar Presidents among foreign leaders who confirm participation at Modi's swearing-in PM had gone to the polls as a team, which has overwhelmingly been endorsed by the people. Its natural that Team Modi continues, said a senior BJP functionary. He added that government formation is an opportunity to groom leaders who could shoulder the responsibilities of the party for the next two decades. Since there are 165 first-time MPs from the ranks of the BJP, some of the bright minds could be picked up to help them gain exposure in governance, he noted. ALSO READ | US will work closely with 'great ally' India, says Trump administration Shah on Tuesday also went into a huddle with the party general secretaries during which the BJP chief stressed the party must remain battle-ready for the upcoming Assembly elections, without being distracted with the government formation process at the Centre. Amit Shah meets Modi BJP president Amit Shah on Tuesday met PM-elect Narendra Modi to discuss the contours of the new government. ALSO READ | Nawaz Sharif's daughter takes swipe at Imran; says Modi doesn't give respect to him There is a view within the BJP that Shah should join the government after playing a crucial role in the partys return to power. Shah has not commented on the matter By AFP SRINAGAR: A man was killed and at least 70 people were injured in clashes in Indian Kashmir on Wednesday as protestors helped rebels escape two separate sieges by government forces, police and hospital authorities said. While protests in support of the surrounded rebels have increased on the Indian side of the divided territory in recent years, it is rare for insurgents to escape. Militant groups fighting the 500,000 Indian soldiers deployed there demand independence or a merger with Pakistan. Thousands of villagers poured onto roads Wednesday as two suspected rebels fought a gun battle with soldiers from inside a house in the Kulgam area in southern Kashmir. Protesters pelted government forces with stones to give the fighters cover to escape, they said. Fifty people were taken to a local hospital after government forces fired shotgun pellets and live bullets to push the protestors back, witnesses and hospital officials told AFP. "The house was blown up but the militants escaped in the confusion. No dead bodies were found in the debris," a top police officer told AFP on condition of anonymity. The officer said however that only three people were injured, one with a bullet and two with pellets in their eyes. "Scratches cannot be considered injuries," he said, to explain the discrepancy in numbers. ALSO READ | Militant gunned down in Shopian; security personnel, civilian also killed Hundreds of villagers also clashed with government forces later in Shopian district after soldiers laid siege to a residential area looking for rebels. A local police official said one man was killed and another 20 people were injured in firing by government forces as a gunfight raged between suspected rebels and soldiers that also left a militant dead. Clashes between rebels fighting Indian rule in Kashmir and government forces occur almost daily. More than 90 militants have been killed so far this year. Residents from nearby villages often throng the streets to help rebels by hurling stones at Indian soldiers. Kashmir was divided between India and Pakistan after their independence in 1947. Tens of thousands have died in an uprising launched three decades ago, most of them civilians. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Two prominent health groups in the country, on Monday, condemned what their members say are caste-based discrimination in medical education institutions that pushed a young woman doctor from a tribal community to suicide on May 22. The Peoples Health Movement and Medico Friends Circle have expressed concern that the suicide of Payal Tadvi, who was pursuing postgraduate education in gynaecology in a public hospital in Mumbai, appeared linked to persistent caste-based discrimination and harassment she faced from colleagues. Three women doctors who were accused of disallowing her to participate in operations or deliveries have since been suspended. Tadvi, 26, from Jalgaon district, belonged to the Tadvi Bhil community, which is a scheduled tribe. ALSO READ | Dr Payal Tadvi case: Doctor accused of abetting junior colleague's suicide arrested She was a second-year resident doctor in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology department of TNMC, and had graduated MBBS from Government Medical College, Miraj. We demand urgent action against the caste oppression, humiliation by upper caste senior doctors, which forced Dr Payal to suicide. The rampant ingrained casteism and impunity in educational institutions must be urgently recognised and stopped, the statement by the two networks said. It added that Tadvi was continuously harassed and experienced gender and casteist abuse and discrimination by three senior doctors, which led her to take the extreme step of ending her life in the hostel of Bombay Municipal Corporation-run Topiwala National Medical College and BYL Nair Charitable Hospital, Mumbai. By PTI NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday met Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, hours after he announced his decision not to seek a ministerial berth in the new government. Modi drove to Jaitley's official residence in the national capital and was with him for some time, officials said. The deliberations at the meeting were not immediately known. Neither Jaitley, who had tweeted his letter written to Modi that he does not want to have any responsibility in the new government, nor his office immediately commented on the meeting. Modi and his council of ministers would be sworn in at Rashtrapati Bhawan Thursday evening. "I am writing to you to formally request you that I should be allowed a reasonable time for myself, my treatment and my health and therefore, not be a part of any responsibility, for the present, in the new government," Jaitley said in the letter. Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at the residence of Arun Jaitley. pic.twitter.com/iy6zn8EbjI ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2019 Sources said prime minister acknowledged receipt of Jaitley's letter and also appreciated his contribution towards economy and implementation of GST. However, it was not immediately known if Modi acceded to Jaitley's request. In his letter to Modi, Jaitley said during the last 18 months, he has had "some serious" health challenges and would want to keep away from any responsibility for "sometime" to concentrate on treatment. "After the campaign had concluded and you were leaving for Kedarnath, I had orally informed you that even though I was able to discharge the responsibilities assigned to me during the campaign, I would in future, for sometime, like to keep away from any responsibility. This will enable me to concentrate on my treatment and health," he wrote. A lawyer by profession, he has been the most important leader in Modi's Cabinet and has often acted as the chief troubleshooter for the government. As finance minister, Jaitley steered through Parliament major economic legislation such as the Goods and Services Tax (GST), which had languished for nearly two decades. Jaitley, 66, has also played key role in getting through several other laws such as the bill to ban the Muslim instant divorce practice known as 'triple talaq' and also articulately defended the Rafale fighter jet deal. Last week, he was admitted to AIIMS last week to undergo tests and treatment for an undisclosed illness and was discharged on Thursday - the day results of Lok Sabha elections were announced. He did not attend celebrations at BJP headquarters that evening after the party's emphatic victory. BJP won a landslide 303 seats, of the 542 seats, in the general elections. Jaitley underwent surgery in the US on January 22 for a reported soft tissue cancer in his left leg, an illness that deprived him from presenting the Modi government's sixth and final budget of its current term. Railway and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal was the stand-in finance minister who presented the interim budget for 2019-20. By IANS NEW DELHI: Post his swearing-in on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a tight schedule from June till August as he will be on foreign tours holding bilaterals back to back beginning Maldives, Bishkek and Osaka and in between even finding time for Budget deliberations in New Delhi. In his first bilateral visit post assuming office for the second term, Modi is expected to travel to the Maldives on June 7-8, reports say. The Prime Minister had visited Maldives in November 2018 to attend the swearing-in ceremony of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, after he defeated Abdulla Yameen in the presidential polls. This was followed by Solih's visit to India in December. Following that Modi will be attending the annual summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Kyrgyzstan's capital Bishkek on June 13-14. Next, the Prime Minister is likely to meet US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan, in June. The summit will be held from June 28 to 29. The two leaders had agreed to meet at the G-20 summit during Trump's congratulatory call to Modi on his Lok Sabha poll victory. The US leader had said that he sees "great things" for India-US relations after Modi's win. The White House had said that Trump and Modi pledged to continue to strengthen the US-India strategic partnership, building on the achievements of the last two years. Modi had responded saying: "I too am looking forward to working closely with you for closer bilateral ties, which also augur well for global peace and prosperity." The Prime Minister will also be meeting leaders from the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) regional bloc who are invited to his inauguration ceremony. According to the External Affairs Ministry, Modi will host Chinese President Xi Jinping in India later this year for which the venue and the dates were being finalised. "During the first Informal Summit in Wuhan, Chinese President Xi had accepted the invitation of PM Modi to visit India for the next Informal Summit in 2019. The two sides are in touch, through diplomatic channels, to finalise the date and venue for the meeting," the Ministry said in a press statement. The first informal summit between Modi and Xi took place in April 2018 in Wuhan in China. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his spouse (Source: VNA) Within the framework of the visit, PM Phuc held talks with Lofvan, paid a courtesy visit to King Carl XVI Gustaf, and met with Speaker of the Swedish parliament Andreas Norlen. During the talks, Phuc asked the Swedish side to support the development of Vietnam-EU relations. The two PMs promised to work closely together to speed up the signing of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement and the EU - Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement in the coming weeks as well as the approval and implementation of those deals to bring benefits to both sides. On the occasion, the Swedish government leader presented a letter of intent on an investment credit worth over 2 billion USD in Vietnam to his guest. The two Government leaders attended and delivered speeches at the Vietnam-Sweden Business Forum, and witnessed the signing of cooperation agreements between enterprises. The Vietnamese leader also had meetings with executives of leading Swedish businesses such as Electrolux, Oriflame, Scania, ABB, Ericsson and Volvo, and with Swedish diplomats, experts and friends in Stockholm. He also met representatives of the Vietnamese community in Sweden, and visited several modern technology models of such companies as AstraZeneca, Stockholm Exergi and Ericsson./. Rajesh Kumar Thakur By Express News Service PATNA: Tej Pratap Yadav, elder son of imprisoned RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, has reportedly advised his younger brother and leader of opposition in the Bihar assembly Tejashwi Yadav to continue fighting fascist forces. In a letter, Tej Pratap Yadav has said that whoever demands Tejashwi Yadav's resignation must leave the RJD. "Tejashwi Yadav, you continue your struggle to take the party to the top level of performance. I am with my 'Arjun' and he doesn't need to tender his resignation from party post in the wake of party's poll debacle," he said. He termed the recent landslide victory of NDA a managed one. "NDA's victory in the recently-concluded Lok Sabha elections in Bihar is nothing but a victory of 'setting'. It is not the victory of voting anymore," he alleged and asked the RJD leaders to fight the next assembly elections united. The NDA in Bihar has won 39 Lok Sabha seats out of 40 reducing the electoral fate of RJD and its two allies - the RLSP and the HAM - to zero seats. Disgruntled over the party's distribution of tickets, Tej Pratap Yadav had revolted and fielded two candidates of his own in the Jehanabad and Sheohar LS seats against the official candidates of the RJD. After filing a petition in the Patna civil court seeking a divorce from his newly married wife Aishwarya Rai, an annoyed Tej Pratap Yadav had also opposed the candidature of his own father-in-law Chandrika Rai, fielded by the RJD in Saran. Richa Sharma By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The crisis within the Congress following party president Rahul Gandhis decision to resign continued on Tuesday, though the top leadership tried to talk him out of it. On Rahuls visitors list were organisational secretary K C Venugopal, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, his deputy Sachin Pilot and the partys communication department head Randeep Singh Surjewala. Rahul had denied Gehlot an appointment on Monday. The party president had specifically named Gehlot at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting last Saturday as one of those pressing for a ticket to his son Vaibhav. Gehlot spent seven days in Vaibhavs Jodhpur constituency, neglecting the rest of the state, he pointed out, adding all Congress candidates were routed in Rajasthan. There is status quo as of now. Rahul met some party leaders, including Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot, who submitted separate reports on the reasons behind the debacle. Party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was present at his residence, said sources. ALSO READ | Sachin Pilot may quit Congress if Rahul Gandhi resigns as party president The party, however, maintained that the CWC has rejected Rahuls offer to resign. On speculation that Rahul could be named the leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, the party said the decision will be taken in due time. In what appears to be an orchestrated exercise, the state executive of the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee is expected to meet on Wednesday in Jaipur and endorse the CWC resolution urging Rahul to stay as party chief. ALSO READ | DMK chief Stalin urges Rahul Gandhi not to quit as Congress president Other units would follow suit. Meanwhile, knives were out within the party with Congress National Media Coordinator Rachit Seth attacking Left-leaning people in Rahuls team for preventing the leader from playing the nationalism card. Seth posted a blog later taken down pointing fingers at Rahuls core team for stopping him from speaking or holding press conferences on Pulwama. Seth cited instances in the last two months to show how Rahuls team did not let him take a stand on nationalism, despite others pushing for it. Another senior party leader said Rahuls team did not let correct information flow to him. ALSO READ | Ups and downs are common, Rahul should continue as Congress chief: Moily Even data analytics head Praveen Chakravarty kept saying that NYAY and Rafale issues were resonating on the ground. Turns out he was completely wrong. Rahul trusted the feedback and hammered the points. Such people should be removed, said a party leader on condition of anonymity. Attack on the team Rahuls core team included former JNU student union president Sandeep Singh, who had shown black flags to former PM Manmohan Singh in 2005. He wrote Rahuls speeches and advised him on political issues. Sandeep also worked with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in UP during the elections Prasanta Mazumdar By Express News Service ITANAGAR: The family of a retired honorary lieutenant in the Army, who had fought in the Kargil War, moved the Gauhati High Court on Wednesday as he was declared a foreigner by the Foreigners Tribunal and sent to a detention centre for illegal immigrants. Mohammed Sanaullah, 52, was summoned by the Border Police in Guwahati on Tuesday. When he showed up, he was immediately arrested and taken to the detention centre for illegal immigrants in Lower Assams Goalpara. Ironically, he was serving as an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) in the Border Police which is tasked to identify doubtful citizens as well as illegal immigrants. The cases of such individuals are heard and disposed of by the various Foreigners Tribunals. The parents of Sanaullah are no more. He has his wife, two daughters and a son. He was served a notice by the Foreigners Tribunal of Boko last year. Subsequently, he appeared before it four to five times during hearings. Individuals served such notices are required to prove their Indian citizenship with documentary evidence. Retired junior commissioned officer (JCO), Md. Ajmal Haque, said the family of Sanaullah and some retired Army personnel, including him, had filed an appeal in the Gauhati HC challenging the judgement of the Foreigners Tribunal. READ HERE | Illiterate Bengalis in Assam targeted in the name of NRC, alleges student organisation He (Sanaullah) was born in 1967 in Assam and he joined the Army in 1987. Post-retirement in 2017 as an honorary lieutenant, he had joined the Border Police and was serving as an ASI, Ajmal said. This is the reward of his 30 years of selfless service in the Army during which he had also fought in the Kargil War. This is a sad day for ex-servicemen like us, he said. Sanaullah, who exercised his franchise in the last Parliamentary elections, is Ajmals cousin. During one of the hearings, he had mistakenly mentioned the year of his joining the Army as 1978 and based on the gaffe, the Foreigners Tribunal declared him a foreigner. It argued that nobody can join the Army at the age of 11 years, Ajmal said. He too was served a notice by the Foreigners Tribunal a few years ago based on a report of the Border Police. However, he got a lease of life soon after when the Border Police apologised to him saying that the notice to him was served by mistake. Subsequently, the case was disposed of. By PTI NEW DELHI: Congress President Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, besides former prime minister Manmohan Singh will attend the swearing-in of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday evening at Rashtrapati Bhavan, party sources said. The Congress leaders are among those invited by the prime minister to the ceremony. They have accepted the invite, the sources said. A number of opposition leaders have been invited to the oath-taking ceremony and many of them are attending. It will be the first time that the leaders will be together after an acrimonious Lok Sabha election campaign. But West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee has canceled her plan to attend the ceremony after the BJP invited to the event the kin of 54 party workers it claimed were murdered in political violence in West Bengal. A day after she told reporters that she has accepted the invite as a matter of "constitutional courtesy", Banerjee termed as untrue BJP's allegation of political murders in her state and said she is "compelled" not to attend the ceremony. As many as 8,000 guests, including VVIPs, will attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Modi and his council of ministers on Thursday. This is the highest number of guests attending such a function, the sources said. The ceremony will be of about 90 minutes and after that dinner will be served to around 40 dignitaries, including Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and the prime minister, besides leaders of all BIMSTEC countries, Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson Ashok Malik said Wednesday. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The BJP continued poaching Trinamool legislators, with Monirul Islam, MLA from Labpur Assembly constituency in West Bengal, being the latest to jump ship on Wednesday. Islam, along with former MLA Gadadhar Hazra, Trinamool youth wing chief Asif Iqbal and Nimai Das, was inducted into the saffron party in New Delhi in the presence of BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya and its state pointsman Mukul Roy. On Tuesday, two Trinamool and a CPM MLA had joined the BJP. Party leaders have claimed that a number of leaders from Mamata Banerjees party are in touch with them to defect in the coming days. Having gained over 40 per cent vote share and bagged 18 Lok Sabha seats in the state in the just concluded elections, the BJP has put in motion its plan to wrest power in the state, which is slated to go to Assembly elections in 2021. The defections have rattled the Trinamool, though the party on Tuesday dismissed them as minor setbacks. Trinamool chief and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, who has declined the invite to attend PM Narendra Modis swearing-in, rescheduled her Thursday programme and will now join the sit-in demonstration of party cadres in front of Naihati and Bhatpara municipalities, the two civic bodies where the BJP secured a majority after most of the councilors joined the saffron party on Tuesday. READ HERE | TMC crumbling? Mukul Roy's son Subhrangshu, over 60 councillors join BJP Trinamool Congress MLA Manirul Islam joins Bharatiya Janata Party in Delhi. TMC's Gadadhar Hazra, Mohd Asif Iqbal and Nimai Das also join BJP. pic.twitter.com/Y2rOILuZ2f ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2019 Keeping aside the bitterness of the poll campaign, Banerjee had said on Tuesday that she would attend the ceremony as constitutional courtesy. However, on Wednesday she tweeted: Congratulations, new Prime Minister, Narendra Modi Ji. It was my plan to accept the Constitutional invitation and attend the oath-taking ceremony. However...I am seeing media reports that the BJP is claiming 54 people have been murdered in political violence in Bengal. This is completely untrue. There have been no political murders...Sorry, this has compelled me not to attend the ceremony. READ HERE | TMC says party MLAs joining BJP like 'rats abandoning a ship sensing danger' BJP leaders in Kolkata said Mamata was kipping the event due to the partys decision to invite families of workers killed in the violence. Bengal was the only state where violence was reported during polls and Mamata is trying to hide this, said Dilip Ghosh, state BJP president. Prasanta Mazumdar By Express News Service ITANAGAR: Just days after the Congress suffered defeat in Manipurs both Parliamentary seats, 12 party MLAs resigned from their posts in Pradesh Congress Committee on Wednesday. Speculations were rife that they might defect to the BJP which heads the states ruling coalition. However, one of the MLAs, Govindas Konthoujam, said, There is no question of us joining the BJP for personal or political gains. Another Congress MLA, K Ranjit, said they would keep working to strengthen the party from the grassroots level. Similarly, party MLA K Joykishan said they had quit the posts in MPCC owning moral responsibility for failure in the Lok Sabha elections. Congress spokesperson Ningombam Bupenda Meitei said none of the 12 Congress MLAs had deserted the party. They have just relinquished their posts of office bearers in MPCC. They will now focus on working at the grassroots level as we are determined to reach out to the people, he said. The Congress had won 28 of the 60 seats in the 2017 Manipur elections. Later, eight MLAs of the party had defected to the BJP which had won 21 seats but managed to form the government through political manoeuvring. One of the eight Congress MLAs is serving as a Cabinet Minister. However, the remaining seven MLAs continue to sit in the Opposition bench. By PTI NEW DELHI: India and France held Varuna 19.2, the second phase of naval exercise in strategically-located Djibouti in Africa, in a high-level demonstration of military cooperativeness between the two navies. While the first phase of the Varuna exercise took place off the coast of Goa, the second leg was held in Djibouti where China set up its first overseas military base nearly two years ago. "The second phase of the Indo-French naval exercise, christened as Varuna 19.2, which was held from May 22nd to 25th, brought together a French nuclear attack submarine, currently deployed in the Indian Ocean, and an Indian submarine," the French embassy said in a statement. "Organised under the operational control of the French Joint Forces Commander in the Indian Ocean (ALINDIEN), this exercise was an opportunity to reinforce our capabilities for joint action in a critical and strategic field while demonstrating the high level of interoperability achieved," it added. The naval exercise between India and France, initiated in 1983 and christened as 'Varuna' in 2001, forms a vital part of the Indo-French strategic partnership. French Navy's aircraft carrier FNS Charles de Gaulle, two destroyers, FNS Forbin and FNS Provence, frigate FNS Latouche-Treville had also participated in the Varuna exercise. "India and France have been strategic partners for more than 20 years. This partnership is the subject of recurrent dialogues and regular bilateral military exercises," the French embassy said. The harbour phase of the exercise at Goa included professional interactions and discussions while the sea phase in Djibouti comprised various drills across the spectrum of maritime operations. By ANI NEW DELHI: BJP ally prominent NDA party, Shiv Sena, on Wednesday once again asserted that the with Prime Minister Narendra Modi coming to power for the second consecutive term Ram Temple will be built in Ayodhya. An editorial in the party's mouthpiece 'Saamana' says that Ram's work will be done with the BJP coming to power. "The party with the mindset of Lord Ram has come to power in the centre. Crores of people have voted them to power so that Ram Rajya can be established in the country, all with the blessing of Lord Ram. Ram is the identity and pride of this country. Hundreds of karsevaks sacrificed their lives to build the Ram Mandir. Their sacrifice and blood will not go in vain, a government with such thoughts has been chosen by the people, with them coming to power, Ram's work will definitely be done," the editorial in Saamana read. ALSO READ | Sena biggest gainer from Modi wave, Congress-NCP better Mumbai vote share The editorial titled "Ram ka kaam hoga" (Ram's work will be done) says that there is a sense of delight and excitement in the country about PM Modi's oath-taking ceremony to be held on Thursday and compares it with Lord Ram's "Rajyaabhishek" (coronation ceremony). The editorial also lists other advantages of having Modiin power, which read, "No farmers will be forced to commit suicide, everybody will have two square meals a day, people will celebrate their festivals without being burdened by debts, the barriers of caste and religion will be broken. The dream of Akhand Bharat (Undivided India) will be realized and the whole world will hail the country of Lord Ram." The editorial dubs the opponents of PM Modi as "Raavan, Vibhishan, Kans Mama and party" and also asserts that the Supreme Court should take account of the feelings and mandate of Indian voters and give permission to begin construction of the Ram Mandir. Nobody can stop the Vijay 'rath' (victory chariot) of Lord Ram, building a great nation is similar to building the Ram Mandir. But constructing the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya is an oath which Shiv Sena, BJP and crores of Hindu brothers have taken. We agree with PM Modi on the fact that the foundation of Ram Mandir will be laid with the assent of the judiciary and the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court on its part should also take the feelings of the public and its mandate into account and give the judgment early without sitting on the facts," the article reads. It went on to add that the 2019 Lok Sabha election results went in favour of the BJP and the Shiv Sena because of the blessings of Lord Ram and criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for 'attacking' people who chanted the Lord's name. "The mandate of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections is a mandate given in favour of the Ram Mandir and Ram Rajya. In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP has managed to win 62 seats with the blessings of Lord Ram, in Maharashtra too the huge victory of the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance is a result of his blessings." "In West Bengal Mamata Banerjee launched attacks on the people who chanted Lord Ram's name. Even then Amit Shah kept hailing the Lord in Bengal which resulted in BJP's victory in the state, this is a moment of great joy," the article read. In March, the court appointed a panel of mediators, headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice F M I Kalifulla, and gave it eight weeks to meet all stakeholders and explore the possibility of an amicable settlement to the contentious issue. The panel submitted the report on May 10 and the top court is expected to take up a decision in this regard. The construction of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya has been a long-standing promise by the BJP. The pledge was also included in the party's 2014 and 2019 elections manifestoes. Anusha Ravi By Express News Service BENGALURU: Dont be surprised if you see Congress Legislative Party leader Siddaramaiah and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy in a single frame more often. Post the Lok Sabha debacle, the Congress and JDS are keen to turn around the public perception that all is not well within the coalition. As the first step towards building confidence among the people and party leaders about the stability of the government, Siddaramaiah and Kumaraswamy have decided to be seen together, coordinating, talking, discussing and strategising. There have been at least three meetings in four days, including on Tuesday evening, and multiple phone calls between the two senior leaders ever since the Lok Sabha results. KPCC chief Dinesh Gundurao also took part in the meeting, held at Kumara Krupa guest house. Kumaraswamy will also be part of a Congress senior leaders meeting on Wednesday headed by AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal, ahead of the Congress Legislative Party meet. The Congress has rushed two of its key leaders, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Venugopal, to take stock of the situation in Karnataka. A decision on how to address dissent from the likes of Roshan Baig and Ramesh Jarkiholi is likely to be discussed at Wednesdays meeting. On Tuesday morning, Water Resources Minister DK Shivakumar visited Kumaraswamy. ALSO READ | Yeddyurappa dares JDS-Cong govt to go for polls; seeks larger role for Shobha They held a meeting for about half an hour. The poll debacle was discussed. Both leaders agreed that the focus should now be stability of the government, said a source privy to the meeting. JDS leaders have been advised against making any statements that could hurt the impression of the Kumaraswamy-led coalition government. The Congress has asked its leaders to buck up and work in tandem. Kumaraswamy, in fact, took the initiative of visiting Siddaramaiah at his residence, Cauvery, on Friday, when he called for an informal meeting with his cabinet colleagues. He had also met Siddaramaiah on Sunday evening. There is a need to debunk public perception that the coalition partners are not on good terms. Dissent and rebellion have already been quelled, and putting up a united front will stall BJPs poaching attempts, said a leader of the Congress. Kumaraswamys aides, too, agree. The Chief Minister realises that coordination between the partners needs more visibility. There will be no place for misunderstandings anymore and issues will be sorted out, taking both parties into confidence, a source close to Kumaraswamy said. By Express News Service CHENNAI: The Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (Economic Offences) I court on Tuesday adjourned the questioning of jailed AIADMK leader VK Sasikala in the decades-old FERA case to July 16, after the counsel for Sasikala produced the High Court order copies on her appearance through video conferencing. The Economic Offences court on April 29 had directed the jail Superintendent of the Parappana Agrahara prison to produce jailed AIADMK leader V K Sasikala to appear for questioning after examination of all the witnesses in the case was completed, for which she approached the Madras High Court. The judge S Malarmathy, after accepting the copies of the High court order, adjourned the case to July 16. The counsel for Enforcement Directorate, G Hema, addressing the reporters, said that all the documents related to the case will be translated in Tamil prior to the video conferencing of Sasikala. After the completion of the translation, the dates for video conferencing are expected to be pronounced by the court. The case pertains to the alleged payments made by Sasikala and co-accused Bhaskaran for the purchase of transponder facility and uplinking charges for the now-defunct JJ TV channel and the purchase of a tea estate in Kodanad by violating the RBI rules. The Enforcement Directorate booked Sasikala in 1996 on charges of violation of foreign exchange regulations and the case has been dragging since then. A total of four related cases are pending for trial. He made the statement while he was being received by Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Cuong on May 27th during his visit to Vietnam for policy consultancy among the two ministries. At the reception (Photo: baoquocte.vn) At the reception, Mr. Cuong appreciated the results of the recent 2nd policy consultancy meeting, saying that in the complex and unpredictable development of the world situation, the coordination of the two countries in research of regional and world situations, as well as in international issues, is very important. Therefore, he suggested the two sides maintain the consultancy mechanism. Confirming that Vietnam attaches great importance to developing bilateral relationship with Poland, Mr. Cuong praised the strong development in the two countries relationship by regularly maintaining delegation exchanges, strictly coordinating in multi-lateral forums, and increasing the efficiency of economic cooperation. He urged the Polish Government to continue to make favourable conditions for overseas Vietnamese; and as a member of the EU, to continue to promote the comprehensive cooperation and partnership between Vietnam and the EU, especially the signing of the EVFTA to benefit all parties, thus facilitating the economics, trade and investment between Vietnam and EU countries, including Poland. Saying that Poland and Vietnam share a lot of similarities in area, scale, development target and respect of international laws in international relations, including the addressing of disputes among nations, Mr. Maciej Pisarski agreed that the two countries hold great potential in cooperation. He suggested the two sides promptly organize a foreign affairs deputy ministerial strategic dialogue in 2019 and re-connect the direct flight between the two countries. He also confirmed that Poland supports the early signing and adoption of the EVFTA./. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: Refuting claims that the BJP State unit had colluded with the Congress to defeat CM K Chandrasekhar Raos daughter K Kavitha in Nizamabad, BJP State president K Laxman asked the Congress how long can it hold its three MP seats together? Ever since the BJP won four Parliamentary seats, stunning even the national party itself, speculations had emerged that the BJP and Congress had colluded to defeat the ruling TRS. While Congress held that saffron party won by fluke, the BJP refuted the claim. ALSO READ | Congress only option in Telangana, says Uttam Kumar Reddy The citizens have given their mandate. It is only right to respect the mandate and accept their defeat. Winning and losing is common in politics, said K Laxman, while addressing a press conference. Unlike the Congress party that had won with a thin majority in all of the three seats while almost losing, the saffron party won with a thumping majority in all the four seats, Laxman held. He went on to ask if the Congress can even keep their MP-elects together -- meaning, if the Congress could stop the defections of its leaders to other parties. By AFP WASHINGTON: Former FBI director Robert Mueller announced Wednesday he was closing the Special Counsel's Office after completing his probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and possible obstruction of justice by President Donald Trump. Over 22 months, prosecutors issued charges against 34 individuals, including six Trump associates, and three companies. Mueller said Wednesday in his first public remarks that charging Trump with a crime was not an option because of Justice Department policy not to indict a sitting president. ALSO READ | Robert Mueller resigns, says charging Trump with a crime was 'not an option' But he reiterated that his report did not exonerate the president and suggested that any further action lies with Congress. Here are key dates in the probe: 2017 - May 17: Four months after Trump took office, Mueller, now 74, is named to lead the Russia meddling and collusion investigation. The appointment follows Trump's firing of FBI director James Comey. Trump was angry that Comey would not reel back the investigation. Mueller, a former FBI director, assembles a team of seasoned investigators and is given broad latitude to examine anything that arises in the investigation, prompting Trump to call it a "witch hunt." Within weeks, the investigation begins examining Trump for possible obstruction of justice. - October 30: Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and deputy chairman Rick Gates are indicted on financial charges mostly related to work they did years before for Russia-backed politicians in Ukraine. Former Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos is charged with lying to investigators about his dealings with Russians in 2016. Papadopoulos pleads guilty and pledges to cooperate. He receives a sentence of 14 days in prison. - December 1: Former Trump national security advisor Michael Flynn is charged with lying to investigators over his secret discussions with Russian ambassador Sergei Kislyak after the November 2016 election. He agrees to plead guilty in a deal that requires him to cooperate with investigators. 2018 - February 16: Mueller outlines a Russian "conspiracy" to meddle in the 2016 election, charging Evgeny Prigozhin, a close associate of President Vladimir Putin, and 12 others tied to the Internet Research Agency troll farm over their social media disinformation campaign. Richard Pinedo, a small-time California internet fraudster with no links to the Trump campaign, pleads guilty to selling false online identities to people from the Internet Research Agency. - February 20: Alex van der Zwaan, a London-based Dutch lawyer, pleads guilty to lying to investigators about his work with Manafort and Gates on behalf of Ukraine. In April, Van der Zwaan will be sentenced to 30 days in prison. - February 23: Gates avoids stiff charges in a plea deal with investigators. He pleads guilty to lying and conspiring to defraud the government in relation to his Ukraine work, while agreeing to cooperate with the Mueller team. - April 9, 2018: In a Mueller spinoff case, New York prosecutors raid the residence and offices of Michael Cohen, Trump's then personal lawyer and fixer. They focus on Cohen's arranging hush payments to women claiming affairs with Trump, as well as financial wrongdoings. Cohen later implicates Trump in the hush money payments. - June 8: Mueller expands charges against Manafort in a second case filed in Washington, and adds Manafort confidant Konstantin Kilimnik, a Russian with intelligence links, to the indictment. Charges include obstruction of justice and money laundering, but nothing tied to Russian election meddling. - July 13: Mueller charges 12 members of the GRU, Russia's military intelligence agency, with conspiracy to hack the Clinton presidential campaign in 2016. - August 21: A Virginia jury finds Manafort guilty on eight counts of financial fraud. Weeks later, he pleads guilty to reduced charges in a second case as part of a cooperation deal. - November 29: Cohen admits to lying to Congress about Trump negotiations in 2016 to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. Two weeks later he is sentenced to three years in prison. December 4: Flynn gets a recommendation of no jail time after Mueller notes his "substantial assistance" to the investigation. 2019 - January 25: Longtime Republican operative Roger Stone is arrested for lying to investigators about his communications with WikiLeaks in 2016. - March 7-13: Paul Manafort is sentenced to a total of 90 months in prison in his two cases. - March 22: Mueller completes his investigation. Neither Trump nor any of his associates are charged with criminal conspiracy in the Russia interference case, and Mueller leaves unanswered the question of whether Trump obstructed the Mueller probe. In a four-page summary of the report, Attorney General Bill Barr says the evidence does not support obstruction charges. Trump declares the Mueller report "a complete and total exoneration." - April 18: A redacted version of the Mueller report is made public. - May 1: Attorney General Barr defends his handling of the Mueller report under tough questioning before the Senate Judiciary Committee. - May 6: Democrats launch contempt proceedings against Barr over his refusal to testify before the House. - May 29: Mueller says charging Trump with a crime was not an option because of Justice Department policy and leaves any further action to Congress. Following his remarks, Trump tweets 'The case is closed!" By IANS YANGON: The Myanmar military has committed war crimes during its offensive against the Arakan Army following a government order to crush the armed group, a report said on Wednesday. The Amnesty International report said in the last few months Myanmar soldiers have killed and wounded civilians in indiscriminate attacks in Rakhine state, Efe news reported. It is the same area where the Army in 2017 carried out an offensive against the mostly-Muslim Rohingya minority group, an operation the UN said showed evidence of genocidal intent. ALSO READ | In the report titled "No one can protect us: War crimes and abuses in Myanmar's Rakhine State", the non-profit also denounced atrocities committed by the Arakan Army, such as abductions and intimidation, but accused the Myanmar military of committing human rights violations such as extrajudicial executions, arbitrary arrests, torture and other ill-treatment, and enforced disappearances. "Less than two years since the world outrage over the mass atrocities committed against the Rohingya population, the Myanmar military is again committing horrific abuses against ethnic groups in Rakhine State," Nicholas Bequelin, Amnesty International's regional director for East and Southeast Asia, said in a statement. The report is based on 81 interviews, 54 of which were conducted on the ground in Rakhine, with people of different ethnicities and religions. The Arakan Army, one of the various rebel groups engaged in armed conflict in Myanmar, was formed in 2009 by students of the Rakhine ethnic group - which is predominantly Buddhist. By PTI LAHORE: Taking a swipe at Imran Khan, jailed premier Nawaz Sharif's daughter Maryam said Tuesday that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not give respect to his Pakistani counterpart as he did not take his call in February when the two nations were engaged in aerial combat. Speaking at an event held in connection with Pakistan's 1998 nuclear tests here in Model Town, Maryam said Khan complained that Indian PM Modi did not attend his telephone call amid heightened Indo-Pak tensions. "I tell the selected and incompetent premier (Khan) as why Modi and other heads of state in the world do not give you respect. Because they know that you have come to power after stealing the people's votes with the help of someone. You dance to the tune of someone," she said, referring to the powerful military establishment. "Imran Khan. Your status is nothing more than a puppet. You are stooge having no standing of yourself. You have no respect in the world," she thundered. Maryam said Khan used to call Sharif 'a friend of Modi'. "It was Mr Modi who came to Pakistan to meet Nawaz Sharif. It was Mr Vajpayee who came to Pakistan to meet Nawaz Sharif as he was an elected prime minister and the world give him respect. But in your (Khan) case, Modi is not ready to take your telephone call because he knows that you are a fake premier," she said. "Let me make it clear I will not call you the friend of Modi. We want peace with India. War is no solution to problems the two countries are facing," she added. Tensions flared up between India and Pakistan after a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammed (JeM) killed 40 CRPF personnel in Kashmir's Pulwama district on February 14. Amid mounting outrage, the Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out a counter-terror operation, hitting the biggest JeM training camp in Balakot, deep inside Pakistan on February 26. The next day, Pakistan Air Force retaliated and downed a MiG-21 in an aerial combat and captured an IAF pilot, who was handed over to India. Soon after the aerial combat, Khan said he tried calling Prime Minister Modi to convey that Pakistan did not want to escalate the matter. Maryam said because of inept and incapable prime minister Pakistan has become a beggar country in the world. "This inept premier has handed over the country to the IMF against some dollars." She said it is ironic that the man (Sharif) who made this country atomic power is in Kot Lakhpat jail Lahore and the man (Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto) who laid the foundation of the atomic programme was hanged. By PTI KATHMANDU: Nepal's Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli will attend the swearing-in ceremony of his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, on Thursday, his press advisor said Wednesday. India invited leaders of the BIMSTEC countries as well as Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov, the current chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth for Modi's swearing-in. Besides India, BIMSTEC comprises Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan. In the first back-to-back majority for a single party in over three decades, the Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party won 303 out of the total 542 Lok Sabha seats. "Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli will be paying an official visit to India to attend the swearing-in ceremony of India's Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi," Press Advisor of Oil, Kundan Aryal told PTI. Oli, accompanied by his spouse and some high ranking officials, will leave Kathmandu for New Delhi on Thursday. During his visit, Oli will meet his Indian counterpart and discuss bilateral relations, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 2014, when Modi was elected as India's Prime Minister for the first time, the then Nepal Prime Minister Sushil Koirala attended his swearing-in ceremony, along with heads of states of other member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). Oli is scheduled to return home on May 31, Aryal said. Ashok Sharma By Associated Press NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi won a second term in office after responding to a suicide attack on Indian paramilitary forces in troubled Kashmir with an airstrike inside Pakistan, allowing him to turn voters' attention away from the country's highest unemployment rate in decades. Now, after his swearing-in on Thursday, he will need to deftly navigate a trade war between the United States and China and rising tensions between the US and Iran, an important source of cheap oil for India's fast-growing economy. Modi will also face pressure to protect India's traditional sphere of influence in South Asia. Many Modi supporters credit the 68-year-old leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party with India's growing status abroad, and messages from US President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulating him on his party's victory even before all results were in seemed to bolster that belief. Lalit Mansingh, a former Indian ambassador to Washington, said foreign policy has been one of Modi's most pronounced achievements, as he pursued it with vigour "that we have not seen in any other prime minister so far." ALSO READ| Date and venue of Modi-Xi Jinping informal summit yet to be finalised As Modi returns to power for another five years, global leaders are looking to India to take on a larger burden of responsibility in the world, acting as a security buffer in the Indo-Pacific, opening its markets and responding to climate change, even though Modi struggled to manage many of India's domestic issues in his first term. "Maneuvering in the current international situation will be quite a challenge for Modi," said Dilip Sinha, a retired Indian diplomat. The US wants India to act as a counterweight to Beijing to prevent the rise of Chinese hegemony in Asia, but it also wants the Modi administration to lower barriers to trade. US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross complained to leaders in New Delhi earlier this month that American companies struggle to access India's markets because of tariffs and myriad regulations. To help reduce the trade imbalance, India has signed more than $15 billion in US defence contracts. According to the World Economic Forum, India is poised to become the world's third-largest consumer market, growing from $1.5 trillion this year to $6 trillion by 2030. At the same time, with the Trump administration scaling up sanctions on Iran and ending waivers for countries including India that import Iranian goods, India must replace its third-largest source of imported oil. The fear of a further conflagration in the Gulf region could make oil more expensive and threatens the security of 7 million Indians working as migrant labourers. "It's an extremely difficult and challenging position for India," Sinha said. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE During the Cold War, India didn't have open relations with Israel, leaning heavily in favour of the Palestinians. But over the last 25 years, ties between the two countries have warmed. Trade between them has skyrocketed from $200 million in 1992, when India and Israel established diplomatic ties, to $4.16 billion in 2016. The growing ties risk upsetting India's longstanding relationship with other Middle Eastern countries. The US weapons purchase agreements, coupled with Russia's improving ties with Pakistan and China, also pose a challenge to Russia-India relations, which date back to the Cold War. "India's Russian ties are also beginning to fray. The recent fighter aircraft deals with France and other military hardware purchases from the USA have resulted in sidelining India's usual defence partner," the opposition Indian National Congress party said in a statement. India faces perhaps its biggest challenge with China at its northeastern border, as Beijing invests billions in infrastructure development in South Asia. India takes years to execute projects, whereas China delivers quickly on what it promises. India needs to maintain close ties with Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and the Maldives, its traditional sphere of influence. But delays by Indian companies have led to cost overruns, prompting India's neighbours to look toward China for speedy development. Modi has carefully cultivated ties with President Xi after a 2017 border standoff over Chinese construction of a road in Doklam near a tri-border area with Bhutan. India and China fought a bloody war in 1962 over a border dispute that continues to simmer. ALSO READ| Post swearing-in, Narendra Modi has packed international schedule But their relations have thawed recently, with Beijing deciding against blocking the U.N. designation of Masood Azhar, the leader of the Pakistan-based militant group that claimed responsibility for the February suicide bombing in Kashmir, as a global terrorist. Though Modi invited then-Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and other South Asian leaders to attend his swearing-in ceremony in 2014, the neighbours were at the brink of nuclear war in February. Modi has refused an official dialogue with Islamabad until it ends support for what India calls terrorism emanating from its territory. They have fought two of three wars over control of divided Kashmir since they won independence from Britain in 1947. In Kashmir, the majority of Muslims see Modi's reelection as causing more hardship. In the past five years, Modi's government gave the military a free hand to crush resistance to Indian rule, targeting not just armed militants but also civilians supporting their cause, to keep Kashmir a part of India at any cost. Some in Kashmir see Modi's win as "a blessing in disguise," said his tough approach could energize the movement for self-determination in the region. "The fog around India's policies on Kashmir is increasingly getting removed thanks to Modi and Co.," said Sajjad Ahmed, a schoolteacher. By AFP MOSCOW: Senior Taliban officials including the group's top political advisor met with Afghan political figures in Moscow Tuesday, saying they were committed to peace in Afghanistan -- even as US-led talks appear to have stalled. In a message the Taliban have not altered since talks with the US started last autumn, Taliban co-founder and political leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar said the insurgents want an end to 18 years of conflict -- but would only sign a deal after foreign forces quit Afghanistan. The Taliban are "really committed to peace, but think the obstacle for peace should be removed first", Baradar said in a rare televised appearance at the start of the two-day meeting marking 100 years of diplomatic ties between Russia and Afghanistan. "The obstacle is the occupation of Afghanistan, and that should end," Baradar added. Baradar -- who helped Mullah Omar found the Taliban -- was appointed its political chief in January following his release from a Pakistan prison. ALSO READ | UN says Taliban captives in Afghanistan subjected to abuse Tuesday's Moscow meeting once again cut out senior members of President Ashraf Ghani's government, which the Taliban consider a US-backed puppet regime, though the head of the Kabul administration's high peace council had been slated to attend. Other Afghan politicians -- including former president Hamid Karzai and candidates challenging Ghani in a presidential election slated for September -- were also present. The talks mark the second time Taliban leaders have met with Afghan figures in Russia, following a February summit that saw the former foes praying together and chatting over meals. Former warlord Atta Muhammad Noor said the previous Moscow meeting had yielded "quite positive results". "We are for having good relations with our brothers, with the Taliban," Noor said. "Let's step back a little, embrace each other and create conditions for the start of peace". Moscow appears to be gaining influence in the ongoing process, with the US announcing last month that Washington had reached a consensus with China and Russia on the key formula for a peace deal it is negotiating in Afghanistan. But a recent sixth round of talks between US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and the Taliban ended in Doha this month with no tangible progress cited by the negotiating teams. While the Taliban insist foreign forces must leave Afghanistan before it can agree to peace, the US has refused to agree to a withdrawal until the Taliban put in place security guarantees, a ceasefire, and other commitments including an "intra-Afghan" dialogue with the Kabul government and other Afghan representatives. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who opened Tuesday's meeting, said Russia and Afghanistan have "a shared aim -- fighting terrorism" and reiterated that Moscow supports a complete withdrawal of foreign forces. The Soviet Union and Afghanistan fought a war in the 1980s that resulted in a Moscow's withdrawal after nine years of brutal conflict. By AFP COLOMBO: Sri Lankan authorities failed to arrest the jihadist who led the Easter Sunday attacks that killed 258 people despite mounting evidence against him, the country's top intelligence official said Wednesday. Sisira Mendis told a parliamentary probe into security lapses leading to the April 21 suicide bombings that the attacks led by Zahran Hashim could have been avoided if he had been detained. "He was reported for hate speech. He had come to the attention of the authorities before the attacks," said Mendis, who is the Chief of National Intelligence. "Police could have at least detained him for questioning when there were these reports against him." Official sources said Hashim came to the attention of the authorities following a violent clash with a moderate Muslim group in his village in eastern Sri Lanka two years ago. However, he was not arrested. The national parliament Wednesday began investigating the circumstances that allowed a known Islamist group to stage the audacious attack targeting three Christian churches and three luxury hotels. Mendis, who is tasked with coordinating various state spy operations, said Sri Lanka's main police intelligence unit, the State Intelligence Service (SIS), had not taken seriously the warnings of an impending assault. Ten days prior to the attacks, Sri Lanka's police chief Pujith Jayasundara had issued a warning that Hashim's National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ) could target churches and other places. But this was not followed up and no security plan was put in place as a result of further intelligence received from neighbouring India which had questioned a jihadist in their custody, according to official sources. The government has admitted failure to prevent the attacks that also killed 45 foreign nationals and wounded nearly 500 people in the worst act of violence in Sri Lanka since its civil war ended. President Maithripala Sirisena subsequently suspended Jayasundara and dismissed his top defence official. Sri Lanka is under a state of emergency since the attacks, but Sirisena announced on Monday that he will allow the tough laws to lapse within a month because the security situation was "99 percent back to normal". The mainly Buddhist nation of 21 million people was about to mark a decade since ending a 37-year-long Tamil separatist war when the Islamic extremists struck. By AFP ABUI DHABI: US National Security Advisor John Bolton accused Iran on Wednesday of "almost certainly" being behind sabotage attacks on oil tankers off the UAE coast this month, as he visited Abu Dhabi amid soaring tensions between Washington and Tehran. The accusation, which follows a US military buildup in the Gulf, came on the eve of emergency Arab and Gulf summits called by Iran's regional arch-rival Saudi Arabia to discuss the standoff. Bolton said that additional US forces in the region were sent as a "deterrent" and that Washington's response will be prudent. The four ships, including two Saudi tankers, were attacked by "naval mines almost certainly from Iran", Bolton told a press conference in the UAE capital. "There's no doubt in anybody's mind in Washington who's responsible for this," Bolton said in a clear reference to Iran. US experts are part of a five-nation team that is investigating the May 12 attacks that damaged the four vessels in the Sea of Oman off the UAE emirate of Fujairah. Two days later Yemen's Huthi rebels - accused by Abu Dhabi and Riyadh of being proxies of Tehran - hit a strategic diversionary pipeline in Saudi Arabia with two drones. The east-west pipeline, which has the capacity to carry some five million barrels per day from the oilfields of the kingdom's Gulf coast to the Red Sea, was shut for two days as a result of the attack. Bolton said that there has also been "an unsuccessful attack on the Saudi port of Yanbu a couple of days before the attack on tankers." Yanbu is Saudi Arabia's largest oil terminal on the Red Sea and is home to oil refineries and export facilities. Bolton said he would meet Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan as well as his UAE counterpart, Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, to discuss relations and regional tensions. "We are responding and consulting more closely with our allies in the region to discuss what to do next. We are trying to be prudent and responsible. We gathered evidence about the nature of attacks on the tankers and the East-West pipeline, and sent additional forces to act as a deterrent," he said. Washington has reimposed tough sanctions against Tehran and ordered the deployment of 1,500 more troops to the Middle East. Tehran called the attacks on the ships "alarming and regrettable", and warned of "adventurism" by foreign players to disrupt maritime security. Fujairah, where the attacks took place, is a key oil export terminal on the Sea of Oman that spares tankers the need to enter the Gulf through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has repeatedly threatened to close. Almost a third of the world's oil supplies pass through the narrow strait between Iran and Oman which is the sole shipping lane into and out of the Gulf. Regional tensions have spiked since US President Donald Trump's administration reimposed sanctions against Iran after unilaterally pulling out of a multilateral 2015 nuclear accord signed with the Islamic republic. Regional summits are planned on Thursday and Friday in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, as Riyadh seeks to further isolate Tehran. The Trump administration has ordered non-essential diplomatic staff out of Iraq, citing threats from Iranian-backed Iraqi armed groups, and sent an aircraft carrier and heavy B-52 bombers to the region. By AFP WASHINGTON: Robert Mueller said Wednesday his two-year Russia investigation had not exonerated Donald Trump, but that he lacked the power to charge a sitting president -- passing the baton to Congress where a growing chorus is clamoring for impeachment. Making his first statement on the high-stakes probe into Moscow's interference in the 2016 election, the special counsel said he could not state that Trump committed no crime, having detailed at least 10 possible acts of obstruction by the president. That oblique conclusion had left the American public confused when Mueller's summary findings were first released in March, allowing Trump to declare full exoneration. Mueller sought to clarify Wednesday that he had been bound by longstanding Justice Department guidelines that a sitting president cannot be charged with a crime, no matter how strong the evidence. "If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so," he stressed. ALSO READ | Mueller resigns, says charging Trump 'not an option' Mueller said the case was now in the hands of Congress, where his statement immediately stoked fresh Democratic calls to open impeachment proceedings. But Trump, who has assailed the Russia investigation as a treasonous "witch hunt" and a "hoax," declared the case over. Trump declares 'case closed' "Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent," he tweeted minutes after Mueller finished speaking. "The case is closed! Thank you." Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren was one of half a dozen White House hopefuls who seized upon Mueller's remarks to urge Congress to impeach Trump. "Mueller leaves no doubt," she tweeted. "The Constitution leaves it up to Congress to act -- and that's impeachment." But the Democratic leader in Congress, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, remained cautious about launching the politically fraught process 18 months before the next presidential election. "The Congress will continue to investigate and legislate to protect our elections and secure our democracy. The American people must have the truth," she said, avoiding any mention of impeachment. Obstruction question 'critical' Mueller's brief, nationally televised statement came as he announced he was stepping down as special counsel and retiring from public service. Mueller's 448-page report, finally released in redacted form on April 18, said it did not find evidence Trump's campaign conspired with Russian election meddling. But Mueller declined to rule whether Trump himself had committed a crime of obstruction. The taciturn 74-year-old, long one of the most respected members of the Washington Justice establishment, explained that from the start of the investigation, charging Trump with any federal crime "was not an option that we could consider." "It would be unfair to potentially accuse somebody of a crime when there can be no court resolution of the actual charge." "Those were the principles under which we operated, and from them we concluded that we would not reach a determination one way or the other about whether the president committed a crime." Mueller emphasized however that the obstruction probe was a "critical" side of the investigation. Given the Justice Department rule against charging a president, he said, it was up to Congress to follow up. "The constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting President of wrongdoing," he said. ALSO READ | Mueller investigation timeline: 37 charged in 22 months Pressure to impeach A former director of the FBI, Mueller was rarely seen and never heard from as he conducted the Russia investigation in utter secrecy after being named to lead it on May 17, 2017. His appointment stunned Trump, who, White House witnesses told investigators, numerous times sought ways to undermine or fire Mueller. The Democrat-controlled House Judiciary Committee, which would manage an impeachment effort, has subpoenaed key Mueller probe witnesses, including former White House attorney Don McGahn and former top Trump aide Hope Hicks. The White House has blocked McGahn's testimony, and could do the same for others. Democrats are also battling with the Justice Department to gain access to an unredacted copy of the Mueller report as well as underlying documents and evidence. Some argue that, by not allowing witnesses to appear and not handing over all the Mueller files, the White House is again obstructing justice. Mueller meanwhile said he was adverse to testifying himself, saying the report speaks for the investigation. "I hope and expect this to be the only time that I will speak about this matter," he said. "I am making that decision myself -- no one has told me whether I can or should testify or speak further about this matter." He wrapped up by reiterating what he called "the central allegation of our indictments -- that there were multiple, systematic efforts to interfere in our election." "That allegation deserves the attention of every American." At the talks, both leaders agreed on the need to step up delegation and people-to-people exchanges and maintain coordination in carrying out signed agreements. They also highlighted the importance of regularly educating the two countries people, especially younger generations, on the solidarity, friendship, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Cambodia. The leaders underlined that Vietnam and Cambodia have paid attention to fostering collaboration in economy, trade, and investment, reflected in bilateral trade reaching USD4.7 billion last year, a 23.7 percent rise year-on-year. Heng Samrin, who is on an official visit to Vietnam from May 28th-30th, affirmed the Cambodian legislatures strong support for the two governments efforts to connect their economies to strive for USD5 billion in bilateral trade by 2020; educate younger generations on maintaining and promoting the bilateral fine relations; intensify people-to-people exchanges and cooperation in defence, security, counterterrorism, and information sharing; and to orientate border areas towards the building of a peaceful, friendship, and developing border line. He took the occasion to thank the Vietnamese Party, State, and people for supporting Cambodia in all circumstances, particularly in helping the country escape from the Pol Pot genocidal regime in the past and boosting national development at present. Chairwoman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (R) welcomes her Cambodian counterpart Samdech Heng Samrin (Source: VNA) The NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, in turn, affirmed that Vietnam has long considered Cambodias security and defence as an important factor in Vietnams own security and defence. She asked the Cambodian side to create favourable conditions for the search for and repatriation of remains of volunteer Vietnamese soldiers and experts who laid down their lives in Cambodia, as well as the construction, restoration, and repair of Vietnam-Cambodia friendship monuments in the country. The leaders expressed their delight at the achievements gained by Vietnam and Cambodia in border demarcation and border marker planting as 84 percent of the work has been completed. For borderline sections that have yet to be demarcated, the top Vietnamese legislator requested that both sides continue discussions to seek out mutually fair and suitable measures acceptable to both sides. She spoke highly of Cambodias close coordination in granting legal documents to Vietnamese Cambodians, and urged its relevant agencies and localities to soon issue specific and clear regulations on the rights and obligations of those holding foreign registration cards. Regarding the resettlement of Vietnamese people in the Tonle Sap Lake, Ngan asked the Cambodian side to pay attention to ensuring the lives, interests, and assets of relocated people. She affirmed that Vietnam will join hands with Cambodia to provide support for them to soon stabilise their lives. The NA Chairwoman also stressed that Vietnam hopes to continue cooperating with Cambodia in managing and using the Mekong River water source sustainably, exploiting hydropower potential on the Mekong River appropriately and effectively, and ensuring water source and environmental safety and security. For regional cooperation, Ngan suggested both nations maintain close coordination in boosting cooperation initiatives suitable for their interests and those of the entire region. She voiced her hope to receive Cambodias support and coordination to help Vietnam fulfil its role as ASEAN Chair and ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) Chair in 2020, and maintain the ASEANs intra-bloc solidarity and central role. Ngan confirmed that Vietnam is willing to help Cambodia organise the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit and the Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership (ASEP) Meeting next year. For parliamentary collaboration, she asked both legislative bodies to facilitate the organisation of meetings of young parliamentarians and female parliamentarians this year. The two leaders affirmed to continue supporting each other in hosting international parliamentary meetings such as the AIPA, ASEP, Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF), and Inter-parliamentary Union (IPU). Heng Samrin also took the occasion to invite his Vietnamese counterpart to pay an official visit to Cambodia at an appropriate time. The latter accepted the invitation, adding that the visit will be arranged through the diplomatic channel. After the talks, the leaders signed a cooperation agreement between the two legislatures and witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the Vietnamese NA Office and the Cambodian NA Secretariat. In the evening of the same day, the NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan hosted a banquet in honour of Heng Samrin and the Cambodian delegation./. Champaign, IL (61820) Today Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers this afternoon. Areas of patchy fog. High 42F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low 32F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. iStock/WoodysPhotos(NEW YORK) -- A group of executives for OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma have held a United States patent since 2007 for a "self-destructing document and e-mail messaging system." This patent, filed in 2002, replaced a similar one from 1997 that was meant to destroy documents or email "at a predetermined time by attaching a 'virus' to the document or e-mail message," according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The original paperwork for this document-destroying system was filed in 1997, a year after the powerhouse painkiller OxyContin hit the market and quickly proved itself to be a blockbuster drug. The patent's existence was revealed during the March 8 videotaped deposition of Purdue Pharma's former chairman and president Richard Sackler, whose family owns the pharmaceutical company. The deposition is part of a multi-district litigation against several opioid manufacturers, including Purdue, and a recently unsealed transcript of it was obtained by ABC News. Purdue is currently facing approximately 2,000 lawsuits for allegedly deceptive marketing and contributing to the current U.S. opioid crisis. Individual members of the Sackler family who were involved in the businesses are being sued in a small fraction of these cases. During the deposition, Sackler, 74, was asked about the company acquiring the patent for the self-destructing message system. "I haven't thought about this in a long time. I don't...I didn't know that the patent ever issued," he said. "I heard about an application, but, this was...not my idea, if I recall correctly. And I thought it was interesting, but nothing came of it commercially." Howard Udell, who died in 2013, owned the patent. He was the general counsel for Purdue Pharma for more than three decades. Other names on the patent include Stuart D. Baker, a partner at law firm Chadbourne & Parke who was an outside counsel and member of the board of directors at Purdue, and Cary Kappel, who was also an outside lawyer for Purdue. The system involved a virus that would automatically attach to files as they were created, containing code which would tell "the computer to overwrite and/or delete the file to which the virus is attached at a desired time. Since the virus is attached to the file, it will travel with the file even when the file is copied, forwarded, or saved to disks or tape drives," according to the USPTO filing. "An effective document retention policy is also valuable in the context of litigation," the patent filing states. "For example, if a business document retention policy states that letters are to be retained for a period of three years, and if it consistently follows this policy, it will be less vulnerable to a charge that a particular 5-year-old letter was destroyed because the letter was harmful to the business litigation position." When Sackler was asked if the patent was assigned to Purdue Pharma after it was issued, he said, "I didn't know that, but that's what it says. If it says that, that's what it says," as he looked at a document from the USPTO. The exchange that immediately followed was redacted. In May 2007, Purdue pleaded guilty to criminal charges for misleading regulators, doctors and patients about the dangers of opioid addiction. The pharma company paid a $634 million fine. Remarkably, three executives agreed to pay $34.5 million in fines, including Udell, former president Micharl Friedman and former medical director Dr. Paul D. Goldenheim. In his deposition Sackler was asked if Udell, Goldenheim and Friedman received bonuses that year. He said he did not recall. Purdue Pharma did not immediately comment on the issue of the patent to ABC News. In his response to the deposition's leak to the media, Sackler's lawyer, David Bernick, continued to defend Sackler's involvement in the alleged scheme. "As the full historical record is now becoming known, it is clear that Dr. Sackler supported Purdue's action plan for responding to the increasing evidence of widespread OxyContin abuse and diversion," he said in a statement. "That plan not only included cooperating with and following the instructions of public health authorities, but it went further to voluntarily undertake extensive efforts to prevent abuse and diversion of prescription opioids," the statement continued. "The legal allegations relating to Dr. Sackler that have been exhaustively reported in the media starkly conflict with this growing factual record." About 130 Americans die every day due to an opioid overdose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The plaintiff's lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Montreux Palace (Source: La Liberti) There will be a total of 130 participants from 23 different countries coming together to discuss policies, depopulation, populism, and their secretive agendas behind closed doors. It will also feature Swiss Finance Minister Ueli Maurer, French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire, the head of Germanys Christian Democrats, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, and Credit-Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam among others. According to Swiss daily Tages Anzeiger, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will also be among the attendees, although he is not on the official guest list on the Bildberg website. The Bilderbergs are a collective of elite North American and European politicians, business leaders, financiers and academics. They are seen to be world planners with money and clout that is capable of changing the direction of the world. The Bilderberg Meeting is an annual conference established in 1954 by Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands to foster dialogue between Europe and North America. The meetings are held in successively different locations under the Chatham House Rule. According to the Bilderberg Group, their discussions will be 'informal' and without specific agenda, besides their publicised list of broad talking points. This year will be the second time the Bilderberg Meeting has been held in Switzerland. In 2011, it was held in St Moritz in the countrys southeast./. Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Patrick Nip today visited Guangzhou to attend a groundbreaking ceremony for the Guangzhou-Hong Kong Special Cooperation Zone for Intelligent Manufacturing and to exchange views with Mainland scholars on the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Developed and operated by the Guangzhou Development District and a Hong Kong enterprise, the special cooperation zone comprises the construction of a Guangzhou-Hong Kong-Macao immigration building, an intelligent international exhibition centre and facilities for a Guangzhou-Hong Kong-Macao ferry service. Mr Nip was pleased to learn that the launch of the ferry service will reduce the travel time between the north-eastern part of Guangzhou and Hong Kong International Airport to 1 hour and 30 minutes, which will help bring in more visitors and business opportunities for the airport. He welcomed the active participation of Hong Kong's business sector in the development of the bay area, adding that he hoped the business sector would join with the government to broaden the space for development in the bay area. Mr Nip then toured Sun Yat-sen University's Institute of Guangdong, Hong Kong & Macao Development Studies and exchanged views with scholars there on the development of the bay area. He was also briefed by the institute on its research and analysis relating to the bay area. He also visited the Guangzhou Tianhe Hong Kong & Macau Youth Association entrepreneurship base to learn about its operation and facilities. The base is one of the first batch of 10 youth entrepreneurial bases that were presented with a plaque during the 21st Plenary of the Hong Kong/Guangdong Co-operation Joint Conference on May 16. Mr Nip said that the Special Administrative Region Government is supportive to young Hong Kong people participating in the development of the bay area, adding that it hopes to work with the Guangdong provincial government to establish an Alliance for Youth Innovation & Entrepreneurial Bases as a one-stop information, publicity and exchange platform to serve Hong Kong young people starting business in the bay area. Before concluding his visit, he toured the Guangzhou Chow Tai Fook Finance Centre to keep abreast of the business development of Hong Kong enterprises there. The Education Bureau is more than willing to visit schools to further explain the fugitive bill if necessary, Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung said today. Wrapping up his duty visit to Beijing, Mr Yeung told reporters he had learnt that alumni from some schools had initiated signature campaigns opposing the bill, and that some of these schools have stated the campaigns do not reflect their stance. Mr Yeung said: In the past few weeks the Security Bureau and also the Secretary for Justice have already explained a lot on the background of the amendments of the ordinance on many occasions." He said it is necessary for everyone in Hong Kong to listen to all views and to understand why the Government has proposed such changes before they form a view on whether they support the amendment or not. But in any case, if the schools feel, for example, that they need our support in explaining in more detail about the proposed amendments, we are happy to do it, he added. Director of Civil Engineering & Development Ricky Lau (right) and Deputy Director of the Department of Natural Resources of Sichuan Feng Bin sign the Memorandum of Understanding on Technical Exchange & Co-operation on Geohazard Risk Management. Hong Kong and Sichuan today signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen collaboration on technical exchange and co-operation on geohazard risk management. Director of Civil Engineering & Development Ricky Lau and Deputy Director of the Department of Natural Resources of Sichuan Feng Bin signed the pact. Under the agreement, the two places will facilitate technical exchange on geohazard risk management, explore opportunities for research co-operation in geohazard mitigation, and enhance co-operation in staff training in related areas. Speaking after the signing ceremony, Mr Lau said Hong Kong and Sichuan face the threat of landslides. He noted the two places have been in close co-operation in areas of geohazard risk assessment, early warning for geohazards, hazard mitigation and public education. The department set up a permanent exhibition in Sichuan last year to present Hong Kong's experience and achievements in geohazard mitigation, he said. Mr Lau added the pact also allows the two places to better prepare for the challenges of climate change. The Government will launch a public consultation in the second half of this year on arrangements of advance directives and relevant end-of-life care. Secretary for Food & Health Prof Sophia Chan made the remarks today in response to a lawmaker's question on services for terminally ill patients. She said the Government recognises the need to promote the development of services for the elderly, particularly to strengthen palliative care services for people facing terminal illness. There are currently more than 40 doctors, 300 nurses and 60 allied health professionals providing palliative care services to support terminally ill patients and their families. Prof Chan noted the public consultation on advance directives aims to allow terminally ill patients more options for their own treatment and care arrangements She added the advance directives state explicitly the specific situation where patients can refuse life-sustaining treatment when they are no longer capable of making decisions during end-of-life. The Government currently has no plans to carry out any studies or consultations on the issue of legalising euthanasia, Prof Chan said. Euthanasia is a complex and controversial issue while the Medical Council's Code of Professional Conduct has made it clear that euthanasia is "illegal and unethical", she added. At the event, KHSMA Chairman Kim Sung-woong said that the association aimed to receive the unpaid combat allowances that should have been granted to RoK veterans at least five decades ago. At the press conference (Photo: VNA) Millions of people are known to have been exposed to toxic chemicals, used by the US forces during the war in Vietnam, suffering from deadly diseases such as cancers, nerve disorders, skin disorders, and birth defects. Speaking at the press conference, Kim said up to 240,000 veterans of the US and some other countries who fought in the war in Vietnam received compensation worth USd3,700 each, yet there were no combat allowances for the 23,000 AO victims in the RoK. He underlined that AO is a chemical weapon and the use of it in the war in Vietnam was a crime against humanity. As many as 26 AO victims of the RoK filed a lawsuit to a US court in July 1994, yet the lawsuit was rejected and there was no compensation given. The US sprayed some 80 million litres of toxic chemicals in Vietnam during the war, 61 percent of which was AO containing 366 kg of dioxin. As a result, more than 3 million ha of forested land was destroyed, while basic water and food sources for millions of people were contaminated. Preliminary statistics showed 4.8 million Vietnamese people were exposed to AO/dioxin. Tens of thousands of people died from exposure, while millions of others went on to suffer from cancer and other incurable diseases. The children and grandchildren of many victims have been affected with birth deformities./. A refugee travelling from Morocco was found cramped into a car glove box attempting to travel to Europe. Shocking pictures emerged showing a man in his twenties hiding behind the car's dashboard at the border in Beni-Enzar, Morocco. The car was stopped by border police whilst trying to enter Spains North African enclave of Melilla. Spanish Guard officers said three vehicles carrying stowaways were stopped in the space of three hours and found a total of four Moroccan migrants hidden in four vehicles. Pictures showed another refugee hidden in an engine compartment, while police also said they found another illegal migrant behind a cars rear seats. The construction of a Dry Port Facility at Walvis Bay in Namibia to be opened by President Mnangagwa soon, is set to increase business and trade opportunities between Zimbabwe and the rest of the world, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Joel Biggie Matiza has said. The construction of the Dry Port in Namibia is in line with President Mnangagwas mantra that Zimbabwe is Open for Business. Minister Matiza visited facility on Friday last week to inspect the construction works ahead of President Mnangagwas visit. He said the contractors had assured him that they were putting final touches and everything would be in place before President Mnangagwas visit. Minister Matiza was accompanied by his permanent secretary Engineer Amos Marahwa, senior officials from his Ministry and Zimbabwes ambassador to Namibia Rofina Chikava. Speaking to The Herald upon his return, Minister Matiza said he was impressed by the work covered so far at the one storey office block, which is conveniently located next to the sea. He said the construction of the facility was evidence of President Mnangagwas commitment to see Zimbabwe doing business with all countries of the world and attainment of Vision 2030, which seeks to transform the country into an upper middle income economy in the next 11 years. This Dry Port Facility is going to be officially opened by His Excellency, President Mnangagwa at a date to be announced soon, said Minister Matiza. This is an important facility by any measure as it is going to spur trade between Zimbabwe and the rest of the world. Zimbabweans are importing a large number of vehicles through Walvis Bay. Its opening will come in handy as a transit and storage facility for vehicles and goods bound for Zimbabwe. Lots of fish are also imported through Walvis Bay and operationalisation of the Dry Port Facility will bring immense economic opportunities to Zimbabwean haulage companies and other revenue streams for the Government. Minister Matiza also held a bilateral meeting with his Namibian counterpart John Mutorwa during which they agreed on the need to continue working together in areas of rail and road to increase connectivity between the two countries. In a related development, Cabinet recently approved the construction of a rail line linking Zimbabwe and the Beira seaport in Mozambique by an Australian company called Balmoral Investments. The rail line would be used to carry mining and agricultural produce destined for other countries. Balmoral Investments, according to the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, owns a piece of land at the Beira seaport and is going to construct a dry port and a container depot that would be handed over to the Government of Zimbabwe under a Build Operate and Transfer arrangement. It is understood that Balmoral Investments is already mobilising funds for the construction of the sea port. In March, Namibian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Balbina Daes Pienaar said Zimbabwe had completed the construction of a Dry Port Facility at Walvis Bay in Namibia, in a move expected to boost trade and bilateral relations between the two countries. She said this during her countrys 29th Independence anniversary celebrations held in Harare. To date, over 25 Memorandums of Understanding and agreements were signed between the two countries of which most are implemented and well on track. Of particular importance is the completion of the Dry Port Facility by the Government of Zimbabwe at the Port of Walvis Bay in Namibia and soon to be commissioned by His Excellency President Mnangagwa. The Dry Port Facility is aimed at improving trade between the two countries and to easy movement of goods and services through Walvis Bay, a strategically located logistics hub in the Southern African region, she said. THE Cold Storage Company (CSC) is ready to commence upgrades on its key infrastructure at an estimated cost of more than US$100 million following completion of a preliminary engineering report, a senior official said yesterday. The revival of the countrys largest beef processor and marketer is expected to create more than 600 jobs at its Bulawayo headquarters alone. Cabinet has approved a US$400 million joint venture deal between CSC and Boustead Beef (Pvt) Ltd. The facility will be spread over the next three to four years. In an interview yesterday, Boustead Beef Zimbabwe managing director Mr Nick Havercroft said engineering work at their Bulawayo abattoirs was about to begin. We are refurbishing everything and weve done an engineering report and now we are about to commence the engineering work and its a five months project because that business hasnt worked for 15 years so the major repairs and maintenance have to be done, he said. We have basically completed the engineering report and have signed the contract, ordered the equipment and we know what we need so there is a lot going on. More than US$100 million will be spent on the engineering works. The engineering undertaking at CSC, Mr Havercroft said, is a massive programme that will involve the rehabilitation of boilers, boreholes, condensers, compressors, and conveyor belts among other critical infrastructure components. It is hoped that within the next six months, CSC Bulawayo abattoirs should be up and running before a similar exercise is rolled out to the firms abattoirs and ranches dotted across the country in areas such as Masvingo, Chinhoyi, Marondera, Harare, Gweru, Mutare and Kadoma. Asked about recent media reports suggesting that Boustead Beef was a mere briefcase company with a 10 000 share capital and a cell phone for its main contact number, Mr Havercroft said: Boustead Beef UK (United Kingdom) is not the holding company or the investing company. It (Boustead Beef UK) was set up to start the process of raising finance and this has been five years in progress doing market research and understanding the business. Boustead Beef UK was set up to import beef into the United Kingdom and to raise finance. The holding company is not Boustead Beef UK and the holding company has extremely strong partners, which have been to Zimbabwe . . . and have met the Minister of Agriculture (Perrance Shiri) and are known to other ministers. They are very strong (financial) investors and good partners. Raising money for Zimbabwe is extremely difficult, Im sure you will understand this due to sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe and like I said raising capital was a five-year process, it wasnt done quickly. Mr Havercroft would not be drawn into revealing the name of their investors citing professional reasons but this paper has it on good authority that Boustead Beef Zimbabwe was being financed by various equity investors from the United Kingdom, United States, Switzerland, Hong Kong and Australia. I cant disclose the investors because I have to protect my investors otherwise people will start phoning them and sending emails requesting for money. And thats what happens, Ive been in business a long time and my investors are my partners. said. They are my friends and I cant expose them to what I was exposed to last week in the Press here (locally); all the mudslinging and rumours against what we are doing without people actually bothering to phone or doing a research about the company, hesaid. Mr Havercroft said it took 16 months to November last year for Boustead Beef Zimbabwe to conclude negotiations for the transaction with the Government. It is hoped that the resuscitation of CSC will go a long way in improving the economy through beef exports as it will unlock value in the livestock industry. At its peak, the beef processor and marketer used to handle up to 150 000 tonnes of beef and associated by-products annually and exported to the European Union, where it had an annual quota of 9 100 tonnes of beef. Fairbanks, AK (99707) Today Snow during the morning will taper off and give way to cloudy skies during the afternoon. Morning high of 30F with temps falling to near 15. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 90%. 1 to 3 inches of snow expected.. Tonight Snow showers will become more widely scattered later on. Low 2F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 40%. Snowfall around one inch. BUENOS AIRES, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Higher U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports are bound to disrupt global value chains, said Argentine economist Raul Ochoa in a recent interview with Xinhua. What they will not do is fix the U.S. trade deficit, as Washington claims they are meant to do, said Ochoa, an advisory member of the Argentine Council for International Relations. Under an "America First" policy, the United States has placed steep tariffs on billions of U.S. dollars' worth of products from its major partners, including the European Union (EU) and China, shaking the foundation of the global trading system. In the latest flare-up with China, Washington increased additional tariffs on 200 billion U.S. dollars' worth of Chinese imports from 10 percent to 25 percent earlier this month, and threatened to raise tariffs on more Chinese imports. "This seriously affects the international market, because we are talking about the two countries with the largest trade exchange worldwide," Ochoa said. "Value chains will become more costly," he said, emphasizing that should the world's two biggest economies fail to reach an agreement, the entire multilateral trading system could be at stake. "In general, it darkens the global economic outlook, because with these types of situations you know where they begin but not where they will end," said Ochoa. "The reality is that it adds more uncertainty to a complex international panorama." While Washington has claimed to spend the money raised by the tariffs in ways that will help Americans, the measure will hurt U.S. consumers who will have to pay more for a wide range of goods, he said. Actually, it means higher prices for American consumers, in addition to possible retaliation by the Chinese government, said Ochoa. The White House has other options if it really wants to address domestic economic problems without undermining the multilateral trading system, said the economist. [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] The Daily News-Miner encourages residents to make themselves heard through the Opinion pages. Readers' letters and columns also appear online at newsminer.com. Contact the editor with questions at letters@newsminer.com or call 459-7574. Community Perspective Send Community Perspective submissions by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Submissions must be 500 to 750 words. Columns are welcome on a wide range of issues and should be well-written and well-researched with attribution of sources. Include a full name, email address, daytime telephone number and headshot photograph suitable for publication (email jpg or tiff files at 150 dpi.) You may also schedule a photo to be taken at the News-Miner office. The News-Miner reserves the right to edit submissions or to reject those of poor quality or taste without consulting the writer. Letters to the editor Send letters to the editor by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707), by fax (907-452-7917) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Writers are limited to one letter every two weeks (14 days.) All letters must contain no more than 350 words and include a full name (no abbreviation), daytime and evening phone numbers and physical address. (If no phone, then provide a mailing address or email address.) The Daily News-Miner reserves the right to edit or reject letters without consulting the writer. Prosecutors have announced the non-prosecution of a now deceased 79-year-old man for injuring five pedestrians after he drove his vehicle into a crowd of pedestrians in Shinjuku Ward earlier this year, reports TV Asahi At around 1:30 p.m. on January 16, the man drove the vehicle onto a sidewalk in a business district located about 100 meters from JR Shinjuku Station. A man in his 80s and a woman in her 20s received serious but not life-threatening injuries. Three other pedestrians suffered minor injuries. Based on evidence at the scene, there was no indication that the driver used the brakes, police said at the time. Following the incident, the driver told police, aWhile driving I became shocked after choking on tea.a On May 20, police sent the driver to prosecutors for violating a motor vehicle law regarding accidental infliction of injury. However, prosecutors at the Tokyo District Public Prosecutoras Office announced the non-prosecution of the drive on Tuesday. No reason for the non-prosecution was given. The driver and his wife, 76, who was also in the vehicle, suffered light injuries. The driver died in a hospital due to an unspecified disease in February. On Sunday night, men in loincloths and samurai topknots stole the limelight from the president of the United States. On Monday, the new empress of Japan was the star. When the new Japanese emperor, Naruhito, and his wife, Masako, welcomed President Trump and the first lady, Melania Trump, to the palace on Monday morning during their four-day state visit, Masako, a multilingual former diplomat and Harvard graduate, became an instant hit on social media. The Japanese public marveled as she spoke fluently in English to Mrs. Trump a even though the emperor also spoke English to Mr. Trump until an official urged him to introduce his interpreter. aMasako sama can speak five languages,a one Twitter user wrote in a widely shared post, using an honorific term of address. aShe is awesome and cool. I admire her. I hope she will demonstrate her ability more and more.a And the image of Masako chatting with Mr. Trump suggested to some that she will be able to use her diplomatic skills to help advance Japanas soft power and perhaps even stake out a new role for women in the deeply patriarchal imperial family. aThe shining smile of Masako sama is gleaming!a wrote one Twitter user. aBrilliant! Sheas such a brilliant person. Ah, I really think that Masako samaas stage is here! Diplomacy!a Many Japanese, but especially women, saw the international debut of Masako, 55, who has been married to Naruhito for 26 years, as a chance a finally a for her to use her training and experience after spending years trapped in her role as the woman whose primary mission was to produce an heir to the throne. Police say the man who stabbed 19 children and adults near Tokyo on Tuesday carried out the attack in less than 20 seconds. The man stabbed 17 elementary school girls and two adults on a road in Kawasaki City on Tuesday morning. Eleven-year-old Hanako Kuribayashi and Japanese Foreign Ministry official Satoshi Oyama died. Seventeen others were injured, some seriously. The attacker died after stabbing himself. Police have identified him as Ryuichi Iwasaki. They are investigating his possible motive. Investigative sources say Iwasaki stabbed Oyama from behind, and then attacked the children one after another, moving about 70 meters in less than 20 seconds. The two kitchen knives believed to have been used in the attack have 30-centimeter-long blades. Oyama's wife issued a comment via her lawyer on Tuesday night. She said she is deeply saddened by the sudden death of her husband. She asks the media not to contact her, as she cannot think of anything to say at this time. The chairman of Suzuki Motor will voluntarily forgo compensation for a full year to atone for the string of inspection cheating scandals that led to one of the biggest recalls in Japan's history. Chairman Osamu Suzuki will work without compensation for 12 months starting in July, the Japanese automaker said Tuesday. His son, President Toshihiro Suzuki, will receive a 50% cut in his compensation for six months. Both will give up bonuses for fiscal 2018. The vice chairman, directors and other executives will receive pay cuts between 10% and 40% for periods lasting from three to six months. Board directors will relinquish fiscal 2018 bonuses as well. Hiroaki Matsuura, the director and managing officer in charge of production, will resign at the shareholders meeting in June. The automaker was found to have doctored emissions and other data when testing completed vehicles and used unqualified personnel to inspect autos before shipment. This resulted in the company executing a recall in April spanning 2 million vehicles domestically. Suzuki said the recall will dent earnings by 80 billion yen ($730 million). To prevent a recurrence of the scandal, Suzuki will establish a committee next month tasked with reforming the inspection process. Exams for prospective vehicle auditors will be improved, and all auditors will receive an upgrade in benefits. New equipment also will be installed to bolster product quality. Photo taken on May 24, 2019 shows Huawei equipment at South Canaan site of LHTC Broadband company in South Canaan Town, Pennsylvania, the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) STAHLSTOWN, the United States, May 27 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. government's latest move to blacklist Huawei has forced the Chinese telecom giant's business partners in the United States to brace for mounting uncertainty. Among them is LHTC Broadband, a telecom company focused on the rural area of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It offers telephone, TV and Internet services to 7,000 rural locations, of which 1,600 are served with Huawei gear. "WE STILL HAVEN'T SEEN ANY PROOF" What has perplexed LHTC CEO James Kail is that he has never seen an issue of security threat in Huawei equipment -- not only in the past few months in which such accusations have been heated up by the U.S. government, but also throughout the last five years of partnership with Huawei. U.S. President Donald Trump on May 15 declared a national emergency over what he called threats to U.S. technologies. The U.S. Department of Commerce on the same day put Huawei and its affiliates on a blacklist, meaning the sale and transfer of U.S. technologies to Huawei must be approved by the federal government. "We haven't had any issue with the equipment itself, and on top of that, the pricing was very competitive," Kail told Xinhua, recalling that it was a prudent business decision for LHTC to choose Huawei as a supplier five years ago. As of the end of 2018, 90 percent of LHTC's fiber-deploying project using Huawei solutions has completed, and the remaining 10 percent is expected to finish by 2020. "It's been five years and we still haven't seen any proof (of security threats)," Kail said. That said, the ban could deal a severe blow to LHTC, which has only 65 employees. To take out all the Huawei equipment, Kail said, "will be obviously a significant hardship for a small company like us." A COSTLY &PROBLEMATIC BAN According to Kail's estimates, it will take LHTC about one year to completely replace the existing Huawei equipment if the company focuses solely on that. The cost is expected to total 400,000 to 500,000 U.S. dollars, he added. Apart from the replacement cost, what also concerns Kail is a potential sudden suspension of Huawei's technical support once the restriction kicks in. The Commerce Department last week granted a 90-day window for U.S. mobile phone companies and broadband providers tied to Huawei "to make other arrangements." "If we weren't able to have any technical support for upgrades because Huawei was shut off, that would be another problem," Kail said. He added that LHTC is closely monitoring the situation because of its investment in Huawei and "the potential significant impact on our company." Noting that it has been a good partnership over the last five years that LHTC had with Huawei, Kail said Huawei has been "very responsive" when problems occur. In South Canaan town, a five-hour drive to the northeast of Stahlstown, about 1,000 residents are using LHTC services supported solely by Huawei equipment. Standing next to the two sets of Huawei equipment at the office, Bonnie Bond, network supervisor at LHTC's local branch, told Xinhua that each set of the equipment has the capacity to serve 1,024 customers, and that each port with which a cable is connected serves 32 customers at the home end simultaneously. "So as we switched one of those ports, those 32 customers would be out of service until we were able to change their equipment in their house," the technician said. In addition to South Canaan, LHTC has three more such Huawei sets in the nearby community of Waymart Borough, according to Bond. Bond said she is "very concerned" that once Huawei is banned, her customers will not be able to watch TV or surf the Internet anymore. "Hopefully they would bear with us and stick through, but there is competition out there as well," she added. BIG U.S. COMPANIES DON'T SERVE RURAL AREAS Kail said LHTC is one of the first small telecom companies in rural America to partner with Huawei, partly because major U.S. telecom carriers do not bother to serve residents in scarcely populated suburbs. "They never wanted to serve these low density areas," Kail said. "And if they do serve them, they don't serve them very well, because they have a different business model." Those big companies, according to Kail, are not participants of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Universal Service Fund, which subsidizes small rural carriers so that they are financially able to provide telephone and broadband services to rural Americans. "The larger carriers don't have this model, so they're going to focus on doing business in the city," Kail said. Instead of line-based services, big companies like Verizon by and large choose to do wireless, which is not feasible in areas with a low density of population, he added. By contrast, Huawei has prioritized entering U.S. rural market. Andy Purdy, chief security officer of Huawei Technologies USA, told U.S. media in an interview in early May that Huawei has about 40 customer companies in rural America. According to Purdy, Huawei has 1,500 employees in the United States, a strong research and development presence in the country, and purchased 11 billion dollars' worth of components from U.S. firms in 2018. Huawei and ZTE, another Chinese wireless networking gear provider, now serve about a quarter of the 55 member companies of the Rural Wireless Association (RWA), which in December 2018 urged the FCC not to ban Huawei and ZTE from the U.S. market. "We believe our technologies are essential to farmers, schools, citizens, companies in rural parts of the United States, and we hope we can maintain that service," Purdy said. According to RWA estimates, the total cost for small U.S. wireless carriers to replace gears of Huawei and ZTE would amount to 800 million to 1 billion dollars. Analysts say such large-scale supply chain adjustment would compel some small companies to file bankruptcy. On top of a potential cut-off of wireless signals because of the Huawei ban, U.S. farmers have also been struggling to cope with the escalation of the U.S.-initiated trade war with China, which is depriving their products of access to the Chinese market. Paradoxically, the two-fold pain is inflicted by their own government. (Video reporters: Yan Liang, Hu Yousong, Deng Xianlai, Liu Jie; Video editors: Li Qin, Yin Le) 3 1 [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] NEW YORK, May 27 (Xinhua) -- China's remarkable development during the past decades has been done in a fair, reasonable way, and the United States should stop making China a "scapegoat" for its own problems of inequality, said a world-renowned U.S. expert. "China has been playing by Western rules for the past 40 years, gradually catching up the way that America's Asian allies did in the past," Jeffrey David Sachs, a senior UN advisor and director of the Center for Sustainable Development at the New York-based Columbia University, wrote in an article published on CNN's website over the weekend. But now the United States is trying to stop China's development by "changing the rules of international trade abruptly and unilaterally," which could "prove to be disastrous for both the United States and the entire world," noted the economics professor. Titled "China is not the source of our economic problems -- corporate greed is," the article summarizes China's contemporary and modern history dating back to the 19th century, which Sachs said was dominated by "geopolitical setbacks and related economic failures." What China has done is merely trying to make up for its "lost time," wrote Sachs, adding that "it is not doing anything particularly unusual for a country that is playing catch up." More importantly, the sustainable-development expert elaborated, to blame China for the loss of domestic jobs in the United States simply ignored the huge benefits brought by bilateral trade. "To accuse China of unfairness in this is wrong -- plenty of American companies have reaped the benefits of manufacturing in China or exporting goods there," noted Sachs, adding that U.S. consumers enjoy higher living standards as a result of China's low-cost and increasingly high-quality products. "A trade war with China won't solve our economic problems," he continued. Instead, the United States should let its own people "share the benefits of economic growth" in a way that "the winners who benefit compensate the losers." It was not the first time that Sachs expressed such views. At a seminar jointly held by the China General Chamber of Commerce USA and the Standard Chartered Bank earlier this month in New York, Sachs, as a guest speaker, lauded China's "catching up" in the past 40 years as the "fastest economic development in the history of the world," which is based on "good economics" and something that the world should be happy about. Accusing China of having "cheated its way" to rapid growth is "simply false" and a completely uneducated understanding of China's development, the expert noted at the seminar. "China is effectively catching up, and it's doing it in a smart way, and it's doing it in a normal way and it's doing it in a peaceful rule-based way." The rhetoric of labeling China as an "enemy" of the United States got heated up recently, partly through some columns on several domestic publications by some writers who "probably have never been to China," he continued in the speech. Such a view is dangerous and should be resisted to prevent the general public from getting misled, he stressed, adding that the U.S.-China bilateral ties cannot afford serious miscalculation as the two largest economies have a "decisive influence" on the future of the world. "This is a very important time for China-U.S. relations, and we had better get this right," Sachs said. [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation, says Peter Obi, vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), does no... Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation, says Peter Obi, vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), does not have the right to say he is politically irrelevant. Speaking at an interactive forum of maritime stakeholders in Lagos, on Tuesday, Amaechi tackled Obi for attacking him over his comments on the 2023 presidency. The minister had said the Igbo had nothing to negotiate for 2023 presidency. Reacting, Obi had said Amaechi lacked the competence to talk about which geopolitical zone should produce the president in 2023. Amaechi is not from the southeast, so he cannot speak for us. He is not in any position to make such statement because even him that is in APC, he did not contribute anything to the success of that election, he had said. He did not even achieve anything in his own state. Those of us from the southeast who are from the PDP contributed to the success of our party. But in Amaechis latest response, the minister said Obi did not have the credibility to speak on the matter because he could not win the presidential election. Describing Obis comment as sad and cheap one, Amaechi said his name has been in the front burner of national politics far more than that of Obi. Peter Obi said Im not an Igbo man and that I dont have the locus to discuss whether Igbo presidency will be or not in 2023. That comment is a very sad and cheap one from him, Amaechi said. But the truth is that Peter Obi too does not have the locus to speak about Igbo presidency because he and his party couldnt win the presidential election. Aside from that, its most unfortunate that Peter Obi, a man I defeated to become the chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum(NGF), when we were both governors, can wake up today to say I am not relevant in the polity to talk about national issues when journalists ask me questions about it. He, however, noted that it is the turn of the Igbo to produce the next president since they have never had the opportunity but added that for it to become a reality, they must be part of national politics I think what is important which I have said to the Igbo several times is that they need to be part of national politics. If they are not part of national politics, they cannot be president, he said. National politics means that an Ikwerre man must have his interest covered by the Igbo if they want to be president. The Yoruba man must have the Igbo cover their interests, the Hausa, Fulani people must also be confident that their interests are covered by the Igbo. I support Igbo presidency. I believe that its the Igbo turn to produce the next president of Nigeria because they have not been there before. The country will be unfair to the Igbo if they say its not their turn. But it cant be your turn and you dont want to fight for it. You want us to wake you up from sleep and say come and take, it is your turn? Former Nigerian president, Olusegun Obasanjo and 393 other passengers, on Wednesday, escaped a plane crash in Lagos. According t... Olusegun Obasanjo and 393 other passengers, on Wednesday, escaped a plane crash in Lagos. Former Nigerian president,Olusegun Obasanjo and 393 other passengers, on Wednesday, escaped a plane crash in Lagos. According to our source, Obasanjo was among the passengers aboard an Ethiopian Airlines plane that found it difficult to land at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. Details later. President Muhammadu Buhari will on Thursday depart Abuja for Makkah, Saudi Arabia, to attend a summit of Organisation of Islamic Coope... President Muhammadu Buhari will on Thursday depart Abuja for Makkah, Saudi Arabia, to attend a summit of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Garba Shehu, senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday. Shehu said the 14th summit of the OIC billed for Friday would be hosted by Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, king of Saudi Arabia. He said Buhari is expected to address the forum and underscore the need for member countries to unite and work together to combat common challenges such as terrorism and violent extremism. According to the OIC secretariat, the summit to be convened under the theme, Makkah al-Mukarramah Summit: Hand in Hand toward the Future seeks to develop a unified stance on events in the Islamic world, Shehu said. On the margins of the summit, the Nigerian leader will hold bilateral meetings with world leaders to promote increased cooperation and collaboration on issues of mutual concern. Three governors, Mohammed Abubakar (Jigawa), Gboyega Oyetola (Osun) and Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger) will accompany the president, according to the statement. Also on the presidents delegation are Mustapha Suleiman, permanent secretary of foreign affairs ministry; Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, director-general of National Intelligence Agency (NIA); Isa Ali Pantami, director-general of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and Abdullahi Mukthar, chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON). Buhari is the third Nigerian president to attend the OIC conference after the late Umaru YarAdua and Goodluck Jonathan. The president went on a five-day trip to Saudi Arabia two weeks ago and returned last Tuesday. Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state, has announced that female civil servants in the state will get six months for maternity leav... Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state, has announced that female civil servants in the state will get six months for maternity leave. Speaking after being sworn for a second term on Wednesday, the governor explained that the initiative is to ensure that children were adequately cared for, well-fed and receive all the nutrients they would need within the first six months of their lives. He also announced free medical care for children below five years in public hospitals in the state. In education and health, we have shown a commitment with investments to expand the access of ordinary people to these public goods, el-Rufai said. Our commitment to universal health coverage will continue. Therefore, we shall accelerate the implementation of contributory health insurance scheme as a priority of this administration. Just yesterday, our state executive council approved six months maternity leave for female public servants. This is to encourage the health development of infants. Mothers in our state are also reminded that children up to age five gets free medical care in our hospitals. They are entitled to free regular medical checkups in all public hospitals. Please, take advantage of this. The governor also announced that his government has made free and compulsory education available for girls in the state. We took bold steps to improve the teaching standards. We have made basic education truly free in Kaduna state and we have made education free and compulsory for our girls up to the end of senior secondary school, he said. Well continue to fix existing schools and build new classrooms where necessary and support our teachers to deliver decent public education. Inuwa Yahaya, governor of Gombe state, has suspended all appointments and contracts executed by his predecessor from March 10 till dat... Inuwa Yahaya, governor of Gombe state, has suspended all appointments and contracts executed by his predecessor from March 10 till date. Ibrahim Dankwambo, the immediate past governor. Yahaya, who announced the suspension during his inaugural speech on Wednesday, said there were a lot of illegalities during the administration ofIbrahim Dankwambo, the immediate past governor. He said steps would be taken to address all illegalities, adding that perpetrators and illegal beneficiaries would be made to face the full wrath of the law. There were illegalities perpetrated by the immediate past administration and we will take steps to address all illegalities. Perpetrators and illegal beneficiaries will be held to account, he said. In the meantime, all appointments, contracts and allocations entered into by the state government and local government councils from March 10, 2019 are hereby suspended. It will no longer be business as usual. He accused Dankwambos administration of failing to give the desired cooperation throughout the transition process. He also lamented the poor state of the education sector, promising to constitute a committee to review the establishment of tertiary institutions in the state. Bala Mohammed , governor of Bauchi state, also declared that all appointments, promotions and transfers made from the day he was declared the winner of the gubernatorial election in the state, are null and void. He also made this known while delivering his inaugural speech. I want to state categorically that all appointments, promotions, transfers and secondments, including those that are meant to create frictions and divisions along with traditional institutions from the day I was declared the winner by INEC till now, are hereby declared null and void, Mohammed said. Similarly, this directive also applies to all dubious approvals given on land allocations, sale of government vehicles and houses, as well as spurious contracts awarded in the dying minutes of the last administration. In cases where the instrumentality of a Kangaroo legislation was used as a mark, we shall use the instrumentality of credible legislation to cancel the absurdity to the scrap heaps of history. The governor asked the secretary to the state government and the most senior officials in the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to ensure strict compliance with the directive. He also said he would establish a high-powered committee to recover all assets and properties of government that were illegally disposed of. Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has sworn-in for a second term, with the Governor saying better days are here for all Deltans. G... Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has sworn-in for a second term, with the Governor saying better days are here for all Deltans. Governor Okowa was sworn-in for second term at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, the state capital. The Governor thanked Deltans for voting him and his Deputy, Kingsley Otuaro back into office for second tenure. There are no words adequate enough to express my appreciation to Deltans 4 voting us again for a second term, Okowa said. Governor Okowa took the oath of office alongside his Deputy before Chief Justice of Delta State, Justice Marshall Umokoro. Following the swearing in ceremony, a praise and worship service to mark the inauguration will hold at The Events Centre, Asaba by 3:30 pm. Olisa Metuh, former national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has narrated how he spent the N400 million all... Olisa Metuh, former national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has narrated how he spent the N400 million allegedly traced to him as proceed of money laundering. Testifying before Okon Abang, judge of a federal high court sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday, Metuh listed how the fund was spent, but refused to mention names of the beneficiaries. He said he did not provide the names because the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had turned the matter to a media trial. Metuh is facing trial for alleged diversion of N400 million received from the office of the former national security adviser, Sambo Dasuki, for the 2015 general election. We leased an office through the late Chief Tony Anenih, amounting to N25 million. He requested for cash payment and over N21 million was made in cheque in his name and delivered to him, he said. The office was fully furnished with state-ofthe-art computers, internet facility, two brand new generators and staff had 24-hours access to the office daily. Metuh said N37 million was used for media engagements and meetings with editors in Nigeria, adding that expenditure on analysts, content developers, core staff and support staff hired for the purpose of the assignment amounted to N13 million. According to him, workshops and perception management campaign cost N23 million and N10 million was spent on new media, while the production of materials, appearances on radio and other media services gulped N15 million. He disclosed that the cost of security, transportation, hotel allowances among others amounted to N47 million. While N55 million was spent in the south-south, Metuh said the northern zone, handled by the late Anenih, got N97 million with an additional N1.4 million which was used for procurement of public address systems. According to him, the south-east region gulped N40.4 million, while honorarium for different recruited persons cost N200,000 each. Concluding his testimony, Metuh said a total of N421 million was expended on the supposed national assignment. Abang adjourned the trial till June 10 and June 11. The National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Supo Ayokunle, on Tuesday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to make... The National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Supo Ayokunle, on Tuesday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to make Nigeria a glorious nation that its citizens would want to live in his second term. Ayokunle, who made this known during a conference with the Christian Press Association of Nigeria in Lagos, said that the President must make a cautious effort to make life easy for the people. According to him, the Federal Government needed to provide employment for youths in order to curb kidnapping and other violent acts. He said, Since INEC declared the President winner in the last election and as he is coming back to be the President of the country, we want him to do things 100 times better than what he has done in his first tenure. We want him to make a deliberate effort to reduce unemployment because if he does not reduce unemployment, kidnapping and other violent activities will not cease because an idle person is a ready instrument for Satan to use. If he improves on the issue of employment and the youths, bubbling with strength, get a tangible engagement they will forsake violence. The president must pay attention to the issue of social welfare in the country and improve greatly on infrastructures. Roads must be repaired so that miscreant staying at the bad portion of the roads to kidnap people and rob would stop. BEIJING, May 28 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. government's decision to blacklist Huawei is ill-intentioned. But it could also be a turning point for the world's second-largest economy to strengthen independent innovation and reduce its dependence on imported technology. Huawei, along with other Chinese technology companies, has become an easy target for the United States to contain China, a strategic rival in the eye of the current U.S. administration. It is a shame to see the United States, once the trumpeter of the open economy, took a unilateral and protectionist approach and used its state power against Huawei, a Chinese multinational company. The U.S. hostility is built upon the prominence of the Chinese technology heavyweight. Huawei has excelled in the development of 5G technology. It seems that the United States is far away from getting accustomed to a "new normal" that state-of-the-art technology does not originate from America, but China. Even U.S. telecom carriers are with Huawei, as they benefit from safe, reliable and low-priced Huawei products and services. The U.S. ban on Huawei underlines a new U.S. mentality full of anxiety, jealousy and lack of confidence. In fact, the United States may be too anxious about China's technology prowess. China has made stunning progress in technology development, but realistically, it still has a long way to go before it becomes a major technology power. The U.S. restriction is a wake-up call for China to cast away illusion, cut off dependence on the U.S., and become self-reliant on the supply of core technology. Good to hear the news that Huawei has been developing its own operating system. In fact, China has many leverages to use in order to master its own fate: a complete industrial chain, a vast consumer market, and an abundant young talent pool... With these resources, China must seriously promote indigenous innovation by ditching any blind faith to authority and the so-called foreign model, guarding against complacency, and immerse itself in basic research while turning knowledge into productivity. It is unrealistic for the United States to stop China's technological rise simply through bans and blacklists. It is difficult to imagine that Washington would be able to stop the development of the world's most dynamic economy. It is time for the United States to focus on its own business and compete with China in a decent way. [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] Chinese President Xi Jinping holds a welcome ceremony for Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou at the square outside the east gate of the Great Hall of the People before their talks in Beijing, capital of China, May 28, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) BEIJING, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou on Tuesday. Calling China and Niger good friends, partners and brothers, Xi hailed the constantly strengthening political mutual trust and fruitful pragmatic cooperation between the two countries. Xi said China stands ready to work with Niger to implement the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) to boost strategic cooperation and benefit the two peoples. He called on the two countries to understand, trust and support each other on issues of core interests and major concern, and continue their exchanges in governance and development experience. China and Niger should deepen synergy within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative and FOCAC, Xi said, stressing the importance of carrying out key projects in infrastructure, people's livelihood, energy and agriculture. He said China will continue to support Niger in fighting terrorism for regional peace and stability, and promote the UN support for the Group of Five Sahel joint force. Calling for more communication and collaboration on major international affairs, Xi promised China will help Niger improve people's livelihood in such field as medical care. He also voiced his hope that China and Niger would expand exchanges in culture, youth, women and think tanks, so as to enhance the two peoples' mutual understanding. "As long as all countries follow a development path suited to their own national conditions, cooperate in jointly building the Belt and Road, and move toward the goal of building a community with a shared future for humanity, we will surely achieve success," Xi said. Issoufou congratulated on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the great achievements the Chinese people have made in building socialism with Chinese characteristics under the leadership of the Communist Party of China. China's development has contributed greatly to human society, Issoufou said, adding that China's inclusive economic growth has lifted a large number of people out of poverty and accelerated realization of the UN millennium development goal. Niger speaks highly of China's adherence to the five principles of peaceful coexistence in international affairs and its long-term commitment to world peace and development, he said, adding the country supports the goal of building a community with a shared future for humanity. The Belt and Road Initiative proposed by Xi embodies the concept of win-win instead of zero sum and it will benefit the whole world, the Nigerien president said. As for China-Africa cooperation, Issoufou said African countries appreciate China's adherence to the principles of sincerity, real results, affinity and good faith, as well as the eight major initiatives put forward by Xi at the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. Saying Niger would work closely with China in Africa's cause of peace and security and the process of modernization, Issoufou said Niger always sticks to the one-China policy and is willing to participate in the joint construction of the Belt and Road. After their talks, the two heads of state jointly witnessed the signing of several bilateral cooperation documents. Prior to the talks, Xi held a welcoming ceremony for Issoufou, who is paying a state visit to China from May 26 to 30. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, meets with overseas Chinese representatives who are in Beijing to attend the ninth Conference for Friendship of Overseas Chinese Associations and a plenary session of the board of directors of the China Overseas Friendship Association at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 28, 2019. Other Chinese leaders including Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, were also present at the meeting. (Xinhua/Li Xueren) BEIJING, May 28 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping on Tuesday met with overseas Chinese representatives who are in Beijing to attend the ninth Conference for Friendship of Overseas Chinese Associations and a plenary session of the board of directors of the China Overseas Friendship Association (COFA). On behalf of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the State Council, Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, expressed a warm welcome and sincere congratulations to the representatives and extended greetings to overseas Chinese around the world. Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, was also present. At the meeting of the COFA board of directors held Tuesday morning, participants were urged to make a greater contribution to national rejuvenation, the country's opening-up, peaceful reunification of the motherland and mutual learning of civilizations. You Quan, a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, was elected COFA president at the meeting. The ninth Conference for Friendship of Overseas Chinese Associations will be held Wednesday and attended by more than 450 leading members of overseas Chinese associations from more than 90 countries and regions. Li Qiangmin, Chinese consul general in Houston (1st L) delivers the letter from Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, to the faculties of Bak Middle School of the Arts in West Palm Beach, Florida, the United States, April 26, 2019. On April 7, 2017, Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a visit to the school at the invitation of U.S. First Lady Melania Trump, where they watched students perform and talked with them, initiating efforts to build a bridge of people-to-people exchanges between China and the school. Bak's School Board Chair Francine Manthy and Executive Director Susy Diaz from the school wrote Peng a letter recently to mark the second anniversary of her visit and again express their appreciation to the Chinese first lady. To their delight, Peng quickly replied. In the letter, Peng said that both China and the United States have a splendid culture, and it is a common wish to strengthen bilateral exchanges, especially among young people. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) Photo taken on May 28, 2019 shows a paper box that can be recycled for packaging displayed during the 2019 Global Smart Logistics Summit in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province. The 2019 Global Smart Logistics Summit kicked off on Tuesday in Hangzhou. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi) Chanintorn.v/iStock(NEW YORK) -- A New York family is on a time-sensitive search for a bone marrow donor of a specific ethnicity to save their son's life. Asaya Bullock of Parkchester was diagnosed at birth with IPEX syndrome, a rare autoimmune disease. In many cases, the disorder can be life-threatening. "It's like a miracle that Asaya is still alive because the doctors only gave him two years to live," his mother, Charline Bullock, told ABC News' Good Morning America. "He was sick a lot and as [his] parents, we didn't know what was wrong with him." Over the years, Asaya has suffered from memory loss, stomach issues, body aches and joint pain. In his spare time, the 7-year-old Boy Scout loves karate and playing with his younger sister. Asaya is currently in school but quickly gets fatigued due to his compromised immune system. The only cure for IPEX syndrome is a bone marrow transplant from a matching donor. Bullock said her son has been on the Be The Match registry, which pairs patients with a viable donor, for most of his life. However, Asaya's father is African-American and his mother is Caribbean, making it difficult for him to find the right match since the registry is not representative of his ethnicity and ancestry. Bullock is hoping people of the same ethnicity read about his story and register. "I would tell them, 'You're saving a life.' There's only one in a million that you just might be called to be a match," she said. "At least you know in your heart if you do get called and you are a match for somebody you saved a life. We all got to look out for one another." According to Be The Match, the more genetically unique a person is the lower the chance of finding a match. The Icla da Silva Foundation, the largest recruitment center for Be The Match, recruits donors and provides support services to patients. Airam da Silva, the foundation's president, said he met Asaya more than five years ago when his family asked for help finding a match. "There is a blood cancer diagnosis every four minutes in the U.S. and each one of us could be the cure to save a life," da Silva told GMA. "We have to find them and together we can." Anyone who is between the ages of 18 and 44 can register with Be The Match, and it's free to join, according to the organization. Visit Be The Match to learn more about becoming a donor. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. BEIJING, May 28 (Xinhua) -- The State Council, China's cabinet, has released guidelines on promoting innovation in state-level economic and technological development zones. The country should make efforts to promote innovation in the development zones in terms of opening-up, technology and mechanisms, according to the guidelines. The market should play a decisive role in allocating resources while the government should play its role better to boost market vitality and foster new drivers for growth, the guidelines said. The guidelines listed 22 tasks, including increasing the quality of foreign trade and advancing the innovation capabilities of various industries. Inspections will be made to make sure all measures are implemented by relative departments and local governments. At present, there are 219 state-level economic and technological development zones in China, contributing around 10 percent to the national gross domestic product and fiscal revenue. BEIJING, May 28 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad has made positive remarks on the economic and social development in Tibet Autonomous Region, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Tuesday, in responding to a query about Branstad's recent visit to Tibet. At a regular press briefing, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang said that officials of the autonomous region and the city of Lhasa met with Branstad during his stay in Tibet. The ambassador also visited local communities, educational and cultural institutions, as well as religious places of worship. The Chinese side provided the U.S. side with a detailed introduction about Chinese government's policies on ethnic and religious affairs, the economic and social development of Tibet, Lu said. "The ambassador has also been briefed about the central government's policies concerning contact and dialogue with the 14th Dalai Lama, as well as foreigners' access to Tibet," said Lu. The Chinese side has also reiterated firm opposition to any foreign interference in Tibet-related affairs and in China's internal affairs, according to the spokesperson. "While expressing gratitude to the cordial hospitality extended to him in Tibet, Ambassador Branstad has made positive comments on its economic and social development, calling the trip a boost to the U.S. side's understanding about Tibet," Lu added. Li Zhanshu (R), chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), meets with Gulmira Issimbayeva, vice speaker of the Majilis, the lower house of the Kazakh parliament, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 28, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) BEIJING, May 28 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislator Li Zhanshu on Tuesday met with Gulmira Issimbayeva, vice speaker of the Majilis, the lower house of the Kazakh parliament in Beijing. Li, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), said that China and Kazakhstan were friendly neighbors and saw each other as important partners and trustworthy friends. He said that the relations between the two countries had achieved a leap-forward in development and demonstrated strong development momentum in recent years under the guidance of the two heads of state. Kazakhstan is the first country to respond and participate in the construction of the Belt and Road, Li said, adding that the pragmatic cooperation between the two countries had yielded fruitful results and the two countries had established a model of complementary advantages and mutual benefit. The NPC is willing to work with the Kazakh parliament to implement the consensus reached by the two leaders and carry out exchanges and cooperation on legislation and supervision to jointly provide a strong legal guarantee for deepening pragmatic cooperation, furthering people-to-people ties and enhancing bilateral relations. Issimbayeva said the Kazakh parliament was willing to have more exchanges with the NPC to make contributions to consolidate and expand friendship between the two countries. BEIJING, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping received the credentials of seven new ambassadors to China at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Tuesday. The ambassadors were Bernardino Regazzoni from Switzerland, Luis Monsalve Hoyos from Columbia, Vladimir Tomsik from the Czech Republic, Jang Ha Sung from the Republic of Korea, Signe Brudeset from Norway, Helena Sangeland from Sweden, and Maitine Djoumbe from Chad. Xi welcomed the ambassadors to China and expressed his sincere greetings and good wishes to the leaders and people of their countries. Xi said China attached great importance to developing ties with the countries and was ready to deepen political mutual trust, expand pragmatic cooperation, and jointly promote the Belt and Road Initiative for greater benefit to people of all countries. "The Chinese government will facilitate and support the work of the ambassadors, and hopes that the ambassadors will play an active role in deepening friendship between China and their countries and promoting bilateral ties," he said. The ambassadors conveyed cordial greetings from their state leaders to Xi, and congratulated China for successfully holding the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, expressing their countries' hope to participate in the Belt and Road Initiative and expand mutually beneficial cooperation. They told Xi that since it was established 70 years ago and especially after the reform and opening-up 40 years ago, the People's Republic of China had achieved world renowned development and played an increasingly important role in international affairs. They said they felt honored to be ambassadors to China, and pledged to enhance relations with China to a new high and achieve mutual benefits and win-win results. How are the worlds honey bees doing? Just a few years ago, word spread that they were on the verge of a mysterious extinction. Look for updates on their situation now and you get contradictory results, all of them fairly recent, from Bees Are Still Dying to Bees Are Bouncing Back From Colony Collapse Disorder to Yes, the Bees Are Still in Trouble to The Bee Apocalypse Was Never Real. But whether theyre in existential danger or not, bees at least now have their very own McDonalds bees in certain parts of Sweden, anyway. McDonalds has created a tiny replica of one of its restaurants, too small for any human to eat there, writes Emily Chudy in the Independent. The replica, dubbed the McHive, is a fully-functioning beehive designed to look like a McDonalds restaurant and features seating, a drive-through and an entrance. The brainchild of set designer Nicklas Nilsson, the hive is part of an initiative which has seen beehives placed on certain Swedish branches of the franchise. This project seems to be the first insect-scale restaurant for Nilsson, whose past work includes costume design on the video for David Bowies Blackstar. You can see footage of the McHives design and assembly process, as well as an assembled McHive full of its thousands of important guests, in the video at the top of the post. There are more photos at designboom, which quotes the projects advertising agency NORD DDB as saying that the initiative started out locally but is now growing. In addition to installing beehives on their rooftops, more Swedish McDonalds franchisees have also started replacing the grass around their restaurants with flowers and plants that are important for the wellbeing of wild bees. Why so much concern about honey bees in the first place? Chudy quotes a Greenpeace estimate that they perform about 80% of all pollination and a single bee colony can pollinate 300 million flowers each day. Bees do the hard work of keeping a surprisingly large part of the natural world working as weve always known it to, and to the extent that bees die out, much else may die out as well, with potential knock-on effects many would prefer not to think about. But then, the taste for predictions of ecological disaster on the internet seems only to have grown since we first noticed the problem with bees: if you really want to feel motivated to petition your local McDonalds to put up a McHive, try Googling the phrase catastrophic collapse of nature. via designboom Related Content: Mesmerizing Timelapse Film Captures the Wonder of Bees Being Born The Billion-Bug Highway You Cant See A Shazam for Nature: A New Free App Helps You Identify Plants, Animals & Other Denizens of the Natural World The Museum of Failure: A New Swedish Museum Showcases Harley-Davidson Perfume, Colgate Beef Lasagne, Google Glass & Other Failed Products Based in Seoul, Colin Marshall writes and broadcasts on cities, language, and culture. His projects include the book The Stateless City: a Walk through 21st-Century Los Angeles and the video series The City in Cinema. Follow him on Twitter at @colinmarshall, on Facebook, or on Instagram. A new batch of Chinese peacekeepers joined the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) following the 17th Transfer of Authority (rotation) ceremony in Lebanon's southern village Hinnieh near the port city of Tyre on Monday, May 27, 2019. [Photo: people.cn] BEIRUT, May 28 (Xinhua) -- A new batch of Chinese peacekeepers joined the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Monday following the 17th Transfer of Authority (rotation) ceremony in Lebanon's southern village Hinnieh near the port city of Tyre. Stefano Del Col, head of mission and force commander of the UNIFIL, oversaw the Transfer of Authority from Shi Honghui, commander of the 17th Chinese Peacekeeping Operation Force, to Gao Chaoning, commander of the 18th one. Del Col appreciated the work performed by the Chinese troop at all levels and in all its functions. "Your work contributes and adds to UNIFIL's goal to support strong and capable Lebanese state institutions, which are at the root of sustainable peace." "Your work helps UNIFIL in achieving its mandate, within the framework of Security Council Resolution 1701, of improving safety and security, an essential prerequisite for peace," he said. For his part, Gao vowed to follow the UN charter, coordinate with peacekeeping forces and fulfill the mission of preserving longstanding peace in the region. "We will be fully devoted to various tasks, fearless of difficulties and sacrifices, to make contributions to the lasting peace of south Lebanon," he said. About 6,000 Chinese peacekeepers have completed their service in southern Lebanon since 2006, which is a critical force to implement the mission's mandate. A court in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, sentences eight people for gang-related loan-sharking in March. LIU XIAO/XINHUA BEIJING, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese law enforcement agencies Tuesday launched an upgraded version of its national gang crime informant platform. The public can provide leads on gang crimes via various online channels, including the official website of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the Communist Party of China Central Committee as well as its official WeChat and Weibo accounts, said Chen Yixin, a senior official with the commission and head of the national office against organized crime, at a press conference. According to Chen, the upgraded platform utilizes big data, model analysis and cloud computing, among other digital methods, allowing the platform to compare the information of suspects, cases and key areas of the crackdown. As the crackdown goes wider and deeper, some places lack clues on whitewashed and undiscovered gang crime, while others are short of in-depth investigations for the large amount of leads. The establishment of the upgraded platform aims to meet the new needs of China's crackdown on gangs and organized crimes, according to Chen. The platform increases mass participation by offering easy accesses on smartphones and computers, as well as detailed instructions and simplified reporting procedures for the public to provide leads, Chen said. Citizens only need to provide basic information on the gang crime they want to report via the platform, which takes about three minutes, said Wang Hongxiang, a senior official with the commission and deputy head of the national office, at the press conference. Measures will be taken to prevent relevant information from being leaked, he added. The platform also enhances accuracy of crackdown by generating submitted clues and automatically processing data, which allows authorities in charge of the gang crime crackdown to better manage and deal with relevant cases and clues, Chen said. The informants will receive a unique code for each lead they report, with which they can check progress or results online, Wang said, adding that authorities should contact informants who leave their names or contacts within 30 days of their leads being received. The platform can not only dynamically monitor the process of cases and the movement of vicious gangs but also summarize rules with big data to strengthen the continuity of the crackdown, Chen said. The original report platform was set up in February 2018 amidst China's increased efforts to crack down on gang crime. As of March 31, the platform had received more than 190,000 leads on gang crime, from letters and phone calls. Martha Delgado Peralta (3rd L), president of the UN-Habitat Assembly, speaks at the opening ceremony of the first session of the UN-Habitat Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya, May 27, 2019. The first session of the UN-Habitat Assembly opened Monday in the Kenyan capital Nairobi as participants gather to discuss ways of improving quality of life in cities and communities amid the rapid global urbanization. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai) NAIROBI, May 27 (Xinhua) -- The first session of the UN-Habitat Assembly opened Monday in the Kenyan capital Nairobi as participants gather to discuss ways of improving quality of life in cities and communities amid the rapid global urbanization. The assembly, the world's highest-level decision-making body on sustainable human settlements and urbanization, has "innovation for a better quality of life in cities and communities" as its theme for its first session. It runs through May 31 and is expected to be attended by over 3,000 delegates, including four heads of state, over 40 ministers and high-level representatives from 116 countries. Speaking at the opening ceremony on Monday, UN-Habitat Executive Director Maimunah Mohd Sharif, said that 70 percent of the world's population is projected to live in urban areas by 2050, and this may pose challenges for some nations in providing basic services such as housing, transport, energy, employment, education, and health care. She warned that the increasing urbanization may also give rise to new development problems, including extreme poverty, social inequality, slum, gender-based discrimination, humanitarian crisis, climate change, high unemployment, among others. "For this reason, I appeal strongly to position sustainable urbanization at the center of development priorities, implement new urban agenda, strengthen the urban governance structure and institutions and adopt integrated sustainable urban development policies," she told her audience. "We need sustainable urbanization to ensure successful and long-term development. Therefore, understanding the trend in urbanization and how it will likely unfold is crucial for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development," she added. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a video message delivered to the assembly that the first session of the UN-Habitat Assembly seeks to discuss ways of improving quality of life in cities and communities. He said that well-planned and managed cities will lead to inclusive growth, sustainable and low-emission development, while rapid and unplanned urbanization generates severe problems, including pollution, crime, inequality, disease, vulnerability, disaster, lack of affordable housing, among others. He, however, said that the urbanization also presented "great opportunities" in that globally, 60 percent of the urban infrastructure needed by 2030 is yet to be built. At Monday's opening ceremony, Martha Delgado Peralta, the Mexico government's undersecretary for multilateral affairs and human rights, was elected to be president of the first session of the UN-Habitat Assembly. She said that she would do her best with the assistance and cooperation of stakeholders to work toward the objectives of the assembly and the sustainable development goals of the United Nations 2030 development agenda. In his opening remarks, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta urged all stakeholders to support the work of the UN-Habitat, noting that the implementation of the New Urban Agenda has been slow partly because of financial and institutional constraints at the global body as well as member states' insufficient capacity to interpret, implement and report on the progress of the urban agenda. Kenyatta said societies are ill-prepared to plan effectively for the rapid urbanization that is taking place. "Addressing these challenges calls for collective international action informed by scientific research, technological and innovations," Kenyatta said when he officially opened the inaugural session of the UN-Habitat. During the first session, the assembly is expected to establish the Executive Board of UN-Habitat and elect its members, to review and approve the UN-Habitat Strategic Plan 2020-2025 and also review the progress in implementation of New Urban Agenda. The assembly is also attended by United Nations agencies, local authorities and non-state actors including civil society, youth and women group representatives, the private sector and the academia. Pop visionary and scene-maker Dorian Electra has been a PAPER hero since they released their very first single. Using gender, sexuality and social norms as a playground for their queer comedy-infused PC music-cum-bubblegum songs and music videos, Electra's ethic is all about making people laugh, while helping them feel freer to be themselves. They've pushed this mission further and further with each single: "Career Boy," satirizing capitalist ennui, "Man To Man," tackling toxic masculinity, "VIP," poking fun at elitist club culture, "Jackpot," which mixes femme and masc camp, and their latest, "Flamboyant," a tribute to camp icon Liberace. Finally, they've announced their debut album, Flamboyant, an 11-track record that promises a new set of gender-scrambled, politically incisive and completely outlandish bops. Flamboyant will be released on July 17, just in time to infuse a bit of camp into the summer's nightlife. "Each track on the album takes on a different masculine trope or character in order to explore the nuances of gender, power, politics, sex, music, and fashion all with a future-facing pop sound." Electra explains. "Everything from instrument choice to aesthetics draws from the history of camp... while also being deeply personal and radically queer." Featuring tracks with titles like "Guyliner," "Emasculate," "fReAky 4 Life" and "Adam & Steve," we can't wait to see new characters and absurdities Electra will dream up and what a fully fleshed out project from the pop mad scientist looks and sounds like. Electra will perform throughout Pride month across the country, kicking it off with a performance at Go West Fest, a new Los Angeles Pride party co-hosted by Troye Sivan and Charli XCX. As both Tati Westbrook and Jeffree Star distance themselves from the James Charles saga, Charles too has decided to pull himself out of any potential limelight. The beauty influencer who lost close three million followers after Westbrook posted a "take down" video, has now decided to cancel his upcoming Sisters Tour across the United States. While previously speculated to go on as scheduled after reportedly being "sold out," Charles made the announcement through his Instagram Stories on Friday, May 24. "A lot has gone on in the past few weeks which has led many people, including myself, wondering what was going to happen to the tour," Charles said, referring to his feud with Westbrook and the controversies that followed. "And after the last week of meetings and phone calls, and trying to figure it all out we have officially come to the very, very tough decision that I am canceling the Sisters Tour." Despite concerns from the online community, the organizers were reportedly fully supportive of going through with Charles' speaking tour, which would have spanned a number of cities across the U.S. over 24 dates. "I made the decision to pull the tour. This was 100 percent my decision. None of the venues pulled out, none of the brands that were going to be sponsoring it pulled out," he explained. "The Sisters Tour is not being canceled because I was 'canceled.' Let's make that clear. I made the decision for a lot of different personal reasons." Adding that he doesn't feel like he "can deliver" what he promised, he said, "That sucks. It really, really sucks to admit." He further assured fans that they need not worry about the hundreds of dollars spent on tickets, which will be "automatically refunded" along with promising to relaunch the tour. "I promise you there will be a new Sisters Tour, and it will be even more epic than before," he said. "When we do relaunch, just know we'll be able to make it even better." Despite taking a huge hit in his following after allegations of sexual harassment and misbehavior, Charles continues to stand strong with support from many prominent members of the beauty community. More recently, the 20-year-old blogger was seen at the Kylie Skin launch party with Kylie Jenner and Nikita Dragun. Refunds for the Sisters Tour are available through original points of purchase and will be credited to customers' accounts immediately. Photo via Getty I still have a couple lingering questions about the 2019 Met Gala. And while my main query about why RuPaul didn't show up in drag has been answered, my second, burning ask was, where the hell was John Waters? Well, turns out he wasn't invited. Yeah, you read that right. While speaking to W Magazine, Waters better known as the undisputed "King of Camp" told the publication that he has never been invited to event. Even the 2017 Met Gala in celebration of his friend, Comme des Garcons' Rei Kawakubo (who, fun fact, asked Waters to accept her CFDA Lifetime Achievement Award). Related | 26 Camp Experts Pick Their Favorite Met Gala Looks That said, the legendary filmmaker told the magazine that "it's fine," and he's glad "everybody had a great time." However, he's not sorry he wasn't there. "I wouldn't have worn those outfits, anyway; if someone told me I had to, I couldn't do it," Waters added. "I don't wear Halloween costumes. I can't." And though the interviewer attempted to point out his unique sense of sense, Waters wasn't having it. Instead, he apparently pointed to his own suit and said, "this is not what you had to do there. This was beyond that." "I do love the Metthey own a couple of my pieces, and I'm never more amazed when I see a piece of mine hanging in the Met. It really is incredibly important to me," he said. "But I get all the Google Alerts, so I did see I was mentioned so much in all Met Gala stuff." However, Waters did say that everyone at the event really should've been buzzing about Van Smith, who did all the costumes and makeup for his movies. "He was the one, really," Waters added. "Not me." Read Waters' entire interview, here. Photo via Getty We're one step closer to a TikTok technological takeover. ByteDance the Chinese parent company behind the app that gave us a whole new class of Gen Z influencers and gems like the #MicrowaveChallenge is reportedly making its own smartphone. According to the Financial Times, two anonymous sources said that the company is currently working on a device that will come preloaded with all of ByteDance's apps, newsfeeds, and games. The company has reportedly secured the necessary patents and have recruited people from Smartisan, a Chinese phonemaker. This all comes shortly after a US crackdown on fellow Chinese electronics company Huawei and is a move that some speculate is a way for the tech company to independently reach customers outside of China. That said, it's apparently a goal that ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming has been keen on for a while. So who knows! No expected release date has been announced. 2019, imma let you finish, but 2009 was the best year of all time. Obama was still president, Taylor was still country, Kanye was still friends with Jay-Z, and Ashton Kutcher was still the most followed person on Twitter. Were we ever so young? Here's what happened this week, 10 years ago. Social Media At the end of May 2009, Facebook officially clocked more US users than Myspace. It was a huge deal at the time! A social media titan had fallen. Custom HTML profiles, mirror selfies, and side bangs gave way to... well, large scale privacy violations. Also, "poking." Remember that? According to Comscore, Facebook counted 70.278 million unique US visitors this month ten years ago, juuust overtaking Myspace's 70.237 million. In April 2009, Facebook attracted 67 million visitors compared to Myspace's 70.9 million. Needless to say, Myspace's numbers continued to fall while Facebook went on to completely dominate. Also this week in 2009, Twitter user @GGGGGGo_Lets_Go sent the platform's billionth tweet. Music "Boom Boom Pow" by the Black Eyed Peas embarked on its seventh week as the number one song in the country. Eminem's Relapse was the number one album, making him the highest selling artist in the country for the year so far. Phoenix released their album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, which spawned catchy indie classics "1901" and "Lisztomania." Mandy Moore released her folk-inspired record Amanda Leigh. '60s producer Phil Spector was found guilty of second degree murder and sentenced to 19 years to life in prison. Onetime wannabe musician Scarlett Johansson released her single with Peter Yorn, "Relator." Celebrity Paris Hilton and former boyfriend/Hills star Dough Reinhardt Movies and TV Instead of Booksmart and Aladdin, this week 10 years ago we were all buying tickets to see Pixar's Up. It went on to receive five Academy Award nominations in 2010. Icon of Iran's Hijab Protest Movement Vida Movahedi Released From Prison 05/29/19 Source: Center for Human Rights in Iran Eight months after she was arrested for peacefully protesting Iran's compulsory hijab law, Vida Movahedi was released from prison on May 26, 2019, her lawyer announced. Vida Movahedi "According to judicial authorities, the reduction of her punishment has been approved and she has been granted furlough," attorney Payam Derafshan told the state-funded Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) on May 28. "The remainder of her [one-year] sentence has been forgiven." IRNA added: "According to Derafshan, his client had no intention of plotting anything and has said that she simply wanted to express a personal celebration, and in order to avoid any links with those who went abroad and tried to take political advantage of her personal action, she has always refused to express her views through foreign media outlets... So therefore the judge, taking into consideration that she's the mother of a small child, decided to expedite her freedom..." Detainees held in politically sensitive cases in Iran-as well as their family members-are often pressured and threatened by security agents or judicial authorities to avoid talking to media outlets. At least 32 women have been arrested in Iran since 2018 and four women including Movahedi prosecuted for protesting Iran's hijab law. Compulsory hijab protesters Yasaman Aryani and her mother Monireh Arabshahi were both detained in early April 2019. Their statuses are unknown. Movahedi was initially arrested on December 27, 2018, after she stood on a utility box on Revolution St. in Tehran, removed her headscarf, and waved it on a stick in an act of civil disobedience against Iran's mandatory hijab law. Represented by now-imprisoned defense attorney Nasrin Sotoudeh, Movahedi was released the next day with a fine. But pictures and video of her action went viral and she came to be known as the icon of a group of women who repeated her protest action. Throughout 2018, this group was referred to on social media networks with the hashtag, #girlsofrevolutionst." Movahedi repeated her protest action on October 23, 2018, waving her hijab along with balloons in her hand while standing on a dome in the middle of Revolution Sq. in Tehran. That time she was arrested and taken to Gharchak Prison for women in southern Tehran and sentenced on an unknown date to one year in prison for the charge of "encouraging people to corruption and prostitution" by Branch 1091 of the Guidance Court in Tehran on March 2, 2019. On April 15, Derafshan publicly criticized the judiciary for not enforcing an order for her release. At the time, Movahedi had already served five months of her sentence and had been granted a special pardon on the occasion of the anniversary of the Prophet Mohammad's prophethood, Derafshan said. Article 638 of Iran's Islamic Penal Code specifies penalties for women caught not wearing the government-mandated hijab in public, "Women, who appear in public places and roads without wearing an Islamic hijab, shall be sentenced to ten days to two months' imprisonment or a fine of 50 thousand to five hundred rials." But these defendants could be issued harsher sentences for not abiding by the hijab law under morality-based charges. Former Tehran Mayor Confesses To Killing Wife, Prosecutor Says 05/29/19 Source: RFE/RL's Radio Farda Former Tehran Mayor Mohammad Ali Najafi has confessed to killing his second wife, Iranian media quote a prosecutor as saying. Tehran prosecutor Mohammad Shahriari said on May 28 that Najafi "surrendered to police officers" and confessed to killing his wife over family issues, according to the hard-line Tasnim news agency. Mohammad Ali Najafi with his second wife Mitra Ostad (source: Iranian daily Sazandegi) Mitra Ostad, Najafi's second wife, was found dead at her home in the Saadat Abad neighborhood in northwestern Tehran earlier in the day, the official news agency IRNA reported. It cited a police official as saying she had been shot several times. Such gun violence is extremely rare in Iran. Polygamy is legal under Islamic laws enforced in the country. "The Shocking Tusday" Reads headline on front page of Iranian daily Aftab Yazd Najafi resigned last year after coming under criticism by hard-liners for attending a ceremony at which young girls were dancing. He cited health reasons for his resignation. The website Ensaf News reported that Ostad called the news outlet on May 27 and was due to visit its offices for a formal interview on May 28. Ensaf said that Ostad later postponed the interview, citing an upcoming trip. With reporting by IRNA, Fars, and AP The multiple award-winning company is keen on further exploring in Ghana both around its current assets and new licences via the countrys inaugural Licensing Bid. In its quest to realize this goal, Tullow has committed its long-term reflection of the groups investment on a two-rig drilling programme that has delivered good results at both Jubilee and TEN Fields. At a recently held media briefing which focused on three thematic areas-Operational and finance update, new capital returns policy and dividends payment, Tullow Ghana Limited TGL announced Kweku Andoh Awotwi as Executive Vice President of the bigger group. Chief Finance Officer, TGL Les Wood, said Tullow has maintained strong financial performance despite price volatility and had since 2017 and 218 invested $200 million and $400 million respectively, adding that $67 million is expected to be paid to shareholders in 2019. We are looking forward to complete drilling its third well by the close of this year, with the $250 million investment it injecting into the system, said Wood. Mr. Awotwi pointed out that TGL is optimistic about its future in Ghana. TGLs Director of External Affairs, Social Performance Local Content, Cynthia Lumor, stated that Tullow Ghana is now a standalone business, which reflects its maturity and materiality to the Tullow Group. According to her, for the first time in many years, they are giving dividends of $100 million annually to shareholders, as the board has approved payment for 2018 and this year. She said TGLs core target toward Ghana will continue to be focused on prosperity, social economic investment local content aspirations and achievements, localization and development. TGL Chairman, Ike Duker, said the company was focused on growth through increased production, resources and investment in Jubilee and TEN fields, adding that they are also bidding for Exploration Block 3 in Ghanas inaugural Licensing Bid Round. 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 US President Donald Trump concluded his four-day visit to Japan on Tuesday with an inspection of a helicopter destroyer, which is planned to be converted into an aircraft carrier, and Chinese experts said his move indicates his acquiescence of Japan's military ambitions and may trigger a new arms race. Accompanied by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Trump inspected the Kaga at the Maritime Self-Defense Force base in Yokosuka, the first time a US president has stepped aboard a Self-Defense Force ship, Japan's Kyodo News reported. Ni Feng, deputy director of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of American Studies, told the Global Times that the inspection once again shows that Trump wants its allies to shoulder greater military responsibility and boost their defense budgets, which encourages Abe's pursuit of military power. Chinese analysts noted that the helicopter destroyer Trump inspected is controversial even in Japan, as the country is not allowed to possess weapons that could be used to attack other countries after its defeat in World War II. Kaga, an Izumo-class helicopter destroyer, is expected to be refurbished and function as an aircraft carrier capable of carrying F-35B stealth fighters, NHK reported on Tuesday. Trump's visit shows he is ignoring the fact that Japan has not reflected on the wartime history, or that Japan's current quest to regain military strength raises concerns in the region, said Yang Xiyu, a senior research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies in Beijing, Despite being allies, the US used to limit Japan's military development and did not allow it to have any kind of long-range delivery and strike capability, Yang said, noting that the Izumo-class ship would fall into this category. This means Japan has the tacit endorsement of the US president to expand its military capabilities, Yang said. The inspection could heighten tensions in the region, incite confrontation between major countries and may lead to an arms race, Ni said. Echoing Ni, Yang stressed that if Japan were to once again become a major military power, neighboring countries and regions will definitely worry. During his four-day visit, Trump announced Japan's plan to buy 105 US-made F-35 fighter jets. He also discussed trade with Abe, noting the US trade deficit with Japan is large, but he hopes to announce a trade deal soon, media reported. By the Grace of God, I was called to the Bar in 1986 and harsh economic conditions compelled me to plunge into private legal practice like how a person jumps into a swimming pool either to swim or sink. Thanks to God; I started the practice mostly in the district courts always referring to the presiding magistrate as Your Worship. I became so used to saying Your Worship that when I first appeared before the Circuit Court, the judge was Mrs. Agyemang Bempah, and instead of saying Your Honour by reflex, I said Your Worship and my colleague lawyers started giggling. Her Honour relaxed me by saying amidst laughter: Counsel, dont worry. I have been worshipped before In due course, I progressed to the High Court where the presiding judge is referred to as My Lord. Pretty soon I became so used to saying My Lord that for the avoidance of problem I referred to every judge Magistrate and High Court alike as My Lord. After more than twenty years of practice, a certain chief justice circulated a memorandum to all the courts throughout Ghana that female superior court judges should be referred to as My Lady instead of My Lord. The greater majority of all female superior court judges are all married women and they always very proudly show their ringed left hand for all to see, so I always find it most embarrassing indeed to hear oftentimes an obviously young junior male lawyer referring to a senior High Court judge as My Lady. (At times, I quietly tell myself: who the hell is this small boy referring to My Lord as My Lady? Dont you know she can even be your mother?) At times, some of them too look so attractive slim, cute, fresh that when a prominent senior lawyer refers to her as My Lady the obvious insinuations become so glaring For the avoidance of problem, I have pointedly insisted on never using My Lady to refer to any female justice. The other day, not too long ago, I entered some High Court to see an extremely attractive female justice presiding looking almost like a photocopy of my father in-laws daughter. I forgot myself and said My Lady then I remembered and told myself Captain this is not Gloria whereupon I said in a military parade voice My Lord she raised her head and smiled, and reader, it was like the morning sunshine bursting through the clouds Interesting enough, the current chief justice is also a Lady and apparently she is not bothered by the discomfiture of practising male chauvinist lawyers in having to refer to female justices as My Lady. The other day in open court, I raised this issue before one of the female justices of the High Court and she said flatly that she has no problem being referred to as My Lord instead of My Lady, jokingly adding that at times when some bearded lawyers refer to her as My Lady she gets a little upset !!! According to her, from childhood, she has always disliked men with beards!!! For the avoidance of these idiosyncrasies and possible embarrassments, I will urge a return to the old order where every female Superior Court judge is simply referred to as My Lord. I will vote for that view. Source: Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey/D-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 More than 600 pupils from five schools in the Okaikoi Central sub-metro have been schooled on menstrual hygiene management. Founder of Inspire to Rise, Wendy Laryea believes commemorating the day is critical in demystifying myths surrounding menstruation. Menstrual hygiene day is globally observed annually to promote personal hygiene among females as well as raise awareness and demystify taboos associated with menstruation. In Ghana, Inspire to Rise, a Non For Profit Organization commemorated the day at Apenkwa in the OkaiKoi Central Sub Metro with pupils from five public schools. The gender inclusive programme was facilitated by TV3s News Anchor and Unicef Ghana's Menstrual Hygiene Influencer, Wendy Laryea. The interactive session schooled pupils on menstruation and implications of premarital sex. Founder of Inspire to Rise, Wendy Laryea said menstruation is a common characteristic of every adolescent girl and so girls in their period must be offered the needed support. Dr. Elvis Kuma Forson, a medical doctor at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department of Lekma Hospital spoke about measures females can adopt during their menstruation. The pupils indicated the session was educative. Sanitary pads were also distributed to some female pupils present but stakeholders are pushing for a sustainable government policy to distribute free sanitary pads to pupils across the country. Earlier, the team also had a Menstrual Hygiene Management session with the The Apostolic Church, Ghana- LA Central District. This years commemoration of menstrual hygiene day was on the theme It's Time For Action. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Chiefs and people of Menji in the Tain District of the Bono Region have enstooled the Vice President of the Republic, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, as Nkabomhene (Unity Chief) in recognition of his enduring crusade for unity and peaceful co-existence of persons with different religious persuasions. The leadership of the Muslim community have also conferred a special award on him for his ongoing efforts to champion the cause of the poor and underprivileged. The honours were conferred on Vice President Bawumia at Menji near Nsawkaw on Monday, 27th May 2019 at a mini durbar organised by the chiefs in conjunction with the Muslim community after the Vice President joined Muslim faithful to perform the Zuhr prayers at Menji, as part of his annual Ramadan tour. Speaking on behalf of the chiefs, the Gyaasehene of Menji, Alhaji Amadu Bamba, said Vice President Bawumias quest to ensure peace and unity between persons of different religious beliefs, which is reflected in his annual Ramadan Tour, is a sign of his peaceful nature. The revolution that has occurred in the annual pilgrimage to Mecca since Alhaji Dr Bawumia became Vice President is also remarkable, Alhaji Bamba indicated, adding although I have been to Mecca before, I want to prepare and go again because of the good things Im hearing. Those who have gone since you came into office say that unlike the past, now they dont hustle to get food but are now fed very well. In appreciation of his quest for peace, unity and national cohesion, and the great work he is doing for the nation as Vice President, the chiefs of Menji and Tain are enstooling him, with the stool name of Nkabomhene Alhaji Bamba declared. The Muslim Ummah also presented a special award to the Vice President for his tremendous contribution to the development of the Muslim community in Tain and the nation at large. A citation accompanying the award read in part: An Inspiration to the Muslim Ummah - Until your Excellency emerged onto the Ghanaian political landscape to the coveted position of the Vice President, the hope of the Muslim Ummah had dimmed and was being toyed within a game of political ping-pong The Zongos and the downtrodden shall forever be identified with your Excellency and the NPP for giving ample meaning to social intervention such as the Free SHS, as your commitment to the imperatives of the nations constitution far departing from any political gimmick. The people of Menji in the Bono Region and indeed all the Muslim Ummah pray fervently for your Excellency and your government success in the commitment to uplift our deprived communities to a shared and equitable national development. Vice President Bawumia expressed his appreciation to the chiefs and people and pledged to work even harder to help fulfil President Akufo-Addos vision for the nation. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged Ghanaians, especially those in the Diaspora, to be extra vigilant and ensure that non-Ghanaians do not register and pick the Ghana Card when the National Identification Authority (NIA) starts issuing the cards to Ghanaians in the Diaspora next year. He said although some non-Ghanaians might be in possession of Ghanaian passports through fraudulent means, it was the collective responsibility of all to ensure that such people did not get hold of the Ghana Card. He explained that once non-Ghanaians got hold of the Ghana Card, it would be conclusive that they were Ghanaians, unless a whole lot of pieces of evidence, including fraud and others, were adduced to deal with it. President Akufo-Addo, who was interacting with a cross-section of Ghanaians living in Vienna, Austria, last Monday, said once such people got the Ghana Card, they would be part of the system, going forward, forever and ever. We should value our citizenship. It is a great pride for me that I am a Ghanaian, and that is why, after years of working and living abroad, I never went for French or British citizenship, although I was entitled to it, because I am very proud of being a Ghanaian, he added. He indicated that the plan was that the domestic issuance would be completed by the end of the year and then the (NIA) would turn its attention to Ghanaians in the Diaspora. Developments President Akufo-Addo took his compatriots through some of the major developments that had taken place in Ghana, including the free SHS and the Sino-Hydro $2-billion barter with the Chinese government. He explained that the Sino-Hydro deal would allow Ghana to add value to its bauxite, thereby creating jobs in the country, before exporting the finished product to defray the $2 billion. He added that the authority for the project had been established and that it had advanced in its work. He said the construction of roads under the deal would be such that every region would benefit, adding that the deficit in road infrastructure in Ghana could not be addressed within a few years. Education/health The President also briefed them on the introduction of drones to deliver emergency drugs and other medical supplies to deprived and distant health facilities, as well as other investments in the health sector. He said his administration believed that Ghanaian children, irrespective of which area of the country they came from, would compete with children in the developed countries in the near future and to ensure that Ghanaian children became competitive, the government was keen on providing them with quality but free education. He explained that aside from the free SHS education policy that the people of Ghana were enjoying, the government had commenced moves to put technical and vocational education, as well as science and technology, at the forefront of education. He indicated that the processes had commenced to review the curriculum of primary schools to ensure that the children would be in the best position to realise their potential and become competitive in the global world, while at the same time the welfare and training of teachers also received the needed boost. President Akufo-Addo said the policies and programmes his administration initiated and put into practice had started bearing fruits and mentioned Planting for Food and Jobs, which had led to increased productivity in the agricultural sector. Foreign Minister Reacting to calls by Ghanaians in Austria for the Ghana Government to establish an embassy in that country, the Foreign Minister, Mrs Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, said the government had appointed an honorary consul who would commence work very soon, adding that the Ghana Embassy in Geneva, which had oversight, was working closely with all stakeholders. She gave an assurance that the government was looking at scaling up activities from an honorary consul to a consulate for the time being, and that very soon some Foreign Affairs officers would be posted to the consulate to deal with issues. Passport The Foreign Minister said although there could be truth in the claims that some non-Ghanaians were in possession of Ghanaian passports, those making the claims should also know that there were people who were genuine Ghanaians because their parents and grandparents were Ghanaians and such could not be denied passports. She said if care was not taken, even such people would be considered as non-Ghanaians and encouraged the Ghanaians to report people they believed were non-Ghanaians but had Ghanaian passports. She assured them that the government would deal with such matters swiftly. Mrs Botchway announced that the government had instituted very stringent measures to ensure that the acquisition of Ghanaian passports remained very strict. 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 FORMER PRESIDENT Jerry John Rawlings has dismissed media reports that his mother, Victoria Agbotui, has died at age 98. Media reports on Wednesday, May 29, 2019, had suggested that the mother of the former President had passed on at a time the 3rd Revolutionary Lecture Series was scheduled to take place at the University of Ghana in Accra. But in a press statement issued by Kobina Andoh Amoakwa from his Offices Communications Directorate, the former President indicated that Madam Agbotui is alive, hale and hearty. He urged in the statement that members of the public should please disregard the reports. 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 Deputy Chief of Staff and Political Assistant to the President, Francis Asenso-Boakye has said the implementation of the current policies and programmes of the Nana Akufo-Addos government aims at ending poverty by 2030. He said policies such as Free SHS, Planting for Food and Jobs, One District One Factory and the Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication (IPEP) are important steps towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of ending all forms of poverty by the year 2030. According to him, Ghanas current efforts were more directed and focused on alleviating the plight of the poor and that the impact even within two years of their implementation was obvious. Mr. Asenso-Boakye was speaking at a High-level Dialogue on Big Data and Global Poverty Reduction as part of the China International Big Data Industry Expo 2019 held on the 26th-29th May, 2019, in Guiyang, Guizhou Province, China. The deputy chief of staff, who is also a Development Planner, discussed Ghanas efforts and experiences over the years in alleviating poverty. He indicated that Ghanas journey towards poverty alleviation took a concrete form when by year 2000, the country had taken the unenviable title as a Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) with a GDP per capita of US$265 and 51 percent of the population described as poor. He added a national development plan, under the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy, was developed and implemented focusing on poverty reduction by investing in the production areas of the poor such as rural agriculture, informal sector, processing and commerce. By 2008, poverty in Ghana had dropped to 25 percent of the population while the African average was 43 percent. The economic improvement had with it corollary social benefits including free basic education, a national health insurance scheme, a school feeding programme for deprived areas and targeted welfare scheme for the poor and aged., he added. 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 Controller and Accountant General has warned the public against the activities of loan contractors purporting to be its staff and luring workers on government Payroll to apply for loans. According to the CAGD, these persons who lure workers to apply for loans from institutions which transact business through the CAGDs Third Party Reference System (TPRS), do so with the promise that government will repay the loan for them on maturity. The Department hereby states that it has not authorized any member of its staff to facilitate loan agreement for workers on government Payroll. Any Public/Civil Servant who needs loan must deal directly with the third party institutions concerned, a statement issued by the CADG on Wednesday, signed by the Deputy Controller and Accountant General (Audit & Investigations), Wisdom Komlan Messan warned. The Department further warned its staff to desist from the malpractice or face the law. The public is to note that the Department will not be liable for the consequences of any such transactions purported to have been negotiated by its members of staff, it warned. Source: Daily Graphic 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 Member of Parliament for Yapei Kusawgu and former Deputy Energy Minister, John Jinapor has disclosed that "Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) is on its knees". He says the company will be on the "brink of collapse if government does not come in to assist them". Speaking on Okay FMs Ade Akye Abia programme, he explained that TOR has stop processing oil for sometime now and that is leading to the gradual collapse of the oil refinery. "Government should put in measures to allow TOR to begin processing crude . . . let our share from the oil blocks be sent to TOR for processing if government still wants to keep TOR alive . . . We did it during our tenure in office so it is possible for government to be able to do same," he added. He pointed out that, failure on the part of government to do so, could result in periodic increase in petroleum prices. "Another institution that needs to be proactive is NPA, they are being paid for nothing," he asserted. Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected] 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 General Secretary of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has alleged that the chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC) Mrs. Jean Mensa has already prepared documents to hand over the database of the voters register to a Ghanaian Company. According to him, Mrs. Jean Mensa is simply giving flimsy excuses by saying that the country is not ready to hand over its sovereignty to a foreign company to manage Ghanas voters register database, just so she can gain ultimate control of the voters register. Speaking on Okay FMs Ade Akye Abia Morning Show, Hon. Asiedu Nketia claimed the EC boss has gone in for a Ghanaian owned company to take over the STL job of managing the database of the voters register. As we speak she has gone for a Ghanaian owned company and the people behind the company have their political affiliations and she wants to cancel the STL deal and hand over the key to a Ghanaian owned company to manage the database of the voters register without any discussion with the political parties, he alleged. He wondered how political parties can repose confidence in the Electoral Commission (EC's) words that no-one can rig electoral results in 2020, when the chairperson's mannerisms portray otherwise. "You are about to do this and yet you want us to trust in the system that nobody can change anything about the election results. So any time she speaks, she opens herself up for criticisms . . . the issue she is talking about that we are a sovereign country and independent while a foreign company controls our exit and entry of our database is wrong . . . She has already prepared some documents to hand over the database of the voters register to a Ghanaian owned company and that is why she does not want Ghanaians to see. If she has a clean conscience to make the electoral process transparent, free and fair, why does she not allow us to really know what is going on, brainstorm and take decisions together? Asiedu Nketia quizzed. Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected] 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 Deputy General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party [NPP], Nana Obiri Boahene says he is careless if Ghanas former Electoral Commissioner, Madam Charlotte Osei was appointed to supervise United State of Americas [USA] election or to even replace UKs Prime Minster, Theresa May. According to him, irrespective of Charlotte Oseis position and contributions to other countrys elections, she is still not a good material in Ghana. I dont care where she goes, he said in an interview with NEAT FMs morning show Ghana Montie, Tuesday, May 29, 2019. President Nana Akufo-Addo removed then Electoral Commissioner, Charlotte Osei and her two deputies from office for misbehaviour and incompetence. The removal was on the recommendation of a committee set up by the Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo to investigate alleged acts of corruption, misconduct and misbehaviour by the three commissioners. The two other commissioners are Amadu Sulley and Ms Georgina Opoku Amankwaa. She was recently appointed by UN as an International Election Commissioner to Afghanistan. Afghanistan is billed to hold its Presidential elections in September 2019. Madam Osei is part of international advisors expected to support the work of Afghanistans electoral management bodies. Listen to Interview Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Washman007 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 reading room, free for public use, resembles a space capsule on a street in downtown Chongqing on May 27, 2019. More than 50 books are on display in the reading space, which is large enough to accommodate 10 people at one time. [Photo: Chinanews.com] The Managing Editor of the New Crusading Gude newspaper, Kweku Baako Jnr says former President John Agyekum Kufuor deserved to be honored because he has done a lot for the Ghanaian media. The Ghana Journalist Association at its 70th-anniversary launch honoured former President Kufuor with a Champion of Champions in Democracy title. They applauded him for his support to the Association as well as his effort at promoting the freedom and independence of the media. Kweku Baako speaking to this during a panel discussion on Kokrokoo, said: President Kufuor deserves it . . . it is a well thought out decision by the GJA . . . In terms of expansion of the frontiers of free expressions and media freedoms, it will be difficult to take out President Kufuor (former), President Akufo-Addo and indeed in the fourth republic the NPP out of it; and so if GJA decides to honour him, it makes sense. Watch his submission below Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Social Commentator, Bernard Allotey Jacobs has backed former President John Agyekum Kufuors call for all journalists to be licensed. The former President speaking at the 70th Anniversary launch of the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) called for the licensing of journalists to protect the sanctity of the profession. Reacting to this during Wednesdays edition of Peace FM's morning show Kokrokoo, Allotey Jacobs said when journalists are licensed, it will get rid of the fake ones. Recounting how he met a fake journalist in Cape Coast who claimed to be working for Peace FM as a correspondent in the Eastern Region, he said if he wasnt smarter, the guy would have outwitted him. There is a need to license journalists . . . because we need to sift the wheat from the chaff; so that they will not twist what is said, he said. Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Mr Francis Komla Ganyaglo, an aspiring Volta Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has asked delegates of the regional conference to vote for him to restore the Partys World Bank status in the Region. He said he would eliminate apathy, unite the Party and reach out to all, especially the youth, chiefs, farmers, market women and cadres to reposition the Party as the only choice for people in the Region. Mr Ganyaglo said at a press conference in Ho on Tuesday after he was cleared by the vetting committee to contest the Regional Chairmanship position with two others; Mr Henry Ametepe, immediate past Vice Chairman for the Region and Mr Frank Afriyie on Sunday, June 16, 2019. He said what made him unique from the other candidates was his expertise in Marketing as a lecturer and administrator, and his character as a listener with integrity to make the Volta Region regain its enviable tag of the World Bank in the electoral fortunes of the NDC. Mr Ganyaglo said he would decentralize party campaign to the grassroots through the constituencies, strengthen party structures at all levels and ensure effective resource mobilization and usage. He said he would organize youth leadership clinics to prepare them for leadership roles and institute a formidable and well-managed welfare scheme for Party members at all levels. Mr Ganyaglo described himself as time-tested with proven track record in taking the Party from opposition to government, as he did from 2001 to 2009 as the Regional Secretary and urged the delegates to vote for him massively to reorganize the Party for victory in the 2020 general elections. He said the Regional Chairmanship contest was not about how much a candidate could doll out, making of lofty promises, character assassination or unnecessary intra-party fight for relevance, but who could best mobilise resources effectively and deploy them sustainably for collective success in the 2020 elections, and said he was the obvious choice. Its about expertise, experience, passion for grassroots, accountability and teamwork for victory in 2020. These are what I stand for, Mr Ganyaglo said. 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 Reggae Dancehall artiste, Shatta Wale has reacted to the 'attacks' he is receiving following a video he posted on social media reportedly mocking Stonebwoy. In the video, Shatta Wale is seen running around with another person aiming an imaginary gun at him while limping. Some critics including the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD) have condemned this act.However, Shatta Wale claims he was just 'entertaining'Read his post below Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Mother of reggae dancehall artiste, Shatta Wale has asked Ghanaians to forgive her son and Stonebwoy for the brawl that marred the 2019 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards. According to her, she is convinced that the two have learned their lessons and will not repeat such actions. She also urged her son to pay heed to the various pieces of advice being given to him. Madam Elsie Evelyn Avemegah was speaking in an interview on Neat FM, Tuesday. Listen to what she said in the video below Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Veteran musician and aspiring Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) President, Bessa Simons, has said there is the need to organise workshops to educate musicians on how their conduct plays a critical role in the future of the industry. According to the celebrated musician, there were diverse ways to help grow the showbiz industry and had outlined plans to help trigger the needed growth in the music industry when elected as the President of MUSIGA. "There are so many things that needs to change in the music industry. One way to better the fortunes of the industry is to organise workshops to enlighten our musicians about what music entails especially the business aspect because music is not cheap," Bessa told GNA. The veteran musician said the reorientation had to be taken further to the grassroots, in order to make upcoming musicians understand what it entails being a role model. "As a musician, young people look up to you as means of inspiration, so whatever you do has impacts on numerous lives. So, there would be a need to educate them on their behaviour on stage directly impacts the audience," he said. Bessa was worried about how artistes don't take issues of branding very serious in the country as it remained one major stumbling block for corporate bodies to come on board to help thrive their respective careers. This setback, according to the aspiring MUSIGA President, remains a top priority in his agenda as he looks to engage the business community as well as the artistes in order to address the issues. Bessa who served as vice under Bice Osei Kuffour's eight-year tenure as President, is looking to assume the top mantle of MUSIGA with elections set for June 26, 2019. 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 Senator Murray Sinclair, right to left, along with lawyer and former Member of Parliament Wilton Littlechild and NDP MP Romeo Saganash appear the Senate Committe on Aboriginal Peoples in Ottawa on Tuesday May 28, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Chartrand Canadian Press war correspondents Ross Munro, left, and William Stewart, centre, look at a map with Montreal Gazette war correspondent Lionel Shapiro during the Second World War in La Villeneuve, France on August 13,1944. THE CANADIAN PRESS/National Archives of Canada, Ken Bell We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form (Photo/Gong Chaoyang) Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, once a state forest farm in central Chinas Hunan province, is a famous tourist destination and the first state-level forest park in China. From 1958 to 1982, an afforestation campaign was launched at the forest farm where workers were devoted to reclaiming wasteland and planting trees. In the early 1980s, the forest coverage in Zhangjiajie reached 95 percent, and the forest growing stock substantially rose to 200,000 cubic meters, laying a foundation for the establishment of a national forest park. Zhangjiajie state forest farm was rich in forest resources in the 1970s and the 1980s, attracting many visitors, said Zhang Jie, a former investigator from Zhangjiajie State Forest Park Administration Office. People around the world got to know more about the beauty of Zhangjiajie around 1979 thanks to media reports, and paintings by Chinese artist Wu Guanzhong. Later on, Zhangjiajie started to develop tourist resources and a tourist economy after 1982 when the central government approved the establishment of the countrys first nationals forest park. Zhang recalled that nearly 10 million yuan worth of state funding went to Zhangjiajie to support its infrastructure for roads, electricity, and mail service and more. In several years, the isolated area had access to 24-hour electricity and asphalt roads. Ecological protection has been always prioritized in Zhangjiajie no matter when its a state forest farm or national forest park, Zhang introduced. So far, no forest fires or deforestations have taken place in the forest park. Now, Zhangjiajie is favored by travelers at home and abroad, attracting more than 4 million visitors in 2018. Its listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Global Geopark and is among Chinas first batch of 5A-class tourist attractions. By February 2019, there have been 897 national forest parks established in China according to Peoples Daily Online. One third of these state forest parks are open to the public for free. Current statistics indicate that Chinas national forest parks received more than 1 billion tourists in 2018, generating revenue around 100 billion yuan ($15.6 billion). I had wanted to have some kind of public involvement in picking the naming suggestion for 2007 OR10 since nearly 10 years ago. I was thinking about what it might look like when I was packing up after grad school to move from Pasadena to New Haven for my first post-doctoral research positions. Ive moved a few more times, New Haven to Taipei, Taipei to Hawai`i. Each time, I thought about 2007 OR10 and whether I would ever get this public campaign off the ground. Now Im moving again, nearly to the opposite side of the world from Hawai`i. In between moving boxes and paperwork, Ive been keeping an eye on the 2007 OR10 vote. Here are the final results. Gonggong is the winner! Vili took the lead for a long while, but in the final stretch Gonggong surged, taking the lead. Gonggong is a Chinese water god with red hair and a serpent-like tail. He is known for creating chaos, causing flooding, and tilting the Earth. A fitting choice. So can we start calling 2007 OR10 Gonggong? Not quite yet. Gonggong is the fan favorite name for this icy distant world, but the International Astronomical Union's (IAU) Committee for Small-Body Nomenclature has the final say. Now, Mike, David, and I will write up the proposal citation with some text about why Gonggong is an appropriate name for 2007 OR10. We will submit the name and supporting text to the Minor Planet Center, which will send it onward to the International Astronomical Union's (IAU) Committee for Small-Body Nomenclature. The IAU Committee for Small-Body Nomenclature has the final say and could accept or reject the naming suggestion. In most cases, the Committee adopts the name suggested by the discoverers as long as it fits the naming guidelines. We tried to find mythologies from across the world that fit the IAU naming criteria and whose origin and characteristics related in some way to the properties we know for 2007 OR10, so we think there's a good chance Gonggong will become the official name. If the top choice is not accepted, we will submit Vili for consideration. I dont know how long it will take for everything to be finalized, but well keep you posted on this process. The accepted name will be published in the Minor Planet Circulars, issued monthly by the Minor Planet Center. What about its moon? Once 2007 OR10s permanent name is bestowed, the moon can be named, but not by us. David, Mike, and I didnt find the moon, so its up to the discovery team, Csaba Kiss and collaborators, to decide what they would like to do. Per the IAU rules, the name of the satellite will have to be related to mythology/name of the primary body in some way. It will be great for both these bodies to no longer be nameless. Want to know how to pronounce "Gonggong?" Listen here (pronunciation provided by astronomer Quanzhi Ye). Steep decline in nuclear energy seen as threat to climate goals The International Energy Agency (IEA) has sounded the alarm, warning that a steep decline in nuclear energy capacity will threaten climate goals and power supply security unless advanced economies find a way to extend the lifespan of their reactors. Get first-hand information on the Hungarian governments plans on the countrys energy transition, including the role of nuclear energy at Portfolios Clean Energy & Disruptive Trends Summit 2019 conference on 4 June 2019 from Peter Kaderjak, state secretary in charge of energy and climate issues at the Ministry of Innovation and Technology. Its not too late to register! Nuclear power is the second-largest source of low-carbon electricity today, with 452 operating reactors providing 2700 TWh of electricity in 2018, or 10% of global electricity supply. It is second only to hydropower at 16%.The nuclear fleet in advanced economies is 35 years old on average and many plants are nearing the end of their designed lifetimes. Given their age, plants are beginning to close, with 25% of existing nuclear capacity in advanced economies expected to be shut down by 2025, as cheap gas and tighter safety requirements make it uneconomical to operate them. Without policy changes, advanced economies could lose 25% of their nuclear capacity by 2025 and as much as two-thirds of it by 2040, according to the new IEA report,In the past 20 years, wind and solar PV capacity has increased by about 580 gigawatts in advanced economies. But over the next 20 years, nearly five times that amount would need to be added, the IEA said. It estimates, however, that the 36% share of clean energy sources in global power supply in 2018 was the same as two decades ago because of the decline in nuclear.Such a drastic increase in renewable power generation would create serious challenges in integrating the new sources into the broader energy system. Clean energy transitions in advanced economies would also require USD 1.6 trillion in additional investment over the same period, which would end up hurting consumers through higher electricity bills."Dr Fatih Birol, the IEAs Executive Director said on a webcast that the agency is not asking countries who have exited nuclear to reconsider, but said that countries who did decide to keep nuclear should do more to support the industry.Birol said the low-carbon nature of nuclear and its role in energy security are currently not sufficiently valued for existing nuclear plants to operate profitably and that new nuclear projects have been plagued by cost overruns. Without an important contribution from nuclear power, the global energy transition will be that much harder. Policy makers hold the key to nuclear powers future. Electricity market design must value the environmental and energy security attributes of nuclear power and other clean energy sources. Governments should recognise the cost-competitiveness of safely extending the lifetimes of existing nuclear plants. In the United States, some 90 reactors have operational licenses through 60 years, as their lifespan was extended from 40 years, yet several have already retired early, and many more are at risk due to relatively low wholesale electricity prices. French utility EDF - the worlds largest single operator of nuclear plants - also wants to make its reactors last longer.It is considerably cheaper to extend the life of a reactor than build a new plant, and costs of extensions are competitive with other clean energy options, including new solar PV and wind projects. Nevertheless they still represent a substantial capital investment. The estimated cost of extending the operational life of 1 GW of nuclear capacity for at least 10 years ranges from USD 500 million to just over USD 1 billion depending on the condition of the site.Given these challenges, there is a possibility that the nuclear fleet in advanced economies could face a steep decline, the IEA warns. The IEAs Nuclear Fade Case explores what could happen over the coming decades in the absence of any additional investment in lifetime extensions or new projects. Under this case, nuclear capacity operating in advanced economies would decline by two-thirds by 2040, from about 280 GW in 2018 down to just over 90 GW in 2040. Get first-hand information on the Hungarian governments plans on the countrys energy transition, including the role of nuclear energy at Portfolios Clean Energy & Disruptive Trends Summit 2019 conference on 4 June 2019 from Peter Kaderjak, state secretary in charge of energy and climate issues at the Ministry of Innovation and Technology. Its not too late to register! The European Union would see the largest decline with the share of nuclear in the generation mix falling to just 4%. The share in the United states would drop from to 8%, and in Japan the share would fall to 2% - well below their 2030 target of 20-22%. Steve Debenport/iStock(NEW YORK) -- Student lunch debt and the solutions school districts come up with to alleviate the overdue tabs may have a negative impact on students and their well-being, experts tell ABC News. Escalating school meal debt has been a hot topic in recent weeks. Earlier this month, Warwick Public Schools in Rhode Island reversed its decision to give students with outstanding lunch balances "sun butter and jelly" sandwiches after the announcement caused nationwide outrage. While some defended the practice, saying that the sandwich, which was also to be accompanied with vegetables, fruit and milk, was healthier than other options, hundreds of people took to social media to point out the stigma that come with the free lunch. In New Hampshire, a cafeteria worker was fired after she let a student have a lunch without paying, and in Minnesota, one high school attempted to bar seniors from graduating if they still had lunch debt. In 2016, an elementary school in Alabama would stamp students' arms with the phrase "I need lunch money" if their balance was running low. This kind of practice can cause embarrassment and shame, according to the experts For healthy students, meaning those who are not food insecure and lack reliable access to food, being given a different lunch due to meal debt can bring anxiety and depression, as well as fuel anger and cause the student to be school avoidant, said Dr. Colette Poole-Boykin, a child psychiatrist fellow with the Yale Child Study Center and a contributor to the ABC News Medical Unit. For children whose parents forget to give them lunch money for prolonged periods, they feel overlooked, which is already a situation that can cause them to be distressed, Poole-Boykin said. Because children are also aware of the societys haves and the have nots, lacking lunch money could also make them feel as if they are being excluded from their peer population, she added. "It doesn't create a good psychosocial environment for the children at all," she said. The cold sandwich as an alternative is a definition of powerlessness, and kids "judge each other by how they look or what they have," Rebecca Rialon Berry, a child psychologist at the Child Study Center at NYU Langone Health, told ABC News. "If other kids in the school are noticing and getting that sandwich as a definition of powerlessness, so to say, that's what could impact the child," Berry said. And for children who are food insecure, they are already less resilient, more sickly and have decreased concentration, according to Poole-Boykin. They are likely unable to express complex emotions, and adding the stigma of lunch debt exacerbates the problem, she said. "Embarrassment and shame can make their plight worse," Poole-Boykin said. Schools should leave students out of their proposed solutions, experts say The manner in which the meal shaming occurs, and how publicly, makes a difference as well, Berry said. Cafeteria settings are public forums, and giving a student an alternative lunch is essentially saying, "Sorry, you don't have any money. You can't pay," Berry said. This could cause the child to internalize the shame and say to him or herself, "'Hey, there's something different about me. I don't have that much,'" Berry added. Berry believes schools should leave children out of any financial matters because it is outside of their hands. "It puts them, essentially, in a very adult position when they don't have the resources at that point to fend for themselves," she said. Berry recommends that school administrators work with parents well in advance, and suggests a dedicated communication channel between lunch staff and families. "If the child is having to make reparations for the lunch that they didn't know they didn't have money for, that doesn't promote self-esteem," Berry said. That could cause the kid to say to him or herself, "I didn't do something right, and yet it's out of my control," leaving them with a sense of confusion and helplessness. The lunch debt problem isn't going away More than 75 percent of school districts reported having unpaid student meal debt at the end of the 2016-2017 school year, according to a 2018 report by the School Nutrition Association, which surveyed 1,550 districts nationwide. The median amount of total debt was $2,500, but the amounts ranged from less than $10 to more than $865,000, according to the report. The U.S. Department of Agriculture began requiring schools to implement policies to collect debt for unpaid meals at the start of the 2017-2018 school year. Although the USDA spends about $22 billion on child nutrition programs, it prohibits schools from allocating those funds to pay for the debt. SNA believes the government should provide free meals to all students. Several states, including Pennsylvania, Washington, Oregon, Kansas and Colorado, have passed legislation preventing schools from shaming students who owe meal debt, which has caused many districts to struggle with escalating debt, according to SNA. School districts are utilizing a number of tactics to encourage parents to keep their childrens' lunch accounts current. More than 92 percent of districts offer online payment and monitoring of account balances, and school staff notifies parents directly about low balances or meal charges in about 86 percent of school districts, SNA reported. Assistance is also offered to families completing free and reduced-price applications in about 83 percent of school districts, and financial assistance via donations is provided in about 56 percent of districts, according to the report. Students, parents have taken the matter into their own hands Communities have begun to offer a helping hand to school districts mired in unpaid meal debt. Yogurt company Chobani volunteered to eliminate the Warwick Public Schools' $77,000 debt after news of the sun butter sandwich offerings went viral. In January, a Colorado mother paid off more than $232,000 in school meal debt after asking her Facebook friends to swap their $4 coffees for a day and donate it to the school district's lunch program. Valerie Castile, the mother of Philando Castile, the St. Paul, Minnesota, cafeteria supervisor killed by a police officer in 2016, regularly donates money to wipe out lunch debt in Minnesota schools to continue her son's legacy. And two sisters in North Carolina have been running lemonade stands to pay off thousands of dollars of meal debts to schools in their community. Families can apply for free or reduced lunches Families at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty level, which was $32,630 during the 2018-2019 school year, are eligible to apply for free lunches, and those with incomes between 130 percent and 185 percent of the poverty level, which was $46,435 this year, are eligible for reduced price meals. Reduced meal prices come out to about 30 cents for breakfast and 40 cents for lunch, according to SNA. A total of 20.2 million free lunches and 1.8 million reduced price lunches are served as part of the National School Lunch Program every day, according to the USDA. The average prices for paid meals during the 2016-2017 school year for elementary school students were $1.46 for breakfast and $2.48 for lunch, but school meals vary widely across the country, and prices are set by local school districts, according to SNA. About 7.7 million full price meals are served daily, according to the USDA. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. HANOI, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Vietnamese National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan has met with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe on bilateral relations. During the meeting on Monday, Ngan said that Vietnam has always remembered China's huge support to its cause of national liberation, construction and renovation, and developing relations with China has always been a priority in Vietnam's diplomacy. Hailing China's great achievements of development, the top legislator said the bilateral relations have witnessed a sound momentum of development in recent years with fruitful results achieved in exchanges and cooperation in various fields. The Vietnamese National Assembly backs the development of military ties between the two countries, she said, hoping that the militaries of the two countries engage in close coordination, well implement relevant mechanism of cooperation, boost collaboration under multilateral frameworks and create a peaceful and stable environment for the social and economic developement of the two countries so as to serve as the main pillars in the development of bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation. For his part, Wei said, China and Vietnam have enjoyed traditional friendship with solid foundation and the two countries have forged a community of a shared future where people of both sides share each other's weal and woe. With the guidance of the leaders of both countries, the bilateral ties have witnessed steady development with exchanges and cooperation in every sector yielding fruitful results, which should be cherished by the two sides, he said. The Chinese military is ready to work together with its Vietnamese counterpart to boost communication, push forward cooperation, conduct close coordination and promote mutual trust so as to advance the development of the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation between the two countries and make positive contribution to the peace and stability in the region, Wei said. Also on Monday afternoon, Wei met with Vietnamese Defense Minister Ngo Xuan Lich. At the invitation of the Vietnamese defense minister, Wei arrived in Hanoi on Monday for a visit. 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 Rupee slips by 3 paise to close at 74.73 (provisional) against US dollar. Embezzlement probe into ex-Moscow State University deputy dean completed flickr.com/ wp paarz 12:51 29/05/2019 MOSCOW, May 29 (RAPSI) Investigation into ex-deputy dean of the Moscow State Universitys law faculty Vladimir Stepanov-Yegiyants charged with embezzling about 40 million rubles (over $600,000) has been completed, his defense lawyer Oleg Balakirev has told RAPSI. According to the attorney, final charges have been brought against the defendant. However, they will insist on Stepanov-Yegiyants innocence, Balakirev has said. The defendant and his defense claim that the university lecturer has been slandered by accountant Olga Vasilyeva. In September 2018, the Moscow City Court released the defendant from detention on a 40-million-ruble bail. According to investigators, the chair of the facultys criminal law department using a forged passport embezzled along with his accomplices money and cars totaling to nearly 40 million rubles from the organization Avtofinance. Stepanov-Yegiyants was transferred from the deputy dean position to Department of Criminal Law and Criminology associate professorship in 2019, the universitys website reads. He could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to 1 million rubles if convicted. However, he has pleaded not guilty. Imagine you are being put on an operating table only with a silent and chill-feeling robot surgeon by your side. Will you be afraid? Will you trust the robot to operate surgery? No matter how scared you may feel with those cold hands and arms inside your body, surgical robots (medical robots includes surgical and assistant robots) will embrace a stunning 30% growth by 2021, accounting for 60% of the total increase of medical robots which are expected to hit $20.7 billion, according to report from Research & Markets, worlds largest market research institute. The data of growth skews in Asia, especially in China. The atmosphere of congruency that pervaded on second international forum on innovation and development of medical robot on May 26 was practically palpable. Experts from the US, Switzerland and Japan consistently ratchet up the consent optimism towards Chinas political and financial support of medical robots innovation. Tianji, a Chinas self-developed surgical robot, is said to be worlds only robot to help perform orthopedic surgeries. The robot is able to shorten 2/3 operation time in spine surgery, whose developer, TINAVI, a Beijing-based producer of the robot, becomes worlds second profitable company aside Intuitive Surgical, a US medical firm, who developed the worlds dominant da Vinci surgical system, Zhang Songgen, chairman of the company said at the forum. Surgical reality and autonomy of surgical robots are two of the most significant aspect of human-robot interaction under the trending AI, AR and 5G technology, as surgeons pursue more acute medical treatment and smaller cut for patients, Stefan Weber, director of ARTORG center of biomedical engineering research noted at the forum. In addition, establishment of a modern science and technology research method system for traditional Chinese medicine is a long-term trajectory. Digital devices has been applied on the objectification of pulse diagnosis of traditional Chinese medicine and the modernization of pulse detection. Xima pulse monitor, a Shanghai-developed pulse diagnosis system, can constantly monitor humans organ condition, pulse, and sleep via a wearable ring or a bracelet. The data is simultaneously processed to reflect the health condition on different platforms, such as mini-programs on WeChat, a popular Chinese social media platform and its self-developed app. The combination of eastern and western medical science is of great importance to enhance technical research on medical robots and explore possibilities of human-robot interaction, said Masakatsu Fujie, tenured professor of Waseda University in his presentation on the forum. Through detailed market categorization, production of medical robots is no longer shelved in colleges lab and floating in medical scientists minds. Chinas sprint-like development of medical robots in the last 20 years was benefited from the continuous effort on systematic innovation and adaptable standardization in the medical robot industry. The lab-to-operating-table venture that medical robots experienced witnessed the rapid growth of Chinas commitment on providing better medical service for public, as Chinas food and drug administration in 2017 began to encourage pharmaceutical medical device innovation. Moreover, information transparency is set to support the fundamental R&D projects in a bid to promote the medical market welfare in general. Russian attorney arrested on suspicion of evidence tampering Fotolia/ VIPDesign 14:59 29/05/2019 MOSCOW, May 29 (RAPSI) An active member of the Vologda Regions chamber of lawyers has been arrested along with his former colleague on suspicion of evidence tampering, the press service of Russias Investigative Committee reports. According to investigators, they are suspected of hindering conduct of preliminary investigation into large-scale embezzlement of seized property worth over 20 million rubles (about $310,000). Investigators believe that in January the suspect, his associate whose status of lawyer was suspended early in the year, and three residents of the Vologda Region tampered evidence and obstructed the probe into a serious criminal case. According to case papers, in 2018, police officers conducted a check of the alleged stealing of buses upon an application of a supervisory manager of Transoil company and seized 6 buses broken for parts from a scrap iron base. Two bailiffs were suspects in the case. Russian attorneys community stands up for lawyer charged with $15 mln embezzlement RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 18:02 29/05/2019 MOSCOW, May 29 (RAPSI) Members of the Federal Chamber of Lawyers Council and heads of several regional bar associations have stood bond for lawyer Sergey Yuryev detained as part of a case over 1-billion-ruble embezzlement (over $15 million) from the State Air Traffic Management Corporation (ATM), the Chambers press service informs. Yuryev, the chairman of Moscow's bar association Mezhregion, is an honest and reputable attorney, the statement reads. One of the lawyers bail bondsmen is Chair of the Federal Chamber of Lawyer Yury Pilipenko. According to the Federal Chamber of Lawyers, attorneys proposed a 1-million-ruble bail to release Yuryev. Investigators claim that in 2008, the State ATM Corporation signed a contract for legal services with one of the bar associations. The bar chairman working connections in the Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) submitted a conclusion with a write-up value of legal services for the completion of tender documentation. The signed agreement has been repeatedly prolonged in violation of the established procedure. The contract overpricing resulted in unjust receipt of more than 1 billion rubles by the bar association from 2008 to 2018, investigators claim. A Rosaviatsiya employee involved in the case has been arrested and detained as well. Dinghu Mountain National Nature Reserve (Photo/Dinghu Mountain National Nature Reserve) Dinghu Mountain National Nature Reserve is Chinas first nature reserve. It was established in 1956 near Zhaoqing city in Guangdong province in south China. Dinghu Mountain is rich in flora and fauna. In June 1956, a group of experts led by Professor Chen Huanyong from the Chinese Academy of Sciences proposed to protect the natural vegetation in the Dinghu Mountain area for scientific research. Four months later, the forestry department approved the draft and a national nature reserve surrounding the area was constructed. Xie Fuqi started working on the forest fire prevention team after the nature reserve was established. Dinghu Mountain National Nature Reserve (Photo/Dinghu Mountain National Nature Reserve) He recalled that he was having hard days at the beginning as local peoples awareness of fire prevention was comparatively weak. People had no access to gas supplies some decades ago. As a result, they often snuck into the reserve to collect firewood and hunt animals. Xie said that local people used to play firecrackers while climbing high in the Double Ninth Festival, a traditional Chinese festival that is part of the lunar September, or burned incenses in and out of the temple. But now, the public awareness regarding the protection of ecology has been substantially enhanced. Some locals voluntarily participate in fire prevention and firefighting work. Working for more than 30 years for the Dinghu Mountain preserve, Xie Fuqi said he paid more attention to the forests there than himself, and even stopped smoking. Dinghu Mountain National Nature Reserve (Photo/Dinghu Mountain National Nature Reserve) In 1980, the Dinghu Mountain National Nature Reserve was included into the UNESCOs Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB), setting a good example for nature reserve development throughout China and elsewhere. Now, Zhaoqing has become the most forested city in the Pearl River Delta, with the forest coverage rate standing around 70.6 percent. About 600,000 visitors travel to the Dinghu Mountain annually since it opened to tourism. Courage is grace under pressure, and this remark by Ernest Hemingway is being well explained by China with actions. According to a report jointly issued by the International Data Company and Seagate on Global Datasphere, a measure of how much new data is created and replicated each year, China's Datasphere was 23.4 percent of the Global Datasphere last year, and will grow to 27.8 percent in 2025. The report predicted that China will emerge as the largest Datasphere in the world, while the Datasphere of the US will drop to 17.5 percent in 2025 from 21 percent in 2018. The 7th China Internet Audio and Video Convention was held in Chengdu in southwest Chinas Sichuan province on May 27. The convention offered a comprehensive introduction to Chinas achievements in the realm of 5G construction which features both low cost as well as high speeds. Journalists attending the event reported that China would probably build the largest 5G network in the world, which is expected to bring a digital revolution to all industries of the country. The pressure of the US-initiated trade war has brought certain impacts on the Chinese economy, but there is no need to exaggerate and these impacts wont impede the general development of China. As a matter of fact, the Chinese people, who are focusing on their own matters, do not care at all about the ridiculous remarks made by certain American officials. Its because there are too many achievements that need to be made by the diligent Chinese. Many Chinese entrepreneurs are now busy with their businesses, traveling across the country and even the world to make deals and attend meetings. These Chinese enterprises have all withstood the test of market economy, and they only stick to a simple logic how the trade war develops is not decided by them, and the only thing they need to do is to focus on their own businesses and do it to the best. Chinese people are aware of the fact that to grasp development opportunities is far more practical and far-sighted than to become hesitant due to the trade war. China will not be confused or stopped by the trade fiction, and every Chinese will step up their efforts to contribute to the country. What has made China stand up, grow rich and become strong are the arduous efforts of the Chinese people. For a country that is independent and hardworking, or a nation that is brave and calm, the trade war can never cause a storm strong enough to defeat its people. The experiences and capability of the Chinese nation to overcome difficulties are as strong as their willingness to seek peace and cooperation. The trade war will serve as a coming-of-age ceremony that further builds the countrys courage to pursue development, promote social progress and realize rejuvenation. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday announced that she will not attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in on Thursday, alleging the BJP was using the ceremony "to score political points". "The oath-taking ceremony is an august occasion to celebrate democracy, not one that should be devalued by any political party which uses it as an opportunity to score political points," Banerjee said in a social media post. The Trinamool Congress chief's reaction came after media reports said at least 70 family members of slain Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists in West Bengal had been invited to the ceremony as "special guests". This is being seen as a message to Banerjee ahead of Assembly elections scheduled in 2021. The Chief Minister took exception to the BJP's claim that 54 people had been "murdered in political violence" in her state. Congratulating Modi for taking over as the Prime Minister again, Banerjee said she did plan "to accept the constitutional invitation" and attend the oath-taking ceremony. "However, in the past one hour, I am seeing media reports with the BJP claiming that 54 people have been murdered in political violence in Bengal," she said. Calling the claim "completely untrue", she said: "There have been no political murders in Bengal." Banerjee said the deaths may have occurred due to "personal enmity, family quarrels and other disputes, nothing related to politics". "There is no such record with us," she added. Earlier, BJP state Secretary Tushar Kanti Ghosh told IANS: "The special guests -- including the kin of Sishupal Sahish, Trilochan Mahato and Dulal Kumar, who were killed and hanged from trees in Bengal's Purulia district -- will be taken to New Delhi by Rajdhani Express." He said they were scheduled to return on Friday. During the Lok Sabha election campaign, Modi and BJP President Amit Shah repeatedly highlighted the issue of violence directed at their party in West Bengal. Sellbyville, DE -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/29/2019 -- Global Market Insights recently introduced new report on global Air Compressor market with an in-depth study providing complete analysis of the industry size, share and statistics for the period 2019 to 2023. It also provides complete overview of Air Compressor industry considering all the major industry trends, market dynamics and competitive scenario. Air compressors form an integral part of various sectors including home appliances, oil & gas, manufacturing, food & beverage, energy, semiconductors & electronics, and healthcare. Amongst these, the manufacturing sector held a major chunk of air compressor market and accounted for USD 9 billion in 2016. Request for a sample copy of this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/377 Considering in terms of volume, home appliances segment held a major air compressor industry share and is expected to grow at an exponential rate in the ensuing years. Speaking of the home appliances, air compressors form the essential parts of refrigerators, air conditioners, ventilators, and other appliances. Industry experts estimate air compressor market size from this application to surpass USD 5 billion by 2024, given the extensive demand for home appliances & electronics in Asia Pacific. One of the most remarkable factors contributing toward air compressor market growth is the high energy efficiency quotient associated with these compressors. Technological advancements in this industry have resulted into revolutionary air compressors that are much lighter in weight and are highly energy efficient. The latest trend witnessed in this industry is the escalating manufacturing of compressors that are designed to reduce over 50% of energy consumption, owing to its vertical design and variable speed drive that enable the large energy savings. Defining the strategic landscape, the global air compressor market is highly characterized by technological product advancements with regards to the design, energy efficiency, portability, size, weight, reliability, and cost. High demand for sustainable products & strict regulations in this industry have further prompted market players to design eco-friendly compressors. U.S. is among one such regions witnessing prominent demand for eco-friendly and portable air compressors. Make an Inquiry for Purchasing this Report @ https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/377 Asia Pacific is a powerhouse of investments and rapid industrialization rates in the region is consecutively driving the growth of home appliances, manufacturing, energy, and electronics sectors. Statistics chronicled Asia Pacific to be the major air compressor market growth avenue, having had contributed to more than 50% of the overall share in 2016. Apart from the home appliance segment, Asia Pacific is also witnessing robust growth in the automobile industry. Several European automobile manufacturers have shifted their manufacturing units in this region, subject to cheap labor and ample raw material availability- a trend which has profoundly boosted the growth of automobile sector in the region. Figures supporting the fact include - Asia Pacific's automotive sales surged by 7.6% since 2015 and recorded noteworthy sales of over 51.5 million units in 2016. As automobile air compressors find extensive usage in engines, vehicle air conditioning systems, and air breaks, the expanding automotive sector is slated to have a perpetual impact on air compressor industry outlook. The Air Compressor market report offers detailed competitive landscape of the global market. It includes companies, industry statistics, market share analysis and product portfolio of the major industry participants. The report provides detailed segmentation of the Air Compressor market based on product, technology, end user and region. Browse Report Summery @ https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/air-compressor-market Several companies are investing heavily in R&D activities to develop their product portfolio and achieve greater efficiency, as environmental protection norms have imposed stringent regulations on energy usage. Furthermore, the global air compressor market is also likely to witness several mergers & acquisitions, given the robust demand for low price and energy efficient compressors. These M&A strategies have aided the industry players in upgrading their production capacities and expanding their global reach over other market players. Listing a few, Chicago Pneumatic, Ingersoll-Rand, Bauer Group, General Electric, Atlas Copco, and Kaeser Kompressoren, are some of the most prominent companies accumulating significant share of the air compressor industry. 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. Pune, Maharashtra -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/29/2019 -- Automotive Intercooler Market Overview The rising demand for passenger cars among consumers pushes several leading manufacturers in the automotive industry, and the industry is expecting massive investment by these players. This increased investment will result in a growing need for an automotive intercooler in vehicles. The installation of the automotive intercooler in the vehicles increases with the rising demand for passenger cars, LCV and HCV among consumers. The increasing urbanization and rising disposable income of middle-class people are escalating the demand for passenger cars and anticipate the growth of automotive intercooler market. Increasing production of automobiles directly influences sales of automotive intercooler. Due to low labor cost and easy availability of raw material for the production of automotive intercooler, China and India have become a key focus for leading manufacturers. Demand for automotive intercooler in OEM, particularly for passenger cars and commercial vehicles holds a major footprint in the market, which continues to remain bullish. Get Free Exclusive Sample Copy of This Report @ https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=3192 Automotive Intercooler Market Dynamics The advancement in technology and substantial investment by automotive manufacturers and growing demand in the automotive industry will boost the global automotive intercooler market. There has been an increase in the sales of passenger and commercial vehicles, which will increase the demand for automotive intercooler in the forecast period. This rise in the sales of vehicles will result in increased use of automotive intercooler in the cars to improve the efficiency of the vehicle. The high initial investments and lack of flexibility are stifling the growth of the automotive intercooler market. The cost of maintenance and replacing the damaged part of the automotive intercooler is expensive and is impeding the expansion of the automotive intercooler market. The environmental advantages offered by automotive intercooler and turbochargers mainly drive the demand for automotive intercooler. OEMs are likely to continue focusing on evolving the value chain for mitigating competitive pressure and lucrativeness in this mature yet highly competitive market. These efforts of OEMs will continue to retain their preeminence in the automotive intercooler market as lucrative sales channels. The rising demand for electric vehicles across the globe will hamper the growth of automotive intercooler market. Automotive Intercooler Market Segmentation Global automotive intercooler market can be segmented on the basis of type, engine type and vehicle type On the basis of type, automotive intercooler market is segmented as: Air to Air Liquid to Air On the basis of engine type, automotive intercooler market is segmented as: Supercharged Gasoline Turbocharged Diesel Conventional Diesel On the basis of vehicle type, automotive intercooler market is segmented as: Passenger vehicles Commercial vehicles Automotive intercooler Market Regional Outlook East Asia and South Asia region is expected to dominate the automotive intercooler market during the forecast period due to an increase in the sales and production of passenger and commercial vehicles. In East Asia and South Asia, automotive manufacturers are investing heavily for the development of the innovative product to compete in the automotive intercoolers market. China is expected to dominate the automotive intercooler market during the forecast period because Chinese automakers are developing new and trade-friendly policies that enables them to produce a more significant number of vehicles. Ask For Customized Report @ https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=RC&rep_id=3192 North America is expected to be the second largest automotive intercooler market due to an increase in demand for new passenger and commercial vehicles. North America is a mature economy as far as investment in the automotive industry is concerned. By 2023, in North America, the U.S. is expected to dominate the automotive intercooler market due to the presence of major automobile companies. Europe is supposed to be the third largest automotive intercooler market due to high competition in the automotive industry. In Europe, Germany is expected to dominate the automotive intercooler market during the forecast period. Automotive intercooler Market Key Players The automotive manufacturers are making massive investment into R&D to develop a technology that will improve the efficiency of the vehicle and reduce the environmental impact of the vehicle as they are focusing on investing in R&D to gain a competitive edge over peers. The leading manufacturers in the automotive intercooler market are mentioned below. Forge Motorsport Bell Intercooler Kale Oto Radyator Mishimoto PWR Modine Manufacturing Treadstone Performance Engineering JC Performance Parts KVR International Honeywell International Inc. The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the Automotive intercooler market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, and historical data and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to Automotive intercooler market segments such as geographies, application and industry. You can Buy This Report from Here @ https://www.factmr.com/checkout/3192/S Automotive intercooler market report covers exhaustive analysis on: Automotive intercooler Market Segments Automotive intercooler Market Dynamics Automotive intercooler Market Size Supply & Demand Current Trends/Issues/Challenges Competition & Companies involved Technology Value Chain Automotive intercooler market regional analysis includes: North America (U.S., Canada) Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru) Europe (Germany, Italy, France, U.K, Spain, BENELUX, Nordic, Russia) East Asia (China Japan Korea) South Asia (India, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia) Oceania (Australia & New Zealand) Middle East and Africa (GCC Countries, South Africa, Turkey, Iran, Israel) The Automotive intercooler report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators and governing factors along with Automotive intercooler market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on Automotive intercooler market segments and geographies. Automotive intercooler Market Report Highlights: Detailed overview of parent market Changing market dynamics in the industry In-depth market segmentation Historical, current and projected market size in terms of volume and value Recent industry trends and developments Competitive landscape Strategies of key players and Products offered Potential and niche segments, geographical regions exhibiting promising growth A neutral perspective on market performance Must-have information for market players to sustain and enhance their market footprint Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @ https://www.factmr.com/report/3192/automotive-intercooler-market About Fact.MR Fact.MR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market research reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; that's why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports. Contact Us FactMR 11140 Rockville Pike Suite 400 Rockville, MD 20852 United States Email: sales@factmr.com Web: www.factmr.com/ Pune, India -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/28/2019 -- The Global Aviation Warning Lights Market Size is expected to reach 1.21 billion by the end of year 2026. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 6.7% over the forecast period 2019-2026. Aviation warning lights make structures progressively obvious for passing flying machine. They are generally utilized around evening time, in spite of the fact that they can be utilized during the daytime. These lights need adequate brilliance so as to be obvious at miles from the structure. Besides, tall structures offer innovative just as money related points of interest in territories with high populace thickness. They have turned into an unmistakable component of lodging settlement in for all intents and purposes all thickly populated urban territories around the world. Consequently, the rising interest for skyscraper high rises is relied upon to expand the use of aviation warning lights over the world during the figure time frame. Free Download Sample Report Pages for Better Understanding@ https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/request-sample/1394 Stringent compulsory guidelines set for establishment wellbeing of airship just as all private and business structures are relied upon to drive the worldwide aviation warning lights market during the figure time frame. Establishment of aviation warning lights is the most well-known and far-reaching guideline commanded by different administering bodies, for example, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). These legislature/administrative specialists have ordered the establishment of aviation warning lights on tall structures with the goal that they can be unmistakable during the daytime just as around evening time. The global aviation warning lights market is segmented into product type, application, lamp type, and region. On the basis of product type, the global market is segmented into Low-intensity warning lights (Type A and Type B), medium-intensity warning lights (Type A, Type B, and Type C), and high-intensity warning lights (Type A and Type B).On the basis of application, the global market is segmented into towers, chimneys, building infrastructure, cranes, airports, and others (water tanks, wind mills, water towers, etc.). On the basis of lamp type, the global market is segmented into LED, xenon, and incandescent. On the basis of geography, the global aviation warning lights market is segment into Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. An ongoing improvement is the utilization of varieties of high-control red LEDs instead of radiant knobs, which has just been conceivable since the advancement of LEDs of adequate splendor. Driven based lights to have a fundamentally longer life expectancy than glowing knobs, which decreases support expenses and expands unwavering quality, in this manner boosting the interest for LED aviation warning lights. Besides, a few producers are concentrating on creating medium-power white strobes dependent on LED technology to supplant xenon. Xenon flashers, while being progressively noteworthy outwardly, will, in general, require visit substitution. Henceforth, they have turned into a less-favored choice. Advantages offered by the LED technology are relied upon to impel the LED segment during the figure time frame. Regarding income, North America market anticipated representing the most extreme offer of the worldwide aviation warning lights market in 2028, because of developing development exercises and rising interests in new airplane terminals in the district. Moreover, the nearness of an expansive number of elevated structures and towers in the district is increasing the market in North America. The U.S. market is anticipated to hold the greatest offer of the aviation warning lights market in North America in 2028. The market in the nation is assessed to extend at the greatest CAGR during the figure time frame. The fast growth of the development business and early appropriation of LED aviation warning lights are a portion of the variables prone to fuel the market in the locale. View Detail Information with Complete TOC@ https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/aviation-warning-lights-market The market in Europe is probably going to observe noteworthy growth during the conjecture time frame. Improvement of aviation framework and rising speculations are energizing the aviation warning lights market in a few nations of Europe. The U.K. market is relied upon to hold the most extreme offer of the Europe market in 2028. Interest for aviation warning lights frameworks in the Asia Pacific is probably going to stay amassed in China, India, and Japan sooner rather than later, inferable from developing development exercises and rising occurrence of flying machine mishaps in these nations. Among nations in the Asia Pacific, the market in India is assessed to grow at the greatest CAGR during the estimated time frame, because of the nearness of a critical number of tall structures and media transmission towers in the locale. Market players are expanding their interests in the market in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) to grow their quality. The market in GCC is required to extend at a noteworthy CAGR during the estimated time frame, because of developing infiltration of aviation warning lights in the sub-district. As far as income, Brazil is relied upon to hold a noteworthy offer of the aviation warning lights market in South America all through the estimated time frame. Major companies contributing the global aviation warning lights market are Astronics Corporation, AvaidsTechnovators Pvt. Limited, Avlite Systems, Contarnex Europe Limited, Cooper Industries Inc. (Eaton Corporation plc), Delta Obstruction Lighting Ltd., DeWiTec GmbH, Dialight plc, Drake Lighting, Inc., Farlight, Flash Technology, LLC. (SPX Corporation), Hughey and Phillips, LLC.,Orga BV, Q-AVIATION, Sirena SpA., and Wetra Aviation Obstruction Lights. Browse all official Market Research Reports Press Releases@ https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/press-releases TABLE OF CONTENT CHAPTER 1. INDUSTRY OVERVIEW 1.1. Definition and Scope 1.1.1. Definition of Aviation Warning Lights 1.1.2. Market Segmentation 1.1.3. List of Abbreviations 1.2. Summary 1.2.1. Market Snapshot 1.2.2. Aviation Warning Lights Market By Product Type 1.2.2.1. Global Aviation Warning Lights Market Revenue and Growth Rate Comparison By Product Type (2015-2026) 1.2.2.2. Global Aviation Warning Lights Market Revenue Share By Product Type in 2017 1.2.2.3. Low-intensity Warning Lights 1.2.2.3.1. Type A 1.2.2.3.2. Type B 1.2.2.4. Medium-intensity Warning Lights 1.2.2.4.1. Type A 1.2.2.4.2. Type B 1.2.2.4.3. Type C 1.2.2.5. High-intensity Warning Lights 1.2.2.5.1. Type A 1.2.2.5.2. Type B 1.2.3. Aviation Warning Lights Market By Application 1.2.3.1. Global Aviation Warning Lights Market Revenue and Growth Rate Comparison By Application (2015-2026) 1.2.3.1.1. Towers 1.2.3.1.2. Chimneys 1.2.3.1.3. Building Infrastructure 1.2.3.1.4. Cranes 1.2.3.1.5. Airports 1.2.3.1.6. Others (Water Tanks, Wind Mills, Water Towers, etc.) 1.2.4. Aviation Warning Lights Market By Lamp Type 1.2.4.1. Global Aviation Warning Lights Market Revenue and Growth Rate Comparison By Lamp Type (2015-2026) 1.2.4.2. LED 1.2.4.3. Xenon 1.2.4.4. Incandescent 1.2.5. Aviation Warning Lights Market by Geography 1.2.5.1. Global Aviation Warning Lights Market Revenue and Growth Rate Comparison by Geography (2015-2026) 1.2.5.2. North America Aviation Warning Lights Market Revenue and Growth Rate (2015-2026) 1.2.5.3. Europe Aviation Warning Lights Market Revenue and Growth Rate (2015-2026) 1.2.5.4. Asia-Pacific Aviation Warning Lights Market Revenue and Growth Rate (2015-2026) 1.2.5.5. Latin America Aviation Warning Lights Market Revenue and Growth Rate (2015-2026) 1.2.5.6. Middle East and Africa (MEA) Aviation Warning Lights Market Revenue and Growth Rate (2015-2026) CHAPTER 2. MARKET DYNAMICS AND COMPETITION ANALYSIS 2.1. Market Drivers 2.2. Restraints and Challenges 2.3. Growth Opportunities 2.4. Porter's Five Forces Analysis 2.4.1. Bargaining Power of Suppliers 2.4.2. Bargaining Power of Buyers 2.4.3. Threat of Substitute 2.4.4. Threat of New Entrants 2.4.5. Degree of Competition 2.5. Value Chain Analysis 2.6. Cost Structure Analysis 2.6.1. Raw Material and Suppliers 2.6.2. Manufacturing Process Analysis 2.7. Regulatory Compliance 2.8. Competitive Landscape, 2017 2.8.1. Player Positioning Analysis 2.8.2. Key Strategies Adopted By Leading Players CHAPTER 3. MANUFACTURING PLANTS ANALYSIS 3.1. Capacity and Commercial Production Date of Global Aviation Warning Lights Major Manufacturers in 2017 3.2. Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Aviation Warning Lights Major Manufacturers in 2017 3.3. R&D Status and Technology Product Type of Global Aviation Warning Lights Major Manufacturers in 2017 3.4. Raw Materials Sources Analysis of Global Aviation Warning Lights Major Manufacturers in 2017 CHAPTER 4. AVIATION WARNING LIGHTS MARKET BY PRODUCT TYPE 4.1. Global Aviation Warning Lights Revenue By Product Type 4.2. Low-intensity Warning Lights 4.2.1. Market Revenue and Growth Rate, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 4.2.2. Market Revenue and Forecast, By Region, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 4.2.3. Type A 4.2.4. Type B 4.3. Medium-intensity Warning Lights 4.3.1. Market Revenue and Growth Rate, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 4.3.2. Market Revenue and Forecast, By Region, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 4.3.3. Type A 4.3.4. Type B 4.3.5. Type C 4.4. High-intensity Warning Lights 4.4.1. Market Revenue and Growth Rate, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 4.4.2. Market Revenue and Forecast, By Region, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 4.4.3. Type A 4.4.4. Type B CHAPTER 5. AVIATION WARNING LIGHTS MARKET BY APPLICATION 5.1. Global Aviation Warning Lights Revenue By Application 5.2. Towers 5.2.1. Market Revenue and Growth Rate, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 5.2.2. Market Revenue and Forecast, By Region, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 5.3. Chimneys 5.3.1. Market Revenue and Growth Rate, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 5.3.2. Market Revenue and Forecast, By Region, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 5.4. Building Infrastructure 5.4.1. Market Revenue and Growth Rate, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 5.4.2. Market Revenue and Forecast, By Region, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 5.5. Cranes 5.5.1. Market Revenue and Growth Rate, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 5.5.2. Market Revenue and Forecast, By Region, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 5.6. Airports 5.6.1. Market Revenue and Growth Rate, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 5.6.2. Market Revenue and Forecast, By Region, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 5.7. Others (Water Tanks, Wind Mills, Water Towers, etc.) 5.7.1. Market Revenue and Growth Rate, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 5.7.2. Market Revenue and Forecast, By Region, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) CHAPTER 6. AVIATION WARNING LIGHTS MARKET BY LAMP TYPE 6.1. Global Aviation Warning Lights Revenue By Lamp Type 6.2. LED 6.2.1. Market Revenue and Growth Rate, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 6.2.2. Market Revenue and Forecast, By Region, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 6.3. Xenon 6.3.1. Market Revenue and Growth Rate, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 6.3.2. Market Revenue and Forecast, By Region, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 6.4. Incandescent 6.4.1. Market Revenue and Growth Rate, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 6.4.2. Market Revenue and Forecast, By Region, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) CHAPTER 7. NORTH AMERICA AVIATION WARNING LIGHTS MARKET BY COUNTRY 7.1. North America Aviation Warning Lights Market Revenue and Growth Rate, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 7.2. North America Aviation Warning Lights Market Revenue Share Comparison, 2015 & 2026 (%) 7.3. U.S. 7.3.1. U.S. Aviation Warning Lights Market Revenue and Forecast By Product Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 7.3.2. Market Revenue and Forecast By Application, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 7.3.3. Market Revenue and Forecast By Lamp Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 7.4. Canada 7.4.1. Market Revenue and Forecast By Product Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 7.4.2. Market Revenue and Forecast By Application, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 7.4.3. Market Revenue and Forecast By Lamp Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 7.5. Mexico 7.5.1. Market Revenue and Forecast By Product Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 7.5.2. Market Revenue and Forecast By Application, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 7.5.3. Market Revenue and Forecast By Lamp Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) CHAPTER 8. EUROPE AVIATION WARNING LIGHTS MARKET BY COUNTRY 8.1. Europe Aviation Warning Lights Market Revenue and Growth Rate, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 8.2. Europe Aviation Warning Lights Market Revenue Share Comparison, 2015 & 2026 (%) 8.3. UK 8.3.1. Market Revenue and Forecast By Product Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 8.3.2. Market Revenue and Forecast By Application, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 8.3.3. Market Revenue and Forecast By Lamp Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 8.4. Germany 8.4.1. Market Revenue and Forecast By Product Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 8.4.2. Market Revenue and Forecast By Application, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 8.4.3. Market Revenue and Forecast By Lamp Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 8.5. France 8.5.1. Market Revenue and Forecast By Product Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 8.5.2. Market Revenue and Forecast By Application, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 8.5.3. Market Revenue and Forecast By Lamp Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 8.6. Spain 8.6.1. Market Revenue and Forecast By Product Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 8.6.2. Market Revenue and Forecast By Application, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 8.6.3. Market Revenue and Forecast By Lamp Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 8.7. Rest of Europe 8.7.1. Market Revenue and Forecast By Product Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 8.7.2. Market Revenue and Forecast By Application, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 8.7.3. Market Revenue and Forecast By Lamp Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) CHAPTER 9. ASIA-PACIFIC AVIATION WARNING LIGHTS MARKET BY COUNTRY 9.1. Asia-Pacific Aviation Warning Lights Market Revenue and Growth Rate, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 9.2. Asia-Pacific Aviation Warning Lights Market Revenue Share Comparison, 2015 & 2026 (%) 9.3. China 9.3.1. Market Revenue and Forecast By Product Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 9.3.2. Market Revenue and Forecast By Application, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 9.3.3. Market Revenue and Forecast By Lamp Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 9.4. Japan 9.4.1. Market Revenue and Forecast By Product Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 9.4.2. Market Revenue and Forecast By Application, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 9.4.3. Market Revenue and Forecast By Lamp Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 9.5. India 9.5.1. Market Revenue and Forecast By Product Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 9.5.2. Market Revenue and Forecast By Application, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 9.5.3. Market Revenue and Forecast By Lamp Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 9.6. Australia 9.6.1. Market Revenue and Forecast By Product Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 9.6.2. Market Revenue and Forecast By Application, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 9.6.3. Market Revenue and Forecast By Lamp Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 9.7. South Korea 9.7.1. Market Revenue and Forecast By Product Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 9.7.2. Market Revenue and Forecast By Application, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 9.7.3. Market Revenue and Forecast By Lamp Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 9.8. Rest of Asia-Pacific 9.8.1. Market Revenue and Forecast By Product Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 9.8.2. Market Revenue and Forecast By Application, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 9.8.3. Market Revenue and Forecast By Lamp Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) CHAPTER 10. LATIN AMERICA AVIATION WARNING LIGHTS MARKET BY COUNTRY 10.1. Latin America Aviation Warning Lights Market Revenue and Growth Rate, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 10.2. Latin America Aviation Warning Lights Market Revenue Share Comparison, 2015 & 2026 (%) 10.3. Brazil 10.3.1. Market Revenue and Forecast By Product Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 10.3.2. Market Revenue and Forecast By Application, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 10.3.3. Market Revenue and Forecast By Lamp Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 10.4. Argentina 10.4.1. Market Revenue and Forecast By Product Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 10.4.2. Market Revenue and Forecast By Application, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 10.4.3. Market Revenue and Forecast By Lamp Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 10.5. Rest of Latin America 10.5.1. Market Revenue and Forecast By Product Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 10.5.2. Market Revenue and Forecast By Application, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 10.5.3. Market Revenue and Forecast By Lamp Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) CHAPTER 11. MIDDLE EAST AVIATION WARNING LIGHTS MARKET BY COUNTRY 11.1. Middle East Aviation Warning Lights Market Revenue and Growth Rate, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 11.2. Middle East Aviation Warning Lights Market Revenue Share Comparison, 2015 & 2026 (%) 11.3. Saudi Arabia 11.3.1. Market Revenue and Forecast By Product Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 11.3.2. Market Revenue and Forecast By Application, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 11.3.3. Market Revenue and Forecast By Lamp Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 11.4. UAE 11.4.1. Market Revenue and Forecast By Product Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 11.4.2. Market Revenue and Forecast By Application, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 11.4.3. Market Revenue and Forecast By Lamp Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 11.5. Rest of Middle East 11.5.1. Market Revenue and Forecast By Product Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 11.5.2. Market Revenue and Forecast By Application, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 11.5.3. Market Revenue and Forecast By Lamp Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) CHAPTER 12. AFRICA AVIATION WARNING LIGHTS MARKET BY COUNTRY 12.1. Africa Aviation Warning Lights Market Revenue and Growth Rate, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 12.2. Africa Aviation Warning Lights Market Revenue Share Comparison, 2015 & 2026 (%) 12.3. South Africa 12.3.1. Market Revenue and Forecast By Product Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 12.3.2. Market Revenue and Forecast By Application, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 12.3.3. Market Revenue and Forecast By Lamp Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 12.4. Egypt 12.4.1. Market Revenue and Forecast By Product Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 12.4.2. Market Revenue and Forecast By Application, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 12.4.3. Market Revenue and Forecast By Lamp Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 12.5. Rest of Africa 12.5.1. Market Revenue and Forecast By Product Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 12.5.2. Market Revenue and Forecast By Application, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) 12.5.3. Market Revenue and Forecast By Lamp Type, 2015 - 2026 ($Million) CHAPTER 13. COMPANY PROFILE 13.1. Astronics Corporation 13.1.1. Company Snapshot 13.1.2. Overview 13.1.3. Financial Overview 13.1.4. Type Portfolio 13.1.5. Key Developments 13.1.6. Strategies 13.2. Avaids Technovators Pvt. Limited 13.2.1. Company Snapshot 13.2.2. Overview 13.2.3. Financial Overview 13.2.4. Type Portfolio 13.2.5. Key Developments 13.2.6. Strategies 13.3. Avlite Systems 13.3.1. Company Snapshot 13.3.2. Overview 13.3.3. Financial Overview 13.3.4. Type Portfolio 13.3.5. Key Developments 13.3.6. Strategies 13.4. Contarnex Europe Limited 13.4.1. Company Snapshot 13.4.2. Overview 13.4.3. Financial Overview 13.4.4. Type Portfolio 13.4.5. Key Developments 13.4.6. Strategies 13.5. Cooper Industries Inc. (Eaton Corporation plc) 13.5.1. Company Snapshot 13.5.2. Overview 13.5.3. Financial Overview 13.5.4. Type Portfolio 13.5.5. Key Developments 13.5.6. Strategies 13.6. Delta Obstruction Lighting Ltd. 13.6.1. Company Snapshot 13.6.2. Overview 13.6.3. Financial Overview 13.6.4. Type Portfolio 13.6.5. Key Developments 13.6.6. Strategies 13.7. DeWiTec GmbH 13.7.1. Company Snapshot 13.7.2. Overview 13.7.3. Financial Overview 13.7.4. Type Portfolio 13.7.5. Key Developments 13.7.6. Strategies 13.8. Dialight plc 13.8.1. Company Snapshot 13.8.2. Overview 13.8.3. Financial Overview 13.8.4. Type Portfolio 13.8.5. Key Developments 13.8.6. Strategies 13.9. Drake Lighting, Inc. 13.9.1. Company Snapshot 13.9.2. Overview 13.9.3. Financial Overview 13.9.4. Type Portfolio 13.9.5. Key Developments 13.9.6. Strategies 13.10. Farlight 13.10.1. Company Snapshot 13.10.2. Overview 13.10.3. Financial Overview 13.10.4. Type Portfolio 13.10.5. Key Developments 13.10.6. Strategies 13.11. Flash Technology, LLC. (SPX Corporation) 13.11.1. Company Snapshot 13.11.2. Overview 13.11.3. Financial Overview 13.11.4. Type Portfolio 13.11.5. Key Developments 13.11.6. Strategies 13.12. Hughey and Phillips, LLC 13.12.1. Company Snapshot 13.12.2. Overview 13.12.3. Financial Overview 13.12.4. Type Portfolio 13.12.5. Key Developments 13.12.6. Strategies 13.13. Orga BV 13.13.1. Company Snapshot 13.13.2. Overview 13.13.3. Financial Overview 13.13.4. Type Portfolio 13.13.5. Key Developments 13.13.6. Strategies 13.14. Q-AVIATION 13.14.1. Company Snapshot 13.14.2. Overview 13.14.3. Financial Overview 13.14.4. Type Portfolio 13.14.5. Key Developments 13.14.6. Strategies 13.15. Sirena SpA. 13.15.1. Company Snapshot 13.15.2. Overview 13.15.3. Financial Overview 13.15.4. Type Portfolio 13.15.5. Key Developments 13.15.6. Strategies 13.16. Wetra Aviation Obstruction Lights 13.16.1. Company Snapshot 13.16.2. Overview 13.16.3. Financial Overview 13.16.4. Type Portfolio 13.16.5. Key Developments 13.16.6. Strategies 13.17. Others 13.17.1. Company Snapshot 13.17.2. Overview 13.17.3. Financial Overview 13.17.4. Type Portfolio 13.17.5. Key Developments 13.17.6. Strategies CHAPTER 14. RESEARCH APPROACH 14.1. Research Methodology 14.1.1. Initial Data Search 14.1.2. Secondary Research 14.1.3. Primary Research 14.2. Assumptions and Scope INQUIRY BEFORE BUYING@ https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/inquiry-before-buying/1394 The report is readily available and can be dispatched immediately after payment confirmation. Buy this Premium Research Report - https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/buy-now/0/1394 Would like to place an order or any question, please feel free to contact at sales@acumenresearchandconsulting.com | +1 407 915 4157 About Acumen Research and Consulting: Acumen Research and Consulting (ARC) is a global provider of market intelligence and consulting services to information technology, investment, telecommunication, manufacturing, and consumer technology markets. ARC helps investment communities, IT professionals, and business executives to make fact based decisions on technology purchases and develop firm growth strategies to sustain market competition. With the team size of 100+ Analysts and collective industry experience of more than 200 years, Acumen Research and Consulting assures to deliver a combination of industry knowledge along with global and country level expertise. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/29/2019 -- Transparency Market Research (TMR) has published a new report titled 'Custom Procedure Packs Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 20192027.' According to the new report, the global custom procedure packs market was valued above US$ 10,000 Mn in 2018. It is projected to expand at a CAGR of 4.6% from 2019 to 2027. Rise in geriatric population that leads to an increase in the number of surgeries, caused due to severe diseases and performed at hospitals and clinics, and a rise in the number of hospital base with more number of OT rooms are likely to boost the custom procedure packs market during the forecast period. North America and Europe are likely to dominate the global custom procedure packs market due to the high cost of the procedure packs and high awareness about the benefits of custom procedure packs in surgeries in these regions. Increase in number of surgeries and favorable surgery subsidiaries from governments of countries, such as China and Saudi Arabia, are likely to boost the custom procedure packs market in Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa in the near future. Request to View Brochure of Report - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=35987 The medical device industry acknowledges that human error would occur. Hence, devices are designed in such a way that errors are prevented. However, it was found that several times, advanced devices provide incorrect results. For instance, recently in April 2015, DeRoyal Industries Inc. issued an urgent medical device recall notice for its custom surgical packs that contained Medtronic Covidien Devon(TM) Light Gloves, which split or developed holes during application. This led the devices to be recalled from the market. Such incidences are a key factor restraining the market. The report offers detailed segmentation of the global custom procedure packs market based on use, product, and end-user. Based on use, the single use custom procedure packs segment is projected to dominate the global market, as it helps prevent surgical site infection during the surgery, while the reusable procedure packs segment is expected to lose market share during the forecast period, as reusable packs have high risk or cross contamination and also increase the hospitals stock inventory. In term of product, other segment, which includes cosmetic procedure packs and urology procedure packs is anticipated to gain higher share of the market, as compared to others procedure packs. Its share is anticipated to rise from 17.0% held in 2018 to surpass 18.0% by the end of 2027, due to an increase in the number of cosmetic surgeries in countries such as South Korea, the U.S., and Brazil. In term of end-user, the hospitals & ambulatory surgical centers segment accounted for more than 70% share of the global custom procedure packs market, in terms of value, in 2018. The segment is anticipated to expand at a rapid pace in the near future. The market share held by the segment is likely to rise to reach more than 75% by the end of 2027. Rise in number of day care surgeries and increase in number of hospitals in developing regions are likely to propel the segment during the forecast period. Request to View ToC of the report - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=35987 The report provides profiles of leading players operating in the global custom procedure packs market. They include Medline Industries, Inc, Molnlycke Health Care AB, Owens & Minor, Inc. Cardinal Health, B. Braun Melsungen AG, Unisurge, 3M, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., and PrionTex. Market players adopt strategies such as expansion of product portfolio by developing new products or through acquisitions and licensing agreements. In 2017, 3M signed a distribution agreement with Owens & Minor Inc.'s subsidiary Owens & Minor Ireland. Under this agreement, Owens & Minor Ireland would be responsible for the distribution of 3M customer procedure trays in Europe. Other key players are also adopting similar strategies. Vietnam was one of the fastest-growing import sources of the US in Asia in the first quarter of 2019, according to Bloomberg. The Southeast Asian country could leapfrog Italy, France, the UK and India to rank seventh in the top exporters to the US if its pace of growth can be sustained for a full year, Bloomberg said, forecasting Vietnams exports to the US could hit nearly 69 billion USD this year. It cited data from the US Census Bureau which showed that imports from Vietnam jumped 40.2 percent year-on-year in the first three months of 2019. Vietnam has become a standout in a region where the worlds export engines are heavily hurting amid the trade-war tensions between China and the US, and a slowing electronics cycle, according to Bloomberg. Exports of Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan all saw declines in April, while in the same month Vietnams exports gained 7.5 percent from a year earlier. Bloomberg said Vietnam offers low-cost labor and an improving business climate alongside boasting one of the fastest growth rates in the world. According to the General Department of Vietnam Customs, in the first four months of this year, the US continued to be the biggest importer of Vietnamese goods, buying 4.42 billion USD worth of garment-textile, up 9.1 percent year-on-year; 2 billion USD worth of footwear, up 13.5 percent; 1.3 billion USD worth of machinery, equipment, and spare parts, up 54 percent; and 1.42 billion USD worth of wood and timber products, up 34.7 percent.-VNA Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/29/2019 -- Dendritic cells (DCs) are one of the major antigen-presenting cells found in lymphoid organs. Main function of the dendritic cells is antigen display and activation of T-cells. Antigen display presents the identity of pathogen to T-cells for their identification and elimination from the body. These cells have proficiency of capturing and processing tumor antigens, which activates expression of lymphocyte co-stimulatory molecules. Consequently, it results in secretion of cytokines to initiate immune response. In 1868, Paul Langerhans discovered dendritic cells. He thought they were a part of the nervous system cells due to their branched structure. Therefore, their identity was mistaken until the 1970s. In 1973, Zanvil Cohn and Ralph Steinman recognized them as a new type of white blood cells (WBC) with distinctive nature, features, concentration, and function in immunity. View Report - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/dendritic-cell-cancer-vaccine-market.html Cancer is an enormously complex disease and researchers are still trying to understand the variety of factors responsible for its origin, transmission, metastasis, etc. According to report on cancer vaccines by the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2016, an anticipated 1.7 Mn new cancer cases were reported in the U.S. alone. Furthermore, the report mentioned that the annual incidence of cancer, worldwide, is projected to increase to 24 Mn by 2035. Presently, there is significant requirement for advanced and efficient treatments for cancer. Current standard approaches include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and surgery. However, there are some risks and side effects associated with these methods. Different kinds of cancers have various sources of origin and have unique mechanisms which presents different complications in front of researchers to develop wide-ranging therapeutic treatments. Dendritic cells are adaptable in nature. Therefore, they can be modified depending on the cancer under examination, a dendritic cells vaccine can be formulated based on type of tumor accompanying antibodies. This vaccine can be expressed to target multiple cancers, which makes them effective for multiple objectives. Many of the clinical trials are investigating dendritic cell cancer vaccines which has the ability to help numerous patients. Currently, a steady supply of dendritic cells is necessary to develop novel cancer vaccines. Genetically modified dendritic cell cancer vaccines are grander tools for directing intractable cancers such as brain cancer therapy. Request to View Brochure of Report - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=24461 Many studies have shown dendritic cells have the potential ability in combinational therapies to restrict the growth of the cancer. The assured curable effect of therapeutics, which also includes these vaccines, has not been proven; however, they are anticipated to perform far better than its contenders in the same category. The rise in investments in research and development activities, together with positive results in clinical trials, are anticipated to drive the expansion of the market for global dendritic cell cancer vaccine. Others factors fuelling the expansion of this market include the ability of dendritic cells to target multiple cancer antigen capability, rise in geriatric population, and technological advancements. Computer technology is assisting oncologists to plan and run replications on hypothetical vaccines to check their consequences on cellular forms, before going to lab tests and utilizing costly resources. However, the results of dendritic cell cancer vaccines remain mysterious in clinical trials. More than 70% of these vaccine candidates are currently in clinical trial phases of development. The global dendritic cells vaccines market has accomplished to capture the attention of many strategic investors and stakeholders due to a lucrative development in pipeline. More than USD 1.5 billion has already been invested in this area in the last five years. Oncologists believe that this market is likely to present considerable lucrative opportunities due to existing unmet demand for safe and effective cancer treatments with less side effects and the innate advantages of dendritic cells. Currently, the three marketed cancer vaccines commercially available in different geographies are Provenge (U.S.), CreaVax-RCC (South Korea), and Tumor Antigen Presenting Cells i.e. TAPCells (Chile). Provenge, is the first marketed dendritic cell vaccine available in the market. They are targeted to treat prostate cancer, metastatic renal cell carcinoma, melanoma, and prostate cancer. In April 2010, the FDA approved the first cancer treatment vaccine. This vaccine, sipuleucel-T (Provenge), is approved for usage in some men with metastatic prostate cancer. Request to View ToC of the report - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=24461 Key players operating in this market include 3M Company, Batavia Bioservices, Activartis, Dendreon, Merck KGaA, GlaxoSmithKline plc, Northwest Biotherapeutics, Tella Incorporation, Creagene, and ImmunoCellular Therapeutics. Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/28/2019 -- Dental chairs are compact, space-saving equipment that can be adjusted for height, backrest, and armrest to provide support to patients and HCPs. Dental chairs are used by dentists. They have a foot switch, an imaging system, a balance arm, an operating light, an X-ray viewer, and an extended tray attached to them. The increasing of product bundling will be one of the latest trends that will gain traction in the dental chairs market during the next four years. The manufacturers in the market are offering other product along with dental chairs, for instance Midmark has extended its promotional program, which is called the Midmark Corporation Game Changer Operatory Promotion, to offer significant price reductions on select product bundles. This will help manufacturers to increase their market penetration and sales for their product, such initiatives will drive the growth of the market. Owning to the presence of a several regional and global manufacturers, this market appears highly fragmented and competitive. The manufacturers in the market are competing based on the price, quality, delivery time, service and support, warranty, product design, and product portfolio. The players in the market are increasing their market penetration by marketing their products through various distribution channels. Get PDF of this report template: https://www.qyresearch.com/sample-form/form/1119709/global-dental-chairs-market This market study estimates that in terms of geographic regions, EMEA will be the major revenue contributor to the market. The growing adoption of technologically advanced dental chairs and increasing number of dentists in the region due to increasing focus on preventive care will propel the market growth. The replacement of dental offices and laboratories with dental chairs with dental chairs with advanced technology will drive the market growth in the forecast period. This report studies the Dental Chairs market size (value and volume) by players, regions, product types and end industries, history data 2014-2018 and forecast data 2019-2025; This report also studies the global market competition landscape, market drivers and trends, opportunities and challenges, risks and entry barriers, sales channels, distributors and Porter's Five Forces Analysis. Geographically, this report is segmented into several key regions, with sales, revenue, market share and growth Rate of Dental Chairs in these regions, from 2014 to 2025, covering North America (United States, Canada and Mexico) Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Turkey etc.) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam) South America (Brazil etc.) Middle East and Africa (Egypt and GCC Countries) The various contributors involved in the value chain of the product include manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, intermediaries, and customers. The key manufacturers in this market include Danaher PLANMECA OY Dentsply Sirona A-dec Midmark Cefla Diaco DentalEZ J. Morita SDS Dental SHINHUNG TECNODENT By the product type, the market is primarily split into Powered dental chairs Nonpowered dental chairs By the end users/application, this report covers the following segments Hospital Dental clinics and laboratories Others Get Customized Report in your Inbox within 24 hours @: https://www.qyresearch.com/customize-request/form/1119709/global-dental-chairs-market Benefits of Purchasing QY Research Report - Analyst Support: Get you query resolved from our expert analysts before and after purchasing the report - Customer's Satisfaction: Our expert team will assist with all your research needs and customize the report - Inimitable Expertise: Analysts will provide deep insights about the reports - Assured Quality: We focus on the quality and accuracy of the report About Us: QYResearch always pursuits high product quality with the belief that quality is the soul of business. Through years of effort and supports from huge number of customer supports, QYResearch consulting group has accumulated creative design methods on many high-quality markets investigation and research team with rich experience. Today, QYResearch has become the brand of quality assurance in consulting industry. New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/28/2019 -- This report provides detailed historical analysis of global market for Duplex Stainless Steel Pipe from 2014-2018, and provides extensive market forecasts from 2019-2026 by region/country and subsectors. It covers the sales volume, price, revenue, gross margin, historical growth and future perspectives in the Duplex Stainless Steel Pipe market. A new market assessment report on Duplex Stainless Steel Pipe market brings to light a detailed statistics on the dramatic shift in the competitive landscape and business environment of the Duplex Stainless Steel Pipe market for the forecast period 2019 - 2026. The comprehensive study offers an overview of the current state of development of the business as well as predicts the course of progress across different regions. A large number of factors including the major driving forces, threats and opportunities are taken into account to present an analytical picture of the industry portrayed in the report. You can download free sample PDF copy of Duplex Stainless Steel Pipe Market at https://www.marketexpertz.com/sample-enquiry-form/42458 Top manufacturers in Duplex Stainless Steel Pipe market are: Outokumpu, Sandvik, Butting, ArcelorMittal, ThyssenKrupp, NSSMC, POSCO, Tata Steel, JFE, Sosta, PSP, Tenaris, Tubacex, Metline Industries, Baosteel, TISCO Scope of the report The study is a professional probe into the revenue generated and capacity estimates for the Duplex Stainless Steel Pipe market for the forecast period 2019 - 2026 empower the business owners to maintain a competitive edge over their rivals. The research further examines and provides data on the market by type, application and geography interspersed with illustrations and other graphical representations. The market analysis not only determines the attractiveness of the industry but also the evolving challenges and opportunities and their association with the weaknesses and strengths of prominent market leaders. Other factors taken into consideration when studying the industry include profitability, manufacturing capability, distribution channels and industry cost structure and major success factors. Enquiry about this Duplex Stainless Steel Pipe market report@ https://www.marketexpertz.com/make-enquiry-form/42458 Helping you establish a strong foothold in the industry The Duplex Stainless Steel Pipe report highlights set of information related to pricing and the category of customers who are more than willing to pay for certain products and services. The information on opportunities as well as product features, determine which offerings or benefits command sale and identify the communications channels used by the market leaders to create premium positioning strategies as well as attract broadest share. Market split by Application, can be divided into: - Offshore Oil and Gas - Chemical Process Industry - Chemical Tankers / Shipbuilding - Desalination / Water Treatment - Pulp & Paper - Air Pollution Control Market split by Sales Channel, can be divided into: - Direct Channel - Distribution Channel Market segment by Region/Country including: - North America (United States, Canada and Mexico) - Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Spain etc.) - Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia and Southeast Asia etc.) - South America Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Chile etc.) - Middle East & Africa (South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia etc.) Buy Duplex Stainless Steel Pipe market report and avail 15% free customization on the report at https://www.marketexpertz.com/checkout-form/42458 The research provides answers to the following key questions: - What is the estimated size of the Duplex Stainless Steel Pipe market for the forecast period, 2019 - 2026? What will be the growth rate of the industry during the estimated period? - What are the prominent driving forces likely to impact the progress of the industry across different regions? - Who are the major market players occupying a strong foothold in the Duplex Stainless Steel Pipe market? What are the winning strategies adopted by them to stay ahead in the competition? - What are the potential opportunities for the Duplex Stainless Steel Pipe market for the forecast period, 2019 - 2026? - What are the key trends expected to shape the development of the industry over the coming years? - What are the key restraints and challenges likely to hinder the growth of the Duplex Stainless Steel Pipe market worldwide? The study objectives of this Duplex Stainless Steel Pipe market report are: 1. To study and forecast the market size of Duplex Stainless Steel Pipe in global market. 2. To analyze the global key players, swot analysis, value and global market share for top players. 3. To define, describe and forecast the market by type, end use and region. 4. To analyze and compare the market status and forecast among global major regions. 5. To analyze the global key regions market potential and advantage, opportunity and challenge, restraints and risks. 6. To identify significant trends and factors driving or inhibiting the market growth. 7. To analyze the opportunities in the market for stakeholders by identifying the high growth segments. 8. To strategically analyze each submarket with respect to individual growth trend and their contribution to the market 9. To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market. 10. To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their growth strategies. In this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Duplex Stainless Steel Pipe are as follows: - History year: 2014-2018 - Base year: 2018 - Estimated year: 2019 - Forecast year 2019 to 2026 Key stakeholders - Raw material suppliers - Distributors/traders/wholesalers/suppliers - Regulatory bodies, including government agencies and ngo - Commercial research & development (r&d) institutions - Importers and exporters - Government organizations, research organizations, and consulting firms - Trade associations and industry bodies - End-use industries - Available customizations View full report description with table of content @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/industry-overview/duplex-stainless-steel-pipe-market About MarketExpertz Planning to invest in market intelligence products or offerings on the web? Then marketexpertz has just the thing for you - reports from over 500 prominent publishers and updates on our collection daily to empower companies and individuals catch-up with the vital insights on industries operating across different geography, trends, share, size and growth rate. There's more to what we offer to our customers. With marketexpertz you have the choice to tap into the specialized services without any additional charges. Contact Us: John Watson Head of Business Development Market Expertz | Web: www.marketexpertz.com Direct Line: +1-800-819-3052 E-mail: sales@marketexpertz.com News: www.marketexpertz.com/market-news Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/29/2019 -- Brick-and-mortar retail and online retail form two key channels for the retail industry. A wide range of products is sold as gifts, novelty, and souvenirs in the global retail market. Based on the product offerings of the major global gift retail players, the products can be divided into five major segments: souvenirs and novelty items, seasonal decoration, greeting cards, giftware, and other products. The other products segment includes accessories, candles, ceramics/pottery, collectibles, gift books, gift packaging, jewelry, personal care, photo frames, plush products, stationery, and wall art. The global gifts novelty and souvenirs market witnessed the highest demand from Europe, which emerged as the highest revenue contributor in the market. Factors such as the growing tourism industry in the region and the increasing demand for premium-priced and customized gifts in the UK, France, Italy, Spain, and Germany contributed to the growth of the market. The other key geographies analyzed were the Americas, APAC, and MEA. The global Gifts Novelty and Souvenirs market was xx million US$ in 2018 and is expected to xx million US$ by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of xx% between 2019 and 2025. Get PDF template of this report: https://www.qyresearch.com/sample-form/form/1120398/global-gifts-novelty-and-souvenirs-market This report studies the Gifts Novelty and Souvenirs market size (value and volume) by players, regions, product types and end industries, history data 2014-2018 and forecast data 2019-2025; This report also studies the global market competition landscape, market drivers and trends, opportunities and challenges, risks and entry barriers, sales channels, distributors and Porter's Five Forces Analysis. Geographically, this report is segmented into several key regions, with sales, revenue, market share and growth Rate of Gifts Novelty and Souvenirs in these regions, from 2014 to 2025, covering North America (United States, Canada and Mexico) Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Turkey etc.) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam) South America (Brazil etc.) Middle East and Africa (Egypt and GCC Countries) The various contributors involved in the value chain of the product include manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, intermediaries, and customers. The key manufacturers in this market include American Greetings Card Factory Hallmark Spencer Gifts Alibaba Group By the product type, the market is primarily split into Souvenirs and Novelty Seasonal Decorations Greeting Cards Giftware Others By the end users/application, this report covers the following segments Online Retail Offline Retail Get Complete Report in your Inbox within 24 hours: https://www.qyresearch.com/customize-request/form/1120398/global-gifts-novelty-and-souvenirs-market About QYResearch QYResearch always pursuits high product quality with the belief that quality is the soul of business. Through years of effort and supports from huge number of customer supports, QYResearch consulting group has accumulated creative design methods on many high-quality markets investigation and research team with rich experience. Today, QYResearch has become the brand of quality assurance in consulting industry. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/28/2019 -- Cloud billing involves the process of generating bills using a set of defined billing policies from the resource data. A cloud billing service module is used for a service oriented architecture that covers functional requirements including quote service, conversion policies, user identification, and payment schemes along with the non-functional ones such as security, standards, fault tolerance, and scalability among others. Billing solutions are generated from the cloud that provides a solution supporting multi-tenancy where vendors run it in a public cloud allowing multiple operators to access it. This process does not provide any customization along with the compute resources being paid on the basis of usage or on monthly basis rather than a long-term contract. The global cloud billing market has been segmented on the basis of type, provider, end use industries and geography. Based on type, the global market for cloud billing has been segmented into metered billing, provisioning, subscription billing and cloud service billing among others. On the basis of provider the market includes cloud service provider, managed service provider and telecom & communication service provider. Retail, manufacturing, education, telecommunication, healthcare and media form the different end use industries based on which the global market has been segmented. Global cloud billing market on the basis of geography has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East and Africa. For More Info, Get Sample Report Here: https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/7340 It is the ability to issue invoices faster along with reduction of errors that form some of the major drivers for this market globally. Usage of cloud billing system enables reaching a client quickly along with reducing the chance of typo errors. Moreover, using this system helps in monitoring customer subscription that may be weekly, monthly or yearly. This process helps in tracking the whole payment system of customers along with sending timely reminders regarding the due payment further reducing chances of deferred payment. Usage of cloud billing system improves the overall record keeping making it faster to access along with the ability to access these information from anywhere without being physically present at the location. With all these drivers that has a positive impact on the growth of this market, there are certain challenges as well that has a negative impact on the implementation procedure of this technology. One such factor being the security related issues that may risk the customer related data to get hacked along with the chances of confidential data being used by third person posing challenges for this market. In addition to this, it is also the high costs along with the possible chances of downtime that form some other restraints to restrict the growth. Considering these drivers and restraints, it is the technological shift for faster information access that provides huge scope of opportunities for this market in the coming years. Geographically, North America formed one of the major regions contributing to the growth for this market. The rising implementation of cloud based technology along with better access to client demands has been some of the major reasons for the rising demand of this market. Asia Pacific formed another major region along with being one of the fastest growing region for this market globally. China, Japan and India among others are some of the major regions contributing to the growth. Technological shift towards easier access of data along with growth of cloud based technology have been certain major factors to have driven the market in this region. Some of the key players that are operating in the global cloud billing market include Computer Sciences Corporation (The U.S.), International Business Machines Corporation (The U.S.), Amazon Web Services, Inc. (The U.S.), Aria Systems(The U.S.), NEC Corporation (Japan), Amdocs Inc. (Israel), Oracle Corporation (The U.S.), SAP SE (Germany), Cerilion Technologies Ltd. (The UK),CGI Group Inc. (Canada) and Zuora, Inc. (The U.S.) among others. Get Complete TOC and List of Figures of the Report at: https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/toc/7340 MRR.BIZ has been compiled in-depth market research data in the report after exhaustive primary and secondary research. Our team of able, experienced in-house analysts has collated the information through personal interviews and study of industry databases, journals, and reputable paid sources. The report provides the following information: - Tailwinds and headwinds molding the market's trajectory - Market segments based on products, technology, and applications - Prospects of each segment - Overall current and possible future size of the market - Growth pace of the market - Competitive landscape and key players' strategies The main aim of the report is to: - Enable key stakeholder's in the market bet right on it - Understand the opportunities and pitfalls awaiting them - Assess the overall growth scope in the near term - Strategize effectively with respect to production and distribution MRR.BIZ is a leading provider of strategic market research. Our vast repository consists research reports, data books, company profiles, and regional market data sheets. We regularly update the data and analysis of a wide-ranging products and services around the world. As readers, you will have access to the latest information on almost 300 industries and their sub-segments. Both large Fortune 500 companies and SMEs have found those useful. This is because we customize our offerings keeping in mind the specific requirements of our clients. About MarketResearchReports.biz MarketResearchReports.biz is a seller of syndicated market studies, featuring an exhaustive collection of research reports from leading international publishers. Our repository is diverse, spanning virtually every industrial sector and even more every category and sub-category within the industry. We also provide consulting services to enable our clients have a dynamic business perspective. Contact Us State Tower 90 State Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207 United States Toll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-Canada) Tel: +1-518-621-2074 Email: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/29/2019 -- Global Defense Tactical Communication Market: Segmentation The chapters of segmentation allow the readers to understand the aspects of the market such as its products, available technologies, and applications of the same. These chapters are written in a manner to describe their development over the years and the course they are likely to take in the coming years. The research report also provides insightful information about the emerging trends that are likely to define progress of these segments in the coming years. Request a Sample of this report at: https://www.qyresearch.com/sample-form/form/1049028/global-defense-tactical-communication-market Global Defense Tactical Communication Market: Regional Segmentation For a deeper understanding, the research report includes geographical segmentation of the global Defense Tactical Communication market. It provides an evaluation of the volatility of the political scenarios and amends likely to be made to the regulatory structures. This assessment gives an accurate analysis of the regional-wise growth of the global Defense Tactical Communication market. The Middle East and Africa (GCC Countries and Egypt) North America (the United States, Mexico, and Canada) South America (Brazil etc.) Europe (Turkey, Germany, Russia UK, Italy, France, etc.) Asia-Pacific (Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Japan, Philippines, Korea, Thailand, India, Indonesia, and Australia) Global Defense Tactical Communication Market: Research Methodology The research methodologies used by the analysts play an integral role in the way the publication has been collated. Analysts have used primary and secondary research methodologies to create a comprehensive analysis. For an accurate and precise analysis of the global Defense Tactical Communication market, analysts have bottom-up and top-down approaches. Global Defense Tactical Communication Market: Competitive Rivalry The research report includes an analysis of the competitive landscape present in the global Defense Tactical Communication market. It includes an assessment of the existing and upcoming trends that players can invest in. Furthermore, it also includes an evaluation of the financial outlooks of the players and explains the nature of the competition. Key Players Mentioned in the Global Defense Tactical Communication Market Research Report: General Dynamics Harris Raytheon Company Rockwell Collins Thales Group BAE Systems BARRETT Communications Cobham Codan Radio Communications Leonardo L3 Technologies Northrop Grumman Radmor Rohde & Schwarz INRADIOS Rolta India CeoTronics David Clark Inc Silynx Communications Invisio Communications 3M Sepura Bose Coporation Savox Communications Ask our Expert if You Have a Query at: enquiry@qyresearch.com Strategic Points Covered in TOC: Chapter 1: Introduction, market driving force product scope, market risk, market overview, and market opportunities of the global Defense Tactical Communication market Chapter 2: Evaluating the leading manufacturers of the global Defense Tactical Communication market which consists of its revenue, sales, and price of the products Chapter 3: Displaying the competitive nature among key manufacturers, with market share, revenue, and sales Chapter 4: Presenting global Defense Tactical Communication market by regions, market share and with revenue and sales for the projected period Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9: To evaluate the market by segments, by countries and by manufacturers with revenue share and sales by key countries in these various regions Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/29/2019 -- Global Three-Phase Smart Meter Market: Segmentation The chapters of segmentation allow the readers to understand the aspects of the market such as its products, available technologies, and applications of the same. These chapters are written in a manner to describe their development over the years and the course they are likely to take in the coming years. The research report also provides insightful information about the emerging trends that are likely to define progress of these segments in the coming years. Request a Sample of this report at: https://www.qyresearch.com/sample-form/form/1014944/global-three-phase-smart-meter-growth-potential-report- Global Three-Phase Smart Meter Market: Regional Segmentation For a deeper understanding, the research report includes geographical segmentation of the global Three-Phase Smart Meter market. It provides an evaluation of the volatility of the political scenarios and amends likely to be made to the regulatory structures. This assessment gives an accurate analysis of the regional-wise growth of the global Three-Phase Smart Meter market. The Middle East and Africa (GCC Countries and Egypt) North America (the United States, Mexico, and Canada) South America (Brazil etc.) Europe (Turkey, Germany, Russia UK, Italy, France, etc.) Asia-Pacific (Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Japan, Philippines, Korea, Thailand, India, Indonesia, and Australia) Global Three-Phase Smart Meter Market: Research Methodology The research methodologies used by the analysts play an integral role in the way the publication has been collated. Analysts have used primary and secondary research methodologies to create a comprehensive analysis. For an accurate and precise analysis of the global Three-Phase Smart Meter market, analysts have bottom-up and top-down approaches. Global Three-Phase Smart Meter Market: Competitive Rivalry The research report includes an analysis of the competitive landscape present in the global Three-Phase Smart Meter market. It includes an assessment of the existing and upcoming trends that players can invest in. Furthermore, it also includes an evaluation of the financial outlooks of the players and explains the nature of the competition. Key Players Mentioned in the Global Three-Phase Smart Meter Market Research Report: Landis+Gyr Itron Siemens Kamstrup Elster Group Nuri Telecom Sagemcom Iskraemeco ZIV Sanxing Linyang Electronics Wasion Group Haixing Electrical XJ Measurement & Control Meter Chintim Instruments Clou Electronics Holley Metering HND Electronics Longi Banner Sunrise Ask our Expert if You Have a Query at: enquiry@qyresearch.com Strategic Points Covered in TOC: Chapter 1: Introduction, market driving force product scope, market risk, market overview, and market opportunities of the global Three-Phase Smart Meter market Chapter 2: Evaluating the leading manufacturers of the global Three-Phase Smart Meter market which consists of its revenue, sales, and price of the products Chapter 3: Displaying the competitive nature among key manufacturers, with market share, revenue, and sales Chapter 4: Presenting global Three-Phase Smart Meter market by regions, market share and with revenue and sales for the projected period Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9: To evaluate the market by segments, by countries and by manufacturers with revenue share and sales by key countries in these various regions Valley Cottage, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/29/2019 -- Toilet Roll Converting Lines Market: An Overview Toilet roll converting lines are used for converting jumbo rolls of toilet papers into finished toilet rolls. The typical toilet roll converting process includes unwinding of a jumbo roll, embossing, edge trimming & gluing, cutting and packaging. This can be achieved by either semi-automatic or automatic toilet roll converting lines. The semi-automatic toilet roll converting lines include machines that require manual intervention for start, stop and changeover systems. Fully automatic toilet roll converting lines incorporate programmable logic controller (PLC) technology, wherein workers control machine operations through touch screens. Toilet Roll Converting Lines Market: Dynamics The growth of the global market for toilet roll converting lines is expected to be driven by the growing awareness regarding the use of hygiene solutions in the developing markets. Usage of toilet roll converting lines save labor costs and increases the pace of production. Also, manufacturers are investing in new state of the art machines to create a superior brand image. This inclination coupled with increasing penetration of automation in manufacturing activities is expected to drive the growth of the toilet roll converting lines market. Automatic toilet roll converting lines can manufacture single ply or double plies of toilet paper. Regional and unorganized small-scale players tend to invest in semi-automatic toilet roll converting lines, as they have low production volume and investment capability. However, semi-automatic machines account for about 10% of the global toilet roll converting lines market. Get more information on Toilet Roll Converting Lines Market @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-8526 However, with the growth in the toilet paper manufacturing industry, the manufacturers of toilet roll converting lines are enhancing their production capabilities to keep up with the demand. Incorporating data exchange technologies such as cyber-physical systems, and IOT (Internet of Things), can result in increased productivity for toilet roll converting lines manufacturers. Also, various key players of the toilet paper converting lines market are improving the functioning pace of rewinders to increase the productivity of the toilet roll converting lines and reduce waste output. For instance, In October 2017, PCMC launched its new rewinder, FORTE, in Lucca, Italy, which operates at a speed of up to 700 meters per minute In June 2015, Fabio Perini Group presented its upgraded rewinder based on the constellation technology, capable of rewinding four rolls at a time. Toilet Roll Converting Lines Market: Segmentation Globally, the toilet roll converting lines market is segmented on the basis of operation, and operational speed. On the basis of operation, the global toilet roll converting lines market is segmented as follows- Semi-automatic Automatic On the basis of operational speed, the global toilet roll converting lines market is segmented as follows- Up to 250 m/min 250- 400 m/min Above 400 m/min Toilet Roll Converting Lines Market: Regional Outlook Geographically, the global toilet roll converting lines market is segmented into seven key regions, namely Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific excl. Japan, Middle East & Africa, and Japan. In the developing countries of MEA, the acceptance of proper hygiene solutions is relatively slower than that in the developed countries, which is gradually increasing with the growing awareness. This is projected to surge the demand for toilet roll converting machines in the region. Countries of Europe and North America are the prominent consumers of toilet rolls. Also, China has many regional players who manufacture low-end toilet roll converting lines as compared to Europe; these machines compete through their low cost. The low cost is projected to contribute to the increasing sale of toilet roll converting lines in the region. Toilet Roll Converting Lines Market: Key players Some of the key players operating in toilet roll converting lines market are Zhengzhou Ean machinery Co.,Ltd, Fabio Perini S.P.A., PCMC Italia S.p.A., M.Torres Disenos Industriales S.A.U, Kawanoe Zoki Co.,Ltd., Impex Continental srl con s.u., Baosuo Paper Machinery Manufacture Co., Ltd., Hinnli Co., Ltd., Chan Li Machinery Co., Ltd., Zambak Kagit San.Ve Tic.Ltd.Sti., Wangda Industrial Co., etc. The report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain of the global toilet roll converting lines market. The report provides an in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macroeconomic indicators and governing factors along with toilet roll converting lines market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various factors on toilet roll converting lines market segments and geographies. Request for Table of Contents @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-8526 Report Highlights: A detailed overview of parent market Changing toilet roll converting lines market dynamics in the industry In-depth toilet roll converting lines market segmentation Historical, current, and projected toilet roll converting lines market size regarding volume and value Recent industry trends and developments in toilet roll converting lines market Competitive landscape of the toilet roll converting lines market Strategies for key players and products offered Potential and niche segments, geographical regions exhibiting promising growth A neutral perspective on toilet roll converting lines market performance Must-have information for toilet roll converting lines market players to sustain and enhance their market footprint Southampton, PA -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/29/2019 -- From the white sand beaches of the Caribbean to the gorgeous mountain ranges of New Zealand, exploring new and exotic places is one of the most thrilling parts of life. But for travelers who have never ventured outside of the United States before, traveling beyond the country can be stressful, intimidating, confusing, and even a little scary. The team at Jet Set Travels are experts in international vacationingand they can make anyone's first excursion abroad safe, fun, and exciting. From their insider knowledge of the best international locations to their partnerships with resorts, Jet Set Travels' all-inclusive travel agents in Philadelphia offer a helping hand for residents who want to plan their perfect vacation. Their team makes international travel easier by helping travelers learn about passports, visas, destination wedding logistics, and much, much more. As a family-owned and operated business with over 30 years of experience serving the men and women of Philadelphia, Jet Set Travels knows firsthand how time consuming travel planning can be. No matter if they're a solo traveler looking to kick back on a beach in the Bahamas or they're a family who wants to give their children a cultural experience in Germany, Jet Set Travels knows how to plan perfectly unique vacations for clients from all walks of life. There's still plenty of time to start planning the perfect summer adventure with a little help from Jet Set Travels' all-inclusive travel agency in Philadelphia. Anyone interested in learning more about their team or who would like to schedule a consultation is encouraged to give them a call at 215-309-8272. About Jet Set Travels of Southampton, Inc. Jet Set Travels of Southampton, Inc, is a Bucks County, PA based travel agency that specializes in destination weddings, honeymoons, and other vacations. The company plans custom getaways for clients that include cruises, car rentals, airfare, tours, and more. All of the employees are driven and extensively trained to make recommendations and to find the lowest prices for travelers. For more information, visit http://www.jetsettravels.com or call 215-309-8272. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/29/2019 -- Liposomes are small spherical-shaped artificial vesicles synthesized from phospholipids and cholesterol. They are colloidal carriers and range from 0.01 to 5.0 ?m in diameter. These are lipid bilayer vesicles having hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties. Due to these properties liposomes have an advantage of encapsulating hydrophobic as well as hydrophilic drugs and delivering them to the targeted site in the body. Thus, liposomes are promising systems for targeted drug delivery. Liposomes are successfully used for encapsulating various drug molecules such as acyclovir, tropicamaide, chloroquine diphosphate, paclitaxel, and cyclosporine. Many therapeutic agents such as antimicrobials, anticancer drugs, genetic materials, vaccines, macromolecules, and proteins can be encapsulated in liposomes. Liposomes are employed as drug carriers for targeted drug therapy for various diseases, as they are biocompatible and biodegradable. The classification of liposomes is based on its structural properties or on the method of preparation used. Structurally, liposomes are classified into the following groups: multilamellar large vesicles (MLV), oligolamellar vesicles (OLV), unilamellar vesicles (UV), small unilamellar vesicles (SUV), medium-sized unilamellar vesicles (MUV), large unilamellar vesicles (LUV), giant unilamellar vesicles (GUV), and multivesicular vesicles (MVV). In terms of preparation method used, liposomes can be classified into the following types: reverse phase evaporation method for single or oligolamellar vescile (REV), multilamellar vesicles (MLV) made by reverse phase evaporation method, stable plurilamellar vesicles, (FATMLV) frozen and thawed, vesicles prepared by extrusion method (VET), vesicles prepared by fusion (FUV), vesicles prepared by french press (FPV), dehydration?rehydration vesicles (DRV), and bubblesomes (BSV). Development in scientific research in recent years has led to the rapid expansion of the global Liposome Drug Delivery Market. Increased understanding of targeted drug delivery system has fuelled the liposome drug delivery system market. Advantages such as improvement and control over pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, decreased toxicity, and enhanced activity of drugs against intracellular pathogens are key divers for pharmaceutical companies to invest in the global liposomes drug delivery market. Currently, there are a number of liposomal products such as ambisome, myocet, doxil, depoCyt, etc., approved by the FDA for commercial usage. However, low solubility, short half-life and high production cost are key restraints of the global liposome drug delivery market. Request to View Brochure of Report - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=28571 In terms of type of industry, the liposome drug delivery market can be segmented into pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food, and farming. The pharmaceutical industry segment led the global liposomes market due to rapid advancements in targeted drug delivery systems. In terms of product, the market can be segmented into liposomal doxorubicin, liposomal amphoteracin B, and liposomal paclitaxel. Liposomal amphoteracin B is used in the treatment of various fungal and parasitic infections. In terms of application, the global liposomes drug delivery market can be segmented into therapeutic and clinical. Therapeutic applications include occular and pulmonary applications, whereas clinical applications consists of cancer (antitumor) therapy and fungal and microbial infection therapy. Ongoing research and advancement in liposome design are leading to new applications for the delivery of new biotechnology products such as recombinant proteins antisense oligonucleotides and cloned genes. In terms of geography, the global liposomes drug delivery market can be segmented into North America (Canada, the U.S., and Mexico), Europe (Germany, France, the U.K., Russia, and Italy), Asia Pacific (Japan, China, Korea, India, and Southeast Asia), Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America is a leading market for liposomes drug delivery systems due to increase in novel technologies in targeted drug delivery systems. The market is anticipated to expand during the forecast period in other parts of the globe as well. Request to View ToC of the report - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=28571 Prominent manufacturers operating in the global liposome drug delivery market include Johnson & Johnson, Sun Pharmaceutical, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Novartis AG, Gilead Sciences, Inc., Kingond Pharm, and Celsion Corporation. Egypt's most wanted terrorist was captured in Libya in 2018; he was successfully extradited to Egypt on Tuesday night after a high level meeting between head of Egypt's general intelligence and LNA commander Khalifa Haftar Egyptian TV stations showed live footage on Tuesday night of Egyptian special forces walking a blind-folded and heavily-guarded El-Ashmawy off an Egyptian Armed Forces military plane onto Cairo Airport. The highly secured transfer operation, which involved various Egyptian special forces branches, followed a meeting earlier on Tuesday of the Head of Egypts General Intelligence General Abbas Kamel with the Commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA) General Khalifa Haftar at the LNA headquarters in Al-Rajma, Libya. The meeting discussed the operations to combat terrorism in the region. El-Ashmawy headed one of the terrorist organisations in the city of Derna, and carried out a number of bloody terrorist operations both in Libya and Egypt, the Egyptian Armed Forces said. The Libyan armed forces captured El-Ashmawy during the war to liberate Derna, the statement explained. El-Ashmawy was handed over to Egyptian authorities according to the long-standing judicial agreement between Egypt and Libya, and after the carrying out of all required procedures and the conclusion of investigations by the armed forces with him, the statement explained. Multiple terrorist attacks El-Ashmawy was arrested in October 2018 by the LNA in Libyas Eastern city of Derna. His top associate Safwat Zidan was also arrested in Derna in the same month. El-Ashmawy, who is considered one of Egypts top wanted and most dangerous terrorists in the past six years, was born in 1978 and graduated in 2000 from the military academy. In 2007, a military court transferred El-Ashmawy to an administrative post before his dismissal from the army in 2011. He later joined the North Sinai-based Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis terrorist group. El-Ashmawy, also known as Abu Omar El-Mohager (the immigrant), is considered among the most dangerous terrorists linked to many attacks in Egypt. He broke away from Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis following its swearing of allegiance to Daesh, announcing the formation in July 2015 of the Mourabitoun organisation in Libya, which is loyal to the Al-Qaeda terrorist organisation. In Libya, El-Ashmawy fled Sirte to Derna under pressure from the LNA operations. El-Ashmawy is believed to have been involved in an assassination attempt on former Egyptian Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim, and the murder of top prosecutor Hisham Barakat, as well as the attack on Egyptian border guards in February 2015, which resulted in the death of 29 Armed Forces personnel. He is also believed to be behind a deadly attack on Christian pilgrims in Upper Egypt's Minya governorate in May 2017, which killed 29 people. In January 2015, his group was suspected of staging a multi-pronged attack on the headquarters of the Army Battalion 101 Headquarters in El-Arish in North Sinai, which killed 30 soldiers and officers. An Egyptian military court sentenced him in absentia, along with 13 other terrorists, to death over the New Valley massacre in Farafra on 19 July 2014, where 22 border guards were killed. Search Keywords: Short link: Valley Cottage, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/29/2019 -- Demand for motorcycle chain sprocket, in Asia Pacific, is expected to grow at a steady year-on-year rate of 5.3 percent, in 2019, as per a recently released market intelligence study by Future Market Insights (FMI). Motorcycle chain sprocket being the lightest transmission possible compared to gear mechanism, in addition to being highly cost-effective in terms of manufacturing versus gear trains, will significantly contribute to the sales of motorcycle chain sprocket, in the coming years. Moreover, apart from ease of installations and servicing, lightweight feature of the chain sprockets will remain the most rewarding factor, thereby, increasing its installations in motorcycles. FMI forecasts that global motorcycle chain sprocket market revenues will reach approximately US$ 1.9 Billion, by 2019-end. The size of the market is based on estimates of the number of chain sprockets shipped, during the same time period. Request to Sample of Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-8178 "The global market for motorcycle chain sprocket continues to grow with increasing product and sales of motorcycle specifically in emerging markets, paradigm shift towards light weight vehicle components to control the automobile emission and increase the vehicle life, and flourishing aftermarket for motorcycle chain sprocket determined by factors, such as distance driven, number of vehicles in operation, and ownership time" Senior Analyst, FMI. Electric Bikes and Tax on Luxury Items Continue to Strain Revenue However, several government initiatives such as the introduction of electric bikesaimed at controlling vehicular pollution, could substantially restrict the demand for conventional motorcycles, and thereby chain sprockets used in such vehicles. China, being one of the largest markets for two-wheelers is aggressively promoting electric bikes for transportation, considering its low cost, energy efficient, emission-free systems, and no license and registration. Tax on luxury items has considerably increased in some markets of Asia Pacific, such as India. The Indian government has increased the tax to 31 percent on conventional motorcycles with engines greater than 350cc, which in turn could slow down the sales of luxury and heavy engine capacity conventional motorcycles. Furthermore, Singapore has adopted a new system of additional registration fees (ARF), which will add more costs to conventional motorcycles and therefore, render them expensive, leading to a decrease in the sales of conventional motorcycles and adversely affect the motorcycle chain sprockets market. Competition to Remain Relatively High; Manufacturers Favor APEC Markets The top 8 companies in the global motorcycle chain sprocket market are estimated to hold approximately 16-21 percent of the overall market in terms of value. Tsubakimoto Chain Co., Regina Catene Calibrate Spa, Jomthai Asahi Co.,Ltd, L.G.Balakrishnan & Bros Ltd., and Rockman Industries Ltd. are some of the leading global and local manufacturers of motorcycle chain sprockets. While the tier-1 and tier-2 companies generate over US$ 50 Mn and between US$ 20 Mn to US$ 50 Mn through the sales of motorcycle chain sprocket, respectively, the tier-3 companies generate less than US$ 20 Mn, as per the report. Focus remains on manufacturing low maintenance and high efficiency motorcycle chain sprocket to improve the overall functioning and life of drive chain. Manufacturers are focusing on entering into long-term supply contracts with OEM of two wheelers in order to gain a strong hold in the domestic markets of APEC. Apart from expanding its product portfolio, manufacturers of motorcycle chain sprockets are also focusing in expanding their production or sales capacities in developing regions. FMI predicts heavy investments in research and development initiatives to bring innovation in the manufacturing processes to develop differentiated products. Regionally, developing regions are expected to remain highly lucrative for new market entrants given the easy availability of raw materials and minimal infrastructure requirements combined with lack of stringent government regulations, thereby creating a favorable investment environment. Need more information about Report Methodology @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-8178 Apart from key market influencing dynamics and competitive landscape, FMI also offers an in-depth segmental analysison the basis of motorcycle type (standard, cruiser sports, and mopeds and others), engine capacity (up to 150 cc, 151-300 cc, 301-500 cc, and above 500 cc), chain type (standard rolling chain, O ring chain, and X ring chain), and sales channel (OEM and Aftermarket). New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/29/2019 -- The dominant crucial vendors in Moving Walks Market include are Schindler, Otis Elevator, Westmont Industries, KONE Corporation, Mitsubishi Electric, Fujitec America, Thyssenkrupp, EHC Global, Orona, United Technologies Download Report Overview Free Sample Copy of Moving Walks Market at https://www.marketgrowthinsight.com/sample/35139 Other than the above mentioned parameters, the extensive document addresses important factors such as performance of the industry on the basis of a product service, end-use, geography and end customer. There has been a detailed scout conducted by industry experts to help identify the major factors influencing the development rate of the Moving Walks industry including various opportunities and gaps. A thorough examination of the micro markets with regards to the growth trends in each category makes the entire study appealing. While studying the micro markets the researchers also chose to dig deep into their future prospect and contribution to the Moving Walks industry. The factors such as demand and supply, production capacity, supply chain management, distribution channel, product application and performance across different countries were maintained a high priority while conducting the study. The report while offering hard to find facts about the trends and innovation driving the current and future of Moving Walks business, also provides detailed insights into competitive development such as acquisition and mergers, joint ventures, product launches and technology advancements. A peek at the industry trends and opportunities The researchers try to ascertain the reason why the sales of Moving Walks are projected to surge in the coming years. The study comprises of the trends that will strongly favor the industry during the forecast period, 2019 to 2025. Besides this, the study narrates the important facts associated with lucrative growth and opportunities that lie ahead for the Moving Walks industry. #If You Want Order This Report Now here @ https://www.marketgrowthinsight.com/checkout/35139 On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into - By Installation Type Horizontal Inclined - By Speed High-Speed Walkaways Slow-Speed Standard Type Walkaways On the basis of the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate for each application, including - Commercial Applications - Public Applications - Others Region wise performance of the Moving Walks industry This report studies the global Moving Walks Market status and forecast, categorizes the global Moving Walks Market size (value & volume) by key players, type, application, and region. This report focuses on the top players in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia India and Other regions (Middle East & Africa, Central & South America). Key points from TOC 7 Company Profiles and Key Figures in Moving Walks Business 7.1 Schindler 7.1.1 Schindler Moving Walks Production Sites and Area Served 7.1.2 Moving Walks Product Introduction, Application and Specification 7.1.3 Schindler Moving Walks Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019) 7.1.4 Main Business and Markets Served 7.2 Otis Elevator 7.2.1 Otis Elevator Moving Walks Production Sites and Area Served 7.2.2 Moving Walks Product Introduction, Application and Specification 7.2.3 Otis Elevator Moving Walks Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019) 7.2.4 Main Business and Markets Served 7.3 Westmont Industries 7.3.1 Westmont Industries Moving Walks Production Sites and Area Served 7.3.2 Moving Walks Product Introduction, Application and Specification 7.3.3 Westmont Industries Moving Walks Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019) 7.3.4 Main Business and Markets Served 7.4 KONE Corporation 7.4.1 KONE Corporation Moving Walks Production Sites and Area Served 7.4.2 Moving Walks Product Introduction, Application and Specification 7.4.3 KONE Corporation Moving Walks Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019) 7.4.4 Main Business and Markets Served 7.5 Mitsubishi Electric 7.5.1 Mitsubishi Electric Moving Walks Production Sites and Area Served 7.5.2 Moving Walks Product Introduction, Application and Specification 7.5.3 Mitsubishi Electric Moving Walks Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019) 7.5.4 Main Business and Markets Served Continue.. This Moving Walks Market report holds answers to some important questions like: - What is the size of occupied by the prominent leaders for the forecast period, 2018 to 2025? What will be the share and the growth rate of the Moving Walks Market during the forecast period? - What are the future prospects for the Moving Walks industry in the coming years? - Which trends are likely to contribute to the development rate of the industry during the forecast period, 2018 to 2025? - What are the future prospects of the Moving Walks industry for the forecast period, 2018 to 2025? - Which countries are expected to grow at the fastest rate? - Which factors have attributed to an increased sale worldwide? - What is the present status of competitive development? Browse Full RD with TOC of This Report @ https://www.marketgrowthinsight.com/35139/moving-walks-market About Market Growth Insight Market Growth Insight is a one stop solution for market research reports in various business categories. We are serving 100+ clients with 10000+ diverse industry reports and our reports are developed to simplify strategic decision making, on the basis of comprehensive and in-depth significant information, established through wide ranging analysis and latest industry trends. We are striving to provide the best customer friendly services and appropriate business information to accomplish your ideas. Contact 502, Sai Radhe, Kennedy Road, Behind Hotel Sheraton Grand, Near Pune Station, Pune 411 001, Maharashtra, India Contact No- + 91 8956 049 020 Website- https://www.marketgrowthinsight.com Follow Us:- LinkedIn | Twitter | Google+ | Facebook New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/29/2019 -- Apart from this, the study talks about the growth rate, market share as well as the recent developments in the Nuclear Steam Generator industry worldwide. Besides, the special mention of major market players adds importance to the overall market study. The scope of this market study includes the leading residential energy storage systems technologies that are currently in use globally. The technologies discussed in this report are in use across the industries mentioned above and many more as well, as new sectors driven by product and technological innovation emerge. This report also studies the global market competition landscape, market drivers and trends, opportunities and challenges, risks and entry barriers, sales channels, distributors and Porter's Five Forces Analysis. FREE SAMPLE COPY: (Customized As Per Your Business Need + CAGR And Gross Market Value Included) @ https://www.marketgrowthinsight.com/sample/35227 The Top key vendors in Nuclear Steam Generator Market include Mitsubishi, Westinghouse Electric, Atomic Energy of Canada, BHEL, Korea Electric Power, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy The subject matter experts conducting the study offer a deep understanding of how prominent leaders have managed to navigate the potential buyers and competitive dynamics influencing their brand positioning in the industry The Nuclear Steam Generator market analysis provides everything a business owner needs in order to succeed. It will not be wrong to say that the Nuclear Steam Generator market report talks about customer experience that matters to every business owner planning to leverage the strategic insights for their brand growth. The case studies included in the study further demonstrate how recent innovation, mergers or acquisitions, new launches, research and development etc. have enables prominent leaders to curb toughest issues related to production volumes, demand and supply, supply chain management and more. Study aims at providing data about key category dynamics such as user awareness and a buyer's purchase intent, as well as tries to list down the relative influence of certain trends on the demand for a certain product or service. A high focus is maintained on factors such as demand and supply, production capacity, supply chain management, distribution channel, product application and performance across different countries. The report not only offers hard to find facts about the trends and innovation driving the current and future of Nuclear Steam Generator business, but also provides insights into competitive development such as acquisition and mergers, joint ventures, product launches and technology advancements. Buy Now (Customized report delivered as per your Business requirement) @ https://www.marketgrowthinsight.com/checkout/35227 A quick look at the industry trends and opportunities On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, and market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into - Horizontal Steam Generator - Vertical Steam Generator On the basis of the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate for each application, including - Nuclear Reactor - Nuclear Power Plant - Other Region wise performance of the Nuclear Steam Generator industry This report studies the global Nuclear Steam Generator market status and forecast, categorizes the global Nuclear Steam Generator market size (value & volume) by key players, type, application, and region. This report focuses on the top players in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia India and Other regions (Middle East & Africa, Central & South America). Key points from TOC 7 Company Profiles and Key Figures in Nuclear Steam Generator Business 7.1 Mitsubishi 7.1.1 Mitsubishi Nuclear Steam Generator Production Sites and Area Served 7.1.2 Nuclear Steam Generator Product Introduction, Application and Specification 7.1.3 Mitsubishi Nuclear Steam Generator Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019) 7.1.4 Main Business and Markets Served 7.2 Westinghouse Electric 7.2.1 Westinghouse Electric Nuclear Steam Generator Production Sites and Area Served 7.2.2 Nuclear Steam Generator Product Introduction, Application and Specification 7.2.3 Westinghouse Electric Nuclear Steam Generator Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019) 7.2.4 Main Business and Markets Served 7.3 Atomic Energy of Canada 7.3.1 Atomic Energy of Canada Nuclear Steam Generator Production Sites and Area Served 7.3.2 Nuclear Steam Generator Product Introduction, Application and Specification 7.3.3 Atomic Energy of Canada Nuclear Steam Generator Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019) 7.3.4 Main Business and Markets Served Continue.. Browse Full RD with TOC of This Report https://www.marketgrowthinsight.com/35227/nuclear-steam-generator-market This Nuclear Steam Generator market report holds answers to some important questions like: - What is the size of occupied by the prominent leaders for the forecast period, 2019 to 2025? What will be the share and the growth rate of the Nuclear Steam Generator market during the forecast period? - What are the future prospects for the Nuclear Steam Generator industry in the coming years? - Which trends are likely to contribute to the development rate of the industry during the forecast period, 2019 to 2025? - What are the future prospects of the Nuclear Steam Generator industry for the forecast period, 2019 to 2025? - Which countries are expected to grow at the fastest rate? - Which factors have attributed to an increased sale worldwide? - What is the present status of competitive development? More related reports: Nuclear Steam Generator Tubing Market Insights - Global Trends, Opportunities, Analysis and Forecast by 2025 https://www.marketgrowthinsight.com/34420/nuclear-steam-generator-tubing-market About Market Growth Insight Market Growth Insight is a one stop solution for market research reports in various business categories. We are serving 100+ clients with 10000+ diverse industry reports and our reports are developed to simplify strategic decision making, on the basis of comprehensive and in-depth significant information, established through wide ranging analysis and latest industry trends. We are striving to provide the best customer friendly services and appropriate business information to accomplish your ideas. Contact 502, Sai Radhe, Kennedy Road, Behind Hotel Sheraton Grand, Near Pune Station, Pune 411 001, Maharashtra, India Contact No- + 91 8956 049 020 Sales@marketgrowthinsight.com Website- https://www.marketgrowthinsight.com Follow Us:- LinkedIn | Twitter | Google+ | Facebook Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/29/2019 -- The global particle therapy market was valued at US$ 364.8 Mn in 2017 and is projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.0% from 2018 to 2026 according to a new report published by Transparency Market Research (TMR) titled "Particle Therapy Market Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 20182026". The report suggests that increase in number of cancer patients for particle therapy treatment and rise in demand for heavy ion radiotherapy due to biological advantage are expected to drive the particle therapy market in the near future (2018 to 2026). North America and Europe are projected to dominate the global market, owing to an increase in the demand for efficient and effective management of particle therapy and high rate of adoption of particle therapy for treatment planning by oncologist. The market in Asia Pacific is projected to expand at an exponential growth rate during the forecast period. This is attributed to a large base of specialty clinics and hospitals, rise in the geriatric population with brain and spine tumor diseases requiring proton therapy services, and increase in the rate of adoption of new therapies, such as carbon and proton therapy for the treatment of cancer patients. The market for particle therapy in Latin America is likely to expand at a moderate growth rate during the forecast period. Request a PDF Sample - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=56133 Proton therapy features in particle therapy to fuel global market The global particle therapy market is projected to be potentially driven by the features and characteristics of proton therapy. Proton therapy is being offered by various particle therapy producing companies in order to streamline day-to-day work flow and increase the revenue of the practices. Proton therapy provides diverse features and benefits, ranging from patient pain heeling remedies to treatment procedures. These features help physicians and nurses to streamline the tumor treatment therapy activity required for patients in order to maintain their daily workflow efficiently and effectively. The key players offering the particle therapy are introducing value added features, such as set up labs with services such as cyclotrons, synchrotrons, effective modality features, along with imaging modules, thereby reducing the overall operating cost and thus, improving the overall effectiveness and efficiency of proton therapy practices. Companies are focusing on the development of combined proton and carbon therapy facilities in their system in order to effectively integrate the therapy or treatment procedure and patient education and awareness programs on particle therapy. These value added features save the operational time of physicians and help improve its pain management performance among cancer patients. Cyclotrons in projected to be highly lucrative segment for services Cyclotrons are non-reactor sources that are used to produce other radioisotopes or electrons or protons. High energy consumption and disintegration machinery produce half-life radioisotopes or protons that are utilized in the treatment of different types of cancer. Cyclotrons enable the user to practice low frequency clinical applications, thereby allowing the healing of extreme cases of tumor disintegration, which in turn is likely to propel the segment during the forecast period. The practice of nuclear medicine in Middle East & Asia has been expanding significantly in the last few years. For instance, most cyclotrons installed in India are between 12 and 18 MeV and only few of 30 MeV; comparatively most cyclotrons installed in Japan are between 12 and 18 MeV as well as 30 MeV. Request Brochure of Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=56133 Brain and spinal cord tumors (BSCT) and pediatric cancer segments lead the particle therapy market The report offers the detailed segmentation of the applications of particle therapy in pediatric cancer, lung cancer, bladder cancer, brain and spinal cord tumors (BSCT), breast cancer, gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), head and neck cancers (HNC), and others. BSCT and pediatric cancer segments are likely to account for a leading share of the market during the forecast period. This is due to the rising incidence of cancer patient admission to clinics or hospitals, prevalence of different types of cancer among the global population, and the rise in demand for particle therapy by physicians and patients. Various reimbursement and Medicare benefits available for patients in treating diseases led BSCT and pediatric cancer segments to hold a key share of the global market. Hospitals segment dominates the market and the specialty clinics segment is estimated to expand significantly during the forecast period In terms of end-user, the hospitals segment accounted for a leading share of the global particle therapy market in 2017. It is estimated to gain market share and expand at a CAGR of more than 7% during the forecast period. Expansion of specialized pain management services, increase in number of cancer patient footfall in hospitals, and adoption of reimbursement program for the marketing of proton therapy practices led the hospitals segment to account for a prominent share of the global particle therapy market. Increase in number of multinational hospital chains and high digitization budgets are likely to drive the hospitals segment during the forecast period. High prevalence and incidence rates of lung cancer and other prominent cancer diseases in the global population and introduction of new radiotherapy techniques such as particle therapy treatment programs have led to a rise in the patient flow to specialty clinics. These factors are expected to fuel the specialty clinics segment between 2018 and 2026. Asia Pacific offers lucrative business development opportunity. North America and Europe accounted for a key share of global particle therapy market in 2017. They are likely to gain market share by the end of 2026. High rate of adoption of cyclotron platforms for proton therapy and cancer treatment procedures, high submission of healthcare budgets, and government initiatives to promote radiation therapy techniques to treat cancer caused these regions to hold a major share of the global particle therapy market. Asia Pacific is projected to be a highly attractive market for particle therapy, and is likely to exhibit a prominent attractiveness index. The market in the Asia Pacific is projected to expand at a high CAGR of more than 6% during the forecast period due to a large number of specialty clinics in developing countries such as India and China, well-established healthcare facilities, and high rate of adoption of carbon therapy for cancer treatment in countries such as Japan, Australia & New Zealand, Malaysia, and Singapore. The market in Latin America is projected to expand at a moderate growth rate during the forecast period. Key trend of research and development among leading players to increase geographic presence has been observed in last few years The report also provide profiles of leading players operating in the global particle therapy market. Varian Medical Systems, Inc., Hitachi, Ltd., IBA Worldwide, Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd are a few leading players operating in the global particle therapy market that account for significant market share. Companies operating in the particle therapy market are focused on increasing their geographic presence by means of strategic acquisition and collaboration with leading players in respective domains and geography. New acquisitions of humediQ, a manufacturer of IDENTIFY, an automated patient identification, positioning, and motion management system for radiation therapy, played an instrumental role in helping Varian Medical Systems, Inc. strengthen its radiation leadership and ensuring future patients get the right treatment. Other prominent players operating in the global particle therapy include Advanced Oncotherapy PLC., Mevion Medical Systems, Inc., Provision Healthcare, LLC, Optivus Proton Therapy, Inc., Protom International, Inc., and Danfysik A/S. About Transparency Market Research Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMR's global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations. Contact us: Transparency Market Research 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany NY - 12207 United States Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453 Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/28/2019 -- Global Protein Analyzers Market: Synopsis: The global protein analyzers market is popularized by a few dominating products manufactured by as dominant companies operating in the industry. For instance, Euro Vector's N-Protein Analyzer is crucial for achieving accuracy and simplicity during the process of the determination of N-protein percentage. Flash 2000 N/Protein Analyzer by Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. is a great competition to the Kjeldahl method where it cuts down the analysis time to only a few minutes from many hours. View Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/protein-analyzers-market.html The global protein analyzers market could be segmented according to company, country, product, or application for interested parties to receive profitable insights into the industry. The report is just the right guideline to analyze each and every vital segment contributing its bit to the market. The analysts have compiled this report while considering the immediate as well as future business needs of players participating in the global protein analyzers market. Important aspects such as trends and opportunities, growth factors, constraints, and competitive landscape are exhaustively studied in the publication. Global Protein Analyzers Market: Key Trends The world protein analyzers market is envisioned to attract a sweeping measure of demand from the food and beverage sector as it witnesses a strong growth on the back of lifestyle changes, swelling global population size, and augmenting demand for healthy food products. The food and beverage sector has gained a telling impetus over the past half century on account of the rising number of restaurants and food outlets. For instance, Nestle, Starbucks, Coca Cola, KFC, McDonald's, and other popular food hangouts are available in almost all countries across the world. Request a Brochure of the Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=4315 Flash 4000 N/Protein analyzer by Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. is a standout product in the global protein analyzers market that is capable of facilitating protein analysis from numerous samples in less than seven minutes. It is widely used during the manufacture of beer and more beverages, fertilizers, animal feed, and foods such as cereals, cheese, milk, and meat to analyze N-protein with the help of an effective combustion method. On a global platform, the protein analyzers market could be optimistically influenced by the large-scale research and development activities practiced in the protein analyzer manufacturing sphere. This has led to the introduction of a variety of technologically sophisticated products in the industry. Global Protein Analyzers Market: Geographical Study Owing to the advantage of a substantial and ballooning population base, Asia Pacific is envisaged to be a faster growing geographical segment in the international protein analyzers market. On the basis of revenue, Asia Pacific could hold the third largest share in the market, following North America and Europe. South Korea, Singapore, India, China, New Zealand, Australia, and Japan are the chief markets of Asia Pacific. North America and Europe, on the other hand, are foreseen to secure a larger market share due to the presence of a colossal number of food and beverage organizations and leading protein analyzer manufacturers. Request TOC @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=4315 Global Protein Analyzers Market: Competitive Scenario Large companies such as Life Technologies, Euro Vector, LECO Corporation, CE Elantech, Inc., VELP Scientifica, and Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. are anticipated to receive a tough competition from local players in developing markets such as South Africa, Brazil, China, and India. Besides this, the internal competition amongst these top players is foretold to aggravate the competitive scenario of the market. About Transparency Market Research Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge. Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMR's syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement. Contact Us Transparency Market Research 90 State Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207 Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com Website: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/29/2019 -- Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Shale Gas Hydraulic Fracturing Market: Canada, US, and China Industry Analysis 2012-2016 and Opportunity Assessment 2017-2027" to its huge collection of research reports. An insight on the important factors and trends influencing the market. The shale gas hydraulic fracturing markets in Canada, US, and China are expected to individually register impressive growth over a 10-year forecast period. While US is anticipated to remain the global leader, China is foreseen to be a lucrative region thriving at the fastest CAGR value. In terms of volume, the US market that represented a production volume of 18,059 BCF in 2017 is estimated to grow at a 9.8% CAGR through to 2027, whereas the 317.6 BCF Chinese market is likely to witness a stellar CAGR of 21.2%. Canadas shale gas hydraulic fracturing volume was 213.3 BDF in 2017, which is expected to reach up by a CAGR of 8.4% over 2017-2027. Request Free Sample Copy of Report @ https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1834818 The world today is dependent more on unconventional energy resources, including shale gas. It is presumed that by the end of 2027, the development of shale gas in the top regions across the world, i.e. North America and China, will gain robust traction in the coming decade, reaching a peak level. The US is likely to bring in innovative opportunities and promising circumstances for players, owing to increasing use of relatively cheaper energy resources. This region is projected to lead the global industry for shale gas in terms of sales and currently holds over two-third of the market in terms of value and volume. Dominance of the US in shale gas hydraulic fracturing thus revolutionizes North Americas overall energy scenario and also holds a strong impact on the global energy domain. In terms of technology, exploration, development, production, and export of shale gas, the US will be the global leader throughout 2017-2027. Hydraulic fracturing continues to be the most sought after process for shale gas production Shale gas hydraulic fracturing is a popular shale gas production process that involves extraction of trapped natural oil or gas by fracturing the shale rock, eventually enhancing the flow of natural oil or gas that needs to be recovered. Although the prices of natural gas have been seeing an affordable decline since the recent past, the real boost to the market in the US is being provided by greater convenience of shale gas production through hydraulic fracturing compared to that through the conventional method. However, heavy consumption of water during shale gas production through hydraulic fracturing may turn out to remain a major challenge to growth of this process. Moreover, both production and transportation of shale gas tend to release a heap of toxic pollutants in underground water, which is another factor that will continue to hold a strong negative impact on growth of market in near future. Plug & perforation poised for robust growth By technology, plug and perforation segment covered maximum volume share of the US market and is expected to continue dominance through to 2027. This dominance is attributed to indispensable benefits that this process has brought to the US market for shale gas production through hydraulic fracturing. The plug and perforation segment recorded a volume of 13,088.4 BCF in 2017, which will possibly expand at a CAGR of over 10% by 2027-end. Sliding sleeve segment will however thrive at a relatively lower CAGR of over 8% during 2017-2027. Technological innovations such as novel water treatment and management solutions, a major shift from vertical (conventional) vertical drilling to more profitable and eco-friendly horizontal drilling, and emergence of pitless drilling technology are looked at as significant boosters to US market growth in shale gas hydraulic fracturing. Make Pre-Purchase Enquiry or to Get Customized Report @ https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=1834818 As far as key players in the shale gas hydraulic fracturing industry is concerned, a majority of global key players are based on the US, contributing to the region's fostering growth over the years. About ResearchMoz ResearchMoz is the world's fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMoz's service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators. Contact Us: Mr. Nachiket Albany NY - 12207 United States Tel: +1-518-621-2074 Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free) Email: sales@researchmoz.us For More Reports Visit @ http://marketresearchlatestreports.blogspot.com/ Columbia, SC -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/29/2019 -- Getting help from a licensed electrician in Columbia SC is always safe for the property owner hiring such a professional. For property owners in this part of South Carolina, there can be no other better choice than Rytech Electric, LLC. As a licensed electrician in Columbia SC, this company has won the hearts of most of their clients because they are always on time. Due to the confidence the company has on her worn, she offers a 100% money back guarantee. Owners or tenants looking for a residential electrician ican confidently reach out this company as the company serves not just commercial properties, but also residential properties. When talking about the service of an electrician in Lexington SC from this company, one of the clients says "I cannot get over how exceptionally professional, efficient, and affordable Rytec Electric is. This was my first time using them. I can promise you I will never go anywhere else. There's simply no reason to (unless of course, they are just unavailable)." For offering the best electrician service, the company has a team of licensed and professional trained electricians, who abide by most current National Electrical Code. Be it minor or major issues with electrical items, the team from Rytec can rightly diagnose and solve the issues with ease. Each and every time, clients can expect professionalism and craftsmanship from this company. Not just for those looking for electrical contractors in Columbia SC, but also property owners or tenants looking for such a service from Wilmington, White Rock, West Columbia, St. Andrews, Springdale, South Congaree, Seven Oaks and many other areas in Columbia can straightaway reach out Rytec for the best service. The company is licensed to offer electrician services in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. So, a residential or commercial property owner searching for an electrician near me in these areas can get in touch with Rytec. Being the home for the best electricians, the company offers a one-year warranty for all their works. About Rytec Electric, LLC Rytec Electric, LLC offers a wide range of residential installation and electrical repair services. In addition, the company offers 24-hour emergency services as well and even free electrical estimates. For more information, please visit https://www.rytecelectric.com Sellbyville, DE -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/28/2019 -- Thermal Energy Storage Market in U.S. region was over USD 6 billion in 2017. Consumer awareness and inclination toward renewable based power generation along with massive investments toward research & development programs will accelerate the industry growth. In 2017, the country accounted for the installation of energy storage systems of around 41.8-megawatt capacity, depicting 46% year-on-year growth. In addition, utilities through 14 states employed energy storage of nearly 2 gigawatts under Integrated Resource Planning (IRP). China thermal energy storage market is set to grow on account of government incentives to promote the adoption of renewable energy sources. Introduction of sizeable solar farms to meet the growing energy consumption along with the implementation of CSP pilot projects to encourage energy efficiency will stimulate the industry outlook. In 2018, Henan, Jiangsu, Guangdong and Qinghai provinces announced the introduction of energy storage projects of variable capacity equaling 340.5 megawatt. Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/2589 Thermal energy storage market is gaining remarkable momentum lately as renewable energy sources gain a greater foothold in the energy system and the energy generated using renewable sources become a top priority if greenhouse gases emission is to be brought down to zero. All over the world, an immense effort is being put into the shifting away from traditional baseload energy sources, both by private and public entities, which has led to the development of efficient energy storage systems. Thermal energy storage industry has benefitted from such efforts as it is one of the most cost effective and efficient methods of energy storage. Thermal energy storage market by molten salt, in 2017 was valued over USD 9 billion. Rising consumer focus toward energy efficiency complemented by the implementation of energy storage programs will positively influence the industry growth. Increasing demand for large scale energy storage across various commercial and industrial establishments along with the adoption of CSP plants will further stimulate the product penetration. Advancements in the materials and manufacturing technology for the development and deployment of storage systems will drive the thermal energy storage market. Enhanced efforts to limit the fuel-based power generation complemented by the introduction of solar power generation schemes across developing economies will further enhance the product penetration. Increasing stringency toward limiting carbon footprint coupled with rising focus on sustainable technology adoption will stimulate the thermal energy storage market growth. Furthermore, rising demand for energy storage technologies on account of mitigating the power demand and supply mismatch will propel the business landscape. Make an inquiry for buying this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/2589 Thermal Energy Storage Market growth will be driven by rising demand for reliable and uninterrupted power supply coupled with the ongoing efforts for the improvement of energy efficiency. Growing demand for Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) owing to fuel independency along with favorable government measures toward the adoption of renewable based power generation will drive the thermal energy storages market. Speaking of the widespread application portfolio, utility and electricity generation is one of the most lucrative end-use arenas for the thermal energy storage market. The technology has gained massive popularity via its adoption in CSP plants where solar heat is stored to generate electricity that can be used at night, providing relatively affordable, cleaner, and uninterrupted power supply. In terms of energy, the storage capabilities are evidently massive and some of the upcoming projects are good enough to dwarf Crescent Dunes. Thermal energy storage market has found to be gaining significant boost in Chile, Australia, the Middle East and South Africa where the government has mandated the attachment of such levels of storage with CSP. California, with its target of reaching 50% renewable energy by 2030 has also come to acknowledge the benefits of bulk storage offered by molten salt thermal energy storage facilities. However the biggest molten salt thermal energy storage industry will possibly be China which has a massive energy demand and is taking major interest in CSP development. China is in fact planning 1.3 GW of capacity across 21 projects and has joined forces with companies in the Middle East to realize the development. Browse Full Report: https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/thermal-energy-storage-market Valley Cottage, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/28/2019 -- Future Market Insights (FMI) delivers key insights on the wood pellet market in its latest report titled, 'Global Wood Pellet Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 20172027?. According to the report, the global wood pellet market is projected to expand at a healthy CAGR of 8.7% during the forecast period in terms of revenue. Wood pellets are defined as are biofuel made from compressed organic matter or biomass. These technologies use a wide range of materials such as forest & wood waste, agricultural residue, and other substances. Factors such as increasing consumption of wood pellets, increasing health consciousness among consumers, high consumption of wood pellets for residential heating, growing demand for wood pellets for electricity generation, growing exports of wood pellets rapidly growing demand for domestic wood pellets and energy, and climate change are the factors that drive the market. Enterprises and individuals, nowadays, need products that are environmentally-friendly. Collaborations between suppliers and producers ensure a strong bonding and progressive activities, and enhance the development process. This demand has given rise to the increased production of wood pellets. Download Sample Copy@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-484 Government certification is a valuable tool to assure customers that the wood pellets are made from sustainably managed forests. Increasing certification criteria is the key restraining factor of the North American wood pellet market while exporting to other countries, where various rules mandate renewable energy production. The procurement policy of wood pellets is also one of the key restraining factors in the market here. The Sustainable Forestry Initiative and Forest Stewardship Council are the certification organizations in North America. 19% of U.S. commercial forestland is certified by major U.S. standards. According to the Wood Pellet Association of Canada, approx. 9% of the world's forests are certified. Out of them, more than 40% forests are in Canada, which makes these forests as an ideal source of wood pellets. On the basis of region, Western Europe is estimated to be the largest market for wood pellets, accounting for 72.6% value share of the global wood pellets market in 2017. The region continues to dominate the market, and is expected to continue to do so throughout the forecast period. Eastern Europe exports most of its produced wood pellets to other countries such as Germany and the United Kingdom, where it requires certification for exports. Various industries are focusing on getting certified with DINplus and green energy certifications, which will help in exporting the produced wood pellets. The rapid rate of the production of wood pellets in countries like Poland, Czech Republic, and Slovakia is a major driving factor of the wood pellet market in Eastern Europe, owing to the high amount of exports to the other developed countries of Western Europe. On the basis of end use, the industrial pellets for co-firing segment is projected to exhibit a CAGR of 11.0% and and 9.1% in terms of market value and volume, respectively, during the forecast period. This is attributed to the increasing demand for wood pellets in a wide range of end-user applications. The markets in APEJ, Western Europe, MEA, and Latin America are anticipated to contribute majorly to the global wood pellet market. The market in Western Europe is expected to account for 69.6% share in terms of value in the global wood pellet market, and be valued at US$ 14,694.6 Mn by 2027 end. The increasing demand for wood pellets for residential heating and energy and climate change in Western Europe is expected to fuel revenue growth of the market in the region. The market in Western Europe is estimated to be valued at US$ 6,686.2 Mn by 2017 end, and projected to expand at a CAGR of 8.2% during the forecast period. Factors such as increasing consumption of wood pellets, increasing health health consciousness among consumers, high consumption of wood pellets for residential heating, growing demand for wood pellets for electricity generation, growing exports of wood pellets, growing demand for domestic wood pellets and energy, and climate change are expected to drive revenue growth of the global wood pellet market. Download Competitive Matrix@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-484 Key market participants covered in the report include Drax Biomas Inc, Rentech, Inc, Enviva Partners, LP, German Pellets GmbH, Viridis Energy Inc, AS Graanul Invest, Pinnacle Renewable Energy Inc, Lignetics of Idaho, Inc, Zilkha Biomass Energy, LLC, and Energy Girvan Limited. Valley Cottage, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/28/2019 -- Growing number of injuries, trauma, and diseases will surge in the hospital admissions. The demand for emergency admissions and treatment need early and comfortable transport. Stretchers are the medical device intended for transport the patient who require medical care and unable to the walk. X-ray stretchers offer full-length x-ray capabilities with the mobility of the stretcher. X-Ray stretchers offer imaging features more than mobility. Built-in X-Ray capabilities such as cassette platform allow capturing at a point quality image on the stretcher. X-Ray stretchers are very helpful in conditions such as trauma and injury by providing early diagnosis. Early diagnosis support in the early treatment of patients suffered from the critical condition. X-Ray stretchers save time and help to reduce injury risk x-ray stretchers head to toe x-ray capabilities. X-ray stretchers reduce patient handling risk and enhance patient comfort. X-Ray stretchers allow adjusting patient surface and position such as height adjustment and backrest adjustments. X-Ray Stretchers Market: Drivers and Restraints- The primary factor of the growth of the global x-ray stretchers market is the increasing number of hospital admission attributed to rising incidence of accidents. High risk of injury while moving patients will boost the demand for x-ray stretchers. Problems such as strains and sprains among healthcare workers while moving, lifting and shifting the patients are boosting the demand for x-ray stretchers. The demand for early diagnosis during emergency cases is the main driving factor of x-ray stretcher market. X-ray stretchers provide ease of capturing x-ray for the patient in emergency cases such accident, bone fracture and trauma without patient movement. Strict regulations against manually lifting heavy loads expected to grow the x-ray stretchers market. Increasing the old age population has led to the increased medical emergency which increases the demand for x-ray stretchers. Increasing adoption of advanced healthcare facilities in hospitals and ambulatory care centers will provide the high growth opportunity for x-ray stretchers market. Moreover, orthopedic clinics are the major end-user where x-ray stretchers demand is very high. However, no strict legal protocols concerning the proper handling of patients in countries such as Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia will restrain the growth of x-ray stretchers market. Lack of healthcare facilities and long-term planning will negatively impact the growth of x-ray stretchers market. Request Sample Copy of Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-7342 X-Ray Stretcher Market: Segmentation On the basis of product type, x-ray stretcher market can be segmented as: Pneumatic Hydraulic Electrical On the basis of the end user, the x-ray stretcher market can be segmented as: Hospitals Clinics Ambulatory Surgical Centers X-Ray Stretcher Market: Overview Global x-ray stretcher market is expected to gain significant growth rate over the forecast period. X-ray stretcher is expected to gain high demand in forecast periods due to increasing adoption of advanced healthcare devices and growing need of fast x-ray imaging. Increasing trauma and accident cases create the huge growth opportunity for x-ray stretcher market. Pneumatic and hydraulic product type are expected to gain most of the market share in x-ray stretcher market. Hospitals segment is expected to anticipate revenue share in x-ray stretcher market over the forecast period due to increasing number of hospital admissions and emergency cases. X-RAY Stretcher Market: Region-wise Outlook In terms of geography, x-ray stretcher market has been divided into eight regions including North- America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Asia- Pacific excluding China & Japan (APECJ), China, Japan, Middle-East & Africa and Latin America. North America is the most dominating market for x-ray stretcher market due to the rise in per capita expenditure on healthcare and technological advancement. Western European countries such as Germany, France, and the U.K. are top revenue contributing courtiers in Western Europe. The Asia Pacific excluding China and Japan x-ray stretcher market is expected to expand at fastest growth rate over the forecast period due to improving healthcare facilities and medical tourism in the region. China is the one of the major revenue contributing country in global x-ray stretchers market due to the availability of cost-effective x-ray stretchers. Request to View TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-7342 X-Ray Stretcher Market: Key Market Participants Example of some market players participants in global x-ray stretcher market identify across the value chain are Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc., Stryker Corporation, Favero Health Projects, Bryton Corporation, Joson-Care enterprise Co. Ltd., Shree Hospital Equipments, Invacare Corporation. Local players are focusing on the expansion of their business with expanding product portfolio. In a short statement published on his official Twitter account @AlsisiOfficial, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi applauded the successful extradition on Tuesday night of Egypt's most wanted terrorist Hesham El-Ashmawy from Libya to Egypt. A salute and appreciation to Egypts brave men who have always acted as hawks against all those who thought that they can terrorize Egyptians, El-Sisi said. "These heroes have taken an oath to protect the homeland. A salute to those who carried the shield in the time of defence and the sword in the time to attack." The war on terrorism has not ended and will not end until the right of every martyr who died for the sake of the nation is restored. Egypt lives by its men,' El-Sisi added. Search Keywords: Short link: EgyptAir announced the re-operation of flights to Abidjan, with two flights per week starting from 20 June. In a statement Wednesday, chairman and CEO of EgyptAir Holding Ahmed Adel said that the re-operation of flights to Abidjan coincides with the launch of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). He further underlined that EgyptAir will be the official carrier of AFCON, set to take place in Egypt from 21 June to 19 July. The two weekly flights to Abidjan via Accra, the capital and largest city of Ghana, will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays, he noted. Search Keywords: Short link: The Australia-listed company announced in a trading update that the contract extensions have contributed to an improved fleet utilisation as the level of utilisation has increased to 49% to-date from the previously projected 39% at the half year. The offshore vessel market continues to be in the early stages of recovery with increasing activity and a tightening in the market for high specification vessels, MMA Offshore told the stock exchange. The company said that its 2015-built, 10,460-bhp MMA Privilege, currently operating as an accommodation and walk-to-work vessel supporting FPSO maintenance in Cote dIvoire, has had its contract extended by six months through to 31 December 2019 with options to extend to 31 March 2020. The 2013-built, 5,150-bhp MMA Pride, operating as a walk-to-work vessel in Brunei, has also had its contract extended by nine months through to 31 December 2019. Read more: OSV sector needs five more years to clear supply glut The 2016-built, 2,420-dwt MMA Pinnacle has recently completed the first phase of its walk-to-work contract for Woodside supporting platform maintenance in the North West Shelf. The vessel is currently engaged in short-term inspection, maintenance and repair scopes within Australia, with the second phase of the Woodside Project due to commence in September 2019. MMA Offshore is also supporting Santos drilling programme in Australia through to August 2019 with options to extend, as well as drilling support activities in Malaysia. Press Release May 29, 2019 Gatchalian: ROTC bill has safeguards vs student abuse, corruption Senator Win Gatchalian has sought to assure the public that the Senate version of the bill reinstating the Reserve Officers' Training Course (ROTC) program in senior high school contains sufficient safeguards to protect students against abuse and corruption. In his sponsorship speech for Senate Bill No. 2232, Gatchalian said the establishment of grievance committees, both at the cluster unit and national levels, ensures that there is a reportorial, investigative, and disciplinary mechanism available to address wrongdoings perpetrated under or through the ROTC program, should it be reinstated. "Under this bill, grievance committees must provide the parties involved with its findings and recommendations within 30 days of receipt of the complaint," the lawmaker said. "This underscores the urgency and seriousness with which we take the issue of protection against abuse." "Likewise, this bill requires that the ROTC program be run hand-in-hand with legal safeguards against hazing, abuse, exploitation, discrimination, bribery, and corruption - in recognition that these problems have plagued the program in the past," he added. Gatchalian said ROTC instructors will also be required to undergo a capacity development and enhancement program, which includes gender- and child- sensitivity training programs as well as sessions on relevant domestic laws and other international obligations, to ensure they are held to the highest moral standards as they carry out the program. "All in all, these benefits and safeguards work together to establish an ROTC program that addresses the country's needs while helping develop the youth's collective potential and ensuring their protection from abuse and corruption at the same time," Gatchalian said. The former Valenzuela City mayor and congressman said the re-institutionalization of the ROTC in educational institutions throughout the country will arm students with the discipline that they will need as they take over the reins of leadership and service. "The revival of the mandatory basic ROTC program will inculcate discipline in our youth through the enhancement of the values of leadership, camaraderie, and sacrifice for common objectives," he said. "The program will also be designed around the ideals of patriotism and nationalism, all while emphasizing on respect for human rights and the strengthening of ethical and spiritual values." He noted that "an overwhelming majority" of Filipinos support the revival of ROTC. A nationwide survey conducted by Pulse Asia in December 2018 revealed that 80 percent of Filipinos were in favor of proposals to implement ROTC either in senior high school or college, or in both levels. Education Secretary Leonor Briones has also voiced her support for the reimposition of ROTC. Press Release May 29, 2019 Inclusion of senior high studes in Mandatory ROTC violates international law -- Hontiveros The proposed 2-year mandatory basic ROTC program may be in violation of international law, according to Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros. Hontiveros said that Senate Bill No. 2232, which seeks to revive the mandatory Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC), requires students enrolled in Grades 11 and 12 to be part of the program. She said that it violates the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, a protocol to which the Philippines is a party. "Most students enrolled in Grades 11 and 12 are 16 to 17 year-olds. They are minors. The protocol we are party to ensures that persons who have not attained the age of 18 years old are not compulsorily recruited into the armed forces", explained Hontiveros. "Since the Armed Forces of the Philippines [AFP] is also composed of a 'citizens' armed force which shall undergo military training', we would be violating our international commitment if we compulsorily recruit into the reserved forces those who are not of the age of majority," she added. Hontiveros also expressed concern over the funding and logistical requirements in making ROTC mandatory. "There are around 11,000 high schools in the country. How do we overcome the financial burden of institutionalizing ROTC in all these high schools? How can we assure the public of proper implementation when we can barely sustain our K to 12 program?" she asked. "Keep it optional" Hontiveros said that while she recognizes the value of military education and training for students to mobilize them for national defense, she said it should be kept optional and part of a wide array of options that students can choose from to partake in social and civic duties. "As a PMA widow, I understand the value of military education and training for national defense preparedness. But it should remain optional. Students must be given options of how to fulfill their socio-civic responsibilities to the country. Love of country and the defense of its sovereignty can take many forms. It can take the form of active citizenship and volunteerism in the deployment of social welfare services, teaching literacy and numeracy skills to schoolchildren and yes, even reserve military training," Hontiveros said. "I am curious as to why we look to mandatory militarism as a way to promote nationalism, whilst at the same time removing National Language and Panitikan as mandatory courses in schools? Mandatory militaristic courses don't have the monopoly of inculcating love of country. Love of country should be an expression of a deeper understanding of social responsibility," Hontiveros ended. Press Release May 29, 2019 Legarda on Ocean's Month: Save Our Oceans from Plastic Pollution In celebration of the "Month of Ocean" this May, Senator Loren Legarda called on national and local leaders and citizens to help save our oceans from plastic pollution by implementing and educating ecological solid waste management practices within households and communities. Legarda said that the Month of Ocean is annually celebrated during the month of May by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 57, s. 1999 and that the theme for the 20th anniversary this year is "Free the Sea from Marine Debris," which focuses on the issue of marine debris and its effects to coastal and marine resources. "Our oceans are primary sources of air, food, livelihood, and wealth for us Filipinos and people across the globe. I appreciate that we have now strengthened our efforts to protect marine life and resources, but we need to urge our leaders and citizens a bit more to integrate ocean health protection into our consciousness and behavior," Legarda said. Legarda lauded the collaborative efforts to rehabilitate Boracay and Manila Bay, but also encouraged local leaders and communities to fully implement the Ecological Solid Waste Management (EWSM), adding that Philippine communities that are faithfully implementing the law have reported up to 80 percent waste diversion rate, which entails that much waste either recycled or composted. Legarda noted the study by the Ocean Conservancy and the McKinsey Center for Business and Environment, which reported that the Philippines is one of the top countries with plastic waste in the ocean, with 2.7 million metric tons of plastic waste and half a million metric tons of plastic-waste leakage per year. Senator Legarda, who filed Senate Bill No. 1948 or the "Single-Use Plastics Regulation and Management Act," also supported the campaign "Say No To Plastic Straws," launched as one of the activities for this year's Ocean's Month to inspire citizens and establishments to use alternatives to plastic straws. "Let this year's celebration of Ocean's Month be a reminder that protecting our ocean's health is also protecting human health. May this further enable us to take action on sustainable management of our marine resources and ensuring that our oceans are free from plastic pollution," Legarda concluded. ABC/Image Group LAEric Church played for a record crowd Saturday night at Nashvilles Nissan Stadium. On Tuesday, the Country Music Association revealed hell be back in a little more than a week for CMA Fest. The Chief is set to return to the home of the Tennessee Titans on June 7. Hes scheduled to take the stage at 10:45 p.m. CT that Friday night, right before Carrie Underwood closes things out at 11:30. Some four-day passes for country musics ultimate fan gathering still remain. You can find out more at CMAFest.com. The 56,521 fans who turned out for last Saturday nights stop on Erics Double Down Tour helped set an attendance record for the venue. He also became the only solo artist in the two-decade history of the stadium to headline without an opening act. You can check out Erics new video for Some of It on YouTube now, which he debuted this weekend for the Music City crowd. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Amani Abou Zeid, the African Union (AU) commissioner for infrastructure and energy, has said infrastructure is a bedrock for activating African free trade and trade exchange among African countries. Abou Zeid said the AU is keen to launch an initiative for a unified aviation market to give momentum to the sector in order to boost tourism and trade. She made the remarks in statements to MENA on the fringes of a ceremony held by the Egyptian embassy in Berlin on the occasion of Africa Day. She noted that the European Union, especially Germany, is a key partner to the AU, citing Germany's support for AU programmes for developing renewable energy resources and upgrading infrastructure. She added that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which the African Union launched last year, will go into effect in June 2020. Meanwhile, Egypt's ambassador in Berlin, Badr Abdel Ati, underlined that Egypt as the current chair of the AU will proceed with its efforts to realise economic development in Africa. He stressed that development cannot be achieved without peace and security, highlighting Egypt's support for AfCFTA. Search Keywords: Short link: Press Release May 29, 2019 Legarda Sponsors Senate Concurrence in PH-Indonesia Agreement on Maritime Boundaries; Senate Approves on 2nd Reading Senator Loren Legarda, as Chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, sponsored on Tuesday the Senate Resolution concurring in the ratification of the "Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Philippines and the Government of the Republic of Indonesia Concerning the Delimitation of the Exclusive Economic Zone Boundary." The Senate has also approved the treaty on second reading. Legarda said that both the Philippines and Indonesia are State Parties to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which gave parties entitlements to a 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) for utilization of living and non-living resources. The Senator, however, stated that both countries have overlapping EEZs in Mindanao Sea and Celebes Sea and in the southern section of the Philippine Sea in the Pacific Ocean and that the delimitation or division of the overlapping EEZ of opposite states shall be settled by an agreement on the basis of international law in order to achieve an equitable solution. "Pursuant to UNCLOS, the Philippines and Indonesia conducted a series of negotiations to delimit their overlapping EEZs and embody the results of the negotiations in an agreement. After more than 20 years, the Philippines and Indonesia reached an equitable solution and agreed on a single EEZ boundary line to delimit the overlapping EEZs," Legarda said. Senator Legarda said that the Agreement, which went through a rules-based negotiation for a peaceful solution of maritime disputes, serves as a legally binding instrument to establish the boundary line that delimits the EEZ of both countries. She also noted that the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the Department of National Defense (DND), and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) have been consulted and have concurred in the ratification and concurrence of this Agreement. "With a clearly demarcated EEZ boundary as guided by the official chart, Filipino fishing vessels and fishermen will be able to operate and undertake livelihood activities in our EEZ knowing where the Indonesian EEZ begins. Law enforcement authorities of both countries will now know the maximum extent of their respective jurisdictions where they are mandated to implement laws, rules and regulations on environmental protection and maritime security," Legarda said. "This Agreement is a significant contribution to the best practices and efforts towards building a peaceful regional community which we are all aiming for as one ASEAN," Legarda concluded. Press Release May 29, 2019 Villanueva: Senate ratifies service charge measure The Senate has ratified on Tuesday afternoon the measure that seeks to increase the percentage of service charges distributed to covered workers in the services industry. "This proposed measure allows our frontline service workers to enjoy the fruits of their labor, the reward for providing good, quality service," said Senator Joel Villanueva, chair of the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development. "We thank our colleagues in the Senate and in the House for passing and ratifying this measure." The senator said Senate Bill 1299 effectively amended Article 96 of the Labor Code of the Philippines which provides that employees are entitled to only 85 percent of the service charge paid by customers in hotels, restaurants and similar establishments. Villanueva, principal author and sponsor of the measure, said that rank-and-file and supervisory employees should receive 100 percent of the service charge collected. Employees who are classified as managers, described as those "who lay down and execute management policies or to effectively recommend such managerial actions," are excluded from getting a share in the service charge. In case employers decide to abolish the service charge, Villanueva explained that this will be addressed by Article 100 of the Labor Code of the Philippines which prohibits the diminution of benefits. Villanueva then cited a data from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) showing that from 2014-2017, 621 out of 212,641 inspected establishments nationwide violated labor provisions on service charge after failing to show proof that they distributed their collected service charge to their employees. The senator, moreover, underscored the need to legislate the proposal into law to give hotel and restaurant workers what is rightfully theirs for providing quality service to their customers, and that the proposal will benefit both the workers and employers. Press Release May 29, 2019 Transcript of Interview of Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III on ANC with Karmina Constantino Q: What can you tell us about the committee chairmanships? Which committee will go to which senator? SP Sotto: Well, most of this could be traced to three years ago. The senators elected three years ago, had a chance to be elected to the different committees that they handle. They are here for the next six years, so we call them the incumbents, and there is a tradition in the Senate that we call the equity of the incumbent in choosing the chairmanships. They have work that they have started, they have to continue most of the bills that they started hearing, or filed, therefore, that is the reason for that, the equity. Now, there are new senators and some come-backing senators we call them, that again, there were six reelectionists, that won and most of them have their own committees already when they were there as incumbents from the 17th Congress. Now, we must practice what we call a consensus building or the art of compromise because the newcomers would want some major committees and most of these major committees are being handled by incumbent senators. That is where the problem lies. So we have to build the consensus of the members, we have to talk to those who would be willing to forego their committees and offer another committee. That's how it works. It's not an easy job and it is not left to the discretion of the Senate President contrary to what others think. It is always the members of the majority that votes for the chairman. Q: Do you think with the jockeying that is happening right now and with this consensus building or maybe even good will between and among the senators, do you think that this will foster or build up to a threat to your Senate Presidency? SP Sotto: No, I don't think so. As a matter of fact, right now there are probably only two or three committees that are really giving us a headache. Q: Including the finance committee? SP Sotto: No, no. The finance committee, nobody wants to take it so we are going to elect Senator Sonny Angara to the finance committee whether he likes it or not. Q: So what are the three committees? SP Sotto: Also the ways and means committee, nobody wants to take it, so we will most probably elect who we think would be good for the job. There are committees that two or three members of the Senate would want, but then again there are incumbents. Some of the committees that are open, there are no takers. Q: The ways and means, I understand that Senator-elect de la Rosa would want to have a chance at that? SP Sotto: I don't think so, I heard it, that Imee Marcos is interested in the ways and means committee. Senator Bato de la Rosa I think is interested in the committee on illegal drugs and this is a very good example of another senator who, more or less a very senior Senator Lacson, is willing to give it to Senator de la Rosa. An experienced Senator knows that being chair of any committee is not really that important. You can be very participative or very involved in any of the committees even if you are not a chair or a vice-chair, or not even a member. It's not a title. Q: Mr. Senate President, I just want to go back to what you were saying a while ago and apologize cutting there, but you said there are three committees that are giving you a problem? What are these problematic committees? SP Sotto: The committee on education, the committee on justice, blue ribbon, public services, those four committees. Q: What does that look like? How does it look like right now? SP Sotto: If they cannot agree to a consensus, and they cannot master what we have tried to master before, although unsuccessfully, that is the art of compromise, I will toss it with the body. The majority of the members will have to elect who they think should be the chair of those committees but like for example, in the issue of justice and blue ribbon, Senator Gordon is an incumbent. How can we remove him, unless he would be willing to give up one? Q: Mr. Senate President, this game you have to play really well because it might just translate into threatening your Senate Presidency. Is this something you would fight tooth and nail for? Retaining the Senate Presidency? SP Sotto: First of all, I am Senate President because I was elected by my peers. I serve at the pleasure of the majority. They can replace me anytime and I will have no qualms about it. Now, just because of one or two committees or one or two senators, there will be a shakeup of the leadership, I doubt it. It has never happened. Q: The 18th Congress hasn't even been convened and already there is talk of investigating Senator Antonio Trillanes for his role in a n alleged plot to oust the President, is this something that you would want to happen? SP Sotto: I leave it to the chairmen of the committees involved. For me, as Senate President, I would rather concentrate on the legislative agenda. The investigations, unless I am needed, I leave it to the chairmen of the different committees to handle. Q: You are nearing thirty years of being a Senator. How would you characterize what the 18th Congress will be? SP Sotto: That is a very good question. That is a question I cannot answer now. Q: How would you want it to be? SP Sotto: I would want it to be independent transparent, sincere. The way we tried our best to the 17th Congress Senate and if I maintain the leadership, that's our goal. Remain independent, transparent and sincere to our jobs. Press Release May 29, 2019 Senators honor PH's 'king of buffet', restaurateur Vicvic Villavicencio Senators paid homage to the late restaurateur Victor Vincent "Vicvic" Villavicencio by adopting Resolution No. 1045, recognizing his achievements in entrepreneurship and immense contributions to the country's culture and hospitality industry. The resolution was initiated by Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel "Migz" F. Zubiri and Sen. Richard Gordon. The rest of their colleagues opted to be made co-sponsors and co-authors of the said resolution which was adopted last May 22. "Villavicencio is a paragon of Filipino hospitality and good service. He believed firmly that one must innovate and improve on any good idea and make it work until it's accepted, appreciated and remembered," they said. The senators noted how the businessman, whom they described as the "maverick in the Filipino food industry and pioneer of Subic Yacht Club," helped shape the landscape of dining in the country through his restaurants in a span of almost five decades. A true visionary in the hospitality industry, Villavicencio was one of the first to attempt to elevate Filipino cuisine when he launched Kamayan restaurant in 1977 which served Filipino food at affordable prices and the main attraction of which was to eat with bare hands, they said. They said Villavicencio also pioneered the first buffet restaurant in the country, the reason why he was dubbed the "king of buffet" when he opened Dad's restaurant in 1993. Through his restaurants, the senator said, Villavicencio merged Filipino values into the dining experience. "He offered a 50 percent discount in Dad's buffet to customers who had no leftovers, inspired by the traditional Filipino teaching that no food should be wasted. His restaurants also do not charge service fees as he believed that good service should be part and parcel of work. His restaurants also popularized eating with one's hands even outside of one's home," they said. "Villavicencio also illustrated that good food and company need not be expensive. He made different cuisines accessible to Filipinos by setting affordable prices and giving constant promotions at his restaurants," the senators added. Aside from his contributions in the restaurant industry, the senators said Villavicencio was able to provide jobs for people in the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) when he put up the Subic Yacht Club which is well-known for its top-of-the-line berths and facilities that allow for a secure and environmentally friendly sailing. Born on Nov. 8, 1951, Villavicencio passed away last April 29 due to heart attack. He was 67. Pacific Edge's shares fell 14 percent, despite reporting a smaller full year net loss as more people adopted its Cxbladder cancer diagnostics tests. The shares dropped to 18.5 cents after the Dunedin-based company reported a loss of $17.9 million in the year to March 31, versus a loss of $19.7 million in the prior year. Operating revenue from test sales was up 12 percent to $3.8 million while total revenue was up 3 percent to $5.1 million. The company has developed non-invasive, accurate and simple-to-use molecular diagnostic tests for the detection and management of bladder cancer. Total laboratory throughput, which includes commercial sales as well as tests from user programmes, grew to 15,697 tests in the year to March 31, up 9 percent on the year. Pacific Edge cut total expenses by 7 percent to $23 million and said its net operating cash outflow was $17.5 million for the year, a 3 percent improvement on the prior period. Investors, however, were disappointed. "There is just not a lot of growth there and a company like that should be reporting a pretty impressive growth rate," said Grant Williamson, a director of Hamilton Hindin Greene. While the company had cash, cash equivalents and short term deposits of $12.9 million as at March 31, Williamson said investors may be jittery there will be another cash issue over the next 12 to 24 months. "It's still very much a work in progress," he said. Pacific Edge was upbeat about its New Zealand business and said the majority of New Zealands national healthcare providers or district health boards have now added Cxbladder into the standard of care and, in some cases, into clinical guidelines. More than 3 million people - over 60 percent of New Zealands population - are now covered under contract with these DHBs. "Based on current sales and projected demand, the New Zealand business is expected to reach a cashflow positive position in FY20," it said. Given the success in New Zealand with the commercial contracting of public healthcare providers, Pacific Edge has increased its focus on large institutional healthcare organisations in the US, South East Asia and Australasian markets, it said. The US remains its priority market and management is focused on completing agreements and building sales, the company said. Targets include Kaiser Permanente, Johns Hopkins Medicine, veterans healthcare groups VA and Tricare, and Medicare administrative organisation CMS. Pacific Edge said two of the three milestones required for US national public reimbursement were completed during the year to March 31 and progress continues to be made with the third and final reimbursement milestone, which is to have Cxbladder included in a "local coverage determination". This allows for reimbursement of tests used by patients covered by the CMS. The CMS currently accounts for approximately 50 percent of Pacific Edge's total laboratory throughput in the US. Adoption of Cxbladder is growing and commercial sales are increasing. We remain focused on further accelerating the adoption of Cxbladder by large healthcare organisations in New Zealand and internationally. Gaining inclusion in the Local Coverage Determination remains a priority," said chief executive David Darling. Chairman Chris Gallaher said the board is committed to achieving the key milestone of cashflow breakeven for the group. "The barriers to entry for medical devices are high and Pacific Edge remains the only company in the world to have bought a new diagnostic for urothelial cancer to market in the last 17 years. Clinical evidence published in top-tier journals is facilitating test adoption, coverage and reimbursement and we expect to see a continued uplift in adoption and sales in FY20," it said. (BusinessDesk) Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: Harmoney Corp Limited (NZX: HMY) HMY Signs A$20m Corporate Debt Facility 24th December 2021 Morning Report Goodman Property Trust (NZX: GMT) GMT to develop North Shore facility for NZ Post 23rd December 2021 Morning Report SkyCity Entertainment Group Limited (NZX: SKC) EXPANDS STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH GIG Spark New Zealand Limited (NZX: SPK) Spark to take full ownership of Connect 8 22nd December 2021 Morning Report Precinct Properties New Zealand Limited (NZX: PCT) Wynyard Quarter Stage 3 Commenced AMP Limited (NZX: AMP) Announces Delisting from the NZX Main Board 21st December 2021 Morning Report Police investigating a leak of sensitive Budget information have determined that the Treasury's computer system was not 'hacked'. In a rocky start to what should have been a showcase day for the government's first 'Wellbeing' Budget, a flurry of press statements issued around 5am confirmed that the police had determined the way the information was obtained was "not unlawful". Treasury Secretary Gabriel Makhlouf announced he had now sought an investigation from the State Services Commission, which oversees the public service. State Services Commissioner Peter Hughes said he was considering his options. The statements come ahead of an 8.45am media briefing this morning at which National Party leader Simon Bridges is expected to detail how the National Party came by the information as speculation mounts that the party gained access to a Treasury website that was being set up privately to house Budget information. A parliamentary IP address was among those found to have accessed a 'cloned' Treasury website where Budget materials were being uploaded in what was meant to be a private environment. "The clone also copies all settings for the website including where the index resides. This led to the index on the live site also containing entries for content that was published only on the clone site," said Makhlouf. "As a result, a specifically-worded search would be able to surface small amounts of content from the 2019/20 Estimates documents." Cyber-security experts have suggested 'crawler' software and a conventional search engine may have been all that was necessary to reveal the information if the Treasury site had security flaws. National MPs in Parliament yesterday appeared to know that the information had not been hacked, pursuing questions into both Treasury's and Finance Minister Grant Robertson's competence. "Our systems were clearly susceptible to such unacceptable behaviour, in breach of the long-standing convention around Budget confidentiality, and we will undertake a review to make them more robust," said Makhlouf, who has less than a month to run in his eight-year tenure as head of the government's lead economic advice agency. The Budget is due to be delivered at 2pm, but may be overshadowed if, for example, resignations by senior officials or - at a stretch - an offer of resignation from Robertson were to be made. Finance Minister Roger Douglas offered to resign after the 1986 Budget was distributed early to several dozen prominent New Zealanders. Then Prime Minister David Lange declined Douglas's offer. (BusinessDesk) Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: Harmoney Corp Limited (NZX: HMY) HMY Signs A$20m Corporate Debt Facility 24th December 2021 Morning Report Goodman Property Trust (NZX: GMT) GMT to develop North Shore facility for NZ Post 23rd December 2021 Morning Report SkyCity Entertainment Group Limited (NZX: SKC) EXPANDS STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH GIG Spark New Zealand Limited (NZX: SPK) Spark to take full ownership of Connect 8 22nd December 2021 Morning Report Precinct Properties New Zealand Limited (NZX: PCT) Wynyard Quarter Stage 3 Commenced AMP Limited (NZX: AMP) Announces Delisting from the NZX Main Board 21st December 2021 Morning Report Outgoing Treasury secretary Gabriel Makhlouf appears to be on thin ice with his boss, Finance Minister Grant Robertson. The finance minister says he is "very disappointed" both by the department's poor cyber-security and its hasty referral of Budget leaks that it claimed were "hacking" to the police. His statement follows two days of political turmoil caused by the National Party discovering Budget secrets on a supposedly secure part of the Treasury website and an early morning press statement from Treasury today saying the police had swiftly determined its website was not hacked, but that parts of it that should have been invisible could be accessed using the website's search engine. Makhlouf has asked the State Services Commission to investigate and the head of SSC, Peter Hughes, is considering his options. Im very disappointed that confidential Budget information was able to be accessed in this way. I am also very disappointed that the Treasury did not seek to find more information as to how this happened before referring the matter to the police," said Robertson, whose statement stopped short of seeking a resignation. I now await the inquiry of the State Services Commissioner into this matter." Makhlouf's last day as secretary to the Treasury is June 27, when he will return to the Northern Hemisphere after an eight-year stint at the government's lead economic agency to become governor of the Irish central bank. National Party leader Simon Bridges sought to press home the embarrassment the leaks have caused for the government. He called for the resignations of Robertson and Makhlouf whom he claimed had accused National of engaging in a criminal act when in fact the incident showed evidence of incompetence by the Treasury and government. Robertson said that today he was "focussed on delivering the Wellbeing Budget, which will start to fix many of the long-term problems facing New Zealand. (BusinessDesk) Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. 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Related News: Harmoney Corp Limited (NZX: HMY) HMY Signs A$20m Corporate Debt Facility 24th December 2021 Morning Report Goodman Property Trust (NZX: GMT) GMT to develop North Shore facility for NZ Post 23rd December 2021 Morning Report SkyCity Entertainment Group Limited (NZX: SKC) EXPANDS STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH GIG Spark New Zealand Limited (NZX: SPK) Spark to take full ownership of Connect 8 22nd December 2021 Morning Report Precinct Properties New Zealand Limited (NZX: PCT) Wynyard Quarter Stage 3 Commenced AMP Limited (NZX: AMP) Announces Delisting from the NZX Main Board 21st December 2021 Morning Report Wood is a viable industrial fuel but greater effort may be needed to ensure that new demand from processors doesnt strip supplies from existing users, Fonterra says. Co-firing the firms Brightwater milk powder plant near Nelson on a wood-coal blend shows that wood is a viable means to reduce emissions from process heat, Tony Oosten, the firms energy manager, says. Capital and fuel costs for new wood or coal boilers are now very close and the company could were it to be building its Darfield 2 dryer in Canterbury again do that with wood. The problem comes down to the amount of wood, he told delegates at the New Zealand Minerals Forum in Dunedin yesterday. Fonterra believes it can get about 15 megawatts of wood into each of its plants, based on the local supply in each region. At Darfield, that would require 50-60,000 tonnes of green wood every single year, he said. That is pretty much all the wood that is available in north Canterbury and would put the firm in competition with panel and board makers in the region. This is critical. This is transition engineering. This is about unintended consequences, he said. Do you just let the market go and he who can pay the most gets it? Or do you try and make sure that the Rangiora MDF plant can continue to source material? The vast bulk of New Zealands carbon emissions come from road transport and agriculture. Only about 5 percent comes from power generation and about 15 percent from heavy industry. The government is aiming to plant a billion trees in the next decade to help absorb emissions while also increasing the base of available waste wood that can be turned into renewable industrial fuel longer term. Nelson-based Azwood Energy has said there is ample forestry waste in the hills that could be used, but that demand is being held back by the governments emphasis on electrification of industry. Fraser Jonker, chief executive of Alexandra-based Pioneer Energy, told the conference that there isnt enough wood today and coal is likely to remain an important part of the industrial fuel mix for the next 20 years. His firm, which operates industrial heat plants in Timaru and Dunedin, is already competing with other wood processors for fuel for clients. But he said more waste wood can be sourced from the forests if there is sufficient demand at scale to build up those logistics chains. Wood is almost competitive with coal in Dunedin now, he said, and his firm will next year supply the University of Otago with 150,000 gigajoules of wood energy to meet all its heating needs. The firm is talking with other potential customers in the lower South Island and that demand could be up to 500-600,000 GJ in five years, he said. Government policy will also support demand, with more schools and hospitals likely to make the change to wood. Jonker said there is probably sufficient wood to replace about 10 percent of the South Islands coal use during the next 10 to 15 years. I dont think you can replace all the coal, so coal will remain for a wee while, Jonker said. But weve got a lot of waste wood and I think we should just give it a go. Fonterras Oosten said the firm is on track to meet its energy efficiency and emission targets. Cheese plants use lower temperatures and can be run on electric technologies. Milk powder plants are harder, he said, but new plants will be designed to meet their sub-100 degree energy requirements with electricity. That will allow the firm to use wood in the boilers for the higher temperature requirements. Oosten said the company may use electrode boilers to help meet peak loads or cover specific needs, but their steam cost is roughly twice what the firm is paying now. Wood boilers dont like to fluctuate a lot whereas an electrode boiler you can turn on and off instantaneously. But its very expensive electricity and its very expensive steam. (BusinessDesk) Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: Harmoney Corp Limited (NZX: HMY) HMY Signs A$20m Corporate Debt Facility 24th December 2021 Morning Report Goodman Property Trust (NZX: GMT) GMT to develop North Shore facility for NZ Post 23rd December 2021 Morning Report SkyCity Entertainment Group Limited (NZX: SKC) EXPANDS STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH GIG Spark New Zealand Limited (NZX: SPK) Spark to take full ownership of Connect 8 22nd December 2021 Morning Report Precinct Properties New Zealand Limited (NZX: PCT) Wynyard Quarter Stage 3 Commenced AMP Limited (NZX: AMP) Announces Delisting from the NZX Main Board 21st December 2021 Morning Report The Reserve Bank has used a net benefits framework in devising its bank capital proposals, governor Adrian Orr told parliaments finance and expenditure select committee. National Party finance spokeswoman Amy Adams had been quizzing the RBNZ officials on why the central bank hadnt conducted a cost benefit analysis of its proposals. Ive said on the record many times, but it doesnt land on ears that want to hear it, Orr said. Im getting tired of hearing the same thing over and over again and it just isnt true, he said. Weve used a net benefits framework in framing the bank capital proposals and RBNZ will include a cost-benefit analysis in its regulatory impact statement, "which you could call a cost-benefit framework in anyone else's language". The central bank said explicitly in a paper released in April that it wouldnt produce a cost-benefit analysis until its regulatory impact statement, but many critics have said that such analysis should have been RBNZs starting point, but Orr said "people are feeding off loose language in one document" when there were "hundreds of pages on net benefit". The Reserve Bank is proposing to near double minimum tier 1 capital requirements from 8.5 percent currently to 16 percent for the big four banks and 15 percent for the smaller banks. It has also proposed limiting the advantages the big four Australian-owned banks get from using their own internal models for calculating capital to no more than 90 percent of the results from the standardised models the other New Zealand-owned banks have to use. We are open-minded and weve said this right from the start although that hasnt been the reaction from the industry, Orr said earlier at a media conference on his latest Financial Stability Report. If we see sufficient reason to be changing any of the parameters, then we will and we will make it clear why, he said. He later told the select committee that RBNZ has been bending over backwards to take submissions from its critics. The central bank extended the deadline twice and submissions finally closed on May 17. Adams asked about the joint submission from the four smaller New Zealand-owned banks, Kiwibank, TSB Bank, SBS Bank and Cooperative Bank, which said that far from levelling the playing field, as the central bank has said its proposals should do, they could make it even harder for them to compete. I will say that was a very small sentence in a largely endorsing submission. It was around a specific issue, Orr said. Deputy governor Geoff Bascand said that he agrees there are some issues for the smaller banks in raising capital. Some of them have more limited capital raising capacity and RBNZ is already working on, for example, how a mutual bank can raise capital. Kiwibank is owned by New Zealand Post, the New Zealand Superannuation Fund and ACC while TSB is owned by a community trust and both SBS and Cooperative are mutuals owned by their depositors. Weve got to look at all of those issues but he wont accept any blanket assertion that the proposals will be bad for the New Zealand banks, Bascand said. Asked at the media conference what had changed in the last three or four years to convince RBNZ that banks need more capital, Orr answered: Not enough has changed. What has changed is not sufficient. There have been a number of very good changes, such as the banks now having much better liquidity, having much longer duration of debt and relying more on domestic deposits. But the banking sector is still exposed to the same risks it faced in the 2008 global financial crisis and RBNZ has since learned more about problems with bank conduct and culture. Orr rejected some of the criticism of the proposals but said RBNZ will be working through all the submissions and that the devils in the details of the assumptions that the critics have been making. Possibly in answer to those critics, RBNZ announced yesterday that it has appointed three experts with both academic and central bank experience in Britain, the United States and Australia to independently assess the capital proposals. The independent experts have been asked to decide a wide variety things, including whether RBNZ has calibrated its proposals correctly and whether it is missing anything theres absolutely kitchen sink and all in the experts terms of reference, Orr said. I strongly disagree with the assertion that were opinion shopping and the three people chosen to review the central banks proposals are global experts, he said in answer to questions from National's Amy Adams. Each will issue their own report and those reports will be publicly released: All will be transparent. Orr repeatedly stressed that whatever the final decisions on capital, the policies will be phased in over time. Although banks often implement new rules, such as changes in loan-to-valuation restrictions, immediately rather than waiting for the actual implementation date, Orr said bank customers need to be talking to their banks if they try to implement any capital changes overnight. It will not be the regulatory impost thats making them move. (BusinessDesk) Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: Harmoney Corp Limited (NZX: HMY) HMY Signs A$20m Corporate Debt Facility 24th December 2021 Morning Report Goodman Property Trust (NZX: GMT) GMT to develop North Shore facility for NZ Post 23rd December 2021 Morning Report SkyCity Entertainment Group Limited (NZX: SKC) EXPANDS STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH GIG Spark New Zealand Limited (NZX: SPK) Spark to take full ownership of Connect 8 22nd December 2021 Morning Report Precinct Properties New Zealand Limited (NZX: PCT) Wynyard Quarter Stage 3 Commenced AMP Limited (NZX: AMP) Announces Delisting from the NZX Main Board 21st December 2021 Morning Report The extradition of Hesham El-Ashmawy, one of the most wanted terrorists in Egypt, from Libya to Egypt on Tuesday night was widely welcomed by Egyptian MPs. Soliman Wahdan, deputy speaker of parliament, said that the extradition came after a successful visit to Libya by the head of Egypt's General Intelligence Directorate Abbas Kamel and the conclusion of a meeting with leader of the Libyan army Khalifa Haftar. Wahdan said El-Ashmawy is Egypts most wanted terrorist. "El-Ashmawy was directly involved in the Farafra and Wahat Bahariya terrorist operation in October 2017, which left 16 policemen killed," said Wahdan. Wahdan also said that El-Ashmawy masterminded the attempt on former interior minister Mohamed Ibrahim's life in September 2013. "He was also mainly responsible for directing the terrorist attack on a Coptic bus in the Upper Egyptian governorate of Minya in May 2017, which led to the killing of 29 citizens," said Wahdan. "El-Ashmawy also led the terrorist operation against the security directorate of the Nile Delta governorate of Daqahliyya in December 2013." Kamal Amer, head of parliament's defence and national security committee, said that coordination between Egyptian intelligence and Libyan authorities led to the transfer of El-Ashmawy from Libya to Egypt. "El-Ashmawy has a wealth of information about terrorist groups, particularly the one operating from North Sinai under the name of Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis, which is affiliated with Daesh." "We can say that El-Ashmawy is a treasure trove because he has highly important information on different takfiri militant organisations, and his arrest could help Egypt's security and army disrupt several terrorist cells in Egypt and Libya, and help the army get access to their internal structures and sources of funding," said Amer. Amer said the arrest of El-Ashmawy came after intensive coordination between Egyptian and Libyan authorities. "While Egypt's army and police have been able since 2018 to disrupt most of the takfiri groups in North Sinai, Libya's army was able to destroy many of the terrorist organisations that took refuge in Libya, particularly in the city of Derna, after they were crushed in Syria," said Amer. "The arrest directs a deafening blow to terrorist organisations, and helps secure the Egyptian-Libya border, which was used by El-Ashmawy to infiltrate Egypt from Libya and mount his terrorist attacks." Salah Hassaballah, the spokesman of the Egyptian parliament, said in a statement that the arrest of El-Ashmawy by Libyan authorities in October 2018 and his extradition to Egypt yesterday was implemented in a very professional way. "Libya was able to arrest him alive and this is very important because of the wealth of information he has about terrorist groups, while Egypt coordinated well with Libya to capture him because he is an Egyptian and should be interrogated here," said Hassaballah, adding that "Egypt's support for the Libyan national army in its war against terrorists helped a lot in transferring El-Ashmawy in a smooth and successful way." "The arrest of El-Ashmawy and his extradition to Egypt will be bad news for the Turkish and Qatari regimes, who are the most supportive of militant political Islamist movements in terms of money and weapons," said Hassaballah. Search Keywords: Short link: This weeks meeting in Cairo between President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi and the chief of Sudans military council Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan could mark the beginning of wide-ranging cooperation between Cairo and Khartoum, says a senior Egyptian official. Saturdays meeting is Al-Burhans first overseas trip. Egypts relations with Sudan have gone through many ups and downs in the last 30 years. Now there is a feeling we might be seeing the beginning of solid relations on all fronts, says the official. Government sources say this is not about the ascent of the military to power in Sudan Omar Al-Bashir, they point out, was also a soldier but about the determination to avoid a political vacuum in a country of direct national security interest to Egypt. An Egyptian source told Al-Ahram Weekly that Cairo fears that political chaos would lead to a security chaos in Sudan. The fact that the ruling military council is nearly in full control of Khartoum and Om Durman and its suburbs and not the rest of the country is pushing the major Arab governments for more support of the transitional ruling council. Following Al-Bashirs assumption of power in the late 1980s relations between Egypt and Sudan were characterised more by squabbles than cooperation. In 1995 Cairo openly accused Khartoum of involvement in an attempt on the life of then president Hosni Mubarak in Addis Ababa after he arrived to take part in a summit of African leaders. The tensions never really cleared, even when Cairo showed solidarity with Al-Bashir during the last months of his rule. Al-Bashir was always playing games, trying to ply one side against the other. Everybody knew this, says Haitham Mekkawi, a member of Sudans Alliance of Freedom and Change. Speaking from Khartoum, Mekkawi argued undoing the damage Al-Bashir inflicted on the countrys foreign policy is an urgent issue for post-Bashir Sudan. This is something that has to be done by the military and civilian political leaders and Egypt is clearly a priority given our historic ties and proximity. According to the Cairo official, it is too early to predict the path of future relations but the overall picture seems promising. The focus [of talks between Al-Sisi and Al-Burhan] was obviously on developments in Sudan but bilateral relations were also discussed, the official added, and joint security interests would have topped the bilateral agenda. Since the days of Mubarak Cairo has been demanding Sudan stop offering refuge to militant Islamists, calls that expanded under Al-Sisi to include leading figures from the Muslim Brotherhood.Al-Burhan made no final promises, says the official, but was clearly committed to working with Egypt on security matters. Egypt and Sudan have a number of longstanding disagreements beyond security. There is Khartoums support for Ethiopias Grand Renaissance Dam, though in the last months of his rule Al-Bashir seemed to be readying for a U-turn on the issue. According to Cairo-based Western diplomats, during top level meetings between Egyptian officials and representatives from influential Western capitals Cairo continues to solicit support for its position on the dam. An official Sudanese source with knowledge of the decision-making process in Khartoum said this week that the initial willingness of Al-Burhan and his second in command, Hamdan Daglo, to pursue an alliance with the Cairo-Abu Dhabi-Riyadh axis suggests the future trajectory of Khartoums relations. Following his one-day visit to Cairo, Al-Burhan headed straight to meet Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi. Meanwhile, Daglo had already been to Riyadh to meet with Mohamed bin Salman. A Cairo-based European diplomat who follows Sudan closely says the overall message Khartoum is conveying is a willingness on the part of the new military leaders of Sudan to pursue an alliance with Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates over Turkey and Qatar, Al-Bashirs traditional allies during the last decade. It is noteworthy, says the diplomat, that both Al-Burhan and Daglo already have established contacts with leaders in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE where they have a history of serving or else overseeing joint military cooperation. Mekkawi argues relations with Egypt inevitably constitute a different story to those with other Arab countries, even with Saudi Arabia and the UAE whose aim is to win Sudan to their side and undercut the heritage of Al-Bashirs ties not just with Qatar and Turkey but also with Iran. Like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, Egypt is also keen to ensure the cooperation of Sudan over Red Sea security. During the last few years of Al-Bashir, Cairo had grown increasingly concerned about Khartoums willingness to allow Ankara and Doha access to the Red Sea. According to the Cairo official, furthering cooperation over Red Sea security was raised during Al-Burhans visit to Cairo. Then there is the longstanding dispute over Halayeb and Shalatin, the triangle of land on the Egyptian and Sudanese border that both countries claim. It was not, says the official, on the agenda of the Cairo talks between Al-Sisi and Al-Burhan. We are working on consolidating relations not on disagreeing, he said. Sudan is going through a hard time and we want to make sure it regains stability. To secure truly positive prospects for Egypt-Sudan relations, argues Mekkawi, it is important that Cairo takes into account the views of Sudans revolutionary leaders as well as its military council. We understand that Egypt has followed its own path since the January Revolution and made its own choices. We hope it acknowledges the right of the Sudanese people to do the same. Mekkawi was speaking on the eve of a general strike that revolutionary leaders had called to force the military council into agreeing to wider participation in managing the transitional phase. The general strike was not backed by some political opposition figures, including former premier Sadek Al-Mahdi who has close ties with Cairo. Speaking on Monday Al-Mahdi said that a general strike is a weapon that should only be used after it has been agreed on by everybody. Al-Mahdi returned from Egypt to Sudan days before the beginning of the demonstrations that eventually led to Al-Bashirs fall and did not immediately join the calls for change. According to the European diplomat who spoke in Cairo, it is very clear that Egypts priority on Sudan is to support the military council and the traditional opposition. But Cairo is also aware that it should not antagonise public opinion in Sudan which is why it is playing its cards very carefully. Eddie Thomas, an expert on Sudan who has authored several volumes on the country, believes it is too early to make any final judgements on the path Sudans foreign policy be it towards Egypt or any other country is likely to take. The ouster of Al-Bashir, he says, stripped Sudan of its sole foreign policy-maker. Today leading members of the military council are on the side of Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates but there are others on the council who might solicit alternative alliances. It is also significant, Thomas adds, that Sudans revolutionary leaders are seeking a different political path to the one that emerged in Egypt following the ouster of Mubarak. The situation is complicated, Thomas argues, by the fact that the Islamists of Sudan constitute the ruling class, created under Al-Bashir during the last 30 years. And at the end of the day, says Thomas, the military council is not yet in full control because the people are still on the streets. *A version of this article appears in print in the 30 May, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Seeking southern partners Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt's Minister of Immigration and Expatriate Affairs Nabila Makram contacted Osama Al-Nugali, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Egypt and permanent representative to the Arab League, on Wednesday to discuss a complaint signed by 300 Egyptian pharmacists working in Saudi Arabia, according to a cabinet statement. The 300 pharmacists work for the Saudi Tadawi Healthcare Company, and according to the statement, they have not received their salary for four months. Before the suspension of their salaries, all their commissions and incentives were deducted by 30 percent of their salaries for 10 months. Their health insurance was also suspended and work permits were not renewed, which exposes them to fines. "The ministry continues to closely follow up with the Saudi ambassador on the issue so as to solve it as soon as possible," said Makram, affirming the depth of the official and popular relations between the two Arab countries. The immigration minister also stressed that she has contacted the Egyptian Pharmacists Syndicate to find out all the facts and details in order to submit them to the Saudi ambassador. Al-Nugali stressed his readiness to follow up on the situation and submit the matter to the relevant authorities in the kingdom to reach a solution. Search Keywords: Short link: Ramadan is a time when the mausoleums of the Prophet Mohameds family in Cairo become the mecca of many Muslim worshippers The president of the assembly, Al-Sayeda Zeinab, listens attentively to the lamentations of all the creatures, even the lament of trees lashed by the wind. From The Book of Illuminations by Egyptian novelist and writer Gamal Al-Ghitani (1945-2015) Her mausoleum, adorned in a bridal veil, is bathed in a particular light, and together with the scent of incense that fills the place, this sets the scene for spiritual reflection. Al-Sayeda Zeinab, the granddaughter of the Prophet Mohamed, who was born to his beloved daughter Fatma and his cousin Imam Ali Ibn Abi Taleb, is the object of passion of many Muslims around the world. It is the holy month of Ramadan, a time when many devoted Muslims, and particularly Sufis, choose to visit the mosques of the prophets family (ahl al-beit), seeking their blessings, praying, and reciting the Quran. Egypt has a large number of saintly shrines. A study entitled Maraqid [Shrines] Ahl Al-Beit in Cairo by professor of geography at the Faculty of Arts at Damanhour University Abdel-Azim Ahmed Abdel-Azim, shows that Cairo alone hosts some 34 shrines related to the ahl al-beit, while mausoleums of the saints may amount to 1,000 nationwide. Controversy surrounding who is actually buried in these mausoleums notwithstanding, there is almost a consensus that more attention should be granted to the mosques housing those shrines, particularly the smaller ones that may be suffering from neglect despite their historical and religious significance. Al-Sayeda Zeinabs neo-Mameluke Mosque, which dates back to the Fatimid period and houses her shrine, stands in majesty in a populous square in Cairo that also carries her name and receives hundreds of passionate worshippers every day. Away from the hassle and bustle of the populous area around it, the interior of the mosque exudes a sense of historical and spiritual grandeur. Those who visit her shrine are not just the afflicted seeking her blessing, or members of Sufi orders who consider visiting the shrines of saints and mausoleums an important part of self-purification, but also those who feel a passion to remain in the company of the president of the assembly, as many Sufis like to dub Al-Sayeda Zeinab. The assembly here means the prophets descendants and saints who have a special status in the hearts of Muslims and whose shrines are believed to have particular blessings for those seeking an answer to their prayers. Al-Sayeda Zeinab, however, is more popularly known as the mother of those who suffer from many calamities. She bravely participated in the Battle of Karbala in 61 AH (680 CE), one of the dramatic battles that ultimately divided the Muslim world into Sunni and Shia sects, and where she saw her brother Al-Hussein beheaded and she was taken a prisoner of war. There has long been controversy, however, as to who is actually buried in the shrines of the ahl al-beit in Cairo. Al-Sayeda Zeinab, like Al-Hussein, has another mausoleum in Damascus, but many Egyptian historians insist she was nevertheless buried in Egypt and that the head of her brother Al-Hussein was also buried in another mausoleum in a nearby district that also carries his name. Sanctuary In Egypt According to many Egyptian accounts, Al-Sayeda Zeinab came to Egypt after having been taken as a prisoner of war to the court of the caliph of Damascus, Yazid Ibn Muawiya, after the Battle of Karbala. In the Egyptian accounts, Zeinab chose to spend the last years of her life in Egypt because it was a country known for its hospitality to prophets. The first information about the mausoleum dates back to the 16th century, and some say it is based on the dreams and visions of Sufis to whom Zeinab appeared, revealing her burial place, historian Saleh Lamei said in an article published in Al-Ahram Weekly in 2003. According to the concurrent Shia version, Zeinab died in Damascus, a city in which she lived after the tragic events which marked her life. Attempts to demonstrate the presence of the saints body in Cairo or Damascus have succeeded one after another from mediaeval times to our own day. Professor of Islamic history at Al-Azhar University in Cairo Abdel-Maqsoud Basha insists that Al-Sayeda Zeinab was buried in Egypt, which he said was the destination of many of the prophets family and companions. Motivated by his deep passion for the ahl al-beit, 69-year-old Basha has spent many of his seven decades travelling around the globe in attempts to find the truth about many mausoleums by exploring ancient maps and old manuscripts. These long years of research have left him unabashed in the face of critics. For him, there is no doubt that Egypt has been blessed to house the shrines of many members of the prophets family, and it is thanks to their blessed bodies that Egypt has survived many calamities, he said. Basha met with many historians and Shia scholars in Syria and Iraq and even visited the mausoleums of Al-Sayeda Zeinab in Damascus and Al-Hussein in the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus. There I was told that Al-Sayeda Zeinabs shrine was built in commemoration of the place where she stayed before heading to Egypt, where she ultimately died and was buried, he told the Weekly. When Al-Sayeda Zeinab first arrived in Egypt in 61 AH (680-681 CE), she was heartily welcomed by all Egyptians and by the Umayyad wali (governor) of Egypt Maslama Ibn Makhlid Al-Ansari. She was said to have settled in Fustat in Old Cairo near Al-Ansaris residence but passed away shortly after a brief stay of less than a year in 62 AH. She was reportedly buried in the same place she had lived in for about 11 months, and a mausoleum was built in its present location while the mosque was built and renovated over the course of centuries. An ardent lover of the ahl al-beit, Basha also visited the mausoleums of Al-Sayeda Sukayna, the daughter of the prophets grandson Al-Hassan, in Damascus and prayed in the Umayyad Mosque where Al-Hussein is said to have been buried close to the mausoleum of the Prophet Yehia. I was told that the mausoleum of Al-Hussein in Damascus marked the place where the casket carrying the head of Al-Hussein, which was brought to Asqalan [in Palestine] by his sister Zeinab after the Battle of Karbala, was treasured, Basha recounted. It remained there for years until the Fatimid caliph ordered its transfer to Egypt in a special ceremony for fear that the European Crusaders would trespass on it during their war on the east. A Fatimid minister then brought the head from Asqalan to Cairo, carrying it barefooted in awe of the blessed head of the prophets beloved grandson. A debate among scholars over whether Al-Husseins head was actually buried in Egypt ended up with a decision to dig up his tomb. The diggers found a wooden casket and a strong aroma of incense came out of it, Basha said in an emotionally charged tone. They went on to open the casket, only to find another casket with an unmistakably strong smell of incense that filled the whole place. Only then did scholars feel assured that it was Al-Husseins head inside and decided not to dig any further. Basha could hardly hold back his tears as he delved deeper into accounts of how Egypt hosted the prophets family. When the great granddaughter of the prophets grandson Al-Hassan, Al-Sayeda Nafisa, died, her husband insisted on burying her beside her grandfather in what is now Saudi Arabia, despite the fact that Egyptians had heartily pleaded for her to be buried in Egypt, even offering gold in return, Basha recounted. Suddenly, however, Al-Sayeda Nafisas husband changed his mind and was seen departing without his beloved wifes body or the money. When asked why he had changed his mind, he said he had seen the prophet in a dream telling him to let his wife be buried in Egypt, Basha said. He said he had stumbled over old manuscripts in Al-Azhar indicating a particular corner of Al-Sayeda Nafisas shrine where doaa [prayers] are particularly answered by God. For Basha, most of the Cairo shrines of the prophets family and companions have been verified. Those who try to cast doubt are mainly Salafis who argue against building shrines or praying in mosques housing them, he continued. But to them I say, then how do we pray at the tomb of the Prophet Ismail just beside the Kaaba in Mecca? Al-Ashraf Street I started my visit to the mausoleum of Al-Sayeda Nafisa, the great-granddaughter of Al-Hassan, one of the Prophet Mohameds two grandsons to his daughter Fatma and his cousin Ali, located in the Al-Khalifa district in the cemetery area in Islamic Cairo where a wealth of mausoleums is largely hidden. Inside the mausoleum, a sense of peace reigns, and visitors belonging to different ages and social classes could be seen engaged in prayers. A woman in a wheelchair was rushed to the mausoleum, and the moment she reached it she closed her eyes in silence and tears rushed down her cheeks. It was in this secluded area that Al-Sayeda Nafisa chose to lead a life of deep piety. Historians say that she immigrated to Egypt, where she stayed for years educating Egyptians about their religion and helping the poor and afflicted. It is said that when she felt death approaching, she decided to dig a grave in her secluded abode and spent many nights praying and reciting the Quran inside it. A shrine to her memory was constructed in the Ayoubid period, and it was later embellished and rebuilt many times, first by the Fatimid caliphs and most recently by the Ministry of Religious Endowments, according to Lameis chronicle. People come to visit Al-Sayeda Nafisa all year round, and this particular time of the year of course, said one of the guards. Visitors usually start their journey here. Then they head to the mausoleums in Al-Ashraf Street and then take a bus to Al-Sayeda Zeinab and Sidi Zein Al-Abidine, the son of Al-Hussein. Al-Ashraf Street extends from Al-Sayeda Nafisa Square in the south to the intersection with Al-Saliba Street in the north, and from Darb Al-Hosr to the tomb of Al-Sayeda Ruqaya. A plaque carrying the streets name hangs on the right, while on the other side of the narrow alleyway a map ushering visitors to a wealth of historic monuments dating from the Fatimid, Ayoubid, Mameluke and Ottoman eras of Egypts history hangs on an ancient wall. The area, hardly known to many despite its wealth of saintly inhabitants and historic significance, is like an open-air museum. The treasure, however, dwells in narrow streets that also host debris, stray dogs, tok-toks, and workshops, and in some parts overflowing groundwater. Al-Ashraf Street was once the path of ceremonial processions led by the Fatimid caliphs to the southern sections of the city. Among the historic buildings are a number of mausoleums that belong to historical characters like the famous Egyptian Sultana Shagaret Al-Dor, whose cunning helped defend Egypt from the Crusaders following the death of her husband Saleh Nijmeddin. Just down the road is the mausoleum of the Sultan Al-Ashram Ibn Qalawoun, renowned for expelling the last of the Crusaders from the Levant. According to Lameis chronicle, Al-Ashraf is the most recent name given to the street on which lies the mausoleum of Sultan Al-Ashraf Khalil, the son and successor of Sultan Al- Mansour Qalawoun. According to Dreams that Matter: Egyptian Landscapes of Imagination by scholar Amira Mittermaier, although Al-Ashraf looks like many other narrow streets in Cairo, it remains special and for some, its one of the most sacred in the entire city. As Sheikh Nabil [one of this studys main interviewees] likes to point out, practically anywhere in the street one stands on top of hundreds of dead people, since the entire area used to be a cemetery, Mittermaier wrote. The street also hosts a number of shrines of the ahl al-beit. Thus, the name of the street refers to the prophets descendants, Mittermaier wrote. As I walked down the street, I came across a small green-and-white-striped building, which turned out to be the mausoleum of Abu Bakr Mohamed bin Sirin, known as Ibn Sirin, a pioneer of the science of the interpretation of dreams in Islam. Imam Ibn Sirin was born in Basra in 33 AH and was known for his piety. Ironically, as Mittermaier describes in her book, unlike other cemeteries, in Ibn Sirins shrine, the presence of the dead contributes to a peaceful and joyous atmosphere. I was overwhelmed by a sense of peace and awe on visiting the many small shrines lining Al-Ashraf Street. The small shrines are less popular, are frequented by fewer visitors, and, as Mittermaier put it, are calmer and more intimate than the larger ones. Only a few steps away, I found myself at the entrance of the Mogamaa Al-Awleya, the cemetery hosting many of the prophets family, including Al-Sayeda Ruqaya, Al-Sayeda Atika, Sidi Ali Mohamed Al-Gaafari, the third great-grandson to the Prophet Mohamed through Al-Hussein, and Mohamed Al-Anwar, who is said to be the son of Zein Al-Abidine, grandson of Ali through Al-Hussein. The shrine of Al-Sayeda Ruqaya probably refers to the daughter of Ali Ibn Abi Taleb, the fourth caliph. A plaque at the entrance of the shrine says that the Fatimid historian Al-Ubayadi recounts that Al-Sayeda Ruqaya came to Al-Hafez Abdel-Maguid Al-Fatimi in a dream and led him to a spot where he found a grave that he marked as hers. According to the same plaque, the shrine was established a few years later in 527 AH / 1133 CE by Alam Al-Amiriya, the wife of the Fatimid caliph Al-Amir. It has been renovated several times since then, and its rectangular structure with a central dome is an excellent example of Late Fatimid architecture. Next to it is the shrine of Al-Sayeda Atika, who is believed to be the aunt of the Prophet Mohamed. Many historians , however, suggest the shrine probably belongs to another Atika, who is said to be the daughter of Zaid, the son of Amr bin Nufayl Al-Kurashi. She was known for her beauty and poetic talents that haunted her husband Abdallah, the son of Abu Bakr, the prophets companion and first caliph. It is said that when Abdallah died in battle, Atika wrote poems mourning him and decided never to remarry. She changed her mind, however, when Omar Ibn Al-Khattab (the second caliph) insisted she was too young to remain unmarried and decided to marry her himself. After Al-Khattabs death, Atika was then remarried to the prophets companion Al-Zubayr Ibn Al-Awam. Ali Mohamed Al-Gaafari (d. 824 CE) was the son of Gaafar Al-Sadek, the grandson of Ali Zein Al-Abidine, son of Al-Hussein, son of Imam Ali. Thus, Al-Gaafari is considered to be the third great-grandson of the Prophet Mohamed. According to Lameis chronicle, his shrine was built by the Fatimid caliph Al-Hafez in 1120 CE, and it features a small square structure topped by a ribbed dome. Many Egyptians hardly know about this place or anything about who is buried here, lamented one visitor, a businessman with an MA in Islamic history from Al-Azhar University. But its good to see young people coming to explore it. He was referring to a young couple who entered in peace, probably reading the Al-Fatiha from the Quran, and a group of Asian worshippers, probably belonging to the Bahara cult, who were touring the shrines in awe. Another visitor, a companion of the businessman, nodded in dismay. I lived in a nearby neighbourhood for decades and knew almost nothing about the shrines. The government should give more attention to this historic and spiritual area and put it on the map, he said. I then moved to visit the shrine of another descendant of the prophet through the lineage of Ali, Mohamed Al-Anwar, who is said to be the son of Zein Al-Abedin, grandson of Ali through Al-Hussein. Some sources, however, suggest that the shrine belongs to the uncle of Al-Sayeda Nafisa. A plaque hanging on a wall in the shrine said that there is some confusion as to who the shrine commemorates. It said that most of the shrines are vision shrines in the sense that they commemorate the appearance of a religious figure to the founder in a vision, not in the presence of an actual grave. The small mosque of Al-Sayeda Sukayna lies a few minutes away down Al-Ashraf Street, where a small shrine commemorates the daughter Al-Hussein, the son of Ali. The small mausoleum was built by Abdel-Rahman Katkhouda in 1760, and it has been renovated several times over the course of its history. At the entrance, a plaque introduces visitors to Al-Sayeda Sukayna, who was originally named Amena, after the prophets mother, but was nicknamed Sukayna (serenity) when people found peace and happiness in her company. Today, visitors to Al-Sayeda Sukaynas shrine say they have a sense of peace at her mausoleum. Nour Al-Sabah (meaning daylight), an ardent Sufi worshipper who wanted to be nicknamed Nour Al-Sukayna (the light of Sukayna), talked passionately about her spiritual experience and regular visits to the shrine. Al-Sayeda Sukayna is my love and my mother, Al-Sabah said. It is here that I feel great respite, that I see a light that helps me on my journey to purify my heart and reach a higher spiritual state. Both Al-Sabah and the imam of the mosque would shrug at the idea that there is another shrine for Al-Sayeda Sukayna in Damascus. After all, according to Sufi beliefs the wali [saints and descendants of the Prophet] are not tied to their graves and are free to come to those who evoke their presence, the imam explained. You visit them out of love for the Prophet; this love will reach them wherever they are, he explained. Al-Sabah nodded in approval. They are in the heart, no matter where we go, our deep passion evokes her presence, she said. Love Of The Ahl Al-Beit The love that Muslims have for the Prophet Mohamed and his descendants is an integral part of their faith. However, according to a study by scholar Valerie J. Hoffman-Ladd, Devotion to the Prophet and His Family in Egyptian Sufism, Sufis consider themselves almost defined by the intensity of their love and devotion for the prophet and his family, calling themselves those who love the ahl al-beit as a result. Whereas Sufism is mainly about the purification of the heart, sincerity of worship, or spiritual development to the level of ihsan (perfection) and the renunciation of worldly pleasures, Hoffman-Ladd shows how these ends were largely met through practices of devotion to the prophet, his family, and ones own sheikh. This devotion entails not only practices of shrine visitation, but also doctrines regarding the cosmic significance of the prophet and his family, Hoffman-Ladd says. One of the books Sufi interviewees puts it this way: the prophet is our intercessor and the one who brings us close to God, and it is through his family that we come close to him, just as the prophet said, Hussein is from me and I am from Hussein. Whoever loves Hussein loves me. It is love for the family of the prophet that causes us to be purified, another Sufi interviewee agreed. This is why we come to the shrines of the family of the prophet. Why else would I leave my comfortable bed and come sleep on the pavement? Basha told the Weekly that visiting the ahl al-beit was almost mandatory for all Muslims. To prove his point, Basha recited a Quranic verse that is widely interpreted as meaning that the prophet did not ask Muslims for rewards for delivering the message except the love of those who are near of kin (al-mawadda fil-qurba). But although the mausoleums in Cairo could be great attractions for many, there is little or no attention on the part of the government to invest in them. According to Abdel-Azims study, the government has not made any tally of actual or potential visitors, and little to no attention has been given to the surroundings of the mausoleums that should be put on the map. The study also shows that government attention is usually focused on popular shrines housed in big mosques like Al-Sayeda Zeinab and Al-Hussein, while smaller shrines, including those in Al-Ashraf Street and the cemetery area, remain largely neglected and even largely unknown to the public. According to Abdel-Azims survey, many visitors already come to visit the shrines of the ahl al-beit, particularly Al-Sayeda Zeinab and Al-Hussein. Those visitors are mainly worshippers coming from countries with a Shia and Sufi Muslim majority, such as Syria, Iran, Pakistan, Yemen, Iraq and Sudan, and also from South Asian countries where the Bahara cult is concentrated. Some 61 per cent of such visitors come in groups, and unlike among Egyptians their visits are not scheduled at times of the moulids (celebrations of the birth of saints) alone. Whereas nearly 50 per cent of tourists visiting the shrines come to seek the blessings of the ahl al-beit, there are also tourists who visit the shrines for their cultural and historical significance, according to Abdel-Azims study. The study thus recommends investing in the shrines to generate income. A presidential committee should be formed with a mandate to preserve the shrines and their surroundings, Basha said. The shrines of the ahl al-beit are a major blessing and could be an enormous asset to the country if invested in. *A version of this article appears in print in the 30 May, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: For love of the Prophet Mohamed Search Keywords: Short link: While Iran will top the agenda of three simultaneous summits to be held in Mecca, the Palestinian cause will also be prominent, ahead of the soon-to-be-announced Deal of the Century, World attention has turned to Mecca amidst the flurry of last-minute preparations for three emergency summits called for by Saudi Arabian King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud two weeks ago against the backdrop of escalating tensions between Iran, on the one hand, and the US and allies in the Gulf (Saudi Arabia and the UAE) on the other. The simultaneous convention of three such high-profile summits at the Gulf, Arab and Islamic levels is unprecedented. But so, too, perhaps is the magnitude of the complexity and urgency of the regional issues and interplays that the participants will address, not least of which are the recent terrorist attacks on oil tankers and oil pumping stations, which relates to the various dimensions of the Yemeni conflict; the fragile security in the Gulf and Arab region, which connects with divisions in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the boycott of Qatar; and the Middle East conflict and the approaching launch of the so-called Deal of the Century in Manama. The place, timing and number of these summits are significant in their own right. The choice of Mecca, the Islamic Holy City, adds an important religious dimension, one that lends an element of sacredness to conflict resolution efforts and to commitments to the obligations undertaken in connection with any agreements or resolutions. The first manifestation of this dimension is the Mecca Document on the fight against terrorism that emerged from the four-day Muslim League Conference that convened in Mecca Monday under the banner Values of Moderation in the Quran and Sunnah. The timing coincides with the ratcheting up of tensions in the Gulf, as mentioned, but also with the intensification of mediating efforts on the part of other countries. As for the number of summits, it speaks of Saudi Arabias determination to rally as comprehensive a consensus behind it as possible among all entities and institutions that express Gulf, Arab and Islamic positions. Observers have noted that the invitation that King Salman issued to participants explicitly focused on the threats to Saudi Arabia and the UAE from the Houthi militias in Yemen, which Riyadh blames for the attacks against two Saudi oil tankers near the UAEs Fujeira port and the drone strikes against an Aramco pipeline and the Najran military base. Riyadh wants to martial a sweeping Arab and Islamic condemnation against Iran for its behaviour in the region and, above all, for propelling its proxies into attacking Saudi Arabia which, together with the UAE, has been fighting the Houthis in Yemen since March 2015. While a significant body of opinion appears in favour of a condemnation of Iran as the power responsible for the behaviour of its proxies, as statements by Saudi and Emirati officials have indicated, there appears to be a process of revision in progress concerning the conflict in Yemen. According to Arab affairs expert Mohamed Megahed Al-Zayat, there is a growing trend that submits that Iran is not responsible for the actions of the Houthis in Yemen and that the Houthi attacks against the Gulf countries (Saudi Arabia and the UAE) were carried out in the context of the current war in Yemen, independently of the escalation between the two sides (the Gulf countries and Iran). The GCC Summit is scheduled to meet first. Qatars addition to the guest list has riveted attention to this summit and stirred speculation as whether this signals a possible reconciliation after two years of boycott. The GCC has not held a full senior level meeting since the boycott was declared against Doha by the Saudi-led quartet (Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain). Bahrain and the UAE, as GCC members who will also be present at that summit, have not voiced an official position on the invitation that has been extended to Doha. Nor has Cairo, as the fourth member of the quartet. Presumably, the level of Qatars participation in the Mecca summits will reflect developments related to the prospects of a reconciliation. For example, in the 29th Arab League Summit in Dhahran, in April 2018, Qatar attended at the level of its ambassador to the Arab League while in the 30th Arab Summit in Tunisia two months ago (31 March 2019), Qatari President Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani attended the opening session, but left that session abruptly and rushed home. The invitation perplexed official circles in Qatar, which the Arab quartet accuses of supporting terrorism in the region. Abdullah Al-Athba, a prominent Qatari journalist who is close to ruling circles in Doha, commented on his Twitter account: Riyadh sent an invitation to His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, the Emir of Qatar, to attend the meetings it called for in Mecca, despite the fact that it describes the government in Qatar as terrorist... How can it be that they are inviting a party they accuse of supporting terrorism? Of course, Qatars relationship with Iran, which supported Doha during the boycott, will be another focus of the interplay in Mecca. Doha has frequently spoken out against the escalation in the confrontation with Iran and, in 2016, it was expelled from the Arab coalition against the Houthi insurgency in Yemen. Observers point to two major indicators on the question of a reconciliation with Qatar: the positions of the hardliners on Qatar, namely the UAE and Bahrain, on the one hand, and the positions of Oman and Kuwait which have drawn closer to Qatar and urged a return to Gulf unity, on the other. But not only is there a sharp division over the Qatar question, there is a similar sharp division with respect to Iran, and along the same lines: Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain are the hardliners on Iran while Oman has stepped in to act as mediator in order to contain the crisis while Kuwait, in view of its relations with Iran, has lobbied to reduce tensions in the Gulf. Iran appears to have been omitted from the guest list for the Islamic summit in Mecca which began its preparatory sessions Tuesday. The Iranian flag did not take its place among the national flags of the countries taking part in the sessions of the summit being held in the framework of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Official statements from Iran indicate that Tehran was not planning to attend anyway. Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Gholam Hossein Dehghani, in an interview with the state-owned Iran newspaper on Sunday, cautioned OIC countries against taking decisions and measures against Iran. He said that the OIC should not be held hostage by Saudi Arabia which, along with some like-minded governments, might try to take advantage of the Mecca summit in order to take measures against some of the OIC members, including Iran. Dehghani pointed out that Saudi Arabias decision to close the Islamic Republics permanent mission to the OIC in Riyadh in April 2017 and the simultaneous expulsion of the Irans envoy from Saudi Arabia were among the illogical consequences of the Saudi response to the rupture of bilateral relations between Tehran and Riyadh. If the main item on the agenda of the Arab summit, which was only posted two days in advance, is to address the threats against Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the summit is also likely to include a workshop on the Deal of the Century. Before heading off to the summit in Mecca, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced that he would reiterate his opposition to the deal project which is soon to be announced in Bahrain. In a precedent on the Gulfs handling of the Palestinian cause, the Gulf countries are promoting activities related to unveiling a negotiating process that the Palestinian Authority rejects. This is another item that will need to be sorted out in the Arab summit. Sobhi Asila, Palestinian-Israeli affairs expert at Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies, told Al-Ahram Weekly, Abbas has climbed atop the soapbox of rejection and it will be hard for Arab parties to coax him down. The Arab summit will be an opportunity for dealing with this situation. As for the outputs, resolutions will probably focus on the importance of the security and stability of the Gulf, condemnation of the threats against Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and the need to safeguard the security of maritime routes in the Gulf. Most likely, too, there will be some affirmation of commitment to the Palestinian cause, which is a permanent item on the agenda of all Arab summits. World attention has turned to Mecca amidst the flurry of last-minute preparations for three emergency summits called for by Saudi Arabian King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud two weeks ago against the backdrop of escalating tensions between Iran, on the one hand, and the US and allies in the Gulf (Saudi Arabia and the UAE) on the other. The simultaneous convention of three such high-profile summits at the Gulf, Arab and Islamic levels is unprecedented. But so, too, perhaps is the magnitude of the complexity and urgency of the regional issues and interplays that the participants will address, not least of which are the recent terrorist attacks on oil tankers and oil pumping stations, which relates to the various dimensions of the Yemeni conflict; the fragile security in the Gulf and Arab region, which connects with divisions in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the boycott of Qatar; and the Middle East conflict and the approaching launch of the so-called Deal of the Century in Manama. The place, timing and number of these summits are significant in their own right. The choice of Mecca, the Islamic Holy City, adds an important religious dimension, one that lends an element of sacredness to conflict resolution efforts and to commitments to the obligations undertaken in connection with any agreements or resolutions. The first manifestation of this dimension is the Mecca Document on the fight against terrorism that emerged from the four-day Muslim League Conference that convened in Mecca Monday under the banner Values of Moderation in the Quran and Sunnah. The timing coincides with the ratcheting up of tensions in the Gulf, as mentioned, but also with the intensification of mediating efforts on the part of other countries. As for the number of summits, it speaks of Saudi Arabias determination to rally as comprehensive a consensus behind it as possible among all entities and institutions that express Gulf, Arab and Islamic positions. Observers have noted that the invitation that King Salman issued to participants explicitly focused on the threats to Saudi Arabia and the UAE from the Houthi militias in Yemen, which Riyadh blames for the attacks against two Saudi oil tankers near the UAEs Fujeira port and the drone strikes against an Aramco pipeline and the Najran military base. Riyadh wants to martial a sweeping Arab and Islamic condemnation against Iran for its behaviour in the region and, above all, for propelling its proxies into attacking Saudi Arabia which, together with the UAE, has been fighting the Houthis in Yemen since March 2015. While a significant body of opinion appears in favour of a condemnation of Iran as the power responsible for the behaviour of its proxies, as statements by Saudi and Emirati officials have indicated, there appears to be a process of revision in progress concerning the conflict in Yemen. According to Arab affairs expert Mohamed Megahed Al-Zayat, there is a growing trend that submits that Iran is not responsible for the actions of the Houthis in Yemen and that the Houthi attacks against the Gulf countries (Saudi Arabia and the UAE) were carried out in the context of the current war in Yemen, independently of the escalation between the two sides (the Gulf countries and Iran). The GCC Summit is scheduled to meet first. Qatars addition to the guest list has riveted attention to this summit and stirred speculation as whether this signals a possible reconciliation after two years of boycott. The GCC has not held a full senior level meeting since the boycott was declared against Doha by the Saudi-led quartet (Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain). Bahrain and the UAE, as GCC members who will also be present at that summit, have not voiced an official position on the invitation that has been extended to Doha. Nor has Cairo, as the fourth member of the quartet. Presumably, the level of Qatars participation in the Mecca summits will reflect developments related to the prospects of a reconciliation. For example, in the 29th Arab League Summit in Dhahran, in April 2018, Qatar attended at the level of its ambassador to the Arab League while in the 30th Arab Summit in Tunisia two months ago (31 March 2019), Qatari President Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani attended the opening session, but left that session abruptly and rushed home. The invitation perplexed official circles in Qatar, which the Arab quartet accuses of supporting terrorism in the region. Abdullah Al-Athba, a prominent Qatari journalist who is close to ruling circles in Doha, commented on his Twitter account: Riyadh sent an invitation to His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, the Emir of Qatar, to attend the meetings it called for in Mecca, despite the fact that it describes the government in Qatar as terrorist... How can it be that they are inviting a party they accuse of supporting terrorism? Of course, Qatars relationship with Iran, which supported Doha during the boycott, will be another focus of the interplay in Mecca. Doha has frequently spoken out against the escalation in the confrontation with Iran and, in 2016, it was expelled from the Arab coalition against the Houthi insurgency in Yemen. Observers point to two major indicators on the question of a reconciliation with Qatar: the positions of the hardliners on Qatar, namely the UAE and Bahrain, on the one hand, and the positions of Oman and Kuwait which have drawn closer to Qatar and urged a return to Gulf unity, on the other. But not only is there a sharp division over the Qatar question, there is a similar sharp division with respect to Iran, and along the same lines: Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain are the hardliners on Iran while Oman has stepped in to act as mediator in order to contain the crisis while Kuwait, in view of its relations with Iran, has lobbied to reduce tensions in the Gulf. Iran appears to have been omitted from the guest list for the Islamic summit in Mecca which began its preparatory sessions Tuesday. The Iranian flag did not take its place among the national flags of the countries taking part in the sessions of the summit being held in the framework of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Official statements from Iran indicate that Tehran was not planning to attend anyway. Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Gholam Hossein Dehghani, in an interview with the state-owned Iran newspaper on Sunday, cautioned OIC countries against taking decisions and measures against Iran. He said that the OIC should not be held hostage by Saudi Arabia which, along with some like-minded governments, might try to take advantage of the Mecca summit in order to take measures against some of the OIC members, including Iran. Dehghani pointed out that Saudi Arabias decision to close the Islamic Republics permanent mission to the OIC in Riyadh in April 2017 and the simultaneous expulsion of the Irans envoy from Saudi Arabia were among the illogical consequences of the Saudi response to the rupture of bilateral relations between Tehran and Riyadh. If the main item on the agenda of the Arab summit, which was only posted two days in advance, is to address the threats against Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the summit is also likely to include a workshop on the Deal of the Century. Before heading off to the summit in Mecca, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced that he would reiterate his opposition to the deal project which is soon to be announced in Bahrain. In a precedent on the Gulfs handling of the Palestinian cause, the Gulf countries are promoting activities related to unveiling a negotiating process that the Palestinian Authority rejects. This is another item that will need to be sorted out in the Arab summit. Sobhi Asila, Palestinian-Israeli affairs expert at Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies, told Al-Ahram Weekly, Abbas has climbed atop the soapbox of rejection and it will be hard for Arab parties to coax him down. The Arab summit will be an opportunity for dealing with this situation. As for the outputs, resolutions will probably focus on the importance of the security and stability of the Gulf, condemnation of the threats against Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and the need to safeguard the security of maritime routes in the Gulf. Most likely, too, there will be some affirmation of commitment to the Palestinian cause, which is a permanent item on the agenda of all Arab summits. *A version of this article appears in print in the 30 May, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Mecca summits Search Keywords: Short link: Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser al-Thani will attend an Arab summit in Saudi Arabia to discuss regional security, Al Jazeera reported on Wednesday, the highest level Qatari official to visit the kingdom during a diplomatic rift. The emergency summit at Mecca, Islam's holiest city, will on Thursday discuss tensions with Iran following attacks on oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and drone strikes on oil pumping stations in Saudi Arabia, both of which Tehran denies involvement in. Search Keywords: Short link: The US and its Arab allies may be after regime change in Tehran, but the impact of Irans implosion could be earth-shattering When former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein launched a full-scale incursion into Iran in 1980, he was hoping to take advantage of the chaos after the Islamic Revolution to stifle Iran and to assert Iraqs role as the new dominant power in the Arabian Gulf. But as the bloody eight-year war that followed Iraqs autumn blitzkrieg showed, Saddam had got it wrong, and instead of the fast defeat of the new Islamic regime, he let Irans genie out of the bottle. The conflict had dire geopolitical consequences not only for Iraq, but also for the entire Middle East and especially for the Arab Sunni countries that were caught off balance by Shia Irans rising regional clout after the war. Three decades after the war with Iraq, Iran has risen from a pariah state to a regional superpower with an extensive nuclear programme, increasing militarisation, and a steady reach across the Middle East through a vast network of proxies. With tensions between the United States, its Gulf Sunni allies, and Iran dangerously escalating in recent weeks, some fear that history could be repeating itself. In many ways, the march to war against Iran is not only echoing the run-up to the 1980-1988 War between Iraq and Iran but is also echoing Saddams terrible miscalculations about Iran and in particular Iranian nationalism. Since the Pentagon decided to deploy USS Abraham Lincoln together with a bomber task force including B-52s and marines to the Gulf to join a growing array of American military might, fears have increased that the Trump administration could be considering military action against Iran. This week, US President Donald Trump gave his approval to deploying additional military resources to the Gulf region, including Patriot missile batteries, reconnaissance aircraft and accompanying forces in the latest sign of escalation. The deployment will add to about 70,000 American troops now stationed across a region that stretches from North Africa to Afghanistan. As the escalation cycle seems well under way, a showdown between Iran and the United States may now come as a surprise to no one. Indeed, many fear that Tehrans and Washingtons impulsive behaviour and blustering rhetoric could lead the two sides into an inadvertent conflict. Despite claims by Washington that the goal of the recent actions is to deter attacks on American forces and interests, many observers believe that the build-up makes a war in the Gulf inevitable. Even though Trump administration officials have been keeping their cards close to their chests, the ultimate goal of the war is likely to be an opening to overthrow the Islamic regime in Tehran. Trump has been constantly flip-flopping on Iran, oscillating between sending threats to destroy the Islamic Republic and being prepared for deals with its leaders. During a visit to Tokyo this week, Trump said he is not looking for regime change in Iran despite rising tension, remarks seen linked to a Japanese offer to mediate between Tehran and Washington. But many hawkish members in his administration are outspoken advocate of regime change in Iran. US National Security Adviser John Bolton is widely seen as one of the architects of the showdown that would provide him with a unique opportunity to accelerate ousting the regime in Tehran. It is not a secret that some US Arab allies that blame Iran for regional instability are known to be seeking regime change in Iran and hope that the current showdown will work as a catalyst for the regimes implosion. However, a giant question mark remains over whether the Trump administration and its allies have worked out specific plans for regime change in Iran or if it has discussed what an alternative to the Islamic Republic could look like. There seems to be no strategy for the implosion of the regime, and the Trump administration and its allies are doubling down on a maximum pressure campaign to coerce Tehran to abandon its perceived aggressive policies. However, regime change in Iran assumes the collapse of the theocratic government of the Islamic Republic and the empowerment of a friendly regime that would lead Iran like any other country. Such a scenario, which imagines that the regime could not long survive military, economic and diplomatic estrangement, is an utter misunderstanding of Iran and an outright blunder. It is reminiscent of Saddams missteps when he portrayed Ayatollah Khomeinis drinking from a poisoned chalice or his decision to accept a UN Security Council ceasefire resolution to end the protracted war as a victory for Iraq. One important mistake that the Trump administration is making is to assume that the threat of war could force Iran to alter its behaviour and that this would ultimately lead to regime change in Tehran. But Iran is not Iraq, which the United States invaded and took down its regime in three weeks because of weak resistance and the lack of motivation and morale that permeated the ranks of the Iraqi military and the lack of support for Saddam from a fatigued population. The failure of the United States in rebuilding Iraq must also serve notice to the Iranians that regime change by war could result in the mess of a visibly failed state and deep communal divisions that could shake the country to the core. To make matters worse, there is no alternative to the regime in Iran. After 40 years of theocratic rule, Irans political landscape is a barren wasteland in which opposition political parties are prohibited to operate and severe restrictions are imposed on non-commissioned political and cultural activities. Could one of the hidden goals of the Trump administration be to rattle Iran through a military confrontation and pursue its breakup into several mini states with majority communal ethnicities? Proponents hope that a prolonged confrontation that could trigger political and social instability inside Iran would not only overthrow the ruling system but also dismantle the Iranian state itself. While it is unclear if this is part of the preoccupation of US national security planners in the present confrontation, breaking up Iran has been a strategic goal of some decision-makers in some Sunni Arab states that share with Washington the campaign against Tehran. This, of course, reminds us of the ongoing process of the political fragmentation of Iraq, Libya, Syria and Yemen and the arc of instability, chaos and violence across the Middle East. However, the breaking up of Iran could be even more painful and would have even more devastating effects on the entire region. No less alarming is the prospect that the US-led maximum pressure campaign against Iran will be conducive to the revival of a strongly nationalist mood and of a sense of patriotism usually associated with popular mobilisation against foreign aggression. Historically, Iranian identity and national sentiments have been conceived of as a mix of Persian nationalism with Shiism, which was consolidated by the Islamic Revolution in 1979 and is often utilised by leaders of the Islamic regime to defend what they call the Iranian nation. Today, contemporary Iranian nationalism refers to the expression of entwined national and religious identity and political thought based on the native spiritual and cultural traditions of Iran. Any alliance that brings together the Americans and the Arab Sunni countries will most certainly push this type of assertive Iranian nationalism into the popular mainstream and probably militancy. Given the historic Shia-Sunni divide and the present sectarian and ethnic polarisation in the Middle East, a war with Iran would likely set the stage for a broader collision for the regions soul and political future. But in doing so, the region would be entering a time of troubles, the outcome of which cannot be predicted, and the damage done would not be short term but very long and probably unrepairable. *A version of this article appears in print in the 30 May, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Keeping Irans genie in the bottle Search Keywords: Short link: Page Content The next major regional-international conference that Sint Maarten will be hosting will kick-off in less than a week. Speakers from all kinds of professions are lining up to attend and speak at the 4th Dutch Caribbean AML (Anti-Money Laundering) & Gaming Regulation Forum that will take place from June 4-7 at the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino and Spa at Maho. Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Stuart Johnson said on Tuesday that the country will be in the spotlight once again when it hosts the 4th Dutch Caribbean AML & Gaming Regulation Forum. We are proud to be the hosts of this very important Forum where there will be a number of interesting speakers who come from various backgrounds. We look forward to welcoming them to destination Sint Maarten. All Training Sessions, Workshops, Debates and Discussions will be led by international experts who will address global regulatory standards and strategies to reduce the risk of criminal activity and increase compliance & transparency, Hon. Minister Stuart Johnson said on Tuesday. Maureen Williamson, one of the speakers at next weeks Forum, has been in gaming either as a regulator, attorney or operational consultant for more than thirty years. Her areas of expertise include the drafting of enabling legislation and operating regulations, design and evaluation of systems of internal control, technical standards for emerging technologies including iGaming, facility development, feasibility determinations and the drafting and implementation of consulting, development and management agreements. Cheryl Bazard, another speaker at the Forum, is a former Senator of the Bahamas and currently is practising as an attorney and barrister-at-law. She has decades of experience in Compliance and Regulatory Affairs within the area of Financial Crime and Money Laundering. Cheryl is the founder of the Bahamas Association of Compliance Officers (BACO) and is currently serving as their chair. Another speaker for next week is Keith Whyte, Executive Director of the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) in Washington, D.C. He has over nineteen years of national experience in gaming and problem gambling issues. Recognized widely for his work on gaming policy, Whyte has presented on gambling issues in 39 US states and 14 countries. He has testified before the United States Congress four times and appeared before numerous state legislative and regulatory bodies. The Government of Sint Maarten via the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunications (TEATT) and GovRisk, a UK-based Training & Consultancy specialising in Financial Crime Prevention and Anti-Corruption, are the organizers of the Forum which will promote compliance, Anti-Money Laundering, New technologies and Exploring the Future of Business Risk. This regional event will bring together key stakeholders such as: Banks - Compliance Officers & Internal Risk Managers; Central Banks, Regulatory & Supervisory Bodies; Financial Intelligence Units, Treasury & Revenue, Law Enforcement; Casinos, Lotteries, Slot & Arcade Operators; Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs) such as: Law Firms, Auditors & Accountants, Insurance Firms, Real Estate Agents, Car Dealers, Jewellers, Credit Unions & Charities. To REGISTER for the forum, simply follow this link: www.govrisk.org/DCGRF2019 and click on Register and then follow the process through to the end. Alternatively, GovRisk can be reached at registrations@govrisk.org or by calling +44 203 174 0358. PHOTO: Minister Stuart Johnson From India to Indonesia to the Philippines and across South East Asia, the Islamic State (ISIS) is creating a presence through family terror cells in the region after recent defeats in Iraq and Syria, where it ruled thousands of square miles of territory. The ISIS call to establish a pure "Islamic environment" continues to attract Asian followers, sweeping up whole families in the process -- rich and poor alike said a South Asian intelligence operative told Nikkei Asian. "This family phenomenon has a lot to do with the ideology of the IS caliphate," said the operative. "It was an appeal to radicalized Muslims to live as true Muslims and enjoy a perfect Islamic life, which is a shift from [al-Qaida] since it never talked of creating a caliphate." Considered a terrorist group by the western world, ISIS recently announced the formation of bases in nuclear-armed India and Pakistan, two arch-rivals that fought three wars since their independence from Britain in 1947. According to the ISIS-affiliated Amaq News Agency, the terror organization on May 11 officially proclaimed the existence of Waliyah of Hind, or India Province. Shortly afterward, on May 15, ISIS said it had established an additional stronghold called Wilayah Pakistan. ISIS has been looking for new ventures after it was defeated in Iraq and Syria. Even in Afghanistan, things are not in ISISs favor," Rashid Hussain, a Rawalpindi-based security expert, told The Media Line. "It is now trying its luck in Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka, where it already has been outsourcing attacks. At its peak, IS controlled significant swaths of war-torn Iraq and Syria. But over the last five years, it has lost almost all the territory where it had planned to build its caliphate. The group staked a claim in Mindanao in the southern Philippines Southeast Asia's largest Catholic country for the caliphate in 2017, raising fears over a largely Muslim area already gripped by a nearly four-decade civil war that has cost more than 120,000 lives. In Sri Lanka, ISIS claimed responsibility for last month's series of Easter Sunday bombings in the capital Colombo that killed 290 people and wounded 500 others. Several wealthy and influential local families were involved. In mid-March, the wife of a jihadi cell leader triggered a bomb in North Sumatra, Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country. The explosion destroyed an entire neighborhood. In late January, an Indonesian husband and wife carried out a suicide attack on a church in the Philippines, killing 20 and wounding 102. Back in May of last year, families four children aged 9 to 18 and their parents targeted churches in Surabaya, Indonesia's second-largest city. At the time, Indonesia-based analysts described the attack as "unprecedented," since parents were taking their children "to blow themselves up." The more active role of women marks a notable shift, according to the Jakarta-based Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict. "From the beginning, they played important roles [in IS networks] as teachers, couriers, propagandists and financiers. But in the new decentralized ISIS world, they are playing combat roles as well," the independent think tank noted in a report in April, using the alternative acronym for the group also known as Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Counterterrorism operatives in Malaysia agree. The country's Special Branch, an intelligence unit, has noticed how women are moving from "supporting roles to front-line roles," said a Malaysian national security source. Alarm bells went off after a 51-year-old woman was arrested for plotting to pack her car with gas cylinders and crash it into voters at a polling station during the country's general election in May 2018. Kuala Lumpur believes over 100 Malaysians, women among them, left the country to bolster the IS ranks in the wake of the group's dramatic rise in 2014. Jakarta estimates that over 500 Indonesian did likewise, while Colombo's estimate is 32, including some entire families. But the vision of a Middle Eastern caliphate has gone up in the smoke left by U.S.-led military strikes. India faces the same worries about returning fighters. The southern state of Kerala became fertile ground for recruitment: Over 20 affluent, well-educated men and their families left to join IS in 2016. Some were doctors and engineers, while others had business degrees. The Muslim-majority Maldives, which has a population of 400,000, saw somewhere between 250 and 450 leave to join the movement. That made the necklace of islands, better known for idyllic resorts, the largest supplier of IS recruits per capita. The volunteers included 61 men who took their wives and children through Turkey to IS camps in Syria, according to the country's counterterrorism body. Seasoned observers also link the spike in Islamist extremism in Asia to the proliferation of the Wahhabi and Salafi ideologies since the 1980s. Propagated by Saudi Arabia, these strains of Islam have been blamed for promoting intolerance that has spawned terrorist networks including al-Qaida and IS. And they have seeped into Asian communities that had practiced more moderate forms of the religion. Explosives experts, meanwhile, see another troubling connection between mushrooming IS cells in Asia: the materials they use. The Easter bombers used TATP, or triacetone triperoxide a substance al-Qaida dubbed the "Mother of Satan" for its destructive power. The same explosive was used in the bombings in Indonesia this past March and in May of last year. "TATP has become a popular explosive among terrorist groups because you can get the basic material from hardware stores and supermarkets," said Phill Hynes, the lead terrorism expert at ISS Risk, a Hong Kong-based security consultancy. "You don't have to go to Syria or Iraq to learn bomb-making skills." Experts say investigators must get to the bottom of the Sri Lanka bombings fast. Before the attacks, the South Asian country had barely registered on the radar of new IS frontiers. Now it is seen as an indication of what IS-inspired networks are plotting. Ethnic tensions in countries like Sri Lanka only add to the volatile mix. The Easter attacks triggered an anti-Muslim backlash, but analysts caution this could simply fuel further radicalization. Hynes said extremists could try to take advantage of local grievances, "exacerbating them and turning them into rallying points or touchstones for the IS trend in Asia." By Victor Ing, Special to The Post The number of international students that have come to Canada to complete post-secondary education has increased significantly in recent years. Unfortunately, while many international students are successfully obtaining student visas to Canada, many of them are not successfully achieving their long-term goals of becoming Canadian permanent residents. The case of Jobandeep Singh Sandhu, the international student from India who faces deportation for working too many hours while studying in Canada on his study permit, is a sobering reminder that there are many rules governing what students can and cannot do in Canada. The Sandhu case has recently drawn national attention in part because it clearly highlights that there is a disconnect between our expectations of international students and the realities they face when living in Canada. The lesson for all students is to remember that the golden rule while in Canada is that studying is your primary job and not work. International students pursuing post-secondary education in Canada hold study permits that require them to actively pursue their program of study. Actively pursuing studies does not mean that students need to be the best in their class, but it does mean that they should be regularly attending classes and putting in the effort of completing their studies. Accordingly, the expectation of every international student in Canada is that they will make studying their primary job. The expectation that students should primarily be focused on studying is directly reflected in the immigration laws that govern their lives in Canada. For example, students are only allowed to work part-time up to 20 hours per week during regular school terms. Part-time work is intended to enrich students experience in Canada by gaining exposure to the Canadian labour market and the income they earn is intended to supplement rather than fully finance their studies in Canada. Students are required to demonstrate that they, or their families, are able to afford their Canadian education and must demonstrate their financial strength at the time they make a student visa application. Equally important to note is that time spent working in Canada while being a full-time student does not directly help a student later to qualify for permanent residence. Having said that students need to focus on studying, the everyday reality of international students does not always match our expectations. The Sandhu case shows us that many students are struggling to not just pay for their tuition but to cover the cost of living in Canada, which can be quite substantial. In some cases, an illness or injury suffered by a student or a family emergency can also arise unexpectedly to hinder a students ability to continue his or her studies, whether because they become unable to attend classes or because they are no longer able to afford to study. In such situations, students need to ensure that they are not violating the condition that they remain actively engaged in their studies in Canada. If a student is in Canada and can no longer fulfill their primary purpose of studying, then they should consider taking an official leave from school. Leaves of absence can be granted for up to 150 days without affecting a students status in Canada. However, if a leave of absence lasts beyond the 150 days, the student is expected to either leave Canada or to change his or her immigration status to visitor status. Obtaining and documenting leaves of absence is especially important for international students who are eligible to apply for post-graduation work permits (PGWP) when they finish their program of study. That is because international students need to have maintained full-time student status while in Canada in order to apply for a PGWP, but exceptions can be made for students who took an approved leave of absence. Canadas immigration rules governing international students are based on the expectation that students in Canada must focus primarily on their studies. Implicit in this expectation is the notion that students would be distracted from studying if they were able to work full-time hours, and yet many Canadians can probably relate to somebody studying full-time while also working full-time hours to support themselves and their families. These expectations and assumptions in the context of Canadas international student program are now being challenged and have been put under the national spotlight as to whether they are fair or logical, and it will be interesting to see whether any positive changes will develop from the debate initiated by the Sandhu case. What recent immigration history shows is that rule changes to the international student program have been slow and incremental. Until such time as new rules develop, international students in Canada should ensure they understand and comply with the conditions on their study permits to actively pursue their studies and only work within the allowable limits set by law. Victor Ing is a lawyer of Sas & Ing Immigration Law Centre. He provides a full range of immigration services. For more information go to canadian-visa-lawyer.com or email [email protected]. Guest Commentary By Ray Pennings Have we lost all sense of proportion when it comes to our fundamental rights in Canada? Two recent cases suggest we have. Both cases involve the notwithstanding clause in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which allows legislatures to temporarily bypass certain constitutionally-protected rights. Two premiers have sought to invoke the much-discussed clause recently. Yet the media response to each case has been quite different, suggesting weve lost the plot in Canada on defending fundamental freedoms. When Ontario Premier Doug Ford threatened last September to use the notwithstanding clause to push through his decision to shrink the size of Toronto city council, it caused weeks of uproar and a media storm. A media database search turned up almost 12,400 mentions of Doug Ford with the phrase notwithstanding clause in the three weeks following his announcement. While some of these were only a passing reference, the sheer number of news stories indicates very intense media interest. More recently, Quebec Premier Francois Legault announced hed use the notwithstanding clause to protect his Bill 21 from being ruled inoperative by the courts. The bill would bar public servants in positions of authority from wearing religious symbols on the job. Within eight weeks of Bill 21s introduction, a media database search uncovered just 5,400 mentions of it. Fords policy regarding Toronto city council was debatable, but its importance pales in comparison to Legaults actions. His Bill 21 would suspend religious freedom fundamental freedom listed first (with freedom of conscience) in the charter. It would force religious Sikhs, Orthodox Jews, many Muslim women and Christians who wear crosses to hide their beliefs while working as police officers, Crown prosecutors, teachers or other civil servants. Arguably, using the notwithstanding clause for this is immeasurably more important than anything Ford contemplated. So why is there such a dramatic difference in the attention each case has received? The nature of the news media offers a partial answer. The Ontario premier versus the city council he once served on provides an easy, conflict-filled narrative. In Quebecs case, theres plenty of conflicts, but the media seem to find it tougher to assign good-guy and bad-guy labels consistently. The media also reflect the culture in which they work as much as they influence that culture. Sadly, the difference in the volume of media coverage in these two cases seems to mirror Canadians waning understanding of religious freedom. The media dont see Quebecs violation of religious freedom for what it is because many Canadians dont either. When the Angus Reid Institute, in partnership with Cardus, asked Canadians last year whether religious freedom made Canada a better country, only 59 percent responded positively. Amazingly, 14 percent said it made Canada worse. For a fundamental human right, 59 percent support is alarmingly low. The same poll found half of Canadians expressed discomfort with people wearing religious garments or symbols at work. Even so, a May 2019 Angus Reid poll found the vast majority of Canadians outside Quebec still believed public employees should be allowed to wear most religious symbols on the job, with exceptions for the Sikh kirpan and the Muslim niqab and burka. A slight majority opposed a Quebec-style secularism law for their own province. The relatively low value Canadians assign to religious freedom and the tepid opposition to secularism laws are worrisome. They suggest Canadians journalists included have forgotten how vitally connected religious freedom is to other constitutionally protected freedoms. The coverage also seems to reinforce the downward trend in respect for the contribution and value of faith to public life due to growing secularism. When Angus Reid asked Canadians whether the presence of various faith groups were a net benefit to society, the most religiously active respondents were most respectful of all faith groups. The least religious saw all religions negatively. Religious Canadians are most open toward those who differ from themselves; the non-religious are the least open to diversity. Perhaps its not too surprising that a fight over the size of a city council gets more than twice the attention as a gross violation of religious freedom. But imbalanced media coverage isnt justifiable. Religious freedom is a fundamental human right. Violations of it deserve news coverage. We cant take such freedoms for granted. Ray Pennings is executive vice-president of the think-tank Cardus. As the US continues its military buildup in the Middle East to put pressure on Iran, President Donald Trump has raised eyebrows by extending an offer to negotiate with Tehran As the US administration continued to bang the war drum against Iran by announcing the sale of weapons to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan and the deployment of 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East, President Donald Trump surprised observers by stating that a deal with Tehran remained possible and denied that his goal was regime change. I really believe that Iran would like to make a deal, and I think thats very smart of them, and I think thats a possibility to happen, Trump said during a news conference with Japans Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo on Monday. It has a chance to be a great country with the same leadership, Trump said. We arent looking for regime change I just want to make that clear. We are looking for no nuclear weapons. In Tehran, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Iran was not seeking nuclear weapons, which its supreme leader has banned in an edict. He added on Twitter that US policies were hurting the Iranian people and causing regional tensions. Actions not words will show whether or not thats #realDonaldTrumps intent, Zarif said. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in October that the United States was seeking regime change in Iran, adding that the current US administration was the most hostile that the Islamic Republic had faced in its four decades of existence. Tensions have risen between Iran and the United States after this months attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf region. Washington, a firm backer of Tehrans regional rival Saudi Arabia, has blamed the attacks on Iran, which denies the accusations. The United States has deployed a carrier strike group and bombers to the Middle East and announced plans to deploy 1,500 troops to the Middle East, prompting fears of a conflict. Trumps National Security Adviser John Bolton said on Saturday that the United States had deep and serious intelligence on threats posed by Iran, without providing details. Trump, on a four-day visit to Japan, welcomed Abes help in dealing with Iran after broadcaster NHK said Japans leader was considering a trip to Tehran as early as mid-June. Iran said a visit was unlikely in the near future. I know for a fact that the prime minister is very close with the leadership of Iran, and well see what happens, Trump said. In his joint news conference with Trump, Abe said Japan would do what it could on the Iran issue. Trump last year withdrew the United States from the 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran, and he has been ratcheting up sanctions seeking to end Irans international sales of crude oil and strangle its economy. Japan was a major buyer of Iranian oil for decades before the US sanctions, which Trump said were taking effect. They were fighting in many locations, he said of Iran. Now they are pulling back because they have serious economic problems. Bolton, who has spearheaded an increasingly hawkish US policy on Iran, described the recent bomb attacks on tankers off the United Arab Emirates and a pipeline pumping station in Saudi Arabia, as well as a rocket attack in Baghdads Green Zone, as manifestations of concern about Iran. Iran has distanced itself from the bombings, and on Sunday Zarif said his country would defend itself against any military or economic aggression. One day after Trumps conciliatory statements in Japan, Tehran continued to stress that it was looking for action, not words. Asked about Trumps comments in a news conference in Tehran, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi was quoted by the semi-official Fars news agency as saying that we currently see no prospect of negotiations with America. Iran pays no attention to words. What matters to us is a change of approach and behaviour, he said. Morteza Qorbani, an adviser to Irans military command, also lashed out at Washington for announcing arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE and the deployment of more US troops. If they commit the slightest stupidity, we will send these ships to the bottom of the sea along with their crew and planes using two missiles or two new secret weapons, Qorbani told the semi-official news agency Mizan on Saturday. The latest US troop deployments are small compared with the nearly 70,000 American troops stationed across the Middle East and Afghanistan and are not enough to change the Pentagon strategy. But a period of protracted tensions could set it back. A US official said the hope was that the deterrence measures being used by the Pentagon in sending aircraft and ships to the region would be enough to stave off a major conflict with Iran. Rather than absorb the shocks, Iran retaliated, however. It announced a part-suspension of its commitment to the nuclear accord and said it would increase its uranium enrichment, a potential step to creating a nuclear weapon. A series of flashpoints in the region then began to flare up. The main premise of the maximum pressure campaign has been economic coercion, said the NGO the International Crisis Groups Iran analyst, Naysan Rafati. By issuing close to 1,000 sanctions designations, by putting a foreign terror organisation tag on the [elite wing of Irans military] Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, by cutting Irans oils exports... [the US hoped] that Iran would come back to the table. But what weve definitely seen is a response from Iran on the nuclear front... and the risk has always been that there would be a response on the regional front, Rafati said. Its as if [the Iranians] suggest that you can put us under significant economic duress, but we also have cards to play. Even if [the US] aim is not to initiate some sort of armed conflict, the higher you raise tensions the more chance for a mistake, for something to happen that will spiral out of control really fast, said former US secretary of the navy and former ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ray Mabus. I think were significantly closer [to war], certainly than we were when we negotiated the [nuclear] treaty which from all appearances was working, Mabus said. Now we have a president that pulled us out of it and said I can make a better deal. Well, he hasnt. In fact, hes made things much worse. Meanwhile, Trumps decision to approve the sale of over $8 billion worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, has angered Congress. The Trump administration informed congressional committees that it would go ahead with 22 military sales to the Saudis, United Arab Emirates and Jordan, infuriating lawmakers by circumventing a long-standing precedent for the congressional review of major weapons sales. Members of Congress had been blocking sales of offensive military equipment to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for months, angry about the huge civilian toll from the air campaign in Yemen as well as human rights abuses such as the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a Saudi consulate in Turkey. Lawmakers and congressional aides warned earlier this week that Trump, frustrated with Congress holding up weapons deals including the sale of bombs to Saudi Arabia, was considering using a loophole in the arms-control law to go ahead by declaring a national emergency. President Trump is only using this loophole because he knows Congress would disapprove... There is no new emergency reason to sell bombs to the Saudis to drop in Yemen, and doing so only perpetuates the humanitarian crisis there, said senator Chris Murphy. Several of Trumps fellow Republicans, as well as Democrats, said they would object to such a plan, fearing that blowing through the holds process would eliminate Congresss ability to check not just Trump but future presidents from selling weapons to whom they wanted. *A version of this article appears in print in the 30 May, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Trumps offer to Iran Search Keywords: Short link: CDC, the UKs development finance institution, announced Tuesday that it has been granted approval by the Central Bank of Egypt to provide Tier 2 capital to the Egyptian banking sector. The approval could see CDC commit as much as $200 million to local banks to help increase their support for Egypts ongoing economic development programme. CDC is the first bilateral development finance institution to be given clearance to provide Tier 2 capital to Egypts banking sector. CDC is currently in discussions with a number of Egyptian banks with a view to providing funding that will support their loan book expansion, bringing new products to micro, small and medium-sized businesses (MSME) and export-orientated customers. CDCs chief executive Nick ODonohoe said: We welcome the decision of the Egyptian Central Bank to enable CDC to lend Tier 2 capital to the countrys banks. Supporting Egypts banking sector is a stepping stone for CDC to support the countrys private sector, in particular small and medium sized businesses which are the bedrock of job creation and economic growth in the country. Todays decision will allow us to play a role in building a healthy, well-capitalised banking sector in Egypt." CDC is committed to the countrys economic development, so I am delighted to announce that we will appoint a country representative this year as we focus on building long-term partnerships and invest more in Egypt. Meanwhile, UK International Trade Secretary Liam Fox, who is on a trade mission in Cairo this week, said: The appetite of British companies to invest in Egypts future is growing. Last year, we saw CDC support Benban Solar Park and this year it plans to commit millions to Egyptian banks to assist them in developing the countrys economy. These investments clearly reflect the UKs commitment to Egypt and its people. Last year, CDC announced its ambition to invest up to $4.5 billion across Africa over the four years up to 2022. CDC has invested in Egypt since 2003 and sees the country as an increasingly important focus for its investment activities. Its capital currently supports 20 companies in the country that employ over 9,000 people. CDC has provided over $115 million in investment to those companies. In late 2017, CDC provided a loan of $97 million to the 800MW Nubian Suns solar power project as part of a larger financing package that will help Egypt reach its green energy targets and create thousands of jobs. The Nubian Suns project is part of the Benban Solar Park which, when complete, will be the largest solar power installation in the world. In 2016, CDC committed $15 million to the Ezdehar Egypt Mid-Cap Fund, a first-time, locally-based investment fund that provides growth finance and knowhow to small and medium-sized family businesses. CDC has significant experience in supporting financial institutions across Africa and South Asia. In recent years, CDC backed commercial banks, microfinance institutions, non-banking financial institutions and other providers of financial services and insurance. In 2018, CDC committed $100 million to the Cairo-based Afreximbank in the form of a risk sharing guarantee programme to promote trade across the African continent. Search Keywords: Short link: Turkey releases detained US scientist: State Dept Washington, May 29 (AFP) May 29, 2019 Turkey on Wednesday released Serkan Golge, a NASA scientist with dual US-Turkish citizenship whose nearly three-year detention has soured relations between the NATO allies, the State Department said. "We welcome the news that Serkan Golge has been released from prison today," State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus told reporters. "We will continue to follow Mr. Golge's case closely along with those involving our own locally employed staff" in Turkey, she told. Ortagus called on Turkey to ensure that "he can return home as soon as possible." Golge was detained in July 2016 on a visit to his country of birth as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan cracked down on alleged supporters of self-exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom the leadership accused of orchestrating a failed coup. Golge was sentenced in 2018 to seven and a half years in prison despite State Department protests that he was convicted without credible evidence. Turkey in October also released an American pastor caught up in the crackdown, Andrew Brunson, who had become a cause celebre among President Donald Trump's conservative Christian base. Australia pilots hit by lasers during S. China Sea flights: report Sydney, May 29 (AFP) May 29, 2019 Australian navy pilots were hit by lasers during flights in the hotly contested South China Sea, the national broadcaster reported Wednesday, with informal Chinese militia vessels believed to be behind the attacks. Beijing has become more assertive in the area, stoking tensions with rival claimants in Southeast Asia as well as Canberra and Washington -- traditionally the dominant naval and air power in the Asia-Pacific region. Defence sources told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that helicopters were targeted during night flights, forcing the pilots to temporarily return to their ship for medical check-ups. The broadcaster did not detail why the pilots sought check-ups and how exactly the helicopters were targeted. The laser attacks were believed to have come from fishing boats, but ABC said it was not yet formally confirmed if they were Chinese-flagged vessels. Analysts have said China operates a maritime militia that includes fishing trawlers to carry out missions in the South China Sea. Australian warships have been on a months-long engagement mission in Asia that concluded this week. There was no immediate comment from the defence department. China claims sovereignty over virtually all the resource-rich South China Sea, despite rival claims from its Southeast Asian neighbours. The Australian navy has conducted joint exercises in the South China Sea with other nations, including the United States. Beijing last year rejected US allegations that Chinese nationals shone military-grade lasers at American pilots in Djibouti, where China operates a naval base. Two US pilots suffered minor eye injuries from those lasers, according to the Pentagon. US marine dies in Australia training accident Sydney, May 29 (AFP) May 29, 2019 A United States marine has died in Australia after succumbing to injuries received during a training accident, the force's commanding officer said Wednesday. Lance Corporal Hans Sandoval-Pereyra was injured during a vehicle accident during the drill on Saturday near the northern Australia regional hub of Darwin. He was airlifted to hospital but was unable to be saved. Thousands of marines have passed through the rotation in Darwin since 2012, in an annual arrangement between long-time defence allies Washington and Canberra. Commanding officer for the rotation in Darwin, Colonel Russ Boyce, said the marines were saddened by the loss of Sandoval-Pereyra. "He was a beloved member of our community and our deepest sympathies go out to his family and friends," Boyce said. "We are extremely grateful to our Australian partners for their valiant efforts to save this young marine's life." A fellow marine received minor injuries during the accident but has since been released from hospital. An investigation is under way. Armed and Dangerous: Myanmar's military goes shopping Yangon, May 29 (AFP) May 29, 2019 Myanmar's military has lavished tens of millions of dollars on the latest lethal hardware, leaning on allies as part of a strategy to become a first-class fighting force. The spending spree comes despite enduring EU and US arms embargos and calls earlier this month from a UN fact-finding mission for the international community to sever financial ties to Myanmar's military. Senior generals already face sanctions for a scorched earth campaign that drove more than 740,000 Rohingya Muslims into Bangladesh. And allegations of fresh abuses are mounting as it now tackles ethnic Rakhine rebels, who are Buddhist, in the same area, according to an Amnesty International report Wednesday. But the army has continued spending, offered discounts by governments with a stake in its strategic location and an eye on a major arms market. Here are a few which it has turned to for arms, equipment or training. - China - Despite easing economic sanctions, the US still does not sell weapons to Myanmar. China has no such qualms. Beijing has provided diplomatic cover for Myanmar at the UN. It has also been its main source of weapons, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), which estimates that from 2013-17 China accounted for 68 per cent of Myanmar arms imports. That includes armoured vehicles, surface-to-air missile technology, radar, and unarmed drones, said Siemon Wezeman, SIPRI senior researcher for the Asia-Pacific. He added Myanmar also placed orders for Sino-Pakistani manufactured JF-17 Thunder fighter jets valued at $25 million each -- seen in action in late 2018 at a Myanmar Air Force display. "Name it and the Chinese supply it," Wezeman told AFP. And the price is often right. "The price of arms sales is usually discounted," said Yun Sun, an expert on China-Myanmar relations at the Stimson Center. - Russia - Russia has emerged as one of Myanmar's most enthusiastic friends on the world stage. Last month it pulled out all stops for army chief Min Aung Hlaing. The senior general inspected a helicopter plant, was flown on an Mi 171 over the Siberian city of Ulan Ude, and "enjoyed the scenery" around freshwater Lake Baikal, Myanmar state mouthpiece Global New Light of Myanmar reported. Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu came to Myanmar in January 2018, met with the commander-in-chief and inked a deal for Myanmar to buy six Su-30 fighters jets, Russian state media TASS reported. The cost is estimated at $200 million. The jets are meant to become "the main fighter aircraft of Myanmar's air force", the deputy defence minister said. The US State Department said the deal could aggravate the Rohingya crisis, but a Russian government spokesperson said it "cannot pay attention" to the accusations. - India - In an attempt to counterbalance Chinese influence over its shared neighbour, India has stepped up defence ties and pointedly avoided criticism over the Rohingya issue. But it is still playing catch-up with China. According to security analyst Anthony Davis, India has tended to focus its efforts on Myanmar's Navy where it stands to offer more in terms of specialised equipment and joint exercises. "The Indians have basically been looking to move in on Tatmadaw naval modernisation, which has been moving forward at a pretty remarkable rate," Davis said, using the Burmese word for the military. Min Aung Hlaing has also made several trips to India in recent years. As the crackdown against the Rohingya intensified in September 2017, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar and agreed to deepen defence ties. - Israel - Israel has had a longstanding relationship with Myanmar, one of the Jewish state's early allies in Asia. In 2018, the country donated water purification systems to the government body set up in the aftermath of the Rohingya crisis. Min Aung Hlaing visited Israel in 2015, where he toured the Holocaust museum and defence suppliers. In April 2017 the Myanmar Navy posted pictures on Facebook of Israeli-made Super Dvora Mk 3 patrol boats. "She is moving forward with 45 knots on Myanmar Waters. Welcome to Myanmar Navy!!!" the caption said. But the relationship has sparked controversy for Israel at home, prompting an apparent halt in sales in 2017. The Israel embassy in Yangon confirmed "there is no change in Israel's decision not to sell arms to Myanmar." Australia pilots hit by lasers during South China Sea flights Sydney, May 29 (AFP) May 29, 2019 Australia's military has confirmed that Navy pilots were targeted with lasers during flights in the hotly contested South China Sea, with informal Chinese militia vessels believed to be behind the attacks. Beijing has become more assertive in the area, stoking tensions with rival claimants in Southeast Asia as well as Canberra and Washington -- traditionally the dominant naval and air power in the Asia-Pacific region. The Australian Defence Force said "assets operating across the region have observed an increase in the use of hand-held lasers by some vessels". In this specific incident, helicopter pilots flying from the HMAS Canberra were marked with lasers as they took part in the months-long Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2019 exercise. "With regards to the incident mentioned... the Royal Australian Navy pilots involved were examined as a precautionary measure and cleared of any injury by medical staff." La Trobe Asia director Euan Graham was one of several academics invited on the HMAS Canberra as it moved from Vietnam to Singapore. He reported that the vessel was shadowed by a Chinese warship and "helicopter pilots had lasers pointed at them from passing fishing vessels." China has been accused of operating a maritime militia that includes fishing trawlers that carry out reconnaissance, intelligence and other missions in the South China Sea. The so-called "Gray Zone" operations are used to challenge or one-up rival powers, while offering deniability and reducing the risk of military conflict. "The reason for vessels using the lasers is unknown but it may be to draw attention to their presence in congested waterways," the Australian military said. China claims sovereignty over virtually all the resource-rich South China Sea, despite rival claims from its Southeast Asian neighbours. The Australian navy has conducted joint exercises in the South China Sea with other nations, including the United States -- which China has sought to deter. Beijing last year rejected US allegations that Chinese nationals shone military-grade lasers at American pilots in Djibouti, where China operates a naval base. Two US pilots suffered minor eye injuries from those lasers, according to the Pentagon. Shareif Ziyadat/WireImage After Meek Mill was prevented from entering the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas over the Memorial Day weekend, 50 Cent, Swae Lee and Yo Gotti have declared their support for the Philly rapper. Fifty posted a headline on Instagram reading, Meek Mill suing the Cosmo for racism." He commented, "Damn Boy, they wouldnt let meek in Ha ha i know he was tight. LOL THEY FOUL for that, I wont stay at the cosmo till this is resolved. Mill is accusing the Cosmopolitan of racism after he was barred from entering the building to attend a DJ Mustard concert on Saturday. Meek's attorney, Joe Tacopino, plans to sue the hotel for "heavy monetary damages" for allegedly "lying and humiliating Meek." Gotti says hes also faced racism in Sin City. Ive experienced similar discrimination at the Cosmopolitan and other Vegas hotels, the Memphis rapper tells HipHopDX. Its a disgrace that these establishments continue to judge us by the color of our skin and our professions instead of recognizing our artistry and dedication to our communities. I stand with Meek Mill and all my peers in the Hip Hop community that have been disrespected by places like the Cosmopolitan, Gotti declares. Swae says he knows first-hand what Mill experienced because he was also mistreated at the Cosmopolitan. I feel him 100 percent. I was just there and theyre really aggressive for no reason," the Rae Sremmurdmember tells TMZ. Swae offered a message for the Cosmopolitan and other establishments that allegedly discriminate. "You could learn something from somebody thats different from you. It dont matter if theyre black, white, Hispanic, Indian," he says. "Dont cancel people out just because they got a different skin color, a different background. You might could learn something from that person. You might be inspired by that person." Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Electricity prices in Egypt will increase by an average of 15 percent in July, the minister of electricity announced last week. Electricity prices for the commercial sector will increase by an average of 14 percent, while prices for the industrial sector, including high-energy sectors such as the iron and steel industry, will increase by 10 percent. Electricity prices for household consumption will rise by an average of 20 percent. Hafez Al-Salmawi, former head of the Egyptian Electric Utility and Consumer Protection Regulatory Agency (EgyptERA), said that the continuation of the price-restructuring programme had made a huge difference to the market. He said the market had been transformed from being rigid and lacking in incentives to one characterised by improved performance and efficiency. The present price rises come as a result of the fourth cut in energy subsidies since Egypt embarked on an economic reform programme with the backing of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 2016. The move is part of a package of reforms aimed at containing the budget deficit. The government is hoping to save LE16.5 billion by cutting electricity subsidies, which came to LE33.5 billion in the fiscal year 2018/2019, according to investment bank Beltone Financial. Electricity subsidies represent 15 per cent of the governments goods support bills, Beltone said. The government lowered the subsidies by an average of 30 per cent in July 2016, followed by 40 per cent in July 2017 and 26 per cent in July 2018. However, despite his overall approval, Al-Salmawi said the government needed to do some things differently. The higher prices borne by the industrial sector limited the competitiveness of Egyptian goods, he pointed out, and the fact that high-voltage subscribers, mostly the industrial and services sectors, cross-subsidise the household sector was no longer viable. Cross-subsidisation is the practice of charging higher prices to one type of consumers to artificially lower prices for another. Al-Salmawi said that the higher bills paid by industries and service providers were reflected in the increased cost of goods sold to consumers. In the end, households ended up bearing the increase in prices, he added. According to Beltone Financial, household electricity accounts for 42 per cent of subsidised electricity in Egypt. Overall price increases were what Aida, a daily worker, worries about most. She does not worry about her electricity bills, as she thinks they will only increase by a few pounds. However, she said that any increase in utility prices was usually reflected in the price of finished goods, which are already expensive. After the rise in electricity prices, the prices of goods will increase again, constituting an additional burden on households, she said. Al-Salmawi stressed that besides tackling the issue of subsidies, the government should focus on the efficiency of the sector. He said that the electricity companies should make sure that their plants are working efficiently in terms of fuel consumption, the reduction of electricity losses in transmission networks, and the efficiency of bill collection and the reduction of administrative expenses. He wanted to see a market in which consumers, especially the industrial sector, would be able to move freely among producers, depending on their efficiency. Fair competition would not only improve performance, but would also attract investments to the sector, whether traditional or renewable energy production, he said. Mohamed Al-Sobki, founding head of the EgyptERA, warned that if the cost of the fuel used in the current power plants rose above $3 per million British thermal units (BTU), electricity prices to the end-user would need to increase again, in which case the government might intervene again with subsidies. The highest price increases, averaging 30 per cent, would be borne by the lower consumption brackets, Al-Sobki said, adding that this group of consumers constituted most of the recipients of state subsidies. Residential higher-consumption brackets, consuming more than 1,000 kWh/month, would not see their bills increase at all, Al-Sobki said. He explained that this was because users in this segment were already paying an unsubsidised rate, adding that they accounted for less than one per cent of the total number of domestic subscribers, with total consumption not exceeding 7.6 per cent of total consumption. The electricity subsidies had been scheduled for phasing out by 2019-2020, but the deadline was extended for another year to ease the burden on households. A faster schedule would have meant more drastic cuts in the subsidies, which will be fully phased out by June 2022, according to the minister of electricity. *A version of this article appears in print in the 30 May, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Waiting for the bills Search Keywords: Short link: Iraq condemns 7th Frenchman to death for IS membership Baghdad, May 29 (AFP) May 29, 2019 A Baghdad court sentenced a Frenchman to death on Wednesday for joining the Islamic State group, bringing to seven the number of French jihadists on death row in Iraq. Yassin Sakkam was among 12 French citizens transferred to Iraqi authorities in January by a US-backed force fighting the jihadist group in Syria. "I admit to having sworn allegiance" to IS, he told the court, saying he was paid $70 (62 euros) a month. He added that he regretted his decision to join the group, and asked to be pardoned. Sakkam, now 29, left France in late 2014 to fight for IS, posting online pictures of himself carrying arms and speaking to multiple media outlets about IS. He became one of the most notorious jihadists in France, which has been seeking his arrest since 2016. Kurdish authorities detained him in Syria in 2017. His brother Karim carried out a suicide attack at the Iraqi-Jordanian border in 2015, according to the French Terrorism Analysis Centre (CAT). Sakkam's sentence came despite France reiterating its opposition to capital punishment this week amid a series of similar judgments against French citizens handed to Baghdad. Iraq has taken custody of thousands of jihadists in recent months after they were captured in neighbouring Syria by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) during the battle to destroy the IS "caliphate". They include hundreds of foreigners suspected of IS membership, raising the question of whether suspected IS jihadists should be tried in the region or repatriated. France has long insisted that its adult citizens captured in Iraq or Syria must face trial locally, while reiterating its opposition to capital punishment. Iraqi law provides for the death penalty for anyone joining a "terrorist group" -- even those who did not take up arms. Also on Wednesday, an Iraqi court sentenced Tunisian Mohammed Berriri to death for joining IS, after a hearing lasting less than an hour. Berriri, 24, admitted to joining the group, saying he thought it was "defending the weak", but said he now regretted doing so. Sakkam and the six other French citizens handed death sentences in recent days have 30 days to appeal. The remaining five French suspects face trial in the coming days. The trials have been criticised by human rights groups, which say they often rely on evidence obtained through torture. In a statement sent to AFP, a group representing the families of French jihadists asked the government in Paris to "do everything possible to stop this fatal chain of death sentences" and to try them "on our soil". On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said France was stepping up efforts to stop Iraq executing those convicted. Ukraine's Zelensky to visit Brussels next week Kiev, May 29 (AFP) May 29, 2019 Ukraine's new leader Volodymyr Zelensky will next week travel to Brussels on his first foreign trip since becoming president, his office said on Wednesday, seeking to shore up Western support amid persistent tensions with Russia. Zelensky, a 41-year-old former comedian, crushed incumbent Petro Poroshenko during last month's election, in a rebuke to the establishment fuelled by popular anger over war and social injustice. During the June 4-5 visit, Zelensky is due to meet with European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker. He is also expected to have talks with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. "The Ukrainian president will inform the EU and NATO partners of the security situation in eastern Ukraine," Zelensky's office said in a statement, referring to the war with Russian-backed separatists in the industrial east. Plans are to "discuss ways to intensify international efforts to end the war" and address "further key reforms" in Ukraine, the statement added. Zelensky has vowed to press ahead with the ex-Soviet country's pro-Western course. Both the EU and NATO back Ukraine in its tensions with Moscow but also say Kiev has to do more to push through much-needed political and economic reforms. During his inaugural speech last week, Zelensky said his top priority was ending a war with separatists that has claimed some 13,000 lives since 2014. Ukraine and the West accuse Russia of fuelling the conflict and sending weapons to the insurgents, charges which Moscow denies despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Iraq repatriates nearly 200 children of Turkish jihadists Baghdad, May 29 (AFP) May 29, 2019 Iraq repatriated to Turkey on Wednesday 188 children of Turks accused of belonging to the Islamic State group, a capital offence in Iraq, the judiciary said. The move follows the repatriation to Tajikistan late last month of 84 children of nationals convicted by Iraqi courts of membership of IS or other jihadist groups. That came after dozens of children were flown to Russia and after France and Germany repatriated the children of women nationals detained in Iraq. Baghdad declared victory over IS in 2017 but the group's cross-border "caliphate" was only eliminated when US-backed fighters conquered its last scrap of territory in Syria in March. Iraqi courts have dealt with a steady flow of jihadists -- with 500 foreign men and women already found guilty of having joined IS. The caseload has swelled in recent months after thousands of jihadists were transferred from Syria after the battle to stamp out the last IS enclave. Since Sunday seven French jihadists have been sentenced to death for joining IS. The trials of foreign jihadists have been criticised by human rights groups, which say they often rely on evidence obtained through torture. France's rights ombudsman on Wednesday said the country must stop the "inhumane treatment" of children of jihadists stranded in Syria who are not being allowed to come to the country. Erdogan offers Trump working group on Russian missiles Ankara, May 29 (AFP) May 29, 2019 President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke with US counterpart Donald Trump on Wednesday, reiterating an offer to set up a working group on Turkey's decision to buy a Russian missile defence system. The move to buy the Russian S-400 system over America's Patriot equivalent has been a major source of tension between the NATO allies, leading to threats of US sanctions. In his call with Trump, Erdogan reiterated the offer to form "a joint working group on Turkey's plan to procure the S-400," his office said in a statement. The offer was first made in April but has yet to receive a response. The two leaders agreed to meet on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, at the end of June. The S-400 purchase would expose Turkey to US sanctions against arms deals with Russia. Washington says the presence of Russian missile defences in Turkey would be a threat to Western military systems and could jeopardise its involvement in the F-35 fighter jet programme, for which it provides some parts. But Erdogan has been adamant it is a "done deal", and Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said last week that Turkey had already sent personnel to Russia for training. On a more positive note, Erdogan told Trump that he welcomed the decision to eliminate tariffs on Turkish steel, saying it would help their countries reach the goal of $75 billion (67 billion euros) in bilateral trade. Colombia's top court orders release of ex-rebel wanted by US Bogota, May 29 (AFP) May 29, 2019 Colombia's Supreme Court ordered Wednesday the "immediate release" of former FARC guerrilla leader Jesus Santrich, who is wanted by the United States for drug trafficking. Santrich, who is suspected of participating in the trafficking of 10 tons of cocaine to the US, has been in prison since April 2018. "There is no appeal" in such a case, the court said. The Supreme Court said it -- and not the lower courts -- were responsible for handling the case of Santrich, whose real name is Seuxis Paucias Hernandez, due to his status as an elected lawmaker. Santrich was on a list of members of the newly created Common Alternative Revolutionary Force political party due to take up one of 10 congress seats reserved for the communists as part of the historic 2016 peace accord that ended more than a half century of armed conflict. The pact stipulated that the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia would turn into a political party, using the same FARC acronym as its predecessor, with 10 seats reserved in congress until 2026. But Santrich, who is blind, was captured by authorities before he could take up his senate seat. Although the 52-year-old was released from detention earlier this month following an order by the special peace court tasked with judging crimes committed during Colombia's long armed conflict, he was re-arrested as he left prison. Under pressure from Washington, Ivan Duque's government is firmly opposed to liberating Santrich and has ratified its intention to extradite him to the US. Under the terms of the peace accord signed in December 2016 between FARC rebels and the government of then-president Juan Manuel Santos, former guerrillas who commit crimes after the pact was signed are tried in a normal court and lose the benefits afforded by the accord, such as a ban on extradition. The accusations against Santrich, who professes his innocence, crucially date from June 2017 to April 2018, after the peace accord was signed. The FARC party has denounced the accusations against Santrich as a "judicial setup." US-UAE defense agreement comes into force Abu Dhabi, May 29 (AFP) May 29, 2019 The United States and the United Arab Emirates announced Wednesday that mutual defense cooperation agreement had come into force, amid increasing tensions between Washington and Tehran. "The DCA (Defense Cooperation Agreement) will enhance military coordination between the United States and the United Arab Emirates, further advancing an already robust military, political, and economic partnership at a critical time," a joint statement said. "The United States and the United Arab Emirates share a deep interest in promoting prosperity and stability in the region. "The DCA will advance that interest by fostering closer collaboration on defense and security matters and supporting efforts by both nations to maintain security in the Gulf region." US national security advisor John Bolton was in Abu Dhabi Wednesday, meeting his Emirati counterpart, Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Bolton said Iran was almost certainly behind recent oil tanker attacks that sent Gulf tensions soaring. Riyadh's regional rival Tehran dismissed the accusation as "laughable". This came on the eve of emergency Arab and Gulf summits called by Saudi Arabia to discuss the stand-off and ways to isolate Tehran. Two Saudi oil tankers, among four vessels, were the targets of mysterious acts of sabotage off the UAE this month, and Iran-aligned Yemeni rebels have stepped up drone attacks on the kingdom -- one of which resulted in the temporary shutdown of a major oil pipeline. Saudi Arabia and the US have accused Iran of being the mastermind behind the Yemeni rebels' attack on the pipeline, while an investigation has been launched into the attacks on ships off the UAE. On Friday, US President Donald Trump bypassed Congress to sell $8.1 billion in arms to Saudi Arabia and other Arab allies, citing the alleged threat from Iran. Director Amir El-Shenawy will be hosted by Amr Salama at the Ewart Hall to discuss his latest film 'Kilo 64' The Tahrir Cultural Center of the American University in Cairo (AUC) is hosting the screening of film 'Kilo 64' at the Ewart Hall on Wednesday 12 June. The screening will be followed by with the film director Amir El -Shenawy, hosted by director Amr Salama. 'Kilo 64' is about the journey of an ambitious pharmacy graduate who shifts his career and starts a farming business at Kilo 64 off Cairo-Alexandria desert road. Moved by the spirit of the January 25th Revolution, Wael El-Shenawy, 24, starts an agriculture startup with the aim to make a social impact, but not everything goes as planned. AS the filmmakers describes, 'Kilo 64', filmed over two years, is a tale of two generations as it follows the journey of the young entrepreneur who's trying to revive his fathers dream, who made the same attempt 20 years ago. A simple personal story that tells a lot about what happened in Egypt for decades. Programme: Wednesday 12 June at 7pm Ewart Hall, Tahrir Cultural Center, AUC, Tahrir For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture Search Keywords: Short link: Optimization Are you frustrated with a slow pc or a hard disk not performing as it should? Try SLOW-PCfighter to speed up boot time on a slow PC, or try a free scan of FULL-DISKfighter to recover space on a full disk. The latest offering is DRIVERfighter to update your driver updater. Get complete PC optimization and extend the life of your PC with these must-have software tools. Chahid El Hafed (Camps of Dignity), May 28, 2019 (SPS) - The Frente POLISARIO has reiterated on Monday that the only viable, lasting and realistic solution is that which respects the will and the choice of the Saharawi people, as all colonial peoples, in accordance with the Charter and the resolutions of the United Nations and the African Union. The Permanent Bureau of the National Secretariat, meeting in regular session under its Secretary General, Brahim Gali, examined the current situation and the developments of the national cause, in particular the resignation of Mr. Horst Koehler as Personal Envoy of the UN SG for Western Sahara . In that sense, after regretting the resignation of the UN envoy, considering his resignation as a great loss to the dynamics of the efforts of the United Nations to reach a quick and lasting solution to the Moroccan-Sahrawi conflict. For the Frente POLISARIO this resignation underscores the need for the Security Council to act and assume its responsibilities to put an end to the policies of obstruction, obstinacy and recklessness of the Moroccan occupier, with the flagrant support of France, a permanent member of the Security Council. It demands that the Security Council act in a decisive manner so that MINURSO can assume its supreme task for which it was created, that of organizing a referendum on the self-determination of the Saharawi people. The Permanent Bureau of the National Secretariat of the Frente POLISARIO, in its communique released after its meeting on Monday, reiterated that the Saharawi people will continue resisting and will stand firm against the policies and maneuvers of the enemy.SPS 125/090/TRA For the last days of Ramadan and after the end of the month-long Muslim fast, Tabali is a destination to consider With the appetite for big homemade Ramadan feasts declining towards the end of the Muslim holy month, many may consider a less traditional iftar or sohour. With a menu mostly based on traditional street food in addition to some popular Egyptian dishes Tabali is a worthwhile destination. Like many other restaurants during Ramadan, Tabali is open only for iftar and sohour with set menus for food and open menus for drinks. The concept of the iftar menu aims to lure the diner into having a several-course meal that so filling that one can easily drop sohour. The three available soups, chicken or mushroom creamy soup and the traditional vermicelli chicken soup, are also good. Equally decent are the salads and pickles that typically blend in with the Egyptian and Lebanese cuisines, at times with a bit of an identity crisis. It is the starters of Tabali that are really worth dipping in, with stuffed vine leaves, traditional Egyptian sausages these are by far Tabalis best option for spices and samabousaks with cheese or minced meat fillings. Also on the starters menu are satisfactory portions of minced meat-filled roukak. These three courses, along with the very nice baladi bread that is offered along with the starters, salads, diverse drinks and juices, could well do for someone who is quite hungry. However, there is more to come from Tabalis main dishes and desserts. The main dishes are essentially either oven baked or sandwiches. The chicken bechamel macaroni is clearly on high demand and so are the hawawshi, sausage and sliced and spicy liver sandwiches, which are served with fries. For those who are looking for a regular main dish, Tabali offers a selection of grilled chicken served with either rice or French fries. For dessert, Tabalis oum ali is not as good as the sweet rice pudding. And because Tabali is essentially about upgraded street food, its chefs have much to show off for the Sohour table with a wide range of fried eggs, French fries and tamia for those who can stomach deep fried food for a very late evening meal. Those who wish to escape the fries have a very wide variety of foul, cheese, green salads and fresh fruit juices. Beyond the holy month and after the Eid, Tabali still has endless and quite delicious varieties of fried, pickled and spicy dishes with the Alexandrian style spicy falafel, the fried potatoes and pickled aubergine mix and the fried roumi (Turkish) cheese sandwiches of diverse sizes/dishes. And last but absolutely not least is the koshary, which is served in the traditional popular vegan recipe or with sliced spicy liver or sausages on top. Tabali has branches in Heliopolis, Tagammu and Zamalek. The prices on the menu suggest that two people can do a nice sohour for around EGP 300, a little more for iftar and a little less for a brunch or lunch after Ramadan. Search Keywords: Short link: TO VIEW MORE NEWS STORY, PLEASE CLICK ON NEWS TAB ON MAIN MENU BAR On 23 March, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) defeated Islamic State (IS) forces in their last stronghold in Baghouz and nearby pockets on the banks of the Euphrates River, ending a six-month campaign that the SDF began in Deir Al-Zor with the backing of the US-led international Coalition. The announcement of the collapse of the so-called IS caliphate raised many questions. Had IS ended with the defeat in Baghouz? If not, what will become of the terrorist organisation? What will become of the foreign fighters who joined its ranks? What parts of the world is the organisation most likely to find a new base or bases in after Syria and Iraq? Perhaps most importantly, will the IS combat strategy change in the post-caliphate period? Some answers to these questions have come in tandem with fast-paced developments related to the groups organisational structure and the operational tactics it has applied in all its provinces since the fall of Baghouz. In April and the first half of May this year, the terrorist organisation and its affiliates carried out 482 terrorist attacks in nine geographical areas stretching from West Africa to Southeast Asia. The attacks, most of which were carried out in the name of revenge for the Syria Province, killed and wounded over 2,800 people, including the victims of the church bombings in Sri Lanka (the figure is based on IS claims on its Telegram site from 1 April to 16 May), making this the second-largest wave of attacks carried out by IS since its foundation in 2014. Clearly, it is unrealistic to speak of the end of this terrorist organisation. A more precise definition of what happened in Baghouz in March was that it put an end to the IS dream of a caliphate and not to the organisation itself. Moreover, the terrorist organisation has unveiled a new combat and operational strategy that it plans to carry out using its fighters in Syria and Iraq or its 13 affiliates across the three continents of Asia, Africa and Europe. This new strategy, called felling cities temporarily as a new modus operandi for fighters, departs in many respects from the management of savagery strategy that IS applied from 2014 to March 2019. IS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi alluded to some features of this new strategy in his videotaped appearance on 29 April, which was posted via Telegram by the IS media wing Al-Furqan. What does the timing of this new strategy tell us? What exactly is it? And how can the international community respond to it most effectively? TIMING The IS announcement of its new strategy, which we could term the post-management of savagery strategy, comes a month after the fall of the last stronghold of its self-declared caliphate, a defeat that deeply shook the groups cohesion, especially in Syria and Iraq where competition is fierce between IS and other extremist organisations. Hayaat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) and Al-Qaeda, in particular, are the foremost rivals, and they pose the biggest and most immediate threat to IS cohesion because of their potential ideological allure to the groups fighters, especially now that IS has lost one of its chief sources of appeal to jihadists and a major selling point in its recruitment drives in Europe and elsewhere in the dream of the caliphate. At the same time, tensions are on the rise among IS franchises abroad as internal dissension rises over whether to disassociate from the mother organisation in Syria in a reversal of the process that occurred in 2014 when many extremist groups split from Al-Qaeda and declared their allegiance to Al-Baghdadi. In response to such challenges, the IS central command has pursued three main tactics. First, it has increased the rate of terrorist attacks carried out by its affiliates, diversified targets, and moved into new areas to carry out attacks in the name of revenge for the Syria Province. Second, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi made his first video appearance since the defeat in Baghouz and his second-ever video appearance since 2014. In this recent video, the longest of his three appearances (the other being a voice recording released in August 2018), the IS leader was intent on demonstrating the continued cohesion of his organisation, raising the morale of its fighters in the centre and peripheries, and mobilising them into action. Third, the organisation has released a document expounding a new and different strategy, thereby making it possible to identify its forthcoming agenda in terms of combat tactics, operational strategies, and the nature of its targets. The chief objective of these tactics, coming in fast succession in the aftermath of the defeat at Baghouz, is to rein in IS fighters in Syria and Iraq and in affiliate organisations abroad, secure their allegiance, and forestall any schisms or defections. STRATEGY The felling of cities temporarily as a modus operandi for fighters, as the new strategy is called, has four main parts: Definition, Aims, Execution, and Withdrawal. The first part, discussed here, defines new combat tactics for the IS command and provinces, which are to seize control temporarily over certain pieces of territory and then withdraw after achieving certain objectives. Particular mention is made of the IS affiliates in Libya, West Africa and Iraq. The document points out that such strike and flee operations are characteristic of periods of non-empowerment, which it also refers to as periods of guerrilla warfare. The terms alone are thus a formal admission of defeat and the collapse of the dream of the caliphate state, as they signal the organisations reversion to earlier tactics that are shared by other extremist organisations such as Al-Qaeda. The earlier strategies also did not set their sights on capturing and holding territory. The Definition part of the document is divided into several subsections, the first of which details the method. This essentially involves three concepts. The first is to capitalise on the element of surprise when staging attacks against military and security targets. The second is to opt for soft targets, including vulnerable areas, such as villages and towns remote from the capital and poorly defended, thereby ensuring fighters military superiority and greater manoeuvrability. The third is speed. The document states that no operation should last more than a few hours and that fighters should withdraw as quickly as possible afterwards. They should avoid direct engagements with the security forces so as to prevent losses in their own ranks. This latter point is significant. It offers an indication of the magnitude of ISs shrinking ranks, the central commands dwindling control over its members, and the organisations shrinking recruitment capacities. The instruction to present loss of life among the ranks is a sharp departure from the terrorist organisations modus operandi during the past five years, which prioritised carrying out an attack and achieving its aims regardless of how many fighters were martyred. As for the place, target, timing and precise method of executing an operation, the new guidelines leave such things to the discretion of operatives or field commanders. Such considerations vary in accordance with the nature of the region, the state of the government, and the condition of its security forces in terms of preparedness, strength, deployment and ability to respond, as well as the nature of the fighters in terms of material and human resources and expertise in planning and execution, the document says. Here, too, there is a departure from earlier practices. In the management of savagery era, operations were highly centralised, to the degree that the plans and timing for operations carried out in the provinces were drawn up by the IS central command. The new decentralisation and delegation of responsibility to IS subsidiaries and their commanders is another sign of the central organisations structural weakness and of the breakdown in its channels of communication with the peripheries. The appear and vanish subsection of the document acknowledges that IS and the majority of its affiliates no longer control portions of territory, making it more difficult to stage attacks as military-like operations and requiring a new approach. The appear and vanish tactic, according to the new strategy, is appropriate to the current phase of reversion to guerrilla warfare, since operatives no longer have a secure area they can use as a base for attacks or as a hideout. A corollary to this is that terrorist operatives should now adjust their dress and appearance in order to blend into civilian populations so as to keep from being identified. In other words, operatives are now effectively required to relinquish their outward religious appearance. With this, the terrorist organisation loses an important instrument for organisational and ideological cohesion: its codes of religious dress, as defined by its extremist dogma, that kept the extremists alienated from their environment and reinforced their organisational identity. The third subsection of the document expounds the concepts of infiltration and camouflage during the execution of an operation and moving from place to place, which are preferably performed at night. In addition to designating the areas most conducive to this tactic (rural areas and remote villages), the strategy also identifies the types of operations and targets it should be used for, such as targeted assassinations and looting from apostates (Muslims whose religious beliefs are at odds with IS dogma). To carry out such operations, the operatives may need to camouflage themselves in local rural garb or in military or police uniforms if the target is a military or security figure, the document says. The strategys advocacy of theft and looting, reminiscent of the practices the Gamaa Islamiya and Al-Qaeda affiliates used to finance themselves in the 1990s, speaks of the shrinking ability of IS and its affiliates to fund their activities and support their members. Now that IS has lost its main sources of income, which in Syria and Iraq were oil, purloined antiquities and ransom payments, its members have been forced to rely on their own resources in order to purchase weapons and equipment and fund their operations. This means that the security agencies in the region and elsewhere will need to revise their strategies for cutting off terrorist supply chains, which often begin with currency exchange bureaus, jewellers, and the like. A new security plan bearing such considerations in mind will need to be devised to replace the old one, which had focused on monitoring remittances and preventing the export of oil from IS-controlled areas. To illustrate its new tactics, the document cites the second instalment of the groups Salil Al-Sawarim (clashing of the swords) videos. Released by Al-Furqan in August 2012, the video features a detailed account of a hit-and-run operation called the Jarrah Al-Shami Raid against a village in Syria in which the raiders stormed the village, seized control of it for a few hours, plundered stores and homes, and then withdrew before the security forces could react. The document underscores the psychological aspects of this type of operation, which relies on the shock element of the blitz attack. As to why IS would refer to an old video produced before its breakaway from Al-Qaeda, this suggests that the current command has nothing new to offer in terms of combat tactics or strategies and has therefore been forced to fall back on Al-Qaeda material. The use of the video confirms the reversion to guerrilla warfare tactics, but at the same time it could have precisely the effect IS wants to avoid. This reminder of the feats of fighters who belonged to Al-Qaeda could fuel internal tensions surrounding loyalties to IS. The document reiterates much of the above-mentioned points about infiltration and camouflage in the subsection on raids against security targets in vulnerable areas with weak security. Here, it likens the tactics to a police raid with its elements of speed and surprise, and it cites as examples the recent terrorist attacks in southern Libya. In April and May, IS franchise in Libya carried out five attacks against security and government buildings and facilities in the south of the country, killing soldiers and others and absconding with stolen weapons and equipment before the security agencies could send in reinforcements. The last subsection of the Definition section looks at how long a raiding party should hold a village or other target before withdrawing. It lists five criteria: the number of fighters; their combat efficacy and training; the size of the area of the operation; the distance from military or security force bases; and the existence of a secure escape route. According to the strategy, the emir or commander of the group carrying out the operation has the authority to determine its timeframe. It cites the IS siege of Mosul in northern Iraq as an example of why such decisions should be left to the commanders of an operation, even though the aim of the attack at that time was to seize control of the city rather than just to strike and retreat. It explains that the collapse of the Iraqi army and security forces during the attack in 2014 led the operation commander to alter his plans and expand the assault to another portion of the city. Apart from this, however, the Mosul example conflicts with the current strategy, which opposes attempts to gain control over or hold and administer territory at present and favours guerrilla warfare and the strike and withdrawal tactic. The example, therefore, actually weakens the argument and serves as an indication of how hastily the strategy has been formulated. CONCLUSIONS The following observations may be made from the Definition section of the new IS strategy of felling cities temporarily as a modus operandi for fighters. First, this section testifies to the instability that has profoundly rocked this terrorist organisation both at the centre in Syria and Iraq and in its affiliates elsewhere in the world. Most telling in this regard is the fact that the strategy has abandoned the goal of empowerment, or seizing control of territory in order to establish a government, which was the core motivation of the strategy up to the fall of Baghouz in March 2019. Second, the focus of the Definition section promotes guerrilla warfare or what it describes as a strategy for periods of non-empowerment, Third, most of the section reiterates concepts the terrorist organisation has put into practice since its defeat in Mosul in 2018. Over a year ago, IS boasted of a new tactic, called the Sahwa Hunters, which involved masquerading as Iraqi army or police officers and setting up ambushes on highways to capture government targets. According to the literature on this tactic, the Sahwa Hunters use of official uniforms and vehicles made it very difficult for Iraqi law-enforcement forces to identify and pursue these terrorist agents. In like manner, this section of the document reiterates ideas IS propounded in 2018, which is to say in the period after its defeat in Mosul, and that generally were headed fighting the Sahwas, the Desert, and the Sawlat (raids), all terms alluding to counter-insurgency operations and forces. In short, the new strategy described in this section of the document is not really new at all. Fourth, it is clear that the document was put together hastily. Its arguments lack coherence, the style and choice of vocabulary are rudimentary and improvised, and there is a noticeable absence of the religious terminology, citations and allusions that generally abound in IS rhetoric. A possible explanation for this is that the strategy was drafted by a person of a military or security background before being recruited into IS, as opposed to one of the Al-Qaeda ideologues that the group had relied on during its initial rise before it broke away from Al-Qaeda in Iraq. Fifth, the strategy, what we might call a strategy for the post-caliphate period, has much in common with that of the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) organisation founded by Al-Qaeda leader Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi. This was laid out in a 2009 document called, A Strategic Plan to Improve the Political Situation of the Islamic State of Iraq. However, the new IS strategy lacks an important element in its ISI predecessor, namely a discussion of the causes of its defeat. Can this new strategy promote the structural cohesion of IS or reverse its erosion and forestall fissures and schisms? Can it answer IS problem regarding the future of its fighters and other questions it has been scrambling to cope with since the fall of its caliphate? Can these and other questions be answered through an analysis of the remaining parts of the strategy? The most important of these questions is, of course, what actions governments in this region and the international community can take in order to effectively combat IS in its new edition or in its post-management of savagery phase. The writer is an expert on terrorism affairs at Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies. *A version of this article appears in print in the 22 May, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Islamic State's new Strategy Search Keywords: Short link: Shares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money. Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists. Mainstreaming Targets New Lows in Encoding and Latency Can a 60-minute HD video be encoded in less than 2 minutes? Italian startup MainStreamingclaims its technology canand whats more it says it can do so fifteen times faster than Amazon. Armed with a fresh multimillion-dollar investment the company is now looking to expand its "half world presence" in Europe and the U.S. by targeting Asia, and broadcaster video streaming and online gaming markets in particular. "Our core business is focussed on helping improve quality of service (QoS) for our customers," explains CEO Antonio Corrado. "We are not a traditional CDN, since we have control over the entire stack." Corrado, who worked for Computer Associates and IBM, describes himself as an entrepreneur. He founded Mainsoft Group in 2000, developing software for banks and telcos, and was its CEO until 2015 before leaving to start MainStreaming with fellow Mainsoft executive Giovanni Proscia, now Mainstreamings CTO. "The problem we wanted to solve was the universal issue of buffering, lag, and poor QoS benchmarked by Conviva, which was turning viewers away from online," he explains. "CDNs are great for caching but less successful at streaming. We are built for real-time video streaming." The Milan-based company cite a recent report from PwC, which found that consumers consider the quality of the user experience just as important as content. This explains, it says, why streaming platforms are trying to gain a competitive edge on their rivals through delivery of the best streaming experience possible. A key client is Sky Italia, which uses the service to stream premium live, linear, and on-demand content directly to 4 million subscribers on the Sky Go, Sky Q, and Now TV platforms. "Italy is often seen as a lab for advanced technology," Corrado says. In the U.S., it is working with Denver Broncos, Rolling Stone,and tier 2 broadcasters with further customer announcements pending. Earlier this month it announced that it had secured $6 million in a new round of funding, led by Indaco Venture Partners, together with Sony Innovation Fund, and existing investor United Ventures. This brings the overall amount of funding to $10 million. Indaco Venture Partners aims to help MainStreaming focus its efforts on expanding in international markets, particularly Japan. Sony's participation is intended to help accelerate delivery of cloud gaming. Corrado calls cloud gaming an "infinity business," adding, "Gaming companies dont want to sell hardware at all in 4-5 years' time but to give customers a Netflix-like service." "Current best efforts for streaming games services is more than 50 ms of delay. Our network has the ability to cover Europe in less than 25 ms, halving the latency and making online gaming a reality." MainStreaming has built a fully vertically integrated solution that it says solves all the main streaming workflow stress points. "Our proprietary HyperNode technology focuses on vertically integrating every phase in the streaming environment to offer a complete solution or one that integrates with your existing workflow." Its suite includes solutions for origin ingest, storage, encode, transcode and transmux, hosting, management and API integration and delivery. Its Ultra-Fast Encoding technology is compatible with formats and protocols for on-demand content including HLS, MPEG-DASH, WebRTC, and HSS, with claimed ABR proficiency and support for repacketisation and progressive downloading. The company claims its delivery throughput is 3x faster than Convivas Average Bitrate benchmark. Using high-performance computing, MainStreaming also says that in side-by-side tests, content using its technology is encoded faster than competitors. A 60-minute 1080p video, for example, can be produced in five different formats in 2 minutes, versus 85 minutes for Zencoder, 50 minutes for Encoding.com, and 31 minutes for AWS Elastic Transcoder, its own research suggests. "Another reason our solution is unique is that we are the only company optimising routing in real time and delivering an incredibly stable connection to users," Corrado says. "[CDNs] normally manage the cache with no routing policy change. We dont cache. If we observe congestion in a specific territory affecting QoS for 200 users, our algorithm can decide to change the path to those 200 users to try to solve the problem." Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Related Articles Companies and Suppliers Mentioned Current mayor of Nerja, Rosa Arrabal (PSOE), and Jose Alberto Armijo, who served as mayor under the Partido Popular from 1995 until 2015, are to give evidence in the ongoing 'Operacion Vastum' case which is investigating possible offences in relation to the town's controversial wastewater treatment plant. The two politicians, who are top of their respective lists for the forthcoming local elections, will be appear in court in Torrox in June to testify, along with six other current and former councillors and two managers from local water company, Aguas de Narixa, which is responsible for water supply and wastewater disposal in Nerja. Operacion Vastum started in 2017 when environmental group, Ecologistas en Accion, denounced Nerja town hall, along with those of Coin and Alhaurin el Grande, for not treating sewage before discharging it into the sea or rivers, which the action group claims breaches a European Union directive on water sanitation in municipalities with populations above 15,000. Possible fraud The politicians are also being investigated for possible fraud, as Nerja residents have been charged for sewage treatment on their water bills since 2011, despite the treatment plant never having been completed. A former councillor and local businessman, Jorge Navaez, who owns a business on Burriana beach, has also repeatedly reported the authorities for the lack of water treatment as he claims raw sewage is tipped into a stream which passes his establishment before going into the sea. A magistrate dealing with the case, Laura Crossa Gil, told SUR last week that the first judge in the case will be the local elections on 26 May, when many of those being investigated will be hoping that Nerja residents, who still don't have a working treatment plant, will be voting for them. theblacksheartimes.com expired on 12/26/2021 and is pending renewal or deletion. Backorder Domain That was earlier this month Aislyn Derbes Confirmed his love with Jonathan Coupon, Despite months of rumors that they had a relationship beyond friendship. However, since then he has tried to be prudent in sharing his relationship on social networks, kali9/iStock(PHILADELPHIA) -- Police are searching for answers after they say a woman was found dead in a trash can in Philadelphia Wednesday morning. The woman, who has not been identified, was wrapped in plastic and inside a trash bag, according to the Philadelphia Police Department. A trash worker made the disturbing discovery at about 6 a.m., according to police. No arrests have been made. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Metro Vancouver will securely dispose of approximately 1,500 tonnes of repatriated Canadian waste shipped from the Philippines at its Waste-to-Energy Facility in Burnaby waste by the end of the summer. It will take about two days to dispose of this waste. The federal government will pick up the tab for shopping and waste disposal, about $250 per tonne. According to characterization studies from the Philippines, a private business shipped 1,500 tonnes of waste, mostly paper and mixed plastics, with low levels of contaminants like electronics and household waste, to the Philippines from the Port of Vancouver in 2013 and 2014. For decades, Metro Vancouvers Waste-to-Energy Facility has responsibly processed waste material from the international airline and shipping industries, as well as other materials designated for secure disposal by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, said Metro Vancouver Board Chair Sav Dhaliwal. We have the technology and capacity to safely and efficiently handle this type of material. Metro Vancouver is working with Environment and Climate Change Canada on the logistics of receiving the waste. Environment and Climate Change Canada expects the waste to be removed from the Philippines by the end of June. Strict handling and disposal criteria must be followed whenever there is a risk of biological or agricultural contamination ... in an environmentally responsible manner, said Jack Froese, Chair of Metro Vancouvers Zero Waste Committee. Community Board 1 voted last night to oppose the mayors current plan to build an enormous new jail on White Street in Chinatown. [Patch] The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation is assailing a development firm and high-powered lobbyist/de Blasio pal James Capalino over a proposal for a 10-story tower on St. Marks Place. [Daily News] Cops are looking for a knife-wielding suspect wanted for robbing a pizza restaurant on the Lower East Side among other businesses in Manhattan and Brooklyn. [Channel 2] Tsismis, offering interesting interpretations of the flavors from the Philippines, opens Friday at 143 Orchard St. [New York Times] The 10 best bets for cheap eats in the East Village. [Eater] : LNG Lake Ontario and the Saint Lawrence River are expected to crest over the next few weeks above the record flood of 2017. The image above is from the Thousand Islands near Gananoque, Ontario during the 2017 flood. West_island_news Volunteers power Pierrefonds flood cleanup Photo Credit: West Island Flood Volunteers Pierrefonds-Roxboro Mayor Jim Beis was part of the volunteer powered clean up where 250,000 sandbags had to be collected during this past Saturdays event. Todays effort is really to clean up the properties and make sure the residents can get back to their normal life, said Jim Beis. The Pierrefonds-Roxoboro Mayor was referring to last Saturdays volunteer powered post flood cleanup where people descended once again at Pierrefonds Comprehensive High School bright and early. But instead of filling sandbags, like the high school served as a sand bag filling station throughout the flooding earlier in the month, helpers were met and then dispatched, via buses, to streets that had been effected by the rising waters. There, forming human chains and using wheelbarrows and muscle power, volunteers removed sandbags that had served as protectors from the rising water. Through a statement , the borough noted that it will keep in place all the dikes built by our teams along the shoreline, in order to continue to protect public infrastructures and the various vulnerable sectors. In all, 250,000 sandbags had to be recuperated by public work employees where they were brought to a designated area near the borough hall for safe disposal. Lac St. Louis MP Francis Scarpaleggia (second from r) chats with Executive President of Kirklands Reflex Photonics Tullio Panarello (l) at a recent visit to the company where the federal government contributed $500,000 to the business further expansion. PIGGS PEAK Mbutfuyandzindza Shongwe was once a familiar face at national events but today, he literally moves from pillar to post, just like his name suggests. In fact, Shongwe had a specific duty to perform during events such as incwala. His role was to start songs and for this reason, he was always only metres away from His Majesty the King. In his own words, he would often be so physically close to the King he could even hear a whisper but this changed after he was ordered by the then Ludzidzini Governor Timothy TV Mtetwa to stay away. This was after he was accused of starting a song which was viewed as not right for Their Majesties. Respond Today, Shongwe cannot respond to the famous call of uyezwa na! because he claimed he was not allowed to attend national events. He said he was surprised when he was accused of starting the song because he did not compose any song. He said the incident happened during the incwala ceremony in 2015. Shongwe said he had first received a call ordering him to wait where he was; with an emphatic order that he should not move. He then said Mtetwa arrived with others and they then discussed the issue regarding the song. Shongwe said he was not given many details about the incident but was advised that the song was viewed as inappropriate for the King. The details of the song will not be repeated. Shongwe said it was during this time that he was ordered never to set foot near the King. He said after this, he has not been able to attend national events in fear that he could be punished. I cannot defy this order but I just want to know what I did wrong, he said. Patriotic Shongwe said he did not know any other life other than the one he had known throughout his life, that of being a patriotic liSwati and responding to all calls of national events. He said his major concern was that the song, which he referred to as umgubho was not his composition but that it was a collective effort by many members of the regiments. Shongwe said his banishment from national events was literally killing him. The current acting governor of Ludzidzini, Lusendvo Fakudze, when reached for comment, said he knew Shongwe. Fakudze said he was also surprised to notice that Shongwe was no longer attending national events. He said since the pronouncement had been made by Mtetwa who was deceased, it was difficult for him to respond. However, he added that it was also not possible to make decisions on matters that touched on Their Majesties. I do not have such authority, Fakudze said. By Trend Azerbaijans state-owned company SOCAR continues negotiations on the acquisition of shares of the Antipinsky Oil Refinery, Vice President of SOCAR Elshad Nasirov told journalists, Trend reports. According to Reuters, the head of Sberbank Herman Gref told earlier that over 80 percent of the plants shares were acquired by the bank and negotiations are underway with potential investors. In April, Sberbank received 100 percent in Cyprus Vikay Industrial, which owns 80 percent of Antipinsky Oil Refinery, while the remaining 20 percent of the shares belong to various other legal entities and individuals. Three weeks later, the management of the company filed a lawsuit to declare Antipinsky Oil Refinery bankrupt. The total debt to banks is estimated at $5 billion. Earlier, Herman Gref stated that Sberbank is continuing negotiations with potential investors on the sale of the refinery. By Trend Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 26 times, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said on May 29, Trend reports. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Leading ratings agency Moody's Investors Service has changed the outlook for the Bahraini banking system to stable from negative as economic growth accelerates, and a $10-billion support package from gulf neighbours strengthens the government's liquidity and stabilises conditions for the country's banks. "The economy will see slightly higher growth, while the aid package from the Gulf Cooperation Council will help replenish foreign-currency reserves and help to stabilise the economy," said Ashraf Madani, VP-Senior Analyst at Moody's. Bahrain's real growth in gross domestic product (GDP) is projected to rise to 2.1% in 2019 from 1.8% in 2018. "We expect Bahraini banks to maintain strong capital, as solid profits will generate sufficient capital to balance rising risk-weighted assets caused by loan growth. And their profitability will remain sound, fuelled by rising lending volumes and stable profit margins," stated Madani. According to him, the government fiscal reforms will take a toll on the large non-oil economy but the impact will be softened by accelerated off-budget spending on large infrastructure projects, also financed by the GCC. This will drive continued recovery in the construction and real-estate sectors. Moody's expects domestic credit growth to slow to 4%- 5% from a high 9% in 2018, stated the report. Moody's expects Bahraini banks' funding and liquidity conditions will remain healthy. They hold ample liquid assets at 34% of total tangible assets, a credit strength. However, large volumes of foreign-currency funding and sizeable depositor concentrations are vulnerabilities for the system.-TradeArabia News Service The Arab Women in Maritime Association (AWIMA) recently arranged its first gathering in the UAE with the presence of female representatives from both government and private sectors. The event was strategically supported by Women in International Shipping Association Wista Arabia UAE and it aimed to raise the awareness about AWIMA-UAE, emphasise the importance of empowering women in the maritime sector and to further enhance their presence in the industry. AWIMA was established on October 19, 2017, under the patronage of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), The Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transports (AASTMT), and it includes 11 Arab counties such as Egypt, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Algeria, Djibouti, Sudan, Tunisia, Lebanon, Iraq and Libya. The association has prominent objectives such as enhancing the national and regional recognition of the role of Arab women as resources for Maritime industry, strengthening cooperation networks among Arab women in the port and maritime sectors on the local, regional, and international levels, increasing employment opportunities for Arab women at the high management levels of the related sectors in maritime transport, developing partnerships and collaboration with national maritime administrations, regional entities, UN agencies and the private sector in addition to encouraging gender equality for Arab women in the maritime sector. The maritime industry has always been known worldwide as being a male dominated sector, thereby making it difficult for women to join and function easily within the industry. International organisations are exerting their utmost efforts to achieve an effective balance where women will have the same presence in the industry as men does in line with the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 of the United Nations. AWIMAs main role isnt only to empower females but also to qualify them with all the possible opportunities that will enhance their maritime career. Engineer Hessa Al Malek, executive director of Maritime Transport for the Federal Transport Authority Land and Maritime (FTA) and the president of AWIMA, said: With the global maritime sector being made up of only 2 per cent of females, balancing the gender scales is a lofty task but one that I am excited to work on achieving. Our mission is to increase employment opportunities for Arab women at senior management levels of the relevant maritime transport sectors, develop partnerships and collaborate with national maritime administrations, regional entities, United Nations agencies and the private sector. We also aim to reinforce womens engagement in the maritime sector, she said. Al Malek continued: The need to advance womens role in maritime activities has become a subject of unprecedented awareness and interest. I totally support AWIMAs contribution to take specific measures, through its strategic planning and at the operational level of educational co-operation, to promote the increased participation of women in the maritime sector. I also believe that raising the awareness about the important role of females in the maritime sector is a must. Here comes the role of the media that should signify and expose womens distinctive achievements in the maritime sector, she added. We all believe that women participation is vital to this industry. Thanks to the advancement of technology, the demand for physical power has been turned into a growing demand for brainpower making easier for women to fulfil their tasks in the industry. The maritime community shouldnt only believe that women are talented and they can accomplish tough jobs but they must be given leadership roles within the industry. This can be achieved by equipping them with the right education, training and skills in addition to empowering them within all the maritime professions, she concluded. TradeArabia News Service Oman Air will be commencing direct flights to Egyptian city Alexandria from May 31, making it the airlines 53rd destination in its expanding global network. Alexandria, Egypts second-largest city, is a major economic and industrial centre of the country. With its 30 km coastline extending along the Mediterranean Sea, coupled with its magnificent ambience and rich cultural heritage, Alexandria is also a popular tourist destination. Oman Airs chief executive officer Abdulaziz Al-Raisi said: We are pleased to be offering direct services into the beautiful city of Alexandria, Egypts most important seaport, where more than 70 per cent of the countrys imports and exports passes through. Commencement of direct services into Alexandria will allow Oman Air to further expand trade ties between our two countries, as well as drive growth in tourism numbers in both directions. Oman shares an excellent bilateral relation with Egypt, and this new route will further strengthen it. We are confident the sizeable Egyptian diaspora in Oman, consisting of investors and business communities, as well as residents and citizens of Oman, will find the addition of this second destination to Egypt, a welcomed addition to our expanding network." Founded by Alexander the Great, Alexandria is also known as the Pride of Mediterranean. Visitors to this city can indulge in a wide variety of leisure activities that Alexandria is so famous for. From the citys beaches, bustling market places and eateries to indulging in classic literature at places like the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the citys modern version of the ancient and legendary Library of Alexandria, or spending time in the Corniche, the city presents a world of enriching experiences. Paul Starrs, chief commercial officer of Oman Air, commented: We have started 2019 on a strong note, and this year has been an exciting one for Oman Air. The commencement of our new Alexandria services is another significant step forward for the airline. These flights will be operated on a seasonal service basis during the summer schedule of 2019. This is in line with Oman Airs strategy of optimising its resources to meet seasonal traffic flows during periods of high demand. The early indications are positive for this new route. We are encouraged with the strong forward bookings, and are confident our new services into Alexandria will be successful." - TradeArabia News Service Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) pulled out all stops to promote the UAE emirate as a capital of cultural tourism at the We Are Museums event, held in Katowice, Poland from May 27 to 29. This years edition, based on three program pillars namely MuseumHood, Museum for Good, and Entrepreneurial Museums, aimed at promoting museums as places of inclusive growth and sustainable development, and analysing their social and environmental impacts. The participation came in line with the efforts of Dubai Culture to position the emirate as a global hub of creative industries. It also reflected the authoritys mandate to collaborate with local, regional, and global entities in order to further strengthen the cultural scene and support its elements, especially museums, which are custodians of the rich history and heritage of the UAE. Additionally, it illustrated the efforts of Dubai Culture to support the cultural activities organised by the UAE Embassy in Poland. The authority partook in this event along with Alserkal Avenue, depicting the public-private partnerships that are fostered across the UAE for developing the creative economy of the country. Talking about the participation, Hala Badri, director general at Dubai Culture, said: We Are Museums was an important opportunity for Dubai Culture to promote the cultural and arts landscape of the emirate among the international museum community. The significant event also allowed us to leverage the prospect of cross-cultural collaborations and facilitated networking at a global level. It served as a platform for us to share our cultural offerings and our museums that promote our heritage and preserve it for the coming generations to connect with our roots. At the event, Dubai Culture was represented by Muna Al Gurg, acting director of the Museums Department, who participated in a panel discussion titled Museumhood Permeable museums and new democratic ecosystems. As part of this session, Al Gurg also gave a presentation named Al Shindagha Museum: Revitalising a Historical Neighborhood. I shared insights on the collaborative revitalisation of Dubais historical neighbourhoods on the creek, and how this revival leveraged opportunities to crowdsource and archive historic content from local communities, which has been made available for future generations at the museum, said Al Gurg. She added: The topic highlighted the importance of accessibility, experimentation, and infrastructure in enabling human-scale connections in the busy neighbourhood of Al Shindagha, and explored how these connections shaped the cultural landscape of the emirate. Diane Dubray, founder, We Are Museums, said: Dubai can be perceived in different ways, but it is its power as a community binder that fascinates me most today. Alserkal Avenue has been able to go beyond borders to transcend boundaries and become a major artistic, cultural, and educational platform by creating this highly-diverse district. Recently, the opening of the Al Shindagha Museum, which is part of the Dubai Historical District rejuvenation project, once again demonstrated Dubai's ability to foster rich human connections through historical neighbourhoods creating bonds between generations by collecting historical artefacts and oral histories. On behalf of Alserkal Avenue, its director, Vilma Jukurte touched upon the topic of changing definition of cultural districts, their evolution, and their place within the sociocultural structures and beyond, based on an internal inquiry. The session saw Lauren Parker, head of creative partnerships (Smithfield), Museum of London (UK); Laura Hollingshaus, junior curator, Historical Museum Frankfurt (Germany); Katya Sandomirskaja, project manager, Museum of Movements (Sweden); and Nikolaj Moeller, content associate, Museum for the United Nations (Denmark) as panellists. The conversation was moderated by Alicja Knast, director of the Muzeum Slaskie. The three-day conference saw prominent people from the museums industry who gathered to explore the future of Museums and portray museums as vectors for social bonding. Dubai Culture aims to enhance Dubais cultural scene and draw attention to the UAEs rich heritage. The authoritys mandate is to build bridges of constructive dialogue between different civilisations and cultures to enhance Dubai's position as a creative and sustainable global city for culture, heritage, arts, and literature, with the aim to empower these sectors by developing creative and innovative projects and initiatives locally, regionally, and globally. - TradeArabia News Service M Hotel Makkah by Millennium, a five-star hotel located at the heart of the holy city of Makkah, has announced that a new car parking facility is now available and ready to serve in-house guests of the hotel and visitors to Makkah. As the demand for car parking is growing rapidly, the hotel has inaugurated this parking facility to meet the needs of pilgrims and Umrah performers during the high seasons of Hajj and Umrah. The new facility has a capacity of 200 cars. Mohamed Abdel Fattah, general manager at M Hotel Makkah by Millennium, said: We are extremely pleased to inaugurate this car parking facility during the holy month of Ramadan. We know that more Umrah performers are visiting Makkah from the kingdom and neighbouring countries such as Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and UAE, and this facility comes to ease their pain in searching for convenient parking. The comfort of our guests is our top priority and we pledge to continually seek and develop solutions for better guest experience in line with 2030 vision, which aims to make Saudi Arabia a favourable destination for regional tourism. Khalid Nabil, executive assistant manager and director of sales and marketing at M Hotel Makkah by Millennium, said: The competition between the hotels operating in Makkah during the holy month of Ramadan goes high, and we at M Hotel Makkah by Millennium have always been proactive in our approach to entice guests with innovative solutions and meeting their needs. We would like to take this opportunity and thank all those who have trusted and chosen us as their hospitality provider. - TradeArabia News Service We must pay close attention to two premises when studying the security order in the Asia-Pacific region First, different judgments on the characteristics of the times will lead to different security concepts and behaviors, and form different strategic choices and historical trajectories. China believes that the world has entered an era of peace and development. Peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit have become an irresistible historical trend. However, the US believes that the world has returned to the era of competition among major powers, and it must follow the America first value orientation to seek comprehensive advantages in strategic competition and confrontation. Second, the strong uncertainty demonstrated by the US in the security field, as well as its contempt for international rules and the brutal interference in the internal affairs of other countries, will lead to or exacerbate the complexity of regional hotspot issues, disrupt the normal pace of regional economic development, and offset the efforts of Asia-Pacific countries for regional security. Priority defined: maintaining independence while seeking security Pluralism and co-existence are the most obvious features among countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The national security will be difficult to safeguard without political, economic and military independence. Independence is mainly embodied in three levels. In the first level is the right to independently choose the development path and model that suit the best. One model cant solve the problems of all countries, and it will be unacceptable if it is implemented blindly or imposed on other countries. In second, it is the ability to resolve domestic or intra-regional security issues, which means relying on their own strength or independently solving domestic and foreign problems within the bilateral or multilateral framework. Any military alliance is a double-edged sword which leads to alienation of sovereignty to some extent and will undermine the balance of regional strategic forces. In third level is the ability to unequivocally reject hegemonism and unilateralism. The Chinese peoples handling of the Taiwan question is a matter of national reunification. If there is anything that China will not compromise on or concede to, the Taiwan question is an untouchable bottom line. Focus confirmed: enhancing the importance of sustainable security Both history and reality have proved that war and conflicts, terrorism, and immigrant refugee crises can find their roots in poverty and backwardness. Focusing on the theme of development and actively improving peoples livelihood is the fundamental guarantee for political parties to maintain their legal status. The South China Sea issue is both a security issue and a development issue. Peace and stability in the South China Sea is an important lifeline for ensuring the development of all countries. Disrupting the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea will do no good to China. The political wisdom of China and ASEAN countries in resolving the South China Sea issue is embodied by jointly preserving peace and stability in the South China Sea and working together to achieve the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea to safeguard common security and promote joint development. The Asia-Pacific region is an important part of the Belt and Road Initiative which has no geopolitical and military strategy considerations. The Belt and Road Initiative objectively aims to create favorable conditions for the development and security of the countries along the route and related countries, promote the modernization and the economic and social development of relevant countries, and continuously contribute to regional security, stability and sustainable development. Difficulty overcome: build a security community of shared future for the Asia-Pacific As early as in 1951, an American think tank deduced during the reasoning of the US-Japan Security Treaty. The Americans could feel fairly secure in the presence of a truly friendly Japan and a nominally hostile China, and nothing very bad could happen from this combination. A nominally friendly China and a truly hostile Japan, the damage has been demonstrated by the Pacific War. If it were a hostile China and a hostile Japan, it would be even worse. Traces of this theory can still be seen in Americas latest Indo-Pacific strategy, but todays China is no longer a nominal US rival or friend. More crucially, it has long been the US that has defined whether China is friendly or hostile. In the history of China-US exchanges, China is named friendly when the US wants to be friendly to China on an equal footing. When the US rudely interferes in Chinas internal affairs or threatens militarily against China, China was accused to be hostile. When the US wants to contain China, while cooperates with China in some respects, China would be described as both hostile and friendly. However, for the US, China has never taken the initiative to define it as an enemy. In the context of globalization, the security of countries has never been as closely related as it is now. Without global and regional peace and stability, there can be no national security. In the absence of a collective security mechanism in the Asia-Pacific region, building a healthy and stable relationship between major powers will surely become a key link in the joint building of a security community of shared future for Asia-Pacific. (The author is Retired Major General and Professor of the PLA National Defense University) Disclaimer: This article is originally published on Global Times, and is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information, ideas or opinions appearing in this article do not reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Pink chocolate is here. Is ruby the next big thing? How to Prevent Inflation From Eroding Your Finances Americans are facing sticker shock when it comes to the prices of necessities like food, rent, gas, cars, and clothing. This has left consumers wondering how to prevent the rising prices from adversely impacting their savings and spending habits. The first thing to keep in mind is that not all University signs MOU with Cambridge Assessment English The University of Gibraltars Europa Point Language Centre has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Cambridge Assessment English and Exams Andalucia. The agreement means that the University is now an approved provider of Cambridge Assessment English examinations and tests and those studying English will now be able to use the University as an exam preparation centre. During a plaque unveiling ceremony at the University, Rebecca Moon said This collaboration is another positive step for the Europa Point Language Centre. We are now the only approved Preparation Centre and Examination Venue for Cambridge Assessment English Exams and Tests in Gibraltar. Students now have the opportunity to prepare for and take globally recognised English language examinations and tests with us. For his part, Alejandro del Nogal, Business Development Support Manager for Cambridge Assessment English said This agreement represents a collaboration between ourselves and the University of Gibraltar and makes it easier for students to access a globally-recognized qualification and improve their English proficiency. Jonathan Baum, the Director of Exams Andalucia, added this Memorandum places the EPLC at the forefront of Higher Education institutions offering candidates from Gibraltar and beyond the option of preparing for and taking the most prestigious and most widely recognised English language certification in the world. The University of Gibraltars Europa Point Language Centre was launched in 2018 and is fast becoming the destination for those seeking to improve their English and Spanish skills for general or specific purposes. Minister Sacramento Hosts Winners of Gender Equality Art Competition Minister for Equality, the Hon Samantha Sacramento MP, and the Minister for Education, the Hon Dr John Cortes, hosted the winners of the recently held Gender Equality Art Competition organised by the Ministry for Equality together with the students who delivered presentations on International Womens Day when this was marked by both comprehensive schools and the Gibraltar College. Over the past four years, the art competition and the speeches by students have become an annual feature of the Ministry of Equalitys programme for International Womens Day and part of the gender equality strategy. Minister Sacramento congratulated all the students for their efforts and thanked them for their commitment to gender equality issues. This year, the winning entries of the art competition were used in the design of stamps which were issued on 8 March, International Womens Day. The winners of the competition were Eliana Medici (Westside School), Kiarah Gomez (Bayside School) and Sara Rumford (Westside School). The winning entries have been framed and are displayed in the boardroom of the Ministry of Equality. The students who delivered presentations were Saray Imlach (Westside) Jasmine Mahtani and Mathew Porter (Bayside School), Nicola Gee and Matthew Cornelio (Gibraltar College). Also invited to the reception were the Head Teachers of the two secondary schools, Michelle Barabich and Michael Tavares, and the Principal of the College, Leon Abecasis, as well as teachers who support the Ministry of Equalitys gender equality work in the three institutions. Minister for Equality, Samantha Sacramento, said, I am delighted to be able to host the winners of this years Gender Equality Art Competition organized by the Ministry of Equality and the speakers who addressed the three institutions at the International Womens Day event, and for them to be joined by their head teachers. The Gender Equality Art Competition is an important initiative which allows the younger members of our community to reflect upon gender equality issues in a creative, original and personal fashion. I believe that it is essential for young people to have a voice and for them to be able to articulate their views in ways that are positive and inspiring. This year the winning entries are featured in local stamps and this means that the students ideas about gender equality will travel far and wide. In fact, they already have, as I was able to present Her Royal Highness the Countess of Wessex with a set of these stamps at a function during my recent visit to the United Nations for the Commission of the Status of Women. I am also very proud to be displaying the winning artwork and the stamps in the boardroom of my office. I would like to thank my team at the Ministry of Equality and the Department of Education for their invaluable and ongoing support and all teachers involved in promoting the art competition and gender equality. The Minster for Education, Dr John Cortes said, Integrating initiatives such as this into the schools, with the support of teachers and pupils, is an increasingly important part of education, making them accepted as core values in our society. It is a pleasure for us to once again work together with the team from the Ministry for Equality in driving these important principles. Normally the delivery of twins is a cause for celebration -- and when the head of government is one of the parents and the other is an aspiring politician it opens up the possibility for cute photo-opportunities. Not so in Russia under the command of Vladimir Putin, it would seem, where the private life of Russia's leader is apparently off-limits, say analysts. Rumors have been swirling for days in Moscow that the Russian leader's reputed 36-year-old girlfriend, former Olympic gold medal-winning rhythmic gymnast Alina Kabaeva and now a media executive, gave birth to twin boys earlier this month in the Russian capital. Nicknamed "the secret first lady," Kabaeva, three decades younger than Putin, was rumored in 2008 to have given birth to a daughter at a private Swiss clinic recommended by Italian politician Silvio Berlusconi. Then, as now, the Kremlin has moved to scotch reports of the births. Putin, who guards his private life fiercely -- possibly a habit from his days as a KGB agent -- has long denied he is in a relationship with Kabaeva. Asked once daringly about a possible romance, Putin responded: "I've always had a negative feeling about people poking their snotty noses and erotic fantasies into other people's lives." In 2013, Putin announced the end of his 30-year marriage to wife Lyudmila Shkrebneva, with whom he has two grown-up daughters. He appeared in public for the announcement with his estranged wife, a former Aeroflot flight attendant and languages teacher, during the interval of a performance by the Kremlin Ballet. During their marriage, Shkrebneva, who since her divorce with Putin has remarried, kept a low public profile and her appearances were kept to a minimum. The Kremlin moved swiftly last week to stop news stories of the delivery of twins, say media insiders -- a further example of their strict management of top newspapers and news-sites, especially when it comes to coverage of Putin. In 2016, three editors at Russia's RBC media group, were fired over an article on the sources of Putin's wealth in what media watchdogs feared would mark the demise of investigative reporting in Russia. The website of newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets, which is owned by one of the Russian leader's oligarch friends, Arkady Rotenberg, reported the alleged Kabaeva births. But the report was quickly removed. Russian officials decline to comment. But reports here and there on Kabaeva, an Uzbek by birth, have continued amid accusations by Putin loyalists that they are being encouraged by Ukrainian enemies of the Russian leader. One site, dni.ru, announced in a headline: "Alina Kabaeva gave birth to twins and disappeared." A showbiz website, Dom2Life, which is owned by another oligarch close to Putin, Alexander Karmanov, first reported the births on May 12, Kabaeva's 36th birthday. And according to Russian investigative journalist, Sergei Kanev, Kabaeva gave birth to twin boys by Caesarean at the Kulakov maternity clinic, where the VIP floor had been cleared in advance. He told Britain's Daily Mail a doctor from Italy helped with the C-section delivery. Kabaeva became a model on leaving competitive sport and was a Russian lawmaker until 2014. She now heads the National Media Group. 30 Member administrations from the Europe and Asia/Pacific regions, representatives of the Eurasian Economic Union and key stakeholders came together for intensive discussions on Customs procedures and controls in Special Customs Zones/Free Zones (SCZs) at the Inter-Regional Forum on SCZs, held from 15 to 17 May 2019 in Nur Sultan, Kazakhstan. This event was co-organized by the WCO and the State Revenue Committee of the Ministry of Finance of Kazakhstan, with the financial support of CCF Japan. This workshop, as a side event of the Astana Economic Forum, shows a strong interest in the SCZs topic at global economic level, said Kazakhstans Vice-Minister of Finance Mr. Kanat Bayedilov in his opening address. Mr. Omirzak Beispekov, Deputy Chairman of the State Revenue Committee of Kazakhstans Ministry of Finance, highlighted in his speech that exchanging experiences and best practices among Customs administrations inter-regionally will build a solid foundation for the development of international standards in Chapter 2 (free zone) of Specific Annex D to the Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC), to be applied to SCZs. SCZs are valuable and beneficial to foster national economic and trade activities, but it is important to make sure that these SCZs will not have the reputation of harboring illegal activities, said Ms. Ana Hinojosa, the WCOs Director of Compliance and Facilitation. The WCOs analysis shows that not only IPR-infringing or tax-evading goods, but also other types of illicit trade have been detected inside SCZs, such as drugs and explosives, she added. Representatives of Kazakhstans Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development, as well as some operators of SCZs in Kazakhstan, shared information on institutional set-ups, benefits of, and business operations in the SCZs. Additionally, they highlighted some of the advantages of SCZs in terms of promoting the economic development of Kazakhstan, such as land tax decrease, simplified procedure for reporting entry of materials, Customs duty exemption on importation of foreign equipment, e-declaration based on the ASYCUDA system, and one-stop shop between government and the business sector. Member administrations presented their SCZ-related Customs procedures/controls, and the key findings can be summarized as follows: a few Member administrations are able to access the companies data reporting/accounting systems, but others do not have such access which makes Customs control difficult; several Members have definitions of SCZs which state that they are outside of the Customs territory but some, in particular in the Europe region, define SCZs as being inside the Customs territory; several Members reported that Customs procedures/controls differ, based on the location of the SCZ (e.g., inland SCZ or port SCZ); one Member sets a time limit on the duration of cargo storage inside SCZs, and has restricted the frequency of transfers inside SCZs as a result of cases of illicit trade; and several Members pointed out that SCZs are used for various illegal activities, including disguising the origin of goods by reducing the documentation on cargo transportation flows. The highlight of this Forum was a discussion among Customs administrations, divided into three small groups as a breakout session, as summarized below: definition of SCZs : possible deletion of the out of Customs territory reference in the current RKC definition, to ensure the application of Customs controls; : possible deletion of the out of Customs territory reference in the current RKC definition, to ensure the application of Customs controls; Customs involvement : the need to enhance Customs involvement in the SCZ establishment process (construction, layout), and in the registration of companies in SCZs; : the need to enhance Customs involvement in the SCZ establishment process (construction, layout), and in the registration of companies in SCZs; Customs procedures : appropriate electronic data submission, in particular data submission for entry to/exit from SCZs and storage of goods in SCZs; : appropriate electronic data submission, in particular data submission for entry to/exit from SCZs and storage of goods in SCZs; Customs control : necessity of Customs control in SCZs, including for transit/transshipment operations, and potential use of modern technologies such as e-seal, e-lock or GPS systems; and : necessity of Customs control in SCZs, including for transit/transshipment operations, and potential use of modern technologies such as e-seal, e-lock or GPS systems; and cooperation : the need to strengthen communication with companies in SCZs, with the possibility of applying the AEO programme. The perspective of Customs administrations is essential, since special Customs regimes/procedures are applied to the movement of goods in SCZs, stated Mr. Marat Sultangaziyev, Chairman of the State Revenue Committee of the Ministry of Finance of Kazakhstan, in his closing speech. I hope that as a result of these intensive discussions on appropriate Customs procedures, national legislations as well as WCO international standards can be improved as actions of the global Customs community, he concluded. At the invitation of the Caribbean Customs Law Enforcement Council (CCLEC), WCO Deputy Secretary General Ricardo Trevino Chapa attended its XLI Annual Conference, held in Havana, Cuba from 20 to 24 May 2019. During the opening ceremony, Deputy Secretary General Trevino Chapa talked about the importance of the coordination among Customs authorities and also presented some relevant WCO activities for the region. He highlighted the progress made on the Small Island Economies initiative, which is to be discussed at the WCO Policy Commission in December this year, as well as the start of the new COLIBRI Project which aims at strengthen the surveillance of small private aircrafts, both business jets using international airports and small clandestine planes, which is of high concern in the Caribbean territory. Mr. Trevino Chapa also informed the delegates about the progress made by the WCO Working Group on the Comprehensive Review of the Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC). While the WCO is continuously working towards developing international standards, fostering cooperation and delivering capacity building, Members are in the process of defining priorities for the next three-year period strategy, and, in the framework of this process, it has been confirmed that conducting the comprehensive review of the RKC, the flagship instrument for Customs procedures, should be high on the agenda. The Working Group has discussed important issues such as: i) the importance of the RKCs role in promoting modern and efficient Customs procedures, while addressing the need to use solutions for facilitating trade and ensuring security; ii) the significance of maintaining the binding nature of the RKC, while recognizing the need for an embedded and periodic update mechanism; iii) the need for a robust implementation mechanism, implying monitoring, reporting and evaluation and; iv) the necessary need to move away from a traditional, paper-based declaration system to integrate the extensive use of electronic data submission, throughout Customs procedures as a whole. The event was attended by representatives from Caribbean Customs authorities and other stakeholders including international organizations, border authorities and local representatives. The following key speakers also addressed the audience: Mr. Nelson Cordoves Reyes, Head of the Cuban Customs Authority, Mr. Herby Nelson, Chairman of Executive Council of CCLEC, Mrs. Meisi Bolanos, Minister of Finance and Prices of Cuba, and Mr. Menno Snel, State Secretary of Finance of The Netherlands. During the event, an official ceremony was organized in which the new Caribbean Customs Organization (CCO) was established, providing the region with a legal instrument that will strengthen its regional coordination and align its interests and concerns with WCOs programmes and activities. The 54th Meeting of the Harmonized System Working Group (GTSH) of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) Customs was held from 6 to 17 May, 2019, in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Meeting in the premises of the 10th Tax Region of the Brazilian Federal Revenue Secretariat, representatives of Brazil, Portugal and Timor Leste worked intensively over the 10 days on the harmonization of the single version of the Harmonized System Nomenclature in Portuguese. They were joined by a representative of the WCO Tariff and Trade Affairs Directorate for the second week of the meeting, during which they worked on the general review of the Portuguese version of the HS Explanatory Notes (ENs). This work provides a single version of the ENs for use by all Portuguese-language country-Members that compose the CPLP, namely, Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, Sao Tome and Principe and Timor Leste. This working group is the oldest of the CPLP Customs working groups and, given that the maintenance of a single Portuguese version of the HS and its additional instruments is of fundamental importance for the work of the Customs administrations, is noted as the most important. The ongoing work of this WG is outlined in the CPLP Strategic Plan, developed in partnership with the WCO, and is included in the project of Tariff Nomenclature (HS) in Portuguese and Harmonized System Procedures. In closing the meeting, the head of Nomenclature and Tariff Classification of Brazil, Ms. Claudia Navarro, expressed her recognition of the results presented by the Working Group. The next meeting will take place in May 2020, when the work on the HS 2022 will start. In the interval between meetings, representatives of the CPLP administrations will hold various virtual meetings to keep the translation of the HS and EN amendments up-to-date. If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now! Submit Already hints about strong storms on New Years Day The street value of the haul is estimated at W12 billion (US$1=W1,190). Police said the Chinese man, who is in his 20s, is charged with cooking up 3.6 kg of crystal meth, while the Taiwanese man, who is in his 40s, was arrested for supplying the money and equipment. A Chinese and a Taiwanese man were arrested Tuesday for manufacturing a massive haul of crystal methamphetamine in a hotel room in downtown Seoul. According to police, the younger man arrived in Korea from Macau on April 14 and booked a room in a hotel in Jongno in central Seoul. Police said he used a special method in cooking up the crystal meth to reduce the telltale chemical stench. A police officer said, "The process normally produces a pungent chlorine smell, and the suspect opened the windows while making the drug, but other hotel guests and staff didn't notice anything." Police have sent the seized equipment and other evidence to the National Forensic Service. Police were tipped off by the National Intelligence Service because the Taiwanese man is a member of an international drug cartel. Both acted on orders from the gang, and the Chinese man told police he was paid W23 million. Police are worried about the infiltration of organized crime from abroad. "As Korea's drug market grows, foreign drug cartels seem to be interested in setting up production and distribution networks here," an investigator said. "We believe a drug distribution network has already been set up here and are investigating organizations and distribution channels." Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 29, 2019 | PADUCAH By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 29, 2019 | 01:21 PM | PADUCAH A two-month-long investigation into alleged drug trafficking at Keeton Corrections Facility has led to numerous arrests and citations this week. The Paducah Police Department received information in early April about drug transactions at the halfway house on Clarence Gaines Street. Detectives bought drugs from eight different men during their investigation, and identified DeAnthony Woods of Paducah as the supplier of much of the methamphetamine purchased. Detectives say Ralph Gaines, Jr., of Paducah was the outside source for the drugs. Detectives arranged with Woods to buy methamphetamine, and said he would have men at the halfway house deliver the drugs and collect the money. Police believe Woods brought, kept and sold drugs in the facility while still serving a sentence there. One other man facing charges is also serving a sentence at Keeton, with most of the others on parole, and two no longer living at Keeton but still in Paducah. Gaines, the supplier, was the only man charged who had no previous ties to the halfway house. Search warrants were executed Tuesday at Keeton Corrections and at two homes - on Glenwood Court and South 13th Street - where Gaines had been staying. Those searches led to seizure of a syringe, synthetic marijuana, meth and other contraband on inmates. Other items found included knives and homemade shanks, numerous cell phones (which are contraband inside the facility), synthetic marijuana, a digital scale, syringes and assorted drug paraphernalia. At the two homes, police say they found a handgun, meth, several digital scales, drug paraphernalia, and more than $1,000, believed to be the proceeds of drug sales. On Tuesday, police served warrants to: Thirty-six-year-old Christopher Baker of Madisonville, charged with three counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine), trafficking in marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia and methamphetamine. Forty-five-year-old Ray Critser of Marion, Kentucky, charged with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine) 2nd offense, possession of synthetic marijuana, trafficking in methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Twenty-seven-year-old David Jones of Madisonville, charged with trafficking in synthetic marijuana and four counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine). Jones was already in McCracken County Jail because he failed a drug test at the halfway house. Twenty-eight-year-old Zachary T. Edison of Russellville, charged with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine). He had previously absconded, and was served with his warrant while jailed in Glasgow. Thirty-two-year-old Robert Fulkerson of Bowling Green, charged with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine). He was served a warrant while in McCracken County Regional Jail, since he had previously failed a drug test at the halfway house. Thirty-two-year-old DeAnthony Woods of Paducah, charged with six counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and trafficking in synthetic marijuana. Additional charges for trafficking in methamphetamine are pending, according to police. Thirty-one-year-old Ralph Gaines Jr., of Paducah, charged with two counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon. Police say Gaines has a history of drug trafficking and a prior conviction for third-degree assault. Another man, 31-year-old Nicholas Stodghill, originally from Owensboro, was found and arrested on Wednesday on two counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine). He had previously been released from the halfway house, but police were able to find him. In addition to the arrests, Kentucky Probation and Parole has charged several men with violation of parole or promoting contraband, based on search warrants at Keeton Corrections Facility. They are inmates Leon Cole, Manis Young, Michael Harley, William Kelly, Michael Walling, John Jones, Johnny Howard, Michael Harley, Larry Husk, and DeAnthony Woods; parolees Jeffrey Sterner, Winston Johnson, Donny Hornsby, Dantay McCauley, Lloyd Creech, Demonte Long, Shawn Lamb, David Greer, Jeremy Tucker, Joshua Cattrell, and Ray Critser. The investigation into drug activity at Keeton Corrections is in response to numerous complaints of criminal activity and concerns from the surrounding neighborhood, said Chief of Police Brian Laird. A significant amount of time and resources has been devoted to this operation, in hopes of weeding out the bad apples in the facility and sending a message to any current and future halfway house residents that we will not tolerate individual bringing criminal activity into our community. Laird thanked new Keeton director Rob Estes for his cooperation and his work to clean up the facility. The Paducah Police Department was assisted in this investigation by Keeton Corrections administration, Kentucky Probation and Parole and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 29, 2019 | 05:55 AM | LIVINGSTON COUNTY At Tuesday's Livingston County Fiscal Court meeting, it was announced that the state would provide $601,686 for resurfacing work on seven county roads. Resurfacing work will occur on Bloodworth Road (County Road 1218); Holland Road (County Road 1216); Willow Pond Drive (County Road 1182); Scotts Chapel Road (County Road 1200); Colin Road (County Road 1112); Brummite Road (County Road 1252); and Lola Road (KY 133). Livingston County Judge-Executive Garrett Gruber identified these roads as being among the most critical in the county. The Livingston County Fiscal Court is responsible for administering the work, and KYTC will reimburse the county for the projects. By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 29, 2019 | 06:28 AM | GRAVES COUNTY A man faces charges following a Graves County crash early Wednesday morning. The Graves County Sheriff's Office says the single-vehicle accident happened on KY 384 at approximately 2:10 am. Deputies say Cole Burgess was traveling north when he lost control of his vehicle in a curve, ran off the road and struck a driveway culvert. Deputies say an open alcohol container was found in the vehicle and Burgess smelled of alcohol. Chemical tests were conducted and charges for DUI and possession of an open alcohol container are pending. Burgess was airlifted to Deaconess Hospital in Evansville for treatment of his injuries. 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. Chinese President Xi Jinping holds a welcome ceremony for Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou at the square outside the east gate of the Great Hall of the People before their talks in Beijing, capital of China, May 28, 2019. [Xinhua/Liu Weibing] BEIJING, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou on Tuesday. Calling China and Niger good friends, partners and brothers, Xi hailed the constantly strengthening political mutual trust and fruitful pragmatic cooperation between the two countries. Xi said China stands ready to work with Niger to implement the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) to boost strategic cooperation and benefit the two peoples. He called on the two countries to understand, trust and support each other on issues of core interests and major concern, and continue their exchanges in governance and development experience. China and Niger should deepen synergy within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative and FOCAC, Xi said, stressing the importance of carrying out key projects in infrastructure, people's livelihood, energy and agriculture. He said China will continue to support Niger in fighting terrorism for regional peace and stability, and promote the UN support for the Group of Five Sahel joint force. Calling for more communication and collaboration on major international affairs, Xi promised China will help Niger improve people's livelihood in such field as medical care. He also voiced his hope that China and Niger would expand exchanges in culture, youth, women and think tanks, so as to enhance the two peoples' mutual understanding. "As long as all countries follow a development path suited to their own national conditions, cooperate in jointly building the Belt and Road, and move toward the goal of building a community with a shared future for humanity, we will surely achieve success," Xi said. Issoufou congratulated on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the great achievements the Chinese people have made in building socialism with Chinese characteristics under the leadership of the Communist Party of China. China's development has contributed greatly to human society, Issoufou said, adding that China's inclusive economic growth has lifted a large number of people out of poverty and accelerated realization of the UN millennium development goal. Niger speaks highly of China's adherence to the five principles of peaceful coexistence in international affairs and its long-term commitment to world peace and development, he said, adding the country supports the goal of building a community with a shared future for humanity. The Belt and Road Initiative proposed by Xi embodies the concept of win-win instead of zero sum and it will benefit the whole world, the Nigerien president said. As for China-Africa cooperation, Issoufou said African countries appreciate China's adherence to the principles of sincerity, real results, affinity and good faith, as well as the eight major initiatives put forward by Xi at the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. Saying Niger would work closely with China in Africa's cause of peace and security and the process of modernization, Issoufou said Niger always sticks to the one-China policy and is willing to participate in the joint construction of the Belt and Road. After their talks, the two heads of state jointly witnessed the signing of several bilateral cooperation documents. Prior to the talks, Xi held a welcoming ceremony for Issoufou, who is paying a state visit to China from May 26 to 30. Chinese President Xi Jinping holds a welcome ceremony for Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou at the square outside the east gate of the Great Hall of the People before their talks in Beijing, capital of China, May 28, 2019. [Xinhua/Yin Bogu] Chinese President Xi Jinping (2nd R) and his wife Peng Liyuan (1st R) pose for photos with Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou (2nd L) and his wife in Beijing, capital of China, May 28, 2019. Xi held talks on Tuesday with Mahamadou Issoufou at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. [Xinhua/Pang Xinglei] 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 A U.S.-Korea joint drill at the end of August will be led by a Korean general for the first time to see if Seoul is ready to take back full operational control of its troops. A military source said, "This will be the first evaluation of Korea's ability to take back wartime troop control." Once the Korean military takes over full operational control over its troops in wartime, a Korean general would command combined Korea-U.S. forces with an American general assisting him, an unprecedented arrangement in the U.S.' global alliances. U.S. Forces Korea Commander Robert Abrams told a seminar in Hawaii last week and said the Korean military's "combined crisis-management ability" will soon be put to the test. Huang Guoning, deputy director of Chongqing Health Center for Women and Children, speaks with a patient in his office. [For China Daily] For thousands of infertile couples in China and abroad, doctor Huang Guoning is the savior of their family dream. Huang, 60, is considered one of the pioneers in reproductive medicine in the country. Through an in vitro fertilization procedure done by Huang, a baby boy - the first successful IVF baby in Southwest China - was born in Chongqing in 1997. IVF is a process in which an egg is combined with sperm outside the body, or in vitro. The first human was born through this technology in 1978. He was the first one in China to point out that the air quality in laboratories will affect the growth of embryos and even increase the health risks of fetuses. To address the problem, he took the lead in the design and development of a smart lab project which had been implemented in many reproductive centers in China. Huang and his colleagues at the Chongqing Institute of Reproductive Medicine under the Chongqing Health Center for Women and Children have provided assisted reproductive technology for couples across China and from abroad, including the United States, France, Japan and India. The institute boasts a high pregnancy rate of over 60 percent and a high birth rate of over 50 percent. "Every year, we receive over 300,000 outpatients, and half come from far away to Chongqing," Huang said. "I feel so happy that I can help so many families." The hospital completed over 90,000 egg retrieval cycles between 1996 and last year, and completed 10,500 cycles last year alone. China has an estimated 40 million couples that are infertile, meaning that they are unable to conceive naturally after trying for six months. About 20 percent of these couples need fertility treatment, according to the National Health Commission. Born into a family of doctors, Huang was determined to follow the career path of his parents. After graduating from Chongqing Medical University in 1983, Huang worked as a doctor at the Chongqing Health Center for Women and Children. "At that time, very few male doctors wanted to be a gynecologist," he recalled. "When I first started working, patients didn't trust me and refused my treatment." However, Huang soon gained recognition through his hard work and outstanding professional skills. Having seen so many couples struggle to conceive, Huang suggested that the hospital establish a reproductive medicine institute in 1996, one of the few in China at that time. Back in the 1990s, IVF was a very new and advanced technology in China. Only a few Chinese hospitals could conduct IVF procedures and the success rate was about 10 to 20 percent. Moreover, Huang's team faced shortages in equipment and technology. He tried to collect related material from other doctors through phone calls and fax. But the biggest obstacle came from public suspicion and rejection of IVF technology. "To practice surgical skills, we had to use the embryos of mice because we didn't have access to human ones," he said. It was also very difficult to find suitable couples to conduct IVF procedures at the research stage in the beginning. "Most infertile couples couldn't understand or accept the new technology. Even if the couple agreed, their family would probably refuse," he said. Eventually, five couples participated in the first IVF experiment for Huang's team. China has now the largest number of test tube babies in the world with up to 200,000 babies being born via IVF every year, according to Science and Technology Daily. In the eyes of Huang's colleagues, he is a very strict person with a big heart. "He has very high standards for every aspect of our work," said Chen Qiaoli, a doctor at the reproductive medicine institute. "For instance, he will use a piece of white cloth to sweep through the furniture, equipment and floor of the lab to check the cleanliness after it has been cleaned." Despite his busy work schedule, Huang uses social media to communicate with his patients in his spare time. He also proposed to set up a government fund to reduce the medical costs for servicemen and underprivileged patients. The fund has so far helped reduce more than 800,000 yuan ($116,070) of expenses for patients, and Huang has provided treatment for more than 1,000 such patients. In 2017, Huang became the first person in Chongqing to win the Bethune Award, the highest administrative award nationwide in healthcare jointly issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and the National Health Commission. The award was named after Canadian physician Norman Bethune. Bethune and his medical team came to China in 1938 to help the Chinese people fight the invading Japanese troops during World War II. Bethune died in China in 1939. This Saturday night June 1st I will be playing some of my favorite Paul McCartney songs during Those Were The Days on WRCO FM 100.9. Thursday night June 6th I will be in the same room as a former Beatle! It is a big room called the Kohl Center, but it will still be cool. This will be the 2nd time that I have witnessed Sir Paul in person. The first time was back in 1993 at County Stadium in Milwaukee. Those Were The Days will be the place for the pregame show for the two McCartney concerts during his 2019 tour (the other is at historic Lambeau Field). We will get you fired up to see the show, or make you wish that you were going! I grew up listening to the Beatles and have liked many of Paul's solo records. He has been playing few surprises during the early stages of this years tour. Some of the songs that I wish he would play include: Getting Closer, Coming Up, Ballroom Dancing, I've Had Enough, My Brave Face, Helen Wheels, With A Little Luck, and Daytime Nighttime Suffering. A few of our listeners have told there stories about seeing the Beatles in Milwaukee on September 4th of 1964 (which was the groups only Wisconsin appearance). One of our friends even brought that original program to the radio station proving that she was actually there. Whoever put together the program had two names swapped and listed George under John's picture and John under George's photo. It most likely made that program even more collectable. This Saturday night you will be able to request your favorite McCartney song or Beatles tune. I will be in the studio taking your requests and playing trivia. You can request any pop song you would like from the fifties through the eighties. The party will start on FM 100.9 this Saturday night at 6 pm. Phil North Wales Police staff and officers to take on late night Snowdon trek for charity This article is old - Published: Wednesday, May 29th, 2019 A team of North Wales Police officers and staff will be swapping their working boots for hiking ones as they prepare to walk up the highest mountain in England and Wales for charity in the middle of the night. In the early hours of tomorrow morning, the group will be walking up Snowdon in the dark to raise money for Hafal, Care of Police Survivors (COPS) and The Police Treatment Centres. Sergeant Tom Prytherch, from St Asaph Custody, has organised the event as part of his wider Clwb Cerdded Cymraeg initiative which encourages police officers, staff, volunteers, friends and family members to get some exercise by walking and to proactively chat through the medium of Welsh. The Clwb Cerdded Cymraeg has been running for a couple of years now and is a great opportunity for those who want to practice and use their Welsh in the company of other learners and Welsh speakers in a supportive atmosphere, explained Sgt Prytherch. We thought wed use this as an opportunity to organise a charity trek up Snowdon to raise money for three very worthwhile causes. We will be setting off at 1am on Thursday and will aim to reach the summit in order to see the sunrise. Hafal is the official North Wales Police charity for this year and is Wales leading charity which support people with mental health issues as well as their carers. COPS (Care Of Police Survivors) is dedicated to helping families of police officers who have lost their lives on duty to rebuild their lives. The Police Treatment Centres allow serving and retired police officers to receive treatment following an illness or injury with the aim of assisting their return to better health. He added: These charities all provide essential services and support for the communities of North Wales and we would love your help to raise as much as we can to help them to continue their work. Anybody wishing to donated to the cause can do so via the fundraising page here. You can follow the teams progress via social media by following #NWPSnowdonWalk Wrexham Council invite you to inspect any of their invoices, deeds, contracts or receipts This article is old - Published: Wednesday, May 29th, 2019 Wrexham Councils yearly Audit of Accounts advert has been published and although the invite, despite being legally compliant, will likely have been missed by you. You have the right to inspect and make copies of the accounts of Wrexham Council, which includes looking at the books, deeds, contracts, bills and vouchers and receipts that refer to them. The window to inspect such things is open between Monday 11th June and Friday 5th July (9:30am to 4:15pm), and the documents must involve the accounting year up to the 31st of March 2019. This could include contracts signed by Wrexham Council last year, or that are active during that period. Councillor and Officer expenses forms, including the receipts, are also open for inspection. Deeds of property owned by Wrexham Council, and if there are active leases they are also open to viewing, plus receipts for land sold. Previously we have exercised this right, looking at how much it cost to change a lightbulb in the markets, discovering the details of how Wrexham Council still had a connection to Eagles Meadow car parks via their lease, and of course which Councillor claimed 1.35 mileage to attend Remembrance Day. We also used this route to inspect the contract between the council and Kingdom litter enforcement that revealed an ability to exercise a 28 day written notice for any breach, or three months to terminate without reason. The process is straightforward, you contact Wrexham Councils Head of Finance (contact details here) noting which documents you wish to inspect, and arrangements and appointments are then made. Despite having well followed social media channels Wrexham Council have only tweeted about the inspection opportunity twice over the years. It does however appear on the front page of Wrexham Councils website. Over the years thousands have been spent placing the notices for such inspections in the back of newspapers, and as usual Wrexham.com has received 0.00 for this promotion and highlighting of the notice. This video of the Mark Thomas Secret Map Of Britain TV special from 2002 recounts how the system works about 36 minutes in, with the basic principle of the law referenced now updated for modern Wales, and refers to a range of sentences of councillors in south wales back in 1999. You can view an archive of Mark Thomas shows on this youtube link, with many of the topics covered still relevant today. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-17 18:46:37|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close ULAN BATOR, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia has launched a national campaign to raise people's awareness about sexually transmitted infections (STIs), local media reported Friday, citing the country's Health Ministry. During the two-week campaign starting Thursday, the organizers will provide people with information about infections such as syphilis, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis and HIV through both traditional and social media, in a bid to improve people's knowledge and awareness about how to prevent STIs, the ministry said. The national campaign under the motto "Let's protect loved ones together" is co-organized by the Mongolian Health Ministry and National Center for Communicable Disease (NCCD). There were more than 16,000 cases of STIs reported in the country in 2018, up 5 percent from the previous year, the NCCD said in a statement, adding that more than 76 percent of the people with STIs were aged between 15 and 34. Around 70 percent of the people with STIs were female, according to the NCCD. Syphilis, gonorrhea and trichomoniasis are the most common STIs in Mongolia, according to the statement. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-28 22:14:44|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close KHUJIRT, Mongolia, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Attracting Chinese tourists to visit the central Mongolian province of Uvurkhangai is one of the top tasks for the province's tourism sector, a local official said on Tuesday. "Attracting a large number of Chinese tourists is one of the priorities of our province's tourism sector and is a great way to boost the province's economic development," Tumurbat Ariunbold, head of the province's tourism department, told Xinhua during a Chinese-Mongolian tourism forum. The forum on Tuesday was held in Khujirt soum, Uvurkhangai province as part of a three-day Chinese culture and tourism festival, which is co-organized by the provincial governor's office, the Chinese Embassy in Mongolia, and the Chinese Cultural Center in Ulan Bator. The festival starting on Monday aims to further expand cultural and tourism exchanges between the two countries and provide Mongolians with a better understanding of China, the organizers said. "We all know that China has been the world's biggest source of tourists. There is a big advantage of Mongolia to attract more tourists from China," Ariunbold said, referring to Mongolia's geographic location. In recent years, Uvurkhangai province has been striving to attract more foreign tourists by organizing various historical and cultural events, such as the "Silk Road and Kharkhorin" in the Kharkhorin soum, he said. The province has more than 50,000 foreign tourists a year and Chinese tourists make up over 30 percent of them, Ariunbold said. "Hosting 100,000 foreign tourists a year is our province's medium-term goal," Ariunbold said, noting that to reach the goal, Uvurkhangai province has been stepping up its efforts to expand tourism cooperation with China. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-28 22:24:48|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close KUNMING, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Six countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) discussed deepening tourism ties at a forum held Tuesday in southwest China's Yunnan Province. The Mekong Tourism Forum, held in the city of Dali on May 28-29, is themed on tourism as a driver for cultural heritage preservation and poverty alleviation. Over 45.3 million trips were made between China and GMS countries in 2018, up by 7.6 percent year on year. Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia received 10.4 million, 7.8 million and 2 million Chinese visitors in 2018 respectively. Zhang Xu, vice minister of culture and tourism of China, told the conference that the Chinese government attaches great importance to tourism exchanges and cooperation with GMS countries and has built multi-level and multi-form cooperation mechanisms and platforms. In March of 2018, leaders of GSM adopted three documents including a joint declaration and an action plan for 2018-2022, pledging stronger multifaceted cooperation, including on transport, agriculture, tourism, environment and e-commerce. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 00:16:39|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close JOHANNESBURG, May 28 (Xinhua) -- A South African court has sentenced four people to 15 to 31 years in jail for robbing tourists and other crimes, authorities said on Tuesday. The four, three Zimbabweans and one South African, were arrested on July 14, 2017, near the OR Tambo International Airport after a car chase and shootout with police. "The suspects were initially arrested for unlawful possession of arms and ammunition," said police spokesperson Brig. Vishnu Naidoo. "Follow-up investigations were conducted and the suspects were also linked to armed robbery cases in Kempton Park, Olifantsfontein and Yeoville," he said. They were convicted of various crimes that include armed robbery, unlawful possession of arms and ammunition and possession of property suspected to be stolen. The 28-year-old South African was sentenced to an effective 31 years' imprisonment. The three Zimbabweans were sentenced to 15 to 30 years in jail. National Police Commissioner General Khehla John Sitole welcomed the sentencing. "The lengthy sentence handed down to each of the accused is most welcomed as this will send a clear message on the seriousness with which the criminal justice system views these atrocious crimes," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 00:16:42|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close NAIROBI, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese city Shenzhen which was originally a small fishing village has realized rapid development to become a Silicon Valley of China thanks to a knowledge-based industry approach, an African expert said. Aloysius Mosha, professor and dean at the faculty of the Built Environment, Ba Isago University in Botswana said that the city has attained the status following its decision to disregard the 'business as usual' management approach. "The city is a clear blue print of how to handle fast urbanization through the adoption of innovative financing strategies," Mosha said on Monday evening during the launch of a book "The Story of Shenzhen, its economic, social and environmental transformation" that was published by the UN Habitat. Mosha noted that the city that is situated in southeastern China has become famous for using traditional and innovative strategies to finance infrastructure development. The scholar who is one of the co-authors of the book that was done early this year observed that the city has gone beyond the traditional funding streams and ventured into innovative strategies, such as land value capture, issuance of municipal bonds, foreign direct investments, project finance, public private partnerships, special purpose vehicles and tax incentive financing. The don noted that the city has moved from normal city financing to innovative financing and encourages and finances entrepreneurs interested in industrial development as well as providing many incentives to woo local and international investors. "Shenzhen has proved that good governance can be achieved through appropriate policies, regular reforms and innovative approaches," he noted. The city he said has proved that even though fast urbanization is inevitable, its consequences and adverse impacts can be managed through integrated and sustainable urban planning. "Looking at the achievement, for this four decade old miracle to continue, the old Chinese practice of long-term thinking needs to be practiced," Maimunah Mohd Sharif, executive director United Nations Human Settlement Program (UN Habitat)," said in her foreword statement in the book. She said that Shenzhen is truly a remarkable success story and existing cities, upcoming cities and special economic zones can learn from their experience. Sharif observed that the city's remarkable economic and social development has been built on high-tech, manufacturing and service industries. The UN official said that sustainable development must be pursued in order to address current global challenges of rising poverty, social inequality, environmental degradation and climate change in the rapidly urbanizing world. Lawrence Scott, one of the authors of a chapter in the book noted that from his study, Shenzhen is turning out to be China's center of modernization due to its advancement in science and technology. "The city shows that the future belongs to complex high technological responses to its challenges," he noted. Scott said that the city is a test case for how the challenge of governance or of civil society will be handled in the years to come. He observed that China's State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) plays a double role in both overseeing and facilitating state-owned enterprise projects. "This role is attributed to apparently magical quality of success and harmony within firms rather than market pressure," he added. Chen Jinhai, Deputy Executive Director General at Shenzhen Association for International Culture Exchanges, said that Shenzhen is building, in accordance with the Chinese government's decisions and deployments, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, a global regional cultural central city, and an international cultural, innovative and creative pioneer city. Chen said the city is also taking the lead in the nation to steadfastly deepen reform and expand opening up. "I believe that many cities, towns and special economic zones in other countries can be inspired by Shenzhen's experience in urban development," he added. Chen noted that the book will contribute to the body of knowledge on urban development, and benefit city leaders, urban planners, academics and economists. The authors noted that Shenzhen's economy is driven by knowledge-based industries and is ranked the third highest among 659 Chinese cities and according to the 2017 Global Financial Centres Index, is the 22 most competitive financial centers in the world. It covers an area of 1,997 square kilometers, with a population of more than 20 million, whose average age is 33. Shenzhen has achieved tremendous economic and social development within the last four decades since the establishment of Shenzhen Special Economic Zone in 1980. Also, Shenzhen is an important window for China to show its great achievements to the world and for the international community to observe China's reform and opening up. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 00:31:58|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close JAKARTA, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia and the European Union (EU) are set to focus their cooperation on sustainable development programs concerning environment, education and health. It was expressed here on Tuesday at the launch of Blue Book 2019 which is themed "Together for Sustainable Development." EU and Indonesia have long been partnering in fulfilling Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) commitments, Charge d'Affaires of the EU Delegation to Indonesia Charles-Michel Geurts said. "SDGs is the main aim that has been used as the cooperation guideline of EU and Indonesia," Geurts said, with Indonesian Development Planning Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro being present. He added that Indonesia has demonstrated significant improvements in putting SDGs as the mainstream of its development plans. With a total of 100 million euro (111.7 million U.S. dollars) assistance funds, EU and Indonesia are committed to jointly carrying out the existing and upcoming programs aimed at complying with the SDGs, he said. Bambang Brodjonegoro said that the cooperation focus of Indonesia and EU has been in line with the SDGs which the international community has been pursuing. "Indonesia is among the first countries to file in reports on SDGs progress to the United Nations (UN) in 2017. In July this year we will submit our second progress report," the minister said. He added that the Indonesian government has set SDGs action plans and the implementation has been well addressed by regional administrations across the country so far. Lotte has shifted the focus of its overseas business operations from China to Southeast Asia after a boycott in the world's most populous country dealt it a devastating blow. The Korean-Japanese conglomerate's sales totaled W84 trillion last year, and 10.6 percent was generated by overseas businesses, up 7.6 percent from the year before when the boycott struck (US$1=W1,190). Now Malaysia ranked at the top and accounted for 30.3 percent of overseas revenues, followed by Indonesia (13.5 percent), the U.S. (nine percent) and China (7.9 percent). In 2016, China was still the top market, accounting for 25 percent of Lotte's overseas revenues, but they fell from W2 trillion to W700 billion last year. Instead Malaysia, which is home to Lotte Chemical Titan, accounted for W2.7 trillion worth of revenues, up around W500 billion. Together, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines accounted for 58.4 percent of total overseas revenues. But Lotte is also expanding its share of advanced markets. Lotte chairman Shin Dong-bin said in a New Year's address to staff this year vowed to "expand markets in advanced countries" while reconsidering the longstanding strategy of focusing on emerging markets. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 00:57:17|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ISLAMABAD, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan Railways (PR) on Tuesday announced to operate five special trains to facilitate commuters on the occasion of one of the country's largest festivals - Eid-ul-Fitr, an official said. According to the spokesperson of the PR, the first train will depart from the country's southern port city of Karachi to northwest Peshawar on June 2. Another train on the same day will depart from southwestern Quetta city to eastern city Rawalpindi. Two other special trains will leave on June 3 and 8 from Karachi to Lahore and Rawalpindi to Quetta, respectively, whereas the fifth train will start its journey from eastern Lahore to Karachi on June 8, the spokesperson said. He said that passengers can make reservations at the offices of railways or can buy their tickets online, adding that the booking will open from May 29. Earlier this week, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry told a press conference that Eid-ul-Fitr is likely to be celebrated in Pakistan on June 5. According to local media reports, around 8 million Pakistanis travel from across the country, especially from major cities, to their hometowns to celebrate the annual Eid festival with their families. However, the shortage of transportation create problems for commuters. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 01:27:41|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close DAMASCUS, May 28 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. foreign policy has always been characterized as choosing hegemony instead of global harmony and cooperation, experts said. Throughout history, the U.S. "negative" foreign policy was felt in many countries, and most recently in the Middle East. The U.S. has moved its embassy in May 2018 in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, which is a contested territory between the Israelis and Palestinians. Such a move by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump was seen as extremely biased to Israel in a situation where the United States is one of the key mediators between the two rivals in the Palestinian issue. Following that move, the Trump administration in March 2019 also recognized Israel's sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights, which is a Syrian territory according to the UN resolutions. On top of that, the United States did not live up to its decision to withdraw from Syria and U.S. officials started stalling to stay in the country despite the fact that their presence is considered illegal as the U.S. troops entered the country without coordination or consent from the Syrian government. "Such consecutive brazen moves prove the U.S. is slamming the international law and norms against the wall and telling the world that I can do anything by my power, while it should spread world peace not rivalry," Maher Ihsan, a Syrian journalist and political expert, told Xinhua. Ihsan further noted that the U.S. presence, particularly with Kurdish units in eastern Syria, is further complicating the political landscape in the country. Even the Syrian government has repeatedly accused the United States of hindering the political process in Syria as it wants to use the troubled situation to push its own agenda. The United States has repeatedly warned that it would use force against the Syrian government forces in case of any chemical attack. Such warning has pushed some Western-backed rebels to stage such attacks to draw in foreign military attacks, which took place a few times during the Syrian war. The latest of such attacks was a wide-scale U.S.-backed strike on Syrian positions in April of 2018. At the time, the United States, France, and Britain carried out a series of military strikes involving aircraft and ship-based missiles against multiple government sites in Syria over allegations of an alleged chemical attack in the formerly rebel-held Eastern Ghouta countryside in the capital Damascus. "Such a scenario has been exposed as a way to justify foreign strikes over unsubstantiated allegations," Ahmad Ashqar, a journalist and expert, told Xinhua. He said the United States is waving this threat card again after recent allegations of chlorine gas attack in a rebel-held town in the eastern countryside of Latakia province in northwestern Syria. On Saturday, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said that the recent claims by the rebels of chemical weapons use in battles in Latakia province are a prelude for a renewed cycle of lies and threats against the Syrian government, according to the state news agency SANA. The ministry's statement came on the heels of recent claims by the rebels that the Syrian army used chemical weapons in recent attacks in the town of Kabani in the countryside of Latakia. After the rebels' claims, which were made last week, the Syrian government denied the claims, saying the rebels are trying to lift their faltering morals. However, the U.S. State Department said on Tuesday that the Syrian government might be renewing its use of chemical weapons, referring to the alleged chlorine attack on the rebel-held town in Latakia. It said that any use of such weapons would lead the United States and its allies to "respond quickly and appropriately." In its statement, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said that "all this commotion will not dissuade the Syrian army from continuing to fight terrorism." Ashqar said that the United States should be held responsible for the chaos it is creating on the ground, which is further complicating the eight-year-long war. "The U.S. should stop this approach of threats because they can't fix something by creating more complications whenever they felt the Syrian army is making more progress on the ground," he said. The expert referred to the current battles taking place in the last major rebel strongholds in northwestern Syria, where the army is making progress in the fight against the al-Qaida-linked groups of Nusra Front and its umbrella group of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Idlib province and nearby areas in Hama, Latakia and Aleppo countryside. On Jan. 24, 2019, the United States imposed additional sanctions on Syria on every entity that deals economically with Syria. The prices of fuel and other commodities have gone up, adding to the burdens of the Syrians. Syrian Health Minister Nizar Yazigi recently stressed the need for bigger efforts to lift the economic sanctions on Syria, as the sanctions are hindering the delivery of certain medicines and medical equipment to Syria. Ashqar noted that the world countries who are being oppressed by the United States should stand in unity to put an end to the U.S. hegemony and to prove that today's world is multipolar with no place for hegemony and bullying by superpowers. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 02:23:09|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ATHENS, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Piraeus, Greece's largest port, is interested in securing more Chinese cruise passengers while acknowledging that the potential of the Chinese market is huge, a senior Piraeus Port Authority (PPA) official said on Tuesday. Speaking at the 5th Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum, which opened here on Tuesday, PPA Strategic Planning and Marketing Manager Theodora Riga stressed the importance of attracting more visitors from China and presented a PPA report on Chinese cruise passengers visiting Piraeus. The survey revealed that the typical Chinese cruise visitor has a budget of some 10,000 euros (11,200 U.S. dollars) and spends more than 7 days on the trip. Forty-five percent of all Chinese cruise passengers are younger than 40, while the same age group accounts for only 31 percent of passengers arriving from the U.S. "The Chinese have various options in the Mediterranean, such as Venice, Barcelona, etc., but Piraeus is also one of their targets," said Riga in her address at the event, which will conclude on Wednesday. "We are constantly seeking to promote Piraeus as a destination for Chinese cruise passengers," she told Xinhua. China is the second largest source market for global cruise tourism with 2.4 million passengers per year, a long way behind the U.S. with 11.4 million passengers, said Thomas Boardley, secretary general of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Europe, at the forum. About 300,000 Chinese tourists are expected to travel to Greece by all modes of transport this year, doubling last year's figure of 150,000, Riga said. (1 euro = 1.12 U.S. dollars) Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 02:48:21|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close VALLETTA, May 28 (Xinhua) -- The President of Malta, George Vella, on Tuesday urged the country's newly elected MEPs to safeguard Malta's interests in the face of EU policies adopting a one-size-fits-all approach. The president met with the candidates elected to the European Parliament in last Saturday's elections at the presidential palace in Valletta on Tuesday, where he stressed that what works for larger member states is often not in the interest of small states like Malta. "You need to keep in mind that what is good for big countries might not be so good for smaller ones, so we need to be conscious of Malta's specific situation," Vella told the MEPs. Absent for Tuesday's meeting were David Casa and Roberta Metsola -- the two MEPs who have been accused by the Labour government of acting against Malta over the past legislature. Both said they had engagements in Brussels and would be meeting with the president at a later date. Vella also noted that the latest round of European elections, which have seen the far-right, the Greens and the Liberals all make significant gains, will create new challenges that Europe must deal with. "You have a hard job to do. I believe a lot of work has to be carried out on a personal basis, and it is important that while you keep to your party's politics, you also undertake your own initiatives," Vella said. Being elected to the European Parliament, he stressed, should be viewed as a duty and not a "prize". Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 03:38:51|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close WARSAW, May 28 (Xinhua) -- The two persons injured in a school attack in central Poland are getting hospital treatment but their lives are not in danger, according to information provided to the media by the mayor of the region, Mikolaj Bogdanowicz. An 18-year-old man attacked a primary school in Brzesc Kujawski, in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian region in central Poland on Monday, using explosives and a firearm and hurting one student and a cleaning lady. On Monday, the masked attacker entered the school premises and opened fire on students and teachers, until the school's janitor overpowered the man. The injured student is 11-year-old, Polish media reported. Earlier in May, a student died after being attacked with a knife by another student in a Warsaw school. Since then, Polish schools have been reviewing their safety and security practices. According to the police, the man had attacked a student with a machete last summer, after which he was detained and eventually committed to a psychiatric ward. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 03:53:56|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close DOHA, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Tuesday met with Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, who is currently on a visit to Doha, according to Qatari Foreign Ministry press release. The two officials discussed bilateral relations, means to boost them and a number of regional issues of common concern. The two sides reviewed the situation in the region and expressed concern about the escalation and problems in the region. The two sides saw eye to eye on the importance of dialogue to solve problems. Meanwhile, Araqchi stressed his country's readiness to enter into dialogue between Iran and the Gulf states regarding the stability and security of the region. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 04:09:01|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close Photo taken on May 28, 2019 shows the United Nations Security Council meeting on the situation in Syria, at the UN headquarters in New York. UN Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator Ursula Mueller on Tuesday urged the international community to pay close attention to the dire humanitarian situation in Syria and take concrete action to stop attacks on schools and hospitals. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) UNITED NATIONS, May 28 (Xinhua) -- A United Nations official on Tuesday urged the international community to pay close attention to the dire humanitarian situation in Syria and take concrete action to stop attacks on schools and hospitals. "Can't this Council take any concrete action when attacks on schools and hospitals have become a war tactic that no longer sparks outrage?" UN Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator Ursula Mueller threw the hard-hitting question towards the Security Council, which was discussing the humanitarian situation in Syria. "You know that more than half the Syrian population has either fled the country or faced repeated internal displacement...and you know that currently, an estimated 3 million people in Idlib are caught up in the crossfire, with some living under trees or plastic sheeting on bare patches of land," she said. There are no safe schools or clinics, she said, and no way to earn a living, while families live in "the constant fear" of sending their children to a school that may be bombed "later that day," she added. Despite a temporary ceasefire announcement on May 17, fighting in the last rebel stronghold of Idlib in Syria's northwest, has continued over recent days, with heavy shelling and aerial bombardment this month leaving more than 160 civilians dead and some 270,000 others displaced. The deputy relief chief quoted the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights as saying that "both pro-government forces and non-state armed groups fighting in northern Syria appear to have failed to respect the principles of distinction and proportionality under international humanitarian law." She told the Council that since April 28, the World Health Organization had reported a total of 25 attacks targeting medical infrastructure in northwestern Syria, including 22 health facilities, with some having been hit more than once. Moreover, some 25 schools are reported to have also been impacted by the violence, as well as marketplaces and at least three sites for displaced people. While the humanitarian community is responding in accordance with its contingency and readiness plans, "despite our best efforts, the response is stretched," she said. "Many of our humanitarian partners are part of the affected population and have themselves been displaced," she said, adding that as a result, "in many areas of active hostilities, humanitarian operations have been suspended," including health, nutrition and protection services that previously supported some 600,000 people. Noting that this year marks the 70th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions and the 20th anniversary of the Council's adoption of protection of civilians as an agenda item, she recalled the secretary-general's words last week, saying that "respect today for international humanitarian law is, at best, questionable." "You are all, as member states, aware that all parties to armed conflict are legally bound to comply with international humanitarian law...Sparing hospitals and schools is not optional. It is a fundamental legal obligation." While calling the fighting in Idlib "the most distressing front in the conflict at present," she painted a picture of "deteriorating conditions" inside Rukban camp for internally displaced, on the southern border with Jordan, that during the past two months, have caused more than 13,100 to flee. For those who remain, food, basic medicines and other life-saving supplies delivered in February have run out. Fuel is scarce; prices are skyrocketing; and "people are exhausted," she noted. Mueller said a third humanitarian convoy to Rukban was urgently needed "to avoid further suffering" for the 29,000 people who remain, strongly urging the Syrian authorities "to reverse their refusal and facilitate access...as first requested in March and again on May 9...to provide support to this vulnerable population." Turning to the continuing plight of some 74,000 civilians - 92 percent of whom are women and children - at the Al Hol refugee camp in the country's northeast, near the Iraqi border, she said that "most have been exposed to extreme violence and trauma under ISIL." "They are now living in extremely difficult conditions where they face a range of protection challenges, and an uncertain and disconcerting fate," she said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 04:24:13|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close China's permanent representative to the United Nations Ma Zhaoxu (C, front) addresses the United Nations Security Council meeting on the situation in Syria, at the UN headquarters in New York, May 28, 2019. Ma Zhaoxu said Tuesday that China attaches great importance to the humanitarian situation in Syria and urges the international community to find a solution to the Syrian issue. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) UNITED NATIONS, May 28 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy said Tuesday that China attaches great importance to the humanitarian situation in Syria and urges the international community to find a solution to the Syrian issue. "We attach great importance to the humanitarian situation in Syria and support the untiring efforts of the United Nations and relevant actors to improve the humanitarian situation in Syria," Ma Zhaoxu, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, told a Security Council meeting on the situation in Syria. Noting that the Idlib problem is attributed to the terrorist forces who have controlled the region, the Chinese ambassador said, "We should harmonize the criteria in our fight against all terrorist organizations listed by the Council." "The local terrorist groups not only violate the rights of civilians and humanitarian workers, but also frequently attack Russian military bases and the Syrian government-controlled areas, threatening the security and stability of Syria and the region," he said. "Without eliminating the threat of terrorist organizations in Idlib, the Syrian people will not have peace, nor will the humanitarian problems faced by the people in Idlib be fully resolved," the Chinese envoy noted. "China supports Russia and Turkey in continuing to implement the memorandum and the efforts to seek comprehensive and long-term solutions through dialogue and consultations," Ma said. "China also supports the UN and other relevant actors in their humanitarian relief operations for the displaced civilians and their efforts to improve the humanitarian situation in the northwest." Russia and Turkey signed a memorandum of understanding in September 2018, reiterating their determination to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations with a view to maintaining stability in northwest Syria. "We have seen that since the beginning of this year, there has been a massive influx into the Al Hol camp of civilians from the northeastern part fleeing conflict," said the Chinese envoy, noting that the population of the camp has soared to 73,000, and "the composition is very complicated." The Chinese ambassador stressed that humanitarian efforts "must be scaled up" for the people in the camp based on the demographic feature of the population there, and proper arrangement should be made for their settlement. "For the Rukban camp, there have been different ideas from the international community for solutions," said Ma, noting that "dialogue and communication should be enhanced in order to arrive at agreed solution as soon as possible." "China supports the Syrian government in actively taking measures to ensure the necessary living conditions for those who live in the camps and to end displacement in areas where security situation is relatively stable," said the envoy. The Chinese ambassador urged the international community to support the Syrian government in de-mining, rebuilding infrastructure, restoring healthcare, education and other social services, launching industrial projects, promoting development and improving people's livelihood so that "more and more people will step out of the shadow of war and gradually lead a stable and orderly life." "To fundamentally alleviate humanitarian situation in Syria, we must persist in advancing the political solution," said the Chinese ambassador. "The international community should firmly support the UN in playing its role as the main channel of mediation and push the Syrian parties to seek solutions that accommodate the concerns of all parties based on a Syrian-owned and Syrian-led principle and Council resolution 2254." Ma urged the Syrian parties to "bear in mind the future of the country and the wellbeing of the people" by continuing to narrow their differences through dialogue and consultations in search of a political solution. "Since the outbreak of the Syrian crisis, China has provided emergency food aid in multiple batches to Syria and donated medical equipment through the International Red Cross. We have provided water, food, temporary shelter, and medical services to the displaced people and returnees," he said. "China will continue to contribute to alleviating the humanitarian situation in Syria. To the best of its ability, the international community must continue to increase humanitarian relief to Syria and fulfill its aid commitments," said the envoy. Idlib, the last major rebel stronghold in Syria, is controlled by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the umbrella group of the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front. Since mid-April, there has been an intensification of hostilities in Idlib, which is one of the four "de-escalation" areas agreed by the Astana guarantors -- Russia, Iran and Turkey -- in 2017. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 04:34:22|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close LAGOS, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Six members of a family were shot dead by unknown gunmen in Nigeria's north-central state of Plateau, a police spokesperson told Xinhua Tuesday. The incident took place on Monday night when unidentified gunmen broke into the house of a family and killed members in Nakai Danwal village in Riyom area of the state, Terna Tyopev, the state police spokesperson said in Jos, the state capital. According to him, a top police officer in charge of operations had visited the scene for assessment and deployed more armed personnel to the community in order to avert any reprisal attack. Tyopev called on members of the public with useful information that could aid investigations into the killing to come forward and assist the police. The state, located in Nigeria's middle belt where the Muslim-dominated north and the Christian-majority south meet, has witnessed constant rifts between locals and Fulani herdsmen. Many, especially women and children, have been murdered in previous attacks. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 04:39:24|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close LAGOS, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria's police said on Tuesday that they had arrested 56 suspected criminals, including kidnappers and armed bandits terrorizing the northern state of Kaduna. Ali Janga, the police chief in charge of the state, told reporters that with the arrests, he was on a mission to rid the state of crimes and criminality, warning that Kaduna would no longer be a safe haven for criminals. He said that the police would work strictly on the basis of international core values of policing with integrity. In Kaduna, thousands of passengers traveling by road have been waylaid by armed bandits and dispossessed of their goods. Spain's SEAT set to make China comeback by 2021 From:ChinaDaily | 2019-05-29 07:11 Spain's largest carmaker SEAT is set to make a comeback in China around 2021, a move that will help its parent company Volkswagen AG secure a larger share in the world's largest new energy vehicle market. "The Spanish brand aims to enter the Chinese market in the coming two to three years," said Volkswagen in a statement on Tuesday, citing an agreement it signed with SEAT and Chinese carmaker JAC Motors. SEAT pulled out of China in 2014 after two years of poor sales of its gasoline vehicles. This time, it will enter the Chinese market through JAC Volkswagen, a 50-50 joint venture established in Hefei, Anhui province, in 2017 to develop, produce and sell pure battery vehicles. A spokesperson at Volkswagen China said SEAT is scheduled to become a shareholder of the joint venture by the end of 2019, holding at least 1 percent of its equity. According to Chinese norms, it is mandatory for international brands to produce vehicles in China bearing its names. Luca de Meo, CEO of SEAT, said: "China is the benchmark country for electric vehicles. We aim to be a part of this ecosystem in order to exchange knowledge and make progress in achieving global mobility that is more sustainable." Currently, JAC, Volkswagen and SEAT are building a 4 billion yuan ($579 million) research and development center in Hefei, which is expected to open in 2021. JAC and SEAT also plan to develop their own platform for smaller electric cars, a segment that is growing faster than the large-sized ones in China. "The close cooperation between SEAT and JAC will allow us to create synergies, which will significantly increase our market coverage," said Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess, who is also chairman of SEAT. Yale Zhang, managing director of Shanghai-based consultancy Automotive Foresight, said SEAT's smaller cars will help its parent company to reach customers in China's smaller cities, where electric cars built on Volkswagen's own platforms would be less affordable. Volkswagen, as well as its subsidiaries from Audi to Porsche, plan to deliver around 1.5 million electrified vehicles, most of them pure electric cars, in China by 2025. It also expects global sales of electrified vehicles will total 22 million by 2028, and half of them will be produced in China. China overtook the United States as the largest producer and market of new energy vehicles in 2015. The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers expected sales of such vehicles to reach at least 1.6 million this year, up from 1.2 million in 2018. Besides electrified vehicles, Volkswagen and JAC have also partnered with local authorities in Hefei to test autonomous driving technologies, including robotaxis and autonomous fleet management, and on-demand mobility services, like ride hailing and car sharing, but none of the parties revealed the details. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 04:44:26|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close GENEVA, May 28 (Xinhua) -- The Switzerland-based World Wildlife Fund (WWF) on Tuesday said it will set off a six-month sailing journey to unveil the threatened beauty of the Mediterranean Sea. The Blue Panda, WWF's Mediterranean Marine Initiative sailboat, will set sail on May 29 for a journey across the Mediterranean Sea to bring the beauty of the Mediterranean marine environment and its wildlife closer to people and put out a call for action against the most pressing threats, like plastic pollution and oil extraction, WWF said in a statement. Together with a large team of members and volunteers, the Blue Panda's journey at sea will connect the coasts of France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Tunisia and Morocco, WWF said. It added that the boat will stop at a number of ports and marinas to tell the story of the "often unknown bounty" of Mediterranean marine biodiversity and the impacts that decades of unregulated overexploitation and pollution are causing. "At each location, WWF's team will raise awareness and engage local communities, citizens and tourists on the benefits that the Mediterranean Sea provides to people and how our life, jobs and economy depend on it," WWF said in the statement. The Blue Panda will also witness, through research and high-quality video projects, what is happening to the Mediterranean sea and inspire people to get on board and become passionate "Mediterranean Keepers" so as to strongly get engaged to protect it. The Mediterranean is one of WWF's conservation priority areas, around which WWF said it is present in 13 countries, working to improve fisheries, better protect marine wildlife and species, tackle plastic pollution and build a sustainable blue economy. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 04:59:45|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, May 28 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday announced the appointment of Khaled Mohamed Khiari of Tunisia as assistant secretary-general for Middle East, Asia and the Pacific in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, according to a press note from the UN chief's office. Currently Director General of Americas, Asia and Oceania in the Tunisian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Khiari brings over 35 years of experience in diplomacy and foreign affairs alternating between his foreign ministry headquarters and overseas postings. He served inter alia as ambassador and permanent representative of Tunisia to the UN (2012-2018). Khiari participated in numerous multilateral and regional activities during his career with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, notably as co-chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiations on Security Council Reform, president of the Executive Board of UN-WOMEN, and vice-president of the UN General Assembly, according to the press note. He is a graduate of the Higher Institute of Management of Tunis, where he earned a master's degree in management, specializing in marketing. Born in 1960, Khiari is married and has two children. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 05:19:58|Editor: Wu Qin Video Player Close Luis Alfonso de Alba, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' special envoy for the 2019 Climate Summit, speaks to journalists during a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York, on May 28, 2019. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' special envoy for the upcoming Climate Summit said on Tuesday that the reaction from countries coming to the meeting is positive. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) UNITED NATIONS, May 28 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' special envoy for the upcoming Climate Summit said on Tuesday that the reaction from countries coming to the meeting is positive. "We are quite optimistic because the reaction that we have had since the secretary-general called for this summit is quite positive," said the envoy, Luis Alfonso de Alba. "We have 18 countries which are co-leading the coalitions and more than 40 countries which are actively participating in those coalitions identifying concrete actions which could be presented at the summit," the envoy said. "They have all agreed with the shift from negotiation to implementation." The participating countries are all very much encouraged by the fact that the United Nations would be focusing much more on supporting implementation on the ground, said de Alba. "I think the trend is quite positive." He explained that governments went to Paris and agreed to increase efforts to combat climate change by keeping the global temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and if possible limit the increase to 1.5 degrees. There were 195 countries and the European Union attending and the accord was adopted unanimously in December 2015. Governments voluntarily agreed in Paris on terms of the agreement and now the United Nations is asking governments to step up their political will and commit, the special envoy said. By identifying some countries willing to step up will encourage others to follow, he added. "This is a process in which everyday public opinion in general is asking governments to deliver," he said. "It is an issue that has become not only in the scientific community or the environmental community, but it is a crisis that is perceived by governments in general and governments need to respond to their own citizens." The envoy said that if he had a concern, it was not the lack of will but that "we need to step up ambitions quite radically." "We are not talking about a small, incremental approach but rather a quite drastic increase (in ambition), because if you take all the commitments that countries made up to date, we are still in a trajectory that will bring us to over 3 degrees in increase in the temperature and that would be a disaster," he said. "To drop it from the trajectory of 3 degrees on which we are today to less than 1.5, you need, I would say, an exponential increase in ambition, and we are counting on some countries to do it," de Alba said. He said the key is to have clarity on the urgency of action. "We need to identify actions that can be implemented immediately and can have a really transformative impact and that are realistic." Just calling for action, sounding the alarm and not being able to demonstrate that it is still possible to achieve the goals would not be a solution, he said. Countries must present an actionable plan of mitigation to participate in the Sept. 23 summit, one day before the opening of the annual General Debate of the UN General Assembly. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 06:00:14|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close WASHINGTON, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Another House Republican Tuesday blocked again the passage of a more than 19-billion-U.S.-dollar disaster aid bill without emergency border funding, further delaying the approval of funds that cleared the Senate last week with overwhelming bipartisan support. House Democrats attempted to pass the bill via unanimous consent on Tuesday, but Thomas Massie of Kentucky objected, local media reported. On Friday, Republican Representative Chip Roy from Texas was in Washington to object to the legislation when House Democrats first tried to pass it via unanimous consent. It only takes one person to object in order to block a bill from passing immediately through unanimous consent. With Congress in recess, House Democrats will have another chance at a second pro forma this coming Thursday, and then again next week when the House returns on Monday, according to local media reports. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi swiftly condemned the latest objection, saying in a statement that "the heartlessness of House Republicans knows no bounds." "House Republicans have repeated their stunning act of obstruction -- even after more deadly storms ravaged our country over the weekend," Pelosi said. Massie told reporters after voicing his objection that he was trying to "stop legislative malpractice," by preventing legislation from passing without all House members present to take a vote. "I'm just here to stop legislative malpractice today. Passing a 19-billion-dollar bill with no recorded vote is legislative malpractice," the Republican lawmaker said. The Senate passed the bill by 85 votes in favor and 8 against on Thursday. President Donald Trump has said publicly that he would sign the bill even without the border funding he had previously requested. File photo: In this May 9, 2018 file photo, Iranian demonstrators burn representations of the U.S. flag during a protest in front of the former U.S. Embassy in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to pull out of the nuclear deal and renew sanctions, in Tehran, Iran. (AP Photo) DAMASCUS, May 28 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. foreign policy has always been characterized as choosing hegemony instead of global harmony and cooperation, experts said. Throughout history, the U.S. "negative" foreign policy was felt in many countries, and most recently in the Middle East. The U.S. has moved its embassy in May 2018 in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, which is a contested territory between the Israelis and Palestinians. Such a move by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump was seen as extremely biased to Israel in a situation where the United States is one of the key mediators between the two rivals in the Palestinian issue. Following that move, the Trump administration in March 2019 also recognized Israel's sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights, which is a Syrian territory according to the UN resolutions. On top of that, the United States did not live up to its decision to withdraw from Syria and U.S. officials started stalling to stay in the country despite the fact that their presence is considered illegal as the U.S. troops entered the country without coordination or consent from the Syrian government. "Such consecutive brazen moves prove the U.S. is slamming the international law and norms against the wall and telling the world that I can do anything by my power, while it should spread world peace not rivalry," Maher Ihsan, a Syrian journalist and political expert, told Xinhua. Ihsan further noted that the U.S. presence, particularly with Kurdish units in eastern Syria, is further complicating the political landscape in the country. Even the Syrian government has repeatedly accused the United States of hindering the political process in Syria as it wants to use the troubled situation to push its own agenda. The United States has repeatedly warned that it would use force against the Syrian government forces in case of any chemical attack. Such warning has pushed some Western-backed rebels to stage such attacks to draw in foreign military attacks, which took place a few times during the Syrian war. The latest of such attacks was a wide-scale U.S.-backed strike on Syrian positions in April of 2018. At the time, the United States, France, and Britain carried out a series of military strikes involving aircraft and ship-based missiles against multiple government sites in Syria over allegations of an alleged chemical attack in the formerly rebel-held Eastern Ghouta countryside in the capital Damascus. "Such a scenario has been exposed as a way to justify foreign strikes over unsubstantiated allegations," Ahmad Ashqar, a journalist and expert, told Xinhua. He said the United States is waving this threat card again after recent allegations of chlorine gas attack in a rebel-held town in the eastern countryside of Latakia province in northwestern Syria. On Saturday, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said that the recent claims by the rebels of chemical weapons use in battles in Latakia province are a prelude for a renewed cycle of lies and threats against the Syrian government, according to the state news agency SANA. The ministry's statement came on the heels of recent claims by the rebels that the Syrian army used chemical weapons in recent attacks in the town of Kabani in the countryside of Latakia. After the rebels' claims, which were made last week, the Syrian government denied the claims, saying the rebels are trying to lift their faltering morals. However, the U.S. State Department said on Tuesday that the Syrian government might be renewing its use of chemical weapons, referring to the alleged chlorine attack on the rebel-held town in Latakia. It said that any use of such weapons would lead the United States and its allies to "respond quickly and appropriately." In its statement, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said that "all this commotion will not dissuade the Syrian army from continuing to fight terrorism." Ashqar said that the United States should be held responsible for the chaos it is creating on the ground, which is further complicating the eight-year-long war. "The U.S. should stop this approach of threats because they can't fix something by creating more complications whenever they felt the Syrian army is making more progress on the ground," he said. The expert referred to the current battles taking place in the last major rebel strongholds in northwestern Syria, where the army is making progress in the fight against the al-Qaida-linked groups of Nusra Front and its umbrella group of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Idlib province and nearby areas in Hama, Latakia and Aleppo countryside. On Jan. 24, 2019, the United States imposed additional sanctions on Syria on every entity that deals economically with Syria. The prices of fuel and other commodities have gone up, adding to the burdens of the Syrians. Syrian Health Minister Nizar Yazigi recently stressed the need for bigger efforts to lift the economic sanctions on Syria, as the sanctions are hindering the delivery of certain medicines and medical equipment to Syria. Ashqar noted that the world countries who are being oppressed by the United States should stand in unity to put an end to the U.S. hegemony and to prove that today's world is multipolar with no place for hegemony and bullying by superpowers. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 06:35:27|Editor: Wu Qin Video Player Close German Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks during a press conference after an informal dinner of EU heads of state or government at the European Union headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on May 28, 2019. The European Union (EU) member states leaders didn't discuss names of the candidates but only the process to choose new president of the European Commission (EC), European Council President Donald Tusk said here Tuesday. During a press conference following the leaders informal dinner, Tusk told reporters that Tuesday's discussion confirmed the agreement reached by the leaders in February last year, that "the European Council will exercise its role when electing the Commission president, meaning -- in accordance with the Treaties -- that there can be no automaticity." (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) BRUSSELS, May 28 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) member states leaders didn't discuss names of the candidates but only the process to choose new president of the European Commission (EC), European Council President Donald Tusk said here Tuesday. During a press conference following the leaders informal dinner, Tusk told reporters that the discussion confirmed the agreement reached by the leaders in February last year, that "the European Council will exercise its role when electing the Commission president, meaning -- in accordance with the Treaties --that there can be no automaticity." "At the same time, no-one can be excluded: being a lead candidate is not a disqualification, on the contrary, it may increase their chances. The Treaty is clear: the European Council should propose, and the European Parliament should elect," he said during the press conference. "Therefore, the future President of the Commission must have the support of both a qualified majority in the European Council and a majority of the Members of the European Parliament," he noted. The landscape of European politics is changing as far-right and nationalist politicians made strong gains in the European Parliament elections although parties committed to strengthening the Union retained over two-thirds of the seats. This year's elections saw a record-high turnout as nearly 51 percent of the 426 million eligible voters in the 28-member bloc voted from May 23 to 26. "We are very happy about the turnout, which was the highest in 25 years. This proves that the EU is a strong, pan-European democracy, which citizens care about. Whoever will lead the European institutions, they will have a genuine mandate from the people," said Tusk. Meanwhile, Angela Merkel, German Chancellor, told reporters that tonight's discussion was "harmonious." She said leaders agreed they would try to settle on a nominee for the Commission president by the time of their next summit, in late June. She said Tusk had been tasked with consulting among leaders and "very closely" with the European Parliament. Before the leaders started the informal dinner, the current EC President Jean-Claude Juncker publicly showed his support to a president-choosing process --Spitzenkandidat. "Last time round the Spitzenkandidat I became European Commission President. Should happen this time too," he said on his twitter account. This long German word essentially means "lead candidate," and refers to a system in which the European political groups put forward one candidate to lead their list of candidates. This makes the Spitzenkandidat something of the "face" of a political group's campaign. The Spitzenkandidat is also meant to represent a European political group's choice for the next President of the EC, to take the place of Juncker when he steps down this autumn. In theory, the European political group who wins enough seats in the European Parliament to form a governing coalition would have their Spitzenkandidat become the next EC President, provided that he or she is approved by the European Council. Juncker was the first European Commission president to be elected in this way, as the Spitzenkandidat for the European People's Party political group in 2014. He may also be the last, however, since not all EU leaders are agreed that the system should continue. French President Emmanuel Macron is one of the recent leaders to suggest he would not support the approach, saying at a news conference in Sibiu, Romania, on May 9, that he didn't "feel bound at all by the principle of Spitzenkandidat." Macron was joined by Luxembourg's prime minister Xavier Bettel in showing some doubt about the system. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 06:45:32|Editor: Wu Qin Video Player Close HELSINKI, May 28 (Xinhua) -- The political prospects and challenges of the European Union (EU) were reviewed from a Nordic perspective on Tuesday in a seminar hosted by the European Commission Bureau in Helsinki and the Finnish think tank Magma. Nils-Erik Forsgard, the director of Magma, expressed concern with the actual knowledge base about EU politics among the voters. He said that the media focus on the "populist danger" had been so dominating that analyses of other groups had not been done that much. He took up the success of the Greens in the EU elections and questioned, as an example, how many voters in Finland or Sweden actually knew much about the Green agenda in continental Europe, beyond the climate policies. Forsgard suspected that the idea of the Greens to close the refugee camps in Turkey and create a generous asylum system instead may not have been widely known. He also wondered how many of the voters for the Greens in Finland and Sweden are aware of the positive discussion of a federal Europe among the Greens in Germany and elsewhere. Tove Lifvendahl, the editor-in-chief for political content in the Swedish daily Svenska Dagbladet, deplored that Swedish media have not bothered to assess in depth the work of politicians at the European Parliament, but have gone after small scandals such as travel costs. She said that the role of the EU keeps being questioned in Sweden, but the major forest fires in Sweden last summer made a difference: People realized Sweden was getting practical assistance from other EU countries to counter the blazes. The panel noted that in the wake of the election, the EU is increasingly split into cities and the countryside, with differing political affiliations. Finnish veteran journalist Markus Leikola said the Greens have captured political majorities in cities and big division is between cities in Western Europe and the countryside of Eastern Europe. Leikola pointed out that, for example, in Poland cities are center-left, while the countryside is predominantly value-conservative. And in Germany, Munich is very different politically from the surrounding Bavarian countryside. FRAGMENTATION COULD WEAKEN FOREIGN POLICY EDGE Juha Jokela, the program director of the Finnish Institute for International Affairs, said the political fragmentation of the European Parliament can weaken the foreign policy dimension of the Union. He warned of the worsening position of small EU countries. If the EU foreign and security policy decision making does not become more efficient, the bigger member states might be going on their own. "This is a key question to smaller member countries, whether they are part of that." Jokela noted that the unanimity requirement in the Council on foreign policy issues does exist, for understandable reasons, but a qualified majority system is being discussed. Jokela said that there is "emerging understanding" of the situation and the implications great power politics could have on Europe. He did not expect major changes in the EU procedures, but some modest steps so that "member states would see the benefits of a more strategic foreign policy". He gave the trade policies, steered by the Commission, as an example. Forsgard took up the impact of the population figures after the possible exit of the United Kingdom. The weight of the Mediterranean countries will increase, and this has an impact on the consensus and qualified majority decisions. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 07:50:42|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close WASHINGTON, May 28 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Treasury Department said on Tuesday that no major trading partner of the United States meets the standard of currency manipulation. In its Semi-Annual Report to Congress on International Economic and Exchange Rate Policies, the Treasury Department concluded that no major U.S. trading partner met the criteria to be labeled as a currency manipulator during the four quarters ending December 2018. It put China, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam on its "monitoring list," which means their foreign exchange policies bear close monitoring. The Treasury Department called on China to take the necessary steps to avoid "a persistently weak currency," noting that improved economic fundamentals and structural policy settings would underpin a stronger renminbi (RMB) over time. Liu Guoqiang, vice governor of the People's Bank of China, said last week that China is "capable and confident" of keeping the RMB exchange rate generally stable on a reasonable and balanced level. Adam Posen, president of Peterson Institute for International Economics, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, said earlier on Tuesday at a press briefing that it's "pretty close to absurd" to accuse China of currency manipulation as China basically has not manipulated the currency for the last several years. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 10:21:52|Editor: Wu Qin Video Player Close SAO PAULO, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba will provide cloud computing service in Brazil, as part of its support for Chinese companies in the South American country, local media reported on Tuesday. Alibaba Cloud, a cloud computing company and subsidiary of the Alibaba Group, will start operating in the coming months in Brazil after reaching an agreement with the Brazilian company UOL Diveo, which will resell the services of the Chinese company. Negotiations between Alibaba and UOL Diveo have lasted three months, and Alibaba Cloud's interest in operating in Brazil is directly linked with the arrival in Brazil of a Chinese company that requested its service, the UOL Diveo CEO Gil Torquato told local media. He said he saw this cooperation as an opportunity for Brazilian companies in China as well. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 10:21:54|Editor: Wu Qin Video Player Close by Wang Di, Bui Long HANOI, May 29 (Xinhua) -- In a baking hot summer morning at the depot of Vietnam's first urban railway in its capital Hanoi, young Vietnamese drivers took turns to get on and off a green-silver electric train, just to check if it has been docked safely with the other train on the same track. The youths, whose shirts were darkened by drops of sweat, were driver trainees of the Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway constructed by the China Railway Sixth Group. These days they were actively partaking in an operational drill with other staff of the urban railway to ensure its smooth and safe commercial operation in the near future. The operational drill, jointly held by the China Railway Sixth Group and Shenzhen Metro, started in early May and will last to early June with a total of 21 rehearsals, including those of large passenger flow management, rescue of failed trains and emergency response at stations with the participation of some 160 Vietnamese trainees. "It is very hot, but we are willing to sweat for passengers' safety and comfort," Kieu Tien Dung, one of the Vietnamese driver trainees, told Xinhua after the rehearsal, adding that he felt proud of being a driver of the country's first urban railway. In the operational drill, a train is assumed to suddenly conk out lying idle on the track, so the drivers need to use another train to approach the "faulty" one and precisely dock them to tow it away for maintenance as quickly as possible. Dung, a 27-year-old graduate from Vietnam's University of Transport and Communications, said he had studied electric train-relating theory and practice in Beijing with other Vietnamese trainees, and now they are reviewing their lessons in these rehearsals. "In Beijing, we began with driving simulators, then moved to real trains in real life. After passing exams and getting our certificates, we are back home for more training and practice, ready to become drivers for the first urban railway in Vietnam," he said with a smile. Dung said he wants to master more advanced train-related technologies and techniques, so that he can drive for the urban railways in Vietnam with the maximum level of safety, and also convey what he has acquired in Beijing to younger drivers. "Now, I want the Cat Linh-Ha Dong railway to become operational soon to help reduce traffic congestion in Hanoi," Dung said, casting his eyes to the brand-new trains in the depot. Not far from the depot in the railway's Operating Control Center in the city's Ha Dong district, Dung's colleague Dinh Thien Vuong was tentatively driving a simulator which looks same as the real train locomotive in the depot, with a big screen in front of the driver showing moving images of vivid and lifelike scenery of Hanoi along the track. The simulator can not only be used to practice driving skills, but also provide Vuong and his colleagues with all kinds of scenarios they might encounter in future work, from a waterlogged track after heavy rains to a simulated fire alarm on the platform. When an "obstacle" appears on the screen, Vuong would try to solve it as he was taught in Beijing. A Chinese instructor stayed with him and was ready to answer his questions via an interpreter. "Recently, we have been further practicing driving skills on this simulator as well as on real trains," Vuong said. The man, a father of two, told Xinhua that the Chinese side has made very good preparation in terms of training programs. "Urban railway is a new sector in Vietnam. It will develop in the future. We drivers have made efforts to master the technologies and now we can drive this electricity-powered trains fairly well." While drivers have to stage rehearsals of different scenarios on the track and in the train to ensure that they can rapidly and effectively handle them in case of emergency, staff on each station of the urban railway are also taking part in all kinds of rehearsals for possible scenarios, for example, how to deal with a sudden passenger surge during rush hours. At Van Quan Station, Vu Thi Cuc, traffic controller trainee of the Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway, was quickly adapting her role as the exchange center of a huge amount of information and orders. Holding a telephone receiver in her left hand, and agilely moving a computer mouse with right hand, she was as busy as a bee, gluing her eyes on a monitoring screen full of real-time images fed by more than 20 surveillance cameras in the station. Cuc and dozens of other staff trainees were partaking in a rehearsal about large passenger flow management. If too many passengers flock to the station, Cuc and her colleagues must calmly conduct standard procedures according to the levels of congestion, like guiding passengers for a quick exit, calling the control center to send more trains or changing the settings of elevators and turnstiles to avoid congestion. All need to be practiced repeatedly to ensure tacit cooperation between different posts. "The training of Vietnamese trainees for the urban railway began in 2014, spanning China and Vietnam and going through four stages with this drill as a test of training results," Meng Qiuxuan, deputy director of the Materials and Equipment Department of the Overseas Branch of the China Railway Sixth Group, told Xinhua. The 13-km Cat Linh-Ha Dong elevated railway, which runs through 12 stations in three districts, overlaps with some of the busiest route in Hanoi. It was widely expected to ease the growing rush hour traffic jam in the capital city with a population of more than 9.6 million people, most of whom drive motorbikes for daily commuting. "I'm eager to experience this urban railway myself, not only as a staff but also as a passenger," Cuc said effervescently. "It is the first of its kind in Hanoi as well as in Vietnam. Besides solving traffic congestion, public transportation like this urban railway helps reduce pollution and is good for the environment." Xi extends greetings to overseas Chinese From:ChinaDaily | 2019-05-29 07:04 President Xi Jinping met in Beijing with the representatives of overseas Chinese on Tuesday and extended his sincere greetings to compatriots living around the world. The meeting took place ahead of the Ninth Conference for Friendship of Overseas Chinese Associations, which will be held in Beijing on Wednesday. More than 450 leaders of overseas Chinese associations from over 90 countries and regions will attend the conference. Meanwhile, the first session of the fifth council of the China Overseas Friendship Association was held on Tuesday. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, expressed his warm welcome and sincere congratulations to the participants of the two gatherings on behalf of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council. Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and the country's top political adviser, also attended the meeting. Participants at the first session had in-depth discussions on the opportunities and challenges of work related to Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, as well as the friendship of overseas Chinese. Members of the council were urged to work together to make greater contributions to realizing national rejuvenation, deepening the country's new round of opening-up, promoting peaceful reunification of the motherland and advancing the mutual learning of different cultures. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 10:26:58|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close LONDON, May 28 (Xinhua) -- The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) will create more opportunities for deeper Sino-British collaboration and ensure wider, higher and deeper development of the "golden era" of bilateral ties, Chinese Ambassador to Britain Liu Xiaoming said Tuesday. In an article entitled "The new journey for BRI means new opportunities for China-UK 'golden era'" published in the Daily Telegraph and China Daily joint column "China Watch," Liu said that "in my nearly ten years as ambassador to the United Kingdom I have witnessed with my own eyes the growth of China-UK cooperation on the BRI." British Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond has attended the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) as the special representative of Prime Minister Theresa May twice in Beijing. Hammond called Britain a "natural partner" of China in advancing the BRI at the first BRF and proposed combining the best of Chinese manufacturing, engineering and construction with the best of British expertise in project design and legal, technical and financial services at the second BRF, the Chinese envoy recalled in his article. Proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, the BRI has extended from Asia and Europe to Africa, Americas and Oceania, opening up new space for the world economy with better-than-expected results. More than 150 countries and international organizations have signed BRI cooperation documents with China. The BRI always advocates transparency as a way to eliminate the breeding ground of conspiracy or corruption, said the ambassador, citing the example of the launch of the Beijing Initiative for the Clean Silk Road and the multilateral cooperation among BRI partners on customs, taxation and audit supervision as well as anti-corruption training courses. "The BRI is not an exclusive club. It is open to financial institutions from all countries, including multilateral ones, and it encourages third-market cooperation so that the benefits of BRI development are shared by many," he said. High-quality BRI cooperation places people first, encourages deeper collaboration on cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and focuses on eradicating poverty, increasing employment and improving people's lives, Liu said. High quality also means higher standards for green and sustainable development and the BRI aims to promote green development, he added. In promoting steady, sustained, high-quality BRI development, China opens its arms to all countries including Britain and stands ready to enhance policy synergy, so as to build better relations with Britain and other countries and deliver more benefits to the people of our two countries and beyond, Liu said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 10:47:05|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close QINGDAO, May 29 (Xinhua) -- A demonstration area under construction in the eastern Chinese city of Qingdao is offering a better prospect for cooperation between China and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The demonstration area has a great strategic significance, which can improve trade between the SCO countries and intensify mutual trust and benefit, said SCO Secretary-General Vladimir Norov, at the recently concluded SCO Qingdao Forum on Local Economic and Trade Cooperation. "The economic potential of SCO countries has not yet been fully developed," Norov said. The SCO has eight member states, four observer states and six dialogue partners. Its member states, namely China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, account for about 20 percent of the global economy and 40 percent of its population. China proposed to set up a demonstration area for local economic and trade cooperation between China and the SCO during the SCO Summit held in Qingdao in June 2018. With a 61.1 square-kilometer core region located in Jiaozhou under Qingdao, the demonstration area has launched 13 domestic and international freight trains. More than 40 cooperation projects have been registered in this area, covering such industries as high-end equipment manufacturing, artificial intelligence and bio-medicine. It is not only China's big market that Sri Lanka values but also the potential business opportunities from other SCO countries, said Alexi Gunasekara, an official of the Sri Lankan Embassy in China. As a dialogue partner of the SCO and a firm supporter of the Belt and Road Initiative, Sri Lanka witnessed an export of 230 million U. S. dollars to China last year. Gunasekara said the Belt and Road Initiative is highly consistent with Sri Lanka's national development strategy, and Sri Lanka looks to better promote investment, free trade and cultural exchanges with the help of the SCO and the Belt and Road. "In the year 2018, the trade volume between Qingdao and the SCO countries reached 5.5 billion U. S. dollars," Said Meng Fanli, mayor of Qingdao. "So far, the two-way investment has exceeded 1.9 billion U.S. dollars, which has fully reflected the vigor and vitality of SCO local economic and trade cooperation," Meng said. Sardorkhon Muratov, export manager of Alimkhan Company from Uzbekistan, said besides fruit products, the company plans to export building materials to China since the relationship between the two countries is getting ever closer. Thilak Weerasinghe, chairman of LSR Travel Agency from Sri Lanka, said he experienced a delightful journey in Qingdao. Besides introducing tourism products to China, he purchased hotel furnishings, wines and a solar power system from Chinese companies. "I buy a lot of goods from China every year," Weerasinghe said. "With all the goods and equipment, we will offer more qualified services for tourists from China and other countries." In 2018, nearly 300,000 Chinese tourists visited Sri Lanka. The first SCO Qingdao Forum on Local Economic and Trade Cooperation and the first SCO International Trade and Investment Fair lasted from May 24 to 26 in Qingdao. The event attracted more than 400 companies and institutions, including over 150 from overseas. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 10:52:07|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close TIANJIN, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Ali Arqam, a 19-year-old Pakistani student, participated in an international small robot mouse maze-solving competition held in north China's Tianjin Municipality earlier this month and obtained good results. Ali studies at the Pakistan Luban Workshop, majoring in electric automation technology. It is worthy of note that in this year's competition, many participants were from the Luban Workshops across the world. "I've learned a lot at the workshop and will pass on the knowledge to more local people after graduation," Ali said. The establishment of Pakistan Luban Workshop is a vocational education cooperation program between China and Pakistan. Named after Lu Ban, an ancient and great Chinese woodcraft master and inventor, the workshop aims at improving academic education of top technical talents and serving the local economy and society via vocational training. EDUCATIONAL COOPERATION FOSTERS TALENTS After the conclusion of the First Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) in Beijing in 2017, a delegation of Pakistan's largest province Punjab headed to Tianjin and signed an agreement with the coastal municipality to cooperate on vocational education. In July 2018, Tianjin Modern Vocational Technology College and Punjab's Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority co-founded the Pakistan Luban Workshop in Punjab. The workshop offers courses such as new energy vehicles and electromechanical integration technology. Ali was among the first batch of students recruited by the workshop. "The learning process is so much fun, just like playing toys," he said, adding he was impressed by the advanced training facilities of the workshop. Apart from the workshop in Pakistan, eight Luban Workshops have been set up in Asia, Africa and Europe since 2016, training more than 4,000 students and about 600 teachers. "The workshop doesn't teach local students directly but trains local teachers at first. This is a bridge connecting China's vocational education with the world," said Lyu Jingquan, deputy director of Tianjin Municipal Education Commission. In addition, the Punjab Tianjin University of Technology (PTUT) featuring vocational education was established in 2018, by three Tianjin universities and a vocational education training organization of Punjab. With nearly 500 students, PTUT offers seven specialties including mechanical engineering, automotive engineering, electrical engineering, electric engineering, fashion design and architecture. "The students show great interest in our courses and are able to quickly acclimate to the new teaching methods," said Zhao Wei, a teacher from Tianjin University of Technology and Education, who's now teaching at PTUT. VOCATIONAL EDUCATION BOOSTS DEVELOPMENT Of the nearly 200 million people in Pakistan, people aged between 16 and 30 accounts for about 60 percent of the entire population. "We have a large number of young people, who need to be trained to master a skill, which could help them secure a job," said Muhammad Asif, the academic dean with PTUT. Asif believed that professional and technical personnel have played an important role in China's economic development and helped China achieve great prosperity. The government of Punjab hopes to promote vocational education, cultivate highly skilled labor force, and increase youth employment, by learning from China's experience. "Punjab attempts to improve employment through enhancing vocational education, while we also want to foster more talents for both Pakistani and Chinese enterprises along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)," said Liu Xin, president of Tianjin University of Technology and Education. Pakistan hopes to learn from China's experience of vocational education development to stimulate the development of the CPEC, according to Syed Javed Hassan, Chairman of Pakistan National Vocational and Technical Training Commission. After over five years of construction, CPEC has yielded fruitful achievements, creating more than 75,000 jobs for Pakistan. Aside from vocational education cooperation, China and Pakistan have a wider range of cooperation in education. Statistics showed around 2,500 students from Pakistan went to study in China in 2017, and the number of Pakistani students in China stands at 22,000 as of May 2019. Shah Syed Hidayat, 33, from Peshawar, came to China in 2018 to study mechanical engineering. He said he could receive high-quality education and learn Chinese, which will be of great benefit to his employment in Pakistan in the future. Hidayat's alumnus Khan Kamran, 29, from Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, majors in electrical engineering. He said electronic information and civil engineering are very popular in Pakistan, and this was why he came to China. Meanwhile, various short-term training provided by China has become very popular in Pakistan. In 2015, a group of Pakistani medical staff received a four-week training in a Tianjin hospital, including nursing management, emergency medicine, critical care, and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases care. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 10:57:12|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close LONDON, May 28 (Xinhua) -- London's hidden royal palace has finally opened its doors to the world, with a new interactive tour available on the internet. Lancaster House, in the center of the British capital, has hosted many high-profile diplomatic events, including former U.S. President Barack Obama's state visit in 2011, the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and British Prime Minister Theresa May's famous Lancaster House speech when she first unveiled her Brexit plan. It has also hosted major international conferences and summits since the end of the Second World War, and is where the aims and structure of NATO were agreed by the 12 founding foreign ministers. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), who runs the building, launched Monday a new 360-degree photography virtual tour of Lancaster House, showcasing its unique interior. The virtual tour allows anyone to gain unprecedented access to the magnificently preserved Louis XIV-style rooms online for the first time, said the FCO. Lancaster House has doubled as Buckingham Palace in a number of blockbuster movies and television dramas, such as The Crown, Downton Abbey and The Kings Speech. Once the most expensive private house in London, Lancaster House was built in 1825 as a royal residence for the Duke of York, before being acquired by Marquess of Stafford. From the grand hall with its sweeping staircase and Corinthian columns to the magnificent internal "French" decoration of the state rooms, Lancaster House's stunning interior remains beautifully preserved. The buildings and rooms remain largely unchanged from the visits of the composer and pianist Frederic Chopin, who played a recital in 1848 for Queen Victoria, the Italian general Giuseppe Garibaldi in 1864, and those who attended the Queen Elizabeth's coronation banquet in 1953. "Lancaster House is a unique and splendid building with a rich history. Today it plays an important role supporting government international diplomacy and hospitality. The Foreign Office's stunning new virtual tour gives the public the opportunity to explore this special building and discover its fascinating stories," the FCO director Neil Holland said. The public will have a chance to visit Lancaster House during Open House London weekend in September, according to the FCO. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 11:12:22|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close TOKYO, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks dropped sharply Wednesday morning as investor sentiment was dented by U.S. shares falling overnight amid continued concerns over the outlook for the global economy. The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average lost 239.42 points, or 1.13 percent, from Tuesday to end the morning at 21,020.72. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, finished 13.47 points, or 0.87 percent, lower at 1,537.52. Precision instrument, electric power and gas, and pulp and paper-oriented issues comprised those that declined the most by the morning break. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 11:32:41|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close PORT MORESBY, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Papua New Guinea (PNG) Prime Minister Peter O'Neill ended weeks of political uncertainty in the South Pacific nation, handing over a formal letter of resignation to the governor general on Wednesday. Underfire following a series of recent defections from the ruling party, the embattled statesman told parliament this morning, "it is my honor to thank the people of PNG who allowed me to serve ... but it is important I vacate this seat so we can move on," he said, citing a need to stabilize confidence in the country's business sector. Losing the majority in the 111-seat parliament, O'Neill was staring down the prospect of a vote of no confidence in his leadership. Although on Tuesday, he filed a motion in the nation's Supreme Court to test the challenge's legality, O'Neill has now succumb to the pressure of his political opponents. "It has been my great honor to serve this nation and lead this nation for almost eight years," O'Neill said. "We have had some profound accomplishments during our term in government, through a policy agenda that has almost transformed the nation." Since coming to power in 2011, O'Neill said one of his most significant achievements was the success of last year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders Summit and the international partnerships it helped facilitate. "We've also delivered more infrastructure than in any point in our history ... this has enabled freedom for our people and provided opportunities for our people to travel and do business." "We have been able to improve our global image as a country. We have done that by strengthening our bilateral relations with our traditional partners and of course, making new friends." With the parliament adjourned by the speaker on Wednesday, house members will have the opportunity to elect a new prime minister when the parliament sits at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 11:57:53|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close by Xinhua writer Liu Hongxia BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a reasonable proposal to boost inter-connectivity and regional development, Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Takehiko Nakao said Tuesday, adding that the bank was willing to cooperate if there was a good project. Wrapping up his three-day visit to China, Nakao said cooperation between the ADB and China had been "constructive" over the last three decades, not only for the development of China, but also for other regional countries via knowledge sharing. The BRI, he said, inherited great ideas from ancient China dating back to such dynasties as the Han and Tang. "It's created to boost inter-connectivity. It's reasonable and understandable," Nakao said. "If there is a good project, we can surely cooperate." He said some ADB initiatives may overlap with the BRI, thus making it only natural that relevant parties collaborate and cooperate in those projects. During his stay in China, Nakao held talks with several Chinese ministers, including finance minister Liu Kun, and Li Ganjie, minister of ecology and environment. He also met with Ning Jizhe, vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission. They discussed cooperation in such fields as Yangtze River Economic Belt and reducing air pollution in the Greater Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Reaffirming ADB's commitment to China, Nakao said the multilateral development bank would continue supporting China in climate change mitigation and adaptation, governance and capacity building, and knowledge sharing on environmental management. Meanwhile, he said ADB's lending to China would continue to focus on strengthening policies and institutions, climate change and the environment, and support for global and regional public goods. The scope and focus of ADB's lending program to China over 2021-2025 will be discussed in the context of the ADB-PRC Country Partnership Strategy, which will be prepared next year, he said. Nakao hailed the "stronger-than-expected" growth by China in the first quarter of 2019, and said: "I expect that private consumption and service sector will continue to provide growth momentum to the economy." Speaking of President of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) Jin Liqun, who he met Tuesday morning, Nakao said they two were friends and the two multilateral development banks were partners. So far, ADB and AIIB have cooperated on five projects, Nakao said, and the two multilateral development banks have decided to cooperate more in the future. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 12:43:11|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close KUNMING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Police in southwest China's Yunnan Province have detained six suspects for drug trafficking and seized nearly 57 kg of drugs, local authorities said Wednesday. Police in Yongping County, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, received a tip-off in April that three vehicles heading to southwest China's Sichuan Province via Dali were suspected of drug trafficking. On May 21, the police intercepted the vehicles on a highway and captured the suspects. A total of 49.87 kg of methamphetamine and 7 kg of heroin was seized from the vehicles. Further investigation is underway. Yunnan is a major front in China's battle against drug crime, as it borders the Golden Triangle known for its rampant drug production and trafficking. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 12:53:15|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close WASHINGTON, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Tourists from China to the United States dropped for the first time in 15 years, despite that the total outbound trips of Chinese tourists rose significantly. Data released on Tuesday by the U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office showed that the number of Chinese tourists travelling to the United States fell 5.7 percent to 2.9 million last year. However, Chinese tourists' overall trips across the border maintained its strong growth in 2018. Data from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China showed that a total of 149.72 million outbound trips were made by Chinese tourists in 2018, up 14.7 percent from the previous year. Besides, the total number of outbound and inbound trips by Chinese tourists hit 291 million in 2018, up 7.8 percent year-on-year, according to the ministry. As the population and purchasing power of China's middle class grows, Chinese tourists now have more choices for outbound trips during their holidays. According to a report released by the China Tourism Academy and Chinese travel services provider Ctrip, the United States ranked the 7th favorite destination of Chinese tourists in 2018, following Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia. The report also showed that Chinese tourists were increasingly inclined to go to more convenient, safer, stable and friendly destinations. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 13:03:18|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The State Council, China's cabinet, announced the appointment and removal of several officials Wednesday. Luo Zhaohui was appointed vice minister of foreign affairs to replace Kong Xuanyou. He Jianzhong was removed from the post of vice minister of transport. Ma Zhengqi no longer serves as deputy head of the State Administration for Market Regulation. Li Wei was removed from the post of the director of the Development Research Centre of the State Council. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 13:23:23|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The lander and the rover of the Chang'e-4 probe have resumed work for the sixth lunar day on the far side of the moon after "sleeping" during the extremely cold night. The lander woke up at 6 p.m. Tuesday, and the rover, Yutu-2 (Jade Rabbit-2), awoke at 2:16 a.m. Tuesday, according to the Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center of the China National Space Administration. For the sixth lunar day, the lander's neutron radiation detector and low-frequency radio detector will be restarted to conduct scientific tasks including particle radiation observation and low-frequency radio astronomical observation. The rover's panoramic camera, detection radar, infrared imaging spectrometer and neutral atom detector will be restarted during the sixth lunar day. China's Chang'e-4 probe, launched on Dec 8, 2018, made the first-ever soft landing on the Von Karman Crater in the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the moon on Jan. 3. A lunar day equals 14 days on Earth, and a lunar night is the same length. The Chang'e-4 probe switched to a dormant mode during the lunar night due to the lack of solar power. As a result of the tidal locking effect, the moon's revolution cycle is the same as its rotation cycle, and the same side always faces Earth. The far side of the moon has unique features, and scientists expect Chang'e-4 to provide breakthrough findings. The scientific tasks of the Chang'e-4 mission include low-frequency radio astronomical observation, surveying the terrain and landforms, detecting the mineral composition and shallow lunar surface structure and measuring neutron radiation and neutral atoms. The Chang'e-4 mission embodies China's hope to combine human wisdom in space exploration with four payloads developed by the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden and Saudi Arabia. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 13:33:30|Editor: Wu Qin Video Player Close RIO DE JANEIRO, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian Justice and Public Security Minister Sergio Moro said on Tuesday the deadly prison fights that occurred earlier this week in northern Brazil were due to a lack of state control. The death toll from the prison fights in the state of Amazonas reached 57 on Monday, as prison wardens found the bodies of 42 inmates in four prisons. The clashes broke two years after 56 inmates were murdered in a gang war in an Amazonas prison. "That is a result of some lack of state control in relation to those prisons," Moro said. According to the minister, there is evidence that the fights were again caused by a conflict between members of different gangs. He said though it "can happen anywhere in the world," the government has the obligation to exercise control. Earlier in the day, Moro authorized the transfer of nine gang leaders to federal penitentiaries outside the state, in a move to weaken the gangs' power and structures in Amazonas prisons. In addition, the federal government sent to Amazonas members of its Prison Intervention Task Force, in order to regain control of the state's prisons and stabilize the situation in the four jails. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 13:43:36|Editor: Wu Qin Video Player Close TRIPOLI, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Libyan Ministry of Education on Tuesday signed an agreement to provide education for children affected by the armed conflict in the country. "Towards improved learning and quality basic services for children and adolescents, Ministry of Education and UNICEF have signed today a two-year work plan 2019-2020," UNICEF said in a statement later Wednesday. "The plan aims to ensure equal access to quality education and provide conflict-affected children with education services and catch-up and remedial classes," the statement added. The plan also includes training of teachers and education personnel on a range of topics, including the provision of protective education, UNICEF explained. Due to years of armed conflict and political instability, Libyan authorities have been struggling to meet the needs of the young people, mainly by providing employment opportunities and proper education. Libya has been suffering escalating violence and political instability ever since the fall of late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 14:03:47|Editor: Wu Qin Video Player Close WELLINGTON, May 29 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand government vowed Wednesday to take mental health and addiction issues seriously by new budgetary input and sustained investment. The report of an inquiry into mental health and addiction commissioned by the New Zealand government was released and the government has accepted in principle, or agreed to further consideration of 38 of the 40 recommendations of the inquiry panel. The recommendations from the inquiry panel are described by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern as "transformational," ranging from increasing access to publicly funded mental health and addiction services for people with mild to moderate needs, to repeal and replace the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992. "We will need to build entirely new services, train hundreds of new staff and build new facilities across New Zealand. All this will take significant and sustained investment. That begins with tomorrow's Wellbeing Budget but will take years," said Ardern. Health Minister David Clark said that for too long mental health has been considered somehow less important than physical health and that has to change. "Supporting and maintaining people's mental wellbeing must become part of the daily routine of our health services," said Clark. The detailed budgetary funding for mental health and addictions will be announced along with Thursday's government budget 2019. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 14:13:51|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The fourth China-EU International Literary Festival kicked off in Beijing this month, with more than 90 literary talks and workshops held in four bookstores, China Daily reported Wednesday. Covering four themes including the amazing modern female, what European and Chinese writers are concerned about, close encounters with top European illustrators, as well as fantasy stories from the west, the festival features 28 European writers, scholars and illustrators, as well as 21 of their Chinese counterparts. European countries have become one of the main markets for Chinese culture as more people begin to appreciate Chinese literature and culture, said Nicolas Chapuis, EU ambassador to China at the festival. The festival will continue until June 5. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 14:13:53|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close by Xinhua writers Tang Ji, Ying Qiang PARIS, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The United States uses its so-called long-arm jurisdiction as a weapon to stymie competition and other countries need to join hands to counter such unilateralist practice, said a former executive of French company Alstom. In a recent interview with Xinhua, Frederic Pierucci recalled his personal experience with the extraterritorial reach of U.S. laws as president of Alstom's furnace division, based on which he co-authored a book entitled "The American Trap." "I hesitated a long time before publishing 'The American Trap,' but now I don't regret it. In all modesty, I think that it contributed to a rise in awareness by employees, company leaders and politicians on this subject," he said. Pierucci said the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), without notifying him first, filed charges against him in 2012 for breaching America's Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) for his alleged role in a corruption case involving Alstom in 2003-2004 in Indonesia. In April 2013, Pierucci was arrested in New York by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation. A year later, Alstom was asked to pay a huge fine of 772 million U.S. dollars, which eventually led to the partial acquisition of the French company by General Electric, its arch rival. "My book describes my descent into hell, and shows how the DOJ used me to make Alstom pay the biggest fine in its history for having broken the FCPA," Pierucci told Xinhua. "That facilitated the buyout of 70 percent of Alstom by its main American competitor General Electric, blocking a potential merger between Alstom and Shanghai Electric Company," he added. For himself, the lawsuits filed by the United States were a nightmare. "In total, during two 'trips' made in a three-year interval, I spent more than 25 months in prison in the United States, 14 of which in high security quarters," he said. "I could only see my wife twice through a bulletproof window, and I could not see my four children during these periods," he added. "On the request of the DOJ, I was also fired by Alstom for 'abandoning my post' while I was incarcerated. My career was destroyed." A precise and detailed analysis of the facts and of jurisprudence shows clearly that the United States uses its own judiciary system as an economic weapon with the objective of weakening competitors, going sometimes as far as to buy them up cheaply, said Pierucci. "By buying out Alstom, the United States gained control of the maintenance of all the French nuclear power plants, which produce 75 percent of the electricity produced in the country," he recalled. The United States is now using a very similar strategy against Huawei, said the erstwhile Alstom executive of Washington's recent unilateralist sanctions against the Chinese telecom giant. The U.S. Commerce Department earlier this month put Huawei and its affiliates on a blacklist that requires the federal government approval for any sale and transfer of U.S. technologies to the Chinese firm. Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou has been arrested in Canada at the request of U.S. authorities. Noting that "in the background there is of course a trade war between China and the United States," Pierucci said "everyone knows Huawei has taken the lead compared to its competitors" in terms of 5G technology. Now that it is widely known that the United States uses law as an economic weapon of war, all other countries in the world should unite in order to counteract such U.S. unilateralism, he suggested. Otherwise, "yesterday Alstom, today Huawei, and tomorrow?" said Frederic. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 14:18:56|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- A recent regulation released by authorities in east China's Jiangxi Province, which bans college students from taking electronic devices such as mobile phones and iPads into classes, has stirred a heated debate among Chinese people, the Legal Daily reported. An online survey on the issue has shown that the numbers of netizens respectively for and against the regulation are equally matched, according to the paper. Some said mobile phones usually prevent students from concentrating on classes. While mobile phones can help students during class, "I would often do some other things like checking my social media and texting out of habit as soon as I had a phone in my hand," said Guo Jing, a college student. Some argued that such a ban was excessive, and that mobile phones and other devices are not solely to blame for students' lack of concentration in school, according to the article. Banning college students from taking mobiles into classes is hard to enforce, as many of them need phones to help them study, Xiong Bingqi, vice president of the 21st Century Education Research Institute, told the Legal Daily. "Even if mobile phones are banned, if a teacher simply reads from the textbooks, students will still struggle to concentrate. The main factor in retaining students' attention is the quality of teaching," he said. Echoing his words, many call for efforts from teachers to improve their teaching, the article reads. "As college professors, we should reflect on how our teaching is received by students and should enhance our teaching quality to help our students be more engaged," said Zheng Ning, a teacher with Communication University of China. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 14:23:58|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close NANJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Police in the city of Huaian, east China's Jiangsu Province, have detained 31 suspects over a suspected telecom and online fraud, which swindled more than 900,000 yuan (about 130,288 U.S. dollars). Last July, a victim surnamed Liu reported to the local police that he had been cheated through telecom fraud involving a girl he met online. Liu said he established a romantic relationship with the girl after twelve days of chatting online. Liu sent 1,000 yuan to an investment platform that the girl recommended and it showed that he had earned 5,000 yuan in less than a week. The victim was then asked to pay service fees for withdrawal of the earnings. After paying the fee, however, Liu didn't receive any money and his online girlfriend also disappeared. After a thorough investigation, the police made arrests in Shenzhen and Beijing as well as in the provinces of Henan and Hubei, detaining a total of 31 suspects. Police said the scammers, disguised as young girls, used social media to establish romantic relationships online. They win the trust of victims, then ask them to invest in fake platforms. Further investigation is underway. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 14:29:02|Editor: Wu Qin Video Player Close CANBERRA, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Re-elected Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his new-look ministry have officially been sworn-in to office. Morrison and his cabinet team, which includes a record seven women, visited the Government House on Wednesday morning where the Governor General Peter Cosgrove swore them into office. Ken Wyatt, an Aboriginal Member of Parliament (MP) from Western Australia (WA), received a standing ovation as he became the country's first Aboriginal cabinet minister. Morrison's Liberal-National Party Coalition (LNP) defied polls to win a third term in government in the general election on May 18, defeating the opposition Australian Labor Party (ALP). He elevated Sussan Ley, Linda Reynolds and Anne Ruston to his cabinet, the government's council of senior ministers, as the ministers for the environment, defense and families and social services respectively. They joined Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne, Agriculture Minister Bridget McKenzie, Employment Minister Michaelia Cash and Industry Minister Karen Andrews as women in Cabinet. Australia's 46th parliament is expected to convene for the first time in the first week of July, with the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) still counting votes. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 14:29:04|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close File photo taken on Jan. 1, 2019 shows the U.S. Treasury Department in Washington D.C., the United States. The U.S. Treasury Department said on May 28, 2019 that no major trading partner of the United States meets the standard of currency manipulation. In its Semi-Annual Report to Congress on International Economic and Exchange Rate Policies, the Treasury Department concluded that no major U.S. trading partner met the criteria to be labeled as a currency manipulator during the four quarters ending December 2018. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) WASHINGTON, May 28 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Treasury Department said on Tuesday that no major trading partner of the United States meets the standard of currency manipulation. In its Semiannual Report on International Economic and Exchange Rate Policies to the U.S. Congress, the Treasury Department concluded that no major U.S. trading partner met the criteria to be labeled as a currency manipulator during the four quarters ending December 2018. However, it put China, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam on its "monitoring list," which means foreign exchange policies of these countries will bear close attention of the U.S. government. The Treasury Department called on China to take necessary steps to avoid "a persistently weak currency," noting that improved economic fundamentals and structural policy settings would underpin a stronger renminbi (RMB) over time. Liu Guoqiang, vice governor of the People's Bank of China, said last week that China is "capable and confident" of keeping the RMB exchange rate generally stable on a reasonable and balanced level. Adam Posen, president of Peterson Institute for International Economics, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, said earlier on Tuesday that it's "pretty close to absurd" to accuse China of currency manipulation as China basically has not manipulated the currency for years. In the report, the Treasury Department reviewed and assessed the policies of an expanded set of 21 major U.S. trading partners, whose bilateral goods trade with the United States exceeds 40 billion U.S. dollars annually. Previously, it only covered the 12 largest trading partners. The department also revised and updated the thresholds it uses to assess where unfair currency practices or imbalanced macroeconomic policies may be emerging. As one of the criteria, countries with a current account surplus equivalent to at least 2 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP), down from 3 percent previously, will be labeled as a currency manipulator. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 14:49:08|Editor: ZX Video Player Close SEOUL, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Sentiment among South Korean businesses over economic conditions worsened for the first time in four months on worry about the global trade dispute, central bank data showed Wednesday. The business sentiment index (BSI) stood at 73 in May, down 1 point from the prior month, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK). It was the first decline in four months. The reading below 100 indicates pessimists outnumbering optimists. The worsening of the business sentiment came amid the rising concern about the global trade friction that can hit hard the South Korean economy heavily depending on export for growth. It was offset by the local currency's depreciation to the U.S. dollar that can enhance price competitiveness of South Korean exporters. The BSI for electronics and telecommunication equipment companies advanced 9 points in the month on the weaker domestic currency, but the figure for chemical firms slipped 6 points on worry about the global trade contraction. The BSI among manufacturers added 1 point over the month to 76 in May, but the reading for non-manufacturers shrank 3 points to 71 in the period. The prospective BSI for June declined 4 points to 73, reflecting the still dreary outlook for export. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 15:04:25|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close VIENTIANE, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The collapse of saddle dam D at the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy hydropower project in Laos' southern Attapeu province last year was not considered as "force majeure", local daily Vientiane Times on Wednesday, quoted a senior government official as saying. Singphet Bounsavatthiphanh, Vice President of the National Investigation Committee (NIC) which was formed by the Lao government to investigate the cause of the disaster, which killed dozens of villagers and left thousands homeless, revealed the findings of the investigation at a press conference on Tuesday. Singphet said that even if rainfall was quite heavy on the days before the July 23, 2018 tragedy, the reservoir level was still below the maximum operation level and well below the crest level when the failure started. "Thus, the failure incident can not be considered as 'force majeure,'" he told local media. The Lao government set up the NIC to thoroughly investigate, verify and report to the Lao government, the general public, the international community and other stakeholders with regard to the underlying causes of the collapse of the saddle dam. To ensure the transparency of the investigation of the causes of the collapse, the committee engaged and gave full authority to a panel of professional and independent experts (the Independent Expert Panel, or IEP) with globally recognized reputations to conduct an independent investigation and to report the results of that investigation. In addition, the Lao government invited foreign parties to take part as observers in the investigation process, said the report. The Lao government understands that the Korean company involved in the development of the project is also carrying out an investigation into the underlying causes of the collapse. The IEP outlined its findings on the failure of saddle dam D in a final report, and submitted the report to the NIC on March 20, 2019. It also found that the root cause of the failure was related to high permeability combined with erodible horizons mainly due to the existence of canaliculus interconnected paths. As the water level rose during the filling of the reservoir, seepage flow developed in the foundation along these paths and horizons with high permeability. This resulted in internal erosion and softening of the laterite soil, which reached a certain point, the dam stability was no longer ensured and a deep rotational sliding at the highest section of the saddle dam was triggered. This finally led to complete breaching of the saddle dam and its foundations. The foundation is without doubt involved in the failure, which could have been prevented by adequate treatment measures, according to the Independent Expert Panel. The dam collapse resulted in devastating floods, leaving 42 killed and 23 missing, the Lao government reported in last December. The Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy hydropower plant is invested by South Korean, Thai and Lao companies. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 15:09:29|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BRUSSELS, May 28 (Xinhua) -- The United States is making a "serious mistake" in bashing China, making others the scapegoat for its own economic problems the way it did to Japan three decades ago, said a leading U.S. economist. Comparing the U.S. suppression of China to "a remake of a movie" in the 1980s, in which the United States wielded its big stick of tariffs against Japan by portraying it as the "greatest economic threat," Steven Roach, senior fellow at Yale University's Jackson Institute of Global Affairs, said in a recent article that "China bashing today is an outgrowth of America's increasingly insidious macroeconomic imbalances." In the article posted on the Prague-based Project Syndicate website, Roach, also former chief economist at Morgan Stanley, recalled that back in the 1980s, Washington accused Japan of intellectual property theft, state-sponsored industrial policy and hollowing out of U.S. manufacturing. "Thirty years later, Americans have made China the villain," said the article. However, according to the economist, America's so-called trade problem was "very much of its own making," as the country has "little or no appreciation of the link between saving and trade imbalances." With the net domestic saving rate in January 2017 at just 3 percent, the tax cuts by the current U.S. administration widened the federal budget deficit, which more than offset the cyclical surge in private saving that normally accompanies a maturing economic expansion, the economist analyzed. "As a result, the net domestic saving rate actually edged down to 2.8 percent of national income by late 2018, keeping America's international balances deep in the red." As regards the U.S. trade deficit with China, which was typically cited by Washington as an excuse for the China bashing, Roach said that data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) suggest that about 35-40 percent of the bilateral U.S.-China trade deficit reflects inputs made outside of China but assembled and shipped to the United States from China. That means the made-in-China portion of today's U.S. trade deficit is actually smaller than Japan's share of the 1980s, he noted. Like the Japan bashing of the 1980s, today's outbreak of China bashing has been conveniently excised from U.S. broader macroeconomic context. That is a serious mistake, he wrote. Roach warned that without raising national saving, which is highly unlikely under the current U.S. budget trajectory, trade will simply be shifted away from China to other trading partners of the United States. "With this trade diversion likely to migrate to higher-cost platforms around the world, American consumers will be hit with the functional equivalent of a tax hike," he stressed. According to Roach, the structural barrier to tackle the root cause of the U.S. goods trade deficit is high, as "there is no U.S. political constituency for reducing trade deficits by cutting budget deficits and thereby boosting domestic saving." "America wants to have its cake and eat it, with a health-care system that swallows 18 percent of its GDP, defense spending that exceeds the combined sum of the world's next seven largest military budgets, and tax cuts that have reduced federal government revenue to 16.5 percent of GDP, well below the 17.4 percent average of the past 50 years." said the article. "This remake of an old movie is disconcerting, to say the least. Once again, the U.S. has found it far easier to bash others -- Japan then, China now -- than to live within its means," Roach wrote. "This time, however, the movie might have a very different ending." Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 15:19:42|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close MAIDAN SHAHR, Afghanistan, May 29 (Xinhua) -- A total of 12 militants including a Taliban key commander, Mullah Sadam, were killed in the eastern Wardak province on Wednesday, Interior Ministry spokesman Nasratullah Rahimi said. Units of police, according to the official, stormed Taliban hideouts in Jalriz district in the early hours of Wednesday, triggering a gun battle that lasted for a while, during which "12 terrorists including their notorious commander Mullah Sadam were killed" and six others sustained injuries. Commander Sadam, the official said, was involved in subversive activities and his physical elimination could prove to be a major setback to the armed insurgents in Wardak and its vicinity. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 15:19:48|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Cainiao Network Technology, Alibaba's logistics arm, aimed to bank on cutting-edge technologies for breakthroughs in logistics, China Daily reported Wednesday. The courier aggregator will connect 100 million smart devices with partnering couriers to digitalize and accelerate the delivery process, Cainiao President Wan Lin was cited by the newspaper as saying. Cainiao has pledged to create 50 billion yuan (7.25 billion U.S. dollars) in value for the country's logistics industry over the next three years, using technologies from the internet of things to artificial intelligence. The company is also looking to offer 1 billion new shipments per year through Cainiao Guoguo, an app that can send and track parcels, Wan said. Among about 50 billion parcels handled in China last year, some 30 billion used Cainiao's e-shipping label, saving energy and providing simultaneous tracking functions, Alibaba CEO Zhang Yong said. The sector is moving from pure digitally driven to intelligence-driven, Zhang said, pointing to the possibility of using emerging gadgets to revolutionize the delivery process. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 15:29:55|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close WASHINGTON, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed dangerous tornadoes in Kansas and Pennsylvania on Tuesday night, marking the 13th consecutive day of severe storms damaging large areas in the United States. Similar threats on Wednesday will stretch from Texas all the way to the northeastern state of New Jersey, with tornado threats highest in the southern plains, said local media reports. More heavy rain could mean more flooding. From the Central Plains into the mid-Atlantic, there were an average of 27.5 tornadoes occurring each day in the country in past 13 days, said the authorities. One day after a massive destructive tornado hit midwestern state Ohio, another dangerous tornado touched down in Kansas on Tuesday, striking the southeast portion of Lawrence, according to the National Weather Service, urging caution for potential hail, strong winds and flash flooding as another round of storms moved into eastern Kansas and western Missouri. While residents in Linwood, Kansas, 15 miles east of Lawrence, appeared to be safe, dozens of homes just outside city limits are "all gone," Linwood Mayor Brian Christenson told CNN in a phone interview, saying he saw roofs torn off of homes. The storm debris closed the airfield at Kansas City International Airport, delaying flights, the airport said. Tornado warnings were also issued late Tuesday evening for Staten Island in New York City as well as Newark and Elizabeth, New Jersey. In northern New Jersey late Tuesday, officials were responding to storm damage including widespread power outages, downed trees and at least one sighting of a possible tornado. About 14,000 Jersey Central Power & Light customers were without power in the Morris and Sussex county areas, utility company spokesman Dave Newcomb said Tuesday night. "There was a line of very severe thunderstorms that moved through the area," he said. "We are sending all available crews." The harsh weather caused major delays in airports of the area. At Newark Liberty International Airport, average delays reached nearly three hours, local media reported. Extreme weather warnings were also issued across the state of Pennsylvania on Tuesday, including tornado warnings for Scranton, Dunmore, Wilkes-Barre and the Poconos. At least one person died and 12 others were injured late Monday night after a "large and dangerous" tornado devastated Dayton and nearby area in Ohio. Dayton, a large city in the state's southwest and the county seat of the Montgomery County, is currently under a boil-water advisory. A twister touched down in Pendleton, about 35 miles from Indianapolis, on Monday evening. At least 75 homes were damaged there and in nearby Huntsville, said Madison County Emergency Management spokesman Todd Harmeson. No serious injuries were reported. Intense rain in Kansas and northeast Oklahoma have strained aging dams and levees, and a reservoir in Oklahoma that drains a massive watershed hit record water levels, according to local media reports. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened a large dam to control the river flow, which put Fort Smith, the second-largest city in Arkansas, in the path of record-breaking flooding expected to last all week. James Elsner, an atmospheric scientist at Florida State University in Tallahassee, told the NBC News that on average, four to five tornadoes typically strike as part of a cluster. But he and his colleagues found that since 1950, the number of days with a cluster of at least 32 tornadoes has more than doubled, while smaller clusters have declined. He said that the average number of tornadoes over the past nearly two weeks is double the long-term average of tornadoes per outbreak, though figuring out what is driving this uptick has been challenging. So far in 2019, there have been 935 reported tornadoes across the country, up from an average of 743 tornadoes at this point in the year from 2005 to 2015, according to the NBC report, citing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Victor Gensini, a climatologist at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois. "We're not 100 percent sure what's causing that," said Gensini. "There are theories that for any given outbreak, there's more instability or fuel available for storms, but it's really difficult to know." Last year was a very quiet year for tornadoes, becoming the first year since modern record-keeping began in 1950 that there were no "violent" tornadoes in the United States, said the NBC report. Violent tornadoes are those with estimated wind speeds of 166 miles per hour or higher. There are two main ingredients that help tornadoes form: atmospheric instability, typically from a buildup of moisture and heat in the atmosphere, and wind shear, which refers to changing wind speed and direction with height that lifts air up and contributes to the storm's violent rotation. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 16:05:20|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close VIENTIANE, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The Lao government has made serious efforts to improve business environment in the country, local daily Vientiane Times reported on Wednesday. In doing so, it wanted to fulfil its ambition to improve the country's Ease of Doing Business (EDB) ranking from the current 154th place to a ranking of just two digits by 2020. Deepening reforms to improve the business environment, advance connectivity with neighbors and boost the productivity of local firms are essential to sustain strong growth in Laos. According to the daily, these are the key messages delivered by the World Bank in a statement published on its website. Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith issued an executive order in February last year, aimed at improving the business environment. Lao ministries and sectors responsible for the 11 indicators the World Bank uses to assess EDB have been entrusted to take thorough action to improve their performance. Many sectors have made progress in this regard. Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Somdy Duangdy issued a decision in February which introduces a single-window customs system to facilitate imports and exports. The time taken to start a business has been shortened to 43 days from the previous 206 days, a senior official at the Lao Ministry of Industry and Commerce told local media recently. In addition, Lao Minister of Public Works and Transport Bounchanh Sinthavong recently also issued a decision warning officials not to delay the construction approval process. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 16:10:23|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close RIYADH, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The Saudi-led coalition announced on Wednesday the launch of another airstrike on Houthi positions in Yemen's southern province of Dhalea, Al Arabiya TV reported. The coalition urged the residents in the province to stay away from the targeted sites, saying the operation is in line with international and humanitarian law. All measures have been taken to protect civilians, it added. This is the second airstrike announced by the coalition this month, after the first was conducted on May 23 against Houthis' weapons warehouses and posts in the Mountain of Attan in Yemen's capital Sanaa. The Saudi-led war in support of the Yemeni exiled government against the Iran-backed Houthi militia entered its fourth year in March this year. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 16:25:30|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close SAN FRANCISCO, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Boeing's subsidiary Tapestry Solutions has obtained a 10-year contract from the U.S. Air Force to provide Weapon Planning Software (WPS) for various weapons and aircraft platforms adopted by the U.S. military and allied forces, Boeing said Tuesday. With a potential value of 259 million U.S. dollars, the contract covers the development, enhancement and support of the WPS suite, which is a core component of the Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS) architecture. The WPS suite supports JMPS requirements involving precision-guided munition planning for different aircraft of the U.S. Air Force units deployed around the world, such as A-10 attackers, B-1, B-2 and B-52 bombers, F-15E, F-16, F-22 and F/A-18 fighters, as well as F-35 stealth fighters, Boeing said. The JMPS architecture can help deliver the collaborative capabilities of mission-planning and data-sharing between military services, including threats, routes and spots for weapons launches, according to the top U.S. aircraft manufacturer. The awarded contract "will ensure our customers have the critical data they need to get from mission plan to execution more efficiently with the use of faster, more powerful and intuitive weapons planning capabilities," said Debbie Churchill, vice president of Mission Products and Services at Tapestry Solutions. The Boeing subsidiary has decades of experience in developing mission planning software solutions for multiple military aircraft of the U.S. Air Force, its Tomahawk missiles and Boeing's Joint Direct Attack Munition program. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 16:25:35|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close LONDON, May 29 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minster Theresa May said on Friday that she will quit as leader of the Conservative Party on June 7, paving the way for the process of electing her successor. The race that offers the keys to 10 Downing Street starts officially on June 10. But a list of likely contenders has already emerged, with eight Conservative MPs having already stated their intentions to run. Following are major facts about the eight challengers presented in alphabetic order by the last name. Michael Gove Michael Gove, born on Aug. 26, 1967 in Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland, has served as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs since 2017. Gove emerged Sunday as a challenger to become leader of the Conservative Party. "I believe that I'm ready to unite the Conservative and Unionist Party, ready to deliver Brexit, and ready to lead this great country," he told reporters outside his home. He has worked on the "Leave" side in the 2016 referendum campaign, and has been loyal to May since returning to the cabinet although he opposed a second referendum. Gove has not tied his hands by promising to get Britain out of the European Union (EU) by October, and suggested he will push first and foremost for a deal. Matt Hancock Matt Hancock, born on Oct. 2, 1978, in the county of Cheshire, has served as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care since 2018. He announced Saturday his intention to replace May. Hancock does not pursue a no-deal policy. Opposing May's deal, he said a new prime minister should be clear about the trade-offs "between sovereignty and market access to get a deal through this parliament." He also said that he would avoid a general election until Brexit is delivered. Jeremy Hunt Jeremy Hunt, born on Nov. 1, 1966, in the district of Kennington in south London, has served as Foreign Secretary since 2018. He became the first front-line politician after May's resignation speech to throw his hat into the ring in the contest. Dubbed a "born-again Brexiter" by colleagues, Hunt once backed "Remain" during the 2016 referendum campaign, but later changed his mind on the issue in part due to what he said was disappointing "arrogance" in the EU's behavior during negotiations. He has called for a statesmanlike and robust approach to trying to renegotiate the withdrawal agreement, despite the insistence that re-opening the deal already agreed by the EU council is not up for re-negotiation. Hunt said that a policy of seeking to take Britain out of the EU without a deal would be political suicide. Boris Johnson Boris Johnson, born on June 19, 1964, in New York City, is the favorite to succeed May. He served two terms as Mayor of London from 2008 to 2016, and served as Foreign Secretary from 2016 to 2018. On July 9, 2018, Johnson resigned over May's proposals for a soft Brexit. About two weeks ago, Johnson confirmed his intention to run for the Conservative Party leadership. Being a hardline pro-Brexit candidate, he has clearly set out his view that Britain must leave the EU by the end of October, and he is willing to crash out of the bloc with no deal if Britain and the EU fail to agree an accord on a future relationship. "We will leave the EU on Oct. 31, deal or no deal. The way to get a good deal is to prepare for a no deal," he said. Andrea Leadsom Andrea Leadsom, born on May 13, 1963, in the county of Buckinghamshire, was one of the two finalists in the 2016 contest to become leader of the Conservative Party and the next British prime minister. She served as Leader of the House of Commons from 2017 to 2019, and resigned on May 22 saying she could not support May's new withdrawal agreement despite being one of May's staunchest supporters earlier. She confirmed last week that she will run the campaign. Leadsom is a Brexit pragmatist who preferred a deal but also supported a no-deal Brexit at the end of October "if necessary." She also opposed a second referendum. She said via her Twitter account that she has "a three step plan" for how to deliver Brexit. Esther McVey Esther McVey, born on Oct. 24, 1967, in the city of Liverpool, served as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions from January to November 2018. She resigned on Nov. 15, 2018, in opposition to the Brexit negotiations and the withdrawal agreement. On May 24, McVey confirmed her intention to bid for the party leadership. Being a hardline pro-Brexit candidate, McVey held out against May's deal throughout the various votes, and said that leaving the EU with no deal is the only option left. "Political suicide actually lies in not having a clean break from the EU and not leaving on Oct. 31," she said via her Twitter account. Dominic Raab Dominic Raab, born on Feb. 25, 1974, in the county of Buckinghamshire, served as Secretary of State for Exiting the EU from July to November 2018. He resigned as Brexit Secretary on Nov. 15, 2018, in opposition to the draft Brexit agreement which he had been involved in negotiating with the EU. Raab set out his leadership campaign on Sunday, promising to take Britain out of the EU on Oct. 31 regardless. He said via his Twitter account that he plans to "fight for a fairer deal in Brussels, a fairer deal for workers and a fairer society," but also vowed to keep a no-deal Brexit on the table. Rory Stewart Rory Stewart, born on Jan. 3, 1973, in Hong Kong, has served as Secretary of State for International Development since May 1, 2019. He put himself forward shortly after assuming office earlier this month. Stewart is one of the softest Brexiters running the campaign, who said that he wants to leave the EU with a deal and then move on to tackle pressing domestic policies, and that he is not a fan of a second referendum. He said via his Twitter account that "a no-deal Brexit would in a single day undermine 400 years of our reputation for economic stability and competence." In an interview with a Hong Kong newspaper, Stewart attacked the no-deal Brexiters for "Wizard of Oz" thinking. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 16:40:44|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese mainland and Taiwan participants at a symposium held here Wednesday proposed to work together for rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and promote cross-Strait integration. The symposium was jointly held by the mainland-based Cross-Straits Relations Research Center and the Taiwan-based Study Club of New China Youth. About 110 people from two sides of the Taiwan Strait attended the meeting, including Liu Jieyi, director of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, and Chairman of Taiwan's New Party Yok Mu-ming. Participants at the symposium issued a joint proposal denouncing "Taiwan independence" and pledging to work together for peaceful reunification of the motherland, rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, deeper cross-Strait integration, closer exchanges between young people on the two sides and the promotion of traditional Chinese culture. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 16:40:45|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close KUALA LUMPUR, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian central bank has said in a statement Wednesday that the country supports free and fair trade, and does not practise unfair currency practices. The Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) noted that there are no consequences for the country's economy from its inclusion in the United States Treasury's monitoring list of potential currency manipulator. "The Malaysian economy remains resilient, underpinned by strong economic fundamentals, including the flexibility accorded by a floating exchange rate and strong external balance," BNM said in a statement. Malaysia has been placed on the currency manipulator watch list by the U.S. Treasury under its report on macroeconomic and foreign exchange policies of major trading partners issued on Tuesday. "Malaysia adopts a floating exchange rate regime. The ringgit exchange rate is market-determined and is not relied upon for exports competitiveness," it said, adding that BNM intervention over the last few years has been in both directions of the foreign exchange market. The central bank also noted, any intervention is limited to ensuring an orderly market and avoiding excessive volatility of the exchange rate that may affect macroeconomic stability. "The fact that the ringgit has over the years faced multiple episodes of significant appreciation and depreciation points to the flexibility of the exchange rate," it said. BNM also said, the country's current account surplus is a reflection of the diversified nature of the Malaysian economy. "As a small and highly open economy, Malaysia's current account of the balance of payments is affected by both internal and external developments, including cyclical and structural factors," it said. The central bank also explained, about half of Malaysia's trade surplus is driven by commodity exports, which is largely influenced by global demand and supply, as opposed to the exchange rate. Manufactured goods surplus, on the other hand, is partly driven by the long-standing presence of large export-oriented multinational corporations in Malaysia, including from the United States, it added. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 16:50:57|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close by Raimundo Urrechaga HAVANA, May 28 (Xinhua) -- A contemporary Chinese art exhibition was inaugurated on Tuesday in Cuba's capital Havana, offering local people an opportunity to learn Chinese views on life and see artworks up close. Themed "Faces around us in silence", the exhibition of more than 50 artworks by three contemporary Chinese artists -- Yue Minjun, Lou Min and Wu Yuan -- opened at the Palacio de Lombillo Museum located in a historic district in Havana and will run until June 28. "My paintings feature rich colors and strong contrast between lights and shadows, just like the visual impression this country brings me, which has intense sunlight," Yue, who visits Cuba for the first time, told Xinhua. In the view of critical realism, the artists use different techniques such as lithographs, oil on canvas and ink on rice paper, depicting faces and characters in the works that reflect their inner world and individual pursuits. "Art is always a universal language, no matter what distance between the artists and the audience," said Zhao Xiaoming, cultural advisor of the Chinese embassy in Cuba, at the opening ceremony. The artworks help "strengthen the bond of cultural exchange and promote understanding and friendship between the Chinese and the Cuban people," Zhao said. The establishment of exchanges between China and Cuba can be traced back to the 19th century when Chinese migrants first landed on the island, which partly explains why the Cubans are keen to appreciate the Chinese art and update their knowledge of the Asian country. Aliana Martinez, curator of the museum, described the exhibition as a "gift" for Cubans, saying "it (the exhibition) is very important because sometimes we have the cliche of seeing China only as an ancient nation, while actually there are also many contemporary artists displaying their modern new life." Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 17:06:12|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close COLOMBO, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka will host the annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Colombo in May 2021 which will attract over 3,000 delegates, the Finance Ministry said here Wednesday. Local media reports, quoting Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera, said the annual meeting of the ADB Board of Governors was an opportunity for member governments to interact with ADB staff, non-government organizations (NGOs), and representatives of observer countries, international organizations, and the private sector. Over 3,000 delegates from 67 members will attend this meeting, while preliminary discussions have already been held with Colombo hoteliers regarding the arrangements of logistical facilities for the conference. Samaraweera said over 3,000 hotel rooms are estimated to be needed for the delegates. The decision to hold the 2021 annual meeting of the ADB was taken at its 52nd annual meeting held in Fiji early this month. The next meeting of the ADB is scheduled to be held in South Korea in 2020. Irish President Michael D. Higgins (L) receives the letter of credence from the new Chinese ambassador to Ireland He Xiangdong inDublin, Ireland, May 28, 2019. (Xinhua/Maxwell Photography) DUBLIN, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Irish President Michael D. Higgins said here on Tuesday that his country attaches great importance to the ties with China and is willing to make joint efforts in pushing forward the development of the bilateral relations. He made remarks while receiving the letter of credence from the new Chinese ambassador to Ireland He Xiangdong. Ambassador He said that he feels honored to serve the mission in the year of 2019, which marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between China and Ireland. He expressed the wish to work with the Irish side in bringing the China-Ireland relations to a new height. The new Chinese ambassador arrived in Dublin earlier this month. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 17:31:26|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close MOGADISHU, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Somali security forces on Tuesday killed a senior al-Shabab terrorist and three other fighters as they intensified assault against the insurgents in the Horn of Africa nation. "Al-Shabab leader in Adala district and three al-Shabab terrorist were killed in Gaharey, 40 km from Adale," the ministry of information said on Tuesday evening. The ministry did not provide the identity of the senior al-Shabab leader killed. There was no an immediate comment from al-Qaida allied group al-Shabab on the latest incident. Somali forces backed by African Union Mission in Somalia have stepped up operations on al-Shabab in central and southern Somalia, conducting consecutive operations to flush the militants out of those regions. The group still stages attacks against Somali and African Union peacekeeping forces, targeting their bases, hotels and other public places despite intensified operations from the allied forces. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 17:41:34|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close TOKYO, May 29 (Xinhua) -- A number of pieces of legislation were revised by Japan's parliament on Wednesday aimed at enhancing measures to counter workplace harassment amid rising cases of bullying and coercion at some companies here. Specific definitions have, for the first time, been prescribed to actions that constitute workplace harassment and five laws have been revised so as companies will be better able to prohibit such behavior. Under the revisions, allegations made by workers about being mistreated by seniors, including in cases involving claims of sexual harassment cannot be met with the complainant being mistreated by the alleged violator. This also extends to women returning to work after taking maternity leave being protected from bullying and abuses of power, cases of which have been prevalent in Japan. Businesses will, henceforth, be required to take measures to prevent senior company officials abusing their positions in the workplace under the new revisions. Offenses by bosses abusing their power in the workplace have been described by the government generically as, "excessive words and behavior by people who take advantage of their superior positions, harming the working environment." In response to companies saying that abuses of power were sometimes ambiguous and hard to determine in some instances, the government will provide specific examples to act as guidelines for companies to deal with such issues. Consultation services will also be implemented so companies can gain more clarity on potentially equivocal cases, the government said. As per bills approved by the Cabinet in March, workers who report incidents of sexual harassment, under the new regulations, will not be allowed to be discriminated against or treated differently from others once the claim has been made. The firms of employees who sexually harass those at other companies, under the new revisions, will be required to cooperate with the investigative activities of the company where the complaint has been made. In line with regulations that large firms must follow, small and medium-sized companies employing between 101 to 300 workers, will, to promote women's social advancement, have to set quantifiable targets for promoting women to positions of seniority, under the government's new revisions. Large companies who do not disclose the ratio of female to male executives, or the numbers of workers, male or female, that have taken childcare leave, will have their names publicly posted by the government, under the new guidelines. The revised legislation comes amid record high cases of bullying and abuses of power reported by companies. According to labor bureaus nationwide, there were 72,000 recorded cases in 2017, with the number of cases rising for a sixth straight year. While some experts on the matter believe that the new revisions will help reduce the number of cases of workplace harassment, especially those involving extreme abuses of power, critics of the government's move have highlighted the fact that the newly revised pieces of legislation do not lay out punitive measures that can be taken against violators. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 17:51:42|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close ACCRA, May 29 (Xinhua) -- China Harbor Engineering Company (CHEC) has won a fresh contract to carry out the second phase of the expansion work of Ghana's eastern port of Tema, officials confirmed to Xinhua late Tuesday. The contract signed with Meridian Ports Services (MPS), a private consortium financing the port expansion project, will see CHEC building the fourth and last berth of the new port, about 40 km east of the capital. According to the agreement, the contractors will add a 400-meter berth to the 1000-meter berth already under construction. When completed, officials of MPS told Xinhua, the additional berth will bring the total berth capacity to 1.4 km which will enable the port to accommodate and handle vessels up to 16 meters draft. CHEC commenced work on the first phase of the expansion work in September 2016 at the cost of 1.5 billion US Dollars. That phase is expected to be completed and handed over by next month. "This contract and the further works add a total value of over 110 million dollars to the project. Further investments in operating equipment will increase these amounts by another 100 million dollars when throughput volumes increase," Mohammed Samara, chief executive officer of MPS, said. Project Director for the Tema Port Expansion Project Mark Nolet said, "CHEC have demonstrated that they are indeed remarkable port builders. We are happy to partner them for this second Phase." Project Manager for CHEC Wang Leo expressed gratitude to MPS for selecting the Chinese firm for the second phase. "We are happy to be selected to carry out the second phase of this massive project. We assure you that we will not compromise on the integrity we have built over the last years," Wang said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 17:51:46|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close BAGHDAD, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Iraq Wednesday repatriated 188 Turkish children, whose parents were members of the Islamic State (IS) militant group, in coordination with Turkish authorities and international organizations, a judiciary spokesman said. "The Iraqi Central Investigation Court, responsible for the terrorism issue and foreign suspects, has handed the Turkish side 188 children born to IS parents," Abdul Sattar al-Biraqdar, spokesman for Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council, said in a statement. The process was conducted under the supervision of the Iraqi judiciary and in the presence of representatives of the Iraqi Foreign Ministry, Turkish embassy and international organizations including the UNICEF, al-Biraqdar added. Thousands of IS fighters and supporters of various nationalities joined the extremist group when it took control of large swathes in Iraq and neighboring Syria. However, after the defeat of the IS in both countries, hundreds of IS loyalists were killed or captured. Iraq is currently conducting trials of thousands of suspected IS militants including hundreds of foreigners. But the fate of hundreds of their women and children still hangs in the balance, as some governments of their home countries are reluctant to take them back. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 18:01:56|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close SAN FRANCISCO, May 28 (Xinhua) -- U.S. leading chipmaker Qualcomm Incorporated on Tuesday asked a U.S. federal judge to put on hold an anti-trust decision against it while the company is appealing the ruling. In a filing with a federal court in San Jose, California, Qualcomm demanded U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh not enforce her ruling on May 21 in favor of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), saying the decision raised "serious legal questions" in the anti-trust case brought by the commission in January 2017. Koh ruled that San Diego-based Qualcomm violated the FTC Act and ordered the chipmaker not to condition the supply of modem chips on a customer's patent license status. She also asked Qualcomm to report to the FTC on an annual basis its compliance with the court's decision for a period of seven years. However, Qualcomm argued that Koh failed to take into consideration the event after March 2018 when Apple decided to drop Qualcomm modems in favor of Intel Corporation, proving that it had not squeezed out its rivals in the smartphone chips market. It challenged the FTC's argument that Qualcomm's patent licensing practice was in essence imposing a "tax" on smart phone makers, saying the theory in the lawsuit is "unprecedented" in anti-trust law. The company has not yet filed that appeal against the decision, and its current filing only concerns whether the court ruling can be put on hold temporarily. If the court in San Jose rejects Qualcomm's request, the chipmaker may attempt the same with the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 18:52:19|Editor: ZX Video Player Close CHANGSHA, May 29 (Xinhua) -- As of May 24, 1,388 guests and traders from 52 African countries have signed up and confirmed their attendance for the first China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, the organizing committee said Tuesday. The fair is scheduled to be held on June 27-29 in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province with conferences, forums and exhibitions, and has so far attracted a total of 233 cooperation projects, worth approximately 74.7 billion U.S. dollars. There will be six exhibition areas that cover 43,000 square meters, including national pavilions and display areas for enterprises that showcase the achievements and opportunities of China-Africa economic and trade cooperation. An online fair will be held and an exhibition hall established for long-term exhibition and sales of African quality products. Launched under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, the expo will establish a new mechanism for economic and trade cooperation between China and African countries. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 18:52:20|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close Latvian newly-elected President Egils Levits waves to people in Riga, Latvia, May 29, 2019. Latvian lawmakers on Wednesday elected European Court of Justice judge Egils Levits the Baltic country's new president. Levits was elected Latvian president in a single round of voting by 61 of Latvia's 100 parliamentarians. (Xinhua/Edijs Palens) RIGA, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Latvian lawmakers on Wednesday elected European Court of Justice judge Egils Levits the Baltic country's new president. Levits was elected Latvian president in a single round of voting by 61 of Latvia's 100 parliamentarians. Levits already ran for the Latvian presidency in 2014 but was beaten by outgoing President Raimonds Vejonis, who did not seek reelection this time. During a parliamentary debate that preceded the presidential election, MPs of the center-right government coalition gave their support to Levits, praising him as the best and most capable of the three contenders standing in the presidential election. The two other presidential candidates in the race where Ombudsman Juris Jansons, backed by the opposition centrist Greens and Farmers Union, and MP Didzis Smits, a candidate put forward by several members of his KPV LV party. Riga-born Levits, 63, spent his youth in Germany. He has graduated from the University of Hamburg where he studied political science and law. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 19:33:00|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration deliberately impedes cross-Strait education exchanges, which harms the interests of students on the island, said a Chinese mainland spokesperson. An Fengshan, spokesperson with the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, made the remarks at a press conference Wednesday. Education authority on the island asked two universities not to release internet information of a program inviting Taiwan students to do an internship in Beijing. The program was initiated by the China Association for Science and Technology in 2002. Education exchange, which is an important part of cross-Strait cooperation, is vital for the benefits and wellbeing of young people across the Taiwan Strait, said An, adding that the mainland has been making continuous efforts to step up education exchange and cooperation, enhance mutual learning among young people across the Strait and provide more opportunities to young people of Taiwan to study, work and live on the mainland. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 19:38:02|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close COLOMBO, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka targets at least 2.5 million tourists this year after several countries eased their travel advisories which were issued after deadly terror attacks killed over 250 people on the island last month, a minister said. Sri Lanka's Minister of Tourism Development, Wildlife and Christian Religious Affairs John Amaratunga told Xinhua that China is the first country to ease their travel advisory last week and Sri Lanka is expecting a strong increase in Chinese tourists from this month. Amaratunga said that Sri Lanka is now a safe destination for travel after security forces apprehended at least 98 percent of suspects who were, directly and indirectly, involved in the Easter Sunday terror attacks. He said security forces have ensured that further attacks and a radical uprising of this nature will not happen, and Sri Lankans can go back to their normal lives. "After the terrorist attacks, China and several other countries issued a travel advisory asking travelers not to travel here. This is understandable," Amaratunga said. "Last week, I met the Chinese ambassador and assured him that Sri Lanka is a safe destination. I thank China, as they were the first country to ease the travel advisory and this will immensely benefit Sri Lanka tourism," he added. China has been one of the largest markets for Sri Lanka's tourism industry with over 270,000 Chinese tourists visiting Sri Lanka last year, the minister said. He said until April this year, over 98,000 Chinese tourists had visited Sri Lanka, higher than the same period last year. More than 250 people, including over 40 foreigners, were killed after nine suicide bombers targeted churches and luxury hotels on April 21. A local radical group, called the National Thawheed Jammath, was blamed for the attacks. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 19:48:07|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close BEIRUT, May 29 (Xinhua) -- French Ambassador to Lebanon Bruno Foucher said on Wednesday that France has allocated millions of U.S. dollars to fund the establishment of schools by the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Lebanon. "These schools will teach in Arabic, English and French, which will open in 2021," Foucher was quoted as saying by Elnashra, an online independent newspaper. Foucher's remarks came during an event at a UN school in the southern city of Sidon. France will support the UNRWA amid its financial crisis after the U.S. decision to stop funding the UN agency, the French ambassador said at the event. The United States announced last year that it will no longer contribute to the UNRWA, calling the agency an "irredeemably flawed operation" while criticizing other countries for not sharing the burden of supporting Palestinians. This has pushed other countries, such as France, Switzerland and Britain, to increase their donations to UNRWA. UNRWA provides services to about 5 million registered Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, which cover education, health care, relief, social services, infrastructure and camp improvement. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 19:58:12|Editor: ZX Video Player Close HANOI, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam plans to import more electricity from China and Laos in the coming years as its power supply is running out, Vietnam News Agency reported on Wednesday. Annual electricity imports from China and Laos are expected to increase to 3,000 megawatt (MW) by 2025 and 5,000 MW by 2030 from the current about 1,000 MW, the agency quoted Le Van Luc, deputy director of the Electricity and Renewable Energy Authority under the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade, as saying. Now, many power projects in Vietnam are lagging behind schedule. Almost all big and medium-sized hydropower sources have been used, and there remain only a few small ones for exploitation. Therefore, hydropower will account for only 12.4 percent of all electricity supply in the country by 2030. That will add a further complication to the supply shortage, according to the authority. Power supply sources that can be put into use between 2016 and 2030 have total capacity of about 78,300 MW, more than 17,500 MW lower than the expected figure in a revised national electricity development plan. Most of the shortage will fall in the 2018-2022 period. In particular, electricity reserves will be almost used up in 2018 and 2019, and power shortages will occur from 2021 to 2025, the agency quoted many local electricity experts as saying. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 19:58:13|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close TOKYO, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Japanese police on Wednesday raided the home of the assailant who had carried out a stabbing rampage near Tokyo a day earlier, in which 17 children and two adults were attacked, leaving two dead. In undertaking the raid, police are looking for clues as to the motive behind his stabbing rampage that was predominantly focused on killing elementary school-aged children, investigators in charge of the case said. According to officials in Kawasaki City where tha rampage occurred, the assailant, Ryuichi Iwasaki, 51, is believed to be a jobless recluse, who was living with his elderly aunt and uncle. His relatives had reportedly contacted the local city office and held meetings on numerous occasions, seeking advice on how to deal with Iwasaki, as they did not associate with him directly and required a caregiver to visit their home to maintain contact with him. Mourners gathered on Wednesday at the site of the attack to offer prayers to the victims, with some choosing to leave flowers, cards, snacks and beverages as offerings to the victims. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday ordered increased police patrols in areas where children gather on their commute to and from school. As the victims include Foreign Ministry official Satoshi Oyama, Foreign Minister Taro Kono said the loss of Oyama was regrettable and that he would do all he could to support his family. "He had worked for the embassy in Myanmar and was a member who led Japan's diplomacy with Myanmar," Kono said. Oyama's wife through her lawyer on Tuesday night said she was deeply saddened by the sudden death of her husband. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 20:28:22|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close LONDON, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Speaker of British House of Commons John Bercow plans to stay on beyond what members of parliament (MPs) had expected to be his retirement this summer, media reports said here Wednesday. The speaker told the Guardian that it was not sensible to vacate the chair while there were major issues before the British parliament. Bercow's announcement in a keynote speech in Washington is expected to provoke fury among pre-Leave politicians, who have accused him of a remain bias, said the Guardian newspaper. The report said that amid growing indications that some of the contenders to replace Theresa May as prime minister are willing to leave the European Union (EU) without a deal, Bercow has warned candidates not to try to force such an outcome without the permission of MPs. The report said Bercow had told friends he intended to stand down this summer, possibly in July, after concluding 10 years in the post. "But his remarks on Tuesday appear to confirm reports he was reconsidering after the UK did not leave the EU at the end of March," added the report. Speaking to the Guardian after his Washington speech, Bercow said, "I've never said anything about going in July of this year. Secondly, I do feel that now is a time, in which momentous events are taking place and there are great issues to be resolved and in those circumstances, it doesn't seem to me sensible to vacate the chair." The London Evening Standard said Bercow has faced criticism from pro-Brexit MPs, with hardliners raising fears he wanted to stop a no-deal exit from the bloc. In January, he was accused of ignoring the advice of his officials on parliamentary procedure and blocking a vote on the withdrawal deal, said the Standard, adding Bercow has said he was "not setting himself up against the government but championing the rights of the House of Commons." The speaker's job is to chair proceedings in the House of Commons, home to Britain's 650 MPs. Photo taken on May 27, 2019 shows the site of the first session of the UN-Habitat Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya. The first session of the UN-Habitat Assembly opened Monday in the Kenyan capital Nairobi as participants gather to discuss ways of improving quality of life in cities and communities amid the rapid global urbanization. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai) NAIROBI, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Financial policymakers and experts drawn from institutions and enterprises in China and Africa met in Nairobi on Tuesday to discuss how to accelerate investment and collaboration for financial inclusion in Africa. At the "2019 China-Africa Digital Financial Inclusion Summit," which followed a similar event held in Beijing in September 2017, the professionals are discussing how to promote the global development agenda of digital financial inclusion (DFI) by building a collaboration platform between China and Africa to facilitate knowledge sharing, partnerships, and investments. The event, which touches on DFI innovation and development in Kenya and Africa in general, saw leading Chinese digital financial inclusion organizations displaying cases in DFI in China. In his opening remarks, Bei Duoguang, president of Chinese Academy of Financial Inclusion (CAFI), which is one of the organizers, said the meeting will build a platform for dialogue, communication and cooperation. Financial inclusion in countries along the Belt and Road can provide funding to small and medium-sized enterprises and microbusinesses to stimulate economy and improve people's living standards, Bei said. "By providing financing to individuals, financial inclusion can make people actively involved in economic activities, enhance their sense of involvement and level of happiness," he added. He said in CAFI's study of financial inclusion in countries along the Belt and Road, the average account ownership for low income countries stands at 35 percent, whereas only 2 percent of population in the same countries has credit cards. "Thanks to technology innovation, digital financial inclusion tools such as mobile banking are speeding up the pace of middle and low-income countries to catch up with the rest of the world," Bei noted. During the conference, Chinese policymakers also expect to gain a deeper understanding of the financial inclusion landscape in different African countries to explore business and investment opportunities and serve as an innovative and influential platform to advocate financial services for social development. Li Dongrong, President of National Internet Finance Association of China, said China and African countries have common aspirations and willingness to develop inclusive finance and promote broad growth. Li said in 2012, China proposed the concept of promoting the realization of inclusive finance with mobile finance and has actively explored innovative models such as mobile payment, mobile lending, and mobile wealth management. "African countries have also explored a lot in this field, such as mobile payment and correspondent banking. It is of great realistic significance for experts and scholars from China and Africa to gather here in Africa, exchange perspectives and learn from each other on digital inclusive finance," Li said. Li said since the World Bank formally proposed the concept of "inclusive finance" in 2005 with the joint efforts of international organizations and different countries, the development of global inclusive finance has achieved great progress, adding that China's inclusive financial development ranked high, with the account ownership rate at 80 percent and digital payment usage standing at 68 percent. Uhuru Kenyatta (C), Kenyan President looks at a design of a solar system of the new office facility at the United Nations headquarters during the opening ceremony of the first session of the UN-Habitat Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya, May 27, 2019. (Xinhua/Fred Mutune) Zhao Xiyuan, minister counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Kenya, told the experts that the deliberations of the forum will go a long way in coming up with solutions and ways in which China and Africa can collaborate in the field of digital financial inclusion, which is key to development. China has achieved remarkable development progress in the past decades. Africa, too, has made great advance and during the process of common development, China and Africa have strengthened their relationship dramatically where they enjoy growing mutual trust and exchanges at all levels, Zhao said. The envoy said in recent years, people with access to formal financial services have increased unprecedentedly owing to the launch and growth of digital financial services in Africa. The continent is now home to most digital financial services deployments, with about 350 million individual users, Zhao said, adding that mobile money solutions and agent banking now offer transactions, savings, credit, and even insurance opportunities in rural villages and urban neighborhoods, where no bank had ever established a branch. Gabriel Negatu, Director General of East Africa Regional Development and Business Delivery Office at African Development Bank, said at the forum that continued dialogue and experience sharing between China and Africa will accelerate the progress in DFI. Negatu said mobile revolution helped boost the economic growth in Africa over the past decades, stressing efforts should be made to enhance connectivity and inter-operability of different payment systems in Africa. The summit brought together more than 200 participants from the digital financial services and fintech industries. It was co-hosted by CAFI, Finance Center for South-South Cooperation and FDS Kenya, and had the support from China Banking Association and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, among others. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 20:33:32|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close BAGHDAD, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi security forces on Wednesday clashed with Islamic State (IS) militants in the northern province of Nineveh, killing 14 of them, the Iraqi military said. Acting on intelligence reports, Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) conducted an airdrop operation on IS headquarters in Hatra area south of Nineveh's provincial capital Mosul, said Yahya Rasoul, spokesman of the media office of the Joint Operations Command, in a statement. The killed IS militants include local leaders and suicide bombers, the statement added. The security situation in Iraq was dramatically improved after Iraqi security forces fully defeated the extremist IS militants across the country late in 2017. IS remnants, however, have since melted in urban areas or resorted to deserts and rugged areas as safe havens, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 20:38:38|Editor: ZX Video Player Close QINGDAO, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Ranil Oninda recently did a "brave" thing -- promoting Sri Lankan beer in Qingdao, a coastal Chinese city best known for its century-old brewer Tsingtao. As a marketing consultant for Lion Holdings Trading (Shenzhen) Limited, Oninda distributed the signature black beer to visitors for a taste in the just-concluded Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) International Trade and Investment Fair. The three-day fair which closed Sunday has attracted more than 400 companies and other institutions, including over 150 from overseas. The fair exhibits the cultural industries, tourism, home appliances and other products of SCO member states. It was not the first time for him to showcase the Lion beer from Sri Lanka in China. "With closer trading ties between the two countries, it is easier to do business with Chinese clients," he said. Two months ago, Oninda brought 48 containers of roughly 2.5 million bottles of Lion beer to China. The beers have been quickly snapped up by customers in provinces such as Guangdong, Hubei and Hunan. Even if the first battle was won, Oninda still worried before marching to Qingdao in Shandong Province, the birthplace of the world-famous Tsingtao beer. Beer drinking is a distinctive lifestyle in Qingdao, where picky residents often buy the freshest beer from breweries, usually in plastic bags. "China is the largest beer market in the world, with Tsingtao beer accounting for a significant market share. But the high-quality craft beer we are producing represents the trend of future consumption," Oninda said. "In the future, we want to export more beer to China to satisfy the demands of local consumers." Unlike a typical five-day brewing cycle, it takes 20 to 25 days to produce the Lion beer. The brand takes around 85 percent of market share in Sri Lanka and has been exported to many countries around the world. Beer sales in China are expected to increase from 562.6 billion yuan (around 81.4 billion U.S. dollars) last year to 727.5 billion yuan in 2022 at an average annual growth of 6.5 percent, according to a research report by Askci Consulting. The Chinese market is traditionally dominated by domestic brewers, but recent years have seen rapid growth in more expensive international brands. Forty-three years after Lion built its first brewhouse in Sri Lanka in 1860, the predecessor of Tsingtao was founded by German and British merchants in Qingdao. "Lion was designated in 2017 as the franchiser of Tsingtao beer in Sri Lanka," Oninda recalled the first encounter of the two brands that have together boosted the beer market as Tsingtao gaining fame in his home country. Now, the Sri Lankan brewer, with world-class brewing technology and equipment, is having a "head-on confrontation" with its Chinese counterpart in the away game. This beer brand cooperation is an epitome of the surging bilateral economic and trade exchanges between China and Sri Lanka. As of December 2018, China became Sri Lanka's second largest source of import with an annual bilateral import and export of goods reaching 4.35 billion U.S. dollars. A growing number of countries, including Sri Lanka, have promoted multi-investment, free trade and cultural exchanges under the Belt and Road Initiative and the SCO. Having lived in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen for five years, Oninda looks to the future with full confidence as he has learned more about the market and enterprises in China. He said he believes that Lion beer will win a place on the Chinese market, and Tsingtao will become more popular among Sri Lankans. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 20:43:42|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close MANILA, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Up to eight tropical cyclones are expected to slam into the Philippines from June to August this year, a senior official of the Philippine state weather bureau said on Wednesday. Flaviana Hilario, the deputy administrator of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said that many parts of this archipelagic country will experience rainfall in June. "In terms of our forecast on the number of tropical cyclones, from June to August we are expecting around five to eight tropical cyclones," Hilario said in a news conference. During the same press conference, Hilario also announced the official onset of the rainy season might happen either in the first or second week of June. El Nino, which is affecting the country since October 2018, is expected to last until August but may linger until the end of the year. "There's still a chance it will continue until the end of this year. However, the uncertainty is quite high," Hilario said. The Philippines has been experiencing reduced rainfall since last October with several provinces suffering from dry spell and drought. Philippine Agriculture Undersecretary Ariel Cayanan also said the dry spell has so far affected 247,610 farmers and 227,889 hectares of land across the country. March to May is the summer months in the Philippines and are classified as hot and dry. June to October is rainy, with the months between July and September characterized by typhoons. November to February is the coolest months and a good time to visit the Philippines as far as weather is concerned. The Philippines is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. Annually, an average of 22 typhoons enter the Philippines of which around six to seven cause significant damage or destruction. Being situated in the "Pacific Ring of Fire" makes it also vulnerable to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Its geographical location and physical environment also contribute to its high-susceptibility to the tsunami, sea level rise, storm surges, landslides, flash floods, and drought. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 20:53:47|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close ANKARA, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Turkey has launched a cross-border operation against the targets of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in northern Iraq to cut its logistic pathways, experts said. The Operation Claw, supported by ATAK helicopters, started on Monday night with commandos, backed by artillery and airstrikes, in the mountainous Hakurk area of northern Iraq, the Turkish Defense Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday. The operation aims to demolish the hideouts and shelters that are being used by "terrorist groups and to eliminate terrorists," the ministry noted. A total of 15 PKK members were killed during the operation, the ministry said in an another statement on Wednesday. Ministry footage showed shells fired by howitzers and commandos deployed by helicopters and targeting PKK hideouts. According to local experts, the Operation Claw also aims to cut logistic pathways between northern Iraq and the Turkish border and between northern Iraq and eastern Syria, where the PKK members are seeking to establish a new command center. The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, has been striving to establish an independent Kurdish state by armed rebellion since the 1970s. The group's headquarters is based in the Qandil mountain region in northern Iraq, which is used by militants to infiltrate into Turkey. Hakurk, which is part of the Qandil mountain region, is home to one of the most important camps of the PKK, said Naim Baburoglu, a retired general and academician from Aydin University. The Operation Claw is launched 35-40 km deep into Iraq, the expert noted. The People's Protection Unit (YPG) in Syria, which Ankara sees as the Syrian branch of the PKK, provides human resources for the PKK in Iraq, Baburoglu said. The operation also aims to cut logistical lines between the PKK camps in Iraq and YPG forces in Syria, he noted. Since the beginning of this year, Turkey has intensified its airstrikes and land operations to fight PKK militants in northern Syria and Iraq. The Turkish military has conducted two military operations in northwestern Syria since 2016 in order to clear the area of the Islamic State fighters and the YPG. Turkey's operation was launched in a bid to extend Turkish military presence in northern Iraq, where its army has already established 11 military bases, said Abdullah Agar, a security expert and former special forces officer. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 20:58:53|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, presided over the eighth meeting of the central committee for deepening overall reform Wednesday. Xi, also Chinese president, chairman of the Central Military Commission, and head of the central committee for deepening overall reform, called for further reform to better serve the overall economic and social development. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 21:03:55|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close KUALA LUMPUR, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's budget airline AirAsia Group announced Wednesday that its net profit fell 91.59 percent year-on-year to 96.09 million ringgit (about 22.91 million U.S. dollars), dragged mainly by higher maintenance and overhaul cost. The group said in a statement that its revenue rose to 2.8 billion ringgit in the first quarter as its passengers jumped 18 percent to 12.5 million. The growth in revenue, however, was offset by the increase of staff costs and user charges. The group also saw its maintenance and overhaul cost rose 64 percent. Meanwhile, revenue per available seat kilometer for the group went up 3 percent to 15.10 sen in the first quarter, driven by strong demand. Its cost per available seat kilometer including fuel, however, increased by 8 percent year-on year to 14.57 sen, due to the increase in maintenance and overhaul costs. Underpinned by capacity expansion, competitive pricing strategy, AirAsia's market share in Malaysia increased by 4 percentage points to 61 percent. AirAsia Group deputy group Chief Executive Officer Bo Lingam said he expects the group's ASEAN air operator certificates (AOCs) remain on track to turn profitable this year. "Our strategy remains to gain dominance in the countries we operate in, especially within the ASEAN region," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 21:08:59|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The first China-CEEC Expo & International Consumer Goods Fair, will be held in the city of Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, from June 8-12. More than 2,000 domestic and overseas guests are invited to attend the expo between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs), Zhu Congjiu, vice governor of Zhejiang, told a press conference held in Beijing Wednesday on the expo. Participants will have extensive discussions on topics including Belt and Road Initiative related development, optimizing the business environment, international investment and cooperation, Zhu said. During the expo, more than 20 economic and trade activities, including round-table meetings and forums, will be held, with exhibitions covering an area of 110,000 square meters. Slovakia and Lithuania will be the guests of honor at the expo. Trade between China and CEECs rose to 82.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2018, surging 55.4 percent from 2011, with China's imports from CEECs climbing 80.7 percent when compared with 2011, data showed. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 21:14:05|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close JUBA, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Parties to South Sudan's 2018 peace deal have agreed to form a unified force of 83,000 personnel, the body tasked with monitoring the shaky pact revealed Wednesday. Augostino Njoroge, interim chairperson of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, told a stakeholder meeting in Juba that the agreement on the number of forces was reached during a meeting held on May 10 and 11. Njoroge said the parties also agreed that the government and opposition contribute equal numbers to the joint force. "The workshop reached agreement on the size of the necessary unified forces at 83,000. These will constitute elements of the military, the national and state police, and the national security services, the prisons and wildlife services, and the fire brigade," Njoroge said. He urged the parties to the agreement implement the pending issues and avoid further delay in forming the new government. "It is imperative that all implementing institutions must now collectively own responsibility and do much more during this extension period," Njoroge said. South Sudan's new peace deal calls for reunification of all fighters involved in the civil conflict, but the process has been marred by delays as some groups have refused to declare the size of their forces. South Sudan descended into civil war in late 2013 and the conflict has created one of the fastest growing refugee crises in the world. The UN estimates that about four million South Sudanese have been displaced internally and externally. A peace deal signed in August 2015 collapsed following renewed violence in the capital Juba in July 2016. Under the 2018 peace deal, opposition leader Riek Machar will once again be reinstated as President Salva Kiir's deputy. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 21:14:08|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai-based Fubon Bank (China) Co. has recently received approval to issue credit cards in the Chinese mainland, according to a Chinese mainland spokesperson Wednesday. An Fengshan, spokesperson with the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said that it is the first Taiwan-funded bank to be granted with such permission, which allows it to offer more financial services to Taiwan enterprises and compatriots in the Chinese mainland. The Chinese mainland's preferential policies, also known as "31 measures," have been implemented widely and have yielded positive outcomes, including aforementioned achievements in financial cooperations, An said. Founded in Shanghai in 1997 as a joint venture, the bank became a fully-owned subsidiary of Taipei-based Fubon Financial in 2016, according to its official website. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 21:19:15|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close DHAKA, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The Bangladeshi government on Wednesday signed a 100.5 million U.S. dollars financing agreement with the World Bank to improve livability of four large neighborhoods in capital Dhaka city, benefitting about 1 million residents. The "Dhaka City Neighborhood Upgrading Project" will enhance public spaces and urban services in four neighborhoods -- Kamrangir Char, Lalbagh, Sutrapur-Nayabazar-Gulistan, Khilgaon-Mugda-Bashabo --under the Dhaka South City Corporation, said the Washington-based lender. The project will help upgrade public spaces such as parks, playgrounds, waterfronts; streets, sidewalks, and transform public buildings such as community centers into multipurpose facilities to serve communities, it said. Zahid Hussain, acting World Bank country director for Bangladesh and Bhutan, and Zahidul Haque, additional secretary of Economic Relations Division of Bangladesh, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides on Wednesday in Dhaka. "With more than one-third of the country's urban population living in Dhaka, it is one of the world's most densely populated cities. Due to inadequate infrastructure, lack of public amenities and severe traffic congestion, the residents face many difficulties in their everyday lives," said the acting World Bank country director for Bangladesh and Bhutan. "The project will address some of these challenges and help enhance the quality of civic life." The four localities were selected through a series of consultations with multiple stakeholder groups. The project will help enhance green open spaces by improving selected parks, streets and waterfront areas. It will also pilot interventions for safe mobility and traffic management and incorporate environment-friendly features and energy efficient design principles and materials in all interventions that it will support, said the bank in a statement. It said the project will cater to the differentiated needs of women and children, elderly and disabled. Women in Dhaka face challenges in terms of mobility, walkability and access to public infrastructure. 93 percent of women reportedly do not use public toilets and 42 percent perceive the city's parks to be unsafe. To improve personal safety and access for women and children, the project will ensure energy-efficient streetlighting, police posts, health clinics, and other integrated amenities. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 21:24:20|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close DAR ES SALAAM, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The government of Tanzania is in the final stage of establishing a special authority charged with promoting beach tourism in the nation, a senior official told parliament on Wednesday. Constantine Kanyasu, the Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, said the authority will ensure that the country's beautiful beaches were put into proper use as a destination for tourists from across the world. Kanyasu was answering a special-seat Member of Parliament Amina Mollel, who asked what the government was doing to diversify tourism instead of relying on traditional tourism, like wild animals. Kanyasu also asked if the government was ready to develop Coco Beach in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam and other beaches in the country. In November last year, Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa announced that the government was establishing a beach management directorate aimed at promoting beach tourism in the country. "We instructed the ministry responsible for tourism to ensure that we improve our lakes and sea beaches for the country's development and the ministry is working on the instructions," Majaliwa told the National Assembly. Tourism is one of the largest foreign exchange earners of Tanzania, contributing an average of 2 billion U.S. dollars to the country annually, which is equivalent to 25 percent of all exchange earnings, according to the government data. A report released in June 2017 rated Tanzania's tourism industry as one of the fastest growing sectors in the country with figures showing a surge on tourist arrivals. The report was jointly compiled by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, the Bank of Tanzania, the National Bureau of Statistics, the Immigration Department and the Zanzibar Commission for Tourism. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 21:29:22|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan question belongs to China's internal affairs and any outside interference is not allowed, An Fengshan, a spokesperson with the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said here Wednesday. "We resolutely oppose any form of official contact or military ties between the United States and Taiwan," An told a press conference. "No foreign force is allowed to play the 'Taiwan card' to damage the common interests of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait." An warned the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration that placing the bet on foreign forces is unreliable, noting that separatist activities including courting foreign support to build itself up, sowing discord internationally, escalating cross-Strait confrontation and creating hostility among compatriots will suffer the consequences. "Any person and any force should never underestimate our determination and ability to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity," An added. The one-China principle constitutes the important political foundation of China-U.S. relations, said An. "Any comment or action damaging the principle only destabilizes the foundation of China-U.S. relations and does not conform to the fundamental interests of China and the U.S." Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 21:29:24|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close TEHRAN, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi on Wednesday underlined his country's interest in talks and interactions with regional states, semi-official Fars news agency reported. Tehran has always prioritized negotiations with regional states for cooperation, Araqchi said during a meeting with Qatari Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha. Building confidence and constructive interactions among the neighboring states can be reached through mechanisms such as forming an assembly for regional talks and signing a non-aggression pact, he added. "Full stability and security will be established in the region when the national security and economic interests of all countries are met," the Iranian official concluded. A day earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also said his country wants to sign non-aggression agreements with neighbors. Iran's regional diplomacy over the past weeks comes amid the rising tension between the Islamic republic and the United States. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 21:54:46|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close TEHRAN, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday hailed the Palestinian "defense achievements" against Israel over the past years, Press TV reported. Palestinian resistance fighters are responding to Israel's missiles with "missiles rather than stones," he said. "There was a time when people of Palestine had only stones at their disposal to defend themselves," Rouhani added. "Palestinians are now capable of giving crushing response to Israelis thanks to their endeavors, sacrifices and domestic industry," the Iranian president noted. Western-backed Israeli occupation had robbed Palestinian generations of safety and freedom, Rouhani said. He called for mass turnout across Iran on Quds (Jerusalem) Day this Friday to show support for Palestine. Quds Day, which falls on May 31 this year, is an annual event observed on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Iran and several Arab countries to support the Palestinian cause. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 22:25:10|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close AMMAN, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Jordan and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) on Wednesday highlighted the need for continued cooperation with international partners to provide support for the agency, Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. At a meeting in Amman between Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and Comissioner-General of UNRWA Pierre Krahenbuhl, the two sides agreed on a work program in coordination with partners in the international community. The program aims to make up the expected deficit in the agency's budget this year which is estimated to reach 200 million U.S. dollars. Safadi underlined the importance of providing the necessary financial support to the UNRWA to ensure its services to more than 5 million refugees. The minister said the lack of support for UNRWA would deprive 570,000 Palestinian students of their right to education and millions of the ill from treatment. Last year, a number of countries managed to reduce the agency's deficit from about 446 million dollars to fewer than 20 million dollars. For his part, Krahenbuhl expressed his deep appreciation for the efforts led by Jordan in supporting the agency and protecting the rights of Palestinian refugees. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 22:25:15|Editor: ZX Video Player Close SHANGHAI, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Over 100 million Chinese are expected to travel across China and overseas during the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival, Ctrip, China's popular online travel agency, said on Wednesday. Ctrip said in its latest report that holidaymakers have booked tours to over 800 destinations across 92 countries and regions through its platform during the holiday from June 7 to 9. According to the China Tourism Academy, the Chinese people made more than 89 million trips in the country during last year's Dragon Boat Festival and spent 36.2 billion yuan (5.3 billion U.S. dollars) in total. Though Dragon Boat Festival is typically not peak season, more people prefer to travel this year due to lower ticket prices of domestic destinations, more convenient transport and visa policies, said the report. The most popular overseas destinations are Japan, Thailand, Russia, Vietnam, Italy and Indonesia, while Sanya, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Xiamen and Chengdu are among the top destinations at home. The average cost of overseas tours during the holiday will be around 4,500 yuan (about 652 U.S. dollars) per person, 13 percent lower than that of the May Day holiday, the nearest peak travel season. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 22:35:34|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, May 29 (Xinhua) -- African Union (AU) on Wednesday urged the need for a rapid internal solution to the current crisis in Sudan based on the respect of the will and aspirations of the people of Sudan. The AU Peace and Security Council (PSC), in a statement that followed its recent meeting, on Wednesday urged all external actors to abstain from interference that could further complicate the ongoing political uncertainties in Sudan. The council "called on all external actors to refrain from any interference that could further complicate the already challenging situation in Sudan," a statement from the AU's PSC read. It also reiterated "the legitimate aspirations of the Sudanese people to the opening of the political space in order to be able to democratically design and choose institutions that are representative and respectful of freedoms and human rights." The PSC also urged Sudanese stakeholders "to uphold the supreme interest of their country above all other consideration." It called on the Sudanese military and the civilian stakeholders "to continue working together towards a consensual solution to the current crisis." Reiterating the AU's condemnation and total rejection, through its zero tolerance policy, of all forms of unconstitutional changes of government, the PSC also acknowledged the progress made so far in the search for a solution to the constitutional crisis in the Sudan. The council mainly acknowledged the agreement reached on duration of the transition process, the transitional institutions and the priorities of the transition, while reaffirming that "the ultimate objective of the process is to put in place a civilian-led inclusive Transition, as demanded by AU Council." The AU had previously emphasized that the solution to the challenges facing Sudan "should be forged within an African-led process, based on decisions of the relevant AU policy organs, in collaboration with the region." Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 22:45:42|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close NAIROBI, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Development partners on Wednesday vowed to raise 152 million U.S. dollars towards meeting UN-Habitat's urban dimensions of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). More than 100 partners who met on the sidelines of the first UN Habitat Assembly in Nairobi at the partnership and pledging conference said the funds will be used to help countries implement the New Urban Agenda and urban dimensions of the SDGs, especially Goal 11 to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. "I take this opportunity to thank the governments and development partners for the pledges that are very important in executing our work as per the strategic plan of 2020-2025," Maimunah Mohd Sharif, executive director of UN Habitat, told journalists. Sharif said that the UN-Habitat aims to help countries reduce spatial inequality and poverty, enhance prosperity of cities, strengthen climate change action, improve the urban environment and mitigate and respond to urban crisis. She said that the strategic plan will be guided by the principles of social inclusion and human rights for all, including women, children, and other vulnerable groups. "One of the UN Habitat's roles would be as a center of excellence to provide a point of reference on data, norms, standards, legal frameworks, policies, strategies and urban innovations," she added. Sharif observed that with the kind of commitment realized at the conference, it is possible that the remaining amount will be raised to help the UN agency achieve its dimension of the SDGs. Lars Gronvald, representative of the European Commission (EC), said that unlike before, sustainable urbanization is now at the forefront of the EC development strategy because of its linkage to the transformation of society and sustainability. According to Alexandre Pinho, Microsoft Global lead for the UN, the private sector plays an important role in providing technologies for sustainable urbanization. The UN agency require estimated funding of 1.9 billion dollars over six years to focus on reducing spatial inequality and poverty in communities across the urban rural continuum, enhancing shared prosperity of cities and regions, strengthening climate action and improving urban environment and effective urban crisis prevention and response. The funds came from 38 governments, 10 local governments and 32 other organizations. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 22:45:44|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close Yang Jiechi(R), a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, meets with Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla in Beijing, capital of China, May 29, 2019. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao) BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met with visiting Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla on Wednesday. As socialist countries, China and Cuba have always supported and helped each other, said Yang, also director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee. China firmly supports Cuba's legitimate fight for safeguarding national sovereignty and independence, he said. As next year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic ties, China is willing to work with Cuba to implement the major consensus reached by the two countries' leaders, enhance high-level exchanges, promote the joint building of the Belt and Road, and strengthen coordination in international affairs to jointly maintain peace and stability of the two countries and regions, Yang said. Rodriguez said Cuba is willing to work with China to jointly build the Belt and Road and deepen pragmatic cooperation in various fields for better development of bilateral relations. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi also held talks with Rodriguez. Wang said China and Cuba should work with other countries to safeguard the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and oppose unilateralism and protectionism. China will, as always, support Cuba's just fight against foreign interference and blockade. Rodriguez told Wang Cuba firmly adheres to the one-China principle and opposes any sanction and discriminatory practice against Chinese tech companies. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 22:50:48|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close JUBA, May 29 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan on Wednesday urged the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) to support development initiatives besides peacekeeping operations as the youngest nation recovers from more than five years of conflict. Malek Ruben Riak, deputy minister of defense, said the peacekeeping mission should put more focus on supporting development activities such as building health, education facilities and roads besides training and building capacity of government officials. He said South Sudanese will be able to enjoy peace dividends when the UNMISS supports development in the country. He disclosed that they are currently engaging other opposition groups outside the peace deal to come on board. Riak appreciated the Chinese, British, Japanese, Bangladeshi, Rwandans and South Korean peacekeeping contingents for contributing towards infrastructure development in the country. He said they will continue to work with UNMISS to ensure unhindered access for humanitarian agencies to areas in need. Moustapha Soumare, deputy head of UNMISS and Special Representative of the Secretary General, said peace operations have evolved over time to include facilitation of political processes, support elections, protect and promote human rights and restore the rule of law. Soumare paid tribute to the 67 UNMISS staff who have fallen since 2011 including the 12 personnel who lost their lives in the past year. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 22:55:55|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BERLIN, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Germany was a particularly attractive destination for students and entrepreneurs, according to a study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) published on Wednesday. The OECD study that was presented in Berlin and was carried out with the support of the Bertelsmann Foundation, found that Germany ranked third among the 36 OECD countries as an attractive target country for students. Factors such as low tuition fees, comparatively low living costs and opportunities to work after graduation played an important role in Germany's high ranking, according to the study. For entrepreneurs around the world, the "classic immigration countries" Canada and New Zealand were more attractive than Germany in an international comparison but in Europe, only Switzerland, Sweden and Norway were ahead of Germany. In particular, Germany's "lower requirements for entrepreneur visas" helped make it an attractive destination. "It is encouraging that Germany offers good opportunities especially for international students," said Joerg Draeger, CEO of the Bertelsmann Foundation. In the short and medium term, however, Germany also needed "more skilled immigrants with an academic background, for whom Germany is unfortunately not particularly attractive," said Draeger. Highly qualified employees from outside Germany did not consider Germany to be particularly attractive, according to the OECD study. Germany ranked 12th among the most attractive locations for skilled workers with a master's degree or doctorate in the study. Australia was in first place, followed by Sweden and Switzerland. One reason for Germany's relatively poor performance among highly qualified individuals, according to the study, was that foreign qualifications were "often heavily devalued on the German labor market". "Many factors outside migration legislation affect the attractiveness of a country," said Stefano Scarpetta, OECD director for employment, labor and social affairs. "For professionals, the speed of visa issuance is an important factor, but for many highly skilled people, the framework conditions for partners and children are also important," added Scarpetta. Germany nonetheless ranked among the leaders in international comparison in terms of the speed with which visas or residence permits for highly qualified persons were issued. Wido Geis-Thoene, expert at the German Economic Institute (IW), criticized that Germany lacked "language courses that not only convey everyday knowledge but also go beyond it. Many professions require a sound knowledge of German". Better counselling and placement services were also needed to ensure that highly qualified immigrants "can quickly find the right employer for them," the IW expert added. Last year, almost 266,000 people from countries outside the European Union (EU) came to Germany to work, according to recent figures from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). In the coming years, Germany's "baby boom generation will retire and the shortage of skilled workers will become a major problem for companies. Immigrants could fill this gap," said IW expert Geis-Thoene. In March, the German government presented a draft proposal for an immigration act aiming to "support the retention of skilled workers by targeted and controlled immigration" of skilled workers from non-EU countries. The German government is aiming for all skilled workers with an employment contract and a recognized qualification to be able to work in the corresponding professions in Germany in future. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 23:01:04|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BERLIN, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The poverty risk rate for people aged 65 and over would rise by up to 20 percent if the German pension level continued to fall and the framework conditions did not change, according to a study by the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) published on Wednesday. The DIW study showed that under current laws, the German pension level is expected to fall continuously to around 43 percent in 2045 from 48 percent today. Since the early 2000s, Germany's pension level has fallen by around 10 percent. Without this reduction, the study authors estimated that poverty among the older population would have been "significantly lower". "The danger of poverty in old age threatens to increase as a result of falling pension levels," said DIW pension expert Johannes Geyer and one of the study authors. Old-age poverty in Germany is affecting people who have less than 60 percent of the median income at their disposal and the study found a "strong correlation between pension levels and poverty risk". According to calculations by the DIW researchers, if the pension level in Germany were to be raised by 1 percent, then the risk of poverty would decrease by more than 1 percent. German Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Hubertus Heil recently presented a draft law to supplement from 2021 the basic pension for long-term, low-income earners in Germany who had paid pension contributions for 35 years but were still receiving barely more than the basic pension. This proposal "would definitely reduce the risk of poverty" but it would also improve the situation of those pensioners who already earned more, Geyer told Xinhua on Wednesday. The draft pension supplement proposed by German Labor Minister Heil would not however, benefit "extremely poor" old-age pensioners in Germany, emphasized Geyer. The German economic institute study underlined that measures for statutory pensions and private provision were needed "as quickly as possible". The DIW study noted that annual adjustment of old-age pensions in Germany in principle follow the development of wages and salaries subject to social insurance contributions. However, several reforms since the beginning of the 1990s have changed the German pension adjustment formula so that the level has fallen considerably in recent years and will continue to fall in future, according to the DIW study. The statistical average, which measures the ratio of standard pension to average wage, has been at the center of the pension debate in Germany for a number of years. The current coalition government in Germany has not discussed an increase in the pension level. However, the social democrats were able to secure agreement that the German pension level must not fall below the current level of 48 percent by 2025. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 23:01:05|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close Photo taken on May 29, 2019 shows the U.S. Department of Justice headquarters building in Washington D.C., the United States. U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller will publicly make his first statement about the investigation into the alledged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election on Wednesday, the Justice Department said. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) WASHINGTON, May 29 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller will publicly make his first statement about the investigation into the alledged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election on Wednesday, the Justice Department said. The on-camera appearance is set on 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time (1500 GMT) and Mueller will not take questions, the Justice Department said. Mueller concluded his 22-month investigation in March by submitting a report to Attorney General William Barr and a redacted version was made public last month. The report stated that there was no evidence that U.S. President Donald Trump's campaign conspired with the Russian government during the 2016 U.S. elections but did not conclude if the president had obstructed justice. Barr and his deputy Rod Rosenstein, who stepped down earlier this month, have concluded that Mueller did not have "sufficient" evidence to support a charge in the obstruction case, a move that has drawn scrutiny from the Democrats. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 23:06:08|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close MUMBAI, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Around 80 percent of e-cigarette users in India had not used any tobacco product previously, making e-cigarettes a potential gateway to tobacco consumption, according to a study released by a Non-Government Organization (NGO) Wednesday. The study has prompted Salaam Bombay Foundation to demand a blanket ban on e-cigarettes and other vaping products ahead of World No Tobacco Day on Friday, attributing these as pathways to tobacco addiction. Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS), more commonly known as e-cigarettes or 'vapes' has gained popularity in India in recent years, but doctors claim that these items pose significant health risks to users that are similar to conventional cigarettes. "E-cigarettes have been targeting our youth with their colors and flavors that entice them and pull them towards addiction to tobacco," said Tshering Bhutia, vice president of Projects Preventive Health & Research of the foundation. Banning these vaping products represents one way to keep children away from future tobacco consumption, he said. The study quotes a 12-year-old young boy from a city school stating that children initially use e-cigarettes for fun and later start using actual cigarettes. Five Indian states -- Punjab, Karnataka, Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar and Mizoram -- have already announced a blanket ban on "vaping". In India, industry trends show the e-cigarette market will grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 34 percent, up from 58.8 million U.S. dollars in 2017 to 106.1 million U.S. dollars in 2019, the study said quoting global data. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 23:21:15|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close SARAJEVO, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Bosnia and Herzegovina's (BiH's) security minister Dragan Mektic headed the protests demanding the resignation of the top judicial official on Wednesday here, local media reported. Mektic decided to protest after a corruption scandal, in which a secretly-filmed video was released showing the head of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) Milan Tegeltija allegedly taking bribes through a middleman. According to the local media, in front of several hundred citizens who gathered in front of BiH's Prosecutors Office, Mektic said that protestors are not making pressure, but demanding a legal country, demanding the resignation of the HJPC leadership because of corruption and inactivity of members. They jointly sent a message that judiciary has to be fair and honest in order to make justice and law for all citizens. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 23:26:17|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BUDAPEST, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The Hungarian capital's General Assembly adopted new measures to fight air pollution, including congestion charging and a restriction of diesel-powered cars, according to an official statement published here on Wednesday. "The General Assembly has ruled that during smog alerts, restrictions will be expanded to the use of Euro-5 diesel engines in Budapest," says the statement published on the official site of the city council of Budapest. The restriction will come into effect from October 2019. As another measure aimed at easing the traffic of the capital, the General Assembly also gave its approval to the introduction of a congestion charging, to be implemented by 2025. According to the statement, the congestion charging plan would be introduced in two steps, the first would mean a payment of some 5,000 Hungarian forints (17 U.S. dollars) as a general annual fee for those who want to enter the area of Budapest, while the second would concern the city center. The fee concerning the city-center has not yet been announced. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 23:36:24|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia is seeking to attract more Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from Chinese firms engaged in the pharmaceutical sector, an Ethiopian official said on Wednesday. Dewano Kedir, Head of economic affairs desk at Ethiopia Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), said Ethiopia is willing to help Chinese firms to engage either in joint venture or full-scale investment in pharmaceutical sector in the country, reported local media outlet Ethiopianreporter.com. Kedir pledged to assist prospective Chinese firms to overcome any hurdles they may encounter during their activities to invest in the Ethiopian pharmaceutical sector. Kedir was speaking in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa while holding discussions with around 40 companies that came from the central Chinese province of Henan. "Ethiopia's 100 million strong population needs to get a reliable supply of medical products. Chinese firms can help Ethiopia's fledgling pharmaceutical sector by investing in the sector as well as contributing generally to Ethiopia's export-driven industrialization program" further said Kedir. On Monday, the Ethiopia Investment Commission (EIC) disclosed that Ethiopia's Chinese-built Kilinto Industrial Park (KIP) has boosted the country's ambition to lure experienced international pharmaceutical companies across the globe. EIC revealed it has signed investment agreements with 10 international companies that have "shown great interest" to set up their industrial plants inside the premises of KIP. According to the Ethiopian government, the Kilinto Industrial Park is on the verge of completion, and once completed it will host more than 1,000 pharmaceutical companies. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 23:41:30|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WASHINGTON, May 29 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller on Wednesday made his first-ever public statement about the investigation into the alleged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, saying that charging President Donald Trump with a crime was "not an option we could consider" due to Justice Department guidelines. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 23:46:36|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close HONG KONG, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Chief Executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam on Wednesday expressed hope to explore more collaboration in areas such as biotech with Singapore. Carrie Lam made the remarks at a meeting here with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance of Singapore Heng Swee Keat, according to HKSAR government's Information Services Department. Saying that Hong Kong is committed to developing innovation and technology and has devoted substantial resources and rolled out a number of specific measures, Lam expressed the hope to explore more collaboration in areas such as biotech, fintech and start-ups with research centers, education institutes and enterprises in Singapore. Noting that the commitments made under the Free Trade Agreement between Hong Kong and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including parts relating to Hong Kong and Singapore, will enter into force on June 11, she expressed her gratitude to the Singapore government for its long-standing support for the signing of related agreements between Hong Kong and ASEAN. Lam believed that the development of Hong Kong and ASEAN will be further strengthened and relations between the two will be taken to a new level. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 23:51:44|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close HONG KONG, May 29 (Xinhua) -- It is up to companies to decide where to be listed, Chief Executive of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) Charles Li Xiaojia said on Wednesday. Media reports here have said Alibaba Group Holding Limited is mulling to raise 20 billion U.S. dollars through a second listing in Hong Kong. Responding to the press, Li said it is up to the companies to decide where to be listed, in Shanghai, in Shenzhen or in Hong Kong. "Wherever they go, we welcome them back home," Li said. In 2014, Alibaba Group Holding Limited listed its shares on the New York Stock Exchange. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 23:56:47|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- A drama about the Communist Party of China's role in building the Red Army was re-staged in the National Theatre of China Wednesday. "Whole Night Meeting in Sanwan" represents a historical meeting held in Sanwan, now in east China's Jiangxi Province, in September 1927. The meeting required strengthened leadership of the Party over the armed forces and equality between officers and soldiers. What happened that night is important both to history and the future of China, said scriptwriter Wang Baoshe. Director Yin Hongyi said the drama would remind audiences of the key turning point in history ahead of the 70th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China. The drama debuted in January. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-29 23:56:52|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, meets with a delegation from Taiwan led by New Party Chairman Yok Mu-ming in Beijing, capital of China, May 29, 2019. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei) BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- China's top political advisor Wang Yang on Wednesday met with a delegation from Taiwan led by New Party Chairman Yok Mu-ming. Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, stressed the greater national interests of pursuing reunification, which he said is an undeniable duty for every Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Wang expressed the mainland's willingness to engage in talks and consultation with political parties, organizations and individuals from Taiwan on the basis of upholding the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence." He also pledged efforts to implement the consensus reached during consultations, deepen cross-Strait exchanges and integrated development, promote more favorable policies benefiting Taiwan, and encourage young people from Taiwan to study, work and start businesses on the mainland. Noting that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one China, Yok expressed hope for the two sides to cooperate more, and better understand each other, forging a strong common identity and the sense of mission to pursue peaceful reunification, so as to realize the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation at an early date. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-30 00:32:23|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- China will further reduce taxes in the community-based service industries, including the elderly care, childcare and household services. Stating from June 1 this year to the end of 2025, earnings of those industries will be exempted from the value-added tax, and enjoy a 10-percent deduction in taxable income. The decision was made at a State Council executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday. The development of community-based elderly care, childcare and household services is crucial in addressing China's aging problem and facilitating the country's two-child policy, which will help boost consumption and employment. The meeting decided to increase the supply of community facilities, expand market access and guide social forces to widely participate, provide fiscal subsidies for personnel training, and optimize the fiscal expenditure structure in the industry. The country will also encourage undergraduate colleges and vocational schools to launch majors of household services and work to improve the standard and credit system to promote the sound and sustainable development of the household service industry. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-30 00:32:25|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, May 29 (Xinhua) -- A civilian was killed and 70 others injured on Wednesday during intense clashes with government forces near two separate gunfight sites in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, officials said. The clashes first broke out in Tazipora-Mohamoodpora in Kulgam district, about 78 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir. During the pre-dawn hours contingents of police and army cordoned off the area on specific intelligence information suggesting presence of militants, following which a gunfight broke out. However, while the stand-off was going on, hundreds of villagers thronged the gunfight site and clashed with government forces in a bid to help militants break cordon and escape. Eyewitnesses said the irate protesters threw stones and brickbats towards police and army, who responded by firing tear smoke shells, pellets and warning shots to disperse them. Health officials said 50 protesters were injured during the clashes in the area. "We received 50 persons in the injured condition, out of which six were referred to district hospital Kulgam," a health official posted at Mahmoodpora health facility said. Reports said the government forces were forced to call off the operation in the village and militants managed to escape. While the clashes were underway in Kulgam, fresh clashes broke out during a cordon and search operation at Pinjura village of adjacent Shopian district. According to locals, no sooner the gunshots were heard in the village, residents hit roads and clashed with government forces to disrupt their anti-militancy operation. One civilian was killed and as per local media reports over 20 people were injured during the clashes. "A civilian who was injured during the clashes here has succumbed," a police official posted in Shopian said. "The slain was identified as Sajad Ahmad Parray of village Badrahama." According to the official, the gunfight between militants and government forces was underway in the area until last reports poured in. Anti-India sentiment runs deep in the psyche of majority of Kashmiris. Irate residents took to roads and clash with police. The youth throw stones and brickbats on contingents of police and paramilitary, who respond by firing tear smoke shells, pellets and bullets, which often proves fatal. Meanwhile, authorities have suspended internet service in all districts south of Srinagar. A guerilla war is going on between militants and Indian troops stationed in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989. The gunfight between the two sides takes place intermittently across the region. Kashmir, divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-30 00:42:37|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close DAR ES SALAAM, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Cholera has killed one and left 32 others hospitalized in Tanzania's commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, Tanzanian health minister Ummy Mwalimu said on Wednesday. "The outbreak of the disease has been caused by failure to abide by hygienic regulations," the minister said. She directed all municipal councils in the commercial capital to enact by-laws that impose stern punishment to people who empty cesspool tanks in the open when it rains. Instructions have been given to municipal council authorities to mete out stern punishment to anybody disposing sewage in their compounds, Mwalimu said. Dar es Salaam chief medical officer Yudas Ndungile said most cholera patients came from Mchikichini, in Kariakoo, and places hardly reached by sewage vehicles, and that efforts should be put in place to reach those areas. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-30 00:52:43|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- China will take more steps to boost community-based elderly care, childcare and household services, including greater policy incentives in taxes and fee cuts, as decided at the State Council's executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday. "Elderly care, childcare and housekeeping services are crucial to improving people's wellbeing, addressing the aging of the population and boosting employment. There is huge demand in this regard. The inadequacy of the childcare service, in particular, has become a bottleneck issue with the implementation of the two-child policy," Li said. "Faster development of such services can serve multiple purposes, including boosting consumption, promoting a better division of labor and facilitating economic transformation." The Wednesday meeting decided on measures to boost community-based elderly care. Efforts will be made to increase the supply of community facilities for such services, and reduce costs. Elderly care facilities installed as required in new residential communities will be offered to the local residents for free or with low-cost. The government will make up for the shortage of such facilities in old residential areas through repurchasing or renting. Thresholds will be lowered for private actors to provide community-based elderly care services. The government encourages community institutions to develop comprehensive functions including boarding services, day care and home-visit services. The Internet Plus model will be used in offering tailored neighborhood services for senior citizens. The government will provide greater fiscal support. Training programs for elderly care workers will be supported by government subsidies and other measures. "We must accelerate the development of community-based elderly care in light of China's realities to boost the services sector. The government needs to provide support in terms of fiscal input, taxation, finance, venues, electricity and water supply," Li said. Attendees at the meeting adopted an array of measures in promoting higher quality and an expansion of capacity in the household service sector. Undergraduate colleges and vocational schools will be encouraged to launch majors of household services. Eligible training bases will receive funding support on a priority basis under the central government budget. Household service workers who are flexibly employed will be covered by the professional upskilling subsidies. Community-based household services companies will not be restricted by the nature of the real estate when renting the service venues. Companies that hire people with difficulty in finding jobs or current-year college graduates will enjoy social insurance subsidies. Commercial banks will be encouraged to explore ways to provide small scale collateral- and guarantee-free loans to household services companies with good credit. The government will work to improve the standards and credit system, and set up systems for service provider certification and third-party accreditation. All service workers will be required to have rigorous health checks. The government will follow an accommodative and prudential approach in regulating the household services sector. "We must vigorously develop elderly care and child care," Li said. "Our labor productivity cannot improve without a sound division of labor. The government needs to step up in widening market access and exercising impartial regulation. This will boost the growth of relevant industries and deliver satisfying services to our people." He also stressed the need to scale up vocational training to enhance the reputation and performance of the related industries. The meeting identified a number of tax incentives for community-based elderly care, childcare and household services. Between June 1 this year and the end of 2025, earnings of the above-mentioned services will be exempted from value-added tax (VAT), and enjoy a 10 percent deduction in taxable income. Those providing real estate or land for the relevant services will be exempted from deed tax, property tax, urban land use tax and six types of fees including registration fee for real estate. The scope of VAT exemption for household services companies with contract-based employment will be expanded. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-30 01:17:59|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close KUWAIT CITY, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah will lead a delegation to Mecca for three Arab and Islamic summits, the Kuwait News Agency reported on Wednesday. Saudi Arabia is hosting an emergency Gulf Cooperation Council summit, an emergency Arab summit, and the 14th ordinary session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation summit. King Salman bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia has invited Gulf and Arab countries to attend the first two summits. The Saudi Foreign Ministry earlier said that the two summits aim to negotiate and coordinate reinforcement of regional security and stability. The summits would discuss latest regional developments, including the recent attacks on commercial ships near the United Arab Emirates' territorial waters and two oil-pumping stations in Saudi Arabia. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-30 02:18:18|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close WASHINGTON, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Treasury Department has said that no major trading partner of the United States meets the standard of currency manipulation. In its Semiannual Report on International Economic and Exchange Rate Policies to the U.S. Congress released on Tuesday, the Treasury Department concluded that no major U.S. trading partner met the criteria to be labeled as a currency manipulator during the four quarters ending December 2018. However, it put China, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam on its "monitoring list," which means foreign exchange policies of the nine countries will bear close attention of the U.S. government. The Treasury Department called on China to take necessary steps to avoid "a persistently weak currency," noting that improved economic fundamentals and structural policy settings would underpin a stronger renminbi (RMB) over time. In response to the report, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang said Wednesday at a regular press conference that the U.S. conclusion against labeling China a currency manipulator is consistent with common sense and the shared view of the international community. "We hope the United States will respect facts and market laws and not politicize exchange rates," Lu said. "We have repeatedly advised it to abide by multilateral rules and not conduct unilateral assessments of other countries' exchange rates." China will resolutely deepen market reform of the exchange rate regime, continue to improve the managed, floating regime based on market supply and demand and with reference to a basket of currencies, and keep the RMB exchange rate basically stable at an adaptive and equilibrium level, Lu added. Adam Posen, president of Peterson Institute for International Economics, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, said before the release of the Treasury report earlier on Tuesday that it's "pretty close to absurd" to accuse China of currency manipulation as China basically has not manipulated its currency for the last several years. The Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), which is also on the "monitoring list," said on Wednesday that the country supports free and fair trade, and does not practise unfair currency practices. "Malaysia adopts a floating exchange rate regime. The ringgit exchange rate is market-determined and is not relied upon for exports competitiveness," the central bank of Malaysia said in a statement, adding that BNM intervention over the last few years has been in both directions of the foreign exchange market. In the biannual report, the U.S. Treasury Department also revised the thresholds it uses to assess where unfair currency practices or imbalanced macroeconomic policies may be emerging, allowing it to monitor a wider range of countries. As one of the three criteria for inclusion on the "monitoring list," a "material current account surplus" is one that is at least 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), compared with 3 percent of GDP in previous threshold. If a country actively intervenes in foreign exchange markets for six out of 12 months, rather than the previous eight-month threshold, it will be closer to being monitored. Additionally, a "significant bilateral trade surplus" with the United States is one that is at least 20 billion dollars in goods surplus, consistent with previous threshold. An economy meeting two of the three criteria is placed on the "monitoring list," the department said. However, if the U.S. trade deficit with a country accounts for a large portion of its overall trade deficit, the country will also be added to the watch list, even if it doesn't meet two of the three criteria. The department reviewed and assessed the policies of an expanded set of 21 major U.S. trading partners, whose bilateral goods trade with the United States exceeds 40 billion U.S. dollars annually. Previously, it only covered the 12 largest trading partners. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-30 02:23:20|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close WASHINGTON, May 29 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller on Wednesday made his first-ever public statement about the investigation into the alleged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, saying that charging President Donald Trump with a crime was "not an option we could consider" due to Justice Department guidelines. "The report is my testimony," Mueller said in his on-camera appearance, referring to his investigators' 448-page report. He didn't take questions. He said he would prefer not to publicly testify before Congress about his 22-month probe. Mueller explained the longstanding Justice Department policy, which states that a sitting president cannot be charged with a crime. "Charging the president with a crime was not an option we could consider," Mueller said, adding that "it would be unfair to accuse someone of a crime when there could be no court resolution of the charge." "If we had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so," he said. "We did not determine whether the president did commit a crime." "The Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse the president of wrongdoing," Mueller said, echoing his report which states that Congress "may apply obstruction laws to the President's corrupt exercise of the powers of office accords with our constitutional system of checks and balances and the principle that no person is above the law." "We concluded that we would not reach a determination one way or the other about whether the president committed a crime," Mueller added. "That is the office's final position." In quick response, Trump tweeted: "Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you." Mueller also announced Wednesday that the special counsel's office was officially closed and that he would be resigning from the Justice Department as special counsel to return to private life. "I am speaking out today because our investigation is complete," Mueller said. "The attorney general has made the report on our investigation largely public. We are formally closing the special counsel's office. And as well, I'm resigning from the Department of Justice to return to private life." Mueller concluded his 22-month investigation in March by submitting a report to Attorney General William Barr and a redacted version was made public last month. The report stated that there was no evidence that Trump's campaign conspired with the Russian government during the 2016 U.S. elections but did not conclude if the president had obstructed justice. Barr and his deputy Rod Rosenstein, who stepped down earlier this month, have concluded that Mueller did not have "sufficient" evidence to support a charge in the obstruction case, a move that has drawn scrutiny from the Democrats. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-30 02:33:23|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen speaks to journalists during a press encounter after a Security Council closed consultation on Syria, at the UN headquarters in New York, on May 29, 2019. Geir Pedersen on Wednesday reiterated the world body's principle of political solution to the eight-year-long conflict in Syria, noting that there is no military solution. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) UNITED NATIONS, May 29 (Xinhua) -- UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen on Wednesday reiterated the world body's principle of political solution to the eight-year-long conflict in Syria, noting that there is no military solution. "There is only a political solution to this conflict there," Pedersen told reporters at the UN Headquarters in New York after the Security Council's closed-door consultation on Syria. The fact that the conflict in Syria has lasted more than eight years "has proven that there is no military solution to the conflict," he said. Noting that society is "deeply divided," and there is "complete lack of trust," the special envoy said that "we need to heal ...to heal the division and to start to trust, and to be able to move forward." Without that, there will be "no peace scenario" for Syria, he added. Speaking of the humanitarian situation in Idlib, the last major rebel stronghold in Syria, Pedersen said that "too many people have been killed, and we need, obviously, to see an end to the fighting that is going on." "It is, of course, legitimate to fight terrorists, but it has to be done with respect for international humanitarian law," the envoy said, adding that the Security Council had reached consensus on this. "What is happening is not proportional in relationship to civilian casualties and the fight against terrorism," he said. The special envoy told reporters that he would make "a serious mistake" if he does not continue to press forward for a political solution. "We want to continue to work on a political solution that hopefully will bring peace and stability to the Syrian people that have been suffering for too long," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-30 04:19:26|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close LILONGWE, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Malawi Police have defended their Tuesday attack on opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) supporters at the party's Headquarters in the capital with teargas saying it was meant to restore law and order in the country. The police told the local media on Wednesday that the act was justifiable following some post-election violence witnessed in the capital, Lilongwe, Tuesday upon announcement of presidential election results in which MCP candidate, Lazarus Chakwera, lost to the incumbent president, Peter Mutharika. Malawi police spokesperson, James Kadadzera, accused the opposition party followers of unlawful assembly, adding that the place where they had gathered was a hot spot for violence. Kadadzera said the police had already communicated to political party supporters that if they had problems concerning the elections they should follow right channels to present them or risk facing the arm of the law. "We are appealing to all those who are involving themselves in violences to stop because it's unconstitutional, it is against the law," said Kadadzera. There have been reports that some opposition supporters were injured during the teargas fracas but the police spokesperson said his office was yet to be served with an official complaint. But MCP Organizing Secretary Khumbidze Kandodo Chiponda said the police were the ones provoking the opposition supporters at their own compound where they had gathered to conduct postmortem on the election. "You know Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, our president, was man of the people but now they have sworn in Peter Mutharika; we said okay, well and good, we are crying, yes, but let's cry in our compound, instead of going to the streets," explained Chiponda in an interview with the local media Tuesday. She claimed that the police had been camping around the MCP offices for three days, looking for ways to provoke the opposition supporters and that the law enforcers finally started throwing teargas canisters at the "mourning opposition supporters." Chiponda alleged that apart from destruction of some property, two MCP supporters got injured in the process. "It is very unfortunate that they are trying to provoke us; but let me warn them: you try to provoke us, we are going to hit back. We will not allow anyone to intimidate us because we know that we won this election," added Chiponda. Earlier the police told journalist at a press briefing in Blantyre that 34 people had been arrested in Dowa and Lilongwe which are strongholds of the MCP following post-election political violence. President Mutharika, who represented the Democratic Progressive Party and has now been sworn in as Malawi's president for the coming 5 years, narrowly beat Chakwera, by 38.57 percent to 35.41 percent. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-30 04:19:31|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close TEHRAN, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday ruled out the possibility of negotiations with the United States over the existing mutual thorny issues. "We will not negotiate with the United States as it will be fruitless and a loss," Khamenei was quoted as saying by official IRNA news agency. The Iranian leader said that negotiations are the "U.S. tactic to complement its pressures policy on Iran." Iran possesses the "necessary tools" to confront U.S. pressures, he added. Iranian authorities have stressed that Tehran will not sit for negotiations under Washington's threats or sanction pressures. Following U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to quit the historic Iran nuclear pact on May 8, the United States reimposed sanctions, which had been lifted under the accord, against Iran and vowed to inflict punishments on nations and institutions that have business links with Iran. Trump's administration has called for renegotiation of the Iranian 2015 nuclear deal as well as Tehran's developing missile program and its regional role. On Wednesday, Khamenei also stressed that Iran's defensive power was non-negotiable. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-30 04:29:36|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close Economic and Commercial Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Rwanda Wang Jiaxin (3rd R, front), Director of Masaka Hospital Marcel Uwizeye (4th R, front), members of the 19th Chinese Medical Team in Rwanda and others pose for a group photo following a medical aids donation ceremony in Kigali, capital city of Rwanda, on May 29, 2019. The 19th Chinese Medical Team in Rwanda on Wednesday handed over medical aids to Masaka Hospital in Kigali. (Xinhua/Wang Junbo) KIGALI, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The 19th Chinese Medical Team in Rwanda on Wednesday handed over medical aids to Masaka Hospital in the Rwandan capital city Kigali. The aids, donated by the Chinese government which entrusted the Chinese medical team to hand over, are selected in line with Masaka Hospital's need, the Chinese medical team told Xinhua after a donation ceremony held in the hospital built with financing by the Chinese government. The aids include medicines and medical apparatus for the stomatology department. "This donation is so important for us as a hospital and our people," Director of Masaka Hospital Marcel Uwizeye told Xinhua. The medical aids will be used to treat the Rwandan people and for education, which means they are going to help in health of the Rwandan people, said Uwizeye. "We are thankful for the cooperation between the governments (of Rwanda and China) and the Chinese medical team who are working here in our hospital," he said. The Chinese medical team started working in Rwanda in 1982, and have been providing high quality medical service to Rwandan patients since then, said Economic and Commercial Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Rwanda Wang Jiaxin. In recent years, every Chinese medical team donated medical aids to the Rwandan hospital, which have played a key role in providing comprehensive and good health service to Rwandan patients, said Wang. The medical cooperation between China and Rwanda has existed for a long time, and the scale of the cooperation has been gradually expanding, he said, envisaging closer medical cooperation in the future. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-30 04:49:42|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close FRANKFURT, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The Munich-based German think tank ifo Institute published a study on Wednesday, saying that the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) can help Bavarian companies enter new markets and ease access to raw materials. Thanks to the BRI, trade between Germany's Bavaria and China is expected to increase by 8 percent, with exports to China expected to grow by 2.2 billion euros, indicated the new study. In addition, trade between Bavaria and the transit countries in Central Asia could increase by 3 percent, with exports to those countries and regions expected to expand by 53 million euros, according to the study. "The initiative's improved infrastructure would above all help to reduce transport costs," the Institute underlined. In the meantime, ifo Institute cautioned about investment risks in regions like Central Asia, where economic and political risk levels remain high. Moreover, the think tank called on German policy makers to put in place the framework necessary to make the Belt and Road Initiative an economic success for Bavaria and Germany at large. "This would enable European companies to benefit from changes in the countries along the Silk Road and remain competitive," it noted, adding that it would be worthwhile to deepen relations with these countries and to work toward a reliable legal and economic basis for business, as this would facilitate market access for German companies. (one euro currently equals to 1.11 U.S. dollars) Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-30 05:55:18|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close HOUSTON, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The man accused of shooting four people, including a sheriff's deputy, and killing one of them in southeastern Texas, the United States, has been found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said Wednesday afternoon. According to officials from Texas Department of Public Safety, the alleged shooter Pavol Vido, 65, shot himself Wednesday afternoon. The shooting happened in Liberty County, about 85 km northeast of downtown Houston. Authorities were quoted as saying that it started at a plumbing business where the shooter opened fire, killing a female employee. The suspect left the scene and deputy Richard Whitten followed him, and the two got into a shootout. The deputy was shot in the throat and was rushed to the Texas Medical Center in stable condition. According to preliminary information from officials, Vido was living in a metal container behind the plumbing business. The people who own the land where Vido was living are connected to the plumbing business. The sheriff's office served Vido eviction papers last month. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-30 06:05:30|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, May 29 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Wednesday asked the international community to help Africa tap its potential in natural resources and prevent their illicit exploitation and trade. The international community should actively assist relevant countries in establishing and improving the judicial, administrative, law enforcement and other governance mechanisms in the exploitation of natural resources, intensify efforts to combat illicit exploitation and transportation of natural resources, and reduce the demand for illegally exported resources, said Yao Shaojun, minister counselor and political coordinator of China's permanent mission to the United Nations. He also called for efforts to convert the resource advantages of African countries into a development advantage. Natural resources are an important material basis for development and an important factor for peace and stability, Yao told a meeting of the Security Council Ad Hoc Working Group on Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa. The United Nations should further strengthen its cooperation with the African Union (AU) and other regional organizations in Africa in the management of natural resources, and in combating illicit exploitation and transportation, he said. The world body should fully leverage its own advantages and provide more support to the AU and regional countries in such areas as personnel training, standards-setting and assistance coordination, he said. The Security Council, as the primary organ for the maintenance of international peace and security, should provide constructive support to Africa in combating illicit exploitation and transportation of natural resources, and in conflict prevention and resolution, and do its utmost to avoid any negative impact on relevant countries in their normal use of natural resources, said Yao. China has been consistently following the principle of equality, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation and actively supporting other countries in their sound development, use and management of natural resources. China firmly opposes illicit exploitation and trade of natural resources, he said. China stands ready to work with the international community to bring into full play the positive role of natural resources in maintaining international peace and promoting common development, and to contribute to the promotion of regional peace and stability in Africa, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-30 06:10:32|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ZAGREB, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Croatia's GDP grew 3.9 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of this year, Croatian Bureau of Statistics announced on Wednesday. Boosted mainly by household consumption and investments, Q1 growth was a record-high since 2007, and is higher than the average growth in the European Union. It was the 19th consecutive quarter to see GDP grow and faster than the previous quarter, when the economy grew 2.3 percent on the year. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic argued that this is an impulse for further strengthening of the economy, competitiveness and investor confidence. In a press release, Plenkovic called this another impetus to continue to "work on the triangle of success that makes fiscal consolidation, structural reforms and investments", which has led to an increase in people's incomes. Commenting on this, Croatian Economy Minister Darko Horvat said no one in the Croatian government was satisfied with GDP growth projections of 2.5 percent. "Our goal is to increase GDP by five percent and if these numbers are now being announced, then we are on the right track," the minister added. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-30 06:20:39|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close RABAT, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The investment of the African Development Bank (AfDB) in Morocco has exceeded 1.4 billion U.S. dollars, according to a statement from the office of Moroccan Prime Minister Saad Eddine El Othmani on Wednesday. The investment covers sectors of economic and social development, the statement said following a meeting between El Othmani and Vice President of the AfDB for regional development, integration and business delivery, Khaled Sherif. During the meeting, the two parties discussed means to further strengthen and expand partnership between the kingdom and this institution, the statement said. The talks also touched on promoting employment, increasing the share of industry in GDP, bolstering the competitiveness of the Moroccan economy, improving its rankings in several international indicators and enhancing the attractiveness of foreign investment, the same source added. El Othmani noted the structural reforms carried out by the government through the implementation of several programs, particularly those aimed at reinforcing the public-private partnership and reforming the education and training system as part of the 2015-2030 strategy. For his part, the AfDB vice president expressed the bank's readiness to support Morocco in its various structural strategies. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-30 06:35:49|Editor: Liu Video Player Close BUDAPEST, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Three people died and 16 are still missing here in Budapest after a Hungarian tourist boat with 34 people on board sank on Wednesday evening, according to official sources. "Two boats collided late Wednesday in Budapest, one of them sank with 34 people on board, two personnel and 32 passengers. For the moment, 14 people are safe and sound, one has been resuscitated, 3 are dead and 16 are missing," the national television M1 announced, quoting the Hungarian Ministry of Interior. "The search for the missing people is underway with all possible means," said the Ministry. According to the Hungarian news agency MTI, the majority of the passengers were tourists from Asia, but their nationalities were not known at present. The sunken boat was the 'Hableany' (Mermaid in English), a 27-meter-long double decker with a capacity of 60 people. The Hungarian Police announced later in a statement that the first report of the accident had been received at 9:15 pm local time, and that the search and rescue mission had begun downstream of the Margit bridge. An expert diver interviewed by the national television said that chances to find survivors after 4-10 minutes in such conditions were minimal, and the local media expected the death toll to rise. The area has been hermetically closed by the police, and several divers are searching in the 15-degree Celsius waters, the national television reported. With heavy rains falling over the Danube, the current of the river is very strong. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-30 06:46:03|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close ZAGREB, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Europe has a lot to learn from China, visiting Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell told reporters here on Wednesday after meeting with his Croatian counterpart Marija Pejcinovic Buric. "China is a big player and has more and more presence in Europe. We have a lot to learn from that country and we are interested in its economic and political activities in eastern Europe," Borrell said at a press conference. He noted that his visit to Croatia is a good opportunity to become familiar with numerous economic and political activities between Beijing and Europe. Borrell told reporters that he talked with Buric about Croatia-China relations and "the bridge that is being constructed near Dubrovnik." The Peljesac Bridge is one of the biggest infrastructure projects in Croatia's history which is being built by a Chinese consortium led by China Road and Bridge Corporation. The bridge that is mostly funded by the European Union would connect the coast with the Peljesac peninsula and unite the disconnected south part of Croatia and its best-known city Dubrovnik in southern Adriatic, with the rest of the country. Peljesac Bridge was one of the main topics in the conversation between Borrell and Buric, Croatian news agency HINA reported. They also talked about cooperation between Croatia and Spain, Europe's future, Brexit and Croatia's upcoming EU Presidency. Croatia will hold the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2020. The Spanish foreign minister said his country supports Croatia to join the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Schengen Area, and the eurozone. Buric stressed that Croatia and Spain cherish traditionally good and friendly relations. Historical membership of the same Euro-Mediterranean circle of countries, as well as the EU and NATO, only contributes to good relations, she noted. On Wednesday afternoon, Borrell also met with the Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic. Plenkovic and Borrell talked about trade exchange between the two countries that is currently worth around 800 million euros (890 million U.S. dollars), further economic cooperation and investments in infrastructure projects and tourism, the government office announced in a press release. They also discussed Croatia's EU presidency and the EU's financial framework from 2021 until 2027. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-30 07:06:07|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close Li Dahong, head of the Hong Kong delegation, also vice-president and chief editor of Hong Kong Ta Kung Wen Wei Po Media Group, speaks at a meeting as part of the "Passing the torch" events in Bucharest, Romania, May 29, 2019. A hundred Chinese and Romanian students met on Wednesday as part of the "Passing the torch" events, to celebrate the friendly relations between the two countries. (Xinhua/Chen Jin) BUCHAREST, May 29 (Xinhua) -- A hundred Chinese and Romanian students met on Wednesday as part of the "Passing the torch" events, to celebrate the friendly relations between the two countries. At the meeting in the Chinese Embassy in Romania, visiting students from Hong Kong SAR, the "Future Stars" international youth delegation, held friendly exchanges with Romanian youth representatives of local main political parties, Olympic medalists, university students, as well as overseas Chinese students and representatives of teachers and students from the Confucius Institutes in Romania. Chinese Ambassador Jiang Yu said that on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the Ample Partnership of Friendship and Cooperation, it is of special significance to hold the the series of bilateral youth events. She hoped that the young people of the two countries would carry forward the traditional friendship, work hard for the benefits of the world, and be part of Belt and Road Initiative to promote win-win cooperation between the two countries and the rest of the world. Li Dahong, head of the Hong Kong delegation, said the Hong Kong SAR government has launched the "International Youth Exchange Funding Scheme" to help Hong Kong youths see the world, broaden their horizons, and deepen the friendship between young people of all countries. Li, also vice-president and chief editor of Hong Kong Ta Kung Wen Wei Po Media Group, said Romania is a country with diverse cultures and different ethnic groups. Hong Kong is a city with a high degree of openness, free economy and a multicultural capital. He urged young people from Hong Kong to exchange more with their Romanian counterparts for a future world of harmonious coexistence. The Chinese embassy also held a certificate and prize awarding ceremony for the winners of the Logo Design Competition for the 70th anniversary of China-Romania relations. Source: Xinhua| 2019-05-30 07:06:09|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close Guests unveil new books during the launching ceremony of the book titled Work Is Life -- How to Perform to the Best of Your Ability, during the 2019 BookExpo America in New York, the United States, May 29, 2019. A new book featuring the success story of a Chinese entrepreneur made its debut at BookExpo America on Wednesday as the annual gala of the publishing industry kicked off in New York City. The English-language book, "Work Is Life -- How to Perform to the Best of Your Ability", tells how Che Jianxin, also the author of the book, fought his way from a village carpenter to the chairman and CEO of China's largest furniture retail chain. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) NEW YORK, May 29 (Xinhua) -- A new book featuring the success story of a Chinese entrepreneur made its debut at BookExpo America on Wednesday as the annual gala of the publishing industry kicked off in New York City. The English-language book, "Work Is Life -- How to Perform to the Best of Your Ability", tells how Che Jianxin, also the author of the book, fought his way from a village carpenter to the chairman and CEO of China's largest furniture retail chain. The launch of the book also marked the inauguration of the global promotion of the Chinese Entrepreneurs Series books, co-published by the China National Publications Import & Export Corporation (CNPIEC) and the New York-based Pace University Press. "We hope Mr. Che's work will be an inspiration for people of all walks of life," said Manuela Soares, director of the Pace University Press at the launching ceremony. "His philosophy that people striving to be successful in business can use this opportunity not just for material wealth, but an opportunity to cultivate oneself and to progress spiritually, is a message much needed in today's world." Huang Ping, the Chinese consul general in New York, lauded Chinese entrepreneurs as trailblazers and pioneers in China's economic and trade cooperation with the rest of the world. "The 40 years' journey of Chinese entrepreneurs is a window onto our hard-working people, onto our reform and opening up, and onto the stories of these visionaries who have grown to find their place in the global economy and made their own contribution to globalization," he said. The diplomat also noted that the book series will help American readers better understand what has been going on in China during the past decades, calling for more communication and cooperation between China and the United States to enhance mutual understanding. BookExpo America, one of the largest in North America, runs from Wednesday to Friday this year at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Organizers said the expo has attracted some 500 U.S. and international exhibitors this year. S-as decis: Telcenii vor plati apa si canalizarea la jumatate de pret fata de cat ar fi dat Aquabis-ului La Telciu s-a decis ca apa si canalizarea sa fie platite cu aceeasi suma, de TOATE familiile, indiferent de consum. Valoarea stabilita e jumatate fata de cat ar fi platit Aquabis-ului. [citeste mai departe] President Zelensky has appointed Ukraines former Minister of Finance Oleksandr Danylyuk as National Security and Defense Council secretary Open source Volodymyr Zelensky, head of the Ukrainian state, held a number of key personnel appointments in the first days of his presidency. One of his recent appointments is a secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine. Ukraines former Minister of Finance Oleksandr Danylyuk has come to head the NSDC office. General information Oleksandr Danylyuk is 43 years old. He was born on July 22, 1975, in the Moldavian city of Grigoriopol. However, the family moved to Ukraine and settled in Kyiv. Danylyuk graduated from the National Technical University in 1998 as an electrical engineer, and in parallel studied finance at the Kyiv Investment Institute. In 1999, he decided to study at Indiana University (USA) Business School. He graduated in 2001 with an MBA. Danylyuk speaks five languages: Ukrainian, Russian, English, Spanish, and French. Career Danylyuk began his career in 1995 as a broker at TEKT investment company, then he proved himself to be the head of the investment banking department at Alfa Capital and a junior investment manager in the US Western NIS Enterprise Fund (WNISEF). Over the next three years, Danylyuk worked at the international consulting firm McKinsey & Company in London and Moscow. In 2006-2010, he headed the Rurik Investment fund in London and Luxembourg. This is how his private sector career has ended. Danyluk was appointed first as an economic adviser to Yuriy Yekhanurov, the then Prime Minister, and then as a freelance advisor to President Viktor Yanukovych. And working in the public sector has become more attractive to him. In addition, in 2010, Danylyuk won the competition for the position of head of the Coordination Center for the implementation of economic reforms an apolitical structure to develop and implement reforms to improve the investment climate, strengthen the rule of law and develop relations of Ukraine with the International Monetary Fund. After Euromaidan, he has lost the position of presidential adviser but was soon appointed to another state post president Poroshenkos representative in the Cabinet of Ministers. Then, in September 2015, Danylyuk was appointed deputy head of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine, and a year later he entered the renewed Cabinet of Ministers Volodymyr Groysman as Minister of Finance of Ukraine. However, on June 6, 2018, the head of government asked the Verkhovna Rada to dismiss Danylyuk from his post, and the parliament immediately did it. In 2019, Danylyuk became an adviser on international politics and economics to presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky. Family Danylyuk is married and has two sons. His wife Olga, a native of Lviv, studied at the British College of Saint Martin's College of Art and Design in London, and also defended her thesis at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. She worked as a theater designer in New York and Moscow. Since autumn 2017, he has been heading the Theater Laboratory at the Artistic Arsenal in Kyiv. The eldest son Richard is 15 years old. He is currently studying at Winchester College, the UK. The youngest son Volodymyr is 8 years old and he lives with his parents in the suburb of Kyiv. Property declaration According to the declaration for 2018, Danylyuk, together with his wife, owns the house in Vyshenky village (Boryspil district, Kyiv region) with a total area of 290 square meters and the adjacent land with a total area of 984 square meters. In addition, the family has an antique silver watch and the Athos icon of St. Nicholas of the 20th century. Danylyuk does not have his own car. He rented Volvo XC60 (2017). The total family income over the past year is 40,000 USD. At the same time, they have 357 USD in bank accounts, 150 EUR and 5297 UAH (190 USD), 56,000 USD and 9,000 pounds in cash. Read the original text at 112.ua. As for today, there are 80 criminal proceedings Valery Patskan, the Head of the Accounting Chamber of Ukraine Accounting Chamber 21 criminal proceedings were opened on the materials of the Accounting Chamber of Ukraine as 112 Ukraine reported citing Chambers Head Valery Patskan. Last year we renewed the active work with the law enforcers; we concluded the memorandum on cooperation and informations exchange with the NABU. In the beginning of this year, we signed a similar agreement with the SIB. Generally on the messages, materials of the Accounting Chamber, 21 criminal proceedings were opened in 2018 and as for today, there are 80 criminal proceedings, Patskan said. According to the law On Accounting Chamber, this body controls the acceptance of funds to the State Budget of Ukraine and their use on behalf of the parliament. As we reported another court session in the case of accusation against Ukraines Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelyan for the false declaration was held in Solomyansky District City Court of Kyiv. Moreover, ex-president Petro Poroshenko to be questioned concerning the possible involvement in the corruption in the electric and thermal energy producing company Centerenergo. Earlier the State Investigation Bureau of Ukraine started the investigation against ex-president of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko. Ex-Deputy Head of the Administration of President of Yanukovych time Andry Portnov filed the application with the accusation. Olexiy Honcharenko, Deputy Head of Petro Poroshenko Bloc faction 112 Agency A part of MPs from Peoples Front will be put forth from European solidarity (renamed Petro Poroshenko Bloc Solidarity), as Olexiy Honcharenko, Deputy Head of Petro Poroshenko Bloc faction, said, Interfax-Ukraine reported. I think you will see certain MPs from the Peoples Front whom our party will put forth. Let us wait for the congress, you will see everything. Congress is scheduled for next Thursday (June 6, - ed.), Honcharenko told the journalists. Petro Poroshenko's Bloc party has officially changed its title. From now on, it will be known as European Solidarity. According to the political force's press service, the decision was made and approved during the convention on May 24. Columbia, Slovakia, Peru and South Africa are ratings neighbors of Ukraine Open source Ukraine moved up five positions in the rating of worlds economies, as the reported of International Institute for Management Development, IMD reported on the website. This year, the U.S. economy stopped being the most competitive in the world and got down to third place. In 2019, Singapore becomes the leader again. Hong Kong is on the second place as in 2018. IMD World Competitiveness Rating 2019 imdb.com Switzerland, UAE, Netherlands, Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, and Qatar enter the top-10. Ukraine is on the 54th place. Compared with the previous year, it n=moved up by five positions. Columbia, Slovakia, Peru and South Africa are ratings neighbors of Ukraine. Russia got 45th place, Poland 34th. IMD rating of competitiveness is published annually since 1989. It embraces 63 countries, analyses their competitiveness under around 160 criteria. The research evaluates the countrys capacity to create a competitive surrounding and enabling environment for business. The dispatch of the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, B-52 Stratofortress bombers and additional troops to the Persian Gulf to deter new and varied threats from Iran came amid threats of a "campaign-like" series of attacks against U.S. interests in the region, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford said Wednesday. U.S. intelligence had seen threads of what the Iranians were planning for some time, he said at a Brookings Institution forum, adding, "In the last week of April, I began to see more clearly things I'd been picking up over a period of months." Dunford did not go into specifics while giving what is likely the most detailed account thus far of the reasons behind the U.S. buildup, but said that what the intelligence showed is "qualitatively different" from past Iranian threats. "It was multiple threat streams that were, perhaps, all coming together in time," he said. "What's not new is threat streams [from Iran]." Related content: "What was new was a pattern of threat streams" extending from Yemen through the Gulf region and into Iraq, he explained. "Something that looked more like a campaign than an individual threat" raised the alarm, Dunford said. It was a "more widespread, almost campaign-like perspective for the Iranians" that had to be countered, he added. To deter the new threat, Dunford said he also had to deal with what he called a "gap of perception" in the Iranian leadership on the will of the U.S. to respond with force. Before National Security Adviser John Bolton announced May 3 that the carrier Lincoln and its strike group were being sent to Iran, a message was sent to Iran "just to make sure that we would hold them accountable should something take place in the region," Dunford said. "We wanted to mitigate the risk of miscalculation. "People can question the veracity of the intelligence," Dunford said, but since early May "there have been ships that have been hit with mines, there have been [unmanned aerial vehicle] strikes, there have been rocket strikes in the proximity of the United States embassy in Iraq." At the Brookings session, Dunford, who will be retiring later this year, also addressed a wide range of issues that his successor will have to face as the principal military adviser to the president. One area that Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, who has been named by President Donald Trump as his choice to be the next Joint Chiefs chairman, will have to focus on is improving the military-to-military relationship with China, Dunford said. Efforts over the years to enhance communication and dialogue with China's military have not met with much success, he said. "I would tell my successor that that would be an area where I think we've made some progress but perhaps we're not where we need to be in terms of our military-to-military relationship with China." On North Korea, Dunford said the cutback in high-end military exercises with South Korea has not impacted the readiness of U.S. Forces Korea to "fight tonight." "I can tell you right up front that's a capability we continue to have," he said. He acknowledged that the U.S. had "reduced the profile of exercises on the peninsula" and "gone to what I would describe as a mission-essential task." "At squadron and battalion level, there has been no change," Dunford said. "I am very confident today that we have not compromised" the ability to deter North Korea. NATO is an area in which Dunford appeared to show some pride over what he said were improvements in the alliance's ability to deter Russian aggression since he became Joint Chiefs chairman in 2015. Though debate is continuing within NATO over how best to deter Russia and over the member states' contributions to the collective defense, "I would argue that as an alliance NATO is stronger than it was four years go," he said. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. How to Absorb the Marine Corps into the Army and Navy For decades, the U.S. Marine Corps has attempted to tweak its force structure to enhance performance within a constrained... The North American Aerospace Defense Command has long been the main unit overseeing aerospace warning and control and maritime warning for North America. But the recent rise in conflict around the world has prompted it to try to better prepare for what is ahead, according to a top official in the command. "What we're focused on is being able to detect adversary activity that poses a risk or threat" to North America, said Canadian Lt. Gen. Christopher Coates, deputy commander of NORAD. Military.com spoke with Coates, stationed at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, during a recent interview. NORAD gets several notifications a day that require monitoring at the command center or scrambling jets to check out the airspace. "It's not always the same action, but we [get an alert] and investigate," Coates said. The command responds roughly five times per week across the U.S. or Canada for tactical actions, he said. Between 2016 and 2018, it scrambled nearly 500 times, conducting 164 intercepts, according to data provided to Military.com. "Our intercepts of foreign state aircraft average about a half dozen per year, but can get higher," Coates said, referencing Russian bombers or fighters flying into the Air Defense Identification Zone, the airspace surrounding the United States and Canada. The ADIZ stretches roughly 200 miles off Alaska's coast. Regarding potential adversary activity, "the problem has become 360-degree for us," he said. "When we saw Russia deploy its bombers down to Venezuela, of course NORAD was very focused on that [because] it presents another vector" of global conflict. Related content: Both Russia and China are developing long-range missile capability, with Russian officials publicly stating the country plans to upgrade part of its existing missile inventory by increasing their range and enhancing their speed to hypersonic levels. "The trend that we're on would lead me to believe that we need to have far more robust continental defenses in five years than we do today. Our adversaries are continuing to develop capabilities to hold the homeland directly at risk," Coates said. "I don't believe Russia is going to launch a cruise missile tomorrow at Canada or the U.S. [But] we do have challenges with respect to new technologies that Russia and other nations are developing and fielding, and we're working with [Canadian and U.S.] defense agencies to make sure we're well positioned for the future," he said. "And the notion that I've got is that [our adversaries] believe that the best way to ensure their defense and security and interests are best met [is] by being able to challenge us." Being Ready Operation Noble Eagle, to defend the U.S. and Canada, was launched in the aftermath of 9/11. There have been growing requirements to partner, especially with U.S. Northern Command and Canadian Joint Operations Command, as well as interagency organizations such as the Federal Aviation Administration and Transportation Security Administration. "There has been a realignment, a refocusing of effort, where there is a combination of priorities and certain activities remain higher-priority," Coates said. That includes security for big annual sporting events and overwatch on cities. The commands role was highlighted in the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport incident last year. In August 2018, a Horizon Air worker stole one of the airline's Q400 turboprops aircraft. The employee, later identified as ground service agent Richard Russell, 29, flew the empty aircraft south of Seattle before crashing into Ketron Island in the Puget Sound, roughly 35 miles south of the airport. He died in the crash. NORAD responded with a multifaceted, coordinated effort between two F-15 Eagle pilots, who did not shoot the Q400 down. The Sea-Tac incident "completely mirrored the training events that we do," Coates said. He called the incident unfortunate, but unique in that NORAD hadn't seen that type of hijacking since Operation Noble Eagle began. "We're training for events ... like it on a daily basis," Coates said. Personnel at the command control center are typically on eight-hour shifts, during which they participate in two-to-three training simulations when not responding to real-world events, he said. "We're so attuned to the notion that 9/11 was a failure of imagination, so we challenge ourselves. We challenge our [exercise planning personnel] to ensure we keep this enterprise at the very pointy edge of being ready." Intercepts or scrambles are most often due to civilian aircraft that stray into a temporary flight restriction zone or closed off airspace. The command tracked 4,464 events of interest flagged by the FAA from 2016 to 2018. "Fortunately, we have not had to take action in those cases," Coates said. Defending the Homeland He said NORAD is well-suited for the alert mission, but needs to prepare for a range of events. "Are we well-suited for a really bad day? Perhaps less so," he said, adding that a commander's job is to do the best he can with the resources he's given, while identifying risks if he sees capability gaps or vulnerabilities across the mission. A catastrophic event could include a mass casualty or terrorist incident that would call for air intercepts and increased air patrols, or a fight against a near-peer enemy on U.S. soil or near its borders. Coates said the command's posture could change in the next few years to be ready for both daily homeland defense as well as a bigger fight. The first goal is to show a formidable deterrence by North American partners, "but then be ready as well to respond to where we most believe the threat might present itself," he said. Emerging Tech, Warning Systems Technology is constantly evolving, and NORAD is working with its partners to determine the best surveillance systems to use against these new threats, Coates said. NORAD watched 1,451 foreign missile events between 2016 and 2018, according to the data. "We're reaching out and engaging with our industry partners, making sure they're aware of our requirements. We're interested in looking at the widest range of possible solutions -- whether those are land-based, air-based or space-based," Coates said. "On the weapons side, certainly we're interested in ensuring we have sufficient numbers of effective weapons or technologies," he added. As an example, he cited the active electronically scanned array, or AESA, radar upgrade to the F-16 Fighting Falcon fleet, which gives pilots additional situational awareness, high-performance targeting and extended range. "That's directly related to the capabilities [we need]," he said. The upgrades come as the Pentagon in recent years has been quietly working on a network defense system plan to intercept and shoot down low-flying missiles. In 2017, then-NORAD commander Gen. Lori Robinson said the U.S. and Canada were working on upgrades to protect against cruise missile threats posed by countries such as Russia and North Korea -- the first substantial buildup in more than two decades. Robinson said that the two countries had established a "binational steering group to manage the eventual replacement of the North Warning System, which is our network of surveillance radars across Alaska and northern Canada." "That study is ongoing," Coates said. "We're not in a position yet to know what the recommendations are [but] we're looking at what capabilities are most beneficial moving forward." The current warning system architecture will eventually atrophy, he said, so a comprehensive, cross-domain surveillance system is necessary. The key is persistence, he said, as NORAD aims for advanced line of sight to monitor, track and defend against evolving hazards. "We're looking at sensor and command-and-control systems that can synthesize information, that can sense information or sense across domains all at once and help us makes sense of" information, Coates said. While the U.S. already uses satellites to monitor global missile activities, there is need for "technologies that will allow us to observe further, and with more accuracy and more precision -- well beyond the range of our current sensors," he said, "whether those are a combination of platforms in the air -- and maybe those are a combination of sensors ... with radars that are on [unmanned aerostats] or some kind of an early airborne warning platform, or space-based sensors." That could include "a combination of low and high satellites with different revisit rates over various places," Coates said. "It's not science fiction; it's taking advantage of capabilities, both those that we have today, modernized and integrated, and then the possibility of what we will need in the next decade to come." Deterring Adversary Gains The necessity for additional tech comes as officials anticipate more high-speed, precision-strike weapons -- below the nuclear threshold -- advanced enough to pose a threat to cities across North America. "We've seen our adversaries develop very long-range, advanced, stealthy, hard-to-detect cruise missiles," Coates said, referring to Russian activity in Syria. "The notion that Russia or any other nation would aim weapons at North America, is [not] new." Last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed his country had developed "invincible" new nuclear weapons, including hypersonic missiles, that can penetrate U.S. defenses. Then in February, Putin said Russia had tested a ship-based hypersonic missile. Called "Tsirkon," the missile can travel at Mach 9 and hit sea- or land-based targets, he said during his annual state of the nation address, according to CNBC. "We're directly involved in the aerospace warning problems that we have now, and we're thinking about the future," Coates said, referring to hypersonic weapons. NORAD is looking for new ways to have more eyes in the sky, even if the technology might not exist yet. "Maybe there's a capability like [tethered unmanned aerostats] that would be an option at some point for the Arctic. Maybe there's developing capabilities that allow us to keep surveillance, like an [unmanned aerial vehicle], airborne indefinitely, for days or weeks instead of hours," Coates said. "That doesn't exist, but we're certainly interested." -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214. Rob M. Politico recently criticized New Mexico's Democrats for passing on the recreational cannabis legalization bill, but apparently it was the same story all over the country. In many of the places where legalization proponents expected to see some sort of forward locomotion in 2019, all they found was a bunch of politicians butting heads over what many of us consider to be trivial points of contention. The piece highlighted failures to enact legalization laws in New York, New Jersey and The Land of Enchantment, and blamed them on Democrat-run legislatures negotiating over petty issues. In Illinois (where the attempt to legalize is still heading toward approval), detractors have taken issue with allowing people to grow cannabis in their homes. In New Jersey, where efforts stalled out this year, legislators were uncomfortable with a provision that would have expunged third-degree distribution convictions, covering up to five pounds of cannabis. All over the country, lawmakers have been arguing over equity issuesconcerned with whether laws ensure business opportunities for women and minorities. Here in New Mexico, it seems we got hung up on specific protections for the medical industry and whether to have state-run recreational shops (a terrible idea). Here's the thing: While these concerns are valid, they don't come close to comparing with the physical threat posed to those living in places where marijuana is still illegal. Current cannabis laws put otherwise law-abiding citizens in the same category as hardened criminals and threaten public health by counterintuitively promoting black market activity. It's been a long time since I've had to remind anyone of those pointsmost everybody knows alreadybut apparently our lawmakers have forgotten that this is more than an intellectual debate for some folks. That might be easy to do when you spend all your time in Santa Fe playing Go Fish over martinis, but we have to deal with this nonsense every day down here in the gutter. While it's true that we shouldn't go diving in willy nilly, our leaders have had more than enough time to figure out and implement a plan that would benefit most people. While they sit around hemming, hawwing and comparing donation receipts, their constituents are suffering from crime and government overreach. This year's response to marijuana reform was a complete travesty, and I'll probably continue raging about it for months. Fair warning. UNM Studies Cannabis for Veterans Researchers at the University of New Mexico are looking into how medical cannabis affects veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress. According to KRQE, a team at UNM is monitoring real-time effects of cannabis on veterans experiencing anxiety and symptoms of PTSD. The study keeps track of veterans' behaviors, feelings and everyday pain levels in relation to their participation in the state's medical cannabis program. Researchers are using data gleaned from the Releaf App, but they say they need more participants. They're asking interested veterans to contact UNM's Department of Psychology. They hope to finish the study by the end of the summer. Strain Corner This week found me in Nob Hill picking up a gram of Diesel Dough (THC: 19.23%, CBD: 0.06%$14/gram) at Ultra Health Birdland (3213 Central Ave. NE). I should point out that I'm particularly partial to Diesel-derived strains and didn't actually look at the rest of the menu after I spotted it. This hybrid was born from a cross between Sour Diesel and Do-Si-Dos, but the Diesel side stood out much more prominently. It smelled tart and pungentthe odor permeated my living room the moment I opened the bag. I packed a bowl and put on a The Simpsons rerun. The flower was dense and coated with trichomes. The first hit sent me into a snotty coughing fit the likes of which haven't been seen since Half Baked, meaning it's a great expectorant. I powered through three hits back to back and then wallowed on the couch cushions while hacking up half my lung. My wife stuck her head into the room, a concerned look on her face. I waved her away through streams of tears. The indica side came on quickly. I felt tension release behind my eyes and sinuses. My shoulders relaxed, and I laid back after getting my breath back. The edgy sativa sillies were creeping in around the corners, and I could feel the giggles catching in my throat. I pushed them aside with another couple hits and another spate of coughs. I felt energized, silly and relaxed. It was extremely pleasant, and I couldn't stop smiling. My mood was definitely enhanced, but I don't know if I'd recommend this strain for anyone planning to go out into public or talk to anybody at length. I was feeling pretty frazzled. It was difficult to follow the show, though I'd seen it a million times. It still seemed amusing as hell, though, and my confusion wasn't alarming in the least. Diesel Dough is perfect for those suffering from depression or pain. Just make sure to stay home and refuse visitors. PLEASE NOTE! Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate! All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited! (One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!) Image: AP Looking ahead to the day that the stalwart postman or Fedex driver is replaced by a package-carrying drone, NASA has been testing a national traffic management system for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The latest simulations took place in Reno, Nevada, where NASA tested the avoidance capabilities and other features of its UTM (short for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Traffic Management). UTM combines the onboard hazard avoidance software in the UAVs along with a network of data providing dynamic geofencing, severe weather and wind avoidance, congestion management, terrain avoidance, route planning and re-routing, separation management, sequencing and spacing, and contingency management. As with ADS-B, the UAVs would share their location through the UTM to help provide separation. This activity is the latest and most technical challenge we have done with unmanned aerial systems, said David Korsmeyer, associate director of research and technology at NASAs Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California. NASA had tested the UTM in rural locations but this was the first opportunity to see how it worked in an urban environment, where the potential conflicts are greater and the challenges of controlling the UAVs path among buildings and other obstructions are significantly greater. Prior to the Reno test, NASA described the mission: Certified drone pilots will operate the aircraft in controlled areas of the city that are blocked to vehicle and foot traffic. The flights will simulate different scenarios involving multiple drones flying at once above city streets and between buildings. The researchers will collect data from the aircraft, drone pilots and commercial partners about the operation of the UTM system. Chris Walach, executive director of the Nevada Institute of Autonomous Systems, which is running the Reno tests, told The Associated Press that when we began this project four years ago, many of us wouldnt have thought wed be standing here today flying UAVs with advanced drone systems off high-rise buildings. NASA says the Reno test was a success, and that this phase of the four-year program will continue in Reno and Corpus Christi, Texas, through the summer. AOPA sent an alert to its members today reminding them of the hazards of contaminated jet fuel. Earlier this month, two Cessna Citation 550s landed safely after being fueled at the Punta Gorda, Florida, airport with jet fuel contaminated by DEF, which is an additive used in diesel fuel to reduce emissions in cars and trucks. Both Citations were flown by Air Trek, an air ambulance operator at Punta Gorda. One was headed to Niagara Falls, New York, and suffered a double engine flameout but landed safely in Savannah, Georgia. The second Citation was destined for Chicago but landed in Louisville, Kentucky, with one engine shut down. According to AOPA, In August 2018, five aircraft were found to have been serviced with jet fuel containing DEF in Opa Locka, Florida. Nine more aircraft received fuel with equipment that had been exposed to DEF. The previous year, 13 aircraft were serviced with jet fuel or equipment exposed to DEF. Unfortunately for pilots, DEF is a clear, colorless liquid that cannot be detected. There are no known pre-flight procedures pilots can use to identify the presence of DEF in jet fuel, says AOPA. DEF can cause crystalline deposits that clog fuel system components including filters and fuel nozzles. In the case of the aircraft receiving contaminated fuel in 2018, it was determined that the DEF was injected to the Jet-A supply at the fueling truck in place of the customary anti-icing additive. For concerned turbine operators, AOPA recommends talking with your fuel providers and ask if they use DEF in ground equipment. If so, inquire about procedures to confirm correct additives are used for jet fuel. This should include separate storage, clear labeling, confirmation of correct additives at the time of insertion, and training for personnel. . . Triad Combat. . 2022 . Triad Combat ... Hong Kong: HK a biotech centre Chief Executive Carrie Lam Hong Kong is now the world's second largest funding hub for biotech. I naturally hope to see one day we will become the world's number one. Hong Kong was ranked the world's freest economy by the Heritage Foundation and the Fraser Institute for many years, and more recently, Hong Kong took the global first position in terms of economic openness assessed by the Legatum Institute in its inaugural index. And Hong Kong stayed firmly as the world's number two in terms of competitiveness according to IMD's World Competitiveness Yearbook 2019 released yesterday. The same strengths in the rule of law, judicial independence, rights and freedoms as well as the favourable business environment and international connectivity that win us those laurels are equally conducive to the biotech industry development in Hong Kong. But I realise we need to adopt more specific measures. Innovation and technology is, therefore, at the top of my Government's policy agenda. In less than two years since I took office, we have invested some $100 billion or US$13 billion, rolling out a variety of groundbreaking measures to fast track our I&T sector and showcase it to the world. These measures range from infrastructure to talent admission, from the Government's own technology venture fund to providing super tax deductions for companies' research and development expenditure. Within the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, technology is now embraced through adopting a pro-innovation government procurement policy, opening up public data for research, encouraging departments to apply technology more aggressively. I am personally chairing a steering committee to ensure that these I&T initiatives are effectively implemented. Biotechnology is one area of I&T in which Hong Kong enjoys notable strengths. We are blessed with world-class universities, with four of them ranked amongst the world's top 60. We have two world-renowned medical schools, ranked amongst the world's top 50. They offer strong research capabilities in biotech, and they have vast experience and networks for creating partnerships with prominent universities, research institutions and technology-based companies from all over the world. This is evident from our recent work in the establishment of two world-class research clusters at the Hong Kong Science Park, our flagship technology centre. The establishment of these two research clusters, one on healthcare, the other on artificial intelligence and robotics, is one of our major initiatives announced last year to further enhance Hong Kong's research capabilities. The idea is to converge top-notch universities and researchers from all over the world here in Hong Kong to conduct world-class and impactful collaborative researches with our local institutions. I am pleased to say that the response to date has been encouraging. We have received close to 50 proposals, with more than half of them on healthcare technologies. They involve really top-notch institutions from around the world. We expect that the first research institutions will be setting up their laboratories here before the end of this year. My Government also funds biotech R&D through our Innovation & Technology Fund. At the end of January, more than 500 projects related to biotech had been approved by the fund, receiving funding totalling about US$130 million. Project areas range from stem cell therapy and molecular diagnostics to the modernisation of traditional Chinese medicine and biopharmaceutical manufacturing. Healthcare data platform We are also opening up government data to encourage R&D. One important data source is our Hospital Authority. As the major provider of public healthcare services in Hong Kong, the Hospital Authority serves around 90% of in-patient needs and around 30% of outpatient services in Hong Kong. Armed by its strong database with more than 280 terabytes of patient data accumulated over 25 years, the Hospital Authority is establishing a big data analytics platform to stimulate biotechnology research. It has recently set up a data collaboration laboratory on a pilot basis, offering more flexible and interactive data sharing through the Hospital Authority. We are also playing an increasingly important role in conducting human clinical trials. Over the years, the Department of Health has put in place various facilitation measures to promote Hong Kong as a clinical trial hub, including streamlining and simplifying the application procedures and by providing advice throughout the application process. We also have strong support from the Mainland authorities in this regard. At present, the National Medical Products Administration of China recognises clinical trials data from over 30 specialties at the Queen Mary Hospital, the Prince of Wales Hospital, the Hong Kong Eye Hospital and the Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital for the purpose of drug registration in China. This enables Hong Kong to serve as a platform for local and multinational pharmaceutical companies to venture into the Chinese market. The Government, including myself, will actively promote Hong Kong to pharmaceutical companies. Indeed, since I took office in July 2017, I have already met the senior management of a number of pharmaceutical companies, including Roche, Merck, GSK and Novartis. If there are other pharmaceutical companies in the audience, you can just give me a ring and I'm happy to meet. We are strengthening our co-operation with the Mainland authorities in this regard. Earlier this month, our Food & Health Bureau has signed a co-operation agreement with the National Medical Products Administration of China on regulation of drugs. The two parties will be in regular dialogue to explore collaboration in such areas as clinical trial and the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Genomic medicine Apart from clinical trial, we are working hard in the area of genomic medicine. Genomic medicine is an important sphere in contemporary medicine and scientific research, with huge potential in screening, diagnosis and precision medicine. To seize the potential, we established in late 2017 a Steering Committee on Genomic Medicine chaired by Prof Raymond Liang to lead the study on strategies for developing genomic medicine in Hong Kong. We have also decided to allocate about $1.2 billion to take forward a large-scale genome sequencing project, which would be named the Hong Kong Genome Project. The project will cater for future medical development in Hong Kong by establishing the genome data of the local population, testing infrastructure and talent pool. We aim to perform 40,000 to 50,000 whole genome sequencing in the next six years. The pilot phase would cover undiagnosed disorders and cancers, with clinical clues linked to possible hereditary genetic components. We have set up a working group comprising experts from the clinical, academic and research sectors to finalise the relevant framework. Nurturing talents To ensure that we have the needed talent to sustain our I&T development, we have been providing and promoting science and technology education in our schools at every level, from primary and secondary through to our post-secondary institutions and technical colleges. We have also launched admission schemes to help our enterprises recruit talent from the Mainland and overseas. Our universities, our research capability and our talent that I mentioned just now will make Hong Kong a very good R&D centre, but for Hong Kong to become an international I&T hub, we need to provide an enabling environment for the transformation of R&D results and for entrepreneurship. It is exactly what we are trying to do here in Hong Kong. It helps that our financial market is among the world's most competitive. Hong Kong's free-enterprise economy and business-friendly environment also play a critical role in creating an attractive and enabling environment. The depth and liquidity of our capital market ensure that the I&T sector's financing needs can easily be met. With a market capitalisation of more than US$4 trillion, and proximity to the Mainland, our financial market offers great value to biotech investors and entrepreneurs. When it comes to IPO funds raised, Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing (HKEx) has ranked first globally in six of the past 10 years. Last year, we raised US$36.6 billion through IPOs, while total funds raised exceeded US$69 billion. The biotech industry has distinct approval mechanisms for turning research into commercial products. That can make it challenging for biotech companies to meet the traditional revenue and cash flow requirements for listing on the securities market. With that in mind, the HKEx conducted a thorough review to help biotech companies list in Hong Kong without compromising investor protection. That led, in April 2018, to revised listing rules which enable pre-revenue and pre-profit biotech companies to list on the HKEx, subject to appropriate safeguards. HKEx also established a biotech advisory panel to provide advice on listing applications from biotech companies. The new listing regime is the most significant revamp of our listing rules in two decades. The ultimate goal, of course, is to encourage research breakthroughs that lead to successful products and flourishing businesses, rewarding investors as well as the biotech companies, while boosting Hong Kong's status as a biotechnology centre. I'd say we're on our way. At the end of last month, that is one year after the launch of the new listing regime, seven pre-revenue and pre-profit biotech companies had listed on the HKEx, raising some US$2.8 billion through IPOs. They are part of the 40 new economy companies listed in Hong Kong in the past year. We are all very encouraged by the market reaction, and I look forward to more and more biotech companies joining us in the future. With the Government's strong commitment, and with the staunch support of HKEx and all of you here, I am sure the best is yet to come for biotech and overall I&T development in Hong Kong. Chief Executive Carrie Lam gave these remarks at the 2nd HKEx Biotech Summit on May 29. This story has been published on: 2019-05-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. 12:04 | Lima, May. 29. The Peruvian Constitution allows an acting President to close Congress and call for new legislative elections if Parliament dismisses two cabinets. The current Congress had already granted a no-confidence vote to a former cabinet Within this framework, Perez expressed his indignation towards what happened recently at Congress' Permanent Commission, as it rejected the constitutional complaint against controversial ex-Attorney General and current Prosecutor Pedro Chavarry , with votes from opposition Fuerza Popular and Apra political parties. "I am a citizen who, after seeing what happened today, feels indignant, and that this Congress does not represent me ()," he told Canal N news channel on Tuesday night. "What results will Callao's Prosecutors obtain if almost all high-ranking officials, who have been through this parliamentary procedure, are being told there is no criminal organization?" the Prosecutor stated. In this sense, he affirmed the Port's White Collars criminal organization is still active with the presence of Chavarry at the Public Ministry . It must be noted the Public Ministry is independent from the Executive Branch in Peru. "As a Prosecutor, Congress' decision worries me ()," Perez underlined. Likewise, the Prosecutor stressed the Lava Jato Case Special Prosecution Group feels disrespected by the constant attacks of Chavarry . Moreover, he informed team coordinator Rafael Vela and other Prosecutors will announce their stance on that matter in the coming days. "There is definitely a cover-up, so the Public Ministry cannot carry out its job to investigate Chavarry ," he said. Those of you who read what I write know what I have written about the political conundrum in Malaysia these last many months. You know I have written not... YEREVAN, MAY 29, ARMENPRESS. The program approved by the Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) becomes an important public document for everyone relating to Armenias macro-stability. It enables to take a loan at any moment in case of macroshocks without additional procedures. Mher Grigoryan Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia, gave an interview to ARMENPRESS, talking about the aforementioned and other topics. -Mr. Grigoryan, recently you were in the United States within the framework of the 2019 spring meetings of the IMF and World Bank Group. What key agreements were reached based on the discussions? -When I was in Washington D.C., our joint program to be implemented with the IMF was at the discussion stage, and we were making clarifications. On May 17 the IMF approved the program according to which it will provide a 36-month Stand-By type of loans, worth 248.2 million USD, to Armenia. This gives an opportunity to receive loans at any moment in case of macroshocks without additional procedures. The loan resources will be provided as a preventive measure and will not be used unless there are shocks which can create problems with the balance of payments. This program becomes an important public document for all relating to our countrys macro-stability. We also had discussions with the World Bank, and as the World Bank Groups 2019-2022 Armenia Partnership Framework document was approved on March 28, the discussions were held on the implementation processes of programs. In order to promote the Armenian governments goal aimed at eliminating extreme poverty and promoting general prosperity, it is expected to assist Armenia in three main areas promotion of the factors contributing to export and the competitiveness of companies, improvement of the human capital and equality and stable management of environment and natural resources. On the sidelines of the spring meetings we also met with a number of partners and representatives of partner organizations in the US and exchanged views on expanding and deepening the cooperation with Armenia. This is a platform where it is possible to talk about deepening and expanding the relations and also to understand what is happening in the world, as well as to get acquainted with the best practice. -Recently the session of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council was held in Yerevan during and also after which Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan considered the formation of single market of oil, oil products and energy efficient a priority. Given the fact that this meeting was preceded by the meeting of the deputy PMs, could you say, please, is there any agreement on these matters and what will you highlight from the meetings of PMs? -Since the first day of Armenias assuming chairmanship at the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) the priority was given to making actions and efforts aimed at forming a stable market of energy resources. I think this is very important for the EAEUs development and future, and also from our participation perspective. If we do not have a single price for energy resources in the EAEU space, there will be many problems with competitiveness, and thus in terms of the production capacities the country, that has low energy resource, will be dominant in terms of the low price. Official records regarding this were made in different documents and agreements were reached in particular in strategic documents. According to the 2018 December 6 decision of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, the programs on forming EAEU single gas market and single market of oil and oil products have been approved. The formation of the EAEU single gas market will create a base for the implementation of gas pricing predictable policy, will provide reliable, qualified gas supply to consumers, will promote the development of competitiveness, as well as will provide non-discriminative access to gas transportation systems. The formation of EAEU single market of oil and oil products will raise the efficiency of market mechanisms of oil and oil products trade between the member states. On April 29 the Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) has discussed the issue of creating a single EAEU energy market. The document on this is expected to be signed at the upcoming session of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council. The formation of the EAEU single energy market will contribute to raising the energy security of member states, deepening the mutually beneficial partnership, ensuring competitiveness and setting concrete and transparent mechanisms for energy pricing. In addition, it will also create conditions for energy trade, mutual seasonal flows, export, import and transfer between the member states. -The session of the Armenian-Russian Intergovernmental Commission took place in early April. Did the session touch upon the gas price issue? Earlier it was stated that during the session the Armenian side raised the issue of eliminating the tradition on fixing the gas price in the border for only one year. Is there any agreement in this regard? -This issue is officially recorded as a problem. Setting the gas price for one year is an unacceptable option for us. In fact, not only the ordinary consumer, but also the economy and the new investor are unable to get adapted to that. The session of the Armenian-Russian Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation also touched upon the issue of natural gas supply to Armenia and it was recorded that it is necessary to develop a formula which will allow to have a stable and predictable mechanism for the formation of gas price on Armenias border. During the session instructions were given to the sectoral ministers to launch talks on the model, agree upon to set an algorithm for the price which will enable to determine the gas price on the border with a longer term, this means that the Russian side has also understood the importance of the issue. Full version of the interview is available in Armenian. Interview by Anna Grigoryan Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 28, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan who is in Kazakhstan on a working visit on May 28 met with First President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev in Nur-Sultan, the Armenian PMs Office told Armenpress. Greeting the Armenian Prime Minister, Nursultan Nazarbayev stated, in part: Dear Nikol Vovayevich, thank you for participating in the jubilee summit of the Eurasian Economic Union. There have never been any problems between Kazakhstan and Armenia, we have had good relations. The Armenian Diaspora is a bridge between our two countries: the Armenians living here are Kazakhstans citizens. The bilateral trade turnover has grown recently, but it somewhat suffers due to bad logistics. We have a lot to exchange: we lack what you have, and vice versa. Therefore, efforts need to be made in that direction. You may know that I took my decision following deep reflection. You will understand me better when you reach my age. On June 20, I would have been Kazakhstans leader for thirty years. In 1989, I was elected First Secretary of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan, and before that I was a government representative. That is why I used to work hard. I have seen a lot, and everyone knows me in Kazakhstan. We have done a lot to actually raise Kazakhstans credit and image during the years of independence. Before taking my decision, I just realized that it was time to seamlessly hand over the countrys leadership. At the same time, I continue to work. Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev has worked with me for 30 years. I know him very well; he is an educated person and boasts long experience in public affairs. I am confident that our relations with Armenia will be as good as they used to be before. Thankful for the warm welcome, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said: Thank you, Noursultan Abishevich. Of course, I am glad to see you and visit your country and the capital city you have built. You are a political leader who symbolizes an entire era. You mentioned that you were the leader of Kazakhstan in Soviet times. You were one of the first leaders who signed the Belovezh Accords, after which you took part in the CIS formation. Then you actively participated in the establishment of the CSTO. Armenia is a member of the CIS and CSTO. Everyone knows that you were the first to set forth the idea of Eurasian integration. This year marks the 25th anniversary of that landmark event and the 5th anniversary of the EAEU Treaty. We are excited about the developments taking place in Kazakhstan and closely follow the political changes you have initiated. We are convinced that what you initiated is in the best interest of Kazakhstan and its people. Indeed, you continue to be the leader of the nation and the President of the Security Council. You will continue to play an active role in the EAEU, and tomorrow we will make a relevant decision. From the very outset, I defended this idea and I am confident that with the new President of Kazakhstan we will have the same warm and constructive relations. Yes, our countries boast very good political relations. Unfortunately, our trade turnover still falls short of the ongoing political dialogue. I feel that now we have a chance to work in that direction as ever new opportunities are emerging in the 21st century. It is important for our States, our peoples and governments to show the necessary political to build on the bilateral relations because we used to be in close touch in Soviet times and have actually participated in all joint projects in the post-Soviet area following the collapse of the USSR. Great is your personal contribution to the warm relationship we entertain today. I do hope and I am confident that things will continue in this very spirit. Nikol Pashinyan and Nursultan Nazarbayev exchanged thoughts over the Armenian-Kazakh relations, touched upon the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement process, stressing the importance of regional peace and stability. YEREVAN, MAY 29, ARMENPRESS. US President Donald Trump completed his visit to Japan. Back from Japan after a very successful trip. Big progress on MANY fronts. A great country with a wonderful leader in Prime Minister Abe!, Trump said on Twitter. On May 27 Trump met with Japans newly enthroned Emperor Naruhito, becoming the first foreign leader to meet the new monarch of Japan. The US President also met with Japanese PM Shinzo Abe during the visit. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 29, ARMENPRESS. Sebastian Kurz hopes to be re-elected as Chancellor in the upcoming early Austrian general elections. His duties as Chancellor were suspended on May 28. Austrians will make a decision. We will have a new composition of parliament, and I, of course, hope will have a chance to continue the good work for the country as chancellor. I would like to continue our path, he told Kronen Zeitung. Austria's parliament has removed Chancellor Sebastian Kurz from office, with his previous coalition ally, the Freedom Party (FPO), and the opposition Social Democrats (SPO) on Monday backing the no-confidence motion during a special session, BBC reported. The President of Austria has formally dismissed Kurz from office on May 28. The FPO had become embroiled in a political scandal caused by a leaked secret video alleging corruption within government circles. On Tuesday, Austria's President Alexander Van der Bellen appointed an interim government led by Vice-Chancellor Hartwig Loger. The president asked for some ministers to say in office during the transitional period. General elections are expected in September. Loger is a member of Kurz's People's Party (OVP) and the country's finance minister. He was appointed vice-chancellor days ago after the previous holder of the office, FPO leader Heinz-Christian Strache, was sacked over the video sting. Kurz was elected in 2017, he was at 31 the world's youngest state leader. The video sting has widely been labelled "Ibiza-gate", after the Spanish island where the footage was recorded. It was secretly filmed in July 2017 - just weeks before the election which saw both the FPO and Chancellor Kurz's party perform well. Last week, a Vienna lawyer said he had been involved in the sting, describing it as a "civil society-driven project in which investigative-journalistic approaches were taken". In the footage, released by German media this month, Strache can be seen relaxing and drinking for hours at a villa with FPO parliament group leader Johann Gudenus, while they meet a woman, who says she is Alyona Makarova, the niece of Russian oligarch Igor Makarov. Strache appears to propose offering her public contracts if she buys a large stake in the Austrian newspaper Kroner Zeitung - and compels it to support the FPO. He is heard suggesting that a number of journalists would have to be "pushed" from the newspaper, and that he wants to "build a media landscape like [Viktor] Orban" - referring to Hungary's nationalist prime minister. It later emerged that Makarov does not have a niece, and the whole evening back in 2017 was an elaborate trap. President Van der Bellen then fired FPO Interior Minister Herbert Kickl at the request of Kurz. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 29, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan delivered remarks during the session of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council which launched today in the capital of Kazakhstan, Nur-Sultan, Kazinform reports. In his remarks the Armenian PM said its a great honor for him to chair the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council. I want to state that the Eurasian Economic Union is gradually developing by opening new opportunities for the businesses and economies of our countries, he said. Pashinyan added that the circle of the EAEUs international partners is also expanding. The free trade agreement with Iran will soon enter into force, information exchange contracts have already been signed with China, Vietnam, intensive talks are underway with Singapore, Egypt and Serbia. I hope these talks will lead to concrete results by opening new opportunities for the businesses and economies of our states, the Armenian PM said. He once again highlighted the role of first President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev in the creation of this integration project. 25 years ago Nursultan Nazarbayev proposed the idea of the Eurasian integration, and it turned into a reality 5 years ago. The Armenian governments goal is to work on the future development of the Eurasian Economic Union, make it more effective and attractive for our international partners. I am confident that our decisions today will contribute to the development, PM Nikol Pashinyan said. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 29, ARMENPRESS. Ministry of Economic Development and Investments Tourism Committee President Susanna Safaryan and Vice President Alfred Kocharyan are taking part at the May 27-29 64th Meeting of the United Nations World Tourism Organization( UNWTO) Commission for Europe (CEU) in Zagreb, Croatia. A workshop on Growth, Innovation and Partnership is also taking place. The UNWTO 2019-2021 action plan was discussed at the meeting. The session highlighted the directions which the organization will focus on: gastro-tourism, eno-tourism, rural tourism etc. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic welcomed the participants of the session. Safaryan reached agreements with colleagues on establishing bilateral and multilateral cooperation, the ministry said in a news release. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 29, ARMENPRESS. Bookmaking companies are staging protests outside the Armenian parliament building in Yerevan against a bill which if passed will restrict their operations. The protesting bookmakers want a meeting with Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan. Theyve blocked the adjacent Baghramyan Avenue. The demonstrators argue that by closing bookmaking offices the gambling addiction problem wont be solved. By closing the offices it is the number of jobs that is being cut. Just look how much we pay in taxes, a protesting bookmaker said. Security personnel outside the parliament told the demonstrators that lawmakers are willing to receive a group of the bookmakers to discuss the matter. Five demonstrators entered the building for negotiations. The author of the bill is Vice Speaker Alen Simonyan. The bill provisions banning bookmaking offices in the country, with only a few exceptions. Initially, they discussed the possibility of each bookmaking organization only having a single office in each provincial capital, and a single office in each district in Yerevan, but then the discussion focused on the possibility of having a single office in each electoral district. Under the proposal, these offices will be gradually closed after one year, and in two years time all bookmaking offices will be shut down. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 29, ARMENPRESS. Camp des Milles museum of France, located near the village of Les Milles, part of the commune of Aix-en-Provence (Bouches-du-Rhone), will be supplemented with materials about the Armenian Genocide. On May 29 the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute and the Council of the Bouches-du-Rhone department signed an agreement in Yerevan. There is an episode about Armenians in the exhibition in the Museum. Within the framework of this memorandum we will take actions to increase the number of our materials in this permanent exhibition. The materials will cover three directions resistance and self-defense, violence against children and cultural genocide, Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute Harutyun Marutyan said. According to the agreement, the transfer and exhibition of the materials should be done within 2 years. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 29, ARMENPRESS. Nothing has changed in the agenda of working visit of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to Kazakhstan, all scheduled meetings were held and are being held, PMs spokesperson Vladimir Karapetyan told ARMENPRESS, commenting on the reports according to which Pashinyan is going to cancel his working visit in Kazakhstan. There is no such thing. All meetings scheduled with the agenda have taken place and the remainings are in process. At the moment the meeting of Pashinyan and the Armenian businessmen of Kazakhstan is underway. Various investment programs, business activity-related issues are being discussed, he said. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan chaired the session of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council. His spokesperson added that all agreements planned for the session have been reached, the documents have been signed. The next meeting will take place in Yerevan on October 1. After the session the Armenian PM and Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) Tigran Sargsyan held a joint press conference. The session of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council is being held in Nur-Sultan, the capital of Kazakhstan. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 29, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan participated on May 29th in the 5th anniversary Supreme Eurasian Economic Council session at the Independence Palace in Nur-Sultan, the capital city of Kazakhstan. President of Kazakhstan Kasim-Zhomart Tokayev welcomed the Armenian PM and other EEU leaders at the Independence Palace, the PMs Office said in a news release. The Eurasian Economic Union leaders first held a narrow format meeting, followed by an expanded session. As reported earlier, former President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev was honored at the event by being bestowed with the title of Honorary President of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council. Nazarbayev was also awarded with an order for contribution to the development of the EEU. The Armenian PM delivered remarks at the session. Pashinyan thanked Kazakhstan for the excellent organization of the summit and hospitality. I would like to also congratulate First President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev on the occasion of receiving the title of Honorary President of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council. Nursultan Abishi, your role in the development of the Union is truly invaluable, he said. PM Nikol Pashinyan emphasized that Armenia is interested in a maximally productive participation in the Union. This article will be updated with the full transcript of the remarks soon. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 29, ARMENPRESS. Parliament of Latvia elected former judge of the European Court of Justice Egils Levits as the Baltic countrys next president on May 29, Reuters reported. Levits won the support of 61 lawmakers in the 100-seated parliament. He will serve four years starting on July 8, when incumbent president Raimonds Vejonis term comes to an end. The president of Latvia has mostly ceremonial functions but can propose new bills and nominate candidates for prime minister. The president is appointed through the parliament votes rather than popular elections. YEREVAN, MAY 29, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan has recapped the results of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council session in Kazakhstan. Weve discussed a broad circle of topics and practically reached agreements around all issues on the agenda, Pashinyan told Kazinform. This is the jubilee meeting of the EEU. 25 years have passed since the initiation of the Eurasian Integration idea and 5 years since the signing of the EEU treaty. This is a symbolic number, and it is symbolic that this meeting took place in Kazakhstan, Pashinyan said at a news conference after the session. He did however emphasize that there are still issues which require clarifications. We reached a conclusion that we will continue working over these issues. As I mentioned in my speech, the expansion of EEU inter-economic ties is very important. Now the EEU is negotiating with Singapore, Egypt, Serbia, Israel and India. I think this is a very important direction for EEU countries, the Armenian PM said. He said the Eurasian Economic Union is planning to sign two agreements with partner countries in 2019. Whats important is that we have political will in order to work in all directions. Now weve tasked the Eurasian Economic Commission to boost the work in all directions. I hope that already within this year we will be able to sign at least two agreements between the EEU and partner countries. Work in this direction will continue in the future, he said. The Armenian PM said the session was generally a success. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 29, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan on May 29 participated in the session of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in the capital of Kazakhstan, Nur-Sultan, the PMs Office told Armenpress. After the session the Armenian PM and Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) Tigran Sargsyan held a joint press conference. The press conference was followed by a luncheon in honor of the delegations of the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). Thereafter, PM Pashinyan visited the Armenian Embassy in Kazakhstan where he met with a group of Armenian businessmen. During the meeting issues on implementing investment programs in different sectors in Armenia were discussed. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 29, ARMENPRESS. Armenias minister of territorial administration and development Suren Papikyan today received Aleksey Sinegubov, Minister-Counselor of the Russian Embassy in Armenia, and Director General of Rusatom Service JSC Yevgeny Salkov, the ministry told Armenpress. During the meeting the sides discussed issues relating to the extension of the operation of the current energy unit of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant, the ongoing works aimed at upgrading the infrastructures and equipment of the NPP, as well as the long-term cooperation prospects. Both sides expressed readiness to ensure the implementation of the agreements reached through holding working meetings and professional consultations. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 29, ARMENPRESS. Defense minister of Armenia Davit Tonoyan on May 29 received Director General of Rosoboronexport JSC Alexander Mikheev and his delegation, the Armenian defense ministry told Armenpress. The meeting aimed at discussing the process of export loan provided by the Russian government to Armenia, as well as purchase of military products based on other inter-state agreements. The sides also exchanged views on the supply of arms, military equipment for the needs of the Armenian Armed Forces, as well as the modernization process of production types existing in the armament of the Armenian Armed Forces. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, 29 MAY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 29 May, USD exchange rate up by 0.15 drams to 480.33 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 1.57 drams to 535.90 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.07 drams to 7.38 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 2.16 drams to 607.19 drams. The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals. Gold price down by 58.68 drams to 19740.74 drams. Silver price down by 1.01 drams to 223.61 drams. Platinum price up by 65.63 drams to 12416.15 drams. YEREVAN, MAY 29, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian received on May 29 the delegation led by the President of the Departmental Council of Bouches-du-Rhone Martine Vassal. President Sarkissian welcomed the guests, emphasizing that that France is a unique country for the Armenian people. He expressed gratitude to France and the French people for the support to the Armenian Genocide survivors. As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the Presidents Office, noting that cooperation between the Armenian and French peoples dates back to centuries ago, President Sarkissian noted that the warm friendship has been preserved up till now and one of its proofs is the close cooperation with Bouches-du-Rhone department. Martine Vassal informed that they have a successful cooperation with a number of provinces of Armenia in economic, social, health and cultural spheres and the goal of his visit is to get acquainted with the works done. The President expressed satisfaction with the level of cooperation between Armenia and Bouches-du-Rhone and particularly mentioned the importance of the cardiac hospital opened in Goris town in the sidelines of the cooperation. Thousands of lives are saved with your support and we really highly appreciate that initiative, Armen Sarkissian said. The sides highlighted the deepening and development of the cooperation between Armenia and Bouches-du-Rhone particularly in healthcare sphere, as well as in the spheres of scientific research, education and culture. Martine Vassal highly assessed the role of the Armenian community of Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur saying, The Provence would not be what it is now without Armenians. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan YEREVAN, MAY 29, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian sent a congratulatory message to Gitanas Nauseda on the occasion of winning the presidential elections in Lithuania. I hope that as a result of our mutual efforts Armenian-Lithuanian traditionally warm relations will continue developing and strengthening on both bilateral and multilateral platforms, including in the sidelines of the European Union, reads the congratulatory message of the President. As ARMENPREWSS was informed from the press service of the Presidents Office, Armen Sarkissian wished good health, all the best to Gitanas Nauseda and welfare to the Lithuanian people. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan YEREVAN, MAY 29, ARMENPRESS. British journalist, CNN broadcaster Piers Morgan has called on the fans of ARSENAL club not to submit to threats and wear Henrikh Mkhitaryans shirts. Unbelievable. Every Arsenal fan should wear a Henrikh Mkhitaryans shirt tonight and constantly chant his name. Dont let these anti-Armenian racists win, ARMENPRESS reports Morgan twitted. In addition, he also shared the post of famous British sport journalist Henry Winter, who informs that an ARSENAL fan was ordered by security twice going into Baku fanzone to lift up flag to see if he wore Mkhitaryans shirt. ARSENAL and CHELSEA will compete for Europa League champion today in Baku. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan This edition of IDET appears to be really important for the Czech Armed Forces because it features the four key candidates for the huge contract the Czech Republic's Armed Forces going on the acquisition of 210 infantry tracked combat vehicle (to replace the BMP-2 of their Army). Among those candidates, PSM is proposing its PUMA to the Czech Armed Forces. The PUMA IFV made by PSM on display at IDET 2019, Czech Republic (Picture Source: Army Recognition) The Czech Army currently operates 185 soviet era BMP-2 (marked as BVP-2 in Czech for bojove vozidlo pechoty) tracked infantry fighting vehicles (IFV). Those were produced during the 1980s in Czechoslovakia under a licence, and they were the second generation of the BMP-1 originating in the 1960s (the Czech Army has still nearly 170 of those in reserve). Since 2013 options concerning either a modernization of the BMP-2 or its replacement were considered. The vehicles serve with two mechanized battalions of the 7th mechanized brigade, and with several other units. This edition of IDET will indeed be of great importance for the Czech Armed Forces because it will feature the key candidates for the largest contract in the history of the Czech Republic's Armed Forces worth 53 billion Czech crowns (2,3 billion $US). The 210 infantry tracked combat vehicle contractor (aiming to replace the BMP-2 currently in service in the Czech Armed Forces) is likely to be selected among four companies, including British BAE Systems (CV-90), Spanish General Dynamics European Land Systems (Ascod), and two German companies PSM (PUMA) and Rheinmetall Landsysteme (Lynx). PSM Projekt System & Management (or PSM) is exhibiting its PUMA infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) in an upgraded variant, designated the PUMA S1. It is the newest main weapon system for German Armour Corps and is the next generation armoured infantry fighting vehicle setting new standards for protection, firepower and mobility in its class. More than 250 PUMAS have been so far delivered to the German Bundeswehr. The remaining of the 350 initially contracted PUMA will be delivered and introduced into service by 2020. PUMA can operate in all mission scenarios and climate zones and is the most capable and modern system of its class. PUMA's modular and unrivalled protection, as well as impressive firepower, ensures its superiority in its class including its ability to seamlessly operate in networked environments and mission scenarios. The highest possible protection for the crew was one of the prime criteria for the development of the PUMA. Therefore, the PUMA IFV has the highest protection of its class, fully qualified by German authorities and fulfilling the hardest requirements of the German Bundeswehr in order to protect the life of the soldiers that have to operate it. PSM has also decided to design and develop multiple key capability enhancement packages for the PUMA in order to fulfil additional requirements and quickly react to new customer requirements. These packages result in the development of the capabilities of the vehicle regarding command and control, situational awareness, or even the combat efficiency of the IFV. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) of the Slovak Republic is present at IDET 2019 in Brno, Czech Republic, and showcases its latest BPsV1, which is an Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) based on the BMP-1. The BPsV1 (upgraded BMP-1 IFV) of the Slovak Army on display during IDET 2019, Czech Republic (Picture Source: Army Recognition) Last year, the Slovak Army announced the upgrading of a certain amount of Soviet-made BMP-1-based BPsV Svatava armoured reconnaissance vehicles to the BPsV1 (Bojove Preskumne Vozidlo ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target, Acquisition and Reconnaissance)) level. "The ground forces of the Slovak Armed Forces have taken delivery of 18 BPsV1 vehicles as of mid-2017," the analysts of the think-tank then said, adding that the BPsV1 is based on the Soviet-made BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) that was produced by Czechoslovak defence enterprises under license provided by the Soviet Union. " The BPsV1 is optimized for the tracked ISTAR role," they pointed out. The BPsV1 armoured reconnaissance vehicle has been developed by a consortium of Slovakian companies that comprises EVPU, Konstrukta Defence, DMD Group and MSM Group. The BPsV1 has retained the original power pack that is based on a UTD-20 diesel engine with a power output of 300 h.p. The vehicle has a cruising range of nearly 550 km when being fueled by basic fuel supply. The combat weight of the vehicle has increased to 15.29 t during the modernization process, while its length remains the same as the length of the baseline platform (6.73 m). The BPsV1 has received side-mounted additional floatation devices that have increased the vehicle's width to 3.46 m. Owing to the installation of the aforementioned devices, the platform has retained swimming capability. This new version of the vehicle can accommodate up to 4 crew members, with an additional batch of 2 seats for special equipment operators. It is armed with a TURRA 30 weapon station that regroups a 30mm cannon 2A42 with an anti-tank guided missile system SP135M KONKURS. As secondary armaments, the vehicle can also be equipped with a PKT 7.62mm machine gun (max range of 1500 m) and GALIX smoke grenade launchers (GALIX 13 and GALIX 6 decoy target). It is also fitted with Schiebel MIMIND mine detectors, a KESTREL 5500 portable meteostation, a UGS set (unattended ground sensors), a FLIR RANGER/GSR portable ground surveillance radar, a JIM COMPACT multifunctional observation device, and it can operate along with a Micro FALCON Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The second group comprises the opportunists the Pruaitchs and Marapes whose modus operandi is power (and money) and who are willing to float wherever the political wind takes them with acolytes in tow. One is the original opposition the Juffas, Birds, Kramers and others which has steadfastly battled PNGs institutionalised political and public sector corruption from a seemingly impossible minority starting point. Very serious questions need put to the opposition, which comprises two distinct political archetypes and presently holds a majority on the floor of parliament. PORT MORESBY - If and when Papua New Guineas Alternate Government finally puts an end to the ONeill regime, and it should be this morning, the celebrations could be short-lived. Both Patrick Pruaitch and James Marape were senior ONeill government ministers and have now laid their own prime ministerial credentials on the table. At different times, the pair has bemoaned ONeills economic and financial management, conveniently ignoring that they were previously responsible for the treasury and finance portfolios. Martyn Namorong wrote that the alternate government is working hard on its policy platform and that Papua New Guineans can be confident they will save PNG from O'Neill's mess. But Namorong left no clues as to what shape these policies will take and there was a heavy subtext of win at all costs a disheartening shift of mindset from the former freedom fighter. Like many Papua New Guineans, and many politically-inclined people the world over, the prospect of victory has caused Namorong to suffer sudden chronic memory loss when it comes to politicians. So lets take a little walk down memory lane. Pruaitch, as forestry minister, oversaw the controversy of the Special Agricultural Business Leases (SABL) land grabs and the rise-and-rise of the Rimbunan Hijau group. For years the Ombudsman Commission chased Pruaitch with serious allegations of misconduct but he has been able to escape leadership tribunals through delay tactics, appeals and clever lawyering - possible only when one has deep enough pockets. Prior to the 2017 election, after further stints as forestry minter and treasurer (twice), Pruaitch made his leadership ambitions clear, was relieved of his portfolio and crossed over to lead the opposition to the ONeill-Abel government. Despite several years responsible for the nations books, his parting shots to ONeill focused on the governments poor economic management. This irony was not lost on his now-buddy Marape who said it baffles my mind that he has the audacity to attack his own work, an admittance that he was wasting our national time in that office. Marape, like Pruaitch, spouts all the rhetoric of change, transparency and accountability, but his track record tells the story of a liklik ONeill rather than benevolent bigman. After all, he was until recently ONeills finance minister and privy to much of the governments wheeling-and-dealing, including personally signing-off on the scandalous UBS loan to buy a 10% stake in Oil Search, which may have broken as many as 15 laws in PNG. Pruaitch and Marape arent just alternate prime ministers they are alternate Peter ONeills. The alternate government, which may soon be the new government, will be compromised from the start, however the presence of some strong, independent voices provides a glimmer of hope. Once the pragmatism of the numbers game has settled down, PNG will rely on Bird, Juffa, Kramer and Kua to hold their colleagues accountable and continue to change perceptions about Papua New Guinean politicians. We await on the words of Namorong and others on what the policy direction will be, but policy is not enough on its own. PNG has enough lofty visions and development plans filled with jargon, buzzwords and motherhood statements. To convince anyone that genuine change is afoot (or, as Belden Namah would say, 'on-foot'), a new government will need demonstrate it has the appetite for the type of policy that can circumvent PNGs present tendency to kleptocracy. At the very least there needs to finally be real steps taken towards clamping down on corruption and depoliticising the public sector. This was the job Taskforce Sweep did so well that it caught Peter ONeill. Well see if a new prime minister is willing to risk being hoisted on his own petard. It was something I had rarely seen and it was clear that Papua New Guineans anticipated a change. In their homes, vehicles and tucker shops Papua New Guineans tuned into their TVs and radios to witness and hear the unfolding of events at parliament house. The supermarkets, markets, alleys, roadsides and streets of Port Moresby were almost deserted. It was a day on which the whole nation stood still. It was the day I witnessed a turning point in Papua New Guineas political history. PORT MORESBY - Tuesday 28 May 2019 will remain one of the most memorable moments of my life. Peter O'Neill "referred to Kramer as the Facebook prime minister. He forgot that Papua New Guineans populate Facebook and that they were behind his call for change" Not just a change of government but a change in the status quo. The opposition moved to oust the deputy speaker and speaker - in the word of the speaker this was unprecedented. For far too long the election of a prime minister was seen as the job for the "bigmen in Waigani". No more. Folks in rural areas and urban cellars who consider themselves liklik manmeri and grassroots could hope, dream and languish in silence. No more. How could people in a literal and true sense hold the prime minister accountable? This reality frustrated many people who questioned the effectiveness of the Westminster system of government colonialism had landed them with. But what I saw unfold on Tuesday and the days that led up to that day, there appeared hope that the government of PNG was evolving into a government that was "of, by and for the people". It seemed that happened yesterday. I sensed the wind of change. Social media was largely responsible. Leaders like Bryan Kramer, Gary Juffa and Allan Bird now frequently using this medium to usher in an era where Papua New Guineans are more than ever ready to demand change. Rallies in Goroka, Chimbu, Madang and elsewhere were a clear testament of these revolution at play. When O'Neill referred to Kramer as the "Facebook prime minister" he forgot that Papua New Guineans populate Facebook and that they were behind this call for change. And it was a call that resonated amongst a great number of people in our country. With millions of Papua New Guineans owning a smart phone it was no wonder that Kramers message resonated. In a space of just two years Kramer has become a household name. And so the pendulum of power shifted thanks to social media. MPs James Marape, now tipped to become prime minister today, Patrick Pruaitch and others also reached out through social media. They realised that the power dynamics had shifted to the people. Social media has become a hub for debates on policy and legislation. The conduct and behaviour of MPs are been scrutinised as never before. And where deemed inappropriate it is being called out. The bigman mentality has been put to the test on social media and it has been found wanting. Marape summed up this new phenomena aptly when he said "to the younger generation, let no older men tell you you cant do anything or fight for your rights. I just showed that it can be done, you can lose a battle in between but get up, so you dont lose the war." Political change has happened but, most important of all, a revolution has just begun. Old stone house with candles in window on foggy gloomy night. Source: Getty Whether you believe in ghosts or not, haunted houses affecting the value of property prices is a very real and tangible thing. Over in the US, homes where a high-profile crime or murder occurred can sell for a huge 25 per cent under market rate, which poses a big opportunity for house-hunters looking to snag a bargain, The Hustle reported. According to a US real estate appraiser, Randall Bell, who priced the Heavens Gate house where 39 cult members committed suicide in 1997, a death in a home can both decrease its value and double its time spent on the market. Bell told The Hustle that when valuing a home is based on three criteria: cost (price of sale and any foreseeable repairs), use (potential income you could generate from the property), and risk (anything that could jeopardise the future value of the home. Basically, Bell says ghosts are a big risk, because whether or not the buyer believes in them, they can still affect the public perception of a home and create some very real challenges for the people who live there. But how do buyers know the property is haunted? In the US, laws state you have to disclose if your house is haunted, according to Finder.com.au. The precedent for this was set in a 1991 case where the defendant knew her house was haunted, but when she sold it, neither she nor her real estate agent disclosed that fact. Someone then bought the house and claimed to experience paranormal activity, sued to recoup their cash and break the contract. The court ruled in their favour because whether or not the haunting was real, it affected the propertys resale value. In the United Kingdom, no such laws exist because, scientifically, hauntings arent real. But buyers have been pretty burnt by this precedent when their haunted house has failed to sell on the market. Story continues Similarly, no such laws exist here in Australia for hauntings specifically, but there are laws around stigmatised properties. What are stigmatised properties? Most ghost stories originate from some kind of gruesome murder. And if your house has any such history, Aussie laws say you have to disclose that to potential buyers. The precedent for this started in Sydneys suburb of Ryde, with the Gonzales house. Sef Gonzales murdered his father, mother and sister in the home, which agents failed to disclose when a couple bought the property in 2004. The couple found out and were eventually refunded their deposits, and the agents copped a whopping $20,000 fine. How much of an impact does it really have? Finder says its tough to pin down a figure, but that stigmatised properties absolutely sell for less. Property valuers in a Hong Kong study agree that a home where a murder or suicide occurred could see its value drop by up to 30 per cent and urge sellers to adjust their price expectations Over in Japan, properties that have seen suicides, murders or lonely deaths are extremely difficult to shift, and are often given away for free. My house is definitely haunted. What can I do? If you know theres something supernatural about your home, and theres no logical explanation for it, Finder says its probably not all bad. A 2013 survey by Realtor.com found 62 per cent of respondents would be open to purchasing a haunted house. In some cases, it could even increase the value. Bell told CNNMoney that a reputedly haunted house in Las Vegas was sold to several buyers at a premium price, with each new inhabitant actually hoping for a ghostly encounter. Finder says its all about finding the right buyer, which might be best done through private treaty rather than auction. Make your money work with Yahoo Finances daily newsletter. Sign up here and stay on top of the latest money, news and tech news. Hundreds of immigrants detained at the southern border have been transferred to jails in the New York City area in the last few weeks, as the Trump administration takes unprecedented steps to manage a growing number of migrants seeking entry to the United States. According to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesperson, a total of 235 individuals were transferred this month to three jails in Bergen, Hudson, and Orange Counties to await federal court hearings. An immigration official told the Daily News that the New York metro area has likely never received such a high number of immigrant detainees apprehended at the border, though it is not the first time that undocumented immigrants have been sent across the country for court proceedings. As crossings have spiked in recent months, the federal government has taken increasingly aggressive steps to stem what they claim is an "emergency crisis" at the southern border. Earlier this week, POLITICO reported that thousands of undocumented immigrants are being sent to new cities for processing for the first time in American history (processing, which may involve the individual's release, is distinct from detention). The U.S. military is believed to be building half a dozen tent cities near the border to detain immigrants. The justification for those measures was repeated by an ICE spokesperson on Wednesday, who told Gothamist that the transfers to New York area jails was "[i]n response to a surge in border arrivals that began late last year." But in the view of the Legal Aid Society's Jennifer Williams, the agency's explanation is little more than a "propaganda campaign," fueled in part by President Donald Trump's aggressive crackdown on asylum seekers and haphazard declarations on Twitter. "They don't have enough bed space because they're refusing to parole people into the country," Williams, who works as the Deputy Attorney-In-Charge of the legal group's Immigration Law Unit, told Gothamist. "It's all manipulation so they can point to their numbers and crank the deportation machine." Williams also speculated that the timing of these transfers was likely related to Trump's professed intention to send undocumented immigrants to so-called "sanctuary cities" as political retribution. White House officials claimed that plan was not actually under consideration, though the president has repeatedly insisted otherwise. ....The Radical Left always seems to have an Open Borders, Open Arms policy - so this should make them very happy! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 12, 2019 "The timing is no coincidence," Williams added. "[Trump] decides something and then a month or two later they start implementing whatever he's tweeting about." As an example, she linked Trump's calls to deport immigrants without due process to the rise in televideo conferencing at federal immigration courts in New York City. Citing federal privacy laws, ICE would not divulge specifics about the new migrants being sent to the region for detentionincluding how many were asylum-seekers, and whether any individuals might be released from the facilities. Gothamist's inquiries to the Office of Refugee Resettlement about a possible corresponding influx in transfers of minors to New York were also not returned. A spokesperson for the East Harlem Cayuga Center, which last year received dozens of migrant children as a result of the president's family separation policy, said they hadn't heard anything about a coming surge, but were monitoring the situation. Immigrants facing deportation in New York City are eligible for free legal services through the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project. After local advocates demanded additional funding for that effort, the City Council announced a $1.6 million emergency allocation in March. In a statement, the commissioner of the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs, Bitta Mostofi, said: "New York values mean caring for our immigrant sisters and brothers, including women and children fleeing instability in Central America. We will use every tool at our disposal to focus on what's best for asylum seekers and for New York City as we always do, not the President's political games." Still, immigrant advocates and public defenders say the citys protections could be undermined by a recent decision issued by Attorney General William Barr, which would strip asylum seekers who enter the country illegally of the right to bond hearings. The ACLU has vowed to block the ruling before it goes into effect this summer. If they're unsuccessful, ICE would be the sole decider of whether a person waiting for a federal hearinga process that can take yearsshould receive parole. "We're looking at a massive number of people in detention who will have no opportunity before an impartial adjudicator to seek release," Williams warned. That group will likely include many of the detainees transferred to ICE-contracted jails this month, as well as others sent to the area in the coming weeks and months. "There's an army of folks that want to help, but because of [the Barr] decision we're up against time," the attorney added. "The clock is ticking." Additional reporting by Beth Fertig The European Commission on Wednesday urged the EU to start membership talks with Albania and North Macedonia immediately, saying they had delivered on reforms demanded by Brussels. The two Balkan states aspire to join the European Union but their accession bids have stalled as public opinion and politicians in the bloc -- especially France and the Netherlands -- have grown cold at the prospect of bringing in new members. Tirana in particular is growing impatient, with Prime Minister Edi Rama warning in an AFP interview last month that the delay was hurting the Balkans and could reignite simmering tensions. EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini pressed the 28 member states not to wait any longer, saying there was a risk of sowing "disillusion". Last year member states agreed to start accession talks for both countries but only in June this year, and only if they met certain conditions, particularly improvements in the fight against crime and corruption. Reporting on the progress made, EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn said Albania and North Macedonia had taken major steps, and the European Council -- the member states -- must respond. "Both countries have delivered on reforms, in particular in areas set by the council unanimously in June 2018. On that basis the commission recommends the council opens accession negotiations now with both Albania and North Macedonia," he told the foreign affairs committee of the European Parliament. "To remain credible the EU must stick to its commitments and respond clearly and positively when countries fulfil theirs." Rama was quick to welcome the commission's recommendation, saying it showed Albania had "successfully completed its homework". - Danger of disillusion - The decision on whether to launch formal talks rests with the member states, though any timetable is unclear. They may discuss it at a summit in Brussels next month or wait until a meeting of European affairs ministers in July. North Macedonia expects a reward after a difficult diplomatic compromise that involved changing its name to settle a dispute with Greece -- a deal that also opened the way for Skopje to join NATO. "Not rewarding historic achievements and substantial reforms would undermine stability and discourage seriously further reforms and would introduce an element of disillusion, especially among the young population that is so supportive of the European Union prospect," Mogherini warned. North Macedonia Prime Minister Zoran Zaev echoed her words. "They gave us homework and told us that if we deliver in the upcoming period we are going to be awarded. Our time in the waiting room was not wasted but used to work on reforms so that we can prepare for the negotiations for membership in EU," he said. "Now it is their turn, EU members and institutions. Giving the recommendation is the only guarantee for the domestic stability and maintaining the reform process for positive impact in North Macedonia and the region," Zaev told reporters. Montenegro and Serbia are frontrunners to join the EU from the Balkans, having already started the formal membership process, but Hahn said they needed to "urgently" step up their efforts to improve the rule of law if they wanted to progress. But some EU states point to corruption and rule of law issues in Bulgaria and Romania, which were admitted in 2007, as a warning against being too hasty in letting in new members. France, one of the bloc's two main powerhouses, has been particularly vocal in its reluctance, with President Emmanuel Macron insisting there must be "a deepening and improvement" of the existing union before any more enlargement. In a nod to these concerns, Hahn stressed that opening talks "doesn't mean we conclude tomorrow or the day after", noting that most recent new member Croatia took eight years to complete the process. Diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini and enlargement commissioner Johannes Hahn called for the 28 EU states to start membership talks with Albania and North Macedonia immediately Serial killer Ivan Milat has spent his first night in the Sydney prison where he's likely to die, following a stint in a nearby hospital where he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Time is now running out if the backpacker murderer is to confess and give some closure to the families of his victims. Gaunt and bespectacled, Milat was dressed in prison greens in handcuffs and ankles shackled when he was brought to a white four-wheel drive in a wheelchair on Tuesday. Milat was seen being rolled out of hospital in a wheelchair. Source: 7News His white hair is balding and the killer's infamous handlebar moustache has also turned completely white. Milat arrived at Long Bay jail on Tuesday afternoon in the back of the 4WD after a 15-minute trip from Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick where he was diagnosed with oesophagus and stomach cancer. Milat will be detained at the prison hospital within the Long Bay Correctional Complex. The frail 74-year-old was transferred in a convoy of two identical Nissan Patrols while a police helicopter hovered overhead. Milat abducted his victims in the same type of 4WD in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Footage of the serial killer leaving hospital showed him looking frail. Source: Twitter/Nine News It's believed he sold the vehicle shortly after the backpackers' bodies were discovered in NSW's Belanglo State Forest. Milat on Tuesday sat in a cage in the back of one of the vehicles, which had tinted windows. The serial killer was initially taken from Goulburn's supermax jail to Prince of Wales on May 13 for medical tests. Milat's nephew, Alistair Shipsey, has said his uncle's condition is "very bad" and he may only have a couple of weeks to live. Milat was found guilty in 1996 of murdering seven backpackers whose bodies were found in makeshift graves in the 1990s. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, download the Yahoo News app from iTunes orGoogle Play and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoos daily newsletter. Sign up here. From socks and sneakers to washing machines and watches, Asian countries are hoping the US-China trade war will permanently boost manufacturing as brands dodge the row by choosing cheaper locations to make their goods. Business has fanned out from China, often referred to as the 'Factory of the World', into Vietnam, Cambodia, India and Indonesia for years. But the shift has accelerated as the world's two biggest economies slap tit-for-tat tariffs on each other. In the latest round of the bruising spat, US President Donald Trump this month raised tariffs to 25 percent on $200 billion of Chinese goods, prompting Beijing to retaliate with higher duties on $60 billion worth of American products. That "really became a kicker to force people to move", said Trent Davies, manager of international business at the advisory and tax firm Dezan Shira & Associates in Vietnam. A surge in relocations from China or plans to scale up production has strengthened the manufacturing hubs of Southeast Asia and beyond. Casio said it was moving some of its watch production to Thailand and Japan to avoid the US penalties, while Japanese printer-maker Ricoh said it was also shifting some of its work to Thailand. American shoe giant Steve Madden plans to boost production in Cambodia, and Brooks Running Company, Haier washing machines and sock maker Jasan -- which sells to Adidas, Puma, New Balance and Fila -- are all eyeing Vietnam. The country is a logical move for manufacturers, wooed by low-cost labour, attractive tax incentives and close proximity to China's unparalleled supply chains. "It's not just a result of the trade war, a lot of it is opportunity in Vietnam," Davies said. - Boom times - Some Vietnamese suppliers say the trade dispute has fast-tracked the trend as companies scramble to dodge fresh tariffs that could affect some 4,000 categories of exports to the US. On a busy stretch of road in Hanoi, the bustling Garco 10 factory is churning out men's shirts for American brands like Hollister, Bonobos and Express. The company says exports to the US were up seven percent last year, with an expected 10 percent jump this year. "Thanks to the trade war... several sectors of the Vietnam economy have gained, especially our garment sector," Garco 10 director Than Duc Viet told AFP. "We want to open more factories, we want to expand our capacity," he said at one of his facilities where an army of workers made shirts destined for American shopping malls and department stores. US imports from China during the first three months of this year reached nearly $16 billion, up 40 percent from the same period last year, according to US trade data. And that number could rise. - Labour woes - More than 40 percent of US companies in China are now considering moving or have already done so, mainly to Southeast Asia or Mexico, according to a poll this month from the American Chamber of Commerce in China. But the shift is not expected to be seamless. While Southeast Asia offers low-cost labour -- monthly factory salaries are about $290 in Vietnam and $180 in Cambodia and Indonesia, compared to around $540 in China -- workers are less experienced. "Labour costs are three times higher in China, but the efficiency is also three times higher," said Frank Weiand, co-chair of the manufacturing committee at the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam. There is also a smaller labour pool to draw on. Vietnam employs around 10 million people in the manufacturing sector compared to 166 million in China, according to data from the International Labour Organization. Indonesia employs 17.5 million, and Cambodia 1.4 million. Experts warn companies may also face supply chain woes, infrastructure challenges and land shortages in less developed markets without the capacity to absorb overspill from China. - Global shift - This could be a problem for Indonesia, whose clunky bureaucracy has left it trailing some of its neighbours. But now the country is hoping to soak up foreign investment from the trade war. "We're trying to make it easier for investors by speeding up the process for getting business permits," said Yuliot, a senior official at the Indonesian Investment Board who goes by one name. The country is also beefing up infrastructure and skills training while offering corporate tax breaks, he added. With no end to the trade war in sight, analysts say the manufacturing shift out of China is likely to continue -- and could redefine long-entrenched global trade patterns. "Certainly it will end China's dominance as the 'Factory for the US'," Gary Hufbauer, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, told AFP. US companies and consumers may also get the short end of the stick: higher tariffs on goods out of China means the average American will likely have to pay more for a pair of Nike sneakers or Levi's jeans. And if Trump was hoping to drive US manufacturers back home by imposing those tariffs as part of his 'Make America Great Again' clarion call, he's not likely to get his wish. American industries -- and wages -- are not set up for low-cost manufacturing on the scale of China. Instead, countries like Vietnam are likely to continue scooping up those jobs. Le Thi Huong, who sews hems at Hanoi's Garco 10 factory, said: "I hope there will be more orders... so we have more jobs and more income." Countries across Asia are hoping the US-China trade war will boost manufacturing as brands dodge the row by choosing cheaper locations to make their goods US President Donald Trump raised levies on $200 billion of Chinese goods -- prompting Beijing to retaliate with higher duties on $60 billion worth of American products Vietnam's exports to the US during the first three months of 2019 reached nearly $16 billion, up 40 percent from last year While labour costs are three times higher in China compared to Vietnam, efficiency is also three times higher, according to the American Chamber of Congress in Vietnam As the trade war shows no signs of stopping, analysts say the manufacturing shift out of China is likely to continue -- and could redefine global trade patterns Japan's Naomi Osaka battled back from a set and a break down to defeat Slovakia's Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 0-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 on Tuesday to reach the Roland Garros second round. Osaka, bidding to add the French Open to her US and Australian Open titles, was within a whisker of becoming just the second top seed to lose in the first round in Paris in the modern era after Angelique Kerber in 2017. World number 90 Schmiedlova, who hadn't won a match at the tournament since 2014, twice served for the tie in the 10th and 12th games of the second set. At one stage, she was just two points away from a famous victory. But Osaka, who had arrived in Paris still feeling the effects of a hand injury suffered in Rome, battled back to set-up a second round duel with former world number one and two-time major winner Victoria Azarenka. "I was really close, so it hurts I lost so many chances," said Schmiedlova. "Maybe I felt like it was against the world number one. It was not easy in my head." Osaka was broken three times in the opening set, losing it in just 20 minutes. The 21-year-old hit 13 unforced errors while the Slovakian didn't need to hit a single winner such was the error-strewn show coming from the other side of the net. It was the first time since 2000, when Ruxandra Dragomir 'bageled' Martina Hingis, that the top seed in the Roland Garros first round had suffered such an indignity. The Japanese star had not herself been 'bageled' since the Wimbledon second round in 2017. Osaka recovered her composure for a break and a 3-0 lead in the second set but a brief suspension for rain disrupted her composure and allowed the Slovakian to hit back to 3-3. Former top 30 player Schmiedlova served for the tie at 5-4 but Osaka dug deep to save herself. The errors kept coming and the 24-year-old Slovakian was handed a second chance to serve for victory. Still, she couldn't convert despite being just two points from victory and Osaka stayed alive, sweeping through the tie-breaker. That was the cue for Osaka to illustrate the gap of 89 places between her and the slender blonde in the world rankings. She broke three times in the 25-minute final set to extend her streak at the Slams to 15 successive wins. Osaka ended the match with 10 aces, 36 winners and 38 unforced errors with just four of those coming in the decider. Azarenka, a semi-finalist in 2013, reached the second round for the first time since 2015 with a 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) win over 2017 champion Jelena Ostapenko. "Just the usual second round match," smiled Azarenka. "But it's going to be exciting for me. I love to challenge myself against the best players." Battling back: Japan's Naomi Osaka on her way to victory over Slovakia's Anna Karolina Schmiedlova France's Nans Peters crossed the line alone to claim his maiden victory in the Giro d'Italia 17th stage on Wednesday as Ecuador's Richard Carapaz tightened his grip on the leader's pink jersey with four days of racing left. Peters, riding for the Ag2r-La Mondiale team, blew away his rivals at the end of the 181km run through the north of Italy, near the Austrian border. The 25-year-old pulled clear 16km from the line and had built up an advantage of one minute at the foot of the 5.5km final climb. "It's enormous! I'd never won, I'd always come close," said the rider from the mountainous region of Isere in south-eastern France. Colombian Esteban Chaves, riding for Mitchelton-Scott, finished a distant second 1min 30sec behind with Italy's Davide Formolo of Bora-Hansgrohe third at 1min 51sec. "It's incredible to get my first pro win in a Grand Tour," continued Peters. "My Giro was already a success having worn the top young rider's white jersey for a few days. I had no stress." Peters had already been among the leaders in the sixth stage, but had been unable to finish off and dropped to eighth. But it allowed him to pull on the white jersey for three days. Movistar rider Carapaz kept the overall leader's pink jersey, extending his lead over Italy's Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) and Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) by seven seconds. Britain's Simon Yates, the Vuelta a Espana champion, remains eighth, 7min 13sec behind the race leader. A group of 18 riders had formed a breakaway in an animated start after Tuesday's wet and cold conditions at Mortirolo. "I focused on Formolo and (Thomas) De Gendt who were the strong men of the breakaway," explained Peters. "I saw that the others were biding their time and I went for it without questioning myself." Carapaz put his foot down on the pedal over the final kilometre, gaining seven seconds on Nibali, who he leads by 1min 54sec. Movistar rider Mikel Landa of Spain also attacked and is now less than a minute behind third-placed Roglic in fourth. "Mikel Landa felt good in the finale and decided to attack to gain some time for the final podium," said Carapaz. "I also felt good and I did my best to profit from Mikel's attack. I couldn't have asked for a better 26th birthday than with the Maglia Rosa (pink jersey)." Thursday's stage offers the remaining sprinters a final chance for a win as the route drops to sea level, with a 222km run through the Venetian hinterlands from Valdaora to Santa Maria di Sala, concluding with a 2km sprint for the line. The race concludes in Verona on Sunday. France's Nans Peters claimed a maiden victory in the Giro d'Italia 17th stage Ecuador's Richard Carapaz celebrated his 26th birthday in the Giro d'Italia pink jersey Facing the prospect of state legislation that could dramatically alter the landscape of rent regulation, a trio of prominent and deep-pocketed New York City real estate companies Blackstone Group, A&E Real Estate Holdings and Taconic Investment Partners met privately several months ago with a group representing the interests of the affordable housing industry to explore a potential compromise that would add protections for tenants but allow for financial incentives to maintain their buildings. The meeting, which was held in March, was arranged by the Partnership of New York City, a membership group of city CEOs that advocates on policy issues. It brought representatives of three of the citys most powerful real estate interests together with nonprofit organizations that have, to varying degrees, endorsed changes to the states rent laws that would add protections to tenants and stem the tide of deregulation. They included Community Service Society of New York, an agency that advocates for low-income New Yorkers; Enterprise Community Partners, which facilitates tax-credit financing for affordable housing; and the New York State Association For Affordable Housing (NYSAFAH), a trade group that represents both nonprofit and for-profit affordable housing developers and which is typically considered to be more centrist on housing regulations. According to a source at the meeting who asked not to be named, those who attended were asked not to disclose the meeting and keep what was discussed confidential. Kathryn Wylde, the president and CEO of the Partnership of New York City, confirmed the meeting to Gothamist. She said she selected the participants based on who she thought was fair and thoughtful about the issues. It was an exchange of views among those who will be affected, she said. But it may also be a sign of the times. The willingness of three big real estate players to meet with the opposition far from the heavily politicized atmosphere of Albany suggests that the powerful industry is coming to grips with a fear that their members no longer hold the same political clout. Jordan Barowitz, a spokesman for the Durst Organization, a residential developer and commercial property owner, said the hostile and impassioned environment of rent reform have made real negotiations between stakeholders difficult or close to impossible. The challenge for us is being part of the conversation, he said. We just want to get a seat at the table. According to Wylde, one of the questions that arose during the March meeting was whether the proposed increase in tenant protections could be offset by city tax abatement and housing preservation policies in a way that property owners would be incentivized to maintain their buildings and ensure affordability. The citys J-51 program, for example, grants tax breaks to landlords who make capital investments, such as new roofs, boilers and elevators, and also keep the apartments rent-regulated. But similar to state rent laws, the program has come under scrutiny for lack of oversight, with the most notorious case involving Tishman Speyer Properties and its illegal deregulation of apartments at Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village. But the discussion around tax incentives did not appear to lead to any clear proposals. Afterwards, the parties went their separate ways and there have been no follow-ups, according to sources. Wylde said any compromise on rent reform would now be left to legislators. I hope that theres a middle ground that can be reached, she said. So far its not clear what thats going to be. With Republicans no longer holding a majority in the state Senate, Democratic lawmakers are poised to pass a sweeping slate of measures that could fundamentally change the balance of power between New York City tenants and landlords. A series of landlord-friendly regulatory changes beginning in 1993 have granted building owners the upper hand, allowing them to raise rents more quickly and deregulate more than 152,000 rent-regulated apartments. But in the wake of rallies, news stories about landlords exploiting an under-regulated housing system, and as well as data-driven reports on evictions and predatory landlord practices, Democratic control of Albany has brought tenant advocates to the brink of what was once an unthinkable moment in New York come next month, the real estate industry may be dealt its most significant and costly political defeat yet. Landlords have written the rules when it comes to tenants for decades, said Democratic Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal, who since her election in 2006 has watched numerous defeats of tenant protection bills. Thats why everyone is so zealous. Until this year, the real estate industry's influence in Albany went largely unchallenged. Over the past 22 years, the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY), the lobbying arm of the industry, has poured $5.2 million into statewide elections, according to campaign finance filings on FollowtheMoney.org That sum does not include direct donations to candidates by individual companies and their employees or LLCs, which have been used by real estate firms to give unrestricted amounts to candidates. In particular, Governor Andrew Cuomo, who since first running for governor in 2010 has raised $100 million in campaign contributions, has drawn a number of sizable donations from real estate interests. (The list includes the Durst Organization.) As a result of Cuomos ties to real estate, housing activists and progressive groups argue that he should be excluded from the rent reform negotiations. Three of the proposals have been widely embraced by lawmakers and appear headed for approval: the end of vacancy decontrol, which enables landlords to deregulate apartments once they become vacant and monthly rents surpass $2,733; an elimination of the preferential rents loophole, a provision that allows landlords to charge rents lower than the legally allowed maximum but also to suddenly raise them to the legally allowed maximum during lease renewals; and changes to policies on major capital improvements (MCIs) and individual apartment upgrades (IAIs), which allow landlords to recoup the cost of capital improvements through permanent rent increases. The latter policy, which has had little oversight, has been subject to fraud through inflated or phony renovation estimates that have allegedly been carried out by prominent landlords, including the Trump family as well as A&E. In response, REBNY and landlord groups have launched a broad attack, mostly targeting the policies governing rent hikes to pay for renovation improvements. Taxpayers for an Affordable New York, a coalition that includes REBNY, and several landlord groups spent roughly $700,000 on a responsible rent reform campaign with television, print and social media ads that depict mom and pop landlords who say that proposed changes in the rent laws will affect their ability to make needed repairs and investments to their buildings. Earlier this month, Alliance For Rental Excellence, which represents building contractors and landlords, hired a prominent lobbying firm with connections to the governor to take on the proposed renovation law changes. During a protest in Brooklyn several weeks ago, the participants, including carpenters, electricians and plumbers, carried signs that said, Save IAIs and Save MCIs. According to Victor Sozio, the co-founder of Ariel Property Advisors, a real estate brokerage and debt provider, the focus on MCIs and IAIs makes sense. Any property owner that has a fairly high percentage of stabilized units has to be acutely aware of what is happening with IAI formulas and how they will be applied going forward, he said. That is a very clear mechanism to recoup investment. Without that going forward, a lot of owners are going to be befuddled on how to operate their vacancies. That includes the rising investor class of landlords that have over the last decade acquired and backed large rental properties and developments in New York City, some at high valuations. Blackstone, which bought Stuyvesant Town in 2015, is the citys biggest landlord, according to a 2018 ranking by The Real Deal. A&E, another attendee at the March meeting, has since its founding in 2011 bought nearly 200 rental buildings to become the fourth largest. Its biggest holding consists of the Riverton Houses, a 1,229-unit Harlem complex that the company purchased in 2015 for $201 million. As part of a deal with the city that included $100 million in tax breaks and other incentives, A&E agreed to keep 975 of the units affordable for 30 years. Taconic, meanwhile, has been mostly known as a behind-the-scenes investor and developer, most notably as one of the partners in Essex Crossing, the sprawling $1.5 billion mixed-use development on the Lower East Side that includes a little more than 1,000 apartments, roughly half of which will be below-market rate. Blackstone, A&E and Taconic did not respond to interview requests. With less than three weeks to go before the rent laws expire, all eyes will be centered on Albany. In addition to REBNY, state filings show that Blackstone, A&E and Taconic have hired lobbyists to work for them on various issues. Youre trying to defuse the people who are really shouting about reforms, said George Arzt, a former press secretary for Mayor Ed Koch who now runs a public relations and lobbying firm. You talk to the leaders on what can be done. You talk to senior people with influence. Arzt said he was not involved in lobbying for rent reform. Senator Brian Kavanagh, chair of the Senate housing committee, acknowledged meeting with representatives for Blackstone. Its our role to hear from all sides, he said. Kavanagh said that while landlords have told lawmakers that they understand there need to be significant changes, they had been less specific on what changes they would be willing to support. Tenant activists said they expected the real estate industry to continue to pressure lawmakers through closed-door talks and advertising. Theyve been the most powerful industry in New York state for decades because of their wealth, said Ellen Davidson, a staff attorney at the Legal Aid Society, a group which has vigorously lobbied for rent reform. But she added, For the first time, real estate thinks they might not win everything. Cayuga County is required to have only one early voting poll site, but election commissioners opted to add two more to accommodate voters in the northern and southern ends of the county. Katie Lacey, the county's Democratic elections commissioner, revealed Tuesday that there will be three early voting locations for the general election. Lacey and Cherl Heary, the Republican elections commissioner, had to submit their updated list of sites to the state Board of Elections by Wednesday. The early voting law signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in January requires counties to have a minimum of one location for every 50,000 registered voters. As of Feb. 1, Cayuga County had 49,324 registered voters. Lacey told The Citizen in early May that the Clifford Park Clubhouse in Auburn was selected as an early voting site, but the county elections board considered adding more locations in the towns of Conquest and Venice. Following those discussions, the county will have early voting poll sites at Conquest Town Hall and Venice Town Hall. The locations in Conquest and Venice give voters in the northern and southern parts of the county closer options than the site in Auburn. Lacey reminded voters that during the early voting period they may cast a ballot at any of the sites in the county. "We're trying to make it as convenient as we can," she said. Future plans also factored into the county board's decision. While there is traditionally low turnout in local election years, 2020 is a presidential election year. There will be at least three elections in New York: The presidential primaries, the federal and state primary in June and the general in November. With higher turnout expected in 2020, Heary and Lacey wanted to have the county's early voting plan in place this year. The availability of state funding changed their approach. Instead of settling on one site, they sought to have three sites because state aid could help finance the additional locations. The 2019-20 state budget includes nearly $25 million to help counties implement early voting. There is $14.7 million available to assist with the purchase of electronic poll books, on-demand ballot printers and other equipment. The state also has $10 million to reimburse counties for early voting-related expenses. Each early voting location is eligible to receive up to $30,000 in state aid. Cayuga County could receive up to $90,000 to help implement early voting. "We're going to get as much of the equipment as we can ahead of time because next year, with the presidential, we'll have more of a need than we'll have this year," Lacey said. "This is the year they're doing the aid, so this is the year we're going to be buying stuff." The new law establishes a nine-day early voting period before an election. For this year, early voting begins Saturday, Oct. 26 and concludes Sunday, Nov. 3 two days before Election Day. In Cayuga County, the early voting sites will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26 and Nov. 2; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27 and Nov. 3; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28 and Wednesday, Oct. 30; noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 29 and Thursday, Oct. 31; and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1. Online producer Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 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. Auburn fifth-grader Emma Sroka correctly spelled words during two onstage appearances, but she didn't advance to the finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Maryland. The bee selected 50 finalists based on a scoring system that emphasizes a written test administered Monday. The spelling and vocabulary test is worth 30 points. The onstage spelling in rounds two and three is worth six points. Following the two rounds of spelling Tuesday and Wednesday, there were 369 contestants eligible to advance to the finals. The finalists were announced after the third round concluded. Vocabulary victory: Auburn student heading to national spelling bee After Emma Sroka found out she qualified for the Scripps National Spelling Bee, she smiled s The bee invited 100 entrants who had the best scores on the written test and correctly spelled their words in the second and third rounds to attend the announcement. But Sroka, a student at Seward Elementary School, wasn't announced as one of the finalists. Sroka qualified for the Scripps National Spelling Bee by winning a regional competition in March. She won a spelling bee at Seward Elementary in December and took a written test in January to qualify for the central New York bee. After the written test, Sroka participated in the second round of the competition Tuesday. She correctly spelled "pelog" to advance to the third round Wednesday. On Wednesday, she was asked to spell "initiatory." Contestants are allowed to ask some questions about the word, including its definition, language of origin or its use in a sentence. Sroka didn't ask any questions. Without hesitation, she spelled initiatory correctly. The Scripps National Spelling Bee finals begin Thursday morning. The first part of the finals will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The second part, which will be televised on ESPN, begins at 8:30 p.m. Love 6 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Two Auburn women were named Senior Citizens of the Year by the Cayuga County Office for the Aging Tuesday as a part of the county's annual Senior Citizen's Day celebrations. Patricia Messina and Betty Walowsky, both of Auburn, were presented with the awards at the Cayuga County Legislature's annual meeting at Emerson Park in recognition for the commitment to serving their community as volunteers. After retiring from a 35-year teaching career in the Auburn Enlarged School District, Messina began a "whirlwind" of volunteer activities, Office for the Aging Director Brenda Wiemann said while presenting Messina's award. Messina has volunteered at Owasco Elementary, with Habitat for Humanity, with her church, and as a board member of the Seymour Library and the Ward O'Hara Agricultural & Country Living Museum, and as a member of the city's Retired Senior Volunteer program where she has logged over 1,144 service hours in 14 years. Similarly, Walowsky has participated in an array of community programs since retiring almost 20 years ago, Wiemann said, including at least 18 years of volunteering for the Red Cross through blood drives at Auburn United Methodist Church. Walowsky also helps cook and pack hundreds of meals for the Salvation Army in Auburn, and is especially known for making pierogi at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, in addition to volunteering with the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, Wiemann said. The awards for Messina and Walowsky joined two proclamations from the Legislature recognizing May as Senior Citizen's Month and May 28 as Senior Nutrition Program Volunteers Day. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 WASHINGTON (AP) Special counsel Robert Mueller said Wednesday that charging President Donald Trump with a crime was "not an option" because of federal rules, but he used his first public remarks on the Russia investigation to emphasize that he did not exonerate the president. "If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so," Mueller declared. The special counsel's remarks stood as a pointed rebuttal to Trump's repeated claims that he was cleared and that the two-year inquiry was merely a "witch hunt." They also marked a counter to criticism, including by Attorney General William Barr, that Mueller should have reached a determination on whether the president illegally tried to obstruct the probe by taking actions such as firing his FBI director. Mueller made clear that his team never considered indicting Trump because the Justice Department prohibits the prosecution of a sitting president. "Charging the president with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider," Mueller said. He said he believed such an action would be unconstitutional. Mueller did not use the word 'impeachment," but said it was the job of Congress not the criminal justice system to hold the president accountable for any wrongdoing. The special counsel's statement largely echoed the central points of his 448-page report,which was released last month with some redactions. But his remarks, just under 10 minutes long and delivered from a Justice Department podium, were extraordinary given that he had never before discussed or characterized his findings and had stayed mute during two years of feverish public speculation. Mueller, a former FBI director, said Wednesday that his work was complete and he was resigning to return to private life. His remarks underscored the unsettled resolution, and revelations of behind-the-scenes discontent, that accompanied the end of his investigation. His refusal to reach a conclusion on criminal obstruction opened the door for Barr to clear the president, who in turn has cited the attorney general's finding as proof of his innocence. Trump, given notice Tuesday evening that Mueller would speak the next morning, watched on television. For weeks, he had been nervous about the possibility about the special counsel testifying before Congress, worried about the visual power of such a public appearance. Shortly after Mueller concluded, the president who has repeatedly and falsely claimed that the report cleared him of obstruction of justice, tweeted a subdued yet still somewhat inaccurate reaction: "Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you" While claiming victory, the tone of the president's tweet was a far cry from the refrain of "total exoneration" that has dominated his declarations. Mueller has privately vented to Barr about the attorney general's handling of the report, while Barr has publicly said he was taken aback by the special counsel's decision to neither exonerate nor incriminate the president. Under pressure to testify before Congress, Mueller did not rule it out. But he seemed to warn lawmakers that they would not be pulling more detail out of him. His report is his testimony, he said. "So beyond what I have said here today and what is contained in our written work," Mueller said, "I do not believe it is appropriate for me to speak further about the investigation or to comment on the actions of the Justice Department or Congress." Mueller's comments, one month after the public release of his report on Russian efforts to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton, appeared intended to both justify the legitimacy of his investigation against complaints by the president and to explain his decision to not reach a conclusion on whether Trump had obstructed justice in the probe. He described wide-ranging and criminal Russian efforts to interfere in the election, including by hacking and spreading disinformation interference that Trump has said Putin rejected to his face in an "extremely strong and powerful" denial. And Mueller called the question of later obstruction by Trump and his campaign a matter of "paramount importance." Mueller said the absence of a conclusion on obstruction should not be mistaken for exoneration. A Justice Department legal opinion "says the Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing," Mueller said. That would shift the next move, if any, to Congress, and the Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, which would investigate further or begin any impeachment effort, commented quickly. New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler said it falls to Congress to respond to the "crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump and we will do so." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has so far discouraged members of her caucus from demanding impeachment, believing it would only help Trump win re-election and arguing that Democrats need to follow a methodical, step by step approach to investigating the president. But she hasn't ruled it out. On the Republican side, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said that Mueller "has decided to move on and let the report speak for itself. Congress should follow his lead." Trump has blocked House committees' subpoenas and other efforts to dig into the Trump-Russia issue, insisting Mueller's report has settled everything. The report found no criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia to tip the outcome of the 2016 presidential election in Trump's favor. But it also did not reach a conclusion on whether the president had obstructed justice. Barr has said he was surprised Mueller did not reach a conclusion on obstruction, though Mueller in his report and again in his statement Wednesday said he had no choice. Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decided on their own that the evidence was not sufficient to support a criminal charge. Barr, who is currently in Alaska for work and was briefed ahead of time on Mueller's statement, has said he asked Mueller during a March conversation if he would have recommended charging Trump "but for" the Office of Legal Counsel opinion, and that Mueller said "no." "Under longstanding department policy, a president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office," Mueller said. "That is unconstitutional. Even if the charge is kept under seal and hidden from public view that, too, is prohibited." Mueller, for his part, earlier complained privately to Barr that he believed a four-page letter from the attorney general summarizing the report's main conclusions did not adequately represent his findings. Barr has said he considered Mueller's criticism to be a bit "snitty." ____ Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick, Lisa Mascaro and Jonathan Lemire contributed to this report. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 The one place that it seems that everyone dreads going to. The classes, the homework, the teachers, the copious amounts of work, most kids would rather stay home. For some students, this isnt the case. School is a safe place for them, a place where they are guaranteed breakfast and lunch, as well as a warm place to stay during the day, protected from the elements. Port Byron Central School District is one of the poorest districts in the Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES program, as many of the families that belong to the school fall below the poverty line, but what it does for its students is non-comparable to other districts in the region. The Port Byron Central School District is doing numerous things to help provide and support those who fall below the poverty line, so all students have an equal educational opportunity, such as taking part in the free breakfast and lunch program, a backpack program and providing free school supplies. Up until this year, if students qualified for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or if they filled out an application, then the students could qualify for a free or reduced price lunch and breakfast, based on their families income level. Roughly six years ago, a new program called the Community Eligibility Program (CEP) was started. This meant that if a school or district had more than 40% of their student population was a part of the SNAP program, or a similar program, then the district was able to qualify for free meals for every student. This year, A.A. Gates Elementary has 45.09% of its students on the SNAP program, while Dana L. West Jr.-Sr. High has 42.51% of its students eligible for the SNAP program. The district is able to provide free meals for its students because the district is reimbursed by both the state and federal governments for some meals. The CEP program, was able to reimburse the elementary school for 72.15% of the meals they provide for their students, while the high school was reimbursed for 68.02% of meals. For whatever meals the district isnt reimbursed for, they have to make up 30% of the difference. By providing these programs, the district is able to provide a level playing field for its students, as High School Principal Mr. Jorgensen says. He also mentioned that a successful school district, was one that all students basic needs, need to be met. Therefore, by providing the free meals for all students, they will be more focused in school, and they are guaranteed at least two meals Monday through Friday. This program allows all students an equal chance at an education, because those who are not well off at home, are getting their basic needs met at school, in the same way that those who are able to have their needs met at home. Another question that arose during this investigation was, if the school is providing meals for students Monday through Friday, are they left to their own devices for the weekend? The answer to that question is no. The Port Byron Central School District has started a Backpack Program for its students. This means that every Friday, a backpack filled with supplies like peanut butter, bread and other non perishable food items, as well as basic care supplies, is discreetly left in a locker, or somewhere else for the student to take home for the weekend. This way, the school can ensure that the students will have food on their plates for the weekend. When they return Monday, they bring their backpacks with them, and return them to the spot where they found them, and do the same thing each week. Just like the free meal programs, this helps the school be successful by meeting the basic needs of its students. To help fund the backpack program, the district picks up most of the cost for the program, but there are individuals who also make small donations, according to Mr. Toleson, assistant superintendent for business and finance. Mr. Jorgensen mentioned that many teachers will pitch in for the students as well. Often times, teachers will drop different supplies into a basket and it will be distributed throughout the backpacks. Also, around the holidays, the school will adopt a family or two, and the teachers and administration will all bring in supplies and gifts that the family needs, or wants for their children to have. This is just another way that the school is doing what it can to help out its students so they all have equal opportunity. As mentioned before, administrators want all students to have an equal chance at an education. This can be hard when school supply lists are miles long depending on the class, and then half of the supplies requested arent used. When it comes down to it, many families have to decide; do they want to put food on the table for dinner or buy tons of school supplies that may not even be used. The district recognized this, and decided to give all students free school supplies. Each student started the year with one binder, three pencils, three pens, three pencil top erasers, three folders, a pencil pouch, agenda and one pack of paper. If a student ran out, or needed more supplies, then they can simply go to the guidance office, request what they need and get it immediately. The money that is used for the school supplies comes from the districts general budget, which is made of monies that come from state aid and school taxes. The high school has also given every student in grades seventh through 12th, each their own Chromebook. The administration knew that the families who were struggling couldnt afford to buy them for their children. The district purchased the Chromebooks through BOCES, so they are able to receive BOCES aid. This means that the school will pay for all the laptops, but then they will receive 80% back of the money that was spent in state Aid. Mr. Jorgensen also realized that some families couldnt afford calculators for math either. So, he sat down with each math teacher for an estimate on how many each teacher needed. Then he was able to talk to Mr. Toleson to set aside however much was needed to purchase the calculators out of the high schools $47,950 budget. By purchasing the supplies and technologies for each student, one student doesnt have more of an advantage than the person sitting next to them, because they are all equipped with the same equipment for an equal education. Outside of providing meals and supplies for their students, the schools have also implemented support systems for kids. Mrs. Sayre, in the high school, and Mrs. Root in the elementary, are both mental health counselors that are employed in the school to help students out. They are available to talk to about any problems a student may have, at school or at home, but their jobs go much deeper than that. Mrs. Sayre is partnered with many organizations in Cayuga County; she can help refer a student to a mental health clinic or help a students family find a way to help repair a broken appliance in their house. Mrs. Sayre helps students and families connect to agencies that are outside of the school's control. Another support system that the school has is their connection with the East Hill Family Medical Center. Students are able to get free check-ups and doctors appointments through the clinic. It doesnt cost the district anything, the clinic partners with parents and their insurance carriers to provide the care they need. They qualify for this program if they qualify for the free and reduced lunch programs. Students can also receive free dental work if their families cant afford it, and it all happens right here in the school. The elementary school also has the Healthy Kids Program. This is a program for kids whose parents need to get to work early and have no other ride to school. The cost of this program is based totally off of the parents salaries, and it may cost them little to nothing. Another program that is implemented is the After School Program. This program is totally free and provides students a safe place to have fun after school, while they wait for their parents to get out of work. These support programs help give kids the boost that they need to stay in school and give them a reason to come to school everyday. Poverty is a hardship that affects everyone in the community. Its also a topic that no one wants to talk about because many are afraid to reach out for the extra help. Many students will openly talk about the school in a negative way, and say things like the school doesnt do anything for its students, or that the administrators dont care about the kids who attend the school, they just care about the money. This in fact, is not the case. What most students dont realize is what goes on behind the scenes in the schools. Everyday, the staff is actively trying to help everyone, not just those in need, to grow and prosper into successful people. They want their students to be prepared to enter the workforce, trade school or college, so they can support themselves and possibly their own families one day. All of the administrators want to, and try to even out the playing field for all of its students by providing free or reduced meals for its students, as well as the backpack program so students and families have their basic needs met for the weekends. Its important for us all to take a step back, realize what we have, count our blessings and be thankful for what we have and the community that we should all be proud of. This is what the staff and administration mean when they say, Proud to be PB. Chelsea Rooker is a senior at the Port Byron Central School District who researched and wrote this essay for her college-level English class and submitted it to The Citizen. Love 5 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SAN FRANCISCOA new short film from pleasure products manufacturer Crave examines womens pleasure through a historic lens. They say we study history so that we dont release past mistakes over and over again, the company said in its description of the film. When it comes to womens bodies, somebody missed that memo. The 3-minute, 30-second film, available on the companys Facebook page, is titled This Is About the History of Womens Pleasure* (*and how it has been suppressed for centuries). The initial plan was to create an interesting story for Womens History Month, company officials said. But something strange happened, a rep said. The more we dug, the more we learned that the history of womens pleasure is mostly a story about how society has sought to negate womens pleasure and control women's bodies for centuries. Sound a little too familiar? From the Greeks beliefs that the clitoris was an inverted penis, to Freuds teachings that a clitoral orgasm was immature, the film traces man and medicines misunderstandings of the female body and its pleasure capabilities. It also touches on how politics today are being used to shame and even criminalize women trying to take their pleasure into their own hands. At Crave, we do more than make sex toys, a company rep said. We have a vision for the world where everybody is empowered to own their pleasure. And that vision cannot possibly come to pass in a world where half the population has its bodily autonomy challenged and threatened. To view the video, visit Facebook.com. For more, visit LoveCrave.com. MIAMI, FL FamilyStrokes.com, the taboo-themed site from Paper Street Media, the parent company of award-winning adult studio Team Skeet, is now updating its content six times per month. Due to growing demand, Family Strokes will be adding two more content updates for a total of six each month, said Salima, COO of Paper Street Media. Featuring some of the top young stars in the adult industry in scenarios rich with forbidden desire, the new schedule makes Family Strokes the most prolific fauxcest portal on the internet! As part of the new initiative, Family Strokes will add an update every other Tuesday, in addition to the regular updates each Thursday. Each of the six updates will include brand new and exclusive scenes, shot by some of the industrys top filmmakers for Family Strokes and its premium subscribers. Family Strokes offers never-before-seen content, featuring a blend of fresh young talent along with award-winning performers in a variety of erotic taboo scenarios. Members of the site enjoy mother-son, mother-daughter, father-daughter, sibling, cousin and other faux-family hardcore couplings. Among those featured include adult stars as Sarah Vandella, Kenzie Reeves, Britney Amber, Jillian Janson, Katie Morgan, Autumn Falls, Aaliyah Love, Ariana Marie, Gianna Dior, Christiana Cinn, Carolina Sweets, and many others. Geared toward fans of erotic scenes involving blended families, Family Strokes features unique high-quality content with Paper Street Medias signature production values and dedication to unique sexual experiences. Family Strokes features a wide range of erotic content that includes exploring threeway sex, lesbian sex, taboo fetish fantasies, anal and oral sex, creampies, double penetrations, and more. Paper Street Media has been a force in the adult industry with its award-winning, teen-themed adult studio Team Skeet, which has earned seven nominations at the 2019 AVN Awards. Mormon Girlz and Crave Media, new brands from Paper Street Media, also received eight AVN nominations. LOS ANGELES Brandi Love adores a good massage, especially when the hands are attached to a fine-looking stud who is ready to bang. In Mom Fucked The Masseur, she takes her stressed-out college coed daughter in for a massage and the masseur gets a little handsy with the younger Love, which freaks her out. Brandi, however, sees an opportunity. Honey, all is good. You just close those eyes and relax, Brandi tells her daughter as the girl puts cucumber slices over her eyes. Ever since going off to college, you dont seem to get much of that. With the offspring nearby but eyesight blocked by vegetables, Brandi sucks and fucks her body-working professional (Chad White), finding relaxation in her own way. Brandi Love is nominated for MILF Performer of the Year at the 2019 XRCO Awards. They will take place in June in the Los Angeles area. Date and location will be released soon. For more information follow @XRCOAwards or visit XRCO.com. On the heels of an alleged subway brake bandit's arrest for wreaking havoc on commutes, police are now looking for someone accused of "creating hazardous conditions" at a Brooklyn subway station. The incident took place at around 12:31 a.m. on May 9th, inside the Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center station. According to the NYPD, a man "intentionally placed debris on the northbound rails of the 'D' train line causing a hazardous condition." It's unclear what the objects were or if a transit worker removed the items, but the police say there were were no injuries or property damage as a result of this incident. Authorities say the suspect is wanted for reckless endangerment and shared video of him: Anyone with information in regard to the identity of this male is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crimestoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM, on Twitter @NYPDTips or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. She alights from a black Ferrari convertible, her Christian Louboutin stilettos glinting in the sunlight. The lid of her black lacquer grand piano is propped open in the living room of her plush Beverly Hills home. "I own a chain of elderly care facilities," she says into the camera on Bravo's reality television show "The Millionaire Matchmaker." ''My net worth is $3 to $4 million, probably." Stephanie Costa was 30 and enjoying a lifestyle supported in part by six board-and-care homes she owned in California's Central Valley. But half of that fortune was threatened when she and her company initially were cited for about $1.6 million for labor violations, including wage theft - not paying 11 employees for working much of 24 hours a day, six days a week. Costa, who declined to be interviewed for this story, is a rare public face of a burgeoning multibillion-dollar elder care industry that is enabling operators to become wealthy by treating workers as indentured servants. Across the country, legions of these caregivers earn a pittance to tend to the elderly in residential houses refurbished as care facilities, according to an investigation by Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting. The profit margins can be huge and, for violators of labor laws, hinge on the widespread exploitation of thousands of caretakers, many of them poor immigrants effectively earning $2 to $3.50 an hour to work around the clock. The federal hourly minimum wage is $7.25. Reveal interviewed more than 80 workers, care-home operators and government regulators and reviewed hundreds of wage theft cases handled by California and federal labor regulators, workers and local district attorneys. The investigation found rampant wage theft has pushed a vast majority of these caregivers into poverty. Search care worker exploitation complaints in your state Workers are left feeling desperate and trapped. Many caregivers say they rise before daybreak to cook meals, shower residents and scrub toilets. At night, they are deprived of sufficient sleep because they have to wake to change adult diapers, dispense painkillers, return wandering dementia residents to their beds and shift the bedridden every two hours to thwart bedsores. Workers describe sleeping in hallways and garages, on couches and the floor. Some care homes deduct $25 a day from caregivers' paychecks for "lodging." Exploited caregivers rarely are allowed a day off; even then, they often must pay their substitutes. Two caregivers recounted having miscarriages after their bosses refused to allow them time off or to stop lifting heavy residents. Because these workers often live where they work, they are under the watchful eye of their bosses. They are bullied into not cooperating with investigators. In some cases, care-home operators have threatened to report undocumented workers to authorities. Human trafficking - in which workers, particularly Filipinos, are coerced, manipulated and exploited - also is not uncommon, according to prosecutors and attorneys. For example, several family members were charged last year with human trafficking and labor abuse in a case involving caregivers in San Mateo County, California, south of San Francisco. "It's a classic tale of human greed," said Tia Koonse, legal and policy research manager at the UCLA Labor Center. "Their entire business model is predicated on not making payroll. It relies on people being willing to work for 24 hours a day for less than a dollar an hour. Only trafficked people will put up with that." ____ The growth of board-and-care homes in neighborhoods across the United States is tied to medical advances, enabling aging baby boomers to live longer despite debilitating illnesses. This has resulted in an increasing number of gravely ill people or their family members seeking an alternative to costly nursing home care. There were about 29,000 residential care communities nationwide and about 300,000 full-time caregivers in 2016, according to the most recent federal figures available. About two-thirds are smaller facilities with four to 25 residents, many with dementia. California leads the nation with more than 7,300 residential care facilities licensed by the state. Stephanie Costa provides a case study in exploiting workers, getting caught breaking labor laws and circumventing full punishment. In 2013, 11 workers brought wage theft claims after providing around-the-clock care in the care homes Costa owned. They changed adults' diapers, comforted the dying and hoisted infirm residents into bed. They worked six days a week and subsisted on meager wages, according to interviews and court documents. The workers said they risked being fired if they left the facilities and had no off-duty rest breaks during the day. Costa's care homes promoted 24/7 care for frail clients. "We knew we were being underpaid," said Juliet Delos Reyes, 60, a former caregiver employed by Costa. "But we were helpless. We didn't know our rights. How could we leave?" Reyes said she was not allowed to leave the home without permission when clients were present. In many cases, workers in the industry fall into jobs that become increasingly abusive. A substantial number are working in the U.S. without authorization or applying to remain legally in the country. They are paid less than they're promised, isolated and restricted to the facilities. Residents in these care homes typically are more than 60 years old. The annual national median cost for each resident is about $48,000. Dementia residents often pay more. Some owners tack on extra charges for those who are incontinent or desire more than two showers a week. Over the last decade, care-home operators across the nation broke minimum wage, overtime or record-keeping laws in at least 1,400 cases, federal data shows. About 35 percent of them were in California. Data obtained by Reveal through a California Public Records Act request shows senior care facilities in the state have pending wage theft claims against them or have been ordered to pay back wages and penalties in more than 110 additional cases. Three months after Costa's star turn on Bravo in 2013, the state labor commissioner's office ordered Costa and her company, Bedford Care Group, to pay about $1.6 million for unpaid wages and penalties. That's when she changed tactics. Papers were then filed with the state to create two new residential care-home companies called Clear View Retirement Group LLC and Copper River Retirement Group LLC. Costa's mother, Alice Hayes, is secretary, one of two officers, of these companies, according to licensing records. Hayes declined to comment. These new companies then received licenses from the state to run the six former Bedford care homes. But the structure and administrative staff in the care homes? Hayes assured residents that they would remain the same. In December 2014, following an appeal, the amount owed for the labor violations was reduced to $665,000. But around the same time, Costa's Bedford Care Group filed for bankruptcy, a legal maneuver that allowed her to effectively slash the amount she owed workers by settling the case for about $200,000, which she paid. Three weeks after Costa's care-home business filed for bankruptcy, her father registered a new company with the state called Property Investment Housing LLC. The company then took over as the new owner of Costa's six care homes. Her father did not return a call seeking comment. Stephanie Costa is the company's chief executive, records show. ___ Stephanie Costa represents a rare case in which an operator paid up, if only a partial amount of the original fine. Residential care facilities for the elderly receive among the largest wage theft judgments of any industry. Yet Reveal found that some facility owners caught cheating their workers are able to evade fines and judgments. Many companies play shell games by not keeping money or real estate holdings in the name of the company against which judgments or fines are entered. They simply abandon their company names - and the judgments against those named entities - rendering the penalties and wage theft judgments meaningless. Across the country, states are charged with regulating board-and-care facilities. In California, the state labor commissioner's office and U.S. Department of Labor, in addition to some local governments, are charged with investigating wage theft. State and federal regulators say privately that they need many more investigators and lawyers to chase down scofflaws and force them to pay. The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division declined to make top officials available for an interview. But in a written statement, a Labor Department spokesman said: "Last year the division recovered a record-setting $304 million in back wages for workers and conducted a record-setting 3,600 outreach events to provide information to employers, employees, and other stakeholders about the requirements of the law." The agency noted that in California, it has conducted investigations and "extensive outreach" to care-home operators "ensuring that they pay their workers the wages they have legally earned." At least 20 companies providing care for the elderly, disabled and mentally ill in California continue to operate illegally - many of them under their original names - after ignoring judgments for back wages and penalties totaling more than $1.4 million, Reveal found. A 2016 law barred companies with outstanding wage theft judgments from conducting business in the state. But the state Department of Social Services' Community Care Licensing Division, which is in charge of licensing facilities for the elderly and disabled, has not followed through. Pat Leary, acting director of the Department of Social Services, declined through spokesman Michael Weston to be interviewed. But in an email, Weston wrote that while the law allows his agency to deny a new license or not renew an existing one, the agency can take these steps only if it finds residents' health and safety have been threatened. For her part, Costa's former employee Juliet Delos Reyes desperately needed the total back pay she was owed before the bankruptcy of Costa's company. She now cares for her husband, who is on dialysis. His medical bills are crushing. "We didn't save anything. It affected us badly," Reyes said through tears. "I just hope that someday the government will look at how caregivers are treated." In mid-2016, the California Social Services Department banned Costa from the assisted living business for life after finding multiple health and safety violations. Among the violations: caregivers working without required criminal background checks; caregivers lacking the proper skills to test the glucose of a diabetic resident whose hands had been amputated; taking in hospice patients without the state's permission; and arguing with the friend of a resident who was sent to the hospital, prompting staff there to ask her to leave. Costa ignored the ban and continued to hire and fire workers at the care homes. So state licensing officials in April 2017 had Costa's mother sign a declaration promising Costa would not be involved in "any capacity" with the companies - Copper River Retirement Group and Clear View Retirement Group - that operate the care homes she once ran. But even after that meeting, records show, Costa listed herself as a managing member of Clear View Retirement Group. Costa's name has since been removed from the most recent business filings received by the state. A representative for the care-home industry readily acknowledged wrongdoing but blamed thin profit margins for necessitating the practice of underpaying workers. "Are there problems? There are lots of problems," said Ronald Simpson, a founding director of 6Beds Inc., a lobbying and advocacy organization that represents more than 1,000 operators of small residential care facilities for seniors in California. "Elderly people aren't able to pay what they'd need to pay for these homes to be compliant." Still, for workers earning anemic pay, "it's possible they're happy, too," he added. Simpson then lashed out at Reveal for investigating wage theft in the industry. "What you're doing is not a service to the industry," he said. "It makes the whole industry look like they're getting rich and ripping people off." As he spoke, Simpson was busy organizing one of the group's all-day workshops for care-home operators on labor laws, which the 6Beds website promised would give them a key bit of advice: how to "minimize labor costs." ___ For four years, Sonia Deza rose every morning at 5 a.m. to cook, clean, and wash and medicate her charges at Scienn Hail Home Care IV in Antioch, California, a city of about 100,000 people in the San Francisco Bay Area. She could not sit down again to rest until 10 p.m., after she tucked residents into bed and organized their prescriptions for the next day. A long night still lay ahead; some wandering dementia residents needed help back to bed, and others had to be shifted every two hours. Deza rarely took a day off, as she would need to pay her substitute. She earned about $2 an hour. She worried she would be fired if she complained. Then in 2013, federal regulators ordered Deza's bosses, Glenda and Rommel Publico, to pay Deza and 21 other workers more than $133,000 in back wages for violating federal minimum wage and overtime laws. The Publicos wrote Deza two checks totaling more than $17,700 in back wages. But instead of letting her deposit the checks, Rommel Publico demanded the money back, claiming it was his, Deza said in an interview. She said she was frightened he would fire her if she refused. So she served her residents lunch and then took a rare break on two afternoons in July 2013. Rommel Publico picked her up from work and drove her to two different banks. "I took the checks into the banks, then returned to the car and gave him the cash," said Deza, 66. "Oh my goodness, that's my money. I worked so hard for it. I really needed that money. It's big money for me." Publico let her keep $1,000. He called it a bonus, she said. Three of Deza's co-workers said in interviews that they also were forced to return the back wages. According to federal Labor Department records, the Publicos submitted false documents to labor investigators purporting to show they'd paid the back wages. Still other workers never received a check in the first place. They still are waiting. Prosecutors from the Contra Costa County district attorney's office have charged the Publicos with multiple felonies, including grand theft and tax fraud. The case is pending. In a phone interview, Rommel Publico defended the treatment of his caregivers and said the charges against him "hurt my feelings." "When we ran the business, we were like a family," Publico said through tears. "My caregivers, I treat them like my mom. I've never been like, 'I'm the boss.' "Every time I turn around, I have problems," he said of the pending case against him. "It breaks my heart. I cry." Another Publico employee who was not paid back wages is Normita Lim. She worked around the clock as a caregiver in one of their care homes for nearly a decade, earning about $2 an hour. Rarely allowed a day off, she kept working, afraid she would be fired if she complained. On Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays, her three children visited her in the cramped room she lived in down the hall from the residents. "I'm still struggling," said Lim, 75. "I needed that money for my medications and food, but he got away with murder by not having to pay. I'm angry, but what can we do?" In late 2017, the Publicos sold the care home where Lim worked. She said she stayed on as a caregiver for just a month under the new owner. She earned about $600 that month to work around the clock, seven days a week, for less than a dollar an hour. A man at the care home said the facility is now called Elizabeth Care Homes 2. But the property still is licensed to Glenda Publico, records show. "I thought, 'This is worse,' so I quit," Lim said. ___ Workers often fear reporting their mistreatment to authorities. They routinely are harassed and fired if they report abysmal pay or overtime violations, according to interviews and court documents. Reveal found 90 caregivers in California who said their bosses intimidated them, threatened to report them to immigration authorities or blacklist them in the industry. In 2014, federal investigators caught Lake Alhambra Center in Antioch cheating its workers - for a second time. When an investigator visited, an employee put him on the phone with Mehrangiz Sarkeshik, who owned the home with her husband. She excoriated the investigator for the intrusion: "You didn't tell me you were coming. Leave right now!" Then the investigator overheard Sarkeshik shout at the worker over the phone: "You need to get him out of there or you will be fired!" She called the police and upon arriving at the home, she again threatened to fire any workers who cooperated with the investigator, according to a court document. When the investigator tried to follow up, workers told him that they were too scared to talk. Soon afterward, the facility changed hands and now operates under a different name. No wage theft fines have been issued to this operator to date. Precilla San Miguel, an owner of San Miguel Homes for the Elderly, which operates three facilities in Union City, near Silicon Valley, kept timesheets that showed caregivers worked eight hours a day, even though their employment manual required them to be available 24 hours per day, seven days a week to seniors. She went as far as fabricating evidence to cover up her wage theft, court documents show. Workers said she offered them bribes to falsify timesheets and required them to sign agreements not to sue her. She also installed surveillance cameras in her care homes to monitor caregivers, workers said. The court ordered the defendants to pay $425,000 in back wages and damages. Last year, four members of a family were charged with various felonies, including human trafficking and labor abuse, in San Mateo County, south of San Francisco. State prosecutors say Gamos family members preyed on Filipino immigrants and "enslaved" some in their Rainbow Bright facilities. Family members forced some to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and some caregivers had their passports withheld, prosecutors say. In court filings, prosecutors allege that some workers slept on mattresses on the floor and in garages and were prohibited from leaving the facilities, where they cared for children, the disabled and some seniors. Some workers who were injured on the job were told to lie to emergency room doctors about how they were maimed. They also were forced to pay their medical bills, according to the court documents. Even as his family cheated workers out of more than $9 million in wages from 2009 through 2018, Joshua Gamos, one of the facilities' owners, collected a fleet of cars, including a Lamborghini and a Ferrari, prosecutors allege in court documents. Gamos also is charged with raping a caregiver. She was 21 when she began working for the facilities shortly after arriving from the Philippines. Joshua, Noel and Carlina Gamos are in jail awaiting trial. A fourth defendant, Gerlen Gamos, pleaded guilty to two felony charges, including wage theft, and is awaiting sentencing. Her attorney declined to comment. Attorneys for Joshua and Carlina Gamos said no workers were forced to work at the facilities. An attorney for Noel Gamos did not return calls seeking comment. "Those allegations are false," said David Cohen, an attorney for Joshua Gamos. "People wanted to work because they wanted the money. It is true that these charges have been brought, but when you actually look at the evidence and the statements that were made, it's a completely different story." Meanwhile, Reveal learned of cases in which workers suffered abuse with devastating consequences. Two caregivers reported having miscarriages after lifting heavy residents and being denied time off. One of them was Julie Riduta, 45, of Concord. More than a decade ago, she arrived from the Philippines to work as a caregiver in a care home in Contra Costa County. She earned $2 an hour to work 24 hours a day. The work was grueling, but she needed the pay to educate her daughter, left behind in the Philippines, from the age of 8. For the first three years, Riduta slept on a thin piece of foam on the floor next to the residents. When they needed help, she said they kicked her awake. "I told my daughter I struggled so much," Riduta recalled. "I feel abused." Then one day in the summer of 2014, she found out she was pregnant. Overjoyed, she and the baby's father, a co-worker with whom she is in a relationship, posted the news on Facebook. She also was overcome with morning sickness and was concerned about having to lift heavy residents. But when she begged her boss for two days off, Riduta said she refused. "Go to the mirror and look at yourself," Riduta recalled her boss saying. "Ask if you're allowed to complain." Riduta had a miscarriage two weeks later. The cause was unknown. The fetus was nine weeks old. "I was crying all night," Riduta said. "I still have this dream that there's a baby crying all the time. They treated us like animals." ___ While some are unsure how to pay their workers properly, care-home owners are certain about one thing: There is money to be made. Entrepreneurs on YouTube urge people to jump into the real estate end of the business by buying single-family homes and converting them into care facilities. One man explains how "to turn a single-family home into a cash flow machine." Another calls care homes "America's untapped business opportunity. . This business is very profitable." Jesse Quezada used to flip houses with his wife. When the market cooled, he said, they looked into opening a care home after a friend told them they could make thousands a month. "Coming from our background, we thought, '$3,500 a month? Wow. Would people actually pay that?' But the demand is there. People are living longer and they're sicker." Quezada and his wife enrolled in a course required by California to run a home. In just two long weekends, they were qualified. They now operate several care homes. "When you have multiple homes, you can literally make $20,000 profit a month," he said. Training requirements for care-home administrators and staff in California are feeble. Administrators must undergo an initial 80-hour program and pass an open-book exam comprising 100 questions. Those overseeing small facilities with 15 or fewer residents must be 21 and have a high school diploma or the equivalent. Staff in assisted living facilities need not be nurses or have any medical expertise. In fact, manicurists in California require more training. Quezada was among more than 200 care-home owners, many of whom arrived in BMWs and Teslas, for a daylong seminar at a Southern California community hall last October. Among the presenters were labor regulators and attorneys who took questions from the crowd. Attendees sought advice on proper pay practices and other labor issues and were advised by the presenters to follow the law. Then George Kutnerian, senior vice president of public policy and legislation for the 6Beds group, took the stage as one of the last speakers. Operators should slash costs by leveraging labor laws to their advantage, Kutnerian urged them. For example, owners do not need to hire two caregivers when they could get away with one, Kutnerian said. "There is no staffing ratio. A lot of people think, 'I can't have one caregiver alone.' That's not true," he advised. "You gotta learn how to use one caregiver," he said. Plus, there's a "nice exception" in state law, Kutnerian continued. Care homes with just one caregiver on duty can require that worker to stay for rest and meal breaks, he noted, adding: "If you have two caregivers there, they have to be able to leave. It's more efficient, OK? "What this is getting you out of is the penalty," Kutnerian boomed over the microphone. "That's the trick. How do you keep them on the premises for rest and meal breaks?" For owners who treat their workers properly, the market pressure is intense. While there are operators who comply with the law and turn a profit, some care homes charge less to attract residents searching for affordable care. "It's frustrating to be undercut," said Jose Umana, who runs Premiere Cottages, which operates several care homes in Long Beach and Huntington Beach. "It's hard to stay in the market when you're competing with other homes that have lower rates. The caregivers are bearing the brunt." William Murphy, a prosecutor with the Alameda County district attorney's office in the San Francisco Bay Area who has handled a dozen wage theft cases involving care homes in the last five years, says the business model depends on squeezing workers. He summed it up in two brief sentences: "It's extreme greed by the owners. The workers are treated horribly." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Housing prices have outpaced wages consistently over the last two decades, making homeownership increasingly difficult in many places across the United States. An Associated Press analysis found that in half of the metro areas around the country, housing prices grew at least 10 percent faster than wages did from 2011 to 2018. In three quarters of metro and micropolitan (areas with population between 10,000 and 50,000) areas, home prices are back to what they were at their peak in 2007, with home prices outpaced wage growth during the last seven years. In 10 percent of areas, the gap between income and home prices is higher now than what it was at the peak of 2007. The monthly Case-Shiller Index, a widely recognized metric for house prices around the country, is a price index based on repeat sales of single-family homes. Click the major housing market areas for details, including change in average annual wages. Change in Case-Shiller Home Price Index, Dec 2018 to a year ago: The graphic below shows how housing prices compare with wages in over 400 metro areas. Choose a city from the drop down on the left to see how it compares to others in your area and nationally. Update: this data was updated to include Q4 2018. Data provided by the Associated Press. Graphics created by the Lee Digital Center. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 If your child has obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), you know that this condition affects not only your child but also your entire family. The guidance that follows can help parents gain a better understanding of OCD, learn helpful strategies to support their children, and ease distress all around. What is obsessive-compulsive disorder? OCD typically includes uncontrollable, recurring thoughts (obsessions) and behaviors (compulsions or rituals) that a child feels an urgent need to repeat again and again. For example, your child may repeat a grooming routine until he feels "just right." A child may engage in compulsions or rituals to temporarily reduce distress. A child also may complete a compulsion because she imagines that doing so will prevent a scary outcome. For example, a child may tap a countertop three times at the start of every hour to prevent a parent from dying in a car crash. Even though the child logically may know that the two behaviors are not linked, the distress caused by having such obsessions can make the likelihood of the car crash seem possible if the child does not perform the ritual. Unfortunately, compulsions strengthen obsessions in the long run. This sets up a vicious cycle of obsessions, distress and compulsions. How does OCD affect the family? OCD does not just affect children who have the disorder. It can have an impact on the entire family, resulting in frequent conflicts. For example, the insistence on completing compulsions at specified times and places such as, at 9 a.m. at home Harvard Health Blog may make you late for work and your children late for school. OCD also may dictate which family members cannot touch certain objects or say certain phrases, which may make family members feel uncomfortable in their own home. Parents and siblings understandably can feel resentful for the ways in which OCD can interfere with their daily lives. Parents also can feel guilty about not being able to support their child sufficiently. How can you support a child with OCD? Looking for help from an experienced mental health professional is a good way to start. Strategies used to treat OCD go against maternal and paternal instincts, so it is important for children and their parents to be involved in treatment to learn how to manage OCD. The tips below may help. Pursue cognitive behavioral therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a specialized psychotherapy that helps people learn the links among thoughts, feelings and behaviors, and develop tools to address unhelpful patterns. A special type of CBT that focuses on exposure and response prevention (ERP) is considered the gold standard treatment for OCD. This evidence-based treatment helps a child gradually resist engaging in compulsions while learning that the outcome is not as bad as expected Harvard Health Blog or, at least, can be tolerated. If your child's symptoms are consuming more than an hour daily, creating distress for your child or family, and interfering with activities, your child may benefit from CBT with ERP. You can ask your pediatrician for a referral, or search for a provider or a program through the International OCD Foundation. Try not to accommodate. As a parent, your instinct is to support and protect your child. Unfortunately, OCD feeds on attention and accommodation. For example, if your child asks you to open a door to avoid coming in contact with germs, you inadvertently strengthen OCD each time you open the door. This is because your child's brain learns that the door handle is something to fear and cannot be handled by him. Try to resist participating in rituals, even if it feels awful to refrain. Giving OCD an inch only encourages it to demand a mile. Resisting accommodation may make symptoms worse before they get better. Think of OCD as a bully who demands lunch money. A bully usually will not accept "no" as an initial answer. Instead, he'll try to up the ante until he gets the money. However, the bully will learn over time that it is not worth the effort to get no attention and no money. The situation can improve if you remain consistent. Understand that your child is probably not trying to be oppositional. If you view your child as defying you on purpose, you may feel angry. This can prompt you to engage in a futile battle of wills. Try to shift perspectives for a moment. Think about something that terrifies you Harvard Health Blog maybe entering a cage with a hungry tiger. Your human instinct is to escape, and you might do whatever it takes to do so. Now imagine someone trying to force you to stay in the cage. That is what it can feel like for a child to be told that she needs to stop a ritual. Obsessions elicit tremendous distress. Your child may worry that she will not be able to tolerate the outcome of an incomplete compulsion. Remind yourself that OCD is a very convincing bully. You are angering OCD, not your child. It is not your child trying to disrupt the family; it is the OCD. Seek support for yourself As noted above, OCD can affect the whole family. Ask your pediatrician or a mental health professional about OCD peer support groups for parents in your community. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) may guide you to one. Some clinicians trained in CBT and CBT with ERP for children with obsessive-compulsive disorder also provide parent guidance. You deserve support, too, and to learn that you are not alone as you help your child manage OCD. (Jacqueline Sperling, Ph.D., is a contributor to Harvard Health Publishing.) Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Coconino County Sheriffs Office authorities responded to more than 500 calls over the Memorial Day weekend throughout the county. Last year, 455 people called the sheriffs office, making this years amount a more than 11% increase in calls. Despite the increase, no death or serious fire accidents occurred, according to the sheriffs media release. The six calls that related to fire included a call for several small brush fires that were believed to be the result of dragged chains near highway 260. The fires were quickly put out. The other fire calls included a leaky propane valve, a vehicle fire and fire in a trash bin on private property. The sheriffs office initiated over 140 traffic stops, which resulted in 29 moving vehicle violation citations, 25 written warnings and 84 verbal warnings. Several calls for search and rescue were made including for kayakers separated from their party at Antelope Point, stranded drivers near Havasu Falls and lost hikers. Fortunately, of all the calls received this weekend, all were resolved within a few hours and the persons returned safely, the sheriffs release stated. The Coconino County Detention Facility in Flagstaff booked 111 people this weekend multiple northern Arizona agencies, which included four aggravated assaults, seven DUIs and 15 drug offenses. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended Flagstaff City Council deny a rezoning for a development planned on a 16-acre piece of land near the intersection of High Country Trail and Lake Mary Road. The recommendation by the commission was preceded by the same recommendation by city staff, who have not supported denying a rezoning in years, according to staff. The development, known as Aura Flagstaff, is planned to provide 173 units of medium density apartment units built by the Texas-based Trinsic Development. The whole development is located on only nine acres south of High Country Trail, leaving the remaining seven acres between the road and the interstate as open space. Sloping up significantly and crossed by power lines and bisected by High Country Trail, the property is not an easy one to develop, said Jason Morris, who represented the developer. Still, Morris disagreed with the assessments of city staff and the commission that the project should not go forward as is. City Planning Development Manager Alaxandra Pucciarelli said staff made the recommendation not to rezone because they believed the project did not fit with the citys regional plan and did not adequately contribute to the public good. For example, the development is required to provide civic space that is open and available for use by both residents and the public. But the developer has located this space under the power lines and partially within a water detention basin, although Morris said they could make improvements such as benches in this space. The developer is also constructing a section of urban trail past the development and along High Country Trail, but this section would not naturally connect to any other part of the citys urban trail system, although Morris said they hope to work with neighbors to connect it. Staff believes that many of these are just meeting the minimum requirements of our zoning code, Pucciarelli said. Morris disagreed, saying they had not only met the requirements of the code but had surpassed them in some cases. They are providing the necessary open space required by the city in the southern half of the property plus the entire portion of the property north of High Country Trail, Morris said, although he did acknowledge that the tree preservation requirement is being met because of the northern portion. The rationale for the recommendation for denial that youve seen are within the subjective measures, Morris said. The land is owned by the Auza family, who has owned it since before Arizona became a state when the land was used to raise sheep. Now, they just want to be able to develop the land they have owned, Morris said. For years, they have seen development after development spring up around them, and at times, infrastructure such as High Country Trail, the interstate to the north and the power lines have cut into their property. Morris said he believed Trinsic had checked every one of the citys boxes, so the commission should approve the zoning change. But the commission disagreed, and Chairman Margo Wheeler said the commissions job was not to simply make sure all the boxes had been checked, but to look at the proposed zoning more holistically. Commission member Marie Jones agreed. I am very sympathetic to the property owners and their experience of loss in their property and that might even be considered to be unfair, Jones said, but added that did not mean the commission should ignore the factors of the community good. The request for rezoning will now move to Flagstaff City Council, who is expected to take up the subject on June 18. Adrian Skabelund can be reached at the office at askabelund@azdailysun.com, by phone at (928) 556-2261 or on Twitter @AdrianSkabelund. Love 10 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 8 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Sometimes needed support can be found without leaving the house, as revealed by a number of graduating Summit High School students, who credit their families for shaping their past and future as they leave high school to seek careers. Taking advantage of Summits online classes, Rhyan Alipio, 17, will be graduating from high school a year early, allowing him to walk with his older sister in Summits commencement ceremony Thursday evening. Alipios experiences have taught him that home is where family is. He moved to Flagstaff when he was in sixth grade, after spending three years with his grandmother and cousins in the Philippines, and next year, both he and his sister will move to Chandler to live with their aunt and continue their education. Alipio will attend Chandler-Gilbert Community College starting in the fall and is interested in joining the military or becoming an assistant pilot or video game designer. My plan was to join the military after high school, but my aunt and sister said I should try community college before I go into the military, so Ill try it. If college isnt for me, I may still join the military, Alipio said. Of all the places he has gone to school, Alipio said Summit has been his favorite so far. He said his most memorable course was a survey class where he learned advanced mathematics as well as practical information like how to keep good credit and business economics. Family has influenced 17-year-old Netanya Sheppards post-high-school plans, too, not just in choosing where to live, but also in what career to path to take. She said she hopes to use her math skills in the future, no matter what her job title may be. Ill be working at GORE, thats the goal. My mom, dad and auntie all work there, Sheppard said. In the fall, Sheppard will be attending Coconino Community College. She said this option was not only affordable, but will also allow her to stay close to the family that has always supported her, especially when balancing life and school became overwhelming. Sheppard said she is most thankful for her high school friends, who also supported her in times of difficulty. Even though she transferred to Summit from Coconino High School, she said she has remained close to the friends she made during her time there, she said. For Khandeja Lee, 18, overcoming her own challenges is essential to helping others. During her high school career, she stopped attending school for about six months; however, Lee remained committed to her education and has since taken extra classes to make up for the lost time. They told me I wouldnt be able to graduate with my class, but then I was determined to get my diploma and do all my schoolwork, so I proved them wrong and now Im here, graduating on time, she said. She is eager to start a career in the medical field, despite her struggles with math. Instead of being dissuaded from this goal, she redirected her focus from nursing to becoming a medical office assistant. Lee will attend CCC in the fall to stay close to family while completing a certificate in this topic, becoming the first in her family with a college education. I just want to help people and be there in the nurses office or doctors office and I want to do something related to health because it seems really interesting, Lee said. Her advice for other students is to never give up. Its never too late to get back in school, she said. Kaitlin Olson can be reached at the office at kolson@azdailysun.com or by phone at (928) 556-2253. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. On Monday afternoon, law enforcement agencies near Grand Canyon National Park were notified of shots fired outside a hotel in Tusayan. While no injuries were reported, the Coconino County Sheriffs Office was informed that a man had been pointing a gun at people inside and outside the Squire Inn in the city located just south of the Grand Canyon's South Rim entrance. Ezekiel Valenzuela, 23, was identified as the man with the gun and has been taken into custody, according to a sheriffs office media release Witnesses reported to sheriffs that Valenzuela and a woman, identified as Reyna Munoz, 20, had an altercation in the arcade at the inn. After several bystanders attempted to stop the altercation, Valenzuela pulled a hand gun from his waist, pointing it at the crowd. As the two exited the inn and began walking toward a forested area near the hotel, the man pointed the gun at an employee in the parking lot. Sheriff authorities report that the two work at a local restaurant and live in homes in the area. Sheriff's deputies, the Arizona Department of Public Safety and National Park Service Rangers found the two and detained them without any injuries. Munoz reported she had been the one who had discharged the gun after taking it from Valenzuela. Munoz reported she had not discharged the gun at anyone, the release stated. The two were booked on aggravated assault, endangerment, disorderly conduct with a deadly weapon and false information to law enforcement. Scott Buffon can be reached at sbuffon@azdailysun.com, on Twitter @scottbuffon or by phone at (928) 556-2250. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. After over 16 public meetings in communities around the state, including some gatherings with prisoners in jails, the Arizona Town Hall association has concluded in their recent report that the current criminal justice system is costly and needs reform. Tara Jackson, president of Arizona Town Hall, believes that people across the political spectrum are coming to the conclusion that change is needed. Specifically, she focused on the tough on crime mentality, saying it isnt working. Their study showed that Arizona's population has increased by 12% between 2006 and 2016, while crime has gone down by 26%. However, she said, the state has incarcerated more people despite the decrease in crime. Whats happening is that locking everyone up for a minor possession of marijuana or other drugs seems to create more criminals, Jackson said. Once they get out we dont let them get jobs, so what do they do? Commit more crimes and go back in. Of course, Im oversimplifying, but this is a trend. The town hall association presented their study to leaders of the law enforcement and the justice system in the Coconino community. At that meeting, many people underlined the need for more resources upstream to stop people from entering the criminal justice system. Jackson said in their community meetings in jail, prisoners said much the same thing. When they were children, what would have kept them out of prison is just somebody caring about them when their parents couldnt be there. Whether it was a teacher or a counselor, Jackson said. But here we are in Arizona, with the lowest ratio of counselors between students and school, with a severely underfunded education system, especially in areas in where crime is the highest. For state leaders, they suggested requiring Arizona's elected officials to attend training on the criminal justice system, sponsored by the Arizona Supreme Court. Additionally, they suggested creating a committee to coordinate with the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice and the Arizona Supreme Court's Fair Justice for All Taskforce to produce annual reports on the justice system's strengths and weaknesses. Work upstream The town hall association found that on a yearly basis, the criminal justice system costs $525 for every man, woman and child in the state. A large portion of state funds goes to the Arizona Department of Corrections. The department houses over 33,000 prisoners convicted of felonies. For each of those prisoners, the department is obligated to house and feed inmates for the duration of their sentence, regardless of how much money the state may have. Arizonas general fund gives the Department of Corrections about $1 billion to manage all of those inmates. Based on their community discussion, the associations report suggested distributing efforts to stop people from entering the criminal justice system takes work from more agencies than just the Department of Corrections. Employment needs, health needs, mental health needs, substance abuse needs and housing needs all point to assistance required from other agencies and organizations, according to the report. The report acknowledges the wide variety of agencies and options, alleging no magic-bullet program will work for everyone. Coconino County Attorney Bill Ring said after hearing about the associations findings that his authority as lead criminal prosecutor for the county is limited. Ring believed fortifying the communitys health districts, school districts, nutrition programs, literacy programs, mental health programs, and before- and after-school programs was important to reform the criminal justice systems. When we do that, there will be positive reform to the criminal justice system, because weve corrected institutions that are upstream of the criminal justice system, Ring said. Were really a downstream effect; there are really more failures that occur before a person gets to our attention. Scott Buffon can be reached at sbuffon@azdailysun.com, on Twitter @scottbuffon or by phone at (928) 556-2250. Love 1 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 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. A new City Council proposal would dramatically reshape the citys private trash collection industry in an effort to cut down on truck emissions and improve working conditions for employees. Under the new bill, which is set to be introduced on Wednesday, the city would be divided into 20 commercial waste zones that are each served by one designated private carting company. Currently, there are no specific zones for the more than 90 private carters that collect trash from over 100,000 city businesses, leading to dangerously long routes, overworked employees and heavy pollution. Theres so many bad parts of this industry that need to be fixed, Brooklyn Councilmember Antonio Reynoso, the bills main sponsor, told Gothamist/WNYC. And this is one part of the many layers that were trying to address. The bill, which is co-sponsored by Speaker Corey Johnson, goes further than the long-promised reforms proposed by the citys Sanitation Department last November. Under that plan, the city would be split into twenty zones that are served by three to five commercial carters. Each zone would have between 3,300 and 9,800 customers. The department has said that a nonexclusive zoning plan would maintain competition among private carting companies while decreasing truck traffic and inefficient routes. Reynoso says that exclusive zones could decrease carting traffic by up to 70 percent, down from the current number of 79,000 vehicle miles traveled per day. Having one carter per zone would also help stabilize prices for businesses, according to Reynosos office, creating more predictable and reliable service. Listen to Mara Silvers' report on WNYC: Both types of zoned systems have been highly contentious among representatives of the carting industry and businesses that support the current open-market concept. Either type of zone system would eliminate dozens of locally-owned and operated companies, as well as good-paying jobs while driving up prices to customers and reducing incentives for good service, said Kendall Christiansen, the executive director of New Yorkers for Responsible Waste Management, a group that lobbies on behalf of private carters. Reynosos office acknowledges that an exclusive zoning system would lead to the closure of some private companies, but said it did not expect to see an overall decrease in jobs, noting that the same amount of trash will need to be collected every day. The idea of having one carter per zone has also received pushback from DSNY. In a statement, department spokeswoman Dina Montes said that the citys plan of having three to five carters for each zone prevents a situation in which a zone is vulnerable to a single carting company that might not fulfill its duties. A non-exclusive system achieves very similar efficiency and emissions improvements compared to an exclusive system, while avoiding the large disruption to the market and customers that would come with having only one carter per zone, said Montes. Alternatively, Reynoso says that having one carter per zone will help the city be highly selective in selecting companies in the first place, following an intensive RFP process. The Sanitation Salvages of the world [are] doing everything the wrong way, said Reynoso, referring to the private carter that surrendered its license last year following the death of one of its workers and a pedestrian within a six month time period. Theres no way that a company like Sanitation Salvage wins an RFP in this process. Private carters could still have their licenses suspended or revoked for multiple infractions, said Reynoso, in which case the Department of Sanitation would temporarily take over the trash collection for a specific zone. According to the bill language, contracts to carters will be based on many criteria, including the companys history of complaints from businesses, plan to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, rates for service, and past compliance with local, state, and federal labor and safety laws. If awarded, a private carters contract with the city would last for ten years with the option to extend for two additional five-year terms. Companies would not be allowed to serve more than 15 commercial waste zones, and could subcontract with other private haulers if they are not equipped to serve an entire zone, which Reynoso said could also keep smaller carting companies in business. Were not looking to get a Mom and Pop business that has five trucks, that is doing this work for a long time the right way we want them to keep doing business in the city, said Reynoso. Such a drastic overhaul of the system would take years to put into place. Reynosos office estimates that, if passed, the zoned system would not be implemented until the end of 2023 or the beginning of 2024. And first, the bill has to clear the council. Despite having support from a number of members and other labor and environmental groups, including Teamsters Local 813 and Transform Dont Trash NYC Coalition, Reynoso accepts that the legislation will likely undergo many changes before coming up for a vote. We have a lot more work to do. Its a rough draft, said Reynoso. But at the core of what were trying to do is radically change the way we do business in this, what I consider, overlooked and under regulated industry in the city of New York. Mara Silvers is an assistant producer at WNYC. You can follow her on Twitter at @mara_silvers. Vidant Medical Center in Greenville (WikiCommons image) Vidant Medical Center in Greenville has blocked the University of North Carolina Board of Governors from appointing any more members to the hospital's board.The move blindsided the BOG.VMC holds a close relationship with East Carolina University's Brody School of Medicine, serving as the school's academic teaching hospital. The center is one of eight hospitals that make up Vidant Health , a nonprofit system that serves 29 counties in Eastern North Carolina.In 1975, the UNC BOG and ECU made an affiliation agreement with Pitt County Memorial Hospital. (In 1998, PCMH changed from a public hospital to a private, nonprofit hospital and was renamed Vidant Medical Center. The agreement between UNC, ECU, and the hospital remained in effect.) As part of that agreement, which was renewed in 2013, the UNC BOG had appointment power over nine members of the hospital's 20-person board.Not any more, according to records obtained byAn April 24 document filed with the Secretary of State's Office by Pitt County Memorial Hospital, i.e. VMC, shows changes to the hospital's articles of incorporation. The Pitt County Board of Commissioners will retain privileges to appoint 11 members to the hospital's board. The amendments stripped the BOG of its appointments, instead letting the hospital's board appoint the other nine trustees from a list provided by Vidant Health.UNC has asked Vidant tosaid UNC spokesman Josh Ellis.Ellis said May 9.The legislature has investedin the hospital, and the UNC Systemhe toldobtained minutes of the April 22 Pitt County Board of Commissioners meeting. They show members unanimously approved a letter ofendorsing changes in the hospital board, which replaced Board of Governors appointees with picks by the VMC's board. The letter was sent to Vidant Health CEO Mike Waldrum April 23.Vidant representative Jason Lowry responded to questions in an email , saying,Lowry said.The change follows the resignation of former ECU Chancellor Cecil Staton, who encountered conflict with Greenville businessman and BOG Chairman Harry Smith. Notably, Vidant's Waldrum was one of 128 Greenville leaders who signed a public letter of support for Staton earlier this year. It's been a busy couple of weeks for the folks on Jones Street. After a week of subcommittee meetings, full appropriation consideration, input from the finance side, two rare Friday sessions, and two full days of debate, on Friday, May 3, the House passed its $23.9 billion General Fund budget proposal.On May 1, as the House was negotiating the budget, the N.C. Association of Educators teachers' union marched on the state capital. Union organizers, a few thousand teachers, and Gov. Roy Cooper demanded $6 billion in additional spending for Medicaid expansion, a statewide $15 minimum wage, 5% pay increase for teachers, more health professionals in the schools, and expanded health benefits for retirees. You can check social media for photos of a few teachers meeting with legislators from their districts. You'll also find photos of signs and shirts of the protesters. Warning: Some of them may be offensive and not suitable for children.Crossover, that self-imposed deadline the General Assembly gives itself to pass legislation that must "cross over" to the other chamber to remain eligible for consideration during the two-year biennium, was set for May 9. Although the session started in January, legislators, like the rest of us, tend to be procrastinators and historically have left the majority of the work until the days leading up to the crossover deadline. All of us who spend most of our waking hours in the legislative complex had girded ourselves for the usual and expected late hours, frantic committee meetings, surprise last-minute substitute bill language and plenty of heated debate.But something weird happened this year. There were no sessions late into the night. Committee meetings were noticed with adequate time to prepare and attend and with expanded audio access, observers weren't left in the halls to only catch snippets of debate.The system was more transparent and open and again with expanded online access, bill language was easy to find and follow along. Stakeholders met throughout the week to work out differences and the public got ample opportunity to speak whenever it wanted.There was some spirited debate around a few issues; distracted driving restrictions; requiring sheriffs to comply with ICE; voucher eligibility and funding, and a Franklin County water grant restriction.But most votes were nearly unanimous, debate was respectful - and even agreeable. Heard frequently before a vote was taken,Anyone familiar with the Hatfields and McCoys tradition at the General Assembly recognizes the irony in this plan. The House finished early afternoon on Tuesday, and the Senate completed its work by 1 p.m. Wednesday. Both sides not only met the deadline, for the first time in anyone's memory, but also got done a day early.Even so, the work of the General Assembly is hardly complete. The Senate received the House budget and expects to complete its proposal by the end of the month. Senators have been meeting jointly with their House counterparts for months reviewing numbers and discussing priorities, and they've proposed a tax package. They're not starting from scratch, but will put their stamp on $24 billion in government priorities. In the past, the Senate budget has been more restrained.Earlier this week, the legislature's nonpartisan fiscal staff discovered there may be $700 million surplus revenue, the largest since the Great Recession. Senate leader Phil Berger, when asked what lawmakers should do with the extra money, set out three priorities: 1) Fund reasonable government growth (3% in the House budget seems about right); 2) Sock money in the Rainy Day Fund to shore up savings reserves; and 3) Return some of it to the people who sent it to us, i.e. tax relief.Sen. Mike Woodard of Durham, a key Democrat, set his priorities as 1) Replenish the Rainy Day Fund; 2) Invest in education; 3) Environmental cleanup; and 4) Medicaid expansion.One of the key considerations is whether the surplus revenue is a one-time occurrence or is likely to repeat each year. It matters how recurring versus non-recurring funds are allocated. Recurring funds can pay for salaries (in other words, expenses that continue yearly), while non-recurring funds can pay for one-time expenses, such as capital improvements or worker bonuses.When the Senate passes its budget, it'll ask the House for concurrence, which is unlikely. If it disagrees, the General Assembly will negotiate in a conference committee, and that package will go for an up or down vote in each chamber. Then it will go to the governor.Cooper has made it clear he will veto any budget that doesn't include Medicaid expansion. It is unlikely the Republican majority in the General Assembly will include expansion. Expect fiscal restraint from Republicans, while Democrats will say they want more.Without a veto-proof majority, can Republicans persuade enough Democrats to join them and override the governor's veto? Unlikely. It's going to be a long hot summer.We thought crossover was going to be the big storm. Who knew it might be just the calm before the storm? The lone Republican on North Carolina's Supreme Court issued three dissents in the latest batch of high-court decisions. Just one of those cases involved Justice Paul Newby lining up by himself against his Democratic colleagues.A second case pitted Newby against his likely opponent in the 2020 election cycle. Meanwhile, a third ruling suggests the high court will continue to produce interesting alignments on a case-by-case basis.Six of the 10 opinions handed down Friday, May 10, were unanimous. That means 14 of 19 cases (74 percent) decided this year have produced no dissents. In two other cases, new Democratic Justice Anita Earls has issued partial dissents from her colleagues' rulings.That leaves the three new cases in which Newby, the senior associate justice, has challenged the court's majority. These are Newby's first dissents since gubernatorial appointments gave Democrats a 6-1 majority on the state's highest court.In, Newby stood by himself in a 4-1 decision. (Neither Earls nor the court's newest justice, appointee Mark Davis, took part in the case.) Over the course of 47 pages, the majority opinion from Justice Sam Ervin IV explained the high court's decision to uphold lower court rulings against former Republican U.S. Senate candidate Greg Brannon. Lower courts had ruled Brannon liable for making false and misleading statements while urging people to invest in a technology company.Newby's 42-page dissent explained why he believed Brannon deserved a new trial. Brannon had served as an outside director of the now-defunct company. "The majority's message to the business community is clear: Individuals serve as outside directors at their own peril!" Newby wrote.Newby's opinion continued.In, both Newby and Justice Michael Morgan dissented from a majority opinion written by Chief Justice Cheri Beasley. (Newby expects to challenge the Democrat Beasley in the 2020 chief justice's election.) Beasley and colleagues Earls, Ervin, and fellow Democrat Robin Hudson reversed a unanimous N.C. Court of Appeals panel in a case involving child molestation of a 7-year-old. The majority argued that the indictment against the defendant in the case was defective because it identified the alleged victim as "Victim #1," rather than using her name.Newby joined Morgan's dissent, which arguedNewby followed up with his own dissent, noting that the indictment had served its purpose in the case and had not harmed the defendant.Newby wrote.In, a 4-3 majority led by Earls affirmed an Appeals Court ruling against state authorities. The state had attempted to block the expunction of a 1987 conviction of taking indecent liberties with a child. That conviction stemmed from an Onslow County case that had at one time included the additional charge of incest.In this instance, Newby wrote for himself, Ervin, and Davis in dissent. "The rule of law requires equal treatment to everyone similarly situated," he wrote. "Our appellate process assures uniform application of the law. Today the majority's decision deprives the parties to an expunction proceeding of a right to appeal, opening the door to inconsistent expungement decisions and depriving the trial bench of needed guidance.he continued.The N.C. Supreme Court issues its next round of opinions June 14. Have Sheriff Offices in North Carolina, possibly even Beaufort County's Sheriff Office, become too political in the discharging of their sworn constitutional duties? No, the sheriff is a constitutional officer. Yes, the Sheriff Office, on strong occasion, often reverts back to political patronage in the dispensation of their sworn constitutional duties. It might sound odd to hear this from someone who's been writing a syndicated column on politics for more than 30 years, but politics has become vastly more important in our lives than it should be.Virtually every decision we make in our ostensibly free society is now subject to review, refinement, and reversal by some government agency. We can't buy or consume what we want, hire whom we want on mutually agreeable terms, inhabit and dispense with our property as we want, or make critical decisions about our families' education, health care, and financial planning without the intrusion of governmental "helpers."I'm not an anarchist. Modern civilization and human progress have proven to be impossible without governmental structures. When administered effectively and constitutionally, governments promote law and order, adjudicate disputes, and ensure the provision of certain public goods that for technical reasons can't be delivered by purely voluntary means.That's not to say human beings can't live without government. For most of the history of the species, humans lived in small hunter-gatherer bands, consisting largely of relatives, that came together only occasionally to swap, socialize, and find mates. In some places, these social bonds developed into tribal confederations and, later, into chiefdoms. But not until a few thousand years ago did true states appear in an anthropological sense - social institutions that established aas Max Weber famously put it.The invention of the state and the invention of cities were interrelated events. The word political comes from the Greek, for city-state. Civilization both creates and requires politics in the sense we use the term today.Humanity can live without government, as I said - but not long or well. Hunter-gatherers may have had more free time than we do, but they starved, shivered, and died early and violent deaths at far higher rates, too. Tribes and chiefdoms weren't much more conducive to human flourishing. Even early civilizations, built around cities and states, increased the total population and scope of human communities without necessarily raising the standard of living for the average person very much for very long.What ultimately did the trick was the marriage of industrial capitalism and constitutional, liberalizing government during the 18th and 19th centuries, beginning in Northwestern Europe and North America and then spreading elsewhere. The public sector played a critical role in this gigantic and unprecedented leap forward in human well-being. But it did so precisely because its power was constrained by law and custom.In the American context, at least, modern conservatives should be understood as conserving a set of truly revolutionary ideas and practices. One such idea is that government is both necessary and dangerous. As James Madison put it in a post-presidency speech in Virginia,By "power" here, Madison and other Founders meant coercive power - the capacity of government to force people at the point of a gun to comply with its commands. Whether republican or tyrannical, all governments possess such power. Again, it's necessary. But it ought to be used sparingly, only for tasks that can't be accomplished through market transactions, charitable activity, or simple persuasion.That's the case that my colleagues and I at the John Locke Foundation, and at other like-minded organizations in North Carolina and beyond, seek to make every day in our programs, articles, interviews, and public appearances. Our work is usually devoted to specific applications. We advocate liberating North Carolinians to make choices for themselves about how best to educate their children, improve their health, pursue economic opportunity, and build the families and communities in which they live their lives.Whether the stakes in a particular dispute we discuss seem big or small to you, keep mind that the broader principle couldn't be more momentous: everything need not be political. Minimize government. Maximize freedom. Board Chairman Smith says next move uncertain and board doesn't want to be tied to an arbitrary deadline for Confederate monument 'Silent Sam' no longer stands on his pedestal at the UNC-Chapel Hill campus in this photo taken Aug. 21, 2018. (CJ photo by Don Carrington) Silent Sam should not return to the Chapel Hill campus, the leader of the University of North Carolina System's Board of Governors says.Protesters felled the Confederate statue some nine months ago.Board chairman Harry Smith told reporters Wednesday, May 22, his views and opinions have "evolved greatly," and the board is working hard to "get it right."The board, to the chagrin of those who want the situation resolved, won't set a deadline. The board announced in a news release May 14 it will again delay a decision about the monument's fate.It seems as though no one wants to claim authority over the century-old statue. The N.C. Historical Commission, the body responsible for oversight of state monuments, made no ruling about Silent Sam after protesters removed it in August . The BOG called on UNC-Chapel Hill for a recommendation, which led to a proposal for a $5.3-million historical center to house the statue.The BOG rejected that idea.Most recently, a five-member UNC BOG task force was charged to deliver a plan for the monument by March 15, but the board extended the deadline to May, leading to yet another delay.Smith said the task force has beenin trying to determine potential outcomes for Silent Sam. The university system has struggled to find a home for the statue. Former UNC Chapel Hill Chancellor Carol Folt, who left her position earlier this year, announced her resignation abruptly after removing what remained of Silent Sam's pedestal.For now, the statue is in an undisclosed storage facility.Smith said.Smith said the board doesn't want to rush the process with an arbitrary deadline, but thinks the task force is closing in on a plan.The board is working with the state legislature, Smith said, though he didn't directly respond to a question about whether legislators may - or should - change the law governing Confederate monuments. law passed in 2015 requires the N.C. Historical Commission to approve relocation of any historical markers on monuments on public property. They can be removed temporarily for repair or renovation, or moved to another location on the original property if it hasBut monuments can't be taken down without the commission's backing.Rep. Larry Yarborough, R-Granville, said it appears mob rule has prevailed.Yarborough said. Tornado Warning including Washington DC, Arlington VA, Hyattsville MD until 4:15 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/HRYRLy2VUu NWS DC/Baltimore (@NWS_BaltWash) May 23, 2019 The Congresswoman @AOC does not know the difference between weather and climate. Let's try an easy analogy:Weather is what outfit you wear heading out the door.Climate is your closet wardrobe. pic.twitter.com/mmdLr6F2mD Ryan Maue (@RyanMaue) May 24, 2019 Andrea Dutton, a paleoclimate researcher at the University of Florida: "For some reason the media latched onto the 12 years (2030), presumably because they thought that it helped to get across the message of how quickly we are approaching this and hence how urgently we need action. Unfortunately, this has led to a complete mischaracterization of what the report said." Gavin Schmidt, who leads NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies: "All the time-limited frames are bulls***. Nothing special happens when the 'carbon budget' runs out or we pass whatever temperature target you care about, instead the costs of emissions steadily rise." Kate Marvel, a climate scientist at NASA: "12 years isn't a deadline, and climate change isn't a cliff we fall off - it's a slope we slide down. We don't have 12 years to prevent climate change - we have no time. It's already here. And even under a business-as-usual scenario, the world isn't going to end in exactly twelve years." This is a technique of the GOP, to take dry humor + sarcasm literally and "fact check" it.Like the "world ending in 12 years" thing, you'd have to have the social intelligence of a sea sponge to think it's literal.But the GOP is basically Dwight from The Office so who knows. https://t.co/pmkwrdeAnq Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 12, 2019 A prominent research meteorologist shut down claims about the climate from socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) last week after the 29-year-old lawmaker revealed that she did not understand the difference between weather and climate.Ocasio-Cortez, a climate extremist who has repeatedly insisted that the world will seemingly end in 12 years unless her policies are adopted, claimed that a tornado warning in Washington, D.C., was proof of climate change.HotAir noted Ocasio said on Instagram.Ryan Maue, who has a Ph.D. in meteorology, quickly fact-checked Ocasio-Cortez, writing on Twitter: "I thought this was fake but it's from [Ocasio-Cortez's] Instagram story. No idea what she means with "casual tornadoes" and how this line of severe thunderstorms is proof of any 'climate crisis.' It's just the weather in D.C."Maue added.Even more hilariously, the PBS article that Ocasio-Cortez "referenced in her Instagram story doesn't concur that increased tornado activity is the result of climate change," HotAir added.Prominent climate change scientists have pushed back on Ocasio-Cortez's extremist rhetoric. Axios reported the following quotes:Ocasio-Cortez recently backed off her claim that the world was going to end in 12 years if her policies were not adopted by the U.S. government after she found herself on the receiving end of mockery for several months.Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. Welcome back to Summer Sucks. For this week's installment, we talk to a mental health expert about summer depression, a.k.a. reverse seasonal affective disorder. The Hot Times are officially upon us. The days are getting longer, brands are milking "fun in the sun" taglines to hawk their wares, New York City-area beaches recently reopened for swimming, and stray trash bags are in the beginning stages of their annual garbage juice fermentation. For many New Yorkers, summer means the end of short, dark days. But for others, things get more difficult during the warmer months. The subway's toasty platform, with its still air and lack of circulation, fills me with dread right around June. I often feel anxious when I walk around, getting pummeled by the hot exhaust spilling out of air-conditioning units. The slightly cooler evenings aren't much of a relief, eitherI sleep fitfully during these months. One particularly brutal summer, when I was 18, my insomnia was so bad that I had to take melatonin every day and had nightmares every night. Mental health experts have coined a term to describe the onset of anxiety, agitation, and depression that can sink in for people during the summer months: Reverse seasonal affective disorder. Far more people report feeling the effects of seasonal depression in the winter versus the summer. Some researchers believe reverse SAD affects less than 1% of the population (others believe it is more common), though it's entirely possible we'll see more incidences of summer seasonal depression in the future, given that the Earth is steadily getting hotter. But summer depression is more gnarled, which makes it both more difficult to treat and challenging to study. It doesn't help that summer depression's symptoms are completely different from the ones that affect people during the winter, says Dr. Norman Rosenthal, who's studied seasonal affective disorders for decades. "The winter type has been more common," Rosenthal told Gothamist, noting that "the summer type is not as easy to pin down." He explained, "It may be a kind of depression, it may be a mix of depression and irritable manicky-type symptoms, it may be the clock going out of phase. Or it may actually be winter depression masquerading as summer depression because people are indoors with the shades drawn." Whatever form it takes, Rosenthal said: "It's pretty bad." In 1987, Rosenthal, along with Dr. Thomas Wehr, published a paper in which they discussed their findings of "an opposite pattern, namely depressions in the summer and nondepressed periods in fall and winter, a condition they have called reverse-SAD." Through their later study of seasonal depression at four latitudes, Rosenthal and Wehr found that while more of their subjects in New York City reported feeling worse in winter46.9%a portion of people felt especially bad in the summer (14.1%). Those grappling with summer seasonal depression felt far more prone to insomnia, compared to the hypersomnia (oversleeping) that can often happen to someone suffering from winter depression. They felt irritated and agitated, as well. "We found that they were quite different in their properties than the winter group," Rosenthal says. "They had different symptoms, they were active...they couldnt eat properly, they lost weight. A very different profile. And they were more inclined to suicidal ideas...it is not a trivial condition. It can be quite dangerous." It's hard to discern what causes reverse seasonal affective disorder. The risk factors include (but certainly are not limited to) people living far from the equator and genetics, and it tends to affect younger women more frequently. Higher pollen counts may be a factor, as a 2007 study focused on African and African American college students living in Washington, D.C. noted. Part of it could also be due to the longer days, which can cause someone's circadian rhythm to go out of wack. Exposure to too much sunlight might be messing with melatonin production, as well. Summertime can also inspire FOMO, and the last thing you want to do is feel pressured to have a good time for months when you're not feeling it. Unfortunately, all of this means solutions aren't as obvious. While people can benefit from light therapy to combat seasonal depression in the winter, this method may have adverse effects for people with reverse seasonal affective disorder, whose symptoms can become aggravated by more light. "Some people say that they get better when they stay indoors in cool air-conditioned spaces, or swim in a cool lake or take a cold bath or shower, some people say theyre helped by avoiding the light and using sunglasses," Rosenthal says. "So theres no one simple way to treat it." Finding things that bring you relief is key, whether that means staying inside with the curtains drawn, going to a frigid movie theater for a double feature, or putting lemon slices in a jug of cold water. As for me, having events to look forward to, and making cold brew and fruit pies have been a trusty salve. Seek out your shaded sanctuaries, and good luck out there. Hit up Jen Carlson and Paula Mejia if you have any questions about summer in the city (use "Summer Sucks" in the subject line), or just want to commiserate. And please hashtag us in your summer misery photos with #NYCSummerSucks. Wednesday, June 5, 6 p.m., Yellowstone Valley Brewing. Tickets for the all-ages show are $5. Seth Anderson is a hard-traveling musician with East Coast roots and a passion for adventure. Blending elements of folk/rock with alternative country and the spirit of punk rock, he is most recognized for his high energy performances, and catchy, truth laden, heart driven lyrics. Hes strongly connected to the community and surroundings of his Rocky Mountain home of the last decade, Canmore, Alberta. Anderson has joined Joey Cape's (Lagwagon, Me First and the Gimme Gimme's) One Week Records roster based in San Francisco, California to produce his fourth full length effort. Cape, founder of One Week Records, said Anderson has an old soul. His songs are beautiful and personal, he said. His lyrics are transparent and easily identifiable. His songs will make you move and make you weep. It's been 51 years since the Beatles released their classic animated film, "Yellow Submarine." The psychedelic movie follows adventures of John, Paul, George and Ringo and remains what Rolling Stone magazine calls a "pop-art animated masterpiece." One of the animators on the film, Ron Campbell, would go on to direct the Saturday morning cartoon series featuring the Beatles, which aired on ABC from 1965 to 1969. Campbell's career spanned 50 years working on iconic cartoons that made Saturday mornings so special. The Australian-born artist has since retired from animation, but makes "pop-up" appearances, exhibiting paintings he's created based on the animated cartoons he helped bring to the screen. He'll be appearing this weekend at Toucan, 2505 Montana Ave., doing live drawings and talking to guests about his long career in animation. He'll make an appearance Friday from 3 to 7 p.m., again on Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Toucan gallery owner Mark Sanderson said he was contacted by Campbell because he wanted to exhibit in Montana. The well-established gallery has been in business 37 years, and Sanderson said it's exciting that they could attract Campbell for this kind of one-time exhibit. Montana Secretary of State Corey Stapleton is attempting to overrule Gov. Steve Bullock's veto of a bill by saying the governor did not deliver the rejected bill to him in time. Stapleton, a Republican, said Wednesday the Democratic governor's veto of a bill clarifying the definition of bison wasn't delivered to him within 10 days, so it automatically becomes law. Bullock veto letter is dated April 29, four days after it was delivered to him and after the Legislature had adjourned. Stapleton says the bill was not returned to him until May 22. State law says if the Legislature is not in session, the governor will return the vetoed bill to the secretary of state. It also says that a bill that has not been returned by the governor within 10 days after its delivery to the governor becomes law. Bullock spokeswoman Marissa Perry says Stapleton is confused. Love 3 Funny 5 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 4 Despite all this historical evidence, we find many local politicians, including Sen. Steve Daines and Rep. Greg Gianforte as well as many in the Montana Legislature advocating for eliminating protections for Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management Wilderness Study Areas as well as opening up more public lands for resource extraction by timber and oil and gas industries. In a sense, the widespread opposition to protecting lands based on the presumption that it impedes economic prosperity is no different the wrong-headed opinion of the Helena Gazette about the creation of Yellowstone National Park back in 1872. In a 1948 speech before Parliament, Prime Minister Winston Churchhill warned: Those who dont know history are doomed to repeat it. Are we going to repeat the same mistakes of the past with regards to our wildlands? Think of what the editors of the Helena paper would say if they could read the findings of a new report from the National Park Service that showed visitors to Yellowstone Park generated $647.1 million in economic benefits to local communities. That figure, as large as it may be, does not come close to the real economic value of Yellowstones wildlands. He swore he'd do his best, but spends little time on his job. He accepted emoluments from foreigners. He abused his authority by dismissing legions of transition servants to empower a small army of narrow minded, self-serving individuals, many with foreign entanglements. He extended top security clearances to people obviously unworthy of top security clearances. He appointed a Cabinet representing not we the people, but special interest networks. His China trade policies have diminished not advanced economic welfare of the USA. His foreign policies have diminished not advanced national security, and the relative position of the USA with our allies. His border policy inflicts crimes on humanity of asylum seekers. Over 900 former USA Federal prosecutors read the Mueller report, and see evidence that he endeavored to obstruct justice. The Putin-Oligarch-Crime network violated USA federal election law by deploying information warfare against Hillary Clinton, while targeting selected groups to vote for him, or his weaker opponents. As temperatures rise and spring runoff continues, wardens with Region 3 of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will host a water recreation safety workshop in Bozeman. The free workshop will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, June 13, at FWPs Region 3 office, 1400 S. 19th Ave., in Bozeman. Safety is always our top message as we talk with boaters and anglers in Montana, said Matt Wemple, FWPs Bozeman warden sergeant. This workshop is a great opportunity to get to know the rules and important safety practices before hitting the water this season. Reducing unnecessary risk makes for a more enjoyable experience on rivers and lakes. The workshop will include a demonstration on life jackets and a discussion on how life jacket regulations apply to youth and certain types of watercraft. Wardens will also discuss water rescue techniques and special precautions to take when navigating rivers and lakes in kayaks, canoes, rafts or other watercraft. The workshop will end with a raffle for a youth life jacket. Participants are asked to preregister for the workshop online at https://bit.ly/2JVcBmL. For more information, contact FWPs Region 3 headquarters at 406-994-6931. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Dear Doctor: A good friend of mine is into this new thing called resistive breath training. She says it helps runners build endurance, and she even bought a breathing gadget to practice it. Does it really help? Dear Reader: Resistive breath training, also known as inspiratory muscle strength training (IMST), is a type of resistance training for the muscles we use to breathe. It can be accomplished through a series of controlled breathing exercises or, as your friend is planning, with a hand-held device. Known as an inspiratory muscle trainer, this type of device typically consists of a mouthpiece through which the person breathes and some sort of adjustable valve that creates varying degrees of resistance for the exerciser to work against. While IMST may not be familiar to you and your friend, it's not actually a new technique. Resistive breath training was developed many decades ago to help people with various breathing problems, including COPD, asthma and the after-effects of bronchitis. It is also used to help people to successfully withdraw from mechanically assisted breathing. In a study dating back to 1979, researchers found that IMST helped patients living with severe COPD to achieve improved breath control, as well as improved expectoration, the ejection of phlegm and mucus from throats and lungs. Subsequent studies continued to find benefits in the practice. It's possible that your friend's interest in IMST arises from a spate of news reports about preliminary findings by researchers from the University of Colorado, which were presented last month at the annual Experimental Biology conference. The seed for the experiments was planted several years ago, when researchers from the University of Arizona looked into IMST as a way to help individuals living with obstructive sleep apnea. This is a potentially serious disorder in which muscles in the throat relax enough during sleep to completely block airways. In addition to confirming that by increasing resistance, the length of each IMST session could be shortened, the Arizona researchers saw a surprising side effect. After six weeks of therapy, systolic blood pressure in the study participants dropped significantly. Systolic blood pressure -- that's the top number in a blood pressure reading -- is the pressure in the blood vessels during a heartbeat. (The bottom number is the pressure in the blood vessels between heartbeats.) High blood pressure is one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease, which is the leading cause of death in the United States. The results of the Arizona research spurred scientists at the University of Colorado to build upon the findings. In their own series of experiments, which are ongoing, the Colorado researchers saw the same significant drop in blood pressure in participants who performed IMST. They also recorded improvements to large-artery function. The IMST group also saw improvement in cognitive function and in endurance and heart-lung efficiency while exercising on a treadmill. Neither of those changes were seen in a control group, which used a breathing device that delivered only low resistance. These results are impressive, but, as the researchers themselves point out, they are preliminary. The researchers stress, and we agree, that anyone considering IMST should first check with their doctor. Send your questions to askthedoctors@mednet.ucla.edu, or write: Ask the Doctors, c/o Media Relations, UCLA Health, 924 Westwood Blvd., Suite 350, Los Angeles, CA, 90095. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Mandan police officers received a call at 8:36 p.m. Monday for a welfare check on Hamilton. The caller had received a text message from Hamilton stating he had shot the dog with a .22 caliber firearm, according to a police affidavit. Hamilton admitted to officers that he was intoxicated and that he shot the German shepherd. Officers found the dog in the garage with what appeared to be an entry wound on the back of its head, the affidavit said. As Senator Gustavo Rivera and Assemblyman Richard Gottfried continue their campaign to create one state-run healthcare plan for everyone, they are finding that they still have a ways to go to build a consensus on single-payer among labor unions. At a joint Senate and Assembly hearing on the New York Health Act in Albany Tuesday, legislators on both sides of the issue were particularly concerned with what the unions had to say. It turns out they are still splitand that may not change until some of the blanks that remain about what the single-payer system would look like get filled in. We have been successful at negotiating good quality health care for many of our members and many dont pay for health care right now, said Fran Turner, director of legislative and political action at the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA), which represents 300,000 members and retirees throughout the state. This plan would impose a cost they are not used to paying. Some CSEA members do currently pay fees for health care such as copays and deductibles, Turner said. Under the New York Health Act, they would not have to worry about those costs but would instead be responsible for covering 20 percent of the payroll tax levied to pay for the program, with their employers covering the other 80 percent. But, as Turner put it in her written testimony, Twenty percent of what? According to the oft-cited RAND report, the single-payer system would require the state to raise an additional $139 billion in annual tax revenuebut thats just one estimate. RAND has also modeled a progressive tax structure to pay for the system, although it would likely look different in reality. Gottfried has emphasized that the bulk of the tax burden will be placed on the wealthy and taxes will be offset by the fact that people arent paying monthly health insurance premiums or other fees. But the real annual cost projections and tax structure will remain unknown until after the bill passes and legislators get down to brass tacks. Peter Maringola, chair of the New York State Public Employees Conference, said these are the kinds of details that would determine whether unions with public employees could support the legislation. After all, unions are accustomed to spending countless hours at the negotiating table hashing out their members' benefits and in many cases have sacrificed salary increases over the years in order to improve them. "What is the cost? Maringola asked the legislators seated before him. I cannot sell an estimate to my members. No way. By contrast, representatives of the powerful health care unions 1199SEIU and the New York State Nurses Association, said at the hearing they are willing to pass the bill now and hash out the details later. The members of our union really see the consequences of our broken health care system everyday, said Helen Schaub, the state policy and legislative director at 1199SEIU. People are walking into the emergency room much sicker than they have to be because they put off care. Proponents of a single-payer system emphasized at the hearing that its not just about providing insurance to the estimated 1 million New Yorkers who lack it, but also about addressing the fact that many who currently have coverage forego care or medicine because its still unaffordable. We believe its the precariousness of our current systempeople afraid of losing coveragethat leads to a lot of the fear that change could leave people worse off and not better off, Schaub added. Members of NYSNA and 1199 would be among those most affected by the New York Health Act, given the impact it would have on budgets and staffing at the hospitals and nursing homes that employ them. The rates the state-run plan would pay hospitals and other health care providers for their services are still undetermined, making it unclear exactly what that impact would be. Assemblyman Andrew Garbarino pointed out that he has heard from nurses who currently feel underpaid and overworked. I just feel like if this bill passes and reimbursement rates go down for hospitals, its going to put more of a strain on nurses, he said. Carl Ginsburg, a spokesman for NYSNA, responded that the safety net hospitals that primarily serve low-income people are underfunded and stand to make gains under the bill. The nurses, who I think very much want a place at the table as this transition is undertaken, are willing to make changes, Ginsburg said. The New York Health Act could also affect the types of health care jobs available. But Schaub said that 1199s Training and Employment Funds would be able to retrain members for new jobs if necessary. It may mean less work in hospitals and more work for diabetes counselors and nutritionists, said Schaub. Weve done this before. The union reps who were skeptical about single payer also expressed concerns about the mechanics of how retirees who leave the state would receive benefits, among other specifics. Just about every point each of you has raised, I think if we sit around a table talking about them one by one, theres nothing we could not resolve, said Assemblyman Gottfried. I would hope that you would be amenable to having that kind of nuts-and-bolts discussion. Despite its newly-won Democratic majority, the state Senate will not vote on the New York Health Act before the legislative session ends next month. Some legislators who previously expressed support for a state single-payer system are more cautious now that it is closer to becoming reality. It seems Gottfried and Rivera will need to have more of those detailed discussions in order to get the support they need for the New York Health Act to pass. BLACK REPUBLICAN BLOG - The Republican Party is the party of civil rights and the four Fs: faith, family, freedom and fairness. The Democratic Party is the party of the four Ss: slavery, secession, segregation and socialism (Quote By Author Michael Scheuer). At the recent Vatican meeting of Catholic Charities Pope Francis praised the participants for their concern for the poor and marginalized, but warned them of the danger of fake charity. Carol Glatz writes in Catholic Herald: Charity is not a sterile service or a simple donation to hand over to put our conscience at ease, he said. Charity is God our Fathers embrace of every person, particularly of the least and those who suffer. The church is not a humanitarian organization, the Pope said. It is something so much bigger: in Christ, it is the sign and instrument of Gods love for humanity and for creation. The Pope urged the Caritas representatives to live out this charity freely, humbly and with a spirit of poverty. One cannot live charity without having a personal relationship with the poor to live with the poor and for the poor so as to learn from them how charity is sharing. It is necessary to always be careful not to fall into the temptation of living a hypocritical or deceptive charity, identified with almsgiving or fundraising or used as a sedative to relieve an uneasy conscience, the Pope said. This is why one must avoid equating charitable activity with philanthropic strength or with well-planned efficiency or with over-the-top and flamboyant organization, he said. Charity vs. Humanitarianism One of the underlying problems with the dominant approach to poverty from major multinational organizations to Christian organizations, and even smaller non-profits has been the replacement of charity with humanitarianism. This is one of the underlying themes of our film Poverty, Inc. While charity and humanitarianism appear similar, they are profoundly different. Charity, from the latin caritas is Christian love. It is an act of the will that seeks the good of the other, As expressed in Latin, love is an intentio benevolentiae the intentional desire for the benevolence of the the other. Charity provides care and help when needed, but always keeping in mind the goals of human flourishing and the eternal destiny of each person. Humanitarianism in contrast, has limited horizons. It focuses on providing comfort and stops there. Humanitarianism thinks of providing comfort even at the expense of long term human flourishing. And because of it materialist foundations, it has no place for the spiritual dimension of man or for his eternal destiny. Humanitarianism is a hollowed out, secular version of Christian love. It is precisely, in Francis words, fake charity. Ideology of Efficiency Pope Franciss critiques of the the bureaucratic tendency and the ideology of efficiency. Here he echoes Benedict XVIs critique of foreign aid from Volume 1 of Jesus of Nazareth. The aid offered by the West to developing countries has been purely materially and technically based and not only has left God out of the picture, has driven man away from God. And this aid proudly claiming to know better is itself what first turned the third world into what today we mean by the term. Francis and Benedict both stress that we must have deep concern for the poor and be actively engaged in helping those in need, but unless the right ordering goods is respected we end up harming those we want to help and create more exclusion. What we need is not more humanitarianism or philanthropy, but a reinvigoration of charity. I would argue that we we also need is to recover the insights from the Jewish and Christian traditions about the importance of institutions of justice, things like clear title to land, access to justice and ability to participate in the formal economy that enable people to create prosperity in their own families and communities and thus no longer need to rely on charity. While there are some people who will always need charity and assistance, for most people in the developing world, the real problem is not a lack of material things, the real problem is one of exclusion from the institutions of justice. True charity must always be grounded in justice and in the truth about God and the human person. As Benedict XVI put it beautifully in Caritas in Veritate, Without truth, charity degenerates into sentimentality. On this episode of Acton Line, Bradley J. Birzer, History professor and the Russell Amos Kirk Chair in American Studies at Hillsdale College, joins the podcast to talk about the movie Tolkien, explaining what the film got right about the life of British author J.R.R. Tolkien and what the film missed. Afterwards, Bruce Ashford, professor of theology and culture at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, talks about his new book, The Gospel of our King, and how Biblical narrative relates to our understanding of vocation, culture and even the role of government. Check out additional resources for this podcast: Tolkien IMDb Video: Jonathan Witt On Tolkiens Vision Of Freedom J. R. R. Tolkiens Sanctifying Myth: Understanding Middle-Earth, by Bradley J. Birzer Disneys Tolkien Movie Cuts Out the Christian Faith That Inspired His Life and Work, by Tyler ONeil This Tolkien biopic is woefully unconvincing, by Michael Ward The Gospel of Our King: Bible, Worldview, and the Mission of Every Christian, by Bruce Riley Ashford and Heath A. Thomas Learn more about Abraham Kuyper Check out Bruce Ashfords blog New to the Acton Line podcast? Subscribe here! We also recommend starting with these episodes: Mourning the Notre-Dame cathedral inferno; Rev. Robert Sirico on education F.A. Hayeks Road to Serfdom; The media vs. Unplanned Rev. Robert A. Sirico on the reality of socialism; Interview with a Venezuelan dissident Do you have feedback for the Acton Line podcast team? We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] Lastly, if you like what you heard on todays episode, please leave a review and rating on iTunes. When asked to name a successful example of democratic socialism, one nation always rises to the top of the list: Denmark. However, a Reuters news story shows that the socialists model nation is providing fewer and fewer services to citizens despite its hefty tax bill. Aase Blytsoe, a 92-year-old pensioner with dementia, is one example. Her apartment will be cleaned 10 times a year, about half as often as it had been. Making up the difference would cost more than 10 percent of her monthly pension. The Danish welfare state teeters precariously on a pyramid of intergenerational wealth transfers. Danes typically bear the highest tax burden (with France just tying them this year at 46 percent of GDP) and one of the highest levels of social welfare spending in the OECD. Unfortunately, the number of people outside the workforce surpassed the number of workers contributing to the system in 2009. So, Denmark has begun curbing services and discouraging immigration to control its exploding welfare costs. Aases story percolates throughout Danish society. A new Reuters story reveals: One of every five public schools has closed; One of every four state-run hospitals has closed in the last decade; A recent survey showed that more than half of Danes dont trust the public health service to offer the right treatment. As a consequence the proportion of the 5.7 million Danish population taking out private health insurance has jumped to 33% from 4% in 2003, according to trade organization Insurance & Pension Denmark. A similar phenomenon is taking place in Finland; The retirement age in Denmark has been raised from 65 to 73, the oldest in the world; and Spending per person above 65 years on services such as care homes, cleaning and rehabilitation after illness has dropped by a quarter. Nonetheless, U.S. politicians hold up the Nordic nations as a prototype for Americas future. Senator Bernie Sanders said, I think we should look to countries like Denmark, like Sweden and Norway, and learn what they have accomplished for their working people. Sanders and his fellow travelers became so focused on Denmark that Danes found themselves alternately bemused and bewildered by the attention. They were also perplexed by the desciption of their nation as socialist. Last Demember, the Center for Political Studies (CEPOS) issued a 20-page report clarifying that Denmark is not socialist. (You can hear me discuss the report on a recent episode of the Acton Line podcast here.) In 2015, the prime minister delivered a similar message while visiting Harvard. Economist Lars Christensen said Denmarks major political parties on the center-Left and the center-Right would oppose many of the proposals of Bernie Sanders on the regulatory side as being too leftist. Denmark has a market economy smothered by a welfare state so immense that it cannot support itself. Instead, it seeks to close the door to new applicants for its generous government transfer programs. It has taken to heart Milton Friedmans truism that you cant have free immigration and a welfare state. The government took out ads in Lebanese newspapers inviting Syrian refugees to go somewhere else. It briefly suspended train services to Germany to stop Middle Eastern migrants from entering the country. Even the poorest migrants must support the Danish welfare state. Denmark passed a law seizing all a migrants belongings over the amount of $1,450. Apparently, youre never too poor or vulnerable to pay your fair share in a social democracy. Any welfare state must inevitably encounter the economic reality of scarcity. This is the driving truth behind Margaret Thatchers obervation that the problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other peoples money. People tend to handle scarcity through productive activity or by making demands of the government, wrote the Lithuanian Free Market Institute. In the former, human action and creativity bear fruit, but in the latter, force or political power is used to achieve results through expropriation and redistribution. Free market nations see each person as a blessing, able to use his (or her) God-given gifts and talents to serve others. Mutual service creates and spontaneously distributes wealth, and empowers citizens to live out their values. Public funding demands the government intrude into the most intimate of human bonds in order to enforce conformity to politically determined norms. Danish authorities will not allow immigrants to challenge the unity of the homogenous nation with a population about the size of Wisconsin. Starting at the age of one, Denmark separates immigrant children born in government-designated ghettos from their parents for up to 25 hours a week to teach them Danish values. In Denmark, there is a very different understanding of what freedom means, Sen. Sanders wrote in a 2013 essay. Choose wisely. (Photo credit: Michael Vadon. This photo has been cropped. CC BY-SA 2.0.) Former Vice President Joe Biden unveiled a broad K-12 education plan Tuesday that calls for tripling Title I money to pay for teacher salary increases and student supports, his first major policy announcement in his campaign for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. Bidens plan also calls for support for universal prekindergarten programs for 3- and 4-year-olds; a reinstatement of Obama administration policies designed to spark local school desegregation efforts; a doubling of support staff like counselors and school nurses; and full federal funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act within 10 years. The long-time politician, a former U.S. Senator from Delaware who has a history with many education-related issues, released his proposals shortly before speaking to Houston educators at a town hall with American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten. You are expected to be a social worker, youre expected to be a counselor ... Youre expected to be the person of last resort, he told the teachers. Bidens plan notably doesnt mention reining in charter schools, which served as a centerpiece of proposals recently unveiled by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders , who is viewed by many as one of Bidens strongest competitors for the Democratic presidential nomination. Asked by an audience member what he would do about unregulated, for-profit charter schools, Biden said he does not support any federal money for for-profit charter schools. Period. Asked if it would be possible to carry out his plans if the Senate remains under Republican control, Biden said he believes some GOP lawmakers would agree to eliminate some tax loopholes to help pay for the proposal. Enough Republicans with enough Democrats being re-elected are going to join in doing what they know in their gut is the right thing, he said. But thats a big statement of faith. Even a Democratically controlled House faces an uphill climb to raise education funding . Heres what Biden wants to do with education: Boosts in Title I, Teacher Pay Like Sanders, Biden pledged to triple Title I aid for low-income schools to more than $45 billion. Biden would address teacher pay, a popular issue on the campaign trail, by tying some strings to that Title I funding. His plan would require districts to use these funds to offer educators competitive salaries and make other critical investments prior to directing the funds to other purposes. It does not define what salary is considered competitive, and it does not provide details of any regulations or legal changes that could be required to enact those conditions. The plan, which praises teacher walk-outs across the country last year, cites research that found public school teachers made 21.4 percent less than workers with similar education and experience in 2018. It promises that a Biden administration would make sure the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, used to repay teachers student loans, is fixed, simplified, and actually helps teachers, but it does not provide details about how it would do so. Title I funding would also be used to help expand prekindergarten programs for 3- and 4-year olds. The plan also says the administration will work with states to offer universal prekindergarten programs. And Biden pledged to expand home-visiting programs for young children under the Affordable Care Act. This investment will ease the burden on our families, help close the achievement gap, promote the labor participation of parents who want to work, and lift our critical early-childhood education workforce out of poverty, the plan says. The plan does outline how Biden would pay for a proposed unprecedented investment to double the number of psychologists, guidance counselors, nurses, social workers, and other health professionals in our schools, saying only that his administration would work with colleges to expand the pipeline to these professions. Tackling Inequality The Title I boost would help ease some of the funding discrepancies between low-income and well-resourced schools, Biden told his Houston audience, and it would help provide access to more-rigorous science and math coursework at affected schools. Bidens proposals call to boost racial diversity in schools through grants to encourage local desegregation efforts and the support of Obama-era civil rights guidance on voluntary integration efforts. Biden has been criticized for his 1970s criticisms of busing for school desegregation . His plan calls for increasing the number of teachers of color by working with historically black colleges and universities and supporting paraprofessionals in obtaining teaching certificates, but it does not outline specific programs to support this work. Guns in Schools Bidena key author of the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 and the leader of the Obama administrations response to the 2012 school shooting in Newtown, Conn.included in his education plan a pledge to defeat the National Rifle Associationagainto make our schools safer, starting with support for a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Other plans include: The inclusion of school facilities funding in a federal infrastructure bill Increased federal support for community schools Allowing high school students to use Pell grants for dual-enrollment programs Supporting an expansion of career and technical education through partnerships between schools, community colleges, and employers A competitive program to encourage communities to redesign high schools to support changing workforce needs, targeted first at low-income communities Courting Unions Democratic candidates seeking to distinguish themselves from a crowded field are seeking the support of the nations teachers unions, which offer powerful endorsements. Both the AFT and the National Education Association offered praise for Bidens plan Tuesday. What is becoming increasingly clear in light of Bidens and other recent education proposals is that, as the eyes of the nation turn to the 2020 presidential campaign, the country is hungry to elect a president who will not only do what is in the best interest of public education but also ensure that students have the schools they deserve, NEA President Lily Eskelsen Garcia said in a statement. Weingarten acknowledged to the Houston audience Tuesday that the AFT hadnt always agreed with the education plans of the Obama administration. (The union often sparred with the Education Department over issues like testing and accountability). But she said Biden had been a reliable point person in the White House who had always listened to her concerns. And we trusted that message would get through, Weingarten said. Photo: Former Vice President Joe Biden talks with supporters during a campaign rally for Pennsylvania Democratic candidates for Congress last year. (Butch Comegys/The Times-Tribune via AP) Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 . And follow Evie Blad @EvieBlad. You're browsing a news app on your phone in bed, alone, late at night. Did you know your physical location and IP address are being shared with the app maker? A new study reveals that many iOS apps, including the Washington Post's own very popular news app, use "background app refresh" to transmit highly sensitive information like user location and IP address. Here's one of many examples of first-party tracking from Washington Post reporter Geoffrey Fowler's privacy experiment, detailed in the piece. "Yelp was receiving a message from my iPhone *once every five minutes* that included my IP address," Fowler tweeted. "It says I found a 'bug.' But now it has months of granular data about me." Excerpt: You might assume you can count on Apple to sweat all the privacy details. After all, it touted in a recent ad, "What happens on your iPhone stays on your iPhone." My investigation suggests otherwise. IPhone apps I discovered tracking me by passing information to third parties just while I was asleep include Microsoft OneDrive, Intuit's Mint, Nike, Spotify, The Washington Post and IBM's the Weather Channel. One app, the crime-alert service Citizen, shared personally identifiable information in violation of its published privacy policy. And your iPhone doesn't only feed data trackers while you sleep. In a single week, I encountered over 5,400 trackers, mostly in apps, not including the incessant Yelp traffic. According to privacy firm Disconnect, which helped test my iPhone, those unwanted trackers would have spewed out 1.5 gigabytes of data over the span of a month. That's half of an entire basic wireless service plan from AT&T. Apple's response is that the privacy policies for each of these apps are required to disclose with whom they share user data. Adding a line like "we may share your data with 3rd parties" to the legalese does not provide protection that meets the claim implied by Apple's marketing tagline: "What happens on your iPhone stays on your iPhone." It's the middle of the night. Do you know who your iPhone is talking to? [washingtonpost.com] [via techmeme] Apple says "What happens on your iPhone stays on your iPhone." My @washingtonpost privacy experiment showed 5,400 hidden trackers guzzled my data in a single week.https://t.co/OkRhR6DpWB pic.twitter.com/d7tsKfYW3Q Geoffrey A. Fowler (@geoffreyfowler) May 28, 2019 From my iPhone privacy test: Just while I slept at night, iPhone apps that sent my data to third-party tracker companies include Microsoft OneDrive, Mint, Nike, Spotify, The Washington Post and The Weather Channel.https://t.co/OkRhR6lP53 Geoffrey A. Fowler (@geoffreyfowler) May 28, 2019 Worried about the privacy of your iPhone? Judging from the response to my @washingtonpost column today, lots of us are. Here are 5 things you can do to limit app tracking: https://t.co/KDO9G9Ze5M Geoffrey A. Fowler (@geoffreyfowler) May 28, 2019 Some @washingtonpost readers are asking what we can do to stop apps from tracking us: https://t.co/OkRhR6DpWB One solution is @disconnectme's Privacy Pro, a tracker blocker for the whole iPhone: https://t.co/VYfbCBmoYV Might it break some apps? Maker @patjack, can you explain? Geoffrey A. Fowler (@geoffreyfowler) May 28, 2019 That's fair criticism. It'd be nice to see Apple crack down on trackers used by the apps themselves next. https://t.co/LjS5zr7WYq Guillaume Ceccarelli (@GCsVentures) May 28, 2019 BUT on the web you can see and/or block them entirely. you literally can't do either of those in native apps. https://t.co/ZnFkSqIvb4 Owen Williams (@ow) May 28, 2019 Somehow very fitting that a fear-based social network like Citizen is secretly giving away your personal information in violation of its own privacy policy https://t.co/UMDarmKiPv Casey Newton (@CaseyNewton) May 28, 2019 "Facebook and Twitter each said on Tuesday they had disabled a sprawling disinformation campaign that appeared to originate in Iran, including two accounts on Twitter that mimicked Republican congressional candidates and may have sought to push pro-Iranian political messages," reports the Washington Post's Tony Romm. Some of accounts Twitter says it disabled seem to have been targeting propaganda at individual "journalists, policymakers, dissidents and other influential U.S. figures online," which suggests "a new escalation in social-media warfare, with malicious actors stealing real-world identities to spread disinformation beyond the web." Buckle up. Excerpt: Twitter said it had removed about 2,800 accounts originating in Iran at the beginning of May, but it did not tie the accounts to the country's government. Its disclosure came at the same time as a report from the cybersecurity firm FireEye that identified a "network of English-language social media accounts" on the site that often posted on "anti-Saudi, anti-Israeli and pro-Palestinian themes." FireEye did not directly attribute the activity to either Iranian state leaders or malicious actors operating within the country. But it noted that some of the tweets supported the Iranian nuclear deal, which President Trump withdrew from a year ago, while opposing some of the White House's policies in the Middle East. Two of those accounts also impersonated Republicans who ran for Congress Marla Livengood, who lost her bid to represent California's 9th Congressional District, and Jineea Butler, who was defeated in her attempt to win a seat representing New York's 9th Congressional District. The accounts used photos of the candidates and even mimicked some of the Republicans' authentic tweets. The fake accounts commented on mainstream political subjects, such as the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, but sometimes pivoted to issues that pertained to Iranian interests. Facebook and Twitter disable new disinformation campaign with ties to Iran Boris Johnson (previously) is the racist, cowardly serial liar whose Old Etonian wealth and privilege warped and corrupted him into the kind of man who smashed up restaurants in acts of wanton, drunken vandalism, the sort of man who could never win a general election in the UK. Despite this, he is tipped to be the country's next PM, thanks to the catastrophic failures of Theresa May, which have forced her resignation and triggered a leadership race in the Conservative party. But even as he is being presumptively anointed to preside over the Brexit omnishambles, he's heading into court to answer for his role in deceiving the country during the Brexit referendum campaign, specifically, the claims stenciled on the side of a red "battle bus" that promised 350m/week for the NHS if Brexit were accomplished. This was a lie and everyone involved with creating the bus knew it at the time. Prosecutor Marcus J Ball raised 255,000 through a crowdfunding campaign to bring three charges against Johnson in a private prosecution for "misconduct in public office." After an initial court battle, Judge Margot Coleman has ruled that the prosecution can proceed, writing "Having considered all the relevant factors I am satisfied that this is a proper case to issue the summons as requested for the three offenses as drafted." Ball's complaint claims that Johnson knew that his NHS promises were lies, and as evidence, cites instances in which Johnson used accurate figures. The complain calls for a criminal sanction as remedy for these lies, because "lying on a national and international platform undermines public confidence in politics." There will be preliminary hearings tomorrow, and then one of four things may happen: Johnson may appeal, the Criminal Prosecution Service may allow Ball to continue with his own private proceedings, or the CPS may take over the proceedings, or they may shut them down on the basis that the prosecution is not in the public interest. 'Further to a hearing today, the court has determined that a public hearing will take place on Thursday 23 May 2019 at Westminster Magistrates Court, when the Judge will consider an application to issue a summons against the proposed defendant, Mr Boris Johnson MP, for the offence of misconduct in public office. We wish to stress again that Mr Johnson has not been charged with any criminal offence and is at all times presumed innocent until proven otherwise. We would respectfully ask all those reporting and supporting the case to respect the formality of the court process. Any further questions should be directed to Bankside Commercial Solicitors. ' -Giles Bright Director Bankside Commercial Solicitors Boris Johnson, favorite to be Britain's next PM, to face court for alleged Brexit lies [Sheena McKenzie/CNN] (Image: Dr Dunno/B3ta) The Chinese central environment minister has released a report detailing thousands of instances of corruption and coverups from local governments in ten provinces last year: the report details instances of fabricated meetings, imaginary progress on remediating toxic waste spills, and falsified claims that polluting factories had been shut down. The ministry claims that its investigations resulted in "significant progress" in halting these practices. Corruption is an incredibly sensitive issue in China, where the quid pro quo for accepting authoritarian rule is that the rulers themselves are supposed to be incorruptible and dedicated to promoting the general prosperity. That's why Xi Jinping's 2018 corruption purges were incredibly popular, providing cover for Xi's consolidation of power, ahead of a vote that changed the rules so that he can rule for life. The (correct) perception that China's elites are creating a new hereditary aristocracy who function with impunity while looting the country is the greatest threat to Chinese stability. Corruption scandals that touch on quality of life issues like the tainted milk scandal or the school collapse scandal are doubly destabilizing, because they strike at the heart of the Chinese contract: it's one thing for the elites to line their pockets, shut down social mobility and commit the odd vehicular murder with impunity, but if they also fail to ensure that food, water, air, buildings and transport are safe because doing so would interrupt the flow of bribes they rely on, then all bets might be off. Last week, the Chinese government acknowledged that "rogue manufacturers" were behind the mysterious rise in planet-cooking, ozone-trashing CFC-11 gas. Also in Anhui, officials in the city of Wuhu claimed in August 2017 that complaints that a concrete company was illegally disposing of solid waste had been resolved. In fact, the company didn't even start to address the problem until a year later in the meantime, the officials helped the company to hide illegal waste from inspectors, according to Anhui government documents . In other cases, local officials would routinely forge documents to cover up their negligence, according to the ministry. A local government in the city of Zunyi, in Guizhou province in the south of the country, fabricated notes which are required under the country's regulations for ten meetings that never happened. The ministry's summary evaluated the ten provinces on how they have addressed such problems since the investigations. For instance, Shanxi province has fined polluters about 24 million yuan (US$3.5 million), and set out to resolve 1,463 violations of environmental regulations. The ministry called these "positive results". Pollution cover-ups exposed in Chinese provinces [David Cyranoski/Nature] (via Naked Capitalism) (Image: Kevin Dooley, CC-BY) The British empire was a globe-spanning criminal enterprise that produced vast riches for England (and, to a lesser extent, Scotland and Wales) by stealing the lands of others while slaughtering and enslaving them; today the empire is in decline and the UK is no longer reliant on direct looting. Instead, the UK and its former colonies have become the world's most prolific money-laundry for other looters, servicing criminal oligarchs who steal from their own countries. The latest Corporate Tax Haven Index from the Tax Justice Network (previously) puts the UK and its overseas possessions firmly in the lead in the global money-laundry league tables. The story is complex: many of the former colonies (now euphemistically termed "overseas territories" or "dependencies") were deliberately set up as financial secrecy havens during the decolonization process, a maneuver that provided British elites with a convenient way to hide their wealth from British authorities while creating (some) jobs on these "treasure islands." But turning an impoverished, looted colony into a tax-haven is no path to riches: instead, these treasure islands get stuck in a long period of stagnation (the "finance curse") that prevents them from realizing their full potential. In the meantime, the looted trillions that they're skimming pennies from are the source of enormous suffering other countries (many of them also former colonies). All told, financial secrecy havens are depriving the world's governments of 500b every year. The UK and its dependencies lead the pack, but the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Switzerland (the "Axis of Avoidance") aren't far behind. Alex Cobham, chief executive at the Tax Justice Network, described the hypocrisy of rich nations which enable tax avoidance as "sickening". "A handful of the richest countries have waged a world tax war so corrosive, they've broken down the global corporate tax system beyond repair," Mr Cobham said. "The UK, Netherlands, Switzerland and Luxembourg the Axis of Avoidance line their own pockets at the expense of a crucial funding stream for sustainable human progress. "The ability of governments across the world to tax multinational corporations in order to pay teachers' wages, build hospitals and ensure a level playing field for local businesses has been deliberately and ruthlessly undermined." UK by far the biggest enabler of global corporate tax dodging, groundbreaking research finds [Ben Chapman/The Independent] (via /r/LateStageCapitalism/) Has there ever been a better time for eating pastries in this town? Joining our already embarrassingly rich selection of stand-alone bakeries, both homegrown and from around the world (Korean, French, Italian, Chinese, Scandinavian, West Indian, Jewish, Ecuadorian, Greek...), in these past few months we've seen the opening of several stellar new spots. These include Bourke Street from Australia, Ole and Steen from Denmark, and the Israeli Michaeli, from the former Breads chef. Vegan and gluten-free options are also ever more readily available. Even if you've already been to *all* the bakeries, there's at least one more that's an absolute must, and it just opened last week in the Meatpacking District: Fabrique from Sweden. Owned and operated by executive chef Charlotta and David Zetterstrom, Fabrique is a big deal in Stockholm and London, with 24 shops total, but this is the couple's first foray into this country. There is little chance it will be their last. The baked goods at Fabique are phenomenal. Start with the Cinnamon and Cardamon Rolls, both of which are exceptionally moist and exploding with flavor. Same for the Brownies, which look like nothing special, all cut into slim rectangles and studded with almonds, but are not only as gooey as your wildest brownie dreams come true, they also pack a pleasant cocoa punch and a bright, fruity tang. All of these instantly quality for Best In NYC consideration. For a more Swedish-sounding treat, get a couple of dense Cokladbolls, a cake-y chocolate and oat concoction covered in coconut. The Vegan Chocolate cookie, made with coconut oil, is as deeply satisfying as anything else on the well-stocked shelves. There are extra-buttery Croissants and Pains au Chocolat, chewy Cranberry Nut Bars, and loaves of Fabrique's signature sourdough breadeither plain, or with rye, or walnuts, or apricotsto keep the party going back home. The bread and croissants are also used for a variety of ham and/or cheese sandwiches. And if for some reason you're opting for bread-free today, there are yogurt jars with chia seeds, oats, and cherries soaked in honey. Various coffee drinks, using beans from Brooklyn Roasting, can be enjoyed to stay or to go. Much of the long, narrowish space at Fabrique is taken up by a big open kitchen in the back, the better to make the whole place smell like heaven, but there is seating for about 20 at a row of tables just past the crowded ordering counter up front. Everyone on staff here is exactly as you would want bakery workers to be: warm, inviting, and passionate and knowledgeable about baked goods. Such a great addition to the neighborhood, and to the city. (Scott Lynch / Gothamist) Fabrique is located at 348 West 14th Street, between Eighth and Ninth Avenues, and is open weekdays from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (347-210-5641) [Velma Demerson was jailed in 1939 and by the Ontario government for the "crime" of having a Chinese boyfriend; sixty years later, she began an ultimately successful legal challenge seeking reparations; I'm pleased to present this remembrance for Demerson by Harry Kopyto, the campaigning human rights lawyer, who served as one of her advisors -Cory] On Monday May 13, 2019, Athena Mary Lakes, better known as Velma Demerson, died from old age in a Vancouver hospital at the age of 98. She is best known for her successful legal battle culminating in 2002 against the Ontario Government for incarcerating her in Toronto in 1939 for almost a year. The reason for her incarceration? She was found morally "incorrigible" under the Female Refuges Act for living with a Chinese man, Harry Yip, whom she married after her release. Their son, who was born while she was in jail, was taken away from her until after her release. Velma returned to Toronto in the late 1990s after living half a century on the west coast. While there, she married and raised two children. Her implacable sense of injustice led an unstoppable Velma Demerson to storm back to Toronto to quench her thirst for justice. After being rejected by a slew of Toronto lawyers, eventually she found Harry Kopyto who initiated a legal claim arising out of her imprisonment and turned a room in his office into a defence committee centre. Gradually, her case drew widespread public attention and support including from the leaders of all Ontario's political parties at that time, the women's movement, academics, the organized labour movement, the Chinese community and many individual human rights activists such as David Suzuki. Some of the lawyers that she first approached ridiculed the prospect of initiating a lawsuit 60 years after a limitation period expired. However, Velma drew on support from a pugnacious legal team and a defence committee that issued newsletters, raised funds for legal expenses, publicized her case widely in the media and organized rallies, panel discussions and similar events. Many young people who heard her story could not believe it was true. Despite the broad support and even outrage of many members of the public, the Ontario government resisted compensating Velma on the basis of the extraordinary lengthy delay of her legal claim. However, her lawyers soon concluded that the Female Refuges Act, under which Velma was jailed was in fact disguised criminal law with the power to jail children as young as 16 for up to two years. Accordingly, the Act was outside the legal jurisdiction of Ontario to enact. Her legal team realized that if they sought a declaration from the Court to that effect, their claim would not be subject to any limitation period at all! As a result of using that strategy, even though it might not offer her compensation, her supporters felt the Government could no longer oppose her claim once a judge declared the Act unlawful. The Ontario Government caved in when they realized their vulnerability. There was massive support for her when the matter was raised in the Ontario Legislature. The Conservative government quickly settled her case with the Attorney-General and premier personally making an official apology. The law that allowed Velma to be jailed, along with 15,000 other young women, was crafted at the beginning of the last century by racist promoters of eugenics. was seen as indefensible by any current standards. Even though the Female Refuges Act was abolished in 1964 because of desuetude (lack of use), almost none of the other victims incarcerated under the Actmany impoverished, emotionally drained and defeated by their abusive treatmentfought back despite Velma's efforts to encourage those still alive. Ms. Demerson was 18 years old at the time of her imprisonment (1938) in the Belmont House and the Mercer Reformatory for Women when the development of massive washing machines to clean the local hospital laundry washed until then by the Belmont House's inmates made their free labour unnecessary, so they were packed into a fleet of taxis in the heart of darkness after midnight and ferried downtown to the Mercer Reformatory. There she was subjected to involuntary medical tests and injections and to rules of silence. The Mercer, which was ruled by a Superintendent committed to eugenics, was closed after a Grand Jury expressed shock at its dangerous and dungeon-like and inhumane conditions in the 1960s. In 2002, Velma received the J.S. Woodsworth Award from the Ontario NDP for her promotion of human rights and equity. Velma toured schools relating her ordeal to shocked students, spoke passionately at an Ontario Legislative Committee hearing on prevention of child prostitution, was a featured speaker at various conferences and advanced the rights of a vast parade of vulnerable people with her perspective of never giving up. Velma was highly admired by everyone who met her. She laughed easily, was almost always positive, although sometimes irascible and was fiercely independent up to the time of her death. She wrote three books during her lifetime, two of which, Nazis in Canada published in 2017 and Incorrigible, published in 2004, were based on her experiences. As one of her supporters and legal advisors, I recall, a few months after her legal victory, financial settlement and apology, Velma perched on the very top of a red firetruck rolling along in the Labour Day Parade in Toronto in 2003 greeting her admirers with a triumphant smile. Velma's struggle was motivated by her desire to set an example to others as well as to right an historic wrong against herself and victims of bigotry. She showed that through relentless struggle and solidarity, the most unlikely goals can be achieved. Her life has touched the souls of many. RFK Second Shooter Found! screams the cover of this weeks Globe, revealing the identity of the girl in a polka-dot dress seen leaving Robert F Kenned's assassination scene in 1968. The "Explosive Globe Investigation" names the "mystery" woman as Patricia 'Elayn' Neal, who was actually identified in a well-researched book on RFK's murder published in June 2018. It's taken the 'Globe' 11 months to repeat the story, though they claim to have an interview three short sentences with Neal's ex-husband, claiming that he "believes" Neal was present at the shooting, and believes she "pulled the trigger." Suspiciously, the ex-husband is never named. More troubling, two of Neal's three husbands had married her after the shooting, and her first husband hasn't been identified, let alone spoken publicly. Omitting his name is probably just an editing error they couldn't be making this stuff up, could they? British Royals "Harry & Meghan Raising Baby in America," proclaims the cover of the 'National Enquirer,' inspired by an unsubstantiated UK report that the couple are house-hunting in Los Angeles. The pair have been "exiled" by the Queen to Africa, claims the 'Enquirer,' but headstrong Meghan is flaunting that Royal decree and is instead moving to Los Angeles where "she'll be treated like a queen" and her mother will "babysit and wait on her hand and foot." As if. The 'Globe' continues to prove it either has spies inside every Royal palace or reporters with vvid imaginations, with its exclusive about the "fed-up Queen's wrath" at Duchess Meghan: "Off With Her Head!" Not that Her Majesty actually plans to decapitate the Duchess which would, admittedly, be a good story. The Queen allegedly "detests" Meghan and is "outraged" by her lack of decorum. Adding insult to injury, Duchess Kate no longer speaks to Meghan. Ignore those photos of the Queen and Kate smiling and laughing with Meghan, says the 'Globe': it's all a facade "to save face for the monarchy." Right. 'Us' magazine jumps on the Royal bandwagon with its story: "Baby Archie Coming to America!" A summer trip is allegedly planned by Duchess Meghan and her son, "most likely" to New York City. Three days earlier 'Us' reported online that Meghan and Archie were going to Los Angeles in the summer. Clearly Meghan can't make up her mind. Country singing legend "Kenny Rogers Prepares to Die!" reports the 'Enquirer as they've been saying for three years now. Sooner or later they have to be right. "Doris Day's Dogs vs Grandson: Bitter Fight Over $200m Fortune!" claims the 'Enquirer,' which then undermines its own story by noting that Day's will hasn't yet been read and nobody knows who is getting her fortune though the wise money's on her favored pet charities getting the bulk. Day's grandson Ryan Melcher, who admits not speaking to his grandmother since 2004, is simply asking to be recognized as her sole grandchild. No problem. Hi, Ryan. You know that the 'Enquirer' doesn't have much faith in its story about a fight over soul queen Aretha Franklin's "three newly discovered wills" when the rag admits the documents "could be as phony as a three-dollar bill . . . and likely won't be accepted in court!" The 'Globe' exposes 'Wheel of Fortune' duo "Vanna & Pat Sajak's Forbidden Love!" Is this a torrid tale of passion grabbed between flipping consonants and buying vowels? No such luck. Their "sexy secret" is that they like each other but have never dated or hooked up. So it's not a "forbidden love_ they just don't like each other that way. 'Us' devotes its cover to Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton under the headline: "Faith, Family & Life on the Ranch." Evidently it's all rainbows and butterflies for the 'The Voice' duo, who naturally haven't spoken to the magazine for the story. "They're a match made in heaven" says 'The Voice' season 16 contestant Kim Cherry. Well, she'd know. 'People' magazine brings us "The Untold Story of Elton John," which has been told many, many times before, but the magazine banks on most people having forgotten the details. College cheating scandal queen Lori Loughlin's "Plan to Avoid Prison" is promised on the cover of 'People,' though the story inside hardly lives up to expectations. Her plan? "Mounting a vigorous defense against the charges." Good plan! Insightful reporting, as ever. Thankfully we have the crack investigative team at 'Us' mag to tell us that Malin Akerman wore it best, that Nicky Hilton Rothschild is "addicted to Hot Tamales" candy (there's a self-help group for that), that comedian Ali Wong carries Neosporin and Armicare cream to "prevent bruising" (she claims her kids, aged three and one, beat her "black-and-blue" or is she hiding something?) in her multiuse Senreve bag, and that the stars are just like us: they ride trains, planes, and roller-coasters. Uplifting and inspirational, as ever. Onwards and downwards . . . The Open Insulin project ("a team of Bay Area biohackers working on newer, simpler, less expensive ways to make insulin") is trying to create an open source hardware system for making insulin in small batches, through a process that uses engineered yeast to "produce a modified proinsulin protein, and an enzyme to convert the modified proinsulin into insulin glargine" so that insulin co-ops can produce and test their own insulin for a cost "from ten thousand to a few tens of thousands of dollars." The project is organized under Counter Culture Labs, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, making donations to it tax-deductible (I gave $50). Price-gouging on insulin is literally killing Americans with diabetes, while Canadians pay only 10% of what their US cousins pay. A September, 2018 article in Cell does a good job of laying out the legal and technical challenges to microbrewing your own insulin. Open Hardware Production Platform. The process technology to make insulin and other biopharmaceuticals at a small scale should be straightforward to develop and capable of efficient production. Initial, fairly crude estimates suggest that we can build a highly automated system that integrates a bioreactor, a purification and formulation system, and QA tests in a platform that would fit in the space of a large table or the corner of a room and cost from ten thousand to a few tens of thousands of dollars. It could have a capacity from a few tens to about a hundred liters of culture, and based on typical yields obtained in industry, one such system could produce enough insulin for a few tens to a hundred thousand people. This would enable a "microbrewery" model of production instead of, or in addition to, only a few colossal factories in the world, there could be a few dozen or a few hundred in every city, and insulin could be produced much closer to where it is needed, which would give access to it to people who live in areas that currently lack the infrastructure for it to be transported to them. This could also make the supply chain safer by making it easier to track, contain, and recall and replace any bad batches that are produced, as Gallegos and Peccoud noted in their recent piece on the Discover Magazine blogs. It turns out that operating at a large scale produces much worse problems than it solves for production of medicine, and small scale production makes the most sense from economic and safety perspectives as well as those of access and choice. Our ideas about the open hardware platform recently received an enthusiastic reception at MIT's Global Community Biosummit, and among many other potential collaborators, Africa OSH emerged in support (our current colleague Thomas is a leader of this project as well). New Frontiers for the New Year [Anthony Di Franco/Open Insulin] (Thanks, Mike!) A private school in Bronxville is required to take measures including hiring a chief diversity officer, increasing diversity of students, and creating a new code of conduct as part of an agreement with the New York Attorney General's office, following a disturbing classroom lesson earlier this year. The Chapel School was investigated in March after a teacher held a mock "slave auction" during which black students were singled out to play slaves while white students purchased them. The incident was uncovered when the fifth grade black students told their parents about what happened. One parent told the Daily News, "Im shocked and infuriated that this happened to my son." According to the Attorney General's office, the mock slave auction occurred in two social studies classes: [A] teacher asked all of the African-American students in each class to raise their hands, and then instructed them to exit the classroom and stand in the hallway. The teacher then placed imaginary chains or shackles, on these students necks, wrists, and ankles, and had them walk back into the classroom. The teacher then instructed the African-American students to line up against the wall, and proceeded to conduct a simulated auction of the African-American students in front of the rest of the class. These auctions reenacted the sale of African-American students to their white counterparts. The teacher, Rebecca Antinozzi, was fired. She claimed she was just trying to illustrate how slaves were taken against their will. "I said, 'OK, how many of you are African-American?' They raised their hand," Antinozzi recounted to News 12 in an interview. "I said, 'OK, go line up the door for me please.' So they lined up by the door. I said, 'If you were living during this time, you would be treated unfairly and brought to the new world against your will, and forced to work. And basically what would happen is they would say, OK, let's bid $10, $20, $30, $40, $50 -- OK great, males sit down, you're working in the field; females, sit down, you're working in the domestic household.' -- And that was literally under two minutes." However, the Attorney General's office said its investigation "found that the teachers reenactments in the two classes had a profoundly negative effect on all of the students presentespecially the African-American studentsand the school community at large" and that there had been "prior parental complaints to school administrators about the schools lack of racial sensitivity, pre-dating the classroom reenactments, as well as concerns that the school did not take sufficient steps to address the complaints." Here are the actions the Chapel School agreed to take as part of the agreement with the Attorney General: - Hire a Chief Diversity Officer, subject to the Attorney Generals approval; - Develop and submit a Staff Diversification Plan proposing steps the school will take annually to increase minority representation among the schools teaching faculty; Commit new financial aid to maintain and increase diversity within the student body; - Submit a new Code of Conduct, subject to the Attorney Generals approval, governing all school community members and specifically addressing racial and ethnic discrimination and harassment, as well as other prohibited behaviors; - Submit a School Discipline Reform Plan, intended to ensure equal application of disciplinary techniques to all students, with an emphasis on providing constructive feedback and teaching alternative or replacement behaviors to students; - Identify and retain a Diversity Consultant to assist the school in developing training protocols to train students and school employees on racial/ethnic diversity and sensitivity in the educational setting, with training to follow no less than twice per academic year; - Create a formal complaint procedure that students or parents may use to notify the school of complaints regarding harassment or discrimination, and publicize the new procedure to school community members; and - Maintain records of complaints, investigations of complaints, and the implementation of other elements of relief in the agreement. Tuition for the school is $12,400 a year, for kindergarten through fifth grade and then rises to $13,900 for sixth through eighth grades. Every young personregardless of racedeserves the chance to attend school free of harassment, bias, and discrimination," Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement. "Lessons designed to separate children on the basis of race have no place in New York classrooms, or in classrooms throughout this country. I thank The Chapel School for agreeing to take measures that directly address the issues of race, diversity and inclusion at the school. My office will continue efforts to promote safe environments where all students can learn and thrive." News / National by Staff reporter Concerted efforts by business mogul, John Arnold Bredenkamp to stop the auctioning of his private jet over a US$205 000 debt, recently went up in smoke after High Court judge president Justice George Chiweshe threw out an ownership claim by Longhorn Limited which sought to bar the Sheriff of the High Court from selling the plane.According to the court papers, Bredenkamp borrowed US$3,8 million from his business friend, Yaqub Mahomed, for the purposes of recapitalising his mining business in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), but failed to pay the debt in full. This resulted in a protracted legal battle and judgment was then entered in favour of Mahomed for US$3,8 million plus interest, but the debt was then reduced to US$205 602 after taxation.Through his lawyers, Mahomed instructed the Sheriff of the High Court to attach Bredenkamp's private jet. On May 31 last year, the sheriff attached the plane and its removal was set for June 5, 2018.Following this development, Bredenkamp's lawyers filed an urgent chamber application at the High Court to stop the removal pending determination of a review application.But, High Court judge Justice Happias Zhou dismissed the application, a development that resulted in Mahomed instructing the sheriff to proceed with the removal of the plane.However, not to be outdone by the unfolding events, Longhorn Limited came into the picture and claimed that the plane did not belong to Bredenkamp, but rather it had been leased to him by an American company.The new development then caused the matter to be taken before Justice Chiweshe who lambasted Bredenkamp for his antics with a view to frustrate the execution of a court order."On a balance of probabilities, all indications points in one direction, that the judgment debtor (Bredenkamp) is the owner of the aircraft. In his attempt to evade execution in satisfaction of a judgment of this court, the judgment debtor has colluded with the claimant (Longhorn Limited) to file a non-existent claim. In fact, as the claimant is not the owner there is no valid claim before this court," Justice Chiweshe said."I agree with the judgment creditor (Mahomed) that an order for cost on the higher scale is justified in this case." News / National by Mandla Ndlovu Members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police on Wednesday detained MDC Member of Parliament Hon Joana Ruvimbo Mamombe at Harare Central.She was invited for questioning by Law and Order before being arrested and detained.Meanwhile 7 CSOs leaders are in detention facing charges of subversion. They face up to 20 years in prison without an option of a fine if found guilty.Commenting on the recent crackdown of Human Rights Defenders Professor Jonaathan Moyo said, "The Gukurahundist architects of those tactics under Mugabe are now occupying Mugabe's office. That's what happens when you remove one individual and leave the system. The system is in charge and ruthlessly so change the system, and the result will be systematic!"Journalist Hopewell Chin'ono urged MDC members to follow legal route in addressing the matter."The MDC should not be tempted to react with any action except legal. This failing government wants exactly that. These arrests of opposition and civil society are further exposing government for what it is!" He said.More to follow... News / National by Mandla Ndlovu It was a night of glitz and glamour at State House on Wednesday night when President Emmerson Mnangagwa threw a lavish dinner reception for his counterpart Tanzania's fifth President Dr John Pombe Magufuli.President Mnangagwa was the first to raise a toast for the solidarity between the two countries of Zimbabwe and Tanzania. Muttering Swahili words that are familiar to all Zimbabweans Mnangagwa said, "Asante Sana."Dr. Magufuli reciprocated the gesture by raising a toast for the good health, long life and success of the Zimbabwean President Mnangagwa.Magufuli praised President Mnangagwa for making efforts to stabilize the economy and urged him to continue with the good efforts despite counter efforts by non-believers and the Western imposed illegal sanctions.Magufuli who is on a two day State visit is being accompanied by Makongoro Nyerere the son of the late first President of Tanzania Julius Mwalim Nyerere. He is also being accompanied by several ministers and members of his Chamachamapinduzi party.Magufuli is known for cutting government expenditure in his country and for his brutal crackdown on the media.In 2017 his government was fingered in the disappearance of an outspoken journalist. News / National by Mandla Ndlovu The Zimbabwe Republic Police is ready to crush anyone who will engage in an unlawful mass uprising that is being called for by some shadowy characters who are using social media.A message that has been circulating on social media has called for Zimbabweans to embark on a violent protest on Thursday in a bid to show the citizen's displeasure at the way the Emmerson Mnangagwa government is running the country."ZRP is urging members of the public to disregard a social media post which is calling for the public to engage in acts of violence by burning vehicles, destroying shops, stopping children from going to school and agitating for bloodshed on 30/05/19." Police said.ZRP added that the source of the inciting message is being investigated."Police are on high alert and will arrest anyone who engages in any form of violence, threats or intimidation to the community. The source of this alarming post is now subject of police inquiry."The recent message is part of a series of voice notes that have flooded social media in the past week calling for a mass uprising.Last week a message allegedly emanating from social group Tajamuka instructed Zimbabweans to shutdown the country for one week.Few days back another message claimed President Mnangagwa was being held hostage at State House by the Zimbabwe National Army who are forcing him to resign.Many prophets from Zimbabwe and abroad have given a message warning Zimbabwe against bloodshed if they engage in demonstrations.Prominent Bulawayo Pastor Ian Ndlovu encouraged MDC leader Nelson Chamisa to engage in a dialogue with President Mnangagwa to avoid bloodshed. News / National by Staff reporter Some MPs' refusal to honour Cde DD in parly yesterday sends signals of a country in turmoil. Zimbabwe is so deeply polarized by divisive & bitter partisanship.We hurt & hate each other so badly on account of politics leaving us with deep wounds.We must love,unite,heal and build! nelson chamisa (@nelsonchamisa) May 29, 2019 MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has condemned Zanu-PF MPs who failed to observe a moment of silence for war hero Dumiso Dabengwa in Parliament on Tuesday.Chamisa referred to the incident on Twitter Wednesday."Some MPs' refusal to honour Cde DD in parliament yesterday sends signals of a country in turmoil. Zimbabwe is so deeply polarised by divisive and bitter partisanship," Chamisa said."We hurt and hate each other so badly on account of politics leaving us with deep wounds. We must love, unite, heal and build!" News / National by Mandla Ndlovu A Harare motorist was heavily assaulted by President Emmerson Mnangagwa's motorcade policemen.A video that has gone viral on social media shows the man who is driving what looks like a Spacio parked beside the road when Mnangagwa's convoy is passing in full speed.The cops approach the car and break the window before assaulting him then rejoining the convoy.The video was received with mixed feeling on social media with others saying this is not the new dispensation that was promised to us while others said perhaps the man had violated motorcade laws.Commenting on the incident journalist Maynard Manyowa said, "Jungle Justice! If he did wrong, by interference/ intercepting / making gestures to the motorcade, etc, then he must have been arrested not assaulted. There are legal remedies to this. It's in the criminal code. No one should be allowed to damage property & assault suspects."Watch the video below: News / National by Staff reporter China has dropped its most obvious hint yet that it might restrict exports of rare earths to the US as a strategy in the trade war, a move that could cripple the American tech, defense, and manufacturing industries according to a report on ZimTechreview ..Rare-earth materials - which consist of 17 elements on the periodic table - are one of the most important Chinese exports to the US, as they are found in products such as batteries, smartphones, electric cars, and fighter jets. The minerals are used in tiny amounts but can be crucial to the manufacturing process.China is the world's largest supplier of rare-earth materials - accounting for 90% of global production - and the US relies on China for 80% of its rare-earth imports, according to Bloomberg.There had been speculation that Beijing would weaponise rare earths in its trade war with Washington since last week, when Chinese President Xi Jinping and his top economic adviser, Vice Premier Liu He, made a highly publicised visit to a rare-earth factory in eastern China.Beijing officials further fuelled the flames this week by mentioning rare earths again in a series of state media articles and comments on social media.The National Development and Reform Commission, which oversees the country's economic policy, said in a Q&A published in the state-run People's Daily on Wednesday: "Do you suggest that rare earths will become a part of China's countermeasures against the US's unwarranted pressure?""What I can tell you is that if someone wants to use our rare earths to manufacture products and use them to curb China's development, then the people of the revolutionary soviet base and all the Chinese people will not be happy," it continued."There are no winners in the trade war," the NDRC added.Hu Xijin, the editor-in-chief of the nationalistic, state-owned Global Times tabloid, also tweeted on Tuesday night: "Based on what I know, China is seriously considering restricting rare earth exports to the US. China may also take other countermeasures in the future."The Global Times suggested last week that Xi's visit to the rare-earth factory "has been widely viewed as a form of leverage for China in the trade war with the US."Stocks in Chinese rare-earth companies have skyrocketed ever since Xi's visit.The US and China have levied billions of dollars' worth of tariffs on each other's goods since March 2018.Washington raised tariffs to 25% from 10% on $200 billion (R2.9 trillion) worth of Chinese goods on May 10, and Beijing said three days later that it would raise tariffs on $60 billion (R885 billion) worth of American goods starting June 1. Hours after that, the US drew up a list of prospective tariffs on another $300 billion (R4.4 trillion) worth of goods.The US did not include rare-earth materials in either list of tariff targets, illustrating its reliance on China for them.Global stocks fell Wednesday as traders braced for further escalation in the trade war. But Ryan Castilloux, the managing director of the rare-earths consultancy Adamas Intelligence, tweeted on Wednesday that there was "still a low probability" that China would withhold rare earths to the US, "as it would quickly (and painfully) escalate tit-for-tat." News / National by Staff reporter Newly elected MDC treasurer general David Coltart and party president Nelson Chamisa seem to have different timelines on the turnaround period of economic revival should they assume power.Coltart who seems so pragmatic, conceded that Chamisa will not be able to immediately turn around the country's economy as anticipated by many Zimbabweans as the country needs more time.Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the just ended MDC National Congress Coltart on Monday, he urged Zimbabweans not to put high expectations on Chamisa if he becomes president arguing that the current crisis was deep-rooted and needed more time."We need to lower expectations on Nelson Chamisa both nationally and within the party. If Nelson Chamisa becomes president of Zimbabwe tomorrow, he will not be able to turnaround the problem of the country within the next few days, weeks or months. "The problems in our nation are deep-rooted and it will need a lot of determination," said Coltart.Coltart further revealed that there has been massive donor fatigue and funding was a major challenge."When I first joined the MDC there was a lot of international interest in Zimbabwe and it was easier to get funding. MDC got international funding in the 2000s but this has dried up for parties and civic society. International interest in Zimbabwe is now low."This is however contrary to Chamisa's rather Utopian submissions.He has on several occasions stated that his party enjoys a wide support within the international community and can mobilise tonnes of investments once MDC takes over.He has given the impression that he will lure investors in record time.At a rally in 2018, Chamisa claimed that as soon as he gets elected he would call France's president Emmanuel Macron for aid."We have the keys to unlock the economy, we are the young generation we can work with the international community we can call (France president Emmanuel) Macron and say can you please help us to grow our economy.Statements by Coltart come at a time the Zanu-PF government has been begging for more time to get the economy in good shape.The finance minister Mthuli Ncube has urged Zimbabweans to feel the pain through his austerity measures as economic conditions continue to deteriorate.The new treasurer general further said the party needs to organize its administration first and prove its members that they can run the country sustainably.MDC failed to provide accommodation for its delegates who attended the National Elective Congress in Gweru and could not afford backup power for its congress a sign that the party is struggling to run its activities. News / National by Staff reporter INTRATREK Zimbabwe, a local private firm fronted by Harare businessman Wicknell Chivayo, has filed a high court application seeking leave for the execution of judgment pending appeal on an order in which a High Court case ruling went in its favour following a contractual dispute with Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) relating to the Gwanda Solar project.High Court Judge justice Tawanda Chitapi, who presided over the case in December last year, ruled at that time that the State Power Utility, ZPC, had by its actions frustrated the implementation of the contract with Intratrek for the construction of the 100 megawatts Gwanda solar farm project.On Wednesday, Justice Chitapi reserved judgment in the case where Intratrek had sought the execution of his earlier order, but promised to give his position on the application within the earliest possible time given national interest at stake due to power shortages blighting the country.This comes after Intratrek boss, following conclusion of his criminal prosecution, at the instigation of ZPC and in which he has been absolved of wrongdoing, attempted to remobilise on the Gwanda solar farm site.However, ZPC insisted that the contractor had failed to perform in time in the first instance and that after his earlier successful contestation of its attempt to cancel the contract, the matter was the subject of an appeal at the High Court against Justice Chitapi's judgement.The parties had first gone to the courts following a dispute over validity of the contract between the parties when the power utility claimed intratrek had failed to complete precommencement works within stipulated time, hence claimed the contractor violated their contract.But Justice Chitapi ruled that ZPC had in fact breached terms of the contract and frustrated the project when it instigated the arrest of Intratrek managing director, Chivayo, on trumped up charges of fraud, which resulted in the doctrine of fictional performance coming into play.In his earlier ruling, the high court judge found ZPC to have grossly abused its rights by involving a third part, the police, in the settling of a civil dispute when clear dispute resolution mechanism provided for in terms of the agreement signed between the contractual partners existed.Justice Chitapi ruled that given the shortcomings of ZPC, which constrained the contractor from executing his duties, among them pressing malicious criminal charges against Mr Chivayo and failure by the State to provide certain guarantees, which stalled a Chinese loan to ZPC for the project, the contract was still valid and binding as was originallyIn the fraud case, ZPC argued that it had paid Intratrek Zimbabwe US$5,1 million, without a bank guarantee, but the contractor had allegedly failed to deliver value, as agreed within the parties' contract, in time.When the matter was heard at the High Court, before Justice Chitapi, the High Court Judge ruled that ZPC was in fact to blame for Intratrek's failure to perform the agreed works in time and ordered the parties to meet in 60 days to review progress on the project or that ZPC pays us$23 million.ZPC has declined both and instead, has launched an appeal at the Supreme Court, insisting the High Court erred in its findings and ruling in favour of Intratrek because the contractor failed to deliver value as agreed and in time.Intratrek legal counsel, Advocate Lewis Uriri, instructed by Wilson Manase of Manase and Manase Legal Practitioners, submitted that the appeal by ZPC against Justice Chitapi's judgment, which was in favour of Intratrek, was unlikely to succeed given the robustness of their application, which no court of appeal would overturn, unless the order was grossly unreasonable that no court acting properly would issue it."It is beyond doubt that a declaratory order is not suspended by noting an appeal, when this is known, but one devices means of undermining an order that ought to be obeyed through the medium of notice of an appeal, knowing or ought to know and by necessary implication do in fact know, that it does not suspend the order, that is a deliberate abuse of the process of the court and a clear stratagem to ensure spanners are thrown into the wheels of justice," Advocate Uriri said in court."Leave to execute ought to be granted at the client to legal practitioner scale. The second point that I make is simply this, even relating to the ordinary grounds, for the grounds of leave to execute pending appeal, this is an application that ought to be granted," he said.Advocate Uriri said while possibility of success on appeal were non-existent, ZPC were acting in a manner consistent with attempts to scuttle the contract, whose validity the court upheld, as evidenced by actions of certain "state actors" whom he said were pushing the power utility to pursue all avenues to recover outstanding funds from Intratrek."When one looks at these grounds of appeal and the broader outlook, the national interest at stake, which the court itself related to and the preponderance of equities, which had been adequately dealt with in the affidavits, one is left with no doubt this appeal is no more than a time buying gimmick."This more so given that certain State actors have in recent times come out in the public domain to state that regardless of what the court has said, they are going to adopt a particular line. My learned colleague will say the court cannot relate that which appears in the press, let me draw your attention to the State of Hawaii (USA) and others versus Donald J Trump."In the case, Advocate Uriri stated, the US Supreme Court judge Justice Watson ruled it could not cower into a corner, pull the shutters closed and pretend it has not seen what it has." Opinion / Columnist "The 'new' regime can be viewed from different angles, but the nub of it is this: there's a recognition that the economic fiasco of the last 20 years was suboptimal, but Emmerson Mnangagwa and his fellow travellers will burn the house down if they feel it necessary. Make no mistake, their will to power is every bit as intense as Mugabe'sas is their belief that they own the country's choicest fruits by right of conquest," wrote Stuart Doran."There's no comprehending Zimbabwe without an appreciation of that mentality. Yet many fail to get it because they don't read the country's history. In 1979, at the height of the struggle against white rule, a diplomat who mixed frequently with Mugabe and other leaders of his party observed that 'ZANU does not seem to attach much importance to the destruction caused by prolonged war'. They said they were content to see Zimbabwe 'totally' demolished if that was the price to be paid for preventing others from ruling it. That attitude has not changed an iota, notwithstanding the passage of 40 years and Mugabe's departure. After all, the men who now rule wielded his hatchets for most of that period."That's a tough ask for the same group of individuals who have shredded the country since 1980a fraternity that will continue to loot, will continue to be tetchy about the merest hint of dissent, and will continue to patently despise the notion that it requires the consent of the people to govern."Once again you are right, Mnangagwa and company really do not care that Zimbabwe is burning to ashes, literally, and that millions are facing untold human suffering and deaths as long as the junta's hold on power is secure. What you have failed to acknowledge is that Mugabe and now Mnangagwa have had the great fortune of having one of the most incompetent and corrupt opposition politicians to help them retain absolute power.There have been many opportunities to end the Zanu PF dictatorship with the golden ones falling to Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC party, notably during the 2008 to 2013 GNU. MDC leaders had the opportunity to implement the democratic reforms designed to dismantle the Zanu PF dictatorship. They failed to get even one reform implemented in five years.SADC leaders, who were the crafted the GNU and were its guarantors, pushed Tsvangirai and company hard to implement the reforms but were ignored. They warned MDC leaders not to take part in the 2013 elections with no reforms but again they were ignored.The country's worsening economic meltdown has forced Zanu PF hardliners to accept that the present economic situation cannot continue. The very fact that Zanu PF rigged last year's elections making the regime illegitimate has served to add the pressure on Zanu PF to accept change. The only people blocking meaningful change are none other than the MDC leaders themselves who are giving the regime the modicum of credibility by participating in the flawed and illegal elections and endorsing the result as having been free and fair.Chamisa has endorse the parliamentary result but held back on the presidential for the sake of forcing Zanu PF to give him a gravy train seat.Following the rigged and very violent 2008 elections, it was SADC leaders who asked for a GNU to give Mugabe and his Zanu PF friends a soft landing; everyone knew once the reforms are implemented, the party would never win free and fair elections. This time it is Zimbabwe's opposition leaders themselves who are offering Zanu PF the option of yet another GNU in which Zanu PF will be under no pressure to implement the reforms.Since the 2008 GNU, Zanu PF has learned that as long as it gave away a few gravy train seats to the opposition will participate no matter how flawed and illegal the process got.The task of getting forcing Zanu PF to accept meaningful democratic change has been made very difficult by the Zanu PF thugs themselves who believe they have the divine right to rule. Yes Zanu PF has made establishing a healthy and functional democracy very difficult but not impossible! It is the corrupt and incompetent opposition, whom the people have risked life and limb to elect into power on the understanding they implementing the requisite democratic changes, who have done so by selling-out on reforms."It's not a question of whether Mnangagwa and company will continue to view Zimbabwe's resources as a God-given right, but whether they can walk the line between controlled greed and madness," continued Doran.Let us just say ever since the Zanu PF thugs had the MDC and the rest of the opposition politicians in their deep pockets the regime has done as it pleased with the tragic economic, political and social consequences there for all to see. Unless the ordinary Zimbabweans finally wake up to the political reality that the MDC leaders are running with the hare and hunting with the hounds, it is hard to see how Zanu PF madness will ever be stopped.For Stuart Doran's full article go to aspistrategist.org.au. This Dutch Doctor Isn't Backing Down From The FDA About Mailing Abortion Pills In case you dont know who Dr. Rebecca Gomperts is (because you should), let me give you a brief description. The Dutch doctor has been making it her mission for decades to grant access and perform abortions on women who live in countries with abortion bans, such as Ireland, Portugal, Poland, and Spain, to name a few. She does this by (get ready for this badass-ery) riding on a Dutch ship in international waters. ADVERTISEMENT Last year, Dr. Gomperts created a new organization called Aid Access, where she simply mails abortion pills (mifepristone and misoprostol, respectively) for $95 (or for a reduced price and/or for free if women can't pay) in the United States. When Dr. Gomperts started this company, abortion in America was not technically illegal but highly restricted, however, with the recent turn of events, Dr. Gomperts is facing legal issues by the Food and Drug Administration. In a warning letter by the FDA sent out in March, it stated: the sale of misbranded and unapproved new drugs poses an inherent risk to consumers who purchase those products." However, in an article by CNN, Dr. Gomperts reportedly called concerns about the medications she prescribes "totally unfounded" and said the FDA's restrictive handling of abortion medication is "based on politics, not science. In an inspiring and unapologetic turnaround, Dr. Gomperts addressed the FDAs comments and is refusing to back down. Dr. Gomperts tweeted on May 17: Aid Access Will Continue Providing Abortion Care When U.S. women seeking to terminate their pregnancies prior to 9 weeks consult me, I will not turn them away. I will continue to protect the human and constitutional right of my patients. When U.S. women seeking to terminate their pregnancies prior to 9 weeks consult me, I will not turn them away. I will continue to protect the human and constitutional rights of my patients to access safe abortions. The way Aid Access works is this: through online consultations, Dr. Gomperts can approve the following services to healthy women who are less than nine weeks pregnant. After that, Dr. Gomperts writes a prescription for the two pills, and voila, your pregnancy is terminated. (On a side and personal note, its not immediately gone. When I took these pills in Planned Parenthood for my abortion, I bled for three months. It was still traumatic, but because I caught the pregnancy early, I didnt have to have a surgical procedure, which mightve caused a more emotional experience.) According to the Aid Access website, access to abortion medicines is indeed a human right, as shown in numerous human rights treaties. And if there's one thing Dr. Gomperts wants us to know, its that shes going to fight through all this legislation coming into the United States Congress and continue to focus on her life-changing work. All we can say is, Dr. Gomperts, weve got your back. Top photo: YouTube Screenshot from The Economist More from BUST Indiana's Mandatory Fetal Burial Law Upheld By Supreme Court Nevada's New Abortion Legislation Highlights The Power Of A Majority-Female Senate W. Kamau Bell Stands In Solidarity Against Abortion Bans With #ShoutYourVasectomy Gretchen Sterba is an editorial intern for BUST. She recently graduated with a B.A. from Columbia College Chicago with a double major in magazine journalism and creative nonfiction. Her most profound accomplishment is getting a Michael Scott tattoo. Follow her on Instagram at @gretchensterba (Bloomberg) -- Want the lowdown on European markets? In your inbox before the open, every day. Sign up here. Fintech startup Plaid Inc. is expanding its footprint into the U.K., a region it believes could eventually match the U.S. in terms of revenue, despite political uncertainty. Founded in 2012, San Francisco-based Plaid helps customers and banks transmit data back and forth. The service has caught the attention of major investors, including Andreessen Horowitz and Kleiner Perkins, garnering a valuation of $2.65 billion last year. The startup allows digital finance companies, like PayPal Holdings Inc. or Betterment LLC, to more easily link with consumers existing bank accounts. The company currently works with more than 15,000 banks in the U.S. and Canada. The U.K. will be its first overseas expansion. Plaid co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Zach Perret said he has been "impressed" by the startups in the U.K.s financial technology industry. The U.K market could be a major challenger to the U.S. in terms of revenue for the company, Perret said. A few months ago, Plaid acquired rival fintech startup Quovo, which had already been approved to operate in the U.K. That license will transfer over to Plaid, the company said. During the first three months of 2019, Europe as a whole saw more venture capital funding for fintech companies than Asia for the first time in more than a year, according to a recent report from CB Insights. (The U.S. is still No. 1 for funding.) Even with the uncertainty surrounding Brexit, and the possibility of a shifting landscape for financial companies, U.K. fintech companies continued to lead Europe in terms funding, taking in $645 million in the first quarter. Perret said the fintech activity in the U.K. made it appealing place to open up shop, calling London and the surrounding area an "incredible ecosystem" for the industry. We are actively hiring in the U.K. and have a number of people on the ground there already, Perret said. Story continues To contact the reporter on this story: Julie Verhage in New York at jverhage2@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Mark Milian at mmilian@bloomberg.net, Anne VanderMey For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. (Bloomberg) -- Follow Bloomberg on LINE messenger for all the business news and analysis you need. SoftBank Group Corp. has joined other backers in a $200 million venture capital fund that will focus on unearthing promising startups in Indonesia. Investors are increasingly looking to Southeast Asias largest economy, where internet and mobile penetration is expanding at a rapid clip. The Japanese tech powerhouse joins investors including Pavilion Capital and Indies Capital in contributing to the fund, which closed after surpassing an initial target of $150 million. The Singapore-based fund will be run by EV Growth -- a venture between Indonesias Sinar Mas group, East Ventures and an arm of Yahoo Japan Corp. -- and explore investments across a broad swathe of industries. This is the largest Indonesia-focused growth fund to date, said Willson Cuaca, one of three partners that lead EV Growth. This fund is aimed at creating more unicorns. To contact the reporter on this story: Yoolim Lee in Singapore at yoolim@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Edwin Chan at echan273@bloomberg.net, Robert Fenner For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. It's time for Saskatchewan to follow the lead of British Columbia in ensuring all schools provide menstrual products to female students, according to a Regina-based non-profit organization. "So many disadvantaged girls and women miss school and work during their period because of period poverty," said Sandi Beug, president of Your Time Women's Empowerment Foundation. "We don't want to see girls missing school. We want them to stay in school, complete their education, become valuable members of our society." The foundation has sent a letter to Minister of Education Gord Wyant, asking him to mandate free menstrual products in school washrooms. With May 28 being Menstrual Hygiene Day, Beug is hoping others will follow suit and send similar requests. British Columbia became the first province in Canada to mandate all schools must provide these supplies, with an announcement made this past April. The federal government has also floated a proposal to give workers in federally regulated workplaces access to free menstrual products. "We are asking our government to provide the same but also give students the option of using a menstrual cup simply because of the convenience and the environmental friendliness and sustainability," she said. Menstrual cups can be reused and can last up to 10 years. Your Time Women's Empowerment Foundation has distributed 1,000 menstrual cups in developing countries, including Malawi, Tanzania, India and Colombia. After a board member also pointed out the high prices of menstrual supplies within Canada and in northern communities, the foundation partnered up with Street Culture in a pilot project. It distributed 100 cups to young women involved in the program. Beug noted Your Time is a small foundation that does not yet have the resources to help everyone. "This is something we feel that our government should be doing for school-aged girls," she said, describing menstrual hygiene as "a human right." As of Tuesday the Saskatchewan government had not yet responded to Beug's letter, nor to a CBC request for comment. A Wisconsin judge has ordered Anheuser-Busch to stop suggesting in advertising that MillerCoors light beers contain corn syrup, wading into a fight between two beer giants that are losing market share to small independent brewers. U.S. District Judge William Conley for the Western District of Wisconsin on Friday granted a preliminary injunction sought by MillerCoors that temporarily stops Anheuser-Busch from using the words corn syrup in ads without giving more context. MillerCoors sued its rival in March, saying St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch has spent as much as $30 million on a false and misleading campaign, including $13 million in its first commercials during this years Super Bowl. However, the ruling did not affect all of Anheuser-Buschs advertising targeting MillerCoors, allowing the commercials that premiered at the Super Bowl to keep airing. Anheuser-Buschs ad drew a rebuke from the National Corn Growers Association, which thanked MillerCoors for its support. In its lawsuit, MillerCoors said its not ashamed of its use of corn syrup as a fermentation aid. Corn syrup is used by several brewers during fermentation. During that process, corn syrup is broken down and consumed by yeast so that none of it remains in the final product. Bud Light is brewed with rice instead of corn syrup, but Anheuser-Busch uses corn syrup in some of its other beverages, including Stella Artois Cidre and Busch Light. MillerCoors applauded the ruling and said Anheuser-Busch should be trying to grow the beer market, not destroy it through deceptive advertising. We are pleased with todays ruling that will force Anheuser-Busch to change or remove advertisements that were clearly designed to mislead the American public, said MillerCoors CEO Gavin Hattersley. Anheuser-Busch, however, called the ruling a victory for consumers because it allows the brands Special Delivery Super Bowl ad to continue airing. That ad showed a medieval caravan pushing a huge barrel of corn syrup to castles for MillerCoors to make Miller Lite and Coors Light. The commercial states that Bud Light isnt brewed with corn syrup. As the number one selling beer in the U.S., Bud Light remains committed to leading the alcohol industry by providing more transparency for consumers including letting them know about the ingredients that are used to brew their beer, said Cesar Vargas, Anheuser-Busch vice president of legal and corporate affairs. Judge Conley ordered Anheuser-Busch to temporarily stop using advertisements that mention corn syrup without references to brewed with, made with or uses, or that describe corn syrup as an ingredient in the finished products. The ruling affects two Bud Light commercials and billboards that describe Bud Light as containing 100 percent less corn syrup than Miller Lite and Coors Light. Anheuser-Busch said those ads are no longer up and the company had no plans to continue using them. Judge Conley also denied an Anheuser-Busch motion to dismiss the case, saying it was likely to succeed in proving misleading statements and some harm to the reputation of MillerCoors. Chicago-based MillerCoors and Anheuser-Busch have the biggest U.S. market share at 24.8 percent and 41.6 percent, respectively, but theyve been losing business in recent years to smaller independent brewers, imports, and wine and spirits, according to the Brewers Association. MillerCoors maintains Anheuser-Busch is preying on health conscious consumers who have negative connotations of corn syrup, sometimes confusing it with the high-fructose corn syrup in sodas. The feud threatens to disrupt an alliance between the two companies to work on a campaign to promote the beer industry amid declining sales. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 An Iowa company is suing Wisconsins utility regulators and the states largest utility in the latest round of a fight over who is allowed to generate electricity. Eagle Point Solar, which has been blocked from installing solar panels in the city of Milwaukee, is asking the courts to intervene where the Public Service Commission has not in preventing We Energies from interfering in its contract with the city. The company is specifically seeking a declaration that its contract to lease solar panels to the city would not make it a utility subject to PSC regulation. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Dane County Circuit Court, names each of the three commissioners in their official capacity as well as We Energies. Eagle Point Solar won a contract to install 1.1 megawatts of solar panels on municipal buildings and lease them to the city, but We Energies, the citys utility, blocked the deal. By a vote of 2-1, the PSC in March declined Eagle Points request to rule that the agreement with the city does not make the company a public utility. In the civil complaint that cites multiple state Supreme Court rulings, Eagle Point argues that lawmakers never intended to regulate sales of electricity to a limited or restricted class of customers. The company argues that its solar panels would serve a single customer the city and that the system was designed not to exceed the citys needs, so that electricity from the solar panels would not flow onto We Energies system. We Energies spokesman Brendan Conway said the law is clear. If anyone sells electricity to our customers, they should be viewed as a public utility and should be registered as such, Conway said. In Eagle Points case, because we already provide retail electric service to the city, Wisconsin law prohibits Eagle Point from doing so. A spokesman for the PSC did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. Eagle Point CEO Barry Shear, who won a similar case before the Iowa Supreme Court, said he expects this case will ultimately be decided by Wisconsins high court. Renewable energy and consumer advocates say so-called third-party ownership is key to making solar energy available to residents who dont have thousands of dollars to pay up front, as well as to local governments, schools and nonprofit organizations that cant benefit from federal tax credits. Utilities, which contend only they have the right to sell electricity, have made their own play to own rooftop solar. In a letter refusing Milwaukees request to connect its solar project, We Energies suggested the city go with the utilitys own program. Although the PSC did agree to hold a future hearing on whether the utility can legally refuse to connect Eagle Points project, the Commissions conservative majority has resisted multiple efforts to rule on the legality of third-party financing, saying that is a job for the Legislature. Chairwoman Rebecca Valcq, appointed by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, has argued that third-party ownership is nothing more than a financing tool, much like a retail store offering payment plans on portable generators. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A UW-Madison student pleaded guilty to sneaking into President Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort last fall and apologized this week for wasting Secret Service members time. Mark Lindblom, who was 18 and a college freshman at the time of the incident, got in line with other guests and entered a restricted area of the club in late November. He remained on the property for about 20 minutes until Secret Service agents discovered him, according to court records filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Lindblom entered the resort on Nov. 23, Black Friday, when Trump was visiting his Winter White House over the Thanksgiving holiday. He did not come in contact with the president or first lady Melania Trump, according to a Secret Service statement provided to CNN. An email sent to Lindblom was not immediately returned Wednesday. A man who answered the phone number listed as Lindbloms number on the UW-Madison student directory said he was not Lindblom. University spokeswoman Meredith McGlone confirmed Lindblom is enrolled at UW-Madison without a declared major. She declined to comment on Lindbloms case in particular, citing the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), which protects the privacy of student education records. Speaking generally, McGlone said any time a student is involved in criminal activity, whether on or off campus, the university reviews the situation and takes appropriate action based on UW-Madisons conduct policies. Neither Lindblom nor his family were members of the club. His grandparents were members of a neighboring club, according to the Palm Beach Post, which first reported the story. A judge sentenced Lindblom Tuesday to one year of probation and a $25 fine. The light sentence was based on prosecutors determination that Lindblom meant no harm and made a foolish decision. I wanted to see how far I could get, Lindblom told Judge William Matthewman. These men and women are dedicated to serve us and protect the president. Im so sorry for wasting their time. Matthewman said he was sure Lindblom will become a productive member of society despite this youthful indiscretion. More recently, a Chinese woman, Yujing Zhang, was arrested for making false statements to a federal officer after she gained access to Mar-a-Lago at a time when Trump was not there. Officials found cellphones, a laptop and thumb drive on her in March when they discovered the breach. Zhang has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Pragmatism can lead politicians to say the most peculiar things. Take House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who knows that most Democratic voters want President Donald Trump to be impeached but that the electorate as a whole does not. This combination of political facts has led her to make baffling comments. I think impeachment is too good for him, she said a few weeks ago. Several days later, she added that the president is almost self-impeaching. If you check out the Constitution, youll find that self-impeaching is ... not really a thing. By and large, the debate among Democrats has not centered on whether Trump has committed impeachable offenses. Even those who are reluctant to impeach seem, at least tacitly, to believe that he has. It has concerned, rather, whether acting on that belief is politically wise or morally obligatory. The Democrats on Pelosis side of the argument say it is neither of those things. Other Democrats, such as Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee, bitterly disagree, suggesting that political considerations would not move a patriot to hesitate to move forward with impeachment. Cohen is wrong to draw such a firm line between politics and patriotism. But Pelosi may nonetheless be missing something big about the politics of impeachment. The Constitution gives Congress the power to impeach and remove presidents for high crimes and misdemeanors, but the definition of that term has long been a subject of dispute. Presumably, it means something more than whatever a majority of the House and supermajority of the Senate believe justifies removing a president from office. Otherwise, the Constitution could have dispensed with the phrase when granting the power. The debate over the term creates room for judgment about what criteria members of Congress should use when considering impeachment. If different officeholders can legitimately reach different judgments about what constitutes impeachable behavior in a president, some presidential behavior may fall into a gray zone in which Congress may reasonably decide to move against a president but is not obligated in conscience to do so. Thats a reasonable account of the congressional power to impeach, and something like it has to be true for Pelosis apparent position _ that Trump deserves impeachment (or worse!) but Congress should decline to deliver it _ to have any merit. Trump has to be in that zone, that is, where congressional removal is permissible but not required. Only in that case could a congressman both take the Constitution seriously and weigh the kind of political considerations that seem to be moving Pelosi. Those considerations include the imminence of the next presidential election and the very low probability that Republican senators will vote in the requisite numbers to convict Trump. Removing Trump from office by a congressional vote would in practice require an extraordinary degree of national consensus: a supermajority that is highly unlikely to materialize. The opposition to Trump could be much smaller and still defeat him in November 2020. Add in the fear that the less likely route to ending the Trump presidency, impeachment, will complicate the more likely route, re-election defeat, and Pelosis preference appears to make sense. The president himself seems more eager to talk about impeachment than about his record on health care, implying that Democrats have available to them more politically potent lines of attack against him than those that rely on co-ordination with Russia or obstruction of justice. But Pelosi may not be fully accounting for how impeachment would affect the 2020 election. Forget, for a minute, the polls (which in any case dont show that a lot of on-the-fence voters will hold an impeachment attempt against Democratic candidates). Think instead about the shape of the campaign. Presumably the Democratic presidential nominee isnt going to run a typical campaign against an incumbent president, one that rests solely on calling him a failure, opposing his policies and disparaging his character. The nominee, and much of the Democratic Party, are instead likely to make a more pointed case a major part of the campaign message: The president is corrupt and unfit to serve, and thats why voters ought to boot him from office. If Democrats, with votes to spare in the House, fail to impeach Trump, wont it undercut that case? Picture a presidential debate in which the Democratic nominee is taking those hard shots against Trump. If Democrats dont impeach him, Trump will be able to respond: If your party really believed I was so bad, they would have impeached me. They didnt because youre all just playing political games. Thats what Trump will be able to say, and he will not be wrong. Ramesh Ponnuru is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He is a senior editor at National Review, visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and contributor to CBS News. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 I have read with much interest the news surrounding public figures who are Christians and their stands or belief on certain subjects. In our part of the world, Israel Folau and Scott Morrison has created quite the stir with their thoughts on who will go to hell. Israel Folau posted a warning on his social media account that hell awaits drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, etc accompanied by Bible verses on repentance from sin and Gods love (Galatians chapter 5, verses 19-21, Acts chapter 2, verse 38 and Acts chapter 17, verse 30)1. Scott Morrison, was pointedly questioned, Do gay people go to hell? during the heat of the Federal Election campaign in Australia. His response was he did not believe gay people go to hell, supports the laws (same-sex marriage became legal in Australia in December 2017) and that he does not mix his religion and faith with politics 2. What does the Bible say? Everyone has their own opinion on who will go to hell. The truth is, our opinion does not matter. We do not have the power to breathe life into the human body. We do not have the power to welcome someone into eternal life. These all rests in the hand of the Creator. Hell is referenced many times in the Bible. In fact, John MacArthur states that it is an overlooked truth that Jesus spoke more of hell than He did of heaven3. Verses such as For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans chapter 6, verse 23) clearly sums up that Christ is the only way to heaven and all unrepentant sinners will go to hell. We cannot say that we are saved, when there is no repentance of sin. Paul Washer explains it well if they repent and believe, truly in that moment they are saved But the evidence is more than just the sincerity of a prayer. It is a continuation of the working of God in their life through sanctification4. JohnMacArthur affirms, While Christians may sin, sin will not be their continual, unbroken practice; it will not characterize their lives. A sinner, on the other hand, is one who continually, habitually practices sin5. The trap The irony of the whole situation is that I wonder if people are really interested about hell or heaven when asking a question related to it, or are in fact responding to someones belief. I believe that genuine interest would perhaps follow up with questions on how to avoid hell, what is the alternative, and similar responses. That is often not the case in scenarios where people are confronted about their faith. Rather, I find it to be a trap for justification of sin. People feel the need to justify themselves by forcing others to agree with their choices. We often want an answer that will give us comfort for this moment that we are living in right now. Whether it is cohabitating, having an abortion or choosing a homosexual lifestyle, we want the right to live as we wish. Unfortunately, the freedom of speech and action that the sinner fights for more often than not excludes Christians. Increasing persecution Do not be deluded that we will never be in a situation where our faith will be brought front and center. You do not need to be a rugby superstar or the prime minister of a country. Christians are being called out and persecuted for their faith increasingly. Stories like Kim Davis, a former country clerk from Kentucky, US who wouldnt issue same-sex marriages licenses5, or the baker, Jack Phillips from Colorado, US, who politely declined to design a custom wedding cake for a same-sex couple6 are alarmingly becoming a norm. Open Doors, a ministry serving persecuted Christians, notes that one in nine Christians worldwide are persecuted for their faith. This includes facing persecution in the form of secular intolerance to eradicate Christian expression from public life and impose an atheistic secularism7. What do we do Be prepared to defend our faith. 1st Peter chapter 3, verse 15 exhorts us - in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. You will not be liked by everyone when you make a stand and that is okay. Jesus said in John chapter 15, verse 18 If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. We are not promised a life of comfort, but we have the assurance that God understands what we go through. Remember that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly realms (Ephesians chapter 6, verse 12). Prayer and the Word of God are our weapons in this spiritual warfare. Stand with persecuted Christians. Support and advocate for them. This will help both them and us to persevere in our faith. Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him (James chapter 1, verse 12). Mussita Ng is a follower of Jesus Christ from Wellington, New Zealand. Her previous articles may be viewed at https://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mussita-ng.html At the 2019 IPCPR Trade Show in Las Vegas, Crowned Heads will debut its first regular production cigar out of Drew Estates La Gran Fabrica known as La Coalicion. The name coalicion is Spanish for coalition, and its appropriate for this cigar in that it is positioned as a collaborative project between Crowned Heads and Drew Estate We believe that there is an undeniable synergy of philosophies and ethos between Drew Estate and Crowned Heads, said Jon Huber co-founder of Crowned Heads in a press release. More specifically, Willy (Herrera) and I share a similar vision towards the tradition and artistry of cigars, blends presentation, and so forth. What youre going to see with La Coalicion is truly a collaborative effort on every level between Crowned Heads and Drew Estate, and between Willy Herrera and Jon Huber. The cigar features a Grade A Dark Connecticut Broadleaf, a Sumatra binder, and fillers from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. It will come in four sizes: Corona (5 x 46), Gordito (5 1/2 x 50), Siglo (6 x 52), and Sublime (6 1/2 x 54). Pricing is set from $10.95 to $14.95 per cigar. Since its inception, Crowned Heads has worked with Ernesto Perez-Carrillo Jrs Tabacalera La Alianza and the Garcia family My Father Cigars factory. While these partnerships continue, over the past year the company has started to work with other manufacturing partners, most notably Drew Estate. Crowned Heads Ohio regional release Buckeye Land and the Hawaii exclusive Paniolo 2019 have been produced by Drew Estate. However La Coalicion represents the first regular production cigar to come out of Drew Estate for Crowned Heads. The company also did a shop exclusive for Thompson Cigar known as Juarez out of Tabacalera Pichardo. While Crowned Heads has done several limited edition projects, La Coalicion marks the first new regular production line for Crowned Heads since the Four Kicks Maduro in 2017. The 2019 IPCPR Trade Show opens June 29, 2019, in Las Vegas. At a glance, here is a look at La Coalicion: Blend and Origin Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Binder: Sumatra Filler: Nicaraguan, Dominican Country of Origin: Nicaragua Factory: La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate Vitolas Offered Corona: 5 x 46 Gordito: 5 1/2 x 50 Siglo: 6 x 52 Sublime: 6 1/2 x 54 WASHINGTON (AP) Special counsel Robert Mueller said Wednesday that charging President Donald Trump with a crime was "not an option" because of federal rules, but he used his first public remarks on the Russia investigation to emphasize that he did not exonerate the president. "If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so," Mueller declared. The special counsel's remarks stood as a pointed rebuttal to Trump's repeated claims that he was cleared and that the two-year inquiry was merely a "witch hunt." They also marked a counter to criticism, including by Attorney General William Barr, that Mueller should have reached a determination on whether the president illegally tried to obstruct the probe by taking actions such as firing his FBI director. Mueller made clear that his team never considered indicting Trump because the Justice Department prohibits the prosecution of a sitting president. "Charging the president with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider," Mueller said. He said he believed such an action would be unconstitutional. Mueller did not use the word 'impeachment," but said it was the job of Congress not the criminal justice system to hold the president accountable for any wrongdoing. The special counsel's statement largely echoed the central points of his 448-page report,which was released last month with some redactions. But his remarks, just under 10 minutes long and delivered from a Justice Department podium, were extraordinary given that he had never before discussed or characterized his findings and had stayed mute during two years of feverish public speculation. Mueller, a former FBI director, said Wednesday that his work was complete and he was resigning to return to private life. His remarks underscored the unsettled resolution, and revelations of behind-the-scenes discontent, that accompanied the end of his investigation. His refusal to reach a conclusion on criminal obstruction opened the door for Barr to clear the president, who in turn has cited the attorney general's finding as proof of his innocence. Trump, given notice Tuesday evening that Mueller would speak the next morning, watched on television. For weeks, he had been nervous about the possibility about the special counsel testifying before Congress, worried about the visual power of such a public appearance. Shortly after Mueller concluded, the president who has repeatedly and falsely claimed that the report cleared him of obstruction of justice, tweeted a subdued yet still somewhat inaccurate reaction: "Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you" While claiming victory, the tone of the president's tweet was a far cry from the refrain of "total exoneration" that has dominated his declarations. Mueller has privately vented to Barr about the attorney general's handling of the report, while Barr has publicly said he was taken aback by the special counsel's decision to neither exonerate nor incriminate the president. Under pressure to testify before Congress, Mueller did not rule it out. But he seemed to warn lawmakers that they would not be pulling more detail out of him. His report is his testimony, he said. "So beyond what I have said here today and what is contained in our written work," Mueller said, "I do not believe it is appropriate for me to speak further about the investigation or to comment on the actions of the Justice Department or Congress." Mueller's comments, one month after the public release of his report on Russian efforts to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton, appeared intended to both justify the legitimacy of his investigation against complaints by the president and to explain his decision to not reach a conclusion on whether Trump had obstructed justice in the probe. He described wide-ranging and criminal Russian efforts to interfere in the election, including by hacking and spreading disinformation interference that Trump has said Putin rejected to his face in an "extremely strong and powerful" denial. And Mueller called the question of later obstruction by Trump and his campaign a matter of "paramount importance." Mueller said the absence of a conclusion on obstruction should not be mistaken for exoneration. A Justice Department legal opinion "says the Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing," Mueller said. That would shift the next move, if any, to Congress, and the Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, which would investigate further or begin any impeachment effort, commented quickly. New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler said it falls to Congress to respond to the "crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump and we will do so." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has so far discouraged members of her caucus from demanding impeachment, believing it would only help Trump win re-election and arguing that Democrats need to follow a methodical, step by step approach to investigating the president. But she hasn't ruled it out. On the Republican side, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said that Mueller "has decided to move on and let the report speak for itself. Congress should follow his lead." Trump has blocked House committees' subpoenas and other efforts to dig into the Trump-Russia issue, insisting Mueller's report has settled everything. The report found no criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia to tip the outcome of the 2016 presidential election in Trump's favor. But it also did not reach a conclusion on whether the president had obstructed justice. Barr has said he was surprised Mueller did not reach a conclusion on obstruction, though Mueller in his report and again in his statement Wednesday said he had no choice. Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decided on their own that the evidence was not sufficient to support a criminal charge. Barr, who is currently in Alaska for work and was briefed ahead of time on Mueller's statement, has said he asked Mueller during a March conversation if he would have recommended charging Trump "but for" the Office of Legal Counsel opinion, and that Mueller said "no." "Under longstanding department policy, a president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office," Mueller said. "That is unconstitutional. Even if the charge is kept under seal and hidden from public view that, too, is prohibited." Mueller, for his part, earlier complained privately to Barr that he believed a four-page letter from the attorney general summarizing the report's main conclusions did not adequately represent his findings. Barr has said he considered Mueller's criticism to be a bit "snitty." ____ Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick, Lisa Mascaro and Jonathan Lemire contributed to this report. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Twenty years ago this June, when my father's youngest sister Gwendol passed away, I glanced over at dad during the funeral and thought, "He looks as if he has the weight of the world on his shoulders." If my late father bore such a metaphorical burden from one loss, just think how much more pressure was on Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower 75 years ago. As supreme commander of Allied forces in Western Europe, he alone had the authority for launching or scrapping the invasion of Nazi-occupied territory on June 6, 1944. "Ike" (who was chain-smoking 60 filterless cigarettes a day by this time) knew that the Allied hush-hush Operation Overlord would veer toward one of two extremes: either it would be the beginning of the end of Adolf Hitler's stranglehold on Western Europe, or it would be a catastrophe forever eclipsing the infamy of Custer's Last Stand.Eisenhower had already committed himself to doling out credit for success or accepting responsibility for failure. Although many younger Americans may possess only the vaguest understanding of the Normandy invasion ("Was that when French rock-and-rollers debuted in the U.S.?"), a combination of valor, strategy, ingenuity, "melting pot" cooperation, home front sacrifice and prayer helped free the world from the self-styled Master Race. Historical and cultural milestones are flying past us almost as fast as machine-gun bullets, but I hope we can slow down long enough to savor the significance of the 75th anniversary of D-Day. How do you plan to mark the event? If you're a reader, I highly recommend Alex Kershaw's brand-new book, "The First Wave: The D-Day Warriors Who Led the Way to Victory in World War II."It's a genuine page-turner, with vivid details of the obstacles and inspirations surrounding the heroes who risked their lives in a military campaign of unprecedented scale. Do you enjoy listening more than reading? If you Google "Complete broadcast day D-Day," you'll be led to the Internet Archive's free recordings of the CBS and NBC coverage of the invasion. You may have assumed that such broadcasts were lost in the ether; but, yes, you can actually stream or download the tentative network news reports (designated in "Eastern War Time"), analyses and speeches that anxious Americans listened to between their soap operas and swing music. Do you prefer a more interactive role? If you were alive during World War II (whether toting a rifle through the jungle or collecting tin cans for a scrap drive), break out your scrapbooks and share stories with your family. Again. Even if they have other things to do. Someday they'll appreciate your insights. Spend some time talking to a veteran (whether of World War II or another conflict). I'm sorry I never knew my wife's great-uncle, George Eayre. He lived until 1968 but could have died decades earlier; on D-Day, after the smoke cleared, there wasn't another American left standing on his section of the beach. Hug some active military personnel. They're VOLUNTARILY putting themselves in danger for goals often a lot less clear than Ike's. If nothing else, do some contemplation on June 6. If our 24-hour news cycle and steady stream of self-serving leaks had existed in 1944, Hitler's Third Reich would probably now rule every continent. Let that sink in. Political and media leaders, the weight of the world is now on YOUR shoulders. Danny welcomes email responses at tyreetyrades@aol.com and visits to his Facebook fan page "Tyree's Tyrades." Danny's weekly column is distributed exclusively by Cagle Cartoons Inc. newspaper syndicate. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The phrases playing nice in the sandbox and responsible competitor, among others seem innocent enough at first glance. But using these words in casual conversations, emails and text messages, senior executives at 20 generic drug manufacturers are accused of discussing ways in which they would discourage competition among themselves in a way that would increase prices on medication and profits for these companies. The outrageous, brazen nature of these alleged actions has elicited litigation from nearly every attorney general in the country, including Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson. Were glad to see his office involved in this effort, which undoubtedly has affected numerous Nebraskans. For those unfamiliar with the story, the lawsuits allege that companies colluded to pick and choose which drugs they would market and which ones theyd leave to their competitors. As a result, everyday citizens, insurance companies and governments paid inflated prices for drugs of all types including hikes attorneys general claim exceeded 1,000 percent on some prescriptions. This case, spearheaded by Connecticuts attorney general, seeks damages, civil penalties and actions by the court to restore competition to the generic drug market. If the companies are indeed found liable of price fixing on billions of dollars of sales, those aims seem entirely reasonable amid the accusations. Coordinated efforts by state attorneys general to tackle widespread public safety topics clearly have an impact. Perhaps the best known is the 1998 Tobacco Master Settlement, prompted by a lawsuit led by Mississippis attorney general. In it, 46 states (including Nebraska) settled cases against the tobacco industry in exchange for the four largest tobacco companies paying of hundreds of billions of dollars to recoup the costs of tobacco-related health care and the end of most tobacco advertising. Its far too early to tell, but a suit of equal magnitude may be brewing. A similar case is in the works against Purdue Pharmaceuticals the maker of Oxycontin for using deceptive marketing to fuel and exacerbate the nations opioid crisis. With Iowa and Kansas among the states joining the suit last week, at least 44 attorneys generals are involved. In a recent statement, Peterson said hes monitoring the situation, staying in touch with his peers and weighing litigation. Were encouraged by the cooperation among attorneys general on such efforts. Though multistate suits are sometimes filed along partisan lines to address controversial political topics including fighting the travel ban and the Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals program they remain a powerful tool when they transcend party labels and are used in this manner. The misconduct being alleged by the generic drug companies certainly merits such action, and we fully support Peterson in his participation. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram Washington, D.C., May 29, 2019 Azerbaijani authorities should drop the charges against journalist Anar Mammadov and allow him to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On June 4, Mammadov, editor-in-chief of independent news website Criminal.az, is set to appear in a Baku court to appeal his conviction on false news, anti-state, and other charges, for which he was given a suspended sentence of five and a half years in jail on March 18, according to Mammadov, who spoke with CPJ via messaging app, and media reports. Mammadov told CPJ that the charges stemmed from Criminal.azs reporting on a country-wide power outage and the attempted assassination of the mayor of Ganja in July 2018. Informing the general public about important events is what journalists do, and authorities should support that work instead of punishing reporters, said CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Gulnoza Said in New York. Azerbaijani authorities should not contest Anar Mammadovs appeal and should allow him to work without fear of reprisal. On July 9, 2018, Baku police officers arrested and charged Mammadov with making public statements against the state, abusing his professional duties, forgery, and publishing false information, according to the journalist and media reports. The Baku Grave Crimes Court found him guilty on all charges on March 18, according to those reports. The court issued Mammadov a suspended sixty-six-month prison sentence, including two years of probation, he said. During the period of his suspended sentence and probation, he is barred from leaving the country or changing his place of residence, and if he is charged with any additional crimes, the suspension will be reversed and he will be imprisoned, he told CPJ. The day he was charged, Criminal.az was blocked in Azerbaijan, according to the journalist. Mammadov told CPJ that his website remains inaccessible in Azerbaijan except via virtual private network (VPN). The Azerbaijan prosecutor generals office did not respond to CPJs emailed request for comment. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram Beirut, May 29, 2019 The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on the Syrian authorities to respect the civilian status of journalists covering airstrikes and clashes in the northwestern part of the country. Since May 22, at least three journalists were injured in attacks by suspected pro-government forces in two separate incidents in the northwestern Syrian governorate of Hama, according to the France-based independent press freedom group Syrian Journalists Association, the regional press freedom group Skeyes Center for Media and Cultural Freedom, news reports, and Facebook posts and videos by the journalists. The Syrian government and its allies seem to be intent on not only violating the human rights of the countrys people, but also on attacking journalists who cover those violations, said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Representative Ignacio Miguel Delgado Culebras. As long as no one in power in Syria pays the price, this cycle of impunity and violence will continue. On May 22, suspected Syrian pro-government forces fired shells at a group of journalists in Hama including a crew from Sky News and American journalist and activist Bilal Abdul Kareem, injuring Abdul Kareem, according to the Syrian Journalists Association, Skeyes, Sky News, and videos posted on social media by Abdul Kareem. A drone hovered above the journalists and pinpointed their location, Sky News correspondent Alex Crawford reported. The group was then shelled by what Crawford identified as 125mm shells probably fired from a T-72 Russian battle tank, a model previously identified as being used by pro-government forces in Syria, according to news reports. Abdul Kareem, who runs the social media-based news agency On the Ground News, was hit in the armpit by shrapnel, according to Sky News and posts on social media by the journalist and On the Ground News. He was taken to a hospital in the town of Kahn Shaykun, according to The Guardian. Crawford wrote that the news crew was clearly identified as journalists and was deliberately targeted and attacked by Syrian regime forces. No members of the Sky News crew were hurt, according to Crawfords report. The Syrian Defense Ministry did not immediately reply to CPJs emailed request for comment. On May 24, airstrikes injured Mustafa al-Abbas, a reporter for the pro-opposition broadcaster Al-Jisr, and Mustafa al-Khalaf, a reporter for the pro-opposition broadcaster Syria TV, according to the Syrian Journalists Association, Skeyes, Syria TV, and al-Abbas, who spoke with CPJ. The strikes came amid an escalation in Russian and Syrian government bombings in the region, according to news reports. The reporters were with a group of journalists covering airstrikes near the Hama town of Kafr Nabudah when the attacks took place, according to those reports. In two posts on Facebook, al-Khalaf wrote that he believes the journalists group was targeted directly by the fighter jets, which he said pursued the journalists for two kilometers after they fled the area following the first strike, which wounded al-Abbas. In a video post, al-Khalaf can be seen wearing a jacket clearly marked Press. I was hit by shrapnel in my face and shoulders. The protective vest I was wearing covered my chest and abdomen and prevented large shrapnel fragments that could have killed me from hitting me, al-Abbas told CPJ via email. We left the area and started looking for a hospital in southern Idlib to stop the bleeding, but all of them were out of service because of the airstrikes, he said. We had to travel 100 kilometers to find a hospital where I was treated. I also lost my filming equipment. Al-Khalaf was hit in his right eye by shrapnel, according to the Syrian Journalists Association and a Facebook post by the journalist. His eye was severely damaged, but his condition is stable, according to the journalists association. Separately, on May 17, Ayham Mohammad al-Bayoush, a Syrian reporter for the pro-opposition news websites SY+ and SY24, was burned on his legs and thighs by a bomb dropped during an airstrike south of Idlib, according to the Syrian Journalists Association, Skeyes, and SY24. He was brought to a local hospital where he was treated for his wounds, according to the journalists association. According to the London-based human rights organization Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 844 people have been killed in clashes and airstrikes in the country since April 30. When Shermaine Rideouts daughter was born, doctors said she wouldnt live more than two hours. If she did happen to survive, the child would never speak and would be confined to a wheelchair. I said to myself I have to get into something thats going to help these children that have physical and mental handicaps, Rideout said. More than 30 years later, that child was standing at Rideouts side chatting with other attendees at a reception where her mother was honored as the Volunteer of the Year. Rideout was one of 16 individuals, organizations and businesses that were honored by the Partnership for Better Health at a celebration held at Dickinson College. Its the fifth year weve done this celebration, and its better than Christmas to me. It really is our meet the stars night of the community movers and shakers who are really doing extraordinary things everyday to build a healthy community, said Becca Raley, executive director of the Partnership. As the emcee of the event, Secretary Teresa Miller of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services said her department strives to improve the lives of more than 3 million Pennsylvania residents who rely on their services. My hope is that our work complements the work that you do to make your communities healthier every day, she said. Each of the honorees received $200 to contribute to the local charity of their choice with the grand prize winner receiving $1,000 to donate to a local charity. This years grand prize winner was nonprofit of the year, Community CARES, which provides emergency shelter, services and resources to homeless people and those at risk of homelessness. Beth Kempf, executive director of Community CARES, said the organization appreciated being acknowledged, but they realize that they couldnt do what they do without the help of the agencies they partner with. Its not possible for us to stand alone in this battle to end homelessness, and we appreciate everyone, she said. Awards were also presented to Sondra Wolfe-Elias, Philanthropist of the Year; Rachel McKenrick, Young Philanthropist of the Year; Eric Saunders, Professional of the Year; and Carlisle Arts Learning Centers Artworks! Program, Youth Champions of the Year. Artworks! Project director Carrie Breschi said art presents concepts in a different way that provides a meaningful effect. For the current work, handmade butterflies were placed on the side of Sadler Health Center to raise awareness of mental health issues. Some people dont think about it that much its a serious problem that needs to be shared, said Cameron Miller, a student in the program. Appalachian Running Company was honored as the Business of the Year for carrying out its motto of be a difference maker by providing safety seminars, collaborating with Employment Skills Center as a leading sponsor of Carlisles Downtown Mile and making every customer of any running ability feel welcome. Most of our customers arent runners and (we) make them feel just as good as anybody else and pay a lot of attention to their aches and pains and make sure we try to help fix them, said Katie Larsen, who represented the business at the event. Perry County Literacy Council received the Community Impact Award, and Raley surprised Miller with the Making a Difference Award, calling her a fierce advocate in championing the health of all Pennsylvanians. Like so many others here tonight, you get it and you are a change agent for good, Raley said. Champions for Better Health honorable mentions were awarded to Genesis Rehab Services, Joan Jones, Deanne Parsons, Project SHARE, Dr. Howard Rosen, Sams Spoons and Scott Shewell. Email Tammie at tgitt@cumberlink.com. Follow her on Twitter @TammieGitt. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. MOUNT HOLLY, N.J. A man charged with scamming GoFundMe donors out of more than $400,000 with a fake feel-good story about a homeless veteran has pleaded not guilty. Mark D'Amico entered the plea Tuesday in Mount Holly, New Jersey, to a half-dozen fraud and money laundering charges. He rejected a plea deal offered by the state that carried a five-year prison term. Prosecutors say D'Amico, his then-girlfriend Katelyn McClure and homeless veteran Johnny Bobbitt made up a story in 2017 about Bobbitt giving $20 to help McClure when her car ran out of gas in Philadelphia. Bobbitt and McClure have both pleaded guilty to federal and state crimes related to their roles. McClure says D'Amico was the ringleader and concocted the story. Authorities began investigating last year after Bobbitt sued the couple for allegedly not giving him the money. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 India has invited the leaders of The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Member States for the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This invitation is in line with the Governments focus on its Neighbourhood First policy. Key Facts Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take oath for the 17 th Lok Sabha on 30 May 2019. The oath of Office and Secrecy of PMs and other members of Union Council of Ministers will be administered by President Ram Nath Kovind at a function in Rashtrapati Bhavan. on 30 May 2019. The oath of Office and Secrecy of PMs and other members of Union Council of Ministers will be administered by President Ram Nath Kovind at a function in Rashtrapati Bhavan. Apart from BIMSTEC members invitations for PMs swearing-in ceremony have also been sent to Sooronbay Jeenbekov, President of Kyrgyzstan who is the current Chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and Pravind Jugnauth, Mauritius Prime Minister who is also the Chief Guest at Pravasi Bhartiya Divas 2019. About BIMSTEC John Bailey, President of Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences which is popularly known as Oscar Academy, e-launched the Hindi translation of Academy Publication Digital Dilemma, in Delhi. The Oscar Academy works towards goal of advancing arts and sciences of motion pictures. Key Highlights People in the Republic of Ireland have voted by an overwhelming majority to ease the constitutional restriction on countrys divorce law. Key Highlights The recently released Map the Meal Gap, an annual study of the prevalence of hunger done by Feeding America, revealed struggles with hunger exist in all 16 counties in the Southeast Missouri Food Banks service area. The study also showed children are more likely to face hunger than the overall population, with the child food insecurity rate at 20.9% compared to 16% for the overall population. Overall rates of food insecurity varied from 10% in Perry County to 23.2% in Pemiscot County The rate in Madison County is 14.6%. The study shows many people in our coverage area, especially children, are dealing with hunger on a regular basis, said food bank Chief Executive Officer Joey Keys. This information, coupled with another recent report on senior hunger, helps us see where the need is greatest in our coverage area so we can develop strategies to address those needs. Key findings for southeast Missouri include: Three of the five counties singled out for having the highest incidence of child hunger are in our area: Mississippi County with a child hunger incidence of 27 percent, Pemiscot County with 25.6 percent and Dunklin County with 24.7 percent. Four of the five highest need counties for the overall population are in southeast Missouri: Pemiscot, Mississippi, New Madrid and Dunklin counties. Only St. Louis City posted a higher incidence of hunger. To address these needs, the SEMO Food Bank supplies food to 138 food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless and domestic violence shelters, and senior centers in its coverage area, which goes south to the Arkansas border, north to Ste. Genevieve, east to the state line and west to Van Buren and Carter County. The food bank also provides monthly boxes of food to about 4,800 eligible senior citizens through the Commodity Supplemental Feeding Program, operates The Emergency Feeding Assistance Program for eligible families, Backpacks for Friends weekend feeding program through schools, and mobile food pantries on evenings and weekends for working parents. We find that a lot of the people we serve may have a job, but they dont make enough to make ends meet every month, so they need a little help, Keys said. Others may be temporarily unemployed because of a lay-off or plant shutdown. We also see a lot of veterans and senior citizens who may have had a serious health condition that ate up their nest egg or theyre raising grandchildren. Hunger is often the result of a lot of life circumstances. There isnt a single state or county in America free from child hunger, and it is within our collective power to change that and ensure that todays children are tomorrows leaders, said Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, chief executive officer of Feeding America. The Feeding America nationwide network of food banks is investing in our nations future by helping to provide over 146 million meals to children every year. Still, Map the Meal Gap highlights that more must be done. Together food banks, corporations, policymakers, donors, volunteers and advocates can solve hunger. I encourage everyone to visit the website, map.feedingamerica.org to find out what hunger looks like in their community and get involved to be part of the solution, Babineaux-Fontenot continued. One way is to tell Congress to invest in kids during Child Nutrition Reauthorization legislation and increase access to food for kids during the summer. Your voice matters and we can make a difference. Map the Meal Gap 2019 uses data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and food price data and analysis provided by Nielsen, a global provider of information and insights. The study is supported by The Howard G. Buffett Foundation, Conagra Brands Foundation and Nielsen. Keys encouraged the public to help address hunger in their community by volunteering at a local food pantry or the SEMO Food Bank, donate to the food bank online at semofoodbank.org and encourage legislators to address hunger issues at the state and federal levels. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 More than 100 community members gathered last month at Weingarten Winery for the fourth annual Parkland Health Center Foundation Celebration. Highlighting the evening was the presentation of the Joyce Buchheit Excellence in Health Care Award. This prestigious annual award was created in 2016 to recognize an individual who has contributed significantly to the advancement of health care in our region. The 2019 award was presented posthumously to Dr. Richard C. Winder, with his wife, Maxine Winder accepting the award on his behalf. Dr. Winder was a very well-known physician in the region. He was born and raised in Bellefontaine, Ohio, then received his higher education at Florida Southern and his medical training at Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Winder did his internship in Phoenix, Arizona, and then completed an externship under Dr. Jack Gallagher at Mineral Area Regional Medical Center in Farmington. While he was offered multiple positions, his experience in Farmington and his connection with Dr. Gallagher would prove to be important factors in his decision to move to Farmington. When he moved to the Farmington area in 1976, Dr. Winder began a general practice in Park Hills. During this time, he delivered more than 2,000 babies, and due to his interest in making sure that uninsured expectant mothers had access to pre-natal care, he was instrumental in setting up the womens clinic for the St. Francois County Health Department. In addition, Dr. Winder saw the need for ambulance services in the county and he was instrumental in establishing the St. Francois County Ambulance District. Most recently, Dr. Winder served as the medical director of the Mineral Area Regional Medical Center emergency department until his retirement in 2012. During his time at Mineral Area, he was also director of medical education for interns and residents, a program which he started and which enhanced the recruitment of physicians to the area. In this role, he taught and spent time mentoring the young participants and he was responsible for approving the criteria and the participants completion of the program. Dr. Winders significant contributions to health care in our region span a 36-year career. He passed away in July 2018. Presenting the award was Jack Marler, director of medical staff services, who had worked closely with Dr. Winder. In addition to Marler's very personal and warm presentation, a video which paid tribute to Dr. Winders life was shown. The video included many photos and facts about his life as well as personal remarks and memories shared by multiple friends and former colleagues of Dr. Winder. Maxine Winder graciously accepted the award, with family members present in support. I was very pleased with the evening, said Debbie Peterson, president, Parkland Health Center Foundation. The atmosphere was great, honoring a wonderful man; the food was amazing; everyone just seemed to be having a great time. Earlier in the evening, Peterson expressed her passion for the work that the foundation has accomplished, citing several stories. She explained, Recently a patient care grant from the Foundation helped to lease a cardiac life vest for a middle-aged patient with no medical insurance who was treated at Parkland for chest pain. The patient was discharged wearing the cardiac life vest, and two weeks later he went into cardiac arrest. The vest delivered a lifesaving shock to his heart. Without the financial support from the foundation grant, and therefore without the cardiac life vest, this man would likely have died. He has since received a pacemaker and is doing well. In addition to advanced medical equipment and facility enhancements, Peterson informed guests that the foundation also provides multiple nursing scholarships to deserving students. Since 1998, the Foundation has awarded slightly more than $3 million in various scholarships, programs and projects, said Peterson. Joyce Buchheit, the awards namesake, is a member of the Parkland Health Center Foundation Board of Directors and a past member of both the BJC HealthCare Board of Directors and the Parkland Health Center Board of Directors. Past recipients of this award include Dr. Edward DuMontier (2016), Dr. George Oliver (2017) and Carol L. Coulter, RN (2018). All four recipients are very well known in the community, and have served the medical needs of this community for a combined total of 165 years (Dr. Dumontier: 1989-2019, 30 years; Dr. Oliver: 1959-2019, 60 years; Carol Coulter: 1979-2018, 39 years; Dr. Winder: 1976-2012, 36 years). The Parkland Health Center Foundation is a 501(c)3 charitable organization that was established in 2009. Its mission is to secure philanthropic support to enhance Parklands ability to provide extraordinary care. Parkland Health Center is part of BJC HealthCare which also includes St. Louis Childrens Hospital and Barnes-Jewish Hospital, the teaching hospitals for Washington University School of Medicine. For additional information about Parkland Health Center or the Foundation, please call (573) 756-6451 or visit www.parklandhealthcenter.org. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 DEAR ABBY: I have been dating my boyfriend for two years. He is 10 years older, in his mid-40s. He is wonderful, kind, smart, and treats me well. There is only one issue: He still lives with his ex-girlfriend from 10 years ago. She and I do not get along. She infringes on my time with him -- has him run her errands, drive her around, etc. when I am at his (their) house. He also ends calls with me at night to talk with her, and his texts abruptly stop. Later I'll find out she was in his bedroom talking/venting to him about her current boyfriend or some other subject. She recently put in an offer to buy a house that was accepted. After she moves out of the house they are renting, he plans to remain there and would like me to move in with him. Here's the catch: He says he will be going over to her (new) house to mow the lawn, rake leaves, take care of her car, etc. He says he runs these errands for her because she pays him. I have told him how much it bothers me. I feel he is placing her above me. Am I crazy for being upset over this? -- SECOND BEST IN VIRGINIA DEAR SECOND BEST: You're not crazy. Unless your boyfriend is hard up for money, it appears there may be more to his relationship with his ex-girlfriend than he has revealed to you. If he was disconnected from her emotionally -- and possibly sexually -- he wouldn't cut your conversations short or hide the fact that he is texting you. Unless he rearranges his priorities, you should not only not move in with him, you should find a boyfriend with whom YOU'RE No. 1. DEAR ABBY: My wife, "Riley," and I got married three months ago. I'm a corporate pilot and have been for most of our two-year relationship. Now she's telling me if I don't quit my dream job, she will leave me. I signed a year-long contract with this company, so it will cost me well over $10,000 to get out of it early. She hates my schedule, even though I work only about 11 days a month. Riley thinks I have to be home every night, even though I warned her that because of my career, I would be gone a lot of nights. She knew what she was getting into, yet she's trying to force me into giving up this dream job or lose her. Please help. -- TORN IN THE SOUTH DEAR TORN: Riley knew you were a pilot when she married you. You explained to her what that meant. That she would threaten to leave you because she doesn't like the responsibilities your career carries with it is immature and controlling. If she was serious when she made the ultimatum, I think you should take her up on it. And before you marry anyone else, be sure the woman is independent. Then have premarital counseling to ensure something like this doesn't happen again. DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend, "Hal," and I have been dating for a year and a half, living together for six months. I'm afraid he feels emasculated. Because I make more money than he does, a lot of the responsibility for paying the bills lands on me. We try to split things down the middle, but recent complications with his job have meant it doesn't always work out that way. I love Hal. I know he's the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. I don't want money to be a dividing force, but I don't know what to say to make him feel better. This has been the elephant in the room for some time. Hal helps out with cooking and housework, and because of that, I don't mind putting a little more into the bills. I do not want this to be an issue further down the road. Any advice is appreciated. -- STUCK ON THIS IN VIRGINIA DEAR STUCK: The problem with elephants in the room is, the longer they are ignored, the larger the herd becomes. It's amazing that two important subjects -- sex and finances -- are such touchy ones to discuss. Choose a time when you and Hal are relaxed, and then bring up your concerns. Tell him how much you appreciate him in your life and the efforts he makes to make life easier for you, and that you don't want money issues to cause problems between the two of you. He may need to hear you say it. Then encourage him to express his feelings the way you have. DEAR ABBY: My husband and I were invited by some friends to meet for dinner. We arrived first; they showed up several minutes later. During the meal, the wife said, "I always scan the restaurant to see if there's anyone else here I know." After we finished dinner and the checks were paid, the couple got up and left the table. We didn't know where they had gone. I put my coat on and we were leaving, when the wife, who was now sitting down at another table with another couple, stopped us to introduce us to them. I think they were terribly rude. I feel they should have waited and walked out with us, saying hello as they passed the table of their other friends. This isn't the first time she has done this. Is there a way to politely tell her how rude it is? My husband still wants to meet them for meals, but I am really struggling with it. -- DITCHED DINER IN SOUTH CAROLINA DEAR DITCHED: If your dinner companion had perfect manners, rather than disappear after the check was paid, she would have said, "I see the Joneses over there. We want to go over and say hello, so come with us or go on ahead." Because you have dined together before, you know this is her pattern. I do not think it is anything to ruin a friendship over. DEAR ABBY: I've recently started seeing someone, and we have shared a wealth of information about ourselves with each other. When I asked him his last name, he said it was "Erickson." When I asked him if he had a middle name, he responded that he didn't. Soon after, I saw his driver's license. It had a completely different last name from the one he gave me, and it turns out he does have a middle name after all. Now I'm starting to question everything he told me, and I'm afraid he may have lied about even bigger things. What reason would he possibly have to lie about such a simple thing? And how should I confront him about it? -- JUST PLAIN CONFUSED IN GEORGIA DEAR CONFUSED: The reason someone would give false information is usually because the person has something to hide. Unless "Mr. Erickson" is in witness protection, my guess is he is married or has a criminal record he doesn't want you to discover. Rather than confront him and be lied to again, run in the opposite direction and cease any further contact with him! DEAR ABBY: I am an avid fisherman with limited boating knowledge. Recently, a friend bought an older used boat that has questionable integrity. He keeps inviting me to go out on it with him, and I'm running out of excuses not to. The real reason is my friend is inexperienced and the boat is unreliable. I don't want to be stuck out in the bay in a boat we can't fix. What's the best way to handle this? -- LEERY FISHERMAN IN TEXAS DEAR LEERY: The way to approach it would be to tell your friend the truth. Ask if he has taken a boating safety course, and if the answer is no, suggest he do it -- or that you do it together. As to the integrity of the vessel, ask your friend if the boat was inspected at the time of purchase, and if it wasn't, urge him -- for everyone's safety -- to have it done. DEAR ABBY: My daughter has two children, a 7-year-old boy and a girl who is 4. They were at an event with some of her co-workers the other day. Everyone was talking to the younger child, telling her how cute she was and ignoring the older one. It was like he was invisible. He was so deflated. I remember this happening with my girls when they were little. People always seem to gravitate to the little ones and pay no attention to the older ones. It has always bothered me. So, people, please be mindful of all the children. They are all precious. -- BOTHERED GRANDMA DEAR BOTHERED: You're right, this happens all too often. In a case like this, all it would have taken would have been for someone to have complimented your daughter on her son's behavior and said within earshot of the boy how lucky the little one was to have such a "good boy" for an older brother. I hope you spoke up. It takes only a moment to say something nice to someone of any age who needs the attention. DEAR ABBY: My daughter and her boyfriend have been together for four years. Despite being almost 30, he is very immature and constantly distracted by either his phone or his video games. Abby, he travels with his PlayStation everywhere he goes. When he comes into our house, he sets up his console in the living room, puts on headphones and plays games all day and night. If the family asks to use the TV for a few hours, he will sit on the sofa and take a nap or pull out his phone and continue gaming. I know nothing more about him than I did the first month I met him. He is rude, boorish, self-centered and has a criminal record (drugs). They live in another state, and for my daughter's sake, I try to accommodate him. When I asked for them to "visit us, not our TV," she became very defensive. Is this the new norm? Must I provide a TV in their room for when they stay? When they went to visit his family who live near us, he took the system to their house for the three-hour visit. How do I deal with this addiction? My daughter now wants to bring him along while we have our mother/daughter lunch and manicures. It's like he's 3 and has to tag along. He has no friends. When she goes out for a night with her girlfriends, we are expected to "baby-sit." I've never encountered anything like this. Please advise me. -- DONE MOTHERING IN PENNSYLVANIA DEAR DONE: I'll try, but first you will have to admit your part in creating this problem. You have to learn to say no to your daughter and her "boy"friend. If you want to watch television for a few hours during their visit, remember it's your home and you don't have to apologize for it. If you want a mother/daughter lunch and manicures, and she wants to drag him along, say, "No, this is our mother/daughter time. An hour or so alone with you is not too much to ask." The solution to your problem is to stop allowing your daughter -- and her socially inadequate boyfriend -- to dictate what's happening under your roof and in your life. Until you put your foot down, nothing will change. DEAR ABBY: By coincidence, I have a niece and nephew who will be graduating at the same time this spring. My nephew is getting a degree from a four-year college. My niece is getting a beautician's license from a high school/trade school. She has no plans to attend college. I will be giving them both graduation gifts, but should the amount be based on their level of education, or the fact that they have both completed their educations? I don't want my niece to feel slighted. She chose a profession she loves but does not require further education. I also don't want my nephew to feel slighted because he worked longer at far greater expense. -- UNSURE IN THE EAST DEAR UNSURE: If you are worried that your niece and nephew will compare your gifts, give each the same amount. What these gifts memorialize is not the money that was spent on their educations, but rather that they have both attained the level of education for which they were working. DEAR ABBY: When I was in my teens, and even into my 20s and 30s, I was a Plain Jane. I had little self-confidence. But strangely, I'm one of those people who has gotten better looking as I've aged. Now in my 50s, I am better looking than many women my age or even younger. Men definitely notice me, and I love it. My problem is, I'm now obsessed with my appearance. I constantly worry that I'll lose my looks. I have even considered cosmetic surgery. I don't want to be the shallow person I see I'm becoming. What can I do? -- LATE BLOOMER DEAR LATE BLOOMER: There's a saying, "You can fool Mother Nature, but you can't fool Father Time." What it boils down to is, time takes its toll on everyone. It isn't shallow to have the feelings you are experiencing. But please remember that beauty is more than what's on the surface. Perhaps it's time to start concentrating on qualities that accentuate your inner rather than external beauty -- kindness, warmth, intelligence, generosity, an appreciation for the value of others -- because charm lasts longer than beauty. This is not to say I don't appreciate the value of cosmetic surgery, which can do wonders for a person's sagging ego. But your appearance should not be the focus of your life because, frankly, it isn't healthy. DEAR ABBY: I am writing in response to the letter from "Military Service Marker" you printed on Dec. 22. When my uncle, a military veteran, passed away, he was without a military service marker, too. His two kids (my cousins) didn't bother to obtain one, probably out of sheer laziness. Feeling that it was important, I took the initiative and contacted the VA myself. I obtained the record of his honorable discharge (form DD 214) and his death certificate. I filled out the appropriate paperwork and my uncle got the marker to which he was entitled free of charge. It was delivered directly to the cemetery, and the only cost involved was the installation. It was well worth it, and I have never asked my cousins for a dime. I felt proud about having done something for a deserving vet! -- BILL B. IN MISSOURI DEAR BILL: My thanks to you and to the scores of other readers who wrote to share this information with me. It is important to know that relatives of deceased military veterans can receive these military markers at no cost. Starting the process is as easy as contacting the cemetery, the VA at www.cem.va.gov/hmm/, or a local VFW or American Legion post for assistance. DEAR ABBY: I need advice on whether to contact an old friend who backstabbed me years ago with my former business partner. I'm trying to get back into the field, and this old "friend" is doing well now. He has a lot of contacts that could help me start my own company. I'm not sure if I should contact him because of what he did to me. Should I? -- UNCERTAIN IN CALIFORNIA DEAR UNCERTAIN: Frankly, I think it would be a waste of time. Leopards don't usually change their spots. If you expect someone who backstabbed you once in business to become generous and helpful, you are dreaming. Find another way to network that he can't "taint," because if he can, he will. DEAR ABBY: I am almost 62 and struggling to get through the day at work. It's not because of the work itself, but I am extremely unhappy in the work environment. I have been here more than 20 years, and I have a real problem with the work ethic of the younger employees. They come in to work anywhere from a half-hour to two hours late. One of them takes hourlong breaks, two-hour lunches and then leaves early. Another comes to work and complains nonstop about her drive, her ex and all her aches and pains. (She just turned 40.) I go home every night frustrated and so stressed out I snap at my poor husband. I really want to retire. It wouldn't be a financial burden, although we would have to cut back on a little spending. My husband won't offer an opinion, but I know I'd be much happier and healthier if I did. Any advice? -- STRESSED AND TIRED DEAR STRESSED: You might be happier and healthier if, rather than retire early, you talked to a licensed mental health professional about how to manage your stress. You can't control the behavior (or misbehavior) of your younger co-workers. That's your boss's responsibility. If their lack of punctuality and poor attendance doesn't bother your employer, you should not be letting it affect you. And as to the woman who complains about her aches, her pains and her ex -- why are you listening to that garbage? You have only a few more years until you reach an age at which you can retire with all the benefits you have earned -- and without having to cut back. Please consider what I have said and ride it out. DEAR ABBY: I recently had a phone conversation with a cousin who lives on the other side of the country. We talk once a month. She has always been judgmental and negative about our cousins, aunts, uncles, etc., who -- for the most part -- she rarely communicates with. In the past, when she would put them down, I'd cut the conversation short because I didn't want to listen. During our last chat, she started in on my brother. That's when I lost it. I gave her a piece of my mind and hung up. Since then, she has texted and called a few times, but I haven't responded. I feel bad for what happened, but at the same time, I refuse to listen to her talk badly about and judge other family members. How should I handle this? Should I respond to her? In one of her texts she said she "didn't mean to upset me," but I don't consider that an apology. -- HATES JUDGMENT IN OHIO DEAR HATES JUDGMENT: Yes, you should respond to your cousin. She needs to understand that you are changing the rules regarding further conversations with her. Explain that it has always made you uncomfortable when she said unkind, judgmental things about family members, and that when she started in on your brother, you finally reached your limit. Tell her that in the future when you talk, it must be about positive things and not family members. After that, the ball will be in her court. See if she follows through. DEAR ABBY: I have a son from a previous relationship, and have been in a relationship with a man I'll call Bryan for a year. Not long ago, Bryan confided to me that he and his brother had been molested by a female relative. I don't know her. I have only met his parents. This female relative has been asking about my son on social media because she has seen him in pictures with Bryan's family. I want to tell her to back off, but so far, I have held off. I'm afraid if I do, I will cause problems because his parents don't know what I know. My protective instinct has become very alert. I may be wrong, but I feel like she sees my son as a future target. What should I do? -- MAMA BEAR DEAR MAMA BEAR: Listen to your protective instinct. Talk with Bryan and tell him the woman's questions are of concern to you, that you don't want her to have any information about or contact with your child, and then make sure your wishes are respected. If she receives any message to back off, it should come from him, not you. DEAR ABBY: On behalf of all new moms, please help with this question. Why does every woman in the world, it seems, feel entitled to ask new moms if they are breastfeeding their babies? How should new moms respond politely to this question? If you say yes, you may or may not be lying. If you say no, you will be judged. If you give an evasive answer, people will assume you are not and you will be judged as well. It seems to me that all substances excreted by the body should be off limits in social situations. -- MY BUSINESS IN TEXAS DEAR MY BUSINESS: Judgmental people can get to you only if you allow it. While there are valid reasons why babies should be breastfed, it isn't always possible, and women should not be quizzed by strangers about whether they are. My mother used to advise readers who were put off by prying questions to say, "If you will forgive me for not answering that question, I'll forgive you for asking." Even though you asked for a polite retort, in a situation like this, MY response would be, "If that were any of your business, you would already know the answer!" Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069 Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 DEAR HARRIETTE: My relationship with my mother is not good. She is much older now, but she has not lost her stubbornness. I have always been a respectful son, and I help her out whenever she needs me. However, she tends to turn on me. Most recently, she accused me of breaking something in her home and told the whole family that I am responsible for it, when this is not the case. I explained this to my mother, but once she has her mind made up, there is no convincing her otherwise. I want to pull back from this toxic relationship, but I feel this isn't the best option as my mother is older and life is short. What should I do? -- Role Reversal DEAR ROLE REVERSAL: You are finding yourself in a situation that many grown children of aging parents experience. You now are becoming more of a caretaker than a child. With that often come myriad challenges. You have to be able to weather your mother's stubbornness and do your best not to let her behavior get under your skin. Talk to your family members and let them know about some of the behaviors that your mother has been exhibiting, including this new form of blame. Tell them what you have been doing to support her and how she has been reacting. Let them know that this is stressful at times, and you need their support. Most important is for them to know that you are caring for your mother, not hurting her or her things. Stay calm around your mother. Focus on the positive. Ignore her when she blames you for things you didn't do. Attempt to get her to focus on something else. DEAR HARRIETTE: My sister feels excluded from our family. She has her own place now quite a distance away. Simple things like going to see a movie without her will make her upset. While I can understand this, I feel that it is not always feasible to try and plan everyday activities with her when we don't live near each other. When we go out, it is often a spur-of-the-moment decision, and with our distance, it would not make sense to invite her. How can I get my sister to see we are not purposely leaving her out? -- Disconnected DEAR DISCONNECTED: Assure your sister of how much you and your family love her and that you miss having her around all the time. Remind her that she is the one who moved away from home -- not all of you. Be direct and tell her that you are sorry, but it is not possible or practical for you to invite her to every activity that you and your other family members do together. She lost that privilege when she moved. This may be hard for her at first, but she has to accept responsibility for her choices. Let her know that you enjoy spending time with her whenever she comes home, but you cannot revolve your family interactions around her schedule. Next time she gets perturbed because she was not part of an experience, ignore her reaction. DEAR HARRIETTE: I live near a major city. My friends and I often travel into the city for a day of shopping or a fun dinner. In the past few months, there have been multiple terrorist attacks in big cities in both the United States and Europe. I am a very cautious person, so this scares me. It is starting to prevent me from making plans with my friends in the city. I think about what could happen while I am there, so I psych myself out about making the trip into town. Do you think this is an irrational worry? I don't want to live in fear or continue canceling plans with my friends. -- Fear of Terrorism, Lancaster, Maryland DEAR FEAR OF TERRORISM: Your fears are understandable. When random acts of terrorism occur with frequency in our own country, we, the citizens, get nervous. That said, you cannot let these few people with bad intentions destroy your life. That's when they win. If you truly feel paralyzed into inaction, you may want to see a counselor to help you sort through your feelings. Additionally, you may want to take action. Get involved in the political system in your hometown or even nationally. Find an organization that is actively working to thwart hate crimes and terrorist action, and volunteer for it. By giving voice to your fears and trying to find healthy solutions for how to move forward, you create a better chance for yourself to lead a full life. DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a 22-year-old woman. My best guy friend and I have been close friends for over eight years now. I consider him more like a brother than a friend. Recently, my boyfriend has been hinting that he doesn't want me texting or hanging out with my friend anymore. We haven't sat down and talked about it or had a huge argument about this, but it bothers me when he makes comments about how I shouldn't be as close to my guy friend as I am. I can see how my boyfriend might be a little jealous, but there is nothing to be jealous of. I need help on how to explain to my boyfriend that my friend will be in my life no matter what, so my boyfriend should learn to coexist with him. -- Boyfriend Vs. Guy Friend, Philadelphia DEAR BOYFRIEND VS. GUY FRIEND: It is not unusual for a boyfriend (or girlfriend) to be jealous of a close friend. It is also fairly common that one of the two friends has secret romantic feelings for the other -- even if they have gone unexpressed. This is why a partner could feel uneasy about such a close friendship. Since you feel strongly that you want to keep this friend in your life, you need to work to neutralize the situation. The best way to do that is to have your boyfriend and guy friend get to know each other better. Include both of them in activities so that your boyfriend will come to feel comfortable about this guy friend. Tell them both that it is important to you that they get to know each other. Since they both love you, tell them this is necessary. DEAR HARRIETTE: My mother and father are divorced. Recently, my mom started dating a guy who seems nice. He treats her well and seems very genuine. Because of the physical distance between us -- we live thousands of miles apart -- I've only spent time with them together a couple of times. From what my siblings and I can gather, there is nothing wrong with him. But then I start to think, why is this great guy single at this age? He's 50. Should I be worried my mom's boyfriend has an ulterior motive or something that he's hiding? -- Suspicious of Mom's New Boyfriend, Cleveland DEAR SUSPICIOUS OF MOM'S NEW BOYFRIEND: Take a deep breath and calm down. Your mother is a grown woman. She is enjoying this next chapter in her life, and by your own account, her suitor seems to be a good guy who treats her well. As you get to know him, you will learn about his life. You can also ask your mother how it is that he is 50 and single. She will know if he has ever been married and what his former circumstances are. If you ask her out of genuine curiosity rather than sounding an alarm, she will likely tell you what she knows. Do not share your worries with your mother. Right now, it doesn't sound like you have anything to be worried about. Many men and women are single when they reach their 50s. In some cases, it's because they never met the right person. Other times they are widowed or divorced, just like your mother. Many of them are perfectly normal, good people. DEAR HARRIETTE: I have a daughter who is in her last year of college. She is very social and gets along with everyone. This may sound a little weird, coming from her father, but I am kind of concerned about the fact she has never had a long-term relationship. I don't suspect she is interested in women (even though I would not have a problem with that), but she has never had a man who she was particularly interested in, either. I am put in an awkward position because this is every father's dream -- never having your daughter's heart broken -- but I also think it's an important experience in life. Do you think this is abnormal at her age of 22? Would it be appropriate for me to bring it up with her? -- My Daughter's Future, Los Angeles DEAR MY DAUGHTER'S FUTURE: Your daughter is not abnormal. While many young people do navigate the dating world when they are in college, some are more focused on their studies or just haven't found the right person to spark their interest. Ask your daughter about her life. Do so without judgment, though, which will help her to open up. Start by asking her if there is anybody special in her life. Do not assume that there is not just because she hasn't told you. If she says no, ask her if she has dated at all in college or if she wants to. Allow her to share her thoughts, and know that this should be an ongoing dialogue. You do not need to get a complete debrief in this first conversation. DEAR HARRIETTE: My youngest son is going into the Army, and I'm scared. He went to college out of state and has now decided to enlist. After he graduated, I tried convincing him that there are other options besides the Army, but his mind is made up. His father is not supportive and ignores my son when he talks about his future. I'm slowly getting used to the idea of him moving again and serving his country, but I am scared that I might lose my child. How can I become more supportive and comfortable with the idea of my son joining the Army? -- Losing My Son, Wilmington, Delaware DEAR LOSING MY SON: One way to look at your son's decision is that he is at the age and time in his life when he should be choosing his destiny for himself. It is likely that even if he were making a different choice, you would still be nervous about it because it means that he is choosing to become independent of you. This is hard to accept, but it is part of life. As far as going into the military, yes, there are risks. Not to frighten you, but there are risks in just about everything, including having him stay at home. Instead of fretting, talk to your son about his ideas. Learn what he's thinking and planning. Do your best to support him cultivating a sense of agency. Your job as a parent is to help your son become independent. DEAR HARRIETTE: One of my good friends has been in a relationship with a possessive and mentally abusive boyfriend for the past two years. He is the absolute worst. He treats her horribly, but she is so blinded by love that she doesn't see it. She has spent two years defending him and making excuses for him, which has cost her a lot of friends. As one of the few people who is still close with her, I have learned that I need to keep myself separate from anything having to do with him, or else it will end in us fighting. When I was at a bar last weekend, I saw her boyfriend there with another woman, and he was definitely not there as "just friends." I told my friend immediately, and she brushed it off. She basically ignored the fact that he is cheating on her and is now upset with me for getting involved. I am so sick and tired of dealing with her nightmare boyfriend and having him come between us. I've told her this many times, but nothing is going to change. Is it time for me to walk away from this friendship? How can I help her if she won't help herself? -- Extremely Frustrated, Dallas DEAR EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED: Rather than completely walking away, you can draw a line. Decide not to engage in any discussion about this man -- period. If your friend needs to discuss him, suggest that she speak to someone else. Let her know that you have no more advice for her. If she persists, you may need to walk away -- for a while, at least, until she is no longer under his spell. DEAR HARRIETTE: I reconnected with a high school friend recently, and we went out for some drinks. The problem is that my classmate treats me like I am still in high school. While I was in high school, I was not the most popular, and I was what some would call "weird." So while we're having drinks, my classmate referred to the strange things I did, and it made me feel bad. I ignored her while she laughed and reminisced. By the end of our meeting, I did not feel like it was a good decision to meet with her. She wants to have drinks again, but I don't want to. I want to tell her I'm not that same person from high school, and I need her to respect the woman I am now. How do I do that? -- Not the Same 17-Year-Old, Louisville, Kentucky DEAR NOT THE SAME 17-YEAR-OLD: It is time for you to speak up for yourself. If you have any interest in getting together with this person, you owe it to yourself to let her know that, just like her, you are no longer a high school student. Tell her about yourself and your life. Further, make it clear that you do not appreciate her harping on your behavior from years ago. Suggest that if the two of you intend to rekindle a friendship, you should build it on a bond that you create today. DEAR HARRIETTE: I work at a small bar, and I see a lot of customers every day. We have a group of regulars and some newbies. One regular comes in and always orders from me. We talk about his job and life, and after each of our conversations, I am more interested. He isn't married or in a relationship. I want to take charge and ask him out for a proper dinner, but I'm afraid he might deny me, creating awkwardness when he comes to the bar. Should I ask him out? How would you suggest I ask? -- Bashful Bartender, Las Vegas DEAR BASHFUL BARTENDER: You are right to be a bit cautious here. Sometimes people share their life stories openly at a bar because it feels like a safe space in that there are no ties that bind. It is also true that true love has been discovered in that same setting. If you feel like the potential for a relationship with this man is worth the risk of awkwardness, go for it. Tell your customer that you want to invite him to a "proper" dinner. Say that you like him and want to get to know him outside of the bar. State that you hope he will accept, but if he doesn't think it's a good idea, you hope the two of you can continue to be buddies at the bar. In this way, you will have given him an out if he needs one. DEAR HARRIETTE: One of my best friends and I have known each other since elementary school. We were very close when we were little, grew apart during middle school and are now closer than ever. The reason we drifted apart was stupid middle school drama, which doesn't affect either of us anymore, but my friend's parents still hold a grudge against me. Every time I go over to their house, they are cold toward me compared to our other friends, and they often make jokes about how we grew apart. It has gotten to the point where I avoid going over to this friend's house because of her parents. Should I talk about it with my friend and ask her why her parents still hold a grudge against me for something that happened so long ago? -- Judgmental Parents, Towson, Maryland DEAR JUDGMENTAL PARENTS: Start with your friend. Ask her if she has noticed that her parents are particularly hard on you. Tell her you feel constantly judged by them and that you think it is based on the conflict the two of you had years ago. Enlist your friend to help you to change their view of you. You will likely need your friend's direct support to get them to have a change of heart. If you feel bold enough, you can say something directly to them. You can ask for permission to address them, and tell them that you have noticed that they seem to have an issue with you. Tell them that you and your friend have a strong bond and that you want them to welcome you. You can acknowledge that when you were kids you had a bumpy relationship, but it is in the past. Ask for them to welcome you back into the fold. DEAR HARRIETTE: I have three daughters, all very healthy and happy girls. My middle daughter has always been obsessed with how she looks, whether that's her hair, skin or makeup. Over the past couple of months, she has become overly concerned with her weight. It has gotten to the point where I am worried about her. She looks thin, which can be a good thing when you can afford to lose some weight, but she did not need to lose any. Everyone keeps complimenting her on how great she looks, which I am afraid is just motivating her to lose more weight. I want to talk to her about it, but I don't want to come off as attacking her appearance. -- Concerned About Daughter's Weight, Richmond, Virginia DEAR CONCERNED ABOUT DAUGHTER'S WEIGHT: Don't wait to talk to your daughter. You can compliment her on something that you believe is worthy of note, and then ask her about her eating habits. Tell her you have noticed that she has lost a lot of weight recently and that you are concerned that she is going too far. Ask her what she has changed. Try to get her to tell you what she eats every day. If you are worried that she may have an eating disorder, ask her directly -- though she may not tell you the truth. Depending on her responses, you may want to schedule a physical so that a medical professional can assess her health. DEAR HARRIETTE: My parents have always been supportive of my dreams and aspirations. I am a recent college graduate, and I'm trying to get my career started. It is going slower than I thought, but I'm working at it. Recently, my dad has been sharing the idea of purchasing a small resort or beach house that we could turn into a family business. He just bought some beachfront property that he believes could be lucrative. I think it sounds like a great idea, but it's not something I'm interested in pursuing. My dad says this place will need full-time maintenance. I have my own dreams I want to focus on, and working on a beach house isn't at the top of my list. How do I make it clear to my dad that the beach house isn't one of my dreams? -- On My Own, Eastern Shore, Maryland DEAR ON MY OWN: It sounds like your dad is trying to figure out a way to support you with a ready-made idea for making money. It also sounds like you have other ideas for your life. This is a tough situation to be in, because what your dad probably thinks is helping you is creating unwelcome friction. Rather than completely dismissing your dad's idea, talk to him. Tell him that you do think he has a great idea, but that you can't think about it seriously as a choice for you right now. Describe what you are looking to do in your life and the steps you believe it will take to be successful. Ask him if he can support your choice to pursue your path. Also ask if he will be able to build this beach house, and if you may be able to support him with it later. Sometimes family businesses are passed down to the children, but you need to be willing to take over at some point if you make that promise now. DEAR HARRIETTE: I have a large family, and we don't see each other often. My mother passed recently, and my brother, who lives overseas, came home for the funeral. My brother and I haven't spoken in 20 years, and at the funeral we barely spoke. He was in the United States for only a day; there was no time to catch up and repair our relationship. We had a close relationship in the past, but now that we live in different countries, we've grown apart. I haven't reached out and he hasn't either, but since my mother died, I want to become closer to my family. How can I repair the relationship with my brother? -- After Mom, Sausalito, California DEAR AFTER MOM: Write your brother a letter expressing your desire to rekindle your relationship with him. Remind him of how close you were years ago. Apologize for not reaching out in the past. Now that your mom is gone, tell him you want to be closer to him and that you hope he will want the same. Suggest that you start by writing to each other and possibly using FaceTime or Skype to get to know each other as adults. DEAR HARRIETTE: My friends and I went to a concert last Saturday night. While we were walking into the subway station, two of my friends stood next to the entrance and said they didn't have metro cards. One of them said he didn't have any money on him, and the other one refused to pay the $2.75 to get on the train. The rest of us swiped our metro cards and then watched our friends who refused to get metro cards hop the turnstile. Suddenly, two police officers rounded the corner and stopped all five of us. I stayed quiet the entire time and let my outgoing friends do all the talking. The next thing I know, all five of us were being handcuffed. I was so terrified that it prompted me to speak up and say that the situation was unfair. Why should all of us be held accountable for the actions of two people? Once I explained what happened the police, the three of us who paid for metro cards were let go. Now I'm being looked at as a traitor and a tattletale for bailing out only two of my friends. How can I make the other two guys, who ended up getting in trouble with the police, see that I had the right intentions? -- Good Guy, Bronx, New York DEAR GOOD GUY: Stop trying to convince them of anything. Your friends knowingly chose to break the law. You were right to speak up for yourself. Let this incident show you that this may not be the best group of friends for you. If you do stay connected to them, make it clear that you like them but that you are not willing to lie for them or break the law with them. Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106 Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Thank you for reading! To read this article and more, subscribe now for as little as $1.99. Assam: Fishing restrictions only on papers; Bangladesh imposes stringent ban by GUWAHATI May 29,2019 | Source: NorthEast Now The Assam Government issues an order around this time of the year regarding certain directives over fishing, but in reality the picture painted is totally opposite. It has become a customary practice of the Directorate of Fisheries banning fishing during the breeding season. This year also, the Fisheries Department has issued guidelines to the district fishery development officers particularly in the districts of Barpeta, Cachar, Hailakandi, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, Sonitpur, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Nagaon, Morigaon, Kamrup, Nalbari, Bongaigaon, Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao, Udalguri, Chirang, Dhubri, Goalpara, Darrang, Baksa, Kokrajhar and Karimganj. As per the directives under the Assam Fishery Rules, 1953, there are prohibitions over use of Borjal/Mahajal or Fasijal or any type of nets with meshes less than seven cm/14 cm during breeding season. Moreover, there is prohibition on catching of brood fish of certain species in any fishery. There is also prohibition of catching and killing by any method, of fish for any purpose including consumption and selling of undersized fish of certain species during this period. These are aimed at ensuing natural breeding, propagation and growth of fish in all fisheries and natural water bodies. However, all these remain in papers and rampant fishing goes on in every nook and corners of the State every year. The images tell it all. Local markets and make-shift shops mushrooming across the State openly sell fishes with eggs during breeding season across the State under the very nose of the administration. But on the contrary, the neighbouring country of Bangladesh has come up with strict measures to ensure breeding of fish. Bangladesh has banned fishing off its coast for 65 days from May 20 till July 23 to try and boost depleted fish stocks.During this period all types of fishing vessels would be covered by the ban and coast guards have been specifically directed to enforce it along Bay of Bengal. Bangladesh is known for its fish exports, especially the king of all fishes the majestic Hilsa. There were times when the famed Hilsa of river Padma after its breeding season in the Bay of Bengal even came downstream to Assam particularly to Morigaon and Mangaldai. But over the years due to reckless fishing, the production of Hilsa in Bangladesh has depleted in enormous proportion. There were short-term bans on commercial fishing in the past in the nieghbouring country, but this is the first time that all fishing boats, including local fishermen, have been banned for a lengthy period. It is about time that the Assam Government too come up with stringent measures to ensure that ban on fishing during breeding season is implemented in reality to save various local species of fishes in the State. About Documentation Centre The Documentation Centre of ICSF was initiated in 1999, in Chennai, India. The main aims behind the setting up of the Centre were to disseminate relevant information pertinent to small-scale fisheries and fishworkers in a format that would be easily available. The focus areas of information collection of the DC has been: artisanal fisheries, working conditions of fishworkers, fishworkers unions, fishworker movements, social security, women in fisheries, fisheries statistics, fishing technology, fishing communities, aquaculture, fisheries trade, fisheries management, coastal ecosystems and legal instruments, from different parts of the world. Bangladesh: Fishermen protest two month fishing prohibition May 29,2019 | Source: The Phnom Penh Post Hundreds of Bangladeshi fishermen staged a protest in the countrys south on Sunday, police said, after the government imposed an unprecedented two-month long fishing ban on the Bay of Bengal. Carrying placards and banners, the fishermen marched to Coxs Bazar city from coastal villages days after the governments 65-day long fishing embargo came into effect. This is wrong. This is injustice. No other country in the world has ever imposed such a long ban, said union leader Kolim Ullah through a loudhailer during the protest. Ullah said the ban has hit the livelihood of hundreds of thousands of people in Bangladeshs coastal districts, home to about 20 million people, most of whom depend either directly or indirectly on fishing. The embargo has especially hit the poor fishermen hard. They dont know any other work, he said. Bangladesh imposed the ban on fishing in the Bay of Bengal last week in an effort to replenish depleted stocks. The junior minister for fisheries, Ashraf Ali Khan, said the ban would run from May 20 to July 23, and that navy and coast guard vessels would patrol the bay to prevent boats from putting to sea. Bangladesh frequently slaps seasonal bans on fishing in deep seas and coastal rivers, but authorities said this was the longest-ever imposed for shallow waters near the coast. It covers all types of fishing boats. Ullah said the protesters submitted a memorandum to the administrator in Coxs Bazar demanding the ban be shortened to one month and the government stop foreign fishing vessels from entering Bangladeshi waters. As part of compensation measures, the Bangladesh government has announced it will provide free rice for nearly half a million families of badly affected fishermen. But S M Nazrul, another union leader, said the aid is promised only for the registered fishermen, while the number of unregistered fishermen is eight times more than the registered ones. Fishermen have also threatened to march towards the capital Dhaka if the embargo is not shortened. The ban is slapped on just before Eid, said fisherman Mohammad Rafique, referring to the largest Muslim festival of Eid al-Fitr. How will we celebrate Eid when we dont have a penny in the pocket? The ban has also hit Rohingya refugees, nearly a million of whom have fled a military crackdown in Myanmar and found shelter in squalid camps near Bangladeshs Teknaf and Ukhia fishing towns. The refugees are not permitted to work outside the camps but thousands have secretly found work in the sea-going fishing trawlers owned by Bangladeshis. Thousands of Rohingya work as crew members in a bid to find a better life. This ban would throw these Rohingya back on the streets, said Abdus Salam, a boat owner in Shamlapur fishing village. Every year Bangladesh imposes a weeks-long ban on the fishing of Hilsa a popular Herring-like staple and has created six sanctuaries in its network of coastal rivers to allow spawning. The bans have boosted the Hilsa catch by more than 150 per cent since 2004 and turned it into a $2 billion industry. 2017 The Phnom Penh Post Baghdad (AFP) -- A Baghdad court sentenced a Frenchman to death on Wednesday for joining the Islamic State group, bringing to seven the number of French jihadists on death row in Iraq Yassin Sakkam was among 12 French citizens transferred to Iraqi authorities in January by a US-backed force fighting the jihadist group in neighbouring Syria. "I admit to having sworn allegiance" to IS, he told the court, saying he was paid $70 (62 euros) a month. Sakkam, who was dressed in a yellow prison uniform and sported a closely cropped goatee, said he regretted his decision to join IS, and asked to be pardoned. Iraq has taken custody of thousands of jihadists in recent months after they were captured by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces during the battle to destroy the IS "caliphate". They include hundreds of foreigners suspected of IS membership, raising the question of whether suspected IS jihadists should be tried in the region or repatriated. France has long insisted its adult citizens captured in Iraq or Syria must face trial locally, while reiterating its opposition to capital punishment. Iraqi law provides for the death penalty for anyone joining a "terrorist group" -- even those who did not take up arms. Sakkam, now aged 29, left France in late 2014 to fight for IS, posting pictures online of himself carrying arms and speaking to multiple media outlets about the group. RELATED | Un quatrieme Francais condamne a mort en Irak, la France a entrepris des demarches He became one of the most notorious jihadists from France, which has been seeking his arrest since 2016. Kurdish authorities detained him in Syria in 2017. His brother Karim carried out a suicide attack at the Iraqi-Jordanian border in 2015, according to the French Center for the Analysis of Terrorism. 'Inhumane treatment' Also on Wednesday, an Iraqi court sentenced 24-year-old Tunisian Mohammed Berriri to death for joining IS, after a hearing lasting less than an hour. Berriri, also dressed in a yellow prison uniform, admitted to joining IS, saying he thought it was "defending the weak", but said he now regretted doing so. Sakkam and the six other French citizens handed death sentences in recent days have 30 days to appeal. The remaining five French suspects face trial in the coming days. Iraqi courts have dealt with a steady flow of jihadists -- with 500 foreign men and women already found guilty of having joined IS. None of those sentenced to death have so far been executed. The trials have been criticised by human rights groups, which say they often rely on evidence obtained through torture. In a statement sent to AFP, a group representing the families of French jihadists asked the government in Paris to "do everything possible to stop this fatal chain of death sentences" and to try them "on our soil". On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said France was stepping up efforts to stop Iraq executing those convicted. France's rights ombudsman on Wednesday said the country must stop the "inhumane treatment" of children of jihadists stranded in Syria who are not being allowed to come to the country. FIND related content here Meanwhile, Iraq repatriated to Turkey on Wednesday 188 children of Turks accused of belonging to the Islamic State group, a capital offence in Iraq, the judiciary said. The move follows the repatriation to Tajikistan late last month of 84 children of nationals convicted by Iraqi courts of membership of IS or other jihadist groups. That came after dozens of children were flown to Russia and after France and Germany repatriated the children of women nationals detained in Iraq. Baghdad declared victory over IS in 2017 but the group's cross-border "caliphate" was only eliminated when US-backed fighters conquered its last scrap of territory in Syria in March. | 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 Agence France-Presse, Staff, May 29, 2019 An Iraqi court on Tuesday sentenced two high-profile French members of the Islamic State group to death, including one who featured in a propaganda video praising the 2015 Paris attacks, bringing the total number of French former jihadis condemned to death this week to six. France said it would do all it can to spare the group from execution in Iraq. Although it has made no effort to bring back the captured fighters, France is outspoken against the death penalty globally. The sentencings in Iraq come amid controversy about the legal treatment of thousands of foreign fighters who had joined IS at the height of its power in Syria and Iraq when the militant group declared its self-styled caliphate. Human rights groups are concerned they are being rushed through Iraqi counterterrorism courts in trials that raise questions over whether justice is being done. Convictions are often based on confessions that defendants and rights groups say are extracted by intimidation, torture and abuse and without due process. Although European IS members have been sentenced to death, none has actually been executed in Iraq. The men sentenced to death Tuesday were identified as Karam Salam Mohammed El-Harchaoui and Brahim Ali Mansour Nejara. They are among a group of 12 French citizens who were detained by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces in neighboring Syria and handed over to Iraq in January. The Kurdish-led group spearheaded the fight against IS in Syria and has handed over to Iraq hundreds of suspected IS members in recent months. Nejara, 32, helped run one of the networks that sent Europeans to join the Islamic State group and appeared in a video a week after the November 2015 attacks in Paris. The video was titled "Paris has collapsed" and shows a fictitious destruction of the Eiffel Tower, according to Jean-Charles Brisard of the Center of the Analysis of Terrorism. RELATED | Islamic State: Iraq sentences French citizens to death Nejara is originally from a suburb of the French city of Lyon called Meyzieu, long known to be a training ground for jihadis, even before the appearance of the Islamic State group. He is believed to have encouraged one of his brothers back home to carry out an attack in France, possibly on the stadium there. Two brothers were arrested in France. The video, in which he appeared armed and in military uniform praising the Paris attacks, was played in court Tuesday. The attacks killed 130 people and wounded more than 400. RELATED | Baghdad court sentences fourth French IS member to death Nejara, speaking before the judge, said that he was forced to make the video because the group was looking for someone who speaks French. He said he was threatened with prison when he requested to appear masked in the video, before they agreed to his request. The other militant, El-Harchaoui, 33, lived in Belgium before he left for Syria in 2014. He was wounded in one of the battles he fought for IS in Syria. His second wife told The Associated Press he joined IS in Syria in 2014, was sent to Iraq to fight, escaped and traveled back to Syria's Shaddadeh, then to Raqqa where he was wounded in an airstrike in 2016. He was jailed for fleeing, then released. The two then met and married in October 2015, after which he was arrested again. "I know he will not have a fair trial," Samira told the AP in an interview in March at camp Roj in northern Syria, where thousands of foreign women and children are languishing. El-Harchaoui showed off his wound to the court on Tuesday, pulling off the top of his yellow prison uniform to reveal a hole in his right shoulder where he was wounded from a shell that hit a nearby house. Three other French IS fighters had already been sentenced to death on Sunday, and a fourth on Monday. Those convicted can appeal their sentences within a month. Nabil Boudi, lawyer for Leonardo Lopez, who was sentenced to death earlier this week, told France Info radio that lawyers for the French citizens were waiting for the end of all the trials before appealing. Human rights groups have criticized Iraq's handling of IS trials, accusing authorities of relying on circumstantial evidence and often extracting confessions under torture. Judge Abdul Sattar Bayraqdar, a judicial spokesman, said Iraq is prosecuting these militants on behalf of all the countries of the world. "By punishing these criminals, we are saving the world from their evils," he told AP. The former IS members all said they regretted what they'd done. However, they all referred to IS by the Arabic name of "Tanzeem," or organization, rather than Daesh, even when the judge did. The Arabic acronym for the group is deemed offensive by IS and its supporters. France's foreign minister said earlier Tuesday that his government is working to spare the group of condemned Frenchmen from execution after Iraq sentenced them to death. Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian also reiterated France's position but said the IS militants should be tried where they committed their crimes. "We are multiplying efforts to avoid the death penalty for these ... French people," he said on France-Inter radio. He didn't elaborate, but said he spoke to Iraq's president about the case. Boudi, the lawyer, accused France of engaging in "doublespeak." He said France knew full well the moment the French citizens were transferred to Iraq that they were going to be sentenced to death. He said the investigation lasted three months and was a judicial fiasco. "The idea of a fair trial is a farce, a huge joke." | 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 For the second time in eight days, the Benton County Sheriffs Office is dealing with the death of a deputy. Brent Iverson, 42, was killed in an off-duty traffic crash south of Philomath on Monday night. Undersheriff Greg Ridler said Iverson was driving his personal vehicle, a Ford pickup, on Fern Road near Airport Avenue shortly before 7:30 p.m. when the truck went off the road and crashed. There was probably a medical event before the crash, Ridler said. Witnesses immediately began performing CPR, he added, but Iverson was unresponsive. Ridler said the collision was not high-impact, and Iversons son, who was a passenger in the truck, was uninjured. Iverson, a patrol deputy, was an 11-year veteran of the department. His death comes on the heels of the sudden passing of Deputy Rick Fontaine, who died May 20, not long after being diagnosed with cancer. Ridler said the deaths have hit the department hard, but everyone is trying to carry on as best they can. We deal with death on a weekly basis sometimes, Ridler said, but to lose two of our own in one week is pretty traumatic. Adding to the impact is the fact that Iversons brother, David, is a sergeant with the department. The Oregon State Police is investigating the crash. State troopers are also pitching in to cover some calls for service to the Benton County Sheriffs Office, as are officers with the Corvallis, Philomath and Albany police departments. Everything and anything they need from us during this time, were just going to handle it, Corvallis Police Chief Jon Sassaman said. Were all small jurisdictions we know everybody by name, he added. Im just pleased we can give them the time they need to deal with this internally. Reporter Bennett Hall can be reached at 541-758-9529 or bennett.hall@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter at @bennetthallgt. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 32 Angry 1 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. This editorial, on the resignation agreement for the Portland State University president, originally appeared in The Oregonian/OregonLive on May 19. Here's the lesson that Portland State University students are learning from those at the very top of their institution: Credible allegations of bullying, complaints of unethical behavior and signs of dishonesty will be amply rewarded with a fat check and a promise to help thwart scrutiny. It's difficult to view the generous resignation agreement negotiated between PSU's Board of Trustees and President Rahmat Shoureshi with any less cynicism. Members of PSU's Board of Trustees have known since last fall of complaints against Shoureshi so severe that the chairwoman warned the president he could be fired. Despite putting him on an improvement plan, concerns persisted particularly after The Oregonian/OregonLive's Jeff Manning made public the allegations against Shoureshi prompting the board to commission investigations into his financial management and employee relations. By May, the trustees wanted Shoureshi gone. But never mind the board's authority to fire him. The trustees, a volunteer group of business executives, PSU community members and other gubernatorial appointees, instead put a happy face on Shoureshi's departure after only 21 months in the role. Not only did they issue a statement lauding his tenure, but they agreed to pay him a package worth more than $850,000, including health insurance into 2021 and $35,000 to cover his legal fees. And to top it off, the trustees have agreed to mislead the public and future potential employers of Shoureshi by not discussing the circumstances surrounding his resignation. Rather, they promised to stick to the tenor of PSU's public statement and keep confidential the investigative reports and resignation agreement unless legally forced to release them. It's quite the soft landing for a president who was accused by the board chair six months earlier of deceiving trustees with his request for a raise, treating staff unprofessionally and putting his own financial self-interest ahead of the university's. Gale Castillo, who chairs the board of trustees, defended the agreement in an email to The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board, noting that negotiating a "fair settlement" is standard. "PSU's ethical and legal responsibility is to reach the best terms possible for the university, students and Oregon taxpayers," she wrote. While the generous payout for Shoureshi is not what's driving the 11% tuition increase approved by trustees last week, many students bearing the increase may question the trustees' definition of "fair." It remains to be seen whether the Higher Education Coordinating Commission, which must approve PSU's tuition hike, will also signal any doubts. Arguably, this may ultimately be the best solution to a bad situation. A resignation settlement helps achieve the trustees' goal of getting Shoureshi immediately off campus without the costs or uncertainty of a protracted, expensive legal fight. And certainly, there's some value to that. But it's important to remember that the trustees are the ones who brought him on campus in the first place and who were responsible for overseeing him. And conveniently, PSU's confidentiality pledge helps shield not only Shoureshi but the trustees themselves. Because while Manning's reporting has described Shoureshi's ethically questionable decisions and management deficiencies, questions remain about whether the trustees acted promptly, responsibly and accountably. Unfortunately, the board has said very little about what, if anything, it would do different. Yet there's much they should answer for. How rigorous was the hiring process? Did they overlook any red flags? When did they first hear of concerns regarding his leadership? How closely did they monitor him in the months after putting him on an improvement plan? Why did they wait until after allegations were publicized in The Oregonian/OregonLive to launch investigations? What were the results of those investigations? Why not fire Shoureshi outright? And why promise confidentiality over and over when the trustees' duty is to students and the public? Transparency should be a guiding principle from which trustees and other public officials never waver. Instead, they treat it as a bargaining chip to be traded away at the drop of a hat as if the public interest in reports paid for with public dollars is up to them to determine. And while golden parachutes may be common in the corporate world, public institutions must consider more than just legal risk in their calculus of what's best. The Oregon Government Ethics Commission is to decide this month whether to investigate Shoureshi's actions as president. It should do so with a wide-ranging look at not only Shoureshi but also at what types of controls did or did not come into play. While the board is not the target of such an inquiry, the ethics commission can help shed light on whether there are gaps or flaws in PSU's processes for preventing, catching and correcting unethical behavior. And to the board's credit, Castillo acknowledged that it may be time for the board to "engage in a deep assessment and training process" regarding trustees' roles and responsibilities. She noted that it's been five years since PSU and Oregon's other public universities began operating under their own independent boards, which were intended to help provide some business expertise in university administration. The Shoureshi debacle is as good a time as any for them to reacquaint themselves with the basic principles of governance, the transparency and prudence necessary for a public institution and the central mission of a university. To educate ethical and courageous leaders of tomorrow, they need to be ethical and courageous leaders today. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Spanberger won her seat without Republican votes but now she caters almost exclusively to GOP voters Virginia elected two freshmen from red districts, Elaine Luria, who replaced Scott Taylor in VA-02 (primarily Virginia Beach, York County and part of Norfolk plus Hampton) and Abigail Spanberger, who replaced Dave Brat in VA-07, a much redder district that includes 10 counties, the largest of them being Chesterfield, Henrico, Spotsylvania and Culpepper. Luria's district has a PVI of R+3 and Spanberger's is a much more challenging R+6. Obama lost both districts both times he ran. Trump won VA-02 48.8% to 45.4% and VA-07 50.5% to 44.0%. These were the congressional results: In both cases, the Democrats outspent their GOP rivals-- in Spanberger's case by about double-- and both were tough, hard-fought races. Today, both districts are being heavily targeted by the NRCC for blue to red flips. They are trying to get Taylor to challenge Luria to a rematch and there are half a dozen Republican candidates lining up to challenge Spanberger, three of whom are very credible, a state senator and two state delegates, all military vets like Spanberger. Although both freshmen have earned "F" ratings from ProgressivePunch, neither has a Democratic primary opponent, at least not so far. There are 5 very conservative Democrats tied for the 193rd among 235 Dems in the House. Each has a rotten score of 64.29%-- besides Luria and Spanberger, Angie Craig (New Dem-MN), Max Rose (Blue Dog-NY) and Mikie Sherrill (Blue Dog-NJ). Despite Cheri Bustos' bullshit about "protecting freshmen" with her ugly anti-primary rule, none of these particularly bad freshmen has a primary opponent. don't want to see Social Security protected? Republicans aren't going to vote for either of them in 2020. Their paths to reelection are all about encouraging a big Democratic turnout and appealing to independent voters (not Republican voters). Their time in Congress so far will deflate Democratic base turnout, not inflate it. Back to Luria and Spanberger, both seem to have made the decision that it's more important to protect their careers than to embrace Democratic values and ideals. Aside from their crappy voting records, neither has co-sponsored Pramila Jayapal's Medicare-For-All Act, AOC's Green New Deal Resolution, nor John Larson's Social Security 2100 Act (which is sponsored by 206 Democrats so far). Do Luria and Spanberger think their constituentswant to see Social Security protected? Republicans aren't going to vote for either of them in 2020. Their paths to reelection are all about encouraging a big Democratic turnout and appealing to independent voters (Republican voters). Their time in Congress so far willflate Democratic base turnout, not inflate it. Not everyone agrees. In a p.r.-agency-generated paean to Spanberger, Her Party Is Liberal. Her District Is Conservative. Moderate Democrat Fights To Survive In The Middle, the Washington Post's Jenna Portnoy, came up with every excuse in the book for protecting a faux-Democrat from the Republican-wing of the party, despite her atrocious record. Within her first week in Congress, Spanberger has already "informed the leadership that demonizing the border wall was not the way to keep control of the House. 'Listen, in my district I am hearing, Build a wall! In my district we are losing the messaging that Democrats can be strong on borders,' said the 39-year-old from the Richmond, Va. suburbs, according to the congresswoman and others who were there. It was a critical moment for Spanberger, one of dozens of new Democratic lawmakers from red districts who helped their party seize control of the House last year. These members will have to win reelection if the party is to hold the chamber in 2020." "These members will have to win reelection if the party is to hold the chamber in 2020." Never These members will have to persuade voters in their districts that building a wall is bad policy and there's a better way to achieve what they want. That's always too difficult for the Democratic Party to articulate these days. Instead we get this canned, subversive drivel: They face a double challenge: Not only do they have to strike a balance between loyalty to the Democratic Party and fidelity to their more conservative districts, but they also have to fight the leftward tug of progressives who want universal health care, impeachment of President Trump and a Green New Deal. Spanberger and the other moderates must find ways to separate themselves from a freshman class defined by lawmakers such as Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY) and Rashida Tlaib (MI), proud members of the Democratic Socialists of America. Its a tough tightrope act [Spanberger] has to perform, said Mark Rozell, dean of the Schar School of Public Policy and Government at George Mason University. She has to stay politically centered as much as possible, given the nature of her district, while at the same time work effectively with her party leadership who are pushing a more progressive agenda. Yes, "politically centered." Who defines that? Who determines which policy prescriptions are part of the "center?" Trump and McTurtle? The financiers who own and operate the GOP, the Blue Dogs, the New Dems and No Labels/Problem Solvers? Certainly, never the timid, self-loathing, geriatric Democratic Party leaders. Count on that. "As she fights the pull of the progressives," continued Portoy, "and learns her way around Congress, Spanberger already faces a Republican opponent -- Tina Ramirez, a Hispanic single mother and activist in the cause of religious freedom." There's another term a hack journalist is happy to throw around without thought in the world about what it means-- "religious freedom?" Freedom to what? Discriminate against gays? Is that what it comes down to today? That puts Spanberger on an immediate campaign footing, just six months after she beat Rep. Dave Brat (R) in Virginias 7th Congressional District by emphasizing her national security background, independence and civility. In her first weeks in office, she visited the White House with Democratic and Republican members of the Problem Solvers Caucus to discuss ending the government shutdown that had begun in December. She signed on to letters and legislation spearheaded by Republicans. She voted against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (CA), whom Brat and other Republicans frequently invoked during the 2018 campaign as embodying a liberal elite. Still, some Republican voters remain wary. Who the fuck cares about Republicans being wary? Her path to reelection is through independents not Republicans. Is that too hard a concept to grasp? No Democrat, no matter how far to the right ever satisfies Republicans. They will label her Spanberger a socialist no matter what she does. Needless to say, the idiot reporter interviewed hard core Republicans. Paul Johnson voted for Brat. Does someone expect him to switch to Spanberger now? He told Portnoy that Spanberger "portrayed herself as somewhat independent-- I dont have the impression she is exactly what she has sold herself as. He was pissed off that she voted for H.R. 1, "legislation containing measures including restricting partisan gerrymandering, creating automatic voter registration, making Election Day a federal holiday and requiring super PACs to disclose donors." Johnson asserts that that means she was "siding with Nancy Pelosi, taking some of these extreme positions, taking rights away from the states." If Spanberger wants his votes, there's exactly one way to get it-- jump the fence like so many Blue Dogs have done in the past, and join the GOP. Another superfluous Brat supporter Portnoy dug up said "he would consider voting for Spanberger if she upheld 'Virginia conservative values.'" She has done exactly that, but Republicans will still spend immense amounts of money telling Republican voters that she's a socialist and in a lesbian/Muslim relationship with Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib. At times, she has supported Republican-led amendments, to the chagrin of Democrats, as when she and 26 other moderate [ah... that word hack DC journos love to use to describe the far right of the Democratic Party] Democrats helped Republicans amend a bill to expand federal background checks for gun purchases. They added a provision that says U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement must be notified when an undocumented immigrant seeks to purchase a firearm. Its incumbent on all of us to give her the room she needs to do the art of the possible for her district, Rep. Don Beyer (New Dem-VA) said. Loosely quoting Pelosi, he said, We didnt take back the House winning blue seats. Spanberger wants to position herself as a pragmatist, compromising to effect change gradually. If we are just driven by ideology, we will achieve nothing for the people who actually need it, she said during an interview interrupted by well-wishers at a coffee shop in her district. She pointed to Brat, the Republican she defeated, noting his membership in the conservative House Freedom Caucus, which she said repeatedly sabotaged efforts at compromise when Republicans controlled the House. Brats hard-line approach, combined with his cool relations with supporters of former House majority leader Eric Cantor, whom he defeated in a nasty 2014 GOP primary, made his last term rocky. His relationships with Democrats were toxic, especially after he complained that the women are in my grill no matter where I go in part because he refused to hold town halls after Trumps election. When he finally relented, he faced angry crowds. Spanberger, on the other hand, has held five subdued town halls in her first four months. During the campaign, she bonded with other first-time candidates with similar national security backgrounds. The nine new lawmakers with security backgrounds coordinated their choices in the office lottery so that they work near one another. The women in the group are particularly close and text one another often. They are Democratic Reps. Elissa Slotkin (Mich.), who worked at the CIA; Chrissy Houlahan (PA), an Air Force veteran; Elaine Luria (Va.), a retired Navy commander; and Mikie Sherrill (NJ), a former Navy helicopter pilot and federal prosecutor. They all flipped red seats to blue and understand the delicate politics of swing districts. Call them what you like, they may have been war heroes (or not), to me they are political cowards unwilling to stand up for the progressive values that differentiate the Democratic Party from the Republican Party. "We come from places where different ideologies live side by side," Houlahan said, "and we have a real responsibility to legislate that way. I feel like the narrative is that the Democratic Party has been hijacked by the left." And, yes, yes, of course Houlahan has also earned an "F" from ProgressivePunch for her putrid voting record. The House Democratic Party leadership wanted exactly this when they went out and recruited women who were conservative-leaning military vets. 12500 N.E. Tenth Place Bellevue, WA 98005 JPFO.org 800-869-1884 info@jpfo.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 29, 2019 Contact: Floyd Neeland CAN NEW YORK CITY BAN YOUR RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS? U.S. Supreme Court Accepts Huge Gun Case JPFO joins as amicus curiae in critical lawsuit against tyrannical abuse New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. City of New York, set for Oct. 2019 Courts should not use "marginal scrutiny" and allow unconstitutional laws to stand New York City bans taking your licensed sidearm out of the city, for any reason, and their local courts have approved of this law. After a nine-year vacuum on gun cases at the High Court, this is the perfect one to bring--straight forward, severe, a blatant violation on the right to bear arms, outrageous on its face, a raw exercise of uncontrolled power. Controversially decided in two lower courts--against the civil right to arms--that's the nub of the case. Can lower courts operate outside strict guidelines the High Court itself has set? Can lower courts write their own law? "New York has been treating the Second Amendment as a government permit to infringe on human and civil rights, and worse, its courts have been bowing to their leaders' demands," said Alan Korwin, an award-winning author and consultant to JPFO. "The Supreme Court took this case to examine that aberrant behavior." The Friend of the Court brief joined by JPFO emphasizes the core rights protected, calling for high-level "strict scrutiny" in cases dealing with the Second Amendment in all lower courts. Courts have been nearly criminally remiss in their actions since the Heller case said stop that in 2008, and lower courts didn't, a widely recognized problem. "Circuit courts admit they treat the Second Amendment as a second-class right," JPFO's brief notes. Yet the Supreme Court insisted the Second Amendment is not a "second-class right" to be "singled out for special--and specially unfavorable--treatment," in its Chicago v. McDonald ruling in 2010. This case scares the left. A summary of the main points in JPFO's brief follows. ##### Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership, http://www.jpfo.org is Americas most aggressive civil-rights organization, dedicated to destroying the notion of gun control as any kind of credible public-policy position. So-called gun control does not control guns and doesnt control criminal behavior. What it does do is disarm the innocent, leaving them helpless in the face of criminals, tyrannical governments and genocide. History repeatedly proves this fact. Founded in 1989 by Aaron Zelman as a response to the Holocaust, JPFO speaks with the moral authority and tenacious commitment of survivors of persecution, and knows that surrendering your personal and family safety to government protection courts disaster. You dont have to be Jewish to fight by our side, you just have to love liberty. Backgrounder This case has attracted 26 amicus briefs. The U.S. Dept. of Justice filed one just before the deadline, on our side, making some excellent points, summarized below. Here's the heart of the amicus brief JPFO filed, along with five others in support of the Petitioners--New York State Rifle and Pistol Assn., et al. Strict scrutiny should apply in reviewing any ban on self-defense for law-abiding citizens, and to bans on training. Strict scrutiny is the appropriate standard for reviewing any prohibitions on law-abiding citizens, because they receive the greatest Second Amendment protections. Strict scrutiny is appropriate for evaluating burdens on self-defense. Strict scrutiny is appropriate for gauging the City's burdens on travel and range-training. New York City's travel prohibition is a very severe burden. Handgun rentals are no substitute for practice with one's own gun (city police say go rent guns at other ranges). Target shooting is protected by the Second Amendment. Like other circuits, the Second Circuit has invented a unique and feeble version of intermediate scrutiny for the Second Amendment. The City must provide actual evidence and cannot rely instead on shoddy reasoning or data. Intermediate scrutiny must require consideration of substantially less burdensome alternatives. By jettisoning this Court's heightened scrutiny requirements, the lower courts have adopted the freestanding interest-balancing this Court repeatedly rejected. Lower courts have been effectively nullifying the Second Amendment; The Second Circuit applies "rational basis" in Second Amendment cases, and the practice is spreading to other courts. (Rational basis is the lowest level and virtually no test, it basically holds that if government legally enacted something, it therefore makes sense, eliminating oversight with circular reasoning.) The Seventh Circuit shows the need for a robust, universal Second Amendment test. The right protected from state infringement by the Fourteenth Amendment has the same original meaning as the right protected from federal infringement by the Second Amendment. The circuit court decision upholding New York City should be reversed. The U.S. Dept. of Justice makes these additional arguments The circuit court decision upholding New York City should be reversed. The NYC transport ban infringes the right to keep and bear arms. The Second Amendment protects a right to transport arms outside the home. The transport ban infringes the right to transport arms outside the home. The Court of Appeals' reasons for upholding the transport ban are mistaken. The ban on transporting firearms to out-of-state ranges violates the dormant Commerce Clause, but not the right to travel. Anti-gun-rights groups have also filed briefs, which JPFO will summarize in a bulletin in the near future. Concerned that the U.S. Supreme Court will overturn New York's draconian ban on gun rights, so-called "gun-control" groups have actually pressed city police to loosen their restrictions, to make the case moot, and keep it out of the High Court. One Pulse For America, headed by former Star Trek actor George Takei' is among those seeking to scuttle the case by asking police to eliminate the need to get a carry permit to take a household firearm out of the city, a ploy that failed. ##### Ericsson pledges to provide new digital services to VNPT consumers. Photo by Reuters Sweden's Ericsson has signed a strategic partnership pact with state-run VNPT to accelerate the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies. The agreement was announced in Stockholm Tuesday, on the occasion of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phucs official visit to Sweden. Under the agreement, Ericsson will provide new digital services to VNPT consumers, individuals and enterprises, and support e-government initiatives. The partnership will also expand VNPTs internet of things (IoT) capabilities across its network. "By providing our 4G IoT capabilities as well as leveraging our recently launched IoT Innovation Hub in Vietnam, we are looking to fuel and drive the IoT ecosystem in Vietnam and create momentum towards 5G," said Denis Brunetti, head of Ericsson Vietnam and Myanmar. He was referring to an innovation hub that was launched in Hanoi last month by Ericsson and the Ministry of Science and Technology to support start-ups and promote entrepreneurship. VNPT Group is a major communications service provider in Vietnam. Last year, it earned profits of over VND6.4 trillion ($273 million), up 25 percent from 2017. The U.S. has added Vietnam and eight other countries to a watchlist for currency manipulation. Photo by VnExpress. The U.S. Treasury has added Vietnam to a currency manipulation watchlist, citing the country's trade surplus with the U.S as a factor. The U.S. labels a country as a currency manipulator if it meets two of the following three criteria: a current account surplus with the U.S. equivalent to 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP); a trade surplus of at least $20 billion; and persistent market intervention on behalf of the nations currency. In its report released Tuesday, the Trump administration did not label any country a currency manipulator seeking to gain unfair trade advantages over the U.S., but named a watchlist of nine countries, including Vietnam. Vietnam has met two of the three criteria, having a trade surplus with the U.S. that has risen over the last decade to reach $40 billion in 2018, twice the threshold of $20 billion. Vietnams current account balance with the U.S. has also been rising over the last decade, reaching a surplus of more than 5 percent of the GDP in the four quarters through June 2018, more than double the threshold of 2 percent, the U.S Treasury said. Vietnam is one of the most trade-dependent nations in the world, with exports equivalent to more than 100 percent of GDP, according to World Bank data. The U.S. Treasury has excused Vietnams recent currency intervention as the Vietnamese authorities have credibly conveyed a "reasonable rationale" for rebuilding reserves. While Vietnams purchases of foreign exchange outweighing sales over the course of last year, the central bank intervened in both directions, with foreign exchange sales used to resist downward pressure on the Vietnamese dong in the second half of 2018, the U.S Treasury noted. It proposed that Vietnam reduce its interventions and allow for movements in the exchange rate that reflect economic fundamentals, including gradual appreciation of the real effective exchange rate, which would help reduce Vietnams external surpluses. Eight other countries in the monitoring list are China, Japan, South Korea, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Singapore and Malaysia. There has been a surge in Vietnams exports to the U.S. whose trade war with China continues without an end in sight. The U.S. was Vietnams largest export market in the first five months with a value of $22.6 billion, up 28 percent year-on-year. China came second with $13.4 billion, down 2.6 percent, according to Vietnam's General Statistics Office. Vietnam was the U.S.s 12th largest supplier last year, but if this pace of growth is sustained for a full year, it could leapfrog Italy, France, the U.K., and India in the ranks of top exporters to the U.S, Bloomberg said in a new report. The country has become a standout in a region where the worlds export engines are largely hurting amid trade-war tensions and a slowing electronics cycle, the report added. U.S. Census Bureau data shows Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan all saw export contractions in April, while in the same month Vietnams exports gained 7.5 percent from a year earlier. Experts have called Vietnam a "winner" of the trade war as it has received increasing investment as major manufacturers leave China to avoid the high tariffs. U.S. footwear maker Brooks Running announced earlier this month that it would shift the majority of its shoe production from China to Vietnam this year. Apples iPhone assembler Foxconn has acquired the right to use property in an industrial park in northern Vietnam, while Chinese GoerTek last year asked all suppliers involved in its AirPod production to ship all necessary materials to Vietnam. Industry insiders have said that Vietnams low production costs have made it an attractive new home for foreign companies in China. A factory worker in Vietnam is paid half the remuneration of his counterpart in China. The geographical proximity between the two countries has made transitions easier and cheaper. But there could also be negative fallout, according to analysts. Economist Nguyen Tri Hieu told VnExpress International that the U.S.s aggressive tariff raise means China has to depreciate its currency to mitigate the damage. This would lead to a surge in cheaper imports from China, making it difficult for Vietnams domestic products to compete, he said. The trade war between the worlds two largest economics intensified this month when U.S. President Donald Trump on May 10 raised tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports from 10 percent to 25 percent. A day later he ordered a tariff hike on almost all the remaining imports worth $300 billion. In response, China is set to impose higher tariffs on some $60 billion worth of U.S goods starting June 1. Delegate Ton Ngoc Hanh said the National Assembly's large amount of work has led to delays in some major projects like the Long Thanh International Airport. Photo courtesy of the Airports Corporation of Vietnam. National Assembly deputies are concerned a new government proposal could take away their power to approve major national projects. The government Tuesday proposed a draft law on public investment that would give it the authority to approve medium-term public investment projects. It said the bill aims to reduce the National Assemblys (NA) workload. Many delegates disagreed with the proposal. Le Thanh Van from the southern province of Ca Mau said that the NA should approve these projects because it is mandated by the nations constitution. Delegate Vu Thi Luu Mai from Hanoi said that of the VND8,000 trillion ($341 billion) set to be spent from the state budget in 2016-2020, a large chunk VND2,000 trillion ($85 billion) has been allocated for major projects. "As an organization representing the people, the National Assembly must review this investment as this money is tax collected from the citizens." In the bill, the government seeks more power to approve major national projects. The law currently defines major national project as those that cost VND10 trillion ($427 million) or more, and these need National Assembly approval. The government wants this cap to increase to VND20 trillion ($853 million) so that it has more power to approve projects with lower investment capital. But delegates are against the idea. Hoang Quang Ham from the NA Budget and Finance Committee, said that only two projects were capitalized at VND10 trillion in the last 10 years, therefore a change is not necessary. "If the cap is raised, there might not be any project left for the National Assembly to approve." NA Deputy Chairman Phung Quoc Hien said that "the Natinal Assembly should supervise the state budget to the last penny because it comes from citizens." However, some lawmakers supported the bill. Ton Ngoc Hanh, a delegate from the southern Binh Phuoc Province, said that there were 9,000 projects with thousands of pages of documents, the NA does not have resources to review all of them. The large amount of work has led to delays in some major projects like the Long Thanh International Airport in the south and the North-South Expressway, he added. Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung was also concerned that the large amount of work would reduce the productivity of the NA as there are only two sessions each year with "so much work to be done." "The governments proposal will help reduce the work burden on the National Assembly and at the same time maintain its status as the highest organ of state power in the country," he said. Lawmakers will vote on the draft bill on June 13. With recent minimum wage increases, Vietnams low labor cost allure for foreign investors is on the decline, says a Fitch Group report. Vietnam was among three countries with the largest minimum wage growth in East Asia, with an average year-on-year growth rate of 8.8 percent between 2015 and 2019, according to the financial information services provider. Ahead of Vietnam were Laos and China, where the minimum wages rose 14.6 and 9.8 percent each year respectively. The 2019 minimum wage in Vietnam also increased by an average of 5.3 percent across its four regions. Region 1 (covering the urban areas of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the country's two biggest cities) saw the largest increase in the minimum wage of 5.9 percent to $180 this year. A World Bank report in December last year also found that Vietnams labor costs, which it defines as the cost of all payments to all workers in a firm divided equally, was the highest among comparator countries in Southeast Asia. It said wage costs of about $2,739 per worker for the median Vietnamese firm was about twice as high as in Laos, Myanmar and Malaysia, and about 30 to 45 percent higher than in Cambodia, Thailand and the Philippines. However, the higher costs also seem in line with productivity levels and thus do not seem to be a major obstacle to competitiveness, the report said. Wages to continue rising Fitch predicts the average nominal minimum wage to continue rising across East and South East Asia over the short-to-medium term. This is the result of the regions transition into high-value manufacturing and service-based economies associated with higher labor costs, while moving away from agriculture and low-cost labor-intensive sectors, which generally have lower wages, it said. "This, together with robust economic growth and the rising costs of living, risks exacerbating regional wealth inequality, thereby emboldening workers demands for higher minimum wages." Meanwhile, wages are being pushed upwards as authorities in countries such as Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines respond positively to worker and union demands in order to prevent the possibility of social unrest, the report said. This will undermine the regions overall appeal to labor-intensive business activities, which will require countries to find production alternatives such as moving into more knowledge-driven industries, or integrating artificial intelligence and automation into more aspects of production, Fitch added. Skilled workforce for the future Speaking to the press last December, Nihad Ahmed, senior economist for Vietnam at global economic analysts FocusEconomics, said that investors had been historically drawn to Vietnams enormous untapped potential promising high returns, along with a low-cost workforce and high endowment of natural resources. However, she said that one of Vietnam's current weaknesses is the lack of skilled workers, emphasizing that Vietnam is far behind China, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand in this area at a time when developing a highly skilled workforce is critical for attracting FDI into value-added industries. In a government draft on a new national FDI attraction strategy for 2018-2030, the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) also conceded that despite registering record levels of FDI in the past few years, Vietnam is having trouble attracting investment into high-added value sectors. The country is relying on temporary tax incentives and low labor costs in low-skilled manufacturing sectors to gain an advantage, but this is not helping bring in FDI to the high-tech sector, which the country needs to shift towards, the ministry said. Among the solutions proposed by the MPI in the draft strategy was to conduct a national multi-sector coordination program to link the state, businesses and educational institutions towards producing a more technically qualified workforce. In addition, Vietnam needs to undertake long-term education reform, especially the integration of language and soft skills into all vocational training programs and university courses. Institutions should be given more autonomy to meet the needs of businesses, it said. The government has in the past year shown its keenness to move the country towards high-tech development. At a conference early this month, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc called for Vietnam to focus on technological innovation to beat the middle income trap, since resources and cheap labor are no longer its advantages. He later issued a five-pronged directive to the Ministry of Science and Technology for boosting hi-tech growth. US ban on Huawei not to hit Vietnam hard: report Huawei accounts for only 4 percent of Vietnam's smartphone market. Photo by Reuters/Eric Gaillard Vietnamese retailers will not be affected too much by the U.S. ban on Huawei, a major stock brokerage says. The Chinese technology companys smartphone market share in Vietnam is small, VnDirect said in a report. The U.S. on May 17 blacklisted Huawei after accusing it of aiding Beijing in espionage, cutting it off from the U.S. software and components it needs to make its products. VnDirect said Huawei only had a 4 percent market share in Vietnam last year, and Vietnamese customers could easily switch to other mid-range brands such as Oppo, Xiaomi and Nokia. For this reason, major retailers such as Mobile World and FPT Digital Retail would not be severely hit by the ban, it said. But they would have to deal with the remaining inventory as Huawei phones account for 6 percent of Mobile Worlds revenues and 4 percent of FPT Digital Retails, it said. VnDirect proposed three scenarios. In the best case, Huawei will join hands with the retailers to lower prices and offer promotions to liquidate the inventories. Huawei could buy the inventories from them like Samsung did in the case of its faulty Galaxy Note 7. In the worst case, if President Donald Trumps ban on Huawei persists and the Chinese firm does not cooperate, Mobile World and FPT Digital Retail will have to write off inventories of VND110 billion ($4.7 million) and VND40 billion ($1.7 million). This is equivalent to only 3.8 percent and 11.5 percent of the two retailers net profit last year, according to the report. Mobile World and FPT Digital Retail are waiting for a response from Huawei, it said. One popular retailers gain could however be directly proportional to their discomfiture. Digiworld does not sell Huawei phones, only Nokia and Xiaomi, which are expected to become more sought-after now, the report said. Huawei users expressed concern after Google said last week that it would suspend business ties with the Chinese firm. They flocked to online forums and social media looking for answers on whether their Android-powered phones would still be able to access Google services like Google Maps, Gmail and YouTube. VnDirect estimated Samsung to be the largest smartphone brand in Vietnam last year with a 41.1 percent market share, followed by Oppo with 22.7 percent. Apple was the third largest with 8.6 percent and Xiaomi fourth with 6 percent. The Ba Tan Vlog, featuring Nguyen Thi Tan cooking, has been ranked third in YouTubes top 500 most subscribed channels in 24 hours. Nguyen Thi Tan as seen in a photo on Ba Tan Vlog Facebook page A Social Blade report says she has won over 130,276 subscribers in 24 hours, following an education channel in India (341,405 subscribers) and Vietnam's Yeah1 channel for kids (221,770 subscribers), according to certified YouTube statistics collected by Social Blade as of last Saturday. The most watched video published on Tuesday last week follows Tans making of a gigantic 60-liter bubble tea which had attracted more than 6.7 million views at the time of publishing. Other dishes cooked in copious amounts by the 58-year-old woman include Vietnamese fried fish balls (4.4 million views) and a spicy hotpot (four million views). Tans running commentary, "this must be the biggest bubble tea cup in Vietnam" or "I have never cooked such a big dish in my life," seems to have struck a chord, with thousands responding positively to her reminder that viewers like and support her channel. Her channel has been active since February 2018, but the first video was only published on May 4. With a total of 21 videos, Ba Tan Vlog (Mrs. Tan Vlog) has collected over 61.8 million views and 1,475,874 million subscribers in the last 25 days. This equals approximately 57,000 people subscribing to her channel every day. According to Social Blade stats, the channel launched by the native of the northern Bac Giang Province is also fetching between $18,100 and $289,500 a month. Ba Tan Vlog's cover photo reveals her diminutive stature. She weighs 32 kg and is 1.1 meter tall. Her Facebook page has gotten over 316,000 likes. One of the channels linked to hers is the Hung Vlog which belongs to her son and has over 1.2 million subscribers. 29-year-old Nguyen Van Hung publishes videos that document daily experiences like buying a motorbike for his sister and trying a water motorcycle for the first time. His channel also promotes staged story lines with moral messages. He has been helping build and develop his moms channel, resulting in its viral popularity. Tan told local media on Sunday that the idea of the channel was suggested by him. She is in charge of cooking, while Hung and another son help with filming and online marketing. Nguyen Thi Tan poses with some of her fans. Photo courtesy of Ba Tan Vlog Facebook page Surprised village Nguyen Van Ky, head of the Chua Village where Tan lives, said he was surprised to see how popular a person they only know as a farmer has become. "Tan is a sociable person and liked by the people here," he said. Tans videos dont show substantial investment in filming technology or fancy cooking tools, but they have each garnered between one to six million views. Most comments on her videos say how uplifting, simple she is as a person and fun to watch. Many accounts find it amusing that a woman her age is outstripping in popularity other younger vloggers on Youtube with more contemporary, youth-focused videos like dating, make-up tutorials, and motivation messages. But there are also comments that disparage the channel for being boring, superficial, and not helpful. As of January 2019, Vietnamese were spending almost seven hours online a day on average, of which 2.5 hours were spent on social media across all devices. YouTube and Facebook, with 96 percent and 95 percent of Internet users who report using each respectively, are their most active platforms, according to a report by We Are Social. Vietnam has 62 million social media users in total. A French naval frigate docked at Saigons Hiep Phuoc Port on Tuesday, the first of its class to visit Vietnam. The Forbin D620, a Horizon-class frigate, has 29 officers and 170 non-commissioned officers and soldiers on board. During the frigates week-long visit, the crew will engage in exchanges as well as practice sessions with the Vietnamese navy, and go sight-seeing, said Thomas Frioli, the ship's commanding officer. The visit is part of a bilateral military cooperation program, which seeks to boost the strategic partnership between the two countries. Colonel Le Nam Son (L) of Vietnam Navy Command greets Colonel Thomas Frioli, commanding officer of the French frigate Forbin D620, as it docks in HCMC, May 28, 2019. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Nguyen The Forbin D620, which is 153 meters long and weighs 7,000 tons, is tasked with escorting and protecting aircraft carriers at sea. It is equipped with rockets and torpedoes, among other weapons, to intercept hostile rockets and aircraft. Vietnam and France established diplomatic relations in 1973. Last September, the two countries signed a Joint Vision Statement on Military Cooperation from 2018 to 2028, which sought to deepen bilateral relations on the basis of sovereignty and the law, and to maintain security and stability in the region and the world. Drug users are transported to a rehabilitation center in Ho Chi Minh City in 2014. Photo by VnExpress/Duy Tran The number of known drug users in Saigon as of last year was 23,500, a 7 percent increase from 2017, according to officials. Of them, 11,800 or 50 percent are being treated at medical facilities and 1,200 are in detention centers while the remaining 10,500 are at large, Tran Ngoc Du, director of the Social Evils Prevention Division of the city's Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, said at a meeting on Monday. Le Minh Tan, director of the department, said drug users are spread all over Saigon, the country's largest city with around 13 million people, including migrants. While heroin has long been common among drug users in Vietnam, the use of synthetic drugs like meth and ecstasy has been rising of late, especially among partying youth. Of the individuals registered for rehabilitation, 70 percent use meth, Tan said, as cited by Thanh Nien. The media reports frequently about people publicly injecting themselves with drugs at bus stations, on streets, on and under bridges, and other locations. Vo Van Trai, deputy head of the drug crime division at HCMC Police, said the actual number of people who use drugs is "many more and scary," referring to the widespread drug use that takes place in private places including bars and hotels. The city has recently seized massive quantities of drugs, he said, mostly from foreigners who took advantage of the "flexibility" of the custom process. In mid-May the city police seized half a ton of ketamine and arrested three Taiwanese and one Chinese. This was just weeks after a haul of one ton of crystal meth. Vietnamese authorities deal with around 20,000 cases involving drugs every year and arrest around 30,000 people. The country has some 250,000 registered addicts, but the actual figures are thought to be much higher. The country developed its approach to drug addiction based on the presumption that it represents a "social evil" that can be cured with abstinence and re-education. Following international criticism, the government established a timeframe in 2013 to gradually replace compulsory detention centers with community-based, voluntary treatment regimens. The transition, however, has proven tricky given inconsistencies in the legal system, the widely-held belief that drug addiction stems from moral failure and the lack of competent doctors, therapists and equipment. A damaged fishing vessel has been put on display in Vietnam to remind people of a Chinese attack on fishermen. DNa 90152TS fishing vessel on display. Photo by VnExpress/Nguyen Dong DNa 90152TS, a boat that used to fish around Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands, now stands outside the Hoang Sa Exhibition House in Son Tra District, Da Nang City. It was gifted by its owner, Huynh Thi Nhu Hoa, a local. On its left side the wooden hull is broken, the result of being rammed and sunk by a Chinese ship in May 2014. The only part of the boat that has been replaced is the national flag. The damage caused to DNa 90152TS after being hit by a Chinese vessel. Photo by VnExpress/Nguyen Dong The Chinese brought an oil rig, Haiyang Shiyou 981, and anchored it off Hoang Sa on May 1, 2014. With the arrival of the rig, which Vietnam repeatedly demanded China should remove, saying it violates Vietnams sovereignty and international laws, Chinese ships turned the waters around Hoang Sa into their backyard, chasing away and even attacking Vietnamese vessels. DNa 90152TS was rammed 17 nautical miles off the rig. The Chinese even prevented other Vietnamese fishing vessels from going to the rescue of its crew, but luckily the 10 men on board managed to save themselves. The vessel was badly damaged but China denied the attack happened, claiming the boat sank after ramming a Chinese ship. The Vietnamese media released a video clip shot by the fishermen showing the Chinese ship ramming the Vietnamese boat, and China remained silent. Hoa, the vessel's owner, went to a local lawyer, determined to take the Chinese ship to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in Hamburg, Germany. Lawyer Do Phap took up the case and offered to work free of charge. But it has gone nowhere with the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs for years ignoring all demands from Vietnamese fishermen. The Hoang Sa Exhibition House had in the past rejected offers from Hoa and others like her to put the corpses of their boats on display, saying it could not allocate space for such items. But now it has said it will make adjustments in the area where it is placing the boat to make it easier for visitors to watch the item. One of those who joined in making requests for the boat to be displayed, Dang Cong Ngu, former chairman of Hoang Sa District, said: "The ship is now a museum item to remind later generations that Hoang Sa has been illegally occupied." Below is the video showing the Chinese ship ramming Vietnamese fishing boat DNa 90152TS on May 26, 2014. A national award-winning artist struggles to make ends meet Born and raised in Rolpa, Ramchandra Shrestha is the most acclaimed artist in his district, but his fame has not given him monetary success C2 Energy Capital, LLC, a rapidly growing investor in renewable energy and storage assets, announced today (5/28) the completion of the largest solar project installed on a landfill in Tennessee. C2 Energy Capital provided financing and support services for the development and construction of the 2.7 MW solar power generation plant located just outside of the City of Somerville, TN. The solar plant was installed on a capped landfill leased from the County of Fayette. C2 Energy Capital Completes Largest Solar Project Installed on a Landfill in Tennessee "C2 Energy Capital stepped into a challenging solar project and enabled it to stay on schedule," said Rhea Taylor, Fayette County Mayor. "Their experience and dedication to working through the complexities of the project were notable." Robert Turner, Administrator for the Town of Somerville, said, "Ultimately, our community is proud to be a part of the RE-Powering America's Land initiative, with counties across the US siting renewable energy projects on unproductive lands and deriving environmental and economic benefits for their communities." The power generated from the system will be sold to the Tennessee Valley Authority ("TVA") under a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement. The Somerville renewable energy plant is projected to generate enough electricity to power 333 homes and offset the same amount of carbon as 46,000 trees. "Solar facilities installed on landfills are some of the most difficult to construct," commented Candice Michalowicz, Co-founder and Managing Member of C2 Energy Capital, "Our team's effort and experience in completing this project turned previously unusable land to a clean, solar power system, a tax-paying property and created jobs. We are very proud to have participated in the effort." ABOUT C2 ENERGY CAPITAL C2 Energy Capital, LLC, a rapidly growing investor in renewable energy and storage assets, provides capital and support services for the development and construction of assets as part of a long-term ownership strategy. Founded in 2014, the company manages capital on behalf of leading investors and is a Registered Investment Adviser. With a steadfast commitment to building long-term relationships, C2 Energy Capital's experienced leadership team collaborates with developers, vendors and power purchasers to safely deliver high-quality power plants. To learn more visit www.c2.energy (important disclosure information). Media Contact: Jill Hansen 925.997.5956 215337@email4pr.com ELKO Charges will not be filed in a fight between two Elko High School students that occurred four months ago, critically injuring one of the students. District Attorney Tyler Ingram said surveillance video and witness accounts show that the injured teen provoked the incident. The video and several witness accounts detail that the child who ended up in the hospital was the aggressor and confronted the other child, Ingram said in a statement to the Elko Daily Free Press. The video surveillance shows the child who ended up in the hospital forming a fist and beginning a swinging motion at the other child when he got punched, Ingram continued. The altercation between the two 16-year-old male teens occurred Jan. 17 on the grounds of Elko High School. A few days following the incident, Ingram issued a statement saying that the teen arrested after the fight would be released from custody because there was not a clear prognosis for the injured teen and Nevada state law stipulates juveniles must be charged within four days. Ingram said the family of the injured teen was informed late last week of the decision not to file charges. Despite the horrendous result from the punch, it is apparent from the evidence that the child was lawful in defending himself, Ingram said. The law doesnt take into account what the end result of a punch is in analyzing whether a punch was lawful. Love 13 Funny 7 Wow 7 Sad 4 Angry 11 A bill that proposes to tax e-cigarettes and their accessories at the same rate as other tobacco products is making a late-session comeback. Democratic Sen. Julia Ratti presented SB263 on Monday to the joint Assembly Taxation and Senate Revenue committees, framing the bill more as an effort to raise the price of e-cigarettes and curb a rising trend of youth use than to raise coveted tax revenue. The measure, which would impose a 30 percent wholesale tax on vaping products, is projected to raise about $8 million a year a significant portion of which would flow back to vaping prevention activities. Vapor products are harmful, period, said Michael Hackett, president of the Nevada Tobacco Prevention Coalition. Hopefully past lessons weve learned about tobacco arent lost as we confront its future. Ratti cited statistics that vaping among youth grew 78 percent year-over-year and described the practice as their gateway drug to a life of addiction to nicotine, rather than the offramp from smoking that proponents use to describe it. A college student and a sixth-grader who testified in favor of the bill told of classmates vaping in the back of the bus and in class. At school I see kids vaping in the bathrooms a lot, and also have people on my school bus that vape in the back of the bus all the way home and its not enjoyable, Ruby Schmauss, 12, told lawmakers. I have a few friends who have been doing this as well. Im just a kid, not even a teenager even. It makes me sad that my peers are vaping. Ratti also brought in Desert Research Institute scientist Andrey Khlystov, who testified about his findings on secondhand smoke from people exhaling vapor and high concentrations of formaldehyde found in vape shops. While conceding that vaping is safer than traditional smoking, Khlystov said our findings clearly show that e-cigarettes are not harmless nicotine delivery devices. Rattis bill has four components: taxing the products the same as the other tobacco products category in statute, enforcing age limits on the sale of vape products, preventing vaping with a mass media campaign, and putting vaping under the indoor-smoking restrictions of the Clean Indoor Air Act. Because it raises a tax, the bill will require two-thirds of lawmakers support in each house. Though Democrats are one vote shy of two-thirds in the Senate, Republican state Sens. Heidi Gansert and Joe Hardy signaled strong support for the legislation at the Monday hearing. Its clear theres an epidemic, Gansert said. We really are on an exponential rise in use amongst youth, so I appreciate you bringing this bill forward and working so hard to get a bill that should work. Opponents included representatives from vape manufacturer Juul and the Nevada Vaping Association, who argued that cracking down on vaping would hurt adults who are trying to quit smoking. They also emphasized that they dont support youth vaping. Their testimony provoked some of the members of the committee, including Democratic Assemblywoman Heidi Swank, who pressed Nevada Vaping Association lobbyist William Horne on whether the group cared enough about preventing youth use to invest in any campaigns to stop the practice. (Horne said he wasnt aware of specific programs.) She also expressed concern that vaping products are attracting children with colorful devices and a wide variety of flavors, including candy and fruit. But Horne said those flavors are key to the success of vapes. Kids arent the only human beings who like candy. Adults like candy, too, Horne said. One of the things that attracts them and keeps them from going back to cigarettes are the flavors. Swank, who said her parents were smokers and died young, recalled that she felt grown-up as a child using candy cigarettes. Even though adults like candy, I think we all know why people are vaping, and its not for the candy and, as an industry, you all need to make sure youre doing these things that do not make this vaping attractive to children, she said. Lawmakers had proposed a vaping tax last session of 5 cents per milliliter of vaping liquid, but the bill died along the way amid opposition from vaping companies that had already fled Californias high vaping tax and believed the Nevada bill would be a death sentence. Rattis bill taxes at the wholesale level, something thats projected to raise eight times as much revenue. One of the main ways we were able to reduce smoking was taxing it, she said, and taxing it significantly. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sometimes the gears of the Legislature get jammed for no good reason and only a massive outcry from the people can get them unstuck. Thats where we are with Senate Bill 287, which would make government more transparent and accountable by adding teeth to the states Public Records Act. Senator David Parks (D-7), the primary sponsor of the bill, and Right to Know Nevada, a broad, ideologically diverse coalition, has helped to build bipartisan support for the legislation. An inclusive process led to compromise amendments yet SB287 is stalled in Carson City. Thats bad news for Nevada taxpayers who are often left powerless when they cant get public records they need. The Nevada Public Records Act makes the public books and records of state and local governments open for inspection, a mandate that must be construed liberally by public officials in order to foster democratic principles. In practice, however, the law is construed narrowly by many state and local agencies, and legitimate public records requests are often denied. Many mistakenly believe its only reporters who care about public records. The truth is many non-journalists are also often frustrated in their attempts to get documents and data they need. A disabled man was denied the records necessary to provide him with access to food and shelter, a harm rectified only by the intervention of his college-professor mother. The Guinn Center for Policy Priorities was forced to abandon its education studies because researchers couldnt obtain basic data from the Nevada Department of Education, depriving Nevadans of information necessary to evaluate how best to improve education policy. The Incline Village General Improvement District refused to provide its own Board Treasurer with financial records, leaving residents in the dark about how money was being used. This kind of government secrecy is anathema to a healthy democracy and the principles enshrined under existing law. And because government agencies face no consequences for breaking the law, requestors often are left with only one recourse: costly civil litigation that few parties can afford. SB287 would ensure the Nevada Public Records Act operates as intended by establishing penalties for lawless behavior. It would prevent agencies from levying fees to frustrate legitimate records requests, and it would require public employees to help requestors find the information they seek. It is unclear why SB287 has remained stuck in committee. It is sponsored by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Sen. Joyce Woodhouse (D-5), who is the chairwoman of the Senate Finance Committee, where it is presently stranded. It has widespread support among legislators from both sides of the aisle. And Gov. Steve Sisolak has made it clear he supports public records reform. With only seven days left in the 2019 session and the Legislature poised to go on hiatus for 20 months, this critically important bill will die unless legislators make SB287 an immediate priority. And only you, the voters, have the power to adjust those priorities. If you think government should be transparent and accountable to the people, please respectfully ask state senators to make SB287 a priority. You should contact your own senator and register your support at 800-992-0973 or 702-486-2626. And you should contact Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro (775-684-1475 or Nicole.Cannizzaro@sen.state.nv.us) and Assistant Majority Leader Julia Ratti (Julia.Ratti@sen.state.nv.us) and ask them to allow their colleagues to vote on the measure. Absent action in the next day or two, SB287 will die without ever receiving a vote. And government lobbyists, who have been paid by you this year to demand that government records remain as inaccessible as possible, will have won. Nevadans deserve better. Richard Karpel is executive director of the Nevada Press Association, the 95-year-old trade organization for newspapers and online news publishers in the state. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 And you thought the 13th Amendment prohibited involuntary servitude. This past week Nevadas Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford joined a coalition of 23 states and local governments in filing a lawsuit against the Trump administrations Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rule aiming to protect health care providers from having to provide services contrary to ones religious beliefs or moral convictions such as abortion, contraception, sterilization, assisted suicide or transgender hormone treatment or surgery. The so-called Final Rule was announced in early May by Roger Severino, director of the Office for Civil Rights at HHS. He said in a statement that the rule provides enforcement tools to federal conscience protections that have been on the books for decades and does not create new substantive rights. Severino added, Finally, laws prohibiting government-funded discrimination against conscience and religious freedom will be enforced like every other civil rights law. Ford said in a statement accompanying the announcement of Nevadas role in the litigation, The Department of Health and Human Services rule would allow individuals and entire institutions to deny lawful and medically necessary care to patients, even in cases of emergencies, though it is difficult to conjure what constitutes an emergency abortion, assisted suicide of transgender treatment. The crux of the lawsuit is money. The lawsuit and Fords press release note that noncompliance with the 440-page Final Rule could result in the denial of federal funding. The lawsuit alleges this could amount to hundreds of billions of dollars each year. Fords statement further argues the Final Rule, which will take effect in July 2019, would undermine the delivery of health care by giving a wide range of health care institutions and individuals a right to refuse care, based on the providers own personal views. The Rule makes this right absolute and categorical: no matter what reasonable steps a health provider or employer makes to accommodate the views of an objecting individual, if that individual rejects a proposed accommodation, a provider or employer is left with no recourse. The Wall Street Journal noted at the time the Final Rule was announced that it is an outgrowth of President Trumps 2017 executive order that included a section on conscience protections. The order was seen as a direct response to some Obama administration orders. Several religious groups, for example, battled the Obama administration over the Affordable Care Acts mandate that employers and insurers provide no-cost contraceptive coverage for employees, the newspaper reported. Kevin Theriot, vice president of Alliance Defending Freedom, told the National Catholic Register earlier this month that those who have conscientious objections to procedures are not discriminating. Our clients that have conscientious objections to participating in abortion or participating in, for instance, sex-change therapy or any of those kinds of things, they dont discriminate based upon a persons sexual orientation or their sex or anything like that, Theriot was quoted as saying. What theyre saying is they shouldnt be forced to participate in a procedure that violates their convictions. They wont do that procedure for anybody, so theres no discrimination going on at all. Whats going on is acknowledging our time-honored practice here in America of respecting rights of conscience. As an example of the problem, the Catholic publication noted an example of a New York nurse who was forced to participate in an abortion procedure despite her conscientious objection as a Catholic. Ill never forget the day my supervisor ignored the law and forced me to participate in an abortion. I still have nightmares about that day, the nurse said in a statement. As an immigrant to America because of the freedom and opportunity I saw here, today Im hopeful that HHS new rule will help make sure that no other nurses or health care professionals will be forced to go through what I did and that their rights will be protected. Theriot noted that the Supreme Court has repeatedly found that each person determines his or her own conscience, not the government. And you thought the First Amendment prohibited Congress from abridging the free exercise of religion. Thomas Mitchell is a longtime Nevada newspaper columnist. You may email him at thomasmnv@yahoo.com. He also blogs at http://4thst8.wordpress.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Headquarters of the European Court of Human Rights. cordon press The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has unanimously rejected a case brought by 76 Catalan separatist politicians alleging violations of their freedom of expression and assembly in connection with the 2017 secession attempt. The Strasbourg-based tribunal said that the Spanish Constitutional Courts suspension of a plenary session of the Catalan parliament scheduled for October 9, 2017 pursued legitimate goals such as maintaining public safety, defending public order and protecting the rights and freedoms of others. Adverse decisions This is not the first time that the ECHR supports the Spanish Constitutional Courts actions in connection with the Catalan secession bid. In October of last year, the Strasbourg tribunal backed the decision to apply a 6,000 sanction against a member of the now-defunct Sindicatura Electoral, an ad hoc body created to oversee the banned independence referendum of October 1, 2017. And earlier this year former Catalan parliament speaker Carme Forcadell, who is also on trial at the Supreme Court, filed a complaint against her situation of preventive prison, but a ECHR judge rejected the case in March, said court sources. Former Catalan premier Carles Puigdemont had been planning to declare unilateral independence at that session after holding an illegal referendum on October 1. He fled Spain soon afterwards to avoid being arrested and prosecuted for rebellion like other secessionist leaders who are currently on trial at the Supreme Court in Madrid. The human rights violation case, which was considered inadmissible by the ECHR, was brought, among others, by former Catalan parliament speaker Carme Forcadell and by Puigdemont himself. Acting Foreign Minister Josep Borell has underscored the relevance of this judicial decision. It refutes all the arguments put forward by the Catalan independence movement about curtailing their freedom of expression and the working of the Catalan parliament, he said. In a detailed decision, the ECHR rejected each one of the claims made by the plaintiffs, all members of the separatist parties Junts pel Si (Together for Catalonia) and the anti-capitalist party CUP. The legal action had been brought before the court on October 11, 2017 by Andreu Van den Eynde, the lawyer currently representing ex-deputy premier Oriol Junqueras at the Supreme Court trial. Same charges Reyes Rincon Prosecutors are planning to uphold their charges of rebellion and misuse of public funds against the secessionist leaders on trial at the Supreme Court. After nearly four months of hearings, sources at the public prosecution said that there is no reason to modify the accusations because all the evidence presented in court so far confirms them. The court wants to bring the case to an end soon, and has scheduled hearings next week so the defense and prosecution can present their final reports. The seven-judge panel said that the Spanish Constitutional Courts decision was made to uphold the law and could be reasonably considered necessary in a democratic society. The plans for a session to declare independence were based on a regional law tailor-made to facilitate secession, and which had been suspended by the Constitutional Court on September 7, rendering this law temporarily inapplicable. Thus, the decision by the governing body of the autonomous parliament to authorize a plenary session represented a manifest lack of respect for the decisions of the Constitutional Court aimed at protecting the constitutional order. The plenary session was suspended on October 5 after 16 deputies for the Catalan Socialist Party (PSC) made this request, arguing a situation of exceptional urgency that could affect the application and general efficiency of the Constitution and have overall political consequences. Separatist lawmakers then turned to the ECHR, alleging violations of their freedom of expression and association. English version by Susana Urra. Acting Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of the Socialist Party (PSOE) has assumed a key role in the negotiations over who will occupy the top posts in the European Union following the Sunday elections. At a summit in Brussels on Tuesday, European leaders met to discuss nominations for the new heads of the European Commission, European Council, European Parliament and Central European Bank, as well as the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Sanchezs influence could be crucial in the spat over EU job posts, where German interests clash against the French The selection must take into account geographic and political criteria, as well as gender and the size of the countries. In the real world it is always difficult to achieve a perfect balance, said Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, at the summit. Sanchez has become a key figure in these negotiations, which are shaping up to be the most complicated in the history of the EU club, given that neither of the parliaments major groups the European Peoples Party (EPP) or the Party of European Socialists (PES) achieved a clear majority at the European election on May 26. The results have ended the de facto coalition that dominated the European Parliament, and parties must now consider other alliances. This uncertainty has placed Sanchez in a privileged position to negotiate between French President Emmanuel Macron, who is part of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, from the EPP. I am the chief negotiator for the Social Democratic family, Sanchez declared upon arriving at the EU summit on Tuesday. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. POOL (REUTERS) At a working lunch on Tuesday, Sanchez met with three leaders of the ALDE wing of the European Council: Macron, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel. The meeting, which was also attended by Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa, a socialist, looked to forge a common front to push for nominations that will bridge the demands of the Socialists and Liberals, and reduce the presence of the conservatives, who have control of three EU institutions (the Council, Commission and Parliament). The candidate for each of these posts must reflect the new political balance that has emerged, including the Social Democrats and Liberals, Spanish sources indicated after the meeting. Pedro Sanchez and Emmanuel Macron. GTRES Both Sanchez and Macron are aware that the discussion must include the EPP, which won the highest percentage of the vote at Sundays election. According to diplomatic sources, the two leaders met with German chancellor Angela Merkel separately to begin negotiations that will likely lead to a power-sharing agreement between the three main groups, and who knows, perhaps the inclusion of the European Green Party. Sanchez, as a representative of a large country among small ones, and a small one among the big ones, has a crucial role to play in the deal-making process. His influence could be crucial in the spat over EU job posts, where German interests clash against the French. Spain is in an ideal position to maintain the balance, said a diplomatic source of one of the liberal governments in the EU Council. It has a strengthened electoral mandate, with a path ahead, and it represents the second political family of the continent. Sanchezs newfound strength following local, regional, national and European elections held in Spain in under a month is all the more striking as up to a dozen governments are facing early elections or the imminent collapse of their respective coalitions. Sanchez has an opportunity, but it is not without its risks, said a diplomatic source. The required balance is very fragile, and just one single excessive demand or miscalculation could break it. English version by Melissa Kitson. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on Tuesday released a report on the murder of Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, in which it called on Russian authorities to re-open the inquiry. "PACE's Legal Affairs and Human Rights Committee has called on the Russian authorities to 're-open and continue' their investigation into the murder of opposition leader Boris Nemtsov," according to the report. The PACE is expected to discuss the report on June 27. The report is calling for undertaking extra measures as part of the investigation the PACE wants to be re-opened. This implies looking for other and previously unseen CCTV recordings and questioning those witnesses who could have given new evidence. The Federal Guard Service in particular said that no video evidence had been obtained from street or traffic surveillance cameras, from the central CCTV video storage facility, because they were not directed at the scene of the assassination, according to the document. The report also set out already known facts of Nemtsov's murder and convict Zaur Dadayev's testimony. There are significant contradictions and inconsistencies in the inquiry, which has been carried out by Russian authorities. "There are a number of irregularities, discrepancies and inconsistencies in the evidence, as set out in the case files. These raise questions in relation to the effectiveness of the investigation and the reliability of the version of events portrayed in the court's verdict," according to the PACE report. Opposition politician Nemtsov was killed on Bolshoy Moskvoretsky Bridge, in close proximity to the Kremlin, on February 27, 2015. On June 29, 2017, a jury in the Moscow district military court found Dadayev, Shadid Gubashev, Anzor Gubashev, Tamerlan Eskerkhanov and Khamzat Bakhayev guilty of Nemtsov's murder and deserving of no leniency. On July 13, 2017, they were sentenced to between eleven and 20 years' imprisonment at a high-security facility and fined 100,000 rubles each. On October 10, 2017, the Supreme Court quashed their fines, but upheld the remainder of the sentences. CK Lal is an opinion columnist for The Kathmandu Post and Kantipur Daily. His columns appear in the Post every other Wednesday. Kurt Volker, the United States Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations, has noted that the United States is ready to cooperate with Ukraine in further providing it with defensive lethal weapons, the Ukrainian Embassy to the United States has reported. "The United States is prepared to work with Ukraine. We have provided foreign military financial backing approved by the Congress. That has produced support for systems such as anti-tank systems and anti-sniper systems. We also are open to foreign military sales, that is to say, Ukraine purchasing military equipment from the United States," it said on Facebook. Russia has no reason to hold Ukrainian sailors, ships, must release them immediately The United States calls on Russia to comply with the decision of the United Nations International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea and immediately release Ukrainian sailors and ships, said Kurt Volker, the special representative of the U.S. State Department for Ukraine Negotiations. "We completely support the court decision. There is no legal reason for Russia to continue to hold these sailors," he said during an online conference on Tuesday. He recalled that Ukrainian sailors "were attacked illegally in international waters, then they were taken illegally to Russia." "They should be treated as members of a foreign government's military forces. There is no basis to hold them inside Russia, and we do urge their immediate release," Volker said. At the same time, he stated that Russia has no intentions to implement this decision of the Tribunal, and "there's no force that's going to be applied to Russia to make them follow the rule of law and to make them follow this court decision. As reported, on May 25, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) made a decision obliging the Russian Federation to release three Ukrainian vessels and 24 Ukrainian sailors detained in the Kerch Strait in November 2018 and allow them to return to Ukraine. A total of 19 judges voted in favor of this decision, one judge - Ruslan Kolodkin (the Russian Federation) voted against the decision. The tribunal ordered the Russian Federation to report on the implementation of this decision until June 25, 2019, and also obliged Ukraine and Russia to refrain from any actions that could aggravate or prolong the dispute. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at a meeting with the mission of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has expressed hope that the Verkhovna Rada after the parliamentary elections would provide grounds for receiving the next tranche from the IMF. "Cooperation continues. The International Monetary Fund is always a reliable partner of Ukraine at a time when we need support, and Ukraine, for its part, will also remain a partner that fulfills its obligations. Unfortunately, for the time being, we see a delay in the adoption of laws with reforms that citizens, the business and financial community have been waiting for years. I hope that the new convocation parliament will catch up with this and will provide the basis for receiving the next tranche from the IMF," Zelensky said, speaking with the mission led by Ron van Rooden. The President of Ukraine said that several factors influenced the decision to dissolve the Verkhovna Rada. In particular, in his opinion, the Verkhovna Rada lost the opportunity of making responsible decisions. "The next [parliamentary] elections are to be held at the end of October. Then somewhere in December we would have a coalition and a new government. Both citizens and the economy cannot wait so much. Without the necessary changes, we would have problems with the International Monetary Fund," Zelensky said, explaining his decision to dissolve parliament. The press service of the President of Ukraine reported on Tuesday that the meeting with the IMF mission was also attended by Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) Yakiv Smolii and Minister of Finance of Ukraine Oksana Markarova. Kurt Volker, the special representative of the U.S. State Department for Ukraine Negotiations, is determined to continue contacts with the Russian side in order to resolve the situation in eastern Ukraine. "I would like to contact the Russian side in the near future," he said at an Internet conference on Tuesday. Volker recalled that during meetings earlier this year, "the Russians made clear that they did not see an opportunity for productive discussions during the course of the presidential campaign." "We'll have to see how it stands now during the course of this parliamentary campaign and when an appropriate time would be to meet and to follow up," he explained. Speaking about the subject of negotiations, the American diplomat stated that this is "the war in Donbas." "We want to make sure that we are putting on the table all of the issues about Minsk implementation, starting with the ceasefire, withdrawal of foreign forces, the disarming of the illegal armed groups, and creating a situation of security in Donbas so that additional political steps that are also part of Minsk can be taken," he said. Answering a question from a Russian journalist about how much pressure the U.S. can exert in order to force Ukraine to fulfill its obligations under the Minsk agreements, the diplomat recalled that Ukraine has already approved the necessary legislation. "Unfortunately, the problem with Minsk implementation is Russia's continued occupation of Eastern Ukraine and the ongoing fighting there, so it's impossible for Ukraine to go any further than it already has. Meanwhile, Russia has yet to fully implement a ceasefire, to withdraw its forces, the foreign forces that are in Ukraine. So there's a lot that Russia has to do to stop the war in Ukraine," he said. In response to the question what the "red lines" might be in the matter of supporting Ukraine and continuing sanctions for Russia, Volker expressed confidence that this is a continuation of efforts aimed at the implementation of the Minsk accords. "Things that would go against that would be any recognition of the seizure of this territory by Russia, or that it is in some way independent. Autonomy is not a part of the Minsk agreements; it is a special status, and that is something to be developed still, but it is not full autonomy. And a continued presence of foreign forces on Ukrainian territory would also be a red line. So these are all things that I think are part of the Minsk agreements. There's nothing new that needs to be added here, but what we do need to see is that it is implemented," he said. Volker reiterated the need in "assisting the people in Donbas." "Providing humanitarian relief to them is one of the most important tasks that needs to be addressed by both the Ukrainian Government and the international community more broadly," Volker said. According to the ambassador, President Zelensky "has already spoken about this issue." "We do hope that there will be an opportunity ahead, but it may be after the parliamentary elections. They are Ukrainian citizens. They are suffering tremendously as a result of Russia's invasion and occupation. They need humanitarian support. I look forward to working with him and his team on reform and development in Ukraine, on Minsk implementation, on strengthening security for Ukraine, and raising the humanitarian standards for the people of the Donbas, and indeed, the well-being of all the people of Ukraine. And with President Zelensky's stated commitment to reform in Ukraine, fighting corruption, reforming the justice system, rule of law, we fully support those principles and those policies and look forward to continuing to work with him," Volker said. Turchynov on Shrufrych complaint to PGO: If history was repeated, I would do the same thing Ex-Secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Oleksandr Turchynov has said Opposition Bloc faction parliament deputy Nestor Shufrych is a dupe for an attempt by pro-Russia forces to take revenge on Ukraine by filing a complaint against him to the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO), State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) and SBU State Security Service. "Shufrych requested criminal proceedings against me be opened for an order I gave in 2014 to destroy enemies and defend his country from Russian invaders. For Shufrych, defending Ukraine is a crime, but I am sure that it is a duty for every Ukrainian to protect his state from the rubbish that seeks to deprive us of our land, our freedom and our independence. If I had it to do all over again, I would give the same orders," Turchynov said on Facebook on Wednesday. Turchynov said Shufrych's complaint is not uncommon these days. "[Ex-President Viktor] Yanukovych's entourage is the pro-Russia "fifth column." They are raising their heads these days, looking for a rematch. But I am convinced Ukrainian patriots, wherever they work, in government or non-state institutions, will quash their attempts at revenge, in the rear and on the battlefield," he said. Internal investigation into eight MIA soldiers reveals no evidence of treason report to Zelensky Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has received a report about the circumstances in which eight soldiers of a motorized infantry battalion of the 53rd Separate Mechanized Brigade were taken prisoner last week by Russia-occupation forces in Donetsk. The report provided no evidence of state treason. "The official investigation into this incident, which is being conducted on orders from the Joint Forces Operation commander, has not established any facts of treason," the president's press service said on Wednesday. "We will act as quickly and efficiently as possible to secure the release of our guys," Zelensky was quoted as saying. As reported, on May 22, eight soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on a truck in Donetsk region crossed into a Russia-occupied area of Donetsk region and were taken captive. Legislators from Lviv Regional Council have issued an address to President Volodymyr Zelensky, asking him not to ignore the status of the official language and to use it in his public appearances at all times. "Some of your public speeches have been delivered in contravention of the law on the obligatory use of the official language in speeches, commentaries, and interviews, which, in turn, violates the people's right to receive such information and understand it," the Lviv lawmakers said in their address posted on Lviv Regional Council's website. The lawmakers pointed out that Article 10 of the Ukrainian constitution stipulates that the Ukrainian language is the only official language of the country. Additionally, "the president of a warring country must fully exclude the Russian language from his use in public affairs as the official language of Russia, the aggressor state," the address said. Ex-Chief of General Staff Zamana says Poroshenko, Turchynov behind case against him KYV. May 28 (Interfax-Ukraine) Ex-Chief of the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces of Ukraine Volodymyr Zamana, who is accused of treason, has said ex-National Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov and ex-President Petro Poroshenko ordered his criminal prosecution, adding that Ukraine's Chief Military Prosecutor Anatoliy Matios is "a master at fraud." "I am actually the only security official from the times of Yanukovych who remained on the territory of Ukraine, therefore I became the object of persecution," he said. Zamana said he was not ordered to bring the army to high alert during Russia's annexation of Ukraine. As reported, on February 25, 2019, law enforcement officers detained Zamana and notified him of suspicion of high treason. Kyiv's Pechersky district court on February 26 remanded him to pretrial custody without bail until March 27, 2019. On May 16, 2019 the Main Military Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine completed its pretrial investigation against Zamana, who was released from custody on May 24, 2019. Zamana served as Chief of the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces from February 18, 2012 to February 19, 2014. The three-day visit is made at the invitation of Vietnamese NA Chairman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan. Vietnam and Cambodia established diplomatic relations on June 24, 1967. The two neighbouring countries stood side by side during past struggles against colonialists and the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime, and have supported each other in national construction and defence. Bilateral economic and trade ties have made big strides. With 210 projects valued at more than US$3 billion, Vietnam has become one of the five biggest investors in Cambodia. Meanwhile, Cambodia is running 19 projects worth US$63.42 million in Vietnam, focusing on agriculture, forestry, fishery and commerce. Following the rise in tensions between Iran and the United States over the past weeks and concerns about the spread of instability in the region, at least six countries are acting as mediators. The multiple offers indicate the deep concern over tensions and fear of instability in the region while Iran is getting restless under increasing economic pressures. Oman and Japan have officially declared their preparedness to help resolve the tensions. Japan Japan has an interest in peace in the Persian Gulf mainly because of its dependency on the region's oil. Tokyo officially expressed its readiness for mediation on May 10, two days after Iran suspended some of its voluntary commitments to the nuclear deal with the West on the anniversary of the U.S. pull-out from the JCPOA. "Iran is about to withdraw from the JCPOA. We are planning to use our long standing friendly ties with Iran to help secure peace and stability in the region," japan declared. Subsequently Iran's Foreign Minister Zarif visited Japan last week. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump enthusiastically welcomed Japan's offer during his pre-planned visit to Japan. Oman Oman has been for long acting as a mediator between Tehran and Washington. First, Oman's ambassador in Washington let the White House know about Muscat's offer, and after receiving a green light from the Trump administration, it made the offer public. Neither Iran, nor the United States rejected Oman's offer and their silence is meaningful. Subsequently Oman's Foreign Minister paid a visit to Tehran last week. This was followed by Irans deputy foreign minister paying a visit to Muscat last Sunday. Two high profile visits in six days is a lot more than the two countries need for their bilateral relations. Although President Rouhani's Chief of Staff Mahmoud Vaezi has denied Oman's mediation, few people would believe him. Germany Like Japan, Germany is a prospective candidate for joining the UN Security Council as its permanent member. Also like Japan, Germany is interested in the region's stability as a major consumer of its oil. However, Germany has still not offered officially to mediate between Tehran and Washington. But a high-ranking German Foreign Ministry official visited Tehran last week in a bid to offer Berlin's good offices. Switzerland and Pakistan Switzerland runs the U.S. Interest Section in Tehran and Pakistan protects Iran's interests in Washington. Both countries are indirect channels for dialogue between Tehran and Washington. Switzerland was one of the hosts of meetings that led to the 2015 nuclear deal. Meanwhile rumor has it that Trump has given his phone number to the Swiss embassy in Tehran to be handed over to Iranian officials in case they want to talk. Zarif visited Islamabad on May 23. He probably expects Pakistan to play a mediation part between Iran and the U.S., although he may also have expressed concern during his visit about Pakistan cosying up to Saudi Arabia. But Pakistan has been facing severe financial pressures for the past year and it is Riyadh that has come to its aid. Iraq Iraq is the only country that cannot keep clear of a possible conflict between Iran and America. Pro-Iran militia in Iraq will not wait for Baghdad's permission to intervene in any possible conflict. The concern about such an involvement led to major anti-war demonstrations in Iraq over the weekend, and prime minister Adel Abd ul-Mahdi has said he is sending delegations to Tehran and Washington in a bid to reduce the tensions. These multiple offers of mediation reflect the extent of concern over rising tensions. On the other hand, the sheer fact that neither Iran, nor Washington have rejected any one of the offers may indicate that roads are still open to diplomacy. There is no indication how many of these countries have had the chance to get Iran's Supreme leader Ali Khamenei involved in the talks about mediation. Previously Khamenei had sent his advisers, former foreign ministers Ali Akbar Velayati and Kamal Kharrazi to Oman, Moscow and Paris for mediation. Kharrazi was in Paris some two weeks ago. But nothing has been made public about the outcome of his meetings, if any. Past experience shows, as Rouhani has mentioned once again recently, that he cannot do anything in the area of foreign relations, unless Khamenei wants him to do something. With that in mind, any effort for mediation without consulting and convincing Khamenei will be doomed to fail. On the other hand, even if Khamenei is willing to intervene, he wishes to do it secretly like in previous instances, while the U.S. administration might need a media hype about possible dialogue with Tehran for domestic consumption and leaving an impact on the 2020 elections. Opinions expressed by the author are not necessarily the views of Radio Farda Tsering D. Gurung is a social justice reporter for The Kathmandu Post, focusing on women's rights, marginalised communities and criminal justice. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 29 Trend: Head of Azerbaijan's Food Safety Agency Goshgar Tahmazli met with a delegation of the German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce (AHK Azerbaijan) led by Executive Director of AHK Azerbaijan Tobias Baumann, Trend reports referring to the agency. During the meeting, Tahmazli informed the delegation members about the agency main activities and noted that since the establishment of the agency, it has worked closely with international organizations and entrepreneurs to ensure food safety in the country. Tobias Baumann noted that AHK Azerbaijan as the official representative of the German economy in Azerbaijan has been providing information services and support to the companies in their market and business research since 2012. He expressed confidence in further development of relations between the two countries in the field of food safety. The sides also discussed the issue of expanding the possibilities of the cooperation in food safety. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 29 By Leman Zeynalova - Trend: Baku expects responsible actions from the new leadership of Armenia for the soonest settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said in his article published in Russian's newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Trend reports. He said that Azerbaijans position, which the country has repeatedly confirmed in practice, is to restore the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the republic within its international borders through the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions. This will ensure peaceful and safe coexistence of the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of Nagorno-Karabakh, he noted. In conditions of peace, prosperity and cooperation, both communities will be able to jointly address issues of the current and future development of their land; that will lay a solid foundation for restoring good neighborly relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan and establishing long-awaited peace and security in the region. Baku expects responsible actions from the new leadership of Armenia for the earliest possible resolution of the conflict with Azerbaijan. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev pointed to the expectation from the new leadership of Armenia, noting that it 'will not repeat the mistakes of the previous government, will do serious work to resolve the conflict as soon as possible and thus the real process of negotiations, and not its imitation, will start, Mammadyarov said in the article. He noted that having occupied not only Nagorno Karabakh, but also seven other adjacent Azerbaijani districts, Armenia disposes of the occupied territories with impunity. The statements of its leadership about lacking the right to speak at the negotiations with Azerbaijan on behalf of the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh are refuted by the specific actions of Yerevan itself, Mammadyarov added. If you divide the Armenians of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh and refuse to represent the latter at the talks, then why do you send your conscripts to military service in Karabakh? Why is a lot of money allocated every year from the budget of Armenia to the separatist regime? Why do Armenians of Karabakh get the civil rights of the Republic of Armenia and get the countrys passports? By the way, all these questions received unequivocal answers in the decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) No. 13216/05 (Case of Chiragov and Others v. Armenia) dated June 16, 2015. The ECHR confirmed that military support of the Republic of Armenia was and continues to be decisive in seizing territories and exercising actual control over them, Mammadyarov said. On the basis of evidence testifying to the political, financial and other dependence of the separatist entity on Armenia, the court concluded that 'Armenia, from the early days of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, has had a significant and decisive influence over the NKR, that the two entities are highly integrated in virtually all important matters and that this situation persists to this day' and that 'the NKR and its administration survive by virtue of the military, political, financial and other support given to it by Armenia which, consequently, exercises effective control over Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding territories'." He noted that 25 years ago, with the establishment of a ceasefire regime, Azerbaijan hoped that Armenia would take the path of implementing the decisions of international organizations to withdraw from the occupied territories. The ceasefire agreement was supported in the decision of the CSCE Budapest Summit dated December 6, 1994, reads the article. The heads of the states and governments of the countries participating in the meeting instructed the co-chairs of the Minsk Conference to immediately take steps 'to conduct speedy negotiations for the conclusion of a political agreement on the cessation of the armed conflict, the implementation of which will eliminate major consequences of the conflict for all parties and permit the convening of the Minsk Conference'. Thus, the co-chairs were given instructions on phased implementation of the process of the conflict settlement, when its main consequences, which in the first place include the occupation of Azerbaijani lands and expelling of the Azerbaijani population from there, must be eliminated at the first stage, and this will allow for creating the necessary conditions for the convening of the Minsk Conference, reads the article. Mammadyarov noted that the attempts of the Armenian side, on the basis of the Budapest decision, to make the separatist regime of the occupied Azerbaijani territories look as the third party to the conflict, do not stand up to any criticism. It is known that the ceasefire was reached with the consent of Azerbaijan and Armenia as parties to the conflict, Mammadyarov added in his article. This approach clearly corresponds to the position of the Helsinki decision of the CSCE Ministerial Council dated March 24, 1992, which is the only generally accepted decision determining the status of the parties to the conflict. The same starting point is enshrined in the mandate of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs dated March 23, 1995. It establishes that in their activities, the co-chairs will be guided by the principles and norms of the OSCE, the UN Charter, OSCE decisions, including the decision of the Council of Ministers dated March 24, 1992, and especially the decision of the Budapest Summit, as well as relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council. It is deeply regrettable that the Armenian side persistently denies the fact of ethnic cleansing of tens of thousands of Azerbaijanis of the Nagorno Karabakh, deprived of the right to vote in determining the current life arrangements and the future of their native land, reads the article. The world community is unanimous in the opinion that with the restoration of sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan within its international borders, forcibly displaced Azerbaijanis must be given the opportunity to return to their homes. It is necessary for Armenia to be aware that the world community will never recognize the consequences of military aggression and occupation as legitimate, Mammadyarov said. Therefore, the course for maintaining the status quo in the occupied territories under the guise of a slogan about the alleged realization of the right of peoples to self-determination, has no prospects, he noted. By the way, in the Helsinki Final Act of 1975, this principle is written as follows: 'The participating States will respect each other's sovereign equality and individuality as well as all the rights inherent in and encompassed by its sovereignty, including in particular the right of every State to juridical equality, to territorial integrity and to freedom and political independence.' This clearly shows that this principle applies only within the territorial integrity of the state. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 29 Trend: Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 26 times, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said on May 29, Trend reports. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 29 Trend: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has attended the opening of the 26th International Caspian Oil & Gas-2019 Exhibition and Conference, as well as the 9th Caspian International Power and Alternative Energy Exhibition at the Baku Expo Center. Senior advisor of British ITE Group Plc Andrew Wood made opening remarks. The head of state made a speech at the opening ceremony. Speech of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev - Dear ladies and gentlemen, Dear friends! The Caspian Oil and Gas exhibition starts today. I congratulate you on this occasion. This is a very significant event. The exhibition is one of the most important international events on a global scale. The exhibition is being held for the 26th time and interest in it shows no sign of abating. This years show is joined by about 300 companies from more than 30 countries, and this is an excellent indicator. For 26 years, the exhibition has attracted the attention of oil companies from all over the world. This indicates that Azerbaijans oil and gas resources will be of great interest to foreign companies today and in the future. I want to recall the first exhibition. The first exhibition held in 1994 introduced Azerbaijan to the world and informed the world about Azerbaijans ample oil and gas resources. At that time, information about Azerbaijan was very limited, our country was a newly-independent state in the first years of independence. Of course, there was practically no information about the potential of Azerbaijan in the world, in particular the oil and gas world. The exhibition and the attention paid to Azerbaijan played a very important role in the further development of the oil and gas sector in Azerbaijan. Taking this into account, I want to once again express my gratitude to participants of the exhibition because their decision to hold it in Baku and the subsequent long-term cooperation with us deserve approval, of course. In 1994, when the first exhibition was held, the situation in our country was completely different. Azerbaijan was in a very difficult economic situation. Political stability had just been restored. The first years of independence were very difficult for our country and people. The civil war, the occupation of our lands, the economic and political crisis dealt a major blow to the development of the country. There was no clear idea of its development. Of course, the only way out for a country that has rich oil and gas resources was to restore stability and enable rational use of oil resources, so that investment could flow in and the economic potential of our country could be enhanced. Dividends from the 1994 exhibition, including political, allowed us the opportunity to develop the oil and gas sector and the country as a whole even today. Our modern oil policy is associated with the name of Heydar Aliyev because it was after he had taken up leadership of Azerbaijan that the situation in the country began to stabilize, Azerbaijan embarked on the path of development and foreign investors believed in us. At that time, trust was the main prerequisite. No-one would have made major investments in Azerbaijan without that because Azerbaijan was known as a very risky country then. Great effort was made to attract investors here. The contract on the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli oil fields signed in September 1994 gave a strong impetus to our development. It is no coincidence that due to the scope and significance of this contract it is described as the Contract of the Century. After the signing of the Contract of the Century, large-scale investment started to flow into Azerbaijan. At the same time, other contracts were signed. The "Contract of the Century" is of great importance. Its value is still quite large. Two years ago, the contract was extended and will be valid until 2050. This means that Azerbaijans oil and gas resources, as well as the oil and gas produced from the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli fields, will serve the Azerbaijani people and state for many years to come. I should also note that the exhibition provided great support for the Agreement on the Shah Deniz gas condensate field, because this agreement was signed during the exhibition held in 1996. At that time, it was not easy at all to attract foreign investors to the Shah Deniz field. Most foreign companies were more interested in oil fields because, of course, they are more attractive in terms of profit. Interest in gas fields was not particularly high. At that time, the gas factor, in general, was not particularly significant from the point of view of energy security. Therefore, the signing of the contract on the Shah Deniz field was also very beneficial for our country, and today we are seeing the benefits of that because the gas produced from Shah Deniz is now supplied to the domestic market and, at the same time, increases our export potential. Shah Deniz today is the resource base for the Southern Gas Corridor. Thanks to the existence and development of the Shah Deniz field, the giant Southern Gas Corridor project is being implemented today. The signing of contracts for the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli and Shah Deniz fields is of historic significance. Contracts were signed after that as well. Some of them have been terminated. We often face such situations in international practice when drilling operations are carried out but sufficient resources are not discovered. However, let me repeat that Shah Deniz and Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli account for much of our oil and gas sector. Of course, the next item on our agenda was the construction of oil and gas pipelines, and it was also resolved successfully. I think that this is also a historic project. By commissioning giant oil and gas pipelines in 2006-2007, Azerbaijan acquired great export opportunities. The oil and gas produced in the Caspian Sea began to be supplied to domestic and foreign markets. The value of the Contract of the Century was also in the fact that for the first time foreign oil companies were invited to the Caspian Sea and began to develop the rich oil and gas fields of the Caspian. After the construction of export oil and gas pipelines, Azerbaijan certainly entered a new phase and began negotiations on other fields. Some of them are already in operation. I believe that in the coming years we will be producing energy resources from new fields. The implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor is a historic event. This giant infrastructure project is of great importance both for our country and for other countries. Many highly important steps were taken for the implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor. A special place here, of course, belongs to international cooperation because it would have been impossible to implement this gigantic project without large-scale international cooperation. The TANAP project signed between Azerbaijan and Turkey in 2012 is an important part of the Southern Gas Corridor. Last year, exactly a year ago 29 May, the official opening of the Southern Gas Corridor took place at the Sangachal Terminal. Thus, very important steps were taken to implement this major project. As you know, the Southern Gas Corridor consists of four components. Three of them have already been implemented and the fourth project is being successfully implemented now. After the commissioning of TANAP last year, Azerbaijan began to export even more of its gas resources to foreign markets. Thus, very important conditions were created and significant steps were taken to implement the Southern Gas Corridor. Azerbaijan successfully cooperates with many foreign energy companies, and this cooperation has a long history. Cooperation with any company is very important for us, but I want to highlight BP because it is our strategic partner, a strategic investor. We have been cooperating for 25 years now. This cooperation is very successful both for our country and for the company. I believe that it is exemplary and has a great future. As I have already noted, work on the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli field alone will be carried out at least until 2050. The Shah Deniz gas condensate field will also be developed for decades after that. Thus, our strategic partnership has excellent prospects. Of course, we have implemented these projects also thanks to external financial resources. We have invested our own funds but also received funds in the form of loans from international financial institutions. In this regard, I would like to say a few words about the support these institutions provided to Azerbaijan. The World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Asian Development Bank, the European Investment Bank these leading financial institutions of the world have allocated funds for the implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor, thus providing very important support for the implementation of the project. At the same time, the allocation of these loans is a manifestation of confidence in the successful future of Azerbaijan. We are cooperating with the European Union to implement this project. In 2011, a Joint Declaration on the Southern Gas Corridor was adopted between the European Union and Azerbaijan. On our initiative, meetings of the Advisory Council of the Southern Gas Corridor are annually held in Baku. The fifth meeting was held in February this year. These meetings sum up the results of the work done and, most importantly, talk about the work ahead. Of course, we are confident that we will achieve the successful implementation of this gigantic project, because there are no problems with the implementation of this project from the point of view of international cooperation and in terms of financial resources. Earlier, I shared my opinion on international cooperation. I want to say again: we can implement such giant projects only within the framework of international cooperation. It is impossible to implement these projects without that. We have managed to achieve this thanks to oil and gas pipelines, investments, the participation of international financial institutions and, of course, joint efforts. I believe that Azerbaijan was able to fully achieve its goal in this matter. It is no secret that energy security issues are of great importance these days. Energy security issues are issues of national security of countries. From this point of view, the projects Azerbaijan has implemented and those being implemented on our initiative ensure the energy security of both our country and many countries. Today, Azerbaijans oil and gas are exported to world markets along various routes. Issues of energy security and diversification of energy resources are of great importance today. The role of our country in this area is highly appreciated. Azerbaijan pursues a consistent and successful policy on these issues. These projects are of great importance for the country's economy. Just imagine if the Contract of the Century had not been signed in 1994 and Azerbaijan did not export its rich oil and gas resources to world markets, our economic situation would be completely different. Therefore, these projects have given a powerful impetus to the economy of the country. Azerbaijan has acquired new opportunities for improving the business environment and personnel training. Today, the vast majority of people working for foreign companies operating in Azerbaijan and those involved in oil and gas operations are citizens of Azerbaijan. Young Azerbaijani specialists who have been trained and have received excellent education are doing a lot for our country now. Personnel training, the improved the business environment and international cooperation all this became possible as a result of this project and has brought huge benefits to our country. The establishment of the State Oil Fund and resolution of the most pressing issues through this fund has also become possible as a result of our successful oil policy. Over a hundred IDP settlements have been built through the State Oil Fund. The diversification of the Azerbaijani economy and investments in infrastructure projects are also associated with these projects. In recent years, we have implemented our key infrastructure projects, and work in this direction continues. Azerbaijan is successfully addressing issues related to road construction, gasification and electricity. Gasification has reached 95 percent. This would be impossible if we did not have sufficient gas resources. In other words, the implementation of these projects and the overall oil strategy of Azerbaijan the foundation of which was laid by Heydar Aliyev have created a completely different situation and our country began to develop rapidly. We began to invest oil revenues in the development of the non-oil sector and in human capital. The construction of more than 3,000 schools, over 600 medical institutions, the renewed infrastructure, the implementation of social projects and the solution of social problems of our citizens all this is based on our successful oil policy. The main task facing the country today is to reduce dependence on the oil and gas factor and develop the non-oil sector. Important steps are also being taken in this direction. According to the latest World Bank report, Azerbaijan ranks 25th in terms of the business environment globally. This indicates that we are taking very important steps to diversify the economy. At the same time, we should know that the oil and gas sector will continue to play a very important role in the country's economy. I would like to acknowledge the contribution of Azerbaijani oil workers today. The profession of an oil worker has always been very honorable in Azerbaijan, and it is still the case today. Azerbaijani oil workers are doing enormous work for the successful development of our country, show heroism and increase the power of our state in difficult conditions at sea. Todays Azerbaijani realities indicate that we are on the right track. Launched in 1994 and successfully continuing to this day, our oil and gas policy is one of the key contributors to Azerbaijani realities. Baku today is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. We are successfully implementing the regional development program. Of course, we must continue to supply our budget more at the expense of the non-oil sector, and we are getting there. However, we should also know that the oil and gas sector will remain a priority for us. I want to once again congratulate you on the occasion of this exhibition. I say thank you to organizers of the exhibition and wish the exhibition success. Thank you! X X X Addressing the event, US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Energy Resources Kent Logsdon read out President Donald Trumps message of congratulations to President Ilham Aliyev. A video message from the British Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade Liam Fox was screened. President Ilham Aliyev then viewed the exhibition. Then the head of state signed the Exhibition's guest book. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 29 By Ilhama Isabalayeva - Trend: Azerbaijan is a very safe and peaceful country, Member of the European Parliament Nathan Gill said, Trend reports. He was commenting on the British governments urging its citizens not to travel to Azerbaijan for security reasons. Gill noted that when he said that he is going to Azerbaijan, many people were worried about his safety, adding that however, he saw with his own eyes that Azerbaijan is a very safe country. Azerbaijan is a peace-loving country, and therefore there are many tourists there, he added. Azerbaijan has created safe conditions for tourists, he said. On May 28, it was the Republic Day of Azerbaijan, he noted, adding that people were walking along the boulevard and peacefully celebrating the holiday. Such a picture can be rarely seen in big cities, he said. In turn, Fuad Akhundov, head of the sector for work with foreign media and NGOs of the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan, said that this is an integral element of the information war of Armenia against Azerbaijan. He described the reports that Azerbaijan is supposedly a dangerous country as ridiculous. Details added (first version posted on May 27 at 15:15) Baku, Azerbaijan, May 27 Trend: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva have attended an official reception on the occasion of the national holiday of Azerbaijan, Republic Day, at Buta Palace. The event started with the performance of the national anthem of Azerbaijan. The head of state made a speech at the official reception. Speech of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev: "Dear ladies and gentlemen! I sincerely congratulate you and all the people of Azerbaijan on the upcoming Day of Republic. The establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was a historic event because a democratic republic was created for the first time in the Muslim world. We are rightly proud of the fact that it was the Azerbaijani people who pioneered the creation of the first democratic republic in the Muslim world. This testifies to the fact that our people are very progressive. It shows that outstanding representatives of Azerbaijani intelligentsia have done a great deal for the development of our country. Although the Democratic Republic did not last long, it managed to do a lot in 23 months. The national flag and citizenship of Azerbaijan were approved, the national army was created and, together with the Islamic Army of the Caucasus, liberated Baku from occupiers. Baku State University was established. This suggests that education received great attention. More than 200 laws were adopted, including a law granting women the right to vote. That is, all these and other steps indicate that the founding fathers of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic have done a tremendous job for our country and people. The Azerbaijani people and state treasure the memory of the founders of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. Their memory lives in our hearts. Several years ago, I signed an executive order to set up a memorial in honor of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in the center of Baku. Last year was declared a "Year of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic" in our country. Twenty-three months later, the republic fell, which shows again that it is even more difficult to maintain independence than to obtain it. The flag raised in 1918 was dropped in 1920. After that, great leader Heydar Aliyev officially raised and approved this flag at a session of the Supreme Majlis (parliament) of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic for the first time. Essentially our road to independence began from this historic moment. The Soviet Union was still in existence, and such a bold step demonstrates how much the great leader was attached to his people, to the state, to their future, and how much importance he attached to that. In 1991, as a result of the collapse of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan gained independence along with other Union republics. Of course, we got the second chance in the 20th century. But unfortunately, the negative developments unfolding in the country did not allow the newly-independent Azerbaijan the opportunity to stand firmly on its feet, pursue an independent policy and protect the interests of our people. Those were very difficult and tragic years. In 1992, after the unlawful seizure of power by the PFPA-Musavat regime, the situation aggravated further. The country was in an uncontrolled state. It was in those years that the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict flared up and our lands were occupied. There was chaos and total crisis in our country, the economy was in a paralyzed state. Of course, the Azerbaijani people were looking for a way out. I should also add that the PFFA-Musavat regime instigated a civil war in the country. Our people saw the salvation in Heydar Aliyev and invited him to take up power, thus confirming their wisdom yet again. Year 1993 was a turning point in our modern history. It was in 1993 that Azerbaijan embarked on the path of development, ensured stability and the country began to confidently move forward. Great leader Heydar Aliyev has made an immense contribution to the people and the state. I should also note that until 1993, our independence was of formal nature because the country was unable to pursue an independent policy. One of Heydar Aliyevs achievements was that Azerbaijan embarked on a path of true independence. Serious reforms were initiated in political, economic and other spheres. A regular army was created, an influx of major foreign investment into our country began, the foundations of statehood were laid and the ideology of Azerbaijanism was adopted as official ideology. In a nutshell, it was in those years that strategic directions for the development of Azerbaijan were determined. Today, Azerbaijan is governed by these strategic development directions and pursues a confident policy in accordance with the changing situation in the region and the world. By pursuing an independent policy at the present time, our country has taken major steps to secure national interests and achieved tremendous success. Since 2003, Azerbaijan has been implementing the policy of Heydar Aliyev, continuing and enriching it. Of course, a lot has been done since then, but both the world and the region have also changed. New threats have appeared in the region and the world, new challenges have arisen. Of course, we are always trying and should try to protect our country from possible risks. The experience of recent years shows that we have managed to achieve this. The military capacity of our country is increasing. Parts of Aghdara, Fuzuli and Jabrayil districts, as well as a significant area in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, have been liberated from occupiers. Thanks to the buildup of our military power, the Azerbaijani army today is among strongest armies in international rankings. Over the past 16 years, we have achieved economic development and resolved many economic issues. Major investments have been made in our country. Investments in excess of $260 billion serve the development of our country and people today. The funds invested both in the oil and non-oil sectors have significantly strengthened the economic potential of our country. Very serious steps are being taken related to the social sphere. The well-being of our people has significantly improved. Problem of the internally displaced persons are being addressed. More than a hundred IDP settlements have been built, and steps related to this issue will continue to be taken. Modern infrastructure has been created in Azerbaijan and large funds have been invested in this area. In short, recent years have seen development and progress in all directions. Great work has been done on the development of the social infrastructure. Schools and hospitals have been built. All this is Azerbaijani reality. This has already created powerful economic potential, a strong economic foundation. If we add to this the transport and energy projects being successfully implemented on our initiative, we can see that Azerbaijan has really come a long way. Today we are working hard to become one of the international transport centers. Major steps are also being taken in this direction and large investments are being made. The railway infrastructure, the construction of roads, the launch of six international airports, the modernization of maritime transport all this work has been done in recent years. It will take several hours to list the work we have done. I simply want to say that Azerbaijan today is confidently advancing along the path of independence and the problems facing the country are being addressed. But we must look ahead and should not be complacent with the progress achieved. The problems facing the country should be the main task for us. All relevant instructions are being given to address them. To further ensure sustainable development, we need to work hard. The decisions made must be implemented. I believe that this is one of the most important tasks on our agenda because sometimes decisions are made and orders are signed but their implementation is delayed. Therefore, this area must definitely be given more serious attention in the coming period, so that the decisions made, the laws and orders signed are implemented. We live in the conditions of war. It is not over yet. Under such circumstances, building up military capacity should be one of the top priorities for us. Very serious steps have been taken in this direction. I can say that in recent years, 80 percent of our military units have been completely reconstructed. In the coming years, the remaining units will be overhauled. Azerbaijan has a strong military capacity but tangible steps will continue to be taken in this direction. The Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the occupation of our lands are the bitter legacy of the PFPA-Musavat regime. We are trying to resolve this issue. Azerbaijan has become much stronger in this direction legally, politically, economically and militarily. The decisions and resolutions adopted by influential international organizations in recent years support our fair position, and this has created a very solid legal basis for resolving the conflict. No country has recognized the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh republic, the world's leading organizations and many countries have reacted harshly and negatively to the illegal referenda held there. We communicate and should continue to communicate the truth about the conflict to the world. I think that the situation is completely different today. In past times, the distorted information circulated by the Armenian lobby took up more space, while today the world community is properly informed about the conflict. Everyone looking at the map can see that it is Azerbaijan that has been subjected to occupation. We will continue to pursue a consistent policy related to this issue. Our principled position remains unchanged. We will not step away from this position. The conflict must be resolved only within the territorial integrity of our country, the decisions and resolutions of the relevant international organizations must be implemented. We will continue to pay great attention to the social sphere because it should be a priority for any country, including us. Even though wages and pensions have been increased several times in recent years, we will continue to take steps in this direction. Recently, a very large social package was adopted. These reforms were announced after last years presidential election. A very serious social initiative was launched at the beginning of this year. The decisions made cover three million people and the financial situation of these citizens is improving. However, I believe that we will continue to take resolute steps in this direction because the social well-being of our citizens is our highest priority. Of course, this is connected with economic development because social programs cannot be implemented without economic development and financial opportunities. Therefore, a lot of attention is being paid to reforms in the economic sphere today, and these reforms are already yielding results. The result is that our budget revenues are growing. Since the beginning of this year, budget revenues have increased significantly by hundreds of millions of manats. This creates additional opportunities for us to transfer this growth primarily to the social sphere. Solution of problems related to unemployment is an issue that is always on our agenda because, although 2 million jobs have been created since 2003, there is still unemployment. It is true that in comparison with other countries the rate of unemployment in Azerbaijan is very low. Nevertheless, we believe that steps should continue to be taken in this direction in the future. Since the beginning of this year, about 50,000 jobs have been created in the public sector alone. Of course, we are well aware that jobs should first be created in the private sector, and they are being created in the private sector. The government supports the private sector and encourages it to do so. Unemployment is a problem inherent in any country. The solution of this issue requires great effort. We are making these efforts and achieving the result. But it is also necessary to remember that the population of Azerbaijan has increased by 1.7 million people over the past 15 years. Measures related to unemployment should be taken on a regular basis. This issue is always on the agenda and we are seriously dealing with that. There is information warfare in the world today. Everyone can see that clearly. Azerbaijan is a country that has been the target of information attacks for many years. Distorted and false information, conjured-up facts and fictitious news about our country have gained momentum. We must adequately respond to this and communicate our realities to the world. Most of the attacks against us are launched by the Armenian lobby and their allies some local groups calling themselves opposition. Their goal is to tarnish Azerbaijan, spread distorted and false information about our country. This is one of the types of information warfare. By our policies, we are smashing and should continue to smash all this lie and slander to smithereens, because Azerbaijani realities show that our country is confidently and rapidly developing. From my experience as President, frequent contacts with foreign visitors and meetings with guests visiting Azerbaijan for the first time, I can say that I have seen their genuine surprise: they did not know that Azerbaijan is such a developed country. We did not know that the situation in Azerbaijan is so good, that you have such clean, tidy and beautiful cities. The public mood is positive. People support the government. In other words, why were they surprised? Because a focused campaign was always conducted against us! The goal is to discredit Azerbaijan, to strike a blow to our development and to undermine the traditional foundations of our society. We cannot and will not allow this to happen because we are on the path of independence. We have made our choice. We are building a strong state, a state that rests on national and spiritual values. Therefore, one of their aims is to undermine our national values and traditions. They are trying to undermine them, to undermine the development of our country. Azerbaijani people are well aware of that. They should know that we live in the conditions of information warfare and should be ready for this. We can win this war only with our deeds and with our determination. We face many challenges. The most important of them is that Azerbaijan should pursue an independent policy. Our people can develop only in the conditions of independence. We have been deprived of independence for centuries and could not make our choice. Today we are happy to live as an independent country, as a free people because our destiny is in our own hands. Protection and strengthening of our independence are our top priorities. Established in 1918, the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic lasted only 23 months. The independent Republic of Azerbaijan is the successor of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, and we have ensured and implemented its intentions. I am confident that our development along the path of independence will be sustainable and successful, and the state independence of Azerbaijan will be eternal! Thank you!" The official reception continued with a concert. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 29 By Ilhama Isabalayeva Trend: Negotiations on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are conducted on the basis of the Kazan principles, Sergey Markov, Director of the Russian Institute of Political Studies, said at a conference titled "Azerbaijan in Eurospace", Trend reports. He recalled that 1 million refugees and internally displaced persons live in Azerbaijan and that the UN Security Council, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and the European Parliament have repeatedly adopted resolutions reaffirming that Nagorno-Karabakh is an integral part of Azerbaijan. Markov also said that no country recognized Nagorno-Karabakh as a separate independent state. "Some consider the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to be a frozen conflict, because there is no movement of armed forces and no peacekeeping forces are stationed. But this conflict cannot be considered frozen due to the occurrence of various incidents, he said. Hostilities did indeed take place on the contact line of troops in April of 2016. While it only lasted for a short time namely four days, hundreds of servicemen and civilians were killed. Official Moscow, having talked over the phone with the leaderships of Azerbaijan and Armenia several times, asked to stop the military hostilities," Markov added. According to the Director of the Institute, Armenia occupied not only Nagorno-Karabakh, but also seven adjacent regions. Ethnic cleansing was carried out in these regions, and locals were expelled from these territories. The OSCE Minsk Group was created to resolve the conflict, and certain measures were taken for holding negotiations, he noted. Moreover, the Kazan Principles adopted on the initiative of Russia envisage a compromise, according to which Armenia returns the seven occupied regions to Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan lifts the economic blockade around Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, and then gives a temporary status to Nagorno Karabakh, followed by the withdrawal of the Armenian forces. Currently, negotiations are continuing on the basis of these principles," Markov concluded. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Details added (first version posted on 14:03) Baku, Azerbaijan, May 29 Trend: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received a delegation led by US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Energy Resources Kent Logsdon, Trend reports referring to the Azerbaijani presidential press-service. The president thanked for US President Donald Trump`s letter, describing it as a sign of strong partner relations. President Aliyev hailed the fact that the US president has sent two letters in the past few days. Thanking for the reception, US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Energy Resources Kent Logsdon said he is pleased to participate in the 26th International Caspian Oil & Gas-2019 Exhibition and Conference in Baku and extended his congratulations on the 26th anniversary of this important event. President Aliyev touched upon the significance of the 26th International Caspian Oil & Gas-2019 Exhibition and Conference, stressing that the event has been attracting leading companies of the world for many years. The president noted the importance of the fact that the US is widely represented at the event. They exchanged views over the implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor project, prospects for cooperation in energy, renewable energy sources and business areas. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 29 By Samir Ali Trend: Baku Metro stations may work around the clock on the night of May 29-30, Bakhtiyar Mammadov, Head of Baku Metro CJSC, told Trend. Having reminded that the final game of the UEFA Europa League between the English clubs Arsenal and Chelsea will take place in Baku, on May 29, he added that today all the metro stations will operate in an enhanced mode and it is planned to launch backup trains. "Passengers will be allowed to enter the subway and move along certain routes until 04:00. However, if necessary, the subway will work until the morning, until it serves the last fan of the final game," Mammadov said. The fans, who are anxiously waiting for the UEFA Europa League final 2019, will be able to watch the match between the English clubs Chelsea and Arsena, which begins at 23:00 at the Baku Olympic Stadium. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 29 By Kheyraddin Nasirzade Trend: The cards of the Russian payment system Mir will be used in Azerbaijan soon, chairman of the management board of VTB Bank (Azerbaijan) Yevgeniy Kirin said. Kirin made the remarks in Baku at the press-conference on the results of the first quarter of this year, Trend reports. A great share of the card issue in Russia accounts for the cards of the Mir payment system, he said. Taking into account an increase in the emission of cards in the Russian market and the growing flow of Russian tourists to Azerbaijan, which last year reached 850,000 people, there is a need for the Mir cards in Azerbaijan. This project is aimed at the convenience of carrying out cash transactions of Russian tourists in Azerbaijan, he added. Kirin stressed that this would also be beneficial for the Azerbaijani side because of the profitability of this project. He said that the project is being coordinated with Financial Market Supervisory Authority of Azerbaijan (FIMSA). Kirin expressed hope for speedy settlement of this issue and implementation of the project. The National Payment Card System JSC was established in Russia in 2014. A center was created to process domestic Russian transactions using international payment systems. The national payment card was issued and promoted. Since 2015, all operations with MasterCard and Visa cards have been carried out through the National Payment Card System. Mir card was also created in that period. So far, 59.5 million Mir cards have been issued, which is 20 percent of the total issue, head of the National Payment Card System Vladimir Komlev said. Among 59.5 million Mir cards, there are debit and credit cards, cards with contactless payment system, social, campus, public transport and co-badged cards with two payment systems (Mir and one of the international payment systems ), which allows using them worldwide. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @1nasirzade Prithvi Man Shrestha is a political reporter for The Kathmandu Post, covering the governance-related issues including corruption and irregularities in the government machinery. Before joining The Kathmandu Post in 2009, he worked at nepalnews.com and Rising Nepal primarily covering the issues of political and economic affairs for three years. Tehran,Iran, May 29 Trend: Iranian customs would release the imported goods on credit and without entrance fee payment in the current Iranian year (started March 21,2019), said head of the country's Customs Administration Mehdi Mirashrafi. "Part of goods will be kept on bail for releasing the rest of imported goods in order to support domestic production and improve the working environment alongside facilitating the customs formalities for production units,"said Mirashrafi, Trend reports citing IRNA. Based on the newly announced regulation, the customs are obligated to issue release of imported raw material, machinery and parts for production lines based on credit of the production units. The deadline to use the advances would extend for six months while according to the regulation the imported goods will be released without entrance fee payment. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 29 By Kheyraddin Nasirzade - Trend: A collective agreement on clearing, settlements in securities and derivative financial instruments has been signed between the National Depository Center of Azerbaijan (NDC) and AzerTurkBank OJSC, PASHA Bank OJSC, Xalq Bank OJSC and Yapi Kredi Bank Azerbaijan CJSC, Trend reports referring to the NDC. The agreement provides for the use of a new settlement model - a settlement agent for clearing and settlement transactions with securities. The introduction of the new model is aimed at more efficient regulation of liquidity in the market, including the implementation of settlements on the Azerbaijani securities market by commercial banks, as well as the optimization of settlement modes. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @1nasirzade Baku, Azerbaijan, May 29 By Sara Israfilbayova Trend: Azerbaijans state-owned company SOCAR continues negotiations on the acquisition of shares of the Antipinsky Oil Refinery, Vice President of SOCAR Elshad Nasirov told journalists, Trend reports. According to Reuters, the head of Sberbank Herman Gref told earlier that over 80 percent of the plants shares were acquired by the bank and negotiations are underway with potential investors. In April, Sberbank received 100 percent in Cyprus Vikay Industrial, which owns 80 percent of Antipinsky Oil Refinery, while the remaining 20 percent of the shares belong to various other legal entities and individuals. Three weeks later, the management of the company filed a lawsuit to declare Antipinsky Oil Refinery bankrupt. The total debt to banks is estimated at $5 billion. Earlier, Herman Gref stated that Sberbank is continuing negotiations with potential investors on the sale of the refinery. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 29 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: The European Commission, European Investment Bank and Breakthrough Energy Ventures have established a new 100 million fund to support clean energy investments, Trend reports citing the European Commission. The fund was set up during the Fourth Mission Innovation Ministerial meeting in Vancouver, Canada, reads a message from the Commission. The fund will help develop innovative European companies and bring radically new clean energy technologies to the market. It will support Europe's best clean energy entrepreneurs whose solutions can deliver significant and lasting reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. The first of its kind, it caters to the capital intensity and long development horizons that energy technologies need, said the message. Reportedly, funding for BEV-E will include a 50 million contribution from the European Investment Bank guaranteed by InnovFin, a financial instrument funded through the EU's research and innovation programme, and a 50 million contribution from Breakthrough Energy Ventures, an investor-led fund committed to supporting cutting-edge companies in the energy sector. Business as usual is not an option. We need to boost our investments with more than 500 billion euro each year to achieve a carbon neutral economy by 2050. I am pleased that our pilot cooperation with Breakthrough Energy has taken off so fast. This is pioneering work: aligning private and public investment in cutting-edge innovation, to the benefit of the Energy Union and our climate, Maros Sefcovic, Vice-President of the Commission for the Energy Union, said. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, May 29 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan hosted a meeting with Ahmed Ali Al Sharyan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bahrains Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC), Trend reports referring to the Turkmen Foreign Ministry. According to the Ministry, the parties discussed a wide range of issues in priority areas of bilateral cooperation. In particular, the possibilities of implementing joint projects in oil, gas and chemical industries, and the prospects for the production of ammonia and nitrogen were considered, the information says. As reported, earlier GPIC held talks with representatives of Turkmengas, Turkmennebit (Turkmenneft) and Turkmenhimiya (Turkmenchemistry) state concerns, during which the issue on creation of a joint coordination working group was discussed among others. The Turkmenhimiya State Concern plans to increase the volume and range of mineral fertilizers. The country has already launched production of key types of mineral fertilizers. Ammonia-urea plants successfully operate in the cities of Tejen and Mary, a urea plant has been commissioned in the city of Garabogaz of the Balkan Region. A workshop for the production of sulfuric acid was commissioned at the Turkmenabat Chemical Plant, where it is also planned to master the production of potash-nitrogen fertilizers from ammonium nitric acid and potassium chloride. To this end, work is underway for the implementation of a project involving the production of highly concentrated phosphate fertilizers with an annual capacity of 170,000 tons. In addition, it is planned to start the production of ammonium sulfate, widely used in agriculture as an effective fertilizer, on the basis of sulfuric acid and ammonia produced in the country. According to local experts, the country's raw material reserves allow for producing all types of mineral fertilizers in volumes that meet the domestic needs of the country, and for significant increasing the export potential of the industry. In January this year, the state-owned concern announced an international tender for the construction of a production unit for producing complex mineral fertilizers. Tenders were also announced for the selection of a contractor for the design and construction of an enterprise for the production of granulated ammonium sulfate - mixed nitrogen-sulfur fertilizer, and a workshop for the production of Urea-ES nitrogen-sulfate fertilizer at the Tejencarbamide plant. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, May 29 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: The Russian delegation, attending the meeting of the Council of CIS Heads of Government, which will be held on May 31 in the Turkmen capital of Ashgabat, will be headed by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Trend reports referring to the press service of the Russian government. The parties will discuss topical issues of cooperation between the CIS countries. Particular attention will be paid to the subject of innovation, protection of rights to intellectual property, and customs control. It is planned to sign a number of intergovernmental documents regulating interaction in these areas, according to the source. During the negotiations, it is expected that decisions will be made with regards to developing a draft intergovernmental program of innovative cooperation for the period until 2030, amending the rules for determining the country of origin of products, and customs clearance, as well as the transit and monitoring of goods moved through the territories of the CIS member states. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, May 29 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: Deputy Chairman of the State Customs Service of Turkmenistan Rovshen Garajaev took part in an interregional meeting in Tashkent on the control of container shipping, Trend reports with reference to the State Service. The sixth annual meeting was held as part of the Container Control Program of the World Customs Organization (WCO) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss priorities and needs in the field of control over container shipments and strengthen interregional cooperation between the customs services of the participating countries in identifying and preventing transportation of high-risk cargo. During the meeting, the signing ceremony of Memorandum of Understanding on the creation of an interregional network of customs services and port control groups was held. Ashgabat considers it a priority to develop the large-scale North-South and East-West transport corridors, increase the capabilities of the Central Asia-Persian Gulf communication network and develop transport links in the Caspian-Black Sea region. These projects cover the expansion of transport and communication ties between the countries of Central Asia with their further access to the markets of Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Near and Middle East. In particular, sea freight transportation in the Caspian Sea is becoming increasingly important in the external economic relations of Turkmenistan. There is a growth in the volumes of cargo handled at the harbor berths, through which industrial and agricultural equipment, automotive equipment, metal products, timber, mineral fertilizers are delivered to Turkmenistan, while polypropylene, coke and other petroleum products, as well as chemical and construction industry products, are exported from the country. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, May 29 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: Political consultations between Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan were held in Ashgabat, Trend reports referring to the Turkmen Foreign Ministry. The delegation from Bishkek was headed by the director of the first political department of the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry Ruslan Biybosunov. The parties noted the importance of intensifying contacts at the highest state level, including the need to expand inter-parliamentary ties. During the talks, priority areas - water, transport and energy diplomacy - were also noted. The sides also discussed issues of cooperation between the two countries as part of reputable international organizations, and the readiness of the Kyrgyz side to negotiate reforming of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) was considered. After discussing the prospects for trade and economic potential, the parties considered the possibilities of expanding contacts between the business circles of the two countries and holding regular business forums. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 29 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: If those who imposed unfair sanctions on Iran will adhere to their commitments [in the frames of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) agreement], the path for negotiations will not remain closed for them, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers, Trend reports referring to the Iranian state news agency dolat.ir. Commenting on the recent statements made by US President Donald Trump, Rouhani said that it is not their [the US] words which matter to Iran, but rather their actions. Rouhani added that the resistance of the Iranian people sometimes led to the comments by the US on contradictory statements from Iran. US President Donald Trump has recently stated that the US does not want nuclear weapons in Iran. According to him, Iran has tremendous economic potential and the US is waiting for the country to return to the global arena. "It has a chance to be a great country with the same leadership," Trump stated. We are not looking for the regime change; I just want to make that clear. We are looking for no nuclear weapons. I am not looking to hurt Iran at all. The US President did, however, make statements earlier on Iran's hostile behavior towards to the US being hostile and Iran being one of the main sponsors of terrorism. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), signed between Iran and the P5+1 group (US, UK, Russia, China, France and Germany), was put in force in January 2016. The US announced its withdrawal from the deal in May 2018 and imposed sanctions on Iran in November of the same year. In late January 2019, the European signatories of the JCPOA (namely the UK, France and Germany) officially announced the establishment of INSTEX, a special financial mechanism formed with Iran for backing the said agreement. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 29 By Elnur Baghishov - Trend: Irans exports to Afghanistan may significantly increase, said Head of Iran-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce Aladdin Mir Mohammad Sadeghi, Trend reports citing Tasnim News Agency. He said that for the time being, the value of Irans exports to Afghanistan is not so great. The official added that the US is exerting pressure on Afghanistan for its trade with Iran. As a result, one Iranian bank was closed in Afghanistan. If Iranian businessmen can communicate well with Afghan counterparts, the US pressure will not work, he said. From March 21 to April 20, 2019, Iran exported goods worth $140 million to Afghanistan and imported products worth $0.2 million from the country. Exports of Iranian products to Afghanistan dropped by 18 percent compared to the same period last year, and imports from this country decreased by 71 percent. Prahlad Rijal is a business reporter at The Kathmandu Post, focusing on the energy sector. Before joining the Post, Rijal was an online reporter at The Himalayan Times. Azerbaijan to appeal to UNESCO for including samples of national cultural heritage into Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity The Syrian government forces on Tuesday repelled another attack by militants from the al-Nusra Front terrorist group in the north of Hama province killing about 10 terrorists, the Russian centre for Syrian reconciliation reported, Trend reports citing Sputnik. "More than 20 militants from the Hayat Tahrir Ash-Sham [formerly known as al-Nusra Front] terrorist group, with the support of three all-road vehicles armed with large-caliber machine guns, launched an attack on the town of Kafr Nabudah. The units of the Syrian government forces destroyed an off-road vehicle and killed about 10 terrorists," the center's commander, Maj. Gen. Viktor Kupchishin said at a daily news briefing. On the night of May 26, the Syrian army repelled an attack of about 450 terrorists, seven tanks, five infantry fighting vehicles, and 12 off-road vehicles with large-calibre machine guns on Kafr Nabudah. The attack was supported by rocket fire from three MLRS systems. According to the Russian military, the Syrian government forces destroyed three tanks, two MLRS systems, an infantry fighting vehicle, six off-road vehicles with heavy machine guns and killed about 100 militants in that battle. Militants from Al Nusra terrorist group are preparing explosives-laden cars and rockets equipped with toxic agents for an attack on the residential areas of the city of Aleppo in northern Syria, Ahmad Kazem, the head of the Syrian Human Rights Network said, Trend reports citing Sputnik. "Al Nusra terrorists prepare car bombs filled with chlorine, white phosphorus and phosphates as well as Grad and Elephant rockets equipped with poisonous substances for attacks on residential areas of the city of Aleppo," Kazem said. According to human rights activists, the terrorists plan to use poisonous substances in the areas to accuse the Syrian army of chemical attack. Earlier in May, the US State Department of State said Washington was collecting information regarding a chemical weapons attack in Syria that had allegedly been carried out by the Syrian government over the weekend. Mexico issued an arrest warrant for a former chief of Mexican oil company Pemex, government-owned media said on Tuesday, in the first blow against ex-President Enrique Pena Nietos inner circle since a new government took office promising to clean up politics, Trend reports citing Reuters. Citing sources at the attorney generals office, Mexico news agency Notimex said a judge had ordered the arrest of Emilio Lozoya, who headed Pemex from 2012 to 2016. A Mexican security source said the reports were accurate. The attorney generals office did not respond to requests for comment. Lozoyas lawyer Javier Coello said he had not received any official notification of an arrest warrant. Coello said that after seeing various media reports on the subject he filed an injunction on behalf of Lozoya to get to the bottom of the matter, and requested to be officially notified of whether the warrant exists. Once the defense verifies if there is actually an arrest warrant, and it knows the contents of the warrant, it will be able to take a legal position to execute an adequate defense, Coello said in a statement. Coello said in a radio interview that Lozoya was in Mexico, denying some reports that he had left the country. In a move related to the case, Spanish police detained steel magnate Alonso Ancira on Tuesday, his company Altos Hornos de Mexico (AHMSA) said in a statement. The company sold a fertilizer plant to Pemex while Lozoya was at the helm. The investigation of Lozoya, who ran Pena Nietos 2012 election campaign, is the first high-profile corruption investigation launched by the government of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador against the government he replaced on Dec. 1. Lopez Obrador won election by a landslide promising to root out public sector corruption. On Monday, the Finance Ministry said it had blocked accounts belonging to Lozoya and to AHMSA for allegedly carrying out illegal operations. The ministrys money-laundering czar Santiago Nieto said the case also had links to Brazilian builder Odebrecht, whose executives have testified about bribes to politicians across Latin America. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host the Chinese President Xi Jinping later this year for an informal summit, an Indian foreign ministry spokesman said in a statement on Wednesday, reports Trend citing to Reuters During the first Informal Summit in Wuhan, Chinese President Xi had accepted the invitation of PM Modi to visit India for the next Informal Summit in 2019. The two sides are in touch, through diplomatic channels, to finalize the date and venue for the meeting, the spokesman said. Both leaders have met several times over the past year to defuse tensions and bolster trade ties after a military standoff at their high-altitude Himalayan border in 2017 rekindled fears of war between the two Asian nations. Nissan Motor Cos premium brand Infiniti is relocating its headquarters back to Japan from Hong Kong, its home since 2012, to create more operational efficiencies with its parent company, according to a document seen by Reuters on Wednesday, reports Trend citing to Reuters The move planned for mid-2020, and expected to be publicly announced later on Wednesday, will help the Japanese automaker cut costs amid a slump in its global earnings in the year ended March 31. The relocation will further integrate (Infiniti) with global design, research and development and manufacturing functions based in Japan, Nissan said in the statement, adding that Infiniti would continue to operate independently. The move also was crucial for Nissan to follow through on its strategy to electrify the Infiniti lineup, the document said, with plans for every premium model launched from 2021 to be either all-electric or e-Power hybrid. A Nissan official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that while there was a fair amount of platform and other base technology sharing between Infiniti and the main volume brand Nissan, there could be more. Nissans global operating profit plunged 45% in the last fiscal year and would likely drop another 28% to rock bottom in the current one, according to company filings earlier this month. Infinitis move back to Japan will reverse a decision made under ousted leader Carlos Ghosn to dilute the premium brands Japanese origins in order to foster a more global image. Its Hong Kong headquarters has about 180 employees who were told about the move back to Yokohama earlier on Wednesday, according to the Nissan official. The Hong Kong headquarters and the global image it was intended to promote were seen as critical for Infiniti to make inroads in China, where being Japanese can sometimes be a handicap because of historical animosities. In 2012, Infiniti and other Japanese brands took a battering in the wake of diplomatic spats over disputed islets known as Diaoyu in China and Senkaku in Japan. Since then, Japans bilateral relationship with China has steadily improved and Japanese automakers including Nissan and Toyota are seeing their businesses expand, even as Chinas overall auto market has slumped over the past year. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) will organize a summit with airlines, regulators and manufacturers in 5 to 7 weeks to discuss what is needed for the Boeing Co 737 MAX to return to service, the airline groups head said on Wednesday, reports Trend citing to Reuters At an IATA meeting in Montreal last week, airline members said they wanted regulators to cooperate closely on the decision to un-ground the plane, IATA Director General Alexandre de Juniac told reporters. We hope that they will align their timeframe, he said of regulators. James Cleverly, one of the Conservative candidates vying for Prime Minister Theresa Mays job, said Britain could absolutely cope with a no-deal Brexit but it was not his desired outcome, reports Trend citing to Reuters Cleverly, a junior Brexit minister and former deputy chairman of the party, said the House of Commons would do everything it could to prevent a disruptive Brexit, and that he would rather the country left with an agreement with Brussels. My job in government is to make sure that we can leave with no deal, he told BBC Radio. That is still one of the ultimate destinations of this process. It is not my preferred destination. What it would be is an added level of uncertainty and difficulty at a time when we could well do without that. (But) we absolutely can deliver a Brexit with no deal. John Bercow, the speaker of Britains House of Commons, plans to stay on despite previous expectations he was about to leave, risking the fury of hardline Brexiteers who believe he wants to thwart a no-deal departure, reports Trend citing to Reuters The speaker told the Guardian it was not sensible to vacate the chair while there were such major issues before parliament. Ive never said anything about going in July of this year, Bercow told the Guardian. I do feel that now is a time in which momentous events are taking place and there are great issues to be resolved and in those circumstances, it doesnt seem to me sensible to vacate the chair, he said. In a speech in Washington, Bercow said it was for the birds to think that parliament could be sidelined in the debate over Brexit. The idea that parliament is going to be evacuated from the center-stage of the debate on Brexit is unimaginable. It is simply unimaginable, he said. Latvias parliament elected former European Court of Justice judge Egils Levits as the Baltic countrys next president on Wednesday, a largely ceremonial role that also brings with it limited political powers, reports Trend citing to Reuters Levits won the support of 61 lawmakers in the 100-seated parliament. He will serve four years starting on July 8, when incumbent president Raimonds Vejonis term comes to an end. The president of Latvia has mostly ceremonial functions but can propose new bills and nominate candidates for prime minister. The president is appointed through the parliament votes rather than popular elections. Final hearing into the 2010 murder case of media owner Singhaniya begins Singhaniya, who was the chairman of Janakpur Today Communications Group, was shot dead at Shiva Chowk in Janakpur on March 1, 2010 The European Unions deputy Brexit negotiator, German Sabine Weyand, will switch jobs from June to lead the trade unit at the blocs powerful executive in Brussels, meaning she would still face off against London in any future negotiations, reports Trend citing to Reuters As the head of the European Commissions directorate general for trade, Weyand would also oversee EU negotiations to strike a deal with the United States, and help steer policy toward China. A veteran of the blocs previous trade talks with the United States and Canada, the 54-year-old has raised her profile significantly as Brexit negotiator since 2016. While her boss, Frenchman Michel Barnier, played a crucial political role in EU hub Brussels, Weyand was widely credited for being the ultimate expert on trade and other technical aspects of the Brexit deal, which the EU sealed with Britain last year but which the British parliament has since rejected. Many trade policy achievements to build on, many challenges ahead, Weyand said on Twitter after her appointment from June 1 was announced on Wednesday. Three years after Britons voted narrowly to leave the EU, the fate of Brexit is uncertain as the country remains mired in a spiraling political crisis, which has already ended Theresa Mays premiership. The bloc has swiftly pushed back against talk in London that the next Conservative prime minister could seek to renegotiate the Brexit deal with the EU. Weyands move comes as the EU is looking to appoint new names to its top jobs in Brussels, including the head of the European Commission, after last weeks continent-wide elections. Barnier himself is a possible candidate and diplomats and officials have told Reuters that Weyand could then jump to become his secretary general, an even more powerful role in the elaborate Brussels corridors of power. Weyand will not be replaced for the meantime in her post on the Brexit team, which Barnier continues to lead. For now, she will become the EUs top civil servant for trade, working for the trade commissioner, a more political role now held by Swedens Cecilia Malmstrom until the current Commission steps down at the end of October. Under EU rules, negotiating trade deals with third parties is a central Brussels competence, though any agreements must be approved by all the 28 national EU capitals and the European Parliament to take effect. As well as seeking an accord with Washington, which has threatened to hike import tariffs on EU cars, the European Union is currently negotiating trade agreements with Latin American bloc Mercosur, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. No-deal Brexit risks are on the rise again, some investment banks say, though parliaments resolute opposition to Britain crashing out of the EU without a trade deal means that probability is still seen as low, reports Trend citing to Reuters More than half the banks canvassed by Reuters have upped no-deal Brexit probabilities. Prime Minister Theresa Mays failure to find a compromise with the opposition Labour on passing a Brexit deal led to her announcing her resignation and the Eurosceptic Boris Johnson becoming front-runner to replace her. BNP Paribas for instance doubled its probability of a no-deal to 40%, while JPMorgan raised theirs to 25% from 15%. Whether these risks rise further depends on the outcome of the race to succeed May, with some analysts seeing no-deal proponents emboldened by the Brexit partys strong showing at last weeks EU parliament election. All the banks assess no-deal Brexit probabilities as less than 50%; most put it in the 10-25% range. Parliament overwhelmingly opposes crashing out of the EU without a divorce deal and could either trigger new elections via a no-confidence vote leading to a deadline extension or it could vote to revoke Brexit, argues James Smith at ING Bank. Smith assesses no-deal risks at 20%. Whats more, sharp gains by anti-Brexit parties may also imply greater chances of a second referendum or no Brexit at all, some argue. The Labour frontbench may well decide that advocating a second referendum will play to its electoral advantage, said Goldman Sachs which puts the likelihood of no-Brexit at 40%. Alternatively, if a Eurosceptic Prime Minister proves intent on pursuing a no deal Brexit, we think a majority of MPs...may well vote to revoke Article 50 as a last resort. At least 18 members of Afghan security forces have been killed after Taliban militants stormed several posts providing protection to a historic minaret in western Afghanistan, Trend reports citing Press TV. Abdul Hai Khatebi, the provincial governor spokesman of the western province of Ghor, said on Wednesday that 15 pro-government militias and three policemen had been killed in the attacks, which started Monday. Sayed Zia Hussaini, the deputy police chief of Ghor, confirmed that militants ran over some checkpoints around the revered 12th-century Jam minaret. "The Taliban have captured some checkpoints around the minaret. We had to retreat because more fighting would cause damage to the minaret." Fakhruddin Ariapur, the Ghor province director of information and culture, said that the Taliban assaults had cut the government access to the area. "The Taliban have shut off telecommunication towers and have cut any access to the area, Ariapur said, adding, "The cleaning-up work (from the flood) has stopped and we don't know what is happening there." The attack comes less than a week after the minaret, which is the UNESCO World Heritage Site, was threatened by surging floodwaters. Late last week, dramatic video footage showed brown torrents crashing up against the base of the brick minaret, which was built in about 1190. On Monday, the government had hired about 300 local workers to channel floodwaters away from the tower. The war-wracked country has been struggling to stop scores of deadly attacks by the Taliban militant group almost across the country over the past months. The Taliban have stepped up attacks on security installations in their so-called spring offensive amid direct talks with the United States, rejecting calls by the USs chief negotiator Zalmay Khalilzad to lay down their arms. This comes as a sixth round of talks between the US and Taliban recently ended in the Qatari capital Doha with no tangible progress. The Taliban have said peace negotiations were stumbling over the fundamental question of when foreign forces would depart the war-ravaged country. The administration of President Donald Trump is now negotiating with the Taliban in an attempt to discourage the group from attacking US troops. Many parts of the country remain under militant control despite the years-long presence of US-led foreign forces in the country. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 29 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: Regional issues were discussed during the telephone conversation of the Turkish Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar with the acting US Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, Trend reports referring to Turkish media. They also discussed the strengthening of military ties between the two countries and the latest military operations of the Turkish Armed Forces and the Turkish Air Force in northern Iraq. The Turkish Air Force and the Armed Forces recently launched a large-scale operation in the Hakurk region of northern Iraq. On March 27, the Turkish National Intelligence Organization and the country's Air Force conducted an operation to eliminate Riza Altun, the closest ally of Cemil Bayik, the leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) terrorist group. After Altuns location was revealed, the Turkish Air Force delivered a precision strike on a house where the terrorist was staying. The conflict between Turkey and the PKK, which demands the creation of an independent Kurdish state, has lasted more than 25 years, claiming more than 40,000 lives. The PKK is recognized as a terrorist organization by the UN and the EU. Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, May 29 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: As part of the operation of the Turkish Armed Forces and the Air Force, dubbed 'Pence' (Paw), 15 terrorists of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) were killed in the Hakurk region in northern Iraq, Trend reports on May 29 with reference to Turkish media. The Turkish Armed Forces and the Air Force continue active military operations in the region. Turkish weapons are mainly used during military operations against the PKK in the north of Iraq. On May 28, the Turkish Air Force and the Armed Forces has launched a large-scale operation in the Hakurk region in northern Iraq. On March 27, the Turkish National Intelligence Organization and the country's Air Force conducted an operation to eliminate Riza Altun, the closest ally of Cemil Bayik, the leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) terrorist group. After Altuns location was revealed, the Turkish Air Force delivered a precision strike on a house where the terrorist was staying. The conflict between Turkey and the PKK, which demands the creation of an independent Kurdish state, has lasted more than 25 years, claiming more than 40,000 lives. The PKK is recognized as a terrorist organization by the UN and the EU. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, May 29 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: The EU will not hold negotiations with Turkey on new terms for its full membership in the structure, Trend reports referring to the Turkish media. According to the report, this is stated in the EU enlargement report. The report notes that Turkeys domestic policy alienates it from Europe. Earlier, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan instructed the government to accelerate the reforms for the country to be the EU full member. A source from the Turkish government told Trend that Ankara almost completely fulfilled the EU conditions, but the EU double standards are still the main obstacle for Ankaras full membership. "The main problem in relations between Turkey and the EU is that the EU has not yet determined Ankaras status in this structure, the source said. The fulfillment of 66 out of 72 conditions in a short time is the great achievement." According to the Turkish government source, Turkeys accession to the EU is a priority, but this does not mean that Ankara has no alternative. On April 27, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the EU must decide on Turkeys membership in the EU. He noted that if the EU does not need Turkey, it should openly declare this. Erdogan added that Turkey has fulfilled all the conditions to become a full member of the EU. The Association Agreement between the EU and Turkey was signed in 1963. Ankara filed an application for EU membership in 1987, but accession negotiations began only in 2005. Baku, Azerbaijan, May 29 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Operations in northern Iraq will continue until the total elimination of terrorists, Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said, Trend reports on May 29 with reference to Turkish media. He said that the main goal of the military operations carried out by the Turkish Air Force and the Armed Forces is the elimination of terrorists of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The minister noted that the Turkish Air Force and the Armed Forces have expanded the area of military operations in the north of Iraq against the PKK. As part of the operation of the Turkish Armed Forces and the Air Force, dubbed 'Pence' (Paw), 15 terrorists of PKK were killed in the Hakurk region in northern Iraq. On May 28, the Turkish Air Force and the Armed Forces launched a large-scale operation in the Hakurk region in northern Iraq. On March 27, the Turkish National Intelligence Organization and the country's Air Force conducted an operation to eliminate Riza Altun, the closest ally of Cemil Bayik, the leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) terrorist group. After Altuns location was revealed, the Turkish Air Force delivered a precision strike on a house where the terrorist was staying. The conflict between Turkey and the PKK, which demands the creation of an independent Kurdish state, has lasted more than 25 years, claiming more than 40,000 lives. The PKK is recognized as a terrorist organization by the UN and the EU. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu The United States is seriously considering suspending training for Turkish pilots on advanced F-35 fighter jets as Ankara moves ahead with plans to purchase a Russian missile defense system despite objections from Washington, sources told Reuters on Tuesday, Trend reports citing Reuters. The two NATO allies have argued for months over Turkeys order for the Russian S-400 defenses, which Washington says are incompatible with the Western alliances defense network and would pose a threat to American F-35 stealth fighters which Turkey also plans to buy. The two sources, who are familiar with Turkeys role in the F-35 program and who spoke on condition of anonymity, said a final decision had not yet been made. The deliberation follows signs that Turkey is moving ahead with the S-400 purchase. Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on May 22 that Turkish military personnel were receiving training in Russia to use the S-400, and said Russian personnel may come to Turkey. Turkish pilots have also been training at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. It was unclear whether a decision to suspend their training would mean they would have to leave the country, or would be allowed to remain at the base until a final decision is made about Turkeys future in the F-35 program. The United States has said plainly that Turkey cannot have the S-400 and be part of the F-35 program. The F-35 is made by Lockheed Martin Corp. If Turkey was removed from the program, it would be one of the most significant ruptures in recent history in the relationship between the two allies, experts say. Washington is signaling that while it would rather not break military ties with Turkey, it is ready to do so if Ankara does not change its mind regarding the S-400 purchase, said Soner Cagaptay, director of the Turkish program at the Washington Institute. Strains in ties between Washington and Ankara already extend beyond the F-35 to include conflicting strategy in Syria, Iran sanctions and the detention of U.S. consular staff in Turkey. A sheriff's deputy and three other people were shot -- one fatally -- Wednesday at two locations in Cleveland, Texas, the Liberty County Sheriff's Office said, Trend reports with reference to CNN. The situation unfolded with a shooting at a plumbing company along Highway 321 in Cleveland, where deputies found a dead woman, said Capt. Ken DeFoor, a sheriff's spokesman. Two others were shot; their conditions are unknown. A deputy followed the suspect, and gunshots were exchanged as the suspect pulled into a veterinary clinic parking lot down the road, DeFoor said. The deputy was shot in the neck and was airlifted to a hospital in Houston in stable condition, the spokesman said. Authorities have identified the suspect as Pavol Vido. Deputies are searching for Vido, who is driving a 2004 white Mercury vehicle, DeFoor said. It's unknown if the suspect and the shooting victims knew each other. Vido appears to have been living in a structure behind the plumbing business, according to DeFoor. He was in the process of being evicted, but it's unknown whether that played a role in the shooting, the spokesman said. Cleveland is about 45 miles northeast of Houston. A man set himself on fire on the White House Ellipse Wednesday afternoon and was rushed to a hospital for treatment, according to the Secret Service, Trend reports referring to The Washington Post. The incident occurred about 12:20 p.m. near 15th Street NW and Constitution Avenue NW. Sgt. Eduardo Delgado, a spokesman for the U.S. Park Police, said the man was in critical condition. Park police assumed jurisdiction because the Ellipse is a national park. In a Tweet, the Secret Service said the man had set himself on fire. Delgado said authorities are trying to identify the accelerant that was used and determine whether the man has a car parked in the area. He said police do not yet know the mans identity and dont know a motive. A 17-year-old girl from Alexandria, Va. who was sight-seeing with a cousin visiting from Bolivia, saw part of the incident and captured it on video. She sent it to her father who posted it on Twitter. The video shows smoke billowing from the lawn near a guard shack and some flames visible above parked cars. The girls father, Krisjan Berzins, said in an interview that his daughter saw Secret Service agents running toward him trying to extinguish the fire. In April, authorities said a man riding a motorized wheelchair set his jacket on fire outside the White House. He was not critically injured and was involuntarily committed for psychiatric help. Krishana Prasain is a business reporter for The Kathmandu Post covering markets. Before joining The Kathmandu Post in 2018, she spent 3 years in New Business Age magazine covering business. New Delhi: The Indian Air Force is expected to receive the delivery of its first Rafale combat jet in September this year. The Indian Air Force's 'Golden Arrows' 17 Squadron which was commanded by Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa during the Kargil War in 1999, will enjoy the exploits of the state-of-the-art aircraft. "The first unit to receive the Rafale combat aircraft would be the 17 Squadron which was earlier located in Bhatinda in Punjab and will now be shifted to Ambala in Haryana," IAF sources told ANI. The other squadron that will receive the fighter aircraft West Bengals Hashimara to guard our border with China, while the one is Ambala will secure north against Pakistan. Earlier, 17 Squadron operated light combat aircraft MiG-21. The first unit of the advanced aircraft is expected in September this year but before it starts official operation, the jet will undergo an intensive 1,500 hours of testing to qualify as per the India Specific Enhancements. As a result, the first batch of delivery is expected to arrive at Ambala around May 2020. In September 2016, India signed a deal with the French government and Dassault Aviation to acquire 36 Rafale fighter jets. As of now, IAFs Ambala base is home to the Jaguar aircraft. Dhanoa had in March said that with the inclusion of the French-made Rafale jets, forces across the border wont dare to loiter anywhere near the International Border. When Rafale comes in, it will ensure that the deterrence of our air defence will increase manifold and they (Pakistan) will not come anywhere near our Line of Control or border. That kind of capability we will possess, for which, presently they (Pakistan) dont have an answer, the Air Chief Marshal had said. also read: Honda Amaze achieved a 4-star rating in GLobal NCAP crash test Two suspected persons, near the military station in Ratnuchak in the outskirts of Jammu, were arrested on Tuesday while they were shooting videos and taking photographs outside an Army camp here, officials said. The suspects were taken into custody after they were found moving suspiciously and taking videos. According to the initial information shared by the army, both were in regular touch with Pakistan and a few hours before their arrest, they had contacted in the neigbouring country. The two are currently being interrogated by the security officials. While one of them is from Kathua, the other hails from Doda, the officials said. They said their mobile phones were scanned during which it came to light that they were in regular contact with some persons in Pakistan and have also shared some videos with them a few hours before their arrest. In December last year, the Indian Armys 51 Armoured Regiment foiled an attack on the Ratnuchak camp in Jammu in the wee hours, when the sentry fired at two Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists carrying arms and ammunition. The suspects, however, managed to flee the spot. Every entrepreneur -- whatever his or her business -- needs to understand the essentials of how customers decide what is worth what. I love pricing. I also love going to Las Vegas, especially when its to attend a pricing conference. True, thats not the reason most people visit, but then most people arent as passionate about pricing as I am. On this particular trip, it wasnt the conference but a chance encounter on the Vegas strip that reinforced for me the three pricing lessons that are the foundation for any successful pricing strategy. I was en route from the airport to my hotel when my cab got stuck on a side street. The barrier was road construction. As I sat stalled in traffic, the meter ticked up 20 cents at a time. After much frustration, I asked the driver to pull over, and got out to hike the two miles to my hotel. Related: Mastering the Art of Pricing: What the Textbooks Don't Teach You There was a beautiful woman at the next corner, heading in the same direction. We started chatting as we walked toward the strip. I told her about my cab ride and she said that she was going to meet friends. After a few minutes, I asked, So, what do you do? She looked me up and down, then replied, Anything you want. As a naive Midwesterner, I was shocked. But once I regained my composure, the next words out of my mouth were, Im a pricing expert. Can I ask you some questions? She said yes, so I asked what she charged. I charge $500, she replied. I asked if she ever negotiated lower prices, and she answered, If they dont want to pay that, I give them the names of some other providers who would provide services. Pricing lesson #1 -- know your value. For many business owners this is often one of the toughest lessons to learn, but its also one of the most important. Know your value -- based on experience, results youve provided clients, how much the competition charges, your unique value proposition -- and price your product or services accordingly. Too many companies undervalue their products. Story continues Then I asked her, Do you ever charge more? Absolutely, she said. If some guy walks up in a fancy suit, nice watch, good shoes, Im starting at $800. Related: Make Sure the Pricing Is Right With These Tips Pricing lesson #2 -- segment your market. Segmented pricing is an often-underutilized opportunity than can tremendously expand your business. Price segmentation includes pricing by region, time, buying patterns, a jobs turn-around time and specific customer needs. Companies need to look for customers with different degrees of willingness to pay, then find a way to charge those customers different prices. As we continued walking down the strip, she answered her phone. Based on her side of the conversation only, it was clear she was talking with a familiar client. Would you like me to get one of my friends and come over?" she asked the person on the other end. Not one to miss an opportunity, I was ready with my own question when she completed her cal. How much does it cost when you and a friend provide services? I inquired. Oh, that starts at $2,000, she said. Pricing lesson #3 -- have a product portfolio. Having a product portfolio means offering multiple versions of your product and/or a range of complementary goods or services that enhance the original product. You can create a product portfolio to capture more revenue from your market. This woman had multiple options available for clients to select from, and the collaboration with a friend gave her a premium package to offer. Related: Four Rules for Pricing Products Up to this point in our talk, she had been completely open. However, I had one question I hesitated asking. But we had arrived at my hotel, and I decided to go for broke: If you dont want to answer this question, thats fine but how much did you make last year? I worked almost every day and I made a little over $1 million, she responded. Wow! Now, you might not approve of what she does for a living, but if you want to maximize your income, may I suggest you learn these three pricing lessons this lady of the evening illustrated: Know your value, segment your market and build a product portfolio. These lessons apply to most business structures -- whether product- or service-based -- and across multiple industries. And, as my new acquaintance could attest, their application helps lead to great success. (Corrects to add dropped name in second paragraph) By Steve Holland WASHINGTON, May 28 (Reuters) - Senior White House adviser Jared Kushner is leading a U.S. delegation to the Middle East this week seeking support for a late June workshop aimed at helping the Palestinians, a White House official said on Tuesday. Kushner, Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt, U.S. Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook, and Kushner aide Avi Berkowitz began their trip in Rabat and were to travel to Amman and Jerusalem, arriving in Israel on Thursday. Kushner also will attend the Bilderberg conference in Montreux, Switzerland, where he is expected to be a speaker, at the end of the week and then will meet U.S. President Donald Trump in London when the latter makes a state visit there next week. The trip is similar to one that Kushner and Greenblatt took in February to Gulf states to drum up support for the economic portion of a Middle East peace plan they have been developing on behalf of Trump. The official said one reason for this week's trip is to bolster support for a June 25-26 conference in Manama, Bahrain, in which Kushner is to unveil the first part of Trump's long-awaited Israeli-Palestinian peace plan. The plan, touted by Trump as the "deal of the century," is to encourage investment in the West Bank and Gaza Strip by Arab donor countries before grappling with thorny political issues at the heart of the conflict. Palestinian leaders have been sharply critical of the effort. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have said they will participate, and a senior U.S. official said officials from Qatar have said privately their country was expected to attend as well. The Russian foreign ministry took a dim view of the conference in a statement on Tuesday, saying the United States was attempting to "impose an alternative vision of the Palestinian-Israeli settlement. "The Palestinian leadership has already categorically refused to take part, saying that the PLO will not surrender to anyone its exclusive rights to make crucial decisions regarding the realization of Palestinians national aspirations," it said. Participants in the conference in Manama are expected to include 300 to 400 representatives and business executives from Europe, the Middle East and Asia, and possibly some Palestinian business leaders. A source familiar with the planning said it appeared Egypt, Jordan and Oman, as well as the G7 countries, also would send representatives to the conference. (Reporting by Steve Holland; Additional reporting by Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber in Moscow; Editing by Susan Thomas, James Dalgleish and Jon Boyle) Investing.com - E-commerce giant Alibaba (NYSE:BABA) is considering raising $20 billion through a second listing in Hong Kong, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The news came five years after Alibaba raised a record-breaking $25 billion through an IPO listing on the New York Stock Exchange in 2014 as Hong Kong refused to approve its filing due to rules around company structure. But the Hong Kong Stock Exchange launched a reform in listing rules last year which would allow dual-class share listings. Alibaba founder Jack Ma had previously said that the company would "seriously consider" a listing on its exchange. Smartphone maker Xioami and food delivery service Meituan both became listed in Hong Kong in 2018 following the listing rules reform. Alibaba is now working with financial advisers on the offering and is aiming to file an application as early as the second half of 2019, said the sources. The fund will be used to help Alibaba diversify funding channels and boost liquidity. Related Articles European shares' retreat led by banks on Italian budget woes Chinese developers' debt strains ease, but profit slowdown risks grow StockBeat: Greek Markets Surge, Italy's Wobble After EU Election ICYMI: Here are our top stories from Wednesday, May 29 Here are some of the top stories from The Kathmandu Post (May 29, 2019). Here's an inside look at the US military's 'doomsday plane' which can endure the aftermath of a nuke blast The E-4B, or doomsday plane, is a highly survivable flying fortress used to transport the secretary of Defense. Designed during the Cold War, the four planes are built to endure the immediate aftermath of a nuclear detonation. The plane is basically a flying command center, a Pentagon spokesman tells CNBC aboard the aircraft. ABOARD A US MILITARY AIRCRAFT There is no aircraft quite like the U.S. Air Force's E-4B. Affectionately known as the "doomsday plane," the modified Boeing 747 is used to transport the secretary of Defense and is born and bred for battle. It stands nearly six stories tall, is equipped with four colossal engines, and is capable of enduring the immediate aftermath of a nuclear detonation. "It's like a backup Pentagon," a U.S. Air Force crew member told CNBC aboard one of the aircraft. "There's always one plane on alert and ready to go 24 hours, seven days a week." On Tuesday morning, acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan boarded the E-4B at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland for a week-long trip to Asia. It was his second time taking the plane on an international trip since ascending to the highest office in the Pentagon. The aircraft, also known as the National Airborne Operations Center, will ferry Shanahan and his staff to Hawaii, Indonesia, Singapore, South Korea and Japan. Air crew aboard the plane said that the aircraft would clock a total of 22,538 nautical miles with the help of three aerial refuelings and six tankers during the eight-day trip. "It's great, but they keep giving me more work," Shanahan joked when asked about working and traveling on the E-4B. "The work never stops," he added, noting that he has a pulse on U.S. military operations across the globe while aboard the aircraft. "Think of it as this, the plane is basically a flying command center, a Pentagon spokesman said aboard the aircraft. The spokesman added that the secretary has access to both unclassified and the highest form of classified communication systems on the plane. "So, he's never out of the loop," another Pentagon spokesman added. Story continues Much like Air Force One, its sister aircraft with the same recognizable paint job, most of the E-4B's capabilities are classified. Currently, there are four of these unique aircraft in the Air Force's fleet. The identical planes, which are based at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, have been in operation since 1980. The noticeable hump on top of the plane is called a "ray dome" and houses some of the nearly 67 different satellite dishes and antennas. The dome is one element in the E-4B's communication portfolio that gives those aboard the ability to contact ships, submarines, aircraft and landlines anywhere in the world. What's more, thanks to aerial refueling and the E-4B's massive fuel tanks, the plane can stay aloft for several days. The three-deck aircraft can support a crew of up to 112 people. It has 18 bunks, six bathrooms, a galley, briefing room, conference room, battle staff work area and executive quarters. Unlike Air Force One, the E-4B is built for utility, and its interior is dated and nearly windowless. With a few exceptions, the plane's electronics and flight instruments are also antiquated. "It's a common misconception, but this plane doesn't have digital touch screens in the cockpit or elsewhere," explained another crew member. "The conditions that this plane is meant to fly in call for analog, since digital tech would fry during a nuclear war," he added. In other words, the E-4B's analog technology is less susceptible to the electromagnetic pulse that follows a nuclear blast. The aircraft are slated to have reached their service life by 2039. More From CNBC FILE PHOTO: The logo of Apple is seen at a store in Zurich, Switzerland January 3, 2019. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo (Reuters) - Apple Inc on Wednesday publicly defended its App Store from mounting criticism over its treatment of rivals in a new blog post detailing its functions and guidelines. Companies like music streaming leader Spotify Technology SA have criticized the iPhone maker's practices, describing it as anti-competitive behaviour in a complaint to the European Union's antitrust regulators. Central to Spotify's complaint is a 30% fee Apple charges content-based service providers to use Apple's in-app purchase system (IAP). In a section called "Principles and Practices", Apple defended its practices, saying https://www.apple.com/ios/app-store/principles-practices developers decide what they want to charge from a set of price tiers. "We only collect a commission from developers when a digital good or service is delivered through an app." "We also care about quality over quantity, and trust over transactions. That's why, even though other stores have more users and more app downloads, the App Store earns more money for developers. Our users trust Apple and that trust is critical to how we operate a fair, competitive store for developer app distribution," it added. The post, which comes ahead of Apple's annual developer conference in Silicon Valley next week, also welcomed competition. "We believe competition makes everything better and results in the best apps for our customers," Apple said. Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court also gave a go-ahead to an antitrust lawsuit accusing Apple of forcing consumers to overpay for iPhone software applications, again related to its 30% commission on purchases. The Cupertino, California-based technology company also said it provided a fair marketplace for 20 million developers in its Apple Developer Program. Apple has been able to avoid much of the antitrust scrutiny faced by other technology firms, largely by arguing that it does not have a dominant position in the many markets in which it operates, from smart phones and laptops to streaming music services. (Reporting by Arjun Panchadar in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila) Investing.com - Asian stocks fell in morning trade on Wednesday as the ongoing Sino-U.S. trade war continued to sour sentiment for risk assets. Chinas Shanghai Composite and the Shenzhen Component both fell 0.3% by 10:30 PM ET (02:30 GMT). Hong Kongs Hang Seng Index dropped 0.6%. Trade tensions ratcheted higher after the Global Times, an English-language Chinese newspaper, tweeted that China was seriously considering cutting exports of rare earth metals in response to the U.S.s recent imposition of higher import tariffs on its goods and an effective boycott of telecoms giant Huawei. It came after U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that Washington was not ready to make a deal with China yet. Shares of Asian rare earths companies surged following the news. China Northern Rare Earth Group High-Tech Co Ltd (SS:600111) surged 6%, while the Australia-listed Lynas Corporation Ltd (ASX:LYC) jumped as much as 11%. Japans Nikkei 225 was down 1.3%. Automaker Toyota Motor Corp (T:7203) made headlines after the Nikkei business daily reported that the company is considering investing $550 million in Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing. The company might also launch a new mobility-services company in China, according to Nikkei. South Koreas KOSPI declined by 1.4%. Down under, Australias ASX 200 dropped 0.8%. Overnight, U.S. stocks closed lower, with the Dow and S&P 500 index dropping almost 1%. Related Articles Morgan Stanley cuts about half a dozen Asian equities jobs: sources UK regulator bans former broker over Libor 'wash' trades Nissan tells Renault 'not opposed' to Fiat Chrysler merger plan: Nikkei Australis Capital (CSE: AUSA) (OTC: AUSAF) has signed a deal for certain assets of Green Therapeutics. Founded in 2014, Green Therapeutics has established three in-house cannabis brands. Under the asset purchase agreement, Australis will acquire the companys Tsunami, Provisions, and GT Flowers cannabis brands, certain operating assets, intellectual property. The deal also includes the acquisition of the rights to assume, complete and expand the construction of a state-of-the-art 55,000-square-foot cultivation and production facility in North Las Vegas, Nev. The 8.9-acre parcel of land in North Las Vegas has the potential to support a 400,000-square-foot cultivation and production facility which will be built to the Aurora Cannabis standard. In addition, the acquisition will include Green Therapeutics experienced operating team. Agreement Terms Australis will issue up to $8.0 million of its common stock to complete the acquisition. The company issued 7,831,855 shares valued at $6.4 million upon the signing of a definitive agreement. An additional $800,000 will be issued when the new cultivation and production facility in North Las Vegas is fully licensed and operational and an additional $800,000 in shares will be issued if certain performance goals are reached. In a separate transaction, Australis acquired from Meridian Companies an 8.9-acre parcel of land in North Las Vegas in exchange for $2.93 million of its common stock or 3,585,521 common shares where the new cultivation and production facility will be located. The transaction will also establish Australis flagship cultivation and manufacturing location in Nevada, a state chosen for its favorable cannabis regulations, tremendous tourism and accelerated growth. The new production and cultivation facility will feature indoor greenhouses, state-of-the-art control systems and, a modern manufacturing, production, and post-production facility. The deal will also provide Australis with six acres of improvable/vacant land in North Las Vegas which will be held for potential future expansion opportunities. The company will fund the construction of the new facility which it expects will cost approximately $12 million. Story continues Australis expects the transaction to close in late 2019 upon the successful transfer of Green Therapeutics cultivation and manufacturing licenses to Australis and the new facility will be completed and operational in mid-2020. The company expects that the 55,000-square-foot facility will generate approximately $10-12 million in EBITDA in its first full year of operations, respectively, resulting in an adjusted purchase price multiple of approximately 2.0 2.3x including the cost of the buildout of the new facility. Acquisition Significance Green Therapeuticss Tsunami is a science-driven recreational extract brand and is the top brand for live resin extracts in Nevada, while Provisions is known for premium distillate cartridges and cutting-edge sublingual sprays. GT Flowers provides consumers selections from over 150 different strains, ranging from classics to the newest crosses, with many exclusive cuts. With a wide array of phenotypes and broad distribution through some of the largest dispensaries in Nevada, including Planet 13 and Essence, Green Therapeutics brands have gained a swift and loyal following. The demand for the companys flower and concentrates exceeds the companys current ability to supply it. Australis plans to grow the brands throughout Nevada with the additional capacity and eventually expand to other US markets. Green Therapeutics and Australis combined assets, expertise, and network positions our company for tremendous growth and is uniquely positioned with products spanning verticals where long term margins will be insulated, Australis CEO Scott Dowty stated. What Next The cultivation and production of Green Therapeutics brands will continue at its existing facilities while the new facility is completed. Once licensed and operational, the new and expandable facility will produce the companys brands and Australis organic brand Mr. Natural, as well as third-party production of pre-rolls utilizing Wagner Dimas technology. The facility will allow Australis to commercialize Mr. Natural, bringing a 30-year-old integrated organic cannabis brand to address an underserved vertical with the very best quality products. The post Australis Capital to Acquire Assets of Nevadas Cannabis Cultivator appeared first on Market Exclusive. Photo credit: The Washington Post - Getty Images From Road & Track Over the past 20 years, Alabama has become a major site for automobile manufacturing in America, due in no small part to state-provided incentives, a lax regulatory environment, and the regions legislative hostility toward organized labor. Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Toyota, and Hyundai have all built factories there. Last year, these sites produced a total of 1 million cars, placing Alabama in the top-five states for vehicle production, a ranking that is expected to increase to number two with the forthcoming opening of a joint Toyota/Mazda manufacturing site. Given the recent signing of strongly anti-choice legislation there, how should these automakers respond? The answer thus far has been silence. The Republican Governor of Alabama, Kay Ivey, recently endorsed a law that effectively bans all abortions statewide, even in cases of rape or incest, and criminalizes the procedure for doctors who perform it. This is the most restrictive such law in the country, and one that is in direct opposition to a womans right to choice outlined in the landmark 1973 Supreme Court case Roe vs. Wade. Many of these automakers have taken stands on social issues in the past. Toyota spoke out officially against the so-called bathroom bills in North Carolina and elsewhere that targeted the rights of transgender people. Honda was recently the first auto manufacturer in Ohio to join a coalition to support the addition of sexuality to workplace protections, a category for which no federal protection exists. And Toyota, Hyundai, and Mercedes all have official corporate commitments to LGBTQ diversity and protection, as well as providing support for employee resource groups for veterans, Asian-Americans, African-Americans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ employees, and women. Yet none of these manufacturers has taken a public position on the anti-choice legislation passed by the state, legislation that has the potential to affect the health and welfare of their employees and the communities in which they live, not to mention set a precedent for further such restrictions on womens rights. We reached out to all four manufacturers with factories in Alabama for comment on this legislation, but received no substantial response. (Toyota said, We do not have a comment on this specific legislation. Mercedes said, Please understand that we cannot comment. Honda said, No comment. Hyundai received our multiple requests for comment, but did not respond.) Story continues Photo credit: Toyota Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes, and Toyota are all supporting members of the Business Council of Alabama (BCA), an advocacy group whose mission includes lobbying for tax credits, economic development incentives, and public education reform. The BCA also has a Political Action Committee, supported by voluntary contributions from members, which is charged, according to spokesperson Nancy Hewston, with working to support candidates who understand the principles of the free enterprise system. According to Vote Smart-a non-partisan resource that reports on candidates for public office-the BCA was among the top contributors to Governor Iveys recent election campaign, donating $100,000. The BCA was also a significant contributor to the campaigns of Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth ($25,000) and Senate Majority Leader Greg Reed ($10,000). We requested comment from the automakers on the BCA contributions, and Toyota, Mercedes, and Honda responded again with no further comment; Hyundai again did not respond at all. These manufacturers cannot claim apoliticism. They came to Alabama because of its legislative environment: laws (or lack thereof) that foster loose state intervention, weak worker protections, and low wages (Alabama is one of five states that has no state minimum wage.) They lobby the government for laws that serve their interests. They tacitly or directly support donations to political candidates through membership in advocacy organizations. As major employers in the state-according to the U.S. Department of Labor, Honda is the states number 6 employer, Hyundai is number 13, and Mercedes is number 31-they have clout in local political decisions. They also have a history of taking official positions on social and political issues. While these manufacturers have chosen not to address current anti-choice law in Alabama, but this position may become untenable. Already, because of this law, calls have been made to boycott products made in Alabama-including cars and trucks-and to boycott visiting the state for the purposes of business and tourism. Directives have even been made by officials in other states (Colorado and Maryland) to ban public employees from traveling to Alabama for official business purposes and to divest public employee pensions from businesses that have offices or headquarters in Alabama. While the business environment was favorable for these automakers to set up plants in the state, a side effect is that they are now linked to this legislation. Their track record of more socially liberal policies elsewhere may make Alabama an uncomfortable home in the future. ('You Might Also Like',) NEW HAMPTON, N.Y., May 28, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Balchem Corporation (BCPC) today announced that it completed its acquisition of Chemogas, NV, a privately held specialty gases company, headquartered in Grimbergen, Belgium. The signing of a definitive agreement to acquire Chemogas, NV was previously announced on May 2, 2019. With this acquisition, Balchem significantly expands its geographic presence in the packaged ethylene oxide market, enabling the company to offer worldwide service and support to its medical device sterilization customers. The Chemogas sites in Europe and Asia will form a global network of facilities when combined with Balchems sites in the United States, making Balchem the clear global leader in the critical supply of ethylene oxide to the medical device sterilization industry. About Balchem Corporation Balchem Corporation develops, manufactures and markets specialty ingredients that improve and enhance the health and well-being of life on the planet, providing state-of-the-art solutions and the finest quality products for a range of industries worldwide. The company reports four business segments: Human Nutrition & Health; Animal Nutrition & Health; Specialty Products; and Industrial Products. The Human Nutrition & Health segment delivers customized food and beverage ingredient systems, as well as key nutrients into a variety of applications across the food, supplement and pharmaceutical industries. The Animal Nutrition & Health segment manufactures and supplies products to numerous animal health markets. Through Specialty Products, Balchem provides specialty-packaged chemicals for use in healthcare and other industries, and also provides chelated minerals to the micronutrient agricultural market. The Industrial Products segment manufactures and supplies certain derivative products into industrial applications. For more information please visit www.balchem.com . Forward-Looking Statement This release contains forward-looking statements, which reflect Balchems expectation or belief concerning future events that involve risks and uncertainties. Balchem can give no assurance that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements will prove correct and various factors could cause results to differ materially from Balchems expectations, including risks and factors identified in Balchems annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018. Forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by the above cautionary statement. Balchem assumes no duty to update its outlook or other forward-looking statements as of any future date. Story continues Contact: Mary Ann Brush, Executive Assistant to CEO Telephone: 845-326-5600 E-mail: mabrush@balchem.com Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders wants to give U.S. workers more say in what goes on at Americas biggest companies. Sanders is working on two plans that aim to give workers more influence at their companies, his office confirmed to FOX Business on Tuesday, including one that would require large corporations to contribute some of their stock to an employee-controlled fund. That fund would pay out regular dividends to workers. This plan, first reported by The Washington Post, is still being formulated, but could turn workers into significant voting shareholders. The other would require that a certain share of seats on a company board be given to workers. We can move to an economy where workers feel that theyre not just a cog in the machine one where they have power over their jobs and can make decisions, Sanders said. Democracy isnt just the opportunity to vote. What democracy really means is having control over your life. The progressive politician has targeted corporate greed throughout his 2020 presidential campaign, regularly calling out companies who he says dont pay workers enough while the CEOs are earning millions. Sanders notably targeted Amazon, which ended up raising its minimum wage to $15 per hour in response. He recently went after Delta Airlines over their compensation practices and alleged anti-union efforts. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX BUSINESS APP Sanders is expected to attend Walmarts annual shareholders meeting next month, where he will make the case for improved compensation and push the company to consider allowing employees on its board. Sanders introduced the Stop Walmart Act last year which pressed the company to increase pay for workers. Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren another contender in the 2020 presidential race had previously introduced legislation that would require corporations to elect workers to their boards. Related Articles NEW YORK (AP) Democrats won't pick their nominee for another year, but President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden are acting like the 2020 presidential contest is already a two-man race. Almost completely ignoring his 23 Democratic competitors , Biden has been laser-focused on Trump particularly his embrace of racist rhetoric . But it has been Trump's recent focus on Biden that has surprised both his allies and critics, who believe the Republican president may be unintentionally elevating someone whose candidacy is barely a month old. Trump's advisers have privately encouraged him to lay off Biden. He has done the opposite, lobbing more public insults at the former vice president than any other Democrat over the month. Trump's latest attack was perhaps his most brazen: During a state visit to Japan on Monday, he agreed with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's recent description of Biden as a "low-IQ individual." A Biden campaign aide on Tuesday called the comments "beneath the dignity of the office." The campaign said it waited a day to respond out of respect for Memorial Day, a holiday that honors the service of military veterans. "To be on foreign soil, on Memorial Day, and to side repeatedly with a murderous dictator against a fellow American and former vice president speaks for itself," said Biden deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield. Democrats on the ground in key primary states report that the intensifying feud has strengthened Biden's argument that he's best positioned to take down Trump in 2020. For many voters, nothing matters more than electability. And with Trump's help, Biden is dominating that debate. Regardless of the short-term political fallout, it's becoming increasingly clear that Trump and his allies view Biden as their most formidable opponent. And the anti-Biden assault could become more organized and intense should Biden maintain his front-runner status in the coming months. Story continues "Trump seems to be obsessed with Biden, which suggests that he's afraid of him," said Gary Pearce, a longtime Democratic operative based in North Carolina. "Clearly, the reason Trump is going after Biden is because he's perceived as the biggest threat," Republican strategist Alice Stewart concurred. "From Biden's standpoint, you couldn't ask for a better situation." Trump's attacks on Biden are not part of an organized strategy, according to three people familiar with the campaign's thinking who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters. They described the situation as Trump tweeting and the campaign and the Republican National Committee working overtime to keep up as evidenced by the delays in both entities in amplifying the president's message. It's consistent with Trump's view of himself as his own political strategist, prioritizing his gut over the advice of aides. In recent weeks, the president has attacked Biden's intelligence, his energy level, his history of unwanted touching, his record on criminal justice reform and his dedication to Pennsylvania. Trump told Pennsylvania voters during a rally last week that Biden "deserted" them. Biden, a native of Scranton, Pennsylvania, left the state as a child when his parents relocated for work. "I've never forgotten where I came from. My family did have to leave Pennsylvania when I was 10 we moved to Delaware where my Dad found a job that could provide for our family," Biden tweeted. "Trump doesn't understand the struggles working folks go through." But Trump went further on Monday when he swiped at the former vice president on foreign soil, choosing Kim's side over Biden's when asked about the North Korean leader's description of the Democrat's intelligence level. "I don't take sides as to who I'm in favor or who I'm not," Trump told reporters in Japan when asked whether he was favoring a violent dictator over the former vice president. "But I can tell you that Joe Biden was a disaster." Trump added: "Kim Jong Un made a statement that Joe Biden is a low-IQ individual. He probably is, based on his record. I think I agree with him on that." On Tuesday, Trump claimed that he "was actually sticking up" for Biden in Japan. He said that Kim had referred to Biden as a "low IQ idiot" and that he had "related the quote of Chairman Kim as a much softer 'low IQ individual.' "Who could possibly be upset with that?" the president tweeted. Trump's swipes against Biden have been the subject of significant internal debate in the halls of the West Wing and his reelection campaign. Several officials, including Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner, have expressed reservations that the president is helping Biden, whom they view as his strongest opponent, according to the three people familiar with the campaign's thinking. Trump may be highlighting Biden's vulnerabilities for progressive voters, especially when it comes to his history on criminal justice issues. But in attacking the former vice president, some aides believe Trump risks turning Biden into a cause celebre for Democratic voters who are most animated by their dislike of Trump. That could prove especially problematic if Biden proves most resistant to the Trump campaign's entrenched strategy to paint all of Trump's opponents as "socialists." Biden's blue-collar appeal in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin poses the deepest threat to the president's path to 270 electoral votes. Others in Trump's orbit are less worried and believe Biden might be the easiest to beat of the Democratic field. "I happen to believe Biden would be the weakest of the general election candidates because he'll be carrying 47 years of baggage and will have many of same vulnerabilities as (Hillary) Clinton," said Trump's 2016 senior communications adviser, Jason Miller. Billionaire Republican donor Doug Deason, who sits on the finance committee for the most powerful pro-Trump super PAC, cheered Trump's approach. "Why is he going after Biden? Biden is leading in the polls. He can beat 'em up," Deason said. "I think he's the only real legitimate contestant in the field. And I think it would be a shame for Democrats to end their race to the left and nominate him." Still, few Biden supporters view the attention from the president as a bad thing. Biden's campaign seized on Trump's attacks in a Tuesday fundraising email titled "Donald Trump is scared." "Over the last week, President Trump has repeatedly insulted Joe Biden even going so far as to side with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. Why? It's simple: Trump's afraid he's going to lose," says the fundraising appeal. It adds: "Let's use this opportunity to show Donald Trump he should be scared of our momentum." ___ Miller reported from Washington. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2019) - Bluestone Resources Inc. (TSXV: BSR) (OTCQB: BBSRF) ("Bluestone" or the "Company") is pleased to announce further high-grade intercepts drilled as part of the infill resource conversion program at its Cerro Blanco Gold project. The primary focus of the program is to upgrade a portion of the Inferred Resources identified during the previous drill program completed in 2018. The Cerro Blanco Feasibility Study (see press release January 29th, 2019) highlighted some 357,000 ounces of Inferred Resources (1.4 Mt grading 8.1 g/t Au) that could be potentially converted to Measured and Indicated Resources through infill drilling. Additionally, the program is also designed to define new resources along known veins in the mine plan that extend outside of the current resource envelope. All holes cited in this press release were drilled from various platforms located in the North Ramp of the Cerro Blanco underground workings with the exception of hole UGCB19-134 which was drilled from the South Ramp. The majority of holes were drilled at sub-horizonal to positive angles (upwards) and designed to target Inferred Resources within the upper parts of the resource, with targeted veins successfully intercepted. Of note, hole UGCB19-136 was drilled at +22 degrees into the upper part of the deposit, intercepted a wider than expected zone of 11.9 g/t Au and 84.5 g/t Ag over 5.4 meters due to the coalescing of several structures. The south-eastern part of the South Ramp orebody is host to a swarm of vertically extensive sub-vertical quartz veins with limited drilling and excellent potential to define additional ounces. Hole UGCB19-134 intersected six corresponding veins all of which are outside the current resource, including 3.9 meters grading 11.8 g/t Au and 83 g/t Ag. A plan view showing drill hole locations, sections and core photos can be accessed by clicking HERE. Story continues Results for a total of 39 holes have now been released to date as part of the Infill resource conversion program. Drilling is ongoing and further results will be reported in due course. Precious metal mineralization at Cerro Blanco is associated with classic low sulphidation adularia-sericite epithermal quartz veins and vein swarms hosted in altered sequence of volcanoclastic and sedimentary rocks. Higher grades (>20 g/t Au and >60 g/t Ag) are normally associated with visible gold and silver sulphides in ginguro-style colloform-banded veins. Table 1. Significant Intercepts (this Press Release) HOLE ID FROM (m) TO (m) CORE INTERVAL (m) TRUE WIDTH (m) Au g/t Ag g/t Vein ID UGCB19-132 5.5 8.8 3.4 3.3 14.3 50.8 VN_02, 03 UGCB19-133 11.0 12.0 1.0 1.0 7.6 29.4 No ID 17.0 18.0 1.0 1.0 7.0 14.6 VN_01 20.0 21.0 1.0 1.0 4.8 7.2 No ID UGCB19-134 28.4 32.2 3.9 3.9 11.8 83.0 No ID 41.5 43.9 2.4 2.4 4.0 8.3 No ID 57.0 58.8 1.8 1.8 5.5 33.7 VS_23 99.5 102.3 2.8 2.8 11.8 39.1 VS_24 111.3 112.5 1.2 1.2 8.0 48.8 VS_25 120.9 123.0 2.1 2.1 6.3 30.6 VS_26 UGCB19-135 0.0 2.9 2.9 2.5 4.3 3.7 VN_02 27.6 29.5 1.9 1.8 3.8 9.2 VN_03 30.4 31.4 1.1 1.0 4.6 6.1 VN_05 66.7 67.7 1.0 1.0 3.9 5.4 VN_08 UGCB19-136 36.2 37.1 0.9 0.9 13.5 48.0 VN_18 88.0 89.0 1.0 1.0 19.2 170.0 VN_01 97.4 99.1 1.7 1.7 5.7 50.2 VN_02 108.8 114.3 5.4 5.4 11.9 84.5 VN_03,05,06 124.1 125.2 1.0 1.0 9.0 65.6 VN_07 Notes: Only intercepts averaging over 3 g/t Au when diluted to a minimum 3 meters true width are stated. Hole coordinates and azimuth/dip information accompany the plan view attached to this release. Quality Analysis and Quality Control Assay results listed within this release were performed by Inspectorate Laboratories ("Inspectorate"), a division of Bureau Veritas, which are ISO 17025 accredited laboratories. Logging and sampling are undertaken on site at Cerro Blanco by Company personnel under a QA/QC protocol developed by Bluestone. Samples are transported in security-sealed bags to Inspectorate, Guatemala City, Guatemala, for sample preparation. Sample pulps are shipped to Inspectorate Laboratories in Vancouver, BC, Canada or Reno, NV, USA, and assayed using industry-standard assay techniques for gold and silver. Gold and silver were analyzed by a 30-gram charge with atomic absorption and/or gravimetric finish for values exceeding 5 g/t Au and 100 g/t Ag. Analytical accuracy and precision are monitored by the analysis of reagent blanks, reference material, and replicate samples. Quality control is further assured by Bluestone's QA/QC program, which involves the insertion of blind certified reference materials (standards) and field duplicates into the sample stream to independently assess analytical precision and accuracy of each batch of samples as they are received from the laboratory. A selection of samples is submitted to ALS Chemex Laboratories in Vancouver for check analysis and additional quality control. Qualified Person David Cass, P.Geo., Vice President Exploration, is the designated Qualified Person for this news release within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and verified that the technical information set out above in this news release is accurate and therefore approves this written disclosure of the technical information. About Bluestone Resources Bluestone Resources is a mineral exploration and development company that is focused on advancing its 100%-owned Cerro Blanco Gold and Mita Geothermal projects located in Guatemala. A Feasibility Study on Cerro Blanco returned robust economics with a quick pay back. The average annual production is projected to be 146,000 ounces per year over the first three years of production with all-in sustaining costs of $579/oz (as defined per World Gold Council guidelines, less corporate general and administration costs). The Company trades under the symbol "BSR" on the TSX Venture Exchange and "BBSRF" on the OTCQB. On Behalf of Bluestone Resources Inc. "Darren Klinck" Darren Klinck | President, Chief Executive Officer & Director For further information, please contact: Bluestone Resources Inc. Stephen Williams | VP Corporate Development & Investor Relations Phone: +1 604 646 4534 info@bluestoneresources.ca www.bluestoneresources.ca Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that Bluestone Resources Inc. ("Bluestone" or the "Company") believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future including, without limitation: the conversion of the inferred mineral resources; increasing the amount of measured mineral and indicated mineral resources; the proposed timeline and benefits of further drilling; the proposed timeline and benefits of the Feasibility Study; statements about the Company's plans for its mineral properties; Bluestone's business strategy, plans and outlook; the future financial or operating performance of Bluestone; capital expenditures, corporate general and administration expenses and exploration and development expenses; expected working capital requirements; the future financial estimates of the Cerro Blanco Project economics, including estimates of capital costs of constructing mine facilities and bringing a mine into production and of sustaining capital costs, estimates of operating costs and total costs, net present value and economic returns; proposed production timelines and rates; funding availability; resource estimates; and future exploration and operating plans are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect the current expectations or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to Bluestone and often use words such as "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "estimates", "intends", "may" or variations thereof or the negative of any of these terms. All forward-looking statements are made based on the Company's current beliefs as well as various assumptions made by them and information currently available to them. Generally, these assumptions include, among others: the ability of Bluestone to carry on exploration and development activities; the price of gold, silver and other metals; there being no material variations in the current tax and regulatory environment; the exchange rates among the Canadian dollar, Guatemalan quetzal and the United States dollar remaining consistent with current levels; the presence of and continuity of metals at the Cerro Blanco Project at estimated grades; the availability of personnel, machinery and equipment at estimated prices and within estimated delivery times; metals sales prices and exchange rates assumed; appropriate discount rates applied to the cash flows in economic analyses; tax rates and royalty rates applicable to the proposed mining operation; the availability of acceptable financing; anticipated mining losses and dilution; success in realizing proposed operations; anticipated timelines for community consultations and the impact of those consultations on the regulatory approval process. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements and, even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, Bluestone. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things: risks relating to variations in the mineral content within the mineral identified as mineral resources from that predicted; risks and uncertainties related to expected production rates, timing and amount of production and total costs of production; risks and uncertainties related to ability to obtain or maintain necessary licenses, permits, or surface rights; risks associated with technical difficulties in connection with mining development activities; risks and uncertainties related to the accuracy of mineral resource estimates and estimates of future production, future cash flow, total costs of production and diminishing quantities or grades of mineral resources; risks associated with geopolitical uncertainty and political and economic instability in Guatemala; risks and uncertainties related to interruptions in production; the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; uncertain political and economic environments and relationships with local communities; variations in rates of recovery and extraction; developments in world metals markets; risks related to fluctuations in currency exchange rates; as well as those factors discussed under "Risk Factors" in the Company's Amended and Restated Annual Information Form. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it was made, and except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Bluestone disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although Bluestone believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to their inherent uncertainty. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Non-IFRS Financial Performance Measures The Company has included certain non-International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") measures in this new release. The Company believes that these measures, in addition to measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, provide investors an improved ability to evaluate the underlying performance of the Company and to compare it to information reported by other companies. The non-IFRS measures are intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. These measures do not have any standardized meaning prescribed under IFRS, and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. All-in sustaining costs The Company believes that all-in sustaining costs ("AISC") more fully defines the total costs associated with producing gold. The Company calculates AISC as the sum of refining costs, third party royalties, site operating costs, sustaining capital costs and closure capital costs all divided by the gold ounces sold to arrive at a per ounce amount. Other companies may calculate this measure differently as a result of differences in underlying principles and policies applied. Differences may also arise due to a different definition of sustaining versus non-sustaining capital. Total cash costs Total cash costs is a common financial performance measure in the gold mining industry but has no standard meaning. The Company reports total cash costs on a gold ounce sold basis. The Company believes that, in addition to measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, such as revenue, certain investors can use this information to evaluate the Company's performance and ability to generate operating earnings and cash flow from its mining operations. Management uses this metric as an important tool to monitor operating cost performance. Total cash costs include (cost of sales such as mining, processing, maintenance and site administration, royalties, selling costs and by-product credits) to arrive at total cash costs per ounce of gold sold. Other companies may calculate this measure differently. AISC and total cash costs reconciliation ASIC and total cash costs are calculated based on the definitions published by the World Gold Council ("WGC") (a market development organization for the gold industry comprised of and funded by 18 gold mining companies from around the world). The WGC is not a regulatory organization. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/45105 IATA doesnt see the 737 Max returning to the skies until August at least. The plane has been involved in two fatal crashes, killing 346 people. Boeing is under huge pressure to satisfy regulators and airlines that the 737 Max is now safe The grounded Boeing 737 Max fleet isn't expected to return to the skies for at least another 10 weeks, according to the airline industry's main trade body. Boeing is under huge pressure to satisfy regulators and airlines that the 737 Max plane is safe after the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 on March 10, which killed all 157 people on board. Investigators have said there are "clear similarities" between that flight and another Max crash in Indonesia in October that killed all 189 on board. Alexandre de Juniac, the director general of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), said at an event in South Korea Wednesday that the 737 Max wouldn't fly until August at the earliest, according to several media reports. "We do not expect something before 10 to 12 weeks in re-entry into service," he said, before adding: "But it is not our hands. That is in the hands of regulators." IATA is planning a summit before August involving Boeing, regulators and airlines to discuss what must happen to get the plane back into service. Crash investigators are working on a theory that the jet's flight control system, which automatically pushes the plane's nose down to prevent a stall, was responsible for the fatalities in Ethiopia and Indonesia. On May 16, Boeing said it had completed a software update for its 737 Max planes and was working with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to get the plane back in the air. For its part, the FAA has so far refused to commit to any date for the Max jet to return to service. U.S. carriers Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, and American Airlines have all removed the Max from their summer flight schedules. Boeing Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg is set to speak at the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference in New York City on Wednesday. Story continues NOW WATCH: What could Dennis Muilenburg say today? More From CNBC Indian SSB security post removed from no-mans land in Nawalparasi district The post was used by the Indian SSB personnel to conduct security checks By John O'Donnell FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Britain's offshore territories the British Virgin Islands (BVI), Bermuda and the Cayman Islands were named in a study released on Wednesday as the most significant jurisdictions used by global companies to minimise their tax bills. Governments are stepping up efforts to recoup more tax from multinationals, with the European Commission forcing iPhone maker Apple to repay 13 billion euros after it used Ireland to cut its tax on European profits to almost zero. The Tax Justice Network, a group campaigning for transparency, said its study measured multinational activity in each country in 2017, as well as tax rates and loopholes. While tax evasion is illegal, companies are not forbidden from reducing their bills by taking advantage of loopholes such as moving profits through countries or territories that impose lower taxes, including those with close legal ties to Britain. A British government spokesman said tackling tax avoidance was a priority and that the country had "been at the forefront of international action to reform global tax rules". British overseas territories were committed to tax transparency standards, the spokesman added. Andy Burrows, CEO of Bermuda's Business Development Agency, said it met global standards. "Bermuda is not a place to hide capital," he added. John Christensen of the Tax Justice Network said the findings showed why Britain should not compete more aggressively on tax, as some politicians have suggested it could after it leaves the European Union. "This (low tax) model would involve ... engaging in a race-to-the-bottom on corporate tax rates," he said. OFFSHORE REFORM Officials from more than 100 countries, including Britain, India and the United States are gathering this week under the umbrella of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, which sets tax standards, to discuss reform. They are debating how countries can tax multinationals which route money through offshore centres, heralding changes that could make it easier to tax them outside their home country. Story continues Tax Justice Network's model assigns each country an index value, calculating this using its share of global cross-border investment, combined with an assessment of characteristics such as the number of tax loopholes it offers. It calculates that 2.1% of $45 trillion (35.55 trillion pounds) of total cross-border investment in 2017 went through the BVI, which are close to Puerto Rico and have a population of roughly 30,000. The Tax Justice Network analysis also highlights the Netherlands, Switzerland and Luxembourg, which it ranked fourth, fifth and sixth in helping to cut corporate tax bills. Unlike the British territories that have a zero tax rate for companies, those countries say they impose a levy of more than 20 percent. However the study found instances where companies paid less than 3 percent. Responding to the ranking, a Swiss government spokeswoman said it respected international standards, adding that a referendum this month voted to abolish tax privileges for companies that operate predominantly internationally. Luxembourg's finance ministry said it had been "fully committed in the global fight against fraud and tax evasion". The British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands did not respond to requests for comment, while the Dutch government declined to comment because it had not seen the study. A study published last year by the International Monetary Fund that showed how multinationals made $12 trillion of "phantom" investment in "empty corporate shells". (Reporting by John O'Donnell; Editing by Alexander Smith) (Adds quotes from foreign minister, Canadian ambassador, details) OTTAWA, May 28 (Reuters) - The Canadian government on Wednesday will formally present draft legislation to parliament to ratify a new North American trade pact, a source familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. Ottawa said last week that it would press ahead with moves to ratify the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement after the U.S. administration lifted tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum exports. Canada took the first step toward ratifying the new deal on Monday just three days ahead of U.S. Vice President Mike Pence's trip to Ottawa to discuss passage of the treaty. Once the government has formally unveiled the legislation, members of parliament can start debating it. Time is running short because legislators are due to start their summer recess on June 21 and are not scheduled to return to Ottawa until November. Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland told reporters that Canada was taking a step-by-step approach to ratifying the deal and would operate in tandem with the United States and Mexico as much as possible. "That is something that will take some careful watching and some attention to detail, because the ratification processes in all three countries are so different," Freeland said. David MacNaughton, Canada's ambassador to the United States, told reporters he thought the U.S. Congress could ratify the deal before its summer recess in July. MacNaughton was in Ottawa to meet senior officials. (Reporting by Kelsey Johnson; editing by Phil Berlowitz and Dan Grebler) CareDx leadership in transplant innovation highlighted through 12 podium and poster presentations BRISBANE, Calif., May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CareDx, Inc. (CDNA), a leading molecular diagnostics company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of clinically differentiated, high-value diagnostic solutions for transplant patients, will showcase 12 abstracts and host a dynamic lunch symposium during the American Transplant Congress June 1- 5, 2019 in Boston, MA. CareDx will formally announce KidneyCare during a lunch symposium alongside transplant key opinion leaders on Tuesday, June 4th. KidneyCare combines clinically validated AlloSure testing with AlloMap Kidney and iBox to deliver personalized and prognostic solutions for transplant patients. Building on the momentum of AlloSure, there is incredible potential for KidneyCare to enable us to tailor treatment for kidney transplant patients. The value is not only to identify when there may be an issue, but to reduce immunosuppression in a subset of patients, said Ram Peddi, MD, Transplant Nephrologist at California Pacific Medical Center. We are excited to bring personalized medicine to transplantation with KidneyCare. Seven leaders in transplantation will speak during the CareDx Lunch Symposium titled Better Transplant Outcomes Start with Better Transplant Surveillance, on June 3rd at 1pm EST in the Grand Ballroom of the Sheraton Hotel in Boston: Matthew Weir, MD, University of Maryland Alexandre Loupy, MD, PhD, Paris Transplant Group Vikas Dharnidharka, MD, MPH, Washington University Daniel C. Brennan, MD, FACP, Johns Hopkins Hospital Stanley C. Jordan, MD, FASN, FAST, Cedars-Sinai Transplant Center Tarek Alhamad, MD, MS, FACP, FASN, Barnes Jewish Hospital, Washington Anthony Langone, MD, FAST, Vanderbilt University Medical Center CareDx will host a press conference following the lunch symposium at 4pm in the Sheraton Hotel with Anthony Langone, MD and Alexandre Loupy, MD, PhD. Story continues CareDx services will also be featured in 4 oral and 8 poster presentations in the main ATC programming. Oral Presentations Correlation of Donor-Derived Cell-Free DNA with Histology and Molecular Diagnoses of Kidney Transplant Biopsies. I. Moinuddin, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center Donor Derived Cell Free DNA is Associated with De-Novo Donor Specific Antibody (DSA) Responses. S. Jordan, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Elevated Donor Derived Cell Free DNA (dd-cfDNA) Levels in the Presence of Donor Specific Antibodies (DSA) Are a Strong Predictor of Antibody Mediated Rejection (ABMR) in Pediatric Renal Transplant Recipients. D. Puliyanda, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center The Use of dd-cfDNA as a Predictive Tool for Outcome Decreased Kidney Function. T. Alhamad, Washington University School of Medicine Poster Presentation Donor-Derived Cell-Free DNA (dd-cfDNA) Course after Rejection in Pediatric Kidney Transplant Recipients. R. Swinford, University of Texas at Houston Donor-Derived Cell-Free DNA for Surveillance in Simultaneous Pancreas and Kidney Transplant Recipients, Can We Extrapolate from Kidney Transplant Alone? O. Olaitan, Rush University Medical Center Donor Derived Cell Free DNA (dd-cfDNA) May Aid in the Diagnosis of BK Virus Nephropathy. D. Brennan, Johns Hopkins Hospital External Validation of Donor-Derived Cell-Free DNA to Detect Rejection in Kidney Transplant Recipients. E. Huang, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Gene Expression Profiling for Cardiac Transplant Recipients: Results from the Outcomes AlloMap Registry. S. Hall, Baylor University Medical Center Reference Ranges Donor-Derived Cell-Free DNA in a Heart Transplant Population. A. Kao, Saint Lukes Mid America Heart Institute Subclinical Antibody Mediation Rejection in Stable Kidney Recipients with De Novo Donor Specific Antibodies and Correlation with Donor Derived Cell Free DNA Testing. A. Bregman, University of Colorado Hospital Utility of AlloSure Monitoring in Simultaneous Kidney and Pancreas Recipients. J. Klein, University of Kansas Medical Center The number of quality presentations at ATC highlights our commitment to furthering innovation in transplantation, says Peter Maag, CEO at CareDx. With our 20 years of experience in transplant care, we are supporting a number of multi-center clinical studies and adding a focus on investigator initiated trials. Personalized Medicine in transplantation is only in its beginning but will add significant value on long-term outcomes, as we optimize lifelong immunosuppressive therapy. About CareDx CareDx, Inc., headquartered in Brisbane, California, is a molecular diagnostics company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of clinically differentiated, high-value diagnostic solutions for transplant recipients. CareDx offers products along the pre- and post-transplant testing continuum, and is the leading provider of genomics-based information for transplant patients. For more information, please visit: www.CareDx.com. Forward Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the Companys participation at ATC. These forward-looking statements are based upon information that is currently available to CareDx and its current expectations, speak only as of the date hereof, and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including general economic and market factors, among others discussed in CareDxs filings with the SEC, including the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 filed by CareDx with the SEC on March 6, 2019 and the periodic reports that CareDx has subsequently filed with the SEC. Any of these may cause CareDxs actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied by CareDxs forward-looking statements. CareDx expressly disclaims any obligation, except as required by law, or undertaking to update or revise any such forward-looking statements. CONTACTS: CareDx, Inc. Sasha King Chief Commercial Officer 415-287-2393 sking@caredx.com Investor Relations David Clair Integrated Corporate Relations, Inc. 646-277-1266 david.clair@icrinc.com CSAs Two Initial Cohorts Continue to Scoop Up SBIRs and Contracts Colorado Springs, Colorado, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- At Catalyst Space Accelerator, our alumni companies are central to our ever-growing network of outstanding commercial partners, and we are always excited when they build upon the successes achieved during their time at the Space Accelerator. Right now, several alumni companies have some great news to report: Echo Ridge LLC of Sterling, Virginia, which participated in our Positioning, Navigation and Timing Cohort in 2018 (https://www.echoridgenet.com/), focuses on wireless applications such as communications systems, position/navigation/timing, electronic warfare and modeling/simulation/test. President Joe Kennedy is proud to announce that Echo Ridge was selected for not just one, but two different Small Business Innovation Research grants (SBIR): Echo Ridge was selected for a Phase II SBIR (AF182-002 F2-10745) for their work in Innovative Positioning, Navigation & Timing (IPNT). Phase I of this SBIR was the basis for Echo Ridges participation in the PNT Cohort of the Catalyst Space Accelerator and created a detailed plan for a trial implementation of their proposed solution. The Phase II SBIR seeks to expand the addressable (DoD and Commercial) market segments by providing test and demonstration opportunities for prospective customers. Echo Ridge has also been awarded a Phase I SBIR from AFWERX (https://www.afwerx.af.mil/) in association with their IPNT work. They qualified to compete for this SBIR based on their participation in the Catalyst Campus accelerator. With this SBIR, Echo Ridge will conduct a feasibility study towards providing a comprehensive tactical-edge electromagnetic environment (EME) situational awareness (SA) capability that includes PNT and blue comms weather, red/gray activity, blue/red/gray proximity, alt nav, etc., in a military-suitable form factor for size, weight & power (SWaP)-constrained platforms. Story continues Gareth Block is CEO of Third Insight of Austin, Texas, which also participated in the PNT Cohort late last year. Third Insight builds software that enables "Thinking Drones. Third Insights HALO platform provides vision-based navigation for UAVs and drones and for its Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance analytics tools, enabling drones to perform a variety of autonomous tasks indoors and outdoors without requiring GPS for positioning. Dr. Block reports that since completing the Catalyst Space Accelerator in December 2018, five short months ago, the company, impressively, has won two SBIRs and a government contract: Third Insight won a US Air Force (USAF) Phase II SBIR focused on building and deploying their autonomous navigation platform for UAVs for the purpose of automated aircraft inspection They won a USAF Phase I SBIR with AFWERX (https://www.afwerx.af.mil/) focused on customer discovery for use cases related to their computer vision analytics and machine learning product line They won their third contract with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to test and expand their core autonomous navigation platform for First Responders SaraniaSat of Los Angeles, California was one of several stand-outs among the Catalyst Space Accelerators inaugural cohort, the Terrestrial Weather Cohort, in early 2018. Their participation in the Space Accelerator was followed shortly with becoming subcontractor to a $5.1 million NASA InVEST contract. SaraniaSat was originally founded by former NASA scientist Dr. Tom George to address a Grand Challenge facing the agricultural industry, to break through the logjam blocking widespread acceptance of satellite remote-sensing data and information products by the industry. Since participating in the Catalyst Space Accelerator, SaraniaSat has greatly expanded interest in their remote-sensing technologies among both government and commercial entities. Since we last heard from him, Dr. George is pleased to announce that SaraniaSat has won another SBIR award in this latest round. It was in response to the Airforce SBIR topic AF191-006 "6U CubeSat EO/IR Solutions for Operational Weather Demo" (https://www.sbir.gov/sbirsearch/detail/1531771). Their proposal was entitled "CLOUD 6" for satellite-based cloud characterization. Guidestar Optical Systems of Longmont, Colorado also joined Catalyst Space Accelerator for the Terrestrial Weather Cohort. Chief Engineer Dr. Aaron Buckner is now happy to report that barely a week ago, Guidestar was selected to participate in the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade Advanced Industries Accelerator Grant Program with an award of $249,961. According to Dr. Buckner, Our participation in the Catalyst Accelerator was a major contributor to Guidestars ability to secure this award. Guidestars adaptive optics technology addresses the ground-to-space optical communications needs of companies, enabling them to transmit large amounts of data more quickly, reducing latency of data availability to ground-based operations, and circumventing challenges in obtaining RF spectrum permits required for data transmission relying on slower radio transmission of data. Guidestars technology also addresses the backhaul network connectivity challenge in terrestrial 5G networks. Catalyst Space Accelerators Program Director KiMar Gartman feels Its immensely satisfying to see the companies grow from where they were in the Accelerator to now as they are scaling their businesses and helping to solve some of our most difficult technical challenges. * About Catalyst Space Accelerator The AFRL Space Vehicles Directorate Catalyst Accelerator is a New Space defense and national security industry accelerator. Headquartered on the Catalyst Campus, a collaborative ecosystem in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Catalyst Space Accelerator is a public-private partnership hosted by the Center for Technology, Research, and Commercialization (C-TRAC), Catalyst Campus for Technology and Innovation (CCTI), the Colorado Small Business Development Center (SBDC) TechSource, Space Capital Colorado, and the Colorado Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), in partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory to provide a robust, mentor-driven curriculum for accelerator teams. https://catalystaccelerator.space Lora Premo Catalyst Space Accelerator 7196596418 Press.Release@catalystcampus.com KiMar Gartman, Program Director Catayst Space Accelerator 701-500-5469 kimar.gartman@c-trac.org TORONTO, May 28, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Centerra Gold Inc. (CG.TO) (Centerra or the Company) announced today that it has agreed with the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic (the Government) to further extend the First Longstop Date under the Strategic Agreement for Environmental Protection and Investment Promotion (Strategic Agreement) previously entered into with the Government on September 11, 2017. The First Longstop Date is the date by which all conditions precedent to the completion of the Strategic Agreement are required to be satisfied and it has been extended from May 31, 2019 to July 31, 2019. The Company will continue to work with the Government to satisfy the remaining conditions precedent and to complete the Strategic Agreement as soon as possible. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Information Information contained in this news release which is not a statement of historical fact may be forward-looking information for the purposes of Canadian securities laws. Such forward-looking information involves assumptions, risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. The words believe, expect, anticipate, contemplate, plan, intends, continue, budget, estimate, may, will, schedule, understand and similar expressions identify forward-looking information. These forward-looking statements relate to, among other things: the Companys expectations regarding its future discussions with the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic to reach completion of the Strategic Agreement. Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Centerra, are inherently subject to significant political, business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Known and unknown factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things: risks that any of the conditions precedent to the Strategic Agreement will not be satisfied in a timely manner or at all, particularly as the Government may not bind the General Prosecutors Office or the Parliament of the Kyrgyz Republic; a decision by the General Prosecutors Office, or its successor the Anti-Corruption Service of the State Committee for National Security, to re-open at any time civil or criminal proceedings against Centerra, its subsidiaries or other stakeholders; the failure of the Government to comply with its continuing obligations under the Strategic Agreement, including the requirement that it comply at all times with its obligations under the 2009 Kumtor Project Agreements, allow for the continued operation of the Kumtor Mine by Kumtor Gold Company (KGC) and Kumtor Operating Company (KOC) and not take any expropriatory action; actions by the Government or any state agency or the General Prosecutor's Office that serve to restrict or otherwise interfere with the payment of funds by KGC and KOC to Centerra. See section titled Risks that can affect our business in the Companys most recently filed Annual Information Form available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Story continues About Centerra Centerra Gold Inc. is a Canadian-based gold mining company focused on operating, developing, exploring and acquiring gold properties in North America, Asia and other markets worldwide and is the largest Western-based gold producer in Central Asia. Centerra operates two flagship assets, the Kumtor Mine in the Kyrgyz Republic and the Mount Milligan Mine in British Columbia, Canada, and is building its next gold mine, the 100% owned Oksut Gold Mine in Turkey. Centerra's shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) under the symbol CG. The Company is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. For more information: John W. Pearson Vice President, Investor Relations (416) 204-1953 john.pearson@centerragold.com Additional information on Centerra is available on the Companys web site at www.centerragold.com and at SEDAR at www.sedar.com . A PDF accompanying this announcement is available at http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/839ab77c-adbf-45c6-809d-6027a988634a You know that sustainable investing has entered the mainstream when Vanguard steps up its game. In September, the firm launched two exchange-traded funds, Vanguard ESG U.S. Stock ETF ESGV and Vanguard ESG International Stock ETF VSGX . The two have already grown to $417 million and $270 million in assets, respectively. I commented on the funds here. The firm had been in the ESG space for years with a single fund: Vanguard FTSE Social Index VFTSX launched in 2000, has $5.6 billion in assets, and earns a Morningstar Analyst Rating of Silver. In March, Vanguard filed for the launch of its first actively managed ESG fund, Vanguard Global ESG Select Stock VEIGX, to be run by Wellington Management, a long-standing Vanguard subadvisor that manages more than $350 billion in various mandates for the firm. Vanguard announced this week that the fund is now available for investment in a two-week subscription period concluding on June 4, 2019, when the fund will actually begin trading and will continue to be open to investors. What is a subscription period? It's a chance for investors to buy in to the fund before it starts trading. Their money is placed in money market instruments even though they'll be paying the full expense ratio during this time. Vanguard says this helps the fund accumulate enough assets to construct a portfolio and reduce initial trading costs on day one of the actual fund launch. In 2017, Vanguard held a subscription period prior to the launch of Vanguard Global Wellington VGWLX that raised $341 million. Does a subscription period actually benefit investors? I don't see how. A new fund is unlikely to have a big runup on the first day of trading the way stock IPOs sometimes do, so it isn't necessary to get in on the ground floor. Vanguard could easily seed the fund itself to assure efficient portfolio construction and reduce initial trading costs. Moreover, the plan is for the portfolio to have only around 40 names, all of them likely to be large, very liquid stocks. The only advantage I can see for investing during a subscription period is if there were some chance that a fund would take in so much money that it would close to new investors before it even begins trading. A fund like this one would need to take in billions to hit capacity. Not going to happen. Story continues In any event, the fund is likely to draw a lot of investor interest before or after the subscription period, so let's take a closer look at the soon-to-be-launched Vanguard Global ESG Select Stock. According to the original filing, the fund will focus on companies Wellington believes "demonstrate exemplary long-standing ESG practices and have strong business fundamentals and management teams with proven track records of good capital allocation decisions for shareholders." The fund expects to hold stocks over "an extended time horizon, resulting in low portfolio turnover." Wellington will be responsible for shareholder-engagement activities and proxy voting. I like the ideas of Wellington being in charge of engagement and proxy voting and of a compact low-turnover portfolio. Too many active managers water down their portfolios with weak-conviction stocks. That tendency can especially work against ESG portfolios, which often end up looking not terribly different from conventional ones. As a sustainable investor, I also like the idea of a long-term-oriented portfolio of high-conviction stocks of companies that are committed to sustainability. While its ESG work has been largely under the radar, Wellington is a top-quality manager that can be expected to implement ESG in a thoughtful way. It has already integrated ESG analysis firmwide. What the Portfolio May Look Like For more insight into what the new fund may look like, Wellington Global Stewards offers a few clues. Launched in January and available to European investors, the fund is comanaged by Mark Mandel and Yolanda Courtines, who will also comanage the Vanguard offering. I expect the Vanguard fund will be a virtual clone of this one. Wellington Global Stewards is a global large-cap equity portfolio, consisting of companies the managers consider to be "global stewards." They define stewardship as "every aspect in which companies are accountable to their stakeholders for long-term growth, including material environmental, social, and governance ("ESG") factors, although it does not necessarily mean that the core business of the company is ESG related." According to its Monthly Factsheet, via Morningstar Direct, the fund had 38 holdings at the end of April. Relative to its MSCI All-Country World Index benchmark, the portfolio is overweight in Europe, and underweight in Japan and emerging markets. From a sector perspective, it is underweight in energy, communication services, and consumer staples, and overweight in consumer discretionary and industrials. While we don't yet have access to its full portfolio, we do have a list of Wellington Global Stewards' top 10 holdings. These names generally consist of companies with low levels of overall ESG Risk according to Sustainalytics. In addition, the top 10 holdings generally have lower levels of ESG Risk relative to their industry peers. On a scale ranging from 0 (low risk) to 50 (high risk), seven of the top 10 have ESG Risk Ratings below 20, which Sustainalytics classifies as "Low ESG Risk." Two more have ESG Risk Ratings just above 20. The only exception is Novartis NVS , at 30.3, which Sustainalytics assesses as a "High ESG Risk" company, owing to product governance, business ethics, and bribery and corruption issues. Nevertheless, Novartis has lower ESG Risk compared with other pharmaceutical companies, ranking in the best quartile. That means it is managing its ESG risk at least somewhat better than most of its peers. On average, the fund's top 10 holdings rank just outside the best decile relative to their peers when it comes to overall ESG Risk. Relative to its benchmark, the MSCI All-Country World Index, the fund's top 10 holdings have about 20% less ESG Risk than the top 10 holdings in the Index. Relative to peers, the index's top 10 holdings rank in the middle of the pack, in the 45th percentile. The two portfolios share only two names among their top 10s: Microsoft MSFT and Visa V . How do the Wellington Global Steward holdings stack up against an ESG benchmark?MSCI has two versions of ESG indexes based on the MSCI All-Country World Index: the MSCI ACWI ESG Universal Index and the MSCI ACWI ESG Leaders Index. The universal index reweights the ACWI by tilting toward better ESG performing companies and away from worse-performing companies. The leaders index, by contrast, targets the highest-rated ESG companies while maintaining sector and regional weightings similar to the ACWI. Based on a comparison of top 10 holdings, those of Wellington Global Stewards have considerably lower ESG risk and better relative-to-peer rankings than those of the MSCI ACWI ESG Universal Index. The two share only one holding among their top 10: Microsoft. Compared with those of MSCI ACWI ESG Leaders Index, Wellington Global Stewards' top 10 holdings have just slightly lower overall ESG risk and better relative-to-peer rankings. The two share only two holdings among their top 10: Microsoft and Visa. The Vanguard Cost Advantage It should come as no surprise that Vanguard Global ESG Select Stock will come with a cost advantage. Its Investor shares (minimum initial investment: $3,000) are estimated to have an expense ratio of 0.55%. That's half the 1.12% average expense ratio for share classes open to everyday investors at low minimums among actively managed ESG funds in the world large-cap Morningstar Category. And it's not much more than the 0.41% average expense ratio of passive ESG ETFs and open-end funds in the category. One caveat I have about the fund is that while comanagers Mandel and Courtines have years of portfolio management experience, Wellington Global Stewards appears to be their first serious dive into ESG investing, and that fund is less than four months old. While that's the main risk to investing in Vanguard Global ESG Select Stock upon its inception, the fund does have a lot going for it out of the starting gate, including low fees, a quality subadvisor, and what appears to be well-conceived approach to ESG. I expect successful asset-gathering over time if not during the subscription period. Anil Giri is a reporter covering diplomacy, international relations and national politics for The Kathmandu Post. Giri has been working as a journalist for a decade-and-a-half, contributing to numerous national and international media outlets. Investing.com - Prices of most of the top cryptocurrencies dipped on Wednesday morning in Asia, with XRP the only exception. Bitcoin slid 1.21% to $8,661.9 by 11:46 PM ET (02:46 AM GMT), still not far from the high of $8,902.8 reached on Monday, its strongest level since May 2018. After tumbling from record highs close to $20,000 reached in December 2017 the digital currency spent most of the first quarter of 2019 hovering below the $4,000 level before regaining momentum early last month. Bitcoins gains have come against a background of a broad rally in riskier assets this year, amid signs of looser monetary policy from the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank. Its latest leg up has come as increasing questions have been raised about the stability of Chinese yuan, which is under pressure from U.S. trade measures that are slowing the economy down. The rally has seen total crypto market cap increase to around $272 billion, of which Bitcoin accounts for around $154 billion. Ethereum dropped 0.62% to $268.98 and Litecoin lost 2.19% to $113.25. XRP gained 2.46% to $0.44107. The recent uptick in Bitcoins price promoted South Korea to hold a pan-governmental meeting aimed at closely monitoring the countrys cryptocurrency market. As Bitcoin tested $9,000 this week, local officials deemed the surge as a sign of a possibly overheating market. Related Articles Rakuten Wallet Partners With CipherTrace to Assure Safety of Its Upcoming Crypto Exchange Tether (USDT) Brings Record Supply to the Markets; Is $10k BTC on the Horizon? Block Adventure Fintech Series Debuts in London This Week Immigration and border signs at London Stansted airport. Photo: Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images Web designers, architects, psychologists, biochemists, and veterinarians are among those professions that should be given preferential access to high-skilled worker visas in the UK, government economists have advised. If taken up, new recommendations from the Migrant Advisory Committee would dramatically increase the proportion of jobs in the UK that are filled by migrants on these visas from 1% to 9%. The advice comes amid what the committee calls the increasing difficulty that employers in the UK are facing when hiring for these kinds of jobs, and following its review of the countrys shortage occupation list. That list, which was last amended in 2013, outlines the occupations that are both in high demand in the UK and need to be filled immediately. About 2.5 million workers would be put on the shortage occupation list if the government agrees with the committees conclusions, which come in a report commissioned by home secretary Sajid Javid. READ MORE: Pace of EU migration to UK picked up at end of 2018 Those on high-skilled worker visas do not have to meet the ordinary migrant worker requirements, such as salary thresholds, and pay lower fees. Employers also do not have to demonstrate that they were unable to hire a local worker for such a position. The list currently only affects workers coming from outside the EU. But the committee has suggested that the government should examine the impacts of using the shortage occupation list after Brexit, to bring EU citizens into the country. The chair of the Migrant Advisory Committee, professor Alan Manning, said that todays labour market is very different to the one reviewed by his committee in 2013. Unemployment is lower and employers in various industries are facing difficulties in finding skilled people to fill their vacancies, he said. In a statement, the head of people policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, Jane Gratton, welcomed the committees conclusions, saying it gives welcome flexibility to those hiring for new or emerging roles. Expanding the shortage occupation list will help businesses access the skills they need when they cant recruit locally, she said. But she also warned that the ending of freedom of movement after Brexit will present significant costs and challenges for employers, and said that current proposals would only ramp up costs and worsen recruitment difficulties. CAIRO May 28 (Reuters) - Egypt is considering selling three recently built power plants to private investors, but talks are still at an early stage, Electricity Minister Mohamed Shaker said on Tuesday. The plants, billed at the time as the world's biggest, were built by Siemens AG in a 6 billion euro ($6.7 billion) deal signed in 2015. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi inaugurated them in July. "The negotiations are still in the early stages," Shaker told Reuters by telephone. He declined to disclose further details. Bloomberg reported on Monday that Blackstone Group and Edra Power Holdings of Malaysia had both expressed interest in taking over the plants and selling the electricity generated back to the Egyptian government, a step that would reduce public debt. A person with knowledge of the power plants' financing said a similar plan was broached last year to sell the plants either to investors or through an initial public offering, but nothing came of it. "So I don't know whether this one will progress. The only thing I know is that it would be complicated given the debt package in place," the person told Reuters. To finance the construction, Egypt brought in Deutsche Bank , HSBC Holdings and KfW IPEX-Bank to structure and arrange the international portion and used local banks to finance the Egyptian pound portion. It also brought in export credit agencies (ECA) to secure the facilities, Siemens said at the time. Egypt awarded a $352 million contract in September to Siemens and Siemens Technologie to manage the plants. The three plants alleviated an acute power shortage marked by rolling power outages and cuts to industrial output in the years following Egypt's 2011 uprising. Egypt sold 4.5 percent of the shares of state-controlled tobacco monopoly Eastern Company in March in the first of a series of partial privatisations planned over the next few years. ($1 = 0.8937 euros) (Reporting by Ehab Farouk and Patrick Werr; writing by Mahmoud Mourad, editing by Sami Aboudi and Jason Neely) Binod Ghimire covers parliamentary affairs and human rights for The Kathmandu Post. Since joining the Post in 2010, he has reported primarily on social issues, focusing on education and transitional justice. Costco COST is scheduled to release its Q3 fiscal 2019 financial results after the closing bell Thursday. Shares of COST have climb 18% this year to outpace its industrys average climb as it continues to report strong e-commerce growth and comparable sales. Quick Overview Costco, like many of its retail peers such as Target TGT, Walmart WMT, and Kroger KR, has rolled more robust digital and delivery offerings in order to fend off Amazons AMZN encroachment. The Issaquah, Washington-based retailer currently offers free two-day delivery for non-perishable food and household supplies to customers nationwide on orders of $75 or more, with a fee charged for smaller orders. Costco has also expanded its same-day delivery service to most metropolitan areas through its Instacart partnership. Meanwhile, first quarter earnings season has been somewhat strong for retailers, with Target and Walmart both showing signs of strength. As of Wednesday morning, 33 of the 39 retailers in the S&P 500 had reported their quarterly earnings results. Overall, total earnings for these retailers climbed 13.2% from the same period last year on 8.1% higher revenues, with 75.8% beating EPS estimates and 51.5% beating revenue estimates (also read: Q1 Retail Sector Scorecard). Before we jump into what to expect from COSTs quarterly results, lets quickly look at its recent price moment. Shares of Costco dipped 2.28% during regular trading hours Wednesday to $240.69 per share, down roughly 4% off their 52-week intraday trading highs. Jumping back further, investors will notice that Costco stock has crushed the S&P 500 over the past five years, as well as rivals TGT and WMT. Outlook & Earnings Trends Right off the bat, Wall Street often has a more complete picture of what to expect from Costco since the company is one a few retailers that still reports monthly sales numbers. In April, the big-box giants sales popped 7.3% to $11.60 billion, with e-commerce sales up nearly 24%. This marked a slow down from April 2018s 13.1% climb, but helps show COST has been able to post impressive growth as its customers remain loyal to the firms discounts and buy-in-bulk model. Story continues With that said, our current Zacks Consensus Estimate calls for the companys Q3 fiscal 2019 revenue to climb 7.8% to reach $34.88 billion, which includes Costcos membership fees. This would beat last quarters roughly 7.3% top-line expansion and come on top of the prior-year quarters 12% revenue growth. Moving onto the bottom end of the income statement, Costcos adjusted quarterly earnings are expected to pop 7.65% to reach $1.83 per share. Over the course of the quarter, Costco has seen its Q3 earnings consensus climb by $0.01 on the back of some positive earnings estimate revision activity. Bottom Line Costco is currently a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) that rocks A grades for Growth and Momentum in our Style Scores system. Investors should pay close attention to any e-commerce and delivery updates, as well as comps figures. Costco is scheduled to release its Q3 fiscal 2019 financial results after the closing bell on Thursday, May 30. Make sure to head back to Zacks for a complete breakdown of the companys actual metrics. Will you retire a millionaire? One out of every six people retires a multimillionaire. Get smart tips you can do today to become one of them in a new Special Report, 7 Things You Can Do Now to Retire a Multimillionaire. Click to get it free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Walmart Inc. (WMT) : Free Stock Analysis Report Target Corporation (TGT) : Free Stock Analysis Report Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) : Free Stock Analysis Report The Kroger Co. (KR) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Expert predicts a US-China trade deal in six months but the tech war will go on Tensions between Washington and Beijing have increasingly turned toward technology in recent weeks. "Technology is where this battle is going to be fought out, even if we do get a trade deal on bilateral goods," says Alastair Newton, director of Alavan Business Advisory and a former British diplomat. The United States and China will likely reach a trade deal within the next six months but that won't end tensions between the world's two largest economies, according to a political risk consultant. Tensions between Washington and Beijing have increasingly turned toward technology in recent weeks. The U.S. placed Huawei on a blacklist that restricts American firms from doing business with the Chinese tech giant earlier this month, while China is said to be considering limiting rare earth exports to America which are materials critical in the production of things like iPhones and electric vehicles. "The technology war is not going to end," Alastair Newton, director of Alavan Business Advisory and a former British diplomat, told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Wednesday. "Technology is where this battle is going to be fought out, even if we do get a trade deal on bilateral goods." Newton said he wouldn't be surprised if U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping , who will be meeting at the G-20 summit in Japan at the end of June, "shake hands on an outlined deal" that could be finalized by October. Another analyst also predicted that trade talks might resume at the G-20 meeting in June, but she was less optimistic about a deal. "I would be looking at the G-20 as a natural venue for the presidents to agree to resume negotiations, and maybe walk back tensions a little bit, but not as a place for an actual agreement," J.P. Morgan's Global Market Strategist, Hannah Anderson, told CNBC on Wednesday. Whether there will be a deal or not, tensions on the trade front might not go away. Newton predicted that Trump could turn his attention to Europe and take the tariff fight there. Story continues CNBC's Weizhen Tan contributed to this report. More From CNBC By Richard Lough and Giuseppe Fonte PARIS/ROME (Reuters) - Fiat Chrysler's proposed $35 billion merger with Renault has cheered investors, won conditional support from Paris and Rome and even earned cautious backing from trade unions. Beneath this veneer, however, the bold attempt to create the world's third largest carmaker risks becoming rapidly embroiled in the fraught relationship between France's europhile President Emmanuel Macron and Italy's euroskeptic leaders. For while Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini hailed the proposal as a "brilliant operation", Italy's creaking, state-subsidized Fiat factories are likely to bear the brunt of any production-related cost savings. FCA and Renault said this week that more than 5 billion euros ($5.6 billion) of annual savings would come mainly from combining platforms, consolidating powertrain and electrification investments and the benefits of increased scale. Salvini and France's Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, who called the deal a "good opportunity" to build a European industrial champion able to compete with China and the United States, have both said they want guarantees on local jobs. "It's not every day that I agree with Salvini," said Le Maire, whose government appears to hold the trump cards. When it comes to where any job cuts fall, France will be helped by its existing 15 percent holding in Renault, whose superior efficiency at its five French plants makes it better placed to handle a supply glut, the demise of the petrol engine and the investments needed for electric and autonomous vehicles. "It will take many, many years to find real savings and ugly political and operational realities can often swamp the potential of such new entities," Bernstein analyst Max Warburton said of the FCA-Renault plan to rival Japan's Toyota and Germany's Volkswagen. ADVANTAGE FRANCE? As well as Italy's government having to cope with the aftermath of European elections which coincided with news of the FCA-Renault plans, political leaders in Rome were only informed shortly before the deal was made public, an FCA source said. This contrasted with the way the French government was treated, with Fiat Chrysler Chairman John Elkann, a fluent French speaker, letting it know of his merger proposal to Renault weeks ago, a French government official said. It is not clear how advanced the secret talks between the automakers were at this stage or what opportunity Le Maire had to lay down any red lines, but it reflects FCA's need to have President Emmanuel Macron on side. And it gave France time to prepare its position, with Le Maire on Tuesday laying out four conditions for state approval, including protection of French blue-collar jobs. Meanwhile, Italy's Salvini said Rome might buy a stake the new entity to defend domestic interests. Corporate France has been the biggest overseas investor in Italian companies over the past decade with deals totaling $43.3 billion, Refinitiv data shows. Some are closely scrutinized by Rome, which is fretting over the vulnerability of corporate champions such as Telecom Italia, in which Italian state lender CDP took a direct holding after Vivendi took a controlling stake. Under the FCA proposal, Elkann, scion of the Agnelli family, would chair the merged group while Renault chairman Jean-Dominique Senard would likely become CEO, sources say. 'ECONOMIC FANTASY'? While Le Maire has appeared well briefed, Italy's leaders seemed blindsided and Salvini's suggestion that Italy could mirror France's stake signaled concerns over Rome's influence. With cash-strapped Italy locked in a renewed row with Brussels over euro zone budget rules, some French officials dismissed talk of an Italian stake as a bluff, with one describing it as "economic fantasy". There are signs the effort to save jobs will focus on the factory floor. Le Maire is demanding that no "industrial jobs or industrial plants" are axed in France, leaving scope for white-collar and engineering layoffs as well as downsizing plants. Indeed, the merger plan dovetails with Macron's push for cross-border industrial champions that have the muscle to compete with Chinese and U.S. rivals of today and the future. Le Maire urged trade unions to look at job creation potential in a company with the financial clout to be a global player in electric battery and self-driving car technology. Macron has stared down unions before, including over the proposed Franco-German merger of Alstom and Siemens rail businesses, which was derailed by antitrust concerns. Even so, it is unclear how realistic the demands for blue-collar job protection are, with "substantial product and platform overlap in Europe", UBS analyst David Lense said. Renault has improved the competitiveness of its French plants, shedding 8,000 jobs via voluntary departures since 2013 and paring back production lines to curb excess capacity. It employs 48,000 people in France, with its plants operating at about 70 percent capacity, while Fiat's six plants in Italy struggle. Turin's historic Mirafiori plant, which makes the Maserati Levante SUV, is expected to operate at just 5 percent capacity this year. Only two plants producing between them the Fiat Panda, Fiat 500 X and the popular Jeep Renegade top 50 percent capacity, research group LMC Automotive said. Higher carbon dioxide emissions may also focus attention on FCA's plants as the combined company looks to tackle tightening emissions regulations and far-reaching technological changes. "These challenges are potentially big push backs and are bigger issues for FCA than for Renault, which doesn't need to restructure in France and which has much lower CO2 emissions," Deutsche Bank analysts said in a note. (Reporting by Richard Lough, Laurence Frost and Gilles Guillaume in Paris, Giselda Vagnoni in Rome, Giulio Piovaccari, Pamela Barbaglia and Silvia Aloisi in Milan; Editing by Georgina Prodhan and Alexander Smith) The Bundesbank and Deutsche Boerse ran a trial project using blockchain technology, and its conclusions are not optimistic, Bloomberg writes.The post Blockchain settlement solution trials proved expensive and slow, Bundesbank president says appeared first on The Block. A German central bank Bundesbank official has suggested central banks be cautious when considering central bank digital currencies, Reuters writes. Bundesbank President Jens Weidmann claims the introduction of CBDC could cause destabilisation of the financial system if there were a crisis. Weidmann is worried the introduction of central bank-issued digital assets would change the business model banks operate on even during prosperous times. In times of crisis, however, they could contribute to the early collapse of lenders, Weidmann said. Weidmann believes CBDC could also make the demand for digital money more volatile. Since CBDC would offer greater safety than traditional money, people wouldnt use it that much, which would, in turn, limit commercial banks lending ability. Cape Coast (Ghana) (AFP) - Abigal Aguanyi, a trader and mother in the West African nation of Ghana, knows first-hand how dangerous malaria can be -- her two-year-old niece nearly died from it. So when she heard that a new vaccine was being rolled out against the disease, that across the world kills a child every two minutes, she was one of the first to sign up her baby daughter. The World Health Organization (WHO) says 219 million people were infected with malaria in 2017, more than 90 percent of cases occurred in Africa. In Ghana alone, there were 5.5 million confirmed cases of malaria last year, and many more suspected. Six-month-old Blessing, Aguanyi's daughter, has received the first injection, like 360,000 other under two-years-old in Ghana, Malawi and Kenya, the three countries taking part in the landmark vaccine campaign. Children are especially at risk from the deadly mosquito-born disease and babies were Ghana's first vaccine recipients last month in the southern town of Cape Coast, 150 kilometres (90 miles) west of the capital, Accra. Blessing will have three further doses up to the age of two under the programme, which will enable health officials to evaluate the vaccine's effectiveness. Aguanyi said that she would urge other parents to bring their children for the free jab. "Because of money constraints, some wait till their child's situation is critical," Aguanyi said. "When they bring them to the hospital, the child will be very weak, or even die." - 30 years of research - Known by its lab initials RTS,S, the vaccine is the result of more than three decades of development and almost $1 billion (890 million euros) in investment. It has been developed by British pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline in partnership with the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative and financed by the Gavi public-private global health partnership. The vaccine is an additional tool in the fight against malaria, but does not represent a magic bullet. Story continues It was found to prevent approximately four out of 10 malaria cases, according to the WHO, which supports Ghana's health ministry in rolling out the vaccine. Traditional preventive measures remain crucial, such as sleeping under treated bed nets, spraying rooms with insecticide and eliminating pools of stagnant water beloved by mosquitoes for breeding. For the medics who see daily the impact of malaria on children, the vaccine is a big step forward. - 'Keeping Africa poor' - Ellen Apraku, a nurse, explained to waiting parents when to come back for the remaining injections. She and her medical colleagues voiced hopes that the vaccine could one day replicate the success of the polio vaccine. "I hope this will help us to be able to eliminate malaria, so Ghana can be a malaria-free country," said Justice Arthur, the doctor running the Cape Coast clinic. If the campaign is widened out, it will be a good starting point for child immunisation and a means for medics to help prevent the infection of parents too, the doctor said. Sabina Atta also brought her six-month-old daughter Susanna for vaccination. "If we prevent it from the start, it will help," she said. Malaria killed 435,000 people worldwide in 2017, according to the WHO. "Malaria is one of the oldest documented, most devastating maladies in our history," said Owen Kaluwa, Ghana's WHO chief. "We, in Africa, bear the brunt of its toll." Malaria is spread to people by mosquitoes, which transfer the parasite while sucking blood from humans. "The disease saps our productivity and prosperity," Kaluwa said. "It keeps our people in poverty." MCLEAN, Va., May 28, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gladstone Commercial Corporation (GOOD) (Gladstone Commercial) announced today that it has expanded its tenant, Morgan Stanley, in its 104,903 square foot facility in South Jordan, Utah by 17,126 square feet, effective July 1, 2019. After the expansion, Morgan Stanley will occupy a total of 98,397 square feet at the property through December 31, 2027. The lease expansion increases the overall building occupancy to 93.8%. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Financing, LLC is a major U.S. operating subsidiary of Morgan Stanley (MS), a Fortune 100 financial services firm with an investment grade rating of A+/A3 (S&P/Moodys). The three-story office building was originally built in 2007, has an attractive parking ratio of 5.8 spaces per 1,000 square feet and is located in close proximity to retail amenities, multifamily housing, executive housing and only two blocks from I-15 and a light rail station. The Salt Lake City market continues to exhibit strong fundamentals, and we are pleased with our leasing efforts in 2019, commented Perry Finney, Senior Asset Manager of Gladstone Commercial. Expanding this lease increases the weighted average lease term of the Gladstone Commercial portfolio and further stabilizes same store rental income. Brandon Flickinger, Managing Director of Gladstone Commercial, stated Morgan Stanley has re-affirmed its commitment to this location, and this is indicative of our teams ability to maintain high occupancy throughout the portfolio through our strong relationships with our existing tenants. About Gladstone Commercial Corporation (GOOD) Gladstone Commercial is a real estate investment trust focused on acquiring, owning and operating net leased industrial and office properties across the United States. As of March 31, 2019, Gladstone Commercials real estate portfolio consisted of 102 properties located in 24 states, totaling approximately 11.7 million square feet. For additional information please visit www.gladstonecommercial.com . Story continues For Broker Submittals: South/Central: Southeast/West: Buzz Cooper Brandon Flickinger Senior Managing Director Managing Director (703) 287-5815 (703) 287-5819 Buzz.Cooper@gladstonecompanies.com Brandon.Flickinger@gladstonecompanies.com Midwest/Northeast: Matt Tucker Senior Managing Director (703) 287-5830 Matt.Tucker@gladstonecompanies.com Investor or Media Inquiries: Bob Cutlip President Gladstone Commercial Corporation (703) 287-5878 Bob.Cutlip@gladstonecompanies.com All statements contained in this press release, other than historical facts, may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates" and variations of these words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Readers should not rely upon forward-looking statements because the matters they describe are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause the Company's business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, funds from operations or prospects to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such statements. Such risks and uncertainties are disclosed under the caption "Risk Factors" of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, as filed with the SEC on February 13, 2019 and certain other filings we make with the SEC. The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements which speak only as of the date made. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For Investor Relations inquiries related to any of the monthly dividend paying Gladstone funds, please visit www.gladstone.com . SOURCE: Gladstone Commercial Corporation Arjun Poudel is a health reporter for The Kathmandu Post. Before joining the Post, he worked for Sagarmatha Television, Naya Patrika, Republica and The Himalayan Times. (Bloomberg) -- Sundar Pichai was, for years, one of the worlds highest-paid corporate executives. Now hes facing the opposite reality: No big paychecks at all. The Google chief executive officer hasnt received an equity award in more than two years. A key reason is that Pichai turned down a big new grant of restricted stock in 2018 because he felt he was already paid generously, according to a person familiar with the decision. Its unclear how much he passed up. But another giant payday -- on top of hundreds of millions of dollars in previous awards -- could have sparked a new round of controversy for the mild-mannered executive. Technology companies are being increasingly blamed for all sorts of societal ills -- including rising income inequality. Since getting the top job in 2015 for his engineering prowess, Pichai has had to address these concerns, while juggling a host of other politically charged issues. He may have looked at these numbers and said: Ive had enough -- or he might just be trying to manage the optics of his pay, said David Larcker, a professor who researches corporate governance at Stanford Graduate School of Business. The board of Google parent Alphabet Inc. is scheduled to revisit the CEOs pay later this year, said the person, who asked not to be identified discussing private matters. By then, almost all Pichais previous stock awards will have vested. That makes him an anomaly among U.S. corporate leaders, and is even raising questions about whats next for the 46-year-old. Clearly theres very little retentive effect left for Pichai," said Fabrizio Ferri, an associate professor at the University of Miami who studies executive pay. A Google spokeswoman declined to comment, and said the Alphabet board wont comment either. The company and its directors have said nothing publicly about the CEO leaving any time soon. Pichai has never mentioned moving on either. Google is known for its willingness to pay lavishly to attract and keep talented employees in the executive suite and beyond. Top bosses receive almost all of their compensation in the form of restricted shares, usually granted in even-numbered years. Pichai had been among the main beneficiaries. Story continues In 2014, shortly before Pichai was promoted to take over many of Google co-founder Larry Pages responsibilities, he received restricted stock worth about $250 million. The following year, when he became Google CEO, he got $100 million of stock. And in 2016, Pichai received another grant worth almost $200 million. That was the year the Google CEO job began to morph from a technical leadership role into a political minefield. Employees marched in protest of President Donald Trumps immigration plan in early 2016. Less than a year later, a memo from Google engineer James Damore claiming the company was biased against conservatives exploded into a national scandal. In 2018, Google workers revolted over a military contract and a proposed censored search engine in China. In the fall of that year, thousands of staff walked out of their offices after discovering the company had given big bonuses to executives accused of sexual harassment. At a staff meeting earlier this year, one Google worker asked why Pichai was paid hundreds of millions of dollars, while some employees struggle to afford to live in Silicon Valley, people familiar with the situation said at the time. The criticism has been just as loud from outside the company. Google is facing multiple antitrust investigations around the world, and rising scrutiny in the U.S. over its size, power and access to personal data. Co-founders Page and Sergey Brin, have stepped away from day-to-day management, and former CEO Eric Schmidt, who used to handle politics, is leaving the board. On Dec. 11, just over three years after taking the CEO job, a noticeably grayer Pichai sat before Congress being questioned about the political slants of his staff and algorithms, Chinese censorship and surveillance, and even a conspiracy theory about Hillary Clinton that spread on Googles YouTube video service. Sundar is aging quickly, said Matt McGowan, a former Google executive who left in 2016. When you have a billion customers around the world, theres always going to be hundreds of people who disagree with your decisions. And theyre loud. People who have worked with Pichai describe him as a consensus-builder who shies away from conflict. Key parts of the CEO job nowadays, like testifying before Congress and policing internal rancor, are not his favorite. Hes not a well-seasoned CEO who has been through these types of crises before. But he appears to be learning quickly, McGowan said. Pichai has revived revenue growth at Google, helping shares of Alphabet rise more than 50% since he took over the internet giant. However, the company missed Wall Street estimates last quarter and the CEO frustrated analysts on a recent conference call. Reputation Institute, a management consultant, ranked Pichai first among major CEOs last year. In this years ranking, Pichai fell out of the top 10. Maybe there are a few elements of doubt around his leadership credentials, said Stephen Hahn-Griffiths, an executive at Reputation Institute. Since that big 2016 stock award, Pichai has collected a $650,000 annual salary and typical CEO perks such as the cost of personal security. As of Tuesdays close, he had 51,249 unvested Google shares, worth about $58.1 million, left to earn. They will vest in June, September and December, regulatory filings show. (Updates with chart and compensation details in ninth paragraph.) --With assistance from Jack Witzig. To contact the reporters on this story: Mark Bergen in San Francisco at mbergen10@bloomberg.net;Anders Melin in New York at amelin3@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jillian Ward at jward56@bloomberg.net, Alistair Barr, Andrew Pollack For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. (Bloomberg) -- Huawei Technologies Co. has asked a U.S. judge to rule that a ban on federal agencies and contractors buying its gear violates the constitution, delivering its latest legal riposte to American accusations it aids Beijing in espionage. Chinas largest technology company asked for summary judgment in a filing late Tuesday, arguing the moratorium on its equipment disrupts existing contracts, stigmatizes Huawei and its employees as tools of the Chinese government, and threatens its ability to do business in the U.S. Huawei, which has warned that the ban could kill the company, has repeatedly denied those allegations. Huawei finds itself in the cross-hairs of the U.S. government just as countries around the world prepare to spend billions on potentially revolutionary fifth-generation wireless technology. The Trump administration has also blacklisted the Chinese company, cutting off the supply of American components it needs to make its smartphones and networking gear. In challenging the ban, Huawei argues its unconstitutional to single out a person or a group for penalty without a fair trial. Its taking aim at a provision in the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act that bars any executive agency, government contractor or company that receives a government loan or grant from using Huawei equipment, according to its complaint. The Chinese company argues that the provision is a bill of attainder, a legislative punishment without trial thats prohibited by the U.S. Constitution. The ban adjudicates Huawei to be a tool of the Chinese government, imposes vast restrictions on it, and burdens its constitutional rights, Huawei said in its filing. In doing so, it tries to drive Huawei out of the country, defames it as disloyal and untrustworthy, and denies it the administrative and judicial process available to others to contest such charges. Huaweis lawsuit signals a more aggressive response from the company toward its U.S. accusers, who have been trying to persuade other countries to ban Huawei gear. Story continues Banning the company will do nothing to make networks more secure. They provide a false sense of security, and distract attention from the real challenges we face, Song Liuping, Huaweis chief legal officer, said in a statement repeating arguments laid out this week in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece. This sets a dangerous precedent. Today its telecoms and Huawei. Tomorrow it could be your industry, your company, your consumers. The case is Huawei Technologies v. U.S., 4:19-cv-00159, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas (Sherman). To contact Bloomberg News staff for this story: Edvard Pettersson in Los Angeles at epettersson@bloomberg.net;Gao Yuan in Beijing at ygao199@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Chua Baizhen at bchua14@bloomberg.net, Edwin Chan, Peter Elstrom For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. By Ju-min Park and Heekyong Yang SEOUL (Reuters) - Less than a week after Huawei Technologies was blacklisted by the United States, more than a hundred South Korean politicians and business leaders toured the Chinese tech giant's headquarters and its lavish new campus outside Shenzhen. Executives from firms such as Samsung Electronics watched demonstrations of high-speed robotics and smart city simulations powered by Huawei's next-generation 5G network equipment. The event was part of a Seoul-backed forum aimed at building tighter tech links between China and Asia's fourth-largest economy. But the gathering was overshadowed by the U.S. decision early this month to ban American tech and telecom firms from doing business with Huawei, and a push to get companies around the world to follow suit. The campaign against Huawei, and the broader U.S.-China trade war, have landed export-driven South Korea in a familiar bind, caught between its crucial security ally and biggest trading partner. Key global tech companies are suspending sales of parts and software to the Chinese firm and several mobile carriers are delaying the launch of new Huawei handsets. But in South Korea, business executives and politicians said they see few alternatives to conducting business with China as normal. For Samsung, South Korea's national tech champion, any advantages it could gain from Washington's move against Huawei would be outweighed by the pain of lost business, experts said. Samsung could increase share at Huawei's expense in smartphones and telecom network equipment, and its stock has ticked up modestly since the U.S. ban was announced. The broader trade war could also blunt the rise of new Chinese rivals in chips and smartphone screens. But Huawei is also one the biggest customers for Samsung's memory chips, and the South Korean firm has multiple factories in China serving a plethora of customers. Samsung Vice Chairman Yoon Boo-keun was among those who took part in the Huawei tour. "They compete, but they are important partners too," said Min Byung-doo, a South Korean ruling Democratic Party member of parliament who was part of the tour, referring to Huawei and Samsung. He told Reuters that South Korean companies had "no simple alternative" to maintaining business relationships with Huawei. Samsung declined to comment. (See how Huawei has become one of Korea Inc's top customers https://tmsnrt.rs/2W7oVHU) 'MOMENT OF TRUTH' South Korean government officials and tech company executives say there is plenty to worry about in the long run. China is South Korea's largest trading partner, accounting for 26.8% of the country's exports in 2018, compared with 12% for the United States. Huawei alone bought $10.7 billion worth of South Korean products last year, accounting for about 17% of the country's electronics parts exports to China, according to data from the South Korean government and Huawei. South Korea's SK Hynix, the world's No.2 memory chip maker, counts Huawei as its top customer. Some experts believe South Korea will not be able to walk the line between the two powers amid an intensifying tech trade war. "South Korea has to face the moment of truth - choosing the United States or China," said Han Suk-hee, a professor of Chinese studies at Yonsei University and a former South Korean consul general in Shanghai. "What if the U.S. is not only asking not to use Huawei products but also not to export South Korean semiconductors to China? The government needs to prepare for that worst-case scenario." Washington has warned allies that adopting Huawei technology in 5G networks could lead the U.S. to curtail intelligence sharing. South Korea's presidential office said it cannot comment on discussions with Washington. A South Korean government source close to the situation said there are no easy answers. "Sorry, we are not the United States, and can't just do the same as what the U.S. is doing to China," he said when asked whether the country will join the U.S. campaign against Huawei. "We can't jump to a simple conclusion." LG Uplus Corp, the only South Korean telecom firm to use Huawei equipment for its 5G network, declined to comment. For its part, Huawei said it plans to open a 5G lab in South Korea on Thursday as a sign of its commitment to partnership. "Huawei has an 'In Korea, for Korea's advancement' philosophy," Huawei's head of Asia-Pacific, Tian Feng, was quoted as saying by South Korean officials who took part in the tour. CHINA'S CLOUT Memories are still fresh in South Korea of how damaging retaliation by Beijing can be. Angry over Seoul's decision to deploy a U.S. THAAD anti-missile defense system in 2016 to counter North Korea, China informally banned group tours to South Korea and suspended construction projects by retail giant Lotte. Samsung's smart phone market share in China halved in 2017 from a year earlier, according to Strategy Analytics. Hyundai Motor's sales plummeted by one-third as a result of the missile dispute. At some South Korean companies, officials grumble that their government is powerless to counter China and has not done enough in the face of what they see as unfair subsidies and other trade practices. "We feel as if we are left alone to fight to survive, not being able to get any government support when the Chinese government is all out there to advance their high-tech industries," an official at a major South Korean display maker said, asking for anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. "Our government was in disarray without any pre-emptive plans in the THAAD situation, while our companies kept bleeding in China," said the chief executive of a South Korean firm that supplies parts for Huawei smartphones, who also declined to be named. "This time around, I hope our government can provide a clear vision and protect our companies." (Reporting by Ju-min Park and Heekyong Yang; Additional reporting by Hyunjoo Jin; Editing by Jack Kim, Jonathan Weber and Edwina Gibbs) (Bloomberg) -- SoftBank Group Corp.s Japanese telecom unit selected Nokia Oyj and Ericsson AB as vendors for its next-generation wireless network, excluding long-time supplier Huawei Technologies Co. SoftBank Corp. named Nokia as a strategic partner for 5G rollout and Ericsson as a supplier of radio access network equipment, the companies said in separate releases. Huawei, which together with ZTE Corp. was a 4G vendor for the Japanese company, wasnt selected despite participating in earlier 5G trials. SoftBank declined further comment. President Donald Trumps administration has targeted Huawei for months, first encouraging allies to ban the Chinese companys equipment from their networks and then putting Huawei on an export blacklist that prohibits it from buying American software and components. Australia and New Zealand have prohibited Chinese gear from their networks, while Japan has said it will exclude equipment with security risks without making an official decision on Huawei. Local media have reported the countrys top three carriers NTT Docomo Inc., SoftBank and KDDI Corp. will shun Huawei and ZTE. You can also expect Docomo and KDDI to follow suit, said Masahiko Ishino, an analyst at Tokai Tokyo Research Center. So SoftBank isnt going to be at a cost disadvantage. The phone companies are also scrapping plans to sell Huawei handsets as the impact of a U.S. supply ban spreads. The Chinese company didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. So far, few carriers have actively decided against choosing Huawei for new networks. In March TDC A/S, Denmarks biggest phone company, chose Ericsson to build its 5G network rather than Huawei, its existing supplier. The U.K.s BT Group Plc announced plans to remove Huawei gear from the core of its mobile network soon after the head of Britains foreign intelligence agency MI6 said the U.K. warned about the risks of using Chinese equipment. Taiwan already bans Chinese telecom equipment. Story continues At an earnings briefing in February, SoftBank Group Chief Executive Officer Masayoshi Son said it would cost about 5 billion yen ($46 million) to replace existing Huawei gear in its network. At the time, Son said the company is considering all options for 5G equipment. --With assistance from Gao Yuan. To contact the reporters on this story: Pavel Alpeyev in Tokyo at palpeyev@bloomberg.net;Takahiko Hyuga in Tokyo at thyuga@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Robert Fenner at rfenner@bloomberg.net, Peter Elstrom For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. Lack of staff in Sushil Koirala hospital affects health services Hospital needs 200 health staff to operate its equipment -- Robust Start and Significant Progress in Enterprise Solutions -- -- Another Quarter of Record High Gross Profit -- HONG KONG, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- iClick Interactive Asia Group Limited (iClick) (ICLK), an independent online marketing and enterprise data solutions provider in China, today announced unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2019. Three Months Ended March 31, 2019 2018 Percentage Change (US$ in thousands) (Unaudited) Financial Metrics: Revenue Marketing solutions 37,759 35,229 7 % Enterprise solutions 1,459 - N/M Total revenue 39,218 35,229 11 % Gross profit 12,390 8,123 53 % Adjusted EBITDA1 538 409 32 % Adjusted net loss1 (1,248 ) (1,418 ) N/M Diluted adjusted net loss per ADS1 (0.02 ) (0.03 ) N/M Operating Metrics: Gross billing 96,285 91,892 5 % During the first quarter, we reported record-high gross profit and substantial growth in adjusted EBITDA on a solid revenue increase, said Sammy Hsieh, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of iClick. As we celebrate our 10th anniversary year, we continue to make progress toward achieving our long-term goal of transforming iClick into a CRM and Marketing Cloud Platform that provides a fully-integrated solution to help our clients address their sales and marketing challenges in China. We also recently announced two milestone agreements that further advance the development of our CRM and Marketing Cloud platform, Hsieh said. In the Enterprise Solutions business, we signed a strategic partnership agreement with BTG WELINK, the online retail services arm of Beijing Tourism Group, one of the top ten tourism service groups in China, and Tencent, to unleash the potential of smart retail by establishing a new customer relationship management system. In the Marketing Solutions business, we recently announced to form a joint venture with VGI Global Media in Thailand that will add more diversity to iClicks geographic reach in a high-growth region. We believe both agreements will help contribute to our future growth and profitability, Hsieh said. Story continues First Quarter 2019 Results: Revenue for the first quarter of 2019 grew to US$39.2 million, up 11% from US$35.2 million for the same period last year, attributable to contributions from existing marketing solutions and the Companys new enterprise solutions, partially offset by depreciation of the Renminbi against the US dollar by 7% compared with the first quarter of 2018. On a currency-neutral basis, the revenue increased 19% at US$41.8 million for the first quarter of 2019 compared with the same period last year. Revenue from marketing solutions grew to US$37.8 million for the first quarter of 2019, up 7% from US$35.2 million for the first quarter of 2018, primarily as the result of growing market demand from marketers. On a currency-neutral basis, the revenue increased 15% at US$40.4 million for the first quarter of 2019 compared with the same period last year. Revenue from Enterprise solutions was US$1.5 million for the first quarter of 2019. Gross profit for the quarter ended March 31, 2019 increased 53% to US$12.4 million, compared with US$8.1 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2018, mainly due to improvements in gross profit margin from the Companys marketing solutions, and contribution from higher margin enterprise solutions. Total operating expenses were US$14.6 million for the first quarter of 2019, compared with US$9.9 million for the first quarter of 2018, primarily attributable to the expenses incurred for new business development, increase in marketing activities and higher incentives for sales personnel. Operating loss was US$2.2 million for the first quarter of 2019, compared with an operating loss of US$1.7 million for the prior-year period, as a result of higher expenses incurred for new business development. Net loss totalled US$2.5 million for the 2019 first quarter, compared with US$112,000 for the 2018 first quarter, as a result of the decrease of exchange gain of US$1.9 million compared with the first quarter of 2018, and the fair value losses on convertible notes of US$1.0 million in the first quarter of 2019. Net loss attributable to the Companys shareholders per basic and diluted ADS was US$0.0379, compared with a net loss per basic and diluted ADS of US$0.0021 for the first quarter of 2018. Adjusted EBITDA for the first quarter of 2019 improved to US$538,000, compared with US$409,000 for the first quarter of 2018, resulting from the increase in gross profit. For a reconciliation of the Companys adjusted EBITDA to net loss, its most comparable GAAP measure, please refer to Unaudited Reconciliations of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results. Adjusted net loss attributable to the Companys shareholders, which excludes share-based compensation expenses, fair value losses on convertible notes, and other gains, for the 2019 first quarter reduced to US$1.2 million, compared with US$1.4 million for the 2018 first quarter. For a reconciliation of the Companys adjusted net loss to net loss, its most comparable GAAP measure, please refer to Unaudited Reconciliations of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results. Gross billing2 grew to US$96.3 million for the first quarter ended March 31, 2019, up from US$91.9 million last year. It is primarily as a result of increasing demand, partially offset by depreciation of the Renminbi against the US dollar by 7% compared with a year ago. The gross billing increased 12% on a currency-neutral basis at US$102.5 million for the first quarter of 2019 compared with a year ago. As of March 31, 2019, the Company had cash and equivalents of US$44.7 million, compared with $39.8 million as of December 31, 2018. Outlook Based on the information available as of the date of this press release, iClick provided the following outlook for the second quarter of 2019 and the following outlook for the 2019 full year: Second Quarter 2019: Revenue is estimated to be between US$46 million and US$50 million. Gross profit margin is estimated to be between 26% and 28%. Full Year 2019: Revenue is estimated to be between US$200 million and US$220 million. Gross profit margin is estimated to be between 28% and 30%. The above outlook is based on current market conditions and reflects the Companys preliminary estimates of market and operating conditions, expected foreign exchange fluctuation, and customer demand, which are all subject to change. Please also refer to the factors set out under the section titled Safe Harbor Statement. Conference Call The Company will host an earnings conference call at 8:00 AM U.S. Eastern Time on May 29, 2019 (8:00 PM Beijing/Hong Kong time on May 29, 2019). A live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on iClicks investor relations website at http://ir.i-click.com . Dial-in details for the conference call are as follows: United States: +1-845-675-0437 International: +65-6713-5090 Hong Kong: +852-3018-6771 China: 400-620-8038 Conference ID: 9067006 A replay of the conference call will be accessible by phone two hours after the conclusion of the live call at the following numbers until June 6, 2019: United States: +1-855-452-5696 International: +61-2-8199-0299 Hong Kong: 800-963-117 China: 400-632-2162 Replay Access Code: 9067006 About iClick Interactive Asia Group Limited iClick Interactive Asia Group Limited (ICLK) is an independent online marketing and enterprise data solutions provider that connects worldwide marketers with audiences in China. Built on cutting-edge technologies, our proprietary platform possesses omni-channel marketing capabilities and fulfills various marketing objectives in a data-driven and automated manner, helping both international and domestic marketers reach their target audiences in China. Headquartered in Hong Kong, iClick was established in 2009 and is currently operating in nine locations worldwide including Asia and Europe. Non-GAAP Financial Measures The Company uses adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net loss, and diluted adjusted net loss per ADS, each a non-GAAP financial measure, in evaluating the Companys operating results and for financial and operational decision-making purposes. The Company believes that adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net loss, and diluted adjusted net loss per ADS help identify underlying trends in the Companys business that could otherwise be distorted by the effect of the expenses and gains that the Company includes in net loss. The Company believes that adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net loss provide useful information about the Companys operating results, enhance the overall understanding of the Companys past performance and future prospects and allow for greater visibility with respect to key metrics used by the Companys management in its financial and operational decision-making. Adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net loss, and diluted adjusted net loss per ADS should not be considered in isolation or construed as an alternative to net loss or any other measure of performance or as an indicator of the Companys operating performance. Investors are encouraged to review the historical non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures. Adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net loss, and diluted adjusted net loss per ADS presented here may not be comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other companies. Other companies may calculate similarly titled measures differently, limiting their usefulness as comparative measures to the Companys data. The Company encourages investors and others to review the Companys financial information in its entirety and not rely on a single financial measure. For more information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see the table captioned Unaudited Reconciliations of GAAP and Non-GAAP results set forth at the end of this press release. Additionally, currency-neutral revenue and gross billing are calculated using actual exchange rates in use during the comparative prior year period to enhance the visibility of the underlying business trends excluding the impact of translation arising from foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations. These non-GAAP financial measures were presented with the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures together for facilitating a more comprehensive understanding of operating performance between periods. Statement Regarding Preliminary Unaudited Financial Information The unaudited financial information set out in this press release is preliminary and subject to potential adjustments. Adjustments to the consolidated financial statements may be identified when audit work has been performed for the Companys year-end audit, which could result in significant differences from this preliminary unaudited financial information. Safe Harbor Statement This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "confident" and similar statements. Such statements are based upon managements current expectations and current market and operating conditions, and relate to events that involve known or unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the Companys control. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: the Company's fluctuations in growth; its success in implementing its mobile and new retail strategies; including extending its solutions beyond its core online marketing business; its success in structuring a CRM & Marketing Cloud platform; relative percentage of its gross billing recognized as revenue under the gross and net models; its ability to retain existing clients or attract new ones; its ability to retain content distribution channels and negotiate favourable contractual terms; market competition, including from independent online marketing technology platforms as well as large and well-established internet companies; market acceptance of online marketing technology solutions and enterprise solutions; effectiveness of its algorithms and data engines; its ability to collect and use data from various sources; ability to integrate and realize synergies from acquisitions, investments or strategic partnership; fluctuations in foreign exchange rates; and general economic conditions in China and other jurisdictions where the Company operates; and the regulatory landscape in China and other jurisdictions where the Company operates. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company's annual report on Form 20-F and other filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. For investor inquiries, please contact: In China: iClick Interactive Asia Group Limited Lisa Li Phone: +852-3700-9065 E-mail: ir@i-click.com In the United States: PondelWilkinson Inc. Evan Pondel/Laurie Berman Tel: +1-310-279-5980 E-mail: iclk@pondel.com For media inquiries, please contact: iClick Interactive Asia Group Limited Vivian Fu Phone: +852-3700-9110 Email: press@i-click.com (financial tables follow) ICLICK INTERACTIVE ASIA GROUP LIMITED Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss (US$000, except share data and per share data, or otherwise noted, unaudited) Three Months Ended March 31, 2019 2018 Revenue 39,218 35,229 Cost of revenues (26,828 ) (27,106 ) Gross profit 12,390 8,123 Operating expenses Research and development expenses (1,344 ) (1,395 ) Sales and marketing expenses (9,996 ) (5,891 ) General and administrative expenses (3,238 ) (2,564 ) Total operating expenses (14,578 ) (9,850 ) Operating loss (2,188 ) (1,727 ) Interest expense (205 ) (172 ) Interest income 99 151 Other gains, net 772 2,080 Fair value losses on convertible notes (1,001 ) - (Loss)/profit before income tax expense (2,523 ) 332 Income tax benefit/(expense) 54 (444 ) Net loss (2,469 ) (112 ) Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests 334 - Net loss attributable to iClick Interactive Asia Group Limiteds ordinary shareholders (2,135 ) 112 ) Net loss (2,469 ) (112 ) Other comprehensive income/(loss): Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of US$nil tax 925 (214 ) Comprehensive loss (1,544 ) (326 ) Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests 334 - Comprehensive loss attributable to iClick Interactive Asia Group Limited (1,210 ) (326 ) Net loss per ADS attributable to iClick Interactive Asia Group Limited Basic (0.0379 ) (0.0021 ) Diluted (0.0379 ) (0.0021 ) Weighted average number of ADS used in per share calculation: Basic 56,376,610 52,148,518 Diluted 56,376,610 52,148,518 ICLICK INTERACTIVE ASIA GROUP LIMITED Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (US$000, except share data and per share data, or otherwise noted, unaudited) As of March 31, 2019 As of December 31, 2018 Assets Current assets Cash and cash equivalents 44,687 39,828 Short-term investment - 17,427 Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful receivables of US$1,524 and US$1,507 as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 respectively 75,312 65,627 Rebates receivable 3,555 4,067 Prepaid media costs 28,202 19,107 Other current assets 3,384 3,242 Total current assets 155,140 149,298 Non-current assets Deferred tax assets 1,124 1,153 Property and equipment, net 577 329 Intangible assets, net 8,001 7,247 Goodwill 55,156 48,496 Long-term investment 503 503 Right-of-use assets3 2,343 - Other assets 338 232 Total non-current assets 68,042 57,960 Total assets 223,182 207,258 Liabilities and equity Current liabilities Accounts payable (including accounts payable of the consolidated variable interest entity (VIE) and its subsidiaries without recourse to the Company of US$77 and US$45 as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively) 9,384 6,557 Deferred revenue (including deferred revenue of the consolidated VIE and its subsidiaries without recourse to the Company of US$1,262 and US$1,300 as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively) 31,545 27,191 Accrued liabilities and other current liabilities (including accrued liabilities and other current liabilities of the consolidated VIE and its subsidiaries without recourse to the Company of US$1,541 and US$1,776 as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively) 15,531 16,348 Lease liabilities3 1,267 Bank borrowings 14,777 9,439 Convertible notes at fair value 31,407 34,837 Income tax payable 3,035 2,779 Total current liabilities 106,946 97,151 Non-current liabilities Other liabilities 617 673 Lease liabilities3 1,099 - Deferred tax liabilities 2,902 2,794 Total non-current liabilities 4,618 3,467 Total liabilities 111,564 100,618 Equity Ordinary shares Class A (US$0.001 par value; 80,000,000 shares authorized as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively; 23,674,862 and 23,166,092 shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively) 23 23 Ordinary shares Class B (US$0.001 par value; 20,000,000 shares authorized as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively; 4,820,608 shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively) 5 5 Treasury shares (1,276,951 shares and 1,363,860 shares as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively) (586 ) (576 ) Additional paid-in capital 298,353 293,072 Statutory reserves 81 81 Accumulated other comprehensive losses (4,942 ) (5,867 ) Accumulated deficit (183,548 ) (181,413 ) Total iClick Interactive Asia Group Limited shareholders equity 109,386 105,325 Noncontrolling interests 2,232 1,315 Total equity 111,618 106,640 Total liabilities and equity 223,182 207,258 ICLICK INTERACTIVE ASIA GROUP LIMITED Unaudited Reconciliations of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results (US$000, except share data and per share data, or otherwise noted, unaudited) Adjusted EBITDA represents net loss before (i) depreciation and amortization, (ii) interest expense, (iii) interest income, (iv) income tax (benefit)/expense, (v) share-based compensation, (vi) fair value losses on convertible notes, (vii) other gains, net, and (viii) net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests. The table below sets forth a reconciliation of the Companys adjusted EBITDA to net loss for the periods indicated: Three Months Ended March 31, 2019 2018 Net loss (2,469 ) (112 ) Add/(less): Depreciation and amortization 1,734 1,362 Interest expense 205 172 Interest income (99 ) (151 ) Income tax (benefit)/expense (54 ) 444 EBITDA (683 ) 1,715 Add/(less): Share-based compensation 658 774 Fair value losses on convertible notes 1,001 - Other gains, net (772 ) (2,080 ) Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests 334 - Adjusted EBITDA 538 409 Adjusted net loss represents net loss before (i) share-based compensation, (ii) fair value losses on convertible notes, (iii) other gains, net, and (iv) net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests. There is no material tax effects on these non-GAAP adjustments. The table below sets forth a reconciliation of the Companys adjusted net loss to net loss for the periods indicated: Three Months Ended March 31, 2019 2018 Net loss (2,469 ) (112 ) Add/(less): Share-based compensation 658 774 Fair value losses on convertible notes 1,001 - Other gains, net (772 ) (2,080 ) Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests 334 - Adjusted net loss (1,248 ) (1,418 ) The basic and diluted adjusted net loss per ADS for the periods indicated are calculated as follows: Three Months Ended March 31, 2019 2018 Numerator: Adjusted net loss (1,248 ) (1,418 ) Denominator: Denominator for basic and diluted net loss per ADS - Weighted average ADS outstanding 56,376,610 52,148,518 Basic adjusted net loss per ADS (0.02 ) (0.03 ) Diluted adjusted net loss per ADS (0.02 ) (0.03 ) __________________________ 1 For more details on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see the tables captioned Unaudited Reconciliations of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results set forth at the end of this press release. 2 Gross billing is defined as the aggregate dollar amount that clients pay the Company after deducting rebates paid and discounts given to clients. 3 The Company adopted the new leasing guidance (ASU 2016-02) started from January 1, 2019, which requires that a lessee recognize the assets and liabilities that arise from operating leases. The Company recognized a right-of-use asset and a liability relating to lease payments (the Lease Liability) in the consolidated balance sheets for lease contracts having terms beyond 12 months period. The adoption of new leasing guidance resulted in recognition of US$2.3 million of right-of-use assets and US$2.4 million of lease liabilities, respectively, as of March 31, 2019. The consolidated financial information related to periods prior to January 1, 2019 were not restated, and continue to be reported under ASC Topic 840 Leases. FILE PHOTO: A man looks at an electronic board showing the Nikkei stock index outside a brokerage in Tokyo, Japan, January 7, 2019. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon By Ayai Tomisawa TOKYO (Reuters) - Expectations that the U.S.-China trade dispute will eventually ease should help Japanese stocks recover by end-December to show a gain of 6% from last week's closing level, a Reuters poll found. Median estimates from 28 analysts and fund managers polled in the past week put the Nikkei benchmark at 22,375 by the year-end. Forecasts ranged from 19,500 to 25,000, or a fall of 8% to an 18% gain from where it closed last week at 21,117. Worries the trade war between the United States and China could derail global growth have hurt stocks this month, with chip-related stocks battered by Washington's blacklisting of Huawei Technologies. Still, a majority of market players expect U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping will reach a deal in the end. "Trump is giving China a difficult time, but the market thinks that he would not push China too far to the point where his own economy slides into a correction," said Hiroyuki Fukunaga, chief executive of Investrust, who forecasts the Nikkei to trade at 24,500 in December. "It looks like we are seeing the worst now, so the market expects that it will only become better from now on," he said. Takashi Ito, an equity market strategist at Nomura Securities, noted that not all industries are affected by the trade war and Japanese earnings are not expected to deteriorate sharply. Ito estimates the Nikkei's earnings per share (EPS) to be around 1,750 yen for the year ending March 2020, which would be little changed from current levels. He expects the Nikkei to end the year at 22,500, marking a rise of 7% from last week's close. Even if a deal to end the trade war was reached next month, just how unscathed the U.S. economy emerges from the trade war remains a big risk for the global economy and the share market, analysts said. "Although I expect the U.S. and China will reach an agreement at the G20 in June, the global economy is seeing a slowdown and it's highly possible that the Japanese stock market will enter a downward trend," said Fumio Matsumoto, senior fund manager at Dalton Capital Japan. Story continues He expects the Nikkei to trade at 20,000 at the year end, a fall of 5% from now, before it will rise to 22,000 in June next year. Market observers say another main focus is whether the government will proceed with a sales tax hike planned in October and its impact on consumption. On Friday, Kyodo news reported Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he was "basically" not considering seeking voter consent with a snap election if the government were to delay a planned sales tax hike. (Reporting by Ayai Tomisawa; additional polling by Indradip Ghosh, Mumal Rathore and Sumanto Mondal; editing by Hideyuki Sano & Simon Cameron-Moore) QUEBEC CITY, Quebec, May 28, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LeddarTech, an industry leader providing the most versatile and scalable auto and mobility LiDAR platform, is pleased to announce that LeddarTechs Mobility Leadership Series continues through the month of June with participation in several conferences across North America. LeddarTechs senior executives will present at Impulsion MTL 2019 on June 3rd, APMAs connectTEC conference on June 11th, and at the 2019 GSA Silicon Summit on June 18th. LeddarTech will also exhibit at TU-Automotive Detroit on June 5th. June 3rd: Impulsion MTL 2019 Montreal, Canada Frantz Saintellemy, president and COO of LeddarTech, will present at Impulsion MTL International Fleet Forum. The event will bring professionals and suppliers together around a common objective: upgrading fleets with new technologies and solutions to meet environmental, social, operational, and regulatory requirements. Mr. Saintellemys talk will focus on LiDAR and the evolution of technology in advanced driver-assistance systems. June 5th: TU-Automotive Detroit, U.S.A. Senior members from LeddarTech will exhibit at the TU Automotive Conference in Detroit, U.S.A. TU-Automotive Detroit is the world's largest automotive technology conference & exhibition, shaping the future of connected auto mobility. LeddarTech will exhibit as part of the Government of Canada pavilion. Visit booth #B113 to speak with our LiDAR specialists and discover our ADAS and AD solutions for automotive and mobility applications. June 11th: APMAs connectTEC Conference Windsor, Canada Pierre Olivier, Chief Technology Officer at LeddarTech, will join a panel discussion on Intelligent Mobility at the connectTEC Conference - The In.tel.li.gent Network. The APMA event aspires to bring together Canadas Leaders in Auto, ICT, Industry, and Infrastructure to discuss the challenges and identify the opportunities that lie ahead for Canadian manufacturers. Mr. Oliviers focus will be on communicating the impact of LiDAR Technology for automotive and mobility AD applications. Story continues June 18th: 2019 GSA Silicon Summit Santa Clara, U.S.A. Charles Boulanger, LeddarTechs CEO, will speak and participate in a Transformation of Mobility panel at the 2019 GSA Silicon Summit. Mr. Boulanger will discuss advanced LiDAR sensor architectures, and how platform solutions are enabling autonomous driving. GSAs Silicon Summit brings together more than 250 semiconductor executives from leading companies in the expanded semiconductor ecosystem for a full day of discussion and thought exchange. This years focus is on The Smart Evolution Ubiquity, Autonomy, Mobility. About LeddarTech LeddarTech is an industry leader providing the most versatile, scalable auto and mobility LiDAR platform based on the unique LeddarEngine, which consists of a suite of automotive-grade, functional safety certified SoCs working in tandem with LeddarSP signal processing software. The company is responsible for several innovations in cutting-edge mobility remote-sensing applications, its patented technologies enhancing ADAS and autonomous driving capabilities for automobiles, trucks, buses, delivery vehicles, robotaxis, shuttles, and more. Additional information about LeddarTech is accessible at www.leddartech.com, and on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. LeddarTech, Leddar, LeddarEngine, LeddarSP, and LeddarTech logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of LeddarTech Inc. All other brands, product names, and marks are or may be trademarks or registered trademarks used to identify products or services of their respective owners. Contact: Daniel Aitken, Vice-President of Marketing and Communications, LeddarTech Inc. Tel.: +1-418-653-9000 ext. 232 Daniel.Aitken@Leddartech.com Nepal-China trade set to surge with Tatopani Customs re-opening Chinese authority has opened one of the main land trade routes of Nepal-China trade by providing entry passes to ten loaders and containers Merck & Co., Inc. MRK shares have performed well this year so far. Mercks shares have risen 6.2% this year so far compared with the industrys increase of 0.7%. Earnings estimates for 2019 and 2020 have risen 1.5% and 0.6%, respectively, over the past 60 days. Whats Behind the Rally? Like 2018, a significant part of Mercks outperformance this year so far has been driven by strong performance and positive regulatory updates related to its PD-1 inhibitor, Keytruda. In a short span of time, Keytruda has become Mercks biggest product. It is already approved for use in 15 indications across 10 different tumor types in the United States. Keytruda, the largest product in Mercks portfolio, generated sales of $2.27 billion in the first quarter of 2019, up around 5.6% sequentially and 55% year over year. Sales were driven by the launch of indications globally. Keytruda sales are gaining particularly from strong momentum in first-line lung cancer indication both as monotherapy and with the rollout of the chemo combo in both non-squamous and squamous NSCLC. Following approval to include data from KEYNOTE-407 study in October 2018, the company witnessed strong uptake in squamous non-small cell lung cancer in the United States in the past two quarters. In March, European Commission granted marketing approval to Keytruda for the same indication. In fact, in the first quarter, Keytruda was approved by the FDA as an adjuvant therapy for high-risk stage III melanoma and for five new cancer line extensions in Japan. In April, the FDA gave approval to Keytruda in combination with Pfizers PFE Inlyta for the first-line treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) as well as for an expanded first-line lung cancer patient population. All these label expansion approvals should drive sales of Keytruda higher in future quarters of 2019. The Keytruda development program is also progressing well and the drug is being studied for more than 30 types of cancer in more than 1000 studies, including more than 600 combination studies. Merck is collaborating with several companies including Amgen AMGN, Incyte, Glaxo and Pfizer separately for the evaluation of Keytruda in combination with other regimens. Story continues Several regulatory decisions for new indications in the United States as well as in Europe are pending in 2019, which, if approved, can further boost sales of Keytruda. In June, FDA decisions are expected on regulatory applications looking for label expansion of Keytruda for previously treated advanced small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and first-line treatment of recurrent or metastatic HNSCC. Other than that, in April, Merck and partner AstraZenecas AZN Lynparza gained approval in Europe as a monotherapy for the treatment of certain adult patients with advanced breast cancer. Merck also announced positive data from several late-stage studies this year, mainly evaluating Keytruda for further line extensions in 2019 so far. Merck has also been on a strong footing was far as collaborations and M&A activity is concerned. In the year, Merck bought small cancer focused biotech, Immune Design and privately held Europes animal health technology provider, Antelliq Group. This month, Merck also announced a definitive agreement to buy small private cancer biotech, Peloton Therapeutics for an upfront payment of $1.05 billion in cash. The acquisition will add Pelotons novel late-stage renal cell carcinoma (RCC) candidate, PT2977 to Mercks oncology pipeline. Conclusion Merck, which carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), has its share of challenges in the form of generic competition for several drugs, pricing pressure and rising competitive pressure on the diabetes franchise and on products like Isentress (HIV), Zepatier (HCV) and Zostavax (vaccine) Nonetheless, going forward, new products like Keytruda, Lynparza, and Bridion should continue to contribute meaningfully to the top line. Animal health and vaccine products are also performing strongly and remain core growth drivers for Merck. Also, Merck can gain approval for two new products this year, a vaccine for Ebola Zaire, V920 and an anti-bacterial medicine, MK-7655A which is a fixed combination of relebactam with imipenem/cilastatin. Meanwhile, Merck will also continue to focus on cost-cutting initiatives, which should drive its bottom line. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Will you retire a millionaire? One out of every six people retires a multimillionaire. Get smart tips you can do today to become one of them in a new Special Report, 7 Things You Can Do Now to Retire a Multimillionaire. Click to get it free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Pfizer Inc. (PFE) : Free Stock Analysis Report Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) : Free Stock Analysis Report AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Amgen Inc. (AMGN) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research MADRID (AP) A Spanish judge has sent the head of Mexico's biggest steelmaker to jail while authorities decide on his extradition to Mexico, where he's wanted for alleged corruption-related crimes. A Spanish police spokesman told The Associated Press that Spanish police, acting on a Mexican warrant, arrested Altos Hornos de Mexico President Alonso Ancira Elizondo late Tuesday as he was getting ready to board a Canada-bound plane from the Mediterranean island of Mallorca. A spokesman with the National Court in Madrid, which handles extradition cases, said Wednesday that Judge Santiago Pedraz ordered Ancira to be kept in custody until Mexico submits the case's documents. Both officials spoke under customary rules of anonymity. Mexican authorities on Tuesday froze the bank accounts of Altos Hornos de Mexico and Emilio Lozoya, a former chief of Pemex, the country's state-owned company. * MSCI's top Saudi stocks rise * Saudi's Al-Etihad Cooperative gains after ban lifted * Qatar's Mesaieed Petrochemical rise ahead of MSCI entry * Dubai's Arabtec up after unit wins construction deal By Shakeel Ahmad May 28 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's stock market rose sharply on Tuesday ahead of its introduction into the MSCI emerging markets index after this session's close, while all major Gulf bourses rallied. Saudi's index rose 2% for its biggest single-day gain since October 2018. Al Rajhi Bank increased 2.1% and petrochemical maker Saudi Basic Industries added 2%. The two stocks will be among the largest additions to the MSCI emerging markets index measured by full company market capitalization. MSCI said this month it would include MSCI Saudi Arabia in its emerging-markets index, effective from Tuesday's close, a move that could draw billions of dollars into the market. Al-Etihad Cooperative Insurance rose 2.1% after the regulator lifted the ban on new vehicle insurance subscriptions. Saudi Steel Pipes jumped 5.9%. It had surged 10% on Monday after saying its accumulated losses were reduced to zero as of December 2018. The Qatari index rose 1.2% with blue-chip lender, Qatar National Bank, adding 1.8%. Petrochemical maker Mesaieed Petrochemical Holding rose 2.9%. The stock has risen in most recent sessions after MSCI decided to include the stock in its emerging market index. Qatar's stock exchange is developing two new Exchange Traded Funds, part of efforts by the Middle East's strongest performing stock market in 2018 to boost foreign investment, Reuters reported last week, citing CEO Rashid al-Mansoori. Companies on Qatar's exchange in 2018 increased foreign ownership limits to 49%, most of which had previously been set at 25%, attracting a flood of cash that helped boost the main index by more than 20% last year. "Now the minimum will be 49% for all Qatari companies ... this will attract more liquidity and more room for foreign investors to invest," said Mansoori. Story continues In Dubai, the index was up 1.2%, led higher by real estate stocks. Major developer Emaar Properties traded 4.2% higher while its unit Emaar Malls closed 4.9% up in heavy trade. The stock exchange data showed that native investors supported the rise while foreigners were the net sellers. Arabtec Holding rose 4.8% after its unit Target Engineering won a construction contract for 192 million dirhams ($52.28 million). Egypt's blue-chip index closed 0.5% higher with Alexandria Mineral Oils surging 6.8% after its board last week approved launching a study for the second phase of a heavy refining project to extract high economic-value products. The Abu Dhabi index was also up 0.3%, with Dana Gas gaining 4.5.% and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank climbing 3%. ($1 = 3.6728 UAE dirham) SAUDI The index added 2% to 8,551 points ARABIA ABU DHABI The index was up 0.3% to 4,791 points DUBAI The index rose 1.2% to 2,607 points QATAR The index rose 1.2% to 9,896 points EGYPT The index was up 0.5% at 14,028 points BAHRAIN The index gained 1% to 1,428 points OMAN The index was up 1.4% at 3,919 points KUWAIT The index was up 1% at 6,154 points (Reporting by Shakeel Ahmad in Bengaluru Editing by Mark Heinrich) VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 28, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Monument Mining Limited (TSX-V: MMY and FSE: D7Q1) (Monument or the Company) is pleased to provide updates at the Selinsing Gold Mine, 100% owned by Monument, including: current oxide production, tailings storage facility development, preparations for the Selinsing Sulphide Project, and exploration. Current Oxide Production Monuments current gold production is from its remaining oxide gold ore inventory, including stockpiled super low-grade oxide ore, old tailing materials, oxide ore from Buffalo Reef and transition ore from Pit 5/6 at Selinsing. Preparation is ongoing for a trial mining program at Peranggih Gold Prospect. It is aimed to sustain the current oxide production before the sulphide production commences. The Selinsing Gold Mine started oxide gold production in September 2009 and the Mines cash flow has supported strong balance sheet growth with gold and copper-iron portfolios in multiple jurisdictions and development at Murchison Project in Western Australia. At Selinsing the reserves and resources have now been fully replaced with a six-year life of mine according to the feasibility study NI 43-101 Technical Report titled Selinsing Gold Sulphide Project - NI 43-101 Technical Report issued by Snowden Mining Industry Consultants Pty Ltd. on January 31 2019 and filed on Sedar. The economic viability of the project described in the Feasibility Study is primarily driven by adding flotation and BIOX processes to the current Selinsing Gold Processing Plant to treat sulphide ore. Tailings Storage Facility Development Included in the Selinsing Sulphide Projects capital expenditure projection is development of the tailings storage facility (TSF). The construction of the TSF is comprised of three separate embankments, the Main Embankment, the Saddle Dam and the South Dam with a total length of 1,500m and a height of 33m. SRK Consulting submitted a detailed design of the TSF expansion to Monument for review, including the basis of design, spring water management, embankment design, stability assessment and surface water management. Based on this, the Company has carried out the first phase of TSF upgrade work at the main embankment, to raise the wall level from 531.0mRL to 533.3mRL allowing for 2.3m beach freeboard. This will provide an additional tailing capacity up to June 2020 to support gold production at the current oxide processing plant. Story continues The TSF upgrade work to date has completed construction of the new spring water management system and 80% completion of construction on the TSF main embankment with installation of various seepage channels, excavating the stream diversion, removal of unwanted materials and backfilling. The entire work is expected to be completed in July 2019. The next embankment raise will be required once the sulphide project is initiated and it is estimated the embankment will need to be raised to 540mRL for the life of sulphide plant production. Photos of the TSF development construction can be found in the photo gallery at the Companys corporate website at www.monumentmining.com. Preparations for Sulphide Gold Production Selinsing sulphide gold production is Monuments top priority. The Company continues preparation based on the Execution Plan to commence construction subject to project funding, including documentation, procurement, Bioleaching training through a pilot plant, and laying the ground work for the transition from oxide gold production to sulphide gold production at Selinsing. Work proceeded on the technical and financial evaluation of processing equipment proposals. Site meetings were held with potential equipment vendors and proposals were received for extending the scope of supply to include ancillary equipment. Equipment specifications were prepared for the proposed pilot plant including the crusher, ball mill, pumps, cyclone, rougher and cleaner flotation cells, and reagent mixing and dosing pumps. Requests for quotations were prepared for distribution to suitable local equipment vendors and fabricators. Conversion of the existing Intec pilot plant to use as the bioleach test facility was initiated. The project team continues to optimize costs including expected maintenance and reagent consumptions to lower operating cost estimates and source local equipment to lower capital cost estimates. Further bioleach batch amenability tests (BAT) were conducted by the Selinsing R&D team using locally adapted bacteria. The tests achieved up to 98% oxidation on samples of Buffalo Reef concentrates with up to 97% gold leachability from the resulting bio-oxidation residues. The bioleach tests were conducted as training exercises for metallurgists and technicians to have better understanding of how the bioleach process works and essential parameters to be monitored. Staff training included members of the Sulphide Project team participating in the bi-annual Outotec BIOX user Conference held in the Philippines. Two days of presentations were heard with delegates representing BIOX operations and projects in Australia, South Africa, Kazakhstan, Russia, Philippines, Zimbabwe and Malaysia. A site visit was also made to FCF Minerals Runruno BIOX Gold operation. Exploration Near Mine Exploration : At the Selinsing and Buffalo Reef deposits, sulphide mineralization is still open down dip, down plunge and along strike. Monument plans to follow-up with drilling programs at the Selinsing and Buffalo Reef deposits focused on adding resources and defining preferentially sulphide mineralization at depth below and around the existing pits within gap zones in between the known resources that contain little drill hole information, through extension drilling for Buffalo Reef, and to investigate underground opportunities with deep drilling at Selinsing Pits and extensions to the south. A diamond drilling program was initiated at the Selinsing Pit IV west wall and 14 holes were drilled for a total of 681m out of a proposed 1,000m has been completed and awaiting assay results. Metallurgical Drilling : A metallurgical RC drilling program has been initiated for collecting samples at Pit 5/6 to further test recoverability of transitional ore in parallel with mining production in this area. The transitional ore mined shows visible gold with higher grade than expected in certain areas. Regional Exploration: As a part of the Selinsing regional exploration program, soil sampling continues and focused on the prioritized Peranggih/Panau area, initially at the Panau South target, which was completed with 202 primary samples collected and 24 samples were collected at Panau North. The access road to Panau East was surveyed, repaired, and sampling was continued with 31 samples collected. All samples are being sent to an independent laboratory in Western Australia for analysis. Regional exploration is targeting larger strategic development areas surrounding the Selinsing Gold Mine, aimed to test regional resource potential. The current target areas have been selected for sampling and assaying including additional sections at Peranggih and Panau. The soil sampling results could lead to identifying further regional drilling targets. About Monument Monument Mining Limited (TSX-V: MMY, FSE: D7Q1) is an established Canadian gold producer that owns and operates the Selinsing Gold Mine in Malaysia. Its experienced management team is committed to growth and is advancing several exploration and development projects including the Mengapur Copper-Iron Project, in Pahang State of Malaysia, and the Murchison Gold Projects comprising Burnakura, Gabanintha and Tuckanarra in the Murchison area of Western Australia. The Company employs approximately 195 people in both regions and is committed to the highest standards of environmental management, social responsibility, and health and safety for its employees and neighboring communities. Cathy Zhai, President and CEO Monument Mining Limited Suite 1580 -1100 Melville Street Vancouver, BC V6E 4A6 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION visit the company web site at www.monumentmining.com or contact: Richard Cushing, MMY Vancouver T: +1-604-638-1661 x102 rcushing@monumentmining.com Wolfgang Seybold, Axino GmbH T: +49 711-82 09 7211 wolfgang.seybold@axino.com "Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release." Forward-Looking Statement This news release includes statements containing forward-looking information about Monument, its business and future plans (forward-looking statements). Forward-looking statements are statements that involve expectations, plans, objectives or future events that are not historical facts and include the Companys plans with respect to its mineral projects and the timing and results of proposed programs and events referred to in this news release. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". The forward-looking statements in this news release are subject to various risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks and certain other factors include, without limitation: risks related to general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical and social uncertainties; uncertainties regarding the results of current exploration activities; uncertainties in the progress and timing of development activities; foreign operations risks; other risks inherent in the mining industry and other risks described in the management discussion and analysis of the Company and the technical reports on the Companys projects, all of which are available under the profile of the Company on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Material factors and assumptions used to develop forward-looking statements in this news release include: expectations regarding the estimated cash cost per ounce of gold production and the estimated cash flows which may be generated from the operations, general economic factors and other factors that may be beyond the control of Monument; assumptions and expectations regarding the results of exploration on the Companys projects; assumptions regarding the future price of gold of other minerals; the timing and amount of estimated future production; the expected timing and results of development and exploration activities; costs of future activities; capital and operating expenditures; success of exploration activities; mining or processing issues; exchange rates; and all of the factors and assumptions described in the management discussion and analysis of the Company and the technical reports on the Companys projects, all of which are available under the profile of the Company on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. (Bloomberg) -- Naspers Ltd. may be moving most of its internet businesses to a new listing in Amsterdam, but the Cape Town-based technology investor is at pains to show its not abandoning South Africa. The creation of the still generically named NewCo Group will hold such crown jewels as Nasperss 31% stake in Chinese web giant Tencent Holdings Ltd. -- now worth $121 billion. Left behind in South Africa will be the media assets that Naspers has long made clear are not a priority -- plus local online ventures Takealot and Property24. That could look like a bad deal for some local investors, who may feel some of their wealth is being taken to where it could be heavily taxed. Rather than anger the people who backed the company on its way to becoming a $94 billion behemoth, Naspers is giving NewCo a secondary listing in Johannesburg and arranging a way to make the spin out more tax-efficient. We did not want to force or inconvenience some of our other shareholders that would have to pay immediate capital-gains tax with the new listing, Naspers Chief Executive Officer Bob Van Dijk said by phone. We decided to do a capitalization issuance that will give the investors the options to take Naspers or Newco shares. The Johannesburg secondary listing is another clear concession to those that fear the departure of South Africas biggest corporate success story -- and cash cow for investors. The move will allow local institutions to work around restrictions on owning foreign shares, Van Dijk said. The stock has gained 15% in Johannesburg this year, including a 4% rise on Wednesday. They would be able to hold NewCo as a domestic stock, the CEO said. The reality is that some sort of Naspers break up has become unavoidable. The company is so big that it makes up almost 25% of Johannesburgs All-Share Index, compared with 5% in 2013. Thats forced some investors to sell the stock to keep within investment rules regarding exposure to a single company. In short: Naspers needs a second home. Story continues Read More: Naspers CEO Bets on Dutch Listing to Fix Tencent Discount Naspers will be a 73% majority shareholder in NewCo and will honor last years pledge to invest 3.2 billion rand ($215 million) in existing South African businesses, the company said in a statement on Wednesday. The firm will also invest in the local tech startup sector, it added. (Updates with share price in sixth paragraph.) To contact the reporter on this story: Loni Prinsloo in Johannesburg at lprinsloo3@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Rebecca Penty at rpenty@bloomberg.net, John Bowker For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. Nepal has made progress in child health, but experts say the country has a lot more to do The country has achieved huge reductions in child mortality59 percent decrease since 2000, allowing more children to survive the first five years of life, says a new report TORTOLA, British Virgin Islands, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Orca Exploration Group Inc (TSX-V: ORC.A, ORC.B) (the "Group" or "Orca" or the "Company"), provides the following operational update on its current activities in Tanzania, through its subsidiary PanAfrican Energy Tanzania (PAET). PAET has entered into a long-term Gas Sales Agreement (GSA) with the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC). The GSA provides for the supply of up to 20 million standard cubic feet per day (MMscfd) of natural gas to the TPDC operated National Natural Gas Infrastructure (NNGI) on Songo Songo Island, where the gas will be processed and transported to Dar es Salaam, primarily for power generation. Sales of gas under the milestone GSA will replace 20 MMscfd of the 35 MMscfd recently sold by PAET under the short-term sales agreement established with TPDC and TANESCO in December 2018. The balance of 15 MMscfd sold by PAET under the short-term agreement will continue to be supplied through the NNGI alongside the 20 MMscfd sold under the GSA, until completion of the installation of refrigeration on the Songas processing plant by the middle of the year. On completion of the refrigeration project, the 15 MMscfd will revert to be sold by PAET to TANESCO through the Songas processing facility and the short-term agreement will conclude. There is scope within the GSA for the parties to agree an increase in the supply volumes to meet increases in demand on a long-term basis. Under the short-term agreement PAET achieved average Additional Gas sales of 61 MMscfd through the first quarter of 2019, compared to an average of 40 MMscfd for 2018. With spare productive capacity, PAET is ready to increase supply to help meet expected increases in demand as TANESCO expands its power generation capacity and TPDC continues to develop its downstream business. Under the GSA, gas will be supplied initially through PAETs SS-12 well, drilled in 2016 as part of a wider development of the Songo Songo field. The Company is in the final stages of installing refrigeration on the Songas processing facility as part of an overall package that will eventually include compression to sustain gas availability. Story continues Nigel Friend, Chief Executive Officer of Orca Exploration commented: The signing of this GSA is a landmark moment for Orca, and our subsidiary PanAfrican Energy Tanzania. The agreement ensures that we will play an important role in helping Tanzania meet its long-term energy requirements, as the country continues to develop in to one of the largest economies in Africa. This event is an important step for the Company, as we look to build on our portfolio and become a major energy supplier in Africa. We look forward to delivering on increasing energy demands in country, and we thank our partners in Tanzania for their continued support and cooperation. Andrew Hanna, Managing Director of PAET commented: Through foresight, flexibility and cooperation, PAET is today in prime position to meet immediate and near-term future energy needs of Tanzania. The degree of effort by all parties that has gone in to establishing this GSA cannot be underestimated. It demonstrates what can be achieved here in Tanzania when we work together in a transparent and helpful way. We believe that this agreement once again places PAET in a position where we can support Tanzania in continuing to achieve its enormous potential. Orca Exploration Group Inc. Orca Exploration Group Inc. is an international public company engaged in natural gas exploration, development and supply in Tanzania through its subsidiary PanAfrican Energy Tanzania Limited. Orca trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the trading symbols ORC.B and ORC.A. For further information please contact: Orca Exploration Group Inc. For media enquiries: Nigel Friend Celicourt (PR) Chief Executive Officer Mark Antelme +44-7798-502316 Jimmy Lea nfriend@orcaexploration.com Jemima Lowe Orca@celicourt.uk Blaine Karst +44-207-5209261 Chief Financial Officer +44 7471-902734 bkarst@orcaexploration.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking statements or information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. More particularly, this news release contains, without limitation: forward-looking statements pertaining to the following: the Group's expectations regarding the effects of the new GSA on Orca's and PAET's businesses, the role of the GSA in Tanzania meeting its long-term energy requirements, expectations regarding the processing and transport of gas supplied under the GSA, that the gas sold under the GSA will replace gas sold under the short-term sales agreement (and the associated volumes), that the balance of the gas sold under the short-term sales agreement will continue to be sold alongside the gas sold under the GSA, the expected timing of the successful installation of the refrigeration on the Songas processing plant and its impacts, the effect of the refrigeration installation on gas sales and transport, expected increases in demand for gas and TANESCO's increased power generation capacity, expectations regarding TPDC's continued development of its downstream business, Orca's expectations regarding its role in Tanznia meeting its long-term energy requirements, PAET's positioning to meet near-term future energy needs in Tanzania and to assist Tanzania in meeting its potential, . As a consequence, actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievement since such expectations are inherently subject to significant business, economic, operational, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. These forward-looking statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the Groups control, and many factors could cause the Groups actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements made by the Group, including, but not limited to, the potential negative effect on the Groups business in Tanzania as a result of recently enacted and future legislation, as well as the risk that such legislation will create additional costs and time connected with the Groups business in Tanzania; risks regarding the uncertainty around evolution of Tanzanian legislation; the impact of general economic conditions in the areas in which the Group operates; industry conditions; changes in laws and regulations including the adoption of new environmental laws and regulations, impact of new local content regulations and changes in how they are interpreted and enforced; and unanticipated changes to legislation and the effect on the Group's operations; and risks associated with the installation of refrigeration on the Songas processing plant. In addition, there are risks and uncertainties associated with oil and gas operations. Therefore the Groups actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements and, accordingly, no assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by these forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits the Group will derive therefrom. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive Such forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions made by the Group in light of its experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors the Group believes are appropriate in the circumstances, including, but not limited to, that the Tanzania National Natural Gas Infrastructure Project ("NNGIP") is completed; the TPDC, the Ministry Energy and Mines and the Group are able to agree on commercial terms for future incremental gas sales and the Group can expand Songo Songo development beyond the existing Songas infrastructure and supply gas to the NNGIP; that there will continue to be no restrictions on the movement of cash from Mauritius or Tanzania; that the Group will have sufficient cash flow, debt or equity sources or other financial resources required to fund its capital and operating expenditures and requirements as needed; that the Group will have adequate funding to continue operations; that the Group will successfully negotiate agreements; receipt of required regulatory approvals; the ability of the Group to increase production at a consistent rate; infrastructure capacity; commodity prices will not further deteriorate significantly; the ability of the Group to obtain equipment and services in a timely manner to carry out exploration, development and exploitation activities; future capital expenditures; availability of skilled labour; timing and amount of capital expenditures; uninterrupted access to infrastructure; the impact of increasing competition; conditions in general economic and financial markets; effects of regulation by governmental agencies; that the Groups appeal of various tax assessments will be successful; that the enactment of the Act in Tanzania will not impair the Groups rights to develop and market natural gas in Tanzania; current or, where applicable, proposed industry conditions, laws and regulations will continue in effect or as anticipated as described herein; and other matters. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Group undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. Defined Terms "Additional Gas" is all of the natural gas in the Songo Songo licence acreage that is in excess of the natural gas in the Songo Songo licence acreage that is owned by TPDC. TORONTO, May 28, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pasinex Resources Limited (CSE:PSE) (PNX.F) (The Company or Pasinex) today reported financial results for the first quarter of 2019. As expected, production from Horzum AS was lower than the prior year and combined with lower realized zinc prices in 2019, consolidated net income was lower than 2018. Adjusted consolidated net income for the first quarter of 2019 was $0.5 million. Consolidated loss for the year was $0.2 million reflecting the impact of a $0.5 million impairment on the zinc material used and owing from Akmetal (joint venture partner) to Horzum AS. Highlights Q1 2019 and 2018 (Canadian dollars) First Quarter 2019 2018 Pasinex financial results: Consolidated net income (loss) $ (214,850) $ 726,021 Adjusted consolidated net income(1) $ 455,225 $ 2,412,621 Equity gain from Horzum AS $ 250,055 $ 2,984,186 Adjusted equity gain from Horzum AS(1) $ 920,130 $ 2,984,186 Dividend received from Horzum AS $ 250,055 $ 383,593 Basic net income (loss) per share $ - $ 0.01 Horzum AS operational data (100% basis): Zinc produced (wet) tonnes 6,787 13,037 Zinc sold (wet) tonnes 7,659 12,721 Zinc grade 30% 35% Gross margin(1) 59% 75% C$ cost per tonne mined(1) $ 257 $ 190 US$ cash cost per pound of zinc produced(1) $ 0.31 $ 0.18 (1) Refer to Note 1 Steve Williams, CEO of Pasinex commented, Horzum AS produced as expected and managed its costs diligently so that a strong 59% margin was achieved in the quarter. Drilling continues at Pinargozu to find a parallel oxide system to improve the production estimates for the year. Studies are on-going to determine the appropriate measures to mitigate the excess water at depth so that development can continue to access the higher grade sulphide material. In May, we entered into a legal debt repayment agreement with Akmetal. The agreement requires that a minimum repayment of the debt owing to Horzum As is made on a monthly basis and it strengthens certain control provisions within the joint venture agreement. We will adamantly make certain that Akmetal is maximizing the debt repayments owing to Horzum AS to provide sufficient cash flows to Pasinex. Story continues Pasinex Highlights Pasinexs adjusted consolidated net income for the first quarter of 2019 was $0.5 million, which included a $0.9 million adjusted equity gain from Horzum AS. The adjusted equity gain decreased period over period largely due to lower sales volumes at lower realized zinc sales prices (see Horzum AS Highlights below). Q1 2019 adjusted consolidated net income excludes an impairment on a receivable owing from the joint venture partner (Akmetal) to Horzum AS recorded in equity loss. A $0.5 million impairment charge on the receivable from Akmetal was included in equity loss from Horzum AS. The full amount of the receivable owing from Akmetal to Horzum AS was written down to zero in 2018 to reflect significantly increased credit risk. In the first quarter of 2019, Akmetal used approximately 4,000 tonnes of zinc oxide at a cost of approximately $1 million (100% basis). This amount was recorded as a receivable from Akmetal and then written down to zero (see further details below). On May 10, 2019, Pasinex entered into a legally binding debt repayment agreement (Debt Agreement) with Akmetal and Horzum AS. The debt repayments will be made by means of Akmetals delivery of all sulphide zinc and some oxide zinc material from its wholly owned Horzum mine. Horzum AS will sell the material and proceeds from the sale will be used to repay the debts owing. Akmetal will guarantee a minimum of 300 tonnes of zinc material per month. In addition, a portion of proceeds from sale of certain other of Akmetal assets will also be used to repay the debts owing. The Debt Agreement provides a legal mechanism for Horzum AS to receive payment of the debts owing but it still does not demonstrate credit worthiness from Akmetal and as a result the receivable remains written down to zero. The Company will continue to vigorously pursue receipt of funds from Akmetal and reassess the expected credit losses on a regular basis. Any recovery of the receivable will be recorded in the equity gain from Horzum AS. At March 31, 2019 the Companys cash balance was $0.2 million with $0.7 million in current payables, excluding shareholder loans payable. The Company relies on dividends from Horzum AS to fund its spending. The 2019 production forecast for Pinargozu is approximately 19,000 tonnes (half of 2018 production), but in combination with the sale of inventory on hand at January 1, 2019 and the replenishment of inventory used by Akmetal there should be adequate cash flow to fund operations at Horzum AS as well as fund non-discretionary spending at Pasinex for the next twelve months. Drilling will continue through 2019 at Pinargozu to find a parallel oxide system in an effort to increase 2019 production. In May 2019 the Company received an additional $100,000 from a shareholder to pay for certain overdue administration costs. Horzum AS Highlights (described on a 100% basis) The decrease in adjusted equity gain from Horzum AS is a result of the following operational and financial highlights: In 2019, Horzum AS produced 6,787 tonnes (wet weight) of direct shipping material with an average grade of 30% zinc. Mine production was down from 2018 production of 13,037 tonnes reflecting difficulties in gaining access to the available ore. Sales volumes are down between periods, at 7,659 tonnes in Q1 2019 and 12,721 tonnes in Q1 2018, consistent with the lower production. Gross sales decreased to $4.3 million in Q1 2019 from $9.5 million in Q1 2018; a result of lower zinc sulphide sales volumes and lower LME zinc prices in 2019. Total costs per tonne mined in Q1 2019 were $257 per tonne or US$0.31 per pound of zinc produced. This compares to $190 per tonne mined in Q1 2018 or US$0.18 per pound of zinc produced. Although the unit costs are higher than the prior year due to the decreased production, the costs are very competitive as confirmed by a strong gross margin of 59% in the first quarter. Note 1 Please note that all dollar amounts in this news release are expressed in Canadian dollars unless otherwise indicated. Refer also to the year-end 2019 Managements Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) and Audited Financial Statements found on SEDAR.com for more information. This news release includes non-GAAP measures, including adjusted equity gain from Horzum AS, adjusted consolidated net income, gross margin, cost per tonne mined and US$ cash cost per pound of zinc produced. A reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures to the GAAP financial statements is included in the MD&A. About Pasinex Pasinex Resources Limited is a Toronto-based mining company which owns 50% of the producing Pinargozu high grade zinc mine and, under a Direct Shipping Program, sells to zinc smelters / refiners from its mine site in Turkey. The Company also holds an option to acquire 80% of the Spur high-grade zinc exploration project in Nevada. Pasinex has a strong technical management team with many years of experience in mineral exploration and mining project development. The mission of Pasinex is to build a mid-tier zinc company based on its mining and exploration projects in Turkey and Nevada. Visit our web site at: www.pasinex.com On Behalf of the Board of Directors PASINEX RESOURCES LIMITED Steve Williams Steve Williams Evan White President/CEO Manager of Corporate Communications Phone: +1 416.861.9659 Phone: +1 416.906.3498 Email: info@pasinex.com Email: evan.white@pasinex.com The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. This news release includes forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause the actual results of the Company to be materially different from the historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. All statements within, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. Although Pasinex believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, continued availability of capital and financing, exploration results, and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements. PARIS, May 29 (Reuters) - Anadarko's Africa assets are at the heart of Total's strategy to remain a leading major in Africa and the global liquefied natural gas (LNG) market, Chief Executive Officer Patrick Pouyanne, told shareholders on Wednesday. "The deal demonstrates our capacity to be opportunistic and agile," Pouyanne said during a presentation at the company's annual shareholders' meeting in Paris. "Anadarko assets representing around 3 billion barrels of reserves resources which we'll acquire for $8.8 billion are plainly at the heart of our growth strategy focused on our strengths. Africa and LNG in Mozambique, Africa and deep offshore in South Africa and Ghana, and in Algeria," he said. Pouyanne added that the deal would also strengthen Total's position as number two in the global LNG segment and that it would have no negative impact on the company's shareholders return policy. (Reporting by Bate Felix, Editing by Dominique Vidalon ) Shares of rare earth miners skyrocket after Beijing threatens to cut off the minerals Shares of rare earth miners in Asia Pacific surged on Wednesday. The moves came after a Chinese official recently cautioned that products made from rare earth minerals should not be used against the country's development. The comment, reported by CCTV, is being taken as a veiled threat aimed at the U.S. and its technology companies that are dependent on the materials. Shares of rare earth miners in Asia Pacific surged on Wednesday after Beijing made a veiled threat toward Washington regarding the materials. In China , shares of JL Mag Rare-Earth skyrocketed around 10% while Innuovo Technology jumped 9.95%. Lynas LYC-AU in Australia one of the few rare earth miners outside of China saw its shares surge more than 15%. The moves came after a Chinese official recently cautioned that products made from rare earth minerals should not be used against the country's development. The comment, reported by CCTV, was taken as a thinly veiled threat aimed at the U.S. and its technology companies that are dependent on the materials. Chinese President Xi Jinping recently visited rare earth mining and processing facilities, adding to speculation that China could make the minerals more expensive or unavailable if the trade war continues to expand. At present, China is the world's largest producer of rare earths, a critical component in the manufacturing of products ranging from smartphones to electric vehicles. 'We've been here before' One analyst said such instances of China using economics and supply chains to exert pressure on the political front were not new. "We've been here before," Fraser Howie, an independent analyst, told CNBC's "Street Signs" on Wednesday, citing past altercations between China and countries such as Japan and Norway. In 2010, China banned the export of rare earth minerals to Japan after Tokyo detained a Chinese fishing trawler captain. Meanwhile, Norway saw its exports of salmon to China plummet after Beijing placed curbs on them a move widely seen to be in retaliation to a Norwegian committee's decision in 2010 to award the Nobel Peace Prize to a Chinese dissident. Story continues "What it tells you is that you do not want China having a critical role in your supply chain," Howie said. "Don't become too dependent on China." On the subject of rare earths, the analyst said the minerals are "actually found in many places." "China has the largest mining capacity, largely because for environmental issues the States has pulled back from mining rare earths," he said. Another analyst said the issue surrounding the supply of rare earths is "clearly" a part of the ongoing battle for technological supremacy between Washington and Beijing. "Technology is where this battle is going to be fought out, even if we do get a trade deal on bilateral goods," Alastair Newton, director at Alavan Business Advisory, told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Wednesday. CNBC's Patti Domm contributed to this report. Watch: The US-China dispute is more about tech than trade, says former diplomat More From CNBC (Bloomberg) -- Masayoshi Son is making top executives at SoftBank Group Corp. some of the highest-paid in Japan as he recruits talent to his growing investment empire. While Sons own salary remains modest by global standards, his company paid a total of 9.1 billion yen ($83 million) in compensation to six lieutenants, according documents released Wednesday for a shareholder meeting June 19. In the latest example, former Goldman Sachs Group Inc. executive Katsunori Sago, 51, earned 982 million yen after becoming executive vice president and chief strategy officer in June 2018. The CEO of Nomura Holdings Inc., Japans biggest brokerage, made 405 million yen in the year ended March 2018. Son has a history of paying top dollar to attract high-profile executives. Former SoftBank President Nikesh Arora earned 31.5 billion yen over his two-year tenure that ended in 2016, a compensation package that at the time rivaled those of Apple Inc.s Tim Cook and Walt Disney Co.s Bob Iger. Since then, Sons hunt for global talent accelerated as he launched a $100 billion Vision Fund to invest in the worlds biggest technology companies. The funds headcount almost doubled last fiscal year to 297, according to the filing. The range of executive salaries in Japan has gone up, but compensation in the billions of yen is still unheard of beyond a handful of global companies, said Noriko Watanabe, a partner at Heidrick & Struggles, an executive search company. But executive pay in the billions of yen doesnt seem excessive when you consider the sheer scale of the Vision Fund and its possible contribution to the bottom line. Rajeev Misra, who heads the Vision Fund, earned 752 million yen, down from a year earlier. The fund has an unusual compensation structure that allows partners to share in the potentially enormous profits as well as possible losses. The scheme, which has not been made public yet, includes a $5 billion loan to employees. Story continues SoftBank Group Chief Operating Officer Marcelo Claure made 1.8 billion yen, a 30% gain from a year ago. Claure, who also heads Sprint Corp. in the U.S., was named EVP in July. He also heads SoftBanks $5 billion technology fund focused on Latin America. Ronald Fisher, Sons long-time lieutenant and SoftBank Group vice chairman, was the companys highest-paid executive with 3.27 billion yen, 62% more than a year earlier. Sons own salary increased 67% to 229 million yen. The billionaire controls a roughly 22% stake in SoftBank, which alone is worth about 2.5 trillion yen. Ken Miyauchi, head of SoftBanks domestic telecom operation, made 1.23 billion yen, while Simon Segars, head of its ARM Holdings Plc chip unit, earned 1.1 billion yen. You want to be seen as paying more than the previous employer, especially when you are scouting well-compensated finance professionals, said Watanabe (Updates with a recruitment experts comment from fifth paragraph.) To contact the reporters on this story: Pavel Alpeyev in Tokyo at palpeyev@bloomberg.net;Takahiko Hyuga in Tokyo at thyuga@bloomberg.net;Takashi Amano in Tokyo at tamano6@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Robert Fenner at rfenner@bloomberg.net, Peter Elstrom For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. 1. Yes. The economy is strong and unemployment low. Thats a good basis for a solid year. 2. Yes. Health experts are getting a handle on COVID. 2022 should be a better year. 3. No. If any large-scale COV ID-related shutdowns take place, it will hit the nation hard. 4. No. Inflation is still too much of a wild card. It could really cause a drag on the economy. 5. Unsure. There are too many variables at play to predict with any degree of certainty. Vote View Results SOL Global Investments (CSE: SOL) (OTCQB: SOLCF) (Frankfurt: 9SB) announced that its portfolio company Heavenly Rx. Ltd. closed its US$30.06 million investment in Bluhen Botanicals LLC, a hemp and hemp-derived CBD biomass farming, processing, extraction and retail company headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn. Heavenly Rx acquired a 50.1% stake in Bluhen in exchange for $12.06 million in cash and $18 million in equity consideration in the form of Heavenly Rx stock. Joe Fox, co-founder and CEO of Bluhen Botanicals, will join the Heavenly Rxs executive team. Bluhen Business Bluhen is expected to become Heavenly Rxs exclusive supplier of bulk hemp-derived CBD distillates and isolate and hemp-based extracts. The company opened its 4,086-square-foot flagship retail location in Knoxville, joining the companys three other facilities in the Knoxville area, including Bluhen headquarters, a research and development center, and its processing facility. The company plans to open another retail location in Fort Lauderdale, Florida later this year. Bluhen also produces its own blend of boutique wellness products at its pharmaceutical-grade hemp research facility in Knoxville. The companys products include full spectrum hemp extract tinctures, capsules, creams, 100% THC-free isolates, pet treats, and oils. The company has existing farming and distribution partners across the southeastern U.S. and all finished products will be manufactured in the companys GMP compliant facility. Since its founding, Bluhens focus on advanced genetics, extensive farming partnerships, and an innovative processing and extraction model has helped shaped it into the visionary market leader in the hemp industry it is today, SOL CEO Brady Cobb stated. This investment in Bluhen will allow Heavenly Rx to control the quality and pricing of its CBD isolate, the most important ingredient that Heavenly Rx will utilize across all of its consumer product lines. Story continues What Next Bluhen plans to use Heavenly Rxs investment to expand its research and engineering teams and to focus on the development and expansion of its retail operations and e-commerce sales platforms. The investment will also allow Bluhen to scale up its existing high-throughput processing and extraction capabilities to meet the growing demand in the U.S. marketplace, and further expand its already robust network of expert farmers across the states of Tennessee and Kentucky. The post SOL Portfolio Company Acquires 50% Stake in Bluhen Botanicals appeared first on Market Exclusive. Africa became more cannabis-friendly last week after the South African government passed legislation that partially legalizes CBD and CBD products. What Happened Under changes enacted by the South African government, CBD was removed from the Schedule 7 list of the Medicines Act. Schedule 7 includes substances that are highly regulated such as heroin or THC. CBD was not removed completely, but rather moved to Schedule 4 of the Medicines Act. Schedule 4 includes substances that can be sold by pharmacies with a required prescription. Certain CBD products were completely excluded, such as products with a daily dose of up to 20 miligrams of CBD that don't claim to treat any conditions. Products with a THC amount of under 0.0001 percent and less than 0.0075 percent of CBD were also excluded completely. Why It's Important Because it has a more legal status than THC, CBD has been taking the world by storm, with more countries relaxing regulations and allowing the sale of CBD-infused products. Just last week, Bulgaria became the first EU country to authorize the sale of CBD products. As the continent's most developed economy, South Africa will likely be the largest CBD market in the region. The relaxed regulations also represent a major milestone that could potentially point to further legalization of cannabis. What's Next Cannabis companies that have already established operations in the region are applauding the move and will soon be able to enter the market with CBD products. "This is a landmark piece of legislation, enabling wide-scale access to CBD products. As a pioneer in the African cannabis sector, Southern Sun Pharma has been preparing for advancements such as these for some time," company CEO Warren Schewitz said in a statement. "We will imminently be in a position to share our progress relating to the supply of premium CBD products from local and international sources." Related Links: The Week In Cannabis: Canada Funds Research, EU Country Allows Sale Of CBD, NFL Moves Forward Story continues TSA Updates Rules To Allow Hemp-Derived CBD Aboard Flights See more from Benzinga 2019 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Rahway, NJ, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Spectacular Solar, Inc. (a Nevada Corporation) (SPSO), is pleased to announce it has agreed to a multi-phase construction and solar project with the Rahway, NJ-based Linden Mold & Tool Corporation. Linden Mold & Tool is a designer and producer of custom molds and related tooling for the plastic injection industry. Spectacular Solar CEO Doug Heck noted that construction is already under way on the three-phase, $450,000 project, despite just signing the contract last week. During the course of working through the contract negotiations, our engineers were able to get out ahead of this and had plans for the first phase completed and approved by the client, Heck said. Needless to say, Linden company officials were extremely pleased that construction would begin immediately. In what will likely be the last project announcement prior to the Spectacular Solar investor call, Heck is pleased with the revenues generated by the company in 2019 but knows the sales team must continue to acquire contracts with companies from a variety of sectors for Spectacular Solar to achieve its short- and long-term revenue goals. This contract is not only important from a fiscal aspect but also from a portfolio perspective, Heck added. Upon the completion of projects such as these, the snapshots of the end results will be great additions to our portfolio of completed work and Im confident it will attract new customers and deliver subsequent contracts. As a reminder, the Spectacular Solar investor call will take place on June 3 at 4:15 p.m. EDT. During this call, Heck will deliver a State of the Company address and will answer questions from investors. Anyone who wishes to submit a question should send their inquiry to info@spectacularsolar.com. Those interested in participating may call (800) 941-1840 and enter pin code 755172 followed by # beginning at 4 p.m. to enter the call. This call will be a listen only event and is limited to the first 100 callers. Story continues For more information: please visit http://www.spectacularsolar.com and please follow us on Twitter: @SPECTACULARSOL1 Contact: Gregg Boehmer: laynemichaelpr@gmail.com Wyndham Hotel Project Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=74&v=BPLKjgdFaOw About Spectacular Solar, Inc.: Spectacular Solar is a diversified company involved in solar system installations, investment fund management, and roofing contracting through its subsidiaries. DC Solar Integrators designs and installs state-of-the-art solar conversions for home and business owners. Star Power Services is a bonded and licensed roofing contracting company with expertise in new roof installation, repairs, and maintenance. The Solar Energy Investors Fund contributes to the ongoing insurance expenses directly associated with installation of solar systems. In return, the fund receives a share of tax benefits and ongoing revenue generated from electricity sales. Safe Harbor Statement This release contains forward-looking statements that relate to future events or performance. These statements reflect the company's current expectations and are made pursuant to the Safe Harbor Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The company doesnt undertake to update or revise these forward-looking statements, even if experience or future changes make it clear that any projected results, expressed or implied, in this or other company statements will not be realized. Readers are cautioned that these statements involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company's control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause these differences include, but are not limited to, the acceptance of our products, lack of revenue growth, failure to realize profitability, inability to raise capital and market conditions that negatively affect the market price of our common stock. The Company disclaims any responsibility to update any forward-looking statements. ST. LOUIS, May 28, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stifel Financial Corp. (SF) today announced the appointment of John Spensieri as Head of U.S. Equity Trading, effective immediately. In this role, John is responsible for the daily operation and management of Stifels equity trading desk. He is based in the firms Baltimore office. Stifel currently operates the 3rd largest U.S. equity trading platform outside of bulge bracket firms. In 2018, the firm traded more than 7.3 billion total shares and is an active market-maker in more than 4,100 stocks across sectors. John brings a winning mix of knowledge, energy, and genuine passion to our trading desk, said Hugh Warns, Global Head of Equities at Stifel. During his decade at Stifel, John has earned the respect of clients and colleagues for his deep experience across all execution venues and a keen ability to identify and capitalize on emerging trading trends and technologies. John Spensieri joined Stifel in 2009 as Head of Alternative Executions, where he drove strategy and implementation for program and algorithmic trading, options, and trading technologies. John is also heavily involved in the broader trading community. He is a member of the National Organization of Investment Professionals (NOIP), serves on the Operating Committee for the National Securities Traders Association (STA), and is an active member of the Regional Broker Roundtable, a group of senior traders from every major regional broker that meets annually to discuss current events affecting the industry. Most recently, he served a four-year term as the President of the Mid-Atlantic Security Traders Association, which consists of over 85 buy-side and sell-side traders from Maryland, D.C., Pennsylvania, and Virginia. I am incredibly excited to take on this new role, said John Spensieri. Equity trading continues to evolve, as we adjust to ongoing regulatory and technological changes. I look forward to working closely with our traders to help uncover new and exciting opportunities for our institutional clients. Story continues Prior to joining Stifel, John ran a consultancy company focused specifically on trading strategy for the sell-side and had nearly 50 broker dealers as clients. John received an MBA from Babson College in Entrepreneurship and Finance and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from University of Buffalo. Stifel Company Information Stifel Financial Corp. (SF) is a financial services holding company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, that conducts its banking, securities, and financial services business through several wholly owned subsidiaries. Stifels broker-dealer clients are served in the United States through Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, including its Eaton Partners business division; Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc.; Miller Buckfire & Co., LLC; Century Securities Associates, Inc., and in the United Kingdom and Europe through Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited. The Companys broker-dealer affiliates provide securities brokerage, investment banking, trading, investment advisory, and related financial services to individual investors, professional money managers, businesses, and municipalities. Stifel Bank and Stifel Bank & Trust offer a full range of consumer and commercial lending solutions. Stifel Trust Company, N.A. and Stifel Trust Company Delaware, N.A. offer trust and related services. To learn more about Stifel, please visit the Companys website at www.stifel.com . Media Contact Neil Shapiro, (212) 271-3447 shapiron@stifel.com ZURICH, May 29 (Reuters) - Canada's Bombardier is losing money on trains it is delivering to Switzerland, the Alpine nation's railways head said in a newspaper interview, as the $1.9 billion order has been delayed by glitches including faulty doors and software. "For Bombardier, the FV Dosto (double-decker) trains are meanwhile a loss-making business deal," Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) Chief Executive Andreas Meyer told the Neue Zuercher Zeitung (NZZ) in an interview. "Bombardier will try to minimise these losses. But the contractual requirements are relatively clear and comfortable for us." Bombardier, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the interview, has cut its forecast for profit and revenue as its railcar unit struggles. Without giving specifics, Meyer said provisions in the contract provided for financial penalties on Bombardier for not living up to its obligations. He predicted a potential disagreement over which side is responsible for what share of the damages. "The conflict will come," he said. The 2010 order for 59 trains was delayed about five years. Currently, a dozen trains have been delivered. Bombardier has agreed to provide three additional trains for free to help compensate Switzerland for its long wait. Meyer acknowledged that SBB was responsible for one year of the delay but said Bombardier was on the hook for the remainder, as well as the extended period it has taken to fix problems that have plagued the initial 12 trains that were delivered. They finally arrived in early 2018 but could not be deployed on their planned longer-haul routes because they were not reliable. The two sides have said they are now making progress on fixes, and this month announced five additional trains could enter service soon. (Reporting by John Miller; Editing by Mark Potter) Some of the countrys biggest retailers have launched relief efforts to aid victims of the devastating tornadoes and flooding in the Midwest. As many as 53 tornadoes may have struck residents across eight states from Idaho to Colorado on Monday alone, the Associated Press reported. Damage was especially heavy in Ohio, where one elderly resident was killed by an overturned car. Further south, heavy rainfall has caused major flooding in the states of Oklahoma and Arkansas, resulting in evacuations and at least six deaths in recent days. Home Depot provides funding, materials and volunteers to aid nonprofit partners, which include the American Red Cross, Convoy of Hope and All Hands and Hearts, in their campaigns to help natural disasters victims. The retailer and its partners are preparing response efforts in Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas and Arkansas, and some, such as the Red Cross and Convoy of Hope, have already begun to distribute supplies. The Home Depot Foundation is working in partnership with a handful of its national nonprofit partnerships to assess and respond to tornadoes and flooding in the Midwest, a representative for the home improvement retailer told FOX Business. Walmart, which is based in Bentonville, Arkansas, announced earlier this month that it has donated a total of $350,000 in cash and supplies to tornado and flood relief efforts since March. The donations are meant to help those affects in 10 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Texas. The company said it is also working with local officials and governments on how best to respond to the disasters. The impact of these tornados and historic floods continues to affect our associates, our customers and communities across the Midwest and South, said Julie Gehrki, vice president of philanthropy at Walmart. I want to thank our local stores and distribution centers, as well as the non-profits, first responders, local officials and government organizations who have all been working so hard to meet the needs of the affected communities we serve. Story continues CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX BUSINESS APP Lowes said it has a team of more than 50 volunteers aiding cleanup efforts in Jefferson City, Missouri this week. The company has also highlighted outreach efforts in recent months on its website, including relief events alongside the Red Cross and the Salvation Army for flood victims in Nebraska. Related Articles President Donald Trump on Wednesday responded to special counsel Robert Mueller's first-ever public statement about his investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election and potential obstruction of justice by the president. "The case is closed! Thank you," the president tweeted. Mueller said he did not make that decision because of a longstanding Justice Department policy barring the prosecution of a sitting president for a federal crime. President Donald Trump on Wednesday responded to special counsel Robert Mueller's first-ever public statement about his investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election and potential obstruction of justice by the president. "The case is closed! Thank you," the president tweeted. Trump tweet Trump's tweet came minutes after Mueller, speaking at the Department of Justice , reiterated the finding from his 22-month probe that "if we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so." In a statement later, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said, "the report was clearthere was no collusion, no conspiracyand the Department of Justice confirmed there was no obstruction. Special Counsel Mueller also stated that Attorney General Barr acted in good faith in his handling of the report. After two years, the Special Counsel is moving on with his life, and everyone else should do the same." Mueller's 448-page report on the probe, made public in lightly redacted form last month by Attorney General William Barr, found insufficient evidence to show that Trump's campaign conspired with Russia during the 2016 presidential election. The report made no determination on whether Trump obstructed justice, though it outlined multiple instances of potential obstruction. Mueller said he did not make that decision because of a longstanding Justice Department policy barring the prosecution of a sitting president for a federal crime. Story continues "Charging the president with a crime was, therefore, not an option we could consider," Mueller said. The special counsel, who also announced at the event that he was formally resigning and returning to private life, said that he would not provide any information beyond what was in his report if he was forced to testify by House Democrats, who have been eager to bring him to Congress to answer their questions. "The report is my testimony. I would not provide information beyond what is already public," Mueller said. Trump, in his tweeted response to Mueller, said that "Nothing changes" in the wake of the report being made public. "There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent." Trump was far from the only politician to respond to Mueller's remarks. "The ball is in our court, Congress," tweeted Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., the only Republican in the legislative branch to publicly call for launching impeachment proceedings against Trump based on the Mueller report. AMASH TWEET Trump's attorney Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York, criticized Mueller in a Fox News interview. "He had no evidence, or insufficient evidence, which is the same thing for a prosecutor, of collusion," Giuliani said. "And although he couldn't reach a decision on obstruction, that's a decision. When a prosecutor can't reach a decision that's a decision." Another attorney for Trump, Jay Sekulow, claimed in a statement that Mueller's announcement "puts a period on a two year investigation that produced no findings of collusion or obstruction against the President." This is breaking news. Please check back for updates. More From CNBC The Yale International Clinic exemplifies a global initiative to provide free healthcare and health education to children Newport Beach, California--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2019) - Vivera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a pharmaceutical company focused on non-addictive pain management, today announces its involvement with the Yale International Clinic. A collaboration between the Yale School of Medicine, the Instituto Tecnologico de Santo Domingo (INTEC), and sponsors including Vivera, the clinic's mission is to bring much-needed, acute medical and dental care to children to improve their health, wellness, and quality of life. Pediatricians, Dr. Marietta Vazquez and Dr. Melissa Campbell, pediatric dentist Dr. Tyrone Rodriguez, pediatric dentistry fellow Dr. William Keaton, and four pediatric residents, all from Yale, joined forces with over 60 volunteer students and recent graduates from INTEC for the clinic's inaugural launch. They traveled to the rural community of Gualey in the Dominican Republic, a country that has one of the highest infant mortality rates in Latin America, where many children have never seen a doctor or dentist. "Tropical diseases are prevalent throughout the Dominican Republic, but with no running water and little electricity, Gualey residents, and children in particular, are at a higher risk," said Dr. Marietta Vazquez, M.D., Director of the Yale Pediatric Global Health Track Program. "We wanted to create an impactful educational and clinical experience, but we weren't entirely sure what to expect." Poor road conditions meant their bus couldn't make it all the way to Gualey, so the group carried supplies in by foot and managed to set up a makeshift clinic in a local school. When their generator didn't arrive, the Mayor of Gualey scrambled to provide one as it was needed to perform dental work. They set up a pharmacy, a treatment room for immediate care, an education room and eight mini operating rooms for dental procedures. Story continues "We were able to treat 400 patients over two days which is more than anticipated. We provided them with vaccines, anti-parasite medications, creams, dental work and health education," added Dr. Marietta Vazquez. "Everyone from Gualey was so thankful. It was a really beautiful collaboration, and none of it would have been possible without sponsors like Vivera Pharmaceuticals. We went with the intention to help and educate, but in the end, I think we were the ones who were impacted the most." "It's quite remarkable what the team was able to accomplish in just a few days, given the conditions," said Olivia Karpinski, Co-founder and Director of Vivera. "We were thrilled to support their efforts and we sincerely hope that this is just the beginning of an amazing partnership that can help these children, one community at a time." The Yale International Clinic plans to continue its efforts with annual trips to communities in need with the hope of making a difference. Cannot view this image? Visit: https://media.zenfs.com/en-us/newsfile_64/2f8854e2a6c6b0ac08167ecc445f7e0a Fig 1. Yale International Clinic in Gualey, Dominican Republic To view an enhanced version of Fig 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6166/45123_9480a0ef842aba0c_001full.jpg About Vivera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Vivera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is an innovative, science-driven pharmaceutical company focused on opioid deterrence and cessation and non-addictive solutions for pain management. In addition to its pharmaceutical and medical device products, the company has global exclusivity to license the patented and patent-pending TABMELT sublingual drug-delivery system for the pharmaceutical use of cannabinoid compounds. Vivera Pharmaceuticals is seeking to conduct case studies and clinical trials on CBD in the TABMELT drug delivery format with the goal of gaining FDA approval for its products. The company is vertically integrated with patented technology, manufacturing capabilities and distribution for its products. For more information, visit https://viverapharmaceuticals.com. Investor Relations Inquiries: thinkHERO Patrick Piette, CFA for Vivera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 416-526-9911 investorrelations@viverapharma.com Press Inquiries: thinkHERO Karin Elz, for Vivera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 416-992-9848 press@viverapharma.com Corporate Logo To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/45123 VMware VMW is set to release first-quarter fiscal 2020 results on May 30. The companys earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in the trailing four quarters, the average positive surprise being 5.9%. In the last reported quarter, VMware benefited from strong top-line growth that was primarily driven by robust performance from NSX, VeloCloud and vSAN product lines. For first-quarter fiscal 2020, management anticipates revenues to be $2.25 billion, up 11.8% from the year-ago quarters reported figure. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues currently stands at $2.24 billion, indicating 11.8% growth from the figure reported in the year-ago quarter. Non-GAAP earnings are anticipated to be $1.27 per share. The consensus mark for earnings has remained steady over the past 30 days and suggests growth of 0.8% from the figure reported in the year-ago quarter. VMware, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise VMware, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise VMware, Inc. price-eps-surprise | VMware, Inc. Quote Lets see how things are shaping up for this announcement. Factors to Watch VMware is benefiting from continued enterprise deal wins that are expected to drive growth in the to-be-reported quarter. The company closed 23 deals in the last reported quarter that were worth more than $10 million. During the quarter, Abu Dhabi Smart Solutions and Services Authority (ADSSSA) announced a collaboration with VMware that will enable the former to use a number of VMware solutions. The companys dominance in software-defined data center (SDDC) space along with expanding customer base in cloud, driven by partnerships with the likes of IBM, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Alibaba, is a positive. VMwares NSX solution has also gained significant adoption due to strong demand for automation and cloud-native workloads for SD-WAN. Further, strong End-User Computing (EUC) license bookings, driven by Workspace ONE, are a major growth driver. Notably, VMware exited fourth-quarter fiscal 2018 with $147 million of license backlog, which was $3 million higher on a sequential basis. Expanding Portfolio During the to-be-reported quarter, the company launched an updated VMware vRealize cloud management platform, targeting the hybrid cloud computing space. The company also announced updates to VMware Cloud Foundation, VMware vCloud Director and CloudHealth. The company also announced increased access to Cloud Foundation-based services through the new VMware Cloud in AWS regions in Canada, Paris and Singapore, and for VMware Cloud Verified partners globally. The company also launched a new VMware Service-defined Firewall in the quarter. Microsoft Partners Dell & VMware Microsoft MSFT extended a partnership with Dell Technologies DELL that now involves VMware. Notably, Dell has a majority stake in VMware. The deal will enable VMware customers to move their technology systems to Microsoft Azure cloud-computing platform. The partnership will help Microsoft fight AWS in the rapidly growing hybrid cloud computing market. VMware and Microsoft also agreed to integrate their networking software. However, since the deal was signed late in the quarter, it will have no material impact on VMwares to-be-reported quarterly results. What Our Model Says According to the Zacks model, a company with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) along with a positive Earnings ESP has a good chance of beating estimates. The Sell-rated stocks (Zacks Rank #4 or 5) are best avoided. VMware has a Zacks Rank #3 and an Earnings ESP of 0.00%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell, before theyre reported, with our Earnings ESP Filter. Stock with a Favorable Combination Here is a stock you may want to consider as our model shows that it has the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat. Science Applications International SAIC has an Earnings ESP of +8.50% and a Zacks Rank #1. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Story continues Breakout Biotech Stocks with Triple-Digit Profit Potential The biotech sector is projected to surge beyond $775 billion by 2024 as scientists develop treatments for thousands of diseases. Theyre also finding ways to edit the human genome to literally erase our vulnerability to these diseases. Zacks has just released Century of Biology: 7 Biotech Stocks to Buy Right Now to help investors profit from 7 stocks poised for outperformance. Our recent biotech recommendations have produced gains of +98%, +119% and +164% in as little as 1 month. The stocks in this report could perform even better. See these 7 breakthrough stocks now>> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) : Free Stock Analysis Report Dell Technologies Inc. (DELL) : Free Stock Analysis Report VMware, Inc. (VMW) : Free Stock Analysis Report Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research What happened Shares of Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE: ANF) were down 26% as of 2:15 p.m. EDT Wednesday after the clothing retailer announced slightly better-than-expected first-quarter 2019 results but followed with underwhelming guidance and plans to close more flagship locations. Regarding the former, Abercrombie's quarterly net sales climbed 0.4% year over year, to $734 million, helped by comparable-store sales growth of 1%. That translated to an adjusted (non-GAAP) net loss of $19.2 million, or $0.29 per share, narrowed from a $0.56 per-share loss in the same year-ago period. Analysts, on average, were expecting a wider net loss of $0.44 per share on revenue closer to $733 million. Black and white stock market chart with yellow arrow indicating declines. IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES. So what Abercrombie CEO Fran Horowitz noted this was the company's seventh-straight quarter of positive comparable sales, including continued momentum at Hollister and a return to growth from their namesake brand. "We are focused on our transformation initiatives, with global store network optimization a key priority," Horowitz added. "We continue to believe in stores and are committed to delivering intimate, omni-channel brand experiences that closely align with our customers' needs." To that end, Abercrombie is closing three additional large flagship locations (bringing the total closed to five since 2017), including its SoHo Hollister flagship store in New York City, its Abercrombie & Fitch flagship location in Milan, Italy, and its A&F flagship store in Fukuoka, Japan. "These actions represent important ongoing steps in the company's global store network optimization efforts as it continues to pivot away from large format stores to smaller, omni-channel focused brand experiences," the company explained in a written statement. Now what The company also reiterated its guidance for full fiscal-year 2019 net sales to be up 2%, to 44%, assuming low-single-digit growth in comparable sales. For the second quarter, however, Abercrombie sees net sales being roughly flat to up 2% -- well below the 2.9% growth most analysts were modeling -- assuming flat comparable sales. Story continues After coupling that weak near-term guidance with Abercrombie's impending flagship-store closures, the market seems to fear, at the very least, that Abercrombie's full-year results will arrive near the low end of its stated outlook range. Until the company proves otherwise, it's no surprise to see the stock plunging in response. More From The Motley Fool Steve Symington has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The ever-changing landscape of this data-driven world has created a niche for smart home products. Further, the emergence of virtual assistants embedded with artificial intelligence (AI) techniques has spurred demand for smart home products. Recently, Yandex YNDX unveiled Russias first smart home ecosystem powered by Alice. This smart assistant enables users to control their smart home devices from many platforms. Manufacturers like Philips, Xiaomi, Samsung and Redmond will offer Alice-enabled products namely smart bulbs, plugs and appliances. With the release of these products, Yandex will have more people to get into its ecosystem, thereby increasing Alices adoption. In addition, Yandex has launched a range of its own gadgets the Smart Bulb, Smart Plug and the Smart Remote Control. The recent move highlights that the company is increasingly focusing on the smart home space, with the goal of projecting Alice, Russian-speaking intelligent assistant, as an important part of ones life. New Smart Home Products to Aid Alices Adoption Notably, Alice was introduced as the first Russian-speaking intelligent assistant, which integrates multiple services with one centralized tool. It uses deep neural network technology and large databases to converse using natural language. The company noted that Alices responses are based on dynamic data collected from users unlike its competitors intelligent assistants, which depend more on scripted responses. Per Telegraph, Alice was also found responding positively to violence like few other intelligent assistants. Alice is already available on mobile, desktop and cars-navigation app. This apart, it combines many Yandex services such as Search, News, Weather, Music, Maps and Taxi. The service also offers more than a dozen games. Summing Up The smart home market is poised to grow at a rapid pace. Per Zion Market Research, this market is anticipated to grow to $53 billion by 2022. This has made other tech giants aggressively explore the space as well. Story continues Last year, Yandex launched Yandex. Station, which is equipped with its Russian-speaking voice assistant called Alice. The speaker has Bluetooth capabilities, powerful audio specs and HDMI port for streaming television. The expansion of its ecosystem comes at a time when Yandex is diversifying the companys core search engine business as well as artificial intelligence (AI) based products. Notably, other competitors like Alphabet GOOGL, Amazon and Apple AAPL havent yet explored the Russian market, lending Yandex a significant edge in turn. Search and Portal continues to be the bread and butter of Yandex. The segments (73% of total revenues) revenues increased 26% from the year-ago quarter to 27.12 billion roubles in the first quarter. Notably, its market share reached 57% during the quarter. For fiscal 2019, Yandex increased the guided range for revenue growth in Search and Portal from 18-20% to 19-21% in rouble terms. Yandexs latest rollout highlights the companys increased focus on the fast-growing smart home market and competitive advantage. Yandex N.V. Price and Consensus Yandex N.V. Price and Consensus Yandex N.V. price-consensus-chart | Yandex N.V. Quote Zacks Rank and Key Picks Currently, Yandex has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the broader technology sector include Facebook, Inc. FB, IAC/InterActiveCorp IAC and AXT, Inc. AXTI, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), at present. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Long-term earnings growth for Facebook, IAC/InterActiveCorp and AXT is currently projected at 20.2%, 20.5% and 15%, respectively. Breakout Biotech Stocks with Triple-Digit Profit Potential The biotech sector is projected to surge beyond $775 billion by 2024 as scientists develop treatments for thousands of diseases. Theyre also finding ways to edit the human genome to literally erase our vulnerability to these diseases. Zacks has just released Century of Biology: 7 Biotech Stocks to Buy Right Now to help investors profit from 7 stocks poised for outperformance. Our recent biotech recommendations have produced gains of +98%, +119% and +164% in as little as 1 month. The stocks in this report could perform even better. See these 7 breakthrough stocks now>> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report IAC/InterActiveCorp (IAC) : Free Stock Analysis Report Yandex N.V. (YNDX) : Free Stock Analysis Report Facebook, Inc. (FB) : Free Stock Analysis Report AXT Inc (AXTI) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research A man known for his benevolence, community involvement and undaunted fight against Alzheimers disease has died. Marvin Welstead died May 25 at Methodist Fremont Health. He was 98 years old. Welstead was one of the founders of the Fremont Area Community Foundation, which has provided funds for a multitude of causes from feeding families and providing scholarships to promoting the arts. Most recently, the Fremont man was perhaps best known for helping raise thousands of dollars for Alzheimers disease research. In the midst of this, he was a mentor and someone with a wealth of community knowledge. Marvs impact on the Fremont area and many of its nonprofit organizations is immeasurable; His ability to identify a need and formulate a plan to address it really made him a visionary, said Melissa Diers, FACF executive director. His memory was remarkable. Not only did I rely on him for guidance with foundation business, but I also relied on him for the institutional memory of our organization. The foundation set to celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2020 has community assets of nearly $27 million. Since its inception, it has made approximately $31 million in grants. Community foundation grant funds have benefited nonprofit organizations and charitable work throughout the greater Dodge County area in a countless number of ways, Diers said. The funding has helped feed, clothe and shelter families and establish community facilities like the Christensen Field main arena and the North Bend Library, she noted. Its helped provide learning aids for youth such as Chromebooks and iPads. FACF grants have provided fitness equipment for area elementary schools and defibrillators at a number of schools and public spaces. The foundation made a grant to support the expansion of the Fremont Area Art Association building. Besides helping launch FACF, Welstead helped start the Community Chest (now known as the Fremont Area United Way) and the Fremont Industrial Foundation (now known as the Greater Fremont Development Council), Diers said. Welstead was born in Fremont on Feb. 21, 1921, and graduated from Fremont High School. He attended Midland Lutheran College, Woodbury College in Los Angeles and graduate school at the University of Indiana. He served in World War II with the 2nd Tactical Air Division, 3rd Air Force from September 1942 to December 1945. Decades later, Joyce Winfield would include Welstead in her book: Forever Heroes A Collection of World War II Stories from Nebraska Veterans. Winfield said she gave veterans a list of questions shed ask, stressing that they wouldnt have to write the answers, because shed record their interviews. But Welstead went to extra effort. Upon arrival on Marvs interview day, he showed me that he had written all the answers beautiful cursive writing and detailed! she said. Welstead married his high school sweetheart Maudie Jean Olson on Feb. 21, 1942, in Fremont. We had so much in common as far as how we looked at life We enjoyed being together, he said in a 2009 Fremont Tribune article. Welstead later was employed by Equitable Federal Savings Bank from 1946 until his retirement, serving as president and chairman of the board. He served on the board of directors of the United States League of Savings Institutions and their executive committee. Welstead also was elected to the board of directors of the 10th District Federal Home Loan Bank and subsequently appointed vice-chairman by President Richard Nixon, 1967-71. President Ronald Reagan appointed Welstead to the National Advisory Council Small Business Administration, Washington, D.C., 1981-83. Welstead was a Fremont city councilman, 1951-53, and served on the citys planning commission, 1971-78. Hed play a sad and unusual role in Fremonts history when the Hotel Pathfinder exploded on Jan. 10, 1976. Welstead went to the hospital that day in hopes of finding a former employer, who lived in a hotel apartment. Hed spend a few hours identifying people as they came to the emergency room via ambulances and later became chairman of the mayors committee on the hotel site after the explosion. Welstead was involved in many community service organizations. He was a trustee of First United Methodist Church and of Midland University, Rotary Club president and Paul Harris Fellow and a life member of the American Legion and Masonic Lodge. The Welsteads would have two sons, Bob and John. In 1960, Jean Welstead helped start the Fremont Area Art Association and was its president from 1965-71. Jean Welstead was an accomplished artist and an artist in residence at Midland University. I dont think the art association would exist if it were not for Marv Welstead, said Barb Tellatin, past FAAA president. Tellatin said Welstead was instrumental in the acquisition of the FAAA building in downtown Fremont. He was watching the market and stuck his neck out and applied for the loans that allowed us to purchase 92 W. Sixth St., Tellatin said. Payments were being made on the loan when Welstead worked with benefactor Hazel Keene, who wrote a check for the rest of the buildings cost. Even though he didnt produce art, he was a great supporter of the arts, Tellatin said. Welstead remained very supportive attending fundraisers and artists receptions even after his wifes death in July 2009. The illness that led to Jeans death propelled Welstead on a new mission funding research in hopes of finding a cure for Alzheimers disease. Jean had begun showing symptoms of the disease in 2001. Welstead cared for her in their home, until eventually needing to place her in Fremonts Edgewood Vista. She had Alzheimers for eight years, 23 days and after she was diagnosed, I watched her die one day at a time over that eight-year period, Welstead said in the 2009 story. Diers said the passion at the end of Welsteads life was building the Fremont Area Alzheimers Collaboration (FAAC), an ad hoc group comprised of area care providers and volunteers, who work collaboratively to lead caregiver trainings, support groups and to provide funding for promising Alzheimers research. Russ Peterson, chief executive officer of Nye Health Services, got to know Welstead through the FACF and the Alzheimers collaboration. Hes always been an amazing individual, Peterson said. He had a passion for making a difference in this community. Earlier this month, it was announced that FAAC donated a $60,000 pilot grant to go toward Alzheimers disease research at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. The donation marks the sixth grant the FAAC has donated to UNMC since 2014 and brings the groups total contribution to more than $215,000, the center said in a press release. UNMC has expressed appreciation for Welsteads work, recognizing him in 2018 with the Community Service to Research Award. Dr. Dan Murman nominated Welstead for the award. Murman is vice chair, clinical and translational research, and director of the Memory Disorders Clinic and Geriatric Neurology Program at UNMC, On Tuesday, Murman paid tribute to Welstead. Marv has been tremendously supportive in raising money for Alzheimers research in the region and at UNMC in particular, Murman said. He seemed to know just about everyone in Fremont and was so successful in getting people motivated to donate money for Alzheimers research. He always wanted to keep the money he raised in Nebraska, and this was huge for us at UNMC. Murman shared warm remembrances of Welstead. Marv was such an inspiration, Murman said. He was so well respected and so sincere. He was truly motivated by his wifes death in 2009 from Alzheimers disease, and he used his connections to try to make a difference with this terrible disease. Its a huge loss. He leaves some tough shoes to fill. Peterson also expressed sentiments about Welsteads character. He was a very honest and sincere person, Peterson said. What impressed me was even in his 90s, he was a driver wanting to make things happen, always willing to speak out for what he felt was right and I think he had a real genuine love for people. Dan Kauble, finance chairman of the Alzheimers coalition, shared fond thoughts as well. For those who didnt know Marv, his accomplishments were the best kept secrets in Fremont; For those who knew him (there were) too many to count, Kauble said. Marv never thought he did enough, probably why he accomplished so much. I think it is fair-minded to say the Fremont Alzheimers Collaboration would not have the presence it has today if not for Marvs intuition and hard work. Marvs biggest fear was, when he passed, the support for the Alzheimers Collaboration would decline and someday perish, Kauble said. Lets not let that happen. Private family services will be held. There will be a public celebration service held at a later date to be announced. Dugan Funeral Chapel in Fremont is in charge of arrangements. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. Feb. 21, 1921 May 25, 2019 Marvin G. Welstead, 98, passed away at Fremont Methodist Hospital on Saturday, May 25, 2019. He was born in Fremont on Feb. 21, 1921, and graduated from Fremont High School. He attended Midland Lutheran College, Woodbury College in Los Angeles, and Graduate School at the University of Indiana. He served in WWII with the 2nd Tactical Air Division, 3rd Air Force. Marvin married Maudie Jean Olson on Feb. 21, 1942, in Fremont. Jean passed away July 7, 2009. He is survived by two sons: Bob Welstead (Tess) of Elkhorn and Dr. Jon Welstead (Karin) of Milwaukee; a brother, William Welstead (Vickie) of Waco, Texas; grandchildren, Katie Adams (Mike), Dr. Jason Welstead (Bethany), Karlan Welstead, Nicholas Christopher (Krysney); great-grandchildren, Josh Lisko, Zachary and Elizabeth Adams; great-granddaughter Welstead due in June; and special friends, Jean and Ernie Nick. He was preceded in death by beloved wife Jean; grandson, William Welstead; and great-grandsons, Gabriel and Nathanael Adams. He was employed by Equitable Federal Savings Bank from 1946 until his retirement, serving as President and Chairman of the Board. Marvin was past President of the Midwest Savings Conference and the Nebraska League of Savings Institutions. He served on the Board of Directors of the United States League of Savings Institutions and their Executive Committee. He was elected to the Board of Directors of the 10th District Federal Home Loan Bank and subsequently appointed Vice-Chairman by President Nixon. Marvin was Incorporator and Drive Chairman of the Fremont Community Chest. He was one of the Founders of the Fremont Area Community Foundation and served on the Board of Directors and as President and Treasurer. He was awarded a Life Membership in 1991. He also served on the Board of Directors and as President/Chairman of the Board of the State Chamber of Commerce. Marvin received the Fremont Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame Award in 2019, the Community Foundation Legacy award in 2018 and was recognized with the Marvin G. Welstead Fund by the Greater Fremont Development Council. After 67 years of marriage, Marvins wife Jean passed away from Alzheimers disease. He dedicated the remainder of his life to raising monies to fund research to find a cure for Alzheimers and to educate Alzheimers caregivers. He founded the Fremont Area Alzheimers Fund to help raise those funds. During his tenure they raised more than $700,000 in that capacity. He was recognized by the University of Nebraska Medical Center with the Community Service to Research Award in 2018. Over his lifetime Marvin received many community service awards. He was active in his service to the community he loved. He was trustee of the Methodist Church, trustee of Midland University, Rotary President and Paul Harris Fellow, life member of American Legion and Masonic Lodge. Over his lifetime, he was dedicated to making Fremont a better place to live and work. His dedication will be missed. Private family services will be held. There will be a public celebration service held at a later date to be announced. Memorials should be directed to the Fremont Area Alzheimers Fund at the Fremont Area Community Foundation, 1005 E. 23rd St., Suite 2., Fremont, NE 68025. Condolences may be left at www.duganchapel.com. Dugan Funeral Chapel 402-721-2880 Last week, I was invited to participate on a panel in Lincoln to discuss and share information in regard to Humanities Nebraska and the support they lend to the organizations and groups throughout Nebraska. There were several panels over two days. Nonprofits, libraries, schools, and other groups had the opportunity to discuss the impact Humanities Nebraska makes in communities all across the state. One of the first parts of the discussion panel is How do Nebraskans know what Humanities Nebraska (HN) is and does for the state? This was a very good question. HN does a tremendous amount of work throughout the state to promote history, culture, literature, and community conversations. Their website shares this quote, The humanities are how we explore who we are collectively, and individually, and what it means to be human through reading, learning, thinking, questioning, and discussing. They provide opportunities to explore, learn, and discuss these various topics. As an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, they provide nonprofits grant funding to provide educational opportunities in the humanities field. Some of the events they provide are: 300 speakers with programs on the humanities, Chautauqua events, Capitol Forum on Americas Future, Prime Time Family Reading Time (Prime Time), Nebraska Warrior Writers, Museum on Main Street, Governors Lecture in Humanities, Nebraska History Day, and the Nebraska Literary Tour App. Here at Keene Memorial Library, we partner with the Friends of Keene Memorial Library to bring in at least two speakers a year from their list of 300. We can bring in more than two which we have done. We also participate in Prime Time. This is a quickly growing program and we are actually hitting capacity with our attendance. Nebraska is 2nd in the nation for participation in Prime Time. HN provided the results of a 10-year impact study done on Prime Time, and learned that students who participated in their early elementary years, outperformed their peers on grade level content in standardized exams. They score higher in language arts and reading, mathematics, science, life science, and other subjects. Long term impacts of programs like this are some of the benefits of Humanities Nebraska! If you would like to peruse the speaker list of HN, just go to their website https://humanitiesnebraska.org/speakers/speakers-bureau.html and check out the PDF or online search version for speakers. If you see anything of interest that you would like to see the library provide, please feel free to email library.info@fremontne.gov . Just give us the name of the Speaker, where you found it (HN), and the topic. If you have suggestions for dates and times, that could be beneficial as well. This year, Matt Mason has been selected as the State Poet, and he will be providing lectures and workshops through HNs speaker bureau. This is one speaker we are targeting to bring to Fremont for a workshop or Poetry Slam. We will have more details as we work out the event. So stay tuned! Tina Walker is Director of Keene Memorial Library in Fremont. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 KABUL -- Afghanistan's authorities say they have launched an investigation into allegations that some members of President Ashraf Ghani's administration have given out government posts in exchange for sexual favors. Jamshid Rasuli, a spokesman for the attorney generals office, told reporters in Kabul on May 28 that a team had been formed to investigate the claims. The accusations were made by General Habibullah Ahmadzai, a former senior adviser to Ghani, in a TV interview last week. Ahmadzai, who did not provide any evidence, said "circles" inside the Afghan presidential palace were asking women for sexual favors -- offering coveted government jobs in return. The allegations have prompted condemnation in Kabul and Afghans have taken to social media to demand a probe. Haroon Chakhansuri, a spokesman for Ghani, said that the accusations were "false and baseless." And Nargis Nehan, the acting minister of mines and petroleum, tweeted on May 25: "I can say with confidence that these allegations are baseless." In an interview with Khurshid TV on May 23, Ahmadzai said that "people were working systematically to promote adultery in the [presidential] palace." Rasuli said investigators had asked Ahmadzai to deliver any evidence he may have to support his claims by May 30. With reporting by AFP Many a musically inclined man has coveted the role of Jean Valjean. Hes the protagonist of the Tony Award-winning 1987 musical Les Miserables, based on Victor Hugos 1862 novel. Theres a reason the shows been running for 33 years and the original production is still running in London, said Nick Cartell, the New York City-based actor who stars as Valjean in the national touring production. Its the story of a man trying to make the world a better place, and to find forgiveness for the things hes done and to find forgiveness for others. It resonates with people. IF YOU GO "LES MISERABLES" 7:30 p.m. Wednesday (June 5) and Thursday (June 6), 8 p.m. Friday (June 7), 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday (June 8), 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday (June 9), Pikes Peak Center, 190 S. Cascade Ave., $54-$109; 520-7469, pikespeakcenter.com, axs.com The show will be at Pikes Peak Center through June 9. Valjean, a peasant in early 19th-century France, is freed after spending 19 years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sisters child. After meeting a bishop, who grants him an act of mercy, he breaks parole and must flee from police inspector Javert, whos dead set on capturing him. Along the way, Valjean gets involved with a group of young idealists who try to overthrow the government. The nearly three-hour show features memorable Broadway hits including I Dreamed a Dream, On My Own, Stars, Bring Him Home, One Day More and Do You Hear the People Sing? Cartell knows he has big shoes to fill, he said from a Los Angeles tour stop, but whenever he needs inspiration or to reconnect to his character, he turns to Hugos novel, which is brimming with elaborate character details. Its about making smart choices and doing good things, he said. Thats where I connect with the character most, in trying to reach out to people if theyre feeling down or having a bad day. It was a seventh-grade school trip to see the musical Cinderella that cemented Cartells musical theater dreams. Six months later, his father saw an audition for a show about Pinocchio, and hes been a stage junkie ever since. Cartell graduated with a bachelors in theater from Arizona State University, and his resume is lush with acting credits, including his Broadway debut in the 2012 revival of Jesus Christ Superstar and a role in a touring production of The Phantom of the Opera. He considers his current job a big break: Its taken me to another level, he said. Our political climate is one that, regardless of what side of the aisle you sit on, people are trying to stand up for what they believe is right, what is true and what will make the world a better place, Cartell said. Thats what the characters in our story are fighting for. People recognize the show, the music, the characters, and walk away feeling inspired. Jennifer Mulson, The Gazette, jen.mulson@gazette.com A heated debate takes place every year around Christmas time. Its not about which relatives house you should visit for the holidays, its a topic with greater importance. Its a question everyone wants to know the answer to but cant seem to agree on. Is the 1988 film Die Hard, starring Bruce Willis, a Christmas movie? You voted: Banh mi: Its whats for breakfast. Or at least it would have been if you were in Saigon, Vietnam, in the early 1900s. Today, the submarine-like sandwich (pronounced bun mee) is for breakfast, lunch, dinner or in-between snacks. And why not? Two worlds meet in this unique meal: Vietnamese flavors and French ingredients. Banh mi thit nguoi started in early 1940s in South Vietnam, said Anne Doan, who recently taught a one-hour class on making the signature Vietnamese banh mi at The French Kitchen in Colorado Springs. Vietnam was a French colony 1883 to 1954. They introduced French baguettes, pate, rich meats and butter to our country. Banh means anything made with flours and then baked, steamed or fried. Mi means wheat. So bahn mi means bread made from wheat. While the French ate their baguettes spread with butter alongside nibbles of deli ham and pate, creative Vietnamese chefs took those ingredients in a new, vibrant direction. Homemade Vietnamese mayo, pickled carrots and daikon, cucumber slices, cilantro leaves and thick slices of jalapeno were all packed into the sliced baguette, making for a memorable taste sensation. Eventually, banh mi thit nguoi became an everyday and all day type of food, and the term banh mi became a term for sandwich. And it can be filled basically with any type of protein, like lemongrass grilled pork and chicken, meatballs, tofu or be fully vegetarian, Doan said. BANH MI TO GO Want banh mi in your hands faster? Check out Banh Mi Viet, 3315 N. Academy Blvd., where they make banh mi rolls daily and offer a variety of versions of the iconic Vietnamese delicacy. Or you can get traditional banh mi at The French Kitchen cafe. Be sure to request jalapeno slices. At Roosters House of Ramen, 323 N. Tejon St., where Jeff Webb supplies banh mi buns, youll find a couple of versions of the Vietnamese sandwich. Bread texture is important for making an authentic banh mi. Youre looking for a crispy crust with a fluffy interior. When the French came to Vietnam, it was a rice-eating country where wheat wasnt even grown. So making bread similar to a French baguette was tricky. Some cookbook authors tried using rice flour. But they produce nunchucks that you could hurt someone with, says Andrea Nguyen, a Vietnam-born food writer and chef. Rice flour does not rise due to a lack of gluten. The trademark fluffiness of banh mi rolls comes from dough enhancers, commonly ascorbic acid. Jeff Webb, a baker who supplies banh mi rolls for a couple of local eateries, has a solution. The addition of a little fat and a little sugar helps to soften the crust slightly, he said, so it isnt that glass-shattering crust that you would usually look for in a good baguette, but instead something crisp that wont send crumbs everywhere when cut. The addition of fat and sugar also helps to tighten up the crumb of the bread, and keep it light and soft. No large holes. Lucky for Doan, the French baguettes baked at The French Kitchen bakery are just to her liking for banh mi. Its exactly the same style of bread that is used in making banh mi in Vietnam, she said. When you bite into the banh mi, you want that crispy crust, and the soft, chewy inside. For Doans banh mi class, she used chicken thighs which she said have more flavor than white meat soaked in a flavorful mixture of lemongrass, honey, fish sauce, oyster sauce, garlic and sesame seed oil. She recommended marinating them for 30 minutes or overnight and then cooking them in a 400-degree oven for 20 minutes. For even better flavor, she suggested cooking them on a grill. A couple of students made a batch of Doans Vietnamese mayo. Two others tackled slicing daikon and carrots into matchstick pieces and giving them a soak in sweet vinegar for a quick pickle. To make cucumber spears, measure the length of the French baguette to the cucumber, Doan said. Cut the cucumber so it is the same length as the bread. Peel off the skin in thin slices on four sides of the cucumber so it looks like green and white stripes. Then slice the cucumber lengthwise into slabs, then into about -inch spears. Once everything was prepped, the class assembled the banh mi according to her directions: Cut the baguette lengthwise, but not all the way through, using a serrated knife. You can pull some of the bread from the center of the roll if you like it less bready. I like all the bread and leave it all, she said. Then slather each side of the bread with mayonnaise. Dont be skimpy, she said. The more mayo, the better. Make a mixture of half salt, half pepper, and sprinkle it on each half of the baguette. Cut the chicken into thin slices across the grain. Layer the bottom half of the baguette with chicken, pickled vegetables, cilantro leaves, a few spears of cucumbers and rings of jalapeno. Dont take the seeds out of the jalapeno, she said. You want it spicy to wake you up. Then close the sandwich and enjoy. Or, if you want your sandwich really spicy, dab some chili paste on top. For more info about Doans Asian cooking classes, visit tfkcc.com. Italy is a cornucopia of vinous diversity, a boot overflowing with more than 2,000 indigenous varieties. The northeastern regions of Veneto, Alto Adige and Friuli-Venezia Giulia arguably have reawakened Italian white wine production while remaining a reliable source of distinctive, unique red wines. Typically, these wines display natural freshness and expressiveness of their origins. They are notable for dramatic aromas, precise structure and refreshing acidity. Here I highlight a few worth seeking out from the Veneto. My next column will cover the other regions. Soave named after a local village and made with the local garganega variety long has been a popular light, refreshing white wine. After a period of mediocrity over the last few decades of the 20th century, Soave has been reimagined by attentive, quality-minded wineries such as Inama, which makes wines from estate vineyards in the original Classico district. The 2018 Vin Soave ($16) is delightfully light and tasty with touches of apple, nectarine, lemon, pear and stone fruit nicely balanced with almond notes. The 2017 Vigneti di Foscarino ($26), a special selection of old vines on the east side of the Monte Foscarino, is vinified to express a lush texture and notes of apricot, pear and melon also balanced with almond. A similar story can be told with Valpolicella composed of indigenous varieties, mostly corvina with varying amounts of rondinella, corvinone and molinara. A light, easy drinking red gained popularity and evolved into an indistinct sipper. But now Tenuta SantAntonio and other serious producers have resurrected the wines reputation. The 2016 Nanfre ($14) is a round, cherry flecked, sinewy but lush drink. At the tip of the Valpolicella pyramid is Amarone della Valpolicella. The 2015 Tenuta Sant Antonio Selezione Antonio Castegnedi ($45) is a fine representative of apassimento, the skillful process of drying the grapes to yield a deep, complex wine of bold dark fruits, hints of mocha and tobacco. In between, Valpolicella Ripasso achieves richer flavors by macerating Amarone pomace (grape skins and solids) with fresh Valpolicella. The result is a wine like the 2015 Tenuta Sant Antonio Monti Garbi ($20) with its intense black fruits and admirable complexity. Another perennial favorite is the 2014 Allegrini Palazzo Della Torre ($23). This one blends fresh Valpolicella with the juice of dried grapes. The result is a wine of substantial structure with deep black cherry accented with spices, smoke and herbs. Beyond these traditional wines, Inama is a good place to look for the regions contemporary creativity. I was impressed with two wines from (surprise!) Bordeaux varieties: brought from France by locals. Turns out the carmenere grape has been cultivated in the Veneto for about 150 years, unbeknownst to many. But Inama discovered promising vineyards in the Colli Berici subregion near the village of Vicenza and now produces a fine example. The current vintage is the lithe, bright 2015 Piu ($21), which includes a sizable dose of merlot. I also enjoyed the 2015 Bradissimo ($30), a blend of 70 percent cabernet sauvignon and 30 percent carmenere, for its blackberry fruit and solid structure. Its a fine alternative to a Super Tuscan. A Parker man convicted of fatally hitting a motorcyclist in Sedalia was sentenced Tuesday to nine years in prison for leaving the scene of an accident involving death, according to a news release from the 18th Judicial Court District Attorney's Office. Ronald Hargrove, 49, crossed multiple lanes of northbound US 85 and struck a motorcyclist who was waiting at a red light with three other riders at the intersection of CO-67 on Oct. 12, 2017. Hargrove got out of his 2010 Dodge Ram pickup truck, walked over to look at the rider on the ground, 69-year-old Suzanne Weston of Parker. Hargrove then left the scene, according to witness reports. Hargrove was driving in the right lane then jumped several lanes to the left turn lane, cutting off another motorist. Weston was the the last motorcyclist in a line of four when she was hit. She was taken to a nearby hospital where she died, the news release said. It wasnt an accident in the moments after he crashed, Deputy District Attorney Dan Warhola told the judge. He got out of his truck, looked at what he had done, walked back to his truck and fled the scene. It was a choice. He left Suzanne Weston to die in the middle of the highway. At the time of the crash, Hargrove was sleep deprived and had low levels of alcohol, THC and prescription medications in his system. Hargrove admitted to leaving the scene because of outstanding warrants of his arrest, Douglas County District Court Judge David Stevens noted in the news release. Hargrove had two DUI convictions and a revoked driver's license and violated out of substance abuse treatment, Stevens said. After the crash, Hargrove got back in his truck and continued driving on the frontage road, heading southbound on US 85. Witnesses got Hargrove's license plate number and was pulled over a short time later and arrested by a Douglas County deputy. Westons husband, friends and family spoke to the judge to advocate for a strong sentence. For many days I felt as though I could not breathe, Westons stepdaughter said. When will the sound of Suzannes helmet hitting the pavement go away?" On March 22, 2019, a Douglas County jury found Hargrove guilty of leaving the scene and of vehicular homicide, reckless driving, a Class 4 felony. Colorado law does not mandate prison time for either offense. Prosecutors called Hargroves actions horrific and appalling in asking Stevens to impose the maximum sentence of 18 years in prison. Editors note: In todays column, David Ramsey talks with a Colorado Springs resident who is critical of President Donald Trump. In Thursdays column, Ramsey talks with a Springs couple who supports Trump. About 9 p.m. on Election Night 2016, Alycia Erickson had to escape her television screen. She was too upset to accept the inevitable. Donald J. Trump was on the brink of being elected president of the United States. She worried then, as she does now, about Trumps treatment of Americas lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) community. Erickson is pastor of Pikes Peak Metropolitan Community Church, 1102 S. 21st St., a congregation she describes as 60% LGBTQ. She lives in Colorado Springs with her wife, Judy. I had to leave, she says from her office. I couldnt sleep that night. The next couple days were just She fails to finish the sentence. There were many people who started crying that night. It really took me a couple of days to absorb the news and to really begin to grapple with what that would mean for our country. Trump speaks Thursday at the Air Force Academy graduation. Erickson takes care in a 45-minute interview to refer to the leader of the free world as President Trump. She says she believes Trump has legitimized the tolerance of hate against various groups. Since his election, she says, she worries more about her gay congregants safety. The Trump administration is, she says, damaging for the people in my community. She looks around her office, searching for the right words. She often takes these long pauses. To have the president come to our city, where many of the folks already feel that precariousness to have the person here with the ultimate power to enact these policies its devastating. Erickson has lived and preached in Colorado Springs since 2015. Her congregation also has a growing number of straight families. They want children to be part of a congregation that is welcoming and really means it, she says. Many churches say they are welcoming, but they put an asterisk there, a caveat to it. At many churches, she says, women cannot be leaders past a certain point or cannot be ordained. Gay members cannot be ordained or baptized. There are a whole lot of things where youre welcome, but Our congregation really tries to live out that welcome we believe Jesus offered to everyone. When she decided to move to Colorado Springs, many friends wondered why. Those friends saw the Springs as an American stronghold of intolerance. She says shes been surprised and encouraged by her new hometown. I think the perception of the Springs is that its a very conservative city, not gay friendly. The reality is, I have found there is a vibrant progressive community here, which I think is growing by the minute. But the gains of recent years, in Colorado Springs and the U.S., are precarious. A backlash, she says, developed after the 2008 election of President Barack Obama and the 2015 Supreme Court ruling that the Constitution guarantees the right to same-sex marriage. Trump, Erickson says, leads that backlash. What would she say if given the chance to talk with Trump? She responds with spirited, prolonged laughter. Its hard to believe that he actually would listen meaningfully to someone like me. I would want to tell him that what he says and does as president, even the off-handed tweets and comments he makes, that they have a profound effect on the lives of everyday Americans and sometimes disastrously so. He bears responsibility for his actions and his statements and for the way those actions and statements legitimize hate and violence against people who dont fit in his base or fit into his idea of what America is or should be. He has a responsibility to all Americans, and not just to Americans who watch a certain news network or voted for him. He seems to hold a good portion of the country in contempt and has no respect for them. Erickson will not attend Thursdays speech. She says shell be pondering, as she has since Election Night 2016, the meaning of Trumps presidency. He tapped into a part of America that Americans dont want to admit is as big as it is, she says. With the roof torn off, exposed asbestos and mold forming, the fate of the Crawford House a Colorado Springs veterans assistance home that w This is a shot of one of the fire rainbows that were visible at the Jersey Shore over Memorial Day weekend, as captured by beachgoer Packy McCormick. What's a fire rainbow? "From the looks of this one, a misnomer." Valid. Let's find out more: Two of the fire rainbows -- known scientifically as circumhorizontal arcs -- were actually spotted Sunday in Avalon and Ventnor. The beautiful weather events are caused by light passing through thin and wispy cirrus clouds and being refracted. "These can only form with high cirrus clouds, because they are made out of purely ice crystals," explained AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Samuhel. "However, they can be seen farther north in the summer, since the sun angle is higher," he said. "They are 46 degrees from the sun, about twice as far as the more typical halo that is 22 degrees from the sun." "Most clouds are made of water droplets," he said. "The ice crystals in the clouds scatter the sunlight to produce the rainbow-colored arc." Cool, but how the hell am I supposed to get to the pot of gold at the end of that? "Hire one of those little airplanes that tows banners over the beach." You know, you really don't get enough credit for your genius. Here -- I want you to have this. "A #1 STUNNER coffee mug?" You've earned it, drink cheap hooch out of it proudly. Thanks to Scott R, who agrees the leprechaun guarding that pot of gold better watch out for the plane's propeller if he knows what's best for him. Some members of Iowas Congressional delegation offered their thoughts on the statement made Wednesday by Special Counsel Robert Mueller regarding his investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 elections. Mueller said Wednesday that charging President Donald Trump with a crime was "not an option" because of federal rules, but he used his first public remarks on the Russia investigation to emphasize that he did not exonerate the president. "If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so," Mueller declared. The special counsel's remarks stood as a pointed rebuttal to Trump's repeated claims that he was cleared and that the two-year inquiry was merely a "witch hunt." They also marked a counter to criticism, including by Attorney General William Barr, that Mueller should have reached a determination on whether the president illegally tried to obstruct the probe by taking actions such as firing his FBI director. Mueller made clear that his team never considered indicting Trump because the Justice Department prohibits the prosecution of a sitting president. "Charging the president with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider," Mueller said. He said he believed such an action would be unconstitutional. Mueller did not use the word 'impeachment," but said it was the job of Congress not the criminal justice system to hold the president accountable for any wrongdoing. The Lee Des Moines Bureau reached out to all six members of Congress from Iowa. These members responded with emailed statements: SEN. CHUCK GRASSLEY, R-NEW HARTFORD As Robert Mueller said today, the report speaks for itself. Attorney General Barr went above and beyond to make the report public, so anyone can read it for themselves. The plain facts remain that after more than two years and tens of millions spent investigating, Muellers team found no collusion and the president was charged with no crime. Muellers statements today reiterated the same facts outlined in the principle findings released by Attorney General Barr, and Mueller noted that Barr acted in good faith to release the report to the public. The Justice Department has closed this case. Rather than re-litigating an exhaustive investigation, Congress should focus on important matters that effect the livelihoods of all Americans, like working to reach new trade agreements for U.S. producers and consumers and improving access to affordable prescription medications. REP. ABBY FINKENAUER, D-DUBUQUE It continues to be important for Congress to fulfill its oversight role and enforce the law. Transparency is in the best interest of every American. Special Counsel Mueller said that foreign interference in our elections deserves the attention of every American. I remain committed to ensuring that our elections remain safe and secure. SEN. JONI ERNST, R-RED OAK Mr. Mueller reiterated the conclusions of his nearly two year, multi-million dollar investigation which found that there was no collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia during the 2016 presidential election. Its time to move on. We need to focus on protecting our country from future attacks by Russia, and other bad actors. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Erin Murphy is chief of Lee's Des Moines bureau. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Hi ndavis13,Im glad you reached out, and Im happy to help. So listen, I understand that the GMAT is a demanding exam; however, as long as you work hard and follow a thorough study plan, you 100% can improve your GMAT skills. That said, Im happy to provide some more specific advice on how to improve your GMAT score.First off, since you scored 470, its clear that you are lacking some foundational GMAT quant and verbal skills necessary for a high score, right? Thus, moving forward, you should follow a structured and linear study plan that allows you to individually learn each GMAT quant and verbal topic starting with the foundations before moving to more advanced concepts. By studying in such a way, you can ensure that you are methodically improving your GMAT quant and verbal skills and ensure that no stone is left unturned. Let me expand on this idea further.If you are learning about Number Properties, you should develop as much conceptual knowledge about Number Properties as possible. In other words, your goal will be to completely understand properties of factorials, perfect squares, quadratic patterns, LCM, GCF, units digit patterns, divisibility, and remainders, to name a few concepts. After carefully reviewing the conceptual underpinnings of how to answer Number Properties questions, practice by answering 50 or more questions just from Number Properties. When you do dozens of questions of the same type one after the other, you learn just what it takes to get questions of that type correct consistently. If you aren't getting close to 90 percent of questions of a certain type correct, go back and seek to better understand how that type of question works, and then do more questions of that type until you get to around at least 90 percent accuracy in your training. If you get 100 percent of some sets correct, even better. Number Properties is just one example; follow this process for all quant topics.When you are working on learning to answer questions of a particular type, start off taking your time, and then seek to speed up as you get more comfortable answering questions of that type. As you do such practice, do a thorough analysis of each question that you don't get right. If you got a remainder question wrong, ask yourself why. Did you make a careless mistake? Did you not properly apply the remainder formula? Was there a concept you did not understand in the question? By carefully analyzing your mistakes, you will be able to efficiently fix your weaknesses and in turn improve your GMAT quant skills.Each time you strengthen your understanding of a topic and your skill in answering questions of a particular type, you increase your odds of hitting your score goal. You know that there are types of questions that you are happy to see, types that you would rather not see, and types that you take a long time to answer correctly. Learn to more effectively answer the types of questions that you would rather not see, and make them into your favorite types. Learn to correctly answer in two minutes or less questions that you currently take five minutes to answer. By finding, say, a dozen weaker quant areas and turning them into strong areas, you will make great progress toward hitting your quant score goal. If a dozen areas turn out not to be enough, strengthen some more areas.Follow a similar routine for verbal. For example, lets say you start by learning about Critical Reasoning. Your first goal is to fully master the individual topics: Strengthen the Argument, Weaken The Argument, Resolve the Paradox, etc. As you learn about each question type, do focused practice, so that you can track your skill in answering each type. If, for example, you get a weakening question wrong, ask yourself why. Did you make a careless mistake? Did you not recognize the specific question type? Were you doing too much analysis in your head? Did you skip over a keyword in an answer choice? You must thoroughly analyze your mistakes and seek to turn weaknesses into strengths by focusing on the question types you dread seeing and the questions you take a long time to answer correctly.When practicing Reading Comprehension, you need to develop a reading strategy that is both efficient and thorough. Reading too fast and not understanding what you have read are equally as harmful as reading too slow and using up too much time. When attacking Reading Comprehension passages, you must have one clear goal in mind: to understand the context of what you are reading. However, you must do so efficiently, so you need to avoid getting bogged down in the details of each paragraph and instead focus on understanding the main point of each paragraph. That being said, do not fall into the trap of thinking that you can just read the intro and the conclusion and thereby comprehend the main idea of a paragraph. As you read a paragraph, consider how the context of the paragraph relates to previous paragraphs, so you can continue developing your overall understanding of the passage. Furthermore, as you practice Reading Comprehension, focus on the exact types of questions with which you struggle: Find the Main Idea, Inference, Authors Tone, etc. As with Critical Reasoning, analyze your incorrect Reading Comprehension answers to better determine why you tend to get a particular question type wrong, and then improve upon your weaknesses. Keep in mind that GMAT Reading Comprehension passages are not meant to be easy to read. So, to better prepare yourself to analyze such passages, read magazines with similar content and style, such as The Economist, Scientific American, and Smithsonian.Sentence Correction is a bit of a different animal compared to Reading Comprehension and Critical Reasoning. There are three aspects to getting correct answers to GMAT Sentence Correction questions: what you know, such as grammar rules, what you see, such as violations of grammar rules and the logic of sentence structure, and what you do, such as carefully considering each answer choice in the context of the non-underlined portion of the sentence. To drive up your Sentence Correction score, you likely will have to work on all three of those aspects.Regarding what you know, first and foremost, you MUST know your grammar rules. Let's be clear, though: GMAT Sentence Correction is not really a test of knowledge of grammar rules. The reason for learning the grammar rules is so that you can determine what sentences convey and whether sentences are well-constructed. In fact, in many cases, incorrect answers to Sentence Correction questions are grammatically flawless. Thus, often your task is to use your knowledge of grammar rules to determine which answer choice creates the most logical sentence meaning and structure.This determination of whether sentences are well-constructed and logical is the second aspect of finding correct answers to Sentence Correction questions, what you see. To develop this skill, you probably have to slow way down. You won't develop this skill by spending less than two minutes per question. For a while, anyway, you have to spend time with each question, maybe even ten or fifteen minutes on one question sometimes, analyzing every answer choice until you see the details that you have to see in order to choose the correct answer. As you go through the answer choices, consider the meaning conveyed by each version of the sentence. Does the meaning make sense? Even if you can tell what the version is SUPPOSED to convey, does the version really convey that meaning? Is there a verb to go with the subject? Do all pronouns clearly refer to nouns? By slowing way down and looking for these details, you learn to see what you have to see in order to clearly understand which answer to a Sentence Correction question is correct.There is only one correct answer to any Sentence Correction question, there are clear reasons why that choice is correct and the others are not, and none of those reasons are that the correct version simply "sounds right." In fact, the correct version often sounds a little off at first. That correct answers may sound a little off is not surprising. If the correct answers were always the ones that sounded right, then most people most of the time would get Sentence Correction questions correct, without really knowing why the wrong answers were wrong and the correct answers were correct. So, you have to go beyond choosing what "sounds right" and learn to clearly see the logical reasons why one choice is better than all of the others.As for the third aspect of getting Sentence Correction questions correct, what you do, the main thing you have to do is be very careful. You have to make sure that you are truly considering the structures of sentences and the meanings conveyed rather than allowing yourself to be tricked into choosing trap answers that sound right but don't convey logical meanings. You also have to make sure that you put some real energy into finding the correct answers. Finding the correct answer to a Sentence Correction question may take bouncing from choice to choice until you start to see the differences that make all choices wrong except for one. Often, when you first look at the choices, only one or two seem obviously incorrect. Getting the right answers takes a certain work ethic. You have to take the time to see the differences between answers and to figure out the precise reasons that one choice is correct.To improve what you do when you answer Sentence Correction questions, seek to become aware of how you are going about answering them. Are you being careful and looking for logic and details, or are you quickly eliminating choices that sound a little off, and then choosing the best of the rest? If you choose an incorrect answer, consider what you did to arrive at that answer and what you could do differently to arrive at correct answers more consistently. Furthermore, see how many questions you can get correct in a row as you practice. If you break your streak by missing one, consider what you could do differently to extend your streak.As with your Critical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension regimens, after learning a particular Sentence Correction topic, engage in focused practice with 30 questions or more that involve that topic. As your skills improve, you will want to practice with questions that test you on skills from multiple Sentence Correction topics.Regarding resources, for quant, as @ngina93 mentioned, you should use . We are the top rated GMAT quant course here on GMAT club, and provide you with all you need to truly learn GMAT quant from the ground up.Lastly, you may find it helpful to read this article about How to Score a 700+ on the GMAT A Mini Guide for Success Feel free to reach out with any further questions. Good luck!_________________ Thanks Jumsumtak and Domotron! That was quick - I appreciate it.. its good to know I have some supportAnd I wish you guys the best of luck in the New Year!@ Domotron -It might seem weird that I applied to Said and now I don't sound so keen (lol). The thing is I am naturally on the pessimistic side - and although I have respect for Said's programme, which led me to apply (and I am still not AGAINST joining SBS) - I am just trying to make sure that I am not making an insanely bad choice here because:1. There seems to be a lot of bashing against SBS (inferior biz school on the coat tails of Oxford) on a lot of forums - and that worries me! I don't want to get an MBA and then be judged as a "wannabe" among my peers if and when I break into a consulting practice post-mba.2. The consensus among most of my friends is that I would be under-achieving if I accepted SBS and should rather try for Fuqua/UCLA/Darden - and I assumed that SBS was a better choice over these (mostly because of the prestige of Oxford brand). Now while I dont need others to make up my mind for me, I do like to listen to as many inputs as possible to make an informed decision. That's also why im throwing this out into this forum.Great tip - the talking to Derek Walker part! I will do that ASAP! And I am aiming for Tier 2 consulting firms although I cannot help but dream of M/B/B@Jumsuntak -1.) Applying to any schools in R2? Duke/Darden/Ross etc. are on a similar tier and place really well in the consulting industry.- No - for some reason I was drained with all the applications and interviews after R1 and had a lot of personal stuff going on in DecemberWould a Duke or a Darden MBA be a better choice for consulting?2.) Are you ok to apply next year? Or rather, is there a pressing need (external circumstances) that you should go to school this fall?- I would prefer to join this year, as I feel my career is stagnating haha and I am already 28..3.) Have you talked to any Said MBA internationals on recruitment?- I have contacted quite a few Indian students via email and Linkedin.. and they admit that the visa issue will always be an obstacle, but a lot of them have managed to tie down offers in firms such as Oliver Wyman or E&Y.4.) Where do you want to work post MBA? If you are thinking of returning back to India immediately, the Oxford brand may pull it off for you. (for tier 2s and big 4s)- In the short term I would like to work in the UK if possible - but in the long term I would want to be in Asia (Singapore/India) In Baltimore and Beyond, a Stolen N.S.A. Tool Wreaks Havoc By Nicole Perlroth and Scott Shane The National Security Agency headquarters in Maryland. A leaked N.S.A. cyberweapon, EternalBlue, has caused billions of dollars in damage worldwide. A recent attack took place in Baltimore, the agencys own backyard. Credit CreditJim Lo Scalzo/EPA, via REX, via Shutterstock For nearly three weeks, Baltimore has struggled with a cyberattack by digital extortionists that has frozen thousands of computers, shut down email and disrupted real estate sales, water bills, health alerts and many other services. But here is what frustrated city employees and residents do not know: A key component of the malware that cybercriminals used in the attack was developed at taxpayer expense a short drive down the Baltimore-Washington Parkway at the National Security Agency, according to security experts briefed on the case. Since 2017, when the N.S.A. lost control of the tool, EternalBlue, it has been picked up by state hackers in North Korea, Russia and, more recently, China, to cut a path of destruction around the world, leaving billions of dollars in damage. But over the past year, the cyberweapon has boomeranged back and is now showing up in the N.S.A.s own backyard. It is not just in Baltimore. Security experts say EternalBlue attacks have reached a high, and cybercriminals are zeroing in on vulnerable American towns and cities, from Pennsylvania to Texas, paralyzing local governments and driving up costs. The N.S.A. connection to the attacks on American cities has not been previously reported, in part because the agency has refused to discuss or even acknowledge the loss of its cyberweapon, dumped online in April 2017 by a still-unidentified group calling itself the Shadow Brokers. Years later, the agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation still do not know whether the Shadow Brokers are foreign spies or disgruntled insiders. Thomas Rid, a cybersecurity expert at Johns Hopkins University, called the Shadow Brokers episode the most destructive and costly N.S.A. breach in history, more damaging than the better-known leak in 2013 from Edward Snowden, the former N.S.A. contractor. The government has refused to take responsibility, or even to answer the most basic questions, Mr. Rid said. Congressional oversight appears to be failing. The American people deserve an answer. The N.S.A. and F.B.I. declined to comment. Since that leak, foreign intelligence agencies and rogue actors have used EternalBlue to spread malware that has paralyzed hospitals, airports, rail and shipping operators, A.T.M.s and factories that produce critical vaccines. Now the tool is hitting the United States where it is most vulnerable, in local governments with aging digital infrastructure and fewer resources to defend themselves. On May 7, city workers in Baltimore had their computers frozen by hackers. Officials have refused to pay the $100,000 ransom.Credit. Before it leaked, EternalBlue was one of the most useful exploits in the N.S.A.s cyberarsenal. According to three former N.S.A. operators who spoke on the condition of anonymity, analysts spent almost a year finding a flaw in Microsofts software and writing the code to target it. Initially, they referred to it as EternalBluescreen because it often crashed computers a risk that could tip off their targets. But it went on to become a reliable tool used in countless intelligence-gathering and counterterrorism missions. EternalBlue was so valuable, former N.S.A. employees said, that the agency never seriously considered alerting Microsoft about the vulnerabilities, and held on to it for more than five years before the breach forced its hand. The Baltimore attack, on May 7, was a classic ransomware assault. City workers screens suddenly locked, and a message in flawed English demanded about $100,000 in Bitcoin to free their files: Weve watching you for days, said the message, obtained by The Baltimore Sun. We wont talk more, all we know is MONEY! Hurry up! Today, Baltimore remains handicapped as city officials refuse to pay, though workarounds have restored some services. Without EternalBlue, the damage would not have been so vast, experts said. The tool exploits a vulnerability in unpatched software that allows hackers to spread their malware faster and farther than they otherwise could. North Korea was the first nation to co-opt the tool, for an attack in 2017 called WannaCry that paralyzed the British health care system, German railroads and some 200,000 organizations around the world. Next was Russia, which used the weapon in an attack called NotPetya that was aimed at Ukraine but spread across major companies doing business in the country. The assault cost FedEx more than $400 million and Merck, the pharmaceutical giant, $670 million. The damage didnt stop there. In the past year, the same Russian hackers who targeted the 2016 American presidential election used EternalBlue to compromise hotel Wi-Fi networks. Iranian hackers have used it to spread ransomware and hack airlines in the Middle East, according to researchers at the security firms Symantec and FireEye. Its incredible that a tool which was used by intelligence services is now publicly available and so widely used, said Vikram Thakur, Symantecs director of security response. One month before the Shadow Brokers began dumping the agencys tools online in 2017, the N.S.A. aware of the breach reached out to Microsoft and other tech companies to inform them of their software flaws. Microsoft released a patch, but hundreds of thousands of computers worldwide remain unprotected. Microsoft employees reviewing malware data at the companys offices in Redmond, Wash. EternalBlue exploits a flaw in unpatched Microsoft software.CreditKyle Johnson for The New York Times Hackers seem to have found a sweet spot in Baltimore, Allentown, Pa., San Antonio and other local, American governments, where public employees oversee tangled networks that often use out-of-date software. Last July, the Department of Homeland Security issued a dire warning that state and local governments were getting hit by particularly destructive malware that now, security researchers say, has started relying on EternalBlue to spread. Microsoft, which tracks the use of EternalBlue, would not name the cities and towns affected, citing customer privacy. But other experts briefed on the attacks in Baltimore, Allentown and San Antonio confirmed the hackers used EternalBlue. Security responders said they were seeing EternalBlue pop up in attacks almost every day. Amit Serper, head of security research at Cybereason, said his firm had responded to EternalBlue attacks at three different American universities, and found vulnerable servers in major cities like Dallas, Los Angeles and New York. The costs can be hard for local governments to bear. The Allentown attack, in February last year, disrupted city services for weeks and cost about $1 million to remedy plus another $420,000 a year for new defenses, said Matthew Leibert, the citys chief information officer. He described the package of dangerous computer code that hit Allentown as commodity malware, sold on the dark web and used by criminals who dont have specific targets in mind. There are warehouses of kids overseas firing off phishing emails, Mr. Leibert said, like thugs shooting military-grade weapons at random targets. The malware that hit San Antonio last September infected a computer inside Bexar County sheriffs office and tried to spread across the network using EternalBlue, according to two people briefed on the attack. This past week, researchers at the security firm Palo Alto Networks discovered that a Chinese state group, Emissary Panda, had hacked into Middle Eastern governments using EternalBlue. You cant hope that once the initial wave of attacks is over, it will go away, said Jen Miller-Osborn, a deputy director of threat intelligence at Palo Alto Networks. We expect EternalBlue will be used almost forever, because if attackers find a system that isnt patched, it is so useful. Adm. Michael S. Rogers, who led the N.S.A. during the leak, has said the agency should not be blamed for the trail of damage.CreditErin Schaff for The New York Times Until a decade or so ago, the most powerful cyberweapons belonged almost exclusively to intelligence agencies N.S.A. officials used the term NOBUS, for nobody but us, for vulnerabilities only the agency had the sophistication to exploit. But that advantage has hugely eroded, not only because of the leaks, but because anyone can grab a cyberweapons code once its used in the wild. Some F.B.I. and Homeland Security officials, speaking privately, said more accountability at the N.S.A. was needed. A former F.B.I. official likened the situation to a government failing to lock up a warehouse of automatic weapons. In an interview in March, Adm. Michael S. Rogers, who was director of the N.S.A. during the Shadow Brokers leak, suggested in unusually candid remarks that the agency should not be blamed for the long trail of damage. If Toyota makes pickup trucks and someone takes a pickup truck, welds an explosive device onto the front, crashes it through a perimeter and into a crowd of people, is that Toyotas responsibility? he asked. The N.S.A. wrote an exploit that was never designed to do what was done. At Microsofts headquarters in Redmond, Wash., where thousands of security engineers have found themselves on the front lines of these attacks, executives reject that analogy. I disagree completely, said Tom Burt, the corporate vice president of consumer trust, insisting that cyberweapons could not be compared to pickup trucks. These exploits are developed and kept secret by governments for the express purpose of using them as weapons or espionage tools. Theyre inherently dangerous. When someone takes that, theyre not strapping a bomb to it. Its already a bomb. Brad Smith, Microsofts president, has called for a Digital Geneva Convention to govern cyberspace, including a pledge by governments to report vulnerabilities to vendors, rather than keeping them secret to exploit for espionage or attacks. Last year, Microsoft, along with Google and Facebook, joined 50 countries in signing on to a similar call by French President Emmanuel Macron the Paris Call for Trust and Security in Cyberspace to end malicious cyber activities in peacetime. Notably absent from the signatories were the worlds most aggressive cyberactors: China, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Russia and the United States. " " Would a sex contract lessen some of the issues associated with casual encounters? PhotoAlto/Anne-Sophie Bost/Getty Images Revelations of sex abuse, both proven and alleged, are everywhere these days, from Harvey Weinstein to recent claims against comedian Aziz Ansari. As a result, the concept of consent has come roaring to the forefront, causing some people to engage in frank discussions and others to look for ways to prevent allegations down the road. To assist with all that comes an app called LegalFling , the brainchild of Dutch firm LegalThings. The app, which is in development and seeking funding, would record a sexual consent agreement, then store it in the blockchain where it could be called upon should the need arise. Advertisement "During a fun night you meet your fling. Now it's time to get consent. Does your fling really want to take it further? Simply open the LegalFling app, scroll to your contacts and send a request. Your sexual preferences, including your do's and don'ts are automatically communicated," says the website. The app generates what the app developers refer to as a "Live Contract," which they say is a "legally binding agreement. Just remember, the app is about setting clear rules and boundries [sic], not breaking them. To which extent the contract holds up in court depends on your country of residence." The app also allows partners to set parameters of things that are or aren't allowed, like explicit language and photo/video-taking. Users can also specify that a partner must be free of STDs and whether or not a condom is required. Boston-based criminal defense attorney Keren Goldenberg likes that the app forces the participants to communicate their parameters, as well as their likes and dislikes. However, she cautions, "Sex contracts would never be legally binding to establish consent. Imagine a scenario where two people plan to have casual sex and they use this app to establish consent and set boundaries. Then one of the participants goes to the police and says that [she] changed [her] mind and was forced to do what they had originally agreed to do. That would be sufficient [for the partner] to be charged with sexual assault. "The contract would certainly go to the accused's state of mind why he thought that his partner was consenting which would be relevant in a situation where the party who claims to have been unwilling was not very vocal about her wishes. But it's not a decisive legal defense it would be part of the jury's consideration. The contract may be helpful for the accused but would not serve as a defense," she emails. For their part, the app site says that consent can be withdrawn at any time, with one touch; or apply to just a few hours. Indeed, this isn't as new-fangled as it might seem, although the legal contract component is taking things to a new level. "Some people already use apps to negotiate sex more informally and in non-legally binding ways," says Dr. Jess O'Reilly, Astroglide's resident sexologist in an email interview. "People often send texts indicating what they like and outlining their boundaries. Others use apps (like InTheMood app) to communicate their desires. This app builds upon digital approaches that are already in use." For some, the app approach could take some of the awkwardness out of a sexual encounter. "Most of us don't have a lot of experience speaking openly and honestly about pleasure and values and bodies, so when it comes to being frank with an intimate partner about what we want and what they want, we can feel unprepared. Apps like these might be trying to bridge that communication gap," says Kristen Gilbert, education director at Options for Sexual Health. "It's also clear to me that, rather than listening to what people are sharing about their #metoo experiences, lots of folks are reacting defensively. An app like this would appeal those who think, 'I guess the only solution is a contract!'" O'Reilly notes that consent isn't a one and done deal people may feel differently about sex with the same partner from one day to the next. Also, "Affirmative or enthusiastic consent isn't just about ticking a box for example, am I ticking that box because I really want to engage in a specific act or because my partner is looking over my shoulder pressuring me?" Finally she adds,"If you're starting from the angle of 'let's sign this contract so I can cover my butt and make sure I'm not accused of anything unsavory,' it's not a good place from which to begin a sexual relationship." Now That's Interesting Sweden is proposing to change its consent laws so that someone could be prosecuted for rape if it could be proved the accuser hadn't given explicit verbal consent or demonstrated their desire. Previously, the law stated there had to be threats or violence for the sexual encounter to be considered rape. Smith Elementary School was where Rachel Jackovac, 17, and Sonja Severtson, 18, first became friends. Now the pair will graduate from Helena High School together. "I'm mentioning you in my valedictorian speech," Jakovac said to Severtson with a laugh. "It's brief but I had to get it in there." If you go What: Helena High School graduation ceremony When: Saturday, June 1, at 2 p.m. Where: Nelson stadium. In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be moved to Carroll College's gymnasium. More info: 345 seniors are graduating. Terry Beaver, vice chair of Helena's school board, will be the commencement speaker. Beaver is a retired teacher of 37 years and a Helena High School graduate. Severtson on the other hand decided against giving a valedictorian speech. Though the two may not be as close as they were in elementary school, they have followed each other all throughout school and remained in touch. Both are valedictorians. Both are Helena Education Foundation distinguished scholars. Severtson is the National Honor Society president. Jakovac is the NHS vice president. Severtson, a violinist, and Jakovac, a pianist, have both spent the past several years in band and have both been to the state music festival multiple times. However, that time is coming to an end. Soon both will graduate and travel to different parts of the United States. Jakovac will be attending the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. She received a full-ride scholarship for being the "distinguished young woman of Montana," an honor given by the national Distinguished Young Women scholarship organization. She intends to study political science and marketing. Jakovac wants to be a politician. When they were kids, both Jakovac and Severtson wanted to be president one day. However, Severtson grew away from the desire for politics. Instead the former concertmaster and orchestra club president will be going to the University of Chicago. There she received both the university and dean's scholarship. She isn't totally sure what she wants to study, but has settled on being a math major for now. "I'll miss Montana. I'll miss my friends, but they are all moving away too," Severtson said. "But I think I'm ready to be done with high school." Neither student has become overly sentimental about their time at Helena High School just yet. "I'm very excited for the future," Jakovac said. "I'm a little sad to be leaving Montana, but I'll be back. So I'm just looking forward to this chapter in my life." Jakovac said she will miss the simple things about high school. She mentioned eating lunch and hanging out with her friends as profound moments for her. "All the people I've met made my education a lot better," Jakovac said. For Severtson, it's the music that she'll miss the most. "I've done so much with them," Severtson said. "The program was so small and struggling when I got here, but it's gotten so much better and I'm really proud of them. I'll miss them and traveling to all the different concerts." Principal Steve Thennis described Severtson and Jakovac as "rock stars" of Helena High. They will be among the 345 students who graduate on Saturday, June 1. Love 8 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. GREAT FALLS A former Montana sheriff's deputy has pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child. The Great Falls Tribune reports 52-year-old Virgil Allen Wolfe entered his plea May 17. He faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years up to 30 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on Aug. 29. His trial had been scheduled to begin on Tuesday. Wolfe was arrested in February on 80 state charges after a 17-year-old girl reported Wolfe had been molesting her since she was 6 years old, including taking photographs of her. Federal prosecutors later took over the case. Wolfe was a sheriff's deputy in Lewis and Clark County from 1999 to 2008 until then-Sheriff Cheryl Leidle fired him for unrelated reasons. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 6 Members of the state Legislature on Wednesday started a process that will run the next year and a half to study their operations and examine the possibility of moving to annual sessions. A bill carried by Republican Sen. Ryan Osmundson, a Republican from Buffalo, that passed in the recently adjourned session calls for a group of lawmakers to evaluate moving to a 45-day session every year, tackling policies in odd-numbered years and the state budget in even-numbered years. The idea of annual sessions has been thrown around a lot, Osmundson told members of the Legislative Council and Legislative Finance Committee, the two groups tasked with coming up with recommendations for the full Legislature by November 2020. Only four states hold legislative sessions every other year Montana, Nevada, North Dakota and Texas, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. In 1973 and 1974 the Legislature held its only annual sessions, which were called for in the 1972 Montana Constitution. However, in 1974 voters in a constitutional initiative reverted the Legislature back to 90-day sessions in odd-numbered years only. Interim committees also meet between sessions to study topics and receive information and reports from state agencies. The committees can draft and recommend bills for the upcoming session, but they do not have the authority to create or change laws. In the session that adjourned in April, a record-high number of bills were requested, 3,324, and committees faced long days of hearings and sometimes had to limit public comment to allow for enough time to do their work. Rep. Mary Ann Dunwell, a Democrat from Helena, said annual sessions could be a way to give the public more ways to participate in government. I think were just trying to squeeze too much into 90 days, Dunwell said. Members of the joint committee that met Wednesday also discussed concerns over how to retain legislators with experience in the face of term limits and said they wanted to look at ways to build up experience, especially with the state budget. Some said annual sessions would be helpful for House members, who now serve just one session between reelection bids. There was also discussions about ways to increase the strength of the legislative branch, which now only spends 90 days in Helena every other year compared to an executive branch that occupies the building year-round. Sen. Margie MacDonald, a Democrat from Billings, called Montanas setup a 19th century system in a 21st century world. In many ways it hobbles our ability and our capacity to be responsive to the rapidly changing times in which we live, MacDonald said. There were concerns raised that annual sessions might change the makeup of the Legislature, based on who would be able to spend 45 days in Helena every year. Montana has a citizen legislature format, which is common in low-population and rural states. Lawmakers also talked about ways to increase communication between those who work on policy issues and those that deal with the state budget. In other business Wednesday, the Legislative Council approved all 27 study resolutions passed by lawmakers to be taken up during the interim. As interim committees meet, they will set their work plans to dictate which studies get priority among their required work. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 9 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Montana Secretary of State Corey Stapleton is attempting to overrule Gov. Steve Bullock's veto of a bill by saying the governor did not deliver the rejected bill to him in time. Stapleton, a Republican, said Wednesday the Democratic governor's veto of a bill clarifying the definition of bison wasn't delivered to him within 10 days, so it automatically becomes law. Bullock veto letter is dated April 29, four days after it was delivered to him and after the Legislature had adjourned. Stapleton says the bill was not returned to him until May 22. State law says if the Legislature is not in session, the governor will return the vetoed bill to the secretary of state. It also says that a bill that has not been returned by the governor within 10 days after its delivery to the governor becomes law. Bullock spokeswoman Marissa Perry says Stapleton is confused. Love 3 Funny 5 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 7 May 12 was a special Mothers Day for me, having just given birth to my first child Ruby only nine weeks earlier. The first two months of motherhood have been an incredible adventure with highs and lows. The challenges of motherhood have dimmed in comparison to the joy of helping Ruby navigate this brand new world; they have also been softened by the outpouring of kindness from others. Friends stopping by with home-cooked meals, family sending gift cards for last minute expenses, and kind neighbors taking a babysitting shift while I head to doctor appointments. Without our community of support, parenting would have been next to impossible these first few months of Rubys life. From family and neighbor support to good policies that provide a safety net during the critical time period of pregnancy and early parenthood, Montanans understand that it takes a village to raise a child. However, without good policies in place, privilege and chance determine access to things like health insurance, reliable housing, paid family leave, affordable child care, and the ability to receive safe medical services for all pregnancy outcomes, including miscarriage management, delivery or abortion. Being able to spend these first two months with Ruby because of paid family leave offered through Forward Montana, the organization I work for, has allowed Ruby and me time to recover and bond. While Im grateful for this time, I know that most parents dont have this option. In fact only 13% of Americans have paid family leave. Furthermore, the Family Medical Leave Act, which requires large employers to offer unpaid leave, only applies to 1 out of 3 Montanans. How many young Montanans can take unpaid time off work, while also paying down on debt and providing for a new child? Is it any wonder, that despite a growing economy last year, the United States saw the lowest number of births in over three decades, according to a recent CDC report? Every other industrialized nation offers paid family leave, and some states have been providing paid leave for over a decade. Paid leave programs support parents when they have a new child, and workers when theyre seriously ill or caring for a family member with a serious illness. Check out the Time for Montana campaign (timeformontana.org) to learn more about paid family leave and sick days in Montana. Paid leave is only a starting point for re-imagining a system that supports families and addresses inequalities. The United States is the only industrialized nation in which maternal mortality rates continue to climb with Native American mothers dying at a rate 2.5 times greater than white mothers, and black mothers dying at a rate that's 3.3 times greater than white mothers. A new study from the CDC indicates that 60% of these deaths are preventable. From providing comprehensive health care and paid family leave to addressing racial bias in our health care system, its time we demand more for Montanas moms and families. When Ruby and her generation are old enough to become parents, it will ultimately be the failure of our generations imagination and determination if their healthy start as parents is limited by their zip code, race, employer, or health insurance status. Rachel Huff-Doria is executive director of Forward Montana, a statewide organization that builds political power with and for young Montanans by driving a culture of civic engagement. She lives with her family in Missoula and is currently on family leave. Love 2 Funny 15 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 5 For some time, I'd been toying with whether or not to write this post on bed sheets. For months, I'd been researching, testing and assessing sheets with the goal of identifying what I could offer you as the Best Inexpensive ones. You may recall that about two years ago, I did achieve my goal. And then, some things changed. One of our Best Inexpensive options was discontinued! Since then, new options have appeared. Sheet snob When it comes to bed sheets, I am particular. Call me a sheet snob. It's not a matter of decor or brand. It's the way the sheets feel. They should be smooth and wrinkle-free. They need to breathe and not stick to me. But they can't be slick, slippery, crunchy or noisy. For me, sheets have to fit well, too. Above all, my sheets must be 100% cotton. Not linen, not microfiber or polyester or any other type of fiber or blend thereof. For my testing, I purchased contenders from luxury brands to less pricey ones. Companies did not send me samples to test. Here are the sheets, along with my reviews. Boll and Branch Price: $260 (Cal king) After several months of use, the fabric weave and hand (the way it feels to the touch) are excellent. The sheets come out of the dryer semi-wrinkled a characteristic of any 100% cotton sheet and I iron them. Yes, I do iron sheets. However, they are cut too generously. The fitted sheet is too large to create a nice tight fit. It's baggy. And the flat sheet is oversized, hanging almost to the floor. And that price! Red Land Cotton Price: $260 (Cal king) Another company with high marks, Red Land Cotton, grows and manufactures its luxury cotton bed linens right here in the USA, a feature I like a lot! I was hopeful enough to order a Red Land Cotton Classic set. As usual, I laundered the sheets before the first use. They came out of the dryer very wrinkled, so out came the ironing board. After several weeks of use and multiple washes and ironings, both my husband and I found the Red Land Classic sheets to have a stiff, heavy and almost rough hand. They feel to us as if they've been starched. I'm not thrilled. These sheets keep me awake. So does the price. Giza Dreams Price: $185 (Cal king) The pitch is that they are made of 100% Egyptian cotton grown in a specific Middle Eastern region known as Giza and promised "the most comfortable sheets you will ever own." After four nights, we concluded these sheets are lovely, but there is nothing about them that I find to be worth the extra price. Best inexpensive Once again, I have found the best sheets at a fair price at JCPenney, in two options I'm calling "luxury" and "excellent." Both are available online and in store. Best inexpensive luxury bed sheets The Liz Claiborne 400tc Sateen Sheet Set is my pick for the Best Inexpensive luxury 100% cotton bed sheets (comparable to our previous Royal Velvet option, which JCPenney has discontinued). These sheets are velvety soft, which helps to make them wrinkle-resistant provided you do not overdry. These sheets are smooth, luxurious not noisy, rough or any other negative thing on my list of "cannot tolerate." They launder beautifully in hot water and come out of the dryer nearly wrinkle-free. Price: $140 (Cal king) (As I write, with an online coupon applied, the price dropped to $84.) Best inexpensive excellent bed sheets An excellent, slightly lower-priced option is JCPenney Home 300tc Cotton Sheet Set. These 100% cotton sheets are nice; they fit up to a 15-inch-deep mattress and get softer every time they are laundered. They're smooth and not noisy. These sheets are a great value and do not violate anything on my picky list. Price: $130 (Cal king) (As I write, with an online coupon applied, the price dropped to $52.) Finally, I'm one happy camper I mean sleeper. mary@everydaycheapskate.com|Everyday Cheapskate, Box 2099 Cypress, CA 90630 Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 DECATUR Decatur Public Schools leaders plan to offer a before- and after-school program for elementary and middle-school students next year, responding to what they said was a high level of parent interest. The Decatur Board of Education on Tuesday approved a partnership with Innovation Learning, a Colorado-based provider of before- and after-school programs and summer camps. The cost will vary for families based on household incomes, officials said. Superintendent Paul Fregeau said the new offerings were another component of the five-year strategic plan that aims to turn Decatur into a destination district for families. I am very excited, Fregeau said. This will really set us apart in this region. Feedback from Decatur families also weighed heavily in the decision. Ashley Grayned, the school districts director of innovative programs, said the district sent out 607 surveys to DPS parents, and 90 percent responded in favor of the district offering before- and after-school student care. It was apparent that parents wanted before- and after-school care, and that was for a number of reasons, Grayned said. Whether it be due to conflicting work and school hours or simply that it was difficult for parents to maneuver multiple students to different schools, the parents expressed they wanted help, and that this was a good way for the district to offer it to them. The program will offer students STEM stations, homework support, tutoring, fitness, team building and social skill development, relaxation time and several other curriculum options, the district said. Grayned said there would be discounts for various circumstances, such as if the family receives state subsidies, if a parent is a member of the military or if a parent is employed by the district. Innovation Learning Executive Director Brett Prilik said fees will be billed on a weekly or daily basis. Parents will not be locked into a contract, and they can sign up for either the morning or afternoon segment individually, or both. We will not turn students away because of financial difficulties, he said. The program will be offered at every elementary and middle-school facility in the district, officials said. Schedules will vary based on the school day for that building, but will be similar to one presented by Grayned on Tuesday: a program starting at 6 a.m. and one ending at 5:30 p.m. Grayned said each program would be staffed by at least two people, a site director and a teacher. More teachers will be added based on how many students enroll, she said. There will be one teacher for every 12 students. Innovation Learning has programs at more than 200 schools nationwide, including 13 in Illinois, all of which are in Chicago and its suburbs. This is a very exciting opportunity because we know we can make a difference here, Prilik said. Contact Analisa Trofimuk at (217) 421-7985. Follow her on Twitter: @AnalisaTro Love 8 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 DECATUR Jey Owens' son, 8-year-old Piersten, became a member of The Boys & Girls Club of Decatur as soon as he was old enough to join last year. I will say that The Boys & Girls Club has been a big impact in his life and made him blossom into the person he is today, said Owens, a recruiter for the Decatur School District. He's been involved in many field trips, different opportunities, he loves working with (Project) Inkwell, and it's been great." The Boys & Girls Club kicked off Paint the Town BLUE in Central Park on Tuesday to build awareness for what the club does for youth in the community. As of today, we will start a campaign which is not a campaign to raise money, but an awareness campaign. We ask you for your support of the youth in this community," said Bruce Jeffery, executive director of the club. "For 45 years, we have served kids in this community who have needed us the most and we want to continue the great work that we've done by ensuring that our kids have a safe place to go for the summer," he added, "but more importantly, we continue to provide quality opportunities and quality expectations and a caring staff who want to see our kids do great." The club is handing out yard signs and window clings to allow the community and businesses to show support for the club. Anyone who wants a sign can call Shamika Bond, director of resource development, at (217) 422-9605. Friends Skyler Click, Alexis St. James and Summer Bond, all 10, hang out together at the club, and they all enjoy dance and gymnastics. I can spend time with friends and I can learn and I can hang out with the staff and talk and have fun and play games, Skyler said. She's been a member about two years. Terence TAT Taylor, a Neuhoff Media radio personality, is a member of the Boys & Girls Club board. Thanks to his work in Decatur schools and his involvement with the community, he said, he's seen what a difference the Boys & Girls Club has made in kids' lives. He wanted to be a member himself, when he was a child, and volunteering with the organization is his way of making a contribution to the youngsters' success, he said. It's an organization that I've been blessed to be a part of, because they take care of the kids outside of school each and every day, he said. It's a safe haven for a lot of kids and a place where they can thrive and shine and showcase their skills and talents. It's not just a place for the kids for safety, but to be amongst friends and family. The wonderful teen center is fantastic and I wish we'd had that when I was growing up, but we have it now. The club continues to grow, too, and held a grand opening for its new teen center in December. It was financed with a $710,000 grant from the Howard G. Buffett Foundation. Buffett, a former Macon County sheriff, previously said that he was providing the money because the club makes a big impact and needs the resources to do important work for the community. Another change will come next month, when Jeffery leaves after 11 years with the organization to take a position with the Greater YMCA of Louisville, Kentucky. He said the Boys & Girls Club board would choose his replacement. Taylor said the board had not yet discussed its next steps in that process, but would be doing so in the coming weeks. "It's priority No. 1 for sure," he said, "the first thing on our agenda." Owens joked that her daughter, who is 3, is too young to be a member of the Boys & Girls Club, and she has to drag her out when they drop off Piersten. I tell her that she's not old enough, and she has to wait her turn, Owens said, laughing. But she also has no doubt the club will be there to help when her daughter is old enough to join. "One thing, if you're a mother and you're busy and you have a career and let's say you're going to school, the one thing you don't want to worry about is where your children are going to be," Owens said. "One thing I know for sure is that I can count on the Decatur Boys and Girls Club to be there for us, and I don't have that care or anything to worry about. Boys & Girls Club celebrates teen center grand opening Contact Valerie Wells at (217) 421-7982. Follow her on Twitter: @modgirlreporter Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly 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. WASHINGTON (AP) Special counsel Robert Mueller said Wednesday that charging President Donald Trump with a crime was "not an option" because of federal rules, but he used his first public remarks on the Russia investigation to emphasize that he did not exonerate the president. "If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so," Mueller declared. The special counsel's remarks stood as a pointed rebuttal to Trump's repeated claims that he was cleared and that the two-year inquiry was merely a "witch hunt." They also marked a counter to criticism, including by Attorney General William Barr, that Mueller should have reached a determination on whether the president illegally tried to obstruct the probe by taking actions such as firing his FBI director. Mueller made clear that his team never considered indicting Trump because the Justice Department prohibits the prosecution of a sitting president. "Charging the president with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider," Mueller said. He said he believed such an action would be unconstitutional. Mueller did not use the word 'impeachment," but said it was the job of Congress not the criminal justice system to hold the president accountable for any wrongdoing. The special counsel's statement largely echoed the central points of his 448-page report,which was released last month with some redactions. But his remarks, just under 10 minutes long and delivered from a Justice Department podium, were extraordinary given that he had never before discussed or characterized his findings and had stayed mute during two years of feverish public speculation. Mueller, a former FBI director, said Wednesday that his work was complete and he was resigning to return to private life. His remarks underscored the unsettled resolution, and revelations of behind-the-scenes discontent, that accompanied the end of his investigation. His refusal to reach a conclusion on criminal obstruction opened the door for Barr to clear the president, who in turn has cited the attorney general's finding as proof of his innocence. Trump, given notice Tuesday evening that Mueller would speak the next morning, watched on television. For weeks, he had been nervous about the possibility about the special counsel testifying before Congress, worried about the visual power of such a public appearance. Shortly after Mueller concluded, the president who has repeatedly and falsely claimed that the report cleared him of obstruction of justice, tweeted a subdued yet still somewhat inaccurate reaction: "Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you" While claiming victory, the tone of the president's tweet was a far cry from the refrain of "total exoneration" that has dominated his declarations. Mueller has privately vented to Barr about the attorney general's handling of the report, while Barr has publicly said he was taken aback by the special counsel's decision to neither exonerate nor incriminate the president. Under pressure to testify before Congress, Mueller did not rule it out. But he seemed to warn lawmakers that they would not be pulling more detail out of him. His report is his testimony, he said. "So beyond what I have said here today and what is contained in our written work," Mueller said, "I do not believe it is appropriate for me to speak further about the investigation or to comment on the actions of the Justice Department or Congress." Mueller's comments, one month after the public release of his report on Russian efforts to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton, appeared intended to both justify the legitimacy of his investigation against complaints by the president and to explain his decision to not reach a conclusion on whether Trump had obstructed justice in the probe. He described wide-ranging and criminal Russian efforts to interfere in the election, including by hacking and spreading disinformation interference that Trump has said Putin rejected to his face in an "extremely strong and powerful" denial. And Mueller called the question of later obstruction by Trump and his campaign a matter of "paramount importance." Mueller said the absence of a conclusion on obstruction should not be mistaken for exoneration. A Justice Department legal opinion "says the Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing," Mueller said. That would shift the next move, if any, to Congress, and the Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, which would investigate further or begin any impeachment effort, commented quickly. New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler said it falls to Congress to respond to the "crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump and we will do so." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has so far discouraged members of her caucus from demanding impeachment, believing it would only help Trump win re-election and arguing that Democrats need to follow a methodical, step by step approach to investigating the president. But she hasn't ruled it out. On the Republican side, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said that Mueller "has decided to move on and let the report speak for itself. Congress should follow his lead." Trump has blocked House committees' subpoenas and other efforts to dig into the Trump-Russia issue, insisting Mueller's report has settled everything. The report found no criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia to tip the outcome of the 2016 presidential election in Trump's favor. But it also did not reach a conclusion on whether the president had obstructed justice. Barr has said he was surprised Mueller did not reach a conclusion on obstruction, though Mueller in his report and again in his statement Wednesday said he had no choice. Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decided on their own that the evidence was not sufficient to support a criminal charge. Barr, who is currently in Alaska for work and was briefed ahead of time on Mueller's statement, has said he asked Mueller during a March conversation if he would have recommended charging Trump "but for" the Office of Legal Counsel opinion, and that Mueller said "no." "Under longstanding department policy, a president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office," Mueller said. "That is unconstitutional. Even if the charge is kept under seal and hidden from public view that, too, is prohibited." Mueller, for his part, earlier complained privately to Barr that he believed a four-page letter from the attorney general summarizing the report's main conclusions did not adequately represent his findings. Barr has said he considered Mueller's criticism to be a bit "snitty." ____ Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick, Lisa Mascaro and Jonathan Lemire contributed to this report. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 SPRINGFIELD The Illinois Senate is considering a bill that would expand the states general ban on smoking in public places to include e-cigarettes and other alternative nicotine products, but the vaping industry is resisting, saying their products do not produce smoke and dont pose the same public health risks. During a hearing Tuesday in the Senate Public Health Committee, supporters of the bill argued that the public health effects from exposure to second-hand fumes from those devices are still unknown, but that the state has an interest in regulating their use. Electronic cigarettes are completely unregulated tobacco products that have been sold in the United States for a little over a decade, said Kathy Drea, vice president of the American Lung Association of the Upper Midwest. Because there has been no (Food and Drug Administration) review of the products on the market, we do not know what is in each individual product. She said there are a number of different devices on the market that are known collectively as electronic nicotine delivery systems, or ENDS. All of them, though, use an electronic heating element that converts a nicotine-containing liquid into a vapor that is inhaled. The bill being considered is Senate Bill 1864, which passed out of the committee on March 5, but was sent back to the committee recently for a technical amendment to make the language consistent with the states new Tobacco 21 law, which prohibits selling tobacco products to people under age 21. Sen. Terry Link, D-Vernon Hills, the bills chief sponsor, said that because of the lack of regulation, e-cigarettes and other vaping products have become pervasive among underage people in public schools. We have an epidemic because these young kids are using these in the school systems, he said. Ive had mayors, Ive had school principals, Ive had school superintendents, Ive had teachers talk to me: Figure out a way to get these out of our schools. But Craig Kitson, who lobbies for the Smoke-Free Alternatives Coalition of Illinois, argued that vaping products are one way to help people quit smoking tobacco, and he said he believes the bill goes too far. The Smoke-Free Act is about protecting others from the dangers of smoke from combustible tobacco. I think we all can agree that it is very necessary to have the Smoke-Free Act here in Illinois, he said. To add vaping products into this legislation ignores the basic fact that vapor products do not contain smoke. Kitson said that at the very least, the bill should exempt retail stores that sell vaping products from the ban because thats where people go to try out the products and devices. Link, however, said he had tried to negotiate with opponents of the bill to no avail, and with only a few days left in the 2019 session, he didnt want to delay enacting the new law any longer. He added, however, that he would be willing to work on follow-up legislation to be considered next year. The committee approved the amendment and sent the bill back to the full Senate. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 House Democrats last week voted to reverse a Trump Administration rule that the left has branded as promoting "junk insurance." So note that the vote arrives the same week as a fresh analysis about how short-term health insurance can be a better option than ObamaCare. The Trump Administration last year allowed for short-term, limited-duration health insurance that can last up to a year. Plans can be renewed up to 36 months without new medical underwriting, which can protect against higher premiums if someone falls sick. The Obama Administration limited short-term insurance to three months to force everyone into the ObamaCare exchanges. The Trump crowd thought short-term plans could be viable for relatively healthy folks who earn too much for subsidies and are soaked by Affordable Care Act prices. Democrats claim these are "garbage" plans designed to trick Americans. Speaker Nancy Pelosi tweeted this month that the Trump Administration "is fighting to replace many Americans' health care with junk insurance policies that are allowed to discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions." Short-term offerings are nascent and several states ban them, with restrictions in about two dozen others, which limits data. But Chris Pope at the Manhattan Institute offered a useful comparison in a paper last week. Pope examines Fulton County in Georgia, where ObamaCare premiums hover around the national average and multiple insurers compete on the exchange. Short-term insurance is available, consistent with the new federal rules. A Blue Cross bronze ObamaCare plan -- which covers about 60% of medical expenses -- for a 30-year-old male who doesn't smoke runs $296 a month in premiums. The plan carries a $5,200 deductible, with a maximum out-of-pocket cost of $7,900. UnitedHealthcare's short-term plan that lasts 360 days? Monthly premium: $209, nearly 30% lower. The deductible and out-of-pocket caps are also lower, at $5,000 and $7,000, respectively. The savings are greater for a more generous silver plan: $467 a month in premiums on the exchange versus $250 for a comparable short-term plan. Pope says that while "narrow-network HMOs are often the only plans available through the ACA exchange," short-term plans "tend to be PPOs that offer broader access to providers." Not every plan covers, say, mental health or prescription drugs, but many do, and not every customer wants to pay for every benefit. A February survey from eHealth found that 80% of those who bought short-term insurance said affordable premiums were more important than comprehensive benefits. Some 61% considered coverage that complies with the Affordable Care Act before looking at short-term options. Democrats predicted that the short-term rule would siphon patients from the exchanges and send premiums soaring, which hasn't happened. Pope notes that Affordable Care Act premiums increased 3% on average for 2019, and that 92 of 124 requested rate increases didn't even mention short-term insurance as a significant factor in higher rates. The effect on premiums has been negligible. Anyone with a tough medical condition and modest earnings will likely be better off on the exchanges, where coverage is generously subsidized. But plenty of Americans may conclude that short-term plans are better. The Democratic response to this individual choice? In the words of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer: "Democrats will do everything in our power to stop this." -- The Wall Street Journal Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The key is to let nature lead the way, says Jean-Eric Paquet, the European Commission's Director General for Research and Innovation "The HoseMaster is the funniest satirist writing about wine in the world today." --Karen MacNeil --Terry Theise HoseMaster HoseMaster HoseMaster --Robert Parker "...With sometimes crude analogies and occasional droppings of f-bombs, Washam cleverly uses satire to expose the underbelly of the wine business. It's often hilarious stuff as long as you're not the one being lampooned. Washam takes no prisoners in skewering all that is silly, stupid, frustrating and pretentious about wine, and his favorite targets are other bloggers and writers. No one is immune." -- Linda Murphy in "Vineyard and Winery Management" -- JancisRobinson.com " Hosemaster of Wine First: Im not sure if there is anyone better at cutting through the confidence trick that is often intrinsic to the business of wine. Second: in a world where offending people appears to border on the illegal, the Hosemaster piles in. No one is safe." --Joss Fowler "Vinolent.com" "As serious as the world of wine is, it does allow time for humor. Each Monday and Thursday, Ron Washam customarily posts a commentary on his needling wine blog HoseMaster of Wine . Washam, a former sommelier and comedy writer he might say they are closely related is the most opinionated, humorous and ribald observer in the wine world. His body of work is irreverent and remorseless. Its almost always satire and parody, though he occasionally drifts into straight commentary, sometimes even with tasting notes. This past year, one of his posts was named the best of the year in the Wine Blog Awards. His success has spawned several imitations, which in their awkwardness show just how difficult satire is." --Mike Dunne, Sacramento Bee Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/21/6089630/dunne-on-wine-wine-blogs-and-bloggers.html#storylink=cpy "Please let this guy write the scripts for Saturday Night Live which has gotten so lame...his newest "wisdom" is worth an Emmy....I wonder if he is the genius behind all those Hitler/Parker,etc. clips? No one else is remotely as funny or as talented.And the wine world sure needs someone to poke fun at all the nonsense and phoney/baloney unsufferable crap out there." --Robert Parker " Washam uses his own blog, HoseMaster of Wine , to skewer the industry in general and wine blogs in particular. If your mouse scoots to your browser's close box while reading a wine blog, Washam may be the blogger for you." -- San Francisco Chronicle "Ron Washam, former sommelier, is easily the most bitingly funny blogger/wine writer that we have ever come across. He is an equal opportunity crusader who pillories big wineries and amateur bloggers alike, as well as everything and everyone in between...One needs a sense of humor and a tolerance for earthiness to enjoy reading The Hosemaster . We must have both because this guy deserves a wider audience, in our humble opinion." --Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine --Steve Heimoff "This site should carry a warning label. It's sort of a Dave Barry/George Carlin approach to wine. The Hosemaster (real name Ron Washam) skewers fellow bloggers and industry savants with glee, while offering hilarious wine guides such as his Honest Guide to Grapes... --Paul Gregutt, Seattle Times "Washam is a skilled wine judge (I have judged with him) who is willing to judge wine double blind, in public . To my knowledge, Parker does not do this and never has. So Ron's credentials are in place, and so is his sense of the absurd." --Dan Berger, VintageExperiences "...I consider Ron a talented writer and Ive long been an admirer of his scathing wit..." --1WineDude "And if any free sites think they can conquer the world, theres always the Hosemaster to take em down a notch." --Tyler Colman "Dr. Vino" --Jo Diaz "Juicy Tales by Jo Diaz" "I must say you are an idiot. I've never liked you. I have no idea why people find you funny." --Reign of Terroir --Will Lyons (WSJ) on Twitter --Levi Dalton on Twitter very Ivan Ssenabulya Entebbe municipality mayor Vincent Kayanja Dipo has been rushed to Kampala hospital in critical condition following an accident Kampala-Entebbe expressway highway. The accident occurred near Katabi trading centre. The opposition Democratic Party secretary General Gerald Siranda says Dipo was first admitted at Entebbe Grade B hospital before being transferred. Kayanjas vehicle, which had four occupants, reportedly swerved off the road after a tire burst and overturned more than three times towards Kajjansi junction along the Expressway. This is the third accident to occur on the Express way this week. 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 It was jubilation as hundreds of foot pilgrims from Gulu Archdiocese arrived at the Namugongo Catholic Shrine in Wakiso District ahead of the Uganda Martyrs Day celebrations slated for June 3. Believers praising God and waving flags arrived at the Catholic Shrine at around 3.30pm amid tight security comprising of the army and police dressed both in uniform and civilian wear. The pilgrims who set off from Gulu Archdiocese early this month to prepare for this years celebrations carried jerrycans and bottles to carry the blessed water from the martyrs shrine. Rev. Fr. Samuel Mwaka Okidi, the chairman of the publicity committee for Gulu Archdiocese says that about 400 foot pilgrims including other groups that joined the trek along the way arrived safety today. Earlier on, the Archbishop of Gulu, John Baptist Odama who received the pilgrims at Namugongo described the Martyrs day celebrations as an opportunity for the Archdiocese to learn from the martyrs faithful obedience to Jesus Christ and to seek their intercession. CHARLESTON -- A man was sentenced to prison for having a package with methamphetamine shipped to his Mattoon home. Douglas E. Thompson, 49, received a four-year prison term for the charge of attempted possession of a methamphetamine with intent to deliver to which he pleaded guilty in March. Police records in Thompson's case say U.S. Postal Service workers became suspicious of package addressed to Thompson's address on June 19. After police obtained a search warrant, they found about seven ounces of the drug in the package, the records say. Thompson admitted to arranging that shipment, as well as others, when he was questioned by police, according to the records. Coles County Circuit Judge James Glenn sentenced Thompson after hearing recommendations from prosecutor Ralph Fowler and Assistant Public Defender Stephanie Corum. Records also show that Thompson has three other felony methamphetamine offense convictions in Coles County. In other cases in court recently, Glenn accepted guilty pleas from: Scott R. Schwartz, 39, of Charleston, to a charge of threatening a public official accusing him of saying he was going to shoot a Coles County probation officer on June 14. With the agreement in his case, Schwartz was sentenced to two years in prison for the conviction that could have brought a two- to 10-year prison term. Prison time wasn't required, but he was eligible for up to twice the usual maximum sentence because of his prior convictions. Case records say Schwartz confronted and threatened the probation officer, who was helping respond to a report of a disturbance in which Schwartz was involved on the Charleston courthouse square. Glenn accepted a plea agreement that Assistant State's Attorney Tom Bucher and Public Defender Anthony Ortega recommended. Alyssa L. Shain, 26, of Mattoon, to a methamphetamine possession charge accusing her of having the drug on Jan. 22. Shain was sentenced to two years of probation that was both the first offender and high risk categories. It means she'll be subject to more restrictions than usual but could have no record of conviction if she completes the sentence successfully. Probation terms included a treatment evaluation and payment of various fines and fees. Jail time was stayed, so Shain won't have to serve unless there are violations. Assistant State's Attorney Joy Wolf and defense attorney Todd Reardon Jr. recommended the plea agreement. Luke O. Rogers, 28, of Charleston, was sentenced to 2 1/2 years of probation for having heroin on March 23 of last year. Rogers pleaded guilty to a drug possession charge in March and could have received a one- to six-year prison sentence. He was eligible for an extended prison term because of his record. Probation terms included an evaluation for substance abuse treatment and a requirement that Rogers follows its recommendations. He was also ordered to pay fines as his sentence for pleading guilty to a driving under the influence charge. Case records indicate the drugs were found during a traffic stop. Prosecutor Ralph Fowler and Assistant State's Attorney Stephanie Corum recommended the plea agreement. Contact Dave Fopay at (217) 238-6858. Follow him on Twitter: @FopayDave Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 2 Angry 0 Benjamin Jumbe President Yoweri Museveni has called on the Muslim community to join him in the wealth creation sensitization drive he is currently conducting across the country. He made the call last evening at state house Entebbe where he hosted the Muslim community for breaking the fast (Iftar). The president said wealth creation must involve everyone. Following a concern by the Mufti Sheik Shaban Ramathan Mubajje on the issue of fluctuating maize prices, the president maintained his guidance that maize growing should be undertaken by people with large tracts of land with the small land-holders advised to use the four-acre model. The president also pledged governments commitment to support the issue of creating a Muslim martyrs site in Namugongo. Wednesday, May 29, 2019 Poll In District Of Powerful State Senator Raises Question; Vulnerable Or Not? Plus: Following Up On the Martinez Lawsuit Mess Sen. Smith State Senator Conducted by a political operative, the landline survey of likely Democratic voters--those who have voted in the past two state elections--has Smith getting a 44 percent favorable rating. A high 37 percent are neutral or have no opinion of Smith, arguably the most powerful state legislator due to his chairmanship of the Senate Finance Committee. That goes to show that no matter how well-known or how long they have served, legislators simply don't register with a wide swath of voters. The poll went on to test Smith's opposition to several key bills most Democrats favored in the last legislative session. They included background checks for gun sales, the measure to repeal an outdated law that criminalizes abortion in the state and the proposed constitutional amendment that would allow a portion of the state's $18 billion Land Grant Permanent School Fund to be tapped for early childhood education, a proposal Smith has blocked for years. After hearing that list, likely Dem voters were not prone to support Smith for re-election, with only 22 percent saying they would get his vote, but 42 percent would oppose him and 36 percent were undecided. They might have thrown in a question about Luna County's unemployment rate as well. It is by far the highest in the state coming in at 13.7 percent in April. How bad is that? None of the other 32 counties even comes close to a double digit jobless rate. The next highest is Sierra County at 7.2 percent part of which is also in Smith's district. The poll indicates that an effective negative campaign by a strong opponent could at least get the race in play. So far that opponent has not appeared, giving Smith, who will turn 78 in July, ample breathing room. Will it last is the question. The stakes are high. The defeat of Smith could be the beginning of the end or indeed the end of the coalition of conservative Democrats and Senate Republicans that have for years ruled the Senate and today are a hurdle any Governor must jump over whenever they stray from the coalition way of thinking. MARTINEZ MESS If those who sued start talking it might make for a good story called "Sex, Lies and Audiotape." The agreement called for keeping the settlement details secret until 2023. And State Auditor Brian Colon entered the controversy saying he will conduct The attorneys for several of the plaintiffs are in full battle cry, demanding in Cease and desist? You mean like they do in Venezuela? This is the home of New Mexico politics. E-mail your news and comments. (jmonahan@ix.netcom.com) Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here. ( c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2019 Thanks for making us New Mexicos number one political website year in and year out.This is the home of New Mexico politics.your news and comments. (jmonahan@ix.netcom.com) State Senator John Arthur Smith has held forth in the Senate for thirty years and is preparing to run for another four in 2020. But what if a strong opponent should emerge to run against the conservative Democrat in next June's primary? Could Smith be endangered? Polling conducted this month in his Luna, Hidalgo, Dona Ana and Sierra County southwestern district paints a mixed picture.Conducted by a political operative, the landline survey of likely Democratic voters--those who have voted in the past two state elections--has Smith getting a 44 percent favorable rating. A high 37 percent are neutral or have no opinion of Smith, arguably the most powerful state legislator due to his chairmanship of the Senate Finance Committee. That goes to show that no matter how well-known or how long they have served, legislators simply don't register with a wide swath of voters.The poll went on to test Smith's opposition to several key bills most Democrats favored in the last legislative session. They included background checks for gun sales, the measure to repeal an outdated law that criminalizes abortion in the state and the proposed constitutional amendment that would allow a portion of the state's $18 billion Land Grant Permanent School Fund to be tapped for early childhood education, a proposal Smith has blocked for years.After hearing that list, likely Dem voters were not prone to support Smith for re-election, with only 22 percent saying they would get his vote, but 42 percent would oppose him and 36 percent were undecided.They might have thrown in a question about Luna County's unemployment rate as well. It is by far the highest in the state coming in at 13.7 percent in April. How bad is that? None of the other 32 counties even comes close to a double digit jobless rate. The next highest is Sierra County at 7.2 percent part of which is also in Smith's district.The poll indicates that an effective negative campaign by a strong opponent could at least get the race in play. So far that opponent has not appeared, giving Smith, who will turn 78 in July, ample breathing room.Will it last is the question. The stakes are high. The defeat of Smith could be the beginning of the end or indeed the end of the coalition of conservative Democrats and Senate Republicans that have for years ruled the Senate and today are a hurdle any Governor must jump over whenever they stray from the coalition way of thinking. Following up on the Martinez lawsuit mess, maybe some of those who sued the state will spill the gory details. That's because the current Governor says her administration will not enforce a confidentiality agreement reached between disgruntled former public safety employees who sued the state over sex harassment and other charges and the state's Risk Management Division. According to KRQE-TV sources, the employees threatened to disclose salacious and damaging information about Martinez if the suits were not settled. They were--to the tune of $1.7 million.If those who sued start talking it might make for a good story called "Sex, Lies and Audiotape." The agreement called for keeping the settlement details secret until 2023.And State Auditor Brian Colon entered the controversy saying he will conduct a "special audit" of the $1.7 million paid. He questions that unusual confidentiality agreement and the speed in which the lawsuits were settled in the final days of the Martinez administration. If he finds anything he suspects is criminal (like a wire job to pay off the plaintiffs with state money) he would send it to the attorney general for further investigation. If Colon doesn't find anything, it will be a real head scratcher. This deal is one of the seamier ones you will ever see in your travels through La Politica.The attorneys for several of the plaintiffs are in full battle cry, demanding in a long-winded news release that KRQE "cease and desist" from repeating the news story about the settlements and take it down from their web site. They defend their clients complaints of sex discrimination and/or retaliation and claim the story trivializes them, their allegations, is factually in error and adds that no extortion of Martinez occurred.Cease and desist? You mean like they do in Venezuela? Links HOME E-MAIL ME About Joe Google News Real Clear Politics Huffington Post Drudge Report The Politico NM TV stations Gov. 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She almost laughs about this. Almost. The artist knows she wont pay off her medical bills with an art show. Shes on disability and has Medicare, but it doesnt cover everything. She wants to make a dent in her debt, make goodwill payments. She calls herself a Big D Democrat, teetering toward socialist. The system is messed up, Wood says. Thats what I want people to know. This health care situation we are in is so bad. Wood grew up here and spent summers in Sweden with her mothers side of the family. She graduated from Southeast High in 1977. Got an art degree from the university and went off to D.C. for a masters in art. It was on a 1984 trip to the Mayan ruins in Honduras with a fellow artist that she happened upon a group of international development workers and fell in love with that community. "The absence of a party label is intended to empower the elected council member to pursue policy in the public interest rather than his or her party's interest," Peo wrote. He was one of at least three Republicans who applied. Jeffrey Wienke, a podiatrist and surgeon, and Chris Zabel are also registered Republicans who threw their names into the hat. The party affiliation information for Cathy Maestas Graham wasn't available Tuesday night. Maestas Graham works as an assistant manager at the LPS Employees Federal Credit Union, according to its website. Holly Woolsey was the only registered Libertarian among the applicants. The candidates will be scrutinized to ensure they're registered voters who have lived in the city for at least the last three months, council Chair Jane Raybould said in a news release. Later this week, current council members will interview and select finalists ahead of a scheduled vote set for Monday. If none of the nominees receives four votes, the council will reschedule the matter for a later date. John Wizinsky said he remembered being in the mini-yard at the Tecumseh prison on Mother's Day 2015, after fire alarms sent him outside with the rest of the protective custody inmates in Unit 2C. "There was something fixin' to go down," the Grand Island man said on the stand at his civil lawsuit against the state. In it, he alleges he has PTSD from a beating he saw that day and that prison staff had left him without food or his diabetes medication for 18 hours. Testifying on Tuesday, Wizinsky said inmates all knew prison gangs had "contracts out" for people in the unit separated from the general population for their protection. On May 10, 2015, in the yard, no longer kept apart and without guards around, they gathered and clicked together, he said. At 6-foot-2 and 275 pounds, Wizinsky said he felt he could protect himself. But after he stepped in to help a man who was being beaten by inmates with a piece from a pop machine, he knew he had broken the "code." "It was chaotic," he said, trailing off, bouncing his hand on his knee, taking a deep breath. Motorists from Omaha and Lincoln bound for the Kansas City area are back to traveling a maze of detours as a new round of flooding shut down portions of Interstate 29 and other highways. Those thoroughfares had only reopened in recent weeks following devastating flooding along the Missouri River in March. On Wednesday, the Iowa Department of Transportation said that I-29 is closed from Glenwood, Iowa, to the Missouri state line at Hamburg. Iowa 2 which connects the interstate to Nebraska City is again closed because of flooding. New flooding has also closed U.S. 34 between the Nebraska state line and I-29. Traffic cameras posted along the routes Wednesday showed water flowing over Iowa 2 and surrounding the truck stops, restaurants and hotels at the I-29 interchange. The new flooding comes in the wake of recent heavy rains. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers this week stepped up releases from Gavins Point Dam upstream on the Missouri River. Floodwaters also closed a section of I-29 north of Omaha between the I-680 interchanges at Crescent and Loveland. Levin explores what I call the "colorization of poverty" in news coverage in the 1960s that set the stage for Taylor's unwanted stardom as a political trope. Michael Harrington's 1962 book "The Other America" brought new attention to the deprivations of the white rural poor and helped inspire Johnson's 1964 "War on Poverty." But after riots later broke out in the Watts section of Los Angeles, the West Side of Chicago and in other cities, the newsmagazine images of poverty that showed black people increased, according to one survey, from 27% in 1964 to 70% in 1972 and 1973. As such media images increased, so did the perception that poverty is a black problem, despite abundant statistical evidence that the nation's poor whites outnumber poor people of color. One result, as Levin notes, has been the recasting of the word "welfare," especially in conservative conversations, as almost every government social program except Social Security and Medicare, which we tend to prefer to call "entitlements." By Benjamin Jumbe. The Chairman of the National Resistance Movement Electoral Commission, Dr. Tanga Odoi has scoffed at the recently launched Alliance for National Transformation by Gen Mugisha Muntu. Addressing journalists in kampala Dr Tanga described Muntus new party as a Cosmetics NGO that cannot attain power. Releasing the road map for the party primaries in the forthcoming Nebbi district chairperson and other lower positions, Tanga said is a mere filler that cannot threaten NRM. Last week, Gen. Muntu launched his ANT party after breaking away from Forum for Democratic Change a party he once led as president. Related Parties Police okays Mugisha Muntus political gathering RACINE The case against a Racine man charged with the Feb. 22 homicide of his infant son will continue, after his competency was restored in court on Tuesday. In March, a psychologists report found that 25-year-old Jeremy Marquez was incompetent, and therefore not fit to stand trial. The report, however, did say it was likely that he would be competent in the future. Marquez is charged with first-degree reckless homicide, possession of marijuana and bail jumping. During Tuesdays status conference, court records show that a second doctor spoke with Marquez and reported that he is now competent. The case is set to continue with a preliminary hearing, which is scheduled for June 5 at the Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave. Infants death On the afternoon of Feb. 22, the 3-month-old infants mother left the child with Marquez at her home while she went to Kenosha to look at a vehicle to purchase. The mother said the child was alert and acting normally earlier that day, according to the criminal complaint. At approximately 2:40 p.m., police were dispatched to the residence after a 911 call. When they arrived, they found the infant lifeless and blue in Marquezs arms. An officer grabbed the infant and began CPR. The child was transported to Childrens Hospital in Wauwatosa, where he died Feb. 24. Marquez was confused and emotional when first-responders arrived. He told police that he fed the child two bottles, and the child vomited, with milk eventually coming out his mouth and nose while he was lying in his bassinet. Marquez said he then realized the baby was not breathing, and immediately called the childs mother, who in turn called 911. A physician from Childrens Hospital of Wisconsin in Wauwatosa reported a different story that the infants injuries were diagnostic for abusive head trauma to a reasonable degree of medical certainty. Police said the residence smelled of marijuana when they arrived, and the childs mother told them she had previously caught Marquez smoking marijuana in her home when she was not there. Marquez was previously convicted of possession of marijuana in 2015 and possession of drug paraphernalia in 2011. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. MOUNT PLEASANT A Lake Geneva woman and Racine man are facing charges after a Mount Pleasant Police officer reportedly caught the two having sex in Sanders Park. Sarah R. Margraf, 29, of Lake Geneva, and Donald A. Picard, 52, of the 2000 block of DeKoven Avenue, both face misdemeanor counts of lewd and lascivious behavior, fornication, possession of marijuana as party to a crime and possession of drug paraphernalia. According to the criminal complaints: At about 7:55 p.m. Saturday, a patrolling Mount Pleasant officer saw Margraf and Picard having sex in an open picnic area of Sanders Park, 480 Wood Road, about 40 yards from Meachem Road. When the officer approached, Margraf and Picard reportedly claimed they were just walking through the park but then admitted to having sex. Officers arrested the two, searched them and found two pipes in a Jelly Belly Bag and marijuana in a pill bottle. Margraf told police that she and Picard work together and they went for a walk in the park before one thing led to another and they ended up having sex. Margraf also said that Picard bought the marijuana but they both owned one of the pipes. Picard is on the sex offender registry. He was convicted of first-degree attempted sexual abuse in 1992 in Nassau County, New York, according to the criminal complaint. Margraf and Picard made initial court appearances Wednesday, during which signatures bonds were set a $2,000, records show. Their next court date is set for Aug. 5. Both remained in custody in Racine County Jail as of 2:30 p.m. Wednesday. Margraf had a hold order from the state Department of Corrections. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. ROCHESTER A Rochester man is in custody for allegedly strangling and shooting his roommates dog causing its death after it bit him. Jay C. Hoppe, 51, of the 28500 block of Washington Avenue, faces a felony count of mistreatment of animals with domestic abuse and use of a dangerous weapon modifiers, and one misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct with a domestic abuse modifier. According to a criminal complaint: The dog, named Mack, came up to Hoppe while he was eating dinner at 11:16 p.m. Saturday and Hoppe started roughly handling the animal. Hoppes roommate, who owned the dog, told him to leave the dog alone. Hoppe then began to intentionally provoke Mack, the complaint states, and the dog growled and tried to get away. Hoppe grabbed Mack and pulled him back. Hoppe continued to act aggressively toward the dog and the roommate saw Hoppe had a bloody lip. Mack ran away and Hoppe chased him and began choking him. Hoppes roommate separated the two and Hoppe began to yell that the dog has to go, according to the complaint. The roommate began recording audio of the incident. Hoppe proceeded to punch holes in the walls and saying he was going to put Mack down. The roommate gathered Mack and her two other dogs and put them all in her truck. Hoppe came out and grabbed Mack from the truck. Hoppe called for another person, whom the complaint did not name, to get his gun for him. When the person gave Hoppe the gun, the roommate left with the other dogs. Hoppe later texted his roommate that Mack was gone. Deputies arrived at the residence and found Mack dead at the end of the driveway. Hoppe made an initial court appearance Tuesday, during which a cash bond was set at $5,000, records show. His next court appearance is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on June 5. Hoppe was still in custody at Racine County Jail as of Tuesday evening, according to online records. He was previously convicted of operating while intoxicated in 2012 and had a restraining order filed against him in 2009. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 3 RACINE A month ago, student pastor Betty Rendon had been assisting at Emaus Lutheran Church with day-to-day operations and some preaching. But now she has reportedly been deported back to her home country of Colombia. The word of the deportation spread through the congregation early Tuesday morning and by Tuesday evening a group of about 100 supporters, including Racine Mayor Cory Mason, Racine County supervisors Nick Demske and Fabi Maldonado, and state Rep. Greta Neubauer, D-Racine, met at the church at 1925 Summit Ave. to rally and pray for Rendon and her family. Rendon and her husband, Carlos, were arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers on May 8 at their home in the Chicago area. Linda Boyle, co-president of the Racine Interfaith Coalition, which organized Tuesdays event, said what happened to Rendon has been happening throughout the country. We now know that Betty and Carlos have flown to Colombia, they have been quickly deported over this holiday weekend, Boyle said. And we also know that the deportation of this family is similar to deportations that have taken place over the past several months across the country. Boyle asked those in attendance Tuesday to pray for help but added that without action prayer will not work. According to those who spoke with Rendon after the arrest, an ICE officer initially handcuffed her daughter Paula Hincapie as she was in the process of taking her 5-year-old daughter to school in Chicago. Officers then drove Hincapies car back to the house where Rendon, her husband and one other individual were arrested. One of the details of the arrest that shocked many in the immigrant community was that Hincapie is a recipient of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) because she was brought to the United States by her parents when she was a minor. The main purpose of DACA is to protect those with that status from deportation. Hincapie was eventually released by ICE officials. Rendon had been doing work at Emaus Lutheran for several months as she studied at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago with hopes of becoming a pastor. According to ICE officials, Rendon had been ordered to leave the country by a federal immigration judge on May 22, 2008. On June 1, 2009, the Board of Immigration Appeals upheld the immigration judges removal order. Rendon has been studying to become a pastor since 2008, but now that future as a pastor in the Lutheran church has been put on hold. Arrest represents escalation Mason said people in the Racine community are afraid to participate in their community for fear of their government seizing them or a member of their family and taking them into custody. Racine has always been a community of immigrants, always, Mason said. "It was built by immigrants. It prospered because of immigrants. It benefited from the diversity of ideas and cultures that have come to this community that have served us so well. Mason said the policies that are pushing these actions go against American values. I cant describe a culture that says it values families if its willing to rip a member away from their family and take them into custody solely because of their national origin, Mason said. Christine Neumann-Ortiz, executive director of Voces de la Frontera, an immigrant advocate group, called the targeting of a DACA recipient and a religious leader is significant. It is of significance that a religious leader was put in deportation proceedings, Neumann-Ortiz said adding there was an attempt to also deport a DACA recipient. That is significant. That does represent an escalation in the aggression that were hearing about and that we see and feel throughout this country. During Tuesdays vigil, people one by one lit candles and placed them on the altar of the church as a symbol for Rendon and other immigrants. Retired pastor Mary Janz said volunteers at the Emaus Lutheran have stepped up in Rendons absence. Everybody is doing what they can to build up this community but then also for the sake of justice, Janz said. Janz said the events surrounding Rendon have brought the church together but its not the way we wanted to be noticed. But we are glad to be able to be here to be a voice, not only for Betty and her family, but for all of those families that are represented by those candles, Janz said. Its a big, big, big issue and so were doing what we can in our part of the world. Racine has always been a community of immigrants. Always. It was built by immigrants. It prospered because of immigrants. It benefited from the diversity of ideas and cultures that have come to this community that have served us so well. Racine Mayor Cory Mason Love 2 Funny 7 Wow 0 Sad 2 Angry 1 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. YORKVILLE A new federal bill that aims to cut off funding for human trafficking is working its way to the floor of the House of Representatives. U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wis., announced the bill he authored Exposing the Financing of Human Trafficking Act, or HR 2149 at a press conference on Tuesday at the Racine County Sheriffs Patrol Station in Yorkville, with elected officials and law enforcement officers from both Racine and Kenosha counties in attendance. The bill is currently in the Financial Services Committee, of which Steil is a member, and it is waiting to be brought forth by the committee chairwoman U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif. Human trafficking on a global scale is a $150 billion operation. We need to put a dent in that, we need to end that, Steil said. When we give foreign aid from the federal government to countries globally, we need to know that theyre our partner in stopping the financing of human trafficking. And thats what this bill does. If passed, Steil said the bill would hold nations accountable for their actions or lack of action to curb the issue of human trafficking by using U.S. foreign aid as a carrot and stick and by going after the money. The bill would mandate a report that would evaluate individual countries based on their responses to human trafficking, similar to the way reports on how countries handle illegal drugs are handled. Steil said the purpose of the bill is to make sure U.S. money does not get laundered to organizations or individuals engaged in human trafficking. We need to have this (report) at the table of conversation for countries that are eligible for U.S. foreign aid. We need to know that theyre partners with the United States as it relates to the war that we need to have to fight human trafficking, Steil said. With 14 cosponsors in the House, including Democrats such as U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Wis., Steil is confident the bill will pass in committee and make it to the House floor for a vote of the full membership. There are areas that are not partisan in nature where we can work together, Steil said. We need to take advantage of those opportunities so we can get something done on behalf of the American people. Law enforcement supportive This is the first piece of legislation authored by the freshman congressman since his election last fall, and Steil said he got the idea after a meeting with the sheriffs of each county in Wisconsins 1st Congressional District to talk about how he could help them in Washington. Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling thanked Steil for his support in the fight against trafficking. Human trafficking victims often times need counselling, drug treatment, job training, housing assistance to truly escape their traffickers, Schmaling said. Schmaling added that his office plans to add another full-time investigator to the Greater Racine Human Trafficking Task Force. The issue of human trafficking was one that Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth thought for a time just happened in other communities. For a long time I never thought this was a major issue in southeastern Wisconsin or Kenosha, but over the last few years Ive learned how its riddled throughout Kenosha County, Beth said. We know that it runs rampant along the Interstate. Racine Police Officer Neal Lofy, with the regional human trafficking unit, said trafficking is a major problem in the Racine and Kenosha communities. We see both international and domestic victims in Racine and Kenosha County, Lofy said. Over the last four years, weve probably worked with about 300 victims in those two counties. Racine County Executive Jonathan Delagrave said if passed, the bill will help make Racine and Kenosha safer. There are areas that are not partisan in nature where we can work together. We need to take advantage of those opportunities so we can get something done on behalf of the American people. U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wis. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. WATERFORD St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School, reportedly the oldest parish school in the state, is set to close after the end of this school year. There are currently 56 students enrolled in the K-8 school with an eighth-grade graduating class of 12 students at the school that was founded 167 years ago. School leaders had been hopeful about its future after members of the St. Thomas Aquinas Parish voted earlier this year to continue supporting the school. At that time, 47 students had signed letters saying they intended to attend in the coming school year. At that point we were committed 100% to keeping the school open, with the backing of the parishioners, said church Trustee Blaise Beaulier. But when the May 1 deadline for students to sign contracts for the 2019-20 school year passed, and only 27 students had enrolled, school and church leaders were forced to reconsider their decision to stay open. Such small numbers would make it difficult for St. Thomas to implement a new curriculum that it was hoping would attract more students, and only seven students had enrolled in grades six through eight. The decision for St. Thomas to stop offering grades one through eight was officially made during a joint meeting of the St. Thomas Aquinas Pastoral Council and Finance Council on May 9. A sense of loss I think everybody feels a real sense of loss and disappointment, Beaulier said. Weve got tremendous teachers, weve got tremendous students. We were very excited that the parish was behind this as well as the school families and the teachers. But every family has to make their own decision on whether this is a right fit. This is a small enrollment, it is a small school and we may have reached a point that it was concerning to some of the families and thats no secret. Ann Lininger, parent of a fourth-grade student at St. Thomas and president of the St. Thomas Aquinas School Committee blamed low enrollment at least in part on uncertainty throughout this year regarding the schools future. Last June, St. Thomas parish leadership created a task force to evaluate the schools viability because enrollment had been declining for more than 10 years. It was determined that St. Thomas needed to implement new curriculum to differentiate itself from other schools to attract more students. In mid-March, the school announced it would be enrolling students for the 2019-20 school year following a poll in which 60% of parishioners who voted said they wanted to keep it open. Because the church provides financial support to the school, St. Thomas wanted to give parishioners a chance to weigh in. I think its fair to say that my family and the 60% of parishioners who voted to keep the school open feel betrayed and sad and hurt and angry, Lininger said via email. Lininger has not decided where her child will attend school next year. Beaulier said hes seen every emotion imaginable in the reactions of staff and parents, including a sense of loss, sadness and anger. Church leaders are still in the process of determining whether or not to offer preschool in the coming year for ages 2 to 5, and plan to inform stakeholders of a decision by June 1. Notification The schools approximately 13 staff members were notified of the decision to close the morning after the joint meeting. Parents of the students enrolled for the coming year were notified via email and also through phone calls from St. Thomass principal and vice principal. Beaulier said the church plans to continue to use the school building, 302 S. Second St., for its faith formation program, which provides Catholic education to children who attend public schools and has an enrollment of more than 400. The building would also be used for the preschool program, if St. Thomas decides to offer it. Our goal would be to continue to utilize that building in some manner for Catholic education, Beaulier said. The school has already submitted paperwork recommending closure to the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and is awaiting approval from Archbishop Jerome Listecki. St. Thomas Aquinas accepts voucher students through the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program, but only about four voucher students are attending through the program this school year. Beaulier said St. Thomas is encouraging parents to send their children to another Catholic school, but is not recommending a specific institution. Nearby Catholic schools include Burlington Catholic School, a merger of St. Mary Catholic School and St. Charles Borromeo School in Burlington that will begin serving pre K-8 students as one entity in the fall. Consolidation was spurred by decreasing enrollment at both schools. Other nearby Catholic institutions include St. Peter School in East Troy, St. Leonard in Muskego and St. Joseph in Big Bend, which all serve pre K-8 students. I think all of us are just trying to understand what the way forward looks like, Beaulier said. I think everybody feels a real sense of loss and disappointment. Blaise Beaulier, St. Thomas Aquinas Church trustee Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 3 Angry 2 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. President Donald Trump this month announced a broad plan to move the United States away from an immigration system that favors family sponsorship toward one that favors merit or skills-based immigration one that would favor highly skilled, financially self-sufficient immigrants who learn English and pass a civics exam. It landed with a thud on Capitol Hill, where Democrats immediately opposed it and Republicans who were briefed on it said they were underwhelmed. Thats a mistake. This is why: The simple fact is the United States needs more workers and new immigrants are one of the best ways perhaps the only way to fill those jobs. The fact is that unemployment has dropped to minimal levels and that is not going to be just a blip on the economic radar. As baby boomers age out of the workforce it poses great challenges for businesses and professions that need fresh workers. In Wisconsin alone, the number of people in their prime working years is declining, and the state has 150,000 fewer people in the prime working years between the ages of 25 and 54 than it did just a dozen years ago, according to a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel report. That trend isnt going away anytime soon. Not here in Wisconsin or in the rest of the United States. Significantly, the presidents proposal does not reduce the total number of immigrants allowed into the country a marked change from the administrations previous stance, and one that quickly drew the wrath of the far right. Family sponsorship and chain migration served Wisconsin well in its 19th-century infancy, when it needed new workers and families to fill its land. The state advertised heavily in German newspapers and encouraged German families in Milwaukee to extoll the virtues of Wisconsin to their homeland relatives. Before the outbreak of World War I, Wisconsin was home to 30 percent of all German immigrants in the U.S.; even today, about 40 percent of state residents claim some German heritage. But those days are gone. Today, a points-based immigration system based on talents, job skills, financial self-sufficiency and English knowledge to increase assimilation makes more sense. Thats not a ground-breaking idea Canada has used one for years, and it is widely regarded as a success. Under its system, prospective immigrants are evaluated not only on their skills and qualifications, but on whether those skills match the needs of the labor market. While sketchy, Trumps plan also would institute a points-based system for worker visas, and would create a program to permit foreign students to obtain visas allowing them to immediately transition into the American workforce without have to obtain a worker visa after graduation. That could square with a proposal from two years ago by U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., for expanded H1-B working visas based on geography, to spread workers across states. Johnsons proposed bill, which did not advance, would have added 500,000 three-year worker visas across the country with 5,000 such visas granted in each state. That, too, would address the workforce shortage gnawing away at the nation. Yes, such programs should include paths to permanent residency and citizenship. Yes, could also resolve the issue of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, aka the Dreamers, as well. Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, should put away their partisan cudgels and do what is best for America. They should take Trumps plan off the shelf and reform immigration and visa rules to recognize the demographic realities of today. The United States was built by immigrants. It needs new immigrant workers to continue to grow. Our immigration and visa laws should be based on bringing in workers with the skills and talents that best serve the needs of our country. Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 By Ritah Kemigisa. The government of south Sudan has assured Ugandans of their safety following the ultimately death of Two Ugandans who were shot dead on Sunday. The duo identified as Willis Binsiima and Charles Kulewere shot by gunmen believed to be of the Dinka community after an unidentified vehicle with a foreign number plate knocked a Dinka man dead at Tikic in South Sudan. The Spokesperson of South Sudan Embassy in Kampala David Amour says so far two people have arrested and will help police in investigations to apprehend the others still at large. Amour adds that students at Hope and Resurrection secondary school where the deceased were teachers have currently refused to go Everyone who believes that national chain stores should pay their fair share of property taxes should be not just dismayed, but angry, about Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos refusal to even consider a vote on a bipartisan proposal to end the dark store exemption. How does this affect you? If the big box stores and the national chains refuse to pay their fair share, Kenosha County and Racine County have to make it up somewhere. Guess where? Your residential and small-business property taxes. Are you OK with subsidizing all the big box stores on Green Bay Road? Im not. In the May 17 Kenosha News, Somers Village President George Stoner was quoted as saying, This dark store thing is totally destroying communities. Were very, very upset with the leading Republicans, and theres nothing we can do about it. Yes there is, George. Its called an election. Speaker Vos (R-63rd District) and his employee, State Rep. Samantha Kerkman (R-61st District) should both be held accountable for ignoring the will of the people. Just last November, over 78 percent of Wisconsin voters, 79 percent in Kenosha County, approved an advisory referendum designed to end this ridiculous loophole. For those of you who keep returning Rep. Vos and Rep. Kerkman to office, are you really OK with an increase in property taxes to aid big businesses that are already making money hand over fist? Want to reduce your taxes? In 2020, take your state back, vote these people out of office. Steve Marovich, Kenosha Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Seventy percent, yes, 70% of Wisconsin voters supported the acceptance of the federal Medicaid expansion funds, but many legislators followed the party line and vote against the wishes of their constituents. Lets set what $190 million dollars per year will do for Wisconsin residents: help boost our economy and generate savings to Wisconsin taxpayers. provide health care for thousands more lower income. improve a variety of health and economic outcomes for individuals. Enrollees could use their coverage to go to the doctor for: preventive care get the prescriptions they need treat chronic health conditions increase the primary care services reduce the high-cost emergency room visits by the uninsured Furthermore, with insurance to cover health care cost, Wisconsinites will have more money in their pockets to spend on other goods and services. And with more people insured, uncompensated care costs would fall, thus saving hospitals, governments, employers and taxpayers money. Why would we turn our back on something that would create such positive economic health outcomes? To us, this is the definition of penny wise, pound foolish. We urge all readers to contact their local state legislators and tell them that expanding Medicaid is a win-win for Wisconsin and should be in the 2019-2021 State of Wisconsin budget. Paul and Phyllis Pham, Mount Pleasant Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Gautam Buddha airport contractor stops work after not getting paid The contractor for Gautam Buddha International Airport being built in Bhairahawa has stopped work complaining that it has not been paid. The stoppage has dealt another blow to the national pride project which has been facing endless delays since construction started in 2013. Hey, yall! Im so excited to have writer Carolyn Haines visit with us. Decades ago, even before Carolyn started her mystery series featuring Sarah Booth Delaney, I saw several of her books shelved in a place of honor at a friends house. My friend told me that Carolyn was a wonderful writer, and as an unpublished newbie, I immediately got stars in my eyes knowing I was thatclose to a famous writer. Carolyns writing is truly wonderful, and these days, Im proud to call her my own good friend. (If youre in the Houston area, dash over to the amazing MURDER BY THE BOOK for a signing event with Carolyn, plus Terry Shames, TONIGHT at 6:30 p.m.) Carolyn is here to talk about the pleasures and pitfalls of having a successful, long-running series. Please give her a warm TKZ welcome! LONG LIVE THE BONES Ive been writing about my amateur detective Sarah Booth Delaney for over 20 yearsand I have 20 books documenting her mystery-solving skills. The latest, GAME OF BONES, was just released. But I have to tell you, its my time to whine. In the world of Zinnia, Mississippi, Sarah Booth Delaney seldom ages. In the twenty years Ive been writing about her and the rest of the gang, Sarah Booth has aged less than two years. I, on the other hand, have stacked two decades onto my total orbits around the sun. This is not fair. While Sarah Booth remains eternally young, still able to consider pregnancy (though she is pushing that really hard as her personal haint Jitty would tell her) and still able to perform the physical feats that make her a good detective (and also a bit like Lucille Ball), I am feeling the passage of the years in my bones. Sarah Booth has never met trouble she didnt want to get down and wallow in. I have not been arrested in a while, so Im a slacker. Ive read a lot of blogs from authors who talk about when its time to end a series. To be perfectly honest, when I wrote THEM BONES, I didnt realize I was writing a series. The book sold at auction and the publisher who bought it wanted a 3-book deal. I was terrified. Ive always read mysteries, but I never considered myself a skilled plotter. But there I waswith two additional mysteries to write, and then two more, and then two more, and then three, etc., etc. Now, the characters are so much a part of my daily life that its hard to imagine NOT writing about them. They are family, and I love the work of bringing their adventures to the page. Over the course of two decades, Ive outlined the series arc. I know what the last book in the series will be, but since I just signed another three-book contract, it wont be until after 2022. (There will be two books in 2021. One in May, my regular publication time, and a special Christmas book.) Through the years, folks have pressured me to marry Sarah Booth off and let her have young-uns. Ive resisted this pressure for a number of reasons. First and foremost, Sarah Booth doesnt listen to me or to Jitty, her ancestral ghost who tries to boss her around for her own good. I tried to edge Sarah Booth toward more romance with one character, but she balked completely. She knows her own mind. As I said, she is like family and the Haines clan is known to be hard-headed. My guidance is often rejected. But again, that makes the stories interesting to write. Aside from Sarah Booths recalcitrant behavior, there are other reasons. Ive read a lot of series books and watched a lot of series television where the two leading characters finally give in to lust, love, or domesticity. Thats the point I lose interest in the characters. I realize not all people are like me, but as the writer, I refuse to spend time in a world that bores me. As it stands now, Sarah Booth has a love interest, but romance is always a dicey business with my feisty anti-belle. Sarah Booth breaks the rules of polite society and she disdains the expectations to marry. Each book in the series is a complete, standalone mystery, but the characters do change. Im really proud of the way that my characters have grown. While Sarah Booth and her friend and partner Tinkie have madcap adventures, they are serious about the life decisions they make and the values they buy into. The cases they tackle highlight some tough issues, but always with humor. Most of all, the characters and I want to make you laugh and have fun. A lot of lifes hardships are soothed by laughter.thats a Sarah Booth quote. I just finished the last season of GAME OF THRONES, where a lot of characters die. Some I watched with relish and others I mourned. I dont have any plans to kill off any characters in the Zinnia universe. Just remember, I dont have total control of this world. Sarah Booth goes her own way and shes been heard to say, when asked why there are so many homicides in her small town of Zinnia, Mississippi, A lotta men just need killing. I concur. Some people beg for a swift end. Sarah Booth would be happy to deliver on that. Patience is a virtue she doesnt have. When I listen to other writers talk about ending their series at 8 or 9 books, I understand. Writing a book is an intense relationship with the characters. When a writer is tired of a character, its time. Give the series a dignified ending. What I really hate is an abrupt end to a series with so many questions unansweredand no way to find an answer. The pulling of the publishing or television plug is an unfortunate part of the business that upsets both readers and writers. I do have an exit strategy, but I am a long way from executing it. I write other series, and I think that keeps me fresh to document Sarah Booths escapades. I love writing humorous books, but I am also a fan of gothic/horror and mystery/fantasy, so I explore those worlds in other series. Ive published over 80 books. I love riding my horse, caring for my pets, pranking my family and friendsand telling stories. Sarah Booth will tell me when its time to let go, but I dont think thats going to happen any time soon. Where to find Carolyn: Carolyns Facebook Page GAME OF BONES links Carolyns Newsletter Sign-up and Website Carolyn Haines is the USA Today bestselling author of the Sarah Booth Delaney mystery series and a number of other books in mystery and crime, including the Plutos Snitch paranormal-historical mystery series, and Trouble, the black cat detective romantic suspense books. She is the recipient of the Harper Lee Award for Distinguished Writing, the Richard Wright Award for Literary Excellence, and the Mississippi Writers Guild Lifetime Achievement Award. She is a former journalist, bartender, photographer, farmhand, and college professor and lives on a farm where she works with rescue cats, dogs, and horses. Tomah Veterans Administration Medical Center director Victoria Brahm has been tapped for a temporary assignment. The VA announced that Brahm will become acting director of Veterans Integrated Service Network 12 based in Chicago. She assumed the role May 5. Tomah VA spokesman Matt Gowan said Tuesday that Brahm is expected to return to her Tomah job at some point. The Tomah VA has tapped Karen Long as acting director in Brahms absence. Brahm was named acting director of the Tomah VA in October 2015 and was permanently appointed in February 2017. She was recently named as a finalist for the 2019 Service to America award that honors innovators in government. Members of the public can vote online in the Sammies for the peoples choice award through May 31 by visiting https://servicetoamericamedals.org/peoples-choice-award. The Tomah VA and its outpatient clinics in La Crosse, Wausau, Wisconsin Rapids and Clark County provide care to more than 26,000 veterans in Wisconsin and Minnesota each year. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. Rain caused the cancellation of Viroquas Memorial Day parade Monday morning, but the annual program honoring those who died while serving in the United States armed forces was still held. The program, which was moved from Viroqua Cemetery to the high school gymnasium, featured Thor J. Thorson, U.S. Navy veteran, giving the address. Thorson centered his address on the Vietnam War. Sadness (on this day) should slowly give way to gratitude, Thorson said. Thorson said the Vietnam Veterans Memorial has 59,000 names listed, but it should have 200,000 because of those who died after the war due to the effects of Agent Orange, heart attacks and other war-related illnesses. There are three sets of fathers and sons (listed on the wall, Thorson said. Nine hundred ninety-seven were killed on the first day in Vietnam and 1,400 were killed on their last day. Thorson noted there are 31 sets of brothers listed on the wall and eight women, who served as nurses. There are no noble wars, only noble warriors, he said. Thorson suggested that if those in attendance see a veteran wearing a cap listing the war in which he served to say, I like your hat. Thank you for your service. In addition to Thorsons address there were tributes to Civil and Spanish War, World War I and World War II, Korean War, and Desert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan dead. Music was provided by Viroqua Middle School band and members of the high school choir. In Flanders Field was presented by VHS junior Mitchell Hanson and Reply to Flanders Field was read by VHS junior Olivia Rottman. Jared Anderson, a VHS junior, gave the Gettysburg Address. General Orders were also read. Taps was played by Maxwell Thew and Severin Tubbin. Pastor Andrew Pratt, associate pastor at Viroqua Church of Christ, gave the invocation and benediction, and Peter A. Walby, who served with the U.S. Army in Korea, 1965-66, was master of ceremonies. Angela Cina can be reached at angie.cina@lee.net. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. Friday May 31 Driftless Al-Anon: Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 504 S. Main St., Viroqua, back door, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Saturday June 1 Winding Roads Art Tour, headquarters VIVA Gallery, 217 S. Main St., Viroqua, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Viroqua FFA Alumni Tasty Sandwich Fundraiser, Nelson Agri-Center, 217 N. Center Ave., Viroqua, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Coon Valley Fire and Rescue street dance, Coon Valley Village Hall parking lot, 108 Roosevelt St., Coon Valley, doors open 5 p.m.; music by The Couleegans, 6-10 p.m. Sunday June 2 Winding Roads Art Tour, headquarters VIVA Gallery, 217 S. Main St., Viroqua, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday June 3 Vernon County Alzheimers Support Group, fellowship room, Maplewood Terrace, 620 S. Garfield Ave., Viroqua, 4 p.m. Tuesday June 4 Westby Bekkum Library: Tech help by appointment or drop-in help, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Clothes Closet: Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 504 S. Main St., Viroqua, 1-3 p.m. Bethel Home Auxiliary meeting, 614 S. Rock Ave., Viroqua, 2 p.m. Stoddard: Food pantry, 300 N. Main St., 2:30-5:30 p.m. Come for Supper: Westby Our Saviors Church, Westby, 4-6 p.m. Free meal, all welcome. Wednesday June 5 Food distribution: Viroqua Living Faith Food Pantry, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. T.O.P.S. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly): Immanuel Church, Viroqua, Weigh-in 10-10:15 a.m., Meeting 10:15-10:45 a.m. Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous: Community Room 3, VMH, Viroqua, 7 p.m. Viola Al-Anon Family Group, 108 Commercial St., Viola, 7 p.m. Thursday June 6 Citywide garage sales, Westby, 8 a.m. to ? Good Shepherd Clothes Closet, 504 S. Main St., Viroqua (use entrance off parking lot in back), 1-3 p.m. Chaseburg Memorial Park cleanup, lower Chaseburg, 2-6 p.m.; cookout, 6-8 p.m. Friday June 7 Citywide garage sales, Westby, 8 a.m. to ? Driftless Al-Anon: Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 504 S. Main St., Viroqua, back door, 12:30-1:30 p.m. To stay up-to-date on everything happening in the area send your event information no later than Friday noon for the following weeks edition. Email information to angie.cina@lee.net. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 An Arkansas man died and four minors were injured Sunday in a utility terrain vehicle crash in Trempealeau County, authorities said. James B. Fridell, 57, of Huntington Sebastian, Ark., died at the scene after he and four minors were involved in a crash about 5:30 p.m. on private property located at N48978 Thompson Road, Eleva, Wis., according to the Trempealeau County Sheriffs Office. One minor was airlifted to a Rochester, Minn., hospital, and authorities have not released the medical condition of the other minors and said they wouldnt release their names until next of kin have been notified, according to the press release. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is investigating. The Trempealeau County Sheriff's Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, Eleva Fire Department, Eleva-Strum First Responders, Mayo One and Mayo Rochester helicopters, and Mayo Clinic ambulances responded. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 An Onalaska company was evacuated for about three hours Tuesday after receiving a bomb threat, police said. IC System, a company located on the 300 block of Sand Lake Road, received a phone call saying that there was a bomb in the building, police said. Onalaska police and fire units were dispatched to the scene and evacuated the Center 90 complex, authorities said. Police dogs from the La Crosse Police Department and the Wisconsin State Patrol assisted Onalaska units, police said. Businesses were closed and employees were displaced for about three hours while authorities searched as a precaution, according to the press release. Nothing suspicious was located and units were cleared from the scene at about 6:15 p.m. This incident remains under investigation; police are not providing further information at this time. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 3 While the city of La Crosse invited U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin to the area Tuesday to say thank you for her support of community development block grants, Baldwin returned that gratitude with interest during an award ceremony on the citys North Side. When you highlight what these dollars do and the strong partnerships that they foster and that flourish because of them, youre helping educate the public and the demand for support to continue at all levels of government, Baldwin said. La Crosse Mayor Tim Kabat presented Baldwin with the citys community development award, saying she was a role model and exemplary leader in the fight to keep the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Developments community development block grant program alive. Shes someone who cares and listens, and through her advocacy, she helps cement this federal-local partnership that we cant say enough about, Kabat said. She knows how important these programs are. The city hosted the event at the site of this springs Western Technical College Wood Tech program. The program is 23-year-long partnership between La Crosse and Western, where the city buys a run down, vacant property, tears it down, and Western students build a new home on the site. The program is great for neighborhoods and vital for students, who spend about half their time doing hands-on work, said instructor David Hahm. To get that kind of real-life on-the-job training is really special. There are just things that you cant simulate in the lab, Hahm said. It was something student Joe Blank looked for when switching careers from a chef to construction. Its been a great experience, and Im glad I picked Western, Blank said. The program has led to the construction of 35 new affordable homes and trained 440 students since it began in 1996 as a way to replace aging housing stock and promote homeownership in La Crosse. It really is just an incredible representation of that collaboration that goes on throughout the Coulee Region, Kabat said. The program is a win-win, said Baldwin, giving the neighbors a new development next door, rather than a dilapidated home, students important training and a family the opportunity to own their own quality, but still affordable, home. Its a win for so many different parts of the community. I love it when we can find something that produces such good news, Baldwin said. Since 1974, La Crosse has received more than $40 million in federal grant funding and has leveraged those dollars into more than $100 million in neighborhood investments. We really see up close what a difference that it makes, but sadly its been a program thats been under the chopping block in this administration, Baldwin said. President Donald Trumps proposed budget has zeroed out the program for the last three years. We have a fight on our hands every year. If I work with a group of senators who really know what these funds do, its an easy, easy job to restore that money, Baldwin said. Its a program that has a strong bipartisan appeal, she said, partly because it allows communities to make their own decisions on how that money which comes to $3.6 billion for the entire country is used. The money that comes directly to La Crosse by the formula theres not a lot of strings attached on the federal level or the state level, so they can prioritize community development projects that will make the biggest impact here in La Crosse and La Crosse County, Baldwin said. The citys Community Development Committee votes each year on how to allocate the about $800,000 in grant funds after reviewing dozens of applications and its recommendation is then approved by the La Crosse Common Council. This year, the city allocated the majority of its funds for affordable apartments, including the renovation of the upper floors of the Rivoli Theatre, as well as about $120,000 for a La Crosse chronic nuisance technician. It also allocated funds for nine public service projects, including Couleecap, the La Crosse Collaborative to End Homelessness, Family & Childrens Center and New Horizons Shelter and Outreach Center, among others. Jourdan Vian can be reached at jvian@lacrossetribune.com or follow her on Twitter at @Jourdan_LCT. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. WASHINGTON (AP) Special counsel Robert Mueller said Wednesday that charging President Donald Trump with a crime was "not an option" because of federal rules, but he used his first public remarks on the Russia investigation to emphasize that he did not exonerate the president. "If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so," Mueller declared. The special counsel's remarks stood as a pointed rebuttal to Trump's repeated claims that he was cleared and that the two-year inquiry was merely a "witch hunt." They also marked a counter to criticism, including by Attorney General William Barr, that Mueller should have reached a determination on whether the president illegally tried to obstruct the probe by taking actions such as firing his FBI director. Mueller made clear that his team never considered indicting Trump because the Justice Department prohibits the prosecution of a sitting president. "Charging the president with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider," Mueller said. He said he believed such an action would be unconstitutional. Mueller did not use the word 'impeachment," but said it was the job of Congress not the criminal justice system to hold the president accountable for any wrongdoing. The special counsel's statement largely echoed the central points of his 448-page report,which was released last month with some redactions. But his remarks, just under 10 minutes long and delivered from a Justice Department podium, were extraordinary given that he had never before discussed or characterized his findings and had stayed mute during two years of feverish public speculation. Mueller, a former FBI director, said Wednesday that his work was complete and he was resigning to return to private life. His remarks underscored the unsettled resolution, and revelations of behind-the-scenes discontent, that accompanied the end of his investigation. His refusal to reach a conclusion on criminal obstruction opened the door for Barr to clear the president, who in turn has cited the attorney general's finding as proof of his innocence. Trump, given notice Tuesday evening that Mueller would speak the next morning, watched on television. For weeks, he had been nervous about the possibility about the special counsel testifying before Congress, worried about the visual power of such a public appearance. Shortly after Mueller concluded, the president who has repeatedly and falsely claimed that the report cleared him of obstruction of justice, tweeted a subdued yet still somewhat inaccurate reaction: "Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you" While claiming victory, the tone of the president's tweet was a far cry from the refrain of "total exoneration" that has dominated his declarations. Mueller has privately vented to Barr about the attorney general's handling of the report, while Barr has publicly said he was taken aback by the special counsel's decision to neither exonerate nor incriminate the president. Under pressure to testify before Congress, Mueller did not rule it out. But he seemed to warn lawmakers that they would not be pulling more detail out of him. His report is his testimony, he said. "So beyond what I have said here today and what is contained in our written work," Mueller said, "I do not believe it is appropriate for me to speak further about the investigation or to comment on the actions of the Justice Department or Congress." Mueller's comments, one month after the public release of his report on Russian efforts to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton, appeared intended to both justify the legitimacy of his investigation against complaints by the president and to explain his decision to not reach a conclusion on whether Trump had obstructed justice in the probe. He described wide-ranging and criminal Russian efforts to interfere in the election, including by hacking and spreading disinformation interference that Trump has said Putin rejected to his face in an "extremely strong and powerful" denial. And Mueller called the question of later obstruction by Trump and his campaign a matter of "paramount importance." Mueller said the absence of a conclusion on obstruction should not be mistaken for exoneration. A Justice Department legal opinion "says the Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing," Mueller said. That would shift the next move, if any, to Congress, and the Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, which would investigate further or begin any impeachment effort, commented quickly. New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler said it falls to Congress to respond to the "crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump and we will do so." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has so far discouraged members of her caucus from demanding impeachment, believing it would only help Trump win re-election and arguing that Democrats need to follow a methodical, step by step approach to investigating the president. But she hasn't ruled it out. On the Republican side, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said that Mueller "has decided to move on and let the report speak for itself. Congress should follow his lead." Trump has blocked House committees' subpoenas and other efforts to dig into the Trump-Russia issue, insisting Mueller's report has settled everything. The report found no criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia to tip the outcome of the 2016 presidential election in Trump's favor. But it also did not reach a conclusion on whether the president had obstructed justice. Barr has said he was surprised Mueller did not reach a conclusion on obstruction, though Mueller in his report and again in his statement Wednesday said he had no choice. Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decided on their own that the evidence was not sufficient to support a criminal charge. Barr, who is currently in Alaska for work and was briefed ahead of time on Mueller's statement, has said he asked Mueller during a March conversation if he would have recommended charging Trump "but for" the Office of Legal Counsel opinion, and that Mueller said "no." "Under longstanding department policy, a president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office," Mueller said. "That is unconstitutional. Even if the charge is kept under seal and hidden from public view that, too, is prohibited." Mueller, for his part, earlier complained privately to Barr that he believed a four-page letter from the attorney general summarizing the report's main conclusions did not adequately represent his findings. Barr has said he considered Mueller's criticism to be a bit "snitty." ____ Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick, Lisa Mascaro and Jonathan Lemire contributed to this report. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 2 WASHINGTON Yes, Democrats can walk and chew gum at the same time. The problem right now is that all anyone ever asks about is the gum-chewing. President Trump is steadily advancing a narrative that Democrats are unable to focus on a substantive policy agenda because theyre too fixated on investigating, subpoenaing and, eventually, impeaching the president. Or, as our victim in chief tweeted on Monday: The Dems are getting NOTHING done in Congress! They only want a Do-Over on Mueller! This sort of nonsense is something weve come to expect from Trump. But more troubling, perhaps, is that many of us in the media have also been amplifying his false narrative. As I noted in The Washington Post Opinions recent 2020 Power Ranking, the number of Democratic officials calling for impeachment has grown in recent weeks. Maybe theyre jumping on the impeachment train because they believe its the right thing to do, or because they think itll be politically advantageous. But another plausible explanation for why so many Democrats are now talking about impeachment is thats what we in the media, primed by Trump, ask them to talk about often to the exclusion of other substantive issues that those Democrats are working on and that voters care about. The topic dominated Sunday morning political shows this past weekend. In one particularly frustrating exchange, NBCs Meet the Press host Chuck Todd asked Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., to address criticisms that the Democratic Party is too myopically focused on subpoenas and impeachment rather than kitchen table issues. He did this, of course, while only asking myopic questions about subpoenas and impeachment, and none about any of those kitchen table issues. I support Congress efforts to exercise oversight over the executive branch, including through subpoenas of Trumps financial records. Given Trumps historic lack of transparency, his sprawling business empire and his many fishy transactions over the years, lawmakers need to make sure that he is running the executive branch in the interest of the American public rather than his own pocketbook. We still dont know whether or how Trumps many financial entanglements including hotel patronage by firms seeking merger approval, deals with shady partners abroad or whatever complicated tax shelters hes using might be influencing policy decisions. But, in fairness, there have been a lot of other issues kitchen table issues, you might even say that Democrats have also been pursuing, and to which pundits like me havent given sufficient time or attention. Many of the proposals are good, some are bad; but, in any case, its hard to argue that Democrats have been underinvesting in policy because theyre overinvesting in oversight. Theres an energetic and contentious debate about the future of health care and the wisdom of a single-payer system. (For the record: Im more optimistic about the creation of a public option that would coexist alongside private insurance, such as that proposed by the Medicare for America Act or the Medicare-X Choice Act.) The 2020 candidates and other lawmakers and their constituents are still hashing that out. But, meanwhile, the Democratic-controlled House has already successfully passed a number of significant bills on health care and other areas voters say they care about. One major bill addresses drug costs (by banning pay-for-delay generic prescription agreements) and repeals Trumps expansion of junk insurance plans (which often dont cover pre-existing conditions). Another bill attempts to narrow the gender pay gap. Another would require the United States to remain in the Paris climate accord, while another reauthorizes the Violence Against Women Act. Still another is a sweeping anti-corruption and election integrity measure. That may not exactly be a kitchen table issue, but it should theoretically appeal to all those Trumpkins who say they want to drain the swamp. Again, these bills have all already passed the House. The reason they remain bills, rather than enacted legislation, is not that theyre being crowded out by Democrats supposedly all-consuming impeachment agenda. Its that the Republican-controlled Senate refuses to take them up. And Trump himself is not exactly trying to move the ball forward, including on issues with opportunities for bipartisan consensus. Such as, oh, infrastructure which, as you might recall, was the subject of the meeting Trump stormed out of last week, for his preplanned news conference on how Democrats supposedly only cared about investigating the president. Which is to say: If anyone is too laser-focused on the threat of impeachment, it aint the Democrats. Its the object of that potential impeachment, aided and abetted by a media he manages so masterfully. Catherine Rampells email address is crampell@washpost.com. Follow her on Twitter, @crampell. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 MADISON Dan Malven isnt a wide-eyed optimist by nature. Hes a sober, even cautious, venture capitalist who is diligent about investments made by the fund he helps manage, Wisconsin-based 4490 Ventures. When it comes to how he views the investment climate in the Midwest, however, Malven is bullish. Over the next 20 years, the Midwest should be a great market for angel and venture capital investments in young, often tech-enabled companies, Malven told a May 21 meeting of the Tech Council Innovation Network in Madison. Hes not alone in his assessment. The only question is whether Wisconsin policy-makers will be late to the party. For reasons that range from the regions share of U.S. economic clout to the talent produced by the regions colleges and universities, and from Silicon Valley fatigue to lower business and living costs, more investors are discovering the Midwest. Funds such Drive Capital, 50 South Capital, Lewis and Clark, Allos Ventures, Lightbank Fund and Revolution Ventures have planted a flag in the Midwest, often exclusively as a region, because they see the potential for deals that make money for them while producing jobs and economic activity. It is a phenomenon reflected in data collected by the Wisconsin Technology Council, as well. Total angel and venture investments in Wisconsin for 2016, 2017 and 2018 will approach $800 million, based on preliminary data, with investors from outside the states borders making up a larger share of those dollars than ever before. The rise of the Midwest as a destination for early stage investments will be a topic at the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs Conference (witreps.com), June 4-5 in Milwaukee, with many regionally focused investors on hand to talk about what theyre seeing in the market. Malven said most coastal investors he meets are surprised when he tells them 9 percent of all billion-dollar-plus venture capital exits, such as acquisitions or initial public offerings, during a recent 13-year span were Midwest based. He thinks that share could rise to 20 percent over time as the region attracts more capital. Most early stage capital is still clustered in California, Massachusetts and New York, but observers expect the Midwest share to rise due to these and other factors: 20 percent share of U.S. gross domestic product, 21 percent of Inc. 5000 headquarters, 27 percent of Fortune 500 headquarters. 31 percent of university research and development spending on engineering, 27 percent of graduating engineers and 90 percent of the 10 most attractive cities for new college graduates. Silicon Valley is also over-heating, with people, companies and investors looking for better and less expensive places to live and work. The next wave of the internet and information technology also favors the Midwest, which remains a hub for manufacturing. How are Midwestern states positioning themselves for this renewed interest in the region? Some have been aggressive about underwriting state funds, matched by private dollars, that co-invest in young companies and other funds. Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and, most recently, Indianas Next Level Fund, have followed that approach in the belief a rising investment tide will lift all states in the region. Wisconsin has a toehold called the Badger Fund of Funds, which has invested in at least a dozen young companies statewide through its recipient funds in a handful of locations. The state of Wisconsin is a limited partner in the fund through a $25-million investment. However, investments in funds established in other Midwest states average hundreds of millions of dollars per state and those dollars are magnets for much more in private investment. For states that have engaged in larger funds, the paybacks are significant in tax dollars, economic growth and good-paying tech jobs. Is Wisconsin primed to step up? Yes, but it will require political will to build upon a tech economy infrastructure that is already growing. Its an opportunity worthy of bipartisan support. Tom Still is president of the Wisconsin Technology Council and can be reached at tstill@wisconsintechnologycouncil.com. More on the Entrepreneurs Conference at witreps.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe Los Angeles is in the midst of an experiment on 72,340 wheels. You've likely seen test subjects zipping down streets (or more likely sidewalks) in or near your neighborhood. Yes, we're talking about e-scooters. Turns out they're on a lot of Angelenos' minds lately. In the nine days from April 25 to May 3 this year, L.A.'s 311 service request system received more than 1,200 reports related to scooters -- from bad parking to broken vehicles. That averages out to about 133 scooter complaints per day, or more than five an hour. The city is six weeks into its one-year Dockless Mobility Program, in which eight companies -- including Bird, Lime, Lyft and the Uber-owned Jump -- have been permitted to drop tens of thousands of electric scooters and bikes on sidewalks across L.A. Similar pilot programs are underway in Long Beach and Santa Monica, and another is in the works for unincorporated L.A. County. The mission of the program is to study how the dockless vehicles are being used, understand safety concerns and figure out how the devices might fit into local governments' wider vision for mobility. Cities have struggled to draft rules to catch up with the spread of e-scooters, which first appeared in Santa Monica in September 2017. Approximately one million rides were taken on e-scooters and e-bikes in the first month of the program (April 15 to May 15), according to Marcel Porras, chief sustainability officer for the Los Angeles Department of Transportation. Porras, whose office is leading the pilot program, said the city is managing the largest dockless vehicle fleet in the country. That puts L.A. in a unique "leadership role," he said, as other U.S. cities take note of how the scooter craze plays out here. "(There are) all these subtleties that we're really looking forward to exploring," he told LAist, "so that we can continue to educate our policymakers, and then also educate the operators themselves and figure out together how best to leverage this huge private investment that we're seeing on the streets of L.A." So, as scooters continue to spread across Los Angeles, how is the city managing them? How many are even out there? And how often are people getting hurt? L.A.'S EXPERIMENT BY THE NUMBERS Dockless electric scooters line the sidewalk on Central Avenue near 2nd Street in Little Tokyo on May 5, 2019. (Chava Sanchez/LAist) Just how many scooters are out there? Here's a full breakdown of the maximum number of scooters LADOT is allowing each company to operate on city streets: Bird - 6,500 Lime - 5,500 Lyft - 4,000 Spin - 10,500 Jump - 2,750 Sherpa - 670 Bolt - 500 That adds up to more than 30,400 scooters in L.A. if each company reaches its cap. Electric dockless bicycles are also part of the program, with 2,750 permitted to Jump and 3,000 for the company Wheels. LADOT officials said about 20,000 total vehicles (including e-bikes) are on the streets so far, but more than 16,000 can still be deployed. WHO'S IN CHARGE OF MAKING SURE RIDERS AND COMPANIES BEHAVE? That gets a little complicated. Scooter-related responsibilities are spread among a few city departments -- and technically the scooter companies themselves. LADOT is attempting to control the general scooter chaos by collecting and analyzing data, developing a public education campaign, and making sure Bird, Lime and all the other operators are following the rules. The department even created parking zones for scooters (and e-bikes) in an effort to keep sidewalks from becoming obstacle courses. So far there are roughly 30 of them, mostly downtown. The Los Angeles Police Department is tasked with writing tickets for bad rider behavior, namely sidewalk riding. If a scooter is parked in the same spot more than five days straight, the L.A. Sanitation Bureau is responsible for removing it. We asked if that means there's a scooter jail but a bureau spokeswoman said city sanitation workers have not removed any loitering scooters to date. The other check on scooter companies is everyday citizens (like you!). LADOT is tracking scooter-related issues through the city's 311 system, which now includes a specific category for the public to report badly parked or broken vehicles -- or any scooters they notice up a tree, in a trash can or thrown in a local waterway (the hate is very real). You can file a report over the phone, via email, on the city's website or through the MyLA311 mobile app. When LADOT receives a service request and identifies which company owns the scooter in question, they alert that operator -- and the company is required to respond within two hours. LADOT officials said they have the right to suspend or revoke a company's permit if they don't comply. Shared electric scooters lie on a Los Angeles sidewalk on February 13, 2019. (Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images) "The burden then on the city is really reduced, because we don't have to then go out and respond to dozens of service requests a day," an LADOT spokesperson said. "That onus is on providers, but we can track how quickly they're closing out the requests." So far, the response from the public has been "significant," the spokesperson said, referring to those roughly 1,200 scooter complaints filed in one nine-day period. HOW IS L.A. MAKING SCOOTERS ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE? Locally, scooters and e-bikes have traditionally been placed in tourist-heavy hubs like Venice and Santa Monica. But LADOT put incentives in place for companies to deploy scooters in "disadvantaged communities" (DAC) throughout the city, with a particular focus on the San Fernando Valley. LADOT designates those zones using data from California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment and the state's environmental protection agency, which identified communities "disproportionately burdened by, and vulnerable to, multiple sources of pollution." Companies are allowed a higher vehicle cap and sharply reduced fees for the portion of their fleets operating in these neighborhoods. The majority of Spin's scooter fleet (8,000) is operating in disadvantaged communities, which explains why the Ford-owned company has the largest fleet in the program. About 3,500 Limes and 2,500 Birds are also deployed in DAC zones, LADOT officials said, adding that nearly a third of scooters citywide are in the Valley. An LADOT spokesperson said that investment fits within the department philosophy "that everyone in L.A. deserves safe and affordable transportation choices." Scooter companies are also required to maintain equity programs that offer low-income residents discounted access to their vehicles without requiring a smartphone (since not everyone has one). Most electric scooter companies charge one dollar to activate the vehicle, then charge for use on a per-minute basis. (Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images) Spin offers free, one-time rides under 30 minutes to riders who "provide proof of low-income status, such as enrollment in EBT, First Five, reduced or free lunch benefits, or any low-income utility program," according to a company spokeswoman. Lime slices its normal charges in half for riders who qualify, while Bird drops the $1 activation fee. But as Juan Matute, deputy director of UCLA's Institute of Transportation Studies, explained, just because scooters and bikes are dropped in these areas doesn't mean the people who live there are riding them. "It doesn't necessarily mean that people who have more limited mobility options (or) lower incomes are using them," he said. "What other places are finding (is) that it's actually necessary to do a user survey to try to figure out the sociodemographics of the users... and then compare that with those who are living in the neighborhoods (and) working in the neighborhoods to get a better idea of how effective the equity programs are." WHAT ABOUT ALL THE SAFETY CONCERNS? It should shock no one that a new mode of human transportation means a new way for humans to hurt themselves and others. There's plenty of social media evidence showing that people are getting injured on scooters, but it's hard to say just how often it's happening, since local governments and public health agencies are just beginning to study rider behavior and ER visits. Late last year, the Los Angeles Fire Department started tracking the number of times its firefighters respond to scenes where an e-scooter is involved, department spokesman Erik Scott said. So far in 2019, LAFD personnel have been called to 74 scooter-related incidents, according to Scott. In 55 of those calls, someone was transported to a local hospital, but LAFD officials could not speak to the nature of their injuries. An example of how not to ride an e-scooter responsibly. (Mario Tama/Getty Images) RELATED: LA's Scooter Wars Sound A Lot Like The Early Days Of Automobiles The LAPD monitors and publishes traffic collision data through its traffic division, but the city's public records office could not provide specific scooter-related data because "there isn't any tracking [system] that differentiates electric scooters from other two-wheeled vehicles," according to a city official. We've reported previously on how scooter-related injuries are being studied locally. Here's a cliff notes version of a UCLA-led report published in January: The most common rider injuries are to the head A notable share of the injured are minors Hardly any riders wear helmets A study out of Austin, Texas published in early May showed more of the same. The city's public health department found that 190 people were injured while riding e-scooters over a 3-month period. Nearly half sustained head injuries and 15% suffered a traumatic brain injury. Just one percent of riders were wearing helmets. In both studies, researchers said they likely underestimated how often scooter riders are getting hurt. But health officials and firefighters have roughly the same message to reduce the risk of injury: slow down, pay attention and wear a damn helmet. It may not be the law anymore, but it could mean the difference between a headache and a skull fracture. Porras said his office plans to work closely with the city's Vision Zero team, along with LAPD, LAFD and city planning officials "to understand root causes to severe scooter crashes." RELATED: Lime Quietly Pulled Scooters In LA Over Battery Fire Risk So far, one scooter rider death has been reported in the city of L.A. During a police pursuit in Hollywood last month, a suspected DUI driver struck a 31-year-old man riding in a crosswalk. The man, who was visiting from Dallas, died at a local hospital. In March, a man riding a scooter in Santa Monica fell off the vehicle and was fatally run over by a passing car. The driver fled the scene. To put those deaths into perspective, preliminary LAPD data showed 127 pedestrians and 21 bicyclists were killed on L.A. streets last year. ALL EYES ON L.A. -- AND ITS DATA We're as shocked as you are to see an e-scooter rider apparently following the rules. (Courtesy LADOT) L.A. might be leading the quest to harness the potential of dockless mobility, but Porras said it's just one piece of "the larger ecosystem of cities" working to understand how the scooters and bikes fit into their larger vision for getting people around. "In order for us to be at the table investing in (mobility) decisions, we have to understand what's really happening," Porras said. And that means collecting data. LADOT created a data specification which each operator is required to implement, giving cities immediate access to raw, live location data on every scooter and e-bike trip in L.A. "We don't have to rely on each of the companies pitching us and telling us what it is they need -- we can see it," Porras said. "We can see where they're deploying, we can see where the hotspots are (and) we see where the pain points are for community stakeholders." About 50 cities are regularly accessing those datasets from operators, according to an LADOT spokesperson. City officials said they're taking steps to "de-identify" the data so that riders' personal information is not made public, but privacy experts have voiced concerns. In a letter to LADOT General Manager Seleta Reynolds, the nonprofit Center for Democracy and Technology urged the department to put more safeguards in place to protect riders' information. "Taking rider privacy seriously will help Los Angeles lead the way for other cities adopting similar pilot programs," the letter reads. City officials said they "will make no data available to law enforcement agencies through this process that is not already available to them from Operators now." At least one scooter company, Jump, pushed back against LADOT's data-sharing requirement, but eventually agreed to the terms to stay in the program. Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe Last year, California set aside $44 million for a one-time grant program to boost student health, technology, and educational opportunities -- including the arts. Over 50 school districts and county offices of education got a slice of those funds to spend this year. One of those districts was Beaumont Unified in the Inland Empire. In fact, the district got the second largest slice of the grant in the state -- more than $2.4 million. To learn more about the rare funding opportunity -- and what it was used for -- I paid them a visit. Here's what I learned. This story also aired on the radio. You can listen to it on KPCC.org. FIRST, WHERE DOES THE MONEY COME FROM? The conversation about a dedicated grant program for visual and performing arts in schools started with SB 933, which was introduced by State Senator Ben Allen in January 2018 with the backing of the California Alliance for Arts Education. The idea was a departure from how funding arts education usually works. In 2006, then-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's budget did include over $100 million specifically for arts and music in schools, but these days, there isn't a line item for arts education in the state budget. Instead, under local control, funds are given to districts based on a formula. Then, districts figure out how they need to spend that money to meet their school's needs. The California Arts Council, which receives state funding, also offers some arts education grants that rely in part on arts license plate sales. "We knew that it ran counter to some of the policies that were going forward, particularly local control," California Alliance for Arts Education executive director Joe Landon said of SB 933. "But we thought it was worth a shot." The state legislature passed it in August, but Gov. Jerry Brown, citing his belief that school spending should be decided at the local level, vetoed it in November. "Nurturing creativity is certainly one of the most important responsibilities of teachers and local schools," Brown wrote in his veto. "But under our philosophy of local control, this is a matter best handled by individuals at the school level, not at state headquarters." But that didn't mean support for arts education was off the table. Brown's 2018-2019 budget included a $44 million grant program with a broader mandate than just the arts. The funding came from federal Title IV money. When the Califorina Department of Education considered who would and wouldn't get the money -- and how much they'd get -- it prioritized applications that would expand access to physical health, mental health, and arts education opportunities for students. It's difficult to say exactly how much of the $44 million grant went specifically to the support of arts programs. The California Alliance for Arts Education compiled a list of local education agencies that received the funds, and estimated that $26 million of the $44 million went to the arts in some way. Landon saw the grant program as an opportunity "to demonstrate what funding can do to change the system." At Beaumont, that's exactly what happened. SO WHY BEAUMONT? A couple of years ago, Beaumont resident Pat Wayne reached out to the guy who oversees curriculum for the district, Dr. Mathew Barnett. Aside from being a community member, Wayne is program director at Create CA, a group of leaders and organizations that advocate for the arts in schools. But, at the time, the arts weren't the district's main priority. "We were in the middle of piloting English language arts programs and math programs, and I said, 'Pat, to be perfectly honest, that is going to have to wait for a little bit, because we got all of these other things going on,'" Barnett recalled. Wayne knew what he meant. "His response was really a good indicator of what administrators are dealing with, how very full their plates are," she explained. Some months passed -- and so did the 2018-2019 state budget, which included $44 million for a grant program. Wayne told the Beaumont school board about the available money during its July 24, 2018 meeting. "The governor just signed a budget that includes $45 million for the arts," she said during public comment. "... So I just wanted to offer my help." That got their attention. Barnett and the district's leaders asked teachers and community members: What would you do if you could get the money, and how much would you need? After adding up all of the items on their wish lists, they came up with a figure: $2.6 million. "A lot of times, you don't get specific funding, or sometimes it's not as much of a priority to think about the arts," Barnett explained. "With the grant funds, we're able to refocus and say, "Okay, we know that reading writing is important, but how do we integrate visual and performing arts activities?'" Barnett applied, although he didn't think they'd get nearly that much money. But in November, district officials got a welcome email. Beaumont Unified received almost all of the money it had applied for -- over $2.4 million. We are so happy to offer guitar as a course next year as a result of our SSAE grant! Who is next to be a Juke Box Hero? https://t.co/6Tkf7u9c4P @Beaumont_SD @tdav8 @HawkHammer53 #beaumontisbest #beaumontlearns pic.twitter.com/eIvgafAf2G Mathew Barnett (@mabarn) May 3, 2019 HOW DID THE MONEY GET USED? Some of it went to science, but more than half of it funded initiatives in the arts. Because it's a one-time grant, Beaumont's $2.4 million award has to be spent before Sept. 30. That means Barnett couldn't use the funds to pay instructors. "We had to be thoughtful about, 'Okay, what's our plan? What materials can we buy that we can have on hand?'" Barnett explained. "How are we going to sustain this going forward?" The final spending figures aren't exact, but Barnett broke down some of the arts budget for the grant funds: $32,000 for elementary art supplies $87,000 for elementary strings, brass, and woodwind instruments $300,000 for middle school bands $720,000 for high school band equipment $175,000 for digital media arts equipment "None of that stuff would happen if we didn't have this money," Barnett said. Scroll through the pictures below to learn more about how Beaumont spent the money. Digital Media Arts At Beaumont High Beaumont High digital art student Marriam Jawaid's piece "Confidence Beyond Doubt" won her district's congressional art competition. (Courtesy of Marriam Jawaid/Beaumont High School) When her digital arts class got new computers, tablets, and 3D printers, junior Marriam Jawaid was pumped. "I can't believe this is happening," she said. "Even a lot of colleges, they don't have computers like this." Jawaid's digital arts teacher, Samuel Ramirez, said the school's old computers were slow and crashed frequently, frustrating students and hindering instruction. He's grateful for the new gear, but he worries about districts that didn't receive this money, and about the future. "What would that look like if the grant wasn't available?" he wondered. "And what is it going to look like seven, eight years from now when this equipment becomes out of date ... is there going to be another grant?" Instruments, Instruments, And More Instruments With the new funding, Beaumont Unified bought over $1 million worth of instruments, including these violins and cellos. (Carla Javier/KPCC/LAist) Band instructor Victoria Batta said the school used the grant to purchase about 10 cellos, 40 violins, and 10 violas, which will be used to start an elementary strings program in the future. "It's just really exciting because we can include more kids who maybe would've not been able to afford it before or for whatever reason couldn't sign up," Batta explained. Training For Teachers Debbie Nelson works with her first-graders on using theater skills to act out a version of "The Three Little Pigs," from the point of view of the wolf. (Carla Javier/KPCC/LAist) In Debbie Nelson's classroom, students learned about perception. Instead of just reading a story to the students, she asked them to act out the Three Little Pigs from the wolf's point of view, using theater skills. She attended visual and performing arts trainings, which informed her approach. "As a child growing up, we were told to sit and listen ... and I struggled as a first-grade student," Nelson said. "I really think that it's important to introduce all different types of learning, because everybody learns differently." WANT TO KNOW MORE? I'm hosting an event about funding education and paying for the arts in schools. It's on June 17 here at KPCC in Pasadena. It's a free event. Click here to learn more, and to RSVP. Also, I want your help! Tell me what you think we should talk about. You can send me your questions using the form below. Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe Attention parents: The California Assembly unanimously passed a bill aiming to make preschool more accessible on Tuesday. The Pre-K for All Act of 2019 would expand the state-funded pre-K program to make sure all 4-year-olds and 3-year-olds from low-income families can attend. It would also increase qualifications and pay for teachers, and it would change income eligibility limits so that middle-income families can access the program, too. "There are too many kids from families that are too rich to qualify for the free [program] but too poor to pay the one to two thousand dollars a month it costs for full-day preschool programs in California," said Assemblyman Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento, lead author of the legislation. This is just one of the ways that policymakers are looking to ramp up early childhood education programs in the state in the hopes of closing achievement gaps, reducing poverty and much more. Next, the Pre-K for All Act heads to the Senate for a vote. McCarty lucked out and got bill number 123 for this legislation. He likes to say that pre-K for all is as easy as 1-2-3. But he acknowledges that it's a complicated and expensive process. This is the third time McCarty has proposed legislation like this. Governor Jerry Brown vetoed it in the past, but with Gov. Gavin Newsom's passion for early childhood issues, it's expected to pass this time around. McCarty is one of four legislators in the state who previously worked in early childhood education. I spoke with him about the legislation, what he's learned from preschool programs in other states, and all of the other efforts underway to improve early childhood education in California. Asm. Kevin McCarty, posing with the "lucky tie" he wears annually for the budget hearing on early childhood education. (Priska Neely/LAist) The conversation below has been edited for clarity. How do all of these different things work together -- your legislation, the governor's budget, the Blue Ribbon Commission? Well, I ask myself that question every morning, as well. So I don't always know how they all work together. But we're a very complex state -- we have 40 million people, urban areas, rural areas. Some areas are robust in their pre-K program. Some -- they're early education deserts, where there's not a lot of opportunity and programs. So we really have to realize that we have this complicated web of programs, but we need them all to take care of access needs in California. It seems like a really complicated puzzle. Yeah. When you look at these expansion ideas, you have to look at the totality of the issue, which includes the facilities, the workforce, and just the overall reimbursement rate, because costs have gone up tremendously. Individuals in the workforce, literally, they can make more money working at In-N-Out Burger or Costco. We realize it's a workforce issue, but it's also an economic development issue for the workforce. And as we know, they're predominantly women, primarily women of color. And so I think California ought to be recognizing that issue, as well. It helps the programs be more stable. You won't have as much turnover -- that helps the kids. And also, you can focus on the pay. How did you become passionate about these issues? I've worked in education policy for 20 years plus -- higher ed policy, mainly. And then, about 10 or so years ago had the opportunity to work in this early education field. I always intuitively thought that pre-K was important. I participated in a pre-K program when I was a kid. I remember it was actually a state-subsidized one, too. My mom was a single mom and got an opportunity to to get a scholarship to send us there. And so I always believed in it intuitively, but when I saw the research, and really dug into the issues, [I realized] we have this crazy achievement gap for so many kids in California, specifically kids in underrepresented neighborhoods and communities of color. We as a society had thought for many years, Oh, kids start kindergarten at the starting point in a race and it's all equal. But we realized that kids now are starting kindergarten way behind. And so it's creating a big, big problem in our education system. You recently did an East Coast tour with state superintendent of public instruction Tony Thurmond looking at preschool programs in other parts of the country. What struck you on that tour? What struck me the most is that it can be done, that there are other states that realize, hey, this is an important issue that we should be tackling as a government or as a society. New Jersey stepped up and they're a pre-K for all state. The city of Boston, New York and Florida and Oklahoma. And really it struck me that some of those states are Republican states. This is not a partisan issue. But California, we're the leaders on so many issues -- environment, on healthcare, immigration, civil rights issues -- but on this issue, with early education, we're way behind. So that the trip back east showed me that it's about political leadership, and we need to have our top leaders leaning in on this issue and we [have that with] Governor Newsom, so I'm super excited about that. But the trip also showed how it can be implemented. You can't snap your fingers and have your state be pre-K for all overnight. So it showed us what needs to be done to implement that. And there are common-sense things like [funding] facilities and classrooms, and then training programs for pre-K teachers. And we brought some of those back, and that's part of our proposal in the legislature. And frankly, some of those pieces are part of the governor's proposal in the budget. So I think they're all moving along nicely. Do you think that that the political leadership piece is what's been missing in California? Of course, it's a lot bigger than the small East Coast states but why do you think California is behind? Absolutely. I think that this is an issue that Governor Brown, he accepted it as opposed to embracing it and pushing it. So we were able to make, I would say, slow-and-steady progress, but not get over the hump. There are some programs aimed at school readiness that may not be accessible for all parents because they conflict with schedules. In the initiatives you're pushing, are you focused on early learning or childcare and accommodating parents? Not that they are mutually exclusive. There need to be choices for parents. Some parents want a full-day, some parents actually want a part-day situation. Some parents need programs that are at odd hours because they work at night or on weekends. We have to realize that it's not always the same for each parent. But I guess the overarching issue is that it's not one or the other. It's not, "Oh, the magic bullet solution here is pre-K and that's going to take care of it." It's the whole spectrum of brain development. The most important years are between birth and the age of five, when a kid traditionally enters kindergarten. And so part of that are infant and toddler programs to help families go back to work, go to school. And so I'm not saying we need one or the other. We're trying to step up on both ends. But with preschool, we should ensure that at the minimum, at least all lower-income 3- and 4-year-olds have at least one year of preschool before they enter kindergarten. That's what we owe it to our state to do the most. Do you get any pushback to the goal of pre-K for all? I think the pushback is that it costs money. And we have other priorities. We have, you know, a couple million Californians without health coverage. We have a higher education system that turns away too many people who are trying to get a college degree. We have woefully funded public schools that are 41st in the nation. We have a homelessness crisis on our streets across California. So, all those things combined add up to $50 billion. This pre-K push is in competition with all those other issues, but I'm hopeful, because there is such strong leadership at the top from the governor. And again, if you look at the issues that we're trying to tackle in California -- education, criminal justice and poverty -- pre-K is a solution that impacts all of those. So I think that that's why we have such a great opportunity to make a difference in 2019. A version of this story also ran on Take Two. Listen here starting at 20:30. Mueller: Special Counsel Probe Did Not Exonerate Trump Special counsel Robert Mueller courtesy photo WASHINGTON (AP) Special counsel Robert Mueller said Wednesday he was legally barred from charging President Donald Trump with a crime but pointedly emphasized that his Russia report did not exonerate the president. If he could have cleared Trump of obstruction of justice he would have said so, Mueller declared. ADVERTISEMENT The special counsels remarks, his first in public since being tasked two years ago with investigating Russian interference to help Trump win the 2016 presidential election, stood as a strong rebuttal to Trumps repeated claims that he was exonerated and that the inquiry was merely a witch hunt. They also marked a clear defense to criticism, including by Attorney General William Barr, that he should have reached a determination on whether the president illegally tried to obstruct the probe by taking actions such as firing his FBI director. Mueller made clear he believed he was restrained from indicting a sitting president such an action was not an option. He did not use the word impeachment but said it was Congress job to hold the president accountable for any wrongdoing. If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so, Mueller said. We did not however make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime. Muellers statement largely echoed the central points of his 448-page report released by the Justice Department last month with some redactions. But his remarks, delivered at the department, were nonetheless extraordinary given that he had never before discussed or characterized his findings and had stayed mute during two years of feverish public speculation. Mueller, a former FBI director, said his work was complete and he was resigning to return to private life. Under pressure to testify before Congress, he did not rule it out. But he seemed to warn lawmakers that they would not be pulling more detail out of him. His report is my testimony, he said, and he wont go beyond what is written in it. ADVERTISEMENT Trump, who has repeatedly and falsely claimed that Muellers report cleared him of obstruction of justice, modified that contention somewhat shortly after the special counsels remarks. He tweeted, There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! His personal attorney, Jay Sekulow, said that Muellers announcement puts a period on a two-year investigation that produced no findings of collusion or obstruction by the president. Muellers comments, one month after the public release of his report on Russian efforts to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton, appeared intended to both justify the legitimacy of his investigation against complaints by the president and to explain his decision to not reach a conclusion on whether Trump had obstructed justice. Indicting Trump, he said firmly, was not an option in light of a Justice Department legal opinion that says a sitting president cannot be charged. But, he said, the absence of a conclusion should not be mistaken for exoneration. The opinion says the Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing, Mueller said, referring to the Justice Department legal opinion. That would shift the next move, if any, to Congress, and the Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, which would investigate further or begin any impeachment effort, commented quickly. New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler said it falls to Congress to respond to the crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump and we will do so. On the other hand, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, the Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said that Mueller has decided to move on and let the report speak for itself. Congress should follow his lead. Trump has blocked House committees subpoenas and other efforts to dig into the Trump-Russia issue, insisting Muellers report has settled everything. That report found no criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia to tip the outcome of the 2016 presidential election in Trumps favor. But it also did not reach a conclusion on whether the president had obstructed justice. Barr has said he was surprised Mueller did not reach a conclusion on whether the president had criminally obstructed justice, though Mueller in his report and again in his public statement Wednesday said that he had no choice. Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decided on their own that the evidence was not sufficient to support an obstruction charge against Trump. Barr, who is currently in Alaska for work and was briefed ahead of time on Muellers statement, has said he asked Mueller if he would have recommended charging Trump but for the legal opinion from the Office of Legal Counsel, and that Mueller said no. Under longstanding department policy, a president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office, Mueller said. That is unconstitutional. Even if the charge is kept under seal and hidden from public view that, too, is prohibited. Mueller, for his part, complained privately to Barr that he believed a four-page letter from the attorney generalsummarizing the reports main conclusions did not adequately represent his findings. Barr has said he considered Muellers criticism to be a bit snitty. Wednesday, May 29, 2019 The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has disbarred an attorney admitted in 1988 for misconduct in two matters. The case summary on the Board of Bar Overseers web page recites On December 20, 2010, the respondent and opposing counsel jointly withdrew $184,230 from the escrow account to pay the ex-husband his share ($20,000), the respondents client her share ($160,000) and, by agreement, the legal fees owed to the husband's counsel ($4,230), all consistent with the court order. The respondent received his clients share, $160,000, at that time and deposited the funds to his IOLTA account. The balance in the escrow account continued to be held jointly in escrow for unpaid child support. The respondent did not advise his client that he had received her $160,000. She believed her funds remained in the escrow account. From 2010 through 2013, the client made numerous requests to the respondent for the $160,000, and for additional child support funds that were in arrears. The respondent misrepresented to his client that he needed the consent of her ex-husband to release the real estate escrow funds, and that opposing counsel had told him that he could not reach the exhusband to release the funds due her. From 2010 to April 2018, opposing counsel made periodic attempts to contact the respondent to discuss how to handle the funds remaining in the joint escrow. The respondent did not contact opposing counsel in regards to the unpaid child support until 2018, when the account was closed. Further, the respondent did not commence any court process to enforce the ex-husband's child support obligations. By January 1, 2012, the balance in the respondent's IOLTA account had dropped to about $40,000 without any payment being made to his client. Thereafter, the respondent wrote numerous checks payable to himself totaling $40,000. Even with unrelated additional deposits in the interim, by August 6, 2013, the balance in the respondents account fell to $140.59. The respondent deposited the $40,000 in check withdrawals to his operating account and used the funds for his own purposes. His client did not authorize these expenditures from her funds. The respondent intentionally misused his clients $160,000 for purposes unrelated to his client with intent to deprive of her of her funds. The respondent testified at hearing that that he used the $160,000 to hire an investigator to locate his clients ex-husband to seek payment of the support arrears. The client denied authorizing this payment at hearing and the respondent offered no documentation to support his claim. The hearing committee found the defense to be neither credible nor plausible. Robbing Peter to pay Paul On April 11, 2014, the respondent disbursed from his IOLTA account a $160,000 check payable to his client. The check was primarily, if not entirely, made from funds belonging to other clients, as described below. The respondent falsely told his client that her ex-husband and his counsel had finally released the funds from the escrow account. The second matter involved nearly $200,000 held in trust Between March 19, 2015 and May 15, 2017, the respondent also intentionally misused and converted twenty pension checks totaling $17,456.36 and a $9,577.84 insurance check, all payable to the mother. The respondent deposited these checks to his business operating account. By May 16, 2017, all but $1,533.10 of these funds had been spent from the respondents business account, without any distributions to the mother or at the mothers direction. The mother, who died prior to the hearing, did not authorize the respondent to take any of the proceeds for legal fees or otherwise. The respondents use of these funds resulted in immediate and intended deprivation to the mother. The respondent did not account for these funds and deprived the family and the estate of the mother of $210,899.61 in funds to which they were entitled, consisting of the converted real estate proceeds ($183,865.41) and the converted checks ($17,456.36 and $9,577.84). The MetroWest Daily News reported on the charges. (Mike Frisch) https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2019/05/the-massachusetts-supreme-judicial-court-has-disbarred-an-attorney-admitted-in-1988-for-misconduct-in-two-matters-the-case.html Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz left office on Tuesday after parliament voted out his provisional government. The vote was the latest in a political crisis brought on by a video recording. The video was filmed in 2017, but released only recently. Its images led to the ouster of Heinz-Christian Strache, Kurzs second in command in the government. Strache is the head of Austrias Freedom Party, or FPO. The events do not necessarily mean the political end of 32-year-old Kurz, however. He is still the leader of his Peoples Party and wants to lead it back to victory. His party came in first in the recent European Parliament election. I am still here, he told party activists after parliament voted on Monday. After the vote, Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen officially relieved the cabinet of its duties. He asked ministers except Kurz to continue for some time until a temporary cabinet can be made. The next parliamentary election is expected in September. Van der Bellen also spoke of the video, which was filmed on the Spanish island of Ibiza. In the recording, Strache talked about fixing state contracts. The disturbing image of Ibiza... has buried itself deep in our heads, not only here but also, of course, abroad, the president said. Strache denies any criminal wrongdoing. He resigned quickly after the video surfaced. The Reuters news agency says the video recording raised questions about money and influence in Austria. It also shook public trust in the countrys political parties. Van der Bellen said that the scandal created a distorted image of our homeland, a different image to what Austria is really like. He added, Now it is our task to change that image step by step. I'm John Russell. Francois Murphy reported on this story for Reuters. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story provisional adj. existing or accepted for the present time but likely to be changed relieve + of phrasal verb. to remove (someone) from (a post, duty, job, etc.) disturbing adj. worrying or upsetting verb - disturb distorted adj. a change in the normal shape, appearance, or sound of (something) in a way that is usually not attractive or pleasing verb distort We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. Special Counsel Robert Mueller has made his first public comments on his offices investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The United States Department of Justice appointed Mueller to lead the investigation two years ago. The investigators uncovered numerous attempts to interfere with law enforcement, a crime known as obstruction of justice. On Wednesday, Mueller explained his decision not to propose legal action against U.S. President Donald Trump. He said that charging Trump with a crime was not an option that his team could consider. The special counsel added that if his office had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so. Mueller said his office was required to follow Justice Department policies. He noted a long-standing legal opinion that a president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office. Thats unconstitutional, Mueller said. Mueller added that the U.S. Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing. This process is called impeachment. In the impeachment process, the House of Representatives can vote to bring charges against a sitting president and the Senate can vote to convict the president of the charges. In April, the Justice Department released parts of the Mueller investigations final report. It found there were many contacts between Russian agents and members of Trumps presidential election campaign. However, it said, the evidence was not sufficient to support criminal charges. The report noted 11 instances of possible obstruction of justice. The special counsel noted, while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. At the time of the reports release, Trump claimed that the investigation found him innocent. He declared, Its called no collusion, no obstruction. Trump wrote on Wednesday: Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you. His comments were published on the social networking website Twitter. In the 10-minute long appearance, Mueller took no questions from reporters. As for speaking with members of Congress, Mueller said, the report is my testimony. I would not provide information beyond that which is already public in any appearance before Congress." Mueller ended his brief appearance by saying, there were multiple, systematic efforts to interfere in our election. And that allegation deserves the attention of every American. Congressional reaction Representative Jerry Nadler chairs the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee. He said that since Mueller was unable to pursue criminal charges against the President, it falls to Congress to respond to the crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump and we will do so. No one, not even the President of the United States, is above the law." Nadler is a member of the Democratic Party. Doug Collins is the top Republican member of the House Judiciary Committee. He repeated Trumps claim saying that the special counsel "confirmed today what we knew months ago when his report was released: there was no collusion and no obstruction." Several Democrats seeking to become president, however, were quick to call for Congress to start impeachment hearings a constitutional process to remove a President from office. Seth Moulton, one of the presidential candidates said, Mueller did his job. Now its time to do ours. Impeachment hearings should begin tomorrow. Im Jill Robbins. Hai Do wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story option - n. something that can not be chosen confidence - n. the feeling of being certain that something is true sufficient - adj. having as much as needed conclude - v. state an opinion exonerate - v. to prove that someone is not guilty collusion - n. secret cooperation for an illegal purpose testimony - n. something that someone says in courts or Congress while formally promising to tell the truth multiple - adj. many allegation - n. a statement saying that someone has done something wrong or illegal Crowds will gather in two forests in the United States in coming weeks to see light shows created by a rare species of firefly. These fireflies have the ability to light up with others at the same time. The insects stay lit for 10 seconds, go dark for about a minute, then shine bright again. Youre standing in a dark forest and suddenly there is a brilliance of little lights everywhere, said Tara Cornelisse. She spoke to the Reuters news agency. Cornelisse is a scientist with the Center for Biological Diversity in Portland, Oregon. Scientists are not sure why some fireflies light up at the exact same time. But they believe that it helps attract reproductive partners during the weeks-long mating season. Three years ago, Cornelisse traveled to the Pennsylvania Firefly Festival in the Allegheny National Forest to see the light show. Cornelisse said of the experience, Its like the Milky Way flashes on and then off. You hear people gasp Ohhhh! Synchronous fireflies are found only in a handful of places in the United States. In addition to the Allegheny National Forest, they light up the night sky in Tennessee at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Oak Ridge Wildlife Management Area. Others are found in South Carolinas Congaree National Park, and around Cajon Bonito Creek in Arizona. This list of places comes from the website Firefly.org. Other synchronous firefly species are found in Southeast Asia. Starting life underground Fireflies live for two years under Earths surface as larvae. They feed on worms and snails, creatures that live mainly underground, notes Sara Lewis. She wrote a book called Silent Sparks: The Wondrous World of Fireflies. She is a professor at Tufts University in Massachusetts. Once the fireflies are adults, they rise up above the ground to spend a few weeks finding a partner, mating and making eggs before they die, said Lewis. She added that researchers know very little about why (the fireflies) developed this behavior that makes them an eco-tourist attraction. Loss of fireflies The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is making final preparations for the crowds of people coming to see its light show. Park service officials found a way to limit the number of vehicles entering the park. They set up a lottery for the 1,800 parking spaces on the grounds. More than 28,000 people entered the competition. People from over 40 states and as far away as Taiwan won the chance to leave their car near the parks entrance in Townsend, Tennessee. Tickets sold out in 12 hours for a 2019 light show in the Allegheny forest on June 22, said Peggy Butler, the events organizer. The park is a short drive from the small town of Tionesta, home to fewer than 500 people. This year, officials are trying to limit the crowd to 800. Organizers said many visitors who come to the firefly events are from Asia. Butler said, They want to see the fireflies they remember but dont see any more in places like China and Japan, where human impact and human encroachment on the environment has led to the loss of the firefly. There are 2,000 different kinds of fireflies worldwide, lighting up the night sky in yellow, green or blue. In Asia, synchronous males remain in mangrove trees, timing their flashes to interest flying females. The situation is generally the opposite in North America, where it is the males who are flying around flashing and the females are sitting on the ground, Lewis said. The downside to firefly light shows is the likelihood that without crowd controls and limits, humans will destroy the very thing that drew them there in the first place. There is a danger in just the presence of those people, Lewis said. You could actually wipe out the population that is so attractive. I'm Bryan Lynn. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story brilliance adj. intense light or brightness flash - n. a sudden burst of bright light gasp n. the sound made of a person breathing heavily synchronous adj. existing at the same time larvae n. the active, developing form of an insect eco-tourist n. people who travel for please to see wild, often threatened natural environments impact n. the effect or influence of one person or thing encroachment n. the invasion of ones territory or rights wipe out - v. to destroy draw - v. to pull or act like a magnet Millions of farmers in the United States are losing money because China is not buying the crops they grow. But garlic growers are making more money because Chinese garlic now costs almost as much as U.S.-grown garlic. For many years, sales of garlic grown in California were going down because garlic from China was less costly. Now, California garlic sales are rising, and may go higher as the U.S. government increases tariffs on Chinese products. Ken Christopher is executive vice president of his familys company, Christopher Ranch. It is the largest of three commercial garlic producers in the United States. The other producers failed. Christophers company wants the tariffs to remain in effect. "In a perfect world, we'd love to see the tariffs stay on forever," he said. U.S. garlic growers are happy because most of their sales are to Americans. Tariffs on Chinese garlic rose from 10 to 25 percent on May 9. That is when U.S. President Donald Trump increased tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese products. The increase destroyed any hope that the two countries would soon agree on a trade deal. Since then, Chinese buyers have almost completely stopped buying soybeans from the United States. U.S. soybean farmers have too much of the crop left from last year. The Trump administration set a 10 percent tariff on imports of Chinese garlic last September. Christopher noted that, after the taxes took effect, his companys U.S. garlic sales rose 15 percent during the last three months of 2018. Then Trump ordered even higher tariffs this month after trade talks ended without agreement. The increase came just a few weeks before the U.S. garlic harvest. "The timing couldn't be better for us," Christopher said. In the coming weeks, he added, he thinks there will a much larger demand for California garlic. Christophers family farm stretches over 2,300 hectares of grass-like garlic fields in Gilroy, California. He had traveled to Washington D.C. last year to ask the Trump administration to include garlic in the list of imports that would face tariffs. In the 1990s, Christophers grandfather urged U.S. lawmakers to enact a duty on Chinese garlic. At that time, officials accused China of dumping its garlic on the U.S. market that is, selling the product for less than what it cost to grow. "We understand in a broader economic sense that a trade war is not in the U.S. best interest," Ken Christopher said. "But since the tariffs were happening anyway, we needed to be sure that garlic was part of the equation." Not everyone likes the garlic tariff. Last July, Christopher spoke in support of tariffs when he met with the U.S. International Trade Commission. At the same time, officials from one of the worlds top seasoning companies, McCormick & Company Inc., were arguing against them. McCormick says its spice mixtures often use Chinese garlic. The company says it is a different product from the garlic grown in the United States. McCormicks chief executive officer, Lawrence Kurzius, told the Reuters news agency that U.S. garlic cannot be used in place of Chinese garlic. California garlic has traditionally sold at higher prices than Chinese garlic. In the wholesale market, it sells for about $60 per 30-pound box. Until recently, Chinese garlic sold for $20 per box, but that has risen to $40 with tariffs and will probably soon be higher, Kurzius said. Im Jill Robbins. Lucy Nicholson and Richa Naidu reported on this story for Reuters. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. What goods from China are sold in your country? Are they sold at a higher or lower price than goods made in the country? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story tariff n. a tax on goods coming into or leaving a country commercial adj. of or related to business and commerce duty n. a tax on goods that are being brought into a country equation n. a complicated situation or issue seasoning - n. a substance (such as salt, pepper, a spice, or an herb) that is used to add flavor to food wholesale adj. the sale of agricultural or other products in amounts usually for resale At a Roman Catholic high school in the United States, students divide into groups to discuss once-restricted issues: abusive relationships and consent. Central Catholic High School recently began using educators from a domestic violence shelter to teach students about what it means to give consent to sexual activity. The goal is to reduce sexual violence and abuse among young people and help them understand what behavior is acceptable -- and what is not -- before they become adults. Central Catholic High is in the western U.S. city of Portland, Oregon. David Blue is the schools director of diversity and inclusion. He said, Were talking about dating violence, sexual assault, relationships, #MeToo - all of those things. Blue spoke to The Associated Press (AP). What is taking place at his school represents a larger debate. Lawmakers, educators and teens are asking themselves whether sex education should be changed to better deal with some of the issues raised by the #MeToo movement against sexual abuse. Consent At the center of the debate is whether schools should expand their programs to help students understand consent something that is defined differently from state to state. Jennifer Driver is state policy director of the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States, which supports liberal sex education policies. Driver says the #MeToo movement has brought the issue of consent into the national spotlight. She added that it is clear some people still struggle with the cultural change that is happening. Driver said, When done right, sex education can serve as violence prevention. But first, we have to get these policies (enacted). Already this year, lawmakers in many state legislatures have considered sex education bills. But only five states have passed such measures. And just two require clearly defined directives about consent. That information comes from the Guttmacher Institute, which studies sexuality and reproductive health issues. In all, 10 states and the District of Columbia require that consent be part of the sex education program. More than 30 states require that teachers talk about abstinence in sex ed programs. Abstinence in this case is the practice or custom of avoiding or not having sex. In recent years, most federal money for sex education has gone to abstinence programs. The divide over how to teach sex education has long split on the question of whether children are sexual beings, said Jonathan Zimmerman. He serves as Professor of History of Education at the University of Pennsylvania. At times, sex education classes have taught students clear and detailed information about sex, as well as birth control and sexually transmitted diseases. At other times, the classes are almost entirely abstinence-centered. With the #MeToo movement, some Americans see sex education classes as a way to reduce sexual violence. This year, lawmakers in Oklahoma considered a bill that would have required state high schools to teach consent. The measure is called Laurens Law. It is named for a student who said she was raped at a high school party. The Oklahoma Legislature went on to pass a narrower measure requiring that schools with a sex ed program teach students about consent. It does not require the same from schools that do not offer sex education classes. Abstinence-based sex education As with most issues in education, local school officials play a big part in shaping sex education curriculum. Many state laws on sex education are written in an unclear way on purpose. The southern state of Tennessee requires an abstinence-based curriculum. But some students there are leading their own discussions about consent. In the city of Memphis, students are active with an organization called Memphis Against Sexual Harassment and Assault. As part of the group, they have taken part in a campaign designed to spread recognition of sexual abuse and violence. They also have held training events that teach about consent. These issues are personal to Devin Dearmore and Savanah Thompson. Dearmore, who is 18, said she was sexually harassed by a worker at her school. Fifteen-year-old Thompson said she was groped and held against a wall by another student when she was in 8th grade. She later was blamed for the incident. Thompson told the AP, Were being taught all of these things preparing us for college. But theyre not teaching you how to cope with things that can derail your life. ... Thats where our school system and school systems nationwide have failed us. In middle and elementary school, I didnt know I could say no. Some who oppose teaching consent believe it signals an approval of teen sexual activity. Mary Anne Mosack heads an abstinence education group called Ascend. She said it has been talking about consent for years but with the idea that avoiding sex is your best choice. Ascend has trained about 1,500 educators in public and private schools, as well as other places. Critics of abstinence-based programs say they close down urgently needed discussions. And they say if their goal is to reduce sexual activity, their results appear questionable. A study published last month found that Memphis was first among 17 areas named in the study in the rate of boys who had sex before they were teenagers. The study found 1 in 4 boys have sex before their 13th birthday. The Journal of the American Medical Association reported the findings. As for teaching students to delay sex until marriage, Columbia University researcher John Santilli considers that unreasonable in a country where just 3 percent of people do so. Abstinence until marriage in America in 2019? Its an impossible goal, said Santilli, who studies child health and population health. He added that more than half of Americans have sex before leaving high school. I think we ought to tell young people if theyre not ready to have sex with people, if theyve had too much to drink, if they somehow feel uncomfortable with somebody, they can say no," he said. "To me, thats feminism in action. Santilli led a study that found teaching refusal skills in high school can cut in half the chances someone is raped in college. 'It...opened my eyes' Back in Oregon, Central Catholic High Principal John Garrow hoped to balance students need for information with Catholic teachings on abstinence before marriage. Garrow examined several programs before choosing Raphael House, whose program includes work with sexual and domestic assault survivors. Garrow said, Were trying to do our best to follow the teachings and at the same time be realistic, because as a school you lose your relevance real quickly if youre not real. In a wellness class last month, two Raphael House trainers asked students to consider signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships. Does your partner make you feel valued? Stupid? Afraid? It, like, opened my eyes, said Ramaya Wright, who is 15. I didnt know those are a lot of the signs of an abusive relationship. I'm Ashley Thompson. And I'm Caty Weaver. The Associated Press reported this story. Ashley Thompson adapted it for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. QUIZ: US State Lawmakers Debate Teaching Consent to Students Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story consent - n. permission for something to happen or be done domestic violence - n. physical harm done to a member of a family or household by another member of the same family or household diversity - n. the quality or state of having many different forms, types, ideas, etc. abstinence - n. the practice of not doing or having something that is wanted or enjoyable curriculum - n. the courses that are taught by a school, college, etc. harass - v. to make unwanted sexual comments grope - v. to touch (someone) in an unwanted and unexpected sexual way cope - v. to deal with problems and difficult situations and try to come up with solutions derail - v. to reduce or delay the chances for success or development uncomfortable - adj. causing a feeling of being embarrassed or uneasy relevance - n. the quality or state of being closely connected to a subject An Albany man has been arraigned on an indictment on charges of first-degree robbery and first-degree burglary in connection with a February incident where a man was shot through the neck. Ronald Allen McLaughlin, 48, is the third person charged in the home invasion robbery, which occurred in the 1000 block of 18th Avenue early on the morning of Feb. 2. McLaughlin appeared in Linn County Circuit Court on Monday afternoon and had his bail set at $50,000 by Judge DeAnn Novotny. That amount of security, the minimum for such a serious crime, was requested by prosecutor Conor McCahill. The next hearing for McLaughlin is scheduled for June 10. The other suspects in the case, Christopher Anderson and Duane Strader, were each charged with attempted murder and other crimes. According to a probable cause affidavit in Straders case, the accuser, an adult male, had set up a motion-activated surveillance camera in a bedroom at his residence. Investigators with the Albany Police Department were able to watch the footage from the shooting. Two suspects were inside a bedroom collecting items starting at about 12:30 a.m. The suspects werent wearing masks, and witnesses identified Anderson, according to the affidavit. The accuser told authorities that he was coming home from a walk when he saw Strader, whom he knew, standing outside of his Jeep Compass in front of his home. When the accuser walked into his house, someone from behind told him to get on the ground. Instead, the accuser ran to the back bedroom of the house. Just as he shut the door, he was shot, according to the affidavit. While recovering at Oregon Health & Science University, the accuser told investigators that his girlfriend had left him a few days earlier, and the suspects were mainly grabbing property that belonged to her, the affidavit states. Kyle Odegard can be reached at kyle.odegard@lee.net, 541-812-6077 or via Twitter @KyleOdegard. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. Michael Paul Williams a columnist with the Richmond Times-Dispatch won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize in Commentary "for penetrating and historically insightful columns that guided Richmond, a former capital of the Confederacy, through the painful and complicated process of dismantling the city's monuments to white supremacy." scholarship, news and new ideas in legal history Alfred Otto Holscher, 88, of Smithfield, died Sunday, May 26, 2019, at the Bertrand Nursing Home. A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, May 31, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Bertrand, with Pastor Dan Wiese officiating. A private interment will be held prior to the service, at the Highland Cemetery at Bertrand, with military honors provided by the Bertrand Veterans Organization in conjunction with the United States Army Funeral Honors Team. Visitation will be held on Thursday, May 30, 2019 from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege. He was born in Gosper County on Aug. 2, 1930, on the farm where he lived most of his life. He was the youngest child born to Otto Frederick Carl and Emma Louise (Schwarz) Holscher. Alf was a member of the last graduating class at Smithfield High School. He was drafted into the Army in 1952, and served in the 101st Airborne Infantry. He served in Germany, during the Cold War and attended mechanic school and worked on construction equipment. After his discharge, he returned to farming with red tractors, raising crops, cattle and hogs. KEARNEY Storm damaged equipment has forced the cancellation of United Express flights at Kearney Regional Airport, according to a city of Kearney announcement. The Federal Aviation Administration Automated Weather Observation System at the Kearney airport was damaged during Monday nights storm, which pelted the Kearney area with hail some of it large and damaging. The damaged equipment is owned and maintained by the FAA and provides weather information to the flight crews for aircraft landings and takeoffs. As a result of the damaged equipment, flights to and from Denver serviced by United Express are canceled until further notice. Passengers with questions may contact 800-United1 for flight updates. Intels Compute Cards are dead. But Intel hasnt given up on the idea of a modular computing device that packs the guts of a modern PC into a small card that can become the heart of a notebook, smart TV, kiosk, or appliance. Say hello to the Intel NUC Compute Element. Its like a Compute Card but a little different. Like a Compute Card, its basically a small module with the CPU, memory, and storage all baked in. But the NUC Compute Element supports higher-power processors (up to a Intel Core U-series chip rather than Y-series) thanks to improved cooling, and it features a new proprietary connector which is said to offer better performance and more I/O options. In theory, putting the processor, memory and storage on a single card makes it easier to upgrade your device. Still happy with your laptops keyboard and display? Just open the case, pull out the Compute Element, and put in a new one to upgrade to a next-gen CPU. In practice, there may be a few down sides. First, in order to upgrade the CPU youll also need to replace the memory and storage and you may even need to re-install the operating system (unless its loaded on another drive). Second, Intel hasnt had a stellar track record of supporting this sort of platform. The Compute Card was canceled less than two years after launch. So who knows if youll ever actually be able to buy an upgrade module? Sure, thats probably a chicken-and-egg question: if the Compute Card had been more widely adopted, Intel might have supported it longer and if Intel had supported it longer, maybe there would have been time for it to have been more widely adopter. The company does say that it designed the NUC Compute Element to address some customer complaints about the Compute Card. So maybe this one is here to stay? I guess well find out in a few years. Anyway, the fact that Intels new modular PC platform is taking on the NUC name is promising maybe? Intels NUC line of mini PCs have been around for years and probably arent going anywhere anytime soon although its unclear if the same can be said for the latest member of the family. Meanwhile, Intel says Portuguese company JP already plans to launch a laptop focused on higher education, teachers, and administrators thats built around the Compute Element. Devices based on the new modular PC platform are expected to hit the streets in the first half of 2020. Update: Notebook Italia got a chance to go hands-on with an NUC Compute Element and laptop built prototype built around it. You can find more images and details at Notebook Italia. via Toms Hardware Its one of a recent series of laws in red states that blatantly violate the abortion-rights protections under Roe v. Wade. Thats the whole point: Anti-choice activists hope the inevitable court challenges will get them before todays conservative U.S. Supreme Court, with possibility of overturning Roe. But Missouris state health regulators, apparently unwilling to wait for that national showdown, have now maneuvered to shut down the Planned Parenthood clinic in St. Louis the last abortion provider in the state with intimidation tactics that make a mockery of American democratic traditions. As part of Planned Parenthoods license-renewal process, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, which answers to Parson, is suddenly demanding interviews with doctors and others on staff, while making clear those interviews could lead to criminal proceedings or board review for the doctors. The obvious goal is to intimidate Planned Parenthood into refusing the interviews which it has so it can be denied its license renewal on Friday. Litigation is pending. Operations at Wisconsins first marijuana dispensary came to an abrupt end Wednesday when police swarmed the Lion of Judah House of Rastafari and arrested the two founders. I woke up when I heard the smash, said a woman staying next door, who said the raid happened shortly before 9 a.m. She said maybe 30 officers were at the scene of the former laundromat at 555 W. Mifflin St., which has drawn media attention and those seeking cannabis products since March. One of the churchs founders, Jesse Schworck, 39, said Tuesday the church dispensed marijuana and edible products laced with THC to members, which numbered about 20,000. In return, those receiving marijuana products offered a donation. At about 10 a.m., police were stepping over a glistening mound of shattered glass to enter the premises, past a storefront window decorated with a green neon Cannabis sign and picture of Bob Marley. On the other side of the building, torn yellow fiberglass insulation hung from another shattered door. In a brief incident report, Madison police said the raid was conducted by the Dane County Narcotics Task Force, with assistance from Madison police. It listed the time of the raid at 8:54 a.m. on Wednesday. Police said they arrested Schworck and Dylan Bangert, 23, the other church founder. Schworck was tentatively charged with three counts of delivering marijuana and one count of maintaining a drug dwelling. Police charged Bangert with maintaining a drug dwelling and being party to the crime of delivering marijuana. Federal lawsuit pending Schworck and Bangert, both Madison natives, opened the Rastafarian church in March, and on March 26 police paid a visit and confiscated the marijuana products that were at the building at the time. On April 12 the city sent the men a cease and desist notice, two days after sending the landlord, Charajeet Kaur, a warning declaring the premises a public nuisance. The two men filed a federal lawsuit against the city and the Police Department on April 18, which Schworck had said offered the church protection from police actions. They know that they cant come here, he said in a Tuesday interview. Thats why they dont come here. Wisconsin is one of only 16 states where marijuana remains illegal. Ten states have fully legalized the drug, and 34 have laws allowing its use in varying degrees for medical purposes. After Wednesday's raid, it was still unclear why the operation was allowed to continue for more than two months after the initial police contact. During the interview, Schworck said the marijuana products came mostly from people growing it in the service of the church, and other products came from a variety of sources. I think people barter with us, just kind of barter, he said. Different members basically, our members have it. Some of the products, like oils and edible products, were produced by church members. We have the capacity to do all that, he said, so we try to just have different people in different capacities depending on their church, their service. They do different things, they have different talents. Last week, city officials were mum on why two men were allowed to distribute marijuana openly. Unfortunately I cannot comment on what is certainly an unusual situation, said Central District Police Capt. Jason Freedman in an email. The city attorney, who sent the men a cease and desist notice on April 12, was equally circumspect. Im not able to comment due to the ongoing investigation, said City Attorney Michael May in an email. The city has not determined whether it will pursue any action against the landlord. The DAs office would make any charging decisions. District Attorney Ismael Ozanne said police hadnt referred any charges to his office. Religious freedom claims Schworck incorporated the church on April 14, 2018, according to Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions records. He said he also filed religious exemption paperwork with the IRS, but no records for the Lion of Judah House of Rastafari exist on the IRS database for tax exempt organizations. Schworcks and Bangerts lawsuit claims that police confiscation of marijuana and the citys demands to shut down the operation infringe on their religious rights. Schworck said he filed the legal documents himself, after taking advice from attorneys with whom he is acquainted. Briefs in the case are due by June 24; hearing dates have not been set. In the complaint, the men contend that their religion revolves around the sacramental use of cannabis, and therefore depriving them of cannabis is tantamount to banning them from practicing their religion. That, they argue, violates the First Amendment, which states, Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. The complaint also alleges that the city has violated the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which prohibits the government from substantially burdening a persons exercise of religion even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability. To impose such a burden, the law states, the government must prove it furthers a compelling governmental interest, and is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling interest. The church also claims protections under the state Constitution, which states, The right of every person to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of conscience shall never be infringed, and prohibits government preference of any religion over another. The church claims that a legal exemption that allows the Native American Church to use peyote, which is regarded as a holy sacrament, demonstrates such a governmental preference. And, the complaint states, the citys actions also threaten the financial viability of the church. Given the fellowship between the members of the church and the heads of the church, the amount of available cannabis sacrament in the church is directly related to the amount of donations given to the church, the complaint says. UW political science professor Howard Schweber said the churchs arguments are off-base. He noted that the Supreme Court ruled that the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act was unconstitutional when applied to states, so it doesnt protect the church against state law. Further, he said, theres nothing in the First Amendment that requires the government to exempt churches from a general ban, such as the prohibition of marijuana. The state Constitution, he said, could provide a basis for exempting a church from the marijuana ban, but as yet there is no legal precedent. And he said that just because marijuana is being legalized by a growing number of states doesnt mean Wisconsin has to be more lenient that it has been in the past. This is the kind of question that is left to each state to determine under its police powers, he said. Lastly, he said, the state or the city government are perfectly free to decide not to enforce the law or to provide an accommodation for Rasta House, he said. While the city isnt talking, its cease-and-desist letter and public nuisance warning, as well as the confiscation of the churchs marijuana, indicate that it had no intention of letting the church off the hook. Social media statements attracted negative attention While the church was doing a robust business exchanging pot for donations Schworck said people were coming at a rate of 200 to 300 a day its raised the ire of some folks who bristle at what they regard as the churchs sexist, racist and anti-LGBT views reflected in posts that have appeared on the churchs Facebook page and have since been taken down. In one meme, late wildlife personality Steve Irwin dangles a suggestive photo of a black woman with the text: Here we have a wild hoodrat. Once a hoodrat reaches sexual maturity, she will begin a mating dance known as twerking to find a mate to supply her with food and shelter. In another, stick figures depicting a man and a woman holding hands appears over the words Straight Pride. Other posts have taken aim at transgender people and feminism. One activist, Dana Pellebon, a black woman and member of the LGBT community, posted a video of herself confronting men at the church for appropriating Rastafarianism to sell weed. The confrontation ended with Pellebon being shoved out of the building by a black man who was on the premises. Schworck said that while the church preached procreation, it didnt turn away people based on gender, sexual orientation or race. Weve got gay people come here all the time, he said, and they just love to be here and talk about how this is the best place theyve ever been and the only place they feel safe and not judged. Share your opinion on this topic by sending a letter to the editor to tctvoice@madison.com. Include your full name, hometown and phone number. Your name and town will be published. The phone number is for verification purposes only. Please keep your letter to 250 words or less. In a response email sent in December 2017, the soldier thanked Suhr but cautioned that the system of justice in the Wisconsin National Guard was not effective and asked Kleefisch to provide oversight of it. The soldier wrote that the Guard had and continues to violate sexual assault protocols and said she had filed a federal whistleblower complaint through the U.S. Department of Defense outlining the violations and the retribution she faced when she reported her assault. I am concerned that even if (the Department of Defense Inspector General) does initiate an investigation, their report will once again go right to (the Adjutant General) and no action will be taken, she wrote. I would like the (lieutenant governor's) office to provide some oversight of (the Adjutant General) regarding this matter. ... January (2018) will mark the four year anniversary of my initial complaint to my leadership. Four years with no justice is unacceptable. If this happened to me, it has happened to others, and it will continue to happen until someone steps in to enforce current policy by changing the standard operating procedure of (the Adjutant General) and his subordinates. "In the course of the last five years, we've seen these national trends. Recruitment is down. Retention is now sketchy. These are acerbic times that we live in, Koval said. Krueger Favour said Madison has received fewer applicants over the past few years. "It's following the national trend, she said. We are very lucky however that the quality of applicants that we have with the Madison Police Department is very high. She said that has allowed the department to keep officer numbers constant from year to year. But, Koval said, I'm not just swapping out a body for body. How do I replace these icons and people who have learned to master how it is that we do this job and do it well? As captain of training for the department, Krueger Favour called the situation "unprecedented, but said the department is up to the task. Koval noted the new recruits potential to transform the department. "I would take this enthusiasm, this attitude, and this outlook over anything else, he said, because if you have that in your heart of hearts, then we can conquer the world and all those problems that are attendant to it. Please register or log in to keep reading. No credit card required! Stay logged in to skip the surveys. Cep recounts her struggles in New York City to write a novel and describes the steps that led to Mockingbird and its phenomenal success. As Lee was awaiting its publication, she undertook another task that would later help spark her interest in the Maxwell case: She signed on as Truman Capote's researcher for a New Yorker article that would become In Cold Blood, a classic of the true crime genre. Lee and Capote had been childhood friends in Monroeville, and their long relationship was a fractious combination of love and competition. The epigraph of Furious Hours is something Lee said about Capote: "We are bound by a common anguish." Cep doesn't directly address the claims that it was Lee who actually wrote "In Cold Blood," but she makes clear what an enormous amount of work Lee put into the research - and what reservations she had about Capote's loose interpretation of "nonfiction." Their differences over "In Cold Blood" might have had as much to do with their later estrangement as Capote's reported resentment of Lee's celebrity (and Pulitzer). Lee herself came to detest celebrity, and she floundered for years over a second book. Then, 17 years after Mockingbird was published, came the trail of Robert Burns, and Lee headed for Alexander City. "Autumn Light: Season of Fire and Farewells" by Pico Iyer; Knopf (231 pages, $25.95) ___ Thirty years ago, travel writer Pico Iyer went to Japan seeking a life of solitude, a copy of Thoreau in his suitcase. "I went to Japan to learn how to live with less hurry and fear of time," he writes, "Walden"-style. To live simply and alone. What he found was an endlessly fascinating culture perpetually at the crossroads of ancient and now. He also found a wife, and he ended up moving to Japan permanently, splitting his year between California and the sleepy Japanese town of Nara, where "I take my watch off the minute I arrive." "Autumn Light" is Iyer's late-life accounting of what's been learned from this experiment of a lifetime, and autumn is an apt metaphor. The universal season of transition and mortality is a truly spectacular experience in Japan, and the book is a sensory feast alive with blaze-red maples, "yuzu-colored" light, haunting temple bells, smoke from fires lighting the paths of the spirit world and the firefly-like winking of lantern-lit graveyards. An employee at the Korea Minting, Security Printing and ID Card Operating Corp. inspects the graphic template for 50,000-won banknotes. Courtesy of Korea Minting, Security Printing and ID Card Operating Corp. The U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday kept South Korea on a list of countries to monitor for currency practices but indicated its possible removal in the next reporting period. The list was revealed in a semiannual report to Congress that also named eight other trading partners as countries warranting attention to their currency practices. The others are China, Japan, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam. The Treasury said South Korea met only one of the three criteria for a currency manipulator and could be removed from the monitoring list if it remains so in the next six-month period. Festa Italia has become a century of unforgettable adventures near lakeshores, parks and other wooded areas where Italian and Sicilian immigrants and their families gathered to celebrate life in America. Seasoned with pride and endless hugs, delicious food and homemade wine was savored and appreciated while music played on until the moon rose for another time to remember for a lifetime. Mille Grazie (million thanks) to the Italian Workmens Club for blessing us again this weekend when Festa Italia overflows with a century of memories from the past. It was a time when the old Greenbush neighborhood sparkled with pride and Italian and Sicilian immigrants celebrated life in a new country. While dabbing tears of pride, they stood tall and waved small American flags during parades circling the State Capitol and surrounding streets and avenues before returning to a neighborhood where doors were never locked within the 10-block triangle near Lake Monona. Despite the land being choked with cattails, ashes, and debris, our parents and grandparents were determined that if one worked hard, everything was possible in America. They made the best of what was offered, called it home, then made it even better. On April 12, the city attorneys office followed with a cease and desist drug nuisance letter to Schworck and Bangert saying that there is no question that you are possessing, selling and offering to sell marijuana, THC products, and drug paraphernalia. The letter stated that the sale of marijuana, cannabis or THC products is not legal in the city or the state and that, even if Lion of Judah House of Rastafaria were a legitimate church, possessing and selling such controlled substances is illegal. The city has not taken formal action following up on those letters, City Attorney Michael May said Wednesday, adding, We often find in this situation that the landlord will take action to evict the tenants. In April, Schworck and Bangert sued the city in U.S. District Court, alleging that the city had violated their freedom to practice their religion when police seized the churchs sacramental marijuana on March 26 and the city, two weeks later, ordered them to stop the sale and use of marijuana at the church. Last week, the city filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit. Schworck and Bangert, who claim perhaps 10,000 members from all parts of the state, have maintained that the church is rooted in Rastafarianism, a religious movement that employs the ritualistic use of marijuana. They say they dont pressure members to become Rastafarian, and that many if not most simply use cannabis to ease mental or physical stress or for meditation. Its up to members to seek fellowship or learn more, they have said. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Bill Novak | Wisconsin State Journal Bill Novak is a general assignment reporter for the Wisconsin State Journal. Follow Bill Novak | Wisconsin State Journal 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 TWIN FALLS Attention caffeine lovers: Dutch Bros will open its second location Saturday at 326 Blue Lakes Blvd. N. We are so excited to be expanding our presence in the Twin Falls community, Christian Gervais, operator of Dutch Bros Twin Falls, said in a statement. We cant wait to see everyone Saturday! The first 100 customers will receive an exclusive Twin Falls Dutch Bros hat, the statement said. Drinks available at the new location include specialty coffee, smoothies, teas, freezes, Dutch Bros Blue Rebel and nitrogen-infused cold brew coffee. The drive-thru coffee company will be open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week. Love 11 Funny 0 Wow 2 Sad 1 Angry 0 Persian Coffee and Mediterranean Food 360 Main Ave. N. Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Menu: The options extend from Mediterranean to traditional Persian dishes. Expect tasty kebabs and plenty of rice in every dish. Price range: $12$22 Why we love them: For the last couple of months Persian Coffee has sat across the street from Times-News as a mystery. In the newsroom, we would frequently talk about it. It was an enigma to us. For weeks it was said to be open with not a soul in the restaurant. The dance parties held at the venue didnt answer what type of food would be served. Two weeks ago it finally officially opened. There were glowing reviews on social media, so I felt inclined to sample the menu and see what Persian Coffee had in store. I ordered Makhsoos, the most bang for your buck item on the menu, a skewer of chicken cutlets, marinated tender lamb and seasoned beef with a large plate of saffron rice and a grilled tomato on the side. If you do order this, I implore you to share because this is a lot of food. The highlight was easily the extremely tender chicken that would shred apart with the tiniest push from my fork. Combining each of the meats offered with the rice was an expedition into the different flavors they offered. Not to be outdone, the simple Persian soup that was brought as a side was an absolute delight. If anyone is looking for a lighter dish to dive into Persian food, I highly recommend trying the soup. Now, I only tried the one meal, but it was a great way to get my foot into the door and see if Persian Coffee was a worthwhile addition to downtowns growing food options. Needless to say, Im excited to try more on the menu. For more information, call 208-219-2226. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 KETCHUM The Sun Valley Center for the Arts invites the community to a free opening celebration for its new visual arts exhibition, Mirage: Energy and Water in the Great Basin, from 5 to 6 p.m. June 13 at 191 Fifth St. E., Ketchum. Guests are invited to enjoy a lively panel discussion about landscape as a subject for artists in 21st-century America from 6 to 7 p.m. The Great Basin is a vast expanse of land covering much of the American West, with its rivers draining internally rather than to the ocean. Its boundaries circumscribe parts of Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, California and nearly all of Nevada. The Mirage exhibition uses the idea of a closed watershed system as a metaphor for thinking about this uniquely dynamic landscape as a source of regenerative power: a place that has long generated creativity, a place of resource extraction and renewable energy and a place of shifting boundaries. The Great Basin is also a place of contradictions. Much of it is desert, but it comprises multiple ecosystems and topographies. This incongruity mirrors the fact that though the region is now largely arid, it was once an inland sea. Despite the fact that it holds vast stretches of open, unoccupied land, it is a place of mystery and obscurity. Its scale allows individuals, corporations and government agencies to do things they cant do elsewhere: creating monumental artworks on the land, extracting natural resources, installing enormous wind farms, testing weapons or experimenting with technology. Artists have long been inspired by the many paradoxes of the region. Each participating artist in the Mirage exhibition presents work that considers the Great Basin from a different point of view: Inspired in part by her great-grandmothers work as an itinerant schoolteacher in Nevadas mining towns, the photographs in Laura McPhees project Desert Chronicle approach the history of the Great Basin on both geologic and human scale. From images of the detritus left behind in abandoned towns to photographs of the infrastructure of contemporary gold mines and wind farms, McPhees work considers the human relationship to the landscape of the Great Basin as a place of reinvention, exploitation and renewal. The artist Fazal Sheikh has collaborated with writer Terry Tempest Williams on Exposure which emerged in response to the recent decision to significantly reduce two national monuments in Utah. One of these is Grand Staircase-Escalante, currently defined by the Great Basins boundary on its northern edge a natural definition it may lose in order to enable resource extraction. Photographer Emmet Gowin has made aerial photographs throughout the western U.S. that illuminate the human impact on the landscape. One body of photographs records the scarred and cratered landscapes of the Nevada Test Site, the site of more than 900 nuclear tests over more than four decades. Other images reveal the long-term effects of mining and other human activities on the surface of the Great Basins landscapes. The exhibition includes new work by painter Cedra Wood. The center commissioned Wood to travel throughout the Great Basin and respond to it through her work which investigates ecological concepts of belonging and survival through hyper-realistic imagery that often incorporates fantasy. Wood found inspiration for her new works at sites that reveal the extremes in topography and environment within the Great Basin. Painter/printmaker Frances Ashforth contributes new work about the Great Basin watershed that draws on her deep interest in the human relationship to water. Her abstracted landscape images have a lyrical beauty that reflects her conservationist impulses. The exhibition contains monotypes made at two distinct sites in the Great Basin the Ana River/Summer Lake area of Oregon and Bear River/Antelope Island in Utah. Other work in the exhibition considers the Great Basin as a site of creative energy a place where artists have been inspired and able to pursue projects they couldnt realize elsewhere. Andrea Zittel was one of the founders of High Desert Test Sites near Joshua Tree, California, a place for artistic and cultural experimentation that has hosted projects by numerous artists. The exhibition includes a large-scale painting by Zittel paired with one of her Wall Sprawl works wallpaper generated from aerial photographs of urban, industrial and military development in the Great Basins deserts. For Land Artists working in the 1970s, the Great Basin offered the opportunity to execute large-scale projects in remote landscapes relatively untouched by development. Vast open spaces and inexpensive real estate allowed Nancy Holt and Robert Smithson to create works outside and far from the traditional institutional structures of the art world. The exhibition includes Holts Sun Tunnels and Smithsons Spiral Jetty. Films the artists made during their work on those projects are also part of the exhibition. In conjunction with Mirage, the Gail Severn Gallery will present an exhibition by internationally known painter Tony Foster Tony Foster Watercolour Diaries: Great Basin and Copper Basin June 14 to July 29 at 400 First Ave. N., Ketchum. An opening celebration will take place from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. June 14. An artist chat with Foster will occur at 10 a.m. July 6. Mirage: Energy and Water in the Great Basin will be on view at the center through Aug. 23. For more information, cal 208-726-9491 or go to sunvalleycenter.org. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 WASHINGTON, D.C. A Twin Falls boy made it through three rounds before he was eliminated Wednesday in a written test at the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Benjamin Rands, an eighth-grader from OLeary Middle School, passed the preliminary rounds earlier in the day at the national bee in Washington. The competition began Monday with a multiple-choice test, followed by two rounds of spelling. Only the 50 top scorers on Wednesdays test who also spelled both their words correctly will compete Thursday in the finals. Benjamin correctly spelled indemnify a verb meaning to compensate someone for harm or loss in the third round of the competition. Of the 567 contestants, he and 368 others were eligible for finals at the end of the preliminary competition. Benjamin correctly spelled tangram a type of Chinese puzzle in the second round Tuesday. Standing on a stage televised by ESPN is a bit nerve-racking, but Benjamin, a spelling bee competitor since first grade, said its definitely the most exciting bee hes been in. Its my last time doing this, he said. So I better make the most of it. Benjamin worked very hard to get to this point, his father, Tyler Rands, said. But rather than studying all day in their hotel room, the boy has taken a more relaxed approach to the competition, and the family has prioritized seeing the nations capital, his father said. The two visited the Arlington National Cemetery and a variety of Smithsonian Museums, including the National Air and Space Museum. After Wednesdays round, they went to Bens Chili Bowl, a local spot known for its iconic chili dogs. The Times-News sends a student and one parent to the Scripps National Spelling Bee each year. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 3 Angry 0 After going through something as life-altering as a car accident, the best thing you can get out of it is... Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. An Idaho man accused in the September killing of a man has been charged with the additional crime of cannibalism and authorities in court documents said the suspect believed he could "cure his brain" by eating some of the victim. High school students from four St. Louis-area districts gathered on a Saturday afternoon in mid-May to figure out what, exactly, they need in their lives to thrive as students. Among their answers: They need less stress and more free time. One major item didnt get a mention on their list. The same major source of stress in their lives also is the culprit for why they feel they dont have enough time: pervasive technology. The average teens attention to screen time, about nine hours a day, according to one study, robs them of time in the real world quality time performing the tasks that build intellect, character and verbal communication skills. When theyre staring at their screens, they arent talking face-to-face with their friends or family members. Stresses skyrocket when they see themselves depicted online in an unfavorable light. A misunderstood text or tweet can turn friends into enemies. Obsessions build over the number of Twitter followers or Facebook friends a teen has. Depression can set in. They become sleep-deprived. Grades falter. Go to any mall, park or museum and take stock of the young (and, yes, old) faces staring into their screens rather than enjoying their surroundings. At restaurants, look at the number of couples immersed in something on their phones instead of each other. This technology addiction is fed by the Silicon Valley moguls who created Facebook, Twitter, Google, Instagram and iPhones. And what are Silicon Valley parents deciding as the antidote to this tech-obsessed world? They are banning it from their own childrens lives. They are enforcing such bans with a level of militancy that suggests they see something the rest of us dont. Some Silicon Valley parents have installed nanny cams specifically to monitor when nannies might be exposing the children under their care to phones, computers or televisions. I am convinced the devil lives in our phones and is wreaking havoc on our children, Athena Chavarria told The New York Times last October. She should know, having worked as an executive assistant at Facebook and founder Mark Zuckerbergs philanthropic arm. Apple chief executive Tim Cook believes technology should be limited in schools. He restricts his nephews social media access. Bill and Melinda Gates banned their kids from using cellphones until they were teenagers. Melinda Gates wished she had extended the ban longer. Many parents fret justifiably that cutting off technology and cellphone access could mean not being able to reach their kids in emergencies. One option is a return to the old flip-phone. But its a clear warning sign, if Silicon Valley parents see dangers in the technology they helped create, that the rest of us should consider giving our kids a long, healthy break from technology. A big, beautiful world surrounds them. What a tragedy to miss it because a screen keeps blocking their view. Scott Rasmussen is a Senior Fellow for the Study of Self-Governance at The Kings College in New York City. He is also an Editor-at-Large at Ballotpedia, the Encyclopedia of American Politics. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A recent news article reports that CEO pay went up on average 8% in 2018. Some CEOs got as much as a 200% pay raise. Meanwhile, back on earth-Idaho-where the 99% live, minimum wage remains $7.25/hr with no federal effort to raise it since 2009. If minimum wage had grown at the same rate as these CEOs it would be greater than $21/hr.. If minimum wage had kept pace with worker productivity, it would also be greater than $21. Meanwhile the average worker at the same companies got a median pay raise of only 3%. Ever wonder what CEOs are doing for that high salary plus the great tax cuts their companies got from the GOP/Trump just a couple years ago? Most are not investing in research and development to create new products or improve the old. Most are not raising salaries and benefits for their employees. Most are doing stock buy backs which make their companies look better on the stock market and give them their pay raises. So hooray for local state efforts to raise the Idaho minimum wage to $12, we'll be about halfway there to parity. So let's get this initiative on the 2020 ballot! Dallas Chase Boise Love 3 Funny 3 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Reyna Elena Armi Carrion and her Constantine The role is often reserved for the most beautiful or most important maiden in the community. That of Reyna Elena in the traditional Santacruzan, held in many Philippine Christian towns and barangays on the last day of Flores de Mayo. Reyna Elena is the personification of St. Helena, a Roman empress who was reputed to have discovered Christs cross. Many subsequent legends developed, and the story of the finding of the cross, enhanced by romances became a favorite throughout Christendom, especially in the Philippines where it is commemorated through the Santacruzan. Others call it sagalahan. From Brgy. Balaring in Boac, an unexpected call came from the barangay Captain to the new Mayor-Elect of Boac, Armi de la Cruz Carrion. Shes the wife of the late Marinduque governor Bong Carrion and she has just won the recent election over five other candidates - by an astounding landslide. Armi Carrion's recent proclamation as Mayor-Elect of Boac Her five opponents' votes added together couldn't even exceed her total number of votes. The barangay leader conveyed his urgent request: Ma'm, our barangay is making a collective request you are our choice as Reyna Elena this time because this is the very first time that a Carrion has won an election in our barangay after so many years... The startled Madame who was in Manila for a much needed rest could not say no and accepted the Kapitans demand for her extraordinary presence in the Santacruzan to be held in just a couple of days. And so it came to pass, the Reyna Elenas identity was revealed to others. The news apparently spread that in no time residents of the nearby barangays of Ihatub and Caganhao demanded that the Santacruzan procession should pass through their barangays also. After a rush decision on which gown and what shoes to wear, Mayor-Elect Armi DC Carrion joined the procession that passed through three barangays - all of 6 kilometers back and forth. She reportedly wore 3-inch shoes for the unexpected 6-km walk They only told her the last minute of the extended route. And she gamely agreed having no choice but to accede to the people who have lined up the main seaside road. The aching feet as result could be soothed later, anyway. She was escorted by a smart-looking young Constantino who carried a cross. Many from the Boac town proper whove heard of the news also trooped to the seaside road to watch and cheer their Reyna Elena 2019, Mayora Armi. Reyna Elena Mayora Armi The flavoring liquid for electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease when inhaled, according to a study led by researchers at the School of Medicine. The scientists investigated the effect of the e-liquids on cells called endothelial cells that line the interior of blood vessels. They found that, when grown in a laboratory, endothelial cells exposed to the e-liquids or to blood collected from e-cigarette users shortly after vaping are less viable and exhibit significantly increased levels of molecules implicated in DNA damage and cell death. The cells are also less able to form new vascular tubes and to migrate and participate in wound healing. The severity of the damage, aspects of which occur even in the absence of nicotine, varies among popular flavors, the researchers said. Cinnamon and menthol were found to be particularly harmful. Until now, we had no data about how these e-liquids affect human endothelial cells, said Joseph Wu, MD, PhD, director of the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute and professor of cardiovascular medicine and of radiology. This study clearly shows that e-cigarettes are not a safe alternative to traditional cigarettes. When we exposed the cells to six different flavors of e-liquid with varying levels of nicotine, we saw significant damage. The cells were less viable in culture, and they began to exhibit multiple symptoms of dysfunction. The researchers studied human endothelial cells generated in the laboratory from what are called induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cells. IPS cells can become many different cell types, and they provide an ideal way for researchers to closely study cells that would be difficult to isolate directly from a patient. This study was the first to use endothelial cells derived from iPS cells to directly investigate the effect of e-liquids with and without nicotine on their viability and function. A paper describing the findings was published online May 27 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Wu is the senior author. Former postdoctoral scholars Won Hee Lee, PhD, now an assistant professor at the University of Arizona, and Sang-Ging Ong, PhD, now an assistant professor at University of Illinois-Chicago, are the lead authors. E-cigarette use has skyrocketed In the United States, cardiovascular disease is responsible for about one-third of smoking-associated deaths in smokers, and secondhand smoke causes approximately 34,000 early deaths from heart disease each year in nonsmokers. Endothelial cells line the interior surface of blood vessels and play a critical role in heart and cardiovascular health. Although some studies have suggested that e-cigarettes deliver lower levels of carcinogens to users than do conventional cigarettes perhaps decreasing the risk of cancer the effect of e-cigarette use on vascular health has been unclear. Despite these uncertainties, the use of e-cigarettes has skyrocketed since their introduction about a decade ago, particularly among young people. The Food and Drug Administration estimates that more than 3.5 million middle and high school students used e-cigarettes in 2018, though sales to minors are prohibited. In 2018, the FDA restricted the sale of flavored e-cigarettes to adult-only venues, with the exception of tobacco, menthol and mint flavors, which can be sold wherever traditional cigarettes are sold. One in five high school students have tried e-cigarettes, perhaps because they feel they are relatively safe, Lee said. But we found the e-liquids caused changes in the endothelial cells that are closely related to those seen during the development of cardiovascular disease. The researchers investigated the effect of six different popular e-liquid flavors fruit, tobacco, sweet tobacco with caramel and vanilla, sweet butterscotch, cinnamon, and menthol with nicotine levels of 0, 6, and 18 milligrams per milliliter on endothelial cells derived from human iPS cells. They found that while several of the liquids were moderately toxic to the endothelial cells, the cinnamon- and menthol-flavored e-liquids significantly decreased the viability of the cells in culture even in the absence of nicotine. One in five high school students have tried e-cigarettes. Exposure to the e-liquids also increased the relative levels of reactive oxygen species molecules that can cause DNA damage and the levels of molecules associated with programmed cell death. The researchers also found that exposure to the cinnamon and menthol flavored e-liquids significantly disrupted the ability of the cultured cells to form capillary-like tubular structures associated with the growth of new blood vessels. The e-liquid flavored with caramel and vanilla also disrupted growth, but not as severely. The cells exposed to cinnamon flavor and caramel and vanilla flavors exhibited an increased uptake of low-density lipoproteins and lipids processes commonly associated with inflammation and endothelial dysfunction and a reduction in their ability to migrate to heal wounds or scratches. Some of the effects of exposure to the various e-liquids were dependent on the nicotine concentration, but others, like cellular migration and decreases in cell viability, were independent of nicotine, suggesting a combined effect of nicotine concentrations and flavoring components. Comparing nicotine levels Finally, the researchers compared the levels of nicotine in the blood serum of people after they had vaped e-cigarettes with the levels in people who smoked traditional cigarettes. They found that the amounts of nicotine in the blood were similar between the two groups after 10 minutes of smoking at a constant rate. When youre smoking a traditional cigarette, you have a sense of how many cigarettes youre smoking, Wu said. But e-cigarettes can be deceptive. Its much easier to expose yourself to a much higher level of nicotine over a shorter time period. And now we know that e-cigarettes are likely to have other significantly toxic effects on vascular function as well. Its important for e-cigarette users to realize that these chemicals are circulating within their bodies and affecting their vascular health. Other Stanford co-authors are research assistant Yang Zhou; postdoctoral scholars Lei Tian, PhD, and Hongchao Guo, PhD; graduate student Hye Ryeong Bae; undergraduate student Natalie Baker; and professor of pediatrics Kari Nadeau, MD, PhD. Researchers from the University of Arizona College of Medicine, the University of Illinois College of Medicine, the University of California-San Francisco and the University of Louisville School of Medicine also contributed to the study. The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the American Heart Association, the Stanford Diabetes Research Center, the University of California Tobacco Related Disease Research Program and the FDA. Stanfords Department of Medicine also supported the work. A breast cancer cell. Credit: LRI EM unit "Cancer has a way of evolving and adapting," says Dr. Mariam Jamal-Hanjani, a cancer doctor and researcher at the Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence. "When tumours are under selection pressures, for example as a result of cancer treatment, they can develop new features that allow them to become resistant and, therefore, more aggressive." Advanced cancers have often spread to other parts of the body. And it's these secondary tumours that reach and compromise vital organs like the brain or lungs that can ultimately lead to death. To tackle aggressive cancers, scientists need to understand how they evolve, spread and become resistant to treatment. But as cancer progresses and patients become more unwell, it becomes increasingly difficult to study. Doctors might ask a patient for permission to use tissue removed during surgery for research. But when cancer has spread to multiple locations, or to somewhere that might not be possible to operate on or obtain a biopsy from, it isn't possible to collect these gifts of precious tissue. But now, thanks to an even greater gift to research, patients with advanced cancers are leaving a different type of legacy. In new research, 10 patients with advanced breast cancer chose to donate their bodies after their death. Their gift allowed Cancer Research UK scientists in Cambridge to collect multiple samples of advanced cancer in all the places it had spread toup to 37 tumours in a single patient. They analysed these samples to unravel how the cancers spread and developed treatment resistance, publishing their in-depth picture in the journal Cell Reports. "It's really an unprecedented view of lethal cancers," says study lead Professor Carlos Caldas, from the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute. Talking about death Studies like this, and a larger national study called PEACE, involve collecting samples from patients after death and can sometimes require delicate conversations. For some patients the subject of death is a difficult one for many reasons, and patients are aware of the fact that their participation in studies like PEACE will not benefit themselves. Despite how sensitive the topic is, patients often want to contribute to the research supported by PEACE, which is funded by Cancer Research UK. And they remain its biggest advocates. "The truth is, even before PEACE existed I would often have patients ask me: "Is there anything I can do for science? Can I donate my body to research?"" recalls Jamal-Hanjani, who is the Principal Investigator for PEACE at the lead centre, UCL Cancer Institute. "Our patients still want to give something of themselves to help cancer research, knowing that they won't benefit, but that future patients might. It's incredibly humbling." In these circumstances, a strong doctor-patient relationship is key to an open and honest conversation. Understanding how the patient feels is the main steer for doctors in whether to discuss participating in PEACE. Although it can be intimidating, Jamal-Hanjani believes this is something doctors need to become more comfortable with. "In treating patients with cancer especially, we as doctors have to overcome that stigma, because patients do think about death and we need to allow them to speak freely with us." And these patients' contribution can be invaluable in helping those who come after them. Decoding cancer spread Cancer evolution has become one of the big topics in research. Studies are analysing tumours from when they are first discovered and throughout treatment. Now, samples collected after death are helping to understand the hardest to treat stages of some cancers. Caldas and his team compared multiple tumours collected from patients who had died from breast cancer that had become resistant to treatment. The results paint a more comprehensive picture of how closely related tumours can be, retracing the steps that led to these cancers growing and spreading. Caldas says the results are unexpected. "Our work suggests something rather extraordinary: that cancer spread is not a continuous process. It seems to happen in waves," he says. Rather than new tumours appearing one after the other, each wave involves a group of cancer cells creating new tumours in several organs at the same time. These could be cells breaking away from the primary tumour, or from elsewhere in the body where cancer cells can remain hidden and dormant for sometimes years. "Even in patients who have a lot of secondary tumours," adds Caldas, "cancer appears to have spread in as few as two or three of these waves." What triggers these waves? Could there be 'pauses' between them when cancer is unlikely to spread? Answers to these questions could change the way patients are monitored. "This is just starting to open the book," Caldas says. "There is a lot more to be learned from studies like this." The PEACE study is on a much larger scale: 150 patients have already volunteered in the first 2 years of the study. The research will focus on themes that scientists struggle to study without access to advanced cancer samples, like why certain cancers readily spread to specific organs but not others. Coming together Narrowing down the research questions to ensure these precious samples are used for the best possible research is an important aspect of PEACE. A project of this scale also involves an element of unpredictability that represents a huge challenge for Jamal-Hanjani. Often, it's a patient's family who notifies the PEACE team that their loved one has died. An entire team must then come together very quickly, including researchers, laboratory staff, pathologists, mortuary technicians and clinical nurses. "I would say that is far more challenging than talking to patients about death and about the PEACE study," Jamal-Hanjani says. Yet she feels a sense of responsibility. "Ultimately, we make a promise to the patient when they are alive, and we want to fulfil the living wish of our patients," she says. "We want our patients to know that even after they die, we will treat them with dignity and respect. We are very privileged to receive their samples and to be able to do the research we do." Paying it forward As we start to better understand the behaviour of advanced cancers, PEACE and other post-mortem studies continue to centre on the people affected. For those who take part, this is their legacy. "The vast majority of patients want to help other patients," says Jamal-Hanjani. "I think that's just the nature of human beings." That legacy will support many ongoing research projects focusing on several types of cancers, including lung, kidney, skin and breast, to name a few. Not only that, but samples will also be stored so that PEACE can contribute to future research projects. "It's about the research we can do now, but also the research we can offer future doctors and scientists," says Jamal-Hanjani. Explore further Immune cells key to predicting cancer outcomes, research suggests More information: Leticia De Mattos-Arruda et al. The Genomic and Immune Landscapes of Lethal Metastatic Breast Cancer, Cell Reports (2019). Journal information: Cell Reports Leticia De Mattos-Arruda et al. The Genomic and Immune Landscapes of Lethal Metastatic Breast Cancer,(2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.04.098 New liquid biopsy test called DELFI uses artificial intelligence to detect patients with cancer by identifying altered DNA fragmentation in the blood. Credit: Carolyn Hruban Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center have developed a simple new blood test that can detect the presence of seven different types of cancer by spotting unique patterns in the fragmentation of DNA shed from cancer cells and circulating in the bloodstream. In a proof-of-concept study, the test, called DELFI (DNA evaluation of fragments for early interception), accurately detected the presence of cancer DNA in 57% to more than 99% of blood samples from 208 patients with various stages of breast, colorectal, lung, ovarian, pancreatic, gastric or bile duct cancers in the U.S., Denmark and the Netherlands. DELFI also performed well in tests of blood samples from 215 healthy individuals, falsely identifying cancer in just four cases. The test uses machine learning, a type of artificial intelligence, to identify abnormal patterns of DNA fragments in the blood of patients with cancer. By studying these patterns, the investigators said they could identify the cancers' tissue of origin in up to 75% of cases. A report on the research will be published online May 29 in Nature. Blood tests, or so-called "liquid biopsies" for cancer detection typically look for mutations, which are changes in the DNA sequence within a cancer cell, or for methylation, a chemical reaction in which a methyl group is added to DNA, says senior study author Victor E. Velculescu, M.D., Ph.D., professor of oncology and co-director of the Cancer Biology Program at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center. But not all cancer patients have changes that are detectable using these methods, he says, and there is a great need for improved methods for early detection of cancer. DELFI, he says, takes a different approach, studying the way DNA is packaged inside the nucleus of a cell by looking in the blood at the size and amount of DNA from different regions across the genome for clues to that packaging. Alessandro Leal, M.D., a lead author of the study and a Ph.D. candidate at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, explains that the nuclei of healthy cells package DNA like a well-organized suitcase in which different regions of the genome are carefully placed in various compartments. By contrast, the nuclei of cancer cells are more like disorganized suitcases, with items from across the genome thrown in haphazardly. "For various reasons, a cancer genome is disorganized in the way it's packaged, which means that when cancer cells die they release their DNA in a chaotic manner into the bloodstream," says Jillian Phallen, Ph.D., a lead author on the study and a Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center postdoctoral fellow. "By examining this cell-free DNA (cfDNA), DELFI helps identify the presence of cancer by detecting abnormalities in the size and amount of DNA in different regions of the genome based on how it is packaged." The researchers caution that the test's potential must be further validated in additional studies, but if that happens it could be used to screen for cancer by taking a tube of blood from an individual, extracting the cfDNA, studying its genetic sequences and determining the fragmentation profile of the cfDNA. The genome-wide fragmentation pattern from an individual can then be compared with reference populations to determine if the pattern is likely healthy or derived from cancer. Robert B. Scharpf, Ph.D., a senior author on the study and an associate professor of oncology, says that because the genome-wide fragmentation patterns may reveal differences associated with specific tissues, these patterns, when found to be derived from cancer, can also indicate the source of the cancer, such as from the breast, colon or lung. DELFI simultaneously analyzes millions of sequences from hundreds to thousands of regions in the genome, identifying tumor-specific abnormalities from minute cfDNA amounts, says Scharpf. Using DELFI, investigators found that genome-wide cfDNA fragmentation profiles are different between cancer patients and healthy individuals. Stephen Cristiano, a lead author on the study and a Ph.D. candidate in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, says that in cancer patients, fragmentation patterns in cfDNA appear to result from mixtures of DNA released from both blood and tumor cells, and show multiple distinct genomic differences with increases and decreases in fragment sizes at different regions. For the current study, the Johns Hopkins investigators worked with colleagues from institutions in the U.S., Denmark and the Netherlands to perform low-coverage whole genome sequencing of cfDNA from 208 patients with cancer, including 54 breast cancer patients, 27 colorectal cancer patients, 12 lung cancer patients, 28 ovarian cancer patients, 34 pancreatic cancer patients, 27 gastric cancer patients and 26 bile duct cancer patients. They also performed whole genome sequencing to analyze cfDNA from 215 healthy individuals. All cancer patient samples were obtained before any treatment, and the majority of the samples (183) were from people whose disease could be treated with surgical removal of the tumors. Overall, the researchers report, healthy individuals had similar fragmentation profiles, while patients with cancer had more variable fragmentation profiles that were less likely to match healthy profiles. DELFI detected cancer in 73% of cancer patients overall, while misclassifying four of 215 healthy individuals (98% specificity). The test also was found to be 61%-75% accurate in identifying the tissue of origin of the cfDNA. When DELFI and mutation-based cfDNA analyses were combined, investigators could accurately detect 91% of cancer patients. Velculescu, Leal, Phallen, Scharpf, Cristiano and colleagues are in the process of scaling up their analyses to study DELFI's performance in thousands of samples. "We're encouraged about the potential of DELFI because it looks at a completely independent set of cell-free DNA characteristics from those that have posed difficulties over the years, and we look forward to working with our collaborators worldwide to make this test available to patients," Velculescu says. Because the test is easy to administer and employs simple and inexpensive laboratory methods, Velculescu expects that the test could ultimately be more cost-effective than other cancer screening tests, including other current cfDNA tests. Explore further Researchers develop new method to detect cancerous DNA in lung cancer patients' blood More information: Genome-wide cell-free DNA fragmentation in patients with cancer, Nature (2019). www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1272-6 Journal information: Nature Genome-wide cell-free DNA fragmentation in patients with cancer,(2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1272-6 Credit: CC0 Public Domain Children with an inherited form of intellectual disability and autism could be helped by a medicine commonly used to lower cholesterol, if used early in life. The drugcalled lovastatincorrected learning and memory problems in rats with a form of Fragile X Syndrome, tests revealed. Rats were treated with lovastatin for four weeks during infancy but the benefits persisted for months afterwards. Researchers say this suggests learning problems in children with Fragile X might be prevented by a similar treatment in early life. Fragile X Syndrome is one of the most common genetic causes of intellectual disability. It is often associated with autism and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. Many affected individuals also have seizures. The condition occurs when a particular gene is disrupted leading to altered communication between brain cells. Previous studies in mice and rats have shown that this disruption can be treated with drugs, but it was not known how long treatment might be effective for. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh studied rats with a genetic alteration similar to that found in people with Fragile X Syndrome. These rats have problems completing certain memory tasks when compared with typical rats. Treatment with lovastatin between five and nine weeks of agethe precise window when they are developing these memory abilitiesrestored normal development in the rats. The animals were able to complete the memory tasks more than three months after treatment ended, indicating the effects of the drug were long-lasting. Children with Fragile X Syndrome are usually diagnosed around the age of three, typically because they are late in learning to speak. Genetic tests have enabled earlier diagnosis, which raises the possibility of starting treatments sooner. Current medications help manage specific symptomssuch as hyperactivity and seizuresbut there are not yet any treatments that tackle the underlying brain changes leading to Fragile X Syndrome. Statins are widely prescribed to both children and adults to control high blood cholesterol and to reduce the risk of heart disease. The study, published in Science Translational Medicine, was led by researchers at the University of Edinburgh's Patrick Wild Centre and the Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain. Professor Peter Kind, Director of the Patrick Wild Centre and Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain at the University of Edinburgh, said: "Children with Fragile X Syndrome need special education and, although some will live semi-independently, most require some form of lifelong support. "We have found that early intervention for a limited period during development can lead to persistent beneficial effects, long after treatment ends, in a rat model of Fragile X Syndrome. Our future experiments will focus on whether there is a critical time-window during development when treatment is more effective." Explore further Brain study reveals clues to treating Fragile X syndrome More information: Sustained correction of associative learning deficits after brief, early treatment in a rat model of Fragile X Syndrome," Science Translational Medicine (2019). Journal information: Science Translational Medicine Sustained correction of associative learning deficits after brief, early treatment in a rat model of Fragile X Syndrome,"(2019). stm.sciencemag.org/lookup/doi/ scitranslmed.aao0498 Credit: Pixabay Homicide rates are dramatically reducing the life expectancy of Latin Americans, a new study from The Australian National University (ANU) shows. Latin America accounts for around a third of the world's homicides despite having just eight percent of its population. The study shows Honduran males are hardest hit, losing six years of life expectancy due to homicides when compared to developed countries. Honduran females lose two years. According to the researchers, the life expectancy gap is in great part explained by the excess of homicide mortality. For males in El Salvador this is equivalent to four years, while males in Colombia, Venezuela, Guatemala, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic all lose around two years. Females from the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala and Jamaica, all lose around half a year of life expectancy due to homicides. Lead author, Associate Professor Vladimir Canudas-Romo of the ANU School of Demography, analysed causes-of-death across 23 Latin American countries in comparison to 15 European countries. "These are very worrying numbers," Associate Professor Canudas-Romo said. "We found major disparities in life expectancies in Latin American countries, particularly for men. "Despite Latin American countries having seen progress in most other major causes of death, such as reductions in cancer and cardiovascular disease, homicide is still affecting people's lives so much that there is little progress in life expectancies, particularly among young men. "Usually suicide rates are higher than homicides in every part of the world, but in Latin America homicides are much higher." The study also tracked changes in life expectancy between 1990 and 2014. "There are some countries that have shown a lot of increase in life expectancy over this time. This includes Nicaragua and Peru, where declines in homicide mortality have been a very important factor of this progress," Associate Professor Canudas-Romo said. "For other countries, like Trinidad and Tobago, there has been no improvement at all. "Honduran females and Mexican males are really falling behind. Mexican males lost close to half a year of life expectancy due to homicide, while Jamaican males gained more than that thanks to reductions of violent deaths." The study, Youth lost to homicides: disparities in survival in Latin America and the Caribbean, has been published in the BMJ Global Health journal. Explore further Growth in life expectancy in Australia slows, research finds More information: Canudas-Romo V, Aburto JM Youth lost to homicides: disparities in survival in Latin America and the Caribbean. BMJ Global Health 2019;4:e001275. Canudas-Romo V, Aburto JM Youth lost to homicides: disparities in survival in Latin America and the Caribbean.2019;4:e001275. gh.bmj.com/content/4/2/e001275.info Long-term surveillance is often required for bladder cancer. Credit: Flinders University Bladder cancer is a painful and sometimes life-threatening condition that patients can find difficult to talk about, with many becoming homebound as they cope with debilitating side effects such as incontinence. Bladder cancer mainly starts between the ages of 50 and 80 years old, affecting men at a ratio of 3:1, and is increasing with an ageing population in Australia. As with prostate and other male cancers, the majority of support and care is taken by the wife, spouse or an immediate family member. The responsibility and burden of the couple's combined cancer 'journey' has been explored by researchers in nursing and medicine at Flinders University. The study has underpinned a new model of care for people diagnosed with bladder cancerfocusing on their partners and family and their needs from the healthcare systemfor use in urology and other settings. While little discussed, bladder cancer is characterised by recurrence and progression so often needs ongoing surveillance and treatment. Chronic ill health and complications associated with treatment can put additional pressure on the patient, as well as their spouse, partner and family, says College of Nursing and Health Sciences researcher Dr. Susan Heyes, who conducted qualitative research with 10 couples to assess their experiences. Dr. Heyes says the battle with bladder cancer can run over several decades, with the treatments, including chemo or surgery, and sometimes co-morbidities taking a toll on all involved. "They are often too ill or in too much pain to be bothered with activities outside the home. It also can see a couple becoming quite confined to the home due to incontinence, which can discourage them from joining a club or community event as a result of the treatment and embarrassment of the condition. "This may involve a frequent urge to urinate, which can catch them off-guard and perhaps look odd in public". Despite continuous improvement in treatment options, outcomes usually involve long-term surveillance with repeated complications including possible muscle invasion by the cancer resulting in the removal of the bladder and possible death. "Throughout the study, we found that a supportive partner was vital in dealing with the daily impacts of bladder cancer, and health professionals can capitalise on this in a number of ways," Dr. Heyes says. "Health professionals can help by giving partners and carers clear and concise information, counselling and support for patient management, with attention to individual and day-to-day needs." Cancer nurses, doctors and other health professionals can therefore assist with managing the shock and fear of diagnosis, pre- and post-surgery issues, treatment and recovery, sexuality and body image, and support and comfort. Explore further Early menopause in smokers linked to bladder cancer More information: Susan M. Heyes et al, Toward an Understanding of Patients' and Their Partners' Experiences of Bladder Cancer, Cancer Nursing (2019). Susan M. Heyes et al, Toward an Understanding of Patients' and Their Partners' Experiences of Bladder Cancer,(2019). DOI: 10.1097/NCC.0000000000000718 In this Oct. 9, 2018, file photo, an embryologist who was part of the team working with scientist He Jiankui adjusts a microplate containing embryos at a lab in Shenzhen in southern China's Guandong province. Six months after He was widely scorned for helping to make the world's first gene-edited babies, new information suggests that others may be interested in pursuing such work outside the United States. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) Six months after a Chinese scientist was widely scorned for helping to make the world's first gene-edited babies, he remains out of public view, and new information suggests that others may be interested in pursuing the same kind of work outside the United States. A fertility clinic in the United Arab Emirates city of Dubai emailed scientist He Jiankui to seek training in gene editing, Stanford University bioethicist Dr. William Hurlbut said ahead of a speech Tuesday at the World Science Festival in New York. Hurlbut, whose advice He often sought, said He told him that scientists from multiple countries and families with inherited health problems had messaged support and interest in altering the genes of embryos to prevent or treat disease. Hurlbut gave The Associated Press an email he said the Dubai clinic sent to He in December, altered to hide the clinic's name. "It reveals what eagerness there is out there to use this technology" and the need "for some sort of enforceable governance" of it, Hurlbut said. Jennifer Doudna, a University of California, Berkeley, co-inventor of the CRISPR gene-editing tool that He used, said that she also has heard of others who want to edit embryos. "I think they're entirely credible," she said of such reports. Doudna, who was also a speaker at the New York festival, said the field needs to focus on setting specific criteria for how and when such work should proceed. In this Nov. 28, 2018, file photo, He Jiankui speaks during the Human Genome Editing Conference in Hong Kong. Six months after He was widely scorned for helping to make the world's first gene-edited babies, new information suggests that others may be interested in pursuing such work outside the United States. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File) "The technology is frankly just not ready for clinical use in human embryos," although research should continue, she said. Doudna is paid by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, which also supports AP's Health and Science Department. Scientists and policy leaders have been debating how to set international standards or controls since He claimed in November that he had altered the genes of twin girls at conception to try to help them resist possible future infection with the AIDS virus. Editing embryos is outlawed in many countries because it risks damaging other genes, and the DNA changes can be passed to future generations. Many scientists have condemned He's work, and attention has fallen on other scientists who knew or strongly suspected what He was doing. Stanford recently cleared Hurlbut and two other faculty members of any wrongdoing. Rice University in Houston is still looking into any involvement that He's former adviser, physics and bioengineering professor Michael Deem, may have had. Hurlbut said it would be best for the field if all involved revealed what they knew and when, because some people did give He, who goes by "JK," encouragement. "If you call JK a rogue scientist who did this by himself, you miss the truth, and then you fail to see what's wrong with the current structure for the global governance of science," Hurlbut said. In this Dec. 1, 2015, file photo, Jennifer Doudna, a University of California, Berkeley, co-inventor of the CRISPR gene-editing tool that He Jiankui used, speaks at the National Academy of Sciences international summit on the safety and ethics of human gene editing, in Washington. Six months after He was widely scorned for helping to make the world's first gene-edited babies, Doudna said that she has heard of others who want to edit embryos. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File) The Chinese scientist has not been seen publicly since shortly after he spoke at a gene-editing conference in Hong Kong in November. The AP's efforts to reach him by phone and email were unsuccessful. Hurlbut and Ryan Ferrell, a media relations person He had hired, said they could not comment on any contact with him or his whereabouts now. He's claim has not been published in a scientific journal, but the babies' existence seems to have been confirmed by investigators in Guangdong province. According to China's official Xinhua News Agency, investigators said He evaded supervision of his work and violated research norms out of a desire for fame. The report said He acted alone and would be referred to authorities for any violations of laws or regulations. In this Nov. 29, 2018, file photo, William Hurlbut of Stanford University speaks to reporters during the Human Genome Editing Conference in Hong Kong. A fertility clinic in the United Arab Emirates city of Dubai emailed scientist He Jiankui to seek training in gene editing, six months after a He was widely scorned for helping to make the world's first gene-edited babies, Hurlbut said ahead of a speech Tuesday, May 28, 2019, at the World Science Festival in New York. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File) There has been no word on how the twins are faring or the status of a second pregnancy He achieved with a gene-edited embryo, thought to be in its seventh month now. Last week, the U.S. National Academies of Medicine and Sciences and others formed an international commission to develop a framework of scientific, medical and ethical issues to be considered for any future attempts to edit eggs, sperm or embryos. The World Health Organization also has formed a panel on developing global standards for oversight of the field. But those efforts are moving slowly. The group plans to gather views for two years. "Many people are still grappling with the pace at which the technology is advancing," Doudna said. "It's really quite astounding." Explore further Stanford probes faculty ties to China gene-edited baby work 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. A new study from Purdue University shows that well-managed and networked resources can make a difference in returning people home safely. Credit: Damir Bosnjak/Unsplash It could be your grandmother who fell and broke her hip and is in a nursing home receiving therapy to get her balance and strength back. Or it could be your father who became ill, but was well enough to be discharged from the hospital, but not well enough to go back home. Both have the desire to go home, but it can be a challenge. A new study by researchers at Purdue University, University of Minnesota and Harvard Medical School reviewing the state of Minnesota's Return to Community Initiative (RTCI) shows that well-managed and networked resources can make a difference in returning people home safely. The study, published in Health Services Research, shows that an estimated 11% of nursing home residents assisted by RTCI would have become permanent nursing home residents if not for the program. It also showed an annual savings of about $3.9 million over a four-year period. The annual budget was $3.5 million for the services across Minnesota. "We found that over a four-year period that this program, at best, breaks even and even has a small amount of savings for the state," says Zachary Hass, an assistant professor at Purdue University's schools of Nursing and Industrial Engineering, core faculty for the Regenstrief Center for Healthcare Engineering at Purdue, and lead author of the study. "It is at least paying for itself." Which is good news for state governments, taxpayers, health care providers, and most importantly, the people who want to go home. Minnesota is nationally known for its network of care for older adults. The state is divided into six regions of area agencies on aging, who work with 382 participating nursing homes on the RTCI program. The RTCI program provides care in appropriate settings. In the case of Minnesota, RTCI works with non-Medicaid residents, or residents on Medicare or private-pay insurance. This study is one of the first to use a targeting method with non-Medicaid population data. Most studies are currently based on Medicaid's Money Follows the Person program. The team reviewed the data of 18,488 Minnesota nursing home residents who were admitted between April 2014 and December 2016, were non-Medicaid at admission and remained in the nursing home for at least 45 days. "The expectation is that they will be back home. The longer they stay, the more likely they won't go home," Hass said. In the study, researchers discovered there is no urban-rural divide in the quality of care. The resources are there; residents just might have to go a further distance. "Minnesota has numerous resources, which helps facilitate community discharges," Hass said. "RTCI facilitates discussion between the nursing home, home- and community-based service providers, families and the person needing the care to come up with a person-centered plan for living at home," said Kari Benson, executive director for the Minnesota Board on Aging. "It helps people know they have a choice, and that we as a state are listening and want them to be successful at home. This is not only a state goal but a national focus as well." Minnesota's nursing homes see the benefit of working together with families and other providers to make transitions easier, reduce admissions and provide resources for families including a video series, Benson said. "Nursing homes don't want to see their residents back in the hospital or emergency room, so this partnership ensures that the resident is as prepared as possible to start managing their own care at home," Benson said. Follow-up calls to participants are made following discharge from a facility after 3, 10, 30 and 90 days and every 90 days after that. "People like being checked on," Hass said. "You get to return home. Many people prefer to be at home to live out their days." Explore further Key factors for family satisfaction with nursing homes More information: Zachary Hass et al. Assessing the impact of Minnesota's return to community initiative for newly admitted nursing home residents, Health Services Research (2019). Journal information: Health Services Research Zachary Hass et al. Assessing the impact of Minnesota's return to community initiative for newly admitted nursing home residents,(2019). DOI: 10.1111/1475-6773.13118 The study authors include Charles de Bock (left), Jan Cools, Roger Habets, and Bart De Strooper. Credit: VIB An international team of researchers at VIB-KU Leuven, Belgium, the U.K. Dementia Institute and the Children's Cancer Institute, Australia, have found a safer treatment for a specific type of leukemia. By refining a therapeutic avenue that was previously abandoned because of its severe side effects, they developed a targeted approach that was both effective and safe in mice and in human cancer cells. The findings revive hope for translation to patients and have been published in this week's edition of Science Translational Medicine. T-ALLshort for T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemiais a form of cancer characterized by the presence of too many immature white blood cells. "T-ALL mainly affects children and is rapidly fatal if left untreated. Current chemotherapy is very effective, but causes long-term side effects, so there is an urgent need for less toxic targeted therapies for these young patients," says leukemia expert Prof. Jan Cools (VIB-KU Leuven). One of the biological pathways frequently involved in T-ALL is Notch signaling. Earlier research efforts were geared towards blocking the enzyme gamma-secretase, which cleaves and activates Notch. Unfortunately, these gamma-secretase inhibitors proved to be too toxic for clinical use because of side effects in a variety of healthy tissues. Lessons from Alzheimer research Researchers and clinicians investigating treatments for Alzheimer's disease have been very interested in blocking gamma-secretase as well, because it is also involved in the processing of amyloid-beta, which is linked to neurodegeneration. Alzheimer specialist Prof. Bart De Strooper (VIB-KU Leuven, UKDRI) who co-led the current study with Jan Cools has had a long interest in the activity of gamma-secretase. "It is important to realize that gamma-secretase is actually a complex consisting of four protein subunits, two of which exists in very different versions," says Bart De Strooper. "Clinical trials have been performed with broad-spectrum, non-selective inhibitors that target all different versions of the complex equally. We wanted to explore whether inhibition of specific versions could fine-tune the treatment and reduce side-effects." cfMRI (top panels) can accurately detect changes in oxygenation in the heart muscle without contrast dyes, intravenous drugs, ionizing radiation or needles when the heart is repeatedly stimulated with inhalationally modulated blood carbon dioxide levels. The bottom panel shows a standard PET scan as a comparison. Credit: Hsing-Jung Yang, Ilkay Oksuz, Sotirios A Tsaftaris and Rohan Dharmakumar The right complex for the job Dr. Roger Habets and Dr. Charles de Bock, who co-authored the study, found that the relative abundance of two different versions of one of the gamma-secretase complex was strikingly different in leukemia cells versus healthy cells. This discovery led them to explore whether inhibiting only this specific version of the complex would prove to be a safer treatment option. "We saw that targeting only one type of complex was both effective and safe in mouse models and in leukemia cells from T-ALL patients," explains Roger Habets. "Not only could we stop the leukemia from growing, we also found no signs of the toxicity that usually plagues this class of drugs." A wide range of possibilities Charles de Bock, who recently moved from Belgium to start his own lab at the Children's Cancer Institute, Australia, is very enthusiastic about rapid translation of this class of drugs into the clinic: "Historically, these types of drugs have had very limited success, since patients did not tolerate the side effects in normal tissues. We provide the first proof of concept that selective targeting of a specific version of the gamma-secretase complex is effective and safe, suggesting this strategy's potential for translation." But it doesn't have to stop there, add Jan Cools and Bart De Strooper: "If this approach would indeed work for patients with T-ALL, this could open up the door for other types of cancer as well. Safe, selective gamma-secretase inhibition might even be useful as an additional therapy in a variety of other disorders in which Notch signaling is deregulated." More information: R.A. Habets el al., "Safe targeting of T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia by pathology-specific NOTCH inhibition," Science Translational Medicine (2019). Journal information: Science Translational Medicine R.A. Habets el al., "Safe targeting of T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia by pathology-specific NOTCH inhibition,"(2019). stm.sciencemag.org/lookup/doi/ scitranslmed.aau6246 Credit: CC0 Public Domain UTSA criminal justice professor Dylan Jackson recently published one of the first studies to explore emerging drug use in the form of adolescent vaping and its association with delinquency among 8th and 10th grade students across the nation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 4.9 million middle and high school students used some type of tobacco product in 2018, up from 3.6 million in 2017. Moreover, the percentage of high school-aged children who report using e-cigarettes increased by more than 75 percent between 2017 and 2018. New legislation is targeting this dangerous trend. Earlier this year, the FDA introduced new policies to prevent adolescents from accessing flavored tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. U.S. Senators Mitch McConnell and Tim Kaine have also introduced a bipartisan bill to raise the federal smoking age to 21. The proposed bill includes the use of e-cigarettes, citing it as an "epidemic" among adolescents that has been largely overlooked. Using a nationally representative sample of 8th and 10th graders in 2017, Jackson found that adolescents who vape are at an elevated risk of engaging in criminal activities such as violence and property theft. He also found that teens who vape marijuana are at a significantly higher risk of violent and property offenses than youth who ingest marijuana through traditional means. He believes that these findings might be explained by the ability to conceal an illegal substance through the mechanism of vaping, which can reduce the likelihood of detection and apprehension among youth who vape illicit substances and thereby embolden them to engage other delinquent behaviors. Ultimately, he argues that youth who vape illicit substances such as marijuana may easily go unnoticed and/or unchallenged due to the ambiguity surrounding the substance they are vaping and the ease of concealability of vaping devices, which can look like a flash drive. These behaviors include four categories of delinquency: violent delinquency including fighting at school, engaging in a gang fight, causing injury to another or carrying a weapon to school property delinquency such as stealing an item or damaging school property "Other" types of delinquency such as trespassing or running away from home Some combination of the behaviors mentioned above Jackson also discussed other factors related to vaping, such as youth perceptions of media messaging by product manufacturers that vaping is acceptable because it is a "healthier" option than traditional forms of smoking nicotine or marijuana. "Our hope is that this research will lead to the recognition among policymakers, practitioners, and parents that the growing trend of adolescent vaping is not simply "unhealthyor worse, an innocuous pastimebut that it may in fact be a red flag or an early marker of risk pertaining to violence, property offending, and other acts of misconduct." Explore further New studies examine teen vaping association with sexual risk behavior and drug usage More information: Dylan B. Jackson et al. It's all the rage! Exploring the nuances in the link between vaping and adolescent delinquency, Journal of Criminal Justice (2019). Dylan B. Jackson et al. It's all the rage! Exploring the nuances in the link between vaping and adolescent delinquency,(2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2019.04.004 Dr. Carol Wagner, a neonatologist at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), led a recent MUSC study, reported in the Journal of Perinatology, examining the effects of vitamin D on the vaginal microbiome. She worked closely with Kim Jefferson of Virginia Commonwealth University. Credit: Sarah Pack, Medical University of South Carolina Vitamin D, sometimes known as the sunshine vitamin, has long been known to be important for a healthy pregnancy. Pregnant mothers take vitamin D supplements to ensure their own health and that of their unborn child. But how does vitamin D affect the bacteria residing in the vagina, known as the vaginal microbiome, during pregnancy? That depends on the mother's race, according to a recent study by researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). Their findings, published online in March in the Journal of Perinatology, are being featured as part of a collection of manuscripts from the integrative Human Microbiome Project (iHMP/HMP2) published today in the Nature family of journals. The natural microbiome is made up of "friendly bacteria" that help prevent infection by harmful microbes. Disruptions of that natural microbiome can leave women vulnerable to infection. The research team showed that the makeup of bacteria in the vaginal microbiome differed between black women with lower vitamin D and white women with higher vitamin D. In the MUSC trial of 387 healthy pregnant women of diverse ethnicity, black women with lower levels of vitamin D during pregnancy had more Megasphaera - a type of bacteria linked to bacterial vaginosis, which is a common dysbiosis or disorder in the vaginal canal. In contrast, white women with higher levels of vitamin D had more lactobacilli, a type of bacteria that promotes vaginal health. The study did not find any bacteria significantly associated with vitamin D status in Hispanic women. The Kellogg Foundation and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded the trial. Bacterial vaginosis, which is the disruption of a healthy vaginal microbiome, can increase the risk for infertility, spontaneous abortion, and preterm birth. Black women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with bacterial vaginosis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, they are more than twice as likely to give birth early pretermless than 33 weeks into pregnancythan white women. Black women are also more likely to be deficient in vitamin D. "If you have a rich, darker pigment, you need more sunlight exposure to penetrate through the melanin in your skin to activate the conversion of 7-dehydrocholesterol to vitamin D," explains Carol Wagner, M.D., a neonatologist at MUSC Children's Health who led the study. Wagner teamed up with Kimberly Jefferson, Ph.D., a bacteriologist at VCU, to investigate a possible link between racial disparities in vitamin D deficiency, bacterial vaginosis, and pregnancy outcomes. A team of investigators at VCU, which includes Jefferson, Gregory Buck, Ph.D., and Jerome Strauss, M.D., Ph.D., lead the NIH Human Microbiome Project-funded study "Multi-Omic Microbiome Study: Pregnancy Initiative (MOMS-PI)." The study is focused on the role of the vaginal microbiome in pregnancy. "An association between vitamin D deficiency and bacterial vaginosis has been observed in the past," says Jefferson. "We wanted to know whether certain bacterial taxa could be implicated and whether these taxa were associated with preterm birth." Women enrolled in the MUSC trial were followed from their first trimester until delivery. One group of women took 400 international units (IU) of vitamin D per day, which is the average dose found in prenatal vitamins. The other group took 4400 IU per day. Wagner and her colleagues have previously shown that to be a safe and effective dose for achieving vitamin D sufficiency in pregnant women, regardless of race. The researchers evaluated vitamin D status monthly by measuring levels of a vitamin D metabolite. The South Carolina Clinical & Translational Research (SCTR) Institute's Research Nexus provided laboratory support. Vaginal swabs were taken at each visit, and samples were sent to VCU for analysis. On average, women taking the 4400 IU supplement per day achieved greater than 40 ng/mL of the metabolite by the end of the study, which is a healthy range for pregnant women. These women had vaginal microbiomes with higher levels of healthy lactobacillus bacteria compared to women with <30 ng/mL. One bacterial species linked to bacterial vaginosis, G. vaginalis, decreased significantly over the course of the study for women in both groups. "Certain, potentially harmful bacteria become reduced in abundance as pregnancy progresses," says Jefferson. "This may be a defense mechanism that has evolved to protect the growing fetus during pregnancy." Though low levels of the vitamin D metabolite were associated with a genus of bacteria related to bacterial vaginosis in black women, the study did not provide evidence that vitamin D deficiency directly causes bacterial vaginosis. This is perhaps because few women in this study were profoundly deficient in vitamin D. Since 2015, women at greatest risk of vitamin D deficiency have been identified during their prenatal visit at MUSC and prescribed supplements. "We typically see the dramatic changes in the women who are most deficient and then you make them replete," says Wagner. "We had far fewer women in this study who were profoundly vitamin D deficient, which is a good thing but can blunt the treatment effect." Based on this study and her previous research, Wagner advocates for women, especially black women, to be mindful of their vitamin D status during pregnancy. "Women who are thinking about getting pregnant or are early in their pregnancy, especially black women, need to think about vitamin D status and that vitamin D affects many systems in the body," explains Wagner. "We really want women to be replete and ideally to have a level around 40 ng/mL, because it will not only affect their vaginal microbiome, but really more importantly their placental function and immune function." Jefferson plans to continue exploring the relationships between vitamin D and the vaginal microbiome. "We want to know how the body protects itself from potentially harmful infectious agents during pregnancy," says Jefferson. "Our understanding of the relationship between the human host and the microbiome of the reproductive tract is in its infancy but, as we increase our knowledge in this area, we hope to reduce the ethnic disparity in preterm birth and empower women to achieve healthier pregnancies." Explore further Vitamin D deficiency tied to gestational diabetes risk More information: Kimberly K. Jefferson et al, Relationship between vitamin D status and the vaginal microbiome during pregnancy, Journal of Perinatology (2019). Journal information: Nature , Journal of Perinatology Kimberly K. Jefferson et al, Relationship between vitamin D status and the vaginal microbiome during pregnancy,(2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41372-019-0343-8 Remember that guy from the 2018 River City Roots Festival who showed up with scraggly long hair, a $5,000 guitar and head-banged through an hour of blazing-fast bluegrass solos? That was Billy Strings and hes booked for two hours at Montanas dedicated roots jam festival. Strings headlines the fifth Silver Cloud Campout, held in Haugan, Montana, home of the $50,000 Silver Dollar Bar. The festivals staked its claim as the best regular festival within driving distance to Missoula, and sure hits this towns sweet spot with its eclectic lineups of funk, bluegrass and Americana groups, many of whom are Wilma and Roots Fest regulars. It is also likely one of the few music festivals around that has Can I bring my instrument? on their FAQ page, with an answer in the affirmative: Oya!! The festival press release also recommends ways to save skrilla, so. The 2019 lineup boasts some great choices aside from Strings, though none may have his unique headbanging-stoner-meets-acoustic-guitar charisma (the man sells branded lighters and weed grinders on his merch site, and is a frequent topic of discussion on Phish fan boards). A solo visit from String Cheese Incidents Kyle Hollinsworth, instrumental prog/hip-hop/jazz group Tauk and jam band Aqueous round out the top of the bill, while locals include Shakewell, Letter B Trio and Dodgy Mountain Men. A visit from an artist of Strings caliber brings full circle original promoter Shawna Lees goal to be a Red Ants Pants-style festival in three years or so, as she told the Missoulian in 2015. Theyre not all that far off, with young country phenom Colter Wall (23 years old, to Strings 26) a part of Red Ants Pants top-tier lineup in 2019. While Red Ants definitively leans country, Silver Cloud takes its cues from Missoulas favorites and books the sort of bluegrass/jam/funk music that packs The Wilma and every outdoor free festival in town in the summers. Making someone like Strings, who combines those genres effortlessly, a natural fit. "I used to be in a metal band, and I played bluegrass growing up, so it's kind of a mix of those two things together and that's what you get," Strings said in an interview with the Missoulian last summer. "A lot of bluegrass is really technical, fast stuff. You really gotta know what you're doing to keep up with the tempos and everything. Same thing for metal, really. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Self-flying drones built by a Missoula company can play a critical role in building out Americas high-speed cellular network technology, according to a Federal Communications Commission member visiting on Tuesday. Brendan Carr, a commissioner on the FCC, was in Missoula to visit Skyfish, a drone manufacturer based in the Montana Technology Enterprise Center (MonTec) on East Broadway in Missoula. He was there to talk about how drones can service critical infrastructure like cell tower sites. Skyfish makes drones that have a variety of uses, but one of their major customers uses them to inspect cell towers for maintenance issues rather than having engineers climb the towers. Were very focused at the FCC on this idea of closing the digital divide, Carr said, "making sure that every American, no matter where they live, has access to next-generation, high-speed Internet for tele-health, for educational opportunities and the jobs they create. Earlier Tuesday, Carr and U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., were scheduled to visit Montana Childrens Specialists to discuss tele-health. The county is in the midst of a shift from 4G wireless technology to 5G, which is 100 times faster, he said. However, the country has only between 200,000 and 300,000 cell sites right now, according to Carr. For 5G you need to add about 100 times that number of cell sites, he explained. So weve been acting at the federal level to make it easier to create new cell sites. You can now place them on utility poles and weve done other reforms to speed the buildout of infrastructure. And so we look at the drone space as part and parcel of how do we get this new infrastructure built and maintained. He said drones can cut down on tower climbing and the time it takes to build and maintain these sites. One thing were doing is speeding the deployment of cell sites, which can create more work opportunities for companies, he said. In 2017 for instance, there was 13,000 new small cells put up. And through some reforms that weve done, that number jumped in 2018 to over 60,000. So theres a lot more antenna sites and cell sites out there that are going to need some of the work here. Skyfish was founded in 2014 by current CEO Orest Pilskalns and has 12 employees. They currently have a few dozen drones in operation, but Pilskalns said the company intends to get to 30 employees within the next year or two and have hundreds of drones in operation. Their drones can take thousands of pictures of cell towers and bridges and provide three-dimensional models for engineers doing maintenance. In many cases, they can do the job with just the push of a button, Pilskalns noted. We really appreciate Commissioner Carrs visit and his understanding of the importance of American drone manufacturing, Pilskalns said. American drone innovation creates an important localized knowledge base and a more skilled workforce that in-turn helps America maintain its global technology leadership for decades to come. Who better to protect, inspect and monitor Americas critical infrastructure, with drones, than American drone makers? The company is trying to get a contract with the U.S. Forest Service for drones that would drop incendiary ping-pong balls over public lands for controlled burns. Right now, the process requires helicopters, but Skyfish has developed a drone capable of handling the job. Carr also said that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is now concerned more than ever about avoiding Chinese drone companies because there have been several recent instances of those companies using information about American infrastructure systems. He's one of five commissioners that make decisions about America's communications technology from the FCC offices in Washington, D.C., and has been serving just over two years. I look forward to learning more about the U.S. innovations that are driving this emerging industry, Carr said. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. MISSOULA Joanne Jody Lorraine Rhoads Anderson passed away at her Missoula home on March 7, 2019, just one day after her 82nd birthday. She fought a truly courageous battle with cancer. Jody was born March 6, 1937, in Lovell, Wyoming, the first child of Willard Claude Rhoads and Ellice Elaine Neville Rhoads. She grew up on the familys cattle ranch near Cody, Wyoming. In her own words, she said she was born with one foot in the stirrup and the other on a tractor. Jody loved to share wonderful childhood stories about horseback riding, fishing, piano lessons, girl scout adventures and attending Wapiti School, a one room schoolhouse. In high school, Jody especially enjoyed studying French and participating in A Cappella and Madrigal Choirs. She was valedictorian of her class and would go on to lead a life full of educational endeavors. Jody met the love of her life, LeRoy Anderson, in 1957 at Brigham Young University. The two were married in the L.D.S., Idaho Falls Temple in 1958. They were truly inseparable throughout life and will be for eternity. Jody and Roy designed and built a beautiful home together in Missoula and raised two lovely daughters, Elaine Ann, born in 1967, and Catherine Ellice, born in 1972. Jody received her B.A. in elementary education with a minor in music from BYU, in 1959. Throughout her lifetime, she held many interesting positions. She was a lab technician in analytical spectroscopy, an extremely gifted teacher (English, special education, music and other subjects), a church organist, piano accompanist and teacher, and a medical librarian. She was selected as St. Patrick Hospital outstanding employee in 1984. Jody co-authored several books, including 'No longer Silent' with husband Roy, and 'The Book of Musical Scales' with Lucien Hut. Jodys two daughters remember a house filled with music and good company. Jody was an excellent cook and always had a place ready for any guest whom might come by; nobody was a stranger in Jodys presence! Jody was passionate about raising scholarship money for college women, both through PEO and Vasa. She will be remembered by all for her giving nature, tenacity, love for travel and bubbly personality. Jody is survived by her husband, Roy Anderson; daughters, Catherine Anderson (Doug and son Anton) and Elaine Anderson-Wood (Brady and son Edge); brother Howard Rhoads; sisters, Carolyn Sheley and Nancy Wulfing; adopted daughters (Lotta Bornefalk, Ritsuko Ito and Trine Moller); cousin, Bob Richard; nephew, Hal Meng; beloved childhood friend, Beryl Churchill; her PEO Sisterhood; her Vasa (Swedish)"family"; two beloved cats and many other beautiful friends and extended family members. A celebration of Jodys life will be held on Friday, June 21, at 1:30 p.m. at Benson Farm in Missoula a small reception, lovingly organized by PEO and Vasa to follow (attire: summer semi-formal to casual). In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Chapter BO of PEO or Dolce Canto. Violent crime in Missoula County declined in the last 12 months, aligning with the starting point of a new multi-agency law enforcement initiative. U.S. Attorney for Montana Kurt Alme said at a news conference Wednesday that since the Project Safe Neighborhoods launched last May, murder, robberies and aggravated assaults in Missoula County decreased 18.5%. That's after a 49% increase from 2011 to 2017. The U.S. Attorney's Office, along with fellow Project Safe Neighborhoods agencies including the Missoula County Attorney's Office, Missoula County Sheriff's Office, Missoula Police Department, Montana Department of Corrections, Montana Highway Patrol, U.S. Marshals, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security and the Montana Attorney General's Office issued an update on the initiative at a news conference Wednesday. In the last year, each agency has been direct about the source of violent crime: methamphetamine. The drugs are trafficked from Mexico up the West Coast and eventually into Montana. Alme said he believes Montana's location as the end of the supply chain gives them the upper hand. "We think we can disrupt and we think we can dismantle these organizations and make the cost of business to distribute drugs in Montana high," Alme told reporters. "Of course, we also need demand reduction." The initiative stems from a U.S. Department of Justice effort to address rising violent crime, which climbed 35% statewide from 2013 to 2017. "We now have the second highest violent crime rate in the northwest, second only to South Dakota," Alme said. What law enforcement agencies are doing now through the initiative that wasn't done before is essentially communicating on a regular basis about cases. Leadership meets on a monthly basis now, Alme said, while "tactical" on-the-ground officers meet every three weeks to discuss cases and identify dangerous individuals. "The goal is to arrest Missoula's most dangerous armed robbers, meth traffickers, and dealers and violent felons with firearms," Missoula County Attorney Kirsten Pabst said. "We are cautiously optimistic in seeing a fairly significant decrease in the indexed crimes." Different levels of law enforcement are taking different actions specific to their jurisdictions. Montana Highway Patrol, for example, received funding from the 2019 Legislature for another interdiction team to patrol the highways, said MHP Col. Tom Butler. In the city, new grant funding has extended a position at the Missoula Police Department to collect and analyze violent crime data from 2014 to today, information that can be shared across the agencies involved in Project Safe Neighborhoods. A tabletop covered in seized firearms helped illustrate the violence associated with meth distribution, while the numbers provided were broken down to show its ripple effect. Alme said the more than 20 pounds of meth seized in the last year amounts to over 74,000 doses of the drug. "When we got started, everyone in this room, we sat in a room together and tried to figure what was going on," Alme said. "We built this program together." You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The legal fight over a Flathead County water-bottling plant is headed to the Montana Supreme Court. Two months ago, Lewis and Clark County District Court Judge Kathy Seeley voided Montana Artesian Water Companys permit to withdraw up to 710 acre-feet of water an acre-foot is the amount of water to cover an acre of land 1 foot deep per year from the aquifer near Creston. On Tuesday, attorneys for both the company and the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) appealed that ruling to the Supreme Court. We do think the District Court decision was flawed, said Montana Artesian spokesperson Darryl James. The company wants the permit reinstated, he said, and takes particular issue with the judges stance towards the data the department collected. In 2017, during a hearing that led to the permit being granted, Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) staff testified that Montana Artesian omitted required hydrological information from its application forms but also that these forms were often submitted incomplete. That was a problem, Seeley ruled in March. When an agency ignores its own minimum standards required in the initial application, the resulting decisions dependent upon that information in this case, the plants water-use permit cannot stand as valid or correct. The court overstepped the agencys authority and expertise in making a decision, James said. The expert testimony from DNRC said we had the information we needed to find that the bottling plant would have no adverse effect on nearby water rights. DNRC spokesperson John Grassy said the agency has no comment at this time. Steve Moore, chair of Water for Flatheads Future, disagrees. By not having the data, the entire analysis was brought into suspicion," he argued. By their analysis, we have no way of knowing what the (aquifer) drawdown would be if Montana Artesian made use of its full water right. It could be negligible, it could be catastrophic. Moores group had joined the Flathead Lakers group and several local residents in suing the company and department. Now, he stands by Judge Seeleys decision. There is a simple requirement, that terminology in the law, that some things, X, Y and Z must be provided and thats pretty unambiguous, he said. After more than three years fighting the bottling plant, Moores ready for this next phase. We are ready to carry this further and will do so with the full intention of sinking both (Montana Artesian) and the DNRC, he wrote in an email. But for now, James said that the plant is continuing to operate, under an exemption in state law that allows use of up to 10 acre-feet of groundwater per year, at a rate up to 35 gallons per minute. Over the past three years, the bottling plants opponents have pursued several lines of attack against Montana Artesian, and coming weeks also promise new developments for other efforts. In June 2018, Flathead County voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot initiative expanding the Egan Slough zoning district to cover the plant. That campaigns organizer, Yes! For Flathead Farms and Water, cast it as a major victory at the time, but it instead spurred a year of wrangling over the initiatives legality and its meaning for plant operations. A ruling in a related lawsuit is expected within the next few weeks. Its a twisting and turning path, theres no doubt about it, Moore said. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. State Sen. Bryce Bennett, a Democrat from Missoula, announced Wednesday hes running in the 2020 election to be secretary of state. Bennett is the first from his party to announce a bid for the office. He joins Republican state Sen. Scott Sales, a Bozeman Republican who served as Senate president the last two sessions and announced in March he was running for secretary of state. Republican Secretary of State Corey Stapleton is not termed out from seeking reelection, but is running for governor in 2020. "Im running because I want every Montanan to have confidence their voice will be heard and their vote will be counted on election day, Bennett said Tuesday. Bennett has served four terms in the state House and moved to the Senate in 2019. He is a nonprofit director in Missoula. Bennett said he also wants to make sure businesses have a say in how the Secretary of State's Office functions to ensure easy access to services. During his time in the Legislature, Bennett has brought several bills related to voting and voter access in Montana, including one that became law in the 2017 session that allows a person who hasn't changed their address to stay on an absentee ballot list without having to keep confirming their address for subsequent elections. Montanans have increasingly been voting absentee, with 73% of the people who voted in the 2018 general election doing so with an absentee ballot. "I think that in the Legislature I've been able to bring a number of bills that have made our democracy more accessible, more secure and more transparent for the people of Montana," Bennett said. Bennett also highlighted work he did to help pass the Disclose Act in 2015, which strengthened campaign finance laws in Montana, and said he wants to continue that work if he's elected. "I'm running to make sure our elections are always secure and accountable to the people of Montana, not dark money or out-of-state special interests," Bennett said. Bennett said Montanans should have a strong trust in the state's elections, but that there's "always room for improvement." "I want to work with the Legislature, with county clerks, with voters in Montana, to make sure every voice is heard," Bennett said. Bennett, 34, is a fifth-generation Montanan who was born in Billings and grew up in Hysham. He graduated from the University of Montana with a degree in communications studies and lives in Missoula. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Some fundamental shifts are happening in the state oversight of troubled youth programs in Montana, a result of new legislative measures lawmakers passed earlier this year. The programs that were once licensed in a mostly self-regulating model beneath the state labor department will be moved under the oversight of the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services and the scrutiny of the department's Quality Assurance Division. The current Private Alternative Adolescent Outdoor or Residential Program (PAARP) oversight board met Tuesday in Helena, where program owners, public members and DPHHS staff got a chance to swap expectations of the transition process. They also aired concerns for new standards they felt could inflict harm on the programs' ability to operate as they have, some for more than 20 years. Even with a number of questions, the move to switch over to the health department, a proposal made more than a decade ago, was lauded during both the legislative session and Tuesday's meeting. "I do think there are some positive things that will happen from this," John Santa, founder of Montana Academy near Marion and chair of the PAARP board said of DPHHS. "You have better ability to enforce and investigate. We have had a lot of handicaps, it's very difficult, and they're (the Department of Labor and Industry) really not set up to do facility complaints. I think it will be an advantage that you're going to offer that kind of oversight and it will be a benefit of perception." As part of the legislation passed earlier this year, the PAARP board the majority of which is made up of program owners will sunset July 1. The other part of that legislation set out the transition process, allowing current license holders to be grandfathered into the health department's licensure bureau and the current PAARP rules to remain in effect until DPHHS develops its own. In the next six weeks, Quality Assurance Division Administrator Carter Anderson will visit each of the 18 programs that will migrate to DPHHS to learn more about each program so the upcoming rules can be developed in concert with the different types of programs, such as outdoor, therapeutic boarding schools, and others. After the new rules are set out, 11 programs scheduled for triennial inspections will undergo those by DPHHS inspectors. Anderson said he hopes those rules will be drafted as soon as mid-August. After that, the department will hold a 30-day public comment period for input on the new rules, as well as a public meeting held by the department to hash out concerns and suggestions in an open forum. Marshall Duval, a former resident at Spring Creek Lodge who phoned in to Tuesday's meeting, asked what role former program residents would have in the development of the new rules. "The rule-making process is open to anyone who wants to participate in the rule-making process," Anderson vowed. "If you feel like you want input into the process, you can have input to the rule-making process." A number of program owners who have tentatively resisted the transition to DPHHS have described current health department standards as potentially fatal to their programs, although they voiced their concerns in vague terms. Santa offered one specific that night staffing ratios for other programs under health department oversight require one staffer per eight attendees. Santa likened such measures to a prison or hospital setting, while the programs for troubled teens are not as intensive. "We're just not that level of care," said Santa. "It's not the level that our parents are selecting. In our case we would have to hire 14 more night staff. What in the world would those people do?" Anderson said these concerns are what the upcoming site visits are about. What may develop is the addition of new categories within the DPHHS oversight of troubled youth facilities to include more specific rules distinguishing larger programs from smaller ones, or outdoor treatment programs from residential ones. "Our goal is not to come in and shut people down and say you're not going to do this," Anderson said. "Our goal, if you read everything in quality assurance, is health and safety if we can show that the children are safe, and there's good, proper needs being met." Anderson, responding to another question from Santa, also said the department has yet to determine how it handles complaints that are currently unresolved with the PAARP board. "We are in the middle of some things right now," Santa said. Complaints leveled against DPHHS-licensed programs will always be anonymous, Anderson said, but if the department finds issues that need to be addressed during inspections, those corrective actions are posted to the DPHHS Quality Assurance Division Licensure Bureau website. The site shows, for example, that 48 complaints have been filed with DPHHS against Acadia Montana since November 2013, as well as the plan of corrections if deficiencies were found and the date those plans were accepted. Such information was not immediately available through the PAARP board site. The opaque nature of PAARP's handling of complaints was one component of a yearlong investigation by the Missoulian into how the troubled industry regulates itself in Montana. Those stories examined 14 programs. The Department of Labor said Wednesday two additional programs have since been added to the list; one was inadvertently missing from the list while another's license is pending. The "perception" issue to which Santa alluded during Tuesday's meeting led one parent to describe PAARP's oversight as the "fox guarding the henhouse." That series, published in January, spurred lawmakers to change the oversight. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Montana State University Billings will receive a glaring red zero for performance funding this year, missing out on $1.4 million and losing $550,000 compared to last year, as the school remains stuck in a downward enrollment spiral and feels the effect of a dip in student retention. MSUB will be the only four-year school in the Montana University System to lose any performance funding. University officials budgeted for a dip in funding, but not the absence of it, leaving a roughly $346,000 hole to fill. We are making temporary budget reductions including use of reserves, keeping positions open, salary saving through employee retirement, and continued efficiencies and cost savings in a variety of areas, MSUB director of University Relations and Communications Shannon Wilcox said in an email. Performance funding has been a financial boogeyman for the school, creeping farther out of the closet each of the past three years. MSUB got only about half of available money in 2017, and less than that in 2018. Regent Martha Sheehy, a Billings-based lawyer, said she was growing less enamored with performance funding. I just see whats happening to MSU Billings in this model, and it feels very unfair, she said at the May Board of Regents meeting. Its keeping down some of the universities that are trying very, very hard to come up. (Editor's note: Sheehy has represented the Billings Gazette in legal matters.) She called the model a ball and chain tied around the ankle of new chancellor Dan Edelman. Clay Christian, the Commissioner of Higher Education, said the formula highlights problems that need fixing. Its a glaring red zero there, one that Chancellor Edelman is sort of anchored with, and that is a challenging piece of it, but I also think part of the reason we have Chancellor Edelman there is we need new leadership that can solve problems, he said. Edelman highlighted retention in a Friday email notifying staff about the performance funding. "I have seen significant strides for students in my time here," he wrote. "We are all working together to improve student recruitment and retention. With everyones assistance, I am optimistic that we will make progress with future performance-based funding metrics." Most states in the country use some form of performance-based funding, and regents often talk of the topic's popularity with Montana legislators looking for visible examples of accountability. Research on whether the model actually spurs better performance is mixed. The metric-based money is only a small slice of the overall funding that MSUB receives from the state. Different schools have different variables that determine performance compared to three-year averages for the variables. MSUBs formula is based on undergraduate degrees awarded, weighted at 40%; year-to-year student retention, weighted at 50%; and graduate degrees, weighted at 10%. As the university remains mired in an enrollment crisis, those drops fuel dips in degrees as small classes age through. That means improvements in retention and graduate degrees need to offset that drop, but retention dropped well below MSUB's three-year average. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 POLSON A Lake County right-of-way dispute has reached federal court. Both Lake County and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes maintain that they have jurisdiction over a dirt road leading into Lori Lundeens 40-acre property in Big Arm. Lundeen had felt confident enough that it was a county right-of-way to break ground on a new development, Wild Horse RV Resort. But earlier this month, tribal employees gated off the road that Lundeen and her contractor were using to access the site. Then, on Tuesday, the Flathead Tribal Police served her and the Lake County Commissioners with a lawsuit. This is a disagreement we're trying to settle over ownership of the underlying land in question and ultimately, who has regulatory authority, tribal spokesperson Rob McDonald wrote in an email. The tribes complaint, filed last week in federal court in Missoula, claims that the roads in question sit on trust land. While Big Arms lots have been sold and changed hands over the years, the attorneys argued, its roads and alleys have remained in trust, held for the tribes by the federal government. They further contended that under a 1915 law, Montana counties must complete a six-step process to dedicate public access routes on Indian reservations. But no rights-of-way were recorded under the authority of this Act within the (Big Arm) town site. Tribal Chairman Ron Trahan raised similar points months ago, in an August letter to the county commissioners. He invited them to a Tribal Council meeting to make their case for authority over the road, and voiced hope that they could resolve the issue in an amicable manner. But that meeting never happened. Now, the tribes ask the court to rule in their favor, seeking a determination quieting title to the Big Arm town sites roads, alleys and parks. They also want both Lundeen and the county to be enjoined from trespassing on or regulating Indian trust land. They also seek a preliminary injunction barring development and use of the roads while the case proceeds. Without such an injunction in place yet, the county is continuing to regulate the projects access plans. Previously, these had called for entry via the planned-but-not-built F Street. On Tuesday, the commissioners amended the plans to move access north to E Street the same dirt road that Lundeen and her contractor had already used, and that was gated two weeks ago. This would shorten the distance that motorists travel from U.S. 93 before entering the property, and the County Planning Departments memo noted that it would reduce impact to the town site. CSKTs McDonald declined to comment on this latest amendment. But he did say that the tribes remain open to resolving this dispute out of court, and that if the tribes lawsuit succeeds, Lundeen would still have the option of seeking a tribal right-of-way to the development. Lake County attorney Wally Congdon expects a response to be filed within the next three weeks. In the meantime, Lundeen told the Missoulian that the work has been paused, and that shes considering acquiring 20 more acres that would allow access via the south side, rather than the litigated route on the east side. Lundeen had aimed to complete the projects first phase by July. Now, shes looking at a tentative completion date of next spring and the unpleasant task of informing her customers that they have a longer wait than they bargained for. I have told them that the projects on hold because of a road access issue, she said. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 2 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. We have no sympathy for Julian Assange, who released emails hacked by Russian intelligence to disrupt the 2016 election. We hope he is punished for crimes he is accused of committing in 2010, when the government says he worked with Bradley (now Chelsea) Manning to hack the Defense Department's computer network. Those who steal sensitive documents must feel the consequences. But in its superseding indictment against Assange filed Thursday, the Department of Justice went further than accusing the WikiLeaks founder of participating in the theft of government secrets. Other felony counts would throw him in jail under the Espionage Act of 1917 for inviting, then posting, classified documents illegally obtained by someone else. This unpredecented interpretation of the overbroad law could make suspects out of all manner of reporters and editors working closely with sources to encourage them to get, and then making public, classified materials. That's not going to happen, promises the government, because, as Assistant Attorney General John Demers put it, "Julian Assange is no journalist." Under this theory, "the totality of his conduct" reveals that he was motivated by the desire to expose and hurt Americans, therefore all his disclosures of State Department cables, of rules of engagement in Iraq, of assessment briefs of Guantanamo Bay detainees become criminal. Voila! But as the First Amendment and case law establish, the government does not have the authority to determine who deserves constitutional protections. Moreover, any attempt to define who qualifies as a journalist is folly in a world where activists regularly look to acquire and expose information from whistleblowers, and where billions publish on Twitter and Facebook. Punch line: There's only one American politician in memory to ever actually encourage a criminal hack. That's the man who, in 2016, said "Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing," who then repeatedly said he loved WikiLeaks, whose campaign promoted its data dumps, whose Justice Department now calls inviting and disclosing hacked materials a federal crime. This editorial originally appeared in the New York Daily News. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A May 3 Missoulian article revealed that Missoula city and county leaders are committed to buying 100% clean energy by 2030. Mayor John Engen quoted non-partisan polling which indicated that 90% of Montanans support his position. However, the Montana Legislature representing all Montanans opposed Senate Bill 189. SB 189 died in the Judiciary Committee, and could not be blasted out of committee for lack of Democrat and Republican support. Many legislators doubt that CO2 emissions cause global warming, because scientists presented evidence that CO2 followed warming, but did not cause it. The opposing legislators believed SB 189 would destroy our economy and rob us of us freedoms when renewable energy would necessitate rationing. Al Gore and Steve Running received the Nobel Peace Prize for their proposal of a political way to establish the United Nations theory of climate warming caused by man. Organized activism was vital to the acceptance of this "settled science." Physicist Steven Hawking denied "settled science" by regularly defending his theory of black holes in the universe. Every time another researcher questioned his conclusions, Hawking defended them with the goal of scientific truth. Before Running retired, he launched another way to promote activism: a climate change minor at the University of Montana. Jeanette Zentgraf, Missoula You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Berkeley Pit's toxic water could be reduced to late 1990s levels within the pit according to a new Atlantic Richfield Company plan, says Mark Thompson, Montana Resources vice president of environmental affairs. Atlantic Richfield has proposed to the Environmental Protection Agency, and to MR, to build a second water treatment plant right off Shields Avenue that would have greater capacity and draw down the pit's water levels by somewhere between 50 feet and 150 feet, Thompson said Tuesday. This wont change the current plan to start discharging treated pit water into Silver Bow Creek this summer, say various officials. That pilot project will continue as expected and is supposed to maintain the level in the pit to where it is currently 5,353 feet. The EPA established what it calls the critical water level in the pit at 5,410 feet, which was expected to be reached in 2023. But the pit's water shouldn't reach that now with the pilot project holding the water level at least through 2021. The reason for a second water treatment plant is that BP, Atlantic Richfield's parent company, wants to eliminate risk in the "unlikely" event of a Yankee Doodle Tailings Impoundment dam failure. If the EPA gives approval to Atlantic Richfield's proposal, the water level in the pit would be reduced so that if a dam failure ever occurred, the pit would essentially catch the contamination, water and mud that would flow down. Both Montana Resources and BP declined to estimate the cost of such a plant. But Thompson said the Horseshoe Bend Water Treatment Plant cost somewhere between $16 million and $24 million when it was built in 2002 and 2003. BP previously said it has spent $1.4 billion on the entire upper Clark Fork River basin so far and expects to spend another $100 million on the Butte Hill cleanup. That is a separate cleanup effort from the Berkeley Pit. Brett Clanton, senior director of U.S. BP media affairs, wrote in an email from his Houston office that the second water treatment plant will reduce the volume of water stored in the pit and create capacity to contain any material that might flow into the pit from the Yankee Doodle Tailings Impoundment in an unlikely emergency involving a dam failure. Thompson there is no need to worry about the integrity of the dam. He said the tailings dam failure in Brazil in 2019 that killed a couple hundred people caught BPs attention at the highest levels. You make that (Yankee Doodle Tailings Impoundment) a zero risk to us, Thompson said BP told Atlantic Richfield officials in Butte. If the second plant gets built, Atlantic Richfield is proposing that the water level in the pit could be reduced somewhere between 50 feet to 150 feet. That would reduce it to about the level the pit reached in the late 1990s, Thompson said. The plant proposal opens up more questions than anyone can answer at this stage. The EPA says it only recently received the request from Atlantic Richfield and needs to review the proposal but said it will keep the public informed of the developments as it proceeds. Thompson said the water level reduction likely wouldnt eliminate the potential for migrating bird landings on the pit. He pointed to the fact that 342 snow geese died on the pit in 1995. In 2016, an estimated 3,000 snow geese perished from the toxic waters. When a handful of local Superfund activists learned of the proposal through a private meeting with MR Tuesday, they called it good news. The activists also immediately began to speculate about the effects this could have on the Butte Hill cleanup, which is separate from the Berkeley Pit cleanup. Long-time activist Fritz Daily said we can have a real creek, not a fake creek, from Texas Avenue to the confluence at George Street. What AR is proposing is a new critical water level, Thompson said. Rough calculations at this preliminary stage indicate the water level could be nearly halved to 27 billion gallons. Currently, the pit holds a little less than 50 billion gallons, according to Thompson. But that also means a considerable amount of water will be sent to Silver Bow Creek starting in 2021, if the EPA gives its approval. That is what makes Dailys eyes gleam with excitement. If we do it right, we could have a creek, he said. But so far, that is only speculation. The EPA said Montana Resources letter the agency received on the proposal does not agree with ARs proposed approach. Thompson said MR actually does approve of the approach, but said the mine wants to see a significant review of how it will all work before its put into place. The reason is safety for MR workers. If the pit's water level is reduced too quickly, Thompson said, it could destabilize the pit walls and wipe out MRs haul road, the conveyor and the crusher. And, most importantly, such a failure could take the lives of miners along with it. Thompson said MR will be meeting with the EPA next week to discuss those concerns and the proposal further. He said MR has already discussed the mine's worries with Atlantic Richfield and the agencies and that the decision makers are listening. Another question unanswered at this preliminary stage is what will happen to the underground tunnels underneath Uptown Butte. Some tunnels are quite close to the surface. Those tunnels are now flooded with groundwater. Reducing the level in the pit could also reduce the level of ground water in the tunnels and could potentially destabilize the tunnels. Thompson said that is another concern the companies and the agencies will have to take a close look at to ensure safety. Another question the proposal brings up is how it will affect the proposed Butte Hill remedy currently under consideration. The EPA says it wont. EPA says Atlantic Richfield only proposed changes to the adequacy review process, and has not requested change to the discharge pipe that will send the treated water to Silver Bow Creek at the confluence with Blacktail Creek. But, Thompson says that discharge pipe has a little more than 10 million gallons of capacity, and he said the pipe could need more capacity than that to carry the amount of water necessary to reduce the pits level as much as Atlantic Richfield is proposing. Thompson said it could take as much as ten years to reduce the water level that much. Whether the proposal will open up the mine flooding consent decree or if Atlantic Richfield will have to consider newer technologies to treat the water are also open questions, Thompson said. Horseshoe Bend Water Treatment Plant would be in the path of a tailings dam failure. Further, it can only handle seven million gallons a day, which is not large enough to draw down the pit's water level. The new plant, if it happens, would not preclude the need for the polishing plant, Thompson said. He also said this is not a crisis mitigation. He called this a belt and suspenders extra security measure. Their (BP's) goal is to get their risk down to zero, he said. Love 11 Funny 1 Wow 3 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. Duggan Dolan HOGART Funeral Mass for Ms. Pamela Ann Hogart will be celebrated this Wednesday morning at 11:00 am in St. Anns Catholic Church. Rite of Committal will follow in Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery. McGRATH Friends and relatives of Mr. Daniel Martin McGrath may call on this Friday evening after 5:00 PM in the Duggan Dolan Mortuary Chapel. Parish Vigil will be recited at 7:00 PM. Friends and relatives may call on Thursday after 10:00 am in St. Anns Catholic Church. Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Thursday at 11:00 am. Rite of Committal will follow in Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the ALS Foundation or the Butte Central Education Foundation. HUGHES Mr. Thomas Joseph Hughes passed away Tuesday morning in Butte. Friends and relatives may call on Saturday after 11:00 am in St. Anns Catholic Church. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 12:00 PM (noon). Rite of Committal will follow in the Mausoleum at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery. A complete obituary will be published in the Thursday edition of The Montana Standard. Obituaries Newsletter Sign up to get the most recent local obituaries 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. Iowas Quad-Cities are backing out of a program administered by the Iowa Department of Transportation that critics say circumvents federal requirements on major infrastructure projects. The Bi-State Regional Commissions transportation policy committee, which oversees regional projects that get federal dollars, voted to leave the program Tuesday afternoon by a 5-2 margin. Only members on the Iowa side participated in the vote. Ahead of casting the final aye, Davenport Mayor Frank Klipsch, the committees chairman, called the decision a very challenging issue for the community. He questioned conclusions made on both sides, saying his decision to opt out was rooted more in local popular opinion than verifiable data. This is one of those things that make it difficult because you dont feel good either way, ultimately, Klipsch said. But I think in the long run it will work and we will move forward." At issue is a program created in 2017 by Iowas Republican-led legislature that swaps federal dollars for state dollars. Called the Federal-Aid Swap, all cities and towns in Iowa were automatically adopted into the program upon the legislations final passage. Offering a major boost to her campaign for Congress, U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack is backing Clinton County Democrat Rita Hart to take his place after he retires at the end of his current term. The endorsement was announced during a joint interview Wednesday morning with Quad-Cities TV station WQAD. Loebsack says hes known Hart since she began working in the Iowa Senate, and her record of reaching across partisan divides makes her perfect to be the districts next representative. Ive always tried to work across the aisle on issues whether it was education or broadband or any number of other things veterans issues, for example, Loebsack said during the interview. I know that Rita has the same kind of record, Ive known her since she got into the Senate. If shes had that kind of a record I think that she is perfect for this district in that sense. In a move that surprised many in Iowa Democratic circles, Loebsack announced in February that he would not seek reelection after his term expired in 2020. His decision immediately spurred high interest among Democrats eyeing a shot at the open seat and Republicans who think Loebsacks departure will make Iowas 2nd Congressional District an easy pickup for the GOP. I suppose you expect me to write things like Switchcom is a dynamic and innovative ICT company founded in 2015 with the aim of bringing South Africa leading wired and wireless solutions, and more. Switchcom Distributions extensive product range includes wireless, fibre, surveillance, network cabling, solar solutions, networking equipment, installation materials, VoIP equipment, and more. In fact, it would be deserving to say they sell service itself, as evidenced from the way they: Offer emergency stock collections on Saturdays and Sundays, even over the Christmas to New Year period where distribution typically grinds to a halt. Offer a boutique of finance options from the standard 30 days right up 120 days, thereby enabling their customers to have access to capital to bid for those bigger deals that are typically outside of their financial reach. Have super quick turnaround times on quote responses. Are prepared to price match. Go the extra mile to source anything not on their usual stock list to make it easy for a client to use them as a one-stop destination for procurement. Provide technical assistance to customers in terms of advice, planning, even surveys and scoping sessions to ensure that their customers are able to provide end users with the right solutions, the first time around. Incentivise customers to be able to offer them free delivery both locally and nationally. Its so refreshing to meet with a company who is clearly keen to work hard for their customers, to deliver maximum value in the relationship. Their ethos is so simple in many ways, yet unmistakably wise, they aim to deliver the most they can to clients, not the least. In the Switchcom spirit of constantly striving for change, they have recently acquired the distributorship for the entire African continent of the specialist antenna brand, ALGcom. If youre struggling with interference on links or just need more throughput and stability, you need to look at the ALGcom range of specialised antennas. Since 2003, ALGcom designs, manufactures and is dedicated to the innovation, research and development of antennas that operate in 1.5GHz, 2.2GHz, 2.5GHz, 3.7GHz, 4.8GHz, 5.8GHz, 6.1GHz, 6.8GHz, 7.8GHz and 11GHz. The Shielded Antennas and Ultra High-Performance Shielded Antennas eliminate interference in high noise floor environments. These antennas come equipped with a 3-year warranty and feature a 100% aluminium structure. The ALGcom range does not only include antennas but also horn sectors, armored boxes and AC/DC UPSs all designed to fit every installations unique requirements. The range offers exceptionally low interference, higher vertical and horizontal coverage, stable connection with maximum throughput over short & long distances. The whole range is compatible with radios from leading manufacturers such as Ubiquiti, MikroTik, Cambium Networks, Mimosa, LigoWave, Randwin, Infinet and more. Do yourself and your business the favour of contacting Switchcom Distribution today, visit the Switchcom website. Google is blocking users of Microsofts Chromium-powered Edge browser from accessing the modern YouTube experience. Microsoft recently released a preview version of its new Edge browser which runs on the Chromium web engine, allowing anyone to download and try out the new browser on their Windows or Mac PC. A Microsoft Edge preview user discovered that while the browser works very well across many popular platforms, Edge preview users are unable to access modern YouTube features, which include the modernised YouTube interface as well as a dark mode for the website. Edge preview users are automatically presented with the old version of the YouTube website, and when they try to manually access the new YouTube via youtube.com/new, the website states that their browser is not supported and requests that they download Google Chrome. However, the page clearly states that YouTube supports the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari, and Edge. While the preview build of the Chromium-based Microsoft Edge browser is blocked from accessing the modern YouTube experience, the classic Microsoft Edge browser can still access the new features. It is unclear whether this is an error on Googles part, as Microsoft previously said it has been working closely with Google engineers on the new Edge browser. Now read: Microsoft releases test version of Edge for Apple Mac Microsoft has stopped providing Huawei with Windows licences as part of its efforts to comply with US trade limitations against the Chinese company, The South China Morning Post reported. Windows operating systems running on current Huawei PCs will not be affected, but Microsoft will no longer accept new product orders from Huawei. Microsofts services team has also reportedly begun moving out of its Chinese headquarters in Shenzhen. This does not mean that Microsoft is not cooperating with Huawei any more. The suspension in business between the two companies could be just temporary, said an unnamed Microsoft employee from these headquarters. Microsoft has already taken significant actions against Huawei as part of its compliance with the US government order, including the removal of Huawei hardware and cloud products from its online marketplaces. Huawei mobile chief executive for business, Richard Yu Chengdong, said earlier this week that Huawei plans on launching its own operating systems which could be compatible with Android and Windows. Now read: Why Huawei losing ARM is a big deal St. Helena American Legion Auxiliary recently donated three gaming computers and monitors to the California Veterans Home at Yountville. The money for the computers and monitors came from the Auxiliarys annual Poppy Program. The red paper poppies are a reminder of those who have lost their life in the service of our country. Members of the Legion Auxiliary were at Sunshine Foods on Saturday and at the St. Helena Cemetery on Memorial Day for anyone who wishes to wear a poppy to honor our service men and women. The City Council has postponed plans to seek out potential hotel developers for the city-owned Adams Street property. A split council told staff Tuesday to hold off on issuing a call for developers for at least six to eight months until the city estimates the cost of various infrastructure improvements that could be financed by selling the property. Mayor Geoff Ellsworth initially said that the proposed Request For Qualifications/Request For Proposals is going to move forward, and the purpose of the hearing was to establish criteria for a potential hotel. But at the end of the five-hour meeting, he agreed with Councilmembers David Knudsen and Anna Chouteau that the city should slow down. We will still be an attractive opportunity for someone in six months, Ellsworth said. In the meantime, consultants will assess the needs and costs associated with a new City Hall, upgrades at the library, and conceptual recreational facilities. The city is also planning the downtown streetscape project and long-term renovations of the citys storm drains and sewer and water infrastructure. A majority of the council agreed that more public engagement is necessary before the community will support a hotel on Adams Street. I suspect that youll have buy-in from the citizens if you allow enough flexibility for them to say This is what we really want, said Councilmember David Knudsen. And when they say what they really want, then well say OK, this is what we have to do to pay for it. Councilmembers Paul Dohring and Mary Koberstein wanted to issue the RFQ/RFP right away, with the understanding that a good portion of the 5.6-acre property would be reserved for public use. Dohring said people are in extreme denial about the city needing millions of dollars for a new City Hall and police station, library upgrades, streetscape enhancements, rising employee health care costs and pension liabilities. I would rather not sell this property, but at some point you have to face reality, he said. We need cash and we need it now. Councilmember Mary Koberstein gave ballpark estimates of $8 million for a new City Hall and $6 million for a new police station. The city cant cover those costs simply by issuing general obligation bonds, she said. Public comments About 90 members of the public packed the Vintage Hall boardroom for the highly anticipated hearing, although many of them had left by the time the council gave direction to staff just before 11 p.m. Twenty-one people spoke during public comment, most of them strongly opposing a hotel on Adams Street. Sue Clark, president of the St. Helena Historical Society, pitched the concept of a Heritage Center offering photos and memorabilia, Native American artifacts, vintage farm tools and equipment, historical lectures, and a historically accurate one-room schoolhouse featuring preserved elements of the old Vineland schoolhouse. A Heritage Center, funded by the historical society, is one element of Anthony Michelis plan for the property. He also envisions a parking lot that could host the Farmers Market and other community events. The city bought the property from Virginia Daly for half of market rate with the understanding that it be reserved for the community, Micheli said. It would be a travesty for the council to sell it, he said. Other speakers highlighted the adverse impacts of a hotel, such as increased traffic and the loss of the propertys scenic views. There are other hotels in the works, including at Freemark Abbey and Farmstead, that could attract more customers for downtown businesses and draw far less controversy than an Adams Street hotel, they said. If you look at residents of Yountville, Napa, Calistoga citizens of those towns were sacrificed for tourism, said Leslie Stanton. Theyre not happy. Please dont sacrifice us for money. Other action Also at Tuesdays meeting, the council: - Approved its annual $210,000 marketing contract with the St. Helena Chamber of Commerce, with the additional directive that the Chamber specifically market downtown merchants. - Approved a $281,127 contract with Noll & Tam Architects for a Phase 1 architectural feasibility/visioning study of the library, City Hall and conceptual recreation facilities. The study will follow up on the work of the SHAPE Committee. - Agreed to fly the rainbow flag and the transgender flag on a new ceremonial flagpole in front of City Hall in the month of June to celebrate Pride Month. 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. There are times when I almost have to knock myself on the head to be sure that, yes, I really am here in the quiet valley where I grew up where not much happened, and where the arts, whether it was ballet or the Beatles, were something you went to San Francisco to experience. No, actually, I am not talking about BottleRock. While everyone else in the world was at the music festival, I was at the Napa Valley Museum, viewing the newest show Picasso & The Masters of 20th Century Printmaking on a tour with the curator, Kendy Genovese. Printmaking? Picasso? I had not thought of the great artist as a printmaker until I made this tour with Genovese. On its own, the show is stunning, artful and elegant. You might be stepping into a room in a great museum in New York filled with prints by Picasso, Chagall, Miro, Dali, Matisse, Braque, Matta, and Motherwell. Genovese and Napa Valley Museum director Laura Rafaty have secured the loan of 50 rare works and resources from private collections as well as places like New Yorks Metropolitan Museum of art for this show as well as printmaking tools and presses from the International Printing Museum and the California College of the Arts. During the time, 1900-1960s, the art of printmaking was approached as an art in itself, Genovese said, and on a tour with her, she explores not only the intense artistry with which these artists created prints and why. She covers lithography, mezzotint, engraving and woodcuts, linocuts, pochoirs, and carborundum etching. She will tell you also stories about Picassos lovers, the man who was beheaded by a pot lid, how Joan Miro came to create his moving studies of night skies. One series showing the steps by which Miro created a single print is an extraordinary demonstration of the complexity of this art, print-making. Another series is Marc Chagalls dream-like illustrations of the Greek legend of Daphnis and Choe is simply breathtaking in its beauty. And not to be missed art the haunting and intricate works of a 21st century printmaker Robert Kipiss, the last stop on the tour. I love to play in my mind, how did (this work) get here? There are only a handful in the world, Genovese said. It was the same question in my mind, the point where you have to knock yourself on the head. Genovese will be leading more tours from noon to 1 p.m. on June 1, 15 and 22. The tours are free with admission to the museum. The museum also presents Flamenco Picasso from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday June 21. An evening of flamenco music features master guitarist Mark Taylor and includes wine from Gen7 Wines, light tapas, and a curated tour with Genovese. Tickets are $30 ($20 for members) and include admission. The Napa Valley Museum, at 55 Presidents Circle, on the grounds of the Veterans Home of California in Yountville, is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays through Sundays. Museum admission is $15 for adults (age 18-64); $7.50 for seniors (65 and older) and kids under 18 and free for members, residents of the Veterans Home and active-duty military. More information and advance purchase tickets are available at napavalleymuseum.org/picasso. Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Janet Renee Freshour Schiefferly was born on June 15, 1943, to Terry and Theresa Freshour in Stockton, California. Janet passed on May 25, 2019 surrounded by her loving family and ready to join her husband Gerald Leon Schiefferly in peace. Janet was raised in Stockton, California, and frequently worked in her familys produce and grocery business. She graduated from high school in Linden, after already dating the love of her life, Jerry, as high school sweethearts. Jan and Jerry met, as Jerrys sister was Janets best friend and he was the handsome older brother that lived down the country lane and they married on September 3, 1961. Shortly thereafter Jerry was drafted and together they moved to Washington DC, and Janet began working for the Pentagon as a typist. When Jerry was honorably discharged they moved back to California where they bought a grocery store in Sutter Creek, California. In February of 1964, Jerry and Janet had their first child, Lisa Renee Schiefferly (Paul) and together they moved to Vallejo where Janet took a position with Solano County Social Services and Jerry worked at Mare Island Naval Shipyard. Janet worked and served many women in her role at the Social Services Agency and would continue to promote health, welfare and services that would benefit women and their families throughout her life. In 1968 they moved to Napa and shortly thereafter, Jerry and Janet had their son, Gerald Matthew Schiefferly. Janet began to work in the insurance field and became an Independent Agent with a successful client base with Sanders, Jacobs, Cassayre and Griffin Insurance Agency in Napa. As a successful business woman, Janet was actively participating and served a number of officer roles, including President for Soroptomist International. Janet was also active in the Womens Guild at St. Apollinaris Church. In 1993 Janet left her long time position took her book of business and joined as employee #3 to help Lisa and Matt start Paul Hanson Partners where she retired in 2013. Janet loved to bowl and started in a womens league and couples league at Bel Aire and then Napa Bowl from 1970 to this last winter. Jerry and Jan could be found for years every Friday night laughing with friends and family with Jan, often the prankster and gambler, on who would have the best roll of the night. If you knew Jan, you also knew her common ask was, hey, wanna join a bowling league? In addition to bowling Jan loved to quilt and spent many hours sewing and participating in the Napa Valley Quilters. As they both retired, Janet and Jerry traveled extensively throughout the US and Europe, but really enjoyed being home, more than travel if it involved spending time with their eight grandchildren, and more recently two great grandchildren. Janet was a woman who successfully managed a career and family, and had a marvelous time doing it. She loved to cook for family and friends and enjoyed being social. She often was found as a leader and promoter of women in several non profit organizations throughout her life, but most of all she loved Jerry and in recent years had missed him terribly where she now joins him in peace doing what they loved together most, spending time with friends and family. Janet is survived by her daughter, Lisa and husband Marvin Paul, of Napa, her son Matt Schiefferly and wife Shannon OShaughnessy of Napa, her grandchildren, Curtis Paul and his wife, Renee Reed and their sons Kayden and Braxton, Ryan Paul, Madison Paul, Jacqueline Paul, Natalie Schiefferly, Owen Schiefferly, Jack Ryan and Sean Ryan. Please join Janets family in loving memory at a rosary prayer service to be held at Claffey and Rota Funeral Home at 1975 Main Street, Napa, CA on Friday May 31st at 6:30pm, a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Apollinaris Catholic Church 3700 Lassen Street, Napa, CA on Saturday June 1st at 11am, followed by burial at Tulocay Cemetery 411 Coombsville Road, Napa. Join a celebration of Janets life with her family at 3091 Vichy Ave, Napa, CA 94559 immediately following the burial. Memories and notes of sympathy may be shared at claffeyandrota.com. 19352018 Peggy Ellen Wooden Faletti passed away November 9, 2018, the first day of her 84th year, at Queen of the Valley Hospital in Napa, from complications of vascular and heart disease. Born Nov. 8, 1935 at UCSF hospital, Peg grew up through toddlerhood with her parents, Earl and Virgie (Woodie) ONeal Wooden, while they were in pharmacy and nursing school. After grad school, they returned to the Central Valley to establish Earl Woodens Pharmacy in Reedley, and to be closer to Woodies family, the ONeals and Andersons of Kingsburg. Peg moved to San Mateo with her mother and sister Joan, graduating from San Mateo High School in 1953 and from SJSU in 1957. A lifelong dog owner and animal lover, Peg was a wannabe veterinarian whose medical career was thwarted, in her own words, by the lowest recorded grade in chemistry at San Jose State University. In college, she focused on her love of English literature and parish church history, earning a BA in English, and later teaching credentials and an MA in Education, all at SJSU. After her four kids were securely settled in school, she returned to graduate school for her EdD (ABD) from USC, and then became a SJSU dean. Peg was a dedicated public educator throughout Santa Clara County. She contributed to SJSUs English Department as a college student; the San Jose Day Nursery in downtown San Jose; the Youth Science Institute (YSI) at Alum Rock Park; Hilltop 4-H Club in East San Jose; ESL programs at Junior Colleges in the South Bay; classroom teaching of English and AP English at Overfelt High School in the ESUHSD; and was Dean of the SJSU Studies in American Language Program. At the end of her career, and into retirement, she returned to her love of working with high school students, in the East Side Union High School District. She moved to Napa from San Jose in 2014. She is survived by her four adult children: daughter Rina of Napa, CA (David Huang; granddaughter Xochi); son Matt of Mill Creek, WA (Naomi Eguchi Faletti; granddaughters Angelica and Patricia Thrasher), son Alex of Herriman, UT (Lisa Faletti; grandchildren AJ, Josh, Allie, Logan, DJ, Jaxon); and son Adam. Her sister Joan Parker and niece Robin Parker live in Oakhurst, CA; brothers Steven, David, Michael and Patrick Wooden, are originally from Reedley, CA. As is always the case, no obituary can describe the person she was, the things we will miss, and the ways she will live on in our hearts. In lieu of flowers please contribute to her preferred organizations: Lilys Legacy for Senior Dogs (honor of Peg, Elizabeth and Cocoa); UCSF Vascular Surgery (honor of Peg, & Dr. Jade Hiramoto); or the Youth Science Institute (honor of Peg, & Milli Wright). A casual memorial gathering to share and remember Peg will take place Sat., June 1, 2019, at 1:00 pm, followed by a buffet reception until 5:00 pm, at Tulocay Funeral Home in Napa, California (www.tulocaycemetery.com). Feel free to contact Pegs daughter Rina Faletti (falettir@hotmail.com). CALISTOGA Terry Gards family has owned and farmed property at the corner of Highway 29 and Dunaweal Lane for generations. Gard has 63 acres and says the property is not for sale now nor would he ever sell it. His great-grandparents came to Calistoga in 1879 and started to farm the land. It was passed to Gards uncle, and he now farms the land with his son. Some of the vines were planted by the Chinese, he said. Now, Pacific Gas and Electric needs to use a small portion of the acreage for a liquid natural gas (LNG) facility as it tests the line that runs up and down the Napa Valley. Gard said he received a letter from PG&E in February. They just told me, out of the blue, they were going to buy acreage from me for a project for liquefied gas storage tanks. One, this is an Ag Preserve, and two, its dangerous. What if it leaks? Remember San Bruno? he said, referring to the 2010 PG&E pipeline explosion that killed eight people and injured dozens more, in the San Francisco suburb of San Bruno. Company spokesperson Deanna Contreras said PG&E is not trying to buy the land, but sent Gard a proposal for a permanent easement to use approximately two acres. The owner retains underlying ownership, she said. Starting at the end of the year, PG&E will be upgrading the gas transmission line that runs along Highway 29. It is approximately 30 miles long, and delivers gas to most customers in Napa Valley, Contreras said. Extensive testing and upgrading will be conducted in various locations from Napa to Calistoga. The project will last until 2022, and possibly beyond, to meet code requirements, and the growing demand for natural gas in the area. After the testing and upgrading we would like to build a permanent below-ground connection point to supply gas during outages and other things, Contreras said. The testing involves pumping liquid natural gas into a pipeline so customer service is not interrupted. We need to utilize LNG on several occasions over the next couple of years to maintain continuity of natural gas service while all of this safety work is being performed, Contreras said, adding there is a lot of new development in the area. So these upgrades are necessary. We have an obligation to perform integrity assessments on the system every seven years. It turns out Gards property at the corner of Dunaweal Lane and Highway 29 meets the necessary site requirements and location to stage the LNG resources. We did a significant review and considered many other sites and PG&E determined this site is critical and meets all the requirements, including size, space to switch out tanker trucks, and valves that are already located at that site, Contreras said. The Dunaweal Lane project would be similar to the LNG facility in Redding, and in the Santa Cruz Mountains area at Felton. PG&E customers will start receiving letters in the coming weeks regarding the testing and upgrading, and the need to access personal property with geological testing, Contreras said. She also said the company is committed to working with Gard to visually conceal the facility with fencing or landscape. Any considerations, were all ears. Because it is a tourist corridor were looking at the best and least impactful way to serve gas to Napa County, she said. Eminent domain After receiving the letter in February, Gard told his attorney to handle all matters with PG&E from there on out. He also said he contacted the nearby owners of Twomey Cellars, and Pat Roney, owner of Girard and Clos Pegase wineries, also on Dunaweal Lane. They were shocked. They didnt know anything about it, Gard said. Is that the first thing they want their customers to see is a tank farm? Hes also contacted the Napa County Board of Supervisors, the Napa Valley Vintners and the Napa Valley Grapegrowers. Gard said he is prepared to go to court if it comes to that. This is an Ag Preserve. Were supposed to be protecting it. (Our property) is the first unobstructed view of Mount St. Helena as you come up (Highway 29) past Sterling Vineyards. Its a focal point. The tanks belong on a commercial zone, he said. John Borba, Gards attorney, questions what the facility will do to the value of Gards land, and the agricultural nature of the area and scenic corridor that everyone in Napa Valley has worked so hard to protect. Its going to be a huge detriment to Terrys land and the scenic corridor. If Gards property is not used for the project, PG&E would need to utilize several other sites over the next couple of years to complete the work, which would be much more intrusive and impactful. None of the other sites are close candidates, Contreras said. If we cant come to an agreement with the landowner, PG&E will need to inject natural gas at several other locations simultaneously to provide that same level of support. So minimizing impact to other communities along that 30-mile stretch, and the impact on other landowners, is a large factor in the selection of this one site, she said. A few weeks ago, PG&E completed the appraisal process and made Gard an offer for a permanent easement for a little more than one acre for an LNG system. After making the offer and Gards refusal to sell, PG&E can claim eminent domain and try and take the property, arguing that there is a public need for it. In terms of utilities, they are arguing, and I believe the law supports them, that they can go through the eminent domain process, Borba said. While they are not a state agency, they are a state-regulated agency serving the public good, in terms of providing gas and electricity to people, if they believe its in the public interest to do so. They need to establish that before a judge and then establish a fair price for the land. We think this entire project and its location is misguided. Well probably end up in court. PG&E will be sending Gard a final offer in June, after which he has approximately 30 days to respond, Contreras said. The offer is low compared to what I think it should be, but it really doesnt matter because Terrys not interested in selling his property thats been in his family for decades, Borba said. You can reach Cynthia Sweeney at csweeney@weeklycalistogan.com or 942-4035. 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. Any son or daughter named school valedictorian no doubt leads to plenty of parental pride. Jorge and Leslie Richards of American Canyon have reason to be three times as proud. Over the past four years, all three of their children were named a valedictorian at American Canyon High School. Oldest son Eric Richards was named a valedictorian of Class of 2015. Then Rebecca Richards, Class of 2018, received the honor. Finally, Isabella, about to graduate this June, has been named a valedictorian. Instead of just one valedictorian, ACHS chooses a group of students, sometimes numbering a dozen or more, based on grade point average and academic success for the yearly honor. Its just unbelievable that all three received the honor, said their father, Jorge Richards. It makes me feel emotional, he said. They were little. Time just flew and now I see them graduating at the top of their peers. Im very proud of them. Richards credits their family-centered life for leading their children to success, but ultimately, they did it themselves. They challenged themselves. After their son Eric was named to the valedictorian list, it motivated Rebecca to aim as high, said Richards. She said I want to do that. Im going to be one of them. And after that, Isabelle said Im going to be the third one. Eric Richards said, I think its great that all three of the his siblings received the honor. Im not surprised, he said. Growing up, I always knew my sisters were really hard working and really cared about school and academics. Im really proud of them. I think its really cool thing to be able to say that all of us have been able to make this accomplishment, said Rebecca Richards. It just shows how hard-working each of us are and Im really proud, especially of my little sister. When its time to watch Isabella graduate, I know it will be a special day for all of us. Isabella, who has a 4.4 GPA, said she knew that if she worked hard, I could achieve it. Seeing her older siblings named valedictorians showed me that I could do it also. Isabella said she doesnt mind having to share the valedictorian title with others in her class. A lot of people put in a lot of hard work to become a valedictorian. If you put in the hard work and meet the requirements, you should have the title. Isabella will attend UCLA in the fall and study psychology. Shes going to use this summer to get ready for college but she also has one other goal to accomplish: Hopefully I can learn how to drive because I dont have my license yet. I want to get that before I leave for college. With Isabella enrolled at UCLA, that means the Richards will have three children in college all at UC schools at the same time. Eric, who attends UC San Diego, is near the end of his double major in cognitive science and design for social innovation. Rebecca just finished her first year at UC Irvine. She hopes to become a physical therapist. Come September, the Jorge and Leslie Richards will be empty nesters. Its going to be a very lonely, empty, quiet house, Jorge said. Jorge said his wife works for the U.S. government in education and commutes to San Francisco, leaving for work at 5 a.m. Richards works part time as a bilingual instructional aide at Donaldson Way Elementary School. His school job was flexible and allowed him to be around their children, but now its my turn to go out there and help pay for their college tuition, he said. He plans to look for a new job, while working on some of the things I need to do at the house, like remodeling a bathroom that Ive been postponing. The family will have to take out loans to support their childrens educations, he said. Richards had this advice for parents who would like to raise successful children. Just be there for them. Encourage them. The presence of the parents means a lot to the students. That simple I love you goes a long way, he said. Richards said their son will travel to Washington, D.C. and London this summer for educational opportunities. I dont get to see him a lot, he said. I miss him. But again, I have to realize they grow up. The world is theirs. In the coming years, it will be even harder for a family to achieve this honor. Starting with the ACHS class of 2022, there will only be one valedictorian named, said Tricia Hernandez, MS, school counselor, at American Canyon High School. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The U.S. government on Thursday unveiled an 18-count indictment against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, charging him under the 1917 Espionage Act for his role in the 2010 publication of a trove of secret documents relating to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and diplomatic communications regarding dozens of nations. So extreme and unprecedented are the indictment's legal theories and likely consequences that it shocked and alarmed even many of Assange's most virulent critics. The new indictment against Assange bears no relationship to WikiLeaks' publication of Democratic Party and Clinton campaign documents or any of its other activities during the 2016 presidential campaign. Instead, it covers only publication of a massive archive of classified U.S. government documents that revealed a multitude of previously unknown, highly significant information about wars, government and corporate corruption, and official deceit. WikiLeaks, in 2010, published those materials in partnership with some of the largest media outlets in the world, including the New York Times, the Guardian, Der Spiegel, Le Monde and El Pais, outlets that published many of the same secret documents that form the basis of the criminal case against Assange. With these new charges, the Trump administration is aggressively and explicitly seeking to obliterate the last reliable buffer protecting journalism in the United States from being criminalized, a step that no previous administration, no matter how hostile to journalistic freedom, was willing to take. The U.S. government has been eager to prosecute Assange since the 2010 leaks. Until now, though, officials had refrained because they concluded it was impossible to distinguish WikiLeaks' actions from the typical business of mainstream media outlets. Indicting Assange for the act of publishing would thus make journalism a felony. By charging Assange under the Espionage Act, the Trump administration proved that the asylum Assange obtained from Ecuador in 2012 - offered in the name of protecting him from persecution by the United States for publishing newsworthy documents - was necessary and justified. The argument offered by both the Trump administration and by some members of the self-styled "resistance" to Trump is, ironically, the same: that Assange isn't a journalist at all and thus deserves no free press protections. But this claim overlooks the indictment's real danger and, worse, displays a wholesale ignorance of the First Amendment. Press freedoms belong to everyone, not to a select, privileged group of citizens called "journalists." Empowering prosecutors to decide who does or doesn't deserve press protections would restrict "freedom of the press" to a small, cloistered priesthood of privileged citizens designated by the government as "journalists." The First Amendment was written to avoid precisely that danger. Most critically, the U.S. government has now issued a legal document that formally declares that collaborating with government sources to receive and publish classified documents is no longer regarded by the Justice Department as journalism protected by the First Amendment, but rather as the felony of espionage, one that can send reporters and their editors to prison for decades. It thus represents, by far, the greatest threat to press freedom in the Trump era, if not the last several decades. If Assange can be declared guilty of espionage for working with sources to obtain and publish information deemed "classified" by the U.S. government, then there's nothing to stop the criminalization of every other media outlet that routinely does the same - including The Washington Post, as well as the large media outlets that partnered with WikiLeaks and published much of the same material in 2010, along with newer digital media outlets like the Intercept, where I work. The vast bulk of activities cited by the indictment as criminal are exactly what major U.S. media outlets do on a daily basis. The indictment, for instance, alleges that WikiLeaks "encouraged sources" such as Chelsea Manning to obtain and pass on classified information; that the group provided technical advice on how to obtain and transmit that information without detection; and that it then published the classified information stolen by its source. The indictment also explicitly states that "part of the conspiracy [is] that ASSANGE and Manning used a special folder on a cloud drop box of WikiLeaks to transmit classified records containing information related to the national defense of the United States." It includes as part of the criminal conspiracy the fact that Assange and his source "took measures to conceal Manning as the source" by using encrypted chat programs. Outside the parameters of the Trump DOJ's indictment of Assange, these activities are called "basic investigative journalism." Most major media outlets in the United States, including The Post, now vocally promote Secure Drop, a technical means modeled after the one pioneered by WikiLeaks to allow sources to pass on secret information for publication without detection. Last September, the New York Times published an article (titled "How to Tell Us a Secret") containing advice from its security experts on the best means for sources to communicate with and transmit information to the paper without detection, including which encrypted programs to use. Many of the most consequential and celebrated press revelations of the last several decades - from the Pentagon Papers to the Snowden archive (which I worked on with the Guardian) to the disclosure of illegal War on Terror programs such as warrantless domestic NSA spying and CIA black sites - have relied upon the same methods which the Assange indictment seeks to criminalize: namely, working with sources to transmit illegally obtained documents for publication. The history of the WikiLeaks investigation, which was initiated by the Obama administration, proves how menacing this new indictment is. In the wake of the 2010 publications, Obama officials eagerly wanted to indict WikiLeaks and Assange. The Justice Department convened a grand jury in 2011 to investigate WikiLeaks, and that investigation endured for years. While the Obama administration was willing to hunt down and prosecute journalists' sources using the Espionage Act, it never charged WikiLeaks simply for publishing classified information. Obama officials were willing to prosecute Assange only if they could find evidence that he did more than work with his source, Chelsea Manning, in the ways journalists typically collaborate with their sources, They searched for evidence showing, and pressured witnesses (including Manning) to assert that Assange actively instructed Manning on how to remove those documents. Years of searching found no evidence that this happened, so officials concluded that any prosecution of WikiLeaks or Assange would irrevocably endanger press freedoms because there was no way to prosecute WikiLeaks without also prosecuting the New York Times and the Guardian for publishing the same material. The Trump administration's first indictment of Assange, filed last month, sought to circumvent this dilemma by masquerading as a narrowly crafted instrument that offered Assange's adversaries an easy way to cheer the charges without being perceived as supportive of threats to journalistic freedom. That indictment pretended that it was prosecuting Assange for allegedly helping Manning hack into government databases to steal secret material. But even that first indictment was clearly a ruse. It did not allege that Assange attempted to help Manning "hack" into government databases to steal documents. It only alleged that he did that so to help her avoid getting caught, which is not merely a right but a duty of journalists when dealing with sources who are taking great risks to show the public what their governments and powerful corporations are doing. "Julian Assange is no journalist," Assistant Attorney General John Demers pronounced in announcing the indictment. By this reasoning, imprisoning Assange for publishing documents poses no dangers to "real journalists" because press freedoms are inapplicable to Assange (or, presumably, anyone else denied the "journalist" designation). But this distinction between "real journalists" and "non-journalists" is both incoherent and irrelevant. The claim reveals a glaring - and dangerous - confusion about what press freedom means, how it functions and the reasons the Constitution guarantees its protection. Unlike doctors and lawyers, "journalist" is not some licensed, credentialed title which only a small, privileged set of professionals can legitimately or legally claim for themselves upon fulfilling a defined set of educational and professional requirements. Unlike those professions, the state does not license who is and is not a "journalist." The opposite is true: a "journalist" can be, and is, anyone, regardless of education, credentials or employment status, who informs the public about newsworthy matters. The sole requirement to be a "journalist" is to engage in an act of journalism, with in turn is best defined as the reporting to the public of events in the public interest, particularly when such revelations inform the public about what democracy's most powerful factions are doing behind a wall of secrecy. ' In a 1977 Supreme Court opinion documenting the limitless scope of the constitutional free press guarantee, Chief Justice Warren Burger wrote: "In short, the First Amendment does not 'belong' to any definable category of persons or entities: It belongs to all who exercise its freedoms." The historical context for the First Amendment's press freedom guarantee was the advent of the printing press, which empowered any citizen to speak out against, or reveal information about, political authorities. It was the right to engage in that activity that the Constitution's framers sought to protect - not just for a small group called "journalists" but for all citizens. Indeed, the First Amendment's "press freedom" guarantee was available to everyone precisely because it was a reaction to the British Crown's attempt to limit who possessed this right by licensing who is and is not a "journalist," as Burger wrote for the Supreme Court in 1977. Of course, even if the court had not established, over and over, that the act of publishing information in the public interest is protected no matter who does it, much of WikiLeaks' work is obviously journalism. Many of WikiLeaks' publications, particularly the 2010 blockbuster stories which the Trump administration is trying to criminalize, fall squarely within anyone's definition of "the free discussion of governmental affairs," as a 1966 Supreme Court decision put it. Indeed, WikiLeaks won prestigious journalism awards around the world for those stories, becoming a sought-after journalistic partner by the world's most influential media outlets. The 2010 stories helped bring about highly consequential reforms: Former New York Times editor Bill Keller credits release of the diplomatic cables with sparking the Arab Spring by revealing systemic corruption on the part of Tunisia's ruling regime. Others say those documents helped end the Iraq War by exposing such horrific abuses by U.S. forces that the Iraqi government's intention to extend its authorization for U.S. troops to remain on Iraqi soil became politically untenable. Justifying Assange's prosecution on the grounds that he is "not a journalist" reveals a grand, dark irony: To declare that publishing relevant materials about powerful actors is a right possessed only by those designated by the government to be "real journalists" is itself an obvious threat to press freedom. That was the historical danger the First Amendment sough to avoid. Is there anyone who trusts Trump (who has dismissed an entire cable outlet and several newspapers as "Fake News"), or the federal judiciary - or any politician - to sit in judgment of who does and does not merit this vague honorific, without which publishers can be jailed? Critically, this newest indictment vindicates the fears expressed for years by WikiLeaks, its supporters and the government of Ecuador, which in 2012 granted political asylum to Assange in its London embassy to protect him from political persecution. Assange first went to the Ecuadoran embassy when he was facing charges of sexual assault in Sweden, and his critics had always claimed it was those charges he hoped to dodge by "hiding out" in the embassy. But both Assange's lawyers and Ecuadoran officials had vowed from the start of that saga that Assange would immediately leave the embassy and board the next flight to Stockholm if Swedish authorities promised not to use his presence in their country as a pretext to extradite him to the U.S. to be prosecuted for publishing documents. The Swedish government, despite having the authority to make such a promise, refused to do so. That led Assange and Ecuador to conclude that luring Assange to Sweden, a close U.S. ally, would result in his extradition and eventual prosecution for the "crime" of publishing documents and thus be threatened with life in a U.S. prison for doing so. Ecuador, along with press freedom groups around the world, viewed that threat as classic political persecution, and concluded it was not only the country's right but its duty under international treaties to protect Assange by offering him asylum. The British authorities who arrested Assange in London last month after Ecuador rescinded his asylum are now in discussions to do exactly what WikiLeaks defenders had always feared: send him to the United States for prosecution under the Espionage Act. That fear was long mocked by Assange critics as a paranoid pretext to avoid facing the case in Sweden, and it's now been quite obviously vindicated. The Obama administration had given ample reason for Assange to be concerned, by pursuing criminal charges and empaneling a grand jury that stayed active for years. But the Trump administration, from the start, escalated that threat severely and quite publicly. In April 2017, Mike Pompeo, then the CIA director and now the secretary of state, delivered a blistering speech about WikiLeaks suffused with threats. Pompeo proclaimed that "we have to recognize that we can no longer allow Assange and his colleagues the latitude to use free speech values against us." adding that while WikiLeaks "pretended that America's First Amendment freedoms shield them from justice . . . they are wrong." He concluded: "To give them the space to crush us with misappropriated secrets is a perversion of what our great Constitution stands for. It ends now." Trump has often openly mused about measures designed to make it easier to punish journalists for what they published. His first attorney general, Jeff Sessions, told the Senate in 2017 that he would not rule out prosecuting not only government sources but also journalists for national security leaks. The criminal case against Assange, if it were to succeed, would provide the perfect blueprint, the most powerful precedent imaginable, for criminalizing journalism in the United States. Once it is established that working with sources to publish classified information is no longer journalism but espionage, it will be impossible to limit that menacing principle. When governments seek to eliminate core civic liberties, a common tactic is to begin by targeting a figure who is deeply marginalized and unpopular, with the hope that personal animosity toward him will lead people to cheer his punishment rather than oppose such efforts due to the dangerous precedent it is designed to create. But supporting a dangerous precedent because of contempt for the initial target is the ultimate act of irrationality: Once the precedent is legally consecrated, the ability to oppose its subsequent application to more popular figures disappears. Assange has few allies left in the United States. The 2010 leaks that exposed war crimes by the Bush administration and the War on Terror generally made him a hero among many leftists, but the enemy of Republicans and hawkish Democrats alike. His remaining support among U.S. liberals subsequently disappeared, and was replaced by seething contempt, when his 2016 leaks revealed corruption at the DNC and harmed Hillary Clinton's campaign. The Trump administration has undoubtedly calculated that Assange's uniquely unpopular status across the political spectrum makes him the ideal test case for creating a precedent that criminalizes the defining attributes of investigative journalism. Now every journalist and every citizen must decide whether their personal animus toward Assange is more important than preserving press freedom in the United States. Glenn Greenwald, co-founder of the Intercept, led the NSA reporting that won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for the Guardian. He wrote this for the Washington Post. A suspected Bangladeshi man escaped from the custody of the border police of Manikpur police station in Bongaigaon district of Assam on Monday. As per reports, the man was recently detained by the police from 2 No Deutari village under Manikpur police station. The man has been identified as Jainal Abddin. The detained person was taken for a health checkup in Mahatma Gandhi Model Hospital of Manikpur with border police constable Srimal Rai and Havildar Saheb Ali. However, taking advantage of the busy scenario in the hospital, the man somehow managed to escape from police custody. Later, when reporters went to seek details of the incident, Rai and Ali did not disclose anything. The local people said that the negligence of the police caused the man to escape from their custody. This month, a man who was arrested on charges of his involvement in theft case escaped from the lock-up of the Jorhat Police Station The man, Papu Singh, 23, was held along with a minor near a shopping mall at KB Road in Jorhat for their alleged involvement in theft of batteries from vehicles. However, Singh managed to give the slip to the policeman on guard at the lock-up and escaped from the Jorhat Police Station a day after he had been arrested. He was later apprehended by a police team from a house near Sonarigaon at Jorhat town. Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb during a short notice press conference at his official residence on late Tuesday evening said that violence can solve no problem. Deb urged both the ruling and the opposition parties to desist from any form of violence. Also read: Tripura: Cong, CPM allege post-poll violence; ruling BJP smells conspiracy It is not the culture of the BJP and which can be proved from the central Indian states in which the party has been in power for several years. There one shall not find any post poll violence but in Tripura and West Bengal which is still passing through the hangover of the long Communist rule, the States have been reeling under post poll violence, he quipped. However, Deb along with the state education minister Ratan Lal Nath after presenting few official data in connection to post-poll violence and cases registered in police stations across the State since 2013, claimed that the violence level is gradually decreasing but his government is not complacent with that till the number goes down to zero. Deb who is also the state BJP president said, Regardless of their political identity, I am warning all party supporters to stop violence as it will not be tolerated. Criminals have no political identity, they are only criminals. He added, This government will not tolerate any type of political violence. Tripura has had the tradition of political violence but it should be past now. Those who still cannot forget the path of violence for them this is the last warning. The priority of this government is to provide appropriate law and order to its citizens and those shall be hurdle in this shall not be spared. The Chief Minister said that the State have to recover from the tradition of violence and as the president of the state BJP unit he urged the ruling party as well as Opposition supporters and leaders to keep away from any type of violence or act which can led to law and order breakdown. Deb late in the afternoon met with a delegation of CPI-M leaders led by Opposition leader and former chief minister Manik Sarkar who alleged of organized attack on the Opposition especially the Left Front cadres and the minority section beside extortion of huge amount by ruling party supporters througout the State. Debs press conference is considered a reply to the allegations against the BJP-IPFT led state government by the Opposition CPI-M and Congress of large scale post-poll violence and extortion in the State since the declaration of the Assembly poll on March 3 last year till date. 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visits air force military unit Armenia opposition MP: Constitutional Court states that government should decide who will pay for employees' PCR tests Brawl takes place in Parliament of Jordan Armenia Ombudsman meets with Russia Ambassador, return of Armenian captives being held in Azerbaijan discussed Armenia launches 42 cases regarding submission of declarations by officials in 2021 Armenian man who was wanted arrives in Yerevan and voluntarily shows up at police station Armenia MOD peacekeeping brigade soldiers participate in tactical military exercises Armenia has new Ambassador to Israel Azerbaijani opposition journalists protesting against repressive law on media Armenia President and his wife pay visit to Yerablur Military Pantheon Armenia Competition Protection Commission to check pricing for COVID-19 tests at Zvartnots Airport Advocate: Criminal prosecution against Armenian detachment commander Ashot Minasyan is over NEWS.am daily digest: 28.12.21 Opposition 'Armenia' Faction of National Assembly holds session chaired by Robert Kocharyan Armenia education minister: 9 universities in 11 countries are carrying out Armenian Studies development programs Armenia PM attends informal meeting of leaders of CIS countries in St. Petersburg Ex-PM: Armenia authorities want to leave Karabakh to Azerbaijans whim Armenia Competition Protection Commission chief: There will be new player in petrol market soon Armenia political parties activities, their governing bodies property shall be scrutinized Dollar goes down in Armenia Opposition lawmaker: Local producers will face difficult situation if Turkey companies invade Armenia Georgia PM: Pashinyan and Aliyev are interested in the establishment of peace in the region Ruling force MP is sure all remaining Armenian captives in Azerbaijan will be returned Aravot.am: Mother of ex-mayor Vardan Ghukasyan's deceased son-in-law killed in Armenia's Gyumri Parliament majority member: Major personnel changes must be made in Armenia army A new start at Inecobanks most popular branch Governor: Armenia Central Bank has entered new stage of transformation Shoygu: Russian peacekeepers gradually bringing life back to Karabakh 60% of Armenias Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine to pass under Russia-registered company control Seven people killed in Colombia bus incident Learjet crashed in California Shooting in Colorado kills five people President: Main precondition for keeping Artsakh Armenian, alive is to live, create here (VIDEO) 1 more person dies of coronavirus in Karabakh Turkey records increase in COVID-19 cases Yerevan has new First Deputy Mayor Displaced Karabakh residents seek political asylum from France Taliban open fire on women protesters in Kabul Armenia PM arrives in Russia Forcibly displaced Artsakh residents hand letter to Armenia government Artsakh President receives Refugee Women's Union NGO members Mayor of Armenias Goris to remain in custody 109 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Displaced Karabakh residents staging protest outside Armenia government building Yerevan municipal council convenes special session Karabakh parliament: Artsakh, though shrunken, has statehood, its independence is indisputable China to become world's leading economy in 2030 in dollar terms Armenia premier heading for Russia World oil prices on the rise Newspaper: Who is seen in Armenia ex-President Robert Kocharyan's team as next mayor of Yerevan? Newspaper: Armenia PM attempts to implement plan to oust Artsakh President India freezes bank accounts of late Mother Teresas missionary charitable foundation Karabakh emergency situations service: Remains of 1,704 killed servicemen found after truce Armenian premier: We hope it will be possible to create completely new moods in Armenia and Artsakh in 2022 Armenia opposition MP on Constitutional Court's decision on coronavirus vaccinations and testing Armenia government discusses implementation of target program for 500 kindergartens and 300 schools Armenian serviceman Narek Yeremyan who returned from captivity is under arrest Karabakh President receives representatives of Russian community Karabakh State Minister addresses all Armenians to continue the struggle for Artsakh Armenia PM to leave for Russia to attend non-official meeting of leaders of CIS countries Azerbaijan defense minister convenes consultation Armenia ex-minister Gagik Beglaryan and family members show up at Prosecutor General's Office Azerbaijani MP sentenced to prison after beating police officers Armenians charged with murder of ex-serviceman sentenced to 5-20 years in Moscow Armenia PM visits Constitutional Court NEWS.am daily digest: 27.12.21 Armenia ex-President Sargsyan to hold press conference in 2nd half of January Dollar gains value in Armenia 26 MPs of pro-Kurdish party charged with 'offending Turkish state' after calling for Armenian Genocide recognition Armen Sarkissian sends condolence telegram over death of ex-President of Greece Armenia 2nd President says he supports a semi-presidential system of government Cavusoglu: Turkish-Armenian Protocols of 2009 have lost their significance Bayramov: Azerbaijan will file two more claims against Armenia in international arbitration Bayramov: There is no alternative to delimitation of Armenia-Azerbaijan border Bayramov says the question of enclaves is a reality that no one can deny YEREVAN. Numerous employees of Armenias bookmakers, and who are staging a protest outside the National Assembly (NA) building since Wednesday morning, are not reopening Marshal Baghramyan Avenue in capital city Yerevan. The police are trying to calm them down and convince them to reopen the avenue, but in vain. The demonstrators state that since Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is not in the country at present, they will meet solely with NA Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan. They noted that the closing down of bookmakers offices in Armenia will lead to the establishment of monopolies for online bookmakers. Many workers of Armenias bookmakers are picketing outside the parliament building, and against the bill on limiting the activities of the countrys bookmaker officesand which the NA will debate on. This proposed law aims to toughen the terms for conducting betting in Armenia, and it has been developed along the lines of fight against gambling in the country. The bill proposes to remove all bookmaking offices from Yerevan. If the draft law is passed, it will come into force in November 2020. Armenian authorities do not control the situation in Karabakh, the first ombudsperson of Armenia Larisa Alaverdyan told reporters on Wednesday. According to her, it is possible that they initially pursue good goals, but actions so far lead to a split. The first ombudsman indicated that some forces in Armenia repeat the political science language of Azerbaijan. It is possible that this is happening on purpose, but the expressions that the Karabakh authorities are illegitimate fully correspond to the Azerbaijani rhetoric. The same forces are trying to achieve early elections in Karabakh, since they understand that they do not have any chance of success during the elections under normal conditions, she explained. She expressed confidence that there are no contradictions between the Armenians of the two republics, and this was fully manifested during the Azerbaijani aggression in April 2016. However, Karabakh has always managed to ensure independence from external forces, including from Armenia in terms of its domestic policy. Legitimate elections, democratic processes in Stepanakert, including the consensus between the authorities and the opposition, in particular, being in high posts of both Vitaly Balasanyan and Masis Mailyan, suggest that the political systems in Karabakh are more mature than in Armenia, she added. US President Donald Trump said his statement about former US Vice President Joe Biden is actually a moderated version of Kim Jong-un's quote. According to Trump, Kim Jong Un called him a low IQ idiot, I was actually sticking up for Sleepy Joe Biden while on foreign soil. Kim Jong Un called him a low IQ idiot, and many other things, whereas I related the quote of Chairman Kim as a much softer low IQ individual. Who could possibly be upset with that? Trump tweeted. I was actually sticking up for Sleepy Joe Biden while on foreign soil. Kim Jong Un called him a low IQ idiot, and many other things, whereas I related the quote of Chairman Kim as a much softer low IQ individual. Who could possibly be upset with that? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 28, 2019 Joe Biden announced his participation in the presidential election on April 25. The politician worked in the team of the 44th US President Barack Obama. He already participated in the presidential elections in 1988 and 2008, but both times he withdrew his candidacy. On April 27, it became known that 43% of respondents said they were ready to vote in the upcoming elections. 37% agreed to support the current head of state. The commanding officers of the peacekeeping brigade of the Armenian Armed Forces do its best to improve the professional qualities of the peacekeepers, the head of the peacekeeping brigade of the Armenian Armed Forces, Colonel Artak Tonoyan, told reporters on Wednesday. According to the head of the brigade, currently Armenia actively participates in peacekeeping missions in Kosovo (since 2004) and Afghanistan (since 2010), in Lebanon and Mali. From 2005 to 2009, Armenia participated in a mission in Iraq. Armenia also sent a humanitarian mission to Syria. Unlike other missions, in Syria, Armenia acts independently, not on the basis of other countries. The high level of training of Armenian specialists is evidenced by the fact that their work is highly appreciated not only at home but also by the command of forces of other countries, while awards and certificates received by our employees, noted Artak Tonoyan. About 200 Armenian soldiers participate in peacekeeping missions. Answering the question of whether the national style of training based on the foundations of the Soviet army does not contradict the Western methodology, Artak Tonoyan noted that there is useful experience, and it is necessary to combine them for the benefit of the cause. Artak Tonoyan reminded that every peacekeeper is the ambassador of Armenia abroad, who should represent his country accordingly and hold high the honor of the Motherland. YEREVAN. After listening to all our demands, Babken Tunyan, Chairman of the NA [National Assembly] Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, promised that the matter will be discussed again in the upcoming agenda. But he found it difficult to respond what decision will be made. Sargis Mikayelyan, the manager of a bookmaker in Armeniaand who met with Tunyan, with four other peopleon Wednesday told this to reporters outside the parliament building. This bill serves another objective, Mikayelyan said. Those people who are strong in the internet domain, those people who dont have that product, are able to solve their financial issues via the internet domain and get revenues; in that case, we [bookmaking offices] will have to close down. Referring to the bills provision that the bookmaking offices in Yerevan shall be removed from the capital city, Mikayelyan said they will decide on their courses of action after working for 1.5 years. He added that this law proposal serves the leading bookmaker of Armenia. Subsequently, Sargis Mikayelyan told the demonstrators outside the NA building to end their protest. The picketers reached an agreement that if the results of the aforesaid committees respective discussion do not satisfy them, they will again resort to various manifestations of protest. Numerous employees of Armenias bookmakers were picketing outside the parliament building since Wednesday morning, and against the bill on limiting the activities of the countrys bookmaking offices. This bill has been approved by the aforesaid NA committee and sent for debate at the parliament floor. Also, the demonstrators had blocked the Marshal Baghramyan Avenue and the Derenik Demirtchyan Street along the legislature building, and demanded to meet with NA Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan. Subsequently, Babken Tunyan, Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, received a five-member group from these protesters. This proposed law aims to toughen the terms for conducting betting in Armenia, and it has been developed along the lines of fight against gambling in the country. The bill proposes to remove all bookmaking offices in Yerevan from the city. If this draft law is passed, it will come into force in November 2020. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan delivered a speech during the session of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council today on Wednesday. According to him, Armenia welcomes the signing of the protocols on making amendments to the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union that were made for supplementing the methodology for the interstate transfer of electric power between the member states, taking into consideration the peculiarities of the accession of the Armenia and Kyrgyzstan to the EEU. During the meeting it was also decided to hold the next meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council on October 1, 2019 in Yerevan. In closing, I would like to mention that we would be happy to greet you in Yerevan during the subsequent session of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council on October 1, 2019, PM said. A 32-year-old man suspected of murdering Armenian businessman Gevorg Tumanyan in Russian Moscow region has been arrested. According to preliminary information, the suspect has been disliking a businessman for many years. Businessman Gevorg Tumanyan has been killed in Russian Mytishchi in May. The assassins waited for the businessman near the entrance to his house and opened fire as soon as he appeared. After the murder, the criminals fled in the car that was waiting for them. Numerous employees of Armenias bookmakers staged the protest action in front of the Armenian parliament building. They demand a meeting with the speaker of the National Assembly, Ararat Mirzoyan to discuss the bill on limiting the activities of the countrys bookmaking offices. This bill has been approved by the aforesaid NA committee and sent for debate at the parliament floor. After listening to all our demands, Babken Tunyan, Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, promised that the matter will be discussed again in the upcoming agenda. The picketers reached an agreement that if the results of the aforesaid committees respective discussion do not satisfy them, they will again resort to various manifestations of protest. Regular sessions have gotten underway Wednesday at the National Assembly of Armenia, and a record number of matters41are on the agenda. A secret vote is being held on Wednesday at Armenian Parliament on the candidacy for the post of a judge of the Constitutional Court. Kazakhstan and Armenia have never had any problems and have good relations, First President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev said during his meeting with Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan, who is on a working visit to Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan and Armenia have never had any problems and have godo relations. The Armenians of Kazakhstan are our citizens. They unite us Kazakhs. Recently, there has been more trade between our countries, but the trade relations have been lagging due to bad logistics. We have things to exchange with each other, and we have to work in this direction, said the President. Pashinyan, in turn, noted the following: Armenia and Kazakhstan have great political relations, but unfortunately, rather low volumes of activity in the economic sector. I believe there is an opportunity to work in this direction since new opportunities are being created in the 21st century. I would like to express gratitude to you for the efforts being made for and the dedication to the strengthening of cooperation between the two parliaments. This is stated in the congratulatory message that Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Artsakh Ashot Ghulyan conveyed to Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan on the occasion of the Day of the First Republic of Armenia, reports the Media and Public Relations Department of the National Assembly of Armenia. The congratulatory message particularly reads as follows: Dear Mr. Mirzoyan, dear friend, I cordially congratulate you and our colleagues of the National Assembly of Armenia on Republic Day. More than a century ago, the determination of all Armenians and their unbreakable will to fight helped establish the First Republic of Armenia, enshrining the right to possess destiny that was lost for centuries. Although the independence was short-lived, it stood out with glorious episodes and steps that were targeted at the institutional development of the nation. This major achievement became the reliable foundation on which we built the two Armenian republics in 1991, ensuring the viability of the homeland with our unity. Taking the opportunity, I would like to express gratitude to you for the efforts that are being made for and the dedication to the strengthening of cooperation between the two parliaments, the best example of which was the organizing of the session of the interparliamentar cooperation committee of the National Assemblies of Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh in Yerevan and the cordial reception. Congatulating you on this major holiday once again, I wish endless vigor and patriotic initiatives for the advancement and development of the Armenian statehood. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian received today the delegation led by President of the Departmental Council of Bouches-du-Rhone Martine Vassal, reports the official website of the Staff of the President of Armenia. The President welcomed the guests and highlighted the fact that France is a special country for Armenia and the Armenian people. Noting that the French and Armenians have been cooperating for centuries, the President emphasized that the cordial friendship is maintained today, and evidence of this is the close partnership with the Department of Bouches-du-Rhone. Vassal informed that the Department works successfully with several provinces of Armenia in the areas of economy, healthcare and culture and that the purpose of her visit is to become familiar with the activities that have been carried out within the scope of the commitments assumed. The President expressed satisfaction with the level of cooperation between Armenia and Bouches-du-Rhone and particularly noted the significance of the cardiological hospital in Goris. The parties attached importance to the enhancement and deepening of cooperation between Armenia and Bouches-du-Rhone, particularly in the areas of healthcare, research, education and culture. Located in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia, the Yezidi-populated Sadunts village faces some problems caused by a Russian military unit. This is what deputy of the My Step faction of the National Assembly of Armenia Rustam Bakoyan declared at the National Assembly today. He informed about the complaints of residents who are afraid of the gunshots heard during the military exercises being conducted at the military unit. The Russian military unit has seized the village, and this is why building a water pipeline in the village has become impossible, Bakoyan stated. In response, Minister of Defense of Armenia Davit Tonoyan said the following: The military exercises are being conducted at a long distance, and the sounds cant be heard in the village. The water pipeline is being built through the funds of the military unit. The minister added that he is personally following the process. The meeting of Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin wasnt held within the scope of the session of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in Kazakhstans capital due to circumstances. This is the opinion of Head of the Commission on CIS countries, Eurasian Integration and Compatriots of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Leonid Kalashnikov. There can be different reasons, but there were most probably circumstances. There is no need to seek conspiratorial motives. It most probably turned out this way, especially since Putin is expected to pay an official visit to Armenia in October. I dont think theres any conspiracy, the deputy told Rusarminfo, adding that this wont have an impact on Russian-Armenian relations and shouldnt be interpreted as an act of hostility. During a meeting with Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan in St. Petersburg in April, Head of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Valentina Matvienko had informed that President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan would meet in the capital of Kazakhstan on May 29. WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Bucking the nearly Europe-wide trend toward higher turnout in the European Parliament elections this weekend, and despite compulsory voting, most Bulgarian voters stayed home. The low 31% turnout estimated by the Central Electoral Commission reflects the lack of faith that Bulgarians have in the honesty of their elections. Just 11% of Bulgarians expressed confidence in the honesty of their elections in 2018, which is not only the lowest confidence level in the European Union, but also one of the lowest levels in the entire world. Bulgarians don't place much faith in their elections, and they don't think much of their scandal-plagued national government either. The 22% of Bulgarians who express confidence in their national government is also one of the lowest levels in the EU; only Greece scores worse (16%). And the 80% of Bulgarians who say corruption is widespread in their government is one of the highest in the EU. Still, despite being embroiled in corruption scandals that some polls predicted would cost the ruling party of Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov the election, his party won with 30.6% of the votes. However, this result may more reflect Bulgarians' greater fondness for the EU (48% of Bulgarians approve of the EU's leadership) and the pro-European tone that Borisov's party adopted during the campaign than their own leadership. Read more Gallup analysis about Europe and Bulgaria. For complete methodology and specific survey dates, please review Gallup's Country Data Set details. Learn more about how the Gallup World Poll works. The requested page is currently unavailable on this server. Back to [RTHK News Homepage] SIU is spearheading project to propel high school students into teaching careers by Christi Mathis CARBONDALE, Ill. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is part of a collaborative receiving grant funding to address the growing teacher shortage crisis in Illinois. The Scaling Education Pathways in Illinois (SEPI) program is providing funding to eight communities to implement an initiative that streamlines the career paths for prospective teachers. The program provides teaching career preparation in high schools, which can be extended to the post-secondary level, in order to enable a diverse group of students to more readily become the educators of tomorrow. High school students who participate in the program get a jump-start toward a career and are eligible for special micro-credentials on their high school diplomas. Teacher shortages in several fields The state especially has difficulty finding enough qualified teachers for the special education, English Language Learners (ELL) and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields. Classrooms in rural and urban school districts are the most short-staffed. There is also a need to add more classroom diversity since 85 percent of the states teacher workforce is white, although research shows that students of color benefit from having teachers of color. Initiative is statewide The Illinois P20 Council, the Joyce Foundation and the Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University partnered to launch SEPI within eight collaborations in an effort to address the states teacher shortage. The Southern Illinois Network for Future Teachers involves SIU Carbondale and its College of Education and Human Services/Teacher Education Program (TEP), John A. Logan College, Shawnee Community College and six area high schools, as well as the Association of Illinois Rural Small Schools (AIRSS) and Illinois Education Association. The Regional Office of Education 30, which provides services to school districts in five counties, including Jackson and Perry counties, is also involved. The Southern Illinois Network for Future Teachers project received $14,000 in funding. Partner high schools include: Carbondale Community High School District 165. Carterville High School. Cobden High School. Du Quoin High School. Johnston City High School. Vienna High School. We want to inspire high school students to consider the teaching profession, Nancy Mundschenk, director of SIUs Teacher Education Program (TEP), said. This project is a new way to strengthen our existing partner relationships and create a clear pathway for students from high school to the teacher education program and into careers as teachers. How it works The project provides participating high school students with a career jump-start in several ways. While students are still in high school they can take two of SIUs required teacher education program core curriculum classes through the partner community colleges and earn dual high school/college credits. Students will also receive College and Career Pathway Endorsements with their high school diplomas. Mundschenk said the community colleges are a vital component since more than half of SIUs TEP students come via community colleges. Another component of the project is creation of a vibrant, active future teacher clubs in each of the participating high schools. Mundschenk noted that although many schools have had such organizations in the past, they were not part of a network that helped students transition to teaching careers. New extracurricular clubs forming The Educators Rising extracurricular clubs will be very active and incorporate many activities and collaborative efforts. They will be structured and filled with hands-on activities generated to match the interests of participating students. The high school students will also be able to visit the SIU and community college campuses, get involved in tutoring within their communities, meet with current student teachers and learn about their experiences, and participate in collaborative activities with other Educators Rising groups. In addition, students will participate in job-shadowing, conferences and competitions. Student interests will serve as the driving factor for the club activities. Were really focused on active engagement of the students in these clubs, Mundschenk said. She also noted that the clubs will provide great opportunities for students to develop self-confidence, leadership skills and hone their critical-thinking skills. Students will receive a comprehensive, mentored experience People involved with the program will work with the student participants to assist them in several ways, according to Mundschenk, to give them a cohesive, total preparation experience. We will help create individual plans to take them from high school through college and into their own classrooms. We will assist them in applying for scholarships, not just the general ones, but also those specifically for teachers, she said. We will give them career exploration and counseling assistance, and help them set goals and work through whatever they need to take care of to reach their goals. We will mentor them and help them make those valuable professional connections right from the get-go. As part of their experience, students will spend 60 hours observing and assisting teachers in classrooms, take part in parent and community engagement activities, tutor students and engage in other projects that enable them to explore careers in teaching. Educators Rising Club launched at Carbondale Community High School SIU and Carbondale Community High School launched the first Educators Rising club during the 2018-19 school year and it very successful, Mundschenk said. Under the direction of Rasheeda Love, the CCHS faculty sponsor, the participants visited the Unity Point and De Soto school districts where they observed teachers and shadowed them during their days in the classroom. The teens had a special display during the Closing the Gap teaching conference in April and distributed buttons bearing the words I change lives, I teach. They also made a presentation to the Carbondale High School board highlighting their activities during the year. Creating a network We have young people who want to make a difference and we want to help them do that. We want to start inspiring and recruiting teachers the way we do athletes, Mundschenk said. This project will create a Southern Illinois network of future teachers. Across the state, about 450 students are expected to participate in the program during its inaugural year. Our TEP tagline is Changes LivesTeach and we are happy to provide the structure and framework for this exciting program that will create pathways for high school students to become licensed educators and teachers who will change lives, she added. More information is available The regional office is the fiscal agent and coordinator for the SEPI program. For more information about the program, or details on how to get involved, contact SIUs TEP program by email at tep@siu.edu or by calling 618/453-2354. Abby Bush, a member of the Carbondale Community High School Educators Rising Club learns about the teaching profession at DeSoto Grade School. (Photo provided) Abby Bush, a member of the Carbondale Community High School Educators Rising Club learns about the teaching profession at DeSoto Grade School. (Photo provided) Isabel Kaczynski and Makayla Peters, both Carbondale Community High School students and Educators Rising Club members helping children at DeSoto Grade School learn. (Photo provided) Isabel Kaczynski and Makayla Peters, both Carbondale Community High School students and Educators Rising Club members helping children at DeSoto Grade School learn. (Photo provided) Vienna High School Superintendent Joshua Stafford, SIU Teacher Education Program Director Nancy Mundschenk and Du Quoin High School Principal Matthew Hickam at the first Educators Rising grant webinar. Vienna High School Superintendent Joshua Stafford, SIU Teacher Education Program Director Nancy Mundschenk and Du Quoin High School Principal Matthew Hickam at the first Educators Rising grant webinar. (Adds CEO comment, details from conf. call; Updates shares) By Uday Sampath Kumar May 29 (Reuters) - Abercrombie & Fitch Co's shares fell 25% on Wednesday after the apparel company forecast second-quarter sales below estimates amid slowing demand for Hollister, a brand that has fueled company growth over the last two years. The company also said it would close three flagship stores, including a Hollister store in SoHo, New York City, incurring about $45 million of lease-related charges in the second quarter. Surf-themed Hollister has been a bright spot for the company as its casual and fun apparel gained popularity among young shoppers, who had previously abandoned flagship brand, Abercrombie, after its logo-emblazoned tees fell out of fashion. However, the company's most recent results showed that demand for Hollister was slowing, with its same-store sales rising just 2% in the quarter ended May 4, missing the average analyst estimate of a 3.3% increase, according to Refinitiv IBES data. A year ago, Hollister's quarterly same-store sales rose 6%. For an interactive graphic, click here: https://tmsnrt.rs/2YWPs7H "Expectations were really high for Hollister, that has been their shining star ... (So) Hollister's numbers falling short and potentially slowing, is a red flag for investors," Gabriela Santaniello, analyst at A line Partners, said. Chief Executive Officer Fran Horowitz said fashion missteps at Hollister in Asia and the company's failure to not take full advantage of major promotional events on platforms such as China's Tmall hurt international sales, which fell 6%. Overall same-store sales in the first quarter rose 1%, below estimates of a 1.33% increase, while net sales rose marginally to $734 million. Abercrombie forecast second-quarter net sales to be flat to up 2%, below estimates of a 2.8% increase. The company blamed its disappointing forecast on a $10 million hit from a stronger dollar, but said the outlook did not include the impact of new tariffs the United States may impose on Chinese goods. Story continues Last financial year, about 25% of Abercrombie's globally sourced merchandise was imported from China, but Horowitz said the company was working to bring that down to 20% this year. Company executives also flagged slowing U.S. mall traffic and a more competitive retail landscape as a sales dampener for both Hollister and Abercrombie going into the second quarter. Net loss attributable to the company narrowed to $19.12 million in the reported quarter, or 29 cents per share, from $42.5 million, or 62 cents per share, a year earlier. Analysts had expected a loss of 43 cents per share on net sales of $733.4 million. Shares of the company were down 24% at $19.01 and on course for their worst day in nearly two decades. (Reporting by Uday Sampath in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli) (Adds comment from Conservative leader Andrew Scheer, background on U.S. ratification issues and comment from senior U.S. administration official) By Kelsey Johnson OTTAWA, May 29 (Reuters) - Canada moved to ratify a new North American Trade deal by formally presenting it to parliament on Wednesday, less than 24 hours ahead of a visit by U.S. Vice President Mike Pence. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau presented the bill to the House of Commons, confirming a Reuters story from Tuesday that said the legislation would officially be offered up to parliament on Wednesday. Canada, Mexico and the United States signed the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in November 2018. However, the deal, which would replace the existing North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), has yet to be ratified by any of the three countries. Canada is the first member country to move toward ratification. "The new NAFTA will secure access to a trading zone that accounts for more than a quarter of the global economy," Trudeau said. "It is now time for the members of this House to ratify it." Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland has said Canada will press ahead with its ratification plans in tandem with the United States. With Canadian voters set to head to the polls in October for a national election and the U.S. presidential election in 2020, time is running short. Canada's parliament is scheduled to start its summer recess on June 21 and is not expected to sit again until November, after the general election. The trade deal faces a tricky path in the United States ahead of presidential and congressional elections next year. Some lawmakers in the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives have said it needs stronger enforcement provisions for new labor and environmental standards. President Donald Trump said last week that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi -- who will control when any initial vote on the plan takes place -- does not understand the deal. Story continues Pence -- Trump's point person for getting the deal through the U.S. Congress -- is scheduled to meet with Trudeau on Thursday to discuss USMCA ratification and other issues. Pence has been traveling through U.S. states dependent on trade with Canada and Mexico to make the case for the deal. "We're calling on Congress to bring this up for a vote," a senior U.S. official told reporters, previewing Pence's Ottawa visit -- the first time the vice president has traveled to Canada in an official capacity. Pence's visit also comes after the United States agreed to remove tariffs on Canadian and Mexican steel and aluminum products earlier this month, ending a year-long dispute. Canadian officials had said Canada probably would not pass the pending trade pact until the tariffs had been lifted. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said on Wednesday his party will "reluctantly support" the new trade pact in the House, but criticized Trudeau for caving to U.S. demands. "The prime minister had a once-in-a-generation opportunity to negotiate a better deal -- and he failed," Scheer said. "He gave (U.S. President) Donald Trump everything he wanted and more." The Conservative Party of Canada would "work to mitigate the damage this deal has done" if elected in October, he added. A May 28 poll by Nanos Research had the Conservatives leading with 35% of the popular vote and the Liberals in second place with 29%. (Reporting by Kelsey Johnson; Additional reporting by Roberta Rampton in Washington; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Sandra Maler) * People's Daily stresses U.S. reliance on Chinese rare earths * 'Don't say we didn't warn you,' Party-run newspaper says * Ban on rare earth exports is 'powerful weapon' - Global Times * U.S., others previously went to WTO over China rare earth quotas * Shares in rare earth firms surge in Wednesday trade (Adds comments from Global Times editorial in paragraphs 10-11, updates share price movements) BEIJING, May 29 (Reuters) - China is ready to use rare earths to strike back in a trade war with the United States, Chinese newspapers warned on Wednesday in strongly worded commentaries on a move that would escalate tensions between the world's two largest economies. President Xi Jinping's visit to a rare earths plant last week had sparked speculation that China would use its dominant position as an exporter of rare earths to the United States as leverage in the trade war. Rare earths are a group of 17 chemical elements used in everything from high-tech consumer electronics to military equipment. The prospect that their value could soar as a result of the trade war caused sharp increases in the share prices of producers, including the company visited by Xi. While China has so far not explicitly said it would restrict rare earths sales to the United States, Chinese media has strongly implied this will happen. In a commentary headlined "United States, don't underestimate China's ability to strike back," the official People's Daily noted the United States' "uncomfortable" dependence on rare earths from China. "Will rare earths become a counter weapon for China to hit back against the pressure the United States has put on for no reason at all? The answer is no mystery," it said. "Undoubtedly, the U.S. side wants to use the products made by China's exported rare earths to counter and suppress China's development. The Chinese people will never accept this!" the ruling Communist Party newspaper added. Story continues "We advise the U.S. side not to underestimate the Chinese side's ability to safeguard its development rights and interests. Don't say we didn't warn you!" The expression "don't say we didn't warn you" is generally only used by official Chinese media to warn rivals over major areas of disagreement, for example during a border dispute with India in 2017 and in 1978 before China invaded Vietnam. In its own editorial on Wednesday, sister paper the Global Times said an export ban on rare earths "is a powerful weapon if used in the China-U.S. trade war." "Nevertheless, China will mainly use it for defense," it added, noting that while China might incur losses from a ban on exports, the United States would suffer more. The paper's editor had said on Twitter late on Tuesday that Beijing was "seriously considering" restricting rare earth exports to the United States. China has used rare earth sales to exert pressure in past diplomatic disputes. In 2010, Beijing cut rare earth export quotas after a Chinese trawler collided with two Japan Coast Guard ships near uninhabited islands in the East China Sea that both countries claim. In 2012, Japan, the United States and European Union complained to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over the restrictions. Two years later, China was rebuked by the WTO for citing environmental reasons to justify the quotas. It ultimately scrapped its export quota system after losing the case. Chinese trade experts say if Beijing moves forward with new restrictions on rare earth exports to the United States, it will likely follow Washington's example and use national security as a justification. China has repeatedly criticized Washington for what it says are abuses of national security exceptions at the WTO, including this week when, according to media reports, it accused the United States of breaking rules by blacklisting Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, the world's largest telecom network gear maker. But China for years has used national security considerations to block major U.S. technology companies, including Google and Facebook, from operating in its market. Such restrictions have in recent years fueled calls from within some parts of the U.S. business community for Washington to pursue more reciprocal policies with Beijing. Shares in the company Xi visited last week, JL MAG Rare-Earth Co Ltd, surged another 10% to a record high on Wednesday, having gained 134.1% in May alone. China Rare Earth Holdings Ltd soared more than 40%, while Australia's Lynas Corp, the only major rare earths producer outside of China, climbed as much as 14.6%. China accounted for 80% of rare earth imports between 2014 and 2017 by the United States, which has excluded them from recent tariffs along with some other critical Chinese minerals. Beijing, however, has raised tariffs on imports of U.S. rare earth metal ores from 10% to 25% from June 1, making it less economical to process the material in China. Some trade analysts expect an acceleration in bringing fresh rare earth mining capacity on line in California and Australia if China uses its dominant position in the market for diplomatic advantage. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard, Michael Martina and Tom Daly; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore) (Adds updated Harris, Pelosi remarks, context) By James Oliphant WASHINGTON, May 29 (Reuters) - Democratic presidential candidates ratcheted up the pressure on U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to start the process of impeaching President Donald Trump after Special Counsel Robert Muellers first public comments on his two-year Russia probe. Mueller, who was assigned to investigate Moscow's interference in the 2016 election, on Wednesday reaffirmed that his team did not consider filing charges against Trump for obstruction of justice because U.S. Justice Department policy bars the indictment of a sitting president. Several Democratic candidates for the White House interpreted Mueller's remarks as encouraging the Democratic-led House of Representatives to determine whether Trump tried to derail the probe and should be impeached. "In essence, he said 'We did not exonerate the president,'" U.S. Senator Kamala Harris of California said to loud applause at a campaign event in Greenville, South Carolina. Pelosi has resisted calls from progressive members of her caucus to move forward on impeachment, arguing it could damage Democrats politically in advance of the November 2020 presidential election. Speaking at an event in San Francisco, Pelosi urged caution, noting that only a minority of Democrats in the House have called for impeachment. "We want to do what is right and what gets results," Pelosi said. Still, after Mueller spoke, U.S. Senators Cory Booker of New Jersey and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York actively advocated impeachment for the first time. Both previously were more restrained, criticizing the Trump administration for stonewalling congressional subpoenas and suggesting that continued obstruction could eventually lead to impeachment. "Robert Mueller's statement makes it clear: Congress has a legal and moral obligation to begin impeachment proceedings immediately," Booker wrote on Twitter soon after Mueller finished speaking. Story continues Leading contenders such as Harris, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and former U.S. Congressman Beto O'Rourke of Texas had called for Trumps impeachment prior to Muellers remarks. O'Rourke on Wednesday tweeted that there must be consequences, accountability, and justice. The only way to ensure that is to begin impeachment proceedings. Another top contender, South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, had previously said Trump "deserves" to be impeached but said he would leave the decision to Congress. On Wednesday, he told NBC News that Muellers statements were as close to an impeachment referral as you could get under the circumstances. Former Vice President Joe Biden, the front-runner for the nomination, stuck to his more careful stance. Biden "agrees with Speaker Pelosi that no one would relish what would certainly be a divisive impeachment process, but that it may be unavoidable if this administration continues on its path, his campaign said in a statement. Making sure Trump is not re-elected is the sure-fire way to get him out of office, the campaign said. U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, another leading contender who has not formally called for proceedings, said on Twitter that he would support a decision by the House Judiciary Committee to open an impeachment inquiry. Overall, about a third of the 24 Democratic candidates have explicitly called on Congress to initiate impeachment proceedings. Several others either said they would follow the House's lead or warned that continued Trump administration stonewalling could lead to impeachment as a last resort. With Republicans in control of the U.S. Senate, which would likely refuse to convict Trump on charges brought by the House, some Democrats fear bringing impeachment proceedings would end up as a pointless exercise that could alienate moderate voters. The Trump re-election campaign released a statement by campaign manager Brad Parscale that said Mueller's remarks on Wednesday "fully and completely exonerated" Trump and that the "case is now closed." (Reporting by James Oliphant in Washington, Joseph Ax in New York, Amanda Becker in Greenville, South Carolina; writing by James Oliphant; editing by Colleen Jenkins; Sonya Hepinstall and Tom Brown) (Updates with arrival, adds quotes, details) By Pavel Polityuk and Matthias Williams KIEV, May 29 (Reuters) - Former Georgian leader Mikheil Saakashvili returned to Ukraine on Wednesday, greeted by cheering supporters and music at Kiev airport, after new President Volodymyr Zelenskiy restored his Ukrainian citizenship a year after he was deported. One of the most recognizable politicians in the post-Soviet world, Saakashvili had been brought in by former President Petro Poroshenko to be governor of the southern Odessa region in 2015. They fell out and Saakashvili accused Poroshenko of corruption. The 51-year-old said he did not want to exact revenge on anyone. But the timing of Saakashvili's return means he could be a thorn in Poroshenko's side as Poroshenko's party gears up to fight a snap parliamentary election in July. "I will just look around," he told reporters when asked where he saw his future in Ukrainian politics, after landing on a flight from Warsaw. "Yes we have lots of supporters, yes we have lots of very enthusiastic supporters. You are seeing it with your own eyes. But I am very impressed by the new president." Saakashvili said he was "here to help" if Zelenskiy's team sought his advice, but added: "I am not here for any positions, I am not looking for positions." Saakashvili was hired to run Odessa based on his track record of fighting corruption as president of Georgia after the 2003 Rose Revolution. He resigned as governor in 2016 as his feud with Poroshenko escalated. Since then he has mainly been living in the Netherlands, his wife's country of origin. Poroshenko rejected Saakashvili's corruption allegations and said he was trying to deflect attention from his poor performance as governor. The Ukrainian authorities stripped Saakashvili of his citizenship when he was abroad but he barged his way through a checkpoint at the Polish border to get back into Ukraine in September 2017. He was deported five months later. Story continues Saakashvili returned on Wednesday after Zelenskiy, who defeated Poroshenko by a landslide in last month's presidential election, restored his citizenship. "I came here not to take revenge on someone and to punish someone, to destroy something. To destroy is not my style," Saakashvili said. "I want, together with millions of Ukrainians, after an historic opportunity has arisen, with the new president, with the new team, to participate in the construction of a new Ukraine." An actor and comedian with no prior political experience, Zelenskiy won the presidency promising to fight entrenched corruption and to upend the political status quo. On his inauguration day last week, Zelenskiy called a snap parliamentary election in July that will give him the chance to win seats for his new Servant of the People party. "Saakashvili is due to return today, and I am sure he will unleash the dogs of political war on Poroshenko, and Ukraine's old political elites," said Timothy Ash at Blue Bay Asset Management before Saakashvili's return. "Presumably Zelenskiy thinks this will play well in the run up to parliamentary elections and buoy support for his Servant of the People party. There will be a lot of people very nervous now about Saakashvili's return to Ukraine later today." (Editing by Stephen Powell and Alexandra Hudson) (Recasts; adds background, updates stock price) By Jennifer Hiller DALLAS, May 29 (Reuters) - Exxon Mobil Corp shareholders on Wednesday rejected a proposal to split the chief executive officer and board chairman roles that some had promoted to protest a decision to strike an unrelated climate change resolution from the ballot. Two institutional shareholders had urged a vote in favor of the role split after Exxon got the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to strike a climate change measure from its ballot. The protest fizzled, with about 41% of the votes supporting the separation at the company's annual meeting, little more than the more than the 38% approval votes that similar resolutions garnered in recent years. Shareholders also defeated measures calling for a special board committee on climate change and for a report on the risks of climate change to Exxon's U.S. Gulf Coast chemical plants. At Chevron Corp's annual meeting on Wednesday, a proposal to create an independent chairman received just 26% of votes, and only 8% of votes favored a board committee on climate change. In contrast, 99% of shareholders at BP Plc last week favored a resolution calling for the British oil company to meet a climate accord seeking to curb a rise in global temperatures. Royal Dutch Shell last year agreed to set targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and link them to executive pay. New York state's pension fund and the Church Commissioners for England, the endowment fund of the Church of England, had backed the independent chairman's proposal at Exxon after their resolution seeking emissions goals was struck from the ballot. The 41% approval for the independent board chair proposal was the largest in the last seven times such a proposal has been considered. New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said in a statement that "Exxon would ignore this level of support for an independent board chair at its own risk. Story continues Exxon has been in "open conflict about climate strategy and disclosure" with its investors, said Edward Mason, who represented the Church of England and presented two climate resolutions that failed to gain majority support. Shareholders in recent years have pressed Exxon to define a path toward meeting the 2015 Paris climate agreement to limit global warming, but the company has not committed to any targets. "Engagement on climate is important, but working on solutions through fundamental research and development for new technologies is also important," Exxon Chief Executive Darren Woods said at the meeting. Exxon has multi-billion-dollar expansion programs to find and produce new reserves of oil and natural gas, as well as to expand its refining and chemical footprint. It has projected shale production of 1 million barrels per day in the Permian Basin, the top U.S. shale field, as early as 2024. Woods said the company would continue to engage with shareholders as part of a "a years-long process." More than 50 people organized by environmental group 350 Dallas held signs and chanted outside the hotel entrance to protest Exxon's climate policies. "The climate crisis is real and they have contributed to it," said Olinka Green, 50, of Dallas, who held a sign saying, "There is no Planet B." Shares of Exxon were down 0.62% at $72.16 on Wednesday. Exxon is pushing ahead in China despite the trade war between the two countries, and Woods said its plans have not been interrupted. Last year it was approved for an about $9 billion liquefied natural gas terminal and a massive chemicals project in China, the second foreign firm after Germanys BASF to gain approval to operate such a plant without a local sponsor. "That is a lifelong investment, a 50- to 100-year timeline investment," Woods said. "While we're sensitive to what we're seeing in the current environment and the implications, and we're making sure that we understand how issues can play themselves out, we're also trying to put that in the context of this long-term time horizon we're trying to manage." (Reporting by Jennifer Hiller; editing by David Gregorio and Leslie Adler) (Adds detail, minister comment, analysis) By Elisabeth O'Leary EDINBURGH, May 29 (Reuters) - Scotland's pro-independence government has set out new rules on referendums in the hope of holding another secession vote in the second half of 2020 if Britain's parliament gives the go-ahead. A bill presented to the devolved Scottish parliament on Wednesday aims to give clear ground rules that are legally watertight for any referendum vote. In 2014, Scots rejected leaving their 300-year-old union with England and Wales by 55 to 45%. Polls say support for independence has grown since, but a majority still back the current UK political structure. Results from last week's European election, in which Nicola Sturgeon's pro-EU Scottish National Party (SNP) increased its share of the vote to take three of six EU parliament seats assigned to Scotland, appear to have strengthened Sturgeon's hand and show the antipathy to Brexit north of the English border. Sturgeon's government wants to give visibility and purpose to the discontent in Scotland over Britain's exit from the European Union. That puts extra pressure on a UK government and parliament riven by political acrimony and unable to decide the shape of Brexit. "Just published a bill to set the rules for an independence referendum - to allow the Scottish people to choose our own future rather than having a Brexit future imposed on us," Sturgeon tweeted. The bill prepares for a secession vote which the UK government says it will not allow. That position is untenable, Sturgeon argues. "It is essential the UK government recognizes that it would be a democratic outrage if it seeks to block such a referendum indeed, any such stance would, in my view, prove to be utterly unsustainable," she said in a statement. The bill does not set a date for a new independence vote but, speaking to the BBC in Dublin on Tuesday, Sturgeon said the latter half of next year would be the "right time." Story continues BREXIT FEEDING DISCONTENT Theresa May has said she will step down as prime minister in June, opening a succession race in her party. For Scotland, any new prime minister aiming for a so-called hard Brexit will have to be aware of the risks of catalyzing the independence cause, said Professor Nicola McEwen of the University of Edinburgh. "There is a sense that Brexit is happening despite the clear and consistent preference of the majority in Scotland, so the harder the Brexit the more stark that appears to be," she said. Many of the current candidates to replace May appear to be supporting a harder Brexit than that on offer. "Politically I think that (a hard Brexit) does strengthen the case for independence, but economically and practically I think there are challenges," McEwan said, adding that the possibility of a hard border between England and an independent Scotland would make the debate tougher for nationalists to win. While the United Kingdom as a whole voted to leave the EU in a 2016 referendum, two of its four nations - Scotland and Northern Ireland - voted to stay, feeding political tension. Nationalists say the Brexit watershed and the political chaos that has ensued mean Scots now deserve a new choice on the UK partnership, and accuse London of riding roughshod over Scotland's views on post-Brexit economic relations. May's Conservative government says Scotland's views have been heard, and that the nationalists want independence at any price. (Editing by Stephen Addison and Stephen Powell) (Spanish police issue correction to say a Mexican national arrested, but not Pemex former chief Lozoya) MADRID, May 29 (Reuters) - Spanish police on Wednesday said they arrested a Mexican national the day before, but that it was not the former chief of Mexico's state oil firm Pemex, Emilio Lozoya, as they had said previously. A police spokeswoman declined to give the identity of the person arrested. A spokesman for the police had earlier told Reuters that Lozoya had been arrested. The Mexican attorney general's office has said that Alonso Ancira, the chairman of steelmaker Altos Hornos de Mexico was arrested in Spain on Tuesday. The Mexican Finance Ministry's money-laundering czar Santiago Nieto said on Tuesday that the Financial Intelligence Unit he leads had presented the attorney general's office with three charges against Lozoya related to "acts of corruption" committed when he was at the helm of Pemex. Lozoya headed Pemex from 2012 to 2016 and ran former president Enrique Pena Nieto's election campaign. He is wanted in Mexico for alleged bribery, tax fraud and other crimes. The case reflects Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's pledge to root out entrenched corruption and would be the highest profile move since he took office on Dec. 1. (Reporting by Paul Day and Emma Pinedo; Editing by Jose Elias Rodriguez and David Holmes) (Adds legal expert commentary) By Sijia Jiang HONG KONG, May 29 (Reuters) - China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd has filed a legal motion seeking to declare a U.S. defense law unconstitutional, in the telecom equipment maker's latest bid to fight sanctions from Washington that threaten to push it out of global markets. The motion for summary judgment in its lawsuit against the U.S. government, filed late on Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, asks a judge to declare the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) unconstitutional. Huawei filed its lawsuit in March. The NDAA bill, passed by the U.S. Congress last summer, places a broad ban on federal agencies and their contractors from using Huawei equipment on national security grounds, citing the company's ties with the Chinese government. Huawei, the world's largest telecoms network gear maker, has repeatedly denied it is controlled by the Chinese government, military or intelligence services. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo kept up the pressure on Huawei on Wednesday. "Huawei is an instrument of the Chinese government," Pompeo said in an interview with Fox Business Network. "They're deeply connected. It's something that's hard for Americans to understand." Glen Nager, a partner at law firm Jones Day and lead counsel for Huawei, told Reuters the U.S. court had agreed on a schedule to hold hearings in September on motions by opposing sides. Some legal experts said Huawei's lawsuit was likely to be dismissed because U.S. courts are reluctant to second-guess national security determinations by other branches of government. The lawsuit "will be an uphill battle because Congress has broad authority to protect us from perceived national security threats," said Franklin Turner, a government contracts lawyer at McCarter & English. In November 2018, a federal appeals court rejected a similar lawsuit filed by Russian cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab, which was challenging a ban on the use of the company's software in U.S. government networks. Story continues 'DANGEROUS PRECEDENT' Earlier this month, the U.S. Commerce Department put Huawei on a trade blacklist that bans companies from doing business with the Chinese firm, a move which immediately disrupted the global tech sector. Huawei's chief legal officer, Song Liuping, on Wednesday said the company was reviewing ways to fight the U.S. ban, which he said was affecting its more than 1,200 suppliers and threatened to affect its 3 billion customers in 170 countries. Song said Washington's use of administrative orders and laws to punish a single company "sets a very dangerous precedent." "Today it is telecom and Huawei, tomorrow it could be your company, your industry, your customers," he told reporters at Huawei's headquarters in Shenzhen. The ban, along with separate accusations of bank fraud and corporate theft that the United States has made against Huawei and its chief financial officer, has exacerbated the trade war between Beijing and Washington. Huawei, which has been given a 90-day reprieve from the ban, has denied its products pose a security threat and protested Washington's attempts to limit its business. Vincent Pang, Huawei's senior vice president and head of corporate communications, said the executive order and blacklist had transcended the boundaries of normal market competition. "This could lead to the start of the fragmentation of the global tech ecosystem and standards," Pang said on Wednesday at Huawei's headquarters. Pang also said he did not expect the "political" situation to delay the introduction in China of fifth-generation (5G) network technology. (Reporting by Sijia Jiang; Additional reporting by Rishika Chatterjee and Jan Wolfe; Editing by Christopher Cushing, Jeffrey Benkoe and Paul Simao) (Adds Khamenei's comments) LONDON, May 29 (Reuters) - Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards said on Wednesday that Washington's long-awaited Israeli-Palestinian peace plan was doomed to fail and that the Palestinian resistance movement would respond firmly to those who proposed such deal. U.S. President Donald Trump has touted the plan as the "deal of the century" but Palestinian officials have already spurned it, believing it will be heavily biased in favor of Israel. Trumps team, headed by his Middle East adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner, is set to unveil the plan at an international investment conference in Bahrain in late June. The Revolutionary Guards said in a statement carried by Tasnim news agency that the only solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was "withdrawal of Zionists from the occupied lands, and return of Palestinian refugees to hold free elections." Any other plan would fail, the statement said, adding that "fighters in the Islamic Resistance Movement of Palestine will firmly respond to those who proposed the deal of the century." Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was also cited by state television as saying the Trump plan would fail. Opposition to Israel is a touchstone of belief for Shiite-led Iran. It backs Palestinian and Lebanese Islamist militant groups opposed to peace with Israel, which Tehran refuses to recognize. President Hassan Rouhani said in remarks carried by state television on Wednesday that the deal of the century "would in reality be a bankruptcy of the century for those who proposed it." Israel, the United States and its chief Sunni Arab ally Saudi Arabia accuse Iran of fomenting tension in the Middle East and of sponsoring terrorism. This is denied by Tehran. (Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin Editing by Frances Kerry and John Stonestreet) * Khamenei says won't negotiate over military capabilities * President earlier held door open to talks * Trump says he believes Iran wants to make a deal (Adds a new line in para 6 for clarity) By Bozorgmehr Sharafedin LONDON, May 29 (Reuters) - Iran will not negotiate with the United States, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday, after President Hassan Rouhani signaled talks with Washington might be possible if sanctions were lifted. Washington withdrew last year from an international nuclear deal signed with Tehran in 2015, and it is ratcheting up sanctions in efforts to shut down Iran's economy by ending its international sales of crude oil. U.S. President Donald Trump condemned the accord, signed by his predecessor Barack Obama, as flawed for not being permanent and for not covering Irans ballistic missile program and role in conflicts around the Middle East. Trump said on Monday he was hopeful Iran would come to negotiating table to reach a new deal: "I really believe that Iran would like to make a deal ... and I think that's a possibility to happen." Khamenei was quoted as saying on his website: "We said before that we will not negotiate with America, because negotiation has no benefit and carries harm." Khamenei said Iran had no problems negotiating with Europeans and other countries, but added, "We will not negotiate over the core values of the revolution. We will not negotiate over our military capabilities." Earlier in the day, Rouhani had taken a more positive stance. In remarks carried by state television, he said: "Whenever they lift the unjust sanctions and fulfill their commitments and return to the negotiations table, which they left themselves, the door is not closed." "But our people judge you by your actions, not your words." Khamenei has the final say in all major policies under Iran's dual system, split between the clerical establishment and the government. He is also the head of the armed forces. Story continues Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Tuesday that Iran saw no prospect of negotiations with the United States. Last week the Pentagon announced the deployment of 900 additional troops to the Middle East, and extended the deployment of another 600 service members in the region, describing it as an effort to bolster defenses against Iran. Speaking with reporters en route to Indonesia on Wednesday, acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said the additional troops announced last week would be going to Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Without giving details or evidence, Shanahan said that while the Iranian posture had changed recently, the threat remained. He added that sending military assets into the region, such as deploying bombers, Patriot missiles and accelerating the movement of an aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East, had helped deter attacks against Americans in Iraq. U.S. national security adviser John Bolton also said on Wednesday naval mines "almost certainly from Iran" were used to attack oil tankers off the United Arab Emirates this month, and warned Tehran against conducting new operations. Mousavi dismissed Bolton's remarks as a "ludicrous claim." (Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin in London, Idrees Ali in Jakarta, and Dubai newsroom Editing by Hugh Lawson, Alison Williams and Frances Kerry) (Adds UNICEF saying children still in Iraq in third paragraph) BAGHDAD, May 29 (Reuters) - Iraqi authorities handed over 188 Turkish children of suspected Islamic State members to Turkey on Wednesday at Baghdad airport, where they boarded a plane and prepared to fly home, officials from Iraq's judiciary and UNICEF said. Representatives of the Iraqi judiciary and the U.N. agency were present until the children got on the plane. UNICEF Regional Chief of Communications Juliette Touma told Reuters the aircraft had not yet taken off. An Iraqi judiciary spokesman said the group included several that had "come of age" and been convicted and sentenced for illegally crossing the border. Children can be held responsible for crimes in Iraq from the age of nine. "The central investigations court, which is responsible for the terrorism file and foreign suspects, has handed the Turkish side 188 children left behind by Daesh terrorists in Iraq," said the spokesman, Judge Abdul-Sattar al-Birqdar, in a statement. Islamic State is known to its detractors as Daesh. An Iraqi foreign ministry official, a representative of the Turkish embassy in Baghdad and representatives of international organizations including UNICEF were present, Birqdar added. Reuters reported in March that about 1,100 children of Islamic State fighters are caught in the Iraqi justice system. The youngest stay with their mothers in prison, and at least seven children have died because of poor conditions. Several hundred older children are being prosecuted for offenses ranging from illegally entering Iraq to fighting for Islamic State. Some 185 children aged between nine and 18 have already been convicted and received sentences from a few months to up to 15 years in juvenile detention in Baghdad. Iraq is conducting trials of thousands of suspected Islamic State fighters, including hundreds of foreigners, with many arrested as the group's strongholds crumbled throughout Iraq. Baghdad is keen for those who cannot be prosecuted to be sent home, but the issue is legally complicated and politically toxic, and many nations have so far refused to take them. Iraqi President Barham Salih returned on Wednesday from a brief visit to Turkey where he met Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. (Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed Additional reporting by Sarah Dadouch in Istanbul Writing by Ahmed Aboulenein Editing by Stephen Powell and Helen Popper) * Lane warns that there are limits to Irish economic growth * Says politicians must prioritize economic stability * Incoming ECB chief economist says euro zone Brexit-ready (Releads on overheating warning, adds quotes) By Padraic Halpin DUBLIN, May 29 (Reuters) - Ireland's departing central bank chief warned the government on Wednesday that it risks stoking overheating pressures that could do lasting damage to the economy if it does move towards running "significant" budget surpluses. Citing data last week that showed unemployment in Europe's fastest growing economy was far lower than thought at 4.6%, Philip Lane used his final outing before taking over as European Central Bank chief economist to renew his call for greater fiscal prudence. The central bank has been urging the government to do more to cool the economy since 2017 and has been disappointed that the budget only returned to balance for the first time in a decade last year, with small surpluses forecast for the next two years. "We are convinced that this is not a small issue. People should not be in denial, there is a limit to asking what the Irish economy can deliver," Lane, who joins the ECB's executive council on a full-time basis next week, told a news conference. "Our advice to the government to run bigger surpluses is partly to do with fiscal sustainability but actually the bigger issue right now is not to demand too much from the Irish economy." Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe, who last week said Ireland was now close to full employment, responded that Lane's comments showed why it was so important the government delivered its targeted surplus of 0.2 percent of GDP this year. Lane, who will be replaced from September by New Zealand treasury chief Gabriel Makhlouf, said policymakers would have to keep a very close eye on wages which were growing strongly at 3.4% year-on-year and more so in "some very hot sectors." Story continues It was hard to say that there is overheating taking place unless Ireland's "remarkable" employment situation leads to significant wage increases, he said. "But this is something to be really concerned about, that if we have overheating, the damage could be quite long-lasting because it's easy to raise wages, it's very difficult to cut wages," Lane said. "Everyone is aware of this, what I say is no different I'm pretty sure to what the analysis would be in the department of finance, it's really translating that into an outcome because you need the political consensus to prioritize financial and macro stability." Lane added that Ireland and the euro zone had been ready for a no-deal Brexit in March and remained ready in the event of a chaotic British departure from the European Union, the chance of which he said was rising. (Additional reporting by Conor Humphries; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Stephen Powell) (Adds details and background) AMMAN, May 29 (Reuters) - Jordan's King Abdullah told U.S. President Donald Trump's adviser Jared Kushner on Wednesday that a lasting Middle East peace can only come with the creation of a Palestinian state on land captured by Israel in a 1967 war and with east Jerusalem as its capital. Kushner is leading a U.S. delegation to the Middle East this week seeking support for a late June workshop aimed at helping the Palestinians, a White House official said on Tuesday. A palace statement said the monarch, who aides say has been deeply concerned about the still-secret U.S. plan to end the Arab-Israeli conflict, told Kushner Israel had to withdraw from the West Bank that was under Jordanian control which Israel captured in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. "His Majesty stressed the need for a comprehensive and lasting peace based on a two-state solution, leading to an independent Palestinian state on 4 June 1967 lines with east Jerusalem as its capital, the palace statement said. Jordan is worried the plan could jettison the two-state solution - the long-standing U.S. and international formula that envisages an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza. U.S. officials have said the trip, which began in Rabat and will include Jerusalem, was to bolster support for a June 25-26 conference in Bahrain, in which Kushner is to unveil the first part of Trumps long-awaited Israeli-Palestinian peace plan. The plan, touted by Trump as the deal of the century, is to encourage investment in the West Bank and Gaza Strip by Arab donor countries before grappling with thorny political issues at the heart of the conflict. (Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Stephen Powell) (Adds opposition comments, background) KHARTOUM, May 29 (Reuters) - Banks in the Sudanese capital Khartoum were closed on Wednesday on the second day of strikes organized by protest and opposition groups to pressure military rulers to cede power to civilians. Several banks visited by a Reuters reporter were fully closed, and cash machines had not been restocked for several days. Employees at the central bank were also on strike. "We are committed to the strike in order to achieve peaceful rule," said an employee of the Blue Nile Mashreg Bank in Khartoum. "And we are ready to participate in civil disobedience if the Freedom and Change Forces ask us to." The Declaration of Freedom and Change Forces (DFCF) alliance had called for a two-day strike of public and private enterprises from Tuesday. The action comes during a lull in talks between the alliance and the ruling military council that forced out ex-President Omar al-Bashir last month. The two sides are deadlocked over who will control a political transition, though discussions are continuing at a lower level. Protesters have kept up a sit-in outside the Defence Ministry since before Bashir was ousted. Not everyone has observed the strike, with buses and most air transport still operating. Shops, including clothes and shoe retailers where people buy gifts ahead of Eid al-Fitr, the holiday ending the holy month of Ramadan next week, were open. But the strike has been widespread in the financial sector, already struggling from an economic crisis that led to shortages of fuel and cash and helped trigger the 16 weeks of mass protests against Bashir's rule. It was also being widely followed in the medical and power sectors. Port services were restricted to passenger ships for pilgrims, according to media and social media reports. The DFCF alliance said late on Wednesday that security forces had used force and threats in an attempt to intimidate some employees who were striking in the eastern city of al-Qadarif and elsewhere. Story continues The alliance said it continues to demand that civilians, not military officials, rule the country. If the military council does not agree, protesters will escalate by turning to civil disobedience, the DFCF said. "We do not want more confrontations, but if we have to, the Sudanese people's demand is clear and it is a civilian state," DFCF member Sadiq Farouk told reporters. "Anything else is unacceptable." The DFCF had previously said that the military council has demanded a two-thirds majority, of eight to three, on the sovereign council that will lead the country of 40 million. Sudan was on a U.S. list of sponsors of terrorism under Bashir, an Islamist former general who was being sought by international prosecutors for alleged war crimes in the western Darfur region. Stability in the strategically located country is crucial for the security of a volatile region struggling against Islamist insurgencies, including the Horn of Africa through Egypt and Libya. Various powers, including wealthy Gulf Arab states, are trying to influence its path. (Reporting by Khartoum bureau; Additional reporting by Ali Abdelaty and Omar Fahmy; Writing by Aidan Lewis and Lena Masri Editing by Catherine Evans and Sonya Hepinstall) (Adds background, reaction from some politicians, Odebrecht response) By Dave Graham MEXICO CITY, May 29 (Reuters) - The impact of a first major anti-corruption drive by Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador spread deep into the political class on Wednesday as the probe threatened to involve top officials in the last government, including the president. At the center of the investigation is Emilio Lozoya, a former chief executive of state oil company Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex), who the government has accused of financial irregularities during his time in charge between 2012 and 2016. Mexico's attorney general said a warrant for Lozoya's arrest was issued after allegations surfaced about his role in Pemex's purchase of struggling fertilizer businesses, as well as his dealings with scandal-plagued Brazilian construction firm Odebrecht. Lozoya has yet to speak publicly on the accusations, but his lawyer said on Wednesday that top officials from the previous administration, including former President Enrique Pena Nieto, should testify on what they knew about Pemex's operations. Noting that the ministries of finance, economy and energy all sit on the company's board, Lozoya's attorney Javier Coello said the government had to sign off on whatever Pemex did. "I would even summon President Pena Nieto," Coello told broadcaster Televisa. "Nothing in this country moved unless there were instructions from the president." Mexican Attorney General Alejandro Gertz has not detailed the case against Lozoya but said it had been in preparation for months. He too said the role played under Pena Nieto by the ministries on Pemex's board needed to be examined. The biggest result of the probe so far was the arrest on Tuesday in Mallorca, Spain, of Alonso Ancira, chairman of steelmaker Altos Hornos de Mexico (AHMSA), who the government accuses of paying Lozoya bribes. In a reminder of the close ties between business and politics, that news was not welcomed by everyone in Lopez Obrador's ruling National Regeneration Movement (MORENA), which is now home to many politicians who were once in other parties. Story continues MORENA Senator Armando Guadiana said in a video on Twitter on Tuesday it was a "real shame" what had happened to AHMSA, criticizing a decision - later reversed - to freeze its bank accounts, and urging investigators to respect Ancira's rights. Arrest warrants for other suspects have also been issued and Coello said Lozoya's Mexico City home had been raided. ENORMOUS PRESSURE Lopez Obrador, a veteran leftist, took office in December pledging to crack down on public sector corruption in Mexico, which he says is a legacy of his political adversaries. He told his regular morning news conference the probe was not a "political persecution" and that the charges stemmed from investigations already underway under his predecessor. Lozoya helped run Pena Nieto's 2012 election campaign and was a major figure in the last administration until his abrupt departure from the struggling Pemex in February 2016. The 44-year-old has always denied wrongdoing and defended the fertilizer business acquisitions as a wise investment. In 2017, he had to deny having funneled cash to Pena Nieto's election campaign after Brazilian newspaper O Globo alleged that Lozoya had taken $10 million in bribes in 2012 from a former Odebrecht executive. The reports weighed on the crumbling reputation of the then-ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), helping to pave the way for Lopez Obrador's July election victory. Heriberto Galindo, a former PRI lawmaker, said the last government would have benefited if it had cleared up the matter, and gave his support to a thorough investigation. "If Lozoya is only the tip of the iceberg, this should be pursued to the end, regardless of who it affects," he said. The finance ministry's anti-money laundering czar has said the allegations center on bribes paid in connection with the $475 million purchase by Pemex of a fertilizer plant from AHMSA. The official, Santiago Nieto, said the case had links to Odebrecht, whose executives have testified about bribes to politicians across Latin America. In a statement, Odebrecht said it had formally told Mexico's attorney general in April that it wanted to cooperate with investigations. Odebrecht reiterates its commitment to ethical and transparent conduct in Mexico and reaffirms its total willingness to collaborate in an effective way with the countrys authorities," the company said. Last week the government banned Lozoya from public service for 10 years as part of a probe into the 2014 purchase of the fertilizer plant, which was out of service. The decision to go after him comes just days ahead of state elections on Sunday that will provide the first major test of Lopez Obrador's popularity since he took office. Speculation has swirled for months about whether Lopez Obrador would go after high profile targets to underline his commitment to end corruption, a chronic malaise blamed for hurting growth and stoking violence and inequality in Mexico. Jesus Ortega, a former campaign manager for Lopez Obrador and senior figure in the center-left opposition Party of Democratic Revolution, said the Pemex move appeared motivated by the president's need to satisfy his base. "The pressure within his own party and the pressure within his cabinet had become enormous," Ortega said. (Reporting by Dave Graham; Additional reporting by Diego Ore, David Alire and Gram Slattery; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel and Tom Brown) * No sign of breakthrough in coalition-building deadlock * Parliament set to vote for new election if no deal reached * Netanyahu's political future hangs in the balance (Updates with Likud courting other parties) By Jeffrey Heller JERUSALEM, May 29 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu scrambled to cobble together parliamentary support for a coalition on Wednesday, just hours ahead of a deadline to form a new government or face the possible end of his decade of combative leadership of Israel. In a parallel countdown, the 120-seat assembly debated a motion to dissolve itself and trigger snap elections that Netanyahu could contest anew, rather than being forced to step aside for a rival to try to form a coalition. Netanyahu's plans for a fifth term following an election in April were cast into doubt by a presumed ally, rightist ex-defense minister Avigdor Lieberman, who has conditioned sitting in government with ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties on amendments to their military draft exemptions. Three hours before the 2100 GMT deadline, Netanyahu's conservative Likud party announced that it had managed to sign up 60 lawmakers - half the assembly but just shy of a majority. Even that account was disputed, however, by the center-right Kulanu party, which had previously said it would run with Likud. "Kulanu has not signed a coalition deal," the party tweeted. In another sign of Netanyahu's strong desire to retain the premiership, the opposition center-left Labour party said it had been offered - and had refused - an offer to join a Likud-led coalition. Likud, which said it plans to head a right-wing government, neither denied of confirmed this. Political sources said Netanyahu was simultaneously seeking agreement with the leaders of parties on voting to dissolve parliament and setting a mid-September date for a new election. Having declared himself the election winner last month after he squeezed past an insurgent centrist challenger, ex-general Benny Gantz, Netanyahu saw his political future hang in the balance. Story continues Failure to forge a coalition would take the task out of the 69-year-old Netanyahu's hands and empower President Reuven Rivlin to ask another legislator, either from Likud or the opposition, to try. Political commentator Chemi Shalev, writing in the left-wing Haaretz daily, said a last-minute agreement was still possible and Netanyahu would still be the favorite to win a new election. LAST STAND? But he said Netanyahu's critics now find themselves fantasizing about a world without him. The prime minister, first elected in the late 1990s, has been in power for the last decade. "It's not an easy task, given his decade in power and the four more years he supposedly had coming. Young Israelis can't even begin to imagine an Israel without him: Netanyahu as prime minister is all they've ever known," Shalev wrote. Lieberman has stuck to his guns in a battle with the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party, a member of Netanyahu's current interim government, to limit traditional military draft exemptions for Jewish seminary students. Without the support of Lieberman's Yisrael Beitenu party, which has five Knesset seats, Netanyahu cannot put together a majority government of right-wing and religious factions. The brinkmanship six weeks after the closely contested April ballot has deepened political uncertainty in a country riven with division. A new election could also complicate U.S. efforts to press ahead with President Donald Trump's peace plan in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Even before it has been announced Palestinians have rejected it as a blow to their aspirations for statehood. The White House team behind the proposal, including Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, is in the Middle East to drum up support for an economic "workshop" in Bahrain next month to encourage investment in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. The group is due in Israel on Thursday. Lieberman said on Wednesday he was not backing down in what he termed a matter of principle over the conscription issue, and he denied Likud allegations his real intention was to oust Netanyahu and lead a "national camp." Until the drama over coalition-building, public attention had been focused more on moves Netanyahu loyalists were planning in parliament to grant him immunity from criminal prosecution and to pass a law ensuring such protection could not be withdrawn by the Supreme Court. Netanyahu faces possible indictment in three corruption cases. He has denied any wrongdoing in the cases and is due to argue at a pre-trial hearing in October against the attorney-general's intention, announced in February, to indict him on bribery and fraud charges. (Editing by Angus MacSwan and Frances Kerry) (Recasts with Foreign Ministry, adds tweet, context) DOHA, May 29 (Reuters) - Qatar's prime minister will attend an Arab summit in Saudi Arabia to discuss regional security, the Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday, the highest level Qatari official to visit the kingdom during a diplomatic rift. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt imposed an economic and diplomatic boycott on Qatar in June 2017 over allegations that Doha supports terrorism, a charge Qatar denies. The emergency summit in Mecca, Islam's holiest city, on Thursday will discuss tensions with Iran following attacks on oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and drone strikes on oil pumping stations in Saudi Arabia, both of which Tehran denies involvement in. Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani had received an invitation from Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud earlier this week to attend both the summit of Gulf Arab rulers and a wider meeting of Arab leaders. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Lolwah Al-Khater said in a tweet that Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser Al Thani would attend the summits, writing that the region's quickly escalating tensions made high-level participation a "national and humanitarian duty to achieve collective security." The United States has been trying to unify the Gulf bloc in order to confront Iran, although it was not immediately clear whether the visit was a sign of a thaw in the two-year dispute. U.S. national security adviser John Bolton said on Wednesday that naval mines "almost certainly from Iran" were used to attack the tankers, and warned Tehran against conducting new operations. (Reporting by Ali Abdelaty; Writing by Eric Knecht; Editing by Alison Williams) (Adds comment) BARCELONA, May 29 (Reuters) - Spain must release three jailed Catalan separatist leaders denied bail while facing trial for their role in the region's failed bid for independence in 2017, a United Nations expert group will say in a report on Wednesday. In an advance copy seen by Reuters, the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said Spain should investigate the "arbitrary" decision to deny bail to Oriol Junqueras, Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Cruixart and give them a chance to seek compensation. Nine former Catalan leaders are in jail while standing trial on charges including rebellion and misuse of public funds related to their alleged role in organizing a 2017 referendum on secession and subsequent declaration of independence. The report comes a day after the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) unanimously rejected a case brought by dozens of Catalan politicians alleging Spains constitutional court violated their rights by blocking a session in the regional parliament at the height of the secession crisis. The U.N. Working Group does not have the authority to order the release of a detainee, depending instead on moral weight to put pressure on governments, although ultimately its rulings have often been ignored in the past. Catalan regional president Quim Torra, speaking in a televised address on Wednesday, said that in light of the report he would issue a formal request to Spain's public prosecutor to release and drop all charges against those on trial. But a senior Spanish government source told Reuters the report was flawed. "The report by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention raises doubts about its independence and impartiality," the source said. (Reporting by Sam Edwards and Belen Carreno; Editing by Andrei Khalip and Andrew Cawthorne) * Boat was carrying 33 S. Koreans, two Hungarian crew * For graphic, see: https://tmsnrt.rs/2WezCIB * Seven people rescued, seven confirmed dead, 21 missing * S. Korea says to work with Hungary to identify cause * Heavy rains, strong currents hampered rescue (Adds arrest of cruise ship captain, river conditions) By Marton Dunai and Krisztina Than BUDAPEST, May 30 (Reuters) - Hungarian rescue officials said there was little chance of finding survivors after a boat with South Korean tourists on board sank on the Danube River in Budapest, with seven people confirmed dead and 21 missing. The boat was cruising when it collided with a larger luxury passenger boat during a rainstorm on Wednesday evening, causing it to capsize and sink with 33 South Korean tourists and tour guides and two Hungarian crew aboard. "I wouldn't say there is no hope, rather that there is a minimal chance (of finding survivors)," Pal Gyorfi, a spokesman for the Hungarian national ambulance service, told the M1 state broadcaster. "This is not just because of the water temperature, but (also) the strong currents in the river, the vapor above the water surface, as well as the clothes worn by the people who fell in," he added. Police said the smaller boat turned on its side and sank within seconds of the collision under a bridge near Hungary's parliament building. They said a criminal investigation was under way to determine the cause of the accident. Police declined to say if the bigger vessel, the 135-meter (443 ft) Viking Sigyn, put out any signals for help. Police said its investigation yielded evidence that raised personal responsibility, so it questioned the Viking Sigyn captain, a 64-year-old Ukrainian, as a suspect, and later moved to take him into custody for reckless misconduct in waterborne traffic leading to mass casualties. Police said it initiated the formal arrest of the captain, identified as C. Yuriy from Odessa. Officials said the hull of the Mermaid, a 27-meter (89-ft) double-decker river cruise boat, had been found on the riverbed a few hundred meters from its usual mooring point. Story continues A crane ship docked near the wreck on Thursday in preparation for recovery operations and divers prepared equipment. Police said the rescue efforts were hampered by high water levels, strong currents and bad visibility. "Those who were trapped in the hull or were stuck underneath can be lifted only once the wreckage is pulled out," a police statement said. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban offered his condolences to Seoul. South Korean President Moon Jae-in said the authorities would work with the Hungarian government to investigate the cause of the accident. "What's most important is speed," Moon said in Seoul. Some South Korean relatives of those on board started to depart for Hungary. Several family members were seen at Incheon International Airport in Seoul on Thursday night. South Korean rescue teams and officials including South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha also left for Budapest on Thursday. She will hold a news conference with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto at 0730 GMT on Friday. SEVEN SECONDS The foreign ministry said 30 South Korean tourists, including at least one child, three South Korean tour guides and two Hungarian crew were on board when the accident occurred at around 9 p.m. (1900 GMT). Seven South Koreans were rescued, seven died, and 19 South Koreans were among the 21 missing, said Kang Hyung-shik, a foreign ministry official. The crew members were also missing. The seven people rescued were suffering from hypothermia but stable, a Hungarian ambulance spokesman said. Police said the seven people who died had no life vests on. Video footage from a security camera screened by police showed the bigger boat catching up from behind at a higher speed, clipping the Mermaid's left side. "The (Mermaid) for some reason, turns into the way of the Viking. And the Viking as it bumps into it, pushes it... and within seven seconds ... (Mermaid) sinks," Pal said, describing the video. Rescue officials deployed boats, divers, floodlights and radar, scouring the river for several kilometers (miles) downstream from the site of the accident. Police said efforts were hampered by the fast currents of the flooding Danube, whose deep water was full of debris, at 12 degrees Celsius (53.6F), and flowing at a speedy 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) per hour. Well-wishers laid flowers outside the South Korean embassy in Budapest, and candles burned on the Danube bank. The Mermaid's owner said the boat - a Soviet model manufactured in 1949 and refurbished in the 1980s - had been in its fleet since 2003, with regular maintenance. "We are mobilizing every resource we have to protect human lives," the owner Panorama Deck Ltd. told state media through a spokesman. The larger Viking Sigyn is a 95-room floating hotel of the kind that has multiplied as Danube river cruises gained popularity in recent years. "There were no injuries to Viking crew or Viking guests. We are cooperating with the authorities as required," said a spokesperson for operator Swiss-based Viking Cruises Ltd . (Reporting by Gergely Szakacs, Marton Dunai and Krisztina Than; Additional reporting by Hyonhee Shin, Joyce Lee, Do Gyun Kim and Minwoo Park in SEOUL; Editing by Jon Boyle, Ros Russell and Richard Chang) (Adds statement from the White House) ISTANBUL, May 29 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed during a phone call on Wednesday to meet on the sidelines of a G20 meeting set for June 28-29 in Japan, the Turkish Presidency's communications director said in posts on Twitter. The two leaders discussed issues such as boosting mutual trade, Turkey's planned purchase of a Russian missile defense system and "the opportunity to continue the discussion" during the G20 summit, Judd Deere, White House spokesman said in an email. Ties between the NATO allies have recently been shaky over Ankara's decision to purchase the Russian S-400 missile system, which Washington says could compromise its F-35 fighter jets. Turkey has suggested that the two countries form a working group that would asses the potential impact of the S-400s on the F-35 aircraft but has yet to hear back from the United States. During Wednesday's call, Erdogan reiterated to Trump Turkey's offer to form the working group, Fahrettin Altun, the Turkish communications director, said via Twitter. Washington has threatened to impose sanctions on Turkey if it goes through with the purchase of the Russian missile system, a move that would likely damage Turkey's economy. The lira has already declined about 14% this year in part on concerns over the potential sanctions. The allies are also at odds over various other issues, including policy differences in Syria and U.S. sanctions on Iran. (Reporting by Can Sezer and Ece Toksabay and Roberta Rampton in Washington Writing by Ezgi Erkoyun; Editing by Jonathan Spicer and Bernadette Baum) (Adds court ruling, comment from lawyer) By Ali Kucukgocmen ANKARA, May 29 (Reuters) - Turkey has released Turkish-American, former NASA scientist Serkan Golge from jail with conditions, according to a court ruling seen by Reuters on Wednesday, in a step that could lead to an easing of tensions in Ankara's relations with Washington. Golge was earlier this year found guilty of being a member of an armed terrorist organization and sentenced to seven and a half years in prison. His sentence was later reduced to five years by an appeals court and he was found guilty of aiding a terrorist organization instead of being a member of one. Golge has always denied the charges against him. Turkey's Court of Cassation, a higher appeals court, upheld Golge's sentence for aiding a terrorist organization, but ruled to release him due to time he has already served, according to the verdict, seen by Reuters. He was released under judicial control, according to the ruling, meaning he is not allowed to leave the country and will have to regularly report to local authorities. Golge was visiting family in southern Turkey when he was arrested in the sweeping crackdown that followed a failed military coup in 2016 which the government blames on supporters of exiled Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who lives in the United States. Gulen has denied any involvement. Cases against U.S. consulate employees and citizens in Turkey on terrorism charges have been a major source of disagreement between the NATO allies. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus welcomed Golge's conditional release. "We will continue to follow Mr. Golge's case closely along with those involving our own locally employed staff at mission Turkey," she said. "We will continue to provide all appropriate consular services to Mr. Golge, including making sure he can return home as soon as possible. Washington had been urging Turkey to release Golge and other detainees. Story continues His wife, Kubra Golge, said she was surprised but happy at the decision. With the move, Golge's unjust treatment due to the long time he spent in jail has ended, said Ali Bilgin, one of his lawyers. "The process against the upheld verdict will be continued with the Constitutional Court and the European Court of Human Rights," he said in a statement. Two U.S. senators last month introduced a bipartisan bill requiring the imposition of sanctions on Turkish officials responsible for the detentions of U.S. citizens and local consulate staff in Turkey, a statement on the legislation said. One U.S. consulate employee was sentenced to jail in January, but was released due to time served during his trial. The cases of two other consulate employees are ongoing. Turkey and the United States are at odds over several other issues, including Ankara's push to purchase Russian S-400 missile defense systems and policy differences in Syria. Ankara has demanded that the United States extradite Gulen, who it accuses of orchestrating the coup attempt. (Reporting by Ali Kucukgocmen in Ankara and David Brunnstrom in Washington; editing by Frances Kerry, Alison Williams and G Crosse) (Adds lawsuit, quote) WASHINGTON, May 29 (Reuters) - Secretary of State Mike Pompeo kept up U.S. pressure on Huawei Technologies Co Ltd on Wednesday, saying the Chinese tech giant takes orders from Beijing. "Huawei is an instrument of the Chinese government," Pompeo said in an interview with Fox Business Network. "They're deeply connected. It's something that's hard for Americans to understand." Huawei Technologies Co Ltd filed a motion late on Tuesday for summary judgment in its lawsuit against the U.S. government, the telecoms equipment maker's latest bid to fight sanctions from Washington that threaten to push it out of global markets. Pompeo did not comment on the lawsuit in the interview, which was taped on Tuesday, but highlighted what the U.S. government says is the company's threat to national security. "Our companies cooperate with the United States government. That is, they comply with our laws. But no president directs an American private company. That's very different in China. They just simply operate under a different set of a rules." Huawei has repeatedly denied it is controlled by the Chinese government, military or intelligence services. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Jan Harvey) (Adds comments from MSNBC town hall; changes dateline) By Amanda Becker and Tim Reid SPARTANBURG, S.C./LOS ANGELES May 28 (Reuters) - Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris unveiled a new plan to protect abortion access on Tuesday, joining fellow White House hopefuls pushing back against Republican-backed state laws that restrict a woman's right to end a pregnancy. The U.S. senator from California said if elected president she will force states with a history of hostility toward Roe v. Wade - the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision that established a woman's right to an abortion - to first obtain approval from the Justice Department before a law restricting abortion could take effect. "Here's the thing, there are states that keep passing these laws," Harris said at a Tuesday night town hall hosted by MSNBC in Spartanburg, South Carolina. "So, when elected, I'm going to put in place and require that states that have a history of passing legislation that is designed to prevent or limit a woman's access to reproductive health care, those laws have to come before my Department of Justice for a review," she added. South Carolina is one of the early states in the presidential candidate nomination competition starting early next year and the first to have a sizeable population of black voters. A good performance in South Carolina is central to Harris' primary strategy. Harris' proposal comes amid an intensifying national debate on abortion rights, as roughly two dozen Democrats seek to become the candidate to take on Republican President Donald Trump in next year's election. Alabama this month approved one of the strictest abortion laws in the United States. It would make abortion illegal in nearly all cases, including those of rape and incest. Several other Republican-controlled states, including Georgia and Ohio, have recently passed so-called "heartbeat" laws, which outlaw abortion if a doctor is able to detect a fetal heartbeat, which can occur as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. Story continues "I think it's very clear that and it has not changed that women's ability to have access to reproductive health is under attack in America," Harris said at the town hall. The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to consider reinstating Indiana's ban on abortions performed because of fetal disability, or the sex or race of the fetus, while upholding a requirement that fetal remains be buried or cremated after the procedure is done. Both provisions were part of a Republican-backed 2016 law signed by Vice President Mike Pence. Harris' plan to protect abortion access comes after those offered by other Democratic candidates, including U.S. Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey, and Beto O'Rourke, a former Texas congressman. Under Harris' plan, a state with a history of violating the Roe decision will have to prove that any new law or practice does not end or curtail a woman's right to choose an abortion. The Harris plan is modeled on former preclearance provisions under the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which were in place to protect voters from laws deemed hostile to a citizen's ability to cast a ballot. The Supreme Court in 2013 said the map used for civil rights preclearance was outdated and needed to be updated before preclearance could resume. Harris said the Supreme Court invalidated the preclearance map, but not the process itself. She said the preclearance process for abortion access would take into account actions taken by states over the past 25 years. (Reporting by Tim Reid and Amanda Becker; editing by Colleen Jenkins and Jonathan Oatis) * Mueller says probe did not clear Trump * 'I do not believe it is appropriate for me to speak further' * Mueller intends to return to private life (Adds comments from Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff and Mueller) By Sarah N. Lynch and Andy Sullivan WASHINGTON, May 29 (Reuters) - U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller said on Wednesday his probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election was never going to end with criminal charges against President Donald Trump but he did not clear him and indicated it was up to Congress to decide whether he should be impeached. In his first public comments since starting the investigation in May 2017, Mueller said Justice Department policy prevented him from bringing charges against a sitting president or filing sealed charges, telling reporters it was "not an option we would consider." But he also said his two-year investigation did not clear Trump of improper behavior and, while he did not use the word "impeachment," he pointed out there were other ways to hold presidents accountable. "The Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing," Mueller said as he announced his resignation from the Justice Department. Congressional Democrats are debating whether to try to move ahead with impeachment in the Democratic-majority U.S. House of Representatives, even though the Republican-controlled Senate would be unlikely to complete the process outlined in the U.S. Constitution for removing a president from office by convicting him. The White House and several top Republicans responded to Mueller's comments on Wednesday by saying it was time to move on to other matters, while several candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination, called for impeachment. One candidate, U.S. Senator Kamala Harris, wrote on Twitter: "What Robert Mueller basically did was return an impeachment referral." Story continues Calls to launch impeachment proceedings against Trump have grown among some Democrats, who have been frustrated by White House efforts to thwart congressional subpoenas seeking records and testimony related to the Russia investigation and other matters related to Trump and his family. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been more cautious and is arguing that lawmakers should push ahead with their investigations before deciding whether to impeach Trump. On Wednesday she said she was sticking with that plan. "Nothing is off the table, but we do want to make such a compelling case, such an ironclad case, that even the Republican Senate, which at the time seems to be not an objective jury, will be convinced of the path that we have to take as a country, she said at a San Francisco event. Jerrold Nadler, the Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said he would hold Trump "accountable" but declined to say whether he would bring impeachment charges. "With respect to impeachment, all options are on the table and nothing should be ruled out," he said at a news conference after Mueller's appearance. A redacted version of Mueller's report was published in April. It concluded that Russia repeatedly interfered in the 2016 election and that Trump's election campaign had multiple contacts with Russian officials, but did not establish a criminal conspiracy with Moscow to win the White House. Mueller's report declined to make a judgment on whether Trump obstructed justice, although it outlined 10 instances in which Trump tried to have Mueller fired or otherwise impede the investigation. "If we had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so," Mueller said. "We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime." Matthew Jacobs, a former federal prosecutor, said he thought Mueller was "saying in his own way that a crime was committed." A source close to Trump said the Mueller statement amounted to a "bad day for the home team." "Muellers statement today was a direct assault on the president," said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "And it will only empower the Democrats to be bolder and more aggressive in their move to impeach him." TRUMP DECLARES 'CASE CLOSED' Trump, who has repeatedly denounced Mueller's investigation as a "witch hunt" and "hoax" meant to hobble his presidency, still took to Twitter to say the matter was settled. "Nothing changes from the Mueller Report," he wrote. "There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you." Mueller, a Republican who headed the FBI from 2001 to 2013, said he would not elaborate beyond what was contained in his 448-page report, signaling to Democrats that he was unlikely to provide them more ammunition for impeachment if he were to testify to a congressional committee. Mueller, 74, said his office is formally closing its doors and he is now returning to life as a private citizen. "Beyond what I've said here today and what is contained in our written work, I do not believe it is appropriate for me to speak further," he said, adding that he would not go beyond what was in his report in any future testimony to Congress. He did not take questions after making his statement. It was not clear whether Mueller would testify to Congress. He made clear he would prefer not to, although House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said he still expects to hear from the special counsel. "While I understand his reluctance to answer hypotheticals or deviate from the carefully worded conclusions he drew on his charging decisions, there are, nevertheless, a great many questions he can answer that go beyond the report," Schiff said. The House Judiciary Committee's top Republican, Representative Doug Collins, said relitigating Mueller's findings would only divide the country. "It is time to move on from the investigation and start focusing on real solutions for the American people," he said. Only one Republican so far, Representative Justin Amash, has said Trump has committed impeachable offenses. "The ball is in our court, Congress," he wrote on Twitter. Mueller's investigation ensnared dozens of people, including several top Trump advisers and a series of Russian nationals and companies. Among them are his former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, who is serving 7-1/2 years in prison for financial crimes and lobbying violations, and his former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, who recently began a three-year sentence for campaign-finance violations and lying to Congress. Since the report's release, Democratic lawmakers have tried without success to get the unredacted version and underlying evidence. Barr now is leading a review of the origins of the Russia investigation in what is the third known inquiry into the FBI's handling of the matter. Trump harbors suspicions that the Democratic administration of President Barack Obama started the investigation in 2016 to undermine his presidency. In attacking Mueller's probe, Trump also has often attacked the integrity of the FBI and its investigators. Mueller appeared to offer a response to that criticism on Wednesday. The prosecutors, FBI agents, analysts and others who worked with him were "of the highest integrity," he said. He also defended the need to conduct the probe in the first place, saying Russia's actions during the election campaign to interfere "needed to be investigated and understood." (Additional reporting by Steve Holland, Makini Brice, Mark Hosenball, Karen Freifeld and Susan Cornwell; editing by Kieran Murray, Bill Trott and Jonathan Oatis) On the occasion of President John F. Kennedy's birthday, here's a look at one of the most documented figures of the 20th century. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, on May 29, 1917, and was assassinated while in office on November 22, 1963. He spent a good portion of his life as a public figure, from one of the wealthiest, most well-connected families in New England. After his tragic death, most of his life has been written about in great detail. From among the wealth of knowledge about President Kennedy, here are 10 interesting facts about the 35th president. 1. His family was very, very rich. President Kennedy was one of the richest presidents ever, based on the estimated value of his familys fortune. In fact, his part of that fortune may have been worth $1 billion at the time of Kennedys death. His father, Joseph Kennedy, was involved heavily in Wall Street and other investment opportunities. 2. His father escaped a terrorist attack just after JFK was born. Joseph Kennedy escaped the infamous 1920 Wall Street bombing. An unknown group of anarchists planted a bomb in a wagon full of lead weights on the street. The explosion killed 38 bystanders on Wall Street. The elder Kennedy was thrown to the ground by the blast, but was unharmed. 3. He grew up partly in the Bronx. The stereotype of Kennedy is that he was a born-and-bred Bostonian. In reality, Kennedy spent the first 10 years of his life in Brookline, in suburban Boston, until his family moved to the Bronx. The future president spent his middle-school years in the Bronx area until his family sent him to private school in Connecticut. 4. President Kennedy played the role of movie producer. Warren Beatty almost played Kennedy in the movie PT-109, which was based on the sinking of Kennedys boat in the Solomon Islands. President Kennedy wanted Cliff Robertson to play a young Lieutenant Kennedy in the war movie, but the First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy, wanted Beatty. The presidents choice wound up appearing in the 1963 movie. Kennedy also helped pick the movies director. Story continues 5. He was the only president to win a Purple Heart. Kennedy was awarded the Purple Heart for his service in the Pacific during World War II. Two other former presidential candidates, John Kerry and John McCain, were Purple Heart recipients. 6. Kennedy wasnt the youngest president ever. That title goes to Theodore Roosevelt, who was a little more than nine months younger than Kennedy, at the age of 42 years, 10 months, when he succeeded William McKinley as president in 1901. However, Kennedy was the youngest person elected president, at the age of 43 years, seven months, when he became president in 1961. Bill Clinton was the third youngest president, at 46 years of age. 7. Kennedy was an experienced politician at a young age. In 1946, Kennedy ran for the House of Representatives at the age of 29 and won. His older brother had been expected to be the familys political standard bearer, but he was killed in action during World War II. Kennedy was elected three times to the House and two times to the U.S. Senate before becoming president, and he had more national political experience than our two most recent presidents. Health problems did keep Kennedy from attending Congress for some periods. 8. Kennedys popular vote win over Richard Nixon was very, very narrow. Kennedy defeated Nixon in the 1960 election when votes were counted in the Electoral College, by a margin of 303 to 219. But in the popular vote, Kennedy won by 112,000 votes out of 68 million cast. Also, arguments persist to this day about vote-counting in two states: Illinois and Texas. If Nixon had won those two states, he would have defeated Kennedy by two votes in the Electoral College. 9. JFK recorded conversations in the White House. Actually, Kennedy wasnt the first president to record private conversations in the White House (that was President Franklin D. Roosevelt). One theory for the Kennedy taping system was that the president had already written two books and wanted the tapes for when he wrote his memoirs after leaving office. Many of the tapes have been declassified over the past decades. 10. Kennedy almost died twice before he became president. Not including his run-in with a Japanese ship on the PT-109, Kennedy long suffered with health problems. Today, those health issues are well-documented, and two incidents resulted in a priest giving Kennedy last rites in a hospital. In 1948, when Kennedy was in Great Britain, his health looked dire after he was diagnosed with Addisons disease, according to author Robert Dallek. And in 1954, Kennedy nearly died from an infection after back surgery. (Adds details on visit by Pence) By Kelsey Johnson OTTAWA, May 29 (Reuters) - The Canadian government formally presented draft legislation to ratify the new North American Trade deal to parliament on Wednesday, less than 24 hours ahead of a visit by U.S. Vice President Mike Pence. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau presented the bill to the House of Commons, confirming a Reuters story from Tuesday that said the legislation would officially be offered up to parliament on Wednesday. Canada, Mexico and the United States signed the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in November 2018. However, the deal, which would replace the existing North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), has yet to be ratified by any of the three countries. "The new NAFTA will secure access to a trading zone that accounts for more than a quarter of the global economy," Trudeau said. "It is now time for the members of this House to ratify it." Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland has said Canada will press ahead with its ratification plans, in tandem with the United States. With Canadian voters set to head to the polls in October for a national election and the U.S. presidential election in 2020, time is running short. Pence is scheduled to meet with Trudeau on Thursday to discuss USMCA ratification and other issues. It marks the first time the vice president has traveled to Canada in an official capacity. His visit also comes after the United States agreed to remove tariffs on Canadian and Mexican steel and aluminum products earlier this month, ending a year-long dispute. Canadian officials had said Canada probably would not pass the pending trade pact until the tariffs had been lifted. (Reporting by Kelsey Johnson; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) (Recasts after letter sent, adds details on other countries) By Jan Strupczewski BRUSSELS, May 29 (Reuters) - The European Commission has written to the Italian government asking it to explain a deterioration in the country's public finances, an EU source said, a move that could pave the way for Brussels to begin disciplinary action against Rome next week. The Commission's letter is a legal obligation under EU law when a country has public debt above the EU ceiling of 60% of gross domestic product and is not reducing it as required. The letter to Italy was sent on Wednesday after the weekly meeting of commissioners from the 28 European Union states, one EU official told Reuters. Italy will have to reply by Friday. France, Belgium and Cyprus received similar letters about the state of their public finances. Each country will be assessed individually, with different conclusions on the following steps. Italy's situation appears the most complicated. Its national debt rose from 131.4% of GDP in 2017 to 132.2% in 2018 and will go up to 133.7% this year and to 135.2% in 2020, according to Commission forecasts. To make matters worse, Italy's structural deficit, which under EU law should shrink by 0.6% of GDP a year until it is in balance, has instead been rising every year since 2015. The structural deficit, which excludes one-off revenue and spending and the effects of the business cycle, is set to reach 2.4% of GDP this year and 3.6% in 2020 unless policies change. That is in contrast with a compromise struck with Rome late last year, under which Italy was exceptionally allowed to keep its structural deficit unchanged, instead of reducing it, with a marginal easing in debt in 2019, based on an optimistic economic growth assumption. The idea was to allow the economic policies of the new eurosceptic ruling coalition to take effect and boost growth as Rome claimed they would. But Italy's economy is now forecast to grow this year by only a small fraction of the 1% assumed in late 2018. With debt and the structural deficit rising and Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini pushing for tax cuts next year, the Commission will reassess Rome's fiscal stance on June 5. Story continues Next week's assessment, which will take into consideration "relevant factors" that Italy deems may have contributed to the deterioration, is likely to conclude that the EU should open a disciplinary procedure against Rome on the basis of the rising debt, officials have told Reuters. Such disciplinary action could end in a fine of 0.2 percent of Italy's GDP, or around 3.5 billion euros ($3.9 billion), if Rome repeatedly ignores EU calls to put its finances on a sustainable track. But this would take a long time and is now politically unlikely. The decision to start the disciplinary steps would ultimately taken by European Union finance ministers, on the basis of the Commission report, which must first get the backing of deputy finance ministers from the 28-country bloc. Italy's public finances are on the draft agenda for EU ministers meetings on July 8-9. European Central Bank Vice President Luis de Guindos warned on Wednesday that Italy risked higher borrowing costs that would damage the economy and outweigh any benefits from higher spending if it did not respect EU budget rules. ($1 = 0.8966 euros) (Reporting By Jan Strupczewski and Francesco Guarascio; Editing by Catherine Evans) (Corrects throughout to reflect Pentagon's official correction that it has briefed Congress about the report, not submitted it) By Phil Stewart and Andrea Shalal WASHINGTON, May 29 (Reuters) - The U.S. Defense Department has briefed Congress on a report on rare earth minerals as it looks to reduce American reliance on China, a Pentagon spokesman told Reuters on Wednesday, amid mounting concern in Washington about Beijing's role as a supplier. Although the Pentagon did not provide details of the report, it said the document was tied to a federal program designed to bolster domestic production capabilities through targeted economic incentives. Rare earths are a group of 17 chemical elements used in a wide range of consumer products, from iPhones to electric car motors, as well as military jet engines, satellites and lasers. Rising tensions between the United States and China have sparked concerns that Beijing could use its dominant position as a supplier of rare earths for leverage in the trade war between the world's top two economic powers. Between 2004 and 2017, China accounted for 80% of U.S. rare earth imports. "The department continues to work closely with the president, Congress and the industrial base to mitigate U.S. reliance on China for rare earth minerals," Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Mike Andrews, a Pentagon spokesman, told Reuters. He said the department recently completed a Defense Product Act III rare earth mineral report and briefed Congress on it. While China has so far not explicitly said it would restrict rare earths sales to the United States, Chinese media has strongly implied this will happen. In a commentary headlined "United States, don't underestimate China's ability to strike back," the official People's Daily noted the United States' "uncomfortable" dependence on rare earths from China. "Will rare earths become a counter weapon for China to hit back against the pressure the United States has put on for no reason at all? The answer is no mystery," it said. Story continues ECONOMIC INCENTIVES The Pentagon has repeatedly flagged its concerns about American reliance on China for rare earth minerals, including in a 2018 report https://media.defense.gov/2018/Oct/05/2002048904/-1/-1/1/ASSESSING-AND-STRENGTHENING-THE-MANUFACTURING-AND%20DEFENSE-INDUSTRIAL-BASE-AND-SUPPLY-CHAIN-RESILIENCY.PDF on vulnerabilities in the U.S. defense industrial base. The Defense Production Act Title III program was designed "to create, maintain, protect, expand, or restore domestic industrial base capabilities," according to a Defense Department website. The website https://www.businessdefense.gov/DPA-Title-III/Overview noted that the program gives the president "broad authority to ensure the timely availability of essential domestic industrial resources to support national defense and homeland security requirements through the use of highly tailored economic incentives." It was unclear if the Pentagon offered any new suggestions for economic incentives as part of the latest report. The Defense Department accounts for about 1% of U.S. demand, which in turn accounts for about 9% of global demand for rare earths, according to a 2016 report from the congressional U.S. Government Accountability Office. Companies such as Raytheon Co, Lockheed Martin Corp and BAE Systems Plc all make sophisticated missiles that use rare earths metals in their guidance systems, and sensors. Some rare earth minerals are essential in military equipment such as jet engines, missile guidance systems, antimissile defense systems and satellites, as well as in lasers. Lanthanum, for example, is needed to manufacture night vision devices. Few alternative suppliers were able to compete with China, which is home to 37% of global rare earths reserves. California's Mountain Pass mine is the only operating U.S. rare earths facility. But MP Materials, owner of Mountain Pass, ships the roughly 50,000 tonnes of rare earth concentrate it extracts each year from California to China for processing. China has imposed a tariff of 25% on those imports during the trade war. (Reporting by Phil Stewart and Andrea Shalal; additional reporting by David Brunnstrom; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Sonya Hepinstall) SheKnows Halle Berry is having the best holiday vacation, relaxing by the ocean with nothing but a comforter covering her up. It looks like the most idyllic place to wake up after the frenzy of December. The actress shared the sultry photo on her Instagram page that showed her lounging on an outdoor bed overlooking the [] Photo: Shamann Walton/Twitter 14 adults, seven children, and a one dog were displaced after a multi-unit apartment building caught fire in the wee hours of Sunday morning. The two-alarm blaze at 1555/1557/1559/1561 Innes Ave. (at 3rd St.) started around 4:04 a.m., the San Francisco Fire Department said. Firefighters arrived at the scene to discover the blaze had extended to adjacent structures. They searched all the affected buildings, ensuring all the residents had evacuated and that no one was injured. The fire was contained about 50 minutes later. SFFD Crews on scene with 2nd alarm #fire on the 1500 block of Innes in the Bayview Hunters Point area of #SF. @shamannwalton @KTVU @kron4news pic.twitter.com/7G9U8m8kFk San Francisco Firefighters 798 (@SFFFLocal798) May 26, 2019 District 10 Supervisor Shamann Walton thanked firefighters on Twitter, praising their speedy "response [that] was once again the reason lives were saved." Officials said that the cause of the fire remains under investigation. Red Cross and city services have been enlisted to assist those who were unable to return to their homes. Washington (AFP) - Former FBI director Robert Mueller announced Wednesday he was closing the Special Counsel's Office after completing his probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and possible obstruction of justice by President Donald Trump. Over 22 months, prosecutors issued charges against 34 individuals, including six Trump associates, and three companies. Mueller said Wednesday in his first public remarks that charging Trump with a crime was not an option because of Justice Department policy not to indict a sitting president. But he reiterated that his report did not exonerate the president and suggested that any further action lies with Congress. Here are key dates in the probe: 2017 - May 17: Four months after Trump took office, Mueller, now 74, is named to lead the Russia meddling and collusion investigation. The appointment follows Trump's firing of FBI director James Comey. Trump was angry that Comey would not reel back the investigation. Mueller, a former FBI director, assembles a team of seasoned investigators and is given broad latitude to examine anything that arises in the investigation, prompting Trump to call it a "witch hunt." Within weeks, the investigation begins examining Trump for possible obstruction of justice. - October 30: Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and deputy chairman Rick Gates are indicted on financial charges mostly related to work they did years before for Russia-backed politicians in Ukraine. Former Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos is charged with lying to investigators about his dealings with Russians in 2016. Papadopoulos pleads guilty and pledges to cooperate. He receives a sentence of 14 days in prison. - December 1: Former Trump national security advisor Michael Flynn is charged with lying to investigators over his secret discussions with Russian ambassador Sergei Kislyak after the November 2016 election. He agrees to plead guilty in a deal that requires him to cooperate with investigators. Story continues - 2018 - - February 16: Mueller outlines a Russian "conspiracy" to meddle in the 2016 election, charging Evgeny Prigozhin, a close associate of President Vladimir Putin, and 12 others tied to the Internet Research Agency troll farm over their social media disinformation campaign. Richard Pinedo, a small-time California internet fraudster with no links to the Trump campaign, pleads guilty to selling false online identities to people from the Internet Research Agency. - February 20: Alex van der Zwaan, a London-based Dutch lawyer, pleads guilty to lying to investigators about his work with Manafort and Gates on behalf of Ukraine. In April, Van der Zwaan will be sentenced to 30 days in prison. - February 23: Gates avoids stiff charges in a plea deal with investigators. He pleads guilty to lying and conspiring to defraud the government in relation to his Ukraine work, while agreeing to cooperate with the Mueller team. - April 9, 2018: In a Mueller spinoff case, New York prosecutors raid the residence and offices of Michael Cohen, Trump's then personal lawyer and fixer. They focus on Cohen's arranging hush payments to women claiming affairs with Trump, as well as financial wrongdoings. Cohen later implicates Trump in the hush money payments. - June 8: Mueller expands charges against Manafort in a second case filed in Washington, and adds Manafort confidant Konstantin Kilimnik, a Russian with intelligence links, to the indictment. Charges include obstruction of justice and money laundering, but nothing tied to Russian election meddling. - July 13: Mueller charges 12 members of the GRU, Russia's military intelligence agency, with conspiracy to hack the Clinton presidential campaign in 2016. - August 21: A Virginia jury finds Manafort guilty on eight counts of financial fraud. Weeks later, he pleads guilty to reduced charges in a second case as part of a cooperation deal. - November 29: Cohen admits to lying to Congress about Trump negotiations in 2016 to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. Two weeks later he is sentenced to three years in prison. December 4: Flynn gets a recommendation of no jail time after Mueller notes his "substantial assistance" to the investigation. - 2019 - - January 25: Longtime Republican operative Roger Stone is arrested for lying to investigators about his communications with WikiLeaks in 2016. - March 7-13: Paul Manafort is sentenced to a total of 90 months in prison in his two cases. - March 22: Mueller completes his investigation. Neither Trump nor any of his associates are charged with criminal conspiracy in the Russia interference case, and Mueller leaves unanswered the question of whether Trump obstructed the Mueller probe. In a four-page summary of the report, Attorney General Bill Barr says the evidence does not support obstruction charges. Trump declares the Mueller report "a complete and total exoneration." - April 18: A redacted version of the Mueller report is made public. - May 1: Attorney General Barr defends his handling of the Mueller report under tough questioning before the Senate Judiciary Committee. - May 6: Democrats launch contempt proceedings against Barr over his refusal to testify before the House. - May 29: Mueller says charging Trump with a crime was not an option because of Justice Department policy and leaves any further action to Congress. Following his remarks, Trump tweets 'The case is closed!" A man was killed and at least 70 people were injured in clashes in Indian Kashmir on Wednesday as protestors helped rebels escape two separate sieges by government forces, police and hospital authorities said. While protests in support of the surrounded rebels have increased on the Indian side of the divided territory in recent years, it is rare for insurgents to escape. Militant groups fighting the 500,000 Indian soldiers deployed there demand independence or a merger with Pakistan. Thousands of villagers poured onto roads Wednesday as two suspected rebels fought a gun battle with soldiers from inside a house in the Kulgam area in southern Kashmir. Protesters pelted government forces with stones to give the fighters cover to escape, they said. Fifty people were taken to a local hospital after government forces fired shotgun pellets and live bullets to push the protestors back, witnesses and hospital officials told AFP. "The house was blown up but the militants escaped in the confusion. No dead bodies were found in the debris," a top police officer told AFP on condition of anonymity. The officer said however that only three people were injured, one with a bullet and two with pellets in their eyes. "Scratches cannot be considered injuries," he said, to explain the discrepancy in numbers. Hundreds of villagers also clashed with government forces later in Shopian district after soldiers laid siege to a residential area looking for rebels. A local police official said one man was killed and another 20 people were injured in firing by government forces as a gunfight raged between suspected rebels and soldiers that also left a militant dead. Clashes between rebels fighting Indian rule in Kashmir and government forces occur almost daily. More than 90 militants have been killed so far this year. Residents from nearby villages often throng the streets to help rebels by hurling stones at Indian soldiers. Kashmir was divided between India and Pakistan after their independence in 1947. Tens of thousands have died in an uprising launched three decades ago, most of them civilians. Johannesburg (AFP) - South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday cut the number of cabinet ministers from 36 to 28, in a move he said would tackle the country's "bloated" government and improve efficiency. Half the new ministers are women, making South Africa one of the world's few gender-balanced governments. Ramaphosa announced the new line-up after he led the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party to victory in elections earlier this month. He took office last year after the ousting of graft-tainted Jacob Zuma, who had expanded the number of ministerial posts in an alleged attempt to strengthen his patronage network. "To promote greater coherence, better coordination and improved efficiency, we (are) reducing the number of ministers from 36 to 28," Ramaphosa said in televised address to the nation. "This is a significant move of downscaling our state. Many people believed our government... was bloated and this was agreed right across the board." In another dig at his predecessor, Ramaphosa said that the ANC had been re-elected with a mandate to end "state capture" -- the term used to describe government corruption under Zuma. "All South Africans are acutely aware of the great economic difficulties our country has been experiencing," Ramaphosa said. "It is therefore imperative... we place priority on revitalising our economy while exercising the greatest care in the use of public funds." "For the first time in the history of our country, half of all ministers are women," he added. - Balance of factions - Naming his new slimline cabinet, Ramaphosa kept internationally-respected Finance Minister Tito Mboweni in place, as well as his controversial Deputy President David Mabuza. Mabuza is seen as a pro-Zuma figure whose name has come up in media reports on alleged corruption and political killings when he was premier of the eastern province of Mpumalanga. Story continues "The retention of Tito Mboweni as finance minister... will appease markets and result in a positive perception of cabinet," said a briefing note from Peregrine Treasury Solutions, a South African investment company. It added that keeping Mabuza as deputy president "indicated that President Ramaphosa had to compromise to appease the Zuma faction within the ANC." Ramaphosa's close ally Pravin Gordhan was kept on as public enterprises minister, a key role as debt-laden state companies were at the centre of alleged graft schemes under Zuma. "The cabinet announcement largely rewards the President's supporters and seems a conservative selection without the injection of real fresh blood from the outside," said analyst Daniel Silke on Twitter. Ramaphosa, 66, an anti-apartheid activist who became a wealthy businessman, faces a tough battle to drive through reforms in a country suffering from chronic unemployment, racial tension and crime. The ANC won the May 8 election with 57.5 percent of the vote, its smallest majority since it led the fight against the apartheid regime that was replaced by multi-racial democracy in 1994. The party's celebrated reputation was badly sullied under Zuma's 2009-2018 rule as it was confronted by multiple corruption allegations and public anger over the failure to tackle post-apartheid inequality. South Africa's economy grew just 0.8 percent in 2018 and unemployment hovers at over 27 percent -- soaring to over 50 percent among young people. * Airbus born at May 29, 1969, talks between France, West Germany * Airliners and French display team in Toulouse flypast * Other celebrations more muted as cost cuts bite * Airbus leaders see 2012 governance shake-up as bigger milestone By Tim Hepher and Jan Schwartz PARIS/HAMBURG, May 29 (Reuters) - Airbus prepared on Wednesday to celebrate its 50th anniversary with a private flypast for staff at its Toulouse base and low-key publicity as a new management seeks a break with the company's turbulent and theatrical past. Europe's jetmaker was launched at a meeting between French and West German ministers on May 29, 1969, in a bid to revive struggling aircraft industries and seal post-war reconciliation. After battling to overcome American domination of the commercial market with its A300 twin-aisle jet, which first flew in 1972, Airbus eventually became a globally recognized symbol of European ambition, despite chronic in-fighting. But as it turns 50, Airbus is embroiled in soul-searching and management upheaval amid an ongoing corruption investigation and an austerity drive that has seen the budget for the birthday celebrations slashed and perks like executive dining reduced. Airbus invited Toulouse staff to a "special celebration" on Wednesday at which jetliners and the Patrouille de France display team were due to fly past factories and the group's plush headquarters, built under former CEO Tom Enders. But plans for a huge PR drive have been scaled down and German staff are being invited to a more homely celebration with a souvenir key fob and free ice cream, employees said. That's in stark contrast to a lavish gathering of heads of state and hundreds of media in 2005 to mark the world's largest airliner, the A380, which is now being axed due to weak demand. The emphasis now is on the smaller but more nimble A350 and repeated upgrades to its stalwart single-aisle A320 series which is expected to get a new variant at next month's Paris Airshow. Story continues NEW STRUCTURE The low-key nod to Airbus's heritage differs from a stage-managed PR event in Toulouse a week ago, which focused on future technology and data in front of 130 journalists and bloggers. Chief Executive Guillaume Faury, who took up his post last month, paid tribute to past generations of Airbus employees. "It's fair to say that many people doubted our chances of success but here we still are 50 years and 12,000 commercial aircraft later," he told reporters. But observers say the muted ceremony reflects a conviction among new Airbus leaders that the more significant date was 2012, when a turbulent power-sharing system between governments and industrial owners gave way to a more market-led structure. Analysts say efforts to "normalize" the company underpin soaring share prices, but some who witnessed its growth bemoan a loss of passion as industrial problems persist and sales falter, masked for now by a grounding crisis at rival Boeing. "It is a beginning but also the end," said one industry veteran, asking not to be named. Still, Airbus has overcome early airline skepticism, shareholder turmoil and price battles to share control of the $150-billion annual jetliner market with rival Boeing, securing some 130,000 jobs. An A320 takes off or lands every 2.5 seconds. "The idea was to pool expertise in a single project. They had to fight the reticent impulses of national governments that were not yet sure if they wanted to co-operate politically," said Nicola Clark, author of "Airbus: The first 50 years." "The Franco-German relationship ... eventually became the core of Airbus," she said. Britain and Spain also joined early on. Some experts say Britain's relationship with Airbus, with successive investments and withdrawals, echoes its uneasy stance towards the continent as it prepares to exit the European Union. "Britain could never really decide if it wanted to be part of it. Industrially it has been consistent but governments were not able to decide if they want to be in or out," Clark said. (Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Mark Potter) By Heekyong Yang SEOUL (Reuters) - Boeing Co's 737 MAX is unlikely to return to service before August, the head of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said on Wednesday, adding that the final say on the timing rested with regulators. The 737 MAX was grounded globally in March after a crash in Ethiopia killed all 157 people on board, the model's second deadly crash in five months. "We do not expect something before 10 to 12 weeks in re-entry into service," IATA Director General Alexandre de Juniac told reporters in Seoul. "But it is not our hands. That is in the hands of regulators." IATA plans to organize a summit with airlines, regulators and Boeing in 5 to 7 weeks to discuss what is needed for the 737 MAX to return to service, he said. The airline industry has had a tough six months with fuel, labor and infrastructure costs increasing and trade tensions rising in addition to the 737 MAX grounding, de Juniac said. IATA's December forecast for $35.5 billion in industry profits in 2019 is expected to be lowered in an update at its annual meeting in Seoul on June 2. At an IATA meeting for 737 MAX operators in Montreal last week, airline members said they wanted regulators to cooperate closely on the decision for the plane's re-entry to service, de Juniac said. "We hope that they will align their timeframe," he said of regulators. Boeing Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg on Wednesday reiterated the planemaker was focused on safely returning the MAX aircraft to service. Speaking at a Bernstein conference in New York, Muilenburg said the company continues to expect to ramp up its long-term production rate to 57 a month after cutting monthly output to 42 planes in response to the groundings. "We're making clear and steady progress, and that includes the work that we're doing on the airplane update, the software update, working through the certification process with the FAA," he said. Story continues Sources have told Reuters that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) expects to approve the jet's return to service as soon as late June. U.S. operators United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and American Airlines have removed the planes from their flight schedules until early to mid August. (Reporting by Heekyong Yang in Seoul; Sanjana Shivdas and Saumya Sibi Joseph in Bengaluru; additional reporting and writing by Jamie Freed in Singapore; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Saumyadeb Chakrabarty) Alphabet Inc. GOOGL division, Google has been gradually expanding its presence in Europe. It plans to open a new data centerin Hamina, Finland. The company will invest EUR 600 million ($672 million) for the development of this new data center. Notably, thismove is inline with the companys initiative to extend its cloud footprint globally. These facilities will cater to the surge in Internet usage and demand for data-storage capacity. We believe the growing number of data centers will add efficiency to Googles business as these will provide better storage for its vast search data, emails, photos and most importantly, cloud data with advanced security. Data Center Expansion Continues Google already owns a data center in Hamina on the south coast of Finland. Currently, the company has 58 data centers around the world. Particularly in Europe, Google has five such facilities and has invested more than 4.3 billion euros since 2007. The need for data-center expansion is on the rise due to growing demand for cloud computing and ever-increasing needs of Internet users. Google, being no exception, is expanding its data centers to meet the requirement of more data-intensive services such as Google search, Gmail, Google+, YouTube, wearables and Internet of Things (IoT). Moreover, the companys expansion into video gaming with its new streaming service Stadia will require it to boost its computing power exponentially. Stadia runs through the companys YouTube video-streaming platform and requires the data-center network to function. Growth Opportunity As per a report from Research and Markets, the global data-center storage market is expected to witness a CAGR of 11.83% during the 2018-2022 period. Therefore, most of the tech companies have been investing huge amounts to build more such facilities. Other firms, including Microsoft, have been making investments to built data centers in Europe. We believe Google is well positioned to take advantage of the projected growth in this segment. The expanding infrastructure will eventually boost Googles position in the cloud computing market, which is currently dominated by the likes of Amazon and Microsoft. Story continues Alphabet Inc. Price and Consensus Alphabet Inc. Price and Consensus Alphabet Inc. price-consensus-chart | Alphabet Inc. Quote Zacks Rank & Key Picks Currently, Alphabet carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the broader technology sector include Facebook, Inc. FB, IAC/InterActiveCorp IAC and AXT, Inc. AXTI, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), currently. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Long-term earnings growth for Facebook, IAC/InterActiveCorp and AXT is currently projected at 20.2%, 20.5% and 15%, respectively. Will you retire a millionaire? One out of every six people retires a multimillionaire. Get smart tips you can do today to become one of them in a new Special Report, 7 Things You Can Do Now to Retire a Multimillionaire. Click to get it free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report IAC/InterActiveCorp (IAC) : Free Stock Analysis Report Facebook, Inc. (FB) : Free Stock Analysis Report Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) : Free Stock Analysis Report AXT Inc (AXTI) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research If you have been looking for Non US - Equity fund category, a potential starting could be American Century NT Emerging Markets Institutional (ACLKX). ACLKX carries a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance. Objective We classify ACLKX in the Non US - Equity category, which is an area rife with potential choices. Investing in companies outside the United States is how Non US - Equity funds set themselves apart, since global funds tend to keep a good portion of their portfolio stateside. Many of these funds like to allocate across emerging and developed markets, and will often focus on all cap levels. History of Fund/Manager ACLKX is a part of the American Century family of funds, a company based out of Kansas City, MO. American Century NT Emerging Markets Institutional made its debut in May of 2006, and since then, ACLKX has accumulated about $457.57 million in assets, per the most up-to-date date available. The fund's current manager, Patricia Ribeiro, has been in charge of the fund since May of 2006. Performance Of course, investors look for strong performance in funds. ACLKX has a 5-year annualized total return of 6.44% and is in the top third among its category peers. But if you are looking for a shorter time frame, it is also worth looking at its 3-year annualized total return of 12.39%, which places it in the top third during this time-frame. When looking at a fund's performance, it is also important to note the standard deviation of the returns. The lower the standard deviation, the less volatility the fund experiences. The standard deviation of ACLKX over the past three years is 13.48% compared to the category average of 12.2%. The fund's standard deviation over the past 5 years is 14.58% compared to the category average of 13.02%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade. Risk Factors It's always important to be aware of the downsides to any future investment, so one should not discount the risks that come with this segment. In the most recent bear market, ACLKX lost 67.54% and underperformed its peer group by 9.08%. This could mean that the fund is a worse choice than comparable funds during a bear market. Story continues Investors should note that the fund has a 5-year beta of 0.8, so it is likely going to be less volatile than the market at large. Because alpha represents a portfolio's performance on a risk-adjusted basis relative to a benchmark, which is the S&P 500 in this case, one should pay attention to this metric as well. The fund has produced a negative alpha over the past 5 years of -2.16, which shows that managers in this portfolio find it difficult to pick securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns. Expenses Costs are increasingly important for mutual fund investing, and particularly as competition heats up in this market. And all things being equal, a lower cost product will outperform its otherwise identical counterpart, so taking a closer look at these metrics is key for investors. In terms of fees, ACLKX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 0.01% compared to the category average of 1.20%. ACLKX is actually cheaper than its peers when you consider factors like cost. Investors need to be aware that with this product, the minimum initial investment is $0; each subsequent investment has no minimum amount. Bottom Line Overall, American Century NT Emerging Markets Institutional ( ACLKX ) has a neutral Zacks Mutual Fund rank, strong performance, average downside risk, and lower fees compared to its peers. For additional information on the Non US - Equity area of the mutual fund world, make sure to check out www.zacks.com/funds/mutual-funds. There, you can see more about the ranking process, and dive even deeper into ACLKX too for additional information. And don't forget, Zacks has all of your needs covered on the equity side too! Make sure to check out Zacks.com for more information on our screening capabilities, Rank, and all our articles as well. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Get Your Free (ACLKX): Fund Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Myanmar's military is guilty of committing new "war crimes", extrajudicial killings and torture in its fight against ethnic Rakhine rebels, Amnesty International said Wednesday. The armed forces have deployed thousands of troops and heavy artillery across northern Rakhine state in recent months where Arakan Army (AA) rebels are fighting for more autonomy for the state's ethnic Rakhine Buddhists. The state was also the scene of the military's bloody crackdown against the Rohingya Muslim community in 2017. That campaign pushed some 740,000 Rohingya into Bangladesh in violence UN investigators say warrants prosecution of top generals for "genocide". Amnesty said Wednesday it had "new evidence" that Myanmar's military is now "committing war crimes and other human rights violations" against the ethnic Rakhine, listing extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, torture and enforced disappearances. Access to the conflict area is heavily restricted but details of civilian deaths have emerged over recent weeks and months. But the army has confirmed it shot dead six detainees late last month in the village of Kyauk Tan. Amnesty's report is based on scores of interviews with people from various ethnic groups, photographs, videos and satellite imagery. It documents seven unlawful attacks that killed 14 civilians and injured dozens more, saying notorious infantry units have been deployed against the ethnic Rakhine. Some Rohingya Muslims who have remained in the area have also been killed. "The new operations in Rakhine State show an unrepentant, unreformed and unaccountable military terrorising civilians," said regional director Nicholas Bequelin. Army spokesman Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun denied all allegations, saying the military's operations were within the law and they "avoided harming civilians". "This was an operation to clear terrorists. We were careful not to commit any war crimes," he told AFP. Story continues Amnesty also criticised the government for choosing to "remain silent" while supplies of medicine, food and humanitarian relief remain blocked by authorities. In an unprecedented move after the AA attacked police posts in January, Aung San Suu Kyi's government ordered the army to "crush" the rebels. The government spokesman could not be reached for comment. Although the military was the main perpetrator, AA insurgents have also "committed abuses against civilians", Amnesty said, alleging they have sent letters with bullets to local administrators and business people. "I can firmly say it does not happen," AA spokesman Khine Thu Kha told AFP by phone, denying the claims. Photo: OC Tasty Chicken & Banh Mi/Yelp Looking to sample the best sandwiches around town? Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best affordable sandwich hot spots in Anaheim, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to fulfill your urges. 1. Campitelli Cookies & Sandwiches Photo: Leilani Laisa T./Yelp Topping the list is Campitelli Cookies & Sandwiches. Located at 5557 E. Santa Ana Canyon Road, Suite 102 in Anaheim Hills, the bakery and restaurant, which offers sandwiches, cookies and more, is the highest-rated cheap sandwich spot in Anaheim, boasting 4.5 stars out of 211 reviews on Yelp. In addition to baking fresh cookies and serving up made-to-order fresh deli sandwiches, Campitelli's also offers stromboli, soups and salads. Dine in with the hot pastrami on sourdough bread or order a dozen chocolate chip cookies to go. 2. Board & Brew Photo: Board & Brew - anaheim hills/Yelp Anaheim Hills' Board & Brew, located at 5701 E. Santa Ana Canyon Road, Suite P, is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the budget-friendly beer bar and cafe, which offers sandwiches and more, 4.5 stars out of 514 reviews. Board & Brew is a California-based chain that partners with local farmers and vendors "to source the highest quality hormone free, organic when possible, sustainably farmed meats, dairy and produce," according to its website. Stop in to sample the veggie supreme sandwich with cheddar and jack cheese, cucumber, mayo, onion, lettuce, tomato and sprouts, topped with avocado on squaw bread. 3. OC Tasty Chicken & Banh Mi Photo: OC Tasty Chicken & Banh Mi/Yelp OC Tasty Chicken & Banh Mi, a Vietnamese spot and grocery store that offers sandwiches and more in Southeast Anaheim, is another much-loved, cheap go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 519 Yelp reviews. Head over to 2117 E. Ball Road to see for yourself. This spot serves both Vietnamese sandwiches and entrees, in addition to sides like spring rolls, sticky rice and vegetarian noodles soup. Order the chicken meatball banh mi with tomato sauce, pickled carrot and daikon, cucumber, cilantro and jalapeno. Story continues 4. U-Doggee Catering Photo: Donna H./Yelp Over in Anaheim Hills, check out U-Doggee Catering, which has earned five stars out of 95 reviews on Yelp. Dig in at the spot to score sandwiches and hot dogs by heading over to 1095 N. Pullman St. Established in 1986, this restaurant offers a selection of fresh-made sandwiches, gourmet hot dogs, sausages and hamburgers. Hungry for a sandwich? Choose from pastrami, grilled chicken, roast beef, Chicago Italian beef, Philly cheese steak or turkey and ham. 5. Grow Coffee + Tea Photo: Nicholas G./Yelp Finally, there's Grow Coffee + Tea, a local favorite with 4.5 stars out of 420 reviews. Stop by 1035 N. Tustin Ave. to hit up the breakfast and lunch spot, which offers sandwiches, coffee and more, next time you're looking to satisfy your cravings on a budget. Grow Coffee + Tea's menu features sandwiches, breakfast burritos, pastries and both hot and cold coffee and tea selections try the siracha chicken sandwich with an iced dirty chai latte. This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. German Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks with the media as she arrives for an EU summit in Brussels, Tuesday, May 28, 2019. Credit: AP Photo/Francisco Seco German chancellor Angela Merkel has spoken out in support of her protege, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, over the Christian Democrat chairwomans controversial suggestion that there should be a debate on rules regulating online political propaganda around election seasons. Speaking after an EU summit in Brussels on Tuesday evening, Merkel said: Everyone I know in the CDU supports freedom of opinion as a basic principle. Merkel dismissed a Bloomberg report from Tuesday claiming she doubted Kramp-Karrenbauers ability to succeed her as the next potential chancellor as nonsense and said she was not willing to comment on this any further. On Tuesday, Bloomberg quoted unnamed officials in the German government as saying that Merkel had lost faith in Kramp-Karrenbauer, after a series of missteps including making a joke about transexual people during a skit she performed on stage during the Cologne festival. Under AKKs new leadership, the CDU suffered a drubbing in the European elections on Sunday. Kramp-Karrenbauer on Monday said: "What would happen in this country if, say, 70 of newspapers decided two days before the election to make a joint appeal: 'Please don't vote CDU or SPD'?" She added that this would be seen as a clear attempt to manipulate opinion ahead of the vote. Her remark was mainly in reference to a video posted by popular German YouTuber Rezo, a few days before the European elections. Rezo urged people not to vote for the center-right CDU, Germanys biggest party, saying it was fostering a huge divide between rich and poor in Germany, and slamming the state of its climate policies. An online petition launched by two YouTube stars demanding no internet censorship, and that Kramp-Karrenbauer step down has garnered over 55,000 signatures since Tuesday in Germany. Politicians across the spectrum expressed their disgust at Kramp-Karrenbauers remarks on what essentially amounts to online censorship. Even some within her own party have spoken out against her remarks. Armin Laschet, a CDU deputy chairman tweeted: The constitution protects our freedom of opinion in all media. Story continues READ MORE: Outrage in Germany as Merkel's successor suggests curbing political debate online The European election has been broadly described as a climate election, with the Greens becoming the fourth largest group in the European Parliament. But it was in Germany where they really triumphed, coming in second only to the Christian Democrats, thanks to the support of younger voters concerned that Germanys traditional parties are not taking any real action to combat climate change. Luanda (AFP) - Angola's main opposition party, the former rebel movement UNITA, said Wednesday it planned to go ahead with a public funeral this weekend for its ex-leader Jonas Savimbi after a dispute with the government over the handling of his remains. Savimbi, a charismatic, controversial warlord who fought Angola's socialist government in a 27-year civil war, was killed in a battle against the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) government forces in February 2002. His death paved the way for a peace deal bringing an end to one of Africa's longest and bloodiest conflicts, which erupted after independence from Portugal in 1975. UNITA had long called for the MPLA, which has governed Angola since independence, to allow his body to be exhumed and given a "dignified" burial. After a meeting on Wednesday between Savimbi's family and UNITA, the party had "decided to maintain its programme" for the burial on Saturday, UNITA spokesman Alcides Sakala Simoes told AFP. "We are calling for calm," Simoes said, adding the burial would be an important moment to help in "the construction of a national reconciliation." Savimbi's son, Cheya Savimbi, confirmed the burial would take place on Saturday. After negotiations, the government had planned to hand over the remains of the former rebel chief on Tuesday to allow the body to be buried in his native village on Saturday. But the remains were not handed over, sparking accusations from both sides. The government said the family and UNITA delegation did not show up as arranged in Luena in Moxico provInce. But the family delegation was waiting in Kuito, around 400 kilometres away (250 miles) where they said the meeting had been arranged. The government says the body was transported on Tuesday to Andulo, a village near where the Savimbi funeral was planned. "We left the body in the military barracks" in Andulo, said Pedro Sebastiao, head of security for President Joao Lourenco, urging UNITA to collect it as soon as possible. The family said the government had changed the programme but said they did not want any "conflict" over the burial. BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) -- Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo flared this week after Kosovo's police raided Serb-dominated areas in the region's north and arrested scores of people. There have been clashes between Kosovo's police and local Serbs, with several people injured, and two U.N. personnel were detained, including a Russian. Serbia raised its combat readiness and warned it won't stand by if Serbs in Kosovo are attacked. The situation has fueled fears of a renewal of the 1998-99 conflict that claimed more than 10,000 lives and left over 1 million homeless. An explanation of why Kosovo remains a flashpoint: WHY ARE SERBIA AND KOSOVO AT ODDS? Kosovo is a mainly ethnic Albanian territory that was formerly a province in Serbia. It declared independence in 2008. Serbia has refused to recognize Kosovo's statehood and still considers it part of Serbia, even though it has no formal control there. Kosovo's independence has been recognized by about 100 countries, including the United States. Russia, China and five European Union nations have sided with Serbia. The deadlock has kept tensions simmering and prevented full stabilization of the Balkan region after the bloody wars in the 1990s. HOW DEEP IS THE CONFLICT? The dispute over Kosovo is centuries-old. Serbia cherishes the region as the heart of its statehood and religion. Numerous medieval Serb Orthodox Christian monasteries are in Kosovo. Serb nationalists view a 1389 battle against Ottoman Turks there as a symbol of its national struggle. Kosovo's majority ethnic Albanians, who are majority Muslims, view Kosovo as their country and accuse Serbia of occupation and repression. Ethnic Albanian rebels launched a rebellion in 1998 to rid the country of Serbian rule. Belgrade's brutal response prompted a NATO intervention in 1999, which forced Serbia to pull out and cede control to international peacekeepers. WHAT IS THE SITUATION LOCALLY? There are constant tensions between the Kosovo government and the Serbs who live mainly in the north of the country and keep close ties with Belgrade. Attempts by the central government to impose more control in the Serb-dominated north are usually met with resistance from Serbs. Mitrovica, the main town in the north, has been effectively divided into an ethnic Albanian part and a Serb-held part, and the two sides do not mix. There are also smaller Serb-populated enclaves in the south of Kosovo, while tens of thousands of Kosovo Serbs live in central Serbia, where they fled together with the withdrawing Serb troops in 1999. Story continues HAVE THERE BEEN ATTEMPTS TO RESOLVE THE DISPUTE? There have been constant international efforts to find common ground between the two former foes, but there has been no comprehensive agreement so far. European Union officials have mediated negotiations designed to normalize relations between Serbia and Kosovo, and some areas have seen results, like introducing freedom of movement and multiethnic police. Serbia pulled out of the talks after Kosovo imposed a 100% import tax. An idea has been floated for border changes as the way forward, but this was rejected by many EU countries out of fears that it could cause a chain reaction in other ethnically mixed areas in the Balkans and trigger more trouble in the region. WHO ARE THE MAIN PLAYERS? Both Kosovo and Serbia are led by nationalist leaders who were active during the era of the 1998-99 war. In Kosovo, former rebels hold both the presidency and the prime minister's post. Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj and President Hashim Thaci are political opponents: Thaci initially supported an idea to change borders for peace, while Haradinaj strongly opposes it. In Serbia, powerful populist President Aleksandar Vucic, a former ultranationalist, insists that any solution must be a compromise in order to last. He has openly acknowledged that Serbia has lost control over Kosovo and has to come to terms with that, but says the country won't settle unless it gains something. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? International officials are hoping to restart talks between Serbia and Kosovo. Both nations must normalize ties if they want to advance toward EU membership. No breakthrough would mean prolonged instability, economic decline and constant potential for clashes. Any Serbian military intervention in Kosovo would mean a clash with NATO peacekeepers there, and Serbia is unlikely to move in. But Belgrade controls Kosovo's north, and Kosovo cannot become a member of the U.N. and a functional state without resolving the dispute with Serbia. Several 2020 Democratic presidential candidates said Wednesday that special counsel Robert Mueller's comments on his Russia investigation should be read by Congress as a call to begin impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump. Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker said Muellers statement makes it clear that Congress has a legal and moral obligation" to move forward with impeachment proceedings. Booker, a senator from New Jersey, was among the first 2020 candidates to weigh in on Muellers comments, the first on his two-year-long investigation, in which he declined to clear Trump. Ive been asking for Muellers testimony today he made his views clear, Booker said on Twitter. "Robert Muellers statement makes it clear: Congress has a legal and moral obligation to begin impeachment proceedings immediately. Perhaps the most important voice on whether Democrats will attempt to impeach Trump belongs to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's. She has cautioned Democrats that taking the impeachment path could prove to be helpful to Trump's political fortunes. On Wednesday, she said "Congress will continue to investigate and legislate to protect our elections and secure our democracy." Former Vice President Joe Biden, the 2020 Democratic frontrunner, stopped short of calling for impeachment but said that the possibility that House Democrats may have to move might become unavoidable. "Vice President Biden agrees with Speaker Pelosi that no one would relish what would certainly be a divisive impeachment process, but that it may be unavoidable if this administration continues on its path," the Biden campaign said in a statement. "For all these reasons and many more, Vice President Biden will continue to make the case as to why President Trump should not be re-elected. That is the surefire way to get him out of office." WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 29: Special Counsel Robert Mueller walks away from the podium after making a statement about the Russia investigation on May 29, 2019 at the Justice Department in Washington, DC. Mueller said that he is stepping down as special counsel and that the report he gave to the attorney general is his last words on the subject. Mueller in a news conference Wednesday said if his office "had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so. Story continues "We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime," Mueller added. More: Robert Mueller: Charging Trump was 'not an option we could consider' More: Read the full text of Robert Mueller's comments on the Russia investigation, Trump Mueller also noted that while Justice Department policy prohibits charging a sitting president with a crime, the Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoinga reference to Congresss ability to begin impeachment proceedings. Mueller suggested in his comments to reporters that he is reluctant to testify publicly saying that his offices voluminous report was my testimony. This Administration has continued to stonewall Congresss oversight. Beginning impeachment proceedings is the only path forward. Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) May 29, 2019 Sen. Elizabeth Warren, another Democrat vying for the 2020 presidential nomination, said Muellers statement left it to Congress to act. She was the first major Democratic presidential candidate to call for the House to impeach Trump last month. Muellers statement makes clear what those who have read his report know: It is an impeachment referral, and its up to Congress to act. They should, Warren said. Kamala Harris said lawmakers "need to start impeachment proceedings." It was a rhetorical sharpening from her stance last month following the release of the Mueller report when she said Congress should take the steps towards impeachment, while also expressing pessimism that Senate Republicans would act if the Democrat-controlled House impeached the president. Harris said Mueller's comment that it was "not an option" to indict Trump because of a DOJ's Office of Legal Counsel finding that prohibits the prosecution of a sitting president should be eye-opening to lawmakers. "We learned a few things today," Harris said. "Most importantly, we learned that the special counsel did not return an indictment because of that memo. But for that memo, it's a fair inference from what we heard from Bob Mueller, is that there would have been indictments returned against this president." There must be consequences, accountability, and justice. The only way to ensure that is to begin impeachment proceedings. Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) May 29, 2019 South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg told NBC News that Mueller's remarks were "as close to an impeachment referral as you could get under the circumstances." "The message really is, 'Over to you, Congress,'" Former Rep. Beto ORourke noted Mueller concluded there were multiple, systemic efforts to interfere in our election," yet Trump repeatedly called the investigation a hoax. He invited these attacks, obstructed the investigation into them & told Putin there will be no consequences for launching a concerted attack on our political system, ORourke tweeted. There must be consequences, accountability, and justice. The only way to ensure that is to begin impeachment proceedings. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand earlier this month told Politico she thought that impeachment "should be left on the table" while also endorsing Pelosi's approach as "smart." After Mueller's press briefing Wednesday, the New York senator said it was time for Congress to act. "Combined with the fact that Robert Mueller clearly expects Congress to exercise its constitutional authority and take steps that he could not, it's time for Republicans and Democrats to begin impeachment hearings and follow the facts wherever they may lead," she said. "We cannot let this president defy basic accountability measures built into our Constitution." Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, another Democratic presidential candidate, also took to social media to declare Robert Mueller made it clear: No exoneration. Donald Trump and William Barr lied about the Mueller report. Inslee added. Former HUD Secretary Julian Castro said that Mueller left his investigation "at the feet of Congress." "No one is above the law Congress should begin an impeachment inquiry," Castro said. Montana Gov. Steve Bullock called on Congress to oversight of Trump and his administration, but like Biden, stopped short of endorsing impeachment. "As a former attorney general, I know that no individual is above the law," Bullock said. "While Congress exercises its oversight authority, it is important to remember what Americans are focused on." Robert Mueller made it clear: No exoneration. Jay Inslee (@JayInslee) May 29, 2019 Trump offered a different reading on Muellers comments. Nothing changes from the Mueller Report, Trump tweeted. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you. Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2019 This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Begin impeachment proceedings immediately': 2020 Dems call for Congress to act after Mueller speech In August 2014, weeks after rigged elections returned Syrian President Bashar Assad a mandate to continue holding the office he had inherited from his father, Syrian border officials denied American-Lebanese journalist Sam Dagher re-entry into the country. A senior Wall Street Journal correspondent and the last Western reporter permanently based in Damascus, Dagher had reported on how Assads decisions directly contributed to the rise of ISIS, and how the regime starved rebel-held suburbs after it had attacked them with chemical weapons. But it was his coverage of the June elections that constituted the point of no return, he says, I was reporting on the spectacle, not only saying it was a sham but also showing it. Barred from re-entering Syria, Dagher later traveled to Paris where he met Manaf Tlass, a confidante of Assad and former Brigadier General in the Syrian Republican Guard until his high profile defection in 2012. Manafs father, the late Mustafa Tlass had been a pillar of the Baath party establishment, unwaveringly loyal to Bashers father, Hafez Assad, and served as his defense minister for 30-years. Daghers meetings with Manaf Tlass sowed the seeds for his book Assad or We Burn the Country, published May 28. In a conversation with TIME he discussed how the regime burnished Bashars image after Hafez handed him power in 2000 and how alongside his wife Asma subject of a fawning Vogue profile published in 2011 the British-educated ophthalmologist attempted to cast himself as a reformist. But in copying his fathers methods of crushing dissent, he caused a war that has killed more than 500,000 people. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. What motivated you to write Assad or We Burn the Country? I felt like there wasnt a sufficient understanding of this familys role in the Syria story. People got into the Syria story through the Arab Spring and the revolt but it was a very simplistic narrative: it happened in Tunisia, it happened in Egypt, now the Syrians are rising up and when the regime refused to go so it became a civil war. Then attention shifted to ISIS and the refugee issue. What was missing was a deeper understanding of why Syrians rose up in the first place, how this family ruled over them for 50 years, and the role of its allies, particularly Iran. I felt there was a need to step back and look at the whole picture if we wanted to address the problems emanating from Syria. Story continues What have Western countries most consistently misunderstand about Syria? Western countries relationships with Syria have largely been driven by whatever interests they had in the region at any given moment. During the Cold War, the U.S. agenda was how do we get Hafez Assad on our side? When the civil war started in Lebanon, the Americans wanted him to protect the Christians. And in the early 1990s, the American agenda was to amass this coalition to go after Saddam. Bashar was cooperating with the U.S on intelligence sharing before the invasion of Iraq, after 9/11. But when he realized they might be going after him he calculated that he had better start a pre-emptive war in Iraq to protect the regime. American calculations changed again because they needed to save face in Iraq, so there was a re-engagement period between 2007 and 2010. The Assad regime knows how the West deals with this part of the world and it can wait because it figures its not going anywhere. Im not advocating military intervention to topple the regime. Im just saying that all these countries have to take history into account when they decide to engage with Syria. Towards the end of the book you show how a regime that killed activists who posted anti-Assad messages on social media is now using those same platforms to rebuild Bashars image. Is that even possible? Hes trying hard but its going to be difficult. The regime understands theres only so far it can go with rehabilitating Bashars image, even domestically. What theyre doing instead is relying on their old trick: brute, naked fear. Ive heard from a number of Syrians that the regimes message to them is were on top of you again. Theyve re-instated a lot of the statues of Hafez, the Mukhabarat [secret police] is telling people were back, youd better watch what you say. In terms of the West, some countries have re-engaged with the regime but its mainly intelligence sharing at this point. I dont see Bashar and Asma being able to pull off a rehabilitation of their image. Russia and some Western commentators have suggested there is more public support for Assad than has been acknowledged. What sense do you have of Syrian public sentiment toward the regime after Assads victory? People are making pragmatic choices but I dont think that tells the whole story. You have to remember that half of the population is either internally displaced or abroad and most of these people do not support Assad. Inside Syria, the Alawites [ a minority sect to which Assad belongs, whose faith derives from a strain of Shia Islam] sacrificed the most for this regime in terms of providing the fighting forces to defend it and they openly support Assad. But for many, they were not defending Assad, they were defending themselves against an existential threat. The same applies to other minorities: many Christians and Druze [a religious minority] sympathized with the protesters and took part in at least the peaceful period of the protests before they realized, yes, the regime may be awful but look at the other side. Even the Sunnis came to that conclusionbut it was more like resignation than support. A lot of urban Sunnis are now questioning the benefits of Assads victory and starting to have second thoughts. Whether its Saudi Crown Prince Mohamad bin Salman (MBS), Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el Sisi, or Libyas Khalifa Haftar, the notion of a man we can do business with seems to persist. Have any lessons have been learned from Syria? Im glad you brought up MBS because the script has been pretty much the same as it was with Bashar. In the late 1990s, all these articles were written before Bashar took power, touting him as a young reformer. There was actually a headline for a story on Bashar in a Saudi-owned newspaper, reform under the umbrella of continuity and stability, that was almost exactly the same as the one they used for MBS years later. The leverage that the Saudis have are contracts and money and oil. The leverage the likes of Assad have is terrorism and refugees: always reminding Europe and the U.S. that if you come after us its going to be the refugees and the terrorists again. So, these countries calculate that they had better just shut that door. You hear statements from Europe like, let the Syrians figure it out for themselves, its not our problem. With Iran and Russia behind him, Bashars grip on the country is too tight for that to work, unfortunately. One of your most important sources was Manaf Tlass, who defected in 2012. How did that relationship come about? I first met Manaf in Paris in 2014 for an article I was writing for the Wall Street Journal. I was aware he was a controversial figure but I think he offers invaluable insights into the regime. The Tlass family, alongside the Assads, helped build the regime that has been at the helm of Syria for 50 years. It was certainly a difficult process. Manaf sees himself as a hero who was misunderstood and wasnt given a chance by the West, somebody who challenged Bashar and refused to participate in the killing of Syrians. He thought the book was going to help people understand his motivations. I made it clear that I would be looking at the full picture rather than trying to clear his family name. His wife was completely against him talking to me. She even asked to meet with me to dissuade me from pursuing this. Whats the key message youd like readers to take away from Assad or We Burn the Country? The Assad familys atrocities and crimes concern the whole world not just Syrians. The most important element for me is the similarity between what Bashar did and what his father did. Under the pretext of fighting terrorism Hafez massacred civilians in Hama in 1982 and later Bashar used the same excuse to go after those who were defying him. Both went after the peaceful activists first, vilifying them and putting them all together in the same category as terrorists, then there was the collective punishment. Its the same playbook. Even the torture methods were similar. So were the reactions of some other countries. During the Hafez era the U.S. was saying, OK, this is an awful regime, look at what theyre doing to their people, theyre sponsoring terrorism abroad, but we have all these other problems to deal with so maybe we shouldnt make as much of a big deal out of it. We heard variations of this after 2011 especially as the conflict became bloodier. The book also helps people understand the methodology behind the regimes image-making, the tools of its deception. I think that aspect is not well understoodhow they have gotten away with murder so far. Assad or We Burn the Country: How One Familys Lust for Power Destroyed Syria (Little, Brown) is published May 28 The Department of Energy appears to have a surprising new nickname for natural gas: freedom gas. The unexpected new moniker made its debut in a press release issued Tuesday to announce the approval of additional liquified natural gas (LNG) exports from a terminal on Quintana Island, Texas. It also included the term molecules of U.S. freedom. Under Secretary of Energy Mark W. Menezes unveiled the term freedom gas in the release, which notes that he highlighted the approval at the Clean Energy Ministerial in Vancouver, Canada. Increasing export capacity from the Freeport LNG project is critical to spreading freedom gas throughout the world by giving Americas allies a diverse and affordable source of clean energy, he said. Later in the release, Steven Winberg, the assistant secretary for fossil energy, said the department is promoting an efficient regulatory system to enable molecules of U.S. freedom to be exported to the world. Energy Secretary Rick Perry, a former Texas governor, has equated natural gas with freedom in the past. In January 2018, Perry told Fox Business that giving allies access to energy choices is a priceless kind of freedom. The United States is not just exporting energy, were exporting freedom, Perry said. One of the first people to have called the export freedom gas appears to have been a European journalist from the platform Euractiv. While the Perry was visiting Brussels in April, the journalist asked if freedom gas was an accurate description. Perry agreed, saying that the U.S. is again delivering a form of freedom to Europe. And rather than in the form of young American soldiers, its in the form of liquefied natural gas. New technologies, including the process known as fracking, have enabled an increase in natural gas production. The industry has won praise as a job-creation engine, and for providing a cheap energy source that produces less atmosphere-damaging carbon dioxide than coal. However, scientists warn that natural gas emits a significant amount of methane a gas that contributes to global warming. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday that he would work with President Donald Trump to fill a Supreme Court vacancy should one arise during next years presidential election, CNN reports. The comments marked a reversal from his position in 2016, when he moved to block a nomination by then-President Barack Obama. The question was posed by an attendee of a speaking appearance at the Paducah Chamber of Commerce luncheon in Kentucky, a video of which was shared on the local WPSD TV website. Should a Supreme Court justice die next year, what will your position be on filling that spot? the attendee asked. After a pause, McConnell answered, Oh, wed fill it. Triggering laughter from the audience, he added that doing so would be the best way to ensure a long-lasting positive impact in the U.S. and that following the law is the most important thing weve done in the country. In March 2016, the senator refused to consider Obamas nominee, Merrick Garland, when a seat was left vacant following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. He said then that the Republican-controlled senate would not confirm a nomination until the next president assumed office. The seat went unfilled until Trump nominated Neil Gorsuch, who was sworn in in April 2017. McConnells comments infuriated Democrats, who were quick to recall his move three years ago. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called McConnell a hypocrite on Twitter and that McConnell lives for GOP judges because he sees control of the courts as the only way Republican agenda can be achieved. Seriously its no surprise.@SenateMajLdr McConnell lives for GOP judges because he knows the GOP agenda is so radical & unpopular they can only achieve it in courts. Anyone who believes hed ever allow confirmation of a Dem President's nominee for SCOTUS is fooling themselves. Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) May 29, 2019 Democratic presidential hopeful Julian Castro called his shamelessness at stealing a Supreme Court seat is appalling. A large company like Walmart (NYSE: WMT) or Target (NYSE: TGT) can adjust to changes in its supply chain much easier than a small business can. Yes, it can sometimes be hard to steer a larger ship, but money solves a lot of problems. That's why in the face of looming expanded tariffs on goods imported from China, retail's biggest players are well positioned. Prices will go up -- Walmart's and Target's CEOs have already offered warnings on that -- but these retail giants can take steps to protect their supply chain that small businesses can't. Rows of shipping containers. The proposed tariffs will make goods from China more expensive. Image source: Getty Images. Why is it harder for small businesses? Walmart and Target have the cash to buy more inventory before the Trump administration's tariffs on Chinese goods kick in. They can monitor the situation and front-load purchases to have goods already imported before the cost of doing that increases. That, of course, does have some cost itself. Warehousing and lengthening how long something sits in inventory costs money, but not nearly as much as paying an extra 25% in tariffs on imported items. A small business might be able to increase inventory slightly, but it's not likely to have the free capital to make big buys ahead of the tariffs being implemented. In addition, smaller companies that make those big advance purchases may put their survival in jeopardy if consumer demand shifts before the items can actually be sold. Large retailers also have the buying power to change their supply chain. If Walmart or Target want goods made in countries not being impacted by tariffs, they have the muscle to take supply away from smaller players. That's not particularly fair, but it happens quite often when demand for an item exceeds supply. The big boys that can place larger orders get served first, and small business gets what's left. "The Administration's decision to announce a tax on every product coming from China puts America's entire economy at risk," according to a statement from the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA). "No product category will be spared if this latest threat materializes. Food and home goods, clothing and shoes, toys and electronics -- Americans' entire shopping cart will get more expensive." Story continues It's a tax Target CEO Brian Cornell is the chairman for RILA, which counts Walmart as a "premier" member. The group has made it very clear that it's against tariffs, and it takes a bolder stand than most individual chains do -- likely because a trade association does not have to fear political fallout in the same way a brand does. "Retailers have long held out hope that President Trump would negotiate a trade deal that checks Chinese anti-competitive practices and intellectual property theft. But a massive increase in tariffs does not correct Chinese bad behavior, it punishes American families," RILA said in its statement. "Tariffs are taxes, and if this latest threat takes effect, this will likely be the largest tax increase on consumers in American history." These are taxes that even the biggest players in retail can't keep from impacting their customers. Small business owners will have an even harder time because they don't have the buying power, cash, or flexibility that their giant competitors do. If these tariffs are implemented, then small businesses importing goods from China will suffer. That suffering will be magnified by companies like Target and Walmart being able to avoid some of the impact, creating an even greater price divide. In that scenario, it's easy to see how some smaller players may get priced out of existence. And this won't just hurt mom-and-pop stores. It could be the tipping point for retailers like J.C. Penney and Sears that are already fighting for survival. More From The Motley Fool Daniel B. Kline has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. By Walter Bianchi BUENOS AIRES, May 28 (Reuters) - The Argentine lower house presented a bill on Tuesday to legalize abortion less than a year after the Senate rejected similar legislation, backed by a persistent groundswell of support from the abortion rights movement. The new measure is essentially the same as last year's legislation but adds safeguards for all women seeking an abortion, regardless of sexual identity, while removing certain legal requirements that could slow judicial approval for an abortion. Protesters clad in the trademark green bandanas that have become a symbol of the movement took to the streets of Buenos Aires to support the bill. "In essence, the project is the same. But we've made some changes according to the lessons we learned last year," said Nina Burgo, founder of the National Campaign for the Right to Legal, Safe and Free Abortion. The movement, backed by feminist groups galvanized in recent years to stop violence against women, has argued the legislation would end unregulated abortions that government data show is the leading cause of maternal deaths. In August, the Senate voted 38 to 31 against the proposed measure, which would have legalized a woman's right to seek an abortion into the 14th week of pregnancy. The bill had narrowly passed in the lower house in July. "I can only hope that this time, vote their conscience, and that they consider the children that die in these clandestine abortions," student protester Abril Gonzalez on Tuesday. There are at least 350,000 illegal abortions in Argentina every year, the Ministry of Health estimates, though international human rights groups say the number may be higher. Current Argentine law only permits abortions in cases of rape, or if the mother's health is at risk. Uruguay and Cuba are the only Latin American countries that now have broadly legalized abortion. (Reporting by Walter Bianchi, writing by Dave Sherwood; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall) By Zaw Naing Oo YANGON, May 29 (Reuters) - A court in Myanmar has issued an arrest warrant for a nationalist Buddhist monk, Wirathu, on a charge of sedition, police said on Wednesday. Wirathu is known for his rhetoric against minority Muslims, particularly the Rohingya community, but he has also been critical of the civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi and supportive of Myanmar's powerful military. Police spokesman Myo Thu Soe said the arrest warrant had been issued on Tuesday by the western district court in Myanmar's main city, Yangon. He did not give a reason for the warrant. At recent rallies, Wirathu has accused the government of corruption and criticized it for trying to change the constitution in a way that would reduce the power of the military. "This sedition accusation is bullying him," Thu Saitta, an ally of Wirathu, told Reuters. "We won't say what we will do if he is arrested, but it is certain that we won't be calm." Wirathu is the most prominent of the nationalist monks to gain growing political weight in Myanmar since a transition from military rule began in 2011. The police spokesman said the warrant had not yet been received by police in the central city of Mandalay, where Wirathu is based. Wirathu was banned by Myanmar's highest religious authority from preaching for one year until early last year because of hate speech. He has often targeted Rohingya Muslims, more than 700,000 of whom fled an army crackdown in Rakhine State in 2017 that U.N. investigators said was carried out with "genocidal intent." The law under which Wirathu faces possible arrest prohibits bringing "hatred or contempt" or exciting disaffection towards the government. It carries a prison sentence of up to three years. (Writing by Matthew Tostevin Editing by Robert Birsel) Photo: Hamilton: The Exhibition/Yelp A new art museum and historical tour spot has opened for business in the neighborhood. Located at 1535 S. Linn White Drive, the new arrival is called Hamilton: The Exhibition. The new art exhibition takes visitors through the story of Alexander Hamilton and the founding of our nation. According to the website, the exhibit features "interactive games and displays, lifelike projections, full-scale statues and Instagram-worthy art installations." With a 4.5-star rating out of four reviews on Yelp so far, the fresh arrival is on its way to developing a local fan base. Alexandra B., who was among the first Yelpers to review the new spot on April 27, wrote, "My world was turned upside down by the Hamilton Exhibition on opening day! The amount of detail, planning and true genius of David Korins cannot be captured in words." Yelper Ron A. added, My wife and I went through this exhibition after also seeing the Broadway show. If you love Hamilton and history, it is a great way to spend two hours or so. It is only in Chicago for a limited time, so if you want to see it, go sooner than later. Interested? Stop by to welcome the new business to the neighborhood. Hamilton: The Exhibition is open from noon6 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, 10 a.m.6 p.m. on Wednesday and Sunday and 10 a.m.8 p.m. on Thursday-Saturday. This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. AJG recently acquired Cairnstone Financial, LLC. The terms of the transaction have not been revealed. Founded in 2010, Zionsville, IN-based Cairnstone Financial is a benefits consultant offering group health, life, wellness, retirement, disability and dental coverages and services. The company serves its middle-market customers across the Midwestern United States. Cairnstone Financial has been focusing on growing its business while finding innovative ways to help clients control healthcare costs. The addition of Cairnstone Financial will boost the acquirers product offerings. Arthur J. Gallagher is one of the top five global brokers. In the first quarter of 2019, the company completed 11 brokerage acquisitions, which should add about $70 million of annualized revenues. The recent acquisition is the eighth in the second quarter. Given its solid capital position, the company is well poised to pursue more strategic buyouts. Arthur J. Gallagher boasts impressive growth, driven by organic sales and acquisition and mergers. These efforts, in turn, have been driving its revenues. The top line of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) insurance broker more than doubled in the last six years. Shares of Arthur J. Gallagher have gained 7.9% quarter to date, outperforming the industrys rise of 3.9%. The companys policy to ramp up its growth profile and capital position should continue to drive share price higher. There have been a host of acquisitions in the insurance space of late given the significant capital available. Brown & Brown of Kentucky, Inc., a subsidiary of Brown & Brown, Inc. BRO, acquired United Development Systems, Inc. The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. HIG acquired Navigators Group, Inc. A Stock to Consider A better-ranked broker insurer is eHealth, Inc. EHTH sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. eHealth provides private health insurance exchange services to individuals, families, and small businesses in the United States and China. The company delivered positive earnings surprise of 512.20% in the last reported quarter. Will you retire a millionaire? One out of every six people retires a multimillionaire. Get smart tips you can do today to become one of them in a new Special Report, 7 Things You Can Do Now to Retire a Multimillionaire. Story continues Click to get it free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Brown & Brown, Inc. (BRO) : Free Stock Analysis Report eHealth, Inc. (EHTH) : Free Stock Analysis Report Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (AJG) : Free Stock Analysis Report The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (HIG) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research By Idrees Ali JAKARTA, May 29 (Reuters) - Acting U.S. Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan said on Wednesday that tense trade negotiations between China and the United States should be treated separately from military talks between the two countries. Tensions between China and the United States have intensified in the past year over an ongoing trade war, the disputed South China Sea and U.S. support for self-ruled Taiwan, which China claims as its own. In a week-long trip that will take Shanahan to a number of Asian countries, his talks are likely to be dominated by China, with questions from allies about increasing tensions with Iran and stalled talks with North Korea. "The trade runs a separate track and we'll solve that, it is too important not to solve," Shanahan told reporters en route to Jakarta, Indonesia. "I don't believe they'll spill over into our dialog and discussion on defense," he added. Talks to end the trade dispute collapsed earlier this month, with the two sides in a stalemate over U.S. demands that China change its policies to address a number of key U.S. grievances. Shanahan, who will give a major policy speech in Singapore, will meet his Chinese counterpart later this week. He said the goal for his meeting with Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe was to find areas of cooperation while being transparent and candid about areas where they may not agree. N.KOREA MISSILE TESTS During a recent trip to Japan, President Donald Trump expressed optimism over prospects that North Korea would give up its nuclear program, and repeated that he was not bothered by recent missile tests, which he indicated he did not believe flouted United Nations Security Council resolutions. Shanahan appeared to agree with National Security Adviser John Bolton, saying that the recent short-range North Korean missile tests did violate U.N. Security Council resolutions. "These were short-range missiles and those are a violation of the (U.N. Security Council resolutions)," Shanahan said. Story continues North Korea will be a major topic of talks when Shanahan heads to South Korea and Japan next week. During his trip, Shanahan will also likely be asked by nervous Asian allies about the United States' commitment to the region amid growing tensions with Iran. Last week the Pentagon announced the deployment of 900 additional troops to the Middle East and extended the deployment of another 600 service members in the region, describing it as an effort to bolster defenses against Iran. Those deployments are small compared with the nearly 70,000 American troops stationed across the Middle East and Afghanistan and are not enough to tilt the Pentagons focus away from Asia. But a period of protracted tensions could set it back. Shanahan said the additional troops would be going to Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Without giving details or evidence, he said that while Iran's posture had changed recently, the threat remained. Shanahan added that sending military assets into the region, like deploying bombers, Patriot missiles and accelerating the movement of an aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East, had helped deter attacks against Americans in Iraq. (Reporting by Idrees Ali; Editing by Dan Grebler) By Idrees Ali JAKARTA (Reuters) - Acting U.S. Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan said on Wednesday that tense trade negotiations between China and the United States should be treated separately from military talks between the two countries. Tensions between China and the United States have intensified in the past year over an ongoing trade war, the disputed South China Sea and U.S. support for self-ruled Taiwan, which China claims as its own. In a week-long trip that will take Shanahan to a number of Asian countries, his talks are likely to be dominated by China, with questions from allies about increasing tensions with Iran and stalled talks with North Korea. "The trade runs a separate track and we'll solve that, it is too important not to solve," Shanahan told reporters en route to Jakarta, Indonesia. "I don't believe they'll spill over into our dialogue and discussion on defence," he added. Talks to end the trade dispute collapsed earlier this month, with the two sides in a stalemate over U.S. demands that China change its policies to address a number of key U.S. grievances. Shanahan, who will give a major policy speech in Singapore, will meet his Chinese counterpart later this week. He said the goal for his meeting with Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe was to find areas of cooperation while being transparent and candid about areas where they may not agree. NORTH KOREA MISSILE TESTS During a recent trip to Japan, President Donald Trump expressed optimism over prospects that North Korea would give up its nuclear programme, and repeated that he was not bothered by recent missile tests, which he indicated he did not believe flouted United Nations Security Council resolutions. Shanahan appeared to agree with National Security Adviser John Bolton, saying that the recent short-range North Korean missile tests did violate U.N. Security Council resolutions. "These were short-range missiles and those are a violation of the (U.N. Security Council resolutions)," Shanahan said. Story continues North Korea will be a major topic of talks when Shanahan heads to South Korea and Japan next week. During his trip, Shanahan will also likely be asked by nervous Asian allies about the United States' commitment to the region amid growing tensions with Iran. Last week the Pentagon announced the deployment of 900 additional troops to the Middle East and extended the deployment of another 600 service members in the region, describing it as an effort to bolster defences against Iran. Those deployments are small compared with the nearly 70,000 American troops stationed across the Middle East and Afghanistan and are not enough to tilt the Pentagons focus away from Asia. But a period of protracted tensions could set it back. Shanahan said the additional troops would be going to Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Without giving details or evidence, he said that while Iran's posture had changed recently, the threat remained. Shanahan added that sending military assets into the region, like deploying bombers, Patriot missiles and accelerating the movement of an aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East, had helped deter attacks against Americans in Iraq. (Reporting by Idrees Ali; Editing by Dan Grebler) Asian stocks sank Wednesday, tracking losses on Wall Street as investors grew anxious about a possible economic slowdown and the absence of any progress in resolving the US-China trade war. Economists say the trade dispute between the world's top two economic superpowers will have grim implications for consumers, who will have to bear the costs of punitive tit-for-tat tariffs. Although an index of US consumer confidence on Tuesday registered an unexpectedly strong jump for May, it was not enough to allay investor fears, as US stocks sank, sending major indices to their lowest levels in two months. May is now expected to be Wall Street's first down month for the year. "Unless we see a trade deal, negative sentiment in the market will likely continue," Kyoko Amemiya, senior market advisor at SBI Securities, told AFP. A report in Chinese state media that suggested Beijing would restrict exports of rare earths, using the minerals as leverage in the trade dispute, also fanned anxiety. Rare earths are a key component in devices ranging from smartphones and cameras to televisions, and any move to restrict their supply would have a devastating impact on manufacturers, with China producing more than 95 percent of the metals. Tokyo sank 1.2 percent, while Hong Kong fell 0.6 percent. Seoul also plunged 1.3 percent while Sydney slipped 0.7 percent and Singapore edged down 0.4 percent. But Shanghai inched up 0.2 percent. - 'Dark clouds' - The gloom extended to Europe, where stocks slumped at the start of trading, with London slipping 0.7 percent, Frankfurt shedding 1.0 percent and Paris falling 1.2 percent. Investors are concerned about a spat between the European Commission and Italy, where the far-right party of joint deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini topped European Parliament elections on Sunday. An emboldened Salvini had said Tuesday he expected Brussels to hit Rome with a 3-billion-euro ($3.4-billion) fine over Italy's rising public debt, which was 132 percent of the country's GDP in 2018 -- way above the 60 percent EU ceiling. Story continues With Salvini determined to push back against the EU's requirements on austerity, analysts said the future outlook for the bloc was precarious. "Populism is here to stay and will make future integration and budgetary decisions difficult to be agreed upon," said OANDA senior market analyst Edward Moya. The European Commission is expected to start disciplinary steps against Italy on June 5 by opening an excessive deficit procedure that could hand Rome a fine of up to 0.2 percent of the nation's GDP. Fears over the US-China trade war also hit oil markets, where prices sank, coming after crude suffered its worst loss of the year last week. "The dark clouds hanging over oil are unlikely to clear during today's session", said OANDA senior market analyst Jeffrey Halley. "Oil will struggle to maintain any rally in the near-term today and may be vulnerable to a deeper pullback if the Asian stock market sell-off accelerates." - Key figures around 0715 GMT - Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 1.2 percent at 21,003.37 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng: DOWN 0.6 percent at 27,235.71 (close) Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.2 percent at 2,914.70 (close) London - FTSE 100: DOWN 1.0 percent at 7,193.19 Pound/dollar: DOWN at 1.2635 from $1.2655 at 2100 GMT Euro/pound: UP at 88.30 pence from 88.22 pence Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1156 from $1.1162 Dollar/yen: DOWN at 109.29 yen from 109.37 yen Oil - Brent Crude: DOWN 61 cents at $69.50 per barrel Oil - West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 66 cents at $58.48 per barrel New York - Dow: DOWN 0.9 percent at 25,347.77 (close) Teenage protester Will Connolly, dubbed egg boy after video of him smashing an egg on the head of an Australian senator went viral, announced Tuesday that he was donating the $70,000 raised for his legal expenses to victims of the New Zealand mosque attacks. A day after the Christchurch massacre that killed 51 people in March, Connolly smashed an egg on the back of Senator Fraser Annings head while the politician was talking to reporters. Anning then slapped the teen as his supporters tackled him to the ground. The right-wing senator had earlier remarked that The real cause of the bloodshed on New Zealand streets today is the immigration program which allowed Muslim fanatics to migrate to New Zealand in the first place. The comment sparked a furore in Australia. The 17-year-old said he was not connected with any activist group. He was interviewed and released by police without charge. Following the incident, two GoFundMe pages were set up to help Connolly cover his legal expenses and buy more eggs. In a post on Instagram, the 17-year-old said the money raised, after a huge amount of red tape, had today been donated to charity. Connolly said he had no legal fees as a lawyer acted pro-bono for his case. The $70,000 raised close to 100,000 Australian dollars was donated to the Christchurch Foundation and Victims Support, he wrote. Story continues It wasnt mine to keep, Connolly added. To the victims of the tragedy, I wholeheartedly hope that this can bring some relief to you. In an interview with Australian television, Connolly conceded that attacking the senator was not the right thing to do. Senator Anning has meanwhile defended slapping the teen. He got a slap across the face, which is what his mother should have given him long ago, because hes been misbehaving badly, Anning told Australian media after the incident. Australia's military has confirmed that Navy pilots were targeted with lasers during flights in the hotly contested South China Sea, with informal Chinese militia vessels believed to be behind the attacks. Beijing has become more assertive in the area, stoking tensions with rival claimants in Southeast Asia as well as Canberra and Washington -- traditionally the dominant naval and air power in the Asia-Pacific region. The Australian Defence Force said "assets operating across the region have observed an increase in the use of hand-held lasers by some vessels". In this specific incident, helicopter pilots flying from the HMAS Canberra were marked with lasers as they took part in the months-long Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2019 exercise. "With regards to the incident mentioned... the Royal Australian Navy pilots involved were examined as a precautionary measure and cleared of any injury by medical staff." La Trobe Asia director Euan Graham was one of several academics invited on the HMAS Canberra as it moved from Vietnam to Singapore. He reported that the vessel was shadowed by a Chinese warship and "helicopter pilots had lasers pointed at them from passing fishing vessels." China has been accused of operating a maritime militia that includes fishing trawlers that carry out reconnaissance, intelligence and other missions in the South China Sea. The so-called "Gray Zone" operations are used to challenge or one-up rival powers, while offering deniability and reducing the risk of military conflict. "The reason for vessels using the lasers is unknown but it may be to draw attention to their presence in congested waterways," the Australian military said. China claims sovereignty over virtually all the resource-rich South China Sea, despite rival claims from its Southeast Asian neighbours. The Australian navy has conducted joint exercises in the South China Sea with other nations, including the United States -- which China has sought to deter. Beijing last year rejected US allegations that Chinese nationals shone military-grade lasers at American pilots in Djibouti, where China operates a naval base. Two US pilots suffered minor eye injuries from those lasers, according to the Pentagon. Australian navy helicopter pilots were reportedly hit with laser beams from fishing boats during a recent military exercise on the South China Sea, leading experts to believe they were being monitored by Chinese maritime militia on the disputed waters. The pilots were followed at a discreet distance by a Chinese warship, according to Euan Graham, an academic with Australias La Trobe University. Graham, who was invited aboard the Royal Australian Navy flagship HMAS Canberra during a voyage from Vietnam to Singapore, referred to the episode as coordinated harassment. [This was] despite the fact that our route didnt take us near any feature occupied by Chinese forces or any obviously sensitive areas, Graham wrote in a blog post for the Australian Strategic Policy Institutes Strategist. While interactions between the Royal Australian Navy and Peoples Liberation Army Navy were cordial, Graham said the Australian pilots were told to notify the Chinese in advance of any amendments to their course. The U.S. has observed a rise in Chinese military activity in the South China Sea, a disputed body of water that China lays large claims to but is also partially claimed by several other countries including Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia. Last year, a U.S. military official said 20 incidents of lasers hitting U.S. aircrafts in the Pacific were recorded. But this appears to be the first time that the Australian military has been targeted, maritime law expert Don Rothwell told the Guardian. Their sole purpose appears to be disruption, he said, adding that it didnt matter that the Australian navy ships were not near any of the Chinese artificial islands as any aerial presence in the South China Sea would alert China regardless. An Australian teen who egged a far-right senator over his offensive comments about the Christchurch mosque attacks says he has donated almost Aus$100,000 (US$69,000) raised for his legal defence to the victims of the shootings. William Connolly, nicknamed "Eggboy", made international headlines when he cracked an egg over controversial then-senator Fraser Anning's head at a press conference after the massacre of 51 Muslim worshippers. Anning, who has since lost his seat in Australia's parliament, triggered outrage by claiming the attack in neighbouring New Zealand was the result of Muslim immigration to the country. Two GoFundMe pages set up to raise money to cover Connolly's legal fees and to "buy more eggs" quickly attracted thousands of dollars in donations. Connolly wrote on Instagram late Tuesday that he had "decided to donate all monies to help provide some relief to the victims of the massacre... it wasn't mine to keep". "Finally!!! After a huge amount of red tape, $99,922.36 has today been transferred to the Christchurch Foundation and Victims Support," he said, adding that he didn't need the money as a law firm acted pro bono for him. "To the victims of the Tragedy, I whole heartedly hope that this can bring some relief to you. Keep spreading the love." Connolly in April was let off with a police caution for the incident. DETROIT, May 29 (Reuters) - U.S. auto parts supplier Cooper-Standard Holdings Inc is not interested in buying Turkey's Teklas Kaucuk, which supplies such carmakers as General Motors and BMW, Cooper-Standard's top executive said on Wednesday. Cooper-Standard, based outside Detroit, is not interested in expanding in Europe given that region's uncertainties at the moment, Chairman and Chief executive Jeffrey Edwards told Reuters. "It's not surprising that people would mention our name," he said at the company's headquarters in Novi, Michigan. "In this case, it wasn't true. "We aren't interested in really spending a lot of cash in Europe," Edwards added. "We're trying to get right-sized there. We're trying to make sure that we can survive in Europe as a smaller, more profitable company." Sources previously told Reuters that Teklas put itself up for sale in a deal that could value the family-owned maker of rubber hoses and metal tubes for use in air conditioning, brakes and electric vehicles at as much as 700 million euros. ($779.17 million) The sources identified Cooper-Standard as a suitor that was being targeted as a potential buyer of Teklas, which also supplies parts to Daimler, Fiat Chrysler, Toyota and Volkswagen. Edwards said Cooper-Standard will be more opportunistic as it related to acquisitions, but prices have not been attractive in the last few years. The main businesses for Cooper-Standard, with about $3.5 billion in annual sales, are sealing systems, fuel and brake delivery systems, and fluid transfer systems. ($1 = 0.8984 euros) (Reporting by Ben Klayman Editing by Susan Thomas) Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. Airlines started charging extra for checked bags more than a decade agoand seem to keep finding new ways to add fees. That includes fees to select a seat, switch a flight, and book a ticket by phone. Adding just a few of these a la carte services can double the price of your ticket. And because charges vary among airlines, its hard to comparison shop. But with a little planning, you can ease the airlines raid on your wallet. Baggage Fees These can run $30 for one bag, $40 for a second, and $150 for a third. Budget airlines such as Allegiant, Frontier, and Spirit also charge extra for carry-ons, with prices ranging from $10 to $75. (The highest rung is for those who pay at the airport.) The fix: Packing light and flying Southwestwhich allows two free bagsare potential solutions. But if those arent options, some airline-branded credit cards cover bag fees among their perks. If you fly often on one airline, see whether it offers an annual subscription plan for checked bags. And if you have lots of luggage, consider shipping your bags; it can cost less and ease the aggravation of schlepping your stuff. Seat Selection Fees The pool of free seats available when you book your ticket is dwindling. And the price for a good seat, closer to the front or on an aisle, can be high: We found one as high as $139. If youre traveling basic economy, you might not have the option of choosing a seat at all. The fix: The further ahead you book, the better your chances of finding a good seat at no extra charge. Flying on Tuesday or Wednesday or at less busy times of the day can also help. If you travel on Southwest, which has an open-seating policy, you can pay an additional $15 to $25 to board ahead of the crowd. WiFi Fees Once airlines got WiFi to work (more or less) in-flight, most also figured out how to charge for it. We found log-on fees of around $7 or $8 for 1 hour to around $20 for an all-day pass. An exception: JetBlue doesnt charge for WiFi and is also said to have one of the best services among domestic airlines. Story continues The fix: If you fly a lot, save by signing up for monthly packages through one of the companies that provide WiFi to U.S. airlines, such as Gogo. Or consider this road-warrior hack: Preload movies or shows so that you dont have to pay at all. And keep in mind that WiFi service on planes is still evolving, sometimes in your favor. Delta, for example, offers free text messaging on domestic flights. Unaccompanied-Minor Fee Airlines charge extra to supervise children ages 5 to 14 who who travel alone. (Children younger than that typically arent allowed to fly alone.) The fix: Shop around. American, Delta, and United, for example, charge a $150 fee for this service. But Southwest charges $50 per child per domestic direct flight. Virgin America charges $25 per child per nonstop flight and $50 for connecting flights. If your child is between ages 15 and 17, the unaccompanied-child rules can vary by airline. If you think your teen needs the extra supervision, you can get optional unaccompanied-minor service on American and Delta for $150. On United, children in this age range dont qualify as unaccompanied minors and will have to travel alone. Traveling With a Pet Traveling with a pet can be not just dangerous for the petthere have been several recent reports of pet deaths in transit but also complicated and costly. For example, some animal breedscertain Persian cats, for examplemight not be allowed to fly at all. Some aircraft are also not deemed suitable for pet travel. On American, for example, checked pets cannot travel on several Airbus aircraft. There are also rules about whether pets are allowed in the cabin or must be checked below deck. For example, Delta does not allow pets to travel as checked baggage and instead requires travelers to either take them as a carry-on or ship them via Delta Cargo, which means the pet travels on a separate airplane. The fix: Here, again, shopping around can pay off. Prices for Delta Cargo service depend on the distance the pet is traveling. A recent search found that flying a 15-pound poodle on Delta from New Yorks John F. Kennedy International Airport to Miami International Airport would cost about $300. American Airlines, on the other hand, allows pets to travel as checked baggage for $150 in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean, or as a carry-on for $125. Southwest charges $95 each way. Editors Note: This article also appeared in the July 2019 issue of Consumer Reports magazine. More from Consumer Reports: Top pick tires for 2016 Best used cars for $25,000 and less 7 best mattresses for couples Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright 2019, Consumer Reports, Inc. At the risk of diving too deep into the legal weeds of the bitter debate about President Trumps alleged obstruction of justice, I wanted to share a thought thats been bothering me ever since I read the Mueller Report: America is fighting over the application of a terribly drafted and overbroad law. In other words, the law itself is corrupting our obstruction debate. My position on the propriety of Trumps conduct during the investigation is clear and unequivocal. The sheer extent of his lies and deceptions should shock our conscience. But do I think his reprehensible behavior was also illegal? There, I waver between maybe, probably not, and no. The reason is simple the law itself, as written, provides a standard thats insufficiently clear to guide human behavior. It grants prosecutors and courts too much authority and discretion to define criminality. It provides the ordinary citizen with insufficient information to regulate his conduct. Lets get very basic. Legal cases typically contain questions of law and fact. A question of fact revolves around actual events in the real world. Did the defendant shoot the victim? Did the defendant break into the victims house? The question of law often flows from the resolution of the question of fact. When the defendant shot the victim, did his actions meet the elements of the murder statute? Under the facts, did the defendants actions constitute burglary or robbery? When a law is well-written and clear, a person of ordinary intelligence can know exactly what is prohibited. To take examples from the most recent presidential impeachment controversies, Bill Clinton knew full well that it was unlawful to lie under oath. Richard Nixon knew full well that a person may not bribe a witness. And while the question of fact may be difficult to determine, the application of law is relatively simple. By contrast, look at the obstruction case against President Trump. The Mueller Report laid out the legal standard in key paragraphs that demonstrate the incredible breadth of the relevant statutes and the difficulty of discerning illegality. Story continues First, Mueller quotes a federal court stating that obstruction-of-justice law reaches all corrupt conduct capable of producing an effect that prevents justice from being duly administered, regardless of the means employed. This is a statement of astonishing breadth. But Muellers not done. He then quotes the Supreme Court to note that the verbs obstruct or impede are broad and can refer to anything that blocks, makes difficult, or hinders. Thats right, anything. Second, Mueller also argues again, with case-law support that improper motive can render an actors conduct criminal even when the conduct would otherwise be lawful and within the actors authority. The key prohibition is against acting corruptly, and corruptly can mean wrongful, immoral, depraved, or evil. Think of the breadth of this interpretation of the law. You can take actions completely within your power as a citizen, employer, or public official and still be prosecuted for them if a prosecutor deems your motivation to be subjectively immoral or wrongful. Yes, this discretion is bounded to some degree by relevant case law, but there is simply enormous room for legal argument even if the parties agree on the facts of the case. For example, consider this question. Lets suppose the president has a sincere and lawful objection to the scope of a special-counsel investigation, but lies publicly about his reasons for narrowing the investigation in an attempt to protect himself from the purely political fallout of making adverse moves against a special counsel. He was immoral. His conduct was wrongful. Does it meet the elements of the statute? Probably not, but in reality the very existence of the lie would be used as Exhibit A of corrupt intent in any obstruction prosecution. Earlier this month, hundreds of former federal prosecutors signed a statement indicating that President Trumps conduct would, in the case of any other person not covered by the Office of Legal Counsel policy against indicting a sitting President, result in multiple felony charges for obstruction of justice. Given the breadth of the relevant statutes, they may well be right. But two of the three stated grounds for indictment relate directly to the presidents exercise of his lawful powers the alleged effort to fire Mueller and his alleged effort to limit the scope of Muellers investigation (the third ground relates to alleged witness tampering, a different inquiry). One of the interesting side effects of the intense disputes over Trumps actions and the investigation of Trumps actions is the extent to which it has highlighted the sheer breadth of government power over individual conduct. Prosecutors have great leeway to charge obstruction. Normal investigative tactics can be quite intrusive and often create legal minefields even for otherwise-innocent individuals. FISA warrants arent terribly difficult to obtain. So, what do we do? One solution Ive often heard that it should somehow be more difficult to apply the law to the president than to a private citizen, that courts should somehow take special care when a president or presidential candidate is in the legal crosshairs is entirely unsatisfactory. One of the great virtues of our republic is that the law applies (or should apply) equally to all. Political power doesnt function like baptismal waters, cleansing a man from accountability for his sin. The better solution is to refine and improve the law. In the quest to deal with bad people and cleanse our nation of bad acts, weve left the definition of bad too often to the eye of the prosecutorial beholder. But Im not optimistic about the better solution. While listening to American political discourse, one gets the distinct impression that politicians and partisans are only too happy to leave the law intact as it applies to the little people, then argue vigorously for exceptions for their powerful partisan favorites. Trumps conduct is scandalous, no question. But so is the law. It places too much power in the hands of prosecutors and the courts, and it gives citizens even presidents inadequate definitions of prohibited conduct. The raging debates you read today are in part the product of a flaw in the system, a defect in the law that virtually no one will have the energy or interest to change. More from National Review Bangladesh police were set to file charges on Wednesday against 16 people, including the headmaster of an Islamic seminary, over the shocking murder of a 19-year-old girl burned to death. The killing of Nusrat Jahan Rafi last month sparked protests across the South Asian nation, with the prime minister promising to prosecute all those involved. Rafi was lured to the rooftop of the Islamic seminary she attended where her attackers asked her to withdraw a sexual harassment complaint filed with police against the head teacher. When she refused, she was doused in kerosene and set on fire. She died five days later, triggering outrage. Her death highlighted alarming rise in sexual harassment cases in the country. Bangladesh's Police Bureau of Investigation said they would file the chargesheet in a court in the country's south later on Wednesday against the 16 people who include two girls who were classmates of Rafi. "They are charged under the women and children repression law and we'll recommend death penalty for all 16 accused," PBI lead investigator Mohammad Iqbal told AFP. Iqbal said the Principal of the Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasa Siraj Ud Doula where Rafi was a student ordered the murder from jail. Rafi had gone to police in late March to report the alleged sexual harassment against the teacher, and a leaked video shows the local police station chief registering her complaint but dismissing it as "not a big deal". Iqbal said at least five people including three of Rafi's classmates, had tied her up with a scarf before setting her on fire. The plan was to pass the incident off as a case of suicide. Rafi suffered burns to 80 percent of her body and died in hospital on April 10. But she recorded a video before her death, repeating her allegations against the principal. Rafi's brother Mahmudul Hasan Noman said they want a fast-track trial. "We want all the culprits to be hanged to death," he told AFP. Story continues The head of Mahila Parishad, a women's rights group, gave a "guarded welcome" at the quick investigation of the case but said more needed to be done to end a "culture of impunity" over sexual harassment and rape cases. "Very few rape cases end in convictions," she said. According to the group, about 950 women were raped in Bangladesh last year. KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Banks in the Sudanese capital Khartoum were closed on Wednesday on the second day of strikes organized by protest and opposition groups to pressure military rulers to cede power to civilians. Several banks visited by a Reuters reporter were fully closed, and cash machines had not been restocked for several days. Employees at the central bank were also on strike. "We are committed to the strike in order to achieve peaceful rule," said an employee of the Blue Nile Mashreg Bank in Khartoum. "And we are ready to participate in civil disobedience if the Freedom and Change Forces ask us to." The Declaration of Freedom and Change Forces (DFCF) alliance had called for a two-day strike of public and private enterprises from Tuesday. The action comes during a lull in talks between the alliance and the ruling military council that forced out ex-President Omar al-Bashir last month. The two sides are deadlocked over who will control a political transition, though discussions are continuing at a lower level. Protesters have kept up a sit-in outside the Defence Ministry since before Bashir was ousted. Not everyone has observed the strike, with buses and most air transport still operating. Shops, including clothes and shoe retailers where people buy gifts ahead of Eid al-Fitr, the holiday ending the holy month of Ramadan next week, were open. But the strike has been widespread in the financial sector, already struggling from an economic crisis that led to shortages of fuel and cash and helped trigger the 16 weeks of mass protests against Bashir's rule. It was also being widely followed in the medical and power sectors. Port services were restricted to passenger ships for pilgrims, according to media and social media reports. The DFCF alliance said late on Wednesday that security forces had used force and threats in an attempt to intimidate some employees who were striking in the eastern city of al-Qadarif and elsewhere. The alliance said it continues to demand that civilians, not military officials, rule the country. If the military council does not agree, protesters will escalate by turning to civil disobedience, the DFCF said. "We do not want more confrontations, but if we have to, the Sudanese people's demand is clear and it is a civilian state," DFCF member Sadiq Farouk told reporters. "Anything else is unacceptable." The DFCF had previously said that the military council has demanded a two-thirds majority, of eight to three, on the sovereign council that will lead the country of 40 million. Sudan was on a U.S. list of sponsors of terrorism under Bashir, an Islamist former general who was being sought by international prosecutors for alleged war crimes in the western Darfur region. Stability in the strategically located country is crucial for the security of a volatile region struggling against Islamist insurgencies, including the Horn of Africa through Egypt and Libya. Various powers, including wealthy Gulf Arab states, are trying to influence its path. (Reporting by Khartoum bureau; Additional reporting by Ali Abdelaty and Omar Fahmy; Writing by Aidan Lewis and Lena Masri; Editing by Catherine Evans and Sonya Hepinstall) Bitcoin doesn't discriminate, nor does it leave its adopters 'unbanked'. | Source: Shutterstock/Reuters; Edited by CCN By CCN: Just as the worlds financial institutions begin to take an interest in Bitcoin, they prove themselves to be the very reason for its creation. After several conservative activists were effectively unpersoned by JP Morgan Chase earlier this year, CEO Jamie Dimon still wont deny there could be more to come. That was the impression left on vice president of the National Center for Public Policy Research, David Almasi, when he confronted Dimon at a shareholders meeting earlier this week. Almasi delivered a copy of George Orwells 1984 to Dimon so he could brush up on the spectre of Big Brother, but left the meeting unconvinced of its effect. Dimon stopped short of saying the bank wouldnt cancel more conservative accounts in the future. Yet as the spectre of Big Brother Banks looms large, so too, in timely fashion, does its exorcist. Cometh the hour, cometh the coin. Bitcoin: The Answer to 1984 Is 1BvYMSELstWetqRFc16 Is this to suggest that Bitcoin is absolutely free of censorship? After all, Milo Yiannopoulos was booted from Coinbase within three minutes of his creating his account. Likewise, social media site Gab wasnt deemed the right kind of clientele, even though Coinbase went on to partner up a spook hacking team responsible for the prosecution of independent Saudi journalists. Yet this only strengthens Bitcoins case. Coinbase doesnt own Bitcoin, and its authority only extends as far as peoples laziness allows. Milo, Gab, and anyone else can still use all the services of the Bitcoin blockchain. Even if every cryptocurrency exchange, bank and online payment platform in the world declined to offer their services tomorrow, this would still be the case. People have been living off Bitcoin for the better part of a decade a task (or privilege) thats becoming easier by the day. Read the full story on CCN.com. New York (AFP) - Boeing will tailor its compensation to airlines for the 737 MAX grounding around customer preference, and they could be paid back in services instead of cash, Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg said Wednesday. After two deadly crashes grounded the top-selling plane, Muilenburg acknowledged that the MAX crisis had shaken public confidence in the company and inconvenienced key customers, but the company is unlikely to take a big financial hit. "We know we've impacted the summer schedules for many of them, and it's difficult, it's painful," he said, speaking at a New York investor conference. "I don't see this as an additional material event for us, but it's something that's going to require individual attention customer by customer." Compensation could include tweaking plane delivery schedules, or offering additional training or services, as well as cash in some cases, he said. Muilenburg, who was set to appear in his first broadcast interview on the crisis later Wednesday on CBS, called the crisis a "defining moment" after crashes of a Lion Air flight in October and Ethiopian Airlines in March claimed 346 lives. Muilenburg, in excerpts of the interview released by CBS, repeated his apology over lives lost and pledged to be "absolutely resolute in what we're going to do on safety going forward." The efforts to return the plane to the skies has taken longer than expected, so the timeframe for resuming flights on the troubled planes appears to be slipping further. Alexandre de Juniac, head of the International Air Transport Association, said Wednesday the plane will remain grounded "at least 10 to 12 weeks" while regulators review Boeing's proposed fix to a software problem that has been linked to both crashes. - Regulatory approvals lag - A note from CFRA Research characterized the timeframe for the 737 MAX resumption as "worse" than expected, but said Boeing was still well positioned once it exits the crisis. Story continues "Our thesis on Boeing is based on long term commercial aerospace demand, a strong order book and the likelihood that Boeing will not lose significant orders as long as the plane resumes service safely," CFRA said. "We expect continued volatility in the shares until the issues hanging over Boeing move closer to being resolved," CFRA added. Muilenburg described last week's meeting of international regulators as a "key" event in returning the plane to service, but acknowledged that it may take more time before global regulators are ready to approve the plane's return. He said the company continued to cooperate with US Federal Aviation Administration information requests. "Our hope is that we'll have a broad international alignment with the FAA," he said at the conference. "But there may be some international authorities that will operate on a different schedule. So we'll have to tailor our plans, depending on the regulatory approval to get the airplane back up and flying." The FAA will be the first regulator to clear the plane for service, but aviation analysts say the agency wants at least some other countries to approve the plane soon after. Muilenburg said Boeing was prepared to be flexible as more customers get the green light. Boeing has cut it production schedule of the 737 MAX and halted new deliveries, necessitating additional storage capacity in Washington and Texas, he said. By Anthony Esposito and Ana Isabel Martinez MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador made his boldest move yet to root out entrenched corruption by going after one of his predecessor's closest aides, a former chief of state oil firm Pemex, for alleged bribery, tax fraud and other crimes. The target, Emilio Lozoya, headed Pemex from 2012 to 2016 and ran former president Enrique Pena Nieto's election campaign. The case is the first high-profile corruption investigation launched by Lopez Obrador against the government he replaced on Dec. 1 after a landslide victory. The Finance Ministry's money-laundering czar Santiago Nieto said in an interview on Tuesday that the Financial Intelligence Unit he leads presented the attorney general's office with three charges against Lozoya related to "acts of corruption" committed when he was at the helm of Pemex. Citing sources at the attorney general's office, government-owned news agency Notimex said a judge had ordered the arrest of Emilio Lozoya, who headed Pemex from 2012 to 2016. Nieto, the attorney general's office and even Lozoya's lawyer, Javier Coello, could not confirm if an arrest warrant had been issued. However, authorities raided Lozoya's home in a high-end Mexico City neighborhood on Tuesday night, Coello told TV network Milenio. Lozoya was not home, or at his father's house, which was also raided, Coello said. The attorney general's office said that Alonso Ancira, the chairman of steelmaker Altos Hornos de Mexico, which sold an out-of-service fertilizer plant to Pemex for about $475 million while Lozoya was chief executive, was detained in Spain by Interpol for his alleged involvement in "a series of crimes that gravely hurt" Pemex. It added that more arrests were likely. On Monday, the finance ministry said it had blocked accounts belonging to Lozoya and to AHMSA for allegedly carrying out illegal financial operations. Story continues LINKS TO ODEBRECHT Nieto said the case also had links to Brazilian builder Odebrecht, whose executives have testified about bribes to politicians across Latin America. "One of the charges is related to payments that Mr. Lozoya received from resources that come first from Altos Hornos de Mexico to an Odebrecht subsidiary and then from Odebrecht to his relatives," said Nieto. "This leads to various operations, including in real estate," he added. Non-government organization Mexicans Against Corruption said Lozoya bought a 1,165-square-meter (12,540-square-ft) home in the upscale Mexico City neighborhood of Las Lomas for $2.9 million, the same amount he and his sister were allegedly wired in Dec. 2012 from Switzerland by Odebrecht. Odebrecht executives detailed millions of dollars in payments to Lozoya in sworn testimony leaked in videos to investigative news site Quinto Elemento Lab and now available on the internet. Lozoya's lawyer Coello previously told Reuters that his client did not receive bribes from AHMSA or Odebrecht and that none of Lozoya's work at Pemex has been proved to have involved corruption. Coello said in a radio interview that Lozoya was in Mexico, denying some reports that he had left the country. MEXICO, SCOTLAND, BRAZIL Last year, Quinto Elemento reported AHMSA paid $3.7 million to a shell company allegedly set up by Odebrecht to pay bribes. Citing documents from Brazil's Supreme Court, Quinto Elemento said AHMSA made three wire transfers to Grangemouth Trading Co's account weeks after the steel company announced the controversial sale of the fertilizer plant to Pemex. AHMSAs Grangemouth payments were made to an account with Meinl Bank Antigua, Quinto Elemento said. The account was the same one Odebrecht executives said in testimony that they had used to pay Lozoya bribes. Reuters reviewed the documents obtained by Quinto Elemento. Pemex Fertilizers, a Pemex subsidiary created during Pena Nieto's term, purchased two fertilizer plants in 2014 and 2016. One of the plants, ProAgro, was bought from AHMSA for $475 million, a sum that critics say was inflated. "The plant was valued at $50 million and they wound up selling it for almost $500 million," said Nieto. ProAgro had not been operational for more than a decade when Pemex bought it. Despite hundreds of millions of dollars spent to revive ProAgro, the plant was still not operating this year, according to a scathing government audit of the 2017 operations of Pemex, Mexico's biggest state-owned firm. The second plant, Fertinal, operated well below capacity, and Pemex Fertilizers suffered net losses of $665 million that year, the report said, adding that its assets were worth $1.1 billion less over the course of the year. Lozoya has defended the purchases as part of the government's efforts to provide support to agriculture in Mexico. (Reporting by Ana Isabel Martinez, Anthony Esposito, Diego Ore, Lizbeth Diaz; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel and Clarence Fernandez) What happened? Boris Johnson has been ordered to appear in court over claims he lied to the public when he said the UK pays the EU 350 million a week during the Brexit referendum campaign - an allegation that has since been debunked. The Tory leadership frontrunner famously made the claim in front of a bus daubed with the message: We send the EU 350 million a week let's fund our NHS instead. A private prosecution by campaigner Marcus Ball accuses Mr Johnson of committing misconduct in public office. The crime carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment - a ruling that only occurs in extreme circumstances. What has the reaction been? Mr Johnsons allies have been vocal in their criticism of the case. A source close to leadership hopeful said the prosecution was nothing less than a politically motivated attempt to reverse Brexit and crush the will of the people. The decision to summons the former foreign secretary was criticised by Tory Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg, who said it was a troubling abuse of process. Conservative former cabinet minister and barrister David Mellor said the ruling was a deplorable absurdity, and that courts should not adjudicate on what politicians do during election campaigns. In a written decision, District Judge Margot Coleman said: The applicants case is there is ample evidence that the proposed defendant knew that the statements were false. Lewis Power QC, representing Mr Ball, told Westminster Magistrates Court last week: Democracy demands responsible and honest leadership from those in public office. The conduct of the proposed defendant Boris Johnson was both irresponsible and dishonest. It was, we say, criminal. Read more: This will only help make him prime minister (The Independent) Tory contender accused of playing dirty tricks by Boris supporters (Yahoo News UK) Johnson to face court over alleged EU referendum misconduct (Sky News) In celebration of National Biscuit Day, polling company YouGov has released a list showing the nations favourite biscuits. Read the full story here (The Independent) to find out Britains tasty treat - and have your say of which of the favourite five is your preferred nibble: Story continues Mueller: Im not confident President Trump is innocent Special counsel Robert Mueller has made his most explicit comments about whether or not Donald Trump committed a crime by colluding with Russia to get elected. Speaking publicly about his investigation into the 2016 election for the first time, Mueller said charging Mr Trump was not an option he was allowed to consider. He added: If we had confidence that the president had clearly not committed a crime we would have said so. Mueller comments are being interpreted as an encouragement to US politicians to begin impeachment proceedings. Tweeting in response, Mr Trump said nothing changes. The case is closed. Read the full story here (Yahoo News US) Cleese sparks backlash over London immigrant comments Sadiq Khan has hit back at John Cleeses claim that London is not really an English city anymore. The London mayor rubbished Cleeses comments in a tweet on Wednesday morning, saying Londoners know that our diversity is our greatest strength and accusing him of sounding like Basil Fawlty. Cleese sparked a furious backlash on social media for suggesting the number of immigrants in London meant it was no longer English, despite the fact he moved abroad last year. Read the full story here (HuffPost) A zipline flight from the Eiffel Tower is offering thrillseekers the opportunity to see Paris from above. It was put in place to celebrate the French Open and the 130th birthday of the iconic landmark, and will be open from 29 May to 2 June. 500 America has been hit with hundreds of tornadoes in the last 30 days, with Tuesday breaking a 40-year record by marking the 12th day in a row with at least eight tornado reports. Some 55 twisters are estimated to have touched down on Monday across eight states stretching eastward from Idaho and Colorado. So far this year, tornadoes have been blamed for at least 38 deaths across the United States. Read the full story here (Sky News) London (AFP) - Boris Johnson, the frontrunner to become Britain's next prime minister, must attend court over allegations that he knowingly lied during the Brexit referendum campaign, a judge announced Wednesday. Johnson, the former foreign secretary, will be summoned to appear before a court over allegations of misconduct in public office, judge Margot Coleman said in a written decision, without specifying the date. The case is over the claim that Britain sends A350 million ($440 million, 400 million euros) a week to the European Union. The exact amount of Britain's net and gross EU contributions was one of the biggest issues during the 2016 referendum campaign. Businessmen Marcus Ball has crowd-funded the private prosecution. Coleman's decision follows a hearing last week at Westminster Magistrates Court in London. "The allegations which have been made are unproven accusations and I do not make any findings of fact," the judge said. "Having considered all the relevant factors I am satisfied that this is a proper case to issue the summons as requested," she wrote. Referring to Johnson as the "proposed defendant", Coleman said he would be required to attend a preliminary hearing that could then result in a trial. - Johnson 'repeatedly lied' - Johnson is considered the favourite among the 11 candidates vying to replace the outgoing Theresa May as leader of the governing Conservative Party, and therefore prime minister, by the end of July. The summons application made by Ball's lawyers alleges that Johnson "repeatedly lied and misled the British public as to the cost of EU membership" and "knew that such comments were false or misleading". "Lying on a national and international platform undermines public confidence in politics." The maximum penalty for misconduct in public office is life imprisonment. The elements of the offence are that a public officer, acting as such, wilfully neglects to perform their duty or wilfully commits misconduct to such a degree as to amount to an abuse of the public's trust in the officeholder, and does so without reasonable excuse or justification. Story continues Johnson was not present at last week's hearing, but his lawyer Adrian Darbishire said the pro-Brexit figurehead staunchly denied acting in an improper or dishonest manner. - 'Unusual and exceptional' - Coleman considered whether the case had been brought purely to annoy Johnson. The former London mayor's position is that the application is a politically-motivated stunt as part of a campaign to undermine the referendum result, and/or to prevent its consequences. Britain is due to leave the EU on October 31. "I accept the defence submission that when the applicant commenced his consideration of whether to bring a private prosecution against the proposed defendant, some three years ago, there may have been a political purpose to these proceedings," Coleman said. "However, the information for the summons was laid on February 28, 2019 and that argument in my view is no longer pertinent. "I do not accept the application is vexatious." In her 14-page decision, the judge said: "This is an unusual and exceptional application with a considerable public interest and it is right that full reasons are provided." London (AFP) - Boris Johnson, considered the frontrunner to become Britain's next prime minister, must appear in court over allegations that he knowingly lied during the Brexit referendum campaign, a judge ruled Wednesday. Johnson, the former foreign secretary, will be summoned to appear over allegations of misconduct in public office, judge Margot Coleman said in a written decision, without specifying the date. The case concerns Johnson's claim that Britain sends A350 million ($440 million, 400 million euros) a week to the European Union. While this was Britain's gross contribution, the net figure accounts for a budget rebate from the EU as well as payments to Britain's public sector from the EU budget, and is substantially less. Businessman Marcus Ball has crowd-funded a private initiative to bring Johnson to court. "The allegations which have been made are unproven accusations and I do not make any findings of fact," the judge said. "Having considered all the relevant factors I am satisfied that this is a proper case to issue the summons as requested," she wrote. Referring to Johnson as the "proposed defendant", Coleman said he would be required to attend a preliminary hearing that could then result in a trial. - Johnson 'repeatedly lied' - Political observers consider Johnson the favourite among 11 candidates vying to replace Theresa May as leader of the governing Conservative Party, and therefore prime minister. May will quit as Conservative leader on June 7, with the new premier due to be in place before July 20. The application brought by Ball's lawyers alleges that Johnson "repeatedly lied and misled the British public as to the cost of EU membership" and "knew that such comments were false or misleading". "Lying on a national and international platform undermines public confidence in politics." The maximum penalty for misconduct in public office is life imprisonment. Story continues Johnson was not present at last week's hearing to determine whether he must be summoned, but the politician's lawyer Adrian Darbishire said the pro-Brexit figurehead staunchly denied acting in an improper or dishonest manner. - 'Unusual and exceptional' - Coleman considered whether the case had been brought purely to annoy Johnson. The former London mayor contends the application is a politically-motivated stunt as part of a campaign to undermine the referendum result or prevent its consequences. Britain is due to leave the EU on October 31. "I accept the defence submission that when the applicant commenced his consideration of whether to bring a private prosecution against the proposed defendant, some three years ago, there may have been a political purpose to these proceedings," Coleman said. "However, the information for the summons was laid on February 28, 2019 and that argument in my view is no longer pertinent. "I do not accept the application is vexatious." In her 14-page decision, the judge added: "This is an unusual and exceptional application with a considerable public interest and it is right that full reasons are provided." Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, who backs Johnson for the leadership, said the accuracy of the A350 million claim was not a matter for the courts. "Politicising justice is a really bad idea and it's actually what happens in totalitarian regimes where people get prosecuted for free speech," the hardcore Brexiteer said. - Figures dispute - During the 2016 EU membership referendum, the official Leave campaign's battle bus had "We send the EU A350 million a week" printed on the side. The claim was hotly contested. According to finance ministry figures available at the time, Britain's gross contribution to the EU budget was about A17.8 billion in 2015 (A342 million a week). It actually turned out at A19.5 billion (A376 million a week). In 2016, the gross contribution was A17 billion (A327 million a week). But Britain had a rebate of A3.9 billion -- applied before the money is paid -- which would mean payments of about A250 million. Meanwhile EU payments back into the British public sector, for example into regional development and agriculture, totalled A3.5 billion. The 2016 net public sector contribution was therefore A9.6 billion, or some A185 million a week. The EU also makes payments via the private sector -- for example, to research organisations -- which are not included in the Treasury figures. By Anthony Boadle BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's Senate on Tuesday voted to approve right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro's decree to revamp the executive branch, averting a potential crisis that had sown doubt about his ability to obtain the congressional backing he needs to push through legislation. The Senate also voted to keep the Council for Financial Activities Control (COAF) under the auspices of the economy ministry. Control of the COAF, which tracks suspicious funds flowing through the financial system, became a hot-button issue and threatened to derail Bolsonaro's ministry-slashing decree. Failure to obtain congressional approval would have risked throwing Bolsonaro's young government into a crisis, deepening concerns about the fate of an ambitious pension reform bill - the cornerstone of his economic agenda. Bolsonaro issued the decree the day he took office in January to cut the number of ministries to 22 from 29. That was set to expire next week if it were not confirmed by lawmakers. But his own PSL party had planned to vote against the decree in the Senate because they were unhappy that it had been revised by the lower house to keep the COAF anti-graft unit in the economy ministry - out of the control of Justice Minister Sergio Moro, a former federal judge who jailed political and business high-fliers in the "Car Wash" probe. Senator Major Olimpio, the PSL leader in the Senate, had wanted the COAF to be under Moro as a tool for tracking money laundering in the banking system. But he changed his mind after meeting with Bolsonaro. Olimpio said Moro and Economy Minister Paulo Guedes, who is leading the pension reform effort, also asked him to back down. "In view of the requests by the president, Moro and Guedes, we cannot put the government reorganization in danger and the PSL will vote to keep the COAF at the Economy Ministry," Olimpio told reporters earlier on Tuesday. Moro, visiting Portugal, said he was disappointed his ministry would lose the COAF, but said it was a democratic decision by Congress. Besides, he told reporters in Estoril, "we can't allow the whole government reorganization to be lost because of the COAF." (Reporting by Anthony Boadle, additional reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu in Brasilia and Catarina Demony in Lisbon; Writing by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Phil Berlowitz and Rosalba O'Brien) By William James and Elizabeth Piper LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May set out a "new deal" on Tuesday for Britain's departure from the European Union, offering sweeteners to parliament including the chance to vote on whether to hold a second referendum to try to break the impasse over Brexit. Three years after Britain voted to leave the EU and almost two months after the planned departure date, May is mounting a last effort to try to get the deeply divided parliament's backing for a divorce deal and leave office with some kind of legacy. The odds do not look good. May offered what she called "significant further changes" but many lawmakers, hardened in their positions, have already decided not to vote next month for the Withdrawal Agreement Bill, legislation that implements the terms of Britain's departure. Speaking at the headquarters of PricewaterhouseCoopers, May appealed to lawmakers to get behind her deal, offering the prospect of a possible second referendum on the agreement and closer trading arrangements with the EU as incentives. "I say with conviction to every MP or every party: I have compromised, now I ask you to compromise," she said. "We have been given a clear instruction by the people we are supposed to represent, so help me find a way to honor that instruction, move our country and our politics and build the better future that all of us want to see." By offering the possibility of holding a second vote on her deal and a compromise on customs arrangements, May hopes to win over opposition Labour lawmakers, whose votes she needs to overcome resistance in her own Conservative Party. But Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said his party could not vote for the Withdrawal Bill, describing May's new offer as "largely a rehash of the government's position" in talks with the opposition that broke down last week. The prime minister has also infuriated Brexit-supporting lawmakers, who have described a customs union with the EU as no Brexit at all. Several leading Conservative euroskeptics such as former Brexit minister David Davis and Jacob Rees-Mogg said they would not vote for the bill in early June. Former foreign minister Boris Johnson and ex Brexit minister Dominic Raab, who are the top two favorite choices among Conservative members to replace May according to an opinion poll published last week, also said they would oppose the deal. And Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party, which props up May's government, said the "fatal flaws" of her original deal remained. They fear the divorce deal could see Northern Ireland split from the rest of the United Kingdom. 'GIMMICK' May's movement toward what many describe as the "Remain" lawmakers, who want to stay in the EU, is a shift for a prime minister who has long said she is against a second referendum and staying in a customs union with the bloc. She may be counting on the fact that parliament - which would have to back any new referendum - has so far opposed any second public vote and also that a "temporary" customs union might just be weak enough for some in her party to accept. But it signals how her earlier strategy, to keep Brexit supporters on board, has failed and the last-ditch attempt to get Labour lawmakers - if not their leader - behind her is simply too little, too late, some say. "It's a gimmick from a desperate PM who has run out of road, refuses to compromise and for three years has sidelined parliament and the country," Labour lawmaker Seema Malhotra told Reuters. Brexit-supporting Conservatives were equally unconvinced. David Jones, a former minister, described the speech as "unacceptable" and predicted that the move just before Thursday's elections to the European Parliament would only buoy support for veteran euroskeptic Nigel Farage's Brexit Party. "I believe more Conservatives will vote against it," he told Reuters. "Regrettably, it will probably also boost the Brexit Party vote on Thursday." May wants to get her withdrawal deal, agreed with the EU last November, through parliament so she can leave office as promised having at least finalised the first part of Britain's departure and prevented a "no deal" Brexit. The deal has been rejected three times by parliament but many businesses fear that the abrupt departure of an exit with no deal agreed would cause an economic shock. Finance minister Philip Hammond rammed the point home in parliament on Tuesday, saying a no-deal Brexit would leave Britain poorer. He was expected to send the same message to business leaders in a speech later in the day. "The 2016 Leave campaign was clear that we would leave with a deal," he was set to say, according to advance extracts. "So to advocate for 'no deal' is to hijack the result of the referendum, and in doing so, knowingly to inflict damage on our economy and our living standards. Because all the preparation in the world will not avoid the consequences of no deal." (Additional reporting by Costas Pitas and Kylie Maclellan; Editing by Stephen Addison, Gareth Jones and Frances Kerry) Briton Lewis Bennett was sentenced for the death of his wife Isabella Hellman A newlywed British sailor whose wife died after their yacht sank off the coast of Cuba has been jailed for eight years in the US for her manslaughter. Lewis Bennett, 42, was sentenced on Tuesday at a Miami court for the killing of Isabella Hellmann, 41. Bennett, of Poole, Dorset, was initially accused of murder and intentionally scuttling the catamaran before he pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter. He must also pay $22,910 (about 18,000) in restitution and will spend three years on supervised release after serving his sentence, a spokeswoman for the US Department of Justice said. Bennett apologised to Ms Hellmann's family during the hearing before US District Judge Federico Moreno, who rejected his defence lawyer's request for a seven-year sentence. Isabella Hellman and her British husband Lewis Bennett with their daughter The newlyweds, who had recently had a baby daughter, had been sailing from Cuba to their home in Delray Beach, Florida, when Bennett sent a distress signal on May 15 2017. The experienced sailor, with dual British-Australian citizenship, claimed he woke to find his novice passenger missing from the 34ft vessel, Surf Into Summer. But he only reported her absence 45 minutes later, after he had fled in a liferaft carrying Cuban trinkets, a tea set and a jar of peanut butter. Lewis Bennett was sentenced in a court in Miami on Tuesday Credit: PA In a twist, he was found to be smuggling rare coins worth nearly 30,000, which prosecutors cited as another potential reason he may have wanted his wife dead. He had reported the gold and silver collectables stolen from a former employer in St Maarten a year earlier. Bennett was already serving a seven-month jail term after admitting transporting the coins. He was plucked from the sea but, despite an extensive search, his wife's body was never found and she was declared dead by a judge earlier this month. Prosecutors had alleged he murdered her and deliberately sunk the catamaran to end his "marital strife" and inherit her home and wealth, but they reduced the charge to unlawful killing without malice and Bennett pleaded guilty. Want the best of The Telegraph direct to your email and WhatsApp? Sign up to our free twice-daily Front Page newsletter and new audio briefings. The warning video showed what a button battery could do to a chicken breast. [Photo: Facebook] A video released by a first aid and safety company is serving as a warning to parents about what could happen if their child swallows a watch, also known as button cell, battery. Watch batteries are everywhere in modern day life, most commonly used to power electronic toys, car keys and remote controls. But, swallowing them or inserting them into the body, as a baby or small child might accidentally do, could prove fatal. Last year, a statement was released by the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) following the death of a child who suffered chemical burns after ingesting the common household object. READ MORE: Should 'sharents' get their child's consent? These batteries pose a very real risk to small children and babies, and the consequences of swallowing a button battery can be truly devastating, said Dr Kevin Stewart, medical director for the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB). The chicken breast had chemical burn marks after just 30 minutes. [Photo: Facebook] Now, an experiment on chicken breasts has demonstrated exactly what could happen to your childs insides if this dangerous accident occurs. The chicken breast experiment was shared in a now-viral video circulated by CPR Kids, an Australian first aid and safety service based in Sydney. READ MORE: Car seat danger for children wearing a coat All parents and grandparents need to watch this, reads the caption. The chicken breast after two hours. [Photo: Facebook] We made this video to show you what can happen in just minutes. The graphic footage depicts how the battery burns through chicken breast flesh in just a short period of time, revealing the effects at intervals of half an hour, an hour, two hours and four hours. READ MORE: Teacher's unusual punishment for pupil doesn't go down well Always keep batteries out of reach of children, it warns at the end. So what should parents do if their child does swallow a battery? Parents or carers should bring their child to the nearest emergency department immediately if they think a child has swallowed or inserted a button battery, Dr Rowlands told Yahoo UK. For decades, researchers have been stymied in their attempts to grow large numbers of hematopoietic stem cells in the laboratory. These rare bone marrow cells are solely responsible for generating all the cells of the blood and immune system. Difficulties in growing the cells have seriously hampered many research efforts, including those aimed at making stem cell transplantation or gene therapy in patients with certain cancers or blood disorders easier and safer. Now, researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and the University of Tokyo have cracked the code. By tinkering with the components of the nutritive broth in which the cells are grown, the specialized molecules used to support their growth and the physical conditions under which the cells are cultivated, the researchers have shown for the first time that its possible to coax hematopoietic stem cells from mice to renew themselves hundreds or even thousands of times within a period of just 28 days. This has been one of my life goals as a stem cell researcher, said Hiromitsu Nakauchi, MD, PhD, professor of genetics at Stanford. For 50 years, researchers from laboratories around the world have been seeking ways to grow these cells to large numbers. Now weve identified a set of conditions that allows these cells to expand in number as much as 900-fold in just one month. We believe this approach could transform how hematopoietic stem cell transplants and gene therapy are performed in humans. In particular, the researchers have shown it is possible to successfully transplant large numbers of the cells into mice without first eliminating the recipients own stem cell population. If the technique also works in humans, it could save thousands of patients with blood or immune disorders from a grueling regimen of radiation or chemotherapy prior to transplant. It could also allow clinicians to use a patients own genetically corrected stem cells for gene therapy. We believe this approach could transform how hematopoietic stem cell transplants and gene therapy are performed in humans. The study was published online May 29 in Nature. Nakauchi shares senior authorship of the study with Satoshi Yamazaki, PhD, an associate professor of stem cell biology at the University of Tokyo. Postdoctoral scholar Adam Wilkinson, PhD, of Stanford and senior research assistant Reiko Ishida of the University of Tokyo are the lead authors. Hematopoietic stem cells are rare cells found in the bone marrow. Like other stem cells, they can either divide to make more hematopoietic stem cells a process called self-renewal or generate the precursors of all the different types of blood and immune cells in the body a process called differentiation. Its long been known that people with immune or blood disorders such as sickle cell anemia or leukemia can be cured with a transplant of healthy hematopoietic stem cells. But in order for the treatment to work, the recipients own hematopoietic stem cells must be killed to eliminate the disease and make space for the healthy cells to settle in the bone marrow. This elimination step, also called conditioning, is accomplished with either chemotherapy or radiation, or a combination of the two. The conditioning, however, can cause life-threatening side effects. This is particularly true in pediatric patients, who can suffer side effects such as growth retardation, infertility and secondary cancer in later life. Very sick or elderly patients often cant receive transplants because they are unable to tolerate the conditioning treatment. A Holy Grail in the stem cell field But for some time, researchers have wondered whether transplanting large numbers of donor hematopoietic stem cells could circumvent the need to remove the existing cells. Perhaps, they reasoned, swamping the recipients bone marrow with a tide of healthy donor cells would allow the newcomers to muscle their way in and set up shop making healthy blood and immune cells. Its been difficult to test this theory, however, because hematopoietic stem cells are hard to isolate in large numbers. And although its been possible for years to grow human hematopoietic stem cells in the laboratory, the cells never self-renew robustly and instead often abandon their stem cell fate to differentiate into precursor cells. As a result, its been difficult to study their biology in depth or to generate enough cells to attempt large-scale transplants. Expansion of hematopoietic stem cells has been a Holy Grail in the stem cell field, Nakauchi said. When something does not work, people tend to think that something is missing. But we decided to try the opposite approach by eliminating all the impurities in the conventional culture system, while also optimizing other aspects that encourage self-renewal of the hematopoietic stem cells. The researchers also replaced a potentially contaminated blood protein called serum albumin with polyvinyl alcohol, a water-soluble synthetic chemical that is frequently used in biomedical research. These modifications to how the cells were grown allowed the researchers to generate enough hematopoietic stem cells for transplant from just 50 starting cells. Although some of the cells did differentiate in culture, many more than normal maintained their stem cell identity throughout the duration of the culture. These original 50 cells increased in number about 8,000-fold over 28 days, Nakauchi said. Of these, about one of every 35 cells remained a functional hematopoietic stem cell. Planning to test human cells The researchers estimated that the hematopoietic stem cells in the original sample increased in numbers by between 200- to 900-fold an unprecedented level of expansion. When they transplanted the newly grown cells into mice that had not undergone a conditioning regimen, the animals developed blood and immune cells derived from both the donors hematopoietic stem cells and their own, demonstrating that the donor cells had engrafted and remained functional. We also found that, during the culture, we can use CRISPR technology to correct any genetic defects in the original hematopoietic cells, Nakauchi said. These gene-corrected cells can then be expanded for transplantation. This should allow us to use a patients own cells as gene therapy. Nakauchi and his collaborators at Stanford are now testing this approach in mice. Other Stanford co-authors of the study are graduate student Ralph Crisostomo, research associate Ryo Yamamoto, and assistant professor of developmental biology Kyle Loh, PhD. Researchers from the RIKEN BioResource Center also contributed to the study. The research was supported by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, the National Institutes of Health (grants R01DK116944, R01HL147124, and DP5OD024558), the Ludwig Foundation, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the Siebel Stem Cell Institute, the Baxter Foundation, Bloodwise and anonymous donors. Nakauchi is a co-founder and shareholder of ReproCELL Inc. Stanfords Department of Genetics also supported the work. By Kelsey Johnson OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada moved to ratify a new North American Trade deal by formally presenting it to parliament on Wednesday, less than 24 hours ahead of a visit by U.S. Vice President Mike Pence. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau presented the bill to the House of Commons, confirming a Reuters story from Tuesday that said the legislation would officially be offered up to parliament on Wednesday. Canada, Mexico and the United States signed the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in November 2018. However, the deal, which would replace the existing North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), has yet to be ratified by any of the three countries. Canada is the first member country to move toward ratification. "The new NAFTA will secure access to a trading zone that accounts for more than a quarter of the global economy," Trudeau said. "It is now time for the members of this House to ratify it." Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland has said Canada will press ahead with its ratification plans in tandem with the United States. With Canadian voters set to head to the polls in October for a national election and the U.S. presidential election in 2020, time is running short. Canada's parliament is scheduled to start its summer recess on June 21 and is not expected to sit again until November, after the general election. The trade deal faces a tricky path in the United States ahead of presidential and congressional elections next year. Some lawmakers in the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives have said it needs stronger enforcement provisions for new labour and environmental standards. President Donald Trump said last week that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi -- who will control when any initial vote on the plan takes place -- does not understand the deal. Pence -- Trump's point person for getting the deal through the U.S. Congress -- is scheduled to meet with Trudeau on Thursday to discuss USMCA ratification and other issues. Story continues Pence has been travelling through U.S. states dependent on trade with Canada and Mexico to make the case for the deal. "We're calling on Congress to bring this up for a vote," a senior U.S. official told reporters, previewing Pence's Ottawa visit -- the first time the vice president has travelled to Canada in an official capacity. Pence's visit also comes after the United States agreed to remove tariffs on Canadian and Mexican steel and aluminium products earlier this month, ending a year-long dispute. Canadian officials had said Canada probably would not pass the pending trade pact until the tariffs had been lifted. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said on Wednesday his party will "reluctantly support" the new trade pact in the House, but criticized Trudeau for caving to U.S. demands. "The prime minister had a once-in-a-generation opportunity to negotiate a better deal -- and he failed," Scheer said. "He gave (U.S. President) Donald Trump everything he wanted and more." The Conservative Party of Canada would "work to mitigate the damage this deal has done" if elected in October, he added. A May 28 poll by Nanos Research had the Conservatives leading with 35% of the popular vote and the Liberals in second place with 29%. (Reporting by Kelsey Johnson; Additional reporting by Roberta Rampton in Washington; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Sandra Maler) Montreal (AFP) - Canada's Conservative Party chief and opposition leader Andrew Scheer said Tuesday he wants to end illegal border crossings from the United States by revisiting the two countries' refugee agreement. Scheer outlined his proposal for migration policy should his party defeat Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberals in the October general election. "We will work to put an end to the illegal border crossings at unofficial points of entry like Roxham Road by closing the loophole in the Safe Third Country Agreement that allows some people to skip the line and avoid the queue," he said. Under the 2004 accord, anyone applying for asylum in either the US or Canada must file their application in whichever country they enter first. To avoid that rule and guarantee their asylum application will be considered in Canada, thousands of migrants have passed into the country through unofficial border crossings, such as at Roxham Road, an area on the border between New York and Quebec. About 55,000 people crossed the border into Canada from the US to seek asylum in 2018, according to the government. OTTAWA, May 29 (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday he would raise his concerns about "backsliding" on women's rights in the United States and elsewhere when he meets U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, one of the most prominent American abortion opponents. Pence is due to travel to Ottawa on Thursday to meet with Trudeau, and the bulk of their discussions were expected to focus on trade issues, like ratifying the new North American trade pact and continuing tensions with China. But, asked by a reporter whether he would discuss abortion with Pence, Trudeau replied in French: "You all know my opinion on that. We will always defend women's rights. I am very concerned about the conservative movement, which is beginning to take away the rights of women in the United States and elsewhere." Afterward Trudeau spoke in English, saying he was "very concerned with the situation around the backsliding of women's rights that we're seeing through conservative movements here in Canada, in the United States and around the world." Asked about Trudeau's comments, a senior U.S. administration official told reporters that Pence "is proud that he serves as part of a pro-life administration." "We'll see what it is that is on the prime minister's mind tomorrow on that subject," the U.S. official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. When he was Indiana's governor, Pence introduced stricter abortion guidelines for the state. Trudeau, the leader of Canada's Liberal Party, has always staunchly supported a woman's right to an abortion. Even Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer, who has a slight advantage in opinion polls five months ahead of a national election, has said he would not reopen the abortion debate if elected. In the United States numerous Republican-controlled states -- including Alabama, Mississippi, and Missouri -- have approved restrictive abortion laws that the Supreme Court may be called upon to rule on in the future. The high court may then have to decide whether various state laws violate rights recognized in its landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, which legalized abortion in the United States. (Reporting by Steve Scherer; additional reporting by Roberta Rampton in Washington; editing by Jonathan Oatis) OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday he would raise his concerns about "backsliding" on women's rights in the United States and elsewhere when he meets U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, one of the most prominent American abortion opponents. Pence is due to travel to Ottawa on Thursday to meet with Trudeau, and the bulk of their discussions were expected to focus on trade issues, like ratifying the new North American trade pact and continuing tensions with China. But, asked by a reporter whether he would discuss abortion with Pence, Trudeau replied in French: "You all know my opinion on that. We will always defend women's rights. I am very concerned about the conservative movement, which is beginning to take away the rights of women in the United States and elsewhere." Afterward Trudeau spoke in English, saying he was "very concerned with the situation around the backsliding of women's rights that we're seeing through conservative movements here in Canada, in the United States and around the world." Asked about Trudeau's comments, a senior U.S. administration official told reporters that Pence "is proud that he serves as part of a pro-life administration." "We'll see what it is that is on the prime minister's mind tomorrow on that subject," the U.S. official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. When he was Indiana's governor, Pence introduced stricter abortion guidelines for the state. Trudeau, the leader of Canada's Liberal Party, has always staunchly supported a woman's right to an abortion. Even Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer, who has a slight advantage in opinion polls five months ahead of a national election, has said he would not reopen the abortion debate if elected. In the United States numerous Republican-controlled states -- including Alabama, Mississippi, and Missouri -- have approved restrictive abortion laws that the Supreme Court may be called upon to rule on in the future. The high court may then have to decide whether various state laws violate rights recognized in its landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, which legalized abortion in the United States. (Reporting by Steve Scherer; additional reporting by Roberta Rampton in Washington; editing by Jonathan Oatis) LISBON (Reuters) - Portuguese police arrested on Wednesday the head of a state-run cancer hospital in Porto and two mayors of smaller cities in the north of the country on suspicion of corruption and influence peddling, authorities said. Police said in a statement they raided 10 residences and public institutions, detaining the mayors of Santo Tirso and Barcelos, the president of the Porto branch of the Portuguese Institute of Oncology (IPO) and an unidentified businesswoman. They are suspected of having favoured companies in awarding public contracts and using public funds to "satisfy particular interests". The investigation, part of the operation code-named "Web", is ongoing, police added, without providing more details. The Santo Tirso city hall said in a statement it was awaiting the outcome of the investigation and cooperating with the authorities, "having always had scrupulous respect for the law". The oncology institute, which also has branches in Lisbon and Faro, and the Barcelos city hall did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Reporting by Catarina Demony; editing by Andrei Khalip, Larry King) Capri Holdings (NYSE: CPRI) is a new name in the fashion world, but the concepts the holding company has under its corporate umbrella have strong brands with global appeal. The company formerly known as Michael Kors Holdings has grown in two distinct phases, with the acquisition of Jimmy Choo in 2017 and the more recent merger with Versace bringing Capri to its current status. Coming into Wednesday's fiscal fourth-quarter financial report, Capri investors were ready to deal with relatively flat earnings but still wanted to see encouraging signs of top-line growth. Revenue did indeed move higher thanks in part to acquisitions, but Capri's strategic vision isn't generating the level of confidence in future results that most shareholders want to see. Capri Holdings logo. Image source: Capri Holdings. Growing pains for Capri Capri Holdings' fiscal fourth-quarter results looked reasonably solid on their face. Sales came in at $1.34 billion, which was up 13% from year-ago levels and slightly outpaced what most of those following the stock were expecting to see. Adjusted net income eased lower by 2% to $95 million, but the resulting $0.63 per share in adjusted earnings topped the consensus forecast among investors for $0.61 per share. Capri investors got their first full look at how all three of its segments performed for full three-month periods. The original Michael Kors business remained the largest of the three, with sales of $1.07 billion falling 0.4% from levels the previous year. Comparable store sales were down 1% on a currency-neutral basis. Operating income for the unit was even weaker, falling 15% over the same period. Unfortunately, although Jimmy Choo and Versace produced substantial increases to Capri's overall revenue, they weren't profitable. Jimmy Choo's revenue climbed 29% year over year to $139 million, even though current impacts cost the company more than 6 percentage points of additional growth. Yet the unit posted an adjusted operating loss of $16 million. Similarly, Versace contributed $137 million in revenue during its first full quarter as part of Capri, but its operating loss of $6 million on an adjusted basis also held the overall business back. Story continues The segments had mixed performances worldwide. For Michael Kors, the American region produced modest growth, but it wasn't enough to outweigh declines in Europe and Asia. Meanwhile, Versace and Jimmy Choo got the vast majority of their revenue from overseas, leaving them the most exposed to the effects of the strong U.S. dollar during the period. What's ahead for Capri? CEO John Idol marked the end of the fiscal year by detailing recent events. "We expanded our fashion luxury group with the addition of Versace" during fiscal 2019, Idol said, "one of the world's most storied Italian luxury brands." The CEO pointed to Jimmy Choo's strong results and ongoing efforts to have Michael Kors focus on product innovation, brand engagement, and customer experience. In the long run, Capri hopes to grow substantially. Long-term goals for Versace include bringing $900 million in revenue to $2 billion, and getting Jimmy Choo from $600 million to $1 billion. Michael Kors' opportunity is more fully played out, but a move from $4.5 billion to $5 billion would still be a nice driver of overall sales. Yet not everyone was happy about Capri's fiscal 2020 guidance. The company expects revenue of roughly $6 billion, below the $6.15 billion consensus among those following the stock. Earnings projections of $4.95 per share would be slightly below where Capri ended fiscal 2019, which would be similarly disappointing despite $0.25 per share in earnings headwinds from integrating Versace into the mix. Shareholders weren't pleased with the results, and Capri shares dropped 10% in morning trading following the announcement. The long-run prospects for Capri might be good, but as we've seen in recent quarters, investors don't seem to be patient right now about letting the retailer make slow progress toward reaching its goals. More From The Motley Fool Dan Caplinger has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. WARSAW, May 29 (Reuters) - Care home resident with learning difficulties were found with cards instructing them to vote for Poland's ruling party in Sunday's European Parliament election, police said on Wednesday. An official at the polling station in the eastern village of Tykocin noticed that residents had been given instructions on pieces of paper to vote for candidates from the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party, a police spokesman said. The spokesman said an investigation into the case was under way, but it had yet to be established who wrote the cards. The spokesman said a handwriting expert would help police with their inquiries. A PiS spokeswoman could not be reached for comment. The care home did not respond to a request for comment. Polish media reported the residents had difficulties with reading, writing and communication. PiS surged to a clear victory in Sunday's vote, a stamp of approval for the party's nationalist, eurosceptic platform before a national election later in the year. The ruling party won 75.6% of the vote in the Tykocin municipality, according to Poland's electoral commission. The central electoral commission referred queries to the regional office, which did not answer calls. (Editing by Alison Williams) If youre someone who prefers the journey over the destination, Norways iconic Atlantic Road might just be the best place for you. Book your next vacation now and start navigating its many twists and turns over multiple islands. One of the countrys 18 total national tourist routes, the road is officially known as Atlanterhavsveien. Spanning a distance of just over five miles, it takes you over eight bridges, all of them both necessary and awe-worthy, as you make your way across the archipelago. Although its main goal was to connect the Avery municipality to the mainland, its engineers clearly put a lot more into it than that. Since its completion in 1989, its offered people myriad opportunities to soak in local culture and scenery. The road takes you through several small villages like Karvag and Vevang, all of which of offer breathtaking views the coastline. In fact, the water is so close to the road that it splatters right up over it during stormy weather. On sunny days, or if youre just up for an adventure, you can stop at one of Atlanterhavsveiens many roadside pull-outs to take in the scenery. Hike along the rocky shoreline or climb a hill for even more encompassing views, or even bike or walk the road itself for an immersive seabreeze experience. Just remember to bring your camera to capture all the crashing waves, spectacular sunsets, and bridges on the horizon. The eye-catching design doesnt stop with the windy road or expansive bridges, either. Even the viewpoints have been crafted to let you take in the scenery and well-engineered highway. The easy-to-access roadside Askevagen viewpoint, for example, takes you out on a gangplank with glass sides and leaves you feeling like youre floating over the waves. One bridge even accommodates a historic local fishing hole and yes, its still open for business. Other villages along the route allow you to stop for lunch, take in some jazz music, and catch guided fishing tours. As youve probably already guessed, it was no easy feat designing a road that wildly lept across several islands and inlets. For instance, a staggering 12 windstorms struck the area during construction, delaying the projects completion for six years. The 122-million kr (Norwegian krone) venture was 75-percent funded by grants, with the expectation that tolls would make up the other 25 percent within 15 years. Much to the delight of everyone involved, that debt was paid in full in less than ten. Since then, the now toll-free road has welcomed countless wanderlusters and earned recognition through several important accolades. The Guardian labeled the journey the worlds best road trip, placing it above even the Himalayas. National broadcaster NRK dubbed it Norwegian Construction of the Century, and in 2011, Fifth Gear called it the worlds best place for car testing, which lead to a slew of car commercials being filmed on the curvy pavement. Washington (AFP) - Special Counsel Robert Mueller said Wednesday that charging Donald Trump with a crime of obstruction was not an option because of Justice Department policy not to indict a sitting president. "Under longstanding department policy, a president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office," Mueller said in his first public comments in two years. "That is unconstitutional. "A Special Counsel's Office is part of the Department of Justice, and by regulation, it was bound by that department policy," Mueller said. "Charging the president with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider," the former FBI director said. "The Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting President of wrongdoing," Mueller added, in what appeared to be a suggestion that any further action would lie with Congress. At the same time, Mueller reiterated that his report into Russian interference in the 2016 election and potential obstruction of justice did not exonerate the president. "It would be unfair to potentially accuse somebody of a crime when there can be no court resolution of the actual charge," he said. "Those were the principles under which we operated, and from them we concluded that we would not reach a determination one way or the other about whether the president committed a crime. "If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so," Mueller said. "We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime." Mueller also said that if he was called to testify before Congress -- as some Democrats are demanding -- he would say no more than what is already in report. "I hope and expect this to be the only time that I will speak about this matter," he said. "I am making that decision myself -- no one has told me whether I can or should testify or speak further about this matter." Story continues Mueller ended by reiterating what he called "the central allegation of our indictments -- that there were multiple, systematic efforts to interfere in our election." "That allegation deserves the attention of every American." Mueller said that with the completion of the investigation he was resigning from the Justice Department to return to private life. Photo: Ezza Nails/Yelp Looking to discover the newest businesses to open in Chicago? From a seafood restaurant to a new art exhibition, read on for a list of the newest hot spots to open their doors recently. Cafe Cancale Photo: Mark T./Yelp A Wicker Park newcomer, Cafe Cancale is a French spot, offering seafood and more that's located at 1576 N. Milwaukee Ave. Cafe Cancale offers a French-inspired menu with a raw bar, fresh seafood, and French coastal wines. On the menu, look for the oysters, clams, lobster and more. Ezza Nails Photo: Ezza Nails/Yelp Head over to 180 N. Wacker in the Loop and you'll find Ezza Nails, a new nail salon. The new nail salon offers classic manicures and pedicures. A gel polish option is available, as well as nail art upon request. Tikka N' Curry Photo: Tikka N' Curry/Yelp Now open at 400 S. Financial Place, Suite 3B, in the Loop is Tikka N' Curry, an Indian and vegetarian spot. "Whether youre dining in or curry-ing out, were ready to fire up our tava to create your custom bowl with fresh, local proteins, scratch-made curries, n housemade sides," according to restaurant's website. Hamilton: The Exhibition Photo: Hamilton: The Exhibition/Yelp Hamilton: The Exhibition is a new art museum and historical tour spot that's located at 1535 S. Linn White Drive. Experience the museum exhibition from the creators of the musical. Expect "interactive games and displays, lifelike projections, full-scale statues, and Instagram-worthy art installations," according to the website. This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. King Mohammed VI conferred on Wednesday in Rabat with White House senior adviser Jared Kushner on ways of strengthening further the long-standing, solid and multidimensional strategic partnership existing between Rabat and Washington. According to MAP news agency, the Moroccan-US talks also covered latest developments in North Africa and the Middle-East region. On this occasion, the Moroccan Sovereign hosted an Iftar dinner (fast-breaking meal) at the royal residence in Sale, near Rabats capital city, in honor of Mr. Jared Kushner, President Donald Trumps son-in-law. The Iftar was attended by Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, US Presidential Assistant & Special Representative for International Negotiations Jason Greenblatt, Royal Advisor Fouad Ali El Himma and Foreign affairs minister Nasser Bourita. Mr. Kushner arrived in Morocco earlier Tuesday, first leg of an international tour aimed at gleaning support for a US peace plan for the Middle East. According to a White House official, the tour of Trumps senior adviser, which also includes stops in Europe, Jordan and Israel, is part of US efforts to achieve peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! China Magnesium Corporation Limited (ASX:CMC) shareholders might be rather concerned because the share price has dropped 50% in the last month. But that shouldn't obscure the pleasing returns achieved by shareholders over the last three years. In fact, the company's share price bested the return of its market index in that time, posting a gain of 67%. Check out our latest analysis for China Magnesium With just AU$73,355 worth of revenue in twelve months, we don't think the market considers China Magnesium to have proven its business plan. So it seems that the investors focused more on what could be, than paying attention to the current revenues (or lack thereof). It seems likely some shareholders believe that China Magnesium will find or develop a valuable new mine before too long. As a general rule, if a company doesn't have much revenue, and it loses money, then it is a high risk investment. There is usually a significant chance that they will need more money for business development, putting them at the mercy of capital markets. So the share price itself impacts the value of the shares (as it determines the cost of capital). While some such companies do very well over the long term, others become hyped up by promoters before eventually falling back down to earth, and going bankrupt (or being recapitalized). China Magnesium has already given some investors a taste of the sweet gains that high risk investing can generate, if your timing is right. China Magnesium had liabilities exceeding cash by AU$7,231,344 when it last reported in December 2018, according to our data. That puts it in the highest risk category, according to our analysis. So the fact that the stock is up 19% per year, over 3 years shows that high risks can lead to high rewards, sometimes. It's clear more than a few people believe in the potential. You can see in the image below, how China Magnesium's cash levels have changed over time (click to see the values). Story continues ASX:CMC Historical Debt, May 29th 2019 In reality it's hard to have much certainty when valuing a business that has neither revenue or profit. However you can take a look at whether insiders have been buying up shares. It's often positive if so, assuming the buying is sustained and meaningful. Luckily we are in a position to provide you with this free chart of insider buying (and selling). What about the Total Shareholder Return (TSR)? We'd be remiss not to mention the difference between China Magnesium's total shareholder return (TSR) and its share price return. The TSR attempts to capture the value of dividends (as if they were reinvested) as well as any spin-offs or discounted capital raisings offered to shareholders. We note that China Magnesium's TSR, at 67% is higher than its share price return of 67%. When you consider it hasn't been paying a dividend, this data suggests shareholders have benefitted from a spin-off, or had the opportunity to acquire attractively priced shares in a discounted capital raising. A Different Perspective China Magnesium shareholders are down 9.1% for the year, but the market itself is up 12%. However, keep in mind that even the best stocks will sometimes underperform the market over a twelve month period. However, the loss over the last year isn't as bad as the 12% per annum loss investors have suffered over the last half decade. We'd need to see some sustained improvements in the key metrics before we could muster much enthusiasm. It is all well and good that insiders have been buying shares, but we suggest you check here to see what price insiders were buying at. China Magnesium is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket. Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on AU exchanges. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. BEIJING, May 29 (Reuters) - China is not seeking a sphere of influence in Pacific Ocean island states, President Xi Jinping told the visiting prime minister of Vanuatu amid fears in Western capitals of China's growing role in the region. China has offered to help developing countries, including those in the Pacific, and many see Chinese lending as the best way to develop their economies. Critics say Chinese loans can lead countries into a debt trap, which Beijing denies. The United States and Australia have looked on with particular concern at China's growing role in the Pacific. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison will visit the Solomon Islands next week. Xi met Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai in Beijing's Great Hall of the People and said China upholds the principles of sincerity, real results and good faith to strengthen cooperation with Pacific island countries, China's Foreign Ministry said in a statement late on Tuesday. "We have no private interests in island countries, and do not seek a so-called 'sphere of influence'," the ministry paraphrased Xi as saying. China will always be a reliable good friend and partner, he said. "Countries, no matter big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, are equal members of the international community," Xi said. China also opposes "great-power chauvinism," he said, without offering details. Xi said Beijing was willing to deepen agricultural technology cooperation with Vanuatu and would continue to encourage Chinese companies to invest there. Vanuatu and China denied reports last year that Beijing wanted to establish a permanent military presence there. The Pacific is also an area of competition between China and self-ruled Taiwan, which maintains formal diplomatic ties with several island nations. China views Taiwan as merely a Chinese province with no right to diplomatic relations. A top U.S. official said on Friday Pacific Island countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan should maintain them in the face of "heavy handed" attempts by China to reduce Taiwan's overseas contacts. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard Editing by Paul Tait) BEIJING (Reuters) - China is ready to use rare earths to strike back in a trade war with the United States, Chinese newspapers warned on Wednesday in strongly worded commentaries on a move that would escalate tensions between the world's two largest economies. President Xi Jinping's visit to a rare earths plant last week had sparked speculation that China would use its dominant position as an exporter of rare earths to the United States as leverage in the trade war. Rare earths are a group of 17 chemical elements used in everything from high-tech consumer electronics to military equipment. The prospect that their value could soar as a result of the trade war caused sharp increases in the share prices of producers, including the company visited by Xi. While China has so far not explicitly said it would restrict rare earths sales to the United States, Chinese media has strongly implied this will happen. In a commentary headlined "United States, don't underestimate China's ability to strike back", the official People's Daily noted the United States' "uncomfortable" dependence on rare earths from China. "Will rare earths become a counter weapon for China to hit back against the pressure the United States has put on for no reason at all? The answer is no mystery," it said. "Undoubtedly, the U.S. side wants to use the products made by China's exported rare earths to counter and suppress China's development. The Chinese people will never accept this!" the ruling Communist Party newspaper added. "We advise the U.S. side not to underestimate the Chinese side's ability to safeguard its development rights and interests. Don't say we didn't warn you!" The expression "don't say we didn't warn you" is generally only used by official Chinese media to warn rivals over major areas of disagreement, for example during a border dispute with India in 2017 and in 1978 before China invaded Vietnam. Story continues In its own editorial on Wednesday, sister paper the Global Times said an export ban on rare earths "is a powerful weapon if used in the China-U.S. trade war." "Nevertheless, China will mainly use it for defence," it added, noting that while China might incur losses from a ban on exports, the United States would suffer more. The paper's editor had said on Twitter late on Tuesday that Beijing was "seriously considering" restricting rare earth exports to the United States. China has used rare earth sales to exert pressure in past diplomatic disputes. In 2010, Beijing cut rare earth export quotas after a Chinese trawler collided with two Japan Coast Guard ships near uninhabited islands in the East China Sea that both countries claim. In 2012, Japan, the United States and European Union complained to the World Trade Organization (WTO) over the restrictions. Two years later, China was rebuked by the WTO for citing environmental reasons to justify the quotas. It ultimately scrapped its export quota system after losing the case. Chinese trade experts say if Beijing moves forward with new restrictions on rare earth exports to the United States, it will likely follow Washington's example and use national security as a justification. China has repeatedly criticised Washington for what it says are abuses of national security exceptions at the WTO, including this week when, according to media reports, it accused the United States of breaking rules by blacklisting Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, the world's largest telecom network gear maker. But China for years has used national security considerations to block major U.S. technology companies, including Google and Facebook, from operating in its market. Such restrictions have in recent years fuelled calls from within some parts of the U.S. business community for Washington to pursue more reciprocal policies with Beijing. Shares in the company Xi visited last week, JL MAG Rare-Earth Co Ltd, surged another 10% to a record high on Wednesday, having gained 134.1% in May alone. China Rare Earth Holdings Ltd soared more than 40%, while Australia's Lynas Corp, the only major rare earths producer outside of China, climbed as much as 14.6%. China accounted for 80% of rare earth imports between 2014 and 2017 by the United States, which has excluded them from recent tariffs along with some other critical Chinese minerals. Beijing, however, has raised tariffs on imports of U.S. rare earth metal ores from 10% to 25% from June 1, making it less economical to process the material in China. Some trade analysts expect an acceleration in bringing fresh rare earth mining capacity on line in California and Australia if China uses its dominant position in the market for diplomatic advantage. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard, Michael Martina and Tom Daly; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore) BEIJING, May 29 (Reuters) - The Chinese government signaled on Wednesday that it would not follow Taiwan's example on same-sex marriage after the first legal unions in Asia were hailed by activists as a social revolution for the region. Taiwan's parliament passed a bill this month that endorsed same-sex marriage. More than 360 same-sex couples married on Friday after years of heated debate over marriage equality that has divided the self-ruled and democratic island. China, which claims Taiwan as its own sacred territory, has a thriving gay scene in major cities, but there has been little sign that the ruling Communist Party will legalize same sex marriage, despite activists pushing for it. Speaking at a regular news briefing, An Fengshan, spokesman for China's policy-making Taiwan Affairs Office, said they had "noted reports on the island" about same-sex marriage. "The mainland has a marriage system of one man, one woman," he added, without further elaboration. Individual legislators have occasionally in recent years proposed legislation during China's annual meeting of parliament in March to legalize same-sex marriage, without success. There are no laws against same-sex relations in China and despite growing awareness of LGBT issues, the community has been the target of Chinese censors in recent months. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard and Gao Liangping; editing by Darren Schuettler) On "Cuomo Prime Time" Tuesday night, Chris Cuomo offered up some harsh criticism for Mitch McConnell, this coming after the Senate Majority Leader pulled a 180 on Supreme Court nominations. In 2016, McConnell famously blocked the senate from even voting on Obamas nominee, Merrick Garland, citing historical precedent as the reason. But at a speaking engagement in Kentucky on Tuesday, McConnell made it clear that the longstanding tradition that was so important just a few years ago is no longer so meaningful. Miners' strike: Ombudsperson is ready to supervise talks between the company and miners By Gvantsa Gabekhadze Georgian Ombudsperson Nino Lomjaria is ready to supervise the negotiation process between the Georgian Manganese company and miners on strike in the western town of Chiatura.The statement came after nine days of protest, where a few of the 15 miners who are on the hunger strike, sewed their mouths."I came to see and speak with miners. I do not have a mandate on all of the issues which are raised during the process. However, there are topics which are in the responsibility of the Public Defender's office, "Lomjaria said.She stated that there are signs that the labour code is violated regarding the miners, who work 12-hour working day for two weeks."They also say that the food provision was very poor," Lomjaria said.She spoke about the third demand of the miners, concerning ecology and banning the movement of heavy vehicles of the Georgian Manganese in Chiatura, which pollute the environment."The iconological situation in the town is severe. The company has to pay millions of worth fines for damaging the nature and the environment. As far as I know, the fines have not been paid so far," she said.The Georgian Manganese says that the food problem will be resolved and their vehicles will not move in the town. However, they say that the demand for the 50- percent rise in salaries is unrealistic.They offer a 25 percent increase, which is unacceptable for the miners, who say that most of them have 500-600 GEL salary.They say the salaries must be increased by 30 percent at least.The Georgian Manganese reports that the protest is illegal and that they might sue the miners, stating that the company loses one million GEL daily due to the protest.The company says that they have 3,200 employees, and the average salary is 1,000 GEL.Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze stated that miners' demands are 'objective and fair' and urged the parties to hold dialogue to arrive at a solution as soon as possible.Georgian Manganese, LLC (GM) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Miami, Florida-based Georgian American Alloys (GAA).Based in Georgia, GM is the country's top producer and exporter of silicomanganese.GAA's Georgian holdings comprise three divisions: GM's Chiatura Manganese Mine, a manganese ore mining operation, GM's Zestafoni Ferroalloy Plant, a silico-manganese processing plant, and Vartsikhe, the hydroelectric facility which powers the Chiatura mine and Zestafoni plant. On May 29, CollegeBacker CEO Jordan Lee joined The Final Round to discuss education-saving plans in honor of National 529 College Savings Plan Day. This is as a recent CollegeBacker survey found that debt-plagued millennial parents are starting to save for their kids' college costs earlier than past generations. According to the survey of parents, millennials were 43% more likely than Baby Boomers to start saving for college before their children reached the age of 5 and 24% more likely than GenXers. BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia's Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the release of a former commander of the Marxist FARC rebel group, the latest development in a legal saga concerning his detention and possible extradition to the United States. Seuxis Paucias Hernandez, better known by his nom de guerre Jesus Santrich, was indicted more than a year ago by a U.S. grand jury for conspiracy to export 10 tonnes of cocaine, worth $320 million in street value. Earlier this month he was released from prison in Bogota under the orders of a special tribunal, before being immediately re-arrested on what the attorney general's office said was fresh evidence in the case. Hernandez was one of 10 members of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) set to take up congressional seats guaranteed through 2026 by the peace deal, which was inked in 2016 and saw thousands of guerrillas demobilize. Hernandez, 52, was arrested before being sworn in, but because he is recognized as a lawmaker, his case must be heard by the Supreme Court, the body said in a statement. "It would be contrary to the fundamental rights of constitutional privilege to keep him imprisoned," the court said. "It would not recognize the dignity of his post to allow authorities other than the Supreme Court of Justice to investigate, judge or impose liberty-deprivation measures." The first body to order Hernandez's release this month was the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP), a tribunal created to prosecute FARC and military leaders for alleged war crimes. Because the JEP has jurisdiction over crimes committed during the conflict, Hernandez's extradition can only go ahead if the alleged conspiracy took place after the deal. In its ruling the JEP said the evidence did not allow it to evaluate whether or when Hernandez committed the crime. The country's beleaguered attorney general, already beset by questions over ties to the Latin America-wide Odebrecht corruption scandal, resigned in protest over the JEP's decision. The FARC's political party has said the case against Hernandez is a setup that threatens the peace deal. President Ivan Duque was elected on a promise to change parts of the accord, but has been unable to get congressional support for his modifications, fueling a parallel legal drama after the Senate asked the constitutional court to determine whether a vote to defeat the proposals was legitimate. The U.S. Embassy referred journalists to a May 16 statement it released after the JEP's decision, in which it said that ruling was "regrettable" and that no judicial back-and-forth changed the fact Hernandez has been indicted by a grand jury. (Reporting by Julia Symmes Cobb; editing by Helen Murphy, Lisa Shumaker and James Dalgleish) Bogota (AFP) - Colombia's Supreme Court ordered Wednesday the "immediate release" of former FARC guerrilla leader Jesus Santrich, who is wanted by the United States for drug trafficking. Santrich, who is suspected of participating in the trafficking of 10 tons of cocaine to the US, has been in prison since April 2018. "There is no appeal" in such a case, the court said. The Supreme Court said it -- and not the lower courts -- were responsible for handling the case of Santrich, whose real name is Seuxis Paucias Hernandez, due to his status as an elected lawmaker. Santrich was on a list of members of the newly created Common Alternative Revolutionary Force political party due to take up one of 10 congress seats reserved for the communists as part of the historic 2016 peace accord that ended more than a half century of armed conflict. The pact stipulated that the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia would turn into a political party, using the same FARC acronym as its predecessor, with 10 seats reserved in congress until 2026. But Santrich, who is blind, was captured by authorities before he could take up his senate seat. Although the 52-year-old was released from detention earlier this month following an order by the special peace court tasked with judging crimes committed during Colombia's long armed conflict, he was re-arrested as he left prison. Under pressure from Washington, Ivan Duque's government is firmly opposed to liberating Santrich and has ratified its intention to extradite him to the US. Under the terms of the peace accord signed in December 2016 between FARC rebels and the government of then-president Juan Manuel Santos, former guerrillas who commit crimes after the pact was signed are tried in a normal court and lose the benefits afforded by the accord, such as a ban on extradition. The accusations against Santrich, who professes his innocence, crucially date from June 2017 to April 2018, after the peace accord was signed. The FARC party has denounced the accusations against Santrich as a "judicial setup." An American mountaineer has become the 11th person in two weeks to die on Mount Everest as Sherpas and tour operators alike blame an influx of inexperienced climbers and budget tour operators for the spike in fatalities. Christopher John Kulish, 61, from Colorado, did not show any sign of distress when summiting the worlds highest mountain on Monday morning but died suddenly after descending. With a record number of climbers permitted to climb Everest this year, bottle necks have also contributed to greater exhaustion and in some instances, death. The death toll this season is the highest since 2015. The Nepalese government granted permission for 381 mountaineers to scale Everest from the southern side this spring season. Roughly 130 others will attempt to summit from the northern side in Tibet. Only around 5,000 people have climbed Everest since Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay first scaled the 8,848m peak in 1953. With a permit costing $11,000 (8,675) to scale the mountain the increase in numbers has been attributed to the Nepalese government making money to support its economy which has been hampered by political unrest and the devastating 2015 earthquake. Adventure tourism also plays a vital part in financially supporting the inhabitants of remote communities in north-east Nepal. However, in permitting more summits the government has allowed dozens of local budget climbing companies to emerge who charge cheaper prices but cut corners on safety. Climbing Everest with a premium, international firm can cost up to $100,000 (78,900) while some cut-price local mountaineers charge only a quarter of this fee. The Nepalese government has for the first time said it may reduce the number of permits given to climbers next year. A government spokesperson told the Telegraph: "There are no such plans for now but there is possibility of doing so." The biggest factor is that many inexperienced climbers are booking with low budget, local operators, who are not providing adequate support such as guide services, oxygen, medicines and leadership to ensure the climbers can ascend and descend safely, said Garrett Madison, an American mountaineer specialising in Everest summits. Story continues Mr Madison led 29 people to a busy summit on May 23 where climbers say a bottleneck at the top caused people to wait for around 45 minutes in the perilous "death zone". A major clean-up operation ended with the recovery of 10,000 kilograms of rubbish and four dead bodies Credit: NARENDRA SHRESTHA/EPA-EFE/REX While the government says it implements background checks on prospective climbers, such as only allowing those to climb with experience of a summit over 6,000m, it has been accused of turning a blind eye to those who dont meet criteria. I wouldnt say that people who sign up for Everest arent fully prepared as they practice for years but all who are currently attempting the summit are not professional mountaineers, said Krishma Poudel, the Manager at Peak Promotions, a company that has organised expeditions for over 25 years. Her comments were echoed by Temba Tsheri Sherpa, who leads summits at Asia Voyage. The largest number of climbers dying this season is because they have run out of oxygen there are too many commercial expeditions where you pay less but get less of a service and less experienced guides, he said. A lot of climbers dont have enough experience and they think the climbing is easy. "If you want to maintain safety, the first thing is to minimise [the numbers] of climbers," Mr Tsheri Sherpa added. The Nepalese government told the Telegraph that it didnt want to speculate on the cause of the recent spike in deaths. However, it said there was a possibility that they would reduce the number of permits given to climbers next year. Want the best of The Telegraph direct to your email and WhatsApp? Sign up to our free twice-daily Front Page newsletter and new audio briefings. Are you an avid mountaineer? What motivates you to climb the world's tallest peaks? We want to hear from you in the comments section below. Brussels (AFP) - The European Commission on Wednesday urged the EU to start membership talks with Albania and North Macedonia immediately, saying they had delivered on reforms demanded by Brussels. The two Balkan states aspire to join the European Union but their accession bids have stalled as public opinion and politicians in the bloc -- especially France and the Netherlands -- have grown cold at the prospect of bringing in new members. Tirana in particular is growing impatient, with Prime Minister Edi Rama warning in an AFP interview last month that the delay was hurting the Balkans and could reignite simmering tensions. EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini pressed the 28 member states not to wait any longer, saying there was a risk of sowing "disillusion". Last year member states agreed to start accession talks for both countries but only in June this year, and only if they met certain conditions, particularly improvements in the fight against crime and corruption. Reporting on the progress made, EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn said Albania and North Macedonia had taken major steps, and the European Council -- the member states -- must respond. "Both countries have delivered on reforms, in particular in areas set by the council unanimously in June 2018. On that basis the commission recommends the council opens accession negotiations now with both Albania and North Macedonia," he told the foreign affairs committee of the European Parliament. "To remain credible the EU must stick to its commitments and respond clearly and positively when countries fulfil theirs." Rama was quick to welcome the commission's recommendation, saying it showed Albania had "successfully completed its homework". - Danger of disillusion - The decision on whether to launch formal talks rests with the member states, though any timetable is unclear. They may discuss it at a summit in Brussels next month or wait until a meeting of European affairs ministers in July. Story continues North Macedonia expects a reward after a difficult diplomatic compromise that involved changing its name to settle a dispute with Greece -- a deal that also opened the way for Skopje to join NATO. "Not rewarding historic achievements and substantial reforms would undermine stability and discourage seriously further reforms and would introduce an element of disillusion, especially among the young population that is so supportive of the European Union prospect," Mogherini warned. North Macedonia Prime Minister Zoran Zaev echoed her words. "They gave us homework and told us that if we deliver in the upcoming period we are going to be awarded. Our time in the waiting room was not wasted but used to work on reforms so that we can prepare for the negotiations for membership in EU," he said. "Now it is their turn, EU members and institutions. Giving the recommendation is the only guarantee for the domestic stability and maintaining the reform process for positive impact in North Macedonia and the region," Zaev told reporters. Montenegro and Serbia are frontrunners to join the EU from the Balkans, having already started the formal membership process, but Hahn said they needed to "urgently" step up their efforts to improve the rule of law if they wanted to progress. But some EU states point to corruption and rule of law issues in Bulgaria and Romania, which were admitted in 2007, as a warning against being too hasty in letting in new members. France, one of the bloc's two main powerhouses, has been particularly vocal in its reluctance, with President Emmanuel Macron insisting there must be "a deepening and improvement" of the existing union before any more enlargement. In a nod to these concerns, Hahn stressed that opening talks "doesn't mean we conclude tomorrow or the day after", noting that most recent new member Croatia took eight years to complete the process. GRAND RAPIDS Hundreds of Republicans, Democrats and Independents turned out at a high school auditorium Tuesday to show support for U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, a maverick west Michigan Republican congressman who is under fire for calling for the impeachment of President Donald Trump. Amash, R-Cascade Township, is facing a primary challenge, loss of financial support and ridicule on Twitter from Trump after reading Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and becoming the first GOP member of Congress to say Trump should be impeached. But it was a mostly supportive crowd that attended Grand Rapids Christian High School Tuesday for a town hall meeting organized by Amash. The crowd frequently interrupted him with applause, and in one case, a standing ovation. Several audience members rose to thank and compliment Amash for showing courage in the face of party opposition. Amash said Mueller presented all the elements to support a criminal charge of obstruction of justice against Trump, but did not bring an indictment because he said he believes a sitting president can't be indicted. Amash said he agrees with Mueller that Trump can't be charged with a crime while in office. But impeachment is a separate question, Amash told the crowd. U.S. Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI) holds a Town Hall Meeting on May 28, 2019, in Grand Rapids. "I think it's very important that we do our job as a Congress that we not allow misconduct to go undeterred," Amash said. "I'm confident that if you read Volume 2 (of the Mueller report) you'll be appalled by much of the conduct," he said. "I was appalled." Amash said he's concerned that if impeachment is not invoked in this case, he fears it may never be used, and that would damage the office. "We should expect the president to uphold the law," he said. The meeting was scheduled for one hour but lasted about twice that long. Of those who arrived early for the town hall meeting, nearly all of those interviewed said they were there to show support for Amash. Some said they support impeachment and others said they do not, but nearly all of them praised Amash for his willingness to stick to and voice his convictions. Story continues U.S. Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI) holds a Town Hall Meeting on May 28, 2019, in Grand Rapids. "I've always been a Republican, but I didn't vote for Trump," said Jeanie Hopkins of East Grand Rapids. "There are some people who love Trump, but personally, I think he's very rude. I think he's an embarrassment." Several Democratic voters who lined up outside the high school said they plan to vote for Amash in the next congressional election. "He's willing to speak truth to power, despite the cowardice and spinelessness of all of the rest of the Republicans," said Marge Friar, a retired Grand Rapids teacher who was holding a sign that read: "Country Over Politics." Democratic voters Kathy Hanenburg, left, and Marge Friar carry signs as they attend the town hall meeting to show support for Amash. Friar said she normally votes for Democrats but now plans to support Amash in 2020. "I am desperate for integrity," she said. Far outnumbered was Diane Luke, a Grand Rapids educator who wore a red "Make America Great Again" ball cap. "I have voted for Justin Amash in every election, but he's become a Democrat," said Luke, who later spoke out against Amash at the town hall as many in the auditorium tried to shout her down. "The Mueller report is a total lie it was from the beginning," Luke said. Diane Luke, a Grand Rapids educator and Trump supporter, thinks Amash should resign. Amash "said that President Trump has engaged in impeachable conduct," Luke told the Free Press. "No he hasn't. Everyone who has accused him of that has engaged in treasonous conduct." More: Amash returns to Twitter, lays out case for impeaching Trump More: Wealthy DeVos family won't back Michigan's Amash in primary More: Impeachment, and other topics Justin Amash tackled at town hall Another Republican in the audience, who did not identify herself, said she has supported Amash since he first ran but has now changed her mind about him. She said he is no longer doing his job of representing his constituents. "My job is to uphold the Constitution," Amash replied. Amash continued his Twitter stream related to the Mueller report on Tuesday, saying: "In truth, Muellers report describes concerning contacts between members of Trumps campaign and people in or connected to the Russian government." Also, Attorney General William Barr "has so far successfully used his position to sell the presidents false narrative to the American people," Amash said. "This will continue if those who have read the report do not start pushing back on his misrepresentations and share the truth." The Tuesday tweets followed earlier posts on May 23 and on May 18, when Amash first said he thought the president should be impeached. "Some of the presidents actions were inherently corrupt. Other actions were corrupt and therefore impeachable because the president took them to serve his own interests," Amash wrote on Twitter on May 23. Trump took to Twitter on May 19 and called Amash a "total lightweight" and a "loser," and suggested he was seeking publicity. Asked by a constituent Tuesday whether he was positioning himself to run for president as an Independent, Amash said he wouldn't rule out running for president or any office. But if that were his plan, "this is not how I would do it," he said to laughter in the auditorium. Amash is a five-term incumbent from west Michigan who has a strong libertarian streak and has sparred with the president before. Trump has maintained the report exonerated him, even though Mueller wrote otherwise. Mueller said he found insufficient evidence linking the Russian effort to affect the outcome of the 2016 election with Trump. But he offered no such remark on the question of whether Trump obstructed justice, saying only that he did not believe the president could be criminally charged while in office. Mueller also specifically said that if he thought Trump should be exonerated on the question of obstruction he would make such a recommendation, but did not. The politically powerful DeVos family said May 22 that it is no longer financially backing Amash. Nick Wasmiller, a spokesman for the familys RDV Corp., said family members have not made campaign contributions to the congressman this political cycle and have no plans to do so. Amash is facing a primary challenge for the first time since 2014, when billionaire members of the DeVos family who live in Amashs Grand Rapids-area district gave his campaign roughly $65,000 while others in the business community backed his challenger. Though Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has halted all of her political spending since joining Trumps Cabinet, others in the family heirs to the Amway marketing empire are still major GOP donors. Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel, a Michigan native and niece of former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, has also criticized Amash. "The only people still fixated on the Russia collusion hoax are political foes of President Trump hoping to defeat him in 2020 by any desperate means possible," McDaniel said in a statement. "Voters in Amashs district strongly support this President, and would rather their Congressman work to support the President's policies that have brought jobs, increased wages and made life better for Americans." Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @paulegan4. Read more on Michigan politics and sign up for our elections newsletter. The Associated Press contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: GOP Rep. Justin Amash draws applause at town hall after calling for Donald Trump's impeachment Ottawa (AFP) - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau presented a continental trade deal to Canada's parliament Wednesday for approval, on the eve of a visit by US Vice President Mike Pence to discuss the treaty's implementation. In the House of Commons Trudeau described last year's negotiations to replace the 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) as "a long and difficult process." In the end, he said, "we got to a great deal." After a year of tough negotiation following US President Donald Trump's criticism of NAFTA, Washington, Ottawa and Mexico City in November signed the new pact to revamp rules on manufacturing, digital commerce and labor rights, among other sectors. "Canada, the US and Mexico are at our most efficient, most secure and most profitable when we work together. And it's about time we got back to that way of thinking," Trudeau said. "The new NAFTA will secure access to a trading zone that accounts for more than a quarter of the global economy, and it's now time for the members of this House to ratify it." On Tuesday Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, who led the negotiations, said Ottawa intends to move in lockstep with the United States and Mexico on ratification of the renamed USMCA trade pact. It must be ratified by all three countries in order to come into force. US President Donald Trump this month cleared a stumbling block by removing contentious US tariffs on imports of Canadian and Mexican steel and aluminum, which both countries demanded as a pre-condition of moving forward on the trade pact. Democrats in Congress continue to have concerns about workers' rights, dispute resolution and other issues. But Canada's ambassador to Washington, David MacNaughton, who was in Ottawa to brief officials this week, said he believes there is "a reasonable chance that the US Congress will pass this deal before the summer recess at the end of July." In Canada the bill should be assured approval as Trudeau's Liberal Party hold the majority. Current trilateral trade between Canada, the US and Mexico has reached nearly $1.1 trillion, according to government data. A bill that will ban conversion therapy for minors will be signed into law Wednesday. Supporters said the ban protects young people from the practice of trying to change their sexual orientation. An amendment that would have banned physical aspects of conversation therapy but allow talk therapy was shot down during debate in the Legislature. Earlier this month, Gov. Janet Mills expressed her support for the bill on Twitter. "I look forward to signing it! It is time for all LGBTQ people in Maine to know they are valued and respected," Mills said in the tweet. A similar bill was approved by the Legislature last year, but was vetoed by then Gov. Paul LePage. Mills is scheduled to sign the bill into law at 10 a.m. Chinese FM Pays Historic Visit to Georgia, ready to Enhance Trade-Transport ties By Gvantsa Gabekhadze First time in 23 years, Chinese Foreign Minister visited Georgia, which was assessed as a 'highly important and historic' event by top Georgian officials.Wang Yi came to Georgia with a delegation late on May 23, met with Georgian Prime Minister, President, and Foreign Minister, saying that his country is particularly interested in enhancing trade, logistics and transport ties with Georgia.Georgia's role in the historic Silk Road, connecting Europe with Asia, was in focus.The Georgian Foreign Ministry reported that the Chinese government, which initiated the restoration of the Silk Road, acknowledges Georgia's 'significant role' in the global initiative."Yi said that he fully shares the aspiration of Georgia to become the transport-transit corridor between Europe and Asia," the Georgian Foreign Ministry said.Yi spoke about China's international challenges, relations with the US and Russia during his meeting with President Salome Zurabishvili, the President's press office said."Georgia's geopolitical role was emphasized, and it was noted that China is a partner of Georgia and it praises the role of the country as the hub connecting Asia and Europe."The office added that infrastructure projects and investment environment of Georgia were also discussed."They [Zurabishvili and Yi] talked about Georgia's occupied territories and Russia's aggressive policy, and as the President of Georgia stated it, Georgian partners should use both bilateral and multilateral formats to urge Russia fulfill its obligations towards Georgia [and withdraw its troops]. They should also use all the meetings to discuss the issues of Georgian occupied territories [Abkhazia and Tskhinvali] during high-level meetings."Yi said he hopes the new era in the Georgian -Chinese relations will start after his visit."China is implementing foreign policy, which is based on the principles of peaceful coexistence. We are ready to develop friendly relations between our countries further. We have a firm position that all countries are equal, regardless of their size. We respect the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia and other countries," he said.Georgian PM Mamuka Bakhtadze and Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani also spoke about the occupation.The Chinese delegation left Georgia on Saturday. Anyone for steak and onion Kolsch? Or a macaroni and cheese pale ale? Those were among the flavors at the Strange Brew Festival in Reno, Nevada, this month, where competition for attention has intensified as craft beers have boomed. Brewers have always experimented, from the medieval Belgians who stirred sour cherries into their beer to newer varieties like the white IPA, a marriage of Belgian and American styles that was developed about a decade ago. But today's brewers have kicked it up a notch as they try to distinguish themselves from everyone else trying to distinguish themselves. Visitors at the festival in Reno could sample a peanut butter and pickle pilsner, a tamale lager and a smoked carrot stout. There were concoctions from big brewers like Sierra Nevada and smaller local brew pubs, sweet beers brewed with Jolly Ranchers and spicy ones that tasted like garlic bread or mango salsa. The U.S. had 7,346 craft brewers last year, up 93% from 2014, according to the Brewers Association, an industry trade group. Craft beer sales rose 7% to $27.6 billion last year, about one-fourth of the total U.S. beer market. "People are looking for ways to differentiate themselves and be the next big thing," said Jon Brandt, a beer aficionado who works for Washington-based distributor Madidus Importers. "A lot of it is just about trying to get noticed." A beer with head-turning labels or ingredients can do just that. Denver-based Wynkoop Brewing Co. lures a lot of customers with its Rocky Mountain Oyster Stout, which is made with roasted barley, seven different grains and grilled buffalo or bull testicles. "It actually started as an April Fool's joke," said John Sims, Wynkoop's head brewer. "It's pretty popular." Wynkoop has traditional ales and lagers on the menu, too. Sometimes, Brandt said, a wacky beer is a way to get people to look at the rest of a brewer's lineup. "I'm making a beer for you to notice me, but I really want to sell you my IPA," he said. Among the oddest beers he has tasted is a Bloody Mary brew from Michigan's Short's Brewing Co. He liked it, but other tasters thought it went too far. Story continues There are purists who decry the trend toward wacky ingredients. "I personally am not a fan of ridiculous brews incorporating materials and gimmicks that have no historical provenance in brewing," said Charlie Bamforth, a distinguished professor emeritus in the food science and technology department of the University of California, Davis. Bamforth said laws restricting ingredients like Germany has might be going a bit too far. But he would like to see some regulations defining what can and can't be called "beer." "If someone wants to explore bizarre components, then I think they should do it under the umbrella of alternative beverages and not be allowed to sully the good name of beer," he said. Others say experiments that stray too far get weeded out quickly. "It has to be flavorful. It has to taste like beer," said Hal McConnellogue, cellar manager at San Leandro, California-based Drake's Brewing Co., which had an IPA made with altar bread, grapes and terpenes at the festival. "It's got to make you want another one. If it doesn't, then it's just gimmicky and you're going to be out of the spotlight pretty fast." Jess Lebow, the author of The Beer Devotional and The United States of Craft Beer, says the high level of experimentation is what makes craft beer so special. Lebow said he might only try a steak and onion beer once. It might be great, but even if it's not, it might lead to a beer that's a big hit. "There are really only so many flavors you can create with water, malt, barley and hops," he said. "At the end of the day, if the brewer is having fun trying new things, then I'm probably having fun trying their beer." __ AP videojournalists Haven Daley in Reno and P. Solomon Banda in Denver contributed to this story. May 29 (Reuters) - Cybersecurity company Palo Alto Networks Inc reported a 28% jump in quarterly revenue on Wednesday, boosted by strong growth in its cloud security business. The company's net loss narrowed to $20.2 million, or 21 cents per share, in the third quarter ended April 30, from $40.4 million, or 44 cents per share, a year earlier. Total revenue rose to $726.6 million from $567.1 million. Separately, the company said it would buy Israel-based cybersecurity firms Twistlock for $410 million in cash and PureSec for an undisclosed amount. (Reporting by Akanksha Rana in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila) (Reuters) - Cybersecurity company Palo Alto Networks Inc reported a 28% jump in quarterly revenue on Wednesday, boosted by strong growth in its cloud security business. The company's net loss narrowed to $20.2 million, or 21 cents per share, in the third quarter ended April 30, from $40.4 million, or 44 cents per share, a year earlier. Total revenue rose to $726.6 million from $567.1 million. Separately, the company said it would buy Israel-based cybersecurity firms Twistlock for $410 million in cash and PureSec for an undisclosed amount. (Reporting by Akanksha Rana in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila) By Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - The Nordic welfare model, long the envy of many across the world seeking an egalitarian utopia, is creaking. Aging populations have led to politicians across the region chipping away at the generous cradle-to-grave welfare state for years. In Denmark, next week's election could prove a turning point as frustrated voters say: No more. Danes, like citizens of other Nordic nations, have largely been happy to shell out some of the highest taxes in the world, seeing them as a price worth paying for universal healthcare, education and elderly services. However, spending cuts by successive governments to reduce the public deficit have led to more people paying out of their own pockets for what used to be free. "We pay very high taxes in Denmark, and that's alright. But in return, I think we can demand a certain service," said pensioner Sonja Blytsoe. Her 92-year old mother, who has dementia, was told by her local council in the central Danish town of Assens that the cleaning of her small apartment at a nursing home would be almost halved to 10 times a year. Her mother, who lives off her state pension of 9,000 Danish crowns ($1,350) per month, could not afford to pay the roughly 1,000 crowns a month for a private cleaning firm, Blytsoe said. In an illustration of the simmering public anger at such cuts, the council's move sparked an outcry on social media that prompted the prime minister to comment on the case in parliament and the decision to be reversed. The erosion of the welfare state has now become a defining issue in the June 5 general election in a country where people hand over an average 36% of their personal income to the state each month. Opinion polls indicate Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen of the Liberal Party will lose power to Mette Frederiksen of the center-left Social Democratic Party. Frederiksen's Social Democrats have won popular support by pledging to increase public spending, making businesses and the wealthy pay more toward welfare services through higher taxes, and to partially roll back some recent pension reforms by allowing people who have worked 40 years to retire earlier. However Rasmussen has accused his rival of being in "the business of selling dreams". "Either you'll leave voters massively disappointed, or leave an enormous hole in the treasury," he told Frederiksen about her pension plans during a TV debate earlier this year. DANES GO PRIVATE The Nordic model has been held up as the gold standard for welfare by many left-leaning politicians and activists globally. It featured in the last U.S. presidential election campaign, for example, when Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders pointed to Denmark as a model for his vision of an ideal American future. However the tough choices confronting Denmark are reflected across Nordic nations faced with a generation of baby-boomers creeping into retirement. Voters feeling a rising sense of insecurity are increasingly pressuring politicians to safeguard their cherished welfare model. In Finland, the Social Democrats came out on top in an April election, for the first time in 20 years, after campaigning on tax hikes to meet the rising costs of welfare. In Sweden, one of Europe's richest countries, support for the nationalist Sweden Democrats surged in last year's election on the back of fears over immigration and welfare. Nordic countries still top other high-spending OECD countries like the United States, Germany and Japan for public spending per capita on social benefits targeted at the poor, the elder, disabled, sick or unemployed. Denmark itself spends a higher proportion of its wealth on public welfare than most European countries, at 28% of GDP, behind only France, Belgium and Finland. But many Danes are distressed at the way things are going following two decades of economic reforms. Cuts to healthcare services, which include everything from free doctor appointments to cancer treatment, have led to the closure of a quarter of state hospitals in the past decade alone. A recent survey showed that more than half of Danes don't trust the public health service to offer the right treatment. As a consequence the proportion of the 5.7 million Danish population taking out private health insurance has jumped to 33% from 4% in 2003, according to trade organization Insurance & Pension Denmark. Other cuts over the past 10 years have led to the closure of a fifth of state schools, while spending per person above 65 years on services such as care homes, cleaning and rehabilitation after illness has dropped by a quarter. Since the early 2000s, governments have also pushed through unpopular measures to encourage people to work longer. They include gradually increasing the retirement age to 73 - the highest in the world - in decades to come from 65 currently, phasing out early retirement benefits and cutting unemployment benefits to two years from four. Click here for interactive graphics illustrating the pressures on the welfare model: https://tmsnrt.rs/2LYT6ME SPENDING CONTEST While the policies have generated economic growth averaging 1.6% since 2010 - above the EU average - and sound public finances, the election could mark a change of direction. Frederiksen says she will increase public spending by 0.8% per year over the next five years - the equivalent of 37 billion Danish crowns in 2025 - to buttress welfare. "The reason you can't agree to spend the money needed to keep the current (welfare) level is that you want to set aside money for tax cuts," she told Rasmussen during the TV debate. Frederiksen is however bound by a 2012 law not to allow a public deficit of more than 0.5% of GDP, much stricter than EU rules setting the ceiling at 3%. Her message about increased spending is nonetheless going down well with the public, along with a tougher stance on immigration which has also helped her win voters from the anti-immigration Danish People's Party. Rasmussen has argued that an acceptable level of welfare can be achieved in part by technological advances and letting more private players into areas like health and elderly care. But this month, in a change of tack to address voters' concerns, he announced a new plan to raise public spending by 0.65% a year - almost the same rate as the Social Democrats. 'NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE' With government debt at 49% of GDP, way below the OECD average of 111%, and a budget close to being balanced, there is room to raise welfare spending, according to economists. However Jan Stoerup Nielsen at Nordea said certain election promises, such as those by both candidates to come up with 1,000-2,000 new nurses, were unrealistic at a time of record high employment of 2.77 million, or 97% of those able to work. "The problem is that there's not enough people," he added. "There is not much politicians can do at the moment. You can say you want a thousand new nurses in the hospitals, but they are nowhere to be found," he added. He warned more public spending risked overheating the economy and hurting growth down the line if more people shifted from the private to public sector. Pensioner Blytsoe said that when her mother's services were curbed, she did her best to tidy up the apartment when she visited, but refused to do the regular cleaning previously offered by the state. "If I did that, the municipality would've achieved their goal to cut costs and make us fill the gap." (Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen; Editing by Pravin Char) London (AFP) - The race to replace Theresa May as British prime minister in a contest due to end in July has 11 declared contenders so far. Here is a look at the hopefuls in the Conservative Party leadership battle and their stances on Brexit, with Britain currently due to leave the EU on October 31: - In favour of no-deal - -- ESTHER McVEY The 51-year-old Brexit supporter and former television presenter, McVey resigned as work and pensions secretary last year over Brexit compromises. A blue-collar Conservative, she wants a clean break with Brussels. - Open to no-deal in October - -- BORIS JOHNSON A former mayor of London, Johnson says he would get Britain out of the European Union, "deal or no deal". A key figure in the 2016 Brexit campaign, he served as foreign minister afterwards but resigned after falling out with May over the government's Brexit strategy. Charismatic and popular with grassroots Conservatives, the 54-year-old has maintained his public profile by writing a weekly column in The Daily Telegraph newspaper. -- DOMINIC RAAB An ardent eurosceptic with a black belt in karate, the 45-year-old former Brexit minister resigned in protest at the Brexit deal struck with the EU by May. He says Britain should be ready to walk away from the EU without an agreement while still trying to negotiate a better deal than the one May signed. -- ANDREA LEADSOM Leadsom stole a march on her rivals by quitting her position as leader of the House of Commons last week, hastening the prime minister's demise and staking out her pro-Brexit credentials. The 56-year-old got down to the final two in the 2016 leadership race, but pulled out before the decision was handed over to party members, with whom she was popular, after coming under fire for saying that being a mother would give her an advantage as prime minister over the childless May. -- JAMES CLEVERLY The Conservative Party's former deputy chairman, 49, is an army lieutenant colonel who entered parliament in 2015. A junior figure in the Brexit ministry, he says it would be best to leave with a deal, urging the EU to be flexible, but is prepared to lead Britain out without a deal if necessary. Story continues - No to no-deal in October - -- JEREMY HUNT The foreign secretary supported remaining in the European Union in the 2016 referendum but has switched since then. A former businessman who speaks fluent Japanese, he is a resilient politician, having headed up the National Health Service for six years during a funding crisis. The 52-year-old has said he will push hard for a new deal with Brussels without taking the possibility of a no-deal outcome off the table. - Against no-deal - -- MATT HANCOCK The 40-year-old health secretary is one the party's rising stars, a moderate who is widely seen as competent at his job and skillful at handling the media. He is one of several ministers who opposed Brexit during the 2016 referendum before switching sides and defending the withdrawal agreement May struck with the EU. He entered government in 2013 and has moved up the ladder quickly. -- RORY STEWART The international development secretary, 46, is a former Foreign Office official who served in the coalition administration in Iraq following the US-led invasion in 2003. Says no-deal policy would be "damaging". - Yet to say - -- MICHAEL GOVE Brexit campaigner Gove initially supported Johnson's leadership bid in 2016. His last-minute decision to enter the race himself caused both men to lose out to May. After a year in the political wilderness, he was appointed environment minister in 2017. The cerebral 51-year-old is among the most ardent eurosceptics left in May's government but is seen as a possible unifying figure between the two wings of the party. -- SAJID JAVID A former investment banker and the son of a Pakistani immigrant bus driver, Javid, 49, wants to be the face of a modern, multicultural and meritocratic Britain. On the economically liberal wing of the Conservative Party, Javid voted for Britain to stay in the EU in 2016 but has since become an advocate of Brexit. -- KIT MALTHOUSE A former deputy London mayor to Johnson, the 52-year-old is running as a Brexit unity candidate, having headed up the so-called Malthouse Compromise strategy designed to keep the party together and get a deal over the line. Geneva (AFP) - The World Health Organization on Wednesday condemned efforts by the world's biggest cigarette vendor to rebrand a day dedicated to raising awareness about the dangers of tobacco use. Ahead of World No Tobacco Day on Friday, the United Nations health agency launched a campaign to highlight the devastating impact smoking continues to have on human health and urged countries to step up the fight against the dangerous habit that causes some eight million deaths annually. But it also voiced concern at attempts by Philip Morris International (PMI) to co-opt international efforts for its own campaign this week promoting new vaping and heated tobacco products as part of the solution to the world's smoking epidemic. "We regard the PMI campaign as little more than a cynical attempt by the company to promote its deadly products," Vinayak Prasad, head of WHO's Tobacco Free Initiative, told AFP in an email. PMI, the maker of Marlboro, insisted Tuesday that World No Tobacco Day should be renamed World No Smoking Day, and it launched its own campaign dubbed It's Time to Unsmoke. The company has been working to promote its new so-called "smoke-free" products as far less harmful alternatives to traditional cigarettes, insisting its science shows they release far fewer dangerous toxins than conventional cigarettes. PMI maintains that it is the combustion in regular cigarettes that is the main problem, and that other forms of tobacco-use and nicotine consumption are far less harmful, and is striving to convince governments to slap fewer restrictions and taxes on its new products. But the WHO stressed that there was no independent science backing up PMI's "harm-reduction" claims, flatly rejecting that the new products could be used as a tool to help people quit smoking. "The claim that these are cessation aids is not substantiated," Prasad said. - Tobacco use 'deadly' - Story continues Anti-tobacco campaigners also voiced outrage at PMI's campaign this week. "This is the latest attempt by PMI to insinuate itself into the public health world under false pretences, and its attempts to co-opt the day are disrespectful to the millions who have and will die from using PMI's products," Michel Legendre of Corporate Accountability said in a statement. He slammed the company's attempt "to draw some arbitrary distinction between smoking and tobacco, as if smoking is bad for your health but tobacco is not". "Nicotine is addictive and tobacco use is deadly, period," he insisted. The WHO said it was focusing this year's World No Tobacco Day on the damage smoking causes to lung health, dubbing its campaign "Don't let tobacco take your breath away". It pointed out that some 3.3 million tobacco users or people exposed to second-hand smoke die each year from lung-related conditions, including 60,000 children under the age of five. A host of Democratic presidential candidates have strengthened their calls for impeachment in response to Special Counsel Robert Muellers reiteration of his investigative findings in a Wednesday press conference. In his first public comments since his appointment, Mueller emphasized the role of Congress in addressing the actions outlined in his report, citing the long-standing Department of Justice guideline that precludes the indictment of a sitting president. The opinion [in the report] says that the Constitution requires a process other than the criminal-justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing, he said. In response, a number of Democratic presidential contenders renewed their calls for an impeachment inquiry and cast Muellers comments as a de facto endorsement of that course of action. Senator Kamala Harris (D., Calif.) on Wednesday said Muellers press conference was essentially a public impeachment referral intended to motivate lawmakers who have not yet made up their minds on the issue. I think its a fair inference from what we heard in that press conference, that Bob Mueller was essentially referring impeachment to the United States Congress, Harris told reporters in South Carolina shortly after Mueller made his first public remarks since being appointed more than two years ago. I believe a fair inference from what he heard from Bob Mueller is there would have been indictments returned against this president [if not for that Office of Legal Counsel guideline]. Democratic senators Cory Booker of New Jersey, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York similarly stressed the OLC limitations placed on Mueller in calling on members of the House to hold the president accountable by opening an impeachment inquiry. Ive been asking for Muellers testimonytoday he made his views clear. Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) May 29, 2019 Mueller leaves no doubt: 1) He didn't exonerate the president because there is evidence he committed crimes. 2) Justice Department policy prevented him from charging the president with any crimes. 3) The Constitution leaves it up to Congress to actand that's impeachment. Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 29, 2019 From the beginning, I've called for a proper process in order to secure key testimony and information related to the Mueller investigation, so that Congress can fulfill its responsibility to deliver the truth to the American people. Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) May 29, 2019 Former vice president Joe Biden, the current front-runner for the Democratic nomination, was more circumspect in his response to Muellers comments, endorsing House speaker Nancy Pelosis decision to forego impeachment proceedings while the multiple ongoing Congressional investigations into the president run their course. Story continues Congress must do everything in its power to hold this Administration to account, the Biden campaign said in a statement. That is what Congress is doing and should do: continue to investigate. NEW: @JoeBiden campaign statement on Mueller "We know beyond a reasonable doubt that Donald Trump asked for help from the Russians. He got it. He used it." Adds, Congress should "continue to investigate." @CBSNews pic.twitter.com/Cjeh2FkpeH Bo Erickson (@BoKnowsNews) May 29, 2019 Despite the rising tide of impeachment calls from her partys most prominent presidential contenders, Pelosi on Wednesday continued to urge her caucus to stay the course. The Congress holds sacred its constitutional responsibility to investigate and hold the President accountable for his abuse of power, she said in a statement. The Congress will continue to investigate and legislate to protect our elections and secure our democracy. The American people must have the truth. More from National Review Washington (AFP) - Several candidates seeking the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination seized upon remarks on Wednesday by Special Counsel Robert Mueller to call for the impeachment of President Donald Trump. "What Robert Mueller basically did was return an impeachment referral," California Senator Kamala Harris said in a tweet. "Now it is up to Congress to hold this president accountable. "We need to start impeachment proceedings," Harris said. "It's our constitutional obligation." Mueller, in his report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, outlined at least 10 possible acts of obstruction of justice by Trump. But Mueller, in his first public remarks on Wednesday since issuing the report, said longstanding Justice Department policy prohibited him from charging a sitting president with a crime. Under the Constitution, any further action was up to Congress, the former FBI director said. "Mueller's statement makes clear what those who have read his report know: It is an impeachment referral, and it's up to Congress to act," said Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren. "They should." New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, another 2020 Democratic hopeful, said "Mueller's statement makes it clear: Congress has a legal and moral obligation to begin impeachment proceedings immediately." Former San Antonio mayor Julian Castro, another Democrat seeking the 2020 nomination, said Mueller "made clear this morning that his investigation now lays at the feet of Congress. "No one is above the law -- Congress should begin an impeachment inquiry," Castro said. "There must be consequences, accountability, and justice," said former Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke. "The only way to ensure that is to begin impeachment proceedings." Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives, where impeachment would take place, appeared to be in no hurry to launch such proceedings against the Republican president. Story continues "I thank Special Counsel Mueller for the work he and his team did to provide a record for future action both in the Congress and in the courts regarding the Trump Administration involvement in Russian interference and obstruction of the investigation," Pelosi said in a statement. "The Congress holds sacred its constitutional responsibility to investigate and hold the President accountable for his abuse of power," she said. "The Congress will continue to investigate and legislate to protect our elections and secure our democracy," Pelosi said. "The American people must have the truth." Asked about impeachment, the Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Representative Jerry Nadler of New York, said "all options are on the table and nothing should be ruled out." WASHINGTON Democratic calls for an impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump increased Wednesday after special counsel Robert Mueller weighed in for the first time on his two-year investigation of the president and Russian interference in the 2016 election. Democrats zeroed in on Mueller's comment that charging Trump with obstruction of justice was "not an option" for the special counsel's office because of a Justice Department policy. Several argued that his words meant it was the task of Congress to hold the president accountable by starting an impeachment inquiry. But party leaders appeared to be staying firm in their quest to investigate the president without focusing on impeaching him, a move they have said would be divisive and could hurt Democrats in future elections. Both House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., reiterated that Democrats would remain focused on oversight efforts of the president and his administration. "The Special Counsels report revealed that the Presidents campaign welcomed Russian interference in the election, and laid out eleven instances of the Presidents obstruction of the investigation," Pelosi said in a statement. "The Congress holds sacred its constitutional responsibility to investigate and hold the President accountable for his abuse of power. The Congress will continue to investigate and legislate to protect our elections and secure our democracy." Despite Department of Justice policy to the contrary, no one is above the law not even the President. Read my full statement here: https://t.co/6m2Q6s9kEC Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) May 29, 2019 Schumer agreed with Pelosi, saying that Mueller's comments made "clear that Congress has a right we believe an obligation to continue our constitutionally mandated oversight without interference or stonewalling and follow the facts wherever they may lead." Story continues First Mueller statement: Robert Mueller, in first public remarks, says charging Trump was 'not an option we could consider' Read the full statement: Full text of Robert Mueller's comments on the Russia investigation, Trump But that didn't stop a flurry of calls from Democratic lawmakers across the country who argued Mueller's comments merited the start of impeachment proceedings, including new calls within House leadership. Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., announced Wednesday evening that, "I support impeachment," writing on Twitter that "the President has egregiously obstructed justice." In an interview with "The Scrum," a Boston-based podcast, House Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern also said it was time to start proceedings. "I believe, quite frankly, that the next step is for the House Judiciary to open an inquiry to formally begin considering whether impeachment is warranted. I think we're at that point," the Massachusetts Democrat said. Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., also chimed in, arguing that impeachment was necessary in order to "deliver the truth to the American people." He added that while Mueller's comments didn't differ from what he wrote in his lengthy report, "it serves as an urgent reminder that Congress must uphold its constitutional duty to act as a co-equal branch of government and conduct oversight of the Executive Branch." Trump responds to Mueller remarks: 'The case is closed!' Applause for impeachment call: GOP Rep. Justin Amash applauded at town hall after call to impeach Trump Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Penn., who has been cautious on calling for the drastic step, said Mueller's comments made it clear that it was "time to officially start impeachment hearings." Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., agreed, saying, "endorsing such a course is not easy, and I do not do so lightly, but I believe that the President has left Congress no other option but to pursue it." Republicans, including the president, said Mueller's comments did not reveal anything new but rather, just reiterated what he chronicled in his report that was released last month. Trump wrote on Twitter that Mueller's comments changed nothing. "There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent," he wrote. "The case is closed!" Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2019 Rep. Doug Collins, the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, which would be tasked with leading impeachment proceedings, said it was time for people to move on. "Special Counsel Mueller confirmed today what we knew months ago when his report was released: there was no collusion and no obstruction," Collins, R-Ga., said in a statement. But Rep. Justin Amash, the lone Republican who has backed calls to start impeachment proceedings against Trump, wrote on Twitter that "the ball is in our court, Congress." David Cicilline, a member of the House Judiciary Committee who has been vocal in calling for the start of the proceedings, thanked Mueller for his work and added: "Now it is time for Congress to do its job." "The next step is for the House Judiciary Committee to open an impeachment inquiry to formally begin consideration of whether or not articles of impeachment should be filed," Cicilline said. "The opening of this inquiry will allow the Committee to collect evidence, compel the attendance of witnesses, and decide how to proceed." But not all Democrats on the committee, which would be tasked with leading impeachment proceedings, were not as quick to jump to impeachment, including Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y. Nadler, while not mentioning impeachment, vowed to continue oversight investigation, saying it's clear that "President Trump is lying about the Special Counsels findings, lying about the testimony of key witnesses in the Special Counsels report, and is lying in saying that the Special Counsel found no obstruction and no collusion." "Given that Special Counsel Mueller was unable to pursue criminal charges against the President, it falls to Congress to respond to the crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump and we will do so," Nadler said. "No one, not even the President of the United States, is above the law." Mueller, in his first public statement in the two years he spent investigating the president and Russian efforts to interfere in the 2016 election, admitted he had no desire to testify before Congress about the results of the investigation or the findings outlined in his 448-report. When asked at an afternoon news conference whether Mueller would be subpoenaed to testify, Nadler would not say. "Mr. Mueller told us a lot of what we need to hear today," Nadler said. Mueller's statement comes as Pelosi has tried to tap down calls within her party to start impeachment proceedings. McGahn defies subpoena: Former White House counsel, defies House subpoena and skips hearing on Russia probe Dems could hold Barr in contempt? What is contempt of Congress and can it actually be used? Those calls have only intensified over the weeks since the release of Mueller's report and Trump's defiant attempts to block the House from investigating him. Tensions reached a new level last week after Trump walked out of an infrastructure meeting at the White House with top Democrats, telling Pelosi and Schumer that he wouldn't work with them on shared priorities such as infrastructure and bringing down the cost of prescription drugs unless they abandoned investigations into his presidency. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Democratic calls for Donald Trump impeachment grow after Mueller's first public remarks By James Oliphant WASHINGTON, May 29 (Reuters) - Democratic presidential candidates ratcheted up the pressure on U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to start the process of impeaching President Donald Trump after Special Counsel Robert Muellers first public comments on his two-year Russia probe. Mueller, who was assigned to investigate Moscow's interference in the 2016 election, on Wednesday reaffirmed that his team did not consider filing charges against Trump for obstruction of justice because U.S. Justice Department policy bars the indictment of a sitting president. Several Democratic contenders for the White House interpreted Mueller's remarks as encouraging the Democratic-led House of Representatives to determine whether Trump tried to derail the probe and should be impeached. I think it's a fair inference from what we heard in that press conference that Bob Mueller was essentially referring impeachment to the United States Congress, U.S. Senator Kamala Harris of California told reporters while campaigning in South Carolina. Pelosi has resisted calls from progressive members of her caucus to move forward on impeachment, arguing it could damage Democrats politically in advance of the November 2020 presidential election. On Wednesday, she released a statement saying Trump was not above the law but made no reference to initiating proceedings. After Mueller spoke, U.S. Senators Cory Booker of New Jersey and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York actively advocated impeachment for the first time. Both previously were more restrained, criticizing the Trump administration for stonewalling congressional subpoenas and suggesting that continued obstruction could eventually lead to impeachment. "Robert Mueller's statement makes it clear: Congress has a legal and moral obligation to begin impeachment proceedings immediately," Booker wrote on Twitter soon after Mueller finished speaking. Leading contenders such as Harris, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and former U.S. Congressman Beto O'Rourke of Texas had called for Trumps impeachment prior to Muellers remarks. Story continues O'Rourke on Wednesday tweeted that there must be consequences, accountability, and justice. The only way to ensure that is to begin impeachment proceedings. Another top contender, South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, had previously said Trump "deserves" to be impeached but said he would leave the decision to Congress. On Wednesday, he told NBC News that Muellers statements were as close to an impeachment referral as you could get under the circumstances. Former Vice President Joe Biden, the front-runner for the nomination, stuck to his more cautious stance. Biden "agrees with Speaker Pelosi that no one would relish what would certainly be a divisive impeachment process, but that it may be unavoidable if this administration continues on its path, his campaign said in a statement. Making sure Trump is not re-elected is the sure-fire way to get him out of office, the campaign said. U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, another leading contender who has not formally called for proceedings, said on Twitter that he would support a decision by the House Judiciary Committee to open an impeachment inquiry. With Republicans in control of the U.S. Senate, which would likely refuse to convict Trump on charges brought by the House, some Democrats fear bringing impeachment proceedings would end up as a pointless exercise that could alienate moderate voters. The Trump reelection campaign released a statement by campaign manager Brad Parscale that said Mueller's remarks on Wednesday "fully and completely exonerated" Trump and that the "case is now closed." (Reporting by James Oliphant in Washington, Joseph Ax in New York, Amanda Becker in Anderson, South Carolina Writing by James Oliphant Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Sonya Hepinstall) Democrats blasted Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell Tuesday for promising that the GOP would confirm President Trumps third nominee to the Supreme Court should a vacancy arise in 2020. Oh, wed fill it, the Kentucky Republican said in response to a question about the matter from a guest at the Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce Public Policy Luncheon in Kentucky. Democrats responded with outrage, citing McConnells refusal to consider former president Barack Obamas nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to fill the late Justice Antonin Scalias seat in 2016. McConnell said at the time that he would not grant a hearing or vote on Garlands nomination because it was a presidential election year, saying voters should decide whether a Democratic or Republican president filled the seat. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer called McConnells admission no surprise. Seriously its no surprise. McConnell lives for GOP judges because he knows the GOP agenda is so radical & unpopular they can only achieve it in courts, the New York senator wrote on Twitter. Senator McConnell is a hypocrite, Schumer added. Anyone who believes hed ever allow confirmation of a Dem Presidents nominee for SCOTUS is fooling themselves. Representative Eric Swalwell, a contender for the Democratic presidential nomination, painted a bleak picture of McConnells intentions. In Mitch McConnells version of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Mr. Smith is primaried and the boys never get their campsite, the California congressman said, referring to the classic movie. Fellow Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro called McConnell hypocritical and shameless for stealing a seat on the Court, adding that he wont hesitate to make a recess appointment to the Court if the Senate refuses to consider my nominee. More from National Review WASHINGTON, May 29 (Reuters) - Democrats in the U.S. Congress on Wednesday slammed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for promising to fill a Supreme Court vacancy if one occurs during the 2020 presidential election year, after he refused to do so in 2016 because of that year's upcoming election. "We'd fill it," McConnell declared when asked during a speech on Tuesday what he would do if Republican President Donald Trump had the opportunity next year to pick a third Supreme Court justice. McConnell made his remarks in his home state of Kentucky to the Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce. In an interview with CNN on Wednesday, Representative Hakeem Jeffries, a member of the House of Representatives' Democratic leadership, said of McConnell, "He's a shameless individual" and accused him of "stealing a Supreme Court seat" in 2016. Late on Tuesday, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, in response to McConnell's remarks, said on Twitter: "Senator McConnell is a hypocrite." In February, 2016, McConnell, a Republican, enraged Democrats by refusing to consider then-President Barack Obama's choice of federal Judge Merrick Garland to serve on the Supreme Court following the death of conservative Justice Antonin Scalia. Instead, McConnell said the Senate would hold off pending the results of the November, 2016 presidential election. Trump defeated Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in that contest, paving the way for him to choose someone other than Garland for the Supreme Court seat. Had Garland been confirmed by the Republican-controlled Senate, he would have tipped the court in a liberal direction. Instead, Scalia's seat remained vacant until the swearing in of conservative Neil Gorsuch in April, 2017, just months after Trump was sworn in as president. In justifying the delay, McConnell has said that "You'd have to go back to 1888... to find the last time a vacancy created in a presidential (election) year was confirmed by the party opposite the occupant of the White House." Story continues However, in February, 1988, an election year, the Democratic-controlled Senate confirmed Republican President Ronald Reagan's nomination of Anthony Kennedy to the Supreme Court. Reagan nominated Kennedy in November, 1987. The U.S. Constitution simply states that the president has the power to nominate judges to the Supreme Court with the advice and consent of the Senate. Earlier this year there was speculation of a potential opening on the Supreme Court when Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, now 86, was hospitalized and underwent lung cancer surgery. She has since returned to the court, maintaining an active schedule. (Reporting by Richard Cowan; Editing by Dan Grebler) By Anastasia Moloney BOGOTA, May 29 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Reproductive rights groups petitioned a United Nations agency on Wednesday on behalf of four young pregnant rape victims in Latin America, calling on the region to ease up on its restrictive abortion laws. Due to the laws, the girls were forced to carry their unwanted pregnancies to term and became "mothers against their will," said the petition by the U.S.-based Center for Reproductive Rights and Planned Parenthood Global and other rights groups in Ecuador, Guatemala and Nicaragua. Mostly Catholic, Latin America and the Caribbean have some of the most restrictive abortion laws in the world, often only allowing the procedure under the most limited circumstances. A handful of countries, mostly in Central America, have total bans on abortion, including in cases of rape or incest or when the women's life or fetus is in danger. The four girls from Ecuador, Guatemala and Nicaragua cited in the petition were younger than 14 when they were raped, two by relatives and one by a local parish priest, according to the rights groups. The petition was filed before the U.N.'s Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) which monitors how and if member countries implement their commitments to human rights. The UNHCR can issue non-binding resolutions and recommendations to pressure countries to improve their human rights record and change their laws. The rights groups hope the petition will put a spotlight on how stringent abortion laws affect girls' health and contribute to high teenage pregnancy rates among rape victims. "Too many young girls in Latin America, and around the world, have been put in situations that threaten their rights and put their lives at risk because they are not able to access abortion care," said Leana Wen, head of Planned Parenthood Global and Planned Parenthood Federation of America. "Forcing young girls to continue a pregnancy no matter their circumstances or wants, is not only cruel, but will have devastating impacts for them, their families, and their communities," she said in a statement. Story continues The issue of abortion deeply divides Latin America, where the influential Roman Catholic Church and evangelical groups say abortion is sin and that laws must protect unborn children. In both Ecuador and Guatemala, about 5,000 girls age 10 to 14 give birth every year, while in Peru four girls under 15 give birth every day, the rights groups said. Pro-choice activists point to the dangers of illegal abortion, especially among young girls, and say young girls who are pregnant or give birth are more likely to die than older pregnant women. "The failure of states to guarantee reproductive rights is a clear violation of human rights," said Nancy Northup, head of the Center for Reproductive Rights. (Reporting by Anastasia Moloney @anastasiabogota, Editing by Ellen Wulfhorst. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's and LGBT+ rights, human trafficking, property rights, and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org) WASHINGTON Two days after President Donald Trump tried to tamp down U.S. tensions with Iran, his national security adviser, John Bolton, dialed the administration's hawkish rhetoric back up. Wednesday, Bolton essentially accused Iran of seeking nuclear weapons and said the regime was behind the alleged sabotage of four oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. Bolton's remarks came during a visit to the UAE, during which he said the oil tanker attacks were almost certainly (conducted) by Iran." He did not offer specific evidence to support that claim. Bolton said there was no reason for Iran to back out of its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers unless it planned to seek nuclear weapons. "These kinds of action risk a very strong response from the United States," said Bolton, a longtime foreign policy hard-liner. Bolton's remarks stood in stark contrast to Trump's comments Monday during the president's visit to Japan. "Were not looking for regime change. I want to make that clear, Trump said during a joint news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Were looking for no nuclear weapons. Trump downplayed Bolton's assessment of another global hot spot: North Korea. Bolton had said North Korea's recent missile tests violated United Nations resolutions. "There is no doubt about that, Bolton said before Trumps news conference with Abe. All I know is there have been no nuclear tests," Trump said, "no ballistic missiles going out, no long-range missiles going out, and I think that someday well have a deal. Trump said he was in no rush. He praised North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, calling him a smart man who might have launched the missiles this month to get attention. Bolton's role exaggerated, experts contend The apparent disconnect has raised questions across the globe about Trump's foreign policy. Some fear Bolton is driving Trump into a perilous military confrontation with Iran, America's principal foe in the Middle East. Story continues In this Friday, May 24, 2019, file photo, U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton is surrounded by reporters at the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo, Japan. North Korea on Monday, May 27, 2019, has called U.S. National Security Adviser Bolton a "war monger" and "defective human product" after he called the North's recent tests of short-range missile a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions. National security experts inside and outside the White House said Bolton's role has been exaggerated and his influence on the president has been overstated, particularly when it comes to the prospect of a costly war with Iran. Trump has made it clear he doesn't like the idea and is generally averse to foreign military entanglements. Asked this month if his administration is marching toward war with Iran, Trump offered a three-word response: "I hope not." Asked if US is going to war with Iran, President Donald Trump responds: 'I hope not' Bolton is simply playing his part in a geopolitical dance designed to send a hard-line message to the Iranian regime, said Mark Dubowitz, chief executive of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington-based foreign policy research institute that supports strong pressure on Iran. "Bolton in many ways is from central casting if you were looking for a consummate hawk," said Dubowitz, who has advised the Trump administration and previous presidents on Iran policy. "Its all useful from the psyops perspective." Dubowitz said the White House deliberately trumpeted its decision to send B-52 bombers and other military forces to Iran, purposefully said that move was in response to threats from Iran and intentionally used Bolton as a key messenger. "I think its actually a well-orchestrated campaign that has a public relations piece, a military positioning piece (and) obviously the economic financial piece" of escalating sanctions, Dubowitz said. Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are the perfect "bad cops," he said, to make Iran and the rest of the world nervous about Trump's intentions. "Trump can go from fire and fury to writing love letters, so he has a certain amount of diplomatic flexibility," he said. "One minute he can be as bellicose as Bolton, and the next he can shout, 'Hey, hi there. Do you want to talk.' " That's what Trump seemed to be doing this month, when he met with the president of the Swiss government, which has mediated between Iran and the United States. "Im sure that Iran will want to talk soon," Trump tweeted Wednesday in a pair of messages. The president used social media to downplay reports of divisions within the administration over Iran. "There is no infighting whatsoever," Trump said. "Different opinions are expressed and I make a decisive and final decision it is a very simple process." Concern in Congress over statements Lawmakers are not reassured. "This president has surrounded himself with people Pompeo and Bolton in particular who believe that getting tough on a military basis with Iran is in our best interest. I do not," said Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, the chamber's No. 2 Democratic leader. Durbin and other lawmakers said Bolton's statements on Iran and his trumpeting of questionable intelligence in the lead-up to the Iraq War in 2003 are deeply concerning. Before Bolton joined the Trump administration, he advocated for regime change in Iran. He played a key role in pushing for the U.S. invasion of Iraq during George W. Bush's administration, which relied on faulty intelligence about Saddam Hussein's chemical and nuclear weapons program. Durbin said the situation with Iran has become so tense and the rhetoric so hot that even if Trump has no desire for war, he may stumble into it. He noted that the Houthi rebels, who are backed by Iran and at war with Saudi Arabia in Yemen, could launch an attack that might inadvertently kill an American service member. "I fear ... were going to have a Gulf of Tonkin moment, where there is some American or serviceman who is going to be injured or killed and people are going to be calling for retribution," Durbin said. Bolton is one of many advisers Trump speaks to about Iran and other foreign policy issues, said current and former officials. He hears a lot of different views and often throws out ideas of his own sometimes ideas he doesn't really plan to pursue. Throughout his presidency, Trump's sounding boards have ranged from super hawks such as Bolton to cautious types such as Jim Mattis, who was defense secretary. From anti-China tariff warriors such as Peter Navarro to more market-oriented types such as Larry Kudlow. At some point no one else knows how or when Trump suddenly makes a decision. He often announces things before informing staff members, sometimes by tweet and sometimes by statements to inquiring reporters. "It's not exactly chaos," one former staff member said. "But it's not orderly." Garrett Marquis, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said Bolton and the president are on the same page. "Working closely with President Trumps national security team, Ambassador Bolton continues to coordinate the presidents guidance to protect American personnel and interests from Iranian threats abroad," he said. Trump and his advisers chafe at claims that Bolton is some kind of "puppet master" leading Trump into war. Having campaigned against "stupid wars" in Iraq and Afghanistan, Trump is highly unlikely to order military action against Iran, administration officials said, despite the rising beat of war drums from Bolton and others. Talk of war with Iran is "way ahead of where things are" within the administration, particularly with Trump, one official said. The exception would be if Iran attacked U.S. personnel in the Middle East, officials said Trump often sticks with his pre-existing views, and his default position in foreign policy tends to be against intervention. He has pushed to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan and Syria, over the objections of military advisers. Mattis resigned in part over Trump's plan later modified to withdraw troops from Syria. For all his criticism of the George W. Bush administration's actions in Iraq and Afghanistan, Trump has as his national security adviser a major proponent of those interventions. Durbin said he fears he's watching a replay of the debate for the Iraq War. "The weapons of mass destruction turned out to be a fiction, and we were just stampeding into this invasion at that time," he said. "I see it again, all over again." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Despite Trump's stance, Bolton amps up accusations of Iran sabotage, desire for nuclear weapons Madrid (AFP) - The detention of three separatists facing trial for a failed bid to prise Catalonia from Spain in 2017 is "arbitrary," experts mandated by the United Nations have concluded in a report released on Wednesday. The assessment by independent experts, commissioned by the UN Human Rights Council but not speaking in the name of the United Nations, called for the release of the trio and compensation. "The deprivation of liberty of Jordi Cuixart, Jordi Sanchez and Oriol Junqueras is arbitrary," the panel wrote in the Spanish version of the report. It argues that the detention of the three men, which has lasted over a year and a half, goes against the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN's International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The report focused only on the three man, and not six others also in jail awaiting trial in the Supreme Court in Madrid, because the trio's British lawyer Ben Emmerson took their cases to the UN. He predicted the prosecutions put Spain "on a collision course with the UN", calling the analysis a "warning shot" from the UN which Madrid should ignore "at its peril". "If Spain cannot show it can be able to behave like a democracy, it has no place at the heart of modern Europe," Emmerson told reporters in London. But Irene Lozano, who heads new public diplomacy agency Global Spain, told AFP the UN-mandated experts were "victims of a disinformation campaign" by the Catalan independence movement, which had "skewed facts". - 'Political opinions' - Sanchez and Cuixart, respectively ex-president and current leader of the Catalan separatist civic groups ANC and Omnium Cultural, were jailed in October 2017 as the secession effort was underway. Junqueras, Catalonia's former vice-president, was detained in November. The three men are being tried for their role in the organisation of a secession referendum on October 1, 2017 despite a court ban, and a subsequent short-lived declaration of independence. Story continues Like the other six who are in jail, they are accused of rebellion, a controversial offence defined as "rising up in a violent and public manner". That charge is rejected by their supporters and some legal experts who say there was no violence during the secession bid. The working group pointed to the "non-existence of elements of violence and the absence of convincing information on facts attributable" to the trio. That "generated conviction among the working group that the criminal accusations against them aim to constrain them due to their political opinions." The experts also said that holding a referendum "is allowed in Spain for a large range of themes including the present case." Spain's judiciary denies this, however. Referendums may be allowed under the Spanish constitution, but this also pledges the "unbreakable unity" of Spain. As such, the constitution would need to be reformed before any independence referendum were allowed. Spain's ambassador to Britain, Carlos Bastarreche, branded the report "clear interference" designed to attack the image of the judicial system in Spain. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Today we'll take a closer look at Telecom Service One Holdings Limited (HKG:3997) from a dividend investor's perspective. Owning a strong business and reinvesting the dividends is widely seen as an attractive way of growing your wealth. Yet sometimes, investors buy a stock for its dividend and lose money because the share price falls by more than they earned in dividend payments. With a goodly-sized dividend yield despite a relatively short payment history, investors might be wondering if Telecom Service One Holdings is a new dividend aristocrat in the making. We'd agree the yield does look enticing. Before you buy any stock for its dividend however, you should always remember Warren Buffett's two rules: 1) Don't lose money, and 2) Remember rule #1. We'll run through some checks below to help with this. Click the interactive chart for our full dividend analysis SEHK:3997 Historical Dividend Yield, May 29th 2019 Payout ratios Dividends are usually paid out of company earnings. If a company is paying more than it earns, then the dividend might become unsustainable - hardly an ideal situation. As a result, we should always investigate whether a company can afford its dividend, measured as a percentage of a company's net income after tax. Looking at the data, we can see that 81% of Telecom Service One Holdings's profits were paid out as dividends in the last 12 months. It's paying out most of its earnings, which limits the amount that can be reinvested in the business. This may indicate limited need for further capital within the business, or highlight a commitment to paying a dividend. Another important check we do is to see if the free cash flow generated is sufficient to pay the dividend. Telecom Service One Holdings's cash payout ratio in the last year was 44%, which suggests dividends were well covered by cash generated by the business. It's encouraging to see that the dividend is covered by both profit and cash flow. This generally suggests the dividend is sustainable, as long as earnings don't drop precipitously. Story continues With a strong net cash balance, Telecom Service One Holdings investors may not have much to worry about in the near term from a dividend perspective. Remember, you can always get a snapshot of Telecom Service One Holdings's latest financial position, by checking our visualisation of its financial health. Dividend Volatility From the perspective of an income investor who wants to earn dividends for many years, there is not much point buying a stock if its dividend is regularly cut or is not reliable. Telecom Service One Holdings has been paying a dividend for the past five years. During the past five-year period, the first annual payment was HK$0.25 in 2014, compared to HK$0.10 last year. This works out to a decline of approximately 60% over that time. We struggle to make a case for buying Telecom Service One Holdings for its dividend, given that payments have shrunk over the past five years. Dividend Growth Potential With a relatively unstable dividend, and a poor history of shrinking dividends, it's even more important to see if EPS are growing. Strong earnings per share (EPS) growth might encourage our interest in the company despite fluctuating dividends, which is why it's great to see Telecom Service One Holdings has grown its earnings per share at 39% per annum over the past five years. The company pays out most of its earnings as dividends, although with such rapid EPS growth, its possible the dividend is better covered than it looks. Still, we'd be cautious about extrapolating high growth too far out into the future. Conclusion Dividend investors should always want to know if a) a company's dividends are affordable, b) if there is a track record of consistent payments, and c) if the dividend is capable of growing. First, we think Telecom Service One Holdings has an acceptable payout ratio and its dividend is well covered by cashflow. We were also glad to see it growing earnings, but it was concerning to see the dividend has been cut at least once in the past. Overall we think Telecom Service One Holdings is an interesting dividend stock, although it could be better. Now, if you want to look closer, it would be worth checking out our free research on Telecom Service One Holdings management tenure, salary, and performance. We have also put together a list of global stocks with a market capitalisation above $1bn and yielding more 3%. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! If you own shares in Teradata Corporation (NYSE:TDC) then it's worth thinking about how it contributes to the volatility of your portfolio, overall. In finance, Beta is a measure of volatility. Modern finance theory considers volatility to be a measure of risk, and there are two main types of price volatility. The first type is company specific volatility. Investors use diversification across uncorrelated stocks to reduce this kind of price volatility across the portfolio. The second sort is caused by the natural volatility of markets, overall. For example, certain macroeconomic events will impact (virtually) all stocks on the market. Some stocks see their prices move in concert with the market. Others tend towards stronger, gentler or unrelated price movements. Beta can be a useful tool to understand how much a stock is influenced by market risk (volatility). However, Warren Buffett said 'volatility is far from synonymous with risk' in his 2014 letter to investors. So, while useful, beta is not the only metric to consider. To use beta as an investor, you must first understand that the overall market has a beta of one. A stock with a beta below one is either less volatile than the market, or more volatile but not corellated with the overall market. In comparison a stock with a beta of over one tends to be move in a similar direction to the market in the long term, but with greater changes in price. See our latest analysis for Teradata What does TDC's beta value mean to investors? Teradata has a five-year beta of 0.97. This is reasonably close to the market beta of 1, so the stock has in the past displayed similar levels of volatility to the overall market. While history does not always repeat, this may indicate that the stock price will continue to be exposed to market risk, albeit not overly so. Share price volatility is well worth considering, but most long term investors consider the history of revenue and earnings growth to be more important. Take a look at how Teradata fares in that regard, below. Story continues NYSE:TDC Income Statement, May 29th 2019 Does TDC's size influence the expected beta? Teradata is a fairly large company. It has a market capitalisation of US$4.0b, which means it is probably on the radar of most investors. We shouldn't be surprised to see a large company like this with a beta value quite close to the market average. Large companies often move roughly in line with the market. In part, that's because there are fewer individual events that are signficant enough to markedly change the value of the stock (compared to small companies, at least). What this means for you: It is probable that there is a link between the share price of Teradata and the broader market, since it has a beta value quite close to one. However, long term investors are generally well served by looking past market volatility and focussing on the underlying development of the business. If that's your game, metrics such as revenue, earnings and cash flow will be more useful. In order to fully understand whether TDC is a good investment for you, we also need to consider important company-specific fundamentals such as Teradatas financial health and performance track record. I highly recommend you dive deeper by considering the following: Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for TDCs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for TDCs outlook. Past Track Record: Has TDC been consistently performing well irrespective of the ups and downs in the market? Go into more detail in the past performance analysis and take a look at the free visual representations of TDC's historicals for more clarity. Other Interesting Stocks: It's worth checking to see how TDC measures up against other companies on valuation. You could start with this free list of prospective options. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. Dominic Raab has been accused of 'dirty tricks' to block Boris Johnson from Number 10 as the Conservative leadership race heats up. Conservative leadership hopefuls Dominic Raab and Matt Hancock have been accused of playing 'dirty tricks' to keep Boris Johnson out of Number 10 by a fellow Tory MP. Mr Raab tweeted that he, Mr Hancock and Sajid Javid had signed up to a clean campaign pledge, promising not to speak ill of fellow Conservatives during the race to the Tory leadership. Brexiteer Tory MP Nadine Dorries dubbed the tweet dirty tricks targeting current frontrunner Boris Johnson, She said: [Boris Johnson] was not asked to sign this before it was published. This is not a declaration of fairness, it is a dirty tricks campaign, apparently led by Dominic Raab. The 'clean campaign' pledge which was apparently not offered to Boris Johnson. Nadine Dorries has claimed Dominic Raab is attempting to block Mr Johnson's leadership bid. (Twitter) I and many others would like to see better than this in No10. Mr Raab had claimed the campaign should be a "battle of ideas not of personalities". He added: "Whoever wins this election needs to bring the party back together so that we can take on and defeat Jeremy Corbyn. "Fighting a clean campaign is essential if we want to unite our party again." Mr Hancock said: "We shouldn't hold back when it comes to debating ideas, but this contest should be about policies not personalities. Read more for Yahoo News UK: Where will the next Prime Minister stand on Brexit? Boris summonsed to court over claims UK sends 350m a week to EU Newly elected MEPs set to earn more than 45,000 There's already a packed field for the Conservative leadership including (left to right) Boris Johnson, Esther McVey, Jeremy Hunt, Dominic Raab and Rory Stewart. "We'll all need to work with each other and come together as a party after this, so it's especially important that we don't engage in negative personal attacks and instead keep this contest focused on the issues." The five-point pledge also includes commitments to stick to Conservative Party spending limits and to encourage supporters not to engage in abuse on social media. However, Mr Hancock has gone on record criticising Boris for his reported remark of f**k business when asked about industry leaders concerns over a no-deal Brexit. Mr Hancock and foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt have also launched broadsides at a no-deal Brexit - immediately after Boris declared he was in favour of leaving the EU without a deal. Story continues Meanwhile, Rory Stewart has been accused of acting as a suicide bomber designed to clear the way for Michael Gove. Other candidates include Andrea Leadsom, Esther McVey and Kit Malthouse. An 11th candidate, James Cleverly, announced his candidacy to his local paper on Wednesday, saying the Conservatives needed to look new and sound different. More are expected to declare in the coming days, but Johnson remains the frontrunner. The latest news about the surge of anti-Semitism in Europe may not surprise people who worry about the rise of European populist parties. The populists opposing European unity and globalism are easily identified with the old Right in many countries. Many of their supporters whether the right-wing AfD in Germany, the National Front in France led by Marine Le Pen, or the conservative ruling parties in such countries as Poland and Hungary are also identified with traditional anti-Semitic attitudes. So when a German federal official recently advised Jews to avoid wearing a kippah or religious head covering in public so they wouldnt be targeted for violence, most foreign observers concluded that it was right-wing anti-Semites who have been attacking Jews, given that right-wingers have been making gains in elections, including in the recent European Parliament election. The official, Felix Klein, Germanys first Commissioner for Jewish life in Germany and the Fight Against Anti-Semitism, was criticized by many, including Israeli president Reuven Rivlin, for surrendering to the forces of hate. The outrage inspired the newspaper Der Bild to publish a cutout version of a kipah for readers to wear in solidarity with Jews. Earlier this month, a New York Times Magazine story titled The New German Anti-Semitism reported that police statistics attribute 89 percent of all anti-Semitic crimes to right-wing extremists. But the same article went on to question that statistic. According to the Times, when German authorities cant directly attribute a motive for an attack on a Jewish target (and they often cannot), they ascribe it to the Right. But a European Union survey of German Jews conducted last year showed that a plurality of Jews who say they experienced anti-Semitic harassment said the perpetrators were Muslim extremists. Yet, as the Times noted, the German government has been insisting that countrys anti-Semitism problem has not been imported from the Middle East. Story continues The German government, as Kleins controversial statement on kippahs made clear, is far from indifferent to anti-Semitism, whatever its source. The Bundestag recently voted to condemn the BDS (boycott, divest, sanction) movement against Israel. Yet the government seems far more focused on the threat from the right and the growth of what it describes as Islamophobia in response to the massive influx of Syrian refugees who arrived after Merkel opened up the borders to them. As in many other European countries, the recent wave of immigrants from Muslim and Arab countries has created a vast new constituency for Jew-hatred. There is a long tradition of contempt for Jews in Islamic culture that has only been exacerbated by their resentment over the creation of Israel. Muslim expressions of hatred for Israel and Jews are now indistinguishable from the anti-Semitic invective of many Europeans. This has created a bizarre alliance among Muslims, leftist academics, and other elites who aim to delegitimize Israel, Zionism, and Jews. Germany is not alone in this respect. As the New York Times reported last year in an article headlined They Spit When I Walk in the Street: The New Anti-Semitism in France, French Jews fear to be recognized as such when walking in parts of Paris. And some supporters of Marine Le Pens populist right-wing party engaged in anti-Semitic rhetoric during the Yellow Vest protests against President Emmanuel Macron. But the main source of violence against Jews is the Muslim-immigrant population. Centrist and liberal opponents blame nationalist and populist parties in France and Germany for anti-Semitism. Ironically, Jews are far safer Eastern European countries such as Hungary and Poland whose governments are controlled by right-wing populists than they are in France and Germany. Most Jews dont feel comfortable making common cause with parties such as AfD or Le Pens National Rally party, despite shared concerns about Muslim violence. But the notion that those parties, for all their troubling baggage, are responsible for the increasing anti-Semitism doesnt stand up to scrutiny. In the case of the AfD, the party has earned the enmity of the Jewish community for its resistance to Germanys culture of remembrance, in which Holocaust education is compulsory and memorials have proliferated. But AfD has also gone out of its way to state its support for Israel and made clear that it would like improved relations with Germanys Jews. Both the French and German governments have said the right things about opposing anti-Semitism. But academic and other elites have helped delegitimize Israel and Jews in the name of anti-Zionism, and this has inevitably led to tolerating violence against Jews at the hands of Muslim immigrants. It will be admirable if Germans don a cutout kippah for a day or two in solidarity with their embattled Jewish neighbors. But the problem isnt merely a matter of head coverings, and anti-hate educational programs have clearly failed. Its impossible to separate the routine delegitimization of Israel from the way Jews are treated. Whats happening in Europe is proving again that wherever anti-Zionism is legitimized, anti-Semitism grows and anti-Jewish violence follows. More from National Review President Trump meets the Queen during his working visit to the UK in July 2018. (Getty Images) Donald Trump is missing out on privileges offered to other heads of state, including his predecessor Barack Obama, during his visit the UK. Trump and First Lady Melania arrive on June 3 for a state visit. During his three-day visit, the president will attend a banquet at Buckingham Palace, have a private tea with Charles, lay a wreath at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey and attend events to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings. However, the US President has been denied additional perks attached to a state visit. Unlike Obama, the current President has not been asked make an address in the Houses of Parliament. He will also not participate in a carriage ride to Buckingham Palace, a decision attributed to security concerns. And Mr Trump wont stay in Buckingham Palace during his three-day visit due to renovation work. Political commentator and journalist Daisy McAndrew told Yahoo UKs The Royal Box Mr Trump may well have expected to be asked to make a speech to MPs and Lords. She said: There are many things that a head of state could expect to do on a state visit that Donald Trump's not getting to do. He's not addressing both Houses of Parliament as he might have expected to have been invited to do, he's not getting the carriage going down the Mall. We're told that's because of security but of course security probably means protestors. Former US President Barack Obama receives applause after delivering his speech to members of Parliament in Westminster Hall in 2011. (Jeff J Mitchell - WPA Pool/Getty Images) The Queen stands next to former President Barack Obama at the start of the State Banquet at Buckingham Palace during his State Visit. (Lewis Whyld/PA Wire) John Bercow, speaker of the House of Commons, has blocked Mr Trump from delivering a speech to MPs, citing the UKs opposition to racism and to sexism. Mr Bercow first announced he would not extend the honour to the divisive President when he took office, but came under renewed pressure to change his mind when the Queen extended an invitation for an official state visit. Barack Obama delivered a speech in Westminster Hall to MPs and Lords in 2011, telling assembled politicians: I have known few greater honours than the opportunity to address the Mother of Parliaments at Westminster Hall. Story continues The former President did not participate in a carriage ride during his state visit, instead travelling to Buckingham Palace in an armoured vehicle. Chinas President Xi Jinping was given the honour of a carriage ride during a controversial state visit in 2015 that saw mass protests over the issue of Chinas human rights record. President of The People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping, rides in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach along The Mall after the ceremonial welcome on Horse Guards Parade for the Chinese President on the first day of his state visit to the UK in 2015. (Yui Mok - WPA Pool/Getty Images) Opponents and supporters lined the Mall as Mr Xi took part in a procession after meeting The Queen, Prince Philip and then Prime Minister David Cameron. Mr Trump will bring The Beast - his bulletproof and bomb-resistant limousine - for his visit to the UK. He and his family will stay in the US embassy in Battersea, South London. WASHINGTON President Donald Trump, who has frequently lambasted Robert Mueller's investigation as a "witch hunt," took a lower-key approach Wednesday to the special counsel's first public remarks, saying only that the probe found "insufficient evidence" of a crime and that the whole issue should be closed. "Nothing changes from the Mueller Report," Trump wrote in a tweet after Mueller made his first public comments on the case. "There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. "The case is closed!" he added. "Thank you." The president did not directly quote Mueller's comments on the 22-month probe that has cast such a long shadow over the first two years of his presidency. While saying there was "insufficient evidence" of a broader conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia to interfere in the 2016 campaign, the special counsel pointedly said his office did not take a position on whether the president criminally obstructed his investigation. Remarks: Read Robert Mueller comments on the Russia investigation, Trump "If we had confidence that the president did not commit a crime we would have said so," Mueller said. "It would be unfair to potentially accuse somebody of a crime when there can be no court resolution of the actual charge." Trump aides offered more aggressive responses to Mueller's announcement. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said that, "after two years, the Special Counsel is moving on with his life, and everyone else should do the same." Brad Parscale, Trump's 2020 campaign manager, said some of the investigators themselves should be investigated, saying "now its time to turn to the origins of the Russia hoax." Mueller's statement came at a time when Democratic lawmakers are eager for him to testify on Capitol Hill about the findings in his 448-page report. Story continues Russia Special Counsel Robert Mueller Shortly after Mueller's remarks, the president's 2020 re-election campaign sent out a fundraising email under Trump's signature asking donors for help combating he called a political witch hunt. "You stood by my side through the Nasty Witch Hunt, and I need to know I can count on you to be there no matter what they throw at us next," Trump told donors in the fundraising solicitation. The president is anxious to get the Mueller matter behind him, aides said, but they acknowledged that might not be possible given all the House Democratic investigations into his administration. Sanders told reporters at the White House that "every single minute that Congress spends on that we're not spending on infrastructure, we're not spending on lower prescription drug prices, we're not spending on Iran, China, North Korea, new trade deals. Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, served notice those investigations would continue. After Mueller's remarks, Nadler said that "it falls to Congress to respond to the crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump and we will do so." White House officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said they received a heads up Tuesday that Mueller "may" make a statement, but were not told what the special counsel might say. White House attorneys and communications aides gathered in West Wing offices to watch the comments and Sanders said the president was "aware" the remarks were coming. Reaction: 'Begin impeachment proceedings immediately': 2020 Dems call for Congress to act after Mueller speech President Donald Trump Like what youre reading? Download the USA TODAY app for more This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Donald Trump reacts to Robert Mueller's first public statement: 'Case is closed!' WASHINGTON Both President Donald Trump and Donald Jr. have made their feelings clear about controversial Alabama Republican Roy Moores desire to run again for U.S. Senate: Dont do it! But, in their reactions over the last 24 hours, the President was a bit gentler with his request than his son. President Trump told the controversial Alabama judge that he would lose and could cost Republicans control of the Senate overall. Moore was defeated in his 2017 Senate race against Democrat Doug Jones after the GOP candidate was accused of sexual misconduct involving teenage girls. Moore denied the allegations. Arguing that it's crucial for Republicans to regain the seat from the Democratic incumbent in 2020, the elder Trump tweeted: "I have NOTHING against Roy Moore, and unlike many other Republican leaders, wanted him to win. But he didnt, and probably wont." Roy Moore-Doug Jones rematch?Poll shows Alabama Republicans want Moore to run again Begging for help: Roy Moore makes plea for legal defense fund help to 'make ends meet' President Trump speaks during the rally at the Bay Donald Trump Jr. wrote that, "you're the only candidate who could lose a GOP seat in pro-Trump, pro-USA ALABAMA," and urged Moore "to ride off into the sunset." Jones scored an upset victory against Moore in the Senate special election race in overwhelmingly conservative Alabama amid allegations that the Republican candidate had made sexual advances toward teenage girls when he was a prosecutor in his 30s. Trump, who won Alabama by almost 28 percentage points in 2016, inserted himself into the Senate race reports that Moore may want to run again.Trump supported Moore at the time, but the president suggested in a tweet that a second bid would be doomed to fail. "If Alabama does not elect a Republican to the Senate in 2020, many of the incredible gains that we have made during my Presidency may be lost, including our Pro-Life victories," Trump tweeted. "Roy Moore cannot win, and the consequences will be devastating....Judges and Supreme Court Justices!" Story continues You mean like last time? Youre literally the only candidate who could lose a GOP seat in pro-Trump, pro-USA ALABAMA. Running for office should never become a business model. If you actually care about #MAGA more than your own ego, it's time to ride off into the sunset, Judge. https://t.co/Twg9isFRkY Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) May 28, 2019 Trump noted that he had supported Moore in the 2017 special election even though many others in the GOP abandoned the candidate. Trump said at the time he didn't want a Democrat to win the Senate seat. Trump also stressed Moore's denials of the multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, saying at one point: "Roy Moore denies it; that's all I can say." More: Trump at Pensacola rally: Go vote for Roy Moore The president did not travel to Alabama to campaign with Moore. But, less than a week before the election, Trump went to Pensacola, Florida, near the Alabama state line, and told voters: "We need somebody in that Senate seat who will vote for our Make America Great Again agenda ... So get out and vote for Roy Moore." The Senate seat was vacated in 2017 by Jeff Sessions when he became attorney general. Jones defeated Moore in the special election to complete Sessions' term. Next year's contest is for a full six-year term. Republicans cannot allow themselves to again lose the Senate seat in the Great State of Alabama. This time it will be for Six Years, not just Two. I have NOTHING against Roy Moore, and unlike many other Republican leaders, wanted him to win. But he didnt, and probably wont..... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2019 On Tuesday, The Hill reported that Rep. Bradley Byrne, R-Ala., who had already declared his candidacy for Senate, was expecting Moore to jump into the race by June. Moore responded on Twitter, writing: "what is Bradley so worried about?" Moore's loss to Democrat Jones came as an upset in the very red state, and at the time, he said that "It's not over," initially refusing to concede the election. This time, Moore is confident he can win. "He knows that if I run I will beat Doug Jones," he continued. He knows that if I run I will beat Doug Jones. Judge Roy Moore (@RealJudgeMoore) May 28, 2019 Moore's response was "ratioed" on Twitter, meaning that the number of comments was significantly higher than the number of likes or retweets. This tends to indicate either outrage or shock at a post on the site. Figures on both the right and the left weighed in on Moore's potential entry into the race. On Wednesday morning, Moore cryptically responded on Twitter, writing, "Like Pres Trump I want to see America great again, but that is a job only God can do!" Ever wonder why the mere mention of my name scares the hell out of the Washington DC establishment, liberals, and LGBT? Like Pres Trump I want to see America great again, but that is a job only God can do! Judge Roy Moore (@RealJudgeMoore) May 29, 2019 Moore told the Associated Press in an interview on Wednesday that "everybody knows" he could win the Senate race, lashing out at establishment Republicans for trying to keep him out of the race. Moore said that he would be making a final decision on entering the race in June. "I think the President is coming under pressure from people in Washington scared I will run for the Senate, scared I will win and know I can win," Moore said. More: Like what youre reading? Download the USA TODAY app for more This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Donald Trump to Roy Moore: Don't run for Senate seat in Alabama again WASHINGTON Before they saw President Donald Trump, the thousands of supporters who attended his rally earlier this month in Pennsylvania first saw a symbol of the presidency: the iconic blue-and-white jet instantly recognizable as Air Force One. As the presidential plane approached the small airport where Trump would speak, audio of air traffic controllers clearing it to land was piped through speakers. A senior Trump campaign aide posted a video of the plane taxiing up to the stage, where it would remain throughout the rally as a dramatic visual backdrop. Trump's trip to Pennsylvania was only the latest example in which he has relied on Air Force One for campaigning, raising long-standing questions about how taxpayer money is allocated for political travel. The plane, usually a Boeing 747, has carried Trump to rallies, fundraisers and events billed as official business in states such as Pennsylvania and Florida that are crucial to his hopes for reelection in 2020. Air Force One with President Donald Trump aboard arrives at a campaign rally in Montoursville, Pa., Monday, May 20, 2019. Want news from USA TODAY on WhatsApp? Click this link on your mobile device to get started Trump's campaign reimburses the government for a portion of the travel but in a mystery that has frustrated watchdog groups for decades, there is secrecy around how the White House accounts for Air Force One and other travel expenses. White House and Trump campaign officials said they follow federal regulations, but declined to provide details. "It's up to the White House to determine if the trip has a political purpose," said Brendan Doherty, a political scientist at the U.S. Naval Academy and an expert on presidential travel and fundraising. "We usually don't get a full picture of what that cost is." Loading... Trump's Japan trip: Blasts Biden, Dems, Mueller while bringing politics to world stage 'Wasted airtime': Trump blasts Fox News for Pete Buttigieg town hall Such trips are not unique to Trump. His predecessors, including President Barack Obama and President George W. Bush, also logged many hours on Air Force One for trips focused on official business, campaigning or a mix of both. Story continues Trump criticized Obama for the practice in 2016. "Taxpayers are paying a fortune for the use of Air Force One on the campaign trail by President Obama and Crooked Hillary," Trump tweeted. "A total disgrace!" Frequent flier Trump has flown on Air Force One for roughly two dozen trips this year, according to a USA TODAY analysis of dispatches filed by reporters traveling with him. At least 10 trips involved some political activity, from a fundraiser tacked on to an otherwise official trip, to rallies in Texas, Michigan, Wisconsin, Florida and Pennsylvania. The president this month used his office on board the plane to tape a 30-second video blasting New York City Mayor Bill de Blasios decision to seek the Democratic nomination for president in 2020, a move that drew criticism from watchdog groups. "If you like high taxes and you like crime, you can vote for him," Trump said as he flew to New York for fundraisers. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, chairwoman of the House Administration Committee, raised the de Blasio video in a May 21 letter to the White House in which she requested more documentation on how the president's aides are deciding which trips to reimburse. "There is opacity in the way the White House designates an event as 'political' versus 'official,'" the California Democrat wrote. "The public has very little insight into whether and by what magnitude the American taxpayer is subsidizing the president's campaign activities." As with previous presidents, taxpayers pay for what is considered the official business of White House travel, which often involves policy pronouncements, bill signings and speeches. The president's campaign or political parties are required to reimburse the government for the "political" aspects of a visit. Thats where the accounting begins to get opaque. Neither Trump, nor his predecessors, have disclosed how officials determine what portion of a trip is political. The White House doesnt release the cost of individual trips. Though payments from the Trump campaign to the government show up in quarterly campaign finance reports, there is no way to determine which payment corresponds to which trip. Even for a purely political trip, a presidential campaign doesnt reimburse the government for the cost of operating Air Force One, which the Pentagon pegs at $165,000 per hour. Instead, Federal Election Commission rules require campaigns to reimburse the government for the estimated cost of a charter flight.The cost of flying the plane itself is a mystery. The Pentagon's hourly estimate, used for internal government accounting, frequently changes. A Government Accountability Office report in January estimated the cost of four flights to Florida in 2017 at $4.4 million, which would put the hourly rate at about $275,000. Perk of incumbency Incumbency is a big advantage for any politician seeking re-election, especially presidents. And nothing symbolizes the power of the presidency more than Air Force One, which attracts sightseers wherever it lands, from Houston to Helsinki. Sitting presidents have been flying for less than a century. President Franklin Roosevelt was the first White House occupant to use air travel for government business. On Jan. 11, 1943, in the midst of World War II, FDR boarded a prop-propelled Pan Am Dixie Clipper for a secret trip to Casablanca and a meeting with Winston Churchill. Loading... President Ronald Reagan's administration created written guidelines in 1982 on how to divide the cost of trips involving official business and politics. A 2012 report from the non-partisan Congressional Research Service found that, since then, "the travel policies of specific administrations concerning the reimbursement of expenses for unofficial travel generally are not publicly available." Asked by USA TODAY to reveal how much the campaign reimbursed the government for travel expenses incurred during a single rally to Missoula, Montana, last fall, a Trump campaign official said they would need to look into it. "It's kind of left to the good faith discretion of the office holder," said Adav Noti, senior director with the Washington-based Campaign Legal Center. A former FEC lawyer, Noti said the law about who pays for what is "very murky," and "more clarity in this area would be helpful." A source familiar with the accounting for Air Force One who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal details noted that most aspects of the president's travel remain a tightly held secret for security. The amount of money spent on a trip can be used to determine the level of effort that goes into planning the president's travel, which can offer clues about sensitive security details. Politics vs. official Trumps trips to San Antonio and Houston in April were mostly political. After landing in the state, the president took part in a roundtable with supporters and then spoke to a lunch fundraiser for his campaign and the Republican National Committee. The president then flew to Houston, where he delivered "official" remarks to the International Union of Operating Engineers. He signed two executive orders intended to give the White House more control over pipelines and to speed environmental reviews. President Donald Trump takes questions from a gathering of reporters next to Air Force One at Lunken Airport in Cincinnati on Friday, Oct. 12, 2018. President Trump visited the Cincinnati area for a MAGA Rally at the Warren County Fair Grounds in Lebanon, Ohio, Friday night. He made a similar trip in early May, touring damage wrought by Hurricane Michael in Florida last year an official event before speaking at a rally in Panama City Beach. Trump made roughly 100 trips to states outside of Washington in 2018, his first midterm election year as president, according to a USA TODAY analysis. That pace was roughly equivalent with Obamas travel in 2010. About half of Trumps trips in 2018 included at least some political activity, compared to roughly a third for Obama in 2010. Campaign finance reports at the FEC show that, so far, Trump is reimbursing the government at a slower pace than Obama did. In 2010, an entity affiliated with the Democratic National Committee reimbursed the government for more than $700,000 for Obama's travel. For last year's midterm, by contrast, the Trump campaign sent the U.S. Treasury $211,000 for flights and other travel expenses. But a Trump campaign official speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal accounting, said there is often a significant lag between when an Air Force One flight occurs and when the campaign receives a bill. That assertion is backed up by the fact that the Democratic Party continued to reimburse the government for hundreds of thousands of dollars in Air Force One expenses held over from Obama well into Trump's first year in office. The official said the Trump campaign sought to address that lag and the inevitable comparisons to Obama by estimating the amount it would ultimately pay for Air Force One and other travel expenses and including that number as a debt on FEC reports. Beginning late last year, the Trump campaign added a $1,006,954 debt to the government for what it described as estimated travel expenses. In the first three months of 2019, the campaign paid down $638,264 of that balance. When those numbers were included, Trump appeared to be paying more for travel. 'A secret number' White House officials under both Trump and Obama largely dismissed specific questions about how they account for presidential travel. Judd Deere, a White House spokesman, asserted that the administration funds the official portion of trips and that the appropriate political committee funds their portion of the presidents political travel. That, essentially, is a restatement of FEC regulations. Michael Glassner, the chief operating officer for the Trump campaign, said only that we comply with all Treasury protocol and FEC regulations. Obama faced many of the same questions, particularly after he traveled with Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on Air Force in 2016 to a joint campaign appearance. One of the most vocal critics of that flight: Donald Trump. "Why is President Obama allowed to use Air Force One on the campaign trail with Crooked Hillary? She is flying with him tomorrow," Trump tweeted in July. "Who pays?" Why is President Obama allowed to use Air Force One on the campaign trail with Crooked Hillary? She is flying with him tomorrow. Who pays? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 4, 2016 Then-White House spokesman Josh Earnest responded at the time with an answer that is strikingly similar to how Trump aides explain the travel. "The Obama administration follows all the rules and regulations about paying for political travel that previous administrations, both Democratic and Republican, have followed," Earnest said at the time. Still, the issue has drawn renewed scrutiny because some of Trump's official events mirror the atmospherics of his campaign events, highlighting the difficulty of drawing clear lines. At a Georgia event last month focused on opioids, Trump took the stage to Lee Greenwoods God Bless the U.S.A. just as he does for his campaign rallies. At a tax day roundtable in Minnesota, Trump encouraged listeners to elect Republicans, promising its candidates would give citizens a much better alternative to the Affordable Care Act after the election. Trump, like past presidents, is not bound by the Hatch Act, which puts limits on the ability of government officials to take part in political activities. But his campaign is required to follow FEC rules on travel. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., sent a letter to White House Counsel Emmet Flood in October seeking more detail about how the administration handles travel reimbursements in situations where Trump is giving an official speech but then unexpectedly advocates for the election of a candidate. The White Houses calculation of travel expenses can be especially challenging when the president travels to what is intended as an official event, but then engages in impromptu partisan activity, Wyden wrote. It is essential that taxpayer dollars are not used to subsidize partisan political activities. A Wyden aide said the senators office never received a response. The lack of clarity around exactly how much a campaign reimburses taxpayers for trips has vexed those studying the issue for decades. "That is a magic number," said Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, which probed the cost of Air Force One travel during the Obama administration. "A secret number." Contributing: Tom Vanden Brook, Matthew Sobocinski This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Donald Trump slammed Obama for using Air Force One for election campaigning. Now he does the same TOKYO (Reuters) - Nissan Motor Co doesn't see any particularly negative aspects for it in a possible merger of alliance partner Renault with Fiat Chrysler, the chief executive of the Japanese automaker said on Wednesday. Hiroto Saikawa also said that the issue of whether the two companies should merge should be left to them. "This is an issue for the two companies to decide," Saikawa told reporters following a meeting of Nissan, Renault and junior partner Mitsubishi Motors Corp earlier in the day. "But if possible we would like to see an outcome which is also supportive of our interests." Fiat Chrysler on Monday proposed a merger-of-equals with Renault, which would create the world's third-largest automaker. It also raises difficult questions about how Nissan would fit into a radically changed alliance. (Reporting by Maki Shiraki; Writing by Naomi Tajitsu; Editing by David Dolan) The Hague (AFP) - Dutch judges on Wednesday banned biker club Hells Angels and ordered all its chapters to close in the Netherlands as authorities pursue a clampdown on so-called outlaw motorcycle gangs. The country-wide ban is a first for the club that operates some 470 chapters in more than 50 nations around the world, the Dutch public broadcaster NOS said. "The Hells Angels is a danger to the public order," the court in the central Dutch city of Utrecht ruled. "The Hells Angels sees itself as a one-percenter club, a club of outlaws," said the court, citing a slogan used by biker gangs rejecting the authority of national laws or societal norms. "It's a club where there's a culture of lawlessness and the authorities are kept outside their doors," the court added in a statement. It referred to a number of patches or so-called "colours" on the cut-off vests of the Hells Angels, called "cuts", saying "they are handed out to members who commit (serious) violence". "The Hells Angels' profile is that of the largest and most powerful motorbike club. They believe other clubs should listen to them and that leads to long-running conflicts." Dutch prosecutors, who have been trying for more than a decade to have the club banned, referred to an incident in the southern town of Kerkrade where a cafe frequented by rival gang Bandidos was set on fire in 2015. In another incident the following year, Hells Angels were involved in a massive brawl in the restaurant of a Rotterdam hotel, allegedly with members of another rival club. Shots were fired. - Image of violence - "These incidents portray an image of violence by and against the Hells Angels," the court said. The ban also comes as 17 Hells Angels members were arrested in Portugal last week for "threatening national security". The bikers join 41 others, who were being held since July 2018 after a group of around 100 bikers attacked a rival biker group in a Lisbon suburb. Story continues The banning of the Hells Angels, founded in the late 1940s in California, is the latest in attempts by Dutch authorities to shut down outlaw gangs often involved in crimes such as drug and arms trafficking. The same court in Utrecht in 2017 banned the Hells Angels' arch-rivals, the Bandidos, for similar reasons. Judges also banned homegrown club Satudarah last year, saying it too "has been involved for many years in criminal activities including violence against other motorcycle clubs, manufacturing and trafficking in narcotics, the illegal possession of weapons and extortion". Detectives in Kisii are investigating a shocking incident where a minor was reportedly abducted and murdered in cold blood in Nyaura Village, Kiogoro. According to reports, unknown assailants got into the girls house through a window at around 3 am while she and her brother were sleeping. The assailants abducted the 13-year-old girl, leaving behind her seven-year-old brother. The girls body was later found dumped at a nearby stream, with detectives believing she was strangled. School socks suspected to have been used to strangle the girl were found at the scene. Confirming the murder, Kisii County Deputy Police Commander Caleb Matoke said they have launched a manhunt for the attackers. The incident comes two months after another primary school child was raped and murdered by unknown assailants and her body dumped at a thicket near Kisii National Polytechnic. Cairo (AFP) - A high-profile Egyptian jihadist who was transferred to Cairo from Libya will face a military tribunal over his alleged involvement in terror attacks, security and judicial sources said Wednesday. Egyptian government media broadcast footage of Hisham el-Ashmawy -- one of the country's most-wanted militants -- being escorted off a military aircraft early Wednesday morning. Ashmawy was captured by the self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) in October 2018 in the eastern city of Derna. He was returned to his homeland after a meeting between LNA commander Khalifa Haftar and the head of Egypt's intelligence services in Benghazi. "Ashmawy is accused in several cases overseen by the military judiciary," an Egyptian source said. A former officer with Egypt's special forces, Ashmawy was dismissed in 2012 over concerns about his religious views. He joined the Sinai-based Ansar Beit al-Maqdis but broke with the group after it pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group in November 2014. Known by his nom de guerre "Abu Omar al-Muhajir", Ashmawy announced the formation of an al-Qaeda aligned militant group al-Mourabitoun in Libya in July 2015. He is accused of being behind attacks in Egypt's Western Desert region. Authorities have also linked Ashmawy with high-profile attacks including a 2013 assassination attempt on then-interior minister Mohamed Ibrahim and the 2015 killing of a top public prosecutor. In 2017, he was sentenced to death in absentia by an Egyptian military court over his involvement with Ansar Beit al-Maqdis in attacking and killing soldiers at a checkpoint near the porous border with Libya. He will face a retrial after his return to Egypt. Shortly after his arrest in 2018, Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi asked for the jihadist leader to be handed over. "We want him to serve time in prison," said Sisi. Haftar, who is leading a military offensive against the UN-recognised government in Tripoli, seized the city of Derna last summer. Story continues His forces are backed in particular by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. Analysts said that after a stint in captivity in Libya Ashmawy's intelligence value would have dropped. "Ashmawy has been in LNA custody for almost eight months. He won't be in a position to provide information on any current militant groups in Libya," said Zack Gold, a researcher at CNA in the United States. But Gold says his return could provide the authorities with information on how he recruited other former military personnel and on previous terror attacks. "Importantly, but unlikely, the transfer of Ashmawy to Egypt could reveal details about a number of terrorist attacks in Egypt from 2013 onward," he said. 20,000 a month. It's a steep price to pay for a checking account, but firms like crypto exchange LBX have little choice thanks to the sorry state of crypto banking across the Atlantic. European firms face a serious issue, according to newcomers in the space. They lack options akin to the U.S.'s Silvergate; an eminent crypto-friendly bank that has onboarded hundreds of firms, while Tier 1 institutions remain at a safe distance. This climate has given rise to a lucrative market of banking alternatives and consultants in Europe, which firms can enlist to help navigate the complex landscape. For a price. While they're helping mid-size firms get rolling, their services don't come cheap, hitting companies' bottom lines. A tough crowd While there's no shortage of banks in Europe advertising themselves as forward-thinking, innovative institutions, in reality, the options are few and far between; particularly for newer and mid-size firms. Let's take Fidor Bank, arguably the best-known EU provider, which is seemingly so enthusiastic it has a dedicated crypto onboarding page. However, according to sources who tried onboarding with them from the UK, Fidor isn't as "crypto-friendly" as they seem. "We bounced around department to department for 12 months before giving up," said the director of one crypto exchange, adding that the bank "switch[es] their applications for crypto businesses on and off." Fidor did not respond to a request for comment about the number of crypto clients it serves. However, to date, it has only announced partnerships with Kraken and major European peer-to-peer exchange bitcoin.de, which required a new set of Terms and Conditions be created for them after an 18-month process. As such, while it may not be impossible to get accepted, it's likely an exclusive bunch. Similarly, LHV Estonia is known to bank at least two major crypto firms, including Coinbase, but none of smaller clout. It has also not yet launched a direct faster payments service, which is arguably central as a banking service. Story continues Meanwhile, Falcon bank, another European crypto-friendly option recently closed operations in London. Others like Italy's Bank Sella limit their services to two locally-based firms with the largest clout. Elsewhere, Bank Frick, the Lichtenstein-based bank covered by Bloomberg and the FT, saw the mysterious murder of CEO Juergen Frick in 2014; a history that has scared off larger firms. "Banking with a Lichtenstein bank with a history like that isn't an option for us," David Fauchier of London-based Cambrial Capital told The Block. Fauchier said he also tried to get onboarded at one of the UK's major competitor banks, Metro, but despite getting access to the top exec there he got shunned once identified as a crypto hedge fund manager. Indeed, most Tier 1 banks aren't interested, says Ben Dives, CEO of LBX Exchange. If you put 'blockchain', or 'crypto' or 'bitcoin' on a business bank account application, 99% of the banks in the EU will decline you, Dives tells The Block. We went to all of the [banks]...The reality is crypto is still considered very high risk." Even a UK crypto lobbying association struggled to get banked according to one source. The best of a bad bunch This brings firms to the back door of a reputable bank, Cambrial Capital's Fauchier said. You have to either go with a crappy bank or slip through the cracks, the crypto hedge fund manager tells The Block, saying he chose the latter route via a bespoke U.S. bank after a 9-month endeavor. Other sources say Barclays bank has one guy who can help crypto firms slip through," but the bank is not publicly accepting of crypto applications. The source would not disclose the name of the Barclays employee, calling him a "trade secret." Alternatively, LBX Exchange is one of many that have resorted to banking with a third-party electronic money institution (EMI). But it reportedly charges 20,000 a month for the short-in-supply service, providing the appropriate compliance systems and balancing the risk appetite. Coinfloor, another UK exchange, has also opted to store its funds and pay its bills via an EMI for an undisclosed fee. Another option is to pay consulting firms for an extra helping hand. For example CoinAcquiring, a London-based consultancy charging 500 for an initial consultation plus follow-on fees, and claims to have seen 200 clients in the last year, such is the demand. Such firms are profiting from the roadblocks, promising to connect firms with their "banking partner" at one of a dwindling number of crypto-friendly banks in the region. Indeed, those who have gotten legitimately banked know they are a rare breed. Among them is upcoming London-based securities token exchange Archax, who recently received banking approval from Clearbank, a UK challenger clearing bank. "In our experience, innovative forward thinking banking providers do exist [in Europe], they are just in the minority," Archax's CFO Matthew Pollard told The Block. He added that for the most part, UK banks are ignoring a government mandate to foster SME entities. "It is clear some banks are shirking this mandate when it comes to crypto businesses. Distributed ledger technology is seen as an immediate "no" to some, just stopping the conversation dead." Or, of course, there's the option to ignore the banks altogether, as Mark Lamb's crypto derivatives exchange CoinFLEX has opted for, paying employees in crypto instead. Still, that's not an option for EU-registered firms, who legally must have a European current account and custodian. Distant hope? Clearly, theres a gaping hole in the market begging to be filled by affordable, widely available banking options. Upcoming initiatives include DAG Global, which is currently crowdfunding, pitching itself as the much-needed Silvergates of the EU in years to come. LSV Estonia also recently launched operations in the UK, although it's unclear what their criteria for onboarding smaller firms or their fee-structure will be. Elsewhere, Dives of LBX says the firm is pivoting away from being an exchange only to operating crypto business accounts for other companies. He says his battles with banking has encouraged him to fill the demand. Because we understand how to mitigate that risk, were confident we can support other businesses who dont want to go through the headache. Still, the roadmap looks long and shrouded in regulatory and funding uncertainty. So for now, America, spare a thought for your fellow Europeans, and their painstakingly tricky fiat-banking ordeals. Note: This piece has been updated to include additional details and banking experiences. It also emphasises that the wealth of those experiencing difficulties are small to mid-size firms. Please also note the list of banks included here is not exhaustive. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Like a puppy chasing its tail, some new investors often chase 'the next big thing', even if that means buying 'story stocks' without revenue, let alone profit. But the reality is that when a company loses money each year, for long enough, its investors will usually take their share of those losses. In the age of tech-stock blue-sky investing, my choice may seem old fashioned; I still prefer profitable companies like Rio Tinto Group (LON:RIO). Now, I'm not saying that the stock is necessarily undervalued today; but I can't shake an appreciation for the profitability of the business itself. Conversely, a loss-making company is yet to prove itself with profit, and eventually the sweet milk of external capital may run sour. View our latest analysis for Rio Tinto Group Rio Tinto Group's Improving Profits Over the last three years, Rio Tinto Group has grown earnings per share (EPS) like young bamboo after rain; fast, and from a low base. So I don't think the percent growth rate is particularly meaningful. As a result, I'll zoom in on growth over the last year, instead. Like a wedge-tailed eagle on the wind, Rio Tinto Group's EPS soared from US$4.90 to US$7.93, in just one year. That's a impressive gain of 62%. I like to take a look at earnings before interest and (EBIT) tax margins, as well as revenue growth, to get another take on the quality of the company's growth. It seems Rio Tinto Group is pretty stable, since revenue and EBIT margins are pretty flat year on year. That's not bad, but it doesn't point to ongoing future growth, either. The chart below shows how the company's bottom and top lines have progressed over time. Click on the chart to see the exact numbers. LSE:RIO Income Statement, May 29th 2019 While we live in the present moment at all times, there's no doubt in my mind that the future matters more than the past. So why not check this interactive chart depicting future EPS estimates, for Rio Tinto Group? Story continues Are Rio Tinto Group Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders? Since Rio Tinto Group has a market capitalization of US$81b, we wouldn't expect insiders to hold a large percentage of shares. But we do take comfort from the fact that they are investors in the company. To be specific, they have US$30m worth of shares. That shows significant buy-in, and may indicate conviction in the business strategy. Despite being just 0.04% of the company, the value of that investment is enough to show insiders have plenty riding on the venture. Is Rio Tinto Group Worth Keeping An Eye On? For growth investors like me, Rio Tinto Group's raw rate of earnings growth is a beacon in the night. Further, the high level of insider buying impresses me, and suggests that I'm not the only one who appreciates the EPS growth. So this is very likely the kind of business that I like to spend time researching, with a view to discerning its true value. Once you've identified a business you like, the next step is to consider what you think it's worth. And right now is your chance to view our exclusive discounted cashflow valuation of Rio Tinto Group. You might benefit from giving it a glance today. Although Rio Tinto Group certainly looks good to me, I would like it more if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see insider buying, too, then this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying, could be exactly what you're looking for. Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. BRUSSELS, May 29 (Reuters) - The European Union called on Wednesday for a ceasefire in Syria's Idlib province and said Russia, Turkey, Iran and the Syrian government must protect civilians under siege. "We expect the Syrian regime and the Astana guarantors to fulfill immediately their responsibilities and commitments, and ensure the immediate protection of civilians," the EU's top diplomat Federica Mogherini and its humanitarian aid chief Christos Stylianides said a statement, referring to Russia, Turkey and Iran's peace efforts. "Indiscriminate attacks on women and children and other civilians, their displacement, and the destruction of civilian infrastructure cannot be justified under any circumstances," they said. (Reporting by Robin Emmott; editing by John Stonestreet) BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission formally recommended on Wednesday that North Macedonia should start membership negotiations to join the European Union. The recommendation followed a meeting of the Commission in Brussels, Johannes Hahn, the EU commissioner in change of enlargement, said. EU governments must agree to allow talks to start and will discuss the issue in June. The ex-Yugoslav republic changed its name from Macedonia, this year opening the way to join NATO in 2020. "It's a long process, we are talking about several years," Hahn told reporters. He cautioned that Croatia took eight years to meet the bloc's joining criteria, which range from human rights to monetary policy. Speaking earlier to EU lawmakers, Hahn cited growing Chinese presence in the Balkans as a reason to support North Macedonia's candidacy, despite some resistance from France and the Netherlands, in a region that the European Union says must eventually become part of the bloc. Now on a pro-Western path, the country peacefully seceded in 1991 but came close to civil war in 2001 when ethnic Albanians launched an armed insurgency seeking greater autonomy. NATO and EU diplomacy pulled it back from the brink of civil war. (Reporting by Robin Emmott; editing by Philip Blenkinsop and Angus MacSwan) BRUSSELS (AP) The European Commission on Wednesday urged European Union nations to open membership talks with Albania and North Macedonia, saying the Balkans countries "have delivered on reforms." EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini told reporters that accession talks with the two countries should start "as soon as possible. They are ready. This is our assessment." However, the expansion over the years of the 28-nation EU has complicated decision-making in the world's biggest trade bloc, and it's unclear whether member states will endorse the move. Upon taking up his post as commission president in 2014, Jean-Claude Juncker said no countries would join the EU during his term, which ends on Oct. 31. Mogherini said it's not as if Albania and North Macedonia would join "the union tomorrow morning. It's a complicated process." The prospect of EU membership has been a powerful force for reforms in the volatile Balkans since the former Yugoslavia disintegrated into war in the early 1990s. North Macedonian President Stevo Pendarovski welcomed Mogherini's comments, saying he expects his country to "get a fair chance and to transform itself through the opening of each separate chapter" of the accession talks. Until recently known as Macedonia, the country has been an EU candidate member since 2005 but never opened accession talks because of a dispute with Greece. The two neighbors struck a deal last year for Macedonia to rename itself North Macedonia, in exchange for Greece dropping its objections to the country joining NATO and, eventually, the EU. Mogherini warned that Europe is "at a crossroads. We always say that it is a merit-based process, so when merit is assessed as positive it needs to be acknowledged." "Failure to recognize and respond to objective progress would damage the European Union's credibility," she said, adding that it could also "undermine stability and seriously discourage further reforms." Her warning comes a day after Serbia put its troops on full alert after armed Kosovo police fired tear gas and arrested about two dozen people in Serb-dominated northern Kosovo in what they called an operation against organized crime. EU-backed talks between Serbia and Kosovo on normalizing relations are bogged down. CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) Former Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos told graduates of Harvard's Kennedy School of Government that the most important value they can have as leaders is empathy. The Nobel Peace laureate graduated from the school in 1981. He told the Class of 2019 on Wednesday that empathy is what helped him end his nation's 50-year conflict with the guerrilla group known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. He said the best way to end conflict in the world is through "negotiation and reconciliation," not endless cycles of killing. He also warned the graduates that their top priority as future world leaders should be protecting the planet from climate change. He called those who deny climate change "stupid, selfish and suicidal." By Pavel Polityuk and Matthias Williams KIEV, May 29 (Reuters) - Former Georgian leader Mikheil Saakashvili is set for a triumphant return to Ukraine on Wednesday a year after being deported in a feud with former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko. One of the most recognizable politicians in the post-Soviet world, Saakashvili had been brought in by Poroshenko to be governor of the southern Odessa region in 2015. They fell out and Saakashvili accused Poroshenko of corruption. While the 51-year-old has announced he would stay out of politics, the timing of Saakashvili's return means he could be a thorn in Poroshenko's side as Poroshenko's party gears up to fight a snap parliamentary election in July. "Revenge is not my style - I am focused on the future," Saakashvili told the news channel 112 on Tuesday. "I have no political ambitions," he said, adding he'd come back because he missed Kiev, Odessa and borsch, a traditional beetroot soup. Saakashvili, who said on his Facebook page that he would be flying in from Poland, was hired to run Odessa based on his track record of fighting corruption as president of Georgia after the 2003 Rose Revolution. He resigned as governor in 2016 as his feud with Poroshenko escalated. Since then he has mainly been living in the Netherlands, his wife's country of origin. Poroshenko rejected Saakashvili's corruption allegations and said he was trying to deflect attention from his poor performance as governor. The Ukrainian authorities stripped Saakashvili of his citizenship when he was abroad but he barged his way through a checkpoint at the Polish border to get back into Ukraine in September 2017. He was deported five months later. Saakashvili is now able to return after the new President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who defeated Poroshenko by a landslide in last month's presidential election, restored his citizenship. An actor and comedian with no prior political experience, Zelenskiy won the presidency promising to fight entrenched corruption and to upend the political status quo. Story continues On his inauguration day last week, Zelenskiy called a snap parliamentary election in July that will give him the chance to win seats for his new Servant of the People party. "Saakashvili is due to return today, and I am sure he will unleash the dogs of political war on Poroshenko, and Ukraine's old political elites," said Timothy Ash at Blue Bay Asset Management. "Presumably Zelenskiy thinks this will play well in the run up to parliamentary elections and buoy support for his Servant of the People party. There will be a lot of people very nervous now about Saakashvili's return to Ukraine later today." (Editing by Stephen Powell) Detectives in Eldoret are probing the death of Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandagos brother on Monday, the Star reports. The body of the governors elder brother was found in a building at Chepkanga market on the outskirts of Eldoret town. Police suspect he may have been murdered and his body dumped in a section of the hotel under construction. The body was discovered by a plumber who had gone to carry out repairs on water pipes. Jeremiah Rotich, the proprietor of the hotel building, said the plumber was searching for a container to fetch water when he stumbled on the body. The plumber was looking for a tin when he walked to the area under construction and found the body of a well-dressed man, said Mr Rotich. The businessman noted that the deceased was a regular customer at the hotel and often visited during the weekends. The man was seen in a neighbouring joint with some friends last weekend but we do not know how his body ended up here, said Rotich. Adding, Police are currently previewing CCTV footage to unravel what actually happened. We hope what transpired with be unraveled. Moiben deputy county commissioner Lilian Langat said several people have recorded statements. The body was found in an abandoned section of the building and police are carrying out the investigations so that we get to know exactly what happened, said Langat. She said the man was well known in the area, but his identity would only be released after his next of kin were notified. Relatives also visited the scene before police took the body to Eldoret Hospital mortuary. Mandagos brother was an employee of the Kenya Pipeline in Eldoret. He had been working in Kisumu but was recently transferred to Eldoret. By Pavel Polityuk and Matthias Williams KIEV (Reuters) - Former Georgian leader Mikheil Saakashvili is set for a triumphant return to Ukraine on Wednesday a year after being deported in a feud with former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko. One of the most recognisable politicians in the post-Soviet world, Saakashvili had been brought in by Poroshenko to be governor of the southern Odessa region in 2015. They fell out and Saakashvili accused Poroshenko of corruption. While the 51-year-old has announced he would stay out of politics, the timing of Saakashvili's return means he could be a thorn in Poroshenko's side as Poroshenko's party gears up to fight a snap parliamentary election in July. "Revenge is not my style - I am focused on the future," Saakashvili told the news channel 112 on Tuesday. "I have no political ambitions," he said, adding he'd come back because he missed Kiev, Odessa and borsch, a traditional beetroot soup. Saakashvili, who said on his Facebook page that he would be flying in from Poland, was hired to run Odessa based on his track record of fighting corruption as president of Georgia after the 2003 Rose Revolution. He resigned as governor in 2016 as his feud with Poroshenko escalated. Since then he has mainly been living in the Netherlands, his wife's country of origin. Poroshenko rejected Saakashvili's corruption allegations and said he was trying to deflect attention from his poor performance as governor. The Ukrainian authorities stripped Saakashvili of his citizenship when he was abroad but he barged his way through a checkpoint at the Polish border to get back into Ukraine in September 2017. He was deported five months later. Saakashvili is now able to return after the new President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who defeated Poroshenko by a landslide in last month's presidential election, restored his citizenship. An actor and comedian with no prior political experience, Zelenskiy won the presidency promising to fight entrenched corruption and to upend the political status quo. Story continues On his inauguration day last week, Zelenskiy called a snap parliamentary election in July that will give him the chance to win seats for his new Servant of the People party. "Saakashvili is due to return today, and I am sure he will unleash the dogs of political war on Poroshenko, and Ukraine's old political elites," said Timothy Ash at Blue Bay Asset Management. "Presumably Zelenskiy thinks this will play well in the run up to parliamentary elections and buoy support for his Servant of the People party. There will be a lot of people very nervous now about Saakashvili's return to Ukraine later today." (Editing by Stephen Powell) * Judges and lawyers cite lack of trust in China's justice system * Bill could leave judges exposed to Beijing pressure, they say * Hong Kong officials say they will consider additional safeguards By Greg Torode and James Pomfret HONG KONG, May 29 (Reuters) - Some Hong Kong judges fear they are being put on a collision course with Beijing as the special administrative region's government pushes for sweeping legal changes that would for the first time allow fugitives captured in Hong Kong to be sent to mainland China for trial. Three senior judges and 12 leading commercial and criminal lawyers say the changes, called the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance amendment bill, mark one of the starkest challenges to Hong Kong's legal system and are increasingly troubling its business, political and diplomatic communities. It is the first time judges - who by convention don't comment on political or legislative matters - have discussed the issue publicly. The city's independent legal system was guaranteed under the laws governing Hong Kong's return from British to Chinese rule 22 years ago and is seen by the financial hub's business and diplomatic communities as its strongest remaining asset amid encroachments from Beijing. Hong Kong's extensive autonomy is guaranteed until 2047. The judges and lawyers say that under Hong Kong's British-based common law system, extraditions are based on the presumption of a fair trial and humane punishment in the receiving country a core trust they say China's Communist Party-controlled legal system has not earned. "These amendments ignore the importance of that trust - and in the case of the mainland, it simply doesn't exist," one highly experienced judge told Reuters on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. "Many of us see this as unworkable," the judge said. "And we are deeply disturbed." SAFEGUARDS Led by Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam, local officials have limited public consultation on the amendments and are pushing hard for the city's legislative body to pass the changes before it breaks for summer in July, saying long-standing "loopholes" need to be plugged. Story continues Lam's office declined to comment directly, referring questions to the security bureau. On Tuesday, she told reporters that the government would consider calls for more safeguards. Hong Kong's Security Bureau said in a response to Reuters that only after all "human rights and procedural safeguards" had been satisfied, and the requesting jurisdiction has "pledged to those safeguards," would any extradition case be put to the courts. The proposed changes provide for case-by-case extraditions to countries, including mainland China, beyond the 20 states with which Hong Kong already has treaties. The amendments allow for the chief executive to both seek the arrest of a fugitive and sign off on their extradition once approved by the courts, including any appeals and judicial reviews. But they also eliminate the oversight roles of the chief executive's cabinet and the city's legislative body, which can currently step in to evaluate extradition arrangements. Lam and her administration have repeatedly stressed that there are provisions to stop people from being persecuted for political crimes, religious beliefs or being put at risk of torture. They have highlighted the role of Hong Kong's judiciary as gatekeepers and guardians. However, some judges say China's increasingly close relationship with Hong Kong and the limited scope of extradition hearings would leave them little room to maneuver. They worry that if they tried to stop high-profile suspects from being sent across the border, they would be exposed to criticism and political pressure from Beijing. Conversely, they say, if they approve contentious extradition requests, local critics may accuse the judges of merely doing Beijing's bidding, denting perceptions of independence. China's Justice Ministry declined to comment. The Hong Kong Bar Association, business groups such as the American Chamber of Commerce, and several foreign governments, including the U.S., have voiced concerns about the changes undermining Hong Kong's rule of law. 'CHILLING EFFECT' In extradition cases, judges in Hong Kong have little role beyond establishing, through documentary evidence, that the requesting country has a legitimate case. They cannot establish guilt and do not routinely weigh the evidence or cross-examine the foreign prosecutors. Those features will not change under the proposed amendments. But a statement from 12 current and former chairs of the city's barristers' association warns that the government's "oft-repeated assertion that the judges will be gatekeepers is misleading." "It is not, and never has been, the function of the Courts ... to consider the legal system and procedure of the foreign jurisdiction," it said. "The proposed new legislation does not give the Court power to review such matters and the Court would be in no such position to do so." Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor wrote a joint letter to Lam in March warning that China's justice system had a record of arbitrary detention, torture, and violations of rights to a fair trial. Rights lawyer Michael Vidler spoke of a deepening concern across the legal community. "It's going to have a dramatic chilling effect," Vidler said. "The damage to Hong Kong's reputation as a free and safe place where the rule of law is upheld is incalculable." CHANGE COMING If the amendments are passed, any person in Hong Kong, whether a local resident or a foreign passport holder, can be extradited. The 37 extraditable offenses include murder, sexual offenses, kidnapping, corruption, money laundering, fraud and smuggling. China's laws allow it to charge Chinese nationals with crimes committed outside the country, meaning they could be arrested in Hong Kong for actions committed internationally. For all offenses, the punishment threshold is at least three years, and no extradition involving the death penalty would be allowed. Under Hong Kong law, the crime for which someone is being extradited must be a crime in Hong Kong as well as the requesting country. Geoffrey Ma, the Chief Justice of Hong Kong, declined to comment about the proposed amendments. Some judges, leading lawyers and diplomats acknowledge the need for extraditions to the mainland in the long term, but say improvements to the Chinese system and a negotiated treaty with broad consultation and tougher safeguards would be needed. Professor Simon Young of the University of Hong Kong's law school said Hong Kong's separate legal system needed to be better defined ahead of the 2047 deadline. It therefore makes sense to implement a clear and robust extradition arrangement with the mainland, he said. For instance, he said, the existing provisions for the Legislative Council to review extradition requests should be included. "If done properly, it could help Hong Kong maintain its distinct system ... the key will be having adequate safeguards in place," Young said. "That doesn't seem to be case now, and more consultation is needed." (Reporting By Greg Torode and James Pomfret; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in BEIJING; Editing by Gerry Doyle) By Greg Torode and James Pomfret HONG KONG (Reuters) - Some Hong Kong judges fear they are being put on a collision course with Beijing as the special administrative region's government pushes for sweeping legal changes that would for the first time allow fugitives captured in Hong Kong to be sent to mainland China for trial. Three senior judges and 12 leading commercial and criminal lawyers say the changes, called the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance amendment bill, mark one of the starkest challenges to Hong Kong's legal system and are increasingly troubling its business, political and diplomatic communities. It is the first time judges - who by convention don't comment on political or legislative matters - have discussed the issue publicly. The city's independent legal system was guaranteed under the laws governing Hong Kong's return from British to Chinese rule 22 years ago and is seen by the financial hub's business and diplomatic communities as its strongest remaining asset amid encroachments from Beijing. Hong Kong's extensive autonomy is guaranteed until 2047. The judges and lawyers say that under Hong Kong's British-based common law system, extraditions are based on the presumption of a fair trial and humane punishment in the receiving country a core trust they say China's Communist Party-controlled legal system has not earned. "These amendments ignore the importance of that trust - and in the case of the mainland, it simply doesn't exist," one highly experienced judge told Reuters on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. "Many of us see this as unworkable," the judge said. "And we are deeply disturbed." SAFEGUARDS Led by Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam, local officials have limited public consultation on the amendments and are pushing hard for the city's legislative body to pass the changes before it breaks for summer in July, saying long-standing "loopholes" need to be plugged. Story continues Lam's office declined to comment directly, referring questions to the security bureau. On Tuesday, she told reporters that the government would consider calls for more safeguards. Hong Kong's Security Bureau said in a response to Reuters that only after all "human rights and procedural safeguards" had been satisfied, and the requesting jurisdiction has "pledged to those safeguards," would any extradition case be put to the courts. The proposed changes provide for case-by-case extraditions to countries, including mainland China, beyond the 20 states with which Hong Kong already has treaties. The amendments allow for the chief executive to both seek the arrest of a fugitive and sign off on their extradition once approved by the courts, including any appeals and judicial reviews. But they also eliminate the oversight roles of the chief executive's cabinet and the city's legislative body, which can currently step in to evaluate extradition arrangements. Lam and her administration have repeatedly stressed that there are provisions to stop people from being persecuted for political crimes, religious beliefs or being put at risk of torture. They have highlighted the role of Hong Kong's judiciary as gatekeepers and guardians. However, some judges say China's increasingly close relationship with Hong Kong and the limited scope of extradition hearings would leave them little room to manoeuvre. They worry that if they tried to stop high-profile suspects from being sent across the border, they would be exposed to criticism and political pressure from Beijing. Conversely, they say, if they approve contentious extradition requests, local critics may accuse the judges of merely doing Beijing's bidding, denting perceptions of independence. China's Justice Ministry declined to comment. The Hong Kong Bar Association, business groups such as the American Chamber of Commerce, and several foreign governments, including the U.S., have voiced concerns about the changes undermining Hong Kong's rule of law. 'CHILLING EFFECT' In extradition cases, judges in Hong Kong have little role beyond establishing, through documentary evidence, that the requesting country has a legitimate case. They cannot establish guilt and do not routinely weigh the evidence or cross-examine the foreign prosecutors. Those features will not change under the proposed amendments. But a statement from 12 current and former chairs of the city's barristers' association warns that the government's "oft-repeated assertion that the judges will be gatekeepers is misleading." "It is not, and never has been, the function of the Courts ... to consider the legal system and procedure of the foreign jurisdiction," it said. "The proposed new legislation does not give the Court power to review such matters and the Court would be in no such position to do so." Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor wrote a joint letter to Lam in March warning that China's justice system had a record of arbitrary detention, torture, and violations of rights to a fair trial. Rights lawyer Michael Vidler spoke of a deepening concern across the legal community. "It's going to have a dramatic chilling effect," Vidler said. "The damage to Hong Kong's reputation as a free and safe place where the rule of law is upheld is incalculable." CHANGE COMING If the amendments are passed, any person in Hong Kong, whether a local resident or a foreign passport holder, can be extradited. The 37 extraditable offences include murder, sexual offences, kidnapping, corruption, money laundering, fraud and smuggling. China's laws allow it to charge Chinese nationals with crimes committed outside the country, meaning they could be arrested in Hong Kong for actions committed internationally. For all offences, the punishment threshold is at least three years, and no extradition involving the death penalty would be allowed. Under Hong Kong law, the crime for which someone is being extradited must be a crime in Hong Kong as well as the requesting country. Geoffrey Ma, the Chief Justice of Hong Kong, declined to comment about the proposed amendments. Some judges, leading lawyers and diplomats acknowledge the need for extraditions to the mainland in the long term, but say improvements to the Chinese system and a negotiated treaty with broad consultation and tougher safeguards would be needed. Professor Simon Young of the University of Hong Kong's law school said Hong Kong's separate legal system needed to be better defined ahead of the 2047 deadline. It therefore makes sense to implement a clear and robust extradition arrangement with the mainland, he said. For instance, he said, the existing provisions for the Legislative Council to review extradition requests should be included. "If done properly, it could help Hong Kong maintain its distinct system ... the key will be having adequate safeguards in place," Young said. "That doesn't seem to be case now, and more consultation is needed." (Reporting By Greg Torode and James Pomfret; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in BEIJING; Editing by Gerry Doyle) * Three sentenced to death for Islamic State membership * Five given life sentences * Iraqi officials deny men were transferred from Syria By Raya Jalabi and Alissa de Carbonnel BAGHDAD/BRUSSELS, May 29 (Reuters) - U.S. forces have quietly sent at least 30 suspected foreign Islamic State fighters captured in Syria last year and in late 2017 to stand trial in Iraq, interviews with the men, Iraqi sources and court documents show. Three of the men have been convicted of IS membership and sentenced to death by Iraqi courts, while five have been given life sentences. Four of them told Reuters they were tortured in prison, a claim Reuters was unable to verify. Iraq's Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) denied that detainees were transferred to their custody from Syria in 2017 and 2018, and denied the detainees' claims of torture. While the fate of thousands of IS fighters captured in Syria remains unresolved, the roughly 30 suspected foreign jihadists were transferred to Iraq in 2017 and 2018 after they were captured by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), according to Iraqi court files, U.S. detention records, intelligence and judicial sources as well as people familiar with the matter. The U.S. military's Central Command, which oversees U.S. forces in the Middle East, declined to comment on Reuters' findings, but acknowledged the challenges posed by detainees captured by Kurdish militias, whose authority is not internationally recognized "The issue of foreign terrorist fighters in SDF custody in Syria is an extremely complex problem," spokesman Captain Bill Urban said. The United States wants countries to take responsibility for their foreign fighters through "prosecution, rehabilitation programs, or other measures that sufficiently prevent detainees from re-engaging in terrorism," he said. "We remain engaged with a wide range of international partners to ensure that these foreign terrorist fighters never threaten anyone again." Story continues Eight men convicted for their role in IS - from Belgium, France, Germany, Australia, Egypt and Morocco - were interviewed by Reuters during their appearances in Iraqi courts. They said that after being captured in Syria by U.S.-backed SDF forces they were interrogated about their roles in Islamic State by the SDF and U.S. forces. They said they were then held, mostly in solitary confinement, at U.S. military bases in Iraq's Kurdistan Region or in Jordan before being handed into Iraqi custody. The SDF declined to comment on the question of prisoner transfers, referring Reuters to Iraqi authorities. The SDF has said it wants to get rid of foreign fighters because it is not in a position to put them on trial. HUMAN RIGHTS U.S. President Donald Trump is pressing European nations to take back their nationals from among more than 2,000 suspected foreign fighters captured during the final battles to destroy the group's self-declared caliphate in Syria earlier this year. The U.S. and European allies have held talks with Baghdad on a possible bulk transfer of prisoners from Syria to be prosecuted in Iraq since the start of the year, Western diplomats, Iraqi and U.S. officials say. While there is no common European policy on how to handle detained foreign fighters from Europe, Iraq has shown it is willing to prosecute. Prisoner transfers are not prohibited under international law if they come with human rights guarantees, but that applies to transfers between states - not a non-state actor such as the SDF. "The sub-contraction of trials ... to an ill-resourced, under-funded, ill-equipped criminal justice system in Iraq can only be described as an abrogation of responsibility," said Fionnuala Ni Aolain, UN special rapporteur for human rights while countering terrorism. Iraqi judicial officials did not respond to requests for comment. But some prisoners have already been sent to Iraq. An Iraqi military intelligence source said foreign IS detainees had been handed over by the SDF to U.S. forces in 2017 and 2018 inside Syrian territory, and were transported by air to Iraq. Among them is Belgian Bilal al-Marchohi, 23, who was sentenced to death on March 18. A spokesman for Belgium's prime minister declined to comment on his case, but a consular official was present at his trial. Marchohi said he was shuttled between multiple facilities in Syria before being taken to Iraq. He was held by the SDF in a house and a former school, then moved to a facility "where there were only Americans" and next flown - blindfolded and bound by helicopter to another site. Marchohi said he was kept in solitary confinement, under constant bright lights with few toilet breaks. "The Americans threatened me, my wife and kids," he said. "They said, 'we can put a bullet between your two eyes.'" He said he signed a blank confession, which was later filled out by Iraqi authorities to detail his activities in Syria. It appeared to have been changed later to show he was arrested in Iraq, according to his court file, seen by Reuters. In the court file, there is also a reference to his detention by the U.S. military for two months at base in Iraq. The other seven suspected fighters who spoke to Reuters in Iraq said they were also arrested by the SDF, or by the SDF and U.S. forces, in Syria and then held in U.S. detention. Foreign militants like Marchohi - who served in the IS religious police, according to court documents - held elite status within IS ranks. At their trials, judges described the men as battle-tested fighters. German Levent Ozgurt, 24, said he was detained near Aleppo in Syria by the SDF in November 2017 and also flown by helicopter to a U.S. base in northern Iraq, where he was held in solitary confinement. The German foreign ministry said it had no evidence of his transfer from Syria to Iraq. Marchohi and Ozgurt said they were told by U.S. forces that they would be repatriated when their interrogations ended. Instead, they were handed to Iraq's Counter Terrorism Service (CTS), which they said beat them, held them in stress positions and gave them electric shocks via cattleprods to their genitals. Marchohi showed Reuters scarring he said was from beatings and electric shocks. Ozgurt showed Reuters similar marks on his back at a court appearance where he was sentenced to death on Dec. 4. Germany's ambassador to Baghdad was present at the trial. The eight detainees also told Reuters confessions used to prosecute them were falsified. Six said they were coerced into thumbprinting the typewritten confessions through torture. Iraqi authorities denied the claims. CTS spokesperson Sabah al-Naaman said any claims that detainees were transferred to their custody from Syria in 2017 and 2018 were untrue, and denied they had been tortured. "IS members know how to tell lies to mislead judges in order to evade prosecutions," Naaman said. (Additional reporting by Phillip Stewart and Lesley Wroughton in Washington, Ahmed Rasheed in Baghdad, Sabine Siebold in Berlin and Francois Murphy in Vienna Editing by Giles Elgood) By Raya Jalabi and Alissa de Carbonnel BAGHDAD/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - U.S. forces have quietly sent at least 30 suspected foreign Islamic State fighters captured in Syria last year and in late 2017 to stand trial in Iraq, interviews with the men, Iraqi sources and court documents show. Three of the men have been convicted of IS membership and sentenced to death by Iraqi courts, while five have been given life sentences. Four of them told Reuters they were tortured in prison, a claim Reuters was unable to verify. Iraq's Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) denied that detainees were transferred to their custody from Syria in 2017 and 2018, and denied the detainees' claims of torture. While the fate of thousands of IS fighters captured in Syria remains unresolved, the roughly 30 suspected foreign jihadists were transferred to Iraq in 2017 and 2018 after they were captured by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), according to Iraqi court files, U.S. detention records, intelligence and judicial sources as well as people familiar with the matter. The U.S. military's Central Command, which oversees U.S. forces in the Middle East, declined to comment on Reuters' findings, but acknowledged the challenges posed by detainees captured by Kurdish militias, whose authority is not internationally recognised "The issue of foreign terrorist fighters in SDF custody in Syria is an extremely complex problem," spokesman Captain Bill Urban said. The United States wants countries to take responsibility for their foreign fighters through "prosecution, rehabilitation programmes, or other measures that sufficiently prevent detainees from re-engaging in terrorism", he said. "We remain engaged with a wide range of international partners to ensure that these foreign terrorist fighters never threaten anyone again." Eight men convicted for their role in IS - from Belgium, France, Germany, Australia, Egypt and Morocco - were interviewed by Reuters during their appearances in Iraqi courts. Story continues They said that after being captured in Syria by U.S.-backed SDF forces they were interrogated about their roles in Islamic State by the SDF and U.S. forces. They said they were then held, mostly in solitary confinement, at U.S. military bases in Iraq's Kurdistan Region or in Jordan before being handed into Iraqi custody. The SDF declined to comment on the question of prisoner transfers, referring Reuters to Iraqi authorities. The SDF has said it wants to get rid of foreign fighters because it is not in a position to put them on trial. HUMAN RIGHTS U.S. President Donald Trump is pressing European nations to take back their nationals from among more than 2,000 suspected foreign fighters captured during the final battles to destroy the group's self-declared caliphate in Syria earlier this year. The U.S. and European allies have held talks with Baghdad on a possible bulk transfer of prisoners from Syria to be prosecuted in Iraq since the start of the year, Western diplomats, Iraqi and U.S. officials say. While there is no common European policy on how to handle detained foreign fighters from Europe, Iraq has shown it is willing to prosecute. Prisoner transfers are not prohibited under international law if they come with human rights guarantees, but that applies to transfers between states - not a non-state actor such as the SDF. "The sub-contraction of trials ... to an ill-resourced, under-funded, ill-equipped criminal justice system in Iraq can only be described as an abrogation of responsibility," said Fionnuala Ni Aolain, UN special rapporteur for human rights while countering terrorism. Iraqi judicial officials did not respond to requests for comment. But some prisoners have already been sent to Iraq. An Iraqi military intelligence source said foreign IS detainees had been handed over by the SDF to U.S. forces in 2017 and 2018 inside Syrian territory, and were transported by air to Iraq. Among them is Belgian Bilal al-Marchohi, 23, who was sentenced to death on March 18. A spokesman for Belgium's prime minister declined to comment on his case, but a consular official was present at his trial. Marchohi said he was shuttled between multiple facilities in Syria before being taken to Iraq. He was held by the SDF in a house and a former school, then moved to a facility "where there were only Americans" and next flown - blindfolded and bound by helicopter to another site. Marchohi said he was kept in solitary confinement, under constant bright lights with few toilet breaks. "The Americans threatened me, my wife and kids," he said. "They said, 'we can put a bullet between your two eyes.'" He said he signed a blank confession, which was later filled out by Iraqi authorities to detail his activities in Syria. It appeared to have been changed later to show he was arrested in Iraq, according to his court file, seen by Reuters. In the court file, there is also a reference to his detention by the U.S. military for two months at base in Iraq. The other seven suspected fighters who spoke to Reuters in Iraq said they were also arrested by the SDF, or by the SDF and U.S. forces, in Syria and then held in U.S. detention. Foreign militants like Marchohi - who served in the IS religious police, according to court documents - held elite status within IS ranks. At their trials, judges described the men as battle-tested fighters. German Levent Ozgurt, 24, said he was detained near Aleppo in Syria by the SDF in November 2017 and also flown by helicopter to a U.S. base in northern Iraq, where he was held in solitary confinement. The German foreign ministry said it had no evidence of his transfer from Syria to Iraq. Marchohi and Ozgurt said they were told by U.S. forces that they would be repatriated when their interrogations ended. Instead, they were handed to Iraq's Counter Terrorism Service (CTS), which they said beat them, held them in stress positions and gave them electric shocks via cattleprods to their genitals. Marchohi showed Reuters scarring he said was from beatings and electric shocks. Ozgurt showed Reuters similar marks on his back at a court appearance where he was sentenced to death on Dec. 4. Germany's ambassador to Baghdad was present at the trial. The eight detainees also told Reuters confessions used to prosecute them were falsified. Six said they were coerced into thumbprinting the typewritten confessions through torture. Iraqi authorities denied the claims. CTS spokesperson Sabah al-Naaman said any claims that detainees were transferred to their custody from Syria in 2017 and 2018 were untrue, and denied they had been tortured. "IS members know how to tell lies to mislead judges in order to evade prosecutions," Naaman said. (Additional reporting by Phillip Stewart and Lesley Wroughton in Washington, Ahmed Rasheed in Baghdad, Sabine Siebold in Berlin and Francois Murphy in Vienna; Editing by Giles Elgood) By Maayan Lubell and Stephen Farrell JERUSALEM, May 30 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to cobble together a coalition government despite weeks of trying and Israel will vote on Sept. 17 in the second election within months. Netanyahu's authority suffered a blow because he had confidently claimed victory in the last election on April 9 but could not put together a ruling conservative bloc as he was widely expected to do. No single party has ever won an outright majority in the Knesset, making coalition governments the norm. Netanyahu is still set to become Israel's longest-serving prime minister in July, and has made clear that he intends to run - and win. But his opponents have another chance soon to bring him down. The following are some of the main players in the campaign ahead: BENJAMIN NETANYAHU The right-wing veteran universally known as "Bibi" is the dominant political figure of his generation, and his Likud Party secured 35 seats in the 120-seat Israeli parliament in April. It seemed to have enough natural allies to form a conservative coalition, but despite all his efforts, this proved not to be. Netanyahu also faces possible indictment in three corruption cases, with a decision pending from Israel's attorney-general as to whether he should be charged. Netanyahu denies any wrongdoing, accusing his political opponents of a witch hunt against him. Although Likud has so far rallied around its leader, that could change if party members scent weakness in a prime minister who could not assemble a government. Israel Katz and Gideon Saar are possible rivals to Netanyahu from within his own party. In the coming campaign Likud is likely to focus on its traditional positions, including tough security policies on Iran, Syria and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Many of its members oppose the creation of a Palestinian state. Netanyahu, in a pre-election promise last time around, said he would declare Israeli sovereignty over settlements in the occupied West Bank, a possible annexation, if he wins another term. Story continues His close relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump is also likely to feature prominently in the campaign, as it did last time. But it remains to be seen how the domestic political turmoil affects the prospects of the long-delayed Mideast peace plan that Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is spearheading. BENNY GANTZ A popular former armed forces chief and a political newcomer, Gantz emerged as a serious rival to Netanyahu in the April election, with impeccable security credentials. He heads the newly formed centrist Blue and White party, which campaigned on a platform of clean government, peace and security. It won 35 seats in the Knesset, the same as Netanyahus Likud. Other prominent Blue and White members are Moshe Yaalon, a right-wing former defense minister, and center-left former finance minister Yair Lapid. Gantz has called for pursuing peace with the Palestinians while maintaining Israeli security interests. He has signaled he would make territorial concessions toward the Palestinians, but has sidestepped the question of Palestinian statehood. AVIGDOR LIEBERMAN The Moldovan-born immigrant from the former Soviet Union is head of the ultra-nationalist Yisrael Beitenu party, which holds five seats in the Knesset. He launched the political attack that weakened Netanyahu's grip on power. He was once Netanyahu's chief of staff, but turned on his former mentor, delighting his secular base by taking a stand against Israel's ultra-Orthodox Jewish community on the issue of compulsory service in the military. The religious United Torah Judaism party, a key Netanyahu ally, does not want young ultra-Orthodox seminary students to be forced into military service. But Lieberman and many Israelis want them to share the burden of mandatory duty. Lieberman has stirred controversy in the past by questioning Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's commitment to peace, and the loyalty of Israel's Arab minority. Six months ago he set in motion the events which led to the current crisis when he weakened Netanyahu's ruling right-wing coalition by resigning as defense minister. The stated reason was that Netanyahu was not taking forceful enough military action against Hamas in Gaza, but many suspect his actions were rooted in personal ambition. While other coalition candidates talked of being 'king-makers', it was Lieberman's actions that proved decisive. AVI GABBAY A former telecom chief, Gabbay led the center-left Labour party into a disastrous election, at which it slumped from 18 seats to six. Gabbay has publicly backed a two-state solution with the Palestinians and the party's campaign stressed social and economic reform, as well as pursuing peace. RABBI RAFI PERETZ A former chief rabbi of the Israeli military, Peretz heads the United Right party, which holds five seats in the Knesset. It is the most prominent political representative of Israeli settlers in the West Bank. It repudiates the idea of a Palestinian state and stresses Israels biblical and religious connections to land Palestinians seek for a state. MOSHE KAHLON A former Likud member, Kahlon heads Kulanu - 'All of Us' - which won four seats in April, down from 10. As finance minister in Netanyahu's government he partly delivered on his pledge to halt soaring housing prices, but has fallen short on dramatically reducing overall living costs. His party casts itself as moderate right-wing and focused its campaign on socio-economic issues. YAKOV LITZMAN The deputy health minister heads United Torah Judaism, which represents ultra-Orthodox Jews, or Haredim, of European origin. It has eight seats. Successive coalition governments have had to rely on support from ultra-Orthodox parties, which traditionally put their religious demands above larger issues like security and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. UTJ is primarily concerned with safeguarding state benefits for Haredi men who devote themselves to full-time religious study and do not serve in the conscript military or work. This pitted them against Lieberman. ARYEH DERI The interior minister heads Shas, which represents Haredi Jews of Middle Eastern origin. It is an ally of UTJ, and both religious parties have been an almost permanent fixture in successive governments It holds eight seats, like UTJ. AYMAN ODEH AND AHMAD TIBI The six-seat socialist party draws most of its voters from Israels 21 percent Arab minority. It advocates an Arab-Jewish alliance to fight discrimination, racism and social inequality in Israel. Arab parties have never joined governing coalitions in Israel. ABAS MANSOUR Head of a party with four seats, Raam-Balad is a mix of Islamist and Arab nationalists. It describes itself as a democratic movement opposed to Israels occupation of Palestinian territory. TAMAR ZANDBERG Head of the left-wing Meretz party, which won four seats. It has not been part of a coalition government in the past two decades. Popular with liberal middle-class Israelis, the party advocates a two-state solution with the Palestinians. (Reporting by Maayan Lubell and Stephen Farrell; editing by Grant McCool) By Jennifer Hiller DALLAS (Reuters) - Exxon Mobil Corp shareholders on Wednesday rejected a proposal to split the chief executive officer and board chairman roles that some had promoted to protest a decision to strike an unrelated climate change resolution from the ballot. Two institutional shareholders had urged a vote in favor of the role split after Exxon got the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to strike a climate change measure from its ballot. The protest fizzled, with about 41% of the votes supporting the separation at the company's annual meeting, little more than the more than the 38% approval votes that similar resolutions garnered in recent years. Shareholders also defeated measures calling for a special board committee on climate change and for a report on the risks of climate change to Exxon's U.S. Gulf Coast chemical plants. At Chevron Corp's annual meeting on Wednesday, a proposal to create an independent chairman received just 26% of votes, and only 8% of votes favored a board committee on climate change. In contrast, 99% of shareholders at BP Plc last week favored a resolution calling for the British oil company to meet a climate accord seeking to curb a rise in global temperatures. Royal Dutch Shell last year agreed to set targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and link them to executive pay. New York state's pension fund and the Church Commissioners for England, the endowment fund of the Church of England, had backed the independent chairman's proposal at Exxon after their resolution seeking emissions goals was struck from the ballot. The 41% approval for the independent board chair proposal was the largest in the last seven times such a proposal has been considered. New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said in a statement that "Exxon would ignore this level of support for an independent board chair at its own risk. Exxon has been in "open conflict about climate strategy and disclosure" with its investors, said Edward Mason, who represented the Church of England and presented two climate resolutions that failed to gain majority support. Shareholders in recent years have pressed Exxon to define a path toward meeting the 2015 Paris climate agreement to limit global warming, but the company has not committed to any targets. "Engagement on climate is important, but working on solutions through fundamental research and development for new technologies is also important," Exxon Chief Executive Darren Woods said at the meeting. Exxon has multi-billion-dollar expansion programs to find and produce new reserves of oil and natural gas, as well as to expand its refining and chemical footprint. It has projected shale production of 1 million barrels per day in the Permian Basin, the top U.S. shale field, as early as 2024. Woods said the company would continue to engage with shareholders as part of a "a years-long process." More than 50 people organized by environmental group 350 Dallas held signs and chanted outside the hotel entrance to protest Exxon's climate policies. "The climate crisis is real and they have contributed to it," said Olinka Green, 50, of Dallas, who held a sign saying, "There is no Planet B." Shares of Exxon were down 0.62% at $72.16 on Wednesday. Exxon is pushing ahead in China despite the trade war between the two countries, and Woods said its plans have not been interrupted. Last year it was approved for an about $9 billion liquefied natural gas terminal and a massive chemicals project in China, the second foreign firm after Germanys BASF to gain approval to operate such a plant without a local sponsor. "That is a lifelong investment, a 50- to 100-year timeline investment," Woods said. "While we're sensitive to what we're seeing in the current environment and the implications, and we're making sure that we understand how issues can play themselves out, we're also trying to put that in the context of this long-term time horizon we're trying to manage." (Reporting by Jennifer Hiller; editing by David Gregorio and Leslie Adler) By Elisabeth O'Leary EDINBURGH (Reuters) - Scotland's pro-independence government has set out new rules on referendums in the hope of holding another secession vote in the second half of 2020 if Britain's parliament gives the go-ahead. A bill presented to the devolved Scottish parliament on Wednesday aims to give clear ground rules that are legally watertight for any referendum vote. In 2014, Scots rejected leaving their 300-year-old union with England and Wales by 55 to 45%. Polls say support for independence has grown since, but a majority still back the current UK political structure. Results from last week's European election, in which Nicola Sturgeon's pro-EU Scottish National Party (SNP) increased its share of the vote to take three of six EU parliament seats assigned to Scotland, appear to have strengthened Sturgeon's hand and show the antipathy to Brexit north of the English border. Sturgeon's government wants to give visibility and purpose to the discontent in Scotland over Britain's exit from the European Union. That puts extra pressure on a UK government and parliament riven by political acrimony and unable to decide the shape of Brexit. "Just published a bill to set the rules for an independence referendum - to allow the Scottish people to choose our own future rather than having a Brexit future imposed on us," Sturgeon tweeted. The bill prepares for a secession vote which the UK government says it will not allow. That position is untenable, Sturgeon argues. "It is essential the UK government recognizes that it would be a democratic outrage if it seeks to block such a referendum indeed, any such stance would, in my view, prove to be utterly unsustainable," she said in a statement. The bill does not set a date for a new independence vote but, speaking to the BBC in Dublin on Tuesday, Sturgeon said the latter half of next year would be the "right time." BREXIT FEEDING DISCONTENT Theresa May has said she will step down as prime minister in June, opening a succession race in her party. For Scotland, any new prime minister aiming for a so-called hard Brexit will have to be aware of the risks of catalyzing the independence cause, said Professor Nicola McEwen of the University of Edinburgh. "There is a sense that Brexit is happening despite the clear and consistent preference of the majority in Scotland, so the harder the Brexit the more stark that appears to be," she said. Many of the current candidates to replace May appear to be supporting a harder Brexit than that on offer. "Politically I think that (a hard Brexit) does strengthen the case for independence, but economically and practically I think there are challenges," McEwan said, adding that the possibility of a hard border between England and an independent Scotland would make the debate tougher for nationalists to win. While the United Kingdom as a whole voted to leave the EU in a 2016 referendum, two of its four nations - Scotland and Northern Ireland - voted to stay, feeding political tension. Nationalists say the Brexit watershed and the political chaos that has ensued mean Scots now deserve a new choice on the UK partnership, and accuse London of riding roughshod over Scotland's views on post-Brexit economic relations. May's Conservative government says Scotland's views have been heard, and that the nationalists want independence at any price. (Editing by Stephen Addison and Stephen Powell) Theres still no love lost between controversial political figures Moses Kuria and Miguna Miguna. The Gatundu South MP and the exiled lawyer over the weekend rekindled their contempt for each other in yet another ugly public spat on Twitter. The lawyer with the same name twice instigated the war of words after referring to Moses Kuria, President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga as mediocres. Apparently, the trio would not be allowed to address goat markets during the days of Tom Mboya. In 1963 when Tom Mboya, Argwings Kodhek and Pio Pinto Gama kept Kenyans spellbound with searing eloquence and incisive policies on liberation and Pan-Africanism, mediocres like @HonMoses_Kuria, Uhuru Kenyatta and @RailaOdinga would never have been allowed to address goat markets, tweeted Miguna. Moses Kuria hit back within minutes calling Miguna Miguna a coward for unblocking him on the platform just to insult him. You block then unblock me only to insult me you wanking coward, Kuria said. But Miguna had more in store as he escalated the spat with more attacks against President Uhuru. If I was a coward, your beardless husband Uhuru Kenyatta would not have marshaled hundreds of heavily-armed goons to destroy my house using explosives. He would never have detained, tortured, sedated and forced me into exile. Ask him to allow me in and lets see, said Miguna. In response, a seemingly angry Moses Kuria said, This land does not deserve your carcass. Exile is your destiny. Never one to go down without having the last word, Miguna fired back describing Moses Kuria as an animal specimen. Kenya doesnt belong to you, Mr. Chauvinist. Once upon a time, animal specimens like you believed, wrongly, that Nelson Mandela and his comrades were terrorists that belonged to the Roben Island Maximum Security Jail or exile. But even apartheid was defeated like you will be. The first time the two clashed was in September last year whenMiguna accused Moses Kuria of killing IEBC ICT director Chris Msando. Kuria responded claiming Miguna was facing three rape cases in Canada. The same way I regret dining with you when I knew very well you had, not one, not two but three rape cases in Ontario, said Kuria. WASHINGTON, May 29 (Reuters) - The U.S. Defense Department has submitted a report to Congress on rare earth minerals as it looks to reduce American reliance on China, a Pentagon spokesman told Reuters on Wednesday, amid mounting concern in Washington about Beijing's role as a supplier. "The department continues to work closely with the president, Congress and the industrial base to mitigate U.S. reliance on China for rare earth minerals," said Lieutenant Colonel Mike Andrews, a spokesman. "The department recently submitted a Defense Production Act III rare earth mineral report to Congress, demonstrating the department's continued focus on reducing reliance on China," Andrews said. (Reporting by Phil Stewart and Andrea Shalal; editing by Jonathan Oatis) (Reuters) - In recent months, some conservative-leaning U.S. states have taken action to curb abortion rights, the most recent being Missouri, where the state's only abortion clinic could close by the end of the week. But any attempt to restrict or ban abortion will ultimately face a final test at the conservative U.S. Supreme Court. This is how that process will play out: CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO ABORTION There is an accelerating effort by some states and anti-abortion activists to get the Supreme Court to reconsider its landmark 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade, holding that a woman has a constitutional right to abortion. The high court reaffirmed Roe in a 1992 decision that said abortion restrictions cannot place an "undue burden" on the right and most recently in 2016, when the court threw out a Texas law that would have imposed difficult-to-meet requirements on abortion clinics and doctors. The retirement last year of Justice Anthony Kennedy, who co-authored the 1992 decision and joined the 2016 one, has given conservatives a new opening to challenge Roe. Kennedy was replaced by President Donald Trump's conservative appointee Brett Kavanaugh, who has a thin record on abortion. The court has a 5-4 conservative majority. RECENT COURT ACTION The Supreme Court sent mixed messages on its approach to abortion on May 28 when it upheld an Indiana measure that requires fetal remains to be buried or cremated, but stayed out of the fight over a second provision that would have barred abortions based on fetal disability or the sex or race of the fetus. By rejecting Indiana's attempt to reinstate the partial ban, the court indicated a reluctance to directly tackle the abortion issue, at least for now. PENDING CASES There are other cases pending at the high court aimed at weakening Roe v. Wade. A case from Indiana challenges a law requiring women to undergo an ultrasound examination at least 18 hours before they undergo an abortion. It was struck down by lower courts. A separate case concerns an Alabama law that would effectively ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The court is also set to act later this year on a bid by Louisiana to revive restrictions on doctors who perform abortions, requiring that they have hospital admitting privileges. OTHER STATE LAWS Alabama's governor on May 15 signed a law that would outlaw nearly all abortions in the state, the strictest such measure in the United States. It has already been challenged in court. Other conservative states have passed laws that will face legal challenges. Kentucky, Ohio, Mississippi, and Georgia this year passed bills that would ban abortions when a fetal heartbeat is detected after about six weeks. In January, a federal judge struck down a similar Iowa law and Louisiana is poised to pass its own version. Missouri's governor on May 24 signed into law a bill that would ban abortion after eight weeks. A number of states have passed laws that ban a method of abortion used during the second trimester of pregnancy, known as dilation and evacuation. Graphic: Abortion laws in the United States - https://graphics.reuters.com/USA-ABORTION-RESTRICTIONS/010092FK33J/index.html (Reporting by Lawrence Hurley and Andrew Chung; editing by Grant McCool) Montreal (AFP) - A lawyer for a family who sheltered fugitive former US National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden asked Canada on Wednesday to take them in as refugees, saying they were being persecuted in Hong Kong. Guillaume Cliche-Rivard of the non-governmental group For the Refugees, which in March sponsored two other Snowden "Guardian Angels" -- Vanessa Rodel and her seven-year-old daughter Keana of the Philippines -- made the plea on "humanitarian grounds" at a press conference. He noted growing concerns about civil rights abuses since mainland China took control of the former British colonial enclave in 1997. Cliche-Rivard also pointed to the precedent set by Germany in granting asylum to two democracy activists -- Ray Wong and Alan Li. "The fact that Germany has granted refugee status to these people shows that Hong Kong is a persecutor within the meaning of the Geneva Convention," he said. Germany's decision "adds a lot of weight and credibility" to the family's amended refugee claim, he said. Originally from Sri Lanka, Supun Kellapatha and Nadeeka Paththini and their two young children are facing deportation after their initial refugee claims in Hong Kong were rejected. Kellapatha is also Keana's father. "My daughter should not be growing up in Canada without her father, and her half-sister and her half-brother," Rodel said. "My family has been divided and I ask Canada to act now to bring the family all together." Sri Lankan army deserter Ajit Kumara is also part of the group that assisted Snowden but is awaiting a decision by Hong Kong on whether he can travel. The group hid Snowden in their tiny Hong Kong apartments in 2013 when he was on the run after stealing a trove of highly classified NSA documents. The documents revealed the existence of global surveillance programs run by the NSA in cooperation with partners Australia, Britain and Canada. Snowden, who now lives in Russia, was charged in June 2013 in the United States with espionage and stealing state secrets. TOKYO, May 29 (Reuters) - A Japanese man was arrested on Wednesday for using a stun gun to discipline his three children, police said, the latest in a series of child-abuse cases that have prompted legislators to seek a ban on corporal punishment. The 45-year-old man in the southern city of Kitakyushu told police he used a stun gun on his two daughters, aged 17 and 13, and 11-year-old son "when they didn't follow the rules," a police official told Reuters. The boy suffered a minor burn on his arm and there were no visible injuries on the girls, the police official said. A series of high-profile child abuse cases in recent years has shaken Japan, including the death last year of a five-year-old girl, Yua Funato, whose father beat and starved her in the name of discipline. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said at the time her death was "soul-crushing" and he promised steps to prevent more deaths. Legislators in the powerful lower house of parliament on Tuesday unanimously approved a plan to ban corporal punishment of children by their parents, paving the way for passage of a revised law during the current session. More than 50 countries - mostly in Europe - have laws prohibiting corporal punishment of children in the home, which some researchers say is an ineffective form of discipline. Japan would be the third country in Asia to institute such a ban after Mongolia in 2016 and Nepal two years later. The child abuse case is the latest incident involving children that has shocked Japan. On Tuesday, a knife-wielding man slashed at a group of schoolgirls at a bus stop in Kawasaki city, killing one girl and an adult who may have been the father of one child. Sixteen other children between the ages of 6 and 12 and a woman were wounded in the attack by a middle-aged man who died later of a self-inflicted wound, broadcaster NHK said, citing police. (Reporting by Chang-Ran Kim; editing by Darren Schuettler) BANGKOK (AP) They are members of a folk music group living communally in the Southeast Asian nation of Laos, but they are in fear for their lives. The musicians from the band Faiyen fled their homes in neighboring Thailand in 2014, afraid of arrest after a military coup overthrew their nation's elected government. Their music was their crime. Drawn into the polarized politics of Thailand's last decade, some of their songs mocked the monarchy, a sacred institution as far as many Thais and the law are concerned. For their heresies, they now believe they may be kidnapped or killed. Their fears are not without justification. Since last December, six fellow Thai exiles in Laos associated with anti-monarchist views have disappeared in suspicious circumstances and their families presume they are dead. The mutilated bodies of two washed up on the Thai side of the Mekong River. A veteran far-left activist who in the 1970s was in the jungle with the Communist Party of Thailand disappeared along with them. Two other activists in Laos, rights groups say, disappeared in 2016 and 2017. All of the exiles were associated with Thailand's Red Shirt movement of democracy activists, many of whom are also supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Thaksin was ousted by in a 2006 military coup that triggered a long and sometimes violent struggle for power between supporters of the populist billionaire and the army-backed royalist establishment. That charged political atmosphere led some Red Shirt supporters to begin openly questioning the monarchy's role in Thai society and politics, a grave taboo. Thai law mandates prison terms of three to 15 years for insulting the monarchy, and courts have proven to have broad interpretations of what constitutes an insult. The junta that took power in the 2014 coup and remains in place today did so with a vow to crack down on anti-monarchists, even for a time moving all so-called lese majeste cases from civilian court to military courts. Story continues While no evidence has been presented that the junta is involved in the disappearances in Laos and even those in exile stop short of directly accusing the government activists and rights groups say someone is seeking extrajudicial retribution. The latest exiles to vanish were three activists who tried to flee Laos by crossing into Vietnam in January, but according to rights groups were arrested and secretly extradited to Thailand. The authorities in Vietnam and Thailand have denied any knowledge of the affair. "When we heard the news, I realized, 'OK, we are really in danger with all the people disappearing in previous years, and more this year,'" Faiyen member Romchalee Sombulrattanakul told The Associated Press by phone from Laos. "It seems they want to get us now. And, we are the only group left in this country." Romchalee is a 33-year-old former cellphone saleswoman who considered herself apolitical until she saw what she calls the unfair suppression of the Red Shirt movement, which she believed represented the interests of Thai workers and farmers. When the bodies that washed up on the shore of the Mekong in December were identified as fellow activists, she said it became "clear that those who disappeared were turning up dead. No one was arrested or sent to be tried in Thailand." She's not being paranoid, according to Human Rights Watch, whose senior researcher in Thailand, Sunai Phasuk, said that the New York-based group received credible warnings about the dangers facing Faiyen. All of those who disappeared were wanted by Thai authorities for alleged anti-monarchy activity, he said. "Faiyen is the last remaining on the list that Thailand wants," Sunai said. "Other names have been removed from the list for the fact that they have been disappeared." Thai Defense Ministry spokesman Kongcheep Tantravich said it would be "impossible" for the government to make activists like those in the Vietnam case disappear. He added that he wasn't sure why the activists in Laos were so scared. "If they are so afraid, they could return and enter the legal process," he said. "Whether or not they will decide to come back is up to them." The fear in which Faiyen lives is beyond description, said Romchalee. The slightest sound in the night sends her frantically peering out through windows into the dark, praying that it isn't someone trying to attack them. She is shaken by a mysterious man who keeps contacting her through social media and seems to know her every move which restaurant she has eaten in and to where they have changed living quarters in search of safety. "Each day you wonder whether or not you can go shop, or meet your friends, because you have no idea when you will be taken away," said Worawut Theunkchaiphum, another band member, noting that those who previously went missing were taken from their homes or while traveling. "We exist with no protection whatsoever. We are invisible. We are in a country where the Thai government could easily send in teams to take care of us," he said. Faiyen's members were among scores of Thai activists who fled after the latest coup. Many had no travel documents and little money when they escaped to neighboring Laos and Cambodia. According to the legal assistance group Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, at least 86 Thais left Thailand seeking asylum abroad. Those who were well-connected or prepared with money and papers were able to move on to safer havens such as Japan and France. Hardcore activist leaders received funds from sympathizers to keep them afloat, doling out portions to their loyalists in the exile community. Low-profile members, including farmers, workers and office employees, were often able to fade into the woodwork, giving up their activism for what local jobs they could find. The scrappy members of Faiyen, poorly connected but politically engaged, decided to carry on with their activism. Along with several others in the small and cliquish exile community, they produced programs and songs in Thailand's "luk thung" country music style that they posted online. The activists who disappeared had also continued to put provocative programming online. By refusing to change their approach, they had made themselves targets, said Benjamin Tausig, an assistant professor of music at New York's Stony Brook University who has closely studied Thailand's recent protest movements. "We live in a moment of extraordinary visibility, which is simultaneously a platform for speech and a mode of surveillance," he said. "Their songs move in an ecosystem that can spread the word fast, but that can also get you in trouble fast." Any investors hoping to find a Large Cap Value fund could think about starting with Fidelity Equity Dividend Income (FEQTX). FEQTX has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 2 (Buy), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance. Objective FEQTX is classified in the Large Cap Value segment by Zacks, which is an area full of possibilities. Investors interested in a stable income stream fund these mutual funds very appealing because they have a unique investing strategy. Large Cap Value funds invest in stocks with a market capitalization of $10 billion or more, but whose share prices do not reflect their intrinsic value. This tactic often leads to low P/E ratios and high dividend yields; however, these funds'high growth opportunity are often slowed, as large-cap securities are generally in stable industries with low to moderate growth prospects. History of Fund/Manager Fidelity is based in Boston, MA, and is the manager of FEQTX. Since Fidelity Equity Dividend Income made its debut in August of 1990, FEQTX has garnered more than $4.88 billion in assets. The fund is currently managed by John Sheehy who has been in charge of the fund since April of 2017. Performance Investors naturally seek funds with strong performance. FEQTX has a 5-year annualized total return of 7.96% and is in the middle third among its category peers. If you're interested in shorter time frames, do not dismiss looking at the fund's 3-year annualized total return of 9.9%, which places it in the middle third during this time-frame. When looking at a fund's performance, it is also important to note the standard deviation of the returns. The lower the standard deviation, the less volatility the fund experiences. The standard deviation of FEQTX over the past three years is 10.71% compared to the category average of 9.93%. The standard deviation of the fund over the past 5 years is 10.85% compared to the category average of 10.29%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade. Story continues Risk Factors Investors cannot discount the risks to this segment though, as it is always important to remember the downside for any potential investment. In the most recent bear market, FEQTX lost 56.06% and underperformed comparable funds by 5.42%. This could mean that the fund is a worse choice than comparable funds during a bear market. Even still, the fund has a 5-year beta of 0.93, so investors should note that it is hypothetically less volatile than the market at large. Because alpha represents a portfolio's performance on a risk-adjusted basis relative to a benchmark, which is the S&P 500 in this case, one should pay attention to this metric as well. The fund has produced a negative alpha over the past 5 years of -2.61, which shows that managers in this portfolio find it difficult to pick securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns. Holdings Examining the equity holdings of a mutual fund is also a valuable exercise. This can show us how the manager is applying their stated methodology, as well as if there are any inherent biases in their approach. For this particular fund, the focus is primarily on equities that are traded in the United States. The mutual fund currently has 95.74% of its holdings in stocks, which have an average market capitalization of $123.14 billion. The fund has the heaviest exposure to the following market sectors: Finance Technology Industrial Cyclical Non-Durable With turnover at about 56%, this fund is making more trades per year than the comparable average. Expenses As competition heats up in the mutual fund market, costs become increasingly important. Compared to its otherwise identical counterpart, a low-cost product will be an outperformer, all other things being equal. Thus, taking a closer look at cost-related metrics is vital for investors. In terms of fees, FEQTX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 0.60% compared to the category average of 0.99%. So, FEQTX is actually cheaper than its peers from a cost perspective. Investors need to be aware that with this product, the minimum initial investment is $0; each subsequent investment has no minimum amount. Bottom Line Overall, Fidelity Equity Dividend Income ( FEQTX ) has a high Zacks Mutual Fund rank, similar performance, average downside risk, and lower fees compared to its peers. For additional information on the Large Cap Value area of the mutual fund world, make sure to check out www.zacks.com/funds/mutual-funds. There, you can see more about the ranking process, and dive even deeper into FEQTX too for additional information. Zacks provides a full suite of tools to help you analyze your portfolio - both funds and stocks - in the most efficient way possible. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Get Your Free (FEQTX): Fund Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research By Manoj Kumar NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Arun Jaitley, India's finance minister, has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to give him a ministerial position in the new government due to ongoing health problems. Jaitley's absence will leave Modi without one of his most important lieutenants as he begins his second five-year term in power following the Bharatiya Janata Party's landslide election victory earlier this month. Jaitley said in a letter to Modi, issued to the media on Wednesday, that he had faced serious health challenges in the last 18 months and needed to recuperate. "I should be allowed a reasonable time for myself, my treatment and my health, and, therefore not be a part of any responsibility, for the present, in the new government," Jaitley said in the letter. A spokesman of prime minister's office declined to comment on Jaitley's letter to Modi. Aside from holding one of the most important positions in government, Jaitley, a 66-year-old lawyer-turned politician, was also the cabinet's main communicator with the media, one of the ruling party's most articulate voices in parliament, and was a strong campaigner in the recent election despite his poor health. A diabetic, Jaitley's health issues became worse after he had a kidney transplant in May last year. He skipped presenting an interim budget in February as he was in hospital in the United States receiving cancer treatment. Last week, Reuters reported that he was unlikely to continue in his current role. Finance ministry officials said Jaitley had been largely working from home for the past three weeks while undergoing treatment. Senior government officials said replacing Jaitley would be difficult, as few BJP leaders possessed appropriate experience for the finance portfolio. With India's economy slowing and unable to create enough jobs for the millions of youth entering the labour market every year, any new finance minister faces the task of finding funds for an additional stimulus without blowing out the budget deficit. Story continues Modi, who will take the oath of prime minister on Thursday for his second term, could assign Railways and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal or bring in someone from outside the party to fill the post. Goyal, 54, presented the interim budget for Jaitley in February and has filled in for him before. The new government is expected to present a full budget once it takes office. (Additional reporting by Aftab Ahmed; Edited by Martin Howell & Simon Cameron-Moore) Ottawa (AFP) - A judge ruled Wednesday there was suffient evidence in a corruption case to try SNC-Lavalin, the Canadian engineering giant at the center of a political scandal that has rocked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government. The company spent months openly lobbying the federal government for an out-of-court settlement of fraud and bribery charges linked to its dealings in Libya. But allegations that Trudeau's aides brought improper pressure on his attorney general to settle the case spilled out in an angry public split that tarnished the prime minister's golden boy image. The court's decision followed an extended preliminary hearing in which evidence in the case was tested. The specifics of the ruling are under a publication ban. SNC-Lavalin is expected to return to court on June 7 to indicate their preference for a trial by jury or by judge. In a statement the Montreal-based firm said it would "vigorously defend itself and plead not guilty to the charges in the interest of its employees, partners, clients, investors, pensioners and other stakeholders." SNC-Lavalin and two of its subsidiaries were charged in 2015 with paying Can$47 million in bribes between 2001 and 2011 to secure contracts in Libya during the rule of former strongman Moamer Kadhafi. It was also accused of defrauding the Libyan government of Can$130 million. The charges relate to the world's largest irrigation scheme -- the Great Man-Made River Project -- to provide fresh water to the cities of Tripoli, Benghazi and Sirte. A conviction, the company argued, risked crippling its business and putting thousands out of work as it would be banned from bidding on lucrative Canadian government contracts for 10 years. Trudeau came under fire in February when his former attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould accused him and his inner circle of pressuring prosecutors to settle the case -- which she had refused to do. The prime minister has steadfastly denied the allegations. Story continues After months of Liberal infighting and bruising parliamentary justice committee hearings into the matter, Trudeau kicked Wilson-Raybould and his ex-budget minister, Jane Philpott, out of cabinet in April. He said the trust between the pair and the rest of the Liberal team had been broken. Now five months before October elections, the Liberals are trailing the opposition Tories by six percentage points, according to an average of recent polls. Wilson-Raybould and Philpott, meanwhile, announced on Monday that they will seek re-election as independent MPs. By Philip Blenkinsop BRUSSELS, May 29 (Reuters) - Belgium's King Philippe met the head of the anti-immigrant Vlaams Belang on Wednesday after Flemish separatist parties surged in an inconclusive national election, the first time a Belgian monarch has met a far-right leader since the 1930s. The king has held a series of talks with other party leaders following Sunday's election as part of consultations to allow the palace to designate the political leader with the best chance of forming a government. He greeted Tom Van Grieken, 32, just inside the gates of the royal palace in central Brussels and the two shook hands, Van Grieken making a small bow. Their meeting lasted just over 20 minutes. "I don't see why you are treating this as abnormal," Van Grieken told reporters on his arrival. "It is the most normal thing in the world that the party that has won the election is invited to see the head of state." Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest), which has traditionally been shunned by mainstream parties, stunned Belgium by grabbing 18 seats in the federal parliament, up from three previously, as regional, national and European elections were held on Sunday. It was the second strongest party in terms of share of the vote behind the more moderate Flemish separatist N-VA. The separatist surge in Dutch-speaking Flanders and a shift further to the left in the French-speaking Wallonia region could make it harder than ever to weld together a national government from both sides of Belgium's linguistic divide. Van Grieken said the exclusion of Vlaams Belang and its predecessor for the past 40 years had been abnormal and undemocratic. Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) was formed in 2004 after a court ruled its predecessor Vlaams Blok (Flemish Block), founded in 1979, was racist. Coming out of the meeting, he gave little away. "I answered the questions the king put to me. It was a pleasant, calm discussion," Van Grieken said. Story continues AWKWARD DECISION Political analysts have said the king faced an awkward decision on whether to include Vlaams Belang in the talks, given that he is required to be neutral. The party also opposes the monarchy. "The king cannot be partisan," Leuven University political scientist Bart Maddens told broadcaster RTBF. "The king must remain neutral and so what the king can do is conclude that there is no party that wants to form a coalition with the Vlaams Belang." Philippe's father Albert II and uncle Baudouin did not meet leaders of Vlaams Belang or Vlaams Blok, including in 2003 when the latter also won 18 parliamentary seats. In 1936, Philippe's grandfather King Leopold III did receive Leon Degrelle, the founder of Rex, a party that subsequently collaborated with the occupying German Nazis during World War Two. Rex was dissolved in 1945. Degrelle, who fought with the Germans on the Eastern Front, fled to Francoist Spain. Leopold III, who surrendered Belgian forces to the Germans, lived in exile after the war, then faced opposition and a general strike when he returned to Belgium in 1950 and subsequently abdicated. A shift to the right in richer Dutch-speaking Flanders and to the left in the French-speaking south has made formation of a national government difficult in the country of 11 million people. Belgium took a world record 541 days to do so after the 2010 election. (Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop and Christian Levaux; Editing by Catherine Evans) Enslaved, beaten, malnourished, and so desperate for water he had to collect condensation to drink: Rahmatullah left Indonesia seeking better prospects at sea -- instead he endured a living hell. The global fishing industry is riddled with forced labour, anti-trafficking experts say, warning that consumers are unaware of the "true cost" of the seafood they buy in stores and restaurants. Exploited workers face non-payment, overwork, violence, injury, and even death. Indonesia and Southeast Asia are major sources of such labour and unscrupulous brokers target the poor and uneducated with promises of good wages at sea. Rahmatullah was told he was heading to Peruvian waters where he would receive $400 a month salary, plus a per ton bonus, but he was allegedly duped by an Indonesian recruiting agency and trafficked to Somalia, where he spent nine brutal months aboard a Chinese fishing vessel, working 18-hour days. "I felt like a slave," the 24-year-old told AFP, adding: "The Chinese crew drank clean water while we had to collect water from the air conditioning." "We were often beaten when we didn't catch enough, even if we were sick." - 'Couldn't fight back' - Rahmatullah is one of 40 Indonesians pushing for compensation after allegedly being tricked with false promises by recruiter PT Maritim Samudera. Some were sent to vessels in the seas off Japan, and others to boats sailing the Somalian coast. In interviews with AFP and accounts provided to police and government officials, the men recounted beatings and psychological abuse, hunger, and dehydration. Two crewmates died from thirst and exhaustion, according to Rahmatullah's testimony. Most of the men subsisted on white rice scattered with cabbage or boiled fish, while some grew so desperate for water they collected condensation from the air conditioning unit. "The food was terrible," said 21-year-old Arianus Ziliwu, who was on a boat in Japanese waters. Story continues "And the sleeping conditions didn't seem fit for humans," he explained. Cellphone video footage and images provided to AFP showed some men slept without mattresses in a grimy cargo hold. "We couldn't fight back -- I'm from a village and didnt know any better," added Rahmatullah, who had never worked on a fishing boat before. Both groups were rescued after sending SOS messages in brief windows of access to mobile internet. - Targeting the vulnerable - The young men spent between six and nine months manning nets and packing fish before being saved, and all are owed thousands of dollars in unpaid wages, according to sworn statements to police. Faced with plummeting global fish stocks due to overfishing, seafood companies have increasingly turned to vulnerable migrant workers in a bid to remain profitable, anti-trafficking advocates said. "If you want cheap tuna or squid, the way to do it is with cheap labour," said Arifsyah M. Nasution, oceans campaigner at Greenpeace Indonesia. "And cheap labour comes from Southeast Asia," he added. The Global Slavery Index says labour exploitation and modern slavery in some fisheries are well documented. But few shoppers know about these high-seas horrors. "There is still very little awareness among consumers about the true costs and hidden facts of the seafood products that they buy at stores and supermarkets," he said. Critics say the Indonesian government is not doing enough to combat widespread abuse of its migrant sailors, despite efforts to clamp down on human rights violations in its own territorial waters. Although there are no reliable estimates on the number of Indonesian migrant fishermen that fall victim to trafficking, authorities estimated in 2016 that some 250,000 Indonesians were working as "unprotected" crew on foreign fishing vessels. Most are destined for fishing fleets that often obscure their origins through foreign flagging, a system that complicates monitoring and jurisdictional oversight by allowing ships to register in a country other than the owner's own, to avoid strict labour and environmental standards. Both public and private agencies in Indonesia are licensed to send people abroad, but some recruiters -- and fishermen -- choose to work outside formal channels, and poor oversight puts workers at risk. "The first problem is lack of supervision, the second is toothless enforcement," said Imam Syafi'i, from the Indonesian Seafarers Movement (PPI). - 'No more victims' - PT Martim Samudera Indonesia, the company that recruited Rahmatullah, was not legally registered to send people abroad and falsified documents for some workers, according to PPI, the union which is advocating on behalf of the 40 men. Despite paying about $100 in processing fees, Rahmatullah was sent overseas without basic training, a seaman's book or a medical certificate, Syafi'i said. Indonesia's manpower ministry, which is responsible for overseeing migrant workers, has recommended that the men be compensated for their ordeal, but the recruiter has so far refused to pay, according to the union. Police are looking into possible trafficking charges, although progress on the case has been slow, Syafi'i said. The firm declined to answer AFP's questions about the allegations and said it was cooperating with the police investigation. Although the government has taken steps to minimise the problem by revising regulations, enforcement is haphazard and complicated by overlapping laws and poor cooperation between agencies, observers said. Yuli Adiratna, head of Indonesia's sub-directorate for protecting workers abroad, conceded that "supervision of seafarers could improve", adding that his inspectors have been more focused on other migrant workers at risk. Jakarta is looking to beef up monitoring and inter-agency cooperation, Adiratna said. That can't come quickly enough for some, who want to stop the exploitation. "I want the company to be punished so that there are no more victims," said Lufti Awaludin Fitroh, another fishermen allegedly tricked by PT Maritim Samudera. "It's enough for me and my friends to be the last -- no more." As the summer travel season begins, we bring you this important news from the department of duh: Airports are going to be packed. Again. Forecast after forecast calls for record airline travel between Memorial Day and Labor Day as the economy continues to hum. Airlines for America, an airline trade group, says passenger counts on U.S. airlines will be up 3.4% from a year ago, the 10th consecutive increase. The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen 10 million more passengers than last summer and says it will likely set records for the highest number of passengers and crew screened in a single day and single week. Here's what you may not know about flying this summer, especially if you haven't been on a plane for a year: 1. Baggage fees are higher. Airlines boosted bag fees as the summer travel season ended last year. Travelers will now pay $30 each way for the first checked bag and $40 each way for the second checked bag on domestic flights on major carriers except Southwest Airlines. (Southwest allows two free checked bags.) Bag fees are more complicated at discount carriers Frontier, Spirit and Allegiant, and newbies should note they charge for carry-on bags in addition to checked bags. More: Airline bag fees: 5 ways to avoid them. 2. Basic economy tickets, airlines' cheapest but most heavily restricted fares, are more widespread. In addition to American, Delta and United, Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines have gotten into the game, and JetBlue Airways plans to later this year. The fine print varies by carrier, but in general travelers don't get an advance assignment and board last. United has the added restrictions of not allowing carry-on bags bigger than a personal item that fits underneath the seat and makes basic economy travelers check in at the airport instead of online to police it. Traveling to Europe on a basic economy ticket? Don't expect one free checked bag like you get with regular economy tickets on major airlines. Delta, United and American each charge basic economy passengers $60 to check a bag on flights between the U.S. and Europe. Story continues Bottom line: Check your ticket or reservation confirmation ahead of time so there are no surprises at the airport. 3. Want a seat assignment? On an increasing number of airlines, it'll cost you to reserve ordinary seats. Seat-selection fees, a fixture at discount airlines, are on the rise. American and Delta have had them, and United joined the club in late 2018. The tab on a Chicago-Los Angeles flight on American in mid-July: $31 for a middle seat and $37 for a window or aisle seat, each way. Southwest doesn't assign seats but sells EarlyBird boarding for travelers who want a shot at a better seat during the airline's open boarding, and the price rose on most routes at the end of the summer last year. 4. No, you don't have to have one of those new driver's licenses to get through security yet. The Real ID requirement doesn't take effect until Oct. 1, 2020. You should start preparing now, however. 5. TSA and customs and immigration lines might be longer than usual during peak times because the federal government is temporarily moving or plans to move some TSA and Customs and Border Protection employees to the U.S.-Mexico border. So far, there is only anecdotal evidence of slowing at select airports' customs and immigration operations, according to Airlines for America, but the group says it will be monitoring the issue closely. Bottom line: Getting to the airport early is never a bad idea. 6. Your TSA PreCheck or Global Entry membership may be expired or expiring soon, so check your status well before you trip or risk getting turned away from the (usually) speedier TSA PreCheck lane at the security checkpoint. Membership in both programs lasts five years, and key anniversaries are upon us. 7. No PreCheck status? You might get lucky and fly out of an airport with the TSA's new 3D scanners. The advanced computed tomography machines, which more quickly identify prohibited items, allow passengers to keep their laptops and other electronics in their carry-on bags. The TSA tested the CT machines in Phoenix and Boston in 2017, expanded to more than dozen more airports including Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., and is adding 300 more beginning this summer. 8. No, that plane you're on isn't a Boeing 737 Max 8 even if it's listed on the safety information card in the seat-back pocket. The plane, involved in two fatal crashes in five months, has been grounded since March 13, and Southwest, American and United have taken the plane out of their schedules through mid-summer. The grounding could be lifted sooner, in which case airlines say they likely will use those aircraft as spares. Nervous about getting back on one of the planes? Airlines hear you. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Flying this summer? 8 things to know if you haven't been on a plane for a year MADRID (Reuters) - Spanish police on Wednesday said they arrested a Mexican national the day before, but that it was not the former chief of Mexico's state oil firm Pemex, Emilio Lozoya, as they had said previously. A police spokeswoman declined to give the identity of the person arrested. A spokesman for the police had earlier told Reuters that Lozoya had been arrested. The Mexican attorney general's office has said that Alonso Ancira, the chairman of steelmaker Altos Hornos de Mexico was arrested in Spain on Tuesday. The Mexican Finance Ministry's money-laundering czar Santiago Nieto said on Tuesday that the Financial Intelligence Unit he leads had presented the attorney general's office with three charges against Lozoya related to "acts of corruption" committed when he was at the helm of Pemex. Lozoya headed Pemex from 2012 to 2016 and ran former president Enrique Pena Nieto's election campaign. He is wanted in Mexico for alleged bribery, tax fraud and other crimes. The case reflects Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's pledge to root out entrenched corruption and would be the highest profile move since he took office on Dec. 1. (Reporting by Paul Day and Emma Pinedo; Editing by Jose Elias Rodriguez and David Holmes) Dhaka (AFP) - Four people accused of poaching threatened Bengal tigers were shot dead by Bangladesh police on Wednesday during a gunfight in a mangrove forest, officials said. Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) police challenged armed men on a boat in the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest, spokesman Mizanur Rahman said. The poachers opened fire sparking the battle, Rahman told AFP. Four bodies, guns and ammunition were found on the boat. The four were identified as members of a gang accused of poaching in one of the largest habitats for endangered Bengal tigers and Irrawaddy dolphins, local RAB official Tajul Islam told AFP. "These gangs have become a major threat to wildlife conservation," in the mangroves, Islam said. The Sundarbans, much of which is a UNESCO world heritage site, is swarming with people accused of murders and abductions as well as poaching. At least 120 people have been killed in clashes with the RAB since 2004, while another 400 have been arrested on the rivers and canals that cross the mangrove. Some 200 surrendered their weapons to police in exchange for cash, legal aid and mobile phones. That led Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to last year declare the campaign against the outlaws as a success. Last week, authorities said the tiger population in the Sundarbans, which also includes parts of India, has grown for the first time in two decades. A tiger census released by the forestry department showed the number of the big cats on the Bangladeshi side of the border to have increased to 114 from 106 four years ago. Numbers had fallen from 440 in 2004 to 106 tigers in a 2015 census. PARIS, May 28 (Reuters) - France's foreign minister said on Tuesday there were signs that chemicals had been used in attacks by Syrian government forces on rebels in northwest Syria, but they still needed to be verified. The United States said on May 23 it had received numerous reports that appeared consistent with chemical exposure after forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad launched an offensive on the rebel stronghold. "We have a sign of the use of chemical weapons in the Idlib area but for now there isn't verification," Jean-Yves Le Drian told the French parliament's foreign affairs committee. "We are cautious because we think that the use of chemical weapons must be confirmed and lethal before we react," he said. Syria's government denies using chemical weapons. The United States, Britain and France launched air strikes in April 2018 against what they described as three Syrian chemical weapons targets in retaliation for a suspected gas attack that killed scores of people in the Damascus suburb earlier that month. Rebels fighting on the mountainous western edge of Syria's last big rebel enclave of Idlib said on May 19 that the army had shelled them with poison gas, leading some to suffer choking symptoms. They said they had not documented the attack because they were under bombardment when it occurred. (Reporting by John Irish; editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise) Paris (AFP) - The woman behind France's answer to the #MeToo campaign exposing abusive behaviour by men was to appear in court on Wednesday accused of slandering a media executive who she said had made lewd remarks. Sandra Muller, a US-based French journalist, is being sued for defamation by senior French TV executive Eric Brion at a Paris court over a Twitter post accusing him of humiliating her with vulgar comments. Both Muller and Brion, a media consultant and former head of TV channel Equidia, are expected to be in court when the hearing starts on Wednesday afternoon. Muller started a viral hashtag in French in October 2017, #balancetonporc ("expose your pig"), which called on French women to name and shame men in an echo of the #MeToo movement that began in response to allegations that toppled movie producer Harvey Weinstein. In her Twitter post, she told of how Brion had humiliated her, saying: "You have big breasts. You are my type of woman. I will make you orgasm all night." The post led to an outpouring of tales of harassment and assault, which were hailed as ending a culture of permissiveness in France towards unwanted advances. After apologising for his remarks, Brion nonetheless decided to launch legal action against her. He is asking for 50,000 euros ($55,000) in damages, 15,000 euros in legal fees ($17,000) and the deletion of the tweet where his name is mentioned. "This is someone who acknowledged initially unacceptable conduct, who said sorry, and then suddenly decided to go to court," said one of Muller's lawyers, Francis Spinzer, before the start of the trial. - 'Predator' - But Eric Brion contends that two tweets in particular sent by Muller presents him as a "sexual predator", said his lawyer Nicolas Benoit. "It is denunciation. At no time did he have the chance to defend himself." In an op-ed in Le Monde newspaper late last year, Brion admitted making "inappropriate remarks to Sandra Muller" at a cocktail party. Story continues But he also accused Muller of "deliberately creating ambiguity about what happened" by linking it to the response to the Weinstein affair. He complained of the severe personal and professional consequences of what he said was a "conflation of heavyhanded flirting and sexual harassment in the workplace". Many French women made public their experiences of abusive behaviour by men in the wake of the #MeToo and #balancetonporc movements. But there has also been controversy. Last year a group of prominent French women, led by film star Catherine Deneuve, complained that the campaign against harassment had become "puritanical" and they defended the right of men to "hit on" women. Paris (AFP) - The woman behind France's answer to the #MeToo campaign exposing abusive behaviour by men appeared in court on Wednesday accused of slandering a media executive who she said had made lewd remarks. Sandra Muller, a US-based French journalist, is being sued for defamation by French TV executive Eric Brion at a Paris court over a Twitter post accusing him of humiliating her with vulgar comments. Muller and Brion, a media consultant and former head of TV channel Equidia, were both present in court for the hearing. Muller started a viral hashtag in French in October 2017, #balancetonporc ("expose your pig"), which called on Frenchwomen to name and shame men in an echo of the #MeToo movement that began in response to allegations that toppled movie producer Harvey Weinstein. In her Twitter post, she told of how Brion had humiliated her, saying: "You have big breasts. You are my type of woman. I will make you orgasm all night." The post led to an outpouring of tales of harassment and assault, which were hailed as ending a culture of permissiveness in France towards unwanted advances. After apologising for his remarks, Brion nonetheless decided to launch legal action against her. He is asking for 50,000 euros ($55,000) in damages, 15,000 euros in legal fees ($17,000) and the deletion of the tweet where his name is mentioned. - 'Predator' - Drion's legal team argue that while he does not dispute that he flirted with Muller she had portrayed him as a sexual predator and ruined his career. "He has never admitted to harassing anyone. He said that one evening he tried to flirt with Sandra Muller as he liked her," Brion's lawyer Marie Burguburu told the court. "This is his right to flirt," she added. Muller, speaking to the court, said that she wanted things to change so that "sexist insults, whatever they are, are finally taken seriously". "I started a movement that spread through all levels of society," said Muller, who said she was happy to travel from the United States to attend the hearing. Story continues In a column in Le Monde newspaper late last year, Brion admitted making "inappropriate remarks to Sandra Muller" at a cocktail party. But he also accused Muller of "deliberately creating ambiguity about what happened" by linking it to the response to the Weinstein affair. He complained of the severe personal and professional consequences of what he said was a "conflation of heavyhanded flirting and sexual harassment in the workplace". Many Frenchwomen made public their experiences of abusive behaviour by men in the wake of the #MeToo and #balancetonporc movements. But there has also been controversy. Last year a group of prominent French women, led by film star Catherine Deneuve, complained that the campaign against harassment had become "puritanical" and they defended the right of men to "hit on" women. Beirut (AFP) - The latest in an unprecedented wave of regime bombardment on a jihadist enclave in northwestern Syria killed at least 10 civilians on Wednesday, a war monitor said. Air strikes, some using deadly barrel bombs, and shelling by both government and Russian warplanes have claimed a mounting civilian death toll over the past few weeks. The violence, which has rattled a fragile truce deal brokered by Moscow and Ankara in September, is causing mass displacement and bringing Syria to the brink of the worst humanitarian catastrophe yet in its eight-year-old conflict. At least 27 civilians died in similar circumstances on Tuesday, in the single highest civilian death toll in the region since Damascus increased attacks in late April. On Wednesday, aerial bombardment did not relent. According to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring organisation, seven of Wednesday's victims were killed in an air raid on the village of Sarja. It lies in Idlib province, most of which is controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a group dominated by former members of Al-Qaeda's Syria affiliate. The three other victims were a father and his two children in the village of Bara, said Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman. "The bombardment by the regime and Russia continues to be intense on several areas. The Russian strikes are focused on Khan Sheikhun but have not caused any casualties for now," he said. The regime has not announced an all-out offensive to retake the entire jihadist enclave, a large area which is home to almost three million people. Analysts predict that the government of President Bashar al-Assad and its allies will continue to chip away at the area but not unleash a major assault that would create chaos on Turkey's doorstep. The regime is likely to continue applying sustained military pressure whilst attempting to preserve a fragile truce agreement reached in Russia last year to spare the region a large-scale humanitarian disaster. The civilian death toll has mounted in and around Idlib in recent days, reaching more than 270 over the past month, according to the Observatory. In villages struck by regime raids, excavators dug new graves and civilians buried the dead stealthily at dusk to avoid being targeted by more air raids. Beirut (AFP) - The latest strikes in the fiercest wave of regime bombardment on a jihadist enclave in northwestern Syria killed at least 15 civilians on Wednesday, a war monitor said, despite calls to halt the attacks. Air strikes by Russian and government warplanes, some using barrel bombs, and shelling have claimed a mounting civilian death toll over the past few weeks. The violence, which comes despite a truce deal brokered by Moscow and Ankara in September, has caused mass displacement and heightened fears of the worst humanitarian catastrophe in Syria's eight-year conflict. The United States and the United Nations demanded an end to the bombardment on Tuesday, as strikes by Damascus killed 27 people -- the single highest civilian death toll in the region since the regime increased its attacks in late April. But the aerial bombardment on Wednesday did not relent against Idlib province, most of which is controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a group dominated by former members of Al-Qaeda's Syria affiliate. According to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring organisation, seven of Wednesday's victims were killed in an air raid on the village of Sarja. A father and his three children were killed in the village of Bara and four other civilians died in strikes in the towns of Hbeit and Areen, said Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman. "The bombardment by the regime and Russia continues to be intense on several areas. The Russian strikes are focused on Khan Sheikhun but have not caused any casualties for now," he said. Syrian state news agency SANA reported one woman was killed by jihadist shelling on northern Hama. - 'Spare no effort'- The civilian death toll has mounted in and around Idlib in recent days, reaching more than 270 over the past month, according to the Observatory. In villages struck by regime raids, excavators have dug new graves and civilians buried the dead stealthily at dusk to avoid being targeted by more air raids. Story continues Despite the surge in attacks the government has not announced an all-out offensive to retake the entire jihadist enclave, a large area which is home to almost three million people. Analysts predict that President Bashar al-Assad and his allies will continue to chip away at the area but not unleash a major assault that would create chaos on Turkey's doorstep. The regime is likely to continue applying sustained military pressure whilst attempting to preserve the fragile truce agreement reached in Russia last year to spare the region a large-scale humanitarian disaster. On Tuesday, Syria's UN envoy Bashar Jaafari said Damascus "will spare no effort" to end the jihadist control of Idlib, according to comments carried by SANA. UN deputy aid chief Ursula Mueller, however, told the Security Council that a further escalation would threaten humanitarian assistance for the region's residents. She said some 270,000 people had been displaced by the fighting in Idlib since late April. Aid agencies have been forced to suspend their work in some areas, she said. At least 23 medical facilities have been hit since April 28, including two medical facilities that have been attacked twice, said David Swanson, a spokesman for the UN humanitarian office. Five health workers have died and 7 others were injured as a result, he told AFP on Wednesday. The United States has said that "indiscriminate attacks on civilians and public infrastructure such as schools, markets and hospitals is a reckless escalation." The conflict in Syria has killed more than 370,000 people since it started in 2011. Photo credit: NavalNews/YouTube From Popular Mechanics In 2022, the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force will take possession of a frigate with one of the most powerful combat information centers (CICs) in the world. Normally a CIC, a dimly lit room isnt much to get excited about, but this is different. The Advanced Integrated CIC set to go on the ship features a 360 degree wall of video monitors, augmented reality, and large tactile tables for mission planning and other tasks. The new system looks like the bridge of a Star Trek starship come to life-and in some respects, it's even cooler. Japan has one of the largest and advanced surface ship fleets in the world and the new ship design, 30FFM, is meant to maintain the countrys naval dominance. The designation 30FFM means Fast Frigate, Multi-Mission, design approved in the 30th year of the reign of Emperor Akihito. The stealthy frigate, according to Naval Today , will displace 5,500 tons, measure 433 feet long, and will primarily have an anti-submarine warfare mission. It will rely on a high level of automation, sailing with a crew of just 90. It will have a 57-millimeter rapid fire deck gun, 16 vertical launch missile cells for carrying surface to air, anti-submarine, and anti-ship missiles, two smaller rapid fire guns, and a SeaRAM point defense weapon system. Unlike other ships, the real innovation in 30FFM comes from the location where the ship will be fought. A warships combat information center is nestled deep in the bowels of the ship, typically under and slightly behind the bridge, to protect it from enemy fire. There the ship captain receives a steady stream of information from various ship departments, particularly sensors, and uses it to navigate the ship or open fire on enemy threats. CICs are boxy, gloomy, windowless rooms with sailors sitting at banks of consoles, data scrolling down screens in front of them. Photo credit: PO1 Ryan McLearnon/DVIDS 30FFM introduces a dramatic reinterpretation of the CIC. The ships nerve center is reimagined as a circular room ringed in almost 360 degrees (hey, they need a way to get inside) with large, high-definition monitors. These monitors are attached to a network of cameras facing outwards in all directions from the ship. This allows any member of the CIC to simply look up and see outside the ship in all directions-a huge improvement over current arrangements. The circular room arrangement also makes it easier to see other work stations and their data, a problem on rectangular-shaped CIC rooms. Story continues Photo credit: NavalNews/YouTube At the bottom of the screens are the degree lines of a huge compass, allowing crew members to look at an object of interest on the screen and immediately know where it is in relation to the boat. The walls can display other information, such as a giant red arrow to indicate the ships direction of travel, magnified images of nearby objects, and even a deck-by-deck view of the ship from a damage control perspective. At night, the virtual wall turns a green-black color, projecting an infrared night vision view of the ships surroundings. The giant virtual wall of screens can also be used to protect other information. Engine control, damage control, fire fighting control, and other data can be called up and superimposed on the monitors, allowing everyone in the CIC to glance up and see the data instead of having several people crowd around a small workstation monitor. In addition to the giant screens 30FFM will have two large tables with built-in monitors and likely touch screen controls. This would be useful for examining digitized navigational charts and other data collaboratively, perhaps with the ships captain and his department heads to plan courses of action. The U.S. Navy, by comparison, is lagging behind in CIC technologies. Even the combat information center of the USS Zumwalt, lead ship of the most advanced U.S. Navy destroyers of all time, already looks dated by comparison . While Zumwalt introduces key technologies, including stealth to the surface ship platform, its clear Japan can bring major innovations to the warship table. Source: Naval News ('You Might Also Like',) Boris Johnson who will be summonsed to court to face accusations of misconduct in public office for comments made in the run-up to the EU referendum, District Judge Margot Coleman ruled. Hes the front runner to win the Tory leadership and step into 10 Downing Street next month. But Boris Johnson doesnt have the best track record when it comes to being open and honest. The former journalist has been sacked from a number of roles for both political, and otherwise, for being economical with the truth. Here are some of his biggest porkies. The bus wasn't Boris' first lie He claimed the UK sends 350m a week to the European Union Now subject of a landmark private prosecution, Boris repeatedly claimed Britain sends 350m a week to the EU during the Brexit campaign. If found guilty of misconduct in a public office he faces more than six months in prison. The claim was refuted by the UK Statistics Authority - along with a number of independent fact checkers. However, the myth has stuck with some people still believing the government sends hundreds of millions into EU coffers on a weekly basis. As a journalist he made up a quote, from his godfather. He got fired for making up quotes as a journalist Boris began his media career long before his spells as a guest on Have I Got News for You. However, they were similarly shambolic. His first frontpage story was a story about the discovery of Edward IIs Rose Palace, who famously had a same-sex lover. Speaking to the Independent in 2002 he claimed the tale was his biggest cock-up. Read more from Yahoo News UK Malaysia returns waste to Britain saying we are not a dumping ground Whatsapp is going to start showing adverts Could Amazons Alexa be about to get creepier He said: The trouble was that somewhere in my copy I managed to attribute to Colin [Lucas - Boris godfather] the view that Edward II and Piers Gaveston would have been cavorting together in the Rose Palace. Unfortunately, some linkside don at a provincial university spotted that by the time the Rose Palace was built, Piers Gaveston would long have been murdered. It was very nasty. He followed up his cock-up with another story: I made matters worse, he wrote. I wrote a further story saying that the mystery had deepened about the date of the castle. Story continues He's repeatedly lied about Europe He created EU myths After his short spell at the Times he moved to Brussels as the Telegraphs man on the ground from 1989 to 1994. Here he proceeded to write a series of stories including Threat to British pink sausages and cheese row takes the biscuit. Chris Patten later described Boris as "one of the greatest exponents of fake journalism". He denied a long-running affair He lied about an affair In 2004 it was reported Johnson had been having an affair with Spectator columnist Petronella Wyatt which resulted in two terminated pregnancies. At first he called the claims piffle but once proven he was asked to resign by then Tory leader Michael Howard. Johnson refused and was sacked as vice-chairman of the Tory party and shadow arts minister for his public lies. He claimed Obama had an "ancestral dislike" of Britain Obama doesnt like Britain - apparently Johnson claimed Barack Obama removed a bust of Winston Churchill from the Oval office because he was part-Kenyan. His actual phrasing was an ancestral dislike for the UK. Churchills grandson, and Johnsons fellow Tory MP, Nicholas Soames said the claims were appalling. Lies, damned lies and...Boris Johnson. Bending the truth about buses During Boris 2007 London mayoral campaign he vowed to get rid of bendy buses in London. He claimed: They wipe out cyclists, there are many cyclists killed every year by them. From their introduction in 2001 to their abolition in 2011 not a single cyclist was killed by a bendy bus. Boris Johnson speaking at the headquarters of JCB in Rocester, Staffordshire. He said he got arrested Johnson claims he and David Cameron were arrested and spent a night in the cells after the Bullingdon Club threw a flowerpot through a restaurant window. However, both he and Cameron escaped before police arrived - according to the Financial Times. However, depending on the outcome of the private prosecution he may experience what its like behind bars soon enough. (Reuters) - Alphabet Inc's Google on Wednesday banned apps on its app store that facilitate the sale of marijuana or related products, as part of a change to its content policy. Developers only need to move their shopping cart option outside the app to comply with the new policy, a Google spokesperson told Reuters. Google said it is working with many of the developers to answer any technical questions and help them implement the changes without customer disruption. Existing apps would have 30 days post-launch to comply with the policy. "Google's decision is a disappointing development that only helps the illegal market thrive, but we are confident that Google, Apple and Facebook will eventually do the right thing," a spokesperson for Eaze, a marijuana delivery app, said. (Reporting by Debroop Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber) Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. Google is a company that runs on consumers' data. It uses details about your activity to target ads, build new services, develop algorithms, and perform other business functions. Completely avoiding the company's data collection machinery is extremely difficult, but it's not hard to place some limits on how Google gathers and uses your data. The first step is to take advantage of Google's own privacy settings. There are also some outside tools you can use to improve the situation. Most of the instructions below are for a computer browser, but the steps are similar if you're working from your phone. And one of these settings is specific to Android, Google's smartphone platform. Turn Off the Master Privacy Control If youve been feeling guilty about neglecting your diary, you can rest easy: With a setting called Web & App Activity turned on, Google keeps one for you. You can see this data for yourself, with granular details about your activity on Google products such as Search, Chrome, Android, and Google Assistant. This includes your whereabouts, websites you've visited, the apps you've used on your phone, and your search history, along with exact time stamps for all this behavior. The Web & App Activity control is the company's most powerful privacy setting, and it does a lot more than you might think. Leave it on, and the company considers that consent to harness everything from your YouTube history to credit card purchases for advertising and other data-driven business efforts. However, if you switch it off, Google warns that its services may be less "personalized," and certain features will be disabled in Maps and Google Assistant. "That makes for a terrible user experience," says Justin Brookman, director of privacy and technology policy for Consumer Reports. "It's bad practice for them to lump all these settings together and disincentivize protecting your privacy." Story continues But Brookman thinks the privacy boost is still worth the trade-off, and you can always switch the setting back on if you need to. To turn it off: From any Google website, click the icon in the top right (you'll need to sign in first) > Manage your Google Account > Manage your data & personalization > If Web & App Activity is on, click on it > On the next screen, click the toggle, and hit Pause. Turn Off Location Historyfor Real This Time Google has a setting called Location History. The description once read: With Location History off, the places you go are no longer stored. When you turn off Location History for your Google Account, its off for all devices associated with that Google Account. However, in August 2018, Google users learned that the company continued to collect location data regardless of how they adjusted that setting. Internal emails uncovered in a subsequent court case revealed that even Google's own employees worried this was inappropriate. The company then changed the language describing Location History, and tells users that they really can stop location trackingbut you have to turn off Web & App Activity as well. Yes, thats the same master privacy control described above. Here are the directions to switch off both settings. To turn it off: Go to "Manage your data & personalization" > If Location History is on, click on it > On the next screen, click the toggle, and hit Pause. Then do the same for Web & App Activity. Set It and Forget Itor Delete Data Now As described above, toggling the Web & App Activity setting makes for a significant privacy boost, but it will disable some functions on certain Google products. If you want to leave the setting on, Google has a newer feature that will automatically delete some of the data the company collects after three or 18 months, depending on which option you pick. You can also opt to just erase the data manually. Google has already extracted most if not all of the advertising value from the data by that point, so this isn't an ironclad way to protect your privacy from the tech giant. But it's better not to have personal informationlike everything you've ever Googledsitting on a corporate server. After an update, this auto-delete feature is turned on by default when you create a new Google account. Existing users need to turn it on manually. To delete your Web & App Activity automatically: Go to "Manage your data & personalization" > Web & App Activity > Auto-delete. To delete your Location History automatically: Go to "Manage your data & personalization" > Location History > Auto-delete. To delete your Web & App Activity manually: Go to "Web & App Activity" > Manage Activity > Click the icon with three dots in the search bar > Delete activity by > Choose a time period to delete, or select All time. To delete your Location History manually: Go to "Location History" > Manage Activity > Click the trash icon to delete all your location history, or use the tool in the top left to pick a specific time frame to delete. Limit Data Sharing With Sites and Services There are a number of reasons you might want to give third-party apps and services access to your data from your Google account. You may want to share your contacts with Twitter or LinkedIn, or give an app like Evernote access to files in Google Drive. You can also use Google Sign-in to log in to some apps and services instead of creating new accounts. These arrangements are convenient, but they're also a privacy trade-off. For example, the company knows every time you use Google Sign-in to open another service, and it harnesses that data for advertising. Its a good idea to periodically review which apps are connected to your Google account and remove permissions for services you no longer use. To turn it off: Go to "Manage your Google Account" > Security > Manage third-party access > Click on the row with the apps name and select Remove Access. Then do the same with apps under Signing in with Google. Make Ads a Little Less Personal Google uses the information it collects about you for targeted advertising. If you find irrelevant ads particularly annoying, you may prefer it that way. But for people who want to keep their internet habits to themselves, Google allows users to decouple their personal preferences from the ads they see online. This setting doesn't disable the Google advertising data machine entirely, but it's worth adjusting for a small privacy boost. To turn it off: Go to "Manage your data & personalization" > Go to ad settings > If Ad personalization is on, click the toggle > Turn off. Safeguard Your Account From Hackers One of the simplest ways to create roadblocks for hackers is to turn on two-factor authentication, also called multifactor authentication. Once you do that, you use a verification code sent by text or provided by an app (which may be more secure) to confirm your identity anytime you try to log in to your account from an unverified location, device, or browser. You also need the account password. Once you turn on two-factor authentication, you can also add other safeguards, such as single-use codes you can print out and use if you dont have access to your phone, and a physical security key that you can plug into your laptops USB port to confirm your identity. (You need to buy one of the U2F, or universal second factor, devices separately.) To turn it on: Go to "Manage your Google Account" > Security > 2-Step Verification > Get Started. Tweak This Android Phone Privacy Setting If you've got an Android phone, there's a quick and easy setting you can adjust that will make your experience with your apps somewhat more private. The Ads Personalization (sometimes called "Interest Based Ads" depending on what kind of phone you have) lets you instruct your apps not to use a certain piece of data to track you and target you with marketing. That piece of data is your Android Advertising ID (AAID), a special number tied to your Google account that the company provides so apps can track you. In June, Google announced that the setting will get stronger by the end of the year, when apps that request your AAID will start getting a string of zeros instead of the real ID. That will make it harder for app developers to track you for advertising. However, there are still ways for those companies to get around that limitation. In contrast, a similar iPhone setting prohibits all forms of tracking, in addition to the use of Apple's advertising ID. Nevertheless, switching on the Android setting should provide a privacy boost. To turn it on: Go to Settings > Privacy > Advanced > Ads > Opt Out of Ads Personalization. (These instructions are for an Google Pixel phone; they may vary depending on which device you have.) Give Chrome a Privacy Tuneup When you log in to Chrome and sync with your Google Account, your browsing data is stored on Googles servers and linked with your account. That includes the websites you go to, your bookmarks, and your saved passwords. You can be logged in to Chrome without syncing your data across devices. But in the latest versions of Chrome, Google logs you in to the browser by default when you sign in to Gmail or another Google service on a computer. However, you can opt out of automatic sign-ins. Or, as described below, you can try a different browser altogether, and there are good reasons to consider it. To turn off Chrome's automatic sign-in: On a computer, click the icon with three dots in the top right corner > Settings > Sync and Google Services > Switch off the "Allow Chrome sign-in" toggle. (This will let you sign in to an app such as Gmail without signing into the browser.) If you've already logged in to Chrome, logging out is simple. To sign out of Chrome: In Chrome, click the icon with your profile picture or first letter of your username in the top right corner > Sign out. (The instructions are slightly different if you've already turned on Chrome's data syncing. In the same menu, click "Syncing to" and then hit "Turn off" on the next page to be signed out automatically.) Or you can stay logged in while disabling some or all of Chrome's data-syncing functions. To turn off Chromes sync settings: After signing in to Chrome, click the icon with three dots in the top right corner > Settings > Sync and Google Services > Manage sync > Switch off the Sync everything toggle > Switch off the toggles for some or all of the categories. Say Goodbye to Chrome The Google Chrome web browser collects a lot of data about its users. That includes location information, search history, and details about your browsing. All that information is linked to your identity and harnessed for third-party advertising. Google stirred controversy in recent months by introducing a brand-new method for tracking consumers in Chrome. The technique, called Federated Learning of Cohorts, or FLoCs, will monitor your behavior by sorting you into a group of similar consumers based on your interests, demographics, and web browsing. Google says FLoCs allow it to track groups of users without accessing any information about what specific members are doing online. Then, Google says, ads will be targeted at groups rather than at individuals. Alongside this change, Google Chrome will eliminate third-party cookies, which allow any companyincluding Googleto follow your behavior across the web. According to Google, that's a win for consumers. But privacy experts say the move also consolidates Google's power, kneecapping its competitors while allowing its own tracking business to continue relatively unencumbered. There's an easy solution if you want to reduce Google's insight into your life: Just switch to a different browser. Alternatives include Safari, Firefox, and DuckDuckGo's Privacy Browser App. All three promise to collect far less personal information, and they already include tools to block third-party cookies. There's a caveat, though. Chrome has a reputation for being the best option to protect your security (i.e., defending against hackers) even if it infringes on your privacy along the way. If you're a high-value target, such as a person who handles highly sensitive information or, say, the CEO of a big company, security may be a bigger concern than privacy. You'll need to weigh the trade-off for yourself. How Targeted Ads Work Do you often see online ads that relate to your likes and hobbies? On the "Consumer 101" TV show, Consumer Reports expert Thomas Germain explains to host Jack Rico what targeted ads are and how they work. By Thin Lei Win ROME, May 29 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - After tackling U.S. racism in Childish Gambino's Grammy award-winning "This is America," choreographer Sherrie Silver's latest project features her dancing to Afrobeat on a farm with dozens of young Cameroonians, in a bid to end poverty and hunger. As women in brightly printed dresses make fruit juice and tend chickens, 24-year-old Silver shows them how to dance along to lyrics by Nigeria's Mr Eazi - "More farming, more freedom" - in a push to get more young Africans to work in agriculture. "It's kind of like an online dance protest," the 25-year-old Rwandan-born choreographer told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "Once we get all the youths doing this ... it's going to get the attention of policymakers and leaders, and they can designate more funding towards rural youth." One in five people in Africa are hungry, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and young unemployment is a major issue, driving millions to risk their lives migrating in search of better opportunities in Europe. Yet Africa has 65% of the world's uncultivated arable land, according to the African Development Bank, and greater investment in agriculture could turn it from a food importer into an exporter, and create jobs for young people. "Across Africa, it's almost like we're blessed with good lands. So I felt the quickest way to financial freedom is straight up farming," said Mr Eazi. Silver said she believes "rural youth can feed the world." "But they're kind of invisible. They don't necessarily have access to get their views across, especially to presidents and leaders. They need somebody like me ... to get the word out." Silver was born in 1994 when Rwanda was convulsed by a genocide that killed 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus and moved to Britain with her mother when she was five. Story continues She remembers her grandparents planting yams on their farm, which gave her an enduring affinity with agriculture, she said. Silver's most high-profile project to date is "This is America," a searing indictment of police brutality which has been watched almost 550 million times on YouTube. The video won both record and song of the year in February's Grammy awards, becoming the first hip hop track to win either of the top categories in 61 years. Silver now hopes to boost funding for agriculture and youth in Africa by making her "Freedom" dance move go viral online. She is asking young people to record and share a 15-second dance video with the hashtag #DanceforChange in support of the U.N. International Fund for Agricultural Development-led campaign, which was launched on Wednesday. "This is a unique way to get the attention of youths," she said. (Reporting By Thin Lei Win @thinink, Editing by Katy Migiro. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, climate change, women's and LGBT+ rights, human trafficking, and property rights. Visit www.trust.org) Chas Market and Kitchen. | Photo: Stephanie S./Yelp Looking to uncover all that Government Hill Alliance has to offer? Get to know this San Antonio neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a cocktail bar to a glass blowing studio. Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in Government Hill Alliance, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results. 1. The Modernist Photo: erin w./Yelp Topping the list is cocktail bar The Modernist. Located at 516 E. Grayson St., it's the highest rated business in the neighborhood, boasting five stars out of 86 reviews on Yelp. 2. Chas Market & Kitchen Photo: damien w./Yelp Next up is Korean, traditional American and Mexican spot Chas Market & Kitchen, situated at 1431 N. Pine St. With 4.5 stars out of 253 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite. 3. Ma Harper's Creole Kitchen Photo: courtney c./Yelp Cajun/Creole spot Ma Harper's Creole Kitchen, which offers desserts and seafood, is another top choice. Yelpers give the business, located at 1816 N. New Braunfels Ave., 4.5 stars out of 124 reviews. 4. Caliente Hot Glass Photo: darin u./Yelp Check out Caliente Hot Glass, which has earned five stars out of 27 reviews on Yelp. You can find the art gallery, which offers art classes and more, at 1411 N. Hackberry, Suite A. This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! While some investors are already well versed in financial metrics (hat tip), this article is for those who would like to learn about Return On Equity (ROE) and why it is important. We'll use ROE to examine Haier Electronics Group Co., Ltd. (HKG:1169), by way of a worked example. Our data shows Haier Electronics Group has a return on equity of 15% for the last year. Another way to think of that is that for every HK$1 worth of equity in the company, it was able to earn HK$0.15. View our latest analysis for Haier Electronics Group How Do I Calculate Return On Equity? The formula for return on equity is: Return on Equity = Net Profit Shareholders' Equity Or for Haier Electronics Group: 15% = CN3.8b CN26b (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2018.) It's easy to understand the 'net profit' part of that equation, but 'shareholders' equity' requires further explanation. It is the capital paid in by shareholders, plus any retained earnings. You can calculate shareholders' equity by subtracting the company's total liabilities from its total assets. What Does Return On Equity Mean? ROE measures a company's profitability against the profit it retains, and any outside investments. The 'return' is the profit over the last twelve months. The higher the ROE, the more profit the company is making. So, all else equal, investors should like a high ROE. That means it can be interesting to compare the ROE of different companies. Does Haier Electronics Group Have A Good ROE? Arguably the easiest way to assess company's ROE is to compare it with the average in its industry. Importantly, this is far from a perfect measure, because companies differ significantly within the same industry classification. As is clear from the image below, Haier Electronics Group has a better ROE than the average (9.7%) in the Consumer Durables industry. Story continues SEHK:1169 Past Revenue and Net Income, May 28th 2019 That's what I like to see. We think a high ROE, alone, is usually enough to justify further research into a company. One data point to check is if insiders have bought shares recently. The Importance Of Debt To Return On Equity Most companies need money -- from somewhere -- to grow their profits. That cash can come from issuing shares, retained earnings, or debt. In the case of the first and second options, the ROE will reflect this use of cash, for growth. In the latter case, the debt used for growth will improve returns, but won't affect the total equity. That will make the ROE look better than if no debt was used. Haier Electronics Group's Debt And Its 15% ROE Although Haier Electronics Group does use a little debt, its debt to equity ratio of just 0.0036 is very low. The fact that it achieved a fairly good ROE with only modest debt suggests the business might be worth putting on your watchlist. Judicious use of debt to improve returns can certainly be a good thing, although it does elevate risk slightly and reduce future optionality. The Key Takeaway Return on equity is a useful indicator of the ability of a business to generate profits and return them to shareholders. A company that can achieve a high return on equity without debt could be considered a high quality business. If two companies have the same ROE, then I would generally prefer the one with less debt. But ROE is just one piece of a bigger puzzle, since high quality businesses often trade on high multiples of earnings. The rate at which profits are likely to grow, relative to the expectations of profit growth reflected in the current price, must be considered, too. So I think it may be worth checking this free report on analyst forecasts for the company. If you would prefer check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. [Question]How high does my health insurance deductible need to be in 2019 for me to qualify for a health savings account, and how much can I contribute? If my employer adds $500 to my account, is that included in the HSA contribution limit? [Answer]To qualify to contribute to a health savings account in 2019, you must have a health insurance policy with a deductible of at least $1,350 for single coverage or $2,700 for family coverage (the same requirement as in 2018). You can contribute up to $3,500 to an HSA if you have single coverage or up to $7,000 for family coverage in 2019, which is slightly more than the 2018 limits. If you're 55 or older anytime in 2019, you'll continue to be able to contribute an extra $1,000. SEE ALSO: Health Savings Account Limits for 2020 Any amount your employer puts into your HSA counts toward the contribution maximum. So if you have family coverage and your employer adds $500 to your account, you'll be able to contribute the remaining $6,500 for the year, says Steve Christenson, executive vice president of Ascensus, which educates employers and consumers about HSAs. Anyone who has an HSA-eligible health insurance policy can contribute to an HSA, whether they get insurance through their employer or on their own. (You cannot contribute to an HSA after you enroll in Medicare, however.) To make sure your policy is HSA-eligible, ask the insurer before buying it. "It is not always easy to tell whether your plan makes you eligible to contribute to an HSA," says Roy Ramthun, president of HSA Consulting Services. "You should always ask to be certain." SEE ALSO: 10 Myths About Health Savings Accounts In addition to the deductible limit requirements--at least $1,350 for single coverage, $2,700 for families--an HSA-eligible policy must meet other criteria. For instance, the deductible must be applied to all in-network covered benefits, including prescription drugs. (The only exception is preventive care, which can be provided without paying the deductible first, says Ramthun.) The plan must also have an annual limit on out-of-pocket expenses--not including premiums--that cannot be more than $6,750 for single coverage in 2019, or $13,500 for family coverage. All deductibles, co-pays and coinsurance for in-network covered benefits must count toward the policy's out-of-pocket limits, Ramthun says. Be aware that the out-of-pocket spending limits to be eligible for an HSA are lower than the limits required for health insurance policies by the Affordable Care Act. "So all HSA-qualified plans meet the ACA requirements, but not all ACA-qualified plans meet the HSA requirements," he says. Story continues The House of Representatives passed two bills in July that would raise HSA contribution limits to the same amount as the out-of-pocket spending cap, as well as make other changes to HSAs for 2019. Neither bill has been passed by the Senate. SEE ALSO: 50 Ways to Save on Health Care EDITOR'S PICKS Copyright 2018-2019 The Kiplinger Washington Editors Prom night is a dream come true for many teenagers; for Rhode Island resident Helen Danis, the dream came a few decades later. Danis, 97, grew up in the Great Depression and couldn't afford to go to her own prom. Her granddaughter, Julie Huddon, was granted permission a few months ago from Pilgrim High School in Warwick the school that Huddon's son Evan attends to take Danis to senior prom this past weekend. It was part of a bigger plan to check off items on her grandmother's bucket list. "She didnt stop smiling the whole night!" Huddon wrote to USA TODAY in a message after prom. "It was so special to share this memory with her, not only for me but my son as well, her great grandson!" Huddon went all out with a promposal for her grandmother. I got a crown for her and wrote her a note, asking her to be my date to prom, Huddon said to WJAR-TV. On prom night, the family was transported by trolley to the event, where Danis was named honorary prom queen. 97 year-old Helen Danis was named the honorary prom queen at Pilgrim HSs senior prom last night!! She looked sooo beautiful! Check out her moves @NBC10 pic.twitter.com/xgoyFRw2ad Sam Read (@NBC10_Sam) May 25, 2019 She was a dancing queen, kicking it old school with a '60s hully gully line dance, along with more modern dances, such as the Cupid Shuffle and the Cha-Cha Slide, according to CNN. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: At her first prom, a 97-year-old Rhode Island woman wins prom queen Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! The goal of this article is to teach you how to use price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). We'll show how you can use Chongqing Iron & Steel Company Limited's (HKG:1053) P/E ratio to inform your assessment of the investment opportunity. Chongqing Iron & Steel has a P/E ratio of 5.29, based on the last twelve months. In other words, at today's prices, investors are paying HK$5.29 for every HK$1 in prior year profit. See our latest analysis for Chongqing Iron & Steel How Do You Calculate Chongqing Iron & Steel's P/E Ratio? The formula for price to earnings is: Price to Earnings Ratio = Share Price (in reporting currency) Earnings per Share (EPS) Or for Chongqing Iron & Steel: P/E of 5.29 = CN0.98 (Note: this is the share price in the reporting currency, namely, CNY ) CN0.18 (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2019.) Is A High Price-to-Earnings Ratio Good? A higher P/E ratio means that investors are paying a higher price for each HK$1 of company earnings. That isn't a good or a bad thing on its own, but a high P/E means that buyers have a higher opinion of the business's prospects, relative to stocks with a lower P/E. How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios P/E ratios primarily reflect market expectations around earnings growth rates. If earnings are growing quickly, then the 'E' in the equation will increase faster than it would otherwise. And in that case, the P/E ratio itself will drop rather quickly. So while a stock may look expensive based on past earnings, it could be cheap based on future earnings. It's nice to see that Chongqing Iron & Steel grew EPS by a stonking 32% in the last year. Does Chongqing Iron & Steel Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry? One good way to get a quick read on what market participants expect of a company is to look at its P/E ratio. We can see in the image below that the average P/E (8.3) for companies in the metals and mining industry is higher than Chongqing Iron & Steel's P/E. Story continues SEHK:1053 Price Estimation Relative to Market, May 29th 2019 Its relatively low P/E ratio indicates that Chongqing Iron & Steel shareholders think it will struggle to do as well as other companies in its industry classification. Many investors like to buy stocks when the market is pessimistic about their prospects. You should delve deeper. I like to check if company insiders have been buying or selling. A Limitation: P/E Ratios Ignore Debt and Cash In The Bank It's important to note that the P/E ratio considers the market capitalization, not the enterprise value. Thus, the metric does not reflect cash or debt held by the company. The exact same company would hypothetically deserve a higher P/E ratio if it had a strong balance sheet, than if it had a weak one with lots of debt, because a cashed up company can spend on growth. Spending on growth might be good or bad a few years later, but the point is that the P/E ratio does not account for the option (or lack thereof). So What Does Chongqing Iron & Steel's Balance Sheet Tell Us? Chongqing Iron & Steel's net debt is 6.2% of its market cap. The market might award it a higher P/E ratio if it had net cash, but its unlikely this low level of net borrowing is having a big impact on the P/E multiple. The Bottom Line On Chongqing Iron & Steel's P/E Ratio Chongqing Iron & Steel trades on a P/E ratio of 5.3, which is below the HK market average of 11. The company does have a little debt, and EPS growth was good last year. If the company can continue to grow earnings, then the current P/E may be unjustifiably low. Investors should be looking to buy stocks that the market is wrong about. If it is underestimating a company, investors can make money by buying and holding the shares until the market corrects itself. We don't have analyst forecasts, but you might want to assess this data-rich visualization of earnings, revenue and cash flow. You might be able to find a better buy than Chongqing Iron & Steel. If you want a selection of possible winners, check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a P/E below 20 (but have proven they can grow earnings). We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! The goal of this article is to teach you how to use price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). To keep it practical, we'll show how Canadian Western Bank's (TSE:CWB) P/E ratio could help you assess the value on offer. Based on the last twelve months, Canadian Western Bank's P/E ratio is 9.75. That is equivalent to an earnings yield of about 10%. Check out our latest analysis for Canadian Western Bank How Do You Calculate A P/E Ratio? The formula for P/E is: Price to Earnings Ratio = Share Price Earnings per Share (EPS) Or for Canadian Western Bank: P/E of 9.75 = CA$27.88 CA$2.86 (Based on the trailing twelve months to January 2019.) Is A High P/E Ratio Good? The higher the P/E ratio, the higher the price tag of a business, relative to its trailing earnings. That isn't necessarily good or bad, but a high P/E implies relatively high expectations of what a company can achieve in the future. How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios Earnings growth rates have a big influence on P/E ratios. Earnings growth means that in the future the 'E' will be higher. And in that case, the P/E ratio itself will drop rather quickly. So while a stock may look expensive based on past earnings, it could be cheap based on future earnings. Canadian Western Bank increased earnings per share by an impressive 12% over the last twelve months. And earnings per share have improved by 3.5% annually, over the last five years. So one might expect an above average P/E ratio. Does Canadian Western Bank Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry? The P/E ratio essentially measures market expectations of a company. You can see in the image below that the average P/E (10.3) for companies in the banks industry is roughly the same as Canadian Western Bank's P/E. TSX:CWB Price Estimation Relative to Market, May 29th 2019 Its P/E ratio suggests that Canadian Western Bank shareholders think that in the future it will perform about the same as other companies in its industry classification. If the company has better than average prospects, then the market might be underestimating it. I inform my view byby checking management tenure and remuneration, among other things. Story continues Don't Forget: The P/E Does Not Account For Debt or Bank Deposits Don't forget that the P/E ratio considers market capitalization. Thus, the metric does not reflect cash or debt held by the company. The exact same company would hypothetically deserve a higher P/E ratio if it had a strong balance sheet, than if it had a weak one with lots of debt, because a cashed up company can spend on growth. While growth expenditure doesn't always pay off, the point is that it is a good option to have; but one that the P/E ratio ignores. So What Does Canadian Western Bank's Balance Sheet Tell Us? Canadian Western Bank has net debt worth 76% of its market capitalization. If you want to compare its P/E ratio to other companies, you should absolutely keep in mind it has significant borrowings. The Verdict On Canadian Western Bank's P/E Ratio Canadian Western Bank's P/E is 9.7 which is below average (14.7) in the CA market. While the EPS growth last year was strong, the significant debt levels reduce the number of options available to management. If the company can continue to grow earnings, then the current P/E may be unjustifiably low. Investors should be looking to buy stocks that the market is wrong about. If the reality for a company is not as bad as the P/E ratio indicates, then the share price should increase as the market realizes this. So this free visual report on analyst forecasts could hold the key to an excellent investment decision. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with modest (or no) debt, trading on a P/E below 20. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. [May 29, 2019] Collibra Announces Second Annual Chief Data Officer (CDO) Summer School Collibra, the leader in enterprise data governance and catalog software, today announced its continued partnership with the authors of best-selling books Data Driven Business Transformation and The Chief Data Officer's Playbook, Caroline Carruthers and Peter Jackson, to launch the second annual Chief Data Officer Summer School. The 10-week course, which features in-person and virtual seminars, will offer hands-on instruction for the next-generation of CDOs. According to Gartner, CDOs will be "a mission-critical function comparable to IT, business operations, HR, and finance in 75% of large enterprises" by 2021. As the demand for qualified CDOs continues to increase, the CDO Summer School aims to provide the necessary training and mentorship to cultivate future data intelligence leaders. Caroline Carruthers, Chief Executive at Carruthers and Jackson and course co-founder, said, "As businesses realize the power of data to transform their organizations and drive value, it is imperative for data leaders to understand how to successfully guide the data transformation journey. Through practical real-life examples, we intend to arm aspiring CDOs with the skills to make effective data-driven decisions and become even more influential within their organizations." With more than 150 graduates in the Class of 2018, the 2019 course intends to welcome ven more data leaders to learn, collaborate, and grow as part of a community of like-minded professionals. Topics will cover technology and tooling, strategy, culture, and ethics as well as practical assessments and methodologies. Pierre Delville, Data Governance and Quality, BNP Paribas Fortis, a graduate from the 2018 CDO Summer School noted, "When participating in the first Chief Data Officer Summer School in 2018, I was looking for guidance in identifying the skills and practical knowledge to support me in an aspirational next step: becoming a CDO. My aspiration has become reality as I am joining an important financial markets institution as their first CDO in June 2019. I strongly recommend this program to anyone looking to advance themselves in their current role as a data leader." "Learning and development is part of our DNA, and we aim to equip all data citizens with the knowledge they need for success," said Felix Van de Maele, co-founder and CEO, Collibra. "With emerging technologies and complex regulatory frameworks continuing to challenge data leaders globally, mastering data literacy and the proactive use of trusted data as a business asset has never been more important. We look forward to working closely with Caroline and Peter once again and welcoming more aspiring data leaders in our community." About the course Participation is by application only. You must be a current or aspiring data leader to be accepted Courses are delivered as a series of 90-minute online classes every two weeks, with in-person events taking place in New York, California, and London The program starts June 20 and ends with graduation on Sept. 19 Data leaders interested in becoming a participant can apply here. Registration closes June 14 About Collibra As the leader in data governance and catalog software, Collibra helps organizations across the world gain competitive advantage by maximizing the value of their data across the enterprise. Collibra is the only solution purpose-built to address the gamut of data stewardship, governance, and management needs of the most complex, data-intensive industries. Our flexible and configurable cloud-based or on-premises solution puts people and processes first - automating data governance and management to quickly and securely deliver trusted data to the business users who need it. Learn more at www.collibra.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005401/en/ [ Back to the Next Generation Communications Community's Homepage ] Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Jolyon Harrison became the CEO of MJ Gleeson plc (LON:GLE) in 2012. First, this article will compare CEO compensation with compensation at similar sized companies. After that, we will consider the growth in the business. Third, we'll reflect on the total return to shareholders over three years, as a second measure of business performance. This process should give us an idea about how appropriately the CEO is paid. See our latest analysis for MJ Gleeson How Does Jolyon Harrison's Compensation Compare With Similar Sized Companies? According to our data, MJ Gleeson plc has a market capitalization of UK477m, and pays its CEO total annual compensation worth UK2.9m. (This figure is for the year to June 2018). While this analysis focuses on total compensation, it's worth noting the salary is lower, valued at UK480k. We looked at a group of companies with market capitalizations from UK316m to UK1.3b, and the median CEO total compensation was UK892k. It would therefore appear that MJ Gleeson plc pays Jolyon Harrison more than the median CEO remuneration at companies of a similar size, in the same market. However, this fact alone doesn't mean the remuneration is too high. We can get a better idea of how generous the pay is by looking at the performance of the underlying business. The graphic below shows how CEO compensation at MJ Gleeson has changed from year to year. LSE:GLE CEO Compensation, May 29th 2019 Is MJ Gleeson plc Growing? MJ Gleeson plc has increased its earnings per share (EPS) by an average of 19% a year, over the last three years (using a line of best fit). In the last year, its revenue is up 36%. This shows that the company has improved itself over the last few years. Good news for shareholders. The combination of strong revenue growth with medium-term earnings per share improvement certainly points to the kind of growth I like to see. You might want to check this free visual report on analyst forecasts for future earnings. Story continues Has MJ Gleeson plc Been A Good Investment? I think that the total shareholder return of 76%, over three years, would leave most MJ Gleeson plc shareholders smiling. As a result, some may believe the CEO should be paid more than is normal for companies of similar size. In Summary... We compared total CEO remuneration at MJ Gleeson plc with the amount paid at companies with a similar market capitalization. Our data suggests that it pays above the median CEO pay within that group. However we must not forget that the EPS growth has been very strong over three years. On top of that, in the same period, returns to shareholders have been great. Considering this fine result for shareholders, we daresay the CEO compensation might be apt. Shareholders may want to check for free if MJ Gleeson insiders are buying or selling shares. Important note: MJ Gleeson may not be the best stock to buy. You might find something better in this list of interesting companies with high ROE and low debt. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. WASHINGTON (AP) Facing new trade sanctions and a U.S. clampdown on its top telecommunications company, China issued a pointed reminder Wednesday that it has yet to unleash all its weapons in its trade war with the Trump administration. Chinese state media warned that Beijing could cut America off from exotic minerals that are widely used in electric cars and mobile phones. The threat to use China's rich supply of so-called rare earths as leverage in the conflict has contributed to sharp losses in U.S. stocks and sliding long-term bond yields. For months, the world's two biggest economies have been locked in a standoff over allegations that China deploys predatory tactics including stealing trade secrets and forcing foreign companies to hand over technology in a drive to supplant U.S. technological dominance. The Trump administration has imposed 25% tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese imports and is planning to tax the $300 billion in imports that have so far been spared. And it escalated the stakes this month by putting the Chinese telecom giant Huawei on a blacklist that effectively bars U.S. companies from supplying it with computer chips, software and other components without government approval. The U.S. claims Huawei is legally beholden to China's ruling Communist Party, which could order it to spy on their behalf. Washington has offered no evidence that the Huawei has done that, however. Huawei is trying to beat back one punitive U.S. measure in federal court. In a motion filed late Tuesday in eastern Texas, the company argued that a 2018 law that bars it from selling telecom gear to U.S. government agencies and contractors should be struck down as unconstitutional. The move for summary judgment in a case filed against the U.S. government in March says the law violates a constitutional prohibition against "trial by legislature" of individual entities. Congress thus acted unconstitutionally when it "adjudicated Huawei's guilt and blacklisted it," the motion argues. Story continues An attorney representing Huawei in the U.S. case, Glen Nager of Jones Day, asserts that Congress alone cannot constitutionally impose punishment on an individual company which the punitive law does in singling out Huawei by name. The law "is intended to drive Huawei out of the U.S. i.e., to banish it," Nager argued. It "stigmatizes Huawei as a tool of the Chinese government" with no right to a fair hearing, he added. Steven Schwinn, a professor at John Marshall Law School in Chicago, suggested that Huawei's arguments fall short constitutionally, and "given that this relates to national security, we can expect the courts to be fairly deferential to the government." The nationalistic Chinese newspaper Global Times warned that China has plenty of ways to retaliate against the United States, including the threat of cutting off supplies of rare earths. China last year produced 78% of the world's rare earths, according to researchers at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. If the U.S. fails to exercise restraint, it will see that "China is far from running out of cards, and we have the will and determination to fight the U.S. to the end," the paper's editorial said. An official of China's top economic planning agency did not rule out using rare earths as a countermeasure against "the U.S.'s unwarranted suppression." President Xi Jinping visited rare earth-related businesses in southeastern Jiangxi province earlier this month. He called rare earths "an important strategic resource" while stressing the importance of owning independent core technologies, the state-run China Daily reported. China has used rare earths as a cudgel before. Five years ago, the World Trade Organization slapped down China's attempt to restrict the export of rare earths, rejecting its claim that it just wanted to protect the environment and conserve supplies. Instead, the move appeared to be aimed at hurting Japan with which Beijing was having a diplomatic tiff. Scott Kennedy, director of the project on the Chinese economy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the Chinese might benefit even less if they try to weaponize rare earths again. "It's not the threat that it was ... when the Chinese threatened to cut off the Japanese," he said. First, users of rare earths have stockpiled the minerals for a "rainy day." Second, they also have figured out how to "use less rare earth to achieve the same results" in such products as lasers and magnets. And third, different minerals and chemicals are increasingly being used as rare earth substitutes. Kennedy predicts that once investors have "realized the threat wasn't as dire, markets would bounce back." Still, he isn't optimistic about the U.S.-China trade negotiations, which broke off May 10 after an 11th round of talks failed to produce an agreement. U.S. officials accused the Chinese of reneging on agreements they'd made in earlier rounds. "The Chinese first are going to have to signal they will talk," he said. Then they will have to go back to where they stood before they backpedaled on earlier concessions. "I don't see any body language from the Chinese that they're about to do that," Kennedy said. ___ Wang reported from Beijing, and Bajak from Boston. Associated Press video producer Olivia Zhang in Shenzhen, China, and writer Christopher Bodeen in Beijing contributed to this report. Fears Huawei could be used by China for spying has harmed its international relations - REUTERS Huawei is reviewing its relationship with FedEx after it claimed two of its packages were "diverted to America", amid rising tensions between the Chinese technology company and the US government. Donald Trump's administration has repeatedly warned that Huawei's equipment could be used for spying by China, and earlier this month the US president signed an executive order which effectively banned the company from America's 5G network. Huawei has maintained it is independent of the Chinese state and has now accused American courier FedEx of diverting its packages to the US, despite the fact they were travelling between Asian addresses. The company said that FedEx diverted two parcels sent from Japan and addressed to its offices in China, instead sending them to the US, and attempted to divert two more packages sent from Vietnam to offices elsewhere in Asia. Huawei provided images of FedEx tracking records to Reuters, but the news agency said it has not yet verified their authenticity. Huawei said one package originating in Vietnam was received by Friday, and the other was on its way. FedEx said the packages were misrouted in error Credit: AP The four packages did not contain any technology, but important commercial documents, according to Huawei. Joe Kelly, a spokesman for the technology giant, said: The recent experiences where important commercial documents sent via FedEx were not delivered to their destination, and instead were either diverted to, or were requested to be diverted to, FedEx in the United States, undermines our confidence. We will now have to review our logistics and document delivery support requirements as a direct result of these incidents, he added. Maury Donahue, a spokeswoman for FedEx, said that the packages were misrouted in error and insisted that it was not at the request of any other party. This is an isolated issue limited to a very small number of packages, said FedEx. We are aware of all shipments at issue and are working directly with our customers to return the packages to their possession. FedEx's China office on Tuesday issued an apology on its Chinese social media account for the mishandling of Huawei's packages and insisted there was no external pressure to divert them. IBM's global head of blockchain and digital payments, is no longer at the tech giant. | Source: Youtube/Blockchain/Shutterstock; Edited by CCN By CCN: IBMs head of blockchain Jesse Lund has reportedly left the company. Lund previously predicted the Bitcoin price could hit $1 million within our lifetime, citing the scarcity and growth of interest in the space. Jesse Lunds Still Optimistic about Blockchain Payments Lund told Coindesk that he is still optimistic about blockchain as a payments platform. He helped create the IBM World Wire platform in partnership with Stellar, which has so far made numerous in-roads with notable banks. He stated: Yes, Ive left IBM but am still optimistic about payments innovation using Blockchain. IBM is one of many companies working on cross-border payment solutions for banks and financial institutions. Lund had previously been part of R3, a consortium of banks like Wells Fargo (where he was previously employed), which picked up Mike Hearn after he quit Bitcoin development. Lund or IBM gave no explanation for his exit. Bitcoin has recently been bullish. Interest in blockchain is returning. Read the full story on CCN.com. 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. NEW DELHI (AP) India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the Maldives next week in his first trip abroad following his party's victory in national elections, an Indian official said Wednesday. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the trip has not yet been formally announced, said that Modi will visit the Maldives on June 8. Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid tweeted that the Maldives' Parliament adopted a resolution inviting Modi to address the body during the visit. Modi's decision to visit the Maldives suggests he is trying to reset bilateral ties that suffered while President Yameen Abdullah Gayoom led the island nation. Yameen had signed infrastructure project deals with China that troubled Indian officials. Yameen lost the presidency last year to Ibrahim Mohammed Solih in an election. The Maldives was the only neighboring country that Modi did not visit during Yameen's rule. In November, he attended Solih's swearing in ceremony. Solih faces a challenging task of balancing ties with India and China. Solih visited India in December and during his trip New Delhi announced $1.4 billion in financial aid for the Maldives government and lines of credit for the country's development programs. By Ed Davies and Agustinus Beo Da Costa JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesian authorities believe different groups coordinated plans to exploit political rallies last week to cause chaos, which included a bid to create "martyrs" by shooting protesters, President Joko Widodo's chief of staff said. Eight people were killed and more than 900 wounded in some of the worst civil unrest in the capital in decades last week after rallies by supporters of defeated presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto descended into clashes with security forces. Security officials suspect the violence, which broke out after Widodo was confirmed the winner of last month's poll, was organized by a number groups, including one linked to Islamic State and another to a retired special forces general accused of smuggling weapons to Jakarta "There was a correlation between them from our intelligence information," Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko, a retired armed forces chief, told Reuters. "We already know the field coordinators," he said, adding that investigators were trying to pinpoint the masterminds behind the plans and financial backers. Police have said that envelopes of cash carried by some arrested rioters indicated mobs were paid to cause trouble. Ahead of last week's unrest, police rounded up dozens of suspected militants, some of whom authorities said planned to detonate bombs during political protests. Police have also arrested six people suspected of plotting to assassinate state officials and at least one opposition figure on treason charges and for spreading fake news. Prabowo's political party, Gerindra, has denied any links to the violence and complained that authorities were trying to pin the blame for the riots on him. Moeldoko, who uses one name, described one of the groups planning attacks as being "well trained" and said police had found guns including a sniper rifle that they believed were intended to be used to kill protesters so police would take the blame. In response, he said authorities had deliberately ensured that police and the army were not equipped with live ammunition. "This was to counter if something (happened), to show it doesn't come from us," said Moeldoko. Fadli Zon, deputy chairman of Gerindra, last week accused police of initiating an attack on protesters and said he found 171 bullets, including live rounds, when he visited the area where most deaths occurred last Wednesday. Moeldoko said autopsies were still being conducted but said an early indication from the laboratory suggested that the rotation of a bullet that hit a victim was to the right and the mobile police brigade used weapons with bullets that spun in the opposite direction. "It could mean that there are other armed groups that have not been detained. Because from the beginning they wanted to create martyrs," he said. Moeldoko denied that government actions, which included for the first time in Indonesia temporary curbs on social media aimed at stopping hoax stories being spread, were repressive. "I have a strong belief that if democracy is not guarded by strong laws, constitutional instruments, then the tendency for anarchy is very high," he said. Asked whether Indonesia's young democracy was mature enough to ride out these tensions, he said that while the events had been "quite shocking" they should not cause undue alarm. "In my opinion, there is nothing that we should be afraid of from the recent incidents," he said, adding that security forces could deal with the situation and there was no "acute disease in our democracy". (Reporting by Ed Davies; Editing by Nick Macfie) Theres nothing like an Andrew Yang campaign event. Nowhere else will fans show up wearing hats with MATH written across the top (Make America Think Harder). If the mood is right, chants of PowerPoint break out, as they did at a recent rally in Seattle. And at the center is Yang, an American-flag patterned scarf tossed loosely around his neck, the personified version of a meme you mightve seen on Reddit. Yang is one of the Democratic presidential candidates youve probably never heard of. But his long-shot campaign has seen some surprising success. The former entrepreneur is polling better than several more traditionally qualified candidates, hes amassed a loyal online fan base, and, yes, real-life people show up at his events. Perhaps most importantly, hes met the qualifications for the first Democratic debate in late June, where hes hoping to get noticed and become a competitive challenger for the nomination. Yang has built a loyal army of fans by pitching himself as a change agent. Hes talking about issues that no one else is focusing on, from universal basic income (hes for it) to circumcision (hes against it), employing an outside-the-box style that comes across as refreshing to voters who crave an outsider candidate. Theres a real appetite for a different kind of political conversation, Yang told TIME. I cant tell you how many times people have said to me, youre the first political candidate Ive ever contributed to, this is the first political event Ive ever attended. Thats a very consistent theme. Supporters listening to Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang in Washington Square Park, New York, May 14, 2019. | Philip Montgomery for TIME Yang is vying to become the first Asian-American nominee of a major party. And while he remains a rounding error in the polls, his modest momentum reflects the enduring hunger for unconventional candidates. If his campaign can catch fire, hed be further evidence that its no longer necessary to spend time serving in elected office or even to be conventionally good at retail politics. What matters, Yang suggests, is to think differently than Washington does. Already his campaign suggests theres at least some truth to that. Story continues If we activate a significant number of these people that right now are not conventionally interested in politics, he says, then we can contend. On a rainy day in May, Yang sat down with TIME in a Portsmouth, N.H., coffee shop. He walked in late because, according to his campaign staff, he wouldnt shut up at his last stop, an editorial board interview with Seacoast Media Group. Yang was wearing his signature American-flag scarf, and he offered me a high-five, which is something he likes to do a lot. While he likes to tout the contrast he cuts with the Presidentthe opposite of Donald Trump is an Asian man who likes math, he saysYang doesnt talk much about his identity as the first Asian-American presidential candidate. When I asked about it, Yang said he often has people approach him to say how excited they are about that. Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang at his campaign office in Manhattan, May 14, 2019. | Philip Montgomery for TIME Yang, 44, was born in New York to two immigrants from Taiwan. He graduated from high school in Exeter, N.H., in 1992, got an undergraduate degree from Brown and went to law school at Columbia, which he graduated from in 1999. His career got off to a tough start: He spent mere months working as a corporate lawyer at Davis Polk and Wardwell in New York before, he says, he quickly became bored with it. Next he launched a failed Internet company called Stargiving, which raised money for charity by auctioning off celebrity experiences. He worked for a mobile software company called Crisp Wireless as vice president of their business and legal department and at a health-care start-up called MMF Systems. Then he ran a tutoring company that was acquired by test-prep giant Kaplan in 2009 for an undisclosed amount. (On the trail, Yang refers to it as a modest fortune.) In 2011, Yang founded an organization called Venture for America. His vision was to train entrepreneurs and dispatch them around the country to help create job growth. He was later named one of the Obama White Houses Champions of Change for that work. Along the way, Yang married and had two kids, including an autistic son. In a way, Yang credits the latter experience with fueling his campaign for president. As first-time parents, you dont know whats normal versus whats not normal, he recalls. Is it normal for a three-year-old to freak out when the texture of the ground changes? It was a growing experience for him. Until then, Yang had suffered only minor adversity. The idea that a single mother would have to care for an autistic child with no resources was heartbreaking, he says, and helped shape his belief in universal basic incomethe core of his platform and the idea thats helped him gain traction. Yangs path led him in early 2017 to the Chelsea neighborhood in Manhattan, where he sat down to lunch with Andy Stern, the former president of Service Employees International Union. Hed read Sterns book, Raising the Floor, which focuses on universal basic income and closes with the idea of someone running for president on the issue. Yang wanted to try it. I was shocked, Stern says. You know, part of me thinks youre crazy, and part of me thinks youre my hero. A supporter for Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang, Washington Square Park, New York, May 14, 2019. | Philip Montgomery for TIME Yang set off on his uphill battle as a presidential candidate. He took his first tentative steps toward raising money and spent time thinking about his platform, which today includes dozens of ideas on anything from health care (hes for Medicare for All), to taxes (hed like to make Tax Day a federal holiday, complete with celebrations) to financial literacy. If your government teacher ever asked you to invent policy from scratch for a school assignment, the results might look something like his: imaginative, interesting and a little bit out there. At campaign events, Yang often gestures with his free hand as though he were a claw from the old carnival machine, lowering to pick up a stuffed animal. His speeches focus on the challenges surrounding automation, and he often rails against Amazon, blaming it for local stores closing. The economy is being transformed faster than ever, he says. It has devastated many communities and ways of life. And while we cant make everyone whole, we can start sharing the bounty of these incredible innovations much more quickly and broadly. Supporters gather in the rain at a rally for Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang in Washington Square Park, New York, May 14, 2019. | Philip Montgomery for TIME The first major moment of Yangs campaign came after his appearance on comedian Joe Rogans podcast, where he first introduced himself to a large audience. After that he started gaining traction on Twitter and Reddit, largely for his universal basic income proposal. I think this policy of a universal basic income, which was, you know, championed by Martin Luther King, Jr., and many others, is one thats going to help transform the capitalist economy into one thats more focused on people, says Edward Levasseur, 24, of Somersworth, N.H. Yang knows giving people $1,000 a month sounds like a gimmick. But he tells voters its an old idea, pointing to Alaskas Permanent Fund Dividend as an example of how this could work. Internationally, there have been similar attempts: In 2016, Switzerland rejected a referendum on a similar proposal, the first country to hold such a vote. Smaller-scale trials and studies have also periodically popped up to explore the concept. At events, Yang will often ask crowds what theyd spend $1,000 a month on. The audience tosses back a range of answers: Rent. A babysitter. Marijuana. By the end of the last fundraising quarter, Yang had raised nearly $1.8 million for his campaign. And while he can draw crowds in the thousands, Yangs base is online. On Twitter, his follower count is more than 282,000, and according to Yang, theyre not all bots, either: His campaign tried to do an inventory, and the results, he said, came up 97% human. An Andrew Yang supporter at a rally in Washington Square Park, New York, May 14, 2019. | Philip Montgomery for TIME Even if Yang defies the long odds and became President, its not as though Americans will magically start receiving $1,000 checks every month. Democratic congressional aides note that it would be easy for Republicans to attack the idea as welfare and that Congress and the American public have little familiarity with the concept. Democrats would likely be reluctant about the idea of changing existing social-welfare programs, triggering the kind of policy debate that typically requires political know-how to navigate. But Yangs whole platform hinges on this idea, and hes committed to it. He even picked out two families, one in Iowa and one in New Hampshire, to send a monthly $1,000 check to test the policy. That caused a recent hiccup; after The Des Moines Register inquired about the payments, Yangs campaign said it would amend its finance reports to reflect spending it had previously omitted. Andrew Yang supporters at a rally in Washington Square Park, New York, May 14, 2019. | Philip Montgomery for TIME So far, Yangs campaign has had the most success with younger voters. And its not just because of his habit of swearing on the trail. (F-ck yeah, Yang responded when I pointed out this penchant.) I think its because young people unfortunately have come of age in an era of institutional failure and erosion, Yang says, and so when they sense that someone is speaking in an institutional voice, they kind of tune out. That, he theorizes, is why people are drawn to him. Authenticity is something that politicians struggle with, out of fear of getting blasted on cable news for saying the wrong thing, which in turn, he says, leads to conformity. Young people can sense that he isnt like that. To win the nomination, Yang will have to convince Democrats that hes got the best chance at beating Trump. He believes in reaching out to the Presidents voters. Democrats made a grievous error by not having one of their debates on Fox, he said. How can you win a general election if half the country isnt watching your candidates debate? Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang greets supporters at a rally in Washington Square Park, New York, May 14, 2019. | Philip Montgomery for TIME Yangs theory of the case is that once people get to know him through the debates, they will realize his ceiling is much higher than most other candidates and begin to coalesce around him. He often says that people tell him hes what they hoped for when they voted for Trump. I am the outsider who has a different sort of message, he says, between bites at the coffee shop. And thats attracting many different people who want a different conversation, a different voice, in Washington. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! We've lost count of how many times insiders have accumulated shares in a company that goes on to improve markedly. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of examples of share prices declining precipitously after insiders have sold shares. So we'll take a look at whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Bovis Homes Group PLC (LON:BVS). Do Insider Transactions Matter? It's quite normal to see company insiders, such as board members, trading in company stock, from time to time. However, most countries require that the company discloses such transactions to the market. Insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing. But equally, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether. For example, a Harvard University study found that 'insider purchases earn abnormal returns of more than 6% per year.' See our latest analysis for Bovis Homes Group Bovis Homes Group Insider Transactions Over The Last Year Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by Vice Chairman of the Board & CEO Gerald Fitzgerald for UK139k worth of shares, at about UK8.92 per share. That means that an insider was happy to buy shares at around the current price of UK9.97. While their view may have changed since the purchase was made, this does at least suggest they have had confidence in the company's future. We do always like to see insider buying, but it is worth noting if those purchases were made at well below today's share price, as the discount to value may have narrowed with the rising price. The good news for Bovis Homes Group share holders is that insiders were buying at near the current price. Over the last year, we can see that insiders have bought 15640 shares worth UK140k. In the last twelve months Bovis Homes Group insiders were buying shares, but not selling. The chart below shows insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below! Story continues LSE:BVS Recent Insider Trading, May 29th 2019 Bovis Homes Group is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying. Insider Ownership of Bovis Homes Group Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. From our data, it seems that Bovis Homes Group insiders own 0.4% of the company, worth about UK5.8m. Overall, this level of ownership isn't that impressive, but it's certainly better than nothing! So What Does This Data Suggest About Bovis Homes Group Insiders? The fact that there have been no Bovis Homes Group insider transactions recently certainly doesn't bother us. However, our analysis of transactions over the last year is heartening. We'd like to see bigger individual holdings. However, we don't see anything to make us think Bovis Homes Group insiders are doubting the company. Therefore, you should should definitely take a look at this FREE report showing analyst forecasts for Bovis Homes Group. If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. By Anastasia Moloney BOGOTA, May 29 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Gangs in El Salvador who force women to wed only to kill their husbands for the life insurance are on notice after a top prosecutor won a landmark conviction of seven gangsters and said more cases were to come. State prosecutor Violeta Olivares, head of El Salvador's anti-human trafficking unit, said the forced marriage conviction was the first of its kind in the country and in Central America. "This is a clear message to the traffickers. It shows we have special legislation that severely punishes the crime of human trafficking and that we will continue to investigate and combat this type of scourge," Olivares said. Fit for a movie script, the scam involved luring country girls to the city, then making them weep graveside after their forced marriages ended in murder, as gang masters looked on. Earlier this month, seven gang members, including four women and three men from El Salvador's largest gang - the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) - were convicted of forced marriage and given prison sentences of 15 to 30 years, Olivares said. Known as a fearless lawyer who has secured more than 30 convictions against human traffickers, Olivares began targetting the brutal 'Black Widow' gang after a captive bride managed to escape, and said she now had more gangsters in her sights. The conviction exposes the role of El Salvador's powerful street gangs in forced marriage, which is a form of human trafficking, and the extreme violence their victims suffered. The unprecedented case involved three young women who were forced to marry, and whose husbands were killed by gang members after a month or so of marriage, Olivares said. The widows were made to collect the life insurance - from $30,000 to $60,000 - which was handed over to gang members. "It was a mode of operation that hadn't been identified before in El Salvador," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Story continues There is no estimate of the tally of victims - neither the number of women forced to wed nor of their murdered husbands. "The group has been operating for several years .. and in addition to killing men, they also killed the women so that there were no witnesses to say they were forced into marriage." To force the women into marriage, victims were beaten naked by gang members and told their families would be hurt if they refused. The violence was recorded on video. "Video evidence was obtained showing how the women were beaten in such an inhumane way that it almost looked liked they had been left for dead," Olivares said. The so-called "Black Widows" group first came to light in early 2017 when a victim escaped and reported the crime. More victims are likely to come to light in the coming months, said Olivares, putting the gang on notice of new cases. Prosecutors are investigating forced marriage involving up to six more possible victims and dead husbands, and a preliminary hearing could start early next year, she said. "It's not being ruled out that there could be other women victims who could be alive, and also those who may have been killed," Olivares said. "We're carrying out the necessary proceedings to be able to establish that other women victims who are alive can be located." Lawyers who gave advice to gangs about how to apply for and collect life insurance are also being investigated, she said. Gang members preyed on young, poor women aged 18 to 23 living in rural areas, who were lured by false promises of jobs as domestic workers in the capital San Salvador, Olivares said. "For the victims it seemed like an opportunity to get work to be able to support their families," Olivares said. Testimony provided by the victims also showed how they were forced by gangs to identify their husband's dead body at the morgue and told to cry and act like convincing widows at funerals attended by gang members. The U.N. estimates that some 40 million people are trapped in modern slavery, from forced marriages to sexual exploitation. (Reporting by Anastasia Moloney @anastasiabogota, Editing by Lyndsay Griffiths. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's and LGBT+ rights, human trafficking, property rights, and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org) By Sebastien Malo NEW YORK, May 28 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - M ultinational companies will increasingly file massive cases against host countries when climate change policies affect their profits, Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz said. To stop governments from weakening their environmental laws to avoid such disputes, reform of a little-known international trade process - the investor state dispute settlement (ISDS) - is needed, he said. Under ISDS, a nation that hurts a company's profits by imposing new rules that add to the cost of building a natural gas pipeline, for example, could be sued by the company, Stiglitz said. ISDS cases can "instill fear of environmental regulations, climate regulations because you know that it's going to be costly" for governments, he said. "It's litigation terrorism." With ISDS claims possible under more than 3,000 trade agreements worldwide, cases have proliferated in the last decade or so, according to the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment (CCSI). There are now nearly 950 ISDS suits on record, a United Nations Conference on Trade and Development database showed. Typical claims are brought against developing and middle-income nations by ultra-wealthy corporations or individuals and seek damages of nearly $300 million on average, CCSI said. At least five cases have been filed in direct response to environmental regulations, the research center found. Another four cases were related to the enforcement of environmental provisions, but environmental rules were not the only source of the dispute, it found. In the latest such case, filed in November 2018, U.S. coal producer Westmoreland said a Canadian plan to phase out coal by 2030 in the province of Alberta treated the company's coal mines in a "grossly unfair" way. The company has claimed at least $470 million in damages in the case, which remains active. Neither Westmoreland nor Canada's ministry of foreign affairs immediately responded to a request for comment. Story continues Such cases risk having a "chilling effect" on implementing the stringent climate regulations required to fulfill a pact to curb global warming, Stiglitz said. The 2015 Paris Agreement agreed by nearly 200 nations aims to limit a rise in average world temperatures to "well below" 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times. An ongoing attempt at reforming the U.N.-administered ISDS rules that are embedded in thousands of bilateral trade treaties offer a rare opportunity to put an end to the "pernicious litigation," said Stiglitz. "Until we resolve this ... we (ought) not to have any more agreements" including ISDS clauses, he said. More than 100 governments agreed to address ISDS shortcomings and look at developing alternatives at a U.N. meeting last month, including a European Union proposal for an investment court system, CCSI said. Reform should include lifting the "secrecy" that clouds ISDS cases, limiting grounds for filing a case, making compulsory the use of domestic courts before the ISDS system, and excluding from damages the loss of expected profits, said Stiglitz. "Until you resolve all these issues there should be a total moratorium," he said. (Reporting by Sebastien Malo @sebastienmalo, Editing by Jason Fields. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers climate change, humanitarian news, women's and LGBT+ rights, human trafficking and property rights. Visit http://news.trust.org/climate) Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (NYSE:CLF) shareholders might be concerned after seeing the share price drop 17% in the last quarter. But that doesn't undermine the rather lovely longer-term return, if you measure over the last three years. The share price marched upwards over that time, and is now 111% higher than it was. To some, the recent share price pullback wouldn't be surprising after such a good run. The thing to consider is whether the underlying business is doing well enough to support the current price. See our latest analysis for Cleveland-Cliffs While markets are a powerful pricing mechanism, share prices reflect investor sentiment, not just underlying business performance. One imperfect but simple way to consider how the market perception of a company has shifted is to compare the change in the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price movement. During three years of share price growth, Cleveland-Cliffs achieved compound earnings per share growth of 117% per year. This EPS growth is higher than the 28% average annual increase in the share price. So one could reasonably conclude that the market has cooled on the stock. We'd venture the lowish P/E ratio of 2.65 also reflects the negative sentiment around the stock. The image below shows how EPS has tracked over time (if you click on the image you can see greater detail). NYSE:CLF Past and Future Earnings, May 29th 2019 It's good to see that there was some significant insider buying in the last three months. That's a positive. That said, we think earnings and revenue growth trends are even more important factors to consider. Dive deeper into the earnings by checking this interactive graph of Cleveland-Cliffs's earnings, revenue and cash flow. What About Dividends? It is important to consider the total shareholder return, as well as the share price return, for any given stock. The TSR incorporates the value of any spin-offs or discounted capital raisings, along with any dividends, based on the assumption that the dividends are reinvested. So for companies that pay a generous dividend, the TSR is often a lot higher than the share price return. As it happens, Cleveland-Cliffs's TSR for the last 3 years was 113%, which exceeds the share price return mentioned earlier. The dividends paid by the company have thusly boosted the total shareholder return. Story continues A Different Perspective It's good to see that Cleveland-Cliffs has rewarded shareholders with a total shareholder return of 12% in the last twelve months. That's including the dividend. That certainly beats the loss of about 8.1% per year over the last half decade. The long term loss makes us cautious, but the short term TSR gain certainly hints at a brighter future. It is all well and good that insiders have been buying shares, but we suggest you check here to see what price insiders were buying at. If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them). Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on US exchanges. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. IOTA price hits a new yearly high after stepping up a gear towards its effort for a completely decentralized blockchain. | Source: Shutterstock By CCN: IOTA price has appreciated more than 11-percent against the US dollar and circa 13-percent against bitcoin in the last 24 hours. The internet-of-things cryptocurrency, which is also the worlds fifteenth largest by market capitalization, peaked towards $0.507 on May 28 at 1915 UTC, its highest since November 14, 2018, according to Binance exchange data. That took IOTAs gains this year to above 37-percent, including a 58.14-percent rise this month. iota price, iota IOTA PRICE RECLAIMS NOVEMBER 14 HIGH | SOURCE: COINMARKETCAP.COM IOTA daily volumes showed the coin changing maximum hands to/from Bitcoins BTC, Tether stablecoin USDT, and the US dollar, according to data provided by CoinMarketCap.com. On the whole, exchanges posted $90 million worth of IOTA-enabled trades, with Malta-based Binance taking the lead by hosting more than 40-percent of the total daily volume. One Strong Fundamental IOTAs intraday gains closely followed the IOTA Foundations effort to make its blockchain more decentralized. The nonprofit announced Tuesday that it is brushing off Coordinator, a centralized protocol that was handling transactions and security on the IOTA blockchain to the date. We have been working towards the removal of the Coordinator since IOTAs inception. Now with the maturity and growth of the protocol and the quality of our research team, we are bringing that promise to fruition, said David Snsteb, the co-founder of IOTA Foundation. IOTA Announces Coordicide Solution: A Distributed Ledger Technology which Removes the Barriers to Real-World Adoption. https://t.co/g7qdimiDew More details on https://t.co/Gx8P2tMgtH#IOTA #Coordicide IOTA (@iotatoken) May 28, 2019 Read the full story on CCN.com. Several central Iowa fire departments are on a mission to gathering thousands of dollars worth of firefighting equipment for a department in Mexico. A state representative asked Newton Fire Chief Jarrod Wellik for help after hearing from a concerned resident. After calling surrounding fire departments, Wellik helped gather 46 coats and 25 helmets, nearly $90,000-worth of equipment. "Anytime we can help out a fellow firefighter, we're always willing to do that, he said. A local business owner will deliver the gear to Mexico this summer. KCCIs Tommie Clark has the story. Abu Dhabi (AFP) - US National Security Advisor John Bolton said Wednesday Iran was "almost certainly" behind attacks on ships off the United Arab Emirates earlier this month. The four ships, including two Saudi tankers, were attacked by "naval mines almost certainly from Iran", Bolton told a press conference in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi. US experts are part of a five-nation team that is investigating the May 12 attacks that damaged the four vessels in the Sea of Oman off the UAE emirate of Fujairah. "There's no doubt in anybody's mind in Washington who's responsible for this," he said. "Who else would you think is doing it? Someone from Nepal?" Bolton said he would meet Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan as well as his UAE counterpart, Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, to discuss relations and regional tensions. "We remain concerned and as watchful as we can," he said. "We are responding and consulting more closely with our allies in the region to discuss what to do next." Washington has reimposed tough sanctions against Tehran and ordered the deployment of 1,500 more troops to the Middle East. Tehran called the attacks on the ships "alarming and regrettable", and warned of "adventurism" by foreign players to disrupt maritime security. Fujairah, where the attacks took place, is a key oil export terminal on the Sea of Oman that spares tankers the need to enter the Gulf through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has repeatedly threatened to close. Almost a third of the world's oil supplies pass through the narrow strait between Iran and Oman which is the sole shipping lane into and out of the Gulf. Two days after the attacks on the ships, Yemen's Huthi rebels -- accused by Abu Dhabi and Riyadh of being proxies of Tehran -- hit a strategic diversionary pipeline in Saudi Arabia with two drones. The east-west pipeline, which has the capacity to carry some five million barrels per day from the oilfields of the kingdom's Gulf coast to the Red Sea, was shut for two days as a result of the attack. Abu Dhabi (AFP) - US National Security Advisor John Bolton said Wednesday that Iran was almost certainly behind oil tanker attacks that sent Gulf tensions soaring -- an accusation Tehran dismissed as "laughable". The new war of words came on the eve of emergency Arab and Gulf summits called by Iran's regional rival Saudi Arabia to discuss the standoff and ways to isolate Tehran. It follows a US military buildup that includes the deployment of an aircraft carrier, B-52 bombers and 1,500 more troops to the region. Speaker during a visit to the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, Bolton said that additional US forces were sent to the Middle East as a "deterrent" and that Washington's response will be prudent. The four ships, including two Saudi tankers, sabotaged off the Emirati coast on May 12 were attacked using "naval mines almost certainly from Iran", Bolton told a press conference. "There's no doubt in anybody's mind in Washington who's responsible for this," he said in a clear reference to Iran. Bolton however declined to provide specific evidence for Iran's hand in the attacks. "Not going to get into the specifics. That's something the ship owners and the countries involved will release at their discretion. But I think it's important for the leadership in Iran to know that we know," he said. - 'Evil desires for chaos' - Iran strongly rejected the accusation. "Making such laughable claims... is not strange" coming from the US, foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said. "Mr Bolton and other warmongers and chaos seekers should know that the strategic patience, high vigilance and complete defensive readiness of the Islamic Republic of Iran... will prevent the fulfilment of their evil desires for chaos in the region," Mousavi added. US experts are part of a five-nation team that is investigating the attacks off the UAE emirate of Fujairah. Story continues Two days after they took place Yemen's Huthi rebels -- accused by Abu Dhabi and Riyadh of being proxies of Tehran -- hit a strategic diversionary pipeline in Saudi Arabia with two drones. The east-west pipeline, which has the capacity to carry some five million barrels per day from the oilfields of the kingdom's Gulf coast to the Red Sea, was shut for two days as a result of the attack. Bolton said that there has also been "an unsuccessful attack on the Saudi port of Yanbu a couple of days before the attack on tankers." Yanbu is Saudi Arabia's largest oil terminal on the Red Sea and is home to oil refineries and export facilities. - 'Trying to be prudent' - Bolton said he would meet Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan as well as his UAE counterpart, Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, to discuss relations and regional tensions. "We are responding and consulting more closely with our allies in the region to discuss what to do next," he said. "We are trying to be prudent and responsible. We gathered evidence about the nature of attacks on the tankers and the east-west pipeline, and sent additional forces to act as a deterrent." Bolton was due to leave the UAE later Wednesday for London as part of preparations for a visit there by US President Donald Trump. Fujairah, where the attacks took place, is a key oil export terminal on the Sea of Oman that spares tankers the need to enter the Gulf through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has repeatedly threatened to close. Regional tensions have spiked since Trump's administration reimposed sanctions against Iran after Washington unilaterally pulled out of a multilateral 2015 nuclear accord signed with the Islamic republic. The Trump administration has ordered non-essential diplomatic staff out of Iraq, citing threats from Iranian-backed Iraqi armed groups. But Trump appeared to soften his hawkish tone towards Tehran, saying during a visit to Japan on Monday that his government does not seek "regime change". Bolton said Washington wants to prevent the Islamic republic from producing nuclear weapons, downplaying differences in the US administration on the issue. "There's no mistake here. That we all have the same objective of keeping Iran from getting deliverable nuclear weapons." LONDON (Reuters) - Iran will not negotiate over its nuclear and missile programs with the United States, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday, after President Hassan Rouhani signaled talks with Washington might be possible if sanctions were lifted. Khamenei was quoted as saying on his website: "We said before that we will not negotiate with America, because negotiation has no benefit and carries harm." (Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin; editing by John Stonestreet) By Bozorgmehr Sharafedin LONDON (Reuters) - Iran will not negotiate with the United States, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday, after President Hassan Rouhani signaled talks with Washington might be possible if sanctions were lifted. Washington withdrew last year from an international nuclear deal signed with Tehran in 2015, and it is ratcheting up sanctions in efforts to shut down Iran's economy by ending its international sales of crude oil. U.S. President Donald Trump condemned the accord, signed by his predecessor Barack Obama, as flawed for not being permanent and for not covering Irans ballistic missile program and role in conflicts around the Middle East. Trump said on Monday he was hopeful Iran would come to negotiating table to reach a new deal: "I really believe that Iran would like to make a deal ... and I think that's a possibility to happen." Khamenei was quoted as saying on his website: "We said before that we will not negotiate with America, because negotiation has no benefit and carries harm." Khamenei said Iran had no problems negotiating with Europeans and other countries, but added, "We will not negotiate over the core values of the revolution. We will not negotiate over our military capabilities." Earlier in the day, Rouhani had taken a more positive stance. In remarks carried by state television, he said: "Whenever they lift the unjust sanctions and fulfill their commitments and return to the negotiations table, which they left themselves, the door is not closed." "But our people judge you by your actions, not your words." Khamenei has the final say in all major policies under Iran's dual system, split between the clerical establishment and the government. He is also the head of the armed forces. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Tuesday that Iran saw no prospect of negotiations with the United States. Last week the Pentagon announced the deployment of 900 additional troops to the Middle East, and extended the deployment of another 600 service members in the region, describing it as an effort to bolster defenses against Iran. Speaking with reporters en route to Indonesia on Wednesday, acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said the additional troops announced last week would be going to Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Without giving details or evidence, Shanahan said that while the Iranian posture had changed recently, the threat remained. He added that sending military assets into the region, such as deploying bombers, Patriot missiles and accelerating the movement of an aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East, had helped deter attacks against Americans in Iraq. U.S. national security adviser John Bolton also said on Wednesday naval mines "almost certainly from Iran" were used to attack oil tankers off the United Arab Emirates this month, and warned Tehran against conducting new operations. Mousavi dismissed Bolton's remarks as a "ludicrous claim". (Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin in London, Idrees Ali in Jakarta, and Dubai newsroom; Editing by Hugh Lawson, Alison Williams and Frances Kerry) Baghdad (AFP) - A Baghdad court sentenced a Frenchman to death on Wednesday for joining the Islamic State group, bringing to seven the number of French jihadists on death row in Iraq. Yassin Sakkam was among 12 French citizens transferred to Iraqi authorities in January by a US-backed force fighting the jihadist group in Syria. "I admit to having sworn allegiance" to IS, he told the court, saying he was paid $70 (62 euros) a month. He added that he regretted his decision to join the group, and asked to be pardoned. Sakkam, now 29, left France in late 2014 to fight for IS, posting online pictures of himself carrying arms and speaking to multiple media outlets about IS. He became one of the most notorious jihadists in France, which has been seeking his arrest since 2016. Kurdish authorities detained him in Syria in 2017. His brother Karim carried out a suicide attack at the Iraqi-Jordanian border in 2015, according to the French Terrorism Analysis Centre (CAT). Sakkam's sentence came despite France reiterating its opposition to capital punishment this week amid a series of similar judgments against French citizens handed to Baghdad. Iraq has taken custody of thousands of jihadists in recent months after they were captured in neighbouring Syria by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) during the battle to destroy the IS "caliphate". They include hundreds of foreigners suspected of IS membership, raising the question of whether suspected IS jihadists should be tried in the region or repatriated. France has long insisted that its adult citizens captured in Iraq or Syria must face trial locally, while reiterating its opposition to capital punishment. Iraqi law provides for the death penalty for anyone joining a "terrorist group" -- even those who did not take up arms. Also on Wednesday, an Iraqi court sentenced Tunisian Mohammed Berriri to death for joining IS, after a hearing lasting less than an hour. Story continues Berriri, 24, admitted to joining the group, saying he thought it was "defending the weak", but said he now regretted doing so. Sakkam and the six other French citizens handed death sentences in recent days have 30 days to appeal. The remaining five French suspects face trial in the coming days. The trials have been criticised by human rights groups, which say they often rely on evidence obtained through torture. In a statement sent to AFP, a group representing the families of French jihadists asked the government in Paris to "do everything possible to stop this fatal chain of death sentences" and to try them "on our soil". On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said France was stepping up efforts to stop Iraq executing those convicted. By Ahmed Rasheed BAGHDAD, May 29 (Reuters) - An Iraqi court sentenced two men, a French citizen and a Tunisian, to death on Wednesday after finding them guilty of joining Islamic State, a prosecutor told Reuters. The latest ruling brings the total number of French citizens facing the death penalty to seven, with another five French men due to stand trial next week on the same charges, and when they will likely face the same fate, he said. "They all worked in the same terror group, the same evidence that was enough to convict the others is there to warrant the death penalty, but it is up to the judge," said the prosecutor, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Tuesday that France was intensifying diplomatic efforts to prevent six of its citizens being executed in Iraq after they were sentenced to death for belonging to Islamic State. Iraq is conducting trials of thousands of suspected Islamic State fighters, including hundreds of foreigners, with many arrested as the group's strongholds crumbled throughout Iraq. The French government has refused to take back Islamic State fighters and their wives, although a handful of children have been repatriated. It has called the adults "enemies" of the nation, saying they should face justice either in Syria or Iraq. With no recognized legal system in the Kurdish Syrian areas, Western countries have not opposed the transfer of some jihadists from the region to Iraq to face justice. More than a dozen French jihadists have already been transferred. The men sentenced this week were extradited to Iraq in February and military sources at the time said that 14 French citizens were among 280 Iraqi and foreign detainees handed over by the U.S-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). (Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed; Writing by Ahmed Aboulenein Editing by Alexandra Hudson) By Conor Humphries DUBLIN (Reuters) - It is too late to tweak the Irish "backstop" mechanism in Britain's EU withdrawal agreement, a senior Irish minister said on Wednesday after several candidates to replace British Prime Minister Theresa May said it must be changed. The backstop, which requires Britain to adopt some EU rules indefinitely unless a future arrangement is found to keep open the land border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, was the key reason May failed to secure parliamentary backing for her withdrawal deal. Asked if there was any chance at all of tweaking the backstop, Irish Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said the European Union and several of its leaders had made clear this week that the divorce agreement would not be opened again. "If anyone in the UK involved in this process... had a better idea than the backstop, then they have had many years to table that idea," he told journalists in Dublin. "If there is consensus that we do not want to see the return of a hard border on the island of Ireland... all paths do lead back to the backstop," he said. Asked if an earlier alternate arrangement that would see the EU rules only adopted in Northern Ireland might be acceptable now, Donohoe repeated that the terms of the deal had been agreed. The Northern Ireland only backstop option was rejected by the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party, whose 10 members of parliament the British government needs to pass legislation. Donohoe said the Irish government was aware that many candidates for May's job appeared open to leaving the European Union without a deal, which would have "many serious consequences" for Ireland. But he said Dublin had no choice but to let the process conclude within the United Kingdom. Britain will automatically leave the EU on Oct. 31 without an agreement unless parliament approves one first, the EU grants an extension, or the government revokes its decision to leave. (Editing by Padraic Halpin and Stephen Powell) Pic: Getty The 15 companies with all-male boards on Irelands stock exchange have until the end of 2019 to appoint a female director if they are to meet a new Irish government target. The Balance for Better Business government working group said on Wednesday that the boards of the countrys 20 biggest listed companies should be at least a third female by the end of 2023. The group, which was created in July 2018, decided against imposing gender quotas, however, instead creating targets for listed companies. We have had a robust debate on the merits of targets versus quotas and have elected, at this stage, to recommend targets, said the authors of the groups report. The proportion of women on the boards of major Irish companies is significantly lower that that of other EU member states and other international high-performing economies, according to the report. Just over 16.4% of directors of all Irish listed companies are women. The report will be launched on Wednesday by the Irish finance minister, Paschal Donohoe. While there has been progress in many of the largest companies, almost one third of companies listed on the Euronext Dublin markets do not have any women board members, the report says. The group will review the gender balance at senior executive level and in privately held companies in future reports. Recent government statistics show that only around 12% of large companies those with 250 or more employees have female CEOs, and that women occupy less than a third of senior executive roles. We strongly believe that change must not be just about tokenism or a numbers game and must have a deeper business and societal impact, the report says. * Knesset votes 74-45 to dissolve itself * Paves way for second election this year JERUSALEM, May 30 (Reuters) - Israeli lawmakers voted to dissolve parliament early on Thursday, paving the way for a new election after veteran Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a coalition government before a midnight deadline. The ballot is widely expected to take place in September, the second this year. It represented unprecedented upheaval, commentators said, even in a country used to political infighting, and dealt a blow to Netanyahu, who had claimed victory in the last vote, held on April 9. Parliament's 74-to-45 vote took place just minutes after a midnight deadline for Netanyahu to form a coalition. He is set to become Israel's longest-serving prime minister in the summer. The turmoil arose from a feud between Netanyahu's presumed allies - ex-defense minister Avigdor Lieberman, a far-right secularist, and ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties - over military conscription. The religious parties do not want young ultra-Orthodox seminary students to be forced to serve in the military. But Lieberman and many other Israelis want them to share the burden of mandatory military duty. Yet a new election represents less of a setback for Netanyahu than the alternative - in which Israel's president, Reuven Rivlin, could have asked another politician to try and form a ruling coalition. Faced with the prospect of having to step aside and watch one of his political rivals push him to the margins, Netanyahu instead drummed up votes to dissolve the 120-seat Knesset. (Reporting by Reporting by Stephen Farrell and Dan Williams; editing by Grant McCool) Senior Trump administration officials, including the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Thursday even as Israel faced an unprecedented political stalemate. Netanyahu failed to form a new governing coalition on Wednesday, a stunning setback that will trigger a second election just seven weeks after the Israeli leader's Likud party appeared poised to command a majority in parliament. Kushner, a senior adviser to President Donald Trump, arrived in Jerusalem amid the political chaos to pitch part of his Middle East peace plan, which now seems imperiled by the developments in Israel. The Trump administration has been banking on Netanyahu's staunch support to help bolster the yet-to-be-released plan, which Trump has touted as the "deal of the century." But the Israeli leader's own future now is in doubt after he was unable to resolve a dispute between Likud's two potential coalition partners. Trump and Netanyahu:: How two leaders reap political rewards from their cozy relationship Israel's national assembly, the Knesset, voted to dissolve itself on Wednesday after it became clear that Netanyahu would be unable to bridge the gap between a secular ultranationalist party and ultra-Orthodox factions. Netanyahu is reportedly the first Israeli prime minister who has failed to form a governing coalition after an election, and voters will now have to go back to the polls on Sept. 17. Amid the uncertainty, Kushner and Nethanyahu pressed ahead with their planned meeting. They were joined by other Trump administration officials, including Jason Greenblatt, the president's special representative for Israel-Palestinian negotiations. They're touring the region in an effort to recruit participants for an economic workshop in Bahrain next month that they've touted as the first step in the peace proposal. "How's everything?" Kusher asked Netanyahu, according to an account in the Jerusalem Post. Story continues Netanyahu insisted the political setback would not impact his negotiations with the Trump administration on a broad range of issues. Even though we had a little event last night, it is not going to stop us, Netanyahu reportedly told reporters. We are going to continue working together." He said Kushner's visit "reaffirms that the alliance with the United States of America has never been stronger, and is going to get stronger. Trump has formed a deep alliance with Netanyahu, making a series of controversial pro-Israel policy decisions that have alienated Palestinians. Even before the latest developments, Kushner's peace proposal faced deep skepticism from the Arab world and fierce opposition from Palestinian leaders. Now, experts said Kushner may not even ever release the plan, let alone make a real push for its acceptance. He has already delayed its unveiling multiple times. "The political plan will never see the light of day," Tamara Cofman Wittes, a Middle East expert at the Brookings Institute, a Washington think tank, predicted in a tweet Wednesday. A White House spokesman did not respond to questions about the fate of Kushner's peace proposal. But State Department spokeswoman Morgan Orgatus said she did not expect the Bahrain economic meeting to be delayed. "We are not anticipating any changes," Orgatus told reporters at a State Department briefing Thursday. But there's no doubt that Netanyahu will be distracted by the new election. In the April contest, his conservative Likud party won about the same number of parliamentary seats as his main challenger, Benny Gantz, a centrist former military chief. But because of Netanyahu's alliance with other conservative factions, Israel's president, Reuven Rivlin, gave Netanyahu the first chance to form a governing coalition, with a deadline of midnight on Wednesday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu The immediate cause of Netanyahu's failure was a dispute between Avigdor Lieberman, who leads the small, secular Yisrael Beitenu faction, and the ultra-Orthodox Israeli factions, over new legislation that would alter who is eligible for Israel's military draft. Lieberman does not support exempting ultra-Orthodox men from military service. Without Liebermans five parliamentary seats, Netanyahu has no parliamentary majority. But the underlying issue is Netanyahus legal troubles. He faces a likely indictment on corruption charges in the coming months, and he has pressed his coalition partners to pass legislation that would grant him immunity from prosecution. Opposition parties strongly oppose granting Netanyahu immunity, meaning he had no alternatives to Lieberman's party as he tried to form his coalition. Trump weighed in on Netanyahu's behalf earlier this week with a tweet that critics said amounted to interference in another country's political affairs. "Hoping things will work out with Israel's coalition formation and Bibi and I can continue to make the alliance between America and Israel stronger than ever," Trump tweeted on Monday. "A lot more to do!" Hoping things will work out with Israel's coalition formation and Bibi and I can continue to make the alliance between America and Israel stronger than ever. A lot more to do! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 27, 2019 Trump has made a series of controversial pro-Israel policy decisions, in what often seemed like an effort to boost Netanyahu's political prospects. And on Monday, Netanyahu seized on Trump's message as he tried to break the impasse. But it was not enough and Israeli voters will now head back to the polls in a few months. Contributing: Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump's son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner meets with Israeli leader amid political chaos Jerusalem (AFP) - Israel's parliament voted early Thursday to hold new elections only months after April polls in an unprecedented move provoked by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's attempts to remain in power despite failing to form a coalition. Parliament voted 74-45 in favour of dissolving itself and setting elections for September 17. It came as the deadline for Netanyahu to form a coalition expired and followed raucous moments in parliament that saw opposition members chant "Shame!" The vote was prompted by Netanyahu's failure to reach a coalition deal even though his Likud party, along with its right-wing and religious allies, won a majority of 65 of 120 seats in the April 9 elections. In a matter of weeks, Netanyahu has shifted from victory celebrations to tense, behind-the-scenes efforts to ensure his long tenure in power continues, eventually opting for new elections. The move prevents Netanyahu's nightmare scenario of Israeli President Reuven Rivlin selecting another person to try to form a government, but also sends the country into what is likely to be another divisive election campaign. Holding elections so close to together will be unprecedented for Israel and the stakes could not be much higher for the 69-year-old premier. Netanyahu is facing possible indictment for bribery, fraud and breach of trust in the months ahead and is reportedly seeking legislation in the new parliament that would result in him being granted immunity. He is also on track to become Israel's longest-serving prime minister in July, surpassing founding father David Ben-Gurion -- and he is no doubt aware of the weighty milestone. - 'Capitulation' - His efforts to form a new coalition hit a brick wall due to ex-defence minister Avigdor Lieberman's refusal to abandon a key demand, with his nationalist Yisrael Beitenu party's five seats just enough to torment Netanyahu. Lieberman wants legislation he supports aimed at having ultra-Orthodox Jews perform mandatory military service, like other Jewish Israelis, to be approved without changes. Story continues The issue is highly sensitive in Israel and the legislation is opposed by ultra-Orthodox parties, who control 16 seats in parliament and are a key part of Netanyahu's alliance. Netanyahu sought to place full blame on Lieberman after the parliament vote, alleging he "had no intention to reach agreements and just wanted to bring down the government." "We will have a clear and strong election campaign and win," he said. Lieberman repeatedly described his refusal to go along as a matter of principle. He has long championed the issue and speaks out regularly against attempts by the ultra-Orthodox to impose religious restrictions on Israeli society at large. "Everything that was proposed, all the so-called compromises, were intended to waste time and fade out the law," Lieberman said as he entered parliament ahead of the vote. "It's a capitulation to the ultra-Orthodox." - 'Part of the left' - While the prime minister and Likud members blamed Lieberman, others pointed to Netanyahu's legal troubles as an obstacle. The main opposition Blue and White, a centrist alliance involving several former military chiefs, said a unity deal with Likud would be possible if Netanyahu would allow someone else from his party to form a government. Blue and White's leaders say they cannot join a government led by Netanyahu due to the corruption allegations he faces while the premier is seen as wanting partners willing to support legislation that could result in his immunity. But there was no sign of Likud members being willing to turn against Netanyahu. Netanyahu's outgoing government is seen as the most right-wing in Israel's history, and the coalition he sought to form following the April 9 vote would have been similar if not further to the right. The upcoming campaign is likely to be fought along similar lines, with Netanyahu already seeking to label Lieberman "part of the left." While Lieberman has made his stand on the military conscription issue, his dispute with Netanyahu also runs much deeper. The two men have been both allies and rivals for much of their political careers, with Lieberman serving as head of the prime minister's office during part of Netanyahu's first term in 1996. Jerusalem (AFP) - The wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reached a plea bargain with prosecutors over accusations she used state funds to fraudulently pay for hundreds of meals, media reports said Wednesday. Sara Netanyahu had been charged with fraud and breach of trust in June 2018 for allegedly misusing state funds to pay for catered meals costing $100,000 (85,000 euros) by falsely declaring there were no cooks available at the prime minister's official residence. According to Israeli media reports, she agreed to reimburse the state 45,000 shekels ($12,440, 11,160 euros) and pay another 10,000 shekels ($2,770, 2,480 euros) as a fine as part of the plea deal. She will also admit the relatively light charge of exploiting the mistake of another person, according to the reports. The agreement would have to be approved by the court. Spokespeople for the court administration, justice department and Netanyahu family refused to comment on the reports. According to the indictment, between 2010 and 2013, Sara Netanyahu, her family and guests "fraudulently (received) from the state hundreds of prepared meals" ordered from a variety of well-known Jerusalem businesses. Netanyahu, 60 and a high-profile presence at her husband's side throughout his long tenure in office, denied any wrongdoing throughout the trial. She has also faced accusations of mistreating staff, and in 2016 a court awarded some $47,000 in damages to a former housekeeper who accused the couple of repeated workplace abuse. Separately, Benjamin Netanyahu is facing possible indictment for bribery, fraud and breach of trust in the months ahead and is reportedly seeking legislation that would result in him being granted immunity. He has been unable to form a governing coalition following April elections and has until a Wednesday night deadline to do so. The deadlocked coalition negotiations may result in snap elections only months after the previous vote. Jerusalem (AFP) - Israel announced Wednesday it had tightened restrictions on Palestinian fishing off the blockaded Gaza Strip after more balloons fitted with firebombs were floated from the enclave into its territory. The zone it allows Gaza fishermen was reduced to a maximum of 10 nautical miles from 15, COGAT, the Israeli defence ministry unit that oversees such regulations, said. The move came just days after Israel restored the fishing limit to the 15 nautical mile maximum after a previous cut in response to fire balloons last week. Palestinians in Gaza have frequently floated balloons fitted with firebombs over the border to damage Israeli property and have succeeded in setting fire to large areas of farmland. Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza, run by Islamist movement Hamas, have fought three wars since 2008. JERUSALEM (AP) Israel's prime minister has been a vocal critic of Iran over the years, accusing the Islamic Republic of sinister intentions at every opportunity. But the outspoken Benjamin Netanyahu has remained uncharacteristically quiet throughout the current crisis between the U.S. and Iran. While Israel has welcomed Washington's pressure on Tehran, the crisis has nonetheless put Netanyahu in a delicate position, not wanting to be seen as pushing the Americans into a military confrontation and wary of being drawn into fighting with Iran's powerful proxy, the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. "In recent developments, Israel has taken the backseat. There's one reason for this: it's not in Israel's interest to take the lead," said Yoel Guzansky, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies, a Tel Aviv think tank, and former Iran analyst in the prime minister's office. It's a new look for Netanyahu, who has made Iran his top priority during his decade-long tenure. Netanyahu has repeatedly accused Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons a charge it denies and criticized its support for anti-Israel militants, development of long-range missiles and frequent calls for Israel's destruction. He has compared the Islamic Republic to Nazi Germany, and famously gave a speech to the U.S. Congress against the U.S.-led international nuclear deal with Iran in 2015. The speech infuriated then-President Barack Obama, and remains a sore spot with U.S. Democrats. Since President Donald Trump was elected, things have shifted in Netanyahu's favor. The Israeli leader strongly encouraged Trump's decision last year to withdraw from the nuclear deal. He also has welcomed the renewal and tightening of U.S. sanctions on Iran. The U.S. pullout from the nuclear deal, which gave Iran relief from painful economic sanctions in exchange for limits on its nuclear activities, lies at the root of the current crisis. Story continues Echoing Israel's arguments, Trump has said the deal failed to sufficiently curb Iran's ability to develop a nuclear-weapons capability and did not address Tehran's support for militant groups and its missile program. The renewed sanctions, meanwhile, have sent Iran's economy into freefall. In recent weeks, tensions have soared as the U.S. beefed up its military presence in the Gulf in response to a still-unexplained threat from Iran. The U.S. also has accused Iran of being behind a string of incidents, including alleged sabotage of oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and a rocket that landed near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, while Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi rebels have launched a string of drone attacks targeting Saudi Arabia. Iran in turn has announced it is quadrupling its production capacity of low-enriched uranium, making it likely the country will soon exceed stockpile limits set by the nuclear accord. Iran also gave Europe a July 7 deadline to set new terms for a nuclear deal or it will enrich uranium at higher levels, closer to weapons grade. If Iran begins ramping up uranium enrichment, all eyes will turn to Israel, which in the past has issued veiled threats to strike and carried out similar assaults on Syrian and Iraqi nuclear facilities. Earlier in this decade, Israeli officials strongly considered attacking Iranian nuclear installations, though doing so would be a difficult task. Iran, about 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) from Israel, has a sophisticated air defense system and has spread out its nuclear facilities, building some underground or in the side of a mountain. All of this has made Netanyahu's low profile especially noticeable. In a recent speech, he repeated his longstanding position that Israel will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. Otherwise, he and other officials have said little, trying to portray the standoff as a U.S.-Iran dispute. Israeli Cabinet minister Tzachi Hanegbi, who is close to Netanyahu, said earlier this month that he sees two potential outcomes of the crisis, both of which he described as good for Israel. The Iranians, he said, will meet U.S. demands, return to negotiations and reach a new and improved agreement, or there will be a conflict. "I don't really believe that the Iranians or the Americans are currently seeking a conflict," Hangebi told the Army Radio station. If there is one, Iran stands no chance against a super power like America, he said. Guzansky, the Tel Aviv researcher, said Israel has to be careful about being seen as encouraging the U.S. to attack Iran. In 2002, a year before the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Netanyahu, as a private citizen, testified to Congress that toppling Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein would be a "good choice" that would benefit the region. "Israel cannot risk being seen as the one who led the U.S. and Iran to a confrontation, in the case of a loss of American lives. The price in U.S. public opinion and in world leaders' opinions would be too high," Guzansky said. He said the fact that Israel has become a "very partisan" issue with support much stronger among Republicans than Democrats added to the risk. For now, Israeli officials believe the risk of a direct confrontation with Iran remains unlikely. Instead, they believe the biggest immediate threat is the possibility of Iran unleashing its regional proxies along Israel's borders Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria and Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip as retaliation for a U.S. attack. Even that scenario seems distant. Israeli officials say the situation on the ground has not changed fundamentally. Israel has closely monitored Hezbollah and its other enemies for years, and occasionally acts against them. Israel has acknowledged carrying out hundreds of airstrikes against Iranian and Hezbollah positions in Syria in recent years. On Monday, for instance, the Israeli military said it struck an anti-aircraft position in Syria after it fired at an Israeli warplane. "We monitor," said an Israeli military official. "We're not looking to escalate." He spoke on condition of anonymity under army protocol. But it may be difficult for Israel to keep its distance if fighting breaks out between the U.S. and Iran. Yaakov Amidror, Netanyahu's former national security adviser, said the biggest threat to Israel, by far, is Hezbollah, a powerful militant group that fought Israel to a stalemate during a 2006 war. Since then, Hezbollah has gained valuable battlefield experience fighting alongside government troops in Syria's civil war and is believed to have amassed a vast arsenal of missiles aimed at Israel. "We'd have to face 130,000 rockets and missiles. It would lead to a devastating war," Amidror said. "Israel would be in the direct line of fire and the burden would fall on our shoulders directly." ___ Associated Press writers Ilan Ben Zion and Isabel DeBre in Jerusalem contributed to this report. Japanese police on Wednesday searched the home of the man behind a stabbing rampage in the town of Kawasaki a day earlier that killed two people, including a child. The 51-year-old attacker, identified by police as Ryuichi Iwasaki, died after stabbing himself after the rampage, and his motives for the horrifying assault remain unclear. On Wednesday police searched his home, not far from the scene of the morning attack, seizing unspecified material, public broadcaster NHK reported. Local media said Iwasaki was living with relatives in their 80s, but gave no further details. His occupation was unknown. Police had no comment on the investigation and declined to offer any further details about the attacker. The rampage in the town south of Tokyo on Tuesday morning killed two people -- 11-year-old schoolgirl Hanako Kuribayashi and a 39-year-old parent identified as government official Satoshi Oyama, a Myanmar specialist. Seventeen more people, mainly young children, were injured, according to authorities. Iwasaki crept up silently behind pupils of the Caritas school as they waited for a bus and began slashing randomly at them with knives held in both hands before fatally stabbing himself in the neck. Local media, citing police sources, said Wednesday that the attack took less than 20 seconds to unfold and that two additional knives were discovered inside the attacker's backpack, which he had left at a nearby convenience store. - Motive still unclear - Limited details emerged late Wednesday about the attacker, although his motive remained unclear. NHK, citing local officials, said the suspect had been living with his uncle and aunt and that they and other relatives had consulted with Kawasaki city officials 14 times between November 2017 and January 2019 over their concerns about Iwasaki. They told local officials that he had not held a job for a long time and had "hikikomori tendencies," using a term in Japanese for people who shut themselves off from the outside world, often for years. Story continues But his relatives subsequently told the city to hold off contacting Iwasaki, officials said. Neighbours said they had little interaction with the middle-aged man. A female neighbour told Kyodo news agency that Iwasaki had said good morning to her 40 minutes before carrying out the attack, an interaction she described as unusual. The news agency said Iwasaki was believed to have gone to local schools as a child, but there was no confirmation. A man who identified himself as having taught Iwasaki in junior high school -- when the suspect was around 14 -- told NHK he was "not the kind of child who stands out". "He and his friends would shove each other playfully, but he didn't attack anyone violently," the teacher said. In the wake of the attack, Japan's government said it would review measures to ensure the safety of children travelling to and from school. Japan has one of the lowest rates of violent crime in the developed world, and it is common for even young children to take public transport alone to and from school. "The whole government will work in unison to ensure the children's safety," government spokesman Yoshihide Suga told reporters after a ministerial meeting on the issue. The attack shocked Japan, where violent crime is vanishingly rare, in part because of strict regulations on gun ownership. On Wednesday morning, people were still arriving at the scene of the attack to lay flowers and other tributes to those killed. Mourners in Japan sometimes bring drinks or food that the deceased enjoyed to their gravesites, and bottles of soda and juice could be seen Wednesday at the scene of the attack. The school will be closed for the rest of the week, and officials said on Tuesday that they would offer students mental health support after the attack. May 29 (Reuters) - Alex Trebek, the long-time host of television game show "Jeopardy!" and one of U.S. television's most recognizable personalities, said in an interview published on Wednesday that doctors have told him that his deadly pancreatic cancer is now "near remission." The 78-year-old Canadian-born host revealed in a video in March that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, but vowed to beat the disease despite its low survival rate. "It's kind of mind-boggling," Trebek said in an interview with People magazine. "The doctors said they hadn't seen this kind of positive result in their memory ... some of the tumors have already shrunk by more than 50 percent." Stage 4 typically means the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, and the five-year survival rate for such advanced pancreatic cancer is 3 percent, according to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. But Trebek said he has been responding very well to chemotherapy, according to the magazine. "Jeopardy!," which Trebek has hosted since 1984, is among the most watched quiz shows in the U.S. and Canadian television markets. (Reporting by Peter Szekely in New York; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe) Following special counsel Robert Muellers first public statement about the two-year investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler declared, With respect to [the] impeachment question at this point, all options are on the table. And nothing should be ruled out, said Rep. Nadler, D-N.Y., who made a statement to reporters Wednesday. What special counsel Mueller said loud and clear today for the American people is that President Trump is lying when he says no collusion, no obstruction and that he was exonerated. A few hours earlier, Mueller, in his first public statement since the probe into Russian influence over the 2016 election began in May 2017, announced that his office was formally closing and he was resigning to return to private life. Although Trump said Muellers statement marked an official end to the investigation into his campaign and administration, Democrats, including presidential candidates, responded to Muellers statement with redoubled calls for impeachment. Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and special counsel Robert Mueller (Photos: Richard Drew/AP; Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images) The case is closed! Trump tweeted shortly after Muellers 10-minute statement at the Department of Justice concluded. Mueller took no questions. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., one of the first Democrats to call for impeachment after reading the full report upon its release, said, Muellers statement makes clear what those who have read his report know: It is an impeachment referral, and its up to Congress to act. They should. What Robert Mueller basically did was return an impeachment referral, wrote Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif. Now it is up to Congress to hold this president accountable. We need to start impeachment proceedings. It's our constitutional obligation. And Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., the only Republican to call for impeachment proceedings after the Mueller report was released, said, The ball is in our court, Congress. Mueller did not specifically refer to impeachment in his remarks. Story continues Congressional Democrats have sought Muellers testimony and are considering a subpoena if necessary, but Mueller affirmed that the offices written work speaks for itself and the report is my testimony. Special counsel Mueller today repeated three central points which are critical for the American people, Nadler said. One, the special counsel did not exonerate the president of the United States of obstruction of justice. Two, obstruction of justice, of which special counsel Mueller found substantial evidence, is a serious crime that strikes at the core of our justice system. Three, the Constitution points to Congress to take action to hold the president accountable for his misconduct. Unfortunately, he continued, special counsel Mueller was unable to pursue criminal charges against the president because the Department of Justice policy prevents a sitting president from being prosecuted. That policy, in my opinion, is wrong, but it prevented special counsel from pursuing justice to the fullest extent possible. Therefore, Nadler said, it falls to Congress to respond to the crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump. We will do so. He added: Make no mistake, no one not even the president of the United States is above the law. Mueller was appointed to investigate efforts by the Russian government to influence the U.S. election and the Trump campaigns response to the interference. The 448-page report concluded in its first part that there was no broader conspiracy between Trumps campaign and Russia. The probe also looked into possible obstruction of justice by or on behalf of the president. Trump had previously declared total and complete exoneration after the investigation ended in March, based on a summary by Attorney General William Barr, and again when the report was released to the public a month later, despite a passage saying that while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. Nadler accused the president of lying about the special counsels findings, lying and saying that the special counsel found no obstruction and no collusion and I should add the attorney general is lying about that too. That is serious and we will take action to hold the president accountable for his misconduct, he said. Mueller assured that in the investigation into obstruction, if we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so. We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime. The introduction to the volume II of our report explains that decision. It explains that under long-standing department policy a president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office, continued Mueller. That is unconstitutional. Even if the charge is kept under seal and hidden from public view, that too is prohibited. The special counsel office is part of the Department of Justice and by regulation it was bound by that department policy. Mueller said, Charging the president with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider. He added, Beyond department policy, we were guided by principles of fairness. It would be unfair to potentially accuse somebody of a crime when there can be no court resolution of the actual charge. When asked if he still plans to subpoena Mueller, who made clear he had nothing to add beyond what was in the report, Nadler said, Mr. Mueller told us a lot of what we needed to hear today. He reaffirmed what was in the investigation, which was in the report about the investigation, which found substantial evidence that Russia attacked out political system, said Nadler. That the Trump campaign benefited from Russia interference, that Trump and those around him repeatedly welcomed Russias support and through the investigation, Trump sought to obstruct justice and undermine Mueller and the investigation over and over again. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: King Mohammed VI hosted Tuesday an iftar, a fast breaking meal, in honor of President Trumps son-in law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, Moroccan News Channel Al Oula reported. Earlier, the Sovereign held talks with Jared Kushner on strengthening the long-standing, strong and multidimensional strategic partnership between Morocco and the United States, as well as latest developments in the Middle East and North Africa region. Kushner, who is tasked with the Israeli-Palestinian peace plan, described by President Trump as the Deal of the Century, arrived in Morocco earlier Tuesday. He is accompanied by Special Representative for International Negotiations Jason Greenblatt and the US Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook. Kushners visit to Rabat is part of a tour that will also take him to Jordan and Israel. According to several US media, including CNN, the tour takes place in preparation for Washingtons upcoming economic conference scheduled for June 25-26 in Bahrain and the Moroccan stop is pivotal given that King Mohammed VI leads the Al-Quds Committee, created by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, that seeks to protect and promote Jerusalem as a religious, architectural and cultural hub. The US media also recalled that earlier this year, Pope Francis and King Mohammed VI signed a joint declaration that declared Jerusalem to be a symbol of peaceful coexistence for Christians, Jews and Muslims. The conference planned in Bahrain will focus on the economic portion of the peace plan, which seeks a multi-billion dollar investment in the region to spur the Palestinian and surrounding economies should a peace agreement be reached. The Palestinian leaders have rejected the US-sponsored economic conference, announcing that they will not attend the event and emphasizing that the plan aims to force Palestinians to sell their country. English actor John Cleese poses for photos as he walks on the red carpet to receive Sarajevo Film Festival's top honour award, the Heart of Sarajevo Award, in Sarajevo, Bosnia, on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2017. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) John Cleese has criticised Londoners for voting to remain in the European Union. The 79-year-old Fawlty Towers star - who revealed last year he was moving to the Caribbean because he is disappointed with Britain - accused the capital city of not being English. Cleese tweeted: Some years ago I opined that London was not really an English city any more. Since then, virtually all my friends from abroad have confirmed my observation So there must be some truth in it... Read more: John Cleese embroiled in row over female comedians talking about their vaginas I note also that London was the UK city that voted most strongly to remain in the EU. Writer Caitlin Moran and the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan were among those to respond to Cleeses post. Khan accused Cleese of sounding like his famous character, bumbling hotelier Basil Fawlty. These comments make John Cleese sound like hes in character as Basil Fawlty. Londoners know that our diversity is our greatest strength. We are proudly the English capital, a European city and a global hub. https://t.co/ZRkNKF3n38 Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) May 29, 2019 Writer Caitlin Moran retorted: I hope there's a old Nevisian comedian ready to moan about how Charlestown won't "really be a Nevisian town any more. [sic]" John Cleese is in the process of moving to Nevis, in the Caribbean. I hope there's a old Nevisian comedian ready to moan about how Charlestown won't "really be a Nevisian town any more." Goddamn immigrants. https://t.co/jp8WA3gLgn Caitlin Moran (@caitlinmoran) May 29, 2019 Comedian Dom Joly pointed out Cleese no longer lives in London and TV presenter Rik Edwards tweeted he had fallen out of love with the Monty Python star. Story continues a man writes from Nevis Dom Joly (@domjoly) May 29, 2019 Just when you think you can't love John Cleese any more!! It turns out you can't. Rick Edwards (@rickedwards1) May 29, 2019 Presenter Anila Chowdry claimed Cleese failed to recognise the benefits of multiculturalism. John Cleese, your comment is not only ironic as you live in the Caribbean, but it fails to recognise the benefits of multiculturalism AND that people of different colour in London may actually be English too! I was born & bred in England. I'm brown, English & proud. #ThisIsMyHome Anila Chowdhry (@AnilaDhami) May 29, 2019 The Monty Pythons Flying Circus star - who lived in Los Angeles during the 80s and 90s before returning to the UK - has been an open supporter of Brexit, despite previously being a long-time supporter of the Liberal Democrats. Last year he revealed his plans to move to the Caribbean island of Nevis due to his disappointment in the actions of rightwing governments, adding that he found the debate around Brexit, one of the most depressing things about this country. He told BBC2s Newsnight: I just thought to myself: Right Ill just give up and try somewhere else. Cleese described Nevis as Its one of the nicest islands Ive ever been on. The relationship between the races is absolutely superb. The people there are really kind. Read more: John Cleese criticised for Twitter joke about California wildfires In an interview with AFP last year, fellow Python Terry Gilliam called Cleese an idiot for supporting the Leave campaign. English comedian, actor, writer and television presenter Michael Palin poses during a photocall at the MIPCOM 2015 (International Film and Programme Market for Tv, Video,Cable and Satellite) in Cannes, southeastern France, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2015. He presents the series Clangers. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau ) And Michael Palin told the Radio Times in 2016 that he felt ashamed of the racial abuse sparked by the result of the EU Referendum. I dont think the British as a whole are racist at all. But there are some who are pretty vicious, and Im ashamed of the racial attacks and people being shouted out in the street or told to go home, Now its our country. But these are shameful people and it makes me think, with Brexit, where is the better land that weve got? What is this better world? Is it really any better, or is it just a world where people can be abusive? Brexit march: Hundreds of thousands join referendum protest https://t.co/GngBaBBH3R Eric Idle (@EricIdle) March 23, 2019 Eric Idle - who lives in Los Angeles - has spoken out in support of a second referendum regarding the UKs Brexit deal. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK John Lukacs, who died last week at 95, was one of Americas outstanding historians, and one of the most prolific historians in the Western world in the last 60 years. A native of Hungary, he fled the Communist Soviet puppet regime in that country shortly after World War II and was a history professor at a small Roman Catholic womens college (Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia) for 47 years (19471994), the first 27 of those years as chairman of the history department. He lived at Valley Forge and wrote some perceptive analyses of the place of the United States in the world and of European views of America, and even speculated on how the United States might evolve. But his greatest contribution, and it was a very significant one, was as an interpreter of modern European history. As a new American who did not often venture far or lengthily into America, he avoided the temptation of entering too actively into the crowded field of American history. But as a highly cultured and multi-lingual European, he was for nearly half a century one of the leading American commentators on contemporary European history. He styled himself a reactionary, but that was unnecessarily self-demeaning. He was animated by a European skepticism that was always at some variance with the general American tendency to regard even improbable objectives as attainable. And he was not perceptibly made more confident of the potential for American intervention to effect change in other continents by the scale of activity and economic and industrial might of the United States, though he was always grateful and respectful of the fact that that scale, which the world had never before imagined to be possible, enabled the United States to come to the rescue of Europe three times in the 20th century, two witnessed by him. John Lukacs, though more European than American in outlook, was no less a patriotic and proud American, and reconciled in his own views enlightened syntheses of the American and European historical experiences. He was a close friend of American diplomat and foreign-policy theorist George F. Kennan, generally considered the principal architect of the containment strategy that ultimately led to western victory in the Cold War. He shared with Kennan a wariness of any American effort to extend its influence beyond what was necessary to U.S. national security and foreign-policy goals that were attainable at acceptable cost. But he never underestimated what America had done for the Europe he always revered and somewhat romanticized (including in a moving and brilliant memoir of turn-of-the-century Budapest, his native city). Story continues He once told me that when he appeared at the federal building in Valley Forge during the Korean War to hand in his income-tax return, the official who received it said that of all the scores of people who had appeared in the last couple of days for the same purpose, John Lukacs was the only one who was smiling, and asked the reason for that. John replied that he was a refugee from Hungary, that he knew what the United States had done for the defeat of Nazism and fascism and the deterrence of international Communism, and that he calculated that his modest income might yield enough tax revenue to buy one shell for the main armament of an Iowa-class battleship and he was proud to provide it. Johns particular hero was Winston Churchill, an eminently worthy subject of such admiration, even if he tended to ascribe to Mr. Churchill more of Johns own views than the great British prime minister actually espoused. One of the last times I saw John Lukacs was when he was accompanying Sir Winstons daughter, Mary Soames, to Budapest for the dedication of Churchill Square in that city. He believed Winston Churchill was the preeminent European statesman of the 20th century, and we had many lengthy and entirely cordial exchanges in which I suggested that Churchill tried to straddle between Europe, the Commonwealth, and the United States in a way that was beyond Britains strategic post-war competence, though I yielded nothing to him in my admiration of Sir Winston. As a Roosevelt biographer, I had, to some degree, a natural rivalry with him in the attribution of credit for the deliverance of the West in World War II; there was plenty of credit for both. Of his many works, over 30 books published over nearly 60 years, I believe John Lukacss greatest historical observations were of the narrow margin of Churchills victory in the war cabinet for the policy of resistance to the Nazis in late May 1940 as the evacuation from Dunkirk was proceeding (Five Days in London, May 1940); and in the probable reasons for Hitlers invasion of Russia in 1941 (The Hitler of History). As the evacuation from Dunkirk of 338,000 British and French soldiers succeeded, former prime minister Neville Chamberlain and the Labour-party leaders rallied to Churchill against the preferred policy of the foreign secretary, Lord Halifax, to attempt a negotiated peace. It was one of the decisive moments of world history, researched and described by Lukacs concisely, and with gripping drama. The Hitler of History went farther than any previous book in situating Hitler in German cultural history and reasoned that Hitler was advised by his astute ambassador in Washington, Hans Dieckhoff, that Roosevelt would seek a third term and would arrange a naval incident to get into war with Hitler when he was ready. Roosevelt withdrew his ambassador from Berlin after the Kristallnacht outrages against German Jews in 1938, and Hitler responded in kind. But when Roosevelt did seek and win a third term, gave the British 50 destroyers, imposed peacetime conscription for the first time in American history, extended American territorial waters from three to 1,800 miles, ordered the U.S. Navy to attack any German ship on detection, and then passed the Lend-Lease Act offering the British and Canadians anything they wanted on relaxed repayment terms, Hitler had some reason to believe that he would soon be at war with America. In these circumstances, it made some sense for Hitler to imagine that if he was facing war in the west with Britain and America, Stalin might be induced to stab him in the back but if he could flatten Russia first and then commit his entire strength to the defense of the German European fortress, the Anglo-Americans might have to acquiesce in German domination of most of Europe. It was an immense gamble, but his whole career had been based on such gambles, and this would be the last time he would have to risk everything on a bold stroke. This analysis of Hitlers strategic reasoning was the first sensible explanation of his thinking. His book was controversial because it placed less emphasis than is customary on the attempted destruction of the Jews, and also because of his attack on David Irving and other Nazi apologists. (The Yale University Press in the U.K. was so intimidated by Irvings threats to litigate, I had to indemnify them against such a suit to get the book published in Britain at all. No litigation occurred.) He called himself a reactionary because he was a traditionalist and a persuasive advocate of the necessity of historical knowledge to make any sense out of most things, and because he lamented the transformation of science into a false religion and the over-commercialization of economic progress, and was viewed as curmudgeonly. He was, in fact, unimpressed with much that was modern but not a pessimist; he never resented disagreement, was always good-natured in debate, and was a delightful companion. He was an important historian of great integrity and originality, and certainly one of the greatest American historians of modern Europe. He will be long and gratefully remembered by all who knew him, and his death will not interrupt the natural and meritorious rise of his reputation and importance. More from National Review The book, entitled "Blood," will be released on November 12 via Feiwel and Friends, an imprint of the publishing house Macmillan. The upcoming memoir was written by Joe, Nick and Kevin along with journalist Neil Strauss, who famously co-wrote "The Dirt" with Motley Crue. "Blood" will chronicle the origins of the Jonas Brothers as a band, detailing their rise to stardom and the tensions that fueled their break-up in 2013. The book will also talk about their recent reunion ahead of the release of their new LP "Happiness Begins" on June 7. The record, featuring the previously issued "Sucker" and "Cool," will mark the Jonas Brothers' first album in ten years. "We're three brothers from New Jersey, and we were not supposed to be successful," said Joe Jonas in a statement about the memoir. "From record labels dropping us to our dad losing his job over us, this shouldn't have happened or lasted as long as it did. Yet here we are, more excited than ever, and we're so grateful and ready to tell the full story of the journey we've had as individuals, as artists, and as family." After releasing their comeback single in February, the Jonas Brothers have announced a series of projects celebrating their reunion. Along with the new album and memoir, they will release a new documentary "Chasing Happiness" via Amazon Prime on June 4. This summer, the band will also embark on a North American tour in support of their album. Tickets and additional information are available at http://jonasbrothers.com/. By Marty Graham SAN DIEGO, May 29 (Reuters) - The judge in the court-martial of a Navy SEAL platoon leader accused of war crimes in Iraq was expected to hear arguments on Thursday on defense motions to dismiss the charges or otherwise remove the lead prosecutor and the judge himself from the case. The hearing comes 12 days before Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher is set to go on trial charged with killing a helpless, wounded Islamic State fighter in his custody and of shooting two unarmed civilians, a schoolgirl and an elderly man. The case, being conducted at U.S. Naval Base San Diego, has attracted the attention of President Donald Trump. Pre-trial proceedings for the past month have focused on accusations by Gallagher's attorneys that prosecutors and their investigators illegally snooped on the defense and reporters covering the case to try and pinpoint leaks of sealed information. Gallagher, 39, a decorated career combat veteran, has pleaded not guilty to all charges, including premeditated murder, two counts of attempted murder and obstructing justice. He asserts that he is wrongly accused and that fellow SEAL team members testifying against him, several under grants of immunity, are disgruntled subordinates who fabricated allegations to force him from command. His defense team has argued that the case should be dismissed altogether on grounds of alleged misconduct by the Navy prosecutor, agents of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) and the presiding judge. The defense specifically has accused Navy lawyers of conducting illegal surveillance of defense attorneys and news media by way of electronic tracking software secretly embedded in emails sent to the defense. In court, prosecutors have said the email "auditing tools" they used were designed merely to detect the flow of emails without revealing their content. The judge, Navy Captain Aaron Rugh, has said he did not ask for or order any such surveillance, but the defense contends he was apparently aware of it, calling into question his impartiality. Story continues Barring an outright dismissal, which is seen as unlikely, the defense is asking that the lead prosecutor, Commander Christopher Czaplak, be disqualified from the case. He also has entered a motion seeking recusal of the judge. If those motions are denied, and the case otherwise remains on track, jury selection is set to start on June 10. The trial originally had been due to start last week but was postponed over the misconduct allegations. Trump weighed in on the case publicly in March, when he ordered Gallagher moved to less restrictive pre-trial confinement "in honor of his past service to our country." Last Friday, Trump said he was considering pardons for two or three American servicemen charged with war crimes, but might wait until they stood trial before deciding. Trump did not name the cases in question. But the case of Gallagher, whose defense team includes a Trump personal lawyer, Marc Mukasey, is believed to be among those under review. (Reporting by Marty Graham in San Diego; Writing and additional reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) While we should expect the upcoming presidential campaign to focus on traditional issues of the economy, taxes, foreign policy, trade, and immigration as well as the elephant in the room that is Donald Trump criminal-justice reform has become a surprisingly hot topic on the campaign trail. At one point, every presidential candidate pretended he was running for sheriff. Tough on crime was considered the ultimate badge of honor in both parties. Bill Clinton even rushed home during his campaign to execute a mentally disabled murderer. Times have clearly changed. This is in part due to the growing evidence of racial and class inequities within the criminal-justice system. Studies also show that failures within our criminal-justice system contribute to poverty and dependence. A recent YouGov poll conducted on behalf of the Cato Institute found that 22 percent of the unemployed and 23 percent of people on welfare had been unable to find a job because of a criminal record. Scholars at Villanova have concluded that mass incarceration increases the U.S. poverty rate by as much as 20 percent. It has also become clear that overcriminalization and mass incarceration have not necessarily made us safer. Support for criminal-justice reform now cuts across party lines. But there is also a large degree of politics behind the sudden importance of criminal-justice reform on the campaign trail. Most important, Democratic frontrunner Joe Biden is perceived as being vulnerable on the issue. Biden supported and partially wrote the 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which led to an increase in incarceration especially among African Americans. He also supported and sponsored several pieces of legislation that enhanced sentencing for drug-related crimes, once again contributing to the mass incarceration of minorities. Even President Trump has taken the opportunity to tweak Biden on the issue, tweeting, Anyone associated with the 1994 Crime Bill will not have a chance of being elected. In particular, African Americans will not be able [sic] to vote for you. I, on the other hand, was responsible for Criminal Justice Reform, which had tremendous support, and helped fix the bad 1994 Bill! And in a second tweet, Trump noted that Super Predator was the term associated with the 1994 Crime Bill that Sleepy Joe Biden was so heavily involved in passing. That was a dark period in American History, but has Sleepy Joe apologized? No! Story continues Trump is not exactly the best messenger on this front, given his at least implied support for police abuses. But he is correct that he signed the FIRST STEP Act, the first important federal prison and criminal-justice reform in many years. As a policy, it was modest stuff, but it symbolically highlighted the changing politics of the issue. Biden is not the only one with vulnerabilities on criminal justice. During her time as a prosecutor, Kamala Harris vigorously enforced Californias three-strikes law, actively pursued drug users and sex workers, and even prosecuted the parents of truant children. She was also an outspoken supporter of asset forfeiture and the use of solitary confinement in prisons. She backed capital punishment and resisted calls to investigate some police shootings. So far, she has responded by apologizing for her past positions, now saying, Too many black and brown Americans are locked up. From mass incarceration to cash bail to policing, our criminal-justice system needs drastic repair. She has also sponsored the Equal Defense Act, which increases funding for public defenders. Still, criminal-justice activists have remained critical, complaining that she has ducked specific reform proposals. Other Democrats also have hurdles to overcome. Bernie Sanders, for instance, voted for the 1994 crime bill, although he had a much lower profile than Biden. And, like Harris, Senator Amy Klobuchar also has a background as a prosecutor. Her low poll standing has kept it from becoming an issue yet, but she may eventually face some tough questions about her actions in that office. Even South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg has faced scrutiny over his handling of police-abuse complaints during his tenure as mayor. On the other hand, candidates such as Cory Booker, Elizabeth Warren, and Beto ORourke are better positioned on the issue. Booker, in particular, has championed justice reform. He has introduced the Next Step Act, which would expand upon the FIRST STEP Act. Booker is also calling for cutting minimum drug sentencing in half, legalizing marijuana, removing barriers to entry in the job market for those with felony records, and reinstating the right of felons to vote in federal elections. Beto pushed for criminal-justice reform during his Senate campaign in Texas and has reiterated his support during his presidential campaign. During his Texas campaign, he stated that he would like Texas to lead the way on criminal-justice reform. He supports ending cash bail at the state level, making for-profit prisons illegal, ending mandatory-minimum sentencing for nonviolent drug offenses, and legalizing marijuana. Warren has been far less specific, mostly limiting herself to rhetoric about the racist criminal-justice system. For a candidate whose claim to fame is I have a plan for that, she is remarkably vague on this issue. Still, she carries far less past baggage than others, leaving her an opening. With more than two dozen candidates in the Democratic primary and a general election that is looking extremely close, even secondary issues could play an outsized role in deciding the outcome. Keep your eyes on criminal-justice reform. More from National Review The authorities of the countries in the Sahel should not stay in the comfort zone of thinking Barkhane (French forces) is behind them, Frances Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian warned G5-Sahel leaders on Tuesday. Le Drian who was speaking to a parliamentary foreign affairs committee on Tuesday warned West African states against relying on French military presence to tackle Islamist militancy in the region. The West African states facing the jihadist threat should not take French military presence in the Sahel for granted because Paris will not be there forever, he said. The G5-Sahel members, namely Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, and Niger, have been dealing with insurgent violence, lawlessness and terror attacks since Libyas political collapse in 2011 and an uprising in northern Mali in 2012. Security in the Sahel is increasingly deteriorating. In recent weeks, the region with porous borders has seen an outbreak of violence by groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. The proliferation of attacks in the region of northern Burkina Faso, on the border of Mali and Niger, coupled with the rise of ethnic conflicts, has further underlined the difficulty the international community faces in restoring regional stability. France, the former colonial power in the region has first intervened in Mali in 2013 to drive out Islamist militants who had occupied large swathes of the north of the country. It has since kept about 4,500 troops in the region for counter-terrorism operations. In 2017, The G5 Sahel countries launched a 5,000-strong joint combat force backed by the EU, France, Germany to tackle cross-border crime, illegal migration and terrorism. The United States, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have also pledged their support. But according to Le Drian the joint force must gradually assume its responsibilities. Barkhane cant do everything. The baton must be taken by the countries concerned. Its happening, but not fast enough, Le Drian said. Mitrovica (Kosovo) (AFP) - A Kosovo prosecutor on Wednesday asked to revoke the diplomatic immunity of a Russian UN staff member suspected of obstructing a police crackdown on organised crime, despite Moscow blasting his detention as "outrageous". The Russian national, plus a local Kosovo Serb UN employee, were taken into custody on Tuesday for allegedly joining an effort to block police from entering a town in the north. The Russian man was later released and hospitalised, though a district prosecutor on Wednesday asked to revoke his diplomatic immunity to proceed with the legal case. He is suspected of "obstructing an official in the execution of duty," said Shyqri Syla, a district prosecutor in Mitrovica, the main city in Kosovo's north. The move comes despite anger from Moscow, which slammed the Russian's detention on Tuesday as an "outrageous act" and a violation of his diplomatic immunity. The UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) expressed concern about "serious allegations raised that police applied force against clearly-identified UN staff which exceeds reasonable standards". UNMIK "has yet to receive adequate communication from the authorities as to the reason for their detention". spokesperson Sanam Dolatshahi told AFP. According to Kosovo's police chief the men used a car with UNMIK plates to help form a "barricade" used to block police from entering the town of Zubin Potok. But Dolatshahi said the staff "were carrying out their responsibilities to monitor and report on an unfolding situation". A hospital director in Mitrovica said the Russian man suffered "severe head injuries" and would be transferred to Belgrade. The raids marked a rare intervention by Kosovo police in the north, where the mainly Serb population remains loyal to Belgrade more than a decade after Kosovo declared independence from Serbia. Dozens of people -- including 19 police officers and four customs officials -- were arrested on suspicion of crimes like smuggling goods and bribery. Story continues On Wednesday several thousand ethnic Serbs protested in Mitrovica against the police operation. At the protest Serb political leader Goran Rakic condemned the arrests saying "Serbs will not leave despite the brutality". burs-ssm/har Amman (AFP) - US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner on Wednesday met Jordan's king on the second leg of a mini-regional tour aimed at finding support for his Israel-Palestinian peace plan, the royal palace said. King Abdullah II insisted on the "need to intensify efforts to achieve a comprehensive and lasting peace based on the two-state solution that would guarantee the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital". The remarks, which were carried in a palace statement, were made in the presence of Kushner, who is a senior White House adviser. Kushner, who is seeking support for his long-delayed but controversial Israeli-Palestinian peace plan, arrived in Jordan from Morocco, where he met King Mohammed VI. He is scheduled to travel to Israel next. The Moroccan king chairs the Al-Quds Committee, an organisation that brings together supporters of the Palestinian cause in the Arab world. It was created by the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation to work for the preservation of the religious, cultural and urban heritage of Jerusalem. The United States is expected to roll out the economic aspects of the peace plan at a conference in Bahrain on June 25-26. Dubbed "Peace for Prosperity", the Bahrain gathering is expected to bring together leaders from several governments, civil society and the business sector. The Palestinians will not be travelling to the Gulf kingdom, however, after criticising it for failing to consult them about the event. They have boycotted the US administration since Trump broke with decades of consensus and recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December 2017. Trump's office said the conference was a "pivotal opportunity... to share ideas, discuss strategies, and galvanise support for potential economic investments and initiatives that could be made possible by a peace agreement". The Palestinians see this as offering financial rewards in exchange for accepting ongoing Israeli occupation. "Attempts at promoting an economic normalisation of the Israeli occupation of Palestine will be rejected," said Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization. Amman (AFP) - US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner met Jordan's king on Wednesday during the second leg of a mini-tour of the region to seek support for his Israeli-Palestinian peace plan, the royal palace said. The White House is expected to unveil the long-awaited plan possibly as early as next month. The Palestinians, who have boycotted Trump's administration since its 2017 recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, have already rejected the plan as heavily biased against them. Jordan's King Abdullah II insisted Wednesday on the "need to intensify efforts to achieve a comprehensive and lasting peace based on the two-state solution, that would guarantee the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital". The remarks, carried in a palace statement, were made in the presence of Kushner, who is set to visit Israel later this week. The senior White House adviser is accompanied by Jason Greenblatt, Trump's special representative for international negotiations, and Brian Hook, the special US representative for Iran. They arrived in Jordan from Morocco, where they met King Mohammed VI -- chair of the Al-Quds Committee for supporters of the Palestinian cause across the Arab world. It was created by the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation to work for the preservation of the religious, cultural and urban heritage of Jerusalem. The meeting in Rabat focused on developments in the Middle East and North Africa as well as strengthening the partnership between Morocco and the US, a palace spokesman told AFP. Greenblatt tweeted that he and Kushner shared an iftar dinner -- the traditional meal to break the daily fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan -- with Morocco's king, Crown Prince Moulay Hassan and Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita. "Thank you to His Majesty for a special evening and for sharing your wisdom," Greenblatt wrote. "Morocco is an important friend & ally of the United States." Story continues - Bahrain conference - The United States is expected to roll out the economic aspects of the peace plan at a conference in Bahrain on June 25-26. It has yet to commit to an exact timetable for the political aspects of the plan. Kushner is the chief architect of the proposals. Greenblatt, a longtime Trump lawyer, has served as his right-hand man on the initiative. The Bahrain gathering, dubbed "Peace for Prosperity", is expected to bring together leaders from several governments, civil society and the business sector. But the Palestinian leadership, already angered by Trump's Jerusalem move and his slashing of funding for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, will not attend the event, saying they were not consulted about it. Trump's office said it aimed to discuss and drum up support for "potential economic investments and initiatives that could be made possible by a peace agreement". Palestinians see this as offering financial rewards for accepting ongoing Israeli occupation. "Attempts at promoting an economic normalisation of the Israeli occupation of Palestine will be rejected," said Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization. Kushner, who will meet up with Trump in London after his Middle East trip, has stayed tight-lipped on the US plan. Dame Helena Morrissey is one of the most senior women in UK finance, heading up personal investing at Legal & General Investment Management, which this year saw assets under management reach 1 trillion. She is also one of the Citys leading diversity campaigners. In 2010, she founded The 30% Club, a campaign with a mission to increase the number of women on company boards. About 31.4% of FTSE 100 board members are now women, up from 12.5% when The 30% Club first launched. The initiative now has chapters in 12 other countries around the world. Speaking on Yahoo Finance UKs Global Change Agents with Lianna Brinded, Morrissey described some of the initial antagonism and hostility when she first invited the chairs of FTSE 350 companies to get involved. Most people thought it was just a womens issue, it wasnt a business issue, Morrissey said, adding that some senior male leaders believed she was interfering where it wasnt my job to interfere. Dame Helena Morrissey on Yahoo Finance UK's 'Global Change Agents with Lianna Brinded' show While that viewpoint has changed in recent years, Morrissey said there was still a great deal to be done on the diversity front at the worlds top firms from closing the gender pay gap to encouraging firms to recruit more candidates from different educational backgrounds. Many action plans that companies produce are still very, very scratching the surface: Theyre all about, yes were going to ... have some mentoring, and yes we are going to keep an eye on this and thats not going to work. Its got to be really serious. We need to think about what it means for men to be successful today Morrissey said companies also now need to consider addressing the male side of the equation. Im not turning my back on women, and Im not saying its all fixed for us, but I do think we need to think about what it means for men to be successful today, Morrissey said. To be a successful man shouldnt be just about having a big job title and a big pay packet. It should be about a broader range of successes and more choices in life. Morrissey said. Story continues I think by including men in that conversation we get some real insights as to their frustrations too. Watch the full show for: How Morrissey learned to become more confident and how she grew to love finance. Morrissey on using her former CEO role at Newton Investment Management to help other women. Morrissey on the issue of diversity fatigue and the need for new tactics, such as focusing more on the male side of the equation. The progress of Legal & Generals Future World GIRL Fund. Investments by the fund, launched in 2018, are tilted towards companies that have achieved high levels of gender diversity within their ranks. Morrissey on Brexit. Morrissey on her unconventional home life, including having nine children. The best advice Morrissey ever received. Global Change Agents with Lianna Brinded explores the stories of some of the most inspirational women across business, tech, and academia. Catch up on all the latest episodes here. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Many investors are still learning about the various metrics that can be useful when analysing a stock. This article is for those who would like to learn about Return On Equity (ROE). To keep the lesson grounded in practicality, we'll use ROE to better understand Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS). Over the last twelve months Las Vegas Sands has recorded a ROE of 32%. Another way to think of that is that for every $1 worth of equity in the company, it was able to earn $0.32. See our latest analysis for Las Vegas Sands How Do I Calculate ROE? The formula for ROE is: Return on Equity = Net Profit Shareholders' Equity Or for Las Vegas Sands: 32% = US$1.5b US$6.4b (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2019.) Most know that net profit is the total earnings after all expenses, but the concept of shareholders' equity is a little more complicated. It is all earnings retained by the company, plus any capital paid in by shareholders. The easiest way to calculate shareholders' equity is to subtract the company's total liabilities from the total assets. What Does ROE Signify? Return on Equity measures a company's profitability against the profit it has kept for the business (plus any capital injections). The 'return' is the yearly profit. That means that the higher the ROE, the more profitable the company is. So, as a general rule, a high ROE is a good thing. Clearly, then, one can use ROE to compare different companies. Does Las Vegas Sands Have A Good ROE? One simple way to determine if a company has a good return on equity is to compare it to the average for its industry. However, this method is only useful as a rough check, because companies do differ quite a bit within the same industry classification. As is clear from the image below, Las Vegas Sands has a better ROE than the average (14%) in the Hospitality industry. Story continues NYSE:LVS Past Revenue and Net Income, May 29th 2019 That's clearly a positive. I usually take a closer look when a company has a better ROE than industry peers. For example, I often check if insiders have been buying shares . The Importance Of Debt To Return On Equity Virtually all companies need money to invest in the business, to grow profits. That cash can come from retained earnings, issuing new shares (equity), or debt. In the first two cases, the ROE will capture this use of capital to grow. In the latter case, the debt used for growth will improve returns, but won't affect the total equity. Thus the use of debt can improve ROE, albeit along with extra risk in the case of stormy weather, metaphorically speaking. Combining Las Vegas Sands's Debt And Its 32% Return On Equity Las Vegas Sands clearly uses a significant amount of debt to boost returns, as it has a debt to equity ratio of 1.92. While the ROE is impressive, that metric has clearly benefited from the company's use of debt. Debt does bring extra risk, so it's only really worthwhile when a company generates some decent returns from it. The Key Takeaway Return on equity is useful for comparing the quality of different businesses. In my book the highest quality companies have high return on equity, despite low debt. If two companies have around the same level of debt to equity, and one has a higher ROE, I'd generally prefer the one with higher ROE. But ROE is just one piece of a bigger puzzle, since high quality businesses often trade on high multiples of earnings. The rate at which profits are likely to grow, relative to the expectations of profit growth reflected in the current price, must be considered, too. So you might want to take a peek at this data-rich interactive graph of forecasts for the company. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. Bitcoin Cash (BCH) is once again leading the way in the cryptocurrency market with a 7% climb upwards since the weekend and is currently trading above $440 after a spike in price this morning. While many other altcoins have already made back the gains lost during the market crash of last November/December, Bitcoin Cash has finally caught up to the race after failing to find support around its 200-day EMA in early May. Now, as some coins like Ethereum, EOS, and Litecoin are racing past those pre-November levels, there appears to be an opportunity for BCH to follow-up and press on with its recent gains. Lets take a look at the latest BCH price action. Looking at the chart above, we can clearly see BTC has broken through some important resistance barriers. Bitcoin Cash broke the $330 level around its 200-day EMA in early May, and the 20-day EMA has now moved above the 200-day EMA a clear bullish signal. Moreover, volumes have remained strong since mid-May, helping BCH to break key levels and find support initially around $360 and later around $400. If order books stay on the side of buyers, which will become increasingly difficult the more price goes up, we could see BCH continuing to climb past the $440 resistance level. Still, be aware we may experience close to 60% drops, as this did happen in a similar situation during 2015 prior to the last massive bull run. For the time being, I expect BCH to settle above the $440 level with minimal hassle. Safe trades! BCH fundamentals I recently spoke with Bitcoin Cashs strongest advocate, Roger Ver, and discussed the most recent developments on the horizon for BCH. You can find all the details here, but the most juicy news seems to be the recent spike in adoption due to the implementation of smart contracts. Roger, like myself, believes key components for mass adoption are speed and flexibility. What Bitcoin Cash Oracles offers is a way for any user to easily deploy an escrow transaction that can be used to trade globally without the hassle of trusting the other party. Story continues I personally think these trade escrows will be key in terms of adoption, especially for work-related tasks. In a way, they do enable milestone-based funding, which may be the new and better way of conducting ICOs instead of simply creating an extra layer of complexity with STOs that require KYC and accreditation something that goes against what we should be promoting within the crypto ecosystem. Current live BCH pricing information and interactive charts are available on our site 24 hours a day. The ticker bar at the bottom of every page on our site has the latest BCH price. Pricing is also available in a range of different currency equivalents: US Dollar BCHtoUSD British Pound Sterling BCHtoGBP Japanese Yen BCHtoJPY Euro BCHtoEUR Australian Dollar BCHtoAUD Russian Rouble BCHtoRUB Bitcoin BCHtoBTC About Bitcoin Cash Bitcoin Cash was born out of the idea of making Bitcoin more practical for small, day-to-day payments. In May 2017, Bitcoin payments took about four days unless a fee was paid, which was proportionately too large for small transactions. A change to the code was implemented and Bitcoin Cash was born on 1st August 2017. More Bitcoin Cash news and information If you want to find out more information about Bitcoin Cash or cryptocurrencies in general, then use the search box at the top of this page. Heres an article to get you started: By Scott Thompson May 29, 2019 As with any investment, it pays to do some homework before you part with your money. The prices of cryptocurrencies are volatile and go up and down quickly. This page is not recommending a particular currency or whether you should invest or not. You may be interested in our range of cryptocurrency guides along with the latest cryptocurrency news. The post Latest Bitcoin Cash price and analysis (BCH to USD) appeared first on Coin Rivet. FORT SMITH, Ark. (AP) The Latest on severe flooding in Oklahoma and Arkansas (all times local): 8:20 p.m. Police in Arkansas have pulled a body from a van found submerged in floodwater at Fort Chaffee. Barling police Officer James Breeden says a dive team was sent about 6:45 p.m. Tuesday after a submerged van was reported at a gate to the Army National Guard post on Arkansas 22. That's about 8 miles (13 kilometers) southeast of Fort Smith. The divers found the body of a man inside. Barling police Sgt. Keith Lindley says investigators believe the man had driven around a barrier set up on the flooded highway and drove into the floodwater. Divers are still checking to see if there are any other bodies at the scene. The death is the first in Arkansas from the flooding from recent heavy rains. ___ 4:25 p.m. State emergency officials say the Arkansas River has topped two levees in Arkansas, where historic flooding has inundated some communities. A spokeswoman for the state Department of Emergency Management says flood waters overtopped a levee in Toad Suck, a community about 27 miles (43 kilometers) northwest of Little Rock. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports the levee protects nearly 300 people. Department spokeswoman Barbara Hager says officials had warned residents of impending flooding but hadn't implemented mandatory evacuations. She says the flooding will eventually close state highway 60. Hager says a second levee near mostly farmland in Paris, Arkansas, was also flooded. The area is about 90 miles (145 kilometers) northwest of Little Rock. No injuries have been reported. Widespread flooding is occurring in the area along the Arkansas-Oklahoma border. ___ 2:30 p.m. Arkansas officials have reopened two bridges over the swollen Arkansas River after the rising water didn't reach anticipated levels, but they warn that flooding threats remain. The Arkansas Department of Transportation on Monday closed the bridges in Fort Smith along Interstate 540 and the U.S. 71B. Both bridges reopened around noon Tuesday, but officials noted both could be closed again if flooding conditions change. Story continues Arkansas Transportation Department spokesman Danny Straessle says the bridges carry a combined 71,000 vehicles per day. Widespread flooding is occurring in the area along the Arkansas-Oklahoma border. The river is expected to crest Wednesday in Van Buren, Arkansas, at more than 4 feet (1.2 meters) above its historic crest, which had occurred in 1945. ___ 7:45 a.m. State highway officials have closed two bridges over the Arkansas River in Fort Smith as the waterway surges toward a record crest this week. The Arkansas Department of Transportation says the Interstate 540 and the U.S. 71B bridges were shut down Monday night because of flooding concerns, though the department says both structures remain sound. Widespread flooding is occurring in the Tulsa area, where severe thunderstorms are also possible Tuesday. In western Arkansas, the river is expected to crest Wednesday in Van Buren at 42.5 feet (13 meters) or more than 4 feet (1.2 meters) above its historic crest, which had occurred in 1945. Forecasters say up to 4 inches of rain is possible this week in the waterlogged areas. RIGA (Reuters) - Latvia's parliament elected former European Court of Justice judge Egils Levits as the Baltic country's next president on Wednesday, a largely ceremonial role that also brings with it limited political powers. Levits won the support of 61 lawmakers in the 100-seated parliament. He will serve four years starting on July 8, when incumbent president Raimonds Vejonis' term comes to an end. The president of Latvia has mostly ceremonial functions but can propose new bills and nominate candidates for prime minister. The president is appointed through the parliament votes rather than popular elections. (Reporting by Gederts Gelzis, writing by Johan Ahlander; editing by Niklas Pollard) Guineas Minister of Justice has resigned from his position in protest against President Alpha Condes alleged plans to run for a third term after his current tenure ends in 2020. Cheick Sako, in a letter to President Conde, pinned his resignation on his personal stance against a constitutional amendment that will allow the former opposition leader to seek a third term in office, AFP reports. The minister also protested against his being sidelined in the drafting of the constitutional amendments. A source close to Sako told AFP that the state official has threw in the towel in protest against interference into the judicial affairs. President Alpha Conde, 81, has not made public his plans to seek a third term but his party, last week, urged him to submit his plans to a national referendum, reports say. Sakos resignation received support from the National Front for the Constitution Defense (FNDC) a movement created in April to stand in the way to a third mandate by the President. The FNDC in a statement stressed that Sakos withdrawal from cabinet confirms Condes plans for constitutional change and called on other ministers and members of state institutions to oppose a third term in office. Ibrahim Bangoura, Vice President of the Union of Republican Forces, a political party, told AFP that the government has lost its credibility with Sakos resignation who was key minister in Condes administration. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and others meet with representatives of the company Rafael, a military and defense technologies development firm. 5:15 p.m. update: First Amendment Foundation direct Barbara Petersen said the complaint was dismissed because they weren't able to serve the Governor and Cabinet members. The group is filing for an emergency motion to reconsider, and if that fails they will amend the complaint to seek "declaratory relief" after the meeting takes place for a violation of the sunshine law. Original story TALLAHASSEE (AP) An open-government watchdog group and several news outlets are suing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and members of the Cabinet in an effort to stop their planned meeting in Jerusalem. The First Amendment Foundation, Gannett Co., Gatehouse Media and the owners of the Miami Herald and Tampa Bay Times filed their lawsuit Tuesday, a day before DeSantis and the independently elected Cabinet are scheduled to meet during a trade mission in Israel. The Associated Press and other news outlets also plan to join the suit. They argue that the meeting violates the state's open-government laws, which require Cabinet meetings be accessible to the public. The governor's office has said the meeting is ceremonial, but the groups suing contend that isn't the case. More: Economics intersect politics as Florida delegation arrives in Israel Sitting in the lounge of the Hilton Tel Aviv following a networking reception for the nearly 100 business delegation members led by DeSantis at the U.S Ambassadors residence, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and CFO Jimmy Patronis two of the three members of the Cabinet said they had heard about the lawsuit but refused to comment. I havent looked at the pleading, Moody said. When asked for his comment, Patronis nodded at Moody and said, Shes my lawyer. Agricultural Commissioner Nikki Fried, the third member of the Cabinet, said the Cabinet has not yet been served but that it was her understanding that "the governors office is working to address the situation." I just concluded a five-day trade mission to Israel on the front end of this Cabinet trip, a mission that was transparent and with accountability to the public and press," said Fried. "Its my hope that this ceremonial Cabinet meeting and trade mission will follow that spirit of accessibility." Story continues Hours earlier, U.S. Ambassador David Friedman thanked DeSantis for his efforts as a member of Congress to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Israel has no greater friend in all the 50 governor mansions than Ron DeSantis, Friedman said. I welcome you and the Cabinet members and your delegation to this small but incredibly important country. DeSantis said this was his first visit to the residence because he was so focused on getting the embassy moved. Holding a meeting of the Florida Cabinet in the embassy in Jerusalem, that is going to be a real neat thing, he told the crowd of delegates mingling with Israeli business leaders on the back lawn overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. More: Space and water take center stage on Day 3 of trade missions to Israel Complete coverage: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' trip to Israel The lawsuit was filed even as DeSantis and his director of communications Helen Ferre were discussing the logistics of the cabinet meeting and the signing of an antisemitism bill sponsored by Rep. Randy Fine of Melbourne Beach, who is part of the business delegation. I have not had a chance to review the filing. I am not going to comment on pending litigation at this time, Ferre said. This story will be updated. Reporter Jeffrey Schweers, on behalf of the Florida Society of News Editors, and the Associated Press contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Lawsuit dismissed after Florida governor, Cabinet sued over plans to meet in Israel A look at what's happening around the majors today: CONGRATS The inspiring story of Twins pitcher Devin Smeltzer is sure to spread following his dazzling debut in the big leagues. Diagnosed with a grapefruit-sized cancerous tumor against his bladder when he was just 9 years old, Smeltzer wasn't deterred in his goal to reach the majors. He made it Tuesday and pitched six shutout innings for Minnesota against Milwaukee at Target Field. The lanky, 23-year-old lefty with a funky delivery gave up three hits, walked none and struck out seven. He got a no-decision in a game the Twins won. "I know that tomorrow, between the lines, may not happen. It's been told to me before, and I don't take a day for granted out there," he said later. PAD PAX Yankees lefty James Paxton is set to start against San Diego after missing nearly a month because of inflammation in his left knee. He is 3-2 with a 3.11 ERA in seven starts this season. Manager Aaron Boone says Paxton will have a limited pitch count as he comes off the injured list. Padres rookie Chris Paddack (4-2, 1.93) will start at Yankee Stadium. The 23-year-old righty was scratched from a scheduled start in Toronto on Sunday with a stiff neck. ANYONE HOME? AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell and the Tampa Bay Rays will see how many fans show up at Tropicana Field for the series finale against Toronto. An announced gathering of 5,786 the smallest crowd ever for the Rays at the Trop saw Tampa Bay beat the Blue Jays 3-1 on Tuesday. "I noticed it during the anthem, and I was like: 'Oh it's still early, maybe people will still file in,'" Rays pitcher Ryne Stanek said. The Rays routinely rank at or near the bottom of the major leagues in attendance. They began the night averaging an AL-worst 14,578 per game. There have been only two smaller crowds for big league games played in the domed stadium, both in 2017 when Hurricane Harvey forced relocation of a Rangers-Astros series from Houston. Those teams attracted a low of 3,385. Story continues NAME GAME Cardinals left-hander Genesis Cabrera makes his major league debut when he starts at Philadelphia against ace Aaron Nola (5-0, 4.53 ERA). CHECK THEM The Twins will see how center fielder Byron Buxton is a feeling, a day after he crashed hard into the fence at Target Field trying to catch a flyball. Buxton exited early. Manager Rocco Baldelli said Buxton was OK and that it was a precautionary move. ... Cubs infielder Kris Bryant has missed two games after an outfield collision with Jason Heyward, but could return for the series wrapup at Houston. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Beirut (AFP) - Flipping the hot coals on his green hookah in a crowded Beirut cafe, Abbas Nasreddine says Lebanon's new austerity budget has spoilt his daily treat of smoking a water pipe. "It's how we deflate stress," says the 26-year-old university student, a long drag of mint-scented smoke rising overhead. "But now our tool for coping with our worries has become a worry itself," he said, fiddling with the hookah's long hose. Nasreddine is among many regular smokers who are displeased with a government decision to impose a new tax on water pipes as part of a larger austerity package. They will soon have to pay an additional 1,000 Lebanese pounds ($0.66) for every water pipe they order in a cafe or restaurant, at a time when job opportunities are scarce and the economy is in decline. "For politicians, 1,000 LBP may be of no value," Nasreddine says. "But, for me, 1,000 LBP has a value -- I get to university for 1,000 LBP," he adds. After decades of civil war, corruption and political crises made Lebanon one of the world's most indebted countries, the government adopted a new austerity budget on Monday to combat a ballooning budget deficit. It reduced benefits and pensions in the public sector and introduced a series of tax hikes, including on personal firearm licences and permits for tinted windows. For some, the new levy on water pipes has provoked particular ire. Taxes should not be raised "on something most people use to just relax", Nasreddine says. "We smoke to calm our minds because we are sick of the situation in this country." The World Health Organisation has warned that a full hookah is equivalent to smoking 20 to 30 cigarettes at once, and has linked the practice to lung damage and cancer. But in much of the Middle East, sharing a water pipe -- also called shisha or nargileh -- is often conceived as a social occasion during which smokers spend hours in cafes chatting and passing the hose around. Story continues - 'They're ruining us' - This is especially the case in Lebanon. Lebanon has the highest rate of shisha smokers in the region among teenagers, according to a 2016 study in the medical journal Ethnicity & Disease, which found that roughly a third of 13 to 15-year-olds it surveyed had smoked at least once in the past month. Hussam Shuman, 28, sits outside a bustling cafe in the southern suburbs of Beirut, a hookah complete with apple-flavoured tobacco burning at his side. The young accountant says he smokes more than once a day, "out of boredom" and "mainly after work". But now, leisure is set to become more costly. "Let them get money from somewhere else. Why are they targeting us water pipe smokers?" he says, trying to calculate how much more he will now be spending on shisha every month. "They're ruining us." Shuman and many Lebanese are disillusioned with the ruling class, whom they accuse of nepotism and graft, and the latest austerity measures have compounded this situation. The government has been criticised for raising prices and limiting benefits and pensions rather than fighting corruption, tax evasion and smuggling to reduce the deficit. On a nearby table, Fayyad Mustafa shuffles a deck of playing cards, a water pipe gurgling beneath him. The 24-year-old technician says the shisha tax is not the only problem. "We are living in a state that wants to make everything more expensive," he says. "They started with water pipes but we don't know what other things will become more costly later on." He believes that not reacting to the hookah tax would encourage the government to raise other goods. "If we are silent when they raise the price of a water pipe, we will have to be silent when they raise the price of a loaf of bread... or a sack of potatoes." The first two rounds of treatment went off without a hitch. But last November, after receiving a third dose of potent immunotherapy for his skin cancer, Rich Lenihan started to feel tired and weak. He was urinating constantly, and no amount of water could abate his thirst. A blood test revealed glucose levels that were through the roof. Lenihan, at age 62, had developed a disease akin to type 1 diabetes formerly called juvenile diabetes a rare complication of drugs known as checkpoint inhibitors that rev up the bodys immune assault on tumor tissue. The good news is we know whats wrong with you, Lenihan recalled his doctors telling him as they whisked him off to the ICU. The bad news: He would need to control his glucose with insulin shots for the rest of his life. Roughly 1% of patients receiving immunotherapy drugs experience the same irreversible side effect. Making matters worse, oncologists have little clue why. There are a lot of case reports, said Dr. Kevan Herold, a clinical immunologist at the Yale School of Medicine who last year published a case series of his own. But there isnt a good understanding yet of whos most likely to develop these adverse events from checkpoint inhibitors. On Wednesday, the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, JDRF (formerly called the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation), and the Helmsley Charitable Trust announced they are joining forces to launch a $10 million, three-year research initiative designed to identify the root causes of drug-induced diabetes among cancer patients. Eventually, researchers involved in the project hope to discover new therapeutic strategies for preventing diabetic complications without sacrificing any of the cancer-destroying potential of livesaving immunotherapy drugs. But the first step, said Dr. Zoe Quandt, an endocrinologist at the University of California, San Francisco, is understanding the immune responses of patients so we can consider which drugs would be good ones to try. Story continues A lot to handle Autoimmune-related toxicity problems have dogged checkpoint inhibitors since their earliest days of clinical testing although generally patients see them as a small price to pay for a treatment that can beat metastatic cancer back into remission. Participants in some of the first trials for Yervoy, a drug that blocks an immune-cell brake called CTLA-4, developed inflammatory diseases of the pituitary gland, thyroid, and other organs. More cases soon followed among patients given the next generation of agents, drugs such as Opdivo and Keytruda that target PD-1, another brake pedal found on T cells. Those complications, if caught quickly, rarely prove debilitating for all that long; once- or twice-daily hormone replacement therapy can usually make up for the lost organ function. Insulin-dependent diabetes is a different story. Its more of a daily slog, with patients having to carefully and constantly track their blood sugar levels and self-inject different types of insulin at different times of the day or else risk falling into a diabetic coma or having ones blood turn into a toxic, acidic stew. Type 1 diabetes is like being in hell, man. Its horrible, said Jaime Vidal, 79, a retired mailman from San Bruno, Calif., who developed the disease two months ago after receiving Opdivo through a trial protocol for people with operable cancer of the esophagus. If I knew then, when I opted for the clinical trial, what type 1 diabetes entailed, I would never have gone for the immunotherapy. Never. I would have taken the chance of the cancer coming back. The condition can also come on quickly. Blood sugar levels spike precipitously. Many patients land in intensive care. Once discharged, they face a particularly hard-to-control form of the disease, known as brittle diabetes, in which glucose levels can quickly swing from too high to too low, or vice versa. Even the smallest insulin injection can throw the balance out of whack. It can be a lot to handle, said Dr. Monica Girotra, an endocrinologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. The only potential upside: A self-directed attack on beta cells may be a sign of amped-up immunity more generally. And according to case reports, patients who develop drug-induced diabetes tend to have stronger and more long-lasting anti-cancer responses to checkpoint inhibitor treatments. So thats kind of the silver lining, Quandt said. The new grant money will go toward launching a massive prospective study involving 1,500 to 2,000 patients undergoing checkpoint inhibitor therapy at more than 30 community hospitals and clinics across the United States. Only a few dozen may eventually develop diabetes but researchers wont know whom in advance. So to catch that fulminant disease process in action, they plan to collect blood samples from every patient along each step of their therapeutic odysseys. For those ultimately diagnosed with diabetes (and some who arent), scientists will then throw the kitchen sink of single-cell omics technologies on their samples before, during, and after disease onset, in an exploratory effort to uncover biomarkers underpinning the phenomenon. Im pretty open-minded about what mechanistically can be happening, Parker Institute president and CEO Jeff Bluestone told STAT. And Im really optimistic that were going to learn a lot quickly. Read more: 23andMe will tell you how your DNA affects your diabetes risk. Will it be useful? Later this year, the National Cancer Institute will also start building a repository of tissue and blood specimens collected from patients who experience immune-related side effects after undergoing checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Well then backtrack to learn more about what might have happened along the way, said NCI senior investigator Dr. Elad Sharon. But whereas Bluestone and his colleagues including Herold and other physician-scientists from Yale, UCSF, the Benaroya Research Institute in Seattle, and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston plan to prospectively stockpile biospecimens from a single registry of patients treated as part of routine clinical care, the NCI team will work after the fact to centralize samples amassed through dozens of government-backed immunotherapy trials. Its really a complementary effort, Sharon said. Dr. Juan Jaume, an endocrinologist at the University of Toledo Medical Center, welcomes both initiatives. We should not withhold the treatment of cancer just because of this side effect, he said, but we need to learn more about it so we can provide safeguards. Two of a kind The research could also have spillover benefits beyond the cancer clinic. There are already hints of a genetic predisposition shared by people with the two forms of insulin-dependent diabetes. And now by studying cancer patients whose bodies begin destroying insulin-producing cells in the pancreas after drug treatment, scientists hope to discover why this same process occurs spontaneously in children and young adults with type 1 diabetes. If the lessons that we learn from this study are generalizable, said Ben Williams, a program officer for the Helmsley Trusts T1D program, then this could help a lot of people with the spontaneous diabetes that an otherwise healthy kid might get. For his part, Lenihan, a software quality assurance engineer from Griswold, Conn., who blogs about his struggle with melanoma, is getting used to living without a working pancreas monitoring blood sugar levels with the device he wears on his abdomen, and pricking himself with insulin several times each day. His latest scans this month came back clean, with no signs of active disease growth in his skin, lungs, brain, or anywhere else where metastatic lesions had cropped up before. But he had to stop taking immunotherapy after developing colitis, another autoimmune-related side effect, and now the prospect of the cancer returning weighs heavily on his mind. His doctor, Yale oncologist Dr. Mario Sznol, is less concerned, though. Hes got a pretty good chance of remaining in remission for a very long time, maybe forever, Sznol said. As for living with diabetes? Thats the unfortunate trade-off. PARIS (AP) The Louvre museum in Paris reopened to the public Wednesday after being shut down for a day when workers complained about overcrowding and walked out Monday. Union representatives met Wednesday to discuss plans from the museum's management on how to ease the traffic flow at the world's most visited museum. They say the current dispute is linked to renovation work around the "Mona Lisa," the museum's most famous painting, which has caused organizational problems, huge queues and the harassment of staff by frustrated tourists. Unions decided to reopen the museum at 11 a.m., some two hours after its regular start time, after management agreed to bring in 30 more employees on a temporary basis over summer. "Satisfied is not the word. It's a short-term band-aid dressing to the problems of overcrowding," said Christian Galani of the CGT Culture union. "Thirty extra temporary workers will be hired in June. But what we want are permanent civil servant positions to solve the problem once and for all," he added. Unions note that staff numbers have dropped over the past decade even though the number of visitors to the Louvre has risen 20%. Hundreds of frustrated tourists, some who had been waiting several hours in line Wednesday, expressed relief that they would be allowed into the venerable institution. Lauren Berry, a 24-year old tourist from Oxford, Mississippi, said that she and her family had already been turned away from the Louvre on Monday but came back on Wednesday in hopes that it would reopen. The museum is closed on Tuesdays. "We had planned our entire trip around coming to the Louvre because we are huge art lovers," Berry said. The gallery in which the "Mona Lisa" is exhibited is undergoing a months-long renovation. Because the Leonardo Da Vince masterpiece is so valuable, it cannot be moved during the building works like all the other paintings in that gallery. It is currently the only painting remaining in the Salle des Etats room, and tourists are cramming together just to get a glimpse of it for a few seconds. Story continues Pierre Zinenberg, a Louvre employee and union representative, told The Associated Press that the staff can't work under these conditions. "Tourists are being aggressive to employees near the "Mona Lisa" because they are being squeezed" into a small space, he said. A new security window for the masterpiece, which will enable the painting to be temporarily moved to a more practical location further away from the renovations, is expected to be installed as early as July. There will be a lot of donkeys on the stage in the first couple of two-day rounds of candidate debates this summer. Illustration: Konstantin Sergeyev/Intelligencer; Source Images: Getty On June 26 and 27 in Miami (on NBC, MSNBC, and Telemundo) and on July 30 and 31 in Detroit (on CNN), the 2020 Democratic presidential contest will quickly get real with the first sanctioned candidate debates of the cycle. In February, the Democratic National Committee published reasonably clear rules and guidelines for these events, making it possible to figure out with some specificity which candidates have qualified for the big stage or rather, stages, since the DNC anticipates events that span two consecutive evenings to accommodate the large field (with a maximum of ten at each), with placement in one night or the other being determined randomly (so no kiddie table debates like Republicans held in 2016 for less-esteemed candidates). The DNC offered two ways to qualify: Polling Method: Register 1% or more support in three polls (which may be national polls, or polls in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and/or Nevada) publicly released between January 1, 2019, and 14 days prior to the date of the Organization Debate. Qualifying polls will be limited to those sponsored by one or more of the following organizations/institutions: Associated Press, ABC News, CBS News, CNN, Des Moines Register, Fox News, Las Vegas Review Journal, Monmouth University, NBC News, New York Times, National Public Radio (NPR), Quinnipiac University, Reuters, University of New Hampshire, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Washington Post, Winthrop University. Any candidates three qualifying polls must be conducted by different organizations, or if by the same organization, must be in different geographical areas. Grassroots Fundraising Method. Candidates may qualify for the debate by demonstrating that the campaign has received donations from at least (1) 65,000 unique donors; and (2) a minimum of 200 unique donors per state in at least 20 U.S. states. To demonstrate that the fundraising threshold has been reached, candidates must provide verifiable evidence, which they may do by authorizing ActBlue and/or NGP VAN to provide that evidence. So whos already qualified? According to an analysis from FiveThirtyEight on May 22, 20 announced candidates have made the cut, all but one via the polling method. Well continue updating this post as more candidates qualify. Joe Biden Before and after he formally announced, Biden ranked at or very near the top in every national and early-state poll taken this year, despite a mini-crisis over his inappropriate touching of women and many efforts (from both anti-Biden progressives and from Trump) to remind people of his past ideological heresies. Hes gained ground in nearly every survey after his formal announcement in April, showing strength across most demographic categories (including African-Americans), and dominating among older voters. Bernie Sanders Sanders has ranked second in the bulk of national and early-state surveys, and is running first in some New Hampshire polls. He has a large and active small-donor fundraising base. He is in some respects the most predictable quantity in the 2020 contest, given his high name ID and broad national base of support. That base, however, continues to skew youngish and whitish. Kamala Harris Harris is one of a group of candidates who are trailing Biden and Sanders by a significant margin in most polls, but who rank consistently well above the DNCs one percent threshold for inclusion in the debates. Her main asset is strategic: If she can outflank Cory Booker among African-American voters and do very well in South Carolina, then she could clean up in the newly early (March 3) primary in her home state of California. Good debate performances could help her stay near the top. Beto ORourke Like Sanders, ORourke had boffo initial fundraising with a diverse (though not as diverse as Bernies) small donor base, but has waxed and waned in the polls. Hes currently in a bit of a slump, and is another candidate who could use a boost from debates. Elizabeth Warren The Massachusetts senator earned mixed reviews for her early 2019 campaign performance, but has gradually moved up into a consistent third place standing nationally, while wowing wonks and activists with a broad array of policy proposals. She also may have given herself a recent boost by becoming the first top-tier candidate to come out for impeachment proceedings against Trump. Debates could help her showcase her policy chops, but will also test concerns about her likability. Like Harris, she remains well-positioned ideologically in a diverse but left-leaning field. Warren has an especially strong organization in Iowa. Cory Booker If ORourke looks better in national than in early-state polls, Booker is the reverse. But he trails Kamala Harris almost everywhere, which is a big problem for a candidate who needs to show strength among African-Americans from the get-go. His Wall Street and Silicon Valley connections should keep him funded well for at least a good while. Amy Klobuchar The Minnesota senator is part of another group of candidates who have qualified for the debates by meeting the polling threshold, but otherwise trail the pack by significant margins. She is doing relatively well in next-door Iowa, but needs a higher profile. Pete Buttigieg If theres someone in the group of candidates far behind the pace who seemed to have a bullet next to his name earlier this year, its South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg. He met the minimal polling threshold some time ago, and has settled into a stable position in the middle of the pack alongside Warren and Harris. His support does seem limited to college-educated white voters. The debates will test whether he can convert the good personal impression hes been making with selected audiences into a viable candidacy, despite his youth (hes 37) and the limitations of his resume in public office. Julian Castro The former San Antonio mayor and HUD secretary hasnt made much of a national impression (hes at the debate minimum of one percent in national and Iowa polls) so far. But he has potential as the only Latino in the field, and could make a splash in Nevada, and an even bigger splash in the March 3 megastates of California and Texas. He mostly needs to survive in the early going. It might help him, too, if he obtained greater proficiency in speaking Spanish. Kirsten Gillibrand Its very good for the Democratic Party and for the country that four women serving in the U.S. Senate are running for president. Its not very good for New Yorks Kirsten Gillibrand, whos struggled to distinguish herself from the other, more easily identified women, and from the rest of the field generally. Shes a candidate who could really benefit from a strong debate performance. Jay Inslee The Washington governor does not have Gillibrands problem at all; hes identified himself clearly as the candidate who is making climate change his sole priority. The furor over the Green New Deal helped make his issue even more paramount in the national debate, but also gave other candidates a way to show themselves as credibly urgent about climate change. If voters or the media get notably tired of listening to senators, Inslees non-Washington resume could help him. John Hickenlooper The former Colorado governor (and Denver mayor) is clearly running as a self-identified moderate, presumably competing with Biden and Klobuchar (and perhaps ORourke) for voters alarmed at the partys leftward tilt. Like Klobuchar, his relatively close proximity to Iowa gives him a bit of an advantage if he can get traction there. But both his ideological and geographical base were undermined by the candidacy of his former aide and Colorado senator Michael Bennet. Andrew Yang At first the only candidate to qualify for the debates via the grassroots fundraising method, and now also qualifying in the polls, is entrepreneur and social-media sensation Andrew Yang, who has developed a significant and quite young following with his self-consciously quirky persona and a universal basic income proposal. If he can translate his online charisma to a debate stage, he could make some waves. John Delaney A former three-term congressman from Maryland, and prior to that a health-care entrepreneur and lender, Delaney was the first Democrat to declare for the 2020 race (way back in July of 2017), and has spent a great deal of time in Iowa and New Hampshire. He is an unabashed moderate who opposes the Green New Deal and still supports the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement that most Democrats now oppose. Hes qualified for the debates via minimum poll showings, but is in danger of following the path trod by fellow Marylander Martin OMalley in 2016: doing everything right other than becoming popular. Tulsi Gabbard The Hawaii congresswoman initially qualified by meeting the grassroots fundraising threshold, and then reached one percent in the requisite polls. As a lifelong surfer, a military veteran, a Hindu, and an outspoken progressive, Gabbard might be attracting more attention in a less crowded field. But much of the buzz about her has been negative, based on her controversial habit of defending Syrias murderous president Bashar al-Assad, her links to anti-Islamic Hindu nationalists in India, and her history of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric (for which she has apologized). She does share with Bernie Sanders and (so far not debate-qualified) Mike Gravel a strongly noninterventionist foreign policy posture, but may just be too tainted for viability. Steve Bullock The two-term Montana governor has been considered presidential timber by those who know him for a good while, but is being handicapped by a very late start (he didnt announce until his legislative session ended in early May) and a lack of national name ID. Electability is probably going to be the main rationale for his candidacy, and thats not easy to prove in a short period of time, much less in a debate. Tim Ryan The Ohio congressman is implicitly competing with Biden, Buttigieg, Klobuchar and possibly Sanders for the role of the candidate best equipped to capture those Rust Belt white working-class voters who played so important a role in Trumps 2016 win. But Ryan has a history of conservative positions on abortion and guns (now abandoned), along with an interesting if unusual interest in yoga and associated philosophies of mental self-control. Eric Swalwell The 38-year-old East Bay (California) congressman is mainly known for a relentless advocacy of gun safety measures, but secured some vital media attention as a member of the House Intelligence Committee willing to talk about Russian election interference. He also has the obscure but valuable asset of having been born in Iowa. Swalwell is probably looking enviously at the buzz surrounding fellow thirty-something Pete Buttigieg. Bill de Blasio The two-term New York mayors much-derided presidential candidacy was finally announced in May, and the best thing you can say for it is that his Gotham background assures at least some regular media coverage. He does have some policy accomplishments, especially in early childhood education. De Blasio will have to establish that hes serious about staying in the race, and isnt just running because hes bored with his day job. Marianne Williamson The only candidate so far to qualify strictly on the basis of grassroots fundraising, the best-selling author and New Agey self-help expert is best known for her celebrity connections (shes been something of a spiritual counselor for Oprah Winfrey, for example). But she has a seriously and rigorously progressive platform that she will probably use the debates to highlight. If nothing else, she could emerge as a lefty gadfly like her friend Dennis Kucinich in his presidential bids. So thats the current debate field. Who else might qualify? The three announced candidates who havent made the cut so far are the aforementioned Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado; Miramar, Florida mayor Wayne Messam; and Massachusetts congressman Seth Moulton (some lists include former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel, though it appears his campaign is basically some kids managing his Twitter feed). Youd figure Bennet and Moulton, at least, have a decent chance of qualifying and forcing the DNC to go to its tie-breakers: those who meet both the polling and grassroots fundraising thresholds, and then those who rank higher in polling. Except for those who have qualified by the skin of their teeth and could theoretically get bumped by late qualifiers, the candidates can start practicing soon, with the complication that they have no idea which rivals they will actually be facing. It could get unpredictably wild and predictably important in the winnowing of this huge field. This post has been updated throughout. Paris (AFP) - Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina said Wednesday that he believed his party and allies were on course for a majority in the country's new parliament, but the opposition alleged that "anomalies" had been detected in the vote. The election commission is counting votes from the election, which took place on Monday, with provisional results expected on June 15. "Today, according to the trends at the independent election commission, our group of parties are ahead and on track for a majority, even if it isn't official," Rajoelina told reporters in Paris. "We will wait for the final results of course," he added after talks with French President Emmanuel Macron. The parliamentary election is seen as the latest round of a bitter feud between Rajoelina and his longstanding rival Marc Ravalomanana and his TIM ("I Love Madagascar") party. The two men have dominated the country's politics since the early 2000s, sometimes cooperating but mostly fighting for advantage and high office. "We have seen a lot of anomalies in all of the provinces and we are preparing our appeals," Olga Ramalason, a senator from TIM, told reporters in the capital Antananarivo. An election observer mission from the Southern African Development Community has praised the peaceful conditions maintained for the election. The former French colony is well known for its vanilla and precious redwood, yet is one of the world's poorest nations, according to World Bank data, with 76 percent of people living in extreme poverty. The island has a long history of coups and unrest. A man who was allegedly attacked by an emotional support dog on a Delta Airlines flight has filed a lawsuit against the airline and the owner of the animal. Marlin Jackson has accused both Delta and Ronald Kevin Mundy Jr, a US veteran, of negligence after he was attacked while the flight was boarding in June 2017. Mr Jackson was seated in a window seat while the dog was next to him on the veterans lap, according to the lawsuit. The dog then attacked Mr Jackson, leaving his face permanently scarred. According to the complaint, Mr Jackson bled so profusely that the entire row of seats had to be removed from the airplane. The attack was briefly interrupted when the animal was pulled away from Mr. Jackson. However, the animal broke free and again mauled Mr Jackson's face, the lawsuit continued. The lawsuit also said Delta didn't verify the dog was trained or met the requirements of a service animal. A police report stated the Marine Corps veteran's dog was a chocolate lab pointer mix. Airlines later made changes to policies for emotional support animals following the attack, which drew national headlines in 2017. Mr Jackson has continued to endure severe physical pain and suffering according to the lawsuit, amid substantial medical bills and an apparent loss of income or earning potential. The lawsuit goes on to note Mr Jacksons entire lifestyle has been severely impaired by this attack. Mr Jackson was reportedly travelling from Atlanta to San Diego when the attack occurred. Additional reporting by AP From socks and sneakers to washing machines and watches, Asian countries are hoping the US-China trade war will permanently boost manufacturing as brands dodge the row by choosing cheaper locations to make their goods. Business has fanned out from China, often referred to as the 'Factory of the World', into Vietnam, Cambodia, India and Indonesia for years. But the shift has accelerated as the world's two biggest economies slap tit-for-tat tariffs on each other. In the latest round of the bruising spat, US President Donald Trump this month raised tariffs to 25 percent on $200 billion of Chinese goods, prompting Beijing to retaliate with higher duties on $60 billion worth of American products. That "really became a kicker to force people to move", said Trent Davies, manager of international business at the advisory and tax firm Dezan Shira & Associates in Vietnam. A surge in relocations from China or plans to scale up production has strengthened the manufacturing hubs of Southeast Asia and beyond. Casio said it was moving some of its watch production to Thailand and Japan to avoid the US penalties, while Japanese printer-maker Ricoh said it was also shifting some of its work to Thailand. American shoe giant Steve Madden plans to boost production in Cambodia, and Brooks Running Company, Haier washing machines and sock maker Jasan -- which sells to Adidas, Puma, New Balance and Fila -- are all eyeing Vietnam. The country is a logical move for manufacturers, wooed by low-cost labour, attractive tax incentives and close proximity to China's unparalleled supply chains. "It's not just a result of the trade war, a lot of it is opportunity in Vietnam," Davies said. - Boom times - Some Vietnamese suppliers say the trade dispute has fast-tracked the trend as companies scramble to dodge fresh tariffs that could affect some 4,000 categories of exports to the US. On a busy stretch of road in Hanoi, the bustling Garco 10 factory is churning out men's shirts for American brands like Hollister, Bonobos and Express. Story continues The company says exports to the US were up seven percent last year, with an expected 10 percent jump this year. "Thanks to the trade war... several sectors of the Vietnam economy have gained, especially our garment sector," Garco 10 director Than Duc Viet told AFP. "We want to open more factories, we want to expand our capacity," he said at one of his facilities where an army of workers made shirts destined for American shopping malls and department stores. US imports from China during the first three months of this year reached nearly $16 billion, up 40 percent from the same period last year, according to US trade data. And that number could rise. - Labour woes - More than 40 percent of US companies in China are now considering moving or have already done so, mainly to Southeast Asia or Mexico, according to a poll this month from the American Chamber of Commerce in China. But the shift is not expected to be seamless. While Southeast Asia offers low-cost labour -- monthly factory salaries are about $290 in Vietnam and $180 in Cambodia and Indonesia, compared to around $540 in China -- workers are less experienced. "Labour costs are three times higher in China, but the efficiency is also three times higher," said Frank Weiand, co-chair of the manufacturing committee at the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam. There is also a smaller labour pool to draw on. Vietnam employs around 10 million people in the manufacturing sector compared to 166 million in China, according to data from the International Labour Organization. Indonesia employs 17.5 million, and Cambodia 1.4 million. Experts warn companies may also face supply chain woes, infrastructure challenges and land shortages in less developed markets without the capacity to absorb overspill from China. - Global shift - This could be a problem for Indonesia, whose clunky bureaucracy has left it trailing some of its neighbours. But now the country is hoping to soak up foreign investment from the trade war. "We're trying to make it easier for investors by speeding up the process for getting business permits," said Yuliot, a senior official at the Indonesian Investment Board who goes by one name. The country is also beefing up infrastructure and skills training while offering corporate tax breaks, he added. With no end to the trade war in sight, analysts say the manufacturing shift out of China is likely to continue -- and could redefine long-entrenched global trade patterns. "Certainly it will end China's dominance as the 'Factory for the US'," Gary Hufbauer, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, told AFP. US companies and consumers may also get the short end of the stick: higher tariffs on goods out of China means the average American will likely have to pay more for a pair of Nike sneakers or Levi's jeans. And if Trump was hoping to drive US manufacturers back home by imposing those tariffs as part of his 'Make America Great Again' clarion call, he's not likely to get his wish. American industries -- and wages -- are not set up for low-cost manufacturing on the scale of China. Instead, countries like Vietnam are likely to continue scooping up those jobs. Le Thi Huong, who sews hems at Hanoi's Garco 10 factory, said: "I hope there will be more orders... so we have more jobs and more income." Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images If Mar-a-Lago is still the Southern White House, as the president used to refer to it, then the Trump resort in Palm Beach is certainly lacking the robust security of its counterpart in D.C. According to a new report from the Palm Beach Post, an 18-year-old college student from Washington, D.C., snuck into the mansion last year on the day after Thanksgiving while the first family was visiting. Mark Lindblom, a freshman at the University of Wisconsin, was visiting his grandparents at a nearby beach club when he decided to walk into Mar-a-Lago, passing through a metal detector manned by Secret Service agents. Lindblom strolled through the private resort for around 20 minutes before he was arrested. We have no reason to believe he had a political, criminal, or terroristic purpose, U.S. Attorney John McMillan said on Tuesday before a federal magistrate. It was a foolish decision he did on a lark. Lindblom added, I wanted to see how far I could get. He pleaded guilty to a charge of entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds, and received probation for a year. The teenage breach is concerning for Mar-a-Lago, as the Secret Service presence was ramped up for the presidents visit doubly so, considering recent security concerns and the presidents lax approach to his favorite property. In March, reports emerged that a 45-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen, Cindy Yang who founded the spa where Patriots owner Robert Kraft was recorded by police paying for oral sex was selling access to President Trump, primarily during his Mar-a-Lago visits. And in April, a Chinese national was arrested in the club carrying a thumb drive filled with malware, $8,000 in cash, and a device for detecting hidden cameras. Some of the security threats are coming from the inside. The Secret Service reportedly relies, in part, on staff to help screen visitors to the club, where visitor logs are kept private. And though Trump appears to have left behind the habit of treating the Mar-a-Lago terrace like an open-air situation room, his history of discussing international crises in mixed company seems all the more damaging with the compounding reports of his clubs laissez-faire membership policy. Melania Trump is known for her designer taste and statement-making sartorial choices -- and her trip to Japan over Memorial Day Weekend was no exception. President Trump and the first lady arrived in Tokyo on May 25 for an official four-day trip, the first official state visit since Emperor Naruhito took the throne on May 1st. The first couple's quick trip included a sumo match, dining with prominent business leaders, attending an imperial state banquet, paying a visit to a Tokyo art museum and a visit with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Although the trip was brief, Melania was dressed to a tee, opting for a rainbow of international high fashion designers for the visit. The Trumps arrived at Haneda International Airport on Saturday, with FLOTUS donning the same Calvin Klein silk midi dress she left Washington in for the 16-hour flight. The belted long-sleeved dress is detailed with postcard prints of the West Coast and retails for $3900. She accessorized the look with Christian Louboutins Agneska pumps in navy. For a visit to the famed Mori Building Digital Art Museum with the prime minister's wife Akie Abe, the first lady opted for a silk jumpsuit by Italian designer Loro Piano. That night, the 49-year-old swapped into a fuchsia dress by Roland Mouret to attend a match during the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament. The wool dress comes from the designer's Resort 2018 collection, which is still in stock for $2000. On Monday, Melania paid a visit to Akasaka Palace to meet with Akie Abe once again. The mom-of-one opted for the perfect springtime dress: a simple white Carolina Herrera midi dress embroidered with florals. The timeless dress is on sale for over half off, available for purchase for $2150. Later that night, the first couple headed to the Imperial Palace for a state banquet in their black-tie best. The president opted for a sleek black tuxedo, while Melania looked elegant as ever in a blush caped dress by one of her go-to designers, J. Mendel. The first lady went all out for her final look in Japan the following day, choosing a vibrant orange floral print dress by Dries Van Noten, which reportedly retails for $1300. Story continues RELATED: Melania Trump's most expensive outfits Given the first lady's refined taste, it's no surprise that her outfits come at a pretty hefty price point. According to The Daily Mail, the mom-of-one wore over $20,000 in designer clothing during the length of her trip. Of course, that's nothing in comparison to some of her most expensive outfits, including the $51,000 Dolce & Gabbana jacket she wore at the G-7 summit in Italy in May 2017. For more of the first lady's most controversial looks ever, scroll through below. Mexico City (AFP) - Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Wednesday denied that he was persecuting figures linked to the previous government, as authorities began making arrests in his administration's first major corruption case. Lopez Obrador, an anti-establishment leftist, was elected last year on a promise to wage war on Mexico's deep-rooted political corruption. This week, his government made its first high-profile moves to do just that, zeroing in on the alleged plundering of state oil company Pemex. Speaking after prosecutors confirmed an arrest warrant had been issued for Emilio Lozoya, the former chief executive of Pemex and a top advisor to ex-president Enrique Pena Nieto, Lopez Obrador insisted the case was not politically motivated. "There is no political persecution here. These are alleged crimes that have to be investigated," he told a press conference. "Vengeance isn't my strong suit," he added, saying he did not know either Lozoya or an alleged co-conspirator arrested Tuesday, Alonso Ancira -- the head of Altos Hornos de Mexico, one of the country's largest steel companies. Lozoya and Ancira are accused of orchestrating a dodgy 2014 deal in which Altos Hornos sold Pemex a defunct fertilizer plant for $475 million. Altos Hornos denies wrongdoing and says the plant was valued properly. Ancira was arrested on the Spanish island of Mallorca as he tried to board a flight to Canada, after Mexico asked Interpol to issue a notice for his arrest on charges of corruption, fraud and organized crime, according to Spanish police. A Mexican judge has also issued an arrest warrant for Lozoya -- though it was later suspended for up to 15 days, after his lawyer filed an injunction request, demanding more details on the accusations. Lozoya's whereabouts are unknown, though his attorney says he is in Mexico. Officers raided his father's house in Mexico City late Tuesday but "found nothing," the attorney, Javier Coello, told Mexican TV network Milenio. Story continues Lozoya headed Pemex, Mexico's largest company, from 2012 to 2016, during the Pena Nieto administration. Prior to that, he was chief international strategist on Pena Nieto's 2012 presidential campaign, and led the politician's transition team after he won. He is accused in a separate case of taking millions of dollars in bribes from Brazilian company Odebrecht, the construction giant accused of paying billions to politicians across Latin America to win lucrative contracts. Lozoya is accused of funneling Odebrecht bribes to Pena Nieto's campaign. He denies the allegation. MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's attorney general said on Wednesday an arrest warrant had been issued for Emilio Lozoya, former CEO of state oil company Pemex, as part of a probe into the company's purchase of fertilizer businesses in the previous government. Attorney General Alejandro Gertz also told broadcaster Televisa the actions of Pemex's board at the time would need to be analyzed during the probe. That could raise questions about the role of senior officials in the previous administration because of various ministries' representation on Pemex's board. (Reporting by Dave Graham and Miguel Angel Gutierrez; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel) While Prime Minister Narendra Modi's nationalist tub-thumping has been widely credited with his recent election win, another factor was one he kept relatively quiet about: Modicare. Despite some teething problems and a dire need for further reforms and more spending, the huge initiative launched last year -- one of the world's largest publicly funded health care programmes -- has made a difference. "This scheme has infused a sense of belief in the poor that if they fall sick they will get treatment without spending a rupee," said Anil Agarwal, chief medical superintendent at a hospital in Sitapur, a city with some of India's worst health indicators. Voting data from the mammoth election that ended last week with a landslide for Modi showed particularly strong support for his right-wing party in poorer areas where people would have benefited most. "It has certainly been welcomed as a welfare measure by the poor and probably contributed to (Modi's) electoral victory," said K. Srinath Reddy, president of the non-profit Public Health Foundation of India. The flagship programme, dubbed Modicare, covers hospital costs up to $7,200 for the poorest 40 percent of Indians, or some 500 million people, in a country where the average annual income is about $1,670. Even before Modicare, or the National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS), was introduced in September, treatment was largely free at government hospitals. But patients still had to shell out for diagnostics and medicines, which make up a big chunk of the costs of hospital care, as well as for implants like stents. Private clinics were out of reach for many, with a consultation alone costing some 1,000 rupees ($15) -- a large amount for millions living on less than $2 a day. But now, poorer Indians can visit these clinics, providing they sign up to the scheme. - New belief - Sabir Ali, an impoverished weaver who got a Modicare card for himself and his family to use at any of the 15,000-odd participating hospitals, had a cyst removed from his forehead. Story continues "It was unbelievable to hold the card in my hands," Ali told AFP, his head bandaged at the Sitapur district hospital in northern India. "I used the card and I didn't have to spend a single rupee on my treatment." Until recently only a quarter of India's population had any health insurance, forcing hundreds of millions to pay out of their own pockets, go to quack doctors or just skip treatment. An estimated 60 million Indians are pushed below the poverty threshold every year paying for medical care, while a report last year by The Lancet medical journal found substandard health care was responsible for some 1.6 million deaths a year. Almost two million people have benefited from the scheme so far, with the government allocating some $1.2 billion since the launch. The costs are shared between federal and state governments 60:40. "Schemes such as Modicare played a larger role (in the election outcome) than anyone had anticipated," said political analyst Parsa Venkateshwar Rao. "The overall message that has gone out is that Modi is willing to help the poor." - Teething troubles - In his second term, however, Modi will have to iron out some of the scheme's early shortcomings, with some hospitals complaining they cannot recoup what they spend. "We can't cope with (receiving) 9,000 rupees ($128) for a caesarean section which would include stay of the patient, fees of the anaesthetist, paediatrician, medicines and so on," said V.K. Monga, a doctor from the Indian Medical Association. "But corrective steps are being taken... The health sector is overall satisfied now with the scheme," he told AFP. Reddy of the Public Health Foundation of India also said the scheme needed more financial resources. "If the state governments too can be stimulated to increase their health budgets, the scheme will become sustainable," Reddy said. More broadly, Modi needs to build more facilities, train more staff and implement more reforms in what remains a dysfunctional health care system, experts say. The newly re-elected prime minister has promised to hike health spending to 2.5 percent of GDP by 2025, from 1.15 percent now -- one of the lowest in the world -- but it is unclear if this will suffice. Critics also say that Modicare helps unscrupulous private providers -- already accused of over-diagnosing and carrying out unnecessary surgeries -- boost profits. Ali too has his complaints. "I live nearby the hospital so I can come, but if someone lives outside the city, they will struggle with the number of times they are expected to visit the hospital," he said. "They make us run around a lot." But the family of Vindeshwari Devi, who has had her uterus removed at the same Sitapur hospital, is satisfied. "I think this scheme is good and it will only get better," said Sunil Kumar, a daily-wage labourer and Devi's son-in-law. "For those who have nothing, it means a lot." Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Moog Inc. (NYSE:MOG.A) shareholders might be concerned after seeing the share price drop 11% in the last quarter. But over three years, the returns would have left most investors smiling After all, the share price is up a market-beating 56% in that time. Check out our latest analysis for Moog To quote Buffett, 'Ships will sail around the world but the Flat Earth Society will flourish. There will continue to be wide discrepancies between price and value in the marketplace...' One imperfect but simple way to consider how the market perception of a company has shifted is to compare the change in the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price movement. During three years of share price growth, Moog achieved compound earnings per share growth of 13% per year. We note that the 16% yearly (average) share price gain isn't too far from the EPS growth rate. Coincidence? Probably not. This observation indicates that the market's attitude to the business hasn't changed all that much. Au contraire, the share price change has arguably mimicked the EPS growth. The company's earnings per share (over time) is depicted in the image below (click to see the exact numbers). NYSE:MOG.A Past and Future Earnings, May 29th 2019 We know that Moog has improved its bottom line lately, but is it going to grow revenue? Check if analysts think Moog will grow revenue in the future. What About Dividends? It is important to consider the total shareholder return, as well as the share price return, for any given stock. The TSR is a return calculation that accounts for the value of cash dividends (assuming that any dividend received was reinvested) and the calculated value of any discounted capital raisings and spin-offs. So for companies that pay a generous dividend, the TSR is often a lot higher than the share price return. As it happens, Moog's TSR for the last 3 years was 58%, which exceeds the share price return mentioned earlier. This is largely a result of its dividend payments! Story continues A Different Perspective It's good to see that Moog has rewarded shareholders with a total shareholder return of 4.4% in the last twelve months. Of course, that includes the dividend. That gain is better than the annual TSR over five years, which is 3.8%. Therefore it seems like sentiment around the company has been positive lately. Someone with an optimistic perspective could view the recent improvement in TSR as indicating that the business itself is getting better with time. Most investors take the time to check the data on insider transactions. You can click here to see if insiders have been buying or selling. For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket. Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on US exchanges. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. When the going gets tough, the senator gets socialist. Photo: Scott Eisen/Getty Images The inequality is too damn high. In the United States today, the richest 0.1 percent of the population owns as much wealth as the bottom 90 percent combined. And the chasm between our aristocracys fortunes and those of the average Joe and Joanna is only growing. Since 1980, the real annual earnings of the top 0.1 percent have grown by 343 percent; the poorest nine-tenths of the country, meanwhile, have seen their earnings grow by a mere 22 percent in that time span. Absent drastic reforms of our political economy, theres every reason to think that this income polarization will continue apace in the decades to come. And drastic reforms aint easy. In fact, even modestly reducing inequality (and/or ameliorating its most troubling effects) through tax and transfer programs poses major political challenges. For example, while raising taxes on the rich is very popular, transferring income away from the upper reaches of the middle class is less so. Even when broad-based tax hikes are pegged to overwhelmingly popular forms of redistribution, such as universal health care, voters often have trouble swallowing them. A recent Kaiser Family Foundation survey found that 56 percent of Americans favored Medicare for All until they were told the policy would require most Americans to pay more in taxes, at which point support plummeted to 37 percent. The credibility of this finding is buttressed by the failure of movements for single-payer health care in Vermont and Colorado, where aversion to tax increases fueled opposition. And the unpopularity of tax hikes on the non-rich can also be seen in the reluctance of even the leftmost Democrats to present detailed plans for how they intend to finance their most ambitious redistributive programs. Bernie Sanders appears to understand all this. Which is why the 2020 candidate is preparing to shift the focus of his economic message away from divisive tax and spend liberalism and toward more broadly popular approaches to reducing inequality like, say, worker ownership of the means of production. As the Washington Posts Jeff Stein reports: We can move to an economy where workers feel that theyre not just a cog in the machine one where they have power over their jobs and can make decisions, Sanders said in an interview. Democracy isnt just the opportunity to vote. What democracy really means is having control over your life. Sanders said his campaign is working on a plan to require large businesses to regularly contribute a portion of their stocks to a fund controlled by employees, which would pay out a regular dividend to the workers. Some models of this fund increase employees ownership stake in the company, making the workers a powerful voting shareholder. The idea is in its formative stages and a spokesman did not share further details. Sanders also said he will introduce a plan to force corporations to give workers a share of the seats on their boards of directors. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), another 2020 presidential candidate, proposed a similar idea last year. Sanderss plan for giving workers at major corporations an ownership stake in their firms is by far the most socialist policy he has ever endorsed as a national politician. The idea is, in essence, a scaled-down version of the late Swedish economist Rudolf Meidners plan for gradually socializing ownership of industry by requiring employers to funnel a fixed percentage of their annual profits into collectively owned, trade-union-managed wage-earner funds. Meidners plan, and all other blueprints for funds socialism, is derived from a simple observation, deftly summarized by Matt Bruenig of the Peoples Policy Project: [C]apital ownership no longer takes the form of an individual business owner presiding over an empire, but instead takes the form of affluent families owning diversified portfolios of real estate and financial assets like stocks and bonds. The socialization of those assets into funds owned and controlled by workers or society would thus provide a relatively simple glide path into a kind of market socialism. (For a rundown on the Meidner plan, and other approaches to funds socialism, check out Bruenigs fascinating proposal for an American Solidarity Fund). Sanderss wealth-fund plan would do far more than any of his other policies to reduce the vast disparities of wealth and income that hes made his name decrying. The fundamental challenge in combating inequality is that wealth begets more wealth. Those who can afford to invest in bonds get to collect annual interest payments; those who invest in stocks or real estate typically see their capital assets annually appreciate. Thus, most years, our nations collective capital stock directs loads of passive income to Americas wealthiest citizens. Which means that, even if wage growth hadnt been tepid for the past four decades, the rich still would have pulled ahead of everyone else, buoyed by the rising tide of compound interest. To put a serious dent in inequality, then, you need to equalize the distribution of capital income (or, ya know, launch a world war). And yet if Sanderss plan for worker wealth funds is his most radical and socialistic, moderate voters may actually find it more palatable than his conventional redistributive policies. As mentioned above, raising taxes on the non-rich isnt superpopular in the contemporary United States. Over the past half-century, conservative Republicans (and, to a lesser extent, neoliberal Democrats) have given Americans plenty of cause for doubting that Uncle Sam will be a faithful steward of their tax dollars. Asking voters to believe that the federal government knows how to invest their income better than they do can be tough. But asking them to believe that they know how to invest their employers income better than their bosses? Thats usually an easier sell. We have few details about Sanderss wealth-fund plan, let alone polling data. But in March, YouGov and the Democracy Collaborative found majority support for a similar policy. Asked whether large companies should be required to put 2 percent of their shares into a workers fund each year, up to a maximum of 50 percent, 55 percent of respondents said yes, while just 20 percent opposed the idea. And the other component of Sanderss forthcoming proposal forcing corporations to give their workers representation on corporate boards, a policy known as worker co-determination is extremely popular. Like a worker wealth fund, co-determination can redistribute significant amounts of income without raising taxes by helping workers secure a higher share of their employers profits. Last year, Wisconsin senator Tammy Baldwin introduced a bill requiring large companies to dedicate one-third of board seats to worker-elected representatives. Elizabeth Warrens co-determination plan sets that minimum at two-fifths. Shortly after Baldwin unveiled her proposal last year, the data-science firm Civis Analytics teamed up with the progressive think tank Data for Progress to poll the idea and found that mandating that large companies allow employees to elect representatives to their board of directors had a positive approval rating in 100 percent of the nations states and congressional districts. Remarkably, this result held even when the pollster informed respondents that Republicans opposed the plan because they believed it makes companies less efficient and would be bad for the economy. With the public as a whole, the policy boasted net support with likely voters who are Asian-American (+40), black (+38), college educated (+31), Latino (+32), white (+28), and not college educated (+28). No demographic group registered a net-negative opinion of the idea. And in many critical regions of the country, a majority of Trump voters endorsed it. In many instances, the American publics suspicion of centralized authority creates problems for economic egalitarianism. But when the question ceases to be, Should the government have more control over the distribution of income? and becomes Should bosses have less? that latent antipathy for authority starts to work in progressives favor. To be sure, once conservative media gets to work on co-determination and worker wealth funds, support for the ideas will likely decline. Further, at the end of the day, combating inequality through post-tax redistribution may be more politically tenable than shifting the balance of power within firms even if the latter is more popular with voters because co-determination and worker wealth funds would likely inspire the impassioned, unified opposition of all major employers (who have more powerful lobbies than ordinary voters do). Meanwhile, on a substantive level, care would need to be taken to structure these policies in a manner that didnt encourage firms to contract out more of their labor needs, so as to evade sharing profits and control with their employees. But the core premise of Sanderss proposal that true democracy requires giving ordinary Americans some power over the institutions where they spend the bulk of their waking hours has real political promise. And if were serious about reducing inequality, theres no (desirable) alternative to confronting it at its source. 4712 Voltaire St. | Photo: Zumper Ocean Beach is quite walkable, is very bikeable and has some transit options, according to Walk Score's rating system. So what does the low-end rent on a rental in Ocean Beach look like these days and what might you get for your money? We took a look at local listings for studios and one-bedroom apartments in Ocean Beach via rental sites Zumper and Apartment Guide, to find out what price-conscious apartment seekers can expect to find in this San Diego neighborhood. Read on for the cheapest listings available right now. (Note: prices and availability are subject to change.) Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. 4712 Voltaire St. Listed at $1,395/month, this 310-square-foot studio apartment, located at 4712 Voltaire St., is 6.7% less than the $1,495/month median rent for a studio in Ocean Beach. In the apartment, you can expect hardwood flooring, ceiling fans and in unit laundry. If you've got a pet, you'll be happy to learn that cats and dogs are welcome. Assigned parking is listed as a building amenity. Expect a $800 security deposit. (See the complete listing here.) 2243 Abbott St.. #G This one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment, situated at 2243 Abbott St., #G, is listed for $1,475/month. The building offers on-site laundry and assigned parking. Pets are not permitted. The rental doesn't require a leasing fee. (See the complete listing here.) 5014-5016 Cape May Ave. Here's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom duplex at 5014 Cape May Ave., which, at 550 square feet, is going for $1,495/month. In the unit, you'll find a mix of hardwood and tile flooring. Pets are not allowed. Outdoor space is listed as a building amenity. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee. (See the full listing here.) 4873 Niagara Ave. Check out this 475-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom at 4873 Niagara Ave., listed at $1,595/month. Story continues On-site laundry is listed as a building amenity. There's no leasing fee required for this rental. Pet owners, inquire elsewhere as cats and dogs are not welcome. (Here's the listing.) This story was created automatically using local real estate data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. By Gene Emery (Reuters Health) - Doctors at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston say most of the face transplant patients they have been following for about five years are continuing to show improvement in quality of life. Their new faces are functioning - in terms of movement control - at about 60 percent of what a normal face would, and the patients are seeing "significant improvement" in the ability to feel hot, cold and pressure on the skin. "For some of them, you would not be able to tell (they had a transplant)," Dr. Bohdan "Bo" Pomahac, director of plastic surgery transplantation at the hospital told Reuters Health in a telephone interview. "Some of them don't look normal, but they look human. But if you look at them before and after, it's night and day. And there are still ways we're trying to improve the outcomes, both esthetically and functionally." Before the surgery, all had at least one area of severe damage, such as the loss of an upper lip or nose, in addition to having 25 percent of the face damaged by an injury such as burn or trauma. The team reports on the progress of six patients - four men and two women - in a letter in the New England Journal of Medicine. Two of the six had partial transplants. The Brigham and Women's group has given transplants to an additional man and woman, making it the largest collection of living face transplant patients in the world. All but one patient reports a better quality of life, Pomahac said. Their depression scores have not changed and they have been able to sense touch on their face in addition to being able to move facial muscles where, otherwise, they had no viable alternative. "They can speak better, eat better and breath better," he said. Getting back 60 percent of the ability to move the facial muscles is "what one would expect with any nerve injury if you cut it or repair it," Pomahac noted. The improvement tends to wane after two years. "After two years the muscles that are working are working, and the muscles that are not are essentially atrophic and won't work," he added. Story continues "Imagine your widest smile. They do about 60 percent of that. Some subtle facial movements you may not be able to detect on them, but the sadness, the happiness, they can express," he said. And while they once had minimal or no feeling in the face after the transplant, "now they may feel that it's like it was prior to the accident," he said. "They do feel close to normal." All the recipients must continue to take medicine to prevent immune rejection, and doctors have had to deal with between two and seven episodes of rejection per patient. "If you look at the types of infections they're getting (while taking anti-rejection drugs) they're not particularly concerning and they mirror what you find in the organ transplant literature," Pomahac said. Six months after surgery, the infections tend to reflect what non-transplant patients experience. SOURCE: https://bit.ly/2GM2xra The New England Journal of Medicine, online May 29, 2019. BERLIN (Reuters) - Angela Merkel's heir apparent, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, is not ready to succeed her as chancellor, a poll showed on Wednesday, in a setback to their party's plans for a smooth leadership transition. Merkel, Europe's longest-serving leader, began a stage-managed gradual exit from politics in October when she said her fourth term as chancellor would be her last. In December, the leadership of her conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) passed to Kramp-Karrenbauer in what was widely seen as the beginning of a handover of power. But the survey by pollster Forsa showed 70 percent of Germans believed Kramp-Karrenbauer was not yet suited to taking over as chancellor. They wanted Merkel to stay on instead until 2021, when the legislative term is due to end. Even 52 percent of CDU supporters believed that Kramp-Karrenbauer, widely known by her initials AKK and sometimes dubbed "mini-Merkel", was not up to being chancellor, according to the poll for broadcaster RTL, for which Forsa surveyed 1,501 people on Monday and Tuesday. The poll followed a batch of ill-judged comments from Kramp-Karrenbauer, 56, and speculation that Merkel - dismissed by the chancellor - could quit early for a big European Union job in Brussels. On Tuesday, Kramp-Karrenbauer faced criticism from across Germany's political spectrum after she called for rules about expressing online opinions before elections in response to a YouTube video that criticised her party. Kramp-Karrenbauer denied she was promoting censorship. Her other gaffes have included poking fun at trans-gender people in a carnival speech, and addressing attendees at high-profile CDU meeting as Social Democrats. Merkel, 64, this month reaffirmed that she would leave politics altogether after her fourth term, dismissing speculation that she could take a big EU job. Kramp-Karrenbauer said in comments published this month that she had no ambition to succeed Merkel as chancellor until 2021. Germany's two main parties, the CDU-led conservatives and their Social Democrat coalition partners, were both hammered in European Parliament elections at the weekend. (Reporting by Paul Carrel and Michael Nienaber; editing by John Stonestreet) Maputo (AFP) - Islamist insurgents have resumed attacks in northern Mozambique after a cyclone last month, killing nearly two dozen villagers and torching homes in a mounting political threat in the run-up to a general election. A shadowy jihadist group that has targeted Cabo Delgado province since October 2017 briefly halted attacks after Cyclone Kenneth made landfall on April 25, leaving 45 dead and 250,000 affected. Relief teams and UN agencies were still searching for survivors and distributing aid when the islamists returned to action. In less than a month, the insurgents have killed at least 22 people, wounded dozens more and burned hundreds of homes, according to a record kept by AFP. The attacks have increased despite fresh police and military deployments as authorities struggle to prevent the insurgency disrupting voter registration ahead of presidential and legislative elections in October. Islamist fighters have been attacking remote communities in the gas-rich, Muslim-majority northern region since October 2017. But the group's identity and motives remain unclear. "The country is falling victim and we all need to understand the real reasons," President Filipe Nyusi said last week in a rare interview with the privately-owned Canal de Mocambique newspaper. "The defence and security forces are putting their whole resources into this, so we can learn (the insurgents') motivation and who these people are." The government refuses to confirm details of attacks, but AFP tracked the violence via local sources. - Litany of deaths - On May 3, as communities were still reeling from the cyclone, gunmen stormed the village of Nacate, in Macomia district, killing six and setting fire to a dozen homes. The following day, the nearby villages of Ntapuala and Banga-Vieja were attacked, with four people killed, including a teacher driving a motorcycle and three others who died in burned houses. Hours later, the villages of Ida and Ipho, in the district of Meluco, were torched after local people fled to surrounding forests. Story continues The pattern has been repeated through the month. Attacks have often forced the temporary closure of voting registration stations, according to the Center for Public Integrity, a Maputo-based civil action group. On May 10, insurgents targeted the road from the provincial capital Pemba to the coastal district of Palma, where a major gas extraction project is being built. Armed with rifles, the insurgents ambushed vehicles and killed two people travelling in a public minibus -- a new tactic in the wave of violence. One day later, in the village of Mangoma, the attackers beheaded two people walking along a dirt road. A third person was tortured and sent to tell locals to abandon their villages. "In the days that followed, there was a climate of terror and the voter registration was paralysed because the population had fled," a local source said. In another incident, gunmen opened fire on a funeral procession, killing two people as mourners ran for their lives. After one attack, a professor said: "They shouted at us to leave the village, saying 'We do not want anyone to live here. Why are you still here? Don't you see that we're at war?'" - Who are they? - Sheik Saide Habibe, a Muslim leader based in Maputo who has written an academic study of the insurgency, said little was still confirmed about the gunmen. "It's a small group that originally used rudimentary weapons. In conversations we have had with local people, they believe there are foreign elements among the attackers," Habibe told AFP, referring to camps across the border in Tanzania. "Mozambican nationals are involved for some adventure or as a means of survival." With over 200 people dead since late 2017, Habibe warned that the authorities seemed unable to quell the violence. "The longer it takes, the harder it will be. Last week they beat up a Muslim leader who appeared publicly to condemn the attacks." The lucrative gas fields off Cabo Delgado add an extra dimension to the insurgency as international exploration companies have been caught up in the violence. Convoys carrying contractors for the US giant Anadarko have been attacked at least twice, with two people killed in the latest incident this month. The company told AFP that it does not believe it had been deliberately targeted. "Is it because we are rich, or because there is wealth in Mozambique?" asked President Nyusi in his interview, saying religion may be only one reason to explain the attacks. For local people, the run-up to October elections looks set to be increasingly dangerous. "We flee to the city (of Mocimboa da Praia) but the government says we should go back to our communities," Barnabe Samuel Mussa, 66, a community leader in the village of Mitumbate, told AFP. "Our village has already been attacked twice. We have soldiers here in armoured cars, but we live in fear." NEWBURY, England, May 29 (Reuters) - Mr Carson, the much-loved butler in hit period drama "Downton Abbey," has lived through the tales of love and tragedy that have beset the British household during its six series on television screens. Now he will recount his memories of serving the Crawley family in a concert next month at the Highclere Castle venue, where the award-winning series set in the early Twentieth Century and its upcoming movie adaptation were filmed. With the show's composer John Lunn on piano, the Chamber Orchestra of London will perform "Music From Downton Abbey" on June 22, some three months before the highly-anticipated "Downton Abbey" film is released. Actor Jim Carter, who plays Carson, will host the concert in character. "The (concept) is that Lord Grantham has asked him to reminisce about his time at Downton Abbey," he told Reuters in an interview, referring to the series' patriarch, also known as Robert Crawley. "So he goes back and we talk about the loves, the lives, the disasters, the tragedies, the fun of the whole six series, which is linked together by the music." Lady Carnarvon, who owns Highclere Castle with her husband, the 8th Earl of Carnarvon, said "perhaps a few others of the cast" could join Carter on the day. The show, which followed the upstairs and downstairs lives of a sprawling country estate, first aired in 2011 and gained a huge following in Britain and the United States. The movie, which is set in 1927, is scheduled for release in September. "Filming the film which we finished in November, that was just like going back to the TV series. We all knew each other. As soon as you put your costume on, you're back in character really," Carter said. "But it was a slightly thinner experience because I don't think for instance the kitchen staff met any of the upstairs staff, or hardly any of them because it was...quicker, it was 10 weeks instead of six months. "We were filming separately in our own little stories a lot more than we were on the TV program." Little has been revealed about the movie, though a trailer released last week showed the Crawleys preparing for a royal visit to their home. (Reporting by Louise McLoughlin; Writing by Marie-Louise Gumuchian Editing by Alexandra Hudson) WASHINGTON Special counsel Robert Mueller briefly broke his silence on Wednesday, but he indicated he has no desire to speak again anytime soon. I hope and expect this to be the only time that I will speak to you in this manner. I am making that decision myself, Mueller said, adding, There has been discussion about an appearance before Congress. Any testimony from this office would not go beyond our report. ... We chose those words carefully, and the work speaks for itself, and the report is my testimony. Mueller also said that, since his investigation was concluded, he would be closing the office of the special counsel and resigning from the post. Trump allies were quick to suggest Muellers remarks closed the book on his probe of the president. The presidents attorney, Jay Sekulow, told Yahoo News that Muellers resignation puts a period on a two-year investigation that produced no findings of collusion or obstruction against the president. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders was similarly emphatic in her statement. After two years, the special counsel is moving on with his life, and everyone else should do the same, Sanders said. Some Democrats haven't given up on calling for the special counsel to testify before Congress, but Muellers desire to remain behind the scenes has put them in a complicated position as they ponder their next steps. Muellers remarks were the first he has made publicly about his offices probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election and whether Trump obstructed that investigation. They answered some of the questions that have swirled around the special counsels office since April 18, when the Department of Justice released a redacted version of Muellers report. In the report, Mueller outlined his conclusion that the Kremlin mounted an extensive campaign to boost Trump in the election. Muellers team documented evidence showing Trumps inner circle had multiple contacts with Russian government associates and that his campaign hoped to benefit from Moscows efforts. The investigation led to charges against multiple officials on Trumps campaign for financial misconduct and for lying about their contacts with people linked to Russia. Story continues Muellers conclusions about whether the president committed obstruction of justice were far less definitive. While Mueller described a slew of actions by the president that could have been considered obstruction, he ultimately left the choice about whether to charge the president with that crime up to the attorney general. The major question Democrats had in the wake of the Mueller reports release was why the special counsel did not make a more definitive ruling on the question of obstruction. U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller makes a statement on his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election at the Justice Department in Washington, U.S., May 29, 2019. (Photo: Jim Bourg/Reuters) According to Mueller, his investigation did not exonerate Trump, but his decision not to make a determination about whether the presidents conduct constituted obstruction was informed by guidelines from the DOJs office of legal counsel that declared a sitting president cannot be charged with a federal crime. If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so. We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime. Mueller cited Justice Department policy that prohibits charging a sitting president with a federal crime. The special counsels office is part of the Department of Justice and by regulation it was bound by that department policy, he said. Charging the president with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider. Yet Muellers comments appear to contradict what acting Attorney General William Barr said in a press conference ahead of the reports release on April 18. Barr indicated the department policy on sitting presidents did not affect Muellers decision making when he discussed the special counsels findings last month. Mueller made it clear that he had not made the determination that there was a crime, Barr said. Spokespeople for the acting attorney general and the special counsel did not respond to requests for comment about the apparent discrepancy between their remarks. This is not the first time statements by Mueller and Barr have been at odds. Back in March, after Barr released a four-page summary of Muellers report, the special counsel sent the acting attorney general a letter saying the summary created public confusion because it did not fully capture the context, nature, and substance of this Offices work and conclusions. Muellers desire to avoid testifying before Congress also complicates matters. House Democratic leadership has sent mixed messages about potential impeachment proceedings. In an interview that was published in March, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested impeachment would be divisive. Following Muellers remarks on Wednesday, Pelosi spoke at an event in San Francisco where she said nothing is off the table for the Democrats. Nevertheless, prior to Muellers comments, a Democratic source told Yahoo they believed impeachment ultimately will happen, but there are important strategic considerations about the timing. The source pointed out that Republican control of the Senate makes it unlikely any impeachment proceedings would end with Trumps ouster, so impeaching Trump would likely only be useful to Democrats as a tool to damage Trump. Impeachment can be rapid for example, the impeachment of President Bill Clinton that began in 1998 lasted less than two months so Democrats have an incentive to time the proceedings to give Trump less time to recover in advance of next years election. According to the source, the ideal way to launch impeachment proceedings would involve televised congressional testimony that could expand on the special counsels conclusions and also expose them to members of the public who havent been following the matter closely. Special counsel Robert Mueller leaves the podium after speaking at the Department of Justice Wednesday, May 29, 2019, in Washington, about the Russia investigation. (Photo: Carolyn Kaster/AP) But having Mueller testify is central to this strategy and his reluctance to do so, coupled with former aides of Trumps who are not cooperating with congressional subpoenas, would seem to deal a major blow to any Democrat hoping for a protracted and highly publicized impeachment rollout. This plan depends largely on Democratic House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler making an effort to compel Mueller to testify. He must testify. Nadler has to get this done, the source said. Nadler held his press conference of his own on Wednesday afternoon, when he said Mueller made clear the president is lying when he claims to have been exonerated. When asked about impeachment, Nadler said, All options are on the table and nothing should be ruled out. However, Nadler did not seem eager to force Mueller to testify before his committee. When pressed on the issue, Nadler answered after a noticeable pause. Mr. Mueller told us a lot of what we need to hear today, he said. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: Special Counsel Robert Mueller submitted his official resignation on Wednesday, announcing at a press conference that he is leaving the Justice Department, closing the special counsels office, and returning to private life. In his first public statement on his investigation, he stressed that he does not intend to expand on the contents of his final report after today. Its important the offices written work speaks for itself, Mueller said during the press conference. Charging President Trump with a crime was not an option, Mueller reiterated, since a sitting president cannot be indicted. Under longstanding department policy, a president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office. That is unconstitutional. Even if the charge is kept under seal and hidden from public view, that too is prohibited, Mueller said, before adding that, If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so. Muellers final report was delivered to Attorney General William Barr in March, and a redacted version of it was released to lawmakers and the public last month. The special counsel found that the Trump campaign did not engage in collusion with Russia, but declined to reach a conclusion on whether Trump himself obstructed justice during the investigation. Still, several congressional committees continue to conduct their own separate investigations of the matter. Democrats and Republicans have sparred over whether instances of Trump ordering his aides to have the special counsel fired, for example, constitute obstruction. More from National Review Hong Kong: Homebuyers' interests protected The Sales of First-hand Residential Properties Authority (SRPA) will require developers to list out discount, financial advantage or benefit of sold residential properties in monetary terms in the Register of Transactions. Secretary for Transport & Housing Frank Chan made the remarks today in response to questions from a lawmaker concerning a lack of information transparency in the sale of units by way of tender. Mr Chan said the move is to further enhance the trade's compliance with the Residential Properties (First-hand Sales) Ordinance. The authority intends to issue a Best Practice for the Trade in the near future illustrating how a developer should list out various discount, financial advantage or benefit in monetary terms in the register in a clear and orderly manner. It will also upload case examples on its website to elaborate on methods of calculating the actual unit price for prospective buyers to make a decision. The SRPA and the Estate Agents Authority will monitor closely the sales of first-hand residential properties by tender and take necessary measures to ensure the level of transparency of the property sales by tender is the same as that for open sales with price lists to safeguard consumer interests, he added. Mr Chan also said the SRPA has completed evidence collection and initiated prosecution on a case involving residential properties sold by tender recently. The case will be heard on July 9. The authority is also taking follow up action on the rest of the cases and does not rule out the possibility of further prosecution action, he added. This story has been published on: 2019-05-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Photo: Riccardo Savi/Getty Images for Concordia Summi Prior administrations might argue that the Transportation Secretary owning shares in the largest supplier of gravel mix used in road construction is an explicit conflict of interest. But according to a report from the Wall Street Journal, the DOTs top ethics official has ruled that Secretary Elaine Chaos ownership of shares in Vulcan Materials Co. does not constitute an ethical snag despite Chao vowing to divest from the company in an agreement signed before her confirmation. According to a financial disclosure form filed with the Office of Government Ethics, Chao was supposed to cash out her stock by April of 2018. However, Chao received her $400,000 divestment in company stock, which she has continued to hold. Since the April 2018 deadline, Chaos shares in Vulcan have netted her an additional $40,000. A Department of Transportation spokesperson who spoke to the Journal said that the ethics agreement Chao signed was flawed, because Vulcan policy requires that former directors Chao served two years on the Vulcan board be payed out in stock. The DOTs top ethics official said that the shares are not a conflict of interest, because Chao has recused herself from participating in all matters involving Vulcan. Between 45 and 55 percent of the companys shipments are used in projects funded by the government. Walter Shaub head of the Office of Government Ethics until July 2017, when he resigned over other Trump administration ethical conflicts said that Chaos financial relationship with Vulcan is not a legal conflict of interest, but does not look great either. For the head of the DOT to have a financial interest in an asphalt company, that is not sending a message to employees of DOT that she is making ethics a priority, Shaub told the Journal. Holding relevant business interests is a normal prospect for Department of Transportation officials entering their station. However, as the Journal notes, past DOT heads have handled their portfolios with a little more transparency than Chao: Former Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who served under President Barack Obama, sold stakes in Caterpillar Inc. and Ford Motor Co. upon being confirmed to lead the department. I basically sold everything, Mr. LaHood said. The ethics police told me to do it, so I did it. Jeffrey Rosen, who was Ms. Chaos top deputy before becoming deputy attorney general, sold stakes in 16 companies upon joining the DOT, including Chevron Corp. , United Technologies Corp. and Home Depot Inc., according to ethics filings. Federal Railroad Administrator Ronald Batory canceled stock awards from Consolidated Rail Corp., his previous employer, and sold his shares in Norfolk Southern Corp. and Union Pacific Corp. upon his confirmation to the job. Chaos Vulcan problem might be a concern in an administration more focused on ethical concerns. According to the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, President Trump has engaged in over 1,400 conflicts of interest in his first two years in office, ranging from a dozen foreign governments making payments at Trump properties to the $5 million that PACs, campaigns, and party committees have spent at Trump businesses since the inauguration. Special counsel Robert Mueller, who had disagreements with the way Attorney General William Barr handled his report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, said on Wednesday that he does not believe Barr acted in bad faith. We appreciate that the attorney general made the report largely public, Mueller said in a statement at the Justice Department, his first and, he said, his last public comments since being appointed special counsel. And I certainly do not question the attorney generals good faith in that decision. Mueller delivered his 448-page report to Barr on March 22. Two days later, Barr released a four-page summary of the findings. President Trump claimed vindication on the basis of Barrs summary. Democrats objected that the favorable impression it created had become fixed in the public mind before the release of the report, which was much more critical of Trumps actions. In a subsequent letter to Barr, Mueller complained that the summary did not fully capture the context, nature, and substance of this offices work and conclusions. Barr defended his handling of the Mueller report in testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier this month. Bob Mueller is the equivalent of a U.S. attorney, Barr said. He was exercising the powers of the attorney general subject to the supervision of the attorney general. Hes part of the Department of Justice. His work concluded when he sent his report to the attorney general. At that point, it was my baby. Special counsel Robert Mueller and Attorney General William Barr (Photos: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images, Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Barr noted that it was his decision to make a redacted version of the Mueller report public to lean as far forward as I could. It was my decision how and when to make it public, he said, not Bob Muellers. Mueller said Wednesday that the report should be considered his own public testimony on the matter. We chose those words carefully, and the work speaks for itself, he said. The report is my testimony. In his report, Mueller found no conspiracy between Russia and Trumps campaign. But he chronicled at least 10 episodes of efforts by Trump or his staff to obstruct the federal probe. Although the special counsel declined to charge Trump with obstruction of justice, he explicitly refused to exonerate the president. Story continues He reiterated that point Wednesday. If we had confidence that the president had clearly not committed a crime, we would have said so, Mueller said. Trump responded to Muellers statement in a tweet. Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2019 The White House responded in a separate statement attributed to press secretary Sarah Sanders. The report was clear there was no collusion, no conspiracy and the Department of Justice confirmed there was no obstruction, Sanders said. Special counsel Mueller also stated that Attorney General Barr acted in good faith in his handling of the report. After two years, the special counsel is moving on with his life, and everyone else should do the same. Read more from Yahoo News: Presidential candidate Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., announced that he supports launching impeachment proceedings against President Trump in the wake of special counsel Robert Muellers public statement on Wednesday. Congress has a legal and moral obligation to begin impeachment proceedings immediately, said Booker, who added that it is the only path forward amid what he described as the Trump administrations stonewalling of congressional investigations. From top left: Julian Castro, Beto O'Rourke, Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg, Kamala Harris and Robert Mueller. (Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: AP(5), Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images, AP.) Other Democratic presidential candidates renewed their calls for impeachment after Mueller noted that the Justice Departments policy against indicting a sitting president was the reason he did not pursue criminal charges against Trump contradicting the administrations position that the evidence exonerated the president. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., joined Booker in calling for impeachment proceedings after Muellers statement. It's time for Congress to begin impeachment hearings and follow the facts, Gillibrand said in a tweet. Robert Mueller clearly expects Congress to exercise its constitutional authority and take steps that he could not. Like other candidates, Gillibrand based her support for impeachment on the Trump administration's stonewalling of congressional investigations. She previously said she wanted to hold hearings with Mueller before making a decision. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., was the first major presidential candidate to call for an impeachment inquiry in April after the release of the Mueller report. On Wednesday, she said the special counsels statement was an impeachment referral for Congress to take action. Muellers statement makes clear what those who have read his report know: It is an impeachment referral, and its up to Congress to act. They should. Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 29, 2019 Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., also called Muellers statement an impeachment referral, echoing Warrens phrasing. We need to start impeachment proceedings. Its our constitutional obligation, Harris tweeted. Harris announced her support for impeachment in April, a few days after Warren. Story continues There must be consequences, accountability, and justice, wrote former Texas Rep. Beto ORourke on Twitter. The only way to ensure that is to begin impeachment proceedings. ORourke has repeatedly said he supports an impeachment inquiry, and that he disagrees with House Speaker Nancy Pelosis view that impeachment proceedings would give Trump political gains. There must be consequences, accountability, and justice. The only way to ensure that is to begin impeachment proceedings. Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) May 29, 2019 Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind., told NBC News on Wednesday that Muellers statement is as close to an impeachment referral as you could get under the circumstances. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders issued a statement after Muellers remarks, asserting that the report was clear there was no collusion, no conspiracy and the Department of Justice confirmed there was no obstruction. Former Vice President Joe Biden has said Congress has no alternative to impeachment if the Trump administration continues to ignore congressional investigations. Biden has not specifically called for impeachment. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., told CNN last week that it may be time to at least begin the process of impeachment. Sanders cautioned against allowing Trump to win political points from any impeachment proceeding. Other Democratic presidential candidates who have called for impeachment are former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro, Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., and Mayor Wayne Messam of Miramar, Fla. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: YANGON, Myanmar (AP) A court in Myanmar has issued an arrest warrant for a Buddhist monk known for incendiary comments about the country's Muslim minority and for criticism of the government of Aung San Suu Kyi, police said Wednesday. The warrant, issued in Yangon at police request, charges Wirathu with sedition for insulting comments he made at a nationalist rally on May 5 about Suu Kyi, while comparing the military's representatives in parliament to Buddha. Col. Myo Thu Soe, a spokesman for the police force in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, said the warrant had been forwarded to Mandalay, the location of Wirathu's monastery. If found guilty, Wirathu could be sentenced to three years to life in prison. Under Myanmar law, he would have to be defrocked by Buddhist authorities before he could be arrested. That might be difficult, as Wirathu has a large amount of influence among his fellow monks, which might allow him to delay or defy any action against him. Wirathu came to prominence in 2012 after deadly riots broke out between Buddhists and Muslims in the western state of Rakhine. He founded a nationalist organization, since disbanded, that was blamed for inciting violence against Muslims. Tensions in Rakhine reached a peak in 2017, when attacks by armed Rohingya militants on police posts triggered a brutal counterinsurgency campaign by the army that caused more than 700,000 Rohingya villagers to flee across the border to Bangladesh for safety. There is widespread prejudice in Myanmar against the Rohingya, who are seen as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, even though many families have lived in Myanmar for generations. Muslims from other ethnic groups also faced disrespect and occasional violence after Wirathu and his supporters launched their nationalist campaign. Time Magazine called Wirathu "The Face of Buddhist Terror" in a cover story in 2013. Wirathu and his followers had success in lobbying for laws making interfaith marriages difficult, but unsuccessfully endorsed the pro-military party in the 2015 general election, which Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party won in a landslide. Story continues Since then, Suu Kyi has been a major target of his wrath, even as he continued with sermons condemning Muslims in the name of protecting Buddhism. He said in 2017 that "it is better to marry a dog instead of marrying a Muslim man." His virulent speech caused the National Monks Council to ban him from giving public talks for a year, but it was not tightly enforced. In 2018, he was removed from Facebook. His criticisms of Suu Kyi in April and May this year came ahead of a 2020 election that will again pit her against supporters of the military. Myo Nyunt, a spokesman for Suu Kyi's party, said it did not initiate this week's legal action against Wirathu. A May 22 letter from the National Monks Council instructed Wirathu not to be involved in activities such as his May 5 speech and instructed him to meet with them this Thursday in Yangon. However, late Wednesday, the Ministry of Religious and Cultural Affairs announced on its Facebook page that the meeting has been postponed, without stating a reason or new date. Wirathu could not be contacted for comment. By David Brunnstrom WASHINGTON, May 29 (Reuters) - North Korea on Wednesday accused the United States of showing bad faith in negotiations by conducting nuclear and missile tests and military drills as part of an "evil ambition" to conquer North Korea by force, even while advocating dialog. In the latest uptick in angry rhetoric from Pyongyang after a failed summit with the United States in February, a North Korean Foreign Ministry statement repeated complaints about an ongoing U.S. sanctions campaign, including the seizure of one of the country's biggest cargo ships, and warned that "use of strength is not at all a monopoly of the United States." The statement, attributed to the Policy Research Director of the ministry's Institute for American Studies and carried by official media, noted that the United States had conducted a subcritical nuclear test on Feb. 13, just days before a second summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. "The U.S. has thus showcased its ulterior intention that it seeks a strength-based solution of the issues, though outwardly it advocates for dialog," the statement said. It aimed fresh attacks at John Bolton, Trump's national security adviser, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, accusing them and other high-ranking U.S. officials of having "insulted the dignity of our supreme leadership and spitted out abusive language" by calling North Korea a "rogue regime." It also accused the U.S. officials of a "hostile scheme to stifle us by force" by warning that Washington would "change its path" if North Korea did not give up its nuclear weapons. The statement condemned recent joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises and U.S. missile defense drills and test launches of intercontinental and submarine-launched ballistic missiles. The statement also complained of increasing reconnaissance flights over North Korea and accused Washington of "maneuvers" to deploy sophisticated landing craft in Japan and nuclear-capable submarine-launched ballistic missiles around the Korean Peninsula. Story continues "All the above clearly shows that the June 12 ... Joint Statement is not within the consideration of the United States and there is no change at all in the American evil ambition to conquer (North Korea) by force," it said, referring to a commitment by Trump and Kim at a first summit last year to establish a new era of relations. "The U.S. should better bear in mind that its hostile acts will only bring about the result of adding tension to the already unstable Korean Peninsula and inviting adverse current. Use of strength is not at all a monopoly of the United States," the statement said. It comes days after Trump, who says he is keen to pursue talks with Kim even while maintaining a hardline sanctions policy, sought to play down North Korea's first missile tests since 2017 conducted earlier in May. Trump said they had involved only short-range weapons and North Korea had stuck to a freeze in nuclear and ICBM tests. He appeared to contradict Bolton, who had said there was "no doubt" the North Korean launches had violated U.N. Security Council resolutions. (Reporting by David Brunnstrom in Washington Editing by James Dalgleish) No. 2 seed Rafael Nadal didn't face a break point until the third set Wednesday as he rolled into the third round of the French Open with a 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 victory over German qualifier Yannick Maden. The 11-time Roland Garros champion built a decisive 43-15 advantage in winners and improved his record in Paris to 88-2. The Spaniard also improved to 91-5 in his career against qualifiers in tour-level play. "I think it was a good match for the first two sets," Nadal said. "Then in the third, being honest, I think I lost a little bit of concentration and intensity. And then the match became difficult." The players exchanged five consecutive service breaks in the third set, with Nadal breaking Maden a third straight time at 5-4 and then serving out the match. Up next for Nadal is Belgian David Goffin, a 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 winner against Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic. Nadal leads their head-to-head series 3-1, including 3-0 on clay courts. Roger Federer also advanced to the third round and moved closer to a quirky milestone with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 win against Germany's Oscar Otte. It was the first time in 1,466 career singles matches that the Swiss legend faced a player whose surname begins with the letter "O." According to the ATP Tour website, the No. 3 seed can complete an "alphabet Grand Slam" should he ever face a player whose last name begins with "X." The 37-year-old Federer will face 20-year-old Casper Ruud of Norway, a 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 winner against No. 29 seed Matteo Berrettini of Italy. Sixth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece eliminated Bolivia's Hugo Dellien 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 7-5 in two hours and 49 minutes. The 20-year-old struck 41 winners and became the third Greek man ever to reach the third round in Paris, the first since Nicky Kalogeropoulos in 1967. No. 7 seed Kei Nishikori of Japan rallied to defeat French favorite Joe-Wilfried Tsonga 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in three hours and two minutes. Nishikori recovered from 0-2 in the third set and 0-3 in the fourth, when he silenced the crowd by winning five straight games. Also reaching the third round was 37-year-old Frenchman Nicholas Mahut, currently ranked No. 252 in the world. After rallying from two sets down to win his first-round match, Mahut defeated Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3. --Field Level Media (Refiles to correct typos in story that were due to technical problems) * Rio Tinto spokesman declines to comment * Deal meant to be completed by end June * Namibians concerned about China taking local jobs By Nyasha Nyaungwa WINDHOEK, May 29 (Reuters) - Namibia's mines and energy minister said he has no objection to Rio Tinto's sale of its uranium mine stake to China provided it respects the African nation's laws. Rio, which is seeking to divest less profitable assets, said last November that it was selling its 69% stake in the world's longest-running open pit uranium mine to China for up to $106.5 million and expected the deal to be completed in the first half of 2019. Asked whether the sale would be cleared, Mines and Energy Minister Tom Alweendo told Reuters: "We have no objection to the sale provided that the buyer abides by what's expected of him by our laws." China already owns stakes in Namibian uranium production, which, along with diamonds, is the mainstay of the Namibian economy. Addressing concerns among Namibians that China will bring in foreign nationals to replace local employees, China National Uranium Corporation (CNUC) Vice President Li Youliang told a public hearing last week that was not the case. There was "no intention to replace local Namibian employees with foreign nationals solely as a result of this transaction," he told the hearing in the coastal town of Swakopmund. "In fact, CNUC has a strong commitment to maintain the current level of local employees." Rio Tinto is selling its stake in Rossing Uranium mine to CNUC in a deal dependent on approval from the Namibian competition commission. The Namibian government holds a 3% stake in Rossing and 51% of voting rights. The Iranian Foreign Investment Company also holds a legacy 15% stake that goes back to the original funding of the mine, which could have deterred some potential buyers. The other shareholders are the Development Corporation of South Africa (10%) and individual shareholders (3%). Story continues China is targeting nuclear power as an alternative to fossil fuels. It was the only obvious buyer of the shares in the Rossing mine. Rossing has been operating since 1976 and has produced more uranium than any other mine. It employs around 1,000 workers and can carry on producing until 2025. The sale agreement comprises an initial cash payment of $6.5 million, payable at completion, and a contingent payment of up to $100 million following completion. The contingent payment is linked to uranium spot prices and Rossing's net income during the next seven years. While China is a big source of uranium demand, the market has languished as Western countries turn away from the energy source and trade tensions between the United States and China are generally disrupting commodities trade. A spokesman for Rio Tinto declined to comment. (Additional reporting by Barbara Lewis in Johannesburg Editing by Susan Fenton) Photo credit: NASA - Aflo From Popular Mechanics Getting accurate data is a fundamental part of the scientific process. That process, in the case of some data sets, can have national and global ramifications. That's why NASA studies its own research on climate change. Analyzing data going back to the 1880s, NASA now has the good (or bad, depending on how you view things) news that its warnings about man-made rising temperatures are extremely accurate-within 1/20th of a degree Celsius, in fact. The focus of NASA's study was the accuracy of what's known as the GISS surface Temperature Analysis, or GISTEMP for short. The GISTEMP is compiled by NASAs Goddard Institute for Space Science Studies (GISS), a laboratory in the agency's Earth Sciences division based at Columbia University in New York City. GISS studies natural and anthropogenic changes in the Earth's climate, ranging from seasonal events like a polar vortex to the rising temperatures across the planet. The GISTEMP is a crucial GISS publication that's meant to show an estimate of global surface temperature change. Only four organizations around the world keep an annual record of that temperature change: GISS, NOAA, and Japan and England's meteorological agencies. Of those four, GISS is considered to have the widest focus, covering 99 percent of the planet compared to Japan's 85 percent, as well as the most detailed information. When NASA publishes its annual climate data, it calls on the GISTEMP. To get that data, the GISTEMP relies on estimates of the temperatures between weather stations using data from the closest stations. That process is referred to as interpolation. The purpose of this latest study was to determine's the GISTEMP's uncertainty with its interpolation. While scientists generally place a great amount of confidence in their work, they also acknowledge that few pieces of information can fully be understood to the most minute detail. That's where the term uncertainty comes into play. Story continues Uncertainty is important to understand because we know that in the real world we don't know everything perfectly, says Gavin Schmidt, director of GISS and a coauthor on the study, in a press statement. All science is based on knowing the limitations of the numbers that you come up with, and those uncertainties can determine whether what you're seeing is a shift or a change that is actually important. What Schmidt and co. found wasn't much a surprise: The data NASA gathers is extremely accurate. There were a couple of unknowns, of course. "Individual and systematic changes in measuring temperature over time were the most significant source of uncertainty," according to the press statement. Data interpolation played a part, as well as changing systems over time: If a weather station shifted the metrics used to study the climate, which has happened over time, then it's possible some detail gets lost in translation. But on the whole, everything was dead on. GISS values are likely accurate to within 0.09 degrees Fahrenheit (0.05 degrees Celsius) in recent decades, and 0.27 degrees Fahrenheit (0.15 degrees C) at the beginning of the nearly 140-year record. We've made the uncertainty quantification more rigorous, and the conclusion to come out of the study was that we can have confidence in the accuracy of our global temperature series, says lead author Nathan Lenssen, a doctoral student at Columbia University. We don't have to restate any conclusions based on this analysis. Schmidt referred to the uncertainty as "very small." The GISS scientists also took the opportunity to reaffirm what they've already told the public: "2016 was very probably the warmest year in the record, with an 86.2 percent likelihood. The next most likely candidate for warmest year on record was 2017, with a 12.5 percent probability." ('You Might Also Like',) Sao Paulo (AFP) - Brazilian police carried out a giant anti-murder operation in nearly every state of the country Tuesday, arresting 968 suspects in one day, according to the National Council of Civilian Police Chiefs. The arrests included 56 people suspected of killing someone in an act of domestic violence or of gender-based discrimination. The efforts were phase two of the unusually large so-called Operation Cronos. In each state, police shared real-time updates of their work on social media, including photos and videos. "By imprisoning murderers, we hope to prevent future crimes," Civil Police tweeted in the northern state of Para. During Operation Cronos's first phase in August, police arrested nearly 3,000 people accused of murder, gender-based killings and domestic violence, among other crimes. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, part of the Organization of American States, expressed in early February "deep concern" over gender-based violence in Brazil, noting that at least 126 women had already been killed in gender-based violence in the country so far this year. By Jeffrey Heller JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was quick to declare himself winner of last month's Israeli election, but he now has until Wednesday to appease an erstwhile ally, form a government and avoid a possible rematch. The man at the center of the crisis in Netanyahu's coalition-building, former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, is sticking to his guns in a stalemate over military draft exemptions for Jewish seminary students. The brinkmanship six weeks after the April 9 election poses another challenge to the decade-long reign of the right-wing leader some Israelis have hailed as "King Bibi" and deepens political uncertainty in a country riven with division. Barring a breakthrough, Israel could hold a new election, with parliament already making initial moves toward a fresh poll and legislators proposing September for the national vote. Without the support of Lieberman's far-right Yisrael Beitenu party, which has five seats in the 120-member Knesset, Netanyahu cannot put together a majority government led by his Likud party. Under a deadline mandated by law, he has until 2100 GMT on Wednesday to announce a new administration. One comment made by Netanyahu in a closed meeting with his Likud party members on Tuesday suggested the election moves were part of a high-stakes game of political poker meant to pressure all sides to compromise and end the crisis. "The clearer it is that we are heading to an election, the more chance we eventually won't hold an election," Netanyahu said. Political commentators were hedging their bets. "Netanyahu is a wounded animal. The man is fighting for his life, and we shouldn't make light of his abilities," columnist Yossi Verter wrote in the left-wing Haaretz daily on Tuesday. Rivals had smelled blood when Israel's attorney general said in February he intends to charge Netanyahu in three graft cases. Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing, saying he is the victim of a political witch-hunt. But in the closely contested April election, Netanyahu - dubbed "crime minister" by his opponents - appeared on course for a fifth term as head of a right-wing bloc. All it would take, according to conventional wisdom, was the usual wheeling and dealing on cabinet posts and allied factions' pet projects. Few imagined Netanyahu would not put a coalition together, even after he asked for and received a two-week extension to an original 28-day deadline. WILD CARD Suddenly, Lieberman became a wild card and the clock was ticking, with Netanyahu facing a scenario in which President Reuven Rivlin could pick another legislator to try to form a government if he failed. "A lot can be done in 48 hours," Netanyahu said on Monday after parliament gave initial approval to a motion to dissolve itself. "The voters' wishes can be respected, a strong right-wing government can be formed," he added. If efforts to break the political deadlock fail, parliament would begin a final vote on an election late on Wednesday. A new ballot would mean Rivlin could not choose someone else to put together a governing coalition. But political commentators said it was still unclear if Netanyahu could muster the required 61 votes to pass the motion. The ball would then be in Rivlin's court, leaving Netanyahu, who last lost an election in 1999, on unfamiliar sidelines looking in. Lieberman, an immigrant from the former Soviet Union, began his climb up the Israeli political ladder as a Netanyahu aide and has long insisted ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminary students share other Israeli Jews' burden of compulsory military service. That has put him at odds with United Torah Judaism in the coalition negotiations, a schism that has played well with Lieberman's support base of Russian-speakers. "Yisrael Beitenu's only motive is standing on principle and the commitments we made to the public before, during and after the election," Lieberman said on Tuesday. But for long-time Lieberman watchers, it's a clear power play by a bare-knuckle politician who once worked as a nightclub bouncer and now seeks, according to Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely of Likud, to seize control of the "national camp". "According to Lieberman's calculations, Netanyahu's time in power is nearing its end. To preserve his own, he knows this is the moment to jump ship," Anshel Pfeffer, who wrote a biography of Netanyahu, said in Haaretz. "And he's doing so carefully, choosing a matter of principle - the military draft law ... as the issue on which to break with Netanyahu." Israel's main association of high-tech companies said another election could reflect poorly on the country and be bad for business. "The high-tech world, which sees Israel as a global compass in the sector, will see the holding of new elections as one big farce," Israel Advanced Technology Industries said in a statement. U.S. President Donald Trump weighed in on the internal Israeli political dispute. "Hoping things will work out with Israel's coalition formation and Bibi and I can continue to make the alliance between America and Israel stronger than ever," Trump tweeted on Monday, using Netanyahu's nickname. (Additional reporting by Maayan Lubell; Editing by Ed Osmond) Mueller time. Photo: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock On Wednesday morning, Robert Mueller stood behind a podium and drily summarized the findings of a report that was released over a month ago. His remarks included no new information about his offices investigation into Russias election interference, or President Trumps alleged efforts to obstruct that investigation. But his statement was massive, game changing news, nonetheless because virtually all Americans hate reading long documents (and American journalists and politicians are, apparently, no exception). Specifically, Muellers words caused a large segment of mainstream media pundits and Democratic members of Congress to see the immediate commencement of impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump as a legitimate course of action. As his office had done in its report in mid-April, Mueller said Wednesday that if we had had confidence that the President clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so. The (as of this morning) former special counsel then reiterated his rationale for declining to bring a charge of obstruction of justice against the president: We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime. The introduction to the volume two of our report explains that decision. It explains that under long-standing Department policy, a President cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office. That is unconstitutional. Even if the charge is kept under seal and hidden from public view, that too is prohibited. The special counsels office is part of the Department of Justice and by regulation it was bound by that Department policy. Charging the president with a crime was, therefore, not an option we could consider. The critical point here is that Mueller presented the Justice Departments prohibition on indicting the president as the explanation for the investigations failure to produce charges. In his summary of the Mueller report and its implications, by contrast, Attorney General William Barr argued that the evidence produced by the special counsel would be insufficient to sustain a charge of obstruction of justice, even if it were permissible to indict a sitting president. Mueller offered no explicit opinion on whether his office would have indicted Trump were he not the president. But Muellers omission of any reference to ambiguities in the existing evidence along with his emphasis on DOJ policy conveyed the impression that he saw probable cause for believing the president had obstructed justice. And this impression was cemented moments later, when, paraphrasing his report, Mueller observed that the Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting President of wrong doing. In other words, the ex-special counsel suggested that it was, at a minimum, plausible that the president had committed a serious crime, and that impeachment was a proper means for litigating that possibility. Finally, Mueller eliminated Nancy Pelosis primary excuse for holding off on impeachment, in the only genuinely newsy bit of his remarks: The ex-special counsel announced that he did not wish to testify before Congress because any testimony from this office would not go beyond our report. It contains our findings and analysis and the reasons for the decisions we made. We chose those words carefully and the work speaks for itself. Pelosi has insisted that more investigation is necessary before making a determination on impeachment. Muellers excuse for evading testimony undercuts that rationale by suggesting that the relevant facts have already been gathered. Of course, the last bit of Muellers argument on this point is clearly false: The work does not, in fact, speak for itself. During and after Muellers statement, Politics Twitter was replete with major reporters quoting recitations of key findings from the special counsels report as though they were novel revelations. when the CNN Chief National Security Correspondent outs himself as having not read the Mueller report https://t.co/xmhnpaFvth Rachel Cohen (@rmc031) May 29, 2019 Meanwhile, a whole host of Democratic politicians suddenly decided that these month-old conclusions left their party with no choice but to launch impeachment proceedings. Mueller did his job. Now its time to do ours. Impeachment hearings should begin tomorrow. https://t.co/9za3s0pqOA Seth Moulton (@sethmoulton) May 29, 2019 What Robert Mueller basically did was return an impeachment referral. Now it is up to Congress to hold this president accountable. We need to start impeachment proceedings. It's our constitutional obligation. Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) May 29, 2019 Robert Muellers statement makes it clear: Congress has a legal and moral obligation to begin impeachment proceedings immediately. Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) May 29, 2019 There must be consequences, accountability, and justice. The only way to ensure that is to begin impeachment proceedings. Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) May 29, 2019 The facts of the matter didnt change. But the way a prominent Justice Department official chose to summarize those facts in front of television cameras did. And since very few American journalists (let alone American voters) were willing to read Muellers 400-page opus but a great many Americans will make time to watch Mueller reciting his key findings in a clip on the nightly news Wednesdays events significantly changed the politics of impeachment. The non-Fox News media now appears inclined to treat impeachment proceedings as a logical response to Muellers findings. And the pro-impeachment faction within Pelosis caucus appears newly emboldened. The combination of Muellers remarks, and Republican congressman Justin Amashs endorsement of impeachment, gives the cause a sheen of bipartisan legitimacy. Whether popular opinion on impeachment or, more important, swing-voter opinion on the matter will change is far from clear. Its possible that impeachment remains a political loser for Democrats, and is now merely an own goal that Pelosi will have greater difficulty avoiding. Regardless, the impact of Muellers statement utterly refutes his rationale for declining to provide Congress with testimony. As the ex-special counsel explained Wednesday morning, the mechanism for holding the president accountable for crimes is not a criminal justice one, but rather, the fundamentally political process of impeachment. The bare facts of the matter might be sufficient for adjudicating cases in a court of law. But to properly litigate Trumps actions in the court of public opinion, the facts must be presented to the public in a manner that ordinary voters find digestible. Video highlights of Mueller patiently clarifying his key points to the peoples representatives meet would that threshold; a 400-page pdf clearly did not. By Dan Williams JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli lawmakers voted to dissolve parliament early on Thursday, paving the way for a new election after veteran Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a coalition government before a midnight deadline. The Sept. 17 ballot will be Israel's second this year. It spells unprecedented upheaval even for a country used to political infighting and is a big blow to Netanyahu, who had claimed victory in the last election on April 9. Parliament's 74-to-45 vote took place just minutes after a midnight deadline for Netanyahu to assemble his fifth government. The turmoil arose - officially, at least - from a feud over military conscription between Netanyahu's presumed allies: ex-defense minister Avigdor Lieberman, a far-right secularist, and ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties. Those parties want young religious scholars exempted, en masse from mandatory national service. But Lieberman and many other Israelis want them to share the burden. Netanyahu denounced the draft spat as a "Kafkaesque" ruse. "It's just unbelievable. Avigdor Lieberman is now part of the left," he told reporters. "It is perfectly clear that he wanted to topple this government ... to cobble together a few more votes." Yet the new ballot represents less of a setback for Netanyahu than the alternative in which Israel's president, Reuven Rivlin, could have asked another politician to try and form a ruling coalition. Faced with the prospect of having to step aside and watch one of his political rivals push him to the margins, Netanyahu instead drummed up votes to dissolve the 120-seat Knesset. Netanyahu signaled he will run in the next election, telling reporters: "We will win". The spokesman for his conservative Likud party sent out a text emoji showing a smiling Netanyahu with the message: "Get out and vote." But the failed coalition building of a 69-year-old leader who just weeks ago was hailed by supporters as a political "magician" may open rifts and stir up challenges within Likud. COURTS AND STATECRAFT The premier is also dogged by potential criminal charges in three corruption cases. He has denied wrongdoing and is due to argue at a pre-trial hearing in October against any indictment. A new election could further complicate U.S. efforts to press ahead with President Donald Trump's peace plan in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Even before it has been announced, Palestinians have spurned it as a blow to their statehood hopes. The White House team behind the proposal, including Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, is in the Middle East to drum up support for an economic "workshop" in Bahrain next month to encourage investment in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. The group arrived in Israel on Wednesday and planned to meet Netanyahu on Thursday. "Lots to pray for!" tweeted one of the envoys, Jason Greenblatt, from Jerusalem's Western Wall. Three hours before Wednesday's 2100 GMT deadline, Likud said it had secured 60 signatures, half of parliament, but shy of the majority required for a measure of stable governance. In another sign of Netanyahu's strong desire to retain the premiership, the opposition center-left Labour party said it had been offered - and had refused - a chance to join a Likud-led coalition. Likud, which has long said it plans to head a strong right-wing government, neither denied or confirmed this. First elected in the late 1990s, Netanyahu has been in power for the past decade. In mid-July, he will overtake Israel's founding father, David Ben-Gurion, as longest-serving premier. The last election ended with Netanyahu neck-and-neck against Benny Gantz, a politically untested ex-armed forces chief. Lieberman, who quit as defense minister in November, in protest at what he deemed insufficient Israeli military force in fighting Hamas in Gaza, has denied allegations that his real intention was to oust Netanyahu and lead a "national camp". Until the drama over coalition building, public attention had been focused more on moves Netanyahu loyalists were planning in parliament to grant him immunity from criminal prosecution and to pass a law ensuring such protection could not be withdrawn by the Supreme Court. (Additional reporting by Stephen Farrell and Jeffrey Heller; editing by Grant McCool) Abuja (AFP) - Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari was sworn in for a second term in office on Wednesday, vowing once more to tackle crippling security threats and root out corruption in Africa's key economy. The 76-year old leader, in power since 2015 and re-elected in February, took the oath of office for a second four-year term in the capital Abuja. "I do solemnly swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria," Buhari said, dressed in simple white robes and traditional embroidered cap. "I will preserve, protect and defend the constitution." Buhari took the oath of office at what officials called a "low-key" ceremony. It included a red-carpet arrival flanked by bagpipers with a military guard of honour and seating packed with dignitaries. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was also sworn into office. Buhari was re-elected with 56 percent of the vote in Africa's most-populous nation -- and top oil producer -- after a delayed poll that angered voters. - Opposition legal challenge - His rival, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who came second with 41 percent of the vote, has along with other opposition leaders launched an ongoing legal challenge to the victory. They allege irregularities in the vote and have called it a "sham" result. Buhari, a former army general who led a tough military government in the 1980s, campaigned on a promise to make the country safer. He begins a final term beset with numerous challenges. Nigeria is struggling from multiple conflicts, including an Islamist insurgency in the northeast of the country. Late Tuesday, a large force of the Boko Haram jihadists attacked the northeastern city of Maidugari, but soldiers stopped them before they could enter, resulting in a nightlong battle, according to security sources. The fighters fled just before dawn on Wednesday, they said. Buhari's time in power has also been dogged by questions about his medical fitness. He has spent several months abroad for treatment for an unspecified condition. Story continues Buhari has touted himself as a "converted democrat" to persuade those with misgivings that his military past was history. But in office he has struggled to shake off claims of authoritarianism -- particularly in his fight against corruption which critics say has been one-sided against perceived political opponents. - Economic woes - Buhari, who inspected the military parade in front of applauding spectators after watching the flag of Nigeria raised to the national anthem, made no speech. But ahead of the inauguration he told state television in an interview of what he hoped to achieve next -- speaking how he wanted those stealing money from government to be "punished." The economy has suffered difficult times in recent years. "My frustration is that we cannot move faster in prosecution and punishment of corrupt persons," Buhari said late Monday. "Even if you are using whistle blowers, you have to go to the police... to go through the rigmarole of full investigation before prosecution," he added. His last term was held up by squabbles with lawmakers in the National Assembly, who, among other things, blocked the passing of last year's budget for several months. He passed an ambitious budget for 2019 on Monday, although analysts criticised that as "unrealistic", saying figures were based on an over-estimation of available income amid volatile global crude prices. - Bandits and kidnapping - Analysts expect Buhari to follow the same agenda as his first term, but widening out efforts to claw back control of lawless regions. Boko Haram attacks in the northeast are only one problem. Criminal gangs of bandits carry out mass raids against villagers -- looting, stealing livestock and killing -- while kidnappers stage regularly take hostages for ransom. A violent conflict between pastoralist herders and settled farmers has devastated large parts of the central "Middle Belt" of Nigeria. "The focus on anti-corruption will remain top of the agenda, but is now more likely to zoom in on the judiciary and the police -- with the aim of quickening the pace at which corruption cases are prosecuted," said Sa'eed Husaini from a political analysis group, Control Risks. "Security, his second big priority, will expand beyond a narrow focus on Boko Haram in the northeast, to include rural banditry in the northwest and Middle Belt." Kano (Nigeria) (AFP) - Nigerian soldiers on Wednesday repelled an attack by Boko Haram jihadists on the northeast city of Maiduguri, security sources and residents told AFP. The attack, the latest in a wave of assaults by Islamist gunmen, was repulsed hours before President Muhammadu Buhari was sworn into office for a second term in power. Soldiers intercepted a "huge number" of fighters from Boko Haram on the outskirts of Maiduguri on Tuesday night, beginning a night-long battle that continued until close to dawn on Wednesday. "Our troops did an impressive job, and fought off the terrorists," said a military source, who asked to be named. Troops fought all night, and "forced them to withdraw by dawn," the source said. A member of a self-defence militia, that fights alongside regular troops, said Boko Haram forces were spotted as they moved towards the city in the dark. "Luckily they were sighted by soldiers, who fought them all night long," the militia fighter said. Residents of the city reported the sounds of a heavy battle. "We kept hearing explosions and the sound of gunfire throughout the night," Maiduguri resident Nasiru Fannami said. It was not clear if there were any casualties. Boko Haram militants have launched several failed attempts to overrun Maiduguri. Their decade-long campaign of violence has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions across the region. The violence has spilled over into neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, prompting a regional military coalition to battle the jihadist group. Buhari, who was sworn in as president for a second four-year term later on Wednesday, has said defeating of Boko Haram -- and ending a raft of other security threats -- is a key part of his work. By Norihiko Shirouzu BEIJING (Reuters) - Nissan Motor Cos premium brand Infiniti is relocating its headquarters back to Japan from Hong Kong, its home since 2012, to create "more operational efficiencies" with its parent company, according to a document seen by Reuters on Wednesday. The move planned for mid-2020, and expected to be publicly announced later on Wednesday, will help the Japanese automaker cut costs amid a slump in its global earnings in the year ended March 31. "The relocation will further integrate (Infiniti) with global design, research and development and manufacturing functions based in Japan," Nissan said in the statement, adding that Infiniti would continue to "operate independently". The move also was "crucial" for Nissan to follow through on its strategy to electrify the Infiniti lineup, the document said, with plans for every premium model launched from 2021 to be either all-electric or e-Power hybrid. A Nissan official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that while there was a "fair amount of platform and other base technology sharing" between Infiniti and the main volume brand Nissan, "there could be more". Nissan's global operating profit plunged 45% in the last fiscal year and would likely drop another 28% to rock bottom in the current one, according to company filings earlier this month. Infiniti's move back to Japan will reverse a decision made under ousted leader Carlos Ghosn to dilute the premium brand's Japanese origins in order to foster a more global image. Its Hong Kong headquarters has about 180 employees who were told about the move back to Yokohama earlier on Wednesday, according to the Nissan official. The Hong Kong headquarters and the global image it was intended to promote were seen as critical for Infiniti to make inroads in China, where being Japanese can sometimes be a handicap because of historical animosities. Story continues In 2012, Infiniti and other Japanese brands took a battering in the wake of diplomatic spats over disputed islets known as Diaoyu in China and Senkaku in Japan. Since then, Japans bilateral relationship with China has steadily improved and Japanese automakers including Nissan and Toyota are seeing their businesses expand, even as Chinas overall auto market has slumped over the past year. (Reporting by Norihiko Shirouzu; Editing by Stephen Coates) LONDON, May 29 (Reuters) - John Bercow, the speaker of Britain's House of Commons, plans to stay on despite previous expectations he was about to leave, risking the fury of hardline Brexiteers who believe he wants to thwart a no-deal departure, the Guardian newspaper reported. The speaker told the Guardian it was not "sensible to vacate the chair" while there were such major issues before parliament. "I've never said anything about going in July of this year," Bercow told the Guardian. "I do feel that now is a time in which momentous events are taking place and there are great issues to be resolved and in those circumstances, it doesn't seem to me sensible to vacate the chair," he said. In a speech in Washington, Bercow said it was for the birds to think that parliament could be sidelined in the debate over Brexit. "The idea that parliament is going to... be evacuated from the center-stage of the debate on Brexit is unimaginable. It is simply unimaginable," he said. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Kate Holton) Nokia Corporation NOK recently announced that it has been chosen by SoftBank Corp. a leading Japanese telecommunications company as a primary partner to drive its commercial 5G offering with Nokia AirScale solution. Presently, Nokia has 38 5G commercial contracts, including 20 with named customers. The latest move strengthens the long-standing relationship between the two companies. The deployment of the Finnish telecom equipment suppliers 5G AirScale will likely allow SoftBank to address the increasing demand for the future of connectivity. Markedly, the solution supports multiple frequencies in both distributed and centralized architectures, offering flexibility in network transformation. Nokias 5G AirScale will be deployed across Japan, bringing 5G Radio Access Networks to enterprises and consumers. Its comprehensive 5G portfolio is expected to provide SoftBanks customers with high bandwidth and low latency services, together with new applications in areas like virtual reality and artificial intelligence. Businesses are also likely to benefit from various IoT vertical use cases enabled by 5G as it will help enhance operational efficiency. Additionally, Nokias deal-win rate is laudable with notable success in the key 5G markets of the United States and China. It is expanding business into targeted, high-growth and high-margin vertical markets to address opportunities beyond its traditional markets. Rollout of next-generation 5G networks are expected to improve market conditions considerably through 2019 and beyond. Supported by 5G ramp up, Nokia has reiterated its guidance for 2019 and expects non-IFRS operating margin between 9% and 12%. Non-IFRS EPS is expected in the range of 0.25-0.29. Nokia continues to execute its strategy with particularly good progress in Nokia Software and expansion to select enterprise vertical markets. It aims to accelerate strategy execution, sharpen customer focus and reduce long-term costs. Shares of Nokia have incurred a loss of 12% against the industrys rise of 14.1% in the year-to-date period due to increased competitive pressure. The company, though, is witnessing healthy underlying momentum in its focus areas of software and enterprise, which augurs well for its licensing business. Story continues Nokia currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). A few better-ranked stocks in the broader industry are T-Mobile US, Inc. TMUS, Ubiquiti Networks, Inc. UBNT and Juniper Networks, Inc. JNPR, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. T-Mobile has long-term earnings growth expectation of 15.1%. Ubiquiti has long-term earnings growth expectation of 19.8%. Juniper has long-term earnings growth expectation of 6.2%. Will you retire a millionaire? One out of every six people retires a multimillionaire. Get smart tips you can do today to become one of them in a new Special Report, 7 Things You Can Do Now to Retire a Multimillionaire. Click to get it free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Juniper Networks, Inc. (JNPR) : Free Stock Analysis Report Nokia Corporation (NOK) : Free Stock Analysis Report Ubiquiti Networks, Inc. (UBNT) : Free Stock Analysis Report T-Mobile US, Inc. (TMUS) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Guangshen Railway Company Limited (HKG:525), which is in the transportation business, and is based in China, saw significant share price movement during recent months on the SEHK, rising to highs of HK$3.54 and falling to the lows of HK$2.69. Some share price movements can give investors a better opportunity to enter into the stock, and potentially buy at a lower price. A question to answer is whether Guangshen Railway's current trading price of HK$2.73 reflective of the actual value of the mid-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Lets take a look at Guangshen Railways outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change. View our latest analysis for Guangshen Railway What is Guangshen Railway worth? The stock seems fairly valued at the moment according to my valuation model. Its trading around 3.58% above my intrinsic value, which means if you buy Guangshen Railway today, youd be paying a relatively fair price for it. And if you believe that the stock is really worth HK$2.64, theres only an insignificant downside when the price falls to its real value. Is there another opportunity to buy low in the future? Since Guangshen Railways share price is quite volatile, we could potentially see it sink lower (or rise higher) in the future, giving us another chance to buy. This is based on its high beta, which is a good indicator for how much the stock moves relative to the rest of the market. What does the future of Guangshen Railway look like? SEHK:525 Past and Future Earnings, May 29th 2019 Investors looking for growth in their portfolio may want to consider the prospects of a company before buying its shares. Buying a great company with a robust outlook at a cheap price is always a good investment, so lets also take a look at the company's future expectations. With profit expected to grow by 88% over the next couple of years, the future seems bright for Guangshen Railway. It looks like higher cash flow is on the cards for the stock, which should feed into a higher share valuation. Story continues What this means for you: Are you a shareholder? 525s optimistic future growth appears to have been factored into the current share price, with shares trading around its fair value. However, there are also other important factors which we havent considered today, such as the track record of its management team. Have these factors changed since the last time you looked at the stock? Will you have enough confidence to invest in the company should the price drop below its fair value? Are you a potential investor? If youve been keeping tabs on 525, now may not be the most advantageous time to buy, given it is trading around its fair value. However, the positive outlook is encouraging for the company, which means its worth diving deeper into other factors such as the strength of its balance sheet, in order to take advantage of the next price drop. Price is just the tip of the iceberg. Dig deeper into what truly matters the fundamentals before you make a decision on Guangshen Railway. You can find everything you need to know about Guangshen Railway in the latest infographic research report. If you are no longer interested in Guangshen Railway, you can use our free platform to see my list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. (Reuters) - Dutch chipmaker NXP Semiconductors NV said on Wednesday it will buy Marvell Technology Group Ltd's wireless connectivity business for $1.76 billion in cash to offer its customers a bigger product portfolio. NXP will sell Marvell's connectivity products such as WiFi and Bluetooth along with its edge computing platforms to its clients in industrial, automotive and communication infrastructure markets. The unit brought in $300 million in revenue for Marvell in fiscal 2019 and NXP expects that to double by 2022. "NXP had been underinvesting in WiFi for the last few years, as it had assumed it would be able to access Qualcomm's WiFi technology, but in mid-2018, the deal collapsed," PiperJaffray analyst Harsh Kumar said. Chipmaker Qualcomm Inc agreed to buy NXP in 2016 but walked away from the $44 billion deal last year after failing to secure Chinese regulatory approval amid a bitter Sino-U.S. trade spat. The deal with Marvell will help NXP, which makes a wide range of chips for industrial and automotive customers, to cross-sell Marvell's products to its clients. For Marvell, a sale of its connectivity business made strategic sense as it is focusing more on the network equipment market following its $6 billion acquisition of Cavium in 2017. "We are not surprised to see the divestiture," Kumar said. "Marvell had believed the company could use the assets to enter the automotive market, but in our view, the opportunity is rather small." The deal, expected to close by the first quarter of 2020, will add to NXP's adjusted operating profit in the quarter after the transaction closes. Shares of Marvell rose 3.8% at $22.17, while those of NXP were down marginally. (Reporting by Sayanti Chakraborty and Supantha Mukherjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli and Saumyadeb Chakrabarty) Special Counsel Robert Mueller makes a statement about the Russia investigation. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images In a surprise statement Wednesday morning, Robert Mueller announced that the special counsels office is closing and he is resigning from the Department of Justice. He also said he has little interest in testifying in front of Congress. In the brief statement, Mueller quickly ran through the conclusions of the 448-page report into Russian election interference that was released last month. He said Russia made multiple, systematic efforts to interfere in our election, but as it relates to the Trump campaigns involvement in those efforts, there was insufficient evidence to charge a broader conspiracy. On the issue of obstruction, Mueller emphasized that Justice Department policy prohibits the indictment of a sitting president. That is unconstitutional, he said. If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so, Mueller said from the lectern. Its a point that was also made in the special counsel report. We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime. These parts of his statement seemed to garner the most attention from Trumps adversaries in Congress. By saying that indicting Trump was not an option and declining to clear him, Mueller seemed to signal to some lawmakers that its time to get more aggressive on impeachment. The ball is in our court, Congress. https://t.co/idpQo1xItH Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 29, 2019 Special Counsel Robert Mueller just said that "charging the president with a crime was not an option we could consider" under DOJ policy. It wasn't lack of evidence. It was DOJ policy. He said that this "deserves the attention of every American." He's right. Congress must act. Rep. Val Demings (@RepValDemings) May 29, 2019 Mueller just said: DOJ rules prohibit him from saying that the president committed a crime but, if the president HAD NOT COMMITTED A CRIME, HE WOULD SAY SO! He said only Congress can hold the president accountable. Thats why we need to begin our impeachment inquiry NOW. Rep. Diana DeGette (@RepDianaDeGette) May 29, 2019 Special Counsel Mueller makes it clear that his investigation did not "exonerate" Trump, and directly contradicts Barr's public statements. Barr should resign, and Congress should open an impeachment inquiry into the President's potentially criminal acts. https://t.co/IovdGvDbPT https://t.co/hIE6SbWOFB Rep. Don Beyer (@RepDonBeyer) May 29, 2019 Mueller also addressed the ongoing discussion about whether he will testify to Congress about his findings. He said no one has told him that he shouldnt talk to Congress about the report. But, he added, he doesnt really want to. I would not provide information beyond what is already public, he said. In this edition: A San Francisco brunch favorite nears opening day for its Oakland expansion, Piedmont Avenue gets a new upscale eatery, Chinatown has a fresh dessert option and a Fruitvale newcomer is hosting an opening party with a new mural. Openings Temescal Brenda's (4045 Broadway) Photo: Albertino M./Hoodline Tipline Veteran tipster Al M. alerted us that San Francisco-based chef Brenda Buenviaje (Brendas French Soul Food, Brendas Meat and Three) will be expanding across the Bay with a new spot called Brenda's, on the bottom level of the new Maya condominium complex. Buenviaje told Hoodline via email that her current best guess for an opening date is late summer. Eater SF reported last October that Brenda's will offer a fast-casual take on the Cajun dishes that have made Buenviaje's original Polk Street restaurant famous, with poboys, biscuits, fried chicken and other favorites. We'll keep you posted as its arrival nears. Piedmont Avenue Mago (3762 Piedmont Ave.) Photo: Albertino M./Hoodline Tipline Mark Liberman, the former chef of San Francisco's AQ, has opened a new restaurant with his wife, Theresa, on Piedmont Avenue. Housed in the former Cybelle's spot, Mago (Spanish for "wizard" or "magician") serves "simple food using innovative, inventive and high-quality ingredients." Mago's menu largely consists of snacks and small plates, with many items cooked over a wood fire. Current options include a shrimp toast sandwich with herbs and spring radishes; halibut with salted rhubarb, leek and sweet barley butter; or a shaved beet salad with pine nut labneh and snow peas. There's also a rotating larger plate for groups to share currently, it's lamb shoulder with capers and husk cherries. The restaurant has a full liquor license, offering cocktails and a variety of wines by the glass. For non-drinkers, there's also a lineup of housemade sodas. In addition to meals, Mago will play host to culinary classes taught by Theresa Liberman, who's studied cheese at the San Francisco Cheese School. Classes include "Cheese 101" and "Spring Cheese and Wine." Story continues Chinatown Meet Fresh (362 8th St.) Photo: Sivilay T./Yelp Veteran tipster Al M. reports from Chinatown that Taiwanese dessert chain Meet Fresh is readying to open next Monday. The international chain which has locations throughout Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States is currently hiring. On the menu, customers can find taro balls with red beans, peanuts, boba or with sweet potato, barley and boba. Other options include tofu pudding, hot almond soup or shaved ice. A selection of milk or herbal teas, as well as pineapple or winter melon teas, will be offered as well. Updates Fruitvale La Guerrera's Kitchen (954 Fruitvale Ave.) La Guerrera's Kitchen is hosting a grand opening party at its first brick-and-mortar location in Fruitvale this Saturday, from 17 p.m. Guests can expect music and the presentation of an indoor mural by Bay Area-based artist DJ Agana. Next-door neighbor Aloha Club will also offer drink specials, including a mezcal margarita, palomas and mimosas. As we previously reported, La Guerrera's Kitchen is headed by the mother-daughter duo of Ofelia Barajas and Reyna Maldonado, who got their start with culinary incubator La Cocina. They serve tamales (including vegan tamales), pozole, birria, barbacoa and build-your-own ceviche. Thanks to our veteran tipster Al M.! Have you noticed a new addition to (or subtraction from) Oakland's food landscape? Text a tip and a horizontal photo to 510-757-9959, and we'll look into it. The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office is handling two investigations involving a missing Northern California man and his infant daughter who investigators believe died in Sacramento. On Monday, deputies in Los Angeles County asked the public for help finding Alexander Echeverria. He was seen Friday with his 8-month-old daughter in the Southern California city of Bellflower, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said. Homicide investigators confirmed Tuesday morning that an infant found dead near a Bellflower mortuary was Echeverria's daughter, Alexia Rose. Her cause of death is not yet known. Get the full story in the video above. By Devika Krishna Kumar NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices fell in volatile trade on Wednesday, weighed down by equity markets as China signaled readiness to escalate the trade war with the United States, stoking concerns that an ongoing stand-off could hurt demand. Supply constraints linked to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries' output cuts and political tensions in the Middle East offered some support, however. Brent crude futures, the international benchmark for oil prices, ended the session at $69.45 a barrel, down 66 cents, or 0.9%, having hit a session low of $68.08. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures fell 33 cents, or 0.6%, to settle at $58.81 per barrel, after hitting a low of $56.88, the lowest since March 12. Both contracts were set for a monthly decline. In the United States, cash crude markets in Cushing, Oklahoma and fuel markets in the area have been roiled this week by pipeline outages and disruptions due to flooding in the Midwest after heavy rains. But U.S. crude futures and the front-month spread between July and August U.S. crude futures pared some losses in part due to news of the Ozark pipeline from Cushing to Illinois restarting on Thursday, traders and brokers said. Trading in the front-month spread is closely tied to supply and demand at Cushing, the delivery point for U.S. crude futures. In a sign of escalating tensions between the world's two biggest economies, China signaled it was ready to use its dominant position in rare earths to strike back in a trade war with the United States, Chinese newspapers warned on Wednesday. Rare earths are a group of 17 chemical elements used in products ranging from high-tech consumer electronics to military equipment. Trade worries and slowdown fears have pressured investors to dump so-called "risk assets" such as equities and oil globally and seek safety in German and U.S. government debt. Wall Street's main indexes hit more than two-month lows on Wednesday. While China has so far not explicitly said it would restrict rare earths sales to the United States, Chinese media have strongly implied this would happen. Oil prices also pared some losses in post-settlement trade after U.S. crude inventories fell by 5.3 million barrels in the week to May 24 to 474.4 million, data from industry group the American Petroleum Institute showed. Weekly U.S. oil inventory data has been delayed by Monday's Memorial Day holiday, with the government's report due on Thursday at 11 a.m. EDT. TIGHTER GLOBAL SUPPLIES Despite these concerns dragging on oil markets, crude prices remain supported on overall supply tightness. Iranian May crude exports fell to less than half of April levels to around 400,000 barrels per day (bpd), tanker data showed and two industry sources said, after the United States tightened the screws on Tehran's main source of income. July Brent crude futures were trading at around $1.50 a barrel above the August contract, a structure known as backwardation, which points to a tight market. "The last time it was any higher in this segment was in September 2013," Commerzbank said. "That market participants are prepared to pay such a premium for oil that can be delivered at short notice points to tight oil supply." Adding to the support are hopes that supply cuts led by OPEC and its allies, known as OPEC+, implemented at the start of the year to prop up the market, would be extended in a meeting next month. Russia will carefully consider extending its oil output reduction agreement with OPEC+, Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Anton Siluanov told Reuters on Wednesday. "OPEC and its allies are due to meet in June or July to discuss the output policy, with the likelihood resulting in an extension to the current cutting policy which has been in place throughout 2019," said Mihir Kapadia, chief executive of Sun Global Investments. "We expect markets to remain underwhelming until the meeting has taken place as investors look to avoid taking risks until the picture is much clearer." (Additional reporting by Ahmad Ghaddar in London, Henning Gloystein in Singapore; Editing by Richard Chang and Lisa Shumaker) By Alex Dobuzinskis (Reuters) - Thousands of Arkansas, Oklahoma and Louisiana residents braced for more flooding on Wednesday, and some evacuated their homes, as forecasts of further rain drove fears that decades-old levees girding the Arkansas River may not hold. More than a week of violent weather, including downpours and deadly tornadoes, has lashed the central United States, bringing record-breaking floods in parts of the states, turning highways into lakes and submerging all but the roofs of some homes. "This is a flood of historic magnitude," Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson told a news conference on Wednesday, joined by state and federal emergency officials. He said of the Arkansas River: "It's a beautiful sight until it comes to get you." Flooding has already closed 12 state highways, he said, and 400 households have agreed to voluntary evacuations. Hutchinson sent a letter to U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday asking for a federal emergency declaration for Arkansas. The levee system along the Arkansas River "has not seen this type of record flooding" before, Hutchinson said in his six-page letter. Hutchinson said Trump had promised assistance in an earlier conversation, several media outlets reported. More heavy downpours were forecast through Wednesday night over much of Oklahoma and Arkansas, with between 1 and 3 inches (2.5-7.6 cm) expected, said Patrick Burke, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center. Rivers were expected to crest by early June to the highest levels on record all the way down to Little Rock, Arkansas, Burke said. In Tulsa, Oklahoma's second largest city, Mayor G.T. Bynum warned that the city's levees were being tested "in a way that they have never been before." He said the 20-mile (32 km) levee system, which protects some 10,000 people, was working as designed so far and being patrolled around the clock by the Oklahoma National Guard. Story continues Staff at the Harvest Church West Tulsa, which sits behind a levee a few blocks from the Arkansas River, moved furniture and sound and office equipment from the basement to the church's second floor and relocated staff out of the neighborhood. "For levees that are 70 years old, they're holding well but they're not designed to hold the pressure this long, which is what the fear is at this point," Chuck Barrineau, the church's lead pastor, said in a phone interview. At least six people have died in the latest round of flooding and storms in Oklahoma, according to the state's Department of Health. More than 300 tornadoes have touched down in the Midwest in the past two weeks. Tornadoes pulverized buildings in western Ohio on Monday, killing one person and injuring scores. In Louisiana, the Mississippi River was also at record flood levels due to record-breaking rainfalls this spring, forecasters said. Trump authorized emergency aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the state late on Wednesday. Louisiana Governor John Edwards said on Twitter: "I thank President Trump for recognizing the urgency of our request and responding so quickly." In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the Mississippi rose above flood stage in early January and has remained there since, forecasters said. (Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles, Rich McKay in Atlanta, and Jonathan Allen in New York; Editing by Leslie Adler, Rosalba O'Brien and Paul Tait) Oklahoma state prosecutors kicked off their landmark opioid trial against J&J on Tuesday. They say J&J ran a "deceitful, multibillion-dollar brainwashing campaign" that led to more than 46,000 deaths. Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter says J&J and others rushed to produce a "magic pill" in their pursuit of profits. Oklahoma state prosecutors blasted Johnson & Johnson JNJ and other opioid manufacturers in the first day of a landmark opioid trial Tuesday, saying they ran a "deceitful, multibillion-dollar brainwashing campaign" that led to more than 46,000 deaths in the state over a decade. In opening arguments in the Cleveland County Courthouse in Norman, Oklahoma, state Attorney General Mike Hunter said J&J and others rushed to produce a "magic pill" in their pursuit of profits, while ignoring decades of scientific research that showed the dangers of opioids. They "embarked on a cynical, deceitful, multibillion-dollar brainwashing campaign to establish opioid analgesics as the magic drug," Hunter said in his opening remarks. "Money may not be the root of all evil but ... money can make people and businesses do bad things. Very bad things." Lawyers for the state and J&J appeared in a court Tuesday in the first state trial tackling the opioid epidemic. Hunter said J&J, OxyContin-maker Purdue Pharma and Teva Pharmaceutical TEVA all downplayed the addiction risk of opioids while overstating the benefits. Hunter said J&J was "the kingpin behind this public health emergency" by growing and importing the raw materials other drugmakers used for their products. The opioid epidemic in the U.S. has become a major political talking point, with the Trump administration vowing to crack down on illicit use. Last month, a former CEO of Rochester Drug Cooperative, one of the nation's largest drug distributors, was indicted on what prosecutors say are the first criminal charges against an executive of a drug company to stem from the opioid epidemic. In addition, the federal government reached a $20 million settlement with the company over its alleged role in the crisis. Story continues The Oklahoma trial is seen as a sort of litmus test for plaintiffs of some 1,600 cases against Purdue Pharma and other opioid manufacturers being consolidated and transferred before a judge in the Northern District of Ohio. Oklahoma claims the companies' actions created an oversupply of painkillers and a public nuisance that will cost $12.7 billion to $17.5 billion to remedy. J&J is the only defendant left in the case. Purdue Pharma, which has faced the brunt of the blame for the nationwide opioid epidemic, reached a $270 million settlement with the Oklahoma attorney general's office in March. Oklahoma also resolved its claims against Teva on Sunday for $85 million. J&J, which marketed the painkillers Duragesic and Nucynta, has previously denied any wrongdoing. It says that its marketing efforts were proper and that the state cannot prove it caused the opioid epidemic. "Our actions in the marketing and promotion of these important prescription pain medications were appropriate and responsible," J&J said in a statement. "The FDA-approved labels for these prescription pain medications provide clear information about their risks and benefits. The allegations made against our company are baseless and unsubstantiated." Watch: Oklahoma accuses Johnson & Johnson of fueling the opioid epidemic Reuters and CNBC's John Schoen contributed to this report. More From CNBC Peshawar (Pakistan) (AFP) - A Pakistani parliamentarian and civil rights leader on Wednesday accused authorities of lying about a violent clash between Pashtun activists and security forces over the weekend as tensions soar between the military and rights group. Moshin Dawar -- an MP and leading member of the Pashtun Protection Movement (PTM) -- disputed claims by the military that activists assaulted the military during a protest near a checkpoint along the Afghan border Sunday, saying security forces fired into the unarmed crowd. "We did not attack any army checkpoint rather we were attacked," Dawar told AFP by phone from an undisclosed location where he is believed to be hiding. "The state and the state institutions are using force against us and I will raise voice against these excesses from whatever forum possible," he added. Dawar went on to claim that at least 13 people were killed by the firing, dismissing earlier reports from the military that just three activists were killed during the melee. Amnesty International called for an independent investigation into the incident earlier this week, saying "if the reports are correct that the army killed protestors by unlawfully using live ammunition, this would be a very serious violation of international law". The incident follows months of rising tensions between the two sides, with the military publicly and repeatedly warning PTM leaders to end their criticism of the country's armed forces -- largely seen as a red line in Pakistan. Since bursting onto the scene last year, the PTM has rattled Pakistans military with its calls to end alleged abuses by security forces against ethnic Pashtuns. Darwar's claims also come as the Committee to Protect Journalists called for the release of Pakistani journalist Gohar Wazir who was arrested in nearby Bannu earlier this week after interviewing the PTM leader. "Gohar Wazir should not have to face arrest merely for doing the job of reporting the news, even reporting on controversial events such as protests by the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement," said Steven Butler, the CPJ Asia programme coordinator. Story continues A local official confirmed the arrest of the journalist along with 22 others, saying Wazir had violated a public order ordinance for taking part in PTM protests. The PTM has unleashed festering anger over abuses allegedly committed against Pashtuns, including enforced disappearances and targeted killings, during the military's fight against insurgents. Pashtuns account for roughly 15 percent of Pakistan's population, with a majority based in the northwest and a significant presence in the southern port city of Karachi. By Roberta Rampton WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will discuss their countries' joint dispute with China over Huawei during a meeting in Ottawa on Thursday, a senior U.S. administration official said. Pence, known for taking a hard line against China, will travel to the Canadian capital to discuss trade issues, including Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, the world's largest telecoms network gear maker, which Washington has moved to isolate. "Canada has been a close ally in the way that they've approached their relationship with China - and there could be some conversation about Huawei," the official told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity. Washington has accused Huawei of being tied to China's government, and has effectively banned U.S. firms from doing business with the company for national security reasons. The dispute spilled into Canada last year, and Ottawa has expressed frustration at what it sees as a lackluster U.S. response to harsh Chinese measures. In December, Canada arrested Huawei's Chief Financial Officer Meng Wangzhou on a U.S. warrant. She faces extradition to the United States on charges she conspired to defraud global banks about Huawei's relationship with a company operating in Iran. She and the company have denied the charges. Shortly after her arrest, Canadian businessman Michael Spavor and former diplomat Michael Kovrig were detained in China, and were formally arrested for espionage earlier this month. Canada has called the Canadians' detentions arbitrary. China has also cut off imports of key Canadian commodities, hurting farmers. "Expect some very tangible outcomes from their discussion with regard to China that we'll share with you tomorrow," a second U.S. official told reporters. The officials declined to say whether Pence would offer Canada assistance on the detentions and the trade stoppages. Story continues Pence also plans to make a separate address in the coming days about the "current state of affairs" in China, the officials said. The speech is seen as a sequel to one Pence gave in October, when he accused China of reckless military actions, cyber attacks and human rights abuses, as well as "malign" efforts to undermine Trump's reelection campaign in 2020. The Huawei issue is the latest trade-related snafu to rock the relationship between the United States and Canada - normally two of the world's closest allies - since President Donald Trump took office. One of Trump's first actions was to overhaul the 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico, which he commonly refers to as one of the worst trade deals ever made. But now that the three countries have agreed to a replacement, Pence has been traveling around trade-dependent U.S. states to urge its passage through the Congress. He will put the new deal - the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement or USMCA - front and center during his first trip to Canada as vice president. The two leaders are also expected to discuss the political crisis in Venezuela. Pence has played a major role in the Trump administration's diplomatic and economic efforts to force out President Nicolas Maduro. Both Washington and Ottawa have backed opposition leader Juan Guaido, who invoked Venezuela's constitution in January to declare himself interim president, arguing that Maduro's 2018 re-election was illegitimate. The Trump administration has threatened a harder line against Cuba for its support of Maduro, but Trudeau has reached out to Havana to seek its help in settling the political conflict in Venezuela. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton, editing by G Crosse) Photo: Element5 Digital/Unsplash Looking to get out into the community this week? From a lecture at the library to a celebration of students, there's plenty to do when it comes to community and cultural events coming up in Philadelphia this week. Read on for a rundown. Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. Slavery and Abolition in the Creation of the Library Company of Philadelphia From the event description: This talk will explain the Librarys historical connections to Atlantic slavery and abolition. It will also discuss the circulation of abolitionist books, as evident in the surviving 1794-1812 borrowing receipt book, and in doing so, claim that the Library Company was exceptional among Americas slavery-endowed early proprietary subscription libraries in stocking so many antislavery books that were actually read. When: Wednesday, May 29, 5:30-7 p.m. Where: The Library Company of Philadelphia, 1314 Locust St. Price: Free (Shareholder); $10 (Non-Shareholder) Click here for more details, and to get your tickets iFunction: An Evening with the Stars From the event description: It is time to celebrate all the hard work of our students from Northwood, Hardy, Cook, Duckrey, Dunbar and McMichael. We'll also be acknowledging our gratitude for our partners and you. We are seeking volunteers to assist us in welcoming students and their families, setting up and breaking down the event, and other duties as assigned. When: Wednesday, May 29, 6-8 p.m. Where: McNeil Science and Technology Center, 4308 Woodland Ave. Price: Free Click here for more details, and to register In The Weeds: Plan for Impact From the event description: Finding a balance between your mission, impact and viability is crucial. Is your organization prepared for the future? Are you asking the proper questions? Do you understand your priorities? When: Thursday, May 30, 5-7 p.m. Where: WeWork, 1601 Market St. Price: Free Click here for more details, and to register This story was created automatically using local event data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. President Donald Trump stumps for Roy Moore in Pensacola, Florida, in 2017. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images The 2020 election is weighing heavily on President Donald Trumps mind, and not just the White House race keeping a Republican majority in the U.S. Senate is equally important for the partys control of the federal judiciary and national agenda. His anxiousness prompted a Twitter outburst on Wednesday morning. I have NOTHING against Roy Moore, and unlike many other Republican leaders, wanted him to win, the president tweeted. If Alabama does not elect a Republican to the Senate in 2020, many of the incredible gains that we have made during my Presidency may be lost, including our Pro-Life victories. Roy Moore cannot win, and the consequences will be devastating. Trump was referring to the Republican former Alabama Supreme Court chief justice who ran in a 2017 special election against Senator Doug Jones and lost. It was a historic race, the first since 1992 that saw a Democrat elected to the Senate from the deep-red state. Moore is known locally as a fringe theocrat who has blamed Americans supposed permissiveness toward anal sex and abortion for incidents of large-scale violence like mass shootings and 9/11. But he is best known nationally for allegations that he pursued sexual relationships with teenage girls when he was in his 30s and in several cases sexually abused them, including one allegation that he made a 14-year-old touch his erect penis. (Moore denies these charges.) For these and other reasons, Moore is considered a toxic candidate, including by members of his own party. U.S. Representative Bradley Byrne, a Republican from Alabamas first congressional district, replied to reports that Moore plans to announce another Senate bid in June by stating that he would not survive the 2020 GOP primary. I think people are very concerned that we Republicans lost a U.S. Senate seat because he was our nominee in 2017, and we dont need to do that again, Byrne told The Hill. The presidents son Donald Trump Jr. echoed his fathers discouragement of a Moore redux. If you actually care about #MAGA more than your own ego, its time to ride off into the sunset, Judge, Trump Jr. tweeted. Moore remains undaunted. His Twitter feed is filled with claims that he would definitely beat Jones in a rematch and attempts to brand himself as an outsider whom liberals and beltway conservatives alike are afraid of. And his hubris is not unfounded: Poll results published in April by Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy show that 27 percent of Alabama Republicans would vote for Moore were the GOP primary held today with Mo Brooks, the runner-up, trailing him by nine points. (Twenty-five percent of respondents remained undecided.) It is fairly consistent with President Trumps worldview that he has nothing against a racist, homophobic, Islamophobic conspiracist and accused child molester like Moore except that he is a proven loser with a fair likelihood of losing again in 2020. Nor do the moral dimensions of a Moore candidacy seem to bother other Republicans who otherwise do not want it. Both Byrne and Trump Jr. appear more concerned with Moores prospects for victory than the implications of such a man representing their party in the Senate. This indifference is reflected in the Alabama electorate as well. Sixty-eight percent of white Alabama voters backed Moores Senate bid in 2017 roughly the same share of white voters in the state who are registered Republicans. GOP voters overall supported Moore at a rate of 91 percent. It seems clear that the moral abdication represented by Moores relative success the last time around he lost by less than two points is a partisan phenomenon augmented by a racial one. Remarkably, as I have written before, it has therefore fallen primarily to black voters and a small minority of progressive white ones to keep Moore off Capitol Hill. This development is merely the latest in a long history of black Alabamians fighting and dying for the right to vote often specifically to keep violent segregationists and other white reprobates, like Moore, out of power. Demographics have never been in their favor. Alabamas electorate is majority white and majority conservative. But the battle has been ongoing for decades, and only stands to continue as Jones seeks to defend his precarious Senate seat. The reality is that if Moore wins the GOP primary, Trump will put his full-throated support behind him just like he did the last time around after his preferred candidate, Luther Strange, lost the primary. As is likely with the national GOP, which also supported Moores 2017 campaign, the president will do what he can to ensure the seat goes to an unrepentant bigot and accused child molester rather than Jones, a man known for prosecuting the Ku Klux Klan. It will probably be a tight race. And theres a decent chance Moore wins considering how close he came last time. But the bigger takeaway is that there exist few contemporary examples more vivid of the lows to which the president and his party will sink to retain power. NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host Chinese President Xi Jinping this year for an informal summit, an Indian foreign ministry spokesman said on Wednesday, after meeting several times over the past year to try to defuse tension. The two held their first informal summit in Wuhan in April 2018 and at that meeting Xi had accepted Modi's invitation to come to India for a second meeting. "The two sides are in touch, through diplomatic channels, to finalise the date and venue for the meeting," the spokesman said. China is an "all-weather" friend with India's neighbour and long-time foe Pakistan, and a military standoff at the Indian-Chinese high-altitude Himalayan border in 2017 rekindled fears of war. Modi may also hold his first bilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in over two years on the sidelines of the G20 summit in June in Osaka, Japan, a source aware of the development said. Trump caused alarm across the world after he raised tariffs on $200 billion worth of goods from China on May 10, prompting Beijing to say it would hit back with its own higher duties. Both Modi and Trump are expected to talk again at the U.N. General Assembly session in September in New York, the source said, declining to be identified as he was not authorised to speak to the media. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo might also stop over in New Delhi ahead of the G20 summit, The Hindu newspaper reported, citing sources. The Trump administration on Tuesday dropped India from a list of countries it monitors for currency manipulation, after finding that New Delhi did not engage in persistent, one-sided intervention in the currency market. India and the United States have developed close political and security ties but Trump has repeatedly called out India for its high tariffs and both sides are working to resolve a trade dispute. The U.S. plans to withdraw trade privileges that allow preferential duty-free imports of up to $5.6 billion a year from India. That followed India's adoption of new rules on e-commerce that have reined in how U.S. companies such as Amazon.com and Walmart Inc can do business in the country. Story continues U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross warned India that any retaliatory tariffs in response to the planned withdrawal of trade privileges would not be "appropriate" under World Trade Organization rules. India's foreign ministry did not respond to a Reuters email seeking further comment. India's bilateral trade with the United States, which stood at $126 billion in 2017, is widely seen by trade experts as much lower than its potential. Modi has courted foreign investment as part of his Make-in-India campaign in an attempt to turn India into a manufacturing hub and deliver jobs to the millions of Indian youths entering the workforce every year. Trump, for his part, has pushed for U.S. manufacturing to return home as part of his Make America Great Again campaign. (Reporting by Neha Dasgupta; Editing by Martin Howell and Nick Macfie) By Zarir Hussain GUWAHATI, India (Reuters) - Police in Assam detained a retired soldier and serving police officer on Wednesday after a court declared him a foreigner, in one of the most controversial outcomes of the country's effort to clamp down on illegal immigration from neighbouring Bangladesh. Millions of people in Assam are scrambling to prove their citizenship after the government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist party, mandated residents of the state to produce documents proving that they or their families lived in the country before March 24, 1971. Police said they sent Mohammed Sana Ullah, 52, to a detention centre in Assam based on the order of a Foreigners' Tribunal. "He served the Indian army for 30 years but was declared as a foreigner ... and as per prescribed norms we have sent him to the detention camp," Mousumi Kalita, a senior police official in Assam, told journalists. "We only abide by the tribunal's order and not aware on what grounds or why he was declared a foreigner." Ullah's lawyer said it was a case of mistaken identity as the order cited his client as a labourer who came to India after 1971 without legal documents. Ullah's family said they had Assam land records going back to 1935. Lawyer Aman Wadud, who has handled dozens of cases of illegal immigration in Assam, said he would challenge the order in a higher court on Thursday. Speaking to Reuters as he was shoved inside a police vehicle on the way to the detention centre in the border town of Goalpara, Ullah said he was heartbroken. "This is the reward I got after serving for 30 years in the Indian army," said Ullah, currently a deputy inspector in the border wing of the Assam Police. "I am an Indian, very much an Indian and will forever remain an Indian." Much of the over 2,500-mile-long (4,000-km) border between Hindu-majority India and mainly Muslim Bangladesh is porous. Hundreds of thousands of people have moved to India from Bangladesh since its New Delhi-backed war of independence from Pakistan in 1971. Story continues Modi's party, which increased its parliamentary majority this month after a general election, has promised to identify all migrants living in the country illegally, give citizenship to all non-Muslims from neighbouring Muslim majority countries such as Bangladesh and Pakistan, and expel the rest. His Bharatiya Janata Party made electoral gains in Assam and neighbouring West Bengal state by pledging to act against immigrants, accused by some locals of taking jobs and resources. Reuters has reported that even a spelling error can ruin a family in the citizenship test. (Writing by Krishna N. Das; Editing by Frances Kerry) A picture showing one of the raccoon dogs. Residents have been warned not to approach them. (SWNS) A village is under siege from a pair of escaped raccoon dogs which are attacking pets and animals. Police were called after residents reported being subjected to a two hour stand off with the bizarre-looking creatures. Mandy Marsh, 53, and her husband Dale, 54, said they were woken at around 4am by a "blood curdling scream" and ran outside. They spotted a dog-sized animal which they had never seen before in a stand off with their pet goat Betty and pony Peaches. Mandy Marsh with her pony Peaches who was terrorised by two raccoons which escaped from a nearby home. Luckily the pony was not seriously injured. The couple - armed with planks of wood - said it took them two hours to chase off the snarling and hissing animal. But it returned minutes later to corner a dog walker outside their home in Clarborough, in Nottinghamshire, before scarpering off. Police confirmed two "potentially dangerous" raccoon dogs which are "not domesticated" have escaped from a nearby enclosure - and warned anyone who sees them to call 999. The raccoon dog is indigenous to East Asia and is unrelated to raccoons but is related to fox and wolf. A map showing where the dogs attacked and where they escaped from. (SWNS) They eat anything from insects and reptiles to small mammals, eggs, and crops and in 2017 the RSPCA warned people against keeping them as pets. Mandy said: "It was actually terrifying. "We were laid in bed at about 4am and I heard such a terrifying noise like I had never heard before. It was screaming. "My husband went out and opened the door and the dog shot out. "The dog was barking like mad and my husband went out after her. "He came back and he said to me 'you are going to have to come and see this, there is something in the field attacking the pony and I have absolutely no idea what it is'. She posted about the animal online and experts identified it as a raccoon dog. Read more from Yahoo News UK Malaysia returns waste to Britain saying we are not a dumping ground Whatsapp is going to start showing adverts Could Amazons Alexa be about to get creepier Mandy claims police said they would put up a helicopter it if it wasn't found soon, and a local wildlife tracker has offered help. Story continues She estimated the raccoon dog was around three stone and the size of a Staffordshire bull terrier. A spokesman for Nottinghamshire Police said: "Residents in the Clarborough area near Retford are being warned to be vigilant after two captive Raccoon dogs escaped their enclosure. "They went missing from an enclosure in Big Lane, Clarborough at around 6am this on Tuesday 28 May 2019. "The animals, which are described as being the same size of a medium- to small-sized dog, are potentially dangerous if approached as they are not domesticated. "Police are advising anyone who sees the animals to report any sightings by calling 999." Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK WARSAW, May 29 (Reuters) - A herd of free-roaming cows in Poland, whose intended slaughter upset animal-lovers and created a national outcry, have secured a last-minute reprieve. Likened to sacred cows in India by their owners, the 180 cattle wandered fields in the western municipality of Deszczno for years. But Poland's chief veterinary officer declared them a danger to health and safety earlier this month. Animal rights activists said the order to kill them was an outrage, given more humane possible solutions. "The cows from Deszczno will not be slaughtered. Instead they will be isolated in a state-run farm," Poland's Agriculture Minister Jan Krzysztof Ardanowski said on Wednesday, according to state news agency PAP, concluding a national mini-drama. Even President Andrzej Duda had his say, urging a "happy solution" before news broke of the cows' stay of execution. "I am certain they will find it, even though EU rules call for the killing of these animals. Poles can do it!" he tweeted. (Reporting by Joanna Plucinska; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has not made a decision on extending a 90-day U.S. waiver exempting Iraq from sanctions to buy energy from Iran, a State Department spokeswoman said on Wednesday. The State Department said on March 20 it would allow Iraq to keep purchasing electricity from its neighbour Iran for another 90 days without imposing sanctions, but urged Baghdad to find alternative sources of energy. "The secretary has not made a decision on this," spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus told reporters. (Reporting by Lesley Wroughton and David Brunnstrom) By Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis said he was willing to tell U.S. President Donald Trump in person that it is wrong to build border walls and appeared to warn him not to resume a policy of separating families. In a wide-ranging television interview with Mexico's Televisa aired on Tuesday, the pope also shrugged off criticism from ultra-conservative Roman Catholics who call him a heretic. Francis, who has clashed with Trump before on migration issues, discussed the situation at the U.S.-Mexican border with veteran Vatican reporter Valentina Alazraki, who is Mexican. "I don't know what's happening with this new culture of defending territories by building walls. We already knew one, that (one) in Berlin, which brought so many headaches and so much suffering," he said. "Separating children from their parents goes against natural law, and those Christians ... you can't do it. It is cruel. It is among the greatest of cruelties. And to defend what? Territory, or the economy of a country or who knows what," he said, adding that such policies were "very sad". Asked if he would tell Trump the same thing to his face if the president were sitting opposite him instead of the reporter, Francis said: "The same. The same because I say it publicly ... I have even said that those who build walls end up being prisoners of the walls they build." Trump, who met the pope at the Vatican in 2017, has said the wall is needed to address a crisis of drugs and crime flowing across the border into the United States and has clashed with the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives and some judges on how to fund it. Last year, Pope Francis criticized the Trump administration policy of separating children from parents who had illegally crossed the U.S.-Mexico border, a policy Trump later reversed after a widespread outcry. Last month, Trump denied media reports that his administration was considering reinstating the policy. No further meeting between Trump and the pope is planned. Francis was also asked about a group of ultra-conservatives who earlier this month began a signature campaign urging bishops to denounce him as a heretic over a range of topics from communion for the divorced to religious diversity. Francis said he did not feel hurt and took it "with a sense of humor," adding, "I pray for them because they are wrong, and, poor people, some of them are being manipulated.". (Reporting by Philip Pullella; Editing by Mark Heinrich) From Car and Driver Homes and offices of Porsche executives were raided on Tuesday, with 10 prosecutors and 176 other personnel participating. The investigation is into possible excessive compensation paid to the former head of Porsche's works council, a man who left the automaker earlier in 2019 to go into politics. A tax official is also being investigated for allegedly leaking information to a Porsche accountant, Automotive News Europe reported. On Tuesday, prosecutors in Stuttgart, Germany, raided Porsche's headquarters, reportedly including the offices of CEO Oliver Blume (pictured above), chief financial officer Lutz Meschke, and HR chief Andreas Haffner. Their purported offense: overpaying the notorious head of the works council, Uwe Huck. Yesterday's raids were carried out by 10 prosecutors assisted by 176 additional personnel, including police. Data carriers and mobile phones were seized. The raids also covered a second topic: A member of the financial authorities is suspected to have passed secret information to an accountant retained by Porsche. Huck had a strong impact on Porsche, often weighing in on strategic decisions and product development. His contributions have repeatedly irked company management, but he has played an important role in shaping Porsche's current image and product portfolio. The works council has significant obstructionist powers. According to Germany's labor law, members of the council should be paid what they would have earned in a typical company career. Huck, who started out as a painter, ended up making the equivalent of about $500,000 per year. It is unlikely that he would have risen to this income bracket on the merit of his performance in the paint shop. In Germany's reality, members of works councils have often received relatively high compensation. Some of their duties resemble those of actual board members, and companies have often decided to compensate them somewhat generously. The Stuttgart prosecutors blame the company not only for overpaying Huck, but also for writing off the compensation as an expense. Porsche should have paid higher taxes instead, they claim. Story continues Huck himself-who left the company in February 2019 to go into politics through the Social Democrat political party-has not been the focus of investigations. "My compensation was clean," he defiantly told the German newspaper Handelsblatt. For decades, the German auto industry thrived on the special relationship between carmakers and labor unions. The vaunted "Deutschland AG" (or "Germany, Incorporated") made sure that government and the unions were on board with major strategic decisions, as they had an important, legally acknowledged say. But the system has been falling apart, not least due to several scandals surrounding the Volkswagen Group in the past decade. Now Porsche has become a new center of investigation. Porsche's statement to local newspaper Stuttgarter Nachrichten was to refuse comment "in light of the ongoing investigation." Stuttgart's authorities turning on Porsche at a critical time for the company, and placing the blame for alleged disproportionate payments solely on Porsche and not the recipient, proves yet again that times have really changed for German companies. ('You Might Also Like',) By Andrew Hay TAOS, N.M. (Reuters) - A U.S. group building what it claims is the first private wall on the Mexican border wall on Wednesday said it had stopped construction after a New Mexico town ruled the project lacked necessary permits. Sunland Park, New Mexico, on Tuesday ordered We Build the Wall to stop erecting the steel barrier on private land in an area that the group calls "ground zero for illegal drugs, migrants and human sex slaves coming across." Sunland Park is located in the southeast corner of New Mexico, on the Mexican border and about 9 miles northwest of El Paso, Texas. The group on its website, in describing its mission, says: "If the Democrats wont provide the funding for what the American people voted for in 2016 then we the people will." The group's list of members of its advisory board and various committees and operations includes Erik Prince, the former Navy SEAL who founded the controversial private security firm Blackwater; former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach; and former Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo, among others. It has raised over $23 million on its gofundmepage and vowed to resume construction. "We just stopped last night," Kobach, the group's general counsel, told Fox Business. "We'll be providing some more information to the city this morning. We're hoping to continue very soon." Around half a mile of the steel fence sprang up over the Memorial Day weekend on land owned by American Eagle Brick Co. The company's owner, Jeff Allen, declined to comment. The wall is being built to close a gap between fencing in the El Paso, Texas, section of the border that is popular with Central American families who have been entering the United States in record numbers to seek asylum. The gap gained widespread attention after a paramilitary group released videos in April showing its members stopping hundreds of illegal border crossers. Story continues Fisher Sand & Gravel, a North Dakota company that put forward proposals for Trump's border wall, is building the 18-foot-high structure. Kobach said the project was 80 percent complete. Sunland Park Mayor Javier Perea said the landowner submitted a building application but it was "incomplete" and the matter had been referred to the city's municipal court. "The city ordinance only allows a wall up to 6 feet tall and this far exceeds that," Perea told reporters. New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, said the wall did nothing to enhance border security or deal with the humanitarian crisis on the border. "To act as though throwing up a small section of wall on private land does anything to effectively secure our southern border from human- and drug-trafficking or address the humanitarian needs of the asylum seekers and local communities receiving them - that's nonsense," she said in a statement. (Reporting by Andrew Hay in Taos, New Mexico; Editing by Leslie Adler) Partisanship is not just some phony baloney of Washington invention. Photo: Trevor Carpenter/Getty Images Its become a standard feature of big national holidays: pious chest-thumping and finger-pointing about how Americans used to truly represent a United States but have now let politicians with their petty partisan squabbles drive us apart, when a little old-fashioned good will and elbow grease would fix everything. I heard a species of this meme over the Memorial Day weekend from CBS correspondent Scott Pelley: Today, liberals and conservatives barricade themselves in digital citadels where some media, with calculated bias, assure their viewers that what they already believe is correct. If we wall ourselves in castles of confirming information, I fear a new Cold War. This time, a cold civil war. Given this danger, why do both parties promote almost nothing but divisive scandals? Because it is so much easier than health insurance or immigration reform. Taking on actual challenges would require work, and listening, and thought, and union. Aside from the implication that, say, the crimes and misdemeanors revealed in the Mueller report are simply divisive scandals, what is most objectionable about Pelleys complaint and so many others like it is the suggestion that partisan differences are superficial, or even artificial. Yes, of course, theres an element of self-interested gamesmanship in partisan competition, particularly in a period when neither party can secure a reliable grip on the White House, Congress, or public opinion. But you can make a strong case that todays partisan disagreements are rooted in basic differences involving not just facts or policy positions but very basic principles and values. Take the most raging issue of the last few weeks, abortion policy. Yes, there are many rank-and-file Democrats, Republicans, and independents who are conflicted on the subject. But those with a clearly defined view on it tend to drive party policies, and they are about as polarized as human beings can be, with Democrats generally regarding the right to choose as fundamental to womens equality and Republicans generally regarding legalized abortion as mass homicide, or even an American holocaust. Is there anything petty about that squabble? Look at the key issue in the 2018 midterms, health-care policy. Even if they disagree on how to achieve universal health coverage, most Democrats agree its essential and a basic human right. Republicans almost never call health care a right, and instead tend to regard it as a scarce resource whose price should be regulated by markets and quantity should be limited by clean and responsible living. This is not a matter of I say tomato and you say to-mah-to, by any means. Consider another ineluctable partisan fight concerning firearms regulation. To most Democrats, the right to bear arms has little or nothing to do with fanatics and other fury-driven testosterone addicts stockpiling automatic weapons and evading minimal background checks by frequenting gun shows. To nearly all Republicans now, the Second Amendment is the single most essential element of the Bill of Rights, the guarantor not only against violation of hearth and home but against tyrannical government. Maybe all partisans dont share the views of those on the left who would ban all private gun ownership or those on the right who threaten to use their shooting irons to kill cops or soldiers who try to enforce laws they dont like. But theres really not much middle ground, and thats not because partisans are inventing phony conflicts. Look at how the two parties think about voting rights, which was once, in living memory, a truly bipartisan cause. Democrats almost invariably think of the right to vote as fundamental to democracy and resist any measures that tend to suppress the most abundant levels of participation in elections. To an ever-increasing extent, Republicans think of making voting easy as an invitation to fraud and the plundering of the public treasury by ignorant plebes who will vote themselves benefits in league with corrupt elites. Thats a gulf in perception that no compromise can bridge. Check out one more issue on which the parties have become polarized: campaign-finance reform. For most Democrats, this is a common-sense matter of minimizing the strength of wealthy special interests and reducing official corruption; the whole chain of Supreme Court decisions leading up to Citizens United is considered an abomination. Most Republicans agree with the SCOTUS premise that money is speech, and fear campaign-finance regulation as a big step down the road to publicly financed and eventually government-controlled elections. In this case the two parties points of view are very nearly inverted, with the donkeys freedom from special interests equaling the elephants enslavement. Can a room full of wheeling and dealing overcome that rift? I dont think so. Recognizing that partisanship is based on legitimate differences of opinion has huge implications for how one understands government dysfunction and the way to fix it, as Paul Waldman observed over the weekend: The reality is that were in an era when, unless theres unified government, not much is going to get done, at least in terms of legislation. Thats not because theres something wrong with Washington; its because the two parties have fundamentally different ideas about what we ought to do. Which means that, as they try to win back the White House and plan what to do with it if they succeed, Democrats dont need to devise a strategy to persuade Republicans to join with them in a new era of bipartisan governing. They need a strategy to win full control of Congress, then a strategy to keep their members together to pass their agenda. If they manage that, nobody will complain that Washington cant get anything done. This ought to be fairly obvious, but unfortunately, the idea that partisanship is somehow a free-floating demonic force rather than a reflection of deeply held values has infected political discourse even more than partisanship itself, as Waldman also notes: Unfortunately, politicians do a great deal to mislead voters about how politics works. Every election, candidates for the House and Senate tell voters that the problem is this thing called Washington, whose dysfunctions can be cured with the proper kick in the keister. And I, the candidate says, am just the person to do it, to change Washington into what it ought to be. Why? Not because I have policy expertise or relevant experience; those things dont matter. No, its because I have common sense, and I know how to get things done. And so when nothing changes or partisan dysfunction gets even worse, voters become even more disillusioned with Washington, and listen to the pied pipers of rhetorical enchantment who pretend getting things done is easy for the stout-hearted and the open-minded. Perhaps a day will soon come when the two parties disagree over superficial rather than very basic things, or at least can agree on a list of challenges they will jointly try to address. But more likely, the way out of dysfunction and partisan gridlock is a good, strong landslide election that gives one side or the other a mandate for its principles, and the means to implement them. By Stephen Nellis May 28 (Reuters) - Qualcomm Inc on Tuesday asked a federal judge not to enforce her decision that it illegally squeezed out rivals in the smartphone chips market as it plans to file an appeal that could take more than a year to wind through the courts. In a filing in federal court in San Jose, California, Qualcomm said that it believes it can succeed in appealing the May 21 decision by U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in an antitrust case brought by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission in January 2017. The company has not yet filed that appeal; Tuesday's filing only concerns whether the ruling's provisions will be put on hold temporarily as it plays out. Qualcomm argued that Koh's ruling raised serious legal questions because, among other things, she excluded evidence after a March 2018 cutoff date - including the fact that Apple Inc dropped Qualcomm in favor of rival chip supplier Intel Corp, showing that Qualcomm did not have a stranglehold on the market. Qualcomm also said that the FTC's theory in the lawsuit - that Qualcomm's patent licensing practices amounted to a "tax" on smart phone makers, generating profits that Qualcomm then put to work undercutting its rivals - was unprecedented in antitrust law. Qualcomm said Koh's ruling would force it to rework its license deals and even offer deals to rival chip suppliers, scrambling its business in a way that would be impossible to unwind if it wins on appeal. Qualcomm shares shot up 23% in April when it resolved a legal conflict with Apple but then declined 15% after Koh's ruling. "After radically restructuring its business relationships, Qualcomm will not be able to return to its pre-injunction business in an orderly fashion," the company said. "Nor will it be able to unwind licensing agreements it has renegotiated in the shadow of an order that is later overturned." FTC officials did not immediately return a request for comment. Story continues San Diego-based Qualcomm makes cellphone processors and modem chips, but generates most of its profit by licensing its technology to mobile phone makers. Koh ruled that Qualcomm's patent licensing practices had "strangled competition" and directed the company to renegotiate licensing agreements with customers at fair prices without threatening to cut off supplies. She also ruled that Qualcomm must offer to license its patents on fair terms to rival chipmakers such as MediaTek Inc . Qualcomm currently licenses its patents to device makers. Shifting to licensing to other chip suppliers could reduce Qualcomm's royalties from as much as $20 per phone to just a few dollars per device. The judge also said Qualcomm could not enter exclusivity agreements that block rivals from selling chips to smartphone makers such as Apple and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd. Koh required Qualcomm to be monitored for seven years to ensure it complied with her remedies. If Koh reject's Qualcomm's request to put the ruling on hold during the appeals process, Qualcomm will then ask the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to do the same. The company's appeal on the legal merits of the ruling will proceed even if it loses its request to put its provisions on hold as the process plays out. Qualcomm had argued during a 10-day non-jury trial before Koh in January that it became dominant in the market for smartphone chips through technological leadership, not freezing out rivals. (Reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) Qualcomm Incorporated QCOM recently sought a stay on the adverse anti-trust ruling by federal judge Lucy Koh. The strategic move is aimed to safeguard its business interests and maintain seamless operations, which would otherwise go haywire if the decision is implemented. Overseeing the Federal Trade Commission's litigation against Qualcomm, the U.S. District Court Judge issued a ruling in favor of the former, and observed that the chip manufacturer had violated anti-trust regulations through monopolistic trade practices. In order to encourage fair competition, the ruling ordered Qualcomm to renegotiate licensing contracts with customers to ensure that both buyers and other chip makers are not forced to pay exorbitant licensing fees on its patents. It also directed the company to end any exclusive agreement with customers, which prevented other chip makers from making a production bid. In its reply, Qualcomm cited that the judge had narrowed down the window for evidence to March 2018 and has not considered vital facts beyond that date. The company argued that Apple Inc. AAPL had earlier discarded its chips and selected rival firm Intel Corporation INTC instead for iPhones, thereby refuting charges of having a stranglehold on the market. Furthermore, Qualcomm pointed out that if the decision is put into force it would have to rework all its patent deals and scramble its business, which would be virtually impossible to unwind if the decision is later overturned on appeal. The company also reasoned that offering patent licenses to rival firms like Mediatek Inc. would rob royalty revenues of as much as $20 per phone, jeopardizing the sustainability of its revenue model. Although Qualcomm is yet to file an appeal in a higher court, it has sought to buy time to prevent any knee-jerk reaction to such adverse ruling. Notably, in April this year, Qualcomm had reached a surprise settlement with Apple to end the bitter patent battle that threatened to jeopardize their businesses. Drawing curtains on prolonged patent litigations, the former allies turned antagonists decided to call a truce, with Apple paying about $4.5 billion to $4.7 billion to Qualcomm. The agreement also included a six-year license agreement effective Apr 1, 2019 along with a two-year extension option and a multi-year chipset supply agreement. Apple is expected to license the chips directly from Qualcomm instead of relying on OEMs to do it on its behalf. Even such exclusive supply agreements are potentially at risk. Qualcomms shares, which were up more than 23% on the trade truce (the biggest gain ever recorded in more than 19 years), have taken a beating on the adverse federal judge decision and reportedly lost about 15%. Over the past year, the stock has recorded an average return of 13.4% while the industry has rallied 6.7%. Story continues Whether the company can secure stay on the decision and subsequently get it overturned through higher appeal or government intervention remain to be seen. Qualcomm currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). A better-ranked stock in the industry is Harris Corporation HRS, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Harris has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 8%. It beat earnings estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average being 3%. Will you retire a millionaire? One out of every six people retires a multimillionaire. Get smart tips you can do today to become one of them in a new Special Report, 7 Things You Can Do Now to Retire a Multimillionaire. Click to get it free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report QUALCOMM Incorporated (QCOM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Harris Corporation (HRS) : Free Stock Analysis Report Apple Inc. (AAPL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Intel Corporation (INTC) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. With 23 Democrats vying for the 2020 presidential nomination, the Democratic National Committee is upping the threshold for candidates to appear in the third Democratic presidential debate. The DNC announced Wednesday that ABC News and Univision will host the third debate on September 12, with the possibility of adding a second night on September 13 if enough candidates meet the new threshold. To appear in the first and second debates in June and July, candidates must poll at at least 1% and have received donations from 65,000 donors with a minimum of 200 in at least 20 states. It will be even more challenging to qualify for the third debate: candidates will need to reach at least 2% in the polls and will need 130,000 individual donors with a minimum of 400 in at least 20 states. The list of approved pollsters will change for the third debate. Not only will candidates need to hit 2% from four, rather than three, polls, but also Reuters and Las Vegas Review Journal have been removed from the list. The list still includes a range of other pollsters including the Associated Press, the major broadcast networks, New York Times, NPR, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and Quinnipiac University. Only polls published between June 28 and August 28 will count toward qualifying for the September debate. These added criteria seek to whittle down the number of candidates as the Democratic primary approaches in 2020. Of the 23 announced candidates, 19 have already qualified for the first debate, which will be divided across two nights. The third debate will be capped at a total of 20 candidates, but the new threshold makes it unlikely that that many will qualify. More must-read stories from Fortune: How civil rights and liberties activists are taking on Capitol Hill What exactly is ranked-choice voting? 21 abortion restrictions have already been enacted in 2019 Should Title VII civil rights protections include the LGBTQ community? Human Trafficking is an epidemic in the U.S. Its also big business Dont miss the daily Term Sheet, Fortunes newsletter on deals and dealmakers. By Dave Graham MEXICO CITY, May 29 (Reuters) - Mexican authorities have raided the home of a close aide of former President Enrique Pena Nieto and secured the arrest of one of the country's best-known businessmen in a drive to get justice for scandals that tainted the last government. A former Pena Nieto campaign chief who went on to run state oil firm Pemex, the country's largest company, Emilio Lozoya was not home during the raid late on Tuesday night in the upscale Lomas neighborhood, his lawyer Javier Coello said in an interview with Milenio Television. The swoop for Lozoya, who ran Pemex from 2012 to 2016, and the arrest in Mallorca on Tuesday of steel-magnate Alonso Ancira, who the government accuses of paying Lozoya bribes, were the boldest steps yet in a new drive by current president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador after he took office on Dec. 1 pledging to root out corruption. The attorney general's office said it had issued warrants for several people in relation to the case, which the country's anti-laundering tsar said centered on bribes paid in connection with the $475 million purchase by Pemex of a fertilizer plant from Ancira's company Altos Hornos de Mexico. The tsar said the case had links also to Brazilian builder Odebrecht , whose executives have testified about bribes to politicians across Latin America. The play came after days of intensifying speculation about Lozoya's future sparked by the government's decision last week to ban him from public service for 10 years as part of a probe into the 2014 purchase of the fertilizer plant, which was out of service. Government auditors estimate the plant's real value was closer to $50 million. Gonzalo Monroy, an energy analyst often critical of Lopez Obrador's policies, especially in the energy industry, said the move was "a step in the right direction," but warned that success on clamping down on corruption would only come if the case against Lozoya was fair. Story continues "We will see if the rule of law truly exists here, or is there going to be a perverse application of justice," Monroy said. Lozoya, who was not immediately available for comment, has always denied wrongdoing and defended the fertilizer factory purchase as a wise investment, but had been under pressure for his role at Pemex even during the Pena Nieto administration. In 2017, Lozoya denied having funneled cash to Pena Nieto's election campaign after Brazilian newspaper O Globo alleged that Lozoya had taken $10 million in bribes in 2012 from a former executive of troubled construction firm Odebrecht. He was one of the rising young stars of the Pena Nieto administration but by the end, some senior officials in the then-ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) were privately forecasting he would eventually face prosecution. The decision to go after him comes just days ahead of state elections on Sunday that will provide the first major test of Lopez Obrador's popularity since he took office in December. Though he has failed to curb surging violence and the economy shrank in the first quarter, Lopez Obrador is expected to win easily the governorships up for election in the border state of Baja California and the central region of Puebla. Speculation has swirled for months about whether Lopez Obrador would go after high profile targets to underline his commitment to end corruption, a chronic malaise blamed for hurting growth and stoking violence and inequality in Mexico. Opposition politician Jesus Ortega, a former campaign manager for Lopez Obrador who is now a senior member of center-left opposition party the Party of Democratic Revolution, said the strides against corruption six months into the election were at least in part motivated by the president's need to satisfy his base. "The pressure within his own party and the pressure within his cabinet had become enormous. This, I think, was a determining factor in the rush by the attorney's general's office to investigate," Ortega said. Ortega said the decision to move on Lozoya and Ancira was "audacious" but cautioned that the case being brought by prosecutors needed to be solid enough to win convictions. Lopez Obrador's predecessor, Pena Nieto, signaled his own intent to clean up politics by having former teachers union boss Elba Esther Gordillo arrested in the third month of his government. Gordillo later ended up under house arrest and was released shortly after Lopez Obrador won office in July. (Reporting by Dave Graham; Additional reporting by David Alire; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel and Nick Macfie) By Dave Graham MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - The impact of a first major anti-corruption drive by Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador spread deep into the political class on Wednesday as the probe threatened to involve top officials in the last government, including the president. At the center of the investigation is Emilio Lozoya, a former chief executive of state oil company Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex), who the government has accused of financial irregularities during his time in charge between 2012 and 2016. Mexico's attorney general said a warrant for Lozoya's arrest was issued after allegations surfaced about his role in Pemex's purchase of struggling fertilizer businesses, as well as his dealings with scandal-plagued Brazilian construction firm Odebrecht. Lozoya has yet to speak publicly on the accusations, but his lawyer said on Wednesday that top officials from the previous administration, including former President Enrique Pena Nieto, should testify on what they knew about Pemex's operations. Noting that the ministries of finance, economy and energy all sit on the company's board, Lozoya's attorney Javier Coello said the government had to sign off on whatever Pemex did. "I would even summon President Pena Nieto," Coello told broadcaster Televisa. "Nothing in this country moved unless there were instructions from the president." Mexican Attorney General Alejandro Gertz has not detailed the case against Lozoya but said it had been in preparation for months. He too said the role played under Pena Nieto by the ministries on Pemex's board needed to be examined. The biggest result of the probe so far was the arrest on Tuesday in Mallorca, Spain, of Alonso Ancira, chairman of steelmaker Altos Hornos de Mexico (AHMSA), who the government accuses of paying Lozoya bribes. In a reminder of the close ties between business and politics, that news was not welcomed by everyone in Lopez Obrador's ruling National Regeneration Movement (MORENA), which is now home to many politicians who were once in other parties. MORENA Senator Armando Guadiana said in a video on Twitter on Tuesday it was a "real shame" what had happened to AHMSA, criticizing a decision - later reversed - to freeze its bank accounts, and urging investigators to respect Ancira's rights. Arrest warrants for other suspects have also been issued and Coello said Lozoya's Mexico City home had been raided. ENORMOUS PRESSURE Lopez Obrador, a veteran leftist, took office in December pledging to crack down on public sector corruption in Mexico, which he says is a legacy of his political adversaries. He told his regular morning news conference the probe was not a "political persecution" and that the charges stemmed from investigations already underway under his predecessor. Lozoya helped run Pena Nieto's 2012 election campaign and was a major figure in the last administration until his abrupt departure from the struggling Pemex in February 2016. The 44-year-old has always denied wrongdoing and defended the fertilizer business acquisitions as a wise investment. In 2017, he had to deny having funneled cash to Pena Nieto's election campaign after Brazilian newspaper O Globo alleged that Lozoya had taken $10 million in bribes in 2012 from a former Odebrecht executive. The reports weighed on the crumbling reputation of the then-ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), helping to pave the way for Lopez Obrador's July election victory. Heriberto Galindo, a former PRI lawmaker, said the last government would have benefited if it had cleared up the matter, and gave his support to a thorough investigation. "If Lozoya is only the tip of the iceberg, this should be pursued to the end, regardless of who it affects," he said. The finance ministry's anti-money laundering czar has said the allegations center on bribes paid in connection with the $475 million purchase by Pemex of a fertilizer plant from AHMSA. The official, Santiago Nieto, said the case had links to Odebrecht, whose executives have testified about bribes to politicians across Latin America. In a statement, Odebrecht said it had formally told Mexico's attorney general in April that it wanted to cooperate with investigations. Odebrecht reiterates its commitment to ethical and transparent conduct in Mexico and reaffirms its total willingness to collaborate in an effective way with the countrys authorities," the company said. Last week the government banned Lozoya from public service for 10 years as part of a probe into the 2014 purchase of the fertilizer plant, which was out of service. The decision to go after him comes just days ahead of state elections on Sunday that will provide the first major test of Lopez Obrador's popularity since he took office. Speculation has swirled for months about whether Lopez Obrador would go after high profile targets to underline his commitment to end corruption, a chronic malaise blamed for hurting growth and stoking violence and inequality in Mexico. Jesus Ortega, a former campaign manager for Lopez Obrador and senior figure in the center-left opposition Party of Democratic Revolution, said the Pemex move appeared motivated by the president's need to satisfy his base. "The pressure within his own party and the pressure within his cabinet had become enormous," Ortega said. (Reporting by Dave Graham; Additional reporting by Diego Ore, David Alire and Gram Slattery; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel and Tom Brown) Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten Groups subsidiary has partnered up with blockchain security firm CipherTrace, the company announced in a press release on Wednesday. CipherTrace will deliver anti-money laundering solutions to Rakutens soon-to-be-launched cryptocurrency exchange Rakuten Wallet, which opened up customer applications on April 15. We are happy to partner with CipherTrace in advance of our exchange launch, said Yoshinao Kiyama, Head of the Risk Control Department at Rakuten Wallet. Regulatory compliance and anti-money laundering protections are of the utmost importance, and we believe CipherTrace will provide us the necessary tools needed to best support Rakuten Wallet. CipherTrace solutions will be used to improve investors safety as well as offer protection of the integrity and compliance of the exchange. According to CipherTrace CEO Dave Jevans, the adoption of cryptocurrencies by the e-commerce giant is an important step for the industry. Rakuten Wallet cares about its customers and will work with CipherTrace to make sure that exchanges have optimal protections for mainstream adoption. It is our hope that proper compliance, transparency and increased trust will lead to more and more participation in the global crypto market, he said. By Prak Chan Thul PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - A Cambodian court has acquitted six prominent union leaders who had been convicted of instigating violent anti-government protests, amid threats from the European Union to suspend the Southeast Asian country's duty-free trading access. The European Union began a formal procedure last year to strip Cambodia of its "Everything but Arms (EBA)" initiative, following a July general election that returned Prime Minister Hun Sen to power after 33 years in office and gave his party all parliamentary seats. "This (the acquittal) is strange and rare in Cambodia," said Ath Thon, the president of the Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers' Democratic Union, one of the six leaders found not guilty. Hun Sen last year ordered authorities to ease pressure on labor union leaders, including speeding up or dropping any pending court cases against them, following moves by the European Union to end the EBA. Cambodia's Appeal Court on Tuesday acquitted the six union leaders, all of whom had been given suspend jail terms of between eight months and four and a half years for leading anti-government protests in 2013 and 2014, Touch Tharith, a spokesman for the Appeal Court, told Reuters on Wednesday. Tharith did not give a reason. During one protest in 2014, military police opened fire on stone-throwing textile workers who were demanding higher wages. A human rights group said at least four people were killed and more than 20 wounded. Thon attributed the release to EU pressure on Hun Sen's government. "Under pressure from the European Union, the government has solved some cases," said Thon. "But in public, they say they don't follow anyone's demands". (Reporting by Prak Chan Thul; Editing by James Pearson and Nick Macfie) By Prak Chan Thul PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - A Cambodian court has acquitted six prominent union leaders who had been convicted of instigating violent anti-government protests, amid threats from the European Union to suspend the Southeast Asian country's duty-free trading access. The European Union began a formal procedure last year to strip Cambodia of its "Everything but Arms (EBA)" initiative, following a July general election that returned Prime Minister Hun Sen to power after 33 years in office and gave his party all parliamentary seats. "This (the acquittal) is strange and rare in Cambodia," said Ath Thon, the president of the Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers' Democratic Union, one of the six leaders found not guilty. Hun Sen last year ordered authorities to ease pressure on labour union leaders, including speeding up or dropping any pending court cases against them, following moves by the European Union to end the EBA. Cambodia's Appeal Court on Tuesday acquitted the six union leaders, all of whom had been given suspend jail terms of between eight months and four and a half years for leading anti-government protests in 2013 and 2014, Touch Tharith, a spokesman for the Appeal Court, told Reuters on Wednesday. Tharith did not give a reason. During one protest in 2014, military police opened fire on stone-throwing textile workers who were demanding higher wages. A human rights group said at least four people were killed and more than 20 wounded. Thon attributed the release to EU pressure on Hun Sen's government. "Under pressure from the European Union, the government has solved some cases," said Thon. "But in public, they say they don't follow anyone's demands". (Reporting by Prak Chan Thul; Editing by James Pearson and Nick Macfie) The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), the Aadhaar-issuing body, has landed itself in the midst of yet another data leak fiasco. The official website of the Department of Agriculture under the government of Andhra Pradesh has exposed the unique 12-digit biometric number belonging to thousands of farmers through an open database. In addition to their Aadhaar data, the database on "Farm Mechanization Request Details Report 2017-18" contains information such as the farmers' names, mobile numbers, village names, tractor types and their respective manufacturers, subsidy, and castes among others. The leak was exposed by French security researcher Robert Baptiste, also known as Elliot Alderson, on his Twitter handle. "Hi @ ap_agriculture, Due to your negligence, the #Aadhaar numbers of farmers are available on the web. Can you contact me in this ASAP," he tweeted on Monday. Alderson, who often hunts for security flaws in various apps as well as tech services, had uncovered some of the biggest Aadhaar-related leaks last year. For instance, last year he exposed security deficiencies in the Telangana government's benefit disbursement portal TSPost, which contained the account details and Aadhaar numbers of over five million beneficiaries of the National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme and four million beneficiaries of social security pensions. More recently, in February, Alderson investigated a leak in Indane Gas' distributor portal on a tip-off and was able to easily access critical data of almost 6.7 million subscribers. He then reportedly developed a custom script that was able to get data for up to 11,000 dealers, which eventually led to the extraction of Aadhaar data of up to 5.8 million subscribers. Worryingly, the latest Aadhaar leak on the part of the Andhra Pradesh state goverment has not been plugged even two days after Alderson red-flagged it. You can easily find the database through a cursory Google search, without visiting the Department of Agriculture's website. This is the second time in less than a year that the Andhra Pradesh state government has goofed up on data privacy. In July 2018, the personal data of more than 23,000 farmers who had received subsidies from the Andhra Pradesh Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Board was leaked through an open database on the state government portal, The Economic Times reported. In addition, one of the state government's unsecured websites had also exposed the names and numbers of individuals who purchased medicines from a government-run store along with other details like phone numbers and the purchase details. According to cybersecurity experts, such recurring leaks could have several ramifications. "With such data, hackers can always use them for social engineering or frauds on the targeted users. Through fake calls or messages, hackers can always dupe users, which is why it is so critical," Bikash Barai, co-founder of FireCompass, a cybersecurity company, told the daily. In most of the previous data leak debacles, the UIDAI has staunchly maintained that mere possession and storage of Aadhaar numbers poses no risk to the people it belongs to since one also needs biometrics or One Time Password (OTP) to access any Aadhaar-based services. If the body does make a statement on the latest leak, chances are it will be along the same lines. Also read: Still Wrought With Controversy Also read: Kerala makes Aadhaar mandatory for govt officials for attendance, salary PICANTE Tech Conference Europe is a B2B event which aims to touch base on hot topics of the tech industry with an emphasis on the use of Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence by SMEs, the rise of Fintech in Europe, discussions, and investment opportunities in Quantum Technology, Nanotech, AR/VR, and the many uses of 5G in the IoT segment and beyond. The conference will take place at Vienna House Andels Prague, formerly named Andels by Vienna House Prague, which is located in the cosmopolitan area that has been able to remake itself from a largely semi-industrial area into one of Pragues liveliest spots. +150 delegates will have the opportunity to attend the boutique style event for two days of learning and networking with endless prospecting opportunities in the City of a Hundred Spires. Startup founders or executives, SME owners/founders/managers, and representative of Big companies or Venture Capitals are invited to join at the Super Early Bird Rate which is available until 30 June 2019. REGISTER HERE! For speaking slot inquiries, please send an email with your profile and best contacts to speakercall2019@techconference.eu and the organizers will be in touch with you as soon as possible! The post Registrations are open for the inaugural PICANTE TECH Conference Europe taking place on 3-4 September in Prague appeared first on Coin Rivet. Tokyo (AFP) - Renault officials on Wednesday sought to reassure the firm's alliance partner Nissan over a possible tie-up between the French automaker and Fiat Chrysler, which could up-end the auto industry. Renault and Nissan representatives were meeting outside Tokyo on Wednesday along with officials from the third partner in their alliance, Mitsubishi Motors. The alliance has been rocked by the arrest of its former head, Carlos Ghosn, the Nissan chief who faces four charges of financial misconduct and has been pushed out of all his executive roles. And the partnership was shaken further this week by news that Renault is studying "with interest" a 50-50 merger proposal with Fiat Chrysler (FCA), a prospect that took Nissan by surprise. In a brief statement, the alliance said their operating board meeting on Wednesday included "open and transparent discussion on FCA's recent proposal to Groupe Renault." "The meeting also discussed and positively concluded several current operational alliance matters," the statement added, after the meeting at Nissan's headquarters in Yokohama. Arriving in Japan on Tuesday, Renault chairman Jean-Dominique Senard offered an optimistic assessment. "I think that all the recent events are very good for the alliance, and I will make sure that Nissan and Mitsubishi will take great advantage of the news," he said. But Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa has received news of the proposed tie-up more cautiously. "From the standpoint of Nissan's interests, we need to look a little closer to see what sort of contractual relationship the deal would create," the Nikkei business daily quoted him as saying. Renault has for years tied its strategy to its partnership with Japanese automaker Nissan, but Ghosn's arrest and Nissan's resistance to a closer partnership appears to have prompted rethinking at the French firm. The merger with Fiat Chrysler is backed by the French government, which owns a 15 percent stake in Renault, and Italy's deputy premier also enthusiastically endorsed the deal. Renault holds a 43 percent stake in Nissan, which in turn owns 15 percent of its French partner and would not be able to block it from proceeding with the Fiat Chrysler merger. Brussels (AFP) - The repatriation of the body of former Congolese Prime Minister and opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi from Belgium to DR Congo was postponed at the last minute on Wednesday, an official source told AFP. "It's cancelled for today due to issues over the organisation of the flight," the official said on condition of anonymity, with the 250 people planning to accompany the body left stranded at the Melsbroek military airport near Brussels. Belgium had planned a military ceremony for the departure of the funeral party at the airport in the presence of the Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Didier Reynders. Tshisekedi, whose son Felix was this year sworn in as leader in the country's first peaceful transition of power in decades, was being awaited in his home country for a ceremonial burial. A source close to the family told AFP the flight would now depart at 1400 CET (1200 GMT) on Thursday from a private airport, also near Brussels, without providing further details. Tshisekedi died in Brussels aged 84 in February 2017 but his body remained in the Belgian capital due to political tensions with the regime of ex-president Joseph Kabila. His burial was expected to take place on June 1. A veteran political campaigner, Etienne Tshisekedi spent decades in opposition but never reached the top job. A critic of former dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, he co-founded the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) in 1982 after a stint in prison. In 1997, after Mobutu was ousted in a rebellion led by Kabila's father Laurent, Tshisekedi quickly became an opponent of the new regime -- a stance that continued after Laurent Kabila's assassination in 2001 and his son's rise to power. Beaten in 2011 elections tainted by massive irregularities, Tshisekedi refused to recognise Kabila's legitimacy to the very last. Almost two years after his death, on January 24, his son Felix Tshisekedi was sworn in as president after elections that saw Kabila quit following 18 years in power. The election however was marred by widespread allegations of rigging and the country's politics remain overshadowed by Kabila, who amassed extensive clout during his time in charge. Justin Amash has become the first Republican congressman to call for the impeachment of President Trump, but many right-wing voters in his constituency are angry. Mr Amash has cited volume II of the Mueller report, which outlines 10 instances in which Mr Trump attempted to interfere with the investigation, as the reason for his calls for impeachment. I am confident if you read volume II, you will be appalled at much of the conduct, Mr Amash said during a town hall meeting at Grand Rapids in his home state of Michigan. I was appalled by it And we cant let conduct like that go unchecked. Mr Amash has also accused the Attorney General William Barr of misrepresenting the facts in the Mueller report to help build the presidents false narrative that the investigation was unjustified. Many voters in Michigan have applauded Mr Amashs stance, with some giving him a standing ovation, but others are dismayed the Republican candidate they voted for is not backing the president. There were numerous heated exchanges during the meeting, with some people accusing Mr Amash of grandstanding, of carrying out a smear attack and seeking to build his political career on the issue. One woman, wearing a Make America Great Again hat, asked Mr Amash: How can you become a Democrat when we voted for you as a Republican? She also said she believed Democrats were trying to take over the country through a silent coup. In response, Mr Amash listed his conservative credentials, and also expressed his concern that partisanship had become a stronger force than Congressional independence. He said he fears in the US weve gotten to the point that impeachment will never be used. As a result of his calls for impeachment, Mr Amash has been denounced by the Republican Party, and faces two Republican primary challenges one opposing candidate has raised over $60,000 (47,500) in eight days. Mr Amash was first elected to Congress in 2010 among a wave of Tea Party candidates. He has maintained a strong fiscally conservative agenda and has refused to back government spending on healthcare. Following is a summary of current odd news briefs. Polish activists try to save cows condemned to death A herd of about 180 free-roaming cows in Poland must be slaughtered, authorities have ruled, to the dismay of activists fighting to save them as a cause celebre for animal rights. Left to wander fields in the western municipality of Deszczno for years, the cows are a threat to public safety and the health of other animals because they have not had proper checks, Poland's chief veterinary officer has ruled. Following is a summary of current people news briefs. Moby cancels book tour after furor over Natalie Portman claims American musician Moby on Wednesday canceled his book tour after mischaracterizing a past relationship with actress Natalie Portman in his new book. A message on his website said that Moby was canceling "all upcoming public appearances for the foreseeable future." It was posted three days before he was due to start the UK leg of a tour to promote his memoir "Then It Fell Apart." Stressed 'Game of Thrones' star Kit Harington getting treatment "Game of Thrones" actor Kit Harington is undergoing treatment after the end of the HBO television series in which he starred as the heartthrob Jon Snow, his representative said on Tuesday. "Kit has decided to utilize this break in his schedule as an opportunity to spend some time at a wellness retreat to work on some personal issues," a representative for the British actor said in a statement. 'Jeopardy!' TV host Trebek reports 'mind-boggling' progress in cancer battle Alex Trebek, the long-time host of television game show "Jeopardy!" and one of U.S. television's most recognizable personalities, said in an interview published on Wednesday that doctors have told him that his deadly pancreatic cancer is now "near remission." The 78-year-old Canadian-born host revealed in a video in March that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, but vowed to beat the disease despite its low survival rate. Following is a summary of current world news briefs. Trump envoys Kushner, Greenblatt in Middle East to seek support for peace plan Senior White House adviser Jared Kushner is leading a U.S. delegation to the Middle East this week seeking support for a late June workshop aimed at helping the Palestinians, a White House official said on Tuesday. Kushner, Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt, U.S. Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook, and Kushner aide Avi Berkowitz began their trip in Rabat and were to travel to Amman and Jerusalem, arriving in Israel on Thursday. Global pact to fight workplace violence and harassment nears agreement A global treaty aimed at protecting workers from violence and harassment is expected to be agreed next month, though some "tricky" issues remain, the International Labour Organization (ILO) said on Wednesday. The unresolved issues are focused on the extent to which employers should be held responsible for such behavior and on whether to include specific reference to protecting LGBTi people, ILO director-general Guy Ryder said. Eyeing new independence vote, Scotland sets out referendum rules Scotland's pro-independence government has set out new rules on referendums in the hope of holding another secession vote in the second half of 2020 if Britain's parliament gives the go-ahead. A bill presented to the devolved Scottish parliament on Wednesday aims to give clear ground rules that are legally watertight for any referendum vote. Exclusive: Hong Kong judges see risks in proposed extradition changes Some Hong Kong judges fear they are being put on a collision course with Beijing as the special administrative region's government pushes for sweeping legal changes that would for the first time allow fugitives captured in Hong Kong to be sent to mainland China for trial. Three senior judges and 12 leading commercial and criminal lawyers say the changes, called the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance amendment bill, mark one of the starkest challenges to Hong Kong's legal system and are increasingly troubling its business, political and diplomatic communities. Story continues Iranian naval mines likely used in UAE tankers attacks: Bolton U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton said on Wednesday that attacks on oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates this month were the work of "naval mines almost certainly from Iran." Bolton also told reporters in Abu Dhabi that the United States is trying to be prudent in responding to the activities of Iran and its proxies in the region. UK PM candidate Johnson to face court over Brexit claims Boris Johnson, the favorite to replace Theresa May as British prime minister, must appear in court over allegations he lied about Brexit by stating Britain would be 350 million pounds a week better off outside the EU, a judge ruled on Wednesday. The figure, famously emblazoned on a campaign bus, was a central and controversial part of the Leave campaign's "take back control" message ahead of the 2016 Brexit referendum. Netanyahu hours away from deadline for forming coalition govt Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had until late Wednesday to form a new ruling coalition with a recalcitrant ally or face the possible end of a decade of combative leadership of Israel. As the hours ticked by, there was no sign of a breakthrough in talks with far-right former defense minister, Avigdor Lieberman. Parliament began a full-day debate on a motion to dissolve itself and call a new election if no deal is struck. Italy 5-Star chief calls party confidence vote after EU election flop The leader of Italy's 5-Star Movement, Luigi Di Maio, said on Wednesday he would seek a confidence vote from party supporters after a bruising defeat in European elections. The ballot will take place online on Thursday on a dedicated platform linked to the party, Di Maio -- who is deputy prime minister in a coalition government with the right-wing League -- said in a post on 5-Star's blog. Iran's Rouhani suggests U.S. talks possible if sanctions lifted Iranian President Hassan Rouhani signaled on Wednesday that talks with the United States might be possible if Washington lifted sanctions, days after U.S. President Donald Trump said a deal with Tehran on its nuclear program was conceivable. Washington withdrew last year from a 2015 international nuclear deal with Tehran, and is ratcheting up sanctions in efforts to shut down Iran's economy by ending its international sales of crude oil. Exclusive: Islamic State suspects sent by U.S. from Syria to Iraq U.S. forces have quietly sent at least 30 suspected foreign Islamic State fighters captured in Syria last year and in late 2017 to stand trial in Iraq, interviews with the men, Iraqi sources and court documents show. Three of the men have been convicted of IS membership and sentenced to death by Iraqi courts, while five have been given life sentences. Four of them told Reuters they were tortured in prison, a claim Reuters was unable to verify. Following is a summary of current world news briefs. Trump envoys Kushner, Greenblatt in Middle East to seek support for peace plan Senior White House adviser Jared Kushner is leading a U.S. delegation to the Middle East this week seeking support for a late June workshop aimed at helping the Palestinians, a White House official said on Tuesday. Kushner, Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt and U.S. Special Representative for Iran and Kushner aide Avi Berkowitz began their trip in Rabat and were to travel to Amman and Jerusalem, arriving in Israel on Thursday. U.S. may suspend training of Turkish pilots for F-35 jets over Russia missile deal The United States is seriously considering suspending training for Turkish pilots on advanced F-35 fighter jets as Ankara moves ahead with plans to purchase a Russian missile defense system despite objections from Washington, sources told Reuters on Tuesday. The two NATO allies have argued for months over Turkey's order for the Russian S-400 defenses, which Washington says are incompatible with the Western alliance's defense network and would pose a threat to American F-35 stealth fighters which Turkey also plans to buy. Iran has sapped U.S. capacity for war: Revolutionary Guards chief Iran's "absolute power" in its region has sapped the capacity of arch-enemy the United States to wage war against it, the commander of its elite Revolutionary Guards said on Tuesday, according to semi-official Mehr news agency. He was speaking a day after U.S. President Donald Trump said he was not seeking regime change in Iran following moves to beef up U.S. forces in the Middle East, and that a new deal on Iran's nuclear program was possible. EU leaders agree to pick new 'Mr or Ms Europe' next month European Union leaders engaged in a first skirmish on Tuesday over who should become the next chief of the European Commission, giving themselves a short deadline to agree on the bloc's top jobs and a target of assigning half of them to women. Chancellor Angela Merkel was upset with French President Emmanuel Macron's public dismissal of Berlin's preferred candidate, a center-right German lawmaker Manfred Weber, as the 28 national EU leaders bargained behind closed doors over the bloc's new leadership for the next five years. Story continues U.S. says all North Korea's weapons of mass destruction violate U.N. resolutions North Korea's entire weapons of mass destruction program violates U.N. Security Council resolutions, the U.S. State Department spokeswoman said on Tuesday, when asked about recent missile launches by Pyongyang. "I think the entire North Korean WMD program, it's in conflict with the U.N. Security Council resolutions. But what the U.S. is focused on here ... is in trying to negotiate a peaceful end to the North Korean WMD program," State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus told reporters. Brazil to send gang leaders to federal prisons after massacre: minister Brazilian Justice Minister Sergio Moro said on Tuesday that the prison gang leaders responsible for killing 55 inmates in prisons across the northern city of Manaus will be moved to maximum-security federal jails. Speaking at an event in Portugal, Moro said the grisly spate of murders earlier this week were a result of a struggle between prison gangs, a major public security issue in Brazil, the country with the world's highest number of murders. Canada's Liberal Party insiders see Carney as possible Trudeau successor: Toronto Star A portion of Canada's ruling Liberal Party is looking at Bank of England Governor Mark Carney as a possible successor to its current leader Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the Toronto Star reported on Tuesday, citing unnamed sources. Carney's current term ends in January 2020. U.S. calls Russian, Syrian air strikes 'reckless escalation' in Syria The United States continues to be alarmed by Syrian government and Russian air strikes in northwest Syria and believes they are a "reckless escalation" of violence, the State Department said on Tuesday. Government air strikes, backed by Russia, have focused on the south of Idlib province and nearby parts of Hama, uprooting nearly 250,000 people. The bombing has killed 229 civilians and injured 727 others, according to the UOSSM medical charity. British Labour leader Corbyn set to back second Brexit referendum: report Britain's Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn is set to back a second referendum on Brexit and it could be within days, the Mirror newspaper reported late on Tuesday, citing senior figures of the party. Corbyn, who has so far said the option of a second referendum should be kept on the table, is under pressure to endorse one without qualification. The prospect poses a dilemma as many of the party's supporters backed Brexit. Trump's national security adviser John Bolton arrives in UAE for talks Trump's national security adviser John Bolton arrived in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday ahead of talks scheduled for Wednesday, he said in tweet, amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran. "Just landed in the UAE. Looking forward to meeting with our Emirati allies tomorrow to discuss important and timely regional security matters," Bolton posted on Twitter. High-level Afghan delegation to talk with Pakistani officials on security cooperation KABUL: Afghanistans National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib on Tuesday led a high-level Afghan delegation in talks with senior Pakistani officials on security cooperation and peace process in Afghanistan. Sources said that Afghan Interior Minister Massoud Andarabi and senior security and military officials were part of the delegation. The talks were held in Rawalpindi. The Pakistani side was led by Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa. Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood also attended the meeting. No statement was issued about the meeting. Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Atif Mashal earlier said that the Pakistan army chief had extended an invitation to the Afghan side. The visit of senior Afghan officials has ended the break in high-level contacts between the two countries since November when Pakistani and Afghan officials met in Islamabad on repatriation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan. Afghan and Pakistani officials have met ahead of the upcoming visit of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to Pakistan next month. Both countries had set up five joint working groups under APAPPS. However, Afghanistan had stopped the meetings, according to Pakistani officials. Kabul wants Pakistan to convene a meeting of Pakistani and Afghan ulema for peace in Afghanistan. Pakistanis insist they are ready to hold the ulema conference and has also sent a draft of a proposed joint statement to be issued during the ulema conference. However, Afghan side has not yet responded to Pakistans proposal. Special Counsel Robert Mueller doesnt do takedowns or insults on Twitter. He doesnt deliver broadsides at press conferences, and, until Wednesday, had not spoken publicly for two years. Instead, Mueller has seemed determined to let his report, released April 18, speak for itself. And what it has said speaks volumes. That 448-page report is full of shocking detail about Russia trying to tip the election in Donald J. Trumps favor, members of his campaign having ill-advised meetings and discussions with various Russians and the President asking staff to lie about their actions as Muellers investigation got underway. But while Mueller has let his words bear witness, Trump has filled the silence with his own arguments and counter-claims. Trump has falsely described Muellers report as a complete and total exoneration, called Mueller highly conflicted, labeled his staff of experienced investigators Trump Hating Angry Democrats and dismissed Russian election interference as a hoax. Mueller waited until his final day at the Justice Department to deliver a response, painted in the muted tones of an investigator trying hard not to tilt the political system in either direction. Mueller, characteristically appearing in a dark suit, white button-down shirt and subtle tie, said that if he thought Trump was innocent of obstructing justice during probe, he would have cleared him. He didnt, and crucially, he left Congress an open invitation to act where he felt he could not. After months of attacks on their credibility, Mueller pointedly defended the fairness and integrity of his staff. And, in a final, underlined point, Mueller called on every American to pay attention to Russias sweeping effort to interfere in the 2016 election. There were multiple systematic efforts to interfere in our election. That allegation deserves the attention of every American, Mueller said before exiting the podium without taking questions from reporters. Story continues Muellers report detailed a robust effort by Russian government agents to sow division both online and through initiating real-world protests, steal emails used by the Hillary Clinton campaign and time the release damaging information to harm Clintons candidacy. Trump has repeatedly questioned whether Russia interfered in the election at all, which he sees as Democrats questioning the legitimacy of his election. Trump has stonewalled demands for more information from House Democrats about how he handled the Mueller investigation, claiming that Mueller has already cleared him. But on Wednesday, Mueller publicly said the opposite. If we had confidence the president clearly did not commit a crime. We would have said so, Mueller said. We did not, however, make a determination to whether the president did commit a crime. Mueller said he had decided based on Justice Department precedent that he couldnt charge a sitting president, but pointed to Congress as another way for such allegations to be considered. The Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president, Mueller said, citing the Office of Legal Counsels opinion on whether presidents can be charged. The former FBI director also pushed back at the idea that his obstruction investigation was a sideshow from his central mission of investigating Russian interference. Whether or not Trump acted to interfere in Muellers work was of paramount importance, Mueller said. It was critical for us to obtain full and accurate information from every person we questioned. When a subject of an investigation obstructs that investigation or lies to investigators, it strikes at the core of the governments effort to find the truth and hold wrongdoers accountable, Mueller said. And he defended his work against Trumps allegations that his team was driven by partisan animus. In what would under other circumstances be a pro forma part of his remarks, Mueller thanked the attorneys, the FBI agents, the analysts and professional staff who acted in a fair and independent manner. Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2019 Despite Muellers rebuke, the White House is eager to get past the investigation. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement Wednesday: After two years, the Special Counsel is moving on with his life, and everyone else should do the same. The Trump campaign, meantime, called for moving on from Muellers work to instead focus on investigating the investigators. The case is now closed, wrote campaign manager Brad Parscale. Now its time to turn to the origins of the Russia hoax and get to the bottom of why the Trump campaign was spied on by the Obama-era DOJ and FBI. Anyone who is for transparency, constitutional civil liberties, and the rule of law should want to know why human sources, wiretapping, and unmasking were used to infiltrate a presidential campaign. Muellers comments will likely intensify the push for an impeachment inquiry among House Democrats. On Wednesday, three Democratic presidential candidates New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, former Texas Rep. Beto ORourke and Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton spoke out in favor of impeachment, joining Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who spoke out in late April. Congressional Democrats want Mueller to testify about his investigation, but Mueller on Wednesday said the report speaks for itself and he would not provide information beyond what is already public. The report is my testimony, Mueller said, reading a written statement to reporters at the Department of Justice. Muellers reticence is setting up a confrontation with House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler who has said he will subpoena Mueller if he has to. Mueller tried to end his investigation with the closing remarks on Wednesday, but its already clear that they wont be the final word. NEW YORK (AP) -- Robert Mueller spoke for only 10 minutes, and his statements yielded no new information on the Russia probe. But for much of the American media, the special counsel's first public comments in two years warranted wall-to-wall coverage. Many journalists focused Wednesday on whether Mueller's remarks on his investigation into interference in the 2016 presidential election increased the chances that Congress will pursue impeachment proceedings, with elections looming in 2020. The comments were covered with fanfare. ABC, CBS and NBC broke into regular programming to cover the appearance live, and Fox offered a feed to local affiliates. Cable news outlets including CNN, Fox News and MSNBC offered extensive analysis. Online, The New York Times led with the fact that Mueller "declines to clear Trump," while the conservative news outlet Breitbart said the statement "pours gas on impeachment mania." The coverage came after news organizations were criticized by some over how they covered the investigation when the report finally came out in March. Still, CNN's Wolf Blitzer declared, "We are seeing a historic day unfolding." Judy Muller, professor emeritus at USC's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, said reporters were better prepared to discuss the legal ramifications of Mueller's comments than they were ahead of the report. Before the report was released "it was all speculation," she said. "Now you have the guy with the report, quoting from his own report we all should have read. I think that's very different than speculation that preceded the release initially." CNN spent the next several hours with paid commentators, picking apart Mueller's words and trying to analyze what they might mean for impeachment, the 2020 presidential elections and the attorney general, William Barr. Blitzer called it a "remarkable statement after two years of public silence" from the special counsel that "injected new drama into the debate over impeachment." Story continues Like other media outlets, CNN zeroed on Mueller's statement that "if we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so." "That's a pretty damning thing for the special counsel to say," anchor Jake Tapper said. James Clapper, former director of national intelligence and a paid security analyst for CNN, weighed in to call the appearance "classic Bob Mueller. Understated, but I think he clearly thought about every word." On Fox News, commentators focused on statements by 2020 presidential hopefuls calling for impeachment, including a tweet from Sen. Cory Booker, a New Jersey Democrat, who said that starting impeachment proceedings was "the only path forward." Bret Baier, Fox News' chief political anchor, also noted Mueller's statement Wednesday that charging President Donald Trump with a crime was not an option due to longstanding guidelines from the Department of Justice. That comment, Baier said, appeared at odds with Barr's statement in March that department guidelines had no impact on the report. Trump, who has repeatedly and falsely claimed that Mueller's report cleared him of obstruction of justice, aired his position on Twitter. "There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed!" he tweeted. Hosts, correspondents and analysts on the left-leaning MSNBC cable news channel largely cast Mueller's statement as encouragement for Congress to act. They dismissed tweets from Trump and his lawyers and staff, saying Mueller's comments did not mean "case closed." Speaking to the network by phone, Neal Katyal, the former acting solicitor general of the U.S., said Mueller' s comments were "a damning portrait of the president," and the next step rests with Congress. "I don't think there is any other way to read what was said today than that," Katyal said. Kasie Hunt, who covers Congress for MSNBC, said Mueller was trying to make clear that he does not have anything to add, and that Congress will be the next theater of action. "Pressure for impeachment already sharply escalated in the hour or so after Mueller concluded remarks," Hunt said. On social media, Dan Rather, who covered Richard Nixon's presidency and the Watergate scandal when he was White House correspondent at CBS, said on Twitter that Mueller's statement was "going through the Rorschach test of our current political divisions." "But in essence it echoes all of the devastating reality in his report and his belief that ultimate accountability for the President must be the duty of Congress," added Rather, a longtime anchor of the "CBS Evening News." Chris Matthews, the host of "Hardball" on MSNBC, tweeted that it's a "now or never" moment for House Democrats and Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "Today, Mueller clearly pointed to the 400-page document saying here is the evidence," Matthews wrote. "Democrats have the chance to move on impeachment with that report." Fox News host Sean Hannity, meanwhile, fired off several tweets emphasizing that the special counsel's office is closing. "TRUMP TO MUELLER: 'The case is closed! Thank you,'" he tweeted , linking a story from his website that quoted the president's statement. Matt Jordan, professor of media studies at Penn State University, said the widespread coverage was proportional to the size of the story. "It's been two years of buildup, so it's expected that everyone would cover this," he said. "Everybody was waiting for Mueller to speak and he finally did." ___ Associated Press writers Tali Arbel and Alexandra Olson in New York and Barbara Ortutay in San Francisco contributed to this report. (Repeats without any cnanges to text) * Nissan heard of FCA-Renault plan just days ago - sources * Nissan has rebuffed merger with Renault, relations strained * FCA-Renault deal could reduce Nissan influence in alliance By Naomi Tajitsu and Norihiko Shirouzu TOKYO/BEIJING, May 28 (Reuters) - Nissan found out about Renault's merger talks with Fiat Chrysler just days before they became public, four sources told Reuters, stoking fears at the Japanese carmaker that a deal could further weaken its position in a 20-year alliance with Renault. Nissan Motor Co Chief Executive Hiroto Saikawa likely first caught wind of the merger plan through his own chief operating officer, Yasuhiro Yamauchi, who also serves on Renault's board, one of the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. Saikawa's actual notification from Renault most likely came a day ahead of a report over the weekend that the French company was in tie-up talks with Italian-American rival Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), the source said. The plan, which would create the world's third-largest automaker, raises difficult questions about how Nissan would fit into a radically changed alliance. Renault Chairman Jean-Dominique Senard arrived in Japan on Tuesday to discuss the proposed tie-up - and presumably to try to smooth over ties. But the deal poses an additional challenge for Saikawa, already grappling with poor financial performance and an uneasy relationship with Renault after Nissan led the ousting last year of long-standing alliance chairman Carlos Ghosn. "All this put Saikawa under massive pressure," a second source said, referring to the fact that negotiations caught the CEO and senior management off guard. Renault, which owns a 43.4% stake in Nissan, had previously angled for a merger with Nissan, but Saikawa has long opposed a full integration. New vehicle and powertrain platforms developed by FCA-Renault could also pose a dilemma to Nissan, challenging its jealously guarded independence in some areas of engineering, research and development. Story continues Nissan could find itself forced to choose between technology developed elsewhere or going it alone - between scale without autonomy and autonomy without scale, a source close to the Renault board said. FCA has said a deal would embrace Nissan and another alliance member, Mitsubishi Motors, as "valued and respected partners." "I have huge respect for Nissan and Mitsubishi, and their products and businesses," FCA Chairman John Elkann told the Nikkei. Still, there is awareness of friction between Renault and Nissan, which is perhaps why the Japanese company was not involved in talks at an earlier stage. "The relationship between Renault and its Japanese partners is not as constructive as probably anybody wishes," said a source familiar with the FCA-Renault talks. "The FCA view is that Nissan has a lot on its plate ... So the time is not right to consider anything other than enhanced cooperation." 'A STRONG SIGNAL' The French government, which owns shares in Renault, said on Tuesday it wanted Nissan to be on board with the deal. But there have long been tensions between Paris and Tokyo over the imbalance of power in the carmaking alliance, with Nissan holding only a 15% non-voting stake in Renault. The Japanese automaker's clear advantage is in its technology, including vehicles that meet China's tougher emissions regulations. Renault and FCA, therefore, would need Nissan to help them meet increasingly tough fuel economy, emissions and electric vehicle (EV) quotas around the world. An FCA-Renault tie-up would also raise questions about how to extract synergies in some markets where Nissan and FCA compete, such as in North American trucks and SUVs. The Japanese firm's line-up of Nissan and Infiniti brand SUVs competes with FCA's Jeep models such as the Cherokee. Nissan's Titan pickup is also competitor, albeit a weak one, to FCA's Ram pickup line. The fact Renault is prepared to consider creating such challenges may be a sign of its frustration with Nissan's reluctance over a full merger. "It sends a strong signal that Renault does not necessarily have to tie its fate to Nissan," said Chris Richter, senior research analyst at brokerage CLSA, about the proposed FCA-Renault tie-up. Saikawa told reporters on Tuesday that "strengthening the alliance and constructive discussions are forward looking, and we are open to constructive discussions," according to Japanese broadcasters. But unless Nissan can regain the initiative, it risks being marginalized even more. "If the Renault-Fiat merger happens and the status quo continues at Nissan-Renault, Nissan's position and influence within the alliance will fall behind Fiat," said Takeshi Miyao, managing director of consultancy Carnorama. Bernstein analyst Max Warburton said there were theoretically stronger synergies for Renault with FCA than with Nissan, and a better cultural fit too. "It may be inevitable that Renault eventually exits Nissan," he said, adding the French company's stake in its Japanese partner was currently worth about 11 billion euros - "plenty of capital to spend on EVs and new technology." (Reporting by Naomi Tajitsu and Maki Shiraki in Tokyo, Norihiko Shirouzu in Beijing Laurence Frost in Paris, Giulio Piovaccari in Milan, Joe White in Detroit Editing by David Dolan and Mark Potter) Washington (AFP) - A top US military officer said Wednesday that Russia is "probably" violating the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, opening a new area of disagreement as the two powers negotiate arms control. Lieutenant General Robert Ashley, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, part of the US military that provides analysis, voiced alarm at Russia's modernization of its nuclear forces. "The United States believes that Russia probably is not adhering to the nuclear testing moratorium in a manner consistent with the zero-yield standard," Ashley said in a speech at the Hudson Institute, a think tank. "Our understanding of nuclear weapon development leads us to believe that Russia's testing activities would help it improve its nuclear weapons capabilities," he said, adding that the United States by contrast has strictly adhered to the ban. Pressed by a reporter to explain Russia's alleged wrongdoing, Ashley appeared to retreat from the charge that Moscow had actually carried out tests in violation. "I'd say we believe they have the capability to do it, the way they're set up," he said. The Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1996, bans all nuclear tests worldwide whether for civilian or military purposes. It has generally been interpreted as barring all levels of testing, even highly technical, small-scale tests with minimal yields. The United States has in the past confirmed that Russia is in compliance with the treaty, which Moscow has signed and ratified. The US has signed the treaty but its ratification was rejected in 1999 by the Senate due to opposition from Republicans. Conservative Republicans -- notably John Bolton, now President Donald Trump's national security advisor -- oppose the treaty on the grounds that it is unenforceable and impedes US sovereignty. The Trump administration earlier this year moved to exit another major treaty, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, after saying that a new Russian missile system was in violation, a finding shared by NATO allies. The two countries have begun initial discussions on extending the New START treaty, which caps the number of nuclear warheads well below Cold War limits and is set to expire in 2021. The Trump administration wants to bring China into the treaty, an idea already rejected by Beijing -- whose arsenal is rapidly growing but remains a distant third in size. Prague (AFP) - A bodyguard accidentally fired his gun aboard a government plane carrying billionaire Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis from an EU dinner but no one was hurt, police and media said Wednesday. "We can confirm an accidental shot during a gun check aboard a government plane," late on Tuesday, Czech national police spokeswoman Lenka Sikorova told AFP. "The incident occurred in a detached area. No one else was in danger." Babis's spokeswoman Jana Adamcova told AFP that "something like that happened" but declined to elaborate. Czech media said the bodyguard was trying to unload his gun shortly after Babis had boarded in Brussels and the plane was preparing for take-off. Carrying a total of 22 people, the flight left about an hour later, said the Aktualne.cz news site, adding that the bullet hit a meal cart. Babis -- a food, chemicals and media tycoon currently facing EU subsidy fraud charges -- leads a minority centre-left cabinet of his populist ANO party and the leftwing Social Democrats, who, with backing from the Communists, have a parliamentary majority. In 1994, a bodyguard for then-Czech defence minister Antonin Baudys accidentally fired his gun on a flight to Sweden and hit the fuel tank. No one was injured. Salesforce is employing blockchain to strengthen ties between institutions and its consumer bases. Its latest product for customer network building, a blockchain platform promising minimal coding, leverages the technology to reduce the trust gap between partners in data sharing. Salesforce Blockchain is built on the open source of Hyperledger Sawtooth, a technology for running ledgers. It's customized for Salesforce Lightning, creating more trust between partners, according to the company. The network eliminates the need for coding know-how with a platform that allows users to click their way to a blockchain system rather than developing it from scratch. Companies can build blockchain networks similar to how some offer website building platforms for those unfamiliar with code. They can then invite partners to join the network, effectively sharing data on a ledger system, automating the saving and authenticating of data. Arizona State University, life science information company IQVIA and S&P Global Ratings have already signed on. ASU is using the ledger for tracking student records, giving access to the students themselves. This network has the potential to be a game changer for integrated, seamless learningincreasing transparency of student achievements and ultimately making the exchange process of academic records easier for both learners and institutions, Kent Hopkins, Vice President of Enrollment Services at Arizona State University said in a statement. In the life science industry, IQVIA said the ledger system will cut costs for drug label automation and audit tracing. S&P Global Review plans to use the system to compile know-your-customer data, creating a more transparent network of reviewers. The KYC reviews and approval process is very time consuming and requires multiple parties to ensure each business is evaluated accurately and completely, said Chris Heusler, Global Chief Commercial Officer, S&P Global Ratings. Leveraging Salesforce Blockchain, S&P Global Ratings has created a trusted network of reviewers, where everyone can work from a shared, transparent and auditable review processcompletely reinventing and expediting how we do KYC reviews for our customers. The product will become generally available in 2020. After sharing the release at the companys TrailheaDX conference, Salesforce also published a blog post announcing its latest blockchain technology and detailing its benefits for customers. By Sankalp Phartiyal MUMBAI (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics aims to double its online smartphone sales in India this year to $1 billion, driven largely by a new budget range of devices, the head of its mobile business for the country said on Wednesday. Smartphones and fashion are among the most popular purchases in India's fast-growing e-commerce market, which Deloitte expects to more than treble between 2017 and 2021 to $84 billion. The South Korean tech giant in February launched its M-series phones in India, which are sold only through Samsung's website and Amazon.com's local unit. That range of devices, priced between 7,990 rupees ($114.23) and 17,990 rupees ($257.20), has sold over 2 million units since launch and will help Samsung double its online sales, Asim Warsi, senior vice president of Samsung India, told Reuters in an interview. "Business-to-consumer sales in the online market are expected to be $4.5 billion this year and, if that is so, we should be around 25 percent of the market," Warsi said. Samsung is facing stiff competition in the world's second-biggest smartphone market, where it was once the clear leader, from rivals like China's Xiaomi Corp, which sells the bulk of its cheap, high-spec phones online. Hong Kong-based tech researcher Counterpoint pegged Xiaomi's market share by shipments at 29 percent in the quarter to March, ahead of Samsung on 23 percent. Samsung, which assembles all phones it sells in India locally, has fought back by reshuffling its smartphone portfolio, launching the M-series, which is only sold online, and an A-series that sells offline as well. "All of these launches are keeping us in very good double-digit growth nick," Warsi said, adding Samsung would launch a new M-series phone in June priced around 20,000 rupees. Samsung's total mobile phone sales in India touched 373.5 billion rupees in the 12 months to end-March 2018, according to regulatory filings. ($1 = 69.8126 Indian rupees) (Reporting by Sankalp Phartiyal; Editing by Euan Rocha and Jan Harvey) Section 144 been imposed in South Waziristan After the recent clash between forces and violent PTM protestors, Section 144 has been imposed to prevent abuse of law and order situation from exacerbating further. The district administration of South Waziristan on Tuesday banned public gatherings, rallies, and processions for a month-long period to maintain law and order in the tribal district, as per the notification. Deputy Commissioner South Waziristan Nauman Afzal Afridi issued a notification imposing Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). A gathering of more than five people will also not be allowed and vehicles are not to have tinted windows, stated the notification of the district administration. The move also prohibits delivering provocative and objectionable speeches, carrying and displaying of all kinds of arms and ammunition and other lethal weapons, aerial firing, and use of tinted glasses on vehicles. Any person(s) contravening this order shall render himself/ themselves whatever the case maypunishable under Section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), added the notification. The move comes following tensions in North Waziristan after a clash occurred between security officials and protesters while the former effectively repulsed the attempt of terrorists. It may be recalled that, five army soldiers were wounded in firing opened by a group of Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) while attacking Khar Kamar check post, while, a Pakistan Army soldier embraced martyrdom in exchange of fire with terrorists, who attacked Makki Garh Post in Shawal, North Waziristan, said Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, May 30 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said on Wednesday that attacks on Gulf oil facilities must be addressed with "strength and firmness" and that more efforts were needed to combat the activities of the groups that carried them out. "We emphasize the need to exert more efforts to combat the subversive activities of extremist and terrorist groups," Ibrahim al-Assaf told a meeting of foreign ministers ahead of emergency summits of Gulf and Arab leaders to discuss the attacks. "They must be addressed with all strength and firmness," he said. He was referring to an attack on oil tankers off the United Arab Emirates this month and drone strikes two days later on oil pumping stations in Saudi Arabia. Riyadh has accused Tehran of ordering the drone strikes on its oil assets. Tehran has denied involvement in either attack. (Reporting by Marwa Rashad and Aziz El Yaakoubi; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) Members of Nicaragua Danza, Hijos del Maiz make their way down Mission Street as part of the Grand Parade. | Photos: Cheryl Guerrero/Hoodline Culture, color, music and fun took over the Mission District this past weekend as San Francisco celebrated its 41st annual Carnaval. Created by a group of local musicians and artists in 1979, the free, two-day festival is a celebration of Latin American and Caribbean culture. It's held every Memorial Day weekend, kicking the citys street fair and festival season into high gear. Esforco takes part in the Grand Parade. This years theme was La Cultura Cura Culture Heals," which aims to bring awareness to the fact that the creation of art, music, dance and dialogue helps communities build support systems." We believe that culture has the power to affirm ones value, build a diverse community, and politically mobilize people of color, leading to positive outcomes and collective healing," the festival's co-founder and artistic director Roberto Hernandez said in a statement. Members of the Instituto de Cultura Raices del Peru contingent pose for a portrait before the parade. Close to 70 comparsas, or contingents, came together for this years Carnaval celebration. Hundreds of participants represented countries throughout Latin America, including Brazil, Mexico, Cuba, Guatemala, Haiti and Peru. On Sunday, the rain stopped and the sun arrived just in time for the start of the Grand Parade. Here are more scenes from the days events: Members of the June Jordan High School comparsa dance on Bryant Street before the parade. Comunidad Yucateca Danza de los Diablos de Juxtlahuaca. Jane Galerkina from the Muito Quente comparsa. Fogo Na Roupa Grupo Carnavalesco Cultural drummers. La Cumbiamba Colombiana dances in the parade. Dancers from the Aquarela Brazilian Dance Ensemble arrive before the parade. A participant with The Church of 8 Wheels skates down Mission Street with his pink-haired companion. By Krisztina Than BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary's oldest and biggest scientific institute accused the government on Wednesday of trying to take "total political control" of vital research through plans to set up a new state body to oversee funding and work. The government is drafting legislation to strip the Hungarian Academy of Sciences of its network of research institutions and hand over their buildings and assets to the new council, news website Index.hu on Tuesday. Right-wing prime minister Viktor Orban, who took power in 2010, has tightened controls over public life, including the courts, the media and education - moves that have put him on a collision course with the European Union. The government has said he wants to shake up funding to encourage more lucrative and innovative research. "The modifications would amount to total government - political - control over the network of research institutions," said the governing body of the Academy's research network which is funded by the government but manages itself. The proposed set-up of a new National Scientific Policy Council to run the networks "potentially poses a threat to the academic freedom and freedom of research" guaranteed in the Hungarian Constitution, the statement said. Staff would mount a protest on Sunday, it added without going into more details. Scientists and rights groups have campaigned against earlier calls by government for an overhaul of the system. The new Council - chaired by Innovation and Technology Minister Laszlo Palkovics - would set out areas of research that would receive funding, said website Index.hu, citing the government's proposal. His ministry said on Tuesday the current system was inefficient and the aim of the plans was to push more funding and research into "patents and inventions serving the Hungarian economy". The European Commission said on Tuesday it would monitor the developments in Hungary's public research system and urged authorities "to refrain from any decision restricting scientific and academic freedom." (Reporting by Krisztina Than; Editing by Andrea Heavens) Ava DuVernays Netflix propaganda series When They See Us, recreating the 1989 Central Park jogger case, marks out its territory. Her narrative presents five black teenagers being railroaded into prison for the peak years of their lives by a racist criminal- justice system. But the show is not about a harrowing historical moment; its about societal guilt. Youd be mistaken to think that DuVernays title is a sequel to Jordan Peeles Us, addressed to black viewers who are woke to the African-American phenomenon of distrust in the white gaze, or that she examines the perpetual anxiety of living in a suspicious, punitive culture. Fact is, DuVernays latest prank (after the insipid civil-rights epic Selma, her obtuse constitutional-amendment doc 13th, and her fantasy/box-office flop A Wrinkle in Time) is designed to appease her benefactors. She plays to the empowered white media elite, her film- and TV-industry sponsors, who enjoy the self-reproach that comes with being reminded of their own privilege. Its clever career shtick: DuVernay specializes in white guilt and feeling helplessly culpable in the racism committed by others of their class. Through hindsight awareness, DuVernays draining, four-part saga repeatedly touches on bureaucratic insensitivity the indifference of district attorney Robert Morgenthau (Len Cariou); the vengeful, careerist obsession of prosecutor-turned-crime-novelist Linda Fairstein (Felicity Huffman); and the helpless dutiful peoples attorney (Vera Farmiga). Their apathy toward the five youths converges into the straw-man figure of Donald Trump, whose peripheral ruling-class commentary at that time (presented in TV-news flashbacks) is routinely condemned. Its as if, even back in the day when citizen Trump was a hip-hop music idol regaled for audacity and bling, he was singularly responsible for New York racism. DuVernays political animus (That devil wants to kill my ,son scoffs a mawkish Harlem Five mom) makes for blinkered history. Story continues The seriess early, coercive episodes feature the angry faces of white New York City cops who bully the teens into confessing crimes they did not commit. Based on assumptions about race and tensions felt between urban blacks and white police authorities, these scenes, already enraging enough, prove that DuVernay has no large vision of American urban experience. When They See Us disrupts the authentic perception of white ethnic characters and their personal conflicts seen in Sidney Lumets New York dramas (from The Pawnbroker, Dog Day Afternoon, and Bye, Bye Braverman to Prince of the City, Q&A, Night Falls on Manhattan, Find Me Guilty, etc.). DuVernays racist whites repeat the same caricature seen in Kathryn Bigelows Detroit. The result, also borrowing the pseudo-journalistic style of TVs Law and Order procedural series, is a puny American epic geared to the divisiveness of this period. But Ava also has tricks up her sleeve for black viewers: When They See Us portrays the Central Park Five in a romanticized victim mode. Cinematographer Bradford Young uses the fuzzy-portraiture effect pioneered by music video director Matt Mahurin in his 1996 film Mugshot. The wilding-out kids whom Fairstein disdains are photographed inside a soft-focus aureole. The implication is not documentary realism, but dreamy innocence. This affectation works to convey DuVernays concept of an uneducated generation raised in ignorance about history and social comportment yet who are also taught resentment. That notion about the Central Park Five also applies to Netflix viewers indoctrinated by mainstream-media heroizing of social-justice cult figures Michael Brown and Trayvon Martin against evidence to the contrary. She treats the Harlem Five, dubbed wolfpack by the media, like new versions of the Scottsboro Boys (favorites of 1930s Communists). The only fin de siecle authenticity comes from brief soundtrack samples of Eric B. & Rakims Microphone Fiend imitating Ernest Dickersons Juice and Public Enemys Fight the Power imitating Spike Lees Do the Right Thing. In the music video Bad, Michael Jackson and Martin Scorsese already told the modern ghetto story of Harlem schoolboys trying to fit in with neighborhood toughs. A great filmmaker would, similarly, put herself in the boys imagination (after the fashion of John Singletons Baby Boy and Boyz n the Hood), but Ava stays outside, seeing only dysfunction. (Multiple subplots about the futile and aggrieved families are a gallery exhibition of various social pathologies.) She thinks like a propagandist, not an artist especially when her plot jumps forward to prison release and the sweet, pathetic boys have undergone Moonlight transformations into erotically striking hunks led by Freddy Miyaress Raymond Santana. The gimmick is to create martyrs as well as fetish objects. DuVernays brutalized, naive kids turn on each other, then huddle together to ask Why they doing us like this? What other way they ever treat us? Credible or not, DuVernays glib dramatization (co-written by several teleplay writers, primarily Robin Memoirs of a Geisha Swicord) is unhelpful. Her victim narrative ignores what incarcerated boys to do to/for each other; only the final episode concentrates on Korey Wises (Jharrel Jerome) torment and solitary confinement. Instead, DuVernays truth (to use co-producer Oprah Winfreys nostrum) colors scenes that perpetuate the unresolved resentment festering within a social sector that still feels the humiliation of second-class citizenship, despite the contradictory success and acceptance and elevation exemplified by DuVernay herself who then turns demagogue. We know DuVernays technique is specious from the series careful method of avoiding media scrutiny ignoring how New Yorks tabloid press and TV rabble-rousers engaged in fear-mongering and racial stereotyping. (Details of that zeitgeist fever were captured in 1991 in Joan Didions essential New York Review of Books essay Sentimental Journeys.) DuVernay is on the medias side (Fox logos are prominent, CBS, ABC, and NBC logos are absent) even when the media are against the well-being of black youths and the commonwealth. Avas not a Costa-Gavras-style social crusader-artist or a journalist-dramatist such as Phil Karlson in the inquiry The Phenix City Story; shes a rhetoric hack, sentimentalizing a complicated event in New Yorks tragic history while carelessly pleading for revolution. In the epilogue about the boys release, a disembodied female voice narrates/celebrates the $41 million settlement from New York City. This reveals DuVernays ultimate point as well as her mainstream medias celebration of her as a visionary. When They See Us summarizes the Central Park Five case during an argument among politicos: Its not about fair; its about politics and politics is about survival. DuVernay, Winfrey, and Swicord are wrong: Politics are about power, thats the only truth for Hollywood race hustlers. DuVernay is in the demoralization business. More from National Review As he closed his investigation on Wednesday, Special Counsel Robert Mueller alluded to impeachment, noting that the Constitution spells out a process to formally accuse a sitting President of wrongdoing. Several Democratic presidential candidates took it from there, saying for the first time that the House should begin impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump. In tweets and remarks to the press on Wednesday, California Sen. Kamala Harris; New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker; New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand; Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton; South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg; former Texas Rep. Beto ORourke and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro called for impeachment proceedings to start. They joined Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who first called for impeachment proceedings to begin in late April. Of the Democratic 2020 candidates, only Moulton could vote to begin impeachment proceedings, while Harris, Booker, Gillibrand and Warren would be part of the Senate trial if the House moved to impeach Trump. The candidates generally agreed that Muellers 448-page report on his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible obstruction of justice by the White House amounted to an impeachment referral. What Robert Mueller basically did was return an impeachment referral. Now it is up to Congress to hold this president accountable. We need to start impeachment proceedings. It's our constitutional obligation. Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) May 29, 2019 Not all 2020 candidates agreed. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee stated that Trump and Attorney General William Barr lied about the Mueller report, but did not call for impeachment proceedings to begin. Former Vice President Joe Biden released a statement which said that Congress must continue to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 election. The statement added that impeachment may be unavoidable but did not explicitly call for proceedings to begin. Story continues For his part, Mueller was careful not to endorse or caution against impeachment. In his eight-minute remarks, the former FBI director said that his team found insufficient evidence that any Americans conspired with Russia to interfere in the elections, that they could not charge a sitting president with a crime under Department of Justice precedent and that they would have cleared Trump of obstruction of justice if they could have. As set forth in our report, after that investigation, if we had confidence that the President clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said that, he said. Voting to begin impeachment proceedings does not guarantee that the House would ultimately vote to impeach Trump, and it would take a two-thirds supermajority of the Senate to convict and remove him from office. No president in U.S. history has ever been removed from office by impeachment, with Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton winning Senate trials, and Richard Nixon resigning before he was impeached. Heres what the 2020 candidates said about impeachment proceedings. Warren: It is an impeachment referral Muellers statement makes clear what those who have read his report know: It is an impeachment referral, and its up to Congress to act. They should. Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 29, 2019 Mueller leaves no doubt: 1) He didn't exonerate the president because there is evidence he committed crimes. 2) Justice Department policy prevented him from charging the president with any crimes. 3) The Constitution leaves it up to Congress to actand that's impeachment. Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 29, 2019 Harris: We need to start impeachment proceedings What Robert Mueller basically did was return an impeachment referral. Now it is up to Congress to hold this president accountable. We need to start impeachment proceedings. It's our constitutional obligation. Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) May 29, 2019 Booker: Congress has a legal and moral obligation Robert Muellers statement makes it clear: Congress has a legal and moral obligation to begin impeachment proceedings immediately. Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) May 29, 2019 Gillibrand: We cant let the president defy basic accountability It's time for Congress to begin impeachment hearings and follow the facts. Robert Mueller clearly expects Congress to exercise its constitutional authority and take steps that he could not. We can't let the president defy basic accountability measures built into our Constitution. Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) May 29, 2019 Moulton: Impeachment hearings should begin tomorrow Mueller did his job. Now its time to do ours. Impeachment hearings should begin tomorrow. https://t.co/9za3s0pqOA Seth Moulton (@sethmoulton) May 29, 2019 Castro: No one is above the law Mueller made clear this morning that his investigation now lays at the feet of Congress. No one is above the lawCongress should begin an impeachment inquiry. Julian Castro (@JulianCastro) May 29, 2019 ORourke: There must be consequences, accountability, and justice There must be consequences, accountability, and justice. The only way to ensure that is to begin impeachment proceedings. Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) May 29, 2019 Inslee: Trump lied about the Mueller report Donald Trump and William Barr lied about the Mueller report. Jay Inslee (@JayInslee) May 29, 2019 Sanders: Congress Must Continue Its Investigations Given the reality that we have a president who believes he is above the law, Congress must continue its investigations. If the House Judiciary Committee deems it necessary, I will support their decision to open an impeachment inquiry. https://t.co/6lTVdcaTXc Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) May 29, 2019 Klobuchar: Impeachment Proceedings Are One Way to Investigate By Lisa Rapaport (Reuters Health) - Teens are more likely to get at least one of two recommended doses of the meningococcal vaccine when they receive their first shot by early adolescence, a U.S. study suggests. Meningococcal disease is a serious bacterial infection that can lead to bloodstream infections and severe swelling in the brain and spinal cord. About 10 percent to 15 percent of people who catch it die, and many survivors have lasting impairments like neurological deficits, loss of limbs or digits and hearing loss. Under U.S. recommendations for routine childhood vaccinations, children are supposed to get two doses of the so-called MenACWY vaccine that covers four strains of meningococcal bacteria: one dose at age 11 or 12 and a booster at age 16. But less than half of teens have received both the primary and booster doses by age 17, researchers note in the Journal of Adolescent Health. In the current study, researchers examined vaccination data collected on more than 1 million youth with either private health insurance or coverage through Medicaid, the U.S. health program for the poor. Overall, younger kids were more likely than older kids to have received at least one dose of the MenACWY vaccine. Among kids aged 10.5 to 13 years with private coverage, 72 percent had received at least one dose, as had 59 percent of kids this age insured by Medicaid, the study found. In comparison, just 49 percent of teens aged 15.5 to 18 years with private insurance and 32 percent with Medicaid got at least one vaccine dose. "Multiple vaccinations are recommended at ages 11 to 12, providing a distinct and focused opportunity for kids to receive the recommended vaccinations at a single visit," said lead study author Samantha Kurosky of RTI Health Solutions in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. "Health care visits centered around preventive care and with more traditional vaccinating providers (e.g., pediatricians) become fewer and far between during older adolescence, which may result in fewer potential opportunities to vaccinate," Kurosky said by email. GlaxoSmithKline, maker of a MenACWY vaccine, hired RTI to do the study and was involved in all stages of the study including the data analysis and publication of the results. Pediatricians administered most of the vaccinations in the study, and young people who saw other types of providers were less likely to get the vaccine than teens who saw pediatricians. Both older and younger teens most often received the MenACWY vaccine at preventive checkups and in conjunction with a flu shot or other recommended vaccinations. This was less common for older teens, nearly one-third of whom got the vaccine at visits when they didn't receive other shots. One limitation of the study is that it looked at vaccination from 2011 to 2015, and it's possible the results don't reflect current vaccination rates. Researchers also didn't evaluate whether teens received both vaccine doses - the primary shot and the booster shot - that are needed for optimal protection. Teens who get their first dose on time may be more likely to get fully vaccinated than youth who don't get that first shot until they're older, noted Dr. Michael Brady of Nationwide Children's Hospital and the Ohio State University in Columbus, who wasn't involved in the study. "If they would have been routinely getting their annual primary care visit, they would have received the first dose earlier," Brady said by email. "However, by getting the first vaccine later, they have defined themselves as someone who does not routinely get their annual primary care visit." SOURCE: https://bit.ly/2JI5YoJ Journal of Adolescent Health, online May 15, 2019. A photo of a queue of climbers on Everest went viral last week (Picture: AFP/Getty) Something's wrong. I gotta turn back. These were the final last words of Irish climber Kevin Hynes who died on Mount Everest on Saturday, according to one of his companions. Chris Dare, a Canadian army officer who was in the same party as Hynes, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that the 56-year-old Irishman had said he couldnt make the summit. "On summit day, he moved 200 metres out of camp and said, 'You know what, this isn't going to happen. I'm not up for it. Something's wrong. I gotta turn back,'" Dare told CBC. The Canadian said Hynes, an experienced climber who had summited Mount Everest in 2018, had returned to camp, where he ate, drank and went to sleep in his tent. The next morning he was found dead by sherpas. At least 11 people have been killed while climbing Everest this season, and a photo of hundreds of climbers in a queue to reach the top went viral last week as many voiced concerns about dangerous overcrowding. One climber, US doctor Ed Dohring, said he was shocked by what he saw on Everest when he reached the top a few days ago. It was scary, he told the New York Times. It was like a zoo. Mr Dohring said he had to step around the body of a woman who had just died on his way to the summit, where climbers waited hours in line 360 Expeditions, the climbing company which Hynes was attempting to scale the mountain with, praised him in a statement released at the weekend. Read more: Climber reveals Everest 'carnage' (The Telegraph) Congestion leads to backlog of climbers in 'death zone' (The Guardian) American becomes 11th person to die on mountain (The Independent) "It is with the greatest sadness that we have to confirm that one of our Everest team has passed away. "Kevin was one of the strongest and most experienced climbers on our team, and had previously summited Everest South and Lhotse, the company added. "His wonderful wife, Bernadette and two children, Erin and James are comforted by all the communication that Kevin sent out from his expedition, letting them know that, 'this was proving the most fun he had had on any one of his expeditions and the team was amazing and that he was loving being with (mountaineer) Rolfe Oostra'." Story continues 360 Exhibitions said our heartfelt thoughts and condolences are with all Kevin's family and his friends. He really was a wonderful man and it was a great privilege to have him on our team." He is the second Irish climber to die this season, after Trinity College professor Seamus Lawless fell during his descent from the summit. ---Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK--- [This is the second essay that Phish.Net user @thephunkydrb has published on Phish.net. He previously published a meditation on time and experience tied to the Bakers Dozen Tube, which you can read here. -Ed.] By Jnan A. Blau Ive just come back from one of the coolest, most stimulating and invigorating, and definitely one of the most far out (to quote Mr. Bill Kreutzman, via Mr. Benjy Eisen) experiences of my life. Late last Monday night, I got back home to San Luis Obispo, California from Corvallis, Oregon. I had to rise and shine the next day, no time at all to transition from Phishiness to so-called real lifea direct, rather abrupt segue (a rip cord if there ever was one!) into a full day of teaching in university classrooms. I was, and still am, kind of exhausted. But, Ive had a secret smile the size of Mt. Icculus plastered across my face and tattooed on my heart ever since. This because I am back from Phish Studies, the first-ever academic conference dedicated to our favorite topic/subject/phenomenon. This, unlikely as it may seem, is my conference review for all you dot-netters, you denizens of the Phishverse, you members of one of the most lovely and inspiring communities going. (Could this be the worlds first conference review?!) 2019 Jamie Lee Meyer First, though, I must digress. And I promise this isnt self-indulgent, thought it may initially appear to be . . . Almost exactly 26 years ago, I discovered Phish. My phirst: Laguna Seca Daze Festival, May 29, 1993, in Monterey, California. I lived in Phoenix, Arizona at the time, and had traveled from the desert to this festival, nestled in the Central California hills, to see the likes of the Allman Brothers Band, Blues Traveler, 10,000 Maniacs, and Shawn Colvin. Playing only one set, in the middle of the afternoon, in the light of the warm California sun, was this band called Phish. I had never even heard of themlet alone heard a single note of their music. I was going to meet up with a friend of mine from Chile (where I grew up and graduated high school) who lived in Santa Cruz, but who couldnt make it to the fest till a little later that afternoon. So, I was rolling solo for a while. This, then, is the summarized version of the conditions underlying my first encounter with the Phish from Vermont: I was alone, had never even heard of them, and it was one set, under the sun. And I had an absolute blast of a time. The music spoke to me, infected me, fully and immediately hooked me. Quirky and joyous and upbeat as hell, Id never heard anything like it. I danced my skinny little butt off. I was in, I got it. To make things even more sweet and fun, there was this crew of phans there that warmly welcomed me into their fold. I was, it turned out, not at all alone for my phirst experience. These wonderful human beings (how I wish I knew who they were now) shared goods with me, offered some tidbits of insight and knowledge, and fully encouraged and abetted my boogie-ing down, all of us giddily dancing and hanging together. Instant love for the music, and an instant, lovely communal experience. Thinking back on it now, something strikes methe force of realization and insight hitting me rather powerfullythat Id not quite grokked until just now. The two things that Ive come to fully adore and appreciate about Phish, that make it such a deep experience, were there from the outset. The Phish phenomenon is, and always has been, this wonderful amalgam of music and people. Of course those two things were there from the start! Again, far out. And, whoa. See, what happened for meand to methat phateful day with Phish is as true and as powerful now as it was then, 26 years ago. Phish is, and always has been, not only an amazing, richly fascinating band, but an amazing, richly fascinating community. And the two are of a wholeare a glorious and gestaltic mess of fun and joy and relationality and embodied commitments and shared experiencethat is most undeniably, well, amazing. As I was traveling back from the conference on Monday of last week, I could feel in me an emergent desire to write about it. What Id just experienced, what Id just witnessed unfold, was nothing short of a dream come truea sentiment that was explicitly expressed by pretty much everyone present at Phish Studies (and around 200 people were there!). I could write so much about this. Qua show review, I could closely work through what in many ways felt like, basically, the equivalent of an amazing three-show run. I could comment my way through the setlists of each day, give the play by play of the incredible array of delightful and insightful presentations which gave me so many new ways of thinking about so many things (I have 17 pages of notes!). I could tell you about the illuminating listening session we enjoyed with three musicologists fully breaking down three different Chalk Dust Torture jams for us (5/17/1992, the famous Camden 99 one, and the epic Randalls 2014 one)which happened on Friday morning, right before the official launch of the showI mean, conference. I could tell you about the intriguing links between neuroscience brain wave research and what it seems to reveal about what happens in the literal heads of improvising musicians. Or, I could elaborate for you how the notion of atopos is an excellent way to understand how placelessness, unpredictability, uncommonness, and the strange are not just true of the Phish experience, but are precisely what makes it such a productive, unique, and generative space for us to inhabit, even if on a temporary and contingent basis. Or, you might dig hearing about the provocative analogy that Phish is the good breast; that the bands music and the scene surrounding it functions, psychologically, in a truly nurturing way, that it is a place where we are really cared for physically, emotionally, intellectually. And, boy man god shit, would I like to tell you about the exceedingly well handled panel from Phans for Racial Equity folks, and how it acted as a sort of tuning fork for us all, helping us check our privilege, and grounding our understanding of racial and other identity-marker issues in the wider (Whiter?) Phish scene in a way that was all at once compassion-filled, careful, super important, and unflinching. And thats just on the first day! Day One was indeed special. There was a buzz in the air that you could practically touch. There might have been a few of us actually pinching ourselves. All of these (our) dreams, in a very real way, were coming true in that spiffy wood-paneled conference room in Oregon State Universitys Memorial Union. There was a vibe to it, really. And the flow of the setlistI mean, conference programwas absolutely on point. Day Two got underway at 9 am sharp on Saturday. A bit of a wonder in and of itself, since the on-the-ground conference organizers had outdone themselves by getting Eugenes own spiffy and splendid jamband Left On Wilson to play a free after-show (shit, sorry, after-conference) gig for conference attendees at sweet local watering hole DeMaggios, which might have kept some of us up past our bedtime. There was, again, just so much to enjoy and sink ones intellectual teeth into on this second day of Phish Studies. I want to quickly tell you right now, for example, that an economist, working with amazing statistical analyses of Phishs setlists and reviews along a multitude of testable variables, has now given me the useful terms flow segue (->) and pace segue (>) to describe the bands closely-watched and ever-debated segueway work. Or, I can tell you about the notion of chronal displacement, which an expert archivist gave us so that we might better appreciate that things like Phish bootlegs and Phish memorabilia are something that we enjoy in the present even as they necessarily put us into a relationship with, and absolutely involve, the past at the same timea sort rich personal and collective memory/number line being worked out in the process. Speaking of Phishy material culture, I simply must make mention of two events that were taking place as perfect companions on this (academic conference) ride. There was a beautifully curated, museum-quality, history-rich exhibit which detailed and showcased Phishs appearances in the Pacific Northwest area dating back to the early 1990s. You know, flyers, ticket stubs, ads, posters, art, phan memorabilia, and the likethe kind of stuff were so good at retaining because we on some level know that it isnt just physical stuff but memory-laden and story-ridden stuff too. Along with the museum exhibit, there was a Poster Session and Exhibition Fair taking place for most the weekend too. Packed into this space were various scholars presenting and discussing their research/findings in big poster format, along with some Phishy vendors, local businesses, and booths supporting important scene organizations such as Phans for Racial Equity (promoting racial awareness and allyship) and GrooveSafe (promoting live music experiences free of unwanted touch and sexual assault). Photo 2019 Blau (part of the Beyond The Moss Forgotten exhibit at the Phish Studies conference) Back to conference setlist, though. I definitely want to tell you that you might want to go backwards down the number line to re-listen to the Drum Logos Fukuouka Twist jam, this time thinking about it as evidencing an anti-peak or non-peak; a powerful instantiation of celestial ambiance that feels and works differently than the usual big peaks or climaxes Phish is so good at throwing our way. This notion then definitely segued nicely into a look at what philosopher William James and others offer by way of considering mysticism or mystical experiencesthe sort of experience, I suspect, with which many of us phans are fully acquainted, even if we havent pondered them in terms such as ineffability, noetic quality, and/or ephemeral transiency. I can also tell you all about the intriguing notion that, within the Phish world, we see ample evidence of a commitment to memory, to re-memberinga phenomenon by which we not only do the memory thing but, also, the membership (in the scene) thing. Speaking of membership in/and the scene, we learned to appreciate and more fully understand the place and value of the Phish Chicks social media space, where female phans can and do engage in communicational practices that are both important and instructive to us all. Also relating to the theme of Phish community, I encourage you to now think about phandom as an experience that is very much embedded, embodied, and em-placedthat places [such as Phish lot or a Phish show] not only are, they happen. A little later, pholks, we got to hearplayed out in/as a super savvy close lyrical analysis and comparisona rather mind-blowing breakdown of how Ghosts of the Forest and Kasvot Vaxt absolutely need to be considered together, as part of a larger interconnecting trajectory of musical creation and thematic exploration. I also definitely want to tell you about the special panel with five key members of the executive board of The Mockingbird Foundationand how it was a lovely moment for us all, to be able to hear from these stalwart early phans, as they recounted some of their experiences with Phish and the history of this very website we all find so valuable and intrinsic to our being phans. Rounding Day Two out as a sort of sweet encore, the days proceedings were brought to a close with the debut public appearance of a rough cut of an upcoming film, Weve Got It Simple. What a day. I actually didnt miss a note (I mean, word) of the whole thing, taking in all the presentations and panels. I mention this only to remark upon the fact that it was absolutely noteworthy to me that I was not only not tired or taxed by such a nonstop stretch, but I was positively giddy with excitement, my mind and my heart absolutely filled to the brim with all manner of good stuff to think through, feel out, and put into play in my life (as both a phan and a scholar). We know, by now, about the lore about Never Miss A Sunday Show, right? Day Three was Never Miss A Sunday Conference, to be sure. Things started off with a panel that, Ill readily admit, touched me deeply and had a tear or two showing up in the corner of my eyes. Centered around dis/ability issues in our community, we heard poignant and moving presentations on issues such as substance abuse and addiction, accessibility issues for Deaf or hard-of-hearing phans, and chronic illness and phandom. As a whole, the panel made it abundantly clear that, with a combination of compassion, support, activism, and the healing properties that are in place in both Phishs music and the phan scene, it of course is (or should be) possible to live in a world that is more inclusive, more open, and, ultimately, more just. This panel perfectly flow-segued into the next, which gave new meaning to that term we use so much among us: heady. This was, we might say, the philosophy panel. In which we learned about how we might think through ethical matters (drawing, specifically, from a line of thinking known as exemplarist virtue ethics) by, say, asking ourselves What would Wilson do?as a way to know what not to do, how not to behave in this shared world of ours. I have deliberately chosen to not mention names so far in this review. The music (I mean, the scholarship) speaks for itselfand in this writing I am only giving thumbnail sketches, sharing mere quick takes and cursory impressions, of what went down and what it all meant. But I purposely want to mention one of the scholars from the philosophy panel, Dr. Stephanie Jenkinswho some of you may have heard of because she regularly teaches the countrys (for now) one and only university course centered around Phish, aka Philosophy School of Phish. She was our Phearless Leader in all of this. She was sent, clearly, by Icculus herself to take on the Herculean task of making this whole Phish Studies thing happen at all. She talked her academic home at Oregon State University, into agreeing to host this unique, first-of-its-kind, historic event. There was a Phish Studies Program Committee involved (doing things like reviewing the 120+ submitted proposals, of which only about 30% were accepted, due to time and space limitations), but Dr. Jenkins played by far the biggest role in producing this event. No detail was overlooked. To whit: as people arrived on Friday, there were two trampolines in the lobby for us to hop on, alongside Benny the Beaver (OSUs mascot). There was an official Phish Studies logo (designed by Ryan Kerrigan), an official conference print (by Jamie Lee Meyer). There were special Phishy brews concocted by local brewery Block 15 served to accompany the official reception for the museum art exhibit. And so on. Dr. Jenkins was effusively and explicitly and most earnestly thanked by everyone who took to the mic to present over the course of the conferences three days. And rightly so. We were all in this (dream) together, and she filled our bathtub with the most wonderful cocktail of Phishy goodness. In any case, when it came time for Dr. Jenkins to present her own work, we were most certainly ready to listen. And what a stimulating treat, to mash up the work and insights of French philosopher Michel Foucault with Phish. Let me just lay this food for thought on you, from Dr. Jenkins (paraphrasing): " We should, all of us, always, question the self-evidence of the self-evident. We should also think of the Phish phenomenon as a collective practice of freedom, should appreciate that Phish are curators of experiences, and that attending their concerts is a technology of the self." These philosophical vibes fit nicely with another scholars heady theorizing of, yes indeed, The Vibe in/at Phish. Simply know this: that you, me, all of us are nothing more and nothing less than bodily emanations that variously meet up and coalesce. Also, following the lead of another presenter, know, and do take stock in, the fact that Phish and phandom are a veritable therapeutic alliance with great powers of healing and catharsis, that Phish really is a form of self-care. The last official panel of the conference was a lovely note on which to end. Four Jewish scholars helped us all dig the why and the how of the fact that Phish is so meaningful to all those who seek a deeper meaning to it all, to those who may struggle to find places and spaces of belonging, to those who seek identification with a group, who seek rich and meaningful experiences, that not only make us feel welcome but which, in a very real way, sustain and inspire us. Photo 2019 Blau (a slide at the Phish Studies conference) The unofficial close to Phish Studies was provided by a bonus encore: a Q&A session with the one and only Benjy Eisen, who writes for Rolling Stone magazine, and who has worked closely with Bill Kreutzman (including on the book Deal: My Three Decades of Drumming, Dreams, and Drugs with the Grateful Dead). It was, well, it was far out to hear Mr. Eisens stories about hanging with Mr. Kreutzman, and, more importantly, to get a sense of all the thought and care and deliberations and delicate handling of the dynamics of helping a venerable rock and roller write his memoir. Mr. Eisen, though, is of course a huge Phish nut as well. For nuts is what we are, us phans of Phish. In the best possible way. For an utterly phantastic mix of reasons, and with a truly delightful array of effects and outcomes. Phish Studies 2019 made it all too clear that there absolutely is something special going on with this band and in this community. All those naysayers out there (in our community, to some extent, and certainly beyond it in mainstream, regular society), might be inclined to dismiss Phish as being just band, and phans as being just fans, and a thing like Phish Studies as being just a conference. Nothing could be further from the truth. That just merely reveals its own starting-point biases, not anything true or useful about Phish, or about us. Remove that unfair and unhelpful just from in front of these things; for these are very real places and spaces where groups of peoplefellow human beings being humanexpress themselves, find themselves, and have experiences which, intrinsically and inherently, matter. One could put it in terms that administrators in academia tend to love using, say that this conference was an excellent model of the value of inter-disciplinary scholarship (though it was, technically, multi-disciplinary), that it was a very worthy leveraging of institutional support toward the goal of increasing collaboration and connection between traditionally siloed fields of study, and of linking scholars in the academy and the general public. Rather, this is what Id say (and close this writing with) instead The inaugural Phish Studies conference was a truly stupendous experience. There was much love in the room. There was a very exciting and humbling sense of history-in-the-making to it all. There were wide open minds and wide open hearts involved; which, I believe, is the ultimate embodiment of the Phish ethos, of Phish as a whole-phenomenon paradigm. Think about it this way: The very nature of attending a Phish show basically requires us to be both open-minded and open-hearted. It is how and why we are able to enjoy experienceswith Phishs music and with and in the phan scenethat are, at their core, open-ended. Phish shows and Phish lots are places where extended and sometimes challenging jamming, each time, take us on journeys whose end goal, whose destination, is always uncertain, new territory. At its best, Phish and the phan scene and Phish Studies are a roadmap of growth and learning, of Flow states, of nerdy appreciation, and of joyous inquiry. Concepts well ponder, buckets full of thoughts, and such. Again, it strikes me how full-circle all of this feels for me. Im writing these words mere days away from my own Phish Anniversary. Back on that oh so phateful day in May of 1993, I could not have possibly imagined what lay ahead for meas a Phish phan and as an eventual Phish scholar. But, it was all there: the excellent, rich, engaging, varied, wide-open music, and the excellent, rich, engaging, varied, wide-open phan community. All of which was part and parcel of the conference last weekend in Oregon. This has all been so darn wonderful. Phish Studies 2019 (and May 29, 1993) was a remarkable experience for me. It was a complete success, a great show. And I cant wait for the next one. The only rule is it begins BARCELONA (Reuters) - Spain must release three jailed Catalan separatist leaders denied bail while facing trial for their role in the region's failed bid for independence in 2017, a United Nations expert group will say in a report on Wednesday. In an advance copy seen by Reuters, the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said Spain should investigate the "arbitrary" decision to deny bail to Oriol Junqueras, Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Cruixart and give them a chance to seek compensation. Nine former Catalan leaders are in jail while standing trial on charges including rebellion and misuse of public funds related to their alleged role in organizing a 2017 referendum on secession and subsequent declaration of independence. The report comes a day after the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) unanimously rejected a case brought by dozens of Catalan politicians alleging Spains constitutional court violated their rights by blocking a session in the regional parliament at the height of the secession crisis. The U.N. Working Group does not have the authority to order the release of a detainee, depending instead on moral weight to put pressure on governments, although ultimately its rulings have often been ignored in the past. Catalan regional president Quim Torra, speaking in a televised address on Wednesday, said that in light of the report he would issue a formal request to Spain's public prosecutor to release and drop all charges against those on trial. But a senior Spanish government source told Reuters the report was flawed. "The report by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention raises doubts about its independence and impartiality," the source said. (Reporting by Sam Edwards and Belen Carreno; Editing by Andrei Khalip and Andrew Cawthorne) Mueller says if he concluded Trump did not commit obstruction crime he would have said so in his report Explains that it would be 'unfair' and 'unconstitutional' to bring indictment against a sitting president given guidelines. Argues against giving public testimony to Congress, saying he has nothing to add beyond report as he formally ends inquiry Robert Mueller has said he did not clear Donald Trump of committing a crime over obstruction of justice in his first public comments since his report was published. Speaking to mark the conclusion of his inquiry, Mr Mueller, the special counsel who looked into Russian election meddling, said he did not reach a determination on that matter. "If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime we would have said so," said Mr Mueller. The remark challenges Mr Trumps repeated public claim that he was exonerated by the Mueller report and that there was no obstruction. Mr Trump responded shortly after, tweeting that "the case is closed". Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2019 Instead Mr Mueller said that he was bound by Justice Department guidelines stating that a criminal indictment cannot be made against a sitting US president. Mr Mueller said doing so would be both unconstitutional and unfair, since a US president could not attend a trial where the allegation can be considered and justice be done. During his unexpected 10-minute statement, Mr Mueller also argued against giving public testimony on his findings to Congress, as Democrats are asking him to do. Story continues Mr Mueller said he would not go beyond what he had said in his 448-page report, published last month, saying: The report is my testimony. The remarks were effectively an attempt to counter Democrats in the House of Representatives who are demanding Mr Mueller appear for a hearing in public. The statement to camera was announced on Wednesday morning out of the blue. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House press secretary - AFP The White House, some leading congressmen and the US attorney general were all reportedly notified beforehand. It was the first time Mr Mueller had spoken in public about the investigation since his appointed in May 2017. He did not take questions from journalists. Mr Muellers inquiry had looked into Russian interference in the 2016 election, whether the Trump campaign conspired with the Kremlin and whether Mr Trump obstructed the investigation that followed. Mr Mueller begun by announcing formally that the special counsels office will close now his report has been delivered to Congress and that he will be returning to private life. For much of the statement he went through the report's key findings - that Russia had interfered in the election, but that he found no criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin. On possible obstruction of justice an issue that made up the second volume of his report Mr Mueller spelled out at length the remit he was working under. He said that as an employee of the Justice Department he was bound by guidelines that state a sitting president cannot be indicted as he weighed whether Mr Trump had committed obstruction. Mr Mueller said that even if an indictment had been filed secretly and remained hidden until a day when the president was no longer in office it would still be unconstitutional. Charging a president with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider, Mr Mueller said. However he said that an investigation to establish facts was permitted, saying that gathering evidence while memories are fresh and documents are available was permitted. In perhaps his most pointed comment, Mr Mueller made clear that if he had concluded Mr Trump did not commit a crime of obstruction then he would have said so in his report. He did not. That conclusion, which underscores a similar remark in the report itself, clashes with the argument from Mr Trump and his allies that Mr Mueller's findings amounted to complete exoneration. After Mr Mueller submitted his report William Barr, the US attorney general, announced that he had concluded there was no crime something Mr Trump points to when challenged on his no obstruction claim. During the statement, Mr Mueller said hoped and expected that this would be the only time he would speak in public on the report a clear rebuttal of Democrat demands he give testimony. He also thanked the hard work of his staff and praised their professionalism, in marked contrast to Mr Trump who has called the inquiry a witch hunt and said staff members were Democrats. Mr Mueller finished by urging Americans and perhaps government figures to focus on the seriousness of Russian election interference that he had uncovered. There were multiple, systematic efforts to interfere in our election, he said. That allegation deserves the attention of every American. 5:45PM Polished to perfection, Mueller did not disappoint Nick Allenin Washington writes: For two years Robert Mueller had said nothing. Hundreds of media profiles had been written about the Vietnam war hero turned FBI Director. They were filled with phrases like "steely" and "tough as nails". But none of them were based on talking to the man himself. So, aside from what he was actually going to say, there was the intriguing question of whether Mr Mueller would live up to his billing. As he stepped up to the lectern, in front of TV cameras broadcasting nationwide, it quickly became clear that, yes, he is as advertised. Grizzled, stern, with a face that looked like it should be on Mount Rushmore. Even his hair seemed like it was chiseled from granite, and his delivery was polished to perfection. Unlike other public figures, when Mr Mueller said "no questions" and glared at the assembled media, they largely did as told while he walked off the stage, without looking back. "Classic Mueller," was the general conclusion. 5:39PM Democrats coming out in favour of impeachment This Administration has continued to stonewall Congresss oversight. Beginning impeachment proceedings is the only path forward. Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) May 29, 2019 Boyle's office confirms that this is new. Another House Dem comes out in support of an impeachment inquiry https://t.co/2rYFnHYkBO Nicholas Fandos (@npfandos) May 29, 2019 5:10PM White House statement: Americans should move on with their lives From Sarah Huckabee Sanders: The Special Counsel has completed the investigation, closed his office, and has closed the case. Mr Mueller explicitly said that he has nothing to add beyond the report, and therefore, does not plan to testify before Congress. The report was clear - there was no collusion, no conspiracy - and the Department of Justice confirmed there was no obstruction. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House press secretary Special Counsel Mueller also stated that Attorney General Barr acted in good faith in his handling of the report. After two years, the Special Counsel is moving on with his life, and everyone else should do the same. 5:05PM Mueller explains why he "punted" to Congress on whether the president should be charged Nick Allen in Washington writes: Mr Mueller set out in detail the legal reasons why he could not charge the president with a crime, and why he left the decision to Congress. He cited longstanding Justice Department guidelines that a sitting president cannot be charged while in office. Those are guidelines. It does not say that in the US Constitution. Mr Mueller explained that his Special Counsel's Office was part of the Justice Department, so he was bound by the guidelines. He said: "Charging the president with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider." Robert Mueller said that his report did not exonerate Donald Trump - contrary to what the White House says There could also be because there is no redress for an accused president in the usual criminal court system, so it was therefore "unfair" to charge him. Mr Mueller said he therefore concluded that he could not even "reach a determination one way or the other about whether the president committed a crime." So, in the end, his report made no recommendation either way. Neither guilt, nor exoneration. Many observers have called that a "punt". In his statement today Mr Mueller punted again - passing the hot potato to Congress. He said: "The Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting President of wrongdoing." The "other process" is impeachment. Mr Mueller was clear. He wants no more to do with the investigation. What happens next is up to Congress. 4:47PM James Clapper: "This was classic Mueller" James Clapper, the former director of national intelligence, said that the statement on Wednesday was "classic Mueller". He said it was an "understated" but strong rebuttal of all the attacks on his investigation. James Clapper, the former director of National Intelligence Mr Clapper, one of Donald Trump's most strident critics, told CNN that he thought the strongest point was Mr Mueller's parting thought - that Russia had acted to sway the election in favour of one candidate, Mr Trump. 4:45PM Mueller does not want to testify before Congress Nick Allen in Washington writes: It was clear from this statement that Mr Mueller really, really does not want to testify to Congress. He referred to there having been "discussion" of him doing so. It's been a lot more than that. Democrats are demanding it. True to form, the man who said nothing publicly for two years during his investigation, tried to shut it down. That was a big part of why he decided to make this statement. He said: "I hope and expect this will be the only time I speak to you in this manner." Robert Mueller He argued that any testimony he gave would not go beyond what was in his report. "The report is my testimony," he added. Mr Mueller is notoriously camera shy but that is not his motivation for avoiding Congress. He knows that, should he appear, it could open up further cans of worms, and the investigation will never end. Mr Mueller stated that this should be the endpoint. "I am making that decision myself," he said. However, it may not be his decision to make. 4:42PM Donald Trump responds: "The case is closed" Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2019 4:14PM Mueller's final thought Mueller wraps up with a warning for all Americans. "There were multiple, systematic attempts to interfere in our election" Robert Mueller 4:12PM Mueller refuses to criticise Barr Barr's handling of the report has angered Democrats. Mueller said he would not comment on it. William Barr, the attorney general 4:09PM "The report is my testimony" I hope and expect this will be the only time I should speak to you in this manner. Any testimony from this office would not go beyond the report. It contains our findings, analysis, and the decisions we made. The report is my testimony. I would not provide any information beyond what is already made public. 4:08PM Mueller says his work was driven by fairness It would be unfair to potentially accuse someone of a crime when there can be no court resolution of the actual charge. We concluded we would not reach a determination one way or another whether the president had committed a crime. We will not comment further. 4:05PM Mueller on obstruction Mueller says that when an obstruction of justice is carried out, "it strikes at the core of the government's effort to find truth, and give justice to those accountable." 4:04PM Mueller: "We are not commenting on the guilt or innocence of any defendant" Robert Mueller 4:03PM Mueller discusses interference Mueller says the Russians "stole private information" and used it to "damage a presidential candidate". 4:02PM Mueller resigns from the department of justice He announces the closing of the office. 3:58PM Mueller to speak for eight minutes Mueller's first public statement on the Russia investigation is expected to last about eight minutes. That's according to a Justice Department official. The statement comes as Attorney General William Barr is traveling in Alaska. A second person familiar with Barr's trip says Barr was told ahead of time that Mueller would be making a statement. Robert Mueller has not spoken in public in two years Mueller is not expected to take questions. Mueller's report revealed that President Donald Trump tried to seize control of the Russia probe and force Mueller's removal to stop him from investigating potential obstruction of justice by the Republican president. Trump has called the investigation a "witch hunt." Special counsel Robert Mueller issued his first public statement on his investigation into Russian interference with the 2016 election, emphasizing one of the key points of his report: that his office did not conclude whether or not President Trump committed a crime. In his statement, Mueller said his office could not bring criminal charges against the president because the team believed it to be unconstitutional. If we had had confidence that the president had clearly not committed a crime, we would have said so, said Mueller, adding, Charging the president with a crime is not an option we could consider. "It would be unfair to potentially accuse somebody of a crime when there can be no court resolution of the actual charge, said Mueller, further explaining the reasoning. Mueller announced that he was officially resigning from the Department of Justice and returning to private life. He said this was his final statement on the matter, and any testimony he might give to Congress would not go beyond what was in the report. Mueller has been asked to appear by the House Judiciary Committee, but he hasnt said if he will. He said no one presumably referring to officials in the Justice Department or the administration has instructed him one way or the other about his appearance. I hope and expect this to be the only time that I will speak to you in this manner, said Mueller. I am making that decision myself, no one has told me whether I can or should testify. There has been discussion about an appearance before Congress. Any testimony from this office would not go beyond our report. It contains our findings and analysis and the reasons for the decisions we made. We chose those words carefully and the work speaks for itself. And the report is my testimony. I would not provide information beyond that which is already public in an appearance before Congress. In addition, access to our underlying work product is being decided in a process that does not involve our office. Story continues Mueller did not take questions from the assembled reporters after the 10-minute statement. The White House said it was notified on Tuesday night of Muellers plans to make a statement, and CNN reported that Mueller had briefed Attorney General William Barr on its contents. He had remained almost completely silent over the course of the nearly two-year investigation. Trump, who had claimed vindication after Mueller's report, tweeted that "Nothing changes from the Mueller Report." He added his own spin to Mueller's remarks: "There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you." Special counsel Robert Mueller on May 29. (Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP) The special counsels report concluded that the Russian government interfered in the 2016 election in sweeping and systematic fashion, leading to the indictment of 34 individuals and three Russian businesses on charges ranging from computer hacking to conspiracy and financial crimes. Those indictments led to seven guilty pleas. Four people, including former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, were sentenced to prison. A redacted version of Muellers 448-page report, released last month, found no conspiracy between Russia and Trumps campaign. But it chronicled at least 10 episodes of efforts by Trump to obstruct the federal probe. And while the special counsel declined to charge Trump with obstruction of justice, investigators explicitly refused to exonerate the president despite his repeated public comments to the contrary. If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the President clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state, the report read. We are unable to reach that judgment. The evidence we obtained about the Presidents actions and intent presents difficult issues that prevent us from conclusively determining that no criminal conduct occurred. Accordingly, while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. The findings have spurred calls by some Democrats, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Republican Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan to pursue Trumps impeachment. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has urged caution, saying she wants to see Muellers full unredacted report and hear testimony from current and former members of the Trump administration before considering it. Muellers statement makes clear what those who have read his report know: It is an impeachment referral, and its up to Congress to act, tweeted Warren after the statement. They should. The ball is in our court, Congress, wrote Amash. Read more from Yahoo News: DUBLIN, IRELAND - MAY 24: Mel B, Emma Bunton, Geri Halliwell and Melanie C of The Spice Girls perform on the first night of the bands tour at Croke Park on May 24, 2019 in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) Spice Girl Mel B will be celebrating her birthday on stage in Manchester tonight. Scary Spice will join bandmates Geri Horner, Mel C and Emma Bunton at the Etihad Stadium for the third show of their Spice World 2019 reunion tour on her 44th birthday. Bunton was the first to wish her Happy Birthday on Instagram. It is a bittersweet time for Mel who yesterday marked the birthday of her late father Martin Brown, who died aged 63 in 2017 after battling cancer. Read more: Spice Girls fans demand refunds over "diabolical" sound at latest live show Mel wrote on Instagram: Im missing you more now than ever, I really really am in the most amount of pain, it is actually unbearable!! But I do wish you could see me now happy and strong j am now thank god,I no you would be sooo proud of me [sic]. Meanwhile, Mel C has congratulated a couple who apparently got engaged while watching the Spice Girls perform this week. Sporty Spice appealed on Instagram for the couple to come forward. This couple got engaged at a Spice Girls gig (Credit: Instagram/MelanieCMusic) The Spice Girls first two concerts in Dublin and Cardiff have been marred by complaints from fans that the sound was diabolical. After spending around 100 a ticket many concertgoers complained couldnt hear what was happening on the stage and some have demanded refunds. The days leading up to the tour had seen the band dogged by rumours they were in crisis. Horner and Mel B were said to have fallen out after Mel B claimed she and Horner had had a lesbian fling during the nineties, which Horner denied. Read more: Victoria Beckham wishes Spice Girls 'good luck' as she misses out on reunion tour And Scary Spice was forced to deny reports she had gone blind in one eye after being struck with a painful eye infection. The Spice Girls will play three shows in Manchester, before continuing the tour in Coventry, Sunderland, Edinburgh, Bristol and London. GRAND RAPIDS, MichiganDays after becoming the first Republican in Congress to call for President Donald Trumps impeachment, Rep. Justin Amash on Tuesday found himself face-to-face with a MAGA hat-wearing constituent at a town hall event, livid that her representative had become a Democrat. Ive been your supporter since you started running for Congress, and I cant tell you how disappointed I am, Diane Luke said. To boos from the crowd, she dismissed Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation and report as a smear attack, demanding that Amash explain why he would take its findings seriously. I havent changed, Amash said. I am who I said I was. Im a principled, constitutional conservative who has stayed consistent regardless of whether we have President Obama in office or President Trump. Pressed by Luke to explain how he could accuse Trump of obstructing justice when Mueller declined to accuse Trump of committing a crime, Amash stood his ground. Its just not legally true that you cant obstruct justice when theres no underlying crime The reason someone may not charge an underlying crime is because justice was obstructed. So, for example, you might have a situation where someone obstructs justice and therefore evidence is destroyed or prevented from getting to the prosecutor, so the underlying crime then cannot be charged, he said. He went on to say he was appalled by some of the behavior outlined in the Mueller Report, and that its Congress job to not allow misconduct to go undeterred. Pointed questions on impeachment were mostly outweighed by cheering supporters, however. Few die-hard Trump supporters appeared to be in the audienceor, at least, vocaldespite having crowded downtown Grand Rapids for a campaign rally as recently as late March. Across a town hall stretching about two hours, Amash was met with mostly applause and even multiple standing ovations as he discussed Trump. Luke was jeered repeatedly as she spoke, and when she sat down, a neighbor said he was impressed at her courage before this crew of jackals. Luke later said she was unimpressed with Amashs answer, calling it lawyerspeak. Story continues Another woman, who accused Amash of grandstanding safe in the knowledge (Trump) wont be removed from officewas similarly jeered. But Amash did appear to temper calls for impeachment somewhat by reminding constituents that impeachment doesnt mean removal from office, and that there are so many layers that have to be moved through before that could happen. The town hall was Amashs first after calling for Trumps impeachment earlier this month. Amash published another string of tweets just hours before the town hall began, claiming Attorney General Bill Barr deliberately misrepresented key aspects of (Robert) Muellers report and decisions...which has helped further the presidents false narrative about the investigation. Barr has so far successfully used his position to sell the presidents false narrative to the American people, Amash wrote. This will continue if those who have read the report do not start pushing back on his misrepresentations and share the truth. Amash held his town hall in a private, Christian high schools DeVos Center for Arts and Worshipwhich, like multiple other places in Grand Rapids, shares the name of the wealthy West Michigan clan thats previously backed him. It was an ironic spot, though, given the news that the DeVos family has cut off its financial support for Amash. It was probably going to happen anyways, because (Betsy DeVos) is the education secretary, said Corwin Smidt, an associate professor in Michigan State Universitys political science department. Smidt pointed out that Amashs independent streak on Trump puts him at odds with other DeVos family members with ties to the president, like defense contractor Erik Prince. Amashs position on impeachment, Smidt said, appears to have simply offered an opportunity to make the break official. Michigan GOP operative Greg McNeilly, who has ties to the DeVos family, previously told the Daily Beast that Michigans conservative donors were ready to back a primary challenger, describing them as fed up with Amash. He called Amashs tweets on impeachment the straw thats broke the camels back. And less than two days after those tweets, a state representativeand a self-identified pro-Trump conservative made it clear he was itching for a fight. Amash comfortably won his district with 54 percent of the vote in 2018, though that was down from 60 percent in 2016 and nearly 58 percent in 2014. Its unclear how much his break with the president will change his re-election strategy. But Smidt said 2020 poses an interesting challenge for a candidate who rode an anti-establishment wave. The problem is hes getting a primary opponent on the Trump side of things, when he ran as an outsider. Now he needs the support of the people he ran against in 2010, Smidt saidthe kind of mainstream Republican support at odds with the MAGA crowd. While Amash won plenty of applause from the crowd made up of both Republicans and Democrats at Tuesday nights event, Dean Webster is one Amash constituent who walked away disappointed. He said Amash knocked on his door in 2010 and earned his votebut, if he insists on impeachment, hell lose it. (Trumps opponents) will not accept who won the electionwhether youre a Republican or a Democrat or an independent, thats what democracy is about let it go, he said as he waited for the doors to open. For every voter turned off by Amashs impeachment talk, there appeared to be another one pleased with him. Amy Van Tongeren told The Daily Beast shes heartened that Amash is talking impeachment and her husband, Tom, added that Amash would likely have our vote in the primarythough theyll weigh their votes in the general, he said. Amash, for his part, suggested hes not going to lose sleep over enraging some voters, saying he puts consistency first. During his town hall, he criticized fellow members of Congress for wavering, and said thats the last thing hed want to do. Ive seen it from my colleagues. Oh, I wont be principled on this one. And oh, on this one too and then, a year later, theyre a zombie, he said to the crowd. I couldnt look my kids in the eye and say I was a responsible person if I did that kind of thing. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. (Note: Print or Digital Use Allowed. Please credit Stateline, an initiative of the Pew Charitable Trusts. For downloadable graphics, please visit www.pewtrusts.org/stateline) By Michael Ollove May 29 (Stateline) - The specialist that Amy Berman visited after she was diagnosed with the most perilous form of breast cancer advised a course of treatment that might have extended her life but would have meant certain suffering and enfeeblement. The doctor never asked Berman, a registered nurse who works at a New York health care foundation, what she wanted out of whatever time she had left. If he had, she would have told him she wanted to enjoy life: continue working, relish time with friends and family, walk her dog Lola. His recommended treatment plan chemotherapy, radiation, a mastectomy, more chemo and likely hospitalizations would have jeopardized all those wishes. I would have been living a medicalized existence, Berman said, and a debilitating one at that. Instead, she chose palliative care no surgeries or chemo, just medicines to manage her pain and slow the spread of the disease, while allowing her to pursue a fulfilling career and active personal life. Nearly a decade later, to her surprise and everybody elses, Berman is still alive 59 years old and still living a really great life. Shes working, savoring time with family and friends, and walking Lola. She estimates shes saved more than a million dollars in medical expenses and has never been hospitalized. Berman, whose diagnosis is unchanged, still receives palliative care. Fortunately, unlike many Americans, her insurance covers it outside of hospice. According to a recent Commonwealth Fund report, an estimated 40 million adults in the United States are living with or have had a serious illness in the last three years. Many of them, health policy experts say, would benefit from palliative care to help them cope with their conditions. Now more states are taking steps to extend such coverage to millions more people. They are extending palliative care benefits to adult Medicaid beneficiaries who are not necessarily close to death, mandating that providers tell patients that palliative care is available when it might be of some benefit, and requiring palliative care training for doctors. Story continues Maryland in 2017 became the first state to require all hospitals with more than 50 beds to provide palliative care services. Where we are in palliative care is that it is an emerging hot topic, said Stacie Sinclair, senior policy manager at the Center to Advance Palliative Care at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, in New York City. She is also a member of the Nebraska Palliative Care and Quality of Life Advisory Council. Confusion is still alive, Sinclair continued. Policymakers are getting more sophisticated, but public awareness is one of the first issues states will have to tackle. Beyond Hospice Much of the confusion Sinclair referred to is that many people dont understand the difference between palliative care and hospice. Palliative care is given to patients with serious illnesses or injuries to relieve their symptoms and stress. Its goal is to improve the quality of life for patients and their families. It can be provided from the onset of an illness, and is often delivered by a team of doctors, nurses, social workers and sometimes chaplains. Patients in hospice are not expected to live long, usually six months or less. Hospice patients do receive palliative care, but you dont have to be in hospice to be a palliative care patient. Even if death is not imminent, palliative care may be the best strategy for patients whose top priority is maximizing quality of life, not extending it by any means necessary. Patients with diseases such as cancer, heart disease, arthritis and diabetes may benefit from palliative care, for a short period or for years. But those who arent terminally ill may find it hard to find such services, according to a recent report on state palliative care policies and programs by the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP). The report notes that most states define palliative care within their hospice regulations, thereby limiting them to patients with terminal illnesses. But some states take a more expansive view: Colorado, Maryland and New York recognize that palliative care can take place outside of hospice by including it in the licensing of other health care facilities, while Texas regulates palliative care provided in homes and in the community. These states dont require that all medical facilities offer palliative care. But facilities that do offer it have to follow certain standards on procedures, treatment, staffing or training. The NASHP report also praises California, Connecticut, Oklahoma, Rhode Island and Texas for defining palliative care as treatment that addresses a patients physical, intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual needs throughout the course of the illness, not simply when death is imminent. That is notable language, said Kitty Purington, one of the authors of the report, because it hones in on that ability to provide palliative care at any point in the continuum of an illness. Bermans employer, the John A. Hartford Foundation, funded the report. Colorados definition is even more expansive, proclaiming that palliative care is appropriate at any age and at any stage in a serious illness and can be provided together with curative treatment. That is significant because under Medicare, patients who receive hospice benefits must forgo any treatment intended to cure them of their disease. The Colorado language makes it clear that patients should be able to receive palliative care even while their doctors continue to try to save their lives. The availability of palliative care in hospitals has increased dramatically. According to Mount Sinais Center to Advance Palliative Care, less than a quarter of U.S. hospitals had a palliative care program in 2000. By 2016, three-quarters of hospitals did. Still, access to palliative care varies according to geography, hospital size and income. The center says that many programs remain too understaffed or underfinanced to reach all patients who would benefit from treatment. Maryland is the only state that requires all hospitals of a certain size to provide palliative care and lays out staffing and training requirements. But Massachusetts, New York, Oregon and Rhode Island all require hospitals, nursing homes and long-term care facilities to inform patients about palliative care. Among other states, Oregon has a process for identifying potential palliative care patients; Florida requires facilities to honor physician orders on palliative care; and Massachusetts, Michigan and New York require primary care providers to inform terminally ill patients about pain management and palliative care. Shortage of Providers Many areas have a shortage of medical professionals trained in palliative treatments, which has prompted at least six states California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont to require continuing medical education in end-of-life care, palliative care or pain management. California and Arizona also have made palliative care broadly available to Medicaid beneficiaries. Other states, including Florida, Iowa, Michigan, New York, South Carolina and Washington, are testing or implementing programs that make palliative care available to at least some Medicaid patients who arent in hospice. For example, South Carolina is experimenting with providing palliative care services to Medicaid patients with serious, chronic or life-limiting illnesses who have a history of hospitalizations requiring intense treatment for pain and symptom management. Beyond Medicaid, at least seven states Illinois, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia offer palliative care services in their state employee health plans. Theres a growing understanding that were not dying the way we used to, said Jennifer Moore Ballentine, executive director of the California State University Institute for Palliative Care, which was founded in 2012 and has created a palliative care curriculum for doctors, nurses, social workers and chaplains. The end of life isnt weeks or months but years, and we need to put systems in place to maintain quality of life as long as possible. https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2019/05/29/palliative-care-beyond-hospice-is-spreading-to-more-states World stock markets tumbled Wednesday on mounting worries over US-China trade tensions amid talk that China could limit exports of rare earths in another escalation of the months-long fight. Troubling movements on bond markets also heightened fears of a global slowdown, while a public appearance by US Special Counsel Robert Mueller sparked further speculation on whether US President Donald Trump could face impeachment in Congress. Asian equities mostly slid as investors grew anxious about a possible economic slowdown in the absence of progress in resolving the US-China trade spat. That was followed by declines of more than one percent in London, Paris and Frankfurt. Wall Street also finished solidly lower for a second straight session. "Due to the unquantifiable potential outcome of the increasingly heated trade dispute with China, investors recently concluded it better to retreat rather than rotate," CFRA Research chief investment strategist Sam Stovall said in a research note. The conflict between Beijing and Washington threatened to deteriorate further as Chinese state media dangled the threat of cutting exports of rare earths to the United States as a counter-strike in the trade war, potentially depriving Washington of a key resource used to make smartphones, military hardware and other crucial goods. The state-owned Global Times warned in an editorial that the "US will rue forcing China's hand on rare earths." "It is believed that if the US increasingly suppresses the development of China, sooner or later, China will use rare earths as a weapon," the nationalist tabloid said. - China's 'secret weapon'? - Spreadex analyst Connor Campbell rated the threat as the catalyst for Wednesday's selloff, calling rare earths China's "not-so-secret weapon in the trade war." In a sign of intensifying concern over economic growth, the yield, or rate of return for investors, on the 10-year US Treasury notes hit 2.208 percent, the lowest level since September 2017. Story continues Adding to the mix of market headwinds, Mueller made his first public appearance since releasing a report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, saying that a decision not to charge Trump of obstruction of justice was due to Justice Department policy against indicting a sitting president; Mueller pointedly refused to clear the US president of wrongdoing. Art Hogan, chief market strategist at National Securities, said Mueller's statement was sure to keep alive talk of impeachment, even though US congressional leaders have so far not embraced that option. "The market now wrestles with two things at the forefront of uncertainty," Hogan said, citing the worsening US-China trade conflict and a possible impeachment, an event he said would be "nearly impossible" to model for stocks. - Key figures around 2045 GMT - New York - Dow: DOWN 0.9 percent at 25,126.41 (close) New York - S&P 500: DOWN 0.7 percent at 2,783.02 (close) New York - Nasdaq: DOWN 0.8 percent at 7,547.31 (close) London - FTSE 100: DOWN 1.2 percent at 7,185.30 points (close) Frankfurt - DAX 30: DOWN 1.6 percent at 11,837.81 (close) Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 1.7 percent at 5,222.12 (close) EURO STOXX 50: DOWN 1.5 percent at 3,297.81 (close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 1.2 percent at 21,003.37 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng: DOWN 0.6 percent at 27,235.71 (close) Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.2 percent at 2,914.70 (close) Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2628 from $1.2653 at 2100 GMT Euro/pound: DOWN at 88.16 pence from 88.20 pence Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1134 from $1.1160 Dollar/yen: UP at 109.62 yen from 109.38 yen Oil - Brent Crude: DOWN 66 cents at $69.45 per barrel Oil - West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 33 cents at $58.81 per barrel burs-jmb/dg (.) LOS ANGELES, May 28 (Reuters) - "Game of Thrones" actor Kit Harington is undergoing treatment after the end of the HBO television series in which he starred as the heartthrob Jon Snow, his representative said on Tuesday. "Kit has decided to utilize this break in his schedule as an opportunity to spend some time at a wellness retreat to work on some personal issues," a representative for the British actor said in a statement. Harington, 32, went from virtual unknown to world stardom in "Game of Thrones," in which he played the role of the courageous Snow, whose actions in the final episode were one of the show's biggest shockers. The statement did not give details of his issues, but The New York Post's "Page Six" column said Harington was hard hit by the ending of the show and was being treated for stress, exhaustion and alcohol use. Page Six added that he checked into a clinic in the United States help several weeks before the medieval fantasy series came to an end on May 19. The finale attracted a record 19.3 million viewers in the United States alone. Harington, who married his "Game of Thrones" co-star Rose Leslie in 2018, told Variety earlier this year that he had previously found it hard to deal with the fame and attention the show brought, calling it "terrifying." "I felt I had to feel that I was the most fortunate person in the world, when actually, I felt very vulnerable. I had a shaky time in my life around there - like I think a lot of people do in their 20s," he told Variety in an interview published in March. (Reporting by Jill Serjeant, editing by G Crosse) Welcome Guest! You Are Here: * Disputed portrait attributed by some to da Vinci * Swiss court blocks Italy's bid to get painting * Ruling clears way for return to Italian owner By John Miller ZURICH, May 29 (Reuters) - Switzerland's highest court has rejected Italy's request for the return of an oil painting attributed by some to Leonardo Da Vinci, ruling no Swiss laws were broken when the work was brought over the border. Titled "Portrait of Isabella d'Este" and dated to the 16th century, the painting became the subject of an international tug-of-war after an Italian woman, Emidia Cecchini, sought to sell it in 2013. Police were alerted to its existence when an Italian lawyer surfaced with a mandate to sell it for no less than 95 million euros ($106 million). Art experts have yet to agree on whether it really is by the Renaissance master. An Italian investigation into possible tax crimes and insurance fraud uncovered evidence that led police in 2015 to the painting in a vault in the Swiss town of Lugano, a lakeside banking center in the Italian-speaking south where many Italians have crossed the border to deposit assets. Cecchini, who Swiss court documents said was convicted in Italy with two others for their role in exporting the picture, has always maintained the painting had been in Switzerland for a century, taken there by her relatives who at one time lived in the country, Swiss and Italian media have reported. The Swiss verdict clears the way for the work's return to Cecchini, from Pesaro. Cecchini's attorney did not respond to email and telephone requests for comment on Wednesday. Italy's Justice Ministry declined to comment. Italy demanded its seizure on grounds it had been trafficked out of the country illegally to Switzerland. In a decision published on Wednesday, the Swiss Federal Tribunal declined Italy's request for the painting's return, ruling its export to Switzerland was not liable to prosecution. Story continues "Subject to any other international agreements, no state is required to apply foreign public law within its borders," the Federal Tribunal said in a statement. Under Swiss law regulating international cultural property transfers, people may face prosecution for illegally transporting objects of unique value if they are listed in a Swiss federal registry or, in this case, in a corresponding Italian inventory. For this painting, however, that was not the case, the Swiss court wrote. The portrait, a 24-inch by 18-inch oil-on-canvas of a noblewoman, resembles a charcoal study by da Vinci that hangs in Paris's Louvre museum. There is discussion among art experts about whether it is really a da Vinci. Carlo Pedretti, a da Vinci expert and professor at the University of California Los Angeles before he died last year, told media in 2015 its origins merited more study but could not confirm whether da Vinci was involved in painting it. ($1 = 0.8969 euros) (Reporting by John Miller; Additional reporting by Francesca Piscioneri in Rome; Editing by Alison Williams) ZURICH, May 29 (Reuters) - The Swiss government proposed on Wednesday allowing grey market imports as a way to help cut high domestic prices for hard-pressed consumers who often pay far more than in neighboring Germany or France for the same products. So-called grey market goods are authentic goods that can be sold for less by bypassing official distribution channels. Wholesalers routinely demand a premium from Swiss retailers to reflect relatively high spending power in the wealthy country. The issue has gained prominence due to a campaign for a binding voter referendum to ensure fair prices in Switzerland, where price tags on everyday items are among the highest in Europe and often shock visitors. The Swiss cabinet said the referendum drive was on the right track but went too far in its efforts to make companies cut prices. It recommended voters reject the plan and instead get behind the government's alternative proposal. "Domestic and foreign companies should under certain circumstances be obliged to supply companies from Switzerland with delivery channels abroad. Unjustified international price discrimination can thus be countered consistently," it said. The counterproposal avoids negative consequences for domestic business and skirts conflicts with Switzerland's international obligations, it added. Consumer prices for private Swiss households were 56 percent higher than the average for 15 western European Union countries in 2017. Only Icelanders, on an island in the Atlantic Ocean more than 1,000 km (620 miles) from the European mainland, paid higher prices, the government noted. Prices that Swiss pay for consumer goods were 31% above the EU average. Meanwhile, prices for services such as healthcare, housing and energy were 68% higher, making it even harder to close the price gap with neighbors. Many prosperous Swiss shrug off the steep prices they pay, noting salaries are also high. The government cited the famous Big Mac index of comparative purchasing power parity which showed that last year it took a worker in Zurich 13 minutes to earn the price of a McDonald's flagship hamburger versus 18 minutes in Berlin or Vienna, 23 minutes in Paris and 24 minutes in Rome. Still, many Swiss residents regularly drive over the border to neighboring Germany, France, Italy or Austria to shop for cheaper goods, harming local businesses that lose out on billions of dollars worth of annual sales. (Reporting by Michael Shields Editing by Helen Popper) By Sheila Dang (Reuters) - A group of potential buyers are preparing bids for prepaid wireless brand Boost Mobile in an upcoming sale valuing the offshoot of U.S. wireless carriers T-Mobile US Inc and Sprint Corp at up to $3 billion, interested buyers told Reuters. The $26 billion deal between T-Mobile and Sprint won approval from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission last week after the two carriers offered concessions. It included the sale of Boost to reduce the combined company's market share in the prepaid wireless business, where customers pay for phone service at the beginning of the month and are not required to pass a credit check. While the deal awaits a ruling from the U.S. Department of Justice, interested parties are already preparing bids. The sale process is expected to begin after the Justice Department's review. Q Link Wireless, a prepaid brand and the third-largest provider of federally assisted wireless plans, is putting together a package to bid for Boost with private equity backing and could pay between $1.8 billion to $3 billion, founder and Chief Executive Issa Asad told Reuters. The price will depend on the quality of Boost's customers, such as their level of churn, or the rate of customer cancellations, the devices they are using, and what type of phone plan they are on, none of which the companies have disclosed, he said. This month, analysts at Cowen estimated Boost has 7 million to 8 million customers and a transaction could be valued at $4.5 billion if the deal included wireless spectrum, or the airwaves that carry data, and facilities. Sprint has not disclosed the number of Boost customers. Stephen Stokols, chief executive officer of prepaid wireless company FreedomPop, said an undisclosed private equity group he is speaking with have placed Boost's future value at about $4 billion, such as in an initial public offering. While FreedomPop is not a bidder, Stokols said he is advising a private equity group preparing a bid. If that bid succeeds, he believes the group would combine their acquisition with FreedomPop and have him lead a combined company with the Boost assets. Peter Adderton, founder of Boost Mobile who sold the U.S. business to Nextel in 2004, which was then acquired by Sprint, has also said he is interested in buying back Boost. He declined to comment on his valuation for the business. Adderton said he and his lawyers have urged regulators to require T-Mobile and Sprint to also divest wireless spectrum to ensure Boost will be a viable competitor in the market. Adderton added that regulators must also ensure the new T-Mobile does not employ anticompetitive practices to harm Boost, and the contract between the companies should be non-exclusive, which would allow Boost to buy network access from other carriers. The current sale agreement is devoid of details, but with the right terms, "we can create a dynamic player that will compete in the market," Adderton said of Boost. T-Mobile and Sprint did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (Reporting by Sheila Dang; Editing by Kenneth Li and Lisa Shumaker) A version of this story first appeared in STAT Health Tech, our weekly newsletter about how tech is transforming health care and the life sciences. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox. PALO ALTO, Calif. Stanford University prides itself on its many partnerships with its neighboring tech giants. Its researchers have helped Alphabets life sciences unit Verily assess what it means to be healthy, and theyve evaluated the Apple Watchs ability to detect heart rhythm changes. But Stanfords collaborative spirit can come with a cost when medical researchers decide they like working with industry so much that they jump ship to go work for industry. A few high-profile moves: Dr. Sumbul Desai and Dr. Lauren Cheung, who helped launch an institute at Stanford meant to help companies develop digital health tools, both decamped for Apple in 2017. Dr. Rajiv Kumar, who as a Stanford pediatric endocrinologist used Apple software to develop a diabetes monitoring tool, joined the company in 2016. And cardiovascular medicine specialist Dr. Mike McConnell left his full-time gig at Stanford in 2015 to head up Verilys work on heart health. Should Stanford be worried? Dr. Lloyd Minor, the dean of the medical school there, said hes not sweating the departures. For a person in a job like mine, the only thing worse than having people want to hire your faculty is having no one wanting to hire your faculty, Minor said. Of course, ambitious medical researchers have long left academia in pursuit of new opportunities at drug companies, startups, or venture capital firms. And Big Tech companies have been looking to universities for years to poach top computer scientists and artificial intelligence researchers. And its not just Stanford thats losing talent to Big Tech. Dr. Maulik Majmudar, a top cardiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, last summer jumped ship to Amazon. And Dr. Jessica Mega, a Harvard cardiologist widely seen as a rising star, made the move to Verily in 2015. Story continues Still, the challenge of retaining star academics is amplified at Stanford, where Big Tech companies are just a short drive away and can offer hard-to-turn-down pay packages in a region with the nations highest monthly average housing costs. Stanford is trying to combat brain drain. It has a leave policy to allow researchers to return after some time away, depending on where they are in their career. It recently opened a new faculty housing community, with more units on the way, though it is in a dispute with its home county over whether its providing enough affordable housing. And then, of course, there are the one-on-one conversations that officials like Minor have with faculty to try to convince them to stay at Stanford. We try to, in our discussions with faculty, to meet them where they are, Minor said. In other words, understand their needs and find out what we can do to best meet those needs. Texas is full of great designers and makers, and new things are happening every day in the Lone Star State. To help you keep up with all the design news and goings-on in the area, AD PRO is here with what you need to know this week. Teknion Receives LEED V4 Silver Certification and WELL Gold Certification Teknion, a contract furniture manufacturer, has a 7,023-square-foot showroom in downtown Dallas that has just received LEED V4 Silver Certification and WELL Gold Certification. With the space, designed by Vanderbyl Design with tvsdesign, Teknion is further enforcing its commitment to design that supports health and well-being in the workplace. David Dillon, Former Architecture Critic, Is Discussed by The Dallas Morning News On May 21, The Dallas Morning News hosted a panel discussion in its downtown auditorium to discuss the late David Dillon, a critic of the publication, and his perspective on Dallas architecture. Dillon wrote about the city for almost 30 years before leaving the paper in 2006 and passing away in 2010. Mark Lamster, the Dallas Morning Newss current architecture critic; arts writer Michael Granberry; and Kathryn Holliday, director of the David Dillon Center for Texas Architecture at the University of Texas at Arlington, discussed Dillons collection of work, his personal and critical viewpoints about Dallas architecture, and his favorite structures, like the Meyerson Symphony Center and the American Airlines Center. Jack Rabbit Gallerys Grand Opening Is on May 31 Houstons newest art gallery, Jack Rabbit Gallery, will officially open on May 31 in the Houston Heights neighborhood at 228 East 27th Street. The free event will begin at 6 p.m. and end at 9 p.m., during which it will showcase the work of contemporary worldwide artists that include Nikkie Markle, Steve Ulrich, Hali Grogan, Jill Hakala, Don Longo, Olga Gal, Jeanne Jones, Leslie Gaworecki, Mark Whitmarsh, Spoon, and Lisa Cunningham. Story continues Architecture and Design Discussion with YANA Is Scheduled for Next Week The Yale Alumni Nonprofit Alliance (YANA) will be hosting an event titled A Conversation About Architecture and Design Education and the Unique Challenges and Opportunities in Houston on June 4 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The discussion will be in conjunction with the Rice Design Alliance, a nonprofit that is a part of the Rice University School of Architecture, and will include panelists Sarah Whiting, dean and professor at the Rice University School of Architecture, and Maria Nicanor, executive director of the Rice Design Alliance. After a 30-minute period of refreshments and networking, Whiting and Nicanor will discuss how architecture and design shapes Houstons social sphere. Lauren Ladowski Becomes Vice President of ARCO/Murray ARCO/Murray has promoted Lauren Ladowski to vice president, a role in which she will lead the companys tenant improvement business. She has worked with the company for six years as a director of accounts for national and local clients but will now play a role in the booming design-build contractor industry in Dallas. Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest Editors Note: The following is adapted from a piece originally published by Greater Good magazine, a project of the Greater Good Science Center. The term white privilege, coined by feminist activist Peggy McIntosh in the 1980s, refers to advantages that white people, on average, have in American society. The goal of activists and educators who use the phrase is to educate Americans about how whites are born with benefits not afforded to people of minority ethnic backgrounds. Can you turn on the television and see people of your race widely represented? Do you tend to see racism only as individual acts of meanness, not as signs of systematic dominance over your group? Do you never worry about being followed or harassed when shopping? Those are signs of white privilege, according to McIntosh. But a recent paper published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General suggests that the idea of white privilege may have an unexpected drawback: It can reduce the empathy among some for white people who are struggling with poverty. The paper finds that social liberals people who have socially liberal views on the major political issues are actually less likely to empathize with a poor white persons plight after being given a reading on white privilege. Colgate University social psychologist Erin Cooley is one of the lead authors of the study. As a long-time researcher of prejudice and its impact on the way we think, Cooley was drawn to study the topic by related research she conducted on how Americans associate race with wealth. In another study published this year, Cooley and colleagues found participants were more likely to associate poverty with blacks as opposed to whites. They also found that this association predicted opposition toward welfare and redistributive economic policies fed by the belief that these policies would necessarily benefit blacks over whites. When people imagine welfare recipients, they think to imagine black people, she says. So, this means when people have negative attitudes toward black people, because theyre imagining that black people are benefiting from wealth redistribution, theyre less likely to support wealth redistribution. Story continues The flip side of people associating black people with poverty, she says, would be to associate wealth with being white, and she wanted to study what that looked like in part because of conversations she had with her fiance. Im a professor who studies racism, she says. And Im about to marry a white man who grew up poor. We had a lot of complicated conversations early on about what it means to be white, especially a white man whos poor. Over time, she realized that she wasnt thinking enough about divisions among white people. In their study, the researchers had respondents grade themselves on a scale of social liberalism along a number of issues, such as abortion, gun safety, and gay rights. They also created an economic-liberalism scale based on viewpoints on issues like government spending and taxation for the same respondents. Then they conducted a two-part experiment. In the first part of the experiment, they gave participants a short reading about how white people have more social power than other racial groups in America. (A control group did not get the white-privilege lesson.) In the second part, participants were told about a hypothetical man named Kevin who was down on his luck in New York City. Kevin was described as being raised by a single mother, a welfare recipient, and someone who had been in jail. However, they told one group that Kevin was a white man, while others heard he was black. How sympathetic did the people feel toward white Kevin vs. black Kevin? The results surprised the researchers. Cooley had wondered if teaching a liberal person about white privilege would increase their sympathy for a poor black person who doesnt benefit from it. But thats not what happened. Instead, what we found is that when liberals read about white privilege . . . it didnt significantly change how they empathized with a poor black person but it did significantly bump down their sympathy for a poor white person, she says. Cooleys finding suggests that lessons about white privilege could persuade social liberals to place greater personal blame on poor white people for their social circumstances, out of the belief that their privilege outweighs other social factors that could have brought them to their station in life. At the same time, according to this study, these lessons may not be the most effective way to encourage support for poor African Americans. So, how can we talk about racial inequality a very real phenomenon in the United States and the rest of the world without inadvertently causing people to have less sympathy for poor whites? According to Cooley, part of the answer lies in the difference between understanding individual reality and describing a statistical reality that exists on average. I do think that gets forgotten a lot, she says. If youre going to talk about white privilege, she argues, then it needs to be explicitly said that this doesnt mean that white people dont have individual struggles . . . because a lot of people hear it as that. She adds: If you compared any given poor white person to a poor person of color, would you necessarily be able to say one had it worse off than the other? No, of course not. If we can recognize these nuances, Cooleys work suggests, then it might help us to feel more empathy for everyone. More from National Review Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! This article is written for those who want to get better at using price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). We'll show how you can use Marshalls plc's (LON:MSLH) P/E ratio to inform your assessment of the investment opportunity. What is Marshalls's P/E ratio? Well, based on the last twelve months it is 24.9. That means that at current prices, buyers pay 24.9 for every 1 in trailing yearly profits. View our latest analysis for Marshalls How Do You Calculate A P/E Ratio? The formula for price to earnings is: Price to Earnings Ratio = Share Price Earnings per Share (EPS) Or for Marshalls: P/E of 24.9 = 6.55 0.26 (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2018.) Is A High Price-to-Earnings Ratio Good? A higher P/E ratio implies that investors pay a higher price for the earning power of the business. All else being equal, it's better to pay a low price -- but as Warren Buffett said, 'It's far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price.' How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios Probably the most important factor in determining what P/E a company trades on is the earnings growth. Earnings growth means that in the future the 'E' will be higher. Therefore, even if you pay a high multiple of earnings now, that multiple will become lower in the future. So while a stock may look expensive based on past earnings, it could be cheap based on future earnings. Most would be impressed by Marshalls earnings growth of 22% in the last year. And earnings per share have improved by 31% annually, over the last five years. This could arguably justify a relatively high P/E ratio. Does Marshalls Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry? One good way to get a quick read on what market participants expect of a company is to look at its P/E ratio. As you can see below, Marshalls has a higher P/E than the average company (15.9) in the basic materials industry. Story continues LSE:MSLH Price Estimation Relative to Market, May 29th 2019 That means that the market expects Marshalls will outperform other companies in its industry. The market is optimistic about the future, but that doesn't guarantee future growth. So further research is always essential. I often monitor director buying and selling. Don't Forget: The P/E Does Not Account For Debt or Bank Deposits Don't forget that the P/E ratio considers market capitalization. That means it doesn't take debt or cash into account. Theoretically, a business can improve its earnings (and produce a lower P/E in the future) by investing in growth. That means taking on debt (or spending its cash). Such spending might be good or bad, overall, but the key point here is that you need to look at debt to understand the P/E ratio in context. So What Does Marshalls's Balance Sheet Tell Us? Net debt totals just 2.9% of Marshalls's market cap. So it doesn't have as many options as it would with net cash, but its debt would not have much of an impact on its P/E ratio. The Bottom Line On Marshalls's P/E Ratio Marshalls's P/E is 24.9 which is above average (16.4) in the GB market. While the company does use modest debt, its recent earnings growth is very good. So on this analysis it seems reasonable that its P/E ratio is above average. Investors should be looking to buy stocks that the market is wrong about. People often underestimate remarkable growth -- so investors can make money when fast growth is not fully appreciated. So this free visualization of the analyst consensus on future earnings could help you make the right decision about whether to buy, sell, or hold. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with modest (or no) debt, trading on a P/E below 20. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. By Panarat Thepgumpanat and Panu Wongcha-um BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's main opposition Pheu Thai party on Wednesday urged other parties that contested a March election to reject a coalition offer by a pro-army party seeking to keep the ruling junta chief as prime minister. The appeal came as pro-junta Palang Pracharat's bid to cement a coalition government faltered when at least two of its presumed allies - the pro-establishment Democrat Party and Chart Thai Pattana - expressed new reservations and conditions. Negotiations are going on two months after the election, held nearly five years after the then-army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha seized power from a Pheu Thai government in 2014, the second military coup in a decade. Pheu Thai, which leads the seven-party Democratic Front alliance that has accused the junta of manipulating the election, seized on the two parties' reluctance and urged unity against military dominance of government. "It is not too late for any party to change their mind," said Pheu Thai's secretary-general Phumtham Wechayachai. No one party won a majority in the House of Representatives in the election, but Palang Pracharat has an advantage under junta-written electoral rules that require the 250-seat upper house Senate, appointed by the junta, to vote along with the 500-seat lower house for prime minister. That effectively gives Palang Pracharat a 250-seat advantage in the race to the 376 votes - a majority of members of both houses of parliament - it needs for its bid to ensure Prayuth stays on as prime minister. But in order to govern, a majority in the House of Representatives would be necessary. Palang Pracharat would need to ally with almost all the non-aligned parties to get the 251 seats it needs in the lower house. The Democrats - bitter opponents of Pheu Thai in the past - have said that amending the post-coup constitution would be a condition for joining any Palang Pracharat government, Democrat spokesman Rames Rattanachaweng said late on Tuesday. And Chart Thai Pattana member Varawut Silpa-archa also said that Palang Pracharat has not yet agreed to his party's unspecified conditions. "What we proposed has not been answered, Varawut said, adding, "If we are unable to join the Palang Pracharat coalition then we are ready to perform our legislative duty in parliament." Palang Pracharat's leader Uttama Savanayana told reporters on Wednesday that his party was willing to wait for agreement. "We are confident that we can still form a government but at this time we are talking about policies with other political parties as well as how to best use our personnel. At the end I believe a deal can be reached. (Writing by Kay Johnson; Editing by Robert Birsel) Public sector workers from multiple unions including the GMB, Unite and Unison march through central Southampton. The councils hardest hit by funding cuts have been revealed. BBC research for Panorama has identified 11 authorities the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (Cipfa) said would have "fully exhausted" reserves within four years unless they topped them up. The investigation was part of the networks Panorama programme - due to air on Wednesday. The worst hit council - Northamptonshire saw its unallocated reserves, meaning the money it has in the bank, fell by 91%. A demonstration against budget cuts in the Old Market Square, Nottingham. The list in full is Northamptonshire -91%, Somerset -73%, Rotherham -62%, Thurrock -58%, Croydon -55%, Stoke-on-Trent -55%, Sutton -46%, Isles of Scilly -46%, followed by Knowsley, Greenwich and Medway all -44%. The Local Government Association said councils faced "systemic underfunding". The government said councils were responsible for managing their funds. Councils have faced cuts to their government funding and rising demand for services such as social care, while MPs have warned children's services are at "breaking point". Public sector workers from multiple unions including the GMB, Unite and Unison march through central Southampton. Cash reserves - money held back for specific projects or emergencies, such as flooding - are seen as a measure of financial security. Between them the 152 major councils in England had 14bn in reserve in March 2018, 500m more than the year before but 400m less than in 2015. The BBC analysis of government data follows work by Cipfa, which published a "resilience" index of councils, but stopped short of naming those it warned were depleting reserves the fastest. The warning was based on the latest data available, comparing reserves as of March 2018 with March 2015. The analysis reveals which 11 of the 152 major English councils have used so much of their reserves since 2015 that Cipfa said they would run out within four years if spending patterns continued. Read more from Yahoo News UK Malaysia returns waste to Britain saying we are not a dumping ground Whatsapp is going to start showing adverts Could Amazons Alexa be about to get creepier Story continues A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokeswoman said: "We are investing in Britain's future, and this year's local government finance settlement includes extra funding for local services. "Local authorities will have access to 46.4 billion this year, a real terms increase that will strengthen services, support local communities and help councils meet the needs of their residents. The Government will be looking at funding for services as part of the Spending Review." Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK LAFAYETTE, La. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is meeting with Louisiana residents at risk when the Morganza Spillway opens Sunday, flooding thousands of acres of the Atchafalaya River Basin. The corps is preparing to divert 150,000 cubic feet of water per second from the Mississippi River starting Sunday after the river has been in flood stage for more than four months in parts of Louisiana. About 24,000 acres are expected to be flooded as the water is diverted from the Mississippi and into the Atchafalaya. Residents and landowners in the path of the expected floods were alerted about the possibility last week, and corps officials scheduled meetings with residents to address their concerns. St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars said the parish has been combating high water throughout most of the spring and has positioned resources to combat any potential flooding in the lower region. "Since March 4 through this weekend, we have distributed over 120,000 bags of sand, he said, admitting "the opening of the Morganza just makes our job a little bit more challenging. Most of the area expected to flood in St. Martin following the opening of the spillway is undeveloped, though its too early to say exactly where all the water will go, Cedars said. The Mississippi River has been prone to flooding this spring as heavy rainfall persisted across the Midwest. Eight states on the river have seen the longest flooding period since the Great Flood of 1927, per the National Weather Service. The river has been in flood stage in Baton Rouge since January as snowmelt and rainfall waters move downstream. Opening of the spillway is a chance to divert that water from the Mississippi River and keep it contained in the levied Atchafalaya River Basin, but that measure runs the risk of causing backwater flooding along the Atchafalaya, corps spokesperson Rickey Boyett said. There are cases where you do get backwater flooding having so much water in the basin, so there is a chance that you do experience backwater basically going around the levee system, and thats where the local parishes have taken measures," Boyett said. Follow Andrew Capps on Twitter: @JAndrewCapps This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Thousands of acres expected to flood as spillway opens in Louisiana Budapest (AFP) - Three people died and 16 were missing Wednesday after a river cruise boat capsized in Budapest and sank in the Danube, Hungarian public television said, quoting the interior ministry. The M1 channel said 15 people had been safely rescued following the accident near the iconic parliament building in the heart of the Hungarian capital after a collision with another boat. The accident happened at around 10:00 pm (2000 GMT). Divers were searching for the missing passengers, but heavy rain in recent weeks created high water levels, making it more difficult for them. The boat was carrying 32 passengers and two crew on a very popular part of the river for pleasure trips. Authorities blocked off access to the accident site, M1 reported. Rescue vehicles were crowded at the scene. Officials and police were not immediately available to provide further details about the incident. Tiffany Trump, far left, with her three siblings, step-mother Melania and father Donald. [Photo: Getty] Tiffany Trump has been spotted in London ahead of her father Donald Trumps state visit. She was photographed with boyfriend Michael Boulos, outside the capitals nightlife hotspot, Annabels, in Mayfair. But how much do we know about the US Presidents youngest daughter? Marla Maples, Donald Trump and a young Tiffany. [Photo: Getty] How old is Tiffany Trump? Tiffany Ariana Trump is 25 years old. She was born in Florida on 13 October 1993 and will turn 26 this year. This makes her star sign Libra. She has three older half-siblings, Donald Jr (41), Ivanka (37) and Eric (35), from Donalds first marriage to Ivana Trump. She also has a younger half-brother, Barron (13), from Donalds third and present wife, Melania. Tiffany Trump during New York Fashion Week in September 2018 [Photo: Getty] Tiffany Trump (far right) congratulates her father Donald Trump as he's sworn in as 45th President of the United States [Photo: Getty] Who is Tiffany Trumps mother? Tiffany is Donalds only child with his second wife, American actress and television personality Marla Maples. Donald and Marla married in December 1993 before divorcing in 1999. Tiffany lived at Trump Towers in her early years before her parents divorce. She was later raised by her mother in California. What does Tiffany Trump do? Tiffany holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pennyslvania, majoring in Sociology and Urban Studies. She is now a student at Georgetown Law in Washington, DC, where she began studying in 2017. As for her earlier career, Tiffany released a music single called Like a Bird in 2011. In 2015, she worked as a Vogue intern before modelling in a 2016 Andrew Warren fashion show during New York Fashion Week. What is Tiffanys relationship history? Tiffany is currently dating Michael Boulos, also 25, who studies finance at City University of London. Previously, she dated Ross Mechanic, whom she met during her undergraduate degree at University of Pennsylvania. Story continues The pair were pictured at Donalds inauguration in 2016, but broke up in 2017 when Tiffany moved to Washington D.C, according to Page Six. The couple met last summer at Lindsay Lohans nightclub in Mykonos, Greece, according to People. What is Tiffanys relationship like with Donald? While Tiffany has supported her father at some White House events, including the Easter services at Mar-a-lago. He has also featured in posts on her Instagram account. However, their relationship is increasingly strained since Donald became US President, according to People. Behind the scenes, Tiffanys already strained relationship with her father has hit new lows since he took office in January 2017, with the pair going months at a time without contact, a source told the publication, adding: She went a very long time without seeing him. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Colliers International Group Inc. (TSE:CIGI), which is in the real estate business, and is based in Canada, received a lot of attention from a substantial price movement on the TSX over the last few months, increasing to CA$93.47 at one point, and dropping to the lows of CA$81.96. Some share price movements can give investors a better opportunity to enter into the stock, and potentially buy at a lower price. A question to answer is whether Colliers International Group's current trading price of CA$83.5 reflective of the actual value of the mid-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Lets take a look at Colliers International Groups outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change. See our latest analysis for Colliers International Group What is Colliers International Group worth? Great news for investors Colliers International Group is still trading at a fairly cheap price. According to my valuation, the intrinsic value for the stock is CA$159.44, but it is currently trading at CA$83.50 on the share market, meaning that there is still an opportunity to buy now. Whats more interesting is that, Colliers International Groups share price is quite volatile, which gives us more chances to buy since the share price could sink lower (or rise higher) in the future. This is based on its high beta, which is a good indicator for how much the stock moves relative to the rest of the market. Can we expect growth from Colliers International Group? TSX:CIGI Past and Future Earnings, May 29th 2019 Investors looking for growth in their portfolio may want to consider the prospects of a company before buying its shares. Buying a great company with a robust outlook at a cheap price is always a good investment, so lets also take a look at the company's future expectations. In the upcoming year, Colliers International Groups earnings are expected to increase by 28%, indicating a highly optimistic future ahead. This should lead to more robust cash flows, feeding into a higher share value. Story continues What this means for you: Are you a shareholder? Since CIGI is currently undervalued, it may be a great time to accumulate more of your holdings in the stock. With an optimistic outlook on the horizon, it seems like this growth has not yet been fully factored into the share price. However, there are also other factors such as financial health to consider, which could explain the current undervaluation. Are you a potential investor? If youve been keeping an eye on CIGI for a while, now might be the time to enter the stock. Its prosperous future outlook isnt fully reflected in the current share price yet, which means its not too late to buy CIGI. But before you make any investment decisions, consider other factors such as the track record of its management team, in order to make a well-informed buy. Price is just the tip of the iceberg. Dig deeper into what truly matters the fundamentals before you make a decision on Colliers International Group. You can find everything you need to know about Colliers International Group in the latest infographic research report. If you are no longer interested in Colliers International Group, you can use our free platform to see my list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Let's talk about the popular The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TRV). The company's shares saw a decent share price growth in the teens level on the NYSE over the last few months. As a large-cap stock with high coverage by analysts, you could assume any recent changes in the companys outlook is already priced into the stock. However, could the stock still be trading at a relatively cheap price? Today I will analyse the most recent data on Travelers Companiess outlook and valuation to see if the opportunity still exists. See our latest analysis for Travelers Companies What's the opportunity in Travelers Companies? According to my valuation model, Travelers Companies seems to be fairly priced at around 17% below my intrinsic value, which means if you buy Travelers Companies today, youd be paying a reasonable price for it. And if you believe that the stock is really worth $176.85, then there isnt much room for the share price grow beyond what its currently trading. Is there another opportunity to buy low in the future? Since Travelers Companiess share price is quite volatile, we could potentially see it sink lower (or rise higher) in the future, giving us another chance to buy. This is based on its high beta, which is a good indicator for how much the stock moves relative to the rest of the market. What does the future of Travelers Companies look like? NYSE:TRV Past and Future Earnings, May 29th 2019 Investors looking for growth in their portfolio may want to consider the prospects of a company before buying its shares. Although value investors would argue that its the intrinsic value relative to the price that matter the most, a more compelling investment thesis would be high growth potential at a cheap price. With profit expected to grow by a double-digit 16% over the next couple of years, the outlook is positive for Travelers Companies. It looks like higher cash flow is on the cards for the stock, which should feed into a higher share valuation. Story continues What this means for you: Are you a shareholder? TRVs optimistic future growth appears to have been factored into the current share price, with shares trading around its fair value. However, there are also other important factors which we havent considered today, such as the track record of its management team. Have these factors changed since the last time you looked at the stock? Will you have enough conviction to buy should the price fluctuates below the true value? Are you a potential investor? If youve been keeping an eye on TRV, now may not be the most optimal time to buy, given it is trading around its fair value. However, the positive outlook is encouraging for the company, which means its worth further examining other factors such as the strength of its balance sheet, in order to take advantage of the next price drop. Price is just the tip of the iceberg. Dig deeper into what truly matters the fundamentals before you make a decision on Travelers Companies. You can find everything you need to know about Travelers Companies in the latest infographic research report. If you are no longer interested in Travelers Companies, you can use our free platform to see my list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW) saw significant share price movement during recent months on the NYSE, rising to highs of $158.33 and falling to the lows of $140.65. Some share price movements can give investors a better opportunity to enter into the stock, and potentially buy at a lower price. A question to answer is whether Illinois Tool Works's current trading price of $142.39 reflective of the actual value of the large-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Lets take a look at Illinois Tool Workss outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change. View our latest analysis for Illinois Tool Works What is Illinois Tool Works worth? According to my valuation model, Illinois Tool Works seems to be fairly priced at around 9.14% above my intrinsic value, which means if you buy Illinois Tool Works today, youd be paying a relatively fair price for it. And if you believe that the stock is really worth $130.47, theres only an insignificant downside when the price falls to its real value. Is there another opportunity to buy low in the future? Since Illinois Tool Workss share price is quite volatile, we could potentially see it sink lower (or rise higher) in the future, giving us another chance to buy. This is based on its high beta, which is a good indicator for how much the stock moves relative to the rest of the market. What kind of growth will Illinois Tool Works generate? NYSE:ITW Past and Future Earnings, May 29th 2019 Investors looking for growth in their portfolio may want to consider the prospects of a company before buying its shares. Buying a great company with a robust outlook at a cheap price is always a good investment, so lets also take a look at the company's future expectations. With profit expected to grow by a double-digit 11% over the next couple of years, the outlook is positive for Illinois Tool Works. It looks like higher cash flow is on the cards for the stock, which should feed into a higher share valuation. Story continues What this means for you: Are you a shareholder? It seems like the market has already priced in ITWs positive outlook, with shares trading around its fair value. However, there are also other important factors which we havent considered today, such as the financial strength of the company. Have these factors changed since the last time you looked at the stock? Will you have enough confidence to invest in the company should the price drop below its fair value? Are you a potential investor? If youve been keeping an eye on ITW, now may not be the most advantageous time to buy, given it is trading around its fair value. However, the positive outlook is encouraging for the company, which means its worth further examining other factors such as the strength of its balance sheet, in order to take advantage of the next price drop. Price is just the tip of the iceberg. Dig deeper into what truly matters the fundamentals before you make a decision on Illinois Tool Works. You can find everything you need to know about Illinois Tool Works in the latest infographic research report. If you are no longer interested in Illinois Tool Works, you can use our free platform to see my list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. SheKnows Its not the holidays without Heidi Klum getting a little bit cheeky with all of her followers and she certainly delivered! The supermodel shared a series of flirtatious butt-baring photos on her Instagram account that hints at a very romantic Christmas for her and husband Tom Kaulitz. The first photo has Klum draped in [] Missed the the most recent top news in Dallas? Read on for everything you need to know. Funeral held in Dallas for murdered transgender woman Muhlaysia Booker Muhlaysia Booker, the transgender woman who was shot and killed in East Dallas 10 days ago, will be laid to rest today. Read the full story on CBS Houston. Construction worker dies after car hits him in Dallas A construction worker died at the hospital after he was struck by a car near the intersection of West Kiest Boulevard and Mountain Creek Parkway. Read the full story on CBS DFW. Massive fire destroys historic Ambassador Hotel in Dallas Authorities say it took 100 firefighters to put out the 4-alarm fire. Read the full story on ABC Houston, KTRK. This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. At the start of the May 9 Lubec school board meeting, Chairman Michael Jenkins looked over the standingroom-only crowd and asked how many wanted to speak during the public participation portion of the meeting. When a large number of hands went up, he announced a threeminute limit on each speaker, stating, "Personal attacks on any board member will not be tolerated." One by one, most participants asked the board to reconsider the decision, reached during the April 25 meeting, to deny special education teacher Eleody Libby's reappointment. This decision, as previously reported, followed board member's Stephani Teslow's questioning of Libby's credentials, insisting that she was "the least qualified" of applicants for that position. AOS Superintendent Kenneth Johnson observed at that time that Libby, according to the Maine Department of Education, had passed all required tests and is "fully certified." The first speaker read a petition, signed by all of the teachers at the Lubec Elementary School, asking the board to reconsider the denial. A series of speakers rose in support of Libby, including Sean Brailey, District 12 director of the Maine Education Association, who pointed out the statewide difficulty in hiring qualified special education teachers. No member of the public spoke in support of the denial, although two brought up unrelated subjects. Resident Heather Tenan requested permission to read a letter from Marianne Gallant, former mentor for Libby. When she was granted permission, the letter was read to the board and the public and became part of the record. It stated that Gallant, as a "certified mentor through the Washington County Regional Support System for first and second year teachers," had observed Libby's conduct during classroom sessions and had followed her educational process, and supported Libby's confirmation. Gallant's letter stated, "In January 2019, after successful completion of all state requirements, Eleody was awarded a professional certificate" and "is currently enrolling in classes towards her master's degree." Libby currently holds a business degree, with a major in public administration. Teacher Debbie Bousquet spoke in support of Libby, repeated Brailey's concerns about recruitment of special education teachers and suggested that "other concerns" were behind the board's position on Libby. Former school board member Danielle Caricofe observed that "it's not a personnel issue, it's a process issue." When Selectman Joanne H. Case addressed the board, asking that the matter "be put back in discussion," Jenkins asked Johnson whether it would be possible to add an executive session to the agenda. Johnson pointed out that since the board had not yet considered whether to add to or amend the agenda that it was possible. Board member Melissa Lee moved for the addition, and Ariane Savage seconded it. The motion passed 311, with Jenkins voting no and Teslow abstaining. This was the second vote in two successive meetings where a board member has abstained from casting a vote. According to the Lubec town charter, selectmen are not permitted to abstain except "when legally required to do so due to conflict of interest." However, no such prohibition exists for the school board. It was Savage's abstention during the April 25 meeting that ultimately supported Teslow's position, as there were only two votes supporting Libby's confirmation, thus not a majority of the five-person board. According to Lubec resident Peter Boyce, a member of the 1995 committee that produced the current Lubec town charter, the prohibition on abstaining from voting was not extended to include the school board, as the town is part of a school administrative district (SAD) and is thus not subject to town governance. Lubec, he points out, is one of only a few singletown SADs; in the case of Lubec that was done to accommodate students from Trescott. The designation stands despite the county decision several years ago to send local unorganized territory students to Edmunds, eliminating the need for the SAD status. This is confirmed by Superintendent Johnson, who points out that instead of a "12- to 15-page charter" like most towns have, a SAD is governed by Maine education law "in a fourinch thick binder." Johnson confirms that in contrast to many towns, the state does not disallow vote abstention, but does urge an explanation for that act. According to Johnson, the 20-minute executive session, held just prior to the adjournment, concluded with "no action." When asked whether that meant the matter was settled, he replied, "Maybe not yet." In an interview, Libby says she "was blindsided" and questioned whether the decision was based "on issues and board position that I hold in the community which have no bearing on my job performance and qualifications as a special education teacher." She further questioned, based on her prior experience as a school board member, "if there was an issue with me, why was I not notified? They have a chain of command" to deal with personnel issues. The issue currently is not on the agenda for the next meeting, set for Thursday, May 30. Here's the most recent top news you may have missed in Jacksonville. Lightning sparks fire at NAS Jacksonville hangar Lightning started a fire at a hangar at Naval Air Station Jacksonville on Tuesday afternoon, but Navy and Jacksonville Fire-Rescue got the fire out quickly. Read the full story on News 4 JAX. Final Jacksonville Landing tenants pack with uncertain future The time is ticking for some of the Jacksonville Landings final tenants to move out. Read the full story on News 4 JAX. Jacksonville woman says she was scammed by a fake travel agency Larriesha Davis said she and her five friends paid close to $2,000 to a woman claiming to be a travel agent, but her trip was never booked. Read the full story on FIRST COAST NEWS. Jacksonville armed robbery suspect arrested by US marshals in Arizona A man who had been on the run for more than a year was captured by U.S. marshals in Arizona, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office announced Tuesday night. Read the full story on News 4 JAX. Jacksonville City Council selects new leaders for next year Two members of the Jacksonville City Council who won reelection this spring won a different type of election Tuesday, as they were chosen to lead the council in the coming year. Read the full story on News 4 JAX. This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. Missed the the most recent top news in Orlando? Read on for everything you need to know. Ariana Grande postpones this week's Orlando and Tampa concerts In news that will no doubt disappoint Orlando's Arianators, Ariana Grande has postponed her two Central Florida shows, originally set for tonight in Tampa and Wednesday in Orlando. Read the full story on Orlando Weekly. Popular wedding and event venue in Orlando set to close A popular wedding and event venue in downtown Orlando is closing its doors for good come November 3. Read the full story on News 6 WKMG. Shooting victim found lying on Orlando sidewalk Police say a man was shot and critically wounded in Orlando. Read the full story on News 6 WKMG. Orlando officers credited with saving veteran's life on Memorial Day Members of the Orlando Police Department are being credited with saving the life of an Air Force veteran who suffered from a medical emergency on Memorial Day. Read the full story on News 6 WKMG. This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. Photo: iStock Here's what you need to know about what's happening in San Diego. Sea lion pup with head stuck in divers swim mask is rescued at San Diego County beach A rescue team from SeaWorld helped save a sea lion pup found with a diver's swim mask wrapped around his neck at a northern San Diego County beach on Tuesday. Read the full story on KTLA 5 News. Big cat attacks boy, 4, on San Diego hiking trail A four-year-old boy was attacked by a possible mountain lion Monday afternoon, according to San Diego Fire-Rescue. Read the full story on NBC LA. Power outage leaves nearly 2,000 in the dark in San Diego Nearly 2,000 people are without power following an outage in several San Diego neighborhoods. Read the full story on 10News ABC San Diego KGTV. Homicide investigation underway after man fatally stabbed in East Village - Times of San Diego Homicide detectives Tuesday were investigating a stabbing that left a man dead in downtown San Diego's East Village neighborhood. Read the full story on Times of San Diego. CEO sentenced to 9 years for providing encrypted cell phones to drug traffickers - Times of San Diego The CEO of a telecommunications retailer was sentenced to nine years in prison for providing encrypted cell phones to drug traffickers. Read the full story on Times of San Diego. This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. Missed the the most recent top news in Santa Ana? Read on for everything you need to know. Man suspected of killing wife was already facing charges of raping her A 25-year-old Santa Ana man arrested Friday on suspicion of killing his wife was already facing charges of raping her, according to court records obtained Tuesday. Read the full story on NBC LA. Quinceanera dance instructor charged with sexually abusing student | OC Weekly A Santa Ana dance instructor who prepped teens for quinceanera routines now stands accused of more than teaching them how to waltz. Read the full story on OC Weekly. Man shot in downtown Santa Ana - MyNewsLA.com A man was shot in the leg in downtown Santa Ana and the suspect is at large, authorities said Tuesday. The shooting was at 11:43 p.m. Monday in the 500 block of South Broadway, Santa Ana police Commander M. Moreno said. Read the full story on MyNewsLA. This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. Photo: Nitish Meena/Unsplash Missed the the most recent top news in Seattle? Read on for everything you need to know. Whale struck by ferry in Seattle's Elliott Bay The Washington State Ferry system reported a whale was struck by a ferry in Seattle's Elliott Bay on Tuesday evening. Read the full story on KING5. 'People for Seattle' group wants to sway Seattle City Council elections A group called "People for Seattle" has formed with the goal of changing the culture of the Seattle City Council. Read the full story on KING5. Seattle police emphasis patrols will continue Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan says a new effort to fight crime wont end now that the month of May is nearly over. Some thought the police emphasis patrols that were launched in seven city neighborhoods at the beginning of May would end after 30 days. Read the full story on KOMO News . Seattle officials call for tougher gun laws after shooting that injured mom and baby A shooting in South Seattle that injured at least three people is the latest example of the need for tougher gun laws, councilmembers said Tuesday. Read the full story on KING5. This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. Monies from a penalty assessed for discharge violations into the St. Croix River by Woodland Pulp will be used to help reduce the amount of untreated wastewater and stormwater entering the river from Calais. On April 30 Woodland Pulp and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Attorney General's Office signed a consent agreement for numerous violations dating back to 2013. The $64,000 that was assessed as a penalty by the DEP will instead be paid to the City of Calais for the completion of projects to reduce inflow and infiltration into the city's sewer system. Those projects will reduce the volume of untreated wastewater and stormwater entering the river from the city. State law allows for a company, instead of paying a penalty to the state, to provide funding for an environmental project that benefits the local area. The project was undertaken in connection with the settlement of the enforcement action taken by the DEP for violations of Maine's Protection and Improvement of Waters law. Scott Beal, spokesman for Woodland Pulp, comments, "When we learned of the possibility of funding this project for our neighboring community of Calais, we at Woodland Pulp were very happy to support this project, as it is related to improving water quality of the St. Croix River and was supportive of a local environmental improvement project." The violations include discharges that exceeded the company's license limits for zinc, copper, cadmium, tetrochlorodibenzofuran, silver and wastewater temperature. They also include 23 discharges of effluent, leachate, wastewater or other pollutants to state waters or the ground. Those discharges included: 128,000 gallons of primary treated effluent to a stream leading to the St. Croix in March 2015; more than a million gallons of cooling water to the spill containment area in March 2015; 2.9 million gallons of effluent, with a million gallons discharged to the St. Croix, in September 2016; 1.18 million gallons of effluent, with 90,000 gallons discharged to the St. Croix, in September 2016; 800,000 gallons of leachate and stormwater to the ground and Airline Stream in April 2017; and 530,000 gallons of effluent to a spill pond and waters leading to the St. Croix in August 2018. Beal points out that some of the violations listed "had a greater impact than others, such as events that involved the main effluent force main." Brian Kavanah, director of the DEP's Bureau of Water Quality, agrees that the discharge of effluent was the most serious violation. He explains that the agency has a variety of tools for addressing noncompliance by a company -- from warnings, to letters of violation, to consent agreements with a penalty -- based on the severity or duration of the violations. Lower-level tools would have been used for earlier violations, but if there are a certain number of violations or they are similar in nature "we get to a point where we need to take a penalty action" to clear the record for violations that can be over a period of time. The number and nature of the violations are not uncommon for a large industrial facility over a fairly long time, he says. Along with the payment to the City of Calais, the company must by the end of this year replace a force main to the secondary treatment lagoon and submit a plan for repair or replacement of its secondary treated effluent return line. Woodland Pulp already has been taking steps to prevent future discharge violations, with Beal pointing out that the company spent over $2 million late last year to replace 2,000 feet of effluent pipeline that runs across Route 1. He adds, "This spring, we're on course to spend several million dollars more to replace the remaining 6,000 feet of effluent force main to the secondary wastewater lagoons." LAWRENCE, Kansas A two-week barrage of tornadoes that's ravaged much of the Midwest left this university town reeling Wednesday after tearing apart dozens of homes and businesses and injuring at least 15 people. The latest wave of severe weather wreaked havoc Tuesday all the way to Pennsylvania, where Caernarvon Township Police Chief John Scalia said no injuries were reported but confirmed that "we have devastation." Tornado watches and warnings were in effect Wednesday in several states from Texas and Arkansas to Pennsylvania. The Fort Worth area in Texas was among areas where conditions appeared primed for the worst. "Tornado threat continues across the warned area," the National Weather Service in Fort Worth tweeted Wednesday afternoon. "There have been reports of funnels as well as golf ball size hail. Seek shelter immediately!" The Weather Service in Fort Worth reported one funnel moving toward the northeast in southern Denton county, just north of the Dallas-Forth Worth area Wednesday afternoon. Tuesday marked the 12th straight day that at least eight tornadoes were reported to the National Weather Service. Twisters have killed at least 10 people during that time. In Lawrence, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said three of the injuries from their tornado were serious. However, "we are happy to report that no fatalities have been reported," the sheriff's office said on Twitter. Downed power lines, trees and debris blocked off roads in and around Lawrence, the home to the University of Kansas, about 40 miles west of Kansas City. Billy and Julie Brumley, both 59, picked through the wreckage of their bedroom Wednesday, the roof and two walls ripped away. Billy Brumley recalled being alone in the home when the storm hit rushing to the basement, lying face down with a blanket pulled over his body as the storm roared overhead. "I thought I was going to die," Brumley said. Story continues Vic and Colleen Strnad had spent several minutes hunkered beneath their basement stairs, hands over their heads, as the twister slammed through their Shank Hill neighborhood. Colleen Strnad, 68, recalled hearing the winds pick up above them and the sounds of shattering glass. The power was still out Wednesday and their home of 40 years will need substantial repairs, but the couple were thankful it was still standing. Power lines hung low over their street, and utility trucks were lining up a few miles away. A neighbor lost the second floor of the family's home. A trampoline was overturned in a nearby tangle of trees. Vic Strnad, 71, pointed to a mangled 6-foot-tall decorative windmill sitting in a neighbors ditch. Before the storm, the windmill was on display in Strnads yard. You want me to come get my windmill? Strnad asked the neighbor with a laugh. Nah, I think itll be OK, he responded, waving him off with a chuckle before returning his attention to his own mangled home. The storm spared the immediate Kansas City metro area, but travelers at Kansas City International Airport took shelter in parking garage tunnels as a precaution. Air traffic controllers delayed all flights until just after midnight local time. "We apologize for the inconvenience," the airport said in a tweet at 12:20 a.m. Wednesday. "A tornado destroyed homes and businesses miles away & debris rained down onto the airport. Our crews had to clean it up in order to be safe." A destroyed home sits in a neighborhood after it was hit by a tornado on Tuesday, May 28, 2019, south of Lawrence, Kan., near US-59 highway and N. 1000 Road. As the system moved into Missouri, the Weather Service urged residents of areas such as Excelsior Estates and Mosby to take shelter from confirmed tornadoes. Damage reports were not immediately available, but about 13,000 customers lost power throughout the state. The White House issued a state of emergency in 18 Kansas counties Tuesday evening. The tornado sightings are part of a massive severe weather system mostly positioned in the central United States. Preliminary reports show 28 tornadoes struck mainly Kansas and Missouri on Tuesday, the Storm Prediction Center said. But the East has not been entirely spared. On Monday, tornadoes reached into Ohio, killing one person, injuring several more and causing severe damage to neighborhoods. Almost 40,000 homes and businesses remained without power Wednesday morning. On Tuesday, tornado warnings reached as far east as Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York and New Jersey. In northern New Jersey, fierce storms pounded the region with torrential rains, some hail and a tornado that damaged Lenape Valley Regional High School in Stanhope. The National Weather Service confirmed that a tornado hit eastern Pennsylvania, and a team was sent to Morgantown in Berks County to survey the damage and determine its strength. County emergency officials reported structural damage to about 20 properties. "We are very, very lucky and blessed," Scalia said. "When you drive around and see the destruction, you realize how lucky we are that nobody was hurt." Bacon reported from McLean, Va. Contributing: Kristin Lam, USA TODAY; Jasmine Vaughn-Hall, York Daily Record; William Westhoven, Morristown Daily Record; The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Seek shelter immediately!': Texas braces as tornadoes continue assault on nation WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump will not decide until next year whether he will extend a nuclear treaty with Russia, a White House aide said on Wednesday. Extending the New START treaty is under discussion within the administration "and a decision the president will make next year," Tim Morrison, a director at the National Security Council, said at an arms control forum hosted by the Hudson Institute. Trump has criticized the treaty, which sets limits on the number of nuclear weapons Russia and the United States can have. But supporters of the accord say it is important because it created a monitoring regime to verify compliance. (Reporting by Jonathan Landay; Writing by Makini Brice) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan discussed bilateral trade issues and Turkey's decision to buy a Russian missile system in a phone call on Thursday, the White House said. "The two leaders discussed a number of bilateral issues, including their shared desire to increase trade, the president's decision to reduce steel tariffs on Turkey from 50% to 25%, Turkey's planned purchase of the S-400 missile defense system, and the opportunity to continue the discussion during the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, next month," White House spokesman Judd Deere said in a statement. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Richard Chang) Donald Trump will return on Tuesday from his red carpet trip to Japan facing severe criticism after he endorsed remarks made by North Korea mocking his US national security adviser John Bolton and 2020 rival Joe Biden, rather than take Pyongyang to task for defying UN Security Council resolutions on missile testing. Kim Jong-un is a murderous dictator and Vice-President Biden served this country honourably, 2020 challenger Pete Buttigieg responded after President Trump responded to Mr Kims suggestion that Mr Biden was a low IQ individual by saying: He probably is, based on his record. I think I agree with him on that. Touching down in Washington, the president is also expected to continue facing calls for his impeachment by Democrats in the House of Representatives. While there is a growing push for impeachment proceedings, top Democratic leadership have remained skeptical about the mesaure and any successful impeachment would almost surely be struck down in the Senate. Please allow a moment for our liveblog to load Alleged Russian ISIS member extradited from Belgium flickr.com/ 11:46 29/05/2019 MOSCOW, May 29 (RAPSI) Belgium has extradited wanted Russian citizen Immampashi Akhmadov charged with participating in terrorist activities in Syria, the Federal Security Services Public Relations Centre reports Wednesday. According to the Russian security service, in 2014, Akhmadov espousing ideas of radical Islam joined the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist organization banned in Russia and took part in the warfare against Syrian governmental forces. Russia put him on the international wanted list. The man was arrested in Belgium in June 2018 and placed in custody expecting extradition. Later, Belgian authorities granted Russias request for Akhmadovs extradition, the statement reads. Currently, the defendant is in Russian detention. Investigation is ongoing. ISTANBUL, May 29 (Reuters) - Turkish police said on Wednesday they had detained the leaders of what they called Europe's biggest people-smuggling ring, which helped thousands of irregular immigrants reach Europe from the Middle East. Twenty people, including ringleader Akbar Omar Tawfeeq, were detained in operations in four Turkish provinces after a year-long investigation into the organization, Istanbul police said. The network mainly helped Afghan, Iraqi and Syrian nationals cross into European countries from Turkey by land and sea, police said, adding that the group had also worked with other smuggling groups in Ukraine, Italy and Greece. As part of the operations, police detained 569 irregular immigrants and seized six vehicles and six boats, they said in a statement. The smuggling group, whose leaders are mainly from northern Iraq, earned an average 2 million euros annually. Video footage released by police showed special operations police breaking down the door of the suspects' residence and seizing phones, drugs and digital material. More than a million migrants and refugees, many fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East and Africa, arrived in the European Union in 2015. Turkey was one of the main launch points for the dangerous sea leg of their journey, on which thousands died. Numbers declined sharply in the following year when Turkey, in exchange for 3 billion euros in European Union aid and a promise to ease visa restrictions for Turks, began to exert more control on migrants trying to cross to Europe via its territory. Overall Mediterranean arrivals to the European Union, including migrants making the longer and more perilous crossing from north Africa to Italy, stood at 172,301 in 2017, down from 362,753 in 2016 and 1,015,078 in 2015, according to U.N. data. (Reporting by Ali Kucukgocmen Editing by Dominic Evans and Frances Kerry) ISTANBUL, May 29 (Reuters) - Turkey has released from prison U.S.-Turkish former NASA scientist Serkan Golge, his wife told Reuters on Wednesday, in a step that could lead to an easing in relations with Washington. Golge was found guilty of being a member of an armed terrorist organization earlier this year and sentenced to seven years, six months in prison. Two U.S. senators last month introduced a bipartisan bill requiring the imposition of sanctions on Turkish officials responsible for the detentions of U.S. citizens and local consulate staff in Turkey, a statement on the legislation said. (Reporting by Ali Kucukgocmen Editing by Frances Kerry) By Ali Kucukgocmen ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey has released Turkish-American, former NASA scientist Serkan Golge from jail with conditions, according to a court ruling seen by Reuters on Wednesday, in a step that could lead to an easing of tensions in Ankara's relations with Washington. Golge was earlier this year found guilty of being a member of an armed terrorist organization and sentenced to seven and a half years in prison. His sentence was later reduced to five years by an appeals court and he was found guilty of aiding a terrorist organization instead of being a member of one. Golge has always denied the charges against him. Turkey's Court of Cassation, a higher appeals court, upheld Golge's sentence for aiding a terrorist organization, but ruled to release him due to time he has already served, according to the verdict, seen by Reuters. He was released under judicial control, according to the ruling, meaning he is not allowed to leave the country and will have to regularly report to local authorities. Golge was visiting family in southern Turkey when he was arrested in the sweeping crackdown that followed a failed military coup in 2016 which the government blames on supporters of exiled Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who lives in the United States. Gulen has denied any involvement. Cases against U.S. consulate employees and citizens in Turkey on terrorism charges have been a major source of disagreement between the NATO allies. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus welcomed Golge's conditional release. "We will continue to follow Mr. Golge's case closely along with those involving our own locally employed staff at mission Turkey," she said. "We will continue to provide all appropriate consular services to Mr. Golge, including making sure he can return home as soon as possible. Washington had been urging Turkey to release Golge and other detainees. His wife, Kubra Golge, said she was surprised but happy at the decision. With the move, Golge's unjust treatment due to the long time he spent in jail has ended, said Ali Bilgin, one of his lawyers. "The process against the upheld verdict will be continued with the Constitutional Court and the European Court of Human Rights," he said in a statement. Two U.S. senators last month introduced a bipartisan bill requiring the imposition of sanctions on Turkish officials responsible for the detentions of U.S. citizens and local consulate staff in Turkey, a statement on the legislation said. One U.S. consulate employee was sentenced to jail in January, but was released due to time served during his trial. The cases of two other consulate employees are ongoing. Turkey and the United States are at odds over several other issues, including Ankara's push to purchase Russian S-400 missile defense systems and policy differences in Syria. Ankara has demanded that the United States extradite Gulen, who it accuses of orchestrating the coup attempt. (Reporting by Ali Kucukgocmen in Ankara and David Brunnstrom in Washington; editing by Frances Kerry, Alison Williams and G Crosse) Washington (AFP) - Turkey on Wednesday released a NASA scientist with dual US-Turkish citizenship whose nearly three-year detention had soured relations, but the NATO allies remained divided over issues including Ankara's purchase of a Russian missile system. Serkan Golge, a naturalized US citizen working for the US space agency in Houston, was arrested in July 2016 on a visit back to Turkey in the aftermath of a failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkish authorities charged Golge with ties to self-exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Erdogan accused of orchestrating the mutiny. Golge was sentenced in 2018 to seven and a half years in prison despite US State Department protests that there was no credible evidence. His wife, Kubra Golge, expressed joy at his release but said that he remained banned from traveling outside Turkey. "We are happy but he still rejects the charges against him," she told AFP by email. "Hope we can come back soon to the US." State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said that the United States would press for Golge to be able to return to the United States "as soon as possible." "We want to commend them for doing the right thing today by releasing him," Ortagus told reporters. "We think it's welcome news." Ortagus said that the United States was still seeking the release of detained local employees of US diplomatic missions in Turkey. Golge was freed shortly after Erdogan spoke by telephone with US President Donald Trump, although an official summary by Turkey did not mention discussion of the Golge case. Turkey in October also released an American pastor caught up in the crackdown, Andrew Brunson. His case had become a cause celebre among the conservative Christian base of Trump, who pressed Turkey through tariffs that sent the lira currency into a tailspin. - Rift over missile deal - Golge's case had triggered growing anger in the United States. A bipartisan group of senators recently introduced a bill seeking sanctions on Turkish officials involved in the detention of US citizens, saying that Ankara's actions did not befit a NATO ally. Story continues But Turkey still is at risk of US sanctions over its purchase of Russia's S-400 missile defense system. Washington is pressing Ankara to instead buy the US Patriot equivalent. Erdogan has said the S-400 purchase was a "done deal" but in the phone call with Trump reiterated an offer to form a joint working group on the decision, according to the Turkish president's office. The State Department voiced appreciation for Turkey as an ally but reiterated concerns about the deal, which US officials say could help Russia hone its system to target US hardware used by NATO. "We're willing to engage with the Turkish government but our position remains the same that Turkey will face very real and very negative consequences if it completes the delivery of the S-400," Ortagus said. The United States has already suspended Turkey's participation in the F-35 fighter jet program, in which Turkey had invested $1 billion. Washington and Ankara have also clashed over Syria, with Trump promising to pull out all 2,000 US troops from the war-battered nation following a December phone conversation with Erdogan. Trump has since slowed down the withdrawal partly because his aides fear that Turkey will use the absence of US troops to strike Syrian Kurdish fighters. The forces helped defeat extremists from the Islamic State group, but Ankara associates them with separatists at home. ANKARA, May 29 (Reuters) - The European Union's enlargement report on Turkey does not accurately asses the current situation in the country and it is not possible to accept the unfair criticism it offers, Deputy Foreign Minister Faruk Kaymakci said on Wednesday. In the report released earlier in the day, the EU said there has been "further serious backsliding" in Turkey's judicial system and sharply criticized the country on a range of issues from human rights to economic policy. Turkey will carefully note constructive criticism in the report, Kaymakci said, adding that Ankara expects its European allies to support its fight against security threats. (Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu and Ece Toksabay Writing by Ali Kucukgocmen) By Tom Miles GENEVA, May 29 (Reuters) - Turkey must release two men detained over suspected links to a cleric blamed for a 2016 coup attempt and pay them compensation for arbitrary detention, a U.N. body said on Wednesday. Academic Ismet Ozcelik and school principal Turgay Karaman were deported in 2017 from Malaysia to Turkey, where they were accused of ties to the network of Fethullah Gulen, a cleric who Ankara says sought an uprising the previous year. President Tayyip Erdogan's government has jailed more than 77,000 people pending trial since the 2016 coup attempt and widespread arrests are still routine in a crackdown critics say demonstrates growing autocracy in Turkey. U.S.-based Gulen and his followers deny coup-plotting. Saying it had violated the two Turkish men's freedoms, the U.N. Human Rights Committee gave Turkish authorities 180 days to comply with its ruling. But it lacks any enforcement authority. "The State party is obligated ... to release the authors (of the complaint) and provide them with adequate compensation for the violations suffered," the committee's report on the case said, noting that Turkey's membership of an international rights covenant required it to act and provide "effective remedy." Turkey had sought an exemption due to its state of emergency and the "serious and complex" nature of the pair's alleged crimes, but the committee rejected that, saying it failed to explain how they posed a threat. There was no immediate reaction from Ankara to the report. Since the failed coup attempt three years ago, Turkish authorities have demanded the extradition of various people suspected of links to Gulens network. While some countries, including Kosovo and Pakistan as well as Malaysia, have complied, others have refused. Last year, six Turkish nationals were arrested and deported from Kosovo at Ankara's request, in a move that led to Kosovo's prime minister sacking his interior ministry. Story continues In Pakistan, authorities deported a former director of a chain of private Turkish schools and his family to Turkey over alleged Gulen links in 2017. Ozcelik and Karaman had lived in Malaysia for 13 years before their deportation. The U.N. committee said Karaman was the head of Time International School, an institution inspired by Gulen's teachings. His Hizmet movement runs some 2,000 educational establishments worldwide. Gulen has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennyslvania since 1999. (Reporting by Tom Miles in Geneva, Tuvan Gumrukcu in Ankara; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne) ISTANBUL (AP) Serkan Golge, a Turkish-American scientist imprisoned in Turkey for nearly three years, has been released. Morgan Ortagus, a U.S. State Department spokeswoman, welcomed the decision but declined to discuss why he was released. However, she told reporters Wednesday it was the "right thing to do." Golge was on a family visit in southern Turkey when he was arrested in the aftermath of a failed coup, which Turkey blames on U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen. Golge was convicted in February 2018 for membership in a terror group and sentenced to 7 1/2 years, subsequently reduced to five by the appeals court. His wife Kubra Golge told The Associated Press that she spoke on the phone with him upon his release and that he was very happy. Golge denies links to Gulen's network. By Andrew Hay (Reuters) - An Arizona activist charged with harboring two undocumented migrants faces trial on Wednesday in a case likely to set a precedent over what aid U.S. citizens can give to illegal border crossers. U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested Scott Warren in a January 2018 raid near Ajo, Arizona after they found two migrants hiding in the shower of a ramshackle building used by humanitarian groups. The 36-year old faces two felony counts of harboring the undocumented migrants and one felony count of conspiracy to transport the two men. The university geography instructor could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of all charges. Warren was indicted after former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions instructed prosecutors to prioritize cases involving the harboring of migrants. The crackdown was part of President Donald Trump's "zero-tolerance" policies meant to deter illegal immigration. Warren is a volunteer for No More Deaths, a faith-based group providing water, food and medical aid to migrants in the harsh deserts of southern Arizona. Over 3,000 undocumented migrants have died since 2001 trying to cross the area where temperatures can exceed 115 Fahrenheit (46 Celsius), according to Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner data. Warren was arrested the same day No More Deaths published a video showing U.S. Border Patrol agents destroying water supplies the group left for migrants. Warrens lawyers argue the arrest was in retaliation for the video. They say he was lawfully exercising his religious beliefs and rights to help the migrants after they spent two days crossing the desert. His parents have collected over 128,000 signatures calling on the U.S. Attorney's Office in Tucson to drop all charges. "This is an overreach of federal authority," said Juanita Molina, executive director of Tucson-based human rights group Border Action Network. "Humanitarian aid is vital to the survival of migrants crossing the desert." Story continues U.S. Border Patrol referred questions to the U.S. Attorney's Office. It did not respond to a request for comment. Prosecutors are expected to argue Warren went beyond humanitarian aid and helped migrants enter the country illegally. Jury selection for the trial in U.S. District Court, Tucson, begins 9:30 a.m. local time (1530 GMT) and opening statement are expected later in the day. (Reporting by Andrew Hay in Taos, New Mexico, Additional reporting by Paul Ingram in Tucson; Editing by Bill Tarrant and Lisa Shumaker) By Huizhong Wu BEIJING (Reuters) - China's war of words with the United States over their escalating trade dispute will reach a crescendo of sorts when a broadcaster from Chinese state television debates a Fox Business host in prime time on the U.S. cable network. From combative missives in state media and patriotic fervour on social media, to a mobilisation of ambassadors around the globe to get its message out, China has turned up the rhetorical heat since U.S. moves this month to increase tariffs on Chinese imports and blacklist tech giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd. In an escalation on Wednesday, the People's Daily, the ruling Communist Party's flagship newspaper, warned that China was ready to use its dominance of rare earths, crucial minerals used in electronics, to strike back in the trade war. But it is an unprecedented televised face-off between Liu Xin of China's state-run English channel CGTN and Fox Business Network host Trish Regan, to air live on Wednesday at 8 p.m. Eastern Time (0000 GMT), that has captivated many in China, with one social media hashtag on the Twitter-like Weibo garnering more than 120 million views. Their feud started on air and has been amplified on Twitter, which is blocked in China. Liu has been critical of Regan's China coverage and Regan has taken up the challenge, calling on Liu to have an honest debate. "She's so sure of U.S. victimhood, so indignant that her eyes practically spit fire, yet in carefully analysing her words, it's all emotion and accusation, supported with little substance," Liu said of Regan on CGTN. Liu accused Regan of being "emotional" and misidentifying facts after Fox Business said in a May 14 report that China steals $600 billion in U.S. intellectual property annually. "They're launching a full-scale information war against the United States of America, and their latest target is me," Regan said on air and on Twitter this week. On China's heavily censored internet, which blocks major Western news outlets, state broadcaster CCTV and the People's Daily newspaper have shared news of the debate on Weibo. Other Chinese media outlets have joined in, some even circulating footage of Liu in an English speech competition from 23 years ago. "When it comes to debating, Liu Xin won't feel any pressure," said one Weibo user. Even foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang weighed in, telling a regular briefing he hoped everyone would watch the debate. But it was unlikely that ordinary folk in China would be able to see it in real time as Fox Business is not available to most viewers. Liu said on Twitter that because of rights issues, CGTN would not be able to show it live, though it would "report on it closely". A Fox News spokesperson said a free live stream of the debate will be available on the Fox Business Network website and the entire segment will also be available after the broadcast. It was not immediately clear if Fox News or Fox Business News's websites are viewable in China. EAT MORE TILAPIA The surge in interest and internet chatter about the trade war contrasts with just a few weeks ago, when Chinese social media reactions and news about the dispute were less visible. Analysts say the surge could not have occurred without the influence of Beijing's censorship authorities. Trump's May 6 threat of higher tariffs, for example, was not reported by state media for hours even as Chinese markets swooned, because Beijing had ordered media outlets not to report independently on the matter and censored related content on social media. Then on May 15, the Trump administration blacklisted Huawei. Since May 16, the company has been one of the top 10 trending Weibo topics almost every day and has featured prominently in news coverage. "It fits the propaganda narrative of Beijing that the West is out to bully China, that the West wants China contained, and that therefore it is necessary for the party to be in charge so China can be strong and can stand up to the bullies," said Lokman Tsui, an assistant professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong who focuses on internet policy. The Cyberspace Administration of China did not respond to a Reuters query on whether it issued any new directives on trade war material on social media that would allow for more prominent discussions. Weibo operator Sina Corp and WeChat operator Tencent Holdings Ltd also did not respond to requests for comment on censorship. In one show of officially sanctioned activism, a chapter of the Communist Youth League called on its WeChat followers to eat more tilapia, a type of fish that was exported to the United States but is now subject to higher tariffs. (Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard and Michael Martina; Editing by Tony Munroe, Robert Birsel and Diane Craft) By David Brunnstrom WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korea's entire weapons of mass destruction program violates U.N. Security Council resolutions, the U.S. State Department spokeswoman said on Tuesday, when asked about recent missile launches by Pyongyang. "I think the entire North Korean WMD program, it's in conflict with the U.N. Security Council resolutions. But what the U.S. is focused on here ... is in trying to negotiate a peaceful end to the North Korean WMD program," State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus told reporters. Ortagus had been asked to make clear the State Department's position after President Donald Trump appeared to contradict his national security adviser, John Bolton, over whether North Korean launches this month had violated U.N. resolutions. Bolton said on Saturday there was "no doubt" that the launches had violated U.N. resolutions as they had included short-range ballistic missiles. Ortagus said the State Department had yet to share publicly its assessment of whether the launches had involved ballistic missiles. However, the Pentagon said on May 9 that launches by North Korea that day consisted of multiple ballistic missiles that flew in excess of 300 km (185 miles). During a visit to Japan on Monday, Trump alluded to Bolton's views and said he disagreed. "My people think it could have been a violation ... I view it differently," Trump said, adding that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had perhaps wanted "to get attention." Trump stressed that there had been "no nuclear tests, no ballistic missiles going out, no long-range missiles going out" and added that one day there could be a deal with North Korea to end its nuclear program. Asked whether Secretary of State Mike Pompeo agreed with Trump or Bolton, Ortagus said: "I don't think it was lost on any of us that the launches were an attempt to send a message to the administration." Story continues She added that the United States wanted denuclearization talks with North Korea to continue. "That's our focus here," she said. After two failed summits between Kim and Trump in the past year, North Korea test fired several rockets and missiles this month, including several guided missiles that experts said could be used to penetrate South Korean and U.S. defences in the region. The missiles flew on a flattened, lower-altitude trajectory, leading some officials in South Korea to question whether they should be categorized as "ballistic missiles" and therefore a violation of U.N. resolutions. North Korea in a statement on Monday denounced Bolton as "more than ignorant" and said giving up missile tests would mean giving up the right to self-defence and that "whatever is launched is bound to fly drawing a ballistic trajectory." (Reporting by David Brunnstrom; Writing by Makini Brice; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) Kathmandu, Nepal, May 29, 2019: The budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2019/20 is being presented today. Minister for Finance, Yuba Raj Khatiwada is going to present the budget of over Rs 1.6 trillion at the joint session of the federal parliament at New Baneshowr on Wednesday. As of the slogans and election manifesto distributed during the elections by the head of the incumbent government- Nepal Communist Party (NCP), the budget of the upcoming fiscal year is made of a distributive and populist nature even going against the interest of finance minister Khatiwada. The government has increased in the social security allowance, increment in salary of government employees and allocation of funds to parliamentarians for development work, thanks to the growing pressure from the leaders of the government head NCP. The budget of the upcoming fiscal year has failed to introduce any new notable development project but given continuity to the ongoing development projects and programs, states an official at the finance ministry preferring anonymity. The government has raised the ceiling of the total budget from Rs 1,493 billion to Rs 1,577 billion, thanks to the distributive and populist nature of the budget. The budget size of the upcoming fiscal year was increased at the last hour. By Sarah N. Lynch and Andy Sullivan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller said on Wednesday his probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election was never going to end with criminal charges against President Donald Trump but he did not clear him and indicated it was up to Congress to decide whether he should be impeached. In his first public comments since starting the investigation in May 2017, Mueller said Justice Department policy prevented him from bringing charges against a sitting president or filing sealed charges, telling reporters it was "not an option we would consider." But he also said his two-year investigation did not clear Trump of improper behaviour and, while he did not use the word "impeachment," he pointed out there were other ways to hold presidents accountable. "The Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing," Mueller said as he announced his resignation from the Justice Department. Congressional Democrats are debating whether to try to move ahead with impeachment in the Democratic-majority U.S. House of Representatives, even though the Republican-controlled Senate would be unlikely to complete the process outlined in the U.S. Constitution for removing a president from office by convicting him. The White House and several top Republicans responded to Mueller's comments on Wednesday by saying it was time to move on to other matters, while several candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination, called for impeachment. One candidate, U.S. Senator Kamala Harris, wrote on Twitter: "What Robert Mueller basically did was return an impeachment referral." Calls to launch impeachment proceedings against Trump have grown among some Democrats, who have been frustrated by White House efforts to thwart congressional subpoenas seeking records and testimony related to the Russia investigation and other matters related to Trump and his family. Story continues House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been more cautious and is arguing that lawmakers should push ahead with their investigations before deciding whether to impeach Trump. On Wednesday she said she was sticking with that plan. "Nothing is off the table, but we do want to make such a compelling case, such an ironclad case, that even the Republican Senate, which at the time seems to be not an objective jury, will be convinced of the path that we have to take as a country, she said at a San Francisco event. Jerrold Nadler, the Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said he would hold Trump "accountable" but declined to say whether he would bring impeachment charges. "With respect to impeachment, all options are on the table and nothing should be ruled out," he said at a news conference after Mueller's appearance. A redacted version of Mueller's report was published in April. It concluded that Russia repeatedly interfered in the 2016 election and that Trump's election campaign had multiple contacts with Russian officials, but did not establish a criminal conspiracy with Moscow to win the White House. Mueller's report declined to make a judgment on whether Trump obstructed justice, although it outlined 10 instances in which Trump tried to have Mueller fired or otherwise impede the investigation. "If we had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so," Mueller said. "We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime." Matthew Jacobs, a former federal prosecutor, said he thought Mueller was "saying in his own way that a crime was committed." A source close to Trump said the Mueller statement amounted to a "bad day for the home team." "Muellers statement today was a direct assault on the president," said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "And it will only empower the Democrats to be bolder and more aggressive in their move to impeach him." TRUMP DECLARES 'CASE CLOSED' Trump, who has repeatedly denounced Mueller's investigation as a "witch hunt" and "hoax" meant to hobble his presidency, still took to Twitter to say the matter was settled. "Nothing changes from the Mueller Report," he wrote. "There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you." Mueller, a Republican who headed the FBI from 2001 to 2013, said he would not elaborate beyond what was contained in his 448-page report, signalling to Democrats that he was unlikely to provide them more ammunition for impeachment if he were to testify to a congressional committee. Mueller, 74, said his office is formally closing its doors and he is now returning to life as a private citizen. "Beyond what I've said here today and what is contained in our written work, I do not believe it is appropriate for me to speak further," he said, adding that he would not go beyond what was in his report in any future testimony to Congress. He did not take questions after making his statement. It was not clear whether Mueller would testify to Congress. He made clear he would prefer not to, although House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said he still expects to hear from the special counsel. "While I understand his reluctance to answer hypotheticals or deviate from the carefully worded conclusions he drew on his charging decisions, there are, nevertheless, a great many questions he can answer that go beyond the report," Schiff said. The House Judiciary Committee's top Republican, Representative Doug Collins, said relitigating Mueller's findings would only divide the country. "It is time to move on from the investigation and start focusing on real solutions for the American people," he said. Only one Republican so far, Representative Justin Amash, has said Trump has committed impeachable offences. "The ball is in our court, Congress," he wrote on Twitter. Mueller's investigation ensnared dozens of people, including several top Trump advisers and a series of Russian nationals and companies. Among them are his former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, who is serving 7-1/2 years in prison for financial crimes and lobbying violations, and his former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, who recently began a three-year sentence for campaign-finance violations and lying to Congress. Since the report's release, Democratic lawmakers have tried without success to get the unredacted version and underlying evidence. Barr now is leading a review of the origins of the Russia investigation in what is the third known inquiry into the FBI's handling of the matter. Trump harbours suspicions that the Democratic administration of President Barack Obama started the investigation in 2016 to undermine his presidency. In attacking Mueller's probe, Trump also has often attacked the integrity of the FBI and its investigators. Mueller appeared to offer a response to that criticism on Wednesday. The prosecutors, FBI agents, analysts and others who worked with him were "of the highest integrity," he said. He also defended the need to conduct the probe in the first place, saying Russia's actions during the election campaign to interfere "needed to be investigated and understood." (Additional reporting by Steve Holland, Makini Brice, Mark Hosenball, Karen Freifeld and Susan Cornwell; editing by Kieran Murray, Bill Trott and Jonathan Oatis) By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday sent a mixed message on abortion, refusing to consider reinstating Indiana's ban on abortions performed because of fetal disability or the sex or race of the fetus while upholding the state's requirement that fetal remains be buried or cremated after the procedure is done. Both provisions were part of a Republican-backed 2016 law signed by Vice President Mike Pence when he was Indiana's governor. The action by the justices comes at a time when numerous Republican-governed states including Alabama are approving restrictive abortion laws that the Supreme Court may be called upon to rule on in the future. In an unsigned ruling, with two liberal justices dissenting, the Supreme Court decided that a lower court was wrong to conclude that Indiana's fetal burial provision, which imposed new requirements on abortion clinics, had no legitimate purpose. The court has a 5-4 conservative majority. While that provision was not a direct challenge to the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide, the ruling gave anti-abortion proponents a victory at the Supreme Court, which soon may have to decide whether various state laws violate the rights recognized in that landmark ruling. But the court also indicated a reluctance to directly tackle the abortion issue at least for now, rejecting Indiana's separate attempt to reinstate its ban on abortions performed because of fetal disability or the sex or race of the fetus. The court left in place the part of an appeals court ruling that struck down the provision. Alyssa Farah, a Pence spokeswoman, said he "commends the Supreme Court for upholding a portion of Indiana law that safeguards the sanctity of human life by requiring that remains of aborted babies be treated with respect and dignity." "We remain hopeful that at a later date the Supreme Court will review one of numerous state laws across the U.S. that bar abortion based on sex, race or disability," Farah added. Story continues The court's ruling on the fetal burial issue noted that in challenging the measure the American Civil Liberties Union and women's healthcare and abortion provider Planned Parenthood did not allege that the provision implicated the right of women to obtain an abortion. "This case, as litigated, therefore does not implicate our cases applying the undue burden test to abortion regulations," the ruling said. Planned Parenthood said in a statement the fetal burial provision was an abortion restriction "intended to shame and stigmatize women and families." "While this ruling is limited, the law is part of a larger trend of state laws designed to stigmatize and drive abortion care out of reach. Whether it's a total ban or a law designed to shut down clinics, politicians are lining up to decimate access to abortion," added Jennifer Dalven, an American Civil Liberties Union lawyer. A TEST FOR THE COURT The case was one of the court's first major tests in the abortion context following last year's retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy, who was pivotal in defending abortion rights. Anti-abortion activists hope the high court will greatly narrow or even overturn the Roe ruling following Kennedy's departure. President Donald Trump replaced Kennedy with conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Liberal Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor said they disagreed with the Supreme Court's decision to reinstate Indiana's fetal remains provision. Conservative Justice Clarence Thomas wrote in a concurring opinion accompanying the ruling that the court will need to weigh in on whether states can ban abortions based on disability, race and gender. Indiana's law promotes "a state's compelling interest in preventing abortion from becoming a tool of modern-day eugenics," Thomas wrote. Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, Mississippi and other states have passed restrictive abortion laws in recent months. The Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a 2017 permanent injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt against both provisions of Indiana's law. She found the measure violated the constitutional privacy rights recognized in the 1973 abortion ruling. The law forbade women from obtaining an abortion if the decision to terminate the pregnancy was based on a diagnosis or "potential diagnosis" of fetal abnormality such as Down syndrome or "any other disability" or due to the race, color, national origin ancestry or sex of the fetus. Indiana said the state has an interest in barring discrimination against fetuses and in protecting the "dignity of fetal remains." "The highest court in the land has now affirmed that nothing in the Constitution prohibits states from requiring abortion clinics to provide an element of basic human dignity in disposing of the fetuses they abort. These tiny bodies are, after all, human remains," Indiana's Republican Attorney General, Curtis Hill, said. A similar fetal burial law from Minnesota was upheld by a federal appeals court in 1990 but the Indiana law and another like it in Texas, enacted in 2016, have been struck down by the courts. Several other abortion cases are heading toward the high court, including Indiana's appeal seeking to revive another law that requires women to undergo an ultrasound at least 18 hours before they undergo an abortion. For a Reuters graphic on abortion laws in the United States, click https://tmsnrt.rs/2WZuiVP (Reporting by Lawrence Hurley; Editing by Will Dunham) By Michael Holden LONDON (Reuters) - Boris Johnson, the favourite to replace Theresa May as British prime minister, must appear in court over allegations he lied about Brexit by stating Britain would be 350 million pounds a week better off outside the EU, a judge ruled on Wednesday. The figure, famously emblazoned on a campaign bus, was a central and controversial part of the Leave campaign's successful "take back control" message ahead of the 2016 Brexit referendum. Opponents argued that it was deliberately misleading and it became symbolic of the divisions caused by the referendum, which saw Britons vote by 52%-48% to leave the European Union. District Judge Margot Coleman ruled that Johnson, a former British foreign secretary and ex-mayor of London, must answer a private summons alleging he had committed three criminal offences of misconduct in a public office. In her written ruling at London's Westminster Magistrates' Court, Coleman said the accusations were not proven. But she added: "Having considered all the relevant factors I am satisfied that this is a proper case to issue the summons as requested for the three offences as drafted. "This means the proposed defendant will be required to attend this court for a preliminary hearing, and the case will then be sent to the Crown Court for trial," she said. POLITICAL STUNT? Johnson's lawyers argued the case was no more than a stunt by those opposed to Brexit and an attempt to use criminal law to regulate the content of political debate for the first time in English legal history. "The decision to summon Boris Johnson is extraordinary. It is not the role of criminal law to regulate political speech," said an unnamed source close to Johnson, according to quotes cited by the Daily Mail newspaper's deputy political editor. "This runs counter to centuries of British political tradition and risks undermining our democracy." Story continues Polls suggest that the flamboyant politician, known for his tousled blond hair, is well ahead of the other 10 declared candidates in the contest to replace May as leader of Conservative Party and prime minister. He was one of the leading supporters of Brexit during the 2016 vote and quit the government over May's EU divorce deal which parliament rejected three times, leading her to announce she would step down as party leader on June 7. Misconduct in a public office carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and if he were found guilty, it could spell the end of Johnson's political career. Critics said the case itself showed he was unfit to be prime minister although other commentators suggested it could boost his leadership campaign by burnishing the anti-establishment image the Eton and Oxford-educated Johnson has cultivated. The summons was sought by "Brexit Justice", a crowdfunded group seeking a private prosecution against Johnson, arguing he deliberately made false comments about the cost of Britain's EU membership before both the referendum and the 2017 national election. "During both time periods outlined above, the (proposed) defendant repeatedly lied and misled the British public as to the cost of EU membership, expressly stating, endorsing or inferring that the cost of EU membership was 350 million pounds ($442 million) per week," its application said. In submissions to the court, Johnson's lawyers said the case was brought for purely political purposes to undermine Brexit. "Its true purpose is not that it should succeed, but that it should be made at all," his lawyer said. "And made with as much public fanfare as the prosecution can engender." In September 2017, government statisticians criticised Johnson for repeating the 350 million pound figure which he argued could be spent on public services in Britain. They said it ignored the rebate that Britain received from the EU. "It is a clear misuse of official statistics," David Norgrove, chairman of the UK Statistics Authority, then wrote in a letter to Johnson. Figures published by the Office for National Statistics in April 2016 showed Britain's weekly net contribution to the EU to be about 190 million pounds a week. ($1 = 0.7913 pounds) (Additional reporting by William James and Kylie MacLellan; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Catherine Evans) LONDON, May 29 (Reuters) - James Cleverly, one of the Conservative candidates vying for Prime Minister Theresa May's job, said Britain could absolutely cope with a no-deal Brexit but it was not his desired outcome. Cleverly, a junior Brexit minister and former deputy chairman of the party, said the House of Commons would do everything it could to prevent a disruptive Brexit, and that he would rather the country left with an agreement with Brussels. "My job in government is to make sure that we can leave with no deal," he told BBC Radio. "That is still one of the ultimate destinations of this process. It is not my preferred destination." "What it would be is an added level of uncertainty and difficulty at a time when we could well do without that. (But) we absolutely can deliver a Brexit with no deal." (Reporting by Kate Holton and Costas Pitas; editing by Guy Faulconbridge) LONDON (Reuters) - Outgoing British Prime Minister Theresa May will announce her backing on Thursday for the reintroduction of maintenance grants for university students from disadvantaged backgrounds, a move that will pressure her successor to follow suit. Student maintenance grants were axed by former finance minister George Osborne in 2015 who deemed them too costly for taxpayers, but May will say this decision proved to be a failure. She will cite a new report from businessman and author Philip Augar which recommends a minimum grant of 3,000 pounds ($3,788) per year for students from the lowest income families. May, who will step down upon the election of a new leader of her Conservative Party, will say it will be up to her successor to decide how to fund means-tested grants for university and technical qualifications. "But my view is very clear: removing maintenance grants from the least well-off students has not worked and I believe it is time to bring them back," May will say, according to extracts from a speech due to be delivered on Thursday. Funding for further education has been a hot political topic since the Conservative-led government raised tuition fees to a maximum of more than 9,000 pounds per year in England and Wales, which caused mass student protests in 2010. There is "much to be said" for the Augar report's proposal to cut tuition fees and increase funding from government, May will say, adding however that an outright removal of tuition fees would harm education institutions. (Reporting by Andy Bruce; editing by Stephen Addison) United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The United States and Russia are in talks on a "potential way forward" that would see Syria come out of international isolation if it agrees to a series of steps including a ceasefire in Idlib, the US envoy for Syria said Wednesday. Jim Jeffrey told reporters following a closed-door UN Security Council meeting that Moscow and Washington were exploring a "step by step approach" to ending the eight-year war, but that this would require "hard decisions." During talks in Russia this month, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed the plan that "would allow a Syrian government that adheres to (UN resolution) 2254 to move back into the international community," said Jeffrey. Resolution 2254 calls for peace negotiations, the drafting of a new constitution and UN-supervised elections. But the US envoy said that "so far we haven't seen steps such as a ceasefire in Idlib, the convening of a constitutional committee that would give us confidence that the Assad regime actually understands what it must do to end this conflict." The United States, which once demanded Assad's ouster, has stopped calling for him to step down, but Jeffrey's remarks suggested it was now ready to offer incentives to help advance prospects for a settlement. Pompeo held a nearly two-hour meeting with President Vladimir Putin in Sochi on May 14. - Hard decisions - Jeffrey met separately Wednesday with envoys from fellow permanent Security Council members Britain, France, China and Russia. He said there was a "sincere interest in finding a solution to this conflict." "But this is going to take hard decisions -- hard decisions not only by us, but hard decisions by the Russians and hard decisions most of all by the Syrian regime," he added. The Security Council met to discuss diplomatic efforts to end the war as Assad's forces and their Russian allies stepped up attacks in the northwestern Idlib region, the last major jihadist bastion. Story continues Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin, who is also holding meetings at the United Nations this week, told reporters that Russian-backed Syrian forces were carrying out "targeted operations against terrorists." Most of Idlib province is controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a group dominated by former members of Al-Qaeda's Syria affiliate which is on the UN terrorism list. Vershinin said Russia is "ready to coordinate" with the United States to develop a "common vision about how we want to have a sustainable political settlement in Syria." UN envoy Geir Pedersen stressed that US-Russia cooperation was key to push ahead with a peace deal for Syria but that the Damascus government must agree to steps. "Without that, we risk what I call a 'no war, no peace' scenario where things will continue to be complicated and we will not see a Syria that is a normal part of international society in the future," he said. More than 370,000 people have been killed and half of Syria's population displaced since the war began in March 2011. The Polisario Front and the Algerian media seized the recent resignation of the UN Secretary Generals personal envoy for the Sahara, Horst Kohler, to indiscriminately attack France, the United States, the European Union and of course Morocco, accusing them all of being at the origin of the curse on the lost cause of the separatists. Being in denial as to the bitter diplomatic failures it suffered recently in the Sahara conflict, the Polisario leaders and their Algerian media relays, attempt to blame Morocco and its allies for Kohlers resignation. Through the voice of Mhamed Kheddad, its coordinator with MINURSO, the Polisario, while admitting that the UN envoy had resigned for health problems, accuses France of having outright sabotaged the work of Kohler and of being at the origin of his hasty departure. He also claims, without any evidence, that the UN mediator was encountering obstacles at the United Nations, erected notably by Paris and Washington. Even the European Union was not spared the blames of Mhamed Kheddad, who accused France of having been instrumental in the conclusion of new agricultural and fisheries agreements with Morocco. He insisted that the efforts of the UN envoy were sabotaged by France and the United States who deprived Kohler of unanimous support at the Security Council, not to mention, he said, Moroccos methodical efforts to prevent the African Union from playing its role in resolving this conflict. In other words, the Polisario and its Algerian sponsors admit they have been unsettled by Morocco and its allies. Yet, they still refuse to admit that they have actually lost the battle of the Sahara and that their independence dreams are nothing more than whims nurtured by Algerias hegemonic ambitions. Washington (AFP) - Perhaps inspired by this week's patriotic Memorial Day celebration of American war dead, the US government is saluting exports of "freedom gas" to the world, as a way to help allies. In an otherwise unremarkable press release about an installation in Texas exporting more liquefied natural gas (LNG), a senior Energy Department official on Tuesday also hailed "molecules of US freedom." "Increasing export capacity from the Freeport LNG project is critical to spreading freedom gas throughout the world by giving America's allies a diverse and affordable source of clean energy," US Under Secretary of Energy Mark W. Menezes said in the press release. The bizarre phrasing harkens back to 2003 when French opposition to the US invasion of Iraq prompted US lawmakers to rename fried potatoes as "freedom fries" rather than the usual "French fries." French toast occasionally suffered the same fate in American eateries. The Energy Department's new nomenclature seems to have originated with a tongue-in-cheek question to Energy Secretary Rick Perry who in Brussels early this month equated LNG exports to US efforts to aid European liberation in World War II. Perry said "the United States is again delivering a form of freedom to the European continent," and agreed when asked by a reporter whether "freedom gas" was an appropriate term, according to a report by the Euractiv media network. Another official, Steven Winberg, said the US "is doing what it can to promote an efficient regulatory system that allows for molecules of US freedom to be exported to the world." Caracas (AFP) - Venezuela's Supreme Court on Wednesday charged a 15th opposition lawmaker with involvement in last month's failed uprising against President Nicolas Maduro. The country's top court, made up of regime loyalists, accused deputy Rafael Guzman of "the flagrant commission of the crimes of betraying the homeland, conspiracy, instigating insurrection (and) civil rebellion." The charges relate to an uprising led by opposition leader and National Assembly speaker Juan Guaido -- who has not been charged by the Supreme Court -- on April 30 in a bid to ramp up the pressure on Maduro to step down and allow for new presidential elections. But Guaido -- who is recognized by more than 50 countries as Venezuela's interim president -- was joined by only around 30 armed forces members and the revolt quickly fizzled out, although it did spark two days of deadly clashes between protesters and the security forces. Maduro's government responded by cracking down on opposition deputies, with the regime-dominated Constituent Assembly stripping a dozen lawmakers of their parliamentary immunity. Of those charged with involvement in the uprising, Guaido's deputy Edgar Zambrano has been arrested while others have either fled the country, sought refuge in diplomatic missions or gone into hiding. Guaido has accused the government of trying to dismantle the opposition controlled National Assembly. The Assembly however has been powerless since the Supreme Court stripped it of its powers in 2017. The court's latest decision comes as government and opposition delegations hold peace talks in Norway in a bid to alleviate Venezuela's political and economic crises. Ankara (AFP) - One of Turkey's best-known opposition journalists, Kadri Gursel, was sent back to prison but then released on probation Wednesday after an appeals court upheld his sentence for "helping terror groups", his lawyer said. Gursel tweeted he had been released on probation. His lawyer, Ilkan Koyuncu, confirmed it, saying that "happily, he was released this evening." Gursel's detention earlier in the day related to a procedural issue, Koyuncu said. Gursel was convicted last year with several colleagues from Cumhuriyet -- one of the few remaining dailies opposing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan -- as part of a crackdown on civil society that followed a failed coup in 2016. He was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison but was later released pending an appeal. Gursel said in an Instagram post on earlier Wednesday that he had arrived at the Istanbul courthouse to be "sent back to jail," having previously served 11 months in prison between 2016 and 2017. Turkey's Constitutional Court ruled earlier this month that Gursel's rights to free expression and personal safety had been violated. Gursel has been a journalist and columnist for three decades, writing for prominent newspapers such as Milliyet, and also worked for AFP between 1993 and 1997. Your bed could be watching you. OK, so not with a camera. At least not yet. But if you have any of a variety of smart beds, mattress pads or sleep apps, it knows when you go to sleep. It knows when you toss and turn. It may even be able to tell when youre having sex. Sleep Number, one company that makes beds that can track heart rate, respiration and movement, says it collects more than 8 billion biometric data points every night, gathered each second and sent via an app through the internet to the companys servers. This gives us the intelligence to be able to continue to feed our algorithms, CEO Shelly Ibach told attendees at a Fortune Brainstorm Health conference in San Diego last month. Analyzing all that personal data, Ibach continued, not only helps Sleep Number inform consumers who use one of their 360 models about their health, but also aids the companys efforts to make a better product. Still, consumer-privacy advocates are increasingly raising concerns about the fate of personal health information, which is potentially valuable to companies that collect and sell it, gathered through a growing number of internet-connected devices. We dont know what happens to all that data, says Burcu Kilic, director of the digital rights program at Public Citizen, an advocacy group in Washington, D.C. The information is also relevant and important to pharmaceutical companies and those that make hospital-related technology, Kilic says. Nonetheless, consumers are flocking to mattresses, sleep tracking devices and under-mattress sensors that claim to quantify sleep. Sleep apps are among the most popular downloads on Apple and Android smartphones. Sleep number is one of the most heavily marketed of such products, with press releases and ads often equating good sleep with better a better life. Sales of the beds grew 6% year-over-year to $1.5 billion in 2018, company filings show. Early this year, it signed a partnership with Ariana Huffingtons Thrive Global (a corporate wellness firm she launched after leaving the Huffington Post in 2016). Last year, Sleep Number began a multi-year partnership with the NFL, in which the company gives its beds to players. Story continues The company says it goes to great lengths to protect its customers data. To be clear, Sleep Number does not share any SleepIQ or biometric data outside the company, said Sleep Number spokeswoman Julie Elepano in email exchanges. However, that differs from the companys privacy notice, which clearly states that personal informationpotentially including biometric datamay be shared with marketing companies or business partners. They, in turn, could send out pitches for Sleep Number or offers to participate in partner product loyalty programs. The policy also says personal information could be given to partners for research, analysis or administering surveys. Finally, the privacy policy says Sleep Number can exploit, share and use for any purpose personal information with names or addresses withheld or stripped out, known as de-identified data. When asked about the seeming difference between what the privacy policy states and her comments, Elepano did not address that directly, but reiterated that the company does not share even de-identified biometric data. Details From Dreamland From when you turn in to when you wake up, these beds know a lot, thanks to a range of potential sensors. Some, for example, use microphones to track snoring; typically, these devices and apps are marketed for that purpose. Late last year, there was a collective social media freakout when bloggers noticed a quirk in the Sleep Number bed privacy policy that seemed to indicate those beds had a microphone. But they dont, the company was quick to note. Instead, Sleep Number beds gather data through tiny changes in the mattresss air pressurethe beds have sensors that can inflate, deflate or otherwise adjust the mattress for comfortsays Pete Bils, Sleep Numbers vice president of sleep science and research. Those data, along with goals each consumer sets for sleep, go into creating what the firm calls a Sleep IQ Score, designed to assess how well a consumer slept (and used heavily in the companys marketing). Over time, the score purports to show if a person is deviating from their averages. If consumers dont want to track whats going on in bed, they can flip on a privacy mode setting, which halts transmission, but also limits what a consumer can learn about their sleep patternspresumably one reason they bought the bed in the first place. The more you use the bed, the more it knows you, says Bils. From what is spelled out in privacy policies for these bed and apps, its clear the data could be useful in other ways, too. For example, the French company Withings, which makes an under-mattress monitor that can track movement, heart rate, snoring and other factors, says it shares anonymous and aggregated data with partners such as hospitals, researchers or companies, as well as to the public in blog posts and data studies. According to the Sleep Number privacy policy, it collects personal information, which can include names and information about a consumers age, weight, height and gender. If a consumer creates a user profile on the beds app, that personal information is expanded to include specifics about movement, positions, respiration and heart rate. That is also true for children if parents create a user profile for them. The policy also notes that personal data might be stored indefinitely, even after you cancel or deactivate user accounts. Its More Than Just Zs The privacy policies of many devices that track and transmit personal information allow for the sharing of data that has been stripped of personal identifiers. But privacy experts have shown its not terribly difficult to use or combine such information to re-identify people. You are left with the impression that, Dont worry, no one will be able to point to you, but they dont actually say that, says Lee Tien, senior staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. I dont know how they actually could say that. Unlike personal data collected in a doctors office or a sleep clinic, the information gathered by sleep trackers is not protected by federal privacy rules. Some sleep trackers or apps can connect with other smart devices in your home, such as a thermostat or coffee maker. Nifty, for sure, because as you wake up, your heater can kick on and the coffee maker can start doing its thing. But it also can mean those devices are sharing your information. Sleep Number says its beds can import information from other devices but does not share customer information with them. Still, the interconnectedness exposes more vulnerabilities. We connect all these devices to each other, notes Kilic at Public Citizen. If hackers want to get into the system, [they] can easily do so and collect all this info from you: How do you use your bed? How often do you have sex? This is very sensitive information. Privacy experts recommend encryption and the use of strong passwords and additional authentication whenever possible. Some trackers and sensors allow for such protections; Sleep Numbers Bils says the data transmitted is encrypted. The goal of the data gathering, Sleep Number and other companies say, is helping sleep-deprived Americans do a better job at, well, sleeping. But do consumers really need an appor a bed that can costs thousands of dollarsto tell them how rested they feel in the morning? Such tools are great because it makes people more aware of sleep, but its a slippery slope, says Dr. Seema Khosla, a pulmonologist and medical director of the North Dakota Center for Sleep, a sleep study facility in Fargo. Khosla, who uses a few trackers herself, is also the lead author of the American Academy of Sleep Medicines position paper on sleep apps. One unexpected consequence: people who become too attuned to their data may experience anxietyand an inability to sleep. We call it orthosomnia, she says. They get all this data and get upset about having a perfect number. We tell them to put it away for a couple of weeks. Kaiser Health News (KHN) is a nonprofit news service covering health issues. It is an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation that is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente. Cairo (AFP) - One of the most-wanted Egyptian militants who was captured in neighbouring Libya last year has been transferred to Egypt, state media reported on Wednesday. Libyan strongman Khalifa Hafter handed over Hisham el-Ashmawy after meeting with Egypt's intelligence services chief in Benghazi, his office said in a statement late Tuesday. Egyptian pro-government media broadcast footage of Ashmawy arriving in Egypt on a military aircraft early Wednesday morning. "The Libyan armed forces handed over the terrorist Hisham Ashmawy to the Egyptian general intelligence Tuesday evening," state TV said on its website. A former officer with Egypt's special forces, Ashmawy left the army in 2012 and later joined Ansar Beit al-Maqdis which is based in the Sinai Peninsula. Ashmawy is believed to have gone to Libya in 2013, before Maqdis pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group in November 2014, becoming one of Egypt's most wanted terrorists. He is accused of being behind attacks in Egypt's Western Desert region, operating alongside Emad al-Din Abdel Hamid, another army officer-turned-jihadist chief. Ashmawy was captured by Haftar's forces in October 2018 in the city of Derna, east of Libya. Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi had previously asked for the jihadist leader to be handed over. "We want to imprison him," he said at the time. Haftar, who is leading a military offensive against the UN-recognised government in Tripoli, seized the city of Derna last summer. His self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) is backed in particular by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. An ultra-nationalist monk dubbed the "Buddhist Bin Laden" for his anti-Muslim vitriol said Wednesday he was not afraid of arrest as police pursued him on charges of stirring up unrest. Wirathu has long been the face of the country's hardline Buddhist movement, notorious for espousing hate against Islam and particularly the long-persecuted Rohingya minority. A court issued an arrest warrant for the abbot late Tuesday under article 124(a), which targets anyone who "excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the Government". Wirathu told local media by phone Wednesday he was in Yangon, but said the police had not yet come for him. "If they want to arrest me, they can do it," the Irrawaddy newspaper quoted him as saying. "I'm not afraid." The exact reasons behind the warrant have not been clarified but the rabble-rousing monk has recently given several provocative speeches at nationalist rallies. In April, he took aim at the country's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi. "She just dresses up like a fashionista, wears makeup and walks around in stylish, high-heeled shoes, shaking her ass at foreigners," he told a cheering crowd. At another rally in Yangon, he caused widespread offence by saying "soldiers protecting the country should be worshipped like Buddha". He has also upset the country's highest Buddhist authority, the State Sangha Maha Nayaka -- a state-appointed body of high-ranking monks that oversees the clergy across the Buddhist-majority country. Last week, the council summoned him for a disciplinary hearing Thursday over his "involvement with social affairs during a rally" -- but announced Wednesday this had been postponed due to "current events". - 'Face of Buddhist Terror' - Wirathu is no stranger to jail. He was sentenced in 2003 to 25 years behind bars under the former military junta on charges including preaching extremism and distributing banned books. Story continues As the country opened up, he was released in 2012 alongside several thousand political prisoners. He immediately returned to his hardline preachings, calling for boycotts of Muslim-owned businesses and restrictions on interfaith marriages. The abbot appeared on the cover of "Time" magazine as "The Face of Buddhist Terror" in 2013. In 2015 he called United Nations special envoy Yanghee Lee a "whore". The Buddhist authority had previously prohibited him from speaking in public for a year after he delivered "hate speech against religions" -- but the ban expired in March last year. Facebook blacklisted him in January 2018 after a string of incendiary posts targeting the Rohingya. Rights groups say these helped whip up animosity towards the Muslim minority, laying foundations for a military crackdown in 2017 that forced some 740,000 to flee to Bangladesh. Like many in Myanmar, Wirathu pejoratively refers to Rohingya as "Bengali", implying they are illegal immigrants. Refugees' testimonies of mass killings, rapes and arson spurred UN investigators to call for the prosecution of top generals for "genocide" and the International Criminal Court is conducting a preliminary probe. "The day the ICC comes here... is the day Wirathu holds a gun," he told a rally last October. Photo: Jon Tyson/Unsplash Looking to get out into the community this week? From an event honoring Vision Awards winners to a conversational Spanish session, there's plenty to do when it comes to community and cultural events coming up in Washington this week. Read on for a rundown. Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. 2019 Vision Awards From the event description: The Committee of 100 on the Federal City invites you to join us in honoring the 2019 Vision Awards winners. When: Wednesday, May 29, 6-8:30 p.m. Where: Main Hall, Trinity Washington University, 125 Michigan Ave. NE Price: $100 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Heritage and Pride: A Celebration of LGBTQ and API Communities From the event description: Join the National LGBTQ Task Force and NQAPIA as we transition from Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month to Pride Month in a celebration of QTAPI love. Hors d'oeuvres and drinks will be served. When: Thursday, May 30, 5:30-8 p.m. Where: National LGBTQ Task Force, 1325 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Suite 600 Price: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Conversational DC: Spanish From the event description: Join us to speak Spanish in an immersive, free, social environment. The format is simple: Show up, meet some new people and have fun. No English allowed. Bringing a buddy is encouraged. When: Thursday, May 30, 6:30-8 p.m. Where: Colony Club, 3118 Georgia Ave. NW, Second Floor Price: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets This story was created automatically using local event data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. By Anne Marie Roantree HONG KONG (Reuters) - The United States has warned Hong Kong to be on alert for a vessel carrying Iranian petroleum that may seek to stop in the Asia financial hub, and said that any entity providing services to the vessel will be violating U.S. sanctions. The news comes nearly a month after U.S. President Donald Trumps administration stepped up moves to choke off Irans oil exports by scrapping waivers it had granted to big buyers of Iranian crude oil, including China. The fully laden Pacific Bravo abruptly changed course on Monday to head toward Sri Lanka, according to shipping data on Refinitiv Eikon. The vessel had earlier identified Indonesia as its intended destination, according to ship-tracking data, but industry sources said it was most likely going to China. The Pacific Bravo on Monday changed its automatic identification system (AIS) destination to Sri Lanka, where it meandered off the southern coast for a little more than a day, the ship-tracking data showed. Late on Tuesday evening, the tanker sailed away from Sri Lanka toward the busy waterways of the Strait of Malacca, a key shipping lane toward East Asia, although its AIS destination was still set as Sri Lanka. A ship's crew manually enters AIS destination settings, and there can be a delay in updates while the vessel is at sea. "Anyone who does business with this ship, the Pacific Bravo, would be exposing themselves to U.S. sanctions," a senior U.S. official said on condition of anonymity. The Pacific Bravo is owned by China's Bank of Kunlun, the official said. The bank has been the main official channel for money flows between China and Iran since before the last round of sanctions began in 2012. It is majority-owned by China National Petroleum Corp's listed financial arm, CNPC Capital. China is the top buyer of Iranian oil and nearly all its oil payments go through Kunlun, which was established in 2006 as a city commercial bank in Karamay, an oil-producing hub in Chinas far-western Xinjiang region. Kunlun could not immediately be reached for comment. Earlier this month, Reuters reported that a tanker carrying Iranian fuel oil in violation of U.S. sanctions had unloaded the cargo into storage tanks near the Chinese city of Zhoushan. The U.S. government reintroduced sanctions against Iran's oil industry in November but allowed some buyers limited purchases of Iranian crude oil under a waiver program until May 1. Petroleum products had not received official sanctions waivers. "I think its critical for the Hong Kong Marine Authority to ensure it knows who its allowing into its territorial waters, into the Hong Kong port, and to ensure that it knows who Hong Kong entities are providing services to," the U.S. official said. "Were going to enforce our Iran sanctions quite aggressively and quite consistently." The Hong Kong Marine Authority did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Reporting By Anne Marie Roantree; Additional reporting by Roslan Khasawneh; Editing by Larry King and Tom Hogue) Seguin, TX (78155) Today Areas of fog early, then partly cloudy this afternoon. Record high temperatures expected. High 79F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low near 60F. Winds light and variable. Photo credit: Ezra Dyer From Popular Mechanics Engine: 4.0-liter V6, 270 hp and 278 lb-ft of torque / Transmission/transfer case: Five-speed automatic/rear-wheel-drive, part-time 4WD or full-time 4WD / EPA Fuel Economy / (4x4): 17 mpg city, 20 mpg highway / Ground Clearance: 9.6 inches / Suspension: Independent front, solid axle rear with coil springs / Towing Capacity: 5,000 pounds I am old enough to remember when SUVs first took off, and mobs of people who formerly drove wagons or minivans piled into body-on-frame Explorers and set off for outdoorsy adventures, driving to the mall to get an Orange Julius while listening to the new Collective Soul CD. The first wave of four-door SUVs were hastily adapted trucks, basically pickups with back seats and a roof over the bedthen came the crossovers. For all our griping about the basic lameness of crossovers, the advent of the car-based faux truck represented a positive realignment of capability with reality. Compared to a body-on-frame SUV, a crossover will typically weigh less, handle better, have more interior space, and get better fuel economy. Thats why the Pathfinder morphed from body-on-frame to a mega-Maxima. The Explorer turned into a Taurus wagon. The Chevy Blazer is a taller Impala, and the Jeep Cherokee is a Chrysler 200 that sells 200 times better. Aside from the Jeep Wrangler, which is its own category, theres only one truck left: the Toyota 4Runner. The Loner Photo credit: Ezra Dyer Last year, Toyota sold nearly 140,000 of the things, despite the current generation dating to 2010, and the 4Runner outsells every Lexus carcombined. I always try to warn people what theyre getting into with the 4Runner, which is to say, a time machine that takes you back to the era of keyed ignitions and horrible gas mileage. I typically launch into a sermon on the dynamic and packaging virtues of the Highlander. Its so much better to drive, I say. The 4Runner drives like a bag of rocks pulled by a Clydesdale that was recently exhumed from the Pet Semetary. If the 4Runner could communicate, it would do so through pointing and grunting. The 4Runners so old, its VIN is 1. Story continues Then, after I complete a half-hour roast of the 4Runner, my inquisitor will usually reply, Oh, well, Ive got a 2017 4Runner. I love it. And then I backtrack. I backtrack like a 4Runner in reverse, which is to say slowly and accompanied by soft whining. Well, it does have character, I say, and the back window rolls down. Then we agree that the back window, which rolls down, is pretty sweet. A Rebellion on Four Wheels Photo credit: Ezra Dyer If crossovers represent rebellion against the minivan, then the 4Runner represents rebellion against crossovers. Its just got a cool vibe. One recent morning, dropping a kid off at school, the car ahead of me was a 4Runner. The rear window was halfway down, a placid German Shepherd peeking over the glass. And I thought, OK, I want that scene. Photo credit: Ezra Dyer I want it despite the fact that a cool dog window is inseparable from klutzy steering and a V6 that always feels like its been rudely awakened from a peaceful slumber. I recently drove a 4Runner TRD Pro, which is a 4Runner with its dominant traits (tallness, extroversion) exaggerated. I took it on a weekend trip, my Coleman Steel-Belted cooler strapped to the roof rack. I didnt really need to put the cooler on the roof, but I wanted my fellow motorists to fully appreciate my active outdoors lifestyle. That guys probably going to camp by a lake at the end of a rugged trail, theyd say. So cool. A Dose of Reality Photo credit: Ezra Dyer I also rolled the back window down, but not all the wayso everyone could see that there is a window, but I just had it mostly rolled down. Mmm, fresh air and exhaust! I removed the cooler after realizing that it knocked fully four miles per gallon off the 4Runners already grim fuel economy (18 mpg down to 14 mpg, on the highway). The 4Runner's V6 is labored in the first place, churning those big tires through only five forward gears. It's the kind of vehicle where you notice when you're driving into a headwind even without a cooler on the roofand, aerodynamics aside, a top-heavy rig like this doesn't need an extra 60 pounds in the crow's nest. Some of the qualities that make a TRD Pro excellent off-roadsolid rear axle, towering ground clearance, Nitto Terra Grappler all-terrain tiresexact a penalty on the asphalt trail. So I decided that the roof would be used only for real roof-rack-requiring emergencies, like if developed the sudden need to buy a kayak. But the reality is that from now on, when someone asks me whether they should buy a 4Runner or a Highlander, Ill say I really dont know. Do you prize competence or authenticity? Thats the question. Because the 4Runner has its faults. But on the other hand, the back window rolls down. Photo credit: Ezra Dyer You Might Also Like Washington (AFP) - The US military's top general said Wednesday that Chinese President Xi Jingping reneged on promises not to militarize the South China Sea and called for "collective action" to hold Beijing responsible. General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Pentagon's Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he was not calling for military action, but stressed that there was a need to enforce international laws. "The fall of 2016, President Xi Jinping promised President Obama that they would not militarize the islands. So what we see today are 10,000-foot runways, ammunition storage facilities, routine deployment of missile defense capabilities, aviation capabilities, and so forth," he said in a talk on US security and defense at the Brooking institution. "So clearly they have walked away from that committment." "The South China Sea is in my judgement not a pile of rocks," he continued, referring to the series of reefs and outcrops that have been claimed as territory by China, reclaimed and expanded to accomodate military forces and large aircraft. "What is at stake in the South China Sea and elsewhere where there are territorial claims is the rule of law, international laws, norms and standards." "When we ignore actions that are not in compliance with international rules, norms and standards, we have just set a new standard." "I'm not suggesting a military response," the top US general said. "What needs to happen ... is coherent collective action to those who violate international norms and standards. They need to be held accountable in some way so that future violations are deterred." Washington has been frustrated by an inability to stall China's aggressive military colonization of the South China Sea, which rejects conflicting territorial claims by five other countries: Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Philippines. The US has sent navy vessels through the areas claimed by China as "international freedom of navigation operations," but otherwise has found responding difficult. Dunford acknowledged that building on the Chinese-claimed reefs had slowed. However, he said, "I assume that's because the islands have now been developed to the point where they provide the military capability that the Chinese required them to have." Lots of apps are spying on you (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File) While you sleep, your iPhone is probably transmitting private information about you to companies all over the world - including your location and your email address. Thats the alarming conclusion of a Washington Post investigation, which found that 5,400 app trackers in popular apps such as Spotify transmit data to companies. Data transmitted includes peoples names, email addresses, precise location and phone numbers, according to the survey of popular iOS apps. The Post investigation used monitoring software to find out what data phones were transmitting and when. The researchers found that the apps commonly beam information back to companies (or other third parties) in the middle of the night, while owners are asleep. Read more from Yahoo News UK Malaysia returns waste to Britain saying we are not a dumping ground Whatsapp is going to start showing adverts Could Amazons Alexa be about to get creepier Patrick Jackson, chief technology officer for privacy firm Disconnect told the Washington Post, 'This is your data. Why should it even leave your phone? Why should it be collected by someone when you dont know what theyre going to do with it?' told the Post. 'I know the value of data, and I dont want mine in any hands where it doesnt need to be.' A previous investigation found that Facebook hoovers up data from most Android apps - even if users are not logged in to Facebook, or dont have an account. Privacy International tested 34 popular Android apps and found that two-thirds send data to Facebook as soon as they are launched. It makes no difference if people are logged out of Facebook, or dont have an account. The data transmitted is used to build up advertising profiles, Privacy International said - but could build up detailed information on private matters such as health or religion, the privacy group said. Privacy International said, We found that at least 61 percent of apps we tested automatically transfer data to Facebook the moment a user opens the app. This happens whether people have a Facebook account or not, or whether they are logged into Facebook or not. The primary purpose of advertising IDs, such as the Google advertising ID (or Apples equivalent, the IDFA) is to allow advertisers to link data about user behavior from different apps and web browsing into a comprehensive profile. By Yereth Rosen ANCHORAGE, Alaska, May 28 (Reuters) - Two top safety officials for the U.S. National Park Service in Alaska were killed in the Memorial Day crash of a single-engine airplane in Canada's Yukon territory, officials said on Tuesday. Jeff Babcock, head of aviation safety for the Park Service in Alaska, and Eric Benson, the agency's Alaska safety officer, died when their Cessna 170B crashed shortly after takeoff from Whitehorse, the Yukon capital and largest city in the western Canadian territory, officials said. "They were really the backbone of our aviation safety program," said Peter Christian, a Park Service spokesman in Alaska. "This is a tragic loss for us. Not only were they our colleagues, they were also our friends." The crash occurred at about 5:30 p.m. on Monday and the victims were identified on Tuesday by Heather Jones, chief coroner for the Yukon government. The two men were on a personal trip and not on Park Service business, Christian said. The plane was registered to Benson and was being taken from Minnesota to Alaska, said a statement released by Jones. Babcock was believed to have been piloting the plane when it came down about 600 meters off the end of the runway in a forested area, the statement said. The crash was under investigation by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada and the Yukon Coroners Service, with assistance from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the statement said. Babcock, 58, oversaw about 15 pilots and a fleet of some 20 aircraft in Alaska, where the Park Service administers "millions and millions of acres of roadless parkland," Christian said. Benson, 56, oversaw the Park Services Alaska occupational health and safety program, he said. The crash in Yukon followed a spate of three general aviation accidents in Alaska during the past few weeks that killed a total of nine people, six of them in the midair collision of two sightseeing planes near Ketchikan. (Reporting by Yereth Rosen in ANCHORAGE Editing by Steve Gorman and Paul Tait) By Yereth Rosen ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) - Two top safety officials for the U.S. National Park Service in Alaska were killed in the Memorial Day crash of a single-engine airplane in Canada's Yukon territory, officials said on Tuesday. Jeff Babcock, head of aviation safety for the Park Service in Alaska, and Eric Benson, the agency's Alaska safety officer, died when their Cessna 170B crashed shortly after takeoff from Whitehorse, the Yukon capital and largest city in the western Canadian territory, officials said. "They were really the backbone of our aviation safety program," said Peter Christian, a Park Service spokesman in Alaska. "This is a tragic loss for us. Not only were they our colleagues, they were also our friends." The crash occurred at about 5:30 p.m. on Monday and the victims were identified on Tuesday by Heather Jones, chief coroner for the Yukon government. The two men were on a personal trip and not on Park Service business, Christian said. The plane was registered to Benson and was being taken from Minnesota to Alaska, said a statement released by Jones. Babcock was believed to have been piloting the plane when it came down about 600 meters off the end of the runway in a forested area, the statement said. The crash was under investigation by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada and the Yukon Coroners Service, with assistance from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the statement said. Babcock, 58, oversaw about 15 pilots and a fleet of some 20 aircraft in Alaska, where the Park Service administers "millions and millions of acres of roadless parkland," Christian said. Benson, 56, oversaw the Park Services Alaska occupational health and safety program, he said. The crash in Yukon followed a spate of three general aviation accidents in Alaska during the past few weeks that killed a total of nine people, six of them in the midair collision of two sightseeing planes near Ketchikan. (Reporting by Yereth Rosen in ANCHORAGE; Editing by Steve Gorman and Paul Tait) If you are currently a print subscriber but don't have an online account, select this option. You will need to use your 7 digit subscriber account number (with leading zeros) and your last name (in UPPERCASE). US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner met Morocco's King Mohammed VI on Tuesday in Rabat as part of a fresh push on a long-promised but yet-to-be-delivered peace plan for the region. The trip -- which will also include stops in Amman and Jerusalem -- comes amid a flurry of other administration moves to shore up alliances with Arab allies against Iran and the deployment of warships and bombers to the region. Kushner is accompanied by Jason Greenblatt, Trump's special representative for international negotiations, and Brian Hook, the special US representative for Iran. The meeting in Rabat focused on developments in the Middle East and North Africa as well as strengthening the partnership between Morocco and the US, a palace spokesman told AFP. Greenblatt tweeted that he and Kushner shared an iftar dinner -- the traditional meal to break the daily fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan -- with Morocco's king, Crown Prince Moulay Hassan and Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita. "Thank you to His Majesty for a special evening and for sharing your wisdom," Greenblatt wrote. "Morocco is an important friend & ally of the United States." The Trump administration is expected to unveil the peace plan -- after numerous failures by its predecessors -- possibly as early as next month, but the Palestinians have already rejected it as heavily biased in favor of Israel. Washington has yet to commit to an exact timetable with respect to the political aspects of the plan. Kushner is the chief architect of the proposals and Greenblatt, a longtime Trump lawyer, has served as his right-hand man on the Middle East initiative. Upon his arrival in the White House more than two years ago, Trump proclaimed his ambition to secure a final accord ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But the odds of his succeeding where every previous US president -- Republicans as well as Democrats -- have failed appear particularly low. Palestinians have boycotted the process since Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in December 2017. - Bahrain conference - The US is expected to roll out the economic aspects of the peace plan at a conference in Bahrain on June 25-26. Co-hosts US and Bahrain have billed it as "a pivotal opportunity... to share ideas, discuss strategies and galvanize support for potential economic investments and initiatives that could be made possible by a peace agreement." But Palestinian political leaders say they will boycott it and Palestinian business leaders said they won't go either, raising further questions about the plan's viability. "Any economic project without a political solution is selling an illusion," said Arafat Asfour, chairman of the Palestine Trade Center. Among those declining an invitation was Bashar al-Masri, a high-profile Palestinian businessman who worked with international partners and in cooperation with the Israelis to invest $1.4 billion in the new Palestinian town of Rawabi. Kushner, who will join up with Trump in London after his Middle East trip, has been evasive about the US plan, which has been shrouded in secrecy. While promising new ideas to revive a moribund peace process, he has refused to talk about a two-state solution, the formula that has long been at the heart of international efforts to achieve peace and also the official US position. Instead, he has looked to an alliance with the Saudis against Iran as a way to gain Arab support for his plan. Three days before Kushner's trip, Trump authorized $8.1 billion in arms sales to Saudi Arabia and other Arab allies, bypassing Congress. Arms sales to the kingdom were frozen after the assassination of Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi in October and in response to mounting concerns over the human toll of a Saudi-led armed campaign in Yemen. But the administration defended the sales as necessary "to deter Iranian aggression and build partner self-defense capacity." White House Senior Advisor Jared Kushner (C) -- President Donald Trump's son-in-law -- will head to the Middle East to push a peace plan for Israel and the Palestinians What happens when you populate a movie with a lot of Asian-American people is that they get to be people. Randall Park talks with @e_alexjung about his new @Netflix rom-com Always Be My Maybe and creating spaces for Asian-Americans in theater https://t.co/vw2Wk7q1kA Vulture (@vulture) May 29, 2019 d - Randall drives the journalist to the mall he lost his virginity in back in 1993. He was in his first year at UCLA. He lost it in the back of a Corolla - he uses this story in "Always Be My Maybe", which he co-wrote with his friend Ali Wong.- Journalist says "At 45, Park radiates stability, like a well-built house." Randall was nicknamed "Care Moose" when he was a counsellor because he was warm and nurturing ().- At some point he steers the wheel of the car with his knee. The journalist stills feels safe because Care Moose is driving.- He co-founded an AsianAmerican theater group called LCC, while in UCLA where got a masters degree in AsianAmerican studies.- At age 32, worked at Starbucks while filming MTVs Wild n Out because MTV doesn't play well and he had #studentloans - Role were few and far between, diversity showcases back in early 2000s were futile. He has his principles, but felt there are also roles you take to get a foot in the door. He regrets some roles he has taken for instance a role in a pilot calledin which he played "a gay Mr. Yunioshi caricature" named Jimmy.- He once took an acting workshop and one of the exercises was that you sit with your back to the class, and the other students shouted out roles you could play onscreen. When it was Parks turn, they said, Nerd, tech guy, child molester.- He eventually landed roles on The Office, Veep and of course Fresh Off The Boat.- The interview was conducted before FOB was renewed and before Constance's tweets. He said to the Journalist. He also adds he will be thrilled if the show keeps going because it has allowed him to have a lot of financial stability he never thought he would have The paid off his student loans, bought a house and broke free of credit-card debt.He says "I feel like Im at a good place for myself...I never really thought Id ever be able to have a great family, and live in a nice place. (- they go and visit his mum. He wants to remodel his parents's house but his mother refuses to take his money.- His mother is a painter and some of her work is reproduced in- Journalist, Randall and Randall's mum talk about his career, their initial expectations (they wanted him to be a doctor or a scientist, and their trepidation at his choice to become and actor.- Ali Wong thought Randall was like a deity because he had founded LCC theatre group which she eventually joined.- Howcame to be: Randall had called Ali to congratulate her on the success of Baby Cobra. While they were chatting Randall suggested they do a romcom. Ali thought Randal wanted her to write something for him to star in with someone else e.g Anne Hathaway. But, Randall wanted Ali to be his costar. A few months later, Ali casually mentions the possibility of the project in an interview for The New Yorker. The Vulture latched onto it and made a story out of it and something that was just chat became a responsibility. Apparently, Ali and Randall's people were inundated with calls afterwards.- Randall would love to play Columbo in a reboot ( If we don't do something ASAP, all is (and will be deservedly) lost. There is no excuse. Reply Thread Link Honestly, everything is already lost. With his Impeachment, we would get President Pence for the remainder. There isn't really a good option here for me other than him paying for his crimes which he should. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link It could drive more people to vote Democrat in 2020 though. Itll likely be a long drawn out process. And if anything will hopefully end up with a lot of others in trouble. Reply Parent Thread Link Although you're never getting rid of Trump AND Pence (or even just Trump, not happening with a Republican senate) before the 2020 election, if nothing happens it essentially means it doesnt matter whatever the fuck the president does. You're giving Trump and others carte blanche to defraud the 2020 election and every election after that, because it doesnt matter if it's all illegal. The only thing that matters is you win, and you become untouchable. Reply Parent Thread Link Impeach Pence too. Reply Parent Thread Link At least I won't have to worry we're going to enter into a nuclear war because of a tweet with Pence Reply Parent Thread Link Pence is also guilty and hopefully that would all come and and be made plain during the process. He knew about Gen. Flynn's spying and lying and he lied about it. Pence was brought in by Paul Manafort. He's compromised the same way Trvmp is. That's why he was the VP choice. He's been getting a pass because it's pointless to go after him as long as Trvmp is in office. That would change as hearings go along and are televised. Reply Parent Thread Link EXACTLY Reply Parent Thread Link IA but at this point Im not holding out any hope. Reply Parent Thread Link ASAP would've been right after the report was released. Congress is useless. Reply Parent Thread Link nancy put your clown wig on Reply Thread Link Louder for the elected officials in the back, READ THE FU/KING REPORT. lol op Of course tr*mp and the WH are still saying he's completely exonerated, ugh. Reply Thread Link If Nancy Pelosi doesn't put that fucking vermillion coat on and start impeachment proceedings... I swear Reply Thread Link We live in hell Reply Thread Link I really don't understand what Pelosi is doing. The Dems are so meek and I seriously doubt she has a long-term plan like in the sense that she's playing some complicated chess. Reply Thread Link I think she's letting public opinion on impeachment at this point in time guide her. I guarantee if the polling was different she'd start proceedings. It's infuriating because I think the public would move in favor if she actually stuck her neck out and made the case. Reply Parent Thread Link forreal, at this point you only lose by not rocking the boat. take some mfing risks and lead the goddamn country, it's your job. Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah but that would require her to actually DO something Reply Parent Thread Link She knows trump will use it to claim that he's persecuted and will rally his army to claim all Democrats are evil and we'll end up with 50 Joe the Plumbers running for the house and she'll lose her speakership again. Reply Parent Thread Link [2] Because they all share the same class interests despite him being a loathsome troll, like...[2] Reply Parent Thread Expand Link It continually amazes me how Democrats don't realize that no one likes them because they refuse to do ANYTHING. All in the name of supposedly appeasing this Mythical Moderate that doesn't actually exist. Reply Parent Thread Link The senate will never impeach him tho Reply Parent Thread Link Pelosi is counting the votes for the 2020 election. She knows it's vital that the Dems remain in control in the House and take back the Senate. If they start impeachment proceedings, the GOP will use it to rouse their base and say it's just a political move on the Dem's part to damage their President. She's trying to keep from giving them fuel. She knows as long as McConnell is in charge of the Senate, Trvmp will never get convicted. So it would all be for show. The question is, would the show make a big enough impression to turn his base against him, and I think we all know that answer to that. His base is never going to turn against him. She's been letting this play out until the polls show that a majority of Americans want impeachment. Until today, polls show they aren't in favor of starting impeachment no matter how much we all are. Reply Parent Thread Link I'm so done with Dems. Like their inability to EVER stand up is beyond infuriating. This party has GOT to get a back bone at some point, it's becoming pathetic. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Is it true that if they start impeachment then it has to go to the Senate? I feel like Turtle will just shut it all down? Or worse they will exonerate him. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Because the American people dont want it. The reality is they impeach and the Senate acquit seems him. And then its done forever. Double jeopardy would apply. Shes also aware the Repubs lost the house overnight their impeachment of Clinton. Yes that was nowhere near as valid but its a precedent. Reply Parent Thread Link How can you honestly state you will not testify because the report states as all you have to say when 1/3 OF THE REPORT IS REDACTED!!!! And then go on to THANK the POS who redacted it?! How can you honestly state you will not testify because the report states as all you have to say when 1/3 OF THE REPORT IS REDACTED!!!! And then go on to THANK the POS who redacted it?! Reply Thread Link is this amara, she looks gorg (as usual) Reply Parent Thread Link mte lol legit gasped Reply Parent Thread Link She really is Reply Parent Thread Link Its CRAZY! This is wack. Just finish him istg Reply Parent Thread Link Uh, yeah. At least fucking tell us why you wrote a statement saying Barr mischaracterized the report. Hes trying to hard to be neutral and is confusing the general public with his legalese. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I don't understand why they aren't initiating impeachment proceedings. Yes, the GOP will block them, but why not make the effort? Reply Thread Link You're putting too much faith in Pelosi. Reply Parent Thread Link Because establishment Dems love power more than saving the country. Reply Parent Thread Link I read it was because they were afraid of Trump becoming even more popular and powerful if they tried an impeachment, because Clinton had his highest approval ratings after impeachment proceedings. Reply Parent Thread Link I think they're worried that it will invigorate Trump's base Reply Parent Thread Link Because the GOP will use it against Dems in the 2020 races for the House and Senate. They will say it's a Democratic coup attempt and it will drive more Republicans to vote, resulting in the Dems losing the House and not taking back the Senate. She thinks it has to be an ironclad case or it's not worth pursing. They can hold public hearings without calling it impeachment, but the problem right now is that everyone is ignoring the subpeonas they've already been served. A bigger problem right now is Barr as Attorney General. They should star impeaching him. Reply Parent Thread Link Bless you for that transcript, OP! Reply Thread Link I don't even want to imagine having this fucking clown in office for another term but I can't see anyone doing shit about this. Reply Thread Link These "translations" provided by OP are SPOT ON. Reply Thread Link This whole thing is so confusing. Why didnt they just say this to begin with? Reply Thread Link We need to impeach now, otherwise he's above the law. Reply Thread Link So we can't indict a sitting president even though the reason his ass is there in the first place is connected to what he should be indicted for. What kind of logic is that? Reply Thread Link That's such a bullshit "rule". So basically no one is above the law unless you are elected president, ok cool. Reply Parent Thread Link yeah what Reply Parent Thread Link Right?? Wtf kind of bullshit Reply Parent Thread Link Major flooding in the Midwest has interfered with crude oil flows from the countrys main storage hub in Cushing, Oklahoma, temporarily pushing prices higher, Reuters reports. Flooding seems to have impacted distribution hubs around the United States, slowing stuff coming out of Cushing and creating a bid on WTI, a market strategist with a Chicago broker told Reuters. Heavy rains in the region, particularly in Oklahoma, began at the end of last week and there are more storms and rain coming. Since the floods began, at least six people have died in Oklahoma alone. To prevent the worst from happening, the Army Corps of Engineers is releasing water from the Keystone Dam at a rate of 275,000 cu ft per second. This could raise the level of standing floodwaters but at least it would reduce the risk of the levees in Tulsa breaking, according to authorities. Since the beginning of May, according to the National Weather Service, part of Oklahoma have seen rainfall of up to 19 inches and there is more on the way, which means the interference with oil flows from Cushing as well as other regional storage hubs will persist. Even so, the effect on oil prices for now has been limited and it was even reversed rather quickly under the double weight of an economic slowdown worry related to the U.S.-Chinese trade war and an extended rise in U.S. crude oil inventories. At the time of writing, West Texas Intermediate traded at US$58.37 a barrel, down by more than a percentage point since yesterdays close pressured by these factors. However, as the flooding continues and the risk of a worse supply disruption persists or even increases, chances are the weather situation in the Midwest could reverse the fall. That said, if OPEC+ decides to end its production cuts at its June meeting, this will provide a significant pressure on prices before long. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The last time IMO lowered the marine fuel Sulphur cap was in 2012, dropping it from 4.5 percent to 3.5 percent. Now the 2020 decrease is substantially more marked, a sevenfold drawdown to 0.5 percent. Such an abrupt move should lead to a manifest disjunction between high-sulphur and low-sulphur streams, which is exactly what most of us have predicted yet one might even say that so far it was the opposite that came around. This lack of market clarity amid a plethora of signals obfuscating the true direction in which the shipping industry is headed will cast a long shadow over the oil industry, raising the risk that the first months of 2020 will be a rough ride for everyone involved. The International Maritime Organizations (IMO) decision to lower the Sulphur cap of marine fuel across the globe will be one of those few landmark moments which trigger a whole set of smaller trends, reshaping the oil market so as to make it leaner and more efficient. The IMO 2020 transformation will bring confusion to the refiners books sophisticated refiners will seize the opportunity to buy cheaper sour crudes, whilst less sophisticated sites will see their feedstock bills rise in the tumultuous years of 2020-2021. In the upcoming weeks and months, we will be looking at how IMO 2020 influences oil markets as the implementation date draws nearer. The International Maritime Organizations (IMO) decision to lower the Sulphur cap of marine fuel across the globe will be one of those few landmark moments which trigger a whole set of smaller trends, reshaping the oil market so as to make it leaner and more efficient. The IMO 2020 transformation will bring confusion to the refiners books sophisticated refiners will seize the opportunity to buy cheaper sour crudes, whilst less sophisticated sites will see their feedstock bills rise in the tumultuous years of 2020-2021. In the upcoming weeks and months, we will be looking at how IMO 2020 influences oil markets as the implementation date draws nearer. The last time IMO lowered the marine fuel Sulphur cap was in 2012, dropping it from 4.5 percent to 3.5 percent. Now the 2020 decrease is substantially more marked, a sevenfold drawdown to 0.5 percent. Such an abrupt move should lead to a manifest disjunction between high-sulphur and low-sulphur streams, which is exactly what most of us have predicted yet one might even say that so far it was the opposite that came around. This lack of market clarity amid a plethora of signals obfuscating the true direction in which the shipping industry is headed will cast a long shadow over the oil industry, raising the risk that the first months of 2020 will be a rough ride for everyone involved. Point #1: Pricing Has Gone Awry Due to the US Sanctions Before we dwell into the peculiarities of IMO 2020 itself, lets just take a look at how wildly unpredictable oil prices can be. There is no better example than the Urals pricing throughout the first five months of 2019. Urals was generally expected (by oilmen and reputed analysts/oil services companies alike) to start dipping against Dated in 2019, attaining an average annual discount to Dated Brent of roughly -2 USD per barrel and then plummet even further in 2020, when the IMO Rules come into effect, to some -4 USD per barrel. Bear in mind that this should be an annual average, allowing for even wider movement amplitudes. Graph 1. Urals Quotes vs Dated Brent 2015-2019. Source: Thomson Reuters. Yet the exact opposite has happened Urals has moved into previously unattainable territories, especially in the Mediterranean where it currently trades around +1 USD per barrel against Dated Brent. The underlying reason is quite easy to pinpoint the Trump Administrations sanctions against Venezuela and Iran have shaken up the market and resulted in a very tangible medium and heavy sour tightness. As a result, crudes which traditionally were traded at a discount of several dollars per barrel in the previous years are now climbing up to Brent parity. Remember our Doba story the Chadian crude traded at a -4 USD per barrel discount to Brent in Q4 2018, now it already hovers above a +2 USD per barrel premium. Graph 2. Kirkuk Monthly OSP Discounts vs Dated Brent Quotes 2015-2019. Source: Thomson Reuters. And here comes the vital differentiation Doba is very sweet (0.1 percent Sulphur) and it could be argued that its prices skyrocketed as Chinese refiners start to reorient African crude streams towards themselves in preparation for IMO 2020. Yet heavy streams which are more sulphurous saw similar surges over the past couple of months. The Colombian Vasconia cannot stop appreciating as missing Venezuelan volumes need to be replaced in this, Colombian and Ecuadorian crudes are of primary interest for US, Japanese and other refining powerhouses. The Iraqi Kirkuk crude, the Sulphur content of which generally oscillates between 2.5-3 percent, is already trading at almost Dated Flat levels if we add the inevitable traders margin to the Iraqi OSP. Graph 3. Vasconia vs Dated Brent 2015-2019. Source: Thomson Reuters. Attentive readers will have noticed by now that we have omitted light crudes from our review. Looking at the pricing development of Bonny Light, one must observe that it has largely moved out of its 5-year average zone in April-May when Iranian barrels have already disappeared from the market, creating a gap of more than 1mbpd. Hence, Bonnys surge is palpably less robust than that of heavier and more sulphurous crudes, which is understandable given that the overwhelming majority of new US crude streams is light and is pushing Nigerian crudes from traditional market outlets, last but not least the massive American market itself. Graph 4. Bonny Light vs Dated Brent 2015-2019. Source: Thomson Reuters. Point #2: The Future of Fuel Oil There remain doubts whether high sulfur fuel oil (HSFO) as we know it would remain a widely consumed product or would it move towards obsolescence. Most probably there will not be a global answer to the question and most regions would find their own tailor-made solutions. In addition to Chinese refiners already producing VLSFO, most leading Asian refiners, i.e. the South Korean Hyundai Oilbank, Japanese Idemitsu and Showa Shell, and Taiwanese CPC have been preparing for a H2 2019 startup of IMO-compliant marine fuel production. In Europe, only ExxonMobil (Antwerp), Repsol (La Coruna and Bilbao) and Saras (Sarroch) have been installing new units to ensure there are no IMO 2020-related supply shortages. The rest will most probably rely on a custom-made gasoil-fuel oil blend. For more than 2 years, starting from the October 2016 IMO decision onwards, little was known about the preferences of port authorities in terms of scrubbing technology and in general presence thereof. Yet now it is becoming increasingly clear that open-loop scrubbers (i.e. the vessels that use seawater to neutralize SOx and dropping the results thereof into the sea without any subsequent treatment) seem to be a bad choice the Asian shipping hubs of Fujairah and Singapore, as well as China, California, Massachusetts and Belgium have all banned their usage within their jurisdiction. This, of course, does not ban their usage per se, thus vessels can still dump the effluent into the sea once they have passed the territorial water frontier, still, the current market preference seems to be for hybrid scrubbers. Point #3: Watch Out for Shipping Costs On the back of a very healthy global shipbuilding portfolio and ample demand for new vessels (so far), the cost of shipping a new IMO 2020 environment will loom large for the shipping companies. If on average an oil tanker consumes 40-60 mt per day of marine fuel, the increase in aggregate voyage costs might be anywhere between 0 and 400 000 USD for one given route. And that is not all. Refiners will tackle the challenge of producing on-spec 0.5 percent Sulphur marine fuel differently, many will use different refinery streams to blend the optimal fuel together whilst some would simply change the refinery slate towards a lighter one (look no further than the Greek Aspropyrgos refinery which has been revamping its operations to move from a medium sour to a light sweet feed stream). The ceteris paribus cost of a seaborne voyage the Worldscale rate between any two given navigable points will inevitably change, too. The current set of Worldscale shipping rates is calculated on the basis of 2018 HSFO bunker prices, whilst the next years routes should be already based on VLSFO, pointing towards a quite hefty price increase down the line. These developments should seemingly compel some shippers to look at LNG as a fitting replacement of HSFO in fact several Norwegian tanker operators like Odfjell are already doing this and given the abundance of potential Russian LNG projects they might be joined by the Russians, too. Thus, do not be surprised if the Baltic/North Sea area, an emission control area (ECA) for quite some time already, will gradually gravitate towards liquefied gas. Of all the things that could be done with the money raised by PIF from this sale, the worst fear among financial advisors was that it would be wasted on NEOM - a robot-led city that represents yet another audaciously grandiose project pushed by MBS, and which we are certain will fail miserably. There arent any foreign investors we are aware of who want to get in on NEOM outside of the Chinese who operate on an entirely different set of investment criteria (their only criteria being diplomacy and power footholds; for instance, as a way to break further into the Saudi arms market). The Aramco-Sabic deal, as we have noted previously, was a scheme to get more cash for the Saudi sovereign wealth fund (PIF). Aramco bought the Sabic shares from PIF in what was a very complicated and undesirable way to raise money and which saddles Aramco with an asset it doesnt need at all. This was a sacrifice for Aramco and a benefit for the PIF (such things happen with state-controlled entities, even when they do not make market sense). As some of the saner elements of Saudi Crown Princes circle of advisors feared, investors will be perplexed to learn that a big chunk of the money raised from the Aramco-Sabic deal will be pumped into Saudi Arabias NEOM futuristic city project on the Red Sea, according to our high-level sources in Riyadh. Another Wild Waste of Saudi Money As some of the saner elements of Saudi Crown Princes circle of advisors feared, investors will be perplexed to learn that a big chunk of the money raised from the Aramco-Sabic deal will be pumped into Saudi Arabias NEOM futuristic city project on the Red Sea, according to our high-level sources in Riyadh. The Aramco-Sabic deal, as we have noted previously, was a scheme to get more cash for the Saudi sovereign wealth fund (PIF). Aramco bought the Sabic shares from PIF in what was a very complicated and undesirable way to raise money and which saddles Aramco with an asset it doesnt need at all. This was a sacrifice for Aramco and a benefit for the PIF (such things happen with state-controlled entities, even when they do not make market sense). Of all the things that could be done with the money raised by PIF from this sale, the worst fear among financial advisors was that it would be wasted on NEOM - a robot-led city that represents yet another audaciously grandiose project pushed by MBS, and which we are certain will fail miserably. There arent any foreign investors we are aware of who want to get in on NEOM outside of the Chinese who operate on an entirely different set of investment criteria (their only criteria being diplomacy and power footholds; for instance, as a way to break further into the Saudi arms market). In the meantime, the Khashoggi affair is still causing problems for the Saudis, with our sources inside the PIF saying that theyre having a hard time getting anyone interested in taking their money in the form of investment. Taking the US-Iran Conflict to the Brink, and Then Backing Down Watch very carefully what happens next surrounding US-Iran tensions. There are many indications that this is again - a Trump effort to bring things to the brink before backing away to gain additional leverage. This is a tactic that is difficult for investors and analysts to grasp because the temptation is very high to consider, each time, that this means war (with trade, with Iran, etc). In the case of Iran, though, there is always the danger that Trump will take things too far, beyond the point at which there can be any backtracking, as proxies begin to take matters into their own hands. However, the indications are back-and-forth that Trump wishes to scale tensions back again, most recently telling the public that he is not even gunning for regime change in Iran, let alone all-out war. Bolton was also in the UAE this week (arriving Wednesday) to talk Iran, and Trump seems to think that Tehran is now ready to sit down at the deal table, though our assessment is that he has overplayed his hand on this one. The minute it becomes clear that Iran isnt ready to sit down at the table, Bolton announces that Iran is most certainly behind the attack on Saudi tankers off the coast of the UAE (where he is presently visiting). Bolton is taking cues from the UAE propaganda machine. The Saudis, too, are scrambling right now - according to royal circle advisors among our assets -to maintain a careful balance of escalating tensions but trying not to escalate too far. Right now, the UAE is fearful that the Saudi crown prince may act out of line with what is the wider intention. In other words, they are worried that he is too eager to pull the trigger on this one, and are trying to keep him under control. He is the wild card here. In the meantime, MBS is trying to dangle more active courting of China and Russia in front of Washington in an attempt to suggest that - post-Khashoggi - he has plenty of friends who do not judge him and does not rely on the US. He is using this as leverage to convince the Trump administration to make the Khashoggi fallout disappear and in return the Saudis will push through key policy plans of a mutually beneficial nature. Against the backdrop of all of this, French Total SA has indicated that it may quit Iran because of Europes failure to salvage the nuclear deal and, by connection, trade between the EU and Iran. At stake is Totals $1-million Iran gas project. The problem is that with sanctions waivers no longer being extended, European shippers and insurers (Maersk, Allianz) are already cutting the cord, leaving Total little incentive to stick it out. The Europeans have definitively lost this battle. Algerian Oil Twist Is All About France In another twist in the Anadarko asset sale, Algeria is blocking French Total SA from acquiring Anadarkos Algeria assets, which was intended to be part of the deal when Occidental merged with Anadarko following Chevrons withdrawal from its acquisition bid. Total was to acquire Anadarkos assets in Algeria, Ghana, Mozambique and South Africa in a deal agreed to by Occidental. For reasons that have not yet been explained by Algerian officials, they wish the assets to remain with Anadarko, which produces over 300,000 bpd in the country. Anadarko is the operator in Algeria of blocks 404a and 208 with a 24.5% stake in the Berkine basin (the Hassi Berkine, Ourhoud and El Merk fields in the Algerian Sahara). Total already holds a 12.25% stake in these operations, which produced 320,000 boepd in 2018. The move, of course, is political in nature and represents Algerias desire for just about anyone other than its colonial occupier to have control of these lucrative assets and potentially undermine Sonatrach, which itself is a reflection of the national interest. France may be meddling significantly in neighboring Libya, where it also has massive oil interests, but in Algeria, its playing it very cautious - despite the political chaos that would normally provide it with an open window - because of the long, bloody history between the two. Algerias post-Bouteflika interim military clan leadership is extremely fragile right now, and mass protests are more than a continually looming threat. The last thing this interim leadership wants right now is any stronger a French foothold. Right now, protests have the ability to turn Algeria into the next Libya - only far, far messier. Algerias vow to block Totals acquisition of Anadarkos assets isnt a message to investors - its a message specifically to the French. In the meantime, Italys Eni is diving back into the Algerian political chaos by renewing a contract to import Algerian gas from state-run Sonatrach until 2027, with an option to extend two additional years. Sonatrach accounts for about 15% of Italys gas imports. It is also against this shifting backdrop that Algeria announced a new gas discovery in its southwestern Tindouf province, with officials reporting positive indications of capacity to produce around 275 cubic meters of gas and some 300 liters of condensate per hour. It is the first gas discovery in Tindouf province, which immediately opens up new potential for Algeria. The question now is which message will resound louder with investors: A significant new discovery or blocking Totals acquisition? Haftar Gains Ground Toward Center of Tripoli Haftar is now only several kilometers from the center of Tripoli, having made gains over the past couple of days in fighting back militias loyal to the Government of National Accord (GNA). Our own boots on the ground in Tripoli have been forced to evacuate their location in the suburb of Ain Zara, which has come under direct fire in the conflict. Qatari-run media (Aljazeera, etc) are now blasting the digital airwaves with evidence that the UAE was running weapons cargos to Haftar ahead of the launch of his offensive on Tripoli, using an Arab-Israeli airline scheme to keep cargoes consistent. This is not likely to win the anti-Haftar external opposition much support because it has been clear from the start that the UAE was fronting this operation. Amid the chaos, the NOC has announced it will develop the North Hamada oilfield, in the countrys Northwest region. This is part of the Ghadames basin, which is shared with Tunisia and Algeria. Theyve actually picked up the momentum on development in an attempt to get it producing before Libya disintegrates into full-blown civil war part II, which we find an unusually risky development justification. The project is not terribly significant in the bigger Libyan oil picture, and will likely produce only 25,000 bpd at its peak. It is owned by the NOC and Indonesias Medco Energi Internasional. Global Oil & Gas Playbook - Another defeat for coal, this time in one of its heartiest playgrounds - Poland. The countrys state-run utility, Tauron, is considering the sale of one of three coal mines under its jurisdiction as carbon emissions costs increase the point that renewable energy is actually cheaper. If the sale goes through, the proceeds may go to construction of onshore wind farms. - Israel said it will participate in US-mediated negotiations with Lebanon aimed at resolving a dispute over a maritime border that had dogged Mediterranean oil and gas exploration. Last year, Lebanon signed its first contract to drill for oil and gas in its waters, including in a block disputed by its southern neighbor Israel. A consortium comprised of Total, Eni and Novatek was awarded two of Lebanons 10 exploration blocks. Weve been waiting on this one for years due to the massive Israeli gas finds that could be repeated in Lebanons portion of the Levant Basin. - Papua New Guinea PM Peter ONeill has resigned explicitly over his signing of a $13-billion deal with Total and Exxon for a massive LNG project with Total and Exxon. The deal landed him a no-confidence vote in parliament, which he managed to survive last month. The project would almost double Papua New Guinea's gas exports; however, local communities are still hurting from past deals that did not benefit the public. - Saudi Aramco has ended negotiations with Russias Novatek gas producer over the Arctic LNG-2 project. Negotiations had been going on for a year and a half, and the Saudis appear to have gotten cold feet over potential sanctions, as well as over the terms of the potential deal. We think this was additional leverage the Saudis are using to sweeten the deal with Trump over Iran and the Saudi plot to get Washington to quash opposition at home to Saudi money in the wake of the Khashoggi assassination. The Saudis are increasingly courting China and Russia, as we have mentioned, and the purpose in part is to build up these relations and start a fair amount of deal-negotiating, some of which can result in new deals, and some of which can be used for leverage with the US. - The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NDA) has granted Equinor a drilling permit for a section of the North Sea, just west of the southern part of the Johan Sverdrup field. The total contract value for these services is estimated at about $290 million for the 3-year fixed contract term. - Spotlight on CNOOC: We are interested in the following series of developments for the Chinese state-run oil giant this past week: - CNOOC has launched production in a deep-water Gulf of Mexico field--Appomattox--ahead of schedule. The announcement of the launch is significant because it represents the first commercial discovery to come online from the Norphlet formation discovery. The original production launch was to be in the second half of this year. The projections here are 175,000 boepd at peak. - CNOOC has also begun spudding its offshore Ireland high-impact Iolar well, in partnership with Exxon. - The Chinese giant is also making a move to expand its retail oil business, opening dozens of petrol stations in Myanmar, as it solidifies its foothold here--with bragging rights as the first big foreign investor to enter this fuel market. - Spotlight on Eni: Italian Eni has won four new offshore oil and gas blocks from Ivory Coast (along with French Total SA, which also won two). Things are looking good for Enis future production numbers. Eni already has six exploration plans approved by the Mexican government, putting it in the running to become Mexicos largest shallow-water producer behind state-run Pemex. Argentina this week also awarded an Eni-led consortium an exploration license for offshore block MLO 124 following an April 16 bidding round. The block is in the Malvinas Basin and Eni holds an 80% working interest, as operator. Oil markets remained under pressure in early trading on Wednesday amid economic downturn worries due to the U.S.-China trade war that shows no sign of ending. Front-month futures for international oil benchmark Brent crude hit $69.85/barrel at 0101 GMT, a drop of 0.4 percent from the close from the last session. U.S. oil benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were off some 0.7 percent, at $58.70/barrel. Ongoing trade war tensions are causing concern across financial markets as well. The S&P 500 has dropped 5 percent from its recent record highs, while some analysts claim that there is even more downside potential as markets have barely priced the effects of Chinas potential response in the trade war. Some possible retaliatory moves by China, in addition to its recent tariff increase on $60 bn worth of U.S. goods, include restricting rare earth exports to the U.S., a move that would hurt many U.S. manufacturers since China holds roughly 71 percent of the global market share. An op-ed in the Beijing-based Global Times newspaper, which often expresses the views of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), said on Wednesday that the U.S. will rue forcing China's hand on rare earth materials. An official of China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said the day before that China will not tolerate foreign high-tech products made from rare earths produced in China being used to contain and suppress China's development. Related: This Troubled Nation Just Made A Critical Gas Discovery "If anyone wants to use the products made from rare earths exported by China to contain and suppress the development of China, I think the people of the old revolutionary base area in the south of Jiangxi Province and the people of China will not be happy," said the official. According to the Global Times, he made the remarks when asked by reporters if China will use rare earths as a countermeasure against U.S. trade moves to contain China. Obviously, the report added, the response is a strong signal from China to the U.S. Who will blink first? Despite Beijings increasingly defiant tone over the trade war, the question at the end of the day is who will blink first? Trump is hoping that he can outlast China since the U.S. imports around five times more Chinese goods than China imports from the U.S. Some analysts agree with this assertion, while others debunk it as an oversimplification. Yet, noted economist Gary Shilling predicts that not only will President Trump win the seemingly endless trade war with China, but in the long run, the U.S. will be better off. People say nobody wins trade wars. Yeah, in the short-run you dont, but in the long-runthe U.S. will be better off, Shilling recently said. When youve got plenty of supply in the world, and I think you do. Its the buyer that has the upper hand not the seller. The buyer has the ultimate power and whos the buyer? The U.S. is the buyer, China is the seller, he said. Other agree, claiming that without the vast U.S. market, China will have trouble finding buyers for many of its consumer products. China creates gas pain for the U.S. While China could try to inflict pain on the U.S. by withholding rare earth materials, it is already creating a negative impact on U.S. LNG project development. China's move to hike tariffs on U.S. LNG from 10 percent to 25 percent will cause a number of greenfield LNG project proposals to not go forward. These projects, unlike their project proposal counterparts that are funded by oil and gas majors with deep pockets, will not be able to strike long term off-take agreements needed to reach the all-important final investment decision (FID) before a project can be built. Moreover, many of these smaller projects which are often being promulgated by a patchwork of various companies and energy players will also need Chinese financing to go forward. The reality that China is now the second largest LNG buyer in the world and will likely pass Japan, the top current LNG buyer, in a number of years is a hard reality for the U.S. LNG sector to deal with as it seeks to compete with both Australia and Qatar as the top LNG export leader by the mid part of the next decade. Related: The Next LNG Boom Will Dwarf The Last One The U.S., even without a 25 percent tariff on its LNG exports to China, would struggle to vie with Qatar as the top global LNG producer. The tiny, gas-rich kingdom caught the energy world by surprise in late 2017 when it announced that it would increase its liquefaction capacity from 77 million tons per annum (mtpa) to a staggering 110 mtpa by late 2023 or early 2024 by developing more gas at its North Field, an increase in production of some 43 percent. The move will also increase Qatars total production capacity from 4.8 to 6.2 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe) per day. For the U.S. to compete with Qatar on a liquefaction-to-liquefaction capacity basis it will need to see a large percentage of current LNG project proposals come to fruition. For the time being, the pain from increased Chinese tariffs on U.S. LNG has been minimized. The U.S. will soon become the worlds third-largest LNG exporter. In December, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) projected that U.S. LNG export capacity will reach 8.9 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) by the end of 2019, making it the third largest in the world behind Australia and Qatar. By Tim Daiss for Oilprice.com More Top Reads from Oilprice.com: At a workshop in Ho Chi Minh City on May 28, Deputy Director of the Electricity and Renewable Energy Authority under the Ministry of Industry and Trade Le Van Luc said Vietnam imports about 1,000MW of power from China and Laos annually.Electricity imports from these two countries are expected to reach 3,000MW by 2025 and 5,000MW by 2030, he said, explaining that the domestic power supply is running out.Meanwhile, many power projects are lagging behind schedule. Almost all big- and medium-sized hydropower sources have been used, and there remain only a few small ones for exploitation. Therefore, hydropower will account for only 12.4 percent of all electricity supply by 2030. That will add a further complication to the supply shortage, according to the authority.Power supply sources that can be put into use between 2016 and 2030 have total capacity of about 78,300MW, more than 17,500MW lower than the expected figure in a revised national electricity development plan.Most of the shortage will fall in 2018-2022. In particular, electricity reserves will be almost used up in 2018 and 2019, and power shortages will occur from 2021 to 2025, the workshop heard. Vietnamplus While the oil market is fixated on the U.S.-China trade war for signs of demand, and on Iran, Venezuela, and the Middle East for signs of more supply disruptions, investors have not fully priced in the increased risk that Libyas fighting could result in a serious oil supply outage, analysts told CNBC on Wednesday. The security situation in Libya has materially worsened after eastern strongman General Khalifa Haftar ordered in early April his Libyan National Army (LNA) to march on the capital Tripoli. The self-styled army has been clashing with troops of the UN-backed government in a renewed confrontation that could escalate and threaten to disrupt, once again, Libyas oil production and exports. Earlier this month, Hamish Kinnear, Senior Analyst for Verisk Maplecroft, wrote in a report that the struggle between the two factions is now extending to the central bank of Libya and to its National Oil Corporation. The security situation is deteriorating and with Libya lurching from one crisis to another, conditions are increasingly ripe for a supply shock, CNBC quoted Stephen Brennock, an oil analyst with PVM Oil Associates, as saying in a research note published on Wednesday. According to Standard Chartereds global head of commodities Paul Horsnell, investors are clearly ignoring warnings from National Oil Corporations (NOC) chairman Mustafa Sanalla that the ongoing fighting could put the entire Libyan oil sector at risk. Protracted hostilities continue to hamper NOC operations and our ability to serve the Libyan people. Key infrastructure is being damaged and security eroded - allowing criminal elements to prosper, Sanalla said in a statement last week. NOC will take all necessary measures to investigate and prosecute those committing crimes that undermine the oil sector and our ability to maintain operations. An immediate ceasefire is needed. The alternative is further escalation and destruction, Sanalla added. Meanwhile, Haftar told French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche in an interview on Sunday that he is ruling out a ceasefire in the fight for Tripoli and accused the United Nations of looking to partition Libya. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads from Oilprice.com: The attacks on oil tankers in the Persian Gulf earlier this month were caused by naval mines almost certainly from Iran, U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton said on Wednesday from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the tension between the U.S. and Iran continues to escalate. Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia said that two of its oil tankers were attacked by saboteurs near the UAE, while the UAE said that a total four vessels were attacked off its coast at the port of Fujairah, which is the worlds second-largest bunkering port. Speaking to reporters in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, Bolton said, as carried by Reuters: I think it is clear these (tanker attacks) were naval mines almost certainly from Iran. There is no doubt in anybodys mind in Washington who is responsible for this and I think its important that the leadership in Iran know that we know, the U.S. national security advisor said. A few days ago, the Pentagon accused Irans Revolutionary Guard of sabotaging four vessels at the Fujairah port. The attack against the shipping in Fujairah, we attribute it to the IRGC, Vice Adm. Michael Gilday, Director of the Joint Staff, said on a briefing on Iran on Friday. Iran immediately rejected Boltons absurd claim, Iranian media report. It is not surprising to see Bolton make such a ludicrous claim in a meeting with two members of a team with a long track record of anti-Iran policies, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi said today, quoted by the Mehr news agency. Iran is blaming what it calls a B-teamcomprised of Bolton, Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyanfor plotting anti-Iranian destructive policies. [T]he strategic patience, high vigilance and full defensive readiness of the Islamic Republic of Iran will prevent Bolton and other warmongers and crisis-seekers from hatching their sinister plots to cause chaos in the region, Iran says. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Russia may join a proposed extension of the oil production cuts agreed with OPEC at the end of last year, First Deputy Oil Minister Anton Siluanov told Reuters today. The most important issue to consider is what the oil price gains would be from an extension as opposed to the potential loss of market share to U.S. producers. There are many arguments both in favor of the extension and against it, Siluanov said, adding Of course, we need price stability and predictability, this is good. But we see that all these deals with OPEC result in our American partners boosting shale oil output and grabbing new markets. The December 2018 agreement between OPEC, Russia and several other smaller producers aimed to reduce global supply by 1.2 million bpd to prop up stubbornly low prices. However, after the cuts did their job and prices rose, the United States removed sanction waivers for eight large Iranian oil importers, prompting a price rise. This combined with lower production in Venezuela and the continued threat of outages in Libya to push prices higher. Saudi Arabia was the first to mention the possibility of extending the production cuts beyond their original end-June expiry as it strives for even higher oil prices despite the danger of market share loss. In fact, the Kingdom has been boosting its market share in Asia as refiners need a quick replacement for lost Iranian barrels. Earlier this month, it emerged that several OPEC members were in favor of extending the production cuts to the end of the year for fear that prices will drop sharply if the cuts are ended in June. There are some grounds for this fear: the latest escalation between China and the U.S. has renewed the worry about a global economic slowdown that will dampen oil demand, and U.S. production continues to push higher, capping the bullish potential for benchmarks. OPEC and its non-OPEC partners are meeting next week in Vienna to discuss next steps after the meetings, originally scheduled for late June, were rescheduled at the request of Moscow. By Irina Slav for Oilrpice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Tankers carrying gasoline and ships transporting food for Venezuela were sabotaged last week to prevent them from reaching Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro said in a televised speech late on Monday. Last week, sabotage was committed against ten tankers [with gasoline] to prevent them from reaching the Venezuelan coast, Russian news outlet Sputnik quoted Maduro as saying. Amid political chaos and a raging economic crisis, Venezuelas oil production has been crumbling, and most refineries and upgraders have stopped producing entirely, operating at zero capacity merely to keep the facilities from being damaged as its buyers look for alternate supplies in the face of US sanctions. Venezuela, the country sitting on top of the worlds largest crude oil reserves, is now producing less than 1 million bpd of oil - just over 750,000 bpd in April, compared to average production of 1.9 million bpd for 2017, as per OPECs secondary sources. While Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaido, recognized as the countrys interim president by the U.S. and many other countries, vie for Venezuelas presidency, the tightened U.S. sanctions on Venezuela that began in February are constraining Venezuelas ability to produce, refine, and export oil. Venezuelas gasoline production has slumped as the second-largest refinery in the country stopped operating, and gasoline import shortages have caused lines at gas stations. Related: Oil Majors Are Missing The Renewable Boom In Asia The military is overseeing the rationing of fuel while shortages begin to bite deeper as crude oil production continues to fall, refineries idle, and the flow of diluents necessary to produce fuels from Venezuelan superheavy crude dries up. Meanwhile, Norways government said on Saturday that representatives for Maduro and Guaido would hold another round of talks mediated by Norway. We announce that the representatives of the main political actors in Venezuela have decided to return to Oslo next week to continue a process facilitated by Norway, the Norwegian government said on May 25. We reiterate our commitment to continue supporting the search for an agreed-upon solution between the parties in Venezuela, Norway said. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Tanzania has announced that construction will finally begin on its much-delayed LNG plant in 2022, Tanzanias energy minister said on Tuesday according to Reutersthe latest in Tanzanias goalpost moving for the massive LNG project. The news comes side by side another important announcement for Tanzaniathat of its oil pipeline that will move oil between Tanzania and Zambia, the latter of which imports most of its petroleum that it uses. The $30 billion LNG plant has experienced significant delays due to regulatory issues to determine the legal, fiscal, and commercial terms for the project, as well as low LNG prices. Major international companies have been exploring for gas offshore Tanzania, including Equinor, Exxon, and Shell and have found sufficient quantities for a potential LNG plant. The LNG plant is planned for the Lindi region, and will be spearheaded by Shell, Exxon, Ophir, and Pavilion, with an expected completion date of sometime in 2028. The plant will have a 10 million tonnes per annum capacity, the energy minister said, and will open up avenues for Tanzania to export its LNG. Tanzania has stated in the past that it was eager to beat Mozambique to secure markets in Japan and South Korea. If Mozambique were to beat Tanzania to market, this project could be worthless, Tanzanias previous energy minister said in 2017. The LNG project was originally supposed to have reached an agreement with international companies sometime in 2018. For the oil pipeline, the project is expected to cost $1.5 billion, the energy minister said, according to Reuters, although the details for this project have not yet been made available, including when the project will begin, and how it will be financed, other than it is expected to be a joint project between Zambia and Tanzania. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The United States has urged Hong Kong to be on the lookout for an oil tanker carrying Iranian oil presumably that may be on its way to China, in violation of US sanctions against the Middle Eastern country, according to Reuters. China has historically been Irans largest crude oil customer, although China has significantly increased its crude oil purchases from Saudi Arabia since the onset of US sanctions. The oil tanker, known as the Pacific Bravo (formerly Silver Glory), was originally headed to Indonesia, Refinitive Eikon data showed, according to Reuters, but changed course on Monday to head toward Sri Lanka. The Pacific Bravo flies under the Liberian flag, but a senior US official claims the oil tanker is owned by Chinas Bank of Kunlun, which is the official handler of money between China and Iran. Bank of Kunlun is owned by CNPCs financial arm, CNPC capital. Anyone who does business with this ship, the Pacific Bravo, would be exposing themselves to U.S. sanctions, the senior official said, adding that the US will enforce our Iran sanctions quite aggressively and quite consistently. The news comes as Indian news outlet ThePrint reported on Tuesday that India would ultimately resume purchases of Iranian crude oil despite the sanctions. India is Irans second-largest crude oil purchaser. While India and China may be bold enough to thumb their noses at US sanctions on Irans crude oil, they may have difficulty finding willing insurers and shipping companies to do the same. Iran has been consistently adamant that the United States would be unable to drive its oil exports to zero, and has engaged in covert shipments of oil and fuel, including forging documents to subvert the United States plan to restrict its oil exports. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Fifty-five-year-old Monruf Bolanle would have been a dead man but for Gods providence he walks as a free man today. He actually came face to face with death, dined and wined with it, but defied it, through Gods mercy. A native of Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State, Bolanle miraculously escaped the hangmans noose. He was arrested on October 23, 1996, for robbery and sentenced to death by hanging on January 23, 2002. He spent 10 years waiting for death to come, but God intervened through the Oyo State governor, Abiola Ajimobi, who commuted the death sentence to life imprisonment. Bolanle was still basking in the euphoria of the miraculous news when the same Governor Ajimobi, in 2017, again, commuted the life imprisonment to 30 years jail term. To complete the divine plan in his life, he was inexplicably transferred from Agodi Prison, Ibadan, Oyo State, to Olokuta Prison in Akure, Ondo State, where the state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, eventually granted him total freedom. Bolanles 22-year journey through the valley of death and back to the land of the living revolved around five prisons across three states, Ogun, Oyo and Ondo. He started as a condemned inmate at Ibara Prison, Abeokuta, Ogun State. He also served in Oba Prison, in Abeokuta. He was later transferred to Igbeba Prison in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, and then to Agodi Prison, before going to Olokuta Prison, from where he was finally set free. In all, he spent four years and three months in the Awaiting Trial cell, 10 years on death row as a condemned inmate, six years on life sentence, and five months into the 30-year jail term before he was eventually set free. Genesis Narrating how it all started, he said: I was at Sango Garage that day when my good friends sent for me to meet them in Ijokodo area of Ibadan. When I got there, they greeted and hailed me. I didnt know there were plain clothes police detectives seated there too. As soon as I sat down, they grabbed me and said I was under arrest. I demanded to know what I did but they were not willing to offer any explanation; all they wanted was to arrest me. So, I resisted the arrest because I didnt know what I did. I struggled with them for almost 40 minutes before they overpowered me and handcuffed me. I later found out that somebody reported me to the police and, as I got there, the person pointed at me without my knowledge and that was when the policemen swooped on me. When we got to Iyagankun Police Station, I was tortured to an unconscious state. I fainted that night but, luckily, I woke up at midnight. Early in the morning the following day, they took me upstairs to the statement room and that was where I got the shocker. They asked me to give them my gun. I was surprised. I told them that I didnt have any gun and that I dont deal in guns. They said I and my gang members robbed some people in Oke Tunu area of Ibadan. I told them they might be making a mistake because I was not a robber. In fact, that was how another round of torture that led to the loss of some of my teeth started. They tortured me to a point that I lost hope of survival. I thought I was going to die because, actually, their intention was to kill me, but God spared my life. Meanwhile, they didnt tell me what I was accused of stealing. They beat me for several days, asking me to confess to a crime I never committed. I knew they wanted me dead but God said, no. At a point, I told them that if I die in their hands, my blood would torment them for the rest of their lives because they would just have killed an innocent man. That was when I felt that if I was not rescued in the next five minutes, I would give up; so I gave them that last statement. At that point, it was blood and water that were oozing out of my body. My people were outside but they were not allowed to come in. They even thought that I was dead because, after some time, I stopped talking; that was when I had no energy left in me to speak anymore. Identification parade After some days in detention, he was paraded for identification by victims of the robbery alongside other suspects. He alleged that the victim exonerated him but he was charged to court eventually. After about one week of torture in police detention, I was paraded alongside other suspects for identification. One Alhaji Adetunji was the victim, whose house was raided that very day. I heard they robbed him of N500,000 and some goats. He was the first to come during the identification parade. After looking through all of us that were on parade, he said none of us was among the people that robbed him that night. He said he would know them if he saw them. I was not the only person that was arrested in connection with the robbery, but I can say that it was only me they needed to implicate. I say so because they arrested many people, only four persons were identified at the parade and only me ended up being convicted; others were set free. When the case file went to the Department of Public Prosecutions office, the legal advice was that two out of the four identified persons had no case to answer, and they were released, leaving two of us. Two of us were charged to court on the allegation and during the trial, the second accused person, who was also identified during the parade, was also discharged and acquitted, leaving only me. I was finally sentenced to death on January 23, 2002, by Atilade Ojo, the then presiding judge of High Court 11, Ibadan, he said. Journey to death Though he fought against the death sentence up to the Supreme Court, the judgements of the lower courts were upheld, hence his journey to prison. After the Supreme Court judgement, I was taken to Ibara Prison in Abeokuta. I was there till December 23, 2011, when the Oyo State governor, Abiola Ajimobi commuted the death sentence to life imprisonment. This happened one month before I clocked 10 years on death row; so, I can say I spent 10 years on death row. This was made possible through a letter from Pastor Hezekiah Olujobi, the director of the Centre for Justice, Mercy and Reconciliation (CJMR), a Christian, non-governmental organisation based in Ibadan, to the governor, pleading that I was innocent of the offence, he said. Life imprisonment On his journey to freedom, Bolanle continued: After my death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment, I was moved to a new prison, Oba Prison, still in Abeokuta. I told the prison controller that I could not stay there, so we were taken to Igbeba Prison in Ijebu-Ode. It was from there I was move down to Agodi Prison in Ibadan on July 9, 2013. In 2017, CJMR prevailed on the governor, and, again, the life sentence was reduced to a 30-year jail term. It was also stated that the 30 years would start counting from the day of conviction. By that calculation, I would have regained my freedom on January 23, 2022. Freedom at last In 2018, I was taken to Olokuta Prison in Akure, Ondo State, where I was finally set free on January 8, 2019, by the Ondo State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN). I would have completed my sentence in three years time, he explained. Prison experience Bolanle said he had uncountable experiences, insisting that so many innocent people languish and die in prison all the time. He equally revealed that very many people in prison, including those on death row, were innocent On his experience on death row, he said: Anybody that is condemned doesnt have any privilege anymore. You are bound to die any time. As I waited for death, six persons were taken to the gallows on January 18, 2003. It was a terrible day for me because some of them could have been innocent just like me. Each time they wanted to kill, the prison officers normally came for those to be killed in the morning hours, about 10am. They didnt come in the afternoon or night, it was always in the morning. You would know that people were going to die because the signs would always be there. The five western states of Ogun, Ondo, Oyo, Osun and Ekiti had their condemned prisoners there; so we might not know exactly the state had signed the death warrant but signs that some would die on a particular day would always be obvious: there is this trumpet during parade that they used to blow each day they wanted to take some condemned prisoners to the gallows. Once we heard such sounds, everybody would go to the toilet. Another sign was that some prisoners would go and clean the place where the hangman carried out the job. The officer that came to take those to be hanged always came with a baton. As condemned inmates, one would expect that they would be starved of food. But Bolanle said: They feed us very well. All of us wore blue clothes, whether you were condemned or not; the only difference was that there would an inscription condemned on the clothes of the condemned inmates. Every day, we expected death, but once morning was over, we would be sure that we would live for that day because, like I said earlier, they killed only in the morning; afternoon and night were out of it. Thoughts of suicide, hope of survival Although he was condemned to death by hanging, Bolanle said he had always believed that he would not die because, when he remembered how he got there, he knew he was innocent and would come out alive: At a point, I even thought of suicide. I thought of killing myself on several occasions, but each time I thought of that God would remind me that I would be free and I would quickly cancel the thoughts. When I was removed from the condemned list to life imprisonment list, I heaved a big sigh of relief, and renewed my hope of walking out a free man some day. Long awaited D-day Even though I already knew I was not going to die as, I was looking forward to January 2022, when I would finally regain my freedom, I never expected to be released in January 2019. I was surprised to hear the news that I had been granted freedom. My joy knew no bounds. Since I was born, I have never experienced the kind of joy and happiness that enveloped me that day. I felt like trekking from Akure to Ibadan; I didnt feel like entering any vehicle. That was how happy I was. It was not as if people did not struggle to get me out, but God had his own plans. Even before my conviction, Olujobi and his group were there for me, and after the conviction they followed up till my release, he said. Worst prison He described Olokuta Prison, Akure, as the worst of all the prisons he served in. And it was like the people that sent me to Olokuta Prison wanted me to suffer, but God had a different plan, he added. Advice to free people I want people to know that government exists; anybody who wants to do anything should think twice. Every Nigerian prison is filled up. Before 10 persons are released, about 100 persons are already into the prison. People should try and stay out of trouble at all times, he advised. How family received the news Bolanle was already married with two daughters before his arrest. Asked how his family received the news of his freedom, he said: They were very excited. Since I got into the mess, my family never abandoned me. They never abandoned me, as they kept visiting until I regained my freedom. They stood by me all through and even up till now. My two daughters are now married with children in their respective homes. My wife is elated that we have reunited once again. My mother feels like staying with me at all times. How CJMR came into the picture Going down memory lane, Pastor Olujobi said: We used to visit prisons and listen to stories of those who we felt were unjustly abandoned there. We mapped out intervention strategies by forwarding their complaints to the ministry of justice to hasten their legal advice. For those who have no case file, we try to push their case files from the police to the ministry of justice so that justice can be delivered speedily. So, in one of such visits, I came across his case-mate, Bolagade Alawode, who pleaded with me to help him, maintaining that he didnt commit the offence for which he was dumped in the cell. He said his case-mate also didnt know anything about the crime. I asked for his case-mate and that was how I came to know Bolanle. He also explained his innocence but, unfortunately, the legal advice had implicated two of them. So, they had a case to answer. Along the line, I procured the services of our partner lawyers who rendered free legal service to him. We monitored the proceedings until he was sentenced to death. The same lawyer took up the case to the Appeal Court, but the court affirmed the decision of the High Court. So, another lawyer took up the case to the Supreme Court and the judgements of the lower courts were still reaffirmed by the Supreme Court. Olujobi lamented that Bolanles case was not critically examined by the courts, hence his organisations resolve to explore other avenues. He said: But from the laymans point of view and the evidence of the complainant, you could see that there were lots of inconsistent evidence from the prosecution and you could see a lot of contradictions. A situation where two people were arraigned for the same offence and the second accused was set free based on the same evidence for which the first accused was sentenced to death calls for a serious rethink. But, it was like the court had determined their stand, he said. Continuing in the same line of argument, he said: Again, another thing we pointed out in that trial was that during the identification parade, only Bolanle was in leg chains. Many persons were paraded for identification. Some were released at the police station, while others were released by the ministry of justice, leaving only two people to face trial. So, the question was, if about 10 people were identified at the parade and during the trial only two of them were arraigned, what happened to the rest? If the police could conclude that those released were wrongly identified, how could we conclude that the two who faced trial were not also misidentified? So, those were some the things that made us believe that Bolanle was innocent, and in the court premises that day, he told the judge that if he was guilty of the offence, he would die, but if he was innocent, he would come back alive. And, to God be the glory, he came back alive, meaning he was innocent after all. After he was condemned, we approached the Oyo State Board of Prerogative of Mercy, headed by the governor, with reasons why Bolanle should not die. In his own case, we forwarded the appeal and the death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment but we pressed on, insisting that he deserved total freedom. He almost ran mad when his death sentence was commuted to 30 years, and that why he was taken to Olokuta Prison in Akure, and thank God, he didnt spend five months there before Governor Rotimi Akeredolu granted him total freedom. He expressed happiness that Bolanle, whom he described as a victim of circumstance, was finally let off the hook, and attributed his freedom to divine intervention: It was a big surprise when he called to inform me that he had been released. Its Gods intervention. It can only be God. Based on our investigation, Monruf Bolanle was not a thief; he was not an armed robber. He was just a victim of circumstance. There are a lot of such victims still languishing in prison, and all hands must be on deck to ensure that many of them equally regain their freedom. *** Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang's Regular Press Conference on May 29, 2019 2019/05/29 At the invitation of President Putin of the Russian Federation, President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Russia and attend the 23rd St Petersburg International Economic Forum from June 5 to 7. You are welcome to attend the press briefing here in the Blue Hall at 9am tomorrow, Thursday, May 30, where Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Hanhui will brief the media and take questions on President Xi's upcoming state visit to Russia and his attendance at the 23rd St Petersburg International Economic Forum. Q: Today Cuban Foreign Minister Rodriguez Parrilla and Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi signed a political consultation plan for the period 2020 to 2022. Could you please share more details on this plan? A: Yes, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Eduardo Rodriguez Parrilla this morning. Afterwards, they jointly met the press and briefed them on the talks. As you said, they signed a political consultation plan for 2020-2022 between the two Ministries of Foreign Affairs. China and Cuba maintain a very close cooperative relationship with mechanisms in various areas, including between the foreign ministries. You may have noticed our press release on this morning's talks. The two sides held deep and thorough exchanges on bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest. Cuba is the first country in the western hemisphere to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. Over the past six decades, we have grown our friendly relationship following basic norms of international relations and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. We have always rendered each other mutual respect, mutual understanding and mutual support. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the 60th anniversary of the victory of Cuba's revolution. Next year we will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. As State Councilor Wang Yi said this morning, China-Cuba relations are at a new starting point. During Cuban leader President Miguel Diaz Canel's visit to China last year, President Xi Jinping reached important consensus with him on deepening bilateral relations in the new era. The two sides agreed to enhance strategic communication and strengthen practical cooperation in various sectors. Following that, the two sides now have agreed to step up cooperation in such key areas as new energy, tourism and biopharmaceutical, and to further expand mutually-beneficial cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative. The two sides also exchanged views on the current international and regional situation. They agreed to uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. There was also an exchange of ideas on the Venezuela situation, an issue of mutual concern on which the two sides share much common ground. Q: Huawei stated recently that without its authorization, FedEx, a US delivery service company, diverted two Huawei packages sent from Japan and addressed to China to the United States, and attempted to divert two more packages sent from Viet Nam and addressed to other Huawei offices in Asia to the United States. This incident has drawn much attention and become a hot topic on social media. Many believe what FedEx claims as an error is actually a "calculated error", possibly at the beckoning of the US government. I wonder if you have any comment? Are you concerned the US side may steal Huawei's technology information through FedEx? A: We note the media reports and comments on social media. Normally we do not comment on business interactions. However, given what has happened, we believe it's only natural for Huawei and the public to demand a reasonable explanation from FedEx. I don't know if such misroutings happen a lot with FedEx. If that is the case, I must say a big company like FedEx should have provided better services. If not, it is all the more necessary for FedEx to explain clearly why Huawei packages, one after another, have encountered this problem. Q: Incumbent President Mutharika of Malawi won the presidential election with 38.57 percent of the vote. I wonder if you have any comment on that? Will the Chinese leader congratulate President Mutharika? A: We are pleased to see the successful conclusion of Malawi's presidential election and congratulates President Mutharika on his reelection. Under his leadership, we believe Malawi will make greater progress in its national development. President Mutharika, who attended the FOCAC Beijing Summit last year, highly values Malawi's relationship with China and expressed on many occasions readiness to deepen across-the-board cooperation with China. China attaches high importance to bilateral ties with Malawi. We will work with the Malawian side to deepen friendly communication and cooperation in various fields and deliver more benefits to our peoples. Q: Yesterday an official of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said that the Chinese people will not be happy if someone contains China using the products made from rare earths exported from China. This statement was also quoted by Xinhua News Agency. Does it mean that China has new considerations on using rare earths as a countermeasure against the US? A: Since the NDRC is part of the Chinese government, remarks made by NDRC officials certainly are a voice of authority. Q: We saw that Kong Xuanyou is the new ambassador to Japan. I'm wondering if you could tell us if China has a new envoy on North Korea-related issues? A: China has all along been playing a constructive role on the Peninsula issue, and we will continue to do so. As for the new Chinese envoy for Korean Peninsula affairs, we will release relevant information in due course. Q: You just said that Cuban and Chinese foreign ministers discussed the situation in Venezuela. I wonder if they have reached any kind of agreement to a common reaction for what's happening in Venezuela or what kind of measures or support for the current Venezuelan leadership? I wonder if you could share more details on this? A: State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi had an in-depth exchange of ideas with Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Eduardo Rodriguez Parrilla on the Venezuela issue and reached important consensus. I would like to share more details with you. They agree that the Venezuela issue can only be solved through peaceful, independent consultation and dialogue between the government and the opposition. That serves the interests of all Venezuelans and defends non-interference in domestic affairs, a basic norm of international relations. China and Cuba will strengthen communication with countries in the region and the international community to continue to play a constructive role in the settlement of this issue. Q: The US Treasury Department has said again that countries including China are suspected as possible currency manipulators. I wonder if you have a comment on that? A: We note the US report. Its conclusion against labeling China a currency manipulator is consistent with common sense and the shared view of the international community. We hope the US will respect facts and market laws and not politicize exchange rates. We have repeatedly advised it to abide by multilateral rules and not conduct unilateral assessments of other countries' exchange rates. It is not for the US to say whether a country is manipulating its currency or not. Relevant multilateral institutions' exchange rate assessments are better authorities. China will resolutely deepen market reform of the exchange rate regime, continue to improve the managed, floating regime based on market supply and demand and with reference to a basket of currencies, and keep the RMB exchange rate basically stable at an adaptive and equilibrium level. Q: Tomorrow is the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Do you have information about who is going to represent China tomorrow? A: The Chinese leader has sent a congratulatory message to Mr. Modi on his reelection as the Indian Prime Minister. We have also expressed congratulations in our previous press conference. As for your question regarding the Chinese envoy for Prime Minister Modi's inauguration ceremony, the same question was asked recently by other Indian journalists. We will release information in due course. Australian rapper, Iggy Azalea has threatened to sue the guys behind the leaking of her nude photos from a 2016 GQ magazine photoshoot on social media. The music star expressed her dismay at which her photos from a GQ photo shoot in Australia years got leaked. According to her, she would be holding the person or people involved responsible for such an act. This is coming after Iggy came under intense fire over the weekend when the photos got leaked. She was dragged on social media which resulted in her deactivating her Instagram and Twitter accounts. She, however, activated one of the accounts and released a statement which she later deleted. In her statement, she revealed the photos were taken back in 2016 and didnt make the cut. She also revealed that she never gave anyone permission to release the nude photos. Iggy Azalea releases statement following the deactivation of her social media accounts after GQ photoshoot topless outtakes leaked. She states that a lot of women have done this topless shoot but it never gets released and she will keep her accounts deactivated for now. pic.twitter.com/NfEmjw7TJ0 Pop Alarms ? (@Pop_Alarms) May 27, 2019 For Iggy, she feels blindsided, embarrassed, violated and a whirlwind of other emotions over the invasion of privacy. I fully intend on finding out where the leak originated from and pressing criminal charges in regards to this. Its important to me that someone actually is held accountable for their actions & the way it impacts my life, she concluded. Meanwhile, the photographer who shot Iggy for GQ Australias cover that year has reacted to the leak. He says his photos were stolen from him and published without his permission. He added that an investigation is underway and vows that the culprit will be prosecuted. The outgoing Deputy Governor of Zamfara State, Ibrahim Wakkala, has been named the chairman of the 79-member Transition Committee set up by the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to ensure smooth transfer of power from the outgoing APC-led administration. Mr Wakkala has been serving as deputy governor in the Abdulaziz Yari-led APC government in the state since 2011. He however fell apart with his principal late last year when he indicated interest in the governorship position ahead of the 2019 elections and pitched camps with seven other governorship aspirants under the APC to form the G-8 group. A statement signed by the PDP Transition Committee Secretary, Abubakar Danmadami, said the Wakkala-led committee would ensure a seamless handover and takeover of the state administration between the APC and the PDP. This is to inform the general public that His Excellency, Hon. Bello Mohammed (Matawallen Maradun) MON, the Zamfara State Governor-elect, has approved the constitution of a 79-man Transition and other sub-committees for a seamless handover and takeover of the administration of the state, Mr Danmadami said. Other members of the committee include a former general manager of the state owned radio station, Nuhu Anka, who was sacked by the outgoing Yari administration as well as the former aide to Mr Yari, Zaharadeen Imam, who defected to PDP. Meanwhile, arrangements are in top gear in the state towards the handover ceremony from the APC to the PDP following last weeks Supreme Court ruling that nullified the election of the APC candidates for failure to conduct an acceptable primary election of the party ahead of the general elections. Post Views: 102 North gang-up against Tinubu, Oshiomhole APC National Vice Chairman Lawal Shuaibu has made known his beef against his boss Adams Oshiomhole in a classic you-cant-do-nothing manner. He pointed out the chairmans incompetence, high-handedness, and immaturity in a letter that got leaked to the press on Tuesday. Shuaibu then demanded he resign. Many political pundits have foreseen this, and are readying post mortems they will give when the ruling APC expiresin 2023 along with President Muhammadu Buharis second term. The death wont be about the raft of iniquities Shuaibu listed against Oshiomhole; it will be the consequence of the power play between the north and southwest for the presidency in 2023. The chairman is just a collateral target; the main target is APC s national leader Bola Tinubu. And the architect many readily finger for the brewing crisis is Kaduna Gov Nasir el Rufai. Former Sen. Shehu Sani just revealed the subterranean forces at work. There is a calculated plot to deny the Southwest or even the Southern part of the country rotation of power in 2023, he told the Guardian an interview. And the best way to ensure that that materialize is by getting into fisticuffs, into political combat between the northern top ranks of the APC and the southwestern top ranks of the party. The governor gave himself away when he drew the first blood weeks ago. He came to Lagos weeks ago to teach Lagosians how to end godfatherism with N2bnthe way he ended it in Kaduna. Many analysts that know El-Rufai say he thrives in controversies, and this time the negative vibes hes spreading against Tinubu is for a reason: the 2023 presidency which the governor is eyeballing. Tinubu, too, has outed, saying he has been under pressure to contest the next presidency. Many wouldnt believe the under pressure yarn, though. They know the APC national leader doesnt fire at half-cock. It is an ambition he has been nursing and watering for a while. Sen. President Bukola Saraki blew Tinubus cover last year when he revealed the strong man of Lagos politics wanted to run as Buharis vice president in 2014. So it would have just been easy-peasy for Tinubu to step into the presidential race come 2023because all the odds would be in his favour as vice president and next big thing from the southwest. (The partys presidential candidacy will rotate to the region in 2023.) But when a Muslim-Muslim ticket was rejected in 2014, Tinubu was stopped cold turkey. He rested that move, but not the ambition. According to Saraki, in the height of the APC crisis in 2017, when Buhari appointed Tinubu to reconcile the fractured party, the national leader hinted the reason he was supporting Buhari despite the hard times the presidency gave him too after the partys victory in 2014. The support for Buharis 2018 presidency was not about fence-mending. Tinubu expressed a strong opininionthat he would rather support a Buhari on the hospital stretcher to get a second term because in 2023, power will shift to the South-west, said Saraki. So as certain as it seems now that the ruling APC will yield the presidential ticket to the southwest, Tinubu is rejigging his political machinery, starting from the partys national level where he helped put his man Oshiomhole in 2018. The northern elements, including el-Rufai, dont buy the idea of power rotation. They believe Tinubu is just being lionized in the southwest. Buhari or any northerner could have won the election without Tinubus or the southwest support. Now that they have demystified Tinubu and spotted his ambition, the Kaduna governor and his cohorts are in fight mode now. As early as after the Feb presidential election victory, state-owned radio station began thrashing Tinubu in Hausa. Then a while later, el-Rufai took the battle to Lagos, at the gathering of Tinubus estranged godsons, and indirectly jibed at the national leader. Then a little while later, a party chieftain from the north central took Tinubu down a peg. He admitted weeks ago the former governor has contributed immensely to the success of the party. But that doesnt matter. Honestly he is not the kind of president Nigeria needs in 2023, Adamu Kuta, APC-Niger, said. Nigerians need someone that can continue with the achievements and the foundation that Buhari has laid. And, now, in a personal letter, a member of the partys national committee blindsided Tinubus plant at the national level, asking him to step down. I have nothing personal, except that I love this party and cannot keep quiet seeing it being brutally murdered, Shuaibu said. Apart from the embarrassment the leakage of the letter to the media might have caused Oshiomhole and the APC, not more damage has been done. It remains a personal beef between the chairman and his deputy. But it has potential for spiralling into a national crisis any time soon. And if Buhari lets things slide as he always does, the party might not even make it to 2023, many believe, because the APC was built around his personae. Even if the president wades in, and makes his body language endorse Tinubu for 2023, some analysts say the president will still have el-Rufai to contest with. The governors loyalty to Buhari now doesnt matter. After all, el-Rufai used to be loyal to ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar who many believed gave el-Rufai a leg-up from being an accidental civil servant to a politician of note. For whom Oshiomhole isa Marxist and strong-arm democratone will expect el-Rufai and other northern conspirators to get as much as they give in this looming war. Problem is: the scale has been tilted against him. He has a corruption allegation dangling on his neck. Its a weapon the adversaries can persuade the Aso Rock cabal, believed to be micro-managing Buhari, to use against the party chairman. Even Tinubu, many say, wont dare to put up a fight. He is too smart to fight a federal might. So the waves of crisis may continue until the APC is swept away before its eighth birthday. Post Views: 105 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... (WB) In a surreptitious move on the Friday before Memorial Day when much of Washington has already vacated town for the weekend the Trump administration announced a proposed rule to undermine an Obama-era regulation ensuring non-discrimination in health care for transgender people and women who have had abortions. The proposed rule that the Department of Health and Human Services would eliminate asserts discrimination is prohibited under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, which bars sex discrimination in health care. In a statement announcing the proposed rule change, HHS is oblique in describing what it would accomplish and strikes a positive note, asserting it would maintain vigorous civil rights enforcement on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age and sex and save U.S. taxpayers $3.6 billion over the course of five years. We are committed to full enforcement of civil rights laws before, during and after any rulemaking, Roger Severino, director of the HHS Office of Civil Rights, said in a statement. We are also committed to the elimination of regulations that contradict law or raise the costs of healthcare without achieving intended results. But the devils in the details. A look at the language of the 204-page proposed regulation reveals it would eliminate gender identity and the definition of sex under Section 1557 of Obamacare, and incorporate laws into the non-discrimination regulation allowing health care providers to decline to perform abortions.The regulation also seeks to roll back protections for individuals seeking health care with limited English proficiency. The current rules provisions were not justified by need, were overly burdensome compared to the benefit provided, and created inconsistent requirements for HHS funded health programs or activities as compared to HHS funded human services programs or activities, the rule says. Under the interpretation of the law as proposed by the rule, health care providers and health insurance providers would be able to deny to transgender people transition-related care, including gender reassignment surgery. Transgender people and women who have had abortions could also be subjected to denial of general health care. Laura Durso, vice president of LGBT research and communications at the Center for American Progress, said in a conference call with reporters the rule would have devastating effects on both women and LGBT people. Through this rule, the Trump administration is working to undermine part of the Affordable Care Act that bans discrimination in health care and insurance coverage, Durso said. It has proposed a rule that will weaken enforcement of the Health Care Rights Lawparticularly when it comes to protecting women, LGBTQ patients and people with limited English proficiency. Eliminating the strong, clear rules prohibiting discrimination will lead to confusion, unequal access, and potential rollbacks of landmark progress. The proposed rule was made public weeks after the Trump administration unveiled a different conscience clause for health care workers to decline to perform procedures, such as gender reassignment surgery or abortions, out of religious objections. A coalition of states with Democratic attorneys general have filed a federal lawsuit in New York City challenging the legitimacy of the rule. Jocelyn Samuels, executive director of the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles, said in a conference report the conscience rule was more geared toward specific procedures, but the latest roll back was more general. The conscience rule released a couple of weeks ago was focused on implementation of specific statutes that are very narrowly drawn to authorize religious objections to certain services when theyre offered by certain providers who get certain funding streams, Samuels said. And, of course, Samuels continued, One of the concerns about that rule was that it expanded authorizations for these denials beyond what was authorized in those very specific statutes, but this rule seems to intend an even broader application of religious exemptions and suggests that religiously affiliated health care providers would be able to opt out of providing any service to any individual that in any way conflicted with their asserted religious beliefs. That, obviously, could result in a huge loophole for application of non-discrimination protections in the world of health care services. More generally, the Trump administration for some time has steadily rolled back non-discrimination protections for transgender people in federal regulations. Just this week, the Department of Housing and Urban Development announced a rule gutting a different Obama-era rule ensuring homeless shelters receiving federal funds cant turn away transgender people. It should be noted the regulation the Trump administration seeks to rescind with respect to Section 1557 of Obamacare was already moot. U.S. District Judge Reed OConnor had enjoined the U.S. government from enforcing the Obama-era rule as a result of a lawsuit filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The Trump administration under former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions declined to appeal the decision. But the move from the Trump administration to roll back the underlying rule under its own volition has been expected for some time. For years, transgender advocates have sounded the alarm over reported plans the HHS would rescind the regulation, with Severino in charge of the HHS Office of Civil Rights. As a scholar at the Heritage Foundation, Severino was hostile to transgender rights and supported North Carolinas anti- trans House Bill 2. The proposed regulation denies discrimination against transgender people is unlawful despite decades of case law interpreting laws barring sex discrimination to apply to cases of anti-trans discrimination. Over nearly two decades, eight federal appeals courts and 35 federal district courts have affirmed anti-transgender discrimination is sex discrimination and unlawful, according to the National Center for Transgender Equality. However, that could change soon. The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to take up the case of Harris Funeral Homes v. EEOC involving a transgender worker who was terminated after declaring shed transition on the job. The case will determine once and for all whether Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars sex discrimination in employment, applies to cases for transgender workplace protection. The ruling would apply to all federal laws barring sex discrimination, not just employment civil rights laws. The Supreme Court could either affirm decades of case law protecting transgender people, or throw them out with a single ruling. Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center of Transgender Equality, said the upcoming final decision from the Supreme Court heightens the absurdity of the new HHS proposed regulation. Part of thecruelty, the dumbness of doing this rule right now, particularly around the transgender issues is that it may be rendered moot by a Supreme Court decision, which we expect to havecertainly in the coming year, but maybe in the coming months, Keisling said. So it doesnt make sense that they did this with the Harris case getting sento the Supreme Court. Precio del Brent To get the BRENT oil price, please enable Javascript. Precio del WTI To get the oil price, please enable Javascript. Dolar USA Vs Euro Paginas vistas en total Lo volvio a hacer Capitalismo=embuste Historico Bitcoin La bateria mas grande de Holanda El futuro es solar Nec plus ultra, nec variatur Fisica y culturalmente Jamas nos callaran Sin ellas, no seremos Deja vu Nada que celebrar Hasta cuando? Colombia Hoy Para nunca olvidar 'Parasite' painted on a statue of Queen, Elizabeth in Kent, England Sin palabras La UE le apunta a la paz Cada vez mas solo Precio del Oro To get the gold price, please enable Javascript. LULA y su Pueblo Bye Bye Homenaje al genial Quino Fueron ellos Una imagen que resume Tan bajo ha caido que se deja tocar el trasero? Porky y el Nene (archiconocido narcotraficante) Ladrones al poder Asi mira el perrito a su amo Crazy Clamor popular La nueva inquisicion Bolivia Chile Hoy Eso es todo amigos! Piensalo! Pinerachet No More Trump Adios Macri, hasta nunca La Marioneta se desinfla Asi o mas cinico Almugre Mexico en 1794 Mas arrastrado imposible Hasta cuando! La pura verdad Solidaridad con Palestina Serie Capitalismo Espejismos de la clase trabajadora Asi es! Comerciantes o delincuentes No pasaran! Asi es la vida USA HOY 01/01/1959 La avaricia no tiene limites AYUDA HUMANITARIA? Chile Hoy Asi son las cosas Mapa Electoral de Venezuela Patagonia argentina? Un aniversario mas del mayor genocidio de la Humanidad Retrato del franquismo en Espana Visca Catalunya! El Chulo de Madrid Cuando la policia se roba la democracia Una imagen dice mas que mil palabras La purita verdad Asi gobierna la maldita burguesia Mi pobre clase media Como Chavez nadie Comparte La Colmena via twitter Twittear Programa de la MUD Asi o mas clarito Por que Trump no ataco Corea del Norte? Hace 15 anos Por que la OEA no se pronuncio? Una verguenza nacional La luz que nos guia La Union Europea Premio Nobel de la Paz? Feudalismo ayer y hoy Obama, el mentiroso Curiosa coincidencia Un mundo de cerdos No es extrano? La Marioneta Los ricos protestan, los pobres celebran MARICORI Y OBAMA Cuantas muertes este ano? 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Por culpa de Chavez Cerveza Polar Algun dia Colombia volvera a la ideologia de Bolivar Translate LOS REVOLUCIONARIOS NO TOMAN CACA-COLA No se trata solamente de un capricho, sino de una sana actitud en todos los sentidos. Desde la solidaridad con el pueblo colombiano donde la empresa Caca-Cola ha cometido los mas grandes abusos contra sus trabajadores incluyendo el presunto secuestro y asesinato de los dirigentes del sindicato, hasta la proteccion de la salud de nuestros hijos, enviciados por ese jarabe de cola y azucar, que les produce obesidad prematura. Pensemos tambien los revolucionarios, que ese dinero que gastamos en los refrescos es utilizado por esas empresas para financiar el terrorismo en nuestro pais. Es cierto, no se trata solo de la Caca-Cola, sino tambien de la cerveza, de los cigarrillos y todos esos articulos innecesarios y mas que eso, daninos para nuestra salud. Podriamos incluso pensar en un dia de parada para cada uno de ellos. Es cuestion de irnos organizando. Pero para empezar, que tal si dejamos de comprar Caca-Cola y sus similares? Cuando lo extraordinario se vuelve cotidiano... Discurso del Acto de Grado en Barinas en 12 de Febrero del 2005 Queridos Graduandos: Mas que un discurso, quiero dirigirles algunas palabras que escribi anoche, despues de visitar en las clinicas, a los estudiantes heridos, a consecuencia de los enfrentamientos con la policia de hace apenas dos dias. Me ha tocado por razones del destino, ser la persona que les otorgue el titulo que bien merecieron con sus estudios. Y me siento sumamente orgulloso de serlo. Me consta que la Universidad de Los Llanos Occidentales Ezequiel Zamora, a pesar de lo dicho por los enemigos de esta universidad, es una universidad de primera. No tendremos la mejor planta fisica, en los salones hace calor. En el comedor hace calor. Pero no es en lo material que las cosas deben valorarse. El mayor capital es el ser humano. Y en eso, nuestra UNELLEZ, lo digo con conocimiento de causa, esta sobrada. Los llaneros venezolanos son nobles, valientes, de coraje. En la UNELLEZ hacen vida, en este momento, aproximadamente 67000 personas. El 97% de ellas son estudiantes. Jovenes que, como Ustedes hasta el dia de hoy, buscan ese titulo, que constata los anos de dedicacion y de estudio. Los jovenes son el rio de la vida, ustedes graduados deben ser los capitanes de esos barcos que naveguen por el rio de la vida. Nuestra Patria atraviesa momentos muy dificiles porque decidio dejar de ser esa matrona de edad vetusta y complaciente, para ser joven, rebelde y altanera. Nuestra imagen ya no es la de una acaudalada ricachona mayamera. En nuestro rostro brilla ahora la sonrisa del Che Guevara, con su diente delantero torcido, su pelo largo y su boina con la estrella. Entender esto, a mi me ha tomado practicamente toda la vida. Tengo 53 anos, y ya perdi mi oportunidad de derramar sangre joven a causa de un ideal. Ustedes son jovenes, estan en la flor de la vida. No cometan por favor el error de renunciar a su instinto de rebelion. El Che Guevara fue Ministro de a Economia en Cuba. Los billetes y las monedas se adornaban con su rostro. Nada de eso le importo. Primero fue a Angola donde paso un penoso ano de combate. Despues se fue a Bolivia, donde encontro la muerte. El Che era el ultimo que comia, el que cargaba la mochila mas pesada. Siempre se sacrificaba por los demas en un estoicismo que mas parecia fervor religioso que ideologia marxista. Si quieren un modelo de vida. Ahi lo tienen. Dije hace unos momentos que el 97% de la poblacion de la UNELLEZ es estudiante. Se imaginan Ustedes la Universidad que podriamos tener si todos los estudiantes tuvieran la abnegacion, la combatividad del Che? Los momentos que se avecinan van a requerir de una gran unidad del pueblo venezolano. La alternativa de continuar siendo libres o regresar a la pobreza se nos planteara en los proximos dias de forma enmascarada, o quizas peor, desenmascarada, vestida con uniforme de soldado del Imperio. Por nuestra parte podemos esperar lo mejor. La macroeconomia no podria ir mejor, la justicia social ha mejorado notablemente. Las misiones ocupan un papel muy importante en el pago de dicha justicia social. Aqui en Barinas ya hemos cumplido con dos de las misiones, la mision Robinson y la mision Sucre. No hay analfabetismo y no hay exclusion en la educacion superior, en estas tierras de Zamora. Pero ay malhaya! Son precisamente estos exitos los que nos hacen mas antipaticos al Imperio. Para ellos, somos inclusive un mal ejemplo que se esta contagiando al resto del continente y cuidado sino al resto del mundo. Nunca venceremos al Imperio. Estara siempre ahi, acechando. Por lo menos hasta que el mismo no se autodestruya. Porque, sepanlo senores, el neoliberalismo es canibal. Cuando le ataque el hambre, se devorara a si mismo. Ustedes, queridos graduandos, a partir de hoy pasan a conformar la elite profesional que debe sostener este pais en los proximos cuarenta o cincuenta anos. Anos decisivos para el logro de nuestra libertad y del rescate de nuestra Soberania. No se dejen comprar. No se dejen corromper. No se dejen gritar. No se dejen pisar. Que nadie les diga que comer, o que vestirse, o que leer. Sean siempre autenticos, rebeldes, contestatarios. Pero eso si, profundamente patriotas, dignos de ser hijos de Bolivar. Muchas gracias y que Dios los bendiga. Alguna duda? Medio siglo de Holocausto Palestino Oscar Zanartu Nacio en Caracas en 1960. Ha realizado exposiciones individuales en las galerias Minotauro, Clave y San Francisco, y en salas de Coro, estado Falcon, y Puerto Ordaz, estado Bolivar. En Paris su obra ha sido exhibida en el Centro Cultural Tanagra, en la Exposicion Cite Internationale des Arts, en las galerias De Mars y Arver Space, al igual que en la Galeria Municipal Levallois, en Levallois Perret (Francia). En muestras colectivas, su obra se ha expuesto en Belgica, Francia, Estados Unidos y Venezuela; en Caracas intervino en la exposicion "Del genesis a la memoria", 1995, organizada por la Fundacion La Previsora. En 1982 obtuvo el Premio Nacional Critven y en 1990 la Mencion de Honor Jose Antonio Paez, en la Embajada de Venezuela en Paris. En 1991 se le concedio el primer premio de Pintura Itinerante, en Levallois Perret, Francia. OZ1 OZ2 OZ3 OZ4 Homenaje a Jason Galarraga La Victoria de Samotracia Odalisca Mas fotos de la nevada del pasado agosto 2008 La Sierra Nevada de Merida Nuestro precioso Churum Meru Homenaje a Picasso Autoretrato Sabes lo que bebes en una Coca-Cola? La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar. Mi profesion? Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos. Sal en la Coca Cola? A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar. De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla: Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gusto Acido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido) azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa) Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantas Mucha Cafeina Conservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o Potasio Dioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebe Sal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracion El uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja. Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos. Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja. En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero). Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma. La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate. Bebidas Light? Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal. Publicado por loretahur En realidad, la formula secreta de la Coca-Cola se puede detallar en 18 segundos en cualquier espectrometro optico, y basicamente la conocen hasta los perros. Lo que ocurre es que no se puede fabricar igual, a no ser que uno disponga de unos cuantos millones de dolares para ganarle la demanda que te metera la Coca-Cola ante la justicia (ellos no perderian).La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar.Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos.A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar.De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla:Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gustoAcido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido)azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa)Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantasMucha CafeinaConservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o PotasioDioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebeSal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracionEl uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja.Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos.Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja.En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero).Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma.La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate.Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el aspartamo , despues de tres semanas mojado, pasa a tener gusto de trapo viejo sucio.Para evitar eso, se agregan una infinidad de otros productos quimicos, uno para alargar la vida del aspartamo, otro para neutralizar el color, otro para mantener el tercer quimico en suspension porque sino el fondo de la gaseosa quedaria oscuro, otro para evitar la cristalizacion del aspartamo, otro para realzar el sabor, dar mas intensidad al acido citrico o fosforito que perderia su sabor por el efecto de los cuatro productos quimicos iniciales... y asi sucesivamente.Un consejo final !!Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal.Publicado por loretahur MARGARINA o MANTEQUILLA La margarina fue producida originalmente para engordar a los pavos; cuandolo que hizo en realidad fue matarlos.Las personas que habian puesto el dinero para la investigacion quisieronrecobrarlo asi que empezaron a pensar en una forma de hacerlo.Tenian una sustancia blanca, que no tenia ningun atractivo como comestible,asi que le anadieron el color amarillo, para venderselo a lagente en lugar de la mantequilla.Que tal esa?... Ahora han sacado algunos nuevos sabores para vender mas alos incautos como usted y yo.CONOCE USTED la diferencia entre la margarina y la mantequilla?Siga leyendo hasta el final... porque se pone bastante interesante!Comparacion entre mantequilla y margarina: 1.- Ambas tienen la misma cantidad de calorias. 2.- La mantequilla es ligeramente mas alta en grasas saturadas: 8 gramos,comparada con los 5 gramos que tiene la margarina. 3.- Comer margarina en vez de mantequilla puede aumentar en 53% el riesgo deenfermedades coronarias en las mujeres, de acuerdo con un estudiomedico reciente de la Universidad de Harvard. 4.- Comer mantequilla aumenta la absorcion de gran cantidad de nutrientesque se encuentran en otros alimentos. 5.- La mantequilla provee beneficios nutricionales propios mientras lamargarina tiene solo los que le hayan sido anadidos al fabricarla. 6.- La mantequilla sabe mucho mejor que la margarina y mejora el sabor deotros alimentos.7.- La mantequilla ha existido durante siglos mientras que la margarinatiene menos de 100 anos. Ahora... sobre la margarina: 1.- Es muy alta en acidos grasos trans. (Si, esos que recien ahora loscientificos descubrieron que son malisimos y los gobiernoscomenzaron a prohibirlos) . 2.- Triple riesgo de enfermedades coronarias. 3.- Aumenta el colesterol total y el LDL (el colesterol malo) y disminuye elHDL (el colesterol bueno). 4.- Aumenta en cinco veces el riesgo de cancer. 5.- Disminuye la calidad de la leche materna. 6.- Disminuye la reaccion inmunologica del organismo. 7.- Disminuye la reaccion a la insulina. Y he aqui el factor mas inquietante (AQUI ESTA LA PARTE MAS INTERESANTE! ):A la margarina le falta UNA MOLECULA para ser PLASTICO...!!Solo este hecho es suficiente para evitar el uso de la margarina de porvida, y de cualquier otra cosa que sea hidrogenada (esto significaque se le anade hidrogeno, lo cual cambia la estructura molecular de lassubstancias).Usted puede ensayar lo siguiente:Compre un poco de margarina y dejela en el garaje o en un sitio sombreado.Dentro de unos dias notara dos cosas: * No habra moscas; ni siquiera esos molestos bichos se le acercaran (esto yale debe decir a usted algo). * No se pudre ni huele mal o diferente porque no tiene valor nutritivo; nadacrece en ella. Ni siquiera los diminutos microorganismos puedencrecer en ella.Por que? Porque es casi plastico!! No a la guerra, Si a la Paz Misterios de la ciencia... Los costos de la guerra medicos y capitalismo... Capitalismo... medicos (2) Quien educa a nuestros hijos? Los Medios... Sin Palabras... Chistes feministas - Cual es el problema, Eva? - Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz... - Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas. - Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas... - Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti. - Que es un hombre? - Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente. - Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente. - Cual es el truco?. - Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion. - Cual? - Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer. Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas? Porque todos son unos cerdos Un dia, en el Paraiso, Eva llamo a Dios: Tengo un problema.- Cual es el problema, Eva?- Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz... - Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas.- Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas...- Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti.- Que es un hombre?- Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente.- Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente.- Cual es el truco?.- Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion.- Cual?- Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer.Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas? Porque todos son unos cerdos Ellas... Ellas (2)... Tres venganzas femeninas VENGANZA NUMERO 1 Hoy mi hija cumple 21 anos y estoy muy contento porque es el ultimo pago de pension alimenticia que le doy, asi que llame a mi hijita para que viniera a mi casa y cuando llego le dije: -Hijita, quiero que lleves este cheque a casa de tu mama y que le digas que: Este es el ultimo maldito cheque que va recibir de mi en todo lo que le queda de su puta vida!!! Quiero que me digas la expresion que pone en su rostro. Asi que mi hija fue a entregar el cheque. Yo estaba ansioso por saber lo que la bruja tenia que decir y que cara pondria. Cuando mi hijita entro, le pregunte inmediatamente: -Que fue lo que te dijo tu madre? -Me dijo que justamente estaba esperando este dia para decirte que no eres mi papa! VENGANZA NUMERO 2 Un hombre que siempre molestaba a su mujer, paso un dia por la casa de unos amigos para que lo acompanaran al aeropuerto a dejar a su esposa que viajaba a Paris. A la salida de inmigracion, frente a todo el mundo, el le desea buen viaje y en tono burlon le grita: - Amor, no te olvides de traerme una hermosa francesita Ja ja ja!! Ella bajo la cabeza y se embarco muy molesta. La mujer paso quince dias en Francia. El marido otra vez pidio a sus amigos que lo acompanasen al aeropuerto a recibirla. Al verla llegar, lo primero que le grita a toda voz es: - Y amor me trajiste mi francesita?? - Hice todo lo posible, - contesta ella - ahora solo tenemos que rezar para que nazca nina. VENGANZA NUMERO 3 El marido, en su lecho de muerte, llama a su mujer. Con voz ronca y ya debil, le dice: - Muy bien, llego mi hora, pero antes quiero hacerte una confesion. - No, no, tranquilo, tu no debes hacer ningun esfuerzo. - Pero, mujer, es preciso - insiste el marido - Es preciso morir en paz. Te quiero confesar algo. - Esta bien, esta bien. Habla! - He tenido relaciones con tu hermana, tu mama y tu mejor amiga. - Lo se, lo se Por eso te envenene, hijo de puta!!! machismo y cibernetica Chiste machista La NASA ha enviado al espacio una mision experimental tripulada por dos monos y una mujer.Apenas abandona la atmosfera, se establece comunicacion con Houston. -Atencion, simio 1, verifique sistemas hidraulicos, controle adecuada presion de los propulsores de arranque. A 60.000 pies disminuya un 25% la velocidad. El simio hace la sena de OK. -Atencion, simio 2, nivele al cruzar la estratosfera y active sistemas anticongelantes. No olvide monitorear sistemas de comunicacion e indicadores de presion. Comprendido?. El simio hace la sena de OK. -Atencion, Houston llamando a mujer: no se olvide. -Mujer: Si, si, ya se! -interrumpe enojada- que no me olvide darles de comer a estos monos de mierda y que no se me vaya a ocurrir tocar nada!. .Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti. Un abogado mantiene un romance con su secretaria.Al poco tiempo, esta queda embarazada y el abogado, que no quiere que su esposa se entere, le da a la secretaria una buena suma de dinero y le pide que se vaya a parir a Italia.Esta pregunta: Y como voy a hacerte saber cuando nazca el bebe ? El abogado responde: Para que mi mujer no se entere, tan solo enviame una postal y escribe por detras: Spaghetti. Y no te preocupes mas, que yo me encargare de todos los gastos. Pasan los meses y una manana la esposa del abogado lo llama al bufete, algo exaltada: Querido, acabo de recibir el correo y hay una postal muy extrana viene desde Italia. La verdad, no entiendo que significa.El abogado, tratando de ocultar sus nervios, contesta:Espera a que llegue a casa, a ver si yo entiendoCuando el hombre llega a casa y lee la postal, cae al suelo fulminado por un infarto.Llega una ambulancia y se lo lleva. Ya en el hospital, el jefe de cardiologia se queda consolando a la esposa y le pregunta cual ha sido el evento que precipito tan masivo ataque cardiaco. Entonces la esposa saca la postal y se la muestra diciendole: No me explico, doctor; el solamente leyo esta postal. Vea usted mismo lo que trae escrito.Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti."Tres con salchicha y albondigas y dos con almejas Gol !!!! Chistes de Borrachos Entra un borracho a su casa todo manchado con lapiz labial por todos lados hecho un desastre, y la mujer le pregunta:-Hombre que te paso?Y el borracho le responde:-No me vas a creer, me pelee con un payaso! Este es un borracho que entra en un bar y le dice al camarero:-Me da cinco copas de whisky?Al rato:-Me da cuatro?Al rato:-Me da tres copas?Despues:-Me da dos copas?Luego le dice:-Me da una copa?Y le dice al camarero:-Ves? Cuanto menos bebo, mas borracho estoy! " " Accreditation is a great way to figure out if a school is reputable. Sam Edwards/Getty Images Employer approval ratings for online educational programs and degrees have improved over the years, but there are still problems. Diploma mills have raised the specter of fraud in the classroom, which can be difficult to eradicate from the online learning landscape. But there are ways to determine if the online school you're interested in will deliver the goods or not. Accreditation is one of the biggest determiners of a school's credibility, both among other learning institutions and to employers. It's an assurance that a school is legitimate, as well as a stamp of approval. Advertisement The process of becoming accredited can be complicated. Accreditation isn't awarded by the federal government or even by individual state governments. Instead, independent agencies work with trusted colleges and universities to develop baseline standards. They then perform evaluations of schools that have expressed an interest in becoming accredited and provide approvals based on those standards. Although the specifics can vary, the goal is to make sure schools, whether they are virtual or brick-and-mortar, provide quality education and training [source: Peterson's]. The U.S. Department of Education does take an interest in the accreditation process, though. An accrediting agency may apply to the department for formal recognition and undergo a review by the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity. Recognition by the Department of Education is an indication of the solid weight behind an agency's accreditation process for schools that offer postsecondary education, career programs or faith-based learning. Accreditation by a Department of Education-recognized agency can determine whether or not a school is eligible for financial aid and whether its class credits will transfer to another institution at full value. A school's accreditation may also be important for reimbursement from an employer for a specific course of study [source: U.S. Department of Education]. There are other ways to help determine if a school is reputable. Ask industry insiders if a specific school has a good reputation. This is also a good approach to decide between two schools that seem similar. If you're in high school, another way to get information on online schools is to discuss your future goals with a career counselor and ask for a few online learning recommendations. Inquire about the retention rates, job placement figures and other salient data for specific schools. If you suspect a school is providing misleading information, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) can be a good resource. CHEA works in concert with the Department of Education and offers its own agency accrediting service. It maintains a list of participating Department of Education- and CHEA-recognized accrediting organizations. Although there may be some exceptions, qualified agencies are likely to appear on one or both lists [source: Haynie]. " " Bill Nye and other pro-science protestors lead the March for Science through the streets of Washington, D.C., on Saturday, April 22. Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call/Getty Images Protesters across the globe marched in support of science, the legitimacy of fact-based evidence, curiosity, access to education and public funding of research, among a variety of other related causes. The marches on Saturday, April 22, were timed to coincide with the 47th annual celebration of Earth Day. The streets of Washington, D.C., hosted the primary march on an afternoon that started gray and rainy and remained that way throughout hours of speakers, musicians, educational sessions and other events that culminated in a march from the Washington Monument to the Capitol building. Scientists, feeling increasingly under pressure from a new administration that's perceived as varying between indifferent and outright hostile to science, aimed to send a clear message. Advertisement " " Crowds gather on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. for the March for Science. Jessica Kourkonis/Getty Images " " Rain clouds dampened the Washington marchers' signs, but not spirits. Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images One of the most well-received speakers on the main stage was scientist and television personality Bill Nye. With storm clouds overhead and facing the White House in the distance, Nye said, "Scientifically literate citizens are needed to drive innovation and compete globally." "Science serves every one of us," he said, and the audience rewarded his passion with sustained cheers and chants of "Bill! Bill! Bill!" The artist, architect and sculptor Maya Lin spoke from the event's main stage, saying she hopes that these marches, along with her work, will act as "a wake up call to action for losing species, and for learning to balance our needs with those of nature." " " Following hours of events on the National Mall, the crowd of tens of thousands marched east along Capitol Avenue. Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images " " Protesters got creative with signage all along the parade route. Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call/Getty Images Christy Goldfuss, formerly of the Council on Environmental Quality and former deputy director of the National Park Service, spoke passionately about accompanying President Obama to the middle of the Pacific Ocean before he created the largest section of protected ocean in history. "The most powerful nation in the world can not turn its back on science," Goldfuss said. Though the majority of the speakers and signs in the audience on Saturday aimed to place above political influence, a clear majority of people in attendance spoke out against the policies of President Trump. "The White House reeks of greed, sleaze and mendacity," scientist Denis Hayes shouted from the main stage in a particularly pointed speech. Hayes was an early supporter of solar energy and whose Bullitt Foundation recently built its Seattle headquarters in what's being touted as the greenest commercial building in the world He was also the principal national organizer of the first Earth Day in 1970. "It's 47 years later, and to my astonishment," he said, "we're back in the same position." The Washington March for Science also incorporated a number of teaching events, performances from musicians. Thomas Dolby took to the main stage to blast out his New Wave hit "She Blinded Me With Science," while John Batiste gave a hushed rendition of "What a Wonderful World." The event was largely inspired by the Women's March on Washington in January, and grew from a small social media campaign to something significantly larger and more organized, with affiliated satellite events taking place on all seven continents. " " William Sanford, aka "Bill Nye the Science Guy," rallies with activists on Capitol Hill during the March for Science in Washington, DC. Thousands joined a global March for Science with Washington the epicenter of a movement to fight back against what m... Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images " " The rally in Boston brought thousands to Boston Commons. Ryan McBride/AFP/Getty Images " " The Earth Day event was global; these marchers took to the streets of London. Jay Shaw Baker/NurPhoto/Getty Images MANILA, Philippines The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said that the person who was seen in a video driving a car on a public road while sitting in the passenger seat will be summoned to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) on Wednesday afternoon. In a video posted and shared on social media, the person was seen driving a vehicle in daytime traffic from the passenger seat while smoking and fiddling with its horn. He can also be heard bragging about his violation in the video. Basta lahat ng bawal ginagawa ko, napakatraffic talaga sa Maynila, doon sa mundo namin walang ganito. Dito, lahat bawal, doon walang bawal (beep) siya yun! the guy said. The video was originally posted on the Facebook account of a certain Miko Lopez last May 25 with a caption ngayon mo ko hulihin kuya. It was shared on social media group JDM Tayo Paps by Facebook user Axel Farinas which drew criticisms from internet users. But instead of showing remorse, Lopez even taunted his critics to do something about it if they can, based on their exchanges in the comment section of the video. He even posted a photo about driving a car without a steering wheel to ridicule his attackers. A netizen who got peeved with Lopez brought the matter to the attention of the authorities. Talagang ipapahuli ka namin, kuya. LTO Philippines, please make sure this person doesnt get a license again ever. HUWAG PO NATING TULARAN. ANG PAGMAMANEHO, HINDI TRIP TRIP LANG.[Video and Photo Courtesy: Mr. Axel Farinas] [Actual Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/154402621561259/permalink/867178410283673?sfns=mo] Posted by Department of Transportation Philippines on Tuesday, 28 May 2019 In a post on Twitter, the DOTr confirmed that the man in the video was identified as Miko Lopez and that he will be summoned to answer the issue. Miko Lopez will be summoned to LTO today. He has already been identified and address was already determined, the DOTr said. UPDATE: Miko Lopez will be summoned to LTO today. He has already been identified and address was already determined. #DOTrPH DOTrPH (@DOTrPH) May 29, 2019 The LTO will charge him for reckless driving, illegal modification (removing the steering wheel), not wearing seatbelt, and improper person to operate a motor vehicle, the agency added. Story continues The DOTr further stated that Lopezs license will be revoked and he will also be disqualified from applying for a drivers license again in the future. If he does not appear, LTO will resolve this issue on the basis of evidence presented, the DOTr added. In a separate statement, LTO executive director Romeo Vera Cruz chastised Lopezs antics, saying this poses a danger to himself and other people. This video is clear proof that he is an improper person to operate a vehicle, aside from committing traffic violations, he said. DOTr Undersecretary for road transport Mark de Leon, meanwhile, said that this incident should serve as a stern warning and called on the public to report this kind of violation to merit swift action. Huwag nating i-mock ang kakayanan ng gobyerno by clearly disobeying traffic rules. Nakaligtas ka man noong oras na ginawa mo yan, we will make sure you will get penalized, he added. (with details from Joan Nano) The post DOTr, LTO to summon, charge driver in viral video appeared first on UNTV News. THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) encouraged local officials to assist the Department of Education (DepEd) in ensuring peace and order under the Oplan Balik Eskwela campaign. Local execs are expected to work closely with DepEd to ensure that the school opening is as smooth and orderly as possible so that both students and teachers will be inspired to embark on this new learning journey, DILG Secretary Eduardo Ano said. Ano urged the local government officials to deploy force multipliers to augment the efforts of the police particularly near the school gates and along roads leading to learning institutions. The DILG Secretary also encouraged local executives to convene their Peace and Order Councils, Local Council for the Protection of Children and Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (LDRRMC) in preparation for the opening of the classes. "Dapat maging mapagbantay ang kapulisan at mga barangay tanod para bantayan at protektahan ang mga istudyante laban sa mga kriminal at mga mapagsamantala, he said. "Bukod sa kaalaman na kanilang makukuha, pinakamahalaga pa din ang kaligtasan ng mga mag-aaral kaya naman ang pakikipagtulungan ng POC, LCPC, at LDRRMC sa pangunguna ng mga LCE ay lubhang napakahalaga," he added. The Oplan Balik Eskwela, which runs from May 27 - June 7, 2019, is the DepEds annual initiative to engage agencies, organizations and other stakeholders in preparation for the opening of the new school year. It aims to address problems, queries, and other concerns commonly encountered by the public particularly the parents and students at the start of the school year and ensure that learners are properly enrolled and able to attend school on the first day of classes on June 3. Ano said local chief executives can also assist in providing information and quick response as well as in mobilizing barangays to clean road signages leading to schools and assist DepEd in preparing school facilities ahead of the school opening. Story continues The Philippine National Police (PNP) earlier assured they were ready for the opening of classes and were deploying 120,000 police personnel. Police will also establish police assistance desks and conduct security patrols in schools and transportation hubs. PNP spokesperson Colonel Bernard Banac said the PNP will also organize non-government organizations and civilian volunteer organizations to assist in providing security, traffic assistance, and other public safety services in coordination with DepEd and the LGU. Coordination with school authorities and other agencies for the installation of CCTVs in strategic locations is also a priority of the PNP. (SunStar Philippines) CORDOVA, Cebu -- A 23-year-old online trafficker was sentenced to 21 years in prison after pleading guilty to her crimes Wednesday, May 29.The online trafficker (name withheld to protect the childrens CORDOVA, Cebu -- A 23-year-old online trafficker was sentenced to 21 years in prison after pleading guilty to her crimes Wednesday, May 29. The online trafficker (name withheld to protect the childrens identities) confessed to the crime of Attempted Trafficking in Persons and Aiding or Abetting in the Commission of Cybercrime. She entered her guilty pleas before Judge Ramon Daomilas Jr. of the Cebu City Regional Trial Court Branch 11 around 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 29. Branch 11 is the designated Cybercrime Court for Central Visayas. The trafficker was arrested on June 23, 2018 in Cordova during a police operation led by members of the Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) Central Visayas of the Philippine National Police. She was caught offering to sexually abuse minors and stream live those sexually explicit acts online in exchange for money from a foreign online predator. Authorities rescued three girls, who were aged 12, 12, and 15 years at the time. A four-year-old girl and the online traffickers two sons, ages 2 and 5, were also removed because they were considered at-risk children. The operation was a collaborative effort of ACG Central Visayas, the Cebu Provincial Police Offices Women and Children Protection Desks (WCPD), Special Weapons and Tactics team, Department of Social Welfare and Development Central Visayas, and International Justice Mission (IJM). Judge Daomilas handed down a 15-year sentence for the crime of Attempted Trafficking in Persons and ordered the trafficker to pay P1.1 million in penalty and damages. He sentenced her to six years in prison for the crime of Aiding or Abetting in the Commission of Cybercrime. As the Philippine government continues to enforce the laws against Online Sexual Exploitation of Children (Osec) and hold perpetrators accountable in court, the abuse of children in Osec will surely decrease as traffickers are deterred and realize the high penalty for their crimes -- as such, todays conviction will protect more Filipino children from this violent abuse, said lawyer John Tanagho, IJM-Cebu Field Office director. Story continues So far in IJM-supported cases, 63 persons have been convicted in the Philippines for perpetrating Osec, a violent and global form of human trafficking. IJM has supported Philippine law enforcement agencies in the arrest of 213 Osec perpetrators and the rescue of 503 victims and children at-risk across the country. Many foreign online offenders who pay for and direct the live-streamed abuse in Osec have also been arrested and convicted in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, and Europe. Occurring in different communities all over the Philippines, Osec is a crime that violates the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act or Republic Act (RA) 9208 (as amended by RA 10364), which comes with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of P2 million to P5 million. Typical Osec offenses also violate RA 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012) and RA 9775 (Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009). Both have penalties equivalent to 20 to 40 years imprisonment. IJM encouraged the public to report suspected Osec crimes to its local WCPD, the ACG Central Visayas (032-505-4167) or the Women and Children Protection Center Visayas Field Unit (032-410-8483). (PR) The Philippines Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is kicking into high gear its ban on the China-manufactured luncheon meat Maling and has said that it will pull out cans of it and other processed pork meat from the market. In an advisory released yesterday but dated May 27, the FDA reiterated its temporary ban on the importation, distribution, and sale of all processed pork meat products from countries suspected to be affected by the African swine fever (ASF) virus. Based on an FDA order from September last year, these countries include those from China, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Ukraine. In its advisory yesterday, the FDA also added nine more countries in the temporary ban namely, Vietnam, Zambia, South Africa, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Mongolia, Moldova, and Belgium. But its difficult to take pork-loving Filipinos away from their favorite canned luncheon meats. In a statement posted on Facebook yesterday, Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Manny Pinol urged the FDA to ban and pull out Maling from store shelves. Plugging the holes!DA, HOG RAISERS ASK FDATO BAN, PULL OUT 'MALING'The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the MannyPinol 2019527 The DA, together with hog farmers asked the FDA to stop issuing clearances and to order the immediate market pull out of processed pork products from countries affected by the ASF, including Maling. Pinol said that their reminder comes after an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) returning from Hong Kong was found to have brought cans of Maling to the country. Quarantine Officers intercepted the package but Pinol said that broadcaster Raffy Tulfo used his influence to have the Bureau of Customs return the confiscated cans to the OFW after she turned to Tulfos radio program to complain. [The incident] brought to the attention of the DA that while a ban and cut off date for the entry of processed pork products from China was issued last year, the FDA continued issuing permits to allow importers to bring in the banned products, the DAs statement reads. Story continues FDA Officer-in-Charge Eric Domingo confirmed to The Philippine Daily Inquirer in a text message that Maling is indeed part of the ban. Yes [Maling is covered by the ban]. The FDA regulatory board will go around and inspect. We also ask the public to report any sightings [of these banned products] to the FDA, he said. Domingo ordered to pull out the banned processed pork from the market and said that they will be kept in a padlocked area so that they cant be sold, according to CNN Philippines. Citing the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), the FDA said that ASF is a highly contagious hemorrhagic disease of pigs, warthogs, European wild boar, and American wild pigs. Affected pigs can experience high fever, loss of appetite, hemorrhages in the skin and internal organs, and death in two to 10 days on average. While ASF is not a human health threat, it can cause major economic loss to swine industries. This article, PH government wants to stop sale of Maling for now, originally appeared on Coconuts, Asia's leading alternative media company. Want more Coconuts? Sign up for our newsletters! SENATORS on Wednesday, May 29, 2019, paid homage to prominent Pampanga businessman and SunStar Pampanga co-owner Liberato "Levy" P. Laus by adopting Resolution No. 147, recognizing his contributions SENATORS on Wednesday, May 29, 2019, paid homage to prominent Pampanga businessman and SunStar Pampanga co-owner Liberato "Levy" P. Laus by adopting Resolution No. 147, recognizing his contributions to entrepreneurship in Central Luzon and to countryside development in the country. The resolution described Laus as a "taipan, a visionary and a philanthropist driven by a personal dream to transform his life not only by achieving success but by building a legacy." Laus was the chairman and chief executive officer of the LausGroup of Companies, the largest multi-brand car dealership network in the country. He and two other men perished in a helicopter crash on April 25, 2019. He was 68. In the resolution passed on May 22, 2019, the senators said Laus was a model businessman, who paid his taxes diligently and correctly as evidenced by his citation as one of the the top taxpayers in Central Luzon. Laus also "exemplified corporate social responsibility by instituting educational assistance program, which supports deserving but poor students to college and ensuring employment upon their graduation." He advocated for the the Regional Investment and Infrastructure Coordinating Hub (RICH) of Central Luzon. The senators noted that Laus started as a clerk in a local bank. He resigned and founded the Laus Marketing in the 1970s. "At that time, he has diligently acted as one-man team - selling, documenting and delivering products. His perseverance with his craft sharpened his acumen for championing business," the resolution states. Laus reaped numerous awards and distinctions throughout his career, which attest to his undeniable contributions to the Philippine business community. Among the awards that Laus received were Most Outstanding Kapampangan in Business, Achievement Award from the Clark Development Corporation, Presidential Medal of Merit from former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, and Blessed Philipp Rinaldi Servant Leader from the Salesians of Don Bosco Philippines. Story continues Laus was also the chairman emeritus of the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA), Fort Bonifacio Corporation and Bataan Technology Park. Laus also led the following businesses: Carworld Mitsubishi Inc., Corporate Guarantee and Insurance Company Inc., Global Cars, Inc., Pampanga Premier Cars, Inc. [BMW Franchise), North Luzon Autocity, Inc. (General Motors Franchise), LGC Estate Resources, Inc., Radioworid Broadcasting Corporation, Regent Printing House, Inc., SunStar Pampanga, and Pampanga Automotive Resources Corporation. The resolution was introduced by Senator Richard Gordon. (MVI from a report of Ryniel Berlanga/SunStar Philippines) Credit: Ad Meskens via Wikipedia New York City Clean Air Taxi rules are successful in cutting emissions and reducing air pollution, according to a new study by researchers at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Drexel University. Between 2009 and 2015, the legislation more than doubled the fuel efficiency of the fleet of 13,500 yellow taxis, leading to estimated declines in air pollution emissions. The findings are published in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology. The scientists report that overall fuel efficiency of the medallion taxi fleet climbed from 15.7 to 33.1 MPG, and corresponding estimates of nitrous oxide and particulate exhaust emissions declined by 82 percent and 49 percent, respectively. They also found these emission reductions were associated with decreases in concentrations of pollutants in the city's air. Introduced in 2006, Clean Air Taxi legislation mandated that at least 9 percent of new medallions for yellow taxis be set aside for hybrid or compressed natural gas vehicles, and incentivized the purchase of low-emission taxis by extending the allowed period of models classified as "clean air" by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Clean Air Taxi laws do not regulate the city's 100,000 for-hire vehicles like Ubers and Lyfts which are governed by separate laws and regulations. "The past decade has seen steady improvements in the quality of air in New York City, and clean-air taxis appear to be one contributing factor," Dustin Fry, MPH, a researcher at Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health. "This is good news for New Yorkers' health since we know air pollution raises the risks of low birth weight and asthma in children." The researchers created maps to measure taxi traffic intensity across the city and used inspection and trip data to approximate taxi-related exhaust emissions of two major sources of air pollution: nitric oxide and particulate matter. They then used New York City Community Air Survey data collected at more than 100 monitoring sites across the city to estimate the impact of these changes. The biggest effect was seen in Manhattan neighborhoods with a high density of yellow taxisnot in low-income and outer borough areas with elevated rates of respiratory illness. The authors say this finding suggests other policies are needed to make meaningful advances in improving respiratory health. "This study provides evidence that air pollution legislation can have real impact," says study co-author Frederica Perera, Ph.D., professor of Environmental Health Sciences and director of Translational Research at the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health. "Even though overall, yellow taxis account for a small proportion of vehicular miles traveled on New York City's streets, in midtown they account for almost half. Similar regulations targeting other vehicles could make an even bigger difference." The authors Mathias Wilhelm, Tobias Schmidt and Siegfried Gessulat. Credit: Astrid Eckert / TUM Using artificial intelligence, researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have succeeded in making the mass analysis of proteins from any organism significantly faster than before and almost error-free. This new approach is set to spur a considerable change in the field of proteomics, as it can be applied in both basic and clinical research. The genome of any organism contains the blueprints for thousands of proteins which control almost all the functions of life. Defective proteins lead to serious diseases, such as cancer, diabetes or dementia. Therefore, proteins are also the most important targets for drugs. To better understand life processes and diseases and develop more appropriate therapies, it is necessary for as many proteins as possible to be analyzed simultaneously. At present, mass spectrometry is used in order to determine the type and quantity of proteins in a biological system. However, the current methods of data analysis continue to produce many mistakes. A team at the Technical University of Munich led by bioinformatics scientist Mathias Wilhelm and biochemist Bernhard Kuster, Professor of Proteomics and Bioanalytics at the Technical University of Munich, has now succeeded in using proteomic data to train a neural network in such a way that it is able to recognize proteins much more quickly and with almost no errors. A solution to a serious problem Mass spectrometers do not measure proteins directly. They analyze smaller parts consisting of amino acid sequences with up to 30 building blocks. The measured spectra of these chains are compared with databases in order to assign them to a specific protein. However, the evaluation software can only use part of the information that the spectra contain. Therefore, certain proteins are not recognized or are recognized incorrectly. "This is a serious problem," explains Kuster. The neural network developed by the TUM team uses all the information of the spectra for the process of identification. "We miss fewer proteins and make 100 times fewer mistakes," says Bernhard Kuster. Applicable to all organisms "Prosit," as the researchers call the AI software, is "applicable to all organisms in the world, even if their proteomes have never been examined before," explains Mathias Wilhelm. "This enables research which was previously inconceivable." With the help of 100 million mass spectra, the algorithm has been so extensively trained that it can be used for all common mass spectrometers without any additional training. "Our system is the global leader in this field," says Kuster. A market worth billions Clinics, biotech companies, pharmaceutical companies and research institutes are using high-performance devices of this kindthe market is already worth billions. With Prosit, it will be possible to develop even more powerful instruments in the future. Researchers and physicians will also be better abled and faster at searching for biomarkers in patients' blood or urine, or in monitoring therapies for their effectiveness. The researchers also have high hopes for fundamental research. "The method can be used to track down new regulatory mechanisms in cells," says Kuster. "We hope to gain a considerable amount of knowledge here, which, in the medium and long term, will be reflected in the treatment of diseases suffered by humans, animals and plants." Wilhelm also expects that "AI methods such as Prosit will soon change the field of proteomics , as they can be used in almost every area of protein research." Explore further Milestone for the analysis of human proteomes More information: Siegfried Gessulat et al, Prosit: proteome-wide prediction of peptide tandem mass spectra by deep learning, Nature Methods (2019). Journal information: Nature Methods Siegfried Gessulat et al, Prosit: proteome-wide prediction of peptide tandem mass spectra by deep learning,(2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41592-019-0426-7 The image produced by the scientists involved in the project shows fire scars throughout the Cerrado on the basis of 2017 data. Credit: Renata Libonati et al. A study conducted by scientists from Brazil, the United States and Portugal investigated the accuracy and consistency of different satellite data collections with regard to the location and size of burned areas in the Cerrado biome, the Brazilian savanna. The results, published in the International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation will help improve the output produced by Programa Queimadas, a program run by Brazil's National Space Research Institute (INPE) to monitor wildfires and burns by satellite and to calculate and forecast forest fire risk. The study was linked to the Brazilian Fire-Land-Atmosphere System (BrFLAS), a project supported by Sao Paulo Research FoundationFAPESP. Its principal investigator was Renata Libonati, a professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) in Brazil, in collaboration with researchers at the University of Maryland (USA) and the University of Lisbon (Portugal). The study was also one of several projects conducted as follow ups to the master's research of the first author Julia Abrantes Rodrigues. Several previous studies showed that firewhich can be used intelligently as part of a properly considered strategy with total area zoning and a rotating fire scheduleis indispensable to renewal the Cerrado. The indiscriminate, often criminal, use of fire to eliminate native plants and prepare land for crops and extensive cattle grazing is a different story. "In this case, areas are burned repeatedly at very short intervals, almost always in the dry season, and no vegetation can survive. Natural adaptation is impossible," says environmental engineer Alberto Setzer. Setzer is a researcher at INPE and a coauthor of the article. "A most important aspect to consider is the atmospheric emissions from burning. Depending on the year, they can account for between 28% and 75% of Brazil's total carbon emissions, contributing substantially to global estimates, as Brazil ranks seventh among the world's countries that are the largest sources of carbon emissions. Even 28% is very significant, while 75% is extremely serious," Setzer said. The annual change in burned areas in the 2003-17 period, highlighting the major wildfires of 2007 and 2010. Credit: Renata Libonati et al. "The Amazon was the main concern in the past as far as fire was concerned, but the burning in the Cerrado has become very alarming. This biome, particularly the part known as MaToPiBa [an acronym that designates the area at the intersection between the states of Maranhao, Tocantins, Piaui and Bahia], has become a magnet for large-scale agricultural projects. For example, western Bahia has undergone brutal devastation, and almost all the natural vegetation has been removed." Setzer noted that this change has been very drastic and swift and that the scientific community is practically unaware of it. Hence, the timeliness of this new study, which set out to answer the following question: "How much of the Cerrado is being burned?" Data from satellites operated by reliable organizations such as NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) are global in scale and relatively imprecise for the study of regional phenomena, according to Setzer. "It was in this specific respect that we set out to enhance the quality of INPE's output for use in measuring burned areas," Setzer said. "The study shows the limitations and errors of both global-scale estimates and those produced by INPE. The aim was to refine our data to arrive at more precise information on burned areas, including what, when and where data, as well as the resulting emissions." The Programa Queimadas portal offers current data on the subject. At a resolution of 1 km, it is possible to obtain data on the total burned area and burned areas by biome, year by year and month by month, as well as each biome's percentage of total burned area. The maps also show each biome's fire scars. The portal offers LANDSAT quadrant images, maps, and other detailed information for the Cerrado at a resolution of 30 m. "In our study, we calculated the errors and uncertainties of the data provided by the satellite images. It's the first study of the kind for the Cerrado. We also found that the data are more reliable for the northern than for the southern Cerrado. This is because properties in the southern part of the biome are far smaller, so the use of fire occurs in relatively small areas rather than over very large swathes of land. In the northern portion, in areas such as Bananal Island, we measured almost continuous fires in areas as large as 10,000 km2 in some years. That never happens in parts of northern Sao Paulo or southern Minas Gerais [Southeast Brazil], where the land-use pattern is quite different. It's an important finding because it shows you can't have a single algorithm for the entire biome," Setzer explained. At present, the impact on the Cerrado is greatest in areas of arable land. "The Cerrado is being practically destroyed, and the land is being converted to crops or pasture. In most cases, this is being done in breach of the environmental legislation. In the Amazon, the law requires that 80% of any property must be left untouched. In the Cerrado, this requirement applies to only 30%, but even that small proportion isn't enforced," he said. Explore further Climate change may drive 10 percent of amphibian species in the Atlantic rainforest to extinction More information: Julia A. Rodrigues et al, How well do global burned area products represent fire patterns in the Brazilian Savannas biome? An accuracy assessment of the MCD64 collections, International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation (2019). Julia A. Rodrigues et al, How well do global burned area products represent fire patterns in the Brazilian Savannas biome? An accuracy assessment of the MCD64 collections,(2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.jag.2019.02.010 Credit: Mizumoto et al./Proceedings of the Royal Society B A team of researchers from Arizona State University working with a group from the Oishi Fossils Gallery of Mizuta Memorial Museum in Japan has found evidence of fish swimming in unison approximately 50 million years ago. In their paper published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the group describes their study of a slab of stone containing an entire school of fossilized fish and what they found. Scientists studying animals such as birds, fish and insects that fly not only in formations but with some degree of uniformity have found that they all follow two simple rules: avoid running into neighbors, and mimic the actions of the rest of the group. It is not known when such behaviors first evolved, but evidence now reported by the team with this new effort suggests it goes back at least 50 million years. The researchers came upon the stone slab preserving the fossils while visiting the Oishi Fossils Gallery of Mizuta Memorial Museum in Japan. After gaining permission to study the slab, the team found that there were 259 fossilized fish embedded in the stone that had already been dated. They identified them as Erismatopterus levatus, a tiny fish that once inhabited intermountain lakes. The specimens in the slab appeared to be juveniles, but there was no evidence indicating how they had been entombed together and so quicklythe researchers suggest it might have happened as the result of a collapsing underwater sand formation. The researchers were intrigued by the positioning of the fishalmost all of them were swimming in the same direction in a pattern reminiscent of modern fish that swim in uniform schools. Credit: Mizumoto et al./Proceedings of the Royal Society B To test whether the fish had been swimming in unison, the researchers took measurements of the fish and developed a computer simulation. They ran simulations under 1000 different scenarios (varying water flow, spatial distribution, etc.). The simulations showed the fish swimming in unison following the same two rules as modern fish. They suggest that their simulations provide evidence of fish swimming in unison during the Eoceneprobably for the same reason that fish do it today, to reduce their chances of being eaten by a predator. Credit: Mizumoto et al./Proceedings of the Royal Society B Explore further Researchers claim evidence suggests cichlid fish evolved long after Gondwana rifted apart More information: Nobuaki Mizumoto et al. Inferring collective behaviour from a fossilized fish shoal, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences (2019). Journal information: Proceedings of the Royal Society B Nobuaki Mizumoto et al. Inferring collective behaviour from a fossilized fish shoal,(2019). DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.0891 2019 Science X Network Betsy Bower of Ceres Solutions advises a corn farmer in Indiana. Credit: Ceres Solutions Big food brands, such as Kellogg, Campbell, Mars Wrigley and General Mills, have started investing in their ingredients by helping farmers improve soil health and sustainability. Not only do these programs enable companies to reach their sustainability targets, they also help farmers cut costs, provide quality crops and improve stewardship of the land, according to an article in Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the weekly news magazine of the American Chemical Society. Agriculture sustainability programs include consultations with agronomists, on-farm data collection and education. These efforts are fairly new to the food industry, Senior Business Editor Melody Bomgardner writes. The nonprofit company Field to Market created the first commonly used tool for on-farm sustainability about 5 years ago. Currently, few farmers are aware of these new programs, according to a survey conducted by the Environmental Defense Fund. However, the programs are growing in popularity as food companies and farmers work together to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, water use and the overall environmental impact of farming, while also cutting farmers' costs and maintaining their stewardship of the land. Solutions to improving soil health are unique to each farm, and although new tools are being developed, none can currently take a farm's data and provide specific solutions. However, farmers can take advantage of cost-sharing programs that allow them to install drip irrigation, try organic production or plant cover crops. They can select strategies to reduce the use of synthetic nitrogen, such as less tillage or a microbial soil enhancement product. The programs are focused on education and data gathering, but it is unclear if the initiatives will actually have an impact on sustainable farming, experts say. Explore further How soil carbon can help tackle climate change More information: Melody Bomgardner. C&EN. The newest food trend is in the ground: Food companies' sustainability goals hinge on soil health. Volume 97, Issue 21 , Melody Bomgardner.. The newest food trend is in the ground: Food companies' sustainability goals hinge on soil health. Volume 97, Issue 21 , cen.acs.org/business/agricultu -trend-ground/97/i21 Fieldwork Robotics will use data from the trials to refine and improve its prototype system. Credit: University of Plymouth University of Plymouth spinout company Fieldwork Robotics has completed initial field trials of its robot raspberry harvesting system. The tests took place at a West Sussex farm owned by Fieldwork's industry partner, leading UK soft-fruit grower Hall Hunter Partnership, which supplies Marks & Spencer, Tesco and Waitrose. Data from the trials will be used to refine and improve the prototype system before further field trials are held later this year. If they are successful, manufacturing of a commercial system is expected to begin in 2020. Fieldwork Robotics was incorporated to develop and commercialize the work of Dr. Martin Stoelen, Lecturer in Robotics at the University's School of Computing, Electronics and Mathematics. He said: "Starting the field testing at Hall Hunter Partnership is a major milestone for us, and will give us invaluable feedback to keep developing the system towards commercialization, as part of our Innovate UK funding. I am very proud of the achievements of the team, at Fieldwork Robotics Ltd and across my different research projects on robotic harvesting here at the University of Plymouth." Farmers around the world are increasingly interested in robot technology to address the long-term structural decline in labor. Fieldwork is focusing initially on raspberries because they are hard to pick, are more delicate and easily damaged than other soft fruits, and grow on bushes with complex foliage and berry distribution. Dr Martin Stoelen and his spinout company Fieldwork Robotics Ltd are working on a range of projects using robotic arms to pick fruit and vegetables. Credit: University of Plymouth Once the system is proved to work with raspberries, it can be adapted readily for other soft fruits and vegetables, with the same researchers also developing proof-of-concept robots for other crops following interest from leading agribusinesses. Hall Hunter Partnership Chief Operating Officer David Green said: "As has always been the case, for agricultural and horticultural businesses such as ours to stay competitive in developed economies, we must embrace and invest in the latest technological innovations as they evolve. At HHP we foresee that the direct application of robotics platforms for harvest and husbandry activities, combined with the spin-off benefits of additional data collection and microanalysis they make possible will play a significant role in increasing product quality, productivity and yields in the near to medium term." Earlier this year, Fieldworkand partners including the University of Plymouth and the National Physical Laboratorywas awarded a 547,250 Innovate UK grant to develop a multi-armed robot prototype. Dr. Stoelen is also leading a project to develop robot systems to harvest cauliflowers, supported by Agri-Tech Cornwall, an initiative part funded by the European Regional Development Fund with match-funding from Cornwall Council. He is also working on a tomato-picking project run in partnership with Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Frontier IP holds a 27.5 percent stake in the company, and provides Fieldwork with support for engineering and software development, fundraising and industry partnerships. Its Chief Executive Officer Neil Crabb said: "We are delighted with the progress Fieldwork is making in developing a raspberry-harvesting robot system. Completing these field trials is an important milestone in commercializing the technology, and we are looking forward to the next round of tests in the autumn." Explore further Scientists develop harvesting robots that could revolutionise farming practices Credit: CC0 Public Domain Research from Washington State University could provide government regulators with powerful new tools for addressing a bevy of commercial claims and other concerns as non-medical marijuana, hemp and CBD products become more commonplace. The new analysis of the genetic and chemical characteristics of cannabis is believed to be the first thorough examination of its kind. The current method is inadequate, says Mark Lange, a professor in WSU's Institute for Biological Chemistry. Regulators focus on levels of the psychoactive compound THC and just a handful of the more than 90 other cannabinoids. The industry makes various claims about different strains, from sedating indicas to invigorating sativas, Acapulco Gold to Zkittlez, but they defy objective analysis. "There is a reason why all these strains have different namesbecause a lot of them are very different," said Lange. "But some strains with different names are actually very similar. The bottom line is there is a lot of confusion." Until now. Lange and his colleagues analyzed genetic sequences from nine commercial cannabis strains and found distinct gene networks orchestrating each strain's production of cannabinoid resins and terpenes, volatile compounds behind the plant's powerful aroma. Their research was published today in the journal Plant Physiology. Armed with this new tool, people can start to sort out a variety of issues that are already emerging as recreational cannabis is legal in 11 states, including the entire West Coast, and hemp is legal across the country. Lange's analytical method, for example, can be used to clearly delineate between psychoactive cannabis and hemp, which by law has to have less than 0.3 percent THC. It might help identify the skunky smell that elicits complaints from the neighbors of pot farms, opening a way to breed and grow something easier on the nose. It can test the health claims of cannabidiol, known by the shorthand CBD, or the alleged synergy, known as the "entourage effect," between cannabis compounds. It can truth squad your bud tender. "One of the things that needs to happen in the emerging market is that you know what you're selling," said Lange. "You can't just call it something and then that's good. We need to be very clear that this is the cannabinoid profile that is associated with, say, Harlequin -it has a specific cannabinoid profile, a specific terpenoid profile, and that's what it is. If it has a different name, then it should have a different profile. Currently you can do whatever you want." Lange is an expert on trichomes, the resin-producing glands of plants like mint. But in this case, he could not touch the plant if he was to comply with federal and university policy on cannabis research. All the material was handled by EVIO Labs, a private cannabis testing company licensed by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. Anthony Smith, an EVIO biochemist and co-author, drew RNA from each strain by abrading trichomes with glass beads and filtering the material. A third party sequenced the RNA. In the end, Lange and his team touched only a high-resolution data set that clearly marks both the genes of each strain and their end products. Explore further What you need to know about CBD oil More information: Jordan J Zager et al, Gene Networks Underlying Cannabinoid and Terpenoid Accumulation in Cannabis, Plant Physiology (2019). Jordan J Zager et al, Gene Networks Underlying Cannabinoid and Terpenoid Accumulation in Cannabis,(2019). DOI: 10.1104/pp.18.01506 In this Monday, May 20, 2019, photo, a man uses his smartphone outside a Huawei store in Beijing. Chinese tech giant Huawei has filed a motion in U.S. court challenging the constitutionality of a law that limits its sales of telecom equipment. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Fighting to maintain its access to major markets for next-generation communications, Chinese tech giant Huawei is challenging the constitutionality of a 2018 U.S. law that bars it from selling telecoms equipment to U.S. government agencies and contractors. In a motion filed late Tuesday in eastern Texas federal court, Huawei argues for summary judgment in the case in filed in March against the U.S. government. It says the law violates a constitutional prohibition against "trial by legislature" of individual entities. Congress thus acted unconstitutionally when it "adjudicated Huawei's guilt and blacklisted it," the motion argues. The motion comes as the U.S. and China are embroiled in a broader trade war in which both sides have imposed billions of dollars of punitive tariffs against each other's products. Chinese state media suggested Wednesday that the country's rich supply of rare earthskey elements for high-tech manufacturingcould be used as leverage against the U.S. in the dispute. Huawei is the biggest global maker of network equipment and enjoys a lead in 5G, or fifth-generation, technology. It also is the No. 2 maker of smartphones. The Trump administration says the company can be legally compelled to spy on behalf of the Chinese government and is thus a threat to international cybersecurity. "This decision threatens to harm our customers in over 170 countries, including more than 3 billion customers who use Huawei products and services around the world," Huawei's chief legal officer, Song Liuping, said at a news briefing Wednesday. Huawei, whose U.S. headquarters is in Plano, Texas, said in Tuesday's motion that the U.S. national defense law that punishes it as an alleged agent of Beijing's ruling Communist Party also violates its rights by presuming its guilt without a fair trial. The summary judgment motion seeks to accelerate the legal process to give U.S. customers access to Huawei equipment sooner, Huawei said in a statement. Song said the "state-sanctioned campaign" against the company will not improve cybersecurity. In this Monday, May 20, 2019, photo, shoppers visit a Huawei store in Beijing. Chinese tech giant Huawei has filed a motion in U.S. court challenging the constitutionality of a law that limits its sales of telecom equipment. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) "Politicians in the U.S. are using the strength of an entire nation to come after a private company," he said. "This is not normal." But just because something might strike us as not quite fair or outright wrong doesn't necessarily make it unconstitutional, said Steven Schwinn, a professor at John Marshall Law School in Chicago. He said Huawei's arguments, while strong on U.S. lawmakers' punitive intent, fall short constitutionally. Schwinn and other legal scholars aren't sanguine about Huawei's chances. "Given that this relates to national security we can expect the courts to be fairly deferential to the government and we ought to think of that as the thumb on the scale in favor of the government in all of these claims," he said. The presiding judge has scheduled motions through Sept. 10 so Schwinn said it was unlikely the case would be dismissed before then. Separately, the U.S. Commerce Department this month placed Huawei on its "Entity List," effectively barring U.S. companies from selling their technology to it and other Chinese firms without government approval. Huawei relies heavily on U.S. components, including computer chips, and about one-third of its suppliers are American. The backdrop is China's longstanding huge trade surplus with the U.S. and complaints that Beijing and Chinese companies use unfair tactics to acquire advanced foreign technologies. The most recent round of negotiations between Beijing and Washington ended earlier this month without an agreement after President Donald Trump more than doubled duties on $200 billion in Chinese products. China responded by raising tariffs of 5% to 25% on $60 billion worth of American goods. In this Monday, May 20, 2019, photo, a couple watch content on a smartphone near a Huawei store in Beijing. Chinese tech giant Huawei has filed a motion in U.S. court challenging the constitutionality of a law that limits its sales of telecom equipment. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) At least three Chinese state media outlets on Wednesday suggested the country's supply of rare earths could be used as a weapon. People's Daily, the official newspaper of the ruling Communist Party, said in an editorial that the U.S. is a major buyer of China's rare earth materials and "highly dependent" on such resources. The editorial was titled "The U.S. should not underestimate China's ability to enact countermeasures." Chinese President Xi Jinping visited rare earth-related businesses in southeastern Jiangxi province earlier this month. He called rare earths "an important strategic resource" while stressing the importance of owning independent core technologies, the state-run China Daily reported. As a weapon, the nationalistic Global Times said, rare earths "convey that China will not succumb to U.S. pressure." If the U.S. does not exercise restraint, it will see that "China is far from running out of cards, and we have the will and determination to fight the U.S. to the end," the editorial said. An official of China's top economic planning agency did not rule out using rare earths as a countermeasure against "the U.S.'s unwarranted suppression." The actions against Huawei have already affected the company's U.S. partnerships. Google said it would continue to support existing Huawei smartphones, but future devices won't include its flagship apps and services, including maps, Gmail and searcha change that will likely make Huawei phones less appealing. Song said the U.S. has not provided any evidence to show that Huawei is a security threat. "There is no gun, no smoke, only speculation," he said, accusing the U.S. of setting a "dangerous precedent." "Today it's telecoms and Huawei," he said. "Tomorrow it could be your industry, your company, your consumers." 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Illustrated dispersal routes from the results of the Least Cost Path analysis. The three routes from the "wet" simulations and the single route from the "dry" simulation are presented together in conjunction with palaeoclimatic extents (glaciers and palaeolakes). Credit: Nils Vanwezer and Hans Sell Northern and Central Asia have been neglected in studies of early human migration, with deserts and mountains being considered uncompromising barriers. However, a new study by an international team argues that humans may have moved through these extreme settings in the past under wetter conditions. We must now reconsider where we look for the earliest traces of our species in northern Asia, as well as the zones of potential interaction with other hominins such as Neanderthals and Denisovans. Archaeologists and palaeoanthropologists are increasingly interested in discovering the environments facing the earliest members of our species, Homo sapiens, as it moved into new parts of Eurasia in the Late Pleistocene (125,000-12,000 years ago). Much attention has focused on a "southern" route around the Indian Ocean, with Northern and Central Asia being somewhat neglected. However, in a paper published in PLOS ONE, scientists of the Max Planck Institute for the History of Human Science in Jena, Germany, and colleagues at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology in Beijing, China, argue that climate change may have made this a particularly dynamic region of hominin dispersal, interaction, and adaptation, and a crucial corridor for movement. "Heading North' Out of Africa and into Asia "Archaeological discussions of the migration routes of Pleistocene Homo sapiens have often focused on a 'coastal' route from Africa to Australia, skirting around India and Southeast Asia," says Professor Michael Petraglia of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, a co-author of the new study. "In the context of northern Asia, a route into Siberia has been preferred, avoiding deserts such as the Gobi." Yet over the past ten years, a variety of evidence has emerged that has suggested that areas considered inhospitable today might not have always been so in the past. The sand dunes of Mongol Els jutting out of the steppe in Mongolia. Many of these desert barriers only appeared after the Last Glacial Maximum (~20,000 years ago). Credit: Nils Vanwezer "Our previous work in Saudi Arabia, and work in the Thar Desert of India, has been key in highlighting that survey work in previously neglected regions can yield new insights into human routes and adaptations," says Petraglia. Indeed, if Homo sapiens could cross what is now the Arabian Deserts, then what would have stopped it crossing other currently arid regions such as the Gobi Desert, the Junggar Basin, and the Taklamakan Desert at different points in the past? Similarly, the Altai Mountains, the Tien Shan and the Tibetan Plateau represent a potentially new high altitude window into human evolution, especially given the recent Denisovan findings from Denisova Cave in Russia and at the Baishiya Karst Cave in China. Nevertheless, traditional research areas, a density of archaeological sites, and assumptions about the persistence of environmental "extremes" in the past has led to a focus on Siberia, rather than the potential for interior routes of human movement across northern Asia. A "Green Gobi"? Indeed, palaeoclimatic research in Central Asia has increasingly accumulated evidence of past lake extents, past records of changing precipitation amounts, and changing glacial extents in mountain regions, which suggest that environments could have varied dramatically in this part of the world over the course of the Pleistocene. However, the dating of many of these environmental transitions has remained broad in scale, and these records have not yet been incorporated into archaeological discussions of human arrival in northern and Central Asia. Ancient lake landforms around Biger Nuur, Mongolia, which is evidence of larger lake sizes in the past. Credit: Nils Vanwezer "We factored in climate records and geographical features into GIS models for glacials (periods during which the polar ice caps were at their greatest extent) and interstadials (periods during the retreat of these ice caps) to test whether the direction of past human movement would vary, based on the presence of these environmental barriers," says Nils Vanwezer, Ph.D. student at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History and a joint lead-author of the study. "We found that while during 'glacial' conditions humans would indeed likely have been forced to travel via a northern arc through southern Siberia, during wetter conditions a number of alternative pathways would have been possible, including across a 'green' Gobi Desert," he continues. Comparisons with the available palaeoenvironmental records confirm that local and regional conditions would have been very different in these parts of Asia in the past, making these route models a definite possibility for human movement. Where did you come from, where did you go? "We should emphasize that these routes are not 'real," definite pathways of Pleistocene human movement. However, they do suggest that we should look for human presence, migration, and interaction with other hominins in new parts of Asia that have been neglected as static voids of archaeology," says Dr. Patrick Roberts also of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, co-author of the study. "Given what we are increasingly discovering about the flexibility of our species, it would be of no surprise if we were to find early Homo sapiens in the middle of modern deserts or mountainous glacial sheets." "These models will stimulate new survey and fieldwork in previously forgotten regions of northern and Central Asia," says Professor Nicole Boivin, Director of the Department of Archaeology at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, and co-author of the study. "Our next task is to undertake this work, which we will be doing in the next few years with an aim to test these new potential models of human arrival in these parts of Asia." Explore further Humans colonized diverse environments in Southeast Asia and Oceania during the Pleistocene More information: Li F, Vanwezer N, Boivin N, Gao X, Ott F, Petraglia M, et al. (2019) Heading north: Late Pleistocene environments and human dispersals in central and eastern Asia. PLoS ONE 14(5): e0216433. Journal information: PLoS ONE Li F, Vanwezer N, Boivin N, Gao X, Ott F, Petraglia M, et al. (2019) Heading north: Late Pleistocene environments and human dispersals in central and eastern Asia.14(5): e0216433. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0216433 Credit: Apple From his perch at Jet City Device Repair in Chicago, store manager Neal Dexter wants you to know something about broken phones: It's not you. There's a reason so many of us are cracking phone screens seemingly more than ever. They don't make them like they used to. As smartphones got bigger, yet thinner, they've become "super fragile and easy to break," he says. "The new ones are so delicate." The smartphone industry is grappling with stagnated growth, as consumers began to balk in 2017 and 2018 at the ever-increasing prices of phones, which now start in the $900 to $1,100 range for top of the line Apple and Samsung models. At the same time, Jet City, the uBreakiFix national chain and other stores are seeing a rush of iPhone 7s from customers, a phone that was first released in 2016. "It's super popular right now," for repairs, says Justin Wetherill, the CEO of uBreakiFix, as a phone people like, and are willing to spend $86 to get it fixed (compared to $149 from Apple) and extend its life. The big question for many consumers is where to go to fix their phones, Apple, via its Apple Stores, or local retail repair shops, from the kiosk at a shopping mall to the neighborhood strip mall. Owners of an iPhone XS Max, the latest model, don't have much of a choice. uBreakiFix and most independent stores won't repair it because of the wholesale cost of the glass. Apple charges $329 for repairs on the Max unless you have Apple Care, Apple's warranty program, which costs $200 for a two-year warranty, plus a $29 deductible to get the screen fixed. Shop owners we spoke to like Dexter say that paying insurance is throwing money down the drain. "It's not cost-effective to get Apple Care," says Rob Link, a Virginia-based blogger and former repair pro. "It's always cheaper to get the repair." Consumer Reports, in looking at the issue, was neutral. "if you're a fumblefingers or just prone to bad luck, AppleCare+ coverage is probably a better deal for you than it may be for others." Try some basic math, however. Apple Care for the iPhone 8, a model from 2017, costs $129, and a repair would cost $149 without the insurance or $29 with it, so the Apple Care bill would be $158. The uBreakiFix stores charge $86 to repair the iPhone 8. Bigger, newer models are a different story. Apple charges $329 for the Max, $279 for the XS and X, and $199 for the XR. Consumers also can't just drop in to the store, leave their phones and come back when they're ready. They need to make an appointment in the Apple app and hope they're free when the "Genius" can see them. "I've cracked so many screens," says Chris MacAskill, who runs the Cake online forum in Mountain View, California. "If you're active, it's so easy to do. I just can't bring myself to make an appointment at the Apple store, fight the crowds, and have them tell me why my repair isn't covered under AppleCare and it will cost a fortune. Twice bitten..." And for the record, Apple senior vice-president Phil Schiller, in introducing the latest iPhone models, the XS and XS Max in September 2018, said the phones had "the most durable glass ever in a smartphone." Apple declined to comment for this article. What is not up for debate is that if people take a little more precaution, their phones will last longer and perhaps not crack as easily. "I tell every person before they walk out of here to get some form of screen protection," says Brian Caponi, who runs the CPR (Cell Phone Repair) shop in Highland Park, Illinois. "And a good, really strong case, not something flimsy with cute colors, but something that actually protects the phone." He likes the $50 tempered glass protector by ZAGG and cases by Otterbox or Speck. "You're spending $1,000 on these things," he says. "It pays to be careful." This much is a give: Manufacturers like Apple and Samsung will continue to beef up their phones with new features, but the one consumers care most aboutan indestructible screenisn't likely to be a reality. "They don't want to make that kind of phone," says Dexter. "Then people would stop upgrading. The more phones break, the more opportunities they have to sell new phones." That's a popular sentiment, but on an earnings call with investors in January, Apple CEO Tim Cook denied that Apple made phones that weren't built to last. "We do design our products to last as long as possible," he said. "Some people hold on to those for the life of the product, and some people trade them in, and then that phone is then redistributed to someone else. I'm convinced that making a great product that is high quality is the best thing for the customer and we work for the user, and so that's the way that we look at it." Explore further Apple sets recall of some defective iPhone 8 devices, but there could be a catch (c)2019 U.S. Today Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Broad-horned flour beetles. Credit: University of Exeter The "loser effectwhich causes animals to shy away from violence after losing a fightevolves independently of any change in fighting ability, new research suggests. Scientists studied male broad-horned flour beetles, which regularly fight over females, to see how long they avoided fights after a defeat. Most would not start a fight for about four days after a loss, but researchers from the University of Exeter, Okayama University and Tokyo Metropolitan University selectively bred the beetles for a shorter duration of this loser effect and found that it evolved to be shorterdespite no improvement in fighting prowess. "Theory predicts that the loser effect should evolve independently of actual fighting ability, but previous tests of this have been limited," said Professor David Hosken, of the Centre for Ecology and Conservation on Exeter's Penryn Campus in Cornwall. "By selecting males who experienced the loser effect for the shortest time, we were able to breed beetles willing to fight again sooner. "It is fascinating that these males were no better at fighting. In other words, there is a complete disconnect between actual fighting ability and the duration of the loser effect." The study, of captive-bred beetles in Japan, paired males of similar sizes and let them interact for an hour, after which a male that had pushed and chased his opponent was recorded as the "winner". After ten generations, beetles selectively bred for a reduced loser effect returned to pre-defeat levels of aggression and fighting success after three days instead of four. "It make sense for animals to use past experience to decide whether to engage in a behaviour," said Associate Professor Kensuke Okada, of Okayama University. "Losing a fight is a useful clue of the likely benefits of further fighting for a particular individual. "Some species also show a 'winner effect' - being more willing to fight after a victorybut that is not the case among broad-horned flour beetles." Explore further Parasites dampen beetle's fight or flight response Credit: CC0 Public Domain When an unusually large number of puffin carcasses began to wash ashore on Alaska's remote St Paul Island in the fall of 2016, the local tribal population grew alarmed. At first they suspected the seabirds might have avian flubut labs on the mainland soon ruled out any disease, finding that the seabirds known for their brightly-colored beaks and thick tufts had instead starved to death. In a new study published Wednesday researchers concluded the deaths, which occurred between October 2016 and February 2017, ran into the thousandsand were part of a growing number of mass die-offs recorded as climate change wreaks havoc on marine ecosystems. The paper, which appeared in the journal PLOS ONE, found that although locals recovered only 350 carcasses, between 3,150 and 8,500 birds may have succumbed to starvation. The majority were tufted puffins and the remainder were crested auklets. The research team, which included scientists from the University of Washington and the Aleut Community of St Paul Island Ecosystem Conservation Office, said that from 2014 increased atmospheric temperatures and decreased winter sea ice led to declines in energy-rich prey species in the Bering Sea. Tufted puffins breeding in the Bering Sea feed on small fish and marine invertebrates, which in turn eat ocean plankton. "There was no fat there, the musculature was literally disintegrating," co-author Julia Parrish said of the birds, which washed up on the island, some 300 miles (480 kilometers) east of the mainland. According to scientists, Alaska as a whole has been warming twice as fast as the global average, with temperatures earlier this year shattering records. Nineteen tufted puffins found on North Beach, St. Paul, Pribilof Islands, Alaska, on Oct. 19, 2016. Credit: Aleut Community of St Paul Island Ecosystem Conservation Office "The puffins are one among several signals recorded that connect the physics of the systemhow cold or warm it is to the biology of the system," she told AFP. "They just happen to be a very visible, graphic signal because it's really hard to avoid hundreds or thousands of birds dying and washing up at your feet." 'Ran out of gas' The researchers also realized that most of the dead birds had begun molting, the process by which they lose their feathers and gain new plumage. During this time their ability to dive and hunt for food is diminished. By the time they began molting, the birds should already have migrated to resource-rich waters to the west and south. The energy-intense nature of the transformation appears to have contributed to their starving. "So all of those things indicated that they did not have enough to eat, they were late in migrating, they literally ran out of gas," said Parrish. The paper noted "multi-year stanzas of warm conditions," such as those seen from 2001 to 2005 and 2014 to the present, may be particularly detrimental to seabirds, whose future viability will depend on their resilience to these changes. "I'm tremendously worried," said Parrish. "If I had only seen this puffin die-off I might be a bit more circumspect, but this is one of about six die-offs since about 2014, 15" that collectively account for the deaths of millions of birds. "Not just the Bering Sea, the whole north Pacific is changing," she added. "I think the ecosystem is screaming at us and we ignore it at our peril." More information: Jones T, Divine LM, Renner H, Knowles S, Lefebvre KA, Burgess HK, et al. (2019) Unusual mortality of Tufted puffins (Fratercula cirrhata) in the eastern Bering Sea. PLoS ONE 14(5): e0216532. Journal information: PLoS ONE Jones T, Divine LM, Renner H, Knowles S, Lefebvre KA, Burgess HK, et al. (2019) Unusual mortality of Tufted puffins (Fratercula cirrhata) in the eastern Bering Sea.14(5): e0216532. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0216532 2019 AFP Credit: CC0 Public Domain Successful new field tests of a continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CV-QKD) system over commercial fiber networks could pave the way to its use in metropolitan areas. That is the key achievement from a joint team of Chinese scientists, published today in Quantum Science and Technology, which demonstrates CV-QKD transmission over commercial deployed fiber link with a distance of 50 kilometres. Team leader and lead author, Prof. Hong Guo, from a joint team of Peking University and Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications (PKU-BUPT joint team), Beijing, said: "CV-QKD provides, in principle, unconditional secret keys to protect people's datasuch as banking information, emails and passwords. "It has attracted much attention in the past few years, because it uses standard telecom components that operate at room temperature, instead of specific quantum devices such as single photon detectors etc, and it has potentially much higher secret key rates. However, most previous long-distance CV-QKD demonstrations were only done in laboratory fiber, without the disturbances caused by the field environment." Lead authors Dr. Yichen Zhang and Prof. Song Yu, from the PKU-BUPT joint team, Beijing, said: "There are several challenges to bringing a practical CV-QKD system from a laboratory setup to the real world. Deployed commercial dark fibers are inevitably subject to much stronger perturbations from changing environmental conditions and physical stress. This in turn causes severe disturbances of the transmitted quantum states. "They also suffer from higher losses due to splices, sharp bends and inter-fiber couplings. The software and hardware of CV-QKD modules must not only be designed to cope with all the conditions affecting the transmission fiber, but must also be robustly engineered to operate in premises designed for standard telecom equipment. Furthermore, as the systems need to run continuously and without frequent attention, they need to be designed to automatically recover from any errors and shield end users from service interruptions." The PKU-BUPT joint research team carried out two field tests of CV-QKD over commercial fiber networks in two cities of ChinaXi'an and Guangzhouachieving transmission distances of 30.02 km (12.48 dB loss) and 49.85 km (11.62 dB loss), respectively. Prof. Hong Guo said: "The longest previous field tests of a CV-QKD system were over a 17.52 km deployed fiber (10.25 dB loss) and a 17.7 km deployed fiber (5.6 dB loss), where the secret key rates were 0.2 kbps and 0.3 kbps, respectively. "Comparing with these results, our results show a more than twice transmission distance, and a two orders-of-magnitude higher secret key rates, though in more lossy commercial fiber links. "This is a significant step in bringing CV-QKD closer to everyday use. It has pushed CV-QKD towards a more practical setting, and, naturally, one may expect that a quantum-guaranteed secure metropolitan network could be built within reach of current technologies." Explore further Exchanging information securely using quantum communication in future fiber-optic networks More information: Yichen Zhang et al. Continuous-variable QKD over 50 km commercial fiber, Quantum Science and Technology (2019). Yichen Zhang et al. Continuous-variable QKD over 50 km commercial fiber,(2019). DOI: 10.1088/2058-9565/ab19d1 Atomic structure of the copper catalyst used in the hydrogenation reaction of a carbon-oxygen bond. Formaldehyde H2CO (on the left), used as the model molecule in the simulations, takes two hydrogens from the copper; they move to the carbon-oxygen bond so that the molecule changes into a simple alcohol (methanol CH3OH on the right). After the reaction, a hydrogen molecule (blue, on the left) in the vicinity splits into two hydrogen atoms inside the copper. Credit: Sami Malola, University of Jyvaskyla Researchers of the Nanoscience Center (NSC) at the University of Jyvaskyla, Finland, and Xiamen University, China, have discovered how copper particles at the nanometer scale operate in modifying a carbon-oxygen bond when ketone molecules turn into alcohol molecules. Modification of the carbon-oxygen and carbon-carbon bonds found in organic molecules is an important intermediate stage in catalytic reactions in which the source material is changed into valuable end products. Understanding the operation of catalysts at the level of the atomic structure of a single particle makes it possible to develop catalysts with desired features, such as making them efficient and selective for a specific end product. The study was published in ACS Nano. In Finland, the study was led by Academy Professor Hannu Hakkinen. The catalytic copper particles used in the study were made and structurally characterized at Xiamen University, and their operation in changing a strong carbon-oxygen bond in a hydrogenation reaction was studied by the researchers of the Nanoscience Center (NSC) at the University of Jyvaskyla in computer simulations. The precise atomic structure of the copper particles was determined through X-ray diffraction and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The particles were found to contain 25 copper atoms and ten hydrogens, and there were 18 thiols protecting the surface of the particle. While the experimental work in Xiamen revealed its excellent performance in catalytic hydrogenation of ketones, the simulations predicted that the hydrogens bound to the copper core of the particle act as a hydrogen storage, which releases two hydrogen atoms to the carbon-oxygen bond during a reaction. The hydrogen storage is refilled after the reaction, when a hydrogen molecule attached to the particle from its surroundings splits into two hydrogen atoms, which are bound again to the copper core (see image). The NMR measurements carried out in Xiamen revealed an intermediate product of the reaction, which confirmed the predictions of the computational model. "This is one of the first times that it has been possible to discover how a catalytic particle works when its structure is known this accurately, thanks to a cooperation involving both experiments and simulations," says Academy Professor Hannu Hakkinen from the University of Jyvaskyla, who led the computational part of the study. Hakkinen's collaborator, Karoliina Honkala, professor of computational catalysis, says, "Traditionally, expensive platinum-based catalysts are used in hydrogenation reactions. This study proves that nanoscale copper hydride particles also act as hydrogenation catalysts. The results give hope that in the future, it will be possible to develop effective and inexpensive copper-based catalysts to transform functionalized organic molecules into products with a higher added value." Explore further Scientists identify atomic structure of catalytically active copper-ceria interface More information: Cunfa Sun et al, Atomically Precise, Thiolated Copper-Hydride Nanoclusters as Single-Site Hydrogenation Catalysts for Ketones in Mild Conditions, ACS Nano (2019). Journal information: ACS Nano Cunfa Sun et al, Atomically Precise, Thiolated Copper-Hydride Nanoclusters as Single-Site Hydrogenation Catalysts for Ketones in Mild Conditions,(2019). DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.9b02052 The remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Hercules is launched from E/V Nautilus. Credit: Erin Ranney/Ocean Exploration Trust Scientists with a NASA-led expedition are operating from the Inner Space Center at the University of Rhode Island's Graduate School of Oceanography as colleagues explore the deep Pacific Ocean to prepare to search for life in deep space. The SUBSEA (Systematic Underwater Biogeochemical Science and Exploration Analog) research program is a partnership among NASA's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the Ocean Exploration Trust and various academic centers that blend ocean and space research to better understand if the watery worlds found on moons and planets in our solar system offer conditions that could support microbial life. Last year, the SUBSEA shipboard team used remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) deployed from the Ocean Exploration Trust's E/V Nautilus to explore Lo'ihi Seamount, an underwater volcano off the southeastern coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. The type of hydrothermal venting at the Lo'ihi Seamount is a good representation of conditions scientists believe exist on certain moons in the outer solar system. The onshore NASA team, stationed in Mission Control at the Inner Space Center, learned how scientists and engineers communicate science objectives via telepresence. The NASA team returns to the Inner Space Center through June 8 to test specialized mission-planning software as part of NASA's long-term strategy for achieving extended human presence in deep-space. Scientists will study the work practices, habits, communication and information flows necessary to conduct remote science and exploration by observing operations conducted by the SUBSEA teams on the E/V Nautilus and at the Inner Space Center. "The most important role of the Inner Space Center for the SUBSEA project is to help NASA learn how to use telepresence for ocean exploration as an analog to how it may be used for space exploration," said Dwight Coleman, director of the Inner Space Center. SUBSEA researchers aboard E/V Nautilus will conduct field programs at the Gorda Ridge offshore of northern California and Oregon. This section of mid-ocean ridge is of interest to ocean researchers because it is home to seafloor hydrothermal activity that departs from the convention of black smoker hydrothermal systems, instead emitting clear fluids from the seafloor. A human-robotic voyage to the moon or Mars might parallel SUBSEA's mission architecture using robotic explorers controlled by humans nearby as directed by a remote team of scientists. Using the Inner Space Center's cutting edge technologyincluding telepresencefor ocean research, exploration and education, the SUBSEA team will be able to test, evaluate and improve the necessary processes and technology tools needed for deep space exploration. Ultimately, the results of SUBSEA's research will inform strategies for conducting science via tele-operations at destinations in space as well as scientists' understanding of a wider range of deep-sea environments for conducting ocean research. "The Inner Space Center is the world leader in supporting telepresence-based ocean exploration missions, so we're excited to serve as a base of operations for this groundbreaking project," said Coleman. Explore further Underwater robots help NASA plan future deep-space missions More information: The public will be able to watch exploration of the seafloor via 24/7 live stream at The public will be able to watch exploration of the seafloor via 24/7 live stream at http://www.nautiluslive.org as ROVs collect high definition video footage from the sea floor. Minor cereals such as einkorn can add to the diversity of our food production. Credit: Pixabay/Kamelia, licensed under the pixabay license Rye bread or porridge oats may not be everyone's first choice of breakfast, but scientists say Europeans need to broaden their taste in cereals both to boost their own health and to protect the future of Europe's farming. Wheat makes up nearly half of all cereals grown in the EU. The rest is mainly maize and barley. Although Europe's strategy to focus on a few high-yielding plants has produced bumper harvests, the lack of genetic variation means the crops are more susceptible to disease, pests and drought, scientists say. "If we rely on only one crop we are very vulnerable," said Dr. Dagmar Janovska, curator of minor crops at the Prague-based Crop Research Institute in the Czech Republic. "We should learn from our history and grow a lot of different crops," she added, referring to Ireland's potato famine in the mid-19th century. At the time, most Irish farmers grew just potatoes. When disease wiped out the country's crop, it led to widespread starvation. Dr. Janovska coordinated a Europe-wide project to help boost the breeding and popularity of minor cereals rye, oat, spelt, emmer and einkorn. Researchers on the HealthyMinorCereals project evaluated more than 1,700 genotypessets of genes in a plant's DNAfor specific traits including yield, nutritional quality and resistance to disease. They carried out field experiments in Estonia, the UK, the Czech Republic and Crete. "We would like to improve breeding programmes in Europe (of minor cereals)," Dr. Janovska said. The project's results should help breeders develop varieties of cerealincluding common wheatwhich are better suited to the changing climate and need fewer pesticides. For example, the researchers found one genotype of spelt that is resistant to a fungus called fusarium head blight. Globally, more than 6,000 plant species have been cultivated for food, but just nine of these account for 66% of the world's crop production, according to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Growing a diverse range of crops and cutting the amount of chemical inputs is better for the environment, and the health of the soil. "If we harm (Europe's) ecosystems we can assume we will have a very big problem in producing any food. Everything is interconnected," Dr. Janovska said. Health-boosting Some of the minor cereals contain more health-boosting nutrients like iron, zinc and antioxidants compared to common wheat, the researchers found. "The more diverse our food, the better. And spelt, rye and oat are very beneficial for our health, for example in lowering cholesterol," said Dr. Janovska. They also need fewer chemical inputs and can grow in relatively poor soil. Common wheat expanded with the mechanisation of farming in the last century. It is high yieldingit produces large quantities of grain per hectare of landand easy to process into flour. It has expanded even in countries like the Czech Republic where people traditionally eat rye bread. Wheat makes up more than 60% of cereals grown there now, up from 18% in 1920. Over the same period, rye production has fallen to just 2%, from 35% in 1920, according to Dr. Janovska. "That change is mainly because wheat is easier to grow," said Dr. Janovska. Fears about the lack of diversity on farms are widespread, even affecting traditional farmers working on small farms high up in the Andes mountains in South America. Some of them are ditching a wide variety of crops in favour of quinoa, a lucrative 'superfood' which has become popular in Europe and North America. Taste Some scientists hope that Europeansas well as Americanswill expand their taste for other foods from the mountains in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. Many of them, like quinoa, are high in protein and good for vegetarians, diabetics and people with gluten allergies. "I think Europe is a great market because (these kinds of foods are) what people are looking for and what the European market can pay for," said Dr. Gabriela Alandia Robles, a researcher in high-protein crops at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Europe is the second largest market for quinoa after the United States. Other comparable foods from the Andes could follow a similar trend, she said. Dr. Alandia Robles worked on a project called Latincrop which aimed to increase Andean crops' production and consumption both locally and in Europe. Hot on the heels of quinoa is amaranth. The tiny grain has a nutty flavour and can be cooked like risotto rice or made into popcorn. "It has the whole range of amino acids that your body needs," said Dr. Alandia Robles. It also is good for diabetics and people allergic to gluten, and has important amounts of folic acid, calcium, phosphorous and iron, she added. The Andean lupin also has potential. "Europe is looking for a high protein crop, and Andean lupin has as much protein as soya bean51%," said Dr. Alandia Robles. Its beans can be made into a kind of hummus. One chef promoting these foods in Europe is Simon Brammer who, together with his wife Janice Pelayo Hansen, cook Peruvian food for weddings and corporate events in Denmark. They are passionate about sharing the nutritious foods with as many people as possible. "When we started Panca (a food truck) in 2016, it was a totally new thing. Some people hadn't even heard of Peru They were surprised by the flavours," Pelayo Hansen said. Their dishes include a spicy chicken dish served with biscuits made from arracacha roots grown around Titicaca lake, and a quinoa salad popular with their vegetarian customers. Cookbook If European demand is to grow for both Andean foods and locally grown cereals, people need to know how to cook them. To help with this, the Latincrop project produced a cookbook, and the HealthyMinorCereals project is planning one too. Dr. Janovska's favourite cereal from the project is spelt. "At Christmas we make cookies out of spelt flour, because the taste is better," she said, adding that its fibre content makes it healthier. "We need to improve demand, and then we can ask our farmers to grow it If you want to improve anything on the field, you have start with the fork," she said. Explore further Minor cereals offer major promise for organic farming They are used in everything from lightbulbs to guided missiles, but with China controlling 95 percent of the world's supply of rare earth metals, they are also a potentially powerful weapon in Beijing's trade war with Washington. Here are some key questions and answers on the prized elements. What are rare earths? The bedrock of electrical manufacturing, rare earths are 17 elements that serve as key components in devices ranging from hi-tech smartphones and cameras to flat-screen televisions and computers. China dominates the global supply chainand Washington relies heavily on the Asian superpower to access the metals. So much so that the commodities have not been subject to the tariff increases imposed by Donald Trump's administration on Chinese goods. But Chinese state media is now suggesting that rare earth exports to the US could be cut in retaliation for American measures, sparking fear among manufacturers. Why is China threatening to restrict exports? Simply put, rare earths give Beijing tremendous political and economic leverage in its spat with the United States. The US this month threatened to cut supplies of US technology to Chinese telecom giant Huawei, citing security concerns and intensifying a trade spat that has seen both countries slap tit-for-tat tariffs on each other. While Beijing has so far only issued cryptic warnings to suggest that rare earths could be its next weapon, "as a retaliatory trade measure, it's a no-brainer on the surface", according to OANDA senior market analyst Jeffrey Halley. If Beijing chooses to make good on these threats, the impact on US manufacturers could be disastrous. "China could shut down nearly every automobile, computer, smartphone and aircraft assembly line outside of China if they chose to embargo these materials," James Kennedy, president of ThREE Consulting, wrote last week in National Defense, a US industry publication. Have we been here before? China has been accused of using its rare earth leverage for political and economic reasons in the past. In 2014, the World Trade Organization ruled the country had violated global trade rules by restricting exports of the metals, claiming environmental damage from mining and the need to conserve supplies. The US, European Union and Japan had appealed to the WTO, accusing Beijing of curbing exports to give domestic tech firms an edge over foreign rivals. The WTO panel ruled that the quotas were "designed to achieve industrial policy goals rather than conservation". Four years earlier, Japanese industry sources said China temporarily cut off exports to Japan in 2010 when a territorial row flared between the Asian rivals, charges that Beijing denied. How likely is it to make good on its threat this time? Analysts say Beijing may not pull the trigger just yet, possibly because any restriction could spark a chase for alternative sources of rare earths. Despite its dominance over supply, China is not the only country with sizeable reserves of the metals. The United States Geological Survey estimated last year there were 120 million tonnes of deposits worldwide including 44 million in China and 22 million in both Brazil and Vietnam. If rare earths aren't all that rare, why is no one else producing them? For much of the last century, the US dominated rare earths production. But mining the metals creates huge amounts of toxic waste and in 2003 California's Mountain Pass minethen the sole US miner of rare earthsceased production, following an environmental disaster a few years earlier. China filled the voidhelped in no small part by lax regulations and lower costsand grew quickly to become the leading producer of the metals. Rare earths "are abundant across the globe", said OANDA's Halley, but added that many countries are turned off by the heavy costsfinancial and environmentalincurred in the production process. "Much like everyone would like a new airport nearby, just not next door to them... the world has reaped what it has sown by handing the keys to China in this respect", he said. Explore further Fears rise China could weaponise rare earths in US tech war 2019 AFP Renault and Nissan representatives were meeting outside Tokyo on Wednesday along with officials from the third partner in their alliance, Mitsubishi Motors Renault officials on Wednesday sought to reassure the firm's alliance partner Nissan over a possible tie-up between the French automaker and Fiat Chrysler, which could up-end the auto industry. Renault and Nissan representatives were meeting outside Tokyo on Wednesday along with officials from the third partner in their alliance, Mitsubishi Motors. The alliance has been rocked by the arrest of its former head, Carlos Ghosn, the Nissan chief who faces four charges of financial misconduct and has been pushed out of all his executive roles. And the partnership was shaken further this week by news that Renault is studying "with interest" a 50-50 merger proposal with Fiat Chrysler (FCA), a prospect that took Nissan by surprise. In a brief statement, the alliance said their operating board meeting on Wednesday included "open and transparent discussion on FCA's recent proposal to Groupe Renault." "The meeting also discussed and positively concluded several current operational alliance matters," the statement added, after the meeting at Nissan's headquarters in Yokohama. Arriving in Japan on Tuesday, Renault chairman Jean-Dominique Senard offered an optimistic assessment. "I think that all the recent events are very good for the alliance, and I will make sure that Nissan and Mitsubishi will take great advantage of the news," he said. But Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa has received news of the proposed tie-up more cautiously. "From the standpoint of Nissan's interests, we need to look a little closer to see what sort of contractual relationship the deal would create," the Nikkei business daily quoted him as saying. Renault has for years tied its strategy to its partnership with Japanese automaker Nissan, but Ghosn's arrest and Nissan's resistance to a closer partnership appears to have prompted rethinking at the French firm. The merger with Fiat Chrysler is backed by the French government, which owns a 15 percent stake in Renault, and Italy's deputy premier also enthusiastically endorsed the deal. Renault holds a 43 percent stake in Nissan, which in turn owns 15 percent of its French partner and would not be able to block it from proceeding with the Fiat Chrysler merger. Explore further Old partner Nissan left sidelined by Renault-Fiat merger 2019 AFP Research carried out by the University of Kent has found differences between the knuckle joints of primates that will enable a better understanding of ancient human hand use. Using samples from the Powell-Cotton Museum in Birchington-on-Sea (UK), as well as samples from Germany, Belgium and the USA, a team led by School of Anthropology and Conservation (SAC) Ph.D. student Christopher Dunmore examined the internal bone structure, called trabeculae or cancellous bone, of great apes. Trabecular bone is a honeycomb structure that is found within most bones and changes depending on what that bone is used for during a lifetime. When it is preserved in fossils, researchers can learn more about how ancient apes as well as humans moved and interacted with their environment. The study compared the internal bone structure of the knuckle joints in chimpanzee, bonobo, orang-utan and gorilla hands, to assess whether this bone structure records how these apes moved when knuckle-walking on the ground or hanging from trees. The researchers found the knuckle joints of orang-utans were consistent with flexing the knuckles while grasping branches, while the joints of chimpanzees, bonobos and gorillas were consistent with knuckle-walkingthe most frequent ways in which these animals move around in their respective environments. The information will now enable scientists studying fossils to better understand whether ancient humans were swinging from trees or walking on the ground. Mr Dunmore said: 'For the first time we see interesting internal bone patterns differentiating subtle differences between chimpanzee and gorilla knuckle-walking, as well as arboreal grasping in orang-utans. This matters because when we find ancient human hand fossils that preserve their internal structure, we can work out if they were probably swinging from trees during their lifetime or if they were walking on the ground more like humans today.' The study, entitled Metacarpal trabecular bone varies with distinct hand-positions used in hominid locomotion (Christopher Dunmore, Dr Ameline Bardo, Professor Tracy Kivell and Dr Matthew Skinner, Skeletal Biology Research Centre, SAC, University of Kent) was published in the Journal of Anatomy. More information: Christopher J. Dunmore et al, Metacarpal trabecular bone varies with distinct handpositions used in hominid locomotion, Journal of Anatomy (2019). Christopher J. Dunmore et al, Metacarpal trabecular bone varies with distinct handpositions used in hominid locomotion,(2019). DOI: 10.1111/joa.12966 Two Russian crewmembers on the International Space Station have begun a spacewalk to conduct scientific research and help maintain the orbiting outpost. Oleg Kononenko and Alexey Ovchinin will retrieve scientific experiments that were mounted on the station's exterior and perform necessary maintenance. The spacewalk is expected to last 6 hours. It's the fifth one for Kononenko, and the first one for Ovchinin. Their crewmatesNASA's Anne McClain, Nick Hague and Christina Koch, and David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agencyare watching their progress from inside the orbiting outpost. Kononenko is set to return to Earth with McClain and Saint-Jacques next month following a six-and-a-half-month stint in orbit. Ovchinin will replace him as the station's commander. Explore further Astronauts who survived Soyuz scare ready for new launch despite glitches 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Research has documented the widespread availability of graphic images of self-harm, such as cuttings, on the photo-sharing platform Instagram. After a British father said his 14-year-old daughter had viewed such explicit images on Instagram prior to her suicide, the platform announced that it would no longer allow such graphic images to appear. But little is known about how often such graphic images reach Instagram's users and whether they have an effect on viewers. Now, a new study by researchers at the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania and two European institutions is the first to investigate the relationship between exposure to self-harm on Instagram and subsequent self-harm and suicidality-related outcomes in young adults. The research, published in the journal New Media & Society, analyzes data from an online survey of young adults conducted at two points a month apart, in May and June 2018, prior to Instagram's announcement that it would seek to reduce images of graphic self-harm. The two-wave survey was completed by 729 U.S. adults ages 18 to 29. Over 80 percent were women. The researchers found: Exposure: More than 4 in 10 (43 percent) of the people surveyed had seen a post of self-harm on Instagram at least once, and more than half of those had seen more than one; Accidental exposure: Most of those (80 percent) exposed to the self-harm posts said they encountered those posts by accident; Emotional distress: More than half (59 percent) of those exposed to the self-harm content reported being emotionally disturbed by it; Presumed copycat influence: Surprisingly, nearly a third (32 percent) of those exposed to self-harm posts on Instagram said at the first interview that they had performed the same (or very similar) self-harming behavior as a consequence of seeing the content. Importantly, the researchers found that people who reported having seen self-harm images on Instagram at the first interview were more likely than those who didn't to report their own self-harm at the second interview. The study also found that exposure to self-harm on Instagram at the first interview predicted higher levels of suicidal ideation and risk for suicide at the second interview. The analysis controlled for prior reports of self-harm. "Media researchers, suicide experts, and parents have all expressed concern in the past about this explicit content on Instagram," said the lead author, Florian Arendt, a health communication professor at the University of Vienna. "Our results provide evidence that this concern is justified." "The findings suggest that whether the Instagram posts instigate self-harm on their own or not, they do reach vulnerable young people and may play a role in encouraging similar behavior in those who are exposed to them," said the study's U.S. author, Dan Romer, research director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC). Instagram and self-harm images Instagram has more than 1 billion monthly users and over 500 million daily active users, and is one of the most popular social networking platforms among young people. It also has been a publicly available, unrivaled source for regularly uploaded explicit and graphic self-harm depictions. The most common were of mild or moderate injuries, but the depictions also included bleeding flesh wounds caused by cuttings on extremities, the researchers said. Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among 15- to 29-year olds. While deliberate self-harm "tends to be repetitive and largely non-suicidal," the researchers said, "it increases the risk of future suicide." For this analysis, the researchers conducted surveys with young adults who were recruited from internet gaming sites. The researchers cautioned that the nonrepresentative sample may have been overly selective of people concerned with suicide, since that was disclosed as one purpose of the survey, and therefore the results can't be generalized to all young people. "Since the survey sample primarily included young women, we could not determine whether the effects were as strong for men," Romer said. In February 2019, after the survey was completed, Instagram said it would remove graphic images of self-harm but permit nongraphic images such as healed scars. In a statement at the time, Instagram head Adam Mosseri said removing nongraphic images might inadvertently "stigmatize or isolate people who are in distress," and keeping them would let people share their stories and potentially help others. Arendt said, "For Instagram to recognize the potential hazard of self-harm posts is a good and appropriate move. More research will be needed to determine whether self-harm posts that are less graphic also elicit harmful effects, or whether this content could even be helpful to those posting it or to others in distress. It is a complicated issue with no straightforward answer." Efforts by Instagram to remove such images may be a challenge given their prevalence on the platform and the need for constant surveillance to detect and remove them. After Instagram's announcement, there were reports that such posts continued to appear on the platform. Explore further Instagram curbs self-harm posts after teen suicide More information: Florian Arendt et al, Effects of exposure to self-harm on social media: Evidence from a two-wave panel study among young adults, New Media & Society (2019). Florian Arendt et al, Effects of exposure to self-harm on social media: Evidence from a two-wave panel study among young adults,(2019). DOI: 10.1177/1461444819850106 Striped maple tree leaves and flowers. Credit: Jennifer Blake-Mahmud Although pollen has covered cars for weeks and allergy sufferers have been sneezing, we think of sex as being the realm of animals. But plant sex can be quite interesting, especially in species that can have male or female flowers. More than 90 percent of flowering plant species combine both sexes in one plant. In the less than 10 percent of species where female and male flowers exist on separate plants, they typically remain female or male throughout their lifetime. But it isn't always this simple. In a study in the journal Annals of Botany, Rutgers University-New Brunswick researchers found that striped maple trees can change sex from year to year. A tree may be male one year and female the next, and while male trees grow more, female trees are more likely to die. The study found that 54 percent of striped maple trees changed sexes over a four-year period, with some switching at least twice. Male trees usually outnumber female trees by more than three to one. Since the study started in 2014, 75 percent of trees that died were female. Since only female trees can make seeds, changes in the relative numbers of males and females might lead to reduced populations. "We found that, contrary to previous scientific knowledge, unhealthy trees have a higher likelihood of being female, and the size of the tree doesn't seem to influence what sex a tree is," said lead author Jennifer Blake-Mahmud, a botanist who earned her doctorate at Rutgers and is now at Princeton University. A striped maple tree forest. Credit: Jennifer Blake-Mahmud The striped maple (Acer pensylvanicum), a slow-growing species that reaches heights of about 30 to 50 feet, thrives at medium to high elevations along the Appalachian Mountains from Georgia to Nova Scotia, and is native to New Jersey. Although the ability for a plant to switch sex is incredibly rare, some other species are known to do so, such as the Jack-in-the-pulpit, an understory woodland plant that also flowers in the spring in New Jersey. In these cases, usually females appear to be healthier or larger since it takes more energy to be female and to produce fruits and seeds. Understory trees like the striped maple, which grow beneath the forest canopy, can become less healthy for many reasons: insects chew on them, deer use them for antler rubs, large trees fall on them during storms or they can suffer through droughts. Over longer periods, these stressful conditions may result in increasing numbers of females compared with males in striped maple tree populations. More females likely mean more seeds and more seedlings of striped maples. At first this might seem like a good thing, but that might not necessarily be the case. Since the female death rate is much higher than the male death rate, the number of trees in these populations may decline over the long-run. Upcoming research will look at how important certain environmental factors may be in determining a striped maple tree's sex. The scientists are looking at the concentration of sugar stored in sap to see if trees with more sugar reserves are more likely to be female. They are also looking at whether they can trigger a sex change by causing an injury, such as cutting off a branch. Explore further Damage encourages maple species to become female, study finds More information: Jennifer Blake-Mahmud et al, Time for a change: patterns of sex expression, health and mortality in a sex-changing tree, Annals of Botany (2019). Journal information: Annals of Botany Jennifer Blake-Mahmud et al, Time for a change: patterns of sex expression, health and mortality in a sex-changing tree,(2019). DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcz037 Thousands marched through the city of Belfast last Saturday, demanding same-sex marriage be recognized. Northern Ireland is the only region in the U.K. where gay marriage is not yet legal. Though most people in the region are in favor of gay marriage, attempts to legalize it were blocked by the Democratic Unionist Party, according to Reuters. Sara Canning, the partner of slain journalist and LGBT rights activist Lyra McKee, led the march following her partners murder in April. "We pay our taxes, we are governed by the same laws, why should we not be afforded the same rights in marriage," Canning said, according to Reuters. Canning was wearing a T-shirt that said Love Equality. Protestors called on the British Parliament to bypass the Democratic Unionist Party and introduce legislation legalizing gay marriage. Roots with iron deficiency. Credit: University of Cordoba A team at the University of Cordoba has examined the link between the presence of beneficial organisms in plant roots to their response to iron deficiency. The calcareous soils that pervade the southern region of the country pose a challenge for plants: though iron is abundant in the soil, plants are unable to acquire it due to the high pH levels in this soil, making iron only slightly soluble and, therefore, hard to absorb. To tackle this iron deficiency, plants activate a series of responses, such as developing new roots to span more soil or freeing protons to acidify or solubilize iron. Depending on their needs, plants activate and deactivate these responses by means of a strictly regulated process in which hormones such as ethylene participate actively. Ethylene is also involved in other stress processes like phosphorus deficiency and pathogen attack. With a lengthy track record of studying responses to iron deficiency that plants carry out, a research team, including Agronomy Professor Francisco Javier Romera at the University of Cordoba, has found a relationship between iron deficiency responses and the response caused by certain beneficial microorganisms, so that the latter can foster iron uptake. Certain rhizosphere microorganisms (found in contact with the surface of the roots) cause a kind of Induced Systemic Resistance (or ISR) in plants. In other words, the plant detects a certain amount of these kinds of organisms and, perceiving them as enemies, initiates a defense strategy throughout the whole plant (systemic). However, upon perceiving that these organisms are friendly, the defense strategy is blocked, although it remains ready to act systemically and rapidly once a real pathogen comes along. The relationship that exists between this induced systemic resistance (ISR) and the responses to iron deficiency lies in the presence of the ethylene hormone in both processes. As a consequence of the common action of this hormone, applying these beneficial rhizosphere microorganisms to plants can induce responses to iron deficiency and hence, improve the plant's uptake of iron on calcareous land, for example, which poses quite a challenge in this context. The challenge for the research team now lies in identifying which species of rhizosphere microorganisms are more effective for each kind of crop and under what kinds of conditions. The biggest issues with iron deficiency facing peach trees and olive trees in the area have become the main research focus for this research group. What is more, the negative effects of calcareous soils are greater in dicots (plants that have two main leaves upon germination) such as tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers and the above mentioned woody crops, meaning they will also benefit from these kinds of studies. Explore further Are you running short on iron? More information: Francisco J. Romera et al, Induced Systemic Resistance (ISR) and Fe Deficiency Responses in Dicot Plants, Frontiers in Plant Science (2019). Francisco J. Romera et al, Induced Systemic Resistance (ISR) and Fe Deficiency Responses in Dicot Plants,(2019). DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00287 Provided by University of Cordoba The southern shoreline of Imperial Beach has been closed since November due to water pollution spilling over the border from Mexicoincluding about 110 million gallons of toxic stormwater runoff in the last two months. The biggest surge came last week when nearly 57 million gallons of sewage-tainted water gushed into the United States through the Tijuana River, according to the U.S. section of the International Boundary and Water Commission. The flows consisted mainly of rainwater but also carried sewage and other pollution. "We've had a couple wet winters that have stressed the stormwater system in Tijuana, which is at a breaking point," said Dave Gibson, executive officer of the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board. "We see a deteriorating sewer system that's going to be overwhelmed with more water as more residents pour into the city." The commission's Mexican counterpart, the Comision Internacional de Limites y Aguas, constructed a sandbag berm in the main channel of the Tijuana River this month to prevent flows from crossing into the San Diego region. But the berm, as well as the agency's pumping and diversion systems at the border, have been overwhelmed by the recent rainfall. Banned pesticides and industrial chemicals have also been found in recent months in water flowing through canyons along the border. A report compiled by U.S. Customs and Border Protection identified the pesticide DDT, hexavalent chromium and other known carcinogens in the water. San Diego is at the end of a large watershed that starts in the mountains in and around Tijuana. When it rains, water rushes across the city, picking up trash and other pollution as it flows north, eventually into the Pacific Ocean. Compounding the issue, makeshift communities built in the canyons just south of the border have grown in recent years, with residents emptying their trash and wastewater directly into flood-control channels that carry water to the canyons at the border. "For millions of years, the land was excavated by the force of water, creating this pretty large canyon, and the entire city of Tijuana sits in the banks of that canyon," said Oscar Romo, a professor of urban studies and planning at the University of California, San Diego who has studied water pollution in the region. "There's no neighborhood that escapes the river." The International Boundary and Water Commission has a collection system to divert flows in the river valley's major canyons, such as Goat Canyon and Smuggler's Gulch. Much of the polluted flows are sent to the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment plant. But the system is routinely overwhelmed in wet weather. Imperial Beach, Chula Vista, the Port of San Diego and the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board have sued the federal government for allowing the situation to persist. The plaintiffs would like to see a beefed-up diversion system and funding for sewage infrastructure in Tijuana. "The nonstop spills of sewage into the Tijuana River over the past weeks highlight the reasons why Imperial Beach, San Diego, Chula Vista, the Port of San Diego, California and the Surfrider Foundation have sued the Trump administration," Imperial Beach Mayor Serge Dedina said. "This is an environmental and public health disaster." Lawyers for the defense argue the government isn't legally responsible for the renegade flows that escape their collection systems, pointing out that the situation would be significantly worse without its network of pumps and capture basins. Tijuana's aging and limited sewer system has struggled in recent years to serve the region's growing population. Experts and government officials agree that hundreds of millions of dollars in infrastructure funding is needed to keep water pollution from spilling over the border. Explore further Ongoing spill in Mexico is flooding Tijuana River with millions of gallons of raw sewage 2019 The San Diego Union-Tribune Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. One of the most devastating images from 2015 shows a 3-year-old boy, Alan Kurdi, facedown and unmoving on a beach in Turkey. Alan had drowned during an attempt to escape Syria, and the image sparked outrage and concern worldwide over the refugee crisis in Europe. It also highlighted the power a single image can have. Now, Keith Greenwood, an associate professor in the Missouri School of Journalism, has found that a majority of photos depicting the 2015 Syrian refugee crisis portrayed the refugees as victims. Greenwood said this finding has implications for how the public perceives migratory events, including current ones such as the influx of migrants arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border. The study also underscores the responsibility of photojournalists to convey a broader story with their pictures. "Typically, powerful or shocking photos of migrants get the greatest reaction," Greenwood said. "However, those potentially dark moments don't always capture the full scope of the event. Photojournalists and news organizations have a big opportunity to tell a greater story." Greenwood and TJ Thomson, a Missouri School of Journalism alumnus, analyzed more than 800 photos from the 2015 Syrian refugee crisis that were submitted by photojournalists for the 2016 Picture of the Year International competition. They found that more than 600 of the photos depicted the migrants as victims dependent on foreign aid, including refuges being detained or waiting in a migrant camp. Only 186 of the photos showed the refugees with some amount of agency, such as refugees looking for food or bathing themselves. Out of the entire collection, only a single photo showed refugees in an educational setting. Photographs are used by the public to make sense of news stories. If an individual only sees images of migrants clashing with police at a border, for example, they might be more inclined to think the situation more militarized than if they had seen photos of migrants peacefully waiting in line to go through a border checkpoint. However, Greenwood adds that individuals viewing images tend to accept or reject them based on their own personal belief system. "Research shows that people view photos through their own frame of reference and judge them accordingly," Greenwood said. "For example, a person who believes migrants are a threat might find that a photo of a migrant throwing tear gas at a border officer enforces their opinion, but they might reject an image of a migrant shown in a more peaceful light as a one-time thing." While photojournalists are often limited by their assignment, Greenwood recommends that news organizations take note of how their visual storytelling is framing a migration event and work to present the bigger picture through daily photographs made in the field. "There needs to be a greater discussion on telling the broader storya migrant's story doesn't end once they cross the sea or make it through the border," Greenwood said. "If news organizations leave out what happens to migrants once they've settled in to a new place and are working to make a new life, they might be missing out on a huge opportunity." "Framing the migration: A study of news photographs showing people fleeing war and persecution," was published in the International Communication Gazette. The coauthor, TJ Thomson, is an alumnus of the Missouri School of Journalism and currently a lecturer in digital journalism at Queensland University of Technology in Australia. Explore further Instagram users less likely to engage with political or controversial images, study finds More information: Keith Greenwood et al, Framing the migration: A study of news photographs showing people fleeing war and persecution, International Communication Gazette (2019). Keith Greenwood et al, Framing the migration: A study of news photographs showing people fleeing war and persecution,(2019). DOI: 10.1177/1748048519833515 The pictured NEEMO 22 diver is collecting a scientific sample for coral research using proxy tools, techniques, technologies, and training envisioned for future NASA planetary science exploration missions. Image Credit: NASA NASA will join an international crew on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean this summer to prepare for future deep space missions during the 10-day NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) 23 expedition slated to begin June 10. NEEMO 23 will focus on both exploration spacewalks and objectives related to space missions such as the International Space Station and future deep space missions to the Moon and Mars. As an analogue for future planetary science concepts and strategies, marine science also will be performed under the guidance of Florida International University's marine science department. ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti will command the NEEMO 23 mission aboard the Aquarius laboratory, 62 feet below the ocean surface near Key Largo Florida. Cristoforetti was part of space station Expeditions 42 and 43 from Nov. 2014 to June 2015, where she spent 200 days living and working in the extreme environment of space, currently the longest spaceflight of a European. Cristoforetti will be joined by NASA Astronaut Candidate Jessica Watkins; Shirley Pomponi, research professor at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute-Florida Atlantic University (HBOI-FAU) and professor of Marine Biotechnology at Wageningen University, Netherlands; and Csilla Ari D'Agostino, research assistant professor from the University of South Florida; National Geographic Open Explorer, manta ray researcher leading the Manta Missions projects as part of the Manta Pacific Research Foundation; and CEO of the company Ketone Technologies. "The close parallels of inner and outer space exploration will be clearly demonstrated during this undersea mission," NEEMO Project Lead Bill Todd said. "The daily seafloor traverses, or extravehicular activities in space jargon, are jam packed with technology and operations concept testing, as well as complex marine science. In the interior of Aquarius, aquanauts and astronauts will tackle an array of experiments and human research related to long duration space travel." Objectives for the crew include evaluating scenarios for using science instruments and tools on the lunar surface, such as tools and hardware for getting science core samples; using augmented reality to guide an untrained operator from module to module by autonomously recognizing where it is; and studies of body composition and sleep. The NEEMO crew and two professional habitat technicians will live in Florida International University's Aquarius Reef Base undersea research habitat 6.2 miles (5.4 nautical miles) off the Florida coast. Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. That's the big shift the leveraging of intellectual and advocacy resources and institutional relationships to drive policy change. When I joined TCF as president four years ago, I hired a number of people who had recent experience in the White House or in federal agencies or on Capitol Hill, because I wanted people who understood how best to approach those institutions, and how they could have an impact on those institutions. They were also people with a high level of expertise in their particular subject matter. That's been my focus as president finding people who know who the policy players in Washington are, who have deep expertise in their subject matter and the ability to do good research, and who have wide, influential networks in the advocacy, policy, and academic communities. So, the Century Foundation today is very different than it was seventy or fifty or even twenty years ago, in that we are taking more responsibility not only for coming up with creative solutions to today's challenges, but for figuring out how to use the resources we have beyond research and the development of policy ideas to create impact. MZ: Well, one of the big changes the Century Foundation went through and I would say it was in keeping with changes in the way policy was made over the decades is that it evolved over the years from being essentially a book publisher, which was what it was for decades. Back then, it would engage influential thinkers about specific social policy ideas they wanted to promote in book form. Many of those titles were, of course, written for policy elites, with the idea that these ideas would be circulated and eventually find their way into the halls of Congress or onto the floor of state legislatures. It was a common sort of model for academic institutions and emerging think tanks during the mid-twentieth century. But over time, and especially as the Internet became more widely used, the model changed. Today, having influence in or impact on public policy requires a lot more than just having a good idea, and too many of these books end up sitting on shelves, unread. Maybe they're filled with great ideas, but there are fewer and fewer people willing to pull those ideas out of those volumes and turn them into policy. One of the public policy innovations he was most interested in was the credit union movement, and for a specific reason. At the time, the nineteen-thirties, financial institutions mostly were there to lend and cater to businesses and wealthy individuals. There simply was no infrastructure in the United States to provide the middle class never mind lower-income folks with capital to buy their first home or even to invest in a small business. Ed Filene viewed credit unions as a critical tool for providing Americans with capital that could help them thrive and grow the middle class. And so he embarked on a major effort, not only at the national level but at the state level, including his own state, Massachusetts, to authorize the creation of credit unions, which sort of makes him the father of the credit union movement. Like Henry Ford, he believed that paying a decent wage to your employees was good for the overall economy, and in his writings he expressed support for a mandatory minimum wage. He also gave speeches about the importance of supporting the Roosevelt administration in its attempt to get Congress to pass something that looked a lot like Medicare and urged people to call in their support for initiatives Roosevelt and his brain trust were proposing. So, the idea of a private entity taking on challenges that, in the past, only government had had sufficient resources to address was something new. Today, of course, there are think tanks all over the world focused on many different subjects, but Ed Filene really was in on the beginning of the think tank movement and on think tanks as places where social policy, progressive social policy in Mr. Filene's case, would be discussed and developed. Ed Filene very much believed in more robust engagement by local, state, and the federal government in people's lives. And he felt that research was a linchpin of good public policy. At the time, there were very few think tanks the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace had been started a year earlier and Brookings had been started two years before that. Mark Zuckerman: Ed Filene was a prominent businessman but also somebody who was deeply engaged in public policy, a rare combination in those days. The era in which he was working was a time when there wasn't strong governmental involvement in the economy, and where it was involved, it was too weak to effectively address the economic challenges of the day. Things like workers' wages and benefits, anti-trust enforcement, and a lack of transparency with respect to Wall Street, something that eventually led to passage of the Securities and Exchange Act. Mark Zuckerman joined TCF which changed its name to the Century Foundation in the early 2000s as president in 2015. A veteran of the Obama administration, where he served as Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Council, leading teams on initiatives to reduce student debt, increase accountability at for-profit educational institutions, reduce workplace discrimination, and expand access to job training, and Capitol Hill, where he served as staff director for the House Education and Labor Committee, Zuckerman has worked over the last four years to bring the organizations research efforts and policy work into the twenty-first century. The experiment was a huge success, and the Filenes soon joined the ranks of Americas wealthiest families. In 1919, Ed Filene, already recognized as a progressive business leader, founded the Co-operative League later renamed the Twentieth Century Fund one of the first public policy research institutes in the country. For Massachusetts folks of a certain age, the name Filene's Basement evokes memories of a crowded emporium where the hunt for bargains, especially on weekends, often resembled competitive sport. The basement was the brainchild of Edward A. Filene, whose father, William, founded Filene's in 1908. It was Edward, however, who recognized that growing numbers of American factory workers represented a new market and persuaded his father to start selling surplus, overstock, and closeout merchandise in the basement of his flagship Downtown Crossing store. PND: Can you give us an example of how that focus has played out with respect to a specific issue? MZ: So, the day after Barack Obama's second term in office ended, I hired a woman named Jeanne Lambrew who had been President Obama's top healthcare expert. Jeanne came to the Century Foundation for two years to be a resource to us in our efforts to defend the Affordable Care Act, which was under attack by Republican members of Congress. We felt that healthcare advocates needed to have access to someone who knew the history of the legislation, someone who knew how it was being undermined administratively or could be repealed or compromised in a significant way. And for two years, thanks to our investment, Jeanne did just that, making herself available to people on Capitol Hill who had technical questions or questions about strategy, and laying the groundwork for an in-depth analysis of competing proposals that could serve as the basis of the next generation of healthcare reform. Besides Medicare for All, there are four or five other proposals out there that could serve as the basis for a new and improved version of the Affordable Care Act. And through convenings, conferences, commissions of work, and her own work, Jeanne brought attention to those proposals, which, in my opinion, are going to very much be front and center in the next presidential election cycle. PND: In their book The Liberal Hour, MacKenzie and Weisbrot argue that while civil rights activists, New Left dissidents, and student protesters all played important roles in driving social change in the 1960s, it was "the institutions of national politics, and the politicians and bureaucrats who inhabited them, that produced the social and economic changes that became the deep and enduring legacy of that decade." Do you agree with that? MZ: I think underlying your question is the question of how much government intervention there should be in the economy. Capitalism has great strengths, but as we know, it also tends to leave a lot of people behind. And I think the debates of the last several decades, to a significant degree, have been about what level of government intervention in the economy is appropriate in terms of making sure that the rich and powerful aren't the only ones with the power to make decisions, aren't the only ones who do well, and that everyone has adequate access to the kinds of resources, whether it's education or housing or healthcare or retirement security, they need to realize their full potential. The Century Foundation and other progressive institutions will say, unabashedly, that in some cases there needs to be significant intervention by government to ensure that all Americans have access to the resources they need to realize their full potential. And, of course, there are people on the right who subscribe to the idea that each of us is on our own, that capitalism creates winners and losers, and that if you're a loser in a capitalist system, well, then, you're a loser and that, moreover, government has no role to play in terms of ensuring that everyone has a shot, that everyone gets to participate in our democracy, and that everyone enjoys the full rights of citizenship. PND: The freshman class elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2018 midterms includes record numbers of women and people of color. What's your view of what happened in November? MZ: I think 2018 was one of the most significant midterm elections since 1974, when the first post-Watergate class came in and passed a number of reforms to the way Congress does its business, not to mention broader reforms in the economy. In some ways, the 2018 midterms were even more consequential, because of the diversity and energy that the new representatives have brought to Washington. They look a lot more like America looks in 2019, and to my mind they represent what America in the future will look like. Now, it may take two, four, even ten years to deliver on some of the most progressive ideas that many in this freshman class are pushing and fighting for, but I think they're trying, as a group, to shift where the center is, and that's very important to making progress in public policy shifting the center of the debate. And I think they're succeeding. As a group, they're expanding the definition of what's possible in terms of government intervention, especially as it relates to the security of the middle class, as well as low-income populations that haven't been given access to the kind of tools and resources and opportunities they need to prosper. PND: What is the Century Foundation doing in 2019 to advance a progressive agenda in the United States? MZ: One of the things we're tackling is the college affordability issue. The single most important thing we can do as a country, in my opinion, is to make sure young people have the opportunity to prosper economically, and that simply is not the case right now. There are too many young people who don't have access to a four-year education or even a two-year or vocational education. Or they get to college only to drop out because they don't have the kinds of support, beyond tuition assistance, they need to navigate the college landscape things like basic living expenses and child care and money for food and transportation. None of that is properly figured into the actual cost of college, and that's a problem, because we have to make it possible for more young people to get the kind of education they're going to need to thrive in the twenty-first century. So, one of the things we're looking at here at TCF is the idea of debt-free college, with a focus on the kinds of resources and training we can provide to the next generation who are going to college and who, in many cases, may be the first in their family to go to college. We spend tens of billions of dollars on higher education in this country, and only $5 billion on college-prep training and vocational programs. That's just wrong. And it means we're shortchanging young people who are looking for something other than the traditional college path None of that is acceptable, and so we're working hard to come up with proposals, especially in the context of federal-state partnerships, that would provide millions of more young people access to college and, when they get to college, make it possible for them not to have to take on backbreaking amounts of debt in order to graduate. I mean, that's just not what the American dream is about. Ultimately, the idea is to have federal-state partnerships that help make college accessible and affordable for everyone, and to invest in alternative tracks like vocational or certificate training for those who feel that that's a better path for them. We have to invest in those individuals as well, and not just people on the four-year college track. PND: Obviously, there is a lot of anxiety in America about the way the economy has changed and how the nature of work is changing. What is the Century Foundation doing to address those challenges? MZ: One focus is labor unions. A lot of your readers can recall a time, as recently as the 1970s, when organized labor represented as much as a third of all the people employed in the United States. The simple fact of the matter is that unionization had the effect of preserving good wages and benefits for American workers, and of giving workers bargaining power in their dealings with employers. But in the decades since, we've seen a dramatic decline in union membership in America, especially in private-sector unionization, where today it's only 6 percent of the private-sector workforce. Meanwhile, Congress, for the better part of three decades, has been absolutely stuck in terms of doing what one would like to see it do when it comes to important social legislation, and that is to update and modernize laws already on the books so that they continue to work for the benefit of American workers. One of the things I wrote about earlier this year concerned the opportunity for the labor movement and its allies to do something that is done in political campaigns, and that, of course, is to promote themselves with modern technology and digital marketing techniques to activists and people who are interested in creating new unions. Technology has been deployed in hundreds of ways and in every area of the economy whether it's filing your taxes, or booking an airline reservation, or automatically paying a toll with an E-ZPass to make life easier for the consumer and help individuals work more efficiently. And it's unfortunate that the same technologies have not been marshaled to help people understand their right to form and be part of a labor union. So what I outlined in my paper is how digital marketing techniques can be used to present the benefits of labor unions to a new generation a generation, I might add, that is very used to and receptive to these technologies. It gives labor and its allies specific suggestions with respect to how the labor movement could be revived and strengthened because, as I said, it's one of the keys to making the American economy work for all Americans again. There are also policy changes we need to make, some of which are being discussed at TCF and elsewhere in think-tank land things like a guaranteed basic income for every American, a higher minimum wage, better overtime protections, an updating of the National Labor Relations Act, putting some teeth into our anti-trust laws, and passing corporate responsibility legislation. All those things along with better trade policy play a role in addressing what has become an historic level of inequality in the United States. In the last thirty years, we've seen wages stagnate for the lower quintiles and explode for the very highest quintile. And it's going to take more than one strategy to fix the problem; it's going to take half a dozen strategies to change the trajectory of wage gains for most Americans. If we do nothing, the problem will only get worse, creating greater and greater economic inequality in the country, and posing a real threat to our democracy. PND: Ed Filene's foundation was an early promoter of public-private partnerships, and the foundation continues to work very much in that spirit. Over the last forty years or so, however, Americans have been conditioned to believe that government is inefficient and expensive. What can progressives do to change their fellow citizens' view of government and the role it plays in promoting the common weal? MZ: This is a big challenge for the progressive movement, especially at a time when so many good things have happened in the country with respect to the protection of individual rights. The phenomenon you describe was observed during the debates on the Affordable Care Act, when it wasn't unusual to hear people express the belief that Medicare was a private-sector program. They would slam the Affordable Care Act as a tyrannical federal program and in the next breath say, "And keep your hands off my Medicare," failing completely to make the connection between the two. So, yes, we face a big challenge around educating people about all the ways in which our investments in the federal government improve their lives, and that those investments have involved decades and decades of hard work aimed at trying to perfect these programs so that they are reliable, efficient, and no small matter properly understood and appreciated. Look at Social Security. When it was first proposed, it was bitterly contested and argued about, and for a few years after it was passed into law there were attempts to undermine and repeal it. Eighty years later, it is woven into the fabric of the country so much so that something like President Bushs attempt to privatize it was met with massive resistance. By and large, Americans just expect that they're going to get a monthly Social Security check when they reach a certain age, and they don't make the connection between their own reliance on the program and it actually being a big, successful government program that is emblematic of the best of what government can do for them. Long story short, I think progressives have to do a better job of pointing to the government programs that work and improve people's lives and then make the case that without more interventions in the economy to balance the depredations of global capitalism, they're going to be worse off than they would be with a little more government in their lives. That's what the debate over the last few decades has been about, and it will continue to be what the debate is about for the foreseeable future. Progressives need to fight hard against this philosophy that we're all on our own, and that government is just a big, wasteful bureaucracy with no redeeming value. That said, I also think its important for government to make itself more efficient through the smart use of modern technologies, and to work in a way that is more responsive to individuals who need help. In some cases, that means making more investments in things that it under-invests in, especially K-12 education. That's the challenge for the progressive movement. PND: What is your take on the new generation of politicians and policy leaders that has emerged in Washington and in state capitals around the country? MZ: I think it's a fantastic development and the Democratic Party should be very proud of the diversity it represents today, both in terms of people of color and the representation of women. In Congress and in state legislatures across the country, the power structure is more reflective of the citizens it is meant to serve than ever before, and that is essential if our democracy is to thrive. Beyond that, I think this is a transformative moment in our democracy, and I think this new generation of leaders is already doing a good job of identifying the shortcomings of existing public policy and making it clear what kinds of public policy we need going forward, whether it's universal health care, or action on climate change, or tackling income and wealth inequality. They are successfully engaging the country in these hard-to-solve problems, and they are doing so with specific solutions, in some cases even going around elite power structures and appealing directly to the people. That's probably the only way they will succeed, given the state of our extremely inadequate and counter-productive campaign finance laws. PND: So, I take it you do not think the United States is a country in decline. If that's not the case, what makes you optimistic about the future? MZ: No, I don't think were in decline, but I do think people are frustrated, because they see we have a set of very big challenges that need to be addressed, and they don't see any evidence that government is willing or able to address them. What they see instead is partisanship and gridlock, and that causes them to be frustrated. But what is hopeful about this rising generation is that so many of them are courageous and outspoken and seem to be willing to put their shoulder to the wheel. They are also very clear-eyed about who is blocking progress and the changes that the country wants and needs. Whether it's the Parkland students, or the new generation of legislators in the House who want to open things up and create processes that work better for the American people, or those who think the judiciary needs to be more responsive to ordinary Americans. Whatever the forum, there is this sense, I think, of optimism that new blood can revive our democracy and deliver on its promise not just for Americans but for the world. But they need to be supported. That's the reason that the Century Foundation, in honor of our hundredth anniversary this year, launched Next100, a new, independent, and first-of-its-kind pop-up think tank for the next generation of policy leaders. For the next two years, we'll select six emerging policy leaders and give them training, resources, and support to tackle a policy challenge of their choosing, all while providing them full-timed salaried positions and benefits. After we announced Next100 earlier this year, more than seven hundred people applied from all walks of life and backgrounds, wanting to work on all sorts of challenges. It was an inspiring response to witness, and we just finished interviews and will be announcing the incoming class of leaders in July. Stay tuned. So that's, in part, what makes me optimistic about the future of America the next generation of leaders coming up. Mitch Nauffts I had some time off last week, which for me means fishing and hiking this time of year. Rain had swollen trout streams, which made it tough to find waters that were fishable. It was a slow week of fishing, with one good outing, one so-so outing and two bad ones. Summer heat and lot water as well as predation from merganser ducks has clearly still had an impact on wild trout populations on many of our local streams. Thankfully the weekend weather was nice, so my wife and I could hit some trails. We try to find places where we won't be battling crowds, and over the past week or two have found some nice spots where we only saw a handful of other people. We had a great sunset hike on Stewart's Ledge in Fort Ann, overlooking Lake George. It's an easy trail up and down, 20 minutes or so each way, about a mile, accessed from the Buck Mountain Trailhead off Pilot Knob road. There is no marked trail, but a good herd path that many seem to know about. There was one other group there for what turned out to be a spectacular sunset overlooking the lake. The day before we took a ride over to a Vermont state park known as Taconic Mountains Ramble, a former estate that was donated to the state in recent years. It has a nice network of easy and moderate trails with some great views of the Taconics and Adirondacks, little more than an hour east of Glens Falls. The weekend before we took a trip to Redmond Overlook in Corinth, which is part of the town of Corinth's recreation network off county Route 10 around its reservoirs. We put about 5 miles into a walk around the property, getting lost at one point on the way down as excavation has seemed to break part of a trail along Hickok Brook. All three are good hikes for those who have kids who want to tackle some trails. On Monday we tried to take a trip to a Nature Conservancy property known as Helen Buckner Memorial Preserve just east of Whitehall, overlooking Lake Champlain. But the road to the trailhead along the Poultney River was cut off by flooding, so we turned around and decided to go to the Saddles State Forest in Whitehall instead. The Saddles is a frustrating state-owned property. There is no marked trail, and a loop to the top that I followed years ago seems to have been obscured as an adjacent landowner put up posted signs. Many who try to hike to the top follow an old four-wheeler/logging trail which leads off state land and then back on to Clear Pond, and you have to do some bushwhacking to make your way to the actual ledge views, or hope you stumble onto the herd path that at one point was part of a loop. The map on the DEC website says there is an information kiosk at the trailhead, but there is not. Unfortunately, the black flies have been bad, and we are in that tough period where black fly and mosquito season overlaps. The Saddles trails are very wet and buggy, and I found a couple of ticks on me during the jaunt. Deet and Grillo's Essentials kept them at bay for a while, but the little buggers always seem to find the spots that are missed. -- Don Lehman Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 I never thought I'd be a newspaper reporter. I was too shy, and I loved being behind the camera. I had grown up on my grandparents' old dairy farm watching bears bumble through our backyard, turkeys fanning their feathers and the remnants of barbed wire fencing get swallowed up in the wild overgrowth. I'd imagined, instead, that I'd write and film nature documentaries. In some ways, that's how my career started out. I worked for nonprofits, filming videos. I loved it, but I missed writing. I also missed an old boyfriend at the time, and I followed him to upstate New York, took a 50% pay cut and became a reporter. The relationship didn't last, but the work has. It's an addicting job. Every story I learn something new. I meet inspiring people. I witness and record both the awful and the good. There are stories I've written that I know made a difference. One I am getting an Associated Press award for this weekend. I'd been sent to cover a protest in Owasco, New York, for The Citizen newspaper. There, I found despicable living conditions for migrant farm workers. The farmer's employees were living in a barn with ceilings so low, I, at 5-feet 4-inches, couldn't stand up straight. Their septic was getting pumped into a manure lagoon. Electrical wiring was left exposed. Cockroaches ran rampant. The farmer was issued a cease and desist order and the health department told him to install a septic system. The original breaking story, complete with photos from photographer Kevin Rivoli, led to follow-ups and a court case. Our news coverage was a part of making a change for the better, and when that happens, it's one of the best parts of the job. Gwendolyn Craig Reporter Gwendolyn Craig can be reached at (518) 742-3238 or gcraig@poststar.com. Follow her on Twitter @gwendolynnn1. Love 2 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. June 16, 1935 May 24, 2019 WEST RUPERT, Vt. Norma Lourie, 83, passed away peacefully on Friday, May 24, 2019, with her loving family by her side. Born on June 16, 1935 in Bennington, Vermont, she was the daughter of the late William and Anna Kelly Billert. Norma was educated in Bennington and graduated Bennington High School in 1952. On Nov. 3, 1961, she married J. Stanley Lourie. Norma dedicated her working years serving the legal system. She began her career working for the FBI in New York City. After falling in love and moving home, she spent several years working in a legal office in Salem. Norma spent the majority of her career working as the chief clerk and administrator for the Washington County (New York) Family Court, mainly serving under Judge Julian Orton. She retired in 1990 after more than 20 years of dedicated service. Norma enjoyed time home with her husband and her family. She was a true movie buff who could often be found reading, doing puzzles or swimming in her pool. In her early retirement, Norma was an avid traveler and took in many sites throughout the world. In addition to her parents, Norma was predeceased by her siblings, William Billert and Margaret (Peggy) Wilson. Norma is survived by her husband of 56 years, Stan; her siblings, Marie Bekoff, John (Pauline) Billert and James (Linda) Billert; and brother-in-law, Frank Wilson. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews, as well as extended family members. A memorial Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 1, at Holy Cross Catholic Church, 249 North Main St., Salem. Relatives and friends may call at the church at 9 a.m. prior to the Mass. Burial will follow at the Rupert Street Cemetery, Rupert, Vermont. The family wishes to extend a special thank you to the staff of Brookdale Fillmore Pond At Home Senior Care and VNA Hospice for their care and compassion during recent months. Memorial gifts in Normas name can be made to Rupert Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box, West Rupert, VT 05776; or VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region, 7 Albert Cree Drive, Rutland, VT 05701. To offer condolences to the family, please visit www.gariepyfuneralhomes.com. Arrangements are under the care of the McClellan-Gariepy Funeral Home, Inc., Salem. GLENS FALLS A Glens Falls man has been charged with illegally selling prescription drugs earlier this year, police said. Stephen D. Jordon, 35, was charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance, a felony, for an alleged sale of Suboxone in Glens Falls, court records show. Suboxone is a drug used by opioid addicts, and a black market has developed for it. Jordon was arrested by Glens Falls Police, arraigned and sent to Warren County Jail for lack of bail Love 3 Funny 2 Wow 8 Sad 2 Angry 3 The decision by a local filmmaker to revise the script of his movie musical because of criticism from people who had not read it is an example of the hyper-sensitive cultural moment were living in. We used to wait to see or hear an artists work before getting offended by it, but now were taking offense as soon as we hear the subject. Thats what happened with Ben Rowleys Millennial, a musical that was going to follow 10 young people as they heard about and reacted to the Unite the Right protest carried out by white nationalists and neo-Nazis on Aug. 11, 2017, in Charlottesville, Virginia. A story in The Post-Star mentioned Rowleys project and said he would be using City Park in Glens Falls to film a scene. But negative reactions from people who were in Charlottesville on the weekend of the protest persuaded Rowley and his creative team to remove any reference to Charlottesville from their movie. Weve reached a censorious place where we allow uninformed public opinion to squash works of art still in the process of being created. Part of this is the bad influence of social media, whose users jostle to be the first to have something righteous to say. Part of it is the increasing public sensitivity to bigotry in all its forms. A willingness to take offense at things that are offensive like a march by tiki torch-carrying white supremacists who chanted, Jews will not replace us! is a good thing. But objecting when artists decide to address sensitive subjects looks like an effort to show how excellent your morals are even when you have no idea what youre talking about. No subject not slavery, not the Holocaust, not religion, not constipation (addressed at length in Portnoys Complaint) is off-limits for art. Imagine Mel Brooks making his pitch to Hollywood backers for a movie called The Producers: Its about a washed-up Broadway producer whos been reduced to having sex with old ladies for cash. He gets this idea to stage a show so bad it will close instantly, so he can keep all the money investors have put up. The show is a Nazi musical called Springtime for Hitler. Lines from Brooks show-within-a-show are classics of absurdity, like this one: Dont be stupid, be a smarty/Come and join the nazi party. It wouldnt be fair to compare any budding filmmakers work to Brooks farcical brilliance, and it sounds as if Rowley is aiming at something more serious. Young artists should be allowed to do their work and make mistakes, too without a crowd of would-be cultural arbiters judging their every word, or thought. What an artistically constipated world we will live in if we allow the amateur critics of Twitter and Facebook to shut down movies before filming has even started! We were taken aback when we read that Rowley was filming a musical about reactions to a neo-Nazi march, especially since the march was followed the next day by the murder of an anti-Nazi protester. But in Charlottesville itself, a high school drama teacher, since the march, has been using drama to address racial injustice. Madeline Michel of Monticello high school is getting a special Tony award for her work in helping students write and produce plays like A Kings Story, about a teenager shot and killed by police, and #WhileBlack, about racial profiling. Theatrical works can be a powerful and effective way to address difficult social issues. Who cares what the critics and carpers have to say? Some people will always be negative, and ignorance wont stop them. Rowley should forge ahead maybe his film will be good, maybe not. Those judgments can be delivered when its done. But he and all artists should be free to pick their subjects and practice their craft without interference from people who claim, without justification, the right to control their work. Local editorials represent the opinion of the Post-Star editorial board, which consists of Editor Ken Tingley, Projects Editor Will Doolittle, Publisher/Controller/Operations Director Brian Corcoran and citizen representatives Connie Bosse, Barb Sealy and Jean Aurilio. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Justice Ginsburg Gets Her Biology Wrong -- A Pregnant Woman is a 'Mother' NEWS PROVIDED BY The Justice Foundation May 29, 2019 SAN ANTONIO, Texas, May 29, 2019 /Standard Newswire/ -- The Justice Foundation, on behalf of Operation Outcry and The Moral Outcry, acknowledges that the Supreme Court correctly held today that a state has a right to give human dignity to the remains of aborted children by proper burial. (Click here to view.) However, Justice Ginsburg in her concurrence stated: "A woman who exercises her constitutionally protected right to terminate a pregnancy is not a 'mother.'" This is a denial of the basic reality of motherhood which seems to be necessary if one is going to support abortion. Abortion is not a fundamental human right; it is a crime against humanity. The Moral Outcry Petition, through its founder, Melinda Thybault, has already gathered the signatures of over 175,000 people who believe abortion is a crime against humanity and strongly urges the Supreme Court to reject the extreme rejection of biological reality of Justice Ginsburg. The Supreme Court should reverse its abortion cases. Justice Ginsburg has previously stated in Gonzales v. Carhart that she agrees with the majority that abortion is a "painful and difficult" decision. The fact that women somehow know they are "mothers" is why it is a difficult and painful decision for everyone. The Women of Operation Outcry, which has collected over 4,600 legally admissible written testimonies of women with abortion in their past, know the pain, agony and trauma of abortion. Their brief on behalf of 180 women hurt by abortion in Gonzales v. Carhart led the Supreme Court to admit that: "...some women come to regret their choice to abort the INFANT LIFE they once created and sustained." ... "Severe depression and loss of esteem can follow." -- Gonzales v. Carhart, 550 U.S. 124, at 159 (2007). (emphasis added) We also salute Justice Thomas for his acknowledgement of the historical racial basis for abortion in his concurrence (p. 3). He has invited further national discussion of race and abortion in future cases. As an African American, he is sensitive to racial discrimination in abortion. His concurrence is a must read (click here). The racial roots of Margaret Sanger, the Founder of Planned Parenthood, and Alan Guttmacher, one of the earliest presidents of Planned Parenthood are extremely well documented in his concurrence. Killing Black "infant lives" in the womb because of their race is atrocious. SOURCE The Justice Foundation CONTACT: Allan E. Parker, 210-614-7157, info@txjf.org Related Links www.thejusticefoundation.org www.operationoutcry.org 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 WWE 205 LIVE REPORT: CARRILLO VERSUS GALLAGHER, BE VERY VERY QUIET . . . DRAKE'S HUNTING THE TRUTH, AND MORE Jack Gallagher is in the locker room earlier today and Humberto Carrillo stops by and Jack says their victory did not settle the uneasiness he has in his stomach. Jack talks about unfinished business. Jack mentions the Fatal Four Way Match in London. Jack wants to know what would happen if it was just them in the ring. He wants to know tonight. Humberto says it would be his pleasure to beat Jack again. We are in Tulsa, Oklahoma and your announcers are Nigel McGuinness, Vic Joseph, and Aiden English. Match Number One: Brian Kendrick versus Mike Kanellis (with Maria Kanellis) Kendrick with punches as the bell rings. Kanellis with a kick to stop Kendrick. Kanellis with an Irish whip but Kendrick with a clothesline out of the corner. Kendrick with forearms. Kanellis with a shoulder tackle and Kendrick avoids a slam. Kendrick with the Captain's Hook but Kanellis gets to the floor. Kendrick follows Kanellis to the floor and sends Kanellis into the ringside barrier. Kanellis misses a chop and hits the ring post. Kanellis is sent into the announce table. Kendrick with an Irish whip into the ringside barrier and then Kanellis with a boot and suplex into the ringside barrier. Kanellis punches Kendrick. Kanellis with a suplex and he gets a near fall. Kanellis with a rear chin lock. Kendrick with elbows but Kanellis with a spinebuster for a near fall. Kanellis with a chop. Kanellis goes for a superplex but Kendrick blocks it. Kanellis gets back to the turnbuckles and Kendrick with forerms and he pushes Kanellis off. Kendrick leaps over Kanellis and Kanellis pushes Kendrick away on a drop kick attempt. Kendrick with the Captain's Hook and Kanellis gets to the ropes. Kanellis goes to the apron and rests on the ring steps. Kendrick goes for a suplex off the ring steps to the floor and he hits it. Kendrick goes for Sliced Bread #2 and Kaneliis avoids it. Kendrick with Captain's Hook on Kanellis and Kanellis tries to escape and he rolls but Kendrick holds on. Kanellis gets to his feet and he hits a Death Valley Michinoku Driver. Kendrick with a forearm and Kanellis with a chop. They go back and forth. Kendrick with the advantage but Kanellis with a boot. Kendrick iwth a kick and Kanellis with a super kick. Kendrick with a super kick. Kanellis misses a super kick but Kanellis with a clothesline and both men are down. Kendrick with Sliced Bread # and Kendrick keeps Kanellis from rolling to the floor but the delay allows Kanellis to kick out. Kanellis with two super kicks and a Death Valley Michinoku Driver followed by a swinging reverse neck breaker for the three count. Winner: Mike Kanellis Tony Nese is in Drake Maverick's office and Tony says he is a little restless. Akira Tozawa shows up and Tony says that Tozawa has been tearing it up and Tony says he wants to remain a fighting champion so he wants to face the best and that is Akira Tozawa. Tony wants Drake to make Tozawa the number one contender. Drake says he has a lot on his plate so he does not want to make any rash decisions but he will take it under advisement. We go to commercial. We are back and Ariya Daivari is in the medical office and he yells at the official. Daivari says last week's Fatal Five Way was his way to show that he is not done, but he got six stitches in his head. He is not done with the title, but he is not done with Oney Lorcan. He says an eye for an eye and an ear for an ear. He says he will be personally responsible for his next stitches. Match Number Two: Mike Karma versus Noam Dar Mike offers his hand but Dar does not want to be honorable. They lock up and Dar messes with Karma's hair. Dar with a wrist lock. Dar with a face wash and he sends Karma to the floor. Dar sends Karma to the floor when he returns to the ring. Karma with forearms and a chop but Dar with a knee to the midsection. Dar with an Irish whip and Karma misses a cross body off the turnbuckles and Dar with a kick to the leg. Dar with a runing drop kick for the three count. Winner: Noam Dar After the match, Dar is asked about whether he is back on track after his victory. Dar says he cannot be back on track when he was never off track in the first place. He talks about beating that Oklahoma dafty. Dar says he had setbacks because of the jet lag travelling between NXT UK and 205 Live. He says the SuperNova 11 is solid beyond belief. He is ready to take off and be a star player on two continents. Drake Maverick is outside his office and he is asked who else might be the number one contender. Drake says he has a lot to consider and there are other people . . . Drake sees R Truth in the hallway and he has business to attend to. We go to commercial. We are back and Oney Lorcan says he believes a man should take responsibility for his actions. He came up short last week and he accepts that. Ariya Daivari blames him for his loss last week, but the only thing he will accept is the stitches he suffered. He tells Daivari that the next time they meet, he will even things out and give him a second set of stitches. Match Number Three: Jack Gallagher versus Humberto Carrillo They lock up and Gallagher backs Carrillo into the ropes but Carrillo escapes. Gallagher with a wrist lock and Carrillo with a reversal into an arm bar. Gallagher tries to figure out how to escape the wrist lock and he does it and takes Carrillo to the mat. Gallagher with a hammer lock using the leg and then he works on the other arm and bridges back to get a near fall. Carrillo with an ankle lock and Carrillo gets a series of near falls but Jack gets some stretching in while he kicks out. Carrillo with a side head lock. Gallagher with a handstand to escape. Carrillo avoids Gallagher and then he takes Jack to the mat with an arm drag into an arm bar. Carrillo with a side head lock and shoulder tackle. Carrillo with a handspring and back flip before he takes Jack to the mat with an arm drag and arm bar. Gallagher wit a headstand in the corner after an Irish whip and he keeps Carrillo at bay and Gallagher floats over. Carrillo decides to do the same in the opposite corner. Gallagher shakes the ropes to get Carrillo off the ropes and Gallagher with a near fall. Carrillo with an arm drag into an arm bar. Carrillo with a springboard arm drag and drop kick. Gallagher with a head butt to the midsection followed by European uppercuts. Gallagher goes for a slam but Carrillo gets to his feet and he sends Carrillo to the floor. Gallagher sends Carrillo into the ringside barrier. Carrillo beats the ten count and Gallagher with a kick when Humberto returns to the ring. Gallagher with kicks in the corner. Gallagher with a boot to the head and then Gallagher with a snap mare and reverse chin lock. Gallagher with an arm bar and chin lock. Gallagher with a take down. Gallagher with a series of near falls and he kicks Carrillo in the ribs. Gallagher with a rear chin lock. Gallagher with crossfaces to Carrillo and follows with a suplex for a near fall. Gallagher with a drop kick for a near fall. Carrillo with punches but Gallagher with a side head lock and Carrillo with a back body drop and springboard cross body. Carrillo with a plancha onto Gallagher. Carrillo with a clothesline into the corner followed by a snap mare. Carrillo misses a round kick but hits a standing moonsault for a near fall. Carrillo with a springboard round kick for a near fall. Gallagher stops Carrillo on the turnbuckles and connects with forearms to the back. Gallagher goes for a belly-to-back superplex and he hits it. Carrillo rolls to the floor before Gallagher can cover him. Gallagher charges at Carrillo and Carrillo hip tosses Gallagher into the ringside barrier. They make it to the apron and Carrillo kicks Gallagher against the ring post. Carrillo with a back fist to Gallagher followed by a springboard drop kick. Carrillo with a Japanese arm drag for a near fall. Carrillo goes up top and hits Gallagher's feet on a moonsault. Gallagher with a drop kick into the corner followed by a suicide dive. Gallagher rolls Carrillo back into the ring and Gallagher goes up top and stops Carrillo when he gets his boots up. Carrillo gets a near fall. Carrillo with a clothesline and both men are down. Gallagher and Carrillo exchange forearms and punches. Carrillo misses a round kick but hits a jumping round kick. Gallagher with a delayed vertical suplex attempt but Carrillo counters into a DDT. Carrillo goes up top and hits a twisting splash for the three count. Winner: Humberto Carrillo After the match, Carrillo offers his hand to Gallagher and Jack shakes it and then he hugs Carrillo. We go to credits. If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here! Parts of Kansas and Pennsylvania are recovering from another terrifying evening of tornadoes the 13th consecutive day that twisters have struck the US and millions of people still are at risk of more severe weather on Wednesday. Memorial Day tornado disaster 2019. Picture via Twitter A massive, rain-wrapped tornado ripped by Linwood, Kansas, outside Kansas City on Tuesday evening, and dozens of homes on Linwoods outskirts are all gone, Mayor Brian Christenson told CNN. My photo of the tornado as it moved south of Lawrence, Kansas this evening, shot at 6:17 pm while I looking south out of the 6th floor of Fraser Hall on the campus of the University of Kansas. pic.twitter.com/QTPvMXiVXY John Hoopes (@KUHoopes) May 29, 2019 At least one tornado and severe storms ravaged areas there and in nearby Douglas County, Kansas, destroying stretches of homes and businesses. Thirteen people were treated for injuries at LMH Health hospital in Lawrence, 11 of whom have been released after treatment, the hospital said. The tornado near Linwood leveled Brian Hahns home while he and his family were huddled in the basement under a mattress.I could hear it was over us and I saw my bedroom just leave, he told CNN affiliate KMBC. It was gone. I feel lucky Im alive. The tornado near Linwood wrecked homes and trees, and flipped this RV. via CNN To the northeast, another tornado was confirmed by the National Weather Service in Berks County, Pennsylvania, based on video received showing a tornado on the ground. It moved through the area Tuesday evening. Morgantown was one of the hardest-hit areas in the county, but no one was injured there, Caernarvon Township Police Chief John Scalia told CNN affiliate KYW. Houses near Morgantown suffered heavy damage Tuesday evening. via CNN When you drive around, see the destruction, you realize how lucky we are nobody was hurt, Scalia said. More than 39 million people are under an enhanced risk of severe weather Wednesday in two areas. One ranges from Texas into Illinois, and includes the cities of Dallas and St. Louis. The other stretches from the eastern Ohio River Valley into Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic coast, and includes the cities of Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington. via CNN Some places will see record-breaking flooding Rains this week are exacerbating flooding that has troubled parts of the central US for weeks. While flooding has occurred for days along the Arkansas River in Oklahoma, the river is now approaching record levels to the east, in Arkansas itself. In western Arkansas near the communities of Van Buren and Fort Smith, the Arkansas River is expected to crest Wednesday afternoon at around 41 feet roughly 3 feet above the record there. This is looking to be record-breaking all along the Arkansas River, and this is something we have never seen before, Arkansas emergency management spokeswoman Melody Daniel said. Levees along the river in Arkansas have worked so far water has overtopped two of them, but they have not failed, Daniel said. Daniel said more than a dozen Arkansas counties are expected to see historic flooding: Sebastian, Crawford, Logan, Johnson, Yell, Pope, Perry, Conway, Faulkner, Pulaski, Jefferson, Lincoln and Desha County. Here are our most updated forecasts for the Arkansas River from Tulsa, OK down to Pine Bluff, AR. #OKflood #ARFlood pic.twitter.com/MGxbdXqy0k NWSABRFC (@NWSABRFC) May 28, 2019 Officials in the central Arkansas city of North Little Rock, across the river from the state capital, believe 50 homes could soon be impacted by flooding, the city said in a Facebook post Tuesday. In Ozark, Arkansas, the river will likely break its record Thursday before it crests Friday, CNN Meteorologist Michael Guy said. The last crest to break the record was in 1943, he said. The last time the river was this high at this location was 1990. Flooding near the site already occurred once this year, in early January. One person was killed in Arkansas Tuesday evening after drowning in flood waters, police told CNN. Further north, officials are warning of fast rises on the lower Des Moines River in Iowa and on the Fox River in northeastern Missouri. Both are expected to reach major flood stage which could lead to flooding by Wednesday. Fast rises expected overnight on the Fox River in NE Missouri! #mowx #flooding pic.twitter.com/2qN2XUhU8x NWS Quad Cities (@NWSQuadCities) May 29, 2019 More than 500 tornado reports in 30 days The National Weather Service has received more than 500 tornado reports across the country in the last 30 days an unusually high amount. There are only four other recorded instances when more than 500 US tornadoes were observed in a 30-day period: in 2003, 2004, 2008 and 2011, according to Patrick Marsh, a meteorologist with the weather services Storm Prediction Center. Late spring is peak tornado season, and the country has been battered. Tuesday was the 13th straight day with at least one tornado, and the ninth day in a row of tornado outbreaks. https://t.co/nFpOSLiRNq pic.twitter.com/qz8kisDMcW NBC News Graphics (@NBCNewsGraphics) May 29, 2019 Tuesday was the 13th straight day of tornadoes in the US and the jet stream played a part in the last two weeks, CNN meteorologist Chad Myers said. It is a stuck jet stream, with areas of low pressure riding along it, Myers said. The jet stream will finally shift by Thursday, and the risk for severe weather in the US will greatly diminish for at least the next week, Myers said. Record-breaking May rains Tuesdays rain broke records in Kansas City, the National Weather Service said. The city received 1.56 inches of rain, boosting the monthly total to 12.81 inches. The citys previous record for May was set in 1995 at 12.75 inches. **RECORD BREAKING MAY RAINS** Yesterday (5/28) Kansas City Received 1.56" of rainfall pushing the monthly total to 12.81" breaking the old May record of 12.75" set in 1995. This also makes this May the 3rd wettest month for ANY month in KC's 131-year period of record!! NWS Kansas City (@NWSKansasCity) May 29, 2019 This also makes this May the 3rd wettest month for ANY month in (Kansas Citys) 131-year period of record, the weather service tweeted. And the weather anomalies continue and continue. Follow us on FACEBOOK and TWITTER. Share your thoughts in our DISCUSSION FORUMS. Donate through Paypal. Please and thank you [CNN] I dont know if its going to be as big a savings as has been presented, Gosa said. Weve had that happen a few times, and I dont want to be in a position where I voted for something that didnt save what it should have been. While Vice President Linda Hayes and Director Julie DeSalvo both indicated they were opposed to the idea, they felt compelled to vote yes because of the districts finances. If we dont do it, we dont save anything, Director Bruce Potts said. His biggest concern, though, was how it would reduce students opportunities to take elective classes and explore their interests and strengths. Next Steps: The new schedule will begin with the 2020-21 school year, and new credit requirements are needed for each graduating class through the transition process; the class of 2024 is projected to be the first year without any block schedules, and will need 22 credits to graduate; 28 credits were possible. The class of 2019, needed 26; 32 were possible. All of the credits lost are from electives. While DeSalvo voted in favor of the change, she said she wanted to make sure the district actually saved money. I want follow-up, she said. I want to see the savings. I want to see that we did what we said we were going to do. Love 8 Funny 3 Wow 1 Sad 2 Angry 18 Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly 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. President Donald Trump has long said the goal of his trade policy is simply to get better deals for Americans. But as the trade war intensifies, it seems increasingly likely that his policies will lead to something more: a lasting break with China and a new alignment of global power. First, consider the evidence for the break. The current impasse in trade talks was sparked by a sudden change in terms on the part of the Chinese negotiators. This change likely caught the administration off guard, but Trump's response is notable: He immediately ramped up tariffs, then announced a ban on business with Chinese telecommunications firm and national champion Huawei Technologies Co. These actions have backed Chinese President Xi Jinping into a corner and turned the trade dispute into a matter of Chinese national pride. This limits the possibility not only of a quick resolution, but also of the chances that the Chinese people will accept any concessions to the U.S. EAGLE BUTTE | Upon entering the Cheyenne River Reservation from the east on Highway 212, one is greeted by the aqua blue waters of the mighty Missouri River. Just up the road near the community of Swift Bird, one can view the tribes majestic buffalo herd, which at one time was the largest tribal buffalo herd in the nation. The buffalo roam the lush green, rolling prairies that are home to four bands of the Tetonwan Lakota Oyate, the Siha Sapa (Black Feet), Oohenumpa (Two Kettles), Mnicoujou (Plant by the water) Itazipcola (Without Bows). The reservation is comprised of 19 communities including Black Foot, Promise, White Horse, LaPlante, Ridgeview, On the Tree, Green Grass, Bear Creek, Thunder Butte, Iron Lightening, Red Scaffold, Bridger, Cherry Creek and Takini. Townships within reservation boundaries include Isabelle, Timber Lake, Dupree and Eagle Butte. The Sioux Agreement Act of 1889 set reservation boundary lines and was named the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation because the Cheyenne River meanders along its southern border. Cheyenne Agency, which housed the government, was moved a total of four times. The last move, in the late 1950s, was to its current location in Eagle Butte, after the flood waters of the Oahe Reservoir inundated the Old Agency. The total land base of the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation, located in Dewey and Ziebach counties, is 2.8 million acres with 1.4 million acres held in trust, making it the largest Indian reservation in South Dakota and the third-largest in the U.S. Water ways that flow through the reservation include the Missouri River, Cheyenne River, Moreau River, Red Earth Creek, Bear Creek, Cherry Creek and Thunder Butte Creek. Currently there are more than 18,000 CRST members, with approximately 70 percent still residing on the reservation. Many prominent Naca (chiefs) including Touch the Clouds, Crazy Horse, Lone Horn, Frog, Roman Nose, Red Horse, Charger, Hump, Spotted Eagle and Fights the Thunder are the ancestors of those who call Cheyenne River home. The most renowned Naca was Hehaka Gleska (Spotted Elk), also known as Chief Big Foot who led his Mniconjou band on a trek from his home along Cherry Creek to Chakpe Opi Wakpala or Wounded Knee Creek where more than 300 were massacred by the 7th Cavalry Regiment of the U.S. Army on Dec. 29, 1890. Visitor attractions on the Cheyenne River Reservation include the H.V. Johnson Cultural Center, which is located in Eagle Butte and houses a collection of Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal artifacts. Several large murals created by tribal members grace the rotunda and a gift shop offers visitors the opportunity to purchase locally made traditional arts and crafts. The route Lewis and Clark took in 1805 called the Native American Scenic Byway provides a unique opportunity for travelers to visit not only the Cheyenne River Reservation but also the Standing Rock, Lower Brule, Crow Creek and Yankton reservations. Contact Ernestine Chasing Hawk at staffwriter@nativesunnews.today You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 PINE RIDGE | Oglala in the Lakota language means scatter their own. The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and home of the Oglala Sioux Tribe is located near the southwest corner of South Dakota and is primarily in Oglala Lakota County (formerly Shannon County), and also Bennett and Jackson counties. There are nearly 50,000 enrolled members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe and about half of those live on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The town of Pine Ridge is the tribal headquarters. The reservation is bordered by the Badlands National Park to the north, Rosebud Indian Reservation to the east, and Nebraska to the south. Pine Ridge is a popular reservation in Indian Country. Several events occur throughout the summer months. Visitors from all walks of life are invited to attend and learn more about the contemporary culture of the Oglala and understand its historical past. The Chamber of Commerce is located in Kyle, and is a great starting point to learn more about the reservation. Over the summer, an artist in residence will be available at the chamber showcasing their work and teaching local culture. Several powwows happen in the nine districts on the reservation. Among those powwows are the third-annual All Veterans Powwow, and the annual Oglala Lakota Nation Rodeo and Fair will be in August. To learn more about these gatherings and other events, visit www.pineridgechamber.com. Another place to visit on the reservation is the mass grave and site of the Wounded Knee Massacre. The massacre took place near Wounded Knee Creek on Dec. 29, 1890. The tragic event took the lives of over 300 Lakota women, men and children at the hands of the 7th Calvary led by Colonel James W. Forsyth. Formerly known as Holy Rosary Indian Mission, Red Cloud Indian School, just outside of Pine Ridge Village, is now host to several events in the art world. The 51st Red Cloud Indian Art Show will take place June 2 to Aug. 11. This event features works from amateur artists to masters in their field and genre. This event takes place in the Heritage Center at Red Cloud Indian School. Skirting the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is part of the southern Badlands National Park. Maka Sica is the Lakota words for Badlands. The parks 244,000 acres are divided into three units for hiking and exploring. The Stronghold and Palmer Creek Units are part of the reservation lands. Pine Ridge is rich in culture and tradition. The citizens consist of many full-bloods who continue to use their traditional knowledge and language to teach their youth. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 CHARLES MIX COUNTY | The Yankton Sioux Tribe (Ihanktowan) is located in southwest South Dakota in Charles Mix County along U.S. Highway 18 and has a land base of approximately 40,000 acres. The tribal headquarters is in Wagner, and has about 3,500 members. The Yankton Sioux tribal territory is along the Missouri River. The Fort Randall Dam is 2 miles long and spans the Missouri River, creating the 11th largest reservoir in the United States. Construction on the dam began in 1946 and was completed in 1954. The river and reservoir have provided spaces for camping, fishing, boating and other outdoor activities over the years. Fishing is a major attraction to the area, as the Missouri River provides an abundance of species of fish. Also located on the reservation lands is a large buffalo herd managed by the tribe. The location of the buffalo herd is near Greenwood, and overlooks the Missouri River. The Second Annual Fort Randall Casino Outdoor Expo (co-hosted with the Yankton Sioux Tribe) will be held on June 29 and 30. A DockDogs event will be held at this time. Vendors and outdoor recreation organizations will be on-hand to assist in any needs to enjoy the area. For more information or to become a vendor or sponsor at this event, call 605-487-7871. Located near Pickstown is the Fort Randall Casino. This large gaming complex is owned and operated by the Yankton Sioux Tribe. The casino has a restaurant and buffet, hotel, and lounge which hosts several concerts and shows throughout the year. The casino also caters and hosts meetings for organizations across the region. Contact muribe@fortrandallcasino.com for more information. Visitors to the area will experience the Great Plains feel of pastures and prairies, rolling hills and farm fields. Located on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River near Greenwood is the Yankton Sioux Treaty Monument, which was dedicated in memory of the Yankton chiefs who signed the Treaty of 1858: Struck By The Ree, Black Bear, Medicine Crow, White Swan, Pretty Boy, Feather In The Ear, Crazy Bull and Frank Deloria. Traditional ceremonies, sun dances and powwows happen throughout the summer on the Yankton Sioux Reservation. The major powwows take place in Greenwood, Lake Andes and at the Fort Randall Casino. Language revitalization and cultural regeneration remain a driving force for the Ihanktowan Nation. The Land of the Friendly People is just that, inviting and filled with hospitality toward their visitors. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 After four days of testimony from witnesses and hours of deliberation, a jury couldn't decide if a Rapid City woman was guilty of murdering her nephew or if she acted in self defense. The 12-member jury was split on whether to find 33-year-old Lorraine Swallow guilty of second-degree murder for killing 28-year-old Tyrell Bull Bear early in the morning of Dec. 8, 2018, said Mark Vargo, the Pennington County state's attorney. Vargo said his office plans to retry Swallow. Beginning last Tuesday, jurors heard testimony from witnesses to the stabbing, police officers and medical experts and saw evidence such as recordings of Swallow speaking to police. The jurors heard from Swallow herself Friday morning. The trial wrapped up around 2 p.m. Friday and jurors deliberated almost until midnight but could not unanimously agree on a verdict, Vargo said. Angela Colbath, Swallow's defense lawyer, did not immediately return a request for comment. Colbath argued to Judge Matt Brown on Friday morning that he should acquit Swallow, saying there is "absolutely no evidence" she acted with a "depraved mind" rather than in self defense. Prosecutor Stacy Wickre said Swallow could have walked away or asked for help after fighting with Bull Bear rather than stabbing him in the heart. "She took advantage of a situation that didn't put her in grave danger," Wickre said. Brown declined to acquit Swallow, saying jurors should be the ones who decide Swallow's guilt or innocence. Swallow testified that she acted in self defense. She appeared calm as she explained that a few weeks before the stabbing, she asked Bull Bear to move into her Rapid City home so he could protect her from her husband, who she said she recently left after beating her up. Swallow said she was sleeping when Bull Bear woke her up around 9 or 10 p.m. on Dec. 7 and asked if she wanted to drink. She said they were drinking and having a good time with her sister, but Bull Bear got mad when another female relative came in the room. Swallow said the woman announced that Bull Bear accused her of having a sexual relationship with her relatives. Bull Bear became angry and tried to hit the woman, Swallow said, and then threatened to beat up two of Swallow's relatives. Swallow cried when telling jurors that she told Bull Bear not to touch her relatives. After Bull Bear pushed her, Swallow said, she grabbed a knife and told him to fight her if he is so tough. I was "just trying to scare him" and get his attention so he wouldn't fight my relatives, she said. Swallow said she thought Bull Bear was going to hit her so she closed her eyes and raised her hands in front of her face, forgetting her knife was still in her hand. She said she remembers Bull Bear gently pushing her and when she opened her eyes, he was on the ground. She said she never moved toward him with the knife and when she opened the door for police, she said she acted in self defense. During cross examination, Swallow admitted to Wickre that she had been drinking that night and that her memory was fuzzy. Wickre questioned Swallow's logic of trying to calm Bear Bull down with a knife and said when Swallow opened the door for police, a body camera recorded her making a stabbing motion with her hands and saying, "I know what I did was wrong." "I didn't," Swallow said when Wickre asked if she stabbed Bull Bear. Wickre pointed out that two witnesses said they saw her stab him and asked if Bull Bear stabbed himself. "Most likely yes," Swallow said. Swallow, who remains at the Pennington County Jail, has a court hearing at 8:15 a.m. Thursday, according to the jail website. Contact Arielle Zionts at arielle.zionts@rapidcityjournal.com. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. High-stakes litigation involving the Deadwood Mountain Grand casino-hotel, Chinese investors and the controversial EB-5 program has been stayed for 90 days while the opposing sides work to settle their dispute privately. U.S. District Judge Charles Kornmann ordered the 90-day stay Tuesday, after the plaintiffs and defendants jointly moved for it. In the joint motion, the two sides said they entered into agreements on May 22 that will resolve the litigation if the agreements are effectuated by Aug. 20. No further details were disclosed. The litigation dates to 2016 and involves 65 Chinese investors who are seeking repayment of $32.5 million in loans they collectively made to Tentexkota LLC, which is the ownership group of the Deadwood Mountain Grand. Court documents say Tentexkota never paid back the money. The loans were made through the South Dakota arm of a federal government program known as EB-5, which is shorthand for the employment-based fifth preference visa. Foreigners who invest at least $500,000 in a U.S. project that supports at least 10 jobs can earn the EB-5 visa and eventually a permanent residency green card for themselves and their families. Among the 65 Chinese investors involved in the Deadwood Mountain Grand loans, one withdrew a residency application, but the other 64 were awarded permanent residency. In earlier proceedings in the litigation, Judge Kornmann said the Chinese investors were entitled to a judgment of $32.5 million, plus interest. Last fall, a lawyer for the Chinese investors filed a memorandum stating that the balance would grow to $43.71 million by Oct. 8, 2018, and would continue to accrue at $10,685 per day afterward. The only remaining issue to be settled in the lawsuit was whether a judgment would be imposed solely against the Deadwood Mountain Grands corporate owner, Tentexkota LLC, or also against eight individual members of the LLC who signed personal loan guarantees. The eight guarantors are W. Kenneth Big Kenny Alphin (who is one-half of the country music duo Big & Rich), Timothy J. Conrad, Michael R. Gustafson, George D. Mitchell, Dale Morris, Marc W. Oswald, Ronald W. Wheeler and Dwight P. Wiles. Tentexkota received the loans in 2010 and 2011 and used the money to help finance the redevelopment of a former gold-mining slime plant into the Deadwood Mountain Grand. South Dakota's EB-5 program has been a source of public controversy since 2013, when Richard Benda, a former state government official who worked closely with EB-5 projects, was found dead of what was ruled a suicide. It was later revealed that he had been facing a potential indictment for his alleged theft of $550,000 in state grant money that was intended for a meatpacking plant supported by EB-5 investments in Aberdeen. In 2017, the man who formerly managed South Dakota's EB-5 program, Joop Bollen, pleaded guilty to the felony crime of unauthorized disposal of personal property subject to a security interest, for which he was sentenced to two years of probation and a $2,000 fine. The case stemmed from Bollen's illegal use of EB-5 funds that his company shared with state government. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Rapid City is moving forward with the purchase of a portion of the former National American University campus where a proposed downtown homeless resource center will be based. Under the resolution that passed Wednesday out of the Legal and Finance Committee, $3.9 million in Vision funds would go toward the $5 million purchase price of the Kansas City Street property, with Rapid City Collective Impact making up the difference. The organization's OneHeart campus, which plans to provide the homeless with counseling and transitional housing, will be leasing buildings at 121 and 217 Kansas City Street, 124, 216, and 218 Quincy Street, and 716 2nd Street for an annual rent of $1. Council members Laura Armstrong, Steve Laurenti, Jason Salamun and Chad Lewis approved the resolution by a unanimous vote, though Lewis expressed a concern that the city could be on the hook for future maintenance costs. "I'm not against the project by any means. I'm just trying to figure out the best way to do this with limited liability to the city, and I think there's others ways to protect our investment without actually owning it," Lewis said during the meeting. The resolution will come before the full city council on Monday. Because of the way the agreement is written, City Attorney Joel Landeen said that OneHeart will be responsible for the cost of maintenance and upkeep. In addition to acting as estate manager and landlord for participating organizations, OneHeart will also collect the income the property generates. According to a copy of the lease, OneHeart's initial term will expire in 2026 with subsequent terms renewing automatically and lasting for five years each. Collective Impact Project Manager Charity Doyle said on Wednesday that OneHeart will assume lease agreements with current tenants until they expire. Current lessees include the South Dakota State Historical Society, whose archaeological research center is based 217 Kansas City Street, and a mix of residential renters at an apartment tower at 121 Kansas City Street. Hani Shafai, whose development firm currently owns the property, said in a phone call Wednesday said that several new apartment complexes are being built across town that could accommodate anyone displaced from the latter. Another $1.1 million in Vision funds will be used to reimburse Collective Impact for its share of the building purchase next year. The group is putting up $4 million of its own money for property renovations, which Doyle said will begin next summer. One of 14 community-proposed projects chosen to receive funding from the city's Vision program this year, the campus in March received that $1.1 million which had originally been earmarked for the renovation of Floyd Fitzgerald Stadium in addition to the $3.9 million it had originally been awarded. The city council approved the transfer in a split vote to assist the group in its purchase of the former NAU properties. Doyle said Wednesday that an assessment from several years ago indicated that the property was worth around $10 million and that it is likely worth more today. The property was purchased by Shafai in 2013 for $4.75 million and in 2018 generated about $80,000 in property tax revenue. Doyle said the campus has identified funding sources of its own that will sufficiently carry it through the next several years of operation. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 If you want Deerfield Lake to remain the family friendly lake it is now, you need to have your comments heard by the GF&P Commissioners by June 2 for the June 6 commission meeting. A 25 mph speed limit would open it up to jet skis, wake boarding, etc. I dare Noem to arrest me for having CBD oil to apply to my mom's arthritic hands and my knees. She's wrong to have outlawed hemp products in South Dakota. Gov. Noem is not to blame for the CBD seizure as it was not state-initiated. The attorney general has made the state's position clear and just because Vargo wants to be superior to state law it is not Gov. Noem's fault. So don't try to make her the scapegoat for everything like President Trump. To the Rapid City Police Department and the Sheriff's Office: We have a meth problem not a CBD oil problem. Senator Thune: Thanks for working on the robocalls. How about the ag tariffs that are paralyzing South Dakota's producers and the national debt? The $16 billion in taxpayer money to bail out farmers reeling from Trump's ill-conceived tariffs on ag products will only delay the inevitable bankruptcies of family farmers unless his policies are changed. Farmers want stability, not crumbs. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Consequences including evacuations, road closures and a railroad washout cascaded from the unrelenting rain that doused the already soggy western South Dakota region on Monday and Tuesday. The Rapid City Fire Department evacuated people Tuesday morning from the low-lying Melody Lane area of Rapid Valley, situated between South Valley Drive and Elk Vale Road, near Rapid Creek and a pair of irrigation ditches. Flooding in the neighborhood was threatening multiple homes, including numerous trailer houses. South Valley Drive was topped by the creek and was closed between Orchard Lane and Terra Street. The Red Cross established a reception center and potential shelter for evacuees in the First Wesleyan Church at 3040 Marlin Drive, just south of the flooded area. As of Tuesday afternoon, four people were at the reception center. One of them was Justin Ferrer, whose trailer house was surrounded by brown-colored floodwater up to the front steps. The water had not entered the trailer, and Ferrer was hoping it would go no higher. "I've lived in and out of that area for 11 years," Ferrer said, "and I've seen flooding there, but not like this." Downtown Rapid City received 0.94 inch of rain Monday, according to the National Weather Service, and another 1.37 inches by midday Tuesday. The partial Tuesday total was already a downtown Rapid City record for May 28, besting the old mark of 0.98 inch set in 1956. As of early afternoon Tuesday with rain still falling Rapid City's May precipitation total was 7.31 inches, which was 3.59 inches above normal. The rain was expected to continue Tuesday evening before diminishing overnight. Slight chances of showers and thunderstorms remain in the forecast for the rest of the week, but Thursday, Friday and Saturday are expected to be partly to mostly sunny. Beyond Rapid City, the Pennington County Sheriff's Office said many areas of the county were experiencing severe flooding Tuesday. The sheriff's office said it was closing Lower Spring Creek Road near Hart Ranch on Tuesday afternoon because of high water. A tweet from the sheriff's office showed water nearly touching the bottom of a bridge at Mulligan Mile, leading into a housing development. Elsewhere in the county, creeks in Hill City and Keystone were running out of their banks and onto roads and bridges, and multiple driveways were submerged, the sheriff's office said. Many of the bridges in Keystone were nearly under water. Sections of Main Street were down to one lane. Grizzly Gulch Road was flooded over, and an alternate egress route was located and the bridge was flagged. Part of Highway 16A near the Powder House Inn had water over the road. Because of the flooding throughout the Keystone area, the sheriff's office advised anyone traveling to Mount Rushmore to use caution. At K Bar S Lodge near Keystone, rushing water caused a road to collapse, leaving no way for vehicles to get in or out. The sheriff's office said it was working with the manager to get any needed medications to the lodge's staff and guests, but no evacuations from the lodge were being conducted as of early Tuesday afternoon. In the Hill City area, Old Hill City Road had water over the roadway in many places from Kemps Camp to Keystone, a section where the road was closed and no travel was advised. Rocks were falling from the hillside, the sheriff's office said. Motorists were urged to avoid driving over standing water on roads or bridges and to slow down and be aware of the potential for hydroplaning. At Custer State Park, officials said creeks and streams were running uncharacteristically high and fast. Visitors were urged to be alert and aware of changing conditions. Oak Draw and Fisherman Flats roads in the park were closed, as was the Grace Coolidge Walk-In Fishing Area. The Wildlife Loop Road was closed at 5 p.m. with the expectation that it would reopen in the morning. Black Hills National Forest officials urged the public to use caution on wet forest roads, many with soft shoulders and standing water. Forest officials said the public should not drive around barricaded or gated roads, which may have been closed due to flooding or for other safety reasons. Dead trees and live trees with weak roots standing in saturated soil can fall without warning, Forest Service officials said. Rocks on slippery roadside slopes may come loose and roll down onto roads, creating an unexpected hazard. A previously announced closure order remains in effect for the entire Black Hills National Forest Motorized Trail System which is typically frequented by ATVers in both Wyoming and South Dakota. Forest personnel are checking the trails daily to assess conditions. Additionally, several recreation areas in the Black Hills National Forest were affected by wet conditions: Spring Creek Picnic Ground, the South Boat Ramp at Pactola Reservoir, Grizzly Bear Campground, Willow Creek Horse Camp sites 4 and 5, and Box Elder Forks Campground were all closed due to high water or wet conditions. The North Boat Ramp at Pactola remained open, but docks were pulled. On Box Elder Creek Road near Nemo, a Forest Service crew built a berm Tuesday to divert water off the road. Flooding problems extended beyond the Black Hills to the plains of western South Dakota. Near Philip, the Rapid City, Pierre, & Eastern Railroad shared a picture on Facebook of a large embankment that washed out from under a rail line because of Bad River flooding. Farther east, in Lyman County, no travel was advised on county roads because of several inches of recent rain, which flooded areas in and around Kennebec and Presho. In Rapid City on Tuesday afternoon, officials were receiving reports of sanitary sewer system overflows. The overflows can lift lids off manholes, causing water to bubble up over flooded water like a fountain or geyser. City officials advised the public not to drive over or through those areas and not to recreate in them. Dave Van Cleave, superintendent of the City's Water Reclamation Division, said the overflows occur when an overabundance of water infiltrates the sanitary sewer system. City officials also reminded the public that if they use a sump pump to clear their basements or crawl spaces of excess groundwater, they should not pump the discharge into their home's sanitary sewer system. Sump pump discharge should be directed to the grass or to the curb and the stormwater drainage system. Anyone encountering a manhole sewer issue should contact the City's Water Reclamation Division at (605) 394-4174, the City's Utility Maintenance Division at (605) 394-4163 or call after hours to (605) 394-4160. City officials said they were also receiving calls from people concerned about the citys detention ponds filling with water, but a news release from the city said there were no concerns about breaches or overflows at any of the citys 174 detention ponds. The ponds are designed to fill up with storm water and slowly release it. If anyone does notice an overflow or a breach at one of the ponds, Van Cleave said they should contact the City's Water Reclamation Division at (605) 394-4174. Rapid City parks officials were advising no travel Tuesday on the city's bike path along Rapid Creek, where multiple sections of the path were affected by flooding. City officials also advised the public not to attempt crossing any flooded areas. Contact Seth Tupper at seth.tupper@rapidcityjournal.com You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 2 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. May is usually a month in South Dakota when anglers head to the streams and lakes in pursuit of a big catch. With the rain and snow that has blanketed the Black Hills this year, that's become less and less of a possibility. Recent rain earlier in the week has Rapid Creek flowing much higher than normal, and it appears that the water level won't be going down in the next few days. Still, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks area fisheries supervisor Jake Davis said he isn't anticipating many long-term impacts of the flood waters impacting creeks and streams in the area. "Its not likely to be a long-term effect, fish populations have seen these high discharge events in the past, theyre able to handle it," he said. "As lot of times they move to the margins or the backwater areas so theyre not out in that really heavy current system." Still, he said anglers should use caution when deciding whether or not to approach high water levels. "Especially right now with the high water that were seeing, its limiting folks ability to use that resource," he said. "Additionally theres a safety concern that comes into play, we want to make sure people are using caution when theyre around those streams that are in flood stage." He said there can be short-term impacts to the creeks and streams depending on additional moisture the area receives. There could also be short-term impacts to populations, but he said because this isn't the first time areas like Rapid Creek have been at levels like it is at now. "They are forced from a lot of areas where they normally are because of that high water and energy moving through the system," he said. "Its more of short term impact because once things return to a more average state they can return to those more normal habitats." When water levels are this high, however, some of those habitats can also change. "Weve certainly reached a level where sentiments can start mobilizing," he said. "You might see rocks and boulders and things move down the stream, pools might fill in or shift and thats just a constant process within a stream especially when you get a certain amount of water moving through." As far as when the water levels can return to normal, it will depend on how dams are managed. He said Pactola Dam is letting some water out but there is enough water still coming into Rapid Creek and heading into Rapid City. "In a lot of cases in unregulated (undamed) streams will kind of flush themselves out," he said. "That being said theyll probably be above normal with runoff but on systems such as Rapid Creek that have multiple dams on them, when those systems hold back water it takes awhile for releases to relieve them of some of that pressure so we might be an above average discharge in Castle and Rapid Creek for an extended period." Davis said it will up to the discretion of the angler when they feel safe and comfortable enough to get back out in the water and enjoy the streams and creeks in the Black Hills. "A lot of it depends on when an angler feels safe to use that resource again but additionally you have different input and sediments that come in and change the water color so some folks may not want to fish when its in (that) stage, so a lot of people will wait for that water to clear up from an angler standpoint," he said. "Folks have a certain level theyre comfortable with when theyre ready to fish that system." Contact Geoff Preston at geoffrey.preston@rapidcityjournal.com You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. Four people were killed around the Black Hills over the long Memorial Day weekend, including an incident police suspect was a homicide involving a motor vehicle. Rochelle Seminole, 48, was charged with first-degree murder after hitting a pedestrian with her car Sunday at the Rapid City Walmart parking lot on North Lacrosse Street, police said. The victim has not been identified. Multiple witnesses led police to suspect Seminole intentionally hit the victim, said Patrol Sgt. Nick Davis. Seminole also was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, according to a news release from the Rapid City Police Department. Police responded to the parking lot at 12:43 p.m. and found Seminole's vehicle crashed into a tree. The victim was unresponsive and later died at a hospital. An investigation by police and the Pennington County Sheriff's Department is continuing. Meanwhile, two men died when they were thrown from vehicles in unrelated single-vehicle crashes in Butte and Meade counties on Saturday. Neither victim has been identified, pending notification of families. The South Dakota Department of Public Safety said a 35-year-old man died Saturday morning from a crash 2 miles north of Rapid City in Meade County. The man was driving a 1992 GMC Sierra Pickup at 7:29 a.m. on North Deadwood Avenue when he left the roadway and hit a box culvert on a creek embankment. No information about seat-belt use was provided. The department said a 31-year-old man died at 7:55 p.m. Saturday after his 2004 Kia Optima crashed 3 miles southeast of Nisland in Butte County. The man lost control while driving on Snoma Road, a gravel road. The vehicle hit a ditch, rolled several times, ejecting the man from the vehicle. He was not wearing a seat belt. The Highway Patrol continues to investigate both crashes. Another man was found dead Sunday afternoon next to a train track between Wall and Wasta in eastern Pennington County. The body of Justin Johnson, 45, of Hulett, Wyoming, was discovered around 5:16 p.m. on Sunday, according to a Facebook post from the Pennington County Sheriff's Office. A sheriffs office photograph showed officials looking at the inner bank of a train track about 100 yards off Interstate 90 at mile marker 105. An autopsy for Johnson has been scheduled. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks will take its first public step forward toward the acquisition of 100 acres of prime river lands for a permanent fishing access site along the West Fork of the Bitterroot Thursday. FWP officials will meet with the Ravalli County Commission at 9 a.m. to explain the agencys proposal to acquire the WW White Memorial Fishing Access Site located near the corner of the West Fork and Conner Cutoff roads. The state has been leasing the area from the landowners for years. Even with its limited parking, it has becoming a popular place for fishermen. The 100 acres includes a little more than a half-mile of West Fork of the Bitterroot River frontage, 68 acres of river-bottom forested floodplain habitat and 32 acres of upland Ponderosa pine-dominated forested habitat, which also provides access to national forest lands. The proposal envisions the potential for developing about 3 acres for recreational use, including a vault toilet, gravel access roads, parking areas, camp sites and a primitive boat launch. A 2016 appraisal of the area that is currently leased by FWP came in at $700,000. FWP and the landowners have agreed to a sales price of $600,000. FWP is requesting $150,000 from the Montana Fish and Wildlife Conservation Trust, which would be used as seed money to hopefully spur additional investment from other potential funding partners that could include the Ravalli County Open Lands Bond, sportsmens organizations, FWPs Fishing Access Site Program and other private contributions. The trust was established by U.S. Congress and funded by proceeds from the sale of federally leased cabin sites on Canyon Ferry Reservoir. The purpose of the trust was to create a permanent source of funding for acquisition of publicly accessible land in Montana that would conserve fisheries and wildlife habitat, enhance public hunting and fishing and improve public access to public lands. The public comment period on proposed funding for the WW White Memorial FAS ends June 10. The trusts board will review comments and act on the proposal at its June 19 meeting. If everything lines out in the way FWP envisions, the 100 acres could be publicly owned by summer 2020. The current property owners have a strong desire to see the property in public ownership and are willing to sell the land at a price well below the appraised value to make sure the conservation and recreational values of the property are permanently protected, said FWP Regional Supervisor Randy Arnold in a letter to the trusts board. This property encompasses a fantastic mosaic of habitat types along the West Fork of the Bitterroot River that provides habitat for a range of game animals as well as birds, amphibians and furbearers, Arnold wrote. The portion of the river that flows through the property is an anglers dream water, with side channels and log jams begging to be explored with a fly or lure. The entire property is full of sign of elk, moose, deer and wild turkeys, and the upland portion of the property would enhance access to the beautiful public lands in the Bitterroot National Forest, he wrote. Becky Peters of the Bitterroot Audubon Society said that organization supports the proposal. The Bitterroot River corridor has some of the most productive bird habitat in our valley, Peters wrote. We are confident that our members and their families will be frequent visitors to the site to experience the range of biodiverse habitats. We are also confident that the many tourists known for coming to our Bitterroot River will find the fishing, wildlife viewing and birdwatching at this site to more than memorable. The project is in the early phases of development. This is the first public funding request. Montana FWPs public acquisition process will occur in the near future and more project details will be provided during that process. The public will have additional opportunity to offer input. Love 7 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 4 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. CORVALLIS Eldon Francis Wolfe went to be with his Lord and Savior on May 25, 2019. He was surrounded by his family as he lost the battle with lung cancer and joyously went home to be with Jesus. Eldon wanted everyone to know the love of Jesus and shared his faith with everyone he knew. Eldon also wanted to be a testimony of what the effects of smoking can do and the anguish that came when he realized, too late after quitting smoking, that the cancer was already invading his body. Eldon was born on Oct. 3, 1947, to Clarence and Albena Wolfe in Sheridan, Wyoming. He joined his sister, Sherry Wolfe. Eldon spent his childhood years in Newcastle, Wyoming, and graduated from Newcastle High School on May 26, 1965. He then joined the Army National Guard where he was honored as outstanding in his training class and achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant. He is survived by his wife, Lila Wolfe, of the family home in Corvallis; his sister, Sherry Wolfe-Reisch; three daughters: Darcie Wolfe of Hamilton, Angel Reed (Jason) of Granbury, Texas; Dr. Athena Kennedy of West Lafayette, Indiana; and five grandchildren: Sean Williams, Hannah Williams, Zane Reed, Xander Reed and Jillian Wolfe; as well as numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Albena Wolfe; and his first wife Ellen Kelly. A memorial service for Eldon will be held at the Cornerstone Bible Church, 280 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton, Montana on June 1, 2019, at 10:30 a.m. Please share your condolences with the family by visiting www.dalyleachchapel.com under the obituary section. The Beartooth Pass opened Wednesday afternoon to the Montana side of the state line, but the Montana Department of Transportation advises travelers on the mountain highway to watch for possible avalanches. MDT announced the extended opening of the Beartooth Highway, also known as U.S. Highway 212, in an email at about 1:45 p.m. Road conditions at the time of the opening were described as wet and scattered wet. "Travelers will need to turn around at the state line and return to Red Lodge," per the announcement email. In addition to watching for "possible avalanches," the email advised travelers to watch for changing road conditions, as "adverse weather can occur quickly." The pass had been closed at the lower gate Tuesday morning due to falling snow covering the road, but crews made enough progress for access to the scenic highway to gradually expand Wednesday. Almost three hours before the Beartooth Pass opened to the state line, MDT opened it to Vista Point. In that announcement, drivers were also cautioned to watch for possible avalanches. One such event resulted in a brief closure of the roadway Saturday. Photos: Clearing the Beartooth Pass Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary celebrates 30 years of ocean protection By Larisa Bennett May 2019 Twenty-two miles offshore of the northern California coastline is a patch of ocean that looks ordinary to the uninformed eye. But beneath the surface of the deep blue Pacific, a towering undersea block of granite crowded with marine life rises up from the gloom of the depths. Cordell Bank hosts throngs of fish, invertebrates, and marine mammals along its four-and-a-half by nine-and-a-half-mile granite outcrop. The bank sits at the edge of the continental shelf and rises abruptly out of the soft seafloor sediments to within 115 feet of the ocean surface. The underwater world found along the rise of Cordell Bank hosts a varied array of invertebrates and fish. Photo: NOAA For 30 years this month, Cordell Bank and the highly productive expanse of seawater surrounding it have been protected by Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Dr. Sarah Hameed, director of the Cordell Marine Sanctuary Foundation, explains that the bank is filled with colorful corals, sponges, and rockfishes. Migratory birds, mammals, turtles, and sharks visit from far and wide to feast in the productive waters that surround the bank. Its a special place for marine biodiversity and a critical place to safeguard. At its beginning, the sanctuary was charged with protecting 529 square miles of ocean, including the rocky bank. In 2015, the sanctuary more than doubled in size to protect 1,286 square miles an area about the size of Rhode Island. The expanded sanctuary encompasses the well-known Bodega Canyon and its abundance of sea life. Sanctuary superintendent Dan Howard says, When you stop and look back 30 years, it is amazing how much work we have done characterizing and better understanding Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Cordell Bank provides an oasis for invertebrates, rockfish, and more. Photo: Clinton Bauder/BAUE Little was understood about the Cordell Bank ecosystem for many years because of the difficulty of diving in the area. Offshore currents and deep pinnacles mean that the bank is out of reach for all but the most experienced divers. Sanctuary staff have worked tirelessly to remedy this knowledge gap. Due to its offshore location and depth, Cordell Bank went undiscovered by humans until the late 1800s when George Davidson of the U.S. Coast Survey stumbled upon it during a survey of the northern California coast. The bank was named after surveyor Edward Cordell after he more thoroughly mapped the area in 1869. However, the person who has done the most to put Cordell Bank on the map is American scientist Dr. Robert Schmeider, who began his quest to dive on the bank and document the local marine life in 1977. Thanks to his efforts to protect this precious ecosystem, Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary was established on May 24, 1989. Since then, Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary has accomplished much in its 30-year history in the realms of education and outreach, management, science and monitoring, and support for sustainable commercial fisheries. From educating teachers on ocean topics such as marine debris or climate change, to employing underwater remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to gather footage and data about the ecology of Cordell Bank, the sanctuary has worked hard to understand and maintain a healthy ocean community. During an ROV expedition to Bodega Canyon in 2017 on the E/V Nautilus, researchers found marine life like this octopus. Photo: OET/NOAA The sanctuary and its partners have worked diligently to protect the animals and ecosystems of Cordell Bank and its surrounding waters. Due to sanctuary regulations, this part of the ocean remains largely protected. The sanctuary has also been key to maintaining complex food webs, working with the Pacific Fisheries Management Council to prohibit the harvest of krill in national marine sanctuaries along the West Coast. Booming populations of krill are the backbone of many ocean ecosystems because they are a vital prey source of many larger species such as seals, whales, fish, and seabirds. Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary has also been a friend to local commercial fishermen. It has advocated for allowing exempted fishing permits for local, small-scale fishermen to utilize hook and line equipment to harvest fish species with healthy populations within national marine sanctuaries. In this way, the sanctuary promotes a strong blue economy while also protecting the species that need support. Whales come to feed in Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary because of the tremendous amount of krill in the area. Photo: NOAA Over the sanctuarys 30 years, the conservation science program at Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary has focused on understanding the ecosystems of the sanctuary and monitoring the conditions of its habitats and wildlife. Technical divers and remotely operated vehicles have explored Cordell Bank, Bodega Canyon, and the surrounding areas to study sanctuary geology, flora, and fauna as well as to create better physical maps of sanctuary areas. Researchers have also mapped the areas soundscape to better understand the ways human-made noise impacts the sounds animals use for communication and foraging. The sanctuary monitors for low-oxygen conditions and other oceanographic conditions that can harm wildlife, as well. Findings indicate low oxygen water is associated with strong upwelling but water quickly returns to normal when upwelling subsides. Sanctuary findings have not only described amazing new species, but have also supported efforts in the designation of no bottom trawl areas, contributed to measures to reduce ship strikes of endangered whales, and linked surface conditions to the health of deep-sea habitats. All this helps us to do a better job managing these resources, says Howard. Scientists and sanctuary staff use underwater ROVs to study and monitor Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: NOAA The sanctuary cant do all this alone: it relies on support from and collaboration with a variety of partners. For over 15 years, the sanctuary has worked with Point Blue Conservation Science, a California nonprofit focused on conservation. To Dr. Jaime Jahncke, the California Current director for Point Blue, The protections provided by the sanctuary are crucial for ensuring that the oceans fragile ecosystem is preserved in important areas like Cordell Bank. He adds, The monitoring work weve done over the years has shown that these protections really do make a difference for the health of our ocean. Sanctuary staff and partners also work diligently to share the remote sanctuary with the world. Cordell Gallery in the Oakland Museum of California houses a sanctuary exhibit that enables thousands of museum goers to vicariously experience Cordell Banks unique submarine wonders every year. There are also Cordell Bank exhibits at Point Reyes National Seashore with literally millions of annual visitors and a traveling photo exhibit of the sanctuary has been to over 20 locations and reached over 10,000 viewers. Visitors to the ocean Exploration Center at Point Reyes National Seashores Historic Lighthouse Visitor Center can get to know the offshore Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Tyler Chartier In a collaboration with Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument and the marine ecology non-profit Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge, the sanctuary has also created the Winged Ambassadors curriculum to bring the sanctuary, and its key species, to students. This curriculum focuses on the albatrosses that feed in Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary and breed in Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. As migratory birds, albatrosses link different marine protected areas together and also provide an early indicator of ocean degradation. They are the canaries in the coal mine of the ocean. The Winged Ambassadors program teaches students how to scientifically track these ocean-going birds as well as engages them on issues such as plastic ingestion. Winged Ambassadors has been downloaded and used in over 20 countries. Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuarys highly productive waters provide feeding grounds for a variety of birds, including albatrosses. Photo: NOAA Marine protected areas like Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary help protect critical and unique ocean environments. The sanctuary has had a stellar 30 years protecting its priceless treasures may it be a guardian of the great deep for many more to come. Larisa Bennett is an outreach intern for NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and a graduate student at UNC Chapel Hill. Investigators have identified additional victims in the case against a 52-year-old Buellton man suspected of engaging in inappropriate sexual conduct with juveniles, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office. Gregory Scott Ray was arrested April 9 on suspicion of sex crimes against three male students from the Santa Ynez Valley, ranging in age from 13 to 17. The additional victims include some who are local and others who reside outside the Santa Barbara County area, according to sheriff's spokeswoman Kelly Hoover. The Santa Maria City Council on Tuesday asked city staff to solicit more feedback and gather more information before deciding whether or not to join the Monterey Bay Community Power Authority's community choice energy program, an alternative to investor-owned utility energy supply systems. " " Cassini dives between Saturn and the planet's innermost ring in this scene taken from the space agency's short film "NASA at Saturn: Cassini's Grand Finale" NASA/JPL-Caltech At precisely 4:55:46 a.m. PDT (7:55:46 a.m. EDT) on Sept. 15, NASA received the final transmission from the Cassini spacecraft. This meant only one thing: The groundbreaking Saturn mission had come to an end the spacecraft had encountered the uppermost atmosphere of Saturn and, 45 seconds later, it burned up like an artificial meteor caused by the intense heat of hitting the atmosphere at 75,000 miles (120,700 kilometers) per hour. "This is the final chapter of an amazing mission, but it's also a new beginning," said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate at NASA headquarters in Washington, in a Sept. 15 statement. "Cassini's discovery of ocean worlds at Titan and Enceladus changed everything, shaking our views to the core about surprising places to search for potential life beyond Earth." Having completed 22 daring dives through the approximately 1,200-mile (1,931-kilometer) gap between the planet and its innermost ring, Cassini's Grand Finale was able to do groundbreaking science in a region of space no spacecraft has ever been before. But the Grand Finale was just that the final act of its 13 years of exploration at the Saturn system. Cassini was running out of fuel, and mission managers wanted to get as much science out of the veteran probe while protecting Saturn's moons. The only way to truly protect them was to dispose of Cassini by flying it into Saturn, giving the trailblazing mission a fiery sendoff. "This has been in the plan all along," says Linda J. Spilker, Cassini project scientist who works at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, and has worked with Cassini since its beginning. "We knew the mission had to end, and we carefully budgeted our fuel to last until Saturn's northern summer solstice in May 2017." But what are scientists trying to protect these moons from? Basically, germs; bacteria from Earth that might be hitching a ride on the Cassini spacecraft. Advertisement "Tenacious" Bacteria and the Fear of Contamination Although Cassini was launched in 1997, spending nearly 20 years in the vacuous, freezing, radiation-washed depths of space, traveling to Saturn and spending 13 years in orbit around it, some bacteria "can be tenacious," says Larry Soderblom, an interdisciplinary scientist with the Cassini mission. "We have to make sure we don't leave any of these kinds of Earthly bacteria on these promising moons." International agreements govern planetary protection measures that must be taken by space agencies. Although planetary protection may conjure up thoughts of protecting Earth from marauding alien bugs, there is great effort put into protecting other worlds from our bacteria. It just so happens that Enceladus and Titan are particularly interesting moons that could be habitable for extraterrestrial life, so it would be unfortunate if our bacteria invaded these environments. During its mission at Saturn, Cassini discovered plumes of water being vented into space from the icy moon Enceladus. Closer investigation of these plumes, originating from geysers blasting from polar fissures in Enceladus' icy crust, revealed this water was coming from a warm subsurface salty ocean and the water was laced with hydrocarbons and ammonia, or "many of the ingredients that life would need if it were to start in an environment like that," Soderblom tells HowStuffWorks. " " Scientists achieved a deeper understanding of the "tiger-stripe" fissures in the icy crust of Saturn's moon Enceladus, pictured in this composite image of two photographs courtesy of Cassini. Cassini Imaging Team/SSI/JPL/ESA/NASA So, the nightmare scenario would be that, if Cassini was just left to run out of fuel and careen uncontrollably around the Saturn system, there would be a small chance that it could crash into Enceladus in the future and any hitchhiking microbes on board might set up home in this ocean that lies beneath the thin crust. "We try to sterilize spacecraft so they don't carry germs from the Earth," says Soderblom. "But we can't do that thoroughly enough that we can safely dispose of the spacecraft in one of these alien worlds that we may one day want to someday explore for habitability and look for life we don't want to discover the life that we brought there!" Titan was another concern. Saturn's biggest moon is also the only moon in the solar system sporting its own atmosphere. But this atmosphere is like nothing we experience on Earth. Too cold for liquid water, the only liquid on Titan is in the form of methane any water is frozen rock-solid. Although this world is very alien, it does have some similarities to Earth's atmospheric processes. Instead of water, liquid methane falls as rain, creates rivers that cut into the hydrocarbon-rich surface, which in turn make valleys, and flows into vast liquid methane lakes. " " Titan passes in front of Saturn and its famous rings in this photo taken by the Cassini spacecraft. NASA/JPL-Caltech Titan also hides a secret below its surface. After its many flybys of the moon, Cassini discovered that it also hosts a subsurface ocean of liquid water, only much deeper than Enceladus' ocean. Astrobiologists are excited about the possibility of exotic forms of "methane life" on the surface of Titan, but it's yet another moon in the outer solar system with a liquid water ocean that might be habitable for life as we know it. Although Earthlike microbes "wouldn't be so happy" on Titan's surface, Spilker says it's the subsurface water that we'd want to avoid contaminating. In 2005, however, the European Huygens probe landed on the moon's surface. Piggybacking on Cassini since launch as part of the joint NASA/ESA/Italian Space Agency Cassini-Huygens mission, Huygens detached itself, coasted to the moon and descended through its trademark thick yellow haze. But if we've already sent a probe there, why worry about contaminating it with Cassini? "When we landed the Huygens probe on Titan, we had no idea what we'd find on the surface, so it was really the discoveries of Huygens and Cassini that led to these new [planetary protection] requirements," says Spilker. "Also, Titan is not in the same class as Enceladus for planetary protection." To go to Enceladus, she added, any lander would need to be very clean as liquid water is in contact with the moon's icy surface, so contamination of the subsurface ocean would be a very real possibility. Titan's ocean, on the other hand, is deep and doesn't appear to be in contact with the surface, so "this puts [Titan] in a different category," Spilker says. "While care is still taken with Titan, it's really Enceladus that we're most worried about contaminating." Advertisement To Crash or Not to Crash Previous space missions have employed a variety of measures to avoid risking contamination of promising moons and planets, says Soderblom. "The Voyagers we disposed of by ejecting them from the solar system, the Galileo spacecraft was burned up in the atmosphere of Jupiter. The Mars spacecraft were extra, extra carefully decontaminated, and that's a very expensive process to go through so you can safely leave the spacecraft [on the planet's surface]." And with Cassini, there were a variety of options on the table to prevent a collision with Enceladus or Titan, particularly earlier on in the mission. "Back in 2009 and 2010, we had enough fuel to perhaps leave the Saturn system and go to Jupiter. We could have even gone to Uranus," remembers Spilker. However, to get to Uranus, it might have taken 20-30 years and mission planners decided that Cassini was really designed for the Saturn system anyway, so they decided to stay. To avoid the inner Saturn system, they also considered sending Cassini on very wide orbits, staying well clear of the moons. In this scenario, when the spacecraft ran out of fuel, it would forever remain in a holding orbit around Saturn as a new artificial satellite itself. "We also looked at possibly crashing it into Mimas or one of the other moons," adds Spilker. "That would have been quite a way to end [the Cassini mission] by making a new crater!" But when they realized they could send Cassini through Saturn's rings by using Titan's gravity to redirect the probe, that option became the clear front-runner. "It didn't take much discussion because flying through this region would give us brand-new science it's like having a new mission," explains Spilker. Although Cassini's ashes are now scattered through Saturn's atmosphere, becoming a part of the planet itself, its legacy will live on for decades to come, and Enceladus awaits humanity's next mission, whenever that may be. Cassini did the groundwork, discovering subsurface oceans and habitable environments on what was once thought to be a collection of dead and barren moons. Now, Cassini mission scientists want to go back and directly look for life, perhaps even returning samples of Enceladus to Earth. FILE PHOTO: Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov attends an international conference dedicated to the 175th anniversary of Sberbank in Moscow, Russia November 10, 2016. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin By Olesya Astakhova and Mariya Gordeyeva NUR-SULTAN (Reuters) - More than a month into the biggest crisis to hit Russia's Druzhba ("Friendship") pipeline, operator Transneft and the government are at odds over who should pay to clean up the contamination that halted flows. Buyers are keen to know who will resolve the impasse, which has seen five million tonnes of oil contaminated with high levels of organic chloride disrupt deliveries to Belarus, Germany, Poland, Ukraine and a number of central European countries. First Deputy Prime Minister Anton Siluanov said on Wednesday state-run Transneft should not expect Moscow to pick up the tab, while the pipeline operator maintains it was not at fault. "In my opinion it would be wrong, it would be compensation from the (state) budget for the company which did not meet its contract obligations..." Siluanov said sidelines of a conference in Kazakhstan. Transneft, headed by Nikolai Tokarev, a long-time ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has said the blame for the contamination rests with producers. Several people have been arrested in relation to the incident. The company said Siluanov had made a "simplified assessment" of what had happened, Russia's RIA news agency reported, while a spokesman for Siluanov expressed surprise at the company's "emotional" reaction. Transneft operates 68,000 km (42,253 miles) of trunk pipeline and is controlled by the state. The biggest crisis to hit the Druzhba, which was built in 1960s, has sent customers scrambling for alternative supplies and led to refinery outages. Total CEO Patrick Pouyanne told shareholders on Wednesday the company will seek compensation for losses after the contamination forced the French energy firm to halve output at its Leuna refinery in Germany. He said while the costs of the contamination and eventual decontamination were still to be clarified, around $15 per barrel of compensation "is being mentioned". Story continues The crisis has also cut Russia's oil production to an 11-month low and forced some countries to tap their strategic fuel reserves. Refilling Czech state strategic crude oil stocks will take about half a year, state reserves chief Pavel Svagr said. TALKS Ukraine's pipeline network is blocked by some 380,000-390,000 tonnes of tainted Russian oil, Nikolai Gavrilenko, head of transit company UkrTransNafta, told Reuters. "We are shipping clean oil," he said, declining to elaborate. Oil from Ukraine travels west to Hungary and Slovakia. In Belarus, the plan is to clean the pipeline by pumping the contaminated oil back to Russia under a deal reached last Friday. As of Wednesday Belarus had returned 163,000 tonnes of contaminated oil via the Druzhba pipeline, Transneft said. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has said the cost of damage from the contaminated oil was "enormous" and that Belarus expected compensation. He said the cost could run into the hundreds of millions of dollars and that he hoped Russia would not dispute the costs. Russian officials and its European oil buyers have met twice this month aiming to resolve the issue. The next round of talks is set for Moscow on June 3. The CEO of Polish refiner PKN Orlen said on Wednesday he believed talks about restoring flows to Poland would achieve a breakthrough. Last week Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak said the pipeline would be cleaned up to the border with Poland by June 10. Excessive levels of organic chloride, which is used in oil extraction, were found last month in crude pumped to Russia's Baltic port of Ust-Luga and through the Druzhba pipeline. Russia's energy ministry said on Wednesday that organic chloride content in crude at Ust-Luga had fallen to 4 parts per million (ppm), below 10 ppm - the maximum allowed level by the Russian state standards. Some traders, however, said the contamination level was still too high. (Additional reporting by Olga Yagova and Darya Korsunskaya in Moscow; writing by Vladimir Soldatkin and Maxim Rodionov; editing by Jason Neely) Singapore added to a watch list for currency manipulation by the US. (PHOTO: Brent Lewin/Bloomberg via Getty Images) By Michelle Jamrisko and Wes Goodman (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Treasury added Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam to a watchlist for currency manipulation, putting their foreign-exchange policies under scrutiny. Singapore made the list because of its large current account surplus and net foreign currency purchases of at least $17 billion in 2018, equivalent to 4.6% of GDP, according to the Treasury. Malaysia and Vietnam were cited for their bilateral trade and current account surpluses. Countries with a current-account surplus with the U.S. equivalent to 2% of gross-domestic product are now eligible for the list, down from 3%. Other thresholds include persistent intervention in markets for a nations currency, and a trade surplus of at least $20 billion. Countries that meet two of the three criteria are placed on the watch list. Being labeled a currency manipulator doesnt come with immediate penalties but can rattle financial markets. The Treasury said Singapore should undertake reforms that will lower its high saving rate and boost low domestic consumption, while striving to ensure that its real exchange rate is in line with economic fundamentals, to help narrow its large and persistent external surpluses. It also welcomed Singapores pledge to report more intervention data, while acknowledging that currency adjustments are its main monetary policy tool. Singapores central bank said in a statement that it does not manipulate its currency for export advantage. The Monetary Authority of Singapore uses the exchange rate to ensure price stability and cant use it to gain an export advantage or achieve a current account surplus, it said. Singapores monetary policy adjustments are primarily made through its currency, hence, intervention activities are relatively heavier, said Christy Tan, head of markets strategy at National Australia Bank. I doubt it will have a meaningful impact, she said. Market-Determined Malaysia was cited for its bilateral trade surplus with the U.S. of $27 billion last year and its current account surplus of 2.1% of GDP. The Treasury noted Malaysia intervened in foreign currency markets in both directions in the past, and had net sales of foreign exchange equivalent to 3.1% of GDP last year to resist the depreciation of the ringgit. Story continues Malaysias central bank said the country supported free and fair trade and didnt have unfair currency practices, adding that inclusion on the list had no consequences for the countrys economy. The ringgit exchange rate is market-determined and is not relied upon for exports competitiveness, Bank Negara Malaysia said in a statement. The other two Asian countries on the list are Japan and South Korea. India was removed from the watch group, given that its met only one of the three criteria -- a significant bilateral surplus with the U.S. -- for two straight reports. Trade War Vietnam was at risk of meeting all three of the Treasurys new criteria for the currency manipulator tag. The Treasury excused Vietnams recent currency intervention, citing movements in both directions and net foreign exchange purposes that had reasonable rationale to rebuild reserves. Kim Hwan, an economist at NH Investment & Securities in Seoul, said U.S.-China trade tensions may have played a role in the Treasurys move. The fact that Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia are added to the list indicates the U.S. is continuing to pressure China, said Kim. These countries are all Southeast Asian countries that have close economic correlations with China. Japan was urged to enact structural reforms that would ease the public debt burden and trade imbalances, and South Korea was called on to limit currency interventions even as it was applauded for fresh disclosures on those actions. (Updates with comments from Singapores central bank.) 2019 Bloomberg L.P The ZenFone 6's main camera is motorised so it can flip all the way to the front when you need to take a selfie. Picture via SoyaCincau KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 In my experience with Asus smartphones, Ive always felt that they were more follower than leader. Their devices usually end up like an amalgamation of what other smartphone makers do well and thats not necessarily a bad thing. Especially since they tend to improve upon the ideas they integrate. But then they launched the ZenFone 6 and it was almost like Asus went screw it, were doing things our way now, and quite literally flipped everybody off. The resulting device? Well, I have to say that the ZenFone 6 looks like one of the most interesting phones the company has made in a long time. The ZenFone 6 has all the hallmarks of a proper Android flagship. Its powered by the best, a Snapdragon 855 processor, that you can configure with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. Then, Asus flips the flagship smartphone narrative by equipping their device with a massive 5,000 mAh battery. I also liked that ZenUI is now so close to stock Android. I love how simple and clean it is to navigate, and I hope this is the way they plan to move forward with their Android skin. The phone felt really smooth, navigating around it, but really, spending like a couple of minutes swiping about on a demo phone with practically nothing installed isnt really what Id call a good benchmark. I will say that the new ZenFone 6 looks really good. Especially in this two-tone Twilight Silver colourway. The glossy back and frame shimmer in the light, but not in a garish way, and Im really glad they did away with the concentric circle design. That said, it doesnt feel quite as premium as the top-shelf stuff does, but I think that has a lot to do with how light the device feels in the hand. Which is surprising because of the massive battery. In any case, the eye candy continues when you flip the phone to the front because that screen looks pretty darn good. ZenFone 6 comes with a 6.4 Full HD+ IPS panel with no notch, or punch hole, and really slim bezels. Story continues This gives the phone a 92 per cent screen-to-body ratio, which means you get an awesome immersive viewing experience. Its also a flat display, so if youre tired of all the other smartphone makers curving their screens, then youll like this. ZenFone 6 also packs a pair of stereo speakers despite having super slim bezels. Huawei, please take note, because it should not be acceptable for an expensive flagship to not come with stereo speakers. So, there is a lot to like with the ZenFone 6. But, there is also one big question mark that will undoubtedly split the jury: The phones flippin dual camera. Flippity dippity You see, the ZenFone 6 doesnt have a selfie camera. It has the one camera array, and its the one at the back consisting of a 48MP Sony IMX586 sensor and a 13MP ultra-wide shooter. But, the trick here is that the main camera is motorised so it can flip all the way to the front when you need to take a selfie. Ive also heard people call this the reverse notch, but cmon, thats so lame. The camera, though, isnt lame. It can actually do a whole bunch of interesting things. The way Asus has mounted this is closer to what we saw on the Oppo N3 rather than the more recent Galaxy A80. With this, Asus actually lets you manually rotate the camera into any position you want, along its axis. So, you can set it up to face a whole bunch of directions which is interesting. And it can do cool things like take a 180-degree panorama without needing you to move an inch. The module just does it for you. Asus also gave the motorised camera a motion tracking feature that will track a subject as it moves, automatically. It is a little unreliable, so Id say its more like a gimmick than an actually useful feature. But, the best thing about this motorised flippity dippity camera is the fact that youre ALWAYS using your best camera, even for selfies. I cant tell you the amount of times Ive been disappointed by a smartphones selfie camera after being so impressed with its main shooter. With the ZenFone 6 youre always using the main shooter. And it looks like it works, because DxO Mark just crowned it selfie king of their list. At the end of the day though, I know a lot of you will be worried about one thing: Durability. And I get that. Moving parts tend to break easier than parts that dont move. But, while I cant really speak for its longevity, Asus did let us do this to their camera module: And the phone worked fine after. Plus, Asus has baked in a fall-detection feature that will automatically retract the module if it detects that the phone is in a free-fall. But thats the most assurance I can give you. Because beyond that, I simply cant tell at this point. What I will say though is that the ZenFone 6 is definitely one of the more interesting smartphones in the market, especially since it is also very affordable for the kind of specs it packs. In the US, for example, it starts at just US$499, which is about RM2,000. Im really glad Asus went out of their way to build something a little more ludicrous rather than erring on the side of caution, because thats how the industry moves forward. However, I may also be the harbinger of bad news because there might be a small chance that the ZenFone 6 wont be coming to Malaysia. Every time I ask the Asus Malaysia team about this phone, theyve refused to comment on the matter, which to me doesnt sound good. SoyaCincau Related Articles Asus ZenFone 6 kills the notch with unconventional camera design New ASUS ZenFone might feature a two-way slider mechanism Chinese Vice-President Wang Qishan has urged Pakistan to bolster security for Beijings major development drive in the country, following the deadly terror attacks two weeks ago which appeared to target Chinese projects, including the strategic deep-sea port at Gwadar. Wang met Pakistans Prime Minister Imran Khan during a three-day state visit to Islamabad, which concluded on Tuesday, and raised concerns for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), including the need for effective measures to provide security guarantees for the US$62 billion network of roads, railways, and pipelines in Pakistan. Khan said during the meetings that Pakistan had established a special committee dedicated to ensuring the safety of Chinese personnel in the country, according to a report from Chinas Xinhua state news agency. Officials and businesspeople in Pakistan which touts its all-weather strategic partnership with China have stressed the need to address security concerns over projects under CPEC, which is regarded as a key pillar for Beijings broader Belt and Road Initiative across Asia, Africa, and Europe. Security concerns were heightened after insurgent gunmen stormed a five-star hotel in Gwadar in early May, not long after an April attack on a bus travelling from Gwadar that killed 14, including Pakistani military personnel. The Baloch Liberation Army, which has threatened further violence against Chinese interests, has claimed responsibility for both attacks. While in Islamabad, Wang said the two countries would work towards the next phase of high-quality development of the corridor and discuss issues including third-party cooperation, according to Xinhua. Both sides signed various deals on agriculture and economic cooperation, and inaugurated a number of projects such as a transmission line and a special economic zone, Pakistan media reported. Addressing a meeting of the Pakistan-China Institute, Wang was reported to say: No matter how the international landscape changes, China will always stand by Pakistans core interests CPEC will produce new outcomes and lend new impetus to the economic and social development of Pakistan and economic integration of the region. Story continues In addition to security risks within Pakistan, CPEC has also faced a backlash from neighbouring India for running through the disputed Kashmir region which is claimed by both Islamabad and New Delhi as well as its perceived lack of transparency, disproportionate benefits for Chinese firms and wealthier areas in Pakistan, and for furthering Beijings geopolitical intentions. But given its importance, Pakistani military spokesperson Asif Ghafoor told Chinese media in Islamabad after the Gwadar hotel attack that the military was planning to deploy another division-sized force to ensure the security of the corridor. Pakistan launched a 15,000-strong special security force in 2016 to protect projects and workers in the area. Sheharyar Khan, assistant professor of international relations at Iqra University in Islamabad, suggested Wang wanted to use his visit to address key security concerns for the economic corridor, including security risks and the problems of project suspension because of governments reviews, as well as the impact from Pakistans economic woes. The International Monetary Fund granted Pakistan a US$6 billion bailout in mid-May to help the country avert an economic crisis. This high-powered visit was meant to share Chinese concerns and reassure [Pakistan about] Chinas commitment to the CPEC, he said. Pakistan is under pressure [because] Baloch insurgents can mount attacks on Chinese interests, even in secure zones. The visit would reassure [China of] Pakistans commitment to ensure security and not harm CPEC, while making other deals with IMF or any other country. After leaving Pakistan on Tuesday, Wang will head to the Netherlands and Germany. More from South China Morning Post: This article China seeks security guarantees for Pakistan belt and road projects after terror attacks first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019. Undocumented OFWs who availed the amnesty program of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) |Courtesy: Department of Foreign Affairs The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) stressed the need for a review of labor agreements with Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to improve working conditions of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW). READ: NBI: Re-autopsy results on slain OFW in Kuwait out in a month This was after recent reports of maltreatment suffered by two OFWs in the two countries. The Commission has sent their support to the family of OFW Constancia Lago Dayag and Lovely Acosta Ruelo. We express our deepest sympathies and send our prayers to the family and friends of Constancia. CHR also hopes to provide support for Ana as she recovers from the trauma she suffered. Expedient reforms need to be put in place to ensure that no OFW will suffer the same fate, the statement reads. READ: DFA: Raps filed vs employer of Filipina who died in Kuwait The Commission has also lauded the action of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to file raps against the employers of Constancia. We welcome the move of the Department of Foreign Affairs to file criminal charges against the employers of Constancia. But more than this, quick response needs to be guaranteed for urgent distress calls or signs of maltreatment to prevent the worst from happening, according to the statement. The post CHR calls for review of labor agreements with Kuwait, Saudi Arabia appeared first on UNTV News. A Saudi Arabian cargo ship is set to arrive in the south of France on Tuesday to pick up munitions, according to a media report, rekindling criticism of weapons sales, which human rights groups say are being used in the devastating war in Yemen. The shipment was revealed by investigative website Disclose, whose reporting on a similar shipment of French weapons earlier this month led to pressure that prompted Riyadh to renounce loading the weapons. Disclose said the new shipment involved munitions for French Caesar cannons that would be loaded at the Mediterranean port of Fos-sur-Mer, near Marseille. "I learned about the imminent arrival of the Bahri Tabuk cargo ship this morning," Pierre Dharreville, a communist MP for the Fos-sur-Mer region, told journalists, calling for a "moratorium" on arms deliveries to Saudi Arabia. Rights groups accuse Riyadh of using the French weapons against civilians in Yemen, where around 10,000 people have died since it began its offensive in 2015 with its ally the United Arab Emirates. French officials say the weapons have been used only for defensive purposes, rejecting claims that it is violating the Arms Trade Treaty that prohibits arms sales to countries if their use could lead to civilian casualties. "Yes, it's a dirty war, yes it has to be stopped, Saudi Arabia and the Emirates must stop" the fighting, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told France Inter radio on Tuesday. "Yes, we must be extremely vigilant with arms sales to these two countries, which is what we are doing," he said. But last month the Disclose website published findings from a classified French military note that said French weapons were being used in the Yemen war, contradicting the government's stance. Three Disclose reporters were subsequently questioned by France's domestic intelligence agency, a move that drew protests from press freedom advocates. France, the world's third-biggest arms exporter, counts Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as major clients and has resisted pressure to stop arms sales to the Gulf countries. It is a marked contrast with Germany, which suspended its weapon sales to Saudi Arabia since last October. The United Nations says the Yemeni conflict is the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with 3.3 million people displaced by the fighting and 24.1 million in need of aid. Growing numbers of outcast Rohingya refugees are risking their lives by crossing the closed Myanmar-Bangladesh border with narcotics pills packed into their stomachs, police said Tuesday. Scores of Rohingya Muslims, including many women, who fled to camps in Bangladesh after a Myanmar military clampdown in 2017, have been detained in recent months after returning to seek drugs and transport them, according to police. Narcotics control official Soman Mondol said an anti-drug squad had arrested 18 Rohingya near the border town of Teknaf on one day this month and 13 had 'yaba' methamphetamine pills in their stomach. Myanmar has become a major producer of yaba -- a Thai word meaning "crazy medicine" -- which has become wildly popular in Bangladesh, as well as other southeast Asian nations. Refugees earn up to 20,000 taka ($237) for each narcotics trip, Mondol said, adding "for a Rohingya, it's a lot of money." The drug is carried in the stomach where it is difficult to detect without x-ray machines that are rare at border posts, he said. Drug gangs use Rohingya to get the yaba into southern Bangladesh, where almost a million impoverished refugees live in camps, and then send it all over the country of 165 million people, anti-narcotics officials said. Mondol said each carrier swallows a plastic bag of between 500 and 2,000 yaba pills before transporting it across the border. "We are overwhelmed. It's an alarming trend," Faisal Hasan Khan, Bangladesh Border Guard chief in the border town of Teknaf, told AFP. He said about 70 Rohingya had been detained in recent months with hundreds of thousands of pills. Azim Ahmed, head of the police Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in Teknaf, said the flow of yaba has increased despite a crackdown in the past year in which 400 suspected drug traffickers, including 20 Rohingya, have been shot dead. "Rohingya involvement has phenomenally increased in this trade," he said. According to Ahmed, only 10 percent of the traffickers are being caught. Emdadul Haq, a professor at the private North South University, said gangs take advantage of the poverty of the refugees who are not allowed to work outside their camps or pursue higher education. As part of the crackdown, the Bangladesh parliament made yaba a class-A banned substance in October and parliament passed a law allowing the death penalty for traffickers in the drug. Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail speaks at Yapeim's Inspirasi Ramadan event in Putrajaya May 29, 2019. Picture by Mukhriz Hazim PUTRAJAYA, May 29 Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has proposed for a monitoring authority to be established, amid accusations that Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) is overcharging consumers. Speaking at the sidelines of a breaking fast event, the Kulim-Bandar Baharu MP said that the authority would be responsible to ensure that electricity and even water metres are properly calibrated. We need to improve on the weaknesses in the system. The metres should have a system that can verify it and it would be good if the system can be utilised for both water and electric metres. Im not certain if we have such an organisation but if we can establish an authority to monitor the system, it would be better. Every electric and water metre has been certified and calibrated by a single authoritative body, Saifuddin suggested. When asked if the government should allow another electricity utility company to serve Malaysia and break TNBs power monopoly, the minister refused to comment and said that it was a matter of policy. At the same time, he said that the Cabinet had also discussed the TNB issue earlier during its weekly meeting. According to him, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had raised the issue and Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister Yeo Bee Yin had answered in detail all the questions raised in the meeting. Touching on how TNB can handle the matter, Saifuddin said the utility giant have a few options at hand. Im sure they already have a plan on what to do, he said. But from the perspective of a consumer, I think it is best that they give a rebate if the bill has been paid, or even cashbacks. If the bill has not been paid, TNB should issue a new bill reflecting the real cost. Earlier today, TNB gave its assurance it would refund excess payments made by consumers if said charges were found to have occurred on their respective electricity bills. The utility giant in a statement said it is currently focusing on ensuring every customers complaint is investigated and appropriate action is taken. Related Articles Bil melambung, TNB pulang semula bayaran jika terlebih caj TNB says will refund customers who were overcharged TNB denies hiking electricity tariffs on govts orders Eight beneficiaries from Student Care @ Childrens Society, aged between seven and eight, at a reading of the story by author Goh Eck Kheng on 29 May, 2019. (PHOTO: SCS) SINGAPORE Jun yearns to learn how to swim. The young boy is happy when Mok, an uncle from a neighbouring village, offers to teach him. With time, Mok starts touching Juns private parts. Tormented by Moks actions, Jun begins having nightmares about an octopus pulling him down to its cave, which eventually reaches out for his baby sister. Jun later confronts his fears and tells his parents about the traumatic experience. These are snippets from a children storybook launched on Wednesday (29 May) to educate young readers on the topic of child sexual abuse prevention. The folk tale of Jun and the Octopus, authored by Goh Eck Kheng and illustrated by Lim An-ling, is published by the Singapores Children Society (SCS). SCS chief executive officer Alfred Tan hopes that the book will encourage parents or educators to have meaningful conversations with young children about the touchy issue of sexual abuse, without having to go through the media or a third party. Citing statistics by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), Tan noted that child sexual abuse cases under investigation had more than quadrupled from 45 in 2009 to 248 last year. Its never too early to talk to them. To me, one child abused is already one child too many, Tan added. (SCREENCAP: MSF) The issue of child sexual abuse came in the spotlight recently after a Singapore-based Australian man last week pleaded guilty in Melbourne to 59 offences of the nature. At least five boys from Singapore were among the victims whom Boris Kunsevitsky, 53, sexually abused during the 16 years he worked here. Lin Xiaoling, SCS deputy director of the advocacy and research department, stressed that stories of child sexual abuse are not uncommon and happen more often than we think they do. Parents should be brave and open about having such conversations with their children, instead of skirting around the sensitive issue, said Lin, who is a mother of a six-year-old daughter. Many times, it is adults who are not comfortable with sharing and we keep a lot of things from children, thinking that they dont understand. But actually they do, she added. Story continues Adults can teach proper terms of private parts to their children and remind them about the issue by illustrating bad scenarios. Its only when children have the information, they would know how to react when they are caught in such situations, said Lin. There are plans to translate the book, currently available in English, into other languages for children living elsewhere in the region, such as Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. The SCS will look at different ways to publicise the book, including organising readings at relevant venues, added Lin. 1,000 copies of Jun and the Octopus are available in its initial print run. It is on sale for $18 at selected book stores, including Books Kinokuniya, Huggs-Epigram Coffee Bookshop, and Woods in the Books. The book is an extension of the SCS existing sexual abuse prevention programme called KidzLive: I Can Protect Myself, which is offered at pre-school centres. Aimed at educating children aged four to six, the programme has drawn almost 11,000 attendees since 2011. (PHOTO: Yahoo News Singapore) Related Singapore stories: Singapore the top country for children to grow up in: NGO report Singapore sees rising trend of child abuse cases in recent years Singapore-based paedophile who abused dozens of boys across Asia kept photos in file called Jailbait US National Security Advisor John Bolton said Wednesday Iran was "almost certainly" behind attacks on ships off the United Arab Emirates earlier this month. The four ships, including two Saudi tankers, were attacked by "naval mines almost certainly from Iran", Bolton told a press conference in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi. US experts are part of a five-nation team that is investigating the May 12 attacks that damaged the four vessels in the Sea of Oman off the UAE emirate of Fujairah. "There's no doubt in anybody's mind in Washington who's responsible for this," he said. "Who else would you think is doing it? Someone from Nepal?" Bolton said he would meet Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan as well as his UAE counterpart, Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, to discuss relations and regional tensions. "We remain concerned and as watchful as we can," he said. "We are responding and consulting more closely with our allies in the region to discuss what to do next." Washington has reimposed tough sanctions against Tehran and ordered the deployment of 1,500 more troops to the Middle East. Tehran called the attacks on the ships "alarming and regrettable", and warned of "adventurism" by foreign players to disrupt maritime security. Fujairah, where the attacks took place, is a key oil export terminal on the Sea of Oman that spares tankers the need to enter the Gulf through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has repeatedly threatened to close. Almost a third of the world's oil supplies pass through the narrow strait between Iran and Oman which is the sole shipping lane into and out of the Gulf. Two days after the attacks on the ships, Yemen's Huthi rebels -- accused by Abu Dhabi and Riyadh of being proxies of Tehran -- hit a strategic diversionary pipeline in Saudi Arabia with two drones. The east-west pipeline, which has the capacity to carry some five million barrels per day from the oilfields of the kingdom's Gulf coast to the Red Sea, was shut for two days as a result of the attack. By Trend President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, first lady Mehriban Aliyeva and family members have today toured the Baku Seaside National Park. During the tour, the head of state and first lady met with local residents and the guests of the city. For Clara Rimba, a 35-year-old wife of a pastor in Tangerang, on the western outskirts of Jakarta, getting stuck in the citys notorious traffic jams was the norm. So when the Jakarta MRT, Indonesias first subway started running in March, she was thrilled, knowing that it would ease her commute to attend prayer meetings. The worst traffic jam I experienced was getting stuck for six hours, so the new train will be good and will help commuters have a faster and more convenient travel, Rimba said. Dina Sasti Damayanti, 43, and a media analyst at market intelligence provider Indonesia Indicator, said the new subway has become the main choice of transport for Jakarta residents, particularly those who live in the suburbs. Jakarta, like several other cities in Southeast Asia, is notorious for its gridlock, with commuters estimated to spend 63 hours a year or more than two and a half days stuck in traffic jams. The subway lines route runs 15.7 kilometres from Lebak Bulus, a populous residential area in the southern suburbs, to the downtown business district. The line will ultimately connect with the Light Rail Transit, which is under construction. The rest of the MRT network is expected to be completed in 2024. Its not just commuters seeing an upside to the new subway line, analysts also reckon it will revitalise the citys property market, particularly the office segment, which is characterised by decreasing occupancy rates and declining rental growth. Property consultancy Cushman & Wakefield said that the MRT has cut the local commute for office workers in the central business district to five minutes from the previous 25 to 30 minutes. The Jakarta MRT is likely to boost demand for offices and condominiums with direct or convenient access and is also likely to boost footfall in shopping malls with good connectivity, said James Taylor, head of research at JLL in Indonesia. But he was quick to add that there has been no tangible uplift in rents or prices yet because of the MRT. Story continues Areas along the MRT route from TB Simatupang, up through South Jakarta and onto Sudirman and Thamrin would be impacted the most as they are the areas with the best access. Office, retail and residential sectors are all likely to be positively impacted, Taylor said. According to Cushman & Wakefield, occupancy in the prime office space in the central business district in the first quarter of the year was 74.13 per cent, down from 76.67 per cent a year earlier owing to the recent addition of large supply. Rents, meanwhile, fell 7.3 per cent to US$20.24 per square metre. The areas that will be positively impacted are properties located surrounding the 13 stops along the route, said Arief Rahardjo, director, strategic consulting at Cushman & Wakefield Indonesia. Along with a potential increase in property prices, redevelopment could also take place in other areas close to subway route. Most buildings in the area are old with relatively small land sizes. So with more commercialisation there will be more small offices and vertical housing and hotels along the corridor, said Rahardjo, adding that it was still too early to say what the long-term impact of the subway line will be. In Hong Kong, opening of new MTR lines would immediately be followed by an increase in property prices of nearby areas. In Ap Lei Chau, for example, the average sales price of South Horizons flats jumped to more than HK$15,300 (US$1,950) per square foot in December 2016 from about HK$13,320 per sq ft in January 2016. The increase came following the opening of the South Island Line on December 28, 2016. This article Jakartas first subway line poised to revitalise Indonesian capitals property market first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019. Courtesy: Dr. Paul Tolentino Foronda MANILA, Philippines Some local government units have begun inspecting grocery and retail stores in their areas for available pork and pork-based products amid African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak in some European and Asian countries. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday (May 28) issued a recall order on all pork and pork-based items from local markets to prevent the possible spread of the deadly pig virus. READ: FDA orders recall of pork products from African Swine Fever-affected countries Dr. Paul Toletino Foronda, municipal veterinarian of Dinalupihan, Bataan posted on his Facebook page images of their initiative to remind grocery stores to self-recall the prohibited items from their respective shelves pending turn over to the FDA. Foronda said they were able to convince store owners to pull out of more than 800 cans of Ma Ling brand luncheon meat throughout their rounds. Foronda wishes that they may be given authority to confiscate the banned items to keep consumers from buying them. We do what we can to help. Gusto sana namin mabigyan na kami ng order to dispose para mai-alis na agad ang risk (We wish to be given order to dispose so we could immediately remove the risk), Foronda said. The initiative is also being done in Paranaque City. Meanwhile, supermarket owners said they might return the items to their suppliers. They clarified, however, that similar items with manufacturing dates earlier than the August 2018 effectivity of the import ban can still be purchased in their stores. Makikipag-away na lang kami sa mga supplier namin (We have no choice but to deal with our suppliers), noted Steven Cua, president of the Philippine Amalgamated Supermarket Association. Siempre, binili na iyan. Binayaran na. Isosoli ninyo pa sa amin. Ngayon kung meron silang ibang item hindi lang naman iyong item na karga nila, palit nalang. Swap (The items have been paid already. The suppliers might object if we return them. But we may ask to swap the banned items with other products), he added. Meanwhile, Agriculture Secretary Manny Pinol said they will request the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to direct the local governments to assist the DA and the FDA in confiscating the products as well as apprehending the violators. (with reports from Rey Pelayo) The post LGUs check stores amid recall of pork products due to African Swine Fever scare appeared first on UNTV News. Bora executive director John Payne expressed regret that Sabah did not manage to work with Indonesia in the years leading to the deaths of two of its three captive rhinos, including Tam who died last Monday due to kidney failure. Picture courtesy of Sabah Wildlife Department KOTA KINABALU, May 30 It is now up to Indonesia to spearhead the next move to save Sumatran rhinos since all known populations of the critically endangered animal are on the islands of Sumatra and Borneos Kalimantan, Sabah-based Borneo Rhino Alliance (Bora) has said. Its executive director John Payne said there are still too few fertile rhinos in any one place to sustain a viable breeding population, and with Malaysia left with just a single female, the onus was on Indonesia to decide the future of the species. Indonesia and the main institutions supporting Sumatran rhino conservation should be reconsidering what exactly is being done to boost the birth rate of the last remaining Sumatran rhinos before all the last rhinos die of old age or reproductive pathologies. The ball is in Indonesias court, Payne told Malay Mail in an email interview. Bora has been in charge of capturing and caring for Sumatran rhinos in Sabah over the past decade. Payne expressed regret that Sabah did not manage to work with Indonesia in the years leading to the deaths of two of its three captive rhinos, including Tam who died last Monday due to kidney failure. He said he is unaware of Indonesias plans for propagation of the species We know only what we read via internet on the National Geographic-led programme for Sumatran Rhino Rescue. To our knowledge, this programme has not sought advice from or collaboration with Malaysia or Sabah, he said. Payne said that the reason Sumatran rhinos went extinct in Malaysia but not in Indonesia was simple randomness, but their clock to save their species is also ticking. Sumatra and Kalimantan together have a land area three times bigger than Malaysia. It is just a matter of time before the species completely disappears from Indonesia, he said. The answer is not primarily poaching and habitat loss. One thing that is very clear is that leaving Sumatran rhinos in the forest will not save the species. In every single forest set aside by governments decades ago for Sumatran rhinos, even with anti-poaching effort, it is just a matter of time before the last one dies, whether of poaching or old age or disease, he said. Story continues Payne said that Bora will continue conservation efforts for the species as long as they are options left, but will be selective in their advice. Firstly, we will be guided by the government of Sabah and Malaysia. Secondly, we will not be guided by international organisations or the relevant wildlife NGOs, because over the past few decades they have failed to identify what needs to be done and, accordingly, not given wise advice to the government of Indonesia. Thirdly, as far as we are concerned, as long as there are a few Sumatran rhinos left alive, and the political and logistical situation allows it, we will keep doing whatever is possible and necessary to prevent the genus extinction, said Payne. Why we must continue rhino conservation efforts The Sabah government has reiterated its intention to start up collaborations with Indonesia, to use eggs from Sabahs last female rhino Iman and fertilise them with an Indonesian male rhinos sperm that could be carried by a surrogate female. Any calf born would be under co-ownership of the two governments. Plans have been on the books for years; the last attempt came close in April last year but was called off at the last minute by Indonesia who claimed that the eggs were not viable. Certain wildlife conservationists have said that Tams death, and the convoluted bilateral relationship spell the end of the road for rhino conservation, which has taken up a lot of funding, time and effort despite little to show. They argue that funds spent on rhinos, which run into the millions per animal, could be better spent elsewhere on other endangered species in Sabah that have a better chance of survival and also deserve attention. Payne chastised such thinking, saying that every new major success in science, technology and even politics came from persistence, and said time and cost, within reasonable limits, should not be the main criteria when it comes to conservation. Saving any endangered species requires as much effort as is necessary, for as long as necessary, by dedicated people over the entire species range, until numbers start going up significantly, he said. It is a source of great disappointment to us in Bora that some of our colleagues in the same field keep on saying that success in application of advanced reproductive technology to Sumatran rhinos is many years off and a long shot. They seem not to realise the ridiculousness of what they say. Start now. Do it. Until it works, he said. Bora executive director John Payne said that it will continue conservation efforts for the species as long as they are options left, but will be selective in their advice. Picture by Julia Chan He said that in the 30 years of rhino conservation, the cost of an estimated RM40 million is less than what has been spent on many other species combined, without success, and more funds were also required for those species. As the worlds most endangered land-dwelling mammal genus, that was once the Asian rhino, Sumatran rhino has to be seen in a global context and not just Sabah, he said. He estimated in vitro fertilisation attempts between Indonesia and Malaysia might cost in the region of RM100,000 per session, and it might take a few sessions before they see results. It is very likely that several or many attempts will have to be made, to get the exact conditions right in every way, from harvest, to transportation, to maturity of the eggs, to the fertilisation step, to care of the cell mass. But again, why wait and be pessimistic? Practise makes perfect. The first step is always the hardest, especially for older people. For the above reasons, we cannot guess the cost. This will be a process with learning. It will not be a one-off success or failure scenario, he said. Tam was taken care of properly, and continues to live Payne said that one thing he wanted to make clear is that Tam, who lived more than 30 years, received top quality care ever since he came into captivity in year 2008. His death was natural and closely linked to his old age. More specifically, the immediate cause of death was hypovolemic shock as a result of massive bleeding within the abdomen. The bleeding in turn was a result of kidney failure, which had many negative implications on the body, he said, In humans, it is known as end-stage renal disease, requiring dialysis, but the end result is death. Since Tams death, several things will be done with his carcass. The post-mortem examination, or autopsy, itself was very detailed and involved a lot of surgery. Parts of several organs were taken for on-the-spot and laboratory examination and for cell culture. The skin has been removed and will be treated and displayed in an appropriate place chosen by the government. The bones are also removed and treated so that the full skeleton will be available long term. The other remains are buried locally within Tabin Wildlife Reserve, Payne said. A key point to note is that Tam and three other Sumatran rhinos genomes were kept alive in active cell culture for future use. Tams sperm in his testes were removed very soon after death and are preserved in liquid nitrogen. Due to his old age and poor health, the quantity and quality are poor, but adequate to try in vitro fertilisation. Tissue samples were taken from several organs and sent to International Islamic University Malaysia in Kuantan, which currently has the most advanced facilities and expertise in Malaysia for animal cell cultures. So, in a purely cell biological sense, Tam still lives, he said. Payne said that it is best not to dwell on Tams death and the tragedy that is the seeming loss of his species. Two decades from now, however, his death will be a small part of a big story. The big story will be either the final extinction or the early stage of an exciting revival of the species, he added. Related Articles After Tams death, Sime Darby foundation says more conservation efforts needed for other endangered species Tam the rhinos autopsy report shows various kidney, liver complications Sabah mulls displaying Tam the rhino in state museum North Korea on Wednesday stepped up a diplomatic campaign at the United Nations to secure the release of a cargo ship seized by the United States, warning there could be "undesirable consequences" if no action is taken. North Korean Ambassador Kim Song offered the warning in a meeting with UN political chief Rosemary DiCarlo to press Pyongyang's demands that the world body intervene, the North Korean mission said. The United States announced on May 9 that it had impounded the state-owned Wise Honest, arguing that it was being used to export North Korean coal, in violations of UN sanctions over its banned nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. The seizure came amid heightened tensions after Pyongyang's recent short-range missile launches, and with talks deadlocked since the collapse of the Hanoi summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The Wise Honest, one of the largest cargo ships in North Korea's fleet, was detained in Indonesia in April 2018, loaded with North Korean coal. After it was seized by the US, the ship was taken to American Samoa, where it is docked at Pago Pago. The North Korean ambassador wrote to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on May 18 to ask for "urgent measures" to return the Wise Honest. A UN spokesman declined to comment on the meeting between Kim and DiCarlo, the under-secretary-general for political affairs, but said the UN sanctions committee should address the matter. The Security Council will on Thursday hear a report from the sanctions committee on North Korea. Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan kicked off a week-long Asian tour Wednesday with an eye to strengthening ties with regional allies and having "candid" talks with his Chinese counterpart on Beijing's growing might. "It's more about listening and being able to hear from the allies and partners," the acting US defence secretary said in a plane bound for Jakarta. Indonesia is the first leg of a tour that also includes stops in Singapore, South Korea and Japan. On Thursday, Shanahan will meet with Indonesian President Joko Widodo after talks with Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu. Cooperation on maritime issues with the sprawling Southeast Asian archipelago nation will be at the top of the agenda, as the US looks to offset China's expanding presence in the South China Sea. In Singapore on Saturday, Shanahan is to meet Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue regional defence forum. "I want to identify areas where we can cooperate," Shanahan told reporters accompanying him on the trip, adding that he hoped to have "very candid discussions around intellectual property theft, or militarisation of the South China Sea." Washington has repeatedly called for "freedom of navigation" in the busy maritime channel as Beijing builds up its military capabilities, while China has accused US ships of breaching its territorial waters. But Shanahan said rising tensions would not prevent the US from pushing forward with a defence strategy that sees China and Russia as Washington's main rivals. "We have the capacity to spin a lot of plates," he added. Washington has deployed some 1,500 troops, an aircraft carrier, a warship, B-52 bombers and a Patriot missile battery in the Middle East, citing "threats" from Iran or pro-government militias toward its interests and troops in that region. France's Nans Peters crossed the line alone to claim his maiden victory in the Giro d'Italia 17th stage on Wednesday as Ecuador's Richard Carapaz tightened his grip on the leader's pink jersey with four days of racing left. Peters, riding for the Ag2r-La Mondiale team, blew away his rivals at the end of the 181km run through the north of Italy, near the Austrian border. The 25-year-old pulled clear 16km from the line and had built up an advantage of one minute at the foot of the 5.5km final climb. "It's enormous! I'd never won, I'd always come close," said the rider from the mountainous region of Isere in south-eastern France. Colombian Esteban Chaves, riding for Mitchelton-Scott, finished a distant second 1min 30sec behind with Italy's Davide Formolo of Bora-Hansgrohe third at 1min 51sec. "It's incredible to get my first pro win in a Grand Tour," continued Peters. "My Giro was already a success having worn the top young rider's white jersey for a few days. I had no stress." Peters had already been among the leaders in the sixth stage, but had been unable to finish off and dropped to eighth. But it allowed him to pull on the white jersey for three days. Movistar rider Carapaz kept the overall leader's pink jersey, extending his lead over Italy's Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) and Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) by seven seconds. Britain's Simon Yates, the Vuelta a Espana champion, remains eighth, 7min 13sec behind the race leader. A group of 18 riders had formed a breakaway in an animated start after Tuesday's wet and cold conditions at Mortirolo. "I focused on Formolo and (Thomas) De Gendt who were the strong men of the breakaway," explained Peters. "I saw that the others were biding their time and I went for it without questioning myself." Carapaz put his foot down on the pedal over the final kilometre, gaining seven seconds on Nibali, who he leads by 1min 54sec. Movistar rider Mikel Landa of Spain also attacked and is now less than a minute behind third-placed Roglic in fourth. "Mikel Landa felt good in the finale and decided to attack to gain some time for the final podium," said Carapaz. "I also felt good and I did my best to profit from Mikel's attack. I couldn't have asked for a better 26th birthday than with the Maglia Rosa (pink jersey)." Thursday's stage offers the remaining sprinters a final chance for a win as the route drops to sea level, with a 222km run through the Venetian hinterlands from Valdaora to Santa Maria di Sala, concluding with a 2km sprint for the line. The race concludes in Verona on Sunday. * Malaysia rises to highest in near 3-weeks * Philippines on track to post second consecutive gain By Shreya Mariam Job May 29 (Reuters) - Indonesian stocks were the top gainers among Southeast Asian markets on Wednesday, recovering most of their losses from the previous session, while strong corporate results continued to boost Malaysian shares. The Jakarta SE Composite index rose 1%, helped by financials as well as telecom stocks. Shares of Bank Central Asia gained 0.8%, while those of Telekomunikasi Indonesia climbed 3.5%. The country has been tackling political turmoil following the re-election of President Joko Widodo, with riots claiming lives and injuring hundreds, which has left investors largely uncertain. However, foreign inflows into government bonds continued even during the unrest, Indonesia's central bank Governor Perry Warjiyo told Reuters in an interview. "From May 20 through May 22, during the height of the unrest, there was a foreign inflow of around 3.5 trillion rupiah into government bonds." Thai stocks edged lower and were on track to snap three straight sessions of gains. Energy and healthcare stocks led declines with Bangkok Dusit Medical Services PCL and PTT PCL shedding 1.9% and 1.1%, respectively. Meanwhile, Malaysian shares rose as much as 0.7% to their highest level since May 9, with state utility firm Tenaga Nasional Bhd contributing to most of the gains. Tenaga added as much as 7% during the session, rising to a more than one month high, after posting strong quarterly results on Tuesday. Petronas Gas Bhd also extended gains for a second session due to strong earnings rise of 1.8%. Philippine stocks extended gains to a second consecutive session, with real estate and financial stocks driving the index. "This has more to do with investor sentiment than any tangible economic data... These developments on the trade war must have already been priced in," said Charles William Ang, associate analyst at COL Financial Group. Shares of SM Prime Holdings Inc and BDO Unibank Inc advanced 0.5% and 1.4%, respectively. Meanwhile, Singapore shares dipped, in line with broader Asian markets, as industrial and consumer stocks dragged the index. Jardine Strategic Holdings Ltd shed 1.2%, while Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp slid 0.6%. Vietnam stocks edged lower. The country's trade deficit widened to $1.3 billion in May, from $550 million in April, while consumer prices for the month rose 2.88% from a year earlier. For Asian Companies click; SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS As at 0426 GMT Change on the day Market Current Previous close Pct Move Singapore 3156.88 3165.32 -0.27 Bangkok 1627.75 1632.04 -0.26 Manila 7809.06 7761.29 0.62 Jakarta 6094.399 6033.142 1.02 Kuala Lumpur 1625.17 1614.57 0.66 Ho Chi Minh 970.71 972 -0.13 Change so far in 2019 Market Current End 2018 Pct Move Singapore 3156.88 3068.76 2.87 Bangkok 1627.75 1563.88 4.08 Manila 7809.06 7,466.02 4.59 Jakarta 6094.399 6,194.50 -1.62 Kuala Lumpur 1625.17 1690.58 -3.87 Ho Chi Minh 970.71 892.54 8.76 (Reporting by Shreya Mariam Job in Bengaluru; editing by Uttaresh.V) Grab driver Mohd Hanafiee Jaffar was reported missing on Saturday. A body that was found in Tuaran is currently in the process of being formally identified. Picture via Facebook/Yinyin Ayin KOTA KINABALU, May 29 E-hailing service Grabs social media accounts have been flooded with angry comments following the death of one of its drivers here recently, after he was killed by two male passengers. Sabah-based Grab driver, Mohd Hanafiee Jaafar, was reported missing on Saturday when it later emerged that his last Grab request was at 4am that same morning where he picked up two men who wanted a ride from Kingfisher Park where the victim lived to Tuaran. A 20-year-old local and 24-year-old foreigner were arrested on Monday night and according to Sabah police chief Datuk Omar Mammah, admitted to killing 27-year-old Hanafiee and disposing his body at Shahbandar in the Tuaran district. A corpse was found there, in an advanced state of decomposition. Fingerprint analysis is underway to confirm its identity. Police believe the motive was robbery. Since then, Grab Malaysias latest Facebook post has received hundreds of comments on its safety measures, calling for the e-hailing ride to provide better security measures to protect its drivers. One user, Johnny Gonzalez, said, How many drivers need to die before you do something to ensure the safety of the drivers. Almost a year ago, a driver has already lost his life and yet, Grab did nothing useful to actually tackle such issues. You guys only issue uselsss [sic] statements such as safer grab slogans which technically does nothing to ensure the safety of the drivers. Grab promised an emergency panic button on the app but until today, I still see nothing. Grab, 2 drivers had already lost their lives being slaughtered by riders not to mention the countless issues of robberies. Not only that, a few lives were also wasted waiting in Landside KLIA just to get a return trip and you pretend nothing happened. Shame on you Grab. Another user named Sofiy Mansor said, Hey Grab, you are responsible for the death of 2 innocent grab drivers in Malaysia. I dont know how your management can even sleep at night. While you reap the huge profit and give small margin to the drivers, i dont see any radical and true commitment from Grab in protection the driver, and now with the new regulations and drivers need to pay money for new insurance and Grab comes with bullshit slogan of berat sama dipikul.. Story continues This is the second case in a year after Aiman Nosri. Until when will Grab ignore the safety of its drivers? Facial recognition and Identity registration for its passengers perhaps? To register as a driver, you have to register all kinds of things, said Jonathan Pullman. On Twitter, user yunn1rahman said, How many times must a driver be murdered but still @GrabMY wont do anything. Tighten the conditions to sign up, like Airbnb, provide legal identification, not just email address or Facebook login Grabs immediate corporate response to most comments was that it is aware of the issue and urged concerned parties to rest on this. Hi there! The authorities is [sic] aware of this issue and certainly theres [sic] investigation going on. Kindly rest on this while the enforcement team takes care of this. This is purely to protect and ensure the privacy of the drivers family and loved ones are not interrupted. Your understanding and cooperation in this matter is certainly appreciated. Thank you, the company said on its Facebook page. Hi there! The authorities is aware of this issue and certainly there's investigation going on. Kindly rest on this while the enforcement team takes care of this. This is purely to protect and ensure the privacy of the driver's family and loved ones are not interru... Grab Malaysia (@GrabMY) May 28, 2019 Malay Mail tried contacting Grab for comments on the incident but was told no statement would be issued yet while it deals with the police. The incident has shaken up Grab drivers around the country, and particularly in Sabah, where drivers and users are now circulating a list of 19 black areas around the state capital which are allegedly dangerous after 9pm. People who rely on Grab for rides have also been affected, with some commenting that drivers will not pick them up from certain areas which they claim have a bad reputation. Related Articles Cops nab two Grab passengers suspected of murdering driver in Sabah Penang cabbies come up with cALLme Cab app to fight Grab Grab teams up with brand partners to help Malaysians for Ramadan and Hari Raya Taiwan displayed how its fighter jets can land, refuel and rearm on the island's highways Tuesday as part of its largest annual exercise simulating defence against a Chinese invasion. The self-ruled island has long lived under the threat of invasion by Beijing which views Taiwan as part of its territory and has vowed to take it back by force if necessary. Chinese military and diplomatic pressure has been significantly ramped up since the 2016 election of President Tsai Ing-wen, whose government refuses to acknowledge that the self-ruled island is part of "one China". This week Taiwan's 23 million inhabitants have witnessed stark reminders of the military threats they face. On Monday the streets were briefly deserted as authorities carried out an annual missile drill across the island's north, with text messages sent to every mobile phone and air raid sirens wailing. The following day 1,600 soldiers were mobilised in central Taiwan as aircraft practised landing on a closed highway for the annual "Han Kuang" (Han Glory) war games. Three jet fighters as well as an early warning aircraft also practised refuelling and loading missiles and other ammunition before taking off again. Taiwan would be massively outgunned in terms of troop numbers and firepower in any war with China but it has developed sophisticated asymmetric tactics to hold out for as long as possible and make any invasion of the island hugely costly for Beijing. "There are only a few military air bases which would become the prime targets in the event of an attack. The highway drill is necessary as highway strips would be our priority choice if the runways are damaged during a war," air force Colonel Shu Kuo-mao told reporters. Inspecting the drill on Tuesday, president Tsai referred to the marked uptick in Chinese naval and airforce patrols in recent months which have rattled nerves. "They have caused a certain degree of threat to regional peace and stability. We should maintain high vigilance," she said. The manoeuvres in Taiwan come after the US, Japan, South Korea and Australia kicked off operation "Pacific Vanguard" near Guam, bringing together more than 3,000 sailors from the four countries last week. Beijing has also been angered by warming relations between Taipei and Washington since Tsai came to power. On Monday, Beijing reacted frostily to photos showing a rare meeting between uniformed Taiwanese officers and their US counterparts earlier this month. Last week, China lodged a protest with Washington after two US warships sailed through the Taiwan Strait. The leadership of Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) expressed firm belief that the Hybrid Electric Vehicles is the best propeller of vehicle electrification efforts in the country. In his presentation during the Toyota Hybrid Electric Technology Conference, TMP chief Satoru Suzuki said that the Hybrid Vehicles (HEV) is the best electric vehicle (EV) among all EVs in the market. Aside from Hybrid Electric Vehicles, EVs include Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles (PHEV), Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV), and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV). According to him, HEV is the best to start the EV deployment in the country as it is feasible despite the following concerns: vehicle price, traveling range, and infrastructure availability. Aside from that, HEVs can help reduce emission and improve fuel saving by 50 percent in preparation for other EVs in the market. Toyota has a whole range of electrified vehicle technology that can help achieve sustainable mobility goals. But EV popularization depends on many factors and varies by market. Based on current Philippine conditions, it is most appropriate to start with HEV popularization in order to accelerate the reduction of emissions and fuel consumption, Suzuki said in his speech. TMP is the first brand to bring hybrid vehicles locally with the introduction of the second-generation Prius back in 2009. Currently, TMP offers two hybrid vehicles in its lineupthe Prius and Prius Cand six under the Lexus brand: GS 450h, NX 300h, RX 450h, CT 200h, CT 200h F Sport, and LS 500h. q I The post Toyota PH Chief Says Hybrid EVs Best to Propel Local Vehicle Electrification Industry appeared first on Carmudi Philippines. By Trend Negotiations on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are conducted on the basis of the Kazan principles, Sergey Markov, Director of the Russian Institute of Political Studies, said at a conference titled "Azerbaijan in Eurospace", Trend reports. He recalled that 1 million refugees and internally displaced persons live in Azerbaijan and that the UN Security Council, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and the European Parliament have repeatedly adopted resolutions reaffirming that Nagorno-Karabakh is an integral part of Azerbaijan. Markov also said that no country recognized Nagorno-Karabakh as a separate independent state. "Some consider the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to be a frozen conflict, because there is no movement of armed forces and no peacekeeping forces are stationed. But this conflict cannot be considered frozen due to the occurrence of various incidents, he said. Hostilities did indeed take place on the contact line of troops in April of 2016. While it only lasted for a short time namely four days, hundreds of servicemen and civilians were killed. Official Moscow, having talked over the phone with the leaderships of Azerbaijan and Armenia several times, asked to stop the military hostilities," Markov added. According to the Director of the Institute, Armenia occupied not only Nagorno-Karabakh, but also seven adjacent regions. Ethnic cleansing was carried out in these regions, and locals were expelled from these territories. The OSCE Minsk Group was created to resolve the conflict, and certain measures were taken for holding negotiations, he noted. Moreover, the Kazan Principles adopted on the initiative of Russia envisage a compromise, according to which Armenia returns the seven occupied regions to Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan lifts the economic blockade around Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, and then gives a temporary status to Nagorno Karabakh, followed by the withdrawal of the Armenian forces. Currently, negotiations are continuing on the basis of these principles," Markov concluded. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. With more than 17,000 miles of coastline on the mainland alone (and another 10,000 miles on the islands), Australia was made for road trips with an ocean view. You can drive across a plain so flat that a camels humps look like mountains, follow the curves of wild coastal bluffs, or even make tracks on miles and miles of beach. Take a day, a week, or more discovering Australias coast by Australians favorite means of travel. Here are five joy rides to get you started. Nullarbor Plain, South Australia Getty Images A drive for seasoned road trippers, the Nullarbor Plain runs across Western Australia and into South Australia on the countrys longest, flatest, straightest road: the Eyre Highway. Known for its vast treeless vistas, the Nullarbor Plain meets the craggy coastal cliffs of the Great Australian Bight, prime for whale watching in winter. Also be on the lookout for wild camels, kangaroos, and emus wandering the plain, or mix up the scenery by stopping at Eucla National Park to play in towering white sand dunes. Plan ahead for this one and always carry extra fuel and watereven at its busiest, the Eyre Highway is wonderfully remote. The Great Ocean Road, Victoria Getty Images The most famous of Australias coastal road trips, the Great Ocean Road traverses 150 miles of Victorias rugged cliffs, heading west from Torquay (just southwest of Melbourne) to Allansford. The road attracts Australians and foreigners alike, with views so spectacular youll be tempted to drive at a glacial pace. Take at least three days to allow time to explore landmarks like the 12 Apostles, a set of spindly limestone towers at sea that change color at sunrise and sunset. Along the dramatic drive, which has earned a spot on Australias National Heritage list, youll also find iconic surf spots, diveable shipwrecks (a stretch of the drive is known as the Shipwreck Coast), and hikes into the fern-filled rainforest. Great Eastern Drive, Tasmania Getty Images The Great Eastern Drive connects the best of Tasmaniafood and wine, unparalleled natural beauty, and unique historyvia 110 miles of coastal cruising, along which you can snorkel the pristine waters of Wineglass Bay, raise a glass at Milton Vineyards, sandboard down the Peron Dunes, and immerse yourself in aboriginal history at Bay of Fires. Make time to visit Port Arthur, a former convict settlement and UNESCO World Heritage Site that was once considered the inescapable prison. Story continues Great Beach Drive, Queensland %image1 Places are often named for what they are in Australia. Enter the Great Beach Drive, an island-hopping road trip across the sand, with waves lapping at your tires. There are just three requirements: at least four days, a four-wheel drive vehicle, and a healthy (preferably incurable) sense of adventure. On this 260-mile drive, youll pass through places called Rainbow Beach and KGari, or Paradise (the local Butchulla name for Fraser Island), where a 75-mile-long stretch of beach serves as both your road and a runway for small planes. Extend your trip a few days after ending in Noosa, an idyllic slice of beachside heaven on the aptly named Sunshine Coast. Grand Pacific Drive, New South Wales Getty Images Just an hour from Sydney, the Grand Pacific Drive snakes around seaside cliffs on what can be a day trip, weekend getaway, or weeklong exploration, depending on how far (and fast) you want to go. Stop before crossing the iconic Sea Cliff Bridge and take a break from the wheel to advance on foot along the Bridgewalk, gazing down upon manta rays and other sea creatures swimming in the azure surf. For a salty treat, make it far enough south to hit Australias Oyster Coast, where you can sample briny offerings from more than 40 growers, stopping at Jervis Bay to work up an appetite by strolling the picturesque White Sands Walk. After heading to New York in 2018, Chanel will show its next Metiers d'Art collection in Paris this December After jaunts to Hamburg and New York, the Chanel fashion house will return to Paris to show its Metiers d'Art 2019-2020 collection. The show is slated for December 5 in the French capital. After taking the fashion world around the globe with its Metiers d'Art shows, the French fashion house is bringing it home to Paris this December. This forthcoming collection -- designed, as ever, to showcase the specialist crafts and skills involved in creating haute-couture fashion -- will be the first designed entirely by Virginie Viard, who took over creative directorship of the fashion house after Karl Lagerfeld's death in February. Chanel is yet to announce the exact location of the Metiers d'Art 2019-2020 show. The Grand Palais is one possible option -- a firm favorite for the fashion house when showing its ready-to-wear and haute couture collections. The Ritz -- a place dear to Coco Chanel -- is another possibility, the hotel having previously hosted the label's Metiers d'Art show in 2016. However, Chanel could also start a new chapter in its history by showing the collection in an entirely new setting. Last year, the French fashion house showed its Metiers d'Art collection at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met). The show was largely inspired by Ancient Egypt. As graduation nears, you're thrust face-first into every post-grads worst nightmare: the job search. No longer can you hide from the dreaded question of What are you going to do after graduation? But dont panic. What youre going to door rather what you should dois absolutely nothing. Is this really happening? If you just graduated or will be walking across the stage soon, and if youre anything like I was, then youre probably asking yourself that question. And youre probably also a bundle of excitement, stress, and nerves. Your senior-status glow begins to dim as youre thrust face-first into every post-grads worst nightmare: the job search. No longer can you hide from the dreaded question, What are you going to do after graduation? But dont panic. The answer is actually quite simple if you take my advice. What youre going to door rather what you should dois absolutely nothing. My college graduation year, 2015, once felt so far away. Then, before I knew it, my commencement ceremony was slapping me in the face. After four years of being bound to classes, exams, and internships, I was finally doneand I was also burnt the hell out. Still, I dove headfirst into the job search before even moving my tassel from right to left. I thought thats what I was supposed to do. Family and friends treated me like it was time for a career, an apartment with matching furniture, and my own Netflix account, so I listened. In the two weeks before my graduation, I flew to New York City from my hometown in Louisiana twice (yes, TWICE) so I could interview for a post-grad internship and an editorial assistant position at a magazine. I didnt get either job. Getty Images After those rejections, I felt stupid. I dreaded my impending graduation day. People expected me to be one of those young adults who graduated with a job offer, and I wouldnt be. I didnt want to have to tell them that. Not to mention that Id wasted hundreds of dollars on plane tickets. I started to doubt my skill set and wondered if the degree I hadnt even seen yet was actually worth the thousands of dollars Id paid for it. I sulked until I realized something: Not having a new job or any solid post-grad plans gave me something I hadnt had in years. Free time. Story continues I remembered all those days when I wanted to watch reruns of my favorite show but had to go to class. All the times I wanted to take a weekend trip with my friends but had too many extracurricular commitments. All the times I just wanted to sleep in but had to get up at the crack of dawn to find a parking spot on my crowded campus. All those days were gone. When I was in college, I was itching to get outeven as an overachiever. Theres something alluring about the future, and I spent so many days in undergrad obsessively thinking about it. I know Im not the only one who did. We reach one goal, and then its onto the next one. For the first time, I had to savor each day and moment because there was no plan. Its powerful when you allow yourself to breathe for a second. If theres anything Ive learned in the four years since Ive graduated, its that the real world is wild AF. You win big and fail hard. You laugh and may even find yourself crying on a subway platform. You take a look at your bank account, see $8 in it, and still decide to order takeout. And dont even get me started on dating. Ive had more post-grad breakdowns than I care to admit, but in those difficult moments, I look back at pictures from those three summer months between college and adulthood. In those photos, Im glowing, sitting poolside in an orange bikini. Im happy, probably because Id just survived some of the toughest years of my life. Those images strengthen me when Im stressed about work and bills and life, and they remind me of what I can achieve. Getty Images The real world isnt going anywhere. Take the summer to tend to relationships with your friends and yourself before everyone goes their separate ways. Maintaining those connections, in my opinion, is pivotal to surviving adulthood. This is also a time to cultivate good self-care habits, whether that involves $8 face-masks, reading a book, or just putting your phone on do not disturb for a few hours. Youve earned it. And lets be honest: This is really the last summer break youll ever have. (Unfortunately, adulthood comes with limited vacation days.) So pick up a new hobby. Eat too much pizza. Or simply lie around in your childhood bedroom. That way, when Sallie Mae does come calling six months later, youre cool, (semi) calm, and recharged. HOLSTEIN, Iowa -- Three women were injured Wednesday after a car pulled out in front of a van on U.S. Highway 20 at Holstein. Ida County Sheriff Wade Harriman said a woman driving a Volkswagen Passat pulled out of the Holstein Travel Center parking lot at about 2:51 p.m., crossed the two eastbound lanes of U.S. 20 and then pulled into the westbound lanes in front of a westbound Toyota Sienna van near the junction of U.S. 20 and U.S. Highway 59. The van struck the passenger side of the Passat, injuring the car's passenger and driver. The van's driver also was injured. All three were taken to Horn Memorial Hospital in Ida Grove, Iowa, with what Harriman said appeared to be non-life-threatening injuries. A passenger in the van was not hurt. Harriman said the driver of the Passat was cited for failure to yield. Harriman did not identify the drivers or passengers. Southbound traffic on U.S. 59 in Holstein was prohibited from turning onto U.S. 20 for about 40 minutes while authorities investigated and cleaned up the crash. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 2 Sad 0 Angry 0 By Trend The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan hosted a meeting with Ahmed Ali Al Sharyan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bahrains Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC), Trend reports referring to the Turkmen Foreign Ministry. According to the Ministry, the parties discussed a wide range of issues in priority areas of bilateral cooperation. In particular, the possibilities of implementing joint projects in oil, gas and chemical industries, and the prospects for the production of ammonia and nitrogen were considered, the information says. As reported, earlier GPIC held talks with representatives of Turkmengas, Turkmennebit (Turkmenneft) and Turkmenhimiya (Turkmenchemistry) state concerns, during which the issue on creation of a joint coordination working group was discussed among others. The Turkmenhimiya State Concern plans to increase the volume and range of mineral fertilizers. The country has already launched production of key types of mineral fertilizers. Ammonia-urea plants successfully operate in the cities of Tejen and Mary, a urea plant has been commissioned in the city of Garabogaz of the Balkan Region. A workshop for the production of sulfuric acid was commissioned at the Turkmenabat Chemical Plant, where it is also planned to master the production of potash-nitrogen fertilizers from ammonium nitric acid and potassium chloride. To this end, work is underway for the implementation of a project involving the production of highly concentrated phosphate fertilizers with an annual capacity of 170,000 tons. In addition, it is planned to start the production of ammonium sulfate, widely used in agriculture as an effective fertilizer, on the basis of sulfuric acid and ammonia produced in the country. According to local experts, the country's raw material reserves allow for producing all types of mineral fertilizers in volumes that meet the domestic needs of the country, and for significant increasing the export potential of the industry. In January this year, the state-owned concern announced an international tender for the construction of a production unit for producing complex mineral fertilizers. Tenders were also announced for the selection of a contractor for the design and construction of an enterprise for the production of granulated ammonium sulfate - mixed nitrogen-sulfur fertilizer, and a workshop for the production of Urea-ES nitrogen-sulfate fertilizer at the Tejencarbamide plant. SIOUX CITY -- Sioux City Police were dispatched to MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center late Tuesday night for a report of a shooting. According to a news release, the victim told investigators that he was walking in the 1500 block of Ross Street when he was approached by three masked individuals. One of them displayed a rifle. The victim ran away but was shot in the arm. The victim's injury doesn't appear to be life-threatening and he isn't pressing charges. Sioux City Police say the investigation into this incident has been discontinued at this time. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SIOUX CITY -- Hunt Elementary pupils withstood morning rains Wednesday to give a goodbye hug to their building during a ceremony Wednesday. A half hour before the students walked away for the final time, the U.S. flag was lowered to the ground. When the northside Sioux City school opened in 1906, a 45-star flag flew over the building -- five future states had not yet entered the Union led by President Theodore Roosevelt. Over the subsequent 113 years, roughly 20,000 days of instruction took place in the architecturally distinctive Hunt school at 615 20th St., between Jackson and Nebraska streets. While other Sioux City students end the 2018-19 school year Thursday, Hunt held classes for the last time ever Wednesday. That resulted in a few special events, so students could "Hug Hunt Goodbye," as they mingled with many teachers wearing gold and black T-shirts that represented the school colors. "It is always hard to say goodbye to a building in which you have fond memories," Hunt Principal Camille Barker said. Inside, boxes labeled with such teachers' names as Brooks, Juhnke and Jungers were stacked in hallways, the outcome of work over the last few weeks of packing up to leave. In spite of such moves, Barker said a key goal was "to keep a focus on academics, and to provide instruction to the very last day." Hunt Elementary is by far the oldest school in the public school system. Once it closes, the oldest district school will be Sunnyside Elementary, which dates to 1957. Since the late 1990s, school leaders have gradually replaced the roster of aging schools dating to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The current Hunt will be demolished this summer to make room for a new school with the same name. The new building is under construction just south of the old one in the 1900 and 2000 blocks of Jackson and Nebraska streets. The current site will be used for part of the new L-shaped building and a teacher parking lot. The $20.5 million project is anticipated for completion in August 2022. Until it's ready, neighborhood elementary students will attend classes in the former Crescent Park Elementary School. Hunt's departing fifth graders will move to the North Middle School next fall. For the last two years, the former Crescent Park school at 114 W. 27th St. has been known as Bryant Elementary. Wednesday also marked the final day of school for Bryant students, who will move this fall to the new Bryant school nearing completion. It was built at the site of the aging Bryant at 821 30th St. Since plans to close Hunt have been known for a few years, Hunt fifth-grader Kevin Baires learned about it in third grade. "I was surprised. It was going on for a lot of years," Baires said, although he guessed the building was at most 50 years old. It is the only school Baires has attended, and he wasn't bothered by Hunt being among the final four city public schools without air conditioning. He noticed an interior sculpture was broken, and educators in the building also described the narrow hallways, small rooms and insufficient space in general. Not all of Hunt will disappear, however. Exterior rosettes, or rose-shaped decorative pieces, and some of the sandstone concrete sections, including the "Hunt" lettering on the south side, will be kept. Such flourishes were common in Midwest schools in the early 1900s. Fifth-grader Misera Guye said she liked her Hunt schooling over the last two years after moving to Iowa. "It is really awesome and the kids are so nice to you," Guye said. "I really want to stay here." Barker said a key event in the goodbyes for Hunt came on an April weekend, on which many people, including former students, came for tours and to see old photos. "We had a lot of community members who came back through and shared memories of what a classroom was before," Barker said. A teacher who has experienced many classrooms in Hunt is Lori Schlotfeldt, who first came to the building as a student teacher in 1993, then has worked there as teacher every year since. Schlotfeldt didn't see the building as old back then, but now recognizes its limitations. "No air conditioning is miserable. When it is hot, it is awful," she said. Schlotfeldt quickly pivoted to the positives of Hunt, including the "family" feel. "While it is small here, it is homey," she stated. Over the years, Schlotfeldt has taught kindergarten, first and fourth grades and is now an interventionist teacher in math and reading. She expects to depart the building Thursday with a heavy heart. "It is really emotional, just because I don't know anything different, this is all I've had in my teaching experience. And then you look at the cracked walls, and you know it is time for something new," Schotfeldt said. "It will be tough," she said, slowing down and composing her thoughts. "It will be tough, closing that door for the last time." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 2 Angry 0 HORNICK, Iowa Holding his first public town hall meeting in Woodbury County in several years, Iowa 4th District Rep. Steve King on Tuesday said he doesn't support the popular election of presidents, discussed the "injustice" of losing his committee positions and preceded it all by specially honoring Hornick residents who evacuated the town for a few days following March flooding. The recognition ceremony for "acts of valor" was held at Hornick's city hall, where 55 people saw King give honors to six residents. King lauded the work of Mayor Scott Mitchell, who colorfully began his remarks by saying people like himself were thrust into action by the flooding. "(Expletive) went to hell in a hand basket in Hornick," Mitchell said. "Hell, I didn't know what to do." A mandatory evacuation was ordered in Hornick on March 14, after snow melt and a breached levee on the West Fork of the Little Sioux River caused extensive flooding of city streets. The 219 Hornick residents were allowed to return home March 18 after the floodwaters receded. Two months ago, Gov. John Bel Edwards and other top Louisiana officials via Twitter and other means condemned King for his comments comparing victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 with western Iowans inundated by flooding. The outcry came after King, during a town hall meeting in Charter Oak in March, recounted a conversation with an unidentified Federal Emergency Management Agency official, who praised Iowans for their willingness to help each other. "But heres what FEMA tells me: We go to a place like New Orleans and everybodys looking around saying, whos gonna help me, whos gonna help me? King told the audience at the Charter Oak meeting. "We go to a place like Iowa, and we go, we go see, knock on the door at, and say, I'll make up a name, John's place, and say, 'John, you got water in your basement, we can write you a check, we can help you.' And John will say, 'Well, wait a minute, let me get my boots. It's Joe that needs help. Let's go down to his place and help him.'" In praising Hornick residents Tuesday, King related a discussion with a FEMA official in Kansas City, with disappointment some personnel from that agency couldn't get to Hornick sooner. He said Hornick residents started the cleanup themselves and persevered, and King appeared to double down on his Charter Oak comments, in reference to Louisiana and Katrina. "I've been to other disasters, hurricane disasters, where people didn't step up like you all stepped up here in Hornick. And so, I mentioned that. I am going to omit the geography here, so we don't end up with a national media firestorm," King told the crowd. "But everybody in that state had to get on their Twitter account or do a press conference to tell how offended they were that, I guess, they didn't meet the standards of Hornick." After a few years of not holding public town halls, King, who lives in Kiron and is in his 17th year in the House, pledged at the start of this year to hold one-hour meetings in each of the 39 counties of the 4th District. The Woodbury County town hall was his 16th this year. King's choice of the venue meant the town hall did not take place in Sioux City, the largest city in the county and the 4th District. In January, King was stripped by Republican leaders of all his committee assignments for the next two years, following a national uproar over King's quote in a New York Times story in which he asked, "White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization how did that language become offensive? Why did I sit in classes teaching me about the merits of our history and our civilization?" The first question of the day came on that topic, when Bill Bade, of Sergeant Bluff, wondered how King has been spending his time over the five months and whether the congressman was being effective. King said some House members, unasked by him to take the step, are working to see him put back on committees. "They were appalled by the injustice of this," King said, while asserting he was misquoted by the Times. "I don't trade in that language," King said. He said people are simplifying his duties, which are more than committees. "Well, do they think I am sitting there, reading a book?" King asked. King took seven questions during the event, and topics included the record of President Donald Trump and whether the selection system for the president should move from the Electoral College to a popular vote. Under that system, "I am afraid that (high-population states) New York and California would dictate to us," Richard Chrestensen, of Hornick, said in posing the question. "These (presidential) candidates would be in the big cities all the time," King said. "The popular vote would be a disaster." King added Trump found a path to win enough states and the Electoral College, even though Democrat Hillary Clinton had 3 million more votes. "Amen," Chrestensen responded. Dennis Moore, of Sioux City, also spoke to King about Trump, saying Democrats are not accepting that special counsel Robert Mueller's report completed earlier this spring did not find a criminal conspiracy between the campaign and Russian officials. Democrats have said Mueller did not exonerate Trump on the question of whether he tried to impede his investigation. "Mr. Trump, he is tough as nails," Moore said. "I'll second that," King said. Love 3 Funny 2 Wow 1 Sad 7 Angry 8 DES MOINES Gov. Kim Reynolds is defending her veto of a medical marijuana expansion she views as too much of a jump, but at least two Democratic lawmakers said Tuesday they want the Republican-led Legislature to convene a special session to override her decision. Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City, and Rep. John Forbes, a Democrat and an Urbandale pharmacist, say they want to give legislators a second chance to support the legislation intended to help suffering Iowans. They plan Wednesday to ask majority Republicans to call for a special session to resurrect House File 732. The Democrats note the bill to expand the medical cannabis program passed the Iowa House by a vote of 96 to 3 and the Iowa Senate by a vote of 40 to 7. It would take a two-thirds vote of both chambers to convene a special legislative session to consider overturning the Republican governors veto. Last week, Reynolds decided Iowas medical marijuana program should not be expanded in the way legislators had proposed. The proposal would have removed the 3 percent cap on THC and instead limited the amount of medical cannabis a patient could be prescribed at any one time to 25 grams over 90 days. We need to be narrow and cautious in how we move forward, Reynolds said Tuesday. She told reporters she wants a more balanced approach, saying I do not support recreational marijuana and I just felt that was too much of a jump. Reynolds said she vetoed the proposal because the cap would still allow an individual to consume more THC a day than an illegal user. Supporters said the expansion is necessary because the 3 percent cap limits the effectiveness against most ailments. But Reynolds said she deferred to the state medical cannabis board, which recommended a prescription cap of just 4.5 grams per 90 days. The board was created to oversee the program and recommend changes to lawmakers. It is made up of eight physicians and one law enforcement official, each appointed by the governor. Reynolds pledged to continue working with the board and lawmakers on potentially expanding the program, saying Tuesday she was all in for finding a balance and well get there. Sen. Brad Zaun, R-Urbandale and a strong supporter of the medical cannabis program and its proposed expansion, said in a statement last week he was extremely disappointed with the veto, but said after conversations with Reynolds he remains committed to work with her and other lawmakers during the 2020 legislative session. Lucas Nelson, general manager of the Iowa medical cannabis manufacturer MedPharm, said last week the veto will greatly hurt Iowans trying to fight debilitating medical conditions because the changes would have fixed Iowas deeply flawed program. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 3 Angry 10 By Trend The Russian delegation, attending the meeting of the Council of CIS Heads of Government, which will be held on May 31 in the Turkmen capital of Ashgabat, will be headed by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Trend reports referring to the press service of the Russian government. The parties will discuss topical issues of cooperation between the CIS countries. Particular attention will be paid to the subject of innovation, protection of rights to intellectual property, and customs control. It is planned to sign a number of intergovernmental documents regulating interaction in these areas, according to the source. During the negotiations, it is expected that decisions will be made with regards to developing a draft intergovernmental program of innovative cooperation for the period until 2030, amending the rules for determining the country of origin of products, and customs clearance, as well as the transit and monitoring of goods moved through the territories of the CIS member states. Just last week, it seemed as if Connecticut might follow Washingtons footsteps and become the next state to pass some version of a public health insurance option. Gov. Ned Lamont and a group of Democrats lined up behind a bill that would create a new, government-backed insurance plan and offer subsidies to some families that dont currently qualify for help under Obamacare. This is a bill that gives us the best opportunity in a long time to expand access to people who dont have access to affordable health care and to bring down the cost of health care, Lamont said. Advertisement Now, following a swift and fierce pushback from the states powerful insurance industry, the effort appears to have collapsed. Connecticut Comptroller Kevin Lembo, whose office would have played a key roll in implementing the legislation, told the Hartford Courant Tuesday that the legislation was effectively dead after the CEO of Cigna, which is based in the state, suggested he would move the company elsewhere if the bill passed. According to Lembo, the insurance giants chief threatened to send a public letter to Lamont that if the public option bill moves forward, they would reconsider where theyre domiciled. Cignas spokesman said the insurer lobbied hard against the bill, but denied that any threat was made. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The insurance industry is a major employer in Connecticut and holds an enormous amount of political sway. But if Lembos description of what happened is true, it may be a preview of just how vicious any battle over federal health reform would be. I happened to be on the phone with a Connecticut state Sen. Matt Lesser to discuss the proposal when the news of its demise broke. As he explained it to me, the most recent version of the bill would have required insurers that sold any coverage on the states Obamacare exchanges to also offer a standard, state-designed health plan, called the Connecticut Option, structured to be 20 percent less expensive than other options on the market. The government would have assembled a network of providers willing to accept the new coverage, and provided some additional subsidies to households above and beyond what Obamacare offers. It was not a plan to push private carriers out of Connecticuts individual insurance market, which is fairly small to begin with. Were talking about very incremental change. Advertisement Advertisement Nonetheless, a group of carriers wrote to Lamont last week urging him to kill the bill. It might not have posed any kind of serious danger to their bottom lines, but judging by the comptrollers comments to the Courant, Cignas CEO at least seems to have viewed the fight as an early skirmish in a bigger national battle over health reform: Advertisement Lembo accused Cordani of acting more from political impulse than to protect his business. This is not an existential threat to them, he said. Its an ideological threat to the CEO of Cigna. That tracked with what Lesser told me earlier in the day when I asked him what he thought the bills chances of passing might be. At the time, he said it was 50-50. We have an incredible amount of political support, he told me. But I dont want to kid myself. We are a state thats synonymous with the insurance industry. And there are some in the industry who are afraid that any health reform effort is a step down the path to their biggest fear, which is Medicare for all. The Trump administration loves fossil fuels, but apparently has decided that they need some rebranding. Or so E&E News editor Ellen Gilmer discovered Tuesday when she opened up what should have been the worlds driest press release. TFW you delete a DOE press release thinking its just another DOE press release. And then you realize its not just another DOE press release https://t.co/oY4XFRq9Q6 pic.twitter.com/Pbbo5JTgDO Ellen M. Gilmer (@ellengilmer) May 29, 2019 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats right. Hydrocarbons shall henceforth be known as molecules of U.S. freedom. Proud Americans are fracking compounds of liberty from the glorious shale beds of Texas and shipping it round the world. Anyway, it gets better. The actual news here is that the Department of Energy gave Houston-based Freeport LNG approval to export gas processed at a new liquefaction plant that the company is set to build at a facility off the coast of Texas. Elsewhere in the governments press release, U.S. Undersecretary of Energy Mark W. Menezes explains, Increasing export capacity from the Freeport LNG project is critical to spreading freedom gas throughout the world by giving Americas allies a diverse and affordable source of clean energy. (Bolds are mine.) Advertisement Get The Angle in Your Inbox Slate's daily newsletter rounds up the stories you need to read. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. Freedom gas. It appears that turn of phrase originated earlier this month, when Secretary of Energy Rick Perry signed an order aimed at doubling U.S. liquefied natural gas shipments to Europe. At a press briefing in Brussels, he explained that the move would help European nations diversify their energy supply away from Russia, the regions major supplier of gas. The United States is again delivering a form of freedom to the European continent, he said. And rather than in the form of young American soldiers, its in the form of liquefied natural gas. Afterward, a cheeky reporter from EURACTIV asked whether freedom gas would be a correct way to describe the new fuel shipments. I think you may be correct in your observation, an apparently inspired Perry responded. And now its the Trump administrations official line. As one of my colleagues put it, spreading freedom gas sounds like what happens when youre newly single and suddenly have the apartment to yourself. Which raises the question: Did the Department of Energy mean to make a fart joke in an official statement? Or are we just lucky? The world may never know. In the days since its release, Booksmart, Olivia Wildes sweet and bawdy directorial debut, has been hailed as a groundbreaking teen comedy and a victory for queer representation. The film follows two studious best friends on their last day of high school as they try to find their way to the cool kids party and win the affection of their respective crushes. One of the two main characters, Amy (Kaitlyn Dever), is gay. Booksmart treats her sexuality as both not a big deal and grounds for good-natured humor, making the movie a refreshing anomaly in a film landscape where queerness is usually either a site of tragedy or the butt of a joke. Advertisement Many of the plaudits for Booksmarts treatment of non-normative sexuality have focused on the films one sex scene. After spending most of the film trying to figure out if her crush is gay, Amy drunkenly hooks up with a different girl, Hope (Diana Silvers), in a bathroom at a party. Vices Booksmart review credited the scene with exhibiting a dose of empathy for the queer characters and a refusal to turn women into drunken objects to be coerced and conquered. The New York Daily News said the scene was an alternative to typical Hollywood depictions of sex, which are often steamy but less than realistic. Screenwriter Katie Silberman told the publication the writing team was excited to make an authentic love scene, in terms of how awkward it is. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have to say, as a queer woman, authentic and realistic would not be my first choice of descriptors for Amy and Hopes sexual encounter, mainly due to one alarming mishap. After fumbling for a minute while trying to remove Hopes shoes and jeans (authentic!), Amy, whos never had sex before, proceeds to try to finger Hope, leading to the following exchange: AMY: Um, how is that for you? HOPE: Its OK. AMY: Is there, like, another way you would prefer, or, or like ? HOPE: [whispers] I dont think thats the hole you think it is. As a woman who has had plenty of slapstick sexual experiences with other women but never managed to mistake a butthole for a vagina, I was confused. I wondered: Does this actually happen to people? Or was it the filmmakers graceless attempt at transposing bro-y sex jokes into a feminist film, as Slates own review suggests? I felt disappointed that the writers had inserted the laziest possible shorthand for clumsy sex into a film that otherwise avoided comedy cliches. But I was also genuinely curious if anyone involved in the making of Booksmart actually thought it was believable that a person with both a butthole and a vagina might feel a buttholewhich has a very distinctive feel!and think it was a vagina. Advertisement Get Slate Culture in Your Inbox We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. I came home from the screening and asked my partner if I was completely off base in my bewilderment. Christina, she said, slowly and patiently. Not everyone explores their own body before they have sex with other people. In other words, Amy might have never felt a vulva or vagina before she groped around for Hopes. I then recalled some Booksmart foreshadowing that suggested as much: When Molly (Beanie Feldstein) tells Amy shell automatically be passable at sex because she can just do to a partner what she does to herself when she masturbates, Amy admits that she usually gets herself off by grinding on a stuffed panda, rather than stimulating herself manually. Amy also seems concerned that, once she does have sex, shell be approaching her partners genitals from a different angle than shed approach her own. OK, fine, so maybe shes not an expert at the female undercarriage. But hasnt she ever wiped herself after using the bathroom? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its nearly impossible to find any data or anecdotes on the internet that might shed light on whether any lesbian has ever had a vaginal-anal mix-up, mostly because the scenario Booksmart plays for laughs appears to be a flourishing category of pornography. The appeal of the genre seems to lie in elements of surprise, pain, and non-consent. When I Googled wrong hole movie to remind myself of previous feature films that had made use of the plot device, I got pages and pages of results for videos with titles like Painful Wrong Hole, Wrong Hole Accident Makes Girl Cry, and Wrong Hole! Please Stop! (Brutal Anal Destroy Screaming in Pain). Some sites offered wrong hole compilations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Funny or Die, Kanye West, the Wayans brothers, and The Mindy Project are a few of the many non-pornographic artists and cultural products that have featured jokes about accidental anal sex. Most of them include a mention of how unexpectedly tight the womans vagina (actually butthole) is, a comment about poop, and/or a winking acknowledgement that the accident might actually be a mans cover-up for forcing anal sex on an unknowing or unwilling partner. There is no shortage of memes, GIFs, and commemorative memorabilia out there making the exact same joke: Men love anal sex, but it can be uncomfortable for women, so one way men can get some is to pretend they dont notice when their penis unintentionally goes in the wrong hole. Advertisement Its this context that for me places the Booksmart scene on the confusing-disturbing spectrum rather than the cutesy-clumsy spectrum. Why didnt Hope say anything about the surprise anal penetration until Amy asked her for feedback two times? Why are we supposed to be laughing at a sex act that seems both unexpected and less-than-enjoyable? How can a sex scene be groundbreaking if it shows little, if any, sexual pleasure? Advertisement Its this context that for me places the Booksmart scene on the confusing-disturbing spectrum rather than the cutesy-clumsy spectrum. Also, importantly: Arent unsheathed fingers even more likely to perceive the difference between two fundamentally different body parts than a possibly condomed penis, which isnt exactly known for its fine motor skills? The only thoughtful online discussion on this topic I was able to identify in the midst of all the porn was in Dan Savages sex column, Savage Love. In 2016, a reader asked how she could stop her boyfriend from repeatedly accidentally penetrating her anus during vaginal sex. My own personal sexperience with anal led me to doubt claims of accidental anal penetration, Savage responded, as anal penetration always required focus, precision, and proper breathing techniques. Appendages of all sorts would have greater trouble inadvertently slipping into a typical anus than they would a typical vagina, which creates its own lubricant when aroused. Advertisement Savages answer was unsatisfying to many of his straight readers. Tons of people spoke up in the comments with stories of perfectly innocent but often painful vaginal-anal miscalculations, mostly during heterosexual sex. Lube, which did not factor into the Amy-Hope tryst, was often named as an abettor of the slip-ups; once everythings slick down there, the commenters said, the impossible becomes possible. One lesbian did pipe up with a claim that an ex-girlfriend had missed a couple times. With her fingers, not a strap-on, even. To that point, the Booksmart scene would have been a million times more believable had Amy been wearing a strap-on dildo, which has no nerve endings and would have been much less wieldy than her own fingers. (Then again, most dildos are thicker than most fingers, which would make it much harder to accidentally stick anywhere. I cant stop overthinking this!) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But one comment on Savages column, from a user named Ankylosaurus, did much more to ease my qualms about the Booksmart sex scene than any of the conversations Ive had with my partner or my co-workers, who, I assume, are filing HR complaints against me as I write this. Heres that comment: Advertisement Advertisement The variety of anecdotes remind us all of the many threads that make up the tapestry of life. It sounds like the likelihood of accidental anal depends greatly on the specific anatomy of parties involved, how those anatomies relate to each other, preferences, actions, etc., and here we all thought what we had experienced was what everybody experiences. We should know better by now. Ankylosaurus is right. Who am I to presume to know what Hopes body is like or how incredibly ill-informed and ham-fisted (ham-fingered?) Amy might be? The tapestry of life is broad, mysterious, and, sometimes, extremely lubed up. May Hope and Amys misadventure be woven into it with care. This article is published through a partnership with New York Medias Strategist. The partnership is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change. Every editorial product is independently selected by New York Media. If you buy something through our links, Slate and New York Media may earn an affiliate commission. I first heard about the Coravin while interviewing sommeliers and beverage directors about their favorite wine stoppers, most of which are meant to be inserted into an already-uncorked bottle to extend its freshness for a few days. But then theres the Coravin. As Eric Tschudi, sommelier and beverage director at Shuko, explained it, this wine saver lets you get what you need out of the bottle without actually opening it. In case that sentence also blew your mind: With the Coravin, you can pour a single glass of wine without actually removing the cork. Its like a magic trick that violates the tenets of physics. What it isnt is super-intuitive, especially on first use. The Coravin Model One which I finally had a chance to test over the last two weeks resembles a standard, lever-style wine opener, like the Rabbit or the Le Creuset Lever, with a thin, hollow needle where the corkscrew should be. The whole thing is powered with an argon gas canister, which has to be screwed into the bottom. Once thats done, you clamp the device around the neck of the bottle, plunge the needle into the cork, and tip the bottle, Coravin and all, over a glass. Then, you press a little button which lets out an intimidating hiss, presumably from the argon, which creates a vacuum and pulls the wine up from the bottle through that hollow straw. Each time Ive used the Coravin, its taken a couple of tries to get going, with brief spurts of wine as the liquid travels up the straw, but eventually, the wine pours smoothly. Be warned: The pour doesnt stop automatically. You have to turn the bottle upright to do that, something I did not understand the first couple of times I used it. But once youve got your appropriately sized pour, however much that might be, you gingerly pull the needle out of the cork, which is left amazingly intact, except for a small pinprick through the foil. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Magicking wine out of the bottle with the Coravin impressed my boyfriend, but theres a real practicality to using it, one thats even been acknowledged by those in the serious wine community, like writer Jancis Robinson, who wrote back in 2013, Nothing I know of preserves wine in an opened or accessed bottle for years as the Coravin system does. An open bottle of wine doesnt last much longer than a week or so, depending on what youre drinking and how you store it. After that, the wine can take on a vinegary taste or oxidize. To test whether a Coravin-ed bottle of wine would start to oxidize, I poured a glass of Beaujolais from a natural grower using the gadget on Thursday night, then left for a long weekend trip. Typically, this kind of behavior leaving a bottle of natural wine on an unrefrigerated bar cart thats in the sun for four days would leave me with a sour red thats barely good for cooking. But when I came back on Monday evening and opened the bottle with a corkscrew, the wine tasted basically as good as the first glass. I also examined the cork for any damage the Coravin had done. There was virtually none. If I looked closely, maybe that was a pinprick? But it seemed like the cork had regenerated and sealed up as soon as the Coravin pulled out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are some practical downsides to the Coravin Model One. The first is that the signature wine needle is tricky to clean, and I can only imagine the frustration if your initial pour of a white wine was tinged with the red wine from last week. (I only drank red wine during this two-week period and didnt experience any issues, but I am almost positive I did not clean it properly, either.) Plus, the argon-filled capsules that you need to run the device are fairly expensive: $18 for a pack of two, each of which will pour about 15 glasses of wine. For the math-inclined, thats about 60 cents a glass. Having said that, the Model One is still the least-expensive device on Coravins roster and, as such, its more approachable for a casual wine drinker. Just look at the cheerful, neon colorway they recently released with Neiman Marcus. And though the Model One isnt something every wine drinker needs, there are some drinkers for whom the Coravin would be a great gift, like my dad, who has more wine in his cellar than he can reasonably drink on his own, yet hesitates to open a new bottle for fear of letting it go bad before he can finish it. My mom, whos down for the count after a single glass, would also enjoy this gadget. Itd be a great gift for someone who just bought their first wine atlas and is trying to taste and learn about wine on their own, or a friend who has a single glass of red with dinner one night and then likes to switch to white the next. Tschudi explained the appeal of the Coravin quite simply, all those months ago: The Coravin is great for home drinkers (or for the husbands of pregnant wives who cant drink) who want to enjoy a nice bottle of wine but dont want to commit to drinking a whole bottle. And for $200, its an excellent gift for the wine lover who drinks in moderation. Slate has relationships with various online retailers. If you buy something through our links, Slate may earn an affiliate commission. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change. All prices were up to date at the time of publication. Despite winning a plurality of the overall vote, and tied for the largest number of seats, in parliamentary elections last month, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was unable to cobble together the majority required to govern the 120-seat Knesset, meaning the country, for the first time in its history, will be headed back to the polls to vote for a second time in September. The unprecedented development comes after Netanyahus Likud party failed to add to its usual coalition of right-wing and religious allies, which left it one vote short of the majority it needed. Following the April 9th election, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin gave Netanyahu the six-week maximum allowed by law to form a government. Advertisement As the six-week deadline came and went Wednesday, Netanyahu chose to put forth a bill, which passed by a 74-45 vote, dissolving the Knesset and sending Israelis back to the polls rather than allowing a political rival to attempt to form a governing coalition as is customary. The stumbling block for Netanyahus coalition-building efforts was the secular ultranationalist party Yisrael Beiteinu, which controlled just five seats, and its leader Avigdor Lieberman. Lieberman demanded the passage of a bill without amendment that would set stricter quotas for previously exempt ultra-Orthodox Israelis to be drafted into the military. Ultra-Orthodox parties, however, which accounted for 16 seats in Netanyahus proposed coalition, wanted to soften the requirements on military service in a country were most Jewish 18-year-olds are drafted to serve two-plus years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The issue of unequal conscription, the New York Times notes, had long roiled Israeli society and politics and on Wednesday it was enough to take down the government. Despite his rivalry with Netanyahu, Lieberman indicated he still supported Netanyahus bid to be prime minister but would only enter the Likud-led government on his terms. The new round of elections will cost Israel millions of dollars, and it will pose another impediment for a long-awaited White House peace plan, the Washington Post reports. In addition to moving to dissolve parliament, Netanyahus Likud is also forwarding legislation that would give Knesset members, including the prime minister, immunity from prosecution, while attempting to roll back the powers of the Supreme Court to overturn Knesset legislation that it deems unconstitutional, according to the Post. Netanyahus pre-indictment hearing for charges in three criminal cases against him is expected in October. He denies the allegations of corruption, bribery and breach of trust. The new election is scheduled for Sept. 17. In a surprise press conference at the Department of Justice, special counsel Robert Mueller announced that his offices investigation into 2016 election interference is complete, summarized its findings about Russias attacks on the Hillary Clinton campaign, emphasized that he had not cleared Donald Trump of committing obstruction of justice, and said he would prefer not to testify to Congress. On the subject of obstruction, Mueller reiterated the previously issued special counsel reports text by noting that if we had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so and that the special counsel did not make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime. He then referred to a preexisting DOJ Office of Legal Counsel document which holds that, under existing law, a sitting president cannot be criminally indicted by the federal government. (The president, of course, can be impeached.) Said Mueller: The introduction to the volume two of our report explains that decision. It explains that under long-standing department policy a president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office. That is unconstitutional. Even if the charge is kept under seal and hidden from public view, that too is prohibited. The special counsels office is part of the Department of Justice and by regulation it was bound by that department policy. Charging the president with a crime was, therefore, not an option we could consider. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Muellers account adds some clarity, if you will, to earlier comments made by Attorney General William Barr, who said the following at a previous press conference: When we met with [Mueller] we specifically asked him about the OLC opinion and whether or not he was taking a position that he would have found a crime but for the existence of the OLC opinion. And he made it very clear several times that that was not his position. He was not saying that but for the OLC opinion, he would have found a crime. What appears to be happening here is parsing, or spin, in which Barr is using Muellers statement that the OLC opinion prevented him from considering whether to accuse Trump of a crime to imply that Mueller wouldnt have charged Trump with a crime even if the OLC opinion didnt exist. But that does not appear to be Muellers position. (According to CNN, Barr did not ask Mueller to make the statement but was briefed on its contents.) Advertisement Advertisement After discussing the report, Mueller made clear that he would prefer not to testify about its contents before Congress: I hope and expect this to be the only time that I will speak to you in this manner. I am making that decision myself. No one has told me whether I can or should testify or speak further about this matter. There has been discussion about an appearance before Congress. Any testimony from this office would not go beyond our report. It contains our findings and analysis and the reasons for the decisions we made. We chose those words carefully and the work speaks for itself. And the report is my testimony. I would not provide information beyond that which is already public in any appearance before Congress. In addition, access to our underlying work product is being decided in a process that does not involve our office. So beyond what I have said here today, and what is contained in our written work, I do not believe it is appropriate for me to speak further about the investigation or to comment on the actions of the Justice Department or Congress. Mueller concluded by asserting that his offices allegation that Russia made multiple, systematic efforts to interfere in our election is one that deserves the attention of every American. He then declined to answer a reporters shouted question about whether he would appear before Congress if subpoenaed, left the lectern, and walked out of the room. And thats that. Former UPSVaR employee Juraj Skrip is said to have sent a social worker to the house of the Dennik N daily's reporter Monika Todova. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled The police will look into activities of imprisoned businessman Marian Kocner, accused of ordering the murder of journalist Jan Kuciak, at the Central Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family (UPSVaR). The decision came after the former head of the department of people in need and social allowances at UPSVaR, Juraj Skrip, reportedly admitted to being part of the group that had carried out the surveillance of journalists, the Dennik N daily informed. Read also: Read also: Six people involved in the surveillance of journalists, Kocner paid thousands Read more Skrip subsequently decided to leave the job at UPSVaR on May 20 without stating any reason, UPSVaR spokesperson Jana Lukacova told the Sme daily. In addition, UPSVaR has already filed a criminal complaint against its former employee. Social worker sent to journalist Back in summer 2017, Skrip allegedly sent a social worker from UPSVaR to the house of journalist Monika Todova, who is working for Dennik N, to check whether data about her are up to date in the UPSVaR database. We are assigned to do random checks once in six months, said the social worker, as quoted by Sme. I have no idea why he chose you. When the social worker said he it was a reference to Skrip, Todova said. She recorded the conversation with the social worker on the phone. Yet the social worker was not influenced by anyone, claimed UPSVaR, as reported by Sme. At the time Juraj Skrip resolutely denied that he would have intervened in the choice of a client at the Bratislava office, said Lukacova, as quoted by Sme. Read also: Read also: Marian Kocner has been charged in the case of Kuciak's murder Read more Access to sensitive information Although during an inspection a social worker can only access basic information, including a name, address, birth date and the like, as department head Skrip had access to more sensitive and detailed information he could have misused, Sme wrote. For instance, at his department he could learn what car and property Todova owned in 2017. If Kocner had been in contact with Skrip, the businessman could have accessed any records without any trace. Apart from Todova, former journalist Zuzana Petkova, Sme journalist Adam Valcek and the Aktuality.sk website's journalist Marek Vagovic were surveilled. No one has been detained or accused yet in the case of the surveillance of journalists. On May 23rd, we reported on a recent podcast published by Santa Cruz-based coffee roasting and cafe brand Cat & Cloud. In the episode, titled Being Sued By Caterpillar Inc., co-founders Chris Baca and Charles Jack stated their company was being sued by the Peoria, Illinois-based construction equipment manufacturer Caterpillar to cancel their trademark. Shortly after the podcast was released, a petition on Change.org was created titled Tell Caterpillar Inc. to Stop Bullying Cat & Cloud and Other Small Businesses. As of publication it is approaching 12,000 signatures. Before reporting our coverage on May 23rd, we reached out to both Caterpillar Inc. and Cat & Cloud for comment. Both brands have since replied with statements, which we are publishing here in full today. Up first, the full statement from Caterpillar, sent to us by Rachel Potts, Manger-Corporate Media at Caterpillar Inc.: Caterpillar serves customers around the world, many of whom earn their livelihood with one or two machines and often a good pair of work boots. We value all of them and strive to provide exceptional products and services. This means we have a responsibility to protect and maintain the brand they love and rely on every day including our existing trademarks. We are not suing Cat & Cloud, not targeting a small business and not focused on Cat & Clouds primary interest: coffee. Weve simply asked the U.S. Trademark Office to remove Cat & Clouds trademark registration on footwear and apparel only, products for which Caterpillar has longstanding trademarks and a considerable business. We hope to resolve this issue quickly. Next, here is full comment from Cat & Cloud co-founder Jared Truby: Caterpillar has released a blanket statement that seems to lead people to consider that we may be negatively affecting their merchandise sales. They also fail to state that we are going to have to go to court to defend our Trademark. They are attempting to cancel our trademark and therefore this is far more than a cease and desist. The most notable things to us are the lack of attempts to go after Targets Cat & Jack, Dr Seuss Cat & the Hat and whats most weird is the attempt to own the term Cat which would mean no more printing the term Cat on any clothing for anyone ever without potential for lawsuit. We feel bullied. We feel that we arent even close to effecting a $54 billion company. At the end of the day, we are sucked into what will be an expensive legal battle and we feel we need to defend, not only ourselves, but the other small businesses with lesser voices & community support. America is special because of small businesses with authentic character. This feels like an attack on all of us even if it isnt meant to be. We are so grateful for support from the community. We will be starting a gofundme to help with current & future legal fees that will continue to mount & undoubtedly be thousands more. To those that are willing, please connect with any influencers, any media outlet and or just post the petition to spread the word. Please note the money donated to Change.org helps fund the exposure levels, it does not go to Cat & Cloud. Wish us luck as we are attempting to stay focused on opening our 3rd and 4th location this year. Much love to you all, Jared & the Cat & Cloud fam. This story is developing Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge. Top image via Brand House Direct The southeastern side won a Philadelphia version of the Battle of the Tasman Sea in the $14,500 featured pace at Harrahs Philadelphia on Wednesday afternoon, as Decoy, driven by New Zealander Dexter Dunn, spoiled the North American debut of favoured Senor Macray A while posting a 1:51 clocking. Caviart Skyler took the early lead, with Decoy in second, the latter moving frontward near the :26.4 quarter. The victorious son of Somebeachsomewhere got a breather to a half in :55.4, then came home strongly in :55.1 to withstand second-over Imstaynalive by three-quarters of a length, with first-over Machiatto A holding third over his countrymate Senor Macray A. Gary Candell trains the winner of $144,738, a winner of two in a row after competing in the Graduate Series earlier this year, for owners Brixton Medical Inc., R A W Equine Inc., and Joe Sbrocco. For driver Dunn, the feature win was the second in a consecutive quadruple; leading driver Tim Tetrick would also come home first four times There were a pair of $14,000 co-featured paces for developing horses. In the first, the Sportswriter sophomore gelding Beatingtheodds, who began his career on February 28 and came to Philly from Ontario via Yonkers, ran his lifetime tally to 6-3-2-0 while taking a new mark of 1:52.2 in his local bow. Tim Tetrick put the youngster on the lead, then scooted home with him in :54.4 to hold off the first-over bid of Stand By Me N, certainly not disgraced in defeat, by a length for trainer Josh Green and the partnership of Richard Lombardo and Green Racing Inc. In the other co-featured pace, another sophomore altered son of Sportswriter was victorious, as Heisman Player, who had raced locally twice before going to Woodbine for a start, was refreshed by the change of scenery and went wire-to-wire for driver David Miller, like his co-feature mate taking a new speed badge of 1:52.2. The Rick Zeron trainee, 5-1/2 lengths clear at the finish, is owned by Rick Zeron Stables, Howard Taylor, James Walker, and Noblock Racing Stable. Tiger Thompson N, who had a first and a second in the Great Northeast Open Series (GNOS) before getting zizzled in an early battle in the Commodore Barry Pace this past Sunday, should have an easier early time of it this Sunday when he starts from post three in a $30,000 GNOS open pace event. Dexter Dunn will guide his countryman, who is second in his divisional GNOS standings presently to Rodeo Rock, but would build a good lead with a good finish here as rival Rodeo Rock is not entered. (PHHA / Harrahs Philadelphia) The 2019 World Trotting Conference continued on Wednesday morning (May 29) with the third plenary session, which commenced with guest speaker Marie Rhodin, DVM. Rhodin is an associate Professor in equine clinical bio-mechanics at the department of Clinical Sciences at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, and her research focuses on objective motion analysis for lameness detection with techniques such as high-speed cameras and inertial measure units. To implement objective measurements in the lameness exams she has looked into the effect of circular movement on movement symmetry in both sound and lame horses. The second speaker was Sofia Mikko, PhD in Molecular Genetics, and a Researcher at the Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics. Her current research includes genetic background of equine traits such as performance in sport and racehorses, sarcoid tumors, skeletal atavism, and large-scale sequencing to better characterize the MHC (Major Histocompatibility Complex) in the horse. The Breeding and Marketing Committees met for the second and final time of the conference. The Breeding Committee discussed issues such as stallion limits and genetic diversity, imports and exports, genomic research, embryo transfers, international shipping of semen and the recording of matings, microchipping and country of origin in the horse name. The Marketing and Business Development committee discussed social media, broadcast media in the digital world as well as additional revenue sources. The recommendations of all the committees will be presented to the delegation on Friday at the closing ceremony. Bombardier, a global leader in the transportation industry, said its consortium comprising Egyptian firms Orascom Construction and Arab Contractors, has been named as the preferred bidder for a 3 billion ($3.35 billion) monorail project coming up in the Egyptian capital Cairo. The potential value of the design-and-build contract bid is 1.2 billion ($1.3 billion), said a statement from the Canadian group. The scope of work includes the delivery of a 54-km monorail system connecting the New Administrative City with East Cairo as well as a second 42-km-line connecting 6th October City with Giza. In addition, there is a 15+15 years operations and maintenance deal with a potential value of about 1.1 billion. The rolling stock part of the order will be developed and built in Derby, UK, said ths statement. A global mobility solution provider, Bombardier Transportation is leading the way with the rail industrys broadest portfolio. It covers the full spectrum of solutions, ranging from trains to sub-systems and signalling to complete turnkey transport systems, e-mobility technology and data-driven maintenance services, it stated. Meanwhile, local media reports said the consortium which includes Orascom Construction is still in negotiations with the Egyptian government to establish the 6th of October - new capital monorail project. No agreement has been reached yet.-TradeArabia News Service We would love to hear your thoughts... 1. How did you come up with the idea for your startup? 2. What was the hardest part in the early stages of the startups growth? 3. What are the services/solutions/products that the startup offers? Who are the targeted audiences? 4. What are your strengths and advantages over your competitors? 5. At the moment, how do you measure success? What are your metrics? 6. Is the company bootstrapped or funded? What milestones will the financing get you to? 7. What is the road map ahead? How are you planning to achieve it? Key Management : Founding Year : Milestones : Awards/Recognition : Clients : In order to continue enjoying our site, we ask that you confirm your identity as a human. Thank you very much for your cooperation. A blog published by Susan Eisen that has columns on all the latest jewelry fashions, news, and store information. Israeli airstrikes hit military sites in the Quneitra countryside, killing one soldier and injuring another reports SANA. On Monday, a military source announced that the Israeli enemy targeted Syrian military sites to the east of Khan Arnabeh in Quneitra countryside. The source added that the Israeli aggression claimed the life of one soldier and injured another. Earlier, SANAs reporter said that an Israeli missile targeted Tal Shaar in the Quneitra countryside and there were reports of injuries. This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. The Turkish Interior Minister has said that Syrians have been able to return due to the successes of Operation Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch reports Asharq al-Awsat. On Sunday, the Turkish Interior Minister, Suleyman Soylu, said 329,000 Syrians have returned from Turkey since the end of the operations carried out by Turkey and pro-Syrian factions, including the Free Syrian Army (FSA). Soylu said those Syrians returned to their homeland thanks to the peace reached in Afrin, Azaz, Jarablus, and al-Bab where the Olive Branch and Euphrates Shield operations were carried out. Since 2016, Turkeys Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch operations in northern Syria have liberated the region from PKK-linked Peoples Protection Units (YPG) and the Islamic State (ISIS). Some 8 million Syrians left their country after the outbreak of the war in 2011, including about 3.6 million to Turkey. In a speech during an Iftar event in Istanbul on Sunday, Soylu said residents in areas where the Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch operations were carried out feel safe and stable. He noted that the Turkish armed forces continue to cooperate with the FSA in the fight against terror groups northern Syria, adding that these operations have achieved major successes. Meanwhile, Syrians residing in Turkey continue to return home through the southern state of Hatay to spend Eid al-Fitr with their families. Since May 20, 2019, people have started returning to Syria via the Gilva Gozo crossing, facing the Bab al-Hawa crossing in Idleb province. While their return and entry into Turkey take place through the Ongo Pinar crossing in Kilis province, southern Turkey, facing Bab al-Salama in Azaz. Syrians, who live in different Turkish states, arrive at the Gilva Gozo crossing to spend the Eid with their families. As of Saturday, some 16,000 Syrians have left and Syrians will continue to return home through both crossings until May 31, 2019. Turkish authorities at the crossings carry out the necessary measures, and they are allowed to cross the borders after providing authorities with the information required. This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Residents of the capitals southern suburbs have complained about being blocked from returning to their homes and the lack of basic infrastructure writes Zaman Al Wasl. Residents of the capitals southern suburbs called on the Syrian regime to accelerate reconstruction, secure infrastructure and restore electricity and water to the region. According to the Action Group for Palestinians of Syria, the residents of the Yarmouk Refugee Camp, al-Tadamon and al-Hajar al-Aswad districts have demanded, in a letter to the regime, they be able to return to their homes. They also called for neighborhood committees and a specific schedule for their return, as well as a disclosure of the areas included and excluded in the reconstruction project and the duration of the implementation of the project. Local media activist Mohamed al-Shami told Zaman Al-Wasl that the return of these camps residents to their residential homes is not only limited by the security obstacles imposed by the regime, but also by their inability to rebuild and rehabilitate themselves, as well as the provision of the minimum of basic services like electricity, water and sanitation. The majority of people suffer from extremely poor living and economic conditions. He added, The residents are convinced that the regime stands behind a systematic clearance of these areas, either with the intent of exploiting Palestinian refugees for its own benefit or that it seeks to wipe their cause completely under the pretext of the existence of previous laws that allows them to remove slums surrounding the Damascus. Shami explained that elements of the Fourth Division, along with a number of other Palestinian loyalist factions, are carrying out raids on private property on Rama street in Yarmouk, that include extracting electricity cables, brass piping in baths, marble and ceramics from residential buildings, as well as public utilities such as cables and electricity poles. Regime forces took control of both the Yarmouk camp and al-Hajar al-Aswad district last May, as part of an agreement with the Islamic State, which forced the latters eviction, as regime forces regained control of the regions. This agreement came after nearly a month of continuous bombardment with barrel bombs, rocket launchers and heavy artillery, resulting in the destruction of up to 60 percent of the infrastructure and housing there. This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Siemens, a leading technology company, has received an order from BASF Schwarzheide, a wholly owned subsidiary of BASF SE, to modernise the industrial power plant in Schwarzheide, Germany, with key components. The Brownfield Exchange project involves replacing a gas turbine from another original equipment manufacturer (OEM) with a new, highly efficient industrial gas turbine from Siemens as well as servicing this machine for a period of 15 years, said a company statement. In addition, Siemens will install a SIESTART battery storage solution that will enable the entire power plant to start up independently of an external power supply, it said. The BASF combined cycle power plant in Schwarzheide went into operation in 1994. At the heart of the plant are two industrial gas turbines from another OEM as well as two industrial steam turbines from Siemens. In addition to electricity, the plant especially provides process steam needed for the production plants at site. As part of the power plant modernisation, Siemens will replace one of the two existing industrial gas turbines by an SGT-800 gas turbine with a capacity of 57 megawatts (MW). The significantly higher efficiency of the new gas turbine means that less natural gas needs to be burned for the same amount of electricity, thus lowering fuel costs and CO2 emissions. Thorbjorn Fors, chief executive officer of service distributed generation and oil and gas within Siemens Gas and Power, said: We are pleased that BASF has placed its trust in our company to carry out this Brownfield Exchange project. Adapting the new gas turbine to the existing plant and carrying out the other necessary renovations require complex individual planning and extensive engineering expertise. Siemens is one of the few suppliers on the market with all the manufacturing and engineering skills needed to reliably implement such a demanding project, Fors added. Jurgen Fuchs, chairman of the management board of BASF Schwarzheide, said: We are pleased to work with Siemens for the modernisation of our combined cycle power plant. We continue our long-term partnership with this project. For the SIESTART solution Fluence Energy, a company of Siemens and AES, is providing a battery energy storage system. This will ensure that the power plant can be started at any time independently of an external power supply. This blackstart capability will enable BASF to start up the plant at any time and produce necessary electricity and process steam. Todays power producers depend on maximum availability of their power plants. Beside the need for blackstart capability, they need to quickly respond to fluctuations in power demand. They also must be able to shift to island operation to ensure an independent power supply when needed. While modern combined cycle plants can already handle high load changes in just a few minutes, the fluctuating infeed of renewable energy and unforeseen incidents require even shorter response times. The challenge is to meet these standards and at the same time reduce emissions and costs. SIESTART hybrid solutions serve as ideal back-up for instant power supply at the push of a button and help to significantly improve power supply reliability, it stated. TradeArabia News Service The closure of offices in Afrin that dealt with displaced people has caused protests, with many claiming that it will prevent them from returning to their homes writes Al-Modon. Hundreds of Syrian people, displaced to the northern city of Afrin, have protested against a decision by the Afrin local council to dissolve the offices for the displaced in the city and to stop civil registrations and to shift the task to mukhtars on behalf of the offices, according to Al-Modons correspondent, Mohamed Ayyoub. The protest erupted in central Afrin, and was protected by Afrin police forces. The head of the police in Afrin, Colonel Rami Talas, addressed the protesters, asking them to disperse and promised to hold a consultative meeting soon attended by representatives of the displaced people and the local city council, to discuss their demands and to reach a satisfactory agreement. The protesters carried signs calling on the local council to change its decision and warning against the: beginning of the obliteration of the unique identity of the displaced and saying that the displaced offices were their only form of representation. The local council in Afrin made the decision to close the offices in mid-May. On Sunday, the council issued a decision to appoint seven mukhtars to city districts, and the remaining district councils in Afrin issued similar decisions. The new mukhtars took on the task of issuing identification certificates and the residence documents necessary for the issuing of new identifications. The new identifications issued to Afrin residents include new national numbers and new registration numbers. The displaced offices in northern Syria were set up by displaced activists from across Syria. They began with statistical work and then over time, every region had an office. They started to issue identity documents to displaced people who had lost their documents, and secured recognition from local councils in northern Syria to carry out displaced peoples affairs, until the decision to stop them in mid-May. A member of the Free Homs Governorate Council, Mustafa al-Hussein, told Al-Modon: Its not logical for the mukhtar, who is from Afrin city, to issue family information to a displaced person from Homs, for example, or to approve a new mechanism for a local administration system in Afrin whereby all the citys communities are overseen and included in the general city administrationespecially for personal status issues. Hussein said that most current Afrin residents, who were displaced from other Syrian areas, were sticking to their right to return to their areas in the future and were rejecting any measure by local administrations that would harm this rightespecially changing the registries used by the local councils on the identification documents they issue. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. The classic Tunisian dish shakshuka is a humble yet satisfying one-pot meal, usually consisting of eggs cooked in a long-simmered, spiced tomato and pepper sauce. We wanted to use this as a template for a version that swapped out the long-cooked red sauce for a fresh, vibrant mix of greens that would be transformed into a quick any-night meal. For the greens, we settled on savory Swiss chard and easy-to-prep baby spinach. We cooked a cup of the sliced chard stems (any more and their vegetal flavors overwhelmed the dish) with onion to create an aromatic base. We eschewed the traditional strong flavors of cumin and paprika in favor of coriander and mild Aleppo peppertheir citrusy notes allowed the greens' flavors to stay center stage. The roomy Dutch oven allowed us to wilt a large volume of raw greens easily. We blended a cup of the greens mixture with broth to give the sauce a creamy, cohesive texture, then added frozen peas for contrasting pops of sweetness. To finish, we poached eight eggs directly in the sauce, covering the pot to contain the heat for efficient, even cooking. We served our green shakshuka with a sprinkling of bright herbs and salty, creamy feta cheese. If you can't find Aleppo pepper, you can substitute 1/8 teaspoon paprika and 1/8 teaspoon finely chopped red pepper flakes. The Dutch oven will seem crowded when you first add the greens, but they will quickly wilt down. Serve with toasted pita or crusty bread to mop up the sauce. Avoid removing the lid during the first 5 minutes of cooking the eggs; it will increase the total cooking time of the eggs. Green shakshuka Servings: 4 Start to finish: 50 minutes Ingredients 2 pounds Swiss chard, stems removed and reserved, leaves chopped 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 large onion, chopped fine Salt 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 teaspoons ground coriander 11 ounces (11 cups) baby spinach, chopped 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth 1 cup frozen peas 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice 8 large eggs 1/2 teaspoon ground dried Aleppo pepper 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (1/2 cup) 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint Directions Slice chard stems thin to yield 1 cup; discard remaining stems or reserve for another use. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add chard stems, onion, and 3/4 teaspoon salt and cook until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and coriander and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chard leaves and spinach. Increase heat to medium--high, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted but still bright green, 3 to 5 minutes. Off heat, transfer 1 cup chard mixture to blender. Add broth and process until smooth, about 45 seconds, scraping down sides of blender jar as needed. Stir chard mixture, peas, and lemon juice into pot. Make 4 shallow indentations (about 2 inches wide) in surface of greens using back of spoon. Crack 2 eggs into each indentation, sprinkle with Aleppo pepper, and season with salt. Cover and cook over medium--low heat until edges of egg whites are just set, 5 to 10 minutes. Off heat, let sit, covered, until whites are fully set and yolks are still runny, 2 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with feta, dill, and mint and drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Serve immediately. Nutrition information per serving: 441 calories; 241 calories from fat; 22 g fat (7 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 443 mg cholesterol; 1047 mg sodium; 27 g carbohydrate; 11 g fiber; 6 g sugar; 25 g protein. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A recent lawsuit serves as a reminder that hospitals must treat low-income patients if they are unable to afford it. And St. John Medical Center says its fully aware of the law. CHI Franciscan, parent company of Tacomas St. Joseph Medical Center, last month agreed to settle a case brought against it for failing to provide charity care to eligible patients. CHI will forgive $20 million in debt, pay $2.2 million in refunds, pay the state Attorney Generals office $2.46 million and rehabilitate the credit of thousands of patients who between 2012 and 2017 qualified for charity care but didnt receive it. State law requires hospitals to make charity care accessible to low-income patients, something the state Attorney General sued Washington health care system CHI Franciscan in 2017 for not doing. As part of state law, hospitals have to provide notice of the availability of charity care verbally and in writing, screen patients for eligibility before attempting to collect payment and only require patients to provide one income-related document to prove eligibility. Attorney General Bob Ferguson sued St. Joseph in 2017, asserting the hospital repeatedly violated the Consumer Protection Act by failing to make charity care accessible to low-income patients. The resolution of the suit provides restitution for patients withheld care at all eight CHI Franciscan hospitals in Washington. CHI Franciscan also entered a legally enforceable agreement to reform its charity care practices at all eight of its Puget Sound-area hospitals. We provided $25 million in charity in 2018 alone. Neither the AG, nor our records, indicate any patient who applied for charity care was ever denied if they qualified," said Cary Evans, CHI Franciscan vice president for communications and government affairs in a statement. "Out of an abundance of caution, we are exceeding the requirements of state law and providing charity compensation to patients who may be in most need, even if they never applied for charity care or did not actually qualify at the time of service. According to Ferguson, the St. Joseph employees reported they were directed to never volunteer information about charity care programs, even when it was clear patients qualified for them. The hospitals employees were also being denied the charity care, he said. Medical debt is one of the leading reasons why families get trapped in poverty, Ferguson said in a press release. St. Joseph failed to live up to its duty, and imposed obstacles on vulnerable Washingtonians trying to access affordable care. Todays resolution rights a wrong committed against thousands of patients across Washington. Randy Querin, PeaceHealth spokesman, said the lawsuit is a reminder that treatment comes before financial ability to pay. PeaceHealth is mission based. The whole goal is getting people the care they need, Querin said. Everything is directed to that, including financial assistance. Querin said St. John officials are appreciative when patients are well-insured, but if patients need care and cant afford it the hospital will make sure they get it. In 2018, St. John provided more than $11 million in financial assistance to about 6,800 patients, according to its year end report. The hospital lost about $6 million last year, despite receiving $260 million in net operating revenue, according to statistics reported to the state Department of Health. PeaceHealths financial assistance program covers emergency or medically necessary services. Patients can apply before, during or after treatment. Patients are determined eligible based on household income, size of household, securable assets, credit history and existing debt. Assistance is granted to all applicants whose adjusted gross income is at or below 200 percent of federal poverty levels. The hospital also employs financial counselors to help connect patients with other funding to pay for care, such as state programs or grants, Querin said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The Washington State Patrol is still investigating a crash earlier this month that killed a Castle Rock woman and prompted her family to call for charges against the driver, who was injured but survived. Elisa Handley-Mason, 47, died after a vehicle driven by Shad Mathers of Kelso crashed into a tree along eastbound Spirit Lake Memorial Highway near milepost 1 at about 11:30 p.m. on May 2. Both were wearing seatbelts. Mathers, 45 was evaluated on scene after the crash and taken to St. John Medical Center. WSP public information officer Will Finn said that a drug recognition expert evaluated him at the hospital and determined he was not impaired at the time of the crash. Finn said Tuesday that because the crash involved a fatality, troopers sent out a collision technology specialist to investigate the crash scene. He said the reports from those specialists usually take at least 30 days to complete. If the investigation turns up evidence that Mathers committed a crime, the WSP will refer it to the Cowlitz County Prosecutors Office, Finn said, but it hasnt yet. I know the family is looking for answers, Finn said. Were doing everything we can on our side to hold everybody accountable that we can hold accountable. Cowlitz County Prosecutor Ryan Jurvakainen, who would file any felony charges in the case, confirmed that his office had not yet received an investigation or referral for charges from the WSP. Further determinations from the crash such as Mathers speed will come out in the collision report, Finn said. Handley-Masons mother, Theresa Finelli, organized a rally last week with friends and family to call for charges against Mathers. Finelli maintains that Mathers was driving recklessly and should be charged with vehicular homicide. He was going too fast, Finelli said Tuesday. He had another person in the car and he was exceeding the speed limits and endangering both their lives. ... That was negligence. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. London-based World Franchise Associates (WFA), an international franchise development consultancy, marketing and media company has signed an agreement to represent Freedom Pizza (UAE) for franchise expansion in the GCC region. With a small footprint (1,000 to 1,500 sq ft), disciplined operations, efficient unit cost and tech-enabled and scalable store model, Freedom Pizza is a cool and engaging brand offering a healthy menu for customers using the very best natural ingredients. The brand menu includes organic and vegan items, multigrain crust, all-natural herb-infused sauces, all-natural cheese, hormone and antibiotic-free chicken and high-quality produce all of which are sourced directly to maximize value for the customers. Freedom Pizza has a local market focus for suppliers and communities, and a 5-year track record in one of the most competitive delivery markets in the world. In addition, the brand has a comprehensive team and infrastructure with international headquarters in Dubai, UAE. Freedom Pizza offers training and support to master franchisees. TradeArabia News Service Editors note: Todays editorial originally appeared in The Columbian. Editorial content from other publications and authors is provided to give readers a sampling of regional and national opinion and does not necessarily reflect positions endorsed by the Editorial Board of The Daily News. Imagine a legal billion-dollar industry in Washington that is shunned by banks. Proprietors cannot secure loans, accept credit card payments or access payroll services. Customers have to make a stop at the ATM before visiting the store. That is the case with Washingtons burgeoning marijuana industry, which remains an all-cash endeavor. Although voters approved recreational marijuana in 2012 and retailers set up shop two years later, banks still treat the industry as though it is the back-alley pariah of yore. Because marijuana remains illegal under federal law, bankers are understandably wary of risking the wrath of federal regulators. That might be changing as it should. While marijuana legalization should be left up to each state, legitimate businesses in states that have approved cannabis should be allowed to operate as other companies do. That covers a lot of territory; 33 states have approved medical marijuana, and 10 of those, along with the District of Columbia, have approved recreational marijuana. Now, Congress is considering the Secure and Fair Enforcement Banking Act of 2019 (H.R. 1595), which would allow banks to serve marijuana businesses without fear of reprisal. The measure has broad support, with 184 co-sponsors in the House, including eight of Washingtons 10 representatives (Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Battle Ground, is not a co-sponsor). The bill recently passed the Financial Services Committee by a 45-15 vote and is expected to be brought to the floor next month. Another solution to the issue might be budding in California, where the state Senate has approved the establishment of state-chartered cannabis banks. But Congress still should take the lead in allowing financial institutions to do business with legitimate companies. Approving banking services for cannabis growers and shops should not be conflated with approval of marijuana. Even the American Bankers Association writes: While the ABA takes no position on the moral issues raised by legalizing marijuana ... ABA believes the time has come for Congress and the regulatory agencies to provide greater legal clarity to banks. The need has been echoed in congressional testimony. Gregory Deckard of Spokane Valley-based State Bank Northwest told lawmakers: We have a major energy provider. Naturally, their customers include cannabis-related businesses. For that reason alone my bank cannot bank this utility without assuming legal risk and additional compliance burdens. Legislators also heard tales of the risks of all-cash businesses. In California, the states treasurer said, cannabis companies have dropped off duffel bags and suitcases full of cash to pay their taxes. And Rep. Denny Heck, D-Olympia and a co-sponsor of the bill, said: We have the power in this committee to prevent murders and armed robberies and we must use it. We must use it now. That might or might not be a bit of hyperbole, but the situation does seem to be generating unnecessary risks. It also is generating unnecessary inconveniences. If customers had to use cash every time they stopped for their favorite pint of microbrew, were guessing that Congress would get an earful. State Treasurer Duane Davidson said: This is not about legalizing cannabis nationwide ... this is about creating a safer cannabis industry by allowing these mostly cash-based businesses to bank with their local financial institutions. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 1 hour ago Top 3 Automotive Stocks for 2022 These Are the Top Auto Stocks for Next Year The global automotive industry is at an interesting crossroads heading into 2022. Supply chain constraints have reduced the number of new vehicles available for purchase, which has certainly had a negative impact on earnings for some of the major players in the industry. Read Article From left, Jackson Siff 19, Jeff Sward and Jiajun Gu, both doctoral candidates, examined ramping on the electric grid and land parcels for solar farms. Credit: Cornell University By adding utility-scale solar farms throughout New York state, summer electricity demand from conventional sources could be reduced by up to 9.6% in some places. But Cornell engineers caution that upstate winters tell a different tale. With low energy demand around midday in the winter, combined with solar-electricity production, New York's power system could face volatile swings of "rampingwhich is how power system operators describe quick increases or decreases in demand. "It's a very surprising finding," said senior author Max Zhang, Cornell associate professor at Cornell's Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. "When are you going to have maximum ramping take place in New York? It's not going to be in the summer when the solar power is the highest and the needs are more balanced. It turns out to be in the winter." Said Zhang, a fellow at Cornell's Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future: "When you have several days of sunshine in a row during winter, that causes the largest ramping on the power system in New York state." The new paper, "Strategic Planning for Utility-Scale Solar Photovoltaic DevelopmentHistorical Peak Events Revisited," was published May 15 in Applied Energy. In addition to Zhang, co-authors are Cornell doctoral candidates Jeff Sward and Jiajun Gu, and Jackson Siff '19. The energy industry's ramping dilemmadue to spikes in net load, which is the total electric demand minus renewable electricity generationcreates a so-called "duck curve." When people wake up and prepare for the day, it takes energy to run the houseand that becomes the morning peak. Since solar reaches peak production in the middle of the day, the net load lags. When people get home from work in the evening, energy demands create a second peak. Thus, with a peak, a large lag and a second peak that slowly diminishes in the evening, the graphic curve of net load resembles a duck. Ramping makes the grid less efficient, because system operators then must employ natural gas or other carbon methods to keep up with demand, Sward said. "This paper can inform regional development trends and could lead to the improvement of electricity transmission from upstate to downstate," he said. "The increasing ramping requirement will be a challenge in pursuing our renewable energy target," said Zhang, "but it can be met with flexible resources, both in the supply and demand sides, as well as energy storage." As part of the paper, Siff worked with David Kay, senior extension associate in development sociology, with Cornell's Community and Regional Development Institute to conduct spatial analysis of New York state land parcels in order to identify places where utility-scale solar farms could work best. Explore further Generators that relieve power grid worsen ozone pollution More information: Jeffrey A. Sward et al, Strategic planning for utility-scale solar photovoltaic development Historical peak events revisited, Applied Energy (2019). Jeffrey A. Sward et al, Strategic planning for utility-scale solar photovoltaic development Historical peak events revisited,(2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2019.04.178 The Virtues is a new drama from Channel 4 - who's on the cast and what's it all about? Written by Shane Meadows, The Virtues is described as a "powerful, bold drama that tackles themes of repressed memory, apocalyptic revenge and the hope of redemption". Advertisements The series follows Joseph, a barely on-the-wagon alcoholic whose precarious reality is knocked for six when his ex-partner moves abroad with their young son, from Liverpool to Australia, for a better life. With no immediate family to live for, Joseph is haunted by a past he has tried, for decades, to forget if not actively obscure with drink and drugs. Suffering the hangover from hell the dry spell over he walks away from his present life and boards a boat bound for Ireland to confront hazy, fear-inducing memories from a childhood spent in the care system that hes had to forget. The four-part series aired Wednesdays at 9PM on Channel 4. You can watch episodes and stream online or catch up via the All4 player. You can also pre-order The Virtues DVD which will be released on June 24, 2019. The Virtues cast Joseph - Stephen Graham Anna - Helen Behan Michael - Frank Laverty Craigy - Mark OHalloran Dinah - Niamh Algar David - Vauxhall Jermaine Debbie - Juliet Ellis Written by Shane Meadows and Jack Thorne, The Virtues is directed by Meadows and produced by Mark Herbert and Nickie Sault. The music comes fromy multi-award-winning British composer and recording artist, PJ Harvey. Advertisements The Virtues spoilers Returning to Ireland, emotionally and physically wrecked, Joseph reunites with an incredulous Anna, the sister he hasnt seen since childhood. Anna persuades her wary husband Michael to let Joseph stay and give him work in the family-owned building company. There, Joseph is forced to directly confront the demons of his past when he comes face to face with Craigy, a shadowy figure who is dogged by dark rumours, and who wont leave Joseph alone. Josephs precarious family reunion is further complicated when he is immediately drawn to Michaels fiery sister Dinah. Angry and lost, Dinah is fiercely guarded, and, like Joseph, haunted by a deeply-held secret. Deftly addressing challenging themes of revenge, redemption and repressed memory, Shane Meadows and co-writer, BAFTA-winning Jack Thorne, ask questions of what it really means to be, and have, family. Advertisements In the final episode, Joseph and Dinah finally get the answers they have been searching for. They each have to decide whether to seek their own justice, or to forgive. The Virtues airs Wednesdays at 9PM on Channel 4. Caresse a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa is set to open Turkeys first Buddha Bar Beach this June as the luxurious resort moves into its fourth summer season. The legendary Buddha Bar Beach will open its doors onto the glistening Aegean Sea at the Luxury Collection property, providing a chic hot spot for the discerning jet setter to sample signature cocktails whilst listening to chilled beats on the sand. Located on one of Bodrums most idyllic marina, welcoming yachts and boats to a white sand beach and a glistering blue horizon, Caresse Resort & Spa is the perfect setting for Buddha Bar Beachs 10th international location. The partnership with the five-star destination will mark the brands debut on the shores of Turkey. The day-to-night experience will combine colourful bohemian beach-chic designs and natural elements such as wood, water and stones reminiscent of the original beach bars of the 1980s, Ibiza and Goa creating the most Instagram-worthy beach hang out. The Buddha Bar Beach is more than a restaurant and bar with its international chefs, guests will be able to enjoy an all-encompassing experience for the senses whilst immersing themselves in the phenomenal natural surroundings. Famous for its Inventive cocktails and sumptuous Asian Fusion menu, Buddha Bar Beach Bodrum will be no exception; offering the vibrant atmosphere and famous Buddha Bar soundtrack a subtle avant-garde mix of lounge and house music combined with local beats, creating the perfect backdrop for an exceptional experience. - TradeArabia News Service There have been many terrible ceremonial first pitches over the years (like 50 Cent, Carl Lewis, and Mariah Carey), and Tuesday night at Guaranteed Rate Field brought us another one. A Chicago White Sox employee was honored as the Employee of the Month, and was given the opportunity to throw out the first pitch before Tuesdays game vs the Kansas City Royals. The pitch never had a chance, and somehow hit a cameraman standing several feet to the first base side of the mound. Words cant quite describe how bad it is though. Just see it for yourself: Its mesmerizing to watch with the motion tail in GIF form. The Undead Archives I have finally salvaged my pre-Blogger TDR archives and added them into Blogger. They are almost totally in the form of one giant post for each month. And the formatting strayed from the originals. Sorry. But historians everywhere can rejoice that this treasure trove of my thoughts is restored to the world. CARBONDALE When Heartland Regional Medical Center announced plans to discontinue its labor and delivery services as of May 31, there was a little confusion among expectant moms. The doctors who delivered babies at the hospital work for Heartland Womens Health Care. Dr. Donald Bishop, an OB-GYN with Heartland Womens Healthcare in Carbondale, said a group of patients heard about the closure and were under the impression that they couldnt continue their pregnancy care with Heartland Women's Healthcares doctors in Marion. Those patients sought care from other doctors, even though doctors with Heartland Womens Healthcare in Marion already had privileges and delivered babies at SIH Memorial Hospital of Carbondale. So, they will deliver babies at the same hospital their doctors come to for deliveries, Bishop said. The only thing that has changed is the location. They are going to come here and deliver a baby, and we will do it safely. Rosslind Rice, spokeswoman for SIH, echoed Bishops words. Heartland Womens Healthcare doctors already have privileges. Women will see the same baby doctors in Marion, and the same doctors will deliver in Carbondale. To help alleviate the fears of expectant moms and clear the confusion, SIH Memorial Hospital of Carbondale will host an open house from 3 to 7 p.m. Friday, May 31, in the Birthing Center on the second floor of the hospital. The event is geared toward expectant mothers and families impacted by the closure of Heartlands obstetric and pediatric services. Birthing Center staff, physicians, certified lactation specialists and educators will be available. Bishop, who has delivered 8,000 babies during his 25 years of obstetrical practice, said Heartland Regional Medical Center is simply the last Southern Illinois hospital to discontinue obstetrical and pediatric services. He does not expect to see a great change at Memorial or Heartland Womens Healthcare because of the Marion Hospital discontinuing services. SIH Memorial Hospital of Carbondale delivers around 2,000 babies per year sometimes more, sometimes less. Al Taylor, vice president and administrator at Memorial, said they expect an influx of deliveries and could see between 30 and 40 per month. To help with that influx, the hospital has hired half a dozen or more nurses from Heartland Regional Medical Center to work in Carbondale. We will be very prepared, Taylor said. This is just another way of taking care of people in the 16 counties we serve. Were here to care for everyone throughout the community regardless of ability to pay. Were excited to be that for moms, Taylor said. In a press release May 3, Heartland Regional Medical Center said a declining number of births and a significant decrease in Medicaid funding caused the cuts. Bishop said that historically, the cost of litigation has affected hospital decisions to quit delivering babies. SIH Memorial Hospital is one of only two hospitals in Southern Illinois that offers delivery services. The other is SSM Health Good Samaritan Hospital in Mount Vernon. Erica Hess, manager of women and children at SIH Memorial Hospital of Carbondale, said they see patients from Mount Vernon to Cairo. Rice explained that patients who are on Medicaid cannot see doctors out of state, even if they are much closer to Cape Girardeau or Paducah. Some patients will have to drive farther to get care. Its a hardship on them, Hess said. She said the hospital has seven birthing rooms that have recently been remodeled. Another one is almost complete. The rooms have new jetted tubs in the bathrooms, reconfigured lighting and the availability of nitrous oxide. They were designed to give patients a positive experience. We are willing and ready to take on any patients who present to us, Hess said. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. CARBONDALE It took nearly a year, but a petition signed by more than 500 people last year secured free parking for Carbondales downtown, at least for a little while. In August last year, Nick Smaligo spoke to the Carbondale City Council on behalf of the citys downtown workers. He said that the current parking arrangement downtown was hurting the downtown employees. Many, Smaligo included, have come out of work to find tickets on their cars after forgetting, or being too busy, to feed a meter. He said many make near minimum wage, and paying to park made a considerable dent in their pocketbooks after a years time, especially when parking tickets are factored in. During that council meeting, Smaligo presented a petition signed by hundreds asking the council to come up with a way to provide free parking to employees of downtown businesses. On Tuesday night, the council did one better they opened up all of downtown for free parking From July 1 of this year to Jan. 1, 2020. The vote was approved 4-2. Lee Fronabarger and Tom Grant were the two dissenting votes. In April, the council discussed how to proceed with potentially doing a trial run of free parking downtown. During the meeting, City Manager Gary Williams said a trial run would be a good test to see the impacts on local businesses and their employees many such employees had complained of getting tickets while working shifts, many of which pay near minimum wage. Most council members were generally in favor of the proposal, but there were some sticking points. One was public backlash when the trial ended everyone loves something for free, but people really hate to have something free taken away, some council members said. The other main issue council members discussed was actually why Fronabarger cast a no vote Tuesday. The fund that is used to provide maintenance for the citys parking lots is sustained through metered parking fees. We are going to run into a financial bind in the future if we dont have that revenue, Fronabarger said Wednesday. He clarified, though, that he isnt against freeing up parking for employees of downtown businesses he was in favor of this. But he said as the conversation continued on the subject, it got further and further from where it started. It just mushroomed into something totally different, he said. Grant said he was in a similar boat. However, he said his vote also came down to hearing the communitys concern and addressing that concern as quickly as possible. I just kind of wanted to make the point that we could have got it done six months ago, he said of the employee parking issue. Grant said if that was resolved and the council then wanted to look at broadening the scope to all of downtown, then they could. He said he wasnt against the decision, but how the decision was made. Fronabarger said the general assumption during discussions about free parking was that there would be an uptick in sales tax revenue coming from the increased traffic to local businesses. Fronabarger said hes not too sure how that will pan out. The newly passed resolution will open up parking for no longer than three hours with overnight parking being prohibited, according to the resolution. The city lot nearest Evolve was of concern for city staff, but according to the agenda items detailed summary on the citys website, the apartment complex has agreed to work with the city to ensure residents are not leaving their cars in the lot long term. Amtrak customers will still be able to park long term, but will have to pay, according to an email from Economic Development Director Steve Mitchell. To avoid the same issue that sparked the resolution, the city will also provide a limited number of free parking passes to each downtown business to provide to employees who need to park longer than three hours. All the details are still being hammered out, namely how the time enforcement will be done. A number of options to enforce parking time limits are currently being considered. We expect to come to a final decision in the next several days, Mitchell said in the email Wednesday. As for what success of this pilot program looks like, there isnt one solid metric. Mitchell wrote in an email that with the parking kiosks not providing data during the trial period, the city will rely on feedback from our downtown businesses, changes in Food and Beverage Tax receipts and observations by City staff." Smaligo said Wednesday that he sees the free parking not only as a win for workers and visitors to the downtown, but also for the citys residents demonstrating the power of their voice. What is more important is that we, as workers and residents of Carbondale, accomplished something that makes a difference in our shared lives, Smaligo wrote in a text message Wednesday. Love 3 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SPRINGFIELD Lawmakers on Tuesday narrowly approved a bill overhauling Illinois abortion statute after more than two hours of debate that was passionate and, at times, emotional. The Reproductive Health Act would replace the states current law with one backers and detractors agree would be the most liberal reproductive health statute in the nation. It creates access to contraception, pregnancy benefits, abortion procedures, diagnostic testing and other related health care as a fundamental right, banning government from impairing access to those things for women and men. The bill now moves to the Senate. Melinda Bush, a Democratic senator from Grayslake and the acts sponsor in that chamber, said Monday she thinks it will succeed there. A committee hearing is expected soon. Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker has vowed to make Illinois the most progressive state in the nation for access to reproductive health care. He said in a statement Tuesday he looks forward to continuing my work as an ally by signing the Reproductive Health Act into law. The legislations passage comes as a hard-fought triumph for its sponsor, Chicago Democratic Rep. Kelly Cassidy. She said after months of working to advance this initiative down a path that at times has not been very easy, she is very pleased at its success. Cassidy said she is also feeling relief, just relief that this step is over and that we are poised to affirm our support for reproductive freedom in Illinois and intentionally stand out from all these other states that are attacking women's rights. The General Assemblys lack of action on the measure harmed Illinois women, she added. I think people have a false sense of security around these issues, when the reality is that women are in real danger in Illinois as the result of our inaction, Cassidy said at the beginning of the month. The final vote was close there were 64 Democrats voting in favor, 50 legislators from both parties voting no and four Democrats voting present. 60 votes were needed to pass the act successfully. Advocates were trying to change minds and secure a favorable outcome right up until the vote. Several sources said Pritzker spoke to lawmakers Tuesday morning about why the tenets of the legislation were important to him. Pritzker did offer his support, his spokesperson said. One member who was waivering was Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, a Democrat from Oswego. She ultimately voted yes. It did seem like a bill that did a lot, and we did need to make sure everything was correct. I believe abortion should be safe and legal, but I believe it should also be rare, Kifowit said. My concern with the bill was with some of the language changes, and the legislative intent had to be there to make sure that its crystal clear what were doing. Rep. Maurice West, a Rockford Democrat, described on the floor how he has received four death threats and was told his wife and future children will lead cursed lives. A preacher, he rose in support of the measure because, he said, he believes in the separation of church and state and the tenet of free will. Regulations passed in other states over the past few weeks have placed constraints on women, West said. My ancestors had physical chains and laws that governed their bodies. We fought a civil war because we wanted to keep black bodies chained and enslaved, and now youre asking me, a black man, to put policy chains on a womans body, on reproductive health ..., he said. But now were living in a time where government is trying to take away basic freedoms, personal choice, and that worries me more than the threats to my life or the promised curses on my life Ill handle those. I know how to pray against those, West continued. At this time, Ive decided to trust women to do whats best for themselves. Recent passage of abortion restriction laws in states such as Alabama, Georgia, Missouri and Ohio spurred the measure to get a second life this session. Legislation in some of those states was advanced, in part, to challenge the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion procedures nationwide. This vote makes it clear that Illinois women will always have the right to make their own medical decisions regardless of what [President] Donald Trump, his right-wing judges and extreme politicians in other states do, House Speaker Michael Madigan, a Chicago Democrat, said in a statement. During floor debate Tuesday, Cassidy had a scripted back-and-forth with Rep. Robyn Gabel, a Democrat from Evanston. It covered topics ranging from whether the Reproductive Health Act would allow abortions to occur at any point during a pregnancy for any reason in short, no, Cassidy answered to who can perform an abortion only doctors can carry out a surgical one, but physician assistants and advanced practice registered nurses can prescribe medications. Cassidy said specifically in a few answers she was trying to establish what is known as legislative intent if there is ever a legal challenge involving the bill and a judge finds the language to be unclear, he will turn to the General Assemblys meaning to help him decide the case. She went on to answer questions from lawmakers from both parties for nearly two hours. There were two phrases she repeated frequently: the Reproductive Health Act does not change the current standard of practice and doctors are required to adhere to accepted standards of clinical practice. The bill mandates private insurance companies regulated by the state must cover abortion procedures if they also provide coverage for pregnancy benefits. One of the changes to this most recent version of the legislation allows companies to employ cost-sharing provisions, such as co-payments, but only if it does so for pregnancy-related coverage as well. It also repeals several protections in current statute for health care professionals who have a moral, ethical or religious objection to abortion and refuse to participate in the procedure. It leaves one in place, the Health Care Right of Conscience Act. Through an amendment, proponents say that law would be strengthened. A legal analysis prepared by the Thomas More Society, a conservative Chicago-based law firm, when the measure was first introduced pointed to a sentence A fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus does not have independent rights under the laws of this State that might unintentionally undermine statutory actions and aspects of Illinois criminal code. That is because that language may call into question whether actions for prenatal injuries or wrongful death may be maintained, according to the memo. I think it would be a compelling argument to urge that a person should not be put in prison for decades for terminating the life of a thing that has no rights and whose humanity is denied by statute. Our laws up to this point had presumed the unborn are human and are of great value in that, Peter Breen, the law firms vice president and senior counsel, said. Im not saying the argument works, but at some level, the punishment must fit the crime. Proponents argue that is not the case, though. In addition, the measure repeals several aspects of current law that courts have blocked, including criminal penalties for doctors and spousal consent. The bill empowers every person in Illinois to make the most personal medical decisions in consultation with their physician. Everyone deserves that right. The House recognized this and saw the urgency in protecting this basic health care, Colleen Connell, executive director of the Illinois chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, said in a statement. She testified with Cassidy before a legislative panel Sunday night. Rep. Avery Bourne, a Republican from Raymond, spent the most time Tuesday questioning Cassidy. She closed by pointing out the Reproductive Health Act does not need to become law for abortion to remain legal in Illinois a bill signed by former Gov. Bruce Rauner allowing tax dollars to be spent on the procedure included language that achieved that. This is about a massive expansion that will impact viable babies, and that is wrong, Bourne, who is pregnant, said. Her voice wavered with emotion when discussing abortions that occur late in a womans pregnancy. The Catholic Conference of Illinois, a group that represents the states six dioceses, said in a statement the bill is more than cleanup legislation as described by advocates. Illinois has previously distinguished itself by recognizing and upholding human dignity. It has welcomed and defended the rights of immigrants and refugees, and eliminated the death penalty, the statement read. It is therefore incomprehensible to us that the General Assembly has prioritized denying protection to the most vulnerable among us by enacting some of the most liberal abortion access laws in the nation. A Senate panel is expected to hear debate on the bill soon, as the scheduled end of session is May 31. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 3 Under the auspices of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and with the follow-up of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia has officially launched the Enriching Hajj & Umrah Experience programme, one of the most important Vision 2030 initiatives. With the ambitious objective of reaching 30 million Umrah visitors annually by 2030, the programmes mission is to achieve a quantum leap in every service provided to visitors of Saudi Arabia, whether coming for Hajj, Umrah, or simply to experience the unparalleled Islamic and national heritage in the Kingdom. The programmes strategy is to provide Spiritual fulfilment and memorable experience, at the fingertips of all Muslims globally. The kingdom of Saudi Arabia takes its responsibility of hosting the two holiest sites for all Muslims with the utmost care and devotion. Everyone in the kingdom considers it an honour to serve our visitors, said Dr Muhammad Saleh bin Taher Benten, chairman of the programmes committee. During the strategy planning phase, we left no stone unturned to gain an in-depth understanding of all our current challenges, Dr Benten said. This included field investigations of more than 192 touchpoints for our visitors, capacity modelling for the urban infrastructure, and the largest primary customer survey done in this sector, reaching out in-person to more than 20,000 people in 135 cities in more than 20 countries around the world to understand their needs, wants, and current challenges in visiting the kingdom. The programmes strategic initiatives actually start at the doorsteps of Saudi Arabias visitors: streamlining and introducing a complete e-visa process that begins and ends for them in the comfort of their own homes. The Enriching Hajj & Umrah Experience programme is also working on a comprehensive online platform that acts as a one-stop shop for everything a visitor might need: from learning about the kingdoms rich Islamic heritage to booking every aspect of their trip. The programme has a complete set of initiatives that are dedicated to enriching the experience of all visitors, through preserving and developing more than 40 Islamic and historical heritage locations. This will involve creating cutting-edge immersive experiences, where visitors get to relive some of the most iconic events in the history of Islam. The initiatives also include museums spread throughout the visitors journey that showcase the kingdoms rich Islamic and cultural heritage, tailored to every language and age. Once visitors land in Saudi Arabia, they will be treated to a world-class experience in transportation, due to huge infrastructure investments over the past decade, boasting a new airport in the port city of Jeddah that can serve 30 million people annually, and the new Haramain High Speed Railway that operates between the airport and the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, shortening the commute by half: 40 minutes to Makkah and 2.5 hours to Madinah. These two mega projects are complemented with a set of more than 130 initiatives that ensure complete ease of travel: A new dedicated highway for visitors between Jeddahs King Abdulaziz International Airport and Makkah, a new public transit system in Makkah, and a city terminal that enables check-ins in Makkah and baggageless travel for visitors until they get to the airport. The digital team is also working with multiple entities in Saudi Arabia to introduce the latest technologies available for crowd management and wayfinding. Predictive technologies will enable the creation of the safest and smoothest possible experiences for visitors. The programmes strategy is a reflection of the transformation that the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman, and HRH the Crown Prince have envisioned for this country. We are proud to be at the forefront of this transformation, said Dr Rami Kinsara, director general of the Enriching Hajj & Umrah Experience programme. - TradeArabia News Service SPRINGFIELD A pair of bills aiming to address the states teacher shortage passed the Illinois Senate on Thursday. Both bills were sponsored by Sen. Andy Manar, a Bunker Hill Democrat. The first, House Bill 2078, raises the minimum wage for teachers to $40,000 by the 2023-2024 school year. The wage increase would be phased in, starting with a $32,076 minimum in the 2020-2021 school year, $34,576 the year after that, and $37,076 in 2022-2023. After 2024, the minimum wage will increase with the consumer price index each year. The states current minimum teacher salary law of $10,000 has been unchanged since the 1980s. The bill also directs a professional review panel established as part of an education funding overhaul in the previous General Assembly to report on how the evidence-based funding model will be affected by the increased costs incurred by districts as part of the minimum wage increase. Manar said the panel will look for ways the state can bridge the gap on increased costs for those districts. Senator Jason Barickman, a Bloomington Republican who helped advance the evidence-based model, said he thought the added expense to districts could affect the model and cause districts that cannot afford the wages to raise property taxes. He voted against the measure. The minimum wage bill passed 45-13 and will require a concurrence from the House before going to Gov. J.B. Pritzker. The Senate also passed and sent to Pritzker a bill intended to address the states teacher shortage. Senate Bill 1952 would eliminate the current requirement that prospective teachers take a test of basic skills prior to the start of their student teaching. It also allows for new teachers, under certain conditions, to be reimbursed for the cost of taking a teacher performance test, known as the edTPA exam. It also removes a current prohibition against student teachers being paid for their work while also raising the cap on annual teacher pay raises to 6 percent instead of 3 percent. The House had made a minor change to the bill, but the Senate concurred in that change Wednesday, sending the bill to Gov. Pritzker. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 ULLIN Shawnee Community College President Peggy Bradford will spend the final year of her administrative contract on sabbatical leave examining higher education policy and the unique financial challenges facing rural community colleges. Bradford is required to submit a written report to the SCC Board of Trustees on her findings by June 30, 2020, according to the terms of a "settlement and release" agreement. In March, Bradford and the board jointly announced that she intended to step down as president on June 15 and begin serving in a new role bolstering community and legislative partnerships for the college. The settlement agreement, which The Southern recently obtained from the college in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, sheds new light on the terms of Bradfords transition. She will continue to receive her full presidential salary during the third and final year of her contract. Bradfords base pay for the 2018 fiscal year is $145,077, according to the Illinois Community College Board. At the March meeting where Bradford and the board reached this deal, trustees also agreed to give her a 6 percent pay raise. Additionally, the agreement provided for Bradford to receive $9,000 within seven days of its execution, as well as a positive reference letter at the end of her employment. It was signed by Randy Rushing, the boards chairman, on April 1. Rushing said Tuesday that he believes the no-fault settlement is fair to both parties. Dr. Bradford has brought many, many good things to the table and its very unfortunate that we have to end this relationship, but I think at this point that its necessary that we move forward, and move the college forward, he said. Rushing said that Bradford made numerous positive contributions to the college during her two years as president. Among them, he credited her leadership in re-establishing the colleges foundation so that it can raise private funds for scholarships and events, working with labor union officials to set up an apprenticeship program, and opening extension centers in Cairo and Vienna. Rushing said that he expects that the research project Bradford has laid out will provide critical information to guide the colleges future. Dr. Bradford is extremely intelligent and very in tune with issues affecting community colleges in Illinois, and I think this gives her an opportunity to provide to us a very helpful tool that we can utilize moving forward, he added. As for Bradford, she said shes eager to dig into the project. She has expressed frustration in the past about the public nature of the criticism leveled against her, but last week told The Southern that she feels positive about the transition, and the opportunities it presents to help the area where she was raised. Its critical, she said, that the college explore all avenues for financial stability, and communicate to policymakers the unique challenges SCC faces in serving one of the most distressed community college districts in the state. In the area were in, there is little business or job growth. So youre looking at, where can you start tapping into other resources, she said, explaining her proposed research project. A number of years of declining and unstable state support for community colleges has placed a heavier burden on property taxpayers and students, via tuition and fees. While these funding trends affect all 39 of Illinois community college districts, the shift creates particularly steep barriers to equity and access for those that serve rural, poor areas, Bradford said. So someone within the state has to look at that distribution, she said. You want to make sure that throughout the state, all of the students are getting the same opportunity. In recent years, Shawnee Community College has battled declining enrollment, budget woes and leadership stability. Trustees were hopeful two years ago when they recruited the Pulaski County native back to Southern Illinois to lead SCC through a transitional period as its eighth president. Bradford had most recently been serving in the senior ranks of a community college in New York. A graduate of Meridian High School and Shawnee Community College, she became the first woman and first African-American to hold the job. But she quickly clashed with members of the faculty union, and they took to Facebook to criticize her publicly on a page they created, The SCC Watchdog. The mood soured to such a degree on campus that the colleges accrediting body made note of the poor faculty-administration relations during a mid-cycle review late last year. Since she was hired in June 2017, the faculty union has issued two "votes of no confidence" in her leadership, most recently in January. Three senior college officials will temporarily assume management of the college when Bradford steps down as president; they will share the president's duties until an interim director is named, according to a statement the board issued last week. They are: Kathleen Curphy, vice president of academic affairs; Countance Anderson, vice president of student success and services; and Brandy Woods, acting vice president of campus operations and the colleges chief financial officer/treasurer. The board anticipates naming an interim president by July 1, according to the statement; both internal and external candidates will be considered. The search for a replacement for Bradford may take up to a year, the boards statement noted. Love 1 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 4 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. Eighteen months before the election of 2020, we know that Donald Trump is the worst president in American history and the most deserving of removal from office before the expiration of his term. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi can pass a bill of impeachment any day of her choosing. With every passing day she comes under greater pressure from other Democrats, including congressional committee chairs, presidential candidates and citizens with eyes to see: Charge this gangster with high crimes and misdemeanors, and throw his fate into the Senate. As things stand, a majority of Senators would vote to convict Mr. Trump. The 47 men and women who caucus as Democrats are, with the likely exception of Joe Manchin of West Virginia, unanimously anti-Trump; and there are at least a half dozen of the 53 Republican members who would not lose their opportunity to excuse Mr. Trump from further service. But this is still well short of the 67 votes required to convict him. Hence Ms. Pelosis dilemma: We have never before had so eminently impeachable a president, yet one whose own party controls the Senate. Ms. Pelosi fears that an impeachment trial will be just too partisan and too divisive. Lets stop to ponder this: How in the world can she imagine that an unimpeached Donald Trumps re-election year can fail to be the bitterest, most partisan, most rip-roaring since the Civil War? Dare she let the president play out the clock until November 2020? Dare she somehow stomach the defiance of Congress, and soon the federal courts, to which Mr. Trump adds judges almost daily? Dare she run the risk that he will have us at war with Iran any time he feels like it? A bill of impeachment forces the president-and-party-before-country Republicans in the Senate to defend Mr. Trump before a riveted national and worldwide audience. Will Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, eloquent champion of the Constitution during the impeachment trial of William Jefferson Clinton and great friend of the patriot John McCain, feel anything other than a fool when he stands in the well of the Senate to tell the nation and the world why Donald Trump should not go and go now? By the time the evidence is in during the trial of Mr. Trump, by the time the Republicans are reduced to muttering, spluttering defenders of the indefensible, there may be something approaching the two-thirds needed to convict. Even if the final count falls short, Mr. Trump and the Senate Republicans will have been so damaged that the Senate as well as the presidency will fall to the Democrats. Come January 2021 the nightmare that is Mr. Trump will be over. No political party whose president was embarrassed by impeachment proceedings has ever won the next election. Admittedly, with Mr. Trump on trial, TrumpWorld will slide into full insanity, and any vote short of 67 in the end will be trumpeted as his vindication by the American people. This will be swallowed only by the willfully ignorant and deluded. However intensely TrumpWorld may fulminate, its numbers are shrinking. In 2020 only 12 Democratic Senators are up for re-election, whereas 22 Republican seats are at stake. Even if the two Democrats who are most at risk, Doug Jones of Alabama and Mark Warner of Virginia, are defeated, it will take only six new Democrats to flip the Senate. The Trial of Trump will guarantee the outcome. Congress really has no choice. Donald Trump must be faced down as soon as possible with the ultimate remedy that is available under the Constitution to secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our posterity, to quote the preamble; and to preserve government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Riedl is a retired Maryland civil servant. His column first appeared in the Baltimore Sun. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Freddy Keith Barnwell, 50, of 2471 Heritage Highway, Bamberg, pleaded guilty to third or subsequent offense of shoplifting. Circuit Judge DeAndrea G. Benjamin sentenced him earlier this month to five years in prison, giving him credit for time served. A grand jury indicted Barnwell on the charge of shoplifting enhancement for third or subsequent shoplifting offense. In other pleas: Terretta Shamekia Haynes, 27, of 708 Mels Court, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to two counts of forgery, valued at less than $10,000. Benjamin sentenced her to three years in prison, suspended to three years of probation. She ordered Haynes to pay restitution and stipulated that her probation term may end after she pays restitution. Robert Lee Brooks, 75, of 348 Iva Road, North, pleaded guilty to first-offense driving under the influence. Benjamin sentenced him to 30 days at the Orangeburg County Detention Center, but gave him credit for time served. A grand jury indicted Benjamin on the charge of second-offense driving under the influence. Vincent Isaac Stroman II, 32, of 721 Manning Street, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to possession of alprazolam, also known as Xanax. Benjamin sentenced him to six months in prison, giving him credit for time served. Antoine Jermaine Jenkins, 30, of 675 Alva Street, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to non-violent second-degree burglary and petit larceny. Benjamin sentenced him to two years in prison, suspended to two years of probation. She also ordered him to pay restitution. She stipulated that his probation term may end upon payment of restitution. A grand jury indicted him on the charge of first-degree burglary. Donte Tyrese Green, 20, of 116 Alvarez Court, Cordova, pleaded guilty to unlawful carrying of a pistol. Benjamin sentenced him under the Youthful Offender Act not to exceed one year, suspended to six months of probation. Luis Tyler, 46, of 185 Joseph Street, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to first-offense possession with intent to distribute marijuana. Benjamin sentenced him to two years in prison or a $500 fine. A grand jury indicted Tyler on the charge of second-offense possession with intent to distribute marijuana. Aaron Jones, 37, of 1677 Desota Street, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to first-offense possession of cocaine. Benjamin sentenced him to one year in prison or a fine of $200. As part of Jones plea agreement, prosecutors dismissed the charges of first-offense driving under suspension, suspended for DUI, and second-offense DUI. Jimmy Lee Robinson, 52, of 169 Catamount Road, Holly Hill, pleaded guilty to first-offense failure to stop for blue light. Benjamin sentenced him to 90 days in jail, giving him credit for having already served four days. Shes allowing Robinson to serve time on weekends. A grand jury indicted Robinson on the charge of second-offense failure to stop for blue light. Angela Renee Baxter, 39, of 348 Mingo Street, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to second-degree domestic violence. Benjamin sentenced her to prison for two years, suspended to 18 months of probation. She stipulated that Baxters probation term may end after she completes a batterers treatment program. Baxter is not allowed to possess any firearm or ammunition for the next three years. Labaron Durell Washington, 30, of 112 Garnett Road, Orangeburg pleaded guilty to malicious injury to personal property valued at $2,000 or less, petit larceny valued at $2,000 or less and second-degree domestic violence. Benjamin sentenced him to 30 days in jail. She gave him credit for having already served two days there. Shes allowing him to serve his time on weekends. Washington is not allowed to possess any firearm or ammunition for the next three years. Charges of petit larceny and first-degree burglary were dismissed at his preliminary hearing. Edward Franklin Darby, 32, of 228 Midway Road, Elloree, pleaded guilty to second or subsequent failure to stop for blue light. Benjamin sentenced him to 30 months in prison. She gave him credit for having already served 167 days in jail. As part of his plea agreement, prosecutors dismissed Darbys charge of resisting arrest. Contact the writer: mbrown@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5545. Follow on Twitter: @MRBrownTandD. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. COLUMBIA -- Orangeburg native Jaime Harrison on Wednesday announced his campaign for the U.S. Senate in 2020 on a promise to fight for opportunity for every South Carolinian. Harrison, a Democrat, made the announcement via YouTube video. Over the past several months Ive been exploring a run for Senate and listening to what South Carolinians are looking for from our senator. Im ready to take their voices to Washington and fight for all South Carolinians, regardless of party, Harrison said. Today, Im announcing that I am running for U.S. Senate because I believe South Carolina needs a senator who is focused on creating opportunity for all the people of this state. When your health care is threatened or youre crushed under the weight of student loans, politics doesnt matter and character counts. After 25 years in Washington, (Republican) Sen. Lindsey Graham has lost his moral compass and would do anything to keep his job. We need a senator who will spend more time fighting for your job than his own. An announcement by Harrison stated that his exploratory committee has raised nearly $500,000 from 9,288 donors. The average contribution was $40.76. Highlights from the announcement video: Comic books. Thats how I learned to read. Born to a 16-year-old mom and raised by my grandparents in small town Orangeburg, we made do with the opportunities we created for ourselves because thats all we had. My grandparents didnt have much, but they raised me right. Taught me what most South Carolinians know: character counts, so does hard work and helping others when you can. When they struggled to read their bills, I helped read them. Lindsey Graham cant lead us in any direction because hes traded his moral compass for petty political gain. Lindsey Graham has forgotten about the people he represents: you. Harrison has been a leader in Democratic Party politics, serving as associate chair of the Democratic National Committee. He was formerly chairman of the S.C. Democratic Party. The 1994 graduate of Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School earned degrees from Yale University and Georgetown University Law School. He then climbed the ranks of the Democratic party on Capitol Hill through a series of internships and career-defining moves that ultimately led to his candidacy for chairman of the Democratic National Committee in 2017. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Dazed, confused and accused - a 27 year-old has been sued for forging a medical document and now risks a considerable fine. A 27-year-old man appeared at the Luxembourg City court for forgery on Tuesday. After his employer refused to grant him a few days off, he promptly falsified a medical certificate in December 2016 in order to rest. Recognising a forgery, the company proceeded to file a complaint against the employee. The prosecutor's representative requested a six-month suspended sentence and a reasonable fine. According to the prosecutor, the man was guilty of a foolish/big mistake rather than an actual crime, something he himself was aware of. The man had falsified a medical document, however the gravity of the case was relative. According to a policewoman's statement, the accused had changed the date on a genuine medical letter. He had however admitted to his actions to both his doctor and his superior, and regretted his actions. After the pressure of work, excessive fatigue and his request being refused, he hadnt fully considered the consequences of his actions. The company's attorney requested 5,000 in damages and reimbursement of 2,050 in legal fees. The accused, in turn, stated that he understood the claim but challenged the amounts. The judgment is set to fall on the 20 June. The recent shift in ownership of the troubled Kemmerer coal mine has union representatives there confident in the preservation of the more than 200 positions put in jeopardy when the mines previous owner declared bankruptcy earlier this year. However, some see the details of the transaction the exchange of the mine to the companys secured lenders in exchange for debt forgiveness and the new owners a company specializing in mine reclamation operations as signs the mines days are numbered. Last week, the mines owners, Westmoreland Resource Partners, announced that the Kemmerer mine would be sold to its secured lenders. At face value, this was a victory, following the collapse of a sale to Virginia businessman Tom Clarke in April. However, rather than selecting a traditional mining operator to run the mine, the lenders went on to announce the hire of a Canadian company, North American Construction Group LLC, to run the mine. According to the companys website, the company specializes not in management but in operations like mine site development and mine reclamation, the final step of a surface mines useful life. These details are noteworthy for several reasons, said Peter Morgan, an attorney with the Sierra Clubs environmental law program. Primarily among them? The selection of a non-operator, after a number of failed sales to established operators over the past several years, leads Morgan to believe the mines lenders are focusing not on profits but on mitigating further losses. The issue weve seen with Kemmerer is there have been ample opportunities for another coal operator to come in and pick up this mine, Morgan said. Thats what wed have expected to see if the market had perceived this mine to have any forward-going value. But what were now seeing is a buyer of last resort the group of secured creditors taking the mine. I think its been clear through the bankruptcy that wasnt their first choice. Coal is facing a shaky future, with dramatic reversals in the valuations of thermal coal mines, or suppliers to coal-fired power plants, in the U.S. in general and specifically thermal coal mines in the Powder River Basin. Meanwhile, communities like Kemmerer have already begun looking forward to a future where two coal-fired power plants in the region shut down, taking with them the remaining market that exists for locally produced coal. However, United Mine Workers of America District 22 Vice President Mike Dalpiaz said that early talks with the mines new owners have so far been positive, and he is confident that a culture change there could mean a more optimistic future for the mine than was previously possible. (North American Construction Group) is going to look for other places to sell the coal, too something Westmoreland didnt do so hopefully they can sell more product, said Dalpiaz. There are hundreds of millions of tons of recoverable coal there, so the coal is not an object. Its just finding somebody to buy the product. As long as the power plants continue to go, the mines should continue to be there. Dalpiaz said so far, collective bargaining with the new ownership of the mine is progressing in a positive direction and, while unclear on how many workers will be retained, he said he expected local miners to be back to work in due time. Im available every day to get this deal done, so we can get this nightmare behind us and, hopefully, continue to mine coal like they know how to do it in Kemmerer, he said, with a new management team, new thoughts and ideas, and the same workforce. Follow politics reporter Nick Reynolds on Twitter @IAmNickReynolds Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The Mills Town Council on Wednesday agreed to negotiate with the towns firefighters and also granted the mayor authority to hire a private contractor to provide emergency services to the community. Those decisions were passed as resolutions at a hastily arranged town council meeting Wednesday morning. The council spent nearly an hour in executive session before passing the resolutions. Mills Mayor Seth Coleman said the resolutions will give the town some breathing room to continue to address the future of the fire department. Amid budgeting problems, the town voted in April to lay off its nine full-time firefighters as of July a decision that town residents and the firefighters have fought. Neither of Wednesdays resolutions promise any certain outcome, Coleman said. At the towns last council meeting, Coleman proposed using a private company to provide fire service to Mills in lieu of funding the existing department. The option would save the town more than $500,000, Coleman estimated. Given the towns impending budget crisis, Coleman has said it is one option to help balance the Mills budget. He had also proposed paying the Natrona County Fire Protection District $425,000 to staff the Mills station with county fire personnel. Mills gave the county district until May 28 to respond to that offer. Natrona County Fire Protection District interim chief Brian Oliver told the Star-Tribune the county fire service would not enter into a contract with Mills. He said it was not the right time. Were still rebuilding ourselves here, he said, referencing the $1 million cut the districts budget took in 2017. Oliver said the district responded Tuesday. Coleman said Wednesday he had not heard from the county fire district, but if the district had sent its response via mail, Coleman would look for it. Having not heard from the district, the town decided to move forward with researching hiring a private company to provide emergency service to the town, Coleman said. Earlier Wednesday, Coleman had said an agreement with the county was not out of the question. After being told later Wednesday the county fire district had declined the towns proposal, Coleman was less certain what the next steps would be. The town will not seek a private company to provide ambulance service and will continue to rely on the Wyoming Medical Center for emergency medical response, according to the resolution. The town called the special meeting Tuesday afternoon. Notice was posted at a number of locations around Mills, as well as in a Facebook post. The town did not issue a news release regarding the special meeting. Coleman told the Star-Tribune that the short notice was because of conversations between the firefighters unions attorney and the Town of Mills attorney. The town could not take action on those conversations outside of a formal meeting, Coleman said. Union discussions As for the mediation, Mills firefighters union president Jeremy Todd said the union and Coleman will meet June 4 for that discussion. The union has accused the town of violating Wyomings collective bargaining laws. The union contract provides for a good faith bargaining process to renegotiate contracts. That process, Todd said, requires 30 days for the town and the union to come to an agreement. If no agreement is met, both parties would go to arbitration. In arbitration, a third-party would hear arguments from both sides and essentially make the decision for the parties. Todd said it was not the most desirable outcome, but it is required after 30 days of stalemate in labor negotiations. The union asserts that the town failed to meet with the union, which violates the collective bargaining agreement, and also has refused to enter into arbitration. Mills Fire Department engineer and paramedic Tyler Houser said town officials failed to show up to a contract negotiation meeting in mid-April. We showed up and waited for 25 minutes, Houser said. He said the union representatives were then informed town officials had forgotten about the meeting and would reschedule. Within a week after that failed meeting attempt, the union received notice that the fire department would be closing. The town then declined to meet for further contract negotiations, evident in a May 3 letter from Coleman to Todd. Coleman wrote in the letter that town officials would meet with the union to cover the topics that should have been covered by the fire departments leadership much earlier. These will not be contractual negotiations, the letter continues. The union has threatened legal action against the town for these alleged violations. The union is seeking judicial action that would force the town to go to arbitration. Mills officials deny violating any collective bargaining laws. We completely dispute that, Mills attorney Pat Holscher said. As a means of avoiding further legal action, Coleman will meet with union representatives next week to try to come up with a workable agreement. Both Todd and Houser said the union would not agree to anything in that mediation short of a contract to continue providing fire service to the town. The mediation is to come to an agreement on a contract, Todd said. Holscher said the town is willing to discuss all options during that mediation. Our presumption would be theres no issues off the table, he said. The mediation would also prevent either party from incurring onerous legal fees, Holscher said. He said any court proceeding is expensive by nature, and both parties would likely want to avoid those costs. Still, if the town does not offer the firefighters a new contract, Todd and Houser both said the union would file a lawsuit against the town. Houser said the union is willing to negotiate elements of the contract to help save the town money, including changing staffing shifts and helping with public works projects. We swore an oath to protect our citizens, Houser said. This is part of that. Follow city reporter Morgan Hughes on Twitter @morganhwrites. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 1 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. The Mills Town Council will hold a special meeting regarding the Mills Fire Department at 9 a.m. Wednesday at Mills Town Hall. Mayor Seth Coleman said there are two resolutions that will be considered at that meeting. One deals with legal issues regarding the fire department; the other deals with contractual issues. Coleman said he did not want to go into detail about what those resolutions included. He said the resolutions will be finalized and presented at the meeting Wednesday morning. The meeting is being called because the Mills firefighters unions lawyer called the town attorney, Coleman said. For the Mills Town Council to take any action related to that call, Coleman said it has to be done in a formal meeting. The meeting does not have anything to do with the deadline Mills gave the Natrona County Fire Protection District in a letter sent last week, Coleman said. That letter proposed that the county fire district would staff the Mills Fire Station and Mills would pay the district $425,000 for it to do so. Mills gave the county until May 28 to respond to that request. Coleman did not say whether he had heard from the district. The meeting notice was posted around 6 p.m. Tuesday night on the towns Facebook page. As of 7:30 p.m. Tuesday evening, no press release or notice of the meeting had been posted to the towns website, other than a calendar event listing the meeting time. Coleman said flyers for the special meeting were posted at the post office in Mills, the senior center and town hall at around 4 p.m. He said those locations are where they post all town meeting information. The Facebook post was created roughly two hours later. Coleman said there is a lag on social media posts because the town contracts with an outside entity to handle social media. Per Wyoming statute, governing bodies are allowed to call special meetings with short notice. The statute requires that a governing body inform its members and media outlets at least eight hours prior to the meeting. Coleman said he did not reach out to any media outlets because there are no Mills-specific outlets and he did not want to pick and choose from the Casper-based outlets. Follow city reporter Morgan Hughes on Twitter @morganhwrites. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 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. Authorities in Sublette County are searching for a missing man, the sheriffs office there announced Wednesday. Anthony Stephen Jones was last seen Monday in a white 2007 Toyota pickup. Investigators suspect Jones was headed towards Bend, Oregon. Jones, 28, is described as 5-foot-11 inches tall and 185 pounds. He has blue eyes and brown hair. Jones was last seen wearing a camouflage Under Armour hoodie, khaki colored pants and a brown and black ball cap. The trucks license plate number is WY 23-5142. The truck has damage to the driver side mirror and door, according to the report. Anyone with information about Jones is asked to contact the Sublette County Sheriffs Office at 307-367-4378. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The city of Riverton filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against roughly two dozen opioid manufacturers and other companies involved in the creation and distribution of the potent class of painkillers, becoming the latest Wyoming entity to join in a wave of litigation that is sweeping the country. The Fremont County city joins Casper, Cheyenne, Rock Springs, Carbon County, Sweetwater County and the Northern Arapaho Tribe in taking aim at the companies in federal court. The state of Wyoming, meanwhile, is pursuing its own action against Purdue the maker of OxyContin and often considered the father of the opioid epidemic in state court. Hundreds of counties, town, cities, states and tribes from across the country have filed suits against the companies, alleging that they pushed the opioids on doctors and the public despite knowing of their addictive and dangerous qualities. The Riverton suit was filed by Jackson attorney Jason Ochs, whos representing Casper, Cheyenne, Rock Springs and Carbon County. Purdue and other companies tied up in the litigation, which include Walgreens, Walmart, and the maker of opioids like fentanyl and oxycodone, have all denied any wrongdoing repeatedly. Like the other federal cases here, the Riverton lawsuit will be transferred to a federal court in Ohio in the coming weeks for pre-trial work up. Ochs had previously told the Star-Tribune that should the suit go to trial, it will do so back in Wyoming. In Ohio, meanwhile, settlement talks continue to swirl. Purdue and other companies, including the Purdue-founding Sackler family, recently settled with the state of Oklahoma for tens of millions of dollars. But just this week, Johnson and Johnson is on trial in Oklahoma for its role in the crisis. The company, whose subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals makes fentanyl, is the only company in the Oklahoma suit that did not settle with the state. Both Johnson and Johnson and Janssen Pharmaceuticals are defendants in most of the Wyoming cases, including Rivertons. While the Oklahoma settlement was for $270 million, including $75 million from the Sackler family alone, Riverton isnt expecting a hefty payout should a settlement or jury award come down. Were not counting on it to be a really money maker, we assume it wont be, Riverton Mayor Richard Gard told the Star-Tribune on Tuesday. Were just trying to get in there and point out that were in support of controlling the drug. Gard said Riverton had a similar arrangement with Ochs that Casper did, that the attorney would not be paid unless the town was set to win money in a settlement or as a result of a trial. Ochs praised Riverton for taking the step to sue the companies and called Fremont County the epicenter of opioid abuse in Wyoming. Indeed, while Wyoming broadly has been spared the worst of the epidemic that has killed tens of thousands of Americans in recent years, Fremont County has had less luck. According to report from the Wyoming Survey and Analysis Center from March 2018, there were nearly more prescription opioids distributed in Fremont County between 2014 and 2016 than there are people in the county: There were 906 prescriptions distributed there per 1,000 residents, the fifth-highest rate in the state. The county had a similarly high rate of prescriptions filled for controlled substances. It also had the highest rate of naloxone used by first responders anywhere in Wyoming. Naloxone is used to counter the effects of opioid overdoses, though it can be used for other medical purposes and its use does not necessarily indicate an overdose. An annual report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found the county had the third-highest drug overdose mortality rate, tied with Lincoln and Sweetwater counties. Only Carbon and Uinta counties had higher rates. The drug problem in Fremont County was recently highlighted in federal court in Casper, where Shakeel Kahn was found guilty last week on charges that he essentially ran a pill mill. Many of his patients lived in the Fremont County. Gard said the city didnt like that we have the highest drug problem in the state. Follow education reporter Seth Klamann on Twitter @SethKlamann Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. When special counsel Robert Mueller took to the rostrum Wednesday in Washington for a much-hyped public statement, he did so with the intention to set the record straight on his two-year investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and the prospective obstruction of justice by its winner, President Donald Trump, and his associates. Namely, he emphasized that the report his team produced which neither exonerated nor charged the president with a crime was exactly what he said it was: an honest look at the operations of the campaign and of Russian intelligence as they related to the 2016 election. The report is my testimony, Mueller said in a news conference Wednesday. Most important, however, was Muellers statement on his role as special counsel: that it was Congress responsibility, not the Justice Departments, to try the president for any crimes he may have committed while in office. If we had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so, Mueller said. Wyomings delegation in Washington which has been stridently in support of the president since the release of the Mueller report last month had little new to say Wednesday, with Republican Rep. Liz Cheney and close Trump ally Sen. John Barrasso releasing statements avoiding the lines Mueller left open to interpretation. Special Counsel Mueller said today that his report speaks for itself, and confirmed what we already knew: there was no collusion and the Justice Department found there was no obstruction, Cheney said in a statement. Criminal activity Muellers investigation came in two parts: one investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election and whether Trumps campaign colluded with Russian agents to hurt his opponent, Hillary Clinton and another examining whether Trump or his associates obstructed the special counsels investigation. Numerous ties between Trumps team and the Russian government as well as evidence his associates had impeded Muellers investigation were outlined in the report, while more than a dozen additional, ongoing investigations were acknowledged in the reports appendices. Though numerous Trump associates were convicted of or indicted for federal crimes during the course of his offices investigation, Mueller made it clear that his office did not have the authority or sufficient evidence to charge the president with a crime. Rather, the determination to charge a sitting president with a crime, he said, should be left not to the court system but to Congress. Charging the president with a crime was not something we could consider, Mueller said. While Barrasso acknowledged that the investigation had yielded arrests, he avoided mention of the indictment of numerous Trump associates only the Russian nationals named in the report. The Special Counsel didnt find evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, but did indict dozens of Russians for interfering in the 2016 election, said Barrasso. That was confirmed again today by Special Counsel Mueller. Impeachment In the history of the United States, only four presidents have ever faced the prospect of impeachment: James Buchanan (corruption), Andrew Johnson (violating the Tenure of Office Act), and Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton, who both among other allegations were accused of obstruction of justice. Impeachment of Trump, however, has largely been considered off the table. Democratic leadership in the House, with only the contents of the Mueller report to consider, has been reluctant to lend support to calls from a small portion of their membership to bring articles of impeachment against the president. Meanwhile the Senate, which maintains a Republican majority, would be unlikely to support those efforts, particularly with a public that, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, opposes impeachment by a slim majority. Through a spokesperson, Enzi the only member of the Wyoming delegation to ever discuss impeachment in a Senate hearing said he believed any such proceeding should be based on credible evidence of wrongdoing while in office. Should questions on the presidents actions come before the Senate as a result of impeachment, Senator Enzi would review all the facts and make a judgment about such conduct at the time, they said in a statement. Barrasso, in an appearance on Fox News last week, was much more succinct. If the House of Representatives wants to do what they seem to want to do, which is travel the path to impeachment, let them, he said. Theres going to be no appetite for that in the United States Senate. For Wyomings delegation, nothing new Muellers statement Wednesday, while explicit in the special counsels role within the justice system, was noticeably vague and refrained from drawing any specific ties between the president and the evidence presented within the report that associates within his campaign obstructed justice during the investigation. Mueller maintained Wednesday that while he may be asked to testify before Congress on the contents of the report, it was important that the report be allowed to speak for itself and, if questioned, he would speak no further than its contents. As such, Wyomings delegation in Washington had little more to say than what they had said previously. All three supported the investigation at its start and, following its conclusion, supported the release of the Mueller report in its entirety. Following its release, they celebrated the full report as an exoneration of the president from any complicity in Russias verifiable interference in the 2016 elections, maintaining it was time to move on. As the Attorney Generals letter revealed a month ago, the release of this report confirms that Democrats have perpetuated a fraud on the American people for the last two years, Cheney said in a statement last month. There was no collusion. On Wednesday, the president seemed to celebrate with a victory lap, tweeting Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you. Cheney, meanwhile, has gone on the offensive in recent weeks, going as far as to say comments made by former FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page during the early stages of the investigation into Russian interference could well be treason and that proof of high-level corruption existed within the FBI itself, a claim echoed by the president on social media earlier this week. Meanwhile, the president has given Attorney General William Barr the go-ahead to lead an investigation of the investigation itself, giving Barr the authority to declassify, downgrade, or direct the declassification or downgrading of information or intelligence relating to the Russia investigation in a special order last week an effort Cheney supported in a statement Wednesday afternoon. I support the Attorney Generals determination to investigate improper behavior by some at the highest levels of the Obama Justice Department and FBI, she said. Looking toward 2020 What likely remains the most realistic outcome of the Mueller investigation is the examination of foreign interference in the 2016 election, which was intended to damage the credibility of a specific candidate in the election, Clinton, to the advantage of her opponent. There were multiple, systematic efforts to interfere in our elections, and that allegation deserves the attention of every American, Mueller said. A concerted response to that interference, however, has been slow in coming. In March, the non-partisan Council on Foreign Relations released a piece calling for a comprehensive overhaul of the nations electoral security, noting the lack of a cohesive plan from the Trump administration or Congress. Enzi, who acknowledged the role Russian intelligence played in the 2016 elections in previous statements to the Star-Tribune, said through a spokesperson he was committed to staying the course on preventing similar meddling in future elections. This year in the Senate, several pieces of legislation, including the DETER Act of 2019, have been introduced with the intention of preventing future election interference from foreign governments, while others, like the sweeping For The People Act backed by House Democrats, have garnered only partisan support. As Special Counsel Muellers report found, it is clear there were systematic efforts by Russia to interfere with our election, Rachel Vliem, a spokesperson for Sen. Enzis office, wrote in an emailed statement. Senator Enzi is committed to working with his colleagues to prevent threats posed to our democratic institutions by foreign interference. Follow politics reporter Nick Reynolds on Twitter @IAmNickReynolds Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 3 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. An oddball endeavor if ever there was one,(originally titled) takes place in small-town Pennsylvania but was filmed in Georgia with a British director (, shown just below) at the helm and its leading actors all from Ireland.Whatever: The movie works, and in fact does a lot more than that. It gives the fine actor(shown on poster, right, and further below) the best role I've yet seen him play, as it very unusually and interestingly places a character somewhere on the spectrum of Aspergers syndrome in the center of this tale involving a child's disappearance, a cover-up, and a desperate attempt to do the right thing.Small-town America in the time of Trump (the first thing we see in the film is a Trump placard on a shabby front lawn), with its own special structure serving the wealthy and powerful, is front and center here, with everything working just fine, so long as people know their place -- and stay in it.Mr. Fellows does a good job of bringing' first-class screenplay to life. His pacing is steady and increasingly fraught, as our difficult hero, Donald, a sanitation worker (played by Mr. Scott), attempts to learn what really happened to the young boy who used to wave to to him daily on his sanitation route and is now said to have accidentally drowned.As the information Donald gleans points ever more clearly toward a cover-up, the powers-that-be -- from police to community "leaders" -- close ranks. What some critics have pointed to as preposterous and/or risible plot turns strikeas more like business-as-usual in small town America.And so, anything goes, and by the finale our hero is lucky to have been left in one piece. What he feels he must do is thus horrible yet perfectly understandable, under these Trump-land circumstances and those of his own constantly anxious state.Mr. Scott's rich, lovely and angry performance as the quirky, unstable Donald carries the movie. He is as difficult as he is worth caring for and about. And the two most important women in his life -- his "ex" (played sadly and smartly by, below),and his co-worker, Donna, who also carries a torch for the guy (a wonderful job by, below) -- make Donald's exasperating-but-worth-it combination painfully obvious.His daughter (a clear-headed and loving performance from, below) is the only character to whom he can comfortably turn for the sustenance he craves.That those three lead performances (by Scott, Gough and Waugh) are being played by Irish actors doing a surprisingly good job giving us Pennsylvania accents adds to the unusual quality of the film, and a special nod must be given to the fine screenplay from Mr. Higgins, who captures small-town creepiness and unexpected kindness with equal care and believability.Two scenes stand out among many that nail our hero's singular and difficult world: his sudden verbal use of his and Donna's names as a reason for themto connect, and another, purely visual moment, as Donald quietly sits in the middle of a closed circle of drawing pencils, all arranged by color. In a world more just, in which Academy members dare venture beyond what the box-office and/or typical media pundits offer up, Mr. Scott's performance might draw Oscar consideration.This quiet, sad little film is so much better than many other big-budget dramatic wanna-bes featuring "name" actors and/or directors that you ought not let it get by without a watch. Fromand running just 89 minutes,arrived onand digital download last week -- for purchase and/or rental. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Arguably, Arizona Highways magazine did more to put the state on the tourist map than anything else. That can be said of the late Ted DeGrazia, as well. The artist and the magazine often joined forces to bring Southern Arizona images to vivid life for an international audience (yes, Arizona Highways, has a far, far reach). Now on view at the DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun is Arizona Highways and Ted DeGrazia. The exhibit features works DeGrazia did for the magazine. The artist first appeared in the Arizona Highways pages in 1941, when he was profiled by the magazines legendary editor, Raymond Carlson. The magazine continued to feature his work. In June, a painting by DeGrazia will be on the cover once again, when Arizona Highways celebrates the prolific artists 110th birthday, which is June 14. The Gallery in the Sun exhibit is in conjunction with that. The exhibit continues through Jan. 29. The gallery is at 6300 N. Swan Road. Admission is $8. For more information, call 299-9191 or go to Degrazia.org. Contact reporter Kathleen Allen at kallen@tucson.com or 573-4128. On Twitter: @kallenStar Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Space Trek: The Gaslight Theatre's Summer Melodrama Show The Gaslight Theatre, 7010 E Broadway. Hurtle through the galaxy with Captain James P. Trek and the crew of the Starship Entrepreneur as they battle evil forces for possession of a secret new weapon capable of destroying the Universe. Contact for times and dates. $22.95. 886-9428. Agatha Christie's Murder on the Nile Arizona Rose Theatre, 4500 N. Oracle Road. Set on a paddle steamer cruising the legendary Nile River in 1940s Egypt. 7-9 p.m. June 8 and 15; 2-4 p.m. June 9 and 16. $17. 888-0509. Quirkus Circus and the Missing Ringmaster Live Theatre Workshop, 5317 E. Speedway. Come out and get ready to laugh, be silly, and show off your talents in this family fun musical. 12:30-1:30 p.m. June 9. Last chance. $10. 327-4242. Till Death Do Us Part - A Big Fat Murder Mystery The Gaslight Music Hall, 13005 N. Oracle Road, Oro Valley. Join the Romano Family and the Manchego Family as they celebrate the bride and groom in a night full of singing, dancing and murder. 6-8 p.m. June 10. Last chance. $38.95 includes a three-course meal and a show. 529-1000. Seated Tai Chi for Health Ellie Towne Flowing Wells Community Center, 1660 W. Ruthrauff Road. Work on leg strength, posture, and balance. Easy to learn and relaxing. Ages 18 and up. 1-2 p.m. June 5. $24 for four classes. 465-2890. Yoga for Bodies That Don't Bend Centerline Movement Studio, 1600 N. Tucson Blvd., Suite 100. For those who would like to increase your flexibility, functional strength, and relieve stress. Ages 14 and up. 6-7 p.m. Mondays. $15. 1-919-260-0236. mindfuladventure.com . Gentle Yoga for Back Care Mindful Yoga Studio, 1101 N. Wilmot Road. Students are introduced to movements and poses that encourage improved postural alignment and freedom from pain. This class is for those wishing to prevent and alleviate back and neck problems. A gentle practice suitable for new students and students of all levels regardless of back issues. Ages 18 and up. 4-5:15 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. $11. 300-4378. mindfulyogatucson.com. PHOENIX Arizona taxpayers wont be funding a special program designed to help groups that urge women not to terminate pregnancies. House Bill 2759 picked up just 15 votes in the Senate on Monday night, one short of what is needed, as two Republican legislators sided with Democrats to quash the plan. Sen. Kate Brophy McGee, R-Phoenix, one of the opponents, said her vote has nothing to do with a position on abortion. She said there was a better alternative, one that cost less than the $2.5 million requested. That program, said Brophy McGee, is the 2-1-1 telephone service now being operated by volunteers that provides community referrals for various social, employment and health services. But efforts to get $1 million to ensure 24/7 funding fell short, at least in part because the anti-abortion Center for Arizona Policy wanted language that would have required the people giving advice to turn away any requests for information on services available to terminate a pregnancy. Brophy McGee said there were perhaps three to six calls to 2-1-1 each year seeking such information out of more than 950,000 requests for information. The justices also rejected arguments presented by Benjamin Kreutzberg, a deputy Yavapai County Attorney, that including extracts in the definition of whats allowable would blow a huge hole in the part of the 2010 law that limits marijuana purchases by qualified patients to just 2 ounces every two weeks. Brutinel said its clear from the wording of the law that 2-ounce limit applies to the amount of dried flowers and leaves that went into the specific extract or product, not the weight of the final item. And they sidestepped a broader challenge on the entire law as illegal because of federal laws that still make possession and sale of marijuana felony, saying that Kreutzberg never argued that until he brought the case to the Supreme Court. Tuesdays ruling is most immediately a victory for Rodney Jones for possession of 0.05 of an ounce of hashish despite the fact he has a state-issued card allowing him to possess marijuana, and despite the fact he obtained the drug from a state-licensed dispensary. Prosecuted by the Yavapai County Attorneys Office, he was sentenced to and served 2 years in prison. Attorney Robert Mandel said that, if nothing else, the decision means Jones can seek to have the conviction wiped from his record. From raspados to saguaros, there are just some things that are so...Tucson. Join Tucson Storytellers, an event hosted by the Arizona Daily Star and This is Tucson, for a live night of storytelling centered around our favorite desert city. Six community members will take the stage on August 13 at El Casino Ballroom to share their true, first-person stories about the Old Pueblo. When Ana Adlerstein followed an asylum-seeker into the Lukeville port of entry May 5, she thought the whole situation was solid. The asylum-seeker already had an American attorney who had called ahead, Adlerstein and the Central American had gone together earlier in the day and been told by the port supervisor to return at this time, and they were crossing at the prescribed place for such things. They were going to a port of entry, not crossing between ports as so many thousands have done in the current wave. But things quickly went bad. Adlerstein, 31, an American working with a group giving legal assistance to migrants in Sonoyta, Sonora, was immediately detained by officers at the port, she said. One of them told her she was alien smuggling. They wouldnt let her speak to her attorney and kept her in a cell at the port for four hours, she said. We were following the supervisors instructions. We couldnt have done it more aboveboard. And I was arrested for human smuggling, she told me Tuesday. We all want to not wear masks, to visit family and friends, to go out for a meal. We all want our hospitals to have beds for citizens with inj Local journalism is important and producing it costs time and money. To continue viewing content on tucson.com, please sign in with your existing account or subscribe. According to a new study, one in five teachers are burdened by housing costs. Your browser does not support the audio element. Seven commercial banks in Vietnam on Tuesday began switching from magnetic stripe to chip technology for their domestic debit cards, the first wave of transition pursuant to a government policy that looks to completely phase out the old-school swipe cards by the end of 2021. The seven lenders involved in the schemes first phase are Vietcombank, VietinBank, BIDV, Agribank, Sacombank, TPBank and ABBank. The Vietnam Bank Card Association and the National Payment Corporation of Vietnam (NAPAS) were coordinators for the launch. Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam Nguyen Kim Anh said at the launch event in Hanoi on Tuesday that the switch from magnetic stripe cards to chip cards is one key solution to promoting non-cash payment and preventing hi-tech crime. Vietnam currently has about 76 million cards issued by 48 commercial banks, according to central bank statistics. Chip cards are believed to help reduce risks of card-related crimes and increase payment safety for customers. A store employee swipes a domestic bank card on a POS terminal in Vietnam. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre Before the transition, only international debit and credit cards in Vietnam were using chip technology while all domestic cards, popularly referred to as ATM cards,' resorted to the decades-old magnetic stripe technology, which is more vulnerable to identity theft. A government-approved plan by the State Bank of Vietnam looks to have at least 30 percent of the active cards in the country switched to chip technology by the end of this year. The number will rise to 60 percent by the end of 2020 and 100 percent by the end of 2021, according to the plan. Some banks have announced they would provide the replacement for free while others said customers should expect a small fee when trading their magnetic stripe cards for chip cards. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Your browser does not support the audio element. In a small alley of Da Nang City in central Vietnam, a retired teacher has been giving free English tutoring to local children in a simple belief that all kids should be given the opportunity to learn a foreign language. The usual tranquility of an alley on Nui Thanh Street in Hai Chau District, Da Nang is disturbed every weekend by the sounds of children speaking English. They attend a small class run by Tran Thi Huong, 63, a former English teacher who has dedicated her retirement to educating local children for free. With a small stainless steel table and some plastic chairs placed on the narrow porch of her house, Huong has inspired generations of her students to find their passion for the language. Visiting one of her classes on a Sunday morning in May, your correspondent sat down with Huong as she had just finished tutoring three students. Despite the limited space of her house, Huong said she never says no to new students as long as they are willing to learn. With no placement test, she said the challenging part was individually following the learning pace of each student. Whenever they seem stressed out with studying, I would switch to teaching English through songs, Huong said, adding that her other methods to lighten up the mood include rewarding her students with snacks, giving them puzzles, and teaching them to dance to songs. I always try to avoid causing my students any stress or giving them pressure in class, Huong said. Tran Thi Huong (not seen) tutors children at her home in Da Nang, Vietnam. Photo: Tan Luc / Tuoi Tre Huong considers speaking one of the most important skills in learning a foreign language. Only when you have learnt to speak correctly are you able to listen to what people say, she said. Huong should know what is best for her students as she is fluent in both English and French, growing up during the French colonial period in Vietnam. In her youth, Huong had the opportunity to study English with native speakers an experience which she said had allowed her to acquire a native-like accent. Apart from English, Huong also teaches her students manners, social etiquette and good habits to study any subject effectively. Tran Thi Huong tutors children at her home in Da Nang, Vietnam. Photo: Tan Luc / Tuoi Tre Opening her first free-of-charge tutoring class in 2013, Huong said the first of her students are already attending college in Vietnam and abroad. Every week I look forward to Sunday, when I get to see my dear students whom I love as much as my own children, Huong said. Teaching the kids has helped Huong stay sharp in her old age and prevent memory loss. I feel like Im revisiting my childhood and the days of my younger life teaching these children, she said. Huong could have spent her retirement doing some paid job with her proficiency in foreign languages, but she said money was never her concern. You can be rich and miserable nonetheless, Huong said. I find it my biggest treasure knowing these children would carry my image in their minds for the rest of their lives, she said. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Forbin, an anti-air frigate of the French Naval Force led by Col. Thomas Frioli, docked at the Sai Gon Hiep Phuoc Port in Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday, beginning a week-long friendship visit to the southern metropolis. The French vessels first Vietnam visit is part of the framework of the Vietnam-France defense cooperation plan for 2019, aimed at promoting bilateral defense ties and strengthening strategic partnership between the two nations. During their visit, which lasts until June 3, French naval officers are scheduled to pay courtesy visits to leaders of the Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee and local military commands. The two sides are expected to share experience in areas of mutual concern. Friendly sporting activities will be held with the participation of officers and soldiers from both countries, alongside joint training programs. The 199-member Forbin crew is also scheduled to visit a number of historical relic sites and tourist attractions in Ho Chi Minh City during their stay. Forbin is the sixth vessel of the French Navy named after 17th-century admiral Claude Forbin-Gardanne. It is the lead ship of the Horizon class, tasked with protecting aircraft carriers, capital ships or civilian ships from supersonic missile attacks. One of Frances most powerful surface combatants, Forbin is also capable of monitoring and controlling operations at sea carried out by friendly aircraft. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Read what is in the news today, May 29! Politics -- Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc arrived at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on Wednesday morning, concluding his Europe trip that lasted from May 20 to 29 and included stops in Russia, Norway and Sweden. -- Vietnam always attaches importance to the development of friendship and cooperation with Cambodia, Politburo member Tran Quoc Vuong said on Tuesday as he received visiting Honorary President of the Cambodian Peoples Party and President of the Cambodian National Assembly Samdech Heng Samrin in Hanoi. -- Forbin, an anti-air frigate of the French Naval Force led by Col. Thomas Frioli, docked at the Sai Gon-Hiep Phuoc Port in Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday, beginning a week-long friendship visit to the southern metropolis as part of the framework of the Vietnam-France defense cooperation plan for 2019. Society -- An online gambling ring responsible for nearly VND4 trillion (US$171 million) worth of transactions was busted by police officers in the north-central province of Thanh Hoa on Tuesday. Nine suspects were captured while a national arrest warrant has been issued for a 22-year-old kingpin who is still on the run. Business -- Four Vietnamese firms have been named in this years Global 2000 list by Forbes, an annual ranking of the worlds biggest and most powerful public companies. The four firms include three state-run lenders Vietcombank, BIDV, and VietinBank and conglomerate Vingroup. -- Vietnamese firms have invested $183 million in overseas projects, including $98.3 million in newly-registered ones, in the first five months of 2019, according to the Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) under the Ministry of Planning and Investment. -- Seven lenders in Vietnam Vietcombank, Sacombank, TPBank, VietinBank, BIDV, Agribank and ABBank on Tuesday began switching from magnetic stripe technology to chip technology for their domestic debit cards, being the first Vietnamese banks to make the transition pursuant to a government policy that looks to completely phase out magnetic stripe cards by the end of 2021. -- Vietnam was one of the fastest-growing import sources of the U.S. in Asia in the first quarter of 2019 and could leapfrog Italy, France, the UK and India to rank seventh in the list of top exporters to the U.S. if its growth pace can be sustained for a full year, Bloomberg reported, forecasting Vietnams exports to the U.S. could hit nearly $69 billion this year. Lifestyle -- A program featuring Korean culture will take place at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi on June 1-2, offering visitors a chance to learn about similarities and differences between the Vietnamese and Korean cultures. -- Eight art troupes from South Korea, Indonesia, Russia, Thailand, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, China and Vietnam are participating in the International Childrens Festival held in the ancient city of Hoi An in central Vietnam at the end of this month and in early June to celebrate the International Childrens Day (June 1). Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam ! Your browser does not support the audio element. The construction of a road worth VND7.8 trillion (US$335 million) in Hanoi, which was dubbed the planets costliest, is expected to begin in the third quarter of this year. The announcement was made by Le Van Binh, deputy director of the citys management board for construction and industrial works, during a press meeting on Tuesday. The road, named Hoang Cau-Voi Phuc, is a section of Ring Road No.1, Binh stated, adding that the project was approved by the municipal Peoples Committee in October 2018. The street will be 2.2 kilometers long and 50 meters wide, which plays a significant role in boosting traffic connectivity and alleviating congestion in the capital. It will include two overpasses at the Giang Vo-Lang Ha and De La Thanh-Nguyen Chi Thanh intersections upon completion. The project will encompass an area of nearly 160,000 square meters, of which over half currently belongs to local residents. Le Van Binh, deputy director of Hanois management board for construction and industrial works, speaks at a press meeting on May 28, 2019. Photo: Vu Tuan / Tuoi Tre This means that to execute the plan, a total of 2,044 households will have to be displaced. Investment is estimated at VND7.8 trillion, of which over VND6.4 trillion ($275 million) will be used for site clearance and the resettlement of affected residents. As it costs VND3.54 billion ($150,800) per meter, Hoang Cau-Voi Phuc has earned its nickname as the planets most expensive road since its estimated construction cost was made public in 2018. The site clearance process has been carried out since the first quarter, Binh said. The developer has been facing challenges as a number of affected residents did not agree to relocate, the official elaborated. Efforts are being exerted for the process to complete in the soonest time possible, allowing the construction to start in the third quarter, he added. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Nine children died in four separate drowning cases in the north-central Vietnamese province of Quang Binh within a week this month, local authorities reported. Three fourth and seventh graders in Tan Hoa Commune, Minh Hoa District died in the latest incident on Tuesday, according to the commune's chairman Cao Thanh Da. The bodies of Dinh Thi Hong T., 13, and Tran Thi H. and Truong Thi H, both 10, were found at a branch of the Rao Nan River at 5:00 am on Wednesday, the Vietnam News Agency quoted Da as saying. The three victims reportedly went to the water body for crabbing on the day. As none of the children returned home later on Tuesday, their parents reported their going missing to local authorities and called on locals to search for them. Just last week, two elementary-schoolers in the same district died from drowning as they went swimming in the headwaters of the Gianh River on the afternoon of May 23. Earlier the same day, three in a group of eight middle school students died of drowning while swimming in Gianh Rivers section passing through Tuyen Hoa District. On May 24, a 14-year-old girl in Quang Binhs Bo Trach District drowned when catching clams in a stream near her house. Children drowning remains a serious problem in Vietnam. It is one of the main causes of death among children in the Southeast Asian country, claiming the lives of more than 2,000 kids a year in the 2015-2017 period, according to a 2018 report by the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs. A lack of swimming skills, poor supervision and natural disasters are to blame for the tragic figure. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Your browser does not support the audio element. A commune in Dong Nai Province, located in southern Vietnam, will be administratively dissolved from June as the country clears land for a megaproject to build Long Thanh International Airport. The 6,700 residents of Suoi Trau Commune in Long Thanh District will be resettled in neighboring communes in the same district. After this relocation, the Suoi Trau Commune will administratively cease to exist. In just a few more days, the name Suoi Trau will be a thing of the past, said Doan Van Dung, a local resident, adding he was happy to give up his familys land for the project. The sooner the airport gets built, the better, he said. Suoi Trau Commune is one of the last areas left within the scope of the Long Thanh airport project, where site clearance has been delayed for nearly a decade. The 1,385-hectare commune is home to some 2,300 households with more than 6,700 residents. We already have officials at work to respond to residents requests for corrections to their personal papers once the dissolution takes effect, said Suoi Trau chairman Nguyen Van Hiep. Officials in Suoi Trau Commune of Dong Nai Province, Vietnam organize papers before the communes scheduled dissolution on June 1, 2019. Photo: H. Mi / Tuoi Tre Located some 40 kilometers from Ho Chi Minh City, Long Thanh is expected to alleviate the passenger load at the crowded Tan Son Nhat International Airport upon its completion. The plan to build the airport was ratified by Vietnams lawmaking National Assembly in 2015, with a projected cost of US$15 billion. The airport features a concept design that draws inspiration from the lotus flower. Construction of the first phase is expected to start later this year and be finished by 2025, upon which the Long Thanh airport will be capable of serving 25 million passengers annually. When built to its maximum designed capacity, the airport will handle more than 100 million passengers on a yearly basis. Most residents are aware that Long Thanh is a project of national importance so they have been supportive of the resettlement, said Vo Tan Duc, chairman of Long Thanh District. What they expect from the government are adequate compensation for the land acquisition and better living standards at their future homes, Duc said. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Your browser does not support the audio element. Police in the north-central Vietnamese province of Thanh Hoa have busted an online gambling ring with transactions totaling nearly VND4 trillion (US$172 million). This is one of the largest gambling rings to have been broken up in Thanh Hoa Province, the provincial Department of Police confirmed on Tuesday. According to officers, the illicit operation was led by Tran Quang Truong, a 30-year-old resident in Thanh Hoa City, the capital of the namesake province. Truong remains at large, and a nationwide manhunt has been initiated. Police have been able to apprehend nine members of the ring, who are between 21 and 30 years old. Preliminary information showed that the ring had allowed people to gamble via online card games. The transactions were carried out by bank transfer or directly at one of the rings five agents in Hanoi and Thanh Hoa. Officers have searched the five venues and confiscated seven computers, seven laptops, 34 mobile phones, two documents proving the ownership of a house and a land plot, one automobile, and nearly VND500 million ($21,500) in cash. About VND6 billion ($258,000) in multiple bank accounts belonging to the ring members was frozen to assist the investigation. Police also found a large number of files and records indicating that the transactions carried out by the ring had reached nearly VND4 trillion. Further investigation is ongoing. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! 10 has released a first promo for the third season of Body Hack presented by the intrepid Todd Sampson. This season he heads to Mexico, Ethiopia, Siberia and the Gaza Strip. Theres no airdate for this as yet. Humans are remarkably adaptable. Whether its the extreme cold of the north, droughts of the south or the devastation of war; weve learned to face fear, push through adversity and make the most from what we have. In the third captivating season of Todd Sampsons Body Hack, the respected broadcaster and adventurer is on a mission to investigate some of the most extraordinary people on the planet to see what we can all learn from their lives. In Mexico, Todd explores the concepts of toughness and pain, competing in Lucha Libre wresting. In Ethiopia, hes faced with one of the most shocking rituals hes ever seen, involving the brutal whipping of women. In Siberia, Todd learns to survive in the Arctic wilderness with the reindeer people of the north. While Todd is used to pushing his limits in the name of education and storytelling, it was his experience in war torn Gaza that saw him come face to face with death and one of the most feared terrorist organisations in the world, the Islamic Jihad. This episode is not to be missed. This season promises to be entertaining, educational and confronting. ABC Chair Ita Buttrose has expressed a desire for more diverse voices on the national broadcaster. Speaking to ABC Radio Melbourne host Rafael Epstein yesterday she was asked whether the ABC was guilty of being biased. Sometimes I think we might be biased. I think sometimes we could do with more diversity of views, she replied. I havent got a problem with anybodys view but I think we need to make sure ours is as diverse as we can make it Sometimes I think, people without really knowing it, let a bias show through. We can all do that. The way we can deflect the critics that love to give us a tough time is by having a wider viewpoint. The more diverse views that we can represent, the better it will be for us. Asked how to address concerns if the government keeps saying the ABC is too biased to the left, she said, I dont ever think we should we should start to think about what they might say. We dont we just wait and see what they do say? I wouldnt be nervous at all, Ms Buttrose said. There are many ways of achieving savings, you know. Its not just people. Buttrose and managing director David Anderson are hoping to meet with new Minister for Communications Paul Fletcher and hopefully Prime Minister Scott Morrison to address ABC funding. A three-year freeze to the ABCs annual funding indexation was announced in 2018, set to cost the broadcaster $83.7 million. Under the re-elected Coalition Government, the cut will come into effect at the start of the 2019-20 financial year with a first-year impact of $14.6 million. But she said savings were possible without any immediate fears of job cuts. There are many ways of achieving savings, you know. Its not just people. There are many things that can be cut. There are many things that can be changed. She maintained there were no plans to cut television or radio and no staff should feel nervous about losing their job. No. Not at this point. I wouldnt be nervous at all. Buttrose also told Epstein her media day consisted of ABC News Radio, ABC News Breakfast, Joe OBrien on ABC News, reading 4 Sydney newspapers (both print & online), the New York Times online, Richard Glover on ABC Radio, ABC News at 7pm and The 7:30 Report. Season 4 of reality series Below Deck Mediterranean will screen on hayu from next Tuesday, sailing through the French Riviera. This airs same day as the US. It also airs express from the US on Foxtels Arena at 1:35pm on Tuesday, replayed at 8:30pm. Below Deck Mediterranean follows the crew members aboard a private luxury yacht as they provide first-class service to wealthy guests. This season the yachties are taking the South of France, and its high seas, high stakes, and high drama! Returning to the crew is Captain Sandy Yawn, Hannah (Chief Stew), Joao (Bosun) and Colin (Deckhand), along with newbies Mila (Chef), Aesha (Second Stew), Anastasia (Third Stew), Travis (Deckhand) and Jack (Deckhand). Sandy may be navigating the Sirocco mega yacht again, but she brings a new level of leadership in season four. With high expectations, she has no tolerance for anything short of perfection and will take drastic measures if the crew cant deliver. Hannah is looking to right her wrongs from last season and hoping for smooth sailing with a strong interior crew. But will choppy waters threaten her redemption? Mila, classically trained in French culinary cuisine, becomes the first female chef in franchise history, but after a bout with food poisoning right as the first charter guests are set to arrive, shell have her work cut out for her. Aesha, coping with a difficult past and using humour to get through tough times, is ready to hit the high seas and get another charter under her belt. Anastasia, as a child of an immigrant mother, has a strong sense of pride in her work ethic which takes her on an unexpected journey. Joao is looking for a fresh start and is laser focused on being the best Bosun for the crew, but not everyone is on board. Colin, feeling homesick, quickly finds himself on the outs after trying to connect with the new deck crew. Travis after a few mishaps begins to question leadership, however, its his work hard, play hard mentality that comes into question by the rest of the crew. Jack ruffles feathers when the crew notices hes putting more effort into pursuing a crew member than his actual job. Tuesday June 4 on hayu Screen Australia has announced $700,000 in funding for Story Development of 7 television series, 4 online projects and 10 feature films. TV projects include a supernatural drama Secret Threads set in the Hmong-Laos community of Melbourne. Co-written by Michelle Lee (pictured), Kris Wyld and Mike Jones, this was previously mentored under a Dame Changer initiative. Other projects include Partners in Crime, a female-led crime dramedy, Log, a new kids animation, and an adaptation of the novel The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, from creatives behind Lambs of God and Big Little Lies. Graeme Mason, Screen Australias CEO said: Its great to see such an array of established creators utilising the Premium Fund to pursue projects of ambition and scale. Were particularly pleased to see more television and online development coming through our doors. Television: High Rotation Cream Team Genre Comedy, Drama, Musical Producers James Cripps, Catherine Kelleher Executive Producer Craig Anderson Director Henry Stone Writers James Cripps, Catherine Kelleher, Henry Stone Synopsis Closeted dreamer Ella hasnt made music in 10 years, but when an unauthorized remix of her dusty-old demo gets airplay, she decides to reignite her creative aspirations only to be confronted by the retrograde institutions of the Australian music industry. Log Pirate Size Productions Genre Comedy, Animation Producer Bryony McLachlan Writers Nick Watson, Dan Nixon Synopsis A log drifts into the lives of people in need and somehow always manages to help. Partners in Crime Bikeshed Productions Genre Dramedy, Crime Executive Producers/Directors/Writers Eliza Reilly, Hannah Reilly Producer Julia Corcoran Synopsis Sisters Katie and May are trying to make it in the crime world, without killing each other first. Rough Noble Savage Pictures Pty Ltd Genre Comedy, Drama Producers Hayley B Johnson, Majhid Heath Director Catriona McKenzie Writers Kodie Bedford, Rae Earl Synopsis A womans quest for financial stability through the worlds oldest profession teaches her the importance of emotional independence and freedom. Secret Threads Rebecca Ingram Genre Supernatural, Thriller, Crime Creator Rebecca Ingram Writers Michele Lee, Kris Wyld, Mike Jones Synopsis Within the tight-knit and superstitious Hmong-Laos community of Melbourne, a suspicious death believed by many to be a vengeful spirit will drive Parita Waters to uncover the truth of a government conspiracy and her familys war-time transgressions. The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart (Working Title) Made Up Stories Genre Drama, Mystery Producers Bruna Papandrea, Jodi Matterson, Steve Hutensky, Casey Haver, Sarah Lambert Executive Producers Bruna Papandrea, Jodi Matterson, Steve Hutensky, Casey Haver, Sarah Lambert Writer Sarah Lambert Synopsis The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart (Working title) tells the story of a young girl whose violent childhood casts a dark shadow over her adult life. After a family tragedy, 9-year-old Alice is raised by her grandmother on the language of Australian native flowers, a way to say the things that are too hard to speak. Online: Avenge My Death unko Pty Ltd Genre Comedy, Crime, Mystery Producers Belinda Dean, Ellen Fraser Director Claudia Pickering Writer Nicole Conway Synopsis Wild 20-somethings Erin, Jax and Sara are inseparable that is, until Erin goes on a date with a guy she met online and winds up dead. With the police bungling the investigation, Jax and Sara vow to hunt down her killer using the only piece of evidence they have: a d*** pic. Misery FM 720 Creative Pty Ltd Genre Comedy Producer Karla Burt Executive Producer Paul Walton Director Tom Salisbury Writers Michael Cleggett, James Lloyd-Smith Synopsis An absurd series from cult comedy heroes Gravity Boots is a hilarious scripted snapshot of life inside a radio station located in the regional South Australian town of Misery. Sundowners On The Deck Productions Producer/Writer Dan Prichard Director Laura Scrivano Genre Action adventure, Comedy, Science fiction, Family Synopsis A mother. A son. A virus. At the end of the day, its all about love. The Holy Floyd Foley Noble Savage Pictures Pty Ltd Genre Comedy Producers Majhid Heath, Hayley Johnson Writer Shane Salvador Synopsis When Pastor Floyd Foleys flock numbers are threatened by the arrival of a hot shot new church, he and his congregation of misfits will stop at nothing to lure the congregants back. Guided by the hilarious BAFTA winning Allan Mustafa and Hugo Chegwin, writer Shane Salvador will bring small town antics and comedy together in the mockumentary series, The Holy Floyd Foley. It says something that the winner of the 2019 Man Booker International prize for Literature, Jokha Alharthi, is the first woman from her country to have a novel translated into English. Alharthi from the Arabian Gulf state of Oman who won for her novel Celestial Bodies, shares the 50,000 prize with her translator Marilyn Booth. The book has the distinction of also being the first novel translated from Arabic to win the award. I am thrilled that a window has been opened to the rich Arabic culture, Alharthi told journalists after the ceremony in London in May. Oman inspired me but I think international readers can relate to the human values in the book freedom and love. Celestial Bodies revolves around three sisters from a middle-class background in the small Omani village of al-Awafi. The novel is a fragmented collection of past and present events in Oman as they pertain to particular characters in this small village. These intricate storylines come together to shape the broader narrative of the novel, of a village going through remarkable change. Celestial Bodies gives the reader a glimpse into a society that isnt often spoken about in terms of its literature, culture and traditions. And a womans perspective is particularly rare Arab Gulf women only really began publishing their writings in the second half of the 20th century. Its a trend that is intimately connected to the introduction of girls education spanning half a century between 1928 and 1970 in different Gulf states. But this doesnt mean that Arab Gulf women werent producing literature before then they were particularly well known for the tradition of oral storytelling and were especially esteemed for their poetry the works of Kuwaiti poet Suad al-Sabah and Bahraini poet Hamda Khamis are particularly worth checking out. But it was the explosion of oil wealth, which forced the Arabian Gulf out of isolation and into the international arena leading to the establishment of schools and newspapers and media outlets that allowed for literary creativity. Since the 1970s, Arab Gulf womens writing has evolved now Arab Gulf women write in a whole range of genres that reflect different themes and issues through their storylines, especially those issues which pertain to the specific experience of women in Arab Gulf society. But the novel is still something of a recent genre for Gulf women. Story continues Modernity and nostalgia One common theme in Arab Gulf writings is nostalgia for a simpler past, which is often used in contrast to the remarkably fast growth these countries have undergone with the discovery of oil. The narrative of Celestial Bodies draws a connection between the slave trade in Oman the backdrop of the story with the way Omani society started to change with the introduction of oil wealth into the region. Although Alharthi positions her story within this narrative of tradition versus social change, she does so in a way that offers an objective outlook to the practices and history portrayed in the novel. She does this by portraying neither a romanticising of the past nor an overly optimistic focus on the positive aspects of oil revenue in the present. Instead, Celestial Bodies presents an honest portrayal of change and how it has affected different members of the village she is writing about. A defining feature of Omani literature is that Oman, in particular out of the Arab Gulf, has remained a traditional society in many aspects, which is oftentimes reflected in the writings produced in the region. The novel makes use of specific cultural and religious features of Oman and the Arab Gulf region, such as references to supernatural spirits or jinn as well as the all-important date harvest as well as allusions to classical Middle Eastern literature and poetry such as Iraqi poets al-Mutanabbi (915-965AD) and Ibn al-Rumi (836-396AD). You dont need to be intimately familiar with Arab Gulf customs, literature and traditions to appreciate Celestial Bodies but to fully grasp the impact of these references and the beauty they add to the text, its worth doing some background reading. This literary technique invites the reader to become immersed into Omani culture and, in turn, play a role in the interpretation of the text itself. Rich literary tradition Celestial Bodies is emblematic of the fact that Arab Gulf women are actively producing remarkable works of literature that are very much worth exploring. Worthwhile, not only to offer a glimpse into this society, but also in order to discover a rich literary tradition that has not been accessible to a wider audience beforehand. In an interview published on the Man Booker International Prize website Alharthi says this about her book: I hope this helps international readers discover that Oman has an active and talented writing community who live and work for their art They take on sacrifices and struggles and find joy in writing, or in art, much the same way as anywhere else. This is something the whole world has in common. Alharthis novel offers a glimpse of the world being experienced by women in the Arabian Gulf. I hope that Celestial Bodies will encourage more translations of works from the region, encouraging readers to experience for themselves the cultural riches on offer. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The Conversation Shadya Radhi does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Elephant poaching is in decline in Africa, but official corruption and poverty mean the population remains under threat, according to a new study, Research published in the journal Nature Communications has found that African elephant poaching rates across 53 sites on the continent match-up with the ivory demand in the main Chinese markets. It also found correlations between the variations in poaching at those different elephant sanctuary sites and the levels of poverty and official corruption in those African nations. Co-author Dr Colin Beale, from the University of York, told Sky News that where the team identified the highest levels of corruption and poverty, they also found the highest levels of poaching. Dr Beale added: "We are seeing a downturn in poaching, which is obviously positive news, but it is still above what we think is sustainable so the elephant populations are declining. "The poaching rates seem to respond primarily to ivory prices in South East Asia and we can't hope to succeed without tackling demand in that region." China instituted an internal ivory trade ban in 2017, however the researchers say it is impossible to link the declining poaching rate to the ban. Poaching levels peaked at 10% of the entire African elephant population in 2011, and fell to less than 4% in 2017. Although the levels of poaching and illegal elephant deaths is dropping, the researchers believe it remains too high to sustain the elephant population over time. According to estimates there are around 350,000 elephants left in Africa, but up to 15,000 are killed by poachers each year for their ivory. The researchers noted that poaching levels began to drop before the Chinese ban began, and could reflect a general economic downturn in the country's economy. Lead author Dr Severin Hauenstein, from the University of Freiburg in Germany, said: "This is a positive trend, but we should not see this as an end to the poaching crisis. Story continues "After some changes in the political environment, the total number of illegally killed elephants in Africa seems to be falling, but to assess possible protection measures, we need to understand the local and global processes driving illegal elephant hunting." The research is published just weeks after the death of a serving British solider who was on an anti-poaching operations in Malawi. Guardsman Mathew Talbot was on patrol in Liwonde National Park when he was killed by an elephant as part of a government programme providing army personnel to train park rangers in tracking and intercepting poachers. At the time of Guardsman Talbot's death, the defence secretary Penny Mordaunt said: "This tragic incident is a reminder of the danger our military faces as they protect some of the world's most endangered species from those who seek to profit from the criminal slaughter of wildlife. "Throughout his career with the Coldstream Guards, Guardsman Talbot served with great courage and professionalism, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones at this terrible time." Gilian Lee had attempted three times prior to reach the summit. (Facebook) An Australian man found unconscious 1.5 kilometres from the summit of Mount Everest had described mountain conditions as a nightmare three weeks earlier. Gilian Lee, from Canberra, expressed serious concern about his ability to climb towards the peak of the famed Nepalese mountain without additional oxygen in a Facebook post on 8 May. He explained he would never consider using oxygen because he felt it would be cheating, saying he may as well climb half the distance. Mr Lee discussed in his post at what point he should acclimatise given he intended to go ahead without extra oxygen. If I use C1 [Camp 1, 6,100m] as my acclimatisation high point, it would be interesting to see how I would go (with that) as my launching pad. The science for acclimatisation for non-O2 (climbers) is not as well known. He added it was a horrible feeling knowing the process from that point onwards was out of his hands. In response to someone asking if he would consider using O2 simply to reach the summit, Mr Lee said he would never. It would not be me doing it. I might as well chop 50 per cent of the mountain height off, he wrote. Gilian Lee was found last Wednesday, about 1.5 kilometres from the summit of Mt Everest. (Facebook) Mr Lee was discovered at 7,500 metres by other climbers last Wednesday. Miraculously he was still alive and was taken to hospital in Kathmandu, where he remains in the intensive care unit, Canberra Times reported. The day before being found he wrote on Twitter explaining hed had a Rough night at C1 because of a persistent chest infection. Rescuers used a yak and a team of Tibetan alpine specialists to get Mr Lee down to base camp then transported to hospital. A post from his brother, Ian Lee, on Facebook said Mr Lee was expected to be out of ICU within the next two or three days. Mr Lee had expressed concern about his ability to reach the top in the lead-up to the climb. (Facebook) "Mum had a call from the doctor and Gil has improved this morning. (His) liver has started working again and (we) expect (his) kidney to do the same," he wrote. Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has provided consular assistance to the man. Eleven people have died in little more than two weeks after poor weather cut the climbing window, leaving mountaineers waiting in long queues to the summit, risking exhaustion and running out of oxygen. Mr Lee had attempted three times prior to reach the summit - in 2015, 2017, and 2018. Around 450 French nationals linked to the Islamic State are being held by Kurds or detained in refugee camps in northeastern Syria, the French foreign minister said."In the northeastern zone of Syria, we think that there are between 400 and 450 French people, some in camps, others held as prisoners, including children," Jean-Yves Le Drian told parliament's foreign affairs committee.He said only the children could be repatriated if they were orphans or if their mothers gave permission.France has long insisted that its adult citizens captured in Iraq or Syria must face trial locally, refusing to repatriate them despite the risk they could receive death sentences."Our position is still the same and we will not shift: fighters must be judged where they have committed crimes," Le Drian said.A Baghdad court sentenced two more Frenchmen to death Tuesday for joining the Islamic State jihadist group, raising the number of French IS members on death row in Iraq to six.Since March Paris has repatriated just five orphans and a three-year-old girl whose mother was sentenced to life in prison in Iraq.Le Drian said that more than 100 French fighters were still present in Idlib, the last jihadist stronghold in Syria's northwest which is being relentlessly bombed by President Bashar al-Assad's troops.He said the area was a "real time bomb" with about "30,000" rebel and jihadist fighters holed up there and evoked the threat of an influx of refugees from this region to Europe. Around 450 French nationals linked to the Islamic State are being held by Kurds or detained in refugee camps in northeastern Syria, the French foreign minister said. "In the northeastern zone of Syria, we think that there are between 400 and 450 French people, some in camps, others held as prisoners, including children," Jean-Yves Le Drian told parliament's foreign affairs committee. He said only the children could be repatriated if they were orphans or if their mothers gave permission. France has long insisted that its adult citizens captured in Iraq or Syria must face trial locally, refusing to repatriate them despite the risk they could receive death sentences. "Our position is still the same and we will not shift: fighters must be judged where they have committed crimes," Le Drian said. A Baghdad court sentenced two more Frenchmen to death Tuesday for joining the Islamic State jihadist group, raising the number of French IS members on death row in Iraq to six. Since March Paris has repatriated just five orphans and a three-year-old girl whose mother was sentenced to life in prison in Iraq. Le Drian said that more than 100 French fighters were still present in Idlib, the last jihadist stronghold in Syria's northwest which is being relentlessly bombed by President Bashar al-Assad's troops. He said the area was a "real time bomb" with about "30,000" rebel and jihadist fighters holed up there and evoked the threat of an influx of refugees from this region to Europe. The Libyan National Army, an armed group loyal to commander Khalifa Haftar, said on Wednesday it had handed over an Egyptian militant back to Cairo, as Egyptian pro-government television broadcast footage of his arrival via military plane."The Libyan armed forces handed over the terrorist Hisham El-Ashmawi to the Egyptian general intelligence Tuesday evening," according to the report.Ashmawi, a former special forces Egyptian army officer, is wanted in Egypt for an attempted assassination of a minister as well as a number of attacks, including in the Western Desert region.The former officer left the army in 2012 and joined Ansar Beit al-Maqdis (Supporters of the Holy House in Arabic), a group that operated in the Sinai Peninsula, attacking Egyptian and Israeli targets. Ashmawi allegedly went to Libya in 2013. He was captured by Haftars LNA in October 2018 in Derna, a town the LNA had taken over last summer.Haftar handed over Ashmawi after meeting Egyptian intelligence head Abbas Kamel in Benghazi, Libya, where Haftar is based, according to statements made by LNA on social media.A controversial figure, Haftar is pushing to take Tripoli, Libya, where the UN-backed Libya government is based. The Libyan National Army, an armed group loyal to commander Khalifa Haftar, said on Wednesday it had handed over an Egyptian militant back to Cairo, as Egyptian pro-government television broadcast footage of his arrival via military plane. "The Libyan armed forces handed over the terrorist Hisham El-Ashmawi to the Egyptian general intelligence Tuesday evening," according to the report. Ashmawi, a former special forces Egyptian army officer, is wanted in Egypt for an attempted assassination of a minister as well as a number of attacks, including in the Western Desert region. The former officer left the army in 2012 and joined Ansar Beit al-Maqdis (Supporters of the Holy House in Arabic), a group that operated in the Sinai Peninsula, attacking Egyptian and Israeli targets. Ashmawi allegedly went to Libya in 2013. He was captured by Haftars LNA in October 2018 in Derna, a town the LNA had taken over last summer. Haftar handed over Ashmawi after meeting Egyptian intelligence head Abbas Kamel in Benghazi, Libya, where Haftar is based, according to statements made by LNA on social media. A controversial figure, Haftar is pushing to take Tripoli, Libya, where the UN-backed Libya government is based. Only six months after a closely fought presidential election, Georgias political forces are repositioning themselves for the 2020 parliamentary elections. With Georgian Dreams popularity waning the party won landslides in previous votes the party may need support from other political parties in order to form a majority government after 2020. As Central Asia-Caucasus Analyst writes in the article Georgian politics in anticipation of the 2020 parliamentary, the international community, concerned about the rise of pro-Russian and nationalist sentiment, will keenly watch the 2020 elections to see in which direction the country, and its process of democratization and Euro-Atlantic and European Integration, is heading. Background In November 2018, Salome Zurabishvili, a Georgian Dream-supported former foreign minister, became Georgias first female president. In a closely fought election, Zurabishvili won 59 percent of the vote with UNM rival Grigol Vashadze winning 40 percent. The runoff raised questions, not only over the strength of Zurabishvilis support, but also over the popularity of the ruling Georgian Dream party, which has consistently won large majorities since it first came to power in 2012. Six months after the elections, Georgian Dream is facing internal turmoil. Eight MPs, including the former head of the legal committee Eka Beselia, have left the party to sit as independents or join the pro-Russian, nationalist Alliance of Patriots party. In order to steady the ship, former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of Georgian Dream, and former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili have returned to the party as chairman and political secretary. Their return, and Georgian Dreams attempt to consolidate power, has taken place against a backdrop of democratic stagnation a far from inclusive constitutional amendment process, issues of judicial independence, police abuse, and a rise of fringe, pro-Russian, nationalist movements. Meanwhile, as Georgia heads for the 2020 elections, the top issues for the average voter are unequivocal employment, poverty, and prices and Georgian Dreams record in government on all three has been disappointing. Implications Georgian Dreams internal party woes, inadvertently, have appeared to bring the countrys main opposition parties European Georgia (EG) and United National Movement (UNM) closer together. In March 2019, EG lost its official parliamentary minority status after the defection of eight MPs from GDs parliamentary majority faction. Two defectors joined the pro-Russian-nationalist Alliance of Patriots, while the other six MPs now sit as independents. Under the procedural rules of parliament, a party can form a parliamentary minority if it holds the majority of seats outside the majority grouping. EG currently is one seat short of such a majority. The subsequent loss of funding and additional speaking time in parliament are forcing EG to rethink its 2017 split from UNM, after months of intra-party dispute. The parties have reportedly been in talks to form a faction in parliament to regain parliamentary minority status. If both parties agree on forming a parliamentary faction, they will likely also contest the 2020 parliamentary elections as one single electoral block. Yet, despite Georgian Dreams seemingly decreasing popularity, and a catalogue of salient socio-economic issues to campaign on, a UNM/EG victory in 2020 is unlikely. Demonizing UNM for its record in office has been Georgian Dreams bread and butter since coming to power in 2012. The continued involvement of former President Mikheil Saakashvili has cast a shadow over the UNMs electoral chances. While it is understood that Saakashvili is standing down as UNM honorary chairman, it is questionable whether the party can shed Saakashvilis yoke and win over the electorate with many of his long-serving lieutenants still occupying prominent positions in both parties. The more pertinent question, though, is whether the parliamentary elections will result in an outright parliamentary majority for Georgian Dream, or whether the party will be forced to form a coalition with other electoral blocks. Such a coalition government would be a first for Georgia after the 2003 Rose Revolution. Apart from EG, UNM, Georgian Dream, and the Alliance of Patriots, parties such as the Labor Party and Democratic Movement United Georgia (DM-UG), led by former parliamentary speaker Nino Burjanadze, stand a chance of clearing the lowered, three-percent threshold, according to the latest polls by the U.S. National Democratic Institute. In the absence of any credible and popular alternatives, the likely outcome of next years parliamentary elections remains a reduced Georgian Dream majority in parliament. However, if Georgian Dream fails to gain a parliamentary majority in 2020, it would likely look to to parties such as the Alliance of Patriots of Georgia and UM-DG to form a coalition government. Georgian Dream considers the Alliance of Patriots of Georgia an ally whose interests in opposing UNM/EG coincide with its own. Such a coalition would stoke fears among the international community of a geopolitical and cultural reorientation and jeopardize Georgias process of democratic consolidation and European and Euro-Atlantic integration. On foreign policy, a Georgian Dream-led nationalist-conservative government would likely maintain, and possibly further soften, its pragmatic, but principled approach to Russia. This policy of normalizing relations with Russia has been a central tenet of Georgian Dreams foreign policy since 2012. As a result the Georgian government has downplayed its rhetoric, while economic ties with Russia have improved. While it remains unlikely that a Georgian-Dream led nationalist-conservative government would make concessions regarding Georgias Russian-occupied territories, such a government can be expected to become even less active in pursuing conflict-related issues internationally and bilaterally. Domestically, a Georgian Dream-led nationalist-conservative coalition government would facilitate Russias soft power policy in Georgia. The latest annual report of Georgias State Security Service, the countrys domestic intelligence agency, warned that foreign adversaries are encouraging anti-Western sentiments in Georgia and aim to polarize Georgian society. The number of Russian-funded NGOs and news outlets linked to Russia has increased in recent years. Xenophobic, ultra-nationalist groups, such as Georgian March, have organized several demonstrations over the past year, and have mounting ambitions. They appear to have the Georgian Dream governments tacit approval and have acted with impunity on several occasions. Meanwhile, the 2020 elections coincide with the end of an era in EU-Georgia relations after Georgia recently obtained EU visa free travel and concluded an Association Agreement with the EU. With the potential benefits of the EUs Eastern Partnership exhausted, and new perspectives on further integration lacking, a lack of tangible, immediate benefits from the AA/DCFTA could stall the legislative efforts of a Georgian Dream-led government to implement the reforms mandated by the EU. Conclusions If Georgian Dream would lose its majority in parliament in next years elections, this could paradoxically lead it to take a more conservative course by seeking support from conservative and ultra-nationalist groups, within and outside parliament, against a common adversary: UNM/EG. This may consolidate Georgian Dreams hold on power but will do little to address the socio-economic concerns of Georgian citizens and the reforms demanded by its main trading partner, the EU. France is to invest some two billion euros into African start-ups over the next three years in a bid to unlock the continent's untapped potential. A new initiative called Choose Africa aims to empower the private sector to drive economic growth, increasingly driven by entrepreneurship. The problem is that entrepreneurs lack funding and resources."Africa is the continent of entrepreneurs," organisers of the Choose Africa initiative hammered home last Tuesday to a room packed with MPs, potential investors and many of the continent's innovative young players. "The problem is money."The French-led intitative, modeled on its counterpart Choose France, has pledged a 2.5 billion euro investment into 10,000 small and medium sized companies by 2022 to drive growth.The Choose Africa initiative is based on the speech that President Emmanuel Macron gave in Ouagadougou," explains Damien Braud, head of private equity at Proparco, the private sector arm of France's Development Agency.In that iconic speech in 2017, Macron vowed to build a new partnership with Africa founded on mutual interest."He committed 1 billion euros to Africa, and now he's adding 1.5 billion more," Braud told RFI.The aim is to boost the attractiveness of doing business on the continent by unlocking its potential. Africa's entrepreneurs are pivotal to that.Ecosystem"There is a growing number of start-ups and entrepreneurs that have innovative ideas and are trying innovative business models that offer financial and digital services that are extremely important for the development of the continent," comments Khaled Ben Jilani, a senior partner at private equity firm Africinvest.Start-ups such as the Rwandan Flyzipline that delivers medicine by drones to people in isolated areas, have shown the potential of African tech to offer solutions "not just for African problems, but for the global market," Jilani told RFI.However, around 87 percent of start-ups and small businesses lack funding, and many go bust in the first few years."To pass from the idea to success, an entrepreneur needs an ecosystem," comments Karim Sy, chairman of Digital Africa, which connects French and African business players.Set up last year, the online platform has received 65 million euros in funding from the French government as part of the Choose Africa initiative."There is a need for finance yes, but when the entrepreneur gets his idea, he then needs to structure it, develop a prototype, go to market and then scale-up. At each phase of the path of entrepreneurship, he has different needs," Sy told RFI.ScrambleFor one entrepreneur, Folly Koussawo, the path to success was far from easy. Koussawo quit his life in France to set up a construction company, Trianon BTP, in Gabon seven years ago and has not looked back since.To start Trianon we had two difficulties. One was finding funding, the other was talent," Koussawo told RFI.Koussawo set up the company, which today employs more than 200,000 people in Gabon, Cote d'Ivoire and Senegal, with 100,000 euros acquired from his savings. The rest came from I&P;, a French investment fund.Indeed, France joins a scramble of foreign investors including China, for influence on the African continent. However, Proparco's Braud insists that French interest is rooted in "cooperation," and that any investment made is shared with local actors on the ground."When we finance a bank, an entrepreneur, an investment fund, we dont do it on our own," he commented.For Koussawo's part, the main winners of this new scramble can be Africans themselves."The African continent is really the future," he reckons. Although "I loved what I did in my construction companies in France, I realized that I can have more impact in my country and in my continent and I decided to go back to Africa."Those in the diaspora "should too, because the potential is really, really big," he said. France is to invest some two billion euros into African start-ups over the next three years in a bid to unlock the continent's untapped potential. A new initiative called Choose Africa aims to empower the private sector to drive economic growth, increasingly driven by entrepreneurship. The problem is that entrepreneurs lack funding and resources. "Africa is the continent of entrepreneurs," organisers of the Choose Africa initiative hammered home last Tuesday to a room packed with MPs, potential investors and many of the continent's innovative young players. "The problem is money." The French-led intitative, modeled on its counterpart Choose France, has pledged a 2.5 billion euro investment into 10,000 small and medium sized companies by 2022 to drive growth. The Choose Africa initiative is based on the speech that President Emmanuel Macron gave in Ouagadougou," explains Damien Braud, head of private equity at Proparco, the private sector arm of France's Development Agency. In that iconic speech in 2017, Macron vowed to build a new partnership with Africa founded on mutual interest. "He committed 1 billion euros to Africa, and now he's adding 1.5 billion more," Braud told RFI. The aim is to boost the attractiveness of doing business on the continent by unlocking its potential. Africa's entrepreneurs are pivotal to that. Ecosystem "There is a growing number of start-ups and entrepreneurs that have innovative ideas and are trying innovative business models that offer financial and digital services that are extremely important for the development of the continent," comments Khaled Ben Jilani, a senior partner at private equity firm Africinvest. Start-ups such as the Rwandan Flyzipline that delivers medicine by drones to people in isolated areas, have shown the potential of African tech to offer solutions "not just for African problems, but for the global market," Jilani told RFI. Story continues However, around 87 percent of start-ups and small businesses lack funding, and many go bust in the first few years. "To pass from the idea to success, an entrepreneur needs an ecosystem," comments Karim Sy, chairman of Digital Africa, which connects French and African business players. Set up last year, the online platform has received 65 million euros in funding from the French government as part of the Choose Africa initiative. "There is a need for finance yes, but when the entrepreneur gets his idea, he then needs to structure it, develop a prototype, go to market and then scale-up. At each phase of the path of entrepreneurship, he has different needs," Sy told RFI. Scramble For one entrepreneur, Folly Koussawo, the path to success was far from easy. Koussawo quit his life in France to set up a construction company, Trianon BTP, in Gabon seven years ago and has not looked back since. To start Trianon we had two difficulties. One was finding funding, the other was talent," Koussawo told RFI. Koussawo set up the company, which today employs more than 200,000 people in Gabon, Cote d'Ivoire and Senegal, with 100,000 euros acquired from his savings. The rest came from I&P, a French investment fund. Indeed, France joins a scramble of foreign investors including China, for influence on the African continent. However, Proparco's Braud insists that French interest is rooted in "cooperation," and that any investment made is shared with local actors on the ground. "When we finance a bank, an entrepreneur, an investment fund, we dont do it on our own," he commented. For Koussawo's part, the main winners of this new scramble can be Africans themselves. "The African continent is really the future," he reckons. Although "I loved what I did in my construction companies in France, I realized that I can have more impact in my country and in my continent and I decided to go back to Africa." Those in the diaspora "should too, because the potential is really, really big," he said. Hundreds of women with green banners took to the streets of Madrid on May 28 in a mass International Day of Action for Women's Health demonstration. Known as the 'Green Tide', originating in Argentina, the demonstration supported a Bill of Voluntary Interruption of Pregnancy (IVE) which is being prepared to be put before Argentina's Congress for the eighth time. The bill is intended to secure legal, safe and free abortion for Argentinian women. The 'Green Tide' is a wave of activism for womens health issues. One of the main issues being a womans right to abortion up until the 14 week point. They also support abortion at the end of pregnancy in certain cases such as rape-pregnancy, danger to life and foetal malformations). Footage shows hundreds of women donning green scarves, banners and clothing chanting and singing (in Spanish) in the street. French rights group are trying to block the loading of French munitions onto a Saudi Arabian cargo ship that arrived Tuesday in the southern port of Fos-sur-Mer, near Marseille. Rights groups accuse Saudi Arabia of using French arms against civilians in the conflict in Yemen.The investigative website Disclose said the Bahri Tabuk was to be loaded with munitions for French Caesar howitzer cannons. The site reported on a similar shipment of weapons earlier this month, and after dockworkers threatened to block the ships arrival in Le Havre, it left without the cargo.A representative in France for the Saudi shipping company involved said the ship was not taking weapons, but was pickup up electrical production units, for civilian use.We will stay until the ship leaves with the assurance that the munitions were not loaded, Benoit Muracciole, the president of Ethical republican security action (ASER), a French arms sales watchdog, who is taking part of the protest, told RFI.You cant wage war without munitions. They can have the tanks and canons, but for these tanks and canons to fire, they need the munitions. So it is crucial to block them.Dockworkers have said they will refuse to load the munitions.France defends Saudi arms salesDefence Minister Florence Parly told lawmakers she had no information on the shipment, and that in any case France had a partnership with Saudi Arabia.French officials say the weapons sold to Saudi Arabia have been used only for defensive purposes, and reject claims that France is violating the Arms Trade Treaty that prohibits arms sales to countries if their use could lead to civilian casualties.But in April, the Disclose site published findings from a classified French military intelligence note that showed that French weapons sold to Saudi Arabia were being used against civilians in the Yemen war.Four of its reporters have been questioned by France's internal DGSI intelligence agency over the leak, and press freedom groups have accused the French government of trying to intimidate the press.No war without munitionsThere is a risk that these arms provided to Saudi Arabia will be used in the context of the Yemen conflict, by Saudi Arabia or the UAE, to commit war crimes against the Yemeni civil population, Elias Geoffroy, of the ACAT association of Christians against torture, told RFI. ACAT said it had filed an injunction hoping to block the shipment.Geoffroy evokes reports documenting air strikes by French Caesar canons on Saudi side of the border with Yemen: The Caesar canons have a capacity to hit 500,000 Yemeni citizens in the north. And we know that in those zones there have been several civilian victims, due to this kind of bombing. So its very likely that these bombings were committed by Caesar cannons."Yes, it's a dirty war, yes it has to be stopped, Saudi Arabia and the Emirates must stop" fighting, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told French public radio on Tuesday. We must be extremely vigilant with arms sales to these two countries, which is what we are doing.Several French lawmakers have called for a moratorium on arms sales to Saudi Arabia, similar to the freeze put in place by Germany in October in response to the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. French rights group are trying to block the loading of French munitions onto a Saudi Arabian cargo ship that arrived Tuesday in the southern port of Fos-sur-Mer, near Marseille. Rights groups accuse Saudi Arabia of using French arms against civilians in the conflict in Yemen. The investigative website Disclose said the Bahri Tabuk was to be loaded with munitions for French Caesar howitzer cannons. The site reported on a similar shipment of weapons earlier this month, and after dockworkers threatened to block the ships arrival in Le Havre, it left without the cargo. A representative in France for the Saudi shipping company involved said the ship was not taking weapons, but was pickup up electrical production units, for civilian use. We will stay until the ship leaves with the assurance that the munitions were not loaded, Benoit Muracciole, the president of Ethical republican security action (ASER), a French arms sales watchdog, who is taking part of the protest, told RFI. You cant wage war without munitions. They can have the tanks and canons, but for these tanks and canons to fire, they need the munitions. So it is crucial to block them. Dockworkers have said they will refuse to load the munitions. France defends Saudi arms sales Defence Minister Florence Parly told lawmakers she had no information on the shipment, and that in any case France had a partnership with Saudi Arabia. French officials say the weapons sold to Saudi Arabia have been used only for defensive purposes, and reject claims that France is violating the Arms Trade Treaty that prohibits arms sales to countries if their use could lead to civilian casualties. But in April, the Disclose site published findings from a classified French military intelligence note that showed that French weapons sold to Saudi Arabia were being used against civilians in the Yemen war. Four of its reporters have been questioned by France's internal DGSI intelligence agency over the leak, and press freedom groups have accused the French government of trying to intimidate the press. Story continues No war without munitions There is a risk that these arms provided to Saudi Arabia will be used in the context of the Yemen conflict, by Saudi Arabia or the UAE, to commit war crimes against the Yemeni civil population, Elias Geoffroy, of the ACAT association of Christians against torture, told RFI. ACAT said it had filed an injunction hoping to block the shipment. Geoffroy evokes reports documenting air strikes by French Caesar canons on Saudi side of the border with Yemen: The Caesar canons have a capacity to hit 500,000 Yemeni citizens in the north. And we know that in those zones there have been several civilian victims, due to this kind of bombing. So its very likely that these bombings were committed by Caesar cannons. "Yes, it's a dirty war, yes it has to be stopped, Saudi Arabia and the Emirates must stop" fighting, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told French public radio on Tuesday. We must be extremely vigilant with arms sales to these two countries, which is what we are doing. Several French lawmakers have called for a moratorium on arms sales to Saudi Arabia, similar to the freeze put in place by Germany in October in response to the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The foreign exchange market has heated up when the daily reference exchange rate set by the State Bank of Vietnam continuously climbed to new record levels and the VND/USD rates listed at commercial banks also surged. * Why did the exchange rate rise? The SBV attributed the recent increases in the VND/USD exchange rate to negative information on the US-China trade negotiations which intensified concerns about the possibility of international trade disputes. At the same time, the devaluation of the Chinese yuan since the end of April also made psychological impacts on the domestic forex market, putting more pressure on the foreign exchange rate. Experts were also of the view that the rise in the exchange rate was mainly caused by the psychological factor amidst new developments in the international market. Analysts of the Bao Viet Securities Company (BVSC) said the recent fluctuations in the foreign exchange rate mainly stemmed from the changes in strong currencies such as the US dollar, Chinese yuan, British pound and Japanese yen. Since the US-China trade tensions began to intensify again, the Chinese yuan has greatly depreciated, causing pressure on the Vietnam dong. However, the SBV seems to have enough experience in dealing with the situation as the domestic forex market has been under constant influence from outside factors over the past three years. The SBV has always issued timely messages on its abundant reserves and readiness to interfere when necessary to keep the market stable. It is the same scenario this time. After the SBV announced that it is ready to sell foreign currencies at suitable rates to stabilize the market, the forex market has cooled down and the VND/USD exchange rate at commercial banks was immediately reined in. As of May 29, the daily reference exchange rate was up 236 VND compared to the rate at the beginning of the year, or about 1 percent. Meanwhile, the rates listed at commercial banks only rose by around 0.8 percent. *Two useful tools to keep exchange rate under control The management of the exchange rate during the past several years was said to be an outstanding success of the banking sector. It is easy to notice the positive impacts on the market made by the daily adjustment of the reference exchange rate and the abundant foreign reserves, which enhanced the markets trust in the management agency. Financial-banking expert Nguyen Tri Hieu said the daily adjustment of the reference exchange rate and the abundant foreign reserves are the two useful tools for the SBV to maintain a stable exchange rate and the value of the domestic currency. Increasing the national foreign reserves is among annual tasks of the SBV. Though no specific figures are made public, the SBV said in a report submitted to the National Assembly recently that it had raised the national foreign reserves to the highest level ever. According to BVSC experts, such factors as abundant foreign reserves, a surplus in the national payment balance, and the policy on tightening lending in foreign currencies and shifting to foreign currency trading, would limit risks to the foreign exchange rate in the remaining of 2019. From another aspect, financial-banking expert Can Van Luc said the USD is only one of the 8 currencies under the daily management of the SBV, and the exchange rate policy has been very flexible since 2016, which helped keep the exchange rate stable for the past three years. Therefore, the recent rise of the exchange rate recently does not call for big concern. Nevertheless, experts shared the view that there are still more risks ahead, as the US-China trade tension has not shown signs of ease. Hieu urged the SBV to be more flexible and continue to utilize the two tools to stabilize the exchange rate, adding that the rate could be adjusted within a trading band of 3 percent this year.VNA How will VND/USD exchange rate perform in US-China trade war? The dong/dollar exchange rate has fluctuated sharply in recent days after the US decided to impose tariff of 25 percent on $200 billion worth of imports from China. VN Central Bank ready to intervene in forex market The State Bank of Vietnam is ready to sell foreign currency to stabilize the forex market in the wake of the sharp strengthening of the greenback against the Vietnamese dong recently. Capital withdrawals of foreign retailers in Vietnam have fielded a number of queries on whether the firms had sustained losses or if the local business climate lacked enough incentives. French retailer Auchan makes headlines in mid-May when confirming its withdrawal from the Vietnamese market. (Photo: Auchan) Former chairman of the Hanoi Supermarket Association Vu Vinh Phu claimed there are many factors causing the withdrawal of foreign retailers from the Vietnamese market. Many failed to seek a proper consumer segment and suffered losses due to high costs and poor administration. Phu said that Auchan is a multinational corporation with a business network of 4,000 locations across 17 countries and territories worldwide. Since its inception in 2015, the French retailer has spread its arms to 18 locations, primarily in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh city, and the southern province of Tay Ninh. Local media reported that Edgar Bonte, CEO of the supermarket group Auchan Retail has decided to sell 18 loss-making stores in Vietnam. These outlets reaped some EUR45 million (US$50.4 million) in revenue in 2018 and are still suffering losses. It comes as no surprise that retailers suffer losses during their operations and eventually choose to close down. Phu, however, urged the publication of relevant information on the retailers from state management agencies such as the State Audit Office, and tax and customs authorities. In fact, the country has been offering a string of incentives to foreign direct investment retail firms, he said. They are entitled to pay 50 percent of the current corporate income tax rate within their first two years of operation while they are leveraged to select good locations for business. Additionally, foreign retailers operating in the country have decisive advantages in terms of brand and scale when it comes to negotiations with local suppliers. He exemplified his stance by the fact that many local suppliers and producers reportedly have to provide foreign retailers with a 30 - 40 percent discount per product which they want to put on shelves at foreign-invested distribution chains. This puts domestic firms at a considerable disadvantage, he claimed. Despite this, several foreign retailers such as METRO Cash & Carry, BigC, and others have still reported losses and even METRO Cash & Carry and BigC have been acquired by Thailands retail giants. This is an unusual development as foreign retailers have been provided with such incentives and discounts, Phu stressed, noting that Germanys METRO Cash & Carry had been asked by local competent agencies to pay VND500 billion (US$21.5 billion) in tax arrears. This case serves as a good lesson for state agencies that are in charge of managing the retail and financial sectors, the expert said. State agencies must work on developing a more favorable business climate for retailers towards fairer treatment and transparency. METRO Cash & Carry was acquired by Thailands TCC Group in 2014, after the former suffered consecutive years of losses. Local media reported that during 12 years of operation in Vietnam, METRO Cash & Carry only enjoyed profits of VND116 billion (US$4.98 million) in 2010 while reporting losses in the remaining years, ranging from VND89 billion (US$3.82 million) to VND160 billion (US$6.88 million). Moreover, amid thriving development of the Vietnamese retail market, Parkson retail chain in Vietnam, a subsidiary of the Parkson Holdings Berhad, has reportedly made poor performance in the country in comparison with regional peers. In early 2018, Parkson shut down its final shopping mall in the country, thus putting an end to its business in the Vietnamese market after 13 years of operation. The retail chain had previously planned to open additional shopping centers in major cities nationwide, but it halted the scheme in 2014. France retailer Auchans exit from Vietnam draws interest from potential buyers French supermarket group Auchan Retails plans to sell its loss-making business in Vietnam are already drawing interest from potential buyers, Reuters reported. Convenience stores help domestic retailers compete with foreign rivals With certain advantages, convenience stores have been an increasingly popular shopping destination for customers, and they have also become a choice for domestic retailers to compete with foreign rivals. US restrictions on Huawei will not likely affect Vietnams smartphone market as well as the domestic mobile phone retailers. A The gioi di dong store in Hanoi. Sales of Huawei smartphones account for just 4-6 per cent of the chain's total sales. US restrictions on Huawei are unlikely to affect the Vietnamese smartphone market or phone retailers. According to the latest market strategy report by the VNDirect Securities Co, Huaweis smartphone market share in Vietnam was only 4 per cent and worth VND2.65 trillion (roughly US$114 million) last year. Besides, though Huawei was the worlds second largest seller last year, the brand is not too strong in Vietnam and there are many substitutes in the mid-range price category such as Oppo, Xiaomi and Nokia, it said. The market is dominated by Samsung, Oppo and Apple with respective shares of 41.1 per cent, 22.7 per cent and 8.6 per cent. Another Chinese brand, Xiaomi, had a 6 per cent share, it showed. On May 15, the US Commerce Department placed Huawei and its 70 affiliates on a trade blacklist, making it harder for the Chinese telecom giant to buy parts and components from US companies. A study by GCS-CIMB predicts this ban would drive down Huaweis smartphone sales in international markets by 40 per cent year-on-year in 2019, while sales of Oppo and Xiaomi would surge 60 per cent and 43 per cent. In Vietnam, VNDirect expects an insignificant effect on FPT Retail and The Gioi Di Dong (Mobile World), the two retailers distributing Huawei. For them, sales of Huawei smartphones account for just 4-6 per cent of total sales. But both retailers face inventory risk and have ongoing contracts for installment payment of Huawei products. VNDirect mentioned two possible scenarios: Huawei and its partners would share costs and liquidate the inventories by reducing prices and promotions or Huawei would buy back the stocks from partners like Samsung did with Galaxy Note 7 after the battery incident. Both FPT Retail and Mobile World are awaiting discussion with Huawei for optimal solution. In the unlikely case that Huawei does not support its partners, the latter would have to make provision for its current stocks of Huawei's products. The provision is expected to be VND110 billion for Mobile World and VND40 billion for FPT Retail, or 3.8 per cent and 11.5 per cent of their net profits in 2018, according to VNDirects estimates. Meanwhile, Digiworld is likely to benefit from this incident, since its main products are Nokia and Xiaomi, and any decline in Huawei sales would boost sales of those two brands. VNS Huawei phones without Google apps confuse Vietnamese customers Huawei phones hold a modest market share due to poor product designs and marketing as well as plain features compared to other brands such as Oppo or Samsung. Huawei Vietnam responds to Googles Android suspension Chinese technology firm Huawei Vietnam has said it will continue to build a safe and sustainable software ecosystem to provide the best experience for all users globally. Vietnam has seen more investment from China as the trade war between China and the US continues. In the past five months, total investment from China to Vietnam reached over $2.02 billion, with investments from Hong Kong in addition reaching over $5.08 billion. There were 113 new projects, 31 projects with increased capital and share purchase in 57 projects. China currently is the top investor in Vietnam, followed by South Korea and Singapore with $2.6 billion and $2.08 billion respectively. Dr. Can Van Luc from the Training and Research Institute of the Bank for Investment and Devlelopment of Vietnam said that there was an investment shift from China to ASEAN countries and Vietnam was the most favoured country due to good economic growth and stable political climate. Both foreign investors in China and Chinese investors have turned their attention to Vietnam. Many Chinese firms have been asking about the procedures and business environment in Vietnam, mostly the northern region. They often invest in agricultural or manufacturing industries to export back to China or other countries. The Vietnam Association of Foreign Invested Enterprises' Chairman Nguyen Mai said capital contributions and share purchases were the quickest methods to join Vietnam market so local firms should be wise in choosing projects and partners. Nguyen Lam Vien, general director of Vinamit Company, said Chinese firms had poured money into investments in Vietnam since over a year ago. After the US increased tariffs on Chinese goods, investors have targeted Vietnam to earn certificates of origin before exporting to the US. Investors from the US also employ the same method to export to China. Moreover, products from Vietnam can enjoy many tax incentives under free trade agreements of which Vietnam is a member. "Right now, local firms earn profits from selling company shares and land. But after Chinese companies established their factories, the market share will be different," Vien said. Other experts also agreed that local firms should improve themselves to become more competitive and to be able to participate in international product supply chains. The government should have policies to help local firms during the integration process. Nguoilaodong/Dtinews Chinas capital outflow to continue with Vietnam at receiving end Escalating US China tensions are putting pressure on the Chinese yuan (CNY) and lead to further capital outflow, while Vietnam is expected to be at the receiving end of Chinas outward FDI, according to Viet Dragon Securities Company (VDSC). China becomes biggest foreign investor in Vietnam Chinese investment has generated jobs and brought capital, but it may also bring about environmental risks and cause problems in foreign worker management, experts say. The Economic Commission reported that since Resolution 10, the Vietnamese private economic sector has been developing by leaps and bounds. Specifically, as of June 30, 2018, Vietnam had more than 670,900 operational POEs. Since June 2017 when Resolution No.10-NQ/TW of the fifth plenary of the 12th Party Central Committee was issued, defining the private sector as an important impetus of the Vietnamese economy, local privately-owned enterprises have been developing from strength to strength, making major contributions to the countrys economic growth. Privately-owned enterprises are ahead of the pack in state revenue contributions After nearly 20 years since opening his rice shop, Dang Dinh Kien last May decided to turn the shop into a company specialised in trading rice, selling to restaurants and people in Hanoi. We have been expanding production and business by securing new rice suppliers from the Mekong Delta, Kien told VIR. We currently have two rice processing facilities at Hanois Quang Minh industrial park, and the companys total investment capital stands at about VND50 billion ($2.17 million). According to Kien, since the shop was developed into Hoang Ngoc Trading JSC, they have been finding it easier to do business because the company now has a registered stamp and invoices to sign contracts with customers. Previously, I had never thought about opening a company, but business conditions have significantly improved, Kien said. Hoang Ngoc Trading was among nearly 131,000 newly-established enterprises last year with the total registered capital of VND1,478 trillion ($64.26 billion), up 3.5 and 14.1 per cent against 2017. Also in 2018, operating enterprises added VND2,409 trillion ($104.74 billion) to their business, raising total capital in the economy to $168.6 billion. Besides, 34,010 enterprises resumed operations, up 28.6 per cent on-year. In the first quarter of 2019, Vietnam saw 28,451 newly-established enterprises, registered at VND375.5 trillion ($16.33 billion), up 6.2 per cent in the number of enterprises and 34.8 per cent in capital on-year. According to the Party Central Committees Economic Commission, these impressive figures show that private-owned enterprises (POEs) in Vietnam are growing strongly, with their confidence improved significantly. The private economic sector has become an important propellant of the socialist-oriented market economy, said a commission report on the results from the implementation of Resolution No.10-NQ/TW. Great contributions The Economic Commission reported that since Resolution 10, the Vietnamese private economic sector has been developing by leaps and bounds. Specifically, as of June 30, 2018, Vietnam had more than 670,900 operational POEs. Total investment ratio by POEs in the economys total development investment has kept increasing, from 38.7 per cent in 2015 to 38.9 per cent in 2016, 40.6 per cent in 2017, and 43.3 per cent last year. The private economic sector has contributed remarkably to GDP, at 43.22 per cent in 2015, 42.56 per cent in 2016, and 41.74 per cent in 2017. It also accounts for 30 per cent of Vietnams industrial production value, nearly 80 per cent of total retail and service revenue, and 64 per cent of total transported goods. Commending the role of the private sector, Nguyen Dinh Thang, chairman of LienVietPostBank, said that the governments efforts to spur private enterprises over the past few years have helped further strengthen the major role of these enterprises. It is expected that Vietnam will grow 7 per cent this year. However, if the government issues more favourable conditions for enterprises to develop, such as cutting taxes and business conditions, the private economic sector will be able to help drive ther growth rate further, and make even bigger contributions to national development, Thang said. For example, if corporate income tax is reduced, the number of private firms will rise to one million by 2020, 1.5 million by 2025, and over two million by 2030, he continued. It is expected that the private sector will hold 50 per cent of the GDP in 2020 and 60-65 per cent of the GDP in 2030. Vietnams ranking in the World Banks annual Doing Business survey surged to 69th in the world this year, from 99th in 2013, with strong gains in contract enforcement and regulatory environment. The countrys per capita income increased to an estimated $2,572 in 2018 from approximately $1,754 in 2012. Vietnams competitiveness index increased from 56th out of 140 nations surveyed by the World Bank to 55th out of 137 nations in 2017. It is clear that Vietnams investment and business climate has been gradually improved, contributing to macroeconomic stability and economic development, said the Economic Commissions vice head Cao Duc Phat. Newly-established enterprises have been increasing both in number and registered capital. The number of enterprises hit 655,000 by late 2017 and 730,000 by late 2018. The number of POEs has been strongly ascending and the private economic sector has been growing in scale, while playing an increasingly important role in socio-economic development and international integration, Phat stressed. This has affirmed that the implementation of Resolution 10 has led to positive results, especially the enhancement of POEs confidence in the policies of the Party and the state. A rise in revenue After nearly two years of being implemented, the resolution has driven the private economic sector forward to make increasingly positive contributions to economic growth and the state coffers. Specifically, according to the Economic Commission, the states budgetary revenue from domestic POEs has been climbing at an average 15 per cent per annum, which is twice as high as that created by foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs). Meanwhile, the state budget revenue from state-owned enterprises (SOEs) has been decreasing strongly (see box). The governments efforts to boost the startup movement and improve the local investment and business climate have created laudable initial results, Phat said. Last year was the first time ever that POEs overtook FIEs and SOEs in state revenue contribution. These signals reflect the growth in scale and effectiveness of the private economic sector. POEs now also play a larger role in strengthening the national financial situation. In the case of Hoang Ngoc Trading, for example, Kien said that since last May, the companys revenue has increased 20 per cent against the time the company remained a small shop. Boosting reform needed According to Ousmane Dione, the World Banks country director for Vietnam, government reform programmes are going in the right direction, and Resosolution 10 has created bigger spaces for the private economic sector to play. However, he stressed that more reforms would be needed. If these reform programmes are sequenced and implemented effectively, they would open many positive opportunities for Vietnam, he told VIR. Firstly, they would help the country consolidate and enhance macroeconomic stability as well as resilience amid the fast-changing and volatile global conditions. Secondly, reforms would help Vietnam improve the quality of its economic development and lift productivity growth. This is critical for the countrys long-term sustainable growth. Ousmane added, Lastly, I would expect an opportunity for Vietnam to benefit much more from international integration, not only in economic terms, but also through skills and technological transfers and spill-over, as well as improvements in governance. Raymond Mallon, an Australian senior economist who has spent decades studying Vietnams economic situation, told VIR, Administrative simplification in Vietnam has reached a defining moment. If successfully applied, the reductions of sub-licences can encourage enterprises to engage more in the market and create healthy competition among enterprises. They will help foster economic growth via the improvement of labour productivity, curb corruption, and also help create a more level playing field for all enterprises. Businesspeople like Kien from Hoang Ngoc Trading hopes the government will continue boosting reforms so that they can grow further in the country. We are planning to construct our third rice processing facility later this year. I hope that conditions will continue becoming more favourable, Kien said. Thang from LienVietPostBank said that the government needs to create a level playing field for all enterprises of all economic sectors in order to play fairly. A favourable legal framework is one of the most important issues now, he said. This will enable enterprises to develop. VIR VN to become Asias next high-performing economy Vietnam should take advantage of the next wave of digital technologies such as blockchain, AI, IoT and cloud-based services to become Asias next high-performing economy and improve the living standards of its residents, experts said. Moderate credit growth positive for Vietnams economy Despite credit growth among Vietnamese credit institutions remaining low this year, experts are not concerned about the slowdown, saying it was a good sign for the economy. PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc meets Swedish parliament speaker Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) and Speaker of the Swedish parliament Andreas Norlen Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc held a meeting with Speaker of the Swedish parliament Andreas Norlen on May 28 as part of his official visit to Sweden. The Swedish parliament leader hailed PM Phucs visit, the first by a Vietnamese PM since 1999, in the context of the two countries organising various activities to mark the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relationship. For his part, PM Phuc emphasized that the Vietnamese high-level delegations visit on the occasion of the important anniversary aims to demonstrate Vietnams high valuation of the support that the Swedish people had given to Vietnam both in the past and at present. He praised the contributions made by the Swedish parliament to the development of bilateral relations, and urged the parliaments of both countries to continue working together to assist with the implementation of new agreements and cooperation directions between Vietnam and Sweden. Phuc expressed his hope that the two parliaments consider the establishment of friendship parliamentarians groups to help boost their cooperation. He informed his host on the outcomes of his meeting with King Carl XVI Gustav and talks with PM Stefan Loefven, during which the two sides agreed upon a range of measures to further the bilateral ties in a win-win partnership. The Vietnamese government leader asked the Swedish parliament to continue creating favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community in the country to settle down and integrate into the host society while preserving their national cultural identity, thus contributing to the friendship and mutual understanding between the two countries and nations. Andreas Norlen affirmed that the Swedish parliament supported and would make efforts to push for the early signing and ratification of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement and the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement, which benefits all sides. He said the signing of the FTA will create a strong impetus for economic and trade cooperation between Vietnam and EU member countries, including Sweden. PM Phuc conveyed an invitation to visit Vietnam from Chairwoman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan to Speaker Andreas Norlen. Vestnik Kavkaza visited rector of Azerbaijan State University of Economics Adalat Muradov. - The university led by you today was founded in 1930 and was considered the alma mater for socialist economists for a long time. How did you manage to make UNEC competitive under market economy conditions? - After the USSR collapsed, all universities operating from Soviet times faced similar problems. I had the task to turn a university into a world-class university. To accomplish this task, we have begun to work with leading world universities. For the fourth year in a row we have been working under the international program of the London School of Economics, and our graduates receive two diplomas - from UNEC and the London School. We work in a slightly different way with the French University of Montpellier: our students go to France in their third year, they study there in English for one year, but in the end they also receive two diplomas. Since this September, we will start implementing the program with the Lincoln University in the U.S. under the MBA program [Master of Business Administration - the flagship program at the business school - VK]: our students will study for a year there and another year here, and at the end they will also receive two diplomas. Moreover, when studying in the US., they will get a work permit and will be able to earn money for study there. In five years we have attracted about 400 young teachers, who received education in America, in Europe, in Canada, in Russia, in Turkey, to the university. In addition, we have created a new faculty where English is the language of instruction - the International School of Economics, where all young teachers received their education in English abroad. I am very proud that last year the minimum passing score for this faculty was 629, and for the finance program - 653. - What's about the Russian School of Economics, founded three years ago on the basis of UNEC? - This is one of the most important innovations of our university. Previously, we had a Russian sector at each faculty of UNEC. Approximately 20% of students prefer to study in Russian, so we created a separate faculty, which we will develop together with leading Russian universities. Just recently, I met with rector of the Higher School of Economics Yaroslav Kuzminov in Moscow, and a group of HSE students led by two vice-rectors will arrive in Baku already in early June. Together we will analyze options for mutual cooperation. By the way, UNEC is the only foreign university with a branch campus in Russia. Our branch operates in Derbent. We built an excellent campus there, and Russian citizens free education, being enrolled according to the results of the uniform state exam. The curriculum of the Derbent branch is created on the basis of the Plekhanov University. I think that now branches of other universities can be opened in our Russian branch campus: the conditions are very good there, the corresponding infrastructure has been created ... We also cooperate with the Greek University in the Joint Degree Program master's program: our teachers go there, providing 30% of the entire educational process. As a result, we issue a diploma signed by me and the rector of the Greek University. - One of the main criteria for assessing a university's scientific activity is the number of scientific publications. What's the situation at UNEC? - UNEC has become the most dynamic university in terms of increasing a number of publications in the Web of science and Scoups databases. By the way, we pay decent fees for each publication in the Web of science not only to teachers, but also to students. So far, only three of our students have published their paperes in Scoups, but I think this is only the beginning. We were the first in the region to apply differentiated wage rates, evaluating the work of our teachers according to 100 criteria, on the basis of which we compile a rating, and the first 100 positions in this ranking are paid an increased salary. - Joining UNEC, you re-branded the university. Did this contribute to the growth of interest in the university from the citizens of the CIS countries? - Our strategic goal is to increase the number of foreign students to 20% of the total number of students. We decided to re-brand three years ago and received a patent for the brand UNEC (University of Economics). Last year we received a patent for a new brand in Turkey, and this year, I hope, we will receive it in the European Union. I think we will assert ourselves on the international education market soon. - What disciplines are most often chosen by applicants? Which is the most popular? - Finance and financial accounting. In the MBA program, we occupy 70% of the domestic market, that is, 70% of all students in the MBA program choose us. - Does UNEC conduct any research? - I have already mentioned our publications - we concentrate our efforts on the papers that are recognized at the world level. We concluded that not all teachers can be also researchers, so we decided to reveal the potential of those teachers who can conduct research. For this purpose, we have created 26 research centers. Each is headed by one already reputable researcher who forms a group of three to four people. We define research topics ourselves, for example, the digital economy, virtual money, etc. If we do not have good specialists in these areas, we attract them from outside. Next year, there will be the university's 90th anniversary, and our strategic goal is to enter the 1000 leading world universities list. Today our university is the 171st among the best in the region of Central Europe and Central Asia. And when it is 100th anniversary, we hope to be among the top 500 universities in the world. - How do you see the prospects for the development of economic education in general? - The development of economic education is our task. UNEC prepares personnel for the economic sphere. Now we are working on the preparation of a new economic education standard, together with the real sector of the economy. Personally, I am sure that the curriculum should be revised: it has a lot of unnecessary subjects now, but some important and necessary ones are missing. We plan to reduce the load of students, reduce the number of subjects and give more time for unsupervised activities. Our task is to attract promising teachers from abroad. - But, after all, Russian scientists hold classes in your Russian economic school... - Yes, they come from Russia, but it's not enough. I think in June, when we complete the negotiations with the HSE, more Russian teachers will come to Baku, and ours will go to Moscow. UNEC teachers already worked at the Plekhanov University, at the University of Astrakhan and at the University of Voronezh. I think this is just the beginning. We are interested in a quality quality education in Russian. I asked the rector of the HSE to provide us with postgraduate and doctoral quotas in Moscow. I think we will send our young specialists there who will do postgraduate studies, pass Ph.D. defense and return to Baku. - Does UNEC have the only 24-hour library in Azerbaijan? Are there many users? - During the session students even sit on its floors at night. At two o'clock in the morning, we give each student a bun on behalf of the rector to help the guys. - What is UNEC EXTERN? - I am sure that this is the future of education. Today, classical education goes into the background. Students do not need to attend classes, sit in the classroom. The main thing is to gain knowledge. Knowledge can be obtained in different ways, including with the help of new technologies: a professoe sits in the classroom, and his students are in other places, but they hear and see everything, can ask questions. Everything that a professor does and says is recorded, and then students can watch it many times. - How to enter your university if you are a citizen of Russia? - Rosobrnadzor granted us a license, so the UNEC diploma is recognized in both Azerbaijan and Russia. Citizens of the Russian Federation who do not want or cannot study in our Derbent branch have the opportunity to enter it here in Baku. They can submit documents only online, being in Russia. All information on admission of students is available on our website unec.edu.az. If an applicant passes, we send him congratulations, he comes to us and learns from us in Baku. President of the Cambodian National Assembly Samdech Heng Samrin and his entourage made a trip to the northern province of Ha Nam on May 29 as part of their on-going official visit to Vietnam. President of the Cambodian National Assembly Samdech Heng Samrin and Secretary of the Ha Nam Party Committee Nguyen Dinh Khang The delegation was welcomed by Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Nguyen Dinh Khang, who expressed his belief that visit of the Cambodian NA delegation will contribute to promoting the ties between the two countries along the line of good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, and sustainable long-term comprehensive cooperation as set by their leaders. Samdech Heng Samrin said his visit aims to further cement the traditional friendship between the parties, parliaments, governments and people of Cambodia and Vietnam. He highlighted the two countries mutual support in their respective struggles for national independence, freedom and peace, and thanked the Vietnamese party, State and people for giving Cambodia valuable help in toppling the Pol Pot genocidal regime. The Cambodian legislator showed his impression of the rapid development of Ha Nam province, and wished the province greater achievements in socio-economic development. On the occasion, the Cambodian NA delegation visited and planted trees at the Tam Chuc pagoda, where the United Nations Day of Vesak 2019 Celebration was held earlier this month. The top Cambodian legislator is on a three-day official visit to Vietnam from May 28 at the invitation of Vietnamese NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan. Vietnam, Cambodia expect stronger all-around ties The top Vietnamese and Cambodian legislators have consented to intensify delegation and people-to-people exchanges, and realize signed agreements whilst underscoring the importance of frequently educating the two countries people. Support given to Vietnamese Cambodians in Kampong Chhnang An inter-sectoral working delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Cuong has visited Vietnamese Cambodians in Boribour district of Cambodias Kampong Chhnang province. Vietnam has a big opportunity to win a non-permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council for the 2020-2021 term, Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of Vietnams permanent mission to the UN, has said. Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of Vietnams permanent mission to the UN Vietnam has been nominated by Asian-Pacific countries in the UN as the only candidate from the region to the non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 term, with the vote slated for June 7. In an interview granted to Vietnam News Agency correspondents in New York, Quy stated that to date, over 120 countries have shown their support for Vietnam in writing, while 30-40 others have made oral commitments, and 41 have had no comments in this issue. However, the UN Security Councils Voting Procedure stipulates that non-permanent members of the Security Council are elected by a two-thirds majority. Therefore, Vietnam has a big opportunity to be successful at the poll, he added. Quy stressed the need to encourage those who made vocal commitments to show their backing in writing, and 41 countries with no response to provide official answers supporting Vietnam. It is also important to encourage all the countries join the vote and support Vietnam at the UN General Assemblys 73rd session on June 7, he said. Regarding the urgent jobs Vietnam must conduct if it wins the election, the diplomat said that the country will have six months for preparations as it would assume the position as the UN Security Council Chair in January 2020. The first point of order if Vietnam wins the election is to consolidate the organisational apparatus at the Vietnamese permanent mission to the UN and the foreign ministry in Hanoi to solidify harmonious coordination between the two sides to make timely and correct decisions on issues at the UN Security Council. The second step is to prepare ideas on issues that Vietnam will pursue so that they can fit the international communitys concern and conform with the councils functions and duties, Quy said. Vietnam's positive contribution to UN's activities Over the past four decades, Vietnam has received tremendous support from the UN and its members and demonstrated its responsible member of the United Nations (UN) since joining the int'l; community. UN Security Council membership enables Vietnam to contribute more to UN Vietnam has been nominated by Asian-Pacific countries in the UN as the only candidate from the region to a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 tenure, with the vote slated for June 7. Baby rhinos now can be reproduced in semi-wild conditions in Vietnam. However, these moments are rarely seen. In the last 10 years, only three baby rhinos have been given birth in the semi-wild environment in Vietnam, two of which were born at Vinpearl Safari in the first 17 days of April, 2019. It is not difficult to take care for rhinos, but its extremely difficult to help them reproduce, said Nguyen Dinh Cao from Vinpearl Safari Phu Quoc. Cao said the process of giving birth of the second rhino was more dramatic than the first one. The hearts of the doctors and specialists missed a beat when dealing with so many problems. Before giving birth, the mother rhino looked normal. But after giving birth, rapid-fire troubles came, he recalled. After several hours of struggle, the baby rhino was born at 10.30 pm on April 20, 2019. However, instead of taking care of the baby, the mother suddenly became aggressive and hit the baby. Realizing that the mother rhino panicked from stress during the pregnancy, we immediately drew up measures to protect newborn rhinos, Cao said. Luckily, the mother calmed down and it was no longer a danger to the baby. However, more troubles occurred. As the mother was in a state of constant anxiety, it always put the baby in front of her, which made it impossible for the baby to suck. Luckily, the mother calmed down and it was no longer a danger to the baby. However, more troubles occurred. As the mother was in a state of constant anxiety, it always put the baby in front of her, which made it impossible for the baby to suck. After the birth, baby rhinos must find the breast and suck, or it will be dangerous, explained Bui Phi Hoang from Vinpearl Safari. Only at 8.30 am the next day did the baby find the breast. We cried with happiness, Cao said, adding that he had never experienced such a feeling before. Spending many years working at Safari zoos, Cao and Hoang have witnessed births by wild animals in the semi-wild environment many times. Rare animals such as hippopotamus, white swan, tiger, leopard and antelope, and animals listed in the Red Book, have had safe births at the zoos of the Safari network. However, scientists affirmed that only good facilities, staff experience, and great efforts can help reproduce wild animals. Experts said the environment and habitat at Vinpearl Safari is similar to the natural environment in Africa, so rhinos have little difficulty in pairing and mating. The successful reproduction has raised the total number of rhinos at the safari reserve to 19, according to a local newspaper. RELATED NEWS Raising wildlife for conservation faces big challenges The workers who rescue and save wildlife Thanh Mai Parents tend to rely on school in educating their children, and dont understand that family plays a very important role in childrens maturity. Fighting against school violence was the main topic of discussion at the National Assemblys Committee for Culture, Education, the Youth and Children working session on May 17. Of the reasons behind the increased school violence, Nguyen Tung Lam from the Hanoi Educational Psychology Association cited the lack of family education. Children are hungry for family education, he said. In families with financial incapability, parents are too busy earning their living, and they dont have time for their children. In well-off families, parents think money can replace education, he said. A high school teacher in Hanoi commented that parents tend to blame schools and teachers for any problem occurring with their children, but dont understand that they have to take responsibility for the problems. In both cases, children are neglected and behave as they want. A high school teacher in Hanoi commented that parents tend to blame schools and teachers for any problem occurring with their children, but dont understand that they have to take responsibility for the problems. In developed countries, parents have to take responsibility for the behavior of their under age children as stipulated by the laws. Therefore, parents have to join forces with schools and psychology consultants to settle their childrens problems. Vietnam needs to do the same thing, or school violence wont be settled, he commented. The teacher, who has been working for 30 years, complained that in many cases, parents are uncooperative with schools in educating children. A parent told me that I have the right to punish his child for mistakes and do everything I want to educate the student, without having to inform him, because he is too busy to hear about minor things. I just need to contact him about school fees and tuition he has to pay, the teacher said. The parent, of course, never attends parents meetings and I am sure he doesnt know about his sons learning capability, he added. Bui Van Linh from the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) agrees that family education is in crisis when many parents leave the work of educating children to school. On education forums, some parents even comment that they pay high for education services and must get the best-quality services. Do Thu Hang from the Youth Research Institute also pointed out that the lack of family education is a major reason behind the increased school violence. Overindulgence and family conflicts are the major problems of family education. Educators all emphasize the importance of family education in modern times. The educational process affects every step of the development of personality. RELATED NEWS How do Vietnamese families spend their money on education? Vietnamese parents more willing to talk to kids about sex, gender issues Ha An In the next school year any students who has not had their vaccinations will be told they must be immunised to prevent diseases. Vietnam makes vaccine from chicken egg embryos Vaccine ComBE Five continues to be used nationwide In the next school year any students who has not had their vaccinations will be told they must be immunised to prevent diseases. Photo plxh.vn That was the warning from Nguyen Nhat Cam, director of Ha Noi Disease Control Centre. In the first five months of 2019, Hanoi saw 1,300 cases of measles, 20 times higher than the same period last year. And the number continues to rise. In 2018, the percentage of fully vaccinated children under one-year-old in Hanoi only reached 85 per cent. The 5-in-1 vaccine that can help fight against five common, potentially fatal diseases affecting infants - diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenza type B has been used less than other types of vaccine, therefore, not only measles but also the other infections are about to rise, said Cam. In some other provinces, the rate of 5-in-1 vaccine injection only reach 30 per cent of the initial plan, making it the most unwanted vaccine in the national expanded immunisation programme. Meanwhile, diseases breakouts are being reported in many localities. Some 4,000 cases of measles have been found in 62 of 63 provinces including one death in Hai Duong Province. Hanoi reported the first patient with Japanese encephalitis in May and the number of infected people may keep rising as the diseases peak season will continue to August. We have proposed some solutions to the city authorities which have been approved. The problem now is how to implement them, he said. In the coming school year, local medical facilities and schools will monitor the vaccination status of students. Those who have not received enough required injections will be administered at school. In Vietnam, the Law on Education does not ban unvaccinated students from school. It is crucial to have a mechanism which can ensure children are fully vaccinated, added Cam. According to the General Department of Preventive Medicine, 54 per cent of children infected with measles are unvaccinated while the vaccination status of the other 43 per cent remains unknown. Only 3 per cent of patients were administered vaccines. Vietnamese children infected with H.p virus four times more than in developed countries 96.2 per cent of Vietnamese children under eight years old who have family members carrying helicobacter pylori (H.p) are infected with the virus, according to a newly released report by the Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. The research was conducted in two years over more than 360 families and 900 people. The results show that in developing countries including Vietnam, children are the most vulnerable to H.p especially when their family members are infected with the virus. This is the exact opposite of the rates in developed countries while children have a very low rate of H.p infection, about 20 per cent. Helicobacter pylori is one of the main causes leading to gastric and duodenal ulcer problems and affected people are at high risk of stomach cancer. According to the institute director Nguyen Duy Thang, the high rate of H.p infected people and antibiotic resistance in Vietnam brings challenges to treatment. At present, the infection rate of H.p in Vietnam is up to 75 per cent, higher than the US at 45 per cent and the UK at 47 per cent. The virus can be transmitted via undercooked food, saliva, unsterilised medical instruments and unclean environment. VNS HCM City Open University has initiated a revolution by spending VND90 million to allocate one cup and water jug to each school lecturer and officer in a plan to stop the use of disposable plastic cups and straws. The school board of management said that no disposable plastic cup and straw had been used at the schools meetings since May 5. Since May 15, 2019, officers and lecturers at the school have used private water jugs for drinking water. As for students, the school has called on them not to use disposable plastic products. It is estimated that the school discharges 125,000 plastic bottles a year after events, meetings and conferences. Since May 15, 2019, officers and lecturers at the school have used private water jugs for drinking water. As for students, the school has called on them not to use disposable plastic products. Nguyen Thi Dieu Linh, a lecturer at HCM City Open University, said most lecturers and officers have been using private cups for a long time, before the new decision was released. I have been saying no to plastic packages. I bring a water jug to school and I dont feel any inconvenience doing this, she said. When I buy food for breakfast, I refuse plastic bags from sellers and will put my breakfast into my box. The educator said the success of the movement of saying no to plastic bags and disposable plastic products will depend on the will of users. Once users refuse plastic bags, sellers will have to find another solution. Vu Huu Duc, vice rector of HCM City Open University, said school has to spend VND90 million on water and private cups for teachers and officers, a reasonable cost. Meanwhile, Thu Dung, a student, doubts the feasibility of the plan to stop using disposable plastic products. Plastic straws and bottles of water are too familiar to people, so it will be difficult to change their habits. When you buy water, you will be given water in plastic bottles, she said. However, Dung said she does not use plastic bags and disposable plastic products. Some days ago, the HCM City Food Industry University released a notice prohibiting students, lecturers and officers from using disposable plastic straws and cups in the school. Nearly 1,000 students committed not to use the plastic products on May 11, 2019. A report found that if every Vietnamese uses one less plastic bag a day, the number of plastic bags to be used within one year would be reduced by 94 million bags, or 450 tons, a year. RELATED NEWS Vietnamese researchers repurpose plastic waste with worlds first PET aerogel Bamboo straw introduced to reduce single-use plastic Le Huyen Two Vietnamese workers were stabbed to death in their rental apartment by robbers in Angola. Vietnamese workers killed by burglars in Angola According to the Embassy of Vietnam in Angola, 40-year-old Tran Thi Thu Huong and 47-year-old Nguyen Trong Duc were brother and sister-in-law. They were killed in their sleep when the burglars broke into their apartment in Lubango Province at 2 am on May 20. The embassy sent their condolences to the family and called for help from the community to help bring their bodies home. Huong and Duc were both from Can Loc District, Ha Tinh Province. Dao Thi Thanh, Huong's mother, said, "Huong went to Angola last August. At home, her husband died after a traffic accident six months later. She hadn't been able to save up money yet so she didn't return for his funeral. I can't believe that she was killed. How will their children survive?" Huong's mother and two children After Huong's husband died, her mother-in-law's health deteriorated greatly so the children were sent to their maternal grandparents' house. However, they now don't have enough money to bring Huong and Duc home. "I hope the community will help us so that the children can see their mother the last time," Thanh said. The Embassy of Vietnam in Angola is working with the police to investigate the case. From 2015 to 2017, three Vietnamese from Ha Tinh were also robbed and killed by burglars while working in Angola. Dtinews Overseas Vietnamese a catalyst for Vietnams success Vietnam has been reunified for 44 years. Over the past 4 decades, overseas Vietnamese have contributed remarkably to Vietnams reconstruction and development, making their homeland more competitive on the global arena. Vietnamese overseas investment hits $150 million The Foreign Investment Agency said in the first four months of the year, Vietnamese firms invested nearly 150 million USD in foreign markets. So you've lived in Hanoi and you believe the long list of connoisseurs and food critics has attracted all of the country's regional delicacies to the capital city for you to try. Hung Yen rice cakes enchant with rural flavour Hung Yen, an attractive destination Rural flavours of Hung Yen rice cakes enchant The best bites of bun in the Old Quarter EEL-Y GOOD: Headlined by the eels, bun thang Pho Hien can be eaten with fresh herbs and sliced banana flower. VNS Photos My Ha You may be right most of the time, but from time to time if you keep your eyes peeled you will bump into a new regional dish you've never had the pleasure of tasting. I knew this was the case when I passed a sign reading Bun thang Pho Hien xua. If you grew up on these noodles in Hung Yen, you probably think this place serves the ultimate, original bun thang. But I'm used to Hanoi style bun thang, so I was excited to try the original and find the roots of this ancient delicacy. Bun thang means vermicelli noodles with assorted toppings. Of the three sizes of fresh rice vermicelli this dish uses the smallest one, roughly the size of angel hair spaghetti. Just as a doctor of traditional medicine picks the right herbs and roots to cure a disease, bun thang includes many different toppings to form the perfect flavour. I was a little sceptical when I saw the toppings at bun thang Pho Hien xua: dried crispy rice paddy eels the characteristic source of protein in this dish pork paste and julienned sauteed pork belly. FINAL TOUCH: Julienned eggs are added to the top of the already full bowl. Hanoians know eels must always be served with mien (chrystal noodles) made from arrowroot! This is a code that is not to be broken. But what I was seeing with my own eyes were eels on top of a bowl of soup with vermicelli noodles. I believe this would be new for many other Hanoians. Where does this unique combination come from? Pho Hien was the old name for today's Hung Yen Province. According to the official "Imperial Annotated History of the Viet" written under Nguyen Kings in the 19th century, the name was first mentioned in the 15th century, but became more popular during the height of the city's economic and cultural influence during the 17th century. Located on the left bank of the Red River, Pho Hien was home to a bustling port. At this time a saying emerged showing the area was second only to the royal citadel of Thang Long: "The Citadel comes first, next comes Pho Hien". In the 17th century, Pho Hien was an important stop for international trading vessels. After travelling over the sea, they would stop at the port and apply for permission to continue on to the citadel. It was also a trading hub and a centre for the Chinese, Japanese, Dutch, British and French communities. During this time, two western trading points were set up in Pho Hien: a Dutch centre (1637-1700) and British centre (1672-1683). These representative offices and warehouses of the Dutch and British East India Companies were destroyed during the 18th century. The busy, rich trading port of Pho Hien was the pride of people in Hung Yen Province. But over time, the path of the river gradually changed, leaving the site of the 17th century port now two kilometres from the mouth of the Red River. As the river shifted, trade slowed in the port and it lost its significance. But for people living in Hung Yen Province today, Pho Hien is a name associated with a glorious past they do not want to fade. This is where the province's bun thang gets its name. SIZE MATTERS: A bowl of bun thang Pho Hien is usually bigger than its Hanoi variant. The dish takes a lot of time to make. The broth is slowly cooked from eel bones, dried shrimp or squid, dried peanut worms, grilled paddy crabs and pig bones. There are five common toppings: pork paste, paper-thin sliced fried eggs, sauteed eels, chopped green onions and knotweed leaves, which are key to enhancing the flavour of the eels. In Hanoi we add shredded boiled chicken, salted duck eggs and dried fragrant mushrooms, and eat picked white radish on the side. If you are used to the Hanoi version of the dish, you may find this variant a bit too simple and not filling enough. Both styles benefit from a few drops of mam tom (shrimp paste) to bring the flavour to the next level. This dish is well known in Hung Yen and people love it there, but I doubt it will catch on in Hanoi, especially because it has to compete with its more flavourful cousin. Some Hanoians I spoke to about the soup raised their brows and said they were not interested. But what they may not realise is that this dish exists for the subtle flavours, not to fill you up. For connoisseurs, sometimes less is more. Maybe one day Hanoians will embrace the dish, but until then bun thang Pho Hien remains a reminder of the proud history of Hung Yen for those who are willing to try it. by Nguyen My Ha VNS Speakers at the Sustainable Finance Forum held yesterday in HCM City. VNS Photo Bo Xuan Hiep HCM CITY Given Viet Nams investment deficit in sustainable development projects, there is a growing need for innovative solutions that open up opportunities for private investment in sustainable development projects, banking experts said yesterday at the Sustainable Finance Forum in HCM City. A need exists for private investment in economically and environmentally sustainable development projects, which would deliver jobs and inclusive growth, they said. Nguyen Toan Thang, general secretary of Viet Nam Banks Association (VNBA), said: While banks have a major role to play in helping unlock opportunities to link investment to sustainable projects in Viet Nam, credit institutions have significant scope to adopt international sustainability practices to better manage environmental, social and corporate governance risks within their portfolios and develop customised financial products for this market. The forum focused on green growth strategies and Viet Nams progress in attracting climate finance, given the scale of the climate challenge facing the country. According to a recent International Finance Corporation (IFC) assessment, by 2030 the climate-smart business investment potential in Viet Nam could reach an estimated US$753 billion, with $571 billion of that meeting the countrys needs for low-carbon transportation infrastructure. Potential investment in renewable energy amounts to $59 billion, with over half of this ($31 billion) in solar power and another $19 billion for small hydropower projects, while new green buildings represent an almost $80 billion investment opportunity. Roberto de Ocampo, board member with the Global Reporting Initiative and chairman of the Philippines Veterans Bank, told Viet Nam News sustainability reporting had emerged as an essential tool to enable financial flows into developing countries such as Viet Nam, as it would help businesses demonstrate their commitment to sustainable development and include it in core business strategies. While Viet Nam must increase the effectiveness of climate finance and diversify funding sources, the lack of effective domestic funding for targeted investments has inhibited the leveraging of external funds. As such, experts said policies should permit access to green growth finance from private investors. Kyle Kelhofer, IFC Country manager for Viet Nam, Cambodia and Lao PDR, said: We are working with both regulators and financial institutions to help create a market for climate business in Viet Nam and across the East Asia region through a combination of innovative investment and advisory products. SDG agenda It is estimated that it will cost around $90 trillion to finance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While the contribution of civil society and the public sector are vital in achieving the SDGs, the private sectors role is also critical as it can help mobilise much-needed capital to finance the SDG agenda. In Southeast Asia, the private sector in recent years has taken big strides addressing the impact of companies on the environment and society. However, the banking industry is lagging in its efforts, according to a report from World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the National University of Singapore in October 2017. According to the report, Sustainable Banking in ASEAN: Addressing ASEANs Flaws, most of the 34 surveyed banks recognised that businesses to which the banks lend money might harm the environment and society, but none of them disclosed how they managed sustainability risks at the portfolio level. ASEAN banks apply corporate governance and sustainability reporting as an exercise in good housekeeping, but not as a strategic effort to inform responsible lending. For example, these banks continue to fund planned coal-fired power stations in the region. The study also found that among Southeast Asian countries, Singapore is ahead of its neighbors in sustainable financing, while Vietnamese banks have the most work to do. The EU has already formulated an EU action plan on Sustainable Finance and the forum could also be an opportunity to develop an ASEAN action plan for sustainable finance, or at least begin a discussion for such a plan. Challenges to growth Viet Nam faces a number of challenges affecting its sustainable growth. It is highly vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters, while natural assets are being exploited unsustainably. Weak institutions, often with overlapping mandates and responsibilities, and inadequate processes for coordination, impede state effectiveness, according to a World Bank report. In the banking sector, vulnerabilities and rising fiscal pressure exist, while the domestic private sector is developing below potential and labour productivity growth is diminishing. Needed investments in infrastructure exceed available resources in the country, and the ability to mobilise private sector resources for such investments remains weak. In addition, Viet Nams demographic and economic evolution is putting new demands on service delivery and social protection systems, according to the report. Nearly 100 decision-makers from financial institutions, local and international investors, as well as heads of regulatory bodies and intergovernmental organisations, participated in the forum. It was organised by the Viet Nam Banks Association in partnership with the Global Reporting Initiative and International Finance Corporation. VNS Azerbaijan plans to resume crude oil exports via the Baku-Novorossiisk pipeline from July 1, State Oil Company of Azerbaijans (SOCAR) Vice President Elshad Nassirov said. Speaking on the sidelines of an annual Caspian Oil and Gas conference, he said that the country had already applied for the resumption of exports. Nassirov noted that oil export volumes in July were expected to be 80,000 tonnes, with a further increase in the following months, Reuters reported. SOCAR stopped supplies to Russias port of Novorossiisk in March, saying planned maintenance on the Baku-Novorossiisk pipeline started on March 1, and cancelled the loading of two 80,000-tonne cargoes. The company diverted crude flows to its own Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline after the suspension of transit via Russia. WATERLOO Questions about a leaking sewer main caused a stink Tuesday during a heated Waterloo City Council meeting. Council members voted unanimously to approve a $262,420 contract with Peterson Contractors Inc. of Reinbeck to make a temporary repair to the force main, which has been leaking an estimated 12,000 gallons of untreated wastewater daily into the Cedar River near the Conger Street bridge. But resident Todd Obadals questions for the second consecutive meeting about when residents were notified about the leak led to two shouting matches with Mayor Quentin Hart, who accused the resident of grandstanding. To come back the following week and make it seem as if city staff is hiding something, Ill take exception with anyone because thats absolutely not the case, said Hart, who initially asked police to remove Obadal from the room when he refused to leave the podium. Obadal contended he should be allowed to ask questions about such a costly project. I dont think its appropriate for a member of the community to be cut off at the microphone because of some preconceived idea of what the motivation of the speaker is, he said. Obadals remark also upset Councilwoman Margaret Klein, who said the city responded properly to the situation. Im fed up with people coming up here and trying to second guess city engineers, the DNR, the Army Corps of Engineers, Klein said. Now if anybody were trying to hide this sort of thing, do you think we would put a great big barricade there pretty much like a neon sign saying look here? I think its unconscionable for people to hear about things and collect gossip and then step up to the microphone and act like theres a huge conspiracy here, because there is not, she added. There is just decent people trying to do their job. But councilmen Steve Schmitt and Pat Morrissey both defended Obadals right to ask his questions. I believe that the public has a right to voice their opinions regardless of what we think of it, Morrissey said. Mr. Obadal or anybody else has a right to air their grievances in public comments. The city notified the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers the day after the leak was discovered April 25. A news release telling the public about the leak was not issued until May 14. Doug Schindel, of the AECOM engineering firm, and City Engineer Jamie Knutson said efforts to repair the leak have been on the fast track since it was discovered. This is not something thats quick or easy to fix, Knutson said. Everything was done when it was supposed to at the proper times. Schindel said PCI needs to get the temporary bypass in place so the sewer line, which is some 20 feet below the flood levee, can be excavated and the rest of the main can be inspected. The project requires low river levels and having material on site to rebuild the levee before work can start. Another contract for a permanent repair, which could include relocating a long stretch of the main from underneath the levee, will be designed once the condition of the sewer can be determined. Love 1 Funny 7 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 9 Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov's article dedicated tho the the Republic Day of Azerbaijan was published in the Nezavisimaya Gazeta newspaper. The minister recalled that the Republic of Azerbaijan restored state independence almost 30 years ago, which was proclaimed on May 28, 1918. "The triumph of the nation, which regained the right to decide its fate, was overshadowed by the armed aggression of neighboring Armenia, which led to the occupation of Karabakh, the historical and cultural cradle of Azerbaijan. The aggression resulted in the death of tens of thousands of innocent people and the expulsion of more than a million Azerbaijanis," Elmar Mamedyarov stressed. He said that Azerbaijans position, which the country has repeatedly confirmed in practice, is to restore the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the republic within its international borders through the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions. This will ensure peaceful and safe coexistence of the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of Nagorno-Karabakh, he noted. In conditions of peace, prosperity and cooperation, both communities will be able to jointly address issues of the current and future development of their land; that will lay a solid foundation for restoring good neighborly relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan and establishing long-awaited peace and security in the region. Baku expects responsible actions from the new leadership of Armenia for the earliest possible resolution of the conflict with Azerbaijan," the minister stressed. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev pointed to the expectation from the new leadership of Armenia, noting that it 'will not repeat the mistakes of the previous government, will do serious work to resolve the conflict as soon as possible and thus the real process of negotiations, and not its imitation, will start, Mammadyarov said in the article. He noted that having occupied not only Nagorno Karabakh, but also seven other adjacent Azerbaijani districts, Armenia disposes of the occupied territories with impunity. The statements of its leadership about lacking the right to speak at the negotiations with Azerbaijan on behalf of the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh are refuted by the specific actions of Yerevan itself, Mammadyarov added. If you divide the Armenians of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh and refuse to represent the latter at the talks, then why do you send your conscripts to military service in Karabakh? Why is a lot of money allocated every year from the budget of Armenia to the separatist regime? Why do Armenians of Karabakh get the civil rights of the Republic of Armenia and get the countrys passports? By the way, all these questions received unequivocal answers in the decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) No. 13216/05 (Case of Chiragov and Others v. Armenia) dated June 16, 2015. The ECHR confirmed that military support of the Republic of Armenia was and continues to be decisive in seizing territories and exercising actual control over them, Mammadyarov said. On the basis of evidence testifying to the political, financial and other dependence of the separatist entity on Armenia, the court concluded that 'Armenia, from the early days of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, has had a significant and decisive influence over the NKR, that the two entities are highly integrated in virtually all important matters and that this situation persists to this day' and that 'the NKR and its administration survive by virtue of the military, political, financial and other support given to it by Armenia which, consequently, exercises effective control over Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding territories'." He noted that 25 years ago, with the establishment of a ceasefire regime, Azerbaijan hoped that Armenia would take the path of implementing the decisions of international organizations to withdraw from the occupied territories. The ceasefire agreement was supported in the decision of the CSCE Budapest Summit dated December 6, 1994, reads the article. The heads of the states and governments of the countries participating in the meeting instructed the co-chairs of the Minsk Conference to immediately take steps 'to conduct speedy negotiations for the conclusion of a political agreement on the cessation of the armed conflict, the implementation of which will eliminate major consequences of the conflict for all parties and permit the convening of the Minsk Conference'. Thus, the co-chairs were given instructions on phased implementation of the process of the conflict settlement, when its main consequences, which in the first place include the occupation of Azerbaijani lands and expelling of the Azerbaijani population from there, must be eliminated at the first stage, and this will allow for creating the necessary conditions for the convening of the Minsk Conference, reads the article. Mammadyarov noted that the attempts of the Armenian side, on the basis of the Budapest decision, to make the separatist regime of the occupied Azerbaijani territories look as the third party to the conflict, do not stand up to any criticism. It is known that the ceasefire was reached with the consent of Azerbaijan and Armenia as parties to the conflict, Mammadyarov added in his article. This approach clearly corresponds to the position of the Helsinki decision of the CSCE Ministerial Council dated March 24, 1992, which is the only generally accepted decision determining the status of the parties to the conflict. The same starting point is enshrined in the mandate of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs dated March 23, 1995. It establishes that in their activities, the co-chairs will be guided by the principles and norms of the OSCE, the UN Charter, OSCE decisions, including the decision of the Council of Ministers dated March 24, 1992, and especially the decision of the Budapest Summit, as well as relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council. It is deeply regrettable that the Armenian side persistently denies the fact of ethnic cleansing of tens of thousands of Azerbaijanis of the Nagorno Karabakh, deprived of the right to vote in determining the current life arrangements and the future of their native land, reads the article. The world community is unanimous in the opinion that with the restoration of sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan within its international borders, forcibly displaced Azerbaijanis must be given the opportunity to return to their homes. It is necessary for Armenia to be aware that the world community will never recognize the consequences of military aggression and occupation as legitimate, Mammadyarov said. Therefore, the course for maintaining the status quo in the occupied territories under the guise of a slogan about the alleged realization of the right of peoples to self-determination, has no prospects, he noted. By the way, in the Helsinki Final Act of 1975, this principle is written as follows: 'The participating States will respect each other's sovereign equality and individuality as well as all the rights inherent in and encompassed by its sovereignty, including in particular the right of every State to juridical equality, to territorial integrity and to freedom and political independence.' This clearly shows that this principle applies only within the territorial integrity of the state. At My Book, The Movie Ronlyn Domingue's "The Mapmaker's War" TWH Megalithic monuments like Stonehenge, and the questions of who built them and why, are frequently of special interest to Pagans. DNA analysis has become a key tool of archaeology in hopes of answering some these questions. Recently, the use of DNA has revealed much about the megalith builders of northwestern Eurasia. Two recent articles, one from the BBC and one from Nature, refer to a DNA study. Both articles discuss DNA findings about the origins of megalith builders in present-day Britain. These megalith builders also brought Neolithic tech to this region. Megaliths refer to dolmens, and passage grave or tombs. Among all megaliths, Stonehenge has the most fame. How Neolithic Tech came to present-day Britain According to these two reports, farmers migrated from Anatolia, roughly present-day Turkey. Around 4000 BCE, their descendants brought Neolithic technology into present-day Britain. That technology included farming and building megaliths. In the Neolithic (New Stone Age) Revolution, people invented farming. They domesticated animals. People began to dwell in semi-permanent settlements. These trends occurred independently in many places at different times. One of those places was the Fertile Crescent. That area is located in present day Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, and Egypt, as well as parts of Turkey and Iran. When the descendants of these farmers arrived in present-day Britain, they encountered Hunters, Gatherers, and Fishers (HGF). The HGF only had Paleolithic (Old Stone Age) technology. Scientists based their DNA analysis on the remains of six HGF and of 67 Anatolian Neolithic Farmers (ANF). These remains were dated from 8500 to 2500 BCE. Scientists could then compare the DNA of these two groups. Around 6000 BCE, Neolithic farmers left Anatolia (present day Turkey). These farmers and their descendants followed two routes into northwestern Eurasia. One route followed the Danube into northwestern continental Eurasia. People on the other route traveled across the Mediterranean and up the Atlantic Coast. By 4000 BCE, those following the Mediterranean route had reached present-day Britain. NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center [Public domain] These migrants created the megalithic cultures of northwestern Eurasia. They built Stonehenge and New Grange (Bru na Boinne). Around 2500 BCE, this culture began to decline. Within a few centuries, new migrants had largely replaced these farmers and megalith builders. Hunters, Gatherers, and Fishers (HGF) had spread throughout northwestern Eurasia after the end of the last Ice Age. According to genetic evidence, these HGF carried genes for blue eyes and dark hair. Genetic evidence suggests that by 6000 BCE, skin color in this region varied. In contrast, the ANF carried genes for paler skin, brown eyes, and black or dark brown hair. The descendants of the ANF in Britain had most genetic similarities with the descendants of ANF in northern Spain. This supports the Atlantic Coast migration model. In contrast, scientists found consistent genetic differences between the indigenous HGF and the ANF. The genetic contribution from the indigenous HGF appears to be relatively minor. No one knows if the contact between the ANF and HGF involved violence, epidemics, or interbreeding. Different initial population sizes could explain the smaller genetic footprint of the HGF. Farming supports many more people than hunting does. Smaller groups would also leave smaller genetic footprints. From 4000 BCE until about 2450 BCE, the ANF formed the dominant culture in insular northwestern Eurasia. Evidence indicates that the ANF had begun to decline after 2450 BCE. This decline occurred in both insular and continental northwestern Eurasia. The cause or causes as yet remains unknown. Epidemics, crop failure, natural catastrophe, or violence could have caused this decline. After the decline of the ANF, pastoralists or cattle farmers from the Eurasian Steppe, replaced them. These pastoralists formed the third and last great migration into Europe. This data roughly fits with the dates for the two most well-known megalithic monuments. People built Stonehenge around 3000 BCE. After 2400 BCE, its construction tapered off. The last construction of megaliths occurred around 1600 BCE. Indicating some use after the decline of the megalith builders. No one has a clear idea when it fell into disuse. People built Bru na Boinne (New Grange) around 3200 BCE, but abandoned it by 2000 BCE. People buried in megaliths were related Around 4500 BCE, megaliths began to emerge along the Atlantic coast of present-day France. They emerged around 3700 BCE in present-day Britain. Human remains have been found in them. These megaliths consist of dolmens or passage graves. Jim Champion (treehouse1977) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0) A report in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences discussed DNA analysis of human remains found in megaliths. Scientists analyzed 24 human remains. These people had been buried in megalithic tombs in present-day Ireland, the Orkneys, and Gotland. These tombs were dated from 3800 to 2600 BCE. Analysis showed that people buried within these megaliths shared DNA, indicating they were related. Shared DNA, however, occurred more often with the Y chromosomes, than with mitochondrial DNA. Fathers pass the Y chromosome to their sons. Mothers pass mitochondrial DNA to their children. The presence of larger amounts of related Y chromosomal DNA indicates social descent through the male line. These studies give us a much fuller picture of the people who built Stonehenge, Bru na Boinne, and other megaliths. They lived in patrilineal farming communities. The presence of ceremonial centers like Stonehenge suggests connections over a wide area. A lot about the Neolithic and Megalithic age in northwestern Eurasia remains unknown. The construction of centers like Stonehenge indicates a certain level of social organization. Yet questions still abound. It is unknown if this social organization was cooperative or coercive, or if the dispersal of megaliths over a wide area indicates a common culture. Did trade networks link these various Neolithic communities? Did beliefs of the culture give rise to their activities at places like Stonehenge? And if so, what type of belief(s)? The megaliths of northwestern Eurasia have long fascinated neo-Pagans and others. Unfortunately, like the ancient Celts, they left no written records. The incorporation of DNA analysis in archaeology has provided us with another window on their world. As fascinating as this data is, it is based on the extremely small amount of surviving material. This survival bias should remind us that we have, at best, an imperfect knowledge of the past. 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once in a while I take a trip that has utterly nothing whatsoever to do with writingunless one counts a need to rest my erratic brain and tired Muse. This year, the trip was to Maui. And if our Hawaiian guide wasnt spinning yarns, then in Hawaiian, Maui probably ought to be pronounced Ma-oo-ee, but it isnt. There are all sorts of guides on how to pronounce all the vowels in the twelve-letter language, but my brain quits after three vowels strung together. You can listen to pronunciation here or read the guidelines here . As a book reader, Im always concerned about how words actually sound and then bemused by the many pronunciations beyond the one in my head. We stayed in Lahaina, which has a long history as well as gorgeous blue waters. (And gets pronounced Lahina more often than La-ha-ee-na.) I doubt anyone knows precisely when the Polynesians traveled from the Big Island to the smaller volcanic islands, but after taking 80 person canoes across the Pacific, the original settlers certainly had the ability to populate the other islands as soon as they saw the need. The Big Island makes all the history books, but anything that happened there, eventually reached the smaller ones. Spanish sailors probably visited the islands, but the first recorded westerner was Captain James Cook in 1779because of his timing. He arrived on the Big Island in the middle of a sacred festival and one-acre Banyan was mistaken for Lono, the God of Fertility and Music. Oops. In another year, the natives figured out he was a mere mortal and killed him. Good luck only lasts so long. Mostly, Cook introduced the battling chieftains to western weapons so their battles could be even more deadly. You gotta love civilization. After the dust was settled, one chieftain emerged as king ,and this is where Lahainas history becomes more visible. In 1802 (look, our Regency era!) Kamehameha made Lahaina the capital of Hawaii and built a brick palace there. A town grew around it, and this was the center of Hawaiian government for over fifty years. Historic Lahaina Once the western world discovered the creature comforts offered by Lahaina, it became an enormous whaling port. As we can attest, the sun always shines there, the sea is calm, and the weather seldom variestropical paradise. At times, there were as many as 400 ships in portwith the accompanying hard-drinking, wenching, fighting sailors from around the world. So much for paradise. Which meansta-dait was time to allow in the missionaries, which happened in the 1820s. While the Regency world was slowly following Reformist movements and buttoning up for the Victorian era, so were the Hawaiians, sorta. The missionaries provided schools, new ways of dressing (Im going to guess not in gossamer gowns and heels), a printing press, and officially translated the native Hana waterfall tongue into a simple alphabet. Because of the rugged terrain and sparse population on the other side of the island, the high school in Lahaina remains one of the few public boarding schools in the country. (Hana and the wonderful waterfalls are on the rugged side of the island.) The missionary compound in Lahaina, built in 1834, is now the oldest house still standing on Maui. Its open to the public, as is the old prison, built in 1854 to confine fractious sailors. In 1860, the first sugar plantations were started and lasted until 1999. Today, the cane and pineapple fields are mostly empty as the companies that owned them departed for cheaper labor climates. Magnificently, the Maui government decided those fields must remain agricultural so the island doesnt develop into a sea of high-rise condos and shopping centers as they have elsewhere. Oh, and that banyan tree I tried to photograph above? It was planted in 1873. There's a better picture here. It's a wonderful gathering place and often shades street musicians and family groups. I dont know, maybe I should put my Regency heroes on ships to Hawaii. What do you think? What would be your dream vacation? Three strong finalists from Peru, Senegal and Chile have been announced for the 2019 RAIC International Prize for socially transformative architecture. Announced by the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC), a six-member jury chose a university building in Peru, an artists residence and cultural centre in Senegal, and a Bahai Temple in Chile. The prize winner will be announced at a gala in Toronto, Canada on October 25, 2019. The winner will be awarded with $100,000 cash prize. A Canadian firm Hariri Pontarini Architects, of Toronto has been listed in one of the shortlisted projects. The prize, awarded every two years, is open to all architects, irrespective of nationality and location. The winner is selected in an open, juried competition. This years jury of experts considered a range of criteria in the evaluation of submissions and will visit the shortlisted projects. Thread: Artists Residence and Cultural Center by Toshiko Mori Architect'. Image Iwan Baan The finalists include: Barclay & Crousse's Edificio E, Lecture Building at the University of Piura, in Peru, Toshiko Mori Architect's Thread: Artists Residence and Cultural Center in Sinthian, Senegal and Hariri Pontarini Architects's Bahai Temple of South America in Santiago, Chile. The RAIC received submissions from 12 countries across six continents. 2019 marks the third edition of the biennial prize, which was founded in 2013 and is open to architects from anywhere in the world. Edificio E by Barclay & Crousse. Image Cristobal Palma "We see in these exceptional buildings how architecture can strengthen community, bring together diverse peoples, lift the spirit, and exist in harmony with the environment," said RAIC President Michael Cox, FRAIC. "Each of these projects offers lessons that can be applied elsewhere, and we hope they will inspire architects around the world as they design for human well-being." "The jury was struck by the diversity of these designs, from the inverted traditional Senegalese roof that serves as a water collector, to the unique glass-and-marble winged roof that fills the temple with light," said Jury Chair Diarmuid Nash, PP/FRAIC. These architects have come up with unique and innovative strategies by listening to the needs of their communities." See the shortlisted nominees below: Edificio E by Barclay & Crousse. Image Cristobal Palma Edificio E, Lecture Building, University of Piura, Piura, Peru (March 2016) by Barclay & Crousse (Lima, Peru) Edificio E reflects Perus national policy of encouraging low-income rural students to attend wealthy private universities, as well as the universitys program of social inclusion through education. The designers strove to create a non-hierarchical environment that fosters encounters among students from diverse backgrounds and their teachers. Located in a desert and dry-forest ecosystem near the equator, the buildings generous, open-air gathering spaces bring shade and cross breezes and create a sense of community. Thread: Artists Residence and Cultural Center by Toshiko Mori Architect. Image Iwan Baan Thread: Artists Residence and Cultural Center, Sinthian, Senegal (March 2015) by Toshiko Mori Architect (New York, USA) Located in a remote area near the border with Mali, the Thread cultural centre is a community hub for a network of isolated villages, offering spaces for artists, performance, a public library, and agricultural training. Thread adapted traditional building materials and local roof designs to collect rainwater and serve as a water source during the eight-month dry season. It is built entirely from local materials, including bamboo and compressed earth blocks. The centre has increased social cohesion and provided stability in a community of diverse ethnic groups. Bahai Temple of South America by Hariri Pontarini Architects. Image doublespace photography Bahai Temple of South America, Santiago, Chile (October 2016) by Hariri Pontarini Architects (Toronto, Canada) The Bahai Temple of South America is designed to be a place of welcome and meaning for everyone. Its design aspires to commonality within diversity, and it has attracted over 1.4 million visitors since opening in Fall 2016. The temple is composed of nine cast-glass and marble wings, achieving a sense of weightless movement, light, and at the same time permanence. At the edge of the Andes, it was built to withstand a rugged climate and an earthquake zone. Its 14-year realization involved hundreds of local volunteers and a global effort, including fabrication in Canada and Germany, marble from a Portuguese quarry, and Chilean tradespeople. In addition to the main prize, three scholarships of CAD $5,000 each will be awarded to three students of Canadian schools of architecture on the basis of a written essay. The jury for the 2019 RAIC International Prize comprised of: Anne Carrier, FRAIC Founder of Anne Carrier Architecture, Stephen Hodder, MBE Hodder Associates, Barry Johns, FRAIC Principal of Barry Johns Architects, Eva Matsuzaki, PP/FRAIC Founder of Women in Architecture, Diarmuid Nash, PP/FRAIC, Jury Chair, Gilles Saucier, FIRAC Founding partner of Saucier+Perrotte Architectes, David Covo, FRAIC, Associate Professor, Peter Guo-hua Fu School of Architecture at McGill University. The RAIC, the RAIC Foundation, and distinguished Canadian architect Raymond Moriyama created the RAIC International Prize (formerly called the Moriyama RAIC International Prize) in 2013. Their goal was to share Canadian architectural values with an international audience and celebrate architecture that is socially transformative. One of the most generous architecture prizes in the world, it includes a monetary award of CAD $100,000 and a sculpture designed by Canadian designer Wei Yew. Top image: Bahai Temple of South America by Hariri Pontarini Architects. Image doublespace photography > via RAIC As my college roommate Tom Gillespie and I embarked on our first asinine adventurea drive out west that involved a pick-up truck, two motorcycles, two 1960s International Harvester Scouts and a Cessna 152 (it's a long story)I remarked to him that some people might think we were crazy to try to pull off this trip. "Oh come on," Tom replied. "You'd be crazy not to!" That's become something of a theme over the years. I don't exactly know how I'll feel tomorrow morning on the train to O'Hare, bound for Houston and then Quito, Ecuadorfor a motorcycle trip across the Andes and through the Amazon rain forest. (Yes, seriously.) But here's how I felt 10 years ago, embarking on a trip from Chicago to Nova Scotia to mark my 40th birthday. At 5:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 27, I opened the gas valve, set the choke, turned the key and pushed the starter button. The Triumph hummed, louder and louder as it warmed up. I was more reluctant. The night before, the world had begun organizing itself to convince me I was making a mistake with this trip. Knowing I was leaving before she would wake up, the five-year-old Scout reached for me from her bed and, over and over, screamed Daddy! until I simply had to walk away. Cristie and I sat on the couch gaping at idiots talking to Larry King about Michael Jackson, who had died a couple days earlier. I imagined but didnt say that this is what people must do the night before they report to prison. I kissed her in the morning in the dim bedroom light, pushing my lips into her cheek deeply. The comfort felt crazy to leave. On the Kennedy Expressway riding south through the city, the cool blue predawn light made everything look greenblue and shiny as if it had been scrubbed overnight just to convince me I was on the Yellow Brick Road, headed in the wrong direction. And as I crossed the Skyway bridge, the sun sat perfectly on the surface of Lake Michigan, bobbing like a lost toy ball. I picked Gillespie up in Cleveland, and that three-week trip, I captured in a series of posts called the Murray Cycle Diaries , and in this alternately tedious, humorous and exhilarating video, shot with a Flip video camera insanely held with one hand off the handlebar ... We made it to Nova Scotia. And we made it back. And then we made it to 50. And now we're going againthis time, with the Equator as the centerline. Because you'd be crazy not to. Back here mid-June, with a story to tell. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has suggested in a phone talk with US President Donald Trump creating a working group that would deal with the supply of Russian S-400 air defence missile systems to Ankara, the Turkish presidential administration's communications director, Fahrettin Altun, said Wednesday, Sputnik reports. "Our president held a telephone conversation today with the US president. Tayyip Erdogan again put forward a proposal to create a working group on the S-400 air defense systems, which are to be supplied from Russia for our national security needs. Both leaders agreed to hold a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Japan," he said on Twitter. Rima Basu in Aeon: If were the kind of people who care both about not being racist, and also about basing our beliefs on the evidence that we have, then the world presents us with a challenge. The world is pretty racist. It shouldnt be surprising then that sometimes it seems as if the evidence is stacked in favour of some racist belief. For example, its racist to assume that someones a staff member on the basis of his skin colour. But what if its the case that, because of historical patterns of discrimination, the members of staff with whom you interact are predominantly of one race? When the late John Hope Franklin, professor of history at Duke University in North Carolina, hosted a dinner party at his private club in Washington, DC in 1995, he was mistaken as a member of staff. Did the woman who did so do something wrong? Yes. It was indeed racist of her, even though Franklin was, since 1962, that clubs first black member. To begin with, we dont relate to people in the same way that we relate to objects. Human beings are different in an important way. In the world, there are things tables, chairs, desks and other objects that arent furniture and we try our best to understand how this world works. We ask why plants grow when watered, why dogs give birth to dogs and never to cats, and so on. But when it comes to people, we have a different way of going on, though it is hard to capture just what that is, as Rae Langton, now professor of philosophy at the University of Cambridge, put it so nicely in 1991. More here. Scott Barry Kaufman in Scientific American: When it comes to intelligence, we all have bad days. Heck, we even have many bad moments, such as when we forget our car keys, forget a friends name, or bomb an important test that weve taken a day after staying up all night worrying about it. Truth is, none of us including the worlds smartest human is perfectly consistent in our cognitive functioning. Sometimes we are at our very best and feel like our brain is on fire, and at other times, we dont even recognize ourselves. All of this sounds so obvious, but surprisingly the field of human intelligence has not had much to say on the topic. For over the past 120 years, the field has shed far more light on how we differ from each other in our patterns of cognitive functioning than how we each differ within ourselves over time. This is curious considering that a person-centered approach has proved fruitful in other fields, such as medicine and neuroscience. Even within the study of human behavior there has been progress, from looking at how individual emotions fluctuate over time, to how individual personalitytraits such as introversion and openness to new experiences and even our morality fluctuates throughout the course of the day. It has become increasingly clear that the results from the traditional individual differences paradigm where we compare people to each other often does not apply at the person-specific level. In only the past few years, intelligence researchers have been able to demonstrate that this is also true in the domain of human intelligence. For the past 120 years, the field just hasnt had the tools to view intelligence at such a level of granularity. With the adoption of newer technologies, however, researchers have begun to view an individuals intelligence at a more microscopic level, able to capture all sorts of fascinating variations across days, within days, and even moment-to-moment. It turns out that intelligence is changing all over the place all the time. Who knew? More here. David Bronner could always tell you the origin of his family company's very well-known line of soaps: a factory in Vista, California. He could also say how Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps were produced, and under what conditionsby workers who earned no less than one-fifth his salary as CEO. But the ingredients to make the soapthe palm oil, the coconut oil, the hemp oil, everything else in a typical bottle of the eccentrically labeled stuff found in the bathtubs of the eco-conscious? All that stuff came from a broker. As for where the broker got it, David Bronner couldn't tell you exactly, but he does know how brokers operatepitting farmers against each other, promoting destructive farming and exploitation of labor. And so he was conscious that at least some of the origins of his end product couldn't be good. For these reasonsand for a modicum of guarantee that a bottle of Dr. Bronner's didn't come packaged with environmental and human abusesDavid Bronner became part owner of a coconut mill in Sri Lanka, the only way he could forge a direct relationship with his farmer-suppliers and thus guarantee that the soap'S ingredients were made with an ethos similar to the soaps themselves, all the way down the lengthy supply chain. "There's 10 times the people and impact in our supply chains" than at the manufacturing and consumer segments, he explained to 7x7 in a recent telephone interview. "How those farmers are being treated, how the farming impacts the land matters way more than what we're doing at the head of the operation," he added. "So we knew we wanted to go direct." Turns out the plight of a coconut or palm oil farmer in Sri Lanka isn't so different from a cannabis farmer in Mendocino County, California who's tilling the soil in the era of commercialized cannabis. Which means the cannabis marketplace is full of environmental and worker exploitation tooand thus there is space for a clear alternative for the conscious consumer. Either directly or through the company, Bronner spent upwards of $5 million over the past two decades to end drug prohibition, making him kind of a big deal in that world. He's on the board of MAPS, which has been pushing to legalizing therapeutic psychedelics; and he was briefly jailed after a hemp-plant protest in front of the White House in 2012. And so when California was rolling towards legalizing cannabis in 2016, he saw the big corporate pitch decks. Thus he knew that the cannabis industryand cannabis farmerswere headed towards a California version of the coconut oil farmers' exploitation, and badly in need of a "consumer-facing standard" that meant good farming practices, well-compensated producers, and otherwise responsibly produced cannabis. A Dr. Bronner's of weed, if you will. "We could see, 'Okay, now we're legalizing, we're going to have the same problems every industrial crop has,'" he said. "Corporations are moving in, and they're not interested in partnering with the farmers," he added. "They're just working to produce medicine in as much volume with as much THC as possible." "There is something really special going on up in the Emerald Triangle that's being lost," he said. "And it's a catastrophe." "It's the same" as with the coconut oil broker-pirates, he concluded. "It's displacing the small farmer and ruining the ecosystem." About the closest analog in cannabis to David Bronner's Sri Lankan coconut mill would be a sort of production and distribution hub in the Emerald Triangle. Such a thing exists in Redwood Valley, where Bay Areabased craft-cannabis brand and distributor Flow Kana has converted the former Fetzer family winery into a one-stop processing, manufacturing, and distribution center for small cannabis farmers. Dr. Bronner's coconut mill "pretty much does exactly what Flow Kana does with cannabis," Bronner said. And so a conversation with Flow Kana led to a visit to the Emerald Cup, where Bronner met the principals and met some of the company's existing farmer-partnersand learned that, indeed, they all shared the same worldview and the same values. Convinced he was working with "the real deal," that led to the launch this month of Brother David's, Bronner's nonprofit and ecologically responsible cannabis brand of sun-grown from around 14 partner farmers, many of those same small farmers he met through Flow kanaall Sun + Earth certified organic, responsible, and sustainably. The goal here is to create market demand for the kind of cannabis thatsome daywill carry a USDA-certified organic label and compete for shelf space with coffee beans, kale, and chocolate grown by co-ops stewarding the land and paid a fair wage. "Point of sale is the most effective vehicle for communication," Bronner said. If a customer asks about responsible weed, the budtender can point to the Sun + Earth label and say that the cannabis is pesticide-free (California regulations allow some pesticides on commercial cannabis), and can say that the farmer is using responsible practices and is paid a guaranteed wage for the crop that won't go below an agreed-upon floor even during bust cycles when the market is flooded. What a consumer will pay for thisand how much more they'll pay for Sun + Earth-certified cannabis from the Dr. Bronner's guy, when a big brand with funding from a tobacco giant has more shelf space and a slicker marketing pitch at half the price or lessis a question the marketplace has yet to answer, but judging on the success Bronner has had with woke soap, it is a bet he is willing to make. "The organic movement and ethos, that's going to translate in a similar way to cannabis," Bronner predicted. "It's not going to be a majority of the market, but a significant minority that's growing." There's been a steady trend towards "more consciousness and awareness with how what we purchase impacts the earth," he added. "There's been just an explosion of demand for product with a certified high bar for environmental and social standards." Bronner says any profits from Brother David's will be reinvested into the Sun + Earth certification or towards future legalization efforts. Whomever is running against Donald Trump next year will share space on the ballot with a host of legalization initiatives across the country, he said. "In 2020, we expect to win in deep-red states focused on libertarian arguments," he sad. After the victories "state by state, on a federal level, it'll end by 2021," he added. "That's when we end this nonsense once and for all. Knock on wood." // Brother David's is currently available at Vapor Room, 79 Ninth St. (SoMa), vaporroom.com; brotherdavids.com. Hungary has started pumping clean Russian oil via the Druzhba pipeline, Russia's pipeline monopoly Transneft said. According to the company, Hungary is expected to receive it today at 18:00 local time, TASS reported. Supplies of Russian oil via the Druzhba pipeline were suspended last month after an oil contamination. Flows have been partially restored via the southern leg of the pipeline to Ukraine, but Hungary has not yet received clean oil. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has attended the opening of the 26th International Caspian Oil & Gas-2019 Exhibition and Conference at the Baku Expo Center today. Ilham Aliyev made a speech at the event and viewed the exhibition, the presidential press service reported. U.S. President Donald Trump sent the Azerbaijani leader a letter due to the 26th International Caspian Oil & Gas Exhibition. It says that oil and gas produced by Azerbaijan continue to increase stability in world energy market including to the southern gas corridor. Mike Miller PTA earns national school of excellence certification The local PTA for Mike Miller Elementary School sought and received school of excellence certification. A national recognition given to 330 schools. Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal Thirty-eight names were read during a Tuesday ceremony to honor fallen New Mexico law enforcement officers. Each year in May we join together as a family, as friends and as colleagues with our communities and partners in law enforcement across our great nation to pay tribute to our brothers and sisters who have made the ultimate sacrifice, said Elizabeth Armijo, Albuquerque Police Department deputy chief of staff. The solemn memorial, which was held a day after Memorial Day, took place at Civic Plaza in Downtown Albuquerque. Armijo thanked the families of the fallen officers, some of whom were in the crowd. We will be eternally grateful to you and your loved one for their honor, duty and love they shared with us and our great nation, she said. The vigil included several ceremonial gestures to pay homage to the officers, including a rifle salute, the folding of the flag, playing of taps and a display of the riderless horse. The riderless horse, which includes a pair of boots in the stirrups that face the back of the animal, represented an officer looking back one last time before riding off into the beyond, Armijo explained. Police Chief Michael Geier emphasized Tuesdays memorial was about remembrance. The word vigil itself comes from the Latin word meaning purposeful sleeplessness, he said. That in a sense is what we are doing today. We are going to refuse to rest, to refuse to forget our heroes that weve lost. We should never ever forget their sacrifice, he continued. Mayor Tim Keller highlighted officer Daniel Webster, an APD officer who was fatally shot on the job in 2015. Officer Webster, an army veteran who served our country and an eight-year veteran of APD, he has been heavily on our minds throughout this year and even yesterday, he said. His killer, Davon Lymon, was found guilty of first-degree murder and lesser charges earlier this year. District Judge Neil Candelaria imposed the maximum sentence, life without the possibility of parole plus 11 years minus one day. Websters name was one of the 38 that were read Tuesday afternoon as white doves flew above and a bell chimed in the background. Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal The states Criminal Defense Lawyers Association is commending a district court plan to reduce grand jury availability, calling it a step toward meaningful criminal justice reform. The association weighed in Tuesday amid an ongoing tug of war in the 2nd Judicial District about how felony cases should be launched. Most cases are initiated either when a grand jury signs off on an indictment or a judge finds probable cause to support formal charges at a preliminary hearing. And the court is gradually shifting away from Bernalillo Countys indictment-heavy system. That means prosecutors will have to start an increasing number of cases using preliminary hearings, which can take place in either district or Metropolitan Court. District Attorney Raul Torrez and Mayor Tim Keller have asked the states chief justice to intervene, and Torrezs office recently notified district court that it would no longer schedule preliminary hearings there. NMCDLA suggests he made the decision in retaliation for the Second Judicial District Court reducing the number of available grand jury hours. Such politics have no place in the courtroom, NMCDLA wrote in a news release Tuesday. This will create an unnecessary backlog and greatly restrict the ability of the accused to exercise their constitutional right to have the (charges) against them reviewed for probable cause. After being given $6 million last year by the legislature, District Attorney Torrez has abandoned his promise to make his office more efficient, instead deciding to embark on a war against judges. In a statement Tuesday evening, a spokesman for the DAs Office called the district court preliminary hearing process an inefficient use of time and resources. He said a third of all preliminary hearings were reset in the month of April meaning the defendant was still in the community without felony charges initiated against them. It is not surprising defense attorneys are defending district court preliminary hearings because it benefits their clients at the expense of public safety, spokesman Michael Patrick wrote. Prosecutors say that because they use stricter evidence rules, preliminary hearings can require multiple witnesses, while grand juries decide whether to indict based, in general, on the testimony of a case agent. The Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, on the other hand, writes that preliminary hearings protect an individuals right to a lawyer, due process, confrontation and speedy trial. District Attorney Torrez wants to remove judicial involvement in the determination of who is dangerous and who gets to be locked up until his office can find the time and resources to prosecute the case, NMCDLA past-president Matthew Coyte said in the news release. His latest request seeks to remove judges and defense attorneys from the probable cause determination entirely. The state auditor Tuesday morning announced plans for a special audit examining $1.7 million in settlements reportedly finalized at the end of Gov. Susana Martinezs term. Auditor Brian Colon called the timeline for the settlements quite concerning and said the audit will look into whether they were made in compliance with process and protocol. We cant award settlements to protect reputations; we cant award settlements for political expediency, Colon said. Instead, we should be doing settlements that are in the best interest of New Mexicans. Colons office sent a letter Friday notifying General Services Department Secretary Ken Ortiz that the department had been designated for a special audit to assess the GSDs compliance with applicable laws, regulations, policies and procedures. GSD must cover the cost, as required by state statute. Colon said he expects the audit to be his offices primary focus over the next 60 to 90 days. If it discovers wrongdoing, he said, the findings could be referred for prosecution. Secret processes are susceptible to abuse, Colon said. Any time we have issues or opportunities for government to operate in the cloak of secrecy is a time of great concern for the Office of the State Auditor. Meanwhile, Ortiz told the Journal his agency has been reviewing since February how to improve its evaluation of legal claims against the state and hopes to institute a standard set of procedures to ensure we handle claims objectively and consistently After the new administration took office, Ortiz said, We didnt see any kind of a standard process (in place). Ortiz said he welcomed Colons audit, saying it may identify further improvements needed. Reporter Colleen Heild contributed to this story. Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal The pay-to-play scandal that rocked the state more than a decade ago came to an end Tuesday when the State Investment Council members approved settlements in civil lawsuits against two of the key politically connected players who directed more than a billion dollars in state money to financial firms that paid finders fees to Marc Correra. Marc Correra is the son of Anthony Correra, a former confidant of and unofficial adviser to then Gov. Bill Richardson and former State Investment Officer Gary Bland. Marc Correra shared in more than $22 million in fees charged to investment firms, hedge funds and other financial firms that were state investments some of which soured, costing the state hundreds of millions of dollars. Anthony Correra, who now lives abroad, agreed to pay $1 million to settle the civil lawsuit alleging that he illegally directed state investments through Bland to firms that paid finders fees to his son. Marc Correra, who lives in Paris, filed for bankruptcy several years ago, complicating his settlement with the state. The younger Correra agreed to turn over $4.1 million from IRAs to U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Dallas that can be used to settle various claims against him, including the states. The state has a total judgment against Marc Correra for more than $18 million. In addition to the IRA money going to Bankruptcy Court, the settlement will trigger the release of an additional $900,000 being held in a Maryland escrow account that was part of an investment Marc Correra made in a defunct Maryland casino. The Correras both agreed to never do business in New Mexico again, and Marc Correra agreed not to appeal any rulings from the Bankruptcy Court. The State Investment Council, chaired by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, unanimously approved the settlements at Tuesdays meeting. During the discussion of the settlements, Lujan Grisham told council members, You get less money tomorrow than you do today. The council also approved settlements with Bland and former Richardson political supporter Guy Riordan. Riordan, who has an unpaid IRS lien of about $2 million, agreed to pay the state $10,000, and Bland, who also owes the IRS hundreds of thousands of dollars, agreed to forgo any appeals in exchange for having the case against him dismissed. The state already has a judgment against Bland. It found that he violated his fiduciary duty to the state but has no dollar amount. Bland, who resigned in 2009 a few months after the scandal broke, agreed not to appeal that judgment leaving open the possibility the state will pursue Bland if new assets come to light. The SIC has settled more than 20 civil lawsuits against financial firms and individuals for more than $51 million, part of which has to be shared with the private law firm, Day Pitney LLP, it hired to handle the litigation. Day Pitney will receive 20 percent of the settlements, plus expenses. SIC staff estimated the state will receive between $35 to $40 million. The pay-to-play scheme in New Mexico came to light in March 2009 when criminal and civil charges were filed in a similar scheme in New York. One of the companies named in the New York filings was Aldus Equity Partners, an investment consultant to the SIC in New Mexico. The New York investigation led to the guilty plea of Aldus managing partner, Saul Meyer, who claimed he had directed investments by the SIC and the state Educational Retirement Board based on political considerations. No criminal charges were filed by state or federal law enforcement in New Mexico. The SIC alleged in a civil lawsuit that more than $18 million was paid by investment managers to Marc Correra, not because he had any particular ability to market their funds, but because of the influence he and his father, Anthony Correra, had with Aldus and State Investment Officer Bland. Anthony Correra was instrumental in hiring Bland and at one point had a desk in the SIC offices. Riordan was one of several people close to the Richardson administration who acted on behalf of investment firms in exchange for finders fees. Former Educational Retirement Board Chief Financial Officer Frank Foy filed several civil lawsuits alleging political chicanery in the handing of state investments. Those cases, which conflicted with the SIC lawsuits, generally have stalled. The state Court of Appeals approved several of the lower court settlements involving the SIC. A southern New Mexico sheriff said Tuesday that sending rural New Mexico State Police officers to Albuquerque is the equivalent of robbing Peter to pay Paul, and he said the move has contributed to an increase in crime in his jurisdiction. Otero County Sheriff David Black on Sunday sent a letter to media outlets throughout the state calling on state officials to reconsider assigning an additional 50 State Police officers to Albuquerque. He said that move, along with the removal of National Guard troops from the border and the closure of a Border Patrol checkpoint near Alamogordo in March, has led to a shortage of manpower in his jurisdiction. In order to protect the citizens of Otero County, we now find ourselves in the same predicament as Albuquerque, a manpower shortage, he said in the letter. Earlier this month, state and local officials announced that 50 State Police officers were going to be reassigned temporarily to Albuquerque. The move was announced after a fatal shooting of a University of New Mexico student-athlete outside a bar on Central Avenue in Nob Hill. Black said that six of those 50 officers worked in Otero County, in the south-central part of the state. This has taken resources from all of the counties, leaving numerous counties in crisis with even less resources to combat these problems and others, Black said of sending the officers to Albuquerque. Due to the lack of manpower resources, we have had to cancel several pending operations as we do not have the manpower to safely complete these operations without the help of our New Mexico State Police and U.S. Border Patrol counterparts. In his letter, the Republican sheriff criticized Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat. The Governors Office questioned that criticism. The governor has spent the last two weekends in communities along the border, volunteering with her senior staff, meeting with local elected officials, discussing their needs and concerns in depth, working to identify solutions, said Tripp Stelnicki, a spokesman for the governor. In between those visits, she traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet directly with the acting secretary of homeland security to press for reimbursement for border communities that have been receiving asylum-seekers and additional border personnel to beef up security efforts, among other things. In the absence of federal leadership, the state administration is working to provide grants from legislatively appropriated money to affected local governments along the border to help defray the costs of dealing with the humanitarian crisis. That doesnt sound to me like someone who is passing the buck, as appears to be alleged here. Black couldnt be reached for comment Tuesday. His letter didnt cite any statistics, but it said that crime was increasing in Otero County and probably in other rural counties. Black said in his letter that over a three-month period, the White Mountain Narcotics Task Force, which includes Otero County sheriffs deputies and State Police, seized an increasing amount of drugs in Otero County and made numerous felony arrests. The task force seized $3,500 worth of drugs in February, $23,000 in March and $62,790 in April, he said. But he said currently planned law enforcement operations have been canceled because of the reshuffling of State Police personnel. A search warrant filed by a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent in U.S. District Court in March said White Mountain Task Force agents have been receiving tips about drug trafficking on U.S. 54 near Alamogordo because a nearby Border Patrol checkpoint has been closed. While lending our resources are helping to reduce the Albuquerque crime problems our more rural areas of New Mexico are paying the price with the reduction in police presence in our community and our borders being wide open, crime is now on the rise in Otero County and I suspect in other counties as well, Black said in the letter. Robbing Peter to pay Paul just doesnt work. The increase in State Police officers in Albuquerque came in response to the citys high crime rate, especially along Central, and a shortage of officers. As of Friday, State Police had made more than 250 arrests, including several dozen felony arrests and more than a dozen DWI arrests. In Albuquerque, officers have also seized drugs, guns and stolen license plates, and have made more than 5,000 traffic stops. The Rio Grande is the heart of central New Mexico and the pueblos, towns and villages located along its banks. The ditches and acequias are our communities lifeblood. This network of ditches and acequias convey an important part of the history, culture and life story of New Mexico. The Rio Grande bosque and the system of flood protection and water delivery in the Middle Rio Grande Valley is the responsibility of the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District. The MRGCD works with many local, state and federal agencies to control flooding, provide irrigation to farmers and manage our bosque for wildlife and recreational use. On June 4 an election will be held to elect three positions on the board of directors for the MRGCD, one at-large position representing the entire district and one candidate each from Bernalillo and Valencia counties. Only property owners or ratepayers who live within the river valley are eligible to vote. There are around 86,000 potential voters in the Middle Rio Grande Valley, yet in 2015, less than 4,000 ratepayers voted. If you own property in the valley and you are in the benefited area of MRGCD, a portion of your property taxes go to fund this important agency. Can you vote? Check your property tax statement to see if you are an MRGCD ratepayer and voter. Bernalillo County alone pays 67 percent of the property tax assessments that fund the operation of MRGCD. If you are not voting, this is a form of taxation without representation. In a May 6 article in the Albuquerque Journal, it was stated that this years snowfall and rain is a savior for farmers and wildlife refuge managers. This is true; however, John Fleck, the director of the University of New Mexicos Water Resources Program, stated that, in 2018 our stored water was used up due to drought conditions. Planning for our water future is critical, as is balancing the needs of the many who rely on the fair delivery of water. The MRGCD must continue to promote responsible water management; deliver irrigation water for farmland areas; maintain flood control infrastructure and facilities; protect the environment and wildlife; and provide multi-use recreational opportunities in the Middle Rio Grande Valley. These are important reasons why we must elect the best candidates to the MRGCD board of directors. The at-large position represents the entire district, from Cochiti Dam in Sandoval County to Bosque del Apache in Socorro County. The at-large position must represent all interests in the valley including the pueblos and their primary and paramount water rights; the large and small farmers ensuring equitable distribution of water; and the ratepayers, the majority of whom are urban dwellers who benefit from strong multiple-use policy decisions to protect our bosque, migratory bird habitat and recreational opportunities. And finally, the at-large position must also ensure we provide for continuing education opportunities to teach the public and future generations the importance of water and how it contributes to the character of our communities, gives life to the bosque, sustains our farms and feeds our families, and creates a multitude of recreation opportunities for all who live in central New Mexico. Currently, the conservancy is fortunate to have board members with expertise in hydrology and engineering as well as members who represent tribal and agricultural interests. The at-large board member must fairly represent all those interests with equal respect. I believe my background in urban and regional planning, open space and outdoor recreation as well as my familys long connection to land, water and farming in the Middle Rio Grande Valley will be an asset on the MRGCD Board. Barbara Baca is the former director of Albuquerque Parks and Recreation. National Weather Service meteorologists have confirmed that at least three tornadoes touched down Memorial Day weekend in eastern New Mexico. A couple more may be added to the list after analysis is complete from surveys being conducted this week. The strength of the tornadoes hasnt been rated yet, but meteorologist Daniel Porter said that part of the state dodged a bullet. No injuries were reported, and meteorologist Todd Shoemake said no damage was reported from two of the tornadoes. But the third tornado, which landed east-southeast of Dora in Roosevelt County about 7:30 p.m. Sunday, damaged two ranch houses and knocked down high-voltage power lines, Shoemake said. The tornado was on the ground for at least 20 miles. Although no damage was reported with the first tornado, the storm that spawned it produced 3-inch hail. That tornado touched down about 5 p.m. Sunday in Union County near Mount Dora and stayed on the ground to an area five miles northwest of Clayton. The second tornado touched down 20 miles east of Elkins in Chaves County about 6:04 p.m. and moved into Roosevelt County, staying on the ground about 20 minutes before dissipating near Pep. Chances for similar storms are slim for the rest of the week. Porter and meteorologist Randall Hergert said only scattered thunderstorms are in the forecast, mainly in the northern mountains and northeastern plains through Thursday and in the eastern part of the state Friday through Sunday, with the main risks being lightning, small hail and locally gusty winds, which are typical for this time of year. Below-normal temperatures are expected for most of the week, with gradual warming expected. Temperatures will be 10 to 15 degrees below normal statewide today and five to 10 degrees below normal Thursday. The high today in Albuquerque is expected to be 74 and 77 on Thursday. The highs over the weekend will be in the 80s. Most of the state will have highs in the 70s and 80s for much of the week. Roswell will again be the hot spot in the state, with highs reaching the low 90s early next week. Meteorologists wont know until the end of the month how this May compares with others through the years in terms of temperatures. But it is well on track to be one of the coolest in recent years. Sixteen days have had temperatures below normal as of Tuesday, Shoemake said, with temperatures on some of the days double digits below normal. The average temperature for Albuquerque for the beginning of the month is 61 degrees, and 70 degrees at the end of the month. Iraq has handed over 188 Turkish children of suspected ISIS members (the terrorist group banned in Russia) to Turkey in the presence of government officials from both countries and UNICEF, a judiciary spokesman said. The central investigations court which is responsible for the terrorism file and foreign suspects has handed the Turkish side 188 children left behind by ISIS terrorists in Iraq, Judge Abdul Sattar Birqdar said. He noted that the figure included a small percentage who had come of age and had been convicted with illegally crossing the border and served out their sentences, Reuters reported. President Donald Trump may be guilty of many things, but a cover-up in the Mueller probe isnt one of them. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, attempting to appease forces in the Democratic Party eager for impeachment, is accusing him of one, with all the familiar Watergate connotations. The charge is strange, not to say incomprehensible, in light of the fact that Congress is in possession of a 448-page report produced by the Trump Department of Justice cataloging the alleged obstruction that Congress now wants to investigate. The report is so exhaustive that many members of Congress havent had the time to read it. If this is a White House cover-up, its too late. Its a cover-up of an alleged crime that has already been extensively exposed, not by whistleblowers, not by Jerry Nadler, not by hostile journalists, but by a DOJ prosecutor who worked under the supervision of Trumps hand-picked deputy attorney general. Pelosi has rehearsed the cliche, As they say, the cover-up is frequently worse than the crime. Or in this case, a substitute for the crime. Mueller found no Russia collusion or coordination and didnt even accuse the president of obstruction, instead bizarrely pronouncing him not exonerated. Pelosi hasnt deemed the alleged obstruction detailed in the Mueller report worthy of impeachment, but now insists that Trumps resistance to congressional probes is itself obstruction and could be impeachable. This is an alleged process crime on top of an alleged process crime, all stemming from an investigation that Trump had the power to stop but never did even as he openly hated it and came up with various schemes, never effected, to crimp it. The Mueller report is chock-full of direct accounts of private conversations with the president, which would ordinarily be considered the most sensitive White House communications most likely to trigger a claim of executive privilege. The White House never tried to block any of the testimony. Mueller often writes in such compelling novelistic detail exactly because everyone talked. The only exception was the president himself, who only took written questions about the Russian portion of the probe remember that? But Mueller stipulates in the report that he didnt try to subpoena the president, in part, because he had gotten the relevant information from everyone else. After going through this investigation for two years, run by a prosecutor with considerable resources and powers, and a well-demonstrated willingness to nail anyone not telling the truth, the White House is balking at repeating the experience with Congress. It has zero political interest in abetting high-profile hearings with former White House officials such as Don McGahn, and legitimate privilege claims to make over the presidents communications with his advisers and over the vast amount of unreviewed underlying material of the Mueller report. This is a high-intensity version of the typical jousting between the two branches. Some of it will surely be negotiated out, and some of it will be decided by the courts. Congress obviously has its own legitimate claims here, although the fact-finding authorized by Pelosi is largely a charade to avoid grasping the nettle of impeachment. The Democrats could slap together a couple of hearings with law professors and former prosecutors and impeach Trump tomorrow if they wanted to. This is what makes the current situation so crazy. Trump, let alone Attorney General William Barr or McGahn, isnt the one stopping Congress from pursuing impeachment. They have no control over it whatsoever. Impeachment is entirely a matter for the House, which is entirely under the control of Pelosi. She, not the president, is obstructing an impeachment inquiry in the literal sense of not letting one go forward, despite many of her members wanting one and despite the Trump DOJ handing her a potential road map in the form of the 448-page report. If this is a cover-up, it is the worst-executed cover-up of all time. E-mail: comments.lowry@nationalreview.com 2019 by King Features Syndicate. This week, New Mexico lost not only the longest-serving member of the state Senate, but also one of the longest-serving Native American legislators in U.S. history. Sen. John Pinto was a Marine who trained as a Navajo Code Talker. He was an educator, an advocate for Native Americans and a dedicated public servant who spent more than 40 years as a citizen lawmaker. He died Friday at the age of 94. According to friends and colleagues, he also was a great warrior whose grace, wisdom and tenacity were much admired by his fellow legislators. The loss undoubtedly leaves a huge void in Pintos family, but it also removes a voice in the state Senate for others, in particular those of the Navajo Nation. After winning the Senate District 3 seat for the first time in 1976, Pinto was re-elected 10 times a sign of the respect he worked for and earned among his constituents. Next legislative session, Pintos fellow senators will surely miss his annual rendition of the Potato Song on the Senate floor. In Navajo, the song tells the story of a potato, planted in the spring and visited through the summer until it is ready to be harvested. In a similar manner Pinto planted a seed of hope in his people, he visited it faithfully through many summers, and we can only hope its harvest will continue to be fruitful and a comfort to everyone who knew him. Hagoonee (Goodbye) and Ahehee (Thank you), Sen. Pinto. Funeral services Today Sen. Pinto will be brought from Gallup to Santa Fe, escorted by Navajo Nation and N.M. State Police, along with Navajo and Hopi Honor Riders, as follows: TodaySen. Pinto will be brought from Gallup to Santa Fe, escorted by Navajo Nation and N.M. State Police, along with Navajo and Hopi Honor Riders, as follows: 7:00 a.m.: Depart Rollie Mortuary in Gallup 9:00 a.m.: Arrive at Shiprock Chapter House 9:30 a.m.: Depart Shiprock Chapter House 2:00 p.m.: Arrive at New Mexico State Capitol 3:00 p.m.: Service in the Rotunda of the State Capitol Thursday Rosary and funeral services at Sacred Heart Cathedral, 415 E. Green Ave., Gallup. Reception follows at Red Rock State Park, 5757 Red Rock Park Dr., Gallup. Condolences can be sent to: 509 W. Morgan Ave. Gallup, NM 87301 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. ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates President Donald Trumps national security adviser warned Iran on Wednesday that any attacks in the Persian Gulf will draw a very strong response from the U.S., taking a hard-line approach with Tehran after his boss only two days earlier said America wasnt looking to hurt Iran at all. John Boltons comments are the latest amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran that have been playing out in the Middle East. Bolton spoke to journalists in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, which only days earlier saw former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis warn there that unilateralism will not work in confronting the Islamic Republic. The dueling approaches highlight the divide over Iran within American politics. The U.S. has accused Tehran of being behind a string of incidents this month, including the alleged sabotage of oil tankers off the Emirati coast, a rocket strike near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and a coordinated drone attack on Saudi Arabia by Yemens Iran-allied Houthi rebels. On Wednesday, Bolton told journalists that there had been a previously unknown attempt to attack the Saudi oil port of Yanbu as well, which he also blamed on Iran. He described Tehrans decision to back away from its 2015 atomic deal with world powers as evidence it sought nuclear weapons, even though it came a year after America unilaterally withdrew from the unraveling agreement. Bolton stressed the U.S. had not seen any further Iranian attacks in the time since, something he attributed to the recent military deployments America recently sent an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Persian Gulf. But he warned the U.S. would strike back if again attacked. The point is to make it very clear to Iran and its surrogates that these kinds of action risk a very strong response from the United States, Bolton threatened, without elaborating. Bolton spoke before talks with Abu Dhabis powerful crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He declined to have his remarks recorded by journalists. A longtime Iran hawk, Bolton blamed Tehran for the recent incidents, at one point saying it was almost certainly Iran that planted explosives on the four oil tankers off the UAE coast. He declined to offer any evidence for his claims. Who else would you think is doing it? Bolton asked at one point when pressed. Somebody from Nepal? Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has repeatedly criticized Bolton as a warmonger. Abbas Mousavi, a spokesman for Irans Foreign Ministry, said later Wednesday Boltons remarks were a ridiculous accusation. Separately in Tehran, President Hassan Rouhani said that the road is not closed when it comes to talks with the U.S. if America returns to the nuclear deal. However, the relatively moderate Rouhani faces increasing criticism from hard-liners and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei over the collapsing accord. Meanwhile, acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said some 900 troops coming to the Mideast over the perceived Iran threat to reinforce the tens of thousands already in the region would be placed in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Another 600 attached to a Patriot missile battery have had their deployment in the region extended. The Iranian threat to our forces in the region remains, Shanahan said. Speaking in Abu Dhabi, Bolton linked the rocket fire in Baghdad, the alleged sabotage of the ships and the drone attack by Yemens rebels, describing them as a response from Iran and its proxies. I think its important that the leadership in Iran to know that we know, Bolton said. He then brought up what he said could be a considered a fourth, previously unknown attack. There also had been an attack, an unsuccessful attack, on the Saudi port of Yanbu a couple of days before the attack on the tankers, he said, without elaborating. Saudi officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Boltons claim on Yanbu, which is the terminus, or end point, of the kingdoms East-West Pipeline. The Houthis have already targeted two pumping stations on that pipeline during a coordinated drone assault. Bolton also said the U.S. would boost American military installations and those of its allies in the region. The White House said Wednesday that Bolton will meet with his counterparts from Israel and Russia next month in Jerusalem to discuss regional security issues. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders did not disclose further details about Boltons planned meeting with Israeli national security adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat and Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of the Russian security council. Earlier this month, on the first anniversary of Trumps withdrawal from the nuclear deal, Tehran announced it would begin to back away from the agreement. The accord saw Iran limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. Trump pulled out of the accord as he said it didnt go far enough in limiting the Iranian nuclear program, nor did it address Irans ballistic missile program. Bolton said that without more nuclear power plants, it made no sense for Iran to stockpile more low-enriched uranium as it now plans to do. But the U.S. also earlier cut off Irans ability to sell its uranium to Russia in exchange for unprocessed yellow-cake uranium. Iran has set a July 7 deadline for Europe to offer better terms to the unraveling nuclear deal, otherwise it will resume enrichment closer to weapons level. Bolton declined to say what the U.S. would do in response to that. Theres no reason for them to do any of that unless thats part of an effort to reduce the breakout time to produce nuclear weapons, Bolton said. Thats a very serious issue if they continue to do that. Boltons trip to the UAE comes just days after Trump in Tokyo appeared to welcome negotiations with Iran. Were not looking for regime change I just want to make that clear, Trump said. Were looking for no nuclear weapons. But Bolton himself, for years before becoming national security adviser, called for overthrowing Irans government in interviews and in paid speaking engagement before an Iranian exile group. I dont back away from any of it. Those are positions I took as a private citizen, Bolton said when asked about his prior remarks. Right now Im a government official. I advise the president. Im the national security adviser, not the nation security decision-maker. Its up to him to make those decisions. He also dismissed reports that he faced criticism from Trump over his hard-line stance with what he described as an old proverb: The dogs bark and the caravan moves on. ___ Associated Press writers Nasser Karimi and Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report. PARMA, Italy The police huddled for hours each day, headphones on, eavesdropping on the doctor. Theyd tapped his cellphone, bugged his office, planted a camera in a trattoria. They heard him boast about his power to help Big Pharma make millions pushing painkillers, and about all the money they say he was paid in exchange. Now Dr. Guido Fanelli is at the center of a sprawling corruption case alleging he took kickbacks from an alliance of pharmaceutical executives he nicknamed The Pain League. Its members, police say, included managers with Mundipharma the international arm of Purdue Pharma, which is facing some 2,000 lawsuits in the United States over its role in the opioid crisis that has claimed 400,000 lives in two decades. This is the first known case outside the U.S. where employees of the pharmaceutical empire owned by the Sackler family have been criminally implicated, more than a decade after Purdue executives were convicted over misleading the American public about the addictiveness of OxyContin. Hundreds of pages of investigative files obtained by The Associated Press detail how Fanelli helped executives from Mundipharmas Italian branch and other companies promote painkillers by writing papers, organizing conferences and working to counter government warnings that opioid consumption was spiking and that physicians should be cautious. The message trumpeted, the AP found, was that there is an epidemic of chronic pain, addiction fears are exaggerated and not prescribing opioids can amount to neglecting the suffering of patients. Those are the same practices, experts say, that the pharmaceutical industry employed in the U.S. beginning in the 1990s that helped pave the road to disaster. What Italian police overheard on their wiretaps offers a look at how pharmaceutical executives still pushed opioids abroad even after the cause and consequence of the American epidemic had become apparent. As the U.S. market contracts, opioid consumption is climbing overseas. Canada and Australia are already following Americas catastrophic course, with rising rates of addiction and death. Others may be on the cusp of crisis: Researchers in Brazil report that prescription opioid sales have skyrocketed 465 percent in six years. Overdose deaths are going up in Sweden, Norway, Ireland and England, fueled by prescription painkillers and the illicit drug trade. Opioid consumption has increased in Italy, too, though authorities say widespread addiction has not taken root in this country with historically strict regulations and a cultural skepticism of the drugs both of which Fanelli apparently worked to reverse. It makes me feel sick more than anything else, U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark said when she learned of the investigation from the AP. Clark sent a letter to the World Health Organization in 2017, warning of deceptive and dangerous practices of Mundipharma and Purdue and imploring the agency to act before the American epidemic becomes a pandemic. We dont want to be proven right, she said. Two Mundipharma managers accepted plea bargains in January in connection to allegations that they paid the doctor to help sell more drugs. A lawyer representing them said the pleas are not an admission of guilt. The companys Italian branch was fined. A spokesman for Mundipharma Europe said the corporation did not admit wrongdoing and denied it endorsed any message minimizing addiction risks. The Carabinieri, Italys storied paramilitary police corps, code-named its case Pasimafi, the name of the yacht they say the doctor bought with his kickbacks. They were listening in when an alleged conspirator joked that Mundipharma employees had given Fanelli so much money, the company logo should be plastered on the stern. ___ THE BUSINESS OF PAIN The Carabinieri stumbled onto Fanelli. In early 2015, the national health system noticed an unusually high expenditure for blood filters. Officer Giandomenico Nupieri tapped a suspects phone. Earlier in his career, Nupieri had investigated mobsters, so his ears were attuned to cryptic codes of crime. The suspect mentioned Fanelli as well-connected and able to help boost pharmaceutical sales, and said he planned to meet him at a trattoria in Parma, the northern Italian city known for its prosciutto and parmesan. Investigators installed a camera, researched Fanelli and realized they were onto something bigger than blood filters. Fanelli was a star in the Italian medical world, respected by the government and often featured on the news, with his unbuttoned shirt collars and mop of pepper-gray hair. He served as a chief of the anesthesiology and pain therapy department at Maggiore Hospital in Parma, and called himself the father of a 2010 law that made opioids easier to prescribe, which he championed as necessary to ease suffering. But in 2009, as he was helping to draft the law, prosecutors allege he began meeting with The Pain League, including managers from Mundipharma, several Italian pharmaceutical companies and the Italian arm of German-based Grunenthal. The drug companies saw him as the vehicle to commercially promote their own drugs, said Maj. Gianfranco Di Sario, who oversaw the police investigation. Prosecutors allege that Fanelli drew in a web of conspirators, from organizers of medical conferences to fellow physicians. Fanelli, through his lawyer, declined comment. Italy, unlike the U.S., has strict laws limiting drug companies influence on medical training and practice. A specialized unit of the Carabinieri is tasked with safeguarding citizens health. The Italian language even has a specific word for the crime committed by doctors who work to drive up drug sales: comparaggio. So police got to work, listening in to Fanellis conversations and reading his text messages. In partial transcripts obtained by the AP, Fanelli often exaggerates his dominance in medicine. He claimed he once confronted Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the United States National Institute on Drug Abuse, after shed asserted that opioids are often not the best solution for chronic pain. Fanelli crowed of telling her to focus on America and let him take care of the rest of the world. Volkow, through a spokesperson, said she does not know Fanelli and has no recollection of the confrontation. Luca Finocchiaro, an attorney for a Grunenthal manager implicated in the case, described Fanelli as a motormouth and a braggart, and said the executives would put down their phones, not bothering to listen, as the doctor prattled on without much sense. The Grunenthal employees maintain their innocence. And yet the doctor was paid well: According to the investigative file, 464,000 euros from Mundipharma (about $500,000) and 640,855 euros from Grunenthal (about $700,000) flowed into businesses Fanelli allegedly set up to hide the payments, beginning in 2009. Spokesmen for Mundipharma and Grunenthal said the corporate offices thought the money was for legitimate services, like consultancy and events. Police allege a bustarella an envelope filled with illicit cash would occasionally arrive from officials with other companies at Fanellis hospital office. I created a system, police say the doctor bragged. That is the business of pain. ___ A STILL-BOOMING BUSINESS OxyContin came onto the American market in 1996. Doctors had been apprehensive about opioids, notorious for their miraculous painkilling power but also extraordinary addictiveness, and tended to prescribe them only to the extremely sick and dying. But Purdue Pharma claimed that OxyContin, twice as potent as morphine, was minimally addictive when prescribed for pain. Its marketing coincided with other forces, including a movement in medical circles to better manage patients pain. Opioid prescriptions increased for ailments like arthritis, backaches, migraines. The prescription rate quadrupled between 1999 and 2010, and overdoses climbed. The spectacular success of OxyContin added Purdues owner, the Sackler family, to the Forbes list of richest American families . In New York, theres a Sackler Wing at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and a Sackler Center for Arts Education at The Guggenheim. Theres a Sackler Room at the National Gallery in London, a Sackler Wing of Oriental Antiquities at the Louvre. Protesters have started storming the museums, raining prescription slips from balconies and unfurling signs that read Shame on Sackler. 200 Dead Each Day. In the U.S., Purdue and three executives were fined more than $600 million after pleading guilty in 2007 to misbranding OxyContin by downplaying its addictiveness. Purdue and the Sacklers this year agreed to pay another $270 million to Oklahoma to settle a lawsuit alleging misleading marketing helped unleash the U.S. addiction epidemic. The company has vehemently defended itself. Purdue spokesman Bob Josephson notes the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved OxyContin for chronic pain and that a judge recently dismissed one lawsuit after finding the companys marketing was consistent with its FDA approval. Hundreds more lawsuits are still pending against Purdue and other companies. The Sacklers, through a spokeswoman, declined to comment. Through all this, the familys international operation has stayed mostly out of the limelight. Mundipharma, like Purdue, is owned by a network of trusts that benefit the Sacklers. Its websites date the companys beginnings to 1952, when two Sackler brothers bought Purdue. Patrice Grand, a spokesman for Mundipharma Europe, said the companies have different managers and portfolios and do not share strategies. Mundipharmas branch in Italy began in 2005; the Italian Business Register lists the owners as three Luxembourg companies and American-based Rosebay Medical Co., which is named in two of the U.S. opioid lawsuits . A 2017 U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing lists Richard and Jonathan Sackler as members of Rosebays board. Mundipharmas network now operates in more than 120 countries, and an emerging markets group has expanded into Asia, Africa and Latin America, selling an assortment of drugs that includes opioids. A 2016 Los Angeles Times story reported that Mundipharma was repeating some of Purdues controversial marketing tactics overseas, prompting U.S. Rep. Clark and 11 other members of Congress to urge the World Health Organization to intervene before other nations import addiction. All they heard back was that their letter had been received. We cannot just sit by and hope this is a uniquely American experience, Clark told the AP. Mundipharma sent a representative to the WHO to defend the companys practices as ethical, Grand said. Mundipharma has stopped promoting opioids in Europe, he said, and the drugs now make up less than 40 percent of European sales. The U.S. has backed away from recommending opioids for chronic pain. The National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that up to 29 percent of patients prescribed opioids for chronic pain eventually misuse them. And in 2016, the Centers for Disease Control issued guidelines finding no good evidence that opioids are effective long term and the risks far outweigh the benefits. That same year, Mundipharmas operation in Italy released the results of a study proclaiming nearly half of Italians suffer chronic pain. The news release offered a solution: opioid painkillers. The still limited use of opioid drugs derives from cultural heritage, it said, and unfounded fears about the alleged risks of addiction. ____ THE WEAPONS OF SCIENCE In early 2015, the Italian government noticed a surge in opioid consumption. Luca Pani, then head of the Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco, which monitors medication, told the media that until the 2010 law that Fanelli helped write, doctors were reluctant to prescribe opioids. But the numbers a more than 30 percent jump in certain formulations represented a reversal that takes on the semblance of abuse, Pani said. He urged doctors to be cautious. Prosecutors say Fanelli sprang into action and told a Grunenthal executive not to appear at an upcoming press event. Journalists would ask about the governments warning, Fanelli allegedly said: And you are exposed. The doctor invited executives from Mundipharma and Grunenthal, along with Italian drug companies Molteni and Angelini, to Milan to strategize how to counter the warning, prosecutors say, and then he got to work implementing the plan. Representatives for Molteni did not respond to requests for comment. A lawyer for Angelini and one of its managers said his clients did nothing wrong. Fanelli prepared a scientific paper Opioids for chronic non-cancer pain: a critical view from the other side of the pond that said the alarm bells ringing in the United States should not be applied to other countries and that doctors should continue prescribing opioids for chronic pain. He texted the Italy Mundipharma executives: Good news, position paper against addiction, supporting opioids signed by me, prosecutors allege. The paper, one of several Fanelli authored downplaying the risk of addiction, was published in the journal Minerva Anestesiologica. Police officers allege that they once overhead Fanelli brag to a Mundipharma manager that the papers he wrote were the weapons of science. Another paper, prosecutors allege, was published on behalf of Molteni. Fanelli allegedly drove his Porsche to a cafe to meet a Molteni executive and later boasted to his wife about receiving a score of brioches. Prosecutors contend that was code for a 20,000 euro payoff. A lawyer for the Molteni executive said his client declined to comment. In the U.S., lawsuits against Purdue and other companies claim they paid key opinion leaders, often prominent pain doctors, who wrote papers that added a veneer of science to commercial claims about the safety of opioids. One Fanelli paper cites the same specious science once used in the U.S., and others claim that reining in prescriptions would lead to undertreating pain and that pain treatment is a human right. That message liberalized the culture of opioid prescribing for a generation of American doctors, experts say. Theyre using the same playbook that worked in the United States, said Andrew Kolodny, executive director of Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing, despite knowing that it led to a public health catastrophe. Grand, the Mundipharma spokesman, rejected that, saying: There is no such playbook. He said the corporate office was unaware of any alleged wrongdoing and the relationship with Fanelli was managed entirely by the executives in Italy. Fanelli often said that Italy should liberalize its prescribing culture, too. The newspaper La Repubblica interviewed him for a story about the spike in opioid consumption, and he said the real risk was that doctors would limit prescriptions even more. When an executive from Italian pharma company Angelini picked up the newspaper, investigators say, he called Fanelli to complain. Fanelli defended himself as having the guts to go out on a limb. ____ BRINGING IN THE MONEY FOR PAIN A traveling road show pulled into Parma on April 16, 2015, and set up an inflatable tent. Investigators heard Fanelli quip that it resembled a giant condom. The GP Open Road was making its eighth stop on a 16-city tour professing about the plight of chronic pain. General practitioners were the target audience; a press release said many doctors were still far from adequately managing the disease of pain. One story about the show quoted Fanelli saying common anti-inflammatory drugs were overused and that opioids should be prescribed instead. The event was hosted by the nonprofit Vivere Senza Dolore, or Living Without Pain. The president of the board was Marta Gentili, Mundipharmas marketing manager in Italy. The secretary, according to prosecutors, was the founder of a public relations firm that counted Mundipharmas Italian branch among its clients. As doctors filed into the tent, five Carabinieri officers arrived at a yacht club an hour away near the seaport of La Spezia. Police had been listening days before when Fanelli allegedly described a plan to launder 31,000 euros from his Mundipharma partners by claiming the yacht was catering lunch for the GP Open Road. Officers found the boat covered with a tarp and the parking lot empty. The yacht, the Pasimafi V, was owned by a company Fanelli allegedly created to cover his kickbacks; the same firm officially owned Fanellis Porsche Macan and 4,300-square-foot penthouse in Parma with a rooftop swimming pool. Investigators also were listening when Fanelli complained about Mundipharma to an alleged co-conspirator; the other man joked that Fanelli should be careful and his yacht might as well have the logo Mundipharma on its stern because of all the money hed supposedly gotten. Fanelli retorted that GF, his initials, should be on a Mundipharma executives bank account because hed helped the company make millions off drugs. The doctors grandest plan to help the companies, prosecutors allege, was a continuing medical education conference called the World Medicine Park, which Fanelli billed as a vital global discussion on pain management. In private, police allege, Fanelli said the goal was: Bringing in the money for pain. Fanelli was scientific director of the conference, held in May 2015 on the island of Mallorca. Nick Ross arrived and immediately felt unnerved. Ross, a British broadcaster, often moderates conferences and had expected a familiar scene: earnest doctors packed into classrooms taking notes. Instead he found temporary tents set up at the beach and empty lecture halls. There seemed to be a hell of a lot of pharmaceutical people there, recalls Ross. And I remember being concerned, even suspicious. Prosecutors would later describe the event as upside down. The director is supposed to pick the speakers and subjects, but Fanelli, prosecutors say, turned that task over to pharmaceutical companies, including officials with Mundipharma and Grunenthal. It was exclusively a marketing event, formally authorized for scientific aims, prosecutors contend, but which had nothing to do with being scientifically independent. ___ A BLOW TO THE HEART After two years of listening, the Carabinieri moved in. At 4 a.m. on May 8, 2017, police fanned out across Italy, pounding on doors, rounding up physicians and executives, and carting off documents from offices. They jolted Fanelli out of bed. It was a spectacular fall from grace for a man whod appeared on TV days before to promote painkillers. Calls from panicked patients poured into the hospital where Fanelli worked. Patients were rightly asking: Was I treated properly or not?' said Massimo Fabi, the hospitals director general. The news arrived like a blow to the heart. Among those implicated were Marco Filippini, Mundipharmas general manager for southern Europe, including Spain, Portugal, France, Belgium and Turkey; Riccardo Cerbai, the business and marketing director in Italy; and Gentili, the marketing manager. The Mundipharma spokesman said Filippini and Cerbai were immediately suspended and then fired last September. Gentili had already left the company. In January, Filippini and Cerbai agreed to plea bargains. Filippini got a suspended sentence of one year, 10 months and one day, while Cerbai received a suspended sentence of one year, six months and seven days. The executives declined interviews through their lawyer. Gentili denied wrongdoing and wrote in a statement that she has dedicated her life to helping people with chronic pain; she awaits a judges decision on how the case should proceed. A series of preliminary hearings began this month. Also implicated and awaiting next steps are Grunenthals Alberto Grua, chief commercial officer for Europe, Australia and North America, and Thilo Stadler, general manager for southern Europe. They are no longer with the company, spokesman Stepan Kracala said. Marketing director Sara Carlini was named in the probe but remains employed. Through lawyers, they all proclaimed innocence. Dario Romano, the Angelini lawyer, said his clients chose not to seek a plea bargain because they are confident they will be exonerated should the case go to trial. Deputy Prosecutor Paola Dal Monte has requested indictments against 55 people and 10 companies. Mundipharma and Grunenthal Italia are not among them, because they accepted plea bargains for failing to prevent the alleged activities. Mundipharmas Italian branch was fined 40,000 euros and Grunenthal Italia, 50,000 euros. Both companies, spokesmen said, immediately launched internal investigations. Grunenthal retrained employees and created a whistleblower hotline, Kracala said. Mundipharmas probe found violations of company policies, Grand said, but concluded a significant part of the payments into Fanellis businesses appeared to be legitimate. Mundipharma revamped policies to the satisfaction of Italian prosecutors, who withdrew a motion seeking to suspend the company from government contracts. Fanelli spent four months on house arrest at his penthouse in Parma. He was suspended without pay and barred from practicing medicine pending resolution of the case. He is now free to come and go as he waits to learn if he will stand trial. ___ WHY CANT IT HAPPEN HERE? The scandal has not caused this country to rethink the law Fanelli helped write. At an annual review after the arrests, Emilia De Biasi, then a member of Italys Senate, said the allegations shouldnt sully a law that many envy. Other countries, including Mexico and Poland, have since passed measures to make it easier to prescribe opioids. Italian consumption of prescription opioids went from 1.1 daily doses per thousand people in 2005 to 4.5 in 2017, according to government reports, but the country so far shows no sign of an addiction crisis. Dr. Antonio Boschini works at San Patrignano center, among the largest residential rehabs in Europe near the farm town of Coriano. He said he believes Italy has been spared in part because Italians dont share the American expectation that all things can be cured by a pill. But he worries that the experience of the U.S. opioid epidemic hasnt been received and absorbed in Italy. Several of his patients have recently returned from the emergency room for sprained ankles or backaches with prescriptions, feeding his fear that some doctors dont recognize the risk. There is this feeling that this danger doesnt exist. Its a problem that happened there, but here it wont happen, Boschini said. Why cant it happen here? Grunenthals spokesman said the company is analyzing whether patterns from the American epidemic are emerging elsewhere and will soon release the results of the research. The company, which sells drugs in more than 100 countries, is committed to reaching patients in places that have little access to pain medications while limiting addiction risk, he said. No other country is experiencing an addiction problem on a U.S. scale, Mundipharmas Grand noted. Globally, the network continues to expand. In January, Mundipharma told an Asian business journal that China is set to become its second-largest drug market and could surpass U.S. sales by 2025. Keith Humphreys, a Stanford University professor, published a paper in 2017 pleading with the world to pay attention, especially as prescription rates rise in developing countries with minimal regulation. As Oxy marches around the world, the things we see in Europe will be disturbing, he said, but less so than they will be in Botswana or India. In Italy, the Fanelli case has barely registered in this country accustomed to corruption scandals and an ocean away from the American plague. The Pasimafi V yacht sits sequestered on wooden planks at a dock. A sign reading subject to seizure, on the Carabinieris letterhead, is taped to the cabin door. Fanellis Porsche and penthouse are also gone, seized by police. But his papers the weapons of science, he allegedly called them still live on the internet, as opioid painkillers proliferate around the globe. ___ Galofaro, based in Louisville, Kentucky, is an AP national writer who covers the opioid epidemic. She reported in the U.S. and Italy. DEmilio, based in Rome, reported from Italy. The APs reporting is funded in part by a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. ___ If you are a doctor, researcher, pharmaceutical employee or resident living outside of the U.S. and have concerns about opioid availability or addiction issues in your country, please contact Galofaro at cgalofaro@ap.org or on Twitter at @clairegalofaro BRUSSELS A Council of Europe report has criticized the glacial pace of the investigation into the car bomb assassination of a leading Maltese investigative journalist and called Wednesday for an independent public inquiry into the case. Three Maltese men are believed to have triggered the powerful car bomb that killed 53-year-old Daphne Caruana Galizia on a road close to her rural home on Oct. 16, 2017. They were ordered two months later to stand trial for murder but the trial has not yet begun and they could soon be released. Nobody has been arrested for ordering the assassination of Caruana Galizia, who became one of Maltas best-known journalists for her regular reporting on widespread allegations of corruption on the Mediterranean island thats a member of the European Union and uses the shared euro currency. In his report for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Dutch lawmaker Pieter Omtzigt listed a litany of corruption scandals in Malta, shortcomings in the nations legal and judicial system and holdups in the Caruana Galizia investigation. The police investigation was delayed by the authorities refusal to remove an officer with a conflict of interest. The police failed to obtain information from Ms. Caruana Galizias laptop when it was offered to them, he wrote, adding that police also have failed to investigate the prominent public figures that Caruana Galizia wrote about. I can fully understand why the Caruana Galizia family has no confidence in the ability of the Maltese authorities to investigate the murder effectively, Omtzigt wrote. There is now a clear need for an independent inquiry. Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscats office did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. The report was discussed Wednesday by the legal affairs and human rights committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Paris. They issued a draft resolution calling for an inquiry that will be sent to a full meeting of the assembly next month in Strasbourg. That draft resolution is likely to be adopted. It is non-binding, but would pressure the Maltese government to address its concerns. The 47-nation Council of Europe, which calls itself Europes leading human rights organization, has issued similar resolutions in the past aimed at protecting journalists, notably targeting the governments of Turkey and Russia. DENVER U.S. officials must consider climate change effects from leasing about 250 square miles (648 sq. kilometers) of public lands in Colorado and Utah for oil and gas drilling, under a federal court ruling issued Wednesday. The order from U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras in Washington follows a March decision in the same case that blocked drilling on 500 square miles (1,295 sq. kilometers) of energy leases in Wyoming. The earlier ruling required a new environmental review of the impacts from burning fossil fuels extracted by private companies through the U.S. Bureau of Land Managements sizeable energy leasing program. But unlike earlier, Contreras did not immediately block new drilling in Colorado and Utah. Environmentalists who brought the case said they were still deciding whether to request such a move. Contreras acted at the invitation of government attorneys representing the Department of Interior. They conceded, based on the judges March ruling, that a new review in Utah and Colorado was appropriate because the circumstances were similar to what happened in Wyoming. In the March 19 ruling, the court found that (Bureau of Land Management) failed to take a hard look at the climate change impacts of oil and gas leasing, the attorneys wrote. The analyses of climate change impacts in the Colorado and Utah leasing decisions are similar. Approval of the Wyoming leases was ultimately renewed this month, after BLM officials published a hastily assembled document in April that said the Wyoming leases by themselves had minor potential to affect the rate of climate change. The dispute revolves around leases sold to companies in the three states in 2015 and 2016, during President Barack Obamas administration. It comes amid an aggressive push by President Donald Trumps administration to open more public lands to energy development. Environmentalists had criticized the study of the Wyoming leases as a cursory review that largely ignored the threat posed by climate change. We feel they are likely to do the same thing here, said Jeremy Nichols with WildEarth Guardians, one of the plaintiffs in the case. They need to do better. We need to see a commitment by the Bureau of Land Management and Department of Interior to confront the climate crisis. Extracting and burning fossil fuels from federal lands generates the equivalent of 1.4 billion tons (1.3 billion metric tons) annually of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, according to a recent report from the U.S. Geological Survey. Thats equivalent to almost one-quarter of total U.S. carbon dioxide emissions. Interior Department Press Secretary Molly Block said in response to a question about the April review that the agency met the legal obligations to analyze greenhouse gas emissions. Kathleen Sgamma, president of the Western Energy Alliance, which advocates for the industry, said the governments decision to complete the greenhouse gas analysis for Colorado and Utah was logical after the judges ruling in the Wyoming case. Sgamma said it was not a setback for energy companies. Its just a commonsense decision not to move forward with litigation and get the same result two more times, but just do that analysis now and submit it and be done with it, she said. __ Brown reported from Billings, Montana. __ Follow Matthew Brown at https://twitter.com/matthewbrownap INDIANAPOLIS Planned Parenthood officials expect greater expenses for abortions in Indiana following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding a state law requiring burial or cremation of fetal remains after an abortion. Abortion opponents cheer the courts decision as recognizing the dignity of unborn children even as the justices sidestepped other provisions of the Indiana law that could have blocked some women from undergoing abortions because of fetal gender, race or disability. Tuesdays ruling could give conservative state legislatures confidence that restrictions may survive court challenges. Several states have passed new bans in recent months in hopes that the Supreme Court will strike down the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion. WHAT WILL CLINICS HAVE TO DO? The law requires the facility performing the abortion to provide for the burial or cremation, but doesnt specify how the remains should be handled before then or what could be done with the cremation ashes. It hasnt taken effect because of court challenges since then-Gov. Mike Pence signed the provision into law in 2016. Clinics currently can turn over fetal remains to processors who handle disposal of human tissues or other medical material by incineration. Its likely that abortion clinics will have to hire a funeral home or cremation service, said Chris Charbonneau, CEO at Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky, which operates four of the six licensed abortion clinics in the state. I think it is deliberately vague, presumably so there can be games of gotcha along the way if you do something differently than what it is someone, somewhere has in mind, Charbonneau said. Mike Fichter, president of the anti-abortion group Indiana Right to Life, praised the ruling. Aborted children may no longer be treated as medical waste or garbage, he said. WHAT ARE THE ADDITIONAL COSTS? It is unclear how much the new rules will increase abortion costs. Indiana Solicitor General Thomas Fisher, who was the states lead attorney defending the law, maintains abortion providers could face minimal expenses for cremations. Charbonneau, however, said Planned Parenthood could face hundreds of dollars in additional expenses, even though theyve been less costly in Minnesota where requirements in place since the 1990s. They were able to secure that at fairly nominal rates of pay, but that is entirely dependent on whether you can find a partner whos willing to do that with you, she said. Charbonneau anticipates Planned Parenthood absorbing the added cost or conducting fundraising to avoid charging patients more. We may have to follow whatever is in the letter of the law, but we dont have to pass it along to the women who would be ill served by all of that, she said. WHEN WILL LAW TAKE EFFECT? Fisher said it could be a month or more before the Supreme Court and Chicago-based 7th Circuit Court of Appeals issue orders allowing the state to implement the fetal remains provisions. The Indiana State Department of Health, which oversees abortion clinic regulation, didnt specify how quickly it would act on the court orders. After that information is received, ISDH will integrate the law into the existing facility licensing process and advise all affected stakeholders of the new requirements, the agency said in a statement. WHAT IS THE POSSIBLE NATIONAL IMPACT? Texas and Louisiana have adopted similar fetal remains laws in recent years, but those have been blocked by federal judges. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said after Tuesdays Supreme Court ruling that he looked forward to demonstrating that Texas law is constitutional and does not impact the abortion procedure or the availability of abortion in Texas. The Ohio Senate approved a version in March but the state House hasnt yet acted on it. Ohio is among the states that this spring have enacted measures barring abortion once theres a detectable fetal heartbeat, while Alabama has adopted a law to ban most abortions. Supreme Court clearance of Indianas law will embolden other anti-abortion legislatures, said Charbonneau, who also leads Planned Parenthoods Seattle-based affiliate under an alliance announced in February. There will be a rush to see who can make more onerous and ridiculous arrangement requirements, she said. BOISE, Idaho An investigation by Idaho officials into a Texas-based oil companys production reporting from nine natural gas and oil wells in southwestern Idaho has found what state officials describe as reasonable variances. Idaho Department of Lands investigator Dave Schwarz told the Idaho Oil and Gas Conservation Commission on Wednesday that an error in a formula used by Alta Mesa appeared to account for differences between what the company allocated to wells and what was produced. Were making progress on gathering data, said Commissioner Jim Classen after the meeting. Part of the process was incorrect, but thats being rectified. The investigation going back to 2015 found the greatest discrepancy occurred at a well where some mineral interest owners have filed a lawsuit in state court challenging Alta Mesas method for determining royalty payments. The investigation found a 28% difference in a particular product called condensate produced at what is called the Kaufmann well, the focus of the lawsuit. The commissioners agreed with Schwarz that, based on the volumes produced at the wells, the variations discovered in the investigation were small. The differences are insignificant, Commissioner Renee Love said, inquiring if the rest of the panel agreed and finding they did. Still, the 28 percent difference in the amount of condensate reported at the Kaufmann well could add up to a significant dollar amount, though none was given at the meeting. The next part of the investigation that could be presented to the commission in August involves tracking sales of products produced at the wells. The accounting methods involved in such sales can figure into royalty payments, and the state lawsuit filed earlier this month in 3rd District Court in Payette specifically targets that aspect involving the Kaufmann well. Alta Mesa is based in Houston. However, an independent company has since been formed called High Mesa, which now has ownership of operations in Idaho. Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt has agreed to put on hold any oil and gas leasing of federal land within a 10-mile radius of Chaco Culture National Historical Park for one year. Bernhardt made the decision after touring the park with Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., on Tuesday. We will take appropriate action to defer leasing within the 10-mile buffer during the next year, and we will respect the role of Congress under the property clause of the Constitution to determine how particular lands held by the federal government should be managed, the secretary said in a release Tuesday. Heinrich said the announcement would allow time for the Bureau of Land Managements Resource Management Plan to be drafted and for Congress to consider the Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act, a bill he introduced with fellow New Mexico Sen. Tom Udall to withdraw federal lands around Chaco Canyon from further mineral development. U.S. Reps. Ben Ray Lujan, Deb Haaland and Xochitl Torres Small sponsored the bill in the House. Secretary Bernhardt committed to work with us on our legislation, as well as to consider additional ways in the RMP of respecting the Chaco Protection Zone, which surrounds the Chaco Culture National Historical Park, Heinrich said. While we plan for any future energy development in the San Juan Basin, protecting these sites is something we should all be able to agree on, and Im optimistic about a productive path forward. Bernhardt and Heinrich met with tribal leaders during the tour. The interior secretary said he walked away from the tour with a greater sense of appreciation of the magnificent site managed by the National Park Service and a better understanding of the tribal leaders views of its cultural significance. I have directed BLM to promptly publish a draft Resource Management Plan that includes an alternative that reflects the tribal leaders views and the proposed legislative boundaries, he said. The news would seem to be welcome to Udall. The 10-mile buffer zone has now been under two different administrations, Udall told the Journal. Its one of the most important things we have going on out there to protect the resources that we have. Weve now had two different secretaries (Ryan Zinke and Bernhardt) under this president try to have a lease within the 10-mile buffer zone. The buffer zone was specifically created to prevent any leasing activity going on. He said leasing activities under Zinke and Bernhardt were later withdrawn. With his own pen, he (Bernhardt) can protect it for 20 years, Udall said. Heinrich was criticized by members of his own party for voting to confirm Bernhardt. While we do not and will not agree on many issues or policy decisions, I have found that he has always kept his word, Heinrich told the Journal. I trust that he will keep his word in this case. Bernhardts decision was praised by Haaland and environmental advocacy groups New Mexico Wild and the Wilderness Society. The Interior Departments announcement after visiting Chaco with Senator Heinrich is a breath of fresh air, literally, Haaland said. Keeping drilling from starting is part of the battle, and we can thank Senator Heinrich for securing that commitment from the Interior Secretary. New Mexico Oil and Gas communications director Robert McEntyre said he hoped the additional time will allow the department and Bureau to make an objective decision on the future of the San Juan Basin grounded in the facts. New Mexico has safely and responsibly produced oil and natural gas in the San Juan Basin for decades while protecting cultural and archaeological artifacts throughout the region, he said. The government of Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, which was ousted on May 27, has fallen victim to a Russophobic campaign, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. "Russophobia is fashion now," he noted. "One may get some positive dividends from 'elder brothers'," TASS cited the Russian top diplomat as saying. In mid-May, German media outlets Der Spiegel and the Suddeutsche Zeitung published a video showing then-Austrian Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache meeting an unknown Russian-speaking woman, allegedly tied to a Russian oligarch. In the clip, they discussed plans to buy a popular newspaper, the Kronen Zeitung, and media support for the election campaign of the Austrian Freedom Party ahead of the 2017 parliamentary polls. Later, the Kronen Zeitung reported that the footage had been thoroughly planned and the "Russian woman" turned out to be a Bosnian student. The video ignited a toxic political scandal in Austria, and Strache was forced to resign from his post as Vice Chancellor and as the Austrian Freedom Partys Chairman. Chancellor and Chairman of the Austrian Peoples Party Sebastian Kurz refused to cooperate with the Austrian Freedom Party, and then an interim government was set up consisting of ministers from the Austrian Peoples Party and experts. Subsequently, opposition parties in the parliament ousted the chancellor and his interim government in a no-confidence vote. Later, Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen dismissed the cabinet led by Chancellor Kurz. He appointed the country's Minister of Finance and Vice Chancellor Hartwig Loger as acting Chancellor of Austria. PARADISE, Calif. - A Paradise family said PG&E took trees off their property, even though the utility promised they could keep them. "This was a redwood my dad planted - I remember when he planted it, it was a beautiful tree," said Madde Watts, a resident of Paradise. Watts walked through the wreckage of the home her family lived in since the 40s. "This was his pride and joy," Watts said. "He planted everything, these trees were his pride and joy." PG&E sent out a letter this Spring telling customers in Paradise that they would remove all damaged trees, but property owners could keep the logs if they wanted. "I called the number and said 'I do not want you taking any of my wood,'" Watts said. "We had logs stacked up. That was for my family." They found some solace in the fact they could at least keep the wood from these trees until one day they showed up on their property and it wasn't there. "It was all gone, everything," Watts said. "And they damaged my back fence. I was just blown away." "We said we wanted our trees kept," said Julie Reyna, Watts' daughter. "The crews were wonderful to work with, they stacked them for us, and then this happens." "People have lost enough," Watts said. "Why do you keep things we want to keep? Somebody's making money on the side, I hate to say that but that's what I truly believe." PG&E said it was a mistake. "We did find a situation where a contractor was not entering forms into the system so they wouldn't be hauled away," said Paul Moreno, a spokesperson for PG&E. "We have since addressed that and the contractor is not doing any work for PG&E." Moreno said the utility has a number of standards for their contracted workers and the utility keeps in touch with them constantly. "Typically we contract with a tree company, the tree company hires workers to work on their behalf and we do have a number of standards and we're in touch with them continuously," Moreno said. PG&E plans to replace the trees but the family said the emotional damage is done. "People have lost enough, they've lost enough of their lives," Watts said. "Why take things that can offer peace and comfort to them? Trees can do that." DURHAM, Calif. - Ponderosa Elementary thanked Durham Elementary on Tuesday for taking the school under its wing during the Camp Fire. On Tuesday, students and faculty of Ponderosa Elementary unveiled a thank-you bench, which was gifted to the school in Durham. Both the school have a tiger mascot, so the students came up with the idea to create two twin tiger benches. One will stay in Durham and the other will be brought to Paradise. "It makes me feel good because now we have a new bench, we can put it anywhere and we thank Ponderosa for making these," said Lyla Troncoso, a Durham Elementary School student. The Rainforest Art Project helped coordinate the activity. The Paradise students designed and created the benches by putting together the mosaics, which are made of stained glass and cement. SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A Sacramento man was sentenced to three years in prison on Tuesday for misbranding drugs. Scott Edward Cavell, 36, of Sacramento, was sentenced for selling fertilizer and marketing it as a fat-burning pill. According to court documents, between 2015 and 2017, Cavell developed a scheme to market and sell Dinitrophenol - also known as DNP - as a weight loss drug despite knowing that its not approved by the FDA for human consumption. Cavell sold DNP in pill form and called it a fertilizer, a term under which it is legally sold in other circumstances. He admitted that he controlled websites that marketed the drug as a supplement while at the same time discouraging its use. He then sold DNP pills on another website for the purpose of misleading U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulators, according to the documents. DNP has been commercially used to manufacture dyes and wood preservatives as a fertilizer and pesticide. According to court documents, Cavell collected at least $768,000 during the scheme. German Chancellor Angela Merkel dismissed as "nonsense" a report that she had decided Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, leader of the governing Christian Democrats (CDU), is not up to succeeding her as German chancellor. "I can only say that that's nonsense," Merkel told reporters at the end of an EU summit in Brussels. "And I've dealt intensively with nonsense during my many years of political activity so I don't want to comment any further." "Everyone I know in the CDU is committed to freedom of opinion as a basic principle," Politico cited Merkel as saying. Citing two unnamed people with knowledge of her thinking, Bloomberg reported that Merkel had given up hope that Kramp-Karrenbauer, who took over from the chancellor as CDU leader last year, could step up to become the next head of government. In recent days, critics have accused Kramp-Karrenbauer of mounting an attack on freedom of speech after she suggested a debate about rules on how opinion is manufactured online. Butte County Sheriff's Office investigating 3 bodies found in Oroville home The Butte County Sheriff's Office is investigating three bodies found overnight in Oroville on Yellow Hammer Drive and Tyme Way. The identities of those people have not yet been released and the sheriff's office is investigating the deaths as suspicious. Police arrest two suspects in Redding traffic stop Redding police arrested two suspects after a traffic stop around 11:40 p.m. Tuesday night. Officers said Sarah Schaar and Grantland Gile were in a car that failed to stop at a red light at Hartnell Avenue and Churn Creek Road. Officers arrested Schaar for an outstanding warrant. Then Gile drove off, suddenly accelerating. After a high-speed chase, officers stopped Gile with spike strips at the TA truck stop. K-9 Hank assisted in the arrest. Both suspects were booked into the Shasta County Jail. More than 50 tornadoes touch down in the Midwest overnight More than 50 twisters may have touched down across eight states overnight. The death toll from the tornadoes has now reached into the double digits and over 100 injuries have been reported last night. Tornado warnings reached as far east as New York City. Shasta County joins an opioid lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies Shasta County has joined a lawsuit against large pharmaceutical opioid makers for their role in the opioid crisis. The board of supervisors retained Dallas-based Baron&Budd and a joint venture of law firms to begin the suit, which represents more than 300 cities and counties across the country. Firefighters extinguished motorhome fire in Chico Tuesday night Chico firefighters worked to put out a motorhome fire. The fire broke out late Tuesday night on Aztec Drive in the Hegan Lane Business Park. The small motorhome was completely destroyed by the flames. Firefighters have determined the occupants were away. They are working to find out how the fire started. Trinity County man faces attempted murder charges after reporting crime A man who called the Trinity County Sheriffs Office to report an attack now faces attempted murder charges. On Friday, Erik Windschitl, of Burnt Ranch, reported that a man had slapped him in his home and that he shot him in self-defense. However, during the investigation, deputies learned that Windschitl and the victim both lived on the same property. They also discovered that the shooting occurred in the backyard. The victim is now recovering from several gunshot wounds. Deputies placed Windschitl under arrest. Missouri could become the first state without abortion providers since Roe V. Wade Missouri may become the first state without any abortion providers since Roe V. Wade if a licensing dispute is not resolved by Friday. Planned Parenthood has filed a lawsuit in St. Louis, calling for abortion services to continue. President Trump and Joe Biden's war of words President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden are in a war of words after the president said he agreed with North Korea's Kim Jong-un, reportedly referring to Biden as a "low-IQ individual." Biden has responded calling the statement "beneath the dignity of the office" of the President. President Trump has stated that those comments were defending the Vice President. CHICO, Calif. - Chico Police arrested a woman for a DUI after she crashed at the Chico History Museum. The crash happened around 6:30 p.m. on Monday. Police say the woman rammed her car into the museum sign at the corner of West 2nd Streets and Salem Streets. The woman ran from the scene but was caught nearby at a children's park. According to the police, she was arrested and taken to the hospital for minor injuries. NewsX, the leading English national news channel from the iTV Network today hosts, NewsX-The Sunday Guardian Health Conclave-Kidney for Life at the India International Centre. During the concalve, there were several interactive sessions on kidney care issues. During the conclave, several senior nephrologists and urologists from Indias top hospitals and institutions discussed on issues related to renal disorders and its prevention, cure, kidney transplant and treatment options, the panelists also discussed about some crucial policy matters pertaining to the health sector especially kidney. NewsX-The Sunday Guardian health conclave- Kidney for Life, is an initiative to raise an awareness on the importance of kidneys to our overall health and to reduce the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems. The event witnessed some of the key sessions, where the experts exchanged ideas and thoughts, which touched upon various issues related to nephrology, organ donation and promoting good renal health. The conclave was attended by Indias top Nephrologists,Urologists, Kidney transplant experts, NGOs, Kidney forums, policy makers, delegates from Embassies & High Commissions; UN agencies, and members from centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The esteemed panel of speakers including: Dr. D.S. Rana, Chairman, Department of Nephrology, Sir Gangaram Hospital; Dr. Vijay Kher, Chairman, Nephrology, Medanta, the Medicity; Dr. Dinesh Khullar, Chairman, Nephrology & Renal, Max, Saket; Dr. Rajju Shroff, Chairman, CCFI; Dr. Garima Aggarwal, Max Healthcare; Dr Dushyant Nadar, Fortis Noida and Dr Sanjeev Bagai, Paediatric Nephrologist. Dr. D.S. Rana, Chairman, Department of Nephrology, Sir Gangaram Hospital spoke on the topic of Evolution in nephrology-1950 and beyond, during his keynote address, he spoke about kidney cure, precautions and transplants at the event. While speaking he said Pain killers should be consumed rarely as it may cause kidney failures. Dr. Vijay Kher, Chairman, Nephrology Medanta the Medicity spoke on the topic, recent trends in kidney transplantation, during his keynote address, Dr. Kher said Transplantation is the cheapest and best way to treat kidney failure. He also mentioned that diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure worldwide. In an exclusive session on Dialysis in India Few Myths and realities with Dr. Dinesh Khullar- HOD, Nephrology, Max Saket, Dr. Khullar said, Today 1.3 billion people are served by 1850 nephrologists, kidney specialists in India, though quality of dialysis process in India at good centers is as per international standards. Further he added that, Renel diseases in India is on an exponential rise , good quality dialysis can ensure long term survival. There was a special session on Pre and post transplant care- lifestyle changes, fooding habits: emphasis on role of medicine and diagnostis where the panelists including: Dr. Dushyant Nadar, Dr. Garima Aggarwal, Dr. Neha Bali and Dr Prachi Gupta , the doctors discussed about the Kidney functioning and transplant at the event. The panel also discusses about the organ donation processes and how safe is the organ donation and people can have a normal life after donation. In an exclusive session, Prof. Dr. Sanjeev Bagai, Pediatric Nephrologist, shared information about Genesis of CKD in the womb and the role of technology in early diagnosis of renal disorders amongst child during birth stages. In the next session Dr. Harsha Jauhari, Chairman, Renal Transplant Centre, Sir Gangaram Hospital; Ms.Pallavi Kumar, Executive Director, Mohan Foundationand Dr. Anil Goyal discussed about Organ donation- Sharing of organs, medico legal cases, brain death certification and maintenance, wastage of organs, organ swapping. During the session, the panelists also discussed about the legal consequencies and the processes while organ donation. Talk about your Bronx cheer. Thank you to John Gilmore of Autism Action Network for this report. The level of derision for families who want to keep their right to vaccine exemptions has never been worse. Politicians have no problem expressing violence, anger and complete dismissal of a huge bloc of voters. This is appalling. ### Behold New York Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz, author of Assembly Bill A2371a, a bill to eliminate the right to a religious exemption from vaccine mandates to attend school, a right New Yorkers have ALWAYS had. Here, he displays the depth of his intellect to members of the public who were excluded from a press conference on the bill this morning at 250 Broadway in Manhattan. He was in the lobby of the building, and constituents who were expressing their America right to protest this bill took video and this photo from outside the building - only "credentialed" press were allowed inside. There was a joint committee meeting of the Senate and Assembly Health Committees going on in Albany during this press conference. Seems like both Assemblyman Brad Hoylman and Dinowitz blew off the hearing on New York's proposed Single Payer Health Plan to get some press in NYC. And we are more than happy to oblige him by sharing this disgusting photo of this most UNcivil servant. Please share to your New York Assemblymembers and State Senator's Facebook pages. I have not come to Ukraine for revenge or destruction, I came here to build, - the former president of Odessa district, Mikheil Saakashvili, told journalists at the Kiev airport, InterPressNews reports. According to him, he arrived in Kiev to build new Ukraine. He said his arrival in Ukraine was very emotional as he had spent 12 years of his life in that country. The former governor of Odessa thanked Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky for restoring Ukrainian citizenship and called him a strong and independent politician. According to Saakashvili, he will do his best to bring new politicians to Ukraine's politics. Would you like to receive breaking news notifications from The Post and Courier? Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop. Breaking News Columbia Breaking News Greenville Breaking News Myrtle Beach Breaking News Aiken Breaking News N Augusta Breaking News Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time. Success! Please click the 'Allow' button in the 'Show Notifcations' alert in your browser if one is available. Thank you for signing up! Please enable notifications in your browser and reload the page. The European Union slammed Turkeys abysmal human rights record today in its annual progress report on the countrys fading bid to join the bloc. Using some of the harshest language since Turkey formally began full membership talks with Brussels in 2005, the EU commission said the process had effectively come to a standstill and that there had been serious backsliding in terms of rule of law and fundamental human rights. The statistics were chilling. As of December 2018, the total number of people in prison without indictment or pending trial is 57,000, which amounts to more than 20% of Turkeys ever swelling prison population, the commission said. The body also took aim at the annulment of mayoral elections in Istanbul in March won by the pro-secular main opposition after 25 years of rule by President Recep Tayyip Erdogans Justice and Development Party and its Islamist forerunners. The commission argued that it went against the very core of a democratic electoral process that is to ensure that the will of the people prevails. Turkeys deputy foreign minister, Faruk Kaymakci, riposted that the report reflects the EUs own existential crisis, calling it unfair and unbalanced. In a further stain on Turkeys record, the Ankara Bar Association announced this week that it had credible information that former Turkish diplomats being held in pre-trial detention in Ankara had been tortured and published its findings. Its report is based on interviews with six former ministry personnel at the Ankara police headquarters where they are being held. According to media reports, 105 such people are in police custody. The six told bar association representatives they had been dragged to a dark room where they were handcuffed and blindfolded by interrogators claiming to work for Turkeys national spy agency MIT. Three of the interviewees said they had been stripped naked and forced to kneel in the fetal position while their tormentors brushed truncheons across their anal area. The report continued, A substance which they though to be oil or [some other] lubricant was [then] poured on their anal areas. Another was told by interrogators, We rape with truncheons here, you must have heard about it it. Its all true. The former diplomats are all thought to have been purged for their alleged connections to Fethullah Gulen, the Pennsylvania-based Sunni cleric who is accused of orchestrating the failed 2016 coup. Thousands of others were expelled from the ministry on the grounds that they cheated on the entrance exam with help from Gulenist operatives who slipped them the answers in advance. Emma Sinclair-Web, Turkey director for Human Rights Watch, has been monitoring the case. She told Al-Monitor, We have credible allegations of torture in Urfa and now of former ministry of foreign affairs personnel being tortured in Ankara. Sinclair-Webb was alluding to a separate case of police abuse that was reported in the southeastern province of Urfa. It followed the mass detentions of 54 people in connection with the May 18 murder of a police officer. The Urfa Bar Association said that the detainees included women and three children and that least 12 of the adults had been badly beaten, some subjected to electric shocks, with visible marks of torture on their bodies. The Urfa Chief Public Prosecutors Office has launched a formal investigation into the claims. The Israeli Knesset voted today to hold new elections on Sept. 17, just five months after the last one, after the head of the leading party failed to build a governing coalition for the first time in the nations history. Why it matters: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus failure to attract enough support after his Likud Party and its right-wing allies won the April 9 Knesset elections threatens political gridlock just as the country faces daunting domestic and international challenges, including rising tensions with Iran and the imminent start of US-led negotiations on a peace deal with the Palestinians. Meanwhile, the unprecedented electoral do-over will only further inflame domestic discord. Under the law, Netanyahu had until midnight today to cobble together a government before his rival Benny Gantz of the Blue and White opposition party got to a chance to give it a try; instead, Netanyahu pre-empted that by initiating the snap elections. Diplomatic fallout: The Donald Trump administration had been complaining it didnt have a Palestinian partner for its peace process. Now its not clear it will have much of an Israeli interlocutor either. After delaying the release of the plan until after the April elections, the US administration is planning to help launch it with a Palestinian financial summit in Bahrain next month. Netanyahu is due to meet Trumps senior adviser Jared Kushner Thursday in Jerusalem to discuss preparations, but the prime ministers transitional government is not expected to be able to decide on any big diplomatic moves. The draft crisis: At the heart of the political chaos is the issue of the military draft for ultra-Orthodox religious students. Former Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman, the head of the secular nationalist Yisrael Beitenu party, refused to grant them any more exemptions during coalition talks with Netanyahu, while the religious parties insisted that they have already yielded enough ground on the issue. As a result, both Liberman and the ultra-Orthodox parties rejected Netanyahu's latest attempt to forge a deal. What's next: Netanyahu will try to govern until September with a right-wing bloc, including small religious parties. The prime minister is also expected to ask Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit to postpone his pending decision on whether to indict Netanyahu on graft charges until winter. Know more: Akiva Eldar explains why new elections arent likely to mend Israels political rift. And Yossi Bailin points out why the Bahrain summit is premature. - Danny Zaken Russia officially rejected participation in next months US-sponsored Middle East peace summit in Bahrain on Tuesday, a day after Chinese ambassador to Palestine Guo Wei announced that Beijing and Moscow had struck an agreement to boycott it. It is obvious that this is yet another attempt by the United States to shift the priorities on the regional agenda and impose the American vision of the Israeli-Palestinian settlement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Persistent attempts to substitute the goal of achieving a comprehensive political settlement with a package of economic bonuses while undermining the principle of two states for two people are a matter of grave concern. Why it matters: The Donald Trump administration is banking on broad international support for its plan to get the Palestinians to accept territorial concessions in exchange for economic incentives. Firm opposition from major powers such as Russia and China risks undermining the legitimacy of the US effort, which is widely seen in the region as too favorable to Israel, while further entrenching the Palestinians resolve to dig in their heels. Russia has opposed the Trump plan from the very beginning. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict and intra-Palestinian reconciliation have been a major part of Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrovs portfolio this year. Starting with his tour across North Africa in January, followed by his travel to the Gulf in March and his latest trip to Egypt and Jordan, Lavrov has been sounding out regional attitudes vis-a-vis the US project. Many regional leaders some in public, most in private have reportedly expressed unease with an effort they feel pressured into supporting despite their concerns that it could further destabilize the region by inflaming pro-Palestinian sentiment. The joint stance by Russia and China could help convince some regional governments that they dont have to submit to US pressure. At a minimum, it gives them a better bargaining position with Washington. Staying relevant: Since 2002, Russia has been part of the so-called Middle East Quartet along with the United Nations, the United States and the European Union. Russias vision for the conflict is that it should be settled via an international legal framework as set forth in UN resolutions as well as the 1991 Madrid Conference and the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative. Moscow is therefore suspicious of any efforts that would exclude it. On a parallel track, Moscow has tried to take advantage of its historic ties with various Palestinian factions thus far rather unsuccessfully to broker an intra-Palestinian deal for Palestine to become a united actor before negotiating with Israel or regional Arab leaders. Moscow also senses a chance for payback for Washingtons efforts to derail Russian interests in striking a political deal in Syria and rebuilding the country with President Bashar al-Assad still in power. Whats next: Much will depend on the actual contents of the US plan, which remains under wraps. A retired high-ranking Israeli military official who visited Moscow a few weeks ago told Al-Monitor that the US proposal offered a chance for America to stay strong in Middle Eastern affairs amid the regional turmoil, arguing, Trump is giving the United States this chance with this deal and this is exactly what the Russians are afraid of. But a diplomatic source in Moscow said it was much too early to tell. We still havent seen the plan, dont know its precise modalities and ways of implementation to say how it may boost or downgrade American influence in the region, the source said. But its indeed evident to us that this plan has nothing to do with the [peace] settlement per se. Its an attempt, rather poorly disguised, to unilaterally advance Israeli positions in the region. Know more: Read more on Russian-Chinese cooperation and competition in the Middle East from Al-Monitors Russia-Mideast editor Maxim Suchkov. -Maxim Suchkov Turkey is repatriating almost 200 children of suspected Islamic State militants jailed in Iraq following Tuesdays meeting between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Iraqi counterpart Barham Salih in Istanbul. Why it matters: While the war against the Islamic State in Iraq is largely over, tens of thousands of militants are crowding Iraqi prisons, overwhelming authorities. The fate of their children is under particularly close scrutiny by the international community. The number of so-called Islamic State children held in Iraq is estimated to be 1,500, according to a recent Human Rights Watch report. The repatriation deal highlights deepening cooperation between Iraq and Turkey following two months of high-level visits between the two countries. Iraq handed over 188 Turkish children over to the Turkish authorities in Baghdad today. They are expected to arrive in Turkey soon, Reuters reports. Laying the groundwork: Ahead of Salihs visit to Istanbul on Tuesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Abdul Mahdi paid an official visit to Ankara on May 15. The month before, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was in Iraq. During these visits the two sides also agreed on several military and economic cooperation deals. Whats next: It is unclear how the children will be taken care of or whether Turkish authorities will take them through some sort of rehabilitation program before handing them over to relatives or child protective services. The United Nations Childrens Fund, UNICEF, was also involved in the process and its representatives were present at the handover in Baghdad along with Turkish and Iraqi officials. Know more: Read Mustafa Saadoun's explanation of how the Iraqi authorities plan to deal with the jailed militants. For insight into recent high-level meetings between Turkey and Iraq, read Fehim Tastekins latest piece, and learn more about the children here. The Supreme Eurasian Economic Council (SEEC) decided today to award Kazakhstan's first president Nursultan Nazarbayev the title of honorary chairman of the SEEC, Nazarbayevs press secretary Aidos Ukibay said. "Today, during the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in a narrow format, it was decided to award Nursultan Nazarbayev the title of honorary chairman of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council," Ukibay wrote on Twitter. Earlier, President of Kazakhstan Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev said that Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed awarding Nazarbayev the title of honorary chairman of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council. An oil tanker belonging to Chinas state-owned Bank of Kunlun departed on May 16 from the Soroush oil terminal off the coast of Iran. Laden with 2 million barrels of crude, Pacific Bravo is now reportedly heading eastward, with China being the likely destination. If the oil is indeed offloaded in the Asian powerhouse, it would be the first time a country has openly purchased Iranian oil since the Donald Trump administration last month revoked sanctions waivers extended to eight nations. In other words, China may be contravening US sanctions. Irans other oil customers do not appear to be as brave. On May 22, a Turkish official stated that Ankara had stopped purchasing Iranian oil out of respect for US sanctions. The same day, Indias ambassador to Washington told reporters that while Iran is an extended neighbor, India would no longer be purchasing Iranian oil although later reports suggested that New Delhi would indeed resume imports, albeit in limited quantities. With its largest oil customers apparently deciding not to defy the United States and risk devastating sanctions designations of tankers, refiners and the banks facilitating payments, Iran is left wondering whether China a party to the nuclear deal will help Iran remain in the accord by alleviating some of the severe economic pressure resulting from US sanctions. Chinese officials have been vocal about their opposition to the US governments use of extraterritorial sanctions and efforts to undermine the nuclear deal and the multilateral consensus it represents. In a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing in early May, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif urged China to take concrete action to save the nuclear deal. Unfortunately for Zarif, Chinas roiling trade war with the United States has made it hesitant to stand up for Iran. In the previous sanctions period prior to the signing of the 2015 nuclear deal Chinese companies stepped into the Iranian market as European firms withdrew. The outcome was that Chinas bilateral trade with Iran actually expanded. But no such expansion has been seen following the Trump administrations reimposition of secondary sanctions on Iran in November. Indeed, over the last seven months, broader bilateral trade between Iran and China has degraded considerably. This is alarming to the Iranian side since Chinese industrial parts and machinery are the lifeblood of Irans manufacturing base. Supply shocks in these inputs are having a direct impact on falling manufacturing output in Iran, particularly in the automotive sector. Though Chinese exports to Iran have rebounded in the last two months, rising from $428 million in February to about $1 billion in April, levels remain below the $1.2 billion seen in October. Perhaps more importantly, it remains unclear at what level Chinese exports to Iran can be sustained absent normalized imports of Iranian oil. In the meantime, Iranian importers struggle to find reliable financial channels through which to pay for Chinese goods. Of note, China did make use of the oil sanctions waiver issued by the Trump administration in November. Last month, declared oil imports rose to $1.7 billion, their highest level since August and a reflection of significant shipments seen departing Iran for China in March. But these high volumes may give false hope to Iran regarding Chinas willingness to sustain purchases of oil absent a waiver. Whether Pacific Bravos journey marks a change in Chinese policy toward Iran may depend on the recent escalation in the US-China trade war. The Trump administration has slapped more tariffs on Chinese goods and blacklisted Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, saying that Huaweis fate could be tied to that of a potential trade deal with China. The US escalation has angered the Chinese. President Xi Jinping has called for enterprises to prepare for a new long march as the dispute intensifies. With a US-China trade deal looking unlikely in the near future, sustaining a small volume of oil imports from Iran in violation of US sanctions would introduce only a marginal political cost. Some Iranian analysts sense that these developments may force China to show more resolve in the face of US sanctions. The argument is that since Tehran and Beijing now face a common threat in the form of the US long-arm jurisdiction, maintaining trade despite US sanctions is not a choice, but a necessity. But Chinese analysts seem less convinced. Even if the trade war and US sanctions on Iran are symptoms of the same disorder, it remains unlikely that China will seek a linkage between the two issues. In April, Yin Gang, a fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, argued that Irans best approach would be a prudent policy of strategic retreat, whereby ceding influence in Syria and Yemen would help earn Iran some respite from the Trump administrations maximum pressure policy. Regardless of whether Gangs argument reflects an emerging consensus in Chinese foreign policy circles, it is clear that China remains reluctant to act as the economic guarantor of the Iranian governments policy of strategic patience. The way Chinese policymakers are leaning will become clear in coming weeks, when Chinese customs data for May is released. Whether China is indeed importing Iranian oil in contravention of US sanctions will be an important development to watch. But it is in fact the non-oil trade between China and Iran that is the best indicator of any shift in Beijings willingness to help Tehran withstand US sanctions. Should Iran sell some oil to China but be left unable to use the revenues to maintain adequate imports of Chinese manufacturing inputs, the journeys of Pacific Bravo and the tankers that may follow will have little more than symbolic value for the Islamic Republic. After all, even if the Chinese government takes steps to support Iran economically, it may face the same challenges that have stymied European efforts to sustain trade namely that Chinese companies might simply decide that engaging in trade with Iran is just not worth the trouble. Mitra Ostad, the second wife of former politician Mohammad Ali Najafi, was found dead in her northwest Tehran flat around noon May 28. According to a police report, the 35-year-old victim had been shot in the chest and an arm. As the story flooded news outlets and social media, perhaps few Iranians would have pointed the finger of blame toward a veteran Reformist known for his tranquil demeanor. But Najafi would shock everyone. Only hours after the killing, he was interviewed on state TV publicly confessing to the crime. Najafi is a senior Reformist figure with a significant portfolio of top executive posts including nine years of service as minister of education. In 2013, he was nominated by President Hassan Rouhani to lead the ministry again, but he failed to secure a parliamentary confidence vote. The parliament, controlled by conservatives, rejected his nomination on the grounds that Najafi had been involved in the 2009 "sedition," a term Iran's hard-liners apply to the deadly post-election protests that gripped Iran following the disputed presidential elections that year that saw Mahmoud Ahmadinejad win a second term in office. Yet, adamant about keeping Najafi within his circle, Rouhani appointed him one of his deputies as head of the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, a post he resigned from only six months later in January 2014. Following months of heated debate in 2017, he was elected as Tehran's mayor by a like-minded Reformist city council. But long before he took the helm of the municipality, unprecedented pressure from hard-liners had already began to affect Najafi. The smear campaign around his political background and personal life forced his resignation over health concerns. But it was by no means an end to controversies surrounding the 67-year-old mathematics PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Rumors backed by pictures had it that he was involved in an affair with Ostad while still married to his first wife. In fact, many attributed his resignation as Tehran's mayor to embarrassment caused by the alleged relationship. Ostad denied that the resignation had any connection to their "legally registered marriage." There were also claims that the emergence of the Ostad scandal was orchestrated by powerful hard-line intelligence organizations, which reportedly kept Najafi, who was widely known for his anti-corruption agenda, under constant surveillance as part of a campaign to end his career. During his short stint as Tehran's mayor, Najafi unearthed massive fraud cases involving his conservative predecessors. At one point, the unyielding pressure even reportedly pushed him to attempting suicide at a central Tehran hotel. A few hours after his reported surrender to the police, Iran's state TV aired a few short videos showing Najafi drinking tea and chatting with the Tehran police chief. A TV reporter was also seen counting bullets from the magazine of the handgun allegedly used by the assailant. In yet another apparently edited video, Najafi briefly explained that a "dispute" with his wife had shaped his motive. The videos sparked reactions of anger and surprise. "The gun used in a murder is now held by a reporter, while the killer is sitting in the background drinking tea? Is this a circus or what?" tweeted one user. Adding to the mystery, conservative outlet Ensaf News claimed that the victim had scheduled an interview about her marriage on the very day of the murder. The website released screenshots of the victim's mobile phone chats with a reporter in which she is shown deciding to postpone the interview. Amid the torrent of unfolding details, a judicial source revealed that Najafi had left a note in his daughter's home, alleging that his wife had committed adultery and repeatedly declined his divorce requests. The complicated nature of the incident and the multiple controversies surrounding it have produced wildly diverse reactions. "Najafi was a psycho who married a second wife while he was in another marriage, repeatedly beating up his wife and stepson. He gently proved his love by emptying five bullets into his wife's body," one tweet read, referencing a claim by the victim's 13-year-old son, who accused Najafi of domestic violence. A debate has also raged over why Najafi and a host of other Iranian officials enjoy the right to possess firearms. In response, Tehran's police chief noted that Najafi's permit had expired in 2015, meaning he was in illegal possession of the gun used in the killing. While Reformist media outlets expressed shock at the "tragic end" of the veteran politician, others highlighted his political leanings. "Reform movement shot in the heart," announced hard-line Vatan Emrooz, drawing outrage from Reformists. Many argued that the case should not be dragged into political partisanship. "It is hard to digest the collapse of a man well known for his honesty. Those who jump to hasty judgements are void of compassion," wrote London-based journalist Masoud Behnoud. Given his highly regarded political and professional background, Najafi's story was compared with tragic Shakespearean heroes whose errors in judgment led to their downfall. In the weeks to come, speculation will continue as to what exactly pushed the respected mathematician to the edge. MAKHMOUR, Iraq The Iraqi Civil Defense announced May 28 that 136 fires had occurred in grain fields in the previous 18 days throughout various provinces, including 59 in Saladin, 17 in Kirkuk and 15 in Ninevah. The Islamic State took responsibility for 13 of them. Eight fires broke out in Kirkuk province on May 25, destroying crops. In the previous week alone, some 600 dunams of land planted with wheat and barley had been set alight by the militant group. The peshmerga atop Iraq's Qarachogh Mountains pointed at a blackened stretch of what up until a few hours before had been wheat fields. "The fire started at 11 this morning. I only caught sight of one terrorist" as he fled, the soldier told Al-Monitor as the wind whipped wildly and the sun bore down. "But there must have been more," he added. Grain fields have been set alight across Iraqi territory in recent weeks, with areas disputed between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) hit especially hard. Fires have been reported in Makhmour, areas in the Tuz Khormato district, Riyadh and other districts of the Kirkuk province, as well as Ninevah and Diyala. Across the border, Syrian crops in opposition-held areas have also been targeted, with the Islamic State (IS) boasting that it is behind the attacks and referring to them as "punishment." IS had threatened to set fields on fire in Iraq if farmers did not pay "protection money." An already suffering agricultural sector, investment and general security are now at risk. The first wave of fires set in May was in areas previously under peshmerga sector 6 commander Maj. Gen. Sirwan Barzani. In an interview at Black Tiger camp there on May 14, Barzani told Al-Monitor that "IS is like [it was] in 2012. Almost every day they conduct an attack, especially in Sunni areas." He said they have a great deal of "activity close to my front line, in the Makhmour area. It is mostly not on our side; it is on the Iraqi side." The difficulties of securing and monitoring areas containing several forces are especially clear in the disputed areas. Barzani noted that the Kurdish villages on the other side of the Qarachogh Mountains were "our front line" after they retook the area from IS in 2014 until October 16, 2017, when "they betrayed us" in Kirkuk. The "betrayal" the peshmerga commander was referring to was the taking of Kirkuk by Iraqi forces and the subsequent push into the area that had been under his control and has now been hit by arson. "So we had to go back behind the mountains," he said, and "our front line is now at the top of the mountains." "The problem is that whole area to Hawija, especially at night, is almost open to" IS, he noted, "and they have many tunnels and caves in the mountains." Two days before, he noted, IS had started to set fires in villages and fields after attempts to extort money from the inhabitants failed. He said that ''in some villages, the inhabitants have already left because [IS] came many times asking for 'taxes,' money and food.'' The villagers then "went to the Iraqi forces, but they said they could do nothing for them," Barzani added. Though some have long accused the Kurds of being too lenient on IS fighters and supporters including claiming that the KRG is a refuge for many who would be imprisoned elsewhere Barzani scoffs at the idea. The peshmerga suffered "11,000 wounded and 1,800 martyrs," he said, adding, "We lost 171" in the fighting in his sector. Some were killed after victory was announced against IS, he said, due to "the movement of IS between Qayyarah and Hawija and Ninevah." Barzani would like to see his troops back in the area across the mountains, and he claims this is the only way the problem will be solved. "The Iraqi government does not have enough forces," he said. But if an operation is conducted in the area, he said, "We can go back to our positions and control the area." "It means nothing if you lose peshmerga and then you dont control the flat area. IS will be back again after 24 hours," he said, stressing that he would not involve his men in operations in that area unless they could continue to hold it. Barzani said he sent his idea to send peshmerga forces back to the areas they left in late 2017 on the other side of the mountain to the coalition and "sent the report to the Ministry of Peshmerga." "We don't discuss it directly with Baghdad. The idea is to go through the Ministry of Peshmerga and the operations center of the coalition with the Ministry of Defense in Baghdad," he said. The mountains and nearby wide expanses with fields are problematic, he said. "In the villages, inhabitants will give information to us peshmerga. So it is safer than in open areas," he noted. Barzani claims the Iraqi central government has long been making it hard for peshmerga forces to operate properly, despite its battlefield successes against IS, by not paying the KRG its part of the budget though "the last four months they have started to send part of the salaries of the peshmerga." According to the constitution, he said, "The budget for training, weapons, salaries, etc., should come from Baghdad. This has never happened. Not in 12 years even during [the times of IS]. Sometimes, [even] the coalition sent weapons, and sometimes they would take [some] of these weapons and not send them to the peshmerga." "The entire world knows about the peshmerga now. Why? Because of the fight against IS," Barzani said, adding that Baghdad was "sending $125 million every month to Mosul during IS times. We asked them about the Kurdistan budget, and they said 'We don't have money.'" The KRG asked Baghdad why the money was being sent to the IS capital and received the response that it was ''because they are (officially) government employees." But they are working for IS, so they were IS employees,'' Barzani said, angrily, presuming that anyone who had stayed in those times could be assumed to have been helping IS in some way. Meanwhile, the KRG had "accepted 1.86 million internally displaced persons" from IS-held territory ''because they didn't want to stay there." "We said, so you have to pay the government salaries of those in IS territory even if they are working for IS because they are government employees. But what about the employees in the KRG? Who do they belong to? Aren't they Iraqis? Aren't they working in hospitals, in schools? So it was very clear who was fighting IS and who wasn't,'' Barzani said. Barzani said he was much more optimistic about the current government under Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi. Meanwhile, farmers continue to flee their homes and Iraqi crops burn. Luna Khalil Saliba debated at great length whether to share on Facebook what she and her fiance, Raid Ashkar, have been going through in their attempt to rent an apartment in Jerusalem. For months, they had been unable to find a place simply because they were Arabs. The final straw that led Saliba to tell all was a text message from a Jerusalem landlord that made her realize that even if they somehow managed to find a non-racist property owner, the neighbors might make their lives miserable. Hi. Your name tells me you are an Arab, the woman wrote. I have no problem with it. On the contrary. I am in favor of encouraging ties between Jews and Arabs. However, I once had two Arab tenants and the neighbors really abused them. Friends of Saliba from Israel Army Radio, where she served military duty as a producer, urged her to expose the attitude of Israelis toward two Arab citizens who have swam courageously against the tide only to realize that even an army uniform does not grant Arabs entry into Israels increasingly radicalized society. Members of Israels Arab minority are not required to serve in the military, unlike their Jewish peers, but a few volunteer for duty. The landlord above possibly had no idea that Saliba had just completed a full two years of military service and that her husband-to-be continues to serve in the Border Police. She may have even watched Ashkars proposal to Saliba, which generated nationwide coverage on social media. On the day Ashkar proposed in March 2018, Saliba had gone to Jerusalems Mount Herzl in uniform to interview the commander in charge of the annual Independence Day ceremony, which honors distinguished Israelis in a torch lighting event. Raid was one of 70 flag bearers chosen to march in this important ceremony, Saliba told Al-Monitor, describing the rehearsal she attended prior to the event. They marched in all sorts of formations that suddenly spelled out the words, Luna, will you marry me? It took me a few minutes to realize this was a proposal. Raid explained that he felt he was part of a very special occasion, 70 years of our states independence, and he decided this was the right moment to ask for my hand after eight years of [dating]. An entire country was swept up in the proposal and the love story of two soldiers who chose to enlist in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), becoming part of the peoples army. These days, Saliba describes the anguish she has since experienced. A year after ending my service in 2018, we are looking for an apartment in our state, but this time we are not in uniform, she wrote on Facebook. Like every young couple, we want to set up a home in Israel, to live together, to study and live in the capital, Jerusalem the place where my fiance has been working for three years as a Border Police officer. However, this time, when people hear him talk, they dont shed a tear of excitement and dont clap with joy. This time, they stutter and try to avoid answering a simple question: Is the flat still available? Let me cut to the chase. It is not. Not if the caller has an Arab accent when speaking Hebrew. With an Arab accent, almost every apartment is miraculously unavailable. Salibas post went viral and generated reactions of every kind. Some expressed shame at the racism Saliba and Ashkar have experienced and offered to help. People opened their private homes to us and offered to help us find a place, she told Al-Monitor. Most of the suggestions were not useful because we need an apartment in Jerusalem, where Raid works. The reactions of another kind included, They [Israelis] said we were moaners, that Arabs will always be Arabs, that Arab workers often kill their [Jewish] employers, so we have to stop complaining [about discrimination]. There were also those in the Arab community who expressed glee at the couple's difficulties and criticized them for having chosen the wrong side, opting to enlist in the IDF to acquire full civil rights, and then being slapped in the face. I am from Shfaram. Everyone thinks its a village, but no, its a town like all Israeli towns, Saliba explained, revealing the ignorance of Jewish Israelis. We are both Catholic Christians. We have loved each other since childhood. We both did the most patriotic thing possible by volunteering to serve in the IDF. We decided to move out of our bubble and become part of the state. We did so with all our heart, as a matter of principle and out of a real desire to affect change, a change starting with us. We experienced all the difficulties, the mean reactions and the eye rolling in the Arab sector. Then I had to tell everyone that we cannot even rent an apartment. I feel a sense of defeat. After all, I kept encouraging people to take a step into Israeli society and become a part of it in many respects, not only in the army but in everything else, and suddenly I come and complain that we have been given the cold shoulder. Saliba and Ashkars experience is not unusual. In 2010, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, spiritual leader of the ultra-Orthodox Shas, said preference should be given to Jews seeking to buy land or rent an apartment. That same year, some 50 municipal rabbis, citing Jewish law, issued a strict ban on the sale or rental of apartments and land in Israel to non-Jews. Incitement against Israeli Arabs has since grown, and fear-mongering campaigns by politicians on the right, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have become routine. In addition, the Nationality Law (2018) enshrined the establishment of Jewish communities as a national value, so who can blame Jewish Israeli property owners for discriminating against Arabs when they constantly hear warnings about Arabs? In August 2017, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel demanded that the Justice Ministry, headed by the right-wing Ayelet Shaked, issue guidelines for realtors to avoid discriminating against clients on the basis of their origins. On May 25, while Saliba was being interview by Al-Monitor, the Likud condemned organizers of an opposition-led protest in Tel Aviv for allowing Knesset member Ayman Odeh, chair of the Israeli Arab Raam-Taal faction, to address the crowd. The terror supporter Ayman Odeh delivers a speech with the blessing of [Yair] Lapid and [Benny] Gantz, Israel's ruling party stated, referring to the heads of the Blue and White in yet another racist message aimed at Jewish public opinion. In other words, as far as the Likud is concerned, Arabs if not all then at least most of them support terrorism as do their elected officials in the Knesset. Saliba and Ashkar will probably find an apartment soon. They are getting married this summer. This fall, she will start undergraduate studies in international relations and environmental sciences at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Ashkar will continue his defense-related work in the volatile capital. Going forward, it will be interesting to see what affects their integration into Israeli society more the uniform that Ashkar puts on when he goes to work or the couple's names and the accent that exposes their origins. The participation of Hadash-Taal party leader Ayman Odeh in the opposition parties May 25 anti-government rally in Tel Aviv got off on the wrong foot, but it ended with hope. Knesset member Ofer Shelah of Blue and White, the rally organizer, invited Odeh to address the event. Odeh answered in the affirmative several days later, only to be told the list of speakers was already closed. It turned out that between the time the invitation was first issued, about two weeks before the event, and the time of Odehs response, Blue and White members affiliated with the right wing (such as former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon and two former aides to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Zvi Hauser and Yoaz Hendel) mounted a mini-revolt. They argued that Odehs participation, as head of an Arab party, would be detrimental and thwart future prospects of garnering right-wing voter support for Blue and White. In the ensuing uproar, the political left argued that, paradoxically, while the opposition was mobilizing to defend Israels democracy, it was pushing away Arab citizens, who constitute a 21% minority. In the campaign leading up to the April 9 general elections, leaders of Blue and White, which was established prior to the elections to take down Netanyahu, avoided all contact with the Arab parties. The leadership believed that if the party portrayed itself as neither left nor right, it would increase the odds of garnering support from moderate voters on the political right and achieve victory. In that regard, they saw Odeh as a red flag. Netanyahu, as usual, whipped up fear among his rivals, using his campaign to warn against his rivals alleged plot to cooperate with the Arab parties, as if they were an enemy threatening Israels security and well-being. The centrist Blue and White, as well as Labor chair Avi Gabbay, fell into the same trap. They steered clear of the major Arab faction, not to mention the smaller, more militant Balad-Raam faction, and the results were not long coming. Only the left-wing, Zionist Meretz party attracted Arab voters, who enabled it to obtain sufficient votes to get into the Knesset. On the other hand, those fleeing the Arabs failed, as reflected in the results. The public uproar and pressure on Blue and White chair Benny Gantz over Odehs apparent exclusion from the opposition rally saved the day. Several hours before the protest, Gantz himself called Odeh and invited him to speak. Odeh accepted at once. He realized this was not the time for grandstanding and ego wars. Data compiled by one of Israels mobile phone providers indicates that some 50,000 people took part in the demonstration. Odeh spoke and, surprisingly, the sky did not fall. The crowd clapped enthusiastically, and he shook hands with many of those present after leaving the stage. This is what a united struggle by the opposition against government moves led by Netanyahu and his emissaries to trample Israeli democracy should look like. In an interview with Al-Monitor, Knesset member Odeh reveals that he initiated a meeting with Gantz about two weeks ago (before the rally was actually scheduled), and discussed with him future cooperation within the framework of the parliamentary opposition that Gantz heads. In fact, that meeting paved the way for Odehs invitation to address the Tel Aviv protest. We had a serious meeting, Odeh said. The things that were said, both in agreement and disagreement, influenced the next moves. We discussed cooperation, saying we had to work together to legitimize Israels Arab population. For the Arabs to feel they belong, their leadership must be recognized as legitimate and treated accordingly. However, not all was smooth sailing. Blue and White Knesset members Hendel and Hauser decided to boycott the event in light of Odehs participation. Knesset member Yaalon took the stage to speak but backed his colleagues and claimed Odehs inclusion on the speakers list kept Likud supporters away. Blue and White espouses a Jewish and democratic State of Israel, he tweeted. We have a serious dispute with Ayman Odeh regarding the Jewishness the protest focused on democracy and on that issue there is no argument with Odeh. Being a man of integrity, Yaalon could not ignore the Likud partys outspoken reaction to Odehs participation: "Terrorist supporter Ayman Odeh speaks with the blessing of Lapid and Gantz, the party stated, referring to Blue and White co-chair Yair Lapid. Treating all Arabs as terrorists is part of the problem, Yaalon tweeted in response. I would outlaw the Balad party of [former Knesset member Azmi] Bishara and [former Knesset members Basel] Ghattas and Hanin Zoabi over their support for terrorism, but I also commanded Arab soldiers in the army and have visited bereaved Arab families. Netanyahu is willing to bring it all down in flames in order to survive. Yaalon had touched on the central issue that led Gantz to meet with Odeh in a bid to find common ground. The Arab Joint List party that Odeh headed in the previous Knesset fell apart prior to the April elections. As a result, Balad and Raam ran jointly whereas Hadash, under Odehs leadership, joined the Taal party of Knesset member Ahmad Tibi. Gantz and probably Lapid found it easier to stand side by side with Odeh on the same stage at the rally, given his separation from the provocative lawmakers of Balad, who espouse an Israeli state of all its citizens, not just of the Jews. Odeh does not deny that without Balad, Hadash-Taal would find it easier to partner with Israels center-left Jewish parties, but he is careful not to provide ammunition to those claiming Balad supports terrorism. Undoubtedly there were tough arguments with Balad, he said. Nonetheless, I do not share in its delegitimization and I will fight for its rights. When he read his speech at the Tel Aviv Museum plaza, Knesset member Odeh weighed every word, syllable and comma. For him, this was an opportunity to highlight what Jews and Arab have in common and to breach the wall of delegitimization by right-wing and centrist parties he has experienced since being elected Hadash party chair five years ago. We Arab citizens may not be able to do it alone, but without us, it is impossible, Odeh said in his speech. This struggle is intertwined with peace, equality, social justice. It demands partnership between courageous leaders. I am willing [to have] such a partnership in order to bring about change. Odeh told Al-Monitor that he aspired to say things that are true and for this not to be my last speech with them, but my first. I did not want Gantz to say afterward, Thats it. We can no longer be together. I wanted this to have a follow-up. Gantz called Odeh after the demonstration to congratulate him on his speech and the two agreed to continue this successful experiment. I asked Odeh whether he thinks Gantz and his senior party colleagues would revert to their past behavior and cut off all ties with him if elections are held once again later this year. They can no longer do so, he answered. After what happened on Saturday, the die has been cast. From now on, what is needed is a courageous partnership between true leaders. The protest organized by opposition parties in the Tel Aviv Museum Plaza on May 25 was impressive. According to data compiled by one of the cellphone service providers, over 50,000 Israelis came to protest the plot by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his associates to undermine the states democratic foundations. The speeches delivered by leaders of the Blue and White, Labor and Meretz parties, and by the head of the Arab Hadash-Taal list, were also impressive. At the same time, the incitement against the countrys courts as reflected in several unbridled legislative proposals being promoted by Netanyahu and his allies has brought quite a few guardians of democracy out of their ivory towers. Supreme Court Chief Justice Esther Hayut took off her gloves. Retired judges lashed out at the proposed Override Clause that would allow the Knesset to override Supreme Court rulings and limit its authority. Philanthropists threatened to withhold funding for public institutions. Academics announced that they would start their classes with lectures on the meaning and importance of democracy. Pundits called for popular revolt and even for mass legal violations. We have not witnessed such widespread public uproar since the trauma of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabins Nov. 4, 1995, assassination. Then, too, tens of thousands took to city squares in protest. Then, too, it appeared that the anxiety over the fate of Israeli democracy would alienate Israelis from every politician and party identified, even remotely, with the radical nationalist camp that raised the assassin, Yigal Amir. Polls conducted at the time indicated that Rabins Labor party was recovering from the blows it sustained in the wake of a wave of suicide bombings, which intensified after the February 1994 assassination of Muslim worshippers in the West Bank town of Hebron in the Cave of the Patriarchs by an Israeli settler. Several months later, on May 29, 1996, exactly 23 years ago, Netanyahu kicked out Rabins temporary successor, Shimon Peres, from the Prime Ministers Office in a hotly contested election. The elections of April 9 did not topple Netanyahu. The assumption/hope that the severe pending indictments hanging over Netanyahus head would remove him from office and result in a regime change proved unfounded. Still, Netanyahu faced obstacles on his way to composing a government. Thus, he started promoting a bill for dissolving the Knesset and holding snap elections. On May 27, Netanyahu sent his new henchman, Knesset member Miki Zohar, to table a resolution dispersing the Knesset the proposal was adopted by the Knesset at a first hearing. Head of the main Blue and White opposition party Benny Gantz demanded that President Reuven Rivlin entrust him instead with forming Israels next government given that Netanyahu had failed in his efforts to do so since the elections. Netanyahu insists on holding on to his seat at any cost; he is the only obstacle to forming a national consensus government that can truly take care of all citizens, Gantz said. If the Likud replaces Netanyahu as its leader, he added, Such a government could be formed in an instant. His party co-chair, Knesset member Yair Lapid, declared, too, a unity government without Netanyahu is possible and needed. That is what Israel needs. Really? Is Netanyahu the only obstacle standing in the way of Blue and Whites and the Likuds march to the altar? Lets say that Netanyahu's rival within the Likud, Gideon Saar, manages to persuade a majority of Likud Central Committee members to depose Netanyahu. Or, let us imagine that Netanyahu decides to recuse himself and vacates his chair to an alternative leader designated by the Likud Central Committee as the partys candidate to form the next government. But prior to establishing a national consensus government or a national unity government, as it is more often referred to, coalition partners should reach an agreement regarding several basic principles and guidelines. Take, for example, the racist 2018 Nationality Law. The Blue and White platform commits the party to ground the value of equality in a Basic Law, a reference to Israels quasi-constitutional set of laws. Will the Likud lend a hand to a law stipulating that Israels Arab citizens enjoy the same standing as its Jewish ones? Even within the so-called centrist Blue and White Knesset faction, there is disagreement over the need to amend the laws injustice toward the Arab minority. Knesset member Zvi Hauser, one of Blue and Whites hard-liners, was instrumental in formulating the bill at the time. Together with his fellow party member Yoaz Hendel, he refused to attend the anti-government rally on May 25 to protest the invitation extended by his party colleagues to Knesset member Ayman Odeh (head of the Arab Hadash-Taal list) to address the event. The Arab representative was invited at the last minute despite the objections of senior party members chief among them former Likud Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon. The latter claimed he knew of Likud supporters making their way to the rally who turned around and went home when they heard the Arab lawmaker would be among the speakers. On another issue, Blue and White pledged to enshrine civil partnerships Israels version of civil marriage, also between same-sex partners into law, bypassing Israels legally binding religious marriages, to enable any citizen seeking to do so to choose to anchor his partnership according to his views. Will the Likud agree to violate its political partnership with the religious and ultra-Orthodox parties that categorically object to the civil partnership and replace the so-called natural partners it has in its pocket with temporary ones who could make its life miserable? New snap elections also do not augur well for the center-left camp and for the prospects of restarting peace negotiations with the Palestinians. The monthly Peace Index survey published this week by the Israel Democracy Institute indicates that 60% of Jewish Israelis believe Israels international standing has improved during the Netanyahu decade. Even most of those who support centrist parties (57%) are satisfied with Israels relationship with important countries, chief among them the United States, India and Germany, under Likud rule. Despite the decline noted in the May Peace Index compared to the previous months survey, most Israelis (51%) display optimism regarding Israels national security. A similar rate believes Israels democracy is not under threat. Netanyahus departure from political life is a prerequisite for the salvation of Israels democracy. Still, this condition is certainly insufficient to launch a recovery plan for the relationship with Israels Arab minority nor for the promotion of a peace arrangement with the Arabs across the fence the Palestinians and those in Arab states. In the next elections, with or without Netanyahu, the right could increase its power significantly. It lost some 330,000 votes (equal to 10 Knesset seats) garnered by parties that failed to pass the four Knesset seat electoral threshold (voters of the New Right, Gesher and Zehut parties). On April 9, more than 2.4 million Israelis voted for parties aligned with the political right and the ultra-Orthodox, compared with 1.66 million who voted for centrist and leftist parties including the Arab ones. Barring a substantive shift in this balance of power, an end to Israels conflict with its neighbors and with democratic values will remain an illusion. GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip As Likud leader and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu struggled this week to form a new government, offering and considering controversial deals to bring together an alliance and avoid new elections, one of the less visible issues on the table is of great importance to the Palestinians. The Likud Party, winner of the April 9 Israeli parliamentary elections, wants to expand the powers of Israeli government ministries in the West Bank at the expense of the civil administration. Some see this as a step toward Netanyahu fulfilling his promise to annex West Bank settlements if he won the election and retained his post. Expanding the powers of ministries is one demand of a right-wing coalition Netanyahu needs to form the new government, and would be a complete abolition of the civil administrations role in civil life in West Bank settlements, leaving it to manage the lives of the Palestinians only. The civil administration is an Israeli governing body in the West Bank affiliated with the Israeli army. It was established in 1981 as an alternative to straight Israeli military rule over the Palestinian territories, and it coordinates civil affairs between the Palestinians and Israel. It also handles transportation, communications and agriculture in the West Bank, while other sectors such as health, education and welfare are carried out directly by Israeli ministries. Wasel Abu Youssef, member of the PLO Executive Committee in the West Bank, told Al-Monitor, Expanding the powers of the Israeli ministries at the expense of the civil administration is an attempt to impose occupation and establish it in the West Bank, to end the [idea of a] two-state solution and prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state, which falls within the framework of denying the Palestinian people their rights to freedom and independence. He added, These efforts mean practically annexing parts of the West Bank to Israel. Unfortunately, this comes with the blessing of the administration of US President Donald Trump, who doesn't recognize the option of a two-state solution and gives Israel the green light to do whatever it wants in the West Bank. Abu Youssef isn't alone in his prediction that Trump's agenda for a settlement between the Palestinians and Israel doesn't include a separate, fully sovereign Palestinian state. Sources familiar with the plan's main elements told The Washington Post on April 14 that the plan links peace and economic development to Arab recognition of Israel and acceptance of a version of the status quo on Palestinian autonomy, as opposed to sovereignty. Abu Youssef said there is Palestinian consensus to reject the US plan to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict through economic means and promote normalization between Arab countries and Israel. Rights cannot be traded in for money," he said. On May 22, the PLO officially announced it will boycott the Bahrain economic conference to be held in late June, which was proposed by the US administration and will focus on the economic aspect of the White House peace plan. With a friend [Trump] as the US president, Israel has achieved all the strategic ambitions that deny the rights of others, such as the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, which came in a US decision on Dec. 6, 2017, and the recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights on March 25, and now new endeavors to annex West Bank settlements as well, Abu Youssef noted. He stressed that the Palestinian Authority [PA] will insist on adhering to international law as the criterion and basis for any political solution with Israel. Walid Assaf, head of the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, told Al-Monitor, The efforts to transfer the powers of the civil administration to the Israeli ministries directly mean the annexation of the West Bank settlements to Israel. This will lead to annexing Area C which amounts to over 60% of the entire area of the West Bank to Israeli sovereignty. He noted that annexation would disrupt communication between Palestinian villages and cities. He expects Israel to annex more Palestinian land to expand its settlements and create more roads to connect them at the expense of Palestinian land and encourage further settler attacks against the Palestinians and their properties and farms in Area C. According to the latest data, published Jan. 28 by BTselem - Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, the number of Israeli settlements throughout the West Bank had reached 250 by the end of 2017. Annexing West Bank settlements to Israel would pave the way for Israel to perpetuate a policy of ethnic cleansing against the Palestinians, and this will push the Palestinians in Area C to migrate to PA-controlled Areas A and B, Assaf said. He pointed out that in late April, the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission presented the Palestinian government with a plan to boost the determination of the Palestinians in Area C and to address all of Israels efforts there, noting that the government is currently considering this plan and will adopt it soon. This plan is based on three axes: first, to intensify legal follow-up at the international level for all decisions made by Israel to annex land from the West Bank; second, to strengthen the steadfastness of the citizens in these areas by providing financial and logistical support for the survival of farmers on their land; and third, to improve geographical communication between villages and towns in Area C, Assaf said. In addition, the PA is pursuing political action to extract and follow up on international resolutions condemning the settlements and demanding that Israel ends such practices, he noted. For example, UN Security Council Resolution 2334 of December 2016 condemns Israeli measures to bring about demographic change in the Palestinian territories occupied in 1967, including East Jerusalem. Hanna Issa, an international law professor at Al-Quds University in Abu Dis, told Al-Monitor, The Israeli occupation has always been there. It is essential that the Palestinian territories [including the Israeli settlements] remain administered through the civil administration of the Israeli army [in cooperation with the Palestinians] until this occupation ends. He noted, Limiting the powers of this administration and giving its responsibilities to the Israeli ministries is a dangerous step aimed at annexing occupied areas under international law. Issa pointed out that this step is a direct violation of Security Council resolutions 242 of 1967 and 338 of 1973, stating that all Palestinian territories Israel took over in 1967 are illegally occupied, including East Jerusalem. Jordan has yet to respond to a joint US-Bahraini invitation to attend a two-day workshop in Manama on June 25 and 26 that will focus on the economic aspect of the White House's plan to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict even though it has been 10 days since the invitation was made public May 19. On May 29, Trump senior adviser Jared Kushner and US special envoy to the Middle East Jason Greenblatt met with King Abdullah in Amman. Their tour, which included Morocco and Israel, focused on soliciting support for the planned Bahrain meeting. So far only Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar have announced that they will attend the event. Egypt is expected to announce its position soon. The Palestinians have refused to participate in the event and on May 26, PLO Secretary-General Saeb Erikat called on Arab states that have committed to attend the Bahrain economic workshop to revisit their decision. A royal court statement said the meeting with Kushner and Greenblatt covered the latest regional developments, especially efforts to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. It added, King Abdullah stressed the need to step up all efforts to achieve comprehensive and lasting peace on the basis of the two-state solution, guaranteeing the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 4 June 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital, living side by side with Israel in peace and security, in accordance with international law and relevant UN resolutions. Pressure, both domestic and regional, is mounting on Abdullah to take a stand on the workshop. On May 27, the Royal Court announced that the king had received a call from King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain during which discussions "covered current regional developments and efforts to reach political solutions to regional crises." While there was no specific mention of the Bahrain workshop, Al-Monitor has learned that a special envoy of the Bahrain monarch was in Amman on May 28 on an announced visit, during which he met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi. A source told Al-Monitor that Abbas reiterated his refusal to attend the Bahrain event. Public rejection of Trump's so-called "deal of the century" has been building for months in Jordan. But in recent weeks, Abdullah has ratcheted up his rejection of any settlement to the Palestinian issue that deviates from the two-state solution which calls for a Palestinian state to be set up in the West Bank and Gaza with East Jerusalem as its capital. On the eve of Kushner's visit to Jordan, hundreds of protesters staged a sit-in close to the US Embassy in Amman responding to a call by the country's Islamic Movement a day earlier. And a number of Jordanian columnists had called on the government to boycott the Bahrain workshop, which they saw as an attempt to sell out the Palestinian cause. Writing in The Jordan Times on May 27, political commentator Hassan Barari said Palestinians "are not oblivious to the fact that US President Donald Trump's administration has already fulfilled some aspects of the [proposed pace] plan. Over the last year, the US recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital, transferred the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and tried to defund UNRWA. By doing so, the US is no longer an impartial mediator." UNRWA is the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Barari went on to say, "It is not in the best interest of Jordan to attend Bahrain's workshop. Without an Israeli commitment to the establishment of a Palestinian state and a US guarantee that Israel will uphold this commitment, the workshop is a tactic to outfox the Arabs and to have them concede to Israel." The question that pundits here are asking is how the king can justify Jordan's participation in the Bahrain event after rejecting Trump's unilateral moves on Jerusalem and the UNRWA and mobilizing his citizens to confront any plans that seek to settle Palestinian refugees or turn Jordan into an alternative homeland for the Palestinians. The only vague reference to the Manama meeting came from Safadi on May 28 during a call with his Irish counterpart, Simon Coveney, in which the Jordanian foreign minister was quoted as saying that no economic offer can substitute for a comprehensive political plan to execute the two-state solution. But political commentator Maher Abu Tair says Amman cannot afford to miss the Bahrain meeting. Writing in Al-Ghad daily May 23, he said that despite the embarrassment that Jordan will feel by attending when the Palestinians are not, the kingdom can ill afford to antagonize Washington. Moreover, he said that joining the workshop does not mean that Jordan will embrace the political part of the peace plan once it is disclosed. Observers here believe that Jordan is postponing its response to the Manama invite until after the Mecca Arab and Islamic summits that Saudi Arabia had called for to be held May 30-31. There is hope here that a lukewarm reception to the US-Bahraini meeting may convince Kushner to postpone the event until further notice. One factor that may contribute to this is Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu's drive to dissolve the Knesset and hold snap elections in September after failing to form a coalition government. Another view here believes that Amman is trying to tie its attendance of the workshop to a Gulf commitment to support the cash-strapped kingdom financially. Jordan has requested that a Saudi-United Arab Emirates deposit in the Central Bank be turned into a long-term soft loan to support Jordan's ailing treasury. Oraib al-Rantawi, a political commentator and head of Al-Quds Center for Political Studies, told Al-Monitor that Arab states that claim to reject the political side of the US plan cannot justify their attendance of a conference that aims, under economic excuses, to liquidate the Palestinian cause. "Once these countries embrace the economic part of the deal. they will not be able to backtrack when the political component is revealed. ... It is a one-way road," he said. When it became clear that President Mahmoud Abbas would choose him to be the eighth Palestinian prime minister, Mohammad Shtayyeh huddled around him some of the top Palestinian economists and political experts to plan how to deal with the looming financial crisis. We all know the depth of the financial crisis, and we are familiar with the various options that are available, said a source who huddled with Shtayyeh and asked not to be identified. The choices ranged from a call for a total boycott of Israeli products and a call on Palestinians not to work in Israel, to acquiescing to Israeli and American dictates, said the source, a businessman who was active in the first intifada. In the end, a middle of the road decision was taken: An immediate end of referrals to Israeli hospitals will be instituted, while the more radical decision of boycotting Israeli products and worker no-shows would be postponed till later, he added. Sure enough, a decision was made to end all medical referrals and instead the sick would be referred to Palestinian hospitals or to nearby advanced medical facilities in Jordan and Egypt. The Palestinian Ministry of Health announced the decision March 26, saying the reason behind it was Israels refusal to hand over the entire monthly tax and custom fees collected on behalf of Palestinians as part of the 1994 Paris Economic Protocols. The Palestinian government on May 2 refused to accept truncated funds collected by Israel for taxes and customs on products earmarked to the Palestinian territories in accordance with the 1994 Paris Protocol. This makes May the third month in which the Palestinians have not received funds due to it. The Palestinian government collects $138 million annually in taxes collected by Israel this was stopped Feb. 17. An Israeli decision was made to deduct the amount of money the Palestinian government pays to families of prisoners and martyrs from the monthly monies due to the Palestinian government. In return, Ramallah decided not to receive any money until the Israeli side agrees to abide by the Paris agreement, which allows Israel to deduct a 3% service charge only. Monies to pay for referrals to Israeli hospitals were deducted from those monies as well. It is not clear how much the decision will affect Israeli hospitals. Al-Monitor sought information from Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem but was unable to receive any answer as to the amount of loss the decision has caused. No information was available from Palestinian or Jordanian sources, as the new procedure has not yet been finalized in contract form. Osama al-Najjar, spokesman for the Palestinian Ministry of Health, told Al-Monitor that referrals to Israeli hospitals cost the Palestinian treasury a whopping $100 million a year. We took the decision without a written agreement with either the Jordanian government or the hospitals in those countries, knowing full well that this would come later, Najjar said. One adjustment had to be made quickly: The Palestinian government decided not to cut off individuals who had already been referred to Israeli hospitals. We decided that the government ban will apply only for new referrals and will not apply to the sick already receiving care in Israeli hospitals, Najjar explained. One of the first problems the Palestinian government had to take care of was to bolster hospitals in East Jerusalem. For the Shtayyeh government, the decision was both politically important and much more practical than sending patients and their families across the bridge to Jordan. After some initial meetings with new Palestinian Minister of Jerusalem Affairs Fadi Hidmi whose father was a long-time head of the Makassed Hospital in East Jerusalem the Shtayyeh government approved May 9 a decision to increase the monthly support from the general budget to Palestinian hospitals in Jerusalem to 9 million shekels ($2.5 million). The Palestinian government has tried to regularly cover the cost of patients being transferred to Jerusalem hospitals, but those funds were usually less than the real cost of care. Jerusalem hospitals were caught off guard when the Donald Trump administration unilaterally stopped all US aid grants to Jerusalem hospitals to the tune of $25 million back in September 2018. Najjar said the decision to medically disengage from Israel is going well. [So far], it is going well. We have not yet signed any contracts with Jordan and Egypt, but they are helping us nevertheless based on verbal agreements, and they are accepting all the patients that the ministry is sending them. However, we hope that contracts will be signed sometime after Eid al-Fitr [the end of the month of Ramadan]. People are happy the service is moving well, Najjar said, adding, We have instituted major changes to cut waiting time for a referral decision to be made from more than two weeks in the past to no less than three days now. Dr. Daniel Shanit, a telemedicine specialist who was medical director at the Peres Center for Peace, told Al-Monitor that what the Palestinian government did recently is understandable, but it will cause pain to many Palestinians in need of high-quality medical help. Considering the current policies of the Israeli government and the often-despicable inhumane behavior of its agencies, one may understand the knee-jerk decision of the Palestinian Authority (PA). However, turning civilians, and in particular, children, [into] hostages of evil government decisions is indeed unacceptable and will only achieve more pain and hardship, said Shanit. Shanit, who was instrumental in setting up and helping fundraise for the children's cancer center at the Augusta Victoria Hospital in East Jerusalem, said it is essential that politicians omit the most vulnerable elements of society from the ongoing equation of conflict management. In parallel, it is essential that the PA invests in securing its independent, quality clinical services through training specialists. Again, that option of training in Israel has always been available in Israel but unfortunately has never been exploited enough, Shanit said. Palestinian Ministry of Health hospitals amount to 66 seven of which are in Jerusalem, 49 in the West Bank and 10 in Gaza. Ministry of Health employees amount to 13,737, including 2,509 doctors, 4,205 nurses, 1,607 assistants and 5,416 administrative officers. There is no doubt that vulnerable Palestinians, especially children, are caught in a political struggle they have nothing to do with. While the decision to divorce from Israeli hospitals makes political and economic sense, it will cause hardship and pain, especially in the short term. For this decision to be effective, Palestinians and their allies must step up and invest heavily both financially and in training to ensure that Palestinian hospitals can carry the load and treat people where they live rather than force them to cross borders and go through humiliating security processes. RAMALLAH, West Bank The Palestinian government appears to have a clear vision to promote its economy, though it remains to be seen whether the plan which involves disengaging from Israel and achieving sustainable development is viable. The Palestinian National Group for Economic Development held its first meeting May 14 in Ramallah, chaired by Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh. The economic group undertakes to promote the country in the spirit of partnership, in accordance with the directives of President Mahmoud Abbas, to strengthen the productive sectors as much as possible and focus on industry and agriculture, to give [locally made products] the attention they deserve, Shtayyeh said, launching the meeting. The group consists of experts and officials in various economic fields from the public and private sectors. Minister of Social Affairs Ahmad Majdalani, a member of the group, told Al-Monitor it aims to promote the national economy by establishing independence from Israel using a comprehensive development vision and an economic plan based on dividing Palestinian governorates into specific investment and production areas. For example, he explained, the governorates of Nablus and Hebron were identified as industrial clusters, Bethlehem and Jerusalem as tourist clusters, and the northern West Bank governorates such as Jenin, Tulkarm, Qalqilya and Tubas were designated agricultural clusters. We have a clear plan, and we began with the government's decision to stop medical referrals to Israeli hospitals. There are steps under study such as importing electricity and fuel from Jordan and promoting solar energy as one of the sources of electricity in Palestine, Majdalani said. We are gradually embarking on the disengagement process because we need to ensure available alternatives both locally and abroad in every step we take in this regard. Majdalani noted that the PLO made the political decision to separate itself economically from Israel, and it is the governments responsibility to find ways to do it. In March 2015, the PLO Central Council decided to define the relationship with Israel both politically and economically and to stop security coordination. It then remade that same decision on Oct. 29, 2018. The decision was never implemented. The group will meet monthly. In June, it will focus on how to promote and strengthen local products, a member of the group told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. The group will have the task of formulating economic policies and strategies that will help the government make progress in the economy, which is suffering a lot because of Israel's control over the crossings and Area C" in the West Bank, the source said. During the first meeting, the group focused on brainstorming about its plan of action for the coming period. It discussed the files to be addressed, most notably promoting local products, providing job opportunities to reduce unemployment, improving exports, and stimulating the economy to raise productivity in quantity and quality," the source said, adding, No one can say we're capable of cutting Israel off just like that, especially in light of the commitment to the Oslo Accord and the Paris Economic Protocol." He continued, Yet there are certain steps being taken to become independent in many fields, particularly in terms of energy by importing from Jordan." The source noted there will be a reciprocal agreement with Israel on allowing products and goods into each other's market. Forming the national group falls in line with the government's 100-day, $245 million plan, which Shtayyeh announced during his May 20 Cabinet meeting. He noted this plan seeks to promote tourism and industrial and agricultural production, reduce unemployment, fight poverty, establish industrial cities and create pilot projects. Shtayyeh stressed during the Cabinet meeting that the plan is based on gradually pulling away from Israel economically and achieving self-reliance, through several means, some of which are already in motion, such as transferring patients to Palestinian, Jordanian or Arab hospitals instead of Israel's; boosting local products by focusing on industrial cities and providing infrastructure; increasing investment in clean energy; and re-examining the structure of the electricity sector. Meanwhile, Amjad Ghanem, secretary-general of the Palestinian Cabinet, told Al-Monitor the national group will encourage investment in Palestine, improve the business climate, pass legislation "to provide incentives and facilitate the establishment and management of business in Palestine, as well as work to open foreign markets." He added, We are training a team of trade attaches and economists who will join the embassies of Palestine in the countries with which we have commercial relations, to increase the reach of Palestinian products such as in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Malaysia and Indonesia all the while focusing on improving the quality of local products. One of the most important issues on the group's agenda, he said, is supporting and increasing the number of industrial zones to provide the infrastructure necessary for economic development. Members of the group are Finance Minister Shukri Bishara, Minister of Local Government Majdi al-Salih, Minister of Agriculture Riad Attari, Minister of Economy Khalid Al-Assaily, head of the Palestinian Economic Council for Development and Reconstruction Mohammed Abu Awad, Palestinian Monetary Authority Gov. Azzam Shawa and Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics President Ola Awad. Other members include the chairmen of the Federation of Palestinian Chambers of Commerce, Omar Hashem; Palestinian Businessmen Association, Osama Amro; Palestine Trade Center, Arafat Abu Sneineh; Palestinian Food Industries Union, Bassam Walweel; Association of Banks in Palestine, Maher Masri; and Palestinian Investment Fund, Mohammad Mustafa. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani signaled that talks with the United States might be possible if Washington lifted sanctions. Whenever they lift the unjust sanctions and fulfill their commitments and return to the negotiations table, which they left themselves, the door is not closed," the Iranian president said in remarks carried by state television. But our people judge you by your actions, not your words," Reuters cited Rouhani as saying. The U.S. withdrew last year from a 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran, and is ratcheting up sanctions in efforts to shut down Irans economy by ending its international sales of crude oil. The Donald Trump administration is worried that weapons carrying the Made in China label are becoming ubiquitous on Middle East battlefields, a Pentagon report revealed earlier this month. In increasing numbers, traditional US allies are turning to Beijing for technologies that the United States is constrained from exporting as a signatory of international arms control treaties. The Pentagon is increasingly concerned that Chinas growing arms sales give the country more clout to secure an economic and military foothold and relationships with US allies in a region where defense officials often control the purse strings. "It's potentially a tool for them to develop closer defense and military ties, particularly for future access, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Affairs Randall Schriver told Al-Monitor at a recent Pentagon briefing. China is less disciplined, and so there's a proliferation risk as well to regimes that we would regard as not necessarily responsible. The Pentagon said China rang up $10 billion in weapons sales from Middle East customers from 2013 to 2017. The country faces little competition for armed drone sales in Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates because of US membership in a handful of weapons-control regimes. As Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have expanded their military presence into the Red Sea and Africa, Chinese-made drones have become a pervasive indicator of their reach, with UAE-piloted Wing Loong II drones spotted flying over the Libyan capital of Tripoli in recent days. In Yemen, the Iran-backed Houthis have had some luck shooting down the Beijing-built drones, cutting down four so far in 2019, according to raccording to reports. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has sought to facilitate the sale of armed drones, floating a white paper obtained by Defense News that would make it easier for the State Department to license the sale of the weapons. The proposal would potentially allowing deals for aircraft that travel slower than about 400 miles per hour. But the White House's recent arms exports reforms stopped short of including that provision. Requests from Jordan and the UAE to buy armed Predator drones appear to have stalled, even as the White House invoked security threats from Iran to go around lawmakers to provide several billion dollars worth of munitions sales to the UAE and Saudi Arabia last week. Congressional pushback and human rights vetting, a permanent feature of US arms sales, tend to offend some Middle East partners unaccustomed to such rules, experts say. The United States rebuffed Egyptian efforts to purchase drones during the Barack Obama administration, Al-Monitor previously reported. Its also just our system of government where there are a lot of different checks and balances and the role of Congress isnt very well understood, said Becca Wasser, a policy analyst with the RAND Corporation. In countries in the Middle East, parliaments dont necessarily have that kind of power. Yet the rules have not killed the demand for US-made armed drones. Theres this obsession with armed drones in the same way that theres an obsession with new shiny toys that come out, Wasser said. When you think about what the Emirati and Saudi needs are, what they would actually need are unarmed drones [for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] instead of more things that can drop bombs. The State Department certified a sale of Scan Eagle surveillance drones to Saudi Arabia in April, as the Trump administration allowed US companies to sell drones not limited by international treaties directly to foreign countries. Despite Chinas success, its deepening involvement in the Middle East oil and arms trade could leave it more exposed to the regions volatile marketplace, experts say. Oil curse shifting core dynamic to Beijing, Amy Myers Jaffe, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, tweeted earlier this month. China now is one who needs to recycle petro-dollars and most exposed to OPEC cuts and disruptions caused by armed conflict in Mideast. The United States has achieved a goal of energy independence. Now, according to the Department of Energy, US policy will support the export of American energy products such as liquefied natural gas as molecules of US freedom to the rest of the world. But energy markets are a little more complicated, and less nationalistic. Saudi Arabia, through its national oil company Aramco, has just made a major gas investment in the United States. Americas energy independence has a side effect; it is also attracting its competitors as foreign direct investors. It is unlikely, however, that the American freedom gas exported by Saudi Aramco will find its way to the kingdom. Sempra Energy and Saudi Aramco announced last week that their subsidiaries have agreed to a long-term liquefied natural gas sale and purchase agreement for 5 million tons per year of LNG offtake from a Port Arthur, Texas, facility. The deal also includes Aramco taking a 25% equity stake in the Port Arthur LNG export project. Sempra Energy is a San Diego-based utility with operations in the Americas that has branched out into the energy infrastructure business as a builder and operator of supply chains and the power plants that purchase and use the energy to create electricity. Aramco has been on a hunt to expand its operations into full-scale energy production, from upstream to downstream in oil and gas, to petrochemical production globally. Its efforts have so far been most fruitful in finding a partner in LNG in the United States, while partnerships in Russia and Asia are also targets. LNG is in high demand, particularly for electricity generation, as it is less polluting than crude oil. Natural gas is portable, and fungible because of technology that cools it and allows it to ship globally. In Saudi Arabia, there are two reasons why developing an LNG business is attractive. First, it allows crude oil currently used for electricity generation, which is heavily subsidized by the government, to be exported for profit. Saudi Arabia is building more gas-fired electricity plants, along with efforts in renewables. Second, it helps Aramco become a major international energy company and meet consumer demand in its key markets in Asia that are also transitioning their electricity generation. Aramco wants to control as much as it can in both material production and means of production of oil and gas. Competitors to Aramco will be the big international oil companies like ExxonMobil and Shell, but also government-controlled gas supplier and regional rival Qatar and Russias Gazprom. Aramco has a tall order. Saudi Arabia wants to harness its domestic energy supplies and its supplier to create economic growth for the kingdom well beyond selling crude oil. Politically, the kingdom is tasked by the US president to act as an on-demand oil producer. Its domestic energy demand is also climbing, such that the production of gas in Saudi Arabia is also a priority. The LNG that Aramco owns in places such as Port Arthur or along the coast of Mexico is more likely to be traded in the Western hemisphere than find its way to the Persian Gulf. Aramco also now trades non-Saudi oil in a bid to influence markets more broadly. As is occurring with many government entities in Saudi Arabia right now, there is tremendous pressure to deliver economic growth domestically, through international expansion and prestige projects. Translating a top-down vision and strategy into ground-level operations continues to be a bureaucratic challenge across government entities. Aramcos gas strategy is no exception in the new Saudi Arabia. However, Aramco is less supported by external consultants than other state entities, while it is also the governments most important source of revenue. The Sempra deal also underlines how the energy business is not very interested in nationalism. The biggest customers, such as China and India, will gain leverage and bargaining power. Private firms will consider all attractive offers. Government-owned companies are more likely to compete with private firms, while their political commitments, whether at home or abroad, are more likely to be a drag on profitability. But Aramco cannot do everything at once. The Sempra deal is a success, but simultaneous efforts to expand into gas projects in Russia and Asia have not been as smooth. Aramco lost a competition to Chinese state firms for a stake in the Russian Novatek Artic gas liquefaction project. Aramco should have some willing partners to purchase its LNG, such as Pakistan, but payment could become entangled in commitments to Saudi Arabia of political support. A Huntsville non-profit helps to bring fresh produce to north Alabama schools, restaurants and grocery stores, while assisting the farmers who grow it. The Farm Food Collaborative is a program of the Food Bank of North Alabama. With three employees, the collaboratives objective is a win for everyone, says co-manager Natalie Bishnoi. Our mission is two-fold, Bishnoi says, to feed the hungry today and to create solutions to end hunger. The five-year old collaborative was founded in 2014 after the Food Bank commissioned a study to look at food trends in the 11 north Alabama counties it services. Among other findings, the study revealed a trend toward people eating foods imported from other areas even other countries and the fact that small-to mid-sized farms were operating at a deficit and closing at an alarming rate, Bishnoi says. The collaborative was founded to boost the farmers while creating fresh food sources for people. Its a win for those who benefit from eating fresh local food, and a win for the farmers who dont have to worry about marketing or even billing for their produce. The collaborative takes care of that for them and helps farmers in other ways, from helping to establish market prices and even picking produce up and delivering it to customers. Since the collaborative was founded, 86 percent of participating farmers say their profits have increased. Last season, the Farm Food Collaborative generated over $350,000 in sales for Alabama farmers, Bishnoi says. The program has generated over $2 million in sales for the farmers since its inception. One of the collaboratives most valuable services to farmers is helping them obtain food safety certifications such as GAP, an acronym for Good Agricultural Practices, which is required for them to sell produce to schools and businesses. Bishnoi, her co-manager Carey Martin-Lane, and assistant Chyna Smith, conduct mock GAP audits like those that come once a year from the state to ensure that water is properly tested, harvested foods are kept at correct temperatures, pesticides are safely used, and logs are signed to say what was picked where. Making sure theyve got all their ducks in a row, says Bishnoi, adding that a collaborative representative is also present when the actual audit takes place so they can help the farmer correct any problems or issues that are noted. Its all part of the process to help get farmers goods into commercial markets, including day cares through the newly established ECE Early Care Education project, a pilot program in several states. The collaborative charges a 10 percent fee that is absorbed by the buyers. This never cuts the sales amount that the farmer is asking for their products, says Bishnoi. The fee goes directly back into our program to offset costs. The collaborative is funded through grants and the food bank. We take care of the administrative stuff so the farmers can do what they do best: making our food, says Bishnoi, who wears many hats during the week and has different duties every day. For instance, mid-week, we call the farms and say, Hey, what do you have available?, says Bishnoi. If the farmer needs help transporting their goods, one of the collaborative employees hops in a refrigerated van to deliver the produce. The $58,000 van was donated by a group affiliated with a class of Leadership Greater Huntsville, a non-profit. Collaborative staff travel to farms as close as Hazel Green and as far as Mobile, Bishnoi says. The collaborative also helps farmers determine that they are charging prices consistent with specialty crop pricing in the region by checking prices at Atlanta Terminal Market, she says. The program benefits those who recognize the value of eating fresh local food. Some businesses are not buying for quality, theyre buying for price, says Bishnoi, who notes there is no comparison between fresh local strawberries and those shipped from elsewhere. Strawberries grown to remain preserved and picked early are white on the inside, she says. Alabama strawberries are red through and through. Some apples grown in other states are gassed, waxed and stored for up to nine months, unlike the Alabama apples that go from farm to table through the collaborative program. Theyre picking apples they harvest the day before and morning of, she says. As fresh as it gets. The strawberry season is over, but locally grown lettuce, greens, squash, heirloom tomatoes and peaches will soon be plentiful. Last season, the Farm Food Collaborative generated over $350,000 in sales for Alabama farmers, Bishnoi says. Steve Bunner, co-owner and executive chef at 1892 East Restaurant and Tavern in the Five Points neighborhood in Huntsville, has been a participant in the collaborative since its founding because fresh is best. Scientifically, chemistry-wise, when you have a vegetable picked closer to home, its always sweeter, Bunner says. As it sits around longer, it turns to starch and dulls out. With some products, you really, really notice the difference, says Bunner, whose menu always highlights everything fresh and local, and features a number of creative vegetarian entrees. Sweet potatoes, hydroponic lettuce, and aeroponic sprouts and micro greens are available year-found, while the availability of other products changes seasonally, says Bishnoi. In late/fall winter, Alabama farmers grow Satsumas. Its a little known product, Bishnoi says. Theyre a mandarin orange. Alabama is the (nations) third-largest producer. Commercial farmer cards are given to restaurants and grocery stores to help consumers draw a connection to the person that grew their food. (Food Bank of North Alabama) Produce from participants in the Farm Food Collaborative is sold to other local restaurants, regional schools and day care centers, and all north Alabama Kroger stores, Earth Fare in Huntsville, and Whole Foods Market in Huntsville and Birmingham. Publicizing the collaborative is a call to action, Bishnoi says. The more you work with us, the broader our reach can be. We want people to ask their restaurants, schools and grocery stores, Is this local, locally grown?, she says. If not, tell them to reach out to us. For more information, visit the Farm Fresh Collaborative at the food bank website, foodbanknorthal.org, and find the link under Programs, or e-mail Bishnoi at nbishnoi@fbofna.org.### An auto supplier affiliated with Toyota, and two car seat makers working with Mazda, this week announced a plan to form a $60 million joint production company in Alabama. According to reports in The Japan Times and other outlets, a unit of Toyota Boshoku overseeing the companys operations in the United States will create a joint venture in Alabama later this year with Delta Kogyo Co. and Toyo Seat Co. Earlier this month, Toyota Boshoku announced it was building a $50 million manufacturing facility about 30 miles from the $1.6 billion Mazda Toyota plant in eastern Limestone County, bringing 400 new jobs to Athens. It was the first indirect job announcement related to the Mazda Toyota project. Toyota Boshoku will produce seat systems for vehicles built at the MTMUS plant. According to reports, the joint company will produce car seats for vehicles made in the United States. The announcement of the joint car seat production was made on Monday. Analysts said the timing was apparently aimed to coincide with President Donald Trumps four-day visit to Japan. Trump has been vocal in his dissatisfaction on trade issues between the U.S. and Japan, enough to prompt the president of Toyota to say he was deeply saddened by Trumps directive this month labeling auto imports a national security threat. Delta Kogyo, based in Hiroshima, makes automobile seats, sliders, recliners, shifters, door checkers and other items. Toyo Seats U.S. operations have plants in Tennessee, Kentucky and Michigan. The company makes convertible tops, exhaust pipes, door trim and other items. Sometime very soon, perhaps as early as this week, an important delegation will arrive in Huntsville. It isnt likely to be seen around town except possibly at a local restaurant or hotel. The delegation is coming to see Redstone Arsenal, the last on its tour list of six military bases still in the running to be home of the headquarters of the nations new U.S. Space Command. This isnt the Space Force. Thats the first new military branch to be established in decades. Its the Space Command established by President Trump in December, and its first mission will be to command Americas defensive satellites and to defend those satellites from attack. Its broader mission is to bring Americas space forces under one umbrella, and the command is also being called a down payment on the Space Force Trump wants to create. Four of the six site finalists are in Colorado, one is in California and one is Redstone Arsenal. The winner gets about 1,200 headquarters jobs, plus the industry jobs that will follow the commands expected growth as America joins other nations in putting defensive and, likely, offensive satellites in space. The touring group is following an official Air Force handbook called the Standard Air Force Strategic Basing Process. This road map looks at sites ability to meet specific requirements, including room for growth, an airfield capable of handling a C-17 Globemaster transport airplane, nearness to other space defense operations, and startup costs. The environmental impact is also a factor. A decision on the winner is expected this summer. Right now, the odds say Colorado is the favorite. Air Force Gen. Jay Raymond of Colorado Springs is the officer nominated to head the new command. Four of the six finalists are in Colorado: Buckley Air Force Base, Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, Peterson Air Force Base and Schriever Air Force Base. The basing process is designed to keep politicians informed but out of base location decisions. But a process never stops politicians from speaking if they want. For example, Florida lawmakers this week are questioning the Air Forces decision to drop Cape Canaveral from the finalists. Californias two senators, Sen. Kamala Harris and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, and U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal of Santa Barbara County have urged the Air Force to designate finalist Vandenberg Air Force as the command site. All three of the California lawmakers are Democrats, and the two protesting Florida senators are Republicans, Sen. Marco Rubio and Sen. Rick Scott. Alabama has a powerful Republican senator in Sen. Richard Shelby, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee. Shelby has kept his lobbying quiet if he has been doing any. Guiding Huntsvilles efforts are members of the longstanding BRAC committee that has helped bring new commands to Alabama in the past. BRAC stands for Base Realignment and Closure, the process the Army uses to downsize its physical footprint. Huntsvilles case includes the fact that the arsenal has multiple space operations now. The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command is at Redstone; as are the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command; Missile and Space Intelligence Agency; U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center; Defense Intelligence Agency Missile & Space Intelligence Center; and U.S. Missile Defense Agency. And with 38,000 acres behind its fences, there is also room at Redstone to grow. Kayla Eubanks enters the quiet, upscale Tuscaloosa coffee shop like a whirlwind. Wearing a short, sleeveless floral dress and high heels, her toned arms hold one cherubic toddler on each hip. She apologizes immediately for the fact that the boys, Alexander and Nathan, have missed their afternoon nap today. As she places each one gently into a chair and they start to fuss, she reaches into a farm-themed backpack for two matching tablets and two lollipops. Instantly, the boys are soothed, their big brown eyes focused on the screens in front of them. Her two-year-old twins are even cuter in person than they are on Instagram. Weighing in at 30 and 28 pounds Nathan is the smaller one, with slightly shorter curls theyre always dressed alike from head to toe. Today they both wear black-and-white gingham shirts, black shorts, white socks and tiny black Adidas. Even at night, Kayla says, their pajamas match. She hasnt been able to bring herself to get their hair cut yet, so sometimes she pulls their springy curls back into a wee man bun. They go, go, go all day, Kayla says. They woke up at 5 this morning. Nathan got out of his crib and walked in and told me to get up. Life with them is unpredictable. Kayla started her blog, named Two Chocolate Faces after her identical twins (her Instagram account is #twochocolatefaces), at the urging of a friend who thought the world needed to hear from more moms, particularly black moms of multiples. For Kayla, its also an outlet for her writing and almost a therapeutic exercise, giving her a chance to share personal stories and offer practical advice to others navigating motherhood. Through her blog, I discovered this community of moms, she says. Sometimes you just need assurance that youre going to make it through the day. It makes you not feel so isolated. Her Instagram account provides a quick look at her sons first two years, preserving all those memories in one spot. Its very exciting that I have a record of their lives so far, she says. I started with posting pictures of them, advice and reflections, and it just kind of took off. She now has 17.9K followers. Kayla grew up in Atlanta, where her mother is an award-winning elementary school teacher. After majoring in English at Kennesaw State University, Kayla worked in a law firm for a couple of years but didnt feel fulfilled, she says. I wanted to do something more substantial. She enrolled in the Georgia Teaching Fellows program, an alternative route for non-education majors to become teachers, and concentrated on special education. Three years ago, she moved to Tuscaloosa with her husband, James, who is earning his doctorate in rhetoric and composition at the University of Alabama. Kayla taught autistic children at Brewer Porch Childrens Center. She and James met on Facebook through their comments on a mutual friends post. Both were in college at the time, Kayla in Atlanta and James at Alabama A&M in Huntsville. It was a social media romance, she says. On my 22nd birthday, we met in person, and weve been together since then. Theyll soon celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary. After moving to Tuscaloosa, the couple decided it would be a good time to start a family. When Kayla went for an ultrasound at eight weeks, there was not just one but two heartbeats. She started sobbing at the thought of twins. I was so overwhelmed, she says. I was ultimately happy, but completely shocked. The babies arrived early, at 34 weeks, and spent two months in neonatal intensive care. Alex weighed 4 pounds, 5 ounces, while Nathan weighed 3 pounds, 8 ounces. There were so many ups and downs, she says. After Nathan came home from the hospital, he had to be readmitted; Alex was airlifted to Childrens of Birmingham, so for a while the two babies were in two different cities, with Kayla and James switching on weekends. Now, nobody believes they were preemies, she says of the chubby, healthy, happy twins. Some of the most powerful messages shes received are from people who have read their NICU story. Shes glad she can provide a little hope for parents of premature babies. Yes, its difficult in the moment, but youll get through it, she says. Three months before she got pregnant, Kayla had enrolled in an online masters program at the University of West Alabama. She thought about quitting, especially when she found out she was having twins, but she just couldnt do it. She took one class at a time, meaning it took her an extra year to finish, but recently she graduated with a masters in special education for K-6. And she has a job already, at the school where she did her full-time teaching internship. Starting in August, she will teach special education in pre-kindergarten through second grade. She enjoys helping children work on their individual goals. For students in special education, Small gains are huge victories, she says. I like being able to work with kids others think cant do or cant learn, to see what theyre capable of. In addition to her family and her career, Kayla also works as an instructor at the Tuscaloosa YMCA, which she joined when the boys were 7 months old. She credits the Y with helping her overcome postpartum depression and regain her mental and physical strength. Working out gave me time to myself, she says. Exercise helped me regain my sanity and get back to feeling like myself. She has become certified as a group exercise instructor as well as a personal trainer. Now she works at the YMCA and has started her own personal training business, Kayla Eubanks Fitness. Kayla blogs as often as she can on topics including birthdays and milestones, as well as personal posts extolling the importance of marriage counseling and describing how she feels about her body at 30 years old. In a blog post where she talks about starting her own business in addition to everything else she has going on in her busy life, she writes: In truth, I never thought I had all of this in me. Ive always had a lot of self-doubt and been afraid to go out on a limb for fear that Id fail. So Im proud of myself for finally having the drive to just GO FOR IT, and having the stamina to keep on going for it even when everything was going at once. She tries to post photos to Instagram daily, or at least a few times a week. The response has been very moving, she says. On their first birthday last year, there were so many responses from so many different countries. I cried. I didnt realize how many people cared about them so much. She makes sure to show as much of her real life as possible on social media. She has to chase them to take their picture most of the time, as evidenced by the familys Easter portraits, in which the boys are gleefully struggling to escape their parents arms. People are so supportive, she says of her blog readers and Instagram followers. I think my vulnerability has resonated with a lot of people." Just then, one twin breaks free and runs into another part of the coffee shop. Weve got a runaway! she says, chasing after him. After the lollipops, she had given them cereal bars and fruit snacks, as well as sippy cups of cranberry juice. The boys had had enough of sitting still. But before she wipes their sticky faces and hands with wet wipes, cleans up the crumbs from the floor and replaces the wooden high chairs theyd occupied, she pauses to think about the twins and their future. Watching their relationship develop has been so exciting, she says. For the first few months of their lives, they didnt acknowledge each other. Now theyre inseparable. It means a lot to me that theyll always have each other. I hope theyll always stay as close and continue to love each other this much. The brutal murders of two women and a child in northeast Alabama last year are driving change to Alabamas parole system and sharp divisions in the State House. Parolee Jimmy ONeal Spencer is charged with killing Marie Kitchens Martin, 74; her great grandson, Colton Ryan Lee, 7; and a neighbor, Martha Dell Reliford, 65; in Guntersville last year. The slayings came about six months after Spencer, who had a long criminal record, was released on parole after being labeled as low-to-medium risk to commit another crime. The public outcry since the tragedy has reduced the rate of inmates approved for parole by almost half. A bill moving through the Legislature, backed by Attorney General Steve Marshall, would put the executive director of the Board of Pardons and Paroles, an agency that employs hundreds of parole officers and other state employees involved in supervising offenders, under the direct authority of the governor. Critics of the plan say its not a practical answer to the tragedy and would add political influence into the parole process. Parole Board Chair Lyn Head defends the boards work and opposes the change. We are heartbroken over what happened to Mrs. Reliford, Mrs. Martin and Colton Lee, Head told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. But I submit to you that none of the measures in this bill would give any of us a crystal ball. Head said the Spencer case has caused the board to grant fewer paroles. In fiscal year 2018, which ended last September, the board granted parole for 3,732 inmates out of 6,996 who were considered, or 53 percent. From November 2018 through March 2019, the board has granted 685 paroles out of 2,324 considered, or 29 percent. Head said board members have denied inmates who meet the criteria that their training indicates would make them good candidates for release. She said the board is trying to respond to the concerns of the public. Frankly, personally, Im a little skittish about a lot of grants, Head said. And I should be. Its not that I wasnt paying attention before. But I mean, its a lot more, not time-consuming, just its hard. Its hard to grant parole right now because of Jimmy Spencer. The committee approved the bill on a 6-5 vote after a spirited public hearing. It could win final passage in the Senate as early as today and go to Gov. Kay Ivey, who supports the concept and could sign it into law. The bills sponsor, Rep. Connie Rowe, R-Jasper, is retired from a career in law enforcement and was Jaspers police chief. Rowe said the Spencer case is just one example of mistakes at the agency that demand a way to make it more directly answerable to the governor. Ninety-five percent of the people that we send to prison come out of prison, Rowe told the Judiciary Committee. And I appreciate that. And Im for that. Im worried about the Jimmy ONeal Spencer kind of guy. Who gets out and goes to Guntersville and kills three people six months after release while the system failed to release him properly, failed to supervise him properly. Two former inmates, a minister and others spoke at the hearing and urged the committee to reject the bill. Maureen Morris traveled from Indianapolis to speak on behalf of her husband, Ira Morris, who has served 23 years of a 30-year sentence for murder in Alabama prisons. Maureen Morris said her husband was scheduled for parole consideration last November. But in the wake of the Guntersville slayings, Gov. Kay Ivey placed a moratorium on early parole consideration. That delayed parole consideration for Ira Morris to November 2020, his wife said. In the meantime, she fears for his safety in a prison system that U.S. Department of Justice alleges is so violent that it violates the Constitution. She described to the committee two assaults on her husband, who is 5-feet-5 inches and weighs 185 pounds, by other prisoners. One attack sent him to a hospital with stab wounds. In the other incident, she said he was punished for protecting himself against an attack by his cellmate. No guard was around to defend him, Maureen Morris told the committee. No guard was there to see about him until time to write the disciplinary report. They both was charged with a disciplinary with a weapon. My husband spent six months in solitary confinement for defending himself. Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison of Birmingham was one of five Democrats on the Judiciary Committee who opposed the bill. We need to try to fix what the issue is rather than putting a blanket and penalizing everybody, Coleman-Madison said before the committee approved the bill on a 6-5 party-line vote. I dont want to further politicize the penal system, Coleman-Madison said. Proponents of the measure said it would not politicize the parole decisions of the three board members but would enable them to focus more on those decisions because oversight of the executive director would move from them to the governor. A Baldwin County mother whose 13-month-old child died in her care more than a year ago plead not guilty to capital murder charges during a hearing Wednesday. Jordan Rice, 28, had faced aggravated child abuse charges relating to the death of her daughter Violet, who was severely malnourished when law enforcement was called to her trailer in Robertsdale last May. The new charges were filed Tuesday, according to Alabama court records. In giving her not guilty plea, Jordan said she suffered from mental disease and defect. Since being initially charged, Jordan has undergone surgery for a tumor that was discovered at the front of her head, resulting in near total blindness, according to her family and attorney. Jordans Texas-based father told AL.com the tumor was present before Violet died and may have had something to do with the severe malnourished condition that all three of her children were found in. Violets father, Robert Rice, 30, has also been charged with manslaughter and aggravated child abuse, according to court records filed Tuesday. He was not present when his daughter died, but Baldwin County investigators say that he was aware of Violets severe malnourished condition. He was serving in the United States Air Force and spent periods away from the family home. A warrant was issued for Roberts arrest on May 17 with bond set at $100,000 on each charge. The grand jury said Jordan being a responsible person did willfully abuse, cruelly beat or otherwise willfully maltreat, V.R., a child under six years of age, resulting in serious physical injury of the child. Jordan had two other children living in the RV at the time of Violets death, one three and one six. Both children were taken to child care services on the evening their sister died. When police arrived to Jordans RV last May, maggots, dirty diapers, piles of unclean dishes, and standing water in both the bathtub and sink were found, along with condoms strewn throughout the camper. Jordan is being held without bond on the capital murder charge, however on the count of aggravated child abuse, bond is set at $100,000. This indictment is the culmination of a yearlong investigation involving the Baldwin County Sheriffs Office, the United States Air Force, and the Baldwin County District Attorneys Office. A California business executive was sentenced to six months in federal prison Tuesday for conspiring to bribe the former majority leader of the Alabama House of Representatives. G. Ford Gilbert, 71, paid former Alabama House Majority Leader Micky Hammon $2,000 to drum up support for a bill that would force Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama to cover diabetes treatment provided by his company, Trina Health. But the bill died in the 2016 legislative session after failing to advance out of committee. Hammon, of Decatur, pleaded guilty to mail fraud in an unrelated case and served three months in prison. He was expected to testify if the Gilbert case went to trial. Gilbert, of Carmichael, California, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery of a state official in January, Montgomery U.S. Attorney Louis Franklin said in a statement. The judge overseeing the case ordered Gilbert to serve six months in federal prison and six months of home detention. Richard Jaffe and Michael Whisonant, the attorneys who represented Gilbert, sent the following statement to AL.com.: "Mr. Gilbert allowed his passion for diabetes treatment to overcome his judgment resulting in this criminal conviction. He is deeply remorseful, and certainly will not tread into the realm of legislation in the future. He remains passionate about addressing the diabetes problem throughout the United States and the world, and is relieved that soon his long ordeal with the criminal justice system will be over. Updated at 7:18 p.m. to include comment from Gilberts attorneys. Alabama lawmakers could give final passage today to a bill to prohibit employers from paying employees differently based only on race or sex. Alabama would be the 49th state to enact an equal pay law, said the sponsor, Rep. Adline Clarke, D-Mobile, who has worked on the bill since 2016. The Senate voted 29-0 to pass the legislation today. The Senate amended the bill to give employees two years from when the discrimination occurs to file a lawsuit under the bill. The bill had previously set the limit at one year. The bill returns to the House, which passed it 98-0 two weeks ago. If the House agrees with changes made by the Senate, the bill could be sent to Gov. Kay Ivey, who could sign it into law. Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile, pushed for the Senate to consider the bill today, saying she would use Senate rules to slow other legislation unless her colleagues agreed to bring it to the floor. That happened shortly after. This story will be updated. Russia's initiative on establishing a Eurasian partnership facilitates economic cooperation and dialogue with Belarus and other member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Russia's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Belarus Dmitry Mezentsev told Rossiya 24 TV channel on Wednesday, TASS reports. "In formulating and implementing Russia's initiative on establishing a broad Eurasian partnership, both Belarus and other EAEU countries see their important roles. I think that this will be one of the most important new initiatives which will facilitate economic cooperation, humanitarian cooperation and dialogue between people," Mezentsev said. Hugh Culverhouse, Jr., the University of Alabamas largest donor, has called for a boycott of Alabama -- school and state -- over the states latest near-total abortion ban law. But the UA System and Culverhouse have been in an ongoing dispute over the millions he has donated to the law school unrelated to the abortion legislation, vice chancellor for communications Kellee Reinhart said. In an emailed statement, Reinhart said Culverhouse asked the school to return $10 million, repeating numerous demands about the operations of the University of Alabama School of Law." University of Alabama System Chancellor Finis St. John recommended the Board of Trustees return the $21.5 million in donations the law school it has actually received, and restore the name to The University of Alabama School of Law in a memo sent to board members yesterday. It was renamed in September 2018 to Hugh F. Culverhouse Jr. School of Law after the Florida businessman pledged to donate $26.5 million to the university. After numerous conversations and communications involving President (Stuart) Bell and (School of Law Dean Mark) Brandon, it is apparent that University and law school leadership will not be able to meet the donors expectations and do not share the same vision for the future, said St. John. "It is my recommendation that we comply with the request to return the recent gift, as well as the prior gifts, and restore the name The University of Alabama School of Law. Returning the gifts and renaming the law school are Board decisions and can only happen by Board action. The spokesperson for UA said the dispute over Culverhouse donations is unrelated to the recent abortion legislation. Culverhouse said he doesnt know what the boycott would look like, but a boycott of out-of-state students would get the governments attention. All foreign and U.S. international firms that do business in Alabama should boycott, Culverhouse said. It would get the law changed quickly. Culverhouses father, Hugh Culverhouse Sr., and his mother Joy both attended UA and were prominent donors to the university. He said his father was an active officer of a Planned Parenthood in Jacksonville, Fla., when he was a child and his mother was strong-willed and never would have stood for Alabamas strict abortion regulations. Culverhouse Jr. said he does not want his donation back, but he is afraid students from out of state will be deterred by Alabamas strict laws on reproductive health. The abortion ban was signed into law by Gov. Kay Ivey and has already been challenged by the ACLU of Alabama and Planned Parenthood Southeast. State Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur said the purpose of the ban is to challenge the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade. What law do you follow? Do you follow the state of Alabama or do you follow federal law?" Culverhouse said. "What example does the state of Alabama set for people who want to be lawyers if they purposefully pass a law that they know is unconstitutional? The Florida native said an economic boycott of the university and the state at large would be the quickest way to get the state politicians to pay attention. Sweet home Alabama? There aint nothing god-damn sweet about it, Culverhouse said. A jury voted today to sentence Lionel Francis to death for the 2016 Huntsville shooting death of his toddler daughter, Alexandria. But the ultimate sentencing decision lies with Madison County Circuit Judge Ruth Ann Hall, who will sentence Francis on July 25. Because Francis has been convicted of capital murder, he faces either the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole. The jury voted 11-1 for the death penalty, though that verdict is advisory. Jurors spent about two hours deliberating before announcing their advisory verdict on Tuesday afternoon. I think the jury reached the right verdict, said Madison County Assistant District Attorney Tim Douthit. That same jury this past Friday found Francis guilty of capital murder. Defense attorney Bruce Gardner, who represented Francis along with attorney Eric Wood, said he was greatly disappointed in the jurys recommendation. Francis fatally shot 20-month old Alexandria on May 27, 2016. It happened after the toddlers parents argued about money and Francis not having a job, prosecutors said. Ashley Ross, Alexandrias mother and Francis girlfriend at the time, testified at the trial and during todays penalty phase. Douthit said Ross, the only person who witnessed the killing, testified just two days after giving birth to another child. He said since the beginning of the case Ross has wanted justice for Alexandria. Madison County Chief Trial Attorney Tim Gann today told the jury that Alexandria and Francis represent the contrast between good and innocence and awful and evil. With a gun pointed to her head, Alexandria stared up at her father before he pulled the trigger, Gann said in closing arguments. The little girl had no idea what was about to happen. She had no idea what that pistol was, Gann said. He (Francis) knew exactly what was coming. Prosecutors said Francis held a handgun firmly against Alexandrias forehead and pulled the trigger. Douthit said Francis effectively deliberately executed his daughter. Francis maintained the gun fired accidentally, according to the defense attorneys. Gardner, a former prosecutor, told the jury he no longer supports the death penalty. He said life without parole in Alabamas violent prisons is sufficient justice. No matter how evil it seems now, theres always hope, Gardner said in closing arguments today. Theres always redemption. There is always forgiveness. Theres always a chance. Douthit disagreed, saying Francis hasnt been remorseful or repentant. It is right and just for us to execute people who kill children, Douthit told the jury. It wasnt just a child; it was his. He doesnt deserve life without parole, Douthit added. What he did, who he is, is the worst of the worst. Although Alabama in 2017 banned judicial override, which allows judges to issue a sentence other than the jurys recommendation, Francis was charged in 2016 before the ban took effect. Thats why Judge Hall will make the final decision. President Donald Trump will be asked by the Mobile County Commission for his official support in funding of the Interstate 10 Mobile River Bridge and Bayway widening project. The commission gave the OK on Tuesday to submit a letter to the White House asking for the Trump Administrations help in securing federal support -- that doesnt include tolling area motorists for the building of the massive $2.1 billion project. If we dont get our name in the hat, we dont stand a chance of getting some funding, said Commissioner Jerry Carl, who wrote the letter which is currently being edited before its mailed out to the White House. I thought it would be a great idea to reach out to him, Carl said. Congressional politics Mobile County Commission Jerry Carl at groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, July 25, 2014, for the McGowin Park Shopping Center near Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile, Ala. (Mike Brantley/mbrantley@al.com) The issue could be rooted in 2020 politics, as Carl is running for the U.S. Congressional seat occupied by Republican Rep. Bradley Byrne, who has announced he is seeking the Senate seat currently occupied by Democratic Sen. Doug Jones. Aside from Carl, three other Republicans have announced their candidacies: state Rep. Chris Pringle of Mobile, former state Sen. Bill Hightower of Mobile and businessman Wes Lambert. Pringle, in a statement to AL.com, said he continues to oppose a proposal by the Alabama Department of Transportation to finance the bridge through tolls. He is advocating for an effort led by state Sen. Chris Elliott, R-Daphne, that includes working with ALDOT on finding financing alternatives. Local lawmakers are expected to meet next month with ALDOT officials and Gov. Kay Iveys office to discuss the projects funding. While I am glad that other local officials are starting to pay attention to this issue, waiting around for Congress to pass a $2 trillion infrastructure plan is certainly not an immediate solution, by any means, said Pringle. We need to chart a new path before ALDOT moves forward with a planned construction timeline of early next year. Lambert, also in a statement on Tuesday, was complimentary toward the commissioner and said that any future infrastructure package has to be focused on road and bridge projects. I commend Commissioner Carl for trying to receive the funding for the I-10 Bridge, Lambert, owner of The Dumbwaiter restaurants, said. He was elected to represent the best interests of Mobile County. I also believe that our federal delegation, including Congressman Byrne, will be fighting for this funding too. Said Lambert, The federal transportation bill must be used for the right purposes and not for underutilized wasteful spending projects like trolley cars, hiking trails, flower planting and bicycle paths, to name a few. Hightowers campaign did not respond to a request for comment. Carl criticized both Republican state lawmakers he is opposing for the congressional seat -- Pringle and Hightower for not doing enough to secure more of the BP oil spill settlement for Mobile and Baldwin counties. Alabama state lawmakers, in 2016, funneled millions of dollars from the states portion of the settlement to a variety of funds that support the states budget. Carl said more of the BP settlement could have been dedicated for the I-10 project. Shovel ready But the letter to Trump doesnt include past issues involving state budgeting, nor does it dive into 2020 congressional politics. It does call the I-10 project shovel ready, and compared it to a similar I-10 project in Lake Charles, La. Trump, in remarks during a May 14 visit to Louisiana, promised to have the new bridge built if hes re-elected in 2020. The president has stated interest in pursuing a campaign promise to spend $1 trillion in repairing or replacing aging roads, railroads and bridges. We understand you have pledged federal resources for the construction of a new Interstate 10 bridge in Louisiana which funding would be derived from your proposed $2 trillion infrastructure plan, the letter states. The population of southwest Alabama, including the Mobile County Commission, hopes that you will include the full funding of this shovel ready project for the Interstate 10 Mobile Bay Bridge within your proposed infrastructure legislation. The letter also said there was very strong support for the I-10 project, but frowned upon the states preferred method of paying for it through tolling. The letter was signed by Carl and Commissioner Connie Hudson, both Republicans. Democratic Commissioner Merceria Ludgood did not sign it. There was no official vote on the resolution requesting the letter be sent. There has been discussion of tolling which could cost daily commuters over $2,500 per year and would be a significant and very costly burden upon local daily commuters whom are required to travel the bridge for employment-related matters, the letter reads. The states proposal calls for a $3 to $6 toll that will be assessed along the entire stretch of I-10 from U.S. 98 in Daphne to Virginia Street in Mobile. The tolling would be segmented, meaning that drivers would pay for the portion of the route they decide to drive on. In addition, the existing George Wallace Tunnel would be tolled and would prevent motorists the option of having a free I-10 route to drive on through Mobile. Carl said he, like others in the region, was surprised to learn last year about the proposal to toll the Wallace Tunnel, which was opened in 1973 and carries I-10 traffic underneath the Mobile river. I always viewed the Wallace Tunnel as an alternative, he said. Heated issue The tolling has become a heated issue within the past month, and opposition to any and all tolls have surfaced on social media led by representatives of the Common Sense Campaign tea party in Baldwin County. Radio ads have popped up in recent weeks, advocating against tolls. The opposition has been growing since the Alabama Department of Transportation held public meetings this month on the I-10 project. The proposal to toll the interstate dominated a May 7 public hearing in Spanish Fort. The latest public comment period for the I-10 project, which closed last week, resulted in about 700 total comments which will be published later this year. An ALDOT officials said one of the themes to the overall comments was a concern over the $3 to $6 toll rate. ALDOT, as part of its current toll plan, is advocating for a 15 percent frequent user discount to use the future I-10 Bayway and Bridge. Critics of the plan argue that isnt enough of a discount. ALDOT Director John Cooper, following the May 7 meeting, said he felt it was important for local commuters to pay their fair share in the construction of the I-10 Bridge and a new Bayway. Cooper has said the tolling is necessary for the project and that it evenly splits the costs between local drivers and those out-of-state. Pringle, in his statement, said the states fuel tax increase as part of the Rebuild Alabama infrastructure plan, should generate revenue for the bridge project. ALDOT has said that the fuel tax hike will not generate enough revenue to build the entire I-10 project. I would like to remind ALDOT that the citizens are paying their fair share in tax dollars a rate that was just increased for the purpose of projects such as this, said Pringle. A new music festival focused on Birminghams civil rights history is coming to Birminghams civil rights district. Birmingham Freedom Fest, referred to as a music and empowerment festival will be held in and around Kelly Ingram Park on July 27. A portion of proceeds from the festival will help support the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. Birmingham Freedom Fest offers a rare opportunity for neighborhood leaders and festival goers from across the country to celebrate Birminghams rich heritage in social justice. It is also a chance to enjoy some of the most relevant musicians of our time, said Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin. We want Birmingham Freedom Fest to be an experience that attendees can be proud of. Woodfin also expressed his support for the festival in a video posted on Facebook Tuesday afternoon. There will be workshops and forums on equality and civic engagement issues as well as musical performances. The lineup of speakers and acts has not been announced. Event organizers say the lineup will be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets will cost $33.50. As the owner of a woman-owned business, I realize the benefits Birminghams struggle for civil rights have afforded me. Mayor Woodfin has been intentional with his commitment to empowerment for all of Birmingham, including underrepresented businesses. Its that commitment that makes the Birmingham Freedom Fest possible, said Rashada LeRoy, event producer and founder of LRY Media Group. Find more information about tickets and vendor opportunities at freedomfestbhm.com. A bill to give the governor more control over the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles won approval today in the Senate Judiciary Committee on a party line vote. Six Republicans voted in favor of the bill and five Democrats opposed it after a public hearing that lasted more than an hour. The legislation comes after a parolee, Jimmy ONeal Spencer, was charged with killing two women and a 7-year-old boy in Guntersville after his release last year. The state agreed last week to pay a total of $1 million to the families of the three people Spencer is accused of killing. The bill, by Rep. Connie Rowe, R-Jasper, would make the executive director of the Pardons and Paroles Board an appointee of the governor. Under current law, the three-member board appoints the director. Rowe said it was important to have the executive director of the agency be accountable to the states top elected official. The committee approval moves the bill to the Senate, where it could get final passage. Besides making the director an appointee of the governor, the bill would write into state law guidelines on the minimum times offenders must serve before being considered for parole. For example, offenders who commit the most serious violent crimes must serve at least 15 years or 85 percent of their sentence, whichever is less. The minimum times are part of Parole Board regulations now but not part of the law. This story will be updated. Remington Arms will furlough hundreds of workers during a two months partial shutdown this summer, according to reports. The impact on the firearm manufacturers Alabama plant remains unclear. Employees in Remington Arms in Ilion, New York were told today most will be off the job without pay starting Monday, June 3 and lasting through Aug. 12, WIBX reported. The furlough is in addition to a mandatory two-week paid vacation from July 1-12. Another furlough may be instituted in November if the market doesnt pick up, employees were reportedly told. Remington employs about 500 people in Ilion and more than half of the workers there will be off the job. Some production lines will remain open during the closure but employees werent told which ones. AL.com newspartner WHNT said the impact on the Huntsville operation is being determined. The companys original agreement with Alabama called a workforce of 415 employees but its unclear if that goal has been met. Remington recently refunded about $1 million in incentives to Limestone, Madison and Morgan counties and the state has disallowed some $3 million in cash incentive payments to the gunmaker. A 37-year-old man charged with capital murder in the death of his then-girlfriends 11-year-old son has been convicted of a misdemeanor and already is out of jail. A Jefferson County jury on Friday found Tracy Dickerson Jr. guilty of criminally negligent homicide, a Class A misdemeanor. He was sentenced to the maximum allowed under Alabama law one year - and was released from the Jefferson County Jail Saturday for time served. He had been jailed awaiting trial since March 8, 2017. Nassir was found injured in his bed with a shallow pulse in his 80th Street South home that Friday night, March 3. He was pronounced dead 30 minutes later at Children's of Alabama. Daniel Atherton, a medical examiner with the Jefferson County Coroners Office, previously testified that Nassir was covered in severe contusions or bruises approximately 40 to 50. He was bruised on his ankle, both shins, both thighs, and across his torso. One of the childs forearms was bruised from his elbow to his hand, and he had a black eye. A four-by-four-inch section of skin on the back of Nassirs head had internally come detached and torn loose from his skull, leaving an area that was soft to the touch because of the blood that had collected in that area. Atherton said he has not often seen that kind of injury in cases where a person has fallen, but defense attorneys said trial evidence proved otherwise, Some of Athertons preliminary hearing testimony was inadmissible at trial. On the night the child died, Nassir was home with Dickerson--his mother's boyfriend. Nassir's 8-year-old sister was also at the home, but she was found uninjured. Dickerson was taken into custody for questioning and arrested on a previous misdemeanor warrant. He was later released on bond pending the outcome of Nassir's autopsy; but, the next day the coroner's office ruled Nassir's death a homicide and Dickerson was arrested. Dickersons initial statement to police was that he had gotten off work on March 3 and gone to his girlfriend--Nassir's mother's-- house to give Nassir a haircut. Fisher testified that Dickerson said he and the child had a "father-son" talk about being a good person and doing the right thing. When police arrived, they found electric hair clippers in the bed. Dickerson told police he called Nassir's mom, who was at work. She came home and called 911. Authorities said Fisher said on the 911 call, the dispatcher heard Dickerson tell Nassir's mom, "Let me take the lead [when police arrive]...here's what I'm going to tell them. When I got here, he had fallen in the shower... follow my lead here." The trial began May 21. Prosecutors called nine witnesses and rested their case on Thursday. Dickersons defense began that same with three witnesses, including a privately-hired pathologist who contradicted some of Athertons findings. Dickerson also took the stand. The jury began deliberations on Friday and reached a unanimous verdict of the lesser included offense. The prosecutor in the case is out of town this week and unavailable for comment. Dickersons attorney, William R. Myers, said the case came down to forensics and five days of highly-technical testimony on how Nassir obtained his injuries. Myers said the evidence showed Nassir obtained his injuries by a fall in the tub. He said the boys sister heard the fall and there was water and vomit in the tub to back that up. His client, he said, tried to perform CPR on the boy and didnt call 911 until Nassirs mother got home, which was at least 20 minutes later. He said the testimony proved his client never abused Nassir and said the verdict reached by the jury was inescapable. "Ive been doing this a long time but in all honesty, I do think the jury got this absolutely correct,'' Myers said. One-year-old Marcus Hill M.J. Jr. wanders around his grandparents north Birmingham home, repeatedly saying uncle. The toddler, like the rest of the family, is looking for 31-year-old Ramondus Ray Jay Robinson, who seemingly vanished five days ago. Were living a nightmare, said Angnetta Quinn, one of Robinsons five sisters. He is well loved, and we need him back home. Robinson was last seen about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 22, when he left the home he shares with his parents. He did not tell his parents where he was going, or with whom, and because he is a grown man, they didnt give it a second thought that he was going out. On Thursday morning, however, Robinson failed to show up for work at a debt acquisition and recovery firm in Homewood and family immediately knew something was wrong. He was a no-call, no show and thats not like him, Quinn said. Hes very active on social media and did not post anything on Thursday. The family quickly rallied and got to work to trying to track down their loved one. We started our own search with his closet friends, Quinn said. We called the hospitals, jails, the coroner and we kept coming up at a dead end. When there was no sign of Robinson within 30 hours, they called Birmingham police to issue a missing persons report. They have turned over the investigative work to the police. Right now, its just a waiting game, Quinn said. Robinson was last known to be wearing ash-washed speckled blue jeans, gray and white Jordan shoes and a greenish-gray shirt. He was also wearing a black ball cap and eyeglasses with wooden frames when he was last seen just before leaving home. He drives a midnight blue 2014 Nissan Altima. Ray Jay is known as a fly guy, Quinn said with a smile. Hes well-dressed, well-mannered and well-liked. Quinn said. The disappearance is taking a toll on Robinsons parents. Our mom has health issues and he wouldnt let her worry, she said. My mom hasnt been eating and its also a strain on my dad. My whole family is stressing. Its horrible. The family is asking that anyone with information come forward. We know someone knows something, Quinn said. If this was their loved one, they would want somebody to come forward. Though time is no friend in missing persons cases, Quinn said the family isnt giving up. Im just trusting and believing in God, she said, and keeping the faith that my brother will come back through this door. Anyone with information on Robinsons whereabouts is asked to call Birmingham police at 205-297-8413 or 911. Anyone with additional information who wants to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777. An Owens Crossroads man faces charges of traveling to meet a child for an unlawful sex act. Kevin Alexander Guerrero-Beltran, 29, was arrested Tuesday by Boaz police. Officers said Guerrero-Beltran had been communicating with a minor through the Whisper app. One of the messages was intercepted by the childs parent who contacted the police. Guerrero-Beltran arrived at a specified location on Tuesday, where he was arrested. Boaz Police Chief Josh Gaskin said the case highlights the need for parents to monitor social media. With children out of school for summer and many having more time on their hands, this should serve as a reminder to parents to monitor what their children are doing on their phones and computers, Gaskin said. There are predators on many commonly used apps and websites waiting for an opportunity to victimize a child. With the coordination between the officers and the parent we were fortunate that didn't happen in this case. Guerrero-Beltran was transported to the Marshall County Jail on $60,000 bond. In teaching a course in the Osher Live Long Learning Institute (OLLI) class at Auburn University last year, I said that the best thing the U.S. could do in the Middle East is to stay out." Why so? First, Presidents top two advisers, Mike Pompeo and John Bolton, both hawks, have threatened Iran with regime change that would make any nation terribly defensive and anxious. Moreover, Iran, not a perfect state by any means, is a sovereign and functioning democratic state that has fought against I.S.I.S. along with the U.S. However, unlike the US, Iran hasnt invaded another country recently and was the second Muslim nation after Turkey to recognize the State of Israel. Meanwhile, the President sends mixed signals to Iran by sending battleships, cruise missiles, and aircraft carriers to the Persian Gulf, seemingly, to bait Iran into a war, while at the same time stating that he wants Tehran to call him to make a deal. Why in heavens name would Iran want to make a deal with a President who unilaterally reneged on the Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action agreement (J.C.P.O.A.). Then, Mr. Trump imposed devastating sanctions on Iran, designed to stranglehold the Iranian economy, that, in itself, amounts to declaring economic war on Iran. Adding fuel to the fire is this: the U.S. told other nations not to buy oil or other commodities from Iran. If they did, the U.S. would put sanctions on those countries who dare disobey Trumps order. Iran wants no part of a war with the U.S. since Iran has virtually no Air Force, no battleship and aircraft carriers, but only small skiffs. It would be suicide for Iran to attack the U.S. Second, our reputation around the world has been severely damaged by our attempts to police the world, as if we had a mandate to do so. After all, what have we to show for our invasion of Iraq, our nineteen year-long war in Afghanistan (which our generals agree we cannot win), our interventions in Syria, Yemen, and Libya, except for increasing our national debt for which we now owe $226.3 billion in interest alone so far this year, up from 13.6% in 2018, and thats expected to go up even more rapidly in following years? Third, John Bolton has argued for years that the U.S. should bring about regime change in Iran. Of course, this goes against international law though this does not bother Mr. Trump and his advisers. Mike Pompeo has also proposed regime change in Iran, in part, because he has listened to Israel in the person of P. M. Netanyahu, the Crown Prince, Muhammad ben Salman of Saudi Arabia and President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan in the United Arab Emirate (UAE), since all three leaders and nations would benefit greatly if the mullahs in Iran were removed from power, as if that would resolve matters. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirate and Israel should be careful about what they wish for. Instead of tackling Iran themselves, these three states are itching for, and encouraging the U.S. to take out Iran and its nuclear facilities. Iran itself, though a third-rate military power, has the backing of Hezbolllah with about 50,000 missiles that could devastate Tel Aviv, Riyadh, and Abu Dhabi, the capital of the U.A.E. With that number of missiles at its disposal, Israels Iron Shield would not know what hit it and heavy damage would be inflicted on all three countries, thus possibly sparking WW III. As far as I can tell, the majority of our citizens have no stomach for another war similar to our invasion of Iraq, but which would be more devastating to our country and to the world. In such a war we would not have the support of our allies in the European Union and NATO, because we would be the aggressors. We would be censured by the international community in the United Nations and would give our economy a humongous jolt, because such a war would cost us the loss of American lives, countless injuries, and add a minimum of five trillion dollars to our national debt. Is this something our nation wants to do? Most pundits and political commentators are unaware that Iran has a tradition of pacifism going back to medieval times. The Shanamah or Book of Kings by Abu Iqasim Ferdowski (who died in 1020) argues against war and the clash of cultures. How is this book relevant today? It seems that this book has a timeless quality since it informs the moral conscience of many Iranians today, a thousand years after it was written. The Book of Kings avers that the militant perspectives imposed on a nation in the name of religion are morally bankrupt today. Jafar Mahallati in The Ethics of War and Peace in Iran and Shii Islam (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2018) asserts that religious traditions, per se, cannot guarantee that there would be no wars. However, in the history of Iran, the universal ethics of chivalry has acted as a moral balancer. Without such a moral code, Iran would not have been able to engage in violence as has I.S.I.S., or have the resilience to deal with the war started by Iraq against Iran (1980-88), or have had the tenacity to deal with the economic sanctions that have crippled the Iranian economy for the past fifty years. Mahallatis book demonstrates that todays Iran is moving beyond its past ideological and fundamentalist tendencies that have been detrimental to Irans security to date. President Rouhani has made deep changes in Irans foreign policy that are in line with his pragmatic approach to Irans political and social realities. For example, under Pres. Rouhani there are in Iran new ethical policies in regard to the use, making, and stockpiling of nuclear weapons. What should be done to defuse the tension between the US and Iran? First, President Trump and his advisers ought to tone down the rhetoric, since it only adds gasoline to the fire. Second, the US cannot stop Iranian missile development and testing, just as it cannot stop Kim Jong Un from the development and testing of new missiles. What the US can do is this: it can make a deal that neither country would manufacture missiles that would fly over 2,000 kilometers and carry nuclear weapons. This can be achieved by removing sanctions that are crippling the economies of both countries. Third, since both the US and international community are better off with the Iranian nuclear than without it, then why doesnt President Trump initiate a dialogue with Iran about rejoining the Iranian nuclear agreement at the cost of removing US sanctions. This would be a win-win situation for all parties involved and is certainly more desirable than an all-out war in which both parties lose. Richard Penaskovic is professor emeritus at Auburn University where he taught for 30 years. He co-edited a book called "Peacebuiding In A Fractious World " published in November, 2017, by Pickwick Publications. Former Georgian president and ex-governor of the Odessa Region Mikhail Saakashvili, who has regained Ukrainian citizenship yesterday, pledged to return to the countrys politics "cautiously." "I missed Ukraine and at first, I want to meet my friends and I will be cautious when returning to politics," Saakashvili told "1 + 1" TV channel. "There will be something, but not that I will become part of any local political process from the first minutesI will be very careful," he said. When asked if he wishes to become a prime minister, Saakashvili recalled that former Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko had offered him this position three times, but he refused. "There may be different circumstances, but now I dont see myself in this position," he noted. Saakashvili also said he was not afraid of returning to Ukraine, where he faces a criminal investigation. A few years ago, I discovered that recent hospital closures mean some Alabama mothers must travel nearly two hours to reach a hospital where they can safely deliver their babies. It shouldnt have surprised me, but it did. Learning about that simple thing the drive time it takes to reach a hospital when youre in labor led to more questions than answers as I looked at how mothers and babies fare in Alabama. Ive written about lots of different things in my career as a reporter, but I keep coming back to women and children and the challenges they face in Alabama. Part of it, I think, is personal. The first time I became pregnant, my husband and I were thrilled to learn we were having twins. But soon there were complications, visits to specialists, not enough answers. After an emergency c-section, I delivered our babies 12 weeks early. It wasnt enough time. Our younger twin, Graham, died a week later from complications of prematurity. Our older twin, Will, spent 71 days in the NICU before we got to bring him home. He just celebrated his ninth birthday. Over the next few years I had two perfectly healthy pregnancies, two more perfectly healthy little boys. Most days, Im better than fine. I dont think the system failed me, in my particular case. But Im telling you this story because I think my experience gets at the heart of why I decided to spend this year reporting on Alabamas mothers. What Ive found, in my reporting, are broken systems, underfunded programs and political inattention that have combined to make motherhood in Alabama a difficult and sometimes life-threatening struggle. Ive spoken with dozens and dozens of Alabama mothers in the past few years. Some struggled to find good, safe childcare for their babies. Some of them nearly died in childbirth, from complications they knew little about. Some couldnt get approved for insurance coverage until halfway through pregnancy. Some faced discrimination and repercussions after they returned to work. Some suffered in silence from post-partum depression. Were not always fine. We have to do more to protect our state's moms and their families. This isnt a womens issue or a mommy issue. Were talking about a constellation of problems that impact not just Alabamas mothers but their children, their partners and their communities. And these are some of the same problems that affect other Alabamians, too: inadequate health insurance, rural hospital closures, workplace inequities. But there are Alabamians working, right now, to fix these things. Ive met some of them. Solutions are out there, in neighboring states and closer to home. We should be talking about them in our communities, in our state and in our legislature. Our mothers deserve to be better than just fine. I hope youll join me. We want you to be part of this conversation. Heres how: Join our group: On Facebook weve launched a group called Reckon Women to bringing together Alabamians who want to work for positive change around issues that matter to women and mothers. Were not going to tell you how to fix things, but we want to arm you with the information you need to advocate for solutions you care about. Ask your questions: If you have questions, ask them in the box below. Id love to hear from you and find answers to your questions. Like Reckon on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: There well publish all our work and push the conversation toward making our state a better place for mothers. Join in, share us and be part of the conversation. Talk to me: Reach me with tips, questions and story ideas at avollers@AL.com. This is an opinion column. Maybe well get it right this time. Maybe. Maybe this time, well show were not the Alabama of more than a century ago when white men from throughout the state gathered in Montgomery to devise a constitution for the Alabama of 1901. White men who, during their Constitutional Convention, called black citizensnegros, as they said then, at least in public viewas an insignificant minority. White men who spoke of Chinamen and shared in the official record a story of an old darky who left the South but encountered whites in the North who held him to a strict accountability. Heres how the tale is transcribed: Trained, as he was, to the slow movement of the mule in the Southern cornfield and cotton patch, he could not handle the complicated machinery, or keep pace with the quicker methods of farming in the west and so he was soon cast adrift. When he asked for help he was told to go to work, and so he wandered, foot-sore and weary, back through Indiana and Ohio, until he reached again the old Southern plantation in Kentucky. Finding the planter comfortably seated upon his veranda, the old darky approached, hat in hand, and asked for something to eat. Why, you damn black rascal, what are you stopping here for? Go into the kitchen and tell the cook to give you something to eat. Before God, master, the old darkey said, grinning from ear to ear, thems the sweetest words Is heard since I left old Dixie. The old man was home at last. He was among people who understood him, and whom he understood. These men unabashedly declared that their aim at the convention was to establish white supremacy in the state. (If you havent poured through the 700-plus-page account of the convention, or havent done so in a while, its worth being reminded of those quaint times.) Those men (oh, yes, they did allow one woman, Frances Griffin, to speak to white men gathered who had not yet granted women the right to vote) have been long forgotten mostly. Remnants of the racist stench that permeated their conventiona stench perpetuated by many who followed and continuously amended the albatross that is now our state constitutionare still with us, though, still part of the document that speaks to who we are as a state, the document that guides us legally and, in a sense, morally. Or is supposed to. A document still containing, in section 256, these 27 words: Separate schools shall be provided for white and colored children, and no child of either race shall be permitted to attend a school of the other race. Of course, the edict and other racist components of our constitution are, well, unconstitutional. Theyve been trumped by the U.S. Constitution and a nation that left us and our backward language behind. Oh, weve had our chances to right the egregious wrong. In 2004, Gov. Bob Riley, a Republican, emboldened a bipartisan movement to be rid of the language disenfranchising blacks, Native Americans and poor whites and other Jim Crow-era edicts. But Roy Moore, fresh from being ejected from the Alabama Supreme Court for refusing to remove a granite block bearing the Ten Commandments from the courthouse, rode in on Sadie and opposed the change, claiming it would increase taxes. This amendment is a wolf in sheeps clothing and the people of Alabama should be aware of it, he told the Birmingham News. It failed by 2,000 votes; 1.4 million were cast overall. Seven years ago, we had a chance to purge those words again, to finally put them in the rearview mirror of our conflicted past. But the amendments language was tweaked, prompting the state teachers union and the Alabama Democratic Conference, the black political caucus, to rally against it. They charged the new language allowed the state legislature to cut public-school funding if there were to be a budget crisis. Joe Reed, then conference chair (and now state Democratic party leader), told NPR (maybe channeling an inner Roy Moore): Its a hoax on the people of Alabama. Its a wolf with sheeps clothes on. I mean, whos worried anymore about some racist language in the constitution? Thats symbolic. It doesnt mean anything now. Yes, it didand still does. Unfortunately, more than six in 10 Alabamians were swayed and voted against Amendment 4. Next year, well have a chance to finally get it right. Last week, the Alabama legislaturein a rare, welcomed display of bipartisanship and common sense--passed HB328, an amendment allowing legislative services to draft a recompilation of the constitution removing all racist language and redundant provisions, but make no other changes. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Merika Coleman, a Democrat, and seconded by Republican House Speaker Mac McCutcheon (R, Limestone/Madison). In the state Senate, it was shepherded by Democrat Rodger Smitherman and Republican pro tem Del Marsh. This plucks out the racist words but does not change any other words in the education articles, says Nancy Egbert, the Minnesota native who moved to Alabama 26 years ago and, through Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform (ACCR), has sought to purge the Constitution of racist words and tone. Those words should not be in the law of the land. Well vote on the amendment in the fall of 2020 when well storm the polls to elect a new president. If it is approved, the recompilation will be presented to the state legislature in 2022 and, if it passes, will go before votes again that fall. Its a lot of ifs, especially in these dicey, testy times. And the time has come. Weve gotten a lot of very bad national attention lately, Coleman says. If this amendment passes, it would send a message to the nation that we are no longer the Alabama of 1901. We are the Alabama that condemns the spirit of discrimination with which this constitution was actually developed. Maybe we are; this time. Just maybe. A voice for whats right and wrong in Birmingham, Alabama (and beyond), Roys column appears in The Birmingham News and AL.com, as well as in the Huntsville Times, the Mobile Register. Reach him at rjohnson@al.com and follow him at twitter.com/roysj Global aviation official says troubled plane may not return to service until August, pending software updates, approval. Boeing Cos 737 MAX is unlikely to return to service before August, the head of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has said. We do not expect something before 10 to 12 weeks in re-entry into service, IATA Director General Alexandre de Juniac told reporters in Seoul on Wednesday. But it is not [in] our hands. That is in the hands of regulators. The 737 MAX was grounded globally in March after a crash in Ethiopia killed all 157 people on board, the models second deadly crash in five months. IATA plans to organise a summit with airlines, aviation regulators and Boeing in five to seven weeks to discuss what is needed for the 737 MAX to return to service, the IATAs director said. The airline industry has had a tough six months, amidst rising fuel, labour and infrastructure costs. Trade tensions have also been increasing since the grounding of the 737 MAX. IATAs December forecast for $35.5bn in industry profits in 2019 is expected to be lowered in an update at its annual meeting in Seoul on June 2. At an IATA meeting for 737 MAX operators in Montreal last week, airline members said they wanted regulators to cooperate closely on the decision for the planes re-entry to service. Clear and steady progress Boeing Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg on Wednesday reiterated that the planemaker was focused on safely returning the MAX aircraft to service. Speaking at a Bernstein conference in New York, Muilenburg said the company continues to expect to ramp up its long-term production rate to 57 aircraft per month after cutting monthly output to 42 planes in response to the groundings. Were making clear and steady progress, and that includes the work that were doing on the airplane update, the software update, working through the certification process with the FAA, he said. Sources have told the Reuters news agency that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) expects to approve the jets return to service as soon as late June. United States operators Southwest Airlines, American Airlines and United Airlines have removed the planes from their flight schedules until early to mid-August. We will host the Council of Europes 11th Cultural Routes Forum in Kutaisi in 2021, - President Salome Zourabichvili said. The President attended the Cultural Routes - Georgia and Europe event at the Simon Janashia State Museum of Georgia yesterday. The event was organized by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia. According to Zourabichvili, European cultural routes provide Georgia with various opportunities. "We have gathered here for a very important issue, because it is a great success for Georgia that we are so connected with Europe in this direction. This is one of the parts of our entry into the EU. Nobody can stop us on our way to Europe. We need a lot of paths that will bring Europe to Georgia as well, to show them what Georgia really is. Cultural routes are a very interesting tool to introduce out country to tourists - Europeans and not only Europeans. Thus Europeans will see how European Georgia is - this will be the first thing that tourists will discover in Georgia, Zourabichvili said, InterPressNews reports. "I would also like to remind you that the Council of Europes 11th Cultural Routes Forum will be held in Kutaisi in 2021, which is important for Kutaisi and the whole Georgia," Salome Zourabichvili said. Exxon Mobil Corp shareholders on Wednesday rejected a proposal that would have forced the companys board to create a special committee on climate change. Shareholders also defeated measures requiring the company to report the risks of climate change at chemical plants on the Gulf Coast in the United States and to report political contributions and lobbying. Under CEO Darren Woods, Exxon has launched major expansion programs to find and produce new reserves of oil and natural gas, as well as to expand the companys refining and chemical footprint. Exxon has projected shale production of 1 million barrels per day at the Permian Basin around western Texas, the top US shale field, as early as 2024. Shareholders in recent years have pressed Exxon the largest publicly traded oil producer to define a path toward meeting the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit global warming. But the company has yet to commit to any targets. Engagement on climate is important, but working on solutions through fundamental research and development for new technologies is also important, said Woods. He pointed to a recent $100m commitment by Exxon to partner with the US Department of Energys national labs to research and bring lower-emission technologies to commercial scale. No Planet B The Church Commissioners for England, the endowment fund of the Church of England and New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, who manages the states pension fund had urged other shareholders to vote in favor of an independent board chairman in a failed proposal that would have created a new role separate from that of the CEO. They pushed for the protest vote after the US Securities and Exchange Commission said in April that Exxon was not required to let investors vote on a shareholder submission calling for emissions targets aligned with the greenhouse gas reduction goals established by the Paris climate agreement. 190528150604468 Exxon called that proposal misleading though substantially implemented and an attempt to interfere with management responsibilities. Edward Mason, head of responsible investment for the Church Commissioners for England, which presented two of the shareholder resolutions for Wednesdays meeting, said Exxons European oil rival BP PLC has taken on intensive, meaningful and independent director-led work on climate issues supported by both the company and investors. Exxon, though, has been in open conflict about climate strategy and disclosure with its investors, Mason said. The independent board chair proposal won a record level of support, DiNapoli said. Shareholders sent a strong message that they are dissatisfied with Exxons poor governance, which is preventing the company from adequately addressing climate risk, DiNapoli said. Exxon would ignore this level of support for an independent board chair at its own risk. Exxon will continue to engage with shareholders as part of a year-long process, said Woods, the CEO. The results are not totally unexpected, but you have to look at the vote counts as well, said Robert Schuwerk, executive director for North America at Carbon Tracker, an independent financial think tank analysing the transition to clean energy. Forty-one percent is higher than theyve ever obtained, without much of a campaign around it, he added, referring to the chairman proposal. It will likely come up again next year and would only take a few more major shareholders [to pass]. Shareholders are looking for more accountability at the board level, Schuwerk told Al Jazeera, integrating climate targets into the overall business plan and strategy. Schuwerk also said oil giants are not necessarily committing financial suicide by transitioning to renewable energy, with investors trying to create a glide path for that transition. Meanwhile, more than 50 people organized by environmental group 350 Dallas held signs and chanted outside the Exxon shareholders meeting place to protest the companys climate policies. The climate crisis is real, and they have contributed to it, said Olinka Green, 50, of Dallas, who held a sign that said, There is no Planet B. Other major oil moves On Wednesday, Chevron Corps shareholders overwhelmingly rejected three environmental resolutions: proposals to create the companys own board committee on climate change, to report on reducing carbon footprint, and to report on the human right to water. Meanwhile, Total S.A.s shareholders on Wednesday approved chairman and chief executive officer Patrick Pouyannes 2018 and 2019 salary packages, and included climate change targets in his future pay deals. Pouyannes 2018 total salary compensation of 3.1 million euros ($3.5m) was approved by a majority of shareholders. His 2018 pay was down 17 percent compared to the previous year. For 2019, the shareholders approved Pouyannes package, which includes a fixed pay component of 1.4 million euros ($1.56m), the same as the previous year. The variable component could be up to 180 percent of the fixed component, and one of the targets to meet in the variable-pay component is to lower greenhouse gas emissions from Total S.A.s oil and gas installations. Also on Wednesday, Royal Dutch Shell PLC announced it will disclose how much tax it pays in every country where it operates, in a striking reminder that major oil companies in Europe have embraced corporate accountability to a much greater extent than their US counterparts. Chicago, United States Newly sworn-in Mayor of Chicago Lori Lightfoot ran on a campaign that promised change for everyday Chicagoans. Pursuing office as an outsider without decades of connection to the Chicago political machine, Lightfoot pledged to address Chicagos growing housing affordability gap. Now in her first days as mayor, Lightfoot has appointed Marisa Novara to head Chicagos Department of Housing. The department will operate as a stand-alone government entity for the first time in 11 years, a decision that was made during the final months of former Mayor Rahm Emanuels administration. Novara comes from the Metropolitan Planning Council, where she headed the Cost of Segregation initiative and has advocated for proposals that would address the housing affordability gap across the city. Affordability gap Perry Starks, 61, is experiencing the challenges of that affordability gap first-hand. A landscaper for the Chicago Park District, Starks has lived in Garfield Park, a low-income area on the west side of Chicago, his whole life. If rent prices continue to rise, he may have to move. Like many Chicagoans, Perry Starks is having a hard time finding a home he can afford [Anne Bouleanu/ Al Jazeera] Last year, Starks says, he was paying $668 per month in rent for his apartment. He now pays $750 a month. Ill stick it out as long as its in my safety zone, so to say, to be able to pay for it, Starks told Al Jazeera. I kind of like the area, but I know its probably going to change in a few years. Im comfortable where Im at now, but if it goes up a few more dollars, Id have to start looking and investing somewhere else. Chicagoans like Starks are being pushed out by people with a taste for more luxurious homes. The county that encompasses the Chicago metropolitan area Cook County has lost more than 15,000 two- and four-flat buildings from 2012 to 2018, according to a report by DePaul Universitys Institute for Housing Studies (IHS). Building owners are demolishing small multi-family buildings or gutting and converting them into single-family homes. This is one of the reasons why the number of affordable living spaces has dropped more than 10 percent since 2012. These conversions are popular in rapidly gentrifying, trendy neighbourhoods such as Logan Square and Humboldt Park, where Stephanie Iverson, 23, lives and works as a nanny. Shes currently searching for a new apartment in Humboldt Park. For now, Iverson and her roommate live in a two-bedroom apartment and pay a total of $1,250 in rent each month. Iverson is paying 45 percent more than what is considered affordable for someone at her income level. The IHS defines the affordability gap as the difference between the number of renters making less than 150 percent of the national poverty level ($37,641 each year) versus the number of rental units available for $940 each month, or 30 percent of an individuals income. The problem Im finding is that even places that are more expensive than the place we are right now are smaller, Iverson said between apartment showings. I get decent pay, but still the majority of my paycheck goes to rent. Probably like 75 percent. Its tough. A global trend The affordability gap squeezing the nine and a half million people who live in the greater Chicago area is part of a global urbanisation wave. People in similarly sized cities like Bogota, Colombia, Johannesburg, South Africa, and Lima, Peru are also facing shortages of affordable housing options as migration from rural to urban areas continues. Today, 55 percent of the worlds population lives in urban areas. By 2050, that figure is expected to climb to 68 percent, predicts the United Nations. As cities continue to grow, the fight for affordable housing is predicted to take a toll on the overall quality of life in urban areas. By 2025, 440 million people worldwide may live in substandard housing, or only be able to afford acceptable housing if they sacrifice on other basic necessities such as healthcare, according to an analysis by the management consultancy McKinsey & Co. Propping up the rich, letting the poor fall* The contrast between rapid development and a lack of affordable housing is glaring in certain parts of Northwest Chicago. Take Logan Square: From 1980 to 2017, a majority of its residents were Latino. It now has a slight majority white population, a WBEZ analysis of census data found. As young, white professionals with greater financial means move in, some lower-income Latinos have had to leave the neighbourhood, unable to afford increased rents, even as middle- and higher-income Latino families remain in the area as demographics shift. Developers in this area have converted former churches and banks into luxury apartments and constructed multi-story, condo-ready buildings that offer upscale amenities like gyms and rooftop patios. Developers are converting older buildings like this Chicago church into modern luxury housing [Anne Bouleanu / Al Jazeera] Meanwhile, says Geoff Smith, Executive Director of the IHS, those in low-income areas are losing affordable housing options due to decades of economic disinvestment and discrimination in areas that are largely black and Latino. What has happened in those areas is a lot of properties have been abandoned, Smith said. Afterward, theyre demolished, and so you lose that supply. When you lose those units, theres not a mechanism to replace those affordable units. The loss of those units has a lot of impact not just today, but also in 20 years as those units disappear. Preservation is the first step To combat the loss of affordable housing, Smith says the Lightfoot administration should focus first on preserving existing affordable housing before building and developing new affordable housing projects. Gregory Johnson, 57, used to live in Uptown, an area on the far north side of Chicago which has a large low-income population. He lived there for five years until rent became too expensive. Alternating between working as a seasonal employee for the City of Chicago and holding temporary jobs, Johnson brings in about $1,000 a month. Unable to keep up with rising prices in Uptown as rent climbed towards $600 a month, he moved to the West Side to live with his niece in the Belmont Cragin neighbourhood, where he pays $450 a month. He says that in Uptown, he saw low-income renters not just leave the neighbourhood, but also lose their homes, eventually ending up living on the street. I would see them in a building one day, then Id see them out on the streets the next, Johnson said. As Lightfoot enters office this month, Johnson hopes she will address the growing housing crisis, particularly for low-income individuals. Newly appointed Department of Housing head Marisa Novara has also made housing for low-income residents one of her priorities, calling for changes in a public voucher programme to make renting more affordable. There needs to really be a standard, Johnson said. I see a lot of homeless people people who have a problem with the rent. [The city] needs to get the budget right and help. The Chinese tech giant says a US law banning purchases of its equipment by government agencies is unconstitutional Hong Kong Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei is trying to speed up a lawsuit it has filed against the United States government, its latest move to block Washingtons efforts to contain the company on what the US says are national security concerns. US President Donald Trumps administration has accused Huawei of stealing trade secrets, fraud and violating US sanctions against Iran. It has banned government agencies from buying Huawei equipment. In a separate move, it has also barred US companies from selling components to Huawei, although that decision has been put on hold until August 19 to give American companies time to adjust. Politicians in the US are using the strength of an entire nation to come after a private company, Huaweis Chief Legal Officer Song Liuping said during a news conference at the companys headquarters in Shenzhen. This is not normal. Almost never seen in history. The US government has provided no evidence to show that Huawei is a security threat. There is no gun, no smoke. Only speculation, said Song. Constitutional challenge In March, Huawei filed a suit in the US challenging the constitutional validity of Section 889 of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act on which the ban on purchases of Huawei equipment by the federal government agencies is based. This week, the company applied for a summary judgment, a move that could help it bypass a trial and speed up the legal process, Huawei says the rule not only stops US government agencies from buying its equipment and services but also extends the prohibition to companies who want to buy Huawei gear or services. Huawei is one of the worlds biggest makers of telecommunications equipment and a leader in cutting edge 5G mobile technology. But it relies on providers from overseas, including the US, for key components such as computer chips. Al Jazeeras Adrian Brown in Shenzhen says the company seems confident of the legal challenge it has filed. I think they were trying to demonstrate that in spite of this massive assault theyre currently under from the Trump administration, that this is a company which is not going to crack under pressure. And once more they denied that the company had any connections with the Chinese government, insisting they were not in the pocket of Beijing, said Brown. Analysts say Huaweis move makes sense given its long-term aims. [The motion] is the right move for Huawei to assert itself as a legitimate, global telecommunications provider, Ross OBrien, principal consultant for telecommunications consultancy Ovum, told Al Jazeera. Geopolitical competitiveness OBrien says the US governments motivations are more linked to trade and geopolitical competitiveness than actual security. But he is doubtful that that move will ultimately help the company. The fact that this has been brought up as a security issue gives the [US] government lots of leeway. I dont see the judgment coming in Huaweis favour, said OBrien. A hearing is scheduled for September 19 at the Eastern District of Texas. Huaweis legal fight with the US is just one battle in the wider US-China contest for global tech dominance, says an analyst [File: Thomas Peter/Reuters] Kenny Liew, an information and communications technology analyst at Fitch Solutions says the US allegations of Huawei conducting cyberespionage are still unfounded, and the US hasnt publicly released proof of its claims. We believe that it is just one battle in the wider US-China contest for global tech dominance, Liew told Al Jazeera. Huawei also believes the US has other motives. We believe that US politicians are using cybersecurity as an excuse to gain public support for actions that are designed to achieve other goals, said Song. Trump recently suggested that the company could become a bargaining chip in future trade talks. Its possible that Huawei even would be included in some kind of a trade deal. If we made a deal, I could imagine Huawei being possibly included in some form of or some part of a trade deal, Trump said at a White House briefing last week. The US and China have imposed punitive tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars worth of each others goods. We think Trumps offer is likely genuine, and his decision to impose restrictions on Huawei is likely a move to pressure China into giving in to key US demands, said Liew. But he believes that China is unlikely to yield. Another Chinese telecommunications company, ZTE, faced a similar ordeal last year. It was first banned from operating in the US for seven years after being found guilty of selling equipment to Iran and North Korea in contravention of sanctions. The company was eventually allowed to resume business stateside after a $1bn fine, management shake up and installing a compliance team. Ovums OBrien thinks it is unlikely that Huawei will similarly agree to a financial settlement as the two companies face different issues. CEO Ren Zhengfei told Chinese state media last week that the company had been preparing for the fallout of the US actions. But he said: US politicians might have underestimated our strengths. Washington wants to remind nations they have a choice between doing business with Iran, or with the United States. The U.S. warned Hong Kong that it could face penalties if it does business with an oil tanker headed for the city that allegedly violated sanctions on Iran. Washington wants to put China and the autonomous city on notice that it will aggressively and consistently enforce its Iran sanctions, a senior U.S. official said on Tuesday, speaking on condition of anonymity. The official said China would be informed that any entity doing business with the ship would expose it to U.S. sanctions. The attention levied on this single vessel, the Pacific Bravo, underscores Washingtons desire to stymie Irans oil exports. Relations between the two sides have deteriorated sharply in recent weeks, following President Donald Trumps pledge to force Irans vital oil exports down to zero and a revocation of key sanctions waivers. The Pacific Bravo is owned by Chinas Bank of Kunlun, according to the senior U.S. official. Reuters reported in October that the bank once Beijings major channel for transactions with Iran would stop handling such payments due to sanctions pressure. Next stop While the U.S. official said the tanker is heading to Hong Kong, ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg shows a vessel called the Pacific Bravo off the coast of Sri Lanka and signaling Indonesia as its next stop. The senior U.S. official said it was imperative that Hong Kong authorities prevent the vessel from docking or allowing local entities from providing services to ships that might misrepresent themselves in order to avoid exposing themselves to sanctions violations. Washington wants to make clear that anyone doing business with Iran, wont be doing business with the U.S., the official said, adding that there would be more sanctions to come. Hong Kongs Marine Department said in an email Wednesday that at present, it has no information showing if the respective vessel will enter or pass by Hong Kong waters. Rising tensions Reuters reported on May 16 that a tanker in violation of U.S. sanctions had unloaded close to 130,000 tons of Iranian fuel oil into storage tanks near the eastern Chinese city of Zhoushan. It had earlier reported that a batch of Iranian fuel oil had sidestepped American sanctions on petroleum exports by using ship-to-ship transfers involving four vessels including that tanker the Marshal Z. Trump has increased pressure on Iran since taking office, exiting the landmark 2015 nuclear deal that gave the Islamic Republic sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its disputed nuclear program. Senior Iranian officials have made recent tours of neighboring countries in an effort to boost support, after the U.S. announced it would increase troop deployments in the Middle East and sell weapons to some of Irans rivals. Karnataka state recently ruled that education institutes must allow people to officially change name and gender. Bangalore, India Born in the late 1990s to a middle-class family in Bangalore, Jeeva M had always felt trapped in the wrong body. It was the girl I was in love with in my first year of [junior college] who made me come out. She made me realise Im a man I knew this, but she helped me accept, he told Al Jazeera. Jeeva M, now 20, was 18 when he fell in love. The girl thought he was joking about his transition, but wanted to remain friends. His anxiety rose over the rejection and sense of not belonging in his body he was born female, and he soon became suicidal and quit school. There are still cuts and scars on his wrist from his attempts to take his own life. When his parents found out about the girl, he poured out his feelings. They took him to psychiatrists thinking he would change, telling him it was a phase. A year of prayers, pilgrimages and priests coming over to fix him saw him turn to alcohol. His parents found it difficult to understand him, while psychiatrists provided little support. Eventually, Jeevas grandfather agreed to accompany him to Delhi to meet another doctor, who diagnosed him with gender dysphoria and phoned his parents to explain their sons condition. Lakshmi Narayan Tripathi, chief of the Kinnar Akhara congregation for transgender people, dances and sings with her followers during Kumbh Mela, or the Pitcher Festival, in Prayagraj [File: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters] Only two percent of transgender people in India live with their parents, according to a 2018 study by the Kerala Development Society, backed by the National Human Rights Commission of India, which warns of criminal action against parents who disown transgender children. In that regard, Jeeva considers himself fortunate. After his hormone therapy began and his body started to change, his parents agreed to pay for surgery, which will cost up to $8,500. Sex reassignment is considered cosmetic surgery in India, and cannot be claimed under medical insurance. Jeeva has successfully undergone top surgery and is in the process of undergoing bottom surgery. I couldnt touch a girl with this body. There was deep love but I didnt know what to do, he said. As his transition began, he changed his name and gender on legal documents. He got an affidavit to identify as male and then changed the details on his Aadhaar card a unique identification number similar to Americas social security number. But getting his information changed at the educational level was impossible without a court order. In March 2019, he filed a writ petition in the Karnataka High Court seeking permission. He approached the Center for Law and Policy Research, an NGO offering pro-bono legal services headed by Jayna Kothari, a senior advocate in Indias Supreme Court. Kothari, who worked on the case that led to the landmark judgement decriminalising homosexuality in India in September 2018, argued for Jeeva in the Karnataka High Court and won the case. The writ petition was filed just for Jeeva but the judge (Justice S. Sujatha) was actually very progressive and the case took a turn, Kothari told Al Jazeera. A participant walks under a rainbow flag during a gay pride parade promoting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights, in Chandigarh, India March 18, 2018 [File: Ajay Verma/Reuters] The judge ordered the state government to issue a circular to educational institutions across Karnataka, instructing them to allow name and gender change, making it the first state in India to do so. Karnataka is a southwestern state of more than 60 million people, of which Bangalore is the capital. Zainab P. Rifai, who works as the national manager of health and human rights at the United Nations Development Programme, also wants to change her name and gender in her academic documents in Maharashtra, a central state more than 500km from Karnataka. She plans to turn her case into a public interest litigation to serve the interests of the larger community. Rifai was one of the petitioners in the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) vs. Union of India case in 2014. The NALSA judgement was a landmark decision passed by the Supreme Court of India that legally recognised the fundamental and civil rights of transpersons and allowed them to self-identify as male, female or third gender. The struggle [for] 20 years of the movement has been to recognise an existence, said Akkai Padmashali, an activist in Bangalore who also petitioned the NALSA case. This kind of judgement allows people like Jeeva who are part of diverse identities to slowly come to the public realm, said Padmashali. She hopes the decision in Karnataka will set an example to all Indian states. Now they introduce me as their son because they know I'll get p***** off if they introduce me as their daughter. But they are sad their beautiful girl is gone. Jeeva M, transgender student Jeeva said even though the law has been changed, the process of changing his academic papers remains complicated. As he waits for the bureaucracy to end, his anxiety is once again rising. If cis (people whose gender identity matches the sex that they were assigned at birth) boys [at college] find out Im a transman who hasnt done full surgery, I will be harassed in the bathroom, he said. I have heard terrifying stories about groping and other things. If Im not going to college, then I have to get this done with so I can move on with my life. And while his family have accepted him, tension remains. Now they introduce me as their son because they know Ill get p***** off if they introduce me as their daughter. But they are sad their beautiful girl is gone. His grandmother, meanwhile, worries about who might marry him. In Hindu marriages, families often compare birth certificates of the potential bride and groom to see if their horoscopes match. The birth certificate is what youre stuck with, said Kothari. If this happens at the educational level, then this could also be a lead to seek a change with the municipal authorities issuing birth certificates. Back in Bangalore, Jeeva, who does not know if and when his birth certificate might reflect his identity, says: I will have to find someone who understands me. Recent anti-abortion measures in the US are a symptom of a dangerous malady which has afflicted its democracy for years. On May 14, the US state of Alabama passed new draconian legislation banning abortion in almost all cases. Less than 10 days later, Missouri followed suit with its own restrictive abortion measure. These laws come on the heels of similar legislative initiatives in the states of Georgia, Mississippi and Ohio and of course, reflect the misogyny and the relentless efforts of the Trump administration to undermine womens reproductive rights. But they are also symptomatic of a much bigger and more sinister process the ongoing assault on American democracy which began even before Donald Trump made it to the White House. Not unlike France, where the right of Muslim women to wear the veil has become a point of endless contention, in the United States, womens bodies have also become a battleground where the most significant political struggles of our time are being fought. Indeed, the stakes have never been higher. Trumps campaign to curtail womens rights began immediately after he took office with the implementation of the Global Gag rule, which cut federal funding for NGOs in foreign countries which provide abortion services, advocate for the legalisation of abortion or even mention abortion. It has continued unabated with repeated attempts to defund Planned Parenthood, which provides accessible reproductive healthcare in the US, and the successful nomination of not one but two pro-life (anti-abortion rights) Supreme Court Justices It has also emboldened pro-life politicians to wage war on womens constitutional right to legal access to abortion, enshrined in the 1973 Supreme Court ruling of Roe v Wade. There are currently dozens of anti-abortion bills being introduced in state legislatures across the country. While they will no doubt be challenged ferociously in courts, it is also increasingly likely that one of these cases will eventually make its way to the Supreme Court, which today has a clear anti-abortion majority. Yet, despite the ostensible suddenness of these legal measures and the widespread media attention they have received, the slow and steady erosion of womens reproductive rights has been occurring for many years, often under the media radar. For instance, in recent years, Republican legislators managed to push bills to restrict abortion by mandating waiting periods for patients. Anti-abortion activists in states like Kentucky and Texas have also worked tirelessly to shut down health clinics where abortions are performed, lobbying politicians to support legislation that would require clinics to obtain so-called transfer agreements with a hospital or ambulance service. In 2016, during the Obama administration, the Supreme Court struck down a Texas law requiring such transfer agreements. Although the ruling lifted some pressure off of abortion clinics, the threat on womens reproductive rights never really went away in Texas or elsewhere. Few at the time realised how serious it was. After all, during the Obama era, the general perception was that the country was moving towards greater gender equality and that certain basic constitutional rights could not be taken away, despite repeated attempts by the Tea Party and other Christian fundamentalists. Indeed, during President Barack Obamas tenure, an atmosphere of liberal tolerance prevailed, particularly towards women and the LGBTQ community. Think of the historic Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality and the revocation of the ban on trans people in the military. There was a pervasive sense that democratic institutions and liberal laws were robust and would protect our rights. As a result, there was little mass mobilisation to counter these local and targeted campaigns against reproductive rights. But here is the catch. While Obama advanced a certain type of identity politics that secured the rights of specific groups, his policies simultaneously facilitated predatory financial capitalism that thrived precisely by eating away at the fabric of democratic life. As political theorist Nancy Fraser has suggested, during the Obama era progressive neoliberalism reigned. His administration contributed to the erosion of democratic institutions by allowing corporate wealth and power to go virtually unchecked. It was Obama, after all, who chose to ignore Wall Street crimes after the 2008 financial crash. The ground was, therefore, ripe for Trumps ensuing onslaught. He has not only continued the neoliberal vision of his predecessor but has also stripped away all remnants of tolerance and progressive politics in the name of hyper-nationalism and a thinly disguised white supremacist agenda. In parallel to neoliberalisms evisceration of democratic processes and the nullification of regulations that took years to impose, misogyny, xenophobia, and racism have been normalised at the highest levels. The current state initiatives to undermine womens constitutional rights must, therefore, be seen as a concrete manifestation of the resurgence of an invigorated politics of hate, which democratic structures severely weakened by aggressive neoliberalism have not been able to stand up to. This is not to say that there has been no resistance: the increase in mass feminist activism since Trumps inauguration alongside the election of a historic number of women and women of colour to the US Congress are indications that there is a pushback. But if we are to stop this attack on our bodies and on democracy itself, we need to intensify the struggle exponentially. The new abortion laws should serve as a true wake-up call. Legal challenges are not enough. If we do not fight back relentlessly by organising mass resistance, we may well find ourselves in the dystopia of Margaret Atwoods The Handmaids Tale, where womens rights are abolished and women are forced into reproductive servitude. We simply cannot go on with our everyday lives assuming that it will be all right in the end. Too many red lines have already been crossed, and too much is at stake. We need to wage a struggle on different levels: from getting involved in Supermajority, a new political organisation that aims to mobilise women across race, class and generation, through taking action on climate change by supporting the Extinction Rebellion, to ensuring that the Green New Deal is enacted without compromise. Sitting on the fence is simply no longer an option. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. When President Muhammadu Buhari is sworn in on Wednesday for a second consecutive democratic term in office, it will be a low-key affair: no pomp or pageantry, no retinue of world leaders. This is because last year the incumbent made the smart decision to move Democracy Day from May 29 (when traditionally inaugurations are held) to June 12 in honour of MKO Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, who was denied his mandate by military dictator Ibrahim Babangida and eventually died in detention. The quiet inauguration, however, is also a foretelling of what to expect of Buharis next four years: they will be economically drab, ideologically uneventful and nothing distinct from the past four. A low-key inauguration will prepare the ground for a lower-key exit in 2023. Buhari himself implicitly admitted as much recently. But what of the election campaign promises he made? Will he stamp out corruption, fix the economy and provide security for his people? Corruption Buhari earned a sizeable fraction of his early-office goodwill from hunting corrupt former public office-holders, most notably former National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki, accused of presiding over the embezzlement of $2bn allocated for arms deals. It makes sense that this ought to continue in his second term but, having largely limited the anti-corruption war to opposition politicians, Buhari has already arrested or intimidated every notable name on his list. There are only few opposition politicians left to go after and the president is unlikely to change his mind about prosecuting corrupt elements in his own camp. And those are plenty. Only on Sunday, First Lady Aisha Buhari impugned the $16m expended on mosquito nets under the Social Investment Programme (SIP) coordinated by presidential aide Maryam Uwais. The nets are nowhere to be found, she lamented, insisting that the promised distribution of $14 to Nigerias poorest hadnt reached the North despite the allocation of $1.4bn for the purpose. The matter, though, doesnt interest Buhari since his aide is the alleged villain. Within the next four years, expect many more instances of the president turning a blind eye to corruption and inefficiency among his appointees. Economy Nigeria slipped into recession a year into Buharis reign and exited it after another year. Just one more year later and the central bank warned the exit was under threat, followed by a similar warning just last month by the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, Abdulaziz Yari. The problem is that despite Buharis promises to diversify the economy, the Nigerian economy is still completely oil-dependent. The concerns about a potential return to recession stem from the recent fall in global oil prices. Meanwhile, the provision of electricity the single biggest impediment to the survival of small-scale businesses hasnt improved in Buharis first four years. By 2023, would Buhari have weaned Nigeria off its over-reliance on oil? Probably not. This is because the president neither has the right answers, nor the right people to do so. The latter is well-illustrated by the calibre of people running the central bank. Two weeks ago, the leadership of the bank was exposed in a leaked audio in which they are allegedly discussing how to cook the books to cover up the mismanagement of $1.4bn from the treasury. Having been rewarded with a second term in office days after the scandal was reported, Godwin Emefiele, the banks chief, is likely to continue this administrations reign of economic indiscipline and artificial balance sheets. Security Some credit must be given where credit is due. Today, Boko Haram insurgents are clearly less effective than four years ago, although they are not technically defeated as Buhari and army chief Tukur Buratai often claim. The bomb attacks and large-scale kidnappings once the signature of the insurgents have decreased in scale and frequency. However, so long as the deadly attacks, such as the one last week which killed 25 soldiers, continue, Buhari still has much work to do. In his second term, there will be slightly more progress, the extent of which will be determined by the synergy he is able to forge with the incoming legislature. His fractious relationship with the outgoing set frustrated many of his moves, including a plan to secure $1bn from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) to bolster the anti-terrorism war. But while making progress on counterinsurgency, Buhari has failed on another front. Cases of banditry and kidnapping for ransom across the country, including the federal capital Abuja, are on the rise as well as the deadly attacks by herdsmen. The slight progress to be recorded in the war against insurgency will be evened out by a worsening of these latest security challenges because Buhari will not change his approach. For months last year, he ignored intense calls to sack Ibrahim Idris, the head of police, after he flouted presidential orders during the peak of herdsmen killings. Then he bizarrely defended his successor Abubakar Adamu, claiming he must be working hard because was losing weight, a comment that earned him public opprobrium. Buhari is not about to ditch his blind loyalty to his appointees; he will never shake up the security architecture regardless of the performance of his security chiefs. And as long as they are under no pressure to curtail insecurity to keep their jobs, Nigerias security challenges will not lessen over the next four years. The worst news is: after four years, Buhari is still thinking. Asked during a strange interview with state media NTA on Monday night about his thoughts on solving the new threat of kidnapping for ransom, Buhari said: I am thinking of what happened between 1999 and 2014. I suspect a lot of things went wrong, including accountability in the efficiency of the military and law enforcement agencies. Overall, that is the kind of Nigeria to expect during Buharis next term a country where a returning president begins his second term still thinking after four long years in the saddle. It is not too difficult to foresee that the economic, security and corruption challenges will, sadly, still be there in 2023. Hopefully, they wont be too grand for the next president to tackle. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. Gulf blockade violates human rights and UN should take action against imposing nations, Qatars foreign minister says. Qatars foreign minister says the blockade by neighbouring Gulf countries violates international law and human rights and the United Nations needs to take action against the Saudi-led bloc. Speaking at a UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva on Monday, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said Qatar faced numerous challenges because of the illegal imposition by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain after accusing Doha of funding terrorism. Qatar has vehemently rejected the allegations. The foreign minister said there are currently about 26,000 cases filed with Qatars National Human Rights Committee over the blockade. He said he is looking forward to having measures taken against the blockading countries by the international community. These Gulf countries have taken illegal measures that constitute a grave violation of civil, economic and social human rights, including banning Qatari citizens travelling or transiting through their territories, Sheikh Mohammed said in the session. This has torn apart many families and has interrupted education and the right to work in Qatar. Qatar-Gulf crisis: All the latest updates On June 5, the four countries cut diplomatic ties with Qatar and imposed a land, air and sea blockade on their Gulf neighbour. On June 22, the group issued a 13-point list of demands, including the shutdown of Al Jazeera, limiting ties with Iran, and expelling Turkish troops stationed in the country as a prerequisite to lifting the blockade. Doha rejected all the demands, denouncing them as an attempt to infringe on Qatars sovereignty. The head of Qatars National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) Ali bin Smaikh al-Marri said last month his organisation would be taking legal action against the blockading countries on behalf of citizens who filed official complaints seeking financial and economic redress. Willing to talk The Qatari foreign minister also emphasised that the blockading countries tried to hide facts from people and fabricated allegations of supporting terrorism. The real motivation behind the siege was not fighting terrorism, but rather to interfere in to our (Qatars) foreign policy and undermine its sovereignty, Sheikh Mohammed said, adding the GCC crisis will only be solved through dialogue. The state of Qatar reaffirms its position in rejecting and condemning terrorism in all its forms, whatever the cause and motives are. Qatar is an active member in the coalition to counter terrorism. So despite any challenges and allegations, Qatar is willing to talk. On Sunday, Saudi Arabia suspended plans to hold talks with Qatar, shortly after reports of a phone call between Qatars emir and the Saudi crown prince hinted at a potential breakthrough in the crisis. The call on Friday between Qatars Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was the first official contact between Doha and Riyadh since the start of the dispute. In the phone call, which was reported by state media from both countries, the two leaders expressed a willingness to discuss an end to the rift. READ MORE: War stopped between Qatar, blockading Arab nations However, there seemed to be a dispute over protocol with some reports pointing to Qatar News Agencys (QNA) apparent failure to mention it was Doha that initiated the call. In the phone discussion, Sheikh Tamim and Mohammed bin Salman stressed the need to resolve this crisis through dialogue to ensure the unity and stability of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), said QNA. On Thursday, Trump held talks with the emir of Kuwait, who had been acting as a mediator to defuse the crisis, at the White House. The GCC is an alliance of six Middle Eastern countries: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman. Scott Warren faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of harbouring two undocumented migrants in Arizona. An Arizona activist charged with harbouring two undocumented migrants faces trial on Wednesday in a case likely to set a precedent over what aid US citizens can give to undocumented migrants. United States Border Patrol agents arrested Scott Warren in a January 2018 raid near Ajo, Arizona after they found two migrants hiding in the shower of a ramshackle building used by humanitarian groups. The 36-year old faces two felony counts of harbouring the undocumented migrants and one felony count of conspiracy to transport the two men. The university geography instructor could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of all charges. Warren was indicted after former US Attorney General Jeff Sessions instructed prosecutors to prioritise cases involving the harbouring of migrants. The crackdown was part of President Donald Trumps zero-tolerance policies at the border. Warren is a volunteer for No More Deaths, a faith-based group providing water, food and medical aid to migrants in the harsh deserts of southern Arizona. Thousands died crossing the border More than 3,000 undocumented migrants have died since 2001 trying to cross the area where temperatures can exceed 115 Fahrenheit (46 Celsius), according to Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner data. Warren was arrested the same day No More Deaths published a video showing US Border Patrol agents destroying water supplies the group left for migrants. 190104163142319 Warrens lawyers argue the arrest was in retaliation for the video. They say he was lawfully exercising his religious beliefs and rights to help the migrants after they spent two days crossing the desert. His parents have collected over 128,000 signatures calling on the US Attorneys Office in Tucson to drop all charges. This is an overreach of federal authority, said Juanita Molina, executive director of Tucson-based human rights group Border Action Network. Humanitarian aid is vital to the survival of migrants crossing the desert, she added. US Border Patrol referred questions to the US Attorneys Office. It did not respond to a request for comment. Prosecutors are expected to argue Warren went beyond humanitarian aid. Jury selection for the trial in US District Court, Tucson, begins on Wednesday morning, and opening statement are expected later in the day. Qatar-based network says Egypt becoming a lawless country after its reporter was again incarcerated. Al Jazeera accused Egypt of becoming a lawless country with no respect for journalists on Wednesday after a reporter ordered released by a court was again jailed despite spending 890 days detained without charge. Journalist Mahmoud Hussein was returned to the notorious Tora prison in Egypt under unclear circumstances, his family said on Tuesday. According to the familys statement, a new investigation has been opened against the Qatar-based Egyptian producer. Al Jazeera is holding the Egyptian government responsible for false imprisonment of its journalist Mahmoud Hussein. It is a sad day for all journalists, his colleagues and family. It is deplorable that Mahmoud has once again been sent back to one of the notoriously deplorable prisons in Egypt, said Mostefa Souag, acting director general of Al Jazeera Media Network. Hussien had been in a holding cell in Cairos Giza district since Saturday as he awaited final clearance from the National Security Agencys office. An Egyptian court last week had upheld a May 21 decision to release Hussein under precautionary measures. The release would have restricted his movements, but freed him from prison. Hussein has been in custody since 2016 without facing formal charges or a trial. Al Jazeera said it condemns the Egyptian authorities deliberate attempts to falsely accuse him of trumped-up charges and retributive measures to further incarcerate him. Crackdown on dissent Hussein, an Egyptian national who works for the Al Jazeera Arabic television channel based in Doha, was arrested on arrival on December 20, 2016, while travelling to Egypt to visit his family. He was accused of incitement against state institutions and broadcasting false news with the aim of spreading chaos, allegations he and Al Jazeera Media Network deny. According to Husseins lawyer, Taher Abul Nasr, there are at least 20,000 people currently in detention without charge in Egypt for political reasons. Hundreds have already exceeded the legal two-year pre-trial term. Since the overthrow of president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, a senior member of the Muslim Brotherhood, Al Jazeera has been portrayed as Egypts national enemy for its coverage of the organisation. Several other Al Jazeera staff have been jailed for long periods over spurious accusations but were eventually released. Since taking office, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has waged an unprecedented crackdown on dissent arresting thousands and rolling back freedoms won after the 2011 uprising that ended decades of rule by autocrat Hosni Mubarak. In 2017, the Egyptian government blocked access to Al Jazeeras news website along with dozens of others it deemed too critical of Sisis regime. The meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council has opened today in Nur-Sultan, the capital city of Kazakhstan. The event has brought together the leaders of Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. They will have a narrow- and extended-format session. In addition, the president of Moldova is invited as head of an observer country, as well as the president of Tajikistan - as an honored guest, RIA Novosti reported. The Supreme Council members will review the EEUs performance over the past five years and outline tasks for expanding interaction in various areas, including trade, the economy, industry, finance and social policy. A draft Joint Statement by the Heads of the EEU Member States has been prepared for signing. The participants will also approve the Basic Guidelines for Macroeconomic Policies of the EEU Member States for 20192020 and a number of documents on liberalising markets of goods and services as well as on cooperation in the digital economy. It is also planned to consider issues related to the Eurasian Economic Unions international activities. The king of Belgium met Tom Van Grieken, the leader of a far-right political movement, on Wednesday in the first meeting of its kind since the 1930s. King Philippe, who is required to be politically neutral, has a significant constitutional role in the formation of Belgiums government. He has also held talks with other party leaders following Sundays inconclusive national election, as the palace decides which political leader has the best chance of forming a government. Van Griekens Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) party, which has traditionally been shunned by mainstream parties, stunned Belgium by grabbing 18 seats in the federal parliament, coming second to the more moderate Flemish separatist N-VA party 190527164901364 I dont see why you are treating this as abnormal, the 32-year-old Van Grieken told reporters on his arrival at the royal palace. It is the most normal thing in the world that the party that has won the election is invited to see the head of state. Politics in Belgium, a country of 11 million people, are sharply divided between the French-speaking Wallonia region, which tilted to the left in the weekends election, and the Dutch-speaking Flanders region, which saw a surge of separatist sentiment expressed in the poll. Following the 2010 general election, it took a world-record 541 days to form a national government. I answered the questions the king put to me, Van Grieken said of the 20-minute meeting. It was a pleasant, calm discussion. Philippes father Albert II and uncle Baudouin did not meet leaders of Flemish Interest or the similarly far-right Vlaams Blok, including in 2003 when Vlaams Blok also won 18 parliamentary seats. In 1936, Philippes grandfather King Leopold III did receive Leon Degrelle, the founder of Rex, a party that subsequently collaborated with the occupying German Nazis during the Second World War. Leopold III, who surrendered Belgian forces to the Germans, lived in exile after the war, faced opposition and a general strike when he returned to Belgium in 1950 and subsequently abdicated. Security adviser Bolton also accuses Tehran of being behind alleged attack on Saudi oil port of Yanbu on the Red Sea. US National Security Adviser John Bolton said attacks on oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates this month were the work of naval mines almost certainly from Iran without offering evidence. Iran responded on Wednesday by calling the accusation ridiculous. The comments on Wednesday by Bolton, a longtime American hawk on Iran who has previously called for the overthrow of the mullahs regime in Tehran, came during a briefing to journalists in the Emirati capital of Abu Dhabi. Its clear that Iran is behind the Fujairah attack. Who else would you think would be doing it? Someone from Nepal? he told journalists at the US embassy briefing regarding the May 12 attacks. There is no doubt in anybodys minds in Washington, we know who did this and its important Iran knows we know, he added. Iran has denied involvement in the oil-vessel attacks and has accused the United States of fabricating a crisis in the Gulf, after Washington deployed an aircraft carrier strike group, more B-52 bombers, and an additional 1,500 American troops to the region. Security decider? Irans foreign ministry rejected Boltons allegations. Foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said it was a ridiculous accusation but not a strange thing since it came from someone with a long record of anti-Iran sentiment. Bolton also said there was a failed attack recently on the Saudi oil port city of Yanbu. The city is the final point of Saudi Arabias east-west pipeline, which was recently targeted by Yemens Houthi rebels in a coordinated drone strike. Bolton said he suspected Iran was behind the failed attack, but did not elaborate or give evidence for the claim. Officials in Saudi Arabia could not be immediately reached for comment. Bolton also told reporters the US was trying to be prudent in responding to alleged activities of Iran and its proxies in the region, and he dismissed the idea there were any differences between his position and that of US President Donald Trump. I am the national security adviser, not the national security decider, he said. Nuclear weapons Bolton said there was no reason for Iran to breach the terms of its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers other than to seek atomic weapons. Speaking to journalists ahead of meetings he planned with top Emirati officials, Bolton said: Theres no reason for them to do it unless it is to reduce the breakout time to nuclear weapons. Trumps national security adviser is visiting the UAE amid heightened tensions across the Gulf. 190514184006381 Bolton tweeted he arrived in the Emirates for meetings on Wednesday to discuss important and timely regional security matters. The US unilaterally pulled out of the historic nuclear deal with Iran and world powers a year ago. Iran now says it too will begin backing away from the accord. On Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Iran was not seeking nuclear weapons and accused the US of causing regional tensions and hurting the Iranian people. Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei long ago said were not seeking nuclear weapons by issuing a fatwa [edic]) banning them, Zarif tweeted. The Conservative leadership frontrunner will face allegations he misled the public ahead of the landmark 2016 vote. Boris Johnson, the frontrunner in the race to become Britains next prime minister, will be summoned to court over allegations he lied to the public during the Brexit referendum campaign. The former foreign secretary is facing a private prosecution, following a crowdfunding campaign led by 26-year-old Marcus Ball. The (proposed) defendant repeatedly lied and misled the British public as to the cost of EU membership, expressly stating, endorsing or inferring that the cost of EU membership was 350 million ($442 million) per week, the application against Johnson said. 190524164357221 The figure was a central and controversial part of the pro-Leave campaigns narrative, famously emblazoned across the side of a campaign bus. Opponents argued that it was deliberately misleading and it became symbolic of the divisions caused by the Brexit referendum. Lying on a national and international platform undermines public confidence in politics, Balls lawyer told the court. The maximum penalty for misconduct in public office is life imprisonment. Johnson will be required to attend Westminster Magistrates Court for a preliminary hearing, and then the Crown Court for trial. Clear misuse of statistics Having considered all the relevant factors I am satisfied that this is a proper case to issue the summons as requested for the three offences as drafted, District Judge Margot Coleman said in a written ruling on Wednesday morning. The judge said the allegations against Johnson were unproven, but added that issuing a summons was proper. In 2017, the UK Statistics Authority criticised Johnson for doubling down on the figure in a newspaper column. In a formal letter to Johnson, who was foreign secretary at the time, Sir David Norgrove, chair of the authority, said it was a clear misuse of official statistics. Ball, who has led the legal campaign against Johnson, spent more than two years preparing the case, and raised more than $500,000 to fund the action, Huffington Post reported. His legal team is hoping to make it a criminal offence for politicians to lie to the public about spending figures, but also maintains that Johnson is innocent until proven guilty, and appealed to the public to respect the formality of the court process. The former London mayors political allies weighed in following the courts decision on Wednesday. Politicians at election times exaggerate, and say things that may or may not be true, and its the electorate, not the courts, who should decide whether they are reliable or not, said David Mellor, a former MP who resigned as a Conservative minister after his mistress sold the story of their extra-marital affair to a newspaper. Michael Gove, another key figure behind the Vote Leave Brexit bus campaign, and also in the running to be the next Conservative party leader, said: We should trust the public to decide on the merits of a political case. We should not try to criminalise free speech. Johnsons office has yet to reply to requests for comment, but his lawyer Adrian Darbishire said at the hearing he staunchly denied acting in an improper or dishonest manner. Johnsons position is that the case is a politically motivated stunt as part of a campaign to undermine the Brexit referendum result. Judge Coleman accepted that, when Ball first began his campaign three years ago, there may have been a political purpose to these proceedings. However, the information for the summons was laid on February 28, 2019 and that argument in my view is no longer pertinent, she said. I do not accept the application is vexatious. A date for Johnsons court appearance is yet to be set. Children among victims of airstrikes on Sarja and Bara villages as well as Hbeit town. At least 14 civilians have been killed in an air raid by the Syrian government and Russian forces on the rebel-held Idlib province. Seven of Wednesdays victims were killed in the village of Sarja, four others a man and his three children in the village of Bara and three more in Hbeit town, according to the activist-operated Baladi news agency and the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). The White Helmets civil defence volunteers put the death toll at 15. The bombardment by the regime and Russia continues to be intense on several areas, said SOHR chief Rami Abdelrahman. The northwestern Syrian province of Idlib, a rebel enclave where most of it is controlled by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham armed group, is home to almost three million people. Syrian state news agency SANA reported one woman was killed by rebel shelling on northern Hama. Government strategy The regime has not announced an all-out offensive to retake the entire enclave. Analysts predict that the government of President Bashar al-Assad and its allies will continue to chip away at the area, but not unleash a major assault that would create chaos on Turkeys doorstep. The regime is likely to continue applying sustained military pressure whilst attempting to preserve a fragile truce agreement reached in Russia last year to spare the region a large-scale humanitarian disaster. On Tuesday, Syrias UN envoy Bashar al-Jaafari said Damascus will spare no effort to free the residents of Idlib from rebel control, according to comments carried by SANA. UN deputy aid chief Ursula Mueller, however, told the UN Security Council that a further escalation would threaten humanitarian assistance for the residents. She said about 270,000 people had been displaced by the fighting in Idlib since late April. Aid agencies have been forced to suspend their work in some areas, she said, adding that 22 hospitals and clinics had been hit by air strikes or shelling since April 28. The United States has said that indiscriminate attacks on civilians and public infrastructure such as schools, markets and hospitals is a reckless escalation. The civilian death toll has mounted in and around Idlib in recent days, reaching more than 270 over the past month, according to SOHR. In villages targeted by regime raids, excavators dug new graves and civilians buried the dead stealthily at dusk to avoid being targeted by more air raids. The conflict in Syria has killed more than 370,000 people since it started in 2011. With most politicians out of town for a recess, individual House Republicans have been able to block passage twice. A second conservative Republican in as many House sessions blocked a $19bn disaster aid bill Tuesday thats a top priority for some of President Donald Trumps most loyal allies on Capitol Hill. Following Senate passage of the legislation last Thursday by a vote of 85-8, House Democratic leaders had hoped to win a quick, unanimous approval of the bill on a voice vote and send it to Trump for his expected signature. But with most politicians out of town for a recess until June 4, individual House Republicans have been able to block passage twice once last Friday and again on Tuesday by demanding an official roll call vote. Any roll call vote would have to wait until the full House returns to work next week. Republican Thomas Massie said that if Democratic leaders like Speaker Nancy Pelosi thought the measure was so important, they should have kept the House in session in Washington, DC, late last week to slate an up-or-down roll call vote. If the speaker of this House thought that this was must-pass legislation the speaker should have called a vote on this bill before sending every member of Congress on recess for 10 days, Massie said as he blocked the measure. You cant have bills passed in Congress with nobody voting on them, Massie said. That is the definition of the swamp, and thats what people resent about this place. Hurricanes, flooding, wildfires For months, politicians have been haggling over the disaster aid bill in response to hurricanes in the southeastern United States, severe flooding in the Midwest, devastating wildfires in California and other events. The $19.1bn in the bill is intended to help farmers cover their crop losses and rebuild infrastructure hit by disasters, including repairs to US military bases. On Friday, Representative Chip Roy, a first-term Republican, objected to the bill, citing concerns that the legislation did not include the $4.5bn Trump had requested to help address the surge of immigrants on the US-Mexico border. Roy, a conservative, also complained that the cost of the bill was not offset by savings to other government programmes. His move was praised by Heritage Action, the advocacy arm of the conservative Heritage Foundation, which says Congress should plan for disasters that occur every year instead of approving emergency funds for them after the fact. Congress regularly approves disaster aid bills without any cuts to other programmes. The measure is widely expected to pass the House once members return next week from a week-long Memorial Day recess. In a phone call, Trump and Erdogan agree to meet on sidelines of G-20 next month in Japan. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US President Donald Trump will meet at next months Group of 20 (G-20) summit to discuss bilateral issues, including Ankaras plan to buy a Russian missile defence system that has raised the ire of the United States. In a tweet on Wednesday, Erdogans Communications Director Fahrettin Altun said that in a phone call with Trump, Erdogan reiterated Turkeys offer for a joint group to overcome an impasse with the US on Turkeys pledge to buy Russian-made S-400 missiles. The G-20 summit of leaders from the developed and developing worlds is in Osaka, Japan, from June 28 to 29. Ties between the NATO allies have been shaky recently over Ankaras decision to buy the Russian S-400 missile system, which Washington says could compromise its F-35 fighter jets. US officials have advised Turkey to buy the Patriot missile system rather than the S-400 system from Moscow, arguing it is incompatible with NATO systems. Turkey has responded, saying that it was the US refusal to sell it Patriots that led it to seek other sellers, adding Russia offered it a better deal, including technology transfers. 190522144753344 Turkey has suggested that the two countries form a working group that would asses the potential effect of the S-400s on the F-35 aircraft but has yet to hear back from the US. Washington has threatened to impose sanctions on Turkey if it goes through with the purchase of the Russian missile system, a move that would likely damage Turkeys economy. The lira has already declined about 14 percent this year in part due to concerns over the potential sanctions. In Wednesdays call, Erdogan also welcomed the US decision this month to drop additional tariffs on Turkish steel. Trump had doubled the tariffs to 50 percent in August 2018 amid a diplomatic spat over the imprisonment of an American pastor. That pastor, Andrew Brunson, was released in October 2018. Separately on Wednesday, Turkey released Serkan Golge, a NASA scientist with dual US-Turkish citizenship whose nearly three-year detention has also soured relations between the NATO allies, the US State Department said. Golge was detained in July 2016 on a visit to his country of birth as Erdogan cracked down on alleged supporters of self-exiled Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey accused of orchestrating a failed coup. Months after deadly Chawk Bazar blaze, worries of another fire loom over Dhakas oldest and largest Ramadan market. Dhaka, Bangladesh Iftar, the first meal for Muslims after breaking fast, always meant the presence of shahi jilapi, a rosewater-soaked delicacy on the dining table in Nasir Uddins home. But the person who used to bring this orange-coloured sweet during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan is no more. My son Wasi, a big fan of those sweets, was burned to death this February, Nasir Uddin told Al Jazeera. 190221005122286 Wasi, 23, was one of the victims of a deadly fire that broke out on February 21 in Chawk Bazar, a bustling corner in Bangladeshs capital known as Old Dhaka. Caused by flammable chemicals stored inside a residential building, the massive fire raced through several apartment buildings in the neighbourhood and killed 71 people. Uddin, a Chawk Bazar resident for five decades, also lost his daughter to cancer in 2011. But the ongoing Ramadan has made his sons absence more acute. Ramadan reminds me of him a lot. He loved the foods during the month and used to bring all those delicacies from the nearby iftar market, he said. Nasir Uddin shows a shahi jilapi sweet he bought at the iftar market [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera] Barely 250 metres from the site of the devastating Chawk Bazar fire sits the Iftar Bazar, the oldest and largest iftar market in the Muslim-majority South Asian nation. The teeming makeshift site around the historic Bagha Shahi Mosque attracts hundreds of thousands of people during Ramadan. Its hard to not get overwhelmed by the food offerings at the iftar market. Even though my son is no more, I sometimes go there to bring home shahi jilapi or shahi halim, Uddin said. Its part of what we call our Old Dhaka tradition. The Old Dhaka area charms with its narrow lanes, Mughal and colonial-era buildings, as well as its century-old culinary secrets and gastronomic delights. Established on the banks of Buriganga River during the Mughal rule some 400 years ago, Chawk Bazar became Dhakas main business hub and soon its food capital. Inspired by Mughal and regional delicacies, its main attractions include hajir biriyani (rice mixed with chopped mutton), nannar shahi morog polau (fragrant rice with chicken), bismillah kebab (grilled minced meat) and shomsher alir khichuri (mix of rice, lentil and mutton legs). Many of these restaurants have their own unique recipes and cooking styles and the proprietors keep those as closely guarded secret, Rashed Jitu, a 34-year-old Chawk Bazar resident, told Al Jazeera. During Ramadan, these restaurants sell their culinary delights at the Chawk Bazar iftar market. We are immensely proud of this iftar market. People from all parts of the city throng here to get a taste of Old Dhaka delicacies. Newspapers and TV channels do their Ramadan stories from here, said Jitu. He said eating out or bringing food from nearby restaurants is a common practice in Old Dhaka households. Its not like we eat biryani, pilau or other fancy Mughal dishes every day, but we surely try to have them as much as we can. Abdul Barek serving his famous mutton rezala dish [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera] Tinder box When asked if the February fire in this neighbourhood affected the iftar market, Jitu replied, Of course, the memory of fire is still fresh, but iftar bazaar has been like this for over 100 years. I dont think there is much impact on the market because of the fire. The area in Chawk Bazar where the blaze took place is no different from the way the makeshift iftar market organises itself. In both neighbourhoods, multistorey buildings stand side-by-side, with narrow lanes between them bursting at their seams with people. The area around the Chawk Bazar Shahi Mosque is a wholesale hub, with shops storing and selling perfume, plastic products and even chemicals, despite a ban on the storage of chemical goods in residential buildings. Moreover, hundreds of makeshift ovens are dotted in the area, which is visited by thousands of people including children, making another fire disaster a possibility. The whole Chawk Bazar is under immense fire risk, said Shakil Newaz, director of operations at Bangladeshs Fire Service and Civil Defence. There are no fire safety measures in markets or restaurants there. Newaz said residents in Old Dhaka are accustomed to living in close quarters. Tragic fires like Nimtoli and Chawk Bazar happened here but they barely changed their lifestyle, he said. Mohammad Hossain making his famous boro baper polai khai delicacy [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera] During a peak-hour visit to the iftar market on a Friday afternoon, Al Jazeera found that both sellers and buyers, and even the onlookers, were dismissive of a possible fire hazard. Mohammad Hossain, 55, was busy preparing his famous boro baper polai khai puffed rice mixed with different kebabs, roasted meat and egg. For 25 years, I have been making this dish. It is a big hit in this market, said Hossain as he mashed his goodies into a pile and filled paper packets. Yes, a fire happened months ago, but we need to earn our livings, right? Abdul Barek, 41, has been selling iftar items in Chawk Bazar for more than two decades. We have been living like this for years. Its hard to change lifestyle all of a sudden, he said. Besides, the Old Dhaka food always helps in forgetting the bad memories. Additional reporting by Mubtasim Fuad While some Democrats renew calls for the start of impeachment proceedings, the partys leaders continue to urge patience US Special Counsel Robert Muellers first and possibly last public statement on the Russia investigation is prompting fresh calls on Capitol Hill to begin impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump, a step that Democratic leaders have so far resisted. Surprising Washington with brief remarks on Wednesday, Mueller indicated its up to Congress to decide what to do with his findings. The special counsel reiterated that, bound by Justice Department policy, charging a sitting president with a crime was not an option. But he also stressed he could not exonerate Trump. Instead, he said, The Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system. With Mueller closing his office and no further comments expected, it all amounted, for some, to an open invitation for Congress to launch impeachment proceedings. Hes asking us to do what he wasnt allowed to hold the president accountable, said Democratic Representative Val Demings, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, the panel with impeachment power. 190510153644885 We have one remaining path to ensure justice is served, said Senator Cory Booker, a Democratic candidate for president. Its clear that the House must begin impeachment proceedings. No one is above the law. Pelosi: Iron-clad case needed But top Democrats, with almost no support from Republicans, are hesitant to go it alone on an impeachment inquiry that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has warned would be divisive for the country. Steered by Pelosi, they prefer to continue the work of investigating the president and building a case, as she often says, wherever it leads. 190529133933228 Pelosi said on Wednesday that while nothing is off the table, she wants congressional committees to investigate whether Trump obstructed Muellers investigation. She said, Where they will lead us, we shall see. She added, What we do want to make is such a compelling case, such an iron-clad case, that even the Republican Senate, which at the time seems to be not an objective jury, will be convinced of the path that we have to take as a country. Jerrold Nadler, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, also stopped short of calling for an impeachment inquiry. All options are on the table and nothing should be ruled out, Nadler said on Wednesday. Nadlers committee is among several conducting dozens of probes in the Democratic-controlled House into subjects such as Trumps tax returns, the handling of the Russia probe and the running of government. The president has stonewalled multiple investigations. Nadler vowed to continue investigating, even as some on his panel say opening a formal impeachment proceeding would strengthen their hand in the legal battles over documents and testimony. Given that special counsel Mueller was unable to pursue criminal charges against the president, it falls to Congress to respond to the crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump and we will do so, Nadler said in a written statement issued immediately after Muellers remarks. Special Counsel Robert Mueller speaks on the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential election [Mandel Ngan/AFP] A redacted version of the Mueller report was published in April. It concluded there was no conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Moscow. But Mueller declined to make a judgment on whether President Trump obstructed justice, though the report outlined 10 instances in which Trump tried to impede the investigation. Barr and former deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein subsequently determined Trump had not broken the law. Shortly after Muellers announcement on Wednesday, Trump tweeted that nothing changes. The case is closed! Thank you, Trump said. 190425185711995 White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement that the report was clear there was no collusion, no conspiracy and the Department of Justice confirmed there was no obstruction. She added, After two years, the special counsel is moving on with his life, and everyone else should do the same. Mueller testimony unlikely Before Muellers unexpected appearance on Wednesday, Democratic leaders had tamped down increasingly vocal voices calling for an impeachment inquiry. Pelosi sent politicians home for a weeklong recess brushing back the pro-impeachment faction, urging her caucus to stick with the step-by-step approach of investigations. They hoped to hear directly from Mueller in a high-profile hearing that could help focus public attention. But now that Mueller has made clear the work ahead will not likely include him announcing the special counsels office is closing and hes resigning his position its igniting new urgency on Capitol Hill to pick up where the special counsel left off. Representative Seth Moulton, another Democratic presidential hopeful, said, Mueller did his job. Now, its time to do ours. Impeachment hearings should begin tomorrow. 190523154608666 Mueller made clear his desire to avoid testimony, declaring the report his final word on the matter. He said it would not be appropriate for him to speak further about the investigation. Nadler would not say whether he would compel Mueller to testify, as he has threatened to do. But he hinted that he may not pursue an aggressive approach against the special counsel, saying, Mr Mueller told us a lot of what we need to hear today. Republicans, as they have done since Muellers report was released, called for Congress to move on. The Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Lindsey Graham, said that Mueller has decided to move on and let the report speak for itself. Congress should follow his lead. Graham has said his committee does not need Mueller to testify. Doug Collins, the top Republican on the House Judiciary panel, had supported Democratic requests for Muellers House testimony but appeared to be satisfied by the special counsels comments on Wednesday. While I had hoped he would come before the committee and answer questions from lawmakers, Robert Mueller has led an extraordinary life of public service and is entitled to his life as a private citizen once again, Collins said. But at least one Republican is not ready to move on, Representative Justin Amash, who has become the sole GOP voice in Congress urging impeachment proceedings. The ball is in our court, Congress, Amash tweeted. The country-wide ban is a first for the club that operates in more than 50 nations around the world, Dutch media says. A Dutch court on Wednesday banned the Hells Angels motorcycle gang in the Netherlands, saying it had a track record of violent crime including the killing of rivals, shoot-outs, and drug and weapon offences. Prosecutors had sought the measure in response to hundreds of incidents in the Netherlands. The Hells Angels is a danger to the public order, the court in the central Dutch city of Utrecht ruled. Its a club where theres a culture of lawlessness and the authorities are kept outside their doors, the court added in a statement. The Hells Angels profile is that of the largest and most powerful motorbike club. They believe other clubs should listen to them and that leads to long-running conflicts. The country-wide ban is a first for the club that operates some 470 chapters in more than 50 nations around the world, the Dutch public broadcaster NOS said. The Dutch ruling can be appealed. Outlaw image Founded as a motorcycle club in California in 1948, the Hells Angels are known for riding Harley-Davidson bikes, their denim-and-leather outfits, and their outlaw image. They gained notoriety in the 1960s with Hunter S Thompsons book Hells Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga in which he befriended them but was later assaulted. Their dangerous reputation increased after the Rolling Stones free concert at Altamont in 1969, where Hells Angels were hired to provide security. One member was charged with murder over the stabbing death of concertgoer Meredith Hunter in front of the stage, although he was later acquitted. The gang is now believed to have thousands of members in dozens of countries. The gang is regarded by the US government as an international crime syndicate. The same court in Utrecht in 2017 banned the Hells Angels arch-rivals, the Bandidos, for similar reasons. Former Tehran Mayor Mohammad Ali Najafi, 67, has admitted to killing his wife over domestic issues. A prominent Iranian political figure has grabbed the headlines over shocking reports that he murdered his wife. Former Tehran Mayor Mohammad Ali Najafi was taken to a preliminary Criminal Court hearing on Wednesday, the judiciarys news website Mizan Online reported. Najafi, 67, was arrested on Tuesday while walking to the Tehran Police Department, where he admitted to shooting Mitra Ostad over what the police referred to as domestic issues. This came a few hours after news agencies reported that Ostads body had been found in the bathroom of her apartment in a high-rise apartment in northern Tehran. One bullet reportedly pierced her chest, while another hit her arm, out of five gunshots fired. Ostad, 35, was one of Najafis two wives. Photos of his second marriage were leaked last year after he stepped down as Tehrans mayor. It stirred criticism, even though polygamy is permitted by Iranian law. Najafi is known as a competent reformist technocrat who led the ministries of science and education among other top posts in several administrations. But hardliners had him in the crosshairs ever since he became Tehrans mayor in August 2017. Calls for divorce In the Wednesday hearing, Najafi gave a more detailed account of what happened. He said had asked Ostad for a divorce several times, but that she had refused. My second wife frequently threatened me to initially destroy the lives of my first wife and my daughter, and then ruin mine by cheating on me, Najafi was quoted as saying. Najafi said in an interview he intended to use the pistol only to scare his wife and end days of argument. He said he followed Ostad to the bathroom with the handgun and fired after she panicked and scuffled with him. The multifaceted case of gun violence and politics has appalled many Iranians, not only because it involves a bloody crime by a public figure close to the camp of President Hassan Rouhani, but also because of its strange coverage by national television. The conservative Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting was granted access to the police station where Najafi was held, an unusual occurrence considering the case was still in the interrogation stage. Not believable Videos by Iranians expressing their anger at the handling of the case made the rounds on social media. Its not believable at all! Since when, and based on what law, before a court is held and the investigation of the case [is complete], they interview the defendant and publicize his confessions in the media? Journalist Moein Khazaeli asked in a tweet. Mehdi, a 37-year-old graduate of philosophy of science, said he found it hard to believe someone he thought of as a calm, decent politician committed such a crime. But he denounced the apparent preferential treatment. I understand that he is an old, famous official in the Islamic Republic, and they need to maintain some sort of caution for his political position But he is a murderer after all, he told Al Jazeera. Hassan Assadi Zeydabadi, a political activist and analyst close to the reformist camp, told Al Jazeera Najafis case will likely stir public opinion for a while. But it will not have meaningful influence on political dynamics in Iran, he said. The U.S. will not send a government delegation to the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) 2019, a spokesperson for the US Department of State said. "We can confirm that ambassador Jon Huntsman will not be attending SPIEF this year, the US Embassy in Moscow not sending a representative, nor U.S. government delegation attending from Washington," TASS cited the diplomat as saying. SPIEF-2019, dubbed "Creating a Sustainable Development Agenda," will take place on June 6-8. Charities in Italy are warning that more than 4000 workers are already jobless. The Italian governments crackdown on immigration has not just hurt people seeking refuge in Europe. It has also affected thousands of Italians working for organisations that help migrants and refugees. Al Jazeeras Osama Bin Javaid reports from Rome. Fishing zone reduced to 10 nautical miles from 15 after fire balloons were floated from the besieged enclave. Israel announced on Wednesday it had tightened restrictions on Palestinian fishing off the blockaded Gaza Strip after more balloons fitted with firebombs were floated from the enclave into its territory. The zone it allows Gaza fishermen was reduced to a maximum of 10 nautical miles from 15, COGAT, the Israeli defence ministry unit that oversees such regulations, said. The move came just days after Israel restored the fishing limit to the 15 nautical mile maximum after a previous cut in response to fire balloons last week. The measure was seen as a first step in implementing a fragile truce meant to avert a new conflict between Israel and Palestinian armed factions. Under the Oslo Accords signed in 1993, Israel is obligated to permit fishing up to 20 nautical miles, but this has never been implemented. In practice, Israel only allowed fishing up to 12 nautical miles until 2006, when the fishing zone was reduced to six and later to three. Israel maintains a heavy naval presence, restricting any traffic in and out of the enclave as well as the distance Gazas fishermen can travel to fish, severely affecting the livelihoods of some 4,000 fishermen and at least 1,500 more people involved in the fishing industry. The economy of Gaza, home to around two million Palestinians, has suffered from years of Israeli and Egyptian blockades, as well as recent foreign aid cuts and sanctions by the Palestinian Authority, a rival of Hamas that governs the occupied West Bank. Netanyahus coalition has to secure support of nationalist Yisrael Beiteinu faction by midnight, or face another vote. Israels political elite is racing against time to form a new government through high-stakes backchannel negotiations before a midnight deadline. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus right-wing coalition has to secure the support of Avigdor Liebermans nationalist Yisrael Beiteinu faction on Wednesday or face an unprecedented second election of the year. Netanyahus Likud and its right wing and religious allies won a total of 60 seats in April 9 elections in the 120-seat parliament in the polls. Without Yisrael Beiteinus five seats, Netanyahu has no parliamentary majority and will not be able to form a government. The crisis hinges on Liebermans demand that current legislation mandating young ultra-Orthodox men be drafted into the military, like most other Jewish males, run its course. We are not looking to bring down Netanyahu and we are not looking for an alternative candidate, but we will not give up our principles and promises to the citizens of the state of Israel, Lieberman wrote on his Facebook page on Tuesday. The issue is highly sensitive in Israel and the legislation is opposed by ultra-Orthodox parties, who control 16 seats in parliament and are set to become a key member of Netanyahus coalition. Netanyahu said in an address late on Monday that Lieberman was being unreasonable and that there was no reason to drag the country to unnecessary elections that will cost a fortune and paralyse us all for another half a year. Failing to reach a coalition deal would be a major setback for the prime minister. The stakes are especially high with Netanyahu facing possible indictment for corruption in the months ahead. There have been reports that Netanyahu is seeking legislation in the new parliament that would result in him receiving immunity from prosecution, and new elections would delay those efforts and may make it impossible. He also faces the risk of Israeli President Reuven Rivlin opting to give the task of forming a new government to someone other than him. Late on Tuesday, a parliamentary committee approved the wording of the bill to dissolve itself and hold new elections, the Knesset said in a statement, with the two further votes needed to finalise it scheduled to take place on Wednesday afternoon. The two men have been both allies and rivals for much of their political careers, with Lieberman serving as head of the prime ministers office during a part of Netanyahus first term beginning in 1996. He later broke away from the Likud to form his own party, which relies in large part on votes from Israelis who, like him, have roots in the former Soviet Union. Lieberman has served in a range of ministerial positions under Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders. King Abdullah tells Trump adviser Jared Kushner that Middle East peace is only possible with a Palestinian state. Jordans King Abdullah II has told US President Donald Trumps senior adviser Jared Kushner that a lasting Middle East peace can only come with the creation of a Palestinian state on land captured by Israel in a 1967 war. A palace statement said the monarch has been deeply concerned about the still-secret US plan to end the Arab-Israeli conflict, and told Kushner Israel had to withdraw from the occupied West Bank, which Israel captured in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. His Majesty stressed the need for a comprehensive and lasting peace based on a two-state solution, leading to an independent Palestinian state on 4 June 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital, the palace statement said. Kushner is leading a US delegation to the Middle East this week seeking support for a late June economic workshop in Manama, Bahrain, in which Kushner is set to unveil the first part of Trumps long-awaited Israeli-Palestinian peace plan. 190528155844096 Jordan is worried the plan could jettison the two-state solution the long-standing US and international formula that envisages an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza. The White House is expected to present the full plan possibly as early as next month. The Palestinians, who have boycotted Trumps administration since its 2017 recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, have already rejected the plan as heavily biased against them. The plan, touted by Trump as the deal of the century, is to encourage investment in the West Bank and Gaza Strip by Arab donor countries before grappling with thorny political issues at the heart of the conflict. Bahrain conference US officials have said Kushners trip, which began in Rabat and will include Jerusalem, was to bolster support for a June 25-26 conference in Bahrain. The senior White House adviser is accompanied by Jason Greenblatt, Trumps special representative for international negotiations, and Brian Hook, the special US representative for Iran. The Bahrain gathering, dubbed Peace for Prosperity, is expected to bring together leaders from several governments, civil society and the business sector. Trumps office said it aimed to discuss and drum up support for potential economic investments and initiatives that could be made possible by a peace agreement. Palestinians see this as offering financial rewards for accepting ongoing Israeli occupation and already declared that they would not attend the event. Attempts at promoting an economic normalisation of the Israeli occupation of Palestine will be rejected, said Saeb Erekat, secretary-general of the Palestine Liberation Organization. Meanwhile, Irans powerful Revolutionary Guard said on Wednesday that Washingtons peace plan was doomed to fail and that the Palestinian resistance movement would respond firmly to those who proposed such deal. The Revolutionary Guard said in a statement carried by Tasnim news agency that the only solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was withdrawal of Zionists from the occupied lands, and return of Palestinian refugees to hold free elections. Yangon, Myanmar A court in Myanmar has issued an arrest warrant against Wirathu, a notorious Buddhist monk whose hate-preaching sermons against the Rohingya and other minority Muslims have stoked religious tensions. The monk, who once reportedly dubbed himself the Burmese bin Laden, faces up to life imprisonment under the countrys sedition law, which prohibits stirring up hatred, contempt or disaffection towards the government. Police have so far declined to say why Wirathu has been charged, but the monk recently drew anger from senior officials for a series of speeches in which he attacked Myanmars de facto civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Wirathu has not yet been arrested and his exact whereabouts are unknown. A police spokesperson did not answer calls from Al Jazeera seeking comment. He is usually based at his monastery in the city of Mandalay, but a judge has told police to bring him before a court in the countrys main city of Yangon before June 4, the Myanmar Now news agency reported. Contacted by phone, a man who described himself as a student of Wirathu told Al Jazeera the monk had left Mandalay for Yangon, where he has been summoned to appear before a panel of senior monks on Thursday. The panel is expected to reprimand him for his involvement in mundane affairs after a recent speech he gave defending Myanmars military-drafted constitution and railing against Aung San Suu Kyis efforts to amend it. 190225065831778 During the speech he said military members of parliament, who are guaranteed unelected seats by the constitution, should be worshipped like the Buddha. His nationalist followers have vowed to show their support for him with a protest on Thursday near Yangons Shwedagon pagoda, the countrys holiest Buddhist site. Wirathu has described Muslims as mad dogs and threatened to use violence to oppose international efforts to bring Myanmars generals to justice for the slaughter of thousands of Rohingya in 2017, which United Nations investigators have said may amount to genocide. In 2003, he was jailed for almost 10 years for inciting deadly riots against Muslims. Last year, Facebook barred him from the platform in response to his incendiary posts about the minority. Myanmars first civilian government in decades, led by Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy (NLD) party, has long regarded Wirathu as a nuisance. In 2017, a government-appointed committee of top monks barred Wirathu from preaching for a year, stating that he had repeatedly delivered hate speech against religions to cause communal strife. In the same year, the committee disbanded Ma Ba Tha, a Buddhist nationalist group in which he was a key figure. But Aung San Suu Kyi has been unable to shake criticism that she is bowing to pressure from Buddhist hardliners. David Mathieson, a Myanmar-based analyst, said the sedition charges against Wirathu followed a shift in public opinion towards the monk. Wirathu has been widely dismissed inside Myanmar as a buffoonish ultranationalist for a long time now, he told Al Jazeera. The authorities may have calculated what remained of his support base would be unlikely to create serious trouble if he was arrested. With an election coming up next year, the NLD may well have calculated moving against Wirathu would generate more popular support, not less, he added. Rights groups are uneasy about the decision to target the monk with a sedition law. The governments use of sedition charges raises concerns about the focus of the investigation, which should be squarely on Wirathus incitement of violence and hostility, said Matthew Bugher, head of Asia for Article 19, an advocacy group focussed on freedom of expression. Wirathus speech is vile and repugnant, he added. International investigators have already reported on the apparent links between his words and the violence and discrimination directed at Muslim populations. A criminal investigation into his speech and actions is clearly warranted. Additional reporting by Cape Diamond Human rights group calls for situation in Rakhine state to be referred to International Criminal Court, sanctions. The same units of the Myanmar military that in 2017 were implicated in a brutal crackdown that drove hundreds of thousands of mainly Muslim Rohingya from the country are again committing war crimes as they step up their campaign against ethnic Rakhine rebels, Amnesty International has said. The conflict in western Myanmars Rakhine state escalated in January after 13 police officers were killed in a co-ordinated attack by the Arakan Army, prompting the civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi to order the armed forces to crush the group, which recruits from the largely-Buddhist ethnic Rakhine community. In a new report on Wednesday, Amnesty said its investigations showed war crimes and human rights violations were being committed by soldiers from the Rakhine-based Western Command, which was also implicated in atrocities against the Rohingya in August 2017. Victims also identified soldiers from the Myanmar Armys 22nd and 55th Light Infantry Divisions, units that usually operate in other parts of the country. Less than two years since the world outrage over the mass atrocities committed against the Rohingya population, the Myanmar military is again committing horrific abuses against ethnic groups in Rakhine state, Nicholas Bequelin, regional director for East and Southeast Asia at Amnesty International, said in a statement. The new operations in Rakhine state show an unrepentant, unreformed and unaccountable military terrorising civilians and committing widespread violations as a deliberate tactic. More than 730,000 Rohingya, a minority ethnic group denied citizenship by Myanmar, were driven into Bangladesh in the bloody crackdown in 2017. A United Nations fact-finding mission has called for the prosecution of top Myanmar generals for crimes against humanity and genocide over the violence. Running for my life The latest unrest, with the military now focusing its attention on the Arakan Army, a group of an estimated 7,000 fighters battling for greater autonomy, has driven more than 30,000 people from their homes, according to Amnesty. There is a persistent culture of impunity, Laura Haigh, the Amnesty reports researcher, told Al Jazeera. Its not just a case of a few bad eggs, Haigh said. This is very much a systemic, institutionalised problem with the Myanmar military thats not going to go away by sanctioning a few soldiers. This is not a country thats committed to accountability in any way, shape or form. In April, the United Nations said it was disturbed by reports of continuing attacks on civilians in the restive state. In its report, titled No one can protect us: War crimes and abuses in Myanmars Rakhine State, Amnesty is urging the UN Security Council to refer the situation in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court and impose an arms embargo. It is also calling for sanctions against senior officials. Satellite imagery from March 29 analysed by Amnesty showing what appears to be artillery pointing east from a police base towards the north of Mrauk-U town. The artillery is pointing towards the Kha Kyo Tha Ma mountain range. The land between the base and the mountains has been burned [Digital Globe/Amnesty International] Based on 81 interviews with villagers of different ethnicities and religions in Rakhine, as well as discussions with humanitarian officials, activists and media, as well as analysis of photographs and satellite imagery, Amnesty detailed extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, torture and enforced disappearances. It said the army was involved in at least seven unlawful attacks that killed 14 civilians and wounded 29. In one incident in late January, a seven-year-old boy died after he was denied access to emergency medical treatment following a mortar attack. In another incident in mid-March, a mortar blast wounded four people and destroyed the home of Hla Shwe Maung. Satellite imagery confirmed a building had been destroyed. I heard an explosion, Hla Shwe Maung, 37, an ethnic Rakhine man, told Amnesty. It was very loud and there was a big fireball that fell around us. I grabbed my daughter in my arms when we looked back half our houses roof was gone. The report also detailed abuses against Rohingya, including a helicopter attack on civilians cutting bamboo. At least six people, including boys, were killed and 13 wounded. The helicopter came from behind the mountain, a survivor told Amnestys researchers. Within minutes it fired rockets. I was running for my life and thinking about my family and how I would survive. A Myanmar border guard policeman guards a police station in Buthidaung in January following a deadly attack on four police stations [File: AFP/Getty Images] Climate of fear with Arakan Army Amnesty noted the Myanmar militarys four cuts strategy under which it aims to deny rebel groups access to food, funds, intelligence and new recruits was having a significant effect on the local population both in Rakhine and neighbouring Chin state. The Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) last week reported increasing cases of forced labour among local villagers in the southern part of the state bordering Rakhine. Village chiefs told the CHRO, a group working to promote and protect the rights of Chin people, they were reluctant to ignore military requests for local people to act as porters for fear of retaliation. Local people also face abuses albeit on a smaller scale from the Arakan Army, Amnesty said. The local population are caught between two forces, Haigh said. We have this horrific abuse by the military, but there is also this climate of fear with the Arakan Army. Its always ordinary people who suffer as a result. Amnesty said that it had put its findings to the Office of the State Counsellor and the Commander in Chief of the Myanmar Defence Services, but did not receive a reply. Myanmar government spokesman Zaw Htay could not be reached by phone on Tuesday and did not respond to a written message requesting comment. The militarys True News unit did not respond to Al Jazeeras request for comment. The government has responded to the reports of military abuses by restricting access to Rakhine and clamping down on the media. Criminal complaints have been filed against at least three Myanmar-language media while Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were released this month after spending more than 500 days in jail for reporting the killing of 10 Rohingya men and boys at Inn Din in Rakhine state during the 2017 crackdown. The seven soldiers convicted of involvement in those killings have been given early release having served less than a year of their 10-year sentences. The Tatmadaw [military] has engaged in a massive cover-up of their crimes against humanity and genocide against the Rohingya, said Phil Robertson, Deputy Asia Director at Human Rights Watch. The only reason these seven soldiers were arrested is because Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo exposed these cold-blooded murders in an investigative news story that could not be refuted. More than anything, the early release of these seven soldiers reveals Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and Tatmadaw commanders dont really consider the Rohingya to be human and were never committed to seeing anyone held accountable for their crimes in Rakhine state. Additional reporting by Josh Carroll Security in capital Abuja was tight as Buhari was sworn in for another four years as president. Abuja, Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari has been sworn in for a second term as Nigerias president, following a campaign that focused on tackling security threats and rooting out corruption. The 76-year-old leader was sworn in on Wednesday amid tight security in the Nigerian capital Abuja. He did not make a speech during the low-profile event attended by members of the diplomatic community. Buhari, a former military ruler, won 56 percent of the votes to defeat his main challenger, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February election, which had been beset by a host of security and logistic issues that delayed the vote by a week. Following the announcement of the election results, Abubakar filed a petition against the outcome, a process that is ongoing in Nigerias appellate court. Buhari will face a number of challenges during his second term as he tries to fulfil his election promises, including dealing with security threats and managing a sluggish economy and a high unemployment rate. Security challenges Security remains a major challenge for Buhari after a first term marked by kidnappings, bandit attacks, cattle rustling and communal conflicts. Babatunde Fashola, a former government minister, told Al Jazeera that Buhari has been entrusted with resolving the issues. [Insecurity] was a campaign issue on which the president has been re-elected, which shows the peoples trust in his ability to solve the problem, Fashola said. Buharis home state of Katsina witnessed an escalation in violence, with several villages raided by armed bandits, while the Boko Haram armed group continues to operate in the northeast of the country. Persisting tensions in the northeast could escalate into more violence, according to Nnamdi Obasi, Nigeria researcher at the International Crisis Group. Boko Haram, now split into two factions, will continue its decade-long campaign to establish an Islamic state in the northeast, even as the herder-farmer violence has ebbed since the second half of 2018, Obasi said. In Nigerias fertile central region, herders and farmers continue to fight over land and water resources, the clashes between them claiming hundreds of lives and displacing thousands more. Communities in the oil-producing Niger Delta which accounts for most of the countrys foreign exchange reserves have long complained of government neglect, leading to unrest in the region. Armed groups have attacked oil installations in the past, halting production and kidnapping expatriate workers. Many of those fighters were brought under a government amnesty which entitles them to monthly stipends and education programmes. In addition to the security situation, areas polluted by oil drilling activities have yet to be cleaned up, as a project to tackle that issue is yet to begin. In the Niger Delta, the continuing delay in addressing environmental grievances and diverse regional demands, coupled with possible termination of the decade-long amnesty programme, could lend room for opportunistic groups to resume sabotage of the petroleum industry, Obasi said. Countrywide, massive youth employment, feeble policing and the deepening atmosphere of impunity, all suggest that kidnapping and other public safety situation could deteriorate further, he added. Economic challenges 190529072940782 Nigerias unemployment rate has more than doubled to 23 percent since Buhari assumed office in 2015, while 90 million Nigerians are living in extreme poverty, more than than any other country, according to findings based on a projection by the World Poverty Clock and compiled by the Brookings Institution. Nigeria is Africas largest economy and economic analysts say the next four years offer another opportunity to fix the problems. On the monetary policy side, they need to abandon their fixation on the exchange rate. The Central Bank of Nigeria is not ready to deal with any economic shocks at the moment because they have boxed themselves into a tight corner while trying to manage the exchange rate, Nonso Obikili, an Abuja-based economist, told Al Jazeera. I think the economy will continue to grow around two percent over the next one or two years. That, of course, is very bad given our population growth, poverty, and jobs crisis, Obikili said. Buhari also faces the task of weeding out corruption, which has hurt the economy and the ease of doing business in the country. According to Transparency Internationals 2018 Corruption Perceptions Index, Nigeria failed to improve its ranking of 144th out of 180 countries from the previous year, despite a number of positive steps taken by the Buhari government. However, the opposition has criticised Buharis record in the fight against corruption, a promise he ran on in his initial 2015 campaign. The fight against corruption has been an abysmal failure, to put it mildly. It turned from prosecution to persecution of perceived political foes, Anthony Ehilebo, Head of Digital Media for the PDPs presidential campaign team, told Al Jazeera. Sixteen people, including the headmaster of an Islamic school, charged over last months murder of a 19-year-old girl. Bangladesh police on Wednesday charged 16 people over the murder of teenager Nusrat Jahan Rafi, and said they would seek the death penalty over the case that shocked the South Asian nation. Last months killing of the 19-year-old girl in the Feni district sparked protests across the country, with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina promising to prosecute all those involved. An Islamic school headmaster, who Rafi had accused of sexual harassment just weeks before her death, was among those charged over her death. I lost my only daughter. She was an innocent girl who raised her voice against injustice and died brutally because of that. Now I want justice for her, AKM Musa Manik, Rafis father, told Al Jazeera. Rafis brother, Mahmudul Hasan Noman, who is acting as the plaintiff in the case, told Al Jazeera that the case should be fast tracked. 190529113838342 In Bangladesh, legal tangles delay many cases. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said no one involved in the murder will be spared. So I hope it will be a fast-track trial and we will get justice, he said. Rafi was lured to the rooftop of the school she attended where her attackers asked her to withdraw a sexual harassment complaint filed with police against the head teacher. When she refused, she was doused in kerosene and set on fire. She died five days later. Her death triggered outraged and highlighted an alarming rise in sexual harassment cases in the country. They are charged under the women and children repression law and well recommend the death penalty for all 16 accused, Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) lead investigator Mohammad Iqbal told AFP news agency. Safety of women Iqbal said Siraj Ud Doula, principal of the Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasa where Rafi was a student, had ordered the murder from jail. I lost my only daughter. She was an innocent girl who raised her voice against injustice and died brutally because of that AKM Musa Manik, Rafi's father Rafi had gone to police in late March to report the alleged sexual harassment against the teacher, and a leaked video shows the local police station chief registering her complaint but dismissing it as not a big deal. Iqbal said at least five people, including three of Rafis classmates, had tied her up with a scarf before setting her on fire. The plan was to pass the incident off as a case of suicide. Rafi suffered burns to 80 percent of her body and died in hospital on April 10. But she recorded a video before her death, repeating her allegations against the principal. Shah Alam, a PBI member and investigative officer in the case who submitted the charges, said that Nusrat was killed for taking a stand against the misconduct of the principal and others. Siraj has been made the prime accused. The head of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, a womens rights organisation, said more needed to be done to ensure the safety of women in Bangladesh. A study conducted by the group found that about 950 women were raped in Bangladesh last year. Justice has to be ensured, said the groups general secretary Maleka Banu. (But) just ensuring that the Nusrat case is taken care of is not enough. We need to do a lot more to make the situation better for Bangladeshi women. Additional reporting by Faisal Mahmud from Dhaka Pharmaceutical companies are on trial in Oklahoma, the first US state to take opioid makers to court. The first trial in the United States against pharmaceutical companies blamed for contributing to the opioid crisis is under way in the state of Oklahoma. Drugmakers are accused of downplaying the addictive risks of their drugs, as opioid overdose deaths shoot up nationwide. Michael Botticelli, the executive director of the Grayken Center for Addiction at Boston Medical Center and former director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, speaks to Al Jazeera. Street vendor was killed after soldiers shot at each other for unknown reasons near the army headquarters. A pregnant woman was killed in the Sudanese capital after a firefight broke out between members of the countrys security forces. The Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said in a statement on Wednesday the woman, a street vendor, was killed outside the army headquarters by stray bullets as soldiers were attempting to disperse the sit-in that had been in place for weeks, demanding a civilian transitional government for Sudan. The incident coincided with the second and final day of a two-day general strike launched at the behest of the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), an umbrella group of various trade unions. The Rapid Support Forces and the military seem to have had some sort of argument, which led to a shoot-out between the two sides and in which a pregnant woman got shot, said Al Jazeeras Hiba Morgan, reporting from Khartoum. There were several injuries also reported by the SPA, the body which has been spearheading calls for protests over the past few months in Sudan. Held to account In a statement, SPA condemned what it described as the irresponsible behaviour of the Sudanese security forces, who are supposed to preserve citizens security and safety. It went on to demand that those responsible for the womans death be held to account for their actions. The nationwide strike is aimed at pressuring members of the ruling Transitional Military Council (TMC) to make way for a civilian-led interim government. Sudans military removed former long-ruling leader Omar al-Bashir on April 11 following months of anti-government protests, which first erupted in December over soaring prices, cash shortages and other economic hardships. It set up the TMC to rule the country and promised to hand over power after elections. Despite reaching an agreement on some important aspects of the transition including a three-year timeframe and the creation of a 300-member parliament the sovereign councils composition remains the main point of contention. 190521134934341 Aware of our historical responsibility, we will work toward reaching an urgent agreement that meets the aspirations of the Sudanese people and the goals of the glorious December revolution, said a statement signed by the TMC. A traditional solemn event dedicated to the Azerbaijan Republic Day, celebrated every year in honor of the proclamation of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic on May 28, 1918, took place in Moscow today. The reception was organized by the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Russia. It will be one of the first high-level meetings between top Qatari leaders and blockading nations since June 2017. Doha, Qatar Qatars Prime Minister Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani will attend a Gulf summit in Mecca this weekend, one of the first high-level meetings with blockading nations since the embargo was imposed nearly two years ago. A high-level source told Al Jazeera on Wednesday the face-to-face between Sheikh Abdullah and top officials from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and other countries will take place at the meeting starting on Thursday. The summit is expected to focus on regional security issues amid soaring tension between Iran and the United States and its Gulf allies. Qatars Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani received an invitation from Saudi King Salman to attend the emergency Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit earlier this week. Sources familiar with the situation said Sheikh Tamim is unlikely to attend the three-day meeting. The fact that the Saudis contacted the Emir of Qatar directly suggests that the tension with Iran is taken very seriously in Riyadh. So the kingdom is ready to build a broader-than-usual consensus on how to deal with Iran, Andreas Krieg from Kings College London told Al Jazeera. The blockade In June 2017, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates cut off ties with Qatar and imposed a land, sea, and air blockade on the Gulf state. The quartet accuses Doha of supporting terrorism and proscribed opposition political movements, such as the Muslim Brotherhood. Qatar has repeatedly rejected the accusations as baseless. Some observers interpreted the invitation to Qatars leaders as meaning the Saudi-led blockading countries may be backing down from their accusations against Doha. But others said that remains to be seen. I think it is too early to tell whether the decision to send the prime minister to the summits in Saudi Arabia signals a rapprochement of sorts in the Gulf blockade, Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, a Baker Institute fellow for the Middle East, told Al Jazeera. But he added Prime Minister Abdullahs presence in Mecca could serve as a confidence-building measure that can alleviate strains with Saudi Arabia. The blockade coincided with the rise to power of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Qatar has pushed an independent foreign policy, while Saudi and the UAE have their own plans for the region. Qatar has strengthened security relations with the US and Turkey and expanded diplomaticand trade ties with new partners and existing ones since the land, sea, and air embargo was imposed on June 5, 2017. While the blockade has caused economic pain, the Gulf nations currency has preserved its value since the start of the rift and the economy has diversified to overcome the impact of the sanctions. Exports have grown about 20 percent and Doha has dramatically reduced budgetary spending. The top liquefied natural gas exporter in the world, Qatar has continued to develop its vital oil-and-gas sector without any major issues. Gulf tensions The emergency summit in Mecca will focus on regional security concerns as US-Iran tensions continue to rise. What will be interesting to see is whether on the sidelines of the summit the Saudis will endorse the Qataris as a mediator in the same way as the US has, said Krieg. Washington seems to have bet on Doha to de-escalate by opening back channels with Tehran. The question is whether Saudi and especially UAE can agree on Doha as a mediator. US-Iran animosity has soared recently over Washington deploying an aircraft carrier strike group, B-52 bombers, and 1,500 more troops to the Gulf over a still-unexplained threat it perceives from Tehran. Speaking from the UAE on Wednesday, US National Security Adviser John Bolton said attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf this month were the work of naval mines almost certainly from Iran. He provided no evidence. Iran responded by calling the accusation ridiculous. A war of words between the US and Iran has escalated since US President Donald Trump withdrew from a 2015 multinational nuclear pact with Iran and reimposed sanctions, notably targeting Tehrans key oil exports. Iran says it will not be cowed by what it has called psychological warfare. About 690 million children denied happy childhood due to early marriage and exclusion from education, charity says. An estimated 690 million children are being robbed of their childhood today due to conflict, early marriage and exclusion from education among other factors, even as progress was made over the last two decades, according to an international aid group. In its annual report published on Tuesday, Save the Children, said the overall situation for children has improved in 173 of 176 countries since 2000, but one in four under the age of 18 is still being deprived of the right to a safe and healthy childhood. Those living or fleeing conflict zones are among the most vulnerable, it said. While progress has been remarkable, millions of children continue to be robbed of a childhood. We now need to continue to push to reach every last child and ensure they receive the childhood they deserve, Helle Thorning-Schmidt, the organisations CEO, said in a statement. The study found nearly 31 million children forcibly displaced an 80 percent increase since 2000 and an estimated 420 million more living in conflict zones. Rukayah Sarumi, advocacy manager at Save the Children, said it was a very clear area of concern. In conflict areas, finding ways to ensure that children are healthy, are able to attend school, their life is free from violence and that their rights are protected becomes even more difficult, she told Al Jazeera. The Syrian civil war, now into its ninth year, contributed largely to the increased displacement. Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Iraq, Mali and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) were ranked the five worst conflict-affected countries for a child. Over the past two decades, the study found a 49 percent decline in under-five mortality rate, 17 percent decline in child homicide rate, 33 percent decline in children out of school, a 40 percent drop in child labour and 25 percent in child marriages. Singapore, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Slovenia were ranked the top five countries for children. Sarumi called on governments to continue their efforts to reduce childhood enders and push for the implementation of UNs Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We really continue to call for continued investment and political will at the national level and continued action at the international level, particularly in the areas that we have seen less progress in, she said. Child marriage Compared with 2000, Save the Children documented 11 million fewer child brides today, noting significant progress in countries like India, where child marriage declined by 51 percent. The group attributed the decline in India to better education for girls, increased public awareness, community-based interventions and proactive government investment. With three million fewer teen births worldwide each year, the adolescent birth rate also fell by 22 percent. In a landmark case last year, Indias Supreme Court outlawed sexual intercourse with a wife aged between 15 and 18. 160112092849686 But despite the decrease in the global percentage of child marriages, more than 150 million additional girls will be married before their 18th birthday by 2030, the United Nations International Childrens Emergency Fund (UNICEF) said in a report last year. Rachel Yates, interim executive director of Girls Not Brides, an umbrella body of civil society outfits fighting to end the practice, said child marriage is a complex issue and there is no single solution to eradicate it. We need to address head on the belief that girls are not as valuable as boys, and that their only role in society is to become wives and mothers, she told Al Jazeera. Only when we tackle child marriage head-on will all girls be able to live happier, healthier lives of their choosing. Follow Saba Aziz on Twitter: @saba_aziz In Kenya, patients needing emergency care are often transferred to hospital by taxi or even bicycle rather than by ambulance. The situation is worse in rural areas where medical services are in short supply. In the latest in our series on First Responders, Al Jazeeras Catherine Soi reports from Muranga, where motorcycles are now being used to help save lives. Saudi Arabia is being accused of using military-grade spyware to target a prominent critic in Britain. Ghanem Almasarir al-Dosari is a satirist and a YouTube influencer who has racked up more than 200 million views on his channel, where he regularly criticises the Saudi royal family. He has lived in the UK for more than 15 years in self-imposed exile and says he has been under police protection since the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Saudi Arabias embassy in London was notified of a legal claim on Tuesday, accusing the kingdom of hacking the comedians phone and using it to spy on him. It is the latest allegation linked to the NSO Group. The Israeli surveillance companys products have allegedly been used to target activists and journalists around the world. Khalil Jahshan is the executive director of research organisation the Arab Center Washington, DC. He joins us on Skype to discuss this. Glasgow, Scotland The pro-independence Scottish government has tabled a bill which could pave the way for a new referendum on Scottish statehood. The Referendums (Scotland) Bill was launched by Constitutional Relations Secretary Mike Russell, of the governing Scottish National Party (SNP), at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh on Wednesday. The legislation, which does not suggest a date for any poll, comes just days after the SNPs success at the EU-wide European Parliament elections. This saw the party top the poll in 30 out of 32 Scottish council areas and gain three of the six seats allocated to Scotland as part of the UKs designated 73 Members of the European Parliament. Todays announcement by the SNP which has been the party of administration at the devolved Scottish Parliament since 2007 met derision from their pro-unionist opponents. {articleGUID} As Scotlands first minister and SNP leader, Nicola Sturgeon, hailed the bill as a chance for Scotland to choose a better future than the one being offered by [London] Westminster, her critics lined up to declare their opposition. Speaking in advance of the announcement, Adam Tomkins, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party constitution spokesman, stated it would come as no surprise to anybody in Scotland that Nicola Sturgeon has decided to use the EU elections to manufacture the case for a second independence referendum. No matter what people in Scotland say or do, the SNPs answer is always the same to take us out of the UK, he added. Second chance? The SNPs latest efforts to make a case for Scottish statehood come five years after the historic 2014 independence referendum, which saw the forces of the UK union defeat independence by 55-45 percent. Polls today put support for Scottish sovereignty almost neck and neck with support for Scotlands continued place within the UK. And as British negotiations over Brexit which Scotland rejected by 62-38 percent in the 2016 UK-wide in/out EU referendum continue to rumble on without success, Scottish independence supporters are eyeing another stab at their long-awaited goal. As a supporter of independence, Im obviously happy to see the process move forward, retired academic and think-tank director John MacDonald told Al Jazeera. I do subscribe to the idea that the way Brexit has unfolded, Scotlands remain vote should be seen as the catalyst for another independence referendum. Despite the SNPs dominant opinion poll ratings, governing with the most seats at the Scottish Parliament and holding 35 out of 59 Scottish seats at Westminster, others contend that the partys pursuit of independence is not without its pitfalls. The SNP has problems of incumbency and their record and problems of complacency and of over-partisanship in part of their base, Scottish political expert Gerry Hassan told Al Jazeera. It also has the coming trouble of the [Alex] Salmond trial, which is going to throw a whole set of questions over all those things. Salmond, Scotlands former SNP first minister (2007-14), who was the leader of the party during the 2014 independence referendum, is due to stand trial this year over charges of attempted rape and sexual assault. As Salmonds political protegee, Sturgeon, who hopes for a public vote on independence in the second half of 2020, has been forced to distance herself from a man she had long considered a close friend and ally in light of the allegations. 190524164357221 In order to hold a sanctioned referendum, the Scottish government requires permission from the British government, which it has, so far, refused to give. In the hours after Wednesdays announcement in Edinburgh, three of the candidates vying to be the next UK prime minister had ruled out giving Scotland a vote on its independence. Sajid Javid, Rory Stewart and James Cleverly all said they would refuse any request from Sturgeon for what is known as a Section 30 order. But, says MacDonald, in order for Scotland to unleash its potential, it must not only leave the UK, but join the EU as an independent state both bedrocks of SNP policy. Scotland is a constrained nation within the UK and has benefitted massively from European Union membership, such as programmes which have allowed Scotland to collaborate with its near [European] neighbours, he says. The UK has the capacity to adjust to Brexit, he concluded. But for Scotland, it will be disastrous. Two-day nationwide strike in Sudan to pressurise army to pave way for civilian transitional government. The Sudanese Professionals Association (SFA) has organised a two-day walkout, bringing the countrys capital Khartoum to a near halt, shutting major transportation hubs. The SFA says the military government which has replaced former President Omar al-Bashir, is not negotiating in good faith. Protesters hope it will force military leaders into a new round of negotiations to hand power to a civilian-run administration. Al Jazeeras Imran Khan reports from Khartoum. One of Europes most notorious people smugglers arrested, along with 19 others, in joint operation across Turkey. A previous version of this story cited MIT officials saying Tawfeeq's recently acquired Dominican Republic passport indicated he had plans to expand to the Americas. This is wrong. The comments were made by the prosecutor's office, not MIT officials. Turkish police have arrested 20 members of an international migrant-smuggling organisation, including one of Europes most wanted traffickers, Turkish police have said. Akbar Omar Tawfeeq, the suspected leader of the crime syndicate, and others were captured on May 25 during a joint operation conducted by police and intelligence agencies, officials said in a news briefing in Istanbul on Wednesday. At least 569 migrants were caught and judicial authorities confiscated six vehicles, six boats and numerous life vests belonging to Tawfeeqs organisation, police officials said. The crackdown came after an investigation led by Istanbuls chief public prosecutor, who suggested that the organisation smuggled migrants from Afghanistan and northern Iraq, to Greece, Italy and other European countries in return for large sums of money. 170123122824101 The prosecutors report also found that the group smuggled migrants stuck in Greece to other European Union countries, as a second route across Europe. Thousands of undocumented migrants are believed to have been smuggled, according to the officials. Authorities conducted a process of technical surveillance and tracked the suspects movements in countries such as Ukraine, England and Italy, in coordination with local authorities. The organisation is thought to have received an average of 3,000 to 5,000 euros ($3,340-$5,570) per migrant, with an average of 2 million euros ($2,2m) per year. PKK links The investigators suggested the leadership of the organisation mostly hailed from northern Iraq, where they allegedly conducted their business under strict hierarchical structures. According to the police officials, only migrants who had a reference were smuggled and subcontractors were often hired for this illegal activity. The officials said Tawfeeq and his organisation had established links in European countries such as Italy and Greece, through their coordination with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and the Syrian Kurdish fighter group (YPG) that Turkey claims is PKKs Syrian branch. During surveillance by the Department Combating Migrant Smuggling and Human Trafficking and Turkish Intelligence (MIT) Istanbul Directorate, police officials said they learned that Tawfeeq was among Europes most wanted migrant traffickers. His recently acquired Dominican Republic passport indicated he had plans to expand his business to the Americas, the prosecutors office said. As the related authorities detected that the leaders of the organisation were planning to move abroad, the first-wave operation was carried out jointly by the Turkish special forces on Saturday, in Istanbul and four other provinces. Coast Guard Command also caught a boat attempting to flee, officials said. After home searches, vehicles and ships registered to the suspects names were seized, in addition to digital and other incriminating material, MIT said. Dozens of mobile phones, sim cards in different brands, organisational documents, drugs, and sizeable amounts of euros and US dollars were also seized. Alessandro Politi, director of NATO Defence College Foundation (NDCF) in Italy, told Al Jazeera that migrant smuggling was a global problem. Each time police cooperation goes beyond political barriers is a plus. Migrant smuggling is not only a problem for the Mediterranean but the whole world, he said. Serkan Golge was detained in 2016 on a visit to Turkey as Ankara cracked down on alleged supporters of a failed coup. Turkey has released Serkan Golge, a NASA scientist with dual US-Turkish citizenship whose nearly three-year detention has soured relations between the NATO allies, the State Department and his wife said. We welcome the news that Serkan Golge has been released from prison today, State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus told reporters on Wednesday. We will continue to follow Mr Golges case closely along with those involving our own locally employed staff in Turkey, she said. Ortagus called on Turkey to ensure that he can return home as soon as possible. Golge was detained in July 2016 on a visit to his country of birth as Ankara cracked down on alleged supporters of self-exiled religious leader Fethullah Gulen, whom the leadership accused of orchestrating a failed coup. Golge was sentenced in 2018 to seven and a half years in prison for being a member of an armed terrorist organisation despite Washingtons protests that he was convicted without credible evidence. Two US senators last month introduced a bipartisan bill requiring the imposition of sanctions on Turkish officials responsible for the detentions of US citizens and local consulate staff in Turkey, a statement on the legislation said. Crackdown Turkey in October also released an American pastor caught up in the crackdown, Andrew Brunson, who had become a cause celebre among President Donald Trumps conservative Christian base. Authorities have carried out regular operations against the alleged followers of Gulen, in the wake of the coup attempt on the night of July 15, 2016. 181012073353582 He has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999, and Gulen denies allegations he was behind the coup. More than 77,000 people have been jailed pending trial, while some 150,000 civil servants, military personnel and others have been sacked or suspended from their jobs as part of the post-coup purges. Rights groups and Turkeys Western allies have voiced concerns over the crackdown, saying President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has used the failed overthrow attempt as a pretext to quash dissent. The government has said the security measures were necessary due to the gravity of the threat Turkey faces. Deputy foreign minister warns American elements trying to instigate war and Iran fully prepared for that scenario. Elements in the Trump administration are pushing for war between the United States and Iran a scenario that would be catastrophic for the Middle East, an Iran official warned. Fears of conflict erupting in the Gulf region have grown in recent weeks amid fiery rhetoric from both sides after the US deployed an aircraft carrier strike group, B-52 bombers, and 1,500 more American troops citing unidentified Iranian threats. On Wednesday, the semi-official ISNA news agency quoted Irans Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi as saying: We are aware that evident elements are trying to put America into a war with Iran for their own goals. He accused US National Security Adviser John Bolton who has called for the overthrow of the mullahs regime in Tehran and other warmongers of plotting against Iran, the Mehr news agency reported. War would be a disaster for everybody in the region. We hope that wisdom will prevail in Washington, that they do not make this biggest mistake in the region ever. But we are fully prepared for that scenario, Araghchi said. Nuclear negotiations? 190525081022483 An escalation in hostility has followed the US pullout from the historic nuclear agreement signed by Iran and world powers. Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday his country will not re-negotiate with the US over its nuclear and missile programmes, after President Hassan Rouhani signalled talks with Washington might be possible if sanctions were lifted. Washington withdrew last year from the international nuclear deal signed with Tehran in 2015, and it has ratcheted up sanctions in efforts to shut down Irans economy by ending its international sales of crude oil. We said before that we will not negotiate with America, because negotiation has no benefit and carries harm, Khamenei said on his website. We will not negotiate over the core values of the [Islamic] revolution. We will not negotiate over our military capabilities. Earlier in the day, Rouhani had taken a more positive stance. Whenever they lift the unjust sanctions and fulfil their commitments and return to the negotiations table, which they left themselves, the door is not closed, he said. But our people judge you by your actions, not your words. Khamenei has the final say in all major policies under Irans dual system, split between the clerical establishment and the government. He is also the head of the armed forces. US President Donald Trump condemned the landmark nuclear accord, signed by his predecessor Barack Obama, as flawed for not being permanent and for not covering Irans ballistic missile programme and role in conflicts around the Middle East. Trump said on Monday he was hopeful Iran would come to negotiating table. I really believe that Iran would like to make a deal and I think thats a possibility to happen. Sky-high tensions Last week, the Pentagon announced the deployment of 900 additional troops to the Middle East, and extended the deployment of another 600 service members in the region, describing it as an effort to bolster defences against Iran. Speaking with reporters, acting US defence chief Patrick Shanahan said the 1,500 additional troops announced last week would be going to Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Without giving details or evidence, Shanahan said while the Iranian posture had changed recently, the threat remained. He added boosting military assets into the region had helped deter attacks against Americans in Iraq. Earlier on Wednesday, Bolton said the prudent and responsible approach taken by the US made it clear to Iran and its proxies not to engage American interests. I support what we are doing so far. The point is to make it clear to Iran and its surrogates that these kinds of activities risk a very strong response from the Americans, he said in Abu Dhabi. Bolton expressed worries about perceived threats from the overseas arm of Irans Revolutionary Guard. We are very concerned about the Quds Force using Shia militia groups and others in Iraq as indirect ways to attack our embassy in Baghdad, consulate in Erbil, our various bases around the country, he said. The US Combined Air Operations Center is based in Qatar and its navy Fifth Fleet in Bahrain. The US Air Force also uses al-Dhafra airbase in Abu Dhabi. During Boltons visit, the US and United Arab Emirates announced that a defence cooperation agreement signed earlier this year had come into force at a critical time, a joint statement said. An emergency summit begins on Thursday in Saudi Arabia that will focus on regional security issues amid the soaring tension between Iran and the US and its Gulf allies. In today's concurring opinion in Box v. Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky, Justice Clarence Thomas dared speak the truth about the abortion industry in an area of law and policy infested with euphemisms, deception, and distortion. That "the Constitution itself is silent on abortion," for example, is a most obvious observation that anyone old enough to read can confirm. But to write it plainly in a Supreme Court opinion, as he did, is nothing short of an act of courage in today's day and age, when the darkness of abortion has such a firm grip on our political, legal, and cultural environments. The case dealt with an Indiana law that contained two provisions. The first dealt with the "disposition of fetal remains by abortion providers," and the second barred "sex-, race-, or disability-selective abortions by abortion providers." In a Per Curiam opinion (meaning it comes from the Court as a whole and not signed by any particular justice) the Court granted cert. on the first question and reversed the lower-court ruling that had invalidated the law. But it denied hearing on the second question, leaving in place the lower court's ruling that invalidated it. On the first question, dealing with the disposition of fetal remains, the Court said, "The Seventh Circuit clearly erred" in saying the state's interest in the proper disposal of fetal remains is not legitimate. Justice Thomas said the lower court's decision was "manifestly inconsistent with our precedent." He is right. The Court had already said in Akron v. Akron Center for Reproductive Health that "a State has a 'legitimate interest in proper disposal of fetal remains.'" The only question, the Court said, is if Indiana's new law is "rationally related" to that clearly legitimate interest. This is the lowest standard possible; it just needs to be rational. Yet the lower courts insisted on toeing the abortion preservation line at all cost. Justice Thomas was just as dumbfounded as the rest of us. "I would have thought it could go without saying," he wrote, "nothing in the Constitution or any decision of this Court prevents a State from requiring abortion facilities to provide for the respectful treatment of human remains." It was an easy decision to make, as evidenced by the fact that the Court did not even need oral arguments to decide it. But as Justice Kennedy acknowledged in the Gonzalez v. Carhart decision, "longstanding maxim[s] of statutory interpretation ... [fall] by the wayside when the Court confronted a statute regulating abortion. The Court at times employed an antagonistic 'canon of construction under which in cases involving abortion, a permissible reading of a statute [was] to be avoided at all costs.'" Even the denial of cert. for the second question in this case reeks of political calculations. It too is not a difficult decision to make. The Court should have addressed it. Deciding not to do so, the pro-life community should be thankful that Justice Thomas nevertheless took the time to discuss the question in his concurring opinion, and he did not mince words. "Enshrining a constitutional right to an abortion based solely on the race, sex, or disability of an unborn child, as Planned Parenthood advocates, would constitutionalize the views of the 20th-century eugenics movement," he concluded. He wrote separately to address that second part dealing with sex-, race-, or disability-selective abortions. He meticulously goes through the sordid history of abortion and eugenics, proving that it "is not merely hypothetical. The foundations for legalizing abortion in America were laid during the early 20th-century birth-control movement. That movement developed alongside the American eugenics movement. And significantly, Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger recognized the eugenic potential of her cause." Justice Thomas notes, "Many eugenicists therefore supported legalizing abortion, and abortion advocates including future Planned Parenthood president Alan Guttmacher endorsed the use of abortion for eugenic reasons." He reminds us of the legitimacy of the eugenics movement among intellectuals, noting, "Leaders in the eugenics movement held prominent positions at Harvard, Stanford, and Yale, among other schools, and eugenics was taught at 376 universities and colleges[.] ... Harvard was 'more central to American eugenics than any other university[.]'" After delineating the close connection between eugenics and racism, Justice Thomas highlights the Supreme Court's own troubling past with assisting in its spread. "This Court threw its prestige behind the eugenics movement in its 1927 decision upholding the constitutionality of Virginia's forced-sterilization law." Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., writing for the Court: "It is better for all the world, if instead of waiting to execute degenerate offspring for crime, or to let them starve for their imbecility, society can prevent those who are manifestly unfit from continuing their kind." In that sense, the Court shares this distorted view of the value of human life with the eugenic sympathies of Planned Parenthood's founder, Margaret Sanger. After discussing Sanger's "Negro Project," an effort to promote population control among black Americans, it is understandable why Justice Thomas concludes that this case "highlights the fact that abortion is an act rife with the potential for eugenic manipulation." Should it surprise us that it is Planned Parenthood, still today, standing as party before the Supreme Court objecting to a law that prohibits the targeting of babies because of their race, sex, or disability? Eugenics is the stuff of nightmares. As we pointed out in our brief, which the Court noticed, "abortion has proven to be a disturbingly effective tool for implementing the discriminatory preferences that undergird eugenics." In Iceland, babies with Down syndrome are being systematically exterminated. In Asia, sex-selective abortions are commonplace. Where are the feminists on that? "[A]s many as 160 million 'missing' women more than the entire female population of the United States," notes Justice Thomas, have been targeted through abortion because of the mere fact of being female. It is against this putrid backdrop that this Indiana law stepped in to humbly uphold the value of every human life. It was promptly challenged by none other than Planned Parenthood. To their shame, the District Court and the Seventh Circuit went right along with "Big Abortion" without any precedent compelling them to do so, whatever legal, mental gymnastics they tried to do to justify their unjust rulings. They pointed to the Casey decision, but as Justice Thomas forcefully said, "Whatever else might be said about Casey, it did not decide whether the Constitution requires States to allow eugenic abortions." That "remains an open question." And Justice Thomas was quick to point out that "[t]he Court's decision to allow further percolation should not be interpreted as agreement with the decision below." We can only hope that the Court takes up the question in the not too distant future and ends once and for all this prolonged nightmare of the targeting of children because of their race, sex, or disability. I want to say it before it is released and becomes obvious: The upcoming peace plan will probably fail. Do not get me wrong. I hope that my assessment is incorrect, but I seriously doubt it will be. One problem is that while the expected peace plan will offer a lot of economic incentives, as if that were sufficient, it assumes that the majority of Palestinians will take it. It may be that some individual Arabs take bribes. But that does not mean that the Arab people of Palestine as a whole will sell that fervent patriotism that they guard so jealously -- Zeev Jabotinsky, The Iron Wall What many fail to realize is that the Palestinians actually love the land. This is why this conflict is so intractable. It is driven by more than just anti-Semitism. Though it seem incomprehensible to us, the Palestinians feel wronged by the creation of Israel. They feel at least the same instinctive jealous love of Palestine, as the old Aztecs felt for ancient Mexico , and their Sioux for their rolling Prairies. -- Zeev Jabotinsky, The Iron Wall If Jabotinsky, the founder of right-wing Zionism, admitted this, why do so many believe this problem will disappear with a mere show of strength, because the "Fakestinians are not a real people? Zabotinksy never uttered such an absurdity. He knew what the Jewish people were up against. The Palestinians have a competing identity. It does not matter that some among them once wanted to join Syria. Texas eventually joined the United States, but Texas had a competing nationality which gets reasserted from time to time. Likewise, the Palestinians have a competing identity. The proposed plan does not address this root problem. From what has been seen, it will only offer economic incentives. Many will say that Israels claim is superior, so the Palestinian claim is effectually voided. I can accept that, but I am not Palestinian. Israel wants control over all the land west of the Jordan -- and I dont blame them -- but, understandably, Israel doesnt want to enfranchise the 4 million Arabs in Gaza and Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) again, I dont blame the Israelis. The plan will maintain total Israeli control. The leaked version (translated by Google App) of the plan in the Hebrew language edition of Israel Hayom refers to a bridge, indicating that the ports will be offshore, indicating that Israel would police them. This is a variation of what was suggested before. Government to examine MK Katz's proposal to construct artificial island near Gaza for import of vital goods, to be inspected by Israeli security; Israel also ready to provide gas, employment, water, if international donors foot the bill. -- YNET Despite the diplomatic double-speak, Israel would remain in charge of airspace, coastlines, borders, population registry, et al., as they do now. Yes, the Palestinians will be given a border to Jordan, but the gates will certainly be policed by the IDF. The plan is trying to get the Palestinians to surrender all claims for political independence in return for economic concessions. Maybe it is a great idea. Some Zionists, such as Daniel Pipes, have suggested imposing a total defeat. The usual examples given are the surrenders required of Japan and Germany. But Japan and Germany were eventually restored as nations. There is no chance of that for Palestine, and so the example fails. A better example might be the Confederacy; but the South was quickly re-enfranchised into the Union, and there is no chance that Israel will enfranchise millions more Arabs, so that example fails also. The outgoing French ambassador to the United States, Gerard Araud, [said] ... if you offer the Palestinians the choice between surrendering and committing suicide, they may decide the latter. -- The Atlantic Maybe the proposed plan is more than Israel should give the Muslims; but the fact is that it is far less than even moderate Palestinians would ever accept. The only answer is ugly. Lets not pretty it up. Both sides detest each other, and many on both sides want the other side to disappear -- with many refusing to even recognize the existence of the other side. The comment section of this article will be full of those who call one side Fakestinians, while other commenters will refer to Jews as European Khazar imperialists. Animus at that level cannot be negotiated. Get the Palestinians to leave. That is the only solution. Pay those who will yield but be prepared to pay a lot. It will be expensive. It has to be, to overcome past grievances and a natural resistance. The $30 billion dollars that the plan will spend to set up New Palestine would be better spent paying 300,000 Palestinians to relocate at $100,000 per person. A family of five, with half a million dollars, could find welcome nations in Africa, Araby, or Asia. South America would welcome Arabs, especially the Christian ones -- though I think Israel should enfranchise the Christians and let them stay. Is that ugly? You bet it is! It is one step shy of ethnic cleansing, except that payment will be offered. There is no other solution. At this point, they cannot live together. They have to be separated, and that is the only thing that a dime should be spent on. I am not saying Israel is 100% innocent. No nation is. In fact, I find a lot of pro-Israel talking points to be duplicitous, because Israel wants to hide what is going on among some of their own extreme elements. However, the Muslims are batsh*t crazy and psychotically violent; and there is no other way to describe them. The Muslims destroyed the once decent, Christian-ruled Lebanon and -- if given any leeway -- would destroy Israel, too. Get the Palestinians to leave. Do not pretty it up. 1) First, Judea and Samaria has to be bought out. Forget about Gaza initially. Judea and Samaria is the Jewish heartland. There are roughly 2 million Muslims there. The number should be reduced to 500,000 or less. At $100,000 per person, that would cost $150 billion dollars. 2) Pay young women to leave first. Many women will jump at the chance to flee Islamic oppression. Paying men to leave would only mean more women for each man and will not stop the demographic problem. 3) Since the Jewish state will benefit, it is only reasonable that diaspora Jews pay for a lot of this. 4) Set a sliding scale. Those who sign up to leave last get less money. 5) At some point, force will be required to move the recalcitrant, which may be more than is expected. 6) In the long run, this is cheaper than nonstop war. Even paying them may not produce the result desired. In that case, one side or the other will be genocided. I do not like saying any of this. What I am suggesting is the erasure of Palestinian nationality (who does exist, despite what some say), but I would be upset far worse, if Israel were destroyed. Mike Konrad is the pen name of an American who wishes he had availed himself more fully of the opportunity to learn Spanish better in high school, lo those many decades ago. He runs a website, Latin Arabia, about the Christian Arab community in South America. On May 23, a coalition of left-wing groups sent an open letter to all the announced Democratic candidates for president calling for major cuts in U.S. defense spending. Under the banner of Put People Over the Pentagon, the 22 groups said that its time to stop misdirecting hundreds of billions of dollars away from domestic and human needs to pad unnecessary budget lines for endless wars, failed weapons and the Pentagons corporate handouts. Doing so will make our country stronger and more just. The amount to be cut should be "at least $200 billion annually, freeing up $2 trillion or more over the next decade for domestic and human needs priorities." The total 2019 defense budget is $686 billion, of which $89 billion is to pay for overseas contingency operations, leaving $597 billion to fund the base force structure of the armed services. This is out of a total federal budget of $4.5 trillion; meaning defense is only 15% of total spending. The leftist demand would not only end all foreign military operations (which they oppose on principle) but cut standing military strength by one-fifth. And they emphasis this would only be "a start" of the unilateral disarmament process. The timing of the letter could not be worse. It was sent just before Memorial Day when the nation pays tribute to those who have given their lives for their country. The 2019 Defense Budget Overview put out by the Defense Department contains a relevant quote from retired Defense Secretary Gen. James Mattis "If you don't get the resources... then your strategy is nothing more than a hallucination, because, without the resources, there's just so much brave young men and women can do." Tragically, too many serving in uniform have died needlessly because they were up against better armed opponents who had built up their forces while America allowed its capabilities to stagnate and decline. We don't need another Bataan Death March. As a share of GDP, defense spending hit 5.7% in 1985 at the height of the Reagan buildup that brought victory in the Cold War. It dropped steadily in the post-Cold War period to around 3.0% of GDP which put it on a par with the isolationist 1930s. The 9/11 terrorist attacks reawakened Americans to the fact that it is still a dangerous world, and not just because of insurgents. A rising China and a revanchist Russia have rekindled another era of Great Power rivalry which also includes their allies like Iran and North Korea. All are working hard to acquire new military capabilities. Yet, the revival of U.S. spending to meet these challenges has been slow and incomplete. The military budget peaked in 2010 at 4.5% of GDP even with Americans engaged in combat; and then started to drop again. It stabilized at 3.1% in 2015 and has remained there even in the 2019 budget. In dollars, the amount has increased, allowing some minor expansion in force levels because there has been an uptick in economic growth. The effort being made to protect U.S. security, interests, and allies remains near historical lows despite "Donald Trumps continued march toward militarism" as alleged by Sean Vitka, whose group Demand Progress was on the letter. The coalition offers an alternative strategy for dealing with the world's problems "By adhering to our values and promoting international cooperation, we can prevent war, address the underlying causes of conflict and meet humanitarian imperatives." But what are their values? Code Pink's latest project is the "Embassy Protection Collective" whose members have moved into the Venezuela Embassy in Washington DC to support the minions of socialist dictator Nicholas Maduro. He is fending off a popular uprising with troops backed by Cuba and Russia. So much for the left's supposed values of democracy, peace and non-intervention. They support the military, just not ours. Another signer is Just Foreign Policy. It lists support for the Maduro regime as a major campaign, but also claims that the U.S. is on "the wrong side" in Yemen by backing the Saudi-led coalition allied with the internationally recognized government against Iranian-backed insurgents. It also wants the U.S. to withdraw from Syria so that its Iran-backed regime can survive. With the common theme of aligning with Tehran, signing a letter against the U.S. military as forces where being deployed to counter rising Iranian threats was perfect timing. The group's co-director Hassan El-Tayyab cut his teeth with another signer, Peace Action, which claims to be the largest of the "peace and disarmament" crowd. This group also leans towards Tehran, and not just in Yemen. It claims that "Iran's reduced compliance with nuclear accord should be met with good faith diplomacy, not retaliation" and blames Trump's "belligerency" for the crisis. There is, of course, no mention of Iran as a state-sponsor of terrorism whose militias and special ops units have laid waste to the region, or that Iran is developing advanced weapons to cover its aggression. The National Priorities Project of the Institute for Policy Studies signed the letter, keeping in step with the anti-American message it has hawked for over half a century. The IPS was founded by Marcus Raskin and Richard Barnet, who left the Kennedy administration in protest over its hard-line posture towards the Soviet Union. They and their group have supported every enemy of the U.S. since. They have now widened their scope to argue that "the Green New Deal must have anti-militarism at its core." This puts them in line with Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace, who also signed the letter. The name Greenpeace is an oxymoron. The group's plan for economic stagnation if not outright regression means that the only way for any person or group to get more is to take it from others. A zero-sum world of shortages guarantees strife. A green world would not be a peaceful world, unless a ruthless dictatorship kept the peace by force. This is the proposal of another signer World Beyond War. The plan of this group is to "outlaw" war. But it concedes that as a matter of practicality "Armed peacekeepers will have to be ready to stop war wherever and whenever it appears." Perpetual war for perpetual peace. It doesn't occur to them that if they are willing to fight for a cause they believe in, others will do the same to advance their ambitions. They always have and they always will. It is a contentious world and the U.S. must be ready to deal with it as it is. That readiness cannot, however, be conjured up overnight. For example, In January 2019 the Navy contracted for the construction of two new aircraft carriers. The first will return the hallowed name Enterprise to the fleet, but not until 2028. The second will not be delivered until 2032. Who knows what world these ships will face with this kind of lead time? If the left-wing coalition of "peace" groups get their way, the next president will likely cancel both carriers, and much more besides. The stakes of the 2020 election are thus not trivial. Every week, the left is upping the stakes to where national survival itself will be on the ballot. William R. Hawkins is a consultant specializing in international economic and national security issues. He is a former Republican staff member on the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee. The communist regime in Cuba has issued another warning about food shortages. And it's all the embargo's fault. Have you heard that before? This is from Reuters: U.S. farmers and agribusiness's [sic] have sold nearly $6 billion in poultry, soy, corn and other products to Cuba since 2001 under an exception to the trade embargo that allows the sales for cash, helping to alleviate shortages on the Caribbean island. However, Washington this month allowed a long dormant section of the 1996 Helms-Burton Act to take effect as it ratchets up the pressure on Venezuela and Cuba. Title III of the Cuba sanctions law, waived by previous presidents, states that anyone whose property was nationalized after the 1959 Cuban Revolution, even if they were not U.S. citizens at the time, can sue any individual or company profiting from their former holdings. Good for President Trump. Better for the rule of law and respect for property rights. Havana street scene (photo credit: Pedro Szekely). Despite my support for President Trump's actions and my overall agreement that the owners should be compensated, it has nothing to do with Cuba's food shortages. First, Cuba can buy food or anything else from any other country. Why doesn't it? There are lots of countries who are agricultural exporters who love to sell their tomatoes and potatoes to Cuba. The embargo won't stop Brazil, for example, doing that. It won't stop Argentina or Uruguay from selling beef. Second, the real problem is that nobody wants to sell anything on credit to Cuba. It's "no cash, no tomato" because the regime has a long history of failing to pay its debts. It's not the embargo; it's a socialist economy that could never sustain itself without a sugar daddy in Moscow or Caracas. Blame Trump? Nothing new. We've been hearing that for a long time. The solution is for Cuba to reform rather than pretend change is happening. PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter. Over the past few days, Turkey has increased the supply of weapons and military equipment to various groups operating in Idlib demilitarized zone of Syria. In such a manner, Ankara intends to stop the Syrian Army's attack against rebels in northern Hama. The Reuters news agency, on May 26, reported that another convoy from Turkey had arrived in Syria. According to Reuters, the Turkish military handed over armored vehicles, Grad rocket-launchers, and American-made TOW missiles to the militants. In addition to the military equipment, Turkey also provides the transfer of militants who participated in Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch military operations from the northern part of Syria to the combat area in northern Hama. Turkish tanks participating in Operation Olive Branch (VOA photo). At the same time, neither Ankara nor the rebel groups themselves unequivocally confirmed these facts. However, a spokesman for the National Front for Liberation Naji al-Mustafa once claimed that the group possesses enough weapons and has been receiving financial and logistic support from Turkey for a long time. It should be mentioned that Turkey is one of the guarantor states of the Astana agreements, the ensemble of initiatives and plans to resolve the Syrian Civil War, along with Russia and Iran. Moreover, on September 17, 2018, Russian president Vladimir Putin met his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the city of Sochi, where the two leaders agreed to create a demilitarized zone in northwestern Syria. Ankara's actions threaten to undermine international efforts to resolve the Syrian crisis. The situation in the country may become tense again, and that would entail a new flow of refugees, an increase of terrorist activities, and even more civilian casualties. COMPUTEX 2019, the world's biggest computer trade show, opened in Taipei with dazzling 5G, AI & IoT, blockchain, and gaming offerings, but little interest in China. Computex, following the launch of 4G/LTE, peaked in 2012 with over 140,000 visitors inundating 1,800 exhibitors in 5,400 booths. The trade show then suffered a six-year decline as customers moved from desktops and laptops, to phablets and high-functioning smartphones. But 2019 boomed to a recovery high 1,685 exhibitors in 5,508 booths as China was set to launch the world's first commercial 5G network in 2020. Although the People's Republic of China does not recognize Taiwan, the island remains the top notebook P.C. production hub for tech giants such as Apple and Hewlett Packard. That is why Qualcomm opened Computex with the release of its first Snapdragon-powered 5G P.C., made by PRC-owned Lenovo as "the world's first 7nm platform purpose-built for PCs that offers 5G connectivity." The platform's 5G modem offers download speeds of 2.5 Gbps and a battery that can last for several days on a single charge. Wireless technology has advanced about every ten years since 1G made cellular communications possible in the 1980s; 2G added mobile text messaging and secure phone calls in the 1990s; 3G launched smartphones in the 2000s, and 4G/LTE provided data speeds required to stream high-definition video in 2010s. But unlike the first four evolutionary generations of wireless technology, 5G is revolutionary because it offers 1) ten times faster data transfer speeds that will slash high-definition movie downloads from ten minutes to less than a second, 2) latency reduction that will eliminate glitches in augmented and full immersion reality, and 3) more than tripling the number of connected devices by 2025. The reason the computing and information technology industries are ecstatic about 5G's incredible jump in speed and connectedness is that the need for more powerful modems and computing essentially obsolesces all existing desktops, laptops, and smartphones. The 2019 estimated revenue to support the current 20 billion "Internet of Things" (IoT) connected devices, growing at about 127 connections each second, is $1.7 trillion. But with China's launch of the first-to-market 5G network in 2020 and 100 percent global low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) coverage by 2022, annual revenues to support 64 billion IoT connected devices in 2025 will spike to about $4 to $11 trillion. The key to China's IoT dominance has been China's commitment to state-controlled telecommunication giants Huawei Technologies and ZTE Corporation. The two firms now hold 34 percent of the 74,500 key standard essential patents (SEP) for 5G. That compares to 25 percent for South Korea and just 14 percent for the once dominant U.S. IoT Analytics identified the biggest IoT projects at the end of 2018 as 367 Smart Cities, 265 industrial settings, and 193 connected building IoT projects. The United States accounted for 45 percent, and Europe accounted for 35 percent of the projects. But President Trump's ban and European observance may have effectively barred Chinese 5G telecommunications suppliers from up to 80 percent of the global market. The Computex 2019 show that runs through Saturday, June 1, added a second Exhibition Hall to showcase what are rumored to be brilliant advances integrating virtual reality (V.R.), augmented reality (A.R.), and extended reality (X.R.) by 100 exhibitors. Target markets range from infrastructure maintenance to e-sports gaming immersion. Keynote speakers include AMD president and CEO Lisa Su, Intel senior vice president and general manager of the Client Computing Group Gregory M. Bryant, and Microsoft corporate vice president Nick Parker. A patent application reveals that Amazon is working on a feature that records and identifies the words that a user mentions before they mention the trigger word Alexa. People who own smart home devices powered by Amazons virtual assistant have to first trigger the product by uttering the wake word Alexa, which then commands the product to listen to the instruction from the user. However, in a recent patent application that the online retail giant filed to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, devices powered by Alexa may also begin recording the phrases or words that the person mentions a few seconds before the trigger word Alexa. Advertisement In an example provided by the company in its patent application, users who want to play a song from the Beatles can only trigger their smart home device by uttering an instruction after the word Alexa. Any command before the word will not be recorded and recognized by the personal assistant. A problem with this approach, Amazon claims in its patent application, is that for some users, this structure may not be natural, and they may prefer providing instructions before the wakeword. To cater to this set of users, the retail giant developed an approach that would record words before mentioning the word Alexa. The device will pinpoint where the subject of the conversation changes using indicators like lengthy pauses within 10 to 30 seconds before the wakeword Alexa. From this point, the device will send the recording to a server, which will assess if the statement from this marker until the name Alexa is a part of the command from the user. Advertisement Amazon claims that this approach should satisfy users who worry about their privacy. The online retail giant recognizes in their patent that recording speech may pose privacy issues not only due to storing conversation data online but also the fact that information will have to travel between the user and the server. By limiting the speech recorded by the device to 10 to 30 seconds before the word Alexa, Amazon aims to reduce the privacy risk by only focusing on the conversation that could be an actual part of the instruction. However, there is still room for errors, and the few seconds before the direction may contain sensitive information. This approach may also not be received well by many consumers, especially since a recent survey shows that data security and the possibility of smart speakers and other devices snooping into conversations remain key concerns by customers who use virtual assistants. Advertisement Furthermore, recent reports regarding privacy issues have cast doubt on the ability of Amazon to protect users privacy, and this patent may further exacerbate the concerns of users related to their privacy. For example, a report showed that artificial intelligence researchers could listen to peoples conversations stored on the servers of the online retail giant, and if this patent was already in effect, these researchers might have gained access to the few seconds before the user uttered the wakeword. Moving forward, while this approach has benefits for a specific group of users, and there are attempts to limit possible privacy risks, this patent will surely alert privacy advocates. Chief security officer for Huawei USA, Andy Purdy, has said that the company would be open to mitigating US national security concerns, in an interview with CNBC on Wednesday. Purdy said in the interview that in different countries in the world, we negotiate with respective governments on what kind of assurance framework they need. He went on to explain that there may be some requirements around selling to government or to critical infrastructure projects. Purdy could not say what the US government would want in return from Huawei, but he would be astounded if we werent open to those kinds of risk mitigation measures. This shouldnt come as a surprise, as Huawei does desperately want to enter the US market, not only to sell smartphones but to also sell networking equipment. But right now, thats on the back-burner. As the main thing Huawei needs right now, is to be able to work with its partners like Google, Microsoft, Intel, Qualcomm and others. Advertisement Purdy appeared with Huaweis outside counsel, Glen Nager on CNBC on Wednesday. And that came on the same day that Huawei filed a motion for the courts to rule this ban unconstitutional. Nager also explained why it is unconstitutional, and that this is not normal. Usually companies are able to tell their side of the story, like providing proof that they are not working with the Chinese government, but that did not happen in Huaweis case. The US government has been after Huawei for over a decade. But things really picked up under President Trump, especially after the trade war with China was started. The US has been taking it to Huawei in an attempt to use the company as a bargaining chip in the trade war, to get China to come to the table. In fact, President Trump said that he could see a deal with China that would include Huawei. Last week, things really took a turn for Huawei. When President Trump signed an executive order that essentially blacklisted the Chinese company. Meaning that it could no longer do business with any US companies. After that executive order was signed, we slowly saw its US partners drop business ties with the company. Google was first to do so, followed by many others. But we have also seen a number of European companies cutting ties with Huawei, including ARM, which was a pretty big deal. ARM licenses chip designs to chip makers like Huaweis HiSilicon, meaning Huawei could no longer use its design and architecture on its chipsets. Advertisement Huawei is adamant that it is not working for the Chinese government, and has said that the US government has zero proof to the contrary. It has also said that the UK and German governments have proof that they are not working with the Chinese government. Never before has a company been blacklisted for something that there was no proof of. ZTE comes to mind, but there was plenty of proof that it was violating US sanctions with Iran and North Korea. Samsung is reportedly hard at work on a new smartwatch for the wearables market and is planning for the official release of this new watch to include a 5G variant for the US, which would likely be leveraging the networks of the countrys biggest wireless carriers. There are said to be two model numbers associated with the 5G variant of the upcoming watch which are SM-R827 and SM-R837. In addition to these two 5G variants of the watch there are said to be at least four more variants to look out for the WiFi and Bluetooth options which come with model numbers SM-R820 and SM-R830, as well as LTE options which come with model numbers SM-R825 and SM-R835. Though Samsung has yet to confirm any plans for a 5G smartwatch so far it already offers phones that can leverage the power of 5G networks. While these devices admittedly are still limited in the US as carriers work to roll out 5G coverage to more people across the areas they cover with their services, having a 5G smartwatch to pair with those phones is something that Samsung would likely consider sooner rather than later. Advertisement Connectivity options aside Samsung may have at least three color options on offer when the watch launches which could include Black, Silver, and Gold, and come with the wearable industry standard of 4GB for storage capacity for apps, music and anything youd need to store on a smartwatch. As this new device would be the next generation of Samsungs already available Galaxy Watch, Samsung could be expected to introduce the new watch with some similar design elements and features found on the Galaxy Watch while also improving the device in certain areas. Replaceable wrist straps would be a good candidate for a returning feature as these are popular with users who want more customization options than the colors on offer from the companies that make these devices. Samsung could also choose to stick with the rotating bezel since these were included on every flagship version smartwatch that Samsung has released since the feature was initially introduced, only leaving them out on options like the Gear Sport and Galaxy Watch Active. Advertisement All other features aside, the potential inclusion of a 5G variant for the US should be the biggest takeaway. 5G networks have yet to roll out completely to everyone in the country, even from the two biggest carriers, AT&T and Verizon. Its also not uncommon for companies like Samsung to work with carriers to showcase capabilities like 5G on its devices while the carriers use this type of feature to highlight that theyre getting ready to push the advancement of their network technology. If Samsung does release 5G variants of its next smartwatch for the US, then its also possible that the launch of that model could coincide with larger 5G network deployments from the carriers where it would be available. Samsung may also not partner with any carriers to sell the 5G model and simply sell it unlocked, which would allow for use at most or all of the larger carriers which support 5G, though only time will tell if and when Samsung plans to unveil this version of its upcoming wearable. The Primates of the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches in Ireland, Archbishops Eamon Martin and Richard Clarke, issue a joint message on the Thy Kingdom Come prayer initiative. A few years ago, Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury initiated what he believed would be a relatively small-scale project, asking members of his own Christian tradition to pray Thy Kingdom Come with real effort and focus in the days between the Ascension and Pentecost. These days between Ascension and Pentecost mark a spiritual interlude between Jesus Christ leaving the earth in his physical body at Ascension, and the day when the Holy Spirit came in power on his disciples at Pentecost. And we are told in the Scriptures that the disciples spent these days in Jerusalem in constant prayer. Praying Thy Kingdom Come can be a familiar phrase that trips off the tongue a little too easily, but it should never be such. The Kingdom of God can best be understood as being the realm of God, that place where God is in full control, where God is completely supreme in the hearts and minds of his people. Praying for Gods Kingdom to come is therefore not simply a prayer for the world (although it is that), but it is also a prayer for our own spiritual renewal and a prayer for the Holy Spirit of God to enter the lives of those we know and love in a new and powerful way. We are asked in these days to make a specific effort within this prayer to pray for five. This means praying intentionally for five people, but not necessarily those we instinctively pray for on a regular basis. This prayer for five should be that God will bless the people for whom we have prayed and give them a deeper awareness of his infinite love for them. It is not a condescending or judgmental prayer, but a simple act of truly Christian love and friendship. We sometimes wonder what prayer is able to do. There was a lovely reflection on the matter by Archbishop William Temple, When I pray, coincidences happen; when I dont, they dont!. By Gods grace, what began as a simple local call for prayer has spread across almost all the Christian traditions and across the world. Pope Francis and Archbishop Welby with other church leaders have asked Christian disciples throughout the world to be part of this focussed wave of prayer. We now join in this call to prayer, coupling it with our own shared prayer to God, Thy Kingdom Come. Posted on: May 29, 2019 12:48 PM Christians around the world are preparing to pray individually, in churches, in ecumenical gatherings and in large-scale beacon events, as part of this years Thy Kingdom Come global wave of prayer. The initiative began in 2016 as a call from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, Justin Welby and John Sentamu, to the clergy of the Church of England to set aside time between Ascension and Pentecost 30 May to 9 June this year to pray for more people to know Christ. Leaders of other Christian Churches in the UK echoed the call, as did Anglican leaders around the world. It is now a global ecumenical annual initiative. In what Archbishop Justin Welby described as the most amazing thing, Pope Francis has endorsed this years event with a video message. I had the huge privilege of meeting Pope Francis, who is extraordinary, Archbishop Justin explained. I very cheekily said to him, would he give a message for Thy Kingdom Come and without a pause he gave the message [which] is utterly inspiring. Speaking in Spanish on a video recorded by the Popes translator on Archbishop Justins mobile phone, Pope Francis said: Come Holy Spirit. This is the cry of all Christians on this day of Pentecost. Come Holy Spirit the promise of the Father; the promise of Jesus, that the Holy Spirit may enlarge and widen our hearts. We all have a problem, and that is that our hearts tend to shrink, become smaller and close. We cant solve that problem by ourselves. Only the Holy Spirit can solve it. Come Holy Spirit. And to Jesus, thy Kingdom come the Kingdom of the Father that you came to announce. And to you, my brothers and sisters with my brother Justin Welby, we want to tell you that we walk alongside you in this prayer - Thy Kingdom Come. The video message will be played in Londons Trafalgar Square on Pentecost Sunday where more than 5,000 Christians are expected to gather for an ecumenical worship event attended by Archbishop Justin and the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the Archbishop of Westminster. In Ireland, the Anglican and Catholic Primates, Archbishops Richard Clarke and Eamon Martin, issued a joint message, which has been published as a blog by the Anglican Communion News Service. Praying Thy Kingdom Come can be a familiar phrase that trips off the tongue a little too easily, but it should never be such, they said. The Kingdom of God can best be understood as being the realm of God, that place where God is in full control, where God is completely supreme in the hearts and minds of his people. Praying for Gods Kingdom to come is therefore not simply a prayer for the world (although it is that), but it is also a prayer for our own spiritual renewal and a prayer for the Holy Spirit of God to enter the lives of those we know and love in a new and powerful way. The Diocese of West Malaysia in the Province of South East Asia is using the 10 days as a period of intensive prayer . . . for the lost, the least, the little and the lonely that they may be comforted with the Word of God and God Almighty himself, Archbishop Moon Hing said. The diocese has published a prayer resource booklet for Thy Kingdom Come. The Diocesan Prayer Coordinator, David Rajiah, said that through this we hope to . . . be transformed through prayer, be given new confidence and encouragement by the Holy Spirit, [and] be effective witnesses for Jesus Christ. Marysville, CA (95901) Today Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers in the afternoon. High around 45F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Some clouds. Low 36F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. MadridThe time has finally come when videos recorded on 20 September and 1 October can be shown in the trial of the Catalan political leaders, following the defences failed attempts to use them when cross examining prosecution witnesses in order to challenge their version of events. The exhibits proposed by the Public Prosecutor's Office showed scenes of confrontations outside polling stations, though the majority of them failed to show the police charging the crowd. The Guardia Civil were only shown using their truncheons at the Quercus seconday school in Sant Joan de Vilatorrada (Bages), where one of their officers was struck by a chair thrown by a protestor after the police smashed the schools glass door. They also showed an officer falling over at La Roureda school in Sant Esteve Sesrovires (Baix Llobregat) and subsequently receiving a kick to the head, an incident which the former Spanish government representative, Enric Millo, famously described as the Fairy liquid trap [in reference to his claim that voters had poured washing up liquid on the floor]. Some footage was shown to illustrate the alleged hostility displayed by the voters, such as the tense atmosphere outside the Ramon Llull school in Barcelona and stones being thrown at Guardia Civil vehicles as they retreated from Sant Carles de la Rapita (Montsia). Nevertheless, the defence teams plan to take advantage of certain videos shown by the Prosecutor's Office to support their case. These include footage taken at the Castell de Dosrius school (Maresme), where the Guardia Civil charged the voters at the school gates without having issued a warning. The Prosecutor's Office intends to use the exhibits to support the testimony of the dozens of police officers who gave evidence during the cross-examination phase of the trial. One after the other, they claimed to have been victims of physical assaults and a target of thrown objects. However, the only instance of someone being injured in one of the prosecutions videos occurred when a police officer was hit by a chair when entering a school. No images were shown of anyone being hit by a chunk of a wash basin or a motorcycle which were allegedly thrown by voters. The court was also shown videos of police officers standing in front of members of the public shouting "were peaceful people" and "go home", in an attempt to support the idea that they prevented them from complying with the court order to stop the referendum from going ahead. For example, the Public Prosecutor chose a video of firefighters standing in front of the Guardia Civil in Sant Joan de Vilatorrada, crowds behind a barricade of tables and chairs in Sant Marti de Sesgueioles (Anoia) and a large group of people gathered outside the entrance to a polling station in Sant Cebria de Vallalta, among others. The State's Attorney, who was more thorough than the Office of the Prosecutor when specifying the exact date and time of the videos, focused on other aspects of the 1 October referendum. For example they showed footage in which the Mossos d'Esquadra were seen removing ballot boxes and election material from polling stations, as a crowd applauded. The video sought to support one of the prosecutions allegations which sees the Mossos d'Esquadra as plotting with the Catalan government in refusing to comply with the order from the High Court of Justice of Catalonia to prevent the vote from going ahead. The court was also shown videos of protests outside hotels which housed the police officers who were stationed in Catalonia during the referendum, although the Public Prosecutor was unable to identify either the date or the location. The defence lawyers for Jordi Sanchez, Josep Rull and Jordi Turull all protested the fact that the Public Prosecutor showed several videos supposedly covering 1 October, but included footage of the Spanish police leaving the CUPs headquarters on 20 September surrounded by crowds of protestors. In fact the events took place on different dates and involved a police operation in the case of the CUP headquarters which had to be called off because the police didnt have a search warrant. Following the lawyers protests, prosecutor Jaime Moreno stated that his intention was to show the "general atmosphere", regardless of where the events took place. At one point, Benet Salellas [Jordi Cuixarts lawyer] was forced to correct the date of some footage taken on 8 November strike which the prosecutor had erroneously attributed to an earlier strike which took place on 3 October. The Youth Council, formed last October, seeks to facilitate positive change and engage the nations young people in the future leadership of the country. This Ramadan, the fifteen members of the Etihad Youth Council worked with communities across the UAE. Their volunteering included inviting orphans to tour the Etihad Innovation Centre, Etihads cutting-edge research hub, alongside visiting elderly people in care homes in Sharjah, and distributing Iftar meals to workers in Mazyad Mall, Abu Dhabi. Speaking on the role of the Council, Etihad Aviation Group chief executive officer, Tony Douglas said: It gives me great pride to see the activity of the Etihad Youth Council during the Holy Month of Ramadan. The young people we have in this organisation continue to impress, both with their leadership abilities and their compassionate spirit, and we have seen this across the initiatives this Ramadan. We at Etihad Aviation Group see the development of future generations as a priority, which is why we founded this organisation last year. I look forward to seeing the work of the Council continue to grow over time and to support its development for years to come. "We are delighted to extend the activities of the Council to strengthen our communication with the community through a series of initiatives, said Ruqaia Ali Bin Rahal, chairperson of the Etihad Youth Council. This is one of the main objectives of the Council when it was established, and we aim to enhance the levels of youth participation in leadership and work to achieve the objectives of the UAE Vision 2021, as well as developing young talent and instilling the values of Etihad Airways and the UAE." An array of Chinese artists and writers, performers and filmmakers all up to no good by the standards of Beijings morality police [are] hungrily taking in the many crazy, dissolute subcultures Berlin has to offer. The citys affordable housing, the countrys special visa for freelancers and artists, and German-government support for a few of Chinas best-known creatives have meant that some of the most interesting developments in modern Chinese culture are happening as much in Berlin as in Beijing. The Atlantic Under his direction, Random House expanded into the worlds largest general-interest publisher, increasing revenue from $40 million in 1966, when he was named president, to more than $800 million in 1989, when he was forced into retirement. For decades, he spent what few free hours he had promoting human rights, a passion that deepened in the 1970s when he visited Moscow with a delegation of American publishers. The Washington Post The company is eyeing a June listing for the initial public offer in London. "Airtel Africa Ltd announces that a registration document relating to the company has received approval from the UK Financial Conduct Authority...," Airtel Africa said on its website. (Photo: File | PTI) New Delhi: Airtel Africa, which is eyeing over USD 1 billion initial public offer (IPO) in London, has received approval for its 'registration document' from the UK Financial Conduct Authority. The 'registration document' outlines the general details about the company and post its approval by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the company also has to file a separate draft prospectus to the FCA for approval. It is the prospectus which will contain details of the public offer including the number of shares, and issue price. "Airtel Africa Ltd announces that a registration document relating to the company has received approval from the UK Financial Conduct Authority...," Airtel Africa said on its website. Telecom czar Sunil Mittal-led Bharti Airtel's Africa unit plans to launch over USD 1 billion (around Rs 6,970 crore) IPO in London to help reduce debt. The company is eyeing a June listing. While the company has not divulged the amount it intends to raise from the proposed public offer, banking sources said it expects to raise over USD 1 billion. The firm plans to sell 25 per cent of new shares of Airtel Africa in the proposed initial public offering (IPO) and is looking to trade on the main market of the London Stock Exchange using its premium listing segment, Bharti Airtel had said in a regulatory filing Tuesday. It is also considering a listing in Nigeria, the firm had added. Airtel Africa, last year, raised USD 1.25 billion from six investors including Temasek Holdings Pte, SoftBank Group Corp and Warburg Pincus, giving it an equity value of about USD 4.4 billion. Bharti Telecom shareholding dropped to Rs 200.28 crore in May disclosure by Bharti Airtel. Airtel had announced the rights issue to raise up to Rs 25,000 crore through issuance of fully paid-up shares at a price of Rs 220 per share. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Stake of Airtel promoter group firm Bharti Telecom has come down to 41.24 per cent following renouncement of 11.34 crore shares by the entity valued at around Rs 3,920 crore and Rs 25,000-crore rights issue, according to the updated shareholding of the company. Sunil Bharti Mittal family and Singapore telecom firm Singtel-owned firm Bharti Telecom held 50.1 per cent stake with 211.62 shares in Bharti Airtel at the end of March 2019. Bharti Telecom shareholding dropped to Rs 200.28 crore in May disclosure by Bharti Airtel. According to sources, Bharti Telecom renounced shares for the Singapore government and the Monetary Authority of Singapore and foreign-based promoter group firm Indian Continent Investment Limited (ICIL). However, it cannot be ascertained the exact number of shares that Bharti Airtel transacted to the entities GIC Pvt Ltd, on behalf of the Government of Singapore and the Monetary Authority of Singapore, has made a commitment of Rs 5,000 crore during the rights issue programme. At the time of the Rs 25,000-crore rights issue, the company allocated shares for Rs 220 a unit. The Singapore government entities now jointly hold over 24.73 crore shares. Based on stock closing price of Rs 345.65 a unit on the BSE on Tuesday, the value of shares allocated to Singapore government entities now stands at around Rs 8,550 crore and accounts for 4.82 per cent stake in the Indian telecom firm. ICIL holding in Airtel increased 25 crore shares, valued at around Rs 8,651 crore based on stock closing price, to 33.14 crore units in May from 8.11 crore at the end of March 2019. Responding to an e-mail query, Bharti Airtel said, "As stated in our letter of offer, the promoter group amongst themselves, have subscribed to their aggregate entitlement except to the extent of 227,272,727 shares renounced in favour of GIC Private Limited. Bharti Telecom Limited and Indian Continent Investment are part of the promoter group." Airtel had announced the rights issue to raise up to Rs 25,000 crore through issuance of fully paid-up shares at a price of Rs 220 per share, and additional Rs 7,000 crore through a foreign currency perpetual bond issue. It opened on May 3 and closed on May 17, 2019. While the offer price was fixed at Rs 220 per share, the Bharti Airtel scrip ended at Rs 328.20 apiece on the BSE, 0.84 per cent higher than the previous close, on the day the rights issue closed. Earlier this month, Bharti Airtel reported a surprise 29 per cent surge in the March quarter net profit as exceptional income gains and Africa business helped offset losses in India mobile services operations. The company, whose profitability has been battered by intense price competition posed by richest Indian Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio, earned a net profit of Rs 107.2 crore in January-March as against Rs 82.9 crore it earned in the same period of the previous fiscal. This marked the first rise in profit after several quarters for the company. Its revenue soared 6.2 per cent to Rs 20,602.2 crore for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The rupee opened weak at 69.77 at the interbank forex market and then fell further to 69.84. The rupee had settled at 69.69 against the US dollar on Tuesday. Mumbai: The rupee depreciated by 15 paise to 69.84 against the US dollar in early trade on Wednesday on weak opening in domestic equities and foreign fund outflows. The rupee opened weak at 69.77 at the interbank forex market and then fell further to 69.84, down 15 paise over its last close. The local currency however pared the initial loss and was trading at 69.77 at 0947 hrs. The rupee had settled at 69.69 against the US dollar on Tuesday. Besides, strength in dollar against some major rival currencies, foreign fund outflows and heavy selling in domestic equities also kept pressure on the Indian rupee, dealers said. However, easing crude oil prices supported the rupee and restricted the downfall. Brent crude futures, the global oil benchmark, fell 0.68 per cent to USD 69.63 per barrel. On the global front, the Trump administration on Tuesday removed India from its currency monitoring list of major trading partners, citing certain developments and steps being taken by New Delhi which address some of its major concerns. Switzerland is the other nation that has been removed by the US from its currency monitoring list which among others include China, Japan, South Korea, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam. Meanwhile, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) pulled out Rs 501.11 crore on a net basis on Tuesday, provisional data showed. Domestic bourses opened on a negative note on Wednesday with benchmark indices Sensex trading 89.75 points down at 39,659.98 and Nifty down 14.80 points at 11,931.95. The Kasoor actor said that a part of her would have been extinguished by conforming to mainstream standards. Mumbai: Lisa Ray says she does not like being boxed into a certain identity and this is why being known as a sex symbol at the age of 16 still haunts her. The actor, who released her memoir "Close to the Bone", hopes people will understand her better after reading about her journey. "I hate to be labelled and put into boxes but I had to deal with it since a young age because I was a sex symbol at the age of 16. It was completely unanticipated. "To suddenly become this figure for an entire nation and on top of that, to look much older, that has haunted me my entire life up until now," she told reporters. The model-actor, who overcame multiple myeloma, a cancer of the white blood cells, said the book should not be read just as a cancer memoir because it gives a glimpse into her journey right from the beginning of her fame. "A lot of people will understand how I have this ambivalent relationship with my career, how I am an accidental actress, how I always had one foot in and one foot out of it and how I believe that I have been underestimated only because of the way I look. Although, I don't believe they shouldn't be at odds with each other." The Indo-Candian actor, 47, said while at the peak of her career, she was grappling through a personal tragedy as her mother had met with an accident, leaving her wheelchair-bound. "I understood at a very young age - I was 16 then - that all the aspects that you call success -- name, fame and money -- they don't solve the questions of the soul. "So, my ambitions became different. My goal wasn't to become famous. That explains a lot of my choices, all the projects I said no to because I really understood that my answers were not waiting at the end of it." Lisa, who featured in films like "Water" and "Kasoor", said a part of her would have been "extinguished" by "conforming to mainstream standards. The actor said "Close to the Bone", published by Harper Collins, may have begun as a starting point to talk about her disease but it gave her a chance to talk about her life. "I do cover my cancer experiences but that comes much later. Having said that, cancer was the launching pad for writing this memoir because initially, that's why I was approached to write this... "When I sat down and thought about it, I realised that I couldn't write about my disease in isolation from the rest of my life because everything is connected with what came before. 'Why should he (Tejashwi) resign? If one does not like his leadership, one can leave RJD or Mahagathbandhan,' Tej said. Tej Pratap lamented that had Lalu Prasad been out of jail, the RJD would not have faced the rout. (Photo: File) Patna: RJD supremo Lalu Prasads elder son Tej Pratap Yadav on Tuesday told party men to leave the party if they dont like his younger brother Tejashwi Prasad Yadavs leadership. Why should he (Tejashwi) resign (as leader of opposition)? If one does not like his leadership, one can leave the RJD or Mahagathbandhan, Tej Pratap Yadav told reporters here. I am with my younger brother as Krishna and will always stand by him, he said. Tej Pratap lamented that had Lalu Prasad been out of jail, the RJD would not have faced the rout. Tej Pratap, who could not attend the RJDs Tuesday meeting held at former chief minister Rabri Devis residence to discuss the poll debacle, said he had intimated the party leaders about his inability to attend the meeting. RJD legislator Maheshwar Prasad Yadav had virtually revolted on Monday against the party leadership asking Tejashwi Prasad Yadav to take moral responsibility for the partys rout in the elections and resign from the post of the leader of opposition in the assembly. As a party MLA, I would request Tejaswhi Yadav to resign from the post of LOP, taking moral responsibility of the poll debacle and appoint any other senior leader of a caste other than Yadavs as the LOP, failing which the party will have to face crushing defeat in 2020 the assembly elections, Mahesh Yadav had told reporters. Tej Pratap Yadav, however, emphasised upon the need to focus on the 2020 assembly elections for which his brother, he said, needed to mobilize the peoples support. Asked about his failed request for two Lok Sabha seats for his supporters, he said, That is a closed chapter. Now we have to focus on the electoral battle for the upcoming assembly elections. He said despite the leader of Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) unifying at the top, the failure of the workers of five allied parties to mix up at the grassroots level could be one of the reasons of the debacle. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analysis et al. Happy reading. Congress leader lauded Ujjwala Yojana in which the government's aim was to distribute 50 mn LPG connections to women of BPL families. Pointing out that the victory was acceptance of PM Modi's development agenda, he said the secret of the PM's success was that he had adopted Gandhian values. (Photo: Twitter) Thiruvananthapuram: Congress leader AP Abdullakutty has courted controversy by praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the BJP-led NDA's massive victory in the Lok Sabha election, prompting the party to seek an explanation from him. Pointing out that the victory was acceptance of PM Modi's development agenda, he said the secret of the PM's success was that he had adopted Gandhian values. He also hailed the Centre's Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (SBA), which envisages cleaning up India's cities, towns and rural areas and to eliminate open defecation through construction of household-owned and community owned toilets. The Congress leader also lauded the Ujjwala Yojana in which the government's aim was to distribute 50 million LPG connections to women of BPL families. In a Facebook post, titled "On Narendra Modi's impressive victory", Abdullakutty said not only the opposition, but even those inside the BJP have been taken by surprise at the saffron party's massive victory. All political workers should keep their feelings apart, and keenly take a look at the results in a "calm and impartial manner," he said. Abdullakutty, who had been sacked from CPI(M) in 2009 for violating party discipline for praising PM Modi while he was the Gujarat chief minister, had served as MP from Kannur in 1999 and 2004. He later joined the Congress. "Mahatma Gandhi had told social workers that when you formulate a policy, you should remember the face of a poor man whom you have met. Modi implemented it accurately," Abdullakutty said. The Centre's flagship SBA project helped 9.16 crore families get their own toilets and the Ujjwala scheme enabled 6 crore BPL families get free LPG connections, he said. "Once, we cross Kerala border, what we see is independent India's most pathetic sight-- open defecation by the poor of the country. Modi, to a certain extent, gave justice to them. The free LPG connections was a huge relief to 6 crore BPL mothers, who until then, used dried cowdung and wood in their kitchens...," he said. Smart cities, bullet trains and many other dream projects were brought into PM Modi's political agenda and one cannot turn a blind eye to these facts, the two-time former MP said. "Our politics is changing completely. Victory is with development. When Modi is criticised, these facts should be remembered," he said in the post. Meanwhile, Congress' Kerala president Mullapally Ramachandran Tuesday said the party will seek an explanation from Abdullakutty on his PM Modi praise. "My opinion is strong action should be taken against him," he told reporters. Dismissing the remarks, senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan, who was recently elected to the Lok Sabha, said the act of praising PM Modi by any congress worker cannot be accepted and was wrong. "There is no compromise on this matter," he said. State youth congress president Dean Kuriakose, who won the Lok Sabha polls from Idukki, also came out against Abdullakutty's remarks. Taking a dig, CPI(M) leader and Kannur district secretary M V Jayarajan said Abdullakutty is waiting to join the BJP. During interrogation, Sanju disclosed that he wanted to marry the mans daughter but her father opposed to their union. Sanju was arrested in Mathura in Uttar Pradesh. (Representational Image) New Delhi: A 24-year-old kidnapped a man who turned down his request to marry his daughter, reported IANS. The youth has been identified as Sanju. He forced the captive father to telephone his daughter and tell her that she should marry Sanju as he was a good boy. While speaking to her daughter, the father blurted out that he was in Sonipat in Haryana. "Sanju was arrested on Monday night from Mathura with the help of technical surveillance after a team headed by ACP Rajinder Singh Yadav and Inspector Sanjay Kumar rescued the victim," Deputy Commissioner of Police Anto Alphonse said. Sanju was arrested in Mathura in Uttar Pradesh. During interrogation, Sanju disclosed that he wanted to marry the mans daughter but her father opposed to their union. Probe revealed that IRF maintained various bank accounts in which funds from the donors were being deposited and they were controlled by Naik New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is trying to ascertain the identity of those organisations and individuals who donated more than Rs 60 crore to the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), a Mumbai-based charity trust promoted by controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik. The ED sleuths are in touch with certain banks through which funds were transferred to the trust linked to Naik, Sources said. Naik and IRF received crores of funds in his and his trusts bank accounts from unidentified well-wishers over the years for his speeches that spread hatred and incited Muslim youths to take up terrorism, sources said. The IRF allegedly received funds in the form of donations and zakat (a form of alms giving in Islam) from domestic as well as overseas donors, they said. Probe revealed that IRF maintained various bank accounts in which funds from the donors were being deposited and they were controlled by Naik, sources said. Dynamic Aviation of Bridgeport, Virginia has a long-established and impeccable pedigree within the aviation industry, along with a diverse portfolio of interests. They have also played a significant role in supporting the preservation and promotion of aviation history as well. This has ranged from donating a Beech RU-21A Ute (and many components for its restoration) to the 138th Aviation Company Memorial, all the way up to their Herculean efforts to resurrect and restore the Lockheed VC-121A Constellation known as Columbine II; President Eisenhowers personal transport and the very first aircraft to operate as Air Force One. But this organization also occupies a unique position within the D-Day Squadron; it has both a participating aircraft (the C-47 Miss Virginia) and is reinforcing the Squadron mission by providing a King Air 200 support aircraft. This aircraft is transporting key personnel, such as Kevin Riley, Flight Logistics Coordinator for the D-Day Squadron. Our ability to keep track of multiple airborne aircraft, the changing weather and also be prepared to assist in an emergency was made possible by our partnership with Dynamic Aviation, stated Riley. Their generous contribution to the D-Day Squadron team directly enabled the safe and successful transit of the historic North Atlantic Blue Spruce route. At Dynamic Aviation, we like to talk about Innovation taking flight, added Karl Stoltzfus, Sr., Founder and Chairman of Dynamic Aviation. What the D-Day Squadron is doing fits the very definition of this idea, and we love helping to solve some of the many logistic challenges that such a monumental effort generates along the way. Add to that the tribute we are paying to the heroes of this nation, and it just becomes something we had to be a part of. The D-Day Squadron has almost completed its journey now, successfully flying fifteen C-47 and DC-3 aircraft across the original North Atlantic Blue Spruce route, to once again ply the same skies over Normandy France where hundreds of their brethren (including some within the D-Day Squadron) dropped thousands of paratroopers on the night of June 5th 1944 in support of the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. The D-Day Squadron have managed to accomplish this featall in time for the 75th anniversary of D-Day. The D-Day Squadron will join with its European counterparts, Daks over Normandy, to participate in multiple celebratory events in Britain from June 2 thru June 5, 2019. The combined fleet of historic aircraft will then cross the English Channel on June 5th to fly over Normandy, France and drop 200+ paratroopers in and around the original D-Day drop zones. Following the paradrop, the historic transport aircraft will then participate in multiple events at Caen-Carpiquet Airport from June 5th thru 9th, 2019. Follow the latest news and events as the 75th anniversary of one of the most pivotal moments in history fast approaches. About the D-Day Squadron The D-Day Squadron is the part of the Tunison Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization. In June 2019, the D-Day Squadron will lead an American fleet of historic, restored C-47 World War II military aircraft in Daks Over Normandy, a flyover of more than 30 international aircraft to drop more than 200 paratroopers over the original 1944 drop zones in Normandy commemorating the 75th anniversary of D-Day. The event will honor the citizen soldiers of the War, whose bravery led the Allies to the liberation of France, and then to an end of the devastating War in Europe. The Squadrons education program takes the compelling story of the citizen soldier to audiences at airshows and events off the flight line to honor these brave Americans and ensure their memory and significance is appreciated for generations to come. The groups efforts are funded through the generous tax-deductible contribution of their supporters. Learn more at DDaySquadron.org. About Dynamic Aviation Dynamic Aviation is the leading provider of innovative special-mission aviation solutions designed to meet the unique requirements of government and commercial organizations worldwide. The company delivers customized aerial assets and services to support a wide range of customers including national defense, military intelligence, federal agencies, state and local governments, non-profit research organizations, and private companies. Dynamic Aviation has the flexibility and resources to deliver world-class aviation solutions that combine mission-modified aircraft, experienced flight crews and comprehensive maintenance services. The company operates a 150,000-square-foot heavy maintenance and modification center, engine shop and privately-owned airport at its headquarters in Bridgewater, Va. Dynamic Aviation employs more than 725 aviation professionals, owns over 140 aircraft and operates from 18 locations in five countries across three continents. For more information, please visit www.dynamicaviation.com. Annamalai met Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy in the presence of state Home Minister M B Patil and informed him about his resignation. Annamalai said he was not quitting the job because of any political pressure. (Photo: Twitter) Bengaluru: Deputy Commissioner of Police (Bengaluru South) K Annamalai, who is popularly known as ''Singham'' of Karnataka, Tuesday resigned from the Indian Police Service, to pursue "public service." Annamalai met Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy in the presence of state Home Minister M B Patil and informed him about his resignation. He thanked the Chief Minister for providing good opportunity to perform his duties. The Chief Minister also wished him the best, a release from the chief minister's office said. Speaking to reporters after meeting Kumaraswamy, Annamalai said the chief minister insisted that he reconsider his decision as the state was in need of his services, "but I told him I have made my decision, CM then conveyed his best wishes for my future endeavour." Annamalai said he was not quitting the job because of any political pressure. He lauded political leaders, including Kumaraswamy and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, for giving him the freedom to do his duty. "The whole state has treated me with respect...I could have worked for a few more days, but some decisions had to be taken..I thank everyone," he added. Known as "upright", "honest" and "brave" officer, Annamalai was so popular among the people during his stint as SP of Udupi and Chikkamagaluru districts that there were protests following his transfer. On reasons for his decision, Annamalai said, "Have completed ten years in service...I believe an individual can achieve three passions in a life time, among them is public service, in civil service I think I have achieved my scope." "So I wanted to go outside (of civil service) and do things differently. Right now I haven't taken any decision, will need three-four months time. I will think and take a decision." Annamalai, a 2011 batch IPS officer is from Karur in Tamil Nadu. He began his career as an assistant superintendent of police, Karkala sub-division in 2013. On joining politics, Annamalai said he has not taken any decision and not spoken to any political or politician about it. "I need 3-4 months break." However, there were reports in the media that he was in touch with some senior RSS functionaries. Meanwhile, D Roopa Inspector-General of Police, Railways claimed Annamalai is plunging into politics. "Spoke to Annamalai, IPS .@DCPSouthBCP. He has tendered resignation today. He is plunging into politics. It requires guts, boldness to leave cushy, secure, hard earned IPS job. Its heartening to see such achievers n (sic) youngsters diving into politics. Wishing him all the best," she tweeted. The court was referring to its May 7 order by its it had asked Karti Chidambaram to deposdit Rs 10 crores as a condition to travel abroad. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked Karti Chidambram son of former f8inance minister P. Chidambaram and newly elected Lok Sabha member from Sivaganga constituency to pay attention to his constituency as it declined his plea for the refund of Rs 10 crores deposited with the top court as a condition to travel abroad. The vacation bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Aniruddha Bose counselled Karti Chidambram to pay attention to his constituency as he urged the court to refund Rs. 10 crores that he had deposited as a condition to travel abroad. Asking junior Chidambaram to pay attention to his constituency, the CJI Gogoi said, We will refund Rs 10 crore but we will modify our second order and will direct you to deposit Rs 20 crore. Is it okay? Pay attention to your constituency. The court was referring to its May 7 order by its it had asked Karti Chidambaram to deposdit Rs 10 crores as a condition to travel abroad. Prior to his court hasd on January 30, 2019 had asked junior Chidambaramn to deposit Rs 10 croires as a condition to visit United Kingdom, France and Spain. As the counsel Shally Bhasin sought the refund of Rs 10 crores that were deposited by Karti Chidabaram in pursuance to January 30, 2019, order, the Chief Justice Goigoi said in that case we will modify the May 7 order and increase the amount to Rs 20 crores. Mr Chidambaram is being investigated by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged money laundering case in Aircel-Maxix and INX Media cases. The former finance minister P. Chadambaram too is being probed in the cases in context of FIPB clearance. Karti has contended that the amount of Rs 10 crores deposited with the secretary general of top court was taken as a loan from a bank and he was paying interest on it. The money that Karti Chandambaram today sought to be refunded was deposited by him in pursuance to January 30 top court order as a condition for allowing him to travel to the United Kingdom and France from February 10 to February26 and then to visit Spain from March 23 t0 March 23rd to 31, 2019. In his application, Tharoor claimed he has to attend and speak at different events in the United Kingdom and France. The former Union minister has been charged under Sections 498-A (husband or his relative subjecting a woman to cruelty) and 306 of IPC, but he has not been arrested in the case. (Photo: ANI) New Delhi: A Delhi court on Wednesday allowed Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, accused in a case related to his wife Sunanda Pushkar's death, to travel abroad. Special Judge Arun Bhardwaj granted permission to Tharoor to go to the United Kingdom and France from June 2 to July 1. In his application, Tharoor claimed he has to attend and speak at different events there. "The applicant has to travel to United Kingdom and France as he has been invited to speak at different events, scheduled to be held from June 2 to July 1. The applicant has been invited to attend and speak at several events across the United Kingdom during this period," the application said. While granting him bail in the case, the court had directed him not to leave the country without its prior permission. The former Union minister has been charged under Sections 498-A (husband or his relative subjecting a woman to cruelty) and 306 of IPC, but he has not been arrested in the case. Sunanda Pushkar was found dead in a suite of a luxury hotel in the city on the night of January 17, 2014. The couple was staying in the hotel as the official bungalow of Tharoor was being renovated at that time. Gandhi had offered to resign from his post at CWC meeting held on Saturday, taking moral responsibility for poor performance in LS polls. Congress workers demonstrate outside party office urging Rahul Gandhi to continue as Congress President in Bengaluru. (Photo: ANI) Bengaluru: Congress workers demonstrate outside party office urging Rahul Gandhi to continue as Congress President in Bengaluru on Wednesday. They said the worker's decisions need to be considered too in the process. Tamil Nadu Congress Committee will also pass a resolution asking Gandhi not to step down, and to lead the party with a firm hand. Gandhi had offered to step down from his post at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting held on Saturday, taking moral responsibility for Congress' dismal performance in the Lok Sabha elections. However, his offer was unanimously rejected by the CWC. Congress leader Sheila Dikshit: We are going to be near the residence of Rahul Gandhi, will demonstrate there to convey our feelings that he should not resign. The Party will suffer a very heavy loss which we don't want. We are going there to plead with him to not do this. pic.twitter.com/egwl8HWkxf ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2019 Senior Congress leader Sheila Dikshit, along with party workers, will also hold a demonstration outside Rahul Gandhi's residence on Wednesday, urging him to not to step down as the party president. The demonstration will start at 4 pm outside the Gandhi scion's Tughlak Lane residence. Sources said that despite senior members making serious attempts to convince the 48-year-old party chief to rethink his decision, he remains unfazed. On Tuesday, the party asserted that they are not facing any crisis and all speculations are just a creation of the media. The Congress won 52 seats in the recent general elections, which is just eight more than 2014 in the outgoing Lok Sabha, while BJP bagged 303. Karnataka CM, HD Kumaraswamy on Congress President Rahul Gandhi: I will meet him tomorrow and speak to him. He should not resign. pic.twitter.com/gR3DELcc1e ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2019 Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analysis et al. Happy reading. The sources also added that the tax department had found that huge amounts of money, sourced illegally from government departments in the state. New Delhi: The I-T department will soon summon top officials of the Madhya Pradesh government, politicians and relatives of chief minister Kamal Nath as part of its probe into an alleged widespread and well-organised hawala racket of about Rs 281 crore unearthed during the Lok Sabha polls, sources said on Tuesday. Officials said the income-tax (I-T) department will also issue notices for appearance to some of Mr Naths close aides based in state capital Bhopal and his constituency, Chhindwara, as part of its action to widen the probe. As the cash and the hawala deals had clear links to the poll process, according to sources, the EC will issue notices to certain Congress candidates who contested the recent parliamentary polls from various seats in the state. Their names figured in an I-T appraisal report prepared by the department after raids were conducted at 52 locations in the state and in Delhi last month. The report had already been submitted to the EC and the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), the sources said. Mr Nath and his aides had earlier termed the I-T action against them as malicious. All these fake statements of theirs (I-T department)...They themselves make statements. They themselves give it to the press. So, if they are playing politics, well... There is no end to politics, the chief minister said. The probe in the matter had to be widened and people whose role in the case had been detected had to be confronted with the collected evidence, and their statements had to be recorded, the sources said. Senior bureaucrats of at least half-a-dozen government departments of the state, Congress politicians, heads of some state government-appointed federations, promoters of business groups, family members and business partners of Nath and his businessman brother-in-law and his aides, including former OSDs Pravin Kakkar and R.K. Miglani, were expected to be called for questioning, they added. This could not be done till now as a number of them said they were busy with poll-related works, the sources said. The sources also added that the tax department had found that huge amounts of money, sourced illegally from government departments in the state. The government may include some new faces from states like West Bengal, Telangana and Odisha New Delhi: Two days before his swearing-in ceremony, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah held an extensive meeting on Tuesday that lasted for around five hours. According to sources, both the leaders are believed to have discussed the shape of the government, which will be sworn in on Thursday, May 30 and the formation of the new council of ministers. Speculations are rife on the future role of Shah inside and outside the BJP. It is believed that Shah, who played a crucial role in the BJP's return to power with a sweeping majority, may join the government. However, Shah himself has always evaded an answer to this stating that he is not in the know of the matter. According to sources, around 60 to 66 new ministers could be sworn-in on May 30. It will include some new faces and states like West Bengal, Telangana and Odisha, in which the party has done well, and are expected to have a good number in the council of ministers. Sources also indicate that key members from the previous Cabinet such as Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Nirmala Sitharaman, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Piyush Goyal and Narendra Singh Tomar are expected to be retained in the new government. There are also high chances that a few previous ministers may be dropped this time due to their low performance. AIADMK, an ally of the NDA, which managed to get only one seat in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, is expected to get one ministerial berth. Shiv Sena and JD(U) are expected to get two berths while one berth each will be there for LJP and SAD. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analysis et al. Happy reading. With 18 MPs in the parliament, Shiv Sena is the second largest party in the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance. Mumbai: Senior Shiv Sena leader Arvind Sawant is likely to be sworn in as a union minister in the Prime Minister Narendra Modis Cabinet on Thursday. The 68-year-old Sawant was re-elected from Mumbai South seat where he defeated Congress Milind Deora by 1,00,067 votes in the Lok Sabha polls. With 18 MPs in the parliament, Shiv Sena is the second largest party in the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance. In the last Modi-led government, Sena was given only one cabinet post. However, this time the Sena is likely to be allotted one cabinet and a state ministership with an independent charge, said sources. According to Sena sources, Mr Sawant will replace Anant Geete, the lone Sena minister in the previous government. The mouse is available in Shadow Black and Shadow White colour choices. The Microsoft Pro IntelliMouse is USB 2.0 compatible and features customisable buttons, sleeker design language, and enhanced tracking, responsiveness, and speed. Microsoft has listed a new gaming mouse on its website, which appears to be a refashioned Pro IntelliMouse from two years ago. Listed on the official website at a price of USD 59.99, the Microsoft Pro IntelliMouse is USB 2.0 compatible and features customisable buttons, sleeker design language, and enhanced tracking, responsiveness, and speed. Gamers can also customise the tail light colour. The mouse is available in Shadow Black and Shadow White colour choices. It first debuted in China last year and now making its way to the US and other markets. Determined to help Trump fulfill his promise to build a 'big, beautiful wall' on the border, people decided to do part of it themselves. 'This is not Europe. This is America. We protect our borders.' (Photo:AP) Sunland Park: A US military veteran has launched construction on the first section of private border wall between the United States and Mexico, using money crowd sourced by supporters of President Donald Trump. Sporting a red "Make America Great Again" hat, New Mexico resident Jeff Allen proudly oversaw the groundbreaking last weekend as workers with heavy construction equipment began erecting a towering fence of steel slats on land he co-owns in the city of Sunland Park, across from Ciudad Juarez, in Mexico. "This is Americans' way of saying, 'Congress, you're worthless, and we're fighting it. We're going to build (the wall) ourselves,'" Allen, 56, told AFP. "This is not Europe. This is America. We protect our borders." Determined to help Trump fulfill his promise to build a "big, beautiful wall" on the border, Allen decided to do part of it himself, together with the United Constitutional Patriots, a right-wing militia that carries out vigilante border patrols. He said the project was being funded by We Build the Wall, a company launched by war veteran and triple amputee Brian Kolfage using millions of dollars in private donations he raised through an online campaign called "We The People Will Fund The Wall." The company's advisory board is chaired by Steve Bannon, the far-right strategist and former Trump advisor. Kolfage celebrated the new wall Monday by posting a sleek video of its construction on Facebook. "WE DID IT!!! First privately funded wall is nearly complete! DONATE NOW to fund more walls!" he wrote. The new private barrier is being built at the spot where the states of New Mexico and Texas intersect with Mexico, outside El Paso. It is a spot often used by migrants, mainly Central Americans, to reach the United States. US Border Patrol says 98,052 migrants were detained in the El Paso sector from October to April. Allen, a Cincinnati, Ohio native who moved here six years ago, said it was also a crossing point rife with crime. Border crossers have tried to kill his dog, slashed his tires and thrown rocks at him, he said. Both countries underscored their firm commitment for early completion of ongoing CPEC projects and to further expanding CPEC. The CPEC, the flagship project of President Xi Jinpings Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), has added a practical dimension to the bilateral relationship and further fortified it. (Photo:File) Islamabad: Pakistan and China have agreed to further expand the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) after the top leadership of the two sides held in-depth discussions on Phase-II of the ambitious project, the Foreign Office said on Tuesday. Both countries underscored their firm commitment for early completion of ongoing CPEC projects and to further expanding CPEC, the FO said in a statement at the conclusion of three-day visit of Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan to Pakistan. Wang, 70, is a member of the ruling Communist Party of Chinas (CPC) powerful Politburo Standing Committee. He is also a member of Chinas Parliament, National Peoples Congress and the Central Foreign Affairs Commission, a key foreign affairs body of the CPC. He held detailed talks with Prime Minister Imran Khan and both leaders witnessed signing of a number of agreements/MoUs and inaugurated several key projects. The two sides held in-depth discussions on Phase-II of the CPEC including industrial and agricultural cooperation and socio-economic development, and on deepening practical cooperation in tourism and people-to-people exchanges, the FO said. The CPEC, the flagship project of President Xi Jinpings Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), has added a practical dimension to the bilateral relationship and further fortified it. The FO said that the two countries also agreed to enhance bilateral trade volume in a balanced way. In this respect, they resolved to implement the recently concluded 2nd Phase of China Pakistan Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA) at the earliest, according to FO. They further agreed that the early development of prioritized Special Economic Zones (SEZs) will play an important role in further enhancing economic relations between the two countries. The FO said that the Pakistan-China all-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership is unique in modern inter-state relations, marked by exceptional trust, mutual understanding and support for each others core interests. It said Wangs meetings with Pakistani leadership were marked by traditional warmth and cordiality. His visit provided the opportunity to the leadership of the two countries to review the entire gamut of bilateral relations and exchange views on important regional and international issues of mutual interest, the FO said. It said that the visit imparted a strong impetus to the further deepening of the time-tested friendship between Pakistan and China. It has reinforced the consensus reached between the leadership in their earlier interactions on the multiple dimensions of bilateral cooperation and set the tone for future trajectory of mutual engagement, said FO. Pakistan also conferred its highest civil award, Nishan-e-Pakistan, upon Wang. The Chinese leader also visited Lahore where he met Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and held a meeting with Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar, who hosted a banquet in his honour. Wangs visit was in continuation of high-level exchanges between the two countries, which have acquired an increased momentum since Prime Minister Khans visit to China in November 2018 and his participation in the 2nd Belt and Road Forum in Beijing in April 2019. New Coke Is Returning Thanks to Stranger Things 'Stranger Things' Brings New Coke Back from the Dead Remember New Coke? Well, unless you're 40 or older, you probably dont have many memories of the ill-fated soft drink. But good news! Its making a comeback. RELATED: Gifts Only 'Stranger Things' Fans Will Appreciate New Coke was launched in the summer of 1985, facing extremely stiff competition from primary competitor Pepsi as the summer heat settled in. Unfortunately, despite the initial fanfare, the new version fell flat. Consumer reaction fizzled out almost completely as long-time fans declared that they had no taste for the New Coke. It's a taste tragedy, Floridian writer Robert Hester told The New York Times in 1985. It's flat and too sweet... It doesn't have the same fizz, it doesn't quench your thirst and I'm not buying it, declared waitress Kathy Kapture of Detroit. Well, now that time has had an opportunity to heal old wounds, another adage may be true in 2019. Everything old is new again, and Stranger Things 3 the newest installment of the throwback sci-fi/horror series is now set to revive New Coke. Given that Stranger Things practically oozes all things '80s, it shouldn't really be a surprise that Coca-Cola is among the show's innumerable marketing partners. The show's primary cast members will be wearing apparel from H&M and other retail clothing stores. Baskin-Robbins is on board to sling ice cream flavors inspired by the naval-themed Scoops Ahoy ice cream parlor, which exists in Stranger Things Starcourt Mall the economic center of a fictional Hawkins, Indiana. Everyone: I dont think Stranger Things can get any more 80s. Stranger Things: Hold my New Coke #StrangerThings3 #Enjoy pic.twitter.com/xnCGY1dkrQ Coca-Cola (@CocaCola) May 21, 2019 Coca-Cola plans on producing an estimated 500,000 cans of New Coke. The beverage giant will allow customers craving the super-sweet retro flavor to order from their website, and will distribute a limited number of cans to select vending machines. Ironically, in 1985, loyal cola drinkers were stockpiling the original Coke to avoid drinking New Coke. However, in 2019, the precise opposite trend may come to fruition. RELATED: 'Stranger Things' Inspired Halloween Costumes The idea began as a bit of a joke, Barry Smyth, Netflix marketing executive told The New York Times. We asked the question, 'What would really blow it out of the water for this campaign?' They jokingly said, 'Bring back New Coke.' They thought it was a joke. We took it as a brief. Hopefully, the hype surrounding Stranger Things 3 will be enough to sell out 500,000 cans of New Coke, despite the bad taste it left over 30 years ago. Watch (or binge) Stranger Things 3 only on Netflix on July 4. You Might Also Dig: Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Damon Giordano, left, and Todd Clark take advantage of the late opening to ride a car-free, but still very snowy Independence Pass last weekend. The pass will open on Friday, more than a week after the typical opening. It has also committed to supporting an inclusive culture in the firm to create unity in its community and positive race relations. The firm has also committed to promoting, protecting, and enhancing legal rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through the firms pro bono program, with a focus on access to justice, rule of law, equality, and non-discrimination. Colin Biggers & Paisley also said that it will use its business as a mechanism to provide opportunities to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in a proactive way to redress historical imbalances in the community. It also said that it will equip its people with knowledge about different histories and cultures, enabling them to be active champions of reconciliation at work, with clients, in the legal profession, and in the broader community. The firm said that a key feature of its successful relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Islander community partners is that they are guided by the communities they have partnered with. We take a whole-of-client view to each community partnership. We turn our minds to the challenges our community partners have and the resources and passions that our practice can offer and we match these together, said Nick Crennan, managing partner. Our contribution is across a number of areas including pro bono legal advice, volunteering, human resources, finance and marketing. The relationships we build with our community partners not only strengthen relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, but supports an inclusive culture in our practice. The firm said in its RAP that it aspires for all its lawyers to contribute at least 50 hours of pro bono legal services per year to disadvantaged members of the community. It said that has developed its first RAP because its a natural evolution of its involvement in the community. Allens acted for PZ Cussons in its successful defence against what the leading firm says is the first contested hub-and-spoke cartel case brought to court by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). On 24 May, the Full Federal Court of Australia dismissed the ACCCs appeal, with costs. The appeal stems from the consumer watchdogs 2013 case against PZ Cussons, Colgate-Palmolive, and Woolworths, as well as Paul Ansell, a former Colgate-Palmolive executive. The ACCC alleged that PZ Cussons and Colgate-Palmolive had entered into a cartel in relation to the supply of laundry detergents with Unilever. It also alleged that Woolworths and Ansell were knowingly concerned with the said arrangements between the three suppliers. Over 600 legal professionals gathered at The Star Sydney on Thursday 23 May for the 2019 Australasian Law Awards. 33 awards were presented to the top firms, in-house teams, leading individuals and landmark deals over the past year. Over 600 legal professionals gathered at The Star Sydney on Thursday 23 May for the 2019 Australasian Law Awards. 33 awards were presented to the top firms, in-house teams, leading individuals and landmark deals over the past year. Interest in hydrogen-powered vehicles is not new, as neither are claims of successful prototypes, many of which have already been proven false. So no wonder the latest set of claims is raising eyebrows over in China, as they do not come with any type of evidence to back them up.Qingnian Cars from Nanyang, a city in Henan province, claims to have created a successful hydrogen-powered prototype, which took its maiden voyage last week, during a visit of the Communist Party to the factor, South China Morning Post informs, citing reports in the local media.Officials from the company are quoted as saying that the prototypes first ride was a success, laying the grounds for mass-production. However, no evidence of the first trip or in-house testing has been released to the public.The cost [of research and development] is a trade secret that I cannot reveal, Pang Qingnian, chief executive of the company, is cited as saying. We achieved this at a low cost, this is our companys technology.He claims the car would be able to travel between 300 and 500 kilometers on 300-400 liters of water. The chemical reaction of water and aluminum powder creates hydrogen, which powers the car. The costs are then further reduced as the company plans to reuse all the reactants used in the process.The water that we are using is ours, we dont have to go to the Middle East to buy [gasoline]. Water is not polluting either, Pang adds.As of the time of writing, an official from Nanyang Bureau of Industry and Information Technology has confirmed the existence of the hydrogen-powered prototype but would not disclose more details about it, let alone mention this historic first trip it supposedly made last week. Called Autonomous Technology Group (ATG), the company will begin operations on June 1, 2019, and it will be headed by the current head of automated trucks strategy, Peter Vaughan Schmidt. It will include facilities in Portland and Blacksburg in the U.S. and Stuttgart in Germany.Backed by the $570 million investment Daimler announced earlier this year at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, ATG will strive to create all the needed technologies and infrastructure so that by 2030 a functional self-driving truck fleet will enter service.The new companys job is to develop the strategy for the rollout of automated trucks, the required Level 4 trucks themselves, the infrastructure and the network needed so that series production could begin.Whatever ATG learns during this process could be implemented in the group's passenger vehicles as well.When the first trucks are ready, they will be deployed in defined areas and between defined hubs in the U.S.A.Daimler is no stranger to automated trucks, having been the first to present such a vehicle as back as 2014. Only one year later, the carmakers Freightliner Inspiration became the first partially automated commercial vehicle to be allowed on public roads.Unlike in the passenger car market, where autonomy is seen as the Holy Grail of urban mobility and human comfort, trucks that drive themselves are asked for by the current state of the transportation industry.As per a paper published by the American Trucking Associations, there will be a huge shortage of drivers, estimated at 175,000 people by 2024. So having trucks that drive themselves might prove God-sent for transport operators. A driver surnamed Liu, from Jinan, eastern Shandong province, China, received a notice at home informing him that hed been busted talking on his cellphone while driving his Peugeot , the BBC reports. Attached was also a photo of him in the act.The only trouble was that, as you can see in the photo above, Liu was only scratching his face or using an invisible cellphone, as commenters on Chinese social media have suggested once his story went viral, which, by the way, isnt illegal.He was told that he would receive two points on his license and was also ordered to pay a 50 yuan (5.70; $7.25) fine, the BBC notes.Because he knew he was innocent, Liu contacted the authorities by phone but couldnt get an answer, so he did what every frustrated human being does these days: he went on social media to vent and shame whoever looked at that photo and decided he was breaking the law.I often see people online exposed for driving and touching [others'] legs, he wrote on Sina Weibo, according to the same media outlet, but this morning, for touching my face, I was also snapped 'breaking the rules'!When his story got picked up by local media, he finally got his answer: the citys traffic authority canceled his ticket, saying that the traffic surveillance system automatically identifies a driver's motion and then takes a photo. In other words, blame it on the AI.The BBC notes that, as of now, China has over 170 million surveillance cameras, with plans to install another 400 million by 2020. Lius story has reopened the debate on privacy on Chinese ground and whether it exists anymore or is entirely a matter of the past. AWD The newcomer has been teased and while the official bits didn't give us too many clues (we can say the same about the blured photos supercar collector Kris Singh shared on social media), a leaked photo of the velocity tool has now surfaced online.As we've mentioned before, the appearance of the hybrid supercar resembles the J50 uber-limited model (Japan only) and the SP38 one-off.And while there are multiple design elements that set the SF90 Stradale apart from the F8 Tributo, the fresh arrival still resembles the latter. So perhaps someone grabbing a used 458 Italia today and explaining how the car is related to Maranello's new hybrid might not be 100 percent wrong, since the 488 and the F8 Tributo continuing that bloodline feature evolutions of the 458 's architecture.As far as we can tell from this image, the SF90 Stradale features the same futurirstic design as most contemporary Fezzas and unlike the retro-styled Monza SP1 and SP2. And while choosing one side or the other is a matter of taste, having to deal with the busy design dictated by aero is something else.The newcomer doesn't just borrow half of its name from the Scuderia Ferrari Formula One car, but is also a hybrid like the racer.Forum chat mentions a mix between the twin-turbo V8 used on the F8 Tributo and up to three electric motors. This would bring the total output to 1,000 PS (986 hp) and, of course, involve gas-electric, with each of the front wheels expected to receive its own motor.If those numbers are correct, we can say that the Ferrari F90 Stradale packs more muscle than the LaFerrari.The official release is here and the crushing numbers are confirmed. If it were still being used in action, this M41 Walker Bulldog tank would totally stand out, and for all the wrong reasons: its lime-yellow instead of olive-drab, as one would expect military equipment to be. 9 photos Dan Smith is renting a house to Asad Rasheed, and a silver Car2Go Mercedes-Benz CLA parked in the driveway on May 17. That same day, after trying and failing to get someone from the rental company to come and pick it up, Smith set up barricades around the vehicle, refusing to release it.Well, barricade might be a bit of an overstatement, but they do serve their purpose. Being on Smiths property, they cant be crossed without breaking the law, even if theyre flimsy.The car is still there to this day, KIRO7 reports. Smith is now demanding payment from Car2Go and will not release the car without it. According to the publication, he wants $65 a day for vehicle storage fees, $300 for the barricade and up to $500 for what he calls harassment fees. He said his renter, Asad Rasheed, has been bothered and even cursed at multiple times from Car to Go customers who wanted to get the car out of the driveway.Rasheed says that no one from Car2Go management came over to speak to Smith, but the company insists all efforts have been made to solve the problem. It is Smith whos refusing to cooperate, they claim: on May 18 alone, 7 people inquired about the car and went out to rent it, but were turned off by the sight of the barricades, which they refused to cross.People are not made aware of where to park, where not to park and how to use them, Rasheed says. This is a common occurrence. This once a month, once every two months. You see cars parked there.On the other hand, Car2Go notes that their website clearly states drivers are financially liable if they park illegally. As such, they will not even consider paying Smith for the days their Mercedes spent in his driveway. Part of the 'Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050', the automaker aims at eliminating future carbon emissions globally through various methods. These include: introducing a wide array of hybrid and electric vehicles that emit little to no carbon emissions, reducing and reusing natural resources in their factories, as well as promoting the use of HEVs through strong government and academe collaborations. Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) wants to make hybrids more mainstream here in the country. In an effort to further boost hybrid power's profile the Philippines, TMP recently held the 'Hybrid Electric Technology Conference', (HEV) laying out the company's future plans in providing cleaner, greener and more efficient mobility to the country. Working alongside government officials and esteemed academes, the HEV Conference also saw future plans with the government such as boosting the EV industry by putting up more charging stations, and rolling out electric-powered PUVs for the riding public. In addition, the initial plans for the Philippine xEV strategy were shown which will prioritze, education, research & development, and industry development of EV in the country. Satoru Suzuki, TMP president, said that popularizing the xEV strategy will depend on many factors. Based on country's conditions, Suzuki said that their first order of business to make HEVs more popular in order to accelerate the reduction of emissions and fuel consumption. Toyota is commited to be part of the solution ahead of future challenges with Toyota Environmental Change 2050 where people, cars, and nature can co-exist in harmony. Towards this direction, Toyota challenges ourselves to achieve not just zero environmental impact but also a net positive impact on Earth and society, said Vicente Socco, executive vice president, Toyota Motor Asia Pacific. Dr. David T. Go, vice chairman and treasurer of Toyota Motor Philippines, stated that the company's push towards sustainable mobility is not for the sake of raking in huge profits, showing off high-tech cars, and displaying complex policy making. Instead, the company wants to leave a cleaner and better world for future generations to live and thrive. In the future, Toyota has special projects lined up in order to raise public awareness on hybrids. One of these projects includes an educational campus tour in top engineering schools with the use of the all-new Prius. There has been a fair number of manufacturers keen to help out the government. Isuzu has been rather proactive lately, turning over units of their new PUVs on a regular basis. Also joining in the PUVMP are Hyundai, Foton, and Suzuki, just to name a few. Now, the Department of Transport (DOTr) is inviting a new player in, and it's the country's largest automaker. The PUV Modernization Program has been one of the government's major Acts since the start of the current administration. Also known as PUVMP, the government has been pushing operators and automakers alike to support it. That would be Toyota, and the government agency wants them to be a part of the PUVMP as well. DOTr secretary Arthur Tugade met up with Toyota Motor Corporation deputy executive officer, Susumu Matsuda, and Toyota Motor Philippines vice chairman, Alfred Ty, to discuss the brand's participation in the program. Exact details have yet to be made public by the DOTr, and Toyota has also yet to say anything about the meeting. Should Toyota join the PUVMP, perhaps the most obvious vehicle they use would be the Hiace. The Hiace has long been a staple of UV Express services for well over a decade now. Should they choose the van, it is possible that it will have modifications made to conform to the PUVMP specifications such as the installation of CCTVs and a wireless transaction system (ie. Beep card). Aside from discussing the possibility of joining the PUVMP, Toyota and DOTr also talked about the implementation of the premium taxi services in the country. Currency traders work today at the foreign exchange dealing room of the KEB Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea. Shares were mixed early Monday in Asia in the absence of fresh news on the tariffs standoff between the U.S. and China. The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) has announced that a wide array of military aircraft ranging from historic World War II warbirds to currently active fighters will be on display for the Year of the Fighter at AirVenture 2019 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Special programs and activities highlighting military aircraft will take place throughout the week. Events include the Oshkosh debut of the XP-82 Twin Mustang, a salute to World War II ace Bud Anderson, observance of the 75th anniversary of D-Day, U.S. Air Force Heritage Flights and U.S. Navy Legacy Flights. According to EAA, the events have been planned in partnership with the U.S. Air Force Air Combat Command, EAA Warbirds of America and individual aircraft owners. Oshkosh is known for being a collection of aircraft and people that is unmatched anywhere in the world, and that will again be the case in 2019, said EAA vice president of communities and member programs Rick Larsen. We are grateful to the U.S. Air Force and the Air Combat Command for their assistance and to the EAA Warbirds of America to make possible these kinds of activities, for which AirVenture is known and eagerly anticipated each year. Aircraft scheduled to attend include examples of the F-15, F-16, F-22, F-35, A-10, P-51, C-47, F4U and others. AirVenture 2019 will take place Monday, July 22 to Sunday July 28, centered around Wisconsins Wittman Airport (OSH). White House national security adviser John Bolton blamed Iran Wednesday for attacks on oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates this month and accused Tehran of seeking nuclear weapons, AP reports. Details: Bolton told reporters in Abu Dhabi theres "no reason" for Iran to back out of the nuclear deal and seek higher enrichment unless it is "to reduce the breakout time to produce nuclear weapons," per AP. The big picture: Bolton also said without offering evidence it was "clear" the tanker attacks "were naval mines almost certainly from Iran," according to Reuters. Iran has denied involvement in the attacks, which were claimed by the Houthis in Yemen. Why it matters: U.S. officials have previously made repeated but unspecific claims of possible impending Iranian attacks. Both U.S. and Iranian officials have said they don't want war. President Trump said Monday he supported Japanese efforts to potentially open a dialogue between the U.S. and Iran. The other side: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted Monday that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei "long ago said we're not seeking nuclear weapons by issuing a fatwa (edict) banning them." President Trump said he won't support a 2020 Senate run by Alabama's Roy Moore in a pair of Wednesday tweets. Why it matters: The possibility that Moore may launch another run for the seat is worrying Republican leaders who fear his candidacy could damage the GOP's chances to win it back from Democratic Sen. Doug Jones, who is considered one of the most vulnerable incumbent senators in the 2020 cycle. What Trump is saying: "Republicans cannot allow themselves to again lose the Senate seat in the Great State of Alabama. This time it will be for Six Years, not just Two. I have NOTHING against Roy Moore, and unlike many other Republican leaders, wanted him to win. But he didnt, and probably wont. If Alabama does not elect a Republican to the Senate in 2020, many of the incredible gains that we have made during my Presidency may be lost, including our Pro-Life victories. Roy Moore cannot win, and the consequences will be devastating....Judges and Supreme Court Justices!" The backdrop: Moore lost former Attorney General Jeff Sessions' seat in a 2017 special election after 4 women accused him of inappropriate touching and making sexual advances toward them when they were underage. Go deeper: Roy Moore considers another Senate run in Alabama Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) said during an MSNBC town hall Tuesday that President Trump's derogatory tweets about Democratic presidential rival Joe Biden are reasons "why he should not be president of the United States." Details: Harris cited Trump's tweet during a state visit to Japan in which he said he "smiled" at North Korea calling the former vice president "a low IQ individual, & worse." "I don't care what the differences in terms of party affiliation, it is wrong, it is contrary to our values, and it is contrary to the best interests of our country and the integrity of our country," she said. The big picture: At the town hall in Spartanburg, South Carolina, Harris formally unveiled her plan to require states trying to restrict abortion access to pre-clear any new reproductive health laws with the Justice Department. Harris discussed with moderator Lawrence O'Donnell a range of issues including "Medicare for All" and racial profiling. She praised Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) for putting "country before party" by saying President Trump had engaged in impeachable conduct. Harris also doubled down on her support for taking steps toward impeaching Trump, saying there's a "clear track record" of the president and members of his administration obstructing justice. "The current attorney general of the United States, who I questioned in connection with the Judiciary Committee ... clearly thinks his job is to represent the president and his peculiar interests as opposed to representing the people of the country in which we live. So there is a lot of work to do and I plan on seeing it through." A tweet previously embedded here has been deleted or was tweeted from an account that has been suspended or deleted. Go deeper: Kamala Harris on the issues, in under 500 words Less than two months after his biggest-ever electoral victory, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has failed in a desperate bid to form a new government. The Knesset has now voted to hold a new election on Sept. 17. Why it matters: This is a huge political defeat for Netanyahu. It's the first time since the founding of Israel that a prime minister has missed the deadline to form a coalition after winning an election. Netanyahu opted for new elections before Israel's president offered one of Netanyahu's political rivals an opportunity to form a government. Context: New elections will prevent Netanyahu from passing laws giving himself immunity from three pending indictments for bribery, fraud and breach of trust. Netanyahu's plans to pass legislation allowing politicians to override Supreme Court rulings will also be hampered. What to watch: The new elections in Israel will also further complicate the Trump administration's plans to launch its long-awaited Middle East peace plan. The White House hoped to have a new Israeli government in place before rolling out the first phase of the plan next month in Bahrain. Jaime Harrison, the former chairman of the South Carolina Democratic Party, has announced a campaign to challenge Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) in 2020, using his launch video to accuse Graham of "comical" hypocrisy for going from an ardent critic of President Trump in 2016 to one of his staunchest allies. Context: In 2016, Graham opposed Trump's nomination, calling him "a kook," "not fit to be president," and "a xenophobic, race-baiting, religious bigot." He has since become one of Trump's most loyal defenders in Congress. Why it matters: Harrison, the first African American chairman of the state's Democratic party, doesn't believe Graham's re-election is a "slam dunk" because he may have alienated moderate voters and conservative Democrats by strongly aligning himself as a Trump ally in Congress, per the Washington Post. A Democrat has not held a Senate position in South Carolina since 1998, the Post notes. Louisiana legislators passed a fetal heartbeat abortion bill on Wednesday and are sending the measure to Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards' desk who has previously said he'd break with party ties and sign it into law, reports NBC. Why it matters: Louisiana's abortion ban is the first in the recent wave to receive the stamp of approval from Democratic lawmakers, per the Washington Post, sparking backlash within the party. If Edwards who ran as an anti-abortion rights candidate signs the bill, Louisiana will be the 5th state to sign off on fetal heartbeat legislation. Context: As the Democrats have trended further left of center in recent years, party leadership has indicated that those who fail to fight for abortion rights are "fundamentally out of step with the Democratic platform," per the Washington Post. "But, in Louisiana, antiabortion sentiment has long been part of the cultural milieu. The issue isnt nearly as divisive as it is on the national stage." Details: The state Senate approved the bill without exception for rape or incest. Louisiana is also weighing a bill to add a constitutional amendment declaring that the state doesnt protect abortion rights, per AP. Go deeper: Where abortion restrictions stand: The states that have passed laws Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday said Republicans would fill a Supreme Court vacancy even if it occurs during the 2020 presidential election cycle. "Oh, we'd fill it ... What can't be undone is a life-time appointment to a young man or woman who believes in the quaint notion that the job of the judge is to follow the law." McConnell said at a luncheon speech in Kentucky Why it matters: With 53 seats, Republicans could confirm a nominee in 2020 regardless of Democratic challenge. Three of the 9 Supreme Court justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer and Clarence Thomas are 70 or older. The backdrop: In 2016, McConnell refused President Obama's Supreme Court pick, Merrick Garland, saying: The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice, per Politico. Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president. A plan from Workhorse, a little-known electric vehicle company, to launch production at the shuttered GM plant in Lordstown, Ohio is hardly a sure thing, the New York Times reports. Why it matters: The plan, announced in early May with few details, is bound up in the politics of GM's controversial restructuring and layoffs. President Trump raised the deal's profile by tweeting about it, getting ahead of GM's disclosure of plans to sell the plant to an entity that includes Workhorse as a minority owner. But, but, but: Via NYT, "The new venture, whose name remains secret, exists almost entirely on paper. Headed by the founder and former chief executive of Workhorse, Steve Burns, the business would have to raise at least $300 million to get Lordstown running again." The intrigue: Burns declined to tell NYT whether he's raised money. Workhorse, meanwhile, is "barely hanging on" and had less than $3 million in cash at the end of March, the paper reports. The 12-year-old company has actually built vehicles just 365 the Times said, noting "most of the Workhorse trucks made so far are in use at UPS." Meanwhile: "General Motors, America's largest automaker, and Bechtel, the country's largest construction company, are teaming up to build thousands of electric vehicle fast-charging stations across the United States," CNN reports. Wider fast-charging deployment is important in building consumers' confidence in EVs, which are now a tiny slice of the market. Go deeper: GM confirms talks to sell Lordstown plant to Workhorse Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) leader Gagik Tsarukian again distanced himself from Robert Kocharian on Wednesday, insisting that he has no ties or obligations to the former Armenian president. He also gave no indications that the BHK is ready to cooperate with Kocharian, who announced his return to active politics shortly after being indicted last summer in connection with the 2008 post-election violence in Yerevan. I have explained that to you for a hundred times but you keep asking them same question, an irritated Tsarukian told reporters. Do you have any other questions? Every person has the right to engage in political activities, said the wealthy businessman leading Armenias largest parliamentary opposition force. Every day two parties are set up and each of them has its own views and engages in political activities in line with them. Tsarukian was also annoyed by a journalists remark that Kocharian had helped him make a big fortune when governing Armenia from 1998-2008. Oh really, my dear girl? he hit back. Maybe he helped your relatives. Nobody helped me. I dont have obligations or anything else to anyone. Enough of this! added the tycoon. The BHK was regarded by some observers as Kocharians support base at least until 2015. It has been particularly anxious to disprove that perception since last years velvet revolution which brought Nikol Pashinian to power. Tsarukians party pointedly declined to criticize Kocharians arrests in July and December last year. Tsarukian said on Wednesday that he has not visited Kocharian since the latter was released from custody on May 18. I have neither phoned nor met him, said the BHK leader. You can ask the security service and they will tell you. Commenting on a Yerevan courts decision to free Kocharian pending the outcome of his trial, Tsarukian said: It was done within the limits of the law. There was nothing illegal. Employees of a betting firm blocked a major street in Yerevan on Wednesday to protest against severe restrictions on betting and gambling planned by the pro-government majority in Armenias parliament. A bill drafted late last year by the parliaments deputy speaker Alen Simonian would close the vast majority of hundreds of betting shops that have sprung up across the country in the last few years. They would be allowed to operate only in four Armenian towns: Jermuk, Meghri, Sevan and Tsaghkadzor. Simonian and his supporters argue that a rising number of Armenians are spending a disproportionate share of their incomes on betting as well as gambling. According to them, tens of thousands of people have already incurred major debts as a result. Armenian betting firms have strongly objected to the proposed measures, clinching a concession from the Armenian parliament committee on economic issues. Under an amended version of the bill drafted approved by the committee last week, the ban on betting shops would come into force on November 2020. There would be no such delay for a ban on video slot machines also envisaged by the bill. Such machines can be found at most petrol and pressurized gas stations in the country. Virtually all of them belong to the GoodWin betting agency that organized the protest near the parliament building in Yerevan. GoodWins director, Sargis Mikaelian, and employees said the removal of the gambling machines should also be delayed until the end of next year. Mikaelian argued that unlike other private firms GoodWin does not organize online gambling not covered by the bill. The protesters unblocked a section of Marshal Bagramian Avenue adjacent to the National Assembly building only after the chairman of the parliament committee, Babken Tunian, agreed to meet with their representatives. They promised to hold further discussions and take into consideration our comments and concerns, Mikaelian said afterwards. Meanwhile, Simonian dismissed arguments that the bill would cost the GoodWin workers their jobs. The machines are not operated by human beings, he said. So they are exploiting the issue. Im sure that it wont work. Similar restrictions were already imposed on Armenian casinos in 2014. A law which took effect at the time stipulates that casinos can freely operate only in Armenias three most popular resort towns, including Jermuk and Tsaghkadzor. Casino owners can do business in Yerevan and other parts of the country only if they invest at least $100 million in their gambling sites. The National Assembly on Wednesday again refused to appoint a new member of Armenias Constitutional Court nominated by President Armen Sarkissian. Sarkissian picked Artur Vagharshian, a senior law professor at Yerevan State University (YSU), from among nine applicants for the vacant position. Vagharshian needed the backing of at least 79 members of the 132-seat parliament controlled by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinians My Step alliance. Only 30 deputies backed him in secret ballot, with 53 others voting against his candidacy. The parliament rejected on April 16 another presidential nominee, Gor Hovannisian, by an even wider margin. Parliament speaker Ararat Mirzoyan cited discrepancies in documents submitted by Hovannisian. Deputies representing My Step likewise signaled their misgivings about Vagharshians appointment to the countrys highest court during a question-and-answer session that preceded Wednesdays parliament vote. One of them, Vahagn Hovakimian, said that YSUs Law Department is widely perceived to be corrupt. Hovakimian also asked Vagharshian to explain his failure to back in February government efforts to oust the YSU rector, Aram Simonian. The latter resigned last week after months of strong pressure from the government. Vagharshian defended his stance. He also said that he has never been involved in political intrigues and believes that the Armenian judiciary needs individuals with an impartial civic past. Sarkissians two other Constitutional Court picks were rejected by the former Armenian parliament last fall. One of those nominees, Vahe Grigorian, reportedly enjoys the backing of Pashinian and political allies. Grigorian again applied for the Constitutional Court job but was not nominated by the president in April and this time around. By Leman Mammadova Azerbaijan continues to work on strengthening its power system to meet the growing demand both in local and foreign scale as well as to ensure the reliability of the power system. The country exported 1.05 billion kWh of electricity worth $45.1 million in January-April 2019, according to the State Customs Committee. In the same period of last year, the country exported 987.9 million kWh of electricity at the cost of $38.4 million. Azerenergy is the main exporter of electric energy in Azerbaijan. There are over 30 power plants on the balance of Azerenergy. The total power generation capacity of these stations exceeds 6,000 MW, which allows generating about 24 billion kWh of electricity annually. Recently, energy operators of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Russia held a working meeting in Tbilisi. The technical details of the power systems of the three countries were reviewed during the meeting at the head office of the Georgian State Electrosystem JSC. The representatives of Azerenergy and the Unified Energy System of Russia took part in the meeting. The parties reviewed the mechanisms for regulating power flows and agreed to discuss the details related to the creation of the United Electric Power Ring, which will significantly improve the stability of the electrical systems of the three countries and increase the possibilities of electricity export and import. It is noteworthy that in 2018, Azerbaijan's electricity exports increased by 165.2 million kWh in comparison with 2017 (1.28 billion kWh), reaching almost 1.5 billion kWh. As many as 1.23 billion kWh of this amount was exported to Georgia, 121.5 million kWh to Russia, 80.3 million kWh to Iran, and 13.45 million kWh to Turkey. The cost of electricity exported from Azerbaijan amounted to about $66 million, and the value of exports increased by $16 million compared to 2017. Total electricity production in Azerbaijan amounted to 25.2 billion kWh in 2018. Azerbaijani government expects the power generation in 2019 at 25.5 billion kWh. This figure is expected to go up by 2 percent annually to 27.1 billion kWh in 2022. The capacity of the country's generating system is 7,172.6 megawatts, which allows generating about 24 billion kWh of electricity annually. In recent years, Azerbaijan has turned from an electricity importing country into a country exporting electricity. Azerbaijan, which has been exporting electricity to neighboring countries for a long time, has already begun exporting energy to European countries. Since early May 2019, Azerenergy has started supplying electricity to Greece, Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary through Georgia and Turkey. In the coming months, the company also plans to export electricity to Austria and Italy. --- Leman Mammadova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @leman_888 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Leman Mammadova Azerbaijan strives to increase agricultural production not only to meet local demands, but also to get broader access to foreign markets. State Agro Trade Company under the Ministry of Agriculture of Azerbaijan is developing a new brand for the export of Azerbaijani products, Leyla Mammadova, director of the State Agro Trade Company, told local media. In her words, the brand "From the Village to the City" was created to support small and medium-sized farmers within the country. These products are manufactured by small and medium-sized farmers, which is enough for the country, but not enough for export. We are creating a new brand, and our goal is to reach the Russian and Georgian markets. New brand will become international, said Mammadova. She noted that the sale of tea and dried fruit is planned to Georgia, and sale of honey, dried fruit and peas to Russia. The State Agro Trade Company was established in 2018 to support small and medium farmers. The Company plans to expand support to farmers in Azerbaijan through the creation of "green markets", holding fairs, trainings and other initiatives. Green market allows consumers to get organic, healthy products at competitive prices. The first "green market" branded as "From the Village to the City" is involved in promotion and sale of goods of local farmers and food producers since late 2018. The company plans to expand the green market network. One such market has already been created, and the company plans to open a second one in the near future. Until the end of the year, the company will open three more markets under the brand "From the Village to the City", which will help sell products of small and medium-sized farms. The main task is to encourage consumers to buy products from domestic manufacturers and support their activities through green markets. Since November 2018, State Agro Trade Company together with Kapital Bank began to issue farmer cards. This is a kind of farmer salary card. The important point is that when using this card, reporting is created. Thus, a financial summary is generated for the farmer and statistics for the company. These cards are provided not only for sale at the "From the Village to the City", but also for export. --- Leman Mammadova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @leman_888 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Laman Ismayilova New television project titled "7 Wonders of Azerbaijan", launched with the joint support of IDEA Public Association and Nature and History Production, was presented in Icherisheher, Baku, on May 28. Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva, social and political figures, representatives of foreign embassies, scientists, well-known masters of culture and art attended the event. The project aims to increase the sense of patriotism in society, preserve the national-cultural and historical heritage, study controversial facts of the history of Azerbaijan against the background of historical monuments of the era, draw attention to the popularization, protection and restoration of historical, cultural and natural sites. In addition, "7 Wonders of Azerbaijan" has set a goal to popularize Azerbaijans historical, cultural and natural gems in the country and beyond, to give impetus to the development of local and foreign tourism, as well as infrastructure in these territories. Head of Nature and History Production Hikmat Nagdaliyev, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Mukhtar Babayev, Deputy Minister of Culture Sevda Mammadaliyeva, Director of the Institute of History Yagub Makhmudov and Chairman of the State Tourism Agency Fuad Naghiyev shared their views on the project. Historical attributes used in decorating the specially prepared space, reflecting the essence of the project, and costumes that personified the country's spiritual values attracted special attention at the event. The model of the fortress used in the interior design and large rocky stones with the images of people created a special mood returning the visitors to the past. The presentation concluded with the launch of the voting of "7 Wonders of Azerbaijan" project on www.yeddi.az. Ensemble playing old musical instruments also delighted the guests with its performance. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Laman Ismayilova Caspian Business Hotel will host Family Look 2019 fashion show on June 1. The project is timed to the International Children's Day, Trend Life reported. Some 45 children and 35 parents will take part in the fashion show. Winners will be determined in various categories. The main goal of the project is to create a fashion taste in a family environment, to present trends in family fashion. Family Look is a unique family style that personifies the unity and cohesion of the family. This style implies the same clothes (or its elements) for each family member. Most often, Family Look samples can be seen on various photo shoots; however, recently this trend has been gaining momentum on the streets of the city. The project is headed by Aygun Aliyeva (head of Star Kids Group), and the choreographer is Suleyman Tanehirli. Media partners of the event are Azernews.az, Trend.az, Day.az, Milli.az. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Baku expects responsible actions from the new leadership of Armenia for the soonest settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said in his article published in Russian's newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Trend reports. He said that Azerbaijans position, which the country has repeatedly confirmed in practice, is to restore the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the republic within its international borders through the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions. This will ensure peaceful and safe coexistence of the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of Nagorno-Karabakh, he noted. In conditions of peace, prosperity and cooperation, both communities will be able to jointly address issues of the current and future development of their land; that will lay a solid foundation for restoring good neighborly relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan and establishing long-awaited peace and security in the region. Baku expects responsible actions from the new leadership of Armenia for the earliest possible resolution of the conflict with Azerbaijan. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev pointed to the expectation from the new leadership of Armenia, noting that it 'will not repeat the mistakes of the previous government, will do serious work to resolve the conflict as soon as possible and thus the real process of negotiations, and not its imitation, will start, Mammadyarov said in the article. He noted that having occupied not only Nagorno Karabakh, but also seven other adjacent Azerbaijani districts, Armenia disposes of the occupied territories with impunity. The statements of its leadership about lacking the right to speak at the negotiations with Azerbaijan on behalf of the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh are refuted by the specific actions of Yerevan itself, Mammadyarov added. If you divide the Armenians of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh and refuse to represent the latter at the talks, then why do you send your conscripts to military service in Karabakh? Why is a lot of money allocated every year from the budget of Armenia to the separatist regime? Why do Armenians of Karabakh get the civil rights of the Republic of Armenia and get the countrys passports? By the way, all these questions received unequivocal answers in the decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) No. 13216/05 (Case of Chiragov and Others v. Armenia) dated June 16, 2015. The ECHR confirmed that military support of the Republic of Armenia was and continues to be decisive in seizing territories and exercising actual control over them, Mammadyarov said. On the basis of evidence testifying to the political, financial and other dependence of the separatist entity on Armenia, the court concluded that 'Armenia, from the early days of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, has had a significant and decisive influence over the NKR, that the two entities are highly integrated in virtually all important matters and that this situation persists to this day' and that 'the NKR and its administration survive by virtue of the military, political, financial and other support given to it by Armenia which, consequently, exercises effective control over Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding territories'." He noted that 25 years ago, with the establishment of a ceasefire regime, Azerbaijan hoped that Armenia would take the path of implementing the decisions of international organizations to withdraw from the occupied territories. The ceasefire agreement was supported in the decision of the CSCE Budapest Summit dated December 6, 1994, reads the article. The heads of the states and governments of the countries participating in the meeting instructed the co-chairs of the Minsk Conference to immediately take steps 'to conduct speedy negotiations for the conclusion of a political agreement on the cessation of the armed conflict, the implementation of which will eliminate major consequences of the conflict for all parties and permit the convening of the Minsk Conference'. Thus, the co-chairs were given instructions on phased implementation of the process of the conflict settlement, when its main consequences, which in the first place include the occupation of Azerbaijani lands and expelling of the Azerbaijani population from there, must be eliminated at the first stage, and this will allow for creating the necessary conditions for the convening of the Minsk Conference, reads the article. Mammadyarov noted that the attempts of the Armenian side, on the basis of the Budapest decision, to make the separatist regime of the occupied Azerbaijani territories look as the third party to the conflict, do not stand up to any criticism. It is known that the ceasefire was reached with the consent of Azerbaijan and Armenia as parties to the conflict, Mammadyarov added in his article. This approach clearly corresponds to the position of the Helsinki decision of the CSCE Ministerial Council dated March 24, 1992, which is the only generally accepted decision determining the status of the parties to the conflict. The same starting point is enshrined in the mandate of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs dated March 23, 1995. It establishes that in their activities, the co-chairs will be guided by the principles and norms of the OSCE, the UN Charter, OSCE decisions, including the decision of the Council of Ministers dated March 24, 1992, and especially the decision of the Budapest Summit, as well as relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council. It is deeply regrettable that the Armenian side persistently denies the fact of ethnic cleansing of tens of thousands of Azerbaijanis of the Nagorno Karabakh, deprived of the right to vote in determining the current life arrangements and the future of their native land, reads the article. The world community is unanimous in the opinion that with the restoration of sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan within its international borders, forcibly displaced Azerbaijanis must be given the opportunity to return to their homes. It is necessary for Armenia to be aware that the world community will never recognize the consequences of military aggression and occupation as legitimate, Mammadyarov said. Therefore, the course for maintaining the status quo in the occupied territories under the guise of a slogan about the alleged realization of the right of peoples to self-determination, has no prospects, he noted. By the way, in the Helsinki Final Act of 1975, this principle is written as follows: 'The participating States will respect each other's sovereign equality and individuality as well as all the rights inherent in and encompassed by its sovereignty, including in particular the right of every State to juridical equality, to territorial integrity and to freedom and political independence.' This clearly shows that this principle applies only within the territorial integrity of the state. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Azerbaijan is a very safe and peaceful country, Member of the European Parliament Nathan Gill said, Trend reports. He was commenting on the British governments urging its citizens not to travel to Azerbaijan for security reasons. Gill noted that when he said that he is going to Azerbaijan, many people were worried about his safety, adding that however, he saw with his own eyes that Azerbaijan is a very safe country. Azerbaijan is a peace-loving country, and therefore there are many tourists there, he added. Azerbaijan has created safe conditions for tourists, he said. On May 28, it was the Republic Day of Azerbaijan, he noted, adding that people were walking along the boulevard and peacefully celebrating the holiday. Such a picture can be rarely seen in big cities, he said. In turn, Fuad Akhundov, head of the sector for work with foreign media and NGOs of the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan, said that this is an integral element of the information war of Armenia against Azerbaijan. He described the reports that Azerbaijan is supposedly a dangerous country as ridiculous. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Abdul Kerimkhanov The strange attempt by Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan to solve the problems of his power by blocking the buildings of the courts was perceived in Europe with surprise. None of the European politicians commented on these events with understanding, and some could not even contain their bewilderment about this Pashinyans step. At a meeting with journalists at the Polish Center for Eastern European Studies on May 28, Jerzy Marek Nowakowski, former Polish Ambassador to Armenia, expressed surprise that the Armenian PM called to block the buildings of the courts. He noted that Pashinyan has not yet understood the difference between the head of state and the leader of the revolution. The former ambassador considers it absurd that the initiative on judicial reform quickly came to the fore after the change of Robert Kocharyan's preventive measure. Nowakowski stands for the reform of the judicial system, but he considers what is happening to be the subordination of the judiciary to the executive branch. The former ambassador also does not understand why the number one task for Pashinyan is to put Robert Kocharyan, Yuri Khachaturov and others by all means to jail. He recalls that Armenian citizens expected Pashinyan to carry out a real fight against corruption and systemic changes in the country, rather than detaining political opponents. Nowakowski believes that in connection with these processes, the stock of public trust provided to Armenian PM can run out very quickly. Such an opinion from Europe is unlikely to please Pashinyan. Of course, the Armenian media can claim that this opinion is the personal opinion of the former ambassador, who is no longer bound by diplomatic obligations. However, there is no doubt that the steps taken by the new Armenian authorities are no less surprising for the current European politicians, who simply did not want to offend Yerevan. Earlier, Armenian PM called on the country's citizens to block all entrances and exits of the courts of the Republic. Commenting on the court's decision to release ex-President Robert Kocharian from arrest, Pashinyan said that the second and most important stage of the revolution is maturing in the country. Despite the rainy weather, civil activists blocked the buildings of the constitutional court on Baghramyan Avenue and the court of General jurisdiction, which decided to release former President Kocharian on May 18. This appeal came after the release of the former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan from custody. The former and current "heads" of the illegal regime created in occupied Karabakh, Arkadi Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan, have been vouched for him. Kocharyan was arrested on July 27, 2018, on charges of overthrowing the constitutional order. In July 2018, Kocharyan was detained and placed under arrest on charges of overthrowing the constitutional order due to the dispersal of thousands of protests on March 1, 2008. The trial against Kocharyan began on May 13, 2019. Part of the charge relates to the March 1-2, 2008 riots, when 10 people were killed and more than 200 injured as a result of the harsh actions of the authorities. Another episode of the trial is related to the charges against the ex-President of taking bribes in especially large amounts. --- Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Deputy Chairman of the State Customs Service of Turkmenistan Rovshen Garajaev took part in an interregional meeting in Tashkent on the control of container shipping, Trend reports with reference to the State Service. The sixth annual meeting was held as part of the Container Control Program of the World Customs Organization (WCO) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss priorities and needs in the field of control over container shipments and strengthen interregional cooperation between the customs services of the participating countries in identifying and preventing transportation of high-risk cargo. During the meeting, the signing ceremony of Memorandum of Understanding on the creation of an interregional network of customs services and port control groups was held. Ashgabat considers it a priority to develop the large-scale North-South and East-West transport corridors, increase the capabilities of the Central Asia-Persian Gulf communication network and develop transport links in the Caspian-Black Sea region. These projects cover the expansion of transport and communication ties between the countries of Central Asia with their further access to the markets of Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Near and Middle East. In particular, sea freight transportation in the Caspian Sea is becoming increasingly important in the external economic relations of Turkmenistan. There is a growth in the volumes of cargo handled at the harbor berths, through which industrial and agricultural equipment, automotive equipment, metal products, timber, mineral fertilizers are delivered to Turkmenistan, while polypropylene, coke and other petroleum products, as well as chemical and construction industry products, are exported from the country. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Leman Mammadova Azerbaijan and Pakistan plan to launch direct flights to increase the tourist flow in both directions. The opening of a direct flight between the two countries is expected in the near future, said Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Federal Minister for Aviation of Pakistan, at the meeting with Azerbaijani Ambassador to Pakistan Ali Alizade. During the meeting, both parties agreed to develop strong relations in the field of aviation. It was noted that there has been an increase in the number of Pakistanis going to Azerbaijan for business and leisure in recent years. Azerbaijan and Pakistan are fraternal countries. Relations between the two countries are warm and based on trust and mutual respect, said the Pakistani Minister. Alizade, in turn, noted that Azerbaijan is interested in strengthening ties with Pakistan. Azerbaijan-Pakistan relations are considered to be of "strategic partners" nature. The strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Pakistan has contributed to the cooperation in economic, trade, military-technical, energy, tourism and other spheres. Currently, there is no direct air service between the countries. The Turkish Airlines was allowed to operate flights from Istanbul to Lahore/Islamabad through Baku in order to establish air link between Azerbaijan and Pakistan. In 1993, Azerbaijan and Pakistan signed Draft Air Services Agreement (ASA). In addition, a memorandum of understanding was signed between two countries in 2009. According to the document, Pakistan could operate 7 weekly flights with a limit of 1,500 seats per week in each direction. Azerbaijan and Pakistan enjoy great potential in tourism cooperation. The promotion of tourism potential of Azerbaijan, simplification of visa regime for Pakistani citizens and the launch of the ASAN Visa system increased the number of Pakistani tourists visiting Azerbaijan. Thus, in 2018, 22,000 tourists from Pakistan visited Azerbaijan. In addition, it is expected that their number will increase to 32,000 by September. As many as 17,558 Pakistani tourists came in Azerbaijan in 2017, 3,998 in 2016, 2193 in 2015, and 1,817 tourists in 2014. The number of Pakistani tourists visiting Azerbaijan has increased by more than eight times over the past two years. After the establishment of direct flights between the two countries, it is expected that the number of tourists will grow significantly. Today, about 300 companies and entrepreneurs from Pakistan operate in Azerbaijan. The trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $11 million in 2018. --- Leman Mammadova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @leman_888 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Reader: Thank you for all of the feel-good stories in the May 30 paper. The happy high school graduates (photo collections of the commencement Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 28, 2019 | PADUCAH By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 28, 2019 | 11:46 AM | PADUCAH Paducah City Commissioner Richard Abraham released a statement on Tuesday morning, announcing his intention to withdraw his proposed amendment to the city's anti-discrimination ordinance that was altered in January 2018. The altered ordinance added age, gender identity and sexual orientation as protected classes of people. In Abraham's statement Tuesday, he called the changes "unneeded," and that "no human rights violations have been charged to anyone regarding LGBTQ protection." He objected to "an agenda of some in local and federal government that seeks to group us separately," and "a need to push this labeling by insisting that we all hate one another." Because of this and the "lack of support and understanding by my fellow commissioners," Abraham would withdraw his amendment from today's meeting. According to the original agenda for the meeting, an amendment written by Abraham would be considered, as would an amendment from Mayor Brandi Harless. Both amendments attempted to give a level of exemption for religious expression, and could be voted on at the meeting, which is at 5:30 pm Tuesday at city hall. Here is Commissioner Abraham's complete statement: I am a firm believer in the form of government we have. We are to obey the government for God is the One who has put it there. The Declaration of Independence was the promise of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness and the Constitution is the fulfillment of that promise. When you add the Fourteenth Amendment, you will see that this is the check that MLK, Jr. successfully cashed. This has always been my driving force in dealing with everything from Smoking Bans to statues, to allowed participation in local parades, to the discussion of protections for special groups. I believe every single individual, regardless of their life styles and beliefs, are safeguarded by the full Constitution of the United States of America, which I took a vow to uphold. Every Individual has the right to stand and claim protection under the laws of the Constitution and its amendments. This amendment , I proposed, last January, was not presented to cause anyone to be stoned or ostracized. It was not brought to deny basic human services and rights, to anyone.. It was brought to bring balance, in my opinion, to an unbalanced, new local wording, submitted to replace our existing Human Rights Ordinance. I sincerely believed that protections listed in the replacement were already covered by our federal and state constitution. I believe that our government was built upon the following words. We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness What has been revealed, in this process, is very interesting. There seems to be an agenda of some, in local and federal government, that seeks to group us separately, thereby making us more manageable. Also, there seems to be a lack of human consideration for one another by some not keeping in mind, or caring, that other fellow citizens may have personal faith requirements beyond their own beliefs. And there exists, also, a number of professing Believers, who are full of bitter criticism and intolerance, which doesnt bear witness to our mandate, given by our Creator, when He told us that the world would know us by our love. Since its inception, 1 1/2 years ago, no human rights violations have been charged, to anyone, regarding LGBTQ protection. I am thankfully, not surprised. Our community, as a whole, does not support hatred and violence, even though certain creeping government influences, perpetuate this narrative. There seems to be a need to push this labeling by insisting we all hate one another, so we need to be grouped separately, for protection from one another and we can only be managed by laws. We have laws on the books, up to the sky, protecting basic human rights. But no matter how many deterrents exist, it all comes down to individual responsibility to be kind and respectful of one anothers personal decisions. Remember, if we love our neighbor as much as we love ourselves we will not want any harm to come to them. It is not our Job to judge the world. Therefore, since the intended wording of my original amendment has been lost, and since its intent has been misrepresented and turned into hate filled rhetoric and has been used, wrongfully, to strike fear into my fellow citizens lives, and combine all this with the lack of support and understanding from my fellow commissioners, I am officially withdrawing my amendment to the, unneeded, replacement ordinance from Jan., last. I do therefore charge all involved to understand that everyone is not of the same mindset and we all need to give respect and dignity to allow each other to make our own choices, and beware the new mantra that the collective is greater than the individual, that some, in power, in the government, are pressing. It is not without design. The night is far gone. Perhaps the act of bringing this amendment has served its purpose after all. We cannot repeal and replace each other. Again, we must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools. Commissioner Abraham The beautiful spring weather Southeast Texans have been enjoying the last few weeks will be gone before we know it. Soon enough, the scorching hot summer will be in full swing. Heat-wary residents looking for ways to cool off are in luck, though. Several Texas water parks will open their doors starting as soon as this weekend. A 61-year-old Beaumont man has been arrested for intoxication manslaughter after a fatal crash earlier this week. Willie Yoder was taken to Jefferson County Jail, according to a news release from Texas Department of Public Safety. The Department also identified the victim -- 36-year-old Roy Martin Jr. Martin was southbound on River Ben Road near Texas 105 in Jefferson County when the Honda dirt bike he was operating hit a Chevrolet passenger car that was northbound, according to the department. Martin was not wearing a helmet and was pronounced dead at the scene, DPS said. Yoder was not injured. A 61-year-old man has been charged with intoxication manslaughter after a fatal crash earlier this week. Willie Yoder of Beaumont was taken to Jefferson County Jail, the Texas Department of Public Safety said in a news release. The DPS also identified the victim as 36-year-old Roy Martin Jr., also of Beaumont. Martin was southbound on River Bend Road near Texas 105 in Jefferson County when the Honda dirt bike he was operating collided with a Chevrolet passenger car that was northbound, according to the department. Martin, who was not wearing a helmet, was pronounced dead at the scene, DPS said. Yoder was not injured. Advertisement By Jim Waters May. 25, 2019 | LEXINGTON By Jim Waters May. 25, 2019 | 12:26 AM | LEXINGTON COMMENTARY While long-ago Kentucky Gov. Albert Benjamin "Happy" Chandler Sr. insisted he "never met a Kentuckian who wasn't either thinking about going home or actually going home," the latest population numbers show that while people aren't exiting the Bluegrass State like residents in neighboring Illinois, which lost more than 45,000 residents just in 2018, they're also not choosing to remain in or repopulate rural areas to the same extent as occurred in past decades. While these population trends don't suggest that leftist Democratic candidates to succeed in becoming governor, attorney general or secretary of state while ignoring southeastern or far-western areas of the commonwealth, the message for any statewide candidate from either party is: this surely isn't the same Kentucky that Happy Chandler governed or Ben, his grandson, represented in Congress, either. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rocky Adkins, House Minority Leader and longtime representative from Sandy Hook ignored these demographic differences to his own political peril in the recent primary campaign. By largely disregarding increasingly urbanized areas, or, more accurately, suburbanized areas near Louisville, Lexington, and in Northern Kentucky especially in the closing days of the contest, when voters are more likely to tune in Adkins couldn't secure the nomination, despite being the most conservative candidate on the Democratic ballot. Attorney General Andy Beshear, on the other hand, won the urban and suburban areas and his party's nomination. Rep. Robert Goforth of East Bernstadt, who was the only serious Republican challenger to Gov. Matt Bevin, performed best in largely the same area as Adkins, yet also fell way short of snatching the nomination from the incumbent. While this was a primary race with low turnouts comprised largely of already-highly-motivated voter bases, which tempers some of the urban-suburban-rural changes, population shifts in recent decades have accelerated and showed up in other elections. Conservatives who want to win statewide campaigns will need to do more than take God, their guns and guts to the hollers of eastern and even western Kentucky especially when the middle of the political constituency is at stake in November's general election. Ron Crouch, former director of the Kentucky State Data Center, said that while this rural-to-suburban pattern is occurring nationwide, it's more pronounced in the eastern and western parts of Kentucky, where "there's even more of a population decline than the rest of the state or nation." Harlan County, for example, located in the heart of the swath won by both Adkins and Goforth, has seen its population decline from 75,000 to under 30,000 during the past half-century or so. Crouch also notes there are a number of counties in western Kentucky which actually had greater populations in the year 1900 than today. Factor into the population-change mix that America now has the fewest number of births per women in history, meaning "eastern Kentucky actually does not replace itself now," and Crouch surmises this all adds up to fewer voters in rural areas. He says just the opposite is happening primarily in suburban neighborhoods, a fact that receives credible confirmation from the data. For example, more than 31,000 additional voters showed up in Louisville metro's mayoral race in November than in 2010, when Democrat Greg Fischer ended up outlasting Republican metro councilman Hal Heiner in a tight race. More than 57,000 additional Lexington and Fayette County voters cast ballots in the 2018 congressional race than in the 2014 contest both nonpresidential election years. Beshear on Election Night repeated a line offered by different candidates several times throughout the primary race: "It's not about right versus left, folks. It's about right versus wrong." But candidates especially conservatives ignore that it's also about "suburban versus urban" to their own peril. Jim Waters is president and CEO of the Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions, Kentucky's free-market think tank. Read previous columns at www.bipps.org. He can be reached at jwaters@freedomkentucky.com and @bipps on Twitter. June will bring at least two opportunities for Southeast Texas residents to sign up for disaster recovery aid. The Texas General Land Office again will host an intake event for applications to its Homeowner Assistance Program. The program pays to rehabilitate or reconstruct eligible homes damaged by Tropical Storm Harvey. The intake event gives homeowners an opportunity to talk with program representatives and receive help filling out an application or answers to any lingering questions. > > Related: Storm survivor gets new Port Arthur home The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Port Arthur Economic Development Center, 501 Procter St. #100. For more information about the program, visit recovery.texas.gov, call 1-844-893-8937 or email cdr@recovery.texas.gov. Later this month, three state and local organizations will gather for a town hall and resource fair to help with disaster recovery. The Coalition for Environment, Equity and Resilience; Texas Appleseed; and the Port Arthur Community Action Network will put on the event from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 15 at the Carl A. Parker Multipurpose Center, 1800 Lakeshore Drive. The event includes a public forum for residents to talk with community leaders about disaster recovery and a resource fair to get information about and sign up for recovery programs. "The goal is to highlight recovery issues, unmet needs and next steps to make sure that disaster recovery funding is more equitable across the community," according to the event's eventbrite page. For more information or to RSVP click here or email rebecca@ceerhouston.org and kcaballero@texasappleseed.net. Kaitlin Bain is the Government Reporter for the Beaumont Enterprise. Contact her at Kaitlin.Bain@BeaumontEnterprise.com or on Twitter by clicking here. Rubber ducks and cardboard boats will help finance Texas County Memorial Hospital's new surgery center, according to Ozark Radio News. Proceeds from the Houston, Mo.-based hospital's third annual Pirates of the Piney Cardboard Regatta on June 15 will go to the Texas County Memorial Hospital Healthcare Foundation, benefiting the completion of the TCMH Surgery Center. Teams can register to participate in the boat race for $50. Attendees can also participate in a rubber duck race by purchasing one for $5. More articles on new ASC development: Now-defunct Laser Spine Institute under fire over insurance handling 5 key details Washington passes surprise-billing law 3 ways ASCs can improve cash flow One of the largest HIPAA settlements so far in 2019 came from Santa Barbara, Calif.-based Cottage Health, which agreed to pay $3 million in February. This year, hospitals have also appealed HIPAA violations and physicians have pleaded guilty to breaching HIPAA. Below, are eight HIPAA-related cases that have happened in 2019. Editor's note: The list is organized in chronological order from newest to oldest. 1. Medical Informatics Engineering, a medical records service provider, agreed to pay the Office for Civil Rights at HHS $100,000 to settle a HIPAA breach. 2. EHR vendor Practice Fusion, a subsidiary of Allscripts, received a grand jury subpoena in March in relation to an ongoing criminal investigation, Allscripts reported in a May 2 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. 3. Touchstone Medical Imaging agreed to pay $3 million to the Office for Civil Rights at HHS to settle allegations that the medical imaging provider violated HIPAA. 4. Bangor, Maine-based Northern Light Acadia Hospital mistakenly emailed the names of 300 patients who had prescriptions for Suboxone, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder. 5. Houston-based University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center filed an appeal April 9, claiming the $4.3 million HIPAA fine that HHS imposed on the hospital was unlawful. 6. A former patient information coordinator at Pittsburgh-based UPMC has pleaded guilty to wrongfully disclosing a person's protected health information. 7. Santa Barbara, Calif.-based Cottage Health agreed to pay $3 million and implement a corrective action plan as part of a HIPAA settlement to resolve allegations it had unintentionally disclosed electronic patient information. 8. A Georgia-based pediatric cardiologist received six months of probation for a HIPAA violation he pleaded guilty to in February 2018. More articles on cybersecurity: Oregon State Hospital alerts patients of phishing attack Memorial Hermann employee 'improperly' used patients' credit card info First cybercrime hotline unveiled in Rhode Island HP has partnered with Israeli cybersecurity firm Deep Instinct to stop the spread of cyberattacks, according to Reuters. The two companies confirmed May 28 that they will be launching HP Sure Sense, a program designed to prevent advanced cybersecurity attacks. The program works on or offline and will be rolled out on HP's EliteBook and ZBook laptops. It is estimated that more than 350,000 malware flaws are discovered daily. HP will leverage this partnership to develop a new line of cybersecurity defense. HP Sure Sense incorporates artificial intelligence and deep learning to predict and prevent cyberattacks. While financial details were not disclosed, an industry source said the deal could be worth more than $150 million over the next few years for Deep Instinct, reports Reuters. More articles on cybersecurity: Oregon State Hospital alerts patients of phishing attack Memorial Hermann employee 'improperly' used patients' credit card info First cybercrime hotline unveiled in Rhode Island Willamette Academy celebrated the graduation of its 13th cohort May 24, 2019, in Hudson Hall. Families, alumni, staff and friends gathered to celebrate the accomplishments of 28 graduates. Of these students, 16 will attend Willamette University in the fall. Other graduates are headed to Western Oregon University, Chemeketa Community College, Seattle Pacific University, Biola University, Coe College, Pacific University, American University and Harvard University. The graduates selected Melina Montiel Gomez to be their class speaker. Montiel Gomez is graduating from South Salem High School and will attend the University of Oregon. Avi Hernandez, 10 academy graduate and teacher at Linus Pauling Middle School in Corvallis, gave the alumni address. Reyna Lopez 09, winner of Willamettes 2017 Young Alumni Leadership Award, delivered the keynote address. Lopez is executive director of Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noreste. During the 201819 academic year, Willamette University students volunteered more than 575 hours, and the academys student staff worked more than 3,000 hours in support of academy students. In his closing remarks, Emilio Solano, the academys executive director, challenged the graduates to build upon what theyd learned from their mentors and teachers: Pay it forward with your time, your energy, your passions. Find the ways in which you can create impact and push others to see their abilities, their potential and their capacity for more than they may even believe possible. Despite the value of information that can be derived from sharing medical records posthumously, it is still easier to donate a person's body to science than it is to donate his or her personal medical records after death, according to The Verge. A group of Oxford Internet Institute ethicists and lawyers recently published a proposed ethical code for the donation of medical records after death. They discovered there are no systems in place where individuals could opt to donate their medical data after death, Jen Krutzinna, a bioethicist and one of the code's authors, told the Verge. Sharing EHRs with researchers after a person dies can help answer various public health questions, such as how exposure to pollutants affects human development or how working in a specific industry impacts the human body's aging process, according to the code authors. To answer these types of questions, researchers need access to people's health data that covers a long period of time. The authors used previous research on other types of medical donations, such as bodies, organs and eggs, to develop their data donation ethical code. The code recommends that "any collection of posthumous health data should be used for the common good and should not be exploited commercially, that research done with the data should be shared with the public, and that it should be carefully stored," according to the report. The data donation code also requires that any individual who donates their posthumous medical information should receive as much information as possible as to how his or her data may be used, and the person should be allowed to place restrictions on the use of their data. Data donation code author Jon Cornwall, a lecturer at the University of Otago in New Zealand, said that after conducting focus groups with adults in New Zealand, he found that individuals were in favor of donating posthumous health records. "They want anonymity and privacy but want their descendants to have benefits as well," Mr. Cornwall told the Verge. Study participants said they want the data handled by the government, as opposed to private companies, and did not want data to be sold. Different countries have different laws surrounding data donation after death, and in the U.S., HIPAA laws require that personal health data remain private for 50 years after death, the report states. Exceptions to the stipulation include if a family member or authorized representative releases the dead individual's information or if scientists request data for research purposes, with any identifying information removed. To access the full report, click here. A proposed bill in California aims to strengthen protections against surprise medical bills, particularly in emergency situations, according to California Healthline. The proposal introduced by state Assemblyman David Chiu, D-San Francisco addresses balance billing. This occurs when a patient receives care from an out-of-network provider and is billed for the difference between what the patient's insurance company decides to pay and what the provider believes the care is worth. Balance billing also occurs when a patient is unable to choose the facility they visit. This often happens in medical emergencies. Under the California proposal, out-of-network hospitals would be limited to what they could charge for emergency care, according to California Healthline. These hospitals would only be allowed to charge privately insured emergency patients their in-network copayments, coinsurance and deductibles. Additionally, they could only charge insurance plans a certain rate for each service, depending on the region. Billing disputes would be settled between health plans and the hospital. Hospitals oppose the bill which would cover all insurance plans, regardless of the agency that regulates it describing it as a form of rate-setting, according to California Healthline. More articles on healthcare finance: Atrius Health posts $38.7M operating surplus for 2018, credits value-based care success Federation of American Hospitals CEO Chip Kahn's 3 takeaways on surprise medical bills Trump is drafting order to force healthcare cost disclosures, Wall Street Journal reports CMS ended its provider agreement with Southeastern Kentucky Medical Center in Pineville on May 24. A survey of Southeastern Kentucky Medical Center on Jan. 30 by the Kentucky State Survey Agency found the hospital was not in compliance with Medicare rules and revealed several deficiencies related to patient care. Inspectors identified an immediate jeopardy to patient health and safety due to the hospital's failure to maintain cardiology services, equipment to monitor patient medical conditions, medications for patient emergencies and staffing to provide required care to patients, according to a survey report provided to Becker's Hospital Review. In a March 29 letter, CMS notified Southeastern Kentucky Medical Center officials that the hospital's Medicare contract would be terminated if it did not make changes to comply with Medicare rules. The hospital failed to make the necessary changes and CMS terminated its provider agreement May 24, according to a letter the agency sent to Southeastern Kentucky Medical Center's CEO, a copy of which was provided to Becker's. The Medicare program will not reimburse Southeastern Kentucky Medical Center for services provided to patients whose plan of treatment was established on or after May 24, according to the involuntary termination notice. Termination of the hospital's participation in the Medicare program also resulted in the termination of its Medicaid agreement. Southeastern Kentucky Medical Center, formerly called Pineville Community Hospital, was owned and operated by the Pineville Community Hospital Association until two years ago. In 2017, the hospital association entered into an agreement with Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Americore Health. PCHA still owns the hospital real estate, but it entered a long-term lease deal and sold non-real estate assets to Americore. Earlier this month, the Middlesboro Daily News reported that Southeastern Kentucky Medical Center was roughly $400,000 behind on payroll and needed an influx of cash to overcome financial troubles and keep its doors open. During an emergency meeting May 9, the Pineville City Council voted unanimously to allow Mayor Scott Madon to gather information about acquiring the licenses to operate the hospital from Americore Health. More articles on healthcare finance: 10 latest hospital, health system credit downgrades Orlando Health's net income more than doubles in Q2 Quorum expects $50M annual boost from new revenue cycle deal The Connecticut Hospital Association and the state government tentatively reached a settlement over a controversial provider tax that has extracted billions from hospitals, according to the Hartford Courant. On May 28, Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont and CHA said they tentatively settled a 2015 lawsuit contesting the 2011 provider tax. Details of the settlement, which requires approval from the General Assembly, state attorney general's office and CHA's member hospitals, were not disclosed. The hospital industry sued the state in 2015, alleging that its budgetary policies violated federal Medicaid rules. Under an original agreement with the state, Connecticut hospitals agreed to pay in $350 million each year. Those funds, plus an additional $50 million in federal Medicaid funds, where to be redistributed back to hospitals. However, state budget deficits led to the tax increasing while payments back to the industry decreased, even as federal reimbursement rates grew, according to the Hartford Courant. In addition to the feud, the state government and hospitals resolved a dispute concerning more than $200 million in payments related to uninsured and underinsured treatment. The District of Columbia City Council on May 28 approved a $22.1 million operating subsidy for United Medical Center, the city's only public hospital, according to The Washington Post. The council seeks to close the hospital, which has been receiving taxpayer subsidies, within four years. The council previously approved a $15 million subsidy for the upcoming fiscal year, but that amount was increased to $22.1 million after representatives from the D.C. Nurses Association and community activists pressured the city to protect the United Medical Center funding, the Post reported. Elissa Silverman was one of 10 council members who voted to bump the subsidy up to $22.1 million. According to the Post, she said the lower subsidy would have negatively affected "some of our poorest, sickest residents" who access the hospital. But critics of the hospital reportedly said poor financial management has been an issue at United Medical Center. Council member Vincent C. Gray, who opposed the larger subsidy, said, "We can't continue to write a blank check for what we have before us," according to the Post. Sherry Perkins, PhD, RN, president and CEO of Cheverly-based University of Maryland Capital Region Health, resigned May 24 to take another job, according to The Washington Post. Dr. Perkins, who was helm of the organization since 2016, said in a statement cited by The Post that she accepted another healthcare position in Delaware and is relocating. With a new hospital slated to open in Largo, Md., in 2021, Dr. Perkins said she is leaving Capital Region Health "knowing it has a bright future ahead." Before Dr. Perkins was appointed president and CEO of Capital Region Health, she served as executive vice president and COO of the organization. Her resignation comes amid a scandal involving the board of University of Maryland Medical System, which is based in Baltimore. The scandal erupted after reports found UMMS paid then- Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh $500,000 for 100,000 copies of her "Healthy Holly" children's books while she was a member of the UMMS board. The scandal also involved other board members who made money from deals with UMMS while serving on the board. Multiple board members, including Ms. Pugh, have since resigned. UMMS spokesperson Michael Schwartzberg told The Post the resignation was not connected to the scandal. On May 15, Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston named Joseph Betancourt, MD, its first chief equity and inclusion officer. Here, he discusses his key responsibilities in the newly created role as well as how he plans to improve inclusion in the hospital's workforce as well as in its patient population. Editor's note: Responses have been edited lightly for length and clarity. Question: What are your key responsibilities as chief equity and inclusion officer? Dr. Joseph Betancourt: At MGH, we aim to have diverse talent across the organization, performing and excelling in a supportive environment, trained to deliver equitable high-quality care to and conduct research in partnership with a diverse community that feels valued and respected. In my new position, I will aim to provide leadership, partnership and guidance so MGH can develop innovative strategies to measurably: Identify and address disparities and achieve equity in our quality of care. Recruit, retain, promote and support diverse talent across the organization, at all levels. Diversify researchers, research participants and our research agenda. Diversify our patient population and further strengthen our community engagement. Train all caregivers to effectively communicate and care for diverse populations, and work effectively and respectfully in teams. Create a welcoming, respectful environment for all, including patients and staff. Q: What excites you most in your new role? JB: The importance of improving quality and achieving equity is at an all-time high, and we are at a tipping point where healthcare leaders clearly understand that we can't deliver on our promise of value, high performance and high reliability in the presence of disparities in healthcare. To be successful, we must ensure we have a healthcare workforce that represents various lived experiences and perspectives, and that feels respected. We must also have a system of care that supports the needs of all patients and walks the talk by measuring performance and acting when gaps are identified. This is the work I will lead, and it is exciting because we at MGH want to be a leader in everything we do, including in these important areas. Q: What are some key initiatives you plan to roll out as chief equity and inclusion officer? JB: We will develop a portfolio of activities that aims to better recruit, retain, promote and support a healthcare workforce, including nurses, doctors, researchers and staff, that is diverse in all ways. We will do the same for our patient population and for our research participants. We will also expand our caregiver training activities to better incorporate those that improve cross-cultural communication and our ability to mitigate stereotypes that impact clinical decision-making and team cohesion. We will continue to build on our already strong quality reporting system that helps us identify and address disparities. Finally, in these challenging times, we will focus on building an organizational culture that assures our care teams and patients feel valued, respected and engaged. Q: What is your advice for healthcare organizations looking to enhance their diversity efforts? JB: The work that I've described above is as important as quality and safety, and as such it should be treated with that same level of rigor and accountability. Issues of diversity, equity and inclusion are essential to value and high performance and should be supported by the creation of leadership oversight, resources and the appropriate structures that assure success. This will include being deliberate, setting targets, demonstrating transparency and holding our leaders and organizations accountable for executing at a high-level and achieving outcomes. Leaving this work to chance is not enough and excelling in these areas will separate high-performing healthcare organizations from their peers in the years to come. This is what we strongly believe at MGH. The core discretionary benefits for physicians remained largely unchanged from 2014 to 2018, according to the latest provider benefits survey from medical trade group AMGA. The survey conducted by AMGA's subsidiary, AMGA Consulting also showed that the number of part-time primary care providers who are eligible for employer benefits is increasing. To compare provider benefits of health systems, researchers examined data from 83 healthcare organizations across 34 states. The research included 2018 benefits package information from AMGA's 2018 Medical Group Compensation and Productivity survey. AMGA also used a supplemental survey to gain additional information from respondents. Overall, benefits survey found that core physician benefits, such as retirement plans, medical insurance, income protection, time off, and professional development, remained largely unchanged from 2014 to 2018, said AMGA. For instance, in 2018, the most common combination of retirement plans reported by respondents was a 403(b) with a 457(b) plan, which was consistent with the AMGA's 2014 benefits survey. The 2014 and 2018 surveys also found that most employers offered some type of life insurance coverage, and that most group physicians become eligible for life insurance the first of the month after their hire date. Additionally, 89 percent of the 2018 survey respondents indicated they offer continuing medical education benefits for providers. Also, more than half of the 64 organizations that provided information on provider time-off benefits last year reported more than the typical six holidays guaranteed off, including New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. "The healthcare industry is currently experiencing a physician shortage, especially in primary care," said Elizabeth Siemsen, AMGA Consulting director, in a news release. "The expanded offerings and lowered FTE [full-time-equivalent] thresholds we saw in this survey indicate short-staffed organizations are looking to fill employment gaps with part-time physicians and are using employee benefits as a way to attract talent." More than 1,300 nurses in San Francisco's healthcare system are putting pressure on the city to remedy chronic nurse understaffing, they told the San Francisco Chronicle. The nurses plan to send a "no confidence" letter to the city public health department on May 30, expressing their dissatisfaction with the way San Francisco has handled the issue, according to the Chronicle report. They said nurses s have had to forgo breaks and work overtime due to understaffing, and the city won't bring in more nurses. The nurses' letter comes amid contract negotiations. Nato Green, who is leading negotiations on behalf of the nurses' union, told the Chronicle about 2,100 San Francisco nurses and the city have not reached an agreement over staffing. Roland Pickens, director of the San Francisco Health Network, stated in a letter to the city's public health department that the city's offer to nurses includes pay increases of 11 percent over three years as well as other improvements, according to the Chronicle. "We also have made commitments to nurse staffing increases and differential pay for difficult assignments, and are discussing the concerns that nurses have, as we work toward completing the contract negotiations," Mr. Pickens said. The nurses' contract expires June 30. More articles on human capital and risk: UPMC service workers to strike over labor violations, pay, benefits Nurses to picket at 8 Tenet hospitals in California May 28 Mercy Health strike to continue after talks end with no deal The founder and CEO of Trina Health, a chain of diabetes treatment clinics based in Sacramento, Calif., was sentenced to six months in federal prison and six months of home detention for conspiring to bribe an Alabama legislator, according to the Montgomery Advertiser. The sentencing came after G. Ford Gilbert, PhD, Trina Health's founder and CEO, pleaded guilty in January to one count of conspiring to commit bribery of a state official. Trina Health opened three clinics in Alabama in 2014 and 2015. Before the third clinic opened, Blue Cross Blue Shield informed Trina officials it would not cover the artificial pancreas treatments provided at the clinics. Dr. Gilbert allegedly developed a scheme to push a bill through the Alabama Legislature in 2016 that would have forced BCBS to cover the treatments, according to the Department of Justice. Dr. Gilbert paid Micky Ray Hammon, who was the majority leader of the Alabama House of Representatives at that time and formerly part owner of one of the clinics, $2,000 to use his influence to quietly generate support for the bill, according to the Justice Department. The bill did not advance out of committee. Mr. Hammon pleaded guilty in 2018 to two counts of mail fraud. He served three months in federal prison, according to the Montgomery Advertiser. More articles on legal and regulatory issues: Ex-Pennsylvania health system COO charged in $1.3M fraud scheme faces new accusations 6 latest healthcare industry lawsuits Physician says fraudster stole his identity to bilk Medicare Made my day I just love this guy (Saakashvili and or Sassy as I call him.) I follow what ever happens to him. For he is indubitably one of the most devoted and best western puppets that we are witness of. (Granted) There are more successful western puppets, but no one should give rise to a doubt about this guys loyalty to the cartels within the walls of the governments KIEV, May 28. /TASS/. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has restored Ukrainian citizenship of former Georgian President and ex-governor of the Odessa Region Mikhail Saakashvili, a decree published on the presidential website said on Tuesday. Saakashvili was stripped of the Ukrainian citizenship by a decree of former Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko in July 2017. The former Georgian leader expressed gratitude to Zelensky for restoring his Ukrainian citizenship. Thank you, President Zelensky! Glory to Ukraine, he wrote on his Facebook page, posting an online link to the decree Source: TASS: World Zelensky reinstates Ukrainian citizenship of former Georgian president Saakashvili Welcome back to Ukraine Sassy! Made my day WtR Baystate Health plans to close intensive care units at Baystate Noble Hospital in Westfield, Mass., and Baystate Wing Hospital in Palmer, Mass., according to masslive.com. The Springfield, Mass.-based system told the publication that six ICU beds at each hospital will be converted to lower-level, less expensive medical-surgical use.. Inpatient pediatric care has not been provided at Baystate Noble Hospital for about a decade, and Baystate Health has also requested an update to the license for inpatient beds, spokesperson Shelly Hazlett told Becker's. The health department has scheduled hearings regarding the ICU shutdown and closure of pediatric beds at Baystate Noble, as well as the proposed closure of the Baystate Wing Hospital ICU. Ms. Hazlett said no layoffs are planned as a result of the closures. She added that the changes are primarily due to underutilization, as each of the intensive care units has four patients a day, on average. Union Hospital in Lynn, Mass., will close by May 2020, about eight months later than its expected closure in October 2019, according to CBS Boston. After the closure, the city of Lynn which is about a 30-minute drive from Boston will no longer have a hospital. In June 2015, Union Hospital's parent company, Boston-based Partners HealthCare, announced it would close Union Hospital to consolidate services in the North Shore region. The closure is part of Partners' restructuring efforts. As part of the restructuring, inpatient services at the Union Hospital campus will be consolidated at its sister facility, North Shore Medical Center Salem (Mass.) Hospital. Salem Hospital will undergo renovations as part of the restructuring efforts, including expanded emergency room services. In a statement to CBS Boston, NSMC said: "North Shore Medical Center is significantly expanding not only in emergency care but also in behavioral health and other services in order to provide a healthcare facility better tailored to today's patients and their needs. These expansions, coupled with robust contingency options for peak periods, will ensure that patients in all of our communities continue to have access to high-quality care well into the future." More articles on patient flow: 6 hospitals ending maternity services Illinois hospital to end inpatient labor, delivery services May 31 Vermont hospital closes 105-year-old birthing unit Belfast has ranked among the top 10 foodie spots for travellers in the UK. The city took eighth place, according to the newly-published Kitchen Knives survey which researched 30 of the UK's biggest towns and cities before rating the variety, quality and affordability of cuisine on offer. The bustling restaurant scene here attracted a score of 44.65, beating off competition from Liverpool (43.53) and Manchester (41.53). Bristol came out on top as the 'Best Foodie Spot for Travellers', with the most Michelin Star and AA Rosette restaurants. It was closely followed by London and Edinburgh. London came out on top for offering the most choice, with 129 different types of cuisine available, while fifth-placed Brighton and Hove was found to have the most restaurants per 10,000 people. Edinburgh was the most vegetarian and vegan-friendly city, offering the best choice of plant-based meals. However, Northern Ireland food critic Joris Minne believes Belfast may be "punching above its weight", although he pointed out there is still room for improvement. "Belfast has grown its foodie reputation exponentially in recent years, winning the best food destination at the World Travel Market last November in London," he said. "Depending on the metrics, Belfast could be considered as punching way above its weight. "For instance, there are more restaurants per head of population in Belfast than there are in London. Conversely, we are not very strong on street food outlets." But ultimately, Mr Minne said the city has been ranked fairly. "Depending on what aspect of the restaurant sector you study; numbers of Michelin stars, types of cuisine, choice of vegan and vegetarian and cost, you could conceivably come up with a better score for Belfast. "Frankly, I think this study is accurate and reflects well although I would never have placed Leeds (in seventh place) ahead of us!" he added. An artists impression of the new indoor water park at Center Parcs Longford Forest Ballynure company RGM Vent has completed 1m of work at the new Center Parcs venture in the Republic. The 230m (203m) resort in Longford is one of the biggest tourism projects ever undertaken in the country. All 466 lodges and 30 apartments on the 400-acre forest site were completed earlier this month. Due to open on August 16, the Longford Forest resort will be capable of catering for 2,500 holidaymakers. RGM Vent, which is part of RGM Holdings, has been one of a number of local businesses to benefit from the construction of the resort. Set up in 2004, RGM provides custom ventilation solutions for the construction industry. The firm currently employs 79 staff and utilises a network of sub-contractors across the UK, Ireland and more recently mainland Europe. Managing director Raymond Murphy said the Center Parcs project initially started out as a small 40,000 (35,000) contract. However, the quality of the work produced by the Co Antrim firm prompted the client to contract RGM to complete the full ventilation installation for the entire resort. "It has taken nine months from start to finish and is a project that we are extremely proud to have been involved with," Mr Murphy said. "Due to the professionalism of our staff on and off site we have been able to deliver on time and ahead of the official opening of the resort at the end of this month. "I started the business in 2004 as a sole trader and today we have staff strategically placed across the UK and Ireland. "In 2012 we adapted the business model to become a supply and fit contractor. I brought Maurice Grant onboard as my business partner and we have traded strongly and grown rapidly ever since." The company has since added three other divisions to RGM Holding. One of the divisions recently secured a 10-year Government-backed maintenance and installation contract. "That is going to be an important platform for the group over the next number of years," said Mr Murphy. "Danske Bank have been very supportive of RGM Vent and that has enabled us to invest in our facility and secure large-scale contracts which we would have struggled to do without their continued support. "We're an ambitious company and are currently on target to achieve our largest turnover to date at the end of this financial year. "We have recently procured our premises and carried out a full renovation to future proof our business growth and offer our clients the most professional services available in our sector," he added. Danske Bank business manager Julie Skelly described the growth of RGM Vent as "a great success story". "Raymond and his team have established a very successful company that continues to go from strength to strength," she said. "We've provided the support RGM Vent need to tender to larger contracts, safe in the knowledge there is working capital available as needed. "The business has committed to investing in its staff and the firm's purchase of new premises last year is a vote of confidence in the local area. "Working across Great Britain and Ireland has helped the company expand at an accelerated pace and we look forward to contributing to their future successes." Northern Ireland's three newly elected MEPs carry the responsibility of sending the message to London and Brussels that a no-deal Brexit is not wanted by Northern Ireland firms, a business leader says Northern Ireland's three newly elected MEPs carry the responsibility of sending the message to London and Brussels that a no-deal Brexit is not wanted by Northern Ireland firms, a business leader says. Seamus Leheny of the Freight Transport Association, has been among the business representatives lobbying in Stormont and Westminster on behalf of companies here. Reacting to Monday's European election result, which returned two MEPs in favour of the backstop, he said it's essential that the voices of everyone from small rural family businesses in NI to large exporters here are heard at negotiation tables. Read More "Now we know the results, our three successful candidates carry the responsibility that the message that no-deal Brexit is not wanted in NI is heard loud and clear at negotiating tables in London and Brussels. Our concerns now switch to the leadership contest of the Conservative party as this will have serious implications in the future direction of Brexit and Northern Ireland. Whoever is elected as the new Prime Minister, we will endeavour to engage with them and their cabinet right from the start in outlining the concerns and requests of the NI business sector." Also speaking yesterday, Tina McKenzie of NI's largest business body, the Federation of Small Businesses, said: "Clearly the election results across the UK indicate that there are differing views on Brexit and how to move forward. It is incumbent on political leaders to find consensus, and do so with a degree of urgency, to provide some certainty for small businesses and above all ensure that, if we are to leave the EU, we withdraw in a managed and orderly way. The FSB chair added: "We need devolved government restored as a high priority so that much-needed decisions can start to be taken to help drive the local economy forward, improve public services and have input to the Brexit process." Ulster Bank is among the first of Northern Ireland's lenders to sign up to a new voluntary industry code to protect scam victims Ulster Bank is among the first of Northern Ireland's lenders to sign up to a new voluntary industry code to protect scam victims. Consumer group Which? has said blameless scam victims who are tricked into transferring money directly to a fraudster, should find they are better protected by the code, which came into force yesterday. It's estimated that 674 is typically lost every minute to such crime - with victims left battling to get their money back in the past. Read More People who have transferred large sums of money to fraudsters have faced never seeing it again - because they have authorised their bank to make the payment. By contrast, with scams where money is stolen from people's bank accounts without their knowledge, victims can generally expect to be refunded. The new code aims to make sure that customers making payments are not penalised for fraudsters' criminal actions, even in circumstances where the customer's bank has done everything reasonably expected of it to protect the customer. The industry has committed to provide initial funding for these "no blame" situations until the end of 2019. Ulster Bank has said that it is implementing the new code in full. "Fraud and scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated and challenging for customers, so we are working harder than ever to keep our customers safe and secure," the bank said yesterday. "We have put in additional checks and alerts and invest heavily across all our channels to continuously enhance our security features for the protection of our customers. "Additionally, we constantly update our processes and procedures to ensure they are fair and above or in-line with the industry and guidance from the ombudsman and regulators." Other lenders here are expected to follow suit. Danske Bank said: "We are not one of the original cluster of banks signed up to the code, but are actively reviewing becoming participants and assessing what that involves." Trade association UK Finance has said the initial "no blame" funding is intended to provide the necessary time for the industry to work with the regulators and Government to deliver sustainable long-term funding for this reimbursement fund by January 2020. Sophisticated authorised push payment (APP) scams trick people into transferring money, perhaps because they think they are paying a bank, a business or HM Revenue and Customs. Seeing animals in the wild is a thrilling experience, yet climate change, illegal poaching and a loss of habitat mean many species are under threat. Their survival is largely dependent on the work of passionate individuals committed to conserving the environment for generations to come and nowhere is this more evident than in Africa. Recognising the efforts of grass-roots conservationists, the Tusk Conservation Awards in partnership with Investec Asset Management celebrates individuals who have dedicated their lives to protecting Africa's wildlife. "As so much of the natural world continues to face the alarming and real threat of extinction, it is vital we recognise how much we owe to conservation's unsung heroes whom the Tusk Awards shine a spotlight on," says Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, Tusk's royal patron. "Living alongside Africa's precious wildlife means they each face huge challenges, but their bravery and determination to preserve all life on the planet gives me hope for the future. I'm proud to have the opportunity to thank them for their incredible achievements." The shortlisted finalists for the 2019 Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa, sponsored by Land Rover, have just been announced. Meet the nominees... The primate protector: Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Uganda Expand Close Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Uganda PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Uganda When a troop of Bwindi's mountain gorillas suffered an outbreak of scabies in the mid-Nineties, vet Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka discovered human contact was to blame. Attempting to prevent crop raids, farmers had erected scarecrows, not knowing infested clothing could spread the parasite to primates. "I realised we cannot protect gorillas without improving the health of people who share their fragile habitat," says Kalema-Zikusoka, who founded NGO Conservation Through Public Health in 2003. Now she focuses on educating people about hygiene, family planning and the environment, and her latest project, Gorilla Conservation Coffee, guarantees a fair price for farmers working on the fringes of Bwindi Inpenetrable Forest. The lion guardian: Jeneria Lekilelei, Kenya Expand Close Jeneria Lekilelei, Kenya PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jeneria Lekilelei, Kenya In the past, Samburu warriors wouldn't have thought twice about killing lions who threatened their livestock. But a new generation is striving to protect the predators. "Without a balanced landscape, one that includes lions and other wildlife, we could also lose the plants and water that we also depend on for living," says Samburu-born Jeneria Lekilelei, who is now director of community conservation at NGO Ewasu Lions. Working alongside communities, he helps to resolve conflicts, and has changed attitudes by transforming warriors into species ambassadors through his Warrior Watch programme. "I now realise how important it is that I am a shepherd of all animals in Samburu and without the wild animals, our domestic animals and our way of life is also threatened," he says. The turtle hero: Tomas Diagne, Senegal Expand Close Tomas Diagne, Senegal PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Tomas Diagne, Senegal Although it serves as a life-long shield, a tortoise's shell is not enough to protect the prehistoric creatures from modern-day dangers. When biologist and conservationist Tomas Diagne realised there were more sulcata tortoises in captivity than in the wild, he created NGO Save Our Sulcatas, at the age of 21, and soon turned his attention to turtles. "I have worked tirelessly for 25 years to study and protect as many turtle species as possible in West Africa," he says. In 2009, Diagne created the African Chelonian Institute, establishing two centres for turtle protection and captive breeding programmes. He is currently managing a project to collect data on several endangered turtle species, estimating numbers for the first time and identifying which populations might be at risk of extinction. The Tusk Awards will take place in London in November. For more information visit www.Tuskawards.com Lake Discusses Strong Cauchari Results FNN Interview with Managing Director Brisbane, May 29, 2019 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Lithium development company, Lake Resources N.L. ( ASX:LKE ) provides a video interview with Finance News Network (FNN) regarding the watershed moment of strong results at Lake's Cauchari Lithium Brine Project, Argentina and recent positive news in the lithium sector as discussed by Lake's Managing Director, Steve Promnitz.The interview can be accessed atThe interview is also available on the Presentations and Videos section of the Investors section on the Lake Resources website:About Lake Resources NL Lake Resources NL (ASX:LKE) (OTCMKTS:LLKKF) is a clean lithium developer utilising clean, direct extraction technology for the development of sustainable, high purity lithium from its flagship Kachi Project, as well as three other lithium brine projects in Argentina. The projects are in a prime location within the Lithium Triangle, where 40% of the world's lithium is produced at the lowest cost. This method will enable Lake Resources to be an efficient, responsibly-sourced, environmentally friendly and cost competitive supplier of high-purity lithium, which is readily scalable, and in demand from Tier 1 electric vehicle makers and battery makers. Rory Stewart has just arrived at KFC in Barking. It's day four of "campaigning proper", as he puts it, for the Tory leadership. The International Development Secretary has chosen Barking because it is a no-deal Brexit enclave and he wants "to talk to Leave voters". Margaret Thatcher did this, he says, hammering on doors with Labour stickers in the window to convince them their economic analysis was wrong. Stewart believes this shows "sincerity". "What I will find in Barking is people who'll disagree with me strongly. If my campaign is about being unifying and inclusive I have to have the confidence to go out and... talk to them." His argument is for a managed deal. He describes himself as "radical centre". Later he posts a film of himself doing a selfie piece-to-mobile-phone-camera while walking down the street, and another speaking Dari to a constituent (Stewart lived on-and-off in Afghanistan for three years from 2005). The response is he's indeed "barking" but charming. Earlier in the day he met Remainers in Borough. Among them, a woman who'd seen his documentary on Afghanistan and a man who'd heard one of his podcasts. Another guy "clearly had no idea who I was". Another told him "You're the only Tory I'd vote for". Unfortunately, sighs Stewart, "he was a Lib Dem". Stewart is certainly the outsider - he's polling last in the race - but it's instructive that he has hired Lizzie Loudon, a press secretary with experience of Number 10 under Theresa May, and is happy to admit he has the "vanity and ego" befitting a contender. He believes his time as a diplomat and adventurer (whose account of a month-long walk through Afghanistan The Places In Between became a bestseller) was the perfect apprenticeship for the job. He's an unusual character, 5ft 9in, wire-thin in his tailored suit and knitted green tie. Even with a new haircut, his style is artfully dishevelled. He wears thistle cufflinks, a nod to his Scottish roots, and a gold signet ring, and he looks like a cross between Mick Jagger, Eddie Redmayne and the puppet from Interpol's Evil video. What kind of Tory is Stewart? On the one hand he is the Eton-Balliol kind, like Boris Johnson. On the other, he'd never voted Tory before 2001 - and only then, to his chagrin, because his father and mother - a former deputy head of MI6 and a "true blue Tory, Brexiteer and cornerstone of the Perth and Kinross Conservative Association" - cast his proxy vote while he was away in India. Expand Close Campaign trail: Tory leadership candidate Rory Stewart / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Campaign trail: Tory leadership candidate Rory Stewart Between the ages of 18 and 21, he was a fully paid up member of the Labour Party while helping Princes William and Harry with their Maths and English. Royal tutor and Labour member? "Yes," he laughs. "That's the kind of Tory I am." In today's political landscape, your position on the EU is as important as party colours. Stewart wants both no-deal and a second referendum "off the table". His proposed method of finding "compromise in the middle ground" is, "painful though this sounds, locking the MPs up and bashing a deal through". He would do this with "a Macron-style Citizen's Assembly" with the Archbishop of Canterbury in the role of "mediator". He means to include "literally everyone" in talks, citing ERG hardliner Mark Francois, Unite boss Len McCluskey and, "if necessary", Nigel Farage. The important thing is to "lift our heads up from the day-to-day Brexit squabble to what the long-term objective is here", he says. He's already collared McCluskey in the street after they appeared on a BBC politics show together. Today, he appears to make the decision to talk to Farage mid-sentence after relating that they had dinner six weeks ago at the Oxford Union. "I am going to get my office to reach out straight to him," he says. "I am the last person he will expect to hear from and that is a powerful position to come from." Stewart may have the same pedigree as Johnson in terms of schooling but in this contest he's the anti-Boris candidate. When we first meet (over tea in Portcullis House last Thursday) he says he would consider serving in a Johnson Cabinet for the good of the country. At some point over the weekend he rules this out. Expand Close Rory with wife Shoshana Clark / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Rory with wife Shoshana Clark Asked if Johnson is across the detail of his brief, Stewart (who worked with Johnson at the Foreign Office) doesn't say yes, and he says he won't be drawn into "insulting my opponents". But he swings from high-chivalry to waspish, saying, when asked if as leader he would rein in Johnson's inflammatory commentary, such as comparing women in "burqas" to letterboxes, "I don't think there's any leader who would be foolish enough to think they could control a poet of the legendary quality of Boris Johnson. Many have tried. I don't think he's a racist. I think he's an incredibly talented, very engaging journalist". If this is supposed to be damning, it's a shame he is talking to journalists. He describes the "point of Boris" as not dissimilar to that of Jeremy Clarkson. Later, when drawing on his heroes, he says the thing that is greatest about Winston Churchill was his "eye for detail". "Because real leadership is not broad-brush poetical nonsense," he says. In policy terms, Stewart is much closer to Michael Gove. Both are radical, both embrace tech, both are extreme green - Stewart's stated first policy would be to plant 120 million native trees in four months. He wants to issue "green bonds" and have the Government buy land and build houses, "not nudging property developers". He cites Edinburgh's new town and says he wants people "in 200 years'" time to look back at the work of his Government and say "My goodness, what an incredible civilisation". But he is not convincing when asked, as a slightly Victorian character, how he will appeal to young people. "Because I care," he says. "Because I'm sincere." And although claiming that it is "completely vital" to attract more BAME members and voters he is flummoxed by the question of Islamophobia in the Tories. "I may be missing it," he admits. His is an unusual turn of phrase - "I am going to green DFID," he says at one point. Things are often "a miracle". The British car industry is "a miracle", as are our security services, London too. He's at once terribly posh ("issues" is pronounced iz-use) with the odd Americanism like "gotta" (Stewart's wife Shoshana Clark is from New York) with a manner that at times appears superior. When telling the story of how he met his wife in Afghanistan, he relates it through her eyes. "I was standing on the top of the turret of the mud castle about 25ft in the air in a suit trying to discourse with an Afghan engineer. She saw this strange person and a white dog." His speaking rhythm sometimes beats to iambic pentameter, perhaps because he likes to commit verse to heart. He learnt Eliot's The Wasteland aged 14, and the Four Quartets while walking from India to Nepal in 2001, which he later recited through a megaphone in Penrith on the day he was elected in 2010. Always simmering under the surface is the desire to talk about his experiences in Afghanistan and Iraq. "The thing I've learnt negotiating, whether with warring factions in Iraq or with mini-wars in Afghanistan," he tells us, "is that you have to be nimble. This is not a game of red lines or rigidity, you gotta keep trying and be imaginative, and you have to reach out". He says there are "similarities" with post-war Iraq and post-Brexit voting Britain. "The most fundamental similarity is that there is a completely surreal gap between the way that the Government talks about this and what is actually going on on the ground." Actually, his discomfort with arms sales to Saudi Arabia ("if we talk about democracy and human rights, we need to follow through on that") mean that he has revolutionary ideas on foreign policy too. "If I were lucky enough to be Prime Minister, I would actually rebalance our foreign policy away from the Middle East towards Asia and Africa." He is keen to be honest. Then again, he's occasionally nettled. On the subject of Eton, he says: "When you are choosing a leader, you're also choosing someone who spent 550 nights sleeping on the floor of village houses across Afghanistan, Nepal and India - seeing things that many other people who went to Eton haven't seen in their lives." What about rumours that he was - like his father - in the secret intelligence service? He emits a "ha", then allows a pause. "Well, so... I mean... no." He didn't know what his father did as a child but he adored him. The last time he cried "properly" was when his father died in his arms in 2015. "I was trying to resuscitate him. It was a strange moment for me because in very quick succession within nine months I'd had to deliver my first son with 999 on my telephone in my ear and now I was trying to do artificial resuscitation on my dad." He now has two boys, four and two. Yes, he changes nappies. Asked if he has a "fields of wheat" moment of naughtiness, he says: "All these things are relative." To illustrate he tells how he once sat with a KGB officer over a drink. He puts on a Russian accent. "'Rory' he said at about 3am, 'I have broken every one of the Ten Commandments' and he started crying. And I said, 'My God, every one?' And he said, 'Yes, every one. Even I have not respected my father and mother.' So that's the naughtiness that I am used to." Is he tough enough to be PM? A toothy grin spreads across his face. "The reason I have been proud to be in Iraq, in Afghanistan, serving my country is because I believe in a Britain that is understated in its answers to those kind of questions. I don't believe tough guys are people who say they are tough." Later he tells an anecdote from Afghanistan. He was in a blizzard following 9/11, "completely lost". "Suddenly I saw bumping towards me two big Toyota Land Cruisers. The electric window came down, and there was an SAS guy who served with me in the Balkans. He stuck his head out and said: 'You are a f*****g nutter'. And then wound up the window and drove off." The result of the European election in Northern Ireland has been heard in Brussels and must be heard in London, the Taoiseach has said. Irish leader Leo Varadkar described the election of two Remain candidates compared to one Brexiteer as "really significant". Mr Varadkar highlighted that those two candidates - Sinn Fein's Martina Anderson and the Alliance Party's Naomi Long - also supported the withdrawal agreement's Irish border backstop. The DUP's Diane Dodds, a Brexiteer and critic of the backstop, was the other candidate elected as MEP. The Taoiseach commented on the outcome of the vote here as he attended a European Council meeting of EU leaders in Brussels. "What I think is really significant, and I hope this has been noticed in Britain, is the result of the European elections in Northern Ireland, where for 40 years there have been two unionists and one nationalist," Mr Varadkar said. "That is no longer the case. There is one unionist, one Alliance MEP and one nationalist. "So, two out of the three of the MEPs elected in Northern Ireland supporting the European Union and supporting the backstop and I hope that hasn't been missed as a fact by the British Government and the wider British people." He added: "Two out of three support Northern Ireland remaining in the European Union, two out of three support the backstop, I have heard that message - I hope the British Government and British people have heard that message too, because it has been heard here in Brussels." However, DUP leader Arlene Foster indicated the election result had changed nothing. "It's time Leo realised that the best way to a deal as we exit the EU is to address the flaws in the withdrawal agreement. Compromise should not be seen as weakness," she said. "It was a UK question. Respect the referendum. "Northern Ireland had two Remain MEPs before the election too," she added. Mr Varadkar also reiterated his concerns that events in London with the Conservative Party leadership contest had increased the risk of a no-deal Brexit. "I think there is a growing risk of no-deal," he said. "As I said a few days ago there is the possibility that the new British Prime Minister may try to repudiate the withdrawal agreement. There is also the possibility of course that there may be a new British Government that might follow a different course, a more European course. "I can't predict either of those things. But what I can say is the European Union and Ireland will stand firm in our position that there can't be a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland and we need a legal treaty guarantee of that." Theresa May larks around with Luxembourgs Prime Minister Xavier Bettel at EU Commission Headquarters in Brussels Theresa May has urged her successor to seek a consensus over Brexit as Brussels stressed there could be "no renegotiation" of the Withdrawal Agreement. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt warned the Tories face "destruction" if a new leader calls a general election before delivering Brexit. Mr Hunt, one of 10 MPs vying to be the next prime minister, said a failure to solve Brexit could ruin the Conservatives and warned the "biggest risk" to delivering on the referendum was a general election. His comments came as Housing Minister Kit Malthouse became the latest person to enter the race to succeed Theresa May, saying there was a "hunger for someone new". Mrs May, attending a summit in Brussels, said the European election results in which the Tories took just 9% of the vote were "deeply disappointing". "I think what it shows is the importance of actually delivering on Brexit. I think the best way to do that is with a deal," she said. "But it will be for my successor and for Parliament to find a way forward and get a consensus." The comments are aimed at Brexiteers in the race to replace her who have said they are prepared to back a no-deal departure from the EU, something which could lead to a clash with Parliament. Mr Hunt warned rivals that calling a general election - potentially to win a mandate for a no-deal Brexit - could be a disaster for the Tories. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We must not go back to the electorate asking for their mandate until we've delivered what we promised we would do last time, which is to deliver Brexit, it would be absolutely catastrophic for us as a party." Mr Hunt, who campaigned for Remain in the 2016 referendum but has adopted an increasingly Eurosceptic tone, said he had "always believed we should keep no deal on the table" as it is the "best way of getting a good deal". He said it was important to "find a different way to get a deal", adding "we have to have a go at this" as he proposed forming a new wider negotiating team to change the Withdrawal Agreement. Leadership rival Dominic Raab also said he was focused on "getting a fairer deal from the EU as we leave". But outgoing European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker stressed "there will be no renegotiation". The agreement between the EU and Mrs May to delay Brexit until October 31 included a commitment not to seek a renegotiation of the deal. Meanwhile, Mr Malthouse, who brought together Tory Leavers, the DUP and Remainers behind a compromise Brexit plan earlier this year, said he had a "good number" of MPs backing his bid. "We've got to find a way to unite the Conservative Party to deliver a Brexit plan so we can move onto a really compelling, attractive domestic agenda that might command victory at a general election," he said. "One of the reasons that I'm running is that I'm the only person who has actually done that." Other candidates for the top job also started to offer a flavour of their policies should they win a ballot of Conservative Party members later this year. Michael Gove is prepared to offer free UK citizenship to three million nationals who resided in the UK at the time of the June 2016 referendum. Matt Hancock wrote in the Daily Mail about "driving up the living wage and cutting taxes". In response to Mr Hunt's warning that a no-deal Brexit election would be "political suicide", leadership rival Esther McVey responded: "Political suicide actually lies in not having a clean break from the EU and not leaving on October 31." Others vying for the top job include Cabinet colleagues Sajid Javid, Andrea Leadsom and Rory Stewart, and current bookies' favourite Boris Johnson. Meanwhile, Downing Street indicated the Withdrawal Agreement Bill may never be published. Police carried out more than 28,000 stop and searches in Northern Ireland last year More than 28,000 people in Northern Ireland were stopped and searched by police in the last year, new figures have revealed. Statistics from the PSNI show a total of 28,116 people were subject to the procedure from April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019 - a 6% drop from the previous year. Some 7% (1,965) of all stops resulted in an arrest. In Northern Ireland, individuals can be stopped and searched by police under a range of legislation, including the Police and Criminal Evidence (PACE) Order, the Terrorism Act and the Misuse of Drugs Act. Read More The vast majority of cases (17,081) in the last year were performed under the Misuse of Drugs Act - amounting to six out of every 10 stops. Almost 90% of all those stopped were men. Belfast saw the most amount of cases with 8,141 people stopped, followed by the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon council area with 4,008. Earlier this year, the Belfast Telegraph revealed that the PSNI has paid out almost 55,000 in compensation connected to stop and search operations in the north-west in the past four years. PSNI Superintendent Alan Hutton said police were "fully committed to ensuring the fair, effective and legitimate use of stop and search powers". "We are mindful of the impact such powers have on the community and we seek to ensure all of our interactions are professional, respectful and courteous," he added. "Members of the public have a number of ways to voice their concerns about police actions. One is legal action, which can, in certain circumstances, result in the payment of compensation if a court upholds a complaint." Last year, Londonderry republican Steven Ramsey lost a High Court challenge against the police after being stopped and searched more than 150 times under anti-terrorism legislation over the course of four years. In August 2018, it emerged that "Stop and Search zones" are being planned for any area within one mile of Northern Ireland's border after Brexit. The measure is part of the government's Counter Terrorism and Border Security Bill, which was given Royal Assent in February. Mike Gibb of World of Owls with Griff, the golden eagle that has gone missing The owner of a Co Antrim bird sanctuary has issued a desperate appeal for information after one of his birds of prey escaped. The golden eagle called Griff has been missing from World of Owls in Randalstown for the past five days. It escaped from its enclosure at the sanctuary, and despite the best efforts of Mike Gibb it has yet to be located. He is asking the public, especially those living within a five-mile radius of Randalstown, to keep an eye on the skies and trees and contact him if they spot the magnificent raptor. Mr Gibb said his concern is that the animal is not used to fending for himself in the wild and will be growing hungry. "We have had Griff for around seven years, but he is 10 years old. He is a fully trained golden eagle so he doesn't pose any threat to anyone," he said. "It was a freak accident that he got out from his enclosure. It has never happened before so I am really worried about him. "He is more than likely within a five-mile radius, but it is not impossible for him to go further. "He doesn't have any natural hunting instincts so he will be getting very hungry at this stage, although he will be fine up to two or three weeks. "Golden eagles are natural scavengers so although he is a trained bird, mother nature might kick in and he might find himself a dead rabbit lying in the field. "I have been out looking for him every day from early morning, but still haven't seen him." Mr Gibb believes if he could find out where Griff is he would fly straight to him "because he has bonded with me". "He is very close to me and likes to be with me, so he is a bit like a family pet in that respect. I am sure if I found his location he should come right to me," he added. "I have had some reports of people seeing him but so far these have turned out to be, I think, buzzards which are around the same size as a male golden eagle. We are trying to follow up all leads because I would hate if anything happened to him. "World of Owls is a rescue centre, but Griff wasn't really a rescue bird. He came here from a friend in Scotland and he is part of our display team, which helps raise funds for the centre. "Golden eagles are very intelligent so I am sure if a member of the public does see him and we can get to his location we can bring him home." Despite the lack of golden eagles here, Mr Gibb said that there are tell-tale signs people can look out for which could help him be reunited with feathered fugitive Griff. "Golden eagles are large birds and they are very dark, but the most notable thing people can watch for is other birds mobbing him," he said. "Crows will attack him, magpies will attack him and even buzzards will attack him, so that's what people should be on the lookout for - other birds in distress or acting strangely around a tree. "Golden eagles sound very distinctive too. Buzzards do a high-pitched scream whereas eagles do a high-pitched beeping sound. "If anyone is in and around Randalstown and they see a massive big bird, but are not sure what it is, I would like them to contact me." Anyone who thinks they may have sighted Griff can phone him on 077 1388 7551. A BBC presenter has recalled the time she was wrongly implicated in the 'honey trap' Troubles murder of three soldiers and how her bosses at the time considered sending her off to England in response. But instead Roisin McAuley read every local news bulletin for a week. "And with it the rumour died," she said. The broadcaster, who now presents Radio Ulster's Sunday Sequence, was speaking on the Vinny Hurrell Show as part of his mini series 'When I was 25' which asks what prominent individuals would tell their younger selves. 'The BBC considered sending me to England' - BBC Broadcaster Roisin McCauley talks on being told her life may be 'on the line'#podcast https://t.co/gY2T7ade72 Vinny Hurrell (@vinnybelfast) May 29, 2019 She discussed the sexism of the time in the early 70s when she was starting out in her career but how she felt "more exposed" as a Catholic. "I have a name Roisin and in those days that immediately said 'Catholic'," she said. In the early 1970s she had moved from reading the news to producing radio programmes when a rumour began circulating she was in some way involved in the death of three soldiers. "It was ridiculous," she said. Dougald McCaughey, 23, was killed along with brothers John and Joseph McCaig, 17 and 18 respectively, from Ayr, on March 10 1971. Expand Close Memorial to the soldiers in White Brae Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Memorial to the soldiers in White Brae The soldiers had been socialising in Belfast city centre when they were lured to the remote White Brae on the Ligoniel Road on the outskirts of the city by a republican woman and murdered. Nobody has ever been convicted in connection with the killings. Roisin said her sister first told her of the rumour of her involvement and then a reporter in the BBC newsroom reported to the local controller she had heard the same thing on the Shankill and her "life was on the line". She said there was a high level meeting with BBC executives and people from "police intelligence" which left her "very nervous". "The first suggestion was that I would go and work in England," she said, adding that the idea did not take hold in the meeting. "I thought I would never be able to come home. And the controller said 'that was madness', as he said that would not do away with the lie." Read More He proposed she read every single news bulletin for a week, "and that's what I did and the rumour died," she said. "It was the name you see. "People forget the febrile atmosphere that was around in the early 1970s. Those were the absolute worst days. Bloody Friday, Bloody Sunday, Claudy bombing, sectarian assassinations. "When I look back I think, 'my Heavens above how did we ever survive it?'" She later went to The Irish Times covering the 'fistycuffs" in the new assembly before spells between Fleet Street in London and the BBC in Belfast. She talked of the sexism of her early career when she started out, of the ads for "girl Fridays" she described as a "Jill of all trades working for an important man" and how she was once the "night deskman" for The Times. "These were sexist times," she said. "When I started what made me different was I was a Catholic on the BBC reading the news which had never happened before. People took more note of that than the fact I was the first woman to do it." The family of Belfast man Ryan Smyth have paid tribute to him after his body was recovered on Wednesday. Mr Smyth had gone missing on Monday, his body was found by police and the Community Rescue Service during searches in north Belfast. Writing on social media, Ryan's mum Debbie said that she would love him forever. "Rest in peace my sweet angel, we love you forever and ever, my gentle, compassionate, loving son," she wrote. Ryan's twin sister Jordan wrote that she had lost her "other half". "I loved him and he loved me and we will be together forever whether it's on earth or in heaven, my twin brother Ryan Smyth," she wrote. "I am unbelievably proud of you, thank you for being my best friend and always, no matter what, being there for me. "I know your at peace now, I love you with all heart and soul and I always will." Police confirmed that the 28-year-old's body had been discovered on Wednesday. "A post-mortem will be carried out to determine the cause of death, however, it is not being treated as suspicious at this time," a PSNI spokesperson said. A Community Rescue Service (CRS) spokesperson said that a body had been recovered following searches in north Belfast. "From early Tuesday morning CRS volunteers were deployed to the North Belfast area to search for a high-risk missing person who had been missing from home for some time. Searches were carried out across a wide area involving CRS and police," the spokesperson said. "CRS volunteers were assisted by Lowland Rescue Search dog Tess. LR Dogs are trained and deployed through a joint working arrangement with our colleagues in Search And Rescue Dog Association - SARDA Ireland North "We regret to inform you that on the afternoon of Tuesday, CRS volunteers discovered a body believed to be that of the missing person. The management and volunteers of the Community Rescue Service extend their deepest sympathy to the family and friends of the deceased." Vandalism and anti-social behaviour in the Sirocco Quays area of east Belfast has become so bad that someone could end up being seriously hurt or even killed, an MLA has warned. Earlier this week, youths set fire to an empty two-storey administration building twice in the same day and again last night with two fire appliances having to extinguish the blaze on each occasion. The building sits in the site of the former Sirocco engineering factory, which has lain empty for over a decade and has recently been subject to sustained criminal damage. Windows have been smashed, while parts of the building have been reduced to mere rubble. Youths have also been seen scaling the building and running amok, with residents in the area claiming that its only a matter of time before theres a fatality. Ulster Unionist MLA Andy Allen, whose office is near the derelict office block, told the Belfast Telegraph that the reckless behaviour, which has escalated in recent weeks including the two deliberate fires in one day is now a danger to life. The vandalism and anti-social activity is getting out of hand and something must be done about it, he said. It seems to have escalated and its now clearly a danger to life. If there are no preventative measures put in place then they will keep on going until someone gets seriously hurt or dies. He added: Its totally abhorrent that people think they can go around and wantonly damage property without consequences. Mr Allen said it was important for action to be taken by responsible adults, as well as those with influence in the community, before its too late. I would call on parents to be aware of where their children are at night and to know what theyre doing, he said. Preventative measures must be put in place to stop the ongoing vandalism. Young people need to realise that they could end up with a criminal record by engaging in this sort of behaviour. They need to learn that actions have consequences. A PSNI spokeswoman said police had received two separate reports of fires at derelict premises in the Short Strand area on Monday, May 27, adding that investigations are ongoing. Police called on a number of youths who were seen leaving the area prior to the fire to come forward to help assist with our enquiries. NI Fire and Rescue Service Area Commander Mark Smyth said hes worried about the problem and he issued a warning against lighting fires deliberately. Our business is to put fires out but it would be a better use of our resources if we didnt have to deal with deliberate fires, Mr Smyth said. We would advise people to stay away from derelict buildings because theyre dangerous and definitely dont be lighting fires in them because theyre even more dangerous and someone could get hurt. The administration building erected by the Carvill Group at a six-figure cost in the mid-2000s was meant to be the cornerstone of a massive development on the Sirocco Quays brownfield site. Some 5,000 apartments, retail space, cafes, restaurants, a supermarket and luxury hotel were earmarked for the 16-acre site, which sits on the east bank of the Lagan between Short Strand and the Queens Bridge. But Carvill became a victim of the savage economic downtown, going bust with debts of over 80m, and the area has lain dormant for the best part of a decade. Last August, Belfast City Council approved proposals for a 50m first phase of a new Belfast Waterside development on the former Sirocco site, which includes a 13-storey office building. In a statement issued on behalf of Osborne+Co, the developer said the 16 acre site has been vacant for a number of years and holds an important place in Belfasts industrial past. Osborne+Co takes security at the site very seriously and is collaborating with the local police to ensure theres no repeat of recent antisocial behaviour at the site and to secure the site moving forward, they added. Lifeboats from Northern Ireland helped rescue the crew of a sinking fishing boat off the Isle of Man. On Tuesday evening, the crew of the fishing boat radioed for help after their vessel began rapidly taking on water. At the request of Belfast Coastguard, Donaghadee RNLI launched their lifeboat Saxon to the scene at 6.07pm, followed later by lifeboats from Portaferry and one from Peel on the Isle of Man. Read More The fishing boat and its five crew members were located around 21 miles west of Peel, where they were struggling to cope with the intake of water. The crew was able to lower the water level using their own pumps and was escorted into Portavogie Harbour by Donaghadee and Portaferry RNLI's lifeboats. Speaking following the call out, Donaghadee RNLI Coxswain John Ashwood said: "The quick thinking of the experienced skipper of the vessel to request assistance early is commendable. "He realised that they may not get the issue under control and allowed ample time for the lifeboats to get to himself and his crew. It was a good outcome that they were able to return to harbour safe and well. "We would remind everyone planning a trip to sea to always respect the water. Always wear a life jacket and always carry a means of communication. Should you get into difficult, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard." Shots are fired in west Belfast in honour of INLA leader Martin McElkerney Police carried out a number of enquiries in the Divis area of west Belfast on Wednesday in connection with the firing of shots following the death of an INLA killer. A volley of shots were fired at the wake of former INLA prisoner Martin McElkerney on May 20. Police carried out house to house enquiries and a trawl for CCTV footage in connection with the incident. Read More A 35-year-old man arrested last week on suspicion of membership of a proscribed organisation in connection with the incident was released without charge. Detective Inspector Carol Dane said that the shooting was "not only shocking and reckless, but also a criminal act, which was carried out by those who seek to control communities through fear of violence". "I believe there are many in the Divis area who feel that violence has no place in their community, and it is them I appeal to when I ask for information," Detective Inspector Dane said. "Anyone with any information can speak directly to detectives at Musgrave on 101 or totally anonymously to the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close The funeral of Martin McElkerney. The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Masked men followed the body of Martin McElkerney. The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral procession of Martin McElkerney. The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of INLA man Martin McElkerney takes place in Divis, west Belfast on May 23rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The funeral of Martin McElkerney. Social media footage circulated following the incident showed a masked man wearing a white shirt and black tie discharging several rounds skywards. The gunman was surrounded by others similarly dressed and wearing balaclavas. One of the men held a picture of INLA man Martin McElkerney. It happened outside Mr McElkerney's house and during his wake in Ross Street in the Divis area. Following the volley of shots onlookers were heard cheering and applauding. Triple killer McElkerney was jailed in 1987 for his part in a 1982 booby-trap bomb which killed two schoolboys, Kevin Valliday (11) and his friend Stephen Bennet (14), as well as 20-year-old Lance Bombardier Kevin Waller. He died earlier this month after he was found with a gunshot wound at the republican plot in Milltown Cemetery. Police have recovered stolen bear kegs worth an estimated 900k after carrying out searches in the Mallusk and Omagh areas. The stolen beer kegs were taken from a drinks distributor and recovered by detectives from the PSNI's Criminal Investigation Division. Two men, both aged 55, were arrested in connection with the theft and have been released on bail pending further enquiries Detective Chief Inspector Dunny McCubbin said that stolen kegs would "have a significant financial impact on businesses that distribute their product to licensed premises". He said that the police investigation was continuing into the theft. We are committed to bringing offenders before the courts and I would appeal to anyone with information on this type of activity to contact detectives in Antrim or Omagh by calling 101 or alternatively you can speak anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111," Detective Chief Inspector McCubbin said. "I would also remind the owners of licensed premises to be alert to this type of crime and ensure that their premises and stock are secure. A Co Fermanagh girl who raised 20,000 for charity after her little brother's death in a farm accident has been left overjoyed thanks to a surprise meeting with the stars of new Disney film Aladdin. Emily Magee (10) from Maguiresbridge was invited to the film's premiere in Leicester Square, London, where she was thrilled by a welcome from Hollywood favourites Will Smith and Naomi Scott, who play the Genie and Princess Jasmine. Read More After losing younger brother Thomas in the accident in April 2017, Emily threw herself into fundraising for the Make-A-Wish Foundation as her way of coping with the loss. Her mother Jackie said the trip to London was a proud moment that came just days before what would have been Thomas' seventh birthday. "It was totally unexpected, Emily didn't even know what the word premiere meant never mind the opportunity to meet such big stars," she said. Together with her mum, dad David and younger sister Luciana (4), Emily found herself on the red carpet surrounded by screaming fans and photographers. "They were just overwhelmed by the whole experience," said Mrs Magee. "Luciana is Disney mad and she really thought she was going to meet a real princess. "Will Smith came over and chatted to us like we were friends, he was so down to earth and such a lovely, kind man." The family were also delighted when the star presented them with an invitation to Disneyland Paris. "He spent a lot of time with the girls, chatting to them, as did other celebrities like Alan Menken (who composed the original music for Aladdin). "Mena Massoud (who plays Aladdin) even lifted Luciana up in his arms, but she actually said to him she was waiting for Princess Jasmine, so she wasn't a bit shy." The sisters also received a warm reception from actress Scott when they presented her with a collectable key for Make-A-Wish. "She hugged both the girls and wrote a lovely message in Emily's autograph book," said Mrs Magee. "They were just over the Moon afterwards, and so starstruck. "Davy and I could never have given the girls an opportunity or an experience like that. "It's just a lovely memory for them to treasure, but it's just sad that it's without Thomas with us." Following the loss of their son, Mrs Magee said it felt like his wake lasted for months in the family home. "Because it was a child's funeral, a lot of people couldn't face going," she said. "They waited until afterwards to come up; our house was full of people and it didn't feel like home anymore." Around this time Emily decided to take her first steps into fundraising. Having enjoyed baking with her brother, she asked her school to hold a cake sale. This soon progressed into a coffee morning that raised a staggering 8,000. The success then spurred her on to host a sponsored walk in Gortin Glen, which raised an even higher sum. Her inspiring efforts saw her honoured at the Sunday Life Spirit of Northern Ireland Awards last year. Emily chose Make-A-Wish as her charity, her mother said, as a fitting tribute for Thomas. "He was happy at home, being out on the farm and running around," she said. "So his wish was granted every day. "That's something I'm very thankful for - that our memories of him will always be of his smiling face. "That's why Emily wanted to make the wishes of children that were not well come true. "Emily would call it her strategy, it was just to help others and take away from her own sadness and grief. "The London visit was actually just before what would have been Thomas' seventh birthday on May 13. "We all struggle around his birthday, it can be so raw. "So this was almost like a birthday present from Thomas that we got to go and do something nice to remember him." Make-A-Wish grants wishes to children with critical illnesses. To make a donation to help a child experience their One True Wish, or to find out more, please visit make-a-wish.org.uk or telephone 01276 405060. The Plough Inn in Hillsborough, Co Down Derek Patterson (second left) with his brothers William and Richard and their parents Desi and Muriel Tributes have been paid to one of Northern Ireland's best known chefs and entrepreneurs Derek Patterson following his death. The body of Mr Patterson, who headed up The Plough Inn in Hillsborough, Co Down, was found near his home at St John's Road in the village yesterday. Read More The PSNI said last night that a post-mortem examination is due to be carried out to establish the cause of death, but it is not being treated as suspicious. Mr Patterson (53) was best known as the chef and part-owner of the Plough Group of restaurants, which also includes the Vintage Rooms in Hillsborough, the Pheasant in Annahilt and the Tannery in Moira. Mr Patterson ran the family firm, which had been founded by his parents, alongside his brothers William and Richard. He lived in Hillsborough with his wife Pamela and their four children. As a leading figure in the local hospitality industry, he also established the village's Oyster Festival in 1992. Bill Wolsey, managing director of the Beannchor Group, which includes the neighbouring Hillside Bar in Hillsborough, said Mr Patterson's death would have a deep impact on the industry. "Derek was a very hard-working publican who made a huge impact in the village," Mr Wolsey said. "This is a great loss for our industry and our sympathies go to his family at this heartbreaking time." Down Royal racetrack stalwart Mike Todd also paid tribute to his friend. "Derek was a great supporter of ours down the years as well as a super chef and a super person," he said. "As a man of great foresight, he really revitalised Hillsborough and put it on the map with the Oyster Festival. "He will be hugely missed by so many people." Colin Neill, chief executive of Hospitality Ulster, added to the tributes. He said: "Derek was the ultimate entrepreneur and someone who was always very much ahead of his time, particularly starting up the Oyster Festival at a time when no one was doing food festivals. "He was always a man on a mission and seemed to thrive on carving out a really good business through hard work. "This is awfully sad news and the thoughts and prayers of everyone in the entire hospitality sector are with his family at this difficult time. "Derek was a well-known and liked member of the hospitality industry and will be sadly missed by all." Lagan Valley MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said Mr Patterson had been an ambassador for the village and beyond. "This is devastating news for Derek's family, and indeed the wider community in Hillsborough," he said. "Derek was a well-known and greatly loved figure in the area as well as a very successful businessman who for many years brought investment into the village. He always gave as much back to the community as he received from it through his business and he will be greatly missed." Belfast Telegraph restaurant critic Joris Minne said Mr Patterson's legacy will be felt for years to come as one of the architects of Northern Ireland's success as a foodie destination. "Derek was as significant a player in the restaurant business as the original top Michelin star holders of 25 years ago including Paul Rankin, Michael Deane and Robbie Millar," he added. "He was forward-thinking and Hillsborough has much to thank him for in terms of his contribution to food and hospitality. He was one of the first restaurateurs to make people appreciate food and eating as an event." The incident happened in The Green area of Lisburn. Credit: Google Shots were reportedly fired through the kitchen window of a house in Lisburn in a "senseless and reckless" attack, police have said. The incident happened at a house in The Green area of the town at around 11.30pm on Tuesday. A 27-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage and possession of a firearm. He is in police custody. Detective Sergeant Perks said: "Everyone has a right to live in a safe and stable community and this type of senseless and reckless criminality will not be tolerated. There were a number of occupants in the property at the time and fortunately nobody was injured as a result of this reckless act. "I would ask - did you see anyone acting suspiciously in the area; did you see any suspicious vehicles? "If you did, please come forward and speak to detectives at Lisburn on the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference 2373 28/05/19. Information can also provided anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Broadcaster Stephen Nolan got a shock on Wednesday morning when a herd a cows attempted to invade his home. The presenter took to social media to share footage of the bizarre incident, which shows around a dozen cows peaking in through his patio windows as he bangs on the door in a bid to shoo them away. His alarm is then triggered and Mr Nolan runs outside - in only his boxers - attempting to chase the cattle off his property. I thought I was getting raided by the British army . I woke up to sound of heavy footsteps and banging on my door. Cows broke into my site. Set off alarms, which sent call to security team. Total mayhem . Dirty brutes. Im furious pic.twitter.com/n7FpIh74TN Stephen Nolan (@StephenNolan) May 29, 2019 He eventually manages to corral the herd into a nearby field. "I actually thought I was getting raided by the army or something," he said. "The cows from somewhere around my house had broken into my site and were eating my plants, trampling all over my flowers. So I bounced out of my bed, screaming at these things. "It's ridiculous. Then the alarms went off, so the security company sent a security team out. And these cows are just staring at me." Northern Ireland's three MEPs will take up their seats in the new European Parliament in five weeks' time. Theresa May has abandoned her final attempt to get her withdrawal agreement through Parliament so even the very distant chance of Brexit occurring soon is a non-runner. Read More Martina Anderson, Diane Dodds and Naomi Long will take up their seats on July 2. Brussels has granted the Prime Minister a Brexit delay up until October 31, so our three MEPs are likely to be in their jobs at least until Halloween. In those four months they should earn more than 30,000 each in wages. An MEP earns a flat rate of 8,757.70 per month, which at the current exchange rate is around 7,725.73. They pay EU taxes and an insurance contribution. Their take-home pay is then reduced further by UK income tax and national insurance contributions to ensure they are taxed on a similar basis as people employed in the UK. On top of their salaries, our three MEPs will also be entitled to a daily allowance of 320 (282.25). This money is to cover hotel bills and food while they are on official business in Brussels or Strasbourg. MEPs are not asked to provided receipts for their stay. However, they do sign a register to confirm that they have attended the European Parliament. Our MEPs will be allowed to claim travel expenses. If they provide receipts, they will be entitled to a complete refund equating to business class air travel and first class rail travel. They are also entitled to 47p per km for road travel up to a maximum of 1,000 km. An MEP's salary is set at 38.5% of the basic salary of a judge at the European Court of Justice. The stronger the pound, the less British MEPs will earn. The weaker the pound, the higher their take-home pay. The three local MEPs are part of a 73-strong UK representation that will cease if a Brexit deal is agreed. Whoever becomes the next Tory leader in July will attempt to reopen negotiations with Brussels. Any movement before the autumn is highly unlikely. If the EU refuses to change the agreement it offered Mrs May, then a no-deal Brexit becomes a real possibility. The Republic will gain two extra seats after Brexit, and will go from having 11 MEPs to 13. Former SDLP leader Mark Durkan had hoped to be one of the two additional new MEPs, but he did not poll well enough in Dublin for Fine Gael. Counting is well into a fourth day in Ireland South (Michelle Devane/PA) The Ireland South race in the European election has heated up on the fourth day of counting. Fine Gaels Andrew Doyle and Labours Sheila Nunan were knocked out of the race in the five-seat European Parliament constituency on Wednesday morning after the 15th count. Fianna Fails Malcolm Byrne was eliminated on the 16th count. FFs Malcolm Byrne has been eliminated in the 16th count #IrelandSouth. I4C @wallacemick is in second place, followed by the GPs @GraceOSllvn, FFs @BillyKelleherTD and SFs @LiadhNiRiadaMEP. Next count should see second seat filled #EP2019 @PA pic.twitter.com/OuHvTJHGMV Michelle Devane (@michelledevane) May 29, 2019 Party colleague Billy Kelleher took the second seat and was elected as an MEP on Wednesday evening. Mr Kelleher was elected from Mr Byrnes transfers. Independents 4 Change candidate Mick Wallace looks set to take the next seat in the coming counts. The race for the fifth seat, the Brexit seat, remains tight and cannot be taken up until Britain leaves the EU. Fine Gaels incumbent MEP Deirdre Clune is in fourth place, while Green Party senator Grace OSullivan remains fifth followed by Sinn Feins Liadh Ni Riada. Speaking at the count, Ms OSullivan said: I was looking for a little miracle and it has happened. We knew all along that the Shield Nunan/Labour vote would be a good transfer. We expected that there would be a green vote coming out of Andrew Doyles because of Wicklow and that strong green position in Wicklow so I got that absolute boost. Now I am feeling very confident but it still has a way to go. Happy days so far. Sinn Fein remain confident that their candidate can take a seat. Speaking at the count centre, Sinn Fein TD Jonathan OBrien said he still believed they were in a very strong position. Asked if the party would be disappointed if Ms Ni Riada ends up taking the fifth seat, he said: A seat is a seat, we set out to win a seat. If its the fifth seat obviously we will need to analyse the impact that has because nobody is exactly sure what the fifth seat entails yet. The mammoth count at Nemo Rangers GAA Club in Co Cork is set to run into a fifth day. It could be Thursday evening before the count wraps up. Fine Gaels Sean Kelly became the first person elected in the constituency on Tuesday afternoon after topping the poll with 119,883 votes. The Kerryman, who was first elected as an MEP in 2009, topped the poll in the first count with 118,444 first preference votes, but he failed to reach the quota of 119,866. It was the ninth count before he surpassed the quota by 17 votes to take the first seat. The former GAA president hailed the win as probably the greatest moment in my political career to be returned top of the poll by so many people. The count, which began on Sunday, has been delayed by the sheer size and volume of the 2ft long ballot papers featuring 23 candidates. Ireland South, which has an electorate of 1.4 million, had a total poll of 755,000 votes. Distribution of transfers continues late into the third night of counting in #IrelandSouth #EP2019 pic.twitter.com/121hCipZXL Michelle Devane (@michelledevane) May 28, 2019 It means some 200 staff have been struggling to grapple with 750,000 ballot papers, weighing 7.5 tonnes. Six seats in the European elections in the Irish Republic have been filled. Fine Gael MEP Sean Kelly took the first seat in the Ireland South constituency, joining Mairead McGuinness, Frances Fitzgerald, Clare Daly, Barry Andrews and Ciaran Cuffe. The former GAA president was elected on the ninth count with 119,883 votes, after surpassing the quota of 119,866. It is now a battle between Fianna Fail's Billy Kelleher and Independents4Change candidate Mick Wallace to claim the second seat. Sinn Fein's Lynn Boylan was eliminated from the Dublin constituency and her votes were redistributed following a dispute over the transfer of votes. Independents4Change TD Ms Daly took the third seat, while Fianna Fail's Mr Andrews will take Dublin's fourth seat, one of two extras Ireland has been allocated in the wake of Brexit. Mr Andrews will not be travelling to Brussels to begin work as an MEP until the UK leaves the EU. Speaking afterwards, Ms Daly said: "I hope to bring the same fighting ability that I demonstrate in the Dail. I really wanted the mandate of the Dublin electorate to be respected, so I was quite prepared if Lynn Boylan's votes had put me out; I would have lived with that." Earlier yesterday, a recount was ordered following a request from the Fianna Fail candidate. Green Party candidate Mr Cuffe and Fine Gael's Ms Fitzgerald have both secured their seats in this constituency. In the Midlands North West constituency, Fine Gael's Ms McGuinness topped the poll and was elected on Monday. Independent Luke 'Ming' Flanagan also looks likely to return to the European Parliament with Ms McGuinness, however no one was elected in the constituency after a long day of waiting in Castlebar yesterday. Sinn Fein's Matt Carthy, Fine Gael's Maria Walsh, a former Rose of Tralee, and the Londonderry-born former presidential candidate Peter Casey, who is standing as an independent, are also vying for the three seats that remain unfilled. The Taoiseach has hailed Fine Gael's performance at the European elections as the "biggest and best" for 35 years. Leo Varadkar insisted his party was still in the hunt for five seats. "The European elections are shaping up to be very good for Fine Gael, we have about 30% of the vote which is our biggest and best result since 1984," he said. "Contrast that with Fianna Fail who are having one of their lowest vote shares ever." Yesterday evening counting looked likely to finish in the local elections with the last remaining of the Republic's 949 council seats to be filled. Fianna Fail has retained its position as the largest party at local government level, with Fine Gael not making the gains it had hoped for. The Green Party enjoyed a surge in support, while Sinn Fein suffered a bruising poll, losing many councillors. Friday's election day also saw voters deliver a resounding Yes vote to liberalise Ireland's divorce laws, with the length of time separated couples must wait to obtain a formal divorce now set to be halved. Fine Gael is to launch an internal review into Maria Baileys personal injury claim. It was confirmed that the Taoiseach met with the Dublin South TD on Wednesday afternoon. Expand Close An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar met with Ms Bailey (Brian Lawless/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar met with Ms Bailey (Brian Lawless/PA) A statement from Fine Gael said: An Taoiseach and Fine Gael party leader Leo Varadkar met today with Deputy Maria Bailey. In relation to a civil case which Deputy Bailey is withdrawing from the courts, Fine Gael is undertaking an internal review to establish all facts. The review will be undertaken by David Kennedy, Senior Counsel. Deputy Maria Bailey has agreed to participate fully with this review. Fine Gael will not be making any further comment at this time. Mrs Bailey took a personal injury claim against an upmarket Dublin hotel after falling from a swing in its cocktail bar. She has faced intense scrutiny since details of the case were reported last week. The case has caused anger among senior colleagues in Fine Gael, especially as the negative media coverage came in the days before Ireland went to the polls in the local and European elections. Mrs Bailey, who says she has been subjected to trial by media, revealed at the weekend that she has now dropped the action against the Dean Hotel, insisting she had only taken it to recoup medical costs for an injured back. Two Irish witnesses have travelled to France to give evidence against a British man accused of murdering a French film directors wife more than 20 years ago. Ian Bailey, 62, is accused of killing Sophie Toscan du Plantier outside Schull, West Cork, two days before Christmas in 1996. She was the wife of celebrated cinematographer Daniel Toscan du Plantier and the case is one of Irelands most famous unsolved murders. Expand Close Bailey denies killing Sophie Toscan du Plantier (Family handout/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Bailey denies killing Sophie Toscan du Plantier (Family handout/PA) Bailey, who lived three kilometres from the victim, was arrested twice in connection with the murder but was never charged, amid allegations of incompetence and corruption among local officers. In witness statements read to the court on Tuesday, six locals claim Bailey confessed to them over the killing, but he denies any involvement in Ms Toscan du Plantiers death or making any confession. The case has taken many twists and turns over the years, including Bailey bringing a successful defamation case against newspapers in 2014. The only witness to put him at the scene at the time of the killing later retracted her evidence, claiming she had been groomed and bullied by investigators into giving false evidence. In a bid to finally get justice for Ms Toscan du Plantiers family, French authorities began their own investigation in 2008. A total of 28 people from West Cork have been interviewed by French police since 2008. After two failed extradition bids, Bailey is being tried in his absence at the Cour dAssises in Paris Frances highest criminal court. But the week-long trial has been hamstrung by Irish witnesses reluctance to attend. Many complained they were not given enough warning, or did not have enough money to fund a trip to Paris. One woman who did make the trip was Amanda Reed, mother of Malachi Reed who was 14 at the time of the killing. Expand Close Amanda Reed travelled to France as a witness (Tess de la Mare/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Amanda Reed travelled to France as a witness (Tess de la Mare/PA) Ms Reed, 60, told the court Malachi, who is now in his mid-30s, claimed at the time that Bailey had confessed to the killing as he gave him a lift home. She said that on February 4 1997, her son had admitted getting a lift from Bailey while Bailey was quite drunk. He told me something had happened in the car and he didnt realise how serious it was, she said. Mr Bailey had turned round to him in the car and said I went up there and smashed her brains in with a rock. She continued: He was very upset and I said to him that it was a very serious thing and we had to speak to the gardai it wasnt for us to decide what this thing was about and we just told the guards. Ms Reed said, according to Malachi, the comment had come out of nowhere and they hadnt been talking about the case. She said he hadnt told her straight away because he had been afraid she would be angry with him for getting in a car with Bailey when he was clearly drunk. The witness said that following the alleged comment from Bailey, Malachi had been so frightened he had bought new locks for their doors. Mr Reed declined to attend the court in France. Ms Reed said the incident had a huge effect on her sons life, which was made even harder because of his age. She said: Then Mr Bailey took the newspapers to court a few years later and Malachi went to court for that case and the newspapers put him all over the front page so he was very famous in Ireland for a while and that was not easy for him. Also in attendance was Bill Fuller, a man who had considered himself a friend of Bailey. Expand Close Bill Fuller, right, leaves the Cour dAssises in Paris (Tess de la Mare/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Bill Fuller, right, leaves the Cour dAssises in Paris (Tess de la Mare/PA) Mr Fuller claims Bailey recounted a scenario to him the day after the murder, telling him: You did it you saw her in Spar and she got you excited as she walked through the aisles with her tight arse. You went to her place to see what you could get, but she wasnt interested so you attacked her. She tried to escape and you ran after her. Then you threw something at the back of her head and you went further than you planned to. Mr Fuller told the court he believes Bailey was just recounting what had actually happened and switching the perpetrator. Other accounts of Baileys alleged confessions were read to the court, including one from Helen Callanan, who was editor of the Sunday Tribune at the time of the murder. She hired Bailey as a freelancer to cover the case, but when she confronted him over rumours he was a suspect, he responded: It was me, I did it, I killed her to resurrect my [journalism] career. The case is due to be decided by a judge and two professional magistrates on Friday. Bailey has branded the case in France a show trial but if he were to be convicted and then extradited, he would be tried again by a jury and given the opportunity to mount a defence. A British man accused of the murder of a French woman in Ireland more than 20 years ago could have a personality disorder, according to two psychologists. Ian Bailey, 62, is accused of killing Sophie Toscan du Plantier outside Schull, West Cork, two days before Christmas in 1996. She was the wife of celebrated cinematographer Daniel Toscan du Plantier and the case is one of Irelands most famous unsolved murders. Bailey, who lived three kilometres from the victim, was arrested twice in connection with the murder but was never charged, amid allegations of incompetence and corruption among local officers. Following a 23-year fight for justice by Ms Toscan du Plantiers family, Bailey is now being tried in his absence at the Cour DAssises in Paris Frances highest criminal court. Expand Close Sophie Toscan du Plantier (Family Handout/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sophie Toscan du Plantier (Family Handout/PA) Ireland has twice refused to comply with a European arrest warrant and extradite Bailey. On Wednesday, the court heard evidence from a report written by two French psychologists tasked with making a personality assessment of Bailey. The experts, Katy Lorenzo-Regreny and Jean Michel Masson, never met Bailey and instead based their report on his diaries and his interviews given to the local gardai. They concluded Bailey had a particularly complex and intelligent personality but said he was a narcissist, violent and impulsive and self-obsessed. The authors of the report added Bailey had a great need to be recognised. It said Bailey had the traits of someone with a personality disorder, but that there was no evidence he was psychotic, the court heard. In one diary entry referred to earlier in the trial, Bailey allegedly admits assaulting his partner, writing: I cant say what happens to me after Ive drunk a bottle of whisky, two pints, wine and several shots of tequila. The case has taken many twists and turns over the years, including Bailey bringing a successful defamation case against newspapers in 2014. The only witness to put him at the scene at the time of the killing later retracted her evidence, claiming she had been groomed and bullied by investigators into giving false evidence. The French authorities started their own investigation in 2008 interviewing 28 West Cork locals and exhuming Ms Toscan du Plantiers body in the hope of finding further forensic evidence. The case is due to be decided by a judge and two professional magistrates on Friday after hearing just three days of evidence. Bailey has branded the case in France a show trial but if he were to be convicted and then extradited, he would be tried again by a jury and given the opportunity to mount a defence. The son of a Frenchwoman murdered in West Cork 23 years ago has described her as a loving woman who craved the simplicity of life in Ireland. Sophie Toscan du Plantier was brutally killed outside Schull two days before Christmas in 1996. She was the wife of famous director Daniel Toscan du Plantier, and the case is one of the countrys most famous unsolved murders. The gardais main suspect, 62-year-old Ian Bailey, was never tried in Ireland amid allegations of incompetence and corruption against local investigators. Expand Close Pierre-Louis Baudey-Vignaud at the Cour dAssises in Paris (Tess del la Mare/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Pierre-Louis Baudey-Vignaud at the Cour dAssises in Paris (Tess del la Mare/PA) Bailey, who lived three kilometres from the victim, was arrested twice in connection with the murder but was never charged. At least six people claim he has confessed to the killing, but no forensic evidence was ever found to link him to the crime. The only witness to put him close to the scene at the time of Ms Toscan du Plantiers death later retracted her evidence, claiming she had been both groomed and bullied by detectives into giving false evidence. Following a long battle for justice by the victims family, Bailey is now being tried in his absence at the Cour DAssises in Paris Frances highest criminal court. Expand Close The Palais de Justice de Paris where the trial of Ian Bailey is taking place (Steve Parsons/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Palais de Justice de Paris where the trial of Ian Bailey is taking place (Steve Parsons/PA) At the conclusion of three days of evidence, Pierre-Louis Baudey-Vignaud Ms Toscan du Plantiers son from a previous marriage was given the opportunity to talk about his mother. He said: I want it to be remembered the love this person brought and the regard that everyone who knew her had for her. She was someone who didnt have a bad word to say about anyone. Mr Baudey-Vignauds parents divorced when he was very young and he was largely raised by his mother. He said: There was a large part of my life when I was alone with her we shared the same apartment, the same room and we knew each other well. She was someone who didnt want only a life of ease. She was a woman who was passionate and a woman who was intelligent. He said his mothers decision to buy her holiday home in West Cork reflected her love of the wilderness and of simplicity. He added that the house itself reflected her personality: It was simple but it was comfortable. Describing her relationship with his step-father, who he still nicknames Toscan, he said: He was such a strong personality. They were both vibrant people full of life. They had a loving relationship that was both passionate and romantic and like everyone they had their ups and downs. He said that his mother did not go to Ireland to escape her husband, but because she sometimes needed to escape their glamorous and very public life. Expand Close Ian Bailey leaving the Court of Appeal in Dublin after an earlier hearing (Niall Carson/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ian Bailey leaving the Court of Appeal in Dublin after an earlier hearing (Niall Carson/PA) His mother and the director married when he was around four years old and she was his third wife, but he said: This [relationship] was not just an attraction. It was something that was very profound. Baileys lawyers did not attend, but a member of his legal team was sitting in the public gallery taking notes. Bailey has always denied vehemently denied the murder and has never been prosecuted in Ireland. Mr Baudey-Vignaud hit out at Bailey for his lack of courage for choosing not to defend himself. The family still own the cottage where Ms Toscan du Plantier was killed, and Mr Baudey-Vignaud said the court had a duty of justice to his children to ensure they could feel safe there. Ms Toscan du Plantiers brother Bertrand Bouniol and her aunt Marie-Madeline Opalka also shared their memories of her. Ms Opalka said: She should be here now walking free. Its important that justice is done. Ireland has twice refused to comply with a European arrest warrant and extradite Bailey. Expand Close Sophie Toscan du Plantier (Family handout/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sophie Toscan du Plantier (Family handout/PA) The case has seen many twists over the years, including Bailey bringing a successful defamation case against newspapers in 2014. The French authorities started their own investigation in 2008 interviewing 28 West Cork locals and exhuming the victims body in the hope of finding further forensic evidence. The case is due to be decided by a judge and two professional magistrates on Friday after hearing just three days of evidence. Bailey has branded the case in France a show trial but if he were to be convicted and then extradited, he would be tried again by a jury and given the opportunity to mount a defence. The case can be seen as another means of bringing pressure to bear on Ireland to hand over the defendant. The trial closed with a passionate speech from lawyer for the family Marie Dose. Ms Dose said Bailey was lying when he claimed not to know the victim, and that he had become obsessed with the idea of her. That evening he drank and he drank and he drank he was completely drunk. That is the personality of this man, she said. She continued: From his house you have a direct view of her cottage, he saw her light and he knew she was there. He knows where she lives and he knew she was alone. She said Ms Toscan du Plantier because she was beautiful, French and the wife of a celebrity was exactly the type of woman that egotistical Bailey would have wanted to get to know. He saw what he saw, he saw the light, he was a drunken rage and he wanted to go out, she said. It was the middle of the night and he was aroused. He said he had made the journey on foot with the soul intention of having sex with the victim. Ms Dose said Baileys drunken rage was such that the victim would have believed she was answering the door to someone who was in distress. The judge and two professional magistrates are due to deliver their verdict on Friday. Independents 4 Change candidate Mick Wallace has leap-frogged Fianna Fails Billy Kelleher into second place in Ireland South. But after a third mammoth day of counting it is still not clear who will claim the second seat in the constituency. Fine Gaels Sean Kelly was elected in the five-seater constituency on Tuesday afternoon after topping the poll with 119,883 votes. I am so grateful to all of my supporters over the last decade, my family, my team, @FineGael, everyone who came out on the campaign trail to help. Thank you for re-electing me to the @Europarl_EN - you knew you could #CountOnKelly! Go raibh maith agaibh, ar aghaidh leis on obair! pic.twitter.com/MQuNqWDGK8 Sean Kelly MEP (@SeanKellyMEP) May 28, 2019 The former GAA president hailed the win as probably the greatest moment in my political career to be returned top of the poll by so many people. Counting at the Nemo Rangers count centre in Co Cork continued late into the evening on Tuesday without any further declarations. It is expected to be Wednesday afternoon before another candidate reaches the quota. Speaking after he was elected on the ninth count Mr Kelly said he was ecstatic. Its something that I never expected, I couldnt expect to be that high especially with three candidates from Fine Gael and Im most grateful to everybody involved. I want to return to Brussels and really work hard for Ireland over the next five years, he said. Mr Kelly added that he would deliver for voters and make sure Irelands voice is heard in the European parliament. Ill do like I did for the last five yearsI will deliverThe European Parliament is about compromise, Im good at that. Asked whether there were MEPs milking the system, he said: There are obviously those who work, there are obviously those who dont. Im thinking particularly of the far right, the extremists like Nigel Farage and those, they arent renowned for workingbut those of us who believe in the European Union, who want the EU to be strong and above all for Ireland to play a strong part into the future were going to work our butts off. The Kerry native, who was first elected as an MEP in 2009, topped the poll in the first count with 118,444 first preference votes, but he failed to reach the quota of 119,866. It was the ninth count before he surpassed the quota by 17 votes to take the seat. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar tweeted his congratulations to Mr Kelly on becoming the first over the line in the 12-county constituency. Congratulations to @SeanKellyMEP, first over the line in Ireland South #ep2019 Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) May 28, 2019 Wexford TD Mick Wallace overtook Cork North Central TD Fianna Fails Billy Kelleher to take the second place after the 12th count on Tuesday evening. Outgoing Sinn Fein MEP Liadh Ni Riada is on course to take fourth place, while the Greens Grace OSullivan continues to perform well coming in in fifth place. Counting began on Sunday with 23 candidates on the two-foot long ballot paper. Expand Close Senator Paudie Coffey (right) talks with Fine Gael MEP Sean Kelly (Michelle Devane/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Senator Paudie Coffey (right) talks with Fine Gael MEP Sean Kelly (Michelle Devane/PA) The sheer size and volume of the ballot papers have delayed progress at the count centre, some 200 staff are grappling with 750,000 ballot papers, weighing 7.5 tonnes. It is a worrying time for the Green party senator Ms OSullivan, incumbent Fine Gael MEP Ms Clune and sitting Sinn Fein MEP Ms Ni Riada. The three women are likely going to battle it out for the fourth and fifth seats in the constituency. Fianna Fails second candidate Mr Byrne and Fine Gaels third candidate in the running, junior minister Andrew Doyle, will be hoping transfers will see them overtake other candidates to claim a seat. Ireland South, which has an electorate of 1.4 million, had a total poll of 755,000 votes. The latest indications are it may take until Thursday afternoon before all five seats are allocated. The Honest to Dog initiative will run across BrewDog bars in June (BrewDog/PA) BrewDog will allow fans to decide what they want to pay for beer at the craft brewerys bars around the world. The Scottish firm is running the Honest to Dog initiative from June 3 to 9 in all but seven of its venues. But there is a catch it is only available to its 106,000 shareholders known as Equity Punks. In a completely unprecedented move, we are going to turn our BrewDog bars into honesty bars for our fans for an entire week. Honest to Dog is a crazy, week long global experiment in business. Find our more here: https://t.co/9HyTtJGxHv pic.twitter.com/DnulISnnQ8 James Watt (@BrewDogJames) May 29, 2019 Those who pay less than the value of their bill will be given a feedback card to explain why. Any overpayments will be split between the BrewDog Foundation and staff at the bar. Co-founder James Watt said: With BrewDog being a community-owned business, its important for us to know what customers think of our products. With the Honest to Dog initiative we want to show our commitment to our Equity Punks by putting them in the drivers seat so they can tell us what they think our products are worth and most importantly, why. This is a ground-breaking social and business experiment that has never been done before. We want to take the risk no matter the financial profit as we think that the results will be invaluable. To that end, we also want to share these results with the world in order to create a better business model and relationship with our fans. Scotland: Inverurie, Edinburgh Airport Iceland: Reykjavik Norway: Oslo Italy: Florence, Bologna, Rome Venues that will not become honesty bars are Inverurie, Edinburgh Airport, Reykjavik, Oslo, Florence, Bologna and Rome. Minimum alcohol pricing legislation will come into play with proposed pricing according to the firm in their native Scotland as well as some international markets. Feedback given during the initiative which includes food orders will be published online afterwards. Walter Wolfgang found himself in the public eye after being ejected from the 2005 Labour conference (Andrew Parsons/PA) Veteran Labour activist Walter Wolfgang has died aged 95, with Jeremy Corbyn leading tributes to the courageous moral leader. Mr Wolfgang found himself in the public eye after being ejected by security at the 2005 Labour conference for heckling then-foreign secretary Jack Straw during a speech on Iraq. Expand Close Police officers lead Walter Wolfgang away from the Labour Party conference in Brighton (Andrew Parsons/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Police officers lead Walter Wolfgang away from the Labour Party conference in Brighton (Andrew Parsons/PA) The veteran peace campaigner, then 82, shouted nonsense and images of him being removed from the conference hall proved a major embarrassment to the leadership. Deeply saddened to hear that my old friend Walter Wolfgang has died. He escaped Nazi Germany and has campaigned for... Posted by Jeremy Corbyn on Wednesday, May 29, 2019 Mr Corbyn said he was deeply saddened by the death of his old friend. He escaped Nazi Germany and has campaigned for peace and socialism ever since, including his passionate opposition to the Iraq War, Mr Corbyn said. I visited Walter in the hospital shortly before he died. He was very ill but his mind was still sharp. I asked him to record a message on my phone. He said: The object of the Labour Party and the peace movement is a peaceful world without exploitation. Thats what Walter taught me for all the years I knew him. He was a very dear friend and a courageous moral leader. Yesterday, we said our goodbyes. He will be greatly missed. We're very sad to learn that Walter Wolfgang has died. Walter was a founding member of CND and on the committee which organised the first Aldermaston march. Active with CND until the very end, we say thank you for the enormous contribution Walter made to peace and disarmament. pic.twitter.com/JJQKoafixy CND (@CNDuk) May 29, 2019 The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament also paid tribute to Mr Wolfgang, a founding member of the group. We say thank you for the enormous contribution Walter made to peace and disarmament, CND said on Twitter. Unite union chief Len McCluskey said Mr Wolfgang was a lifelong socialist and man of peace who had no trouble calling out the Iraq war lies. A drunk passenger on a British Airways plane travelling from London to South Africa had to be forcibly restrained by cabin crew, a court has heard. Emma Langford, 47, admitted being drunk on board flight BA043 that left Heathrow Airport for Cape Town on December 6 last year. A court heard that Langford was verbally abusive towards staff, who claimed she was behaving erratically and smelt of alcohol. It was also alleged that she attacked three members of the flights cabin crew before being restrained in her seat. Appearing at Uxbridge Magistrates Court on Wednesday, Langford, of Old Basing, Hampshire, admitted a charge of being drunk on an aircraft and one of behaving in an abusive manner towards flight staff. She pleaded not guilty to three charges of assault by beating against Matthew Richardson, Monique Foulger and Poppy Haynes all British Airways employees. Langford also admitted a charge of causing criminal damage, on the basis that she acted recklessly when she smashed crockery and glasses to the floor during the flight. Prosecutors claim her behaviour in breaking British Airways property was deliberate. Expand Close Emma Langford, 47, leaves Uxbridge Magistrates Court (Kirsty OConnor/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Emma Langford, 47, leaves Uxbridge Magistrates Court (Kirsty OConnor/PA) Mr Richardson, a customer services manager whose statement was read to the court by prosecutor Zara Khan, claimed that he and several colleagues were assaulted by a passenger who later had to be forcibly restrained on the flight. According to his account, Langford had approached flight staff in the planes galley area around 30 minutes after take-off, demanding a drink. Mr Richardson said Langford, who was raising her voice and displaying agitated body language, complained that she had been on the flight for ages and was thirsty and wanted a drink. During this conversation I could smell alcohol on Emma, Mr Richardson said. Langford denied she had been drinking when asked, was given a bottle of water, and was repeatedly asked to calm down and return to her seat, the court heard. Mr Richardson added: She approached me with a puffed-up chest and was behaving erratically again, she was verbally abusive. The court heard that staff grew increasingly concerned over Langfords behaviour, which included chasing away a member of cabin crew and shouting abuse, before she allegedly launched an attack on Mr Richardson. He claimed she hit me several times, including being punched around three times in his left collar bone. During the flight, Mr Richardsons colleague, Ms Haynes, was also allegedly assaulted, the court heard. At one point Langford tipped up a drawer of plates and tray of glasses, causing them to break, Mr Richardson said. Eventually, she was served with a violation notice by staff on the plane, the court heard. She then ripped it up and responded saying Blah, blah, blah, Mr Richardson said. His statement added that Langford was restrained in her seat for the rest of the journey. Langford, who appeared in court wearing a black top, jeans and leopard-print shoes, was bailed ahead of a two-day trial and Newton hearing at the same court, starting on August 12. CCTV screengrab of the van driven by the terrorist heading north past the London Bridge underground station (Met Police/PA) Terrorists behind one of Londons bloodiest attacks could have been targeting Oxford Street but diverted to London Bridge on route, an inquest heard. Eight people were killed and 48 more were hurt when Khuram Butt, 27, Rachid Redouane, 30, and Youssef Zaghba, 22, launched their van and knife attack on June 3 2017. The three men had mowed down pedestrians on London Bridge before rampaging through Borough Market, the Old Bailey heard. The court was told a mobile phone was later found in their van with directions to Londons busy shopping district. Expand Close Rachid Redouane and Youssef Zaghba entering the Ummah Fitness Centre in Ilford (Met Police/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Rachid Redouane and Youssef Zaghba entering the Ummah Fitness Centre in Ilford (Met Police/PA) Acting Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Jolley said it was possible the attackers could have switched their attention to London Bridge on route from east London where they lived. Afterwards, police also uncovered viable petrol bombs in the hire van and fake suicide vests, he said. The court was shown CCTV of the attackers making their final preparations. Expand Close Zhuram Butt with his family on the day of the attack (Met Police/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Zhuram Butt with his family on the day of the attack (Met Police/PA) In the footage, married Butt and Redouane appeared to play the role of doting fathers with their young children hours before unleashing carnage. DCI Jolley told the court that all three attackers were working together by at least January 14 2017. They regularly trained at the Ummah Fitness Centre in Ilford and went on Sunday swimming trips to Stratford. On May 14, Redouane was pictured at Butts barbecue celebrating the birth of his daughter. Expand Close CCTV still of Rachid Redouane, one of the terrorists involved in the attack, buying ceramic knives at a Lidl store days before (Met Police/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp CCTV still of Rachid Redouane, one of the terrorists involved in the attack, buying ceramic knives at a Lidl store days before (Met Police/PA) The 12in pink Ernesto ceramic knives used in the attack were bought by Redouane at East Hams Lidl at 10.15pm the next day. On May 29, the attackers were seen on CCTV footage meeting at to the fitness centre. The following day, Redouane went back to the same Lidl to buy wine bottles for the makeshift petrol bombs. DNA analysis suggested Redouane also made the fake suicide belts, with help from Zaghba, the court heard. Shortly before midday on June 3, Butt had gone walking with his family in a park. He was captured on CCTV withdrawing cash to hire the van, accompanied by his oldest child. Expand Close Zhuram Butt in his flat block on the day of the attack (Met Police/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Zhuram Butt in his flat block on the day of the attack (Met Police/PA) The young boy was shown tugging at Butts shirt before his father gathered him into his arms at the cashpoint. Later, Butt made an online booking to hire a van from Hertz. He had tried to hire a seven-and-a-half tonne lorry but the branch he had requested to collect it from had closed at 11am that day, the court heard. At around 4.30pm all the attackers were outside Butts block, with Redouane accompanied by his child. CCTV footage showed them travelling together in Redouanes red Corsa to pick up the hire van and 29 bags of gravel to add weight from a B&Q store in Harold Hill, Romford. Expand Close The red corsa belonging to Rachid Redouane being driven in the Barking and Dagenham area on the day of the attack (Met Police/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The red corsa belonging to Rachid Redouane being driven in the Barking and Dagenham area on the day of the attack (Met Police/PA) Redouane dropped off his child before joining the others at Zaghbas home at Fairfield Road in Ilford. The attackers stopped off in the van at a Shell garage at 7.54pm, where they bought diesel, drinks and snack bars before heading to Butts Barking address. While there, the attackers loaded up black plastic chairs before setting off at 8.55pm towards central London. They mounted the kerb and launched their attack on the bridge just before 10.07pm. Within 10 minutes, the terrorists had been shot dead by police marksmen. Hundreds of people have attended a memorial service for former Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown. Family, friends and former colleagues gathered at St Johns Church in Yeovil, Somerset, to pay tribute to the politician. The former long-standing MP for Yeovil died surrounded by family on December 22 last year aged 77 weeks after he revealed he had been diagnosed with bladder cancer. The service was conducted by the Reverend James Dudley-Smith and attended by Lord Ashdowns widow Jane and his family. Expand Close Jane Courtenay, wife of Paddy Ashdown, arrives for the service (Ben Birchall/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jane Courtenay, wife of Paddy Ashdown, arrives for the service (Ben Birchall/PA) Among those paying public tribute was David Laws, who succeeded him as Yeovils MP in 2001. Mr Laws said: Paddy did some of his best work not just in Yeovil and the United Kingdom, but overseas; in Bosnia; he was a passionate supporter of the European Union and the United Nations. But he was very definitely not the Citizen of Nowhere that our current Prime Minister once talked of. He saw no conflict at all in his loyalty to his home village of Norton-sub-Hamdon, his constituency of Yeovil, his county home of Somerset and his country, but also simultaneously to Bosnia, to the European Union, the United Nations, to the children of Africa he fought for in his Unicef role. Expand Close An order of service from the event (Ben Birchall/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp An order of service from the event (Ben Birchall/PA) He rejected a false choice of country or town versus the wider world and he believed instinctively in pulling down the walls and barriers that divide us. It is a tragedy that we lost Paddy in our country at a time when he had some much to contribute to the current debates about our future. He was always a fighter, a battler and an optimist and would have drawn great comfort from the recent performance of the party he led and loved. And he would have judged as a liberal, as a historian and as an optimist that eventually good in mankind will prevail and we will return again not to building walls but to breaking down barriers that divide us. Expand Close Paddy Ashdown pictured with his wife Jane, on the day he was elected the leader of the new Social and Liberal Democratic Party in 1988 (PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Paddy Ashdown pictured with his wife Jane, on the day he was elected the leader of the new Social and Liberal Democratic Party in 1988 (PA) The congregation sang Lord Ashdowns favourite hymn, I Vow To Thee, My Country, as well as the naval hymn Eternal Father, Strong To Save. Lord Ashdown was the MP for Yeovil from 1983 to 2001 and leader of the Liberal Democrats from 1988 to 1999. His career prior to politics included service in the elite Special Boat Service, and the Foreign Office. Following an outspoken career as an MP, he went on to serve as High Representative to Bosnia and Herzegovina and later as an active member of the House of Lords. An inquiry was launched after two people died at the Glasgow hospital (Jane Barlow/PA) The review into a Glasgow hospital where two people died after contracting an infection is expected to report back with its findings in spring of next year. An independent investigation was announced following an infection outbreak at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) earlier this year. The infection contracted by the two people who died is thought to have been related to pigeon droppings. It is essential that those affected by the issues examined by the independent review have the opportunity to have their views heardHealth Secretary Jeane Freeman Speaking at the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday, Jeane Freeman said she expects the review to fully address and investigate all matters it considers relevant to its investigation. Ms Freeman said it would include looking at the buildings design, commissioning and construction, handover and ongoing maintenance at the QEUH. The Health Secretary said the co-chairs of the inquiry have started to review documentation and have been consulting experts from various fields in order to appoint the review panel. The terms of reference have also been produced and will now be discussed with stakeholders, the Health Secretary said. Ms Freeman said: The co-chairs have reviewed a considerable amount of documentation and consulted extensively. They have also sought advice from experts from different fields with the aim of appointing individuals to the Independent Review Panel or asking them to lead advisory work-streams as part of the review process. As a result of their work so far, the co-chairs have drafted terms of reference for the review, and intend to ask stakeholders for their feedback to ensure that the review remains correctly focused. It is essential that those affected by the issues examined by the independent review have the opportunity to have their views heard. The co-chairs therefore welcome communications on the matters being considered by the review. She added: As the review progresses, regular updates will be provided and, where significant findings emerge, these will be reported and acted on promptly. The review must remain flexible to accommodate valuable contributions in order to produce a thorough, searching review of all key events and issues at stake, and to make recommendations to ensure that NHS Scotland facilities are fit for purpose and support the delivery of world class health care. Expand Close Lewis Macdonald has called for more information (Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lewis Macdonald has called for more information (Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament/PA) Earlier on Wednesday, MSPs wrote to Ms Freeman to seek greater clarity on the probe. Holyroods Health and Sport Committee has carried out its own inquiry into healthcare environments across Scotland but its convener, Lewis Macdonald, said the Government must provide further information on the probe. He said: Our inquiry into healthcare environments across Scotland raised a number of concerns and, while the Cabinet Secretary was able to address some of those in her response, more information is needed. There are areas, particularly around the independent inquiry into Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, where the Government must provide more clarity. Its vital that people have faith in the independent process of an inquiry and that it is as comprehensive as possible so that lessons can be learned from the recent incidents at QUEH. Health Secretary Jeane Freeman MSP has warned about the damaging impact of Brexit on the Scottish NHS (Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament/PA) Preparation for medicine shortages and stockpiling of medical devices after Brexit is under way, the Health Secretary has said. Jeane Freeman told MSPs that the Scottish Government cannot remove or mitigate all the risks involved with Brexit, but they were working to limit any damaging consequences on the health service in Scotland. Preparation for a post-Brexit NHS has included the creation of a medicine shortage response group, support for health boards and helping European citizens working in the health service or social care who may be affected if the UK leaves the EU. Many medicine supply issues are outside our control, but we have established a medicine shortage response group and are working with NHS national services on medical devices stockpilingJeane Freeman, Health Secretary Speaking in the Scottish Parliament, Ms Freeman said: The Scottish Government shares the concerns of health boards on supply continuity, research and workforce. We continue to plan and prepare so we can manage the impact. But we need to be clear, we cannot remove or mitigate all the risks involved with Brexit. Alongside activation of our Scottish Government resilience room, weve established a health response hub to assist boards, weve written to EU staff and are supporting those staff who are applying for settled status. Many medicine supply issues are outside our control, but we have established a medicine shortage response group and are working with NHS national services on medical devices stockpiling. Responding to a question by Gil Paterson MSP, Ms Freeman added that a no-deal Brexit would cause a significant shock to our economic system which will, in due course, produce additional demands on our health service. With the end of freedom of movement we know that in health, and in particular social care, we will be severely challenged in terms of our workforce. It is quite astonishing that in this century, in this country, we are busy working out how to feed and look after our citizens because we are being taken against our will out of the European Union. Police attending the scene found that the suspected bomb was a false alarm Reports of an unexploded bomb washed on the banks of the River Thames turned out to be a giant Christmas bauble. Metropolitan Police officers were called to the glittery ornament, which was seen near Wapping, east London, after it was mistaken for an explosive. Officers were called to Wapping to investigate a possible unexploded device that had been washed up on the shore. Luckily, upon closer inspection, it is a giant glittery Christmas bauble! pic.twitter.com/L6mCzr4Gjk Tower Hamlets Police (@MPSTowerHam) May 29, 2019 After it was inspected and officers luckily discovered no threat, Tower Hamlets police took to Twitter to joke about the incident, accompanied by festive emojis. The Hackney police Twitter account replied: That is a Wapping great bauble. Fortunately not as given, but shows as our training teaches us expect the unexpected. This comes less than a week after an unexploded Second World War bomb was discovered in Kingston-Upon-Thames, south west London. That is a Wapping great bauble. Fortunately not as given, but shows as our training teaches us 'expect the unexpected' https://t.co/e57PCeCvek Hackney Police (@MPSHackney) May 29, 2019 Students from Kingston University and nearby homes had to be evacuated while a specialist team disposed of the device. A rock-slide and avalanche stranded 13 cyclists for about eight hours at Glacier National Park in Montana on Monday. Park officials say the cyclists were cold but otherwise unhurt in the incident. The park closed the road to pedestrian and bicycle traffic after the significant rock-slide blocked the Going-to-the-Sun Road and prevented emergency vehicles from passing through. Park officials say an avalanche blocked the road, preventing the cyclists from returning to West Glacier. A road crew cleared the rock-slide and then cut a path through the avalanche debris to free the cyclists. According to park officials, it is not uncommon for park visitors to become trapped by a rock-slide up to twice a year. Huawei is challenging the constitutionality of a law that limits its sales of telecom equipment (AP/Mark Schiefelbein) Chinese tech giant Huawei has filed a motion in a US court challenging the constitutionality of a law that limits its sales of telecoms equipment, the latest action in an ongoing clash with Washington. Huaweis chief legal officer Song Liuping said the firm had filed a motion for summary judgment asking the court to rule on whether it is constitutional for the US to implement a military spending provision that bars the government and its contractors from using its equipment. Huawei is the biggest global maker of network equipment, but it is now fighting to maintain access to major markets for next-generation communications as the US claims the company threatens international cybersecurity. In March, Huawei launched its suit against the US law in Plano, Texas, the headquarters of its US operations. Politicians in the US are using the strength of an entire nation to come after a private company. This is not normal.Song Liuping The summary judgment motion seeks to accelerate the legal process to give US customers access to Huawei equipment sooner, according to a statement from Huawei. Mr Song said the state-sanctioned campaign against the company will not improve cybersecurity. Politicians in the US are using the strength of an entire nation to come after a private company, he said. This is not normal. The US and China are embroiled in a protracted trade dispute and tariff war that began last July following complaints from Donald Trump that China steals from or pressures foreign companies to hand over technology while unfairly subsidising Chinese businesses. The most recent round of negotiations earlier this month ended with no agreement, after Mr Trump more than doubled duties on 200 billion dollars (158bn) in Chinese imports. China responded by raising tariffs of 5% to 25% on 60 billion dollars (47.4bn) worth of American goods. The U.S. government has provided no evidence to show that Huawei is a security threat: Huawei Chief Legal Officer Song Liuping announces the filing of a motion for summary judgment to end the unfair treatment of the tech giant. #HuaweiFacts Huawei Facts (@HuaweiFacts) May 29, 2019 Soon after, the US Commerce Department placed Huawei on its Entity List, effectively barring US firms from selling its technology without government approval. Huawei relies heavily on US components, including computer chips, and about one-third of its suppliers are American. The move has already affected the companys US partnerships. Google said it would continue to support existing Huawei smartphones, but future devices wont carry its flagship apps and services, including maps, Gmail and search a change that will likely make Huawei phones less appealing. Song said the US is setting a dangerous precedent. Today its telecoms and Huawei, he said. Tomorrow it could be your industry, your company, your consumers. US special counsel Robert Mueller has said he believed he was constitutionally barred from charging President Donald Trump with a crime but pointedly emphasised that his Russia report did not exonerate the president. If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so, Mr Mueller said. We did not however make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime. He cautioned politicians who have been negotiating for his public testimony that he would not go beyond his report in the event he appears before Congress. But he also signalled that Congress was the proper venue, not the criminal justice system, for deciding whether action should be taken against the president in connection with allegations that Mr Trump and aides obstructed the investigation of Russian interference to help the Republican in the 2016 election campaign. Mr Trump, who has repeatedly and falsely claimed that Mr Muellers report cleared him of obstruction of justice, modified that contention somewhat shortly after the special counsels remarks. He tweeted: There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Mr Muellers comments were his first public statements since his appointment as special counsel two years ago. His remarks, one month after the public release of his report on Russian efforts to help Mr Trump win the presidency, appeared intended to both justify the legitimacy of his investigation against complaints by the president and to explain his decision to not reach a conclusion on whether Mr Trump had obstructed justice. Indicting Mr Trump, he said firmly, was not an option in light of a Justice Department legal opinion that says a sitting president cannot be charged. But, he said, the absence of a conclusion should not be mistaken for an exoneration of the president. The opinion says the constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing, Mr Mueller said, referring to the Justice Department legal opinion. Expand Close Television screens in the briefing room of the White House show a live statement from Robert Mueller (Jacquelyn Martin/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Television screens in the briefing room of the White House show a live statement from Robert Mueller (Jacquelyn Martin/AP) That would shift the next move, if any, to Congress, and the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, which would investigate further or begin any impeachment effort, commented quickly. It falls to Congress to respond to the crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump and we will do so, said New York Representative Jerrold Nadler. Mr Trump has blocked the committees subpoenas and other efforts to dig into the Trump-Russia issue, insisting Mr Muellers report has settled everything. Mr Muellers statement came amid demands for him to give evidence on Capitol Hill about his findings and tension with attorney general William Barr over the handling of Mr Muellers report. That report found no criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia to tip the outcome of the 2016 presidential election in Mr Trumps favour over Democrat Hillary Clinton. But it also did not reach a conclusion on whether the president had obstructed justice. Mr Barr has said he was surprised Mr Mueller did not reach a conclusion on whether the president had criminally obstructed justice, though Mr Mueller in his report and again in his public statement said that he had no choice. Expand Close US President Donald Trump and attorney general William Barr (Evan Vucci/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp US President Donald Trump and attorney general William Barr (Evan Vucci/AP) Mr Barr decided on his own that the evidence was not sufficient to support an obstruction charge against Mr Trump. Under long-standing department policy, a president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office, Mr Mueller said. That is unconstitutional. Even if the charge is kept under seal and hidden from public view, that too is prohibited. Mr Mueller, for his part, complained privately to Mr Barr that he believed a four-page letter from the attorney general summarising his main conclusions did not adequately represent his findings. Mr Mueller also appeared to put Congress on notice that he would not break new ground in the event he gives evidence on Capitol Hill. I do not believe it is appropriate for me to speak further about the investigation or to comment on the actions of the Justice Department before Congress, he said. A vicious storm has torn through the western outskirts of a US city, spawning one or more tornadoes that downed trees and power lines, damaged homes and injured at least 12 people. The storm hit Kansas City in the latest barrage of severe weather that saw tornado warnings as far east as New York City. Parts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey also were under tornado warnings hours after a swarm of tightly-packed twisters swept through Indiana and Ohio overnight, smashing homes and blowing out windows. One person was killed and at least 130 were injured. Those storms were among 55 twisters that forecasters said may have touched down on Monday across eight states stretching eastward from Idaho and Colorado. The past couple of weeks have seen unusually high tornado activity in the US, with no immediate end to the pattern in sight. Tuesday offered no respite, as a large and dangerous tornado touched down on the western edge of Kansas City, Kansas, late in the day, the National Weather Service office reported. Twelve people were treated for storm-related injuries at Lawrence Memorial Hospital on Tuesday night, spokeswoman Janice Early said. None of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening. Expand Close A family gather their belongings after a tornado destroyed their home near Lawrence, Kansas (Chris Neal/The Topeka Capital-Journal/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A family gather their belongings after a tornado destroyed their home near Lawrence, Kansas (Chris Neal/The Topeka Capital-Journal/AP) Kansas City International Airport temporarily suspended flights and forced travellers and employees to take shelter in parking garage tunnels for about an hour. A powerful twister also touched down in the nearby township of Pleasant Grove, Kansas, seriously damaging homes. But the severe weather was not limited to the Midwest. Tornadoes were confirmed in eastern Pennsylvania and the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for parts of New York City and northern New Jersey. The winds peeled away roofs, knocked houses off their foundations, toppled trees, brought down power lines and churned up so much debris that it was visible on radar. Highway crews had to use snowploughs to clear an Ohio interstate. Expand Close Joe Armison looks over his destroyed barn after a tornado struck the outskirts of Eudora, Kansas (Colin E Braley/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Joe Armison looks over his destroyed barn after a tornado struck the outskirts of Eudora, Kansas (Colin E Braley/AP) Some of the heaviest damage was reported just outside Dayton, Ohio. I just got down on all fours and covered my head with my hands, said Francis Dutmers, who with his wife headed for the basement of their home in Vandalia, about 10mi outside Dayton, when the storm hit with a very loud roar on Monday night. The winds blew out windows around his house, filled rooms with debris and took down most of his trees. In Celina, Ohio, 82-year-old Melvin Dale Hanna was killed when a parked car was blown into his house, Mayor Jeffrey Hazel said Tuesday. Theres areas that truly look like a war zone, he said. Monday marked the record-tying 11th straight day with at least eight tornadoes in the US, said Patrick Marsh, a Storm Prediction Centre meteorologist. The last such stretch was in 1980. Expand Close The sky begins to clear over a destroyed home after a tornado touched down south of Lawrence, Kansas (Chris Neal/The Topeka Capital-Journal/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The sky begins to clear over a destroyed home after a tornado touched down south of Lawrence, Kansas (Chris Neal/The Topeka Capital-Journal/AP) Outbreaks of 50 or more tornadoes are not uncommon, having happened 63 times in US history, with three instances of more than 100 twisters, Mr Marsh said. But Mondays swarm was unusual because it happened over a particularly wide geographic area and came amid an especially active stretch, he said. As for why its happening, Mr Marsh said high pressure over the south-east and an unusually cold trough over the Rockies were forcing warm, moist air into the central US, triggering repeated severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. Scientists say climate change is responsible for more intense and more frequent extreme weather such as storms, droughts, floods and fires, but without extensive study they cannot directly link a single weather event to the changing climate. The European Parliament elections have heralded a political climate change that has swept right across Europe, wiping away old political certainties, not least here. British politics is now in a state of flux given the truly devastating rout of the Conservatives by Nigel Farage's newly formed Brexit Party. But not only has the Conservative Party been laid low by Farage, Jeremy Corbyn's Labour has suffered serious losses largely due to the surge in support for the Europhile Liberal Democrats and Greens. There is now such a radical change in the political landscape that it is doubtful that the current Conservative Government can survive much longer, even under a new Prime Minister. The beginning of the election of a new Conservative leader could not take place under more adverse circumstances. The leadership campaign is simply the elevation of the current Tory civil war over Europe to new and greater levels of intensity. It will exacerbate, not heal, divisions and will further divide the Conservative Party, ending up in an inevitable split. The Tory divisions over Europe are so fierce that there is no longer any chance of reconciliation. Any new leader's government will not survive longer than the autumn, even if they get that far. The calling of a general election is now unstoppable, though not practical before the summer parliamentary break. The tremendous success of the anti-European Brexit Party was the stand-out feature of the election in Britain, but that should not eclipse the equally successful pro-European Liberal Democrats and Greens. A combination of their respective votes marginally exceeds that of the Brexit Party. So the success of Farage should not be mistaken as a fresh mandate for Brexit. The return of two Remain MEPs here was a huge achievement, made more remarkable by the fact that it is almost the exact replica of the 2016 referendum vote of 56% for remain. The loss of the Ulster Unionist seat to Alliance's Naomi Long was a sensational triumph that will traumatise unionism at large. It is reminiscent of her shock defeat of Peter Robinson in East Belfast. The impact of this extraordinary victory should shake the Ulster Unionists to the core and cause them to radically rethink their position. Unfortunately, they are so far gone that they are probably incapable of doing such a rethink. Naomi's win will probably make the DUP even more hardline, as it sees unionism under immediate electoral threat. The vote for Alliance was largely a tactical vote by Remain Ulster Unionist voters, who felt that they could not trust the UUP to represent their pro-European interests in Brussels, despite the fact that their likeable candidate Danny Kennedy was an undoubted Remainer. Hardline pro-Brexit unionist voters switched to the DUP, because they felt the DUP was stronger on Brexit. Either way the UUP was doomed, falling between two stools. But this will continue to be the new way in local politics unless and until the UUP realises that its natural supporters do not want a DUP-lite party, but rather a real alternative model that has a modern, intelligent and conciliatory approach to addressing politics here. They will continue to vote Alliance, as they perceive Alliance to be that political model. Meanwhile in the South, Sinn Fein suffered a devastating setback losing 78 council seats, and the jewel in its crown, the European Parliamentary seat in Dublin, which was won by it on the first count in 2014. It cannot recover ground if a general election takes place in the next year. If there was an election tomorrow, it would be down to single figures in Dail Eireann. While the Green surge in the South was partly responsible, it was only one aspect of its disastrous performance. It has continued since the financial crisis of 2008 and the subsequent austerity policies of successive governments to present itself as a party of protest, and opposing for the sake of opposition. It squandered its inheritance. In addition, leader Mary Lou McDonald, who in any other party would have resigned by now, was too aggressive in the Dail and in public to sustain and attract voters. The party's prized southern project, which was to be in government on both sides of the border at the same time, is now in ruins. There is little doubt that its departure from the Stormont Executive in 2016 caused some damage to its reputation in Dublin. The southern electorate thought, if it was incapable of being in government in the North, why vote for it in the South? However, one of the consequences of all this may be a more flexible Sinn Fein, more anxious to get back into government in Stormont. After all, there is nowhere for it to go. Veteran correspondent Steve Kroft will retire from 60 Minutes, after 30 years with the show. CBS News made the announcement on Friday. During his tenure, Kroft has reported close to 500 stories for 60 Minutes. He is also the longest-serving correspondent on the popular news magazine show. He is recognized for his sharp interviews and striking investigative reporting. Recently appointed CBS News president Susan Zirinsky praised his 39-year career with the network. From the moment Steve Kroft arrived at CBS News in 1980, he has been shot out of a cannon and wherever he landed his stories broke news, had depth, and a strong sense of humanity, Zirinsky said. From Central America to a tour of duty in London, and back to New York, his destiny was clear, Krofts investigative instincts and ability to unravel the most complex stories made him a perfect fit for the 60 Minutes team. Bill Owens, the shows executive producer also shared an inspiring note about Krofts influence on the show and the world of journalism. Steve Krofts reporting for 60 Minutes has been as important as any correspondents in the history of this broadcast, Owens said. Steve, with his sharp eye for detail, rich writing and demanding journalism, has set the bar at 60 Minutes for three decades. Some of his career highlights include the interview with Bill and Hillary Clinton that CBS broadcast to 34 million people following the 1992 Super Bowl. Kroft interviewed Barack Obama 11 times as president. His sit-down with him when he was President-elect drew more than 25 million and remains the largest 60 Minutes audience since 1999. His story on insider trading in the U.S. Congress drove the passage of the STOCK Act (Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge) of 2012. The organization shared that his best reporting was his 2000 story on nuclear-armed Pakistans political instability. Krofts final segment airing this Sunday will be an investigation into bank fraud. There is no questioning Krofts influence on journalism and Americas most-watched news program. Members of Transparency International Bangladesh form a human chain in Dhaka to protest the killing of Nusrat Jahan Rafi, April 21, 2019. Updated at 2:53 p.m. ET on 2019-06-10 Bangladeshi police charged 16 suspects Wednesday for their alleged roles in the murder of a madrassa student, whose killers doused her with kerosene and set her on fire after she accused the Islamic schools principal of sexual assault. The school head who allegedly ordered the April 6 attack on Nusrat Jahan Rafi, 18, and five suspects who allegedly carried out the attack were among the names listed on the charge-sheet in the killing that shocked people in Bangladesh. We have brought charges against 16 accused persons in the charge-sheet, Mohammad Iqbal, special superintendent of the national Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), told a press conference on Wednesday. We have brought murder charges in line under a 2000 law to prevent violence and sexual abuse against women and children, he said. The bureau filed the 808-charge sheet, which detailed the grisly murder, with a magistrates court in southeastern Feni district, where Rafi was killed on the campus of the religious school she attended. The court will determine a start date for the trial, said Hafez Ahmed, the public prosecutor in Feni, adding that the suspects would need legal representation. The lawyers of Feni have decided that none will defend the killers of Nusrat. In that case, the government will provide legal assistance to the defendants, he told BenarNews. Rafis family wants the people who killed her to face the ultimate punishment. We are happy that the charge sheet has been filed early, but we want to see their speedy trial. We want them executed, Rafis brother, Mahmudul Hasan Noman told BenarNews. He had taken her to school on the day she was attacked, and rushed her to hospital for treatment afterward. The PBI will recommend that the 16 suspects, who are all in custody, face the death penalty if found guilty, Mohammad Iqbal told Agence France-Presse. PBI officials explained that the charge sheet names 16 people who allegedly had varying roles in connection with the killing, including Siraj Ud Doula, the principal of the Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrassa in Bangladeshs Chittagong division. Twelve of the suspects had already made confessional statements before a magistrate, PBI chief Banaj Kumar Majumdar said on Tuesday, according to BSS, the national news agency. The attack left Rafi with burns over 80 percent of her body. As her brother rode with her in an ambulance to a hospital in Dhaka, he recorded her statement on his mobile phone. I will protest til my last breath, she could be heard saying in the audio clip shared on social media. I will complain to the prime minister. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina vowed that Rafi would get the best possible care and would be flown to Singapore for special treatment. Rafis injuries were so severe that she could not travel abroad. Rafi died on April 10. The Bangladesh Police Bureau of Investigation released this sketch as part of a series showing the April 6 fatal attack on Nusrat Jahan Rafi. [Courtesy PBI] The attack The charge sheet alleges that Doula ordered that Rafi be killed if she failed to withdraw the complaint against him. A female student allegedly intimidated Rafi in an effort to get her drop the charges that he had sexually assaulted her. According to the account given by Rafi to her relatives, she was lured onto to the roof of the madrassa on April 6, when she went to the school to sit for exams. Five students attacked Rafi on the roof, the charge sheet said. One of them muzzled Rafi and pulled her hands behind her back. Other students took her scarf, tore it into two pieces and used it to tie her legs, according to the charge sheet as explained by PBI officials. The suspects all pushed Rafi down and one gagged and tried to strangle her, the charging documents alleged. One suspect grabbed a bag of kerosene and doused her before another lit a match and set her on fire. The two female students and a male student, who were among those who attacked Rafi, then returned to the exam room. After the attack, the accused persons dispersed and started circulating that Rafi committed suicide, said the charge sheet. The investigation determined 16 persons were involved in the killing, planning, abetting and aiding the murder. The maximum punishment under these sections is capital punishment, said Prokash Ranjan Biswas, a practicing lawyer and Dhaka bar member. The Rafi murder is a sensational case. We hope the offenders will get maximum punishment, though it is not possible to predict a verdict, he told BenarNews. The charge sheet was filed just two days after the Dhaka Cyber Tribunal issued an arrest warrant against the police officer who allegedly taped Rafis original complaint against Doula without her consent on March 27, according to Bangladesh media. Moazzem Hossain, the former officer-in-charge at the Sonagazi police station, allegedly asked Rafi offensive questions during the interview. The interview ended up on social media. An earlier version of this story stated that four students allegedly attacked Rafi on the madrasa roof. The correct number is five. An environmentalist displays a photo of a garbage container from Canada during a protest at the Philippine Senate in Manila to demand that Ottawa speed up its removal of the trash, which was shipped to the country six years ago, May 24, 2019. Corruption in the customs bureau has led to mountains of foreign garbage accumulating in the Philippines, a Filipino senator claimed Wednesday during a speech in the upper house, a day before tons of trash were to be sent to Canada. Despite efforts to modernize the Bureau of Customs, the Philippines remains in one hell of a mess, courtesy of corruption that pervades the agency that President Rodrigo Duterte had vowed to clean up, Sen. Panfilo Lacson, an independent, told fellow senators. To say that our country is treated like trash appears to be true, as in literally, amid news reports of tons of waste being illegally shipped into our lands, no thanks to local and foreign smugglers, unscrupulous customs brokers and corrupt customs officials, Lacson said. Lacson charged that certain elements in the bureau appeared to have neglected their duties by allowing the entry of tons of hazardous waste. Because he made the speech as part of his official duty, the senator was free to speak his mind with full immunity. Customs officials could not be reached immediately to respond to the senators comments. Thousands of tons of trash that came to the Philippines from Canada several years have not yet been shipped back to the country of origin, despite repeated reminders from the government, the senator noted. It took Duterte having to threaten to dump the trash on Canadian shores personally for Ottawa to take the situation seriously, Lacson suggested. On Wednesday, Secretary of Justice Menardo Guevarra, who spoke for the government while Duterte was visiting Japan, said shipments of the Canadian trash would leave the Philippines imminently. I have just been informed that the Canadian trash will finally be shipped back to Canada on Thursday. The cost of reshipment from Manila to Vancouver, estimated at 10 million pesos (U.S. $191,000), will be shouldered by the Canadian government, Guevarra said. The container vans will be loaded on vessels owned by three shipping companies. Official dumpsite of Southeast Asia The 2,500 tons of waste, which includes common household items such as plastic materials and adult diapers, are in 100 shipping containers located at a dumpsite north of Manila. Ottawa contended that the garbage was mistakenly shipped to the Philippines between 2013 and 2014, and mislabeled as recyclable material. In recent weeks, the issue of the lingering Canadian garbage has angered Filipinos. It also led to a bilateral dispute, which saw Manila recall its ambassador and consuls to Canada earlier this month. Last week, the Canadian government said it would take back the garbage by June and cover the shipping costs. Luckily for us, we are about to bid this rotting problem goodbye. For a start, the Canadian trash is sailing back to Canada, Sen. Lacson said Wednesday, noting that countries such as Australia, South Korea and China were known to ship their trash to the Philippines. Sad but true, there is already a bandwagon of nations that designate our country as the official dumpsite of Southeast Asia, he said. In 2018, South Korea sent thousands of tons of garbage, which arrived here in July and August. Earlier in 2019, the Philippines began shipping 51 containers falsely labeled as plastic synthetic flakes back to South Korea, which agreed to pay for shipping an additional 5,100 tons of waste. While there have been successes, Lacson said that electrical and residual waste from Hong Kong had entered the countrys ports by being improperly declared as assorted electronic accessories. The waste was meant to be a trial shipment by a Chinese firm, and about 70 more containers of waste were waiting to be dumped in the Philippines, he said. And just last week, Australia shipped seven container vans of shredded municipal waste into our country. Worse, the shipments broker was the same company that handled the importation from South Korea, the senator said. Lacson, a former police officer who had blown the whistle previously on corruption at the customs bureau, said he would forward the names of an alleged Chinese syndicate behind the shipments of trash, adding it was well entrenched and ran a sophisticated operation. Aileen Lucero, the national coordinator for environmental group EcoWaste Coalition, expressed outrage over the trash shipment from Hong Kong. She said her group found it ironic that the shipment came from there since China has taken the unprecedented move to protect its own environment by banning waste imports. We denounce this latest attempt to bring into the country over 25 tons of mixed plastic waste from Hong Kong. We therefore request the Chinese government to seriously look into this matter, Lucero said. Froilan Gallardo and Jeoffrey Maitem contributed to this report from Cagayan de Oro and Cotabato, Philippines. Plus, Bill's Message of the Day, my take on the first leg of the Trump-O'Reilly History Tour. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Indian Life Science and Health (LSH) innovators consider Netherlands an emerging export gateway to Europe The Dutch LSH sector has identified India as one of the few countries of key focus under its renewed global strategy. Life Science and Health (LSH) is one of the top nine priority sectors designated by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs for its ability to address global social problems. With this, the stage is set to take existing Indo-Dutch cross-overbusiness collaboration in LSH, deep tech, cyber-security and agri-tech sectors, into the next phase of growth. In this context, the Netherlands (NL) Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA), the operational unit of Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, helping businesses settle in NL, hosted a panel discussion recently at WTC, Bengaluru. According to Jeroen Nijland, Foreign Investment Commissioner from NL, These are interesting times in the Indo-Dutch bi-lateral trade relations. The reclocation of European Medical Agency from UK to Amsterdam post Brexit enhances NLs prospect as an export gateway to Europe for Indian LSH companies. Based on the participation of NFIA in the international working group LSH, the sector specialist, Ms. Sandra de Wild stressed upon, the emerging synergies in digital, e-health and research collaboration that will enhance the knowledge ecosystem in NL and create new jobs in both countries. The Netherlands is a global leader in patents in LSH and ranks 2nd in patent application for biotech in the world. What we have noticed specifically from Bangalore is a spike in biotech and pharma related projects dealing with AI and digital health in the last 1.5 years, making us bullish about this market. Bangalore with its enabling e-health and high-tech start-ups in imaging, 3-D printing, AI, creates excellent opportunities for the next-wave of innovative partnerships from India. These start-ups when combined with Netherlands strengths in Therapeutics & Vaccines, Diagnostics, Medtech and E-Health can solve pressing health challenges for the world, she added. In 2018, NFIA saw an investment of approx 250 million euros from Indian companies in the LSH sector, in NL, thereby offering 700 job opportunities. The Dutch healthcare experts will be bringing a Digital Health Mission to Indian in June 2019 to discuss more opportunities for the LSH sector in both India and NL. Public-private partnership is intended to safeguard Switzerlands competitive position in pharmaceutical technologies of the future. Nanomedicines are playing an increasingly important role in the development of innovative new medications. These drugs are able to overcome specific cellular barriers in the human body with a view to targeting their effect even more precisely. Nanopharmacy, therefore, promises to help advance medical science and bring significant benefit to patients. At present, however, researchers are only just beginning to acquire the in-depth scientific insights needed for a fundamental understanding of the development of nanomedicines, their applications and especially the regulatory requirements for their approval across Europe and worldwide. Likewise, there is a lack of experts with the necessary specialist knowledge and these experts are urgently needed in industry, at regulatory authorities and in medical practice, including in Switzerland. As with other areas of cutting-edge research, this will take the form of a global race: those able to present findings as quickly as possible will be able to assert themselves as a centre of excellence in nanopharmaceutics. Spread over 10 years, the commitment of CHF 10 million by the Vifor Pharma Group is intended to establish the field of nanopharmacy research at the University of Basel and to support the training of corresponding experts. The newly-created professorships in Nanopharmaceutical and Regulatory Science will be based at the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. There are also plans to establish and develop an internationally renowned Excellence Platform for the development, authorisation and application of nanopharmaceuticals, as well as the training of experts in the field. Vifor Pharma views its contribution as start-up funding for this Excellence Platform, which is supported and jointly endorsed by stakeholders from academia, industry and public authorities. The aim is for the platform to both focus on research and teaching, and also to seek out international partnerships, organise conferences and incorporate additional sponsors with a view to becoming a leading international centre for nanopharmacy. In order to make rapid progress in nanopharmaceutics, were reliant on clear and scientifically sound parameters for authorisation and patient safety, says Etienne Jornod, Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors at Vifor Pharma. The field of nanopharmacy is growing quickly, and its important to secure a leading position in this innovative area of medicine with the help of qualified experts. Thats why we want to help ensure that Switzerland establishes a strong research foundation in this emerging area of pharmaceutical development. For the University of Basel, this collaboration marks an important step in the further development of its life sciences focal area. Were proud to be able to develop this promising field of research in collaboration with a major industrial partner, says Professor Andrea Schenker-Wicki, President of the University of Basel. The crucial thing here is that were not only developing the scientific foundations, but also training the experts who will take this knowledge with them into industry and public authorities. It is, she says, a key step for Basel and Switzerland in terms of their ability to compete on the international stage. Vifor Pharma Group is a global pharmaceuticals company headquartered in Switzerland. It aims to become the global leader in iron deficiency, nephrology and cardio-renal therapies. The company is the partner of choice for pharmaceuticals and innovative patient-focused solutions. The Vifor Pharma Group strives to help patients around the world with severe and chronic diseases lead better, healthier lives. The company develops, manufactures and markets pharmaceutical products for precision patient care. The University of Basel has an international reputation of outstanding achievements in research and teaching. Founded in 1460, the University of Basel is the oldest university in Switzerland and has a history of success going back over 550 years. As a comprehensive university offering a wide range of high-quality educational opportunities, the University of Basel attracts students from Switzerland and the entire world, offering them outstanding studying conditions as they work towards their bachelors, masters or PhD degrees. This partnership with Roslin will help develop joint translational research in livestock genomics and health. The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP), Bengaluru, Indias premier bio-incubator and innovation hub, has signed a Letter of Intent with the Roslin Innovation Centre, at the University of Edinburgh, under the Indo UK Sister Innovation Hub agreement. The aim of the LOI is to foster and promote the best deep science innovations that impact both science and society in India and UK. The LOI was signed by Dr. Taslimarif Saiyed, CEO and Director of C-CAMP and John Mackenzie, CEO of the Roslin Innovation centre. This partnership with Roslin, whose scientists created the worlds first cloned mammal, Dolly the sheep, will help develop joint translational research in livestock genomics and health. It will also open up avenues to C-CAMP and Roslins network of partners to develop new, productive relationships for doing business in both India and the UK. The LoI which was signed in presence of Dr. Renu Swarup, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, India marks the inking of the Second Sister Innovation Hub by CCAMP after CCAMPs first with California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, QB3 in 2016. The collaboration with the Roslin Innovation Centre will strengthen Indo-UK bilateral ties in science-based entrepreneurship, research and business, especially in the Agriculture and Animal Health sectors. The new signing is envisioned to also augment C-CAMPs current efforts in Agritech and Allied space under its recently launched Agri Innovation Centre program. On the occasion of the signing Dr. Taslimarif Saiyed, CEO & Director, C-CAMP said This is only a beginning to wonderful discussions with colleagues at Roslin Institute, the origin of Dolly The Sheep. Looking forward to possible collaborations on agritech, animal health and to build more bilateral innovation ties leveraging science for societal impact. John Mackenzie, CEO of the Roslin Innovation centre, at the University of Edinburgh said: We are delighted to have signed this agreement with CCAMP, which will help champion a range of important animal health projects in both countries. In addition, we hope to encourage others to follow our lead and help develop truly transformational technologies in livestock genomics and health. Beauty Factory appoints Hustle Media Beauty Factory has appointed Hustle Media as its media agency. Beauty Factory is a luxury South African retailer that develops premium, locally-made bath and body products. Share Article Distinguished visitors from US, coalition and host nation services attend the Cargo City Ribbon Cutting Ceremony which took place near the Kuwait International Airport, on May 19, 2019. Air Force photo by TSgt. Robert Cloys. The Middle Easts largest military aerial port of debarkation officially opened on May 19 as Cargo City became operational in Kuwait. The temporary gateway at Kuwait International Airport replaces the USAF and coalition Abdullah Al-Mubarak AB gateway, which was in use for more than 20 years of operations. Cargo City is located next to a vacant ramp at the airport, with about 33,000 square meters of space for US forces to stage and load cargo destined for operating locations throughout the Middle East. As part of the move, the 5th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron relocated to Cargo City to provide maintenance, command and control, and port operation support, according to an Air Forces Central Command release. Construction on the project included more than 1.24 million cubic meters of fill, with almost 400 trucks transporting soil and rock every day for almost four months. In 2017, Kuwait planned an expansion of the airport complex and gave US and Kuwait military forces about a year to move. The new facility will operate until the New Mubarak Military Base is built following the airports expansion, tentatively scheduled for 2023. PR Newswire SINGAPORE, May 28, 2019 SINGAPORE, May 28, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Morrison & Foerster, a leading global law firm, has named Shirin Tang, a partner in the firm's Corporate Department, Managing Partner of its Singapore office, effective June 1, 2019. Ms. Tang, who has been a partner at Morrison & Foerster for five years, succeeds Eric Piesner and Paul McKenzie who were Co-Managing Partners of the Singapore office. Mr. Piesner, who founded the Singapore office in 2013, will continue to serve as the firm's Asia Managing Partner. Mr. McKenzie will continue to be Managing Partner of the firm's Beijing and Shanghai offices. Ms. Tang specializes in private equity and M&A transactions, with a particular focus in the technology and real estate sectors and in counseling clients in Asia on public and private company investments in the U.S. In the last three years, Ms. Tang has led transactions with deal values in excess of US$29 billion in the aggregate, including multiple award-winning deals. Ms. Tang also serves on Morrison & Foerster's Women's Strategy Committee, highlighting her commitment to advancing women in the legal profession. Ms. Tang joins numerous other women at Morrison & Foerster holding a leadership position. For example, women chair or co-chair approximately 20 of the firm's practice groups, and 40% of the members of the firm's Board of Directors are women. "I am pleased to welcome Shirin to the management team. Shirin's strategic focus and proven leadership abilities make her an ideal fit as our Office Managing Partner in Singapore," said Larren Nashelsky, Chair of Morrison & Foerster. "I am also grateful to Eric and Paul for their many contributions to the Singapore office. Under their leadership, we have significantly expanded our presence in Singapore and the region, building an award-winning team of approximately 20 lawyers with corporate, finance, investigations and dispute resolution, and project finance experience." Since opening its Singapore office six years ago, Morrison & Foerster has been continuously recognized for excellence in the South and Southeast Asia region. The firm's Singapore-based lawyers represent clients in the region's biggest transactions in the areas of corporate, fund formation, real estate, and FinTech, and they are frequently the preferred counsel for dispute resolution and anti-corruption, investigations, and compliance matters. Mergermarket recently reported that the firm achieved the highest gross M&A deal value among international law firms for Southeast Asia in the first quarter of 2019. Practitioners in the Singapore office across all practice areas are also ranked as leading lawyers by prestigious legal directories including Chambers Asia-Pacific and the Legal 500 Asia-Pacific. "I am honored to lead our thriving Singapore office and to have the opportunity to build on Eric and Paul's successes," Ms. Tang said. "I look forward to working even more closely with our dynamic team in Singapore and the wonderful clients that we represent." Ms. Tang received her LL.B. (Hons) from the National University of Singapore and her LL.M. from Harvard Law School. Asian Legal Business named Ms. Tang Woman Lawyer of the Year in its 2018 Southeast Asia Law Awards and one of the "40 Under 40" most outstanding private practice lawyers and in-house counsel in Asia in 2017. Ms. Tang was also named by Chambers Asia-Pacific 2019 as a leader in her field and is listed in Asia Business Law Journal's 2019 A List for Singapore, IFLR's 2019 Guide to the World's Leading Law Firms, and the Legal 500 Asia-Pacific for 2019. ABOUT MOFO Morrison & Foerster is a global firm of exceptional credentials. We collaborate across a global network of 17 offices located in key technology and financial centers in the United States, Asia, and Europe. Our clients include some of the largest financial institutions, investment banks, and Fortune 100, technology, and life sciences companies. We also represent investment funds and startup companies. Our lawyers are committed to achieving innovative and business-minded results for our clients, while preserving the differences that make us stronger. The firm also has a long history of commitment to the community through providing pro bono legal services, including litigating for civil rights and civil liberties, improving public education for children below the poverty line, advocating for veterans, promoting international human rights, winning asylum for the persecuted, and safeguarding the environment. SOURCE Morrison & Foerster, LLP 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 HALIFAX - Just days after saying Canada's ties with China have hit "rock bottom", China's ambassador is praising Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil as "a great friend." Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/5/2019 (944 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. China's ambassador to Canada Lu Shaye shakes hands with Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil in Halifax on Wednesday, May 29, 2019. China's ambassador to Canada is in Nova Scotia for bilateral meetings today with Premier Stephen McNeil and several members of his cabinet. Lu Shaye called McNeil his "great friend" and says Nova Scotia and its premier are at the forefront of cooperative efforts between the provinces and China. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Keith Doucette HALIFAX - Just days after saying Canada's ties with China have hit "rock bottom", China's ambassador is praising Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil as "a great friend." Lu Shaye made the comment during a photo opportunity that was held before the diplomat met Wednesday with the premier and several members of his cabinet. "I think Nova Scotia and Mr. McNeil is on the forefront of co-operation with China amid all provinces in Canada," Lu told reporters, who were not given the chance to ask questions during the photo session. Lu was previously in Halifax for meetings with provincial officials in November 2017, as the province pushed to expand its trade ties with China. "I come to Halifax, Nova Scotia to meet again with my great friend Premier McNeil to host together the second working dialogue between the Chinese embassy and the provincial government of Nova Scotia," he said. "I'm sure that the dialogue today will also be fruitful." The meeting comes as tensions remain high between Canada and China following the December arrest in Vancouver of Huawei Technologies executive Meng Wanzhou after an American request for her extradition. After Meng's arrest, China detained two Canadians ex-diplomat Michael Kovrig and entrepreneur Michael Spavor and accused them of violating China's national security. China has also sentenced two Canadians to death for drug-related convictions and blocked key agricultural shipments. In a prepared text for a speech last Thursday, Lu remarked that he was saddened Canada-China relations are at a "freezing point." However, McNeil, who has made seven trips to China since taking office in 2013, said Lu has been "a champion" of expanding trade ties between his province and China's Guangdong province, where Nova Scotia exports large quantities of seafood. He also said the ambassador was a "great help" to the province in ensuring that an art exhibition featuring the works of famed folk artist Maud Lewis and six other female artists went ahead last month at the Guangdong Museum of Art after it had been abruptly postponed in March. "I look forward to very productive meetings today and continuing to build on what has become a very positive working relationship and friendship," McNeil said. The premier didn't take questions from reporters, and a spokesman confirmed there would be no availability offered later in the day. McNeil returned from his latest trade mission to China just two weeks ago, telling reporters it was better to maintain a dialogue and to try to build relationships despite the worsening relations. "Not having a conversation solves nothing," he said at the time. During Wednesday's meeting, officials, including five members of Nova Scotia's cabinet, were expected to discuss a range of trade ties related to areas including seafood and agriculture, education, mining, and tourism. Nova Scotia's exports to China totalled $794 million in 2018, up from $275 million in 2014. Both Lu and McNeil were expected to appear later Wednesday at a dinner in Halifax to officially launch the Atlantic chapter of the Canada China Business Council. TORONTO - Quebec filmmaker Denys Arcand believes that centuries from now, people will remember our current political moment as the end of an era. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/5/2019 (944 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Canadian director Denys Arcand, left, actor Alexandre Landry, center, and actress Maripier Morin pose during a photocall for the French premiere of the film 'The Fall of the American Empire' in Paris, on February 12, 2019. Quebec filmmaker Denys Arcand believes that centuries from now, people will remember our current political moment as the end of an era. In this way, the title of his latest feature, "The Fall of the American Empire," could also be read as "these times we are living in," Arcand said. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Francois Mori TORONTO - Quebec filmmaker Denys Arcand believes that centuries from now, people will remember our current political moment as the end of an era. In this way, the title of his latest feature, "The Fall of the American Empire," could also be read as "these times we are living in," Arcand said. "It's not precisely about ... Donald Trump. But still, every day, the news that you look at or that you read is reminiscent of a kind of fall," Arcand said in an interview at the Toronto International Film Festival last year. "(The U.S.) is going to hell, at least as far as I can see it. They are running into trouble." The 77-year-old director, who won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Film in 2004 for "The Barbarian Invasions," admits the Montreal-set film is somewhat removed from the workings of the Trump White House, but he said the cinematic and political dramas share a common theme the power of money to drive people's choices, for good or for ill. "Once you don't believe in anything, the last thing you believe in is money," Arcand said. "It's unavoidable, and at the same time, it's our tragedy, because we have no other values than, 'What are you worth?'" A spiritual sequel to 1986's "The Decline of the American Empire," "The Fall of the American Empire" was inspired by a 2010 shooting in a Montreal clothing store that killed two people, which at the time police believed to be gang related. The film centres on Pierre-Paul Daoust, played by Alexandre Landry, a disaffected young man with a PhD in philosophy who has to work as a courier to make ends meet. During a delivery, Daoust happens upon the scene of a botched armed robbery to find two people dead and bags filled with millions in cash lying on the ground. The philosopher is faced with a real-life ethical quandary: Should he leave the evidence for police, or take the money and run? His decision sets the stage for a game of cat and mouse involving criminals and law enforcement, following the money as it circulates in ways both legal and illicit. Arcand said the film was originally titled "The Triumph of Money," but he decided that was too narrow, because money is just a tool its moral value is determined by how one uses it. "You can do great things with money. You can better people's lives; you can build hospitals; you can save refugees from Africa," he said. "And you can also just have it and totally corrupt an election." Having premiered in Quebec last June, Arcand said he's curious to see how the film is received by English-speaking audiences, particularly those in the U.S. As with so many aspects of American life, he imagines the response will likely be divided along political lines. But to those who may mistake "The Fall of the American Empire" as call for Trump to be ousted from the Oval Office, Arcand has a warning: be careful what you wish for. "In the Roman Empire, after Caligula came Nero, so don't get your hopes too high," he said. "If (Trump is) impeached and then (Vice-President) Mike Pence becomes president, it could be worse." "The Fall of the American Empire" opens in Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa, Winnipeg and Calgary on Friday. OTTAWA - Dispatches from Ross Munro, William (Bill) Stewart and other war correspondents were how many Canadians in 1944 learned details of the June 6 D-Day landings and the fighting that followed. The following selections from the work of the two Canadian Press war correspondents drawn from copies of published versions of their stories, from copies of Canadian Press originals and from past reprints include reports on: Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/5/2019 (945 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA - Dispatches from Ross Munro, William (Bill) Stewart and other war correspondents were how many Canadians in 1944 learned details of the June 6 D-Day landings and the fighting that followed. The following selections from the work of the two Canadian Press war correspondents drawn from copies of published versions of their stories, from copies of Canadian Press originals and from past reprints include reports on: the personal message of the Canadian army commander to forces on the eve of battle; Canadian Press war correspondents Ross Munro, left, and William Stewart, centre, look at a map with Montreal Gazette war correspondent Lionel Shapiro during the Second World War in La Villeneuve, France on August 13,1944. THE CANADIAN PRESS/National Archives of Canada, Ken Bell the embarkation and crossing of the forces to Normandy; the fighting in the first hours of the landings; the determined actions of Canadians against pillboxes and a concrete gun emplacement; the taking of a walled German coastal defence headquarters established in a chateau; the encounters of a reconnaissance tank one night; the befriending of a dog named Ffoomph by a Canadian war correspondent (a story partly about Stewart that carries a CP-Reuters credit); the hazards facing tanks both in towns and in fields; a memorial service held less than two weeks after the landings to honour those who lost their lives in the initial storming of the beaches. The headlines on the stories by Stewart, who died in 2004, and Munro, who died in 1990, were written for this item and are not original. ___ CANADIAN ARMY COMMANDER'S PERSONAL MESSAGE TO FORCES ON EVE OF INVASION By Ross Munro Canadian Press War Correspondent (Copyright 1944 by The Canadian Press) WITH THE CANADIAN INVASION FORCES, June 6 - (CP Cable) - Lt.-Gen. H. D. G. Crerar, C.B., D.S.O., the Canadian army commander, sent this personal message to Canadian assault forces on the eve of embarkation for the invasion of continental Europe: "It is impossible for me to speak to each one of you, but by means of this personal message. I want all ranks of the Canadian Army to know what is in my mind, as the hour approaches when we go forward into battle. "I have complete confidence in our ability to meet the tests which lie ahead. We are excellently trained and equipped. The quality of both the senior and junior leadership is of the highest. As Canadians, we inherit military characteristics which were feared by the enemy in the last Great War. They will be still more feared before this war terminates. "Canadian formations in the assault landing will have a vital part to play. Plans, preparations, methods and technique which will be employed are based on knowledge and experience, bought and paid for by the 2nd Canadian Division at Dieppe. The contribution of that hazardous operation cannot be overestimated. It will prove to have been an essential prelude to our forthcoming and final success. "We enter into this decisive phase of the war with calm confidence in our abilities and with grim determination to finish quickly and unmistakably this job we came overseas to do. "As in 1918, in Italy and in Northwest Europe we will hit the enemy again and again, until, at some not distant time, converging Allied armies link together and we will be rejoined, in victory, with our comrades of the first Canadian corps." ___ 'HERE'S THE DOPE. WE'RE SAILING FOR FRANCE TO OPEN THE SECOND FRONT' By William Stewart WITH THE ALLIED INVASION FORCES, June 6, (CP Cable) We sailed for France with the invasion forces for the greatest military operation of all time on a cool, grey evening with hundreds of invasion ships dotted along the Channel like stepping-stones leading to the continent. First ships to set out on the water-borne crusade raised anchor on the morning of June 5. They were the slower ships carrying tanks and heavier equipment. Departure of the invasion craft in their blue and grey war paint continued all through the day of June 5 although the weather looked like anything but invasion weather. Invasion troops and invasion weapons had all been aboard and ready to sail since late the preceding Saturday. I was with the Canadians who spent the two days waiting to sail checking and rechecking their equipment. On the little ship on which I was travelling with the headquarters of an assault formation, there was an exercise in transferring to the much smaller craft that were to take us ashore. The army and navy men on our ships were old friends. They had been on several invasion exercises together. As we got under way a major summoned army personnel and told them: "Here's the dope. We're sailing for France to open the Second Front." There was no cheering. The news was a relief to most because it had been so long coming. The great event didn't dim anyone's spirits. There were countless jokes about the invasion and about possible mishaps and predicaments. As we got under way officers and men went to their bunks to catch precious sleep. And, as the night progressed, the sea seemed calmer. The ship's roll was reduced to a slight sway. About five o'clock the morning of June 6, two columns of black smoke ashore were visible. Bombers could be seen flying in to targets in front of us. The heavy thuds of bombs exploding could be felt right through the ship. The naval bombardment then opened up in earnest and the ship shuddered gently every few seconds from the concussion of other ships' guns. Spitfires patrolled the skies ceaselessly. It was seven o'clock when the infantry ships dropped their assault boats for the bobbing trip to the beaches. The water was rough and some were seasick. The bombardment was still proceeding fiercely and within a half hour of leaving the ships the assault forces were wading up the enemy beaches. The Invasion of Europe had begun. ___ CANADIAN INVASION FORCES WIN BEACHHEAD AND MOVE INLAND By Ross Munro WITH CANADIAN FORCES LANDING IN FRANCE, June 6, 1944 (CP Cable) In two hours and 45 minutes of fighting on the beaches here, the Canadian invasion force won its beach-head and shoved on inland. At 10:45 this morning the Canadian commander (Gen. Keller) sent this message to Gen. Crerar, G.O.C. 1st Canadian Army: "Beach head taken. Well on way to intermediate objective." The strip of coast won by the Canadians in this initial assault was quite narrow, but it gave them the beaches and provided a base for further penetration. There was some stiff street fighting in the little coast towns and the Canadians also met considerable enemy fire on the beaches and as they worked their way into the defences. They had to overcome numerous steel and wooden obstacles which were placed out on the tidal part of the beach and which were covered at high tide to trap landing craft. However, the assault went in at 7:15 a.m. just as the tide began to rise and many of these obstacles were cleared away by engineers before the water covered them, thus enabling followup craft to beach and unload. Some casualties were suffered in the assault by the Canadians from enemy machine-guns, mortars and artillery fire. By 10:00 a.m. the Canadians were about 1,000 yards inland and going strong, meeting only small pockets of Germans. The first prisoners were taken and identified as belonging to a coastal unit. On other parts of the front near us the operation is moving along. Canadian and British airborne troops did a good job when they dropped and came in by gliders at 3:30 this morning. They captured several bridges and held them. Cruisers provided very effective support to the Canadians and one cruiser knocked out a troublesome battery about a mile and a half from the coast with six direct hits. Enemy tanks are reported about 10 to 15 miles south of the beach-head and some enemy transport is also moving. Up to noon the German air force has not shown up. It is estimated to have 2,350 aircraft in western Europe but it looks as if the air attack will come tonight. The French coast is still wreathed in smoke driving far down the Channel. In some of the bombarded towns, fires are burning ... So far the operation seems to have gone as well as could be expected. Destroyers and gunboats are cruising up and down the coastline banging away at last coastal points of resistance on our beach. Now the rest of the assault troops are going in. I am going ashore with them. ___ INFANTRY FIGHTS THROUGH SHOWER OF GRENADES TO TAKE EMPLACEMENT By Ross Munro Canadian Press War Correspondent WITH THE CANADIANS IN FRANCE, June 6, 1944 (Delayed) (CP Cable) One of the toughest actions of the invasion assault on this Canadian sector was fought by an eastern Canada regiment which dashed from their landing craft straight across the wide-open beach and drove the Germans from their strongest defence position for miles along the coast. (Other than announcing that the Canadian 3rd division is in France, headquarters has named no specific Canadian units). This big concrete gun emplacement was on the dunes at the back of an anti-tank gun and several heavy machine gun posts. A tunnel and trench system led to other posts along a 10-foot concrete wall stretching 100 yards. It looks like a popular conception of a section of the Atlantic Wall, which it is, but it is the only one of its kind we have seen. This section is on the eastern edge of the coastal town of Bernieres-Sur-Mer. Lieut. Bill Herbert of Toronto fought his way into a gabled house near the emplacement and gave covering fire with Bren guns while other infantrymen went in under a shower of German stick grenades and machine gun bullets to drive the Germans from the emplacement. Losses were not light but the job was accomplished and it stands out among the many actions fought this D-Day. Lieut. Hank Elliott of Toronto was another officer who did exceptionally well in the action just west of Bernieres where he led his decimated platoon against a line of 10 pillboxes and wiped them out. As the unit pushed inland it encountered some German 88-MM guns and it was there that Lieut. Ben Dunkelman of Toronto stood out. He was the mortar officer and fired against the gun positions until the mortars were red hot. In Bernieres, one of the first towns to fall to Canadian assault troops, the "Canadian flag" a large red ensign with a Union Jack in one corner and the Dominion's coat of arms in another, was draped over the post office. ___ AFTER CAPTURING A CHATEAU, ONE OR TWO CANADIANS HEAD INLAND ON HORSES By William Stewart Canadian Press War Correspondent WITH CANADIAN INVASION FORCES IN FRANCE, June 8 (Delayed) The surprise with which the second front landings were carried out enabled Canadian assault troops to overcome a walled German coastal defence headquarters established in a small chateau about a mile from the shore. The Canadians raced to a concrete courtyard shortly after the barrage was laid down by invasion ships and hardly gave the Germans time to flee. From the appearance of offices and rooms inside the chateau built only a few years after the Great War, the Germans were totally unprepared for an attack on headquarters so quickly. By the windows there were cases of potato-masher grenades, some half opened and others apparently dropped at second and third-floor vantage points by men surprised at the sight of the invaders. Elaborate dugouts and ammunition pits in the orchard were not put to use by the Germans, so sudden was the Canadians' arrival. There was some hand-to-hand fighting inside the chateau and after the Canadians had gone one German was found dead and three wounded in the stables. The Canadians removed the horses from the stables and sallied farther inland, one or two of the soldiers astride fine mounts. In the chateau's long lecture hall, the end walls emblazoned with a swastika, a mounted German flag and German eagle, there were sand-table miniatures of part of the coast. These reproduced defence positions and models of invasion craft. Charts on the walls showed pictures of various types of British troops. The dugouts were really elaborate, furnished with leather-seated office chairs, wardrobes, washrooms and such conveniences as electric lights and running water. ___ WILD FORAY IN GERMAN LINES BY RECONNAISSANCE TANK By Ross Munro WITH THE CANADIANS IN FRANCE, June 9 (Delayed) (CP Cable) They had practically written off the "Honey" tank and its crew when "Shorty" drove it back into camp with only one gun working, the hull scorched by grenade and shell blasts. TR. J. C. (Shorty) Mackenzie of Cape Norands, Que., driver of this speedy reconnaissance tank, climbed from the bow turret, his smoke begrimed face black as a minstrel's, and told me the story of a wild foray in the German lines on the perimeter of the beachhead. "We are away out in front, our Shermans making reconnaissance and we come to a town so we button down our turrets and belt right through the main street wide open, with Jerries bouncing grenades off us," he said. With this one-time miner in the tank were Trs. Harry (Happy) Webb, Welland, Ont., and Wilfred (Bing) Miller, Walkerton, Ont., and a sergeant who doesn't want to be named but who fought in tanks for three months in Italy and knows his way around. "An 88 (Millimetre Gun) opens up on us so I zig-zagged our Honey around a field. The fourth shot was so close it rocked us and the fifth nearly got us but we breezes off," Mackenzie continued. "We go down the road and we're breezing right along, see, when we run right into a Jerry camp. There is a barrier over the road, so I swings honey around and beats it back, with Jerries leaping outta bushes and heaving grenades at us and smacking us with machine guns. They're all around the tank a couple of times and we beat them off with our guns. We're getting bashed around and our guns are going out of action. "It wasn't long before we had only one revolver and one machine gun left. It got dark, though, and we got outta that tight spot and went off in the fields flat-out, see. I guess we were half a mile or so from the Jerry camp so we decided to bed down alongside the tank for the night. A fellow has gotta sleep occasionally. "A German patrol found us, though, and sarge challenged the Jerries but there was no answer so we didn't shoot and they didn't either. A Jerry patrol commander just stood there with his men behind him and then went away. We thought we were going to get it for sure. Anyway, we got some sleep and when it got light we comes back to our outfit and were our guys surprised to see us show up. That sure was a night." __ FFOOMPH THE DOG: TRAINED BY GERMANS BUT FRIEND TO CANADIAN REPORTER WITH CANADIAN FORCES IN FRANCE, June 10 (CP-Reuters) The Germans have abandoned Ffoomph. (Note to editors: There's no use trying to confirm that spelling. In the first place the two f's should be back to back. And anyway Ffoomph is not a town, but a big friendly German police dog.) Ffoomph is one of those big dogs the Germans had trained to warn of the enemy approach. But apparently Ffoomph was not happy in the service or else he was not a rabid Nazi. For when the Germans abandoned a headquarters in this sector Ffoomph was left behind in a paddock, deserted and forlorn; forlorn until the arrival of a contingent of Canadian war correspondents. Ffoomph, like most traitors, made a great fuss over the new occupants and insinuated himself into adoption by Bill Stewart, Canadian Press war correspondent, who speaks basic dog in three languages. After howling allegiance to the newsprint Commandos, the dog was formally adopted and christened Ffoomph, one of Cartoonist Stewart's characters who is really a human gremlin; a well meaning one but awfully awkward. ___ FIELDS AND TOWNS FULL OF HAZARD FOR TANKS By William Stewart WITH THE CANADIANS IN FRANCE, June 13 (CP Cable) Canadian tank forces have supported the ground troops in Normandy from the moment of the landing. They have fought in some of the roughest battles, slugging it out with big and heavily-armoured panzers. The Canadians have suffered casualties but in one area alone they knocked out many enemy tanks. Their ace is Lieut. G. K. Henry, of Montreal, with a record of four enemy tanks knocked out and four probable since D-Day. This bridgehead area, with rolling fields, mostly unfenced and narrow roads cutting across ground where tall grain crops grow, is just about ideal for tank fighting - which is a battle of manoeuvre and co-ordinated fire rather sweeping, calvary-like charges. There is plenty of cover in the fields, high hedges and numerous little groves. However, the verdant nature of the bridgehead battlefield also is full of hazards for the unwary tank man because of a high velocity anti-tank gun may be concealed in the bushes, behind a haystack or even the next rise of ground. Tanks must lie in wait for a false move on the part of the opponent and often there is no second chance after a tactical error. Tanks avoid towns as battlegrounds unless infantry has been there first because the narrow streets make them ideal tank traps where the lumbering land battleships may be fired upon by anti-tank guns concealed in buildings. The Canadian tank commander said Shermans under his command quickly helped stabilize the assault forces when the landings were made and still prove a vital operational factor, aiding assault troops to move quickly to their objectives. On D-Day, for instance, the tanks fought up the beaches and helped infantrymen put concrete coastal emplacements out of action. Meanwhile ships unloading on beaches behind the British-Canadian sector of the bridgehead have brought in hundreds of Shermans since D-Day along with guns and other needed heavy equipment. ___ MEMORIAL HELD FOR ASSAULT FORCES DAYS AFTER SUCCESSFUL LANDINGS By William Stewart WITH THE CANADIAN FORCES in France, June 18 (CP) On a wind-swept square of sandy soil overlooking the sea a memorial service was held today for men of the Canadian assault force who died in the D-Day attack on the beaches of Normandy. The service was in a temporary graveyard where a few British and German dead also are buried. It was sponsored by officers and men of a British beach group as a tribute to the Canadians. Prayers were said by an honorary British captain who stood in battle dress, bareheaded, in a roped off enclosure of the little burial ground. A British padre in cassock and white surplice conducted the Protestant service and in the absence of a Jewish chaplain, read a prayer for the two Jewish soldiers buried there. A little group of French civilians from a nearby town, through which the assault troops fought their way, stood outside the enclosure to one side of the troops, and at the end of the service placed flowers at the foot of the white crosses on the graves. Honorary Major J. M. Malone, Edmonton, thanked the British troops for their gesture. He told them the Canadian troops fighting in France were from all parts of Canada and though those who died did not know of their success "it is owing to their sacrifice that we now are able to make further effort." OTTAWA - A former imam whose sermon at the funeral of worshippers murdered at a Quebec City mosque attracted international attention will run for the federal Liberals in a Montreal riding. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/5/2019 (944 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Imam Hassan Guillet arrives at a gathering at the Pavillon de la Jeunesse, marking the first anniversary of the mosque shooting, Sunday, January 28, 2018 in Quebec City. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot OTTAWA - A former imam whose sermon at the funeral of worshippers murdered at a Quebec City mosque attracted international attention will run for the federal Liberals in a Montreal riding. Hassan Guillet won a contested nomination in Saint-Leonard-Saint-Michel, becoming the first Liberal candidate not to come from the influential Italian community since the 1988 inception of the east-end riding. Guillet says he wants to represent everyone in the riding and not just its substantial North African community. He beat a local city councillor and a notary to secure the nomination. The engineer said he hopes to be a "bridge builder" at a time when Quebecers and Canadians are more divided than ever on issues of immigration and secularism "When I arrived in Quebec 45 years ago, we were talking about two solitudes," Guillet, who is originally from Lebanon, told The Canadian Press. "Now we talk about a multitude of solitudes." Guillet rose to prominence for a sermon he gave at the 2017 funeral for three of the six victims of the Quebec City attack. At that time, he referred to the killer, Alexandre Bissonnette, as a victim which earned him worldwide praise. J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter books, called his words "extraordinary and humane." Two years removed from the 2017 mass slaying, Guillet said he finds the social climate is still quite tense as the Legault government pushes ahead with a secularism bill restricting the wearing of religious symbols. Guillet was the first candidate to declare his intention to run after Liberal MP Nicola Di Iorio announced last year he would no run for a second mandate. Guillet promised at the time to give up his role as a volunteer, part-time imam, and that will remain the case as he seeks office. He said he has no time to be an imam now. The one exception came during Bissonnette's sentencing in February, when the local community insisted he speak as a reassuring voice. Mr. Guillet, who speaks six languages, delivered his victory speech in French, English, Italian and Arabic. He added some Creole words too for good measure. The Conservative candidate in the riding is Ilario Maiolo, a lawyer and part-time-professor at the University of Ottawa. OTTAWA - The world's lawmakers have a duty to protect children from being turned into "voodoo dolls" by the "surveillance capitalism" of major high-tech companies, says the Canadian chair of the international grand committee on big data, privacy and democracy. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/5/2019 (944 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics Chair Bob Zimmer and members of the International Grand Committee on Big Data, Privacy and Democracy listen to a question from media during a news conference in Ottawa, Tuesday, May 28, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld OTTAWA - The world's lawmakers have a duty to protect children from being turned into "voodoo dolls" by the "surveillance capitalism" of major high-tech companies, says the Canadian chair of the international grand committee on big data, privacy and democracy. Conservative MP Bob Zimmer offered that summary as the multinational group of legislators wrapped its third and final day of hearings of Parliament Hill on Wednesday. The committee is examining the role of internet giants in safeguarding privacy and democratic rights. Over three days, the MPs have grilled representatives from Facebook, Amazon and other tech titans, and they lamented the fact the household names that head those and other organizations ignored requests to testify. They were replaced by lower-level officials who, in some cases, declined to answer questions because they said they didn't have the big-picture knowledge of their celebrity bosses. Zimmer said the hearings have been useful as he watches his own four children, aged 15 to 21, "getting more and more addicted to these phones." "When you see from surveillance capitalism, the whole drive, the whole business model is to keep them glued to that phone despite the bad health that that brings to those children our kids. It's all for a buck," said Zimmer. "We're responsible to do something about that. We care about our kids. We don't want to see them turned into voodoo dolls, to be controlled by the almighty dollar and capitalism." Liberal and New Democrat MPs on the committee shared that view in a rare show of domestic political unity. That was evident across international lines as well. British MP Damian Collins, the committee co-chair, said the hearings have shown how the companies were "unwilling to answer direct questions about how they gather data and how they use it." That includes testimony by witnesses who couldn't explain how Facebook and Amazon interact, or how data from the LinkedIn networking site and Microsoft (which bought it in 2016) are integrated, said Collins. "I don't understand why companies are unwilling to talk openly about the tools they put in place. People may consent to use these tools but do they understand the extent of the data they're sharing when they do," said Collins. The privacy implications of one popular online tool came under scrutiny during Wednesday's testimony. A security executive for the internet-browser company Mozilla said he was shocked by the recordings of his family that were collected and retained by Amazon's popular Alexa voice-activated interactive speakers. Alan Davidson, Mozilla's vice-president of global policy, trust and security, said the Amazon Echo, the hardware that runs the Alexa service, is a wonderful product but when he recently examined what his family had recorded and stored, he found the archive included conversations among his young children. "I was shocked, honestly, and my family was shocked to see these recordings of our young children from years ago that are in the cloud and stored about us. It's not to say that something was done wrong, or unlawfully," Davidson said. "But users have no idea they have no idea this data is out there and they don't know how it's going to be used in the future either." Internet companies need to give customers more "granular" consent options for how specific pieces of personal information are collected and used by high-tech companies, said Davidson. Mark Ryland, a director in the office of the chief information security officer for Amazon Web Services, testified Amazon makes it very clear that consent is part of the Alexa experience, and that customers can delete any collected data if they like. "Alexa is listening for a keyword an 'awake' word that alerts the system you want to interact with it in some fashion," said Ryland. "There's a light on the device that tells you it is active and subsequent sound in the room is then streamed to the cloud." That stream is then taken through a "language-processing system" that produces a transcript of the conversation, said Ryland. "You can see a full list of what you've said; you can delete any one of those. Those will immediately get removed from the database," he said. "I think it's very clear, the consent is part of the experience." The Alexa-gathered information Amazon does store "becomes part of your account information just like if you were buying books on our website and therefore could influence" other things the company might present to a customer "that you might be interested in," said Ryland. Speaking to reporters afterward, Ryland said the company will "continue to publicize people's ability to control their data." Asked whether the favours finer options for customer consent, Ryland said: "We're always looking for customer feedback and how to improve our products, so absolutely we're always looking to make improvements that meet customer needs." MONTREAL - A Quebec judge has ruled there is enough evidence to send SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. to trial on charges of fraud and corruption, surprising few and prompting a further tumble in the beleaguered firm's share price. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/5/2019 (944 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The SNC-Lavalin headquarters is seen in Montreal on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019. A court of Quebec judge is expected to rule today on whether SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. will proceed to trial on charges of fraud and corruption. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson MONTREAL - A Quebec judge has ruled there is enough evidence to send SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. to trial on charges of fraud and corruption, surprising few and prompting a further tumble in the beleaguered firm's share price. "Given the threshold to be met by the prosecution at the stage of the preliminary inquiry, this outcome was expected," said SNC-Lavalin chief executive Neil Bruce in a statement. The company has previously pleaded not guilty and Bruce said that "we will vigorously defend ourselves to get the right outcome and be acquitted." The Montreal-based engineering and construction giant is accused of paying $47.7 million in bribes to public officials in Libya between 2001 and 2011. The company, its construction division and a subsidiary also face one charge each of fraud and corruption for allegedly defrauding various Libyan organizations of $129.8 million. Judge Claude Leblond's decision, which is subject to a publication ban, is the latest step in criminal proceedings that began last fall after SNC-Lavalin failed to secure a deferred prosecution agreement, a kind of plea deal that would have seen the firm agree to pay a fine rather than face prosecution. Over the past four months, SNC-Lavalin has been at the centre of a political controversy following accusations from former attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould that top government officials pressured her to overrule federal prosecutors, who had opted not to negotiate a deferred prosecution agreement with the company. "The director of public prosecution has made a decision in that regard," said prosecutor Richard Roy, asked by reporters whether SNC-Lavalin could still secure an agreement and sidestep a trial. Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada David Lametti speaks with the media following party caucus on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Wednesday May 29, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld Despite the high profile afforded to the case, "SNC-Lavalin will have a fair trial," he added. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has argued that a criminal trial could trigger the company's exit to the United States and the loss of thousands of jobs, a sentiment that was supported by an internal SNC-Lavalin document obtained by The Canadian Press. "We respect the independence of our judiciary and were not going to comment on an ongoing court case, but as Ive said many times, were always going to fight for Canadian jobs in ways that uphold the rules," Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa Wednesday. SNC-Lavalin warned federal prosecutors last fall about a possible plan to split the company in two, move its offices to the U.S. and chop its Canadian workforce to 3,500 from 8,700 before eventually shuttering its domestic operations if it didnt get a deal to avoid criminal prosecution. Experts viewed the ruling as expected, though that didn't stop SNC shares from falling more than three per cent Wednesday to close at $24.17, a 14-year low capping off a month that opened with disappointing earnings results. The company's market valuation has dropped by $1.59 billion, or 27 per cent, over the past 30 days to $4.25 billion. Shares are trading at roughly half their October prices. A conviction could lead to a ban on federal bidding for up to 10 years. It could also prompt a ban on bidding for projects backed by the World Bank, "which is not a big percentage of what they do," said Karl Moore, an associate professor at McGill University's business school. He said a potential conviction would allow competitors to "make hay" of the company's situation. "They would make sure that their potential clients and current clients around the world are aware of it, and go, 'Even their own government doesnt trust them,'" Moore said, echoing concerns from the CEO. "If the company is convicted, you cant invoke the defence that this was a bunch of rogue employees," added Ian Lee, an associate professor at Carleton Universitys business school. Nearly one-third of SNC-Lavalins $9.3 billion in revenues in 2017 came from Canada, down from roughly 60 per cent of revenue in 2014. Analysts estimate that up to one-half of home-turf revenues stem from federal contracts. Attorney general David Lametti, who declined to comment, could technically extend an offer for a deferred prosecution agreement up until a guilty finding is handed down. "In the meantime, SNC-Lavalin continues to remain unrestricted in bidding and winning Canadian government funded contracts," said analyst Derek Spronck of RBC Dominion Securities in a note to investors. In a wide-ranging interview Wednesday, Wilson-Raybould said SNC-Lavalin's trial "will proceed in the way that it's supposed to proceed." "I'm very comfortable and confident with the approach that I took as the attorney general with respect to SNC and with respect to my role generally throughout the three and a bit years that I was in that position," said the former attorney general. The company is due back in court in Montreal on June 7 to choose a trial by jury or by judge alone. Prior to that, it can opt to apply within 30 days to the Superior Court of Quebec to have Wednesday's lower court decision quashed. "We are evaluating whether errors at law could justify seeking a judicial review of the decision," the company said in an email. Companies in this story: (TSX:SNC) - With files from Kristy Kirkup OTTAWA - The federal government failed to reach a planned agreement Wednesday on a specialized health facility with a northern Ontario First Nation plagued by mercury contamination. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/5/2019 (945 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA - The federal government failed to reach a planned agreement Wednesday on a specialized health facility with a northern Ontario First Nation plagued by mercury contamination. Ottawa had expected to sign a memorandum of agreement during a much-anticipated visit to the community by Indigenous Services Minister Seamus O'Regan but the chief of Grassy Narrows First Nation said it wasn't possible because he needs action his people can rely on. Indigenous Affairs Minister Seamus O'Regan is being urged to ensure a long-awaited visit to an Ontario First Nation is substantive and not a pre-election photo opportunity. O'Regan, then-Minister of Veteran's Affairs, rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Thursday, May 16, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang "I am disappointed, but we are not done," said Chief Rudy Turtle after lengthy negotiations with O'Regan. "We need to be certain that our loved ones who are hurting from mercury poisoning will finally have a place where they can be cared for with dignity. I will not rest until I am sure that the promise of the mercury home will be kept." A news advisory issued earlier this week ahead of O'Regan's visit to the community said there would be a memorandum of agreement "outlining a path forward to meet the long-term health needs of the community which has been impacted by exposure to mercury." The minister's office generated much anticipation for the visit by promoting that there would be a signing ceremony, the community said in a statement. Ultimately, a deal could not be reached. On Tuesday, Turtle told The Canadian Press that discussions were still underway with Ottawa on the contents of the proposed agreement, which would not be legally binding. The proposed mercury home is envisioned as a specialized medical facility where members of Grassy Narrows First Nation who live with lasting impacts of mercury poisoning, including impaired peripheral vision, hearing and speech, can seek treatment in the community. The contamination stems from when a paper mill in Dryden, Ont., dumped 9,000 kilograms of the substance into the English-Wabigoon River system in the 1960s. Help for the community seemed to be on the way when the federal government promised a specialized treatment facility in November 2017 and a feasibility study was produced last fall outlining costs and design ideas. Turtle has urged the federal government to put $88.7 million the estimated 30-year cost for the facility, according to the feasibility study into a trust fund for the community to ensure the project moves ahead no matter the results of the October federal election. In a statement late Wednesday, O'Regan said he is "obviously disappointed" an agreement was not signed, but stressed the federal government has made progress. "Building a health facility in Grassy Narrows is our priority; that's why Chief Turtle and I met in the community today," O'Regan said. "The people of Grassy Narrows have suffered for over 50 years. We're working in close partnership in the best interest of the community. And we're committed to getting this right." In January of 2017, a spokesperson for the prime minister said he would deal with the mercury crisis "once and for all", the community said. "Grassy Narrows has invited Trudeau to visit five times, but he has never accepted," it added. At the end of March, Trudeau apologized for his response to a protester who interrupted a Liberal fundraising event to draw attention to the mercury poisoning in Grassy Narrows. As security escorted the woman out, Trudeau thanked her for her donation: "I really appreciate your donation to the Liberal Party of Canada." Follow @kkirkup on Twitter MONTREAL - Two months after landing in Canada, a refugee who helped shelter whistleblower Edward Snowden in Hong Kong says she's grateful for her new life but is worried about the other members of the group who assisted the American fugitive. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/5/2019 (944 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Vanessa Rodel embraces her daughter Keana, 7, at a news conference Wednesday, May 29, 2019 in Montreal. Rodel played a key role in whistleblower Edward Snowden's escape from U.S. authorities in Hong Kong. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz MONTREAL - Two months after landing in Canada, a refugee who helped shelter whistleblower Edward Snowden in Hong Kong says she's grateful for her new life but is worried about the other members of the group who assisted the American fugitive. Vanessa Rodel said she and her seven-year-old daughter, Keana, are settling into life in Montreal, where they've found an apartment and are learning French. For the first time since she fled gender-based persecution and human trafficking in the Philippines to head to Hong Kong 17 years ago, she can go to school again. After years of uncertainty, the 42-year-old said getting real ID felt like "winning a prize." "For the first time I got a credit card and permanent residence, so I'm so happy," she said Wednesday at a news conference in Montreal. "Now I'm going to French class, it's amazing, because I already got my student ID." Rodel said she and her daughter have been enjoying Montreal's food, taking walks on Mount Royal and basking in their newfound freedom. Keana, who wore a sparkly purple dress, showed off her ability to count to 10 in French and said her favourite subject in school is basketball. Despite her gratitude, Rodel said she remains worried about the five other members of the group dubbed Snowden's "Guardian Angels" including her daughter's father and step-siblings who remain in Hong Kong. On Wednesday, Rodel and her lawyers issued a new plea to the Canadian government to accept the asylum claims of the remaining "Angels," who they say face discrimination in Hong Kong for their role in helping Snowden. Four of them, including two young children, have had their asylum claims rejected there and could be deported to Sri Lanka. "Our family has been divided, and I ask Canada to act now to bring the family together," Rodel said, adding that she didn't understand why all the Snowden refugees hadn't been accepted at the same time. Rodel and Keana's arrival at the end of March brought an end to a saga dating back to 2013. At that time, when Snowden fled to Hong Kong after divulging classified documents from the U.S. National Security Agency, Rodel and a handful of others banded together to help in the whistleblower's early days as a fugitive, according to their lawyer. The information Snowden leaked exposed the scope of massive government surveillance operations. He currently lives in Moscow and is wanted in the United States on charges related to the leaks. The remaining "Angels" have been identified as a couple from Sri Lanka named Supun Kellapatha and Nadeeka Dilrukshi, and their two young children, ages 3 and 7. The fifth is a Sri Lankan soldier who deserted the military. Rodel has said Kellapatha is Keana's father. Rodel appeared at the news conference alongside her lawyers, who announced they had filed additional applications last week to have the remaining refugees accepted on humanitarian grounds and for reasons of family reunification. Lawyer Guillaume Cliche-Rivard said the whole family is suffering psychologically from the separation, and it's imperative that they are brought together in Canada soon. "We can't have a daughter separated from her father for more than two months," he said. "Even two months is too long, and we need to reunite them as soon as possible." He expressed hope that the additional submissions would help boost the family's existing asylum claim. Robert Tibbo, a lawyer representing the group, said a recent case in which Germany granted asylum to two Hong Kong activists lends credence to the Snowden group's claims that they've been persecuted by Hong Kong authorities. The German decision to grant protection to the two pro-democracy protesters has been interpreted as a manifestation of growing concern over how Hong Kong treats those with dissenting political views. Tibbo said many countries have been reluctant to accept asylum claims from the semi-autonomous Chinese territory, believing it to be a safe area. The German decision, and the Hong Kong's government's angry response to it, shows the remaining five refugees are "at immediate risk for their safety and security," he said. "The Snowden refugees still in Hong Kong are at the mercy of the Hong Kong government, and they've been persecuted for the last three years," he said. "They stand alone compared to the rest of the refugee community." OTTAWA - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be on Juno Beach to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day this year. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/5/2019 (944 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visits Juno Beach in Courseulles-sur-Mer, France, on April 10, 2017. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be on Juno Beach to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day this year. His office announced this morning that on June 4, he'll go to Portsmouth, the British port from which many of the Allied ships set out for the invasion of Nazi-occupied France in 1944. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld OTTAWA - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be on Juno Beach to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day this year. His office says his trip will start on June 4 in Portsmouth, the British port from which many of the Allied ships set out for the invasion of Nazi-occupied France in 1944. More than 150,000 troops including Canadians crossed the English Channel on D-Day on June 6 to take five landing points on the Normandy coast. The landings claimed thousands of lives but began the successful campaign to roll back German forces in western Europe and led to the end of the Second World War. After the 75th anniversary commemoration in Normany, Trudeau will go to Paris, which the Allies liberated from the Germans in August 1944. Trudeau's delegation will include the defence minister, representatives from Indigenous and veterans' organizations, and young Canadians. 16bn worth of Irish goods were sold to the UK in 2017. With Brexit set to hit this figure, CSO statistics have revealed that 78% of Irish exporters, or 6,719 businesses, trade with the UK. That includes 3,214 businesses who export solely to the UK. The agri-food industry made up close to a quarter of UK trade, the most of any sector, with 541 companies accounting for 3.7bn of exported goods. That was closely followed by pharmaceuticals (3.6bn), manufacturing and construction (3.6bn), and wholesale and retail (3.3bn). 2,972 wholesalers/retailers exported goods to the UK in 2017, just under half of all businesses exporting to the UK. 87% of firms exporting to the UK and 93% of those importing have less than 50 employees. Irish businesses are even more reliant on goods purchased from the UK, with 22.5bn worth of goods imported to Ireland. 27,152 enterprises imported goods from the UK in 2017, 86% of all firms who purchased goods from abroad. Again, the wholesale and retail sector accounted for close to half, 12,761, of those businesses. The wholesale/retail and agri-food sectors are most at risk of a no-deal Brexit, with UK exports and imports accounting for the highest share of total exports/imports. More than half of Irish workers believe that technology will make a four-day working week likely in the future, according to a new survey. 57% of Irish office workers responded by saying that as technology makes work practices more efficient they believe the working week will be four days. The survey, carried out by electronics company Ricoh, found that "43% of Irish workers expect all or part of their roles to be automated within the next five years". The research also looked at the top priorities for workers when looking for a job, with salary (54%) being most important. Flexible working hours (39%), learning opportunities (38%) and a work-life balance (37%) were the other key factors for job seekers. When it comes to employers facilitating flexible working options for employees, the poll found Ireland fell behind the UK. Only 41% of Irish workers feel that their employer frequently adapts its working practices to their needs, in comparison to 54% of their UK counterparts. The survey was commissioned by Ricoh Europe and conducted by Coleman Parkes. It involved 4,580 office workers from across 24 countries, including 150 from Ireland. "There is no doubt that the concept of the traditional workplace has changed significantly in recent years," said Chas Moloney, director, Ricoh Ireland & UK. "Interest in and appetite for a four-day work week is growing people want to work less hours but be more effective and productive with the time they spend working. "Therefore, its very disappointing that Irish business leaders are not recognising this trend and adopting more flexible ways of working to motivate, encourage and retain staff. "After all, a happier workforce often equates to increased employee productivity, business performance and company growth." Gardai have interviewed a substantial number of witnesses in its investigation into bogus letters for a planned 10m Supermacs motorway forecourt outside Ennis. The scale of the investigation was revealed as Supermacs owner, Pat McDonagh confirmed that he will submit fresh plans for the plaza-forecourt in the next four weeks after he withdrew the existing plan earlier this week. Mr McDonagh said that the withdrawal of the planning application and the decision to lodge fresh plans for the site on the Galway to Limerick motorway had absolutely nothing to do with the controversy. He said that the decision to withdraw the planning application came after Clare County Council requested further information last year. The council raised a potential stumbling block by saying Transport Infrastructure Ireland had raised an issue about a sewer connection for the project crossing the River Fergus. A Garda spokesman in Ennis confirmed it had interviewed a substantial number of witnesses concerning an investigation into bogus letters. A total of 187 letters were lodged last summer in support of the plaza project. Subsequently, about 40 people contacted the council to complain that they had not written the letters. The bogus letters used names and addresses without their knowledge and allegedly involved forged signatures. The Garda spokesman said: We have interviewed a substantial number of witnesses and have a substantial number of witnesses interviews yet to take place. The spokesman said the investigation is complex and that a file will be going to the Director of Public Prosecutions in due course. Supermacs last year said it was horrified to learn about the bogus letters. Mr McDonagh said that the letters had nothing to do with us and that issue has been clarified. Asked whether garda had been in touch, Mr McDonagh said: No one from the Gardai has been in touch with me. The new application for the site outside Ennis will be the fourth application Mr McDonagh will have lodged for the site. First lodged in 2014, the plans were refused by An Bord Pleanala. The risks of hefty wage increases tipping the economy into a new crisis have risen significantly and will require the Government to keep monitoring the threat each and every quarter, outgoing Central Bank governor Philip Lane has warned. Speaking to reporters at one of his final public events before taking up a new job as a senior ECB policymaker on the executive board in Frankfurt, Mr Lane said that the growth of jobs in Ireland and elsewhere was remarkable, which meant any outsized growth in wages was the most likely source of generating overheating in Irelands fast-expanding economy. He said he favoured "sustainable" wage increases but signalled to the Government the difficulties of cutting wages should the economy go into reverse. The governor reiterated his warning in the run-up to Octobers budget that the Government should think of offsetting the large amounts of money it plans to inject into the economy in its plans to fund large infrastructure projects by way of other revenue tax raising funds. If there was overheating, it would cause long-term damage because it is easy to raise wages and difficult to cut wages, he said. The bigger issue right now is not demanding too much from the Irish economy. If you have unemployment at 4.6% and you want to do more for public investment and you want to hire more public sector workers for health, for education and so on, that is a reasonable political choice, Mr Lane said. However, there were potential risks, he said. Boosting the Rainy Day fund or reducing debt could help to prevent any risks of overheating in the event of wages increasing sharply. We are entering a phase where quarter-by-quarter, we really have to keep an eye on this. We are convinced this is not a small issue, he said, adding that no one should be in denial that there is a limit to what the Irish economy can deliver. Asked if Octobers budget was particularly important, the governor said that there was the tricky situation that needed to be worked through should there be a benign outcome to Brexit, as the capacity for the economy could very quickly be reached. However, he told reporters that it was the widely-shared view that the risk of a hard Brexit had risen in recent months. Much work had already been done between the ECB and Bank of England to safeguard the financial system in the event of a no-deal Brexit, he said. The ECB has had years to think about it, to prepare for it and there is no lack of information in the economics world about the effects of a hard Brexit. Asked if he regretted that there had been no new major banking entrant into the Irish market to help reduce some of the costliest loans in the eurozone that Irish lenders charge SME and home mortgage borrowers, he said any challenger bank looking to enter the Irish market faced a much more stable system. He said that the Irish bank pricing was driven by a combination of the additional risk costs lenders faced in doing business here and a degree of monopoly pricing. More regulatory and legislative certainty would help encourage potential challenger banks, the governor said. He said staff numbers and the wages bill at the central bank had risen because it needed more regulators and to prepare for Brexit as lenders moved their operations from London to Ireland. The Central Bank was, however, now at a full strength and was entering a period of consolidation after its rapid expansion, he said. The chief proponent of a ban on oil and gas drilling in Irish waters has threatened the possibility of a legal challenge against the State in order to resurrect the proposed legislation which has been blocked by the Government. The Climate Emergency Measures Bill was introduced last year by People Before Profit and garnered the support of Fianna Fail, the Green Party and Sinn Fein before progressing to committee debate stage in the Oireachtas. Further debate on the bill was due to start in less than a fortnight, but the Government has moved to block the bill's progression, using bureaucratic procedure, on the grounds of a drill ban having cost implications for the State. People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said his party and others will begin arguing for the Government to "change tune" at tomorrow's sitting of the Joint Oireachtas Business Committee. However, he said his party has not ruled out legal action. "We'll certainly look at the legal side of it. We're not giving up on this. We intend to fight this at procedural level, but more importantly at political level," Mr Boyd Barrett said. Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said he was "flabbergasted" that the Government was "willing to disregard the democratic institutions of the State" by blocking the proposal 15 months after the start of the process. "The Department seems to have gone rogue and I think the Minister and the Government facilitating it is a disgrace and their words on climate change ring hollow as a result," Mr Ryan said. Oisin Coghlan of Friends of the Earth Ireland said the Government has now lost all credibility around climate action and the environment. "Nothing else the Government does on climate will have any credibility now, unless - at the very least - they let TDs do their job and debate the bill and amend it and pass it as they see fit," he said. Mr Boyd Barrett called the latest block "a cynical attempt to sabotage" the bill. He said the move showed "stunning hypocrisy" on the part of the Government after it claimed to acknowledge the public's desire to see more done to tackle climate change, as illustrated by the success of green agenda-led candidates in the local and European elections. Former Natural Resoures Minister Denis Naughten also said the Government should "pause" the approval of further oil and gas exploration licences. The latest setback for the People Before Profit-led bill follows formal approval being granted for a drilling programme by a subsidiary of the China National Offshore Oil Corporation, in partnership with oil major Exxon Mobil, off the Kerry coast. This campaign is now likely to get underway before the end of the summer and is being seen as a major barometer of the potential of Irish oil licences. Exploration industry lobby group the Irish Offshore Operators Association said the bill does not take account of Irelands energy realities and would lock Ireland into a future of energy imports and as a result, it would increase, rather than reduce Irelands emissions. "A transition to lower carbon needs to happen and is the right thing to do. However, Irish people and Irish businesses still need oil and gas in the interim. The IOOA remains committed to engaging on energy policy that is realistic about Irelands current and future energy needs," a spokesperson said. The Immigrant Council of Ireland helped 23 victims of human trafficking last year. According to its new Impact Report, all were women and 20 were trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation. Of the remaining three victims, two were trafficked for domestic slavery and one for labour-exploitation. Brian Killoran, the chief executive of the council, says human-trafficking in Ireland is increasing: "I think what we've seen in Ireland over the last couple of years is a steady rise in the number of detections of trafficking situations. "It is an area of concern, definitely, and one which we are endeavouring to raise with the Government on a constant basis. Today in Ireland, we have yet to convict a person responsible for trafficking somebody into Ireland. That's a huge gap in our response to this international crime. The Immigrant Council of Ireland also supported 25 people who were racially abused last year. Mr Killoran says racism is more prevalent than the figures indicate. "While we did support 25 cases last year we believe that that is massively under-representative of the type of issues that are out there. It is an undercurrent that needs to be addressed. "Some of the things that [happened to people] we support are of the most serious nature, we have assaults, we have attacks on people's property, attacks in their home. We have attacks [where] children are present. it's very dangerous and it's very problematic." There was also a 17% increase in general helpline queries, with 3,500 received over the 12 months. Australian MP feels hopeful for Irish family facing deportation after speaking with Immigration Minister. Damian Drum is backing the Hyde familys bid to remain in Australia and said Immigration Minister David Coleman will review their case in the next week. Mr Drum said: I am waiting for the Minister to get an opportunity to look through the file and that has yet to be done but it will be done probably within the week. The Department is compiling all the data and records and getting ready to present that case to the Minister. Ill be in constant contact with the Minister on this one and we are hopeful that we can get a good decision but we are not in a position to make a call on it yet. Damian Drum Christine and Anthony Hydes application for permanent residency was refused because their son Darragh, 3, has cystic fibrosis. Earlier this month, an Administrative Review Tribunal recommended the case be considered for ministerial intervention. Unless the Minister intervenes, the family who have lived in Australia for 10 years, face deportation on June 18. Their local MP Damian Drum is supporting their bid to stay and is lobbying the Immigration Minister on their behalf. He said: I spoke to David (Coleman) this morning on this case. The Minister is in a very difficult position here. This situation where you have people out here on work visas who have children with severe disabilities, there is a real potential that this could cost the country millions of dollars and everyone understands that. If the Minister intervenes in this case, it will set a precedent so we have to be very careful." Despite this, the Nationals MP said he feels relatively confident after his conversations with the Minister. He added: Theres still a lot of work to be done in relation to all the data that goes into the appeal, all the data that the Hydes need to present. All that data has to find its way from the Department to the Minister. Mr Drum was re-elected to the newly formed seat of Nicholls in the recent general election. With the boundaries re-drawn, the Hydes home-town of Seymour has become part of his constituency. The MP said he became involved in the case because the Hydes have such strong support in the area. He said: Many people from within the community have been stopping me and saying: Can you help this family? He said the Hydes have proven that they are making a substantial contribution to our nation. Christine works as assistant principal at a local primary school and Anthony works as a bus driver. An online petition calling for the Hydes to be allowed to remain in Australia has received over 100,000 signatures. Mr Drum said: The family has got the backing of the local community I dont think theres any doubt about that. Darragh Hyde. As local MPs we get lots of requests in this regard and my first answer is always to refuse a letter of recommendation for people that I havent met. I went against my strict rule in relation to letters of support in this case. Ive only done that on the back of a strong letter of recommendation from the school where Christine Hyde works. The Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews has also thrown his support behind the Hydes saying Theyre effectively Aussies. The Labor MP said: This is a great family. Theyve been SES volunteers and school teachers in their local schools, theyve have contributed over the past 10 years. The young boy was born here, some compassion and some common sense (is needed). Therell be some costs for the medical treatment he needs, but there will be so many more benefits to Seymour, to that local community and indeed for all of us. Christine and Anthony Hyde applied for permanent residency in 2015 before Darragh was born. Shortly after his birth, the toddler was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis and their application was rejected on the basis that his illness would be a burden on the state. The family argued that Darraghs condition is mild and have doctors reports to back that up. An eight-year-old boy has been awarded 12,000 for psychological injuries and emotional upset suffered as a result of a car accident in Dublin when he was a toddler. The accident happened at North King Street in Dublin February 2014 when the boy was aged two, civil proceedings at Dublin District Court heard. Counsel told Judge Michael Coghlan that the boy was a passenger in a car driven by his mother and he had been restrained. The car was hit by the defendants vehicle. The court heard the boy suffered emotional upset and was psychologically injured which led to somewhat sensitive physical symptoms which were not read out during the hearing. The symptoms persisted but in January this year the childs doctor said there had been some improvement and counsel added that it had been incremental. Judge Coghlan praised the applicants lawyers for the documentation they produced relating to the impact on the child. This was unlike other cases, he said, where an accident had just one recent report, about an accident several years before, saying the child was now well. He described that approach as a useless exercise and added the case presented was the "very converse of that". The court heard the case involved a considerable number of medical reports. The settlement offer of 12,000 was fair and he was minded to approve it, Judge Coghlan said. He directed that the money was to be paid into court funds on behalf of the boy until he reaches full age. He also awarded 600 for expenses and 1,200 in legal costs. Former Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Denis Naughten is calling on the Government to pause the approval of gas and oil exploration licences. There are clear timelines now set in place to move away from fossil fuels to green sources of energy, he told RTE radios Morning Ireland. He said he had not approved any licences while he was Minister. He had come to the conclusion that such licences should be stopped because of a resilience report in relation to the long term gas disruption in the country. Up to that one of the strong arguments that had been made in terms of oil exploration off our coast is its need from an energy security point of view, we import 80 per cent of our energy needs. Any significant change will require a lot of policy change across Government, the resilience report shows that we dont have a reliance on oil, because we're moving away from oil, but the view has always been that gas is going to be the transition fuel for the foreseeable future, natural gas, but this particular report shows that we dont have a long term vulnerability in relation to long term disruption of the pipeline network. File photo And that's a significant change and new information that wasnt available to me at the time I was Minister. What the Department needs to do now is to pause any new exploration licenses being issued, I think it's very hard to continue to justify that, with the information that's now available, and the decisions that have been taken by Cabinet over the last two and a half years. I also think it undermines the credibility of marketing Ireland as a green country in terms of our food production if were allowing oil exploration to take place. It also has the opportunity to hugely undermine the opportunities we have for the offshore renewable sector, we already have offshore floating turbines in Scotland, they have deployed them there, they can be deployed off the coast of Ireland. And remember Irish territorial waters are 10 times the size of the island of Ireland. So theres a huge opportunity there. Mr Naughten said that the right decisions are being taken, but those decisions need to be reflected across Government. Latest: Independent MEP Luke Ming Flanagan, Sinn Fein's Matt Carthy and ex-Rose of Tralee Maria Walsh have taken the final three MEP seats in Midlands North West while runner-up Peter Casey has vowed to run for the Dail. The result of the week-long European elections race was finally confirmed tonight after four days of intense ballot counting in the sprawling 13 county constituency. In a final 13th count just before 9pm, Independent Mr Flanagan, Fine Gael candidate Ms Walsh and Sinn Fein's Matt Carthy joined Fine Gael's Mairead McGuinness who was elected on the first count on Monday with the highest vote in Ireland. Their election - the latter two of whom failed to reach the quota - means controversial presidential runner-up Mr Casey has lost out in his bid for Brussels. The final, 13th count in Midlands North West said: * Quota 118,986 * Mairead McGuinness, Fine Gael, 134,630 (over the quota, elected on the 1st count) * Luke Ming Flanagan, Independent, 121,824 (over the quota, elected on the 13th count) * Maria Walsh, Fine Gael 107,198 (under the quota, elected on the 13th count) * Matt Carthy, Sinn Fein, 98,732 (under the quota, elected on the 13th count) While Mr Casey fought back into the race, finishing on 78,362 votes, he ultimately failed to receive enough transfers from Fianna Fail TD Brendan Smith in the final count. Final count (13) #MidlandsNorthWest European elections (118,986 quota): * Mairead McGuinness FG 134,630 (over q, count 1) * Luke Ming Flanagan IND 121,824 (over q, count 13) * Maria Walsh FG 107,198 (under q, count 13) * Matt Carthy SF 98,732 (under q, count 13) #iestaff #ee2019 Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) May 29, 2019 Instead, Mr Smith's votes were distributed between Mr Casey (8,439), Mr Flanagan (9,064), Mr Carthy (7,336) and Ms Walsh (11,035). On being elected, Mr Flanagan was lifted by his supporters as he shouted "sorry Peter" and sang "champione, champione", Mr Carthy was draped in the tricolour while Ms Walsh was engulfed by Fine Gael supporters. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar had intended to travel to Castlebar for the election announcement, but due to work constraints took to Twitter to say he had a "quick FaceTime" video call with her to say "well done on a fantastic campaign". In their winners speeches, Mr Flanagan said he wants to keep representing the rural people of Ireland and Ms Walsh said she was "proud" to be elected. Mr Carthy - whose leader Mary Lou McDonald said after arriving at the count centre he leadership is not under threat - quoted musician Leonard Cohen by saying Sinn Fein's difficulties this week are the "crack the light shines through". Mr Casey - who arrived one minute after count 12 put him ahead of Mr Smith and in contention, but left long before the final count when it became clear he would not win a seat - told RTE he will now run for a Dail seat in Donegal. Asked if he will accept defeat if he loses for a third time running, he said: "Ach, don't be silly. Not at all. When you go into politics you realise you'll win some, you'll lose some. I think I have had a very good showing in both my campaigns." Earlier: Midlands North West counting continues with Flanagan likely to retain seat Another long day of counting has taken place in the Midlands North West constituency with Luke Ming Flanagan likely to retain his seat after no substantial changes. Fine Gaels Mairead McGuinness was elected to the first of the four seats on Monday after counting began in Castlebar, Co Mayo, on Sunday. She will return to Brussels with a huge mandate of 134,630 votes the quota for election stands at 118,986. It is unlikely any other candidate will reach the quota apart from incumbent independent MEP Mr Flanagan, who on the 12th count remained in the lead for the second seat on 112,760 votes. He is followed by Fine Gaels Maria Walsh on 96,163 and Sinn Feins Matt Carthy on 91,396. Mr Flanagan said his election was a certainty. Sinn Fein candidate Matt Carthy with party leader Mary Lou McDonald at the count centre in Castlebar, Co Mayo (Brian Lawless/PA) Likely to be joining Ms McGuinness and Mr Flanagan is incumbent MEP Mr Carthy. Although his share of the vote has decreased on 2014, the Sinn Fein representative should be safe in his position as he retained an over 20,000 vote lead on Mr Casey throughout the day. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald visited the count centre on Wednesday. Although the decision was not certain until its over, she hailed Mr Carthys performance and positive campaign amid a turbulent time for the party, which polled badly in the local elections over the weekend. Fine Gael newcomer Ms Walsh also looked likely to be headed for Brussels on Wednesday evening, with her vote count significantly increasing from transfers from other candidates. Fianna Fail has polled poorly in the constituency, falling behind Mr Casey. It fielded two candidates in Anne Rabbitte, who was eliminated on Tuesday night, and Brendan Smith, who was eliminated on Wednesday afternoon. Counting is expected to go on well into the night. - Press Association A dairy farmer has told the trial of a former psychic charged with money laundering that it would be easier to get through to Donald Trump than to contact the man he thought was managing his loan. Simon Gold (54), with an address of Augharan, Aughavas, Co. Leitrim, has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 22 charges including money laundering, theft, deception, and control of false instruments on dates between January 1, 2010, and October 22, 2012. The trial has heard that Mr Gold accepted he had used the names Simon Gold, Simon Gould, Simon Magnier, and Niall O'Donoghue. The trial has also heard Mr Gold acknowledged he is responsible for an Ulster Bank account in the name of Anglo Irish Global Ltd. On the ninth day of evidence before the jury, Eamonn O'Toole told Lorcan Staines SC, prosecuting, that he was a dairy farmer in Co Tipperary and that he was seeking a loan in 2011 to prepare for the abolition of milk quotas. Mr O'Toole said his friend Jody Ryan gave him the phone number of Simon Magnier and told him Mr Magnier was willing to invest in projects. He said Mr Magnier sounded a little bit posh and it wasn't your flat Tipperary accent. He said that he wanted a loan of 250,000, but Mr Magnier said he did not do loans of that size and offered a loan of 1m instead. He said he thought that Anglo Irish Global Ltd was a bank lending to farmers and that Mr Magnier was the principal banker. Mr O'Toole said he was required to transfer 10,000 to Anglo Irish Global Ltd and he did so. He said he understood that a man named Niall O'Donoghue was the person who would manage his loan. He said he never spoke to Mr O'Donoghue and that it would be easier to get through to Donald Trump. He said when he tried to contact him or Mr Magnier after transferring the money a receptionist would tell him that she would transfer his call and then the line would go dead. Mr O'Toole said the loan never came through. Regarding the 10,000, he said if he had given it to St Vincent de Paul he would feel happy about it and the whole situation had been an education where he went from infants to six class in a short time He told Dominic McGinn SC, defending, that he was advised by Mr Magnier to put a younger man's name on documents when applying for the loan. He said he put on the document the name of a teenager who worked slurry on the farm at the time. Mr O'Toole said that the teenager did know about this and that the teenager told him that the loan would probably never come through. Mr O'Toole said: Hindsight is a very exact science. The trial continues tomorrow before Judge Nolan and a jury. Update: Fine Gael has confirmed an internal review will be established to examine the facts surrounding Deputy Maria Bailey's civil case that was dropped earlier this week. Deputy Bailey met the Taoiseach to discuss the matter today and her radio interview earlier this week, which was not sanctioned by the party. In a statement following the meeting Fine Gael announced that in relation to the civil case which has been withdrawn by Ms Bailey it would undertake an internal review to establish all the facts into what happened. This review, it said, would be carried out by senior counsel David Kennedy. Highlighting that it would not be making any further comment at this time the party said Ms Bailey had agreed to participate fully with the review and will remain as chairperson of the Oireachtas Housing Committee, while the review is being carried out. Fine Gael statement re Maria Bailey.. an internal review to be conducted but no mention of sanction as of now #iestaff pic.twitter.com/k07rU8HzaX Daniel McConnell (@McConnellDaniel) May 29, 2019 Josepha Madigan and Maria Bailey pictured in 2016 at Leinster House on Kildare Street, Dublin. Photo: Gareth Chaney Collins Madigan urged to clarify if she advised Maria Bailey over 'swing' case Earlier: Culture Minister Josepha Madigan must clarify if she personally gave Fine Gael colleague and TD Maria Bailey any professional advice when she took her now infamous "swing" legal case, an opposition leader has said, writes Fiachra O'Cionnaith. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said the Government should make Ms Madigan clarify the situation and that "if they were minded to listen to my advice I would advise them to clarify that point". Speaking to reporters as she arrived at the Midlands North West European elections count centre in Castlebar, Co Mayo, on Wednesday afternoon, Ms McDonald was asked if she has any concerns over Madigan Solicitors' involvement in the case. Ms Bailey lodged the now dropped case against the Dean Hotel in 2015, the year before she became a TD. Ms Madigan, who also became a TD, only stepped back from her family solicitor firm the following year, in 2017. Asked if Ms Madigan should clarify whether or not she advised Ms Bailey in a professional capacity on the case between 2015 and 2017, Ms McDonald said: "Well, if they were minded to listen to my advice, I would advise them to clarify that point if for no other reason than if you guys are asking the question, until they clarify it you're going to keep asking the question. "So I would have thought it just a matter of common sense that they might do so." Ms Madigan and Ms Bailey have both declined to clarify the matter in multiple media opportunities throughout the election count week. Update - May30, 3.30pm: Eithne Ryan has been located safe and well. May 29, 6.35pm: Gardai have appealed to the public for assistance in locating a 55-year-old woman who is missing in Dublin. Eithne Ryan is missing from the Clontarf area since yesterday. However, gardai believe she may have visited Limerick and Galway since then. She is described as being approximately 5'5" in height, of medium build with light brown curly hair and hazel eyes. When last seen, Eithne was wearing a brown knee length cardigan, white jeans and silver healed shoes. Anyone with information on her whereabouts are asked to contact gardai in Clontarf on 01 666 4800. A High Court action by the HSE over a website it claimed was confusingly similar to its crisis pregnancy service 'MyOptions' has been resolved. The HSE brought proceedings against Mr Eamonn Murphy, an unsuccessful candidate in the recent European Elections, who it claimed established a website passing off the 'MyOptions' service. Earlier this year the HSE obtained a temporary injunction preventing Mr Murphy, or anyone under his control from using a website he allegedly registered last month called www.myoptions.website, or any other variation of a website using the term 'my options'. When the matter came before the High Court today Michael Binchy Bl for the HSE said the matter had been resolved. Counsel said Mr Murphy had consented to the making of a permanent injunction in terms including that the defendant is restrained from using the sign "My Options" or any other sign confusingly similar to the HSE's mark "My Options" in regards to a pregnancy counselling service. The injunction also restrains Mr Murphy from using the www.myoptions.website domain name and any other variants of the domain name. It was also agreed that the matter be adjourned generally with liberty to re-enter, with no order for costs, counsel added. Mr Murphy, who had represented himself in the proceedings told the court he was consenting to the permanent injunction being made against him. Ms Justice Reynolds granted the injunction and adjourned the matter generally. The Judge also vacated the hearing of the trial which was set down for July. The HSE in its action had claimed Mr Murphy was inappropriately offering pregnancy scans and was trying to convince women not to go ahead with abortions, or berating those who have chosen to undergo a termination. Mr Murphy with an address at Finglas Road Dublin 11, allegedly registered that website's domain name days after the Minister for Health publically announced that the HSE's service would be called 'my options'. The HSE claimed Mr Murphy's actions were not a coincidence, and led to substantial confusion and is damaging the goodwill and reputation of the HSE's service. Last year the HSE secured the contract to run the freephone information and confidential counselling service, which is the first point of contact between it and the public. Its website, myoptions.ie went live late last year, and the phone service commenced in January. The HSE brought proceedings against Mr Murphy after it became aware of a website called www.myoptions.website which contained Mr Murphy's phone number and promised a free ultrasound. The HSE claimed that women were finding the defendant when they intended to find the service operated by the HSE. The website gave the impression that Mr Murphy was offering services in connection with the HSE, or that objective counselling and information services are being provided, it was claimed. Mr Muphy had previously denied any wrongdoing and said it was the HSE who was causing the confusion. Former La Stampa restaurant owner, Louis Murray, told the High Court he had "never been confronted by such a thug" as the receiver who took control of his Dawson Street, Dublin, business. He was giving evidence in his action against AIB and a receiver it appointed over his properties, including a hotel and a bar, when he and his company BalieboroSpringwater (in receivership) failed to meet an immediate repayment demand for a 19.8m debt. The court heard that for a number of months after the receivership, Mr Murray sought investors and eventually got one who was prepared to pay 21.5m for the business. Mr Murray, whose business had suffered in the economic crash and who was diagnosed with cancer in 2011, claims AIB and receiver Declan McDonald breached an agreement he had that 35/36 Dawson Street, housing the businesses, be sold on a "consensual" basis. The defendants deny his claims. Mr Murray was being asked by his counsel John Fitzgerald did he feel the receiver Mr McDonald helped him in getting investors. I think the receiver acted in such a reprehensible and evil way against me from day one. And I did use the word reprehensible as I have never been confronted by such a thug in my life. Mr Murray said at one stage he had 12 interested parties in buying a very valuable asset but Mr McDonald "greatly damaged this asset beyond belief". This included removing a builder from doing work on an extension of the successful "Sam's Bar" which would have boosted revenue. He said the "Oscar stuff" was when Mr McDonald later put the Dawson Street properties up for sale with a guide price of 15m. Mr Murray said he had spent 22m alone on the premises between when he acquired it in 1989 and 1992. He said the first agreement breach by AIB was when they appointed the receiver in October 2014 just shortly after he had a meeting at which the "consensual sale" agreement was made. Asked about his reaction to that decision, Mr Murray started crying. One of his daughters came up to the witness box at the request of Mr Justice David Barniville and she handed him a glass of water before he said he was able to continue giving evidence. He said he viewed the receivership as "a very personal betrayal" after 24 years of what had been "a hugely successful" business. The receivership had some very immediate effects, including that he had his electricity and gas cut off and he was unable to buy food or pay his medical bills, he said. After getting a firm offer of a purchase for 21.5m from Olympia Investments in May 2015, Mr Murray believed he had met all the criteria to pay off the AIB debt. He said at a meeting with AIB officials, at which he had presented proof of funding, he was congratulated on saving his business and got "hugs and kisses" from one of the officials before he left. "I was on a high," he said. That same afternoon, there followed a series of emails between Mr McDonald and the AIB staff in which concern was expressed about a 5m funding element to the buyout which was to come on the strength of other assets held by Mr Murray, including what the court heard was his "substantial" Killiney home. AIB and the receiver said they would need more information about that but Mr Murray said he was never asked for more information. The properties were advertised for sale the next day and were eventually sold for 17.5m which Mr Murray described as an "appalling" price. The hearing continues. Gardai are questioning a man in his 20s after a woman was threatened at knife-point during an attempted car-jacking incident on the southside of Cork city last night. The woman in her 30s was sitting in her car, behind another vehicle, which was stopped at traffic lights in the Douglas West area of Douglas at around 11.10pm when she was approached by a man on foot armed with what is believed to have been a knife. A Polish roofer who is currently serving a lengthy prison term for random attacks on three women has been convicted of trying to rape a woman almost nine years ago. Slawomir Gierlowski, 34, had denied being the man who attacked a fourth woman as she made her way home at around 3am on the night of December 18, 2010. Semen found on the skirt of that victim was linked to Gierlowski through a DNA profile taken from him in June 2016 by gardai in Clondalkin investigating a knifepoint attack on a woman the previous month. This DNA profile had matched up with two other DNA profiles retrieved during investigations into separate sexual assaults on women in the Clondalkin area in 2015 and 2011. Gardai from the Bridewell who were investigating the 2010 city centre attack then linked him to that attack. Gierlowski of Galtymore Drive, Drimnagh, Dublin was convicted last year of carrying out the three attacks. Two of these involved a sexual assault on women walking home after a night out. At his sentence hearing in May 2018, Judge Pauline Codd said those attacks, which involved the use of a leather belt, a hunting knife, duct tape and cable ties, were brutal and primal. She imposed an operative sentence of 18-and-a-half years. Earlier this month Gierlowski went on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the 2010 attack. Today, the jury of three women and nine men returned unanimous guilty verdicts on charges of sexual assault, attempted rape and assault causing harm. Gierlowski had denied all the charges. The verdicts came on day twelve of the trial and followed just under three hours of deliberations. Justice Michael White thanked the jurors for their service in what he said was a difficult case. He remanded Gierlowski in continuing custody for a sentence hearing on July 23 next and ordered a victim impact report for that date. Attacker less brutal after woman spoke Polish The trial heard that the woman was making her way into the courtyard of her apartment block when her attacker followed her in and then pushed her to the ground. He punched her repeatedly and then held a hand on her throat, choking her and stopping her from calling out. He sexually assaulted her and tried to rape her but was not erect. He then began masturbating and ejaculated on her skirt before running off and climbing over the gate to the courtyard. Gardai were called and arrived at the scene within minutes. The woman told them her attacker had a pierced eyebrow and that when she began speaking Polish his demeanour changed and he became less brutal. Last June Gierlowski's lawyers had made applications to the court to order Google to temporarily expunge the man's name from the Internet in advance of this trial. Refusing the application Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy said the courts had to become accustomed to the modern world and cope with the fact that there is information online about cases. He said he was quite satisfied that it was not necessary to remove the online material. Noting the trial around the X case a 1992 rape case at the centre of a high profile legal battle on the right to travel for an abortion Mr Justice McCarthy said: If that case can be tried, any case can be tried. He said jurors will have to be told carefully that if a case rings any bell in their minds, they have to bring that to the attention of the court. He said that courts have to become accustomed to the modern world and the jurors must be trusted. Complainant's evidence In her evidence during the trial, the complainant said that she had arrived at her apartment block after a night out socialising. She was opening the entrance security gate into a corridor when she saw a man standing behind her. This man followed her into the corridor. When she walked through to a courtyard he grabbed her from behind and pushed her to the ground. She tried to scream but he put a hand around her throat and was choking her. She tried to get away and he punched her repeatedly and shouted at her to shut up. He ripped her tights and pulled her underwear down and touched her genital area. She said he attempted to rape her but couldn't because he wasn't hard enough. He began masturbating and ejaculated on her skirt. She told the jury that at all times he had one hand around her neck choking her during the time. In her closing speech Anne Rowland SC, prosecuting, told the jury that investigators had put together an impressive amount of CCTV footage showing a suspect in the area on the night. Some of this showed a person driving a scooter and there was evidence from a co-worker that the accused had said he sometimes drove to work on a scooter, she said. Bethany Home survivors have called on the Mother and Baby Homes Commission to release the details of additional burials it has found in relation to children who died in the care of the institution. In its fifth interim report published last month, the Commission said that 240 children from the Bethany Home are recorded as having been buried in Mount Jerome cemetery in Dublin but that it had discovered "at least 20 other children who died and are not recorded in the Mount Jerome burial register". The report also listed 27 children found in the Mount Jerome burial records as coming from other addresses, with 24 of those being various hospitals around Dublin. The Commission has claimed that, under Sec 11(3) of the Commissions of Investigation (COI) Act, it is legally prohibited from releasing any evidence or documents given to it. As a result, it claimed it can't inform family members of the burial details of their relatives. Legal experts have claimed that not only is the Commission misinterpreting this section, but that it is obliged under human rights law to provide information to family members under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Following the publication of its recent report, Head of Journalism and Media at Griffith College in Dublin Niall Meehan wrote to the Commission asking it to release to the Bethany Survivors Campaign the details of the apparent deaths so they can be compared with the group's own research and added to the Bethany memorial. Mr Meehan, who discovered over 200 Bethany Home children buried in Mount Jerome in 2010, also wrote to the Commission in April and May seeking clarification on a number of, what he claims are, apparent omissions and errors in the report. These include: the apparent omission of 71 children identified by Bethany Home survivor Derek Leinster as having died after transfer from the institution an apparent mistake in stating the ages of the two oldest Bethany children buried in Mount Jerome at 19 and 36 months instead of 48 and 36 months and the failure to present the ages of those buried and when they died. Mr Meehan informed the Commission that its decision to omit from its report children who had been in the institutions and who died after they were placed at nurse or boarded out "makes no sense". He pointed out that all these children "were at all times under the control of Bethany Home" so they should be included. The Commission said it was "not in a position to discuss the contents of its report" but would address the issue of boarded-out children in its final report. The Bethany Home Survivors group will today meet with children's minister Katherine Zappone and call for, among other things, a fast track redress scheme for ageing survivors of the institution. A mother of 16 has avoided a jail term after she tried to process a bogus personal injury claim because she needed money to cover the costs of her and her husband's funerals. Winnifred Lawrence, 69, of Moorefield Grove, Clondalkin, Dublin was sent forward to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on signed pleas of guilty from the District Court. She admitted to inducing staff at the Blackrock Clinic into believing she was Ellen Stokes with the intention of making a gain for herself at Blackrock Clinic, Rock Road, Blackrock on December 7, 2017. She has no previous convictions. Garda Damien Reilly told Dara Hayes BL, prosecuting, that Lawrence tried to make a claim against RSA insurance in which she pretended to be Ms Stokes and said she had been involved in an accident on August 5, 2013. She later came to the Circuit Civil Court in February 2018, again purporting to be Ms Stokes but the claim was ultimately struck out at that hearing by the judge. Gda Reilly said that a garda, who knew Lawrence, attended the Circuit Civil hearing and noted that she still claimed to be at Ellen Stokes. The garda confirmed that RSA insurance was at a loss of 14,143.37 which related to the company's legal costs to defend the case. Gda Reilly agreed with Jennifer Jackson BL, defending, that the insurance company became suspicious of the claim before it came to court because of the fact that various different address and dates of birth were used on the forms. Ms Jackson told the court that her client was a mother to 16 children, two of whom died as babies. She said both Lawrence and her husband suffered from ill health and her client was worried about who would pay for their funerals when they died. Counsel said this was Lawrence's motivation for making the bogus claim. Ms Jackson handed in medical reports which outlined Lawrence's long history of anxiety and depression and the fact that her husband was hospitalized having suffered a brain haemorrhage. She said Lawrence had no money available to compensate that company and that she was in receipt of the State pension. Counsel said her client was willing to save 50 per week in an effort to raise the 14,000 but acknowledged that would take some time. Ms Jackson told the court that her client had almost reached the age of 70 without having ever come to garda attention and she had tried to make the prosecution case as easy as possible by signing the pleas of guilty in the District Court. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced Lawrence to three years in prison which she suspended in full. She said that the offence involved a certain amount of planning and that Lawrence had deceived her solicitor and the consultant she was assessed by in the processing of the claim. Judge Codd said it was a serious matter that impacted on people taking out insurance by hiking up the cost of policies. There must be a deterrent for offences of this nature. It undermines the capacity of insurance companies to provide cost-effective insurance for others, the judge said before she added that without mitigation the case warranted a four-year jail term. Judge Codd said she must take into account Lawrence's co-operation with the investigation and her own personal circumstances. She said Lawrence had a lack of education, a young marriage and had committed her life to rearing a large family. The judge acknowledged that her concerns for both her ill health and that of her husband's were the catalysts for the offence, noting that both their medical conditions were outlined in reports before the court. Judge Codd acknowledged Lawrence's remorse and her offer to pay 50 per week to the insurance company to compensate their loss but said given Lawrence's age, difficult circumstances and her incapacity to earn money, she was not going to direct her to reimburse the company. Parents at a non-denominational school in Dublin have staged a protest over the use of a Catholic agency to deliver sex education classes to pupils. The protest outside Castleknock Educate Together took place yesterday following the school managements decision to invite Catholic marriage agency Accord to deliver Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) to children in fifth and sixth class next month. The school has been using Accord, which was set up by the Catholic bishops in 1962, to deliver the RSA programme for a number of years, despite ongoing objections from parents. According to its website, Accord offers one-day programmes for fifth and sixth class pupils which aim "to give clear correct information about the changes that take place at the time of transition at a spiritual, intellectual, emotional and physical level. "We hope by the end of the day to have left the students with a better awareness and understanding of their own sexuality, thus encouraging a positive attitude to growing up and a greater insight into relationships both now and in the future," the website states. In a letter sent to school principal Aedin Ni Thuathail last March, the chair of the schools Parent Teacher Association Ciaran Browne said: "It is difficult to see how [an organisation] funded by the Catholic church and with a clear religious ethos could ever have been deemed fit for purpose to deliver the RSE programme in an Educate Together school. "When parents enrolled their children at the school they were making an active decision to have their child educated in a school with particular core principles, not in a school which favoured one particular religious ethos over others." Ruth Coppinger TD, who attended the protest yesterday, said Accord is the wrong agency to deliver sex education classes in the school, in particular to any LGBT pupils. "This simply shouldn't be happening, that an Educate Together school is bringing in a Catholic agency to teach RSE - sex education," she said. "Accord is a group that is not friendly and warm towards LGBT relationships. How are any gay or lesbian or bisexual child meant to feel in that sort of environment? "We want sex education that's consent-based, that's objective, that's not preaching, that teaches all facets of sexuality." Parents expressing their discontent at outside religious based agency being asked to deliver RSE in Castleknock Educate Together. Sex Ed should be consent based, factual, objective, inclusive of all genders, sexualities and families. Leo should stop blocking #SexEdBill #dubw pic.twitter.com/7WkuJ0bQ1u Ruth Coppinger (@RuthCoppingerSP) May 28, 2019 The school's patron body, Educate Together, has also criticised the use of a religious-run organisation for the RSE programme, adding it "would like to stress that the contracting of external agencies by a school is a matter for the board of management of an individual school". It said it does not have the authority to make schools under its patronage deliver the RSE programme in any specific way. "Educate Together as a school patron does not have the authority to require schools to deliver the RSE programme in any specific way, unless a motion is passed by the member schools of Educate Together at an Annual General Meeting. However, Educate Together believes that it is not appropriate for a religious-run organisation to deliver RSE in the context of an equality-based Educate Together school. Educate Together said it will write to schools urging them to deliver RSA classes that are "free from religious bias". "Educate Together will be writing to all schools under its patronage to ask them to ensure that relationships and sexuality education is delivered in a way that is consistent with its ethos and free from religious bias. "Some parents and guardians of children in an Educate Together school have recently been in touch with the national office on this issue. Educate together takes this issue very seriously. The National Office is currently looking at all options in its capacity as a school patron to support the school community involved." Speaking at the protest, one parent pointed out that there are pupils of many faiths attending the school, as well as non-religious pupils, so it should not use a Catholic group to deliver classes. "This school has Christians, Jews, Muslims," he said. "This school doesn't say 'have no religion in your lives'. Parents in this school are in full support of people living their lives as they wish. "Why did we send our children to this school? Because we thought we would get an Educate Together programme. And if they're now bringing from the back doors Accord into our school, I personally will say to the board of management I will boycott that forever and ever. "I think we should boycott that and I think we should raise the profile of this protest because it's for the good of the next generation." The protest was to coincide with a talk for parents given by Accord, which was since cancelled. We have reached out to Castleknock Educate Together and Accord for comment. The Director of Public Health for the south of Ireland has said future alcohol laws should look to restrict the number of new licenced premises in problem drinking areas. Dr Augustine Pereira suggested the initiative at the launch of his report A focus on Alcohol & Health in Cork and Kerry at Cork County Hall yesterday/this morning. Dr Pereira said he was hopeful that the introduction of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act last year would, in time, denormalise alcohol consumption similar to the impact the smoking ban has had on cigarette use. Asked if he felt there were other legislative initiatives that could be brought in to add to the provisions of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act, Dr Pereira said it would be useful to look at alcohol licencing. People already have an opportunity to give their feedback about new licenced premises and what they would like to see in an area, Dr Pereira said. Dr Pereira said the Southern Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Force is made up of a number of groups that he would like to see engaged in the idea. It's a partnership action that I would like to invite and solicit them to look at what we can do around alcohol licensing within areas, Dr Pereira said. He said: Depending on the drinking patterns in an area and the demography and the number of licensed premises in an area you might want to look at future licensed premises and whether we want to limit the number of licensed premises in an area. The report is Dr Pereiras first as Director of Public Health for HSE South, and the first annual report by a Director of Public Health in the region since 2004. It focuses on the health harms caused by increased alcohol consumption, giving particular attention to what the report describes as the lesser known harmful effects, including the impact of alcohol on pregnancy, self-harm, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and cancers. Dr Ronan Glynn, the Department of Healths Deputy Chief Medical Officer, also attended the launch and praised the report as thoughtful and insightful. The report has some really stark findings for the people of Cork and Kerry, not least of which is that each year approximately 300 people here die directly as a consequence of alcohol consumption, Dr Gylnn said. But also this mortality rate really only represents the tip of the iceberg in terms of the impact that alcohol has on our health system, society, and more generally, he said. Among the issues raised in the report is the connection between alcohol and suicide and self-harm. It cites a study on suicide cases in Cork from September 2008 and June 2012 which found that alcohol consumption was detected in the toxicology of 44% of 307 suicide cases, and in 21% of 8,145 self-harm cases. Dr Pereira said the knock-on effect harmful drinking can have on the health of family-members, particularly children, is not one often discussed. There's growing research about adverse childhood experiences where the impact of alcohol abuse or harmful alcohol drinking in an adult in the family and what that impact can have on relationships, discordance within the family and the impact it can have on young children, he said. Factors associated with elephant poaching Elephants are essential to savannah and forest ecosystems and play an important role in ecotourism in Africa - yet poaching has contributed to a rapid decline in elephant populations in recent decades. An international research team has now released a study presenting a more positive perspective: Severin Hauenstein and Prof. Dr. Carsten Dormann from the Department of Biometry and Environmental Systems Analysis at the University of Freiburg, together with Dr. Colin Beale from the University of York/England as well as Dr. Mrigesh Kshatriya and Dr. Julian Blanc from the elephant monitoring program MIKE in Kenya/Africa, used a statistical approach to show that the African elephant poaching rates have fallen since 2011. In a study published in the current issue of the journal Nature Communications, the researchers associated the illegal elephant hunting rates with a local poverty, national corruption and global ivory demand. While almost all elephant populations have experienced drastic declines since 2000, some populations have been stable or even increasing in recent years, such as that in the Kruger National Park in South Africa. The analysis shows that the number of elephants killed by poachers has fallen from an estimated peak of more than ten percent of the African elephant population in 2011 to less than four percent in 2017. "This is a positive trend, but we should not see this as an end to the poaching crisis," cautions Hauenstein. "After some changes in the political environment, the total number of illegally killed elephants in Africa seems to be falling, but to assess possible protection measures, we need to understand the local and global processes driving illegal elephant hunting." The results indicate that in a regional comparison, corruption and poverty among the local population are the main factors that drive poaching rates. The researchers show that efforts to curb the demand for ivory in Asian markets and reduce local corruption and poverty could be more successful in the fight against poaching than solely focusing on law enforcement: the recorded annual poaching rates correlate strongly with proxies of ivory demand in China, the traditional market for ivory. In addition, the variation of illegal killing rates among the 29 African countries was primarily explained by the degree of corruption and poverty in the respective country. In the CITES programme "Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants" (MIKE), which is co-financed by the European Union, wildlife law enforcement patrols annually record the elephant carcasses in 53 monitoring sites in 29 African countries and identify the cause of death. Between 2002 and 2017, the programme documented 18,007 carcasses, of which 8,860 were identified as illegal killings. MIKE was established by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to inform decision-making by the Parties regarding trade in specimens of elephants, and build capacity in elephant range States for the overall goal of better management of elephants and enhanced enforcement efforts. ### Original publication: Hauenstein, S., Kshatriya, M., Blanc, J., Dormann, C. F., Beale, C. M. (2019): African elephant poaching rates correlate with local poverty national corruption and global ivory price." In: Nature Communications. DOI: xxx Contact: Severin Hauenstein Department of Biometry and Environmental Systems Analysis University of Freiburg E-Mail: severin.hauenstein@biom.uni-freiburg.de Dr. Colin Beale Department of Biology University of York/England E-Mail: colin.beale@york.ac.uk This story has been published on: 2019-05-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. More than 30 Heads of State, UN representatives and ambassadors are to attend a special summit in Cork to highlight challenges small island nations face from climate change and to galvanise efforts to protect the worlds seas. Former President of Ireland Mary Robinson, UN Special Envoy for the Oceans Peter Thomson and former US Secretary of State John Kerry are also among those participating at the Ocean Wealth Summit which will be held on June 9/10. The summit, which is sponsored by PwC, takes place at Cork City Hall over the two days directly following Irelands national maritime festival, SeaFest. Among the dignataries who will attend are Prime Minister of St Lucia, Allen Chastanet; Deputy Prime Minister of Samoa, Fiame Naomi; Foreign Minister of the Maldives, Abdulla Shahid and the Maltese Minister for Foreign Affairs, Carmelo Abela. They will be joined by political representatives from Grenada, Barbados, Belize, Fiji, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, Trinidad & Tobago. Marine Institute chief executive Peter Heffernan said the health of our oceans is critical to the health of our planet. "Almost three quarters of the earths surface is covered by the oceans and it absorbs 30% of the carbon dioxide added to the atmosphere by human activity," Mr Heffernan said. Plastics in our oceans are affecting over 700 species from plankton to whales and climate change is impacting the worlds oceans in terms of acidity and global warming. We must act as a collective. He added that tackling these global challenges will also present many opportunities for innovative developments in a circular blue economy. Along with the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Marine Institute is working with small island nations to prioritise our ocean health and that will be the focus of the summit. Moderated by Tara Shine, a climate justice activist and advisor, the summit will feature an impressive line up of experts, leaders and speakers on sustainability for the oceans, which takes place on June 10. Declan McDonald from PwC said the development of our ocean economy in a sustainable manner is a key theme that will be explored at the summit. "Responsible investment aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals is of increasing significance to the global investment community and will be an important enabler to continue developing our marine resources. We at PwC are delighted to be supporting such an important and international event," Mr McDonald said. For further details about the Ocean Wealth Summit log onto www.ouroceanwealth.ie. The State Examinations Commission (SEC) and the Minister for Education and Skills have succeeded in their limited appeals against parts of a High Court decision allowing student Rebecca Carter to take up a place at veterinary medicine at UCD. Today, the three-judge Court of Appeal, comprised of Mr Justice Michael Peart, Ms Justice Marie Baker, and Mr Justice Brian McGovern, allowed the SEC and the Minister's appeal against the High Court's finding of the existence an unenumerated constitutional right to higher education. The Court of Appeal said it was not making a view on whether such a right exists, because it was not claimed by Ms Carter in her proceedings, and that parties who were necessary to be heard on such an issue were not before the High Court. It should not have formed any part of the High Court's decision and therefore the Court of Appeal could not express any view on the merits of such an argument. The outcome of the Court of Appeal ruling does not affect Ms Carter's place in UCD, nor will she be liable for any legal costs incurred. Last September, Ms Carter won her High Court case aimed at forcing the Commission to rectify an error in the totting up of her Leaving Certificate marks before UCD closed its admissions for 2018. The High Court ruled that the appeals process was highly unfair, not fit for purpose, and caused untold stress to students. Mr Justice Richard Humphreys said the Minister and Department of Education should review the process to ensure all appeals were completed before the start of the academic year in 2019. Ms Carter, of Ardcolm Drive, Rectory Hall, Castlebridge, Wexford, challenged the SEC's decision not to re-check her points score in time to allow her to obtain a place in Veterinary Medicine. She repeated her Leaving Certificate in order to get a place in the course, having just missed out on a place the year before. The Minister and the SEC appealed what they claimed was the High Court's finding in regards the existence of a constitutional right to third-level education. The SEC also appealed the High Court's findings that the appeal system was irrational, flawed, that the SEC failed to take relevant matters into account, and there was a breach of fair procedures. Ms Carter's lawyers participated in the appeal as 'legitimus contradictor' to the State parties. Giving the court's decision, Mr Justice McGovern said "the core issue" for the SEC and the Minister was whether the Leaving Certificate's appeal system "engaged any constitutional rights vested in Ms Carter". In the case of the SEC, a key issue is whether that appeal system is a proportionate and rational exercise of its powers, the judge added. The Appeal Court said it was satisfied the High Court erred when making a finding that an unenumerated constitutional right of access to higher or vocational training exists to when such relief was never claimed by Ms Carter. The SEC, Mr Justice McGovern said, is "an independent body" and its function is to "organise the holding of state examinations". It is not concerned with issues such as the existence of constitutional rights of access to higher education, he said. The existence of such a right would have been of interest to the Minister and the State. Mr Justice McGovern said the Minister's lawyers had been released from the proceedings at an early stage and was at no stage ever notified that the High Court, or Ms Carter, had concerns about the existence of such a right. The Appeal Court was also allowing the SEC's appeal in respect of the High Court's findings based on proportionality and the failure to take relevant matters into account. Mr Justice McGovern said it was important to note that in 2018 UCD changed the cut-off date for the admissions of students, and it did not inform the SEC. It was accepted that if UCD had not made that change to its admissions process that Ms Carter's appeal in respect of her mark in her Leaving Cert exam would have been determined in time for her to commence at the beginning of the UCD academic year in autumn of 2018, the judge said. The Supreme Court has clarified the law on the nature of the assessment to be carried out when patients involuntarily detained under the Mental Health Act appeal their detention to the Circuit Court The five-judge court today unanimously dismissed the Mental Health Commission's appeal against a Court of Appeal judgment upholding a woman's claim her challenge to her involuntary detention should have been heard by the Circuit Court. However, it disagreed with the interpretation by then CoA judge, Mr Justice Gerard Hogan, of section 19.1 of the Mental Health Act (MHA) related to the jurisdiction of the Circuit Court to hear appeals. Giving the court's unanimous judgment, Ms Justice Elizabeth Dunne said, when dealing with an appeal over detention under section 19.1, the Circuit Court inquiry concerns whether or not the patient "is" suffering from a mental disorder, not "is or was" so suffering as Mr Justice Hogan had decided. The ruling will assist the Commission, represented by Paul Anthony McDermott SC with Donal McGuinness BL, concerning the approach to be adopted to appeals brought under section 19.1 The case concerned a woman, aged in her 60s, with a long history of mental illness. After she allegedly threatened her neighbours with a butcher's knife in early October 2015, gardai were notified. A general practitioner recommended her involuntary admission to a psychiatric hospital and the order was extended for another two months at the end of October and affirmed by a Mental Health Tribunal. When the extension was granted, she instructed solicitors to appeal the detention order to the Circuit Court which said the original, early October, detention order had been overtaken by the extension order, her challenge was therefore moot and the court could not hear the matter. Represented by Feichin McDonagh SC, she sought judicial review against the Commission, Mental Health Tribunal and State, in the High Court, saying the Circuit Court had erred in its decision. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission was a notice party. After the High Court dismissed her case, she appealed to the Court of Appeal. In two separate concurring judgments in April 2018, the three-judge appeal court allowed her appeal. Mr Justice Hogan said the Circuit Court erred in assuming, because the late October extension/renewal order had replaced the original early October order admitting her to a hospital, it no longer had jurisdiction to consider her case. He said section 19.1 must be read as if a person "is or was" suffering from a mental disorder with the effect the Circuit Court was not confined to determining whether she "is" suffering at the exact time of the hearing of the appeal. This jurisdiction also extends to determining whether she "was" suffering from the illness at the time the Mental Health Tribunal affirmed the extension order, he said. In his concurring judgment, Mr Justice Michael Peart said an admission order expires after 21 days unless it has been renewed and the original order in this case "simply had its life extended by the renewal order". In the Supreme Court judgment, Ms Justice Dunne, while agreeing with the CoA decision to quash the Circuit Court refusal to hear the appeal, disagreed the words "is or was" suffering from a mental disorder can be read into section n 19.1. The focus of the Mental Health Tribunal, at the time of its review, is to consider if the patient "is, or is not", suffering from a mental disorder, she said. The focus of the Circuit Court on appeal "is the same". The focus of the MHA provisions is on the "present situation" of the patient concerned and is not intended, and does not operate as an "historical review" of the situation at the time of their admission. She was also satisfied, having regard to the provisions of section 15.1 and 15.2 of the 2001 Act, an admission order expires after 21 days but the period of the admission order may be extended by a renewal order. In such circumstances, the admission order does not expire but is extended which meant the appeal was not "moot" when it came before the Circuit Court in November 2015, she held. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will visit hard-hit Dublin communities where three people have been shot dead in recent days in a bid to show his "revulsion" at the killings. Mr Varadkar confirmed his plans today as rival parties warned no one should be living in fear in their own neighbourhood and that the Government must finally tackle the gangland crisis. Asked about the spate of killings in recent days during the latest Dail leaders questions debate, Mr Varadkar insisted the Government has "made a lot of progress in tackling organised crime". However, admitting the problem has not been addressed, he said he will visit Coolock and Darndale on Dublin's north side in the coming days to show solidarity with the affected communities. Noting the fact Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has already committed to visiting the areas, the Taoiseach said: "I want to share with the House [the Dail] our collective revulsion at what has happened... I will do the same as soon as I can find a little bit of time. Mr Varadkar was responding to Sinn Fein TD David Cullinane, who was speaking on behalf of his party as Mary Lou McDonald was in the Midlands North West European count centre in Castlebar, Co Mayo. Mr Cullinane hit out at the Government, saying "good people, hard-working people" are being put at risk and that they "have a right to feel safe in their own homes and own communities". Claiming gardai are being forced to operate "with one hand behind their back" being of resources issues, he said: People in those communities are living in fear. They deserve better. Meanwhile, asked about the shootings at the Midlands North West count centre, Ms McDonald said communities living under the threat of violence are having their safety "robbed" from them. "People in Darndale and Coolock are afraid, but it can't just be a policing response as important as that is. It's worth remembering that successive governments have robbed communities in Coolock and beyond of the resources they need to create really safe communities. People living in Darndale, people living in Coolock have a right to feel safe. It shouldn't be the case in the city of Dublin or anywhere else that some communities are protected and have a sense of community and others don't. "The truth is communities like Coolock and Darndale have been abandoned and have been left behind," she said. Beijing is gearing up to use its dominance of rare earths as a counter in its trade battle with Washington, according to a salvo of media reports in China that included hints from the state planning agency. The US shouldn't underestimate China's ability to fight the trade war, the People's Daily, a flagship newspaper of the ruling Communist Party, said in a commentary on Wednesday. It isn't hard to answer the question whether China will use rare earths as a weapon as retaliation in the trade war, the paper said. The prospect of such a move put a rocket under the share price of Australian rare earths miner Lynas on Wednesday, sending it 15 per cent higher by market's close. China controls 80 per cent of the world's rare earths supply and any move by it to crimp supply would increase Lynas' importance as it's the only other major producer of the materials used in high-tech consumer electronics and military equipment. Mount Weld in Western Australia, the richest known deposit of rare earths in the world according to Lynas Corp. Credit:Bloomberg China is "seriously" considering restricting rare earth exports to the US and may also implement other countermeasures, the editor-in-chief of the Global Times, a newspaper affiliated with the ruling Communist Party, said in a tweet. It might appear perverse, but Telstras announcement of a $500 million write-down in the value of its IT assets and a $200 million increase in its restructuring costs is actually positive news. It effectively says that the groups ambitious T22 change program is running a little ahead of schedule. The success of that program, which includes a $3 billion investment in digitising and radically simplifying its platforms and an 8000 staff reduction, is the key to a post-national broadband network future for Telstra. Telstra's chief executive Andy Penn says the group's ambitious transformation program is ahead of plan. Credit:Ryan Stuart Its designed to offset the $3 billion loss of earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation as the NBN displaces Telstra as the provider of fixed-line infrastructure. It also involves separating Telstras network assets, other than its mobile network, from its retail businesses to give it, and the federal government, options if and when the government decides to look for a structural solution to NBN Cos own challenging economics. They say its better to jump before youre pushed. That could be the title of Magistrate Dominique Burns' autobiography! Burns came to fame last year as somewhat of a magnet for complaints about her "lock 'em up" world view that were accrued in the three years since she was appointed to the court. Now she's decided to retire before she was due to face a looming trial-by-Parliament. The former Newcastle barrister was referred to the Macquarie Street jury earlier this year after a string of allegations were made against her, including that she had handed down sentences longer than the maximum allowed and improperly encouraged cops to lay more charges. An operation targeting the supply and distribution of cocaine and other illicit drugs in Sydney's eastern suburbs has led to 55 people being charged with drug supply and possession. Over the course of six nights this month, police from Strike Force Northrop allegedly seized more than 290 grams of cocaine, 13 grams of MDMA, 110 grams of cannabis and $63,000 in cash. They charged 28 people with drug supply and 27 with drug possession. Strike force detectives were assisted by officers from Surry Hills, Sydney City, Kings Cross, Eastern Suburbs and Eastern Beaches Police Area Commands, and the Dog Unit, to carry out a series of vehicle searches in Bondi, Paddington and Coogee on Friday and Saturday nights. On the weekend of May 10 and 11, eight people were arrested and charged following five separate vehicle stops. A ban on townhouses and apartment blocks in Brisbanes character suburbs could come into effect before the end of the financial year, after the state government gave the green light for public consultation. In September last year, the council requested state government's approval to amend the councils City Plan 2014, in a bid to prevent apartment blocks and townhouses from being built on blocks larger than 3000 square metres in low-density residential zoned suburbs. Brisbane's townhouse ban is one step closer to coming into effect. Credit:Ken Irwin On Wednesday evening, Infrastructure and Planning Minister Cameron Dick gave Brisbane City Council the go-ahead to progress to public consultation. He said council was required to consult with the community on the proposed amendments for 20 business days. After more than 1 million rides through Brisbane streets, electric Lime scooters have been the subject of 427 complaints from residents to Brisbane City Council. Figures released by the council under questions from opposition councillors show the popular scooters were the subject of complaints from the start of the trial in November last year. A Lime scooter user on the streets of Brisbane. Credit:AAP The council couldn't break down all of the complaints into particular topics other than "non-specific complaints", "safety of pedestrians" and "driver behaviour". Nearly 80 complaints were made about pedestrian safety, and 28 about driver behaviour. Nearly 6000 properties around Coorparoo have been rezoned to character residential under Brisbane City Councils latest neighbourhood plan. The rezoning means more properties will be protected to retain the typical Queensland house from being demolished or altered significantly. Council has approved a new neighbourhood plan for Coorparoo. The neighbourhood plan for Coorparoo also covers Greenslopes, Camp Hill, Holland Park and Holland Park West and was approved by the council at Tuesdays council meeting. City planning committee chairman Matthew Bourke said the plan would improve protections for the regions traditional character streetscapes and confine redevelopment to centres along the Logan Road corridor, Greenslopes Private Hospital and the busway station. Coal royalties would not be increased in Queensland's next budget in exchange for millions of dollars in contributions from mining giants to a regional infrastructure fund, Treasurer Jackie Trad has promised. Ms Trad, the deputy premier, said she met with "some of the biggest coal miners in Queensland" on Wednesday to devise a strategy to boost regional infrastructure, without increasing the rate of royalties. The move could save coal companies as much as a billion dollars a year, Queensland Resources Council chief executive Ian Macfarlane said. The announcement comes days after Ms Trad said she would not speculate on a change to the rate of royalties before the June budget was handed down. A sedan stolen from a shopping centre by joyriding teenagers had raced through a red light before the fatal accident north of Brisbane on Wednesday, police said. A 14-year-old Maleny boy who was a front passenger in the Mazda, allegedly stolen from a Kallangur shopping centre hours earlier, died at the scene. The car, with five teens and a 10-year-old inside, was driven at speed along Anzac Avenue in Rothwell before running a red light at the intersection with Wattle Road just before 3pm, crashing into a Dodge sedan and a traffic light pole. The alleged driver of the Mazda, a 14-year-old Waterford West boy, was rushed to Queensland Childrens Hospital in a critical condition. Awer, pictured with his six-month-old son, had been driving along King Street about 4.30am on March 24 when he was assaulted by a group of men. First-time father Awer should be celebrating his six-month-old son's first life experiences. The first recognition in his son's eyes, his first smile, his first laugh. Instead the young factory worker is in a rehabilitation centre with permanent, life-changing injuries after a brutal assault on King Street that put him in a coma for two weeks. The 27-year-old Seabrook man still needs help to walk, communicate and feed himself and has barely been present with his family since he was viciously bashed by two carloads of men after being followed from a South Melbourne nightclub. Ali Sari, 18, one of the suspects believed to be behind a crime spree across Melbourne. Credit:Victoria Police Three teenagers wanted over a violent two-night home invasion and car theft spree have been in custody before and have shown no signs of slowing down, police say. Police Commander Stuart Bateson told radio station 3AW that detectives had spoken to the teenagers' families and have asked them for help catching the suspected offenders. The youths allegedly smashed their way into homes in Mernda, Bentleigh East and Derrimut, threatened and assaulted residents, and carjacked a young mother in a city-wide rampage that began on Sunday night and continued into Tuesday morning. One of the alleged offenders was arrested on Tuesday but three others are still on the run. Two Icelandic men who face years in prison for importing cocaine to Melbourne are "cogs in the wheel" of a global racket targeting a new breed of drug. There's an increasingly-common pattern of using educated young people from good families to traffic drugs in the hope it reduces the chance of them getting caught, County Court Judge John Carmody said on Wednesday. Helgi Steinarsson and Brynjar Gudmundsson, both from Iceland's capital Reykjavik, are facing years in prison after being caught importing millions of dollars worth of cocaine in the false bases of suitcases to pay off drug debts. Gudmundsson, 26, was arrested at Melbourne Airport on November 5 last year when customs officials found 2.1 kilograms of cocaine in his suitcase. The drugs had a street value of up to $1.68 million. That's it from us this morning at #MelbourneExpress. It's currently 8.5 degrees in the city but feels like 5.4, ahead of an expected top of 13. Later in the day, the Fair Work Commission will hand down its decision on minimum wage, while disgraced former AFL agent Ricky Nixon is expected to appear in court following his recent traffic charges case. Keep an eye on our website for more news throughout the day. We'll see you back here from 6am tomorrow. Have a great day. Blizzard conditions will hit the Alpine regions, with 119km/h winds recorded at Mount Hotham at 1.53am on Wednesday. Snow is also expected above 600 metres. Melbourne is expected to get small hail and wind gusts of up to 90km/h with showers and thunderstorms moving from the south-west throughout the day. There will be between 3mm and 6mm of rain in the city, most likely to fall during the evening commute, the bureau says. "It'll be a generally windy day but with quite gusty showers moving through," meteorologist Tom Delamotte said. The Bureau of Meteorology has released a severe weather warning for wind gusts for much of the state. Credit:BOM "None of the gusts are going to reach that high away from the showers." The highest rainfall in Melbourne will be in the southeast and in Dandenong, with tops ranging between five to 15 millimetres. But the city is unlikely to have its wettest day of the year, which was in February when 11mm fell on the CBD. Victoria's heaviest rainfall of between 15 to 30mm is expected to fall along the coast, stretching from Phillip Island to Wilsons Promontory as well as the Otway Ranges. Illustration: Matt Golding Credit: Hail has been sighted in Werribee, with one reader noting that enough had fallen for it to look like snow. With showers expected to increase in the afternoon, more hail could follow, said Mr Delamotte, especially in coastal areas, such as the Otways in the south-west and the stretch between Phillip Island to Wilsons Promontory in the south-east. Hail is more likely to occur in the areas with the most rain activity, he said. A spokeswoman said the State Emergency Services had received 90 calls for help in the 12 hours to 7am on Wednesday, mostly for fallen trees with Frankston residents needing the most help. Mr Delamotte said conditions were expected to ease overnight. "It doesn't look like it's going to completely clear the Melbourne area until the early hours of Thursday morning," Mr Delamotte said. Thursday is still expected to be dreary, with a top of 13 expected for Melbourne with showers set to continue. "But certainly, conditions will have eased quite a bit from today," Mr Delamotte said. "Certainly the winds will have eased quite significantly into tomorrow." He said it was not unprecedented to see temperatures this cool in May. "I guess for May it is more unusual," Mr Delamotte said. "It looks like every five to 10 years or so you see temperatures this cold in May". It comes after a mild warm spell in recent weeks, though Melbourne failed to record the eight straight days above 20 that were originally forecast. Mr Delamotte said forecasters still expected Melbourne to record a warmer than average May by the end of the month. Sheep graziers were also warned that cold temperatures, showers and southwesterly winds would risk losses of lambs and sheep in the Mallee, Wimmera, Northern Country, North Central, North East, South West, Central and West and South Gippsland districts. The SES has urged people to move vehicles under cover or away from trees, secure loose items around the house, and keep clear of fallen power lines. Nothing could stop this swimmer. Credit:Eddie Jim Victorian smoking rates have plunged with just one in 10 adults now identifying as daily smokers thanks largely to hikes in tobacco prices. The decrease is led by both a cutback in new smokers and higher number of smokers who have quit, with the drop-offs extending to regional Victoria and those with socio-economic disadvantage. Victorian adult smoking rates have dropped from 13.5 per cent in 2015 to 10.7 per cent in 2018 and Cancer Council Victoria chief executive Todd Harper said that nobody is being left behind. In the 1980s about one in three people were daily smokers. We are seeing smoking levels fall right across all age groups. Were seeing younger people, older people, disadvantaged people all enjoying successes, he said. WA Police admit they have no idea where a notorious scammer is living, after failed attempts at speaking with the man about an alleged stealing offence. Investigators have been trying to locate serial scammer Brett Turton, who posed as an American cruise line commander to dupe Mandurah and Perth women out of money. Captain Crook: Brett Turton, alias Brad Collins, has conned several vulnerable women out of thousands of dollars. The Mandurah Mail and WAtoday published a series of stories last year to warn potential victims about Mr Turton a lothario who preyed on vulnerable women and revealed he was jailed in Melbourne more than a decade ago for the same tricks. Police want to speak with Mr Turton after two alleged victims said he stole jewellery from one, to give to the other. A Cloverdale fruit-and-vegetable market has been fined for a third time in just over a year for breaches of the Food Act. Belmont Market on Belmont Avenue was fined $45,000 for the breaches, which stemmed from two separate visits by the City of Belmont officials in December last year and February this year. Belmont Market was fined for incorrect labelling of food. Credit:Facebook. The department found the market and its proprietors Hussaini and Ataee Pty Ltd had failed to label food correctly with nutrition information and failed to store food correctly to protect it from contamination. The market has also been convicted in September 2017 and June 2018 for similar breaches of the Food Act. Two dogs have died north of Perth due to suspected baiting. Its understood the two dogs were in their backyard at a home in Dongara, near the Dongara Nature Reserve, when they began showing signs of illness on Monday. The dog baiting was similar to an incident earlier this year. One of the dogs died quickly after becoming sick, and the other went into emergency care before dying on Wednesday. RSPCA WA put out a call for information over the suspected poisoning, and asked anyone with information to contact the cruelty hotline on 1300 CRUELTY (278 3580). The developers who unlawfully demolished Carltons Corkman Irish Pub in 2016 have reached a deal with the Andrews government to clear the site and temporarily turn it into a park by the end of November. But the pair stand to profit from knocking down the 158-year-old pub without permission, because under the settlement reached with Planning Minister Richard Wynne and Melbourne City Council, they now have three years to re-develop the site with a tower up to 12 levels high. The Corkman's remains on Wednesday. Credit:Jason South Some of the wrecked pubs remains have sat untouched for almost three years, piled roughly beneath tarpaulins installed under duress by the developers soon after they demolished it without warning on an October weekend. A hearing before the state planning tribunal was due to start on June 3, with Mr Wynne seeking an order to rebuild the two-level pub, which had stood on the corner of Leicester and Pelham streets in Carlton since 1858. The death toll this season is the highest since 2015. Most of those who died are believed to have suffered from altitude sickness, which is caused by low amounts of oxygen at high elevation and can cause headaches, vomiting, shortness of breath and mental confusion. Once only accessible to well-heeled elite mountaineers, Nepal's booming climbing market has driven down the cost of an expedition, opening Everest up to hobbyists and adventure-seekers. Nepal requires climbers to have a doctors' note deeming them physically fit, but not to prove their stamina at such extreme heights. The inexperienced climbers do not even know how to tie on the oxygen masks around their face, Indian climber Ameesha Chauhan Because of the altitude, climbers have just hours to reach the top before they are at risk of a pulmonary edema, when the lungs fill with liquid. From Camp Four at 8000 metres to the 8850-metre peak, the final push on Everest is known as the "death zone." The conditions are so intense at such times that when a person dies, no one can afford to expend energy on carrying the body down from the mountain. "Every minute counts there," said Eric Murphy, a mountain guide from Bellingham, Washington, who climbed Everest for a third time on May 23. He said what should have taken 12 hours took 17 hours because of struggling climbers who were clearly exhausted but had no one to guide or help them. Loading Just a handful of inexperienced climbers, he said, is "enough to have a profound effect." The deaths this year on Nepal's side of the mountain included Don Cash, a sales executive from Utah, and Christopher Kulish, an attorney from Colorado, who both died on their way down from the peak. Kulish, 62, had just reached the top with a small group after crowds of climbers congested the peak last week, according to his brother, Mark Kulish. He described his brother as an attorney who was an "inveterate climber of peaks in Colorado, the West and the world over." Loading Just before he died, Kulish made it into the so-called "Seven Summit Club" of mountaineers who have reached the highest peaks on every continent, his brother said. Cash, 55, collapsed at the summit and was given CPR and massages by his two Sherpa guides. He got up only to fall again in the same way at Hillary Step, the first cliff face down from the summit. His body was left near there. Cash had said on his LinkedIn page that he left his job as a sales executive to try to join the seven summits club. Nepal doesn't have any regulations to determine how many permits should be issued, so anyone with a doctor's note can obtain one for an $US11,000 fee, Sapkota said. This year, permits were issued to 381 people in 44 teams, the highest number ever, according to the government. They were accompanied by an equal number of guides from Nepal's ethnic Sherpa community. Some climbers were originally issued permits in 2014 that were revoked mid-season when 16 Sherpa guides died in an avalanche and other Sherpas, whose support as guides and porters is essential, effectively went on strike. Mount Everest in the evening. Credit:Shutterstock Another factor was China's limit on the number of permits it issued this year for routes in its territory on the north side of Everest for a clean-up. Both the north and south sides of the mountain are littered with empty oxygen canisters, food packaging and other debris. Instead of the overcrowding, Sapkota blamed the weather, equipment and inadequate supplemental oxygen for this year's deaths. "There has been concern about the number of climbers on Mount Everest but it is not because of the traffic jam that there were casualties," Sapkota said in Namche, the town that serves as the staging area for Everest trips. Still, he said, "In the next season we will work to have double rope in the area below the summit so there is better management of the flow of climbers." Nepal doesn't have any regulations to determine how many permits should be issued, so anyone with a doctor's note can obtain one for an $US11,000 fee. Mirza Ali, a Pakistani mountaineer and tour company owner who reached Everest's peak for the first time this month, on his fourth attempt, said such an approach was flawed. "Everybody wants to stand on top of the world," but tourists unprepared for the extremes of Everest endanger the entire industry, he said. "There is not a sufficient check on issuing the permits," Ali said. "The more people come, the more permits, more business. But on the other side it is a lot of risk because it is costing lives." Indian climber Ameesha Chauhan, soaking her frostbitten toes in medicine at a hospital in Kathmandu, described the agony of turning away from the peak when she realised her supplemental oxygen supply was low. Indian climber Ameesha Chauhan who survived dangerous overcrowding on Mount Everest. Credit:AP Two of her team members died on the May 16 ascent. She returned and scaled the peak a week later. Beirut: New satellite images show fields, orchards and olive groves burning in north-west Syria, where the army has waged an assault against rebels in their last major stronghold. Government air strikes, backed by Russia, have focused on the south of Idlib province and nearby parts of Hama, uprooting nearly 250,000 people. The bombing has killed 229 civilians and injured 727 others, according to the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organisations (UOSSM) charity. Significant damage to fields and orchards south of Kfar Nabudah, Syria, on May 26 as a result of a government offensive. Credit:Maxar/AP The rescue service, which works in opposition territory, said shelling and air raids killed 24 people in villages in the north-west on Tuesday, Syria time, including children. In satellite photos, plumes of dark smoke rise from the countryside around al-Habeet village in Idlib and the small town of Kafr Nabouda in Hama. Amanda Eller was rescued after surviving 17 days in a Hawaii reserve. Credit:AP Los Angeles: The yoga instructor rescued after 17 days lost in a Hawaii forest revealed she slept in wild boar dens, trudged shoeless through a rocky stream, and dined on plants to survive a "spiritual boot camp" that tested her will to live. Amanda Eller, 35, seated in a wheelchair outside a Maui hospital flanked by her parents, recalled her ordeal four days after a helicopter search team found her alive but sunburnt, malnourished and barely able to walk at the bottom of a ravine. Eller, who also works as a physical therapist, was reported missing on May 9, a day after she went for what she thought would be a 4.8-kilometre hike in Maui's Makawao Forest Reserve, only to lose her way in the dense jungle. She recalled lying down on a fallen tree to close her eyes and meditate, then becoming disoriented as she resumed her hike, unsure which direction led back to her car. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams A cadre of New York lawmakers want to eliminate religious exemptions to vaccinations before a state-wide measles outbreak subsides, with one upstate senator claiming the political will to ax the exemption hinges on fears stoked by the epidemic thats overwhelmingly affected unvaccinated Brooklynites. The fear is we lose this opportunity, said Sen. David Carlucci, who represents Rockland County, which is combating its own measles outbreak. As we lose the outbreak right now, theres a sense of security thats just not real. Weve seen how vulnerable we are, and we need to say New Yorkers are at risk, we need to take action, and we cant wait for session to be over, because then it will be too late. Carlucci joined Manhattan senate colleague Brad Hoylman and Bronx Assemblyman Jeff Dinowitz at a press conference near City Hall on May 28, where they hoped to drum up support for Senate bill S2994 and its Assembly counterpart A2371 before the current legislative season ends on June 19. The lawmakers are looking to follow in the footsteps of California legislators whose repeal of the Golden States religious exemption lead to state-wide increases in immunization as the measles virus continues to sweep through New York, where it has infected 843 people since October. Of those, 535 cases were discovered in Brooklyn, where the disease has spread rapidly through Orthodox Jewish communities in Borough Park and Williamsburg, in addition to infecting 12 non-Jewish residents of Sunset Park. The states religious exemption allows unvaccinated children to attend public schools, where students would otherwise require a more stringent medical exemption to enroll without inoculations. At the press conference, a group of cancer survivors all students suffering severely compromised immune systems joined the politicians, who spoke out about the extraordinary care they must take to avoid disease and infection, saying that sharing a classroom with an unvaccinated classmate could lead to the end of their lives. Were just trying to live, said Teela Wyman, a 26-year-old law student who survived stage four lymphoma cancer, and required lung surgery three times last year due to infections, including one caused by the flu. Were just trying to be normal people. These diseases are preventable. Proponents of the exemption claim its a protection guaranteed by the First Amendment, while also arguing that the vast majority of non-vaccinated New Yorkers do not have a religious exemption, and that repealing it would have little practical effect on the spread of disease. Its outrageous to try and take our religious exemptions away, when we make up less than half of one percent of the unvaccinated population, said Queens resident Adreana Rodriguez, who joined a small group of anti-vaxxers outside the City Councils Broadway office building to protest Hoylman and his colleagues. Mayor de Blasio also disagreed that religion contributes significantly to immunization, and at a press conference earlier this month claimed the problem lies in anti-vaccination rhetoric, which eliminating the exemption would not affect, according to a Politico report. Just listen to my logic pattern here, de Blasio said. Somehow ending the religious exemptions doesnt address what happened here where the anti-vaxxers convinced people not to get vaccinations. Thats the root of the problem. Hoylman, however, argued that unscrupulous anti-vaxxers are taking advantage of the religious exemption to enroll their unvaccinated kids in school, despite their objections being rooted in junk science not faith. The religious exemption is a loophole, said the Manhattan lawmaker. It is masking someones conspiracy against vaccinations, and it needs to be closed. Ironically enough, a proponent of the religious exemption protesting outside Hoylmans press conference Tuesday said it must not be repealed precisely because its a loophole for anti-vaxxers, claiming its the only recourse that parents who attribute developmental disorders, including autism, in their children to recent vaccinations have after theyre denied the medical exemption by doctors. Its their only loophole right now, said Flatbush resident Carolyn Battino. It protects anyone who says to themselves, I have a reason. Vaccines do not cause autism, according to the Center of Disease Control. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams 60th Precinct Coney IslandBrighton BeachSeagate Knocked out A brute knocked a man unconscious and then robbed him on Bay View Avenue on May 24. Cops say the baddie approached the victim from behind while he was near W. 36th Street at around 11:30 a.m. and stuck him in the head. When the victim regained consciousness, he was missing his wallet and cellphone, according to police. Elder abuse Cops cuffed a woman who they say assaulted a 72-year-old man on 17th Avenue on May 25. The 32-year-old perp punched the victim in the face, causing severe bruises, at approximately 7:30 p.m. near Bay Ridge Avenue, cops said. Police tracked down and arrested the woman later that day, according to authorities. Fast-food getaway A thief stole expensive equipment from a Stillwell Avenue restaurant sometime between April 16 and May 23. The owner of the eatery, located between Bowery Street and Surf Avenue, told police he closed the fast-food joint for the winter, and visited on April 16 to check on things. When he returned about a month later, though, he found a bandit had made off with a sound system, surveillance equipment, and other electronics, according to police. Brighton burglar A home invader looted a Brighton Third Street home on May 23. The burglar broke into the residence between Ocean View and Brighton Beach avenues sometime between 8 a.m. and 7:30 p.m., and took off with $500 and a cellphone, cops said. Subway swiper A sneak thief robbed a subway rider at Stillwell Avenue station on May 22. The baddie grabbed a backpack from an unaware victim, who had placed the bag on the ground next to him as he was waiting for the stalled train to begin service, at around 4:30 p.m., police reported. The thief took the bag and got off the train before it left the station, cops said. Credit card criminal A con artist charged $5,628 to an E. Seventh Street mans credit card on April 7. The victim, who lives between Gerald Court and Kathleen Place, received a bill in the mail for multiple unknown charges on the card, which never left his possession, according to police. Night terror A filcher robbed a man who asleep on Coney Island Avenue on May 25. The victim told police he was walking home from a bar at approximately 10 p.m., when he stopped to rest on the steps of building between Brighton Eighth Court and Guider Avenue. While the victim was sleeping, a bandit stole his belt, watches, and jewelry, according to police. Aidan Graham Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams 88th Precinct Fort GreeneClinton Hill Holy guacamole! Police arrested a man for allegedly fighting his way out of a Myrtle Avenue bodega after he was caught looting avocados on May 21. An employee told police the suspect was spotted filling his pockets with avocados at the store near Vanderbilt Avenue at 2:50 p.m., but when he moved to intercept the man, he took up a broomstick and smacked the hapless grocer, dropping his ill-gotten fruit and fleeing. Cops arrested the suspect later that day and charged him with felony robbery, officials said. Pirates in the park Three louts jumped a teen in S. Oxford Park on May 20. The 17-year-old victim told cops he was sitting on a park bench near Atlantic Commons when one brute struck him from behind with an unknown metal object at 4:50 p.m. The ruffian was joined by two others who punched and kicked the victim before taking his cellphone and fleeing the scene, according to police. Paramedics rushed victim to Kings County Hospital where he was treated for his injuries, cops said. Band of sinners A group of baddies stabbed and robbed a man in front of a Clinton Avenue church on May 24. Some five neer-do-wells followed the victim after he picked up his paycheck at Vanderbilt Avenue and walked towards the house of worship near Atlantic Avenue just before 8:30 p.m., according to police. One of the malcontents asked the victim, Whats up? before the goons took him to the ground and he dropped his phone to protect himself, the authorities said. During the brawl, the victim noticed one of the reprobates struck him in his lower back, causing pain, and the criminals fled towards Atlantic Avenue, cops said. He later noticed that one of the louts had stabbed him and he went to Wyckoff Medical Center for treatment, according to police. Delinquent duo Two nogoodniks robbed a teen on Vanderbilt Avenue on May 25. The 15-year-old victim told police that he was between Gates and Greene avenues at 5:40 p.m. when the two good-for-nothings came from behind, grabbed him, and snatched his phone, belt, and cash. Scoot! A villain struck a woman with a baby scooter on Saint Edwards Street on May 22. The victim told cops that the wretch was having an argument with her near Park Avenue at 6 p.m. before she swung the scooter at her, striking the victims shoulder. Scorched Cops arrested a woman for allegedly hurling a cup of hot coffee at an employee, causing burns to her face and body, at a Flatbush Avenue Extension fast-food restaurant on May 23. The victim told cops that she asked the suspect to take her feet off of a chair inside the eatery near Fulton Street at 4:20 a.m., causing the two to begin arguing. The suspect then allegedly hurled the hot beverage at the victim, burning her face, neck, and chest, according to police. Cops arrested the suspect on the scene just after 5 a.m., according to the authorities. Slash attack Cops arrested a Queens woman they believe slashed a woman at Saint Edwards Street on May 23. The suspect allegedly attacked the victim near Park Avenue at 10 p.m., stabbing her shoulder and slashing her abdomen, causing serious injury, before paramedics rushed the victim to Brooklyn Hospital, police reported. Police caught up with the alleged stabber and arrested her the next day just after 2 a.m., according to the report. Taxing attack A passenger attacked a cab driver on Fulton Street on May 25 giving him a black eye. The victim told cops he was driving four passengers to their destination near Hudson Avenue at 12:05 p.m. When he stopped to let them out, one of his fares, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, began assaulting him, police reported. Paramedics rushed the victim to Methodist Hospital, according to authorities. Kevin Duggan and Elizabeth Winn Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor The Permanent Court of Arbitration in Singapore has rejected India's argument that the court does not have the jurisdiction to rule on a case brought against India by Japan's Nissan Motor, according to two people and documents reviewed by Reuters. If India had won the plea, the entire case would have been thrown out, said one of the people who has direct knowledge of the matter, adding that the Indian government is now likely to file an appeal with Singapore's Supreme Court. Nissan sent a legal notice to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration in 2016 claiming ... Vedanta's Chairman Anil Agarwal said on Wednesday he was prepared to invest in increasing Zambian copper production to 400,000 tonnes, creating another 10,000 jobs at Konkola Copper Mines (KCM), but said "the right framework" had to be in place. Vedanta is fighting Zambia's decision this month to name a provisional liquidator to run Vedanta Resources' KCM business. The government has accused KCM of breaching its operating licence. Legal proceedings have been adjourned until June 4. In an announcement published in Zambian newspapers, Agarwal said he had ... TS ICET 2019 key to be released today. Kakatiya University, Warangal, which conducts the TS ICET 2019 exam on behalf of TSCHE, Hyderabad will release the answer key. Candidates who appeared for the TS ICET 2019 answer key can do so from the official icet.tsche.ac.in. The objections against the answer key can be filed until June 1, 2019. TS ICET 2019 preliminary answer key will help the candidates who have appeared for the examination to cross-check the answers given along with the ones marked by them during the examination. With the help of the answer key candidates will be able to ... After days of speculations, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday confirmed that he would not be a part of the Narendra Modi-led government this time. In a letter to the prime minister, Jaitley said, "During the last eighteen months, I have had some serious health challenges. I formally request you that I should be allowed a reasonable time for myself, my treatment and my health and, therefore, not be a part of any responsibility, for the present, in the new government." Earlier, sources had revealed that Jaitley, 66, was unlikely take up any offer to continue in the ... (ANSA) - The decree reforming the rules for possession of firearms in Brazil that was approved by President Jair Bolsonaro on January 15 could have a major impact on the security market. With this reform the former serviceman kept the promise he made in his election campaign to extend the right to keep arms inside private property. As of January, anyone who lives in a city with a homicide rate of over 10 cases per 100,000 inhabitants can keep a weapon at home if they meet certain requirements, such as the lack of a criminal record. The PM Cofres company, for example, forecasts a rise of between 30% and 35% for its business due to the effects of the decree, as it requires that the weapons be kept "locked in a safe place" inside the residence. "The decree will certainly have an impact," said Leandro Pimentel, the company's commercial manager. "We have already registered an increase in demand for safes by people who will buy weapons after this reform". PM's website features safe models designed specifically for this segment of the market, such as units that can fitted inside a wardrobe and contain up to four weapons, the maximum allowed by the law. "Up to now we have seen growth of 20% but we believe this number will increase in the coming months," added Pimentel. Amid the expectations created by this reform there was the 2019 international security fair Exposec in Sao Paulo May 21-23, which included a section devoted specially to weapons and related products, the Magnum Show. The event, organized by Cipa Fiera Milano at the Sao Paulo Expo exhibition centre, brought together many players in the sector, from weapons producers to manufacturers of safes, holsters and simulators and shooting schools. The latter represent another niche in the market that is feeling the effects of the Bolsonaro decree because one of the requirements to be able to have a weapon at home is a certificate of "technical capacity" to be able to use it. According to Sidnei Silva, an instructor from Sao Paulo's Durval Guimaraes Sporting Association (ADDG), there has been an increase in demand for courses, although it is not a "significant" increase yet. "The cost entailed in possessing a weapon is not very low," explained Silva, who said this is one of the reasons why the increase in demand since the start of the year is low. The increase in the number of pupils will be a slow process that goes hand in hand with "a change in society's behaviour" he added. Silva said that so far the demand for courses has come primarily from certain sectors - entrepreneurs, doctors, managers and the self employed - because people in the less well off segments of society "have other priorities" given than the price of a firearm in Brazil is high. In other market segments the decree has had no effect. "The fact is that, in principle, the reform does not change anything for our type of weapon," explained Manoel Dall'Agnol Amantino, the director and president of E.R. Amantino, which produces weapons for sport and hunting in the Rio Grande do Sul. The new law includes collectors, hunters and sporting shooters among the citizens who have a "real need" to keep weapons at home, but, according to Dall'Agnol, the bureaucratic procedures required to obtain the necessary certificates remain an obstacle that weighs down the market. "It can take up to six months and this discourages people," he said. On top of this are the high taxes which affect prices, which explains why E.R. Amantino currently exports 70% of its production, especially to the USA, Canada, New Zealand and Argentina. The company's director-president hopes that regulation leads to flexibility in the sale of arms, reducing bureaucracy. Toyota Motor Corp is considering investing about 60 billion yen ($550 million) in Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing, the Nikkei business daily reported on Wednesday. Japan's top automaker was also looking to set up a new mobility-services company in China, the Nikkei said. "We continue to evaluate our business strategy from a global perspective in areas of Connectivity, Autonomous, Sharing and Electrification to meet the future needs of our customers," Toyota spokesman Kensuke Ko said by phone. "However, we have nothing to announce at this ... Adani Enterprises said on Wednesday that its consolidated income from operations during for the quarter ending March totalled Rs 13,237 crore, up 36 per cent from Rs 9,767 crore in the corresponding period of the previous year. The earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) for decreased 5 per cent to Rs 943 crore from Rs 994 crore in Q4 FY18. The profit after tax attributable to owners for Q4 FY19 was Rs 283 crore compared to Rs 188 crore in the same quarter of previous year. "Adani Enterprises continues to focus on incubating businesses of national importance, building second generation infrastructure and utilities," said Chairman of Adani Group Gautam Adani. "With a stable government and emphasising policy initiatives paves way for growth opportunities across sectors. Our endeavour is to establish businesses of the future, creating better value for the stakeholders in long term," he said in a statement. In coal mine development and operations, the company supplied washed coal of 12.13 million tonnes to Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd (RRVUNL) in FY 19 as compared to 7.04 million tonnes in FY 18, showing an increase of 72 per cent. The Parsa Kente coal mines are located in Chhattisgarh's dense Hasdeo Arand forests. Adani Enterprises also signed a coal mining agreement with Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation for Suliyari Coal Block on March 8. In solar manufacturing, the company has established India's largest solar cell and module manufacturing unit in Mundra Special Economic Zone. The plant has an installed capacity of 1.2 gigawatt fully-integrated cell and module manufacturing unit and got operational in FY 18. Q4 FY19 volumes increased by 29 per cent to 260 megawatt modules versus 202 megawatt modules in Q4 FY18. In food business, the company maintained its leadership position with its Fortune brand and continues to lead the refined edible oil market with more than 20 per cent market share. Adani Enterprises is the flagship company of Adani Group, one of India's largest conglomerates. . (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa received the baton of Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) from outgoing Chairman COSC and Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba here on Wednesday. A press note from PIB Defence Wing said, "Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa will be the Chairman COSC with effect from May 31, consequent to the relinquishment of charge by Admiral Sunil Lanba upon superannuation." The release further said, "Dhanoa, an alumnus of Rashtriya Indian Military College and the Defence Academy, was commissioned in the Flying Branch of Indian Air Force in June 1978. He is an experienced fighter pilot and a qualified CAT 'A' Flying Instructor with over 3000 hours of flying experience to his credit...The Air Chief Marshal has mainly flown the MiG-21 aircraft with flying experience across the entire spectrum of fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force." "During the Kargil war (1999), he was the Commanding Officer of a frontline ground attack fighter squadron. He has held many coveted operational and staff assignments that include command of a frontline fighter Base, Director Fighter Operations and War planning at Western Air Command, Chief Instructor (Air) at DSSC, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Intelligence) at Air HQ and Senior Air Staff officer of two operational Commands. He was the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of South Western Air Command and has also been the Vice Chief of the Air Staff," the release added. Admiral Sunil Lanba is proceeding on retirement on May 31, after a distinguished career spanning over four decades. Dhanoa is an ardent supporter of Tri-Services Jointmanship, he was instrumental in harmonising the efforts of the three Services in a number of Tri-Services issues. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) affirmed that all of its 22 newly-elected parliamentarians will push for special category status for Andhra Pradesh. "Jagan Mohan Reddy has taken the issue (special category status) very seriously and all 22 MPs will be committed to helping the state achieve special status category," said newly-elected MP from Visakhapatnam, MVV Satyanarayana. He also vowed to transform Visakhapatnam into a world-class city. Thanking voters for electing him as their representative in the Parliament, the YSRCP leader said emphasis would be laid on resolving some long-pending issues in Visakhapatnam. Acknowledging that shortage of water is one of the major issues, Satyanarayana said efforts would be made to bring Godavari water and build reservoirs to ease the situation in the city. Expansion of the Anakapalle and Anandapuram State highway, pursuing the metro rail project, developing a six-lane road on the beach road, construction of Bhogapuram airport, increasing the air connectivity and fortifying the city as an IT hub to attract investors were some of the key areas that Satyanarayana shed light on. YSRCP got an absolute majority in the 175-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly, ousting Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party (TDP) from power. In the recently held polls, YSRCP won 151 Assembly seats, whereas TDP's tally fell drastically from 102 in 2014 to a mere 23. The party also managed to win 22 of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Jagan Reddy is all set to take oath as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh on Thursday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Outgoing Chief Minister and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday was elected as the Legislative Party leader. Newly-elected party's MLAs, MPs and other senior leaders also attended the meeting. Naidu resigned from the Chief Ministerial post after YS Jagan Mohan Reddy steered YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) to win by an absolute majority in the Assembly poll. YSRCP won 151 seats out of 175, whereas TDP's tally fell drastically from 102 in 2014 Assembly elections to a mere 23. In the Lok Sabha results too YSRCP managed to win 22 of the 25 parliamentary seats while TDP could win only 3 seats. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Armed Forces Tribunal on Wednesday deferred the hearing in the case filed by Vice Admiral Bimal Verma seeking an appointment as the next Navy Chief of India and also ordered that Vice Admiral Karambir Singh can take charge as the Navy Chief on May 31. The appointment of Karambir Singh, however, will be subject to the final outcome of the petition filed by Verma and the final decision passed by the Tribunal. Vice Admiral Bimal Verma had challenged the Defence Ministry's decision to reject his plea for being overlooked for appointment as the next Navy Chief and requested the court to hear his plea before Vice Admiral Karambir Singh takes over the command of the force on May 31. "The government has rejected the representation of the Vice Admiral. Therefore, as per law, we would be withdrawing the present petition with liberty to challenge the order issued by the government and request the tribunal to hear the matter before the new chief takes over," Vice Admiral Verma's lawyer Ankur Chhibber had told ANI. The Defence Ministry on May 17 had rejected the plea of Vice Admiral Verma challenging the appointment of Vice Admiral Karambir Singh as the next Chief of the Indian Navy.Verma had questioned the government's decision of overlooking him for the post of Navy chief despite him being the seniormost. Rejecting his statutory complaint filed on April 10, Defence Ministry's Joint Secretary (Navy) Richa Mishra had clarified that though seniority is an important criterion while appointing services chiefs, it is not the "sole" criteria. It has been dispensed with in the past too while appointing the Navy chiefs. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Aster DM Healthcare, one of the largest private healthcare service providers in multiple GCC states and an emerging healthcare player in India, today announced its financial results for the quarter & full year ended March 31, 2019. The company recorded a net profit of Rs 335 crore for the full year ending March 31, 2019. This represents a year-on-year increase 140 per cent when compared to an adjusted PAT of Rs 139 crore in full-year ending March 31, 2018. For the quarter ending 31st March 2019, revenue from operations increased by 23 per cent to Rs 2,201 and EBITDA increased by 33 per cent to Rs 350 crore. The Company recorded a net profit of Rs 209 crore for the quarter ending March 31, 2019. This represents a year-on-year increase when compared to an adjusted PAT of Rs 145 crore registered in the same quarter of 2018 which is an increase of 44 per cent. Sustained revenue growth has resulted from its existing operations that include 24 hospitals, 114 clinics and over 219 pharmacies in nine countries, including India. The Company's strong growth is a reflection of its focus on quality healthcare, the strength of its diversified healthcare offerings and a strong thrust on enhancing efficiencies. Financial Performance Highlights: Performance Review for Q4FY19 Vs Q4FY18 O Revenue from operations improves by 23 per cent to Rs 2,201 crore compared to Rs 1,784 crore O EBITDA (excluding other income) increases by 33 per cent Y-o-Y to Rs 350 crore compared to Rs 263 crore O PAT (adjusted for exceptional income in previous year) increases to Rs 209 crore compared to Rs 145 crore Performance Review for FY19 vs. FY18 O Revenue from operations improves by 18 per cent to Rs 7,963 crore compared to Rs 6,721 crore O EBITDA (excluding other income) grew by 41 per cent Y-o-Y to Rs 863 crore compared to Rs 613 crore O PAT (adjusted for exceptional income in previous year) increased by 140 per cent to Rs 335 crore compared to Rs 139 crore "We are very happy to report strong growth at both the top line and EBITDA level. All hospitals in the GCC and India are performing well and new hospitals in India are also doing better than expected. In line with our asset light focus, work at all our new hospital pipeline projects both in GCC and India are progressing well. We are optimistic however that all these facilities will achieve swift break even on the back of increasing occupancy and better utilisations. The quarter under review has been our best quarter in the year under review with seasonality too playing to our favour", said Dr Azad Moopen, Chairman, Aster DM Healthcare. Segmental Performance Hospitals Revenues increased by 22 per cent to Rs 3,969 crore in FY19 from Rs 3,241 crore in FY18. EBITDA (excluding other income) increased by 37 per cent from Rs 364 crore in FY18 to Rs 501 crore in FY19. The EBITDA margin was at 12.6 per cent in FY19 compared to 11.3 per cent in FY18. This performance was driven by addition of new specialties, services and increase in beds. Clinics Revenues for GCC clinics increased by 14 per cent to Rs 1,990 crore in FY19 from Rs 1,748 crore in FY18. EBITDA for GCC clinics increased 50 per cent from Rs 210 crore in FY18 to Rs 315 crore in FY19. The EBITDA margin was at 15.9 per cent in FY19 compared to 12 per cent in FY18. This performance was driven by ramp up in new clinics set up in GCC states in the recent past and increase in footfalls from existing clinics. Pharmacies Revenues increased by 21 per cent to Rs 2,178 crore in FY19 from Rs 1,798 crore in FY18. EBITDA increased 20 per cent from Rs 186 crore in FY18 to Rs 223 crore in FY19. Medical Excellence Highlights Since inception, Aster DM Healthcare has been in continuous pursuit to push boundaries of excellence in health care and cater to the needs of patients, thereby setting global benchmarks in the field of medicine and patient care. It has accomplished numerous milestones and performed several surgeries that were "firsts". Mentioned below are some of the significant achievements, in the quarter under review, that are a testament to our clinical excellence: Doctors at Aster MIMS in Calicut, Kerala successfully performed their 500th Kidney transplant at the hospital An obstetrics and gynaecology consultant at Aster Sanad Hospital delivered a baby on-board a flight from Saudi to Philippines Aster CMI Hospital has performed Ace Split liver transplant for a 32 month old baby Aster MIMS Calicut performed successful heart surgery for a Somalia patient diagnosed with severe valvular pulmonary stenosis, small hypertrophic right ventricle. He was rejected from other hospitals because of high risks. Bone marrow transplant for a 13 year old girl suffering from rare compliment deficiency genetic disease C1q at Aster CMI, Bengaluru. Aster Pharmacy introduced Freche - a leading French skincare brand with a legacy of over 70 years For the first time in Dubai, a Single Incision Colorectal Laparoscopic Surgery was performed in Aster Hospital, Al Qusais Awards and Service Excellence Highlights * The Company has received several endorsements; some of which were: * Dr. Azad Moopen, Founder Chairman & Managing Director of Aster DM Healthcare, received the Lifetime * Achievement Award at the Gulf Indian Leadership Summit 2018 * Aster Ramesh Hospitals in Vijayawada, Guntur received * The AHPI healthcare award in 2018 * Platinum Grading in Pharmacie De Qualite' by Bureau Veritas in 2018 * The Asian Hospital Management Award for innovation in healthcare technology * Dr. Azad Moopen- Founder Chairman and Managing Director of Aster DM Healthcare won the Leader of the Year Award for Healthcare at the Gulf Awards 2018 * Alisha Moopen- Executive Director and CEO- Hospitals and Clinics GCC at Aster DM Healthcare won the Rising Star Award at the Asian Leadership Forum 2018, the Woman Game Changer of the Year Award at the Global Women in Leadership Economic Forum 2018. She has also won the Woman of the Year Award in the Achiever's Category from Emirates Women Magazine This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Uttar Pradesh police on Wednesday arrested Pappu Jaiswal, main accused in the Barabanki spurious liquor deaths case, after an encounter here. R.S Gautam, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Barabanki, said, "Based on the information received from the victims, the police arrested the main accused after an encounter. Pappu, who had a reward of Rs 20,000 on him, was injured and taken to the hospital afterwards." He further said, "Police also conducted raids at several places and seized the stock of liquor brands which were allegedly consumed by the victims." Two FIRs have also been registered in this matter and the investigation is still on, he added. Three people were arrested by the police after the death toll in the Barabanki hooch tragedy rose to 16. Moreover, the state government has announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each for the deceased. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After the death toll rose to 16 in Barabanki spurious liquor case, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said stern action will be taken against the accused. "I am saddened by the unfortunate loss of innocent lives due to the consumption of spurious liquor in Barabanki. Instructed DM & SP to take all possible measures to nab the culprit and provide assistance to bereaved families. Have asked Pr. Sec. Excise to investigate & take stern action," Adityanath tweeted. The Chief Minister has asked the officials of the excise department to investigate the case and take strict action against the accused. Earlier in the day, the Uttar Pradesh police arrested Pappu Jaiswal, main accused in the Barabanki spurious liquor deaths case, after an encounter here. R.S Gautam, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Barabanki, said, "Based on the information received from the victims, the police arrested the main accused after an encounter. Pappu, who had a reward of Rs 20,000 on him, was injured and taken to the hospital afterwards." He further said, "Police also conducted raids at several places and seized the stock of liquor brands which were allegedly consumed by the victims." Two FIRs have also been registered in this matter and the investigation is still on, he added. Three people were arrested by the police after the death toll in the Barabanki hooch tragedy rose to 16. Moreover, the state government has announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each for the deceased. In February, consumption of spurious illegal liquor has claimed the lives of 70 people in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, forcing government officials to launch a major crackdown to nab those responsible for the distribution of illicit liquor in the states and its neighbouring regions. While 13 people lost their lives in Uttarakhand, the death toll in Uttar Pradesh mounted to 56. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) (ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS, MAY 29 - Brussels has given its greenlight to EU accession talks with Albania and Northern Macedonia through a recommendation to the European Council. The announcement was made Wednesday by EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and EU Commission Johannes Hahn in presenting the annual package on EU enlargement. EU leaders meeting June 20-21 in Brussels will have the final say in the matter. The positive judgement given by Brussels for Albania and Northern Macedonia was without hesitation for both countries. A year ago, EU leaders had postponed greenlighting the opening of talks for the two countries to June 2019 and had set conditions. Albania, for example, was asked to double its efforts in the fight against organized crime and corruption. Northern Macedonia was instead called upon to finalize an agreement over its name with Greece. Both these conditions were met over the past year. Albania and Northern Macedonia took advantage of the chance and brought in reform, Mogherini said, noting significant reform of the justice system by Albania and historic agreements between Northern Macedonia, Greece and Bulgaria, which strengthened the entire region. Brussels' assessment was ''scrupulous'' and now the important thing is that the European Council take its part of the responsibility and express itself as soon as possible, endowing the enlargement process with credibility, Mogherini stressed. Some EU countries including France and the Netherlands have instead hesitated before the prospect of accession talks with the Western Balkans and the decision by the EU leaders expected on June 20-21 may be postponed. Hahn stressed that the EU must keep its commitments and respond in a clear and positive manner to countries complying with their own if it wants to remain credible. (ANSAmed). Ashok Kamble, president of the Maharashtra unit of Bhim Army on Wednesday protested outside BYL Nair Hospital alleging Dr Payal Tadvi's death was not due to suicide but she was "murdered". He also demanded action under 'Prevention of Atrocities Act' be carried out against the officers who were suspended by the hospital administration and strictest of punishment for the three accused. "We have got some information which reveals that it is not a suicide case but murder since there are some marks on Payal's upper back, we are waiting for the postmortem reports. We came to know through media that three accused have been arrested and some concerned officials were also suspended. We demand the Atrocities act be put on the suspended officials too, we are holding protests to demand the same," he said. Kamble laid out the three demands of the Bhim Army, he said, "We want death sentence for the people accused in the death of Payal Tadvi other than that we also want the officials to be taken to task. We also want all the SC/ST students in the Nair hospital to be asked whether they are facing any harassment here." On being asked about Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad's plan to join the protests in support of the late Dr Payal Tadvi Kamble, he said that he was supposed to arrive by May 30 if the administration failed to deliver justice and also conveyed the warning of his chief. "Chandrashekhar Azad has said that he will come to Mumbai by May 30 if proper action is not taken against the three accused and other guilty. He has also warned that any disruption in the city after his arrival would be the responsibility of the state government," Kamble said. All the three accused doctors in the case- Ankita Khandelwal, Bhakti Mehre and Hema Ahuja have been arrested and are likely to be produced before the court today. Mehre and Ahuja were arrested on Tuesday. The three doctors were arrested for allegedly abetting the post-graduate medical student Tadvi, who belonged to the Scheduled Tribe community, to end her life on May 22. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday announced that they will not be attending Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony on Thursday due to prior commitments. The ceremony will be held at 7 pm in the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhawan here. "I want to congratulate PM Modi. Due to prior commitments, I will not be able to go for his oath ceremony tomorrow. I have sought time from PMO to meet him later," Baghel tweeted. Meanwhile, Patnaik conveyed his good wishes to the Prime Minister and his council of ministers and said he won't be able to attend the ceremony as he will be busy in the swearing-in ceremony of his cabinet ministers. "The newly elected members of the 16th Vidhan Sabha will take oath tomorrow. As a leader of the house, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has to remain present during the occasion. Thus, he is unable to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister and his council of ministers tomorrow," an official statement read. Earlier in the day, Modi congratulated Patnaik on taking oath as the chief minister of Odisha for the fifth consecutive term. As Patnaik today took oath for the fifth consecutive term as the Chief Minister in the presence of Governor Ganeshi Lal, Modi assured complete cooperation from the Centre in working for Odisha's progress. "Congratulations to Naveen Patnaik ji on taking oath as Odisha's Chief Minister. Best wishes to him and his team in fulfilling the people's aspirations. I assure complete cooperation from the Centre in working for Odisha's progress," Prime Minister's tweet read. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has also declined to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Modi objecting to the families of BJP workers, allegedly killed in political violence in the state, being invited to the function. "The ceremony is an August occasion to celebrate democracy, not one that should be devalued by any political party which uses it as an opportunity to score political points. Please excuse me, "So I am sorry Narendra Modiji. This has compelled me not to attend the ceremony," she said on Twitter. However, Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy confirmed that he will attend the ceremony. "I have received an invitation to the Prime Minister's swearing-in ceremony tomorrow. I will attend it. We need to have a cordial relation with the central government if Puducherry wants to move forward. This is the first step towards it," he told media today. In the Lok Sabha polls, BJP secured a clear majority with 303 seats, while Congress was at a distant 52. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala asserted that despite several attempts BJP was not able to even open its account in Kerala in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections and that no important leader will join the saffron party in the state. "From Kerala, no important leader or worker will join BJP. They tried their level best; Amit Shah visited Kerala 27 times but they were not able to open their account and in 13 places they even lost their deposit," said Chennithala. Speaking on the comments made by former Congress MLA AP Abdullahkutty, Chennithala said, "On Tuesday, the PCC executive leadership has decided to call for an explanation on CA Abdullahkutty's comment on PM Modi. We won't accept his remarks as it is clearly an anti-party line. Let's wait for his reply and then according to the party constitution, we will take suitable action after receiving his explanation." "It is an acceptance of Narendra Modi's developmental agenda. The secret behind his popularity is (that) he has used Gandhian values in his governance. Mahatma Gandhi said that when you frame a policy, you remember the poorest man you met in your life. Modi has done it promptly," he wrote on Facebook after the election results were declared. Hailing Modi government's schemes, the former Congress MLA said that the prime minister provided toilets to 9.16 crore and LPG connection to 6 crore families. On the issue of Sabarimala temple, the Congress leader said, "When Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government will come to power, we will protect the rights of the devotees. When we will come to power, we will pass legislation keeping Sabarimala and devotee's interests in mind. We don't want to take political mileage on Sabarimala issue. It is an emotional issue and is based on belief." Congress-led UDF won 18 out of the 20 parliamentary seats that went to polls in the Lok Sabha elections in Kerala. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chinese authorities have issued a "secret" document directing the local administrations to launch a nationwide crackdown on Christian churches having ties with foreign religious communities. According to an article originally published by Bitter Winter and republished in Chinascope- a media research company- the document has been issued by United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Ministry of Public Security of the Liaoning Provincial Government. It is titled as 'Work Plan for Investigating and Handling Foreign Christian Penetration in Accordance with the Law'. The CCP's secret document gives the government agencies special powers to "resolutely crack down on foreign religious believers, resolutely destroy the religious activities of foreign religious groups in the local area and resolutely prevent organisations from attending training in neighboring countries and regions." It also directs them to tighten restrictions on the use of foreign internet websites for conducting online missionary work. In addition to targetting "Jehovah Witnesses" and a number of Korean Christian churches that have been previously suppressed, the document mentioned Young Disciples of Jesus, Cru, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Bo Ai Church, the Ai Xin Church, the Canaan Christian Church, and several others, according to Chinascope. As per the document, local governments have to send out their undercover agents for conducting in-depth probes on these religious groups, including scope and scale of their activities, background, funding, personnel composition and status of get-togethers. It also advocates surveillance of relevant WeChat and QQ social media groups, recording information of all believers, using big data analysis to keep a tab on church activities and setting up a 'resistance to the overseas Christian penetration work database'. As part of the crackdown, the secret document demands the shutdown of church meeting places, training centres and seminaries, the taking of a number of measures to combat the believers' beliefs such as criminal prosecution, education transformation, pressure on their work units and relatives, and cutting off welfare protection, the Chinascope report said. Before local governments carry out their crackdown actions, they are required to "demonise religious groups and guide public opinion to legalize the CCP's suppression of them." The secret document holds local CCP committees and governments responsible for the education transformation in order to "completely eliminate" any chance of restoring religious activities. Apart from this, the document also advocates that government propaganda departments should produce critical articles and videos to incite the people. Also, Internet censorship departments should control "harmful and sensational public opinion." Educational departments are required to strengthen the management of teachers and students with religious backgrounds, according to the document. It also further stated that crackdown action should not take place during major domestic political events or important sensitive anniversaries. The CCP's secret document should be maintained in a confidential manner and is strictly prohibited to release such documents on the Internet or inform personnel of their crackdown assignment through WeChat and other social networking platforms. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ally JD(S) on Wednesday joined Congress leaders in urging Rahul Gandhi not to insist on his resignation as party chief, as state units passed resolutions and workers held demonstrations to press a similar demand. Delhi Congress Chief Shiela Dikshit met Gandhi, who is said to be firm on giving up the post and has been telling leaders to look for his replacement from outside the Gandhi family. There was no official word on what Gandhi said but Dikshit said, "I have given him the message that he should not resign. We want him to continue on his post, otherwise, it will cause us pain. We have conveyed that to him." Jagdish Tytler, along with other Congress leaders and supporters gathered outside Gandhi's residence holding placards and banners urging him not to resign. In Bengaluru, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy said that Gandhi should not resign from his post while asserting that he will meet him tomorrow to convey the same. Speaking to media after a meeting with Congress and JD(S) leaders here on Wednesday, he said, "I will meet him (Rahul) tomorrow and speak to him. He should not resign." Congress workers also demonstrated outside the party's Bengaluru office urging the Gandhi scion to continue as the party President. "Losing elections isn't a big deal. We want Rahul Gandhi to continue as the party president because we need his leadership along with Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi to boost our confidence and work hard for the party," Naveen Chandra, a party worker said. Meanwhile, Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (RPCC) passed a resolution urging Gandhi to continue as the party President. "Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee has passed a resolution, requesting Rahul Gandhi to continue as the party President," said Avinash Pande, Rajasthan Congress in-charge while speaking to media persons here. The resolution was passed in a meeting chaired by Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and PCC chief, Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot. "We want Rahul Gandhi to continue as a party president. As there is a need for a strong opposition, we have urged him to guide us further. He has worked really hard for the party. This is not the last election, we will win people's hearts in the next election," Pilot said. The Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee also passed a resolution to request Gandhi to continue as AICC President. On Tuesday, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) working president Jayakumar had asserted that the mandate received by Congress and its allies in South India is a testimony of people's faith in party president Rahul Gandhi and hence, he must not resign respecting their faith. He also informed that they will pass a resolution urging the Congress president to continue on the post. Yesterday, another key Congress ally DMK chief MK Stalin, whose party led the UPA alliance including Congress in Tamil Nadu, also batted for the continuance of Rahul Gandhi as the Congress president. A few days back on May 25, P Chidambaram got emotional while appealing to Gandhi not to step down from his post, claiming that the party's cadres in the southern states will commit suicide. The developments come days after Rahul had offered to step down from the party post at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting held on May 25, taking moral responsibility for the party's dismal performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections. However, Rahul's offer of resignation was unanimously rejected by the CWC. So far, several top leaders have met Gandhi and urged him to continue to lead the party. Sources said that despite senior members making serious attempts to convince the 48-year-old party chief to rethink his decision, he remains unfazed. On Tuesday, the party asserted that they are not facing any crisis and all speculations are just a creation of the media. The Congress won 52 seats in the recent general elections, which is just eight more than 2014 in the outgoing Lok Sabha, while BJP bagged 303. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An exchange of fire took place between a team of Delhi Police Special Cell and a notorious robber near Gali Mandu underpass near Khajuri flyover here on Tuesday. According to the police, the accused, identified as Rohtash who hails from North East Delhi's Karwal Nagar, is said to have involved in various robbery cases. During the encounter, the bullet fired by the accused hit the bulletproof jacket worn by a constable. A case has been registered at the Delhi Police Special Cell in Lodhi Colony, informed the police. Further investigation on the matter is underway. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A meeting of Janata Dal (United) office bearers to be held at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's residence here on Wednesday ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi swearing-in ceremony on May 30. JD (U) is a part of BJP-led Democratic Alliance (NDA) and bagged 16 parliamentary seats in Bihar. BJP-JD (U) had contested on 17 seats each. Kumar's government also is supported by BJP after it came out of the alliance with RJD and Congress. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a major breakthrough, Delhi Police Special Cell on Wednesday nabbed a criminal wanted in Bulandshahr triple murder case. The accused, identified as Salman Malik, was besieged by the police officials in the Seelampur area here. The police have recovered a pistol and bullets from his possession. According to the police, Malik was involved in Bulandshahr triple murder case and various other criminal activities in the North-East Delhi area. The body of the three children, who were cousins, was found inside a tube well in Dhooturi village in Bulandshahr on May 25, police had said. The deceased were identified as Masood Abdul, 10, Asma 11, and Aliba, 12. According to police, the prima facie revealed that the three children were shot dead and their bodies were later thrown into the tubewell. Cartridges and blood were also found near the tubewell. Earlier police had arrested 2 people in this regard. Investigation in this regard is underway. Further details are awaited. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi Police on Wednesday arrested three cousin brothers here for duping innocent people under the pretence of providing them work visa for Dubai, UAE. The cousin brothers named Prem Kumar, Rakesh Kumar and Gagandeep cheated at least 10 people in lakhs by posting advertisements in the local newspaper regarding the facilitation of work Visa for Dubai. The case was registered at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport Police station after the complaint was filed by the Immigration officials on Monday. In the complaint, it was alleged that 10 passengers, intending to go Dubai on a work Visa, were found roaming at Terminal 3 of IGI Airport. The travel documents of the victims were examined and it was found that e-Visa, Air Tickets, Protector of Emigrants (POE) sticker and Departure Stamp affixed in each of the passports were forged. The victims after seeing an advertisement in the local edition of a newspaper in Rajasthan met the accused in Chandigarh. They then provided all the forged travel documents to the victims after at the fees of Rs 50,000/- each. The culprits used fake identities to carry out the fraud, however, on the basis of secret information and technical surveillance true identities were established. Rakesh impersonated himself as Rajeev, Prem Kumar as Abhinash Sharma and Gagandeep as Manish. One fake voter ID of Abhinash Sharma was also recovered. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In an upcoming episode of David Letterman's Netflix show, "My Next Guest Needs No Introduction," Ellen DeGeneres opened up about being sexually assaulted by her stepfather. In the Interview, which is scheduled to air on Friday, the American comedian and talk show host, spoke about being sexually assaulted by her mother's then-husband when she was a teen, CNN reports. The assault started after her mother, Betty, was diagnosed with breast cancer. "He told me when [my mom] was out of town that he'd felt a lump in her breast and needed to feel my breasts. Anyway, he convinced me that he needs to feel my breasts and then he tries to do it again another time, and then another time," Ellen recalled. This was not the first time Ellen exposed this part of her life publically. She first opened up about it during an interview in 2005. "I'm angry at myself because, you know, I didn't, I was too weak to stand up to, I was 15 or 16. It's a really horrible, horrible story and the only reason I'm actually going to go into detail about it is that I want other girls to not ever let someone do that," Ellen told Letterman. She further said that she did not tell her mother right away since she wanted to protect her. However, when she did tell her mother about the abuse, she did not believe Ellen and continued staying with her now-deceased husband. "I should never have protected [my mother]. I should have protected myself and I didn't tell her for a few years, and then I told her. And then she didn't believe me, and then she stayed with him for 18 more years and finally left him because he'd changed the story so many times," said DeGeneres. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ashmawy sentenced for Italian consulate attack Jihadist leader handed over by Haftar to Sisi (ANSAmed) - CAIRO, MAY 29 - Hisham el-Ashmawy, a jihadist leader captured in October 2018 in Derna and handed over by Libyan general Khalifa Haftar on Tuesday to Egypt, had been sentenced to death in absentia in October 2016 for a car bomb that damaged the Italian consulate in Cairo in July 2015. The Egyptian daily El Shorouk noted that the explosion in front of the Italian consulate in Cairo was one of the three parts of the trial in which 13 of his assistants were also sentenced, 11 of whom in absentia. Even at the time of his capture last year, Egyptian military officials had noted that Ashmawy was ''a suspect'' in the July 11, 2015 attack outside the Italian consulate in Cairo in which one street vendor was killed and about ten people were injured, none of whom Italian. The Islamic State (ISIS) had immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. The consulate has since been moved to another building. (ANSAmed). Himalayan Nature and Adventure Foundation expressed condolences over the deaths of the mountaineers during the mountain expeditions in this month, on the occasion of the 66th Everest Day in Siliguri. Tenzing Norgay, along with New Zealand mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary, had scaled the summit of the world's highest mountain for the first time on May 29, 1953. The day is internationally celebrated as Everest Day. At least 20 climbers including few Indians died during the Mount Everest expedition in the last few days. According to the reports, most of the deaths were due to weakness, exhaustion and delays on the crowded route to the 8,848-meter summit. Three mountaineers from Bengal died during expeditions of Mt Kanchenjungha (8,568 m) and Mt. Makalu (8,463 m). "We have been observing the 66th Everest Day here at a time when around 20 mountaineers have died or are missing during Mt Everest expedition. There were some Indian men and women and foreign climbers. We have lost three mountaineers from Bengal. We are observing the day in pain. The Mt Everest attracts hundreds of mountaineers every year but what has made us concerned is the growing traffic. This factor has been most critical in this season's deaths. We believe the Nepal government should review the situation seriously," Animesh Bose, an adventure enthusiast and the programme coordinator of Himalayan Nature and Adventure Foundation (HNAF), which in association with the Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority ( SJDA) has been observing the day in front of the statue of Tenzing Norgay at Darjeeling More. According to the media reports, Nepal opened the climbing route to the world's highest peak on 14 May after the government issued a record number of 381 climbing permits to the mountaineers representing 44 teams this season, the most since 1953. Along with the expedition members, more than 500 Sherpa climbers have also been accompanying the teams this year. The reports stated that more than 4,400 people have scaled the summit since Norgay and Hilary first conquered the mountain in 1953. Meanwhile, the organisers said they would again urge to the government that Tenzing Norgay should be conferred with Bharat Ratna- the highest civilian honour in the country. "We have been observing the day to promote mountaineering and recall the contribution of Tenzing Norgay but it is very unfortunate that despite such a herculean feat, which was unimaginable at that time, the Government of India did not consider him for the award despite several requests from several quarters. Despite a longstanding demand of conferring Bharat Ratna on Tenzing Norgay and assurances from both the Centre and the state, nothing has happened yet. It is an irony that though he has been conferred with some of the highest civilian awards by many countries but his own country after so many years failed to honour him with the highest award," Mr Bose said adding that they are planning to request the state government to recommend his name for the award and also to the Centre. Tenzing was conferred the Padma Bhushan in 1959 and a posthumous Padma Vibhushan in 2008, 22 years after his death. Along with the HNAF, the sherpas in Darjeeling have been raising the demand that the Bharat Ratna be bestowed on Tenzing. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China's Ambassador to Iran, Pang Sen, on Wednesday said that the fall of US power will be evident in the future and it will be a victory for both Tehran and Beijing. Pang, who met Iranian Parliament speaker Ali Larijani, said that he maintained good cooperation with the Iranians which have strengthened bilateral ties, Iran's state-run IRNA news agency reported. Calling Larijani's visit to China last year as successful, the Chinese envoy said that Beijing is optimistic about the future of bilateral ties, despite the US "creating obstacles". Pang's comments come in the backdrop of the US and China involved in a bitter trade dispute and the brewing tensions between the US and Iran after the former pulled out from the landmark 2015 nuclear deal and re-imposed sanctions on Tehran. The US recently increased tariffs on Chinese goods amounting to over USD 200 billion even as the two sides were involved in negotiations. In retaliation, China said that it would be increasing duties on USD 60 billion worth US imports from June 1. In November last year, the Donald Trump administration had slapped fresh sanctions on Iranian oil exports following the US' withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. The US also decided not to re-issue the sanctions waivers for major importers, including India and China, to continue buying Iran's oil when they expired in early May. Washington has also increased its military buildup in the Middle East recently by deploying an aircraft carrier, bombers and anti-missile systems, citing a threat of Iranian attack. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani had said that his country will not surrender to the US and "give up" its goals even if it is attacked. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Leaders and representatives of eight countries, including Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Bangladeshi President Abdul Hamid have confirmed their participation in the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the official spokesperson said. The following leaders will attend the ceremony scheduled to take place on May 30 in Rashtrapati Bhawan: 1. Abdul Hamid, President of Bangladesh2. Maithripala Sirisena, President of Sri Lanka3. Sooronbay Jeenbekov, President of the Kyrgyz Republic4. U Win Myint, President of Myanmar5. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Prime Minister of Mauritius6. KP Sharma Oli, Prime Minister of Nepal7. Dr Lotay Tshering, Prime Minister of Bhutan The Special Envoy of Thailand, Grisada Boonrach, will also attend the event. Back home, heads of national and regional parties have also been invited for the swearing-in ceremony. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, whose bitter war of words with Modi was at the centre of Lok Sabha election campaign, has accepted the invitation. In 2014, when Modi won his first term, all the SAARC leaders, including the then Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attended the swearing-in as part of invitations extended to all the member countries of the South Asian grouping. Riding on muscular nationalism and a strident anti-Congress plank spearheaded by Modi, the BJP on May 23 got an overwhelming majority in the Lok Sabha, crossing on its own the 300 seat mark while storming back to power for the second consecutive term. Modi will take oath for a second consecutive term as Prime Minister on May 30 at 7 pm in Rashtrapati Bhavan, along with members of the Union Council of Ministers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Governor Mridula Sinha on Wednesday extended her heartfelt wishes to the people of the state on the occasion of Goa Statehood Day adding that achieving the status of a separate state was a dream of the state's residents. "I extend my warm greetings and best wishes to the people of Goa. Thirtieth May is indeed a memorable day in the political history of Goa, for it was on this day in 1987 when Goa became the 25th State of the Indian Union. Achieving Statehood was a long and much-cherished dream of the people of Goa, which was rightfully fulfilled in a truly democratic manner," Sinha said in a statement. The Governor, who is also one of the ambassadors of the Swacch Bharat mission urged the people to practice cleanliness and make Goa the cleanest state in the country. "As a brand ambassador of the Prime Minister for the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, I have been trying my best to see that this mission becomes a great success. We have to continuously renew and accelerate our efforts to keep our state clean of garbage and filth. This is a matter of culture. We should collectively work to achieve this objective and attain the status of being the cleanest State in India," she added. She also praised the state government and said that it had huge potential for development if the people of the state remain receptive to progressive ideas "Goa has immense potential to become a highly developed State. Goans are highly educated, intelligent and enterprising people who are receptive to progressive ideas and meaningful innovations in the governance system and public life. The Government, I must say, is steadfastly working towards achieving greater progress by over-coming many socio-economic challenges," Sinha's statement reads. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress MP Karti Chidambaram, who is currently being interrogated in INX media scam, on Wednesday said he has "no connection" with the case. On being asked if INX media case will continue to trouble him even after his win in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls, Karti said: "No. In no way, I am connected with the case. I do not have anything with that matter." Karti, the son of Congress leader P Chidambaram, has been questioned on several occasions in the INX media case in which the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are probing how Karti managed to obtain clearance to the tune of Rs 305 crore from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) in 2007 when his father was the finance minister. As Karti has won Sivaganga parliamentary seat by over 3 lakh votes, Special CBI Judge Anurag Sain today asked the investigating agency if Karti's case should be heard by a special court as he is an elected MP now. On this, CBI lawyer said, Karti has not yet taken an oath. Thus, he cannot have privileges of MP including special court as for now. Sain has asked CBI to get clarification if CBI court has jurisdiction to hear a case against Karti. The ED had registered a PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) case based on the FIR by the CBI and alleged that irregularities took place in the FIPB clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds. Karti was arrested on February 28, 2018, but was later granted bail. The ED has claimed the probe showed that for the FIPB approval, then INX Media directors Peter and Indrani Mukerjea had met P Chidambaram to get their application expedited. The ED has attached properties worth Rs 54 crore belonging to Karti Chidambaram and a firm in connection with the case. It has also attached properties belonging to Mukherjea in connection with the case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indian Air Force (IAF) said it signed an agreement with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Tuesday for crew selection and training for Gangayaan, the country's maiden manned mission. "On 28 May 19 #IAF signed MoU with ISRO for crew selection and training for the prestigious #Gaganyaan Programme. AVM RGK Kapoor, ACAS Ops (Space), IAF handed over the MoU to Shri R Hutton, Project Director of Gaganyaan Programme," IAF informed in a tweet. Under the programme, aimed to be launched by 2021, a three-member crew will spend a minimum of seven days in space. A human-rated GSLV Mk-lll will be used to carry the orbital module, which will have necessary provisions for sustaining a three-member crew for the duration of the mission. The necessary infrastructure for crew training, realisation of flight systems and ground infrastructure will be established to support the programme. The ISRO will collaborate extensively with agencies, laboratories, academia and industry to accomplish the objectives of the prestigious mission. Gaganyaan was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year during his Independence Day speech from the ramparts of Red Fort. The mission worth Rs. 10,000 crore is expected to be launched in December 2021 and was approved by the Union Cabinet last December. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a fresh decision, the Rajasthan government on Monday decided to begin registration of FIR's at Superintendent of Police's office, in case of concerned police stations not registering the complaint. The decision came after a high-level meeting with officials was convened by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot today. In the meeting, it was decided that an FIR can be lodged at SP's office if a police station refuses to register the same in connection with any case. This facility will be made available to the public from June 1. The CM has also directed that a departmental inquiry must be done in connection with all the cases where a police station refuses to register FIR. The action by the Chief Minister is being seen in the light of an increasing number of complaints regarding non-registration of FIRs at the police stations. The meeting was attended by state police Chief Kapil Garg, additional chief secretary, Rajiv Swaroop and other senior police officers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday called for renewed efforts by India to gain permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council. Interacting with the Officer Trainees of the 2018 Batch of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Bhutanese Diplomats here, the Vice President referred to the growing prominence of India on the world stage and underscored the need for enhancing support from world nations and building a sustained dialogue in favour of UNSC reforms. "During the last five years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has significantly and remarkably raised the visibility and standing of India. India has emerged as the fastest growing economy with global powers acknowledging India's growth story," Naidu said. The Vice President also stressed the need to build a consensus for expansion and democratisation of a number of multilateral fora to ensure representation to a number of other emerging nations. "We must renew our efforts to gain permanent membership of the UN Security Council by further enhancing support from world nations and building a sustained dialogue in favour of UNSC reforms. We have to build consensus for the expansion and democratization of a number of other multilateral fora to ensure representation of a number of other emerging nations," he added. Naidu further cautioned that the return of the unwelcome tendency of protectionism would adversely impact the global effort for collective advancement. Outlining the challenges the budding diplomats would have to deal with, Naidu expressed his concern over the threat posed by terrorism. "Let me impress upon you the grave nature of the threat that the world community as a whole faces due to terrorism. No country in the world is immune to the consequences of terrorism now and therefore curbing this menace would require a united response from world nations," he said. "India has consistently taken an unrelenting and uncompromising stand against terrorism, we must continue to be champions of peace," he added. Talking about the unethical acts of financial fugitives, the Vice President expressed his concern over the ease with which they find safe havens in other countries. He suggested the constant updating and overhauling of Extradition Treaties and all bilateral and multilateral agreements to defend and safeguard the integrated global economic order for the collective good. Referring to the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, Naidu said that people had made their choice with resounding clarity and voted for stability. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iran is ready to engage in a dialogue with the Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to address the issue of escalating tensions with the United States in the Arabian Gulf, authorities said on Tuesday. The remarks by Abbas Araqchi, Iran's deputy foreign minister came on his visit to Qatar where he met foreign minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha. Qatar's foreign ministry, in a statement cited by Al Jazeera, said both sides "expressed their concern about escalations and problems in the region." Tensions have risen between Iran, on one side, along with the US and its Gulf allies, on the other. Washington, earlier this month, deployed a carrier strike group and bombers in the Arabian Gulf and announced plans to deploy additional 1,500 troops to the region, prompting fears of a conflict.Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump's National Security Adviser John Bolton arrived in the UAE on Tuesday before talks scheduled for Wednesday. "Just landed in the UAE. Looking forward to meeting with our Emirati allies tomorrow to discuss important and timely regional security matters," Bolton tweeted. A war of words between Iran and the US escalated after Tehran-backed Houthis of Yemen launched armed drone attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf region this month. Washington blamed the attacks on Iran, which, however, denied the accusations. Last week, Bolton said that the US had "deep and serious" intelligence on threats posed by Iran, but did not provide details. Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif earlier hit out at the US after Trump said Washington was not looking for regime change in Iran but was only interested in preventing it from obtaining nuclear weapons. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) IRB Infrastructure Developers Ltd (IRB), India's leading and one of the largest highway infrastructure developers, have posted Consolidated Income of Rs 1,999 Cr for Q4 and Rs 6,903 Cr for entire FY19; which is up by 40 per cent and 18 per cent respectively as compared to the corresponding period of FY18. For the entire FY19, Company's EBITDA went up by 10 per cent to Rs 3,133 Cr; whereas the Q4 EBITDA went up by 14 per cent to Rs 811 Cr Company registered Q4 profit of Rs 208 Cr. The Company, in its Board Meeting today held at Mumbai, announced the Q4 FY19 Financial Results. "It was yet another remarkable year as we clocked 18 per cent revenue growth, even with transfer of seven operating assets to IRB InvIT last year, and successful completion of Pune Solapur concession this year. We started our first HAM project in Gujarat and construction is going on full swing across projects. With almost Rs. 11,000 Crs of order book we have strong visibility over the following two years, which will keep improving with the addition of new projects. We expect the pace of awards to strengthen with elections now being over and a large number of projects already lined up by NHAI. A very welcoming move from the Authority includes an increased proportion of projects being considered on BOT model which we will continue to participate as the opportunity unfolds", said Virendra D. Mhaiskar, Chairman & Managing Director, IRB Infrastructure Developers Ltd. The highlights of IRB Infra's Financial Performance are as follows: Q4 FY19 v/s. Q4 FY18 FY 2019 v/s. FY 2018 The highlights of performance for FY19 are: * Achieved Project COD for the Yedeshi - Aurangabad BOT Project and started tolling. * Refinanced project debt for Kaithal Rajasthan from 11 per cent to 9.5 per cent, implying yearly savings of 150 bps on debt of approximately Rs. 1400 crores. * Received Appointed Date from NHAI for Vadodara - Kim Expressway project under Hybrid Annuity Model; construction activity commenced. * Achieved Financial Closure for all three HAM Projects at the Bid Project Cost, despite the tough lending scenario and market conditions. * CRISIL has initiated credit rating with "A+ Positive Outlook" for long term loan facilities. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) TEL AVIV - Florida governor Ron DeSantis (Rep.) on Wednesday visited the Gush Etzion Industrial Park, in a cluster of Jewish settlements near the West Bank city of Bethlehem. He was there to meet with businessmen active in the Jewish and Arab sectors, Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs Gilad Erdan, who said that ''this is the first time that a US governor has conducted an official trade mission in the Judea-Samaria area'', meaning the West Bank. Last Sunday DeSantis had also visited the university campus in the settlement city of Ariel in the West Bank. Erdan said that DeSantis is interested in assessing the possibility of trade agreements with local businessmen and to take stock of the struggle conducted by Israeli authorities ''against those abroad who are involved in the boycotting of Judea-Samaria'', referring to the BDS campaign. A social media post by Ivanka Trump, advisor to the United States President, honouring military veterans on Memorial Day, has left social media users, including the Twitterati divided. "This Memorial Day, the Nation joins to remember the patriots who gave their own lives in service of ours," Ivanka tweeted alongside a photo of decorated graves at Arlington National Cemetery. "As we spend this day with our loved ones, let us pay tribute to the fallen heroes who afforded us this freedom," she added. While some of her Twitter followers sent her messages of support such as "Forever grateful" and "Thank you," others were not thrilled with the first daughter's post. "Gag me," one Twitter user wrote. "No Trump ever served in [the] military," another said. Ivanka, who also shared a photograph of fireworks in the sky with her family in the foreground, was further criticised by some of her followers for appearing overly celebratory on a day that is meant to memorialize those who have died in the line of duty, Popculture reported. "Unclear on the concept. This is a MEMORIAL day, not a celebration," one Twitter user wrote. Some even shared a screenshot of a tweet from Trump's website circa Memorial Day 2017 telling followers to "Turn the music up--it's a three-day weekend." Another Twitter user also edited the photo which read, "American servicemen & woman [sic] died so let's PARTY!!!!!!" Meanwhile, others enjoyed the photographs, calling it "heartwarming" and "beautiful." Ivanka, 37, and her husband Jared Kushner, 38, escaped the daily routine of the White House for the long weekend, and Ivanka couldn't resist sharing a few sneek peeks on Instagram. President Donald Trump and his wife Melania were also not present in the country for the weekend as they are currently on a state visit in Japan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ahead of the swearing-in ceremony, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister-designate YS Jaganmohan Reddy on Wednesday offered prayers at CSI church situated here in his hometown Pulivendula. The soon to be Chief Minister, before the swearing-in ceremony on Thursday, is visiting religious places today. Reddy, on Wednesday morning, started by going to the Tirumala Temple to offer his prayers to Lord Balaji after which he went on to visit the Peda Dargah at Kadapa. He is further slated to visit the Kanakadurga temple at Vijayawada. YSRCP had secured a landslide majority in the assembly and parliamentary elections in Andhra Pradesh. Reddy had steered YSRCP to a four-fifths majority in the 175-member Assembly, ousting N Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party (TDP) from power in the state. Reddy is all set to take oath as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh on May 30. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) American TV star Jenelle Evans and husband David Eason who were fighting for the custody of their 3 children, suffered a major court defeat on Tuesday. The judge ruled out the verdict that the couple will not regain the custody of their children. An insider close to Jenelle told E- News that, "A judge temporarily ruled that the 'Teen Mom 2' star will not regain custody of her three children Jace, 9, Kaiser, 4, and Ensley, 2. Jenelle was stunned that the judge did not give her back the kids. They are all for the time being remaining with their respective caregivers." Barbara Evans confirmed to E-News that she has custody of Jace and Ensley. She adds, "Of course I would like for Jenelle to get them all back eventually, but certain things have to happen first." As for David Eason's daughter, Maryssa, she remains in custody with his ex-wife Whitney Johnson. David and Jenelle, along with their kid's current caregivers, will return to court next Tuesday to "see what the next steps are as this is a temporary custody decision," the source explains. For the time being, the source shares that the pair will be allowed "one hour once a week of supervised visits to meet their children." A representative of Jenelle tells E! News, "At this time we are cooperating with the judge and legal team from the court. We have no comment at this time and appreciate the concerns regarding our client and her children. We will continue to cooperate with the court and their decisions." Until their next court date, the source says that Jenelle is "focusing on getting her kids back and she is focusing on working on her marriage." The source adds that Jenelle is "completely crushed" by the judge's ruling. Moreover, the source says that this "whole ordeal" has made the television star sick. Speaking to E-News, a source said that the legal drama "has been extremely draining" for Jenelle. "This was never expected. She is exhausted." These custody hearings got started when Jenelle's 4-year-old son Kaiser told his school counsellors about the alleged murder of their family pet, a source previously shared. Child Protective Services then removed Kaiser from their North Carolina home. At the time, Jenelle told E-News that, "During this difficult time, I am focused on getting Kaiser back and cooperating with my legal team on the next steps to getting my children back. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Karnataka Congress Legislature Party (KPCL) on Wednesday passed a resolution urging Rahul Gandhi to withdraw his resignation from the post of party chief. "We feel that Rahul Gandhi is the only person who can lead the party in this crucial hour. We urge him to withdraw his resignation letter and the CLP has unanimously passed the resolution that he continues as the Congress President," said state Congress chief Dinesh Gundu Rao while speaking to media persons here. Earlier in the day, party workers in Karnataka, Rajasthan and New Delhi held placards in support of the Gandhi scion, dubbing him as "hope of the nation" and appealing him to not resign from the Congress' top post. Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit also met Rahul Gandhi here at his residence and urged him to continue as the party chief as his resignation will cause huge pain to the members. The Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (RPCC) too passed a resolution, urging Rahul Gandhi to continue as Congress chief. On May 25, Rahul had offered to step down from the party president post at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, taking moral responsibility for the party's dismal performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections. His resignation was rejected 'unanimously' by the party members who authorized him to do a complete overhaul and restructure the party at every level. While reports suggest that Gandhi remains firm on resigning, not just leaders from his party but those from allies have also urged him to rethink. The Congress president, who had won Wayanad Parliamentary seat, lost to BJP's Smriti Irani from Amethi parliamentary constituency - considered a stronghold of Nehru-Gandhi family. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Karnataka Minister and JD(S) leader UT Khader on Wednesday said there is "no problem at all" with the coalition government in the state. "There is no problem at all. Congress and JDS have joined hands together and there is no confusion about that," Khader said after a meeting with senior Congress leader KC Venugopal. In response to a question on dissent among Congress MLAs, Khader said, "Some leaders have their individual opinions and all that will be sorted out." "BJP has been trying to destabilise the government for the past one year. Nothing has happened, they will have to wait for four more years," he added. On being asked about reports of him being asked to resign from the state cabinet to keep the government intact, Khader said, "There is no such information but if the party asks me then I will abide by that." The JDS-Congress coalition, which is in power in the state, went through a rough patch during the campaigning of the recently held elections with leaders of both the parties accusing each other. Congress has 79 MLAs while Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) has 37 MLAs in the coalition government holding power in the state. The tensions between the two parties benefitted the BJP which won 25 of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka while both JDS and Congress had to content itself with just one seat each. However, the Karnataka Congress unit had said that there was no threat to the coalition in the state. . (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress workers on Wednesday demonstrated outside party office urging Rahul Gandhi to continue as the party President. "Losing elections isn't a big deal. We want Rahul Gandhi to continue as the party president because we need his leadership along with Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi to boost our confidence and work hard for the party," Naveen Chandra, a party worker said. He further said, "Now, everything is in favour of Bharatiya Janata Party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Balakot air strike incident. Sometimes, people's mandate will not favour you but that doesn't mean they don't need Rahul Gandhi's leadership and guidance." The demonstration comes days after Rahul had offered to step down from the party post at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting held on May 25, taking moral responsibility for the party's dismal performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections. However, Rahul's offer of resignation was unanimously rejected by the CWC. Many leaders including DMK chief MK Stalin also urged Rahul to continue in the post. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will not attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled on May 30. According to the Chief Minister's Office, nobody from the Kerala government including the Chief Minister will be present in the ceremony on Thursday. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who had a bitter spat with Modi in the Lok Sabha elections, has been invited to attend his swearing-in ceremony, which she has accepted."I have spoken to other Chief Ministers also. Since it is a ceremonial program, we thought of attending it. Yes, I will go," she had said. Modi will be sworn in for a second term as the prime minister on Thursday at 7 pm in Rashtrapati Bhavan, along with members of the Union Council of Ministers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Swiss watch brand Longines celebrated its watch making expertise by highlighting its emblematic line The Longines Master Collection. Actress Sanya Malhotra attended the event, which was held today at Longines Point of Sale (POS) in Ethos Watches, Elante Mall. Since the launch of this collection in 2005, it has enjoyed a level of success that has never waned, making it an emblem of the brand's watch making know-how. The very well known film actress Sanya Malhotra visited on May 29th the Longines POS at Ethos watches, located in one of the most popular malls in Chandigarh - Elante Mall. This POS displays a large selection of Longines timepieces, including the most iconic watches of the brand as well as its latest models. "I'm really proud to be a Longines Friend and to celebrate this amazing collection in a city I love. This line truly exudes elegance. With its understated charm, it can add magic to any look - formal or casual", said Sanya. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Maldivian Parliament on Wednesday unanimously passed a resolution to invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the House during his likely visit to the island nation early next month. "#Maldives Parliament has unanimously passed a resolution to invite PM @narendramodi to address a sitting of the house during his upcoming visit to the Maldives," the country's foreign minister Abdulla Shahid tweeted. Former president Mohamed Nasheed, who was recently appointed as Speaker of the Parliament, said on Tuesday that President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had requested for Modi to address the House during his likely visit to the island nation, Maldives Independent reported. On Wednesday, all 80 members present in the Parliament voted in favour of the resolution inviting the Indian Prime Minister to deliver a speech at the House. Many lawmakers had said that it would be an honour to have an influential leader like Modi addressing the Parliament. Modi is likely to travel to the Maldives on June 7-8 for his first bilateral visit after assuming office for the second term, sources had said on Monday. Modi had earlier visited the island nation in November last year to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Solih, who assumed office after defeating Abdulla Yameen in the presidential polls. During Solih's visit to India in December, New Delhi had announced financial assistance of USD 1.4 billion to Male. Several Maldivian leaders including Solih, Nasheed and former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom had congratulated Modi for his resounding electoral victory in the recently held Lok Sabha polls. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP's newly elected MP from West Bengal's Barrackpore, Arjun Singh, on Wednesday said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is attending Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony to save her nephew Abhishek Banerjee. "She (Mamata Banerjee) is going only to please (Narendra Modi) and to try and save her nephew", he said while speaking to ANI in North Barrackpur. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, whose bitter war of words with Modi was at the centre of Lok Sabha election campaign, was invited to attend his swearing-in ceremony on Thursday, which she has accepted. "I have spoken to other Chief Ministers also. Since it is a ceremonial program, we thought of attending it. Yes, I will go," she told media here on Tuesday. Modi will be sworn in for a second term as the prime minister on Thursday at 7 pm in Rashtrapati Bhavan, along with his Council of Ministers. The two leaders were at loggerheads at more than one occasions during the campaign period in the run-up to the elections. Mamata's nephew Abhishek Banerjee was often accused of being involved in corruption by the BJP. "Didi, your party is raking in money through tolabazi (extortion). Why don't you follow the law? Why did bhatija (nephew) encroach roads? Old habits die hard, the habit of loot does not go away," Modi had said at a rally in West Bengal. Similarly, BJP president Amit Shah had also Abhishek Banerjee of corruption. He, however, managed to retain his Diamond Harbour seat in the recently-concluded polls. Abhishek Banerjee had also sent a defamation notice to Prime Minister Modi for his remarks. BJP managed to make deep inroads into the Trinamool territory in West Bengal by winning 18 Lok Sabha seats out of 42. The TMC's victory was reduced from 34 in 2014 to 22 in 2019. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least 11 civilians dead in airstrikes in Idlib - sources By Russian and Syrian government forces (ANSA) - BEIRUT, MAY 29 - At least 11 civilians were killed Wednesday in northwest Syria in airstrikes by Russian and Syrian government forces in the Idlib region, said sources on the ground. The sources said three people were killed in Habit, a town south of Idlib; and another eight people were killed in the Jabal Zawiya district west of Idlib, the capital of the region that has been involved in the Russian-government offensive for the past month.(ANSAmed). West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee will join the Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers protesting outside Naihati Municipal Corporation against the violence in the state during the Lok Sabha polls that have allegedly rendered many TMC workers homeless. A TMC leader said, "Mamata Banerjee will join TMC protest tomorrow outside Naihati Municipal Corporation from 1 pm onwards. The protest is against violence on TMC leaders who have been rendered homeless because of it." Earlier today, Banerjee declined to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday objecting to the families of BJP workers, allegedly killed in political violence in the state, being invited to the function. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A meeting is underway between Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and other senior leaders of Congress including Deputy Chief Minister Dr G Parmeswara, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah among others ahead of the cabinet reshuffle. Congress State Chief Dinesh Gundu Rao, Minister DK Shivakumar, Congress leader KC Venugopal are also present in the meeting. The scheduled meeting of the Congress Legislature Party will be held at 6:30 pm on Wednesday. On Tuesday, Kumaraswamy met with Dinesh Gundu Rao and Siddaramaiah to discuss and strategise the ruling Congress-JD(S) government's political development after the landslide victory of BJP in the concluded Lok Sabha polls. The meeting holds importance amid the speculation of falling of the coalition government of Congress and JD(S) in the state. On Monday, Congress leader KN Rajanna claimed that the coalition government of JD(S) and Congress will collapse after June 10. The BJP won 25 of the 28 seats along with an Independent backed by it, leaving one seat each to Congress and JD(S). The BJP is the single largest party with 105 members in the 225 member assembly while the ruling coalition has 117 members with 79 legislators from Congress, 37 from JD(S) and 1 from BSP. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, have opted out from the British royal family's meeting with United States President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump who are scheduled to visit the United Kingdom in early June. Queen Elizabeth II will be hosting Trump and his wife for their three-day visit in June. In the capital, Harry will reportedly have a private lunch with Donald and talk about who even knows what, and William and Kate will have tea with Donald on his second day. William and Kate will also join Prince Charles, Duchess Camilla, and Donald for a welcome ceremony at Buckingham Palace. But Markle definitely won't make an appearance at any of these events, Cosmopolitan reports. During all these engagements, Meghan, who just gave birth a couple of weeks ago, will likely be hanging out at Frogmore Cottage with her newborn son, Archie and enjoy the peace and privacy of her maternity leave. However, the Duchess has not made any statement about it so far, and she probably isn't upset about missing this because she's definitely not a Donald fan. According to Marie Claire, before joining the royal family, Markle, a proud feminist, had made her stance on Trump clear during the US presidential elections in 2016. Describing Trump's politics as "misogynistic" and "divisive", Markle also spoke of her support for his presidential opponent at the time, Hillary Clinton. Appearing on The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore three years ago, Meghan said: "It's really the moment I go; we film Suits in Toronto and I might just stay in Canada... Trump is divisive, think about female voters alone, right?" "I think it was in 2012, the Republican Party lost the female vote by 12 points; that is a huge number and with as misogynistic as Trump is, and so vocal about it...Trump has made it easy to see that you don't really want that kind of that he's painting," she added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex has opted out of the British royal family's meeting with United States President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, who are scheduled to visit the United Kingdom in early June. Queen Elizabeth II will be hosting Trump and his wife on their three-day visit in June. This will be the first official state visit of the US president to the UK. In the capital, Harry is scheduled to have a private lunch with the US president and William and Kate will have tea with Trump on his second day in the country. William and Kate will also join Prince Charles, Duchess Camilla, and Trump for a welcome ceremony at Buckingham Palace. Markle definitely won't make an appearance at any of these events, Cosmopolitan reports. During all these engagements, Meghan, who just gave birth a couple of weeks ago, will likely be hanging out at Frogmore Cottage with her newborn son, Archie enjoying the peace and privacy of her maternity leave. However, the Duchess has not made any statement about it so far, and she probably isn't upset about missing this because she's definitely not a Trump fan. According to Marie Claire, before joining the royal family, Markle, a proud feminist, had made her stance on Trump clear during the US presidential elections in 2016. Describing Trump's politics as "misogynistic" and "divisive", Markle also spoke of her support for his presidential opponent at the time, Hillary Clinton. Appearing on The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore three years ago, Meghan said: "It's really the moment I go; we film Suits in Toronto and I might just stay in Canada... Trump is divisive, think about female voters alone, right?" "I think it was in 2012, the Republican Party lost the female vote by 12 points; that is a huge number and with as misogynistic as Trump is, and so vocal about it...Trump has made it easy to see that you don't really want that kind of that he's painting," she added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mumbai Police have arrested two of the three doctors for abetting the suicide of postgraduate medical student Payal Salman Tadvi, their junior colleague at a state-run hospital here, by harassing her over her social identity. The three accused doctors -Bhakti Mehar, Hema Ahuja and Ankita Khandilwal- had denied the charges levelled against them by Payal's mother Abeda Tadvi who claimed that her daughter had committed suicide after being unable to bear months of torture by the trio. On Tuesday, police arrested Bhakti Mehar from the Session Court in Mumbai and nabbed Hema Ahuja from the Andheri railway station. According to the CrPC 46 (4), with permission from the Sewadi Court, Hema was arrested in the night, police said. The third accused doctor is likely to be arrested today, police said, adding that the accused will be presented in the Session Court later in the day. The accused will be presented in the Sessions Court later in the day. The Agripada Police Station on Sunday had lodged cases against the three senior doctors including that of ragging, IT Act, Atrocities Act and abetment of suicide among others. The three of them attached to the BLY Nair Hospital are accused of persistently harassing Payal Tadvi, their junior who belonged to the Scheduled Tribe community. The accused doctors have meanwhile written to the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) to ensure a "fair probe" into the issue. They have denied charges of harassment and "ragging" levelled against them by Payal's family and have asked the doctor's body to give them a fair chance to clear the allegations against them. Further, their letter to MARD on Monday asks: "Guys we have been working together. Do you really think we could do ragging and caste discrimination? We just want you all to understand our side and help us get justice against these allegations which are levelled." Meanwhile, the Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo moto cognisance of the matter and written to the hospital administration, requesting to appraise with the action taken in the case. "The NCW is deeply disturbed...It is a matter of serious concern," NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma wrote in the letter addressed to hospital director Dr Avinas Supe. On Monday, the Maharashtra State Commission for Women had issued a notice to Dean of the Hospital seeking a report on the action taken in the case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The third doctor accused of harassing medical student Payal Tadvi was arrested by police on Wednesday. All the three accused doctors in the case- Ankita Khandelwal, Bhakti Mehre and Hema Ahuja have been arrested and are likely to be produced before the court today. Mehre and Ahuja were arrested on Tuesday. The three doctors were arrested for allegedly abetting the post-graduate medical student Tadvi, who belonged to the Scheduled Tribe community, to end her life on May 22. Meanwhile, the Commission for Women (NCW) has taken a suo moto cognisance of the matter and written to the hospital administration, requesting to appraise with the action taken in the case. "The NCW is deeply disturbed...It is a matter of serious concern," NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma wrote in the letter addressed to hospital director Dr Avinas Supe. On Monday, the Maharashtra State Commission for Women had issued a notice to Dean of the BYL Nair Hospital seeking a report on the action taken in the case. Earlier, the hospital administration of BLY Nair Hospital had formed an anti-ragging committee to probe the suicide. The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) has suspended the three doctors. The accused doctors, on Monday, wrote to the association urging to ensure 'fair' probe into the issue. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued a provisional attachment order for a Panchkula plot, which former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, illegally allotted to Associated Journals Limited (AJL). The ED, in a statement, said that Hooda misused his official position and allotted the plot in the guise of re-allotment at an under-valued price to the AJL, a group that runs the Herald newspaper. The property has been attached under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED stated that the value of the plot was rupees 64 crores 93 lakh rupees but Hooda gave it away for rupees 59 lakh 39 thousand rupees. The central probe agency said that its re-allotment in Panchkula's Sector -6 in 2005 benefited AJL. The CBI had taken over the investigations in the case and registered an FIR, on the basis of which the ED filed a PMLA complaint in the case in 2016. Criminal FIRs were also filed by the state vigilance bureau. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday took oath for the fifth consecutive term as the Chief Minister of the state in the presence of Governor Ganeshi Lal on Wednesday. Many other BJD leaders who have been allotted portfolios in the ministry also took oath along with Patnaik at the swearing-in ceremony held in Raj Bhavan here. Earlier on Sunday, Patnaik held a meeting with the Governor after newly elected BJD MLAs held a meeting in the state capital and elected him as their leader. Elections for the 147 seats in the Odisha Legislative Assembly and 21 Lok Sabha seats were held simultaneously in the state. BJD managed to retain 112 seats securing another term for Patnaik in the CM chair. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who arrived here for a Janata Dal (U) meeting, on Wednesday termed the meeting as "normal". "JDU office bearers' meeting is scheduled to take place on many issues. It's a normal meeting," Kumar told reporters here before the meeting. A meeting of Janata Dal (United) office bearers was called ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi swearing-in ceremony on May 30. JD (U) is a part of BJP-led Democratic Alliance (NDA) and bagged 16 parliamentary seats in Bihar. BJP-JD (U) had contested on 17 seats each. Kumar's government also is supported by BJP after it came out of the alliance with RJD and Congress. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The National Small Industries Corporation Limited (NSIC) signs the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) for the year 2019-20. The MOU was signed by Shri Ram Mohan Mishra, AS & DC (MSME) and CMD (NSIC) with Dr. Arun Kumar Panda, Secretary, MSME, and Govt of India in the presence of Alka Nangia Arora, Joint Secretary, SME, Mercy Epao, Director (SME), Shri P. Udayakumar, Director-P & M (NSIC) and Shri A.K. Mittal, Director-Finance (NSIC). The NSIC MoU 2019-20 with Ministry of MSME, Government of India envisages provision of enhanced services by NSIC under its Marketing, Financial, Technology and Other support services schemes, for MSMEs in the country. The Corporation projects to increase 'Revenue from Operation' by 22 per cent from Rs 2540 crore in the year 2018-19 to 3100 crore in the year 2019-20. Corporation also projects growth of 32 per cent in 'Profitability' during the year 2019-20. NSIC also plans to enhance its activities in the areas of imparting entrepreneurship and skill development training by targeting 45 per cent growth in the number of trainees. Under the scheme of National SC-ST Hub, being implemented by NSIC on behalf of the Ministry, NSIC's continued endeavour shall be to provide assistance to the SC/ST Entrepreneurs through different interventions and various outreach activities with the overall objectives to increase their participation in public procurement. Dr A.K. Panda, Secretary, MSME, while appreciating the performance of NSIC, urged the Corporation to create niche activities for itself. He also suggested that greater efforts be made to expand reach of NSIC so as to serve larger number of MSMEs. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BEIRUT - Iraqi authorities have turned over to Turkish authorities 188 minors who are children of Turkish ISIS fighters, according to Iraqi broadcaster Sumariya in a news ticker update citing the spokesperson for the court in Baghdad. Sumariya said Iraqi judge Abdel Sattar Bayraqdar specified that a small percentage of the 188 minors had already served out their prison sentences because they were found guilty of having entered the country illegally. In Iraq, a minor can be found guilty of a crime starting at the age of nine. The Pakistan High Commission here hosted a traditional 'Iftar' dinner to celebrate the holy month of Ramazan. Individuals from all walks of life including political personalities, community notables, Sajjadah Nasheens of several Sufi shrines in India, academics, writers, journalists, artists, civil society activists, Pakistani students and other prominent persons attended the dinner, the High Commoission said in a statement. Acting High Commissioner Syed Haider Shah welcomed the distinguished guests. "While wishing them special blessings of Ramazan, he also highlighted the messages of sacrifice, selflessness and compassion which are inculcated by fasting during the month of Ramazan," the statement said. "The traditional Iftar dinner is hosted annually at Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi to mark the holy month of Ramazan and promote the message of peace and harmony," it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Mumbai court on Wednesday sent all the three accused in Dr Payal Salman Tadavi death case to two-day police custody as her family sought directions for the crime to be treated as a murder. The lawyer representing Tadvi's family told the court that said that circumstances of the medical post-graduate student's death suggested it was a murder case. "From the circumstances of her death and bruise mark on her body, we can say that it must be a case of murder and not of suicide. Police must investigate this case in the lines of a murder investigation. Police should be given 14 days time for that," Nitin Satpute, counsel representing the deceased's family, said. "The accused had taken her body to some other place and later it was brought to hospital so there is a suspicion of tampering with the evidence," Satpute alleged in court. The matter was being heard before magistrate RM Sadrani of a Mumbai sessions court. Seeking the maximum custody of 14 days, prosecutor Jay Singh Desai told the magistrate that the witnesses are under pressure. "The accused are superior to almost every witness in the case. Witnesses are afraid of the accused to give their statement. This case may create social unrest if not investigated properly. The police have to retrieve WhatsApp communication from the phones of the accused," Desai argued. In defence, the lawyers representing the accused dismissed the charge of abetment of suicide and told the court that the three were not aware of Tadvi's caste. Responding to the request of treating the case as a murder, accused Bhakti Mehre's counsel Sandip Bali said, "As the intervener claimed that this is a murder case, I will emphasize that let all medical reports come in." Mehre's lawyer also contended that the abetment of suicide charge, saying that it is only based on the statement of Tadvi's mother and is not supported by any other proof. Advocate Abad Ponda, appearing for accused Hema Ahuja and Ankita Khandelwal, rubbished the claims that the deceased was harassed on the basis of her caste. "Accused were not aware that the deceased got admission under any quota so they did not know her caste," he argued. The accused, Ankita Khandelwal, Bhakti Mehre and Hema Ahuja, were arrested for allegedly abetting the post-graduate medical student Dr Tadvi, who belonged to the Scheduled Tribe community, to end her life at her hostel in BYL Nair Hospital on May 22. The hospital administration had formed an anti-ragging committee to probe the case. The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) had suspended the three doctors, who on Monday, wrote to the association urging for a fair probe. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two days before his swearing-in ceremony, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah on Tuesday held an extensive meeting that lasted for around five hours. According to sources, both the leaders are believed to have discussed the shape of the government, which will be sworn in on Thursday, May 30 and the formation of the new council of ministers. Speculations are rife on the future role of Shah inside and outside the BJP. It is believed that Shah, who played a crucial role in the BJP's return to power with a sweeping majority, may join the government. However, Shah himself has always evaded an answer to this stating that he is not in the know of the matter. According to sources, around 60 to 66 new ministers could be sworn-in on May 30. It will include some new faces and states like West Bengal, Telangana and Odisha, in which the party has done well, and are expected to have a good number in the council of ministers. Sources also indicate that key members from the previous Cabinet such as Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Nirmala Sitharaman, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Piyush Goyal and Narendra Singh Tomar are expected to be retained in the new government. There are also high chances that a few previous ministers may be dropped this time due to their low performance. AIADMK, an ally of the NDA, which managed to get only one seat in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, is expected to get one ministerial berth. Shiv Sena and JD(U) are expected to get two berths while one berth each will be there for LJP and SAD. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Naveen Patnaik on taking oath as the chief minister of Odisha for the fifth consecutive term. In a tweet, Modi expressed complete cooperation from the Centre in working for Odisha's progress. Modi's tweet read: "Congratulations to Naveen Patnaik ji on taking oath as Odisha's Chief Minister. Best wishes to him and his team in fulfilling the people's aspirations. I assure complete cooperation from the Centre in working for Odisha's progress." Patnaik today took oath for the fifth consecutive term as the Chief Minister of the Odisha in the presence of Governor Ganeshi Lal. Many other BJD leaders who have been allotted portfolios in the ministry also took oath along with Patnaik at the swearing-in ceremony held in Raj Bhavan in Bhubaneswar. In the assembly elections for the 147 seats in Odisha, Patnaik-led BJD got 112 seats. Narendra Modi is slated to take oath as the Prime Minister of the country second time on May 30. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A pre-trial hearing in the extradition case against fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi will be held on Friday at London's Westminster Magistrates' Court in connection with the USD two-billion Punjab National Bank fraud case. The hearing is scheduled to begin at 10 am (local time). On May 8, Judge Emma Arbuthnot had rejected 48-year-old Modi's bail plea for the third time. In her order, the judge had said that Modi had access to resources and that interference with the witnesses was a concern too. "Bail not granted. I find that it's a large fraud and I am concerned about Modi's lack of community ties in the UK. He has access to resources and interference with the witnesses is a concern too. Any interference with witnesses will contradict the case," the court had said. In March, Modi was arrested by Scotland Yard in connection with the PNB loan default case. India is seeking the diamond merchant's extradition to make him face the law of the land for allegedly committing economic offences like fraud and money laundering. He has been lodged at Wandsworth prison in south-west London. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated BJP leader Pema Khandu after he sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh on Wednesday. President Kovind, in a tweet, conveyed his best wishes to Khandu and congratulated him on taking oath as the Chief Minister of the state. "President Kovind congratulated @PemaKhanduBJP on taking oath as Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh. The President conveyed his best wishes for fulfilling the aspirations of the people and carry forward the development journey in Arunachal Pradesh," reads a tweet on the official handle of President of India. PM Modi also congratulated Khandu and said he was looking forward to working together for the citizens of the state. He also conveyed his best wishes to the CM for taking the state to newer heights "Congratulations to the dynamic @PemaKhanduBJP on being sworn in as the CM of Arunachal Pradesh. Best wishes to him and his team in taking Arunachal Pradesh to newer heights of growth and glory. Looking forward to working together for the state's citizens, especially the youth," the Prime Minister tweeted. Khandu sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh on Wednesday. He along with 11 other cabinet ministers were administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor Brigadier (retd) B.D Mishra. The BJP won 41 out of 60 Assembly seats in the elections which were held simultaneously with Lok Sabha polls. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to pressurise the Pakistan government to undertake a thorough probe into the destruction of the centuries-old Guru Nanak Palace in Narowal. Not only that, but he has also offered to get the property rebuilt by his government if the Centre is able to secure Islamabad's permission for the same. Drawing his attention to the destruction of the Sikh heritage property located in Pakistan's Punjab, the Chief Minister penned down a letter the Prime Minister, requesting him to "take up with the Government of Pakistan to probe the wanton destruction of the property in question and to bring to justice all the guilty persons associated with this unfortunate act." Calling for urgent steps to restore the remaining structure through scientific conservation and restoration, the Punjab Chief Minister has also sought to impress upon the Government of Pakistan to preserve all such monuments that have an association with Sikh heritage in an institutionalised manner so that such incidents do not recur in future. If the Government of India arranges permission from Pakistan government, the Punjab government (India) would rebuild the historic property, the Chief Minister later said in a press statement. Strongly condemning the shocking incident, Captain Amarinder said it had hurt the sentiments of Sikhs around the world. In his DO letter to the prime minister, Captain Amarinder wrote: "The building, which some media reports cite to be around four centuries old and has been visited by a large number of Sikh pilgrims, has been rapaciously pillaged and destroyed." The incident, he said, had caused great consternation in the State and it was almost ironic that it had happened at a time when the two countries were poised to celebrate the 550th Birth Anniversary of the First Guru, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy is of the view that Congress President Rahul Gandhi should not resign from his post. Speaking to media after a meeting with Congress and JD(S) leaders here on Wednesday, he said, "I will meet him (Rahul) tomorrow and speak to him. He should not resign." The Congress-JD(S) alliance fared poorly in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka. Both parties managed to win just one seat each, while BJP bagged 25 out of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Following Congress' drubbing in the recently held polls, Gandhi, during a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting held on May 25, offered to step down from the post of party president. However, the offer was "unanimously rejected" by the leaders present at the meeting. A resolution was adopted at the meeting for a complete introspection to be done on the reasons for the electoral debacle. In addition, the CWC authorised Gandhi to make changes in the party and restructure at every level. "The CWC fully recognises the challenges, the failures and the shortcomings, resulting in this mandate. The CWC recommends a thorough introspection and requested the Congress President for a complete overhaul and a detailed restructuring at every level of the party. A plan to this effect shall come into force at the earliest," the resolution said. While reports suggest that Gandhi remains firm on resigning, a number of Congress leaders and those from the party's allies in various states have urged him to continue as the party president. . (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (RPCC) on Wednesday passed a resolution urging Rahul Gandhi to continue as the party President. "Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee has passed a resolution, requesting Rahul Gandhi to continue as the party President," said Avinash Pande, Rajasthan Congress in-charge while speaking to media persons here. The resolution was passed in a meeting chaired by Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and PCC chief, Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot."We want Rahul Gandhi to continue as a party president. As there is a need for a strong opposition, we have urged him to guide us further. He has worked really hard for the party. This is not the last election, we will win people's hearts in the next election," Pilot said. This was the first meeting of the party's state unit after its drubbing in the general elections. In Rajasthan, Congress drew blank in the Lok Sabha polls, even after it registered a victory in the assembly elections held in December last year. On May 25, Rahul had offered to step down from the party president post at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, taking moral responsibility for the party's dismal performance. His resignation was rejected 'unanimously' by the party members who authorized him to do a complete overhaul and restructure the party at every level. While reports suggest that Gandhi remains firm on resigning, a number of leaders from Congress and its allies have urged him to continue as the party president. Rahul had also lost to BJP's Smriti Irani from Amethi parliamentary constituency which was represented by him since 2004. While the BJP won 303 seats, Congress was far behind at 52 in the recently concluded polls. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Shiv Sena on Wednesday asserted that the goal of building Ram Temple in Ayodhya is about to be realised, especially with Prime Minister Narendra Modi coming to power for the second consecutive term. An editorial in the party's mouthpiece 'Saamana' says that Ram's work will be done with the BJP coming to power. "The party with the mindset of Lord Ram has come to power in the centre. Crores of people have voted them to power so that Ram Rajya can be established in the country, all with the blessing of Lord Ram. Ram is the identity and pride of this country. Hundreds of karsevaks sacrificed their lives to build the Ram Mandir. Their sacrifice and blood will not go in vain, a government with such thoughts has been chosen by the people, with them coming to power, Ram's work will definitely be done," the editorial in Saamana read. The editorial titled "Ram ka kaam hoga" (Ram's work will be done) says that there is a sense of delight and excitement in the country about PM Modi's oath-taking ceremony to be held on Thursday and compares it with Lord Ram's "Rajyaabhishek" (coronation ceremony). The editorial also lists other advantages of having Modiin power, which read, "No farmers will be forced to commit suicide, everybody will have two square meals a day, people will celebrate their festivals without being burdened by debts, the barriers of caste and religion will be broken. The dream of Akhand Bharat (Undivided India) will be realized and the whole world will hail the country of Lord Ram." The editorial dubs the opponents of PM Modi as "Raavan, Vibhishan, Kans Mama and party" who were handed a loss in the recently-concluded elections by the Indian voters. It says that the Supreme Court should take into account the feelings and mandate of crores of Indian voters and give permission to begin construction of the Ram Mandir. "Nobody can stop the Vijay 'rath' (victory chariot) of Lord Ram, building a great nation is similar to building the Ram Mandir. But constructing the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya is an oath which Shiv Sena, BJP and crores of Hindu brothers have taken. We agree with PM Modi on the fact that the foundation of Ram Mandir will be laid with the assent of the judiciary and the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court on its part should also take the feelings of the public and its mandate into account and give the judgment early without sitting on the facts," the article reads. It went on to add that the 2019 Lok Sabha election results went in favour of the BJP and the Shiv Sena because of the blessings of Lord Ram and criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for 'attacking' people who chanted the Lord's name. "The mandate of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections is a mandate given in favour of the Ram Mandir and Ram Rajya. In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP has managed to win 62 seats with the blessings of Lord Ram, in Maharashtra too the huge victory of the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance is a result of his blessings." "In West Bengal Mamata Banerjee launched attacks on the people who chanted Lord Ram's name. Even then Amit Shah kept hailing the Lord in Bengal which resulted in BJP's victory in the state, this is a moment of great joy," the article read. The issue is pending in the Supreme Court. In March, the court appointed a panel of mediators, headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice F M I Kalifulla, and gave it eight weeks to meet all stakeholders and explore the possibility of an amicable settlement to the contentious issue. The panel submitted the report on May 10 and the top court is expected to take up a decision in this regard. The construction of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya has been a long-standing promise by the BJP. The pledge was also included in the party's 2014 and 2019 elections manifestoes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BELGRADE - Vincenzo Grasso, spokesperson for NATO's Kosovo Force (KFOR), said the biggest threat to peace and stability in Kosovo and the region is the "rhetoric of single leaders". Grasso was referring to tensions on Tuesday following a police operation in Kosovo's north, which brought the arrest of various Serbian police accused of corruption by authorities in Kosovo's capital city of Pristina. Speaking to Belgrade-based private broadcaster Prva, Grasso said KFOR followed the operation, which wasn't part of its mandate. He said KFOR doesn't get involved if the Kosovar police don't specifically ask for its assistance, except in very serious situations that constitute a threat to general security in the region. He said the operation on Tuesday remained under control. "We had an exchange of information and we were in contact with the institutions in Kosovo, also with the Serbian authorities, and everyone was informed on what was happening," Grasso said. "Everyone was informed before the operation, and therefore there were no surprises," he said. "The biggest threat to peace and stability in Kosovo and the region is the rhetoric usate by certain leaders," he said. The Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday began questioning senior Kolkata Police officer Arnab Ghosh in connection with Saradha chit fund scam case. The agency had summoned Ghosh, then Deputy Commissioner (Detective Department) of Bidhannagar Commissionerate, and another senior police official Dilip Hazra late Tuesday evening for questioning at its Kolkata office today. Hazra did not appear before the CBI. The agency had said on Tuesday that no second notice has been issued to former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar, who is accused of tampering with evidence in the case. Kumar, who had failed to appear before the CBI on Monday, had written a letter to the agency saying he is on leave. The agency will take the next course of action accordingly, CBI sources had said. The multi-crore scam had caused the collapse of a Ponzi scheme run by the Saradha group. The scandal allegedly involved several leaders from the Trinamool Congress. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior Congress leader Sheila Dikshit, along with party workers, will hold a demonstration outside Rahul Gandhi's residence on Wednesday, urging him to not to step down as the party president. The demonstration will start at 4 pm outside the Gandhi scion's Tughlak Lane residence. Tamil Nadu Congress Committee will also pass a resolution asking Gandhi not to step down, and to lead the party with a firm hand. Gandhi had offered to step down from his post at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting held on Saturday, taking moral responsibility for Congress' dismal performance in the Lok Sabha elections. However, his offer was unanimously rejected by the CWC. So far, several top leaders have met Gandhi and urged him to continue to lead the party. Sources said that despite senior members making serious attempts to convince the 48-year-old party chief to rethink his decision, he remains unfazed. On Tuesday, the party asserted that they are not facing any crisis and all speculations are just a creation of the media. The Congress won 52 seats in the recent general elections, which is just eight more than 2014 in the outgoing Lok Sabha, while BJP bagged 303. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The rising demand for Pangolin meat among Chinese nationals living in Karachi, consolidated by illegal trade flourishing along new routes to China, have brought this endangered species on the verge of extinction in Pakistan's Sindh province. Pangolins are often referred to as the world's most trafficked mammal. Recent interviews conducted with over 140 hunters by researchers from Animal Protection and the University of Oxford revealed that pangolins were largely targeted for their scales that are sold for a premium, with hunters earning the equivalent of their four months' salary for a single pangolin. The hunters from these communities were clearly unaware of the part they were playing in international trafficking. Yet, the traders that sell the animal products across the borders in black markets go on to make huge profits, according to an article published in The Third Pole. Pangolin scales are made of keratin - the material found in human fingernails and hair - and they have no proven medicinal value. Pangolin meat is considered a delicacy in some countries, and the scales are used as decorations for rituals and jewellery. They are considered to be at high risk of extinction, primarily as a result of illegal poaching. While meat and skin remain key reasons for rising pangolin demand, the mammal is sometimes killed simply because it looks vulnerable, Ghulam Sarwar Jamali, a former official of the Sindh Wildlife Department, told the website. Jamali said given the unusual shape and scaly skin of the mammal, people tend to be afraid of it. "It is harmless for the people, but they think it will attack them," he said. A large number of Chinese nationals stay in Karachi and are employed in projects related to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Authorities say that the demand for Pangolin meat is high among them. However, the allegation has never been formally investigated or proven. Although it is well documented that pangolins are being hunted and trafficked, the immense suffering and cruelty that these animals endure when hunted have remained relatively overlooked, until now. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) will continue to support the 'local Congress' government in the state led by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, state BSP president Ramji Gautam said on Wednesday. "To stop communal forces, BSP president Mayawati has given her support to local Congress government from outside which will continue," Ramji said while addressing a press conference here. His statement comes in the wake of rumblings within the Rajasthan Congress following the party's drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls with several leaders questioning the party leadership in the state. It was reported that at a meeting of Congress Working Committee (CWC) on May 25, Congress president Rahul Gandhi had accused senior Congress leaders including Ashok Gehlot of putting their sons above party interest. "Our party has always been against casteism and communalism. The BSP president has instructed all the six MLAs of the party to obey her orders, not to go against the ideology of party by playing into the hands of communal and casteist forces, and not to sell their honesty," Ramji said. "Failing to do so would invite strict action and they may even be expelled from the party and will never be given a ticket. These are the strict instructions from party president," he added. The BJP won all the 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state in the recently held Lok Sabha polls. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt, once the toast of Hollywood, never had children during their five-year marriage, despite Brad after splitting up with the 'Friends' actor welcoming six children with now-ex wife Angelina Jolie . Jennifer now in an interview to Irish Mirror, has refuted claims that she never had children during her five-year marriage to former husband Brad as she "cared only about her career'. When they were together, the couple rode high in Hollwood with Aniston playing the character of Rachel in popular TV sitcom 'Friends' and Brad had a huge silver screen presnce. However, one of the biggest surprises was that the couple never had any children, especially now that Brad subsequently went on to have six children with Angelina Jolie, including three biological and three adopted children. Soon after their split in 2005, after he had fallen for Angelina on the set of 'Mr and Mrs Smith', Aniston spoke out about rumours that the lack of offspring had been due to her "reluctance." But, in a recent interview with Vanity Fair, her first after the split, Jennifer refuted this claim and pointed the finger at Brad instead. Aniston said, "A man divorcing would never be accused of choosing career over children. That really p***** me off. "I've never in my life said I didn't want to have children," she added. Aniston went on to say that she was still planning to have kids in the future. She continued, "I did and I do and I will! The women that inspire me are the ones who have careers and children; why would I want to limit myself? "I've always wanted to have children, and I would never give up that experience for a career. I want to have it all," Aniston said. The actress believes that Pitt "could have done more" to refute the claims about their decision on having a family. In addition, a mutual friend actually lay the blame at the door of Pitt, saying: "Having a baby was not his priority... ever. "It was an abstract desire for him, whereas for Jen it was much more immediate," he said. The friend believes that Pitt kept quiet as he wanted to be "cast as the poor husband who couldn't get a baby and so had to move on?" Aniston, 50, penned an opinion piece for Huffington Post in 2016, in which she begged for the end of scrutiny after endless stories, messages were posted on social media asking whether she was pregnant. Aniston wrote, "The sheer amount of resources being spent right now by press trying to simply uncover whether or not I am pregnant (for the bajillionth time... but who's counting) points to the perpetuation of this notion that women are somehow incomplete, unsuccessful, or unhappy if they're not married with children" She further reasoned that everyone is complete with or without a mate, and with or without a child. "Let's make that decision for ourselves and for the young women in this world who look to us as examples. "We don't need to be married or mothers to be complete. We get to determine our own 'happily ever after' for ourselves," the actress said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Uttar Pradesh Congress Working Committee called for a meeting of its members and office-bearers on Thursday to introspect about the reasons behind party's defeat in Lok Sabha polls. "As you know, the responsibility for the loss of the party is shared by every Congress worker. To discuss these issues, a meeting of all the members and office bearers of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Working Committee has been called at UP Congress headquarters. Your presence is required," Uttar Pradesh Congress president Raj Babbar said in a letter to the members of Uttar Pradesh CWC. Expressing concern over the "adverse" Lok Sabha poll results, Babbar wrote, "The Congress president Rahul Gandhi has offered to resign from his post accepting the responsibility for the defeat." Raj Babbar along with other several other states Congress president too had "resigned" from his post accepting responsibility for party's defeat in Uttar Pradesh. The Congress party could only win one out of 80 seats in the state. Even Rahul Gandhi lost from the traditional fortress of Amethi to BJP's Smriti Irani. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Embassies of the United States and the Netherlands in India jointly hosted a pitching workshop for Indian entrepreneurs participating ahead of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) 2019. The workshop, that took place on Tuesday, was attended by various entrepreneurs from Indian startups such as Bamboo India, Cab Dost Pvt. Ltd, Neev Energy, Law Farm among others. Netherlands Ambassador to India Marten van den Berg told ANI, "We look forward to hosting entrepreneurs from India and the world at GES in the Netherlands next week. I believe, entrepreneurship is the new blood our economies need to solve global challenges, and summits like these are great to connect business models with actual challenges." GES 2019, scheduled to be held from June 3-5 in The Hague, is aimed at helping entrepreneurs with unmatched opportunities to scale up and engage with over 300 investors managing assets worth trillions of dollars. More than 1,200 entrepreneurs, including 33 from India, as well as top policymakers, corporate partners and thought leaders around the world will have opportunities to showcase their start-ups to more than 300 global investors. Mayank Midha of Garv Toilets, who promotes sustainable solutions to sanitation through innovative toilet design and use of technology to track pertinent data, feels that his maiden visit to GES 2019 could help him expand his network and exchange more ideas. Another budding entrepreneur, Yamuna Sastry, of Cabdost - a social enterprise started to ensure that taxi drivers secure a financial future by providing them with expert advisory services related to tax planning - feels that she is privileged to be part of the summit and would love to expand her business with this opportunity. GES 2019 aims to be a game changer for all attendees, empowering them to start building the future now. The two-day summit will forge new connections and inspire surprising partnerships with curated matchmaking and global networking, top speakers, discussions, workshops and hands-on advice. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court on Wednesday reserved its order on businessman Robert Vadra's application seeking permission to travel abroad on June 3 on medical grounds. Vadra, who is being probed for his alleged involvement in a money laundering case, had sought permission to go abroad citing medical reasons. He had, on May 21, moved a special CBI court seeking permission to travel abroad. During the hearing, ED opposed Vadra's application to travel abroad stating that it's a routine medical treatment. Vadra's counsel KTS Tulsi submitted that a small tumour in his client's large intestine has been detected, for which a doctor has to be consulted. "Robert Vadra has a tumour in his large intestine. He seeks court's permission for the release of his passport so that he can travel to London for medical treatment and can also get the second opinion from doctors there," Tulsi stated. "Doctors have advised getting second opinion and this is a medical condition that can worsen with passing time." "He was summoned last on March 8, and he has been cooperative. This proceeding should not turn to a death sentence," he added. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing on ED's behalf, argued that Vadra has not essentially been asked to take a second opinion from a doctor in London. "Doctor has mentioned (about second opinion) 'if you wish so'," he said."ED investigation is at a crucial stage. Medical condition is just a pretext," he argued. On a mention of Vadra travelling abroad for his daughter's physiotherapy, the ED argued that the ward can be accompanied by someone else. "It is apprehended that on the pretext of a medical condition, there may be tampering with evidence," Mehta claimed. "There are treatments available in India," he added. The ED's counsel also argued that there is a probability Vadra may not return to India if permitted to travel, to which Tulsi said, "Let's not bring political vendetta into it. He won't go to a city where ED has an objection. He may consider not going to London." Meanwhile, Vadra is expected to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Delhi on Thursday in a case related to land grab in Delhi-NCR, Bikaner in Rajasthan and purchase of properties in foreign countries. The ED had last week summoned Vadra, the son-in-law of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, to appear before it for questioning on Thursday. On May 24, the agency had requested the Delhi High Court for custodial interrogation of Vadra for questioning him about the source of funds used for the purchase of a London-based property worth 1.9 million pounds and ascertain the role of certain other people who allegedly helped him launder money. Earlier, the high court had issued a notice to Vadra and his close aide Manoj Arora on a plea filed by the ED seeking cancellation of the trial court order granting them anticipatory bail in the money laundering case. The court has sought replies of Vadra and Arora on the plea and posted the matter for hearing on July 17. The ED had claimed that Arora was aware of Vadra's overseas undeclared assets and was instrumental in arranging funds for buying the flat. Vadra is enjoying protection from arrest on the condition that he cannot leave India without the permission of a special CBI court. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A shocking incident came to the fore in Mainpuri as the people from Yadav community beat the villagers of Unva area for not voting Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav. Taking cognizance of the matter, State Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Commission Chairman Brij Lal directed the Superintendent of Police Ajay Shankar Rai to visit the spot where the incident took place and provide security guards to those who were attacked. Lal has also directed the police officials to file a case against the accused under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. On May 28, people belonging to Yadav community allegedly attacked the villagers belonging to the scheduled caste with sticks for not voting for Mulayam in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections. Mulayam Singh Yadav won Mainpuri Parliamentary seat with a margin of 94,389 votes. He was pitted against Prem Singh Shakya of the BJP. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Issuing a stern warning to all party workers not to carry out any act of violence, Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb alleged that post-poll violence occurs in both West Bengal and Tripura due to the hangover of the Communist rule in these states. "Tripura and West Bengal are still passing through the hangover of the long Communist rule and that's why these states have been reeling under such level of post-poll violence. Inciting violence is not the culture of BJP and this can be proven from the other states in which the party is in power for years," Deb said in a press conference held at his official residence here on Tuesday. Urging all the party supporters in the state to abstain from violence, he said, "I am warning all party supporters to stop the violence as it will not be tolerated. 'Criminals' have no political identity, they are 'criminals'." Emphasising that his government in the state will not tolerate violence, he said, "Tripura has had the tradition of political violence but it should end now. This would be the last warning for those who still cannot forget the path of violence." Seeking support from workers of the ruling party as well as the Opposition and leaders to maintain law and order, he said, "The priority of his government is to maintain law and order in the state. Regardless of the political party, those who try to disturb the functioning of the system will not be spared." Earlier on Tuesday, a six-member delegation of the Tripura CPI(M) under the leadership of former state chief minister and Opposition leader Manik Sarkar Deb at his official residence and submitted a memorandum demanding his immediate intervention to stop all post-poll violence and maintain peace in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In what can be seen as a stern message to Mamata Banerjee, family members of BJP workers killed due to political violence in West Bengal have been invited for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony scheduled to take place on Thursday. "PMO has invited two members each from families of Bipin Das Datonka, Manu Hansda and Bahadur Mumrmu Maglika, who were allegedly killed in clashes with Trinamool supporters during panchayat polls in 2018, for the oath-taking ceremony in New Delhi," BJP's state Minority Morcha general secretary Kamal Hossain Khan told ANI. The arrangements for their travel and stay have been made by the BJP. "All six people will travel by the Rajdhani Express. Their tickets have been booked. First, they will go to the state party office. Then some leaders will accompany them to the capital," Khan added. The ones who will be attending the ceremony are elated on being invited. Ganesh Hansada, son of late Manu Hansada, said, "My father was killed by TMC goons. Now it feels good that the prime minister has invited us." "We are happy as we are going to meet the PM. Now our area is peaceful," Manu's wife Malati Hansda opined. Subal Das, whose father Bipin Das died due to violence, said, "We will request Modi ji to ensure peace in our district." The special invitees will be part of the mega show that will be attended by top dignitaries including many nation heads at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Mamata Banerjee will also be in attendance at the swearing-in. The development comes days after the Bharatiya Party Party made deep inroads into the TMC-ruled state winning 18 out of the 42 parliamentary seats in recently concluded Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal. Mamata Banerjee's party bagged 22. With just two years left for West Bengal Assembly polls, the saffron party has turned out to be the biggest headache for TMC. In a major setback to Banerjee, two MLAs of her party, including Mukul Roy's son Subhrangshu, and over 50 municipal councillors crossed over to the BJP on Monday. The BJP has claimed that more state leaders are waiting to jump the ship and will be inducted in the party starting June 1. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Wife of the BJP worker Chandan Shaw, who was shot dead by unidentified assailants in North 24 Pargana, demanded the government to ensure justice in the murder of her husband. Speaking to reporters, the deceased's wife Aarti Devi said, "My husband has lost life in ensuring the win of Modi Ji. We want justice. Now I only want that my children are well fed and the murderer must be punished. If he has called us, hopefully, he will also get us justice. He gave his life for Modi ji's victory." Shaw's family is one of the invitees for the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's on May 29, in which many families of deceased party workers have been invited. On May 26, the BJP worker Shaw was killed by unidentified assailants in Bhatapara of North 24 Parganas district. The incident occurred late at night. He was shot dead by a group of assailants at Kankinara Satadal playground. Following the incident, adequate security forces were deployed in the area. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Headline indices of the Mainland China equity market closed mixed on Wednesday, 29 May 2019, on fears of further escalation in the US-China trade war after reports that China is prepared to cut off supplies of rare-earth metals. At closing bell, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index was up 0.16%, or 4.79 points, to 2,914.70. The Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China's second exchange, added 0.00%, or 0.01 point, to 1,541.66. The blue-chip CSI300 index fell 0.23%, or 8.35 points, to 3,663.91. Stalled talks in the U. S.-China trade war have soured sentiment for risk assets, with the global economy already showing signs of fragility before the full impact of the most recent tariff hikes kicks in. Investors remained cautious, awaiting new developments between Beijing and Washington amid the ongoing trade tensions. U. S. President Donald Trump said Monday the U. S. was not ready to strike a deal with China, before adding he expected one in the future. He also said tariffs on Chinese imports could go up substantially. Beijing is gearing up to use its dominance of rare earths as a counter in its trade battle with Washington, according to in China that included hints from the state planning agency. A report in Chinese state media that suggested Beijing would restrict exports of rare earth, using the minerals as leverage in the trade dispute, also fanned anxiety. Rare earth is a key component in devices ranging from smartphones and cameras to televisions and any move to restrict their supply would have a devastating impact on manufacturers, with China producing more than 95% of the commodities. Chinese shipments accounted for 80% of all U. S. imports of rare-earth minerals between 2014 and 2017, according to reports, suggesting that U. S. markets could be in for a major blow if the government carries out plans to restrict business to the U. S. President Trump indicated this week that negotiators are no closer to a deal with China's government over a variety of trade issues, while the Treasury Department is reportedly considering $300 billion in further tariffs targeting imports from China. The Trump administration has accused Chinese negotiators of walking back provisions the two sides had previously agreed upon, an accusation that has stalled the bilateral talks. CURRENCY NEWS: China yuan softened against greenback on Wednesday, inline with soft mid-point fixing by central bank and amid concerns over China's ability to stabilise both its debt and foreign exchange markets. The PBOC set the midpoint rate at 6.8988 per dollar before the open, weaker than the previous fix of 6.8973. Spot yuan drifted lower for a second consecutive day to 6.9138 per dollar at 0403 GMT, 58 pips softer than the previous late session close and 0.22 percent weaker than the midpoint. It was trading close to lowest point in almost six months, at 6.9217 per dollar, which was breached last Thursday. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, has anchored an investment round of $222 million into Cholamandalam Investment & Finance Company (CIFCL) to help expand access to finance for micro and small borrowers, especially in the rural and semi-urban parts of India. Of the total amount, $92 million is from IFC's own account and the rest syndicated from First Abu Dhabi Bank ($50 million), MUFG Bank ($50 million), National Bank of Ras AI-Khaimah PJSC ($20 million), and CTBC Bank Co.($10 million). By bringing foreign banks as investors, IFC is helping CIFCL diversify its funding sources. This is the company's first US dollar-syndicated deal since January 2019, when the Reserve Bank of India permitted NBFCs to tap into the offshore credit market. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Stocks further extended losses in mid-afternoon trade. At 14:30 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was down 191.86 points or 0.48% at 39,557.87. The Nifty 50 index was down 51.55 points or 0.43% at 11,877.20. Shares came under pressure in afternoon trade after outgoing Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that he has decided not to take up any active responsibility in the new government due to his poor health. In a letter to the Prime Minister, Jaitley said he had orally informed Modi about his desire to not be a part of the new BJP government so that it enabled him to concentrate on his treatment and health. Modi will be inaugurated for a second term as Prime Minister of India on Thursday, 30 May 2019. Among secondary barometers, the BSE Mid-Cap index was down 0.69%. The BSE Small-Cap index was down 0.43%. The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was negative. On BSE, 987 shares rose and 1468 shares fell. A total of 162 shares were unchanged. Adani Enterprises was down 1.75%. On a consolidated basis, the company's net profit rose 50.53% to Rs 283.44 crore on 33.31% increase in total income to Rs 13,472.97 crore in Q4 March 2019 over Q4 March 2018. The result was announced during trading hours today, 29 May 2019. Auto major Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) was up 0.08%. On a consolidated basis, the group's profit from ordinary activities after tax (after El) fell 16% to Rs 969 crore on 5% increase in revenue and other income to Rs 14,055 crore in Q4 March 2019 over Q4 March 2018. Operating margin (OPM) was reported at 13.5% in Q4 March 2019, lower than 15.1% in Q4 March 2018. The financials include numbers of its commercial vehicle unitMahindra Vehicle Manufacturers. The result was announced during trading hours today, 29 May 2019. Most FMCG shares declined. Bajaj Corp (down 1.72%), Jyothy Laboratories (down 1.7%), Dabur India (down 1.28%), Tata Global Beverages (down 1.2%), Godrej Consumer Products (down 0.96%), Marico (down 0.85%), Colgate Palmolive (India) (down 0.37%) and Procter & Gamble Hygiene & Health Care (down 0.33%), edged lower. Hindustan Unilever (up 0.08%), Nestle India (up 0.78%) and Britannia Industries (up 0.89%), edged higher. Weak global cues also spoiled investors sentiment. European shares were trading lower amid worries over the US-China trade war and a potential budget standoff between Italy and the EU. Fears of a coming political battle between Rome and Brussels returned this week as reports emerged stating the EU is considering disciplinary action over the Italian government's failure to rein in debt. Asian stocks fell on worries over the outlook for global growth with trade tensions between US and China showing no signs of waning. In US, shares fell on Tuesday as investors watched for developments on the US-China trade front. President Donald Trump, speaking at a joint news conference Monday in Tokyo with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, reportedly said the US was not ready to make a trade deal with China. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sun Pharmaceutical Industries fell 1.04% to Rs 408.60 at 09:51 IST on BSE after consolidated net profit dropped 52.63% to Rs 635.88 crore on 2.27% rise in total income to Rs 7445.45 crore in Q4 March 2019 over Q4 March 2018. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 28 May 2019. Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 74.72 points, or 0.19% to 39,675.01 On the BSE, 4.22 lakh shares were traded in the counter so far compared with average daily volumes of 5.95 lakh shares in the past two weeks. The stock had hit a high of Rs 420.25 and a low of Rs 403.70 so far during the day. Sun Pharmaceutical Industries said that consolidated net profit was Rs 636 crore with resulting net profit margin at 9% in Q4 March 2019. This is not comparable with Q4 March 2018 due to the one-time impact of distribution change for India business in Q4 March 2019 as well as the one-time tax benefit of Rs 259 crore in Q4 March 2018. Sun Pharmaceutical Industries consolidated sales / income from operations rose 5% to Rs 7044 crore in Q4 March 2019 over Q4 March 2018. Sales for Q4 March 2019 include a one-time impact of approximately Rs 1085 crore related to the change in distribution for India business. Consolidated sales, adjusted for this one-time impact, rose 21% to Rs 8129 crore in Q4 March 2019 over Q4 March 2018. Dilip Shanghvi, Managing Director of the Company said the company continues to focus on executing global specialty strategy. At the same time, the company is strengthening its core operations, optimizing the cost structure and enhancing overall efficiencies. Sun Pharmaceutical Industries is the world's fifth largest specialty generic pharmaceutical company and India's top pharmaceutical company. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US has removed India from its currency monitoring list of major trading partners. The US Department of the Treasury delivered to Congress the semiannual Report on Macroeconomic and Foreign Exchange Policies of Major Trading Partners of the United States yesterday. Treasury reviewed and assessed in this Report the policies of an expanded set of 21 major US trading partners. Additionally, Treasury revised and updated the thresholds it uses to assess where unfair currency practices or imbalanced macroeconomic policies may be emerging. The US also removed Switzerland from the list. In both India and Switzerland, there was a notable decline in 2018 in the scale and frequency of foreign exchange purchases. The Report concluded that while the currency practices of nine countries were found to require close attention, no major US trading partner met the relevant 2015 legislative criteria for enhanced analysis during the period covered by the Report. Further, no trading partner was found to have met the 1988 legislative standards during the current reporting period. The Treasury Department is working vigorously to achieve stronger growth and to ensure that trade expands in a way that helps US workers and firms and protects them from unfair foreign trade practices. Treasury found that nine major trading partners continue to warrant placement on Treasury's "Monitoring List" of major trading partners that merit close attention to their currency practices: China, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Interacting with the Officer Trainees of the 2018 Batch of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Bhutanese Diplomats, the Vice President referred to the growing prominence of India on the world stage and underscored the need for enhancing support from world nations and building a sustained dialogue in favor of UNSC reforms. The Vice President also stressed the need to build a consensus for expansion and democratization of a number of multilateral fora to ensure representation to a number of other emerging nations. Congratulating the young officers for choosing IFS as a profession, Mr. Naidu said that the Service offered a challenging and exciting career and a unique opportunity to take India's great civilizational and cultural ethos with its developmental aspirations to the rest of the world. Terming the young diplomats as 'future spokespersons, interpreters, and narrators of India's story to the world', the Vice President said that they would soon work on constructing new bridges of understanding between India and the rest of the world. 'You can play an important role in shaping the geopolitics of the future and in determining the new world order', he told them. Naidu cautioned that the return of the unwelcome tendency of protectionism would adversely impact the global effort for collective advancement. Despite the acknowledged need for an Integrated World Order, new walls are being to the free flow of goods and services and people as well, he added. Outlining the challenges the budding diplomats would have to deal with, he expressed his concern over the threat posed by terrorism. Observing that no country was immune to the consequences of terrorism, he called for a united response from world nations to curb the menace of terrorism. The Vice President said that the world community would need India's participation to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, because of the problems faced by the planet today needed a humane and holistic vision. The world needs India because it needs a voice that speaks of peace, non-violence and peaceful co-existence. Stating that India was moving on the development path swiftly, Naidu said that the world was looking at India with keen interest. He emphasized the need to take advantage of this momentum by capitalizing on opportunities in areas of trade, services, investments, and infrastructure. Diplomats must be proactive in enabling Indian industries and business to tap into world markets and must do their best in encouraging foreign investment to flow into India, he stressed. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sixteen people, including a head teacher of an Islamic seminary, were charged in Bangladesh on Wednesday with the murder of a 19-year-old girl, who was burnt to death after reporting sexual harassment. Nusrat Jahan Rafi had filed a police complaint against headmaster Siraj Ud Doula in late March and he was arrested. On April 6, she attended the seminary in her hometown Feni, a small town 160 km away from Dhaka, to sit in her final examinations. she was lured to the rooftop of the building, where her attackers wearing burqas asked her to withdraw the sexual harassment complaint against Doula. When she refused, she was doused with kerosene and set on fire. The case sparked mass protests and underlined the vulnerability of victims of sexual assault and harassment in Bangladesh. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina pledged that every person involved in the killing would be brought to justice. The police said the headmaster ordered the girl's murder from prison. They described the preparations for the killing as being like a "military plan", the BBC reported. The attackers had planned to make it look like a suicide, the police said. But the girl, who suffered 80 per cent burns, was able to give a statement before she died on April 10. The police in Feni formally laid murder charges on Wednesday against the 16 accused. They included students at the madrasa and two local politicians from the ruling Awami League who were in prominent positions at the school. Investigators called for death penalty for all suspects. The police said the headmaster confessed in court that he ordered the murder. Twelve others too confessed to the crime. The two politicians didn't admit involvement. --IANS soni/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The admission process for four newly-established medical colleges in Jammu and Kashmir will start soon, officials said. Officials of the state health and medical departments said they are likely to receive the letter of permission from the Medical Council of India (MCI) soon for admission to the four medical colleges. Four hundred seats for the bachelor's degree in medicine and surgery would be filled in these colleges with each of them admitting 100 students during the admission process for the year 2019-2020. The four new medical colleges have been set up in Anantnag, Baramulla, Kathua and Rajouri districts of the state. Officials said addition of 400 MBBS seats will take the total number of seats available each year in all medical colleges in J&K to 900. 50 per cent seats in each medical college would be reserved for female candidates. The state government has submitted the required undertakings of the colleges and shall also communicate to the Board of Professional Entrance Examination (BOPEE) for increasing 400 seats in new medical colleges, one each in Anantnag, Baramulla, Rajouri and Kathua districts, they said. The recruitment of staff and faculty for these medical colleges has been done in a transparent manner after inviting applications through a web portal, officials said. --IANS sq/kr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha (ABHM) distributed knives among students of class 10 to 12 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Hindu Mahasabha leader Vinayak Damodar Savarkar on Tuesday, its spokesperson said. Mahasabha spokesperson Ashok Pandey said that Savarkar's dream was "Rajniti ka Hindukaran and Hinduon ka sanikikaran" (Hinduisation of politics and militarisation of Hindus). He further said: "Modiji has fulfilled the first part of his dream with his landslide victory in Lok Sabha polls. We are now fulfilling the other part by distributing knives and creating Hindu soldiers. If Hindus want to protect themselves and their nation, they should learn how to use weapons." Mahasabha's National Secretary Puja Shakun Pandey said that this was a step to motivate Hindus and empower them, especially the younger generation, with knives to protect themselves. Puja Shakun Pandey made headlines earlier this year, when she posed for photographs with a pistol in hand shooting at an effigy of Mahatma Gandhi. She told reporters that she had distributed the knives, along with a copy of the Bhagwad Geeta, to minor children, who have achieved good results in their exams, because she wanted them to know when and why the weapon should be used. "I want them to feel strong and independent, and to protect to their sisters and family members," she said. She said that there were lots of cases of crime against women and girls and they should also be trained to use knives for their protection. --IANS amita/rtp (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dubai-based firm Abraaj Group founder Arif Naqvi has been released on bail after paying 15 million -- the largest-ever security -- in the UK's judicial history. Naqvi, the Pakistani man behind the world's largest private equity insolvency case, was arrested on April 10 at London's Heathrow Airport on behalf of the US authorities for defrauding US investors, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. "He has been released from Wandsworth Prison after 15 million in cash was deposited with the court - which took over three weeks to raise since the decision granting him bail in early May," reported Geo News on Wednesday. Naqvi's bail application was also supported by three sureties, the report said. Two of Naqvi's associates -- senior Abraaj executives Mustafa Abdel-Wadood in Manhattan and Sev Vettivetpillai in London -- are already out on bail, the report said. Founded in 2002, Abraaj Group grew over the next decade to become the Middle East's biggest private equity fund and one of the world's most influential emerging-market investors, with stakes in health care, clean energy, lending and real estate across Africa, Asia, Latin America and Turkey. However, last year Naqvi surrendered control of the firm after it was revealed that its main revenues hadn't covered operating costs for years. Abraaj, which managed almost $14 billion, was forced into liquidation in June after several investors, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, commissioned an audit to investigate the alleged mismanagement of money in its healthcare fund. Naqvi and Abdel-Wadood were charged with inflating the value of the firm's holdings and stealing hundreds of millions of dollars. --IANS rtp (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Moving ahead with its foldable smartphone ambition, Apple has managed to win a patent for a foldable screen which could be used on iPhones and other devices. The patent, granted on Tuesday by the US Patent and Trademark Office, describes an electronic device with a display and cover that are flexible or bendable, CNN has reported. The application was filed in January 2018 and is among a series of patent applications Apple has made around the idea of a foldable display. In the past, Apple has also filed patents for a flexible display with touch sensors and portions that open and close like a book, as well as a flexible iPhone that could be folded in half and grip a person's clothes. Earlier in 2018, the iPhone-maker had successfully secured a patent for its foldable phone that focussed on a flexible hinge and the use of a fabric for its housing. In February 2019, Apple submitted a blueprint of a bendable smartphone describing a display with hinges that can fold in half or in thirds. The display could be used in anything from phones and tablets to laptops, wearables and even mobile accessories. But several companies, including Apple, often patent ideas that never come to fruition, the report said. While Samsung and Huawei have already shown off their foldable offerings at the MWC event held earlier this year in Barcelona, Apple is expected to release its bendable device by 2021. According to recent reports, reviewers complained that $2,000-worth Samsung Fold -- that opens up into a tablet -- started breaking and facing display issues in just few days of use. --IANS rp/mag/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Re-elected Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his reworked frontbench were officially sworn-in to office on Wednesday as the coalition begins its new term of government following a shock election victory. Morrison and his Cabinet team, which includes a record seven women, visited the Government House where the Governor General Peter Cosgrove swore them into office. Ken Wyatt, an Aboriginal Member of Parliament from Western Australia, received a standing ovation as he became the country's first Aboriginal Cabinet minister. He will be in charge of indigenous affairs, ABC News reported. Wyatt wore a traditional kangaroo skin called a "booka" to the swearing-in ceremony. Morrison's Liberal-National Party Coalition (LNP) defied polls to win a third term in government in the general election on May 18, defeating the opposition Australian Labour Party (ALP). He elevated Sussan Ley, Linda Reynolds and Anne Ruston to his Cabinet -- the government's council of senior ministers -- as the Ministers for the Environment, Defence and Families and Social Services, respectively. They joined Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne, Agriculture Minister Bridget McKenzie, Employment Minister Michaelia Cash and Industry Minister Karen Andrews as women in Cabinet. Australia's 46th Parliament is expected to convene for the first time in the first week of July, with the Electoral Commission still counting votes. In the first post-election meeting with coalition MPs on Tuesday, Morrison insisted his "hungry, committed and united" team would focus on the aspirations of ordinary Australians during their third term in power. "They are the reason we have the opportunity and the great privilege to serve them each and every day," the Prime Minister told his colleagues. "We must burn for the Australian people every single day that we have this privilege of serving them, in this party room and as a government." Morrison warned his ministers that there was a wealth of talent within the government's ranks to keep the pressure on them to perform. --IANS soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Condemning the intolerance of the Karnataka government towards the media, BJP leader S.M. Krishna on Wednesday urged Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy to withdraw the FIR filed against a Kannada editor over an article criticizing the Chief Minister's son Nikhil. "The FIR against 'Vishwavahini' editor Vishweshwar Bhat should be withdrawn as it amounts to abuse of power and interference in the freedom of press," Krishna said in a statement here. The FIR was booked on Monday after Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) General Secretary Pradeep Kumar filed a complaint at a police station against Bhat for reporting on May 25 that Nikhil blamed former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda for his defeat in the Lok Sabha election. "I don't understand the need for a Chief Minister to make his crony file a complaint and order the police to book a case against the editor of a leading Kannada daily instead of refuting the news story and clarifying what actually transpired between his son (Nikhil) and his father (Gowda) on the phone," said Krishna in the statement. According to the article, which Bhat claimed was based on reliable sources, an inebriated Nikhil had shouted at Gowda senior at the latter's residence for not ensuring his victory from Mandya and failing to prevent Congress leaders from campaigning for the Independent (Sumalatha Ambareesh) and voting in favour of her. Multilingual South Indian actress Sumalatha won the high-profile Mandya seat by a margin of 1,25,876 votes in the otherwise JD-S bastion, about 100 km southwest of Bengaluru in the old Mysuru region. Noting that the authoritarian act of the police at the behest of the Chief Minster was a sign of frustration over the ignominious defeat, Krishna said the "undemocratic and dictatorial attitude" was dangerous to the independent functioning of the Krishna, 87, who hails from Maddur in Mandya district, joined the BJP in March 2018 after quitting the Congress in January 2018. He campaigned for Sumalatha. Nikhil was a joint candidate in Mandya where the politically powerful Vokkaliga community to which the Gowda clan belongs is a dominant force. Of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, a resurgent BJP won 25 while the JD-S and Congress won only one each to retain Bangalore Rural and Hassan, where Nikhil's cousin brother Prajwal Revanna defeated BJP's A Manju. --IANS fb/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Boris Johnson, frontrunner to become the next leader of the Conservative Party, was on Wednesday asked to appear in a court over claims that he lied and misled the public by saying the UK sends 350 million pounds a week to the EU. Johnson has been accused of misconduct in public office after making the claim during the 2016 EU referendum campaign and was called to attend Westminster Magistrates' Court. A judge at the Westminster Magistrate's Court in London ordered that the former Foreign Secretary must face private summons on three counts of misconduct in public office, the BBC reported. "Having considered all the relevant factors, I am satisfied that this is a proper case to issue summons as requested for the three offences as drafted," wrote Judge Margot Coleman. "This means the proposed defendant will be required to attend this court for a preliminary hearing, and the case will then be sent to the Crown Court for trial." The offence of misconduct in public office carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, according to the Crown Prosecution Service website. Johnson had falsely claimed Britain's membership of the EU cost 350 million pounds a week and it was plastered on the side of a bus that toured Britain during the campaign that resulted in 52 per cent vote in favour of the UK leaving the EU. He had suggested that money be could be better used to fund the National Health Service. Campaigner Marcus Ball brought a private prosecution against Johnson, saying he misled the public in the run-up and aftermath of the referendum and repeated the 350 million pounds claim during the 2017 elections. Ball, who denies he is trying to obstruct Brexit, has raised more than 200,000 pounds for the private prosecution through crowdfunding. Johnson called the case a "political stunt". In his deposition, he said: "The 'Prosecutor' (a limited company) is 'Brexit Justice Limited'. Brexit Justice Limited is the product of a campaign to undermine the result of the Brexit referendum, and/or to prevent its consequences. "The company and this application owe their existence to the desire on the part of individuals such as Ball to undermine the referendum result. The 'Brexit justice' which is ultimately sought is no Brexit." A full trial, which would take place in front of a jury, would not be expected to take place for another six months, by which time Johnson could be the Prime Minister. Johnson's lawyer Adrian Darbishire said the statements were made for the purpose of a political campaign and came from "freely available" information. --IANS soni/pcj (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.) Senior BJP leaders, who are likely to be re-inducted in the Narendra Modi government on Thursday, met BJP chief Amit Shah at his residence. The Union ministers who met Shah include Rajnath Singh, Prakash Javadekar, Smriti Irani, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore. Rajnath Singh also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Modi had submitted resignation of his council of ministers last week after the results of Lok Sabha elections. President Ram Nath Kovind had accepted the resignations and asked the Prime Minister and the Union council of ministers to continue till the new government assumes office. More than 20 leaders are likely to take oath along with Modi on Thursday. --IANS gd-ps/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As the Congress shows all signs of imploding following the Lok Sabha poll debacle, Rajasthan is in the eye of a storm for scoring a shocking duck for the party in the Lok Sabha polls. In focus are Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot, who had been handpicked by party President Rahul Gandhi as Rajasthan Congress president and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who Gandhi recently blamed as one of the two Congress Chief Ministers who focused on the election of their sons when they should have been campaigning for the party. The one thing going in Gehlot's favour is that he is a battle-scarred veteran. Pilot first. He took the charge in Rajasthan when the Congress was down to 21 seats in the state assembly. He worked with Congress cadre as a grassroots leader to build the party again. The organisational structure was overhauled and workers were instilled with confidence which brought magical results and Congress hit the 100-seat mark which had never happened under Gehlot's leadership. Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee secretary Sushil Asopa said state unit chief Sachin Pilot should have been made chief minister instead of Ashok Gehlot. In a Facebook post, PCC secretary Sushil Asopa batted for Pilot. "Wherever you go in Rajasthan, you hear one voice - Congress. The results of the Lok Sabha elections would have been different had the party made Sachin Pilot chief minister as a reward for his hard work for over five years," he wrote. "The public says it was because of Pilot's hard work of over five years that a favourable atmosphere for the party was created and the party's MLA candidates won," he said, adding the youth thought that the younger leader will get the chance to be CM. That brings the focus back on Pilot -- the man who travelled thousands of kilometres during the campaign as he raised farmers' issues, connected with regular voters, spoke of employment generation and ultimately delivered the state to the party. The party also won six of the eight by-elections held in the state since 2013. In fact, the party, under Pilot's leadership made steady gains since 2013, after it had been voted out. Gehlot, Chief Minister for the third time, has been the state leader, but the party has been a witness to organisational infighting under his watch. The tussle now is between the Gehlot and the Pilot camps. In the 1998 Assembly elections, the Congress party won 150 seats as the election was fought projecting Jat leader Parasram Maderna as the CM face. Eventually, there were demands from the Jat community that Rajasthan should get a chief minister from its ranks. However, Gehlot ended up getting the job. It was a close fight between Maderna and Gehlot with former being a Jat leader enjoying position of Leader of Opposition in the outgoing assembly while Gehlot was the state Congress president, who enjoyed the trust of the Congress high command. Gehlot got the nod to be Chief Minister and the Jat community was left fuming. The result: the Congress paid a big price as it lost the next 2003 assembly elections, winning just 57 seats under Gehlot's leadership while the BJP formed the government. Again in the run-up to the 2008 Assembly elections, it was a close tussle between Congress veteran C.P. Joshi and Gehlot. Joshi, being state Congress president, was a strong contender for the post but lost the elections by one vote. Gehlot again was made the Chief Minister. Jat leaders like the then Union minister Sis Ram Ola, former Rajasthan Speaker Maderna and newly elected MLA Sonaram openly raised the demand for a Jat chief minister once again, but to no avail. Amid protests by the Jat community and after intense consultations with the Congress MLAs, party leaders forwarded their report to the then party president Sonia Gandhi, who declared Gehlot as the chief minister again. In 2008, Congress party won 96 seats and Gehlot formed the government with the support of six Bahujan Samaj Party MLAs and a few independents. Parasram Maderna's son Mahipal Maderna was made the water resources minister in the Gehlot cabinet. Thereafter, in 2013 assembly election, BJP won 163 seats while Congress was limited to 21 seats. The Congress had contested these elections under Gehlot's leadership and the consequences were evident. --IANS arc/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit India this year for which the venue and the dates are being finalised, the External Affairs Ministry said here on Wednesday. "During the first Informal Summit in Wuhan, Chinese President Xi had accepted the invitation of PM Modi to visit India for the next Informal Summit in 2019. "The two sides are in touch, through diplomatic channels, to finalise the date and venue for the meeting," the Ministry said in a press statement. "Details about the visit will be announced in due course after the details are finalized," it added. The first informal summit took place in April 2018 in Wuhan in China. --IANS spk/akk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) City-based non-banking finance company (NBFC) Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company Ltd on Wednesday said it has entered into an agreement to raise $222 million debt from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and others. According to Cholamandalam Investment, the company will raise $222 million debt funds in the form of US dollar bonds from IFC ($92 million), First Abu Dhabi Bank ($50 million), MUFG Bank Ltd ($50 million), National Bank of Ras Al-Khaimah PJSC ($20 million), and CTBC Bank Co Ltd ($10 million). The debt raising is being anchored by IFC, which is the private financing arm of the World Bank. By bringing in foreign banks as investors, IFC is helping Cholamandalam Finance diversify its funding sources. This is the company's first US dollar-syndicated deal since January 2019, when the Reserve Bank of India permitted NBFCs to tap into the offshore credit market. "Supporting productive asset financing NBFCs is part of our financial inclusion strategy because it offers income opportunities and an escape from poverty to low-income households," said Jun Zhang, IFC Country Head, India. "Cholamandalam's wide reach amongst small road transport operators and MSMEs makes it the right partner for us to reach these underserved segments," he added. Cholamandalam Investment's core business is in providing commercial vehicle finance and loan against properties. The company has recently forayed into affordable housing loans for low-income customers. --IANS vj/bc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maintaining cleanliness should be a part of culture and people should work towards making Goa the cleanest state in India, Governor Mridula Sinha said on Wednesday on the eve of Goa Statehood Day. "We have to continuously renew and accelerate our efforts to keep our state clean of garbage and filth. This is a matter of culture. We should collectively work to achieve this objective and attain the status of being the cleanest state in India," Sinha said in her message. Sinha, one of the Swachh Bharat Mission ambassadors appointed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said that cleanliness had always been a part of "our moral system and we must retain it for the generations to come". Commenting on the inclusion of Goa as a state in the Indian Union on May 30, 1987, Sinha said that achieving statehood was a long and much-cherished dream of the people of Goa. "Statehood gave the people of Goa a distinct identity and individuality, besides providing them ample opportunities to shape the destiny of their land," Sinha said. --IANS maya/pg/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US Special Counsel Robert Mueller said that charging President Donald Trump was "not an option" for his team of prosecutors due to the Justice Department guidelines that prohibit charging sitting US President with a crime. Mueller on Wednesday made his first-ever public statement about his investigation into the alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election, Xinhua reported. "Charging the President with a crime was not an option we could consider," Mueller said, adding that "it would be unfair to accuse someone of a crime when there could be no court resolution of the charge." "If we had confidence that the President clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so," he said. "We did not determine whether the President did commit a crime." "The Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse the President of wrongdoing," Mueller said, echoing his report which states that Congress "may apply obstruction laws to the President's corrupt exercise of the powers of office accords with our constitutional system of checks and balances and the principle that no person is above the law." "We concluded that we would not reach a determination one way or the other about whether the president committed a crime," Mueller added. "That is the office's final position." "The report is my testimony," Mueller said in his on-camera appearance, referring to his investigators' 448-page report. Mueller, who didn't take questions from the reporters, said he would prefer not to publicly testify before Congress about his 22-month probe. In quick response, Trump tweeted: "Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you." Mueller also announced Wednesday that the special counsel's office was officially closed and that he would be resigning from the Justice Department as special counsel to return to private life. "I am speaking out today because our investigation is complete," Mueller said. "The Attorney General has made the report on our investigation largely public. We are formally closing the special counsel's office. And as well, I'm resigning from the Department of Justice to return to private life," he stated. Mueller concluded his 22-month investigation in March by submitting a report to Attorney General William Barr and a redacted version was made public last month. The report stated that there was no evidence that Trump's campaign conspired with the Russian government during the 2016 U.S. elections but did not conclude if the president had obstructed justice. Barr and his deputy Rod Rosenstein, who stepped down earlier this month, have concluded that Mueller did not have "sufficient" evidence to support a charge in the obstruction case, a move that has drawn scrutiny from the Democrats. --IANS vin/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi government is planning to set up a creche at the Delhi Secretariat to help working parents. In a letter, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia directed the Secretary, Women and Child Development, to explore the possibility and feasibility of a creche at the Secretariat, after it was brought to his notice that a creche is needed for the children of parents working at the Secretariat. He said that all employers must help employees to balance their professional and personal life. "It is a matter of great pride that a large number of workforce in the Delhi government constitutes of women. However, work-life balance for working women, especially working mothers, is not easy and it is the responsibility of employer organisations to improve working conditions of women," Sisodia said in the letter. He ordered that a plan be submitted by June 15. --IANS nks/mag/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) To improve the water quality of Yamuna river, the Delhi Jal Board on Wednesday accorded approval for the construction of India's largest sewage treatment plant at Okhla at a total cost of Rs 1,161 crore. The STP, with a capacity of 564 million litres a day (MLD), will be the largest wastewater treatment plant in India, the DJB said. The Board also said the project will have a huge positive impact on the quality of water in the Yamuna. "The new STP will remove 41,200 kgs per day of organic pollutant load and 61,600 kgs per day of solid load on the Yamuna," it said. The approval was accorded by the DJB in its 146th meeting under the chairmanship of Delhi Chief Minister and DJB Chairman Arvind Kejriwal. "It will treat sewage to stringent effluent parameters of Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) <10 mg/l along with nitrogen and phosphorus removal and disinfection which will improve the quality of water in river Yamuna. The new STP in Okhla comes under Yamuna Action Plan-III scheme," the DJB said. It will be a state-of-the-art, fully automated plant with Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. "Moreover, it will be an integrated plant which will not only treat sewage but will also have complete sludge management facility so that sludge generated at the plant can be handled in an environment-friendly manner," it said. Sludge management has also been included in the scope of the work of this project. It will cater to around 40 lakh residents of Delhi, the DJB said. "It will cater to the areas of Chandni Chowk, Kashmere Gate, Daryaganj, NDMC areas, Lodhi Colony, Nizamuddin, Okhla, Badarpur, Kalkaji, Malviya Nagar, Katwaria Sarai, Lajpat Nagar, Greater Kailash and South Delhi - from Munirka to Badarpur," it added. --IANS nks/kr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday opposed a plea by Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's brother-in-law Robert Vadra, who is facing a money laundering case, seeking to go abroad for a medical check-up as a tumour in his large intestine has been detected. Vadra submitted a medical certificate from Gangaram Hospital here informing a court here that a tumour in large intestine has been detected. Vadra told Special Judge Arvind Kumar that his doctor has advised him to get a second opinion and therefore he wants to go to London to seek a second opinion. Representing the ED, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that the doctor has not essentially asked Vadra to take a second opinion in London but only mentioned he can take it "if he wishes so." He also said that the investigation in the case is at a crucial stage and there are chances Vadra may not return. The ED also apprehended that Vadra might tamper with the evidence if he is allowed to go to London. The ED also said there are treatment facilities available in India. Countering the ED's submission, Vadra's counsel and Senior Advocate K.T.S. Tulsi said Vadra will not go to those places where the agency has objections. The defence counsel said Vadra's medical condition can worsen with the passing of time. Tulsi contended that it cannot be said that Vadra will flee the investigation. Reserving the order on Vadra's plea, the court said it will decide on June 3 on his plea. The case against Vadra relates to alleged ownership of overseas assets worth 1.9 million pounds. The charges against him pertain to undisclosed foreign assets and entities to evade tax. Vadra was granted anticipatory bail on April 1 on the condition that he would not leave the country without permission and join the probe whenever required. --IANS ak/kr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) France and Germany have disagreed on who should be the president of the blocs executive arm, the European Commission, as leaders from the bloc met here following parliamentary elections. The vote saw the big centrist blocs lose their majorities with Greens and nationalists gaining ground. German Chancellor Angela Merkel wants centre-right candidate Manfred Weber as the next EU Commission president. But French President Emmanuel Macron did not even mention Weber as a contender for the influential position, reported the BBC on Wednesday. Their comments came on Tuesday at a meeting, which was a chance for the EU leaders to discuss the new political landscape and who might take over the top jobs. The elections left the EU more fragmented with the chances of reaching consensus more difficult. The President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, said Brexit was a factor behind a majority of voters favouring pro-EU parties. "As Europeans see what Brexit means in practice, they also draw conclusions. Brexit has been a vaccine against anti-EU propaganda and fake news," said Tusk. According to the BBC report, UK Prime Minister Theresa May took part in talks but Tusk said Brexit was not discussed. The commission is the body that enforces EU rules and drafts EU law, and its presidency is currently held by Jean-Claude Juncker, who is at the end of his five-year term. In 2014, Juncker was chosen to head the Commission as the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) candidate, after the EPP had won the election. But it is a much tougher challenge this time for the EPP's candidate Manfred Weber - a German - after his bloc shrank from 217 seats to 180 in the 751-seat parliament, although it remains the biggest grouping. After the talks, Merkel, said she stood by Weber, but "others stand by their candidate, which is obvious". Earlier in the day, Macron had said he did not want to talk about names, but also mentioned three, none of them Weber. He later refused to name a favourite candidate, saying he wanted them to be "the most charismatic, creative and competent possible". If not Weber, then who? Several others are in the running, among them chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, who is French, Danish liberal Margrethe Vestager and Dutch centre-left candidate Frans Timmermans, the BBC reported. --IANS rtp (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The global chess body FIDE has the right to reinstate the Elo ratings of dozens of Indian players who were banned by the All India Chess Federation (AICF), said a senior official. "The key point is that FIDE removed the ratings of these players, and that FIDE has the right to reinstate them," Grandmaster and FIDE Vice President Nigel Short told IANS. When asked whether AICF had told FIDE that banning of Indian players is an internal matter, Short said, "There has been lot of correspondence on this issue between AICF and FIDE and it is difficult to recall exactly what has been said and when." "Nearly a decade ago, FIDE, at the behest of AICF, removed the Elo ratings of dozens of players and expunged their names from the records. Today, we are delighted to welcome back all those players with immediate effect," FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich said in a statement on Monday. "Whether a previous FIDE administration -- one notoriously more concerned with electoral votes than with players' rights -- erred in doing so, at the time, is a matter for debate," Short added. Dozens of Indian chess players were banned by AICF from participating in official tournaments and their Elo ratings withdrawn as they had played in chess tournaments not authorised by the Indian chess body. The British chess Grandmaster Short believes that unrated tournaments should have nothing to with the AICF. "If Vishy Anand (Viswanathan Anand) takes 10,000 rupees off his neighbour over blitz one evening, I see no reason why he should have to hand over half his winnings and issue a grovelling apology, or face permanent banishment, merely because he failed to seek prior approval from the AICF," Short said. "That, to my mind, would be a gross overreach of authority. And it appears that the Competition Commission of India (CCI), which has already ruled on the AICF's abuse of a dominant position, would probably agree," Short remarked. According to Short, FIDE President Dvorkovich has not commented publicly on the matter. "However, I would certainly not be misrepresenting his views to state that, nine years later, he believes it is time to move on. I support him wholeheartedly on this," Short remarked. In February, AICF Secretary Bharat Singh Chauhan met FIDE President Dvorkovich. Soon after that the FIDE President made the announcement of welcoming back the banned Indian chess players. Queried about that meeting, Short said: "I am aware that Arkady Dvorkovich has spoken to Bharat Singh recently. I was not privy to their discussions, although I do know that the subject of unrated tournaments was broached." In January this year, Short was in India and met many chess players, businessmen and others associated with chess. "During my week's stay in India and interaction with different set of people associated with chess, I have a better grasp of status of chess management in India," Short then told IANS. He had also said that FIDE has a policy of non-interference in the activities of national chess federations like the AICF and added: "If players are banned for playing chess and if a federation wants to control every aspect of chess, then it is a concern for us (FIDE). We will do something for that." (Venkatachari Jagannathan can be contacted at v.jagannathan@ians.in) --IANS vj/aak/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) For the oath-taking ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his team of ministers, Delhi police is deploying around 5,000 personnel in the New Delhi area. Apart from Delhi policemen, National Security Guard (NSG) will also be keeping an eye on the national capital during the swearing-in ceremony on Thursday, a senior police officer said. According to the police, the New Delhi district has been divided into six zones with each zone being monitored by a DCP-rank officer. The officer will not only ensure security but will also make sure that the normal traffic is not affected by the VVIP movement. They will also make sure that every road has proper signs and symbols so that newly elected members of parliament and their relatives are not put to any inconvenience in reaching Rashtrapati Bhavan. "A DCP-level officer will ensure that every road in the zone assigned to him has clear signages. The security, though, will remain the prime focus of the police, the convenience of general public during VVIP movement will also be ensured," said Madhur Verma, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi). Verma told IANS that the police will also be monitoring from the roofs of highrises and the movement of drones in the area is suspended during the swearing-in ceremony. NSG commandos have also taken up the roofs of every five star hotel where the head of the visiting countries are staying. Apart from the rooftop monitoring, several policemen will also be deployed at parking lots of every prominent place, including five star hotels, shopping malls. Several others will also be deployed in plane clothes at market places such as Janpath. "At parking lots, the policemen will be in uniform, while at market places, the policemen will be deployed in casual clothes. We are prepared to tackle any situation on Thursday," said Verma. (Rohan agarwal can be contacted at rohan.a@ians.in) --IANS rag/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that the state high courts, dealing with cases regarding anticipatory bail in connection with GST evasion, should keep in mind that it had upheld an order passed by Telangana High Court that the competent authority under the Central Goods and Services Tax Act has the legal power to arrest. A vacation bench, headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, observed that high courts have not taken a consistent view on granting anticipatory bail to individuals accused of GST evasion, and it is, therefore, necessary to clarify the position as per law with regard to the power of arrest underthe GST law. Appearing for the Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta cited different orders passed by different high courts in granting anticipatory bail to the accused, charged with GST evasion, on their pleas challenging arrest under the law. In two Special Leave Petitions, the Centre has challenged the Bombay High Court's order, which citing the procedure laid down under the Criminal Procedure Code that the arrest cannot be made without fulfilling the requirement of registration of an FIR, granted interim relief to the accused. The apex court, after hearing the arguments, agreed to examine the matter in detail on the petition filed by Centre, which challenged the legal validity of such orders. Mehta contended that the accused persons usually moved the high court to secure ex-parte orders, and submitted to the court that the matter should be placed before a three-judge bench. The court agreed with the suggestion. On May 27, in a big relief for the government, the Supreme Court dismissed a bunch of petitions, challenging power to arrest in cases of GST evasion. Matters involved allegations of evading GST by circular trading and claiming input tax credit through fake invoices. The petitioners had moved the apex court challenging the Telangana High Court verdict that a person can be arrested by the authority concerned in cases of Goods and Service Tax evasion. The petitions were listed for hearing before a vacation bench comprising Chief Justice Gogoi and Justice Aniruddha Bose, which, after hearing the initial arguments, said it is not willing to interfere with the high court's April 18 judgement. "Upon perusing the relevant material, we are not inclined to interfere. The special leave petition is accordingly dismissed. Pending interlocutory applications, if any, shall stand disposed of," the court said. The Telangana High Court in its order on April 18, said that it is not willing to grant any relief against arrest to the petitioners in light of summons issued by Superintendent (Anti-Evasion) of the Hyderabad GST Commissionerate under the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017. The court did not entertain their plea challenging the summons. The government informed the court that petitioners have allegedly incorporated various firms in partnership, and then on the basis of certain invoices, claimed input tax credit allegedly in the absence of any actual physical receipt depicting the nature of goods. It was alleged that Rs 224.05 crore fraudulent input tax credit has been claimed by these companies. The batch of petitions was filed by some private companies, their top officials and others. --IANS ss/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Chinese envoy to India Luo Zhaohui is China's new Vice Foreign Minister, replacing Kong Xuanyou who has been dispatched as the Ambassador to Japan. Luo's appointment was announced by China's Human Resource Ministry on Wednesday. Luo, an old India hand who has also served as Chinese envoy to Pakistan, might focus on South Asia where China is increasing its footprint. He was also the Director General of the Asia Department in the Foreign Ministry. The former Ambassador to New Delhi was stationed in Delhi from October 2016 until his appointment as China's Deputy Foreign Minister. The diplomat has seen ups and downs in Sino-Indian ties ranging from military stand-off in Doklam to the icebreaking summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Wuhan last year. Fluent in Hindi, Luo holds a major in Indian history from Peking University. He is also known for playing a pivotal role in the release of Chinese workers held hostage at a massage parlour Islamabad. The incident was known as "Lal Masjid Siege". Luo has also served as China's envoy in Canada. --IANS gsh/soni/pg/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the central government to file a response on a plea seeking implementation of a proposal by the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (NCRWC) on population control and a 'two-child norm' as a criteria for government jobs, aid and subsidies. A Division Bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice Brijesh Sethi issued notice to the Centre and listed the matter for September 3. The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, seeking direction to the Centre to ascertain the feasibility of implementing the 24th recommendation of the NCRWC (Justice Venkatchaliah Commission) on population control. In his plea, Upadhyay said the right to clean air, drinking water, health, peaceful sleep, shelter, livelihood and education could not be secured for citizens without effective population control. Stating that the government has not implemented the NCRWC proposals, the petitioner sought withdrawal of statutory rights like the right to vote, contest elections and own property. Upadhyay requested the court to direct the government to spread awareness about population explosion and provide contraceptive pill, condoms and vaccines to economically weaker sections and below poverty line families. He also sought direction to the Law Commission to prepare a comprehensive report on population explosion within three months. He said India accounted for only 2 per cent of agriculture land and 4 per cent drinking water but the population was 20 per cent of the world. If India was compared with China, then India's agricultural area was only one-third of that country while the rate of population growth three times that of China, he said. "The population explosion is the root cause of most of our problems like shortage of water, forests, land, cloth, house, poverty, employment, hunger and malnutrition," the petitioner said. He said population explosion also led to crime. --IANS ak/akk/mr/pg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rome, May 30 (IANS/AKI) Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini on Wednesday called on the populist government to take a "tough stance" against criticism of Italy by the United Nations over a planned decree formalising the closure of the country's ports to charities that save migrants in the Mediterranean. Writing to Premier Giuseppe Conte and Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi, Salvini slammed the "baselessness" of a recent letter from UN investigators which stated that his proposed decree violated human rights law enshrined in UN conventions. The "irrelevant" remarks in the letter "were all the more reprehensible" ahead of the (May 22-26) European elections and given that the decree had not yet been approved by the Italian cabinet, Salvini wrote. "It is unwarranted interference in our government's political programme, spawned by ideological preconceptions shared by those who oppose the new direction in our national migration policy," he added. Salvini's letter said it was "unacceptable" to accuse Italy of violating migrants' human rights when it had "strongly and concretely" supported the work of the various UN agencies in Libya. "The government must take a tough stance and hit back at the UN special rapporteurs," the missive underlined, demanding clarification on the value of Italy's budget contributions to the world body. Salvini, a populist, had proposed the new security decree ahead of the European Parliament elections last week, where nationalist, anti-migrant parties were predicted - but failed - to make strong gains across the bloc. Italy is obliged to rescue migrants in distress and cannot impede others from doing so according to the letter from six UN experts earlier this month. Nor can migrants be sent back to countries like war-torn Libya where they are in danger, it states. Salvini's decree appears to be "yet another political attempt to criminalise search and rescue operations" that "further intensifies the climate of hostility and xenophobia against migrants," the letter stated. The letter urged the Italian government to "halt" its approval of the decree, which would fine NGO-run ships that rescue migrants at sea and take them to Italian territory. Boats that save migrants also risk losing their licenses under the decree's provisions. The UN experts, who urged officials to reply to their letter, asked for the withdrawal of two previous directives denying access to Italian ports to ships operated by NGOs that have rescued migrants off Libya's coasts. It is not the first time Italy has come under fire from the UN since Salvini - who is also Deputy Premier - became Interior Minister in the populist government that took office last June. In November, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights had harshly criticised several aspects of an earlier security decree designed by Salvini that abolished "humanitarian protection" for migrants who could not be considered refugees under the current rules. And last September, the UN's new High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said teams of inspectors would be sent to Italy to "assess the reported sharp increase in acts of violence and racism against migrants, persons of African descent and Roma", sparking a furious reaction from Salvini. --IANS/AKI vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Sonipat-based Jindal Global Business School (JGBS) was a favoured choice for over 70 top recruiters in 2019, with international placements and top salary packages for their fresh graduates touching Rs 30 lakh per annum. The recruiters ranged from MNCs to start-ups and included Amazon, Adani Gas, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, ITC Hotels, M&C Saatchi, BYJU's, OYO and Swiggy, the B-School said. It added: "ICICI Prudential was the biggest recruiter with 9 offers. International placements to countries like UAE, Mauritius, and Canada continued this year as well." "The success at JGBS reflects the relevant and global nature of our business as well as the mettle of the promising youngsters who join JGU. I am confident this trend will continue and strengthen in the years to come," Professor C. Raj Kumar, the Founding Vice Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University said. The B-School also prides itself on creating a learning ecosystem where students pursue their calling instead of taking familiar career paths. Almost one in every four of their graduates is taking the leap into family business and entrepreneurship, it said. "A myopic approach to careers focussed solely on job placements, tends to ignore the value of holistic professional growth of the students and provision of a broad horizon of professional opportunities to them," Professor Kumar explained. Professor Rajesh Chakrabarti, Dean of JGBS, said, "Business today is inherently global in nature. We have tried to capture that in our curricular content, faculty experiences and backgrounds, and partnerships with other leading institutions around the world." The Jindal B-School students can also pursue double degree programmes, student exchange programmes and other study abroad programmes, as the institution has partnerships with over 30 international universities and B-Schools. These include the University of Texas at Dallas, European Business School, Carleton University, Queen Mary University of London, University of New South Wales and Macquarie University. The University hopes to maintain and grow the impressive placement trend. --IANS sj/am (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Five Congress leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara, met Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy of the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) for reshuffling the cabinet to quell dissidence in the party and ensure continuation of their year-old coalition government, a party official said on Wednesday. "Our party leaders met Kumaraswamy at the state-run Kumarakrupa guest house in the city to discuss a cabinet reshuffle and ensure the continuation of the government," Congress spokesman Ravi Gowda told IANS here. Besides Parameshwara, the party's state unit in-charge K.C. Venugopal, allies coordination committee chairman Siddaramaiah, state Home Minister M.B. Patil and state Water Resources Minister D.K. Shivakumar participated in the meeting. "The outcome of the meeting will be discussed at the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting later in the day here to ensure all the legislators remain united to run the coalition government smoothly in the face of electoral setback in the recent Lok Sabha elections," said Gowda. The Congress and the JD-S were routed by the BJP in the 28 parliamentary constituencies in the southern state. The BJP won 25 as against one each by the two parties. Independent Sumalatha Ambareesh, backed by the BJP, wrested the Mandya seat from the JD-S. In the 34-member Ministry, the Congress has one vacant cabinet post from its quota of 22 berths and the JD-S two out of its quota of 12. "Parleys are on to fill the three vacant cabinet posts and reshuffle the Ministry to induct a couple of MLAs keen on joining the government in place of their incumbents," added Gowda. --IANS fb/mag/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Besides leaders from BIMSTEC countries and a host of celebrities and politicians, 54 special guests would be attending the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Council of Ministers on Thursday. The Prime Minister has specially invited family members of BJP workers who were killed in incidents of politicial violence in West Bengal over the past few years, a senior BJP leader said. The BJP won 303 seats on its own in the Lok Sabha elections, and the party's performance in West Bengal was spectacular as it took its tally to 18 from two in 2014. During the elections, Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah repeatedly highlighted the issue of political violence against their party members. Leaders from Bimstec countries as well as Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov and Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth have confirmed their participation at Thursday's event. --IANS bns/akk/rtp (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) MacKenzie Bezos, ex-wife of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has decided to donate half of her $37 billion worth alimony to investor Warren Buffett's philanthropic campaign -- the "Giving Pledge." The "Giving Pledge", founded in 2010 by Buffet along with Bill and Melinda Gates, has drawn 204 billionaire pledgers, including WhatsApp Co-founder Brian Acton, Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, CBS News reported on Tuesday. "My approach to philanthropy will continue to be thoughtful. It will take time and effort and care. But I won't wait. And I will keep at it until the safe is empty," 48- year-old MacKenzie wrote in an open letter recently. The Bezos couple finalised their divorce in April in what was reported as the biggest divorce settlement in history entitling MacKenzie Bezos to Amazon stocks worth around $36 billion to $37 billion. Bezos also gave her ex-husband all of her interests in the Washington Post and Blue Origin, and 75 per cent of their collective Amazon stock along with the voting control of her shares to support his continued contributions to the teams. Applauding his ex-wife on her donation decision, 55-year-old Jeff Bezos wrote, "MacKenzie is going to be amazing and thoughtful and effective at philanthropy, and I'm proud of her. Her letter is so beautiful. Go get 'em MacKenzie," on Twitter. The former couple announced their split in January after 25 years or marriage. According to Forbes, Jeff Bezos is the richest man in the world with an estimated fortune of $110 billion, ahead of Microsoft Co-founder Bill Gates and Berkshire Hathaway chairman Warren Buffett, the report added. --IANS rp/bc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Milk and vegetable supplies in Madhya Pradesh are likely to be affected with farmers in the state holding a three-day protest to press the Kamal Nath government to fulfill its loan waiver promise. Madhya Pradesh's Congress government had promised to waive farm loans up to Rs 2 lakh ahead of the Assembly elections. Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) state chief Anil Yadav said the promise was yet to be fulfilled, as many farmers were still getting notices from banks threatening to declare them defaulters. The farmers are also asking for implementation of the Swaminathan panel recommendations and minimum support price (MSP) for their produce. Protesters said supplies were disrupted in Dewas, Dhar, Ujjain and Rajgarh on the first day of the stir on Wednesday. State Agriculture Minister Sachin Yadav met the protesting farmers on Tuesday evening, but failed to pursuade them to end the demonstration. BKU leaders insisted that they wanted to meet the Chief Minister to discuss their demands. --IANS hindi/rtp (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 Wednesday said she will not be attending Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony as it is "an august occasion to celebrate democracy, not one that should be devalued by any political party". Banerjee said she had planned to accept the "ceremonial invitation" but following gross misrepresentation of facts about 54 deaths in poll violence, she decided to skip the oath-taking ceremony to be held on Thursday. About the violence, she stated in her tweet that there has been "no political murders in Bengal". There might have been deaths due to personal enmity, family quarrel and other disputes, she said. "But nothing related to There is no such recors with us," she added. She said such turn of events has "compelled" her not to attend the ceremony. --IANS in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is likely to visit India in the third week of June to lay the ground for a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Japan. US State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus told reporters on Tuesday that Pompeo was looking forward to have a "robust discussion" with his Indian counterpart on a wide range of issues. The US official may visit New Delhi on his way to Osaka to attend the G-20 summit on June 28-29. Pompeo is expected to sort out several important issues with Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj including the logjam over a trade package, Washington's sanction threats over Russian military hardware and its demand that India end oil imports from Iran and Venezuela. The US and Indian officials will also set the course for the India-US 2+2 talks of Foreign and Defence Ministers expected later. Ortagus called India a "great ally" and "partner" of the US and said the Trump administration will work closely with Modi in his second term on a range of issues. Trump had earlier said that he sees "great things" for India-US relations after Modi led his ruling coalition to a sweeping victory in parliamentary elections. "We, of course, will work closely with Modi, as we have many times," Ortagus told reporters in response to a question. "India is a great ally and partner of the United States." --IANS soni/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Telecom Ministry is in the process of drafting the notice inviting applications (NIA), or the bidding document, which could be issued in September for the spectrum auction to be held in November, according to official sources here. The sources said the NIA is being concurrently prepared alongside other key programmes of the ministry, including the allotment of 5G trial spectrum. As per the ministry's timeline, the NIA is to be issued in September for the auctions in November. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) had recommended auction of about 8,644 MHz of telecom frequencies at an estimated total base price of Rs 5 lakh crore, which includes radio waves for 5G services. India wants 5G services to be rolled out in 2020 along with the global launch of the high speed service by telcom companies. Asked if there will be any revision in 5G spectrum prices as sought by industry citing foreign examples like South Korea, the sources noted that as in the way telcos are undertaking public and rights issues to fund expansion, upgrading their networks and competing among themselves, they will similarly have to budget for 5G spectrum auction funds. The industry has expressed its inability to buy airwaves at such high costs. For the 5G spectrum in the 3300-3600 mega hertz (Mhz) band, Trai has recommended a reserve price of Rs 492 crore per Mhz for a minimum pan-India block of 20 Mhz, for which an operators will have to shell out Rs 9,840 crore that they consider as being quite steep. The government had earlier asked Trai to look at reducing the price of 700 Mhz spectrum, following which Trai had cut its base price by 43 per cent from Rs 11.485 crore per mega hertz. If government offers all the 8,366 Mhz of spectrum in the auction then the next auction could generate about Rs 5,06,110 crore for the government if all the spectrum is successfully sold at the base price. In the 2016 auction, the government could manage only Rs 65,789 crore as the revenue projections were built on the 700 Mhz plank which went unsold due to high price. This could be India's largest auction in terms of the quantum of airwaves on offer. Airwaves across the 4G bands of 700 Mhz, 800 Mhz, 900 Mhz, 1,800 Mhz, 2,100 Mhz, 2,300 Mhz and 2,500 Mhz, besides 5G spectrum in the 3,300-3600 Mhz bands, will be offered to Vodafone Idea, Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio. Except Jio, and Airtel at a much lesser extent, no other telcom company is currently making profit. Besides reduced 5G airwave prices, the telcos also want reduction in licence fees and spectrum charges. The industry has a debt of over Rs 7 lakh crore, which it attributres primarily to the historically high spectrum prices. As per the sources, it is unlikely that so many of the industry's conditions will be met at one go. (Anjana Das can be contacted at anjana.d@ians.in) --IANS ana/sn/bc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Mumbai Special Court on Wednesday remanded till May 31 three women doctors arrested in connection with the suicide of a medico Payal Tadvi, a law official said. Bhakti Meher, Hema Ahuja and Ankita Khandelwal were arrested on Tuesday and Wednesday, said lawyer for the Tadvi family, Nitin Satpute. Arguing for remand for the three women doctors, Satpute told Additional Sessions Judge R.M. Sadrani that there was a possibility of the case being one of murder since some injury marks were found on the victim's private parts as per the autopsy report. The prosecution also sought custodial interrogation of the three accused to know whether there was any suicide note left by Tadvi and if it was misplaced or hidden by them. A Second Year Post-Graduate student of Gynaecology, Tadvi, 25, committed suicide in her hostel room on May 22 at the government-run BYL Nair Hospital. Her family claimed that she had been driven to suicide owing to casteist remarks on her Muslim tribal background and other forms of personal and professional harassment. Soon after the suicide, the three main accused -- Meher, Ahuja and Khandelwal -- absconded and were nabbed during the past 24 hours. They were produced before the Special Court on Wednesday. The accused doctors, suspended by the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors earlier this week, were later suspended by the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation which runs the BYL Nair Hospital. The BMC has suspended the medical licences of the three doctors and the Head of Department Yi Ching Ling for alleged abetment of Tadvi's suicide. The Mumbai Police has registered offences against the three doctors slapping charges under the Atrocities Act, the Anti-Ragging Act, IT Act and Indian Penal Code. As the issued snowballed into a major controversy, the National Commission for Women and Maharashtra State Women's Commission have taken serious cognizance and sought reports on Tadvi's suicide from the BMC and the BYL Nair Hospital. --IANS qn/pg/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As a young and dynamic leader from Rajasthan, Diya Kumari, the newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Rajsamand, has a fair chance of either being picked up as a Union Minister by Prime Minister Narendra Modi or promoted as a face of the party in the state. In an interview to IANS, Kumari said, "I will happily accept whatever role the party assigns me. We have an element of discipline in the BJP and we can't dictate our terms to the party leadership. My basic aim is to serve the people and I will remain committed to it." Kumari, a member of the erstwhile royal family of Jaipur, won the Rajsamand seat defeating Congress candidate Devkinandan (Kaka) by 5,51,916 votes. She dedicated her victory to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's exemplary work. "People have given a strong mandate to me and the BJP trusting Modi, after seeing the good work he did for the country," she said. She said her core priorities for Rajsamand would be developing tourism infrastructure, getting a broad gauge railway line and better roads. "I want to help create employment opportunities through tourism projects. Helping young women and men develop employable skills by setting up institutes of higher education and skill development are on my priority list as well," she said. According to Kumari, opening army recruitment centres in Rajsamand would also be worked upon as the town had many ex-servicemen. The former BJP MLA from Sawai Madhopur has for several years been working to empower women from deprived backgrounds. Her NGO Princess Diya Kumari Foundation (PDKF) helps women become independent and self-sufficient by allowing them skill building and livelihood opportunities. "Women in Rajasthan are quite enterprising. My NGO trains them, helps them open bank accounts and even provides them with resources to start own ventures. I feel women empowerment is one of the most effective tools for social development," she told IANS. Kumari was the brand ambassador of 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' campaign in Rajasthan for two years. "We launched many awareness programmes under the campaign. I tried my best to reach out to masses and convey the message that daughters are no less than boys," the BJP leader said. She, however, feels the disparity between the number of girls and boys in secondary school is still high and needs to be bridged. "Educated young women have a greater chance of escaping poverty, avoiding child marriages, leading healthier and more productive lives, and raising the standard of living for their children, families and communities," she said. Stressing the enterprising nature of women in Rajasthan, Kumari said, "Rajasthan was ruled by a woman Chief Minister for 10 years." On her relations with mentor Vasundhara Raje, she said, "She brought me into and has been my anchor since then. She and MLA Kiran Maheshwari were quite supportive of me during my early years in " --IANS arc/rtp/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Myanmar military has committed war crimes during its offensive against the Arakan Army following a government order to crush the armed group, a report said on Wednesday. The Amnesty International report said in the last few months Myanmar soldiers have killed and wounded civilians in indiscriminate attacks in Rakhine state, Efe news reported. It is the same area where the Army in 2017 carried out an offensive against the mostly-Muslim Rohingya minority group, an operation the UN said showed evidence of genocidal intent. In the report titled "No one can protect us: War crimes and abuses in Myanmar's Rakhine State", the non-profit also denounced atrocities committed by the Arakan Army, such as abductions and intimidation, but accused the Myanmar military of committing human rights violations such as extrajudicial executions, arbitrary arrests, torture and other ill-treatment, and enforced disappearances. "Less than two years since the world outrage over the mass atrocities committed against the Rohingya population, the Myanmar military is again committing horrific abuses against ethnic groups in Rakhine State," Nicholas Bequelin, Amnesty International's regional director for East and Southeast Asia, said in a statement. The report is based on 81 interviews, 54 of which were conducted on the ground in Rakhine, with people of different ethnicities and religions. The Arakan Army, one of the various rebel groups engaged in armed conflict in Myanmar, was formed in 2009 by students of the Rakhine ethnic group - which is predominantly Buddhist. --IANS in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Myanmar police have issued an arrest warrant against Wirathu, an ultra-nationalist Buddhist monk known for his anti-Muslim stance. The warrant was issued on Tuesday under Article 124(a) of the legal code, which forbid incitement of hatred or contempt against the government and carried a three-year jail sentence, the police said. The monk, dubbed by Time magazine as "The Face of Buddhist Terror", is accused of making defamatory remarks against Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The police are yet to locate Wirathu, who, according to reports, was not at the Masoeyein Monastery in central Myanmar on Tuesday as he was due to appear before the governing body of the Buddhist clergy in Yangon, a day later. The monk is known for his tirades against Muslims, including comments that sparked a wave of sectarian violence against the community in central Myanmar in 2013 and for supporting the military operation that led to over 700,000 Rohingya fleeing to neighbouring Bangladesh in 2017. Wirathu was the most visible face of the 969 movement -- a Buddhist group that opposed expansion of Islam in Myanmar, and the now defunct Patriotic Association of Myanmar, whose anti-Muslim position led the government to pass several laws considered discriminatory against Muslims. His controversial comments, which also include calling for a boycott of Muslim businesses and hailing the assassination of a Muslim lawyer close to Suu Kyi, prompted Facebook to close his account and led the Thai authorities to ban his entry into the country, where he was scheduled to deliver a sermon. --IANS soni/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Local and regional parties have more or less retained their strength in the northeastern region in the recently-concluded Lok Sabha polls while among the two national parties, the BJP increased its members and the Congress significantly lost its strength in its erstwhile bastion. Of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in the northeastern region comprising eight states, Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM), Meghalaya-based National People's Party (NPP), Naga Peoples Front (NPF), Nagaland-based Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), Mizoram- based Mizo National Front (MNF), Assam-based All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), all secured one seat each. Independent candidate and 50-year-old tribal leader Naba Kumar Sarania, supported by local parties and student organisations, retained the Kokrajhar tribal reserved seat seat in western Assam. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the AIUDF, which had won three seats, this time succeeded in only one seat -- Dhubri -- where party supremo Badruddin Ajmal retained his seat. The SKM, NDPP and the MNF, who had no member in the 16th Lok Sabha, secured one seat each while NPP and NPF retained one seat each. The SKM led by Prem Singh Tamang (Golay) showing an excellent electoral performance won an absolute majority in the just-concluded Sikkim Assembly polls, bringing the curtain down on the 25-year rule of Pawan Chamling-led Sikkim Democractic Front rule in the Himalayan state. Like the 16th Lok Sabha, the two allies of Bharatiya Janata Party and important regional parties in northeast India -- the Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF) and the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) -- will have no representation in the 17th Lok Sabha too. Though the BJP and the Congress have a substantial base in the northeast, as many as 67 parties, categorised by the Election Commission as state parties and registered unrecognised parties, are strengthening their base in the eight northeastern states. Of the eight states, Sikkim, Nagaland, Meghalaya and Mizoram are currently governed by local parties. In Assam, Tripura, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh too the state parties have a very significant role in BJP-led governance. According to a record of the Election Commission, there are 18 state parties in different northeastern states. Only one of these, the National People's Party (NPP) has a pan-regional presence in Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Assam and leads the government in Meghalaya. Riding the "Modi wave", the BJP alone won 14 of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in eight northeastern states, against eight in the 2014 polls. The Congress, which had a strong base in all the northeastern states but currently has no government under its rule in the region, has won only four seats (three in Assam and one in Meghalaya) against eight in 2014. With three NDA constituents - the NDPP, the MNF, the NPP, the SKM - winning four seats, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has 18 members this time from the region against 11, five years ago. Manipur People's Party (MPP), one of the oldest parties (set up in 1968) in the northeastern region and which has headed governments in Manipur in 1972, 1974 and 1990, has failed to win any Lok Sabha seat in the state for the past many years. The MPP is now an ally of the ruling BJP in Manipur. Political analyst and writer Samudra Gupta Kashyap said: "Understanding the importance of regional parties, the BJP not only forged a strategic alliance and an umbrella body called the Northeast Democratic Alliance (NEDA) with regional parties in 2016, but also played up local sentiments in almost every election. In Assam, the BJP joined hands with the AGP and the BPF, picked up the Bangladeshi influx issue and rode the wave created by the 'jati-mati-bheti' (identity-land-homestead) slogan to oust the Congress in 2016. "Similarly, it picked up the tribal identity protection issue in Tripura and partnered with the IPFT (Indigenous People's Front of Tripura)," Kashyap told IANS. Following the BJP strategy, the Congress had also adopted a plan of playing up regional or local sentiments, he added. Though the Congress has no ally in Assam, it is trying to whip up sentiments on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which has been opposed by all regional parties. Of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in the northeast, home to 45.58 million people as per the 2011 census, seven seats are reserved for tribals who constitute 27-28 per cent of the population. Veteran political commentator Sanjib Deb said the current political situation in the northeast could not allow national parties to govern without the regional parties' support. "National parties have their own pan-India political strategies and policies. Similarly, the regional parties have their own agenda and demands that cannot be always endorsed by national parties," Deb told IANS, adding the IPFT's demand for statehood in Tripura was not supported by its dominant partner, the BJP. Conrad K. Sangma-led National People's Party (NPP), which aims to be the alternative to the Congress and the BJP in the northeast, has set up base in six of the eight northeastern states, excluding Tripura and Sikkim. Sangma, the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, last month launched an arm of NPP in Assam with a plan to contest 14 Lok Sabha seats. The NPP, set up in 2013 by former Union Minister and Lok Sabha Speaker P.A. Sangma after his expulsion from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in July 2012, is the dominant ruling party in Meghalaya with 20 legislators. Besides, it has five MLAs in Arunachal Pradesh, four in Manipur, and two in Nagaland. The NPP is also a junior partner of the ruling BJP in Manipur and Nagaland. --IANS sc/kr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Janata Dal-United President and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday chaired a meeting of the national office-bearers of his party here. Speaking to media persons after the meeting, party General Secretary and spokesman K.C. Tyagi said: "It is almost certain that the JD-U will be a part of the cabinet. Who will be Ministers will be decided by Nitish Kumar. What will be the number and portfolio will be decided by the Prime Minister." Noting that the party will be a part of the Central government after many years, he said that Nitish Kumar was in constant touch with senior BJP leaders. Tyagi also said that the party's national executive meet will be held in Patna on June 9. "In the meeting, the party's agenda for elections will be formally announced. Anil Hegde has been nominated as the election officer," he said. The party also thanked the people of Bihar and Arunachal Pradesh for the election results. The meeting was attended by R.C.P. Singh, Rajya Sabha member Pavan Verma, Afaq Ahmed, national General Secretary Ghulam Rasool Balyabi, national Secretary Ravindra Kumar and others. --IANS rbe/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress on Wednesday ruled out any leadership change in Rajasthan. "There will be no change in the party leadership in the state", said Avinash Pandey, in-charge of the Congress in Rajasthan. On the resignation letter by cabinet minister Lalchand Kataria, which became viral on social media, Pandey said he had no information about his resignation. However, some Congress leaders continue to issue statements hinting at the threat to the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government. Ram Narayan Meena, a Congress MLA, in a video that became viral on Wednesday, claimed the Narendra Modi government could dissolve the state government by July if Congress ministers continued with their selfish moves. "Prime Minister Modi is keeping his eyes on state if Section 356 can be used to dissolve the government. If Congress ministers don't improve, the state government will be dissolved," he is heard saying in the video. On the speculations, Chief Minister Gehlot said the Congress had seen many ups and downs. "We need to work for preserving the Constitutional values as this fight is not against any person, but an ideology," he said. He said the BJP befooled people by making army's valour an election issue and added though we lost the elections, we would continue to play our role under Rahul Gandhi's presidentship. --IANS arc/rs/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After all clamour for discipline, the BJP seems to have decided to soft-pedal action against Pragya Thakur over her remarks about Godses patriotism. Even before the issue was put to rest, another Thakur has raised her voice in favour of Godse. The party MLA from Mhow in Indore, Usha Thakur, reiterated at a press conference on Wednesday what Pragya had said nearly two weeks ago. The message is clear: the partys threat to act against the offenders was just eyewash. "Godse was a patriot, quite concerned about the nation," said Usha Thakur. We need to look at the circumstances prevailing in that period to ascertain what drove him to kill Mahatma Gandhi. The party has obviously decided to look the other way. Usha Thakur had hit the headlines three years ago by calling for a ban on Muslim youth participating in Garba during Navaratri. Like Pragya, the mobike-riding Usha has a penchant to dip words in venom before shooting them. On May 16 the Pragya had incurred the leadership's wrath by calling Godse a patriot. BJP president Amit Shah had ordered show-cause notices to be served on her and three others, Karnataka's Anant Kumar Hegde and Nalin Kateel and Madhya Pradesh media cell in charge Anil Saumitra who eulogised Godse or demeaned Gandhi. They were asked to explain their conduct in ten days and the matter was referred to a disciplinary committee. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had gone to the extent of saying he would never be able to forgive Pragya. Modi was shown ignoring Pragya when she greeted him durig a meeting of new members of Lok Sabha. The whole sequence came to nought as Modi decided to forget her offence. There seems to be no further action after BJP suspended Saumitra from the primary membership of the party. With the election heat on, the matter was referred to the disciplinary committee and the offenders were asked to explain their conduct in ten days. Despite her apology, the party was unhappy with Pragya Thakur. During the heat of the campaigning party president Amit Shah called the remarks on Mahatma Gandhi's assassin "not in line with the party's ideology" and party's disciplinary committee had given them 10 days to explain their comments. The leaders have apparently not bothered to reply to the notice, nor has the disciplinary committee received any formal communication from the party president. --IANS naidu/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) More than 50 civilian protesters were injured on Wednesday in clashes with security forces near the site of a gunfight with militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district. As soon as the firing exchanges started between the security forces and the holed-up militants in Tazipora (Mohammadpora) village, dozens of protesters pelted stones at the security personnel, said police sources. "Over 50 protesters were injured in the clashes as the security forces used tear smoke and pellet gunshots to disperse the unruly mob," an official said. Reports said the militants managed to escape while the security forces were dealing with the protesters. Six of the injured people had sustained grievous injuries and four of them were referred to Srinagar, said a doctor at the Kulgam Hospital. A cowshed and an adjoining structure were destroyed during the gunfight. Security forces including the Rashtriya Rifles (RR), Special Operations Group (SOG) of state police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) had surrounded the village following information that militants were hiding there. The militants fired at the security forces, triggering the encounter. --IANS sq/pg/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least 3.7 million school-age children do not attend classes. In 2018, over a thousand schools were closed. A whole generation is at risk and girls are the most disadvantaged. For Italian priest, if children are prevented from going to school, culture will be nipped in the bud. Kabul (AsiaNews) The number of attacks on Afghan schools nearly tripled last year, up from 68 in 2017 to 192 in 2018, the UNICEF reported on Tuesday. For Fr Giuseppe Moretti, chaplain at the Italian embassy and head of the missio sui iuris of Afghanistan until 2015, this is how a culture is nipped in the bud. The UNICEF report highlights the difficulties in accessing education in a country ravaged by 18 years of war. At the end of 2018, the agency said that more than a thousand schools were closed as result of the violence, depriving some 500,000 children of their right to education. According to the UN agency, at least 3.7 million children between the ages of 7 and 17 (half the total number of school-aged children) do not attend classes. An entire generation is at risk of illiteracy from the lack of teachers, often injured or killed in attacks, as well as their inadequate training (only 48 pe cent have a degree equivalent to a bachelor's degree). Girls are the most disadvantaged group with about 60 pe cent not going to school. Their limited access to education is a legacy of the severe gender discrimination that existed under the Taliban (1996-2001). The latter marginalised them as "suitable" only for the home, not study. The limited number of female teachers has made matters even worse. The Italian priest is critical of "the presence of Western powers in Afghanistan since 2001, who should have built what that make people move towards democracy, first of all schools and hospitals. Western powers should also have spoken out more on girls' education: women's equality is not about women priests." Today, "the commitment must be to rebuild the schools, but as long as there is no peace, it will be very difficult". According to Fr Moretti, "without culture there is no democracy, we are all sheep. If people want to study and the government does not allow it, it means the powerful just keep people subjugated. "Schooling is fundamental to build democracy. A responsible ruling class with crucial plans to lay the foundations of democracy is missing. "If culture is nipped in the bud by preventing children to go to school, the bud will never flower, and become full blown." An all-powerful Prime Minister's Office has centralised authority in the land in its first innings, now in its second avatar, it has much more to do. It will continue to oversee PM Modi's hobby horses which revolve around Jan, Aadhar and Mobile or JAM providing direct benefit to the poor and underprivileged at the bottom of the pyramid. Modi's Populist Development or Hindutva Plus has worked like a charm in 2019 hustings and the PM is in no mood to take his foot off the pedal. However, Modi 2.0 will also see a PMO 2.0. Speculation is rife over the continuing role of the Big Three atop Raisina Hill. Principal Secretary Nripendra Misra, National Security Adviser Ajit K Doval and Additional Principal Secretary P.K. Mishra. They provide the necessary heft to the PMO and the question is whether they will continue or not in the new PMO for another five years. All three have their tenures co-terminus with the PM. Principal Secretary Nripendra Misra is 74 years old and an ordinance was used to bring him into office in 2014, but it may see the age cut-off threshold of 75 nix his prospects. PM follows a code where leaders over 75 don't figure in his council of ministers and perhaps that is why stalwarts like Murli Manohar Joshi and Yashwant Sinha never made it to his Cabinet in 2014. This time tickets were not given to L.K. Advani, Joshi and even speaker Sumitra Mahajan for the same reason. But since there is a year for Misra to attain the age of 75, he may well continue. In the eventuality that Nripendra Misra is asked to demit office, it is certain that 70-year-old P.K. Misra (Additional Principal Secretary) will take over as Principal Secretary. One of the PM's most able advisors, Ajit Doval, will remain NSA. Which means that Additional Principal Secretary moving up the value chain could be the first change followed by a second for he will require a replacement. Cabinet Secretary P.K. Sinha, 63, who retires in mid-June will then step into Misra Jr's shoes. Nripendra Misra has a long and distinguished career as a top bureaucrat, from fertilser secretary to telecom secretary, he went onto become the regulator stewarding TRAI. A 1967 batch UP cadre officer, Misra has an MPA in public administration from John F Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and postgraduate degrees in chemistry and political science and public administration from Allahabad University. The principal secretary also plays a substantial influence on policy-making. Misra who has been credited for being an efficient, pro-business administrator has served as the telecom secretary under Dayanidhi Maran and is credited with the broadband policy to his name. A 1968-batch IPS officer who spent virtually all his career in IB, Ajit Doval is a former IB chief and a legendary intel operative who infiltrated Mizo National Army and combated terrorists in Punjab and Srinagar. He also spent six years in Pakistan and is described as a 'realist' on that country. He is the first police officer to receive Kirti Chakra in 1988. While there has been talk that he could become defence minister or Ambassador to US, he is in many ways the PM's eyes and ears on security-related issues and sources close to developments dismissed his move from the PMO completely. Pramod Kumar Misra is the other Misra in the PMO and like Misra Sr, an extremely powerful bureaucrat. It is important to mention here that this post was specially created by Modi to keep his most trusted bureaucrat close to him in the PMO. Misra has also been given the charge as Ex-Officio Mission Director of the ambitious National Mission for Clean Ganga. Reportedly very close to the PM, Misra served as Principal Secretary to Modi between 2001 and 2004 during his tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat. It was during this period that Misra, a native of Odisha played a pivotal role in the metamorphosis of Modi from an RSS pracharak to the Chief Minister of Gujarat. He is known for assisting the then Gujarat CM while the latter made his way into the complex world of the bureaucracy and public administration. Misra was later handpicked by Modi and appointed as Chairman of the Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission for a five-year term just after a day of his retirement in 2008. In his four-decade-long career as an administrator, Misra has held various key positions at the Centre and in the Gujarat government. As Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture between December 1, 2006 and August 31, 2008 under Sharad Pawar, he was credited with the implementation of the National Agriculture Development Programme and the National Food Security Mission. It was during his tenure in the Ministry of Agriculture that the production of food grains reached record levels and there was a substantial increase in the agricultural GDP. He later served as Member Secretary in the National Capital Region Planning Board and Secretary of the National Disaster Management Authority. --IANS prs/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As Narendra Modi gets into his second innings as Prime Minister, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is likely to visit India in June to discuss the path ahead for India-US relations. State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said on Tuesday that "Pompeo will have a very robust discussion on a range of issues" with Indian leaders but did not say when. According to sources in New Delhi, Pompeo was likely to visit India ahead of the June 28-29 G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan, when US President Donald Trump and Modi are scheduled to meet. Pompeo would lay the groundwork for their meeting. "India is a great ally and partner of the US," Ortagus told reporters in Washington. The US "will work closely with Modi, as we have many times". After Modi led his ruling coalition to a sweeping election victory, Trump had said that he sees "great things" for India-US relations. During his phone call to congratulate Modi, the two leaders agreed to meet on the sidelines of the Osaka summit. Despite the ties that have grown closer during Modi's and Trump's first terms mainly centred on the Indo-Pacific region and the subject of fighting terrorism, there are several issues on which the two differ. One of them is Iran, which cropped up during Ortagus' media briefing. Asked about reports that India and Iran are negotiating ways of bypassing US sanctions on oil trade, she said that Pompeo had been very clear about completely stopping it. There would be no new exemptions after the earlier ones ended on May 2 and "the US position there remains quite firm", she said. India's Ambassador in Washington, Harshvardhan Shringla, said India had completely stopped importing Iranian oil. India's planned purchase of the Russian S-400 anti-missile defence system is another point of difference. The US has strongly opposed Turkey's planned purchase of the system, leading to Ankara delaying the system's delivery. Washington has not so far openly turned up the heat on India over the S-400 as it has on Iran oil. Trade remains the major area of difference between the two countries, caught in the trap of Trump's campaign to bring down the US trade deficits and his "America First" campaign. There may be a preview of the efforts in the trade area when Pompeo is expected to address the US-India Business Council in June ahead of his likely visit to India. Commercial opportunities could also open up as a result of the US-China trade war that India could exploit by deftly working out a compromise on trade issues. Pompeo visited New Delhi last September for the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue. The high-level meeting of India's Ministers of Defence Nirmala Sitharaman and External Affairs Sushma Swaraj with him and then Defence Secretary Jim Mattis chartered the course of strategic ties between India and the US. An area of cooperation where there has been a marked success is in fighting terrorism. The US pressured China to drop its opposition to include Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist leader Masood Azhar in the UN list of international terrorists. He was put under UN sanctions list in May when he lost Beijing's decade-long protection. The US stood by India during the Pulwama terror attack claimed by the JeM, and also when India launched a retalitory air attack on terrorist bases in Balakot, Pakistan. Washington is also trying to build a bulwark of democracies against China's aggressive quest for dominance in the Indo-Pacific region. Trump sees India as a potential key player in this strategy alongside Japan, Australia and other regional democracies. (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter @arulouis) --IANS al/soni/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Post his swearing-in on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a tight schedule from June till August as he will be on foreign tours holding bilaterals back to back beginning Maldives, Bishkek and Osaka and in between even finding time for Budget deliberations in New Delhi. In his first bilateral visit post assuming office for the second term, Modi is expected to travel to the Maldives on June 7-8, reports say. The Prime Minister had visited Maldives in November 2018 to attend the swearing-in ceremony of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, after he defeated Abdulla Yameen in the presidential polls. This was followed by Solih's visit to India in December. Following that Modi will be attending the annual summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Kyrgyzstan's capital Bishkek on June 13-14. Next, the Prime Minister is likely to meet US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan, in June. The summit will be held from June 28 to 29. The two leaders had agreed to meet at the G-20 summit during Trump's congratulatory call to Modi on his Lok Sabha poll victory. The US leader had said that he sees "great things" for India-US relations after Modi's win. The White House had said that Trump and Modi pledged to continue to strengthen the US-India strategic partnership, building on the achievements of the last two years. Modi had responded saying: "I too am looking forward to working closely with you for closer bilateral ties, which also augur well for global peace and prosperity." He is again likely to meet the US President in September around the time of UN General Assembly session in New York. Later, Modi is expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin during the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok in Russia. It will be held from September 4-6. The Prime Minister will also be meeting leaders from the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) regional bloc who are invited to his inauguration ceremony. According to the External Affairs Ministry, Modi will host Chinese President Xi Jinping in India later this year. "During the first Informal Summit in Wuhan, Chinese President Xi had accepted the invitation of PM Modi to visit India for the next Informal Summit in 2019. The two sides are in touch, through diplomatic channels, to finalise the date and venue for the meeting," the Ministry said in a press statement. Their informal summit is expected to take place on October 11 in Varanasi. The first informal summit between the two leaders took place in April 2018 in Wuhan, China. --IANS soni/in (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The artistic connection of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, two towering figures of British history, will be seen in a free British Museum exhibition here, where rare etchings depicting their domestic life would be on display. The etchings done by the royal couple would show the early years of their marriage, and would mark the bicentenary of both their births, The Telegraph reported. The exhibition is titled "At Home: Royal Etchings by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert". The etchings -- a type of printmaking involving drawing on a metal plate -- were completed by Victoria and Albert in the 1840s, and museum curators say they show the royals "in a completely different light". The British Museum said the royals were "talented and enthusiastic amateur artists" whose works were often collaborations, with some of the etchings by Albert based on Victoria's earlier drawings. "The display will consist of 20 artworks by the couple, often depicting domestic scenes of their life in Windsor and Claremont and featuring their children and pets," it reported. The royals had only wanted their artworks to be seen by close friends and family, but Queen Victoria's grandson King George V donated them to the Museum in 1926. As per Telegraph, Sheila O'Connell, curator of prints and drawings at the British Museum, said: "As parents, both Victoria and Albert have been much criticised, but these images show them in a completely different light. "The scenes Victoria depicts in her drawings show her to be a very affectionate mother, and it's clear that both she and Albert enjoyed spending time with their children." The exhibit, which begins July 18 and runs till September, will mark the first time they have been on public display. --IANS sj/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With Congress President Rahul Gandhi adamant that he will not withdraw his resignation, he remains, in parallel, furious with the old guard - Ashok Gehlot, Kamal Nath and P. Chidambaram (Gehlot's son Vaibhav lost while Kamal Nath's son Nakul and Chidambaram's son Karti won) - who were busy pushing their children in the recently-concluded hustings and "not working for the party per se". However, better counsel is now prevailing where he has accepted that he will lead the Congress party in the Lok Sabha where its strength from a paltry 44 has gone up to 52, an increase of a mere eight MPs. Sonia Gandhi will remain UPA Chairperson and the family/dynasty will distance itself from day-to-day affairs of the party. All three Gandhi family members - Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka - will not be involved in the daily functioning of the party. An interim Working President with two or more working Vice Presidents in a loosely-formed presidium will run the party operations and plan for elections and campaigns. K.C. Venugopal may emerge as interim President while Prithviraj Chauhan could be one of the Vice Presidents. Given that the Congress has 23 MPs from the south, it appears that a south Indian will helm the party for the time being. Or alternatively, cut the umbilical cord with the past and appoint Jyotiraditya Scindia as the Working President and have the youth brigade of Sachin Pilot, Milind Deora and others under him to turn the party's fortunes around. The recent rout which has seen the Congress draw a blank in 17 states and Union Territories and as many as eight Chief Ministers and the leader of the party in the Lok Sabha losing is its darkest chapter yet. In the ensuing vacuum, Treasurer Ahmed Patel, once Political Secretary to Sonia Gandhi, is back to hold the reins. Congress had fielded 421 candidates across the country but only 52 of them got elected, marking the second dismal performance by the party in the second successive general elections. The Congress won the maximum number of 15 seats in Kerala followed by eight each in Punjab and Tamil Nadu. Among the party leaders who lost were four members of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the highest decision-making body of the party. But the Young Turks are determined to dislodge the old guard. Pilot and Scindia are in the forefront to back Gandhi in his "clean-up" attempt. Sources said that in his outburst at the CWC meeting after the Lok Sabha defeat, Gandhi had selectively targeted the old guard. The Young Turks, all of whom had tasted defeat, were spared. In fact, Pilot and Scindia, being seen as the faces that may replace Rahul Gandhi, did not perform upto expectations. The Congress lost all the seats in Rajasthan for the second time in row, and in Madhya Pradesh, Scindia lost his own election from Guna. But the Young Turks feel that this is the time to take control of the party. --IANS gd/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With Congress President Rahul Gandhi adamant that he will not withdraw his resignation, he remains, in parallel, furious with the old guard - Ashok Gehlot, Kamal Nath and P. Chidambaram (Gehlot's son Vaibhav lost while Kamal Nath's son Nakul and Chidambaram's son Karti won) - who were busy pushing their children in the recently-concluded hustings and "not working for the party per se". However, better counsel is now prevailing where he has accepted that he will lead the Congress party in the Lok Sabha where its strength, from a paltry 44, has gone up to 52, an increase of a mere eight MPs. Sonia Gandhi will remain UPA Chairperson and the family/dynasty will distance itself from day-to-day affairs of the party. An interim Working President with two or more working Vice Presidents in a loosely-formed presidium will run the party operations and plan for elections and campaigns. K.C. Venugopal may emerge as interim President while Prithviraj Chauhan could be one of the Vice Presidents. Given that the Congress has 23 MPs from the south, it appears that a south Indian will helm the party for the time being. Or alternatively, cut the umbilical cord with the past and appoint Jyotiraditya Scindia as the Working President and have the youth brigade around him to turn the party's fortunes around. The recent rout which has seen the Congress draw a blank in 16 states, two Union Territories and as many as eight Chief Ministers and the leader of the party in the Lok Sabha losing is its darkest chapter yet. In the ensuing vacuum, Treasurer Ahmed Patel, once Political Secretary to Sonia Gandhi, is back holding the reins. Congress had fielded 421 candidates across the country but only 52 of them got elected marking the second dismal performance by the party in the second successive general elections. The Congress won the maximum number of 15 seats in Kerala, followed by eight each in Punjab and Tamil Nadu each. In many states and Union Territories, it could not even open its account. Among the party leaders who lost were four members of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the highest decision-making body of the party. But the Young Turks are determined to dislodge the old guard. Sachin Pilot and Scindia are in the forefront to back Rahul Gandhi in his "clean-up" attempt. Sources said that in his outburst at the CWC meeting after the Lok Sabha defeat, Gandhi had selectively targeted the old guard. The Young Turks, all of whom had tasted defeat, were spared. In fact, Pilot and Scindia, being seen as the faces that may replace Gandhi, did not perform up to expectations. The Congress lost all the seats in Rajasthan for the second time in row, while in Madhya Pradesh, Scindia lost his own election. But the Young Turks feel that this was the time to take control of the party. They have started raising their voice highlighting what went wrong in Lok Sabha elections. South Mumbai candidate Milind Deora spoke up saying there was no media and communication strategy of the party in Mumbai. Pilot has also spoken about the problems affecting the party as he has asked for a mass contact programme with the people. --IANS gd/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pidi is back in news. Seems like he is the only companion Congress President Rahul Gandhi seeks to enjoy some "me" time with ever since the party has been in a monumental crisis following its massive defeat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Gandhi who has been adamant since May 25 to step down from the party helm, has been badgered by relentless visitors at his home -- family, friends, well wisher, party leaders -- everyone trying to convince him to continue as the party chief. On Wednesday, a photo went viral of Gandhi taking out Pidi on a ride amid reports of meetings with a host of party leaders led by former Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit. Pidi first hit spot light some years back when it was revealed he "tweets" for Gandhi. Pidi's "reveal" caused a sensation. Gandhi, who has been keeping himself away from the public eye, appeared to enjoy a fun ride in the photo and the Twitterati can't stop loving the moment. In the picture, Gandhi can be seen driving out of his house in New Delhi; 12, Tughlak Lane, in his car with his pet dog Pidi on the backseat, giving an adorable reaction.Pidi was the same dog that Gandhi was feeding when former Congress leader Himanta Biswa Sarma had gone to meet him to discuss Assa''s problems but the then Congress Vice President was busy playing with his canine friend. Disillusioned Sarma left and joined the BJP. --IANS in/am (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress President Rahul Gandhi and United Progressive Alliance chairperson and senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi will attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi on Thursday, party leaders said. A senior Congress leader told IANS: "Rahulji and Soniaji will attend the ceremony." He further said that besides the Gandhis, senior party leader Anand Sharma will also attend the ceremony. --IANS aks/kr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Riding sales of Galaxy A and online-only Galaxy M series, Samsung is on track to beat Xiaomi as the No. 1 smartphone seller in India this year, according to a top executive of the South Korean tech giant. "We are aiming to double online market share in the country this year. Overall, we are expecting a healthy double-digit growth in revenue in the India smartphone business," Asim Warsi, Senior Vice-President, Mobile Business, Samsung India, told IANS, here on Wednesday. The company "should be" the biggest smartphone seller in the country by the end of this year, he added. Samsung has sold within 3 months two million M series smartphones, in addition to over 5 million Galaxy A phones in 70 days. With 48.6 per cent share of the online channel, Xiaomi maintained its leadership position in the India smartphone market in the first quarter of 2019, according to International Data Corporation (IDC). Online sales reached 40.2 per cent of the India smartphone market in the same period. Samsung increased its online share to 13.5 per cent in the same quarter. But with the launch of its India-first Galaxy M series phones, the company is "pushing the envelope" to increase its share of the online channel. "Our business in online has taken a vertical take off, thanks to the three M series models," Warsi said, adding its phones in other series were also available online. The three M series models that Samsung has launched are -- Galaxy M10, M20, and M30 -- in the Rs 8,000 to Rs 18,000 price range. Its fourth phone in the series will be M40, scheduled for launch on June 11. "We are planning to launch the Galaxy M40 at around Rs 20,000," Warsi said. "The Galaxy M40, to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 processor, will have the screen sound technology. The sound is created through the vibration of the screen," Warsi said. The phone will also have the "Hole-in-Display", a technology currently available in its flagship S10 series. (Gokul Bhagabati can be contacted at gokul.b@ians.in) --IANS gb/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed a plea by former Union Minister P. Chidambaram's son Karti for immediate refund of his deposit of Rs 10 crore, while telling the newly-elected Lok Sabha member to "pay attention" to his constituency. Karti Chidambaram is facing proceedings in cases linked to Aircel-Maxis and money laundering. One of the cases includes the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media for Rs 305 crore of foreign funds, when his father was the Finance Minister. "Everytime you go abroad you deposit Rs 10crore. Ok..we will refund Rs 10 crore but next time you go we will say deposit Rs 20 correct," a Vacation Bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi told Karti. Karti's lawyer had approached the bench saying since he is back in India, the money deposited with the apex court registry should be refunded. The court asked, "Why are you after Rs 10 crore deposited in the court?" Karti Chidambaram had moved the apex court seeking release of Rs 10 crore, deposited with the court's registry regarding his overseas travel. He claimed he raised loans to deposit Rs 10 crore and was paying interest on it. His plea was mentioned before the Vacation Bench, comprising Justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna. Karti's counsel also informed the court that his client had returned to India. The bench refused to grant him any relief and instead asked his counsel to mention the matter before the bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi. His counsel contended that the court's registry had asked to produce a formal court order regarding the return of the money. "You mention it before the regular Bench," the Vacation Bench said. Earlier, the bench headed by the CJI allowed Karti to travel to the UK, the US, France, Germany and Spain in May and June this year on condition that he deposit Rs 10 crore with the Secretary General of the apex court. The court had said it would be returned to him upon his return. A similar order was passed by the court in January regarding Karti's overseas travel. The court had said it would "come down heavily", if it comes across that he was not cooperating. Karti is being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The ED had opposed Karti's travel request. The court had earlier asked Karti to file an undertaking that upon his return, he will fully cooperate with the investigating agencies. Karti had been out of India for 51 days in the last six months; the probe agency informed the top court. --IANS ss/akk/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Martial law in Mindanao has been in force since the start of the Marawi siege. On 12 December 2018, the Filipino Congress extended it for another 12 months. According to Karapatan, since it was imposed, there have been six forced disappearances, 35 cases of torture, 28,813 cases of intimidation and more than 1,450 illegal arrests. Yet, most people remain in favour of President Dutertes decision. Mindanao (AsiaNews) Over the past two years, civil and political rights have been violated more than 800,000 in Mindanao, this according to Karapatan, a human rights advocacy group established in 1995. Since 23 May 2017, when Filipino president Rodrigo Duterte imposed martial law, the group has documented 93 cases of extrajudicial killings, 136 cases of frustrated extrajudicial killings, and more than 1,400 cases of illegal arrests, Mindanao was placed under martial law after Islamists seized parts of the city of Marawi in an attempt to set up an enclave of the Islamic State (Is) in Southeast Asia. On 12 December 2018, the Congress of the Philippines extended martial law by 12 months (until December 31 2019), making it the longest period under this provision since the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos. According to President Rodrigo Duterte, tight security measures are needed to prevent Islamic extremists from boosting their forces. However, for Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay, The Duterte government has perpetrated several myths about military rule and has intentionally propagated fear to justify the extension and passage of repressive policies. In her view, Martial law did not bring about safety, but rather atrocities such as the Patikul massacre of 7 youths in September 2018, the Jolo twin bombings (against Jolo cathedral and a Zamboanga mosque) and corruption and abuses among the ranks of security forces. According to Karapatan, there have been six forced disappearances in Mindanao in two years, as well as 35 cases of torture; 28,813 cases of threat, harassment and intimidation, and 1,450 illegal arrests. In 4,428 cases, schools, medical buildings, place of worship have been used for military purposes. The military carried out 348,081 acts of bombing and forcibly evacuated 423.538 people. Yet, despite the difficulties brought by martial law, many in Mindanao remain in favour of the steps taken by the government. "The president has managed to get strong popular support, as shown by the results of the mid-term elections, a local source, anonymous for security reasons, told AsiaNews. He convinced people that whilst Islamist rebels made peace with the government, Communist insurgents still represent a serious threat." The president has repeatedly accused the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People's Army (NPA), of duplicity, calling them terrorist organisations" and ending a thirty-year peace process. "NPA fighters have lost support because they have been involved in violent episodes that affected the lives of ordinary people: they have killed members of the security forces and sometimes civilians in their operations. Another factor that made Duterte's security policies more popular is a new approach by the military in dealing with islanders. "Unlike what happened under Marcos, soldiers now show themselves open to dialogue and respect for rights. Still, they continue to investigate schools and tribal or peasant organisations, accused of supporting the rebels. "In Mindanao, some people oppose the security measures, but the voice of these people, like farmers, are not heard. For the wealthy, who are less affected by searches and checkpoints, all this is fine." In a veiled criticism of West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress, former party MP and noted historian Sugata Bose on Wednesday stressed the need for giving space to the opposition in a democracy, and said seeking "monopoly of power" in spite of having political dominance was "foolish". "In a democracy, the efforts to marginalise opposition parties or wipe them out of opposition space should not be encouraged. Opposition parties must be allowed (to act) in a democratic system. When there is dominance, seeking monopoly of power is foolish," said Bose, a grand nephew of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Hoping that a true democracy would be established, he said every citizen must be allowed to exercise his or her democratic right. The Trinamool and its supremo Mamata Banerjee have time and again during recent elections called upon party workers and the people to make the state "opposition less". There were widespread allegations of rampant rigging and use of muscle power against the Trinamool to prevent opposition candidates from filing nominations in last year's panchayat polls. Bose, a Harvard University Professor who had earned much praise for his speeches during his first stint in parliament, opted out of the contest in this election as he did not get permission from his university. "Any political party which comes to power is affected by some malady. There is an urgent need to get rid of this malady. A right step can be decided after considering the message sent by Bengal's people," he said. Of the state's 42 Lok Sabha seats, the BJP won an unprecedented 18, up from two five years back. The Trinamool won 22 seats, 12 less from its tally in the 2014 general elections Asked about the rise of the BJP in the state, he said: "The communists have been decimated and there was virtually no opposition. does not like this vacancy. Apart from this, the BJP, in this election, was successful to some extent through its tactics of communal polarisation. We have to review all aspects and introduce an initiative for a new and societal movement." Bose was hopeful that progress can be made through a renewed thrust after "taking lessons from the election results". Bose, however, did not subscribe to the much-talked argument that people voted against the Trinammol more than in favour of the BJP. "I do not think this is entirely true. Trinamool's votes increased in this election. What really happened was a majority of anti-Trinamool votes got consolidated. But, one cannot ignore the rise of Hindu fundamentalists. This type of aggression can ruin the structure of the society in Bengal. So Bengal would make mistake if it chooses this path," he said. Asked about the dismal show of the Trinamool in the Lok Sabha elections, he said, "I think we need to face a larger question setting aside the thoughts for the political party, political rivalry and votes. What sort of India and Bengal do we want to see in future?" --IANS bdc/ssp/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to pressurise Pakistan to undertake a thorough probe into the destruction of the centuries-old Guru Nanak Palace in Narowal. He has also offered his government's help to get the property in Pakistan's Punjab rebuilt, if the Centre could secure Islamabad's permission for the same. Amarinder Singh wrote to Modi requesting him to take up the matter with the government of Pakistan asking for "a probe in the wanton destruction of the property in question and to bring to justice all the guilty persons associated with this unfortunate act". Calling for urgent steps to restore the remaining structure through scientific conservation and restoration, the Chief Minister also sought to impress upon the government of Pakistan the need to preserve all such monuments that have an association with Sikh heritage in an institutionalised manner so that such incidents do not recur in future. "If the government of India arranges permission from the Pakistan government, the Punjab government (India) would rebuild the historic property," he said in a press statement. Amarinder Singh strongly condemned the shocking incident, which he said hurt the sentiments of Sikhs around the world. In his letter to the Prime Minister, he wrote: "The building, which some media reports cite to be around four centuries old and has been visited by a large number of Sikh pilgrims, has been rapaciously pillaged and destroyed." He said the incident had caused great consternation in his state and it was almost ironic that it had happened at a time when the two countries were poised to celebrate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the first Sikh guru. --IANS vg/rtp/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least 70 family members of slain Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists in West Bengal will attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony on Thursday, a state BJP leader said on Wednesday. The members will be taken to New Delhi by Rajdhani Express on Wednesday. "The party has decided to take the family members of our activists, who were killed in widespread political violence unleashed by the Trinamool Congress, to attend Modiji's oath-taking ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. We have shortlisted 70 family members so far," BJP state Secretary Tushar Kanti Ghosh told IANS. "One or two family members of each of the deceased activists have been shortlisted. Relatives of approximately 50 of our deceased activists are going. They are scheduled to come back on May 31," he said. Relatives of all three BJP activists -- Sishupal Sahish, Trilochan Mahato and Dulal Kumar -- who were killed and hanged from tress in Bengal's Purulia district are among those going to Delhi. The invitation to these families is being seen as a message to West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee ahead of Assembly elections scheduled in 2021. Among the special guests at the event will be leaders from BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) countries and a host of celebrities and politicians. During the Lok Sabha election campaign, Modi and BJP President Amit Shah repeatedly highlighted the issue of violence directed at the party in West Bengal. The BJP won 303 seats on its own in the Lok Sabha elections, and in West Bengal it took its tally to 18 from two in 2014. Leaders from BIMSTEC countries as well as Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov and Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth have confirmed their participation at Thursday's event. --IANS mgr-bns/mag/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) United Progressive Alliance chairperson and senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and party leader Anand Sharma will attend the swearing in ceremony of Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi on Thursday, party leaders said. A senior party leader told IANS: "Soniaji and Anand Sharma will attend the ceremony." Asked if Congress President Rahul Gandhi will attend, the party leader said: "As of now, there is no confirmation on Rahulji." --IANS aks/rs/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sri Lanka will host the annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Colombo in May 2021 and it will attract over 3,000 delegates, the Finance Ministry said on Wednesday. Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera said the annual meeting of the ADB Board of Governors was an opportunity for member governments to interact with ADB staff, NGOs, representatives of observer countries, international organisations and the private sector, Xinhua news agency reported. Over 3,000 delegates from 67 members will attend the meeting. The 2019 ADB meeting was held in Fiji early this month and the next meeting is scheduled to be held in South Korea in 2020. --IANS soni/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A total of 864 civilians and 29 personnel of security forces were killed in 47 terror attacks witnessed from 2004 till last year in the country, excluding Jammu and Kashmir and North East, as also the incidents of Left Wing extremism. At least 3,202 civilians and 44 security personnel were injured in these incidents, according to the Union Home Ministry figures. The details show that the maximum number of 9 terror incidents took place in the year 2008 in which 306 civilians and 18 security forces personnel were killed and 833 civilians were injured. Though the breakup of these incidents was not provided, the incidents and casualties included the November 26, 2008 multiple terror attacks in Mumbai in which 166 civilians and security personnel were killed and over 300 were wounded. The attack was carried out by 10 Pakistani terrorists who arrived in Mumbai from Karachi via the Arabian Sea. The terror strike went on for 60 hours before nine of the attackers were killed and one captured alive. The targets of the attack were the iconic places like Taj Hotel and Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station besides the Trident Hotel, Leopold Cafe and Nariman House jewish centre. The year in which the second highest number of casualties took place was 2006, with 238 civilians being killed and 1266 being wounded in 4 terror attacks, according to the details made available by the Home Ministry in reply to an RTI application. The biggest such strike in that year was carried out on July 11, when seven bombs exploded within minutes on suburban trains of Mumbai. Over 200 civilians were killed and more than 700 were injured in these coordinated bombings. At least 141 civilians were killed and 236 injured in the year 2007 when 6 terror attacks were carried out in the Indian hinterland, the figures show. In the year 2005, five terror attacks were carried out in which 67 civilians were killed and 244 injured. At least 42 civilians were killed and 210 were injured in four terror attacks in the year 2011. Four terror attacks were carried out in 2013, in which 23 civilians were killed and 230 were injured. The Indian hinterland saw five terror incidents in 2010, in which 19 civilians were killed and 106 were injured. In 2004, 17 civilians were killed and 22 were injured in two terror incidents, the figures show. The year 2014 saw three terror attacks in which four civilians were killed and 18 injured. In 2015, three civilians and four security personnel were killed and 10 civilians and seven security personnel were injured in one terror attack. The ministry did not elaborate but the reference was clearly to an attack by three terrorists on a bus and then on a police station in Gurdaspur district of Punjab on July 27, 2015. A Superintendent of Police was among those killed in the attack which lasted for almost 12 hours before all the three terrorists were neutralized. In 2016, seven security personnel and a civilian were killed and 37 security men and one civilian were injured in a single terror attack. The reference was to the suicide attack by terrorists on Air Base in Punjab's Pathankot on January 1. The year 2018 saw one terror attack in which three civilians were killed and 23 injured. In 2012, two terror incidents took place in which three civilians were injured. The years 2009 and 2017 were terror incident free, like the current year till now, according to the data available. --IANS akk/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray will attend the swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister for a second consecutive time, accompanied by his wife Rashmi and son Aditya, party sources indicated here on Wedneday. The Shiv Sena is now the second largest constituent of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), having a total of 18 MPs in the Lok Sabha and another three in Rajya Sabha. Besides, in Maharashtra, they have been allies uninterrupted - barring a brief parting in 2014 - for nearly 30 years, and is ruling the state for the second time. Before the the current government, the earlier tenure was from 1995-1999. Despite sharp bickering for over four years, the two parties sewed up a formidable alliance last February for the May 2019 Lok Sabha polls which has paid off handsomely for a total of 41 seats. Of the total 48 Lok Sabha seats - the second largest in the country after Uttar Pradesh - four went to the opposition Nationalist Congress Party, and one each to the Congress, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen and the opposition-supported Yuva Swabhiman Party. Since the renewal of bonds, Thackeray has been in a cosy relationship with BJP President Amit Shah and Modi, besides enjoying an excellent personal rapport with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Soon after the results were announced on May 23, Fadnavis made it a point to visit Thackeray at his 'Matoshri' residence in Bandra carrying sweets. On May 21, Thackeray attended a pre-results meeting of the NDA in New Delhi. Later, on May 25, he was given a position on the dais in Parliament Hall when Modi was elected leader of the BJP-NDA parliamentary party. In April, Thackeray was present in Varanasi along with other NDA leaders, when Modi filed his nomination papers for the seat. Given the sheer warmth of their relationship, there is speculation the BJP may give up two, or possibly three, ministerial berths to the Shiv Sena, compared to only one in the previous NDA regime. This would pay rich dividends for both partners in the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections due in October, when Thackeray junior is also expected to test the electoral waters. --IANS qn/bc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The period for online applications for tickets to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games closed at midday on Wednesday, after organizers allowed applicants an extra 12 hours to apply for seats at the next summer Olympics. The first round of the Olympic ticketing process for Japanese residents began on May 9 and was originally due to close at midday on Tuesday, Xinhua news reports. However, the deadline was postponed to Wednesday to offset problems caused by heavy traffic to the official ticketing website. The organizing committee said that as of midday on Wednesday, the number of "Tokyo 2020 ID" registrations needed to buy tickets had surpassed 7.5 million, adding that the ticketing website was accessed more than 24 million times during the application period. The number of ID registrations exceeded the amount from both the 2012 London and 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games at the same stage of the sales process, the committee added. "We are delighted to have concluded this highly important milestone successfully," Tokyo 2020 spokesman Masa Takaya was quoted as saying by Kyodo News Agency. "The high number of applications shows there is a great passion nationwide for the Tokyo 2020 Games and sport in general. Millions of tickets are available at affordable prices and there will be other opportunities to acquire them," the spokesman said. A total of around 7.8 million tickets will eventually be issued. The results of a ticket lottery are scheduled to be announced on June 20, and winners need to have purchased their tickets by July 2. The organizing committee has not disclosed how many people applied for the lottery, or how great their chances of winning tickets might be. Unsuccessful applicants still have an opportunity to buy tickets during a first-come, first-served sales phase starting this fall. The final sales phase will start next spring and will offer first-come, first-served opportunities to both Japanese residents and foreign nationals. --IANS rkm/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The UN General Assembly has declared August 22 as the International Day for Victims of Religious Violence to combat hate crimes and persecution on the basis of beliefs. Recalling the wave of attacks that targeted a mosque in New Zealand, and churches in Sri Lanka during Easter Sunday services, Poland's Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz, who introduced the resolution on Tuesday, said that the international day will honour the victims and survivors of religious violence who are often forgotten. "We hope that it will help combat hate crimes and acts of violence related to religion or belief, and will further strengthen inter-religious dialogue," he said. The resolution is not focused on victims of any particular religion or belief and seeks to raise respect for religious diversity, Czaputowicz said. Pakistan, along with the US, was one of the nine sponsors of the resolution. During the discussion of the resolution, the US and China clashed over Washington's criticism of Beijing's treatment of its Muslim minority. The Acting US Representative to the UN Economic and Social Council, Austin Smith, said that in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region "more than one million Uighurs, ethnic Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and other members of Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang have been arbitrarily detained in camps since April 2017. There are disturbing reports of forced labour, torture, and deaths in these camps." "Chinese authorities are restricting religious freedom by labelling peaceful religious practices as manifestations of 'religious extremism and terrorism'," he added. He asked UN members to ask China to close its camps and respect the rights of Muslims, Christians, Tibetan Buddhists, and Falun Gong practitioners. China's delegate called the US allegations unfounded and said that what were described as camps were, in fact, vocational and educational training centres to help minorities learn skills that can help them fight poverty. He, in turn, hurled a counter-accusation against the US asserting that at the recent Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues many speakers had accused the US government of killing its own indigenous peoples, extinguishing their languages and oppressing their voices. (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter @arulouis) --IANS al/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indian pharmaceutical industry has been successful in engineering multiple molecular formulations for cardiovascular and diabetic treatment, which the US and other advanced countries had initially opposed. "When the Indian companies came out with multiple molecule formulations, the US and other advanced countries had vehemently opposed it but now they have started realizing and accepting the benefits of it," Vijay Shah, the chairman of the mega exhibition of the Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council of India. The seventh edition of this flagship exhibition of the Council, which showcases the best of Indian pharma capability to global buyers, will be held at the Mahatma Gandhi exhibition ground in the state capital Gandhinagar from June 10 to June 12. The union commerce ministry is sponsoring the event, providing for the travel and accommodation expenses of all the 738 buyers from across 130 countries, while the Gujarat government has provided the exhibition venue at subsidized rates. "Gujarat is the hub of pharmaceutical industry in India, with a share of about 30 per cent of the total exports. Recognizing this, we are holding this event for the first time in the state. This year, our focus is on the Medium and Small Enterprises (SMEs)," Shah said. The export promotion council's Executive Director Raghuveen Kini said, "We will help the SMEs in resolving issues and hindrances faced by them in exporting their products abroad and participation in global pharma events." "We are also sending delegations to Australia, New Zealand, China, Latin American countries like Mexico and Peru as well as CIS countries, including Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Armenia," Kini added. The Indian pharma industry is hoping for 15 per cent growth in exports over the previous years, Kini said. India is the third largest pharma exporter in the world and its export business is valued at over 19 billion US dollars. "We have 19.13 billion US dollar business with a growth of around 11 per cent in the year 2018-19. This fiscal we have set a target of 15 per cent exports growth," Shah said. --IANS desai/vin/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After taking office on 30 May, Modis foreign visits will be in June and October. Pakistan is not among the countries invited at the swearing-in ceremony. Maldives is seeking an alternative to China with whom it has a US$ 3 billion debt. New Delhi (AsiaNews/Agencies) Fresh from re-election, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis foreign agenda is already full, including a visit to the Maldives on 7-8 June, a meeting with Donald Trump on June 27-28, and barring unforeseen circumstances, a tete-a-tete with Xi Jinping on 11 October. Such a list confirms Modis geopolitical activism, in a never-ending attempt to counter Chinese hegemony in the Indian Ocean and US threats of trade sanctions. As some political analysts had opined after the landslide victory, Prime Minister Modi s first post-election trip will be to Male, the capital of the Maldives. The archipelago represents an important showcase in regional economic relations. One the one hand, the country has a huge debt with China (US$ three billion) due to agreements signed by a former president; on the other, the election of a new leadership opens up opportunities for other players, first and foremost neighbouring India who would like to replace the Chinese juggernaut. Modi will take his oath of office on 30 May. Leaders of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand are expected to attend. Pakistan has not been invited. Following his second inauguration, Modi will travel to the Maldives on 7 and 8 June where he will meet with President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. The two leaders have developed a personal rapport. Modi was the first foreign leader to visit the country following Solihs unexpected election in November 2018. The latter repaid the courtesy by visiting India in December. On this occasion New Delhi promised economic aid worth US$ 1.4 billion in budgetary support, currency swap and concessional lines of credit for socio-economic development programmes. In addition, the two leaders agreed to establish a framework of cooperation in health (particularly cancer treatment), mutual legal assistance on criminal matters, investment promotion, human resource development, and tourism. Modis second important meeting will be with Donald Trump, on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Japan. The US president was one of the first foreign leaders to call Modi after his victory, with promises of a stronger strategic partnership between the United States and India (with China in mind). The October meeting with the head of Chinas Communist Party has not been finalised. According to Indian news agencies, New Delhi has proposed an informal summit in Varanasi, like the one that occurred in China in April 2018. The two leaders are expected to discuss the Sino-Indian border dispute and the trade war between China and the United States. To protect its interests China has been projecting its power in the South China Sea, which serves as a passage for annual trade worth .5 trillion. Nearly 8,000 guests will attend the swearing-in of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday, making it the biggest-ever event held in the historic premises. While the guests attending the event will be treated to high tea, President Ram Nath Kovind will host a private dinner for the leaders from Bimstec countries as well as Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov and Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth - who have all confirmed their presence. "It will be the biggest-ever event at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. 8,000 people are coming," Ashok Malik, Press Secretary to the President, told IANS. The size of the gathering is seen as a reflection of the massive mandate received by Modi government in the Lok Sabha elections. Both the BJP and NDA have improved their tally compared to 2014. The swearing-in will be held in the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan, the same venue as in 2014. The event then was attended by about 5,000 guests. The high tea will have snacks, including samosas, and paneer items apart from sweets, while at the President's dinner, the visiting foreign dignitaries will be treated to "Dal Raisina" - a special delicacy of the Rashtrapati Bhavan that takes 48 hours to cook - among other delicacies. The Prime Minister will also attend the dinner, along with some officials. With the swearing-in scheduled for 7 p.m., dinner will be light as it will be served a little late in the evening. The dinner will have both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options and include soup, fish, chicken, vegetables and the "Dal Raisina" - a variant of popular 'maa ki dal'. "It is a speciality of our kitchen. Its special recipe was developed here in Rashtrapati Bhavan. It takes 48 hours to prepare. The process of preparing it started on May 28 and it will be ready by tomorrow (Thursday)," Malik said. The Bimstec leaders attending the event include Bangladeshi President Abdul Hamid, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, Myanmarese President U Win Myint, Nepali Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli and Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering. Thailand will be represented by its Special Enovy Grisada Boonrach. The event will also be attended by leaders of political parties, Ambassadors and diplomats and celebrities from various fields. --IANS ps/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A century ago, a few adventurous astronomers pointed their telescopes at the skies, observing one of the most famous solar eclipses that helped transform our understanding of the universe forever. The event helped verify Albert Einstein's General Theory of Relativity which underpins critical modern technologies such as the satellite-based Global Positioning System (GPS). The theory is essential for the correct operation of GPS systems, which in turn are relied on in many common applications including vehicle satellite navigation (SatNav) systems, weather forecasting, and disaster relief and emergency services. "This observation not only confirmed a fundamental theory of nature, and enhanced our understanding of nature in a great way, but also showed the genius of Einstein," Sudip Bhattacharyya, Associate Professor at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) in Mumbai told PTI. "It was as if, he said something bizarre, made an outlandish theory, and the nature was obliged to obey it! Bhattacharyya said. However, the world had to wait decades before the applications of such a blue skies result could be realised. On May 29, 1919, Astronomer Sir Arthur Eddington verified Einstein's theory by observing the apparent deflection of stars from their normal positions during a solar eclipse. This happens because, according to Einstein's theory, the path of light is bent by gravity when it travels close to a massive object like our Sun. This effect is measurable during a solar eclipse, when the Sun's light is blocked by the Moon. At such times, the light from the background stars closest to the edge of the Sun is bent, and so these stars appear to be in slightly different positions compared to when they are observed at other times. "A century ago astronomers confirmed the general theory of relativity -- in the process transforming our understanding of the universe forever," said Professor Mike Cruise, President of the Royal Astronomical Society. "The work of Einstein and Eddington is an amazing example of international collaboration in the aftermath of the first world war, and a visible demonstration of how science can overcome barriers in these turbulent times," Cruise said. The result was based on measurements taken by two UK-led expeditions, one to the island of Principe off the west coast of Africa, and the other to Sobral in Brazil. Two sites were chosen to increase the chances of success, and to ensure good conditions for viewing the eclipse. "The experiment redefined the way humanity evolved. It measured a very tiny effect which, however, was absolutely massive in its impact," Ayan Banerjee, associate professor at The Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Kolkata told PTI. "This is both in terms of our understanding of nature, as well as the technology we live on these days. The seeds of the Google maps in our phones were sown by Eddington a hundred years back," Banerjee said. The expeditions were jointly funded by the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), the Royal Society, and the Royal Irish Academy. When the results were announced at a joint meeting of the RAS and Royal Society in November of the same year, it made Einstein world famous within days. "It is quite rare in the history of science, that someone predicts so conspicuously unconventional, and it was confirmed by experiment or observation, that too in a matter of a few years, Bhattacharyya said. "On the 100th year of his prediction, gravitational waves, another prediction of his theory, were discovered (in 2015). And on the 100th year of the confirmation his theory, a black hole was first directly observed (this year), he noted. One hundred years later, scientists the world over are celebrating to mark the event. The Royal Astronomical Society is hosting solar observing events at Burlington House in London this week, and the library will display historical images and documents related to the 1919 eclipse. Other celebratory activities will be taking place in the UK, Portugal, Principe, Sobral and around the world. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two bike-borne men allegedly snatched a gold chain from a 36-year-old woman in northeast Delhi's Jafarabad area on Wednesday, police said. The incident took place at around 3.30 pm when the woman, working at a nursing home in Jafarabad, was returning home after work, they said. Two bike-borne men, one of them wearing a helmet, allegedly snatched her gold chain and sped away, Deputy Commissioner of Police (northeast) Atul Kumar Thakur said, adding that the public chased the miscreants but they managed to flee. One of the miscreants fired a shot in the air from a pistol, the officer said, adding that however, nobody was injured. The police found an empty cartridge from the spot. CCTV footage obtained from the area had been scanned and the police had zeroed in on some suspects, Thakur said, adding that a man was detained for questioning in this regard. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two Russian crewmembers on the International Space Station have begun a spacewalk to conduct scientific research and help maintain the orbiting outpost. Oleg Kononenko and Alexey Ovchinin will retrieve scientific experiments that were mounted on the station's exterior and perform necessary maintenance. The spacewalk is expected to last 6 hours. It's the fifth one for Kononenko, and the first one for Ovchinin. Their crewmates NASA's Anne McClain, Nick Hague and Christina Koch, and David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency are watching their progress from inside the orbiting outpost. Kononenko is set to return to Earth with McClain and Saint-Jacques next month following a six-and-a-half-month stint in orbit. Ovchinin will replace him as the station's commander. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three hardcore criminals have been detained under the Public Safety Act (PSA) in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district, officials said. They have been identified as Ajeet Singh alias Anju, Davinder Singh and Sunit Singh, all residents of Kanthan Batli Tehsil Arnas District Reasi, the officials said. Police prepared their dossier and submitted it to the competent authority, they said. Agreeing with the recommendations of police, the competent authority found if such persons roam freely in the area it might pose a serious threat to peace and disturb harmony among the people, they said. They will further get involved in criminal activities if not detained and therefore issued an order for their detention under the provisions of the Public Safety Act (PSA), the officials said. The order got executed by a team of police station Arnas and lodged the criminals in Kot Bhalwal Jail, Jammu, they added. The criminals are known hardcore criminals and are habitual offenders involved in criminal activities for the past several years, the officials said. These criminals are in a habit of intimidating people and provoking other criminal elements against the local administration in their due discharge of legal duties, they said. They often threaten the labourers who are employed in various developmental works being undertaken in the district, the officials said. There are 12 criminal cases registered against Ajeet Singh, four against Davinder Singh and three against Sunit Singh, they said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Seven persons, including four women, were arrested by Manipur Police from two different places in the state for being in possession of party drugs, police said on Wednesday. A total of 1,06,060 of narcotic drugs known as 'World is Yours' (W Y amphitamine tablets) were recovered from their possession, they said. In the first incident four persons, including three women, were held from Sugunu Bazar area in Manipur's Kakchig district Wednesday along with 6,060 W Y tablets, the Superintendent of Police, Victoria Yengkhom, said. Three others were arrested with 1,00,000 W Y tablets by officers of the Narcotics and Affairs of Border (NAB), Manipur, from the district on Tuesday, police said. A case has been registered at NAB police station. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Over 8,000 guests, including VVIPs, will attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister and his council of ministers Thursday. kitchen's speciality 'Dal Raisina' will be served to foreign delegates in a dinner to be hosted by President Ram Nath Kovind to dignitaries after the function. The swearing-in ceremony will be of about 90 minutes and after that a dinner will be served to around 40 dignitaries, including Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and the prime minister, besides leaders of all countries, spokesperson Ashok Malik said Wednesday. "This is for the first time that 8,000 guests will be attending the swearing-in ceremony that will be held from 7 pm to 8.30 pm on Thursday," Mailk said. About 4,500-5,000 guests have attended such ceremonies earlier. There will be light snacks for the guests attending the swearing-in ceremony like 'Paneer Tikka', the official said. "There will be a dinner which will be hosted by the president for about 40 guests. It will begin at 9 pm," Malik said. One of the key dishes 'Dal Raisina' will be served in the dinner, he told PTI. "Dal Raisina, a speciality of Rashtrapati Bhavan's kitchen, is cooked for about 48 hours. Its main ingredients are brought from Lucknow. "The preparation of Dal Raisina started Tuesday," the spokesperson said. Leaders of all countries have confirmed their participation in the prime minister's swearing-in ceremony. Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth and Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov have confirmed their participation at the event. President of Bangladesh Abdul Hamid, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, and Prime Minister of Nepal K P Sharma Oli have confirmed their participation at the ceremony. President of Myanmar U Win Myint and Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering have also confirmed their attendance at the event. From Thailand, its Special Envoy Grisada Boonrach will represent the country at the ceremony. Francis issued a video-message to the people of Romania on the eve of his visit to the country (31 May- 2 June). On Sunday, seven bishops martyred by the former communist regime will be beatified. Vatican City (AsiaNews) Pope Francis issued a video-message to the people of Romania on the eve of his visit to the country from 31 May to 2 June. In it, the pontiff says, I come to Romania, a beautiful and welcoming country, as a pilgrim and brother". He highlights "The bonds of faith which unite us, in particular the bond which united Peter and Andrew" who brought Christianity to the country. "Blood brothers, they shed blood for the Lord. And among you there have been many martyrs, even in recent times, such as the seven Greek-Catholic bishops whom I will have the joy of proclaiming Blessed. What they have suffered for, to the point of offering their lives, is too precious a legacy to be forgotten. It is a common heritage that calls us not to distance ourselves from the brother who shares it. "I come among you to walk together. We walk together when we learn to keep our roots and our family, when we take care of the future of our children and of our brother who is close to us, when we go beyond fears and suspicions, when we let the barriers that separate us from others fall." During his visit to the Balkan nation, the Holy Father will stop in Bucharest, Bacau, Sumuleu Ciuc, Iasi, Sibiu, and Blaj. This is his fifth trip outside of Italy in 2019. At the briefing presenting the trip, Vatican Press Office interim director Alessandro Gisotti stressed the ecumenical nature of the visit to the predominantly Orthodox country where the Catholic Churches - Latin and Greek Catholic - were suppressed by the communist regime in 1948. It is against this background, that on Sunday in Blaj, Transylvania, Francis will beatify seven bishops who were imprisoned and killed. After the BJP's thumping victory in the Lok Sabha elections, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath held a meeting with the newly elected MPs of the party at his official residence here on Wednesday. Addressing the meeting, which was also attended by state in-charge J P Nadda and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, Adityanath congratulated the MPs for their success. "Rising above candidate and party considerations, people this time came forward aggressively to elect the PM and this was seen all through the electioneering. It is because of this that the BJP won 303 seats on its own across the country; 64 of these are from Uttar Pradesh alone," Yogi said. Adityanath said the meeting was a formal introduction for the newly elected representatives who would henceforth be moving to Delhi for the swearing-in and the parliament session. The chief minister also hosted lunch for them. Among the MPs who attended the meeting were Smriti Irani, who won from Amethi, and Bhojpuri film star Ravi Kishan, who wrested the Gorakhpur seat from the opposition's 'mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance). Notable absentees included Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and actor-politician Hema Malini, who retained her Mathura seat. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Advance warning about an impending terror attack in Sri Lanka was "never a main point for discussion" during national intelligence coordination meetings, a senior police official Wednesday told a parliamentary probe panel on the Easter Sunday bombings. A parliamentary select committee was appointed to probe the events leading to the April 21 attacks and any lapses by those responsible following reports that India had alerted the Sri Lankan defence establishment on the impending attacks. Testifying before the committee, Sisira Mendis, a retired senior police official who is now the chief of national intelligence, said that prior information received was never a main subject in the discussions at the national intelligence coordination meetings. "It was never a main point for discussion," Mendis told the committee. More than 250 people were killed in coordinated suicide bomb attacks carried out by the local Jihadi group National Thowheed Jammath (NTJ) which is linked to the ISIS. Mendis said the defence establishment was focusing on possible ISIS links in the country since 2016. He said by April 4, the deputy inspector general and chief of state intelligence service Nilantha Jayawardena had received the information on the attacks. The threat was not discussed despite the presence of Jayawardena at the coordination meeting. Mendis said he recognised the threat himself and due to its seriousness he had alerted the chief of police. "On behalf of the secretary to the ministry of defence, I sent a letter to the inspector genera of police on this threat. I marked the letter as "eyes only" which is to indicate its importance," he said. The letter was dated April 9, Mendis said. Police chief Pujith Jayasundera was sent on compulsory leave by President Maithripala Sirisena for alleged responsibility to the failure to prevent the attack. Jayasundera Wednesday filed a fundamental rights petition in the Supreme Court against his "unfair sacking". The parliamentary probe was boycotted by Sirisena's Freedom Party members and parliamentarians of the leader of the opposition Mahinda Rajapaksa. The ruling coalition's dominant partner United National Party of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and JVP the Marxist opposition party are taking part in the probe. Wickremesinghe despite taking responsibility to the government's inability to prevent the attacks claimed that he had been excluded from the National Security Council (NSC) meetings since October last year. Mendis told the probe the NSC had last met on February 19 before the Easter Sunday attacks but the intelligence coordination committee had been meeting to discuss all national security matters. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bharti Airtel Wednesday said its rights issue of over 113.3 crore shares has been oversubscribed, with bids for over 119.6 crore stocks. "The total number of applications received were 27,335 for 1,196,630,354 equity shares which is 105.561 per cent of the issue size in terms of equity shares applied for," Bharti Airtel said in a print advertisement. The Sunil Bharti Mittal-led telecom firm has come up with a rights issue of up to 1,133,591,075 shares of face value of Rs 5 each at a price of Rs 220 per equity share, aggregating to up to Rs 24,939 crore. "Out of total 27,335 composite application forms (including 11,830 ASBA application) received, 34 CAFs were rejected on technical grounds," the advertisement said. The promoter group firms also participated in the rights issue, except to the extent of 227,272,727 shares renounced in favour of GIC Private Limited acting on behalf of the Government of Singapore and Monetary Authority of Singapore. These transactions led to decline in holding of promoter group firms from 67.14 per cent in March 2019 to 62.71 per cent in May. Stake of Bharti Airtel's majority shareholder Bharti Telecom has come down to 41.24 per cent. The Mittal family and Singapore telecom firm Singtel-owned Bharti Telecom held 50.1 per cent stake in Bharti Airtel at the end of March 2019. The Singapore government entities now jointly hold over 24.73 crore shares. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A bodyguard accidentally fired his gun aboard a government plane carrying billionaire Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis from an EU dinner but no one was hurt, police and media said Wednesday. "We can confirm an accidental shot during a gun check aboard a government plane," late on Tuesday, Czech national police spokeswoman Lenka Sikorova told AFP. "The incident occurred in a detached area. No one else was in danger." Babis's spokeswoman Jana Adamcova told AFP that "something like that happened" but declined to elaborate. Czech media said the bodyguard was trying to unload his gun shortly after Babis had boarded in Brussels and the plane was preparing for take-off. Carrying a total of 22 people, the flight left about an hour later, said the Aktualne.cz site, adding that the bullet hit a meal cart. Babis -- a food, chemicals and media tycoon currently facing EU subsidy fraud charges -- leads a minority centre-left cabinet of his populist ANO party and the leftwing Social Democrats, who, with backing from the Communists, have a parliamentary majority. In 1994, a bodyguard for then-Czech defence minister Antonin Baudys accidentally fired his gun on a flight to Sweden and hit the fuel tank. No one was injured. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot Wednesday directed the registration of FIRs at the offices of the superintendents of police from next month if a local police station refuses to lodge the case. The decision was taken in the wake of Alwar gang-rape case, where there was a delay in registering the first information report (FIR) by the local police. Gehlot said at a high-level meeting that the FIR registered with an SP's office would be forwarded to the concerned police station. The police station will get back the SP's office with the FIR number within three hours, a statement said. The chief minister said every single case where the FIR was not lodged in the local police station should be inquired. He also asked the officials to initiate action against the police personnel for not registering a case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Security arrangements for the forthcoming annual Amarnath Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir have been scaled up, with authorities deciding to issue a 'barcode'-enabled authority slip to pilgrims to keep a track of the actual number of people travelling to and from the cave shrine. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), that is tasked as the primary force to secure the pilgrimage that faces terrorist threats, will deploy an enhanced number of upgraded electromagnetic chips or RFID (radio-frequency identification) tags on vehicles that will transport pilgrims and other civilians associated with the yatra. The Centre has decided to deploy about 40,000 central paramilitary and state police personnel to secure the 46-day yatra that begins on July 1 from the twin route -- traditional Pahalgam track in Anantnag district and shortest Baltal track in Ganderbal district. It will conclude on August 15, the day Raksha Bandhan will be celebrated in the country. Out of total number of forces, about 32,000 are specifically meant to guard the pilgrimage to the 3,880 metre high cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas. "We will be doing a pilot project this time and Amarnath pilgrims will be issued barcoded yatra slips. This will help us in ascertaining the exact number of pilgrims who are on the move and will also help in the ensuring an overall better security setup," CRPF Director General (DG) R R Bhatnagar told PTI here. The DG said the shrine board authorities and security agencies have prepared a "detailed plan" to ensure that all pilgrims who register for the yatra are given the barcoded authority slips that will contain their vital details, photographs and contact numbers. All security challenges will be taken care of and any input or concern vis-a-vis security will be worked upon by all the stakeholders in the state government and the Centre, Bhatnagar said. A senior official based in Kashmir said the yatra slips will be triplicate, one each for the shrine board, pilgrim and for handing over to the checking staff on route. There will be access control checking gadgets that will be deployed both at the Pahalgam and Baltal routes, he said. The barcode will capture all the information of a pilgrim and it can be accessed by a click of the mouse, the official said. The CRPF has also procured upgraded RFID tags and will use to mark the civilian vehicles plying on the yatra route. This technology tool was used for the first time during the yatra last year and thousands of these electromagnetic chips were put on the vehicles. Keeping in the mind the security challenges that emerged after the February 14 Pulwama terror attack, the CRPF has also deployed an enhanced number of its counter-IED teams that will sweep roads and vehicles against such threats. A suicide bomber had used a heavy volume of improvised explosive device (IED) to trigger a blast on the Jammu-Srinagar highway that killed 40 CRPF men near Pulwama. The force will deploy road opening parties to secure the transit roads in coordination with the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and other central forces like the Border Security Force and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police force, the Kashmir-based official said. While 300 companies of central forces have been asked to stay put in Kashmir valley after the Lok Sabha elections, about 16 are being sent in now, the official said. If need arises, more forces would be sent in before the yatra commences, he said. In 2017, militants attacked a pilgrim bus that left eight pilgrims dead and several injured. Last year the yatra went off peacefully. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A New York -based robotic process automation software company in collaboration with educational institutions in India plans to train 500,000 Indian students by 2022 in Robotic Process Automation (RPA) skills through free courses to bridge the skill gap in the industry, a senior official of the company said on Wednesday. UiPath, which uses computer-vision to automate repetitive business processes involving software, has set a target to collaborate with 500 Indian institutes by 2020, up from the current 60. The training process is to cover the skill gap in the industry, Tom Clancy, Senior Vice President at UiPath in Singapore, said. The training process is being conducted by UiPath Academic Alliance program, which has already linked up with leading Indian institutions including the Dr A P J Abdul Kalam Technical University and the Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur. Stressing that economic development is not just a technological goal but also a human one, Clancy said: We need to prepare and train our youth for a more automated future, one where the ability to work alongside robots will be as important as the skills they bring to bear, he said. That is why UiPath is committed to training more than one million students globally in the next three years as we understand that education and re-skilling are vital if we are to thrive in a digital future, he said. Through the Academic Alliance, UiPath will work with educational institutions to equip students with critical automation skills, teach them how to leverage RPA in the workplace and prepare them to work alongside software robots. We believe India can become automation capital of the world, Rajesh R Nambiar, Director of UiPath Academic Alliance Programme based in Bengaluru, said. The target is to train half a million students in India by 2022, he said. UiPath is also training teachers and masters for multiplying the scope of training in India. To date, the programme has put 10,000 Indians through the training process for RPA software which is used by global corporations, the company officials said. Nambiar also said that UiPath is in the process of doubling its workforce in India to 1,000 by end of this year from the current 500. India remains the centre of its operations with Development Centre in Bengaluru for Research & Development work and offices being expanded in main Indian cities. The company is building manpower to increase RPA market share in India as well as globally. UiPath aims to train over 50,000 students and professionals in ASEAN over the next three years for the automated workforce of the future. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In another blow for the Trinamool Congress, its MLA Monirul Islam Wednesday joined the BJP, the third legislator to desert the ruling party in West Bengal after the reverses in the Lok Sabha polls. Two TMC legislators and over 50 councillors had joined the BJP on Tuesday. The BJP projected the decision of TMC's Muslim MLA to join the party as a vindication of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's slogan of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwash" (together with all, development for all, trust of all). Modi gave the slogan in his first address to MP's of BJP-led NDA after the Lok Sabha poll results were declared. He had asked them to win over the trust of minorities with their work. Several other TMC workers also joined the saffron party here in the presence of BJP leaders Mukul Roy and Kailash Vijaywargiya. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In another jolt to the Trinamool Congress, its MLA Monirul Islam on Wednesday joined the BJP, the third legislator to desert the ruling party in West Bengal after the reverses it suffered in the Lok Sabha polls. Two TMC legislators and over 50 councillors had joined the BJP on Tuesday. The BJP projected the decision of TMC's Muslim MLA to join the party as a vindication of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's slogan of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwash" (together with all, development for all, trust of all). Modi gave the slogan in his first address to MPs of BJP-led NDA after the Lok Sabha poll results were declared. He had asked them to win over the trust of minorities with their work. Besides Islam, who represents Labpur in Birbhum, a few other TMC leaders, including former MLA Gadhadhar Hazra, also joined the saffron party in the presence of BJP leaders Mukul Roy and Kailash Vijayvargiya. Roy, a former TMC leader, termed the development as "very significant" and said it vindicates Modi's call to the party to win over the trust of minorities. Asked about some controversial comments made by Islam earlier in which he allegedly supported violence, Vijarvargiya said the BJP does not believe in any form of violence and there is no place for such views once a leader joins the party. He also mocked state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who heads the TMC, after she she cancelled her plan to attend Modi's swearing-in, saying she was always looking for an excuse. Banerjee had objected to the BJP's invitation to family members of many of its workers, who the party claimed were killed in political violence in the state, saying the reason behind their death was not political. There is no political violence in the state, she said, accusing the BJP of devaluing the swearing-in ceremony. BJP leaders claimed that more TMC MLAs will join the party in the coming days. Islam told reporters that minorities are now "supporting" Modi due to his development agenda. Three MLAs, including Mukul Roy's son Subhrangshu Roy, Tusharkanti Bhattacharya and CPI(M)'s Debendra Nath Roy had joined the BJP on Tuesday. Meanwhile, BJP sources in Kolkata claimed that six more legislators of the Trinamool Congress -- four from south Bengal and two from north Bengal -- are likely to switch sides in a few days along with a few former MPs of the party. "Six TMC MLAs are likely to join us soon. Many more councillors of various municipalities are also in line. Just wait and watch," a senior BJP leader said on condition of anonymity. The developments come after the stunning performance of the BJP which raised its tally from two to 18 in Lok Sabha election in the state, only four less than the TMC's 22. The Trinamool Congress, however, tried to downplay the desertions. "One suspended MLA of Trinamool joined BJP yesterday. The others were from Congress and CPI(M). The number of councillors is 6. That too they were forced at gunpoint to do so," the TMC claimed in a tweet. The Trinamool Congress leadership had accused the BJP of indulging in horse-trading, an allegation denied by the BJP. "The allegation is completely baseless. If someone wants to join BJP and fight against TMC's misrule, how can we stop it. And TMC leaders should be the last person to talk about horse trading, when TMC poached on Congress and CPI(M) MLAs in last few years, what was that? Is it not horse trading?" Mukul Roy had said. The BJP earlier had only three MLAs in the 294-member West Bengal Assembly. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two persons, who were arrested for shooting videos and taking photographs outside an Army camp in Jammu, were allegedly in direct contact with Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) militants in based in Pakistan as spies, officials said Wednesday. The suspected spies were arrested Tuesday. The suspected spies of Pakistan, who were handed over to the police, are being grilled at a joint interrogation centre to know about the plan of the terrorists. The duo were identified as 38-year-old Mushtaq Ahmed Malik, son of Atta Mohd Malik of Udhyanpur area of Doda district, and 24-year-old Nadeem Akhter, son of Mohd Shafi of Malhar area of Kathua district, they said. They were working for two Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists based in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and were in contact with them, they said. The two Hizbul militants based in PoK were kins of the duo and they had gone to PoK and joined HM several years ago, they said. The duo were given tasks by the Hizbul militants for recce of areas, video footages and pictures of the vital installations, they said. The interrogators are looking into various angels including past terrorist attacks on camps and terror plans in this regard, they said. An army patrol noticed the two moving suspiciously at Parmandal Morh near Ratnuchak Military Station and kept a close watch on them. They were seen taking pictures and video graphing the military station and were immediately taken into custody for questioning, the officials said. They said their mobile phones were scanned during which it came to light that they were in regular contact with some persons in Pakistan and have also shared some videos with them a few hours before their arrest. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The vet works in the village of Phuladiyon. One of his clients reported him to the local imam for having "wrapped medicines in pages containing an Islamic text". The victim risks the death penalty. Islamabad (AsiaNews / Agencies) - A Hindu veterinary surgeon has been indicted for blasphemy on charges of wrapping medicines in the pages containing verses from the Koran. The accusation has sparked violent protests in the village where the doctor resides, Phuladiyon, about 40 km away from Mirpurkhas (in the province of Sindh). The crowd burned down the veterinary clinic and other shops belonging to the Hindu community. As a precaution, the agents took the doctor into custody to save him from the wrath of the mob. For his part, the veterinarian rejects all the accusations: he claims that he "it is all a mistake" and that he did not realize that the books he used were religious school texts. Now, however, he risks life imprisonment, if not the death penalty, given that the complaint was registered under Articles 295-A and 295-B of the Pakistani Penal Code, more commonly known as "blasphemy laws" , that punishes anyone who insults the prophet Muhammad. The incidents occurred on May 27th. Saqib Ismail Memon, local police chief, reports that the crowd tried to attack the police station, causing damage to the main gate. Later the agents took those suspected of burning the Hindu man's property into custody. Phuladiyon is an area inhabited by about 6 thousand people, mostly Hindus, while Pakistan has a Muslim majority. The complaint against the doctor was presented by the local imam Mohammad Ishaq Nohri, on the indication of the man who had received the medicines for his cattle. According to the imam, the veterinarian would have intentionally used pages of Islamic religious texts and blamed him for claiming that he found many torn books in the clinic. In Pakistan blasphemy is punished with the death penalty and the mere suspicion of offenses to the prophet can trigger the reaction of the most radical Muslims. Analysis shows that since 1990 at least 65 people have been killed by "Koran vigilantes" and many faithful of minorities are in prison awaiting trial. The most famous story is the one that involved Asia Bibi, the Christian mother who spent nine years in prison awaiting a sentence and was released two weeks ago. The Islamic radicals instead wanted her hanged. Health seems to have paused, if not ended, a superb four-decade-long political career of articulate, suave and super strategist Arun Jaitley -- regarded by some as Narendra Modi's original 'Chanakya', his chief trouble-shooter since 2002 when the Gujarat riots hung over the then chief minister like a dark cloud. A day before the Modi 2.0 government is to be sworn in, Jaitley, 66, on Wednesday cited health issues to ask the prime minister - who has aptly described him as "a precious diamond" - to let him stay out of the Cabinet. Knowing well how to work the levers of power, he was Modi's go-to man in New Delhi since the late 1990s and over the years graduated from being the legal brain warding-off court trouble in the aftermath of the 2002 riots to being his chief swordsman, input provider and sounding board. With his multifaceted experience and acumen, Jaitley was the man for the Modi government in its first term from 2014 to 2019. Be it portraying of the government's achievements or defending controversial policies or launching a fierce attack on the Congress or framing the 2019 election as one between the quest for stability or for chaos, few could have been more effective. To the world and the nation, he explained the global context of rising fuel prices, articulated a complex Rafale fighter jet deal in simple terms, steered through Parliament major economic legislation such as the nationwide Goods and Services Tax (GST) - which had languished for nearly two decades. When the government was being criticised for interfering in the judiciary, it was the doughty lawyer-turned-politician who defended its record and commitment to democratic values. He was also the man who explained government position when a bill to ban the Muslim instant divorce practice known as 'triple talaq' was brought. From being BJP government's key political strategist to managing what is arguably the most important, sensitive portfolio - finance - Jaitley wore many hats, while pursuing his more material interests such as collecting expensive pens, watches and luxury cars. A moderate, Jaitley has friends across the political spectrum, and is one of India's most articulate and influential leaders who brought civility and reason - irrespective of whether one agrees with him or not - to public discourse. If one were to go by the degree of clout, Jaitley was the undoubted No. 2 in the Modi government. Several ministers such as Nirmala Sitharaman, Piyush Goyal and Dharmendra Pradhan are believed to have been his proteges. A whole host of other appointments, including those of most senior law officers, could be ascribed to him. All party spokespersons flocked to him for advice. Like many other ministers in the Modi 1.0 government, he did not have a political base of his own and was inducted purely because of his calibre and the trust he commanded at the top. While Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar once called him a "super strategist", Modi described him as a "precious diamond" at an election rally in Amritsar from where Jaitley contested - and lost - his first election ever in 2014. Still, he retained his fondness for 'Amritsari choley' and 'kulcha'. As the quintessential insider in the capital's political arena, he was darling of media who was so open that he was sometimes accused of being indiscreet and too candid for his own good. Modi and Jaitley go back a long way. When Modi, an RSS 'pracharak' , was appointed a BJP general secretary in the late 90s in Delhi, he stayed in an annexe of Jaitley's official bungalow on 9 Ashoka Road. At the time, Jaitley was a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. He is believed to have been part of the move to oust then Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel and install Modi. He backed Modi as chief minister during the outcry over the 2002 riots in Gujarat when support from other BJP leaders in Delhi was not so unwavering. Jaitley, who got first elected to Rajya Sabha in 2002 from Gujarat, had an eye to spot long-term prospects and was said to be behind replacing Uma Bharti with Shivraj Singh Chouhan as Madhya Pradesh chief minister in 2004. Son of a successful lawyer who had migrated from Lahore after partition, Jaitley studied law and became president of the Delhi University Students' Union when Indira Gandhi declared Emergency. He spent 19 months in prison for organising a massive protest at the university campus. After the Emergency was lifted, he began practising law and in 1980 challenged the move by Jagmohan, then Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, to demolish the Indian Express building, which brought him in close contact with Ramnath Goenka, Arun Shourie and Fali Nariman. This association brought him to the notice of V P Singh, who upon becoming the Prime Minister appointed Jaitley as additional solicitor general, one of the youngest ever to hold the post. When the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) first came to power in 1999, Jaitley was appointed minister by Vajpayee and over the years handled law, information & broadcasting, disinvestment, shipping, and commerce and industry portfolios. In 2006, he became the leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha and earned the respect of many Congressmen because of his clarity, quick thinking, and phenomenal memory. When Modi first stormed to power in 2014, he was made the minister for finance and corporate affairs and was also given additional charge of ministries of defence and information and broadcasting for short periods. But his health forced him to take a three-month break last year to undergo a kidney transplant and this year forced him to travel to the US for treatment, depriving him of the opportunity to present sixth and final budget of the Modi government's first term. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The on Wednesday demanded the withdrawal of an FIR against the editor of a Kannada daily and its editorial staff for publishing a report about trouble within former prime minister and JDS chief H D Deve Gowda's family. In a statement, the guild condemned the filing of the first information report (FIR), describing it as an effort to intimidate the press and stifle freedom of expression. "This case is worse, because the FIR is not even filed by the person allegedly affected but by a party-man claiming to be aggrieved. This is a brazen misuse of law and state power," it said. According to the complaint filed by Janata Dal (Secular) state secretary S P Pradeep Kumar, the newspaper, 'Vishwavani', had published a "false report" last Saturday, which created an impression that there was commotion and confusion among Gowda's grandchildren. The editor, Vishweshwar Bhat, and the editorial staff were booked on Sunday under Sections 499 (defamation), 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code. The guild strongly condemned the use of criminal defamation and other provisions of the law against the media. It demanded that the government must immediately ensure that the FIR is withdrawn. The misuse of law in this specific case, however, goes way beyond criminal defamation as many IPC provisions have been invoked in what looks like a "motivated and arbitrary" use of power, it said, reiterating its demand that the defamation law should be decriminalised. The Bangladesh police on Wednesday sought the death penalty for the 16 people accused of killing a teenaged school girl who was burnt to death by her madrasa principal for reporting a sexual harassment case against him, according to a media report. Nusrat Jahan Rafi, 18, was set on fire at her school (madrasa) on April 6 by four burqa-clad assailants few days after she complained against principal Siraj-ud-Daula for inappropriately touching her after calling her in his office. The incident triggered nationwide protests. The Police Bureau of Investigation submitted the charge sheet in the court of senior judicial magistrate seeking death sentence for Siraj-ud-Daula, the now-suspended principal of Sonagazi Islamia Fazil (Degree) Madrasa, and 15 others accused of murdering the girl. "The court has set tomorrow (Thursday) for the hearing of the case. Soon after, it will be transferred to be processed under the Women and Children Prevention Repression Act," Senior Judicial Magistrate Zakir Hossain was quoted as saying by the Dhaka Tribune. Earlier, Deputy Inspector General of police, Banaj Kumar Majumder, said that all the 16 accused are already in custody. It has been primarily proven that eight people who are named in the FIR, and eight others, were found to be involved in the murder. We will seek death penalty for them, he said. Police has completed their investigation and confirmed that the accused were directly or indirectly involved in the murder. Of them, 12 made a confessional statement before the court, the report said. According to police, they have gathered information from 92 witnesses, among whom seven have given their statements before the court. The deceased was tricked onto the roof of the madrasa where the perpetrators set her on fire for not withdrawing the sexual assault case against the principal. Her brother Mahmudul Hasan Noman filed a case on April 8 naming eight persons, including the principal as the main accused. Rafi succumbed to injuries on April 10. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bangladesh police has finalised chargesheet against 16 people in connection with the death of a teenaged school girl who was burnt to death by her madrasa principal for reporting a sexual harassment case against him, triggering nationwide protests in the country, according to a media report on Tuesday. Nusrat Jahan Rafi, 18, was set on fire at her school (madrasa) on April 6 by four burqa-clad assailants few days after she complained against principal Siraj-ud-Daula for inappropriately touching her after calling her in his office. Siraj is one of the 17 people arrested in connection with the case. Siraj-ud-Daula ordered the killing. Five people have been directly involved in setting Nusrat on fire, Banaj Kumar Majumder, Deputy Inspector General of the Police Bureau of Investigation, said. The chargesheet will be filed to the court on Wednesday accusing the 16 people, including those five and Feni madrasa principal Siraj-ud-Daula," he was quoted as saying by bdnews24.com. According to the chargesheet, head of madrasa governing body Ruhul Amin and Sonagazi Municipality Councillor Maksud Alam have been involved in illegal financial dealings to execute the murder. The deceased was tricked onto the roof of the madrasa where the perpetrators set her on fire for not withdrawing the sexual assault case against the principal. Her brother Mahmudul Hasan Noman filed a case on April 8 naming eight persons, including the principal as the main accused. She succumbed to injuries on April 10. Her death led to protests across Bangladesh with people forming human chains and holding demonstrations seeking justice for the victim. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Four suspected poachers were killed in an encounter with the security forces in the southwestern Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest and home to endangered Royal Bengal tigers, officials said on Wednesday. A team of the Bangladesh's elite force, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), were patrolling the Chadpai Range of the Sundarbans last night, when they saw some armed men on a boat, a spokesman for the RAB said. "The RAB personnel challenged the suspected poachers, who opened fire on the security forces, sparking a gun-battle, in which four persons were killed," the spokesman said. Commander of the RAB's media wing, Mufti Mahmud, said they presume that those killed were the members of a gang engaged in "poaching, extortion and abductions". "During the search of their boat, the RAB personnel also found weapons and ammunition," Mahmud said. The Sundarbans is the abode to endangered famous Royal Bengal tiger and Irrawaddy dolphins and a large chunk of the forest is a UNESCO world heritage site. According to security forces, several gangs have emerged there and pose a threat to the wildlife. At least 100 alleged poachers have reportedly been killed in encounters with the RAB in the past one decade, while around 200 surrendered their weapons to police in exchange for cash, legal aid and mobile phones. As per the latest survey, concluded last week, the number of Royal Bengal tigers grew for the first time in years to 114. A 2015 tiger census has found their number in the 10,000 square-kilometre Sunderbans to be just over 100, a drastic fall from estimated 440 in 2004. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) King Philippe of Belgium met with the Flemish far-right party leader on Wednesday, the first time since 1936 that an extreme right-wing party has been received by the monarch. The royal palace announced the meeting with the 32-year-old Tom Van Grieken of the Vlaams Belang party, which scored a surprise second place in Dutch-speaking Flanders in federal and regional elections on Sunday. While extremely limited, the role of the Belgian monarch is to serve as a facilitator to build a ruling coalition, a complicated task in a country deeply split between French and Dutch speaking communities. The Vlaams Belang party emerged second in Flanders, behind the nationalist but more mainstream N-VA party. Before the announcement Van Grieken told Flemish media that he would definitely accept the invitation, should he get one. "If you want to get respect you have to show respect, and that comes from both sides," he told Radio 1. In the European Parliament, the party is allied with Marine Le Pen's National Rally party, which came out on top in France in EU elections on Sunday. With Socialists and Greens the victors in the French-speaking Wallonia region and Brussels, Belgium faces difficult negotiations to form a government. Philippe of Belgium has already consulted various party leaders about prospects for a new coalition and asked outgoing Prime Minister Charles Michel to manage affairs for the time being. "Just the idea of seeing Vlaams Belang arrive at the Palace scares the hell out of me, but in view of the democratic result in Flanders, no one will hold it against the King to receive them," Maxime Prevot, head of the French-speaking centrists CDH party, told Belga agency. Belgium took a record 541 days to form a government in 2010 and 2011. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Asserting that people did not vote for their economic self-interest in the Lok Sabha polls, Congress leader says the decided early that its "product" was Prime Minister and marketed him very well by building the most "extraordinary personality cult". He also said the Congress may have underestimated the impact of national security as an electoral topic on the psyche of the voter in North India where the had great success in trying to convert the election into a "khaki' referendum". In Tharoor's view, had the Congress' idea of NYAY, a minimum income guarantee scheme, been unrolled even six months earlier, it might have won over many voters. "I think the results make it clear that there certainly seem to be some fundamental issues that we got wrong. It will undoubtedly take us some strong introspection and a comprehensive assessment to correctly identify exactly what these issues were," Tharoor told PTI. He said the Congress was convinced that grave economic concerns such as unemployment levels hitting a 45-year high, significant agrarian distress and the disastrous impact of other measures like demonetisation would play a pivotal role in deciding the fate of the election. "After all, there is a well-recognised wisdom in believing that voters would cast their votes according to their economic self-interest. But this time the Indian voter did not do that, and we need to understand why," the MP from Thiruvananthapuram said. Tharoor said one reason is perhaps the executing crucial messaging better. "They decided early that their 'product' was Mr Modi and they marketed him very well. "They built up the most extraordinary personality cult in modern Indian political history, buttressed by larger-than-life imagery, hundreds of thousands of social media warriors, an intimidated 'mainstream' media, ubiquitous cameramen and a slick publicity machinery that was switched on 24/7, all lubricated by Rs 5,600 crore of taxpayer funds relentlessly promoting his every move," he said. The former Union minister also said the BJP had great success in marketing and creating a hype around many of its government's flagship schemes. "Perhaps we could have done better to make the reality of the flawed delivery of such schemes more apparent," he conceded "Another issue is that we may have underestimated the impact of national security as an electoral topic, in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack and Balakot strike, on the psyche of the voter," Tharoor said. He asserted that this is perhaps more true in the North than in South, where according to his personal experience, the issue did not gain much traction. However, in the North, the BJP had "great success" in trying to convert the election into a khaki' referendum, the 63-year-old leader said. Tharoor also pointed out that the party would have done better by releasing its party manifesto earlier and consequently giving itself more time to market ideas like NYAY, which he said by design and in terms of likely impact was nothing short of revolutionary. The Congress had promised that if it comes to power it will give an annual income support of Rs 72,000 to poor families under the minimum income guarantee scheme. "It appears that the core messaging around NYAY may have only reached around half the electorate and perhaps even the wrong halfmainly centred in urban areas and among professional classes, who would be paying for the scheme, rather than the bottom 20 per cent, mainly in rural India, who would become beneficiaries of it," he said. "Now all of this is based on 20-20 hindsight. But we really do need a comprehensive and systematic assessment of where and what we got wrong and I have no doubt that in the coming weeks the party will seek to do exactly that," the former diplomat added. Many party stalwarts bit the dust in the Lok Sabha polls, but Tharoor scored an electoral hat-trick by winning from the Thiruvanathapuram seat by a margin of about one lakh votes. The Congress faces an existential crisis with party president Rahul Gandhi adamant on his decision to quit after the poll debacle -- winning just 52 Lok Sabha seats -- and its state governments facing an uncertain future. Despite the NDA's emphatic poll win and subsequent rally in markets, French brokerage BNP Paribas Wednesday said it is retaining its year-end targets for the benchmarks. Possibility of a stable government coming to power was already factored in into the 42,000 points target for the Sensex, while historically, the post-results euphoria has not sustained, it said. The 30-share BSE benchmark corrected 247.68 points, 0.62 per cent, to close at 39,502 points on Wednesday. "The euphoria is for short term from a market performance perspective and we have seen that it goes down in a month or two," its BNP Paribas Asia-Pacific Equity Strategist Manishi Raychaudhuri told reporters here. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's new government should focus on land and labour reforms and should take bold steps in the first two years itself. Capital, which is the third factor of production, is "half-sorted", he said adding the crisis at the non-bank lenders who account for a fifth of the overall credit is something to watch out for. The problem with the non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) is "severe and not a problem of small magnitude", he said. While having the same regime is welcome from a policy continuity perspective, we will have to be watchful of the fiscal discipline, he said pointing to the growing tendency to do off-balance sheet borrowings. He said the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) should look at at least two rate cuts which will reduce key rates by 0.50 per cent by the end of the year, especially when growth is set to dip to the 7 per cent for 2018-19. When asked about how commentary of the winning combine focusing on welfare measures will be received by portfolio investors looking a shift away from the welfare model, Raychaudhuri said some of the measures like digitisation of land records can also have great impact on rural populations. The brokerage is overweight on India, along with other Asian peers including China and Indonesia. On valuations, its head of India equity research Abhiram Eleswarapu said while the benchmark indices are valued high, there exist opportunities in the small- and mid-cap space, which has seen massive corrections in the recent past. The brokerage feels there can be some recovery in the telecom sector as the competitive pressures in the sector ease down. Raychaudhuri also said there is a case for curtailing the government's role in state-owned companies, especially those which are running at a "sub-optimal" level. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The tortuous process has acted as a "vaccine" against anti-EU sentiment across the continent, European Council President Donald Tusk has claimed. He was speaking after EU leaders met in Brussels to discuss the European Parliament election results, where nationalist and eurosceptic parties made gains but not as many as some feared. "As Europeans see what means in practice, they also draw conclusions," Tusk told a end-of-summit press conference on Tuesday. " has been a vaccine against anti-EU propaganda and fake news." He added: "The vast majority voted for a more effective, stronger and united EU while rejecting those who want a weak Europe. This is a powerful sign." In fact, "as people have become more pro-European, some major Eurosceptic parties have abandoned the anti-EU slogans and presented themselves as EU reformers. This is a positive development," Tusk continued. "I have no doubt that one of the reasons why people on the continent voted for pro-European majority is also Brexit." British Prime Minister Theresa May was among the EU leaders who gathered in Brussels to discuss the future leadership of the bloc, but Tusk said Brexit was not discussed. May updated her colleagues on her resignation announcement last week, a British government source said, but Tusk insisted her presence at the meeting was "something very natural". "She's still British prime minister and the UK is still member of the EU," he said. The official race to succeed May will not start until next week but almost a dozen of her Conservative colleagues have already declared their interest -- many taking a hard line on Brexit. Tusk refused to comment directly but said: "We are all here aware of what is the state of things in London today. Nothing promising, I should say. Outgoing Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui, who played a crucial role in normalising ties between India and China following the Doklam standoff in 2017, has been elevated as vice minister of foreign affairs. Announcing Luo's appointment as the vice foreign minister, China's State Council or the Central Cabinet said Kong Xuanyou, who is the vice foreign minister, has been posted as the ambassador to Japan. Meanwhile, speculation is rife here that China plans to appoint veteran diplomat Sun Weidong as the next ambassador to India. Sun who specialised in China and South Asia-related issues for a long time, served as the ambassador to Pakistan till recently. He is currently the director general of planning department of the Chinese Foreign Ministry. The Indian ambassador to China, Vikram Misri hosted a lunch for Sun and his team at his residence on May 24. The official announcement about his appointment is expected shortly. Luo's predecessor Le Yucheng was also made vice minister of foreign affairs. Luo is due to return on transfer. Luo, who started his stint in India in 2016, played a crucial role in normalising ties between the two countries following the Doklam standoff, the most serious military face-off in decades between the two countries. Troops of India and China were locked in a 73-day standoff in Doklam that began on June 16, 2017 after the Indian side stopped the construction of a road by the Chinese Army in the disputed area. Bhutan and China have a dispute over Doklam. Vice foreign minister Kong played an active role during the India-Pakistan tensions following the Pulwama terrorist attack in February and later visited Islamabad and held talks with Pakistan civil and military leaders to defuse the crisis. Pakistan later awarded the civil award "Hilal-e-Quaid-e-Azam" to Kong in recognition of his contributions to the development of China-Pakistan relations. Meanwhile, it is not clear yet who would represent China at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's second term swearing in ceremony in New Delhi on Thursday. Asked who would represent China at the event, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Lu Kang told media here that if we have the information we will give you in due course. He recalled that China has already congratulated Modi on his re-election. Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated Prime Minister Modi on his election victory and vowed to work with him to take the bilateral ties to a new height. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) by Mathias Hariyadi The group of four hit men and two organisers sought to undermine President Widodos leadership ahead of the riots of 21 and 22 May. Two ministers, the intelligence chief, a presidential advisor and an important pollster were the targets. Jakarta (AsiaNews) Indonesian police arrested six people in connection with a plan to undermine President Joko Widodos leadership and spread fear across the country via the murder of four top security officials and an important pollster ahead of last weeks violent protests in Jakarta. Muhammad Iqbal, spokesman for the National Police (POLRI), said the day before yesterday that five men and a woman are being held on charges of accepting money to kill and supply weapons. The group consisted of four hit men and two people involved in the logistics of the operation. The principal was identified only by initials: HS. The head of the commando, a man known by the initials HK, received a payment of 150 million rupees (US$ 10,400) to carry out the killings with three accomplices who would have been paid 25 million (US$ 1,730) each. National Police Chief General Tito Karnavian yesterday reported that the targets of the attacks were the former Commander of the Indonesian Armed Forces, currently Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs General Wiranto; Indonesian State Intelligence Agency (Badan Intelijen Negara, BIN) Chief Budi Gunawan; Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and former head of the anti-terrorist unit General Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan; and a member of the President's Special Security and Intelligence Council and founder of Densus 88, the police counter-terrorism team, Gories Mere. Last week, mass protests against the re-election of President Widodo shook Jakarta. The latter won last April's presidential election against his rival Prabowo Subianto with 55.5 per cent of the vote. Eight people died under unclear circumstances in the riots on 21 and 22 May. The police have reported that the Islamic State (IS) group infiltrated the protests. Security forces dismissed as fake news allegations that agents or soldiers were involved in the death of protesters. Subianto has appealed to the Constitutional Court, claiming that the election was rigged and arguing that Widodo should have been disqualified. Independent observers say that the vote was free and fair. Indonesian police say the victims of the protests were part of a plan orchestrated by "big players" to sow chaos in the capital. The primary objective was to force Widodo to resign to avoid a civil war. This would have paved the way for the intervention of the Armed Forces, who would then have installed Subianto as "saviour of the country". The authorities have detained some "loyalists" of the defeated candidate, including General Kivlan Zen, a former senior army officer like Subianto. Both have been accused of human rights violations during their military careers. According to investigators, last week's protests are a "copy-paste" of the May 1998 demonstrations, which led to the downfall of then President Suharto. China on Wednesday sought an explanation from FedEx, the American multinational courier service, over the Chinese telecom firm Huawei's allegations that some of its parcels meant for Asia have been diverted to the US. According to media reports, Huawei accused FedEx of diverting two packages sent from Japan and addressed to it in China to the US, and attempted to divert two more packages sent from Vietnam to Huawei offices elsewhere in Asia, without authorisation. Huawei, whose products have been banned in the US, lodged a complaint with China's postal regulator alleging that FedEx has diverted two parcels destined for Huawei addresses in Asia to the US and attempted to reroute two others. Huawei clarified that the parcels contained only documents and "no technology". A FedEx spokesperson in the US has been quoted in the media as saying that the packages were "misrouted in error". Reacting to Huawei's complaint, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told reporters here that the US courier company owes an explanation. "We normally don't comment on commercial operations on businesses. For this one, I believe, FedEx needs to give a reasonable explanation. This is just understandable," he said. "I am wondering whether such misrouting happens a lot. If yes, that doesn't seem right for such a big organisation like FedEx. If doesn't happen often, it is necessary for FedEx to give an explanation why it happened with Huawei," he said. Huawei is the world's largest telecom network gear maker. It is a leader in creating the next generation 5G wireless networks. Terming Huawei as a "potential espionage threat" because of its close ties with the Chinese government, US President Donald Trump has put a ban on the use of its equipments in his country, a charge repeatedly denied by the company. The issue also became a flashpoint in an escalating trade-war between the world's two biggest economies. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Suspected militants have shot at a civilian in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district, police said on Wednesday. Feroz Ahmad sustained gunshot injuries during the incident at Bomai in Sopore on Tuesday night. He is undergoing treatment at a hospital, an officer said. A case has been registered and an investigation is on, the officer added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Clashes broke out between protestors and security forces during a cordon and search operation in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, leaving 20 persons injured. The operation was launched in Tazipora area in the early hours following information about presence of militants there, officials said. They said as the security personnel were carrying out searches, a large number of locals gathered and started pelting stones at them. The security personnel used batons and fired pellet guns to disperse the protestors, the officials said, adding nearly 20 persons were injured in the incident. While most of the injured were treated at a local hospital in Kulgam, four youth with serious injuries were referred to a hospital here for treatment, they added. The cordon was lifted as security forces did not find any militant in the area. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) IT major Cognizant, which has close to two lakh employees in India, will hand out over 18 per cent higher pay packages to entry-level engineers joining next year, according to industry sources. "Engineering students graduating in June 2020 will see the offer made by the US-based company increase from Rs 3.38 lakh per annum to Rs 4 lakh," they said. IT are slated to visit campuses around August-September this year to present offer letters for next year. Confirming the salary increase, a spokesperson said the company already offers higher packages for employees with "premium" skills in digital technologies. "In line with that, we have decided to increase the compensation of entry-level engineering graduates, as digital technologies have become an integral part of engineering curricula in progressive institutions from where we recruit talent," the spokesperson said. The spokesperson pointed out that with the growing need for digital talent, has also been investing in reskilling and upskilling of its employees at scale. "In calendar 2018 alone, we reskilled and upskilled over 1.5 lakh of our employees on digital skills," the spokesperson said. According to placement officers, usually hires about 15,000-20,000 freshers on an average every year. Entry-level annual salary for graduate engineers is currently around Rs 3.30-3.60 lakh. Cognizant, which gets about 33 per cent of its revenue from digital solutions, has been actively hiring from Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and has made more than 500 offers in IITs across India in the last three years. The Cognizant spokesperson, however, declined to comment on the number of offers made at engineering campuses in India. Interestingly, the move comes at a time when the company has said that as part of a realignment scheme, the "management is currently evaluating various strategies, including additional employee separation programmes". "The timing, nature and magnitude of these initiatives are not finalised at this time. As such, we cannot provide realignment charges on a forward-looking basis without unreasonable effort," the company said in its March 2019 quarter results. After facing a drubbing in the Lok Sabha elections, the Congress has convened a meeting of opposition parties in Parliament on May 31 to discuss the possible reasons for their defeat, sources said on Wednesday. The opposition parties may also discuss their strategy for the Parliament session which is likely to begin from June 6. This will be the first meeting of opposition parties after the constitution of the 17th Lok Sabha. Issue of alleged discrepancies in EVMs and VVPAT machines may also feature in the discussions. The meeting will be held a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his cabinet will be sworn-in in the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan. On June 1, the Congress Parliamentary Party will also hold its first meeting in Parliament's Central Hall. In the meeting, the Congress will elect the new leader of the parliamentary party and discuss its strategy going forward. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As the Lok Sabha election debacle pushed the ruling coalition in Karnataka into a greater turmoil, the Congress Wednesday went into an overdrive to avert a potential existential crisis to the one-year-old H D Kumaraswamy ministry. Rushed here by the party high command on a damage control mission, Congress general secretary K C Venugopal met Kumaraswamy, senior party leaders and ministers and attended a legislature party meeting to save the coalition from an intensified BJP onslaught. CLP leader and Congress-JDS coordination committee chief Siddaramaiah said no one would leave the Congress and there was no disgruntlement either. "All of us are together.This government is strong and will survive. If BJP tries to destabilise the government, they will be biggest fools," he told reporters after the CLP meeting, attended by 72 Congress MLAs, with two rebels Ramesh Jarkiholi and R Roshan Baig giving it a miss. Two other missing lawmakers-- Ramalinga Reddy and Byrati Basavaraj-- had obtained permission not to attend the meet, he said. Ramesh Jarkiholi has been hobnobbing with the BJP leaders indicating that he may jump the ship, while Baig has been ridiculing the party leadership and praising prime minister Narendra Modi, leaving the Congress red-faced. KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao said senior leaders and ministers would meet Thursday to discuss cabinet expansion, a solution that has been proposed to quell snowballing dissent. A joint legislature party meeting of the Congress and JDS would be held soon, he added. The CLP also revoked the suspension of MLA Kampli Ganesh, who had faced the action after an alleged brawl with a party colleague at a resort in January. Coalition worries have multiplied after BJP's spectacular win with 25 of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in its pocket, leaving a mere one seat each to Congress and JDS, which, despite a joint fight, were swept away by the Modi wave. Buoyed by the landslide win in the LS polls, the BJP, which emerged as the single-largest party in the 224-member assembly in the May polls last year, is reportedly eyeing to capture power amid reports of a rift between Congress and JDS. The BJP had won 104 seats and added one more to its tally in the bypolls held along with Lok Sabha elections. The Congress had won the Kundgol bypoll. The ruling combine has 117 members -- 78 of the Congress, 37 of the JD(S), one of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and one Independent. In the meetings earlier, plans for cabinet expansion or reshuffle were discussed by Venugopal with Kumaraswamy, Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara and Rao, Congress sources said. Venugopal also met several Congress ministers in the coalition government. During the meeting with leaders, the electoral debacle and alleged threat to the coalition from the BJP were discussed, Congress sources said. Sources said the leaders were unable to reach consensus on whether to go in for cabinet expansion by filling three vacant posts or reshuffle by asking a few ministers to step down and make way for the disgruntled lawmakers. A section of party leaders including Siddaramaiah are said to be of the opinion that cabinet expansion may be suitable, as any attempt for reshuffle may further worsen the situation. Several senior ministers not willing to give up their posts berths now will make the cabinet reshuffle a hardball, sources said. Leaders are now expected to take a call on this after wider consultation with MLAs and the Congress high command. Of the total 34 ministerial positions in Karnataka, Congress and JD(S) have shared 22 and 12 respectively. Currently, three posts are vacant, two from JD(S) and one from Congress. Even as the coalition leaders were struggling to save the government, ministerial aspirants started lobbying, with a few of them even meeting Venugopal Wednesday with a request. Many Congress legislators have expressed strong reservation against priority being given to disgruntled MLAs, while sidelining the loyalists. With growing number of aspirants and a fewer posts in hand, the proposed reshuffle has become more complicated. Dinesh Gundu Rao, without divulging much, said the discussions were centred on election results and the way ahead. Amid simmering discontent within the Congress, the coalition leaders fear that the BJP, spurred by the Lok Sabha poll outcome, may poach some MLAs. Meanwhile, reports and pictures of Independent MLA Nagesh and KPJP MLA R Shankar meeting Jarkiholi on Wednesday has added to the coalition's worry. The BJP had predicted the collapse of the coalition after the LS poll results, claiming that 20 odd Congress MLAs were unhappy and may take "a decision" anytime. Over the last two days, Kumaraswamy himself met several disgruntled legislators, including Jarkiholi's confidant and Athani MLA Mahesh Kumathalli, and is said to have promised to look into their issues. He is also said to have given an assurance about including Jarkiholi in the cabinet. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress in Tamil Nadu Wednesday took out a rally here urging Rahul Gandhi to continue as party president, asserting he was in no way responsible for the Lok Sabha poll drubbing. Strongly rooting for the leadership of Nehru-Gandhi family, the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee said "no force on earth can separate the Nehru family's leadership and the Congress party." In no way Rahul Gandhi's leadership could be blamed for the electoral setback suffered by the Congress in the recent Lok Sabha polls, a resolution adopted at the end of the rally said. The show of support by the state Congress, which put up a good showing winning eight seats it contested in alliance with the DMK, came amid various state units and senior leaders rallying behind Gandhi and asking him to take back his offer to resign as party chief in the wake of the poll outcome. Gandhi, who announced his decision to quit the top party post at the Congress Working Committee meeting, has stuck to his stand and been staying away from meeting party leaders. Anxious moments, meanwhile, prevailed for a while near the Kamarajar Arangam, where the rally culminated, when two party functionaries attempted to set themselves on fire to urge Gandhi to continue as party chief. The duo, identified as Riyaz and Rajan of the North Chennai party unit, was overpowered at the "right time" before they could light a match, Congress functionary R Raviraj said. "It took all of us by surprise. I have warned them against venturing into such acts. These are against Congress culture," TNCC President K S Alagiri told PTI. He said only Rahul Gandhi can lead the party and urged him to continue in office. Chanting slogans like "Vendum vendum Rahulin thalamai vendum," (We need the leadership of Rahul) and waving party flags, Congress workers commenced their rally from the DMS Metro station and ended it at nearby Kamarajar Arangam, a short distance. "We humbly request Rahul Gandhi to consider this fervent appeal, made on behalf of the multitude of Congress workers and supporters, and refrain from stepping down from the party president's post," the resolution said. No party worker will accept Gandhi taking responsibility for the electoral set back and none will allow him to step down, the resolution read. "Rahul Gandhi has the enthusiasm, mental strength and energy to pull the Congress out of the present situation." The TNCC chief praised Gandhi for his "extensive and efficient poll campaign and political acumen."Gandhi infused a new energy in the party when he took over as party chief in 2017, and if every Congress worker had matched his enthusiasm and dedication, there would not have been a setback, the resolution said. At this moment, it was the bounden duty of each of the party workers to do some introspection and ask as to what extent they dedicated themselves for the party. "We know for sure that in no way can Rahul Gandhi be held responsible for the poor performance of our party in the elections, which this meeting reinforces." The leadership position going to a member of Pandit Nehru's family was "through democratic means and based on the choice of the people," the TNCC resolution said. In the past when the nation's unity and integrity came under threat, leaders from the Nehru family -- Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi had laid down their lives. "It is the supreme sacrifice of such tall leaders that had made the Congress workers prefer and choose a member of the Nehru family as their leader with utmost admiration and support," it said. The poll drubbing was only a "temporary slip," and not a "fall," the party said and asserted Rahul Gandhi alone can guide the party to reach "greater heights of glory through his able leadership". AICC secretaries Sanjay Dutt and Sirivella Prasad, Congress Legislature party leader in the state K R Ramasamy, newly elected Members of Parliament, MLAs, and TNCC office-bearers took party in the rally. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As the Lok Sabha poll debacle pushed the ruling Congress-JDS coalition in Karnataka into a greater turmoil, leaders of the two parties Wednesday held intense consultations to avert a potential existential crisis to the one-year-old H D Kumaraswamy ministry. Rushed here by the party high command on a damage control mission, Congress general secretary K C Venugopal held meetings with Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and senior party leaders and ministers to save the coalition from an intensified BJP onslaught. Coalition worries have been compounded by the BJP's spectacular win with 25 of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in its pocket, leaving a mere one seat each to the Congress and JDS, which, despite a joint fight, were swept away by the Modi wave. Buoyed by the landslide win in the LS polls, the BJP, which emerged as the single-largest party in the 224-member assembly in the May polls last year, is reportedly eyeing to capture power amid reports of a rift between the coalition partners. The BJP had won 104 seats and added one more to its tally in the bypolls held along with Lok Sabha elections. The Congress had won the Kundgol bypoll. The ruling combine has 117 members -- 78 of the Congress, 37 of the JD(S), one of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and one Independent. Plans for cabinet expansion or reshuffle were discussed by Venugopal with Kumaraswamy, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader and Coordination Committee chief Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara and Pradesh Congress chief Dinesh Gundu Rao, Congress sources said. Venugopal also met several Congress ministers in the coalition government and will take part in the CLP meeting scheduled later in the evening. During the meeting, the leaders discussed the electoral debacle and alleged threat to the coalition from the BJP, Congress sources said. According to sources, the leaders at the meeting were unable to reach any consensus on whether to go in for cabinet expansion by filling three vacant posts or reshuffle by asking a few ministers to step down and make way for the disgruntled lawmakers. A section of party leaders including Siddaramaiah are said to be of the opinion that cabinet expansion may be suitable, as any attempt for reshuffle may further worsen the situation, when the Chief Minister initially came up with the suggestion of cabinet reshuffle. Several senior ministers not willing to give up ministerial berths now will make the cabinet reshuffle a hardball, sources said. Leaders are now expected to take a call on this after wider consultation with legislators and the Congress high command. Of the total 34 ministerial positions in Karnataka, Congress and JD(S) have shared 22 and 12 respectively. Currently, three posts are vacant, two from JD(S) and one from Congress. Even as the coalition leaders were struggling to save the government, ministerial aspirants started lobbying, with a few of them even meeting Venugopal Wednesday with a request. Many Congress legislators have expressed strong reservation against priority being given to disgruntled MLAs, while sidelining the loyalists. With growing number of aspirants and a fewer posts in hand, the proposed reshuffle has become more complicated. Emerging from the meeting, Siddaramaiah said, "..no decision has been taken. Today legislature party is meeting after that we will again sit and take a decision." Dinesh Gundu Rao, without divulging much, said the discussion were centred on election results and the way ahead. "There is CLP meeting in the evening, where we will gather their opinion and suggestions, again will sit and discuss with general secretary tomorrow, and decide on the way ahead," he said. Stating that the government was stable and will continue to remain stable, Rao said: "We don't have any doubts, all are together and are supporting us..I don't want to speak about cabinet expansion or reshuffle because CLP is there, we will discuss and certainly take some decision." Parameshwara, who too was not willing to comment on cabinet reshuffle or expansion, said there was no confusion, maintaining that the government was stable. Amid simmering discontent within the Congress, the coalition leaders fear that the BJP, spurred by the Lok Sabha poll outcome, may poach some MLAs. Rebel Congress MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi, who has been hobnobbing with the BJP for some time, had threatened to resign from the party along with some MLAs after the Lok Sabha polls. Meanwhile, reports and pictures of Independent MLA Nagesh and KPJP MLA R Shankar meeting Jarkiholi on Wednesday has added to the coalition's worry. The BJP had predicted the collapse of the coalition after the LS poll results, claiming that 20 odd Congress MLAs were unhappy and may take "a decision" anytime. Over the last two days, Kumaraswamy himself met several disgruntled legislators, including Jarkiholi's confidant and Athani MLA Mahesh Kumathalli, and is said to have promised to look into their issues. He is also said to have given an assurance about including Jarkiholi in the cabinet. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dissonance within the opposition "mahagathbandhan" in Bihar, smarting under the drubbing in the general election, came to the fore on Wednesday as the Congress skipped a meeting of the alliance partners convened at the residence of former chief minister Rabri Devi, whose RJD leads the five-party grouping in the state. The meeting took place shortly after over a dozen RJD MLAs, including Abdul Bari Siddiqui and Chandrika Roy, skipped the legislature party meeting, apparently unhappy over their poll defeat from Darbhanga and Saran respectively. Sources in the "mahagathbandhan" (Grand Alliance) said the RJD MLAs were dissatisfied with the leadership of Tejashwi Yadav, the younger son and political heir of party chief Lalu Prasad. They also pointed towards the damage that might have been caused by the rebellion from Tejashwi's mercurial elder brother, Tej Pratap Yadav, who had floated a parallel outfit and supported rebel candidates loyal to himself polls, before falling in line. Notably, Tej Pratap, who was conspicuous by his absence at the party's meeting on Tuesday, stayed away from Wednesay's meeting as well, fuelling speculation about a feud in the family that controlled the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Tej Pratap, however, had sent a letter through his emissary the previous day, extending full support to his younger brother and declaring that those having problems with Tejashwi's leadership were free to leave the party. Meanwhile, emerging from the meeting and flanked by allies Upendra Kushwaha, who heads the RLSP, Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) leader Santosh Kumar Suman and Mukesh Sahni, the founding president of the VIP, Tejashwi, talking to reporters, expressed surprise at the results of the general election in Bihar. The BJP-led NDA won 39 of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Only Kishanganj went to the Congress. "The poll results were beyond our imagination, because throughout the election, we had seen top NDA leaders such as Nitish Kumar, Sushil Kumar Modi and Ram Vilas Paswan attending rallies with sullen faces, visibly upset over the lack of crowds. In contrast, a groundswell of support for the mahagathbandhan was palpable everywhere," Tejashwi said. Downplaying the absence of Congress leaders at the meeting, the RJD heir apparent said he was in regular touch with the party's national leaders such as Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Ahmed Patel. "I will be attending a meeting of the mahagathbandhan scheduled in a few days," he added. The young RJD leader was apparently at a loss to explain his party's worst-ever electoral performance, wherein it failed to win a single seat. "We feel that the NDA conspired to set a narrative that diverted public attention from the real issues that the mahagathbandhan had raised," he said. Kushwaha, whose Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) lost all the five seats it contested including the two from where he himself was in the fray, blamed the media for giving in to the NDA's "game-plan" of throwing on the backburner issues like educational reforms which his party had been raising for quite some time. Meanwhile, a senior Congress leader said on the condition of anonymity that the party must have received an invitation for the Grand Alliance meeting. "The problem is, we have a lot to blame ourselves for," he added. "We agreed to contest only nine seats, despite having prepared for at least 15. Moreover, our choice of candidates was abominable. The wife of a dreaded don like Anant Singh was fielded from Munger. She lost but not without leaving us labelled as a party that patronised criminals," he said. The Congress leader said at many places, where the party should have fielded its candidates, it yielded ground to the alliance partners, even less fancied ones like the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), which entered the fray in Madhubani and ended up losing with the highest margin in the state. The Madhubani Lok Sabha seat was won by the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Ashok Yadav by a margin of over 4.5 lakh votes. Veteran Congress leader and former Union minister Shakeel Ahmed was suspended from the party for contesting as an Independent. "While we ignored veterans at some places, we ended up reposing faith in turncoats and novices at other places. Moreover, we became a laughing stock when the RLSP fielded the son of Akhilesh Prasad Singh, one of our key leaders, who struck the bargain with Kushwaha after failing to secure a Congress ticket," the Congress leader said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee president Sachin Pilot said on Wednesday that the party will analyse the reasons behind people electing the BJP in the Lok Sabha election just a few months after the Congress formed a government in the state. He said Congress president Rahul Gandhi himself has humbly accepted the people's mandate but the state leadership will analyse the reasons for the defeat to see where the changes have to be made and what action needs to be taken. Pilot has asked party leaders and workers to start a mass contact programme across the state to connect with the people after the massive drubbing it received in the polls. "We have accepted the people's mandate humbly. Even the Congress president has accepted it. But we will analyse and study the reasons behind people electing the BJP, four to five months after the Congress formed a government in Rajasthan," he told reporters after the party's executive meeting here. "Congress will definitely introspect it to see where changes and action are required. It will be our effort that Congress gain further strength," he said. Pilot said the Congress accepted defeat in the general elections but it was not the first or the last election. "I have asked the PCC members to start a mass contact programme in cities, towns, villages and hamlets across the state with immediate effect for connecting people with the Congress party," he said. "This was not the first and the last election. We will again go among the masses and win people's heart. Congress is ruling the state and our government will fulfil all the expectations of people," the deputy chief minister said here. Meanwhile, the Rajasthan Congress executive committee endorsed the resolution passed by Congress Working Committee (CWC) on May 25, requesting the Congress president to continue extending his effective leadership. "We all have requested the party president to continue leading us. He is authorised to do whatever changes he wants to do in the organisation," Pilot said. It was the first meeting of the party's state unit after the defeat in the Lok Sabha polls in which the party could not win even a single seat out of the total 25 seats in the state. The BJP won 24 and its alliance partner won one seat in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Vida Movahedi had been sentenced to one year in prison for having taken the hijab off in public. On May 26, the authorities communicated the commutation of the sentence and the release order. During the trial she reaffirmed her opposition to the veil and the right to "civil revolt". Tehran (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Iranian authorities have granted early release Vida Movahedi, one of the women symbol of the protest against the mandatory veil in the Islamic Republic. According to defense lawyer Payam Derafshan, the young woman, sentenced to one year for having taken off her hijab in public, on the evening of May 26 "was summoned by the prison authorities" who communicated to her "the commutation of the sentence and that she was free to leave . Movahedi, 20, was arrested last October for showing up with her head uncovered (pictured) in the central Enghelab square [Revolution, in Persian], waving the veil with her arm and some red balloons. The judges indicted her for encouraging "corruption and debauchery". During the court hearing the young woman reaffirmed her own "opposition to the mandatory Islamic veil" and wanted to express her opinion in the form of a "civil uprising". Movahedi, the mother of a two-year-old girl, had already promoted public protests in late December 2017 in central Tehran, becoming the face and symbol of a struggle forcibly repressed by the authorities. And like dozens of other women she was detained by authorities, who ordered their arrest. The veil became mandatory in Iran following the rise to power of the ayatollahs with the Islamic Revolution of 1979. The fight against the law making it obligatory is not a recent phenomenon, but since the beginning of last year the movement taken on new impetus and visibility. Lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, famous for defending several women arrested between December 2017 and January 2018 for removing the hijab in public like Movahedi herself, has been in jail since June 2018 for a sentence of five years in prison. Among the accusations, that of "espionage". In recent weeks, her husband has reported that the activist received a further sentence of 10 years "for incitement to debauchery". A top Democrat said Wednesday the US Congress must respond to Donald Trump's "crimes, lies and other wrongdoing," in the absence of legal action by the Justice Department. Jerry Nadler, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, made the call after Special Counsel Robert Mueller said charging a sitting US president with a crime was "not an option." "Given that Special Counsel Mueller was unable to pursue criminal charges against the President, it falls to Congress to respond to the crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump - and we will do so," Nadler said on Twitter. "No one, not even the President of the United States, is above the law. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Maharashtra court has acquitted a 36-year-old man of charges of raping and cheating his live-in partner on the pretext of marriage, observing that their relationship does not come under the definition of rape. District judge S A Sinha in her order last Thursday said the prosecution miserably failed to prove the charges against the accused, Shwet Vijay Kamal Sinha, a resident of neighbouring Mumbai, and he needs to be freed. According to the prosecution, the 39-year-old woman, who resided at Mira Road here and ran a salon, came in contact with the accused in 2001 and they got into a relationship. The man insisted they continue their relation and even promised to marry her. He was jobless and the woman used to help him financially, the prosecution said. When the woman asked him for marriage, he cited excuses like their different castes and she being elder to him, it said. In 2007, the woman married another person but separated from him within a year. The accused then again came in contact with her. The two continued their relationship and the woman became pregnant. According to the prosecution, the accused asked her to abort the baby, but she refused and gave birth to a girl in 2010. As the accused did not get married to the woman and threatened her, she lodged a complaint against him and he was booked under Indian Penal Code sections 376 (rape), 417 (cheating), 506 (criminal intimidation), 504 (intentional insult with an intent to provoke breach of peace). The judge said during her cross-examination, the woman admitted to being in a live-in relationship with the accused. "Thus, it cannot be said that the accused forcibly had sexual intercourse with her against her will. The accused and the complainant were in a live-in relationship and their relation cannot come under the definition of rape," the judge said. The man's lawyer also submitted that his client did not refuse paternity of the girl child and took responsibility of her and also paid maintenance to the woman. "Therefore, I am of the view that the prosecution miserably failed to to prove that the accused raped the woman on the pretext of marriage," the judge observed. "There is also no satisfactory evidence of cheating, insulting, abusing and threatening the complainant. Hence, no more discussion is required," she said while acquitting the accused. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Delhi court Wednesday reserved for June 3 its order on application of Robert Vadra, accused in a money laundering case, to travel abroad. Enforcement Directorate opposed the plea, in which Vadra sought permission to travel to the UK and other countries citing health reasons. Vadra has told the court that as per Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, he has a "small tumour in the large intestine for the further management of which he can take a second opinion in London if he wishes so". The ED opposed the application, saying the medical condition was merely a pretext to go where laundered money is parked. "We got an opinion based on his medical report... It's a routine medical condition, that neither needs to be operated nor does it need medical treatment. It is not the case that the treatment is not available in India. The luxury of having a second opinion in a particular city should not be allowed," Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for ED, told the court. "The probe is at a crucial stage. His custodial interrogation is required and he may flee if allowed to go abroad. He is facing serious charges," he said. The ED also told the court that Vadra was linked to alleged arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari who was in London. "He may flee and not return. He may influence the probe and destroy the evidence. Bhandari fled from India and is currently in London. He is linked to Vadra in this very case. Vadra May destroy evidence if allowed to go abroad," the agency told the court, adding that Vadra's custodial interrogation was required. Special Judge Arvind Kumar said he would pass the order on June 3 after hearing arguments from both the parties. Vadra's counsel, senior advocate KTS Tulsi, told the court that without any summon or warrant he returned to India from London as soon as he came to know about the matter, which shows he was not trying to flee. According to the application, Vadra is scheduled to go to London, US, Netherlands and Dubai. Vadra, facing investigation in a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), was directed on April 1 not to leave the country without prior permission by a court which had granted him anticipatory bail while imposing several other conditions. Vadra, the brother-in-law of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, is facing allegations of money laundering in purchase of a property in London at 12, Bryanston Square, worth 1.9 million pounds. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The customs department has made a major change in the existing guidelines to ensure foreigners accused of smuggling do not run away and face speedy prosecution in India, an official said Wednesday. The move came as the government was informed about the steep rise in cases of outright smuggling of gold and foreign currency by foreign nationals. "It was brought to the notice of the government that these accused persons have no interest/assets in India; and once released on bail, they are not available to face trial," the customs official said, quoting an official order in this regard. Therefore, service of show cause notice by a designated court to these foreigners becomes difficult, thus delaying the prosecution process, he said. The matter was examined and it has been decided to modify guidelines issued in 2015 on launching of prosecution. "Further, in cases involving foreign national(s), prosecution may be launched at the earliest, even before issuance of the show cause notice," the order said. Normally, prosecution is launched immediately on completion of adjudication proceedings, it said. "However, in respect of cases involving offences relating to items, viz. gold, foreign currency, fake Indian currency notes, arms, ammunition and explosives, antiques, art treasures, wildlife items and endangered species of flora and fauna, prosecution may preferably be launched immediately after issuance of show cause notice under the Customs Act, 2916," the order said. The change in the existing guidelines will ensure that the foreigners accused of smuggling face the law here, the customs official said. "It really becomes very difficult to chase these accused foreigners once they have got bail in the offence allegedly committed by them as they do not have much stake or asset in India. The latest modification in the existing guidelines will also help in ensuring speedy prosecution process for these foreign nationals," he said. There has been an increase in the cases of smuggling via the Delhi airport. A total of 340 cases of gold smuggling, an increase of 58 per cent as compared to the cases filed in 2017, were registered by the customs in 2018, according to a customs department data. In these cases, 402.48 kilogram of gold, valuing over Rs 110 crore, were seized and 262 people arrested, it said. There were 57 cases of smuggling of foreign currencies during the year, in which forex worth Rs 22.27 crore were seized. A total of 38 people were arrested in these cases, the customs department data said. In 2017, there were 215 cases of gold smuggling at the Delhi airport. The customs officials seized 242.5 kilogram of the yellow metal in these cases and arrested 143 people. In 35 cases of forex smuggling in 2017, a total of 18 people were arrested and foreign currencies worth Rs 10.75 crore seized. Some of the foreign nationals were arrested in these cases of smuggling, according to the customs officer. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chief Minister Wednesday decided not to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Narenda Modi as prime minister citing 'untrue" claims by BJP that 54 of the party workers were murdered in political violence in Bengal. Banerjee had on Tuesday confirmed her presence at the ceremony to be held on May 30. "Congratulations, new Prime Minister, Narendra Modiji. It was my plan to accept the "constitutional invitation" and attend the oath taking ceremony. However, in last one year, I am seeing media reports that the BJP are claiming 54 people have been murdered in political violence in Bengal. This is completely untrue. There have been no political murders in Bengal. These deaths may have occurred due to personal enemity, family quarrels and other disputes, nothing related to There is no such record with us," Banerjee said in a tweet. "So I am sorry, ji, this has compelled me not to attend the ceremony. The ceremony is an august occasion to celebrate democracy, not one that should be devalued by any political party which uses it as an opportunity to score political points. Please excuse me," she wrote on The just concluded polls witnessed a heated verbal duel between Modi and Banerjee who spearheaded the campaigns of their parties in Besides winning 303 seats on his own (the NDA tally being 352), the BJP came up with a surprising poll show in by bagging 18 of the state's 42 seats, only four less than the TMC's 22. The saffron party leapt from two seats in the state in 2014 to 18, while the TMC slided to 22 from 34. A former army officer in Assam who had won a President's medal was apprehended on Wednesday and sent to a detention camp in after a foreigners' tribunal declared him a 'foreigner', police said. Mohammad Sanaullah, a resident of Kolohikash village under Boko police station in Kamrup district and now serving as assistant sub-inspector (ASI) in border police, was declared a 'foreigner' by the Foreigners Tribunal, Kamrup. This came following a case registered there in 2008 after Sanaullah's name was listed as a 'D' (doubtful) voter in the voters list, according to Kamrup district Additional Superintendent of Police Sanjib Saikia. After the verdict of the tribunal, Saikia said police according to laid down procedure, picked up Sanaullah and took him to the detention camp in Goalpara district to be lodged there. Before proceeding to the camp, Sanaullah told waiting journalists that he is an Indian citizen and has all the necessary documents of his citizenship. He said he served the country's interests for 30 years (1987-2017), joining the force as an official of Electronic and Mechanical Engineering department and was also awarded with President's Medal in 2014. Sanaullah said he had passed High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) examination from Champo Para Government High School at Boko in the district and after retirement he was serving as an ASI in border police since last year. His daughter while talking to the media after he was taken away said her father had presented all the necessary documents to the tribunal proving his Indian citizenship, including voter card and ancestral property documents. The family said it will appeal to the Gauhati High Court against the tribunal's verdict. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Delhi court Wednesday allowed Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, accused in a case related to his wife Sunanda Pushkar's death, to travel abroad. Special Judge Arun Bhardwaj granted permission to Tharoor to go to the United Kingdom and France from June 2 to July 1. In his application, Tharoor claimed he has to attend and speak at different events there. "The applicant has to travel to United Kingdom and France as he has been invited to speak at different events, scheduled to be held from June 2 to July 1. The applicant has been invited to attend and speak at several events across the United Kingdom during this period," the application said. While granting him bail in the case, the court had directed him not to leave the country without its prior permission. The former Union minister has been charged under Sections 498-A (husband or his relative subjecting a woman to cruelty) and 306 of IPC, but he has not been arrested in the case. Pushkar was found dead in a suite of a luxury hotel in the city on the night of January 17, 2014. The couple was staying in the hotel as the official bungalow of Tharoor was being renovated at that time. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi government's Services department has issued directions for implementation of 10 percent reservation for economically weaker sections in all direct recruitment effective from February 1 this year. In January, ahead of Lok Sabha polls the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi cleared 10 percent quota in education and government jobs to Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), a key demand of upper castes. In a circular of Services department, dated May 28, issued by deputy secretary (services) Biju Raj on behalf of the competent authority (Lt Governor), all the departments and other bodies of the Delhi government have been asked for compliance of the quota provision. "This is for compliance by all the departments, Corporations, Boards, Public Sector Units and Autonomous Bodies of Government of National Capital Territory (GNCTD) of Delhi," the circular said. The office of Lt Governor presently exercises jurisdiction over the Services department. The dispute between the Lt Governor office and ruling AAP dispensation, on control over Services matter in Delhi, is sub-judice. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had supported 10 percent reservation to EWS after the Modi government announced it in January and sought Constitutional amendment for its implementation. He had asked the Modi government to extend the Parliament session for passing a Constitutional Amendment Bill in this regard, saying AAP will support it. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Abhay Deol, who is venturing into streaming space with the Netflix release of his film "Chopsticks", says the new technology is disruptive and will bring fundamental changes to viewing experience. The actor, known for his critically-acclaimed performances in films such as "Dev D", "Manorama Six Feet Under" and "Shanghai", says he has been following the evolution of streaming for a while now. "Chopsticks", also starring Mithila Palkar, releases on Netflix on May 31. "Ever since Netflix hit the scene, I was like when will they come here? Clearly, we need them for our evolution. And having seen what Netflix has done abroad and knowing where technology is going, I knew it is bound to be destructive. Disruption can be very good for change," Deol told PTI in an interview. Digital boom, according to him, does not automatically mean that big screens are going to go away. "Something that is action-oriented and large on production value, definitely you will like to see it on the big screen because it is a large scale movie. As a creative person, there is always a certain romanticism in watching your film release on the big screen. I don't think it will ever go away," he said. "In the West, all the good drama moved to TV and only superhero films are released (in theatres) because theatres have become about spectacles and extravagant locales. "Something like 'Chopsticks' feels fine on the big TV. It is bittersweet thing, there are some things that you get here (on streaming platforms) and something that you don't get. The biggest plus point (about digital release) is that the content is pure and it is told from the perspective of the filmmaker rather than from the perspective of the studio," he added. Deol said he was one of the firsts to realise the potential of multiplexes as that is where his middle-of-the-road films were working while single screens catered to commercial entertainers. "I experienced a new platform and its impact when I was making my films back in my early years of my career. When the multiplex was coming up, how do you think 'Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!' or 'Manorama Six Feet Under' or 'Ek Chaalis Ki Last Local' or 'Dev D' released. (They released) because of the multiplex coming up. Before that, single screens were there and they would not have released (those films)." The bone of contention in some quarters is the lack of censorship in digital space and there are talks to regulate the space but Deol believes censoring isn't a solution. The actor said the audience should be the one to judge what they want to watch or not. "You want to protect people from sex and violence but they are going to get that anyway from the Internet. So might as well allow artistes and OTT platforms to work on controversial and provocative subjects. They should be able to have a nuanced dialogue through their writing and filming. Let the public be the deciding factor." In "Chopsticks", Deol plays the role of a conman named Artist. Earlier, the actor played a conman in "Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!". Drawing differences between the two characters, he said, "If Lucky was a lower class boy from Delhi, then Artist is a middle class urban guy from Mumbai. "He is educated while Lucky wasn't. Lucky is ambitious and there is a certain bitterness in him that he wasn't given the same amount of opportunities in life while Artist creates his own opportunities and for him stealing is an art and everything he does is out of passion or creativity." The film, directed by Sachin Yardi, also stars Vijay Raaz. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two more doctors at a state-run hospital here were arrested for allegedly abetting the suicide of a junior colleague by passing casteist slurs at her, police said Wednesday. An accused doctor was arrested Tuesday in connection with the suicide. All the three accused were produced in a court here which remanded them in police custody till May 31. The court accepted the argument by police that the custody of the three accused - Bhakti Mehere, Hema Ahuja and Ankita Khandelwal - was required to ascertain if the victim left a suicide note and if the accused destroyed or misplaced it. The police told the court that while the mobile phones of the accused were seized, more time was required to recover their WhatsApp chats with the victim. The police claimed that the victim's body had a few injury marks which needed to be probed further. The postmortem report was awaited, they said. While Mehere was arrested after initial interrogation, Hema Ahuja and Ankita Khandelwal were nabbed in the early hours on Wednesday, a police officer said. "The two were arrested from Pune and Mumbai," Deputy Commissioner of Police (zone III) Avinash Kumar told PTI. The three doctors were booked after their 26-year-old junior colleague Payal Tadvi at the Mumbai civic body-run BYL Nair Hospital allegedly hanged herself at her hostel room last Wednesday, a senior police official said. Her family alleged that the doctors taunted her by ragging and hurling casteist abuses as she belonged to a Scheduled Tribe. The accused were booked under the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, Anti-Ragging Act, IT Act and section 306 (abetment to suicide) of the Indian Penal Code. Advocate Nitin Satpute, appearing for the victim's family, claimed that the injury marks revealed Tadvi was killed and demanded that the three accused should be booked under Indian Penal Code Section 302 (murder). However, the accused's lawyer, Aabad Ponda, argued that the three doctors were not even aware of Tadvi's caste. He said, "Abetment of suicide is when someone intentionally wants to harm the person, but the accused had only pulled her up for work and there was no mens rea (the intention or knowledge of wrongdoing) to harm her." If the victim found no other option, she could have walked out of her job or lodged a complaint with the higher authorities (of the hospital), which she did not, he said. Relying on a WhatsApp chat, Ponda said Tadvi had told her mother that no one in the hospital knew which caste she belonged to. He said the police was merely relying on the complaint of the victim's mother who did not attribute any specific role of the three accused in connection with the incident. Another lawyer of the accused, Sanjeev Bahl, told the court that the victim was married to a doctor, but instead of staying with him, she was residing at a hostel. "There might be a family issue that could have led her to take the extreme step," he said. The defence lawyers also said that the room where Tadvi was allegedly found hanging was locked from inside, so there was no possibility of someone else being there. The accused persons did not have access to Tadvi's room and it was the police who broke open the door and found the body, they said. The three accused told the court that after the alleged incident last Wednesday, they went to the hospital dean's office where they waited for about two to three hours to record their statements. On Tuesday, Tadvi's parents protested at the hospital in Mumbai where she worked. Other protesters also joined her mother Abeda and husband Salman, demanding stringent action against the three seniors. The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi and other Dalit and tribal organisations also held protests outside the hospital. Tadvi's mother said she used to tell her about the "torture" she was facing by her seniors on petty issues. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Guest Commentary By Ken Green Environmental groups, including the David Suzuki Foundation, remain enamored of renewable energy, telling followers that the global push for cleaner, healthier energy is on. With costs dropping dramatically, renewable energy is becoming the best choice for the environment and the economy. The Green Party of Canada is on board, touting the idea that Alberta should be ready to go to 100 percent renewables. And the Citizens Climate Lobby Canada says that not only can we go 100 percent wind, water and solar for all purposes, we can reap a windfall by doing it. Renewable Cities notes cities going big for the 100 percent dream include Edmonton, Banff and Victoria. Into all this green dreaming steps Mark Mills, an energy analyst with the Manhattan Institute. He recently published a report (The New Energy Economy: An exercise in Magical Thinking) that pokes many holes in the idea that wind, solar power and energy storage will provide 100 percent of the power that drives our economy. David Suzuki, Mills finds that alternatives to hydrocarbons provide about two percent of the worlds energy a long way from 100 percent. In fact, reaching 100 percent over the next 20 years would require global renewable energy to increase by 90-fold. By contrast, Mills finds it took 50 years for global oil and gas production to increase by 10-fold. Mills gleefully dives into his physics background to debunk the notion that wind/solar/batteries will follow the same trajectory as Moores law for transistors that the number of transistors per chip would increase two-fold every two years. Mills offers an observation: If photovoltaics scaled by Moores law, a single postage-stamp-size solar array would power the Empire State Building. If batteries scaled by Moores law, a battery the size of a book, costing three cents, could power an A380 [airbus] to Asia. Yes, wind power, solar power and batteries have gotten cheaper and more efficient (as new technologies often do), showing a 10-fold reduction in costs. But the days of 10-fold increases are behind us in the solar power sector, so renewables have a long road before they compete with fossil fuels. According to Mills, for the same US$1 million, solar panels could produce about 40 million kilowatt hours (Kw) of electricity over a 30-year lifecycle. For the same $1 million, modern wind turbines can produce 55 million kW over 30 years. Those are impressive gains. But Mills points out that same $1 million worth of hardware for a shale rig would produce enough natural gas over 30 years to generate more 300 million kW. Moreover, the physical limit of capturing energy with wind turbines (called the Betz limit) is about 60 percent. Current wind turbine technologies already push close to that limit, capturing 45 percent of winds kinetic energy. Theres no 10-fold increase for wind in the future. The same is true of solar photovoltaic cells. Here, Mills observes, the theoretical limit of efficiency (called the Shockley-Queisser limit) is about 33 percent 33 percent of the photons striking the solar cells are converted into electrons. The best commercial photovoltaic cells now capture around 26 percent. Like wind, theyre pressing toward the limit. On the battery front, Mills picks on everyones favourite poster child, Elon Musk and the batteries for his Teslas. To store the energy equivalent of one 300-pound barrel of oil, youd need 20,000 pounds worth of Tesla batteries. And while Mills sees promising technologies on the horizon non-lithium materials have shown impressive gains in efficiency (up to 300 percent) those gains dont constitute a 10-fold improvement over current battery technologies. Finally, Mills observes that energy revolutions remain beyond the horizon and can only dawn through the basic sciences not product development. But he notes that 95 percent of private-sector research and development (and most such government spending) flows to development, not basic research. Governments must stop pandering to the idea we can let our fossil fuel infrastructure languish since well clearly be stranded as we quickly move to the great green energy future. Well need fossil fuels for many decades and its time policy-makers get their eyes on the prize and drop all the magical thinking. Kenneth Green is an analyst at the Fraser Institute. The ED has issued a fresh summons to Robert Vadra, brother-in- of Rahul Gandhi, to appear before it Thursday in connection with a case linked to purchase of alleged illegal assets abroad, officials said. They said Vadra has been asked to depose before the investigating officer of the case at around 10:30 AM at the agency's office in New The (ED) only last week moved a court here seeking cancellation of the anticipatory bail given to Vadra in this case and the High Court had then issued notice to him seeking his response. The ED, which had grilled Vadra over a dozen times in this case, had told the HC that itrequired Vadra's custody as he was not cooperating in the investigation and and the trial court had not discussed the gravity of the offence in its order that gave relief to Vadra, husband of The ED case against Vadra relates to allegations of in the purchase of a London-based property located at 12, Bryanston Square worth 1.9 million GBP (British pounds), which is allegedly owned by him. The agency had told a Delhi court that it has received information about various new properties in which belong to Vadra. These include two houses, one worth 5 million GBP and the other valued at 4 million GBP, six other flats and more properties. Vadra has denied the allegations of possessing illegal foreign assets and termed them a political witch hunt against him. He said he was being "hounded and harassed" to subserve political ends. The ED will soon take possession of a land worth Rs 64.93 crore in Panchkula, which was allotted to the Associated Journals Limited (AJL) by the government in 2005, after a quasi-judicial authority recently approved its order, the agency said Wednesday. The central probe agency has issued a provisional attachment order under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act on December 1 last year for attaching the plot. That same day, the CBI filed a charge sheet against former chief ministerBhupinder Singh Hooda and others for allegedly using fraudulent means to allot land to AJL. The AJL is reportedly controlled by senior leaders, including members of the Gandhi family. The group runs the Herald newspaper. "...Since, the value of plot fraudulently allotted to AJL has represented proceeds of crime, the ED has attached plot under the PMLA act, the ED had said in a statement. Now, the ED said Wednesday, that the Adjudicating Authority of PMLA" has held that defendants have committed the schedule offence, generated proceeds of crime and further found that the properties attached are proceeds of crime beyond any doubt and thereby ordered for confirmation of the provisional attachments order." With this approval, the ED is empowered to take possession of the land and erect its authority signage over the plot that disallows any trespass or activity by anybody over the asset. However, the plot can be finally transferred to the government exchequer once the trial in the case concludes in favour of the agency, officials said. The ED probe had found that Hooda, as the then CM, "misused his official position by dishonestly and fraudulently allotting the said plot to AJL afresh in the guise of re-allotment at rates prevalent in 1982 (Rs 91 per sqm) plus interest despite the fact that the cancellation of allotment of the plot had earlier attained finality and it could not legally be re-allotted." The agency said the re-allotment of the plot in 2005 "unjustly benefitted" AJL. The agency said its probe found that Hooda "granted undue extensions thrice to Ms AJL for construction of the said plot and after acquisition of the said plot projected it as untainted property and further acquired loans from the by way of mortgaging the same from tie to time." The CBI charge sheet, filed in a Panchkula court on December 1, named Motilal Vorabesides Hooda in connection with the alleged irregularities in the case. The ED has questioned the two senior leaders in this case. According to the ED, the value of the land was Rs 64.93 crore while it was allotted by Hooda for 69.39 lakh. The CBI has alleged that the re-allotment of the plot, no C-17 located in Sector-6 of Panchkula, has caused a loss to the exchequer. The case pertains to the plot allotted to AJL in Panchkula in 1982 for the publication of Hindi newspaper 'Nav Jivan' on which no construction took place till 1992. The Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) then took back possession of the plot. The ED had filed a PMLA complaint in this case in 2016 based on a CBI FIR, which had taken over investigations in this case at the request of the BJP government of Haryana, and the criminal FIRs filed by the Haryana vigilance bureau. The ED will soon take possession of a land worth Rs 64.93 crore in Panchkula, allotted to the Congress party promoted Associated Journals Limited (AJL) by the Haryana government in 2005, after a quasi-judicial authority under the anti-money laundering law recently approved its order, the agency said Wednesday. It alleged that the plot was illegally reallotted by former Haryana chief minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda to AJL by "blatantly misusing his official position". The central probe agency has issued a provisional attachment order under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on December 1 last year for attaching the plot located at C-17, Sector-6 in Panchkula. On the same day, the Central Bureau of Investigation filed a charge sheet against Hooda and others for allegedly using fraudulent means to allot land to the AJL. The AJL is controlled by senior Congress leaders, including members of the Gandhi family. The group runs the National Herald newspaper. "...Since the value of plot fraudulently allotted to the AJL has represented proceeds of crime, the ED has attached plot under the PMLA Act," the ED had said in a statement. Now, the ED said Wednesday, that the Adjudicating Authority of the PMLA "has held that defendants have committed the schedule offence, generated proceeds of crime and further found that the properties attached are proceeds of crime beyond any doubt and thereby ordered for confirmation of the provisional attachments order". With this approval, the ED is empowered to take possession of the land and erect its authority signage over the plot that disallows any trespass or activity by anybody over the asset. However, the plot can be finally transferred to the government exchequer once the trial in the case concludes in favour of the agency, officials said. The agency said the plot was allotted to AJL first in 1982. But the same was resumed back by the estate officer of the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) by an order in October, 1992 as AJL did not comply with the conditions of allotment letter, it said. "However, Hooda blatantly misused his official position and dishonestly allotted the said plot afresh in the guise of reallotment to the AJL at original rates plus interest in violation of necessary conditions and policy of HUDA by an order of August 28, 2005 for Rs 59,39,200," the ED charged. The actual value of the property is about Rs 64.93 crore, it said. "The then CM (Hooda) caused wrongful loss to HUDA and wrongful gain to AJL by ignoring legal opinion of LR, Haryana and recommendations of HUDA officers and financial commissioner and principal secretary, Town and Country Planning," it said. The agency also said its probe found that Hooda "granted undue extensions thrice to AJL for construction of the said plot and after acquisition projected it as untainted property and further acquired loans from the bank by way of mortgaging the same from time to time". The CBI charge sheet, filed before a Panchkula court on December 1 last year, named Congress leader Motilal Vorabesides Hooda in connection with the alleged irregularities in the case. The ED has questioned the two senior Congress leaders in this case. It had filed a PMLA complaint in this case in 2016 based on a CBI FIR, which had taken over investigations in this case at the request of the BJP government of Haryana, and the criminal FIRs filed by the Haryana vigilance bureau. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A middle-aged man was detained for suspicious activities from near the India-Pakistan international border, said a BSF official Wednesday. He was detained on Tuesday from near Longewala, the BSF official. A team of the BSF detained the man, aged around 45, and handed him over to police for further investigation, BSF DIG MS Rathore said. Suspect Chandrabhan had been sent to Jaisalmer, where he would be interrogated by intelligence agencies, said Ram Narayan, assistant sub-inspector at the Ramgarh police station. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Elaborate arrangements have been made by the Delhi Traffic Police ahead of the swearing-in-ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a second term tomorrow, officials said Wednesday. A traffic advisory issued a day ahead of the ceremony said several roads in New Delhi District will be closed for movement of public between 4 PM to 9 PM on Thursday and asked motorists and public to avoid them. The swearing-in-ceremony of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and his Council of Ministers is scheduled to take place on Thursday at 7 PM at Rashtrapati Bhawan. A number of Heads of States, Heads of Governments, Constitutional Authorities, Diplomats, senior political leaders, government officials, media persons are scheduled to attend the ceremony. The advisory further said roads including Rajpath - from Vijay chowk to Rashtrapati Bhawan, Vijay chowk and adjoining areas including North and South fountain, South Avenue, North Avenue, Dara-Shikoh Road and Church Road will be closed for public between 4 PM to 9 PM. A traffic official added that necessary traffic diversions will be given for several roads including Akbar Road, Rajpath, Teen Murti Marg, Krishna Menon Marg, Pandit Pant Marg, Talkatora Road, Gurudwara Rakab Ganj Road, Tyagaraj Marg and S.P. Marg. Similarly traffic diversions will be given on Khushak Road, K. Kamaraj Marg, Rajaji Marg, Shanti Path, Raisina Road -- beyond Rail Bhawan roundabout towards Parliament House and Moti Lal Nehru Marg (beyond roundabout Udyog Bhawan towards R.P. Bhawan) which are expected to face congestion due to the ceremony, the traffic official added. Traffic signages have been provided for the information of invitees and public. All motorists are advised to follow the directions of the traffic police on duty, the advisory added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 75-year-old woman who lost her way was reunited with her family with the help of PCR staff, police said Wednesday. The woman, identified as Sarla, was spotted by the Police Control Room staff at about 8.30 pm on Tuesday while she was sitting near a fire station on the GT Road in Shahdara, they said. On enquiry, she told police that she had left her Madipur residence by bus to meet her nephew Sunil, who lives in Shahdara. While changing buses, she got confused and lost her way, a senior police officer said. She could neither recollect the address or phone numbers of her nephew nor that of her residence in Madipur, he said. Seeing her plight, the PCR staff volunteered and after informing the control room, they took her to Shahdara Police Station. Later, her family was traced in Madipur after which she was handed over to her son Rameshwar, a resident of Madipur village, police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke with US counterpart Donald Trump on Wednesday, reiterating an offer to set up a working group on Turkey's decision to buy a Russian missile defence system. The move to buy the Russian S-400 system over America's Patriot equivalent has been a major source of tension between the NATO allies, leading to threats of US sanctions. In his call with Trump, Erdogan reiterated the offer to form "a joint working group on Turkey's plan to procure the S-400," his office said in a statement. The offer was first made in April but has yet to receive a response. The two leaders agreed to meet on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, at the end of June. The S-400 purchase would expose Turkey to US sanctions against arms deals with Russia. Washington says the presence of Russian missile defences in Turkey would be a threat to Western military systems and could jeopardise its involvement in the F-35 fighter jet programme, for which it provides some parts. But Erdogan has been adamant it is a "done deal", and Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said last week that Turkey had already sent personnel to Russia for training. On a more positive note, Erdogan told Trump that he welcomed the decision to eliminate tariffs on Turkish steel, saying it would help their countries reach the goal of USD 75 billion (67 billion euros) in bilateral trade. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) December 18, 2021, Saturday Officials said the cause of the explosion is being investigated as it cannot be ascertained whether it was a gas pipeline or a ... A lawyer for a family who sheltered fugitive former contractor Edward Snowden asked Canada on Wednesday to take them in as refugees, saying they were being persecuted in Hong Kong. Guillaume Cliche-Rivard of the non-governmental group For the Refugees, which in March sponsored two other Snowden "Guardian Angels," Philippine national Vanessa Rodel and her seven-year-old daughter Keana, made the plea on "humanitarian grounds" at a press conference. He noted growing concerns about civil rights abuses since mainland China took control of the former British colonial enclave in 1997. He also pointed to the precedent set by Germany in granting asylum to two democracy activists -- Ray Wong and Alan Li. "The fact that Germany has granted refugee status to these people shows that Hong Kong is a persecutor within the meaning of the Geneva Convention," said Cliche-Rivard. Germany's decision "adds a lot of weight and credibility" to the family's amended refugee claim, he said. Originally from Sri Lanka, Supun Kellapatha and Nadeeka Paththini and their two young children are facing deportation after their initial refugee claims in Hong Kong were rejected. Supun Kellapatha is also Keana's father. "My daughter should not be growing up in Canada without her father, and her half-sister and her half-brother, Rodel said. "My family has been divided and I ask Canada to act now to bring the family all together." A Sri Lankan army deserter, Ajit Kumara, is also part of the group that assisted Snowden but is awaiting a decision by Hong Kong on whether he can travel. The group hid Snowden in their tiny Hong Kong apartments in 2013 when he was on the run after stealing a trove of highly classified documents. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Roger Federer breezed into the third round of the French Open for the 15th time on Wednesday by seeing off German lucky loser Oscar Otte, while 11-time champion Rafael Nadal and Stefanos Tsitsipas also progressed. The 37-year-old Federer held off a persistent world number 144 Otte, saving all four break points he faced in a 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 win on Court Philippe Chatrier. Next up for the 20-time Grand Slam title winner is a clash with Norway's Casper Ruud who put out Italian 29th seed Matteo Berrettini 6-4, 7-5, 6-3. "The Grand Slams are incredible. You can meet a player who qualified who (you) have not heard of before," said Federer, who last played at Roland Garros in 2015. "It was difficult, he really played a great match." Federer's only French Open trophy came in 2009, and 10 years on he faces a daunting task to grab a second, potentially needing to beat Tsitsipas, Nadal and world number one Novak Djokovic in order to come out on top. He was on his game against Otte, though, breaking once in each set and serving strongly. Nadal continued the strong start to his bid for a record-extending 12th title with a comfortable victory over German qualifier Yannick Maden. The 32-year-old Nadal was in near total control against world number 114 Maden bar some nervy moments in the third set, winning 6-1, 6-2, 6-4. The 17-time major champion will play Belgian 27th seed David Goffin in the last 32. "He (Maden) is a good player. He had already won four matches so was full of confidence," said Nadal, whose Roland Garros win-loss record now reads an incredible 88-2. "For me it was an important victory." The Spaniard wasted little time in wrapping up the first two sets on Court Suzanne Lenglen. Maden may have briefly allowed himself to dream of an outrageous upset when he twice broke to level at 3-3 and then 4-4 in the third set, but Nadal put him back in his place with two quick games to seal victory. Nadal appears to be hitting form at just the right time, after following three consecutive semi-final defeats on clay with the Italian Open title before arriving in Paris. He finished the match with 43 winners against just 23 unforced errors. - Tsitsipas battles through - =============================Greek star Tsitsipas did not have things all his own way against Bolivia's Hugo Dellien on Court Simonne Mathieu, but managed to grind out a 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 7-5 victory on his fourth match point. The sixth seed, who beat Federer en route to the Australian Open semi-finals earlier this year, will take on Serbia's Filip Krajinovic in his maiden appearance in the third round. "Once I got myself into the right mindset, things seemed to flow my way," said 20-year-old Tsitsipas. "And from there, winning the set 6-0 was good confidence boost for me." Elsewhere on Wednesday, 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka showed that he can not be ruled out of contention with an impressive 6-1, 6-4, 6-0 success against in-form Chilean Cristian Garin. The Swiss will play either Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov or former US Open winner Marin Cilic next. - Svitolina to face Muguruza - ============================== Ukrainian Elina Svitolina will face 2016 champion Garbine Muguruza in the women's third round after the ninth seed's compatriot Kateryna Kozlova pulled out of the tournament before their match with a viral infection. Spain's Muguruza, seeded 19th this year, eased to a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Swede Johanna Larsson to advance. Svitolina, a two-time French Open quarter-finalist, had beaten seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams in her opening tie. Second seed Karolina Pliskova also clinched a straight-sets win in round two, beating Slovakia's Kristina Kucova 6-2, 6-2 to set up a tie with Croatian 31st seed Petra Martic. Last year's runner-up Sloane Stephens cruised through with a 6-1, 7-6 (7/3) win over Sara Sorribes Tormo on Court Philippe Chatrier. The former US Open champion, who lost to Simona Halep in the 2018 French Open final, will play Slovenia's Polona Hercog next after she edged out American Jennifer Brady 6-3, 6-7 (8/10), 6-4. Seventh seed Stephens has now reached at least the third round at Roland Garros on each of her last seven visits to the French capital. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The finance ministry may look at a 10-year tax holiday for real estate developers on profits earned from rental housing as it looks to revive investment and boost a slowing economy, sources said. In a recent meeting with senior finance ministry officials, the real estate developers have been asked to suggest steps to address challenges faced by the sector. They have also been asked to submit a note on the rental housing business model, where expenses would be allowed to claim for deduction, but the profit will be exempted from tax for 10 years, sources said. Over the past few years, investments in the country have fallen from 36 per cent of GDP to 29 per cent, and the finance ministry believes that the primary reason for this decline is slowdown in the real estate sector. The ministry has already started discussions with industry bodies on their demands from Budget 2019-20, which is likely to be tabled in Parliament in July. To perk up demand in the sector, the GST Council had cut tax rates on new projects under affordable housing to 1 per cent and 5 per cent for others, without input tax credit, from 8 per cent and 12 per cent with ITC, respectively. For ongoing under-construction residential projects, however, builders have an option to choose between old tax rates and the new ones to help resolve input tax credit issues. The real estate developers had long been demanding that the government take steps to improve liquidity situation of developers and also restructure their loans saying that the sector is in financial stress due to lack of funding from banks and NBFCs. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India's registered first negative growth rate in more than five years in April, mainly due to the demise of Jet Airways, global airlines' grouping International Air Transport Association (IATA) said Wednesday. The country was one of the fastest growing domestic aviation markets in the world for the past many months. The IATA, a grouping of around 290 airlines, said following a sustained period of strong double-digit Revenue Passenger Kilometre (RPK) growth, the India domestic market recorded its first negative growth rate in April since January 2014. RPK is a measure of passenger volumes. "After a sustained period of very strong growth, RPKs in the domestic India market are 0.5 per cent lower than their year-ago level. This is the first negative growth rate in more than five years and is largely due to the demise of Jet Airways," the grouping said in its global passenger traffic results for April. Air India, Vistara, SpiceJet and now defunct are among the Indian carriers that are members of the Jet Airways, which was flying for more than 25 years, temporarily suspended operations in April after it ran out of cash. Flight cancellations and subsequent grounding of the airline adversely impacted seat capacity in the domestic market which also resulted in fares going up. According to the report, RPKs in India are currently 0.5 per cent lower than their year-ago level, down from a 15 per cent year-on-year pace as recently as December. "Over the past five years, annual growth has averaged close to 20 per cent. The main explanation for this dramatic slowing is the exit of from the market. "This sizeable supply side interruption has not yet been offset by other carriers, resulting in Available Seat Kilometre (ASK) growth also slowing sharply, to just 0.5 per cent y-o-y currently (compared to an average pace of around 15 per cent in the past two years). More broadly, rising airfares in recent months are also likely to have weighed upon passenger demand," it said. ASK is an indicator of capacity. Globally, the said RPK rose 4.3 per cent in April compared to the same period a year ago. "We experienced solid but not exceptional rising demand for air connectivity in April. This partly is owing to the timing of Easter, but also reflects the slowing global economy. "Driven by and trade disputes, global trade is falling, and as a result, we are not seeing traffic growing at the same levels as a year ago," Director General and CEO Alexandre de Juniac said. However, he noted that airlines are doing a very good job of managing aircraft utilisation, leading to record load factors. The latest strikes in the fiercest wave of regime bombardment on a jihadist enclave in northwestern Syria killed at least 15 civilians on Wednesday, a war monitor said, despite calls to halt the attacks. Air strikes by Russian and government warplanes, some using barrel bombs, and shelling have claimed a mounting civilian death toll over the past few weeks. The violence, which comes despite a truce deal brokered by Moscow and Ankara in September, has caused mass displacement and heightened fears of the worst humanitarian catastrophe in Syria's eight-year conflict. The United States and the United Nations demanded an end to the bombardment on Tuesday, as strikes by Damascus killed 27 people -- the single highest civilian death toll in the region since the regime increased its attacks in late April. But the aerial bombardment on Wednesday did not relent against Idlib province, most of which is controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a group dominated by former members of Al-Qaeda's Syria affiliate. According to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring organisation, seven of Wednesday's victims were killed in an air raid on the village of Sarja. A father and his three children were killed in the village of Bara and four other civilians died in strikes in the towns of Hbeit and Areen, said Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman. "The bombardment by the regime and Russia continues to be intense on several areas. The Russian strikes are focused on Khan Sheikhun but have not caused any casualties for now," he said. Syrian state agency SANA reported one woman was killed by jihadist shelling on northern Hama. The civilian death toll has mounted in and around Idlib in recent days, reaching more than 270 over the past month, according to the Observatory. In villages struck by regime raids, excavators have dug new graves and civilians buried the dead stealthily at dusk to avoid being targeted by more air raids. Despite the surge in attacks the government has not announced an all-out offensive to retake the entire jihadist enclave, a large area which is home to almost three million people. Analysts predict that President Bashar al-Assad and his allies will continue to chip away at the area but not unleash a major assault that would create chaos on Turkey's doorstep. The regime is likely to continue applying sustained military pressure whilst attempting to preserve the fragile truce agreement reached in Russia last year to spare the region a large-scale humanitarian disaster. On Tuesday, Syria's UN envoy Bashar Jaafari said Damascus "will spare no effort" to end the jihadist control of Idlib, according to comments carried by SANA. UN deputy aid chief Ursula Mueller, however, told the Security Council that a further escalation would threaten humanitarian assistance for the region's residents. She said some 270,000 people had been displaced by the fighting in Idlib since late April. Aid agencies have been forced to suspend their work in some areas, she said. At least 23 medical facilities have been hit since April 28, including two medical facilities that have been attacked twice, said David Swanson, a spokesman for the UN humanitarian office. Five health workers have died and 7 others were injured as a result, he told AFP on Wednesday. The United States has said that "indiscriminate attacks on civilians and public infrastructure such as schools, markets and hospitals is a reckless escalation." The conflict in Syria has killed more than 370,000 people since it started in 2011. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma said on Wednesday that Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot should take the responsibility of the Congress debacle in the Lok Sabha election in the state and should resign. The Bharatiya Janata Party leader claimed that Congress' rout in the state reflected that the Gehlot government had lost the people's confidence. "Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot should tender his resignation over the defeat in the Lok Sabha election. He could not make his son (Vaibhav) win (from Jodhpur) and he should take the responsibility," Sharma told reporters here. He added that Gehlot had no "moral authority" to remain on the post. On speculation that the BJP might attempt to destabilise the Gehlot government, Sharma said the BJP was not looking for an opportunity in the "internal crisis" of the Congress. "We do not believe in government formation by defection. However, if the hearts of some of their leaders get changed then what BJP can do in this? he asked. The BJP won 24 of the state's 25 Lok Sabha seats, while alliance partner Rashtriya Loktantrik Party won one seat. Sharma also targeted the Congress government over removing the "Veer" prefix from Savarkar's name. "The Gehlot government has a negative approach, he said. Sharma is on a day's visit to the state. He called on Governor Kalyan Singh and also visited Salasar Balaji temple in Churu and Khatushaym temple in Sikar. Sharma also claimed that the country would become a superpower under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Vehicle safety group Global NCAP has given three stars safety ratings out of five for adult occupant protection to Maruti Suzuki India's (MSI) premium hatchback Ignis sold in South Africa after conducting crash tests. The model, which is manufactured at the company's Gurgaon plant and exported to South Africa, achieved three stars in frontal crash test at 64km/hr. The crash tests were conducted by Global NCAP and the Automobile Association of South Africa as part of its latest #SaferCarsforAfrica initiative, the vehicle safety group said in a statement on its website. Global NCAP rated the structure of Ignis as unstable due to weak chest protection for the driver. It pointed out that the model got a low score in child safety too as Suzuki did not recommend a specific Child Restraint System (CRS) in the test car. The South African Ignis comes with two airbags and ABS as standard, while the European version of the model offers six airbags and electronic stability control as standard fitment. "These results are encouraging but indicate more work needs to be done to protect child occupants in vehicles. While we have minimum safety standards for vehicles in South Africa, we need to appreciate that minimum is not good enough," the Automobile Association of South Africa Executive Chairman Sikkie Kajee said in a statement. In a similar crash test, the Honda Amaze achieved four stars for adult occupant protection in the frontal crash test at 64km/hr. Global NCAP rated its structure as stable. It, however, achieved a one star rating for child occupant protection. "Using the child seats recommended by Honda, the Amaze only achieved a one star rating for child occupant protection," Global NCAP said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Goa Congress and its legislative wing Wednesday jointly urged Rahul Gandhi to withdraw his resignation from the post of party president and appealed to him to work for strengthening the organisation. The Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) and the Congress Legislature Party (CLP), at a joint meeting here, passed an unanimous resolution urging Gandhi to withdraw his resignation from the top post, senior party leader Chandrakant Kavlekar told reporters. Gandhi offered to resign during the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Delhi last week after the partys poor performance in the general elections. However, the highest decision-making body of the party unanimously rejected his resignation. Kavlekar said Gandhi's act of tendering his resignation after the opposition party's dismal show in the just held polls shows his "large-heartedness". Gandhi quit despite the fact that his contribution to get the Congress in power in the Lok Sabha polls was beyond any doubt, said the Leader of Opposition in the Goa assembly. "We want that he should continue in the chair and strengthen the party so that we will win all the future elections," Kavlekar said. He said Gandhi never lacked in his efforts to work for the 133-year-old party, which lost second successive Lok Sabha elections. Gandhi, who was elected to the top party post in December 2017, should complete his term, Kavlekar said. He said doubts have been expressed over the BJP's overwhelming victory in the 2019 general elections. "People were against the Narendra Modi-led government and expressed anger against it across the country. But despite that the BJP won on several seats. Now there are doubts on these results, he said. "People are not able to accept the results. We expect the truth to come to the fore in the future, Kavlekar said. GPCC president Girish Chodankar said the Congress polled sizeable votes in Goa, but ended up winning just one of the two Lok Sabha seats and the solitary assembly segment out of the four where bypolls were held. He said the party will approach voters and try to know what went wrong that its candidates lost. Chodankar said the Congress is hopeful of winning 26 of the 40 assembly seats in Goa in the next state polls scheduled in 2022. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Gujarat government Wednesday approved implementation of 10 per cent EWS quota in admissions to professional and medical courses from this academic year, and addition of seats to accomodate the new reservation. Gujarat thus became the first state in the country to implement the quota, said Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel. The government approved creation of new seats for various professional courses during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, Patel told reporters in Gandhinagar. There will be 6,800 new seats in various medical and allied courses, and around 44,000 new seats in engineering, pharmacy, architecture and other professional courses from this year, he said. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced a separate 10 per cent quota for economically weaker sections (EWS) in the general category. Now, Gujarat has become the first state to implement this quota for admissions to medical and professional courses," said Patel, who handles Health and Medical Education portfolio. To state government will create 914 new seats for MBBS course, taking the total number of available seats in 2019-20 to 5,264, said Patel. The number of seats for related streams, such as dental and nursing, have also gone up significantly to accommodate the ten per cent quota, he said. The cabinet meeting approved addition of seats, he said. Normally, each medical college has 150 MBBS seats. As per the Central government's formula, each medical college will add 35 new seats to accommodate EWS quota applicants, the deputy chief minister said. "Since we are not supposed to disturb the existing quota for SC, ST and OBCs, 35 new seats will be added in each of these colleges, taking the total number of seats to 185 in each medical college. Of these new 35 seats, 15 will be reserved for EWS category and the rest will be distributed among existing categories," said Patel. The announcement regarding increase in Post Graduate medical seats will be made later, he said. Similarly, seats will be added in dental, Ayurveda, homeopathy, nursing, physiotherapy and other allied courses. Dental seats have gone up from 1,140 to 1,360, Ayurveda seats from 1,780 to 2,115, homeopathy seats from 3,525 to 4,160, nursing seats from 16,240 to 19,975, physiotherapy seats from 4,535 to 5,435 and other para-medical courses seats from 320 to 390. In total, the state government has added 6,809 seats in medical and allied courses. Around 44,000 new seats will be added in engineering, MBA, MCA, architecture and pharmacy courses. Patel also informed that the Centre has given nod for a medical college in Amreli district. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court Wednesday sought response of the Centre and the Delhi government on a plea seeking effective steps for security and welfare measures, including medical insurance, for advocates. A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice Brijesh Sethi issued notice to the central and state governments on the PIL and listed the matter for further hearing on August 7. The plea filed by three lawyers submitted that due to increasing number of attacks on the legal fraternity, in which some are being allegedly implicated in false cases by the police, there is a need for 'Advocates Protection Act' to ensure their safety. The petition, filed by advocates Tajinder Singh, Anurag Chauhan and Yakub Raza, sought a direction to the authorities to take effective steps for protection, social security and welfare measures including medical insurance for advocates in Delhi. "It is the primary responsibility of the respondents (Centre and state government) to protect the rights of advocates and help them to get justice by fighting for their rights in the courts of law. "While doing so, if they antagonise the interest of certain sections of people, they are targeted by such section who are even nefarious elements to cause bodily harm," it said. The plea referred to some of the attacks on lawyers in which their cars were set on fire by unidentified persons. It also mentioned that a several lawyers were brutally beaten up and assaulted allegedly by civic agency staff and police of West Bengal after which the bar council had ceased work. "The judiciary system comprises both judges as well as of advocates and it is responsibility of the Government to protect the interest of advocates as it does of judicial officers," the plea said. It referred to several states including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, saying these states have Advocate Welfare Fund Act and they provide claim in the event of death, retirement, medical expenses, financial hardship. The plea sought direction to set up a panel to examine and give recommendations for protection of advocates as also for implementing the advocates' fundamental rights of social security and welfare measures like housing schemes, financial assistance to young lawyers, pension, health care insurance to every advocate along with his family. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court Wednesday declined to pass any interim order for putting on hold the operation of websites which allow people to gamble, bet and play games of chance, like poker, online. "No interim relief. Let it go on," a bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice Brijesh Sethi said while hearing a PIL seeking an end to such online games. The court, however, issued notice to the Centre and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) seeking their responses to the plea by Avinash Mehrotra who has alleged that such activities are "illegal". He has claimed in his plea that the problem of online gambling was "a rising menace that has ruined the lives and financial security of several persons". The petition has contended that such gaming and gambling websites are encouraging people to spend their hard earned money on games of chance like poker and blackjack. It has claimed that success in these games was based solely on the turn of cards and no skill was involved. The petition has also alleged that as most of such websites were based outside India, it was leading to foreign exchange leaving the country and this amounted to violation of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). It has also claimed that such online gaming and gambling websites do not deduct tax from the winnings and nor do the players pay tax, leading to loss of revenue to the government. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The integrated aviation hub in Haryana's Hisar will be established in a phased manner and an airstrip, where Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 planes can land, will be ready by January 2021, a statement said on Wednesday. This was informed at a meeting of the state Civil Aviation Department, held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar here. The Hisar airport will be completely ready by 2024 for operation. A flying school will also be established in Hisar, which will have a provision of imparting training to about 100 pilots, the official release said. It was informed that by 2021, concerted efforts would be made to provide maintenance, repair and overhaul facility to big airplanes, along with parking facility, in Hisar, the release said. "The Hisar airport would also be established as an alternate airport so that the flights from busy Delhi airport could use this airport. There would also be parking facility so that airplanes could be parked in Hisar in view of shortage of parking space at Delhi airport," the statement said. A special purpose vehicle (SPV) will be established in Haryana for management and expansion of airports, and other activities related to flights, under which the state aviation infrastructure company would be constituted. The chief minister has given an in-principle approval for it, the release said. A helidrome will be established at Panchkula district's Pinjore town, about 25 km from Chandigarh, to promote helicopter flights so that passengers and tourists going to Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand will get speedy service, the release said. A meeting will soon be held with the Himachal Pradesh government to establish this helidrome. Helicopter flights to stations like Shimla, Kullu and Dharamsala can operate from Pinjore, the release said. An advisory committee under the chairmanship of chief minister and a steering committee under the chairmanship of the chief secretary will be constituted for completion of these projects in a phased and timely manner, it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati has signed an MoU with The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to set up an IITG-ISRO Space Technology Cell (STC) at the institute where Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi inaugurated a new academic complex and research and development building on Wednesday. Stating the MoU was signed on May 24, an IIT-G press release on Wednesday said the IITG-ISRO STC would be first of its kind in the North-east region to augment research and capacity building processes in the field of space-technology. The STC will constitute faculty members from IIT Guwahati, visiting scientists/ experts from ISRO, research students and technical staff, the release said. Through the STC, IIT Guwahati aspire to partner with ISRO for performing cutting edge research not only catering to the socio-economic needs of the Northeast but also to contribute towards the basic research activities of various ISRO projects across India, it said. The STC is a major milestone for IIT Guwahati that can kick start collaborative research activities involving faculty members and ISRO scientists for short term and long term solutions to challenging space-research problems, the release said, adding, it would serve as a platform for motivating and involving undergraduate, post graduate students and research scholars and orient them towards the realms of space-research activities. Meanwhile, governor Jagdish Mukhi inaugurating the new academic complex said that Nanotechnology which is a field of future has opened vistas for newer and newer medical avenues for the welfare of mankind. To achieve this distinctive profile, Mukhi said the IITs have to play their crucial role and the brilliant students of the Institute should take proactive role in dedicating themselves for the great vision of transforming the nation with the help of Nanotechnology. Appreciating IIT Guwahati empowering the students with quality technological knowledge, skill and ability to help them inculcate the right attitude and holistic values, he said research and development activities always play a pivotal role in shaping up a nations progress especially in the realms of science and technology. The Governor urged the IIT Guwahati fraternity to use its wisdom and expertise for the extensive application of research and technology like nanotechnology to lead mankind to the path of well being. Mukhi also emphasized that the teaching methodology and impartment of education in IITs should additionally highlight importance of entrepreneurship and prepare the students get oriented towards setting up of business ventures using their creativity, freedom and ability to generate wealth and employment avenues. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump's national security adviser warned Iran on Wednesday that any attacks in the Persian Gulf will draw a "very strong response" from the U.S., taking a hard-line approach with Tehran after his boss only two days earlier said America wasn't "looking to hurt Iran at all." John Bolton's comments are the latest amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran that have been playing out in the Middle East. Bolton spoke to journalists in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, which only days earlier saw former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis warn there that "unilateralism will not work" in confronting the Islamic Republic. The dueling approaches highlight the divide over Iran within American The US has accused Tehran of being behind a string of incidents this month, including the alleged sabotage of oil tankers off the Emirati coast, a rocket strike near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and a coordinated drone attack on Saudi Arabia by Yemen's Iran-allied Houthi rebels. On Wednesday, Bolton told journalists that there had been a previously unknown attempt to attack the Saudi oil port of Yanbu as well, which he also blamed on Iran. He described Tehran's decision to back away from its 2015 atomic deal with world powers as evidence it sought nuclear weapons, even though it came a year after America unilaterally withdrew from the unraveling agreement. Bolton stressed the US had not seen any further Iranian attacks in the time since, something he attributed to the recent military deployments America recently sent an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Persian Gulf. But he warned the U.S. would strike back if again attacked. "The point is to make it very clear to Iran and its surrogates that these kinds of action risk a very strong response from the United States," Bolton threatened, without elaborating. Bolton spoke before talks with Abu Dhabi's powerful crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He declined to have his remarks recorded by journalists. A longtime Iran hawk, Bolton blamed Tehran for the recent incidents, at one point saying it was "almost certainly" Iran that planted explosives on the four oil tankers off the UAE coast. He declined to offer any evidence for his claims. "Who else would you think is doing it?" Bolton asked at one point when pressed. "Somebody from Nepal?" Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has repeatedly criticized Bolton as a warmonger. Abbas Mousavi, a spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry, said later Wednesday Bolton's remarks were a "ridiculous accusation." Separately in Tehran, President Hassan Rouhani said that the "road is not closed" when it comes to talks with the US if America returns to the nuclear deal. However, the relatively moderate Rouhani faces increasing criticism from hard-liners and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei over the collapsing accord. Meanwhile, acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said some 900 troops coming to the Mideast over the perceived Iran threat to reinforce the tens of thousands already in the region would be placed in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Another 600 attached to a Patriot missile battery have had their deployment in the region extended. "The Iranian threat to our forces in the region remains," Shanahan said. Speaking in Abu Dhabi, Bolton linked the rocket fire in Baghdad, the alleged sabotage of the ships and the drone attack by Yemen's rebels, describing them as a response from Iran and its proxies. "I think it's important that the leadership in Iran to know that we know," Bolton said. He then brought up what he said could be a considered a fourth, previously unknown attack. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India wants to build a genuine partnership with African countries that creates jobs and opportunities and New Delhi is looking at ways to cooperate with various groupings in the Indo-Pacific region, a top official of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Wednesday. Speaking at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses Africa Day Round Table on "India-Africa Partnership in Changing World", Secretary of Economic Affairs in the MEA T S Tirumurti said the India-Africa partnership would be a defining one in addressing the challenges in the changing world. India and Africa will also look at ways to cooperate in the Indian-Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and other groupings in the Indo-Pacific region, he added. "India wants to build a genuine partnership with African countries that creates jobs and opportunities. It is with this in mind that we decided to offer 50,000 scholarships under the i-tech scholarships programme," Tirumurti said. "African priorities are our priorities and that is what our prime minister has always emphasised. Over the years, our relations have acquired greater depth across a range of areas. There have been 29 visits to Africa at the level of prime minister, president, vice-president, apart from several other ministerial visits," he added. Tirumurti said India had already opened six of its 18 missions in Africa. "Our engagement is not limited to the bilateral political level, but it also involves diplomatic mechanisms at all three levels of continental, regional and bilateral and through the multilateral forums," he said. Tirumurti said Africa and India had come a long way and had a long path to walk in the future. "While the relationship with Africa is on the upswing, the challenge is to maintain this momentum and ensure follow-up on our successes as well as find new areas for cooperation," he said. Tunisia's Ambassador to India Nejmeddine Lakhal, who participated in the round-table, said the perception of Africa had changed over time, from "being a hopeless continent to one of the fastest-growing economies in the world". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday said the secular visage of the country was reeling under the threat from the surge of communalism. Abdullah, who won the just-concluded Lok Sabha election from the Srinagar constituency, said the need of the hour was collective efforts for the protection of religious freedom and rule of law in the country. "The spur in the targeted attacks on Muslims at various places across north India is just painful. The rise of communalism in India has to be countered by all the right-thinking secular parties of the country," the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said while interacting with various delegations here. He said if the fascist syndrome of communal strife was allowed to grow unchecked, it would eventually munch the secular fabric of our society, which was otherwise known for tolerance. "The strife of communal hatred is one of the biggest challenges for our society. It is for the new government to decide if they want to let the mammoth of communalism grow unhindered. The idea of development is impossible if 25 crore Muslims are not a part of that story," Abdullah said. He asserted that the government could not think of taking the country forward without taking along the Muslims. "Now we get to see Muslim men and women being attacked by unruly mobs across the country. The other day, we saw how a Muslim boy was thrashed for wearing a skull cap. Is this the idea of India that was envisaged by the makers of our Constitution? The biggest challenge ahead of the central government would be to stop such incidents from recurring," the former Union minister said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India has decided to appoint experts in the Maldives to work on financial crime and money laundering matters, officials said Wednesday. The officers, who would be deputed in the island nation for an initial period of one year, would prepare strategies to establish close coordination between agencies, both local and international, working on law enforcement, anti-corruption and anti-money laundering activities, they said, citing an official order. These officers would suggest methods to access operational support from Interpol, the London metropolitan police and the FBI among others, they said. A panel of eligible officials is being finalised by the Centre to look into financial crime, fraud investigation, money laundering and preventing corruption, they said. The experts will do informal analysis from internal and external data resources, social media and open source information and develop relevant new data sources, they said. They would also assist investigations on complex cases by conducting in-depth analysis and preparing link charts and other tools used in such investigations, the officials said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to travel to the Maldives early next month. Citing eligibility criteria for the posting, the order said the expert is expected to possess analytical expertise in identifying corruption, by screening and identifying information in emails, documents and photos related to sources and utilisation of funds within an organisation, embezzlement, money laundering, tax evasion and asset search. The expert should also be versed in anti-money laundering and counter financing or terrorism laws, United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials and inter-American Convention against corruption and similar organisations from the region, it said. It is not for the first time that Indian officers are being appointed on deputation in foreign countries. India had earlier appointed officers in Mauritius and Singapore in order to intensify its effort in checking money laundering and tax evasion, the officials said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indian Film Festival of Melbourne is returning for its 10th chapter from August 8 to 17 and will celebrate "courage" as its central theme while offering a bouquet of stories dealing with tough issues, says festival director Mitu Bhowmick Lange. The festival, which was conceptualised in 2010, has seen cinema stalwarts such as Amitabh Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra, Vidya Balan, Kangana Ranaut, Rajkumar Hirani, Kabir Khan, Nikkhil Advani, Rani Mukerji, Freida Pinto, Richa Chadha, Konkona Sensharma and Ali Fazal as attendees. "We are looking forward to another year of celebrating Indian cinema here in Melbourne. The festival has grown from strength to strength. This has been a tremendous journey for us so far as an institution. I'm glad that we are moving into our decade long promise and promotion of Indian cinema down under. "Courage has been chosen as our theme to celebrate films of diversity and strong storytelling. Our message and intent has always been to promote cinema beyond any boundaries," Lange said in a statement. She said the festival has found support not only from the Indian film industry but also from Film Victoria and the Victorian government. "We have always been and continue being committed to unification of stories that induce inclusiveness and showcase diversity. This year as we commence our 10th annual festival, we are gearing to celebrate our core theme of courage and we are elated to be welcoming another annual period of celebrating Indian cinema," she added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An international organization that advocates for the rights of journalists has urged Pakistan to immediately release a reporter who was arrested for his coverage of this week's violent clash between minority Pashtuns and troops in a northwestern region near the Afghan border. The Committee to Protect Journalists, a New York-based group, in Tuesday's statement says Gohar Wazir, a reporter working for the private TV station Khyber News, was detained in the town of Bannu after reporting on the demonstration of the Pashtun Protection Movement, a group campaigning against the perceived high-handedness by security forces. The arrest came days after the group led by two lawmakers clashed with troops at an army post in the North Waziristan district, setting off a shootout that wounded five troops and killed three activists. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shares of Manpasand Beverages continued to fall on Wednesday, plunging over 42 per cent in three days, after some of the company's officials were taken under judicial custody following a search by the Commissioner of Central GST and Customs. The scrip tumbled 9.94 per cent to close at Rs 63.40, its lower circuit limit, on the BSE on Wednesday. At the NSE, shares plummeted 10 per cent to close at Rs 63.45, its lower circuit. In three days, the scrip has fallen by 42.36 per cent on the BSE. The BSE Tuesday revised the circuit limit for shares of the company to curb excessive volatility in its prices. The new circuit limit for Manpasand Beverages is 10 per cent and would be effective from May 29, the exchange had said. In a BSE filing on Saturday, Manpasand Beverages had said that the Commissioner of Central GST and Customs carried out search and seizure proceedings at various premises of the company on May 23 and further inquiry was conducted on May 24 at GST Bhavan office of Vadodara. "Mr Abhishek Singh, Whole Time Director, Mr Paresh Thakkar, Chief Financial Officer of the company and Mr Harshvardhan Singh are under judicial custody of authority on May 24, 2019. The company is contesting these allegations in accordance with the due process of law," it had said in the filing. In a separate filing on Saturday, it had said, "We would like to inform you that Mr Vishal Sood, Non-Executive Director of the company has tendered resignation from the post of Director with immediate effect i.e. 24th May, 2019. This resignation is mainly due to search from GST department." The company's independent directors Bharat Vyas and Milind Babar, along with director Dhruv Agrawal also tendered their resignation. The company informed the BSE that Vyas resigned due to "pre-occupation", while resignation of others is "mainly due to GST search." On Monday, the company also informed the bourses about cancellation of its board meeting, which was scheduled to be held on May 28, "due to unavoidable circumstances and also due to want of quorum during the board meeting. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US National Security Advisor John Bolton said Wednesday Iran was "almost certainly" behind attacks on ships off the United Arab Emirates earlier this month. The four ships, including two Saudi tankers, were attacked by "naval mines almost certainly from Iran", Bolton told a press conference in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi. US experts are part of a five-nation team that is investigating the May 12 attacks that damaged the four vessels in the Sea of Oman off the UAE emirate of Fujairah. "There's no doubt in anybody's mind in Washington who's responsible for this," he said. "Who else would you think is doing it? Someone from Nepal?" Bolton said he would meet Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan as well as his UAE counterpart, Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, to discuss relations and regional tensions. "We remain concerned and as watchful as we can," he said. "We are responding and consulting more closely with our allies in the region to discuss what to do next." Washington has reimposed tough sanctions against Tehran and ordered the deployment of 1,500 more troops to the Middle East. Tehran called the attacks on the ships "alarming and regrettable", and warned of "adventurism" by foreign players to disrupt maritime security. Fujairah, where the attacks took place, is a key oil export terminal on the Sea of Oman that spares tankers the need to enter the Gulf through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has repeatedly threatened to close. Almost a third of the world's oil supplies pass through the narrow strait between Iran and Oman which is the sole shipping lane into and out of the Gulf. Two days after the attacks on the ships, Yemen's Huthi rebels -- accused by Abu Dhabi and Riyadh of being proxies of Tehran -- hit a strategic diversionary pipeline in Saudi Arabia with two drones. The east-west pipeline, which has the capacity to carry some five million barrels per day from the oilfields of the kingdom's Gulf coast to the Red Sea, was shut for two days as a result of the attack. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Indian railways passengers support Twitter handle Wednesday asked a user to delete his internet search history, responding to his complaint that "vulgar and obscene" advertisements popped up on IRCTC's ticket booking app. The Indian Railways Seva handle (@RailwaySeva), which was set up in December 2017 for passenger support, also educated the complainant that online advertisements depend on personal browsing history of a user. "Obscene and vulgar ads are very frequently appearing on the IRCTC ticket booking app. This is very embarrassing and irritating," the complainant wrote. The user also tagged official Twitter handles of the Railways Minister, IRCTC and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal's office in the tweet made at 4.15 pm. Responding to the complaint, the Indian Railways Seva tweeted, "Irctc uses Googles ad serving tool ADX for serving ads.These ads uses cookies to target the user. Based on user history and browsing behaviour ads are shown. Please clean and delete all browser cookies and history to avoid such ads." Cyber expert Jiten Jain said online ads largely depend on a user's ad preferences and the kind of content browsed through a particular device. "And the users themselves give Google the permission to show such ads when they agree to their terms and conditions while subscribing to its services. Although it is not 100 per cent, because in some cases Google also puts forth some ads on its own online," Jain told PTI. By 9.21 pm, the Indian Railways Seva's tweet was liked by over 7,800 users and retweeted nearly 3,700 times. The handle generally provides support to railway users on queries related to timings, PNR issues or concerns with cleanliness or food on trains. On its support website, Google states that ads should respect user preferences and comply with legal regulations, so it does not allow certain kinds of adult content in ads and destinations. "Some kinds of adult-oriented ads and destinations are allowed if they comply with the policies below and don't target minors, but they will only show in limited scenarios based on user search queries, user age, and local laws where the ad is being served," it says. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Japanese police on Wednesday searched the home of the man behind a stabbing rampage in the town of Kawasaki a day earlier that killed two people, including a child. The 51-year-old attacker, identified by police as Ryuichi Iwasaki, died after stabbing himself during the rampage, and his motives for the horrifying assault remain unclear. On Wednesday morning, police searched his home, not far from the scene of the morning attack, seizing unspecified material, public broadcaster NHK reported. Local media said Iwasaki was living with relatives in their 80s, but gave no further details. Police had no comment on the investigation and declined to offer any further details about the attacker. The rampage in the town south of Tokyo on Tuesday morning killed two people -- 11-year-old schoolgirl Hanako Kuribayashi and a 39-year-old parent, identified as government official Satoshi Oyama, a Myanmar specialist. Seventeen more people, mainly young children, were injured, according to authorities. Iwasaki crept silently up behind pupils of the Caritas Gakuen (school) as they waited for their school bus and began slashing randomly at them armed with knives in both hands, before fatally stabbing himself in the neck. But by Wednesday morning, few details had emerged about the attackers and his motive for the assault, with neighbours telling local media that they knew little about the man. A female neighbour told Kyodo agency that Iwasaki had said good morning to her 40 minutes before carrying out the attack, an interaction she described as unusual. The agency said Iwasaki was believed to have gone to local schools, but there was no confirmation. A man who identified himself as having taught Iwasaki in junior high school, when the suspect was around 14, told NHK he was "not the kind of child who stands out". "He and his friends would shove each other playfully, but he didn't attack anyone violently," the teacher said. In the wake of the attack, Japan's government said it would review measures to ensure the safety of children travelling to and from school. Japan has one of the lowest rates of violent crime in the developed world, and it is common for even young children to take public transport alone to get to and from school. "The whole government will work in unison to ensure the children's safety," government spokesman Yoshihide Suga told reporters after a ministerial meeting on the issue. The attack shocked Japan, where violent crime is vanishingly rare, in part because of strict regulations on gun ownership. On Wednesday morning, people were still arriving at the scene of the attack to lay flowers and other tributes to those killed. The Caritas school will be closed for the rest of the week, and officials said on Tuesday that they would offer students mental health support after the attack. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Kashmiri youth, who allegedly joined the ISIS, has been arrested by the US allied forces in Syria and his parents have approached state authorities for intervening and bringing him back, officials said here on Wednesday. The youth identified as Adil Ahmad is believed to have joined the banned terror group in 2013, officials said. After migrating to ISIS-controlled Syria, ostensibility on the pretext of working for an NGO, he married a Dutch woman who had also joined the terror group. Having completed his MBA from Queensland in Australia, Adil left for Turkey via Jordan on June 21, 2013 on an Indian passport after he allegedly got in touch with some radical groups based in Australia. His family had been claiming that Adil was working in Syria and neighbouring countries, till his father received a message from his Dutch wife that she and their son were in custody of the US-allied forces. The wife, according to the officials, was given access to the International Committee of Red Cross which facilitated contact with her husband's family. "I have now approached the state authorities seeking help to bring back my son," says Fayaz Ahmed, father of Adil, said, adding "I have been informed that a formal process will start only after the new government assumes office in New Delhi." He said that the couple lost their five-year-old son while fighting was raging in Syria. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao will attend the swearing-in ceremonies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and YSR Congress chief as Andhra Pradesh Chief minister Thursday, official sources said. After attending the swearing-in of Reddy in the morning, Rao will leave for New Delhi to be present at the oath-taking ceremony of Modi in the evening, they said here Wednesday. Reddy, whose party swept the state assembly elections bagging 151 seats, will be sworn in as Chief Minister at 12.23 pm Thursday. The CM-designate had met Rao and invited him for the function. Modi is set to take oath as Prime Minister for the second time at 7 pm Thursday. Rao had earlier congratulated Modi on BJP's spectacular victory in the recently concluded general elections. Both the leaders were critical of each other over several issues during the campaign. Meanwhile, a Raj Bhavan official here said Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Governor ESL Narasimhan has left for Vijayawada Wednesday to administer oath of office and secrecy to Jagan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Kerala government Wednesday decided to implement the Khader Committee report, which proposes single directorate for sector in the state. The decision in this regard was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. It was also decided to implement the suggestions of the report in phases. The cabinet has also decided to extend the date of re-opening of schools by three days to June 6, with the Ramzan festival expected to fall on June 4 or 5. "As part of the first phase of implementation of the report, the Directorate of Public Instruction, Higher Secondary Directorate and Vocational Higher Secondary Directorate will be brought under the Directorate of General Education," a release issued by the government said. An IAS officer would be in charge of the Directorate, it said. Khader Commission report recommends upgrading the professional qualification of teachers and bringing the school sector under a single directorate, in an effort to revamp it. The Opposition has been demanding to put on hold the 'half-baked' report. Claiming that only half of the report has been prepared and published, Leader of the Opposition, Ramesh Chennithala sought to know how the government could approve it. "It's a half-baked report. Only half of the report has been published. How can the cabinet approve it without the rest of it? The report is based on the suggestions given by theKerala School Teachers Association (KSTA). This is a politically motivated report," Chennithala alleged and staged a walkout from the Assembly along with party members. Meanwhile, Ravindranath told the Assembly that the move is to improve the academic standards and pointed out that the concerns of the Opposition would be addressed and the government was ready for more discussions. Earlier, the government had called a meeting with teaching and non-teaching staff associations to discuss the implementation of the report but majority of the representatives refused to support it. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The family of an alleged honour killing victim on Wednesday protested against the government's reported decision to reinstate a police officer, who was suspended for "lapses" after the Dalit Christian man's death. The victim's father, Joseph, said the family would petition Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Ramesh Chennithala and the State Human Rights Commission against the decision to reinstate M S Shibu, the former station house officer at Gandhi Nagar Police station in Kottayam. " Kevin P Joseph lost his life because of laxity on part of this particular officer. Now, a decision has been taken to reinstate him. That too on the day we observed Kevin's first death anniversary," Joseph told reporters here. The family had alleged that they filed a complaint after Kevin was abducted but the police did not take any action on it, leading to his death. Meanwhile, Chennithala told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram that the decision to reinstate the "erring" official cannot be accepted. Responding to a query on the matter, state police chief Loknath Behera said he was not aware of the development and had came to know about the officer's reinstatement only through media reports. "I will speak to you after talking to the Kottayam superintendent of police," he told reporters in Thrissur. Kevin P Joseph was abducted on May 27, 2018 by a gang allegedly hired by his wife's family and his body was found in a river in Kollam district a day later. During the ongoing trial in the case in the District Additional Sessions Court, Kevin's wife submitted that it was a case of honour killing as he was abducted and killed by her relatives. She also told the court that her father had objected to her relationship as he belonged to a lower caste. She had alleged that 23-year-old Kevin was abducted and killed by her relatives as they thought that their marriage would dishonour of their family. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The family members of over 50 BJP workers, who the party claims were killed in political violence in West Bengal in the last one year, left for New Delhi on Wednesday to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a second term. The BJP has invited them to take part in Modi's swearing-in on Thursday as a "gesture of showing respect to our martyrs", a senior leader of the saffron party said. The BJP has accused the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal of unleashing violence on its workers, alleging that at least 80 of them were killed in political violence. The TMC has denied the charge. "The family members of over 50 workers have been chosen and are being sent to Delhi to attend the swearing-in ceremony. Our party leaders will receive them at the New Delhi railway station," the senior state BJP leader said. The party has booked their train tickets and informed them personally, BJP leader Mukul Roy said. "It is a gesture of showing respect to our martyrs who died while working for the party in the violence unleashed by TMC goons," he added. The family members of the slain BJP workers told reporters that they would like to meet Modi and narrate their experience to him personally. "We would request the BJP and Narendra Modiji to see if jobs can be arranged for us," one of them said. According to BJP sources, the invitation to the kin of the slain party workers is a "message" for West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her TMC as the state is on the priority list of the saffron party. A senior TMC leader alleged that the kin of the slain BJP workers were invited to the swearing-in ceremony to "humiliate" the state administration. "Had they (BJP) been serious about showing respect to the families of martyrs, they should have also called the kin of the TMC workers who were killed in violence. "By not doing so, the message they (BJP) want to give is quite obvious," he said. Banerjee on Wednesday said she would not attend Modi's swearing-in ceremony, citing "untrue" claims made by the BJP that 54 of its workers were killed in political violence in Bengal. The TMC supremo had on Tuesday said she might attend the ceremony on Thursday. The BJP put up its best-ever show in West Bengal in the just-concluded Lok Sabha polls by winning 18 of the state's 42 seats -- a huge leap from its earlier tally of only two. The TMC won 22 seats, a sharp fall from the 34 it had won in the 2014 election. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The family members of over 40 BJP workers, who were killed in political violence in in the last one year, have been invited for the swearing-in of as the Prime Minister for a second term on Thursday, a senior party leader said. The BJP has accused the state's ruling of unleashing violence on its workers in elections, alleging that at least 80 of them have died in political violence. The TMC has denied the charge. The kin of 42 BJP workers killed in violence have been invited to the ceremony, BJP told The party has booked their train tickets and informed them personally, BJP leader said. "It is a gesture of showing respect to our martyrs who died while working for the party during the violence unleashed by (TMC) goons," he said. According to BJP sources, it is a "message" for and the TMC as is on the priority list of the saffron party. A senior TMC leader alleged that the kin of BJP workers have been invited to the ceremony to "humiliate" the state administration. "Had they been so serious about showing respect to the family of martyrs, they should have also called the family members of TMC workers who were killed in the violence. "By not doing so, the message they want to give is quite obvious," the TMC leader said. Chief Minister on Tuesday had announced that she will attend the event as a "constitutional duty and courtesy". The BJP put up its best ever show in the state this Lok Sabha elections, winning 18 of the 42 seats there, a huge jump from its earlier tally of two. The TMC won 22, a sharp fall from the 34 it had won in 2014. It seems like the end of "Game of Thrones" has hit Kit Harington really hard as the actor has checked into a rehabilitation centre to receive treatment for stress, exhaustion and alcohol use. According to PageSix, the 32-year-old checked into a luxury health retreat in Connecticut weeks before the finale aired on May 19. He played Jon Snow across eight seasons on the HBO's epic fantasy show. Harington has been doing cognitive behavioral therapy, meditating, and practising other psychological exercises to better cope with stress related to the "Game of Thrones" ending. Rose Leslie, the actor's wife and former co-star, is "extremely supportive" of Harington. "The end of 'GoT' really hit Kit hard... He realized, 'This is it, this is the end'. It was something they had all worked so hard on for so many years. He had a moment of, what next? "He's in the clinic predominantly for stress and exhaustion and also alcohol. His wife Rose is being extremely supportive. Everyone close to him really wanted him to get some rest. Right now, he just needs peace and quiet," a source close to the actor told the outlet. Harington's representative said that the actor has "decided to utilise this break in his schedule as an opportunity to spend some time at a wellness retreat to work on some personal issues". The actor had previously admitted that he had to resort to therapy to deal with his character's death in the show, which he said was his "darkest time". "It wasn't a very good time in my life. I felt I had to feel that I was the most fortunate person in the world, when actually, I felt very vulnerable. I had a shaky time in my life around there - like I think a lot of people do in their 20s," the actor told Variety recently. "That was a time when I started therapy, and started talking to people. I had felt very unsafe, and I wasn't talking to anyone. I had to feel very grateful for what I have, but I felt incredibly concerned about whether I could even f***ing act," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Denouncing the arrest of a lawyer representing some of the accused in the rationalist Narendra Dabholkar murder case, right-wing organisations Wednesday alleged that there was a "sinister conspiracy" to defame Hindus. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had Saturday arrested lawyer Sanjeev Punalekar along with Vikram Bhave, a member of the right-wing organisation Sanatan Sanstha. Representatives of various Hindutva organisations, including the Sanatan Sanstha and the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, Wednesday held a press conference here to express their solidarity with the arrested accused. "To arrest advocate Sanjeev Punalekar on the basis of the statement extracted from an accused by physically assaulting him in police custody is an attack on the rights and freedom of advocates. This unjust action was taken only to suppress the voice of Hindutva," said Sunil Ghanwat, organiser of the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti for Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh states. The organisations claimed that Punalekar has "served the Hindu community selflessly for many years" and they are sure that "such a person can never commit any wrong deed". "The CBI has, in a way, openly challenged Hindutva by arresting Punalekar, who is a strong voice and pillar of Hindutva," they added. As per the investigating agency, Punalekar is accused of helping in the destruction of evidence in the Dabholkar murder case. Punalekar, who had represented some of the accused in the same case, had asked one of the alleged shooters to destroy the weapons, while Bhave had helped them in reconnaissance before the crime, the CBI had said. A court here Sunday remanded Punalekar and Bhave in the CBI custody till June 1. Bhave, a member of the right wing outfit Sanatan Sanstha, was earlier convicted in the case related to a low- intensity blast at Gadkari Rangyatan auditorium Thane. Dabholkar, an anti-superstition activist, was shot dead while on morning walk in Pune on August 20, 2013. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 19-year-old student allegedly committed suicide after checking her Class 12 examination result in Aurangabad city of Maharashtra, a police official said on Wednesday. It was not yet clear whether she passed or failed as her family was in grief over her death, he said. Kiran Gulab Chavan, whose father is a daily wage labourer, went to her college on Tuesday to check her result in the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examination conducted by the Maharashtra State Board in February-March. After returning home in Mukundwadi area, she did not tell her parents about the result. She allegedly hanged herself from the ceiling in a room with a stole while her parents were having lunch in another room, the official at Mukundwadi police station said. When her parents did not get any response after continuously knocking at her door, they broke it open and found Chavan hanging, the official said. They pulled her down and rushed her to MGM Hospital where she died during treatment, he said. The parents told the police that their daughter was apparently anxious about her HSC result, the official said. They said they were unaware about her examination result and that there was no study-related pressure on her from their side, he said. An accidental death report was registered and a probe was underway, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress in Maharashtra has convened a meeting Thursday to take stock of the reverses suffered by the party in the recently-held Lok Sabha polls. Apart from the stock-taking, a resolution urging party president Rahul Gandhi not to resign is likely to be passed at the meeting of the party candidates who had contested the elections, sources said Wednesday. The Congress is in turmoil since Gandhi offered to step down owning up the responsibility for the poll debacle. He is reportedly firm on his decision though the Congress Working Committee (CWC) had passed a unanimous resolution turning down his resignation offer. The Congress won only one out total 24 seats it had contested in Maharashtra, its worst performance so far. The candidates of Congress' ally Swabhimani Paksha also bit dust from Sangli and Hathkanangle constituencies. The Congress was polled only 16.27 per cent votes, a drop of 2.02 per cent from 2014 elections. The only saving grace for the party was Balu alias Suresh Dhanorkar, who won from Chandrapur by defeating Union minister Hansraj Ahir of the BJP. After the debacle, the Congress, which is now reduced to the margins of the state politics, is trying to regain a toehold in the Assembly elections, due in October this year. Meanwhile, party sources indicated that Vijay Waddetiwar, the deputy leader of the Congress in the state Legislative Assembly, is likely to replace Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil as the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader. Vikhe Patil, whose son Sujay had joined the BJP in the run-up to the polls, stepped down from the post during campaigning. Sujay won his maiden election from Ahmednagar seat. The Vikhe Patil senior is likely to join the BJP soon. In the recently-concluded polls, the NDA swept Maharashtra by pocketing 41 out of the total 48 seats. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will take part in a sit-in demonstration organised by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) outside the Naihati municipality on Thursday to protest against the violence on party workers after the Lok Sabha poll results. "Tomorrow, we will organise a sit-in outside the Naihati municipality in protest against our workers being rendered homeless by BJP goons. Our party supremo Mamata Banerjee will also participate in it," a senior TMC leader said on Wednesday. The decision comes hours after Banerjee said she would not attend the swearing-in ceremony of Narenda Modi as the prime minister, citing "untrue" claims made by the BJP that 54 of its workers were killed in political violence in Bengal. The TMC supremo had on Tuesday said she would attend the ceremony to be held in New Delhi on Thursday. Incidentally, the Naihati municipality is located in the Barrackpore area of North 24 Parganas district, which has witnessed violent clashes between TMC and BJP workers since the results of the Lok Sabha polls were announced on May 23. On Tuesday, a majority of the councillors of the Bhatpara, Halisahar, Naihati and Kanchrapara municipalities in North 24 Parganas joined the BJP, passing over the control of these civic bodies from the TMC to the saffron party. As many as 29 of the 31 councillors in the Naihati municipality joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday. Clashes have since been reported from the Bhatpara and Kakinara areas, which fall under the Barrackpore Lok Sabha segment, where the BJP's Arjun Singh defeated Dinesh Trivedi of the TMC in the just-concluded polls. Violent incidents have been reported from across the state post the general election. Two people were killed and many injured in the clashes that broke out between the TMC and the BJP since the poll results were declared, officials said. The BJP won 18 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in Bengal, only four less than the TMC's 22. The remaining two seats were bagged by the Congress, while the Left Front drew a blank. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A man arrested from Diva in Thane district for illegally possessing a country-made revolver, was also wanted for allegedly siphoning off Rs 23 lakh by hacking bank accounts in Mumbai and Hyderabad, police said Wednesday. The accused, Ramesh Kavaria (32), a resident of Chembur in Mumbai, was arrested by the Central Crime Unit of Thane city police late Tuesday evening, police said. "Acting on a tip-off, the crime branch laid a trap and arrested Kavaria from near Sri Krishna Park in Diva. He was found carrying a country-made revolver worth Rs 10,000," assistant commissioner of police (crime) N T Kadam said. An offence under the Arms Act and the Bombay Police Act was registered against him at the Mumbra police station, the official added. Anil Honrao, senior inspector of the crime unit, said, "During his interrogation, the accused revealed that he was also involved in hacking bank accounts of customers and two offences- one at Vanrai police station in Mumbai and another at Cyber police station in Hyderabad in Telangana- were registered against him in 2018 and 2019 respectively." "Kavaria had been booked under IPC sections 419 (cheating by personation) and 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) and also under sections of the Information Technology (IT) Act for the fraud worth Rs 23 lakh. He was at large after offences were registered against him," he said. Police suspect that a big racket was involved in the crime. "His further interrogation will reveal more details and information about his associates," police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A man involved allegedly in a dacoity case was arrested after an exchange of fire near the Khajuri flyover in northeast Delhi, police said Wednesday. The accused was identified as Rohtash - a resident of Mukund Vihar in Karawal Nagar. The accused was involved in a dacoity at Muthoot Finance and another case of robbery at Sunlight Colony besides other similar cases. "An exchange of fire took place on Tuesday at about 11 pm near Gali Mandu underpass near Khajuri flyover between the police team and Rohtash," PS Kushwah, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) said. The bullet fired by Rohtash hit the bullet proof jacket worn by a constable of the special cell team, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Mandoli Prison Complex here got its first Ayurvedic dispensary for inmates and also a senior citizen barrack, jail officials said Wednesday. Ajay Kashyap, DG (Prisons) inaugurated the dispensary at Central Jail No 14, Mandoli and the senior citizen barrack at Central Jail No 16, they said. Medical treatment by Ayurvedic medicines is one of the oldest techniques and does not have any side effects. The first Ayurvedic dispensary opened in Mandoli jail complex has all medicines for common diseases to chronic diseases for inmates and jail staff, the officials said. The dispensary was set up in coordination with Tibbia College, Karol Bagh, they said. Proper counselling regarding food habits and diseases will be done for inmates and prison staff. A doctor and a pharmacist will be available on three alternative days of a week at Central Jail No 14, Mandoli, a senior jail official said. The senior citizen barrack has been set up keeping in mind the needs and requirements of senior citizens and female inmates of Central Jail No 16 of Mandoli. This facility will also be made available in all jails of Mandoli Prison Complex and Tihar, the official added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) "Aladdin" breakout Marwan Kenzari has boarded the cast of Netflix's action film "The Old Guard". The 36-year-old actor, who currently plays the villainous Jafar in the Disney film "Aladdin", joins Charlize Theron and Kiki Layne in the project. The film is based on the comic book series by Greg Rucka and illustrator Leandro Fernandez, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "The Old Guard" focuses on a small group of immortal soldiers who have been working as mercenaries for centuries. But the group, led by a woman named Andy (Theron), get a shock when they find a new immortal woman, not long after they discover an evil group has video evidence of their immortality. Kenzari will play a man who was once a Moor warrior. Gina Prince-Bythewood is writing and directing the project with Theron also attached as a producer through her company Denver and Delilah, alongside Skydance's David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Don Granger. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz Wednesday took a jibe at Prime Minister Imran Khan, saying the "man who paralysed" Islamabad for four months "cannot tolerate a small protest". Her comments came as hundreds of Pakistan People Party (PPP) workers and police clashed in Islamabad as party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari appeared before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in relation to a fake accounts case. Police used water cannons to disperse the PPP workers and stop them from moving towards the NAB headquarters. There was a scuffle between PPP workers at police at Islamabad's D-Chowk. Police baton-charged workers at several places and made some arrests, media reports said. Responding to the incident, Maryam, now a Vice President of the PML-N, condemned the attack on the PPP workers. "The person who attacked Parliament, PM House, PTV and paralysed Islamabad for four months could not tolerate a small protest because he is scared," Maryam tweeted in an apparent reference to Prime Minister Khan. In 2016, Khan, the Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf held anti-government demonstrations daily in Islamabad, demanding the resignation of then prime minister Nawaz Sharif of PML-N over corruption charges. Maryam, the daughter of Sharif, also claimed Khan was "afraid" of protests and termed the treatment of the PPP workers as "torture". On Tuesday, Maryam criticised Khan, saying that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not give respect to his Pakistani counterpart and did not take his call in February when tensions between the two nations escalated after their air forces were engaged in an aerial combat. On May 20, Bilawal hosted an Iftar for Maryam and her party members, which sought to project a united Opposition front against the ruling Pakistan Tehreeke-e-Insaf led by Khan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A military tribunal on Wednesday allowed Vice Admiral Karambir Singh to take charge as the new Navy chief on Friday as it deferred hearing on a petition challenging his appointment by nearly seven weeks. Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command Vice Admiral Bimal Verma had approached the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) here challenging the appointment of Singh as the next Navy Chief, overlooking his seniority. "The AFT posted the matter for hearing on July 17 as government sought more time for placing records relating to Vice Admiral Singh's appointment before the tribunal," Verma's lawyer Ankur Chhibber said. He said the AFT allowed Singh to take charge as the new Navy chief from incumbent Admiral Sunil Lanba on May 31 and that his continuation will depend on the final outcome of the case. Verma is the senior-most naval commander. On May 22, the tribunal had directed the government to produce before it on May 29 all records and documents relating to selection of the new Navy chief. However, the government could not produce the records and sought more time. Earlier this month, the defence ministry issued an order rejecting Verma's petition before it. Following the defence ministry's order, Verma filed a fresh petition at the AFT challenging Singh's appointment as well seeking quashing of the order by the ministry rejecting his plea against the selection. In its order, the defence ministry said Verma's statutory petition dated April 10 against the appointment of Singh to the top post is devoid of merit and has been rejected in exercise of powers under Section 23 of the Navy Act 1957. On April 25, the tribunal directed the defence ministry to decide Verma's petition within three weeks. Rejecting Verma's plea, the defence ministry said a thorough selection process was conducted under which overall service profile of all the contenders for the top post was examined. It said specific parameters for selection were applied uniformly to all the contenders and, based on the assessment, it was found that Verma, though being the senior most eligible officer, was unsuitable to hold the post of the chief of the Naval Staff. In his petition to the defence ministry, Verma wondered why he was overlooked for the top post despite being the senior-most in the line of command, terming "wrongful" the government's decision to appoint Singh to the post. While appointing the Army chief in 2016, the government did not follow the long-held tradition of going by seniority. Bipin Rawat was appointed Army chief superseding then Eastern Command Chief Lt Gen Praveen Bakshi and Southern Command Chief P M Hariz. Besides Verma, the other contenders for the Navy chief's post included Vice Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief (FOC-in-C) of Western Naval Command Vice Admiral Ajit Kumar and FOC-in-C of Southern Naval Command Vice Admiral Anil Kumar Chawla. Singh, who is at present serving as the FOC-in-C of the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam, will be the first helicopter pilot to become chief of Naval Staff. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Caste equations in the Lok Sabha polls were shattered by the "Modi equation" which was all about development, security, progress of farmers and increasing India's stature globally, UP Deputy Chief Minister said Wednesday. He also hit out at the anti-BJP gathbandhan of SP, BSP and RLD, terming the SP as 'Samaapt Party', the BSP as 'Bilkul Samaapt Party' and the RLD as 'Roj Ludhaktaa Dal'. In his first post-poll interview after the BJP's good show, Maurya told PTI, As far as caste equations are concerned, they were completely shattered by Modi equation. The Modi equation means development, security, uplift of poor, progress of farmers and increasing India's stature in the world". The biggest reason for the historic win of the BJP in the Lok Sabha election was only one. It was Narendra Modi, Narendra Modi and Narendra Modi. The 'umeed' (hope) which arose among people of the country in 2014, got transformed into 'vishwaas' (confidence) this time. And, it is this confidence of people, which gave such a huge support to us. The BJP honestly served the people of the country. And after allegations were levelled against the prime minister on the Rafale issue, a voice started emanating from the people, and it said it is not Rafale, it is 'Rahul fail'. People then took elections in their own hand. I feel that more than the BJP, it was the people who were contesting the Lok Sabha polls, a visibly upbeat Maurya said. The UP Deputy Chief Minister also said that those who were out to implement their political arithmetic, have been given a terse reply by the people. Maurya cited a couplet of Rahim 'Kahu Rahim kaise nibhe ber ker ko sang (how can the good and the bad exist together) to hit out at the opposition alliance. The BJP contested the elections with a target of bagging more than 50 per cent of vote share, and it was able to get around 50 per cent of the vote share in UP. In future our target is '100 mein 60 hamara, baaki sab mein batwaaraa' (60 per cent of the vote share belongs to us, the rest is for others to distribute among themselves), he said. In Uttar Pradesh, he said there was a 'chook' (minor mistake), and we got stuck at 64 as compared to our target of 74-plus Lok Sabha seats. Asked to elaborate on the minor mistake, he said, There were 6-7 Lok Sabha seats, where we lost by a narrow margin of 5,000-10,000 votes. These seats could have been won, and we calculated it. In the next Lok Sabha polls, we will retain 73 Lok Sabha seats, while in the 2022 UP Assembly election, we will get 325 UP Assembly seats. When asked what corrective steps the party took, to transform its bypoll defeat into victory, Maurya said, The bypolls were only to make an MP, while the general elections decided the prime minister of the country. We redressed the shortcomings which had surfaced in the aftermath of bypoll losses, and emerged as winner. A multi-layered security arrangement will be in place in the city on Thursday, with deployment of around 10,000 security personnel from and paramilitary forces on account of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony which will be attended by foreign dignitaries and chief ministers and governors of several states among others. Quick Response Teams will be deployed at several crucial spots. Snipers will also be deployed atop several important buildings as Modi will visit Rajghat, Sadaiv Atal Samadhi and National War Memorial on Thursday to pay homage, a senior police official said. "Over 10,000 security personnel from and paramilitary forces have been deployed on account of the swearing-in-ceremony," the official said. Another police official said over 2,000 security personnel will also be deployed along the route to be taken by Modi and other foreign dignitaries. The swearing-in-ceremony of Modi and his is scheduled to take place on Thursday at 7 PM at A number of heads of states, heads of governments, constitutional authorities, diplomats, senior political leaders, government officials and media persons are scheduled to attend the ceremony. A traffic advisory issued a day ahead of the ceremony said several roads in district will be closed for movement of public between 4 PM to 9 PM on Thursday and motorists and public were asked to avoid them. The advisory further said roads including Rajpath - from Vijay Chowk to Rashtrapati Bhavan, Vijay Chowk and adjoining areas including North and South fountain, South Avenue, North Avenue, Dara-Shikoh Road and Church Road will be closed for public between 4 PM and 9 PM. A traffic official added that necessary traffic diversions will be given for several roads including Akbar Road, Rajpath, Teen Murti Marg, Krishna Menon Marg, Pandit Pant Marg, Talkatora Road, Gurudwara Rakab Ganj Road, Tyagaraj Marg and S.P. Marg. Similarly traffic diversions will be given on Khushak Road, K Kamaraj Marg, Rajaji Marg, Shanti Path, Raisina Road -- beyond Rail Bhawan roundabout towards Parliament House and Moti Lal Nehru Marg (beyond roundabout Udyog Bhawan towards R.P. Bhawan) which are expected to face congestion due to the ceremony, the traffic official added. Traffic signages have been provided for the information of invitees and public. All motorists are advised to follow the directions of the traffic police on duty, the advisory added. : MTR Foods, a Bengaluru-based packaged food player has set up Rs 50 crore seed fund to invest in startups that are engaged in food processing and is actively considering investing in a couple of firms, a top company official said here Wednesday. Sanjay Sharma, CEO of MTR Foods also said the company which clocked about Rs 900 crore revenues in 2018, is hoping to touch Rs 1,000 crore this year as it has consistently been growing at 14 per cent CAGR for the past five years. "We started something like startup fund. The face of the Indian food processing industry is redefined by the startups. We want to now clearly participate in this market. We put together Rs 50 crore fund," he told PTI. "We will be a minority partner in every investment that we want to make. So far we have done one investment," Sharma added. He said the Indian subsidiary of Norwegian conglomerate Orkla last year invested in Bengaluru-based FirmRoots which manufactures food for children starting from nine months to six years. MTR picked up 42 per cent stake in the startup. "We keep evaluating many more options (for investment) which come true in this way. We are in the process of investing in a couple of other startups," he further said. MTR Wednesday launched two unique products-Masala Karam for use in everyday cooking and Saviyan Upma- under three-minute breakfast category. Sharma said Telangana and Andhra Pradesh together contribute the second highest to the sales from India and this year the company has put together a strategy to focus on the two states both in terms of launch of new products as well as investments and strategic initiatives. He said the company expects about Rs 150 crore from the two new products that were launched Wednesday. MTR exports products worth about 10 per cent of the total revenues. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will not attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Thursday, officials said. The newly elected members of the 16th Vidhan Sabha (Assembly) will take oath tomorrow. As leader of the House, the chief minister will be present during the occasion. So, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will not be able to visit Delhi tomorrow to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the prime minister and his council of ministers, an official communication issued by the Chief Minister's Office said Wednesday. "The Chief Minister has conveyed his good wishes to the Prime Minister and his council of ministers," it added. Patnaik, who is also the president of the ruling BJD, took oath of office as the chief minister of Odisha for the fifth time in a row Wednesday. His party has been elected to power with massive majority of 112 seats in the 147-member Odisha Assembly. Though Patnaik's swearing-in was attended by many Congress leaders, former Odisha chief minister Giridhar Gamang was the lone BJP leader seen at the function. The state government had invited Modi, union minister Dharmendra Pradhan and all the newly elected BJP MLAs and MPs of the state to the ceremony, officials said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP Wednesday took a dig at the National Conference, saying it did not filed candidates in Jammu and Ladakh regions fearing a rout at the hands of the saffron party. J&K BJP spokesperson Brig Anil Gupta (retd) told reporters here that the NC got just seven per cent vote in the Lok Sabha polls and is "rattled and unnerved" as the BJP secured a massive 46 per cent. According to Election Commission data, the BJP, which won three Lok Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir, secured 46.4 per cent votes, its highest-ever vote share of in the state. The National Conference, which bagged three seats in the Kashmir region, got just 7.89 per cent votes. "Sensing that they are in danger, the NC is trying to lure people through lollipop by promising regional councils, which it strongly opposed in the past," Gupta added. "The NC leadership has begun its ugly campaign of lies and falsehood to mislead the people, as a prelude to its campaign for the assembly elections," he said. Reacting to NC provincial president Devender Rana's statement on Tuesday that his party will surpass its 1996 tally of 57 seats in the state assembly, Gupta said much water has flown in the Jhelum and Tawi rivers since then, including massive floods which washed away the NC from the political scene of the state. Rana said the poll outcome on the seats the NC contested is "testimony of the public support" the party enjoys. Gupta said, "The party (NC) did not field candidates (against BJP in LS polls) in Jammu and Ladakh regions for fear of a defeat (in 2014 and 2019). They don't have cadres and candidates. With a mere 7 per cent vote share, how can the party claim to be a voice of the majority?" He alleged the NC has been instrumental in a "blatant discrimination" against Jammu and Ladakh regions. "Beginning with Lands Reforms Act depriving Jammu Dogras of their landed property, denying citizenship to West Pakistan refugees, promoting gender inequality, declaring July 13 as martyrs day, humiliating Maharaja Hari Singh, suppressing the Dogra heritage, lopsided recruitment in government jobs and civil secretariat denying proportional representation to Jammu are endless points", the BJP spokesperson said. The NC has to reconcile to the fact that Jammu and Ladakh will never give their mandates to a "pro-terror, pro-separatism and anti-Army party", Gupta added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Total 258 cadets, including some from foreign countries, were conferred degrees at the convocation ceremony of 136th course of the National Defence Academy (NDA) at Khadakwasla near here on Wednesday. The cadets were conferred degrees from the Jawaharlal Nehru University- 55 in science stream, 114 in computer science stream and 82 cadets in arts stream. Seven cadets from friendly foreign countries were also awarded degrees during the programme. Besides, the first batch of B Tech, comprising 32 naval cadets, also received training completion certificate of three years, and will be conferred with the degrees after the completion of balance one year of training at the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala. Air Marshal Ajit Shankarrao Bhonsle (Retd), member of the Union Public Service Commission, who was the chief guest at the event, said the curriculum at the NDA was a healthy mix of humanities and technology and added that this paradigm shift was needed for India's military leadership in the 21st century. He said the study of humanities builds emotional quotient. "Knowledge of people, their culture, language, habits, sensitivities, religious activities, gender issues, customs, traditions, dogmas, which are essentials of humanities, are enablers for effective maintenance of law and order and peace-keeping," he said. "You, as a military officer, must know what is 'Kashmiriyat', which is a humanities aspect. At the same time, you also need to know about the precision guidance of spice bombs used in Balakot attack, which is a technical aspect," he said. Bhonsle said that today's battlefield has moved from land, sea, air to the domain of space and cyber. "To handle these smart and complex scenarios and machines, we need smart men and women, who are endowed with robust intelligent quotient as well as effective emotional quotient," he said. As a future military officer, cadets will be faced with diverse challenges, he said. "At one time, you will be asked to lead your men on foot in hills and jungles in a search and cordon operation against terrorists, and at another time you will be asked to outsmart the invisible cyber enemy sitting thousands of mile away or asked to maneuver your anti-satellite projectile to shoot down a rogue satellite," he said. Battalion Cadet Adjutant K Sahu won the Commandant's Silver Medal and COAS Trophy for standing first in the science stream. Battalion Cadet Captain SKS Chauhan got the Commandant's Silver Medal and the CNS Trophy for standing first in computer science stream. Battalion Cadet Captain A Kumar bagged the Commandant's Silver Medal and the CAS Trophy for standing first in arts stream. Cadet D S Deo won the Commandants' Silver Medal for standing first in B Tech (till third year of course). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nepal's Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli will attend the swearing-in ceremony of his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, on Thursday, his press advisor said Wednesday. India invited leaders of the BIMSTEC countries as well as Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov, the current chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth for the Modi's swearing-in. Besides India, BIMSTEC comprises Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan. In the first back-to-back majority for a single party in over three decades, the Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party won 303 out of the total 542 Lok Sabha seats. "Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli will be paying an official visit to India to attend the swearing-in ceremony of India's Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi," Press Advisor of Oil, Kundan Aryal told PTI. Oli, accompanied by his spouse and some high ranking officials, will leave Kathmandu for New Delhi on Thursday. During his visit, Oli will meet his Indian counterpart and discuss bilateral relations, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 2014, when Modi was elected as India's Prime Minister for the first time, the then Nepal Prime Minister Sushil Koirala attended his swearing-in ceremony, along with heads of states of other member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). Oli is scheduled to return home on May 31, Aryal said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) / -- In recent years, with the deepening cooperation between PHNIX and emerging markets such as India, PHNIX has made some major adjustments in product development direction. For example, PHNIX's recent Commercial Heat Pump Water Heater, specially developed for the Indian market, is a decisive attempt, said Mr. Peter Wang, Deputy General Manager in charge of PHNIX global overseas business, recently during an exclusive interview at ISH China & CIHE 2019. In addition to ensuring energy-saving and environmental protection, the HeatStar series for Indian market also shows outstanding cost-effectiveness advantages. Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20190528/2478849-1 In the past several years, PHNIX heat pump water heater has been successfully applied in India and has been well received by local users. The HeatStar series, which was launched specifically for the Indian market, is the most cost-effective heat pump product offered by PHNIX. The HeatStar series is priced around 30% lower than similar products on the local market in India, according to Mr. Troy Wang, global sales supervisor of commercial heat pump water heaters in PHNIX. About PHNIX Commercial Heat Pump Water Heater HeatStar Series A Highly Cost-effective Solution for the Indian Market : The price of PHNIX HeatStar heat pump series is around 30% lower than that of similar products in the market, and in India the A-level distributors can obtain up to 10-15% of the supply price discount. A Excellent Energy Efficiency of COP 4.8 : PHNIX HeatStar heat pump series with 4.8 high COP during operation has acquired the first class energy label, according to an authoritative third-party figures, the energy efficiency of this series is over 25% higher than that of the similar products in Indian market. A Unique Smart Colorful Touch Display : PHNIX HeatStar heat pump series' 5-inch wire-controlled LCD display has many powerful functions, such as water temperature curve display, easy timing, one-key mute, mute timer and so on. It has several control modes and the operation is much easier. PHNIX smart colorful touch display will undoubtedly give users a better experience. About PHNIX PHNIX, a leading manufacturer of heat pumps in China, is an international enterprise specializing in the R&D and production of heat pump products and energy-saving solutions. Nearly 50% of PHNIX products are exported to Europe, North America and other overseas markets. For more information about PHNIX and its products, please visit www.phnix-e.com. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The National Green Tribunal has directed that the Central Monitoring Committee be expanded to develop a robust institutional mechanism for implementation of action plan to control increasing incidents of forest fire, including a national database for burnt area assessment on yearly basis. The Central Monitoring Committee on forest fire will now be headed by the Secretary of Ministry of and Forests (MoEF) with seven members, a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said. The committee may comprise representatives of the MoEF, CPCB, Wildlife Institute of India, National Disaster Management Authority, Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, Forest Survey of India and the National Remote Sensing Centre, Hyderabad and the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests of states/UTs. "MoEF Secretary will be free to co-opt any other member or experts, apart from special invitees, if any. The Central Monitoring Committee may meet preferably once in three months and address all the issues arising out of the forest fires, including the effective implementation of the National Action Plan on Forest Fire (NAPFF)," the bench said. The tribunal also noted that a national level database is to be developed for burnt area assessment on yearly basis and standardized protocols and procedures are needed to facilitate the reporting of the area affected and losses due to forest fire which is to be developed by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) in association with Forest Survey of India and other institutions. "The work has been assigned to the ICFRE to standardise protocols for estimating area affected and losses due to forest fire and reporting the same at successive levels. ICFRE is also to assist in designing and organizing adequate training programs for forest officials at various level. ICFRE may expedite the process and conclude the assigned task within three months. "The Central Monitoring Committee may hold its first meeting as early as possible, preferably within three weeks in view of ongoing season for such forest fires. MoEF Secretary may issue directions for constitution of appropriate institutional mechanism at state levels also," the tribunal said. During the hearing, the MoEF submitted a report and told the NGT that 74 forest fire hotspots have been identified based on Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro-radiometer (MODIS) data. "Satellite-based forest fire alerts are sent through sms/e-mails for effective measures. The NAPFF has been uploaded on the website. Advisories have been issued to the States/UTs for prevention and control of forest fires on January 3. Primary responsibility to prevent, control and manage forest fires is of the state forest departments. "The central government may provide assistance under the Central Sponsored Forest Fire Prevention and Management Scheme. Funds are released against the Annual Plan Operations approved by the State Forest Department. Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act 2016 and Rules, 2018 provide for utilization of Net Present Value for protection of forests from fire and State Forest Departments are utilizing the fund for the said purpose," the MoEF said in its report. Taking note of rising incidents of forest fire, the tribunal had directed the MoEF to submit data related to such occurrences in the last five years and identification of hotspots. The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by senior advocate Rajiv Dutta drawing its attention to the massive forest fires in hilly areas. The NGT had last year directed that there must be a nodal officer at the central level to continuously monitor and coordinate with states and disposed of the plea. The tribunal had earlier rapped the Centre for remaining a "mute spectator" to the recurring forest fires in the hilly states, and directed the ministry to formulate a national policy. The petitioner had claimed that large areas of forests, along with diverse biological species, have already become extinct as a consequence of these preventable forests. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A two-member team of the NIA is in Sri Lanka to hold discussions with authorities about a probe in the Easter Sunday bombings over claims that some terrorists, owning allegiance to ISIS, had travelled to India, including Kashmir, officials said Wednesday. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) team is led by Inspector General Alok Mittal, who has probed various ISIS-related cases in South India, including a conspiracy by the terror module to kill prominent leaders. During investigations in the case, the NIA had alerted the island nation that ISIS terrorists were planning to carry out strikes there. India had been regularly sharing intelligence inputs about a possible terror attack in Sri Lanka targeting the Indian High Commission and religious places there. The inputs to Sri Lanka were sent through diplomatic channels after a thorough investigation pertaining to the ISIS case in Coimbatore was carried out by the NIA, which has filed a charge sheet against seven people. The Indian delegation will give a detailed briefing about its probe during which it had stumbled upon videos of National Thowheed Jamaat (NTJ) leader Zahran Hashim, which was indicative of a terror attack on religious places as well as the Indian High Commission in Colombo. Hashim was among the nine suicide bombers, including a woman, who carried out a series of blasts in Sri Lanka in which 253 people were killed on April 21. The videos, seized from the accused in the Coimbatore case, showed Hashim asking youths from Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala to establish an Islamic rule in the region. After the blasts in Sri Lanka, the NIA had arrested 29-year-old Riyas A, also known as Riyas Aboobacker or Abu Dujana, a resident of Palakkad. He is alleged to be in touch with Hashim on social media platforms, the officials said. The accused had disclosed during investigations that he had been following speeches of Hashim for more than a year and has also followed the speeches delivered by controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik. According to inputs with the central agencies, Hashim had spent time in India last year during which he attempted to influence youths in Tamil Nadu and Kerala to join him. Hashim had parted ways from Sri Lankan National Thowheeth Jamaat (NTJ) to form his own outfit Nation of Thowheed Jamaat which is alleged to have carried out the Easter attack in Sri Lanka. The team will also ask about the claims made by Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake, the commander of the Sri Lankan Army, that the suicide bombers had travelled to some cities in India, including Kashmir. "They (the suspects) have gone to India, they've gone to Kashmir, Bangalore, they've travelled to Kerala state. Those are the information available with us," he had said to BBC earlier this month. However, the Jammu and Kashmir police had denied about it and had asked the Sri Lanakan authorities to share more information about it. Some officials of the central security agencies said that about a dozen Sri Lankan nationals had come to Kashmir Valley this year and their credentials have been re-checked after the bombings in three churches and three luxury hotels killed 253 people and injured over 500 others. However, there could be a possibility of the bombers visiting the state using pseudonym, one of the officials said, adding if Sri Lanka hands over some evidence, it can be verified from the ground. The Sri Lankan Army chief had said that some of the suicide bombers, who carried out the country's worst terror attack, visited Kashmir and Kerala for "some sorts of training" or to "make some more links" with other foreign outfits. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi is set to be produced before a court in London on Thursday as he fights his extradition to India in the nearly USD 2 billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud and money laundering case. The 48-year-old has been lodged at Wandsworth prison in south-west London since his third attempt at seeking bail was rejected by Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot at the last hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court earlier this month. He is set to be produced from custody before Judge Arbuthnot for the first case management hearing in the case, during which a broad timeline is expected for his extradition trial. "This is a large fraud and the doubling of security to 2 million pounds is not sufficient to cover a combination of concerns that he would fail to surrender," Arbuthnot had ruled at the last hearing on May 8. "A combination of interference with witnesses, destruction of servers and mobile phones and the lack of community ties means I still have doubts that he would fail to surrender before the court," she concluded. Modi was arrested by uniformed Scotland Yard officers on an extradition warrant from a Metro Bank branch in central London as he attempted to open a new bank account on March 19 and has been in prison since. During subsequent hearings, Westminster Magistrates' Court was told that Modi was the "principal beneficiary" of the fraudulent issuance of letters of undertaking (LoUs) as part of a conspiracy to defraud PNB and then laundering the proceeds of crime. "His experience in custody has been vivid and damaging he is willing to abide by any bail conditions imposed by the court because Wandsworth is unliveable and makes the effective preparation of his case virtually impossible," Clare Montgomery, Modi's barrister, had told the court at the last hearing, in an attempt to persuade the judge to grant bail on a strict 24-hour curfew at his posh Centrepoint apartment in the West End of London. "Suffice to say efforts to present him (by the government of India) as a diabolical mechanic and cold blooded, hardened criminal are completely false," she stressed. However, the judge was particularly concerned about Modi's "lack of community ties" in the UK, having been based in London for only a "short period of time" since 2017 and also pointed to the "luring away" of witnesses from India to far away destinations like Egypt. "There does seem to be a luring away of witnesses and some pressure that took witnesses away from India," Arbuthnot noted, making specific reference to a transcript of a conversation which indicated that Nirav Modi may have been using his US-based brother Nehal Modi to do his "dirty work as it were". A team from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) were present in the court as Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) barrister Nick Hearn, arguing on behalf of the Indian government, presented a "plausible and coherent" account of witnesses being leaned on by associates of Modi. Arbuthnot noted that he had "squirrelled away" funds that he may use for his escape from the UK if released on bail, which means he has remained at Wandsworth prison one of England's most over-crowded jails. Modi's legal team, led by solicitor Anand Doobay, have repeatedly asserted that the Indian authorities must present a "perfectly paginated" set of documents in support of the case against their client. It is a direct reference to the disorganised state of the paperwork in previous Indian extradition cases, most recently that of liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya. Arbuthnot, the judge who had ordered the Mallya extradition in December 2018, has been very firm with the CPS, representing the Indian government, about proper indexing of all documents to be submitted to the court in relation to the case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) AICC general secretary in-charge of Rajasthan Avinash Pande Wednesday rejected speculations about changes in the leadership in the state in the wake of Congress' debacle in the Lok Sabha elections. "There will be no change in the party leadership in the state," he said. The ruling Congress, which came to power in the state in December last year, could not win even a single seat in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls. This gave rise to speculation in political circles that the Congress might effect some changes in leadership in the state. When asked about the resignation of Agriculture Minister Lalchand Kataria, Pande told reporters that he had no such information. In a purported press release, circulated on social media on Sunday, kataria announced to resign as the minister following the lok sabha election results. However, chief minister's office and raj bhawan did not confirm any resignation and the minister is also not reachable. Pande was in the city for the Congress state executive committee meeting. The committee passed a resolution expressing faith and confidence in the leadership of Rahul Gandhi who has offered to quit as party president taking responsibility for the defeat. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) North Korea has stepped up a diplomatic campaign at the United Nations to secure the release of a cargo ship seized by the United States, warning there could be "undesirable consequences" if no action is taken. North Korean Ambassador Kim Song offered the warning in a meeting with UN political chief Rosemary DiCarlo on Wednesday to press Pyongyang's demands that the world body intervene, the North Korean mission said. The United States announced on May 9 that it had impounded the state-owned Wise Honest, arguing that it was being used to export North Korean coal, in violations of UN sanctions over its banned nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. The seizure came amid heightened tensions after Pyongyang's recent short-range missile launches, and with talks deadlocked since the collapse of the Hanoi summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The Wise Honest, one of the largest cargo ships in North Korea's fleet, was detained in Indonesia in April 2018, loaded with North Korean coal. After it was seized by the US, the ship was taken to American Samoa, where it is docked at Pago Pago. The North Korean ambassador wrote to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on May 18 to ask for "urgent measures" to return the Wise Honest. A UN spokesman declined to comment on the meeting between Kim and DiCarlo, the under-secretary-general for political affairs, but said the UN sanctions committee should address the matter. The Security Council will on Thursday hear a report from the sanctions committee on North Korea. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Norway's government on Wednesday praised progress made in talks between representatives of Venezuelan President Nicols Maduro and the political opponents trying to oust him, even as tensions mounted back home. The second round of meetings this week in Norway are part of international efforts to resolve a conflict between Maduro and the U.S.-backed opposition leader Juan Guaid over who should run the country. Norwegian Foreign Affairs Minister Ine Eriksen Sreide provided few details of the talks held behind closed doors, but reported some advance. "The parties have demonstrated their willingness to move forward in the search for an agreed-upon and constitutional solution for the country, which includes political, economic and electoral matters," she said in a statement. Norway also urged both sides to exercise "utmost caution" in their public statements about the talks in order to maintain the integrity of the process and achieve results. Guaido declared he was assuming presidential powers in January as head of the opposition-led congress, arguing that Maduro's re-election had been illegal. Dozens of countries, led by the U.S., have recognized him, but Maduro remains firmly in control of the institutions of state. The opposition leader launched a failed military uprising on April 30 that triggered a government crackdown against the opposition. Even as negotiations played out in Norway, the pro-Maduro Supreme Tribunal of Justice stripped the immunity from prosecution of opposition lawmaker, Rafael Guzman, bringing to 15 the number of anti-government politicians accused of treason and instigating rebellion, according to a court statement released Wednesday. The congressional vice president, Edgar Zambrano, was arrested May 8 on similar allegations, while several other accused National Assembly members have sought refuge inside foreign embassies in Caracas. "We will continue advancing in the defense of our constitution toward achieving peace and democracy," tweeted Miranda state Gov. Hctor Rodrguez, who is part of Maduro's negotiating team. Maduro accuses the Trump administration of mounting a coup against him to install a puppet government led by Guaid. Maduro maintains backing from Russia, China and Cuba and many other nations. The socialist leader also holds onto control of the military, despite deepening shortages of basic goods that have helped drive 3.7 million to flee the country in Latin America's biggest migration crisis. Drivers wait in long lines to fill up with gasoline across much of the nation, the result of Venezuela's failing oil industry and punishing U.S. sanctions aimed at pressuring Maduro from power. Shortages of life-saving medicine that have led to the deaths of children battling cancer have also ignited a dispute between the government and opponents over who is to blame. The opposition had previously ruled out talks, accusing Maduro of using past negotiations in a play for time, and has demanded Maduro's resignation and the holding of early elections. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The National Peoples Party (NPP) Wednesday extended unconditional outside support to the new BJP government in Arunachal Pradesh headed by Chief Minister Pema Khandu, a senior party leader said. NPP Legislature Party leader Mutchu Mithi told reporters after the swearing-in that Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, who is also the party president, had conveyed NPP's support to Khandu government in writing as the party is an ally of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre. Khandu along with 11 MLAs took oath as the tenth chief minister of the Himalayan state. The NPP and the BJP would work collectively now to translate their promises into reality, Mithi said, congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Khandu for their victories. He said as BJP and NPP candidates contested the elections in the country and in the state, respectively, with almost similar manifestoes, the regional party would work in tandem with the Khandu government for all round development of the state. "But outside support does not mean remaining silent. The NPP will raise its voice and offer suggestion to the state (Arunachal Pradesh) government in the larger interests of the people," he added. The NPP which bagged five seats in the just-concluded assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh emerged in the third position after BJP with 41 seats and Janata Dal (United) with seven seats in the 60-member house. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The world's coral reefs are under threat from ocean acidification with many corals unable to adapt to the conditions, according to a study. The study, published in the journal Nature Climate Change, determined the capacity of coral reefs to acclimatise to ocean acidification by investigating the chemistry in the corals' calcifying fluid. The researchers at University of Western Australia (UWA) and colleagues examined four species of coral and two types of calcifying algae in a year-long test. "We found that corals and coralline algae weren't able to acclimatise to ocean acidification," said Professor Malcolm McCulloch from UWA. "The effects of ocean acidification on the calcifying fluid were rapid and persisted after one year in the experimental conditions," McCulloch said. Researchers found that two coral species that were resistant to ocean acidification were resistant from the start while the two sensitive ones were affected from the start and were not able to acclimatise. "The two species resistant to ocean acidification used different mechanisms to alleviate the effects of ocean acidification," McCulloch said. The results validated previous research that found coral reefs were under threat from ocean acidification, said Steeve Comeau, from the Sorbonne University in France. "The results also confirm that ocean acidification could have repercussions on the competition between species which could in turn affect the ecological function of reefs," Comeau said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress-led Opposition UDF Wednesday staged a walkout from the Kerala assembly over the state government's decision to implement Khader Commission report, which proposes single directorate for sector in the state. Khader Commission report recommends upgrading the professional qualification of teachers and bringing the school sector under a single directorate, in an effort to revamp it. The Opposition has been demanding to put on hold the 'half-baked' report. However, MinisterC Ravindranath had yesterday said that the cabinet has already accepted the report. Claiming that only half of the report has been prepared and published, Leader of the Opposition, Ramesh Chennithala sought to know how the government could approve it. "It's a half-baked report. Only half of the report has been published. How can the cabinet approve it without the rest of it? The report is based on the suggestions given by theKerala School Teachers Association (KSTA). This is a politically motivated report," Chennithala alleged. Meanwhile, Ravindranath told the Assembly that the move is to improve the academic standards and pointed out that the concerns of the Opposition would be addressed and the government was ready for more discussions. Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan denied permission for the adjournment motion moved by IUML leader and MLA K N A Khader over the matter, following which the Opposition staged a walkout. Earlier, the government had called a meeting with teaching and non-teaching staff associations to discuss the implementation of the report but majority of the representatives refused to support it. Education Minister had earlier announced that the merger would take place this year itself. "There would be one exam commissioner for the SSLC, higher secondary and vocational higher secondary examinations," Minister had said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hospitality firm OYO Wednesday launched 'Cash in Bank' facility for its asset owner-partners across India under the company's ongoing OYO Partner Engagement Network (OPEN) initiative. With the 'Cash in Bank' (CiB) facility, the asset owners across the country can benefit from quick, collateral-free business advances to upgrade or renovate their buildings, OYO said in a statement. To begin with, all the new buildings on-boarded by OYO and all the existing buildings of OYO (OYO Rooms, Spot on and Capital O brands only) are eligible to apply for the facility, it added. OYO Hotels & Homes CEO (India & South Asia) Aditya Ghosh said, "As a direct outcome of our constant engagement with the asset owner-partners under the aegis of OPEN, we realised the need for providing a quick and hassle-free financing product to cater to their expansion and renovation needs." OYO believes that this product has the potential to be a game-changer for our asset owners and to elevate their relationship with the company, he added. "In order to cover the financial risks involved in an unsecured, collateral-free advance, OYO will be charging a minimal service fee to the asset owner over and above the monthly instalments to repay the principal amount," the statement said. The limit of the business advance is up to Rs 20 lakh. Asset owners will be able to meet their capital requirements for renovations and upgradation work within 48 hours without the need for any supporting collateral, it added. Currently, OYO Hotels and Homes has over 9,000 asset owner-partners spread across nearly 260 cities in India. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan's Opposition leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was quizzed by the anti-graft watchdog on Wednesday in connection with fake bank accounts, which were allegedly used to send billion of rupees out of the country. Bilawal, 30, appeared before the National Accountability Bureau's investigation team, where he was quizzed for 30 minutes. He was handed over a questionnaire comprising of 32 questions. The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) chairperson has been asked to submit his reply within 10 days. Bilawal was quizzed by the NAB in two cases as chief of Zaradri Group (of companies), which is involved in real estate business. He was also given a questionnaire and asked to return it within 10 days. It was for the second time that Bilawal was summoned by the NAB. Bilawal's father Asif Ali Zardari is also facing multiple probes related to fake accounts under which allegedly billion of rupees were send out of Pakistan. Both Zardari and Bilawal have denied any wrongdoing and termed the probe against them as political witch hunt by the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan. Police and the PPP workers clashed as Bilawal appeared before the NAB team. Bilawal condemned the "brutality' of police against his supporters. Dozens of workers of the PPP chanted slogans and tried to break the police barricade to join Bilawal in the office of the NAB. Bilawal later told the media that about 30 party workers and two woman lawmakers were arrested. Bilawal said that no emergency banning lawful assembly had been imposed in Islamabad and "it is not written anywhere in the law that your companions cannot accompany you" during appearance before the NAB. "Force was used against peaceful citizens.I don't even say peaceful protestors because they weren't protesting, he said. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Maryam Nawaz in a twitter message condemned violence against the PPP workers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Six members of the Masood Azhar-led Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) have been arrested for allegedly collecting funds for the proscribed terror group, amid a pressure from the global community on Pakistan to curb terror financing. The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of the Punjab Police said Wednesday it has intensified crackdown on terrorism financing and arrested six more JeM activists in Gujaranwala, about 130-km from here. "The CTD teams raided the JeM's 'safe house' and arrested Muhammad Afzal, Muhammad Amir, Allah Ditta, Muhammad Iftikhar, Muhammad Ajmal and Muhammad Bilal Makki, and recovered lakhs of rupees from their possession. "The suspects were collecting funds to finance the activities of JeM. Charge-sheets against them has been submitted to the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Gujranwala and they are being interrogated," the CTD said in a statement. "No one will be allowed to collect founds for any proscribed organisation," it said. Last week, six activists of the JeM and the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) were arrested by the CTD from Gujranwala, Rawalpinid, Multan and Lahore for allegedly collecting funds to finance terrorism. On Monday, three terrorists belonging to the Islamic State (IS) and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) militant groups were arrested by the CTD officials in Pakistan's Punjab province. Sources, however, said the accused were not presented before the ATC. Also, the CTD did not seek their remand from the court or the magistrate. "The suspects have been shifted to undisclosed location for further interrogation," the source added. Paris-based international terror financing watchdog FATF in June last year placed Pakistan onto its watch list in a bid to push the country to halt support for militant groups. In February, the FATF decided to continue the 'Grey' listing of Pakistan for its failure to stop funding of terrorist groups such as the JeM, the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the JuD. The Pakistan government have arrested over 100 members of banned outfits including JeM chief Azhar's son and brother and also taken control of JeM, JuD and FIF's properties including seminaries and mosques across the country. The crackdown came amid tensions with India following a suicide attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on February 14 by the JeM that killed 40 CRPF soldiers. The Pakistan government has termed the action in accordance with the National Action Plan and meeting the obligations of the FATF. The United Nations on May 1 designated Azhar as a "global terrorist" after China lifted its hold on a proposal to blacklist the Pakistan-based JeM chief, a decade after New Delhi approached the world body for the first time on the issue. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Pakistani businessman fighting his extradition to the US from London on fraud charges has been released on a 15-million pound bail bond, the largest of its kind ordered by a UK court. Arif Naqvi, who had been lodged at Wandsworth prison in south-west London the same prison as fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi, was released on bail after Westminster Magistrates' Court sent a release letter to the prison authorities on Tuesday. "All conditions set for the bail have been met," a court official confirmed on Wednesday. Naqvi, the founder of Dubai-based private equity firm Abraaj Group, had been granted conditional bail on May 3 but was released only this week as his legal team assembled the required security bond. UK High Court judge Michael Supperstone had dismissed a plea by the US authorities that the 58-year-old businessman would violate the terms of his bail, which also include surrender of his travel documents and arrangements akin to house arrest bound by an electronic tag. During the May 3 hearing, the US authorities had highlighted Naqvi's connections with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and other senior officials and personalities in Pakistan, which made his flight using a private jet likely. However, Justice Supperstone had ruled that he was not persuaded by the evidence of the US government that Naqvi will fail to surrender or that he would flee to Pakistan. Two of Naqvi's associates senior Abraaj executives Mustafa Abdel-Wadood in the US and Sev Vettivetpillai in Britain are already out on bail under strict curfew. Naqvi is charged with inflating the value of the Dubai-based firm's holdings and stealing hundreds of millions of dollars, allegations he has denied as "ludicrous". "He maintains his innocence, and he fully expects to be cleared of any charges," his spokesperson said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The five-member panel examining sub-categorisation of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) has been given an extension of two more months till July 31 by President Ram Nath Kovind. This is the fifth extension of term given to the commission, formed in October 2017. The Cabinet in November had extended the term of the panel headed by Justice G Rohini (retd), which is examining the crucial issue of creating quota within quota, till May 31. The tenure of the commission was to end on May 31 but has now been extended till July 31, according to a recent order of the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The commission has held extensive meetings with all stakeholders, including state governments, state backward classes commissions, community associations and general public, since its formation. It has also obtained records, caste-wise data of OBCs admitted in higher educational institution as well as similar caste-wise data of recruits in central government departments, central public sector undertakings, public sector banks and financial institutions. The panel was mandated to examine the extent of inequitable distribution of benefits of reservation among the castes or communities in the central list of OBCs. It was also tasked with working out a mechanism, criteria, norms and parameters for sub-categorisation within such OBCs and taking up the exercise of identifying castes, sub-castes and communities and classifying them into respective sub-categories. The commission which was stipulated to submit its report within 10 weeks from assumption of charge by the chairperson, has been granted several extensions since its formation citing voluminous data obtained from all quarters and the time required for its scientific analysis to prepare a comprehensive report. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Papua New Guinea's embattled prime minister stepped down on Wednesday, capping a months-long political crisis and calling a multi-billion-dollar French and US-backed gas deal into question. Facing a string of cabinet resignations and a vote of no confidence he looked sure to lose, veteran leader Peter O'Neill told parliament he had handed his letter of resignation to the country's governor general. "I hereby tender my resignation as Prime Minister of the independent state of Papua New Guinea, effective immediately" read the letter that was obtained by AFP. O'Neill said he had decided to step down "in the interests of ongoing political stability in our country" citing the need for "economic confidence and social unity." For eight years O'Neill had led the rugged and ethnically diverse nation, which is home to over 800 languages. But he had been heavily criticised for endemic corruption and chronic underdevelopment, in a country that has increasingly become a venue for US-China rivalry. The government's purchase last year of 40 Maseratis to ferry foreign dignitaries around Port Moresby's few fully paved roads during an APEC summit became emblematic of his tenure. But the breaking point appeared to have been a recent $13 billion deal with Total and ExxonMobil to extract, pipe and ship liquefied natural gas (LNG) overseas. The deal angered powerful regional and tribal leaders, who suggested they were not getting a fair share. Finance minister James Marape -- from the Hela province in the highlands -- was the first to resign in protest, saying the money would not go to ordinary Papua New Guineans, local firms or the regions. A similar deal in the last decade has failed to bring wealth to a country where only 13 percent of citizens have regular access to electricity. O'Neill had earlier promised to resign, but subsequently took court action in a bid to cling to power, prompting physical confrontations in parliament. But on Wednesday O'Neill finally resigned. In a valedictory speech, he touted his achievements in office, including hosting the 2018 APEC summit, a vast undertaking for a developing country with limited central government capacity. "We have always been known for the wrong reasons," O'Neill said. A parliamentary vote on a new prime minister is expected to take place as soon as Thursday morning. The fractured opposition had rallied around National Alliance Party leader Patrick Pruaitch as their alternative prime minister. But it remains to be seen if that deal will hold, with opposition leaders set to meet later on Thursday to try and reach consensus. Experts said O'Neill's departure could see an end to big-ticket infrastructure projects that many believe have benefited only Port Moresby and the country's connected elite. "O'Neill's departure has the potential for a wholesale shift in the policy direction taken by PNG's government," said Jonathan Ritchie of Melbourne's Deakin University. "But the suspicion of at least some informed Papua New Guinean observers is that it will result only in the rearranging of the deck chairs," he wrote ahead of O'Neill's departure. Whoever takes power is likely to look again at how benefits are distributed from an LNG project that would almost double Papua New Guinea's gas exports. "The sticking point has been the benefit-sharing agreement with local landowners," said Rystad Energy analyst Readul Islam. "That's happening regardless of the situation with the PNG prime minister," said Islam, warning that any delay to the project could be damaging. Papua New Guinea "is in competition with other LNG-producing countries and projects in trying to capture a possible undersupply of LNG developing in the mid-2020s," he told AFP. "I think all the project participants are aware that this is a race and the ones that can deliver the project quicker and lowest cost will benefit and delay will add to the cost and decrease the competitiveness of the PNG LNG exports. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two more doctors have been arrested for allegedly abetting the suicide of a junior colleague by tormenting her with casteist slurs at a state-run hospital here, police said on Wednesday. With this, the police have arrested three doctors, all women. While Bhakti Mehere was arrested on Tuesday after initial interrogation, Hema Ahuja and Ankita Khandelwal were caught in the early hours on Wednesday, a police officer said. "The two were arrested from Pune and Mumbai," Deputy Commissioner of Police (zone III) Avinash Kumar told PTI. They will be produced in a court later in the day, the police said. The three doctors were booked after their 26-year-old junior colleague Payal Tadvi at B Y L Nair Hospital here allegedly hanged herself at her hostel room last Wednesday, a senior police official said. Her family alleged that the doctors taunted her by ragging and hurling casteist abuses as she belonged to a Scheduled Tribe. The accused were subsequently booked under provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, the Anti-Ragging Act, the IT Act and section 306 (abetment to suicide) of the Indian Penal Code. All the three accused on Tuesday moved an anticipatory bail application before the sessions court here. Earlier, Tadvi's parents protested at the hospital in Mumbai where she worked. Other protesters also joined her mother Abeda and husband Salman, demanding stringent action against the three seniors. The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi and other Dalit and tribal organisations also held protests outside the hospital. The deceased's mother sought to know whether the government would take responsibility for the safety of students like her daughter, who are pursuing higher education. "Payal used to tell me about the torture which she was facing by her seniors on petty issues. They threw files on her face in front of patients. "She used to tell me not to give a written complaint against her seniors despite being harassed by them. She would say that doing so would adversely impact their career," Abeda said. The distraught mother claimed Tadvi would have been the first woman MD (doctor of medicine) from their community. The deceased's husband, who is also a doctor, said it was possible that Payal was "murdered" by the three women doctors. The state women's commission also took cognisance of the matter and issued a notice to the hospital authorities. On Tuesday, it wrote a letter to the Mumbai police commissioner, seeking a thorough investigation in the case. The anti-ragging committee of Nair Hospital also submitted its report in Tadvi's suicide case to the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences. State minister for Medical Education Girish Mahajan visited the hospital on Tuesday and met the protesters and parents of the victim. The Mumbai Congress demanded that all the three doctors booked in the case be tried in a fast-track court, terming Tadvi's suicide as "unfortunate" and a serious issue. Shiv Sena spokesperson Neelam Gorhe said those accused of abetting Tadvi's suicide should be booked under IPC section 302 (murder). He said the issue would be raised in the state legislature session starting from June 17. The three accused on Monday sought a "fair probe" in the case. In a letter to the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD), the accused said they wanted the college to conduct a fair probe in the matter and "give justice" to them. The MARD has suspended the three doctors. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior BJP leader Pema Khandu took oath as the 10th chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh on Wednesday. State Governor Brig (Retd) B D Mishra administered the oath of office and secrecy to Khandu at a function organised at the Dorjee Khandu Convention Centre here. Eleven Cabinet ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, were also administered oath along with Khandu. Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, his deputy Y Patton, Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb and Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh along with BJP general secretary Ram Madhav were among others who attended the swearing-in ceremony. Six sitting cabinet ministers, including Chowna Mein, Wangki Lowang, Honchun Ngandam, Kamlung Mossang, Alo Libang and Bamang Felix, have been included in the new ministry. Deputy speaker Tumke Bagra and two sitting MLAs Mama Natung and Tage Taki also found berth in the cabinet. Two newcomers -- Taba Tedir and Nakap Nalo -- were also inducted in the new ministry with cabinet rank. Khandu, talking to reporters after the swearing-in ceremony, thanked the people of the state on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah for voting the BJP to power in the Himalayan state. "It is a historic day for the state as the BJP could install a government on its own," Khandu said and asserted that his government would be clean, transparent and corruption-free. The chief minister announced that the priority areas would be improvement in law and order, health and education sectors. "Our government will explore every possible avenue to provide employment opportunities to the unemployed youths and will invite outside investors to invest in state's potential sectors for gainful employment of local youths," Khandu said. Khandu along with his cabinet colleagues will go to New Delhi to attend Modi's swearing in as the prime minister for the second consecutive term. The BJP led by Khandu won 41 seats in the 60-member House, in the assembly polls held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha election on April 11 in the northeastern state bordering China. While the opposition Congress could win only four seats, the Janata Dal United in its maiden entry in the state's political scene won seven seats. Another new entrant National People's Party (NPP) bagged five seats. While one seat went to the lone regional outfit of the state People's Party of Arunachal (PPA), two seats were won by Independents. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US Vice President Mike Pence has urged the Supreme Court to take up a case about abortions based on sex, race or potential disability of the fetus, after the high court sidestepped the issue. While serving as governor of Indiana, Pence had signed into law a ban on so-called "selective" abortions. A lower court struck it down, and earlier Tuesday, the US Supreme Court opted not to weigh in until lower courts do so. Pence's office released a statement saying it remained "hopeful that at a later date the Supreme Court will review one of numerous state laws across the US that bar abortion based on sex, race, or disability." "Countries across the globe prohibit selective abortion - and the United States should do the same," said the statement from Pence's press secretary Alyssa Farah on Tuesday. Pence's remarks follow moves by legislatures in several Republican-led states to restrict access to abortion in a bid to eventually challenge the 1973 US Supreme Court ruling in Roe vs Wade, which made abortion legal nationwide. Since taking office, President Donald Trump has appointed two conservative justices - Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh - and liberal members of the court are now outnumbered five to four. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan kicked off a week-long Asian tour Wednesday with an eye to strengthening ties with regional allies and having "candid" talks with his Chinese counterpart on Beijing's growing might. "It's more about listening and being able to hear from the allies and partners," the acting US defence secretary said in a plane bound for Jakarta. Indonesia is the first leg of a tour that also includes stops in Singapore, South Korea and Japan. On Thursday, Shanahan will meet with Indonesian President Joko Widodo after talks with Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu. Cooperation on maritime issues with the sprawling Southeast Asian archipelago nation will be at the top of the agenda, as the US looks to offset China's expanding presence in the South China Sea. In Singapore on Saturday, Shanahan is to meet Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue regional defence forum. "I want to identify areas where we can cooperate," Shanahan told reporters accompanying him on the trip, adding that he hoped to have "very candid discussions around intellectual property theft, or militarisation of the South China Sea." Washington has repeatedly called for "freedom of navigation" in the busy maritime channel as Beijing builds up its military capabilities, while China has accused US ships of breaching its territorial waters. But Shanahan said rising tensions would not prevent the US from pushing forward with a defence strategy that sees China and Russia as Washington's main rivals. "We have the capacity to spin a lot of plates," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee president Sachin Pilot on Wednesday asked party leaders and workers to start a mass contact programme across the state to connect with the people after the drubbing it received in the Lok Sabha polls. Pilot said the Congress accepted defeat in the general elections but it was not the first or the last election. "We accept the defeat and the decision of voters humbly. I have asked the PCC members to start a mass contact programme in cities, towns, villages and hamlets across the country with immediate effect for connecting people with the Congress party," Pilot told reporters here. "This was not the first and the last election. We will again go among the masses and win people's heart. Congress is ruling the state and our government will fulfil all the expectations of people," the deputy chief minister said after the party's executive committee meeting here. Meanwhile, the Rajasthan Congress executive committee passed a resolution, saying the party should not accept the resignation of its president Rahul Gandhi over the Lok Sabha debacle. "We all have requested the party president to continue leading us. He is authorised to do whatever changes he wants to do in the organisation," he said. It was the first meeting of the party's state unit after the defeat in the Lok Sabha polls in which the party could not win even a single seat out of the total 25 seats in the state. The BJP won 24 and its alliance partner won one seat in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the Maldivian Parliament during his likely visit to the key Indian Ocean country next month, according to a media report here on Wednesday. People's Majlis (the Maldive's Parliament) on Wednesday passed a unanimous resolution to allow Modi to address the House. The motion was passed with 80 votes with no lawmaker voting against it. According to Raajje TV, Modi had requested that he should be allowed to address parliamentarians. Since his landslide re-election victory in the polls last week, Modi is set to travel to the Maldives on his first bilateral visit, media reports said. Bhutan was the first country Modi had visited in 2014 after becoming prime minister. Diplomatic sources said the prime minister is expected to travel to Male in the first half of June, while the Maldivian media reported that the visit will take place between June 7-8. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj visited the Maldives in March, the first full-fledged bilateral trip from India to the island nation after the government of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih came to power in November last year. Modi visited the Maldives in November to attend Solih's swearing-in ceremony, signalling the importance India attaches to the island nation, where China has been trying to expand its influence. Last week, Solih congratulated Modi for his "resounding electoral victory". The relations between India and the Maldives deteriorated after the then President Abdulla Yameen imposed emergency on February 5 last year. India had criticised his decision and asked his government to restore the credibility of the electoral and political process by releasing political prisoners. The emergency had lasted for 45 days. Solih became president in November after he defeated Yameen in the presidential polls. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Delhi court Wednesday reserved for June 3 its order on application of Robert Vadra, accused in a money laundering case, to travel abroad. Enforcement Directorate opposed Vadra's plea seeking permission to travel to the UK and two other countries citing health reasons. ED said the probe is at a crucial stage. "His custodial interrogation is required and may flee. He is facing serious charges. His medical condition is merely a pretext where laundered money is parked. The medical condition appears to be is routine medical check up," said Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for ED. Special Judge Arvind Kumar said he would pass the order on June 3 after hearing arguments from both the parties. The ED also told the court that Vadra was linked to alleged arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari who was in London. Vadra's counsel, senior advocate KTS Tulsi, told the court that as per his medical report he has a small tumour in the large intestine and he wanted to take a second opinion in London. Vadra, facing investigation in a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), was directed on April 1 not to leave the country without prior permission by a court which had granted him anticipatory bail while imposing several other conditions. Vadra, the brother-in-law of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, is facing allegations of money laundering in purchase of a property in London at 12, Bryanston Square, worth 1.9 million pounds. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Enforcement Directorate Wednesday opposed in a Delhi court the plea of Robert Vadra, accused in a money laundering case, seeking permission to travel abroad. He has sought permission to travel to the UK and two other countries citing health reasons and had placed his medical records before the court to allow the ED to verify them. Vadra, facing investigation in a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), was directed on April 1 not to leave the country without prior permission by a court which had granted him anticipatory bail while imposing several other conditions. Vadra, the brother-in-law of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, is facing allegations of money laundering in purchase of a property in London, 12, Bryanston Square, worth 1.9 million pounds. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With the Lok Sabha elections over, preparations have begun for the eighth and final repatriation of the Brus lodged in six relief camps in neighbouring Tripura, Mizoram home department officials Wednesday said. The district core committee on Bru repatriation held a meeting at Mizoram-Assam border town of Kolasib on Tuesday and at Mamit district on the Mizoram-Tripura-Bangladesh border on Wednesday to discuss the final repatriation of 32,876 Brus belonging to 5,407 families, lodged in the Tripura relief camps since late 1997, they said. The officials said that 4,185 Bru families would be resettled in Mamit district, 822 families in Kolasib district and the remaining 400 families in south Mizoram's Lunglei district. "Though it may not be advisable to undertake the repatriation process during the monsoon due to bad condition of roads, preparations would continue for the final repatriation process, during autumn," the Additional Secretary of Home Department of Mizoram, Lalbiakzama, said. The state government and the NGO Coordination Committee, an umbrella body of civil society groups in Mizoram, and student associations reached an agreement before the Lok Sabha polls that the repatriation process would be taken up this year and it should be the last attempt. The agreement said that those who refuse to return to Mizoram during the proposed repatriation should stay back in Tripura and after that their names would be deleted from the voters list in Mizoram. Thousands of Brus continued to refuse to return to Mizoram even after the Mizoram Bru Displaced People's Forum (MBDPF), the apex body of the Brus in the relief camps, signed an agreement with the Centre and the state governments of Mizoram and Tripura on July three last year. In the agreement, the Centre promised to provide Rs four lakh to each repatriated family. In addition, each family was supposed to get Rs 1.5 lakh for housing assistance and Rs 5,000 per month and free ration for two years. The vexed Bru problem arose when Bru bodies demanded a separate autonomous district council by carving out areas of western Mizoram adjoining Bangladesh and Tripura in 1997. It aggravated by the murder of Lalzawmliana, a forest guard, working in the Dampa Tiger Reserve near Persang hamlet within the Reserve, by Bru National Liberation Front (BNLF) insurgents on October 21, 1997. The first attempt to repatriate the Brus from the six relief camps in Tripura from November 16, 2009. It fizzled out due to the murder of a Mizo youth at Bungthuam village on November 13, 2009. Repeated attempts to repatriate them failed till date as people remained in the camps. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India has emphasised that the protection of civilians in the conflicts is the primary responsibility of national governments and not of the peacekeepers, voicing concern that very little is done to strengthen national and societal capacities of protection. The general tendency is to wrongly assume that protection of civilians is the responsibility of the parties to the conflict, peacekeepers, and humanitarian organisations. However, this responsibility primarily rests with the national governments, India's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador K Nagaraj Naidu said at a Security Council open debate on 'Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict.' Very little is done in terms of strengthening the national and societal capacities of protection. "Outside agencies can only supplement and not supplant the responsibility of national governments," he said. Naidu also pointed out that protection of civilians in the context of UN peacekeeping operations has been a complex one because of the vastly different nature of armed conflicts; possible contradiction with the longstanding agreed principles of UN peacekeeping; as also the limitations of the mandates; and the serious inadequacy of the resources made available for peacekeeping missions. "It is our impression that there is no dearth of intent to better the protection of civilians in armed conflict situations. However, it is obvious that the implementation of this concept is not matching the expectations. We need to translate the concept into feasible actions and operational responses," he said. Naidu added that while 8 of the current 14 UN peacekeeping missions include protection of civilians as one of their mandates, this aspect is only one of the many other mandated components, at least 10 on an average, that each of these missions is individually expected to fulfill. "It is clear that the expectations that the UN peacekeepers can effectively ensure protection of civilians in the absence of clear mandates are not realistic," he said. Conflicts where peacekeeping operations are deployed are inherently messy, complex and difficult, he said adding that these should not be taken as an excuse to accept the devastating impact of conflict on civilians. Naidu noted that the commitments under the UN Secretary General's Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) initiative provide a foundation to tackle some of the challenges and further strengthen the protective role of peacekeepers. "It is also useful to consider evolving a normative architecture for protection of civilians as part of a broader endeavour. A framework that is politically attuned, but not politicized or seen as being instrumentalised," he said underlining that it is only then can nations move forward with cohesion to address issues that have exacted a heavy price of civilian lives. Naidu also recalled the stellar example of Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria who led an Indian Infantry Brigade Group as part of United Nations Operation in the Congo in November 1961. The mission's objective was to restore the peace and unity of Congo and to protect the lives of the civilian population in Elizabethville. However it resulted in the maximum number of casualties suffered by India in any UN operation 39 personnel laid down their lives. This was at a time when 'Protection of Civilians' was not part of peacekeeping mandate," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The uncertainty in the Congress continued to prevail on Wednesday with its chief Rahul Gandhi sticking to his offer to resign, even as some party workers sat on a hunger strike outside his house to convince him against quitting. The Congress workers were detained by the police and let off subsequently. Delhi Congress leader Vijay Jatan and some workers, who sat on a hunger strike outside Gandhi's Tughlaq Lane residence, said their demand was that the latter should take his resignation back because the party needed his leadership. The crisis in the Congress showed no signs of easing with Gandhi sticking to his decision to resign as party chief after its Lok Sabha poll debacle and staying away from meeting party leaders. On Tuesday, Gandhi had only met his mother and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, besides senior party leader K C Venugopal and the Congress's chief spokesperson, Randeep Surjewala. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his deputy Sachin Pilot went to meet Gandhi at his Tughlaq Lane residence on Tuesday, but they only met Priyanka there. Senior Congress leaders have been pressing upon Gandhi to take back his resignation and revamp the party at all levels in these challenging times. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Rajasthan Congress Wednesday passed a resolution asking Rahul Gandhi to continue as the party president and carry out radical organisational changes following the Lok Sabha election debacle. The state unit's executive committee endorsed the resolution by the Congress Working Committee (CWC) in New Delhi, rejecting Gandhi's offer to step down as president. Gandhi's insistence on quitting the post has thrown the Congress into turmoil and the Rajasthan meeting was among the attempts made by the party to make him change its mind. The unanimous resolution by the executive committee of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC)was addressed to Rahul Gandhi. It said the party had full confidence in Gandhi, urging him to continue with his effective leadership. "The pradesh Congress executive committee accepts all those challenges, failures and shortcomings which led to this mandate," AICC general secretary in-charge of Rajasthan Avinash Pande told reporters, reading out the resolution. He said all members of the executive committee also authorised the Congress president to carry out "radical organisational changes". "The Congress has lost the elections but our courage, spirit of struggle and commitment towards our principles is stronger than before," he said. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and deputy chief minister and state Congress president Sachin Pilot were among about a dozen office bearers who attended the meeting at the party headquarters here. It was the first meeting of the party's Rajasthan unit after the Congress lost on all 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Rajasthan Congress president Sachin Pilot said the party will analyse the reasons behind people voting for the BJP, just months after they elected a Congress government in the state. Pilot has asked party leaders and workers to start a mass contact programme across the state. "We have accepted the people's mandate humbly. Even the Congress president has accepted it, he said. "The Congress will definitely introspect to see where changes and action are required. It will be our effort that Congress gains further strength," he said. The poll debacle also appeared to deepen the rift within the party in Rajasthan between Pilot's supporters and those who back Ashok Gehlot. Some state leaders have openly expressed their disappointment over the party's performance in Rajasthan. Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee secretary Sushil Asopa has said on Facebook that Pilot should have been made chief minister instead of Ashok Gehlot. Rajasthan ministers Udai Lal Anjana and Ramesh Meena had also demanded a detailed analysis of the defeat. There is speculation over Agriculture Minister Lalchand Kataria resignation after a purported press release said he is quitting. The minister has neither confirmed nor denied this, but the Chief Minister's Office says it has not received any resignation letter. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Rajasthan Congress executive committee on Wednesday passed a resolution, saying the party should not accept the resignation of its president Rahul Gandhi over the Lok Sabha debacle. "The pradesh Congress executive committee accepts all those challenges, failures and shortcomings which led to this mandate,"AICC general secretary in-charge of Rajasthan Avinash Pande told reporters. He said all the members of the executive committee also authorised the Congress president to carry out a "radical organisational changes". "The Congress has lost the elections but our courage, spirit of struggle and commitment towards our principles is stronger than before," he said. The executive committee endorsed the resolution passed on the same lines by the Congress Working Committee (CWC) in New Delhi on May 25. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress president Sachin Pilot were present at the meeting held at the party headquarters here. It was the first meeting of the party after it faced defeat on all 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Congress chief whip Mahesh Joshi also said all members of the executive committee expressed faith in the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and endorsed the CWC resolution. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The committee of creditors of debt-ridden telecom firm Reliance Communications is scheduled to meet on Thursday, the company said in a regulatory note. "...a meeting of committee of creditors will be held on May 30, 2019," RCom said in the note on Wednesday. The Anil Ambani-led firm is under the corporate insolvency resolution process, and Mumbai bench of the National Company Law Tribunal has appointed Pradeep Kumar Sethi to manage affairs, business and assets of RCom as interim resolution professional. The company is estimated to have a total debt of over Rs 45,000 crore, which includes exposure of public sector banks also. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police officer Arnab Ghosh, one of the SIT members that initially probed the Saradha scam, was grilled for more than nine hours by the CBI on Wednesday over alleged suppression of evidence, sources said. The Indian Police Service officer had been asked to face interrogation again on Thursday, sources in the probe agency told PTI. Ghosh had reached the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) office at the CGO complex in Salt Lake around 10 am after he was served summons. The interrogation continued late in the evening for more than nine hours, the sources said. The officer was one of the members of the special investigation team (SIT), which was formed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to probe the Saradha chit fund scam before the CBI began investigation at the orders of the Supreme Court in 2014. The agency had issued a similar notice to former Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar, who headed the SIT, to appear before it in connection with the ponzi scheme scam. Kumar is yet to respond to the summons. The CBI had also grilled on Tuesday another officer of the SIT, Prabhakar Nath, who was then a subordinate of Ghosh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) IPS officer Arnab Ghosh reached the CBI office in Salt Lake on Wednesday after he was summoned by the agency in connection with the Saradha ponzi scam. Ghosh was one of the members of the special investigation team (SIT) that was formed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to probe the Saradha scam before the CBI began investigation at the orders of the Supreme Court in 2014. The probe agency had issued a similar notice to former Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar, who headed the SIT, to appear before it in connection with the chit-fund scam. Kumar is yet to respond to the summons. The CBI had on Tuesday also grilled another officer of the SIT, Prabhakar Nath, who was the then subordinate of Ghosh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Saudi Arabia's foreign minister has called on Islamic nations to reject its arch-rival Iran's "interference" in the affairs of other countries, amid a spike in regional tensions. "Tehran's support for Huthi rebels in Yemen is proof of Iranian interference in other nations' affairs and this is something that... Islamic countries should reject," minister Ibrahim al-Assaf told a gathering of foreign ministers of the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah city on Wednesday. Assaf was speaking on the eve of emergency Arab and Gulf summits called by Saudi Arabia at the weekend as tensions between Iran and the US raise fears of military escalation. The summits in Mecca, Islam's holiest city, allow US ally Riyadh the chance to present unified Islamic, Arab and Gulf fronts against its arch-rival Tehran. A representative of Iran attended Wednesday's gathering of OIC, of which it is a member, an AFP reporter saw. But Iran's foreign minister was not present. Regional tensions have spiked since President Donald Trump's administration reimposed sanctions against Iran after Washington unilaterally pulled out of a multilateral 2015 nuclear accord signed with the Islamic republic. Two Saudi oil tankers, among four vessels, were the targets of mysterious acts of sabotage off the United Arab Emirates (UAE) this month, and Iran-aligned Yemeni rebels have stepped up drone attacks on the kingdom -- one of which resulted in the temporary shutdown of a major oil pipeline. US National Security Advisor John Bolton said Wednesday that Iran was almost certainly behind oil tanker attacks that sent Gulf tensions soaring -- an accusation Tehran dismissed as "laughable". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday inaugurated a detention centre set up near here to lodge foreign nationals who violate visa norms. The government spent Rs 50 lakh to convert the old sub-jail in Mapusa town, located around 9 km from here, into the detention centre for foreigners who were overstaying in Goa after expiry of their documents, Sawant said. "The detention centre has separate rooms for men and women and over 20 inmates can be kept there at a time," he said, claiming this was the second such facility in the country, the first one being in New Delhi. Foreigners illegally staying in the state would be kept at the facility till the procedure to deport them is not completed, the chief minister said. All facilities in the detention centre would be provided by the social welfare department, while its security would be managed by the state police, he said. Several lakh foreigners annually arrive in the coastal state, famous for its picturesque beaches, on business or tourist visas. Goa Police had several cases of foreigners overstaying on expired visas, but in the absence of a detention centre, they would usually secure bail and continue to roam around in the state, an official earlier said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court agreed Wednesday to examine the powers of tax authorities to arrest an individual for GST evasion saying that different high courts have taken divergent views on the issue and it was necessary to clarify the position in law. A vacation bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Aniruddha Bose issued notice on the Centre's plea against the Bombay High Court verdict which had granted protection from arrest to certain individuals in the Goods and Services Tax evasion cases. "Issue notice returnable in four weeks. As different High Courts of the country have taken divergent views in the matter, we are of the view that the position in law should be clarified by this court. Hence, the notice," the bench said. The court said that at this stage it would not like to interfere with the pre-arrest bails granted to these individuals by the Bombay High Court. "However, we make it clear that the High Courts while entertaining such request (protection from arrest) in future, will keep in mind that this Court by order dated May 27...had dismissed the special leave petition filed against the judgment and order of the Telangana High Court in a similar matter, wherein the High Court of Telangana had taken a view contrary (refused to grant protection from arrest) to what has been held by the High Court in the present case," the bench said. The bench listed the batch of petitions before a three-judge bench to decide the question of law on the power of arrest. The top court had on May 27 dismissed a plea challenging the Telangana High Court verdict which had said that a person can be arrested by the authority concerned in cases of GST evasion. On April 18, the Telangana high court had said it was not inclined to grant relief against arrest to petitioners who had approached it challenging the summons issued by Superintendent (Anti-Evasion) of the Hyderabad GST Commissionerate under the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 and invocation of penal provisions under the law. The high court had delivered the verdict which dealt with a batch of petitions filed by some private companies, its top officials and others. The government had told the high court that petitioners before it were allegedly involved in incorporating several partnership firms and had claimed input tax credit on the basis of certain invoices, without there being any actual physical receipt of goods. It had alleged that the fraudulent input tax credit claimed by them was to the tune of Rs 224.05 crore. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court Wednesday dismissed a plea of Congress MP Karti Chidambaram seeking return of Rs 10 crore which he had deposited with the court's registry for travelling abroad. Karti Chidambaram is facing criminal cases being probed by the CBI and ED. A vacation bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Aniruddha Bose rejected Karti's plea and said, "Pay attention to your constituency." The bench was hearing Karti's plea in which he had sought return of Rs 10 crore deposited earlier by him in the apex court's registry, claiming he had taken the money on loan and was paying interest on it. On May 7, a bench headed by the CJI had allowed Karti, son of former Union minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, to travel to the United Kingdom, US, France, Germany and Spain in May and June this year. "The applicant (Karti) shall make a deposit of Rs 10 crore only before the Secretary General of this Court, which will be returned to him after he comes back to the country," the bench had said in its May 7 order. The apex court had in January also granted Karti permission to travel abroad after depositing Rs 10 crore with the secretary general of the Supreme Court. The court, on the request of ED, had earlier asked Karti to file an undertaking that he would return to India and cooperate with the investigation. The court had said that it would "come down heavily" on Karti if he did not cooperate. The probe agency had earlier opposed the plea of Karti seeking permission to travel abroad and alleged that he has been evasive, non-cooperative and caused delay in completing the investigations. Karti was abroad for 51 days in the last 6 months, the probe agency had told the court earlier. The ED had earlier claimed that Karti, who is also facing proceedings in cases like Aircel-Maxis and money laundering matters, has been "blatantly misusing" the liberty granted by court in allowing him to travel abroad and has been using the same to protract the investigation in the case. Karti is facing several criminal cases being investigated by the ED and CBI including one which relates to the Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance to INX Media for receiving foreign funds of Rs 305 crore when his father was the finance minister. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Wednesday dismissed Congress MP Karti Chidambaram's plea seeking return of Rs 10 crore which he had deposited with the court's registry as a condition for being allowed to travel abroad. A vacation bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Aniruddha Bose rejected the plea by Karti, who is facing criminal cases which are being probed by the CBI and Enforcement Directorate. "Now you pay attention to your constituency," it said. The son of former Union minister and senior Congress leader has won the Lok Sabha election from Sivaganga parliamentary constituency in Tamil Nadu. "Having heard counsel for the applicant (Karti), we are not inclined to allow the prayer made. The application is accordingly dismissed," the bench said in its order. During the hearing, Karti's counsel told the bench that as per apex court's order, Karti had deposited Rs 10 crore in the court registry as a condition for travelling abroad and the money should be returned to him as he had came back to India. "Every time you (Karti) go abroad, you have to deposit Rs 10 crore. Otherwise, what we can do is that you take back Rs 10 crore deposited by you and we would make the next amount (as a condition for travelling abroad) as Rs 20 crore," the bench told his counsel. The bench was hearing Karti's plea in which he had sought return of Rs 10 crore deposited by him in the court registry, claiming he had taken the money on loan and was paying interest on it. On May 7, a bench headed by the CJI had allowed Karti to travel to the United Kingdom, US, France, Germany and Spain in May and June this year. "The applicant (Karti) shall make a deposit of Rs 10 crore only before the Secretary General of this Court, which will be returned to him after he comes back to the country," the bench had said in its May 7 order. The apex court had in January also granted Karti permission to travel abroad after depositing Rs 10 crore with the secretary general of the The court, on the request of ED, had earlier asked Karti to file an undertaking that he would return to India and cooperate with the investigation. The court had said that it would "come down heavily" on Karti if he did not cooperate. The probe agency had earlier opposed the plea of Karti seeking permission to travel abroad and alleged that he has been evasive, non-cooperative and caused delay in completing the investigations. Karti was abroad for 51 days in the last 6 months, the probe agency had told the court earlier. The ED had earlier claimed that Karti, who is also facing proceedings in cases like Aircel-Maxis and money laundering matters, has been "blatantly misusing" the liberty granted by court in allowing him to travel abroad and has been using the same to protract the investigation in the case. Karti is facing several criminal cases being investigated by the ED and CBI including one which relates to the Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance to INX Media for receiving foreign funds of Rs 305 crore when his father was the finance minister. Actor Chris Hemsworth has revealed that he turned down "Star Trek 4" over the scripting issues. It was reported in 2017 that the actor, who made a cameo as George Kirk in JJ Abrams' 2009 sci-fi action film "Star Trek", was in talks with Paramount Pictures to reprise his role in the fourth film. Chris Pine, who headlines the franchise, was also expected to return as Captain James T Kirk, the son of Hemsworth character. However, the future of the film is uncertain after the talks between Hemsworth and the studio fell through last year. In an interview with Variety, Hemsworth, 35, said the script did not excite him enough, adding there was not a strong enough motivation to warrant his character's comeback. "I didn't feel like we landed on a reason to revisit that yet. I didn't want to be underwhelmed by what I was going to bring to the table," he said. Hemsworth next stars in "MIB: International", which releases in India on June 14. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Harmful particulate matter in the atmosphere may lead to birth defects and even fatalities during pregnancy, according to a study conducted in mice. Researchers at Texas A&M University in the US examined the adverse health effects of exposure to fine particulate matter consisting of ammonium sulphate commonly found in many locations around the world. During winter months in India and China, where severe haze events frequently occur, fine particulate matter levels are especially high at several hundred microgrammes per cubic metre, they said. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nine out of 10 people worldwide breathe air containing high level of pollutants. One out of every nine global deaths can be attributed to exposure to air pollution, totalling over seven million premature deaths a year, researchers said. "People typically believe that ammonium sulphate may not be terribly toxic, but our results show large impacts on female pregnant rats," said Renyi Zhang, a professor at Texas A&M University. "It is unclear yet what is causing these profound effects, but we speculate that the size of nanoparticles or even the acidity may be the culprit," Zhang said. Sulphate is mainly produced from coal burning, which is a major energy source for much of the world in both developed and developing countries. Ammonium is derived from ammonia, which is produced from agricultural, automobile, and animal emissions, "so this certainly represents a major problem worldwide," Zhang said. "However, our results show that prenatal exposure to air pollution may not dispose offspring to obesity in adulthood," said Guoyao Wu, Texas A&M University Distinguished Professor and one of the lead authors of the study. "Nutrition and lifestyle are likely major factors contributing to the current obesity epidemic worldwide," Wu said. Numerous previous studies have shown that air pollution is a serious public health threat throughout the world, with millions of people breathing air that is far less than standards set by the WHO. Previous studies have shown such pollution to impair metabolic and immune systems in animal offspring. However, the study shows definitive proof of decreased foetal survival rates, and also shortened gestation rates that can result in smaller body weight, in addition to damage to brains, hearts and other organs in the adult rat models. The findings present obvious concerns and challenges on a multi-scale level, the researchers said. "While epidemiological studies have been widely adopted to assess the health effects of air pollution, these tend to yield little insight into adverse outcomes and long-term effects," Zhang said. "Furthermore, there is an absence of clinical recommendations for prevention and treatment of air pollution-related health issues. "Our study has demonstrated that well-controlled exposure experiments using animal models offer major advantages for future air pollution control and are promising in the development of therapeutic intervention and treatment procedures," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Arvind Sawant, Shiv Sena MP from Mumbai South, will be sworn in as Union minister Thursday, a senior party leader said. He will replace Anant Geete, the lone Sena minister in the previous Narendra Modi-led government, who lost from the Raigad Lok Sabha seat in last month's election, the leader said Wednesday. Sawant, 68, who retained his seat by defeating Congress' Milind Deora by 1,00,067 votes, has been associated with the Shiv Sena since the party's early years. He worked as an engineer with Mahanagar Telephone Network Ltd (MTNL) till 1995 and took voluntary retirement after he was nominated to the Maharashtra Legislative Council from governor's quota when Shiv Sena-BJP government came to power in 1995. He was elected as MLC from the Mumbai Local bodies constituency. He contested the Lok Sabha election for the first time in 2014, defeating Deora, then an MP, from the Mumbai South seat by 1,28,564 votes. Sawant is a deputy leader of the Shiv Sena, and also president of the MTNL trade union. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Six alleged drug peddlers were arrested in separate incidents in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, police said. Harjinder Singh, a resident of Punjab, was arrested after 850 kilograms of poppy straw was recovered from his truck at T-Chowk in Banihal area along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, a police spokesperson said. The truck was coming from the Kashmir valley, he said. In another incident, 59 rolls of cannabis weighing 1.2 kilograms were recovered from a tempo traveller during checking at the Jammu-Rajouri National Highway near Nowshera, the spokesperson said. The vehicle's driver, Rajesh Bali, was arrested. He is a resident of Rajouri's Sunderbani area, he added. Dharama Bechera, a resident of Odisha's Nayagarh district, was held with 3.75 kilograms of cannabis from Jammu's Channi Himmat area, the spokesperson said. Another alleged drug peddler, who was identified as Fasal Manhas, was arrested from Gujjar Nagar with five grams of heroin, he said. Two more persons were arrested after a police party recovered 4.9 kilograms of poppy straw from a load carrier near Zero Morh in Reasi district, he added. All the arrested persons have been booked under the Narcotics, Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and are being questioned, the spokesperson said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced his new Cabinet, slashing from 36 to 28 the number of ministers, including two Indian-origins, days after he was sworn in at a stadium in the capital Pretoria. In the new Cabinet announced late Wednesday, half the new ministers are women, making South Africa one of the world's few gender-balanced governments. Ramaphosa, 66, led the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party to victory in elections earlier this month with a majority of 57.5 per cent, the smallest since the party came to power 25 years ago. "In the election of the 8th of May, South Africans provided this administration with a clear mandate to accelerate inclusive economic growth, act with greater urgency to tackle poverty, improve government services, fight corruption and end state capture," Ramaphosa said in a nationally-televised broadcast to announce the appointments. "If we are to give effect to this mandate, we need a capable, efficient and ethical government," he said on Wednesday. Two Indian-origin ministers have been retained from the previous administration. Pravin Gordhan, who received the Padma Bhushan for distinguished service in January this year, was reappointed as Minister of Public Enterprises to continue the challenge of rescuing embattled state-owned enterprises such as national electricity supplier Eskom. Ebrahim Patel, who has achieved success as Minster of Economic Affairs, has been retained in that portfolio, with the former Ministry of Trade and Industries now combined into his Department. More than 30,000 people gathered to witness the swearing in ceremony of Ramaphosa at a stadium in the capital Pretoria. Ramaphosa has vowed to tackle corruption and rejuvenate the country's struggling economy. "In undertaking this review, we have been guided by the need to build a modern developmental state that has the means to drive economic and social transformation, to embrace innovation and to direct effort and resources towards where they will have the greatest impact," Ramaphosa said. Keeping his promise of reducing the number of ministries from 36 in the administration of former President Jacob Zuma, Ramaphosa appointed only 28 ministers, combining the rest into other portfolios. Amid widespread concern over a number of ministers from the previous administration who have been accused of involvement in state capture or corruption, Ramaphosa reaffirmed his position by not appointing those who appeared the most tainted, but retained a few. "If we are to make effective progress in building the South Africa that we all want, it is important that we deploy into positions of responsibility people who are committed, capable and hard-working, and who have integrity," the President said. "The people who I am appointing today must realise that the expectations of the South African people have never been greater and that they will shoulder a great responsibility," he said. "Their performance individually and collectively will be closely monitored against specific outcomes. Where implementation is unsatisfactory, action will be taken," he said. The business leaders welcomed the president's announcement. "I like the idea that there will be deliverables and people will be held accountable," said Lloyd Theunissen of the Congress of Business and Economics, a subsidiary of the erstwhile Transvaal Indian Congress. "Let's hope and trust that the new cabinet will do just that and make a difference in our lives," Theunissen added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Spanish firm Congelados De Navarra along with fertiliser major IFFCO is setting up a quick freezer plant for vegetables in the Ludhiana district, Punjab, with an initial investment of Rs 550 crore, a food processing ministry official said Wednesday. The foundation stone of the facility will be laid Thursday. The proposed plant will have a technology to freeze individually each piece of vegetable so that the final product is not frozen into a solid block. The technology is called 'Individually Quick-Frozen' (IQF) method, he said. The company has pioneered the IQF technology. It is into processing of vegetables, fruits, herbs and ready-made pre-cooked dishes. The company had announced plans to set up the facility during the World Food Summit organised by the central government in 2017. "The Spanish company's IQF facility will be its largest in India with a processing capacity of up to 80,000 per annum. The production will start in the next two years," the official told PTI. The proposed facility will come up at Macchiwara in Ludhiana in 75 acres of land with an initial investment of Rs 550 crore. The land has been acquired and the raw materials will be sourced locally, he said. The official said that the new facility aims to benefit 10,000 farmers and generate 400 direct and 2,000 indirect employment. "With a sharp focus on the training of farmers, implementation of modern technology and knowhow, the project is expected to boost overall infrastructure within the agro-economic eco-system of the region, thereby contributing positively to the GDP of Punjab," he added. Punjab has received a new state-of-the-art food processing plant at Saijjo Majra village and Rattipur near Samrala in Ludhiana district. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who investigated into ties between Russia and the Trump campaign, resigned Wednesday but made it clear that he did not exonerate President Donald Trump but did not charge him with a crime as it was "not an option" under guidelines of the justice department. Speaking about his 22-month investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election, he said intelligence officers with the Russian military "launched a concerted attack on our political system" in an attempt to "interfere with our election and to damage a presidential candidate." Mueller opened his remarks by announcing that he was formally closing the Special Counsel's office and resigning his post at the Department of Justice. Noting that he has not spoken publicly during the investigation, Mueller said he was "speaking out today because our investigation is complete. The attorney general has made the report on our investigation largely public." He announced he was "formally closing the special counsel's office and, as well, I'm resigning from the department of justice to return to private life."His 448-page report, released with redactions last month, concluded that Russia had interfered in the 2016 presidential election "in sweeping and systematic fashion" but did not find there had been a criminal conspiracy between Moscow and the Trump campaign. "A Special Counsel's Office is part of the Department of Justice, and by regulation, it was bound by that department policy," Mueller said. "Charging the president with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider," the former FBI director said. At the same time, Mueller reiterated that his report into Russian interference in the 2016 election did not exonerate the president. "If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so," Mueller said. "We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime." President Trump has rejected allegations that his election campaign colluded with the Russians during the 2016 presidential election. "Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you," Trump tweeted soon after Mueller made the statement. He had earlier described Mueller's probe as a "witch hunt." But Mueller in his statement said, "As alleged by the grand jury in an indictment, Russian intelligence officers who are part of the Russian military launched a concerted attack on our political system. "The indictment alleges that they used sophisticated cyber techniques to hack into computers and networks used by the (Hillary) Clinton campaign. They stole private information and then released that information through fake online identities and through the organization Wikileaks. "The releases were designed and timed to interfere with our election and to damage a presidential candidate," Mueller said. He did not rule out giving testimony in Congress but said he would not give any information that was not in his team's report. "The report is my testimony," he said. The investigation, which started in 2017, has led to 35 people being charged, including several who were a part of Donald Trump's campaign and administration. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sri Lankan authorities failed to arrest the jihadist who led the Easter Sunday attacks that killed 258 people despite mounting evidence against him, the country's top intelligence official said Wednesday. Sisira Mendis told a parliamentary probe into security lapses leading to the April 21 suicide bombings that the attacks led by Zahran Hashim could have been avoided if he had been detained. "He was reported for hate speech. He had come to the attention of the authorities before the attacks," said Mendis, who is the Chief of National Intelligence. "Police could have at least detained him for questioning when there were these reports against him." Official sources said Hashim came to the attention of the authorities following a violent clash with a moderate Muslim group in his village in eastern Sri Lanka two years ago. However he was not arrested. The national parliament Wednesday began investigating the circumstances that allowed a known Islamist group to stage the audacious attack targeting three Christian churches and three luxury hotels. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sri Lanka has signed a deal with India and Japan to develop a deep-sea container terminal here amid increasing forays by China which has taken a strategic port on a 99-year lease that has worried New Delhi. The three countries will jointly build the East Container Terminal at the Port of Colombo. High Commissioner of India to Colombo Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Ambassador of Japan to Sri Lanka Akira Sugiyama and Sri Lankan Minister of Ports & Shipping and Southern Development Sagala Ratnayake signed the Memorandum of Cooperation in Colombo on Tuesday. Sri Lanka's Port Authority (SLPA) said that around 70 per cent of Colombo Port's transshipment business is India related while Japan had cooperated since the 1980s to develop the port's container terminals. SLPA retains 100 per cent ownership of the East Container Terminal. The Terminal Operations Company (TOC) conducting all East Container Terminal operations is jointly owned; Sri Lanka retains a 51 per cent stake, and the joint venture partners purchase a 49 per cent stake. "As a hub of the Indian ocean, the development of Sri Lanka and openness of its ports are of great importance. Colombo port is the leading port in region. This joint project reflects the long standing goodwill and cooperation among the three countries," the SLPA said. The three countries are to work out details of the deal at joint working group meetings to be held inn the future. The involvement of India and Japan is the project is being seen as a big development aimed at neutralising the growing influence of China, which has poured money into the South Asian island nation under its mammoth Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) infrastructure plan. Sri Lanka has been one of the countries which became part of the China's Belt and Road Initiative, an ambitious plan announced in 2013 by President Xi Jinping to build an estimated USD 1 trillion of infrastructure to support increased trade and economic ties and further China's interests around the globe. However, China's politically controversial investments in Sri Lanka became an election issue in 2015 and fuelled infighting between politicians in the capital. India, the US and several other countries have been highlighting the concerns over the BRI projects which may leave a number of smaller countries in debt traps. The concerns grew louder after China took over Sri Lanka's Hambantota port on a 99-year lease. India's involvement in the latest project also became a reason for political infighting in the country. In September last year, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena's reported opposition to India being given a stake in the East Container Terminal had created a political uproar. During a heated argument with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in the Cabinet, Sirisena had argued against partnering India on the basis that it would be lucrative for Sri Lanka to do it themselves. Sirisena was backing his Freedom Party accusations against his coalition partner Wickremesinghe's government of selling state assets. The dispute was one of the reasons which led to Sirisena's sacking of Wickremesinghe late October. Wickremesinghe was reinstated in December. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Steps to eliminate locusts that attack crops in Rajasthan may be endangering the Great Indian Bustard, an expert says. Rajasthan's Chief Wildlife Warden Arindam Tomar has written to the Agriculture Department at the Centre to stop use of chemical pesticides to deal with the biggest swarms the state has seen in the last two decades. The locusts have spread to Jaisalmer's Pokaran, Ramdeora and adjoining areas in past one week after entering from Pakistan, and have become a huge threat to crops and vegetation, Locust Control Organisation Deputy Director K L Gurjar said. Government agencies are trying to eliminate them and stop them from multiplying further, he said, adding that "they are in crores. We have been consistently running control programs and are reporting success". He said such a massive influx of the insects has been reported here after 23 years. In order to control them, huge amounts of pesticides are being spread in the affected areas, which also include a sizable part of the habitat of the Great Indian Bustard. According to forest officials, the pesticides can be extremely harmful for the critically endangered bird, which largely feeds on locusts, beetles, lizards and other insects. The chief wildlife warden in the letter said the Great Indian Bustard is a critically endangered schedule 1 species of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, with a prominent presence in the Desert National Park and Ramdeora-Pokaran field firing range area. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Businesses are inherently global in nature these days requiring that students be provided the broadest possible horizon of professional opportunities, according to educationists at JGBS. They also cautioned against a myopic approach to careers focusing solely on job placements and said the focus should be on holistic professional growth of students. "A myopic approach to careers focusing solely on job placements of graduates tends to ignore the value of holistic professional growth of the students along with providing the broadest possible horizon of professional opportunities to the students," Founding VC of OP Jindal Global University C Raj Kumar said in a statement by Jindal Global Business School (JGBS). According to the statement, over 70 top firms competed for selecting the graduating students and companies like Amazon, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, ITC Hotels and M&C Saatchi were top recruiters, with the highest package bagged being Rs 30 lakh per annum. "Business today is inherently global in nature. We have tried to capture that in our curricular content, faculty experiences and backgrounds, and partnerships with other leading institutions around the world." JGBS Dean Rajesh Chakrabarti said. The statement also said that some of the students have started their own ventures while pursuing their degrees at JGU. Citing examples, it said that while Manushree Khandelwal, a student of the five-year integrated MBA programme, started his venture Femora which works on bringing innovative kitchen products, another student Dhananjay Arora started a solar power projects firm. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A tanker carrying highly inflammable chemicals caught fire on the Ambala-Rajpura highway here Wednesday after a truck collided with it, bringing vehicular traffic to a standstill for one hour, police said. No one was injured in the fire which could have led to a major tragedy had the tanker exploded, they said. The drivers of both the vehicles jumped to safety after the fire broke out, police said. Three fire tenders were pressed into service to control the fire. Both the vehicles were on their way to Rajpura in Punjab, they said. The truck also caught fire and it was completely burnt before the fire tenders reached. As panic gripped the area in Haryana's Ambala City, police cordoned off the place for some time. Police said a major tragedy was averted. If the tanker carrying the chemicals had exploded, it could have to led to a major tragedy," a police official said. A large number of vehicles including the DelhiLahore bus, was stranded on the highway for some time. The traffic was restored after the fire was controlled completely. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A large police force was deployed at a village in Haryana's Fatehabad district after a stockyard owned by a Dalit man was allegedly set on fire on Wednesday, police said. Tension erupted at Tibbi village of Bhuna area, 27 km from Fatehabad town, after some members of an upper caste allegedly set the stockyard on fire, the police said. Superintendent of Police Vijay Pratap Singh rushed to the village and took stock of the situation. As a precautionary measure, police personnel have been deployed under the supervision of a DSP-rank officer, a police spokesperson said. Singh said there was no conclusive evidence yet to establish what was the exact reason behind the incident. "But as per preliminary investigations, there was some dispute between the two groups over a piece of land," he said. A case has been registered against unknown persons, the officer added. A calf had died in the fire and the Bhuna police station incharge has also been directed to patrol the village continuously, the spokesperson said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) / -- The 2019 EB-5 Innovation Summit, hosted by Behring Co., will be held on June 15, 2019 from 2pm to 5pm at Bishop Ranch in San Ramon, California. There is no cost to attend, but there is a max capacity of 300 seats for the event. With over 73 seats reserved in first 3-hours of announcement, this event is expected to sell out. Behring Companies is assembling 9 of EB-5's top experts including immigration attorneys, EB-5 economists and even a former USCIS adjudicator to host a "first-of-its-kind" private special EB-5 investor event to discuss what's happening to the market. In addition to introducing EB-5, we will host an advanced discussion about the evolution of the EB-5 market, what investors need to know, and how an investor can "Future Proof" their EB-5 Investment. The 2019 EB-5 Innovation Summit When: 2pm 5 pm, June 15, 2019 Where: Roundhouse Bishop Ranch - Roundhouse Market & Conference Center - Tahoe Auditorium, 2600 Camino Ramon, San Ramon, CA 94583Why: Get Updated on Why U.S. Immigration Investments are Changing ForeverWho: Behring CompaniesRegister Here: behringco.com/2019summitWhat You Will LearnEB-5 program requirements and processEB-5's current "market reality"Compare risk and return metrics of traditional investment versus EB-5In-depth discussion of EB-5 innovations, advanced strategies and "Future Proofing" your EB-5 investmentIntroducing the EB-5 Legacy Fund by Behring and its 3 Different StrategiesLive Question & Answer Session with ExpertsWho Should Attend?Existing EB-5 Investors, EB-5 Beginners; H-1B Visa holders, F-1 Student Visa Holders, International Investors, Developers and Institutional InvestorsMore About the Event:According to IIUSA.org, the EB-5 investment visa program has contributed over $37 Billion to U.S. GDP since 2008. EB-5 is also credited with creating over 270,000 jobs for U.S. workers. However, as the program became mainstream and the volume of investors and EB-5 Regional Centers proliferated, the EB-5 program has become a victim of its own success. Quota restrictions create a waiting list or backlog for major countries such as China, Vietnam, India and potentially a few others. Waiting times to get a green card through the EB-5 program went from potentially 18 months to as much as 15 years. With the proposed legislation and backlog considerations, the EB-5 investors have an entirely new set of considerations they need to learn about. "The current EB-5 market is changing quickly," says Colin Behring, the CEO at Behring Companies. "The problem is that the investments have not changed. Historically, innovation has been lacking in the EB-5 market. EB-5 investments must evolve to better serve the needs of their investors according to today's market conditions." According to Aaron Hammon, Vice President at Behring Companies, "Our office has fielded hundreds of phone calls from people across the world that have been misinformed about EB-5 fundamentals and what is possible. With the incredible group of speakers assembled for this summit, we will clear all of that up." About Behring Companies Behring Companies is a vertically integrated real estate private equity fund manager, developer and EB-5 regional center serving the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley region. Behring is specialized in transit-oriented residential and mixed-use developments. Behring owns and operates the Behring Regional Center, a USCIS accredited EB-5 regional center with 100% investor approval history that has been operating since 2013. All investment opportunities are limited to accredited investors only. For more information, visit www.behringco.com. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/880132/Behring_Companies_Logo. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Robert Mueller's first public statement on his high-stakes probe into Russian election meddling contained nothing new -- declaring the case "closed." "Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent," Trump tweeted, moments after the special counsel's appearance. "The case is closed! Thank you." Mueller stressed that his report did not exonerate Trump of the crime of obstruction of justice, but explained that charging him was not an option because of Justice Department policy not to indict a sitting president. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) France's domestic intelligence service on Wednesday questioned a journalist who broke the story of a scandal that shook President Emmanuel Macron, the latest in a growing number of reporters to be quizzed in a trend that has disturbed press freedom activists. Ariane Chemin, who works for the daily Le Monde, said she was questioned by the General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI) for some 45 minutes in the presence of her lawyer after being summoned last week. "I explained that I only did my job as a journalist," she told AFP after the meeting. She added that she had insisted on her right to protect her sources while carrying out work in the public interest based on a law dating to 1881. "They asked me many questions on the manner in which I checked my information, which was an indirect way of asking me about my sources," Chemin said. Le Monde's managing director Louis Dreyfus was also questioned by the DGSI on Wednesday. Chemin has written a series of articles over former presidential bodyguard Alexandre Benalla, who was fired last year after he was filmed roughing up a protester in one of the biggest scandals to shake Macron to date. It was a July 18 article by Chemin that first reported that Benalla had beaten the May Day demonstrator while wearing a police helmet. The summons stemmed in particular from articles about former air force officer Chokri Wakrim, the partner of Marie-Elodie Poitout, the ex-head of security at the prime minister's office. Poitout resigned her post after media revelations that she and Wakrim had welcomed Benalla to their home in July but insisted it had only been a social affair. The Elysee has been accused of covering up the affair by failing to report Benalla to the authorities. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Turkey on Wednesday released Serkan Golge, a NASA scientist with dual US-Turkish citizenship whose nearly three-year detention has soured relations between the NATO allies, the State Department said. "We welcome the that Serkan Golge has been released from prison today," State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus told reporters. "We will continue to follow Mr Golge's case closely along with those involving our own locally employed staff" in Turkey, she told. Ortagus called on Turkey to ensure that "he can return home as soon as possible." Golge was detained in July 2016 on a visit to his country of birth as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan cracked down on alleged supporters of self-exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom the leadership accused of orchestrating a failed coup. Golge was sentenced in 2018 to seven and a half years in prison despite State Department protests that he was convicted without credible evidence. Turkey in October also released an American pastor caught up in the crackdown, Andrew Brunson, who had become a cause celebre among President Donald Trump's conservative Christian base. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The UAE's recently-launched permanent residency scheme could be a game changer and provide a fillip to the real estate market by encouraging expatriates to invest in property and settle in the Gulf nation, industry experts said. The United Arab Emirates last week launched a permanent residency scheme to woo wealthy individuals and exceptional talents, a move that could attract more Indian professionals and businessmen to the country. The "Gold Card" programme unveiled by UAE Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum is open to investors and "exceptional talents" such as doctors, engineers, scientists, students and artists. Sameer Barakat, Executive Director at Provis, a real estate and property management company in UAE, said the permanent residency scheme is a significant step towards realizing the economic diversification and sustainable development goals of the country. This initiative further positions the UAE as an innovative destination for business leaders, providing millions of people with high-quality opportunities in a tolerant, safe and productive environment, he said. Lewis Allsopp, CEO of Allsopp & Allsopp, Dubai estate agents, said this is a huge milestone for the UAE and for the Dubai property market. Over the last few years, we have seen continual steps to enhance the property market and to add longevity to the UAE with five-year retirement visas, long-term visas and ten-year visas, he said. Most expats have a money-making mindset when they move to Dubai with a short-term plan. The UAE Cabinet's decision to enforce a Gold Card for permanent residency, now allows expats to look at Dubai as a home rather than a temporary plan, he added. The permanent residency is a good step forward and likely to boost the fortunes of its property market, a statement from the Property Finder said. It said that around 6,800 people have been granted permanent residency and a Gold Card' in the first round of applications. This is a game changer for the real estate industry in Dubai. We are yet to get full details of the Gold Card program, such as who can qualify, the terms, etc. However, it's definitely a step in the right direction and very much needed to stimulate investment, Lynnette Abad, Director of Research and Data, Property Finder, said. Currently, short-term visas linked to employment hold back expatriates from investing and owning real estate in the UAE. They prefer to remit savings to their home countries instead. The Gold Card scheme will encourage expats to make long-term investment goals, including owning a property. The UAE already offers long-term visas valid for five to 10 years to property investors, entrepreneurs and people with exceptional talents without the need for a local sponsor. A minimum investment of AED 5 million (USD 13,61,225) is needed to obtain a five-year visa, and double that amount is necessary for a decade-long visa. Initiatives and new regulations like these are expected to have a positive impact on the real estate market in Dubai. The more the government offers to entice talent and companies, the easier it will be for them to settle here and call Dubai home. Then, the investment should follow suit, Abad said. The Indian expatriate community is reportedly the largest ethnic community in the UAE, constituting roughly about 30 per cent of the country's population of around nine million. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A British Sikh group lobbying for Sikhism to be added as a separate ethnicity tick box in the next UK census in 2021 is considering taking legal action against the UK government over its rejection of such a categorisation. Sikh Federation UK claims to have the support of over 120 Gurdwaras and Sikh organisations as it issued a letter before action to the UK Cabinet Office last week, demanding a reassessment of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) decision to reject the need for such an additional tick box. Our clients have identified a number of flaws within the process for determining whether to include a Sikh ethnicity category in the 2021 Census, Rosa Curling, solicitor from UK law firm Leigh Day, which is representing the group, said. They believe it is crucial that individuals are able to identify as ethnically Sikh in the next Census to ensure a more accurate picture of the community is taken. This will ensure public bodies are fulfilling their duties under the Equality Act when making decisions about the allocation of vital public services, she said. Sikh Federation UK believes that it would be unlawful for the Cabinet Office to lay before the Parliament a Census order based on the proposals set out by the ONS in their December 2018 White Paper. The draft Census order is due to be laid before the House of Commons later this year. Without public bodies monitoring Sikhs as a distinct ethnic group they cannot be aware of the barriers Sikhs face as a religio-ethnic community, Bhai Amrik Singh, Chair of the Sikh Federation UK, said. We hope that the government will listen to our arguments and agree to apply a lawful approach to this decision without the need for the case to be fought in the courts, he said, indicating that unless the group receives a satisfactory response to its letter before action, the group will consider initiating judicial review proceedings in the UK courts. The issue has divided the British Sikh community, with the Network of Sikh Organisations among those who have been against such a separate tick box. They should accept the ONS decision to reject their ridiculous 'ethnic' tick-box campaign, said Lord Indarjit Singh, a Sikh peer in the House of Lords and Director of the Network of Sikh Organisations. Sikhism is a great world faith open to all, and the Gurus explicitly rejected all man made divisions in society including race, caste and by extension, the misuse of the word ethnicity. We'd like someone in the SFUK to explain what an 'ethnic Sikh' is. Is it something like an atheist Christian, he questioned. Sikhs are recognised as a separate religion in the optional religious question introduced in the 2001 Census. The UK's Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 placed an obligatory duty on the country's public authorities to monitor and positively promote race equality in the provision of public services. According to some British Sikh groups, public bodies tend to only reference the ethnic groups used in the census and demand a separate Sikh ethnic tick box to ensure Sikhs have fair access to all public services. The Office for National Statistics (ONS), which had consulted over the issue in preparation of its White Paper to be tabled in the UK Parliament, believes that the country's first digital census in 2021 will ensure that all groups are covered. A spokesperson for the ONS said: The ONS recommendations follow extensive research and consultation with groups and individuals and everyone who wishes to identify as Sikh will be able to do so." "The religion question will have a specific Sikh tick box response option and everyone who wishes to identify as Sikh in response to the ethnicity question will be able to do so through a write-in option. We believe these proposals will enable public bodies to work with the Sikh community in shaping public services to meet their needs, the spokesperson added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three packets containing narcotic drugs worth Rs 15 crore, which were found lying unclaimed near an island in an uninhabited creek area in western Kutch, were recovered, the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Kutch district police said on Wednesday. This comes a week after 194 packets of illicit drugs were recovered from a Pakistani vessel, which was intercepted and brought to Jakhau (Kutch) on the Gujarat coast. "The police have increased vigil in the creek area near the International Maritime boundary line (IMBL) on the suspicion that drug carriers had thrown some drug packets in the Arabian sea before they were apprehended by the Indian agencies in the recent times," a release issued by the SOG of Kutch-West division said. Based on a specific tip-off, the SOG police reached Sethwara Bet, a small island in the creek area, and found three packets lying unclaimed on the shore, it said. "Preliminary investigation has revealed that these packets, weighing one kg each, had washed ashore following high tide. Forensic analysis established that each packet contained heroin, morphine and codeine, collectively worth Rs 15 crore in the international market," it said. The SOG has now roped in the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) to conduct further probe into how these packets landed there. A week back, a Pakistani fishing boat with six crew members aboard, sailing in the Indian waters off the International Maritime boundary line (IMBL) in the Arabian Sea was seized by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). During the search, 194 packets of narcotics were recovered from the boat. In March, the Coast Guard and Gujarat ATS had intercepted a boat and seized around 100 kgs of heroin off Gujarat coast. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) / -- The University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, ranked 45 on QS list globally, has announced its 'Future of Change' scholarships. These scholarships will be offered exclusively to students from India who are ready to re-imagine the world around them and to deliver on the demands the future would place before the global community. "'Future of Change' Scholarships will be awarded to high achieving students across a range of disciplines, including Arts & Social Sciences, Architecture, Business, Engineering, International Law, Art & Design and Medicine," says Mr Amit Dasgupta, founding Country Director of UNSW India. "To encourage more women to pursue engineering studies a full tuition fee waiver is on offer for a woman student," adds Dasgupta. "The objective," said Mr Dasgupta, "is to create a culture of Engineering studies among women students in India. UNSW is uniquely placed to do this. The Quantum Computing effort is led by Professor Michelle Simmons. The Dean of School of Science is Professor Emma Johnston and the inspiration behind waste management is the Pravasi Bhartiya Samman awardee Professor Veena Sahajwalla. Women occupy a significant space in UNSW tapestry." Candidates need to secure admission to the ensuing September 2019 term and submit a 2-minute digital video statement of how a scholarship at UNSW will help them achieve their aspirations. The video, covering how a scholarship at UNSW will help a candidate reach their goals, needs to show their passion and determination to become the future of change while meeting their goals. A candidate needs to submit a Vimeo or YouTube link with their online application. The last date for applications is July 31, 2019. Those who have completed application for admission can begin applying for scholarship. To check your eligibility and find out more about the Scholarships, interested students in this Scholarship can visit Future of Change international.unsw.edu.au/futureofchange UNSW facts to know:Sydney is ranked among the top 11 cities to live in the world (and the best in Australia) by HR consultancy Mercer 2019 quality of living standards study. UNSW was awarded the maximum QS Five Star Plus rating in 2019 for teaching, research, employability, facilities, internationalisation, inclusiveness, specialist subject and innovation. UNSW is 26th in the World in Employer Reputation. QS University Rankings 2019. UNSW ranked 37th in the world for academic reputation in the 2019 QS World University Rankings. About UNSW Sydney UNSW Sydney is redefining the future through world-class research and innovation to tackle the world's biggest issues and challenges. UNSW provides an incredible study environment to nurture growth and encourage innovation. As the home for innovation and entrepreneurship, the QS 45 ranked University offers outstanding experience to students to reach their full potential and build future career. Illustrious alumni of UNSW include Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who recently got re-elected in the country's general election. With 'UNSW Founders 10x Accelerator' the biggest student start-up program in Australia, UNSW supports entrepreneurial activities with access to strategic industry partners within the entrepreneurial ecosystem to make its students more employable. UNSW Sydney offers an incredible study environment to nurture growth and encourage forward-thinking through its 3000-strong faculty and 7000-strong research community that has powered some of the most seminal research. 'Future of change' scholars are supported by UNSW's unparalleled infrastructure, support through its world-class research, illustrious faculty and countless industry partners committed to tackle the world's biggest challenges and issues. http://www.unsw.edu. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The toll in the Barabanki hooch tragedy in Uttar Pradesh rose to 15 Wednesday, even as the main accused who ran the licensed liquor shop was arrested, officials said. The latest death was reported from the trauma centre of King George Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow, they said. The incident had prompted the Yogi Adityanath government to order a high-level probe into all the angles, including the possibility of a "political conspiracy". KGMU trauma centre in-charge Sandeep Tiwari told PTI in Lucknow, "Late on Tuesday night, one patient Maniram (50) died." So far, 47 patients have been brought to the trauma centre and three of them, including Maniram, have died. Officials said 44 others were undergoing treatment, of whom 10 were admitted in the ICU and their condition was stated to be serious. Meanwhile, Pappu Jaiswal, the main accused in the case was arrested near Bhind Amrai village Wednesday morning, police said. Superintendent of Police Ajay Sahini said Jaiswal was held following an encounter, while efforts are on to arrest the other accused Danvir Singh. Jaiswal received injuries in his leg during the encounter and has been referred to the Lucknow Trauma Centre, the SP said. Both Jaiswal and Singh are carrying a reward of Rs 20,000 each on their heads. Three others working in the shop which sold the liquor were arrested on Tuesday night, the SP said. During raids at the shop's godown, illicit liquor was seized. The police said while the shop was allotted to Danvir Singh, Jaiswal was running it for him. Locals belonging to Raniganj and adjoining villages consumed the liquor purchased from a licensed shop in Ramnagar area on Monday night and were rushed to the Ramnagar Community Health Centre (CHC). A magisterial inquiry has also been ordered into the incident following which authorities suspended 10 excise and two police officials on charges of dereliction of duty. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The toll in the Barabanki hooch tragedy in Uttar Pradesh rose to 17 Wednesday, even as the main accused who ran the licensed liquor shop was arrested, officials said. The incident had prompted Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to order a high-level probe into all the angles, including the possibility of a "political conspiracy". In a statement issued here, the Barabanki police said, "So far 17 persons have died in the hooch tragedy." "On the very night of the tragedy (Monday), two persons died in Barabanki. Their bodies were cremated without conducting a postmortem. The family members claimed the victims died after consuming the spurious liquor. However, the exact cause of their death can be established after further examination," they said. KGMU trauma centre in-charge Sandeep Tiwari told PTI in Lucknow, "In all 47 patients were brought to the trauma centre. Ten of them have been admitted in the ICU and their condition is serious." Authorities did not rule out the possibility of the toll rising further. Meanwhile, Pappu Jaiswal, the main accused in the case was arrested near Bhind Amrai village Wednesday morning, police said. Superintendent of Police Ajay Sahini said Jaiswal was held following an encounter. The other accused Danvir Singh along with excise inspector of Ramnagar Tehsil, Ramteerth Maurya has also been arrested. Attempts are being made to arrest another accused Manish Singh, police said. Jaiswal received injuries in his leg during the encounter and has been referred to the Lucknow Trauma Centre, the SP said. Both Pappu Jaiswal and Danvir Singh were carrying a reward of Rs 20,000 each on their heads. Three others working in the shop which sold the liquor were arrested on Tuesday night, the SP said. During raids at the shop's godown, illicit liquor was seized. The police said while the shop was allotted to Danvir Singh, Jaiswal was running it for him. Locals belonging to Raniganj and adjoining villages consumed the liquor purchased from a licensed shop in Ramnagar area on Monday night and were rushed to the Ramnagar Community Health Centre (CHC). A magisterial inquiry has also been ordered into the incident following which 10 excise and two police officials were suspended on charges of dereliction of duty. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US blocked more than USD 46 million in funds of designated terrorist groups, including Pakistan-based outfits, until the last year as part of its crackdown on foreign terrorist organisations and individuals, according to an annual report. The report released by the US Department of Treasury states the US blocked nearly USD 400,000 in funds of the (LeT) and USD 1,725 of the Jaish-e Mohammed. The Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is the leading agency responsible for implementing sanctions against the assets of terrorist organisations and terrorism-supporting countries. The federal body implements these sanctions as part of its general mission to administer and enforce economic and trade sanctions based on US foreign policy and national security goals. According to the report, till 2018, the US blocked more than USD 46.1 million in funds of designated and individuals, an increase of about USD 2.5 million than that of USD 43.6 million in 2017. The list includes the Haqqani network (USD 3,626), the Harkat ul-Mujahidin (USD 11,988) and the Hizbul Mujahideen (USD 2,287). For the Lashkar-I Jhangvi, the amount of funds blocked by the US dropped from USD 12,829 in 2017 to USD 10,962. The report states there was a significant jump in Taliban funds blocked by the United States, which increased from USD 10,728 in 2017 to USD 206,805 in 2018. However, for the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan, the US had blocked a paltry USD 318 in 2018. The US continues to block more than USD 500,000 in funds of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which has remained the same for the past two years. Notably the tops the list of the blocked amount, In 2018, the US had blocked USD 6.4 million of the al Qaeda funds, which was nearly USD 900,000 less than the USD 7.3 million blocked in 2017. The OFAC also blocked approximately USD 216.83 million in assets relating to the three designated state sponsors of in 2018 Syria, and The has ruled out giving any exemption from its punitive sanctions to countries, including India, for buying from Iran, saying America's maximum pressure campaign was working and the Trump administration remains "unwavering" in its tough policy on Tehran. President Trump last month refused to give waivers to countries like India from buying from Iran, in an attempt to reduce Iran's exports to zero. The on Tuesday reiterated its position at a news conference here after media reports from New Delhi, quoting unnamed government officials, said that India was looking at ways to resume oil imports from despite the US sanctions. Last week, India's Ambassador to the US Harsh Vardhan Shringla said India had stopped buying oil from after May 2 when the US ended its waivers that allowed the top buyers of Iranian oil, including India, to continue their imports for six months. The State Department said there was no change in its policy on Iranian sanctions. "The Secretary (of State) has been very clear since April 22nd that we are going to zero," Spokesperson of the State Department Morgan Ortagus told reporters during an off-camera news conference. "We have stated that there are no new exemptions after May 2 as it relates to importing Iranian oil. The US position there remains quite firm," she said in response to a question. The US reimposed sanctions on in November after pulling out of a 2015 nuclear accord between Tehran and six other world powers. Ortagus said the American sanctions on Iran were working. "Our sanctions are working and I think that you've heard the Secretary Brian Hook and myself go through a litany of ways in which we know that the sanctions are quite effective for Iran," she said. Noting that the economic sanctions and the maximum pressure campaign will remain in place, the spokesperson said that the both President Trump and Secretary of State have said they will be willing to talk to the Iranian regime. "But until then, we remain unwavering and unflinching in our sanctions campaign and our maximum pressure campaign. That's been our policy; that remains our policy. And it's not just about a nuclear weapon. It's about Iran's support of terrorism in the region, their malign behaviour throughout the region," she said. The US has been pretty overt in its signalling to the Iranians, and its willingness to talk, she said. "The maximum pressure campaign, economic sanctions remain on the table. If they would like to take a serious look at the 12 points that the Secretary laid out over a year ago, we'll be ready to talk about that. The President and the Secretary mean that sincerely," Ortagus said. The United States has been talking to its European partners as well over the issue, she said. "One of the main things that we will continue to talk to our European partners and allies is the imminent threat from Iran that is faced in the region," she said. As of late April, India dropped its dependency on Iranian oil from about 2.5 million tonnes a month to 1 million tonnes a month, Shringla said last week. "We do understand that this has been a priority for the US administration, although it comes at a cost to us because we really need to find alternative sources of energy," Shringla said. India has stopped importing oil from both Iran and Venezuela, he said. Noting that the US did talk of trying to maintain price stability, Shringla said in the short term, there has been reduced price stability. Iran earlier used to supply 10 per cent of India's oil needs. After coming to power, Trump withdrew from the Iranian nuclear deal last year and has imposed stringent sanctions against what he describes as the "authoritarian" Iranian regime. The US is seeking to ramp up pressure on Iran to counter what the White House perceives to be a potential threat. Last month, the US designated Iran's Revolutionary Guard a foreign terrorist organisation, the first time the designation has been applied to a government entity. The United States and Russia are in talks on a "potential way forward" that would see Syria come out of international isolation if it agrees to a series of steps including a ceasefire in Idlib, the US envoy for Syria has said. Jim Jeffrey told reporters on Wednesday following a closed-door UN Security Council meeting that Moscow and Washington were exploring a "step by step approach" to ending the eight-year war, but that this would require "hard decisions." During talks in Russia this month, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed the plan that "would allow a Syrian government that adheres to (UN resolution) 2254 to move back into the international community," said Jeffrey. Resolution 2254 calls for peace negotiations, the drafting of a new constitution and UN-supervised elections. But the US envoy said that "so far we haven't seen steps such as a ceasefire in Idlib, the convening of a constitutional committee that would give us confidence that the Assad regime actually understands what it must do to end this conflict." The United States, which once demanded Assad's ouster, has stopped calling for him to step down, but Jeffrey's remarks suggested it was now ready to offer incentives to help advance prospects for a settlement. Pompeo held a nearly two-hour meeting with President Vladimir Putin in Sochi on May 14. Jeffrey met separately Wednesday with envoys from fellow permanent Security Council members Britain, France, China and Russia. He said there was a "sincere interest in finding a solution to this conflict." "But this is going to take hard decisions -- hard decisions not only by us, but hard decisions by the Russians and hard decisions most of all by the Syrian regime," he added. The Security Council met to discuss diplomatic efforts to end the war as Assad's forces and their Russian allies stepped up attacks in the northwestern Idlib region, the last major jihadist bastion. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin, who is also holding meetings at the United Nations this week, told reporters that Russian-backed Syrian forces were carrying out "targeted operations against terrorists." Most of Idlib province is controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a group dominated by former members of Al-Qaeda's Syria affiliate which is on the UN terrorism list. Vershinin said Russia is "ready to coordinate" with the United States to develop a "common vision about how we want to have a sustainable political settlement in Syria." UN envoy Geir Pedersen stressed that US-Russia cooperation was key to push ahead with a peace deal for Syria but that the Damascus government must agree to steps. "Without that, we risk what I call a 'no war, no peace' scenario where things will continue to be complicated and we will not see a Syria that is a normal part of international society in the future," he said. More than 370,000 people have been killed and half of Syria's population displaced since the war began in March 2011. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US State Department has on Tuesday said that North Korea's overall program of weapons of mass destruction violated UN resolutions, after brushed off recent missile launches. Choosing words carefully after Trump's latest warm words for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus declined to say if North Korea's launches were of ballistic missiles or constituted weapons of mass destruction (WMD). "I think the entire North Korean WMD program, it's in conflict with the UN Security (Council) resolutions," Ortagus told reporters on Tuesday. She said the wanted a favorable relationship between Trump and Kim with a goal to "negotiate a peaceful end to the North Korean WMD program." "We have said many times and we will continue to reiterate that the economic sanctions will remain in place until we're there," she said. When he arrived in for a weekend state visit, Trump tweeted that had tested "some small weapons" that had "disturbed some of my people, and others, but not me." He appeared to be referring to his National Security Advisor John Bolton, who said Saturday there was "no doubt" that North Korea's launches had contravened Security Council resolutions. wasted no time piling onto Bolton, who has long promoted a hawkish foreign policy, calling him a "human defect" and "war maniac." has previously called for Secretary of State to be excluded from negotiations after he apparently pressed Trump at his February summit with Kim in Hanoi not to accept sanctions relief without further action by in ending its nuclear program. is a "great ally" of America and the will continue to work closely with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the administration has said, asserting that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was looking forward to have a "robust discussion" with his Indian counterpart on a wide range of issues. State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus told reporters during an off-camera news conference here on Tuesday that the was confident in the fairness and integrity of the just-concluded general elections in The administration, including President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Pompeo, congratulated and his Bharatiya Janata Party on the spectacular electoral victory in the Lok Sabha elections whose results were declared on May 23. "We, of course, will work closely with Modi, as we have many times," Ortagus told reporters in response to a question. "We're confident in the fairness and integrity of the elections, and I think that Secretary Pompeo will have a very robust discussion on a range of issues. is a great ally and partner of the United States," Ortagus said. The Lawmakers and senior government officials continue to congratulate on his grand electoral victory. Indian-Americans organised victory celebrations in various parts of the US. Several more are in the pipeline on a large scale in the coming weeks. According to a compilation made by the Indian Embassy here, more than 50 Congressmen, Senators and the senior government officials have sent congratulatory messages to "India continues to have amazing potential and is a strong US partner. Congratulations to Narendra Modi on your success with the elections and the direction you are taking India. We look forward to seeing our partnership continue to strengthen," tweeted Indian-American politician Nikki Haley. "Congratulations to Modi 'on being re-elected' as Prime Minister of India, said Congressman Al Green. "I wish peace and prosperity for India and its neighbours and look forward to seeing you at India House in my congressional district in Houston, Texas, USA," he said. In the first back-to-back majority for a single party in over three decades, the Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party won 303 out of the total 542 Lok Sabha seats, handing out a crushing defeat to the Congress Party and many other political opponents. "Prime Minister Modi has led India and has brought lot of credibility in foreign affairs and made India a power to reckon with. He has travelled all the continents and made friends and has a given the prestige to India that was long overdue," said Sampat Shivangi, president of Indian American Forum. "India is a no more a third world country and has stood the test of time and has been recognised as one of the top six economies in the world," Shivangi said. The Indian-Americans will put pressure and use the political clout to impress upon the US the importance of a balanced and fair trade agreement with India. "We do not want another impasse as we see with US-China trade and we do not want India to be another China," he said. Amid reports that a expansion or reshuffle is on the cards in a bid to save the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in Karnataka, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal will hold a series of meetings with party leaders and legislators in the city on Wednesday. Venugopal, who reached here late Tuesday night, will meet Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, CLP leader and Coordination Committee chief Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara and Pradesh chief Dinesh Gundu Rao, sources said. Venugopal will then hold a meeting with ministers in the coalition government, they said, adding he will also take part in the CLP meeting scheduled in the evening. Voices of dissent are gaining ground within the in as two of its MLAs met former chief minister S M Krishna at his Bengaluru residence on Sunday. The coalition government in the southern state has been fragile since its inception with reports of its collapse surfacing every then and now. Venugopal's visit to the city gains significance as the coalition leaders are planing for an expansion or a reshuffle of the cabinet, aimed at saving the government. While, on Tuesday had said it would be an expansion to fill three vacant posts, there are also reports quoting top sources in the government that some ministers may be asked to step down to make way for disgruntled legislators. Out of 34 ministers, the Congress and the JD(S) have shared 22 and 12, respectively. Currently, three posts are vacant, two from the JD(S) and one from the Congress. Even as coalition leaders, including the chief minister, struggled to save the government, ministerial aspirants started lobbying on Tuesday. Many Congress legislators have expressed strong reservation against priority being given to the disgruntled, sidelining loyalists. With growing number of aspirants and less posts in hand, it remains to be seen how Venugopal and Congress leaders manage the situation. In the meeting, Venugopal and the state party leadership may ask few ministers to make way for others, sources said. However, a section of party leaders believe that a expansion may be suitable at this moment, as any attempt for reshuffle may further worsen the situation. Amid simmering discontent within the Congress, the coalition leaders fear the BJP, spurred by the Lok Sabha poll outcome in which it bagged 25 of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state, may poach some MLAs. Coalition partners Congress and JD(S) managed to win one seat each in the Lok Sabha polls. Rebel Congress MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi's visit to senior BJP leader S M Krishna's residence here in the presence of party state chief B S Yeddyurappa on Sunday has fuelled the speculation. Jarkiholi, who has been hobnobbing with the BJP for some time, had threatened to resign from the party along with some MLAs after the Lok Sabha polls. The BJP had predicted the collapse of the coalition and increase in its tally in the assembly after the LS poll results, claiming that 20-odd Congress MLAs were unhappy and may take "a decision" anytime. Over the last two days, himself met several disgruntled legislators, including Jarkiholi's confidant and Athani MLA Mahesh Kumathalli, and is said to have promised to look into their issues. He is also said to have given an assurance about including Jarkiholi in the cabinet. The BJP, with 105 MLAs, is the single-largest party in the 224-member Assembly. The ruling coalition has 117 members -- 78 of the Congress, 37 of the JD(S), one of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and one Independent. Amid reports that a cabinet expansion or reshuffle is on the cards in a bid to save the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in Karnataka, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal will hold a series of meetings with party leaders and legislators in the city on Wednesday. Venugopal, who reached here late Tuesday night, will meet Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, CLP leader and Coordination Committee chief Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara and Pradesh Congress chief Dinesh Gundu Rao, sources said. Buoyed by the landslide win in the Lok Sabha polls in the state, the BJP, which is the single-largest party in the 224-member Karnataka Assembly with 105 MLAs, is eyeing to capture power amid reports of rift between the coalition partners -- the JD(S) and Congress. The ruling coalition has 117 members -- 78 of the Congress, 37 of the JD(S), one of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and one Independent. Also, the BJP won the bypoll to Chincholi Assembly segment and the Congress won Kundgol seat by a narrow margin of 1,601 votes pushing the saffron party to the second spot. Venugopal will then hold a meeting with Congress ministers in the coalition government, they said, adding that he will also take part in the CLP meeting scheduled in the evening. Voices of dissent are gaining ground within the Congress in Karnataka as two of its MLAs met former chief minister S M Krishna at his Bengaluru residence on Sunday. The coalition government in the southern state has been fragile since its inception with reports of its collapse surfacing every then and now. Venugopal's visit to the city gains significance as the coalition leaders are planing for an expansion or a reshuffle of the Kumaraswamy cabinet, aimed at saving the government. While Siddaramaiah on Tuesday had said it would be an expansion to fill three vacant posts, there are also reports quoting top sources in the government that some ministers may be asked to step down to make way for disgruntled legislators. Out of 34 cabinet ministers, the Congress and the JD(S) have shared 22 and 12, respectively. Currently, three posts are vacant, two from the JD(S) and one from the Congress. Even as coalition leaders, including the chief minister, struggled to save the government, ministerial aspirants started lobbying on Tuesday. Many Congress legislators have expressed strong reservation against priority being given to the disgruntled, sidelining loyalists. With growing number of aspirants and less posts in hand, it remains to be seen how Venugopal and Congress leaders manage the situation. In the meeting, Venugopal and the state party leadership may ask a few ministers to make way for others, the sources said. However, a section of party leaders believe that a cabinet expansion may be suitable at this moment, as any attempt for reshuffle may further worsen the situation. Amid simmering discontent within the Congress, the coalition leaders fear the BJP, spurred by the Lok Sabha poll outcome in which it bagged 25 of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state, may poach some MLAs. The Congress and the JD(S) managed to win one seat each in the Lok Sabha polls. Rebel Congress MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi's visit to senior BJP leader S M Krishna's residence here in the presence of party state chief B S Yeddyurappa on Sunday has fuelled the speculation. Jarkiholi, who has been hobnobbing with the BJP for some time, had threatened to resign from the party along with some MLAs after the Lok Sabha polls. The BJP had predicted the collapse of the coalition and increase in its tally in the assembly after the Lok Sabha poll results, claiming that 20-odd Congress MLAs were unhappy and may take "a decision" anytime. Over the last two days, Kumaraswamy himself met several disgruntled legislators, including Jarkiholi's confidant and Athani MLA Mahesh Kumathalli, and is said to have promised to look into their issues. He is also said to have given an assurance about including Jarkiholi in the cabinet. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Veteran Bollywood actor Tanuja, who was hospitalised on Wednesday, will undergo an operation for a condition called diverticulitis. Tanuja, 75, was admitted to city-based Lilavati Hospital. Hospital sources told PTI, the actor will be operated for diverticulitis, a condition which results in the inflammation or infection of small pouches called diverticula that develop along the walls of the intestines. Actor Kajol, Tanuja's daughter, was also spotted visiting her at the hospital. The came two days after Kajol's father-in-law, action director Veeru Devgan's death. Tanuja has appeared in prominent films like "Jewel Thief", "Haathi Mere Saathi", "Do Chor" among others. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Veteran Chinese dissident Wang Dan is urging Western nations to restore the link between human rights and trade with China. Wang was speaking Wednesday in Tokyo days ahead of the 30th anniversary of the 1989 student pro-democracy protests centered on Beijing's Tiananmen Square, of which he was a key leader. Wang said China's authoritarian government poses a threat to free societies everywhere, requiring foreign nations to take tougher action to curb its abuses. He said the overthrow of the one-party Communist government must be the ultimate goal of such a campaign. Wang said free trade should be conditional on China's respect for freedoms including labour rights and an open internet. He said putting rights on the agenda could also help reduce the U.S.-China trade imbalance. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mobs set ablaze shops belonging to the Hindus after a veterinary doctor from the minority community allegedly tore pages of a holy book and wrapped medicines in them in Pakistan's Sindh province, according to a media report. The Hindu veterinary doctor, identified as Ramesh Kumar, was arrested on Monday under the country's strict blasphemy laws after a local cleric filed a police complaint accusing him of committing blasphemy. Under Pakistan's blasphemy laws, anyone accused of insulting Islam can be sentenced to death. The doctor was taken into custody while angry protestors set fire to shops owned by Hindus and burnt tyres on road in Phuladyon town in Mirpurkhas district in the province, The Express Tribune reported. Protesters set ablaze a doctor's clinic, a medical store, and two shops belonging to the members of the Hindu community. They also blocked roads by burning tyres, the report said. There were reports that the protesters also looted some shops. With the situation spiraling out of control, local authorities called in the paramilitary Rangers to deal with the mob violence. Police also registered a case against those engaged in rioting. "It's an unfortunate incident. We have taken the doctor into custody and are investigating incident," Senior Superintendent of Police Mirpurkhas Javed Baloch said. He said a case has been registered and police have established a picket in the town to deal with any untoward incident. "The situation is now normal," he said, adding that the police would take action against those who have ransacked properties of the Hindu community. "We have detained some suspects on charges of damaging properties, he added. The Mirpurkhas deputy commissioner said the government would compensate those whose properties were damaged during the violence. A large number of Hindus reside in the interior of Sindh province and in Karachi and the Pakistan Hindu Council has complained in the past of minority community members being targeted under the blasphemy law by people because of personal enmity. Hindus form the biggest minority community in the Muslim-majority Pakistan. According to official estimates, 75 lakh Hindus live in Pakistan. However, according to the community, over 90 lakh Hindus are living in the country. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Korean handset major Samsung expects to garner over USD 1.1 billion from online sales of smartphones in 2019, driven majorly by its popular Galaxy M series that was launched earlier this year. In February, Samsung had launched its India-first 'Galaxy M' series that it sells only through Amazon and its own website. The company had stated that the range would help Samsung clock double-digit growth this year in the hyper-competitive Indian smartphone market. "The online phone market in India in value terms is about USD 6 billion and of this, consumer segment is about USD 4.5 billion. We aim to exit 2019 with 25 per cent share of the consumer segment," Samsung India Senior Vice-President Mobile Business Asim Warsi told PTI. He added that the M series - which currently has three devices (M10, 20 and 30) and the new M40 slated to be launched in June - will contribute significantly to this share. Within four months of the launch, Samsung claims to have sold over two million devices in its M-series. This would translate to sales of well over USD 1.1 billion for Samsung from online channels. Apart from the M series, most of its other smartphones are available across various e-commerce platforms. Talking about the new M40, Warsi said the device will be priced around Rs 20,000. The Rs 15,000-20,000 is an important segment of the market and growing at a strong pace and the M40 will further strengthen Samsung's position in this category, he pointed out. "When we had announced the M series, we had said our intent was to double our smartphone business (in value terms) this year and we are in a good position to achieve more than 2X growth," he said. Warsi said the company is confident of a "healthy double-digit growth" this year even though the industry is expected to grow at 6-8 per cent in the country. Reports from other research organisations such as IDC and Counterpoint have positioned China's Xiaomi to be ahead of Samsung (in terms of units shipped) for many quarters now, while Samsung cites GfK data. According to IDC, Xiaomi shipped 9.8 million units in the January-March 2019 quarter, compared to Samsung's 7.2 million units. Overall smartphone shipment in the country during the said quarter stood at 32.1 million units. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A woman devotee from Odisha, who had been running from pillar to post for the last two years seeking refund of Rs 73,600 spent on helicopter booking to Kedarnath, finally got it back after the intervention of Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat. Gayatri Mishra, a resident of Bhubaneswar, had booked a helicopter ride to Kedarnath in April-May,2017 through Patan Devi Foundation but had to cancel her trip due to some personal reasons. She was assured by the foundation that she will get refund but did not get it back despite repeatedly knocking at the doors of the firm, an official release here said. In January this year Gayatrilodged a complaint in this connection on the CM's App launched a few months back for online redressal of public complaints. The state police conducted a probe into the matter on the direction of the CMO and her complaint was found to be authentic. The foundation refunded a total of Rs 73,600 to the woman on account of her cancelled helicopter trip to Kedarnath through a NEFT transaction. Gayatri has thanked the chief minister, the CMO and the state police for helping her get back her money. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 42-year-old woman sub inspector was brutally killed in a transit hostel adjacent to the Police Lines here, police said on Wednesday. The sub inspector (SI), Reena Kumari, was found dead with her head smashed Tuesday night, they said. Originally hailing from Amroha, the SI was posted in the intelligence unit and was living alone at the hostel after sending her son to Delhi for studies two days ago, police said. The household belongings were found scattered all over the place and it appears that the assailants also took her mobile phone with them, they said. The incident came to light when SSI Manoj Varma, living in the neighbourhood, found her door open. After getting no response when he called out, Varma peeped inside only to find the SI lying on the floor with her head severely injured. DIG Rajesh Kumar Pandey said police are investigating the case from all angles. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A next-generation EPR nuclear reactor in China has carried out its first chain reaction, French energy giant EDF announced Wednesday, becoming the second using the much-delayed European technology to reach the milestone. The fission reaction at the Taishan 2 reactor on Tuesday follows the Taishan 1 becoming last year the first of its kind to advance to the operational stage. "The nuclear reaction was authorised and yesterday the Chinese reactor carried out a fission reaction for the first time," EDF chairman and CEO Jean-Bernard Levy told Europe 1 radio on Wednesday. EDF, which helped design the European Pressurised Reactor (EPR), is a minority shareholder in the Taishan project, which is a joint venture with China's state-run CGN and regional Chinese utility Yuedian. The first nuclear fuel was loaded into the Taishan 2 reactor in early May in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong. Levy said that Taishan 1, which in December became the first EPR to enter into commercial service, was "working very well". The two EPR reactors at the Taishan nuclear power plant will be the most powerful in the world when fully completed and will be able to supply five million Chinese users, the companies have said. EPR reactors -- which use a pressurised water design -- promise advances in safety and efficiency over conventional reactors while producing less waste. But EDF has faced serious problems rolling out the technology and has managed to sell just a handful of the reactors as construction problems piled up. EDF has been building an EPR reactor at Flamanville along the Atlantic coast of northwest France. It was originally set to go online in 2012 but the project has been plagued by technical problems and budget overruns. Levy acknowledged that the "difficulty" of the Flamanville project had been "underestimated." French President Emmanuel Macron has asked EDF to study the feasibility of building more next-generation EPR nuclear reactors in the country, but will wait until 2021 before deciding whether to proceed with construction. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US military's top general said Wednesday that Chinese President Xi Jingping reneged on promises not to militarize the South China Sea and called for "collective action" to hold Beijing responsible. General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Pentagon's Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he was not calling for military action, but stressed that there was a need to enforce international laws. "The fall of 2016, President Xi Jinping promised President Obama that they would not militarize the islands. So what we see today are 10,000-foot runways, ammunition storage facilities, routine deployment of missile defense capabilities, aviation capabilities, and so forth," he said in a talk on US security and defense at the Brooking institution. "So clearly they have walked away from that committment." "The South China Sea is in my judgement not a pile of rocks," he continued, referring to the series of reefs and outcrops that have been claimed as territory by China, reclaimed and expanded to accomodate military forces and large aircraft. "What is at stake in the South China Sea and elsewhere where there are territorial claims is the rule of law, international laws, norms and standards." "When we ignore actions that are not in compliance with international rules, norms and standards, we have just set a new standard." "I'm not suggesting a military response," the top US general said. "What needs to happen ... is coherent collective action to those who violate international norms and standards. They need to be held accountable in some way so that future violations are deterred." Washington has been frustrated by an inability to stall China's aggressive military colonization of the South China Sea, which rejects conflicting territorial claims by five other countries: Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Philippines. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Yazidi women's association said Wednesday it has sued two German ministers for failing to repatriate German citizens who had fought for the Islamic State group in Syria to stand trial at home. The autonomous administration in north and east Syria has offered to hand over some 61 German prisoners suspected of having fought for IS, the Germany-based Federation of the Yezidi Women's Council said in court documents seen by AFP. Berlin's "failure to accept the offer and to make possible the urgently necessary prosecution constitutes the crime of obstruction of punishment," they allege. Germany has repeatedly said it wants to bring its citizens home from Syria stand trial, but has highlighted many obstacles. "Legal cooperation is impossible since there are no state structures" in the relevant parts of Syria, a justice ministry spokesman told AFP. "We haven't received the criminal complaint, so we can't comment." He added there were 22 outstanding arrest warrants against German fighters held in Syria. Germany has recently retrieved a suspect from Kurdish-controlled territory in Iraq. The young man was suspected of the rape and murder of a teenager in the west German city Wiesbaden. He fled to northern Iraq last year, but was quickly brought back by federal police after talks with the autonomous administration in Erbil. The operation was controversial as Germany has no extradition treaty with Iraq. In Syria, hundreds of foreign IS fighters are being held by the Syrian Democratic Forces, made up of Arabic and Kurdish groups. The Yazidi are a Kurdish-speaking minority in Iraq who fled in their thousands as IS advanced into the country from Syria in 2014. At the jihadists' hands, thousands of women and teenagers were subjected to kidnapping, rape and other inhumane treatment such as being held as slaves, the UN has said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 24-year-old Yemen national allegedly committed suicide at his house here reportedly upset over the death of his fiance in the gulf nation, police said Wednesday. Mohamed U Ali, pursuing a degree course herehanged himself from a ceiling fan in his house on Monday evening, they said. A few months ago,Ali was engaged to the woman who lives in Yemen, but she "died of cancer" recently, a police official said based on preliminary investigation. A suicide note purportedly written by Ali was found in the room in which he stated that he went into depression after the death of his fiance and that "he too wanted to join her" and resorted to the extreme step. Ali's friends said he was under depression for the past few days, police said adding a case of suicide was registered. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three MLAs, including leader Mukul Roy's son Subhrangshu Roy, and over 50 municipal councillors, most of them from the Trinamool Congress, joined the saffron party Tuesday as it works to consolidate its position in the state following its impressive show there in Lok Sabha polls. The MLAs who joined the at a press conference are TMC's Tusharkanti Bhattacharya and CPI(M)'s Debendra Nath Roy, besides Roy who was suspended from the state's ruling party for "anti-party" activities after the general results were announced. general secretary and its in-charge for the state affairs Kailash Vijaywargiya and Mukul Roy told reporters that more MLAs from the TMC, which is headed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, will join the saffron party in the coming days. Listen to this podcast for more. Gautam Adani-controlled Adani Group has reportedly presented an unsolicited and non-binding for the bankrupt realtor Jaypee Infratech. Adani Infrastructure and Developers has presented its resolution plan for Jaypee Infratech to Interim Resolution Personnel Anuj Jain, PTI reported. Adani Group has offered to infuse Rs 1,700 crore to complete Jaypee Infra's held-up housing projects and deliver the flats to home buyers, the report said. Regarding penalties or interest for the delay in possession, the Adani Group has offered to pay 25 per cent of such amount to buyers, as mutually agreed, in respect of penalties or interest payable to home buyers as accrued on August 9, 2017, the date when Jaypee Infratech went bankrupt. With the permission of Supreme Court and National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Adani Group has shared plans to use the amount of Rs 750 crore deposited by Jaiprakash Associates Ltd for protection of home buyers for payment of balance penalties or interest. ALSO READ: Adani Power posts Rs 634.64 crore net profit in March quarter Adani Group has also promised to infuse another Rs 1,000 crore in two tranches of Rs 500 crore to settle claims of workmen as well as secured and unsecured financial creditors. Adani Group will also transfer 1,000 acres of land to lenders to swap debt with assets. The company has also offered to bear the cost of insolvency proceedings. Adani has clarified that its proposals are subject to confirmatory due diligence review. After the due diligence, it will specify timelines for the delivery of possession as well as seek reliefs and waivers. Adani group had participated in the first round of the insolvency process for Jaypee Infra but did not present a bid within the fixed timeframe. However, the group later expressed interest to bid for the embattled real estate company. ALSO READ: Modi 2.0 govt to take Adani Group's airport deal off the back burner Adani Group's bid comes one day before a meeting of the Committee of Creditors (CoC) called by IRP Jain. The meeting is meant to discuss the resolution plan for Jaypee Infra submitted by state-owned NBCC. Although Adani's bid is not on the agenda of the CoC meet on Thursday, lenders and home buyers could decide to take up discussion on the offer during the meeting, the PTI report said. In August 2017, Jaypee Infratech went into insolvency process after the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) admitted an application by an IDBI Bank-led consortium seeking revival of the realty firm. In the first round of insolvency proceedings conducted last year, the Rs 7,350-crore bid of Lakshdeep, part of Suraksha Group, was rejected by lenders. Later in October 2018, the IRP started the second round of the bidding process to revive Jaypee Infratech on the NCLT's direction. NBCC and Mumbai-based Suraksha Realty submitted their bids to acquire Jaypee Infratech. Earlier this month, the CoC rejected the bid by Suraksha Realty through a voting process. The panel then decided to put on vote NBCC's offer even as bankers were opposed to this move citing certain conditions imposed by the public sector firm in its bid. ALSO READ: Jaypee Infra insolvency: Creditors' meet on May 30 to discuss NBCC bid On the bankers' plea, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) had on May 17, annulled voting by home buyers and lenders on NBCC's bid and allowed renegotiation on the offer by May 30. The voting process on NBCC's bid could start from May 31. (With PTI inputs) Days after the BJP's emphatic victory in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has again summoned businessman Robert Vadra, the husband of Congress leader Priyanka Vadra, to appear before it on Thursday. The summon has been issued in a money laundering case involving the purchase of several properties in London, and over his association with arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari. Vadra has been asked to appear before the agency office in New Delhi around 10.30 AM. Before this, the ED had moved the Delhi High Court seeking the cancellation of Vadra's anticipatory bail given by the lower court. The ED cited he was not co-operating with the investigation into the case. The agency, which had grilled Vadra over a dozen times in this case, sought a custodial interrogation of Vadra, for which he needs to be arrested. The next HC hearing in the case is scheduled on July 17. The HC has, meanwhile, asked Vadra and his close associate Manoj Arora to file their response against the ED plea. What are the allegations against Robert Vadra? As per India Today, the Income Tax Department probe had earlier established links between him and Sanjay Bhandari, who was grilled in 2016 about Vadra's France trip in the year 2012. The I-T Department had asked him about Vadra's flight ticket details. The document says Bhandari accepted that he booked a flight ticket for Vadra on his instruction, but he didn't remember who actually paid for it. Though Vadra has denied any involvement with Bhandari, the probe agencies had confronted him with this documentary evidence last year. As per the ED, Bhandari was given kickbacks in a petroleum deal in 2009 and a defence deal in 2010, and the money was used to buy several properties in London. As per the ED, Vadra allegedly laundered money and bought a London-based property located at 12, Bryanston Square worth GBP 1.9 million (British pounds). The agency had told a Delhi court that it received information about various new properties in London which belonged to Vadra. These include two houses, one worth 5 million GBP and the other valued at 4 million GBP, six other flats and more properties. Vadra has denied the allegations of possessing illegal foreign assets and termed them a political witch hunt against him. He said he was being "hounded and harassed" to subserve political ends. Manoj Sharma with agency inputs Delhi Court seeks Robert Vadra's response on ED's plea to cancel his anticipatory bail in money laundering case At the headquarters of India's two national parties - one at its historic high and another at its historic low - have only one topic to discuss. What will happen to their party if their chiefs opt out of the organisation? BJP and Congress leaderships are finding it difficult to envisage their future sans their party chiefs. There is a strong buzz that BJP president Amit Shah might join the Modi 2.0 cabinet, whereas Congress chief Rahul Gandhi is reluctant to lead the party further after two consecutive drubbings. If Amit Shah moves to the Cabinet -- following the BJP and RSS tradition of 'one person one post' - he might have to resign from the party chief's post. His tenure was extended in September last year until January 2020. Shah got acceptance in the party cadre because of the BJP winning 71 of the 78 seats it contested in Uttar Pradesh in the 2014 national elections. Under his leadership, BJP transformed itself into a poll-winning machine. Post the fantastic win of 2019, BJP is looking at newer territories to expand and consolidate. "It might be difficult for his successors to maintain the same tempo," says party insiders. These insiders told Business Today, after Arun Jaitley opted out of the cabinet, Shah is de facto number two in the system - party and the government-but situation will change if a new party chief comes in. ALSO READ: JP Nadda to succeed Amit Shah as BJP chief: report Names of party General Secretary Bhupender Yadav, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, former Health Minister JP Nadda are doing the rounds. Even if the party and RSS core group accept PM Modi and Amit Shah's recommendations for the next party chief, the party structure is such that it will be difficult to remote-control the organisation. And as ex-party chief, Amit Shah will be senior most after Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari. Even in the last regime of PM Modi, cabinet ministers would often seek Shah's inputs. Even chief ministers of party and allies used to come to him for advice. This made Shah the most influential person in the system. His influence may not be that overarching if he joins the cabinet. Shah used this influence in developing coordination with RSS affiliates and leadership. This is something even NDA under Atal Bihari Vajpayee couldn't witness. Crucial elections are lined up in next two-three years, starting with Haryana, Maharashtra, and followed by Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. The party has plans to consolidate and expand to Odisha, West Bengal, Telengana, Punjab, Delhi and Kerala. Party leaders are finding it difficult to imagine these fights without Amit Shah as party chief. ALSO READ: 'Old ideas must die': A formula for opposition to defeat Modi in 2024 Similarly, at the Congress headquarters, the dilemma is that most leaders haven't worked with leaders outside the Gandhi family. In the last 40 years - barring the five years under PV Narasimha Rao and two years under Sitaram Kesri- the party has always been headed by someone from the Gandhi family. Their fear is the future too. Since Rahul Gandhi is pushing for someone from outside the Gandhi family to lead the organisation, Congress leaders fear that this might take the party further down. The challenge before Gandhi as well as Shah is that they haven't groomed their next generation. Shah might take respite in the fact that there is a wider pool of leaders in RSS and BJP that will decide on his successor; Gandhi himself is a critic of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) colleagues promoting their own family members. The CWC rejected Gandhi's resignation, and allowed him to restructure the grand old party to his liking. However, at rock bottom, this is a chance for the Congress to grow beyond the Gandhi family. The new leadership needs to get rid of old guards. The retirement age should be made 75-year for holding public office. ALSO READ: Sachin Pilot, Priyanka, other Congress leaders meet Rahul Gandhi at his residence In 1998, after Sonia Gandhi's return to Congress as its president, she was successful in roping back splinter groups formed by GK Moopanar, P Chidambaram, ND Tiwari, Satpal Maharaj, Arjun Singh and Madhav Rao Scindia. She was, however, unsuccessful in convincing Mamata Banerjee to return back to the fold. Two of the biggest splits in the party happened during her leadership - Sharad Pawar formed Nationalist Congress Party and Jagan Reddy formed YSR Congress in Andhra Pradesh. Both national parties are living in days of uncertainty. The good thing is they both are looking for things beyond their current leadership. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has formally requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to assign him any role in the new Cabinet. Jaitley, in a letter to the Prime Minister, has said he needs a "reasonable time" for his treatment and health. Congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a spectacular victory in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Jaitley said he has faced some serious health challenges in the past 18 months. "My doctors have enabled me to emerge out of most of them," he said. Jaitley added: "After the campaign had concluded and you were leaving for Kedarnath, I had orally informed you that even though I was able to discharge the responsibilities assigned to me during the campaign, I would in future, for some time, like to keep away from any responsibility," he wrote. I have today written a letter to the Hon'ble Prime Minister, a copy of which I am releasing: pic.twitter.com/8GyVNDcpU7 - Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) May 29, 2019 Earlier, a report published in Reuters quoting unknown sources said that Jaitley, 66, might not take up the offer to continue as the Finance Minister due to his health, which has deteriorated in the past couple of months. However, a day after Modi's big win, Jaitley had met five secretaries of the finance ministry, including Finance Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg, at his residence. While Jaitley did not campaign like Modi and other top leaders of the BJP during the Lok Sabha elections, he was actively involved in writing blogs and posts on his social media handles. On January 23, Piyush Goyal was given the additional charge of Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Corporate Affairs, just a week before the Union Budget 2019, as Jaitley had gone to the US for his medical check-up. Before that, Goyal was given temporary charge of the ministry in May 2018 after Jaitley underwent a kidney transplant surgery. Narendra Modi will take oath as the country's Prime Minister on Thursday. Other Council of Ministers will also take the oath during the swearing-in ceremony, which will be attended by several dignitaries from all over the world. The BJP-led NDA stormed into a resounding victory in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections by winning 303 of total 542 Lok Sabha seats that went to polls. The Congress party won 52 seats. Edited by Manoj Sharma Arun Jaitley unlikely to continue as finance minister in PM Modi's new term: Sources As the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhawan is being decked up for swearing in of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the top leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), its allies in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) are in discussions about who would be inducted in his cabinet. Top sources in the BJP say the Modi 2.0 Cabinet will be a lot younger than the earlier one and nearly half the ministers would be fresh entrants. It is expected that 45-47 ministers will take oath with the Prime Minister. The new entrants will not only bring energy but also determine the party's new priorities in terms of caste equations and geography. It will also accommodate partners like the JD(U), the AIADMK and the Shiv Sena (its sitting Cabinet minister has lost in these elections). Six ministers including Anant Geete (Heavy Industries Minister), Hardeep Puri (Urban Development Minister), Pon Radhakrishna (Minister of State for Finance), Manoj Sinha (Minister of State for Railways) and Alphons Kannanthanam (Minister of State for Tourism) have lost in the recent posts. ALSO READ: Arun Jaitley opts out due to poor health, requests Modi not to assign any role in new govt Hardeep might get a role again. Alphons, the only Christian in the previous regime, might make way for V. Muraleedharan, the BJP's former Kerala unit chief. Separately, Sushma Swaraj, Uma Bharati and Birendra Singh have opted out. Two others, Vijay Sampla and Rajen Gohen, didn't get tickets. These are the open vacancies. Meanwhile, the party is considering making either Santosh Gangwar or Radha Mohan Singh the Speaker of the 17th Lok Sabha. The party had earlier decided to offer slots to Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj. Jaitley has apparently written to the prime minister to not consider him for the next cabinet. According to sources, Swaraj might be made a Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat. Smriti Irani and Amit Shah, who have won the Lok Sabha polls, will vacate their seats. To fill these gaps, apart from party chief Amit Shah, two general secretaries, Anil Jain and Bhupender Yadav, and national vice presidents Saroj Pandey and Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, can be inducted. Jain was election in-charge of Chhattisgarh and his idea of replacing all the sitting MPs in the state worked. The party, as a result, won eight out of ten seats, that too after being drubbed in the Assembly polls just a few months ago. Yadav, Jaitley's protege who is equally close to Amit Shah, has a strong RSS background. He was General Secretary of advocates' body of the RSS, the Akhil Bharatiya Adhivakta Parishad, before joining the BJP. Sahasrabuddhe runs the party's think-tank Public Policy Research Centre and the RSS-backed research outfit Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini. He was considered for a cabinet slot in the previous regime as well but it didn't work out. Pandey, a first-time Rajya Sabha MP, is being weighed against Renuka Singh, a first-time MP from Surguja in Chhattisgarh. ALSO READ: PM Narendra Modi in Varanasi: PM Modi offers prayers at Kashi Vishwanath; holds public meeting with BJP workers Sources told Business Today that PM Modi has made up his mind to bring in fresh talent and balance it with experienced political warhorses. Shiromani Akali Dal, the BJP's ally in Punjab, wants a Cabinet berth for their chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, replacing his wife Harsimrat Badal, who headed the ministry of food processing industries in the previous government. Sukhbir Badal was MoS in Atal Bihari Vajpayee's regime. The LJP, too, wants Chirag Paswan to be a part of the Cabinet instead of his father Ram Vilas Paswan. He might get MoS with independent charge. It is expected that BJP's smaller partners will get one slot of minister of state, and the bigger partners will get one Cabinet and one minister of state positions. Partners such as SAD and LJP may get a Cabinet berth each. Bihar will see Cabinet induction from JD(U)'s quota. The names of Rajya Sabha MP and close confidant of Bihar CM, Ram Chandra Prasad, and his current Cabinet colleagues Dinesh Chandra Yadav and Lalan Singh are making rounds. Sources told BT that JD(U) and Shiv Sena are lobbying for two Cabinet berths each. After the poll defeat of Cabinet minister Anant Geete, Shiv Sena has the name of Anil Desai ready. The next name will come once they get clarity on the number of slots they are getting. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had a two-hour long meeting with Amit Shah at his residence to discuss the names of ministers from Bihar - from BJP, LJP and JD(U) - to adjust the caste combinations. ALSO READ: Lok Sabha Results 2019: PM Narendra Modi says people had decided that they want a strong government again The other names include Hoshiarpur MP, former IAS officer and Dalit face Som Prakash; RSS and BJP old timer G. Kishan Reddy from Telangana; Dilip Ghosh, Khagen Murmu, Debasree Chaudhary from West Bengal; and former bureaucrat Aparajita Sarangi, Rita Bahuguna Joshi from Odisha. Reddy, an RSS old timer and protegee of Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, had contested against the then prime minister Narasimha Rao as an independent backed by BJP in 1991. Meanwhile, it is expected that many of the faces from Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar will make way for those winning from West Bengal, Odisha and Telangana. Names of sons of two former chief ministers, Anurag Thakur and Dushyant Singh, are also being considered. With three Rajya Sabha MPs winning the Lok Sabha polls - eight Rajya Sabha seats due for elections in next two months - BJP can bring in four leaders via the Rajya Sabha route. One seat is promised to ally AGP. BJP top leaders shared with BT names of Hemant Biswa Sarma and Vijay Chauthaiwale. Both Sarma and Chauthaiwale may join the Cabinet as well. Chauthaiwale is head of the Overseas Friends of BJP and an old timer in RSS. He is a close confidant of both PM Modi and party chief Amit Shah. He worked on both 2014 and 2019 campaigns and spearheaded PM Modi's diaspora outreach plans. Sarma remained a key find for Shah in is operation North East. He also played a pivotal role in engineering social equations in North West Bengal. Steel Minister Birendra Singh offered to resign as Rajya Sabha MP upon selection of his son as the party's candidate for the Hisar seat. He won, defeating sitting MP Dushyant Chautala. PM Modi promised that Modi 2.0 will be different, and his choice of ministers will set the tone for at least the first half of his tenure. With BJP chief Amit Shah set to join the Cabinet, Health Minister JP Nadda is looking to take over the reins of the ruling party. Jagat Prakash Nadda is expected to work closely with Amit Shah, according to a report in IANS, after he demits from his role. JP Nadda will oversee the election campaign strategy in the coming assembly elections. Three states, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Haryana, are expected to go to the polls sometime in September. There is possibility of polls in Jammu and Kashmir. Early next year, Delhi will also go to the polls. The fifty-nine-year old BJP leader is a Rajya Sabha member, who is known for keeping a low profile. He is the parliamentary board secretary of the BJP and is known as a master strategist amongst the party ranks. Nadda was given responsibility of the recently-concluded elections in Uttar Pradesh where the party bagged 62 out of the 80 Lok Sabha seats. The leader completed his schooling from St Xaviers Patna and pursued his BA from Patna College, Patna University. He is a law graduate from Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla. Nadda is a three-time MLA in the Himachal Assembly and was appointed minister in 2014. According to agency reports, BJP will also focus on the southern part of the country and focus on expanding its footprint there. Earlier this year when he was appointed election-in-charge of Uttar Pradesh, Nadda claimed that the BJP would win 74 out of the 80 seats in the state. He had also predicted that the BJP would witness a resounding victory in the Lok Sabha polls. Also read: 'Don't exacerbate the problems': Raghuram Rajan's advice to Modi 2.0 on economy Also read: India to remain fastest growing economy, widen lead against China: OECD by Anna Chiara Filice Fr Mahendra Gunatilleke talks about the Easter Sunday attacks, which "were a devastating blow. As a result, people began to wonder about Gods existence. Trust between communities must be rebuilt and Muslims must be integrated. Rome (AsiaNews) Fr Mahendra Gunatilleke is the national secretary of Caritas Sri Lanka. He travelled to Rome for the 21st General Assembly of Caritas Internationalis (23-28 May). After the Easter Sunday attacks, "people did not want to talk because they were too devastated. The only thing they asked was to pray with them. So we decided to assign a priest or a nun to each family to guard the spirit of these families and accompany them on a journey of prayer. We didnt want them to feel alone. Speaking to AsiaNews about the sense of hopelessness that followed the attacks against three churches during Sunday masses and in three hotels at breakfast, he said that various steps were taken to rebuild survivors faith and heal their physical wounds with some certainty. "I am convinced, he explained, that if a community is accompanied from a pastoral, spiritual, psychological point of view, and people remain together, the recovery will be faster. The Church attacks "were a devastating blow, coming a few days before the tenth anniversary of the end of the civil war, on which we were all concentrated." In the aftermath of the carnage that claimed the lives of 257 people, "people felt desperate, obsessively repeating Why did all this happen? I lost my family; I don't want to wake up in the morning. I don't need to go to church. God does not exist.'" "We worked hard to rebuild trust between people after interfaith ties had been shattered. There are physical wounds that have to heal, but also mental and psychological scars that are even more difficult to overcome. Faced with such a brutal tragedy, Caritas reacted swiftly, providing assistance to the wounded and survivors, Catholics and Protestants. Some results are already visible. We set up a psycho-social pastoral outreach desk with volunteers who provide legal and psychological support. Now we want to work on short and long-term programmes to ensure livelihoods, education, and medical assistance." Aid has gone to at least 150 people among the relatives of the dead and some 600 families of those who were wounded. Regarding funding, "we can count on the Caritas family and Catholic partners. But we would like to link benefactors and affected families, with the former sponsoring the latter for a number of years. Thus far we have received the support of many families, but we must still have to work on coordinating all this." In Batticaloa Caritas is also helping the local Protestant community whose place of worship, Zion Church, was one of the churches attacked. Last Friday, some of us handed out some money, said Fr Mahendra, some 50,000 rupees (US$ 285) per family. In Colombo, Catholics are already covered thanks to money raised by Card Malcolm Ranjth and delivered to the local Caritas-Sedec. The cardinal expressed his solidarity towards us and we brought it to the Christians of Batticaloa." Finally, Christians and Muslims living on the eastern part of the island should not be forgotten. "It is from there, from Kattankudi, that militants with the National Thowheed Jamath responsible for the massacres came from. Everyone knows that in recent years the radical ideology spread to the area, with ties not only with the Islamic State, but also with preachers from Saudi Arabia. The government has been completely negligent. At the same time, Muslim leaders must understand the value of national reconciliation and peace, and abandon a mindset that is too self-centred and unwilling to integrate. For our part, we shall do everything to bring our Muslim brothers to engage in dialogue again." West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has decided not to attend the oath-taking ceremony of the new Council of Ministers on May 30. Mamata had agreed to attend the oath-taking ceremony, but backed out after being irked by Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) claims that its workers have been murdered in political violence in the Bengal. "It was my plan to accept the 'Constitutional Invitation' and attend the oath-taking ceremony. However in the last one hour, I am seeing media reports that the BJP are claiming 54 people have been murdered in political violence in Bengal. This is completely untrue. There have been no political murders in Bengal," Mamata wrote in a tweet directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi. ALSO READ: PM Modi's swearing-in ceremony: List of high profile guests expected to attend the May 30 event Mamata said that the alleged political murders might have happened "due to personal enmity, family quarrels and other disputes; nothing related to politics". "So, I am sorry, Narendra Modi Ji, this has compelled me not to attend the ceremony. The ceremony is an august occasion to celebrate democracy, not one that should be devalued by any political party which uses it as an opportunity to score political points. Please excuse me," Mamata wrote in her tweet. The oath-taking ceremony is an august occasion to celebrate democracy, not one that should be devalued by any political party pic.twitter.com/Mznq0xN11Q Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) May 29, 2019 ALSO READ: Lok Sabha Results 2019: Mamata Banerjee offers to step down as West Bengal CM Meanwhile, the BJP has expressed its displeasure over Mamata's change of plans. "Bengal was the only state where violence was reported during the Lok Sabha elections and Mamata Banerjee is trying to hide this," West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh told India Today. The seven phases of 2019 Lok Sabha election saw violent clashes between the supporters of BJP and Mamata's Trinamool Congress. Several deaths from both factions were reported during the course of the bitterly fought polls. At the end of it, BJP managed to make serious inroads into the state, winning 18 out of 34 Lok Sabha seats, where TMC managed to bag 22 seats in the state. ALSO READ: West Bengal Election Results 2019: TMC barely holds the fort while BJP makes significant inroads Listing out his views on economic agendas for the new government, former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan has said the new dispensation needs to address the fiscal gap and revive agriculture, power and banking sectors. In his latest blog post, which was co-written with Abhijeet Banerjee, Rajan said both the Centre as well state governments should target to reduce fiscal deficit to FRBM (Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act)-suggested 5 per cent by 2023. For this, there is a need to create better compliance and progressive taxation, he said. He also suggested that a Centre-state council modelled on the successful GST Council could be formed to ensure fiscal federalism. To address the problems in key sectors including agriculture, power and banking, the former top banker has advised against adopting measures that often cause distress. He said the use of tools such as loan waivers, inflated MSPs without adequate procurement, and input price subsidies in agriculture often "exacerbate the problem". "In addition to enhancing investment in new technologies and irrigation, a government move toward lump-sum payments to farmers for holding below a certain limit, in the spirit of Telengana's Ryathu Bandhu scheme, will be an improvement," the write-up suggested. For the power sector, Rajan said the distressed state-owned power distribution companies need to adopt measures like better metering, less distorted pricing of both the power as well as energy inputs, and the use of new, cleaner technologies for distributed production. Vouching for a better business environment to create jobs or to ramp up inadequate exports, Rajan said the country needs to learn from state experiences about what works in areas like land acquisition, industrial regulation, provision of power and logistics, and environmental clearances. "A Centre-State Productivity Council can be useful for this; such a Council could revive the idea of Special Economic Zones where coordinated land, environmental clearances and transportation infrastructure are available on a 'plug-in' basis," he added. Raghuram Rajan on minimum income schemes, next generation reforms On the issue of skilled workforce, he said it's needed not only at higher levels but also at lower levels. "More lateral entrants, merging into the permanent civil service, are desirable near the top. At lower levels, too many youth waste years taking competitive exams for government jobs that most will never get," he said. Rajan said India must address the coming explosion of non-communicable diseases, which would require engagement with the frontline providers. "The vast majority of these (frontline workers) have no formal qualifications, but the evidence suggests they can be trained and pushed towards practising better medicine," the blog post added. Edited by Manoj Sharma Raghuram Rajan talks about challenges to revive real-estate in India Raghuram Rajan has a few tips on jobs, reforms for the next govt Prime Minister Narendra Modi's oath-taking ceremony for the second consecutive term will be held on May 30, 2019, at Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi. President of India, Ram Nath Kovind will administer the oath of office and secrecy to the Prime Minister and other members of the Union Council. High-profile leaders and guests have been invited from around the world and across the nation to attend the oath-taking ceremony of the Prime Minister. "Government of India has invited the leaders of the BIMSTEC Member States for the Swearing-in ceremony on May 30. This is in line with Government's focus on its 'Neighbourhood First' policy", Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement. Here's a list of all the high-profile guests expected to attend the May 30 event: BIMSTEC member states This year, the government has extended invitations to the member states of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) which comprises Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Myanmar, apart from India. Bhutan PM Lotay Tshering, Thailand PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, Sri Lankan PM Ranil Wickremesinghe, Nepalese PM KP Sharma Oli and Myanmar Prime Minister Aung San Suu Kyi will be marking their presence on the event. As per reports, the leaders of Mauritius and Kyrgyzstan are also expected to attend the oath-taking ceremony. In the 2014 Lok Sabha Polls, member states of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) were invited to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the Prime minister. Chief Ministers The list of chief ministers include West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata Banerjee, JD(S) leader and Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and Andhra Pradesh CM (designate) YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, among others. Movie stars As per reports, India's superstar Rajnikanth and Kamal Haasan are expected to attend PM Modi's swearing-in ceremony. While the guest list from Bollywood is yet to come, some Bollywood stars are expected to mark their presence. (Edited by: Nehal Solanki) Also read: PM Modi's swearing-in ceremony: Watch LIVE coverage on India Today and Aaj Tak Also read: BIMSTEC countries confirm participation in Modi's swearing-in ceremony The Trump administration on Tuesday removed India from its currency monitoring list of major trading partners, citing certain developments and steps being taken by New Delhi which address some of its major concerns. Switzerland is the other nation that has been removed by the US from its currency monitoring list which among others include China, Japan, South Korea, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam. India has been removed from the monitoring list in this report, having met only one out of three criteria a significant bilateral surplus with the US for two consecutive reports, the Treasury Department said in its latest semi-annual report on macroeconomic and foreign exchange policies of major trading partners of the US sent to the Congress. After purchasing foreign exchange on net in 2017, the central bank steadily sold reserves for most of 2018, with net sales of foreign exchange reaching 1.7 per cent of GDP over the year, it said. MacKenzie Bezos pledges half of her $36 billion Amazon fortune to charity India maintains ample reserves according to the IMF metrics for reserve adequacy, it said. In both Switzerland and India, there was a notable decline in 2018 in the scale and frequency of foreign exchange purchases, the report said. Neither Switzerland nor India met the criteria for having engaged in persistent, one-sided intervention in either the October 2018 report or this report. Both Switzerland and India have been removed from the monitoring list, the Treasury said in its report running into over 40 pages. India for the first time was placed by the US in its currency monitoring list of countries with potentially questionable foreign exchange policies in May 2018 along with five other countries - China, Germany, Japan, South Korea and Switzerland. In its next report in October 2018, the Treasury had said that India has made improvements and its name would be removed from the currency manipulation list in the next report. "India's circumstances have shifted markedly, as the central bank's net sales of foreign exchange over the first six months of 2018 led net purchases over the four quarters through June 2018 to fall to USD 4 billion, or 0.2 per cent of the GDP," the Treasury had said in its October 2018 report. RBI extends RTGS timings for customers, to be effective from June 1 Shares of Manpasand Beverages witnessed heavy selling pressure in the last three trading sessions, correcting by 50 per cent, after the fruit juice maker came under scrutiny over corporate governance, which led to arrest of its top executives. Investors have been pressing the sell button on Manpasand Beverages after the Commissioner of Central GST (CGST) and Customs on Friday arrested the company's managing director (MD) Abhishek Singh and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Paresh Thakkar on the allegation of creating fake company units and committing tax evasion of Rs 40 crore. Extending its losses for the third straight session, Manpasand Beverages share price locked at the 10 per cent lower circuit at Rs 63.40 on the Bombay Stock Exchange on Wednesday. The stock had tumbled 20 per cent to Rs 70.40 per share on Tuesday. On the National Stock Exchange, Manpasand shares were locked at 10 per cent lower circuit at Rs 63.45 apiece against previous close level of Rs 70.50. According to market experts, investors holding the stocks of Manpasand Beverages should cut their losses short and exit the scrip. Also Read: Two more Manpasand Beverages board members resign amid GST fraud case This was followed by a series of resignations from independent directors with four of the eight directors resigning from the company's Board mainly due to the GST crackdown on the company. Vishal Sood was first to step down from the board, followed by Dhruv Agrawal, Milind Babar and Bharat Vyas. The CGST had carried out search and unearthed a huge racket of creating fake units for availing fraudulent credit and committing tax evasion of Rs 40 crore and involving turnover of Rs 300 crore. The authorities have found a network of more than 30 fake units located in various parts of the country, which were used for committing fraud by availing illegal credit, as per statement released by CGST. The company has also cancelled the board meeting, which was scheduled to be held on May 28, 2019, to consider and approve audited financial results. Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was trading at 39624.90, down by 124.83 points or by 0.31 per cent, and the NSE Nifty was trading lower at 11889.15, down by 39.60 points or by 0.33 per cent. Edited by Chitranjan Kumar Also Read: Slowdown Blues: Indian Oil, BPCL, HPCL's total debt rises to 5-year high of Rs 1.62 lakh crore in FY19 2019 elections are over - the result is out and the dust has settled. NDA won 352 seats, UPA led Congress was reduced to 91 with the grand old party barely crossing the half-century mark at 52. Interestingly, the BJP contested in 437 seats and won 303 of them, at a winning ratio of 70%. A near consensus cry of the opposition, to remove Modi failed miserably and many old stalwarts of Indian political scenario are seeing an existential crisis. The next five years will see Modi also getting a majority in Rajya Sabha and a powerful government united under BJP ruling the nation, with a weak, clueless and near insignificant opposition which is left licking its wounds. Let me clarify the premise. India needs a stable government to progress because only a firm dispensation can take bold reformist steps. Thankfully that it has already got one in 2019. But any nation also needs a credible and strong opposition to counter-weight every action of any government. 2014 saw a fracturing opposition which collapsed in 2019. 17th Lok Sabha will see feeble voices to check policy decisions - and there is a dire need to re-invent India's opposition in the next test of 2024. Who will be the opposition - and will a metaphorical phoenix rise from the ashes of 2019? Also Read: PM Modi's swearing-in ceremony: Watch LIVE coverage on India Today and Aaj Tak I would categorise Indian voters into three chronological buckets based on three major events - all happening under the rule of the Congress, each separated by two decades. First is the 1971 generation. Let us call them Voter 1.0 - the ones who were teenagers or older during the 71 war - where India exerted its supremacy over Pakistan in a thumping win. This generation also saw Indira Gandhi's emergency, her fall, her enormous rebound and ultimately her demise. Then there is the Voter 2.0 - the ones who were born between the 70s and 80s - people like me who saw the 1991 growing up. The '91 economic liberalisation saw new jobs opening up, red tape loosening, general wealth increasing and we saw through the 1990s - those on cycles moving to motorcycles and those on two-wheelers graduating to cars. Poverty remained an issue - but no longer a commonplace in the Indian society. 2011 was the time of the creation of Voter 3.0. These are the children born in the 1990s and even 2000s - who saw the grand event of a national party shamed for its series of corruption scandals - while an intellectual but almost incapacitated Prime Minister (the hero of 1991) watched his reputation grounded. It saw through graphic scenes of a government water cannoning its own citizens in the backdrop of India's icon - the India Gate as they were protesting against corruption. It saw a ruling party standing against the clear choice of its people to reinstall its most famous scientist at the post of India's President and they did it twice. Also Read: PM Narendra Modi in Varanasi: PM Modi offers prayers at Kashi Vishwanath; holds public meeting with BJP workers Voter 3.0 remembers Congress and UPA in that darkest shade - and the poor media management of the party sent it in a downward path where the liberator of the nation saw a campaign "Congress muktbharat" (India free of Congress). In 2024, Voter 1.0 would be no more than 10%. Voter 2.0 about 30% and Voter 3.0 about 60%. That Voter 3.0 gives little relevance to what happened in 1971 and 1991 and unless provided with a new narrative, it will stick to its impression of 2011. First, the opposition parties need to give up their "Pied Piper Syndrome" and treat their voters as intelligent beings. Often regional party leaders have taken their primary constituents for granted and believed that just like children of Hamelin went behind the Pied Piper in a state of blind following, their caste betrothed voters will never dare to leave their sides. The impression that voters are dumb is profoundly incorrect. Take two states as an example. Uttar Pradesh (UP) perhaps saw the strongest alliance of regional satraps, each banking on their loyal caste votes. Mayawati (BSP) on her Dalit votes, Akhilesh Yadav (SP) on his Yadav votes and Ajit Singh (RLP) on his smaller but far better regionally concentrated Jat votes. The formula deployed was D+Y+J added to M (Muslim) voter would easily give enough wind for the Mahagathbandhan (super alliance) to sail over the Modi wave. The three leaders conveniently assumed that their loyal voters will walk the path they are asked without questions. Even the pre-poll analysts got down with their mathematical sheets - predicting around 40 seat loss for the BJP. What was forgotten was that today's voter is far more self-conscious of his (and her) choices. For instance, Dalits and Jats have long-standing rivalries which cannot be forgiven and forgotten just because it is now convenient for the leaders of the communities to do so. There has been a slow and steady erosion of faith of people in their caste-based leaders, who have mostly prioritised their electoral needs over the interests and long-standing issues of their own community. Also Read: Arun Jaitley says opposition will lose right to doubt EVMs if exit polls match final results Then take the case of Odisha where the assembly elections were held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls. A regional party, Biju Janta Dal (BJD) got 112 out of 146 seats while the BJP managed to get the second position with 23 seats. Interestingly, in the 21 Parliament seats, the gap was narrower. The BJP managed 8 while BJD got 12. What was seen in Odisha is that when people had a clear leader for Chief Minister in Naveen Patnaik, BJP got only 32% votes. While the same voters on the same day polled for Modi as a PM choice with 38% votes for BJP. The choice of who will lead mattered by a swing of 6%. In any election, this margin is enough to swing results. Voters are smart and know their privileges and responsibilities. What happened in Odisha is a lesson for the leaders sitting in opposition. It needs to stop treating elections like Christmas where the leader is a secret present only to be unwrapped post the results. The voter 3.0 needs to know who will lead them - and in 2024 they might even want more specific choices. India may be a parliamentary form of democracy in its constitution but in the minds of the people whose vote matters - we are well on our way to becoming a Presidential form of elections. Let me come to the second point - the narrative. Congress' underlying theme of AB HOGA NYAY (Now there will be justice) had one killing flaw. None of what was suggested was radical or reformist enough to create a new impression for the Voter 3.0 (or even 2.0). They were all tweaks in NDA government plugging some gaps and plumbing many leakages in GST, Startup Policy or Farmer Schemes. 2024 cannot be fought on this plank of being a person with a screwdriver tightening lose joints but the guy with a jackhammer revolutionising the system. UPA won 2009 elections riding on a loan waiver scheme and thereby promising an economic disaster of giving Rs. 72,000 per annum per family as a minimum fixed income guarantee to 20% of the poorest in the. This not only disincentivised working in general but also dishonoured the hard-working labour class of India. But the India which voted UPA into power in 2009 for loan waivers, the India which is often said to have sold its vote for a measly 500 bucks, that India, in its urban slums and villages rejected a fixed income of 6,000 a month for the next five years. The narrative cannot be poverty, India has moved forth from that position. The need of today is dignity and respect - and in 2019's NDA campaign the winning idea was based on the dignity of the nation and its people - from Balakot to Triple Talaq. This India will grow even further in 2024 - and the Opposition of 2024 needs to bank on this new reality of what India needs. In 2024, the narrative cannot be the attacks on institutions - whether the Election Commission or Armed Forces. The new opposition needs to respect the pillars which hold India together and talk about its ideas to strengthen rather than question them. One of the victims of the current opposition's narrative has been the idea of secularism. Secularism, enshrined in the constitution, has been mishandled and hence misplaced in the 2019 narrative. It has reduced to a pessimistic anti-national ideology where tolerance to diversity is replaced by an unhinged attack on the identity and even the integrity of India. Secularism is not the antithesis of nationalism - on the contrary in a nation like India, they need to support each other. The opposition of 2024 will have the task of rediscovering its identity as a secular force which would begin by cleaning up the distorted image attributed to it in 2019. Third issue is that of the leader. Indians at large have rejected the princes in 2019. Rahul Gandhi, riding as the flag bearer of the Gandhi-Nehru family was knocked off his horse in his very home ground of Amethi. Priyanka Gandhi's entire projection seemed to revolve around her facial similarity with her grandmother Indira. The assertion that people should vote for someone just because their hair and nose look similar to a figure from history is more naive in itself than offensive to the people who it assumes will fall for it. The India of 2024 will reject the princes - at least those who have not worked their share. It needs a new leader with a compelling story. If you are a Game of Thrones fan - you would remember the words of Tyrion Lannister who denied the Iron Throne and asked it to be handed over to Bran Stark because "He is a better story. People love stories." The same needs to happen with Congress and opposition in general. Also Read : Lok Sabha Election 2019: Modi's war chest leaves rivals in the dust The stories of merits triumphing against all odds are far more powerful than that of high birth entitled children fed with silver spoons by their powerful parents. Modi is that story. Kalam was that story. Shastri and Patel were those stories. India admires them. Opposition 2024 needs a leader who can reflect that story and it will come at the price of dumping the existing leadership to the fringes. Lastly, opposition 2024 needs to find the right combination and the work begins now. This was the first election where children born in this millennium had voted. Today they are in colleges and by 2024 they would be in the job market. Regardless of what any leader does, automation and AI will kill jobs across the world - or at least significantly shift the skill requirements. Hence, the greatest challenge in 2024 would be to upskill, reskill and find employment for the youth and those who lose their jobs. Then by 2024, Voter 2.0 which is young today, will start getting older. That is when the need for better healthcare would be a critical issue - and India woefully is lacking in that department. Merely promising free health and free education in government facilities would be grossly inadequate. The aspiration of India would lie in making these basic human rights come with better quality. Thirdly, the emerging issue of environmental degradation will transpire into a bigger issue. Quality water and air will be not only an urban but a rural issue as well which needs to be met with an electoral strategy. Networking of river bodies can be a project which can bring permanent relief to farmers and homes from drought and floods. Next, true NYAY would be when the judiciary functions efficiently for the common man and does not make him wait for years if not decades to get justice. 3.3 crore cases are pending in the Indian judicial system which affects the lives of so many citizens. Admittedly, many of these goals are within the striking distance of Modi 2.0, and with a powerful government in place, he may barely leave anything for the opposition to brandish. But then the sequence of events for a nation of 1.2 billion is hard to control and things will go right and wrong giving opportunities to the opposition. Building these stories into a coherent idea would be critical. 2024 opposition will have the tough task of being radical with its ideas. It needs to zero in on a single leader rather than a random cocktail of alliances. That leader needs to be credible, humble - and preferably not swinging from the branches. He or she needs a trustworthy second layer of localised leaders - who are willing to sweat it out in the fields and streets rather than resorting to armchair politics. The old ideas must die. But does the opposition of 2019 have the stomach for such a colossal shift? Will the phoenix rise? Memory Card Industry Group Denies Suspending Huaweis Membership By Hou Qijiang and Isabelle Li / May 29, 2019 07:33 PM / Business & Tech The SD Association, the Japan-based organization that sets global memory card standards, denied suspending Huaweis membership in a statement to Caixin on Wednesday. The group did, however, admit to limiting the embattled Chinese telecom companys power within the association, in response to the U.S. ban earlier this month. Huawei will still be able to use SD memory cards in its devices, but it will have less of a say in the groups industry standard-setting, expert Sun Yanbiao told Caixin. News circulated online over the weekend that several industry-standard makers including SD were planning on suspending Huaweis membership. The association said they did not remove Huawei from their list, but rather made adjustments following U.S. moves to blacklist the company. Related: Huaweis New Phone Sales by Japanese Carriers Postponed Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact. Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here. Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing. You are our people. You Care. We Care2. Oil India Limited (OIL), a Navratna PSU, has released a notification inviting applications in a prescribed format from qualified and experienced Indian nationals for recruiting Graduate Engineers on contract to be posted at OIL's on-land operations in Assam. The selection of candidates will be done through a 'Walk-in-Interview' process scheduled on June 07, 2019 from 8:00 onwards at the Conference Room, Narangi Club, Pipeline Headquarters, Oil India Limited, P.O.- Udayan Vihar, Narangi, Guwahati, Assam CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Graduate Engineers Organisation Oil India Limited Educational Qualification Graduation Degree in any branch of engineering Experience 2 years in Contract and Purchase activities Job Location Assam Salary Scale Rs. 45,000 per month Industry Oil Application Start Date June 7, 2019 Application End Date June 7, 2019 Age Criteria And Fees Candidates interested in applying for Graduate Engineers post through Oil India Limited Recruitment must meet the age criteria as per the OIL norms, with relaxation in the upper age limit to reserved categories as applicable. For details regarding fee towards application processing, refer to the official notification here https://www.oil-india.com/Document/Career/Detailed-Advertisement-Graduate-Engineers-on-contract.pdf ICSIL Recruitment 2019 For 69 Nursing Officers; Earn Up To 29,000 Per Month Educational Criteria And Experience Candidates applying for Graduate Engineers post through Oil India Limited Recruitment must possess a Graduation Degree in any branch of Engineering with at least two-years experience in Contract and Purchase activities, including inventory management. Selection And Pay Scale The selection of candidates as Graduate Engineers through Oil India Limited Recruitment will be done through Screening and candidates' performance in the 'Walk-in-Interview' scheduled on June 07, 2019 Candidates selected as Graduate Engineers will be paid an emolument of Rs. 45,000 per month OPSC Recruitment 2019: Apply Online For 386 Assistant Executive Engineer Vacancies How To Apply Candidates applying for Graduate Engineers post through Oil India Limited Recruitment must fill the application form attached with advertisement, and carry the same along with originals and self-attested copies of relevant supporting documents, two recent passport size photographs to the 'Walk-in- Interview' scheduled on June 07, 2019 from 8:00 onwards at the Conference Room, Narangi Club, Pipeline Headquarters, Oil India Limited, P.O.- Udayan Vihar, Narangi, Guwahati, Assam. Download Application Form and read the detailed notification about Oil India Limited recruitment for Graduate Engineers here https://www.oil-india.com/Document/Career/Detailed-Advertisement-Graduate-Engineers-on-contract.pdf Photo: The Canadian Press Michel Cadotte, accused of murder in the 2017 death of his ailing wife in what has been described as a mercy killing, arrives at the courthouse flanked by hs lawyers for his sentencing in Montreal on Tuesday, May 28, 2019. A Quebec judge said she hopes the voices of caregivers struggling to care for loved ones are heard as she sentenced a Montreal man who suffocated his Alzheimer's-stricken wife with a pillow to two years less a day in jail. Michel Cadotte's killing of Jocelyne Lizotte, 60, in her long-term care bed warranted a strong message, Superior Court Justice Helene Di Salvo said in a decision rendered late Tuesday. "Whatever the motivation and even in the name of compassion the gesture must be denounced," Di Salvo said. But bigger societal questions surrounding support for caregivers, helplessness, life in long-term care and dealing with Alzheimer's were all brought to the forefront in the case. "The court is well aware that this case has raised passion in public opinion," Di Salvo said. "As citizens, we can only hope that the alarming cries of the difficulties caregivers face, as well as the problem of the growing number of people with Alzheimer's disease, will have been heard." The judge said determining a just sentence was her primary role, and neither the Crown nor the defence was able to find any jurisprudence that could guide her on sentencing. A jury found Cadotte guilty of manslaughter last Feb. 23 in the death of his wife of 19 years. Lizotte, 60, was in the late stages of Alzheimer's disease and was unable to speak or care for herself. But a doctor testified she was not considered to be at the end of her life and was receiving care to keep her comfortable under the circumstances. Cadotte, 58, was clearly in love with Jocelyne Lizotte, Di Salvo said, but by taking her life on Feb. 20, 2017 at the long-term care facility where she was being treated, "he committed the irreparable. He caused the suffocation death of the woman he loved, and contrary to what any one might say, this does not make him a hero." In addition to the jail time, to be served in a provincial facility, Cadotte will also have three years of probation and 240 hours of community service to complete once he's released. The sentence, which is on top of 205 days Cadotte spent in preventive custody before the trial, fell well short of what the Crown had recommended. The Crown had sought an eight-year prison term, citing the vulnerability of the victim and the violent nature of her death. Prosecutor Antonio Parapuf had little to say about the sentence but noted the judge repeatedly mentioned the need to send a message. "Of course at this step, we will take time to analyze all the different criteria and all the different steps taken by the judge before rendering our decision (on an appeal)," Parapuf said. "Our thoughts go towards the family of the victim, and now we will take time to explain everything to them." Defence lawyers Elfriede Duclervil and Nicolas Welt had recommended a sentence of between six and 12 months, which could have meant no additional time behind bars. Instead, Cadotte who was free on bail during the trial, was led away in handcuffs by court constables. "We are sad. We are disappointed, because obviously we asked for much less," Duclervil said, noting the judge took into consideration the unique facts of the case. "She came up with two years minus one day, so we're going to have live with that," Duclervil added. "And hopefully ... the family will start to grieve, but as a society, look around. It's said that one out of four people face the same challenges. It's not Michel alone." Cadotte had cared for his wife for nine years, struggling to keep her out of care until relenting in 2013. Depressed and recovering from a weekend of heavy drinking, he testified that on the day of the killing he was saddened to see Lizotte with her neck bent, sitting in a geriatric chair without a specialized head rest. He cried as he struggled to feed her lunch and then tried to place a pillow under her head. Cadotte said he couldn't explain what happened, but after a couple of failed attempts, he placed the pillow over her face and smothered her. "She was suffering too much," Cadotte testified. "I didn't want her to suffer anymore. I was suffering for her." The trial heard that Cadotte struggled to provide care as his wife's Alzheimer's worsened, and a year before he killed her he inquired about a medically assisted death. But he was told that Lizotte was not eligible because she was not considered to be at the end of life and she lacked the ability to give consent. Di Salvo noted that lawmakers took care in restricting medically assisted dying, and members of society cannot take justice into their own hands. At sentencing, Lizotte's adult sons and her younger brother held Cadotte accountable, believing he acted in his own interest. But one of Lizotte's sisters, testifying for the defence, said she understood why Cadotte acted as he did. The crime had been framed in the media as a compassion killing an offence that doesn't exist in the Criminal Code. "If we can understand that the situation in which Mr. Cadotte found himself could have led to the fateful gesture, it remains that, in the eyes of law, this gesture cannot be excused," Di Salvo said. "To unlawfully cause the death of a human being will always constitute a reprehensible act, which must be punished." First low-carbon cement production unit in operation ICR Newsroom By 29 May 2019 The first plant producing low-carbon cement has started operation at Cubas Universidad Central Marta Abreu de Las Villas, according to Opciones. The experimental unit, which is operated by the Geominera del Centro Co, is expected to produce up 7tpd of LC3. Output from the plant will be used in the production of 1m blocks per year for the province of Villa Clara and other markets where Geominera is active. The plant is the result of a collaboration between the universitys Habitat project, funded by the Swiss Agency for Cooperation and Development (COSUDE) and the Industrias Putin de Instalaciones Automaticas para Ceramica (IPIAC). LC3 cement has been developed by CIDEM in conjunction with the Federal Polytechnic University of Lausanne, Switzerland, since 2009 and has been used experimentally in a wide range of construction applications. Published under Bulk carrier detained outside Chittagong port 29 May 2019 According to Chittagong Port Authority (CPA), the Egyptian bulk carrier "Wadi Feran" was arrested by orders of the local High Court on 23 May in a litigation case at the outer anchorage of Chittagong port in Bangladesh. No reason was disclosed for the arrest. This is likely to delay unloading of clinker, being imported by a local cement manufacturer. The vessel laden with 50,141t of imported clinker arrived on 8 May. Published under Hong Leong Asia looks to complete Tasek Corp takeover 29 May 2019 Singapore-listed Hong Leong Asia is looking to take Malaysias Tasek Corp private in a deal worth an estimated MYR128.61m (US$30.6m), according to The Edge. The company currently controls 80.8 per cent of Tasek through two subsidiaries, HL Cement (Malaysia) and Ridge Star, and has submitted a voluntary takeover offer to acquire the remaining shares. Together, the subsidiaries hold 97.89m ordinary shares in Tasek, with the takeover involving the remaining 19.2 per cent of ordinary shares and 37 per cent of preference shares. Tasek has stated that the offer price of MYR5.50 per share represents a premium of 8.1 per cent over the company's five-day volume-weighted average price. According to the stock's closing price of RM5.05 yesterday, the company has a market value of MYR611.77m. HL Cement and Ridge Star do not intend to maintain the companys listing status if the takeover is completed. Published under Retired USAF Major Errol Lee Reksten, 76 of Ooltewah, Tennessee, died on Sunday, May 26, 2019. He was born in Minneapolis, Mn., to the late Theodore and Gladys Lee Reksten. Major Reksten attended the University of Wisconsin, where he received his BS in Mechanical Engineering. He then served in the U.S. Air Force as a C-130 navigator during Vietnam and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross. After finishing two tours in Vietnam, he was then stationed in England where he met his wife, Gillian Combes. Together they came back to the U.S. and were married. Major Reksten later returned to school, earning his masters degree from the University of Arizona. Before he retired from the military, they were stationed at various bases throughout the U.S. and in several overseas countries as well. He was preceded in death by his brother, John Reksten. Survivors include his loving wife of 49 years, Gillian Reksten; children, Stephen Reksten, Murfreesboro, Philip Reksten, Ooltewah, Sarah Reksten (Marcus) Shaw, Chantilly, Va.; Catherine Reksten, Chattanooga, and Nicholas (Leah) Reksten, Redlands, Ca.; grandchildren, Lauren and Kelly; sister, Sylvia (Carl) Ross, Rochester, MN; brother, Robert (Dawn) Reksten, Adell, Wi. and several nieces and nephews. A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, May 31, in the Chattanooga National Cemetery with full military honors provided by the U.S. Air Force. The family would like to thank Hearth Hospice for their loving care and support. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the Alzheimers Association, 7625 Hamilton Park Drive, Suite #6, Chattanooga, Tn. 37421. Please visit www.heritagechattanooga.com to share words of comfort. There will be no visitation at the funeral home. Arrangements are by Heritage Funeral Home, 7454 East Brainerd Road, Chattanooga, Tn. 37421. Martha Irene Kunberger, 91, one of Gods choice servants, was ushered into the presence of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Sunday morning, May 26, 2019. Her parents, Fredrick and Ellen Kunberger, and two sisters preceded her in death. She is survived by her brother John Kunberger, sister-in-law, Bonnie Kunberger, three nieces, and two nephews. She was a long-time servant of her Lord. Martha started for the mission field in 1956 aboard an ocean liner, which took 16 days to arrive in Africa. Martha was one of those who would make up that first group of Baptist International Missions, Inc. (BIMI), missionaries. After Martha served four years in the Congo, the missionaries had to be evacuated. God closed the door there and opened another door of opportunity on another continent and with a new language to learn. For 18 years she served God faithfully in Nicaragua, Central America, until a government uprising forced all foreigners to leave. Once again, she sought the Lords direction and joined a work in Guatemala. Martha served four years before this country also underwent a political uprising, and Martha was among those missionaries evacuated. Nothing would cause Martha to lose her heart for missions and God was not finished with her. In 1985, BIMI asked her to work at BIMIs Home Office where she assisted with Spanish-speaking ministries and Bible correspondence courses. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Baptist International Missions, Inc., or to Lakewood Baptist Church. Visitation will be from 13 p.m. on Friday, May 31, at Lakewood Baptist Church, 6626 Hunter Road, Harrison, Tn. 37341, followed by the funeral service at 3 p.m. with Pastor Ronnie Gilbert and Dr. J.B. Godfrey officiating. Arrangements are held by the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory and Florist, 5401 Highway 153, Hixson, Tn. 37343. Please share your thoughts and memories at www.chattanooganorthchapel.com. Candy Johnson, wife of County School Supt. Dr. Bryan Johnson, has joined the office of Mayor Andy Berke. At the close of the City Council's agenda session on Tuesday, Councilwoman Demetrus Coonrod welcomed Ms. Johnson. Ms. Johnson, who operates Johnson Consulting for strategy, planning and resource development, said it was her first council meeting "and I enjoyed it." Stacy Richardson, the mayor's chief of staff, said she would discuss with council members "offline" the role of Ms. Johnson at the mayor's office. Anthony Lebron Vance stood Tuesday in the Hamilton County Criminal Court, a setting that is bound to be familiar to him at this point. Mike Acuff stood by Vance, the most recent in a long line of attorneys tasked with defending Vance. Mr. Vance, you have a storied criminal record, said prosecutor Andrew Croyle, before listing Vances lengthy list of offenses. These include burglary, theft of property, and other such crimes. But the most serious of his crimes was the reason he was before Judge Don Poole - the 2014 rape of a Chattanooga woman. Vance had been convicted of the rape in 2016, but he was back in court to correct his sentencing. The original plea agreement had Vance serving 10 years of probation at 30 percent. However, it was later found that such an agreement is illegal, and that the correct sentencing should be 10 years probation at 85 percent. After the swearing in, Vance denied accepting such a plea agreement. What I saw was a paper that showed me 10 years probation at 30 percent, he said. The prosecution went to work shortly thereafter, producing several documents from a binder full of them. Prosecutor Croyle approached Vance and showed him one of these documents. Is this your signature? asked prosecutor Croyle, pointing to a paper with Vances signature in plain view. Yes, said Vance. So you obviously went over this document, said Croyle, and can you show me anywhere on there that says 30 percent? In the face of this evidence, Vance maintained his original stance. He denied ever accepting such a plea agreement, despite not denying that the signature on the paper was, in fact, his. Prosecutor Croyle then moved on to the long amount of time that had passed in between the original sentencing and Vances appeal. You have a 10-year sentence in the Tennessee penitentiary system hanging over your head. And not once did you bring up to this or any other court that this judgment was incorrect? Vance simply countered by stating he was in the process of doing so, and he was speaking to his attorney. He also maintained the belief that his former attorney had misled him, convincing Vance to sign the plea deal. Prosecutor Croyle asked Vance to guess how many criminal convictions he had on record dating back to 1993. Vance said I have three criminal convictions. What?, said Croyle, as he held another document in front of Mr. Vance. This paper was filled with Vances past transgressions. How many convictions are on this page? More than 15, would you agree? You have 45 misdemeanor convictions in this county alone, dating back to 1993. Thats a lot more than three, isnt it? You have thirteen convictions in Criminal Court alone. After Prosecutor Croyle had sufficiently questioned Vance, attorney Acuff asked Judge Poole to take time before ruling on the case. The attorney asserted that there were certain rules and statutes that had not been adhered to during the previous trial and plea agreement. Judge Poole granted attorney Acuffs wish, stating I want to review this case before I rule on this. The body of a 60-year-old Cookeville man was found Saturday morning at Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail off Highway 68. At approximately 11:15 a.m., Cumberland County Sheriffs deputies and investigators were dispatched to the trail where hikers had discovered a white male lying face down on the trail. It appeared that the body had been deceased for several days. Sheriffs investigators processed the scene and conducted an investigation. Tennessee State Park Rangers, and Cumberland County Rescue Squad assisted in the retrieval of the body. The death appeared to be of natural causes, authorities said. The deceased was identified as Tommy Woods, of Paran Road, Cookeville. The City Council on Tuesday night barely approved a downtown Business Improvement District (BID) on first reading. Several council members said they needed to first hear from the public and that had not yet happened. There was discussion about possibly tabling the vote. There was not a second to table, and the council then could not muster the five votes needed for approval on first reading. Stacy Richardson, the mayor's chief of staff, said under the state BID law that the council needed to first vote its approval. She said the time for the public hearing under the law was just prior to the second reading. She noted that is different than the council's normal procedure, but said it was state law. She said if the council did not vote approval on first reading that it could not on the second after the public hearing. She said an initial denial would in effect kill the BID. Councilwoman Demetrus Coonrod then changed her vote to make it a majority of five in favor. Those in favor at the last vote were Chairman Erskine Oglesby and council members Coonrod, Jerry Mitchell, Anthony Byrd and Chip Henderson. Councilwoman Carol Berz abstained. She said she is very much in favor of BIDs, but some issues about this BID needed to be clarified. Opposed were council members Ken Smith, Russell Gilbert and Darrin Ledford. A public hearing is set for the next council meeting next Tuesday, and a final vote is expected at the same meeting. Councilman Mitchell said a large majority of the property owners in the downtown district were in favor. Councilman Henderson said he wanted a provision that the city could not be required to be part of the BID as it is now situated. He said he also needed to see "overwhelming support" from the public for the BID before voting in favor. City Attorney Phil Noblett said adding provisions could possibly delay the approval of the BID and require additional votes. Under a BID, if a majority of property owners approve, then all property owners in the district are required to pay for special services designed at making the district safer and more attractive. Earlier on Tuesday, Kim White of River City told the council that a BID would assure the area is clean and safe as well as providing beautification projects and other benefits such as promoting special and seasonal events. She compared the BID to a Homeowners Association that would work in the businesses own interests and that it would be considered a partner with the downtown area. The program would be funded with a fee formula determined by roadway frontage and lot or building size. Condominiums would be charged a flat rate. Rates would be based on how the services in the CBID would benefit the entity. There would be a hardship clause and non-profits and Pilot programs that request not paying the fee would have to come before the city council to receive written approval. Property owners have indicated that they are willing to put money into this, said Ms. White. She said the City Council would have to approve the fee charged which is proposed as being a maximum of five percent. This fee would be billed and collected by the Hamilton County Trustee for a charge of two percent. The program as currently proposed would be managed by a board of 9-15 people who have been very engaged in the program from the beginning, people who have applied, a resident, someone that represents those who have reservations about the plan and a member from the city council. They would come from both small and large commercial entities. The makeup is intended to be representative of the property owners in the area. This board would report to the council every year. Consultants have recommended implementing the plan for a 10-year period, said Ms. White with adjustments made after five years. Council member Smith suggested reducing the five year look-back so changes, if needed, could be made sooner. The board would have the authority to establish a budget, determine the services that are provided and have limited power to regulate street and landscaping improvements. It would be required to comply with all city ordinances, said City Attorney Noblett. Of 195 non-government buildings / businesses in the area, Ms. White said that 118, or 65.5 percent, have completed a survey and were in support of the program and were willing to pay the fees even with the possibility of Hamilton County taxes being increased. A concern from Councilman Smith was that the cost of the fee would be passed on to the tenants of the property. Ms. White said there was no promise that would not happen and she does not know if tenants would be on board, but she hoped that property owners have talked to the tenants about benefits of having the district. The Convention and Visitor Bureau is supportive of the plan but will not participate in funding it, said Ms. White. Ms. White said that this is common practice in other major cities and the renewal rates average 95 percent in the other locations that have been studied. She said she is confident that a BID would increase more retail downtown because that has happened in other places. Councilman Oglesby said, This shows how many residents and business owners are willing to do what they can to make downtown a better place. I want you to sit with me a few minutes. I know your preacher is gonna faint when he hears of you on a bar stool, but heres why it works. One of my most beloved pastors used to go to some gala reception and he would instantly make a beeline into the midst of the heaviest drinkers? To save a lost soul? No the conversation is 10 times better So thats why I want you to sit beside me on this hot afternoon in May, act like you are checking your cell phone, while I motion for another frosty glass of glorious amber for me and an iced tea for you. Then dont say a word, just listen to the voices of those gathered in close around the oasis for a real cold toast to the end of the day. Just listen FIRST VOICE: Hey, did you hear Chattanooga has just made The Top Ten in the list of The Most Dangerous Cities in the United States? Yep, sure did. The FBI charts violent crime in cities and the word is The Scenic City has 1,006 violent crimes per 100,000 residents NEXT VOICE: That dont surprise me at all. Everybody knows our police department is the worst paid among all the police departments its size in the entire country. Did you know if youre a cop just starting, your kid qualifies for free lunches at school. NEXT VOICE: I remember reading something last year that said Chattanooga was in another Top Ten we were seventh in The Worst-Run Cities in America. Number seven outa 150. That Mayor Berke has got to be the absolute worst mayor weve ever had. You remember a couple years back when he got caught running with a not-his-wife and her husband ended up thrown under the bus when they caught the Mayor in Nashville playing Romper Room they fired her on the spot and she liked to almost go to jail. All that happens to Andy was he got re-elected! Sally, gimme another beer, please maam. NEXT VOICE: No thats aint all true a guy at Taco Mamacita sent him word, Next time youll fare better if you dont park neath that light on the back lot! NEXT VOICE: Chattanoogas violence is not a problem for me. I live in Ooltewah and if the gang-bangers want to make themselves extinct, suits me fine. The only times the projects is absolutely quiet is when everybody stops to re-load NEXT VOICE: Cmon, thats not funny. The curse of being poor is that you are violences meal of choice. What I cant figure is why Chattanooga has gotten so sorry I mean, the whole place is lousy. All our schools are about is money. We throw millions after millions into schools but dont look at the neighborhoods, the thugs who are role models in their pimp mobiles, and the fact that if you are a poor kid, the food stops at 3 oclock until the next morning NEXT VOICE: I saw a news clip where a black woman was in front of the camera and said the rich folks up in your neighborhood deserved all the sewer problems. She said she could care less. Reckon how long it took before somebody told her the river flows downstream? NEXT VOICE: You know, you just said it right then. The dream is that it should all tie together schools kill ignorance, knowledge kills the gang-bangers, and being safe kills the projects. But, no, everybodys on welfare, you can buy drugs on any street corner, and were No. 7 in dangerous cities California, New Jersey, everywhere and are a Top Ten in sorry leadership. Wow! I wonder whos job it is to fix this NEXT VOICE: The Wastewater Treatment Authority! Hey, they can get the planning commission to tell em how to really fix it. And, hey, if they dont move fast enough lets get those cops who (allegedly) covered up all those rapes to do the policin! NEXT VOICE: No more beer for you, Stevie Boy youre sounding like a County Commissioner . NEXT VOICE: Wait . lets be serious. What do we do? I heard Mayor Coppinger tell somebody that he just appoints folks to the WWTA, the Planning Commission that those people have no one they gotta answer to no accountability whatsoever. But is Berke and the City Council the same way? I know I know anybody who is elected answers to the voters. Well, who are the voters who tell Berke and his coo-coo Urban Planning team to take a hike, like they did the amorous Mayor in Nashville? NEXT VOICE: You are right If I was on the City Council, it would be hard for me to get all balled up over some Police Oversight Committee when the very same city is No. 7 in dangerous crime, and just seven spots away from dead-last in municipal leadership, but its nothing we didnt already know, seriously its not fit for a woman to walk on a downtown sidewalk in broad daylight. NEXT VOICE: You poor child! Sweetie, give this man another of whatever hes drinking so I can open the curtain on his universe You just sit back and watch the County Commission on this tax increase guts will be at a premium because the lot of em are eyeing re-election. The reason there aint no watchdog on the Planning Commission is so you can blame it for anything and no one body takes the heat. Same with our schools falling down those responsible have all just about croaked. NEXT VOICE: Why dont better people get involved? You look at the people we elect to oversee our city and our county and it seems to me at least one or two would have the gumption to stand on their hind legs. But now were 7th in Violent Crime, and I know its just the city, not the county where we live, but it has a dramatic effect on each of us. NEXT VOICE: Laddie, you are sounding more like some liberal moon-gazer by the minute. So Ill tell you exactly why the city has gotten so bad, this from one end of the yardstick all the way to the other nobody cares. Those big swells that drive out of the city limits every day to eat lunch cause business after business is fleeing downtown do you think being 7th in crime bugs them? They live in an entirely different world. The City Council? They just as soon take a summer tour with the Andy Berke Travelling Puppet Show. And the County Commission? Son, listen to your daddy -- Those pretenders are so busy jostling in line for the day Bill Hullander or Mr. Knowles finally retires they aint going to let anything whats right tarnish their shine first day a desk job opens at the courthouse, just you watch all nine will be at Erlanger trying to get their broke nose fixed. NEXT VOICE: Are you nuts. If this is really the way it works, Im leaving town. NEXT VOICE: Cant say Id hold any blame, Missy but thats why not a soul will move to impeach Berke, why every vote that matters on the County Commission wont miss being 6-to-3 most all the time, and why there aint a state legislator one who gives a gnats hide. NEXT VOICE: Geez politics isnt anything but a me-me-me business anymore. Thats what is ruining our county and our country VOICE NEXT TO ME: I cant believe what I am hearing I mean, this is just a bunch of drunks talking, right? Tell me this isnt really the way it is and well, my daddy would roll over in his grave if he knew that I just decided Im a grown woman and ready for my first taste of liquor Whats a Tahiti Moonrise taste like? * * * WHEN WALLETHUB, a financial website, named Chattanooga as 7th in The Worst-Run Cities in the United States, the findings were based by comparing America's 150 biggest cities to determine the best run and worst run municipalities, based upon how much each city spends per capita, and 35 criteria of the outcomes in each city, including financial stability, education, health, safety, the economy and infrastructure and pollution. WHEN THE ESCAPE HERE website picked Chattanooga 7th in The Most Dangerous Cities in the United States for 2019, the description read: Tennessee is a popular tourist destination because of Nashville, also known as Music City, which also landed on this list. In addition to Nashville, the lesser known city of Chattanooga is another dangerous city to visit. It has the same kind of feel as Memphis and Nashville, but just not as touristy, and for good reason. It is one of the worst cities in America for property crime. It lands in the number 10 spot for property crime with 5,985 per 100,000 residents and is the 23rd most dangerous for violent crimes with 1,065 per 100,000 residents. In 2017, there were 31 homicides. In most American cities the number of crime goes down each year, but for Chattanooga, the number of homicides in 2017 was at a record high. Local police said the major thing that did go down in 2017 was gang violence, writes 24/7 Wall St. In 2016 there were 132 shooting incidents, most of which were a result of a bloody gang war. While gang violence in this city is on the decline, the violent crime rate is on the rise. It was 1,023 per 100,000 in 2016, and in 2017 it rose to 1,066 per 100,000. * * * YOU ARE RIGHT There is no drink according to my mixologist called a Tahiti Moonrise, and, yes, my bar-stool mate liked the Tahiti Sunrise so well she stopped at a liquor store and purchased a supply of ingredients so her Sunday School class wont catch her. * -- Tahitian Sunrise recipe. You will need: 4 oz. Champagne, 4 oz. fresh orange or tangerine juice, and a splash of raspberry or grenadine syrup. Directions: Into a chilled champagne flute, pour the champagne, the fresh tangerine juice and a splash of raspberry or grenadine syrup. Then go vote. * -- Tahitian Sunset recipe. A popular drink with the ladies, also known as the "Dougie Special". Crush your ice and place in glass. Then add 1/2 oz vodka, 1/2 oz Malibu coconut rum, 1/2 oz Midori melon liqueur, 1/2 oz Cointreau orange liqueur, 1 - 2 oz lemonade, 1 - 2 oz pineapple juice, 1 dash raspberry cordial. Pour over vodka, midori and malibu. Almost fill glass with equal amounts of juice and lemonade, gently pour cointreau over top. Pour a small amount of raspberry cordial down side of glass to float half way down glass. Then go vote again. Same day, no matter. Vote as many times as you wish as long as you do not drive an automobile, attempt to go to another floor in your house, and never replenish your cocktail without checking to see if the stove is off every time. royexum@aol.com The Whitfield County Tag Office joined the rest of Georgias counties this week in implementing the first system upgrade in 20 years. Known as DRIVES (Driver Record and Integrated Vehicle Enterprise System), the upgrade is designed to update and enhance the title and vehicle registration functions of the Department of Revenue, says Whitfield County Tax Commissioner Danny Sane. Changing over to the new system forced all tag offices across Georgia to close May 23, 24, and 27, so staff members were bracing for a busy week here, beginning at 10 a.m. Tuesday as they started catching up with a backlog of tag renewals since the local office averages some 475 renewals a day. I thought by this time of day wed be swamped under, but the girls have knocked it out, Commissioner Sane said shortly after 11 a.m. I mean, I bet we had roughly 50 people standing outside the office door at 10 oclock when we opened. Weve got some good girls that have really learned this system well, so they have been able to serve a lot of people already. Commissioner Sane praised the cooperation of the Dalton-Whitfield Library, which hosted tag office workers from Whitfield, Catoosa, Walker, Murray, Gordon and Chattooga counties as the state sent a trainer to Dalton to lead five days of instruction about a month ago. The motor vehicle office sent their trainer to Dalton, and we really appreciate them coming up here, Commissioner Sane said. They saved us on hotel accommodations, meals and mileage probably $15,000 worth of travel expense. And the library should be commended because they did a really wonderful thing for us. The new system will provide several services online, including title registration pre-application, title status lookup, fleet registration maintenance and renewal (companies with a registered fleet of 100 or more vehicles can now renew all their vehicles at once online), and online tag renewal notifications (sign up and receive an email when your vehicle is up for renewal instead of a mailed notification)., Other services available online now will include: Replace Registration Cancel Registration Change Address Insurance Fine Payments Rental Car Registration and Renewal Leasing Company Registration and Renewal Start a Dealer Registration (Pre-apply online) Dealer Renewal Salvage and Assembled Vehicle (SAVI) Inspections Under the new system, the Georgia certificate of title for vehicles will now be issued in full page format of 8.5 inches x 11 inches, and a more detailed and more secure Temporary Operating Permit will be issued, including the Vehicle Identification Number, permit number, QR code, pre-printed expiration date, hologram sticker of state seal, and make, model and year of vehicle. The owner of the Chattanooga Times Free Press said in a recent interview that "the print model is not going to make it for newspapers. I don't care what town you are in in America." Instead, Walter Hussman said in the interview and in a "letter to subscribers" that in Arkansas he is moving toward digital, including giving out IPads to current print subscribers. His plan is to continue with a Sunday print addition that goes along with the daily digital version. Mr. Husmann said his Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in Little Rock lost money last year for the first time and would lose more money this year. But he said he believes he can maintain current newsroom staffing by getting readers to convert to digital subscriptions on the IPads he furnishes and teaches readers to use. Mr. Hussman said it is vital that newspapers continue in some form, saying they cover important stories that no one else would cover. However, customers will need to be willing to pay about $400 per year to make his plan work. Mr. Hussman said he plans to spend about $12 million on the IPad venture in Arkansas. There was no mention in the interview or letter about the future of his Chattanooga newspaper. Mr. Hussman earlier bought the afternoon Chattanooga News Free Press and then the morning Chattanooga Times. He merged them as a morning paper in 1999. That same year, Chattanoogan.com was formed as one of the nation's first online only newspaper for Chattanooga. It will celebrate its 20th anniversary in September. It operates as a free publication with income from banner ads. Click here to read the letter from Mr. Hussman. Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III announced Wednesday that a U.S. District Court judge has signed a consent judgment negotiated by 16 states attorneys general and Medical Informatics Engineering, Inc. This case was the nations first-ever multistate lawsuit involving a HIPAA-related data breach. The lawsuit, led by Indiana, was filed in December of 2018 against a web-based electronic health records company based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The company allegedly sustained a data breach compromising the data of more than 3.9 million people. The data of 43,373 Tennesseans, including 14,871 Social Security Numbers, was compromised With the signing of the consent judgment, the 16 states will receive $900,000 with Tennessee receiving $21,238. The lawsuit resolved allegations that Medical Informatics Engineering Inc. and NoMoreClipboard LLC (collectively MIE) violated provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) as well as state claims including Unfair and Deceptive Practice laws, Notice of Data Breach statutes, and state Personal Information Protection Acts. Between May 7, 2015, and May 26, 2015, hackers infiltrated WebChart, a web application run by MIE. The hackers stole the electronic Protected Health Information (ePHI) of more than 3.9 million individuals including individual names, telephone numbers, mailing addresses, usernames, hashed passwords, security questions and answers, spousal information (name and potentially dates of birth), email addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, lab results, health insurance policy information, diagnosis, disability codes, doctors names, medical conditions, and childrens names and birth statistics. Protected Health Information (PHI) is extremely sensitive data and Tennesseans deserve to know that it is adequately protected, said Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III. This office appreciates the work of Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill in leading the states on this matter. Medical Informatics Engineering, Inc. also agreed to injunctive provisions aimed at preventing similar breaches in the future. Baylor junior Anika Iqbal has been selected for a 2019 Achievement Award in Writing, given by the National Council of Teachers of English. The NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing is a school-based writing program established in 1957 to encourage high school students to write and to recognize some of the best student writers in the nation. Only students who are juniors may participate. Schools in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, American schools abroad, and the Virgin Islands are eligible to nominate students for the writing program. This year, schools nominated 416 students of which 210 received Certificates of Superior Writing and 206 received Certificates of Nomination. Each student submitted two pieces of writing. Two independent judges scored each submission on expression of ideas, language use, and unique perspective and voice. To have a student achieve at the very highest level in this most competitive of contests is extraordinary, said Baylor English instructor Heather Ott. Anikas excellenceas a writer, a student, a thinker, a citizenbrings honor and distinction to Baylor School, and we are so proud of her. Other recent Baylor winners include Rose Dallimore '18 and Sophie Wisenbaker '19. For more information about the NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing, including past winners, click here. Tennessees 2019 spring turkey season harvest is up 11 percent from the previous year, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency reports. The total harvest for the 2019 season is 31,193. In 2018, the harvest fell below the 30,000-mark for the first time in 15 seasons. The 2019 harvest number is down 3 percent from the previous 5-year average. Regionally, despite the flooding in West Tennessee which comprises TWRA Region I, the 2019 harvest is virtually unchanged from the 5-year average. The other three regions all saw improvements over 2018, but sill down from their respective 5-year averages, ranging from 3-3 to 4.3 percent declines. Maury County was the top county with a harvest of 1,034, up 97 turkeys from the 2018 season. Dickson County was second with 837, followed by Greene 810, Giles 672, and Montgomery 638 for the top five. Rounding out the top 15 counties were Robertson 603, Rutherford 583, Hardin 551, Weakley 546, Sumner 541, Hickman 537, Humphreys 534, Henry 518, Hawkins 512, and Stewart 489. All of the counties in the top 15 had increased harvests from 2018 with the exception of Green County, which had four less turkeys harvested and Weakley, which had six less. Giles County had the sharpest increase with 164 more birds harvested this spring. Dickson County saw an increase of 142. If you ever wonder what Captain America does on his days off, look no further than Chris Evans Twitter account. Sure, the Avengers: Endgame actor posts about Lays chips and his dog, but Chris Evans Twitter proves he might also be Captain America in real life. What makes Chris Evans worthy? Here are the projects Chris Evans has been working on, including A Starting Point. Chris Evans | Mike Marsland/Mike Marsland/WireImage Chris Evans starred in Avengers: Endgame as Captain America He starred in Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: Winter Soldier, and most recently, Avengers: Endgame. Chris Evans plays Captain America, one of the most beloved characters in the MCU. He is also, reportedly, one of the nicest guys in Hollywood, stealing hearts at the 2019 Oscars. When Avengers: Endgame was about to hit theaters, Mark Ruffalo and Chris Evans partnered with Omaze to support different charities. Chris Evans advocated for Christophers Haven, a nonprofit organization that provides supportive housing for families whose children are receiving outpatient pediatric cancer treatments in Boston, MA. His philanthropy doesnt stop there. Chris Evans was an ally for women during the #MeToo Movement and, currently, the actor is outspoken about Donald Trumps presidency and the environment. Scarlett Johansson and Chris Evans | VCG/VCG via Getty Images The Captain America actor is often tweeting about Donald Trump and politics He can be the silly, video-game-playing, lays-chips-loving Chris Evans, who posts pictures of his dog. He can also be the behind-the-scenes Chris Evans, who shares clips from his time on the Avengers: Endgame set. Mostly, Chris Evans uses his Twitter account to bring awareness to issues in United States politics. Was thrilled to be interviewed by @ChrisEvans for his new civic engagement project, A Starting Point. I like Chriss interview style of straight to the point, no BS, and just the real. Excited to see it launch! pic.twitter.com/SHl7QvSw8D Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) March 12, 2019 The actor often tweets his support for democratic 2020 presidential candidates, like Pete Buttigieg. He also supported Mark Ruffalo and Don Cheadles Avengers-themed charity fundraiser. #WeLoveTheEarth so lets protect it! The Waorani people are two days from saving half-a-million acres of forest from oil and they need our support. Watch the video and send a message to Ecuador govt: protect indigenous rights & the Amazon. https://t.co/AfMHuhGPGg @AFrontlines Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) April 26, 2019 However vocal on Twitter, Chris Evans political opinions will be kept out of his newest project, entitled A Starting Point. Chris Evans | Photo by Dan MacMedan/Getty Images Whats next for Chris Evans? The actor and activist is currently working on a project to bring political information to members of the public. In April 2019, Chris Evans posted a video, where he introduced A Starting Point, a place where members of Congress and government officials can relay policy information in a nonpartisan, digestible, and accessible way. Great to meet @ChrisEvans this morning and talk education, workforce development, criminal justice reform, and bipartisanship. Thankfully, neither of us turned to dust at the end, tweeted South Carolina Senator Tim Scott. Honor to meet you, sir. Thank you for taking the time. And if you repeat the secrets I told you about Endgame, Marvel will make sure we BOTH turn to dust, the actor responded. Within the last year, Chris Evans met with United States senators, including Johnny Isakson, Cory Booker, Amy Klobuchar, and Tim Scott, and United States Representatives, including Ted Lieu and Eric Swalwell. The launch date of this website is unknown. Aside from politics, Evans stars in multiple movies and television shows within the upcoming year. That includes Jekyll, a film inspired by Robert Louis Stevensons novel, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, where Chris Evans will play Tom Jackman. C Sometimes life imitates art. For actress Christina Applegate, life did just that after she wrapped filming on Netflixs new series, Dead to Me, when she went to therapy like her character in the show who attended group grief counseling sessions. What is Dead to Me about? Dead to Me is comprised of ten 30-minute episodes. A dark comedy fused with a drama, the show focuses on Jen Harding (Christina Applegate) and her experience with grief in the months following the sudden death of her husband who died at the hand of a hit-and-run driver. Harding, a real estate agent and mother of two, attends a group grief counseling session in her home of Southern California and meets Judy Hale (Linda Cardellini). After a brief and somewhat awkward exchange, they begin talking on the phone late at night because they both have trouble sleeping. Dead to Me Season 1 official trailer | YouTube Soon they become close friends bonding over their shared grief of losing someone close to them. Harding later learns theres much more to her new friends life than she previously let on. Cast members include Applegate, Cardellini, James Marsden, Ed Asner, Max Jenkins among others. Filming took a mental toll on Applegate Applegate explained to Variety why she went to therapy after filming Season 1 of Dead to Me at the shows premiere at Broad Stage in Santa Monica, California, in early May 2019. The Anchorman actress told the publication she used her own life experiences to get into character. It tapped into some stuff that I had to face. It was cathartic, she said. Christina Applegate attends Netflixs Dead To Me Season 1 premiere at The Broad Stage on May 02, 2019, in Santa Monica, California. | Presley Ann/Getty Images I dont know if [it was] therapeutic. Did I start therapy after I shot the show? Yes, absolutely, she said. To like finally talk about the stuff that hurt you in your life and heal from that? I think its [a] really beautiful thing, she added. Filming took a physical toll on Applegate Not only did filming Dead to Me take a mental toll on Applegate but a physical one too. I was in traction for a week because I hadnt danced in 10 years before that day, Applegate explained to Variety about an elaborate dance routine she did in one scene in the show. So it hurt, she added. This old body? This 47- year-old body cant do it anymore. We don't deserve her. pic.twitter.com/zjgXmRNbpv Dead To Me (@deadtome) May 11, 2019 Applegate dancing in a scene from Dead to Me | Twitter The actress also talked about grief and how it manifests itself in different forms depending on the person. Jen, my character, is grieving in [the] worst way possible, but thats her way, Applegate said. And I think that we should all be allowed to do that when we need to. Grief doesnt have a timeline. And grief is messy. Is Season 2 of Dead to Me in the works? Season 1 of Dead to Me has a lot of twists and turns. Needless to say, the finale episode left many questions unanswered and created even more questions when it ended on a cliffhanger. Fans of the show have many positive things to say about Season 1 of the series and are already asking if there will be a second season. No answers have been provided yet, according to Esquire, although with the shows success, fans should hopefully get an answer soon. Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton are two of the most talked-about members of the royal family and for good reason. Kate is the future queen of England, with a huge responsibility on her shoulders and three small children to raise. Meghan, a beloved actress, left Hollywood to marry the man of her dreams and achieved the princess story that women everywhere dream of. Even though these two incredible women are unique individuals, the media has insisted on setting them up as rivals. Lets break down the truth to Meghan Markle and Kate Middletons relationship, and reveal what is actually known about the two royal women. Did the media pit Meghan Markle against Kate Middleton? Meghan Markle | Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage From the very beginning of Prince Harrys relationship with Meghan, tabloids created stories about the couple. One of the most prevailing headlines was that Meghan didnt get along well with Kate, Prince Williams wife. The media insisted that Kate was jealous of Meghans celebrity status or the amount of attention that she received, while some other outlets reported that Meghans strong personality drove a wedge between the two women. The rumors were always based on speculation, as no legitimate source ever spoke out confirming the feud reports. Furthermore, Meghan and Kate have been seen together at many public events, interacting and chatting as any two relatives would. Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton have different personalities Kate Middleton Will Attend State Banquet for President Trumps state visit https://t.co/SpgVrZc79P Julia Manchester (@JuliaManch) May 24, 2019 One thing that does seem likely is that Meghan and Kate are just very different. They have had completely different upbringings: Middleton was born and raised in England, the daughter of an upper-middle-class family. She attended the very best schools and was romantically involved with Prince William for many years before officially marrying into the royal family. Meghan, on the other hand, was born and raised in California and struggled quite a bit as she was growing up. Although she has spoken out about her happy childhood, her parents separated while she was very young, and she had to work very hard throughout her teen and young adult years. Even her eventual Hollywood fame was not immediate she took smaller parts for many years and even worked opposite Chrissy Teigen on Deal or No Deal. When Meghan started dating Harry, she was immediately thrust into a spotlight, unlike anything she had ever experienced. The British media has also notoriously been harder on Meghan than they ever have been on Kate. With all of these differences, it seems only logical that Meghan and Kate wouldnt be immediately fast friends. It is quite possible that up until now, the two women might just have been content being friendly sisters-in-law. Motherhood might be bringing Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton closer #MeghanMarkle surely has had a whirlwind of a year. She may have acquired the title of Duchess of Sussex, but little Baby Archie knows her as mom. Here's what you may have missed from Meghan's first year as a royal: https://t.co/xE9fskqZNn pic.twitter.com/fXr9SCx2f5 People (@people) May 25, 2019 When Meghan gave birth to baby Archie Harrison on May 6th, a lot of things changed for her and Harry. In addition to sleepless nights and a whole lot more love, Meghan probably realized just how much she now had in common with Kate. After all, Kate has given birth to three children: George, Charlotte, and Louis. A new report claims that Meghan and Kate are bonding over the shared experience of motherhood and that they are talking more than ever. Kate even visited the new family shortly after the baby was born, to meet Archie and to check in personally on Megha and Harry. As Baby Archie gets older, and Meghan begins to deal with even more of the challenges of parenthood, it is likely that Meghan will start to rely on Kates wisdom more and more. While they might never become best friends in the traditional sense, they are definitely bonded in more ways than one. Things are changing in Buckingham Palace. Prince Harry married actress and activist Meghan Markle, the two had a baby, Archie, together, and now the two are allegedly planning a move to Africa. One thing still hasnt changed, however. Find out why Meghan Markle is not yet a British citizen and how her child was born a United States citizen. Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex | Chris Jackson/Getty Images Meghan Markle was born in the United States When American-born Meghan Markle started acting in shows like General Hospital, Fringe, and Suits, no one knew she would one day become the Duchess of Sussex. Yet, even after giving birth to Archie, Meghan Markle is not yet a British citizen. Now about a year after their wedding, the couple has their sights set on parenthood and improving the British Commonwealth in Africa. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle | Karwai Tang/WireImage She married Prince Harry, a British citizen Some countries do not allow their residents to have dual citizenship with another country. According to The Legal Beagle, the United States, as a policy, does allow dual citizenship. However, it generally does not endorse the program and instead approves on a case-by-case basis. Meghan Markle, the now-Duchess of Sussex, is definitely a special case. According to The Cheat Sheet, before attaining citizenship, Meghan Markle needed a visa to temporarily stay in the United Kingdom. For that, Prince Harry had to make a minimum of $20,000 a year or have over $21,000 for her to be eligible. This, of course, was no problem for a member of the royal family. After five years of having a family visa, citizens outside of Britain can be granted citizenship, according to BBC. The website says, if someone comes to the country as the fiancee of a British citizen, they must marry within six months. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were wed on May 19, 2018, fulfilling this part of the citizenship requirement. Recently, rumors speculate that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry may head to Africa to build on their work for the Commonwealth. Their stay could extend for a few years and because the Duchess of Sussex is not a British citizen, this could delay the process. According to the BBC, the new mother cannot apply for citizenship if she has spent more than 270 days outside of Britain in the last three years. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with their newborn baby son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor | DOMINIC LIPINSKI/AFP/Getty Images Is baby Archie a British citizen? The couples baby, Archie, was born in the United Kingdom on May 6, 2019, making him a British citizen. According to The Cheat Sheet, because Archie was born to an American mother, he was born with a United States citizenship. Until the child is 18, he will most likely have to pay United States taxes. That also means the IRS will have the right to see notoriously private royal family accounts. After turning 18, Archie has a right to give up his citizenship. However, even his mother has not retracted her United States citizenship after a year of living in the United Kingdom. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! John F. Kennedy Jr. (JFK Jr.) and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy were one of the most talked about couples of the 1990s much to their chagrin. JFK Jr. grew up in the spotlight and therefore became accustomed to photographers following him but his wife, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, felt uncomfortable with the onslaught of media attention. Learn why the press terrified her ahead. Why Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and JFK Jr. thought their marriage would not be that interesting to the press The high-profile couple got married in a secret ceremony on an island off the coast of Georgia in 1996. They were so adamant about keeping the press away from their wedding, they had island residents involved with their nuptials sign non-disclosure agreements and married under the cover of darkness in case helicopters were lurking nearby. John F. Kennedy, Jr. and his wife Carolyn Bessette Kennedy arrive at the annual John F. Kennedy Library Foundation dinner and Profiles in Courage awards in honor of the former presidents 82nd birthday, May 23, 1999, at the Kennedy Library in Boston, MA. | Justin Ide/Newsmakers After Bessette and JFK Jr. got married in 1996, they believed their lives would no longer be of interest to the press. They thought that people were going to be interested in the wedding, and if they could pull off the wedding being private, their marriage would not be that interesting, a college friend of Bessettes told Town & Country. Shes off the market; business is done; theyre going to be private citizens. However, their private wedding only seemed to make the press even more curious. Carolyn Bessette Kennedy on the press: Im terrified of them JFK Jr.s friend, John Perry Barlow once explained that Bessette Kennedy felt trapped as a result of the press. She felt cornered by photographers who were camped outside the apartment she shared with her husband, waiting to capture photographs of their coming and goings. Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and JFK Jr. attend the 1998 Fire and Ice Ball. | YouTube Barlow told People that the woman people read about in the news wasnt the real Bessette Kennedy. If someone was going to steal our prince, the press and the public wanted her to be some kind of unblemished princess, Barlow said. She was her own self. The woman everyone has read about it not at all as she was in real life. Bessette Kennedy confided in Jackie Kennedys personal assistant about press Jackie Kennedys personal assistant, Kathy McKeon, recalled in her book, Jackies Girl: My Life with the Kennedy Family, a conversation she had with Bessette in which she revealed her fear of the paparazzi. John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy attend the Brite Nite Whitney Fundraising Gala March 9, 1999, at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City. | Arnaldo Magnani/Getty Images She couldnt take it, McKeon wrote in her book. She wasnt brought up with it. John was, Carolyn wasnt. She remembered Bessettes exact words: She said, Im terrified of them.' JFK Jr. and Bessette Kennedy used drugs to cope with the stress associated with press attention In his book, The Kennedy Heirs, J. Randy Taraborrelli quoted an anonymous friend of JFK Jr.s, who recalled a time he went to the couples apartment where he found them doing cocaine. He [the friend] walked in just in time to see Carolyn doing a line of coke from the coffee table, Taraborrelli wrote in his book. Its been a bad week, John told [the friend] as he sat down and did a line.The friend then described that JFK Jr. and Bessette Kennedy held each other. They looked peaceful together, they said. Princess Diana humiliated Prince Charles one last time prior to their divorce in 1996. In a new biography of the Prince of Wales, titled The Untold Story, author Ross Benson claims that Diana went against Charles wishes and attended a State banquet at Buckingham Palace just to embarrass him. While Queen Elizabeth had the authority to stop Diana, she allowed her to go without incident. Prince Charles And Princess Diana | Photo by Tim Graham/Getty Images Queen Elizabeth allows Princess Diana to humiliate Prince Charles Once Diana left Charles, she was not expected to attend any future royal engagements. Charles allegedly went so far as to ban Diana from royal events, including a State banquet that was held in honor of Portugals president, Mario Soares, in 1993. In light of the ban, Charles did not expect Diana to appear at the dinner and was completely caught off guard when she showed up. Prior to the banquet, Benson claims that Diana called Queen Elizabeth to inform her of her intentions. Elizabeth knew that Princess Dianas presence would humiliate her son because of their recent split, but she allowed Diana to go anyway. Princess Dianas iconic revenge dress that she wore just after Prince Charles confessed to committing adultery. pic.twitter.com/yBloWRpOvt (@saintvenchy) April 25, 2019 According to Express, Elizabeth was the only person who could enforce the ban and prevent Diana from making an appearance. But instead of saving Charles some embarrassment, Elizabeth stepped aside and caved to Dianas demands. Why didnt Queen Elizabeth stop Princess Diana? Benson says that Diana called Her Majesty out of the blue and told her that she was going to the banquet. It is unclear why Elizabeth did not stop Diana, but Benson claims that it was because she was frightened of her daughter-in-law. More specifically, Elizabeth was afraid of Dianas influence over her two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, and did not want to step on her toes. Elizabeth reportedly thought that Princess Diana held power over the future of the monarchy. With that in mind, she did not want to stand up to Diana and push her away even at the expense of her own son. This is why Elizabeth allowed Diana to attend the banquet. Princess Diana, Prince Charles, Prince William, and Prince Harry pic.twitter.com/G1BIu1hAAR History Lovers Club (@historylvrsclub) February 25, 2019 During the dinner, Diana made her presence known and stood right at Charles side, which completely humiliated him. At the end of the day, the move made it clear that Diana had out played everyone, including the queen. Princess Diana makes amends after the divorce Although Diana wanted Charles to pay for what happened, inside sources say that their relationship improved once their divorce was settled. Without the stress of marriage weighing them down, sources claim that Charles and Diana made good friends and enjoyed a healthy relationship in her final days. This is reportedly why Charles was present to transport Dianas body following her tragic accident in Paris. He also made sure she was treated with the utmost respect in the days leading up to the funeral. This was the exact moment Prince Charles realized he was being upstaged by #PrincessDiana: https://t.co/KS4GwmvU9G InStyle (@InStyle) May 21, 2019 Charles and Princess Diana were married for over a decade before their split in 1992. The couple, however, had experienced numerous problems well before that. One of their issues was that they were poorly matched to start. It didnt help that Charles had an affair with his longtime lover and future wife, Camilla Parker Bowles, during their marriage. Fortunately, it sounds like they made amends after the divorce and had some good years before her passing. Queen Elizabeth honors Princess Diana As far as Queen Elizabeth is concerned, it is clear that Princess Diana held a special place in her heart. In the days following Dianas tragic death, Elizabeth withdrew the flag at Buckingham Palace and later flew it at half-mast out of respect for her funeral. The move was completely against royal protocols, which state that the flag should never be flown at half-mast. Princess Diana and Prince Charles on their wedding day pic.twitter.com/BJb3Qd6BpG History Lovers Club (@historylvrsclub) March 3, 2019 Queen Elizabeth also went against the rules when she flew Charles, William, and Harry back to the country to attend Princess Dianas funeral. All three of them rode in the same airplane, which is against royal protocols. Heirs to the throne are not supposed to fly together as an accident could wipe them all out in one fell swoop. Charles has not responded to the claims in Bensons book. One of the most controversial reality stars in a sea of edgy reality shows is Jenelle Evans, whose life has become horrific to watch unfold on MTVs Teen Mom 2. The show has already brought criticism for its transparent view of what young mothers face. However, no other cast member has come close to Evans chaotic life, even though she was with the show for eight years. Jenelle Evans from Teen Mom | Keith Johnson/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images A major issue is what her kids have gone through due to their moms partying lifestyle and bad relationships. Jenelles mom, Barbara, has become a star in her own right for raising her daughters kids with sanity. Making things worse is Jenelles involvement with David Eason. Its forced a judge to deny her and David custody of their kids, leaving these lives very much in the air. Who are the kids in question? So glad justice was served and Janelle Evans lost custody of her children. God speed, those kids are better off. Hopefully the animals can be removed as well. #janelleevans#justicefornugget Baileylov (@Baileylov1) May 28, 2019 If youve followed Teen Mom each season, then you know Jenelle has three of her own kids from two different relationships. Her first child, Jace, is a son and was the child everyone saw when Jenelles story began on Teen Mom. Jenelles mom was mostly the one who cared for Jace while the former partied her life away. Tragically, Jenelle aborted a pregnancy after having a relationship with Courtland Rogers. She initially said it was a miscarriage, but she managed to shock audiences more by secretly having an abortion. Those who support pro-choice would say it might have been better this child didnt have to live in Jenelles home. It didnt stop her from having another son (Kaiser) later with Nathan Griffith. Her marriage with Griffith failed and Jenelle ended up making a major mistake: Hooking up with David Eason. Their hard-living lifestyle made their daughter together (Ensley) enter the world with physical deformities. Who currently has custody? #TeenMom's Jenelle Evans and her husband David Eason lose custody of their three children after he allegedly murdered her dog. https://t.co/IoeZQCMxaK pic.twitter.com/oZy9tBIXJN E! News (@enews) May 29, 2019 Keep in mind Jenelle also has a step-daughter named Maryssa who was born when David was in a different relationship. This stepdaughter is already living with Davids mom. Jenelles mom, Barbara, has taken recent custody of the formers two kids while Griffith took custody of Kaiser. All of the kids went into the care of these people after news came out Eason shot and killed the familys French Bulldog, Nugget. Once Eason admitted to this, MTV had enough of the couples troubling actions and dropped them from Teen Mom. To this day, MTV says they wont capture any more footage of Jenelle and Davids story. Lets give thanks to them for finally drawing a line on one of their shows when weve seen numerous other reality show situations going beyond toleration levels. We all should agree a reality show star deliberately killing a dog shouldnt be paid to be on TV. As a result of this action, a judge made sure the kids found better homes until Jenelle and Davids issues are worked out. Should the kids go back to the Easons? With a judge recently denying the Easons custody of their kids, you can see a potentially devastating situation unfolding here. Jenelle was reportedly depressed that she might not gain custody of her kids. They may still gain back their kids eventually, although only under certain exceptions. Jenelle and David will reportedly return to court on June 4 to find out the steps they need to take to regain custody. Youll find more than a few tweets on Twitter saying the kids should never go back to her North Carolina home, The Land. Valid arguments can be made when you consider David was once seen sexually abusing one of the kids right in front of the cameras. Jenelle has improved personally in many ways, yet her lifestyle with David seems far too dangerous for the kids to live a sane life. Now with Teen Mom essentially firing them, it might be more than a year before Jenelle regains custody of her kids. By then, we hope well see her move away from David and head into a normal non-celebrity life she likely hasnt seen in a decade. Intelligence agents in Iran have forced an Assyrian Christian church to close its doors. According to the Assyrian International News Agency, agents stormed the 100-year-old Presbyterian church on May 9, changed the locks and removed the cross from the church tower. "They made it clear that the Assyrian people are no longer allowed to hold any worship service there," a source told Article18. The source also said that the government agents installed a monitoring system around the church and threatened the custodian at the Tabriz church. In 2011, the church was confiscated by a Revolutionary Court order, but church members have been allowed to use the building for services in the Assyrian language. "Many churches owned by Protestants have been confiscated in Iran," said Article18's Advocacy Director, Mansour Borji, "In most cases the government has been unable to repurpose them, especially if they were listed. So they typically remain as empty buildings, often neglected, and turn into ruins before being demolished, as was the case with the church in Kerman." Under the constitution of the Islamic Republic, Assyrian Christians and Armenian Christians are allowed freedom of worship, but the groups are forbidden from holding services in the Persian language. Officials have said that services in Persian are proselytizing and converts to the churches could face prison sentences from between 10 to 15 years. Before Christmas 2018, Iranian authorities arrested more than 100 Christians, including many converts. A 2018 report from the Commission for International Religious Freedom said that religious freedom in Iran (has) continued to deteriorate for both recognized and unrecognized religious groups. This spike in arrests is highly concerning, said Zoe Smith, head of advocacy at Open Doors. It follows an established trend of the Iranian government as the number of converts to Christianity increase, so the authorities place greater restrictions on churches. Photo courtesy: Unsplash/Moeen Zamani Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.s legacy came under fire this week after the London Times published an article detailing that the Civil Rights leader had extramarital affairs with more than 40 women. According to the London Times, Pulitzer Prize-winning MLK biographer David Garrow wrote a scathing piece about King for Standpoint Magazines upcoming June addition, breaking down the allegedly promiscuous life of the Civil Rights icon. It is well known that the Federal Bureau of Investigation was surveilling King in the 1950s and 60s as approved by the former U.S. Attorney General, the late Robert Kennedy, in an attempt to tie him to the communist party. According to the Christian Post, the FBI documents on King including the surveillance recordings were sealed under court order in January of 1977. The documents would be sealed for a span of 50 years, marking 2027 as the year they are expected to be released. According to the London Times, however, a huge archive of documents was recently released by the FBI containing memos which discuss the secret FBI tapes. Reportedly the memos detail Kings alleged involvement in over 40 extramarital affairs. The documents are also said to accuse King of watching a fellow minister rape a female congregant in a hotel room. The London Times reports that the released documents allegedly implicate King in several illegal or morally questionable acts including the participation in a sex orgy and the witnessing of the forcible rape of a young woman. Garrows piece also claims that King may have fathered a daughter with a woman he was having an affair with. Christian Headlines was able to secure an FBI file focusing on Dr. King from March 12, 1968, which speculated that King may have had a child with a mistress. The FBI agent notes in the document that he learned from a responsible Los Angeles individual that King has been having an illicit love affair with the wife of a prominent Negro dentist in Los Angeles, California, since 1962. The agent continues saying that his source believes King fathered a baby girl born to this woman. No evidence has materialized to back these claims as of yet, with the London Times noting that the sealed material may or may not confirm the rape that King is said to have witnessed without attempting to stop it along with other accusations made in Garrows soon to be released article. Photo courtesy: Getty Images/Michael Ochs/Archives/Stringer LAHORE, Pakistan, May 28, 2019 (Morning Star News) A Muslim landlord outside Faisalabad, Pakistan tortured a worker to death for daring, as a lowly Christian, to work for another employer, relatives said. Javed Masih, a Catholic in Nulka Kohala village, a suburb of Faisalabad in Punjab Province, on May 10 had sought a 10,000-rupee loan (US$66) from his employer, Chaudhry Abbas Jutt, for medical treatment for his physically handicapped, 6-year-old son, Masihs wife said. The landlord not only refused to give Javed the money, he also admonished him for not paying back 5,000 rupees [US$33] that he owed him, Ghazala Javed, 25, told Morning Star News. When Jutt refused, her husband approached another landlord in the village, Chaudhry Muhammad Tariq Jutt, and obtained a 25,000-rupee loan (US$166) for working his land. In Pakistan, workers obtain loans at excessive interest while working at artificially low wages, ensuring a cycle of debt and dependence. On the morning of May 16, Abbas Jutt summoned Masih to his house for settling his account, Ghazala Javed said. My husband went to Jutts house along with his nephew Saleem Masih, telling us that they would return in an hour after paying back the debt, she said. However, Saleem returned home after half an hour. He said that Jutt had sent him back, saying that he needed to discuss some issues with Javed, and that his uncle would follow him home soon. When Javed Masih did not return after several hours, Ghazala Javed became worried and informed his brothers, who also work as laborers in the same village, and they began to search for him, she said. When we reached Jutts house and asked him about Javed, he at first denied that my husband had come to meet him and later started threatening us, saying how dare we lowly Christians could even think of leaving his employment, and that we would suffer the consequences, she told Morning Star News. Fraught with fear, the family then approached Nishatabad police to register a First Information Report (FIR No. 395/19). The police reluctantly registered the FIR, but instead of raiding Jutts house and questioning him, someone tipped him off and he went into hiding along with his family to escape arrest, Ghazala Javed said. Police recovered Javed Masihs body from a drain near the village three days later. He was 31. At a hospital mortuary, Ghazala Javed fainted when she saw his body. I fell unconscious as soon as I saw my husbands maimed body, she told Morning Star News, visibly distraught. His eyes had been gouged out, his rib cage had been broken and his legs fractured. The sight was unbearable. About 200 Christian families reside in the Nulka Kohala village, most of them working as farmhands on lands owned by Muslims. Though Christians in the village have faced prejudice and discrimination from Muslim employers, Ghazala and a relative unidentified for security reasons said that this was the first time an area employer had murdered a Christian laborer. The relative told Morning Star News that the accused employers family and others were threatening them with consequences if they pursued a case against him. Members of the Jutt clan and other influential landlords are pressuring us to not pursue the case, the relative said. They say it wont be of any use, rather it will put the lives of all of us at risk. The police are also not helping they do not seem to realize that Jutt has killed the sole breadwinner of the family and deprived a handicapped child of his fathers shelter. Muslim employers believe their Christian employees are too poor to seek justice and cannot risk losing the work necessary to provide for their families, the relative said. They know we are weak and cannot fight them, therefore even the police are seemingly unbothered by our plight, the relative said. We have no hope for justice. It has been over a week since Masihs body was recovered, and police have yet to make any progress in the case, relatives said. Police Efforts Sub-Inspector Zafar Kathia, who is overseeing the investigation, said officers were making efforts to arrest the suspect, Abbas Jutt. The familys claim that we are not doing anything is not true, Kathia told Morning Star News. We are making raids to arrest the accused, but so far we havent been able to locate his exact whereabouts. He could not explain, however, the delay in registration of the FIR and why police did not conduct an immediate raid on Jutts house when informed about Masihs illegal detention. When we went to the Jutts house, it was locked from outside, Kathia said. The entire family has gone into hiding, and even their cattle have been moved to some other location. Nevertheless, I assure [the Masih family] that we are trying to do our best. He added that the Masih family has not formally approached police regarding threats from the suspects family and others. Ghazala Javed said Punjab Minister for Minorities Ijaz Augustine, a Christian, has visited the family. He promised us that he would personally monitor the progress in the case, she said. However, there has been no movement so far, and we havent heard from the minister after that. Augustine, affiliated with the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was unavailable for comment despite repeated attempts. Pakistan ranked fifth on Christian support organization Open Doors 2019 World Watch list of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, and on Nov. 28, 2018, the United States added Pakistan to its blacklist of countries that violate religious freedom. If you would like to help persecuted Christians, visit http://morningstarnews. org/resources/aid-agencies/ fo r a list of organizations that can orient you on how to get involved. The first study of ultra-small bacteria living in the extreme environment of Ethiopia's Dallol hot springs shows that life can thrive in conditions similar to those thought to have been found on the young planet Mars. An international team of researchers lead by Dr Felipe Gomez from Astrobiology Center in Spain (CAB (CSIC-INTA)) has found a strain of the Nanohaloarchaeles Order bacteria embedded in samples taken from a salt chimney deposited by supersaturated water at temperatures of 89 degrees Celsius and at the extremely acidic pH of 0.25. The samples were collected during a field trip to the Dallol volcano and the Danakil Depression in northern Ethiopia in January 2017, which was funded by the Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure (RI). The results are published today in the journal, Scientific Reports. "This is an exotic, multi-extreme environment, with organisms that need to love high temperature, high salt content and very low pH in order to survive," said Dr Gomez. Precipitation by superheated water saturated with various salts, including silver chloride, zinc iron sulphide, manganese dioxide and normal rock-salt, creates Dallol's technicoloured landscape of yellows, reds, greens and blues. The team collected samples of the thin layers of salt deposits from the wall of a yellow chimney stack and a blue pool of water surrounding the outcrop. The samples were transported in sterile, sealed vials to state-of-the-art facilities in Spain, where they were analysed using a range of techniques, including electron microscopy, chemical analysis and DNA sequencing. The team identified tiny, spherical structures within the salt samples that had a high carbon content, demonstrating an unambiguously biological origin. The microorganisms are 50-500 nanometers in diameter -- up to 20 times smaller than the average bacteria. In several cases, the microorganisms are surrounded by needle-shaped crystals, which suggests that the nanobacteria may play an active role in the salt deposits and the geochemical cycle at Dallol. The Dallol volcano and geothermal area is one of the hottest places on Earth, with average annual temperatures of 36 to 38 degrees Celsius. It is located at the northern end of the Danakil Depression, which lies around 125m below sea level at the junction of three of the Earth's lithospheric plates (Arabian, Nubian and Somalian) that are moving apart. Hydrothermal activity is fuelled by water that has been heated and enriched in gases by a shallow magma reservoir beneath the volcano. Dallol is surrounded by the wide Assale salt plain. The interaction between evaporated deposits and volcanism creates a unique and complex physical and chemical environment. The unusual geochemistry of Dallol has close parallels to hydrothermal environments found on Mars, including the Gusev Crater, where NASA's Spirit Mars Exploration Rover landed. Last month, the same international team published a review in the journal, Astrobiology, highlighting the importance of Dallol as a field analogue for Mars and for astrobiological studies. The paper is the culmination of a two-year process supported by Europlanet 2020 RI to characterise the Dallol site's geology, mineralogy and biology in preparation for further study by planetary researchers. "Deep investigation of the characteristics of this amazing site will improve our understanding of the limits of life on Earth an inform our search for life on Mars and elsewhere in the Universe," said Barbara Cavalazzi of the University of Bologna, lead author of the review. Further information F. Gomez, B. Cavalazzi, N. Rodriguez, R. Amils, G. G. Ori, K. Olsson-Francis, C. Escudero, J. M. Martinez and H. Miruts, Ultra-small microorganisms in the polyextreme conditions of the Dallol volcano, Northern Afar, Ethiopia' will be published in Scientific Reports at www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-44440-8 B. Cavalazzi, R. Barbieri, F. Gomez, B. Capaccioni, K. Olsson-Francis, M. Pondrelli, A.P. Rossi, K. Hickman-Lewis, A. Agangi, G. Gasparotto, M. Glamoclija, G.G. Ori, N. Rodriguez, and M. Hagos, 'The Dallol Geothermal Area, Northern Afar (Ethiopia) - An Exceptional Planetary Field Analog on Earth' is published in Astrobiology, Volume 19, Number 4 2019 by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. The paper is available at: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/ast.2018.1926 Images The sampling site. Samples were taken from the central yellow outcrop and water from the blue pool at the bottom of the chimney. Credit: Felipe Gomez/Europlanet About Europlanet Since 2005, Europlanet has provided Europe's planetary science community with a platform to exchange ideas and personnel, share research tools, data and facilities, define key science goals for the future, and engage stakeholders, policy makers and European citizens with planetary science. The Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure (RI) has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 654208 to provide access to state-of-the-art research facilities across the European Research Area and a mechanism to coordinate Europe's planetary science community. The project builds on a 2 million Framework 6 Coordination Action and 6 million Framework 7 Research Infrastructure funded by the European Commission. The Europlanet Society, launched in September 2018, promotes the advancement of planetary science and related fields in Europe. Europlanet project website: www.europlanet-2020-ri.eu Europlanet Society website: www.europlanet-society.org Follow on Twitter via @europlanetmedia Please follow Astrobiology on Twitter. Netflix on Tuesday became the first major Hollywood studio to speak out against Georgias pro-life heartbeat law, warning it may move its productions out of the state if the law goes into effect. The law, signed by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, bans abortion after an unborn babys heartbeat is detected. We have many women working on productions in Georgia, whose rights, along with millions of others, will be severely restricted by this law, Ted Sarandos, Netflixs chief content officer, told Variety. Its why we will work with the ACLU and others to fight it in court. Given the legislation has not yet been implemented, well continue to film there, while also supporting partners and artists who choose not to. Should it ever come into effect, wed rethink our entire investment in Georgia. But Netflixs statement sparked plenty of pushback on social media. Hey look @netflix is rabidly pro-abortion!!! pro-life advocate Obianuju Ekeocha wrote on Twitter. Its very telling that none of these organizations protested extreme abortion/infanticide laws in New York and other states. Hey look @netflix is rabidly pro-abortion!!! Its very telling that none of these organizations protested extreme abortion/infanticide laws in New York and other states. But theyre all protesting a law that protects babies https://t.co/Yx0EzdSRXV Obianuju Ekeocha (@obianuju) May 28, 2019 Some Netflix subscribers said they would consider canceling. Radio host and Fox News contributor Guy Benson tweeted he would rethink Netflix subscription if abortion advocacy stands. Benson would rethink Netflix subscription if abortion advocacy stands https://t.co/a3m6Jnvjy4 Guy Benson (@guypbenson) May 28, 2019 Washington Post syndicated columnist Marc Thiessen urged Netflix to stay out of the debate. Hey [email protected] nearly half the country is pro-life, he wrote. Don't alienate your pro-life customers. We have lots of streaming options these days. Hey .@netflix nearly half the country is pro-life. Don't alienate your pro-life customers. We have lots of streaming options theses days. https://t.co/2a4aSzElMM Marc Thiessen (@marcthiessen) May 28, 2019 Some, though, went ahead and canceled. Netflix has been garbage lately anyways, John Snow wrote. They haven't produced any good original content in at least two years. Been on the fence about cancelling it but haven't because of the price. This though...this made up my mind. Literally cancelling after this tweet. Netflix has been garbage lately anyways. They haven't produced any good original content in at least two years. Been on the fence about cancelling it but haven't because of the price. This though...this made up my mind. Literally cancelling after this tweet. #boycottNetflix John Snow (@JohnSno08379933) May 29, 2019 Related: Supreme Court: States Can Require the Burial, Cremation of Aborted Babies California May Give Hollywood Tax Breaks for Not Working in Pro-Life States Unplanned Blocked from Distribution in Canada Alabamas Near-Total Abortion Ban Signed into Law Abortion Supporters Are 'Anti-Science,' Ken Ham Says Star Wars Director Pledges Money to Fight Georgia's Pro-Life Heartbeat Law Georgia Gov. Defies Hollywood Threats, Signs Pro-Life Heartbeat Bill Michael Foust is a freelance writer. Visit his blog, MichaelFoust.com Photo courtesy: Unsplash/Thibault Penin Shekinah Glory is a visible manifestation of God on earth, whose presence is portrayed through a natural occurrence. The word shekinah is a Hebrew name meaning dwelling or one who dwells. Shekinah Glory means He caused to dwell, referring to the divine presence of God. The word Shekinah is not in the Bible, but the description is. In the classical Hebrew and Aramaic manuscripts of the Old and New Testaments, the word shekinah is actually not found. It was first introduced by Jewish rabbis through targums and literature in the period between the completion of the Old Testament and the onset of the New Testament. The etymology of Shekinah is from the Hebrew word shakan, which meansto reside or permanently stay. The rabbis used the term Shekinah to describe the following to the Jewish people: - The presence of God amongst His people ( Exodus 19:16-18; Exodus 40:34-38; I Kings 6:13) - The glory of God dwelling in the Temple (2 Chronicles 7:1) - How God dwells in the mountain (Psalm 68.16-18; Joel 3:17) How is Shekinah Glory portrayed in the Bible? The divine presence of God on earth is depicted through the following: - As a cloud (Exodus 24:16-18; Exodus 33:9; 1 Kings 8:10-13) - As a pillar of smoke and fire (Exodus 13:21-22) - As fire and a burning bush (Zechariah 2:5; Exodus 3:2) Where is Shekinah Glory first mentioned in the Bible? The first biblical account of Shekinah Glory is recorded in Exodus after the Israelites had left the shackles of slavery in Egypt. God appeared to them as a pillar of cloud and fire as they were camped at Etham. By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people. (Exodus 13:20-22) Why does God not appear as a human in the Old Testament? When Moses pitched his tent outside of the Israelite camp in the wilderness to convene with God, the latter spoke to Moses face to face through a cloud as though speaking to a friend (Exodus 33:11). However, when Moses asked to see Gods face, He denied Moses request, stating, You cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live (Exodus 33:20). The glory of God was too great for human eyes to gaze upon and survive. Instead, God allowed Moses to stand in a cleft in a rock and see Gods back after He had passed by (Exodus 33:21-23). What else does Shekinah Glory refer to? Not only is the holy manifestation of God portrayed through Shekinah Glory, it also entails the practice of honoring and praising God by exemplifying His glory. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. (1 Chronicles 16:24) For God, who said, Let light shine out of darkness, made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of Gods glory displayed in the face of Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6) Examples of Shekinah Glory in the New Testament The divine presence of God is also found in the New Testament: An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.(Luke 2:9) And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lords glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.(2 Corinthians 3:18) And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Look! Gods dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.(Revelation 21: 3) In the New Testament, Jesus is the manifestation of Shekinah Glory. Jesus ministry is the ultimate encounter of Shekinah Glory that God has ever had with man on earth. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. (Colossians 2:9-10) Furthermore, Jesus was made to be both God and man in one person, in order to act as our High Priest, so that He could be the embodiment of the redemption of our sins. For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. (Hebrews 2:17) Can we experience Shekinah Glory today? The separation of man from God was redeemed when Jesus paid the bond price for our sins with His blood on the Cross of Calvary. Upon His death, the veil separating the holiest of Holies in the Temple was torn, therefore, we are able to abide eternally in Gods presence through a new covenant, with the Holy Spirit residing in us. Sources: Biblestudytools.com,New International Version. Biblestuytools.com,Hebrew definition of shekinah. Biblestudytoolds.com, Smith's Bible Dictionarys definition of targum. Madeline Twooney is a Christian writer and blogger. She is British but grew up in Australia and now lives in Germany with her husband and their one-eared pussycat. Madeline has written articles for SheLoves, Converge, and Ruminate Magazine, and is a freelance contributor for YMI Magazine. In her spare time, she gets creative as a freelance Special Effects Makeup artist, and she dances to Sister Sledge whilst cooking. You can contact Madeline at [email protected] or Tweet her at @MTwooney. Photo Credit: iStock/Getty Images Plus/Jantanee Rungpranomkorn This article is part of our Christian Terms catalog exploring words and phrases of Christian theology and history. Here are some of our most popular articles covering Christian terms to help your journey of knowledge and faith: The Full Armor of God The Meaning of "Selah" What is a "Concubine"? Christian Meaning of Humility Who are Gentiles? Biblical Meaning What is Fornication? Meaning of Shekinah Glory The difference between Grace and Mercy The longing to know and love God, to bask in his presence, is core to evangelical life and faith as I understand it. The famous Bebbington quadrilateral describes evangelicals as those who emphasize the authority of Scripture, Christs death on the cross, the need for conversion, and a life of service, in both word and deed. That is good as far as it goes, but it does not go deep enough, in my view. There is something that energizes our action, that initiates our first and sustains our ongoing conversion, that draws us repeatedly to the Cross, that compels us to read and obey Scripture. That something deeper is the yearning to know God. (My previous essay, Monomaniacs for God, outlines what that looks like in Scripture and church history.) One can still find this passion in our movement today, to be sure. But it is no longer something that characterizes us. It is not what were known for. One reason I believe desire for God, as such, is core to what it means to be evangelical is what happened at our birth, when the desire for God did indeed characterize the movement. The following historical survey is woefully inadequate to prove this and the subsequent decline of our desire. But I nonetheless believe that, in broad strokes, it is a fair summary of where weve been and where we are today. The town seemed to be full of the presence of God In the beginning, the American evangelical movement sprung up when, in the 1730s and 40s, George Whitefield and John Wesley began preaching about the need to be born again. Their preaching revived a dying portion of Jesus church, which reanimated a people so that they might enjoy a vital, living, and loving relationship with our Savior. The movement blossomed as the message and experience of being born again spread (often with painful contractions as the larger body of Christ resisted the movement). But nothing could stop what was happening. Before long, there stood a movement of men and women, boys and girls, washed clean of their sin by the blood of the Lamb. They cried out with the joy of being alive, really alive for the first time. And they praised our Saviorand loved him more than anything, more than life itself. The pastor-theologian Jonathan Edwards did his best to describe what he saw happening around him: This work of God, as it was carried on, and the number of true saints multiplied, soon made a glorious alteration in the town: so that in the spring and summer following, anno 1735, the town seemed to be full of the presence of God: it never was so full of love, nor of joy, and yet so full of distress, as it was then. There were remarkable tokens of God's presence in almost every house. It was a time of joy in families on account of salvation being brought to them; parents rejoicing over their children as new born, and husbands over their wives, and wives over their husbands. The doings of God were then seen in His sanctuary, God's day was a delight, and His tabernacles were amiable. In all companies, on other days, on whatever occasions persons met together, Christ was to be heard of, and seen in the midst of them. Our young people, when they met, were wont to spend the time in talking of the excellency and dying love of Jesus Christ, the glory of the way of salvation, the wonderful, free, and sovereign grace of God, His glorious work in the conversion of a soul, the truth and certainty of the great things of God's word, the sweetness of the views of His perfections. Evangelical faith soon became characterized by a lively, personal relationship with God, grounded in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, with a deep and abiding trust in the Bible as Gods personal Word to us, with an active desire to spread this gospel to others. These emphasesespecially that lively and personal relationship with Godcan be seen in many eras of church history, and in this sense, evangelical religion goes back to the beginnings of the Christian faith. But its modern, American form finds its birth here, in a season when whole towns seemed to be full of the presence of God. Article continues below After the Revolutionary War, as the exhausted nation moved West in the late 1700s, the enthusiasmen theos, the yearning to be in God and to know God in uswas replaced by more other concerns. On a trip to Tennessee in 1794, Methodist bishop Francis Asbury noted, When I reflect that not one in a hundred came here to get religion, but rather to get plenty of good land, I think it will be well if some or many do not eventually lose their souls. Andrew Fulton, a Presbyterian missionary from Scotland, observed anxiously that in all the newly formed towns in this western colony [around Nashville, Tennessee], there are few religious people. Others still worried that many Christians had become universalists and deists, the latter especially asserting Gods distance from this world. (See Revival at Cane Ridge for the above quotes and the description and quote below.) Still, there were some who, at the first sign of a flagging spirit, prayed for God to make himself known again. They prayed at home, in their churches, at denominational meetings, and at retreats that would climax in the sharing of the Lords Supper. And their prayers were answered at Cane Ridge in 1801, when some 20,000 people showed up to be touched by the Spirit of God. Their enthusiasm for God spread into what is now called the Second Great Awakening. It eventually found expression in circuit riders and Methodist camp meetings and periodic revival meetings of local churches. One observer at small revival previous to Cane Ridge described what was to happen to so many in the years to come: No person seemed to wish to go homehunger and sleep seemed to affect nobodyeternal things were the vast concern.. From the Sublime to Technique Historians have noted that these revivals were in some ways a reaction against Enlightenment rationality, which often marshaled reason and science to question and marginalize religion. The larger reactionRomanticismencompassed the arts, literature, music, and philosophy, which together exalted the role of intuition and emotion in human affairs. Many Christians expressed their disdain for Enlightenment values by pointing to revivals and noting that they could not be explained rationally but only as products of divine intervention. But some Christians, already deeply influenced by the Enlightenment, looked at the revivals rationally and noticed sociological patterns. And they began applying them to their ministries. The most famous is Charles Finney. In his Lectures on Revivals of Religion,he argued that a revival was not a miracle, or dependent on a miracle, in any sense. It is a purely philosophical [meaning, scientific] result of the right use of constituted means. To be sure, he believed God gave these means to produce revivals, but as Tim Keller puts it, Finney insisted that any group could have a revival any time or place, as long as they applied the right methods in the right way. This morphed into a religion of crisis, a religion of decision, and a religion where the manipulation of emotion became the centerpiece. Instead of a genuine encounter with the living God, the movement became infected with too many who sought not so much to know and love God as to have a remarkable religious experience. This has been our Achilles heel ever sincemore of that below. Article continues below Some were alert to this corruption early on and reacted against it. One reason: Try as they might, this genuine religious ecstasy never came to them. One such person, Phoebe Palmer, after a crisis of faith, determined that She didnt need joyous emotion to believebelief itself was grounds for assurance, as a Christian History article summarized it. Reading Jesus words that the altar sanctifies the gift, she believed that God would make her holy if she laid her all upon the altar. She fine-tuned John Wesleys teachings about perfection into a three-step process: consecrating oneself totally to God, believing God will sanctify what is consecrated, and telling others about it. Out of this grew the holiness movement, where complete sanctification stood erect at the center. The life of faith became for many not so much a pining after God but after moral perfection, not so much seeking grace as pummeling the will into submission. No question that there was a need to depend on the power of the Spirit, and to be sure, many rigorously pursued holiness that they might see God. This movement produced more than its share of Protestant saints. But much of it also predictably degenerated into religious narcissism. For many, it was more and more about the pursuit of personal holiness and not so much the pursuit of the Holy One. This passion for personal reform soon spilled over into the social realm, so that evangelical believers also became known for striving for the reformation of societyfrom prison reform to abstinence to the abolition of slavery to care for the urban poor. And for some, this blossomed into the social gospel movement, whose gospel origins and godly motives one cannot deny. Walter Rauschenbusch in his A Theology for the Social Gospel, said, The new thing in the social gospel is the clearness and insistence with which it sets forth the necessity and the possibility of redeeming the historical life of humanity from the social wrongs which now pervade it. Though evangelicals today reject Rauschenbuschs theological liberalism, his emphasis on the nature of the churchs mission has woven itself into the very fabric of evangelical religion. Mission, and all the horizontal activity surrounding it, has become the very reason for the churchs existence. More of that in coming essays in this series. It must be saidand Ill say it over and over in these essayssuch activity for God is laudatory. It is to be commended and encouraged. One of the jobs of the church is indeed to love the world. But when mission becomes the center, the focal point of the Christian life, I believe that life will inevitably degenerate into an active and busy religious life void of God. It will become a life increasingly fascinated with technique as it seeks to efficiently accomplish mission. We may begin and end our missional meetings with prayer, but we know deep down, we dont even need Gods special blessing if, as Finney argued, we already have the means at our disposal to accomplish our ends. From God to Spiritual Experience In the midst of this drift toward action, another movement arose, a new spiritual romanticism that tried to check our fascination with the horizontal and re-engage us with the vertical. The Pentecostal movement exploded on the scene at the turn of the 20th century and made its way into mainstream churches as charismatic Christianity beginning in the 1960s. It began well enoughmore than well enoughas men and women enjoyed the immediate presence of God as he came to them in the Holy Spirit. People came to these meetings in droves because they wanted God; they yearned for God. Article continues below But once again, it didnt take long for the yearning for God to turn into a longing for an experience for many. Instead of God, people began wanting, and leaders began demanding, that people experience the gifts of God. Tongues became not so much a means of conversing with the living God as a sign of ones spiritual condition. This is not throwing stones, believe me. As a person who has been blessed with experiencing some extraordinary spiritual gifts, I have longed for a spiritual experience for its own sake, for a certain type of exquisite feeling and emotionand truth be told, I wanted this more than I wanted God. Most people who have experienced such extraordinary gifts know of this temptation. From Holiness to Virtue to Justice Today we also see a contemporary expression of the holiness movement and its concern for the moral life. A fair number of evangelicals have become fascinated with virtue ethics or character formation. They are less interested in creating or adhering to a list of dos and donts than how habits and disciplines can shape a persons character so that we are exemplified by love, joy, peace, patience and so forth. This is to me a salutary development, but again as Christian virtue ethicists themselves acknowledge, such an emphasis can get stalled since there is a constant temptation to look at ones self and ones progress as one pursues the virtues. The emphasis is on my transformation. God too easily becomes a means to my end. Its not too much of a stretch to see that the newly rediscovered passion for social justice in many ways parallels virtue ethics but with the emphasis on the community rather than the individual. In its more extreme forms, we hear evangelicals adopting critical theory, in which power dynamics are front and center, especially in race and gender relations. Anyone with even a brief familiarity with history already is aware of these dynamics, as well as the role that class and economics can play in all this. One problem with critical theory is that everything is about power, just as class was everything with Marxism. Another is that it is impervious to criticismthose that disagree are considered trapped in power dynamics. But as with virtue ethics, passion for social justice is tempted to forget God, in particular in three ways, which many social justice advocates are the first to acknowledge: First, there is increasing passion, and often anger, regarding justice between people, eclipsing the passion for justice, or justification with God. Second, there is an increasing assumption that it is our job to bring in the kingdom of God. Third, when there is an acknowledgment that God is critical to the work of social justice, God can become a means to an end. For example, prayer helps sustain my social justice efforts, the thing Im really passionate about. One cannot but be thankful for our newfound passion for social justice. Christians whose hearts dont sink at the injustices that infect every societywell, its hard to believe they can truly love the God of the Bible. But the Enemy has a way of twisting our passions so that God slowly gets put in his place. From God to Spirituality One more feature of our common evangelical life needs to be noted: the spirituality movement, which seems to undermine the thesis of this essay! Again there is much to be lauded here, and one can only be grateful that, even if it engages only a small percentage of evangelicals, that is not nothing. But the fact that the interest is small and sporadic suggests that evangelicals are not much interested in practicing the spiritual disciplines in an effort to know and love God more deeply. Article continues below The same temptations apply here as to every one of our effortsand again, its the very leaders of the movement who worry about spirituality becoming popular: All of us who have tried to practice the spiritual disciplines know these hazards. One temptation is to want to become spiritual, whatever we conceive that to be; we want to become a certain type of religious person more than we want to meet God. And, second, we start counting the number of disciplines were practicing and the amount of time we give to them as markers of our spiritual condition. This is all so silly, but as I said, anyone who has attempted to practice the disciplines knows whereof I speak. A friends experience drives home our confusion today. He explained to me that, indeed, he has been striving to make God his be all and end all, one for whom he pants after as a deer after water. So hed given himself to punctuating his day with prayer, especially morning and at bedtime, and if possible once or twice during the middle of his busy days. The prayer time includes reading the Psalms and other Scripture, as well as quiet meditation and brief prayer. All of this lasts no more than 10 to 15 minutes, but he says he finds it is a practice he enjoys, not in the sense of checking off a box but in the sense that he is slowly but surely finding that his love for God is growing. But he also told me how confused his heart remains. One day recently he left work early to take care of some personal business. On the way home, he determined to have a prayer time at home as he picked up a few papers. Yet he found himself in the car 30 minutes later, having completely forgotten about his intent to pray for a mere 10 minutes before he left home. Why was he so intent on getting these tasks done that they consumed his mind? Why did his to-do list fill up his imagination rather than prayer or God? And why is it, he also wondered, that many mornings he notes a reluctance in his heart to sit down to pray, especially when there are so many things to get done? Why doesnt he consider prayer one of these absolutely necessary things to do, or why doesnt he look forward to it if, in fact, God is the source of all life and joy and the deepest satisfaction of our deepest desires? If he loves and desires God, as he says he wants to, why do the loves and desires of so much else actually shape his day and his heart? He concluded, When it comes down to it, Im a practical atheist. Ive learned to live most of my life as if God is a nice add-onwhen I have time and when I really want himbut otherwise Im content with living as if he is not a living presence. As I noted in the introduction, I deeply identify with my friends dilemma. (That phrase practical atheist is from Anthony Blooms Beginning to Pray). In talking with many friends, Id say were not alone. So its not quite true that weve completely forgotten God. But our spiritual Alzheimers has progressed to dangerous levels. To let grace have a word: This is a common human condition and certainly no surprise to God, who is still willing to work with us despite our attempts to use him for our ends. It is not remarkably evil that we are so distracted by life and responsibilities and earthly desires that God takes a decided back seat. We neednt whip ourselves with guilt and shame over this. This essay in particular and this series is intended not as wholesale condemnation but as a wake-up call, or at least the start of a larger conversation. Article continues below I think it is incumbent on evangelical Christians to take this with special seriousness. We have rightly prided ourselves in practicing a form of faith that emphasizes the personal relationship with Jesus one can enjoy. And among us are many who can be characterized in just this way. But overall I believe our movement has degenerated in ways I have described above, with the vast majority of us falling into patterns that emphasize the horizontal at the expense of the vertical. We were once people whose lives were characterized by the presence of God, as if we walk with him and talk with along lifes narrow way as the old hymn puts it. Today, we are known for our politics (left and right), our voting patterns, our ethical hypocrisy, our compromise with materialism, church-planting techniques, growing churches, entrepreneurial skill, and a relentless activism to improve ourselves and our society. A living, vital, and personal relationship with God, a relationship that floods the heart and mind as it did the psalmists and so many others in the Bible and in our historywell its hard to find that among us today. (Next week: Rethinking what the church is about. Hint: Its not about being missional.) Mark Galli is editor in chief of Christianity Today. If you want to be alerted to these essays as they appear, subscribe to The Galli Report. Blessing bikes, planting flags: What churches are doing to celebrate Memorial Day Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States centered on remembering members of the U.S. Armed Forces who have died. In addition to the usual festivities of parades, gatherings, and the decorations of graves, churches across the country have their own ways of observing the solemn holiday. First Baptist Church of Dallas held a remembrance service on Sunday. We will take a moment in the service to remember those who have given their lives to protect our nation, Pastor Robert Jeffress told CP on Friday via email. After verbally acknowledging their sacrifice, Taps will be played and a prayer will be offered for the families of our military men and women who have died in the service of our country. Jeffress also told CP that FBC Dallas has an annual service with a focus on American nationalism called Freedom Sunday, which is scheduled to take place on June 30. We will dedicate the entire service to celebrating our freedom as Americans and as Christians, continued Jeffress, whose congregation has garnered controversy in the past for the patriotic themes of the service. In addition to the inspiring patriotic and inspirational music, we will recognize all who have served in all branches of the military. Our guest speaker that day will be Lt. Col. Oliver North who will share his Christian testimony. The Washington National Cathedral, a prominent Episcopal Church congregation in the nations capital, held a Blessing of the Bikes event early Friday evening. The event was created in 2014 and held as a way to welcome participants of the Rolling Thunder motorcycle gathering who were traveling to the area for the holiday weekend. Included on the agenda was a brief service with a two-bell ceremony. From there, attendees departed for a candlelight vigil held at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Ruth Frey, director of programs at Washington National Cathedral, told CP in a 2015 interview that the annual event reminds them that we cannot fully recognize and honor the living without also remembering those who have been lost. This event with Rolling Thunder is part of the Cathedral's ongoing initiative to recognize and pay tribute to veterans, to offer a sacred space for spiritual healing, and to educate the civilian public about the experience of veterans and the challenges they and their families face when returning home, said Frey at the time. This years Blessing of the Bikes might be the final one, as the Military Times is reporting that Rolling Thunder will not return in 2020. In Alabama, one church annually puts down thousands of small American flags on its property to remember the soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2003. Grace Place Church of Enterprise places around 7,000 American flags on its lawn, with volunteers showing up earlier in the week to plant the banners. In an interview with CP in 2014, when the church first created this display, former Grace Place Pastor Donny Thrasher explained that it was meant to "remind our congregation that freedom isn't free, that it often is paid for with the lives of our military." Our church really got behind this project; from paying for the flags to putting out the flags today, said Thrasher at the time. Many of those who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan sponsored flags with donations and dozens of them were present today to put out the flags. Thrasher also told CP in 2014 that he felt it was "very important" that churches in America remember the men and women who gave their lives for their country. "No people in the world are as free as we are to worship without fear of reprisal; and that freedom to worship and serve our Lord and Savior is protected and paid for by our military. Memorial Day is about remembering those who paid for it with their life," noted Thrasher. Backstreet Boy Brian Littrell says Casting Crowns frontman is one of his biggest inspirations Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Brian Littrell, a member of the world renowned pop band The Backstreet Boys, says Casting Crowns frontman Mark Hall has been an inspiration to him in every way. Its good to have friends in high places!!! Hall wrote on an Instagram post on Sunday, along with a photo of a text message conversation between him and Littrell. In their text messages to each other, which was visible in the photograph, Hall initiated the conversation by contacting the pop superstar because some of his younger friends had asked him who was the most famous person he knew. Hall said it was Littrell but they didnt believe him so he decided to prove it by sending him a text. After receiving a response from the Backstreet Boy, Hall wrote, Much love to you Brian Littrell, along with the hashtag, yea I'm friends with a backstreet boy. Littrell texted Hall back and said the band is currently on tour in Germany but extended a VIP invite to their Atlanta show for Hall and his friends, who are most likely apart of the Christian leaders youth ministry in Georgia, if they want to go. In the comment section of Hall's Instagram page, Littrell also took the opportunity to publicly express his admiration for the worship artist. Love you Mark ... Love what you do and how you serve, Littrell wrote. You are an inspiration in every way, both on and off the stage, he continued. Both Hall and Littrell have shared their Christian faith with fans on social media. And Littrell once released a solo Christian album titled Welcome Home while performing with the Backstreet Boys. The album peaked at No. 74 on the Billboard 200 and No. 3 on the Christian charts and has sold over 100,000 copies. In 2015, the Backstreet Boys toured Israel and visited religious sites named in the Bible. During the trip, Littrell and his wife, Leighanne, decided to be baptized in the Jordan River. Littrell told fans at the Ra'Anana Amphitheatre in Israel that the trip also served as a spiritual experience. "Walked the Via Dolorosa today in Jerusalem. The feeling is unlike any other. What a moving/emotional experience. 'It is finished' He (Jesus) said." Littrell wrote along with a picture of his baptism. Christian mom let son decide his religion; he chose Islam, joined ISIS Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Canadian mom Christianne Boudreau let her son Damian explore other faiths as he grew up in Calgary, Alberta. I have always been a firm believer that somebodys faith is their own personal journey and they need to find what works for them, she says. She and her husband divorced when Damian was 10. After the divorce she discovered her husband was an atheist, something he hid during their marriage. But she doesnt think her husbands lack of faith had any influence on her son. Christianne lost Damians younger brother to crib death in 2001. That nearly destroyed me, she recalls. I went through depression. I went through anger; I went through hating God. I was put on medication but it did nothing. Only when I reunited myself with my faith again, did I find the strength to put my life back together and move forward. I had to go within myself and rely on my faith, to find the strength to put one foot in front of the other. She attends Central United Church, part of the United Church of Canada, a welcoming and inclusive organization. In their statement of beliefs, they say: The Bible is the shared standard for our faith, but members are not required to adhere to any particular creed or formulation of doctrine. A few years after the divorce, Damian began to resist Christianity. By the time he was 14 he started questioning my beliefs and started questioning the Bible said there were too many contradictions, and it didnt sit well with him. He said there were too many hypocrites in the church and he had difficulty with that. He stopped coming to church with me. After exploring other faiths, Damian converted to Islam when he was 17. Initially, Christiannes attitude was supportive. At least he found something to follow, his faith, something to identify as his own, she concluded. Then Damian moved out of the house and began to connect with other Muslims. All of a sudden everything started to change. By the time he was 20, his behavior became strict and stringent as far as his practices. He was pulling back into himself. The phone calls became very private; he would take them outside, she recounts. A couple times he got argumentative about religious beliefs. He wouldnt sit at the table anymore if there was a bottle of wine there. He refused to join the family for Christmas. Christianne admits to her naivete. I didnt understand what extremism was. I had heard of gangs before, but that was all I had been introduced to. I studied cults in school, but didnt recognize this was what was happening to him. It saw it potentially as another shift. He had gone through some depression and I was afraid he was beginning to get into depression again. His agitation and anger confused her. I thought he would find his way again and I needed to have patience. In November 2012, Damian left Canada for Egypt, ostensibly to study Arabic and become an imam. To me, anybody at that higher level of the faith, that is a good thing, she reasoned. Christianne received an email letting her know he arrived safely and was registering for school. I talked to him on a regular basis. He said the food upset his stomach and he missed my home cooking. We joked around. He said studying was going well. He had made some friends. Everything was going fine. On November 23rd, 2012 they talked. At the time, the Syrian civil war was raging and protests had erupted in Cairo after President Morsis government announced the president had been granted unlimited powers. Im concerned about the chaos going on in Cairo, she told her son. Dont worry, Im nowhere near the city of Cairo, he reassured her. They spoke by phone a month later and then there was complete silence. In January 2013 Christianne received a phone call from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) inquiring about her son. Im sorry, Hes not here; hes away in Egypt studying right now, she told them. We have some concerns, the man on the phone began, as Christiannes knees suddenly got weak. They showed up on her doorstep and started asking a lot of questions. This doesnt pertain to him because hes in Egypt studying Arabic, she protested. Here is the thing, one of the men leveled with her. Weve been watching him for nearly two years. We feel hes gone to join a terrorist organization. He is not in Egypt. He was flown into Turkey and has since crossed the border into Syria. MORE Christianity in Iraq is 'close to extinction,' those left 'face martyrdom,' faith leader warns Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Christianity in Iraq is close to extinction and those who remain may face martyrdom, yet some Christian leaders in Britain refuse to condemn the atrocities perpetrated by Muslim extremists for fear of being accused of Islamophobia, the Archbishop of Irbil has said. During an address delivered in London, the Most Rev. Bashar Warda said Iraq's Christian population is down to just 250,000 an 83% decrease in population since the United States invasion of Iraq, according to the BBC. Christianity in Iraq," he said, one of the oldest churches, if not the oldest church in the world, is perilously close to extinction. Those of us who remain must be ready to face martyrdom." While the Islamic State terrorist group was driven from its last stronghold in Iraq earlier this year, religious structures and homes belonging to Christian families have been destroyed and thousands of families have not returned, he stressed. "Our tormentors confiscated our present," he said, "while seeking to wipe out our history and destroy our future. In Iraq there is no redress for those who have lost properties, homes and businesses. Tens of thousands of Christians have nothing to show for their life's work, for generations of work, in places where their families have lived, maybe, for thousands of years." The archbishop, who has been outspoken about the plight of Christians in his country, also said Britain's Christian leaders are so concerned with "political correctness" they refuse to speak out against the atrocities committed against Christians in Iraq at the hands of Muslim extremists. "Will you continue to condone this never-ending, organized persecution against us?" he asked. "When the next wave of violence begins to hit us, will anyone on your campuses hold demonstrations and carry signs that say 'We are all Christians'?" Warning Christians are facing our end in the land of our ancestors, Warda said, the entire world faces a moment of truth. "Will a peaceful and innocent people be allowed to be persecuted and eliminated because of their faith? And, for the sake of not wanting to speak the truth to the persecutors, will the world be complicit in our elimination?" The BBC notes that the outlook for Christians remains bleak in Iraq, as tensions between Sunni and Shia Muslims persist and there are still IS fighters hiding out in parts of the country. Iraq is ranked No.13 on persecution watchdog group Open Doors USAs 2019 World Watch List of the top 50 countries in the world where Christians face the most extreme persecution for their faith. In October, the U.S. Agency International Development announced it would partner with the nation's leading Catholic fraternal organization, Knights of Columbus, to help bolster the rebuilding of beleaguered communities in Iraq. The goal of the agreement is to "facilitate partnerships to help communities in the Middle East recover from genocide and persecution" and connect the agency with local faith and community leaders to help deliver aid rapidly to persecuted Christian communities. Joseph Cullen, the spokesperson for the Knights of Columbus, told The Christian Post that the organization has so far committed more than $25 million in support of persecuted Christians and those in their care in the Middle East. This, he said, has provided food, clothing, shelter, education, medical care, building or rebuilding of homes and other services. While it is always important for Christians in the United States and elsewhere to continue to support their brothers and sisters who are being persecuted or suffering from the effects of persecution, it is all the more important today, when these communities could literally cease to exist, he emphasized. Likewise, U.S. government support for those communities targeted for genocide in the Middle East including Christians remains crucial, both in terms of projects that benefit these communities, and in terms of support for their security, which has been imperiled most recently by militia groups in Northern Iraq. Speaking at Proclaim 19, the National Religious Broadcasters International Christian Media Convention on March 26, U.S. religious freedom Ambassador Sam Brownback declared that religious freedom is a top foreign policy priority for this administration. We believe this is a universal and natural right, he said at the event attended by CP. Every day, I get to work on behalf of the persecuted around the world, he said, adding that America is in a unique spot to advocate for the persecuted around the world. 'Conversion Therapy' Warnings Are 'Fake News,' Pulse Nightclub Shooting Survivor Says Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment WASHINGTON A survivor of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, believes it's time for Christians to exchange "church Christianity" for "lifestyle Christianity," and that the mainstream media narrative about "conversion therapy" amounts to "fake news." At the Freedom March, a gathering of men and women who shared their stories of abandoning the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer lifestyles and identity labels, which occurred at the Sylvan Theatre next to the Washington Monument Saturday, Luis Javier Ruiz, who survived the June 2016 massacre at the Pulse nightclub, began his speech by kneeling and proclaiming forgiveness. "I come as a pastor's child to ask forgiveness of the Church. Because we have kicked out, we have thrown [LGBTQ persons] out, including myself, and I want to ask [for] forgiveness, and I want to welcome the LGBTQ, I want to welcome anybody to come into the Church, to come worship in a safe place." "Maybe we didn't know how to do it back in the days, but we sure do now. The Holy Spirit is pouring out. And He is raising up a generation with boldness. And I just want to thank Him ... my identity is Jesus." Ruiz no longer lives or identifies as a homosexual. He explained that he lost many friends at the Pulse nightclub that night in Orlando, and described the massacre as one of the scariest events of his life. Ruiz stressed that those who hold hateful signs and express hate for homosexuals are "not us." "We love," he said, "and the same love that Jesus gave us when He forgives us on the cross, He also does the same for anybody." Those in attendance were marching to proclaim their freedom from all kinds of issues, not just from homosexuality, he went on to say. Ruiz then prayed for God to raise up a generation who will be bold, for men and women who would not compromise nor water down the Word of God, for people to love others radically, and for a revival to be ignited in Washington, D.C. He told The Christian Post in an interview following his talk that life in Christ is about "falling in love with Him in that secret place and allowing Him to take things off of you, whatever they may be, however they may look." "The Holy Spirit and Jesus will be the only ones to tell you what you can and cannot do. And of course, reading the Word, because He is the Word," he said. When asked what he would like to communicate most and what God's heart is for the LBGT community, he said: "I feel like God's heart right now is that he wants your heart. He wants to fall in love with you." "You are His creation, you are His child, no matter what you're going through. And I believe that as soon as you forget about everything and fall in love with Christ deeply, everything is going to change. It's going to cause you to come out [of the LGBTQ life], and His perfect love that will cast out fear, and boldness." He added that too many Christians tend to live a "church kind" of Christian faith, "but God is calling us to lifestyle Christianity, and you can only find that and only do that through Christ." CP asked Ruiz what he makes of the media coverage about him no longer identifying as gay, particularly the reports emphasizing the harms of what is often referred to as "conversion therapy." "What's that?" he replied with a laugh. "Honestly, I don't know what that is. I've never been through conversion therapy. I've been through Holy Spirit therapy. That's the only [kind] I know. All they are trying to do is, I think, it's lies. It's fake people and fake news." "Jesus said 'Follow me.' He didn't give you a list of rules. He said: 'Follow me. So trust Him to do the rest." Freedom March organizer Jeffrey McCall, who once lived as a gay male prostitute and then as a transwoman named Scarlett, commented to CP following the event that the Freedom March was "a public declaration, a public pushback against darkness in not only our capital but our country," in the spiritual realm. "It was a public pushback that people can be free not only from homosexuality and transgender lives but from anything. That it is through the power of the Holy Spirit, and it's through the grace of Jesus Christ of Nazareth." "The heart of God for LGBTQ people is the same that it is for all people. His heart loves them, and He wants all of them. And [what] I want to say to them is: you're so special, you are worth more than rubies and jewels and diamonds." "This is the Gospel for all people." New York Theological Seminary names female megachurch leader as president, a first in 119 years Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment NEW YORK The Rev. LaKeesha Walrond, executive pastor of the 10,000-member First Corinthian Baptist Church in Harlem, has been named as the first female president of the 119-year-old New York Theological Seminary. She will also be the 12th president of the seminary when she steps into the role on June 3. My hope is to work collaboratively with the faculty, staff, students and board members to make NYTS a world renowned theological institution for preparing students for urban ministry, Walrond said in a statement. The more I learn about the history of New York Theological Seminary, the more I appreciate its vision not just for the future of theological education, but for societal matters including education for incarcerated people," she said. "The former administrations set a bar that I will strive each day to surpass, as I challenge myself and the NYTS community to make this historic and revered seminary greater and grander." Walrond earned her Ph.D. in special education and literacy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2005. Her other academic credits include a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary where she also serves on the board of trustees. The NYTS has a strong commitment to ministry and mission and boasts a diverse student body from different cultural and denominational traditions. Jeffrey C. Slade, chair of the presidential search committee and vice-chair of the seminarys board of trustees, said he is confident Walrond will lead the school to higher heights. NYTS is truly blessed to have found such a dynamic and well-prepared leader. Rev. LaKeesha Walrond combines extraordinary vision and understanding of the importance of seminary education to ministry with solid, successful administrative experience directing major organizations. I have no doubt that she will lead the school to new heights and great success, he said. Walrond will replace Dale T. Irvin, who in addition to leading the seminary, serves as a professor of world Christianity. In a note to the school community announcing his decision to step down from the helm of the NYTS in March, Irwin, who served in the position for 13 years, said faith continued to be a strong factor in the city but is now being reflected in new and more diverse ways. Looking back on the impact these last 13 years have had on me, I can say confidently that the answer is yes, there is still much faith to be found on Earth, at least as far as those parts of the world where my work has taken me, he said. The faith of our NYTS leaders, faith communities, and wider city population is as strong and as enduring as ever. We are clearly living through a time of change in which faith is taking on new forms and more diverse expressions. I see new leadership emerging, often from places considered too marginal to the overall life of the city. I see the divine being manifested in ever new and engaging ways, Irwin added. Walronds husband, Michael A. Walrond Jr., is senior pastor at First Corinthian Baptist Church. He also serves as a trustee and adjunct faculty member of Chicago Theological Seminary and chairs The Board of Visitors at Duke University Divinity School. Just over a year ago, he came under fire from conservative Christians for telling his congregants that the belief that Jesus is the only way to Heaven is "insanity." "There was a time when you would see people in the pulpit say, 'well, if you don't believe in Jesus you going to Hell. That's insanity in many ways because that is not what Jesus even believes. And so the key is you believe in God. And whatever your path is to God I celebrate that. Personally I celebrate that," he said. Theology, religious studies at risk at UK universities, British Academy warns Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Theology and religious studies in British higher education is suffering a major decline, according to an educational group that specializes in humanities and social sciences. The London-based British Academy recently released a report titled Theology and Religious Studies Provision in U.K. Higher Education, which found that there were approximately 6,500 fewer students enrolled in theology and religious studies courses in higher education during the 2017-2018 academic year than in 2011-2012. While the study and research of theology and religion remains an attractive area for many, it has seemingly fallen foul of the many challenges faced by the higher education sector, and particularly since the reforms to fees and funding in 2012: the number of students studying theology and religious studies degrees has fallen by a third, noted the reports Foreword. Fewer students means additional pressures on schools and departments to demonstrate their worth or face closure. The U.K.s specialist theological institution, Heythrop College, founded in 1614, closed its doors in 2018 after over 400 years of teaching. The report also found that there was a significant gender gap and age gap when comparing theology and religious studies with other fields. Women made up 37% of academic staff in theology and religious studies, versus 53% for similar humanities subjects. While the average age for academic staff in theology and religious studies was 47, in the fields of philosophy, classics, and history the average age was 43. Professor Roger Kain, vice president of Research and Higher Education Policy at the British Academy and co-author of the report, said in a statement last week that the report came at a critical time for the academic field. Not only are the subjects popularity on the wane but the problem is confounded by the profile of their teaching staff, said Kain. if more ethnically and gender diverse groups do not rise through the ranks, there is a danger that these highly relevant disciplines disappear from our universities. Much has been made about the erosion of Christianity in the United Kingdom in recent times, as seen with declining membership and attendance, as well as large numbers of church closures. In February 2018, the U.K.-based research group YouGov released a report in which respondents ranked religious studies as one of the least important subjects students should learn in school. YouGov surveyed about 1,600 Brits on what they considered the most important subjects taught in school, including drama, music, religious studies and physical education. YouGov found that only 12% labeled religious studies "very important," with the majority saying it was either "not very important" or "not at all important." The only subjects ranked lower than religious studies were drama at 8%, classics at 7%, and Latin at the very bottom with 3%. Supreme Court declines to hear challenge to school transgender bathroom policy Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to a Pennsylvania school districts policy of allowing students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that correspond with their gender identity rather than their biological sex. In an order released Tuesday, the high court denied an appeal in Doe, Joel, et al. v. Boyertown Area School, et al., allowing a lower court's decision in favor of the school district to stand, thus allowing boys who identify as female to enters girls' bathrooms, locker rooms and showers, and vice versa. The Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative law firm representing a group of students suing the school district over the policy, denounced the Supreme Courts denial of appeal. ADF Senior Counsel and Vice President of Appellate Advocacy, John Bursch, said in a statement released Tuesday that he believed the decision ignored the privacy rights of students. No students recognized right to bodily privacy should be made contingent on what other students believe about their own gender. Because the Third Circuits decision made a mess of bodily privacy and Title IX principles, we believe the Supreme Court should have reviewed it, stated Bursch. But we hope the court will take up a similar case in the future to bring much needed clarity to how the lower courts should handle violations of well-established student privacy rights. The American Civil Liberties Union, a progressive legal group that intervened in the case, celebrated the upholding of the lower court's decision. This is an enormous victory for transgender students across the country, said Ria Tabacco Mar, senior staff attorney with the ACLU LGBT & HIV Project, in a statement released Tuesday. This lawsuit sought to reverse that hard-won progress by excluding transgender students from school facilities that other students use. That would have increased the stigma and discrimination that transgender students already face. In 2016, the Boyertown Area School District decided to allow students to use the bathrooms and locker room facilities that corresponded with their gender identity rather than their biological sex. The move came not long after the Obama administration issued a guidance demanding that public schools pursue similar measures. The Trump administration rescinded the guidance. In response to the school's actions following the Obama administration's guidance, a group of students sued the school district, arguing that the policy violated their privacy, as it allowed boys to enter the girls' private facilities. A district court ruled in favor of the school district and last July, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit upheld the lower court ruling. we conclude that, under the circumstances here, the presence of transgender students in the locker and restrooms is no more offensive to constitutional or Pennsylvania-law privacy interests than the presence of the other students who are not transgender, concluded the panel. Last November, the ADF filed an appeal to the Supreme Court, arguing in part that the Third Circuit's panel decision was faulty because the high court has long recognized the need for separating male and female students in locker rooms, restrooms, and showers. Forcing a teenager to share a locker room or restroom with a member of the opposite sex can cause embarrassment and distress, particularly for students who have been victims of sexual assault, stated the appeal. Fathers must take charge of their sons' sexual education, resist 'toxic' sex ed: scholar Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment WASHINGTON Fathers must take stewardship of their sons' sexual lives and understand that nefarious forces have long been at work to dismantle the family, warns Pat Fagan, a Catholic scholar of marriage and family. During a panel discussion at the Watchmen on the Wall National briefing on Thursday, Fagan, director of the Marriage and Religion Research Institute, which is based at The Catholic University of America, unpacked the history and key players who advocated for abolishing the family unit, particularly the push to take down fathers. "When we have weak men, our children are not protected," Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council who moderated the panel, said in his opening remarks. He further noted that there is an all-out "assault" on masculinity. Alongside two other panelists, Fagan began his comments by noting that "on every single outcome the federal government researches, the more people worship the more you get of the positive things on every single outcome: education, happiness, income, savings, longevity, health," he said. "Family structure, same thing," he added. When mom and dad are married raising their own kids together, the statistics reveal the best results. "In total, on every single outcome in this country, and this should be used in every debate at every level of government. The in-tact married family that worships God weekly on everything, does best, adults and kids, no exception. And those who deny it, don't know the data," Fagan said. The same holds true internationally, he continued, "including, most especially, sexual satisfaction." "The Left has sex totally wrong, totally wrong," he emphasized. Two sexual revolutions have ravaged families over the centuries, the scholar elaborated. When the Christian faith first spread across Europe what traveled with it were in-tact families and marriages. "Marriage was for life, divorce was not present. I'm sure some did it, but everybody knew to be a Christian was to be married [for life]. And with that came tremendous strength. And now with the retreat from marriage and the guidance of the social sciences we can see how much weaker that means. So the old rise of Europe as an international power and a great civilization depended on marriage, which was Christ's gift," Fagan continued. The French Revolution was the beginning of the modern assault on the institution of marriage, which at one stage there was a prostitute on the high altar of the cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris with an orgy party occurring around her consisting of the revolutionary leaders, he explained. In subsequent decades, Marx and Engels with their international socialist endeavors identified the family and religion as the main obstacles that stood in their way. In 1919, when Vladmir Lenin took over Russia, marriage was abolished; it was reinstituted a decade later due to the social chaos. And that same chaos, which the contemporary Left is presently pushing, will grow in the United States and will destroy the social fabric, he stressed. In 1923, Marxist intellectuals in Germany set up the Institute for Social Research, also known as the "Frankfurt School," and many of them eventually migrated to Columbia University in New York. They were asked by Lenin how the West could be defeated from within since the proletariat was supposedly never going to rise up. They figured out that to undermine Western society, the family and marriage had to be chief targets. Among their ranks were feminist Marxists like Kate Millett, author of Sexual Politics, and Shulamith Firestone, author of The Dialectic of Sex, both of whom were influential thought leaders and instrumental in groups like the National Organization for Women and other feminist groups. Fagan recounted how, around the time of the founding of NOW, they convened for several weeks and began their meetings with Millett, who chaired the gatherings, asking: "Why are we here today?" to which they would respond "To make revolution." "What kind of revolution?" she replied. "The Cultural Revolution," they would say in response. "And how do we make Cultural Revolution" Millett then asked. "By destroying the American family!" the women said. "How do we destroy the family?" she pressed them. They replied: "By destroying the American Patriarch." The chanting continued as the women resolved to destroy the father by taking away his power. They would do that by destroying monogamy by promoting promiscuity, eroticism, prostitution, and homosexuality. "These were all brilliant women, Oxford degrees, Columbia degrees," Fagan said of the NOW founders. Through their efforts and influence, women's studies centers were established at elite universities and proliferated throughout the nation. He emphasized: "The man is the target. The father in the family, father is the target. Take him out and the family collapses, society collapses. We can see that happening. This is by design. What will it collapse into? Exactly what Lenin asked for." "How do you collapse the West from within? Short answer: Destroy the father. How do you that? Sex gone wild. Us guys are suckers for it. Every single one of us in this room knows that," he told the crowd. "It's very easy to be tempted. It's very easy to fall." Amid the breakdown of manhood and the scourge of fatherless homes, Christians must be about solutions, the panelists asserted. "The way forward is articulated by our Lord Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity who came to save us, but who also came to reveal man to himself," Fagan said. Jesus changed the paradigm of the Old Testament, and raised the standard, he said, forbidding both divorce and even looking at a woman lustfully. "Followers of Christ, you and everyone you preach to, are called to ... celibacy. You are called to celibacy, all your children, everyone else. Some, a few, for life. The majority 'til marriage." "What we need now," he said, "are fathers who will take over the sexual education and formation of their sons, and they'll have to take it over themselves in the home, because everything else out there is toxic, in the schools and all the rest. So they've got to step up to the plate ... we need warriors." Such warriors, he continued, are the ones who will go to the school systems hellbent on indoctrinating their sons with ungodly sexual dogma and refuse to allow them to be corrupted and say: "He's mine, and I'm going to make a man of him. A real man who will be a fantastic husband, and I'll teach him how. He will be a great lover of his wife, sexually and in every other way, and then will be a great father. And that's my vocation, that's my calling. I brought him into life sexually. Nobody else here can claim that." "You say it to the school board, you say it the principal, you say it to the teacher: He's mine. Keep your hands off him," Fagan stressed. "Preach that," he emphasized to the pastors in the audience. Church attack in Burkina Faso leaves four dead A Catholic church in Burkina Faso was attacked during Mass last Sunday, leaving four dead. Heavily armed men storm the church in Toulfe, in the north of the country, and opened fire on worshippers in yet another church attack in the country. Two people were injured. Bishop Justin Kientega, of Ouahigouya, told Vatican News that it was "a terrorist attack". It follows an attack during a religious procession in Zimtenga a week earlier and an attack on a church in Dablo in which six people, including the priest, died. A separate attack on a Protestant church in nearby Silgadji last month also killed six people, among them the priest and his son. Although no one has claimed responsibility for the latest attack, Islamist militants have become increasingly active in the country, with terrorist groups operating across the Sahel region, including in neighbouring Mali. The spate of attacks is threatening to unravel years of peaceful relations between Muslims and Christians in the country. Bishop Theophile Nare, of the neighboring Kaya Diocese, told Vatican News that Christians do not want to be caught up in violence. He said the attacks on the church were "the work of a radicalised group of Muslims". "I see this as part of jihadists' strategy, which is to inflame tensions between [the Christian and Muslim] communities through their actions," he said. "I think the driving vision is to spark war that is inter-ethnic, inter-religious, and inter-communal." The violence has caused many Christians to seek safety in the south of the country, while in some places, churches and schools have closed. A local church leader who asked to be unnamed for security reasons recently told Open Doors: "Christians are in hiding. No one dares to sleep in his house because of the fear of being killed. It's very hard for us. We need your prayers." Houston could see its economy expand more than any metro area in the state, adding more than $106 billion in economic output over the next five years, but the gains will come at a slower pace than faster-growing Dallas and Austin, according to a recent analysis by the Perryman Group, a Texas economic consulting firm. The economy in the Houston-Woodlands-Sugar Land area is projected to grow 3.84 percent in each of the next five years, according to Perryman Group projections, outpacing both the state and nation's projected rates. The local economy is expected to add 341,400 jobs over the period. Mining and information technologies are projected to be the fastest-growing sectors, expected to grow at a pace of 4.88 percent and 4.63 percent, respectively. The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for a man who vanished near an offshore drilling platform in the Gulf Coast near Louisiana. The Coast Guard's New Orleans office was notified at about 6:26 a.m. Wednesday morning that a 54-year-old man was in the water near Renaissance Offshore's Eugene Island 331 platform into the Gulf of Mexico. The platform is located about 75 nautical miles from Vermilion Bay, Louisiana, according to a release from the Coast Guard Wednesday afternoon. The platform's operators are working with Coast Guard helicopter, plane and boat crew to find the man. GULF OF MEXICO: As energy world focuses on Permian, Gulf of Mexico activity picking up The man was last seen performing rounds on the rig before vanishing, a Coast Guard spokesman said. His next of kin have been notified but the Coast Guard is not releasing the man's name or identifying characteristics for now at the family's request. It's not clear how the man ended up in the water. The cause of the incident is under investigation, the agency said. Renaissance Offshore spokesman Jay Morakis said the company is actively engaging in the search but doesn't have additional information to report "beyond that a worker has been confirmed missing and that the Coast Guard has commenced a search to find him." "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and we ask that you respect their privacy while the search is ongoing. We are actively working with the Coast Guard, and when we do have more information, we will share it when it is appropriate to do so," Morakis said in a statement to the Chronicle. Renaissance Offshore is a Houston-based oil and gas producer focused on offshore drilling off Mexico and the U.S. Gulf Coast. The company was founded in December 2011, to buy and develop legacy oil fields in the Gulf of Mexico, according to Renaissance's website. Between 2012 and 2014 Renaissance grew substantially with the acquisition of sixteen Gulf of Mexico producing fields. Renaissance said it has 130 employees and contractors, including five contractors running the Eugene Island 331 platform involved in Wednesday's incident. FUELFIX: Houston energy industry news delivered to your email. Sign up at HoustonChronicle.com Exxon Mobil and Chevron faced protests Wednesday from environmental activists and some of their own investors at their annual meetings, but shareholders still shot down proposals pushing for greater climate change transparency and accountability. The United States' two largest energy companies have received mounting criticism for lagging behind their European peers like Royal Dutch Shell, BP and Total for not standing as firm on resolutions regarding the contributions of fossil fuels on climate change. Shell went a step further and recently linked executive pay to carbon emission reduction goals. Earlier this month, BP, which also faced protestors, agreed to a proposal to disclose how its business plans align with the 2015 Paris climate accord. On the other hand, last month, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said Irving-based Exxon Mobil could block a similar proposal from even appearing on the ballot. Still, Exxon Mobil Chairman and Chief Executive Darren Woods was given some reason to worry. A resolution seeking to create an independent chairperson failed, but received 41 percent of the vote. A similar proposal half the country away at California-based Chevron garnered 26 percent. "I would say this is a shot across the bow, especially for Exxon," said Sandeep Dahiya, a business professor at Georgetown University. "You're beginning to see more of the bigger institutional investors behind some of these proposals." Two years ago though, shareholders defied Exxon management and approved a resolution for Exxon to report its climate-related business risks. The European oil majors may not be doing enough, but they feel much more pressure to align themselves with the Paris agreement goal of keeping a global temperature rise below 2-degrees Celsius by 2100, said Rob Schuwerk, North American director for the Carbon Tracker Initiative. "In the U.S., we don't see that yet," Schuwerk said. "We see a lot of resistance to taking responsibility for the emissions from their products." While Exxon and Chevron both announced new emissions reduction plans in recent months, Exxon Mobil shareholders on Wednesday still rejected climate-related resolutions, with none receiving more than 30 percent support. One resolution, asking to create a climate change committee, didn't even garner 10 percent of the votes. Darren Woods though did reiterate Exxon's support for a carbon tax to help incentivize emissions reductions. But he argued that global energy demand will keep growing and the world will need more fossil fuels for electricity, transportation and much more. Exxon is working to produce the oil, gas and fuel much more cleanly, he said. RELATED: Exxon Mobil investing $100M in national labs for emissions reductions "We're doing our part to fulfill society's dual challenge," Woods said, referencing the demand for more, but cleaner energy. Edward Mason, head of responsible investment at the Church Commissioners for England, was sharply critical of Exxon at the meeting, arguing that Exxon's progress is "painfully slow" and lagging woefully behind its European rivals on climate change. Natasha Lamb, of Arjuna Capital, challenged Exxon's assessment that more, not less, oil and gas will be needed in the future. "Climate change poses an emergency threat to the human race, the global economy and the future of our company," Lamb said. Responding to the criticism, Woods highlighted Exxon's emission-reduction progress, its work on algae-based biofuels and its efforts to develop more carbon-capture technologies. Exxon, headquartered in Irving, has received scrutiny in recent years, including facing accusations which the company has denied that it knew about the climate repercussions of its business in the 1980s but hid the evidence. Within the past couple of years, both Exxon Mobil and Chevron have taken steadily stronger stances acknowledging the risks of climate change and have implemented steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollution from their operations. Exxon pledged a broader effort to reduce its methane emissions by 15 percent worldwide by 2020. It also withdrew last year from the American Legislative Exchange Council, known as ALEC, which has pushed a conservative agenda within state governments for more than 45 years, including fighting many environmental regulations. Chevron opted to remain a member of ALEC. Exxon, Chevron and others last year said they formed a new methane emissions consortium focused on reducing the release of greenhouse gas, called the Collaboratory to Advance Methane Science, nicknamed CAMS. And Exxon Mobil said earlier this month it would invest about $100 million over 10 years in emissions-reduction technologies at some of the nation's top energy research labs. A liquefied natural gas project waiting for its first contract and a final investment decision is getting a multimillion tax break in the Pelican State. Louisiana Economic Development officials gave LNG Limited's proposed Magnolia LNG export terminal in Lake Charles a five-year deal under the state's Industrial Tax Exemption Program. Under its agreement with state leaders, LNG Limited has pledged to invest $3.2 billion during the first phase of the project. A maximum investment would be worth an estimated $50.2 million in property tax exemptions during the first year, state officials confirmed. Magnolia LNG is expected to create 1,500 construction jobs and 200 permanent jobs once complete. "Louisiana leads the U.S. as an exporter of liquefied natural gas, and the Magnolia LNG project will extend our state's production and technology leadership in this vitally important energy market," Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said in statement. Downstream: U.S. gas exports hit by China tariffs as trade war escalates An Australian company with its principal office in Houston, LNG Limited received a federal permit for its Magnolia LNG project in April 2016. The 115-acre facility along the Calcasieu Ship Channel is authorized to build four production units that will make a combined 8.8 million tons of LNG per year. LNG Limited is still waiting on its first supply contracts and a final investment decision, but Louisiana state officials said the company has already expressed interest in a second tax deal that would be based on another $1.5 billion of investment during the second phase of the project. "We are aware of our corporate responsibility to the State of Louisiana and particularly the Lake Charles area, and we will continue to support the community through job creation and community involvement as Magnolia moves toward a final investment decision," LNG Limited Chief Executive Greg Vesey said in a statement. Fuel Fix: Get daily energy news headlines in your inbox With little revenue until it has working projects, LNG Limited posted a $5.5 million loss during the first quarter but maintains more than $19.8 million in cash reserves. Over the past eight years, the LNG industry has brought $39.5 billion of private investment to Louisiana and created thousands of jobs, state figures show. Magnolia LNG and other projects pending permit approval or final investment decisions are expected to bring another $51.8 billion of investment to the Pelican State. There was something for everyone heading out and about on Memorial Day weekend in Texas. In Houston, we dropped by the Chocolate and Art Show in downtown Houston where attendees enjoyed exactly that. For $15, guests could peruse all sorts of local underground art, food, beverages and chocolate fondue. From left, McKaley Miller and Octavia Spencer in the film "Ma." (Anna Kooris/Universal Pictures/TNS) Photo: Anna Kooris/Universal Pictures, HO / TNS Photo: Anna Kooris/Universal Pictures, HO / TNS As a movie villain, the titular mischief-maker of the psychological horror film Ma - an unhinged middle-aged enabler whose house becomes Party Central for a gaggle of teens looking for a place to drink illegally - has a hodgepodge of cinematic DNA. Part Annie Wilkes in Misery, part Joan Crawford in Mommie Dearest, shes also the spiritual heir of Alex Forrest in Fatal Attraction, Mrs. Robinson in The Graduate, both Carrie White and Margaret White in Carrie, and Baby Jane Hudson in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? Yes, there is someone in a wheelchair. As rendered by Octavia Spencer (you read that right), the character of Sue Ann - or Ma, as her underage friends call her after she buys them booze and insists they drink it in her spooky basement - is also entirely herself: original, crazy, yet grounded in the kind of straight-faced acting that Spencer is known for. That doesnt mean the actress cant find ways to have fun with the part. Sue Ann, who gradually reveals a dark backstory that informs her increasingly deranged behavior, deserves to enter the pantheon of campy creeps that includes the above performances. NEW FILMS: 'Godzilla,' 'Rocketman' and more new releases, on HoustonChronicle.com. Ma Rated R: For violent and disturbing material, crude language throughout, sexual material, teen drug and alcohol use. Running time: 99 minutes ***1/2 (out of 5) The movie Ma, on the other hand, is not destined for such distinction. Director Tate Taylor, the filmmaker who once guided Spencer to a supporting-actress Oscar in The Help, has created a B-movie fright fest that is well aware of - and even seems to revel in - its limitations. Written by Scotty Landes, a writer and producer of TV comedies, Ma is, at heart, an overly familiar story of terrorized teens, albeit one that manages to find a few new twists to that tired trope. The story centers on Maggie (Diana Silvers), a sweet 16-year-old who has just moved, with her newly divorced mother (Juliette Lewis), back to Moms Ohio hometown from California. Maggie quickly falls in with the clique of cool kids, who are befriended by Sue Ann after they go looking for an adult to purchase alcohol for their party van. At first, Sue Ann seems like kind of a sensible person: Ma doesnt want them drinking and driving; she encourages good manners, discourages swearing and warns Maggie to take it slow with her new boyfriend (Corey Fogelmanis). Boys only want one thing, Ma warns her. Uh-oh. But Sue Anns interest in her young charges turns out to be anything but motherly, as one of Maggies new friends (Dante Brown) seems to recognize, early on, when he observes, in a monster of understatement: We dont know this chick. That line was greeted with a big laugh at a preview screening, one of many guffaws that periodically swept the mixed crowd of horror fans and critics, a few of whom even seemed ready to meet the film where it was, and not where their refined sensibilities wished it to be. Like much of what Ma dispenses - other than, you know, the cocktails (and, later, much worse) - this is wise advice. Ma is not great storytelling, let alone great art. As it builds to its absurd, sometimes shockingly violent climax, Landes stuffs a bit too much plot - involving torture, veterinary tranquilizers and vehicular mayhem - into a tale that just cant sustain it. And the mix of flashbacks and revelations is sometimes handled clumsily. But Ma can, in the right frame of mind, be great fun. Mostly thats thanks to Spencer. She brings a memorable madness to Ma. If you forgot to send your mom a Mothers Day card this year, Sue Ann might make you glad to have escaped with your life. PREVIEW: Get experts picks for concerts, kids stuff, fine arts, movies and more delivered to your inbox weekly. The Battleship Texas will move from its historic site at the San Jacinto Battleground near La Porte, the head of the nonprofit that oversees the vessel said Wednesday. Bruce Bramlett, the executive director of the Battleship Texas Foundation, said a new site would provide more visitors and revenue. About 80,000 paid visitors per year visit the ship at the battleground, generating about $1.2 million in revenue, Bramlett said. "It's a losing proposition and frankly the state is tired of pouring money into it," said Bramlett. "It needs to be somewhere where it's going to track four or five times that many people." It is unclear where the battleship, which has been at the battleground site for more than 70 years, will go. Bramlett said it was too early to speculate, but he said the ship would go to a site that Houstonians could visit fairly easily. EDITORIAL: End the sinking feelings about the Battleship Texas. Join the conversation at HoustonChronicle.com "If it stays there, it's going to die there," Bramlett said of the east Harris County site. "It just doesn't work financially. It hasn't worked in years." State Rep. John Cyrier, R-Lockhart, recently suggested the battleship be moved to Galveston. The idea attracted some opposition. "I would really hate to see it moved," said La Porte's mayor, Louis Rigby, who grew up in the area and has been visiting Battleship Texas since he was a boy. "It's a part of Texas history just as much as the Alamo is." Cyrier said moving the battleship to Galveston, which has a larger tourist industry, would provide more visitors and could help pay for maintenance costs. Cyrier, R-Lockhart, is one of the House sponsors of Senate Bill 1511, which will provide the battleship with a new caretaker and send it to Alabama temporarily for repairs. The bill is awaiting Gov. Greg Abbott's signature. "I think everybody that looks at this, if they look at the numbers and look at the reasoning on bringing it to Galveston, I think they'll realize that's the best option to save this battleship," said Cyrier. Bramlett said he understands the emotional appeal of keeping the ship at its original site, but said moving it will be a better financial decision. "Sometimes in order to get what's best, you gotta relocate," said Bramlett. "Sadly, it's the same situation with the ship. It's all about location and this one doesn't work." Staff writer John Tedesco contributed to this report. Want to succeed as an engineer? A good first step might be to enter a beauty pageant, suggests Paromita Mitra, a former Miss Mississippi-USA who helps design NASAs next-generation space suits at Johnson Space Center. I dont think anything could have prepared me better, said the 27-year-old, who lives in League City but was born in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Mitra reigned as Miss Teen Mississippi-USA 2009 and Miss Mississippi-USA 2013 and competed in interview, swimsuit and evening gown events at the national finals for Miss Teen USA and Miss USA. There is a parallel to astronauts in the pageant world, said the first-generation immigrant. We also have to train extremely diligently. Pageants helped Mitra develop as an effective communicator, including the ideas she expressed in a 19-minute TEDx talk, What Beauty Pageants Taught Me About Engineering. Made through the nonprofit TED organization, the presentation can be viewed on YouTube. ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: All aboard for a special Chronicle project about the moon landing's 50th anniversary In the interview competition, Mitra said, You have to answer questions effectively, efficiently and quickly. In her job as a NASA human interface engineer, she said, I am constantly giving one- to three-minute pitches about innovative ideas that I think should be applied. Also, whenever she enters a conference room of creative professionals, Mitra draws upon another skill honed in pageants her emotional savvy to access the leadership hierarchy in the room or meeting. Mitra was 5 years old when her family moved from Bangladesh to the United States, where her father earned a doctorate at the University of Alabama in Birmingham. Education propelled him, said Mitra. My family really valued education as a means of ensuring success in the future. Growing up in the Deep South, she said, pageants were a way of life, a place for people to get dressed up. They clicked for her because judging also emphasized leadership and public speaking. LISTEN: The Chronicle's new space podcast is a blast from the past Mitra was a senior in high school when she was crowned Miss Teen Mississippi-USA 2009. As a student majoring in aerospace engineering at Mississippi State University, where she earned a masters degree, she returned to pageantry in 2012 and placed in the Top 12 at Miss Mississippi-USA. The next year, she won the state pageant. However, at nationals, Mitra never advanced to the semifinals, leaving her to feel that she let down her fans. In hindsight, 20/20, I wouldnt change a thing, said Mitra. I learned a lot as an ambassador for my state, and it was a growing experience. ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Want to be an astronaut? NASA's requirements have changed a bit in 60 years Pageants also cemented her desire to encourage other young women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Mitra believes her success as a NASA engineer can inspire other girls to pursue STEM careers. We should not have to separate beauty and brains, said Mitra, who moved to Houston in the summer of 2017 when she began her first internship at NASA. I absolutely love the city, she said. It has always been my goal to work in the hub of human space flight. I became a fulltime employee in December 2018 and I plan to spend the next 10 years working to be the best employee I can be. Don Maines is a freelance writer who can be reached at donmaines@att.net Google Maps An unknown male victim was pronounced dead at the scene of an auto pedestrian accident after he allegedly walked into a lane of traffic Wednesday morning in Galveston. The driver of a black Toyota Camry was traveling east bound on Avenue J near 53rd street around 5:40 a.m. when the male victim stepped out into a lane of traffic in front of the Camry, according to a release from the Galveston Police Department. SASEBO, Japan - Petty Officer 3rd Class Brianna Murray, a Houston native, said she wanted to take advantage of the militarys traveling opportunities at a young age while benefitting from the financial security, stability and free health care national service offers. I also really wanted to give back and be part of something greater than myself, she said. Now, two and a half years later and a world away, Murray serves aboard one of the Navys most dependable amphibious ships at Fleet Activities Sasebo, patrolling one of the worlds busiest maritime regions as part of U.S. 7th Fleet. One word: busy, she said. The one thing about an amphibious ship is it mixes all the missions into one. Aviation, deck, engineering, supply, they're all crunched together. In the future, people who have experience here will carry a high work ethic. Murray, a 2016 graduate of Madison High School, is a personnel specialist aboard the forward-deployed Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Ashland in Sasebo, Japan. Im the ship's serviceman workcenter supervisor, Murray said. Im the deputy disbursing officer, and the training and damage control petty officer for the division. Murray credits some success in the Navy to lessons learned in Houston. Being on the ship, it's okay to be tired, its okay to be stressed out, but at the end of the day, the work does have to get done, Murray said. Ive learned that I'm not the only one who feels pressure. It's good to work as a team. It's best to be a great follower, and work your way up to being a good leader. U.S. 7th Fleet spans more than 124 million square kilometers, stretching from the International Date Line to the India/Pakistan border; and from the Kuril Islands in the North to the Antarctic in the South. U.S. 7th Fleet's area of operations encompasses 36 maritime countries and 50 percent of the worlds population with between 50-70 U.S. ships and submarines, 140 aircraft, and approximately 20,000 sailors. Japan is beautiful, Murray said. After being here two and a half years, I still get a culture shock. There's always something new to do or see, and in the springtrime, it's exactly what you see on postcards. With more than 50 percent of the world's shipping tonnage and a third of the world's crude oil passing through the region, the United States has historic and enduring interests in this part of the world. The Navy's presence in Sasebo is part of that long-standing commitment. "The Navy is forward-deployed to provide security and strengthen relationships in a free and open Indo-Pacific. It's not just the ships and aircraft that have shown up to prevent conflict and promote peace," said Vice Adm. Phil Sawyer, commander, U.S. 7th Fleet. "It is, and will continue to be our people who define the role our Navy plays around the world. People who've made a choice, and have the will and strength of character to make a difference." USS Ashland is 610 feet long. The ship can travel at speed in excess of 20 nautical miles per hour. Ashland is one of eight Whidbey Island-class dock landing ships currently in service. The ships primary purpose is to launch equipment and personnel for amphibious missions. Approximately 22 officers and 390 enlisted men and women make up the ship's company. Their jobs are highly specialized and keep each part of the ship running smoothly. The jobs range from washing dishes and preparing meals to maintaining engines and handling weaponry. Serving in the Navy means Murray is part of a world that is taking on new importance in Americas focus on rebuilding military readiness, strengthening alliances and reforming business practices in support of the National Defense Strategy. A key element of the Navy the nation needs is tied to the fact that America is a maritime nation, and that the nations prosperity is tied to the ability to operate freely on the worlds oceans. More than 70 percent of the Earths surface is covered by water; 80 percent of the worlds population lives close to a coast; and 90 percent of all global trade by volume travels by sea. Our priorities center on people, capabilities and processes, and will be achieved by our focus on speed, value, results and partnerships, said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer. Readiness, lethality and modernization are the requirements driving these priorities. There are many ways for sailors to earn distinction in their command, community, and career. Murray said she is most proud of becoming the youngest person in her family to be 100 percent independent. That means I have control of my life, she said. I'm in control of my decisions, the training wheels are off. As a young woman, I'm proud to say I've been capable of earning what I have, and faced challenge after challenge and come out safe, smarter and better than before. As a member of one of the U.S. Navys most relied upon assets, Murray and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes, contributing to the Navy the nation needs. It's not for the faint of heart, she said. It's not for people who have a selfish state of mind. You will have tiring days. You will want to quit. You will question yourself as to why you really want to do this. If you have the resolve to push through no matter what you have to work with, then the military is for you. But you have to be willing to take, and give orders. Reed Saxon A subsidiary of Houston-based Sterling Construction Co. has been awarded a contract to by the Texas Department of Transportation to reconstruct an eight mile stretch of Texas 34 near Kaufman, southeast of Dallas. The $33 million contract, which includes replacing an existing two-lane roadway as well as the demolition and replacement of five bridges, was awarded to Texas Sterling Construction Co. The project is scheduled to start in July and finish in the second quarter of 2022. Several fast-casual restaurants -- including MOD Pizza, Antone's Po'Boys and Roti Modern Mediterranean -- are slated to open later this year in the Texas Medical Center, broadening the dining options for medical professionals and patients. Pearl Hospitality on Wednesday announced seven new tenants for the ground floor of the historic Medical Towers, which is being redeveloped into a 273-room Westin Hotel. The Houston developer has signed lease agreements with MOD Pizza, Roti Modern Mediterranean, Poke in the Bowl, Antone's, JuiceLand, SusieCakes and The Halal Guys. These restaurants will join existing tenants Starbucks, Chipotle, Salata and Cliff's Grill as well as a new PNC Bank location on the corner of Main and Dryden across the street from Houston Methodist and Texas Children's hospitals. "We've got a great mix of food and beverage concepts," said Christie Amezquita, a broker with Shop Cos., which is leasing the 24,000-square-foot retail space on behalf of Pearl. "The companies understand the need for restaurants in the area." RELATED: Westin hotel planned for midcentury modern landmark in Med Center Dining options in Houston's medical district were long limited to a handful of restaurants, fast food joints and hospital cafeterias because most of the real estate in the neighborhood is owned by the Texas Medical Center and its hospitals. As a result, the Westin Hotel retail space attracted great interest from local and national chains eager to attract doctors, nurses and patients in the medical center, which attracts more than 125 million visitors annually. "When we approached some of these companies with this unique opportunity, they jumped on it immediately," Amezquita said. "There's not a lot of privately-held real estate in the Texas Medical Center." Amezquita declined to disclose financial terms of the leases, but said the retail project has achieved above average market rents due to the lack of retail availability in the area. The average annual triple-net lease, where the tenant agrees to pay property taxes, building insurance and maintenance on top of rent, is around $37 per square foot inside the Loop. Pearl plans to transform the streetscape surrounding the retailers with new landscaping, larger sidewalks with dedicated patio space for al fresco dining. The retailers are slated to open later this year, in time for the Westin Houston Medical Center's expected opening in early 2020. A man suspected of killing an employee of a Cleveland area plumbing company that evicted him from their property and then later shooting a Liberty County Sheriff's Office deputy fatally shot himself after eluding authorities for hours Wednesday, officials said. The man, identified as Pavol Vido, was found behind a house about mile and a half away from the deadly shooting at B Dependable plumbing, along FM 321. The 65-year-old man fatally shot himself, said Sgt. Erik Burse with the Texas Department of Public Safety, apparently just as authorities were closing in on him. A Liberty County sheriff's deputy who was investigating the shooting at the business and who later exchanged gunfire with Vido remains in a Houston hospital in stable condition. The first shooting was reported to authorities at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, said Liberty County Sheriff's Office Capt. Ken DeFoor. Authorities are trying to determine, however, when the shooting occurred and DeFoor said it could have been as early as late Tuesday. The gunman fatally shot a woman who worked there as a secretary and apparently waited until other employees arrived on Wednesday morning, DeFoor said. Two men were then shot, the captain said, and the gunman fled. Liberty County Sheriff's Office deputy Richard Whitten then spotted Vido, DeFoor said. STAY INFORMED: Text HOUSTON to 77453 to get breaking news alerts by text | Sign up to receive breaking news alerts delivered to your email here. The two pulled into the Big Thicket Veterinary Clinic in the 24800 block of FM 321, not far from the plumbing company, where they exchanged gunfire, DeFoor said. The deputy was struck in the neck and was airlifted to Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston. Whitten is in stable condition, said Patton Village Chief Shannon Sharp and his family is at the hospital. Whitten has served as a patrol deputy for the sheriff's office for the last four years, DeFoor said. The conditions of the two other employees injured are unclear. The manhunt for Vido took authorities to a county road about a mile away, where he ditched the white 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis he was driving. Vido then headed north and apparently hid behind a house, in a boat stored upside down and held by a trailer, neighbors said. Authorities have not speculated on a motive for the shooting, but said the eviction will be part of the investigation. Vido was living in a storage shed behind the plumbing business, likely a transient, Burse said. He had been served with an eviction notice within 48 hours of the shooting, the sergeant said. Vido had several misdemeanor convictions in Harris County dating back to 1982. He was found guilty of unlawful carry of a weapon, driving with a suspended license in 1984, and driving while intoxicated in 1992. He was found not guilty on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in 1990, as well as on a deadly conduct charge in 1994. Monique Batson and Samantha Ketterer contributed Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at jay.jordan@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message Three suspects face charges after a traffic stop netted a collection of credit cards and identity documents that belonged to no one in the vehicle as well as drugs and paraphernalia May 16 in the 100 block of East Parkwood Avenue, according to a Friendswood police report. After noticing a suspicious-looking temporary tag on the vehicle, the officer checked the license plate number and found it was expired. A search of the vehicle resulted in police finding 20.6 grams of methamphetamine, marijuana, pipes, open containers of alcohol, syringes, a photocopied drivers license, a Social Security card, U.S. employment verification card, credit cards and other identifying information, according to the report. The officer also noticed a screwdriver had been placed in the ignition, police said. Police charged the driver, a Lufkin man, 37, with tampering with a governmental document regarding the fraudulent license plate. His bond was set at $1,500. The first passenger, a Houston woman, 23, allegedly removed a syringe containing methamphetamine from her underclothing during the traffic stop. She was charged with fraudulent use or possession of identifying information and possession of a controlled substance, according to the report. Her bond was set at $20,000. The second passenger, a 27-year-old League City woman, was charged with marijuana possession, and her bond was set at $1,000, police said. The officer contacted one of the people whose name appeared on the credit cards and other items found in the vehicle, the report said. That person had reported a vehicle burglary April 17 in Lufkin, police said. Assault Police charged a Pasadena man, 45, with possession of a controlled substance and assault, family violence after he allegedly assaulted his girlfriend May 15 in the 3100 block of West Bay Area Boulevard. The man threw a bag containing Xanax and Ecstasy during the disturbance and later admitted it belonged to him, police said. A 22-year-old Friendswood man allegedly bit his ex-girlfriend May 16 in the 400 block of Melodywood Court, according to a May 17 police report. He was arrested on a warrant charging him with assault causing bodily injury, family violence May 18 during a traffic stop, police said. Police charged a Friendswood man, 46, with assault causing bodily injury, family violence after a disturbance May 17 in the 16900 block of Stardale Lane. He allegedly assaulted his girlfriend. A South Houston woman, 35, was charged with public intoxication and assault May 18 after officers found her sitting by a tree in an easement at the intersection of Laura Leigh Drive and Barcelona Drive, police said. She allegedly punched a man in the arm when he confronted her about contact she had with his stepdaughter. Fraud A Friendswood man received an alert from his bank informing him his credit card had been flagged for suspicious use and declined at an AutoZone in Colorado, according to a May 16 police report. Theft A Chambers County man contacted Friendswood police when he found his stolen motorcycle for sale on Craigslist, according to a May 14 report. The seller, in Friendswood, reportedly confirmed the vehicle identification number, and police went to his residence. The seller had evidence he had purchased the motorcycle a few months ago from a man in Alvin but released the motorcycle to the owner, police said. Criminal mischief A gate was damaged at the entrance to a sand pit in the 2000 block of Sandy Lake Drive, according to a May 14 police report. The owners are unsure when the damage occurred. Two Friendswood teens, 13, were charged with criminal mischief after allegedly vandalizing a vacant home in the 500 block of West Castle Harbour, according to a May 19 police report. The teens reportedly broke several exterior windows and smashed holes in walls, causing an estimated $2,000 in damage. They were taken into custody, booked, processed at the jail and released to the custody of their parents, police said. Narcotics A Dickinson man, 29, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia after a traffic stop for expired registration May 14 in the 200 block of South Friendswood Drive, police said. The man, a passenger, reportedly had outstanding warrants in Webster and Baytown. During a vehicle search, the officer found glass marijuana pipes in the mans backpack, according to the report. In custody, the man also was found in possession of several credit cards belonging to burglary victims in Texas City and League City, police said. Police charged an Alvin man, 28, with possession of drug paraphernalia after a traffic stop May 14 in the 2700 block of South Friendswood Drive. The man was a passenger in a vehicle pulling a trailer with no tail lamps or license plates and carrying an unsecured load, according to the report. Tree limbs allegedly were flying off the trailer. The suspect had warrants in Alvin and League City, and he reportedly claimed ownership of a meth pipe found during a search of the truck, police said. Two men face narcotics charges after a routine license plate check gave an alert for a wanted person May 18 in the 800 block of South Friendswood Drive, police said. A 22-year-old Friendswood man had outstanding warrants and was taken into custody, according to the report. As the passenger, a 19-year-old man, exited the vehicle, the officer reportedly noticed a syringe in the drivers seat. A vehicle search yielded syringes with heroin residue, a marijuana pipe, marijuana and other paraphernalia, police said. Police charged the older man with possession of a controlled substance and the younger man with possession of drug paraphernalia. Driving while intoxicated A Dickinson woman, 26, was charged with DWI May 14 in the 1800 block of South Friendswood Drive, police said. Bond was set at $1,500. Police charged a League City man, 24, with DWI after he allegedly was observed speeding and swerving outside his lane May 17 in the 900 block of West Parkwood Avenue. Police charged a 30-year-old Friendswood man with DWI after a traffic stop May 19 in the 1700 block of West Parkwood Avenue. He had been driving on three tires, and the metal rim of one wheel was causing sparks, police said. Threats A warrant for terroristic threat is pending after a reported disturbance May 18 in the 17100 block of Barcelona Drive, police said. The suspect allegedly threatened to shoot his roommate and left the scene before officers arrived. Tobacco A Friendswood High School student faces charges after an administrator conducting a truancy investigation reportedly found prohibited items in his possession, according to a May 15 police report. The school resource officer took possession of an e-cigarette and vape oil, police said. School officials reportedly also found 11 pods of vape oil, a lighter and a small amount of burnt marijuana during a vehicle search. The student will receive a summons to municipal court for possession of tobacco products by a minor and possession of drug paraphernalia A 17-year-old Friendswood man received a citation for possession of liquid nicotine May 16 after officers responded to a disturbance in the 1800 block of Hunt Drive, police said. The teen allegedly had been using illegal drugs and damaging walls in the home. Before escorting the teen to school, the officer checked for weapons and found the nicotine, police said. Traffic Police charged a 53-year-old Friendswood man with failure to stop and render aid after he allegedly struck another vehicle while making an unsafe lane change May 18 in the 100 block of North Friendswood Drive. The victim provided the suspects license plate number to police, and the man was found at his residence in the 5100 block of Regal Pine Way and taken into custody, police said. A Webster man, 40, was charged with no drivers license and no insurance May 19 in the 200 block of East Parkwood Avenue, police said. The Bear Creek Community Center is temporarily housed and has limited classes/events at the Glazier Senior Education Center, 16600 Pine Forest Lane in Houston. In addition to scheduled activities, the center also offers the following June events and activities. Free Homebuyer Seminar - Saturday, June 1 from 10 a.m.-noon: Join the free seminar to learn the basics and get comfortable with how the process works and what to expect. Learn valuable tips along the way to help get closer to your dream of home ownership. Call 713-274-3190 to register. Homemade Card Class - Monday, June 3 from 9-11 a.m.: Linda Gabrielson will teach you how to make homemade cards with many different mediums. From stamps, yarn or shiny embellishments learn how to make cards for birthdays, thank-you notes, holidays and just thinking of you cards. There is a $5 materials fee but you will go home with a card or two you made yourself. Must call 713-274-3190 to register and prepay. AARP-Lets Disrupt Aging - Wednesday, June 12 at 1 p.m.: What you do after 50 can be just as amazing as what youve done before 50. Join us to find out what your next steps should be. call 713-274-3190 to register. Martial Arts Thursday, June 13 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. and 7:30-8:30 p.m.: This program will teach techniques in art, sport, kidnapping awareness, self-defense and self confidence aspects of American Karate. Classes are taught by certified instructors of the American Society of Karate. Classes run in 10-week sessions year round. Classes meet for students ages 6 to 12 from 6:30-7:30 p.m., and for students 13 and older from 7:30-8:30 p.m. Call 713-274-3190 to register. Hearing Loss Association of America - Wednesday, June 13 from 1:30-3 p.m.: Join us to learn what help is available to those who have a hearing loss. From telephones to laptops, help is available. Call 713-274-3190 to register. Integral Tai Chi - Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-7:30 p.m.: The goal is to promote a healthier lifestyle through physical practice. The class aims to improve the bodys performance, strength and stamina while increasing energy. Please bring a yoga mat. Party Bridge - Mondays from 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. and Tuesdays from noon-3 p.m.: If you play bridge, you are invited to play cards with us every Monday and Tuesday. Call 713-274-3190 if you have questions. Circle of Friends Meditation - Fridays from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Come and join this circle to gain a healthy mind and body on Fridays. Call 713-274-3190 to register. Fun Time Art - Thursdays from 9 a.m.-noon: A time and place to do your creative art with other artists. Join us every Thursday. Call 713-274-3190 to register. Yoga -Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30 p.m. and Thursdays from 4-5 p.m.: Yoga builds strength, awareness and harmony in both the mind and body. Sessions will include breathing exercises, meditation, and various postures that stretch and flex muscle groups. You will need to bring a mat or a towel. Classes are free and open to the public. Line Dance Lessons - Saturdays at 10 a.m.: Get fit and have fun with a variety of music. Join us Saturdays; all abilities are welcome. Advance registration for activities is typically requested. An adult must accompany and remain with anyone under the age of 18 visiting the center. A calendar of events is available at the Harris County Precinct 3 website at www.pct3.com. For more information, call 713-274-3190. YOKOSUKA, Japan - Petty Officer 3rd Class Betsy Amaya Rodriguez, a native of Houston, was inspired to join the Navy because her cousin also served in the Navy. Now, one year later and half a world away, Rodriguez serves with Fleet Activities Yokosuka, supporting the Navys mission in one of the worlds busiest maritime regions as part of U.S. 7th Fleet. The hours here are long and it can get busy, but the scenery here is beautiful, said Rodriguez. Its a great experience. Rodriguez, a 2017 graduate of Mayde Creek High School, is a master-at-arms forward-deployed to the installation in Yokosuka, Japan, 43 miles south of Tokyo. I police the base, ensuring the safety of everyone on base as well as on the ships, being a good ambassador, said Rodriguez. Rodriguez credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Houston. My mom taught me dedication, to give one hundred percent even if you fail at something, said Rodriguez. U.S. 7th Fleet spans more than 124 million square kilometers, stretching from the International Date Line to the India/Pakistan border; and from the Kuril Islands in the North to the Antarctic in the South. U.S. 7th Fleet's area of operations encompasses 36 maritime countries and 50 percent of the worlds population with between 50-70 U.S. ships and submarines, 140 aircraft, and approximately 20,000 sailors. Not a lot of people can say they get to work and live in Japan so its a great feeling said Rodriguez. With more than 50 percent of the world's shipping tonnage and a third of the world's crude oil passing through the region, the United States has historic and enduring interests in this part of the world. The Navy's presence in Yokosuka is part of that long-standing commitment, explained Navy officials. "The Navy is forward-deployed to provide security and strengthen relationships in a free and open Indo-Pacific. It's not just the ships and aircraft that have shown up to prevent conflict and promote peace," said Vice Adm. Phil Sawyer, commander, U.S. 7th Fleet. "It is, and will continue to be our people who define the role our Navy plays around the world. People who've made a choice, and have the will and strength of character to make a difference." Fleet Activities Yokosuka comprises 568 acres and is located at the entrance of Tokyo Bay, approximately 18 miles south of Yokohama. It is the largest overseas U.S. Naval installation in the world and is considered to be one of the most strategically important bases in the U.S. military. Yokosuka boasts some of the largest and best of everything the Navy has to offer, according to Navy officials. More than 50 forward-deployed commands in Yokosuka support crucial operating forces, including military units from the United States Seventh Fleet, Commander Destroyer Squadron 15 and the only permanently forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76). The challenge of providing extended service to the fleet overseas is met in a high operating tempo thanks to an exceptional U.S. and Japanese workforce, Navy officials explained. Yokosukas strategic location and support capabilities allow operating forces to be 17 days closer to locations in Asia than their counterparts based in the continental United States. Serving in the Navy means Rodriguez is part of a world that is taking on new importance in Americas focus on rebuilding military readiness, strengthening alliances and reforming business practices in support of the National Defense Strategy. A key element of the Navy the nation needs is tied to the fact that America is a maritime nation, and that the nations prosperity is tied to the ability to operate freely on the worlds oceans. More than 70 percent of the Earths surface is covered by water; 80 percent of the worlds population lives close to a coast; and 90 percent of all global trade by volume travels by sea. Our priorities center on people, capabilities and processes, and will be achieved by our focus on speed, value, results and partnerships, said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer. Readiness, lethality and modernization are the requirements driving these priorities. Though there are many ways for sailors to earn distinction in their command, community, and career, Rodriguez is most proud of making the rank of third class petty officer, as well as, reaching her goal in achieving a patrolman qualification. Things like that show me that I can actually make it in this world, said Rodriguez. Being so young and in charge of junior sailors, is a good feeling. As a member of one of the U.S. Navys most relied upon assets, Rodriguez and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes contributing to the Navy the nation needs. Serving in the Navy, I feel a sense of ownership, said Rodriguez. Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Robert Zahn is with the Navy Office of Community Outreach. As college tuition and expenses continue to rise, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is committed to alleviating some of the financial burden for Texas high school seniors - $27 million to more than 800 students, to be exact. And that's just this year. The Rodeo's 2019 commitment will award $14 million in scholarships, $8.4 million to junior show exhibitors, $3.9 million in educational program grants and more than $613,000 toward graduate assistantship programs at various in-state universities. Last week, Rodeo officials dug into its first round of giving. The annual Scholarship Banquet distributed $8.4 million to 420 Texas high school students at NRG Center. RODEOHOUSTON announcer Boyd Polhamus and 2012 Rodeo Scholar-turned-committee volunteer Adrian Izaguirre delivered brief, albeit inspired remarks. Family members, friends and mentors celebrated recipients over - what else? - a barbecue feast. And later, this year's class of Houston Area, Exhibitor, Hildebrand Family, Military and School Art program awardees took the all-important group photo. It's tradition, and a cherished souvenir. Then on Wednesday, Rodeo top brass distributed an additional $1.6 million during the annual Area Go Texan Scholarship Banquet, a.k.a. round two. Joel Cowley, president and CEO, and Jim Winne, board chairman, presided over the daytime festivities which recognized 79 deserving students from 68 Area Go Texan counties and 11 districts. Qualifying applicants must attend public school in a participating county, score a 950 on SAT or a 19 on ACT tests and apply with intent to attend an accredited Texas college or university. The prize? Four-year, $20,000 scholarships. Both groups of banquet awardees enter an elite club. Since 1932, the Rodeo has committed more than $475 million and 19,000 scholarships to Texas youth. There are currently 2,300 students utilizing Rodeo-generated scholarships at more than 80 state colleges and universities. With the Fourth of July being on a Thursday this year, celebrants may be looking toward a long jubilant weekend. Yet, with barbecues, boating, concerts, and fireworks they may be hard put to fit everything in. For some, the homage to our exceptional country begins with the Houston Symphony Orchestras patriotic concert, Star-Spangled Salute. Its at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 3, at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands. Conductor Steve Reineke leads the HSO musicians. Observing a 29-year tradition, this event is without charge to the public and no tickets are required. The Howard Hughes Corporation sponsors, with gates opening at 6:30 p.m. An added attraction is that live cannon fire will thunder from atop the hill to heighten the finale, Tchaikovskys 1812 Overture . Area patriots also anticipate the commencement of tributes almost a week earlier when the Conroe Symphony Orchestra displays its colors and its prowess on Friday, June 28, with Celebrating America , that begins at 7:30 p.m. Fortunately; the HSO and CSO dates dont conflict so nobody has to choose one over the other. At this concert CSO particularly honors service personnel, including police, fire, EMS workers, military veterans, and active military personnel. This concert, too, is without cost to the public, and its the first time that the brand new Maestro, Dr. Jacob Sustaita, has conducted a full CSO symphony performance. For the past season Dr. Sustaita has been duly occupied as Associate Conductor to retired Director/Conductor Dr. Don Hutson. So hes not really brand new to CSO audiences, whose support he has already earned. A really big change is that this concert is scheduled in the auditorium of Mims Baptist Church, 1609 Porter Road, in Conroe. For a few years CSOs patriotic concert was presented out of doors, around Conroes courthouse square and in Heritage Place Park. That was a popular arrangement but logistically difficult for some who had to park and carry blankets and such for blocks; even parking could be trying. The temperature challenge caused others to abstain altogether. But everybody loved the small town feel of long ago concerts in downtown Conroe, the companionship that creates unity, and sounds of oomp-pa-pa blasting across the square. Thats hard to give up. The ambience of Mims Baptist Church will be welcomed by all, as will the wonderful cooled air that wont distract attention from the music like uncomfortable heat might. What a gracious community gift this is from the congregation of Mims Baptist Church. As is CSOs laudable custom at all its performances, its Celebrating America concert begins with The Star Spangled Banner. Music continues with March from 1941 ; an arrangement of Tchaikovskys 1812 Overture ; J. P. Sousas Liberty Bell March ; Carmen Dragons arrangement of America the Beautiful ; and Sousas Stars and Stripes Forever . Following that, the musicians flex their nimble fingers with the notes of composer Aaron Coplands Hoedown and Saturday Night Waltz from Rodeo. Heading toward a rousing finale will be a salute to Americas armed forces with the anthems of every service branch and recognition of all armed services personnel, active and retired. Audience members also will hear Bracketts Simple Gifts, and George Gershwins languid classic Summertime. The crowd will depart Mims auditorium with renewed pride in American exceptionalism, power, and incredible generosity. We think a lot of audience members will wear the red, white, and blue. But thats certainly not a requirement, CSO Executive Assistant Nancy Johnson said, Its not the clothes that matter, but the love of America in everybodys hearts. She also noted that season tickets, or even tickets for one show, make fine gifts for anniversaries, birthdays, Fathers Day and other occasions. Season subscriptions include tickets for all four scheduled shows, plus two complimentary tickets for friends or family members to a show of choice. Call 936-760-2144; 1-888-823-6610; www.conroesymphony.org; go by the office during limited hours, or mail check to the Symphony Centre, 1500 N. Frazier, Conroe, 77301. The 2019-20 season will begin in September or October. Of course, tickets are always available for purchase at the door prior to every concert. Peggie Miller may be reached at pegmiller01@gmail.com. Commencement programs rustled in the breeze Tuesday evening as family members and friends waited to cheer on their graduates who were taking one big step toward their futures that very night. Those programs listed the names of the about 950 students in the class of 2019 at Oak Ridge High School getting ready to cross the stage in a culminating ceremony at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. Loretta Machann remembers the moment she realized her 1-year-old daughter had wandered off and had fallen into a neighbors swimming pool during an Easter weekend gathering last year. Thats where she was, Machann said Wednesday in The Woodlands. She was completely gone. Lilly was blue-faced and unresponsive when her dad, Allan, began CPR on her. She expelled some water and paramedics from the Montgomery County Hospital District rushed her to Texas Childrens Hospital The Woodlands where she eventually made a full recovery. They wasted no time at all, Loretta Machann said about MCHD paramedics response. Speaking at the Bear Branch Pool at an event hosted by MCHD, Loretta and Allan Machann highlighted the importance of drowning prevention and encouraging other parents to shield their children from suffering a fate their toddler narrowly averted. The Montgomery couple are recommending layers of protection to avoid what they went through. They are pressing for swimming pools to be fenced and for door alarms to be installed. Aside from environmental precautions, the Machanns are also urging parents have their children learn how to swim, as they did with Lilly about a month or two following her drowning scare. Children around water should be supervised by designating a sober water watcher not distracted by a cell phone. And finally for both parents to know CPR. Floaties are a false sense of security Machann added. They are also discouraging people from adorning swimming areas with decor children will be attracted to. Their neighbors pool had a large inflatable unicorn, they noted. Those types of things, they need to be removed, she said. Lilly, rosy-cheeked and sporting a big, bright yellow bow in her hair, scampered across the recreational center while her parents spoke. The restless tyke suffered no apparent lasting neurological damage, her relieved mother said. She is an absolute miracle. She is not your typical case, Machann said. MCHD paramedic and outreach coordinator Ashton Herring said 91 Texas kids drowned in 2018. Two of those were in Montgomery County, according to information from MCHD. Their families dont get to tell the stories that the Machann family get to tell today, Herring said. Summer time is outdoors time. Time to reach the beach, go for a hike or work in the yard. And while the weather may be inviting, you will want to stay away from many things that live outdoors. Warmer weather brings increased exposure to bites and stings from outdoor critters. The most common ones come from snakes, fire ants, spiders and scorpions, according to Baylor College of Medicine's Dr. Spencer Greene, director of medical toxicology. "Many times, these bites are simply a nuisance," says Greene. "Fire ant, bee and scorpion stings can be painful and itchy, but rarely require medical attention and can be treated with a pain reliever and a cool compress, unless there's an allergy. There are larger concerns, however, with snake and spider bites, since these can cause significant tissue damage, depending on the species." NO LICENSE NEEDED: Fish without a license at these Houston-area spots this weekend only First aid preparation is an important part of vacation planning. Greene recommends packing: * An EpiPen for those with emergency allergic reactions to bee stings, * A common pain reliever and anti-inflammatory for common stings and bites from ants, asps, bees and scorpions, along with a cold compress to reduce swelling, * Vinegar, if heading to the beach, for jellyfish stings. In all cases, Greene stresses that avoidance is the best prevention and that each bite or sting should be evaluated individually to determine the best treatment. >>>Click above to see some of the insects and other critters that can ruin your summer time fun. Danny Hermosillo is the Digital News Editor for Chron.com | Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @Dannyherm1| Email him at Danny.Hermosillo@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message A leasing agent at an apartment complex in The Woodlands was being questioned by police Tuesday night after he allegedly knifed a resident, according to authorities. Montgomery County Sheriff's Office deputies were dispatched to the Plantation Apartments in the 3700 block of College Park Drive around 6:30 p.m. and found a mortally wounded man with stab wounds, Lt. Scott Spencer said. An apartment complex employee is facing questions from investigators after he allegedly stabbed a resident Tuesday night. Police were called to the Plantation Apartments at 3720 College Park Drive around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday after it was reported a man was stabbed in the leasing office, according to a release from the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office. The stabbing victim, a resident at the complex, was transported to an emergency room where he later died from his injuries, according to the release. NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Sign up for breaking news alerts delivered to your email here. The leasing agent has not been arrested as of Wednesday morning, according to officials with the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office. An investigation into the incident is ongoing. Rebecca Hennes covers community news. Read her on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | rebecca.hennes@chron.com | To get inside Mar-a-Lago, where President Donald Trump was staying last Thanksgiving, 18-year-old Mark Lindblom walked along the beach until he reached an underground tunnel, leading straight to the luxury club. The narrow corridor dipped beneath South Ocean Boulevard, a shortcut so Mar-a-Lago Club members didn't have to cross the street on their way to and from the beach. There was a sign posted right outside the tunnel, warning, "UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE RESTRICTED AREA," according to federal court documents. But Lindblom, who was not a member of the club, was undeterred. "I wanted to see how far I could get," the college freshman told a federal magistrate on Tuesday, the Palm Beach Post reported. As it turns out, he got pretty far: past Secret Service and all the way inside. For sneaking onto the property, Lindblom pleaded guilty Tuesday to entering or remaining in a restricted building where the president was visiting during the Thanksgiving holiday. Lindblom, reportedly a business student at the University of Wisconsin, was sentenced to a year of probation and $25 fine after prosecutors acknowledged he had no ill intent, that heintended only to take pictures on his cellphone. "We have no reason to believe he had a political, criminal or terroristic purpose," assistant U.S. attorney John McMillan told the court, according to the Palm Beach Post. "It was a foolish decision he did on a lark." The security breach is the latest incident at Trump's private "Winter White House" in recent months, provoking concerns that inadequate security measures at the club could leave it vulnerable to more serious threats. In Lindblom's case, his defense attorney, Marcos Beaton Jr., told the court his client had an easy time getting through at least the first layer of Secret Service agents, as the Palm Beach Post reported. The Washington native was spending the holiday with family at nearby beachfront property, though his family also were not members of Mar-a-Lago. Upon entering the tunnel on Nov. 23, Lindblom squeezed in line with the other club members awaiting a security check by the Secret Service. Once he reached the checkpoint, he surpassed a screening for weapons or other dangerous items, the Secret Service said in a statement to The Washington Post. Then, he simply "walked on through," Beaton said - lingering on the grounds for 20 minutes before the Secret Service found him near the club pool, the Palm Beach Post reported. The Secret Service said in its statement that Lindblom did not come into contact with the president or first lady "because of the layered security system in place at the club." He was arrested after appearing out of place among other club members, the Secret Service said. "[H]is actions appeared inconsistent with that of a member or a guest," the service said. "At that time, Secret Service personnel approached him and he was detained without further incident." Security concerns at Mar-a-Lago accelerated last month, when a Chinese national carrying a thumb drive containing malicious software was arrested after gaining access to Mar-a-Lago despite not being a member. The woman, Yujing Zhang, approached the first security checkpoint and told officials she was there to go swimming, according to the criminal complaint. She raised some concern when asked if she was a relative of another "Zhang" on the member list - but the security official thought her hesitation was because of a language barrier and decided to let her through. She was not stopped until a receptionist grew suspicious, asking why Zhang was there. Zhang claimed she was there for an event that did not exist, and the receptionist promptly called Secret Service. A search of her belongings turned up no swimsuit, but rather four cellphones, a laptop, a hard drive and a thumb drive containing "malicious software," plus other suspicious electronics in her hotel room. The Secret Service said in a statement at the time that the agency "does not determine who is invited or welcome at Mar-a-Lago; this is the responsibility of the host entity," referring to Mar-a-Lago management. Zhang's arrest on charges of lying to Secret Service agents and entering a restricted building alarmed Democratic congressional leadership, who promptly asked FBI Director Christopher A. Wray to launch a review of Mar-a-Lago's security. As their April letter noted, the president sometimes handles classified information while staying at the club, and sometimes invites heads of state to meet there. In February 2017, for example, Trump was blasted by Democrats after reviewing national security matters with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at a dinner table on the Mar-a-Lago terrace in full view of casual diners. "These potential vulnerabilities have serious national security implications," Democratic leadership wrote to Wray in April. It was the second letter in as many weeks that Democrats wrote to Wray requesting an investigation connected to Mar-a-Lago. In March, a frequent club guest and Republican donor, Li "Cindy" Yang, was accused of selling access to Trump to Chinese nationals who attended events where Trump was present. The FBI has since opened a public corruption investigation into Yang, examining whether she illegally funneled money from Chinese nationals into the president's reelection campaign, the Miami Herald reported. Yang has denied any wrongdoing, and her attorneys say she has no personal connection to the president. On Tuesday, U.S. Magistrate Judge William Matthewman said it appeared "pretty clear" to him that Lindblom's offense was rather a "youthful indiscretion more out of misplaced curiosity," the Palm Beach Post reported from the courtroom. A remorseful Lindblom said he understood the seriousness of his offense given the high-stakes nature of the Secret Service agents' jobs. "I'm sorry for wasting their time," he said. WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump and his reelection campaign are opening up a fresh line of attack against Joe Biden, hitting the former vice president for his central role in a 1994 crime bill that has left Biden vulnerable to criticism from his right and his left. As he prepared to leave Tokyo on Tuesday, Trump eviscerated Biden over his efforts behind the President Bill Clinton-era law - one centerpiece of the tough-on-crime movement of the 1990s that Biden is being forced to confront on the campaign trail more than two decades later. "Anyone associated with the 1994 Crime Bill will not have a chance of being elected. In particular, African Americans will not be able to vote for you," Trump said in a pair of tweets going after Biden, whom the president repeatedly referenced during his four-day trip to Japan. "I, on the other hand, was responsible for Criminal Justice Reform, which had tremendous support, & helped fix the bad 1994 Bill!" Using a derisive nickname he has created for Biden, Trump continued: "That was a dark period in American History, but has Sleepy Joe apologized? No!" Trump's campaign manager, Brad Parscale, amplified that argument hours later Tuesday afternoon, ticking off several reasons the 1994 bill - officially called the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act - was a "TERRIBLE mistake," including its disparities in sentencing guidelines for crack and powder cocaine offenses and its role in increasing incarceration rates. "It took President @realDonaldTrump to enact true Criminal Justice Reform!" Parscale tweeted. "Now the cycle is being broken." The latest volley from Trump toward Biden illustrates just how much criminal justice issues have scrambled political alliances on the campaign trail, with Trump signing a bill that was written by a potential 2020 rival (Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J.) while echoing Democratic candidates' criticisms of one of Biden's signature legislative achievements from his decades in office. Yet it also draws attention to Trump's mixed history on criminal justice matters, including his focus on the Central Park Five, a group of black and Latino teenagers who were wrongfully imprisoned after a white female jogger was sexually assaulted in Central Park in 1989. At the time, Trump took out full-page ads in New York publications, calling for reinstatement of the death penalty after the attack, and Trump continued to insist the Central Park Five were guilty - even though the five men were exonerated and another man confessed to the crime - as recently as 2016. And Trump's position on the 1994 crime bill has put him at odds with his personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, who was mayor of New York when it recorded a steep decline in rates for homicides and other violent crimes. "The 1994 Crime Bill passed by Pres. Clinton and Speaker Gingrich, with Biden & Schumer as the leaders in Senate and House, helped me and the NYPD reduce murder from @ 1,900 a year to @ 500 and then under Mayor Bloomberg to @ 350. That's over 20,000 lives saved," Giuliani tweeted on May 15, before Trump's latest attacks on the law. Referring to Biden, Giuliani added: "Joe don't cave." Trump and his supporters point to the enactment in December of the First Step Act, which made several significant revisions to mandatory minimum sentences for several drug offenses that were deemed disproportionately harsh by advocates of overhauling the prison system. The legislation, championed primarily by White House senior adviser and presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner, had been years in the making. It stalled during the Obama administration amid internal divisions among Senate Republicans, many of whom worried the bill would make them appear soft on crime. But Trump got behind the First Step Act, giving conservatives cover to back the bill. In addition to the sentencing-law revisions, the First Step Act overhauled the prison system so certain nonviolent offenders can earn time credits if they participate in programs aimed at reducing recidivism. Since then, the White House has promoted the administration's efforts to overhaul the nation's prison system, inviting the first prisoner released under the new law as Trump's guest to his State of the Union speech in January and hosting a summit in April highlighting other beneficiaries of the law. Because the campaign takes its cues from Trump himself, it is likely that his reelection apparatus will continue to hammer Biden over his role in the crime bill as long as Trump continues to fixate on it. "It is a known fact that the 1994 crime bill was terrible and led to unfair sentencing and the mass incarceration of black men. Even Bill Clinton says it was a mistake," Erin Perrine, the campaign's deputy communications director, said Tuesday. "So it isn't a matter of how the campaign plans to use someone's disastrous record. It's a matter of, how does anyone with that record defend it?" The Biden campaign declined to comment on Trump's remarks on Biden and the crime bill. The two camps engaged in a separate war of words Tuesday over Trump's decision to approvingly cite a North Korean state-run media attack on Biden as a "low IQ individual," with a Biden spokeswoman calling Trump's attacks on the former vice president while in Japan "beneath the dignity of the office." Trump defended his remarks made abroad, tweeting after returning to Washington that he was "actually sticking up" for Biden. "I wish President Trump would focus more on the pressing regional situation with Kim Jong Un, the dictator of North Korea for whom he seems to have almost bottomless positive regard," Sen. Christopher Coons, D-Del., said in an interview Tuesday. But the Biden fixation, Coons added, showed Trump "not only takes him seriously but considers him the strongest likely opponent." Since officially entering the presidential race in April, Biden has talked sparingly about the 1994 legislation. In an appearance in Nashua, New Hampshire, earlier this month, Biden insisted that the bill "did not generate mass incarceration" - although experts say it was one contributing factor and the law included incentives for states to build more prisons. At that stop and during a National Action Network event in January, Biden did express regret over his support of some tough-on-crime provisions, such as the sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine offenses that both the Obama and Trump administrations later reduced. His allies say Biden has plenty to promote in his record when it comes to criminal justice efforts, including the federal assault-weapons ban that was included in the 1994 bill and the Violence Against Women Act. The Obama administration also commuted hundreds of sentences and pushed for other changes that reduced the federal prison population, Coons said. "President Trump can cite one thing that he signed," said Coons, one of Biden's most prominent endorsers. "I think Joe Biden can cite a dozen things - legislation and policies - that as a senator and as vice president in the Obama-Biden administration he played a central role in getting advanced and signed into law." Some of his Democratic rivals have sought to distinguish themselves from Biden's criminal justice record. When asked about Biden's assertion that the 1994 crime bill did not "generate" mass incarceration, Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., told reporters in Nashua last week that "I disagree, sadly." "I have a great deal of respect for Vice President Joe Biden, but I disagree with him," Harris said. "That crime bill - that 1994 crime bill - it did contribute to mass incarceration in our country. It encouraged and was the first time that we had a federal three-strikes law. It funded the building of more prisons in the states." Candidates' often overlapping stances on criminal justice issues are a routine topic - and a frequent applause line - at town halls and rallies as Democratic presidential contenders crisscross the country. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has talked about reducing the "disparity within the disparity" in the criminal justice system, where punishments disproportionately affect African Americans and minorities. He has also said he believes felons should be able to vote from prison. Sanders also voted for the 1994 crime bill, saying on the Senate floor that he had "serious problems" with the bill but that it was urgently needed to decrease domestic violence. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., has also talked about a criminal justice system "that has a problem of race right at the heart of it." She speaks consistently on the campaign trail about getting rid of for-profit prisons. Booker, who helped shepherd the First Step Act through the Senate, is now sponsoring the Next Step Act, which seeks to eliminate the crack and powder cocaine disparity. A Booker spokeswoman declined to comment on Trump's tweet on his legislation or on Biden's stance on criminal justice issues. Harris argues that the nation should work to eradicate racial criminal justice disparities and reduce rates of mass incarceration. But the former prosecutor has been criticized for tough-on-crime policies such as a truancy law that jailed parents if their children skipped school. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., wants to create alternatives to prison for lower-level nonviolent crimes, and former Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-Texas, has called for an end to the "failed war on drugs." - - - The Washington Post's Felicia Sonmez and Chelsea Janes contributed to this report. Walker County prosecutors have dismissed a slew of felony charges against the former Texas parole commissioner accused of falsifying records by wrongly claiming that five inmates refused to attend their parole interviews because it was fried chicken day. The first time Pamela Freemans case went to trial in 2017, it ended in a hung jury with eight votes for guilty. Backed up by a heavy docket in a small court, the case didnt make to a second trial before a new district attorney Bill Durham took over the office at the start of 2019. Earlier this month, Durham tossed all five felony charges rather than retrying or arranging for a plea deal. Durham did not respond to the Houston Chronicles request for comment. According to Tiffany Hill, the Houston-based defense attorney representing the former Texas Department of Criminal Justice employee, prosecutors cited the interest of justice when they weighed the jury split on the first trial and the facts of the case and decided to dismiss the charges. It would have been a waste of time and resources to retry the case, she said. The district attorney was trying to seek justice and not convictions. On HoustonChronicle.com: Convicted young, longtime Texas inmates hope Second Look bill could give them a second chance A spokesman for the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles declined to comment. The charges stemmed from a 2014 incident at the Wynne Unit in Huntsville, where Freeman showed up to interview men for their 20-year parole reviews. That would have been their first chance to talk to a voting member of the parole board. The men testified during Freemans trial that they showed up early for their interviews and saw Freeman in the hallway, according to the Huntsville Item. But no one came to speak to them, and they complained to a parole officer on the unit. The officer called Freeman, who was already back at her nearby office. She told him that she wasnt going to reschedule any of the interviews, and added that she hoped the men enjoyed their chicken. When she wrote up a parole interview memorandum from her unit visit, Freeman said the prisoners refused to interview because they went (and) ate chicken, according to the Huntsville paper. Prosecutors argued during a four-day trial that the memorandum note was not only false but also harmful to the inmates because it would have hurt their chances at parole. Freemans attorney told the jury that two officers had told her client the men had gone to lunch, and her notation on the memorandum was not an intentional effort to falsify a government document. Both officers denied telling Freeman the men refused their interviews. One prisoners wife complained to the parole board, and parole attorney Kevin Stouwie penned a letter to state Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, according to the Item. It was really a he-said, she-said battle, Freemans attorney told the Chronicle. She never intended anything she basically wrote what was told to her. She was not trying to harm them. She was there but the inmates were saying she saw them and just left and Ms. Freeman said, no, they werent there. Related: Inmate sues Texas parole board for having too many ex-law enforcement members At first, Walker County prosecutors charged Freeman with a single count of felony tampering with a government document, but later the state refiled the case as five charges - one for each inmate. To convict on the felony charge, prosecutors would have needed to show Freeman made the wrong notation with an intent to defraud or cause harm, though the jury also had the option to find her guilty on lesser class A misdemeanor. Hill said the decision to prosecute her client in the first place was a little political, given the letter to Whitmire. To some inmate advocates, the dismissal comes as a disappointment. But Houston-based parole attorney Bill Habern, who helped file an administrative grievance against Freeman, viewed it as a positive. The public, the inmates and their families won, he said. Freeman has been publicly exposed, been put to trial and personally embarrassed. She will never cast a parole vote again in her life. To Freeman, the long-awaited outcome is a welcome relief. She finally has her life back she had five felony counts hanging over her head for the past five years, Hill said. She had just been waiting to get this behind her. keri.blakinger@chron.com Former Vice President Joe Biden announced his education plan at a town hall in Houston hosted by the American Federation of Teachers Tuesday afternoon, but it's his awkward moment with a 10-year-old girl that has people scratching their heads. Taking questions from the crowd, Biden addressed the girl, who asked him about divisions in this country, Politico reported. "I'll bet you're as bright as you are good-looking," Biden reportedly told her. The odd occurrence didn't end there. After telling Biden her favorite subject is journalism, he led her to the back to meet the press corps and put his hands on her shoulders, Politico reported. "It was 'a somewhat odd moment at tonight's AFT town hall,' Washington Post national political reporter Felicia Sonmez tweeted Tuesday. In two separate tweets, she posted a link to a video of the exchange and said Biden's campaign "declined to comment" to her inquiries. "No one knows quite what to do with Joe Biden and the inappropriate-touching flap stirred up in the weeks before he announced his presidential candidacy on April 25. Internet outrage fizzled, and in its place is a kind of whispered questioning," Time Magazine reported in April. "Men are asking themselves, What kind of touching is OK in a public or professional setting? And women are asking, Do we really have to be radically aggrieved by every instance of sexism or disrespect, without weighing the intentions of the accused? And what is the proper punishmentif there ought to be a punishment at allfor a guy who has not assaulted or abused us but has made us uncomfortable?" Time reported. In a March essay in New York Magazine, former Nevada assembly member Lucy Flores wrote about a 2014 incident with Biden, at a political event, which she said left her embarrassed, shocked and confused. Flores was 35 at the time. "I felt him get closer to me from behind. He leaned further in and inhaled my hair. I was mortified," Flores said in her essay. 'Why is the vice-president of the United States smelling my hair?'" Flores said Biden proceeded to "plant a big slow kiss on the back of my head." Shortly thereafter, several other women came forward to say that they, too, had been on the receiving end of Biden's inappropriate touching, Time reported. "If we give Biden the benefit of the doubt and assume his touching is just inappropriately expressed exuberance, then he's the perfect example of the Clueless Older Guy who just doesn't know any better," Time reported. Add to the awkwardness, in this case, the female child is reportedly 10-years-old. "We talked about this guy a lot in the early days of Me Too: What were we supposed to do with men who'd been in the workplace (or the world) for a long time and who grew up with different rules for what kind of behavior is acceptable? How quickly were they supposed to change? Was it our job to help change them?," Time reported. Marcy de Luna is a digital reporter. You can follow her on Twitter @MarcydeLuna and Facebook @MarcydeLuna. Read her stories on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com. | Marcy.deLuna@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message Google maps A Harris County man was fatally shot outside his home after his family returned from the beach, authorities said. Roberto Robledo, 35, was reportedly unloading ATVs from a trailer when he was shot just after midnight Saturday at his home in the 12000 block of Kings Grove, near North Lake Houston Parkway and Beltway 8 east in northeast Harris County. Houston activist Quanell X told multiple media outlets that he is no longer representing Brittany Bowens, the mother of missing 4-year-old Maleah Davis. The activist had been speaking for Bowens in the wake of Davis' disappearance on May 3. He appeared with her in multiple interviews and in a court hearing on May 13 for her former live-in boyfriend, Derion Vence, who has been charged with tampering with a corpse in connection with the case. The girl still hasn't been found, but independent groups are still actively searching. VENCE HEARING: Mother of Maleah Davis blames girl's stepfather for disappearance Quanell X told KHOU and KPRC that Bowens wasn't "truthful" about her story and said there are "inconsistencies." Quanell X did not return multiple calls from Chron.com to elaborate. Meanwhile, Bowens accused Quanell X of "misrepresenting the family's past," according to the local FOX affiliate. Bowens previously faced accusations that she was complicit in her daughter's possible death after she left her in Vence's care. Protesters, wearing shirts declaring "Justice for Maleah," chased her out of the courtroom during the May 13 hearing, according to earlier reports in the Houston Chronicle. She has not been charged with a crime in the child's disappearance and has maintained her innocence. In a recent interview with FOX, Bowens said getting rushed at the courthouse was "unbearable." Court documents suggest that Davis has previously been the victim of physical abuse. The girl's grandmother, Brenda Bowens, tried having Maleah and her two siblings placed in her home rather than in foster care during a Child Protective Services investigation that began last August, earlier reports say. Maleah was taken into state custody after suffering an unexplained head injury, which was reported as an allegation of physical abuse and neglectful supervision. Bowens told her mother that Maleah had "fallen from a tall chair to a marble table" but was fine. During a second hospital visit after the fall, she had a procedure that required half of her skull to be removed. She had also been hospitalized on July 10, 2018, after vomiting with small amounts of blood, according to court records. Samantha Ketterer contributed to this report. Julian Gill is a digital reporter in Houston. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | julian.gill@chron.com | NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Sign up for breaking news alerts delivered to your email here. UPDATE: Dante Green was a 41-year-old black man who died May 29 from gunshot wounds at 7237 Boggess Rd, Houston. ORIGINAL STORY: A Houston man was fatally shot early Wednesday in his own driveway before the suspects stole his car, police said. The victim was identified as Dante Green, 41. Police were still searching for the suspects. The man had been sitting in his car listening to music around 12:30 a.m. at his home in the 7200 block of Boggess. Police said an unknown number of suspects approached him and shot him multiple times. STAY INFORMED: Text CHRON to 77453 to get breaking news alerts by text | Sign up to receive breaking news alerts delivered to your email here. They fled in the man's vehicle, which investigators were searching for, police said. Police did not release a description of the vehicle on the scene, according to Metro Video. News stations identified Green as a father of four. Anyone with information on this case is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS. Julian Gill is a digital reporter in Houston. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | julian.gill@chron.com | NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Sign up for breaking news alerts delivered to your email here. A San Antonio man wept after being found not guilty Tuesday in his second trial in the deaths of two people at a West Side apartment in 2016. Luis Antonio Arroyo, 42, was tried again on lesser charges after court proceedings ended in a mistrial last year. The jury acquitted Arroyo on two counts of murder in the deaths of Rodney Spring, 47, who was shot once in the back, and Quickether Jackson, 36, who was shot five times and stabbed three times, on Jan. 21, 2016. Arroyo was moved to tears once Judge Mark Luitjen read the not guilty verdicts on both counts. Jacksons mother, Tandylyn Jackson, 59, was stabbed and shot in the attack which reportedly occurred after an argument over a pack of cigarettes. She named Tony as the attacker in a harrowing 911 call heard in court last week; defense attorneys had argued there were other men named Tony living in the same apartment complex. Arroyo initially was charged with capital murder in the attack that occurred in the Jacksons apartment in the 3800 block of Sherrill Brooks Drive. He was tried in July, but after 10 hours of deliberations over two days, the jury was not able to reach a unanimous verdict, so Judge Kevin OConnell declared a mistrial. The Bexar County District Attorneys Office opted to prosecute the case this time as a murder charge. Related: Brutal stabbing-shooting capital murder case ends in mistrial Lorina Rummel and Brandon Ramsey from the DAs office were the prosecutors in the case. They did not comment on the verdict. Arroyos defense attorneys, Raymond Fuchs and Joel Perez, argued in this trial, as in the last, that San Antonio police conducted a shabby investigation and did not follow up on reports that there was an unidentified man seen running down Bandera Road shortly after the incident. They also argued that the testimony of Tandylyn Jackson should not have been considered because she admitted to smoking crack cocaine that day. Six deputies were in the courtroom when the Bexar County jury of 10 women and two men came back in court with their verdict. Jurors, who usually stay afterward to speak to the judge and attorneys, declined to speak to anyone and abruptly left the court. Perez and Fuchs were pleased with the verdict. We never know what way they (the jury) will go, said Perez. We always felt the states evidence was not enough to convince the jury. Fred Harris, Quickether Jacksons father, said he still believes Arroyo was the gunman. I forgive the young man, though its a hard thing to do, said Harris. Hes someones child, but he killed my child. The jury received the case Friday. After about 4 hours of deliberations, the panel was released by Visiting Judge Mark Luitjen for the three-day Memorial Day weekend instead of being sequestered. Deliberations resumed at 9 a.m. Tuesday and the verdict was handed down at 2:43 p.m. While Arroyo was acquitted in the deaths, he will remain in prison to serve a 99-year sentence he received in March after he was convicted of escaping from a correctional facility. On March 2, 2018, Arroyo briefly escaped from the Bexar County jail with two others. Normally a third-degree felony, the escape charge was upgraded because Arroyo is considered to be a habitual offender. He will be eligible for parole in the escape case in 15 years. Elizabeth Zavala covers county and state courts in San Antonio. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863 A 39-year-old San Antonio man was arrested Tuesday afternoon, two days after he allegedly doused his pregnant girlfriend with rubbing alcohol and set her on fire. Bryan Lee Hoover, who is described as homeless in court records, was visiting with his girlfriend and her mother in Balcones Heights when the couple got into an argument Sunday afternoon, according to Balcones Heights Police Chief John Jahanara. >> This is an article from the Washington Post. To read an Opinion or Editorial piece from the Houston Chronicle, go to HoustonChronicle.com. The term "UFO" automatically triggers derision in most quarters of polite society. One of Christopher Buckley's better satires, "Little Green Men," is premised on a George F. Will-type pundit thinking that he has been abducted by aliens, with amusing results. UFOs have historically been associated with crackpot ideas like Big Foot or conspiracy theories involving crop circles. The obvious reason for this is that the term "UFO" is usually assumed to be a synonym for "extraterrestrial life." If you think about it, this is odd. UFO literally stands for "unidentified flying object." A UFO is not necessarily an alien from another planet. It is simply a flying object that cannot be explained away through conventional means. Because UFOs are usually brought up only to crack jokes, however, they have been dismissed for decades. One of the gutsiest working paper presentations I have witnessed was Alexander Wendt and Raymond Duvall presenting a draft version of "Sovereignty and the UFO." In that paper, eventually published in the journal Political Theory, Wendt and Duvall argued that state sovereignty as we understand it is anthropocentric, or "constituted and organized by reference to human beings alone." They argued that the real reason UFOs have been dismissed is because of the existential challenge that they pose for a worldview in which human beings are the most technologically advanced life-forms: "UFOs have never been systematically investigated by science or the state, because it is assumed to be known that none are extraterrestrial. Yet in fact this is not known, which makes the UFO taboo puzzling given the ET possibility," they wrote. "The puzzle is explained by the functional imperatives of anthropocentric sovereignty, which cannot decide a UFO exception to anthropocentrism while preserving the ability to make such a decision. The UFO can be "known" only by not asking what it is." When Wendt and Duvall made this argument, there were a lot of titters in the audience. I chuckled, too. Nonetheless, their paper makes a persuasive case that UFOs certainly exist, even if they are not necessarily ETs. For them, the key is that no official authority takes seriously the idea that UFOs can be extraterrestrials. As they note, "considerable work goes into ignoring UFOs, constituting them as objects only of ridicule and scorn." [SPACE JUNK | NEWSLETTER: Your source for out of this world news from Space City.] In recent years, however, there has been a subtle shift that poses some interesting questions for their argument. For one thing, discussion of actual UFOs have been the topic of some serious mainstream media coverage. There was the December 2017 New York Times story by Helene Cooper, Ralph Blumenthal and Leslie Kean about the Defense Department's Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program, which was tasked with cataloguing UFOs recorded by military pilots. DoD officials confirmed its existence. Though this story generated some justified skepticism, it represented the first time the U.S. government acknowledged the existence of such a program. Then, there were the reports last November about Oumuamua, "a mysterious, cigar-shaped interstellar object [that] fell through our solar system at an extraordinary speed," according to New York's Eric Levits. Oumuamua's shape and trajectory were unusual enough for some genuine astrophysicists to publish a paper suggesting the possibility that it was an artificial construction relying on a solar sail. Again, this prompted skeptical reactions, but even those skeptics could not completely rule out the possibility that extraterrestrial activity was involved. [For Bigfoot hunters, 'nightlife' takes on new meaning] Then, on Monday, the New York Times came out with another story by the same reporters who broke the 2017 story: "The strange objects, one of them like a spinning top moving against the wind, appeared almost daily from the summer of 2014 to March 2015, high in the skies over the East Coast. Navy pilots reported to their superiors that the objects had no visible engine or infrared exhaust plumes, but that they could reach 30,000 feet and hypersonic speeds. " 'These things would be out there all day," said Lt. Ryan Graves, an F/A-18 Super Hornet pilot who has been with the Navy for 10 years, and who reported his sightings to the Pentagon and Congress. 'Keeping an aircraft in the air requires a significant amount of energy. With the speeds we observed, 12 hours in the air is 11 hours longer than we'd expect.'.... "No one in the Defense Department is saying that the objects were extraterrestrial, and experts emphasize that earthly explanations can generally be found for such incidents. Lieutenant Graves and four other Navy pilots, who said in interviews with The New York Times that they saw the objects in 2014 and 2015 in training maneuvers from Virginia to Florida off the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, make no assertions of their provenance." The Times reporters broke new ground by getting pilots on record. What is interesting about this latest news cycle, however, is that DoD officials are not behaving as Wendt and Duvall would predict. Indeed, Politico's Bryan Bender reported last month that, "The U.S. Navy is drafting new guidelines for pilots and other personnel to report encounters with 'unidentified aircraft,' a significant new step in creating a formal process to collect and analyze the unexplained sightings - and destigmatize them." My Washington Post colleague Deanna Paul followed up by reporting that "Luis Elizondo, a former senior intelligence officer, told The Post that the new Navy guidelines formalized the reporting process, facilitating data-driven analysis while removing the stigma from talking about UFOs, calling it 'the single greatest decision the Navy has made in decades.' " What appears to be happening is that official organs of the state are now acknowledging that UFOs exist, even if they are not literally using the acronym. They are doing so because enough pilots are reporting UFOs and near-air collisions so as to warrant better record-keeping. They are not saying that these UFOs are extraterrestrials, but they are trying to destigmatize the reporting of a UFO. Still, the very fact that this step has been taken somewhat weakens the Wendt and Duvall thesis. This was always a two-step process: (a) Acknowledge that UFOs exist; and (b) Consider that the UFOs might be ETs. In recent years, the U.S. national security bureaucracy has met the first criterion. What happens to our understanding of the universe if great powers meet that second one? - - - Drezner is a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Are you lost in the wild? Sorry, but the page you're looking for has not been found Try checking the URL for errors, goto home or try to search below. 28975 Glenn Lytle, CRO FREMONT, CA: Telecom service providers strive to enhance their network performance for superior service delivery. While they look for affordable, scalable, and secure solutions that can unlock higher data transfer speeds, Horizon, an Ohio based regional fiber broad brand organization, assists carrier and enterprise customers with its modern-day innovations and custom solutions. The company marks the onset of its bright future by positioning Glenn Lytle as its Chief Revenue Officer. I am excited to announce the hire of Glenn Lytle as our CRO. I am confident that Glenn will continue his success as we expand our footprint into Columbus and throughout the region. His experience in building sales teams and extending networks matches very well with our future plans. Taking advantage of the strong backing of our equity partner, Novacap, Glenn will be able to take our legacy of creating carefully tailored solutions for our customers into our new markets, remarks Bill McKell, CEO of Horizon. Check This Out: Top Telecom Billing and Revenue Management Companies Horizon hopes that adding a CRO to its executive team will fit perfectly into the companys growth plan and Lytles humility, work ethics, and strong interpersonal skills will be an added benefit to creating a team-oriented culture at Horizon. Lytle adds, Im excited to join the growing team at Horizon as they continue to expand their fiber network throughout Ohio and surrounding states. We have a tremendous opportunity to leverage a strong, well-established brand with growing fiber assets and top-notch customer care. For any business, reliable and timely communication within the organization and with the customers is a critical part of success and telecommunication services makes this possible. Steve Steele, COO at Horizon comments, We consider our clients as partners in our efforts to provide customized access to broadband in the Ohio region that is specifically designed to meet the clients needs." The company meets with clients on their business goals and requirements to analyze their goals and network configurations before it begins to frame custom solutions to meet their specific demand. In telecom space, Horizon possesses the technical know-how and the resources to interconnect clients communication towers and help them leverage speed to provide fast and reliable service. See Also: Top Revenue Management Solution Companies Top Revenue Management Consulting Companies Ever since actress Cynthia Nixon made legalizing marijuana a hallmark of her unsuccessful primary challenge to Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2018, progressives have been pushing the issue and the governor has embraced it. Yet as the state legislative session winds down, it now looks unlikely to pass. Despite polling showing support from a majority of New Yorkers, tentative suburban lawmakers remain uncommitted. Why, when Democrats have unified control, cant they pass something supported by most of their constituents? First, the majority who favor legalizing recreational marijuana is not necessarily overwhelming. One poll from Quinnipiac University in January recorded 65% of New Yorkers in favor of legalizing marijuana, the highest among public polling numbers, and in May Quinnipiac polled support at 63%. Yet Quinnipiac is the only pollster to show support surpassing 60%. Siena College found support at just 52% and 53% across three different polls, while an NBC 4 NY/Marist poll had 55% approval. Even with consisten majority support, the state Legislature isnt composed of at-large, statewide elected officials. If support is too concentrated in urban districts, such a measure can still struggle to gain a legislative majority. Long Island, one of the key areas that remains a sticking point, consistently polls worse for pot legalization, In the most recent Siena College poll, opposition outweighed support on Long Island. Siena College pollster Steve Greenberg said the numbers show that the matter of marijuana legalization doesnt split evenly along ideological lines, in part because of all the complexities of how pot will, or wont, be regulated. Many moderate Democrats, for example, might favor dropping criminal penalties for possession, but still want selling the drug or driving under the influence of it to be illegal. I think its the nature of the issue it is the sale of it, the possession of it, the use of it, Greenberg said. We have a test for DWI, now we dont have a test for DW-stoned, so some people are thinking about that as part of it. Already, certain suburban areas have either opted out or plan to opt out of recreational sales, under a provision in Cuomos proposal from budget season. The town of North Hempstead has passed legislation prohibiting sales, while leaders in both Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island have said they would not allow sales either. Larry Levy, executive director of the National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University, said that for Long Island lawmakers, perhaps the best outcome for them is to not have a vote at all this year in order to avoid taking a side, since there is no clear benefit one way or another and there are credible arguments on both sides. If theres no consensus, and when youre a freshman legislator who replaced a Republican and theres not a clamor across your community for what would be from the perspective of not even a generation ago an enormous change, its understandable, Levy said of the hesitance among suburban Democratic lawmakers. Complicating the matter further is that New York would only be the second state to legalize marijuana through legislation, and the first to set up a regulatory framework legislatively. Every other state other than Vermont, which legalized possession and allowed only for limited home growing legalized the drug through a voter referendum. A recent analysis from the Rockefeller Institute concluded that one of several reasons passing a marijuana bill has been more difficult is because it forces individual lawmakers to take a stand on the issue, which may be politically risky. While it is unlikely that marijuana legalization alone would cost anyone an election, both the complicated nature of the legislation and the variable unknowns that have led to a lack of consensus means there is no clear political path forward - especially for new state senators who walk a fine line between a Democratic base and moderate swing voters. Hoping to assuage some of the concerns from wavering lawmakers, the sponsors of the bill to legalize recreational marijuana, state Sen. Liz Krueger and Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples-Stokes, introduced last week an amended version of the bill that included a far broader regulatory system than was originally imposed, as well as a mechanism for municipalities to opt out of sales through a voter referendum. The previous version had very few regulatory rules, while the revised bill sets up an Office of Cannabis Management, much like the one originally proposed by Cuomo, to oversee licensing and overall enforcement. Before those changes were made, Krueger had said that she did not have the votes for passage and would need Cuomos help to get those on the fence. It remains to be seen whether the new language changes enough in a complicated equation for new state senators in moderate districts to go on the record with a vote to legalize recreational marijuana. Cookie Preferences Cookie List Cookie List A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website when visited by a user asks your browser to store on your device in order to remember information about you, such as your language preference or login information. Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. 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You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated sale of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website. The distribution of the Pulitzer Prizes, in the rotunda of Low Library at Columbia University, one of the stateliest columned rooms this side of the Atlantic, is a perennially anticlimactic affair. The winners are announced weeks ahead. So it was rather stunning when, as servers set down plates of dessert, with chocolates pressed into the Pulitzer logo and flecked with gold leaf, Jennifer Hudson appeared from behind a curtain. She wore a long, flowing gown with a deep V-neck, white with black zig-zagging designsnotebook marginalia. Her hair, curly with blond coloring, sprang out and down her back like a heros cape. By way of introduction, Dana Canedy, the Pulitzers administrator, let everyone know that, as a tribute to Aretha Franklinto whom the Pulitzer committee awarded a posthumous special citation for her contributions to American music and cultureHudson had made an impressive voyage: her flight had been cancelled, and shed driven 14 hours to make this appearance. When Hudson erupted in song, the room was airlifted: Amazing Grace. ICYMI: The fabulist who changed journalism The unofficial theme this year, not for the first time, was the spectacular triumph of the press in the face of intimidation and violence. Guests of honor included students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, who survived a fatal shooting (the Pulitzer committee received a submission from The Eagle Eye, the schools newsmagazine. I had a favorite this year among the entries, Canedy said. It was a submission that did not win); staff members of the Capital Gazette, in Annapolis, Maryland, who survived a fatal shooting (recipients of a special citation); and Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, Reuters journalists who were recently released from prison in Myanmar after 511 days behind bars (awarded for international reporting). Lee Bollinger, Columbias president, shook hands with the victors, one by one. Hudsons rendition, belting catharsis, was a worthy homage to Franklin (whom shes been cast to play in an upcoming biopic). As she let her vibrato go, Hudson turned in the direction of the Reuters table. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo beamed. They leaned in to exchange whispers. Who could have imagined such an extraordinary thing? Afterward, Wa Lone said: She was great. Sign up for CJR 's daily email Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo may not possess Hudsons celebrity, though in that rotunda, they were greeted with a reception nearly equal to hers. Both men were dressed in black sweaters with crisp white shirts poking out at the collar, which made them resemble priestshappy, free priests. When it was their turn to be invited onstage, they were given an opportunity to speakan honor not granted to any of the other award winnersand used their platform to express thanks: Kyaw Soe Oo in Burmese (through a translator: We are incredibly grateful for all the support we have received from all the journalists and media organizations around the world); Wa Lone in English (I feel very humble and greatly honored to be here). The rest was what it was: Martin Baron, editor of The Washington Post, and Dean Baquet, editor of The New York Times, met in the middle of the room; Baron initiated a hug, which Baquet accepted. A woo for David Barstow, Susanne Craig, and Russ Buettner, who wrote an expose of Donald Trumps finances for the Times. A woo for Carlos Lozada, honored for his criticism in the Post. A woo for Forrest Gander, the winner for poetry (yay, poetry). Servers brought out risotto, beef, and a buttery portion of fish while devastating images of children starving in Yemenby Lorenzo Tugnoli, winner for feature photographyflashed on two large screens. Tony Messengerthe winner for his commentary in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, who brought his dadnursed a beer, then another. Everyone clapped for The Advocatewhose owners, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, just bought a competing paper, the Times-Picayune, and laid the latters staff off. Wrapping up, champagne was passed around to the winners, who took a sip before setting their glasses down and picking their phones up: in a room of journalists, a private concert from Jennifer Hudson would inevitably, immediately be recorded, streamed, and broadcast on social media. On their way out, guests received Franklins complete recordings on vinyl. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo posed for a picture with the rest of their Pulitzer class before they made their way home. ICYMI: 100 years of Pulitzer data Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Betsy Morais is the managing editor of CJR. On Friday, May 10, police officers took a sledgehammer to the front gate of Bryan Carmody, a freelance journalist and stringer in San Francisco. Once they got into his home, they cuffed him for five and a half hours and took away his phones and computers. They searched my house at gunpoint, Carmody told CJR afterward. They were running around like a SWAT team. The officers were hunting the source of a leaked police report on the death of Jeff Adachi, San Franciscos former public defender, which Carmody had obtained and sold forward to local TV stations; two judges had authorized the search. Carmody, Tony Biasotti noted for CJR, was an imperfect free-speech martyr; some in the Bay Areas media scene see him as something of a troll. Nonetheless, the raid on his home quickly united local journalists and national press-freedom advocates in outrage. Last Sunday, nine days after the raid, London Breed, the Democratic mayor of San Francisco, carefully distanced herself from her police department. I have to believe that the judges decision was legal and warranted, and therefore so was the search, she wrote on Twitter. Whether or not the search was legal, warranted, and appropriate, however, is another question. And the more we learn, the less appropriate it looks to me. The following day, George Gascon, the citys district attorney, used similar language: I cant imagine a situation in which a search warrant would be appropriate absent any evidence that Carmody broke the law in obtaining the report, he said. The day after that, Bill Scott, San Franciscos police chief, said Carmody was suspected of criminal conspiracy. According to the San Francisco Chronicles Evan Sernoffsky, however, Scott only said Carmody had participated in receiving and distributing a leaked government reportan action that is common in the media and protected by the First Amendment; Scott, at the same news conference, stressed he was explaining, not defending, his departments actions. As the week wore on, pressure continued to mount. Kamala Harris, California senator and Democratic presidential candidate, and Gavin Newsom, the states governor, both criticized the raid. On Friday, Scott finally apologized. In an interview with the Chronicle, he conceded that the raid on Carmody had probably been illegal. ICYMI: Former reporter creates Rate my Professor for newsrooms A belated mea culpa is better than no mea culpa. But it shouldnt be the end of this disturbing episode. Yesterday, Trevor Timm, executive director of the Freedom of the Press Foundation and a frequent contributor to CJR, listed nine questions about the raid that officials have yet to answer. Were the judges who authorized the Carmody warrant aware that he is a journalist, affording him various protections under state law? If the judges did not know, did officials in the police department work to conceal that information? If they did know, why did they sign off at all? The raid, Timm writes, was a blatant violation of Californias shield law, which holds that journalists cannot be compelled to turn over unpublished information or identity their sources. According to Timm, the FBI also attempted to interview Carmody after the raid. But the extent of the bureaus involvement has yet to be explained. Also yesterday, new reporting from Sernoffsky, at the Chronicle, added further grounds for concern. The police, Scott admitted, didnt just raid Carmodys home but also obtained search warrants targeting his phone recordsa step his attorneys said was previously unknown to themas well as officers within the department. Details of the warrant for Carmodys phone records are scarce (it was filed under seal). As Sernoffsky notes, however, it raises questions about whether Carmodys phone records provided evidence that police used to justify the later warrants, and about whether police had identified suspects in the leak case. City authorities should urgently answer these questions, and national media should continue to push them to do so. Its bad enough that this case poses a local threat to free journalistic practiceits chilling effect is clear, both for journalists and potential sources in San Franciscobut its relevance doesnt stop at San Franciscos city limits. Whether or not it was a factor in this case, officials across the country will take national attacks on the media as license to treat reporters with contempt. As Audrey Cooper, editor of the Chronicle, tweeted last week, Press freedoms can be threatened in any city, regardless of how conservative or liberal it is. Sign up for CJR 's daily email Below, more on the Carmody raid: Echoes of autocracy: Last week, Yashar Ali argued, in an op-ed for CNN, that the raid has attracted insufficient national concern. This story has received national press attention but not enough public outrage. It is essentially seen as a local story about a local politician, Ali wrote. Reporters in the United States are more and more the targets of local and state law enforcement. Last week, Yashar Ali argued, in an op-ed for CNN, that the raid has attracted insufficient national concern. This story has received national press attention but not enough public outrage. It is essentially seen as a local story about a local politician, Ali wrote. Reporters in the United States are more and more the targets of local and state law enforcement. Going after journalists: Despite Californias strong legal protections, efforts to strongarm members of the press are nothing new in the state. According to Vices David Uberti, at least four other journalists have faced search warrants in the past 10 years. And earlier this year, Xavier Becerra, Californias attorney general, demanded that journalists at UC Berkeley destroy documents they had obtained under freedom of information laws, as Biasotti reported for CJR. Despite Californias strong legal protections, efforts to strongarm members of the press are nothing new in the state. According to Vices David Uberti, at least four other journalists have faced search warrants in the past 10 years. And earlier this year, Xavier Becerra, Californias attorney general, demanded that journalists at UC Berkeley destroy documents they had obtained under freedom of information laws, as Biasotti reported for CJR. The fight continues: Last week, police officials promised, during court proceedings, to return devices they confiscated from Carmody. It wasnt clear, however, what they planned to do with information they may have obtained from them. Carmodys lawyers, meanwhile, want a judge to go further and quash the original search warrants. A hearing is set for June 10. Other notable stories: ICYMI: After trade talks, China press crafts a controlled nationalist narrative Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Review of Books, Foreign Policy, and The Nation, among other outlets. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop. Ive lately been losing myself in The New York Times archives, scrolling through front-page coverage of World War II. Days with no landmark battles, such as January 23, 1943when, as the paper reported top-right, Allies made progress in Kharkov and Tripoli, but the Nazis built two U-boats for every one the Allies sank. Center bottom, as always: War News Summarized. Below the fold, a Netherlands crown princess gave birth on Dutch soil in safe Ottawa. The pages portray a United States facing down an existential threat. On such days, even gossip stories were stories about the war. Today, the climate crisis is no less an existential threat. To limit the worst effects of the climate crisis, we have under eleven years to decarbonize our economy, mobilizing, as Bill McKibben and others have urged, on the speed and scale of WWII. One might expect to see that mobilization effort in the US media more often; climate change, after all, frames every beat. A threat of such breadth, teen climate activist Greta Thunberg once said, should preclude us from talking, writing, or reporting about anything else. ICYMI: Transforming the medias coverage of the climate crisis Yet my news feed tells a different story. Scrolling through my Apple news feed on a Sunday in April, climate coverage was hard to come by. I saw stories about a rabbi shot at the Poway synagogue, who had delivered an inspiring sermon; Trump rallying supporters with calls of fake news; and a teen whose hepatitis may have been induced by green tea. Other top stories included a piano prodigy turned viral sensation and an American tourist charged with killing a Dominican national in Anguilla. The Science Section led with UFOs from The Atlantic, followed by the oldest tree, dark matter, the FCCs SpaceX plans, wondrous volcanos, someone eating a live rattlesnake, and research indicating the world is sadder and angrier than ever before. At last, I hit a climate piece, from Wired: a story on plants genetically modified to absorb more carbon dioxide. I repeated the exercise with the Timess news app: three articles on Bidens run, Barrs Congressional testimony, the Sri Lanka Easter attacks, the California synagogue shooting, and, finally, a three-day-old story, Can Humans Help Trees Outrun Climate Change? To be fair, the Times had that week run an ambitious slate of climate stories around Earth Day, as well as a climate-themed issue of its magazine. In fact, the Times leads US popular newspapers in climate coverage, at arguably our best climate-coverage moment ever. A recent study of five major US newspapers counted more climate stories in March 2019 than almost any month since 2000. Of those stories, more than halfa grand total of 423came from the Times. Sign up for weekly emails from the United States Project Still, theres a widespread sense that, per a recent headline from The Guardian, the media is failing on climate change. When it comes to an existential crisis, what does sufficient coverage look like? While many leading climate journalists concur newsrooms are not covering climate enough, several told CJR that more climate stories does not necessarily equate to quality coverage. Growth is not measured in the number of stories, but in the kind of stories we tell, Hannah Fairfield, the Timess climate editor, says. We need creative, personalized stories that engage readers, which might depend in part on form. Fairfield, who has a background in data visualization, says she works to tell stories in phone-friendly ways that are new and creative and form-changing. Such efforts by the Times include striking visual pieces showing Yellowstones climate-wrought changes, and solutions-oriented coverage of Costa Ricas Green New Deal. And, if we are keeping score, then some stories certainly win more points with readers. The Times climate desks top-read story last year was an interactive feature that invited readers to learn how many more days of extreme heat their hometowns experience now, compared to their birth year, which drew readers to look up data from more than 18,615 cities and towns. Last August, the New York Times Magazine devoted an entire issue to a 30,000-word recent climate history by Nathaniel Rich that he adapted into his dramatic book, Losing Earth. Rich, while calling for more climate coverage, raises a conceptual problem he sees with fixating on frequency. Climate change shouldnt be thought of as one item on the menu of issues discussed by the press such as healthcare or immigration, he says, but rather as a framework for how we understand all of them, likening climate change to a connective tissue and the fabric of our life. There should be an understanding, he says, that you cant write about all of these other issuesand extreme weather, in particularwithout mentioning climate change. He calls the failure to interweave climate into general coverage one of the failures of our time. Similarly Sara Peach, Senior Editor at Yale Climate Connections, says that climate change needs to be infused across all the beats. As a thought experiment, she asks, what if reporters were tasked with covering a change not to climate but to gravity, another force that sets the terms of reality? The dearth of climate storiesand, beyond that, climate changes unacknowledged role in stories on immigration, healthcare, and weathersignals, in part, a news media at odds with reality. We didnt fight WWII purely out of hope and optimism, we fought it because we were really scared If we really need that type of mobilization now, I suspect well need messaging that draws on fear at least as readily. In 1943, everyone agreed the war was a real, immediate, universal threat that demanded front-page coverage. In todays scattered media landscape, there is no ready equivalent to Page One, and the existential threat we face doesnt always feel so immediate or intertwined with our daily lives, even to readers who dont doubt climate changes reality. Were not where we need to be with climate journalism, but were not where we need to be with climate policy, either, David Wallace-Wells, New York Magazines deputy editor, and author of The Uninhabitable Earth, says. While journalism is a public service, Wallace-Wells says, its also a business, and its also a leisure activity for most of the readers that consume it. The same media that shape public understanding of climates pervasive reach also cover movie openings, the NCAA tournament, and Meghan Markle. Still, we can learn from the coverage of WWII. We must do our best to make climate change the mainstream news central narrative by making the connections Rich and Peach describe. Practically speaking, reporters should ask whether their beat is affected by climate change, veteran environmental reporter and Editor of Yale Climate Connections Bud Ward says. When its a yes and I really think virtually every beat gets to a yes pretty easily they should consider whether climate change is a worthwhile angle in that story. This doesnt mean climate needs to be in every story, Ward clarifiesjust that it should run through reporters and editors minds. We need to make sure that climate change coverage is everywhere. News outlets must find ways serve local news deserts, David Sassoon, founder and publisher of the Pulitzer Prize-winning InsideClimate News, says. InsideClimate News now leads a National Environment Reporting Network, supporting local reporters to engage their own audiences at a local level, free of the national polarization. They recently published a series on climate solutions for the Midwest, the fruits of a collaboration by 14 newsrooms. Elsewhere, Yale Climate Connections short radio segments appear on nearly 500 mostly public radio frequencies. Some publications may rewrite their very identities, asking tough questions about journalisms essential role. In 2015, as then editor-in-chief Alan Rusbridger prepared to leave The Guardian, he rallied his team to revolutionize climate reporting, leading the paper to spearhead a fossil-fuel divestment campaign, Keep it in the Ground, and report on this fraught process in a podcast, The Biggest Story in the World. Such foundational changes continue today: recently, aligned with the call of activist group 350.org and others, The Guardian replaced the term climate change with climate crisis or emergency or breakdown in their house style guide. We want to ensure that we are being scientifically precise, while also communicating clearly with readers on this very important issue, editor-in-chief Katharine Viner said in a story announcing the change. The phrase climate change, for example, sounds rather passive and gentle when what scientists are talking about is a catastrophe for humanity. There is a longtime convention among climate scientists and communicators that panic is counterproductive. But Wallace-Wells, who wrote a New York Times op-ed called Time to Panic, says, We didnt fight WWII purely out of hope and optimism, we fought it because we were really scared If we really need that type of mobilization now, I suspect well need messaging that draws on fear at least as readily. Should the tenor of our climate coverage always recall the Battle of Midway? The climate desk isnt urging readers to panic, Fairfield says. Instead, for readers, our focus is to bring revelation and surprise. The bigger point, journalists say, is that climate stories require a range of tenors and narrative modes, given its complex reality. Both Wallace-Wells and Rich attribute their books success, in part, to what Wallace-Wells calls storytelling opportunities left on the table. And, as with the Times front-page war coverage, the climate crisis should always be emphasized in prominent places. Along with its recent terminology changes, The Guardian started running daily atmospheric carbon-dioxide concentrations, which recently hit a record 415 parts per million, on their weather page. At least one reader told the paper that such information belonged front-and-center: Its great that the Guardian will publish a daily record of carbon dioxide levels, but the place for this is not the weather page, the reader wrote. However, weather is outside our control. Carbon dioxide levels are our responsibilitythe inexorable rise should be (daily) front-page news. NEW: Will Michael Wolffs Siege stand the test of time? Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Abby Rabinowitz has written on climate change for Wired and The New Republic, and her work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, the Virginia Quarterly Review, BuzzFeed, Vice, and Nautilus. A professor, she directs the first-year writing program at NYU Tandon School of Engineering. MINNEAPOLIS A recent ruling from the Minnesota Supreme Court saying doctors can be sued for malpractice even if theyre not directly treating a patient is causing angst in the states medical and legal communities. The high court said in its ruling last month that the decision was aimed at doctors whose decisions have consequences. The decision came in a case involving a hospital doctor who allegedly refused to admit a patient who was being treated by a nurse practitioner at the Essentia Health Clinic in Hibbing in August 2014. The nurse spoke with Dr. Richard Dinter at Fairview Range Medical Center and asked him to admit 54-year-old Susan Warren because she was suffering from abdominal pain, fever, chills and other symptoms, according to the lawsuit from the patients family. The lawsuit alleges Dinter declined admission after a 10-minute phone call. But court records in the case show that the doctor and nurse disagree about several aspects of their conversation, including whether the nurse made the request for Warrant to be admitted. Warren died several days later. The Star Tribune reports the patients family sued in 2016, but both a district court and appeals court dismissed the lawsuit because Dinter was not directly treating the patient. But the Supreme Court ruled that such a relationship was not necessary to sue. We have never held that such a relationship is necessary to maintain a malpractice action under Minnesota law, Justice David Lillehaug wrote for the 5-2 majority. The Supreme Court also argued that the lower courts ignored precedents going back 100 years. The lawsuit now will head back to trial in St. Louis County District Court. Thaddeus Pope, director of the Health Law Institute at Mitchell Hamline School of Law in St. Paul, said the physician-patient relationship requirement has been commonly assumed and unquestionably cited. It was surprising, and I think that it is important to note that they were very clear that they were not making (a) new law, Pope said. Medical groups say the opinion could subject doctors to more lawsuits. The Minnesota Medical Association sent a bulletin to its members, posing this scenario: Would a primary doctor be sued for failing to diagnose a patients infectious disease, leading to someone else becoming ill? It seems to be changing the conventional wisdom around when liability exists, said Janet Silversmith, chief executive of the doctors organization. Fairview said it will continue defending the lawsuit. Dr. Dinters response was appropriate based on the limited information provided, the company said in a statement, which added that the hospital believes Fairview and Dr. Dinter will be found to have acted appropriately. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. An offshore reinsurer has placed a bet that the future of insurance claims will include an option for consumers to resolve disputes online rather than in court. Greenlight Re, a specialty property casualty reinsurer based in the Cayman Islands, announced that it has invested in FairClaims, an online dispute-resolution vendor. The U.S. property and casualty insurance industry alone spends nearly $30 billion annually to defend claims, stated Chief Executive Officer Simon Burton. It is widely recognized that current methods for resolving insurance disputes in the US are time-consuming, inefficient, and expensive. Greenlight did not disclose the amount of its investment, but FairClaims founder Stephen Kane said in a telephone interview that the reinsurers stake was a part of a total of $3.8 million raised from private investors. Kane said he was inspired to launch fair claims through his experience as an attorney representing small businesses in Los Angeles and San Francisco. He said he was often asked to step in to resolve disputes involving relatively small amounts of money. In many of those cases, it didnt make any sense to hire an attorney. Kane said he designed FairClaims to allow consumers to enter data about their claim and attach any documents that can be used as evidence. The program allows parties to make and accept or reject settlement offers. Kane said the system, designed to operate much like TurboTax, educates consumers about the claims process. FairClaims can be used for binding arbitration or simply as a negotiating tool. As consumers go through the process, they learn about each element of their claim and are asked to assign values. Its more like we guide the consumer, he said. We go the consumer and say, Heres the formula, and we demystify it for them. Kane said consumers will not use online tools unless they understand how they function. This new generation will not tolerate any lack of transparency, he said. Kane said FairClaims up to now has served a few private clients who use it to deal with consumer complaints. The investment by Greenlight will finance an expansion into the insurance field. FairClaims has hired licensed attorneys who will step in and act as arbitrators for insurance claims, he said. In all, eight employees work at the firms Los Angeles headquarters. Kane said FairClaims last fall launched a pilot project with a third-party claims administrator, its first foray into insurance field. He said 35% of consumers who were identified as likely to litigate and given the option to use FairClaims decided to opt in. FairClaims was involved in negotiations to settle 53 claims so far. The average settlement was $2,750 less than the initial claimant demand. Kane said he expects about one third of insurance policyholders who are given the option to use the FairClaims system to take advantage of the option. Given the volume of insurance claims in general and the massive market size, we feel its enough to build a big business, he said in an email. Not to mention we can expand to handle a variety of first- and third-party property and casualty claims in a variety of ways. FairClaims enters a crowded field. The National Center for Technology and Dispute Resolution maintains a database that lists more than 80 online dispute-resolution providers. Those include well-known institutions such as the Better Business Bureau to tech start up such as Resolve Disputes Online, which says it is Making Justice Effortless and Accessible. VirtualCourthouse.com, founded in 2001, is one of the longest-standing dispute-resolution websites. Chief Executive Officer Arthur Monty Ahalt said his involvement in the business grew out of his work as a Circuit Court judge in Prince Georges County, Maryland. Ahalt oversaw the development of an online court records system as chairman of the courts technology committee before retiring from the bench in 1999. Ahalt said using online tools to negotiate insurance claims is not a new idea. He said VirtualCourthouse did several pilot projects with carriers in 2009 and 2010, but none evolved into permanent partnerships. Ahalt said his sense is that claims adjusters arent ready to allow a software program handle claims negotiations. He said hes still in touch with the claims people who participated in the pilot program. I deal with claims managers on a daily basis, Ahalt said. Claims managers dont have confidence that they will still have control of the claim. University of Missouri School of Law professor Amy J. Schmitz, who has published dozens of scholarly articles on online adjudication systems, said shes surprised that the insurance industry isnt already heavily invested in online claims negotiation. Schmitz said back in the early days of Internet commerce, around the year 2000, she and other legal scholars thought that the insurance sector would jump full bore into online adjudication systems. She said they seem a natural fit because they can deliver results quickly at a minimum expense. Instead, most of the growth in online dispute resolution has come in the area of family law, she said. She said the insurance industry is missing an opportunity. These work quite well in areas where people cannot afford an attorney, Schmitz said. Thats kind of what the the goal is, access to justice. Johnson & Johnsons greed for more sales of its addictive opioid painkillers helped create a deadly epidemic in Oklahoma that claimed thousands of lives, and the company should pay billions of dollars as compensation, the states top law-enforcement officer told a judge. J&J and its Janssen unit used a deceitful, multibillion-dollar brainwashing campaign to dupe doctors into prescribing the powerful medications for unapproved ailments, causing a wave of fatal overdoses and addiction woes, Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter said at the start of a trial in the states claim against the company. Oklahomas lawsuit one of more than 1,600 filed by U.S. governmental bodies is the first to go to trial. All claim drugmakers and distributors are responsible for a public-health calamity tied to opioid painkillers. They say billions in tax dollars were spent on dealing with the fallout of drug abuse. The outcome in Oklahoma could impact claims and settlement talks involving other states, cities and counties. The oversupply of opioids and the over-prescribing to vulnerable populations such as children spawned the worst man-made public-health crisis in the states history, Hunter told Judge Thad Balkman, who is hearing the case without a jury in Norman, Oklahoma. J&J and Janssen should be ordered to clean up the terrible mess theyve left us, Hunger said during his opening statement, whatever the cost. Balkman will decide whether the company should pay and how much. Hunter also sued opioid makers Purdue Pharma LP and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. for their roles in the crisis. Purdue, the top marketer in the state, settled in March for $270 million. Teva agreed on Sunday to pay $85 million, sending the companys shares plunging 12% Monday. In his opening argument, J&J lawyer Larry Ottaway disputed the contention that children were targeted in marketing campaigns, and he said the company sponsored prescription-drug-education programs in some of the states schools. The drugmaker says it legally promoted and sold the painkillers and shouldnt be held responsible for the misdeeds of other companies. Ottaway noted that Purdue and Teva had settled rather than go to trial. Why are we still here? he said. Because when you are right, you fight. Because the state painted J&J and Janssen as heartlessly targeting youths, the companies have no choice but to present the facts of what they actually did, Ottaway said. Facts are stubborn things, Ottaway said, quoting former President John Adams. Government studies have shown chronic pain affects as many as 50 million Americans annually, sapping more than $500 billion from the U.S. economy, and can cause depression and suicide if left untreated, Ottaway said. Serious chronic pain is a soul-stealing thief, he said. Janssen did not invent this disease it was trying to assist with the treatment of this disease through opioid-based products, he said. J&J is also attacking the states attempt to apply public-nuisance law to the problems of opioid abuse. In the past, the Oklahoma statute has been used primarily to address real-estate disputes. The legal theory will be used in other opioid cases. A federal judge in Cleveland who is overseeing municipal suits against J&J and other drugmakers and distributions will allow plaintiff attorneys to use public-nuisance law in the first cases set for trial there in October. In court filings, J&J also said its products a fentanyl-based patch and an opioid pain-killing pill accounted for less than 1% of the market for such medicines in the state. The company has since sold off or stopped marketing both products. Hunter dismissed the drugmakers questions about his use of public-nuisance laws in a pharmaceutical case as ridiculous. He said J&Js illegal marketing was linked to the deaths of more than 4,600 Oklahoma residents between 2007 and 2017, and those shady sale pitches created a threat to public welfare. The fact that I am a Republican, a conservative and someone who believes in capitalism doesnt mean I will turn a blind eye to companies that hurt people, Hunter told Balkman. Reggie Whitten, an outside lawyer hired by Hunter to prepare the opioid case, noted the state may ask for almost $13 billion in damages and penalties to cover 20 years of treatment and prevention programs. If Balkman adopts the states plan, hell be saving tens of thousands of lives in the future, Whitten said. The case is State of Oklahoma v. Purdue Pharma LP, CJ-2017-816, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, District Court (Norman). Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio -- The deadline by which City Council must name a replacement for former councilman Jason Russell is May 30 -- 30 days after Russells resignation took effect. It was expected that council, after two interview sessions with the nine candidates who submitted resumes, was going to name its newest member at Tuesdays council meeting (May 28). That didnt happen, and council President Dennis Fiorelli said council will have one more meeting, on the deadline day of Thursday (May 30), to name Russells successor. Russell, 34, announced his resignation in early April, stating a need to spend more time on his job and to prepare for his upcoming wedding. Well have a special meeting on (May 30) and then go into (closed-door) executive session, Fiorelli said. Fiorelli said it has been difficult for council to agree on one person for the job. When you have six people (council members), it can be difficult to come up with one person. Well see if we can do it on Thursday," he said. If council fails to name a new council member by the time May 30 comes to a close, the choice of Russells successor, by city law, will be made by Mayor Georgine Welo. The list of nine candidates includes Dennis Silsby, of Greenway Road, a 47-year resident; three-year resident Breanna May, of Avondale Road; Christopher Latham, of Westdale Road (seven years); Curtis Orr, of South Belvoir Boulevard (five years); Mary Bastawros, of Argonne Road (40 years); Denise Turner, of Hinsdale Road (15 years); Susan Hardy, of Plainfield Road (12 years); Andrew Fernandez, of Berwick Lane (three years); and Carol Sisson, of Wilburn Drive (13 years). While council cannot choose its next council member in a closed-door setting, it can rank the candidates. If council chooses a new council member, it will name that person immediately after its executive session. The person chosen would serve the remainder of Russells term, through Dec. 31, 2019, then would have to seek election to gain a full four-year term. Fiorelli said candidates are being asked if they intend to run for election in November. Lawsuit dropped News came out Tuesday (May 28) that The Lyceum, the small classical Catholic School located on the grounds of Sacred Heart of Jesus parish, and Washington, D.C.-based conservative Christian group Alliance Defending Freedom have dropped a lawsuit against the city of South Euclid. The lawsuit was filed in April over the citys anti-discrimination ordinance, passed last year. The school, which has 53 students enrolled, stated in its lawsuit that the ordinance did not contain any exemption for religious beliefs. The ordinance forbids the denial of work, housing or public accommodations based upon sexual orientation. The attorney for The Lyceum wrote in a court filing Tuesday that the city had clarified its position as it relates to portions of the ordinance. The attorney wrote that the clarification satisfied the schools concerns that its teachings will not be adversely affected. Community Services Director and Clerk of Council Keith Benjamin announced the news at Tuesdays council meeting and received cheers from city leaders. Benjamin, who has served as the citys spokesman regarding the case, then read a statement, in which he said, "The Alliance Defending Freedom has spent the last month working to divide our community and spread falsehoods and hate. The Lyceums decision to drop its lawsuit is a gratifying victory for our community, our residents, the LGBT community and, indeed, for all those working to put an end to discrimination across our nation. It provides important validation that South Euclids nondiscrimination ordinance is legal and valid. This is why I went back to school to get a degree in diversity management, and Im so proud to be a part of this community, and especially proud of all of our elected officials who stood up and put their reputation on the line to provide these protections, Benjamin said. We need to continue to work together to provide laws that guarantee equal value for every life in South Euclid and across the nation, because if any member of our community is vulnerable, then we are all vulnerable," he said. After the meeting, Benjamin said of the case, Its not over yet, adding that some work still needs to be done. We need to work on getting our (city) legal fees paid back to us, he said. Safety levy is expiring In November, it will have been three years since voters last approved a safety levy to benefit the citys police and fire department budgets. That means the city will likely try again this year to extend that levy -- and the $2 million it brings in -- for another three years. First passed in 2013, the 5.75-mill levy, and a probable attempt to renew it, will be the subject of an upcoming City Council Finance Committee meeting. When asked if council would replicate the three-year, 5.75-mill current setup, Fiorelli said: The amount and time limit can both be discussed. Anything can be discussed. The Finance Committee meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. June 10 at City Hall, 1349 S. Green Road. Cedar Road work City Engineer Andy Blackley reported to council Tuesday (May 28) that resurfacing work on Cedar Road is two months ahead of schedule. Blackley said work is nearing completion on the South Euclid side of the road, but must still be done on the University Heights side. Phase 2 of the project, from Richmond Road to I-271, will be much longer, Blackley said, but theyre expecting to be done by the end of the year with the whole project, which is much sooner than expected. See more Sun Messenger news here. SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio -- The citys Planning Commission has again turned down a bid by developers seeking to build a Burger King restaurant with a drive-through along Mayfield Road. More than a year ago, both the Planning Commission and City Council rejected a bid by the developers, DeVille Development of Canton. DeVille built the Marcs Plaza just east of South Green Road, on Mayfield Road. With Carrols Corp., DeVille is looking for city approval of a use district exception that would allow the drive-through. The development is located within the Mayfield-Green Zoning District which, by city code, requires a use district exception for operation of a drive-through. DeVille took the matter to court, where it was decided that the restaurant/drive-through plans, with modifications, should be brought back to the Planning Commission and City Council for reconsideration. On April 25, the Planning Commission held a public hearing on the subject. Then, on May 9, the commission voted 4-1 against recommending to council a use district exception. At the April 25 meeting, engineer Gary Rouse of GBC Design Inc. told of new plans from a year ago that would locate the drive-through at the back of the building, facing the Marcs store further north. The new design also called for building the Burger King just 10 feet from Mayfield Road, on what is now a grassy area. The front of the building would face Mayfield Road, unlike the past design, which had the front facing east, toward the next-door Taco Bell restaurant, which has a drive-through. Lastly, the new plan eliminated a wall that was to shield from view cars waiting in the drive-through from Mayfield Road passersby. In an April 30 letter to the Planning Commission, South Euclid Building Commissioner Laura Heilman provided a list of 10 conditions to which she believes Burger King designers would have to agree in order for a use district exception recommendation. Among those conditions were that the citys Board of Zoning Appeals would have to agree to provide an exception to city code that states that the restaurant must sit on at least one acre of property, as opposed to the .466 acres now specified; that the BZA would have to allow a lot width of 105 feet, as opposed to the codes minimum of 150 feet; and that the BZA allow nine dedicated parking spaces for Burger King, rather than the 52 the code states. The South Euclid Fire Department also examined the designs and, through Fire Inspector Scott Sebastian, stated that a wider exit lane would be needed at the back of the restaurant. Plans now call for three, 12-foot-wide lanes to ring the building, two of which would be drive-through lanes and one an exit lane. Sebastian noted that the Ohio Fire Code requires an unobstructed width of not less than 20 feet. Theres a lot for us to consider, said Council President Dennis Fiorelli. Fiorelli said that council, by city law, must hold its own public hearing on the matter within 120 days of the May 9 Planning Commission decision. We cant make up our minds too early, or theres no point in having the public hearing," he said. "If (council) turns it down again, it could go back to court, or the developers could decide its not worth it. City Council will discuss the matter at a committee-of-the-whole meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. June 10. A date has yet to be set for councils public hearing. At the April 25 meeting, about 15 residents attended. Almost all spoke, and most were skeptical of the idea of a drive-through. See more Sun Messenger news here. UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Aggravated menacing, Cedar Road At 6:20 p.m. May 25, a man reported that he had arranged to purchase from an online seller two Insane Clown Posse necklace charms. The man said he met the seller, a woman wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, in the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant at 14101 Cedar Road in South Euclid. The man said he was short $20 of the purchase price and walked across Cedar Road, to his University Heights apartment, to get the needed money. The woman followed. While out of view of the seller, the man scratched the charms to see if they were really made of silver, as advertised. The scratches, he said, made it clear that they were made of plated copper. When confronted with his belief, the man told police, the seller threatened him with a gun before driving away in a rusted, late 1990s Ford Taurus station wagon. Police contacted the seller, who said that the man, after he came out of his apartment, used a gun to threaten her. Faced with conflicting stories, police arrested no one. Theft, Warrensville Center Road At 12:05 p.m. May 20, loss prevention at Macys, 2201 Warrensville Center Road, reported that it had detained for theft a Cleveland man, 35. The man was charged for the theft of a womans swimsuit and also cited for marijuana possession. Menacing, Cedar Road At 5:50 p.m. May 20, a University Heights Library staff member reported that, a day earlier, a Cleveland Heights man, 19, was allowed to use the librarys courtesy phone. As the man loudly spoke, he began to swear. Library staff terminated the call and the man threatened a staff member. Police took a report on the matter. Theft, Cedar Road At 10:20 p.m. May 23, loss prevention at Target, 14070 Cedar Road, detained for theft a Cleveland Heights boy, 14. The boy was charged with theft and his mother called to take custody of him. Theft, Warrensville Center Road At 10:30 a.m. May 24, Macys loss prevention reported a theft that had taken place four days earlier, and an attempted theft/criminal damaging episode that had occurred two days previously. The incidents involved the same four unidentified juveniles. Police are investigating. Theft from auto, Lansdale Road At 10 a.m. May 24, a man reported that someone had entered and gone through his car during the previous night and stolen a bank card and other items. The bank card was used the night of the theft. Police are investigating. Assault, Milton Road At 9:20 p.m. May 24, a Cleveland woman, 20, reported that she had been assaulted while in the lobby of Huntington Green Apartments, 2200 Milton Road, by the 30-year-old father of her child and the mans mother, 48. Another party who was with the complainant also reported being assaulted by the two. The victims suffered minor injuries. A police investigation is under way. Curfew violation, Cedar Road At 12:05 a.m. May 25, officers spotted three youths riding their bikes. Police stopped two of the youths and told them of the curfew, and sent them away with warnings. The third boy, however, attempted to elude police, pedaling onto Kildare Road in Cleveland Heights. Officers eventually apprehended the boy and took him back to the police station. Police were unable to learn from the boy his identity or get from him the identity of his guardian. The boy was transferred to the custody of Cuyahoga County Childrens Services. Theft, Warrensville Center Road At 4:15 p.m. May 26, Macys loss prevention reported that it had in custody for theft a Cleveland man, 63. The man stole $105 worth of merchandise. See more Sun Press news here. CLEVELAND, Ohio An Elyria man who solicited nude photos from a 12-year-old girl online using one social media username, while also extorting the same girl through another, is headed to federal prison for 25 years. Christopher Goodin, 33, victimized the preteen, who lives in Salt Lake City, by posing as a young girl and enticing her to send photos on the Kik messenger app, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. He then used a second username to pose as a man who knew the fake girls cousin and told the victim he wouldnt tell on the fake girl if the victim send him nude photos. The victim complied at least twice, and committed similar acts against a second victim in Cincinnati, Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol Skutnik wrote in a sentencing memo. A search of Goodins electronic devices yielded thousands of images and videos with children being abused, some of which were so depraved that they would make most people vomit, Skutnik said in court Wednesday. U.S. District Judge James Gwin, before imposing the sentence, cited Goodins unbelievable trove of the most offensive materials possible as one of the reasons for the punishment he chose. The judge also ordered Goodin to pay $150,156 in restitution, as well as an additional $5,000 to a federal government-maintained victims fund. Goodin has been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest in October. He pleaded guilty in February to sexual exploitation of children, receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography. In August, the FBIs office in Salt Lake City received the complaint that led to Goodins arrest. The girls mother told authorities that her daughter sent explicit photos to man online. A search of the girls cellphone showed the images, as well as correspondence with the usernames Shorty853 and Sambam01, Skutnik wrote. The victim told agents that she believed Shorty853 was a young girl like herself, and said she received sexually explicit photos of a girl when they exchanged images, according to prosecutors. Shorty853 then told the victim that she was being harassed by Sambam01, and that Sambam01 knew her cousin and threatened to tell on her. The victim reached out to Sambam01 on KIK and asked her to leave Shorty853 alone, prosecutors stated. In response, Sambam01 told the victim to send sexually explicit photos of herself for his silence. The victim complied. Sambam01 later reached out to her and asked the victim to send more explicit photos within three hours in exchange for his silence. She did and he sent a picture of his penis, authorities said. The FBI obtained subscriber information about Shorty853 and Sambam01 and found both accounts were accessed from the same Internet Protocol address in Elyria. Agents also found that Goodins profile on the Plenty of Fish dating site under the name shorty0507." Included in the profile was a section that told people to contact him on Kik at Shorty853, Skutnik wrote. The FBI and Elyria police searched Goodins Kentucky Drive home Oct. 10. He admitted to using Shorty853 for his social media accounts but denied chatting with the girl in Salt Lake City and using the Sambam01 username. However, his cellphone contained numerous photos of the girl. Agents found thousands of images and videos of child porn, some of which involved bestiality and infants and toddlers being abused, Skutnik wrote. They also found pictures of a 14-year-old Cincinnati girl amid the thousands of other files discovered on his laptop and on his cellphones SD card. That girl told agents that she chatted with Goodin on Kik and Snapchat and that they exchanged photos, prosecutors said. Goodin apologized Wednesday to his family, the court and, after his attorney Bret Jordan whispered in his ear, to the victims. He said he wants to get help and become a better member of society upon his release. Jordan argued for a 15-year prison sentence, the minimum allowed by federal law. He said his client acknowledges his problems and wants to address them, and that a decade and a half is long enough to do so. Skutnik asked for a 30-year prison sentence, citing the conniving and cruel way he extorted images from the girl in Salt Lake City and his lies to law enforcement when they searched his home. If you would like to comment on this story, please visit Wednesdays crime and courts comments section. CLEVELAND, Ohio Four former clients suing the Kisling, Nestico and Redick law firm have asked a judge in Summit County grant class-action status to a lawsuit that accuses the firm of defrauding its clients through kickback schemes with chiropractors. If granted, the move could allow thousands of people to join the suit against the prolific personal-injury firm that has offices in 11 Ohio cities. Lawyers for the plaintiffs said in recent filings that evidence collected since the suit was filed in 2016 shows the firm conspired with several chiropractors around the state to overcharge clients for medical procedures they often didnt need. One doctor alone, a Wadsworth-based family care physician, earned an average of about $1 million per year since 2011 treating thousands of KNR clients, according to the filings. Dr. Sameh Sam Ghoubrial flew on a private plane he co-owned with KNR partner Rob Nestico to doctors offices around the state to inject KNR clients en masse with a pain medication that, in many cases, insurance companies would refuse to cover, the filings say. The schemes taken together amount to a violation of the states civil racketeering laws, the plaintiffs said. The allegations in the motion for class-certification are the culmination of years of pretrial evidence-gathering, and are based on sworn testimony of four former KNR lawyers, as well as doctors. The plaintiffs -- Member Williams, Richard Harbour, Monique Norris and Thera Reid -- are represented by lawyers Peter Pattakos and Rachel Hazelet of the Fairlawn-based Pattakos Law Firm, and Joshua Cohen and Ellen Kramer of Cohen, Rosenthal and Kramer in Cleveland. The case is being heard by Judge James Brogan, a retired Dayton-area judge who most recently served on the 2nd District Court of Appeals, after several judges recused themselves. Lawyers representing KNR, Nestico and Ghoubrial have denied any wrongdoing in the past. James Popson, a lawyer at the Sutter OConnell firm that represents KNR in the suit, said in an emailed statement that the firm has never had any lawyer sanctioned for illegal or unethical behavior in the 15 years since it opened. All allegations suggesting illegal or unethical behavior by KNR or its attorneys are completely false, and evidently are intended solely to harass the firms attorneys and damage its reputation, Popson said in the statement. KNR will not let this frivolous and baseless lawsuit detract from its important work of fighting for vulnerable people who have been harmed as a result of accidents and medical malpractice. Brad Barmen, a lawyer who represents Ghoubrial, called the latest claims in the lawsuit baseless and defamatory. Dr. Ghoubrial provides excellent care to his patients and his costs are reasonable and in line with other providers in the area, Bramen said. The evidence on this is clear. Plaintiffs counsel just chooses to ignore the evidence because it doesnt fit his false narrative. The new scheme KNR is among countless law firms that use a high-volume business model where lawyers handle hundreds of cases at a time, very little of which ever go to trial, according to the filings. An academic scholar referred to this type of law firm as a settlement mill that makes its money by filing thousands of lawsuits and then negotiating a settlement. These firms need a high number of clients. The lawsuit alleges that KNR crafted partnerships with clinics, doctor offices and investigators across the state. This created a mutually beneficial relationship where they refer each other clients. For example, if someone comes into a clinic after a car crash, the clinic refers the patient to KNR for legal services. If someone reaches out to KNR first, then KNR refers the client to a chiropractor for medical treatment. According to the lawsuit, KNR and the doctors profited off of the relationship by getting their clients to sign a form waiving insurance coverage as part of the case. That waiver lets doctors inflate the cost of medical care they administer instead of the patients actual out-of-pocket cost, the filings say. They also get to avoid the scrutiny of an insurance company deciding which care is necessary, the filings claim. Once the settlement is reached, the doctors offices collect the inflated cost of care from the patients portion of the settlement, not the portion that went to the attorneys fees, the lawsuit says. Three former KNR lawyers said the law firms goal was to submit as many medical expenses to the insurance company representing the other driver as possible on the belief that it would pressure them into a higher settlement, the court filings say. The firm also benefitted by allowing doctors to over-bill clients because it kept the doctors loyal to KNR, the filings allege. The filings name several chiropractors in cities including Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Toledo and Youngstown, who all referred their patients to Ghoubrial for treatment, the filings claim. Trigger-point injections Trigger-point injections, in which doctors directly inject pain medication into a patients sore muscle using a syringe, are mentioned in news releases from law firms around the country touting settlements in car-accident lawsuits. A doctor who submitted a sworn affidavit in this lawsuit said that the procedure is often not recommended for use in patients after car accidents, and insurance companies often dont cover them for that reason. Ghoubrial, who runs Wadsworth Medical Center, has partnered with KNR since at least 2011, the filing says. Ghoubrial used the insurance waivers to bill KNR clients anywhere from $400 to $1,000 for a series of injections, according to the filings. The filings says that a former Columbus-based KNR attorney said in a deposition that other clinics in that city offered the injections for as little as $200, and a former Cleveland Clinic doctor said that for patients who went through insurance coverage, he typically would have gotten reimbursed about $78. Ghoubrial confirmed at his deposition that he collected approximately $8 million from KNR settlements for care, according to court records. The plaintiffs allege that the majority of that care was trigger-point injections, that Ghoubriel said has given to approximately 6,000 KNR clients. In order to treat that many clients, Ghoubrial flew to cities around the state on a private plane that he co-owned with KNR president and co-founder Rob Nestico, the suit says. Ghoubrial formed a private company to manage his share of holdings in the plane, and named the company TPI Airways, according to records filed with the secretary of states office. Ghoubrial in his deposition said he did not know what TPI stood for, but denied that it was a reference to trigger-point injections, court filings say. Racially charged language The lawsuit also includes allegations that Ghoubrial and Nestico used racially charged language when discussing the law firms clientele, which includes a high percentage of low-income and black clients. One of Ghoubrials former coworkers said in his deposition that he heard Ghoubrial refer to trigger-point injections as n----r point injections." But that doctor said Ghoubrial did not use the slur with racist intent because Ghoubrial was born in Egypt and is himself African-American. The filings also unearthed an email in which Nestico joked that the law firm should replace a Macaroni Grill gift card they pass out to clients who fill out a satisfaction survey with gift cards to Popeyes Chicken. Nestico made the quip after an employee sent an email telling him one of their clients had sold the gift card at a local pawn shop in Youngstown. Nestico and lawyers for him and KNR vigorously denied any racial motivation to Nesticos comment during Nesticos deposition, and said Popeyes was the closest restaurant to the firms Youngstown location. KNR and lawyers for Ghoubrial and several other doctors named in the filing will get a chance to respond to the filings before Brogan will decide whether to grant class-action status to the plaintiffs lawsuit. Judge acknowledges public interest Brogan, who was assigned to the case in May 2018 after four other judges stepped off the case, acknowledged in an unprompted order last week the publics interest in the lawsuit. In the Thursday order, Brogan questioned a September 2017 order by the first judge to recuse from the case, Summit County Common Pleas Court Judge Alison Breaux. Breaux, who stepped off the case after lawyers complained about her acceptance of campaign contributions from Nestico and other KNR lawyers, granted a request by KNR lawyers and ordered some of the evidence, including depositions, to be filed confidentially. That ruling came after Breaux lifted a gag order she imposed months earlier that prevented attorneys involved in the case from discussing the lawsuit and ordered the Clerk of Courts not to make court filings available online. Brogan said Breauxs September order was imposed apparently...to minimize pre-trial publicity," and said that parties in the case had used it to file every deposition under seal. He said the court has a duty to make public all filings in a lawsuit that do not jeopardize trade secrets, and ordered attorneys to submit filings by June 17 explaining why he should not unseal every deposition filed so far in the case. By the way," Brogan wrote in the final line of his order, the public has standing under the circumstances of this case. To comment on this story, please visit Wednesdays crime and courts comments page. AKRON, Ohio -- An Akron man was arrested after police say he assaulted a family member and stole two urns filled with the cremated remains of two relatives. Jermain Bais, 32, of Fulton Street is charged with aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony, according to Akron Municipal Court records. Police responded early Monday to a report of a robbery at a home on the 1800 block of Manchester Road in Akrons Summit Lake neighborhood, according to a police report. Officers spoke with the victim, a 43-year-old woman, and her 22-year-old son. The woman reported a family member, Bais, and two unknown men arrived at her home shortly after midnight, a police report says. Soon after she let the three men inside, Bais grabbed two vinyl boxes containing the ashes of the victims husband and her husbands mother. The victim tried to stop Bais, but he assaulted her and pushed her to the ground, a police report says. She got up and fought with Bais over the ashes. One of the other two men brandished a silver handgun and told the victim and her son that if they called the police, they would be shot. The woman reported that all three men ran from the home with both containers of ashes. EMS treated the woman for minor injuries to the side of her neck, police said. Officers arrested Bais on Tuesday, court records show. He is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday morning. To comment on this story, visit Wednesdays crime and courts comment section. Want more Akron news? Sign up for cleveland.coms Rubber City Daily, an email newsletter delivered at 5:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Public health officials are urging drug users to pick up free fentanyl test strips amid a wave of fatal overdoses linked to a mixture of the opioid and crack-cocaine. Officials believe the drugs contributed to 18 drug overdose deaths over a recent eight-day period, including eight deaths over Memorial Day Weekend. Half of the victims were black, which officials noted is higher than usual; last year, just 21 percent of all fentanyl deaths in Cuyahoga County involved black victims. The test strips are being distributed at healthcare centers, so anyone who requests them will not be questioned by law enforcement, Cuyahoga County spokeswoman Eliza Wing said. The strips can detect the drug when it is mixed with cocaine, heroin and other substances. They are available free to the public at the following locations: Circle Health Services, 12201 Euclid Ave. in Cleveland Care Alliance Clinic, 2916 Central Ave. in Cleveland The rise in deaths caused the Cuyahoga County medical examiner to issue a public health advisory on Tuesday. U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams and Cleveland Clinic doctors also discussed the rash of deaths and the ongoing opioid epidemic during a Wednesday event at Clevelands Intercontinental Hotel. Cocaine was a factor in 45 percent of all drug overdose deaths last year in Cuyahoga County, the highest percentage in more than a decade. Many cocaine users dont realize the drug is increasingly being mixed with the powerful opioid fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman told cleveland.com earlier this year. The Cuyahoga County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Boards 2019 budget included $15,000 for the Care Alliance Health Center to buy and distribute fentanyl test strips. ADAMHS Board officials said earlier this year that they are working on a plan to get the fentanyl test strips into places like bus stations, public libraries, recreation centers and bar bathrooms. Details of the plan have not been announced. The medical examiners office also urged anyone using opioids or dealing with opioid addiction to contact Project DAWN at 216-778-5677 or the ADAMHS Board at 216-623-6888. CLEVELAND, Ohio Its been a few years since Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band have hit the road for a full-fledged tour. That will change in 2020. During an interview with Italian newspaper la Repubblica, Springsteen confirmed he, along with the band, will travel together next year. We will go on tour next year, Springsteen said, via Rolling Stone. Ill record with the E Street Band in autumn and, when we are done, well go on tour. As Springsteen pointed out, the tour will come with new songs. While Springsteens solo album Western Stars arrives June 14, he says already working on material for his first new album with the E Street Band since 2014s High Hopes. The question is: Will Springsteen and the band bring that new music to Cleveland? Theres probably a 50/50 chance. While Cleveland was included on The River Tour in 2016, Springsteen opted for Cincinnati and Columbus for the High Hopes Tour in 2014. For what its worth, he did play The Q, now Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, in 2012. The venues renovation will be complete when Springsteen gets around to planning his 2020 schedule. EASTLAKE, Ohio The Original Steaks & Hoagies is celebrating its Eastlake restaurant opening with a big giveaway: Free cheesesteaks for a year. The restaurant is at 35400 Vine St., Eastlake, just north of Classic Park, the Lake County Captains' stadium. The giveaway will mean cheesesteaks for a year for the first 50 people in line. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. Friday, May 31. The restaurant features 100 percent ribeye steak, vegetarian options, chicken, salads and more in addition to hoagies. Original Steaks & Hoagies also has Northeast Ohio locations in Canton, Fairlawn, Lorain, Medina and Twinsburg. The company started in Twinsburg in 2010. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- "Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek is sharing good news about his treatment for stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Its kind of mind-boggling, Trebek tells People magazine. The doctors said they hadnt seen this kind of positive result in their memorysome of the tumors have already shrunk by more than 50 percent. The 78-year-old game show host says his cancer is in near remission, according to doctors. Trebek revealed his diagnosis in March, but continued working while undergoing chemotherapy. In an interview with CBS News earlier this month, he said he suffered severe stomach cramps in between tapings. He also now wears a hairpiece. But Trebek, who has admitted to experiencing deep sadness at times, tells the magazine he cried tears of joy, not tears of depression when doctors told him about his progress. Some of the credit, he says, goes to the many fans whove shared their love and support. Ive got a couple million people out there who have expressed their good thoughts, their positive energy directed towards me and their prayers, he says. I told the doctors, this has to be more than just the chemo, and they agreed it could very well be an important part of this." Though pancreatic cancer has a five-year survival rate of 9 percent, Trebek remains upbeat. "Ive got a lot of love out there headed in my direction and a lot of prayer, and I will never ever minimize the value of that." Now in its 35th season, Jeopardy! has enjoyed a sort of renaissance of late. Current champion James Holzhauers amazing run of 29 straight wins en route to more than $2.25 million in prize money has boosted the show to its best ratings in more than a decade. Holzhauer goes for win No. 30 Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. on WOIO Channel 19. DAYTON, Ohio Concerns over possible looting has authorities in areas hit by tornadoes stepping up patrols and is resulting in some residents sleeping in or near their storm-damaged homes, according to reports. Some residents who left their damaged homes say theyre already being victimized, WLWT Channel 5 reports. I got a phone call from a neighbor who said, Hey, theres people walking in your home saying you have really nice stuff, Dayton resident Nakeyia Allen tells WLWT. Theyre going in your refrigerator and taking out Moscato and taking your knickknacks off your mantle theyre walking in your kids rooms and in your room, and saying they would be back later.' Scott Curtis, who owns a home in Northridge Township near Dayton, tells WCPO Channel 9 he is sleeping in his home despite several windows having been blown out by a tornado and the yard covered with debris. Im just afraid somebodys going to think they need my stuff more than I do, Curtis tells WCPO. Im not going nowhere. Authorities are aware of the problem. Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck tells WLWT the department is setting up security teams and will crack down on thieves. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has declared a state of emergency in three Dayton-area counties that were devastated by the tornadoes. Storm reports posted online by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Storm Prediction Center showed that on Monday night and early Tuesday, nine tornadoes touched down in Ohio. Melvin Dale Hannah, 81, of Celina, was killed when a parked car was blown into his house. The Dayton Daily News reports that more than 120 people were treated at area hospitals after the storms. AKRON, Ohio An 18-year-old male was wounded in the hip Monday evening in a shooting in West Akron, police say. Officers were called to the 800 block of Peerless Avenue at about 7 p.m. They found the victim, who lives on 18th Street Southwest, in the tree lawn in front of a residence. The teen was taken to Cleveland Clinic Akron General Hospital for treatment. There were no other injuries but a house on Peerless Avenue was struck by gunfire. No suspect description was given to the officers. It was the second shooting in Akron involving a teen victim over the holiday weekend. Friday evening, officers were called to the 500 block of Chittenden Street in East Akron and found a 17-year-old male with multiple gunshot wounds. The teen was taken to Akron Childrens Hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, police say. The victim tells police he was was walking on Chittenden Street when two males, ages 17 to 20 years old, approached and opened fire. A 44-year-old man who was standing in a lot near the shooting was wounded in leg. Both shootings remain under investigation. Anyone with information can call Akron detectives at 330-375-2490 or 330-375-2TIP, or the Summit County Crimestoppers Inc. at 330-434-COPS. Individuals also can also text TIPSCO with tips to 274637 (Crimes). Callers can remain anonymous. To comment on this story, visit Tuesdays crime and courts comments page. Ohio is still far from finding the right way to pay online charter schools to make sure students truly learn as they take classes by computer from home. After two years of nasty court fights over the millions in state tax dollars going to e-schools, the largest of which are run by for-profit companies, the state legislature voted last spring to find a new way of funding them. The legislatures aim: Pays the schools when students complete courses, or at least parts of courses, rather than based on enrollment. By tying payments to students completing courses, schools would have financial incentives to make sure students participate in their online classes and, officials hope, the poor test results of e-schools would improve. But the panel charged with picking a new plan missed its November deadline. It then became mired in state budget debates this spring. Now the panels two co-chairs say no resolution is likely by the end of June, when the legislature goes on summer break. That would bump any change in how to pay the controversial online schools, the biggest of which are run by for-profit companies, until the 2020-21 school year. In the meantime, the states model of paying by enrollment, while also tracking time students spend online, will stay in place. I dont see how well get it done [by July 1], said Peggy Lehner, chair of the Senate Education Committee and co-chair of the funding panel. It is taking a little more time than expected, said State Sen. Robert Cupp, a Lima Republican and the other co-chair. I think that will be a lift [to finish by July 1]) so I think thats a bit uncertain. Cupp is also co-author of a plan to overhaul basic school funding for all schools in the state. Debate over that plan has dominated his attention so far this year. And picking a new plan for e-schools isnt simple, Cupp said, even if the basic idea paying the schools based on classwork students complete, instead of by enrollment might be. The state will also have to decide how much to pay for each class, how much for partially-completed classes, how much for students who shift schools mid-year or mid-semester, and how much schools need for running the school and tracking down those that lag in coursework. There are details that are a little more complicated to work out and will take a little more time to do properly, Cupp said. State Sen. Teresa Fedor, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Education Committee, isnt happy with the delay and wants to see a plan soon that pays only for results. Just punting down the field isnt going to take care of the issue and get kids the education they need, she said. Chad Aldis of the Fordham Institute, a right-leaning advocate of school choice, said that there isnt a handy solution Ohio can borrow from other states, so the panel will have to weigh options carefully. Its always complicated and its critical they get it right, he said. The states largest online schools say theyre not too bothered by the delay. The schools have to operate under the funding formulas that the state implements, said Jeff Kwitowksi, spokesman for K12 Inc., which operates Ohio Virtual Academy, now the states largest e-school. OHVA will adjust as needed. After the closure last year of the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow (ECOT), once Ohios largest school, OHVA enrollment grew to almost 12,700 students and the school now collects about $92 million a year in state tax dollars. The states second largest e-school, Ohio Connections Academy, has close to 4,400 students and takes in $29 million a year in state money. Online schools have been under fire in Ohio and nationally the last few years. Their students overall score far below students that attend brick-and-mortar schools and the schools are losing support of the national charter school community for dragging the movement down. In 2015, Stanford University researchers studied e-school test results nationally and found that students learned almost no math, when compared to similar students. An updated study of Ohio charter schools this year by the same researchers found scores equivalent to online students skipping 47 days of reading classes in a year and 136 days of math classes. A string of F grades on state report cards also put ECOT under scrutiny. After the Ohio Department of Education found that ECOT could not document the amount of time its students participated in their online classes, the state sought the return of $80 million in tax payments from the school. Unable to return that money and stay open, ECOT closed early last year. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Stay out of the water at Edgewater Beach today, since the heavy rain Tuesday caused an overflow of 142,600 gallons of raw sewage and stormwater. Severe storms hit Cleveland Tuesday evening, pelting the city with more than an inch of rain, according to the National Weather Service. The combined sewer overflow ran into Lake Erie at 8 p.m. Tuesday, according to a news release from Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District. Visitors (particularly children, the elderly and those in ill health) are advised to avoid contact with the water and debris, the release says. The sewer district has posted signs at Edgewater Beach advising beachgoers to avoid contact with the water. The beachs Nowcast water quality predictions are posted as Poor today. Until the mid 1970s, the combined sewer pipe at Edgewater Beach discharged raw sewage into Lake Erie approximately 40 to 50 times per year. However, because of millions of dollars of improvements to reduce combined sewer overflows, discharges have significantly decreased, the sewer district says. The last Edgewater discharge during swim season was August 2018. Project Clean Lake, the sewer districts 25-year, $3 billion capital improvement plan, will reduce combined sewage entering Lake Erie and other area waterways. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- U.S. Surgeon General Vice Admiral Jerome Adams will visit Northeast Ohio on Wednesday, stopping into the City Club of Cleveland to discuss some of the region and nations top health priorities. Among them is the opioid epidemic. Eight people died from overdoses over Memorial Day weekend in Cuyahoga County. Adams will meet with lawmakers and other officials about the issue during his visit, cleveland.coms Evan McDonald reports. Another high-profile health issue is vaccination, after a wide-spread measles outbreak in more than 20 states, according to Yahoo News. Adams recently visited Oregon and Washington to discuss more effective ways to reach people wary of vaccinating their children, reports Oregon Live. Adams, in an interview with the American Public Health Association, said his three top priorities are the opioid epidemic, health and the economy and health and national security, meaning how prepared the U.S. population is to respond to threats from man and nature. You can read the full interview here. Watch Adams appearance at the City Club at 12:30 p.m. in the video viewer above. COLUMBUS, OhioDiane Grendell returned to the Ohio House on Wednesday, as the Republican was sworn in to fill a Geauga County seat. Its a surprise, but its an honor, the Chesterland Republican told cleveland.com on Wednesday morning. Im really honored to be a part of the Peoples House again. Grendells appointment to finish the term of ex-state Rep. Sarah LaTourette in House District 76 comes even though the Geauga County Republican Party recommended someone else for the seat: South Russell Village Councilman Dennis Galicki. However, House vacancies are filled by lawmakers of the same party as the departing member, and Grendell was the choice of an Ohio House GOP screening committee named by House Speaker Larry Householder. Galicki was endorsed over two others by a majority of the Geauga County Republicans central and executive committees on Thursday. Grendell didnt submit her name for consideration; she said she couldnt attend Thursdays meeting because she was being honored by the local bar association at the same time. Nancy McArthur, the chair of the Geauga County GOP, said that party officials were very disappointed that Galicki was passed over for the appointment. Hes not particularly well known in the party, McArthur said, but he impressed all of us, and hes a great candidate. Speaker Larry Householder told reporters Wednesday afternoon that he wasnt aware that Grendell didnt go before the Geauga County GOP. The speaker said that Grendell was the number-one choice of most of the lawmakers on the House GOP screening committee, while Galicki scored the lowest among the five or six candidates considered by the panel. She was by far the top pick, Householder said of Grendell. Grendell previously served in the Ohio House from 1993-2000. She garnered headlines in 1999, when she and her husband -- Geauga County Common Pleas Judge Tim Grendell -- sued top state officials after fellow Republicans stripped a $30,000 Geauga County Airport Authority grant from a state budget bill. Grendell argued that the money was removed as punishment for refusing to vote yes on the bill, but the Ohio Supreme Court ultimately threw out the suit. Last year, Grendell retired from Ohios 11th District Court of Appeals in Warren because of state age limits. Before leaving the court, she made an unusual request that her judicial seat be eliminated entirely after her departure, saying the courts caseload wasnt busy enough to warrant keeping the position. The House District 76 seat opened up earlier this month when LaTourette was appointed executive director of Ohio Family and Children First, a partnership of government agencies and community organizations that works to coordinate services for children in need. Unlike LaTourette, Grendell is seen as an ally of Householder, who was elected speaker earlier this year despite only winning a minority of House Republicans. (Householder triumphed thanks to votes from most House Democrats.) Grendells appointment paid immediate dividends for Householder: Grendell voted for House Bill 6, a priority bill of Householders that would abolish Ohios green-energy standards in favor of customer-funded subsidies to nuclear and coal power plants. "It looks like the air would be worse in Northern Ohio if we didnt have the nuclear power plants, Grendell said, explaining why she backs the legislation. COLUMBUS, Ohio-- Legislation to gut Ohios green-energy mandates and set up customer-funded subsidies to nuclear and coal power plants passed the Ohio House on Wednesday, thanks to key support from several House Democrats. The 53-43 vote on House Bill 6 came after yet another series of last-minute changes to the controversial bill that would allow subsidies to already-approved solar plants, limit property tax devaluation on the nuclear plants, and cap nuclear subsidies if electricity prices increase. The bill, which now heads to the Ohio Senate, would scrap the states clean-energy requirements for utilities that legislators passed in 2008. Those requirements mandate that by 2027, utilities must obtain 12.5 percent of their power from renewable sources such as wind and solar, as well as reduce demand through energy-efficiency programs. If HB6 passes as written, the $4.39 average monthly surcharge paid by Ohio residential electricity customers for these mandates would be eliminated. Instead, every residential ratepayer in Ohio would be charged up to $1 per month to create a clean-air fund that would raise about $190 million per year, most if not all of which would bail out the Davis-Besse and Perry nuclear power plants in Northern Ohio. Both are slated to close soon unless owner FirstEnergy Solutions gets outside financial help. Those subsidies would end after 2026, under the bill. In addition, HB6 would enshrine in state law an Ohio Supreme Court ruling that the Ohio Valley Electric Corporation could charge its customers up to $2.50 per month pending approval of state regulators -- to subsidize two OVEC coal-fired power plants -- one in Ohio, the other in Indiana. House Republicans from southern and southeast Ohio have been pushing for years for the Piketon-based company (which is jointly owned by several electrical utilities) to receive such subsidies. Another provision would allow residents in unincorporated areas of Ohio townships to call for a referendum on whether to allow or block a state-approved wind-energy project in their area even when construction has already started. Earlier on Wednesday, the House Rules Committee in an unusual move added a number of amendments designed to make HB6 more appetizing to both Democrats and Republicans. One of the changes would make six large-scale solar power projects already certified by the Ohio Power Siting Board eligible for subsidies under the proposed clean-air fund. Other alternations would limit the amount of subsidies the nuclear plants could collect should electricity prices increase, and cap the amount by which FirstEnergy Solutions could see a property-tax devaluation of its nuclear plants an attempt to avoid a repeat of when the plants, then owned by FirstEnergy Corp., were devalued in 2017, costing local governments and schools millions in revenue. HB6 has created some strange bedfellows. Supporters of the measure include FirstEnergy Solutions, Gov. Mike DeWine, labor unions, nuclear power advocates, and local officials from areas near the nuclear plants; critics include environmental groups, the fossil-fuel industry, renewable energy companies, and some conservative organizations. Even though Republican House Speaker Larry Householder has made passing HB 6 a priority, only 43 of 61 House Republicans voted for the bill including Diane Grendell of Geauga County, who was hastily sworn in ahead of Wednesdays vote to finish the term of Republican Sarah LaTourette in House District 76. But amid a flurry of lobbying by building trades labor unions and others, 10 of 38 House Democrats provided the yes votes needed to pass the bill. One of those Democrats, state Rep. John Rogers of Lake County (where the Perry nuclear plant is located), said in an interview that while HB6 is "not as good of a bill as it could be, he and other Democrats succeeded in inserting the last-minute amendments, including capping the plants property tax devaluation. In addition, Rogers said, If that [Perry] plant goes away, Lake County stands to lose a significant amount of revenue. And thats going to affect people in a bad way, not a good way. Republican proponents of the legislation also said HB6 is needed to keep open the nuclear plants, which employ thousands adding that the bill also would abolish costly government mandates. It lowers Ohioans utility bills. It keeps Ohio jobs. It preserves our [power plants with] zero-carbon emissions that we have here in Ohio, said state Rep. Shane Wilkin, a Highland County Republican co-sponsoring the bill. State Rep. Casey Weinstein, a Hudson Democrat, disputed that by eliminating Ohios energy-efficiency requirements, HB6 would save ratepayers money. The net result for Ohioans will be increased bills, Weinstein said. State Rep. Ryan Smith, a Gallia County Republican and a former House speaker, asked why lawmakers are intervening to save nuclear jobs when they didnt take similar action to help workers laid off when General Motors closed its Lordstown assembly plant in March. Smith also said that the bill doesnt include any auditing provisions to ensure that FirstEnergy Solutions needs the money, pointing to a report from an oil and gas group asserting that the companys two nuclear plants are among the most profitable single reactors in the country. This is socializing risk and privatizing profits, Smith said. Ohio Senate President Larry Obhof, a Medina Republican, has previously indicated that he supports rescuing FirstEnergy Solutions two nuclear plants, though he hasnt yet said what he thinks of the House-passed version of HB6. Prior to Wednesdays House vote, Obhof said that state Sen. Steve Wilson, the Cincinnati-area Republican who chairs the Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee, will begin hearings on the legislation next week whether we have a bill or not. Obhof added that HB6 comes to the Senate at the midpoint of the legislative process -- meaning the bill that goes into the Senate could come out looking dramatically different. The budget is certainly going to take up a whole lot of our man-hours over the next few weeks, Obhof said. But Im confident that we have the ability to give both pieces of legislation, and many other pieces of legislation that are pending, full and fair consideration. In a statement following the vote, DeWine, a Greene County Republican, thanked Householder for taking on this major, bipartisan legislative effort regarding Ohios energy policy. The governor continued: "As I have previously stated, Ohio needs to maintain carbon-free nuclear energy generation as part of our energy portfolio. In addition, these energy jobs are vital to Ohios economy. I look forward to this legislative discussion continuing in the Ohio Senate. Cleveland.com reporter Laura Hancock contributed to this story. Rotunda Rumblings Not wading into Roe: The U.S. Supreme Court decided one Indiana anti-abortion law in favor of the state and chose not to look at another one.Cleveland.coms Laura Hancock explains how these decisions may affect Ohio abortion legislation, including a fetal remains burial and cremation bill. Disaster designation: Gov. Mike DeWine declared a state of emergency on Tuesday in Greene, Mercer and Montgomery counties, after the three Dayton-area counties were hit by tornadoes late Monday.As cleveland.coms Andrew Tobias writes, the designation will allow state officials to more quickly deliver supplies and other resources. DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted visited the area on Tuesday to check on the damage caused by the tornadoes, which killed an 81-year-old man in Celina, injured dozens more and left tens of thousands without power. By the numbers: Ohio has had 26 tornadoes so far this year, with the historically busiest tornado month (June) not yet here, cleveland.coms Rich Exner reports. He has a searchable database of tornadoes dating back to 1950. Another city population ranking: It seems to be a talker anytime the Census Bureau releases new city population estimates, so Exner took another swing at it. This time, ranking Americas 150 largest cities by population density. Ohio cities in this group are No. 38 Cleveland (4,939 per square mile), No. 60 Columbus (4,110), No. 69 Cincinnati (3,833), No. 82 Toledo (3,408) and No. 89 Akron (3,192). Get our texts: Would you like to show your support for Capitol Letter, plus get exclusive insider information on Ohio government and politics? Consider Project Text. For $3.99 a month, you can get behind the scenes insights and observations via text messages from the reporting team who puts together our essential daily newsletter. A ban on bans: The Cuyahoga County Council passed a measure Tuesday that will ban single-use plastic bags beginning Jan. 1, 2020, cleveland.coms Courtney Astolfi reports. That could set the county up for a legal fight with the state, which again is looking to ban local bag bans. Meantime, the Columbus suburb of Bexley was also expected to vote on a measure banning bags, straws and cutlery over the next several years, per the Dispatchs Kevin Stankiewicz. Banking on it: A coalition of labor and consumer groups is pushing for a pilot program that would allow U.S. post offices in Cleveland to offer financial services such a savings accounts, electronic money transfers, ATMs and even small loans. As cleveland.coms Sabrina Eaton explains, the idea is to fill financial gaps in rural communities and inner cities where banks lack branches. Sticker price: Secretary of State Frank LaRose received more than 2,000 submissions for the I Voted sticker contest. In the end, the public chose the winner from three finalists. Luckily, cleveland.coms Seth Richardson went through every single entry and compiled the best, and most entertaining, of the remaining entries. Serious Mo-Joe: Vice President Joe Biden is coming to Columbus to campaign on Saturday, per Richardson. Biden will serve as guest speaker for the Human Rights Campaigns Columbus Dinner at Ohio State Universitys Archie Griffin Ballroom. King Fischer: The Columbus Dispatchs Holly Zachariah profiled the emergence of Columbus Partnership President and CEO Alex Fischer as a key Columbus civic leader. The article opened with a depiction of a December news conference at which Fischer and other Columbus officials jubilantly announced the city had brokered a deal for the Haslam family to buy the Columbus Crew. It also includes this fawning quote from L Brands Founder and CEO Leslie Wexner: One of the best things I ever did was hire Alex Fischer every community needs a public leader like him. Death penalty drugs: The Dispatchs Marty Schladen requested emailsfrom the state to learn about what drug combinations the DeWine administration is considering, since a judge proposed the state halt executions under its most recent method. He received no emails, and a DeWine spokesman said that may be intentional due to it being a sensitive issue, which critics say isnt transparent. Full Disclosure Five things we learned from May 15 financial disclosure of Rep. Anthony DeVitis, a Green Republican. DeVitis is the assistant majority floor leader of Ohio House Republicans. 1. In addition to the Ohio House, from which he earned $61,312.85 last year, he had income from three businesses: DeVitis and Sons Inc., an Italian specialty retail store where he was manager and vice president and earned $25,000 to $49,999, DeVitis Fine Italian Foods LLC, a food distribution company where he also earned $25,000 to $49,999, and Devico LLC, a real estate partnership from which he earned $10,000 to $24,999. 2. He reported owning five properties in Akron last year. 3. He has a pension with the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System, a mutual fund with Ohio Deferred Compensation, stock in DeVitis and Sons and a retirement fund with American funds. 4. At some point in 2018, he owed at least $1,000 to the following: JP Morgan Chase, Ford Credit, US Bank, Bank of America, Angelo DeVitis, Janet DeVitis and David DeVitis. 5. He received $3,785.60 in mileage reimbursement from the House for travel between his Summit County home and Columbus. On The Move NAMI Ohio named Rep. Jay Edwards, a Nelsonville Republican, as its legislator of the year for aiding efforts in Athens to create a facility where people leaving a psychiatric hospital can stay for up to 90 days to become more stable in their recovery. He also helped pass provisions in the last operating budget bill to provide new funding and better policies to enhance programs for people with mental illness, the organization said. Birthdays State Sen. Steve Wilson Straight From The Source The leader of the free world has no idea how unions work. He might understand business, but he doesnt understand our business. -Laid off GM Lordstown worker Rick Marsh, who voted for President Donald Trump in 2016 but told the New York Times he was disappointed in Trumps criticism of his union leaders. Capitol Letter is a daily briefing providing succinct, timely information for those who care deeply about the decisions made by state government. If you do not already subscribe, you can sign up here to get Capitol Letter in your email box each weekday for free. Soybeans are harvested with a Deere & Co. combine harvester in this aerial photograph taken above Tiskilwa, Illinois. A trade fight with the U.S. isn't the only war China is fighting. African swine fever has decimated the pig population in China and sent pork prices soaring. As many as up to 200 million Chinese pigs have reportedly been lost due to the disease. Now, Wall Street analysts are scrambling to assess the fallout from the fast spreading illness and how to invest around it. J.P. Morgan has downgraded Deere to underweight on concerns about the "rapidly deteriorating fundamentals in U.S. agriculture." This is due not only to the trade war, but also the decline in soybean demand in China as a result of the reduction in the hog herd due to the outbreak of the African swine fever. And last week, restaurant hospitality group Bloomin' Brands was downgraded by analysts at BMO. "We believe the potential magnitude and duration of African swine fever impacts to margins is underappreciated and BLMN is among the restaurants most at risk," analyst Andrew Strelzik said. "Our 2020 estimates are below consensus even though we are taking a conservative approach to layering African swine fever impacts into our model and protein pressures likely will persist beyond 2020." Shares fell 10% on the week. Hormel Foods reported earnings on Thursday and though the company beat, they warned that sales could be hit on fever worries. That could also be a continued hinderance on the stock, according to analysts at Stephens. "While the result in the quarter was slightly ahead of expectations, guidance was softer than street estimates, and management's mention of ASF uncertainty could pressure the stock," analyst Ben Bienvenu said. Animal food manufacturers like Darling Ingredients and Phibro are also feeling the swine fever heat. "Recent analysis has estimated that up to 30% of Chinese swine production could be lost to ASF, and Phibro's management fears that this estimate could be low," analysts at Gabelli said. "The number of confirmed ASF cases continue to climb and has the potential to have a greater impact on Darling's business," Goldman Sachs analysts said. "Management and the industry remain cautious as containing further outbreak of ASF is a top priority." Phibro is up over 5% on the week while shares of Darling are down 3.76%. Here are stocks that analysts worry analysts over the swine fever: A 34-year-old San Francisco-based entrepreneur has a surprisingly high balance: 10,308,398. That's not his checking account balance or the amount of debt he owes it's the total number of credit card reward points he currently has across over a dozen cards. Chris Hutchins a former Google employee and owner of Grove, a financial planning company started playing the credit card points game in college, and more than a decade later, he's finally reached his dream of having more than 10 million points. "It's been an evolving goal," Hutchins tells CNBC Make It. "When I first started I wanted to get a million." Hitting seven digits only spurred him on more. For the last five years, he's been steadily working toward the next milestone, which he officially hit this month. That's not to say he never spends down the reward points he, along with his wife, Amy, have been carefully accumulating. His points total across all of their cards does fluctuate month to month, especially when the couple is planning their latest travel adventure. Racking up credit card reward points is not just about hitting the big number, Hutchins says. The rewards allow him to indulge in the one thing he loves but would never otherwise splurge on: travel. Over the years, Hutchins and his wife have taken trips to Europe, India, Egypt, Japan, and even Bora Bora last year, all using credit card points. "With credit card rewards, the magic is finding the thing that you care about that you can use them to maximize it," he says. And not all the points are used to jet to exotic locales. Hutchins says he cashed in points for a flight to Denver last month because it was a better deal. Yet despite spending his rewards, he still racks points up at a higher rate than he spends them, hence the current 10.3 million total. Hutchins admits his credit card usage is "extreme." The average person has about three credit cards. But Hutchins is not average. He has 16 credit cards and a credit score of 817, while Amy also has several cards in her name, too. Chris Hutchins and his wife, Amy, in front of the Taj Mahal. Source: Chris Hutchins How he got started gaming credit card rewards First, there was just a single card: a United Airlines credit card Hutchins got in college. "I was like, 'Man every time I spend a dollar I get a mile, and if I get enough credit card points I could fly somewhere for free,'" Hutchins reminisces, saying that he's loved traveling his whole life. "I think my love for travel is what drove this. I thought: 'Wow, I don't have a lot of money, but if I maximize my points I can go on these trips and I don't have to pay for them.'" In 2005, while in college, Hutchins cashed in his points and flew to Europe on a whirlwind summer vacation with his then-girlfriend/now-wife, Amy, which included stops in France, Italy and Spain. I think my love for travel is what drove this. I thought: 'Wow I don't have a lot of money, but if I maximize my points I can go on these trips and I don't have to pay for them' Chris Hutchins After the 2008 financial crisis, Hutchins co-founded Milk, a mobile app incubator in San Francisco, which was acquired (and Hutchins was hired) by Google in 2012. From there, his wallet, and his interest in the credit card points game, grew exponentially. 'When I was working at Google, I would be the first person to volunteer to pay for the happy hour we are hosting for our team or plan the off-site that we're taking and book the venue," Hutchins says, adding that he was always volunteering to spend money when he would be reimbursed. "I think that's the source of a lot of point maximization." The crazy things he does for points Over the years, Hutchins has developed some creative hacks to score the biggest bang for his buck. For example, he buys Whole Foods gift cards at OfficeMax because he has a business credit card that gives 5 points for every dollar spent at office supply stores. What really accelerated Hutchins' points total was some extreme party planning. "In the last eight years, I've had plenty of friends decide to get married and every single time there was a bachelor or a bachelorette party, I volunteered to help plan it," he says. That meant paying upfront for trips to Cabo, Mexico, for example, which was a goldmine of points when you've got 15 people who need round-trip flights for $200 to $300 a pop, plus hotel rooms or a luxury rental house on the beach. And, of course, Hutchins put each one of those purchases on credit cards (such as American Express Platinum, which provides 5 points for every dollar you spend on flights) and was reimbursed later by his friends. Chris Hutchins in Aleppo, Syria in 2009. Source: Chris Hutchins It might sound risky but with one exception, Hutchins says he can't remember his friends ever flaking out on paying him back. The only big hiccup was his bachelor party in Cartagena, Colombia. The group flew Spirit Airlines, and the airline canceled its service to the city during the trip so nobody had flights home. Because everyone all had to get back to work, they all had to purchase new flights on other airlines, rather than waiting for the rebooked flight Spirit offered days later. "There was some contention about paying ... but eventually I got paid back," he says. When all tallied, Hutchins says he easily earned 35,000 to 40,000 points for each bachelor party. "I've probably done that 10 to 15 times," he says. His bachelor party weekends have slowed down in recent years, and Hutchins admits that now he generates more points through his business expenses. Even when he goes out to dinner, he doesn't rush to pick up the tab for the points. "Now that I have so many points, when I go out to dinner I just let my friend pay for dinner and I pay them back," he says. "I'm at a level where getting the extra 50 points at dinner isn't going to be meaningful to my balance." Making optimization a family affair Hutchins would be a lot further from his goal without the help of his wife Amy, also 34. Since they have joint accounts and share their money equally, it made sense to get her involved in gaming the credit card rewards. That meant that Amy, who works in business development at Lyft, had to get up to speed on how to best maximize points. In the beginning, when they would go out to dinner or shop together, Hutchins would quiz his wife on the best card to use to get the most amount of points. And while it may seem overbearing, Amy says she quickly realized the benefits of making her purchases count. "It was one of those things that I was, frankly, annoyed by at first," Amy tells CNBC Make It. "But ultimately, I started seeing that our points were accruing in our accounts far more rapidly because I was making these pretty small changes." "The first moment my wife and I took a vacation and we didn't spend anything on the flights and stayed at nice hotels, I think everything changed," Hutchins says. He even typed out instructions on an index card, essentially a "cheat sheet" that identified which credit card to use for different types of purchases. "A part of me was like, 'This couldn't be more annoying,' and the other part of me was like, 'this is kind of cute,'" Amy says. Chris Hutchins and his wife, Amy, in Budapest, Hungary. Source: Chris Hutchins But while she understands the value of points, Amy says she still doesn't want to ever go "full-fledged nuts on optimization." Instead, she leaves the bulk of the organization to her husband. "Thank god I married an optimizer so he essentially does [all the work] for me," she says with a laugh. "I joke with my friends and family that honestly, if he wasn't around, I don't know how I'd survive on my own because he's gotten so good at optimizing for me." And Hutchins really does maximize the rewards potential. He even used points to hire a videographer for his wedding. "We told our videographer we were going to the Seychelles [for our honeymoon], and she had said 'Man, there's nothing I want more than go there with my husband.'" So Hutchins stuck a deal: not only did he use points to get plane tickets for a Seychelles honeymoon for him and Amy, he used points to get the videographer and her husband tickets to the Seychelles in exchange for her working his wedding for free. "He's essentially a life hacker," Amy says, adding her husband's desire to figure out ways to live better and be more efficient goes beyond just credit cards. What it takes to maximize While he loves to game any system, particularly credit card rewards, Hutchins is the first to admit it's not exactly effortless. Hutchins still has to do a bit of work to really optimize his rewards. In fact, he has two main spreadsheets he uses to keep track of all his points across those 16 different credit cards, most of which are offered through either Chase or American Express. And of course, you have to keep spending. Currently, Hutchins estimates he spends about $90,000 a year on all his living expenses, over half of which (about $55,000) he puts on credit cards. Expenses such as the mortgage, property taxes and a dog walker are paid directly. He estimates that given his current spending across all his credit cards, he averages about 3 points per dollar, so in any given year, he's earning at least 150,000 in points. On his AmEx Gold alone, Hutchins spends about $1,600 a month and over 84% of those purchases are at restaurants, which earns him 4 points per dollar. Chris Hutchins, co-founder of financial planning company Grove, has roughly 16 credit cards. Here are just a few. Emma Fierberg | CNBC Make It "If you can't pay the bills at the end of the month, I would say points aren't worth it," Hutchins says. He tells people who are interested in getting into the credit card points game to make sure that they're able to get to a place with their cash flow that they're paying off their credit cards each month before they start earning the points on them because "it can get kind of costly," he says. Not only that, he has to keep up with how airlines, hotels and the credit card companies change their policies for both accruing and cashing in the points. "The deeper you go down this rabbit hole of credit card points the more time it ends up taking," he says. Living the point life And yet, points are currency, at least for Hutchins. He estimates that if he didn't maximize credit card reward points, he and his wife would likely have to work five or 10 years longer to afford to travel and save for retirement. Instead, they spend what they would normally, but because they make the points work for them, they get to reap the rewards. Since opening Grove in 2016, Hutchins says his personal travel has slowed a bit; he's now taking about two or three big trips a year. "The upside of owning a business is that you have a lot of business expenses and the downside is you have no time to take vacation," Hutchins says, adding he definitely maximizes those business purchases for points. Hutchins' wife, Amy, relaxing on their recent trip to Bora Bora. Source: Chris Hutchins Agco CEO Martin Richenhagen said Wednesday that management has made moves in the past year to improve operations and detach itself from the whim of world affairs to deliver results for shareholders. That translates to a revenue and earnings beat for the company's first quarterly report of 2019 earlier this month, Richenhagen told CNBC's Jim Cramer. Agco reported nearly $2 billion in revenue and earnings per share of 86 cents, driven in large part by business in Europe and the Middle East regions. "We focused on improvement initiatives already starting last year because we wanted to be independent from everything that is going on in a more volatile political environment, and I think we are doing fine," Richenhagen said in a "Mad Money" interview. "Our focus this year is on margin improvements and the same will be for next year." Richenhagen said the goal is to increase those margins to 8% in 2019 and 10% in 2020. Agco's operating margin improved 190 basis points year over year to 4.6% in the first quarter. It was powered by sales growth and material costs reduction, among other initiatives. "This is a great story for our shareholders," Richenhagen said. Agco, an agricultural equipment manufacturer based in Georgia, upped its full-year earnings guidance by almost 30 cents. "When you spread basically your business all over the world you don't depend so much on one single market," he said. When asked about trade tension between the United States and China, Richenhagen said he is "optimistic that, finally, a deal is done." The two largest economies in the world are in the midst of a tariff fight that has slapped levies on hundreds of billions of dollars worth of imports from both countries. "What we say at Agco [is] no farmers, no nation. I really mean it," Richenhagen said and leaders in Washington, D.C. understand that, he said. While it will take time to rebuild relationships with China, which Richenhagen says is "pretty loyal" to maintaining contracts, American farmers are at an "advantage," the CEO said. Shares of Agco climbed 1.55% during the session. The stock is up more than 21% this year and 3.18% over the past 12 months. Retail stocks took a beating Wednesday, hurt by a handful of poor earnings reports and the looming threat of tariffs on clothing imported from China. Canada Goose shares lost more than a quarter of their value, shaving roughly $1.49 billion off the retailer's market cap, after the company said sales growth in the coming three years wouldn't be as robust as in the past. The stock closed down nearly 31% after hitting a 52-week low of $33.58 intraday. Abercrombie & Fitch shares closed down 26% on Wednesday, wiping more than $441.5 million off the company's market cap, as momentum cooled off at its Hollister brand during the latest quarter. That news also sent shares of rival teen apparel retailer American Eagle down about 6%. And Michael Kors owner Capri Holdings' stock fell nearly 10%, taking more than $580 million off its market cap, as it's suffering from poorer demand for its pricey handbags. "This is not a space deemed to be very healthy in terms of long-term outlooks for investors," Wells Fargo retail analyst Ike Boruchow said. "You've got a group where the fundamentals are weakening." Then you throw in the idea of 25% tariffs on apparel and footwear, as the White House has proposed in its ongoing trade war with China, "and that's a real earnings problem," he said. Abercrombie CFO Scott Lipesky told analysts on a post-earnings conference call the retailer hasn't yet baked additional tariffs into its earnings outlook. Abercrombie imported about 25% of its merchandise receipts from China to the U.S. in fiscal 2018. "We're still dealing in the world of hypothetical here," he said. "We remain very engaged with our sourcing partners. ... We have a playbook in place if the hypothetical becomes reality." With all of the losses in the space, the S&P 500 Retail ETF (XRT) fell 2.2% Wednesday, its fifth consecutive day of declines and the first time since Nov. 20 the index hit that benchmark. Boruchow said there are fewer signs that consumers are pulling back but more that "parts of the industry" are weakening. High-end handbag makers are struggling as tourism drops off, for example, and some mall-based apparel retailers are seeing sales slow as more women opt to shop on platforms like Stitch Fix and Rent the Runway. Department store chains Kohl's, J.C. Penney and Nordstrom recently showed they aren't immune to these trends, either, sparking a sell-off in the space just last week with their dismal quarterly earnings reports. Dick's Sporting Goods was one bright spot Wednesday morning, reporting fiscal first-quarter earnings that topped Wall Street estimates and raising its outlook for the full year. But its stock reversed course from earlier gains and closed down 5.9%, falling with the rest of the industry. Looking at the 20 worst-performing stock among the S&P 500 year to date, a whopping seven are retailers. By Wednesday's close, Nordstrom shares were down 30%, Macy's stock had dropped 29.6%, Walgreens shares have lost 25.2%, Kohl's stock is down 23.9%, Foot Locker's stock has dropped 22%, CVS shares are down 19.8% and Gap shares have lost 19.1% so far this year. CNBC's Gina Francolla and Chris Hayes contributed to this reporting. Bed Bath & Beyond settled a months-long spat with a trio of activist investors on Wednesday, saying it would nominate four new members to its board of directors in addition to finding a permanent replacement for former CEO Steven Temares. Bed Bath & Beyond also agreed to form a committee that, among other duties, will weigh the potential sale or spin-off of underperforming businesses, a source familiar with the situation told CNBC. Those businesses, including Cost Plus World Market, Buy Buy BABY, PersonalizationMall and Christmas Tree Shops in sum are worth as much as $1.36 billion, or about $10 per share, according to Legion Partners Asset Management, Macellum Advisors, and Ancora Advisors. "We are pleased to have reached this resolution with Bed Bath & Beyond, which is the result of collaborative dialogue and intensive engagement with the Company," the investor group said in a press release Wednesday. "We are optimistic about the company's efforts to find a best-in-class CEO to drive shareholder value and applaud the Board's commitment to building an even stronger future for shareholders." An operator of more than 1,000 stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, Bed Bath & Beyond is susceptible to the online competition that ushered other mall-based retailers like Sears Holdings and Toys "R" Us Inc. into bankruptcy. It laid off nearly 150 people in March, affecting its Christmas Tree Shops business, a discount home decor chain it acquired in 2003. The company's underperformance may have posed an attractive entry point for the activist trio, which first leveraged their approximate 5% stake in March with calls to replace the company's entire 12-person board. Though a complete overhaul did not come to pass, the investor group has seen some success since launching its public campaign against what it deemed "failed" execution and strategy at the company. The stock fell about 1% in early trading on Wednesday. "We are at an important inflection point in the Company's history, and with the benefit of a newly transformed Board, the Company is committed to taking the right actions to further enhance our competitive and financial position, transform Bed Bath & Beyond faster to win in the omnichannel marketplace and execute on our priorities," Mary Winston, Bed Bath & Beyond's Interim CEO added in Wednesday's press release. Bed Bath & Beyond faces significant competition from Amazon and its more adaptive rivals. Peers including Walmart and Target have poured cash into their online platforms to keep up with Jeff Bezos's disruptive e-commerce giant, now a popular option for shoppers looking to buy towels, bedding, or kitchen appliances. Bed Bath & Beyond has recently tried to double down on improving its in-store experience through its Next Generation initiative, which features a greater emphasis on home decor, beauty care, lifestyle merchandise and a reduction in inventory and clutter. Temares lauded the new stores during the company's fourth-quarter earnings call on April 10, noting that sales in the Next Generation locations were about 2.2% higher than in comparable Bed Bath & Beyond outlets. "If you look at the next-generation store for Bed Bath and you look at the merchandise that we're offering, the health and beauty care, the food and beverage, the scarcity product, the home decor ... it comes from different concepts, different banners," Temares said at the time. "These all geared to do more with the customer." Ancora, Legion and Macellum weren't convinced. The group later blamed Temares in a presentation following the earnings report for disappointing sales figures over the long term and faulted what they characterized as his ability "to accomplish only a small percent of countless initiatives." The activists added that Bed Bath & Beyond shares had underperformed retail peers in shareholder return by 800% since Temares took the reins in 2003. The company later announced Temares's resignation on May 13, ending his 16-year tenure at the head of the company. Since a peak market cap north of $17 billion in 2012, Bed Bath & Beyond has shed about 90% of its worth and was last valued at $1.78 billion. The stock is down more than 24% in the past 12 months versus rivals like Target and Walmart, which have both outpaced the broader stock market over the same period. Still, Bed Bath & Beyond has defended its business practices more broadly, saying in April that "the Activist Group has steadfastly declined to engage in a constructive dialogue with the Company, and instead, has chosen only to release its perspectives in a public forum." "The Board remains open to constructive feedback from all shareholders, and consistent with this approach, will consider any value enhancing perspectives," Bed Bath & Beyond added at the time. The activist campaign also foreshadowed a major restructuring of the company's board. In addition to the new appointments announced Wednesday, the company said last month that it installed five new independent board members, replacing some directors including co-founders Warren Eisenberg and Leonard Feinstein. The latest additions of John Fleming, Sue Gove, Jeffrey Kirwan and Joshua Schechter all of whom were nominated by the activist coalition will buoy board membership to 13 directors. CNBC's Lauren Thomas and Lauren Hirsch contributed reporting. "We do not expect something before 10 to 12 weeks in re-entry into service," IATA Director General Alexandre de Juniac told reporters in Seoul. "But it is not our hands. That is in the hands of regulators." The 737 Max was grounded globally in March after a crash in Ethiopia killed all 157 people on board, the model's second deadly crash in five months. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) expects it could take until August before the Boeing 737 Max returns to service, the airline group's head said on Wednesday, adding that the final say on the timing rested with regulators. Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX aircraft are parked on the tarmac after being grounded, at the Southern California Logistics Airport in Victorville, California on March 28, 2019. IATA plans to organize a summit with airlines, regulators and Boeing in 5 to 7 weeks to discuss what is needed for the 737 Max to return to service, he said. The airline industry has had a tough six months with fuel, labour and infrastructure costs increasing and trade tensions rising in addition to the 737 Max grounding, de Juniac said. IATA's December forecast for $35.5 billion in industry profits in 2019 is expected to be lowered in an update at its annual meeting in Seoul on June 2. At an IATA meeting for 737 Max operators in Montreal last week, airline members said they wanted regulators to cooperate closely on the decision for the plane's re-entry to service, de Juniac said. "We hope that they will align their time frame," he said of regulators. The Federal Aviation Administration expects to approve the jet's return to service as soon as late June, representatives of the U.S. air regulator informed members of the United Nations' aviation agency in a private briefing last week, sources told Reuters. U.S. operators United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and American Airlines have removed the planes from their flight schedules until early to mid August. Crewman tow in a Boeing Max 737 jet after landing at King County International Airport in Seattle, Washington, on Friday, Jan. 29, 2016. The grounded Boeing 737 Max fleet isn't expected to return to the skies for at least another 10 weeks, according to the airline industry's main trade body. Boeing is under huge pressure to satisfy regulators and airlines that the 737 Max plane is safe after the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 on March 10, which killed all 157 people on board. Investigators have said there are "clear similarities" between that flight and another Max crash in Indonesia in October that killed all 189 on board. Alexandre de Juniac, the director general of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), said at an event in South Korea Wednesday that the 737 Max wouldn't fly until August at the earliest, according to several media reports. "We do not expect something before 10 to 12 weeks in re-entry into service," he said, before adding: "But it is not our hands. That is in the hands of regulators." IATA is planning a summit before August involving Boeing, regulators and airlines to discuss what must happen to get the plane back into service. Crash investigators are working on a theory that the jet's flight control system, which automatically pushes the plane's nose down to prevent a stall, was responsible for the fatalities in Ethiopia and Indonesia. On May 16, Boeing said it had completed a software update for its 737 Max planes and was working with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to get the plane back in the air. For its part, the FAA has so far refused to commit to any date for the Max jet to return to service. U.S. carriers Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, and American Airlines have all removed the Max from their summer flight schedules. Boeing Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg is set to speak at the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference in New York City on Wednesday. NOW WATCH: What could Dennis Muilenburg say today? The United States and Chinese telecom giant Huawei should work out their differences for the sake of the consumer, Boost Mobile founder Peter Adderton told CNBC on Wednesday. Huawei does have "some incredibly good technology, so I hope they sort that out quickly," said Adderton, former CEO of the U.S. arm of the prepaid wireless brand. The Trump administration, in the past year, has ramped up its efforts to stop Huawei from operating in the U.S., citing national security concerns. Huawei sued the U.S. in March, alleging the law banning U.S. government agencies from buying its equipment is unconstitutional. The company has since filed a motion to speed up the process. The chief security officer at Huawei USA, Andy Purdy, signaled on CNBC earlier on Wednesday the company might be open to taking steps to address U.S. national security concerns. Purdy, formerly a top-ranking cybersecurity official at the Department of Homeland Security, said he would be "astounded if we weren't open to those kinds of risk mitigation measures." "When you look at the U.S. and China, there are strained relations," Adderton said later on "Squawk Alley." "I can absolutely understand why governments are concerned about the information." However, there are consumer benefits to Huawei, he said, arguing the main draw of its smartphones is a low price point for a quality product. "The consumer is losing a lot," he said specifically, low-income Americans who won't necessarily benefit from the 5G technology that the U.S. and China are racing to dominate. The value 5G next generation wireless brings is only to a "certain group," he said, adding those who can afford cloud storage are really the only ones who will benefit. Adderton appeared on CNBC just hours after Reuters reported a group of potential buyers is preparing bids for Boost Mobile, which is owned by Sprint. The divestiture of Boost was among the concessions T-Mobile and Sprint made to get approval from the Federal Communications Commission last week for their $26 billion merger. The Justice Department has yet to rule on the proposed T-Mobile/Sprint deal. According to Reuters, Adderton is interested in buying back Boost, but he declined to comment on that. Correction: This story was updated to clarify that Reuters reported that a group of potential buyers is preparing bids for Boost Mobile. Corn futures are up 15% for the month as forecasts for heavy rain across major farming areas pose risks to more delays in planting. The crop is leading a surge in most soft commodities this month. Corn futures settled down less than 1% on Wednesday, after hitting their highest level since June 2016 earlier in the day, while other key commodities like soybeans and wheat also trend upward. Soybean futures settled up 1.5% and wheat futures settled down 3%, after being up almost 3% earlier in the day. "Now the market's in a situation where you're going to have very low inventory levels, very slim plantings, and by next spring it could be a real issue," Peter Boockvar, chief investment officer of Bleakley Advisory Group, told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Wednesday. Corn futures are up more than 15% this month, while soybean futures have risen more than 2% in May and wheat futures are up more than 12% this month. In a record-breaking wet spring, flooding in key farming regions has caused unprecedented delays to planting, causing lower-than-expected inventory levels. In corn, 58% of the intended planting has been done, compared with 90% at this point historically. For soybeans, only about 30% has been planted, versus about 65% normally, said Boockvar. "It's never been this delayed," he said, citing USDA data going back to 1980. In a note to clients earlier this month, CitiGroup said: "We see ongoing bullish price risks for corn if wet weather persists through May/early June, as farmers may reduce corn area and shift sowing towards late-planted beans, a bearish risk for the oilseed complex especially if the White House subsidizes soy production. We are more neutral wheat, which has been dragged higher by corn." Alongside bad weather, the U.S.-China trade war is further complicating the planting picture. Before trade tensions heightened, China was responsible for more than 60% of soybean exports. Last week, President Donald Trump announced a $16 billion aid package to help farmers, a group that played a major role in Trump's 2016 victory and have been hit by the trade war. The farm aid legislation will compensate farmers, mainly in cash payments, for about 10 months of trade war loses. Source: Finviz.com The rise in commodity prices will also have an impact on restaurants, which have thin margins as it is, said Boockvar. Food prices are about 30% of a restaurant's cost base with labor making up pretty much of the rest of the balance, he said. "There's not much room to handle a rise in food prices," said Boockvar. with reporting from CNBC's Michael Bloom. Chinese President Xi Jinping stands by national flags. Johannes Eisele | AFP | Getty Images The biggest Chinese newspaper explicitly warned the U.S. on Wednesday that China would cut off rare earth minerals as a countermeasure in the escalated trade battle, using a history-laden expression the publication has used ahead of full-on wars. "We advise the U.S. side not to underestimate the Chinese side's ability to safeguard its development rights and interests. Don't say we didn't warn you!" the People's Daily said in a commentary titled "United States, don't underestimate China's ability to strike back." The publication is the official newspaper of the Communist Party of China. The phrase "Don't say we didn't warn you" has been used before by the People's Daily in 1962 before China's border war with India and ahead of the 1979 China-Vietnam War. "Will rare earths become a counter weapon for China to hit back against the pressure the United States has put on for no reason at all? The answer is no mystery," the paper said. The trade conflict between the world's two largest economies escalated quickly this month with both sides slapping tariffs on billions of dollars worth of each other's goods. China's threat to restrict rare earth mineral sales to the U.S. came after President Donald Trump blacklisted Chinese telecom giant Huawei, which led to many chipmakers and internet companies cutting ties with the company. The speculation about China's payback first surfaced when Chinese President Xi Jinping visited rare earth mining and processing facilities in Jiangxi province during a domestic tour last week. A Chinese official warned Tuesday that products made from the materials should not be used against China's development, which was seen as a veiled threat aimed at the U.S. and its technology industry. China's rare earth materials are crucial to the production of iPhones, electric vehicles and advanced precision weapons, although the imports were a relatively small part of the $420 billion U.S. goods deficit with China in 2018. The Chinese tabloid Global Times also said Tuesday that China can play the "rare earths card" and that it's "seriously considering" the move. The stock market took a big hit amid the tit-for-tat strategies between the U.S. and China, with stocks poised to post their first negative month of the year. has lost nearly 6% this month. WATCH: No access to rare earth minerals a 'serious' problem for U.S. tech The U.S. and China will likely reach a trade deal within the next six months but that won't end tensions between the world's two largest economies, according to a political risk consultant. Tensions between Washington and Beijing have increasingly turned toward technology in recent weeks. The U.S. placed Huawei on a blacklist that restricts American firms from doing business with the Chinese tech giant earlier this month, while China is said to be considering limiting rare earth exports to America which are materials critical in the production of things like iPhones and electric vehicles. "The technology war is not going to end," Alastair Newton, director of Alavan Business Advisory and a former British diplomat, told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Wednesday. "Technology is where this battle is going to be fought out, even if we do get a trade deal on bilateral goods." Newton said he wouldn't be surprised if U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who will be meeting at the G-20 summit in Japan at the end of June, "shake hands on an outlined deal" that could be finalized by October. Another analyst also predicted that trade talks might resume at the G-20 meeting in June, but she was less optimistic about a deal. "I would be looking at the G-20 as a natural venue for the presidents to agree to resume negotiations, and maybe walk back tensions a little bit, but not as a place for an actual agreement," J.P. Morgan's Global Market Strategist, Hannah Anderson, told CNBC on Wednesday. Whether there will be a deal or not, tensions on the trade front might not go away. Newton predicted that Trump could turn his attention to Europe and take the tariff fight there. CNBC's Weizhen Tan contributed to this report. Goya, one of the most iconic names in Latin American cuisine, has hired investment bank Goldman Sachs to weigh options that could include a sale of the 83-year-old company, people familiar with the matter tell CNBC. The company has roughly $250 million in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization and could fetch roughly $3 billion in a sale, some of the people said. Founded by Spanish immigrants, Prudencio Unanue and Carolina Casal in 1936, Goya has long stayed a family company. Its ownership, though, has splintered as its heirs have multiplied. That divided control has, at times, led to disputes over the company's future. In 2004, disagreements spilled into court, as some heirs pushed to oust Prudencio's son, Joseph, out of the company. Joseph passed away in 2013. A sale could address the fragmentation of its ownership. Depending on valuation, some descendants may opt to retain their stake in the event of a sale, or the family could decide against a sale all together, one of the people said. Prudencio and Carolina's grandson, Robert Unanue, has been chief executive of Goya since 2004. In a statement delivered to CNBC, company CEO Robert Unanue said, "The future of Goya is to continue to build our family legacy and to grow the brand worldwide. For these reasons and many more, Goya is not for sale. To the contrary, over the years we have made acquisitions of other companies in order to expand the footprint of Goya Foods and we continue to do so. We periodically evaluate the company for estate planning and other purposes in the normal course of business." Still, Goldman Sachs has sent out financial materials to private equity firms, which companies do not typically do for estate planning purposes, say people familiar. The investment bank has also reached out to potential corporate acquirers, say two people familiar. The company has set a bidding deadline of early June for initial bids, some of the people said. Goya could attract the eye of private equity firms or a number of large food companies including J.M. Smucker, B&G Foods, Conagra, Unilever, Kraft Heinz and Campbell Soup, the people said. The people requested anonymity because the information is confidential. Goldman declined to comment. Secaucus, New Jersey-based Goya, which calls itself the largest U.S. Hispanic-owned food company, sells everything from beans to cheese to canned seafood. Many large food companies, though, like Kraft Heinz and Campbell, are heavily leveraged and focused on selling rather than acquiring. Those that are on the prowl have generally shifted their focus from larger synergistic deals to buying smaller on-trend brands, like Kind snack bars and RXBAR. Many of Goya's products like its canned meat are located in the center aisles of the grocery store, a slowing segment as shoppers increasingly head to the perimeter, where fresh food is sold. Still, sales of ethnic food in the U.S. have been rising. Millennials have been more willing to experiment with new cuisines. They are also looking for new ways to spice up food, as they increasingly focus on clean eating. Between 2013 and 2017, ethnic-flavored products like sauces, seasoning and exotically flavored chips grew by 20%, according to Food Navigator, citing Innova. The U.S. population of Hispanics meantime, has also been growing. The U.S. Census Bureau forecasts the U.S. Hispanic population will reach 62 million by 2020 and 112 million by 2060. In 2005, Goya invested $500 million to fuel global growth, according to its website. It now has 26 facilities throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Spain. It sells in large retailers like Costco, Walmart's Sam's Club and BJ's Wholesale. The company got its name when its founder, a fan of artist Francisco Goya, bought the name, which he believed would be easier to pronounce than his own, according to Forbes. White House Director of Legislative Affairs Marc Short speaks to members of the media as he leaves a Republican conference meeting June 7, 2018 on Capitol in Washington, DC. House GOPers gathered to discuss immigration. Huawei could play a role in the ongoing trade negotiations between the U.S. and China, but the Chinese tech giant has to stop working with Iran, Marc Short, Vice President Mike Pence's chief of staff, said Wednesday. Federal prosecutors have lodged criminal charges against Huawei, alleging that the company lied about its dealings with Iran which is the subject of an aggressive pressure campaign and sanctions from President Donald Trump's administration. Short told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Wednesday morning that "it's possible" that Huawei "gets included in a trade deal" with China. But he quickly cautioned that Huawei is "more or less a wholly owned subsidiary of the Communist Party of China. And the reality is, what Huawei has been doing, the reason there are sanctions on it now, is because they've been facilitating, aiding the government in Iran with technology." "That's why the recent sanctions were applied to Huawei. So, they need to stop those actions, stop cooperating with Iran at this time if they want to actually work with the United States." Asked if Huawei's Iran dealings posed a bigger obstacle to a trade deal than its alleged national security threat, Short said, "I think it's both." The U.S. has challenged Huawei on multiple fronts. Government agencies and their contractors have been blocked by the U.S. from buying Huawei's telecommunications hardware. Washington says that Huawei's symbiotic relationship with China poses a national security threat. Huawei is suing to abolish that ban. Despite those tensions and Trump's comments Monday that the U.S. is "not ready" to make a deal with China Short said the U.S. is still "more than open to a trade deal." "The United States wants to make a trade deal, but China has to change its actions. They have to change their forced transfer of technology, they have to change their stealing of intellectual property, and they have to change some of the actions of companies like Huawei," Short said. A spokeswoman for Pence did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment on Short's remarks. The chief security officer at Huawei Technologies USA signaled on CNBC on Wednesday that the Chinese telecom giant might be open to taking steps to address U.S. national security concerns. "In different countries in the world, we negotiate with respective governments on what kind of assurance framework they need," Huawei's Andy Purdy told "Squawk Box." Some measures, he said, might include requirements around selling to government or to critical infrastructure projects. While saying he cannot prejudge any possible conditions, Purdy said he would be "astounded if we weren't open to those kinds of risk mitigation measures." Purdy's appearance, along with Huawei outside counsel Glen Nager of Jones Day, comes as the China-based company looks to expedite its March lawsuit against the U.S. government. Huawei, which alleges that a law banning U.S. government agencies from buying its equipment is unconstitutional, is seeking a summary judgment in hopes of avoiding a full-blown trial. Wednesday's comments from Purdy mirror ones he made about two weeks ago, in which he said a risk-mitigation process for Huawei equipment, like those used in Europe, could have been simple. The new Huawei filing stems from President Donald Trump's signing last year of a new U.S. defense act that strengthens the Committee on Foreign Investment. However, with the U.S. most recently stepping up pressure against Huawei as part of trade and technology tensions with China Trump earlier this month effectively blacklisted Huawei from doing business in the U.S. Purdy, who formerly served as a top-ranking cybersecurity official for Homeland Security, said U.S. officials have not been "willing to talk" to Huawei. "The geopolitical context between the U.S. and China is why we're in this situation," he said. Nager said the Trump administration needs to "ramp down the rhetoric," adding that "the U.S. is worried more about the country China than the company Huawei." Responding to a question about this weekend's Wall Street Journal report with the headline "Huawei's Yearslong Rise Is Littered With Accusations of Theft and Dubious Ethics," Purdy told CNBC, "I don't forgive acts that have happened in the past." "Despite those, our allies have decided to push back on tremendous pressure from the U.S. government because they believe the national security threats can be addressed," he added. Huawei has maintained that it adheres to intellectual property rights, which along with national security is at the heart of the U.S. concerns about the company and about business practices in China. Reacting to Purdy's comments, Marc Short, chief of staff for Vice President Mike Pence told CNBC that Huawei is "more or less a subsidiary of China" and its communist government. Short added, in a later "Squawk Box" interview, that Huawei's alleged cooperation with Iran only adds to its issues. "They need to stop those actions, stop cooperating with Iran at this time if they actually want to work with the U.S." National Security Advisor John Bolton answers questions from reporters as he announces that the U.S. will withdraw from a treaty with Iran during a news conference in the White House briefing room in Washington, October 3, 2018. Attacks on four tankers off the United Arab Emirates coast of Fujeirah earlier this month are most likely the work of Iran, U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton said Wednesday. "I think it is clear these (tanker attacks) were naval mines almost certainly from Iran," Bolton told reporters in Abu Dhabi, though he declined to add details or evidence for the claim. Iranian officials were not immediately available for a comment, but have previously denied involvement and called for an independent probe. An investigation including U.S. authorities is currently ongoing. Bolton is meeting with Gulf allies to chart a course of action in response to what the Trump administration has cited as increased and serious threats from Tehran. While the White House has repeatedly said it is not seeking war or regime change, experts fear a miscalculation could lead to more serious confrontation. The national security advisor added that Washington is trying to be "prudent" in its response to Iran and its proxies in the region. Tensions have spiked this month following the tanker attack, which UAE authorities described as sabotage, and a subsequent drone attack on Saudi oil pumping stations claimed by Yemeni Houthi rebels, who are supported by Iran. Tehran, under pressure from heavy U.S. sanctions, has announced an end to some of its commitments to the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, which was meant to curtail the country's nuclear program in exchange for financial relief. Demonstrators hold signs while marching during a protest against Georgia's "heartbeat" abortion bill in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., on Saturday, May 25, 2019. Louisiana lawmakers passed an abortion ban on a 79 - 23 vote Wednesday that would prohibit women from terminating a pregnancy once a fetal heartbeat has been detected. Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards has indicated that he would break with his party and sign the ban if it crosses his desk. The Senate already approved the bill with amendments that include language to require an ultrasound and clarified that abortion did not include medically necessary terminations. The House rejected an amendment Wednesday that would have provided an exception to the bill for women and girls who had been impregnated through rape or incest. Edwards, who was elected governor in 2015, told reporters earlier this month that he ran as a pro-life candidate. "I will just tell you, my personal opinion is that the people of Louisiana are overwhelming pro-life and this is the conversation that we've been having here for many many years," Edwards said. Louisiana would become the fifth state to pass a fetal heartbeat ban, joining Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi and Ohio. Louisiana is also considering a bill that would ask voters to add a constitutional amendment that would declaring that the state doesn't protect abortion rights. The ban, which includes an exception for pregnancies deemed "medically futile," would only take effect if a similar bill in Mississippi is held up in a federal appeals court, according to the bill's text. Mississippi's law would ban abortions as early as 6 weeks, before most women are even aware they are pregnant. A federal judge on Friday issued a preliminary injunction blocking Mississippi's fetal heartbeat anti-abortion law from going into effect, saying it infringes on women's health care rights. A number of states have passed abortion bans this year to challenge the Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which deemed access to the procedure a constitutional right. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed a near-total abortion ban bill into law on May 15 that lawmakers admitted was designed specifically to overturn more than 40 years of federal abortion protection. Alabama House Rep. Terri Collins, who sponsored the bill, told NBC News that legislators wanted to keep the bill's text as clean as possible, specifically to address the language in Roe v. Wade, and revisit the question on whether a baby in the womb is considered a person. The Supreme Court upheld Indiana's law on Tuesday requiring abortion providers to bury or cremate fetal remains, but left lower court rulings intact that invalidated a broader measure that would prevent a woman from having an abortion based on a fetus's gender, race or genetic disorder. The vice president of the euro zone's central bank said Italy would be rewarded with lower borrowing costs if they delivered a more balanced budget and stuck to the EU's fiscal rules. A long-running saga between Brussels and Rome spilled over into financial markets again this week, following reports the euro zone's third-largest economy could soon face disciplinary steps from the EU. Late last year, Italy narrowly avoided a disciplinary procedure over its public finances, eventually agreeing to a "borderline" deal with the European Commission the EU's executive arm. Speaking to CNBC's Annette Weisbach on Wednesday, Luis de Guindos, vice president of the European Central Bank, said Italy had a current account surplus indicating it was competitive, but also had negatives such as hefty levels of public debt and low growth. "I think that the recipe for Italy is quite, quite obvious," he said about recent comments on reforms from politicians in Rome. An unidentified man set himself on fire early Wednesday afternoon in front of sightseers on the Ellipse park in downtown Washington, D.C., not far from the White House, authorities said. The man, identified Thursday as Arnav Gupta of Bethesda, Maryland, died of his injuries later Wednesday after being transported to a local hospital, U.S. park police said. The Ellipse is a 52-acre park area that lies south of the White House and north of the National Mall, in the heart of Washington. The fire occurred just north of the Washington Monument. Tweet Secret Service spokesman Jeffrey Adams said in a statement Wednesday that the agency's Uniformed Division Officers "responded in seconds" after the "male individual lit himself on fire." Officers then began administering first aid to the man. "The individual is being transported to a local hospital," Adams added. A spokesman for the Washington Fire Department told CNBC that, "I can confirm that we've transported one patient with burns from the Ellipse and we're now on the scene assisting law enforcement," referring to Park Police and U.S. Secret Service officers. Several outlets reported that the man's injuries were life-threatening. Alina Berzins, a 17-year-old recent high school graduate from Lorton, Virginia, told CNBC that she was visiting the National Mall with two of her cousins from Bolivia when "we saw this man" on the Ellipse and "he starts running, and then we saw him covered in flames." "He started to walk" and then "cops started coming to the area and he collapsed," Berzins said. The fire then was extinguished, she said. Berzins said that she and the other passersby in the area were stunned by the sight of the man. "Everybody was in shock," Berzins said. "I was in shock." Berzins' father posted on Twitter a video that his daughter took of the incident. Tweet She said that several dozen law-enforcement officers flooded the scene and were joined by a helicopter overhead and multiple Fire Department vehicles. A White House spokesman had no immediate comment. The man's motive for setting himself on fire remains unclear. McDonald's CEO Steve Easterbrook said Wednesday that African swine fever is affecting the global fast-food chain's pork supply. "African swine fever hurts us a little on the pork," Easterbrook said in an interview with CNBC's Carl Quintanilla. "That limits the movements of pork and pushes it up here in the U.S." African swine fever transmits between pigs, causing a shortage of pork. China, in particular, has been hit hard by the virus, which has spread to neighboring Asian countries. McDonald's primarily uses pork products in its breakfast items, such as its bacon, egg and cheese biscuit. The company is also bringing back its Cheesy Bacon Fries for a limited time as part of its Worldwide Favorites menu this summer. "We've got a well-established supply chain and hedge wherever we possibly can and minimize the impact of these things, but the reality is we're subject to the same kind of pressures on this as everyone else," Easterbrook said. The Chicago-based company is forecasting that U.S. commodity costs will increase by 2% to 3% in 2019, up from a previous range of 1% to 2%. While African swine fever pushes the price of pork up, McDonald's is still waiting to add any plant-based meat substitutes to its menu. Easterbrook said Wednesday that the company is trying to see if a vegan burger will drive traffic to its stores. McDonald's shares were recently down less than 1% in trading Wednesday. The stock hit an all-time high of $201.15 last week, and shares have gained 22% over the past year. Microsoft doesn't talk much about online advertising. That's understandable considering the scrutiny Google and Facebook are under for relying on consumer data to generate their billions in revenue. But Microsoft has not abandoned it. On Tuesday, the company's LinkedIn unit announced the acquisition of Drawbridge, which specializes in a type of digital advertising called identity resolution that involves identifying people across different devices and data sets. Microsoft has a mixed track record in advertising. Its once promising Bing search engine is tiny relative to market leader Google. In the most recent quarter, Microsoft had $1.91 billion in search ad revenue, up 7% from a year earlier, representing 6.3% of Microsoft's total sales. The company also generates some ad revenue from online games and from LinkedIn, a business that accounts for 5.5% of total revenue. Microsoft bought LinkedIn for $27 billion in 2016. LinkedIn shows several types of ads to its members, including native "sponsored content" ads that appear in the app's main feed, personalized "dynamic" ads and sponsored InMail messages. Those are all part of LinkedIn's media business, which the company told Axios in November should exceed $2 billion in revenue in Microsoft's current fiscal year. The purchase of Drawbridge, which was small enough that it didn't require Microsoft to disclose the terms, is meant to help advertisers measure the return on investment for campaigns they launch on desktop and mobile devices, as well as to expand the reach of their campaigns, a LinkedIn spokesperson told CNBC on Tuesday. Mobile devices account for the majority of advertising engagements, but most of the conversions ads that lead to purchases happen on desktops. LinkedIn has work to do to give advertisers the types of tools they can get on more consumer-focused ad platforms, said Joe Stanhope, an analyst at Forrester. "Because LinkedIn has probably focused on more B2B-oriented use cases and advertising needs, they're still playing catch-up with some of the really big traditional platforms, like a Facebook or a Snap or a Google," Stanhope said. Drawbridge customers include Adobe, Criteo and IBM, according to its website. Last year, Microsoft made commercial LinkedIn revenue part of its closely watched Commercial Cloud metric, which includes the Azure public cloud, among other things. But LinkedIn's advertising offerings weren't included in the move. Revenue in that business, which LinkedIn calls Marketing Solutions, grew 46% in the most recent quarter, the spokesperson said. With LinkedIn, Microsoft acquired a growing and fairly substantial advertising business. The company tried to make a big splash in online advertising in 2007, when it acquired aQuantive for $6 billion. That deal was a bust and resulted in a $6.2 billion write-down in 2012. In 2008, Microsoft tried to buy Yahoo in what would have been one of the biggest technology deals ever, but Yahoo fought the effort and Microsoft ultimately withdrew the proposal. CNBC's Megan Graham contributed to this report. WATCH: LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner shares advice on leadership, hiring and firing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) talks to reporters with Senate Majority Whip John Thune (D-SD) (R) following the weekly Senate Republican policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol March 05, 2019 in Washington, DC. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., would seek to confirm a Supreme Court justice if a vacancy opened next year despite vowing during President Barack Obama's presidency to block any election-year appointments. "Oh, we'd fill it," McConnell said Tuesday at a Chamber of Commerce event in Paducah, Kentucky, in response to a question about what his position would be if one of the nine justices died next year. The comments were broadcast by WPSD-TV, an NBC affiliate. Two justices currently on the bench both appointed by Democrats are in their 80s: Justice Stephen Breyer, 80, and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 86, who has had recent problems with her health. Justice Clarence Thomas, the longest-serving justice on the bench and its most conservative member, is 70. McConnell's comment prompted accusations of hypocrisy. In 2016, shortly after the death of conservative Justice Antonin Scalia, McConnell said that the Senate would take no action on filling the vacancy he left regardless of which judge Obama nominated. At the time, McConnell cited what he said was a Senate tradition. In a statement released about an hour after Scalia's death, McConnell wrote: "The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice. Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president." Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., the top Senate Democrat, took to Twitter, writing that "Senator McConnell is a hypocrite" but noting that the comment is "no surprise." "McConnell lives for GOP judges because he knows the GOP agenda is so radical & unpopular they can only achieve it in courts," Schumer wrote. McConnell has prioritized the swift confirmation of federal judges during President Donald Trump's time in office, and has already shepherded the confirmation of two justices to the top court. The addition of Trump's two picks, Justices Neil Gorsuch and Justice Brett Kavanaugh, solidified a conservative majority on the Supreme Court. Earlier this month, the Senate GOP celebrated the confirmation of Trump's 100th judicial nominee. McConnell has fended off charges of hypocrisy, saying that the difference between 2016 and 2020 is that in the previous cycle, different parties controlled the Senate and the White House. Ahead of the 2020 election there is no such divided government. "You have to go back to 1880 to find the last time a vacancy created in a presidential election year on the Supreme Court was confirmed by a Senate of a different party than the president," McConnell said in an October interview on "Fox News Sunday." In 2016, McConnell occasionally cited divided government as a reason for not confirming Merrick Garland, Obama's nominee, although he generally said his decision was based on giving voters an opportunity to have a say in the next justice. A McConnell spokesperson referred CNBC to a tweet from David Popp, McConnell's communications director. "McConnell has conveyed this reasoning several times the decision not to consider Garland's nomination was because the Senate was held by a different party than the president leading into an election. His answer Tuesday is consistent with that claim," Popp wrote. These days, commentators from the tech industry are mostly focused on the role Facebook and other social media companies played as Russian operatives tried to influence the 2016 election. Facebook itself has spent a lot of the last two years talking about the steps it's taking to prevent being used for misinformation in future elections. But during the conference, Mueller only touched briefly on that topic: "...a private Russian entity engaged in a social media operation where Russian citizens posed as Americans in order to influence an election." That's it. I'm not a Facebook apologist. But we shouldn't be leaning on social media companies to protect our elections. We should be relying on the federal government. The Mueller probe has not improved how we think about cybersecurity. All it's done is move the needle on what individuals think went "wrong" with the 2016 election, based on their political leanings. Here is what really went wrong. In Russia, a secret intelligence unit spent years well before Trump's rise prepping for a campaign of chaos-driven social engineering that was most likely meant to throw a wrench into American discourse and sow division. At DNC headquarters, weak passwords and bad security hygiene made it easy for operatives to steal information and inject it into this chaos cycle. Poorly trained staff in Trump's inner and outer circles also made it easy for this same Russian department to trick them into associating with fake accounts on social media, including highly inflammatory accounts advocating for the most extreme right-wing positions, according to the report. In the run-up to the election, secretaries of state across the U.S. did not tap into federal awareness efforts on election hacking. In Florida, this led to a breach of voter databases though not voting machines themselves, a critical distinction. Talking about "collusion" and "interference" misses this critical point: The 2016 election problems were the result of a multi-pronged cyberattack that none of these parties were prepared for. They remain unprepared. A fighter loyal to the Libyan internationally-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) fires a Kalashnikov rifle during clashes against forces loyal to strongman Khalifa Haftar, on May 21, 2019 in the Salah al-Din area south of the Libyan capital Tripoli. Energy market investors are "clearly" underestimating the potential impact of sustained fighting in Libya, analysts told CNBC on Wednesday. It comes as the country's intensifying conflict threatens to almost completely wipe-out the OPEC producer's oil supply. Libya has been gripped by a sustained resurgence of fighting since early April, when rebel forces loyal to renegade General Khalifa Haftar who effectively controls the country's breakaway east launched a surprise offensive against the home of Libya's UN-recognized government. The fighting has killed at least 460 people, with more than 2,400 injured and 75,000 others forced out of their homes. Haftar reportedly ruled out a ceasefire on Sunday, with his Libyan National Army (LNA) locked in battle to take Tripoli from fighters loyal to Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj's Government of National Accord (GNA). Oil output disruption in the country depends very much on how the fighting around Tripoli evolves. "Diplomatic efforts to find a political solution to the unrest have so far proved futile. In other words, armed factions will continue to fight for legitimacy, control and, crucially, a share of Libya's oil wealth," Stephen Brennock, oil analyst at PVM Oil Associates, said in a research note published Wednesday. "The security situation is deteriorating and with Libya lurching from one crisis to another, conditions are increasingly ripe for a supply shock," Brennock said. Outgoing Congressional Budget Office Director Keith Hall said Wednesday that the agency may redo its economic forecast this summer if the U.S. and China continue to implement their tariffs. The world's two largest economies increased tariffs on one another this month, with the U.S. making the first move by increasing duties on $200 billion worth of Chinese products from 10% to 25%. China announced plans to raise tariff rates on $60 billion in U.S. goods. The tactics amplified a trade fight that has rattled financial markets and threatened to drag on the global economy. The nonpartisan CBO forecasts U.S. economic growth to reach 2.3% in 2019, down from 3.1% in 2018, and then average 1.7% annually for the next three years. But Hall, whose last day as the agency's director is Friday, said if tariffs continue for longer than expected, "we expect there to be a drag on growth." "We may even make a point this summer to redo our forecast and maybe even downgrade it a little bit," Hall said in an interview on CNBC's "The Exchange." "Tariffs are taxes. Taxes slow down the economy." Stocks were lower Wednesday in part on concerns by investors that the U.S.-China trade war could cause a slowdown in the economy. U.S. and China trade negotiators haven't shown promising signs for a quick deal in recent days. The biggest Chinese newspaper explicitly warned the U.S. on Wednesday that China would cut off rare earth minerals as a countermeasure in the trade battle. On Monday, President Donald Trump said that the U.S. was "not ready" to make a deal with China before adding that he expected one in the future. Hall, who also was the 13th commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics before becoming director of the CBO in 2015, noted that the U.S. economy is still working through the stimulus of Trump's 2017 tax cuts. He said that stimulus will eventually "wear out" in about a year or two. "We really think there is going to be a slowdown to like under 2% in a couple of years," he added. The CBO's estimates are at odds with the Trump administration's, which sees U.S. growth of 3.2% in 2019 and annual growth of about 3% thereafter. JAKARTA, Indonesia Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan on Wednesday downplayed concerns that the U.S.-China trade war would further complicate defense discussions between Washington and Beijing. "Trade runs a separate track, and we'll solve that. It is too important not to solve," Shanahan told reporters traveling with him. "I don't believe [it will] spill over into our dialogue and discussion on defense." Shanahan, who embarked on an eight-day trip to Asia on Tuesday, said he would meet with his Chinese counterpart this week amid trade tensions between the world's two largest economies. The meeting between Shanahan and Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe is expected to take place on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue defense summit in Singapore. "The nice thing about being able to meet face to face is we'll probably be able to talk about how do we really have an ongoing dialogue," Shanahan said, adding that his goal would be to find areas of cooperation with China. "We can have very candid discussions around intellectual property theft or the militarization of the South China Sea or, you know, pick a whole host of subjects, and I think that's the value in having these dialogues," he said. Earlier this month, Beijing upped the ante in the ongoing tit-for-tat trade war with Washington by raising tariffs on $60 billion in U.S. goods in retaliation for President Donald Trump's decision to hike duties on Chinese goods a week prior. Trade talks collapsed in May, with intellectual property theft proving to be a major sticking point between the two parties. Read more: From tequila to TV cameras here is a list of US goods China is targeting with a 25% tariff U.S. officials have long complained that Chinese intellectual property theft has cost the economy billions of dollars in revenue and thousands of jobs and that it threatens national security. China maintains that it does not engage in intellectual property theft. The Trump administration is also working to isolate Chinese tech firm Huawei from developing a larger foothold in U.S. partner countries. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford has previously said that if U.S. allies proceed with Huawei's equipment, intelligence cooperation could be undermined. "One of the things that underlines an alliance is the ability to share information, and when we share information with allies and partners we have to have common standards of information assurance," Dunford told a House Appropriations subcommittee earlier this month. "We have to be sure that our secrets are protected, whether it be intelligence or technology transfer." Echoing Dunford's sentiments, Shanahan told lawmakers at the hearing that "China aims to steal its way to a China-controlled global technological infrastructure, including 5G." "Huawei exemplifies the Chinese Communist Party's systemic, organized and state-driven approach to achieve global leadership in advanced technology," he said. Last year, the Pentagon halted sales of Huawei and ZTE mobile phones and modems on military bases around the world due to potential security risks. "These devices may pose an unacceptable risk to the department's personnel and mission," wrote Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Dave Eastburn. The Pentagon reaffirmed Wednesday its policy on banning the devices still stands. Qualcomm on Tuesday asked a federal judge not to enforce her decision that it illegally squeezed out rivals in the smartphone chips market as it plans to file an appeal that could take more than a year to wind through the courts. In a filing in federal court in San Jose, California, Qualcomm said that it believes it can succeed in appealing the May 21 decision by U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in an antitrust case brought by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission in January 2017. The company has not yet filed that appeal; Tuesday's filing only concerns whether the ruling's provisions will be put on hold temporarily as it plays out. Qualcomm argued that Koh's ruling raised "serious legal questions" because, among other things, she excluded evidence after a March 2018 cutoff date including the fact that Apple dropped Qualcomm in favor of rival chip supplier Intel Corp, showing that Qualcomm did not have a stranglehold on the market. Qualcomm also said that the FTC's theory in the lawsuit that Qualcomm's patent licensing practices amounted to a "tax" on smart phone makers, generating profits that Qualcomm then put to work undercutting its rivals was unprecedented in antitrust law. Shares of rare earth miners in Asia Pacific surged on Wednesday after Beijing made a veiled threat toward Washington regarding the materials. In China, shares of JL Mag Rare-Earth skyrocketed around 10% while Innuovo Technology jumped 9.95%. Lynas in Australia one of the few rare earth miners outside of China saw its shares surge more than 15%. The moves came after a Chinese official recently cautioned that products made from rare earth minerals should not be used against the country's development. The comment, reported by CCTV, was taken as a thinly veiled threat aimed at the U.S. and its technology companies that are dependent on the materials. Chinese President Xi Jinping recently visited rare earth mining and processing facilities, adding to speculation that China could make the minerals more expensive or unavailable if the trade war continues to expand. At present, China is the world's largest producer of rare earths, a critical component in the manufacturing of products ranging from smartphones to electric vehicles. But he also noted, "if we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so." Trump reacted to Mueller's comments less than an hour later, tweeting: "The case is closed! Tweet Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing by himself or members of his campaign, and has railed against Mueller's investigation, calling it a "witch hunt." However, Mueller noted that there was another avenue for dealing with a sitting president who broke the law. He said that the internal Justice Department opinion barring the prosecution of a president also "says that the Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing." That "process," which Mueller did not name, is impeachment. U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller makes a statement on his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election at the Justice Department in Washington, May 29, 2019. Jim Bourg | Reuters A growing number of Democrats in the House are calling for an impeachment inquiry because of the findings of Mueller's report, and Trump's stonewalling of their demand for testimony from people connected to him, and documents. Mueller suggested that if he is forced to testify before Congress about his investigation as Democrats are insisting he "would not go beyond the findings in our report." "The report is my testimony. I would not provide information beyond what is already public," Mueller said, referring to calls to appear before Congress. "I am making that decision myself. Nobody has told me whether I can or should testify or speak further about this matter," said Mueller, who announced at the event that he was formally resigning and returning to private life. His findings included his determination that there was a sustained, aggressive effort by Russian agents to use social media and computer hacking to help sway voters to Trump over Democratic contender Hillary Clinton. "Russian intelligence officers who are part of the Russian military launched a concerted attack on our political system," Mueller said. But he noted that he also had found that there was not sufficient evidence to charge people affiliated with the Trump campaign with conspiring with Russian agents to affect the election. Below are the full remarks former FBI Director Robert Mueller made Wednesday regarding the special counsel's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and potential obstruction of justice by President Donald Trump. Mueller formally closed the special counsel's office Wednesday and resigned from the Department of Justice. Two years ago, the acting attorney general asked me asked me to serve as special counsel, and he created this special counsel's office. The appointment order directed the office to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. This included investigating any links or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the Trump campaign. Now, I have not spoken publicly during our investigation. I'm speaking out today because our investigation is complete. The attorney general has made the report on our investigation largely public. We are formally closing the special counsel's office and, as well, I'm resigning from the Department of Justice to return to private life. I'll make a few remarks about the results of our work. But beyond these few remarks, it is important that the office's written work speak for itself. Let me begin where the appointment order begins, and that is with interference in the 2016 presidential election. As alleged by the grand jury by an indictment, Russian intelligence officers who were part of the Russian military launched a concerted attack on our political system. The indictment alleges that they used sophisticated cyber techniques to hack into computers and networks used by the Clinton campaign. They stole private information and then released that information through fake online identities and through the organization Wikileaks. The releases were designed and timed to interfere with our election and to damage a presidential candidate. At the same time as the grand jury alleged in a separate indictment, a private Russian entity engaged in a social media operation where Russian citizens posed as Americans in order to influence an election. These indictments contain allegations and we are not commenting on the guilt or the innocence of any specific defendant. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The indictments allege, and the other activities in our report describe, efforts to interfere in our political system, they needed to be investigated and understood and that is among the reasons why the Department of Justice established our office. That is also a reason we investigated efforts to obstruct the investigation. The matters we investigated were of paramount importance and it was critical for us to obtain full and accurate information from every person we questioned. When a subject of an investigation obstructs that investigation, or lies to investigators, it strikes at the core of the government's effort to find the truth and hold wrongdoers accountable. Let me say a word about the report. The report has two parts addressing the two main issues we were asked to investigate. The first volume of the report details numerous efforts emanating from Russia to influence the election. This volume includes a discussion of the Trump campaign's response to this activity, as well as our conclusion that there was insufficient evidence to charge a broader conspiracy. And in the second volume, the report describes the results and analysis of our obstruction of justice investigation involving the president. The order appointing me special counsel authorized us to investigate actions that could obstruct the investigation. We conducted that investigation and kept the office of the acting attorney general apprised of the progress of our work. And as set forth in the report, after that investigation, if we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so. We did not, however, make a determinations to whether the president did commit a crime. The introduction to the volume two of our report explains that decision. It explains that under long-standing department policy, a president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office. That is unconstitutional. Even if the charge is kept under seal and hidden from public view, that, too, is prohibited. The special counsel's office is part of the Department of Justice and, by regulation, it was bound by that department policy. Charging the president with a crime was, therefore, not an option we could consider. The department's written opinion explaining the policy makes several important points that further informed our handling of the obstruction investigation. Those points are summarized in our report and I will describe two of them for you. First, the opinion explicitly permits the investigation of a sitting president because it is important to preserve evidence while memories are fresh and documents available. Among other things, that evidence could be used if there were co-conspirators who could be charged now. And second, the opinion says that the Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing. And beyond department policy, we were guided by principles of fairness. It would be unfair to potentially accuse somebody of a crime when there can be no court resolution of the actual charge. So that was Justice Department policy. Those were the principles under which we operated, and from them, we concluded that we would -- would not -- reach a determination one way or the other about whether the president committed a crime. That is the office's final position and we will not comment on any other conclusions or hypotheticals about the president. We conducted an independent criminal investigation and reported the results to the attorney general as required by department regulations. The attorney general then concluded that it was appropriate to provide our report to Congress and to the American people. At one point in time, I requested that certain portions of the report be released. The attorney general preferred to make the entire report public all at once, and we appreciate that the attorney general made the report largely public, and I certainly do not question the attorney general's good faith in that decision. Now I hope and expect that this will be the only time I speak to you in this manner. I am making that decision myself. No one has told me whether I can or should testify or speak further about this matter. There has been discussion about an appearance before congress. Any testimony from this office would not go beyond our report. It contains our findings and analysis and the reasons for the decisions we made. We chose those words carefully and the work speaks for itself and the report is my testimony. I would not provide information beyond that which is already public in any appearance before Congress. In addition, access to our underlying work product is being decided in a process that does not involve our office. So beyond what I've said here today, and what is contained in our written work, I do not believe it is appropriate for me to speak further about the investigation or to comment on the actions of the Justice Department or Congress and it is for that reason I will not be taking questions today as well. Now before I step away, I want to thank the attorneys, the FBI agents, the analysts, the professional staff who helped us conduct this investigation in a fair and independent manner. These individuals, who spent nearly two years with the special counsel's office, are of the highest integrity. and I will close by reiterating the central allegation of our indictments that there were multiple, systematic efforts to interfere in our election. And that allegation deserves the attention of every American. Thank you. Thank you for being here today. The remarks are expected to be "substantial," The New York Times and The Washington Post reported, each citing a source. The former FBI director will speak at 11 a.m. ET at the Department of Justice and will not take questions. The statement will be streamed live. Special counsel Robert Mueller will break his silence Wednesday about his 22-month investigation into the 2016 Trump campaign and Russian interference in the election. The event comes less than a week after House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., said that Mueller wanted to testify privately to Congress about the probe. Some Democrats pushed for Mueller to testify publicly. President Donald Trump has said that Mueller should not testify. The White House was advised Tuesday that Mueller "may make a statement," a senior administration official said. Mueller and his team of prosecutors have been tight-lipped about their inquiry, releasing new information rarely and generally in the form of unsealed indictments. The DOJ released a partially redacted version of Mueller's 448-page report last month. The special counsel has been privately critical of Attorney General William Barr's first public statements following the conclusion of the investigation and the resulting coverage in the media. In March, Mueller sent Barr a letter in which he wrote that "[there] is now public confusion about critical aspects of the results of our investigation." That letter was made public in April. Barr told lawmakers that Mueller's letter was "a bit snitty" and "probably written by one of his staff people." The attorney general is in Alaska. WATCH: Special counsel Robert Mueller resigns Shanghai (Gasgoo)- JAC Motors, Volkswagen Group China and SEAT on May 27 signed an agreement which further confirms the Spanish brands aim to enter the Chinese market in the coming two to three years. Left to right, SEAT President Luca de Meo, Volkswagen Group CEO Dr. Herbert Diess, Volkswagen Group China CEO Dr. Stephan Wollenstein, Anhui province Governor Li Jinbin and JAC Chairman An Jin (Photo source: Volkswagen Group) Besides, an all-new R&D center in Hefei jointly built by three parties is currently under construction and is expected to start operation in 2021, according to Volkswagen. The new joint R&D center is designed to lay a foundation for the development of future mobility solutions for the China's market. It also provides resources for the co-development of battery vehicles and components. Through integrating resources from all parties, the new facility is going to develop smaller electric vehicles and auto parts, and research automobile technologies. "In the world's largest market for electric mobility, the close cooperation between SEAT and JAC will allow us to create synergies, which will significantly increase our market coverage. Notably, the smaller electric cars segment is growing rapidly and offers a lot of potential, said Dr. Herbert Diess, CEO of Volkswagen AG and Chairman of the Board of Directors of SEAT. Apart from the next steps for the JAC Volkswagen joint venture and SEAT, another agreement was signed on the same day to focus on future mobility solutions. Mobility Asia, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Volkswagen Group, struck a strategic cooperation framework deal with Volkswagen Group China, JAC Motors and Hefei Provincial Government for a "smart city" program to be built in the capital of Anhui Province. The new program will render Volkswagen the opportunity to test new technologies, business modes and products in a connected smart city. Three companies will pool their resources and cooperate on autonomous mobility services, such as robotaxis and autonomous fleet management. Moreover, the smart city partnership also involves areas like ride hailing and car sharing. Check out the companies making headlines midday Wednesday: Canada Goose Canada Goose shares plummeted more than 30% after the company issued disappointing full-year revenue guidance. The company said it expects revenue to grow at least 20% in the fiscal year. Analysts polled by FactSet expected a sales growth forecast of more than 26%. Capri Holdings The parent company of Michael Kors fell more than 9% after issuing fiscal first-quarter guidance that disappointed investors. Capri said it expects fiscal first-quarter earnings to range between 85 and 90 cents per share. Analysts polled by Refinitiv expected guidance of $1.23 earnings per share. The weak guidance overshadowed quarterly results that topped expectations. Dick's Sporting Goods Shares of Dick's Sporting Goods fell 5.9% after the company warned that tariffs were not incorporated into its 2019 earnings guidance. The company said it is working to determine their impact on its bottom line. Abercrombie & Fitch The retailer's stock plunged more than 26% after noting it expects same-store sales to remain flat for the current quarter, assuming tariffs do not increase. Abercrombie's first-quarter same-store sales also disappointed investors, and the company announced it would close three flagship stores. Cara Therapeutics Cara Therapeutics surged 20% after the biopharmaceutical company announced positive results for a Phase 3 trial of a clinical study for its medication, Korsuva, an injection for patients with kidney disease. Korsuva showed statistically-significant improvement in patients who took the medication when compared to a placebo. General Mills General Mills shares fell more than 5% after an analyst at Goldman Sachs downgraded the company to sell from neutral. The analyst cited worries over the company's slowing sales growth. Roku Shares of Roku jumped 3.3% after Needham raised its price target to $120 per share from $85. In a note to investors, Needham said the digital media company has "unique advantages" as an over-the-top aggregation platform. Children in the U.S. are told from an early age that hard work pays off, starting with their time at school. But according to a recent report from the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW), "Born to Win, Schooled to Lose," being born wealthy is a better indicator of adult success in the U.S. than academic performance. "To succeed in America, it's better to be born rich than smart," Anthony P. Carnevale, director of the CEW and lead author of the report, tells CNBC Make It. "People with talent often don't succeed. What we found in this study is that people with talent that come from disadvantaged households don't do as well as people with very little talent from advantaged households." Jonathan Kirn | Getty Images Carnevale and his team analyzed data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) to trace the outcomes of students from kindergarten through adulthood, assessing intellect according to performance on standardized math tests. The researchers then categorized students by socioeconomic status, considering household income, parents' educational attainment and parents' occupational prestige (a measure of social standing, power and earnings ability as defined by the Duncan Socioeconomic Index). What they found was that poor kindergartners with good scores are less likely to graduate from high school, graduate from college or earn a high wage than their affluent peers with bad grades. Specifically, the study found that a kindergarten student from the bottom 25% of socioeconomic status with test scores from the top 25% of students has a 31% chance of earning a college education and working a job that pays at least $35,000 by the time they are 25, and at least $45,000 by the time they are 35. A kindergarten student from the top 25% of socioeconomic status with test scores from the bottom 25% of students had a 71% chance of achieving the same milestones. Even if students from disadvantaged households do beat the odds and earn a college degree, they still face challenges. The Georgetown study found that kindergartners from low socioeconomic status families who scored in the top 25% and later earned college degrees had a 76% chance of reaching high socioeconomic status by the age of 25. By comparison, their low-scoring, high socioeconomic status peers who earned college degrees compared had a 91% chance of maintaining their status. Helen Cortez / EyeEm | Getty Images President Donald Trump on Wednesday responded to special counsel Robert Mueller's first-ever public statement about his investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election and potential obstruction of justice by the president. "The case is closed! Thank you," the president tweeted. Trump tweet Trump's tweet came minutes after Mueller, speaking at the Department of Justice, reiterated the finding from his 22-month probe that "if we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so." In a statement later, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said: "The report was clear there was no collusion, no conspiracy and the Department of Justice confirmed there was no obstruction. Special Counsel Mueller also stated that Attorney General [William] Barr acted in good faith in his handling of the report. After two years, the Special Counsel is moving on with his life, and everyone else should do the same." The Trump 2020 presidential campaign made a similar statement that emphasized the need to move forward on Barr's investigation into the origins of the Mueller probe. Mueller's 448-page report on the probe, made public in lightly redacted form last month by Barr, found insufficient evidence to show that Trump's campaign conspired with Russia during the 2016 presidential election. The report made no determination on whether Trump obstructed justice, though it outlined multiple instances of potential obstruction. Mueller said Wednesday he did not make that determination because of a longstanding Justice Department policy barring the prosecution of a sitting president for a federal crime. "Charging the president with a crime was, therefore, not an option we could consider," Mueller said. The special counsel, who also announced at the event that he was formally resigning and returning to private life, said he would not provide any information beyond what was in his report if he was forced to testify by House Democrats, who have been eager to bring him to Congress to answer their questions. "The report is my testimony. I would not provide information beyond what is already public," Mueller said. Trump, in his tweeted response to Mueller, said that "Nothing changes" in the wake of the report being made public. "There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent." Trump was far from the only politician to respond to Mueller's remarks. "The ball is in our court, Congress," tweeted Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., the only Republican in the legislative branch to publicly call for launching impeachment proceedings against Trump based on the Mueller report. AMASH TWEET Trump's attorney Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York, criticized Mueller in a Fox News interview. "He had no evidence, or insufficient evidence, which is the same thing for a prosecutor, of collusion," Giuliani said. "And although he couldn't reach a decision on obstruction, that's a decision. When a prosecutor can't reach a decision that's a decision." Another attorney for Trump, Jay Sekulow, said Mueller's announcement "puts a period on a two year investigation that produced no findings of collusion or obstruction against the President." Roy Moore, a Republican from Alabama, speaks during an election night party in Montgomery, Alabama, U.S., on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2017. "I have NOTHING against Roy Moore, and unlike many other Republican leaders, wanted him to win. But he didn't, and probably won't," Trump tweeted Wednesday morning, mentioning his prior endorsement of Moore, a former judge who has been accused of committing sexual misconduct against teenage girls decades ago. Moore has denied the allegations , and Trump has defended him . President Donald Trump doesn't want Roy Moore getting in the way of Republicans winning back a U.S. Senate seat next year in the reliably red state of Alabama. Yet, the stakes are too high this time, according to the president, who warned that a Moore run could jeopardize his anti-abortion push. Earlier this month, Alabama's governor signed the nation's most restrictive abortion law. "If Alabama does not elect a Republican to the Senate in 2020, many of the incredible gains that we have made during my Presidency may be lost, including our Pro-Life victories," Trump added, referring to his appointments of conservative federal judges and Supreme Court justices. TRUMP TWEET TRUMP TWEET 2 Moore has been hinting that he could run for Senate again, which is a concerning sign for Republicans, who are eager to hold on to their edge in the Senate under Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. There is speculation that Moore could announce his candidacy next month. Moore lost a tight race to former federal prosecutor Doug Jones in a 2017 special election to fill the seat vacated by former Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Jones is the first Democrat to hold one of Alabama's U.S. Senate seats since Howell Heflin, who retired in 1997. The Alabama Senate race will be among the hottest contests next year, regardless of whether Moore runs. Now that a full six-year Senate term is on the line, Republicans are eager to run someone free of scandal. Jones is considered one of the most vulnerable incumbents on the board. Rep. Bradley Byrne has already entered the race for the GOP Senate nomination in the state, which Trump won in 2016 by a nearly 30-point margin. Byrne, like Trump, has said Moore can't win the election. However, Moore said that Byrne was "worried" and that "he knows that if I run I will beat Doug Jones." MOORE TWEET Responding to Moore, Donald Trump Jr., the president's eldest son, said it was time for the former judge "to ride off into the sunset." DON JR TWEET Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, after picking up two seats during the 2018 midterms. Next year, the GOP will have to defend 22 Senate seats, compared with the 12 Democrats are slated to defend. Britain's Brexit paralysis served as a "vaccine" against the euroskeptic vote in the European Union's parliamentary elections, European Council President Donald Tusk said on Tuesday. Euroskeptic parties gained in the bloc-wide election last week, but less than expected and pro-EU liberal and green parties have also gained at the expense of the fragmenting centre, according to the latest preliminary results. Pro-EU parties will still have a majority in the new EU assembly and the bloc told London on Tuesday it would not renegotiate the UK withdrawal agreement that the outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May had agreed with the EU but then failed to ratify at home. "I have no doubt that one of the reasons why people on the continent voted for a pro-European majority is also Brexit," Tusk told a news conference after chairing a summit of all 28 EU leaders to pick five names for the bloc's top jobs that are up for grabs after the bloc-wide election. "As European see what Brexit means in practice, they also draw conclusions. Brexit has been a vaccine against anti-EU propaganda and fake news." Britain's political crisis and social divisions around Brexit have only deepened since Britons voted to leave the EU nearly three years ago. How, when and even whether Britain would leave the bloc is uncertain, a political conundrum that has eclipsed May, who is due step down next month. A new Conservative prime minister might want a much more decisive break with the EU. The yield curve is sending a warning about economic growth in the United States and the world, many investors and economists believe. Under normal market conditions, those that buy debt from the U.S. government for years are compensated with better interest rates than those who loan money for a matter of months. The yield curve inversion between the 3-month Treasury bill and the 10-year note widened to its deepest level since the financial crisis, with investors now expecting a 10 basis point premium for holding 3-month bills over 10-year notes. The 3-month bill yield rose to 2.362% while the 10-year note yield dropped to 2.26%, off its lowest since September 2017 notched earlier in the session. Long-term government debt yields fell further below rates on short-term notes and bills during Wednesday's session, an unusual bond market phenomenon often heralded on Wall Street as a recession prognosticator. That usual upward yield curve can sometimes slope downward as it is now if bond traders believe GDP growth is likely to fall. The most recent angst about the economic outlook has sparked Treasury purchases and a 5.5% decline in the S&P 500 as traders look for safety in the more-volatile market. The spread between the 10-year yield and the 2-year yield, the part of the yield curve that some believe is most important, remained at a positive, albeit flattish 15 basis points. "The rush to safety continues to dominate the global markets," Kevin Giddis, head of fixed income capital markets at Raymond James, wrote in a note. "On a straight yield, there is no better place to 'hide' than U.S. Treasuries." "I still believe that a trade deal with China changes a lot of this, but each day that we don't have a deal increases the chances that we are headed to a self-fulfilling prophecy of a recession in the U.S.," he added. China made a veiled threat earlier this week regarding rare earth metals, crucial to the production of several tech components. China dominates the rare earth metals market. Trump also said this week that the U.S. was "not ready" to make a trade deal with China, just weeks after the two countries ratcheted up tariffs on billions of dollars worth of their goods. A growing number now expect the Fed to cut its overnight lending rate later in 2019 as the boost from President Donald Trump's tax cuts give way to mounting trade disputes. Fed Chair Jerome Powell, who first said in March 2018 that "there's no thought that changes in trade policy should have any effect on the current outlook," has in recent months tweaked his rhetoric, especially around Europe and China. Twelve months following those first comments on the Trump administration's trade tactics, Powell said that the weaker overseas outlook is dampening domestic growth estimates. An E-4B aircraft is towed out of its hangar June 17, 2009, at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. Josh Plueger | US Air Force ABOARD A US MILITARY AIRCRAFT There is no aircraft quite like the U.S. Air Force's E-4B. Affectionately known as the "doomsday plane," the modified Boeing 747 is used to transport the secretary of Defense and is born and bred for battle. It stands nearly six stories tall, is equipped with four colossal engines, and is capable of enduring the immediate aftermath of a nuclear detonation. "It's like a backup Pentagon," a U.S. Air Force crew member told CNBC aboard one of the aircraft. "There's always one plane on alert and ready to go 24 hours, seven days a week." On Tuesday morning, acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan boarded the E-4B at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland for a week-long trip to Asia. It was his second time taking the plane on an international trip since ascending to the highest office in the Pentagon. The aircraft, also known as the National Airborne Operations Center, will ferry Shanahan and his staff to Hawaii, Indonesia, Singapore, South Korea and Japan. U.S. Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan waves goodbye as he boards the E-4B. Lisa Ferdinando | Department of Defense Air crew aboard the plane said that the aircraft would clock a total of 22,538 nautical miles with the help of three aerial refuelings and six tankers during the eight-day trip. "It's great, but they keep giving me more work," Shanahan joked when asked about working and traveling on the E-4B. "The work never stops," he added, noting that he has a pulse on U.S. military operations across the globe while aboard the aircraft. "Think of it as this, the plane is basically a flying command center, a Pentagon spokesman said aboard the aircraft. The spokesman added that the secretary has access to both unclassified and the highest form of classified communication systems on the plane. "So, he's never out of the loop," another Pentagon spokesman added. Much like Air Force One, its sister aircraft with the same recognizable paint job, most of the E-4B's capabilities are classified. Currently, there are four of these unique aircraft in the Air Force's fleet. The identical planes, which are based at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, have been in operation since 1980. The noticeable hump on top of the plane is called a "radome" and houses some of the nearly 67 different satellite dishes and antennas. The dome is one element in the E-4B's communication portfolio that gives those aboard the ability to contact ships, submarines, aircraft and landlines anywhere in the world. An E-4B is refueled by a KC-10 tanker during a local mission June 12, 2017. Staff Sgt. Nicole Leidholm | US Air Force A support vessel maneuvers near the crude oil tanker 'Devon' as it sails through the Persian Gulf towards Kharq Island oil terminal to transport crude oil to export markets in Bandar Abbas, Iran, on Mar. 23, 2018. The United States has warned Hong Kong to be on alert for a vessel carrying Iranian petroleum that may seek to stop in the Asia financial hub, and said that any entity providing services to the vessel will be violating U.S. sanctions. The news comes nearly a month after U.S. President Donald Trump's administration stepped up moves to choke off Iran's oil exports by scrapping waivers it had granted to big buyers of Iranian crude oil, including China. The fully laden Pacific Bravo abruptly changed course on Monday to head towards Sri Lanka, according to shipping data on Refinitiv Eikon. The vessel had earlier identified Indonesia as its intended destination, according to ship-tracking data, but industry sources said it was most likely going to China. The Pacific Bravo on Monday changed its automatic identification system (AIS) destination to Sri Lanka, where it meandered off the southern coast for a little more than a day, the ship-tracking data showed. Late on Tuesday evening, the tanker sailed away from Sri Lanka towards the busy waterways of the Strait of Malacca, a key shipping lane towards East Asia, although its AIS destination was still set as Sri Lanka. A ship's crew manually enters AIS destination settings, and there can be a delay in updates while the vessel is at sea. "Anyone who does business with this ship, the Pacific Bravo, would be exposing themselves to U.S. sanctions," a senior U.S. official said on condition of anonymity. You must be logged in to participate in the Show Me the Errors contest. Nellie Owen arrives 45 minutes before her Friday afternoon riding class begins. She likes coming early, she says. It's her time to smell the horses.She sits by the fence to watch an earlier class that's still in session. Each horse that passes in front of her she greets like an old friend. The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form Sir Edward Leigh is Member of Parliament for Gainsborough. This is a sobering moment for the Conservative Party. It is nearly three years since the EU referendum and Brexit has not been delivered. The country has just been forced to vote in European elections that were never supposed to happen. And the results show that the oldest party in the world has been hammered by one that didnt exist just six months ago. It is no wonder that so many people including previously loyal Conservative supporters and activists are fed up. Weve just had a taste of their frustration, and I have every sympathy with them. People are upset because they dont feel that democracy is working properly. They have a point. At the EU referendum in 2016, 17.4 million people put their cross in the box next to Leave; we promised as the governing party to deliver what they asked for; and we havent. We simply have to do better, honour the referendum result and deliver for the British people before the next general election. If we dont, it is increasingly clear what is going to happen and this is something I hope every one of my colleagues will think carefully about over the coming weeks. The voters anger will continue to grow. Dissatisfaction will lead to outright abandonment. And if there is, God forbid, a general election before Britain has departed the EU in good order, the scale of a Tory defeat will make Blairs 1997 landslide look like a picnic. We must not have an election until Brexit is secured. The consequences for the UK would be dire. For in that awful scenario, the victor would be Jeremy Corbyn, the most extreme left-wing leader in Labours history who would cancel Brexit altogether, with the backing of the SNP, no doubt with the promise of a second independence referendum extracted from this weak Labour leadership. Once again our precious Union would be threatened. Corbyn would arrive in Downing Street with John McDonnell in tow, and together they would turn the British economy into the biggest Marxist experiment the world has ever seen. We know what that will mean for our shared prosperity and standards of living. Its a grim but all too imaginable prospect. Thankfully, there is another, more positive scenario that is within reach and why, despite the grounds for concern, I cling to a sense of optimism about the future. In the next two months, the Conservatives could choose the right leader a leader who can unite our party, unite the country, deliver Brexit, and secure the nations prosperity. It is absolutely clear to me that in Michael Gove, we have exactly the right person, at exactly the right time, for this vital task. The first job for the next leader of the Conservative Party indeed, the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is to unite our party, and to show our activist base that we hear them loud and clear. Above all, we have to remember that it is our collective duty to deliver Brexit and to prevent Corbyn reaching No 10. Gove has the vision and the energy to lead this effort. He also has the eye for detail, which in the Brexit process, the most complex peacetime negotiation in British history, matters more than ever. We have seen this in every ministerial role he has held as Education Secretary, Justice Secretary, and now Environment Secretary. Every department he led felt a firm grip on the tiller and it showed, as each of them became an engine of reform and new ideas. He can master a brief, build a broad team of colleagues, and get things done. Thats what he will bring to Brexit. And we know that he believes in it too, as a lifelong Eurosceptic who, having seen how the EU destroyed his fathers business, put everything on the line to lead the Leave campaign. In the past two years, if I am honest, I can think of only one moment where the parliamentary party felt truly united. It was listening to his closing speech in the January no-confidence motion, when he reminded us just how much there is to be proud of in the recent Conservative record. We are the most successful country for foreign investment in Europe, he said; 1.9 million more children are in good or outstanding schools; we have a record level of investment in the NHS; and are meeting the two per cent NATO target for defence spending. In short, although there is so much more to do, there is also much to build on. On the backbenches, there was a palpable sense of rising morale. Rightly, in my opinion, Gove has called for a contest of ideas in the Conservative leadership contest. This is exactly what we need and what was lacking in 2016. We should remember: for all their countless faults, Corbyn and McDonnell have ideas for the UKs future they just happen to be the wrong ones. For the good of this great country, the Conservative Party needs a leader who is ready to unite the party, ready to deliver a better Brexit deal and ready to lead us out of the European Union. Daniel Hannan: The Tory Catch 22. We cant face an election before Brexit. But we may not get Brexit without an election. Daniel Hannan is an MEP for South-East England, and a journalist, author and broadcaster. His most recent book is What Next: How to Get the Best from Brexit. Heres the Conservative quandary. We cant face the electorate before leaving the EU. But we might not be able to leave the EU without an election. There is no getting around that dilemma. All the potential leadership contenders privately understand it, as do growing numbers of MPs. The question is whether they are brave enough to place such an unpopular truth before party members. When I wrote on this website six weeks ago that the Conservative Party was headed for a single-figures vote in the European election unless it ditched Theresa May, there was much scoffing. Yes, I was told, things would be bad, but not that bad. Lots of clever Tories explained to me that we had never gone below 25 per cent in any election, that we had a core vote, that being a candidate myself I was just suffering from nerves. Well, on Thursday, we secured 9.1 per cent. If we break that vote down by constituency, every single Tory MP loses. The first-past-the-post system is capricious. It protects you until all of sudden, it eliminates you. Ask Scottish Labour. As long as our political debate revolves around Brexit, people are likely to vote for the most hardline pro- and anti-Brexit parties. Indeed, the longer this wretched argument goes on, the more radicalised both sides become. When people see the same political dispute on the news day after day, month after month, they pick sides, identifying as Remain or Leave rather than according to their old party alignments. Again, ask Scottish Labour. Three years ago, we were in the middle of the referendum campaign. I was manning street stalls and speaking at rallies every day. Often, I would run into Stronger In activists in their blue tee-shirts. We would pose for selfies together and wish each other luck. Back then, it was still a civil conversation rather than a civil war. Leavers were arguing for a close and cordial relationship with the EU after Brexit. Remainers were promising to accept the result if we voted to come out. The polarisation has come since the result, and it has become worse with every passing week. Most Leavers now want no deal; most Remainers want another referendum. The moment when both sides might have accepted a compromise ideally something along the lines of EFTA has probably passed. Whose fault is it? Hardliners on both sides must take their share of the blame. Those Remainers who promised to respect the result, but then worked to frustrate it, have done terrible damage to our politics. Those Leavers who, forgetting everything they said during the campaign, now insist that anything short of No Deal is a betrayal, have likewise destroyed trust in the system. But the chief responsibility lies with Theresa May. It was she who dug in on the wrong issues while conceding on the wrong issues, who mulishly insisted that it was all about immigration, who managed to convince both sides that she was secretly working for the other, who so aggravated EU leaders that, by the end, they were predisposed to reject anything she asked for because it was she who was doing the asking. Worst of all, she called and then lost the 2017 election. From that moment, it was clear that Parliament was prepared to frustrate Brexit. The EU got the message, and started making deliberately absurd and vindictive demands, culminating in the Irish backstop which, incredibly, Theresa May accepted. We now face withdrawal terms so disadvantageous that they are worse than either staying or quitting exactly as Michel Barnier intended. Which brings us back to the Catch-22 with which I opened. Parliament does not intend to allow any government to leave the EU with no deal, and the Speaker of the Commons has made clear that he is prepared to bend the rules in any way necessary to secure that end. In normal times, a Conservative leader would go to the country saying, Give me the mandate I need. If Brussels knows we are ready for no deal, we will get a good deal. We just need the numbers in Parliament. Do you want me in charge, or a Marxist nostalgic who refuses to have a position on Brexit? In normal times, such a leader would win comfortably. But these are not normal times. A large chunk of the electorate is now disposed to blame the Conservatives for the impasse rather than the parties that have actually been voting against Brexit. Nigel Farage has confirmed that he plans to contest every seat at the next election. The idea that he might stand aside in certain constituencies in order to stop Corbyn is based on a misunderstanding of how he operates. He is back at the head of a populist insurgent party. The last thing he wants is to have that partys grievance addressed and so put himself out of business. Is there any solution? Possibly. It may be that Parliament cannot in fact block a No Deal Brexit. It may be that, if forced to choose, MPs will baulk at voting to revoke Article 50. It may be that France, or another EU state, vetoes any extension beyond 31 October though that is unlikely. Or it may be that the Tories could in fact win a general election. Perhaps I am wrong about Farages motivations, and he will agree to an electoral pact, fighting Labour in the North while standing aside in the South. Or maybe theres another way out of the jam, one I cant think of. But what cannot be denied is that the dilemma exists. There is no point in saying Just leave! or Ill get us a better deal! unless you are clear about how you intend to do it. The trouble is that, in the current mood, those are precisely the slogans that many Tory activists want to hear. The candidate who levels with them, who sets out the dilemma honestly and outlines a proposed route out of it, may become unelectable. As I say, Catch-22. 71% Website dubingiai.lt uses latest and advanced technologies. It supports HTTPS and GZIP compression. The main html page has a size of 101017 bytes (98.65 kb uncompressed) and 17274 bytes (16.87 kb compressed). This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-11-10, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. 80% Website xn----8sbafg9clhjcp.bg uses latest and advanced technologies like: Php. It is very popular on the web, it's within the 1 million most visited websites of the world at position 46842 by Alexa. It supports HTTPS and GZIP compression. The main html page has a size of 125691 bytes (122.75 kb uncompressed) and 19036 bytes (18.59 kb compressed). This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-07-30, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. Stop Adani Following Labors routing in the recent federal elections, Queensland Labor state Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk wasted no time fast-forwarding the final approvals for the Adani Carmichael coal mine which would be the biggest coal mine in Australias history in central Queensland. She expects the final go-ahead to be given in mid-June. Clinging to office with a narrow majority, Palaszczuk is determined to distance herself and her government from her ill-fated federal colleagues. The next state elections are scheduled for October 31, 2020. The then federal Labor leader, Bill Shorten, sat on the fence when it came to the proposed Carmichael mine. This pleased neither the mining communities nor those seeking action on climate change. Unemployment is high in many of these communities, with almost one in four youth unemployed around Townsville. Neither major party was prepared or able to offer an alternative with jobs to the expansion of coal mining. The power of the multi-billion mining corporations with their large political donations and the infiltration of their lobbyists into Parliament and elsewhere cannot be over-estimated. adanifiles.com.au The Adani Files offers an excellent insight into this Indian mining and energy company. It is a summary of Adanis appalling track record based on research by Environmental Justice Australia and Earthjustice into hundreds of court and other documents related to Adani. (adanifiles.com.au) The company has a history of corruption, bribery, fraud, tax dodging and human rights abuses to name a few of its crimes. It has done no end of environmental damage, is responsible for illness, deaths, exploitation of children. Adani are, at their core, a dangerous, criminal organisation, not a viable proponent to be trusted with one of the most environmentally destructive projects in Australian history, the Adani Files say. The Adani Files document a long list of its crimes. They raise concern over the companys complete disregard for marine protection and plans to ship 60 million tonnes of coal through the fragile Great Barrier Reef World Heritage area every year. They also point out that mining in the Galilee Basin would have a significant impact on the Carmichael and Belyando rivers, and the Great Artesian Basin the sole water source for towns and farms across almost a quarter of Australia. It plans to drain 297 billion litres over the lifetime of the mine, which would have long-term impacts on aquifers and present a huge risk to farmers and other people who rely on that water to survive. The impact of the mine would be catastrophic on the Great Barrier Reef, tourism, farmers, future water supplies, and well beyond the Galilee Basin or central Queensland. It would not only destroy many viable and sustainable industries but would threaten future water supplies, contribute enormously to the production of carbon dioxide and hence climate change. Jobs hoax Thousands of workers who turned their backs on Labor, thought they were voting for jobs for themselves and their children. Nothing could be further from the truth. Adani originally stated that its planned mine would create 10,000 jobs. Later, in documents submitted during its approval process this number was significantly downgraded. That didnt stop Coalition or state Labor politicians perpetuating the original claim and falsely raising hopes and garnishing support for the capital intensive and environmentally destructive mine. The project overview on the Queensland State Developments website lists 1,400 construction jobs for the rail line and 1,075 for the mine short-term jobs. For ongoing operational jobs, the government site says 3,800 for the mine and up to 120 for the railway line. That is 3,930 ongoing jobs on what Adani claims will be automated from pit to port. Adanis expert witness told the Land Court of Queensland during a case in 2015 that the mine would increase average annual employment by just 1,2206 full-time equivalent jobs in Queensland and 1,464 jobs across Australia, once jobs lost in other sectors were taken into account. (news.com) At present there are 162,300 unemployed and 244,500 under-employed in Queensland a total of 406,800 hoping to find work. (ABS Labour Force, 6202.0 April 2019) The mine at less than 4,000 would hardly scratch the surface. And that is before taking location of the unemployed into account. Serious government actions are required to address the high level of unemployment. These could and should include renewables and use many of the skills of mineworkers. Adani is facing a legal challenge from the Wangan and Jagalingou Owners Family Council which is set to be heard on May 27 and 28. There are still some remaining approvals to come and so far there is no evidence that the company has the finance necessary. Federal Resources Minister, Matthew Canavan, is just as keen to promote the Adani and other coal mines in the Galilee Basin. He criticised Westpacs decision not to fund the Adani project, saying Its not about Adani its about opening up the Galilee Basin. Even worse! Minister for mining Federal Environment Minister Melissa Price, noteworthy for being invisible during the recent federal election campaign, came from the gold-mining town of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia. Prior to entering Parliament 2013, she was vice-president of Legal and Business Development for Crosslands Resources, an entity of Mitsubishi Developments which control the major WA Jack Hills Iron Ore Mine. She was a practising resources lawyer. Price has also worked for Robe River Iron Associates which is largely owned by mining giant Rio Tinto. It took five years as an elected MP and appointment as assistant Environment Minister before Price sold her shares in seven mining and resource companies: BHP, Otis Energy, Ampella, Panaust, South32 and Northern Star. Consistent with her coal-worshipping colleagues, Price does not take climate change or the role of fossil fuels seriously. She made a name for herself after claiming that scientists were drawing a long bow in calling for an end to coal power in a bid to limit global warming. This was in response to a report by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Her arbitrary decision to award $444 million to a little known and small charity, the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, caused an uproar. The Great Barrier Reef isnt just a unique global icon, its also the cornerstone of Australias $31 billion marine tourism industry which is being put at risk by the plans to mine the Galilee Basin. Unlike coal mining, the eco-tourism sector has a future. Price also made a name for herself in appointing one of her former advisers as CEO of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. Josh Thomas had also been an adviser to Josh Frydenberg and Greg Hunt when they held the position of Environment Minister. He was given a five-year contract in March 2018 with a starting annual salary of $353,180! Fence sitting By sitting on the fence over such an important project as Adani, Labors utterances about supporting action on climate change and the environment rang hollow. At best it fuelled distrust and raised questions about Labors sincerity. It played a major role in Labors defeat. It also gave oxygen to the pro-fossil fuel right-wing extremists who played the populist jobs card in Queensland. It is no accident that the votes for Hansons One Nation and Palmers United Australia Parties increased with their support for the expansion of coal mining. Palmer was extremely strident in his campaigning. He had a vested interest in spending an estimated $80 million to ensure the election of the Coalition. He has plans to open a mine next to Adanis Carmichael mine and avail himself of its rail line to the port. It is highly questionable whether any of the profits made from the mine in Australia would flow back to Australia. The company has a complicated corporate structure. All it needs to do is sell the coal to another branch at an deflated price, leaving little or no profits in Australia or tax for the government. And the Queensland government was prepared to do a deal over discounting royalties! The only parliamentary party that takes a principled and unequivocal stand on climate change and opposes the Adani mine is the Australian Greens. They put forward a program demonstrating that it is possible to transition to renewables while increasing employment. It is not necessary for mine workers to face unemployment when coal mines are closed. There is no future in coal for the human species or the planet. The Communist Party of Australia strongly opposes the opening of new coal mines and calls for the phasing out of coal production in a planned manner that ensures jobs are not lost but created. The Party also rejects market-based solutions. It is criminal that the government subsidises the fossil fuel industry to the tune of billions of dollars. All such subsidies should cease. Australia needs a government that is prepared to plan and develop a renewable energy sector with free training and job creation. Editorial Assange and journalism Shunned by the government of his own country, Australia, deprived of asylum by Ecuador and wanted by Sweden and the US for dubious crimes: In these cynical times when many journalists are content to serve as mouthpieces for the powers-that-be, Julian Assange was busy holding the US superpowers feet to the fire over issues related to war crimes, torture and high-level corruption. That relentless pursuit of truth regardless of the personal risks involved, goes far at explaining why the 47-year-old journalist and computer programmer is the subject of so much state-sponsored wrath and harassment today. Ecuadors attorney general will deliver Julian Assanges documents, computers, cell phones, hard drives and more to US authorities. Indeed, the sheer spinelessness of the Ecuadorian Embassy revoking its humanitarian asylum, thereby allowing British authorities to arrest Assange will be remembered as one of the darkest days in the annals of journalism. And the situation only promises to get worse. What this demonstrates is that the Western powers are determined to teach a harsh lesson to anyone else who would consider practising good old-fashioned journalism, not to mention ethics, which is exactly what Assange and WikiLeaks had been doing. But the heroism and bravery did not magically begin and end with Julian Assange. In fact, the real heroes of this unfolding tragedy are the many whistle blowers Chelsea Manning, Edward Snowden, and William Binney, to name just a few who took great personal risk by turning over millions of classified documents in an effort to prove some violation of the law had occurred or was still occurring. No legal proceeding whatsoever. Just hand over someone elses personal property. But who cares about that if the United States is involved? Good to see the civil liberties crowd so vigorously involved in this. As compensation for their personal sacrifice, which almost always results in hefty jail time, the whistle blowers only request was that the media reveal the information so that civil society may respond accordingly. But the mainstream media seems to have lost its appetite for confrontation with the establishment. Indeed, how could it not when the establishment itself owns the media lock, stock and barrel? Today, there is a particular type of journalist that the mainstream media prefers to do business with; people who have a large soft spot in their hearts and brains for unprovoked blood and violence. The UK contributed its share to smearing and silencing Assange, cutting off his internet in the Ecuadorian Embassy after he tweeted that Britain was engaged in a propaganda war against Russia. The Swedish case against Julian Assange stinks and has always stunk: One of the women involved said the police railroaded her. As in Washington, the aim is to get Assange regardless of facts: for the crime of embarrassing corrupt power. In this context, the founding of WikiLeaks in 2006 could be seen as a watershed moment in modern media history, the year when Assange helped to revolutionise the work of journalists worldwide in their efforts to hold public officials responsible for their actions. However, it is important to remember that the birth of WikiLeaks did not occur in a vacuum. Around the same time, social media platforms like Facebook began to appear on the scene as cutting-edge generators of news, opinion, and information, as did alternative international news sources, which provide news consumers with additional sources of vital information. Although logic and common sense tells us that more information is naturally a boon, as it allows people to make better-informed decisions, not everyone is thrilled about the new media landscape, as the case of Julian Assange attests. Today, any open-minded, idealistic individual who hopes to provide a better informed, less concentrated informational space, is viewed as the enemy of a creeping technocracy that aims to bring all news and information back under its dominion. This is about the threat to the domination of information at the forefront of which is Rupert Murdochs global misinformation machine. And with the available technology now at its disposal, including the manipulation of algorithms to control what the public is able to view, the journalistic work of people like Julian Assange is more critical than ever. Outcry over locked up kids Children as young as 10 are in watch houses and being cruelly abused Aboriginal advocates have condemned the practice of Queensland police holding children as young as 10 years old in cells designed for adults. An explosive ABC Four Corners investigation based on more than 500 files revealed that children were being sent to watch houses because Queenslands two youth detention centres are full. The children are sometimes held for weeks at a time, and are being denied their basic human rights of proper education and healthcare. In Queensland, a staggering 87 percent of children locked up are on remand, not having been sentenced for an offence. Almost 60 percent of children in youth prisons in Queensland are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, with populations in Townsville often reaching 100 percent. Former Commissioner of the Northern Territory Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children Mick Gooda said it was time for Queensland and all Australian governments to take action. Queensland needs to take heed of the lessons from the Northern Territory Royal Commission, Gooda said. Police watch houses are not safe places for children, and building more prisons is not the answer. I encourage the Queensland government, and all Australian governments, to raise the age of criminal responsibility to at least 14 years. This, along with Indigenous-led prevention and diversion, are immediate solutions that can put an end to this crisis. Change the Record, a committee made up of leading First Nations, human rights and community organisations, also condemned the practice of holding children in watch houses. Royal Commission co-chair Cheryl Axleby said Indigenous children were being cruelly abused losing fingers, being placed with alleged sex offenders, being denied food and medical treatment, and being held in solitary confinement. This is a death in custody waiting to happen, Axleby said. All children must be immediately removed from police watch houses before a fatal tragedy occurs. The government can immediately ease the burden on prisons by raising the age of criminal responsibility to at least 14 years, making sure our young kids are in community with the culturally safe care and supports they need to thrive. Her co-chair Damian Griffis said building more prisons was a guaranteed way to lock up the next generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, especially kids with disability. Instead, we need to see Aboriginal-led prevention and diversion programs, justice reinvestment, culturally safe services and supports in place that we know will work for our kids and families, he said. Ruth Barson, a legal director at the Human Rights Law Centre, who helped expose the horrors of Don Dale and challenged the Victorian governments decision to hold children in Barwon maximum security prison, said that police cells were no place for children. The Queensland governments own laws say that children in custody must be kept safe and treated with respect and dignity, she said. They also say that children must have access to proper education and health care. But this investigation shows very clearly that the kids locked in police stations arent getting any of these basic rights, raising the question of whether the Government is breaching its own laws. Following the Four Corners report, the Queensland opposition announced it would introduce a bill to cap the time children were held at police watch houses at 72 hours, but this move was rejected by Rodney Dillon, Amnesty International Australias Indigenous Rights advisor. While any action on the traumatising use of watch houses is to be welcomed, three days of detention is still three days too many, Dillon said. The Queensland Police Operational Procedure Manual already stipulates that children should not be kept in a watch house overnight and that is what should be legislated. Unlike the government, the opposition has at least proposed a way to get kids out of watch houses as soon as possible. The governments so-called investigation is too little, too late. They know what the problem is. They have been told by us, by the Public Guardian, and by the Youth Advocacy Centre for the past year. Only now that these atrocities have been made public are they listening. An investigation is simply a delay tactic and a smokescreen to mask the governments lack of action. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk responded to the Four Corners report by saying she doesnt want to see young people in detention. But unfortunately, there are people out there that commit crimes, were talking about burglary, were talking about injuries to police officers, were talking about sexual assaults, she said. Koori Mail Monopoly moves on-line Top e-commerce companies move into retail Electronic commerce is expanding rapidly into food distribution and retail across Asia. In particular, the emergence of online food delivery services is generating significant changes to farm-to-fork food supply chains. Yet very few countries have regulations covering online food distribution, including food safety and health hazards, or even regulations covering cross-border e-commerce for food. Some of the worlds largest e-commerce and retail companies are moving aggressively to take control of and expand online food retail, with major implications for local food systems, small vendors and farmers. Below is a list of five of the biggest e-commerce companies that are active in food retail in Asia. These are dot-com companies that conduct a majority of their business on the Internet and offer and array of e-commerce and high-tech internet-based services. Alibaba Group Holding Limited: A Chinese multinational whose core business is in e-commerce, Internet, and technology. It owns and operates a diverse array of businesses around the world. In 2015, it invested US$1.25 billion to take a stake in the Chinese online food delivery service platform Ele.me. In April 2018, it spent another US$9.5 billion to take full ownership of the platform. Alibaba plans to integrate the Ele.me platform into its New Retail strategy. The strategy is based on a US$12.7 billion investment that the company has already made over the past couple of years into physical retail stores, something the industry often refers to as bricks-and-mortar retail. The company also invests in its own farm production, such as Milk New Zealand Dairy a company of which Alibaba owns a 57 percent stake. The New Zealand-based company has 29 dairy farms exporting up to 9,600 litres of fresh milk to China each week. Amazon.com: Founded in 1994 in Seattle, United States. Its core business is in e-commerce and cloud computing. It began as an online bookstore and then diversified into video streaming and a huge array of products, from apparel to video games and even to food. Amazon is second to the Alibaba group in terms of total annual sales. In 2017, Amazon acquired the US-based food retailer Whole Foods Market for US$13.4 billion, which massively increased Amazons presence as a brick-and-mortar retailer. Since acquiring Whole Foods Market, Amazon began making moves to invest in food retail in several countries, including India and Australia, where it intends to engage in stocking food products and selling them online. JD.com: Also known as Jingdong, is Chinas second largest e-commerce company and a major competitor for Alibaba. It is the worlds leading company in high tech and artificial intelligence delivery through drones, autonomous technology and robots. JD.com owns the worlds largest civilian delivery drones, and has the most robust infrastructure and capacity in the world. In January 2018, JD.com opened the first of a chain of high-tech supermarkets in Beijing, called 7Fresh, targeting premium products for Chinas middle and higher income consumers. The move followed that of its main business competitor Alibaba into the world of physical retail. After another consolidation of the JD.com and WalMart partnership that started in 2016, the two companies now plan to combine their network of warehouses and cold storages to speed-up delivery to customers. Flipkart: The number one Indian e-commerce company. Its founders worked for Amazon before creating their own company in 2007. Flipkart also started by selling books online and popularised the idea of online book sales in India. In 2015, the company launched a grocery delivery service, but this didnt work out. In 2017, Flipkart relaunched its grocery delivery service under the name Supermart. WalMart is known to be eyeing the opportunity to acquire a majority stake in Flipkart, valued at about US$18 billion, as an effort to secure the Indian market from fellow US competitor, Amazon. Grocery retail in India is estimated to be over 60 percent of the countrys total retail market. Rakuten: A Japanese leading e-commerce company established in 1997. It is the largest e-commerce web site in Japan and among the worlds largest by sales value. The company operates around 70 different businesses and services, from banking and credit cards to online book distribution. In January 2018, Rakuten entered a strategic partnership with the US-based retailer WalMart, which will launch a new online grocery service in Japan. This partnership is another effort by WalMart to challenge Amazon after the latter launched its Fresh produce service in parts of Tokyo. Fresh food delivery has been around in Japan for decades but lagged the growth compared to other areas of e-commerce. The intertwining of grocery and online companies is also a test-bed to try out new technologies, such as unmanned stores, or shaping consumers behaviour through the use of consumer data and analytics something that is increasingly growing in retail industry as so-called shopper personalisation. Whats left for famers markets? Fresh food is the next frontier for Chinas e-commerce giants. Between 2012 and 2016, the value of Chinas fresh food e-retail market grew from under US$580 million to almost US$13.2 billion, recording an 80 percent growth in 2016 alone. Whats more, the market value for total food delivery has the potential to reach US$46 billion per year in 2018, according to analysis from the China International Electronic Commerce Centre (CIECC). On the positive side, the growth of online food retail has helped creating a platform that new young farmers can access to supply urban consumers, as has happened with the Beijing farmers market. The market relies largely on Facebook and Weibo, Chinas Twitter equivalent, to spread when and where the market takes place. It helps to grow consumership many people living in Beijing now rely on the farmers market for their weekly groceries shopping. From initially just five or six organic producers located in Beijings outskirts, the market is now served by more than a dozen farmers, some of them coming from a much more distant area. Since its founding in 2011, the farmers market has managed to organise over 500 fairs that have encouraged consumers to buy food directly from reliable farmers. But not everything is rosy for the future of Beijings farmers market. Many consumers have rapidly embraced direct connections with local farmers and purchasing of organic and fresh food. Their demands and expectations are on the rise and companies are forging ahead with investments into supply chains to meet their evolving demands. This could leave Chinese small producers and farmers markets such as Beijings behind. For example, Chinas biggest e-commerce company, Alibaba, is rolling out premium UHT milk and planning a new fashion milk. The companys premium fresh milk arrives on the shelves of its 18 Alibaba Hema fresh supermarkets in Shanghai just a few days after it is shipped from the companys New Zealand farms. Furthermore, e-commerce is also encouraging retailers to have physical retail shops to step up their businesses. Contrary to predictions made a few years back, online retailers have seemingly decided that they cant get by without physical stores, especially in food retail. Theres a growing awareness of the fact that online channels alone cant serve consumers adequately. Beijing farmers market is also experiencing these changes and challenges with the online to offline integration of food retail. At the moment, the farmers market has to compete directly with e-commerce companies that are going into the food retailers business. Jingdong opened one of its retail shops just ten steps away from a Beijing farmers market location, while an Alibaba grocery store is opening up just two kilometres away. Alibabas Hema supermarkets is planning to add 30 stores in Beijing by the end of this year, rapidly expanding its presence in the capital from the current five stores. In the interview with China Today, Chen Tianle, co-founder of Beijing farmers market said that being organic was never about getting organic certifications, and very expensive prices, but about building sustainable agriculture and reducing the negative impact on our environment, as well as cementing mutual trust between the consumers and producers. This mutual trust and solidarity between consumers and small producers in farmers market is almost non-existent in large-scale supermarket chains, whether online or offline. GRAIN This article is partially based on an interview with Chen Tianle, Beijing Farmers Market co-founder, in April 2018 GRAIN is a small international non-profit organisation that works to support small farmers and social movements in their struggles for community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems. Our support takes the form of independent research and analysis, networking at local, regional and international levels, and fostering new forms of cooperation and alliance-building. Most of our work is oriented towards, and carried out in, Africa, Asia and Latin America. War justifications You could set a watch to it, or maybe a countdown timer. After being frustrated by Venezuelas resistance against a Washington-backed coup attempt, President Donald Trump and his favoured attack dog, National Security Advisor John Bolton, have trained their sights on a new target: Iran. Earlier this month, an aircraft carrier strike group and bomber task force were sent to the Middle East on the flimsiest of rationales: unconfirmed rumours of attack plans from Iran on US troops. This considerable show of military might was later bolstered by Marines and missiles, adding to an already fraught situation in the region. Compounding the problem were even more recent claims of an Iranian attack on two Saudi oil tankers. But reports from the ground contradict Saudi Arabias account, as photographs showed those vessels had no visible signs of damage. Comparisons have been made to the fabricated Gulf of Tonkin incident that served as justification for US attacks on Vietnam in 1964, and theyre right on the money. But public mood in the US is soured on another bloody incursion into the Middle East after the wholesale slaughters in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya. Trump and Bolton are having a hard time selling their war, no matter how hard they beat the drums. That doesnt mean theyll stop trying, of course. And we cant forget this aggression has long been in the works, no matter how abruptly it appears theyve pivoted from Venezuela to Iran. After illegally abandoning the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (aka the Iran nuclear deal) last year, the US imposed unilateral sanctions on the country, claiming it hadnt held up its end of the bargain. Every other signatory of the agreement (Great Britain, France, Russia, China, and Germany) disagreed, as did the International Atomic Energy Agency, the organisation tasked with checking Irans compliance. They have done their level best to salvage the deal, but have been hampered by the sanctions and the later expiration of oil import waivers that allowed limited commodity trade. Make no mistake for all the talk of sanctions as a softer substitute for bullets and bombs, these measures are acts of violence in all but name. Trumps stated goal is to bring Iranian exports down to zero; there is no better term for this than war, except perhaps extortion. Essential supply lines are being cut off as other countries avoid trade for fear of being penalised, and the people suffer tremendous hardship as a result. China is acutely aware of these long-reaching reverberations, as the case against Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou is based around dubious allegations of sanctions breaches. And as if this economic war werent enough, last October Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared the Treaty of Amity with the Islamic Republic a document in force for more than 60 years null and void. The US has also demanded European signatories follow its lead and withdraw from the nuclear deal, in essence telling them to violate international law or else. Adding more provocation, Irans Revolutionary Guard was fraudulently labelled a terrorist organisation in April, the first time a governmental body has received such a designation. With all this in mind, it shouldnt have surprised anyone when Iran finally responded. Shortly after the US deployment of its carrier strike group, the government declared it would stop holding to some aspects of the nuclear deal; specifically, it would stockpile enriched uranium and heavy water produced in its facilities rather than export them as the agreement stipulates. What is often lost in the reporting on this announcement is the fact these and other exports are restricted under the US-imposed sanctions regime anyway. Lifting the sanctions would allow Iran to keep to its commitments, exactly as it did before the US began its provocations. The international community has responded to these goings-on with a mix of disdain and disbelief. Europe has been working on a way around the US sanctions, developing a mechanism to continue trade without direct contact. China has strongly affirmed its commitment to the nuclear deal, as well as its desire to ease tensions and maintain good relations with Iran. Russia has echoed these sentiments. Trump and Bolton are acting alone, and the rest of the world knows it. Whatever the US president might threaten on his Twitter account, other parties prioritise peace above all else Iran included. US defence contractors and the hawks at the Pentagon, meanwhile, are licking their chops. This is the war theyve been dreaming of since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, considered by many within the George W Bush administration to be mere prelude to an attack on the Islamic Republic. Mass deaths and widespread domestic disapproval after that catastrophe meant those plans had to be put on hold though troops remain there and in Afghanistan but with the old gang back in power under Trump, all bets are off. These jackals want bloodshed, and are ready to manufacture any pretext necessary to get it. Obviously such developments are unsettling for Iranians, but they raise a question for the rest of the world, too: If the US has proved itself an unreliable partner in peace, if its policy can change at a moments notice despite previous guarantees, why is it worth trusting in the first place? Peoples World International law at stake Washingtons bid to destroy Venezuela is wrecking the international laws governing relations between all states, Venezuelas ambassador to Britain Rocio Maneiro warns. Nobody really understands the danger of the precedent set by the decision by some countries to recognise would-be usurper Juan Guaido as Venezuelas leader in contravention of all international norms, she warned. At a press conference in central London, Maneiro said her country was under siege, noting that a blockade designed to break the nation had already cost billions of dollars and thousands of lives and that if the nation resists the US military stands ready to act. Maneiro detailed the net cast by the US to trap Venezuela, including by oil sanctions that cost the country an estimated US$6 billion in revenues in the first year from August 2017. There are even harsher measures on state oil firm PDVSA and its US subsidiary Citgo that have cost US$11 billion in expected revenues. Sovereign assets have been retained, frozen or confiscated abroad amounting to US$5.4 billion held in 50 banks in 22 countries. There has also been a mammoth US$30 billion in estimated losses from the financial isolation imposed by the closure of Venezuelan accounts in dollars and euros. Maneiro documented the history of Washingtons anti-Venezuelan measures from December 2014s decision to sanction its Central Bank through the decision announced this week to ban flights from or to Venezuela from landing in the US. The Washington-based Centre for Economic and Policy Research published a study in April detailing the impact of these measures on Venezuelas ability to import needed goods, especially medicines, and estimated that 40,000 Venezuelans have died as a result of the US blockade. Access to vaccines for children has also been severely restricted, though Maneiro noted Chinese medicine shipments continued to arrive. The stranglehold had not begun with President Donald Trump but with that great Democrat Nobel Prize-winner Barack Obama as the US tried to re-establish the subservient Latin America it had known before Chavez, before Fidel, before Sandino, but that it would fail. The Venezuelan people do not accept threats. History shows our response to threats has never been submission. She appealed to media organisations and solidarity campaigns present to help tell the truth about the situation, noting that the great media is spreading stories the superpower wants it to spread. We dont have the muscle to fight that. Morning Star The Most Extensive and Reliable Source of Information Related to the Mexican Drugs Cartels. You will not find this level of coverage anywhere else, join us! Send information, pictures or videos, you remain 100% anonymous. Envia fotos, videos, notas, enlaces o informacion todo 100% Anonimo. Borderland Beat? We love to have you in our team, send Sol Prendido or HEARST an email! Want to be a contributor or citizen reporter forBorderland Beat?We love to have you in our team, sendoran email! WARNING: Posts may contain strong violent material, discretion is advised. COMMENTS: We do not publish all comments, and we do not publish comments immediately. Trumps ban on Chinas Huawei Fear of competition Seems like the United States doesnt just make washing machines or pork rinds its in the hostage-taking business, too. At least thats what it looks like after President Donald Trumps Department of Commerce announced that Chinas Shenzhen-based tech giant Huawei would be put on the Entity List, a ledger of firms legally prohibited from trade with the US based on well, based on whatever reason the president pulls out of thin air. Pretty smart way to run a global economy. But with such ire thrown a single companys way, you might be wondering what all the fuss is about. The answer is as predictable as it is simple. Germany, Britain, and other countries in the European Union were recently considering Huawei-based infrastructure for their 5G wireless networks. Adoption of this technology would represent a communications sea change and a big economic loss for the US, so you can guess what happened next. The US begged and pleaded for its allies to freeze the company out over security concerns, but those pleas mostly fell on deaf ears due to lack of proof. So its no great mystery why the US has acted this way its traditional partners werent doing its bidding, thus a brute-force solution was required. This is not without precedent. The 2018 trade ban against Chinese telecom outfit ZTE was a Sputnik moment for Chinese tech. Trump showed then he had no interest in playing by any set of rules but his own, and the punitive tactics against that company showed the rest of the industry it had to prepare for a similar assault. By stockpiling components and dedicating more resources to building operating systems and chipware of their own, Huawei and others took steps to protect themselves from the inevitable. Recent moves singling out Huawei show the prudence of such strategy and not just at an enterprise level. National policy to safeguard domestic companies has proven quite wise, given the current hostile climate. To say nothing of what this does to US techs credibility. By following Trumps lead, Google has shown its true colours. Many lamented the companys exit from the Chinese mainland, wondering what possible reason there would be to keep a transnational colossus like Google from operating. Well, now we know the second the US government asked it to enact an explicitly political demand, it did so without hesitation. Imagine if the Chinese tech industry had totally relied on Google software and applications, and an order like this one came down from on high. The US could hold the entire countrys smartphones hostage for as long as it liked. This takes on a new level of irony when you remember the US case against Huawei hinges on unproven claims the company is beholden to the Chinese government. After recent events, its tempting to think, Oh, like Google? And Im only half-joking there. This belligerent move gives us an opportunity to re-evaluate the supposedly benevolent nature of US tech. Saturated by a media storm slandering their competitors, its easy to forget US internet behemoths do the bidding of their government on a regular basis. Facebook conspired with the National Security Agency for its PRISM surveillance program, and Amazon built a computing cloud for the Central Intelligence Agency. Google joined PRISM around the same time as Facebook, but its relationship with intel-gathering agencies goes even deeper; it is the product of CIA and NSA research grants. So its abundantly clear a Google or Facebook given free rein to operate would be something of a fox in the henhouse albeit one that keeps its hunger in check long enough to build a customer base among the chickens. But thats not the only wrinkle in this story. As these companies move into new markets, they sap burgeoning domestic rivals of their innovative oomph. They leverage economies of scale to dominate and drive out smaller underdogs, becoming synonymous with the services they provide. In so doing, they grow into gargantuan hyper-monopolies, wielding a level of influence previously only held by large countries. Ultimately, they answer to their home nations in this case, the United States functioning as soft power organs while claiming nominal autonomy. This is imperialism for the 21st century, the kind of mechanism for worldwide consolidation of capital Vladimir Lenin observed when he wrote his seminal text over 100 years ago. Theres no telling what the technological landscape might look like without this corporate oligarchy in the drivers seat. Rather than the Big Four US-based companies dictating what everyone else does backed by the economic and military might of the planets only superpower we could see more equal partnerships sprout up among all countries, inside and outside the developed world. China has shown its possible to build independent industry and scrape ones way out of a colonial destiny. What might a Nigeria, Bolivia, or Pakistan do in similar circumstances? What kinds of new developments would we see in a tech ecosystem not under the thumb of Google, Amazon, Apple, and Facebook? Labour is just one area where an alternate state of affairs holds appeal. At present, with their concentrated resources and power, these companies can siphon top workers from across the globe, leading to an international brain drain that dries up home countries talent pools. This leaves those domestic sectors in the lurch, as US megacorps have kicked away the ladder they used to climb to the top. We see echoes of this phenomenon in the trade grievances the US has brought against China; a topic for another time. But no matter how you look at it, this regime of coercion and control denies former colonial subjects their chance to rise up and become strong, sovereign nations. Youd be forgiven for thinking this practice reproduces those old exploitative relations but of course, the innocent, freedom-loving United States government would never do such a thing. Just like all other measures taken against Huawei and China in a broader sense this is an attempt to choke out a competitor and maintain US hegemony through the foreseeable future. It happened to Japan in the 1980s, and the playbook has changed little in the intervening years. The difference between then and now is China was watching and learning. There wont be a present-day Plaza Accords, where China buckles to pressure and concedes key planks of the system that has had unprecedented success. And these strong-arm tactics wont work, either; fair negotiations dont happen when one party has a gun to the others head. China already knows what its like to suffer under the yoke of a colonial master. No matter what the US or anyone else tries, it wont do so again. Peoples World Working-class internationalism Italian dock workers halted a deadly cargo of weapons bound for Saudi Arabia from being loaded in Genoa as they demanded Matteo Salvini (deputy Prime Minister of Italy) open the ports to people and close them to arms. Trade unionists and activists hailed working-class internationalism as they stopped the Saudi ship Bahri Yanbu from loading with drones and other equipment that would be used in its devastating war on Yemen. They called their action a historic act of solidarity. Members of the CGIL (Italian General Confederation of Labor) united with activists from Potere al Popolo (PaP) (Power to the People Coalition), as well as anti-fascist and pacifist groups saying, We will not be complicit with the civilian deaths in Yemen, as they blockaded the port. In the face of the strike action, called by the local branch of the CGIL, and mass protest, the Port Authority confirmed the ship would only be allowed to embark with civilian material, leaving a stockpile of deadly equipment unmoved on the dock. Workers refused to trust the words of the authorities, and the strike action went ahead as planned with a blockade preventing the loading of any of its cargo. In a joint statement, the groups said they were making a small contribution to [tackling] a big problem for a population that is being killed daily. It is the second time the ship, whose journey started in the Tilbury dock in Essex, has failed to load its cargo. Earlier this month French activists launched a legal bid to block the ship loading with eight Caesar cannons in the port of Le Havre. While the challenge was unsuccessful, the vessel left France without the weapons and made its way across the Mediterranean to the port city Santander in Spain. It was rumoured that the cannons were instead loaded secretly on to a train that made its way to a military base near Genoa, but workers said they were ready to stop this from happening. France is keen to play down its role in the devastating war on Yemen, with President Emmanuel Macron insisting that French weapons are only used in defensive circumstances. In a shocking bid to silence criticism and an attack on press freedom, three French journalists face five years in jail for exposing the reality of Frances deadly arms trade. Disclose Media journalists Geoffrey Livolsi and Mathias Destal and Radio France journalist Benoit Collombat face prison for refusing to reveal sources after publishing secret reports that showed that 35 civilians died during 52 bombings between March 2016 and December 2018, when French Caesar cannon fire operated. The devastating Saudi-led war on Yemen, which started in March 2016, has caused at least 50,000 deaths and pushed the country to the brink of the worst global famine in a century. Despite allegations of war crimes with the deliberate targeting of infrastructure, including schools and hospitals, Saudi Arabia continues to be supported militarily and armed to the teeth by Western countries including Britain, France, and the United States. All three have insisted that jobs would be at risk as they face domestic pressure to end their deadly arms trade. PaP activist Giacomo Marchetti, who works at the docks and is a member of the USB (Unione Sindacale di Base), said that the action was a historic moment for Genoa. It is not the first time the workers and activists have denounced what is happening [the bombing of Yemen], but it is the first time that there has been a strike and demonstration, he said. Genoa has a long history of solidarity. It was the first to block US ships headed to Vietnam, and dock workers here also refused to allow war equipment to disembark for the 1973 Chile coup or its ships to dock. There are so many parts here that will be used for drones in the Yemeni war ... this is the first time we have seen this kind of action since the strike before the Iraq war in 2003. He said the action sent a message to the racist Salvini: Open the port to migrants and close it to arms. What happened today in Genoa, what happened in Le Havre and Santander, showed the importance of international working-class solidarity, especially in stopping wars. And it showed the strength of the dock workers. We are winning because the arms will not be loaded here as was planned. Morning Star Documentary Moundsville The 2018 documentary Moundsville drops viewers into the West Virginia town with no introduction. Instead, the film takes us directly into conversations with local residents, the mayor, a former mayor, retirees, a couple of historians, young entrepreneurs a dozen or so people from all walks of life. They talk about the towns history, the prehistoric burial mound for which it is named, the leading industries over the decades, the boom times, the economic decline since the 1980s, and ideas about the towns future. I grew up in the Ohio Valley, about an hours drive from Moundsville, so these conversations felt familiar, like spending an afternoon in the local diner. A central theme is the local economy, including the remarkable number of products that the towns workers manufactured in decades past. At one time, Marx Toys, which employed thousands in its Glen Dale factory (neighbouring Moundsville), produced one of every three toys made in America. Other major employers in the area included Fostoria Glass, US Stamping Company, Allied Chemical, and the Moundsville State Penitentiary. A short drive away were coal mines, steel mills, and more chemical plants. Today, Moundsvilles economy like much of the regions looks a lot different. Many of the mines and mills have shut down. RV parks just out of town house out-of-state gas pipeline and drilling crews. The downtown has a lot of old businesses but also empty storefronts, and the Walmart Supercentre and other chain stores on the edge of town have won over many customers. Some local entrepreneurs have found their niche in the new economy by, among other things, capitalising on tourism to the now shuttered prison and the nearby Palace of Gold (a Hare Krishna community). But a third of the towns residents have moved away. With so many rusting factories, Moundsville could have become just another of the many reports from Trump Country since the 2016 election. Most of those seem to be written by journalists facing deadlines, who parachute into Appalachia, gather a few quotes that support their assumptions about racist provincials, and then head back to the airport. In her recent book What You Are Getting Wrong About Appalachia, Elizabeth Catte writes that these reports share a willingness to use flawed representations of Appalachia to shore up narratives of an extreme other America that can be condemned or redeemed to suit ones purpose. Those reports often attempt to construct a single narrative about voters in Trump Country, and the makers of Moundsville explicitly position their documentary against such narratives. The voiceover for one of the trailers for the documentary explains that after the election every media story about small-town America seemed to focus on the same things: Trump, opioids, and the rusting factory. But, it continues, what if you went to a small town and didnt talk about those things? What if you simply asked people about their lives without connecting their answers to those larger narratives? Indeed, Moundsville does a good job of capturing the joys of life in a small town and highlighting the diversity of voices even in a town of 9,000 by featuring young and old, women and men, and white, African American, and Latino voices. While this portrait is refreshing because the filmmakers brought empathy and patience to the project, they left out some important, complex, and challenging topics that do not lend themselves to restaurant conversations. While the documentary touches on economic decline, trade policies, and the outmigration of young people, it tends to treat economic change as natural or neutral, not even mentioning the policymakers or policies that facilitated capital migration. I would argue that one of the greatest accomplishments of the proponents of neo-liberalism has been to make their ideology seem like economic changes just happen. Neo-liberals free-trade policies, cuts to taxes and social spending, privatization, and the elimination of union protections have hollowed out many factory towns, cut assistance to the poor and unemployed, and concentrated wealth and power in the hands of the few. While some of the participants in the documentary share their memories of Moundsvilles prosperous decades, they dont talk about how unions enabled workers to address safety concerns and gender discrimination, win fair wages and benefits, bring stability to their families, buy homes, and have discretionary income to spend at local businesses. While the residents remember those prosperous years by listing employers, they dont mention the American Flint Glass Workers Union, the United Steel Workers of America, the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers Union, and the United Mine Workers of America. Im guessing that only a few of those interviewed were union members, and as union strength has declined since the 1980s, public memories of the critical role they played in earlier decades have faded. Also, Moundsville offers only a cursory discussion of race and racism. A former mayor, who is African American, recalls painful episodes of racism when he was growing up but says that he no longer faces that kind of cruelty. And the Latino owner of the Acapulco Mexican Restaurant says that racism is still present and that it negatively frames residents understanding of immigrants. We do not hear other residents thoughts on the role of race in their towns history. While Moundsville avoids the overly simplistic, stereotypical portraits of racist hillbillies that are a common feature of Trump Country, the result is to largely ignore race and racism, which are admittedly complex subjects. Growing up in northern West Virginia, I was largely unaware of racism and associated it most with the use of the N-word, which was only uttered by the crudest students at my school. It was not until I reached adulthood that I began to realize that racism was particularly powerful when it was unheard and unseen. Racism has shaped life in these Ohio Valley factory towns in fundamental ways, particularly through discriminatory housing, employment, and education, and sometimes as a result of battles fought decades ago. These forms of racism are pervasive throughout the United States no region or social class has a monopoly on it and institutional racisms profound effects up through the present need to be better understood. When we erase subjects like institutional racism, the labour movement, and the rise of neoliberalism, the resulting portrait is incomplete, and things seemingly just happen to people and towns with no understanding of why. Moundsville is an intimate portrait of a former factory town whose residents are proud of their hometown and working to redefine it, and I appreciate the filmmakers hard work and empathetic lens. Yet much work remains to help us make sense of the past and present of Moundsville and many places like it. Peoples World With the constant, tragic news cycle of 2019, it's hard to keep up with all the depressing stories. There's climate change, war, recession, and it feels like we see a new terrorist attack every other day. It's hard to feel good about anything , really. Well, if there is such a thing as a feel-good terrorist story, then here are a few. 5 Abdullahi Abdisalam Borleh Disappeared Up His Own Blast-Hole The flight to Somalia that Abdullahi Abdisalam Borleh boarded in February 2016 could have ended in terrible tragedy. He had successfully concealed a bomb inside his laptop, and arranged to sit exactly where it would do the most damage. If the plane had been at cruising altitude when the bomb went off, it would have triggered a secondary explosion in the fuel tank that would have turned the whole thing into an airborne barbecue. Thankfully, the flight was delayed, and Borleh's bomb was on a timer. Since the plane was still well below cruising altitude when the bomb went off, he ended up briefly on fire before being sucked out the hole he had just made, while everyone else aboard just kind of blinked and tried to figure out what happened. The plane landed safely, leaving only two people with injuries and a whole lot more who will never complain about a delayed flight again. The P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IO RAS) has issued a statement regarding the Akademik Ioffe and Akademik Sergey Vavilov, a pair of expedition ships that were set to operate for One Ocean Expeditions this summer before the charter contract was seemingly cancelled. The IO RAS has no contractual relationships with and, consequently, not liable to the One Ocean Expeditions, the IO RAS said in a statement sent to Cruise Industry News. The agency said that the pair of expedition ships were on a time charter deal to Terragelida Ship Management Ltd. through fall 2019. Terragelida Ship Management describes itself a vessel management company, specializing in technical and commercial management, ship brokering and crew management.The Cyprus-based company lists IO RAS as a partner on its website. The vessels have been properly maintained and are available in Kaliningrad, the IO RAS said in its statement. Terragelida Ship Management Ltd. duly fulfils its commitments assumed within the framework of the contract with IO RAS. The ships are time-chartered and the P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of Russian Academy of Sciences, the owner of the vessels, is not to be blame for cancellation of cruises, as announced by the One Ocean Expeditions. The agency said the vessels are ready to begin cruise operations immediately. The China Cruise and Yacht Industry Association (CCYIA) and the Guangzhou Municipal People's Government have revealed that China Cruise Shipping 14 (CCS) will take place in Guangzhou from Nov. 15-17 with support from the China Communications and Transportation Association. Chinas leading cruise event will again host a conference and International Cruise Expo (trade show) over three days in Guangzhou, with the industry event targeted at executives, ports, shipbuilding, supply chain, finance and more. The theme of this years event will focus on Guangzhous cruise economy taking a leap forward in both homeporting and supply chain support to the cruise industry. Earlier this year, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council issued the Outline of the Development Plan for the Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Dawan District, including the construction of the Guangzhou International Cruise Port and the promotion of more international cruise business in Guangzhou. CCS14 will be held in Guangzhou and is an opportunity to show the world the potential of China's cruise economy and open the market, the CCYIA said, in a prepared statement. Companies that collect data on citizens in European Union (EU) countriesl need to comply with strict new rules around protecting customer data. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) sets a new standard for consumer rights regarding their data, but companies will be challenged as they put systems and processes in place to maintain compliance. Compliance will cause some concerns and new expectations of security teams. For example, the GDPR takes a wide view of what constitutes personal identification information. Companies will need the same level of protection for things like an individuals IP address or cookie data as they do for name, address and Social Security number. The GDPR leaves much to interpretation. It says that companies must provide a reasonable level of protection for personal data, for example, but does not define what constitutes reasonable. This gives the GDPR governing body a lot of leeway when it comes to assessing fines for data breaches and non-compliance. Time is running out to meet the deadline, so CSO has compiled what any business needs to know about the GDPR, along with advice for meeting its requirements. Many of the requirements do not relate directly to information security, but the processes and system changes needed to comply could affect existing security systems and protocols. What is the GDPR? The European Parliament adopted the GDPR in April 2016, replacing an outdated data protection directive from 1995. It carries provisions that require businesses to protect the personal data and privacy of EU citizens for transactions that occur within EU member states. The GDPR also regulates the exportation of personal data outside the EU. [Related: -->How to prepare for the approaching General Data Protection Regulation] The provisions are consistent across all 28 EU member states, which means that companies have just one standard to meet within the EU. However, that standard is quite high and will require most companies to make a large investment to meet and to administer. Why does the GDPR exist? The short answer to that question is public concern over privacy. Europe in general has long had more stringent rules around how companies use the personal data of its citizens. The GDPR replaces the EUs Data Protection Directive, which went into effect in 1995. This was well before the internet became the online business hub that it is today. Consequently, the directive is outdated and does not address many ways in which data is stored, collected and transferred today. How real is the public concern over privacy? It is significant and it grows with every new high-profile data breach. According to the RSA Data Privacy & Security Report, for which RSA surveyed 7,500 consumers in France, Germany, Italy, the UK and the U.S., 80% of consumers said lost banking and financial data is a top concern. Lost security information (e.g., passwords) and identity information (e.g., passports or driving license) was cited as a concern of 76% of the respondents. An alarming statistic for companies that deal with consumer data is the 62% of the respondents to the RSA report who say they would blame the company for their lost data in the event of a breach, not the hacker. The reports authors concluded that, As consumers become better informed, they expect more transparency and responsiveness from the stewards of their data. Lack of trust in how companies treat their personal information has led some consumers to take their own countermeasures. According to the report, 41% of the respondents said they intentionally falsify data when signing up for services online. Security concerns, a wish to avoid unwanted marketing, or the risk of having their data resold were among their top concerns. The report also shows that consumers will not easily forgive a company once a breach exposing their personal data occurs. Seventy-two percent of US respondents said they would boycott a company that appeared to disregard the protection of their data. Fifty percent of all respondents said they would be more likely to shop at a company that could prove it takes data protection seriously. As businesses continue their digital transformations, making greater use of digital assets, services, and big data, they must also be accountable for monitoring and protecting that data on a daily basis, concluded the report. What types of privacy data does the GDPR protect? Basic identity information such as name, address and ID numbers Web data such as location, IP address, cookie data and RFID tags Health and genetic data Biometric data Racial or ethnic data Political opinions Sexual orientation Which companies does the GDPR affect? Any company that stores or processes personal information about EU citizens within EU states must comply with the GDPR, even if they do not have a business presence within the EU. Specific criteria for companies required to comply are: A presence in an EU country. No presence in the EU, but it processes personal data of European residents. More than 250 employees. Fewer than 250 employees but its data-processing impacts the rights and freedoms of data subjects, is not occasional, or includes certain types of sensitive personal data. That effectively means almost all companies. A PwC survey showed that 92% of U.S. companies consider GDPR a top data protection priority. A new survey conducted by Propeller Insights and sponsored by Netsparker Ltd. asked executives which industries would be most affected by GDPR. Most (53%) saw the technology sector being most impacted followed by online retailers (45%), software companies (44%), financial services (37%), online services/SaaS (34%), and retail/consumer packaged goods (33%). Who within my company will be responsible for compliance? The GDPR defines several roles that are responsible for ensuring compliance: data controller, data processor and the data protection officer (DPO). The data controller defines how personal data is processed and the purposes for which it is processed. The controller is also responsible for making sure that outside contractors comply. [Related: -->GDPR requirements raise the global data protection stakes] Data processors may be the internal groups that maintain and process personal data records or any outsourcing firm that performs all or part of those activities. The GDPR holds processors liable for breaches or non-compliance. Its possible, then, that both your company and processing partner such as a cloud provider will be liable for penalties even if the fault is entirely on the processing partner. The GDPR requires the controller and the processor to designate a DPO to oversee data security strategy and GDPR compliance. Companies are required to have a DPO if they process or store large amounts of EU citizen data, process or store special personal data, regularly monitor data subjects, or are a public authority. Some public entities such as law enforcement may be exempt from the DPO requirement. According to the Propeller Insights survey, 82% of responding companies say they already have a DPO on staff, although 77% plan to hire a new or replacement DPO prior to the May 25 deadline. That hiring doesnt stop with the DPO. About 55% of the surveys respondents reported that they had recruited at least six new employees to achieve GDPR compliance. How does the GDPR affect third-party and customer contracts? The GDPR places equal liability on data controllers (the organization that owns the data) and data processors (outside organizations that help manage that data). A third-party processor not in compliance means your organization is not in compliance. The new regulation also has strict rules for reporting breaches that everyone in the chain must be able to comply with. Organizations must also inform customers of their rights under GDPR. What this means is that all existing contracts with processors (e.g., cloud providers, SaaS vendors, or payroll service providers) and customers need to spell out responsibilities. The revised contracts also need to define consistent processes for how data is managed and protected, and how breaches are reported. The largest exercise is on the procurement side of the houseyour third-party vendors, your sourcing relationships that are processing data on your behalf, says Mathew Lewis, global head of banking and regulatory practice at legal service provider Axiom. Theres a whole grouping of vendors that have access to this personal data and GDPR lays out very clearly that you need to ensure that all of those third parties are adhering to GDPR and processing the data accordingly. Client contracts also need to reflect the regulatory changes, says Lewis. Client contracts take a number of different forms, whether they are online click-throughs or formal agreements where you make commitments to how you view, access, and process data. Before those contracts can be revised, business leaders, IT, and security teams need to understand how the data is stored and processed and agree on a compliant process for reporting. A pretty sizable exercise is required by the technology groups, the CISO, and data governance team to understand what data fits within the firm, where its being stored or processed, and where its being exported outside the company. Once you understand those data flows and the impact on the business, you can start to identify the vendors you need to be most focused on both from an information security perspective, how you manage those relationships going forward, and how you memorialize that in the contract itself, says Lewis. The GDPR might also change the mindset of business and security teams toward data. Most companies see their data and the processes they use to mine it as an asset, but that perception will change, says Lewis. Given GDPRs explicit consent and firms needing to be much more granular in their understanding of data and data flows, theres a whole set of liabilities that now exist with the accumulation of data, says Lewis. Thats quite a different frame of mind both for legal and compliance, but maybe more important for the way the business thinks about the accumulation and usage of that data and for information security groups and how they think about managing that data. Data is leaving the firm in all kinds of ways, says Lewis. While the CISO and the technology groups need to be able to track all of that, you also need to put protection in place. Those protections need to be spelled out in the contract so the outside firms understand what they can and cannot do with the data. Lewis notes that by going through the process of defining obligations and responsibilities, it prepares a company to handle GDPR compliance operationally. If one of your vendors says, You were hacked last night, did they know who to call and how to respond as part of meeting the regulatory requirements, he says. The 72-hour reporting window that the GDPR requires makes it especially important that vendors know how to properly report a breach. If a vendor was hacked and youre one of thousands of clients, do they notify your procurement department or an account person or someone in accounts receivables? It could come in all kinds of ways, says Lewis. You want a clearly defined path in the contract for the information to get to the person in your organization responsible for reporting the breach. A regulator is not going to say you shouldnt have had a breach. They are going to say you should have had the policies, procedures, and response structure in place to solve for that quickly, says Lewis. Larger companies might have thousands of contracts to update. Complicating that challenge is that it needs to be done late in the compliance process. Before you can define responsibilities and responsibilities, you must know exactly what data you have, where and how it is processed, and the data flows. Thats left a lot of institutions racing toward the deadline trying to complete the technical and operational issues and having to play catch-up on putting the right contract in place to enforce that. A lot of firms have not done any renegotiation of contract terms. That begs the question: What happens if the contracts arent all in place by the May deadline? Lewis sees several risks to not completing the contracts: While remote workforces come with their share of plusses, they also come with one minus: loneliness. According to Igloos 2019 State of the Digital Workspace report, 70 percent of dispersed team members feel left out of the workplace. And with remote work penetrating companies of all sizes in all industries, curbing that sense of isolation should be a top priority. Google, for instance, staffs half of its worldwide team with temps, contractors and vendors. Yet you'd be surprised to hear that the tech giant created a caste system that excluded those who aren't full-time workers from meetings, certain cafeterias and the campus store. Google even went so far as to require contractors to wear red badges that only served to further alienate them from the rest of the employees. But one former contractor observed that this inequality led to "widespread disgruntlement." A disengaged remote staff like this can be low on both productivity and morale. That's why it's vital that you, as leaders, take the necessary steps to always keep them locked in. Related: 5 Ways to Ensure Remote Employees Feel Part of the Team Make remote workers feel at home In theory, managing remote workers is challenging. But a remote workforce can actually be a helpful asset to any business. For one, your company's access to qualified employees is no longer limited by geography. The world becomes your talent pool, allowing you to recruit ideal candidates for almost any opening and gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace. However, a remote setup is also advantageous for employees. Dispersed teams often experience higher employee satisfaction, lower turnover, fewer sick days and greater productivity. Theyre also less likely to be late, leave early or get distracted by other employees. Related: 17 Things You Need to Know About Remote Work When you treat remote workers like more than second-class citizens, it helps stave off employee burnout and churn. And, according to the 2019 DI Developer Survey Report, it even yields a 20 to 30 percent rise in productivity and morale. To build a remote workforce that's high in both of those areas, use these strategies: 1. Rally team members around reachable goals. Establishing metrics to measure performance is nothing new. The remote workforce, however, can pose a particular challenge for some employers because team members aren't regularly in the office. Bridge that gap by building measurable goals that in-office and remote employees can work toward together. But how do you regularly prioritize these numbers for off-site employees? A Queens University of Charlotte study found that 49 percent of Millennials support collaboration through social tools, resources that could certainly help foster companywide camaraderie toward a common goal. Use Slack, Dropbox, GitHub, etc., to monitor progress, highlight metrics and instigate action when necessary. Programming tools like GitHub and GitPrime have helped our company monitor the performance of our remote engineering teams. For customer support roles, you could always use the software Delighted to capture the Net Promoter Score and track customer satisfaction. Then, automatically post the NPS number to a Slack channel if it drops below a certain level to put it on the team's radar and inspire change. 2. Integrate accountability into the workflow. According to The Growth Divide Study, more than 90 percent of employees prefer their managers to provide them with real-time feedback. Make remote employees as accountable as in-house staff by scheduling regular check-ins to track progress. Consider scheduling a standing meeting to monitor off-site employees' status. Go over what a remote worker accomplished yesterday, whats on his to-do list and whether he has any concerns. Put a phone call on the books to get everything aligned, or utilize BlueJeans, Google Hangouts or Zoom to schedule video meetings and add a more personal touch. Zoom, in particular, has screen-sharing capabilities, which enables those on a call to interact or collaborate on a project. For remote employees who feel removed from the in-office experience, these regular progress reports provide a glimpse of the regular workplace experience. Make them part of remote employees' day-to-day routines to further engage them. Related: 4 Rules to Provide Flexibility Without Losing Accountability 3. Find creative workarounds. Companies with international or remote employees run into some issues when it comes time zones. For example, Groove is a small-business customer support platform whose team stretches across nine time zones. No matter what, though, both remote and in-house employees attend a tightly structured 10- to 30-minute meeting every weekday at 10 a.m. Eastern. While this means early mornings and late nights for some, it does help get everyone on the same page to start -- or end -- the day. Groove's solution isn't an option for every company, so it's important to find some way to navigate around time zone and other issues for remote staff. Encourage remote workers to complete a full profile containing job title, expertise, location, time zone, fluent languages, etc. That way, leadership always knows the best times to set up even an impromptu meeting. Its also a good practice to post end-of-day summaries to help dispersed team members stay abreast of whats going on with business. Remember, they cant always call you with a question. Working with remote talent isnt any more hands-on than working with traditional in-office employees. It just requires you to be more mindful in your management style, which will ultimately benefit the entire team. Related: How to Ensure Your Remote Staff Is Engaged Diverse Workplaces Generate 19 Percent More Revenue Than Less Diverse Competitors Thinking of Starting a Remote Business? Think Very Carefully. Copyright 2019 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Ridgefield Playhouse / Contributed photo The yesterdays of enduring hippie David Crosby are pretty momentous as co-founder of not only fabulous rock group The Byrds in 1964 but also seminal Crosby, Stills and Nash (which also featured the great Neil Young for a time). Its a bit amazing, too, that theres a now for Crosby, 77, which includes two concerts in Connecticut in coming days. Crosby, 77, had a liver transplant in 1994 and also has diabetes, hepatitis C and has survived heart surgery and addictions to drugs and alcohol that led to a prison stint. And yet he still makes solid music, which youll find at David Crosby & Friends at Ridgefield Playhouse Friday, June 7, and The Garde in New London Wednesday, June 12. BRIDGEPORT - A local lawyer who police said fled to New Jersey after stealing nearly $10,000 from a client here pleaded guilty to the theft on Wednesday. Alfred Cali, 61, pleaded guilty under the Alford Doctrine to second-degree larceny. He faces up to two years in prison when he is sentenced by Superior Court Judge Frank Iannotti on July 10. Cali and his lawyer, Thomas Cocco, declined comment as they left the Golden Hill Street courthouse. A plea made under the Alford Doctrine means Cali doesnt admit his guilt but concedes he could be found guilty and face a greater sentence if he went to trial. The judge then found him guilty. Cali was arrested by inspectors from the Statewide Prosecution Bureau in the Office of the Chief States Attorney following a complaint by the Statewide Grievance Committee. In 2016, Cali had been hired by a local man to handle his bankruptcy proceedings, according to court documents. The local man paid Cali a $20,000 retainer and later Cali instructed him to write a check for cash for $9,614 which was to be used to pay off the mans debt, the documents state. However, the documents state that Cali did not deposit the money into his trustee account as required and instead used the money for his own purposes. Investigators later learned that Cali had left the area and was living in North Arlington, N.J. BRIDGEPORT A city resident, found later to be a felon, was found in a vehicle with a gun and several drugs and drug paraphernalia during a recent traffic stop on the highway. State police said 24-year-old Rayqon D. Davis, of Bridgeport, was charged with various drug and weapon offenses. Members of Troop G, based in Bridgeport, were doing motor vehicle enforcement near Exit 19 of Interstate 95 north on Monday in Fairfield when they saw a silver Honda Accord in the center lane without a registration plate on the back of the vehicle. State police said troopers pulled the driver over and identified all the occupants inside the vehicle and did a search of the vehicle. During the vehicle search, trooper found one .22-caliber revolver, one magazine with 10 .22-caliber rounds, 2.205 ounces of marijuana, five MDMA (ecstasy) pills, a digital scale and several cellphones used for the distribution of narcotics for street level sales, state police said. Davis, who was found to be a felon, was taken into custody and brought to Troop G for processing. State police said Davis was unable to post bond, which court records show was set at $150,000. Court records showed Davis charges are criminal possession of a firearm, illegal possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle, carrying a pistol without a permit, possession of a controlled substance, sale of a narcotic substances, possession with intent to sell a hallucinogenic substances, use of drug paraphernalia and illegal possession of unstamped drugs. Davis is expected in court at 10 a.m. on June 27. BRIDGEPORT Park Cemetery has allegedly been run into the ground by its former manager. The cemetery, the final resting place of former Mayor Jasper McLevy as well as veterans of every conflict since the Civil War, has no money and will be unable to continue operating, says a Shelton woman who is now overseeing it. It been difficult to accept, but the 140-year-old cemetery that was once financially able to pay its bills and serve area families, the indigent and veterans from the Civil War to present with care and dignity is insolvent, said Cheryl Jansen, who has generations of her family buried there. Jansen successfully sued to get the cemeterys manager, Dale LaPrade, ousted. LaPrade was arrested and charged with interference with a cemetery, a felony, after police found that she was having old graves dug up to make room for new burials. The cemetery is owned by the families of those buried there and have paid for perpetual care of the grave sites. Police said LaPrade, who with her husband Daniel have been running the cemetery for 30 years, charges $1,150 for a single grave and $800 for grave openings and $200 more if it is done on a Saturday. Police said LaPrade told them she averages 140 burials a year and has sole access to the cemeterys bank account, paying her employees in cash. In May 2010, the Internal Revenue Service revoked the cemeterys nonprofit status for failing to comply with IRS rules. The LaPrades left a financial disaster in their wake, said Jansen. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in state and federal taxes owed, loss of the perpetual care fund paid into by plot owners for decades for maintenance and upkeep of the property. Dale LaPrade declined comment. Jansen said there are also squatters who refuse to leave the house where the cemetery office is located. All the utilities were disconnected for non-payment by LaPrade, so the building has no heat, electricity or water service, Jansen said. At this point, the cemetery is being overseen by a volunteer board but Jansen said dealing with years of problems created by mismanagement and neglect is beyond the boards resources. Park is still an active cemetery association and it must be responsible to those who have family members interred there and legally own plots, she said. We all want to see Park return to dignity and solvency. Its not possible to lock the gate and walk away. BRIDGEPORT Just weeks after the families of those buried in the citys Park Cemetery began restoring the historic graveyard, they are facing a new challenge this time from the citys probate judge. Judge Paul Ganim this week appointed a three-person board to oversee the 140-year-old Lindley Street cemetery, and thats not sitting well with the families. This is an end run around the families, and it is shocking, unethical and illegal, said Cheryl Jansen, of Shelton, who has four generations of her family buried in the cemetery. Jansen led the fight to oust the former longtime manager of the cemetery, Dale LaPrade, who the families accused of digging up old graves to reuse them for new burials. During a civil court trial, police detectives testified that dozens of headstones, some dating to the 1800s, had been moved at Park Cemetery so the newly dead could be buried in plots stacked on old graves. In December, LaPrade was arrested and charged with interference with a cemetery. She is next scheduled to be in court on June 26. In the meantime, a Superior Court judge granted Jansens lawsuit to remove LaPrade as manager of the cemetery and put Jansen and other family of those buried in the cemetery in charge. Since that time, Jansen said, they set up a new board of herself and two other people and spent many hours cleaning up the cemetery which, according to court records, had been left in physical and financial disarray by LaPrade. Jansen said she and her two fellow board members are not being paid and are using all the money taken in by the cemetery to pay the bills left unpaid by LaPrade. But this week, in papers filed in Superior Court, Ganim stated he is seeking approval to appoint his own board to take over the cemetery. The board members would be Andre Baker Jr., a state representative from Bridgeport and the owner of Baker-Isaac Funeral Home; Jim Bria, owner of Artista Studio and Monument Works and Anthony Monelli, a Trumbull lawyer and former employee of the Fairfield probate court. As I understand it, there has not been any legally appointed board, and if there is anyone acting as a board they have not been legally appointed to do so, Ganim told Hearst Connecticut Media. I have asked the appropriate judicial authority to appoint persons who are knowledgeable in running a cememtery so that it is made neat and clean and so the internment of ones loved ones is done correctly. A court hearing on the proposed approval of Ganims board members has been set for June 11. Jansen claims that it would be unethical for Baker and Bria to serve on the board because they have both done business with the cemeterys ousted manager. This was done totally behind our backs, Jansen said of Ganims move. Weve cleaned the cemetery up, evicted squatters from the house and brought in equipment to cut the grass and now they want to jump in and run the place, and we are not going to let them. NEW HAVEN A Seymour man was charged with murder Wednesday for allegedly shooting and killing Thomas Hart on Congress Avenue May 21. According to an arrest warrant affidavit , James M. Tobin, 32, admitted shooting Hart after being robbed during an alleged drug deal. Tobin told police he sought to purchase marijuana from Hart on May 21, and was carrying a 9 mm pistol with him, according to the warrant affidavit. Tobins regular supplier was unavailable but was Facebook friends with Hart and had seen pictures of him smoking before. After setting up a potential deal, Tobin traveled to New Haven and met Hart and three other men. The five men ended up sitting in Tobins truck in a Bond Avenue parking lot, according to the affidavit. Tobin told police two of the men pointed guns at him, then robbed him, taking cash, including $2,000 from the deposit bag for his Waterbury restaurant, and his cellphone. Hart and the three other men fled toward Congress Avenue; Tobin fired a single shot in their direction. He told police he then got back into his truck, seeing red, and turned onto Congress Avenue, where he saw the group of men running. He said he fired three more shots out of his window toward the group, then fled the area and returned home. He learned from news coverage that he had shot and killed Hart, according to the affidavit. In the days after the shooting, a man informed a Department of Correction officer that he was fired at by an individual in a pickup truck on Congress Avenue and provided a license plate number, which was traced back to Tobin by police. Tobin initially denied being in New Haven on May 21 or having any knowledge of the matter, but later confessed, police said. Harts death was the citys second homicide this year. City resident city resident David London, 46, was killed on Jan. 10 on Diamond Street in the Beaver Hills neighborhood. Police Capt. Anthony Duff previously said that officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert and 911 calls that a person had been shot in the Hill neighborhood at about 11:26 p.m. on May 21, finding a male victim, later identified as Hart, in the street. Hart was taken by ambulance to Yale New Haven Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His cause of death was certified as a gunshot wound to the torso, including a perforation of the lung, according to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Tobin is charged with murder and is being held in lieu of $2 million bail, according to judicial records. According to a Wednesday release, Duff said New Haven police seized a 9 mm handgun believed to be the murder weapon from Tobins residence, although additional ballistic testing at the Connecticut Forensic Laboratory was required before this could be confirmed. New Haven police Lt. Brett Runlett offered his gratitude in a statement Wednesday to those that had worked the case. I would like to thank Sergeant Matt Merced and Detectives DAndrea, Zaweski, and Manuella Vensel of the NHPD Homicide Unit for their tireless work on this investigation, said Runlett. I would also like to thank Lieutenant Karl Jacobson, the members of the Criminal Intelligence Unit and Shooting Task Force, States Attorney Patrick Griffin and the New Haven States Attorneys Office, the Waterbury Police Department, and the Seymour Police Department. Runlett noted that the investigation is ongoing. william.lambert@hearstmediact.com Whether they swipe or insert, Americans have a proven tendency to reach for their credit cards over all other payment options. And its not just tactile appealcredit cards exceed debit cards in usage whether its online or in-store. Together, credit and debit cards dominate the market as preferred payment types in the US. In online purchases, eWallets are still trailing behind debit cards. Bank transfers, cash on delivery, and pre-pay show little growth over last year among Americans. So, if you havent implemented chip technology yet in your credit unions credit cards, it would be a wise investment against fraud. Americans dont appear to be giving up their plastic for quite a while. Worldpay found that Americans only spent $2,271 per capita using eCommerce, only 20% of which was via mobile wallet. Ecommerces compounding annual growth rate is expected to be 9% in the US between 2018 and 2022, aided by a 79% internet penetration rate as of 2018. Point of sale spend per capita, however, was $24,248 with just 3% coming through mobile wallets. POS CAGR is expected to reach 7% between 2018 and 2022. Americans payment habits contrast sharply with other countries. Mobile payments in the US are projected to amount to less than half of eCommerce through 2022. In the UK, however, mobile payments will account for more than half of eCommerce by 2022. Densely populated countries like China and Indonesia are already there. In fact, Chinas mobile eCommerce is expected to nearly double desktop by 2022. An agricultural community and a family-owned dairy farm turned into a classroom last week for a group of young professionals learning how SICREDI makes an impact in members lives. The 14 credit union representatives are in Brazil as part of the of the World Council of Credit Unions Young Professional Exchange. They left Curitiba and traveled about two hours west to Ponta Grossa. Before visiting the farm on Thursday, the group visited the SICREDI Campos Gerias to learn about its operations and how it serves members in the region. This provides the group the opportunity to see firsthand what member service is in a typical branch location, talk about the collaborative structure of SICREDI, and why its important for them to be able to better serve their members, says Thom Belekevich, World Council program manager. STORY LINK Pound Sterling US Dollar (GBP/USD) Exchange Rate Rangebound as US-China Trade War Escalates GBP/USD Exchange Rate Steadies as China Threatens US by Holding Back Mineral Trade GBP/USD Exchange Rate Flat as May Blames Brexit Failure on European Vote Disaster GBP/USD Outlook: Brexit and Leadership Challenge to Remain in Focus Like this piece? Please share with your friends and colleagues: The Pound US Dollar (GBP/USD) exchange rate steadied today and is currently trading around $1.265 on the interbank market.The US Dollar (USD) stabilised against the Pound (GBP) as the US-China trade war escalates following Chinas threat to use rare earth minerals as a bargaining chip as the conflict continues between the two superpowers.Hu Xijn, the Editor of the Chinese Global Times, tweeted:Based on what I know, China is seriously considering restricting rare earth exports to the US. China may also take other countermeasures in the future.Meanwhile, Chinas telecom giant, Huawei, has called upon Washington to halt illegal action against the company, further heightening tensions between the US and China.Song Liuping, the Chief Legal Officer at Huawei, hit out saying:The US government has provided no evidence to show that Huawei is a security threat. There is no gun, no smoke. Only speculation.The Pound, meanwhile, has been generally subdued following comments from Prime Minister Theresa May that the poor performance for both major parties Labour and the Conservatives during the European elections was down to their failure to deliver Brexit.Due to the lack of UK economic data today, many Sterling traders have been focusing on ongoing political developments instead.The UKs uncertainty surrounding the leadership of the Conservative Party ahead of Mays leaving date on 7 June is proving a drag on the Pound, as fears are mounting that hard-Brexiters like the former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, is fast becoming a favourite.Ian Lavery, the Chair of the Labour Party, has also spoken out against a second referendum, saying:It does feel that a certain portion of left-wing intellectuals are sneering at ordinary people and piling on those trying to convey the feelings of hundreds of thousands of Labour voters. Perhaps, in reflecting on the results, we should consider the effect all of this has had.US Dollar traders will be looking ahead to tomorrows release of the flash US GDP figures for the first quarter, which are expected to ease at 3.1%.These will be followed by the US initial jobless claims figures for May, which are expected to increase, potentially weighing on confidence in the Greenback.The US flash personal consumption prices for the first quarter will also be in many USD traders sighs, however these are expected to remain static.Sterling traders will be awaiting the speech by David Ramsden, the Deputy Governor for Markets for the Bank of England, and with any dovish comments about the UK economy this could see the GBP/USD exchange rate begin to sink.The GBP/USD exchange rate will most likely be driven by political developments, however, with the leadership contest as well as Brexit remaining in focus, as the UK faces increasing uncertainty surrounding its future relations with the EU. International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements. TAGS: Pound Dollar Forecasts STORY LINK Pound Sterling Swiss Franc (GBP/CHF) Exchange Rate Slips as Chinese Media Warnings Buoy Safe-Haven Franc Pound Swiss Franc (GBP/CHF) Exchange Rate Falls on Demand for Safe-Haven CHF The Pound Sterling Swiss Franc (GBP/CHF) exchange rate slipped and the pairing is currently trading at an inter-bank rate of 1.2709Fr. Data released on Wednesday morning revealed that the Swiss ZEW expectations survey contracted further. In May expectations fell from -7.7 to -14.3, making this the 11th consecutive month this index has fallen. However, investors flocked to the safe-haven Swiss Franc amid growing fears about trade and global growth. Trade tensions between the US and China heightened today following warnings from Chinese state media. Swiss Franc (CHF) Rises as US-China Trade Tensions Heighten On Wednesday, the Peoples Daily warned that China could restrict rare earth sales to the US, stating: Will rare earths become a counter weapon for China to hit back against the pressure the United States has put on for no reason at all? The answer is no mystery. Meanwhile, tensions were further heightened following US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo comments that there may or may not be a trade deal with China. He also addressed Huawei, and in an interview with Fox Business Network, Mike Pompeo said: Huawei is an instrument of the Chinese government. Theyre deeply connected. Its something thats hard for Americans to understand. Sterling (GBP) Slides as No-Deal Risk on the Rise It has been reported that some investment banks believe that the risk of a no-deal Brexit is on the rise once again. Sterling held close to four-month lows on Wednesday and the currency has lost more than 3% in May making it its worst month in a year. While the Conservative leadership contest has not officially begun, the list of hopefuls that wish to succeed Theresa May continues to grow. This left the Pound dampened as many candidates have said they are prepared for a no-deal Brexit if Brussels refuses to reopen negotiations. Pound to Swiss Franc Outlook: Will Disappointing Swiss Retail Sales Weigh on CHF? Looking ahead to Friday, the Pound (GBP) could rise against the Swiss Franc (CHF) following the release of the UK GfK consumer confidence data. If it is revealed that confidence rose higher than forecast in May, Sterling could receive an upswing of support. Meanwhile, the Swiss Franc could slide against the Pound later in the day following the release of the Swiss real retail sales. If Aprils retail sales contract once again, it could dampen sentiment in the Franc, and cause the Pound Swiss Franc (GBP/CHF) exchange rate to rise. Like this piece? Please share with your friends and colleagues: International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements. TAGS: Pound Swiss Franc Forecasts The US Can't Stop China Copying Its Cyber Weapons China is copying malware the NSA has used against them. Is this preventable or is it an inherent weakness of cyber warfare? It is nothing new for adversaries to copy and steal each others weapons but recent revelations from Symantec and The New York Times suggest this problem is much bigger with cyber weapons. This is because in order to attack an enemys computer, the enemy have to copy their code onto it. Its like bombing an enemy with munitions that scatter their own blueprints around the blast site. US hacking tools have gone astray before, most notoriously when a mysterious group called Shadow Brokers repeatedly released National Security Agency code for hackers around the globe to use in attacks like WannaCry. Now cybersecurity analysts at Symantec have found evidence that hackers working for Chinas Ministry of State Security were using NSA-built cyber weapons at least a year prior to the Shadow Brokers leak. To avoid offending nation-states, the Symantec report only IDs the Chinese as Buckeye and NSA as Equation Group. Symantecs suggested explanation: one possibility is that Buckeye may have engineered its own version of the tools from artifacts found in captured network traffic, possibly from observing an Equation Group attack. This is a significant revelation, one retired naval officer told us. With Shadow Brokers, the assumption was that it was a group with significant insider knowledge . who had somehow pilfered the software and released it. If correct, this would suggests that: the issue of loss of control of sensitive malware has gone on longer than understood. if Symantec is correct that China likely captured the software while it was being used by NSA, [then] using cyber to collect intelligence is far riskier than generally acknowledged. The new element in the story is that an organisation has reverse-engineered a deployed US cyber tool and reused it; previous cases involved the theft or loss of a tool, agreed Bryan Clark of the Center for Strategic & Budgetary Assessments. This would be similar to the Chinese finding a Tomahawk missile that had failed to detonate and using it to build their own. The difference, Clark continued, is that physical bombs and missiles automatically destroy themselves in the course of an attack, unless theyre duds. Cyber weapons dont. During war games, the cyber teams often assume that a weapon will only be used once, for precisely this reason. The solution is to make cyber weapons tamper resistant, he said, which means their code cannot be determined without proper encryption, or the code rewrites itself after use, duding the weapon. But even self-destructing code doesnt guarantee a target of our cyber weapons cant copy them, Clark warned: They will still run the risk of being detected and characterised by a defensive system before the tamper resistant features activate. Clever techniques, like malware that encrypts and/or deletes itself, can reduce the risk that the target can copy weapons used against it. But part of the problem is inherent to the nature of cyber warfare, which may require the US to think very differently about this new form of conflict. In his book Guns, Germs, & Steel, Jared Diamond traces how concepts like written language spread around the globe through a combination of direct blueprint copying, the way the Romans adopted the Greek alphabet, with minor changes, to write their own, very different language, and indirect idea diffusion, as when Cherokee picked up the concept of written language from European settlers, along with the shapes of some letters, but used them to represent entirely different sounds. Copying is common in the military realm as well. The Soviet Union spied extensively on the American Manhattan project and used the stolen information to build their own atomic bomb years before the West expected it. But to copy a cyber weapon, all you have to do is see it, because the weapon itself is made of information. China copying the code the NSA used to attack them is less like what the Soviets copying the A-bomb and more like the Romans copying the Greek alphabet: That makes copycat cyber weapons extremely hard to stop. Even if the code is encrypted, even if it erases itself after its attack, it has to be executed on the targets computer in order to affect it. BreakingDefense: You Might Also Read: Chinese Spies Had NSA Cyber Weapons Before The Shadow Brokers Leak: Berlin man, 81, has earned a wealth of knowledge on trimming trees Sonny Knotts, 81, Berlin, has been trimming trees throughout the area since being taught by the local "old-timers." An Indian Navy photo. NEW DELHI (PTI): India and France held a mega naval exercise in strategically-located Djibouti in the Horn of Africa, in a demonstration of high level of interoperability and deepening cooperation between the two navies. While the first phase of the Varuna exercise took place off the coast of Goa, the second leg was held in Djibouti where China set up its first overseas military base nearly two years ago. "The second phase of the Indo-French naval exercise, christened as Varuna 19.2, which was held from May 22nd to 25th, brought together a French nuclear attack submarine, currently deployed in the Indian Ocean, and an Indian submarine," the French embassy said in a statement. "Organised under the operational control of the French Joint Forces Commander in the Indian Ocean (ALINDIEN), this exercise was an opportunity to reinforce our capabilities for joint action in a critical and strategic field while demonstrating the high level of interoperability achieved," it added. The naval exercise between India and France, initiated in 1983 and christened as 'Varuna' in 2001, forms a vital part of the Indo-French strategic partnership. French Navy's aircraft carrier FNS Charles de Gaulle, two destroyers, FNS Forbin and FNS Provence, frigate FNS Latouche-Treville had also participated in the Varuna exercise. "India and France have been strategic partners for more than 20 years. This partnership is the subject of recurrent dialogues and regular bilateral military exercises," the French embassy said. The harbour phase of the exercise at Goa included professional interactions and discussions while the sea phase in Djibouti comprised various drills across the spectrum of maritime operations. Once again, a national election has seen Scotland and England gallop away in opposite directions. While Nigel Farage exacted the terrible vengeance of English Leavers on politicians who failed to deliver Brexit, north of the border the night belonged to Nicola Sturgeon. The SNP leader guided her party to a 38 percent vote-share, its best-ever result in a Brussels poll, giving the Nats half of Scotlands six seats in the European Parliament. Labour was wiped out altogether, while the Tories, Lib Dems and Brexit Party managed one seat apiece. In the wake of her triumph, an emboldened Miss Sturgeon declared this week that she wants to see a new referendum on Scottish independence towards the latter half of next year. The spectre of the end of the centuries-old union has come back to haunt us. The SNP leader guided her party to a 38 percent vote-share, its best-ever result in a Brussels poll, giving the Nats half of Scotlands six seats in the European Parliament Just five years ago, after a bitterly divisive campaign and in what the SNP promised would be a once-in-a-generation event, the Scots rejected independence 55 per cent to 45 per cent. Since then the SNPs membership has swollen with independence hardliners who have begun holding regular marches, tens-of-thousands strong, clamouring for #Indyref2. They argue that Miss Sturgeon has been too slow to exploit the unpopularity of Brexit, which 62 per cent of Scots rejected in the 2016 referendum. Mindful of these pressures and invigorated by the new European results, the SNP will today set out the rules for a second independence referendum in a Bill in the Scottish Parliament. This will pass but Westminster still needs to give the all-clear for a legally-binding vote. Tory objections could prove academic. Jeremy Corbyn has previously said he would be absolutely fine with a second independence referendum and wouldnt block it if Holyrood enacted one. The Labour leaders calculation borne out by the polls is that another snap general election would give the SNP enough seats to make or break a minority Labour government in Westminster. Miss Sturgeon is a ruthless operator, forged in the fiery crucible of Glaswegian politics, and would exact an eye-watering price for putting Mr Corbyn in Downing Street. The power to hold another independence referendum at a time of her choosing would be the most gilded prize of all. The Scottish Conservatives, led by the popular Ruth Davidson, are pushing for a new Department of the Union in Whitehall to strengthen ties between the nations. The next prime minister should endorse this. Pictured (left) with Conservative MEP Nosheena Mobarik Either way, Scottish independence is back as an issue and Mrs Mays successor will imminently have to contend with a threat to the United Kingdom far more existential than anything dreamt up by Brusselss Brexit negotiators. There are some, including on the Right of the Tory Party, who think it is a matter for the Scots, and if they want to leave the UK, good luck to them. This is foolhardy in the extreme, for separatism does not operate in a vacuum. The SNP are close to Welsh nationalists Plaid Cymru. A Scottish breakaway would not only delight the latter: it would give them a blueprint. Across the Irish Sea, the threat of a new hard border between the Republic and Northern Ireland has already boosted support for reunification. Scottish independence would make a United Ireland, once a dream, seem suddenly plausible. A process that began with Scotlands secession could end before long with England alone. The break-up of their 312-year-old union would prove financially ruinous to Scotland and politically devastating to England. Scots currently enjoy the second-highest public spending per head in the UK: a freebie culture that would be difficult to sustain if the tap from HM Treasury were turned off. But the severing of the union would be about more than this. It would be an historic tragedy, the end of the most successful alliance between peoples the world has known. Jeremy Corbyn has previously said he would be absolutely fine with a second independence referendum and wouldnt block it if Holyrood enacted one The Union Jack, under which Scotsmen and Englishmen have fought and died, would be taken down, never to rise again. We who are now countrymen would become foreigners in each others lands, and the story of the United Kingdom would close its final chapter. None of this is inevitable. It is easy to forget that agents of division such as Miss Sturgeon have been defeated before and can be again. To do so will require alchemical political skills from the next prime minister. The Scottish Conservatives, led by the popular Ruth Davidson, are pushing for a new Department of the Union in Whitehall to strengthen ties between the nations. The next prime minister should endorse this. Meanwhile, there are consequences to the Tory leadership candidates sabre-rattling over No-Deal Brexit. The prospect of financial hardship keeps many of Scotlands canny voters from backing independence but a disruptive and costly Brexit could change that. SNP strategists are pinning their hopes on a combination of No-Deal and prime minister Boris Johnson. Mr Johnson enjoys none of his loveable rogue reputation north of the border, where he is seen by many as dishonest, unserious, inept, ruinously posh and London-centric. The Nats believe he could alienate the Scottish people, pushing even more into the pro-independence column. The next prime minister has to deliver Brexit from the democracy-deniers of Remain and the sore winners of Jacob Rees-Moggs European Research Group. He or she must also free the union from the throttle of the SNP which is tightening its grip by the day. The Nationalists were not defeated in 2014: they were delayed. They see a weakened, distracted UK as an opportunity to exploit. Whatever happens with Brexit and whoever replaces Mrs May, Britain will soon have to steel itself again for a fight for its very existence. YARDLEY BOROUGH >> Yardley Borough has always loved its ducks. From day one, the boroughs location on the Delaware River has made it the perfect stop over site for migrating waterfowl. And then theres the Delaware Canal and the historic towpath, where waterfowl enjoy congregating, and also Yardley Boroughs picturesque Lake Afton, a quiet nesting spot for ducks of all... This time next year, will Boris Johnson be installed in No 10 as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and First Lord of the Treasury? Or will he be detained at Her Majesty's pleasure, dispensing coffee in the prison canteen and running journalism lessons for fellow jailbirds while waiting for his next visit from the ever-loyal Jacob Rees-Mogg? I suppose the first outcome is rather more likely. But that we can imagine the second eventuality illustrates the sheer madness of yesterday's ruling that Boris must be carted off to court to answer charges of misconduct in public office. In particular, he is accused of lying when, during the run-up to the June 2016 referendum and before the 2017 General Election, he claimed Britain gives the EU 350 million a week. The Leave campaign's bus carried a similar slogan. Will Boris Johnson be installed in No 10 as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and First Lord of the Treasury? Farce If the charges are upheld, Boris faces unlimited fines or any term of imprisonment at the discretion of the court. I wonder whether, if he were to emerge blinking from the prison gate in five years' time, the Brexit saga would still be driving us mad. So what WAS truth of 350million claim? The decision to haul Boris Johnson before a court hinges on the repeated claim that leaving the EU will save Britain 350million a week. Remainers jumped on the number, saying it was an estimated gross figure that did not include rebates the UK receives from Brussels. In 2016, no one knew for sure what Britain's contributions were because the data is published in arrears. The 350million was based on a Treasury estimation. When the figure was again quoted in 2017, Sir David Norgrove, chairman of the UK Statistics Authority, accused Mr Johnson of a 'clear misuse of official statistics' confusing gross and net payments. 'It also assumes that payments currently made to the UK by the EU, including for example for the support of agriculture and scientific research, will not be paid by the UK government when we leave,' he wrote. The gross figure we gave to Brussels in 2016 was actually 363million a week but does not include the rebate Margaret Thatcher successfully negotiated for Britain in 1984. However, the way the rebate is calculated has changed and the amount differs every year. Remainers argued that the amount paid to Britain by the EU around 4.5billion in 2016 brought the total down further to a net 181million a week. Nigel Farage accepted after the referendum that 350million a week would not be available after Brexit. Advertisement What began as a serious political debate about the future of our country has descended first into acrimony and then into chaos before taking on the character of a full-blown farce. The instigator of the latest episode in the farce is Marcus Ball, described in court papers as the applicant, while the proposed defendant is none other than Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson. Mr Ball is a Remainer activist who has been plotting a private prosecution against Mr Johnson (I must try to stop calling him Boris) after taking exception to the outcome of the referendum. He has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds through crowd-funding to bring his case. If you had asked sensible people whether a 29-year-old businessman and entrepreneur namely Mr Ball could successfully land Mr Johnson in a court of law on a criminal charge, they might have recommended a strong cup of tea and a long lie-down. But they would have reckoned without District Judge Margot Coleman, who yesterday ruled that Mr Johnson will be 'sent to Crown Court for trial' to answer Mr Ball's extraordinary charges. This is a serious business. One might have hoped that a judge, even one not many rungs from the bottom of the judicial ladder, would have regarded Mr Ball's application as politically driven, vexatious and slightly dotty. But no. Let's examine the veracity of what Mr Johnson and the Leave bus claimed about 350 million a week. Is it true? Not really. Very roughly, the UK pays the equivalent of this figure to Brussels but, give or take varying amounts in different years, gets a rebate of around 100 million a week. The instigator of the latest episode in the farce is Marcus Ball (pictured at Westminster Magistrates Court) In fact, to be pedantic, it does not happen like that. The money isn't sent to Brussels only for Whitehall to wait for part of it to be sent back. A net figure, which amounts to very approximately 250 million a week, is agreed. This is nonetheless an enormous sum of money which would have made a big impression on people's minds. Why couldn't the Leave campaign settle for that? It is a great mystery. It's stupid to bend the truth when it is so striking. Various people have been blamed foremost among them Dominic Cummings, the maverick campaign director of Vote Leave for this foolish and unnecessary travesty of what was accurate. What is certain is that Mr Johnson did not dream it up himself. He simply seized the incorrect figure with relish, and repeated it. But so did many others including Michael Gove and Andrea Leadsom, both of them candidates, along with Mr Johnson, for the Tory leadership. Of course, it was unwise of him to do this, the more so as he has earned the reputation, not entirely undeserved, of sometimes being a bit free and easy with the truth. People will have to make up their own minds as to how serious this particular lapse was. What began as a serious political debate about the future of our country has descended first into acrimony To my view, it shows Boris Johnson being typically broad-brush, and ignoring what seems to him boring detail as he works up an argument. This is a tendency he will have to watch if he becomes prime minister or he will become badly unstuck. But it should be no business of the courts to turn it into a question of law. If every politician who had ever told a whopper were prosecuted, we would have to build a lot more prisons. One should also note, in a spirit of fairness, the false predictions I won't call them lies of some Remainers before the referendum, most notably the then Chancellor, George Osborne. Charge He assured us that a Leave vote would cause a recession, a rise in unemployment of 500,000 over two years, and a sharp contraction in the size of the economy. None of these things happened. Wild statements were made on both sides in the course of electioneering. I'm afraid politicians of all hues perennially tell fibs when trying to get our vote. This undoubtedly happened in the run-up to the referendum. Yet it seems almost certain that neither Mr Johnson nor Mr Osborne nor anyone else was breaking the law. Judge Coleman rightly cited the Committee on Standards in Public Life, which 'observed as long ago as 1998 that the Government does not participate in general elections or referendum campaigns'. In other words, although he was Mayor of London until May 2016, Boris Johnson was not campaigning on behalf of the Government but as a politician seeking public support. Unfortunately, having observed this important distinction, the judge then proceeded to ignore it, and despatched Mr Johnson to the Crown Court to answer the serious charge of misconduct in public office. By the way, it is worth noting that Tony Blair's spin doctor, Alastair Campbell much in the news at the moment was responsible for the famous 'dodgy dossier' in February 2003 which plagiarised excerpts from a 12-year-old thesis by an Iraqi dissident without attribution. Punish Spatchcocked together by Campbell's team, the dossier was represented by Mr Blair in the Commons as fresh work produced by the intelligence services, and approvingly cited by the U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell, at the United Nations. I would have thought that if anyone had a serious case to answer about possible misconduct in public office, it is Mr Campbell rather than Mr Johnson. Needless to say, we want politicians to tell the truth, whether they are governing us or electioneering. But it is a sinister development if the courts are to assess their veracity, and punish them if they are deemed to have erred. It's the role of the media to highlight mendacity and ultimately for voters to decide what to do. I assume Mr Johnson's lawyers will appeal, and I hope a more thoughtful judge will conclude that this is a politically motivated case which shouldn't come to court. There is a stark warning here about the inadvisability of the judiciary becoming involved in the political process. As for Boris Johnson, I doubt this case will undermine his dream of becoming prime minister. But it will have served some purpose if it makes him more scrupulous than he has been about telling the truth. 'This is a politically motivated attempt to reverse Brexit': Boris Johnson fires back at judge's 'extraordinary' decision to send him to a CRIMINAL court to face crowdfunded private prosecution over his claim Britain sends EU 350m every week Boris Johnson hit back today after a judge took the 'extraordinary' decision to haul him to court over a Remainer claim that he lied when he said Britain gave the EU 350million a week. The front runner to replace Theresa May as Tory leader could become the first serving Prime Minister in the modern era to appear in the dock when he appears to answer accusations of misconduct in a public office. A source close to Mr Johnson said the prosecution was 'nothing less than a politically motivated attempt to reverse Brexit and crush the will of the people'. 'The claimant has openly admitted that his plan is to overturn the referendum via a legal challenge and he clearly intends to try and undermine the one man who can truly deliver Brexit. 'The decision to issue a summons is extraordinary, and flies in the face of hundreds of years of British democratic tradition.' Mr Johnson's representatives have called the case a 'stunt' brought forward for 'political purposes' while former Tory cabinet minister David Mellor called District Judge Margot Coleman's ruling 'nutty' and Jacob-Rees Mogg, who is supporting Mr Johnson's leadership campaign, added it was 'an attack on free speech'. Mr Johnson made the comments in the run-up to the 2016 EU referendum and before the 2017 General Election, claiming the UK should give the cash to the NHS instead. He could now face a crown court trial and if found guilty might be jailed for more than six months, with the maximum sentence life imprisonment. It also raises the possibility he could be forced to appear in court while trying to negotiate Brexit with the EU, with a new Tory leader due to be appointed before the end of July. Lawyers representing entrepreneur and anti-Brexit campaigner Marcus Ball, 29, have brought three charges of misconduct in a public office against Mr Johnson alleging he made statements to the public he 'knew to be false'. Two relate to when he served as both an MP and Mayor of London before the 2016 referendum and the other in his role as MP in the run-up to the 2017 General Election. Mr Johnson was supported by his leadership rival Michael Gove this afternoon. He said: 'Whatever view you take on Brexit, we must not try to close down debate. Contending opinions and vigorous argument are the essence of democracy. 'We should trust the public to decide on the merits of a political case. We should not try to criminalise free speech.' Entrepreneur Marcus Ball, 29, pictured, crowdfunded more than 370,000 to bring the private prosecution against Mr Johnson Mr Johnson, pictured today, did not attend the hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court but had argued in submissions the case was a 'political stunt' Mr Johnson's leadership rival Dominic Raab tonight added his voice to those criticising the decision. He told ITV News: 'I do worry a little bit about the timing of this as a private prosecution and the sense that the cut and thrust of democratic debate ought to be decided by your viewers rather than in court. 'And I think in order to preserve free speech and democratic debate that's something we should all look very carefully (at) and consider.' Who is District Judge Margot Coleman and what are her previous cases? District Judge Margot Coleman is more used to dealing with small-time criminals and foreign nationals fighting extradition to be tried for crimes abroad. The 64-year old from Edgeware, north London, became a qualified solicitor in 1978 and went on to set up her own law firm, Coleman Solicitors, which became Victor Lissack Roscoe & Coleman in 2003. She was appointed a deputy district judge in 2000 and five years later in February 2005 became a district judge, which currently comes with a 110,335 salary. In this role she joined her husband, Jeremy Coleman, who served as a district judge for 21 years before retiring in 2016. District judges - previously known as Stipendiary Magistrates - sit in magistrates courts. They preside over low level crime cases where the maximum penalties are fines or short prison sentences. They also oversee initial hearings in high-level crime cases, before handing them on to more senior Crown Courts, which have the power to hand down heavier sentences. In one case she gave a suspended sentence to a 23-year-old trainee doctor who lost his temper with police when they pulled him while driving, saying she felt sympathy for him. Ramtin Oraki's mother had allowed him to drive the car in 2016 as she had been suffering from a bad back. Judge Coleman sentenced them both to conditional discharges of two years . Other high profile cases include that of alleged paedophile Roger Giese, who in 2015 Judge Coleman refused to extradite. He had been on the run from the FBI since 2007 and Judge Coleman refused to start the extradition process until assurance were received that his human rights would not be breached. In 2018 he was extradited to the US, where he was wanted for trial in California charged with sexually abusing a boy aged under 14. Advertisement Brexiteer Mr Rees-Mogg, who is supporting Mr Johnson's leadership campaign, blasted the decision to prosecute him. The European Research Group chairman said: 'It is an attack on free speech and the courts are ill advised to be used as the tools of political activists.' He added: 'It is trying to use the courts to achieve a political end which, I think, is neither right or proper. 'This is involving the courts in something that is not their area. 'We need courts and politicians to respect each other, and it is an abuse of process, and a troubling one. 'It has been brought by people who are resentful of the referendum result.' Leadership candidate Matt Hancock said: 'However people voted in the Referendum, we shouldn't have courts judging on political debates. Let's have robust debate to test arguments - and keep courts out of politics.' Tory Brexiteer David TC Davies said it was 'deeply sinister' that Brexiteers were being dragged to court, adding: 'EU supporters falsely claimed that a Leave vote would collapse the economy. No action (is) being taken against them.' Today's decision was welcomed by Remainer Lib Dem MP Ed Davey, a supporter of the Best for Britain campaign. He said: 'Given Boris Johnson wants to be the next Prime Minister of this country, it's only right that he is held accountable for the lies he told in 2016. 'Boris Johnson has never had to rely on these vital public services. That's why he doesn't care about the impact of his campaign slogans. 'Three years down the road and our NHS is on its knees. EU staff are leaving in their droves, having been made to feel unwelcome, while local hospitals around the country have warned that they won't be able to deliver critical services in the event of a no-deal Brexit. 'We cannot let our communities down like this. Boris Johnson facing court is a sideshow - we need a final say vote on Brexit so that we can prevent the catastrophe he started.' But Mr Mellor added: 'This decision by a district judge right at the bottom of the judicial food chain is a deplorable absurdity. 'You really cannot have the courts adjudicating on what politicians (do) during election campaigns. There madness lies. 'I imagine there will be no shortage of senior judges who will feel acutely embarrassed about this. Politicians at election times exaggerate, and say things that may or may not be true, and it's the electorate, not the courts, who should decide whether they are reliable or not.' Mr Johnson was a key player in the Vote Leave campaign. He is pictured next to a bus claiming Britain sends the EU 350 million a week The case against Mr Johnson alleges he made the claims despite 'knowing them to be false' between February and June 2016, before the referendum, and then again in April and May 2017 in the run-up to the general election Mr Ball launched a 'Brexit Justice' campaign in 2016 after accusing Mr Johnson of 'abusing public trust' over the comments. He then raised the cash for the private prosecution - which he claims is a 'world first' - by crowdfunding 370,000 through various websites from more than 6,000 donors. Initially Brexit Justice wanted to bring action against six 'remain and leave campaigners' but after reviewing evidence the campaign decided Mr Johnson was the only person who could be prosecuted. The others have not been identified. No date has been set for the next court appearance but, with a new Tory leader due to be in place by the end of July, it means Mr Johnson could face trial while Prime Minister. The die-hard Remainer who films Instagram videos in his bedroom and crowd-funded over 200,000 to spend three years targeting Boris Johnson, boasting: 'This case is a world first' Remainer Marcus Ball, pictured, has been trying to bring the prosecution for more than two years The man targeting Boris Johnson is a die-hard Remainer who has spent the three years since the Brexit referendum working on his case against the Leave figurehead. Marcus Ball, 29, has relied on crowdfunded donations of more than 200,000 to employ a team of lawyers to fight on his behalf - boasting that the case was a 'world first'. The start-up company entrepreneur from Norfolk, who worked developing mobile app including a political Tamagotchi, founded Brexit Justice in June 2016. He has also previously worked as a speaker and writer as well as campaigning to reform higher education in the UK. He is a well-known Instagrammer who often films himself discussing the case in the bedroom of his west London flat, which has signs on the wall including: 'When politicians lie, democracy dies' and 'Brexit justice'. Describing his motivations he said: 'I was just like, 'F*** this. This has to stop',' Ball says. 'This is a primitive problem, which has been around for thousands of years. It's not impossible to stop it.' It followed the 2016 referendum campaign in which Mr Ball says Mr Johnson abused the public's trust. He has since been building a case against Mr Johnson for the last two years. Initially the campaign wanted to bring prosecutions against six 'remain and leave campaigners' but decided to pursue only Mr Johnson after reviewing the evidence. The others have not been identified. A source close to Mr Johnson accused Mr ball of being politically motivated, saying: 'He has written internet blogs, which have since been removed, disclosing his intention to stop Brexit and reverse the referendum via a court case. 'He is deeply dishonest about his intention - which is to frustrate the largest ever popular vote in British history.' Mr Ball has so far raised 234,345 of the 500,000 target through Crowdfunder.co.uk and has raised the rest of the 370,000 through other donation sites. More than 6,000 people have supported the cause through donations. The page was set up in order to pay the lawyers who are representing Brexit Justice. The costs are published on the Brexit Justice website, which show legal fees and well as expenses. Advertisement Mr Johnson is expected to make his first appearance at Westminster Magistrates' Court in three-to-four weeks, and will have to attend to indicate whether he contests the charges. If he does and it is sent to trial, it would likely not take place for another six months. With months often separating a first court appearance and a subsequent trial it is quite possible that the full hearing with a jury would not be ready to start until after the new leader is in place. Mr Johnson has long been the favourite to succeed Mrs May, who announced she would step down last week after her Brexit failures. But he is facing stiff competition from other leading figures including Michael Gove, whose odds have shortened dramatically since he announced he was running. The leadership race sees a wide field of candidates whittled down to just two candidates in voting by MPs. These two finalists then go head-to-head in a vote by thousands of party members. Some MPs have welcomed today's decision claiming Mr Johnson should be 'held accountable' over his statements while others said it was a 'nutty' ruling and a 'bad day for British justice'. The judgment said: 'The allegations which have been made are unproven accusations and I do not make any findings of fact. 'Having considered all the relevant factors I am satisfied that this is a proper case to issue the summons as requested for the three offences as drafted. The charges are indictable only. 'This means the proposed defendant will be required to attend this court for a preliminary hearing, and the case will then be sent to the Crown Court for trial. 'The charges can only be dealt with in the Crown Court.' Neither party attended Westminster Magistrates' Court today and the judge's 13 page ruling was handed down to members of the press. Mr Johnson's position was outlined in the ruling, describing the application as a '(political) stunt'. His position in summary said: 'This application is brought for political purposes. The position presented to the Court is that this is a disinterested attempt to improve the standards of political debate. 'The reality of this enterprise is different. The 'Prosecutor' (a limited company) is 'Brexit Justice Limited'. Brexit Justice Limited is the product of a campaign to undermine the result of the Brexit referendum, and/or to prevent its consequences. 'The company and this application owe their existence to the desire on the part of individuals such as Mr Ball to undermine the referendum result. The 'Brexit justice' which is ultimately sought is no Brexit.' In her ruling Judge Coleman summarised the case against Mr Johnson: 'The proposed defendant was a holder of two public offices. 'He was a Member of Parliament and also the Mayor of London. The prosecution focuses on two timeframes. 'The first is the period between 21 February 2016 - 23 June 2016, with the earlier date reflecting the date when Mr Johnson announced his decision to vote to leave the European Union and the later date being that of the EU referendum. 'The second period is between 18 April 2017 - 3 May 2017 which reflects the period commencing upon the date when the 2017 general election was announced until the date when Parliament was dissolved. 'The proposed defendant was at all material times a member of Parliament. 'Further, during the first period, he was until 8 May 2016 the Mayor of London. 'During both time periods outlined above, the proposed defendant repeatedly lied and misled the British public as to the cost of EU membership, expressly stating, endorsing or inferring that the cost of EU membership was 350 million per week. 'Whilst doing so he was acting as a public officer and using the platforms and opportunities offered to him by virtue of his public office. Mr Johnson, pictured in front of the 'Brexit Bus', faces three charges of misconduct - two relating to his roles as MP and Mayor of London in 2016 and another when he was an MP before the 2017 election. If found guilty he could be jailed for more than six months How the prosecution could see Prime Minister Boris in the dock Boris Johnson could possibly become the first serving UK prime minister to appear in court. The decision to summons him over the 350million per week claim comes as he is the overwhelming favourite to succeed Theresa May. She is due to step down as Tory leader on June 7, with nominations to replace her closing on June 10. All candidates - there are currently 11 declared and more believed to be planning to - will face several rounds of voting over several weeks by Tory MPs until only two remain. These final two will then run-off against each other in a vote by tens of thousands of Conservative Party rank-and-file members across the country. The aim is to have a new leader in place ahead of Parliament's summer recess, which is due to start around July 26. No dates have yet been set in Mr Johnson's case. But with often months separating a first court appearance and a subsequent trial it is quite possible that the full hearing with a jury would not be ready to start until after the new leader is in place. Mr Johnson is immensely popular with the membership - with a third backing him in a Conservative Home poll today - but less so with MPs, meaning he faces a battle to get to the final two. He is facing stiff competition from other leading figures including Michael Gove, whose odds have shortened dramatically since he announced he was running. Advertisement 'Further the defendant knew that such comments were false or misleading in that he had on other occasions used accurate figures and showed a clear understanding of how to quantify UK spending in respect of the EU. 'Lying on a national and international platform undermines public confidence in politics, undermines the integrity of public referendums and brings both public offices held by the proposed defendant into disrepute. 'The law dictates that misconduct to such a degree requires a criminal sanction. There is no justification or excuse for such misconduct. 'To that end Mr Johnson was written to by the prosecution applicant on November 16, 2018, and invited him to provide an explanation and grounds for his belief in the accuracy and truth of the comments made. 'The prosecution applicant expressly informed the proposed defendant that it could provide any such exculpatory material to the court at this stage. 'Whilst the proposed defendant was not obliged to, he has tendered no such explanation or material.' The ruling also said that although there is no obligation on the court to give written reasons why an application for a summons is granted or refused, 'this is an unusual and exceptional application with a considerable public interest and it is right that full reasons are provided to the unsuccessful party'. Adrian Darbishire QC, representing Mr Johnson, said in his skeleton argument, according to the judge's ruling: 'Here, the misconduct alleged concerns Mr Johnson's adoption and repetition of the Vote Leave campaign message concerning the 350m per week. 'No allegation is made, nor could any be made, that Mr Johnson adopted or commended that figure for any purpose other than in the course of a contested political campaign. 'The claim was based upon information that was, at all times, freely available to all. 'As with very many claims made in political campaigns, it was challenged, contradicted and criticised, and many examples of this process are furnished in the material supplied by the Applicant.' Today's ruling, pictured, did not make any findings against Mr Johnson but said the case should be heard at crown court later this year Judge Coleman was appointed to be a district judge on February 7 2005, to be based in the Greater London commission area. She became a solicitor in May 1978 and has practiced for Coleman Solicitors in London since 1980. How do private prosecutions work and when can they become criminal cases? The Crown Prosecution Service says that a private prosecution is started by an individual, in this case Marcus Ball, or entity (Brexit Justice), which is not acting on behalf of the police or another authority in this case they are acting for members of the public. The right to bring about a private prosecution is preserved by section 6 (1) of the Prosecution of Offences Act (POA), 1985. Limitations include that the private prosecutor must seek the consent of an Attorney General before proceedings. There is no law against a private prosecution running its course through verdict to sentencing. Even if the prosecution succeeds, it doesn't always mean that the case should have been prosecuted by the CPS. There will be instances where it is appropriate for the CPS to exercise the Director's powers under section 6(2) POA 1985, either to continue the prosecution or to discontinue or stop it. When asked to do so, the CPS must make a decision on whether or not to take on a private prosecution. The cases can often fail if police don't want to investigate or it the CPS is unwilling to press ahead to trial. Cases can also be stopped if they interfere with other criminal cases, or if they are considered not in the public interest. Advertisement In 2003 she joined Victor Lissack Roscoe & Coleman before being appointed as a district judge for the Magistrates' Courts in November 2000. Her previous high profile cases include that of alleged paedophile Roger Giese, who in 2015 Judge Coleman refused to extradite. He had been on the run from the FBI since 2007 and Judge Coleman refused to start the extradition process until assurance were received that his human rights would not be breached. In 2018 he was extradited to the US, where he was wanted for trial in California charged with sexually abusing a boy aged under 14. Mr Ball, a startup entrepreneur from Norfolk, said earlier this month the case was a 'world first'. Speaking before a preliminary hearing he said: 'This case is a world first, it has never happened before. A member of Parliament has never been prosecuted for misconduct in public office based upon alleged lying to the public. 'My backers and I aspire to set a precedent in the UK common law making it illegal for an elected representative to lie to the public about financial matters.' Mr Ball previously said he raised more than 370,000 across several crowdfunding campaigns to finance the case. Misconduct in public office is an offence which is only triable by indictment. It carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. It has been claimed that Boris Johnson could face more than six months in prison if found guilty. Mr Johnson has three charges of misconduct against him, relating to three different incidents. These relate to two offences before the referendum and then before the 2017 election. The public misconduct offence is confined to those who hold positions in public office and fail to act in a way that constitutes a breach of the duties of that office. Reaction to the ruling has been divided, with former Tory cabinet minister David Mellor, left, branding the decision 'nutty' while Lib Dem MP Ed Davey, right, said Mr Johnson should be 'held to account' over his comments Public officers are supposed to carry out their duties for the benefit of the public as a whole and if they do no conduct themselves correctly then this may lead to a breach of the public's trust. The exact amount of money the UK contributes to the European Union's budget was one of the biggest issues of the 2016 referendum campaign. What is misconduct in a public office and can it lead to a jail sentence? Misconduct in public office is an offence which is only triable by indictment. It carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a starting point of six months in prison, meaning Boris Johnson could face jail time if found guilty. Mr Johnson has three charges of misconduct against him - two relating to comments made before the 2016 referendum when he was both Mayor of London and an MP, and the other when he made similar comments as an MP before the 2017 General Election. The public misconduct offence is confined to those who hold positions in public office and fail to act in a way that constitutes a breach of the duties of that office. The offence is committed when: a public officer acting as such; wilfully neglects to perform his duty and/or wilfully misconducts himself; to such a degree as to amount to an abuse of the public's trust in the office holder; without reasonable excuse or justification. Public officers are supposed to carry out their duties for the benefit of the public as a whole and if they do no conduct themselves correctly then this may lead to a breach of the public's trust Advertisement The Leave campaign attracted criticism for printing a slogan on the side of its battlebus that said: 'We send the EU 350 million a week.' Supporters of the Remain campaign said the figure was misleading as it did not take into account the money the UK receives from the EU in the form of a rebate, as well as payments made to the public sector. Figures published annually by the Treasury in the document European Union Finances show that the UK's net contribution to the EU budget in 2016 was 9.6 billion, or roughly 185 million a week. The net contribution is not quite the same as money 'sent' to the EU, however. According to the Treasury's data, the UK's gross contribution to the EU budget in 2016, before the application of the rebate, totalled 17 billion, or around 327 million a week. But, as the UK Statistics Authority pointed out during the referendum campaign, the Treasury pays the UK's contributions to the EU after deducting the value of the rebate. The rebate in 2016 was 3.9 billion. Subtracting this from the original figure gives a total of 13.1 billion. A further subtraction of the EU's payments to the UK public sector in 2016 - 3.5 billion - gives the final figure of 9.6 billion, or about 185 million a week. All these figures are stated in cash terms - in other words, not adjusted for inflation since 2016. The precise amount of money the UK sends to the EU is difficult to calculate. European Union payments that are made directly to the private sector, such as universities and research organisations, are not included in the Treasury's figures. An analysis published in November 2018 by the House of Commons Library said that UK organisations receive around 1 billion to 1.5 billion a year directly from the European Commission. This includes funding for research and innovation as part of the Horizon 2020 programme, and money for education, training, youth and sport through the Erasmus+ scheme. Leading human rights lawyer blasts 'deeply uncomfortable' ruling A leading human rights lawyer blasted the decision to summon Boris Johnson, saying it risked setting a dangerous precedent for UK politics. Barrister Adam Wagner, who has acted in a host of human rights cases, said he was 'deeply uncomfortable' with the criminal case. He was among a number of senior lawyers who questioned today's decision to proceed with a private prosecution against the former foreign secretary. Mr Wagner, of Doughy Street Chambers in London, said that 'MPs need extensive free speech protections as democratic debate should be fierce', adding: 'Misconduct in public office should be reserved for abuse of public office, not lying in heated political debates.' He went on: 'Politicians lie. We have well-established remedies for that: voting them out and parliamentary disciplinary procedures, including losing posts. 'I am deeply uncomfortable with this being subject of the criminal law. 'I worry about where this leads. Once you start down the path of litigating political disputes which began fully in the political arena in court, where does it end? 'This is different to, for example, breaking electoral laws, where the criminal law has been given a role by Parliament.' Barrister and former Tory MP Jerry Hayes also questioned the decision, saying: 'It is ridiculous and should be thrown out, but by a higher authority. 'The whole point of the legislation and the common law is to stamp out corruption not take politicians to court for dissembling and making false promises.' Advertisement Remain obsessive battling to sink BoJo: GUY ADAMS on the man who took 24,000 out of fighting fund to pay himself By Guy Adams for the Daily Mail Marcus Ball hates lies. He especially hates politicians who lie, a fact trumpeted on his own page on a professional networking website which states: 'When politicians lie, democracy dies.' This is why the 29-year-old is prosecuting Boris Johnson. Mr Ball, pictured at court yesterday, has repeatedly insisted the case has nothing to do with a wish to frustrate Brexit. It is simply to 'stop lying in politics'. All very noble. Yet one man's 'lie' is usually another's 'fair comment', especially in these vexed political times. So how does Mr Ball live up to his own high-minded ideals? To find out, let us look at his personal page on the website Crowdfunder.co.uk, where he launched his legal fight in July 2016. Marcus Ball, 29, (pictured at court yesterday) has repeatedly insisted the case has nothing to do with a wish to frustrate Brexit It was mysteriously deleted at 5.18pm on the 29th of that month. A copy can still be seen on internet archives and it shows the floppy-haired Mr Ball's pitch in pursuit of '100,000 minimum' from donors. 'Once these prosecutions have established that politicians did indeed lie to voters, our next step will be to take other action to prevent Brexit,' it reads. 'This may be in the form of a judicial review.' Mr Ball's statement added that the campaign was being organised with 'other Remain campaigners' and had been born in a Facebook page called The 48 Percent presumably referring to the minority who voted Remain. All of which suggests his intention, at the time, was very much to stop Brexit. Despite the large number of times he subsequently insisted that wasn't the case. So were his own aforementioned public statements lies? Did he simply misspeak? Or have his views evolved over time? Then there's the issue of Mr Ball's finances. The fundraising website explained: 'This is a non-profit campaign. The people involved are volunteering their time freely.' In October 2016, Mr Ball repeated this line, saying he had 'worked unpaid on the campaign for the past three months.' That position has evolved, too. Mr Ball, who launched his legal fight in July 2016, is bringing a private prosecution case against Boris Johnson At some point, Mr Ball decided not to volunteer his time freely. He recently told an interviewer that he was paying himself a salary of 'around 24,000' from his crowd-funding kitty. This money will have supplemented his other earnings, which according to Mr Ball's personal website, come from his varied career as a 'prosecutor', 'reformer', 'speaker' and 'writer'. That site, which is adorned with pictures and videos of Mr Ball, represents an intriguing exercise in personal branding. On the page devoted to his public speaking career, for example, it says that since 2010 he has earned money from 'speaking in public and teaching public speaking skills'. The page is illustrated with the logos of a number of major institutions which have invited him to speak, including the University of Cambridge. However, Mr Ball, who was educated at Canterbury Christ Church University in Kent, is believed to have given only one talk in Cambridge in the last academic year, to Peterhouse College. That appears to be the limit of his dealings with Cambridge. Intriguingly, Mr Ball's website also says he's contributed to Russia Today, the controversial Kremlin-funded TV station recently fined by Ofcom for breaching broadcasting standards during coverage of the Salisbury poisonings. The case against Mr Johnson alleges he made the claims despite 'knowing them to be false' between February and June 2016, before the referendum, and then again in April and May 2017 in the run-up to the general election The website carries the logo (a two-headed eagle resembling a coat of arms) of an organisation called Ambition House. In fact, it's a company Mr Ball founded in 2012 to 'provide unique training and education to students and graduates' but which has since been dissolved. Mr Ball is a director of three other companies: Think of a Name Later Ltd, a software development firm founded in 2016 but which has been dormant since then; a PR firm incorporated in 2017, which was due to file accounts last month, but hasn't. And finally Brexit Justice Ltd, which seems to have been created to run his legal campaign against Boris Johnson, and whose latest accounts show assets of just 22,000. Several are registered to his family home, a 630,000 property near Norwich Cathedral. Mr Ball was born in the Norfolk city in 1989, the son of a retired English teacher. His birth certificate lists his name as Joshua Edwin Ball. At some point during adulthood, it is believed he changed it by deed poll, to Marcus, for 15. It's unclear why. But as Boris Johnson will doubtless reflect, this is a man with a habit of seeking to re-write history. Marcus Ball hates lies. He especially hates politicians who lie, a fact trumpeted on his own page on a professional networking website which states: 'When politicians lie, democracy dies.' This is why the 29-year-old is prosecuting Boris Johnson. Mr Ball, pictured at court yesterday, has repeatedly insisted the case has nothing to do with a wish to frustrate Brexit. It is simply to 'stop lying in politics'. All very noble. Yet one man's 'lie' is usually another's 'fair comment', especially in these vexed political times. So how does Mr Ball live up to his own high-minded ideals? To find out, let us look at his personal page on the website Crowdfunder.co.uk, where he launched his legal fight in July 2016. Marcus Ball, 29, (pictured at court yesterday) has repeatedly insisted the case has nothing to do with a wish to frustrate Brexit It was mysteriously deleted at 5.18pm on the 29th of that month. A copy can still be seen on internet archives and it shows the floppy-haired Mr Ball's pitch in pursuit of '100,000 minimum' from donors. 'Once these prosecutions have established that politicians did indeed lie to voters, our next step will be to take other action to prevent Brexit,' it reads. 'This may be in the form of a judicial review.' Mr Ball's statement added that the campaign was being organised with 'other Remain campaigners' and had been born in a Facebook page called The 48 Percent presumably referring to the minority who voted Remain. All of which suggests his intention, at the time, was very much to stop Brexit. Despite the large number of times he subsequently insisted that wasn't the case. So were his own aforementioned public statements lies? Did he simply misspeak? Or have his views evolved over time? Then there's the issue of Mr Ball's finances. The fundraising website explained: 'This is a non-profit campaign. The people involved are volunteering their time freely.' In October 2016, Mr Ball repeated this line, saying he had 'worked unpaid on the campaign for the past three months.' That position has evolved, too. Mr Ball, who launched his legal fight in July 2016, is bringing a private prosecution case against Boris Johnson At some point, Mr Ball decided not to volunteer his time freely. He recently told an interviewer that he was paying himself a salary of 'around 24,000' from his crowd-funding kitty. This money will have supplemented his other earnings, which according to Mr Ball's personal website, come from his varied career as a 'prosecutor', 'reformer', 'speaker' and 'writer'. That site, which is adorned with pictures and videos of Mr Ball, represents an intriguing exercise in personal branding. On the page devoted to his public speaking career, for example, it says that since 2010 he has earned money from 'speaking in public and teaching public speaking skills'. The page is illustrated with the logos of a number of major institutions which have invited him to speak, including the University of Cambridge. However, Mr Ball, who was educated at Canterbury Christ Church University in Kent, is believed to have given only one talk in Cambridge in the last academic year, to Peterhouse College. That appears to be the limit of his dealings with Cambridge. Intriguingly, Mr Ball's website also says he's contributed to Russia Today, the controversial Kremlin-funded TV station recently fined by Ofcom for breaching broadcasting standards during coverage of the Salisbury poisonings. The website carries the logo (a two-headed eagle resembling a coat of arms) of an organisation called Ambition House. In fact, it's a company Mr Ball founded in 2012 to 'provide unique training and education to students and graduates' but which has since been dissolved. Mr Ball is a director of three other companies: Think of a Name Later Ltd, a software development firm founded in 2016 but which has been dormant since then; a PR firm incorporated in 2017, which was due to file accounts last month, but hasn't. And finally Brexit Justice Ltd, which seems to have been created to run his legal campaign against Boris Johnson, and whose latest accounts show assets of just 22,000. Several are registered to his family home, a 630,000 property near Norwich Cathedral. Mr Ball was born in the Norfolk city in 1989, the son of a retired English teacher. His birth certificate lists his name as Joshua Edwin Ball. At some point during adulthood, it is believed he changed it by deed poll, to Marcus, for 15. It's unclear why. But as Boris Johnson will doubtless reflect, this is a man with a habit of seeking to re-write history. Although Alastair Campbell, spin doctor to Tony Blair, was expelled from the Labour Party just hours after saying he had voted Lib Dem, other members have been allowed to remain despite more heinous offences. For example, the party high command has allowed to stay a man who has threatened to kill one of its most popular women MPs and those who have denied the Holocaust happened. How symbolic, too, that just hours after Campbells expulsion, a famous victim of Labour bigotry and cruelty died at the age of 96. Walter Wolfgang, a stalwart socialist and peace campaigner who fled Nazi persecution in his youth and joined the party in 1948, was roughly ejected from a Labour Party conference at the age of 82 for protesting about the Iraq War. In March last year, LAURA MURRAY (pictured), Labours head of complaints, opposed the suspension of a Labour member who said an anti-Semitic mural in London, showing hook-nosed men sitting around a Monopoly board on the backs of slaves, was great, writes Andrew Pierce JACKIE WALKER, 65, a vice chairman of the Corbynista cabal Momentum, was suspended but not expelled straight away after telling a fringe event at the 2016 Labour conference that she had not heard a definition of anti-Semitism she could work with, writes Andrew Pierce No action was taken against Jeremy Corbyns speechwriter JOSS MacDONALD (left) even though he accused Israel of being guilty of genocide. CLIVE LEWIS (right), Labour MP for Norwich South, told a man to get on your knees, bitch at a festival organised by Momentum in 2017, writes Andrew Pierce After saying the Blair governments justification for military action in Iraq was nonsense, he was manhandled by stewards and prevented from going back under the Terrorism Act. How very different to the summary punishment of Campbell was the partys reaction when Labour MP Jess Phillips called the police after a member threatened to kill her. Phillips said she had been targeted by Corbyn supporters, adding: And also Im a woman. That doesnt help. After Campbells expulsion, she said: He was expelled quicker than a man who threatened to kill me, also quicker than a man in my constituency Labour Party who denied the Holocaust. Both are still only suspended. Similarly, in March, Wirral Labour councillor JO BIRD was suspended for just a few days after she attacked the privileging of anti-Semitism over other forms of racism and suggested replacing the phrase due process with Jew process. She was reinstated with a formal warning. One of the most drawn out internal party investigations was into KEN LIVINGSTONE the former Labour MP and one of Jeremy Corbyns close political allies. Jared OMara (left) invited members of the Girls Aloud band to have an orgy with him and said a winner of TVs Pop Idol had only triumphed because she was fat while Ken Livingstone (right) was condemned in 2016 for claiming that Hitler had supported a Jewish homeland until he 'went mad', writes Andrew Pierce Wirral Labour councillor JO BIRD was suspended for just a few days after she attacked the privileging of anti-Semitism over other forms of racism and suggested replacing the phrase due process with Jew process, writes Andrew Pierce He was condemned in 2016 for claiming that Hitler had supported a Jewish homeland until he went mad. Initially, Red Ken was suspended. But even after two years, there was no official ruling on his behaviour and he was not expelled. Meanwhile, the Jewish Labour Movement pointed out the former London mayors appearance on an Iranian state-funded broadcaster on Holocaust Memorial Day discussing How the Holocaust has been exploited to oppress others. Eventually, Livingstone quit the party. In March, it was revealed that attempts to expel a member who grossly insulted two Labour MPs with anti-Semite comments was blocked by Thomas Gardiner, the head of Labours governance and legal unit, who is a close ally of Corbyn. The unnamed member had described veteran Labour MP Dame Margaret Hodge, who lost relatives in the Holocaust, and MP Ruth Smeeth as a couple of sh*t-stirring c*** buckets [who were] bought and paid for by Israel and cretinous pieces of sh*t who needed to f*ck off back under their stones. The ruling confirmed the worst fears of many Labour MPs that Gardiner was not suited to the governance post. CLIVE LEWIS, Labour MP for Norwich South, told a man to get on your knees, bitch at a festival organised by Momentum in 2017. Several women MPs criticised his language and he was accused at the same event of grabbing a female party members bottom. Lewis apologised but was neither suspended nor had the party whip withdrawn during a disciplinary investigation. He was cleared of sexual harassment. After toppling Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg from his Sheffield seat in the 2017 General Election, Labour MP JARED OMARA, a member of the women and equalities select committee, resigned after derogatory comments hed previously made about women and gay men came to light. OMara invited members of the Girls Aloud band to have an orgy with him and said a winner of TVs Pop Idol had only triumphed because she was fat. He referred to gay men as poofters and fudge packers and called for musician Jamie Cullum to be sodomised with his own piano. OMara was suspended not expelled as many women MPs demanded and was readmitted to Labour. Hes since resigned from the party but is still an MP. No action was taken against Shadow Chancellor JOHN McDONNELL who was accused of calling for ex-cabinet minister Esther McVey to be lynched. She responded, saying: John McDonnell was a bully, he was inciting violence. JACKIE WALKER, 65, a vice chairman of the Corbynista cabal Momentum, was suspended but not expelled straight away, as was the case with Alastair Campbell after telling a fringe event at the 2016 Labour conference that she had not heard a definition of anti-Semitism she could work with. Previously shed been allowed back into the party after being suspended for claiming on Facebook that Jewish people were the chief financiers of the slave trade. She also claimed Holocaust Memorial Day should not be focused only on Jews. It was two and a half years before she was finally expelled. No action was taken against Jeremy Corbyns speechwriter JOSS MacDONALD even though he accused Israel of being guilty of genocide and acting like an apartheid state. In March last year, LAURA MURRAY, Labours head of complaints, opposed the suspension of a Labour member who said an anti-Semitic mural in London, showing hook-nosed men sitting around a Monopoly board on the backs of slaves, was great. And, not forgetting JEREMY CORBYN himself who was present at a ceremony to honour victims of an airstrike, at which wreaths were laid by others for the Black September terrorists who murdered Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Despite public outrage, Corbyn faced no discipline but simply defended himself by saying: I was present when it was laid, I dont think I was actually involved in it. A disgusted mother has warned others to avoid a leading UK dairy brand after finding a congealed lump in her chocolate milk. Beth Graham, of Penzance, Cornwall, purchased the flavoured Moo Milk - supplied by Crediton Dairy - from her local Poundland. The product is also available from Iceland for 1 and Ocado for 1.25. But she was horrified by what she discovered at the end of the carton - which had a sell-by date of May 31. Taking to Facebook, the full-time mother explained that she 'took a good few swigs' of the sweet treat before realising it didn't have its usual taste. Grim: This was found at the bottom of a chocolate flavoured Moo Milk carton, according to Beth Graham, of Penzance, Cornwall 'Be careful if you buy Choc Moo Milk from Poundland', Ms Graham wrote. 'I bought some yesterday, went to pour it out, nothing happened, gave it a shake and poured it into the glass, took a good few swigs [and] thought this doesn't taste right.' She continued: 'I poured the rest into the sink and this came out! I have been really ill since midnight last night and will be taking this evidence to the shop tomorrow!' In the comments beneath her post, the concerned mother later explained that she had suffered from fever and stomach cramps for a couple of days after drinking the milk. Disgusted: The concerned mother was shocked by what she discovered at the end of the carton (pictured) - which had a sell-by date of May 31 'So glad my boy didn't drink it, I stopped him as it tasted wrong!' she added. Ms Graham said she has since received a call from the Penzance store's manager to apologise and inform her that the product has been taken off the shelves. Environmental Health are investigating the situation and will soon be coming to collect evidence, according to Ms Graham. A spokesperson for Poundland told Femail: 'We appreciate Beth getting in touch. As weve said to her directly, if she sends us the item, wed be more than happy to ask the supplier to look at whats happened here.' Ms Graham (pictured) later explained that she had suffered from fever and stomach cramps for a couple of days after drinking the milk Her initial comment has been shared nearly 500 times since first being posted last Thursday, and has received more than 700 interactions. One social media user said: 'Ive been staring at the picture. Is it like congealed chocolate milk or is it more of like a meat texture? Because it looks like raw chicken in the picture!' Another wrote: 'Looks like chicken breast to be honest', with others agreeing the unknown lump seemed similar to meat products. However, one internet user said: 'It is most likely a defective carton - squashed or torn a tiny bit somewhere. 'What youre seeing is congealed milk proteins because somewhere it has stopped being air tight.' A Moo spokesperson said: We take product quality very seriously and would ask the person who bought the milk to contact us so that we can ascertain the specific circumstances behind this issue and address it accordingly. MailOnline has contacted Poundland for a comment. A woman has sparked a lengthy debate after revealing that the catering company she works for doesn't allow staff to take home leftover food. The employee, from Quebec, took to Facebook to vent her fury after she was almost fired for trying to sneak off with the remains of a dish served at a wedding. She claimed that staff often work 10 hour shifts and go home starving at 2am, while uneaten food is thrown in the bin. The Facebook user received a divided response from contributors, with many arguing that the decision on what to do with leftovers is most likely due to health and safety regulations. A catering worker from Quebec has sparked a lengthy debate on Facebook after arguing she and her colleagues should be allowed to take home leftover food from weddings (file image) The woman explained in a closed Facebook group that she had almost been fired for attempting to sneak leftovers home One former bride wrote: 'I think it's for food safety. When we looked at caterers we asked the question of if we were going to keep the leftovers and were told we'd have to sign a waiver stating we understand the consequences of eating food that had been prepped hours ahead etc.' Another said: 'I think the issue here is that they don't want you consuming food that may have possibly spoiled and that opens up a whole new can of worms, so to speak...'. A third added: 'Putting my business head on here. It would look unprofessional to be seen doing this (by potential future clients) and also if leftovers become fair game... you can guarantee less goes out or things get held back on purpose to be "leftovers''.' But others were on the employee's side, and slammed her boss for insisting on throwing away leftover good, stating that it should either be donated to charity or given to staff. A stream of responses to the post argued that catering companies usually ban staff from keeping food due to safety legislation One person said: 'I would insist that my servers take any unspoiled food. Food waste is unnecessary.' Another wrote: 'Letting the employees take the leftovers or donating it to charity. Just throwing away should be a felony.' A third added: 'Once guests have been served, leftovers are fair game. Period,' while one went so far as to brand the boss 'capitalism at its worst'. Many responses to the thread argued leftovers should either be donated to charity or given to staff to take home Many contributors began sharing their own experiences of working within catering, including one person who claimed that staff keeping food could cost the company. She explained: 'They... have to let you take a break, but are not required to feed you. 'Worked in catering and technically the food isn't their's. So if the wedding party or anyone who paid for services catches you it could cost the company.' But one disagreed, writing: 'That's a s*** policy. When I was a server we were always fed a meal from the dinner party and the kitchen and servers split the leftovers to take home.' Today lifestyle contributor Jill Martin is celebrating her engagement after her banker beau Erik Brooks popped the question in the Hamptons last week. The 43-year-old television personality and author took to Instagram on Tuesday share photos from the surprise proposal, making it clear that she couldn't be happier about her future husband. 'I SAID YES! I am over the moooooonnnnnnn,' she captioned the post, which included an image of Erik down on his knee during his carefully planned proposal. Something to celebrate! Jill Martin, 43, and her boyfriend Erik Brooks got engaged in the Hamptons last week Going all out: The banker popped the question in a tent he set up on the beach. It was filled with romantic moments from their courtship Dazzler: Jill happily showed off a huge rock on her finger as she celebrated the happy news Jill confirmed the engagement to Today in an email while detailing how her new fiance pulled off the surprise. '[Eric] told me we were going to a friend's house for a casual kick-off to summer party,' she explained, noting that even went as far as sending her a Paperless Post with a fake invitation to the event. 'I kinda knew something was fishy but couldnt put my finger on it!' she explained. Once they arrived at the beach, Erik took Jill to the shore where he had set up a tent decorated with romantic mementos from their courtship. 'When I looked in the tent there were pics of us from the last year and eight months framed everywhere ... candles ... flowers ... all our favorite songs on a playlist,' she said. It was there that Erik got down on one knee, but Jill was so stunned that she admitted she left him hanging for a bit. 'It took me a few mins to say yes he actually said, 'Is the answer "yes"?' as I hadn't responded! I said of course! Yes!' she recalled. Amazing: Just when Jill was wishing their families would be with them, Erik had their parents walk into the tent to surprise her So happy: The Today correspondent said 'she knew something was fishy' when Erik told her that they were going to 'a friend's house for a casual kick-off to summer party' Confession: Jill admitted she was so stunned that it took her a few minutes to accept Erik's proposal Thrilled: The author happily flashed her diamond engagement ring while posing for photos Just when Jill was wishing their families would be with them, Erik had their parents walk into the tent to surprise her. The fashion correspondent noted that Erik's parents flew all the way in from Florida, while his three children, his sister, and the rest of the family arrived in the Hamptons the next day to spend the weekend with them. 'Best day of my life!' Jill said. '[We] haven't even thought about a wedding date yet just so happy to know I will be spending the rest of my life with him,' she added. 'He is my real-life Prince Charming. I couldn't have created a better storybook ending.' Jill's Today co-stars gave her a shout-out on the morning show Tuesday, congratulating on her engagement. 'I think a lot of people are rooting for Jill,' Sheinelle Jones said. 'I remember when she got to the point where she was like, "Look I'm entering my 40s. I am resolved with being by myself. I am okay with myself. If somebody comes, they come, but you know what? I'm okay." And then, boom!' Jill has kept her relationship with Erik relatively private, but in an essay that she wrote for Today in February, she detailed how she 'met the love of [her] life online' on a dating app in the fall of 2017. Work family: Jill's Today co-stars gave her a shout-out on the morning show Tuesday, congratulating on her engagement Look of love: Jill has kept her relationship with Erik relatively private, though he has appeared on the red carpet with her from time to time Candid: In an essay she wrote in February, she detailed how she met the love of her life on a dating app in 2017 Mr. Right! Jill recalled how she went on date after date until she met Erik, a portfolio manager of Abry's Heritage fund 'After endless dates, failed relationships and many tears I decided (after much nudging from my mother) to try,' online dating she explained, recalling how she went on date after date until she met Erik, a portfolio manager of Abry's Heritage fund. 'After summing up my life in three sentences and finding a picture that represented me, I had finally swiped correctly,' she wrote. 'Erik is kind, honest, funny and puts family first: he has three beautiful children whom I adore.' In addition to their shared values, Jill and Eric both have parents that have been married for the past five decades. While the fashion guru's mom and dad celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in February, the banker's parents have been married for 55 years. Just a month before her surprise engagement, Jill opened up about her decision to freeze her eggs five years ago at the age of 38. 'I thought it was giving myself an option in the future, whether I met someone or I did it on my own,' she told Page Six. 'I wanted to give myself that choice.' Stepmom: 'Erik is kind, honest, funny and puts family first: he has three beautiful children whom I adore,' she wrote At her own pace: Jill, who froze her eggs in her late 30s, said she no longer feels pressure to start having children immediately Jill, who was single at the time, gave herself injections twice daily without ever giving up work, though she recalled it being a 'very intense, painful process.' In addition to being a Today correspondent, she is a Knicks reporter and also appears on QVC, where she recently launched a decor line, G.I.L.I by Jill Martin Home. Jill's candid interview about her decision to freeze her eggs came on the heels of her Today co-stars candidly speaking about growing their own families. Meteorologist Dylan Dreyer shared that she's suffering from secondary infertility and is undergoing in vitro fertilization, while host Hoda Kotb recently adopted a second child at the age of 54. With medical advancements allowing more and more women to have children in their 40s, she told Page Six that she no longer feels pressure to have kids as soon as possible. 'It is a pressure I put on myself and through this journey now [of talking about freezing my eggs], Ive been able to take that pressure off myself,' she said. 'Im veering off course while staying in my lane.' Mother-of-seven Constance Hall has decided to live stream a therapy session with her husband Denim Cooke to sort through 'the problems in our marriage' - after criticising him on Facebook again on their son's first birthday. The 35-year-old Australian blogger, who married Denim in January, 2018, broke the news on Tuesday evening with a post complaining about Denim 'going off into his man cave' when they have an argument. 'When Denim and I argue or anything happens that he is uncomfortable with he goes into his man cave. And nothing I can do will draw him out of it. Shut down, lights off,' Constance, who is based in Perth, wrote in a Facebook post. Scroll down for video Mother-of-seven Constance Hall has decided to live stream a therapy session with her husband Denim Cooke to sort through 'the problems in our marriage' - just a day after celebrating their son's first birthday 'Even if I confront him over something that's really upsetting me, he shuts down.' So in a bid to confront their issues head on they will be hosting a life stream on Wednesday with 'archetypal therapist' and relationship expert Katie Eden Todd. 'Denzy has agreed that our first relationship therapy session should be live on Facebook. He believes in our village and also believes that delving into the problems in our marriage could potentially help others in their marriage,' Constance said. Hinting that 's*** was about to get personal' the news comes just one day after the couple celebrated their son Raja's first birthday. Hinting that 's*** was about to get personal' the news comes just days after Constance said she couldn't trust Denim to do the weekly shop properly In her usual way Constance curated a post on social media in honour of her youngest child. 'Raja turned one today. I had no idea what to expect when I found out I was pregnant again. I'm an experienced enough mother to be scared of the year ahead,' she said. 'Another baby, a new man, another little creature, another little teacher, to blur all of my days into one.' She said the last year had been exhausting and tested her relationship with Denim. Last month she voiced how tiring being a mother-of-seven can be and that she had reached her breaking point 'Raja turned one today. I had no idea what to expect when I found out I was pregnant again. I'm an experienced enough mother to be scared of the year ahead,' she said 'You will resent him for sleeping so much, you'll reject his offers for sex, he'll resent your rejection so much he'll shut down emotionally, leaving you feeling lonely and unloved and him feeling lonely and unloved,' she said. Three days ago Constance remarked that she couldn't trust Denim to do the weekly shop properly. 'You would think I would send my husband to Woolies for me but he turns into a caveman when he steps foot in there and returns from the weekly shop with "meat and bread". What kind of meat? "Meat",' she told her 1.3 million Facebook followers. The pair share baby Raja (pictured); Constance had Billie-Violet, Arlo Love, Rumi and Snow with her former husband Bill and Raja has two sons, Zeyke and Sunny, from a previous marriage And last month she voiced how tiring being a mother-of-seven can be and that she had reached her breaking point. So, after crying and leaving the morning school run to Denim, she bemoaned how he would probably 'do it wrong'. 'Yes Denim has probably put the wrong sandwiches in the wrong school bags and everyone will probably be late for school and feeling a bit weird that I'm not the one doing it,' she said at the time. The pair share baby Raja; Constance had Billie-Violet, Arlo Love, Rumi and Snow with her former husband Bill and Raja has two sons, Zeyke and Sunny, from a previous marriage. A brunette woman dubbed the Australian Meghan Markle said she constantly gets approached by strangers in public due to her striking resemblance to the stunning royal. With her glossy dark locks, sparkling smile and deep chestnut eyes, Bianca Burgdorf, 29, said she is constantly being told that she is the spitting image of Meghan Markle. The mum-of-one from Melbourne said she first heard about the actress-turned-royal after friends and family began telling her that she bore a striking resemblance to Rachel Zane Meghan's character in the popular American legal drama Suits. Scroll down for video A brunette woman (pictured) dubbed the Australian Meghan Markle said she constantly gets approached by strangers in public due to her striking resemblance to the stunning royal With her glossy dark locks, sparkling smile and deep chestnut eyes, Bianca Burgdorf (pictured), 29, said she is constantly being told that she is the spitting image of Meghan Markle The personal trainer said that she never gave the 'flattering' comparison much thought until Meghan Markle officially became royalty after tying the knot with Prince Harry in May 2018. Bianca said: 'I actually knew nothing about Meghan Markle until she was on Suits. 'The first night it was on television, I had a three people message me telling me that I looked like her. 'I looked her up and could definitely see the resemblance but didn't think much of it. 'But then she became more famous as her relationship with Prince Harry was made public and the comments from people really intensified. 'All of a sudden she was on television all the time and her face was in all the magazines. 'The more well-known she became, I started receiving a lot more comments about it.' The mum-of-one from Melbourne said she first heard about the actress-turned-royal after friends and family began telling her that she bore a striking resemblance to her Suits character And now, she is repeatedly stopped on the street by strangers who say she looks like the Duchess of Sussex 'The more well-known she became, I started receiving a lot more comments about it,' she said (pictured with Meghan Markle) On the night of the royal wedding, Bianca said she had 'a lot of different people texting me and telling me how much I looked like her'. 'It was funny,' she said. 'I often get stopped by strangers out in public, and at times when Meghan is receiving loads of media attention, it can happen several times a week.' Bianca said the most common place where it happens is in clothing stores, where retail assistants comment on it. On the night of the royal wedding, Bianca said she had 'a lot of different people texting me and telling me how much I looked like her' Someone once looked at her and said that if her husband had red hair, they would have been convinced (pictured with Daniel, 36) 'There was one time I was at my local supermarket and one of the cashiers kept staring at me,' she said. 'She looked at my husband and looked back at me, and said "if he had red hair, I would have sworn you were Meghan Markle".' Bianca then recalled she asked other members of staff to come over and have a look. 'I've been at parties and people will look at me and say I remind them of someone famous,' Bianca said 'I've been at parties and people will look at me and say I remind them of someone famous. 'They'll have a think about it and then click their fingers and say, "oh, it's Meghan Markle!".' Bianca said she is extremely flattered to be compared to the duchess and believes that their similarities are more than skin-deep. And while Meghan Markles background is Caucasian and African American, Bianca has thanked her strong Italian heritage for her striking features. She said: 'It's very flattering as I do really admire her. She is a beautiful and incredible woman' The Duchess of Sussex (pictured) gave birth to baby Archie earlier this month She said: 'It's very flattering as I do really admire her. She is a beautiful and incredible woman. 'I love what she stands for, I think she is someone that all women can look up to and admire. 'Im a personal trainer, so I love helping people and encouraging women to be the best versions of themselves, which is obviously something she believes in and loves to do. 'It's become a running joke in my family. I'll turn up to family events and my relatives will say "Meghan Markle has arrived!". 'It's been a fun ride and I've had lots of laughs about it.' Story contains information and images of infant loss that may be distressing A first-time mother has shared her heartbreak after her newborn son was stillborn because she claims doctors ignored her when she said something was wrong. Ashleigh Charlesworth, 27, from New South Wales, delivered her first baby, Parker, at full term stillborn, after the unborn baby's heart rate increased to around 200bpm the day before she gave birth and she realised something was wrong. Ashleigh and her husband, Geordi, got to spend four precious days with Parker in a cuddle cot after he was delivered - and now Ashleigh is urging all mothers to follow their instincts if they think something is wrong with their unborn child. A first-time mother has shared her heartbreak after her newborn son was stillborn because doctors ignored her when she said something was wrong (pictured with her husband and stillborn son Parker) Ashleigh Charlesworth, 27, from New South Wales, delivered her first baby, Parker, at full term stillborn, after the unborn baby's heart rate increased to around 200 the day before she gave birth and she realised something was wrong (pictured with Geordi and Parker) Ashleigh and her husband got to spend four precious days with Parker in a cuddle cot after he was delivered - a cuddle cot is a cooling system that has been designed to fit within a cot While the 27-year-old woman's pregnancy was unremarkable in many respects, Ashleigh said towards the end of her third trimester she started getting quite sick. What is a cuddle cot? * A Cuddle Cot is a cooling system that has been designed to fit within a small cot. * This effective system allows for babies who have passed away to remain with their families so that they are not required to be cooled in a mortuary environment. * Cuddle Cots enable family members to also travel to visit and meet the baby and siblings to meet one another. * It's about giving parents choices and reassuring them that they can spend as much time as they like with their baby, without the fear of the baby needing to be cooled in a traditional mortuary. Source: Cuddle Cots Advertisement 'Because it was my first pregnancy, every single little thing worried me,' she told FEMAIL. 'Towards the end of my pregnancy, I started to get very sick, but the doctors said it was normal and so I didn't worry too much. 'The baby's heart rate was always fine and sat around 140bpm so that was the main thing. But then, on his first day of being overdue, Parker's heart rate suddenly soared to 200bpm. 'I knew he was in distress, and so I said to the doctors: "This isn't normal, it hasn't been like this at all. We should take him out now." 'But they said it was and that I shouldn't worry, they thought I was probably going into labour or something and that was the reason for the increased heart rate.' Ashleigh (pictured with Geordi and Parker) said she knew something was wrong when her unborn baby's heart rate increased Ashleigh recalled feeling 'Parker's last movement' the night after she noticed his increased heart rate - and the next day went through '30 agonising hours of labour' That night, after having experienced a range of kicks over the past nine months, Ashleigh recalled feeling 'Parker's last movement'. 'When I woke up that morning, I just knew he was gone,' she said. I was happy that I had been able to bond with him outside the womb - even though it was only for a short time But that wasn't before the new mum had to go through '30 agonising hours of labour' to deliver her son stillborn at 40 weeks plus two days. 'The doctors put him in a cuddle cot, which meant we could spend four precious days with him,' she said. Ashleigh said she was 'so thankful' that the hospital had a cuddle cot as it meant the new parents could spend some time with him 'watching movies, holding him and dressing him'. 'It was hard, but I really am so grateful,' she said. 'After we left the hospital, I was happy that I had been able to bond with him outside the womb - even though it was only for a short time.' 'The doctors put him in a cuddle cot, which meant we could spend four precious days with him,' Ashleigh said - the couple were able to dress him and cuddle him (pictured) Following the baby boy's death, the new parents had an autopsy carried out, which confirmed that they had found Strep B (Streptococcus Infection) in Ashleigh's placenta What is Streptococcus Infection group B? * Group B Streptococcus (GBS) are bacteria found normally in the intestine, vagina, and rectum in about 25 per cent of all healthy pregnant women. * Group B can affect newborn babies and adults. It can spread to infants before birth. * Between one and four out of every 1,000 newborns contract group B streptococcal disease (GBS disease) from their mothers during birth. Source: Better Health Victoria Advertisement Following the baby boy's death, the new parents had an autopsy carried out, which confirmed that they had found Strep B (Streptococcus Infection) in Ashleigh's placenta. 'I was swabbed at around 37 weeks for this and it came back negative,' Ashleigh said. 'But we later found out that strep B comes and goes and so had obviously not been present at that point. 'It's rare that a baby can get it through the mother's placenta, but we were that rarity. 'It was hard hearing it, and made us all the more determined to campaign for change.' Now, while dealing with their grief, the parents have made it their mission to get cuddle cots installed in as many hospitals across Australia as possible Now, while dealing with their grief, the parents have made it their mission to get cuddle cots installed in as many hospitals across Australia as possible. They have already raised $6,000 for one cuddle cot, and have since raised money with the help of Geordi's workplace, Vodafone, for another one. 'The cuddle cot was so good for us as parents,' she said. 'I can't imagine what it might have been like without.' As well as this, the young couple are urging mothers to follow their instincts and question if they think if something is wrong The couple have already raised $6,000 for one cuddle cot (pictured), and have since raised money with the help of Geordi's workplace, Vodafone, for another one As well as this, the young couple are urging mothers to follow their instincts and question if they think if something is wrong. 'We so often put all of our trust in the experts because we feel like we're being annoying if we ask questions,' Ashleigh said. 'But as soon as you have a doubt, no matter how small, you should ask the question. 'Every mother has an instinct, you are not alone and your voice must be heard.' Ashleigh said she has joined countless stillborn mothers' support groups online, and regularly communicates with a 'total stranger in New York' about what they have gone through. 'Being supported by other women who have gone through something similar is really helpful,' she said. She said she has even spoken with Adelaide Crows star Rory Sloane and his wife, Belinda, who experienced something similar in 2018. 'Ask questions, trust your gut instinct and educate yourself if you don't understand something people are saying,' Ashleigh said. 'You'll regret it if it's too late.' If you or anyone you know is affected by the loss of a baby or child, call the Sands 24/7 National Support Line on 1300 0 72637. An Australian fashion label has designed a blazer so popular that not even the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, was able to secure one ahead of her trip to the country in 2018. The Behati blazer by Aje, priced at $455, is a staple for the brand but it's rarely on the racks for long and the designers say it's difficult to keep up with increasing demand. The Duchess' team had reached out the the designer to request the blazer ahead of her 2018 tour to Australia but it was sold out and there was no way they could fulfil the request in time. The Behati blazer by Aje (pictured), priced at $455, is a piece that's so popular, it's constantly sold out Despite the label's best efforts, they were unable to fulfil a royal request by the Duchess of Sussex (pictured left) for one of their hotly coveted Behati blazer 'It's a piece we try to carry every season but it just happens sometimes, it was sold out and we have to pre-order it ourselves,' the designers told The Daily Telegraph. The linen jacket features a slim fitting design with double-breasted buttoning and structured shape. Although the label wasn't able to meet the royal request, the jacket is now back in stock on the Aje website and is available in black and cream. The linen jacket features a slim fitting design with double breasted buttoning and structured shape (pictured) Edwina Forrest, one half of the Queensland-based design duo, said she loves Meghan's inimitable style and hopes one day she might see her wearing the label. 'I think she is definitely someone we champion, we obviously love the palace,' Ms Forrest told Newscorp. Over the course of her visit to Australia last year, the Duchess of Sussex wore a number items by Australia's leading clothing and accessory designers. A newly pregnant Meghan Markle wore clothing by a number of Australian designers over the course of her visit last year and can be see here wearing a dress by Karen Gee These included pieces by Zimmermann, Dion Lee, Karen Gee, Martin Grant and Camilla and Marc. Adding a touch of elegance to many of Meghan's ensembles was a number of delicate jewellery items by Sydney-based designer Natalie Marie. This year Aje opened Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week with a stunning collection that likely thrust the label well and truly into the international spotlight. The 2020 resort range titled Bloomscape featured designs which drew inspiration from the vast extremes of the Australian landscape. Aje opened this year's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week with a collection inspired by the Australian landscape (pictured left and right) Colours included wattle yellow, gumnut green, salt lake pink and rock red. Flowing silk gowns were hand-painted with prints inspired by native flora and fauna. Speaking to SBS ahead of the show, Ms Forrest said the collection paid homage to the diversity of the Australian landscape 'from the desert to the bush to the ocean'. 'I think ultimately for us this year it was really important to celebrate where the brand is at but also to celebrate this extraordinary country we live in, which has been an endless source of inspiration for us.' A woman has taken to Twitter to congratulate online retailer ASOS for using real women as their models and not retouching pictures of their 'imperfections'. Anna, from Antwerp in Belgium, posted the comment on Twitter saying 'thank you for keeping it real @ASOS' while she added pictures of their models. The pictures show models in bikini's and summer clothes showing off their stretch marks, stomach rolls and birth marks. The post had nearly 1,000 likes and hundreds of retweets, while other fans on Twitter have been sharing their love for the brands attitude to retouching too. One picture showed a plus-sized model in a leopard print bikini showing the rolls on her stomach and back, while another bikini shot showed stretch marks on her legs Another model who's wearing a pink patterned top, which shows off her midriff, proudly displays the birth mark on her stomach One picture showed a plus-sized model in a leopard print bikini showing the rolls on her stomach and back, while another bikini shot showed stretch marks on her legs. Another model who is wearing a pink patterned top, which shows off her midriff, proudly displays the birth mark on her stomach. Other Twitter users have also been sharing photos of models and declaring how great ASOS are for being so inclusive. One said: 'Just want to take a moment to thanks to @ASOS for their continued commitment to showing their clothes on models of all shapes and skin tones, without removing the rolls, blemishes, and stretch marks that naturally occur on, you know, the cool human bodies that we all inhabit.' Anna, from Antwerp in Belgium, posted the comment on Twitter saying 'thank you for keeping it real @ASOS' while she added pictures of their models ASOS have said they are committed to never removing anything thats part of who someone is, like stretch marks, scars or moles While another revealed: 'Sometimes I'll go on the @ASOS lingerie website not even to buy anything, but just to bask in the magnificence of real, unretouched bodies like my own being celebrated and represented by a major brand. ASOS, you a real one for this.' The online retailer even have a policy about retouching, writing on their website: 'Were all about inspiring young people to express their best selves, and we celebrate the things that make us all unique. 'Well always want to bring out the best in our models, but were not about flawlessness or perfection.' Asos revealed that they always want to bring out the best in their models - but they are not about 'flawlessness or perfection' ASOS have also said that they never reshape peoples bodies - they said they sometimes retouch images to make sure we see products like they do 'Through our retouching policy, we commit to never removing anything thats part of who someone is, like stretch marks, scars or moles. 'We never reshape peoples bodies. We sometimes retouch images to make sure you see products like we do and represent their colours and textures in the most accurate way.' Last year ASOS were praised for selling clothes designed for people with disabilities. The tie-dye waterproof jumpsuit for festival season was adapted to be wheelchair friendly and designed in collaboration with GB Paralympic hopeful Chloe Ball-Hopkins. The Duchess of Sussex could take a break from maternity leave to attend Trooping the Colour next week, reports suggest. Meghan, 37, is currently taking time off from royal duties following the birth of her son Archie on 6 May. However several media outlets, including Hello!, have suggested the new mother might join her husband Prince Harry, 34, and other senior royals including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for the event marking the Queen's official birthday. Meghan is currently on maternity leave following the birth of son Archie on 6 May. However reports suggest she could still make an appearance at Trooping the Colour next week. Kate took a break from her maternity leave with Louis to attend last year's event, pictured If she does, Meghan will be following the lead of sister-in-law Kate, 36, who made an appearance at last year's ceremony despite being on maternity leave with Louis. Kensington Palace declined to comment. The Duchess of Sussex carried out her last official engagements in March. She joined senior royals for a Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey on 11 March and made a second appearance at Canada House that same day. A week later the Duke and Duchess of Sussex visited New Zealand House, in London, to sign a condolence book and pay their respects following the Christchurch terror attacks. The Duchess of Sussex was last seen when she and Harry introduced son Archie to the world at Windsor Castle two days after his birth on 8 May, pictured While Meghan was subsequently spotted on a private outing in Notting Hill, her next official appearance was when she and Harry introduced Archie to the world at Windsor Castle two days after his birth on 8 May. Trooping the Colour, which marks Her Majesty's official birthday, falls on Saturday 8 June this year, when Archie will be almost five weeks old. The celebration is attended by members of the royal family, who traditionally watch an RAF flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace. The Duchess of Cambridge was first seen just three weeks after Prince Louis' birth last year when she attended the royal wedding on 15 May. Trooping the Colour, which marks Her Majesty's official birthday, falls on Saturday 8 June this year. The celebration is attended by members of the royal family, who traditionally watch an RAF flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace, as seen at last year's ceremony Kate made a handful of other appearances while technically still on maternity leave, including Trooping the Colour in June, Prince Louis' Christening in July and the RAF Centenary celebrations that same month. She officially returned to public duties in early October, when Prince Louis was five months old. Kensington Palace has never confirmed the duration of the Duchess of Sussex's maternity leave. However it is thought she will return to duties full time in the autumn. There has previously been speculation that her first official appearance will be the annual summit for One Young World in October. A super-fat' woman has learned to love her curves, with the help of her husband. Amalie Jennings, originally from Denmark, moved to Hertfordshire to be with her British husband Sean. The 25-year-old has spent most of her life hating her body, which resulted in her self-harming, but she now embraces her size 30 frame. Most people in the couple's lives have been accepting of their 'mixed weight relationship', however they have had to cut contact with Sean's father, although they've not revealed the exact circumstances. Amalie Jennings, 25, (pictured) used to hate her body, but thanks to her husband Sean (right), she learned to finally love herself. Pictured: The couple at their home in Hertfordshire Amalie and Sean met online in 2008 and dated long distance for nine years. Amalie could not believe Sean kept talking to her after seeing what she looked like 'I have always been fat since I was two years old. My mum took me to the doctors because I was gaining a lot of weight,' Amalie said. 'Since as long as I can remember I have been fat. And of course that comes with a lot of bullying, a lot of picking on. My oldest memory of bullying is in Kindergarten, I was around four. And all the kids picked on me for being fat. 'I gained even more weight, which meant I was picked on even more. I started self-harming and I got picked on again. I just had a really horrible self-image, I hated looking at the mirror. 'I hated wearing or picking out clothes because nothing would fit me as a child - I had to shop in the womans department to get things that would fit. 'I could never wear what my friends wore or whats in fashion at the time because nothing would fit me.' Pictured: Sean and Amalie on their wedding day, two years ago. Amalie is now confident about her body The happy couple posing for pictures in their living-room. Sean (pictured) said he does not have a fetish for fat women, but was attracted to Amalie because he loved her Amalie first started to recognise that her body shape wasnt accepted by society when she started reading books. She said: 'When I was growing up I always loved reading books but there was never people like me. Not even just women, there was never people in them like my size.' But all of that changed when Amalie met her husband Sean via an online video game in 2008. She told BTV: 'My husband Sean and I met 11 years ago on a game on the PlayStation. And it was kind of a weird friendship that started, I thought he was an old man just looking for a young woman to talk to but then I learned he is my age. Amalie pictured as a child. She's struggled with her weight since childhood and used to be badly bullied because of it 'And the thing about online relationships you get to know a person in a different way. Of course we had seen pictures of each other but it took a while for us to cam. 'You could see how fat I was in the pictures but he kept talking to me. I was so insecure about myself, I would hide my double chin. 'But he still didnt care, he just wanted to talk to me. So we became best friends really fast, and it actually took a while before we realised we were in love with each other. I started giving him hints that I liked him but he didnt pick up on them.' Amalie would even post poems on her Facebook profile hinting at her love for Sean but while he would read them and compliment Amalie on her poems he didnt realise she was writing about him. Finally she plucked up the courage to tell Sean the extent of her feelings, only to learn her felt the same way too. She said: 'It was the weirdest feeling because I havent had luck with boyfriends before. And finally theres this guy, 500 miles away who fancies me as much as I fancy him. The couple live together in Hertfordshire and want to challenge the stigmas surrounding fatphobia and mixed-weight relationships Amalie and Sean started dating long distance, visiting each other for nine years, and finally marrying on a beach two years ago. Sean told BTV: 'I wouldnt say I am generally attracted to larger women, I am attracted to people that I love really so it just happened. 'I mean, maybe in my head before we met, it wouldn't have been someone as large. But it just happened to be and it is not that I find her any less attractive necessarily. Amalie added: 'It's never been like a fat fetish thing but you haven't like obsessively said "Oh, I love your fat stomach" and stuff like that. 'The thing with weight differences in relationships is there always will be people who comment, "Why would you be with them? Why would you be with that kind of person?" Amalie as a child. She said that as she's grown older, she's realised that while she can't stop people judging her and looking at her, she is able to stop caring about their opinions 'Because there is this image that a fat person has to be with a fat person and a thin person has to be with a thin person. I would like more people to come out and be proud of their partner, be proud of themselves.' Amalie wants to highlight issues that surround fatphobia in the medical field too. She said: 'Theres a lot of that phobia in the medical field. And thats what gets me, I dont feel safe going to the doctors anymore, because you can go in with a broken arm and you will be told you should lose weight.' 'I am happy in my body and I am happy with who I am and what I look like, and I dont want to fall into the pressure of having to lose weight to be accepted by everyone else. 'If I was ever to go back and speak to a younger Amalie I would say stop wasting time hating yourself. Yes your body is different but it doesnt mean that its a bad body. 'You will never be able to stop people saying things about you. You will never be able to stop them looking at you, but you can stop letting it affect you. You also need to know that you will find people who love you, who love your body for what it is.' Love Island presenter Caroline Flack recently dropped her second collection for River Island - and one item in particular is turning out to be everyone's type on paper. A 46 beige print wrap playsuit is proving a huge hit with fashion influencers on Instagram, with many sharing snaps of them modelling the outfit. The thigh-skimming, frilly one-piece has been dubbed a 'playsuit of dreams' and 'to die for' and has already sold out in a size 8 on the retailer's website. The versatile outfit can be styled in many different ways and would look equally at home on a beach as it would on a daytime shopping trip or an evening out. A 46 beige print wrap playsuit from Caroline Flack's latest River Island Collection is proving a huge hit with fashion influencers on Instagram Influencer Laura Byrnes, aka lauraslittlerocket, called it the 'cutest little playsuit ever', adding that it's a perfect piece for summer holiday wardrobes Dozens commented on the photos of the fashion bloggers wearing the playsuit, with many calling it 'pretty' and 'gorgeous' Among those singing its praises on the social media platform is Laura Byrnes, a fashion and beauty blogger with 126,000 Insta followers. She shared a series of images of her wearing the playsuit earlier this week, with the post notching up 4,270 likes. Laura, aka lauraslittlerocket, called it the 'cutest little playsuit ever', adding that it's a perfect piece for summer holiday wardrobes. Dozens commented on the photos, with many praising the 'gorgeous' mini jumpsuit. One exclaimed: 'Ah this is to die for!' while another wrote: 'This is the prettiest playsuit.' The versatile outfit can be styled in many different ways and would look equally at home on a beach as it would on a daytime shopping trip or an evening out. Pictured on fashion blogger Katie Peak Grace Surguy, a fashion blogger from Nottingham, also shared a snap with her 20,000 followers of her modelling the suit in a park with black leather ankle boots Lifestyle blogger Tabitha Warley, who blogs under takeheartuk, also shared photos of her wearing the playsuit around London over the bank holiday weekend, calling it the 'playsuit of dreams'. Another fan is fashion and travel blogger Katie Peak, aka thesilvermermaidxo, who has a following of more than 36,000 on Instagram. She received 1,912 likes for her post of her in the playsuit, in which she praised the 'wrap over frill detail and the print'. 'What a lovely outfit,' commented one fan, while another wrote: 'Love the playsuit'. Lifestyle blogger Tabitha Warley, who blogs under takeheartuk, also shared photos of her wearing the playsuit around London over the bank holiday weekend, calling it the 'playsuit of dreams' London-based Charlotte Poulton also shared a number of snaps of her wearing the playsuit, teaming it with white trainers and stylish sunglasses Grace Surguy, a fashion blogger from Nottingham, also shared a snap with her 20,000 followers of her modelling the suit in a park with black leather ankle boots. Last week Caroline Flack, 39, took to Instagram in a Q&A to reveal all about her latest clothing range with River Island. The 22-piece holiday collection consists of dresses, belted denim shorts, luxe satin shirts and printed matching sets. The Love Island presenter was spotted arriving at a River Island store in Central London rocking some of the collection, designed to 'to take you straight from beach to bar, consisting of dresses you can style-up for romantic summer nights or dress down for effortless summer days, belted denim shorts pair perfectly with a luxe satin shirt and cutesy retro print matching sets'. This Morning viewers leapt to Prince William's defence after he was mocked by Rob Lowe in an interview. The American actor, 55, joked it had been 'traumatic' to watch the 36-year-old royal lose his hair. His comments were discussed on This Morning by guests Christopher Maloney and James Whale, who both spoke out against Lowe's remarks. American actor Rob Lowe, 55, right, joked it had been 'traumatic' to watch the Duke of Cambridge (left last year) lose his hair. His remarks were discussed on This Morning today This Morning viewers were quick to leap to Prince William's defence, saying it 'doesn't matter' if he goes bald or grey. Others said he should be allowed to 'age naturally' Maloney, 41, said criticising a man's hair loss could be equated to 'body shaming', while Whale said he was 'seething with hatred for Rob Lowe'. Viewers agreed and took to Twitter to express their outrage, with one posting: 'Of course he should be "allowed" to let nature take its course.' Another wrote: 'Plenty of men are happy bald and it doesn't bother them one bit (also saves money at the barbers). Bit rude discussing William's lack of hair.' A third joked: 'The crown will cover it anyway.' The topic was discussed on This Morning by Eamonn Holme and Ruth Langsford and guests Christopher Maloney and James Whale, who both spoke out against Lowe's remarks Viewers took to Twitter to express their outrage over Lowe's remarks. Others questioned This Morning's decision to frame the segment as: 'Should William be allowed to go bald' Some questioned the way This Morning had framed the segment as the question: 'Should Prince William be allowed to go bald?,' pointing out it wasn't a choice. The topic made headlines yesterday following Lowe's interview with the Daily Telegraph. 'Can we talk about William? The future king of your country let himself lose his hair!,' the actor joked. 'Honestly, one of the great traumatic experiences of my life was watching Prince William lose his hair. Hes going to be the f***ing king of England!' The Duke of Cambridge pictured in 2005. He has sported thinner hair in recent years Prince William in 2006, left, and in 2009, right. He has since debuted an even more closely cropped style Speaking on This Morning, Whale noted Lowe, who appears in a new detective drama, would not have commented if the Duke of Cambridge had put on weight, and that hair loss should be treated with similar sensitivity. He said: 'It's annoying particularly from an American. I've never heard of him.' He added that many men now 'embrace' any hair loss. Maloney, who took steps to lessen the effects of his own hair loss, said there are measures William could have taken. 'If he [William] wanted, he could have done it many years ago, very discreetly, by taking tablets,' Maloney said. However he noted William 'suits' his closer cropped style. A group of mothers have claimed that a woman took their donated breast milk and then made a profit of $650 (380). Jodi Neidert, from Vancouver, claims to news site CBC that she donated 650 ounces (33 pints) of her breast milk to a woman via a Facebook group who said she was desperate for the milk for her own children. Other angry mothers donated their breast milk too via the Facebook group, which connects women who need milk with those willing to donate, and have been left angry that she made a profit from them. Jodi confronted the unknown woman via Facebook when she found out and the women apologized. Jodi Neidert (pictured) from Vancouver, claims to news site CBC that she donated 650 ounces of her breast milk to a woman via a Facebook group who said she was desperate for the milk for her own children Jodi said she felt betrayed when she found out: 'I wanted to do something good and help someone who wasn't able to do (what) I could do, to learn she is making money off of me and other good people, it's pretty sad.' Taking to Facebook messenger the angry mother sent the woman a series of messages. Jodi said: 'What you did was very wrong, I gave you a lot of milk. Enough that you would have made $600+.' The woman replied and said: 'I donated my extra milk through human milk 4 Hyman babies then I had extra and then I started selling my milk after that.' Taking to Facebook messenger angry mother Jodie sent the woman a series of messages about what she had done She went on to say: 'Yes I'm very sorry. I felt like I needed to provide for the baby that I was selling to.' With Jodi arguing back: 'Then you should have given it for free. Making money of others hard work.' The woman again went on to apologise. But Jodie's donation wasn't a one off as the Facebook group Human Milk 4 Human Babies British Columbia has several posts about the woman who took their donated milk too. Tanya Bemister donated 100 ounces (five pints) of her milk to the woman late last year. Talking about how she wanted to help her she said: 'As a mom, I wanted to help out another mom. I would never charge a mom.' Its unclear whether she sold Tanya's milk as the woman claims she didn't, but Tanya is hesitant to believe her. Tanya Bemister donated 100 ounces of her milk to the woman late last year and believes woman may have sold it She added: 'Makes me sick to my stomach that someone would profit off someone's good deed,' she said. A post from a moderator on the group said yesterday: 'Welcome to all our new page likers! Thanks for finding us, and sorry it had to be because of a scammer. 'She admits it was milk received for free through this page. We have banned her but that doesnt stop her from PMing people. 'And once again we STRONGLY recommend never buying milk as you never know whose milk it is or if it is even breastmilk. They ten added: 'People have been questioning the profile for a long time. No proof or anything concrete, just a weird feeling. They went on to explain the woman's actions: 'Aggressively pouncing on offers, no profile photo, those were really the only things." Another post claims that woman has been banned from the group. Thomas Markle has slammed Lifestyle's new movie 'Harry & Meghan: Becoming Royal', which premiered on Monday. Meghan's lighting director father, 74, rubbished the flick - which aims to depict the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's first year of marriage, as 'dumb fiction'. Speaking about the film, which is a sequel to last year's hit Harry & Meghan: A Royal Romance, Thomas said he was 'disappointed' with how he had been portrayed. Addressing a scene which he says made it appear as though he had 'bailed' on walking Meghan, now 37, down the aisle during her wedding to Prince Harry, now 34, last May, he reiterated that he couldn't attend due to his ill health, and said he felt 'personally attacked' by the film. Scroll down for video Thomas Markle, 74, seen in LA at the beginning of May, has slammed Lifestyle's new movie 'Harry & Meghan: Becoming Royal', which premiered on Monday and depicts their first year of marriage, describing it as 'dumb fiction' Speaking to TMZ, he described the film as 'awful and chock full of made up cr**.' He told the news site: 'I'm incredibly disappointed in how the flick portrayed us in the run-up to the royal wedding and feel personally attacked by the network'. Addressing what he feels is the insinuation that he 'never told Harry and Meghan that he couldn't make it to the wedding', he said: 'It's simply not true', adding that the movie is littered with tons of 'dumb fiction.' Arguing that his character made it look as though he 'bailed' walking on his daughter down the aisle, he explained that he couldn't attend the wedding due to his heart surgery. Addressing a scene which he says made it appear as though he had 'bailed' on walking Meghan, now 37, down the aisle during her wedding to Prince Harry, now 34, pictured last May, he reiterated that he couldn't attend due to his ill health, and said he felt 'personally attacked' by the film Speaking about the film, which is a sequel to last year's hit Harry & Meghan: A Royal Romance, Thomas said he was 'disappointed' with how he had been portrayed. Actress Tiffany Smith is seen reenacting Meghan's wedding scene in the film The film, which aired this week, is a sequel to last year's 'A Royal Romance', and picks up where it left off, showing the fictitious Meghan confiding her struggles to adjust to her new role as Duchess of Sussex, in a confidante. Lifetime's fictional version of events sees a thoughtful Harry ease Meghan's transition from actress to royal bride-to-be by welcoming her to their new Kensington Palace home with flowers, candles, Champagne and a homemade banner. 'I feel like I'm pretending to be this beautiful swan', she is seen admitting, as the scene flashes to her posing alongside Harry, played by British actor Charlie Field, and fictitious William and Kate on Christmas Day. The scene then cuts to Meghan on her wedding day, as a cruel insider tells her: 'Look at yourself in a mirror and all you see is a hypocrite'. Meghan is then seen standing in her wedding dress as she takes a deep breath, before it cuts to her kissing Harry passionately. The unnamed insider returns, telling her: 'You'll never be able to control everything', before Meghan hits back with: 'I'm still waiting on my curtsy', giving her critic a cheeky smile. Lifestyle's new movie 'Harry & Meghan: Becoming Royal' came just weeks after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed their first son Archie, pictured at Windsor Castle on May 8 Lifetime movie 'Harry & Meghan: Becoming Royal' aired this week and shows a fictional glimpse at the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's first year of marriage The romantic fantasy continues when it comes to Meghan telling her husband she is expecting. The relationship between Meghan and her sister-in-law the Duchess of Cambridge has been the source of widespread interest - and the same is true of Lifetime's version of events. The cable movie paints the sisters-in-law as close, with Kate offering Meghan key words of advice on how to handle the attention. 'Youll never be able to control everything,' the on-screen Duchess of Cambridge says over afternoon tea. 'I feel like I'm pretending to be this beautiful swan', Meghan is seen admitting, as the scene flashes to her posing alongside Harry, played by British actor Charlie Field, and fictitious William and Kate on Christmas Day Passion: A brief scene shows her interaction with Harry, as it cuts to her kissing her new husband passionately following their wedding, pictured Last month American actress Tiffany Smith, 36, who plays the Duchess, 37, alongside British Polkdark star Charlie Field, who plays Harry, 34, and screenwriter Scarlett Lacey, confirmed the movie will cover the royal wedding, family feuds and Meghan's relationship with sister-in-law Kate. Speaking to Vanity Fair, screenwriter Lacey even revealed that celebrity wedding guests including George and Amal Clooney, Oprah Winfrey, Victoria Beckham, and Idris Elba play a part in the movie. Revealing her close ties with Meghan's Hollywood friends and explaining that the plot features a mix of truths and fiction, Lacey said: 'This film deals with the drama of planning a wedding: the moment you'd much rather elope, the moment your family might mess it all up - and they nearly do.' Tiffany added: 'We got to do some stuff with Kate, which I really liked. 'I think one of the biggest things, obviously, about Meghan is that she's such a supporter of other women and women's empowerment. That was something I think was important for all of us to focus on, myself included.' Candid: The explosive clip sees American actress Tiffany Smith, who portrays Meghan, admitting she feels as though she's 'pretending to be a beautiful swan' Hitting back! Meghan is forced to defend herself against cruel comments from an insider, seen left, who brands her a hypocrite Nerves! Meghan is seen standing in her wedding dress as she takes a deep breath ahead of the biggest royal wedding of 2018 The unnamed insider returns, telling her: 'You'll never be able to control everything', before Meghan hits back with: 'I'm still waiting on my curtsy', giving her critic a cheeky smile Admitting that the scenes surrounding Meghan's rift with her father Thomas Markle were hard to film as they made her question how hard it must have been for the Duchess to not have all of her family at the wedding, Tiffany said: 'The film definitely addresses a lot of the family drama.' Speaking about her sources for the film, Lacey added: 'Some of the people I talk to are close to the royals. Others are Hollywood friends of Meghan, and others are journalists and experts in the royal field.' The film did not include Meghan's babyshower, as production had finished before this took place. Addressing the success of last year's flick, screenwriter Lacey even revealed that the royals didn't complain and reckons they had a 'good giggle' about it. New of the upcoming release was confirmed last month, and at the time Tiffany shared the announcement on Instagram, Tiffany writing: 'So excited to share this royally awesome news... and to share this adventure with you sir, @charlierefield! #BecomingRoyal @lifetimetv.' Harry & Meghan: Becoming Royal aired on Lifetime TV on May 27. News of the upcoming release was confirmed last month, and at the time Tiffany shared the announcement on Instagram, Tiffany writing: 'So excited to share this royally awesome news... and to share this adventure with you sir, @charlierefield! #BecomingRoyal @lifetimetv. British actor Charlie Field, pictured in an Instagram selfie, who appeared in an episode of Poldark, has been cast as Prince Harry, 34 The Queen of Spain looked stunning in a red flowing dress and snakeskin accessories on Wednesday afternoon as she attended an event in Palma. Letizia, 46, wore the scarlet number, which nipped in at the waist and gathered at the arms as she attended the Conference of Save Schools at the Palacio de Congresos de Palma de Mallorca. The royal attended the closing ceremony of the two-day event by making a speech and joining children on stage. Letizia, 46, wore the red number, which nipped in at the waist and gathered at the arms as she attended a Conference of Save Schools at the Palacio de Congresos de Palma de Mallorca The royal attended the closing ceremony of the two day event by making a speech and joining children on stage The conference is aimed at internationally promoting the safe schools declaration - a public instrument created to protect students, teachers and educational institutions during armed conflicts. As Letizia joined the children on stage she also wore snakeskin heels and matched them with her snakeskin clutch. Looking happy to be on stage with the children they held up placards which said 'protection' and 'respect'. She looked relaxed as she later made a speech to guests, wearing her brunette locks down and her make up natural with a hint of colour on her lips. Brightening up her look she wore diamond earrings which sparkled as she gave a speech later in the day The conference which Queen Letizia attended is aimed at internationally promoting the safe schools declaration Brightening up her look Letizia wore diamond earrings which sparkled as she gave a speech. Yesterday the former journalist joined her husband, King Felipe, at the La Caixa' scholarship awards in Madrid. The royal donned a trendy pastel check top which she paired with wide-leg cropped trousers to meet award-winners. She also wore on trend perspex shoes - which the Kardashian's are more widely known for wearing. Brightening up her look she wore diamond earrings which sparkled as she gave a speech Later on the queen looked happy to be on stage with the children they held up placards which said 'protection' and 'respect' The Queen of Jordan looked radiant as she joined a group of young volunteers for their daily Ramadan fast on Tuesday evening. Queen Rania, 48, wore a long colourful kaftan dress with a pretty belt around her waist, as she met the young volunteers at the Ein Lahtha camp. As she arrived she was also greeted by young girls with flowers, met locals and joined local council members and volunteers for the Iftar dinner. Later on she also added a brown cloak, with gold lining to her outfit, as she made a speech about the local area and Ramadan. Queen Rania, 48, wore a long colourful kaftan dress with a belt around her waist, as she met the young volunteers in the town The Queen of Jordan looked radiant as she joined a group of volunteers for an evening dinner in Tafileh on Tuesday evening Held at Ein Lahtha camp, the Iftar was attended by Tafileh Governor Imad Al Rawashdeh and the eco-tourism camps owner, Ahmad Saudi, as well as students, social entrepreneurs and representatives of youth initiatives. After they enjoyed the dinner speeches were made by both Tafileh Governorate Council Mohammad Krymiyeen and head of the Tafileh Engineers Association Mahmoud Jarabh. They both thanked the Queen for her efforts to develop local communities and also addressed unemployment. Wearing her hair back in a twisted pony tail the Queen looked effortlessly chic as she then made a speech to the crowds. As she arrived she was greeted by young girls with flowers and then dined with local council members and volunteers Wearing her hair back in a twisted pony tail the Queen looked effortlessly chic as she made a speech to the crowds Glamorous Rania, nee Al Yassin, was born to a notable Jordanian family of Palestinian descent and attended school in Kuwait before studying for a business degree in Cairo, Egypt Nasima Qatameen, an engineer taking part in the English-language course, also spoke about the training opportunities for youth in Tafileh and thanked Queen Rania for her involvement. After dinner the royal sat down with some of the volunteers to chat to them one on one. On her Instagram she later shared videos and pictures and said she was: 'Overwhelmed by the heartwarming welcome and the wonderful hospitality in Tafileh this evening.' After dinner the royal sat down with some of the volunteers to chat to them one on one As Queen Rania arrived she shook hands with locals in Tafileh and then alter joined them for a dinner On her Instagram the Queen later shared videos and pictures and said she was: 'Overwhelmed by the heartwarming welcome and the wonderful hospitality in Tafileh this evening.' Glamorous Rania, nee Al Yassin, was born to a notable Jordanian family of Palestinian descent and attended school in Kuwait before studying for a business degree in Cairo, Egypt. The bilingual beauty, who also speaks French, met her future husband at a dinner party hosted by a mutual friend in 1993 and were married that year. The royal couple are parents to Crown Prince Hussein, 24, Princess Iman, 22, Princess Salma, 18, and Prince Hashem, 14. Grace Kelly's granddaughter Charlotte Casiraghi will tie the knot with her film producer fiance this weekend, it has been announced. Charlotte, 32, and Dimitri Rassam, 37, will marry in the state rooms of Monaco's royal palace on Saturday, Hola! reported today. The service, which is expected to be attended by royalty including the bride's mother, Princess Caroline of Hanover, will be followed by a private luncheon. The announcement comes months after the couple were rumoured to have split. They later spoke out to dismiss the reports. Charlotte Casiraghi, 32, and Dimitri Rassam, 37, will marry in the state rooms of Monaco's royal palace on Saturday. Pictured, the couple at the Cannes Film Festival this month Charlotte and Dimitri will marry in a civil service in the spectacular Prince's Palace in Monaco. The bride-to-be's grandmother, Hollywood movie star Grace Kelly, married King Rainier III at the palace in 1956. It is thought Charlotte and Dimitri will take the opportunity to baptise their seven-month-old son Balthazar on the same day. There could also be a separate religious ceremony following the civil service, although this has not been confirmed. Previous reports suggested this could take place in Saint-Remy-de-Provence, where Princess Caroline and her three children took refuge following the death of their father and her first husband, Italian businessman Stefano Casiraghi, in 1990. The couple will likely follow the lead of other Monegasque royals - including the bride's brothers, Andrea and Pierre - and hold a second, more lavish celebration to mark their nuptials at a later date. Charlotte and Dimitri will marry in a civil service in the spectacular Prince's Palace in Monaco. Pictured, the couple attended the Vanity Fair party at the Cannes Film Festival this month Charlotte, pictured in Cannes this month, is the second child of Princess Caroline of Hanover and the late Italian businessman Stefano Casiraghi, who died in 1990. Rumours the couple had split started to swirl in January, with sources close to the couple telling Hola! their personalities were 'incompatible'. However Charlotte and Dimitri later released a statement dismissing the rumours. They have since made a number of public appearances together, including to the annual Monaco Rose Ball in March and glitzy parties at the Cannes Film Festival this month. Charlotte, eleventh in line to the Monegasque throne, is the second child of Princess Caroline of Hanover and the late Italian businessman Stefano Casiraghi, who died in 1990. Her uncle, Prince Albert II, is the current monarch. The mother-of-two reportedly met Dimitri in Paris shortly after the end of her relationship with Italian filmmaker Lamberto Sanfelice. The service, which is expected to be attended by royalty including the bride's mother, Princess Caroline of Hanover, will be followed by a luncheon. Pictured, Princess Caroline with son Pierre and his wife Beatrice Boromeo at the Monaco Rose Ball in March When they met, Dimitri already had a daughter with his ex-wife, Russian model Masha Novoselova, whom he divorced in 2016. Meanwhile Charlotte had a son Raphael Elmaleh, now five, with Canadian-French-Moroccan stand-up comedian Gad Elmaleh, 48. Hola! reported the couple were engaged in early March 2018 before they confirmed the speculation with a glittering appearance at the Rose Ball - their first official event as a couple. They welcomed son Balthazar in October, making Princess Caroline a grandmother for the seventh time. The baby was the third new arrival for the Monaco royals in 2018. Charlotte's brother Andrea and his wife Tatiana Santo welcomed their third child Max Rainier in April, and just one month later Charlotte's brother Pierre Casiraghi and his wife Beatrice Borromeo welcomed their second child Francesco Carlo Albert. The couple were reported to be engaged in early March 2018 before they confirmed with a glittering appearance at the Rose Ball (pictured) - their first official event as a couple Lara Trump showed off her growing baby bump while strolling around New York City with a Secret Service agent on Wednesday. The 36-year-old, who is about seven months pregnant with her second child with her husband Eric Trump, enjoyed an iced coffee from Starbucks as she walked from her Manhattan apartment to Trump Tower. Lara wore an orange blazer with gold buttons over a form-fitting white shirt that hugged her stomach and distressed jeans for the short jaunt. Out and about: Lara Trump showed off her baby bump in New York City on Wednesday Style: The 36-year-old wore an orange blazer with gold buttons over a form-fitting white shirt and distressed jeans Protection: Lara was joined by a plainclothes Secret Service agent during the short jaunt It was a cool spring day in the Big Apple, and the expectant mom kept warm with a cream summer scarf wrapped around her neck. She topped off the look with a pair of cream espadrille flats and a cream handbag that she held in the crook of her elbow. Lara walked alongside a plainclothes Secret Service agent, whom she appeared to be chatting with at one point as the breeze whipped through her blonde hair. In addition to her Starbucks cup, the soon-to-be mother-of-two carried her cellphone in her hand during the walk. Lara is back in the city after spending Memorial Day weekend with her one-year-old son Luke, and likely Eric. On the go: Lara enjoyed an iced coffee from Starbucks during her walk from her Manhattan apartment to Trump Tower Accessories: The soon-to-be mother-of-two topped off the look with a cream scarf, handbag, and espadrilles Growing family: Lara is expecting her second child with her husband Eric Trump in August The proud mom posted a sweet snapshot of Luke giggling while rolling around in the grass on Sunday following by a photo of herself decked out in sunglasses and a straw hat while holding her little boy on her lap. Lara, who is due to give birth in August, is believed to be heading to the United Kingdom on Monday with her husband Eric and his family for President Donald Trump's first state visit. Trump is bringing his children and their spouses to meet with the Royal family during his three-day visit, despite only one of the couples holding official positions with the administration. Reports indicate Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner who both serve as White House advisers will attend along with Donald Trump Jr., Eric, Lara, and Tiffany Trump, the president's only child with his second ex-wife Marla Maples. No your average maternity wear: Lara, who is about seven months pregnant, wore her blazer open over her white shirt Waiting for a call? Lara carried her cellphone in her hand along with her coffee Conversation: Lara appeared to be chatting with her Secret Service agent as the breeze whipped through her blonde hair The only Trump child missing would be Barron Trump, the 13-year-old son he shares with his wife, First Lady Melania Trump. 'President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump accepted the invitation from Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to visit the United Kingdom from June 3 to 5, 2019,' the White House said in a statement, without mentioning if other family members would attend. 'This state visit will reaffirm the steadfast and special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom.' Lara has certainly been keeping busy throughout her pregnancy. Last week, she met with Zach Skow, the founder of the Pawsitive Change Program, which pairs shelter dogs with inmates in California Prisons. Proud mom: Lara is back in the city after spending Memorial Day weekend with her one-year-old son Luke, whom she photographed rolling around in the grass on Sunday Trip: Lara is believed to be heading to the United Kingdom on Monday with her husband Eric (pictured on Easter) and his family for President Donald Trump's first state visit Tagging along: Trump is expected to bring his adult children and their spouses to meet with the Royal family Lara donned a form-fitting striped dress, a white blazer, and her cream espadrilles, happily posing for photos with Zach and his team as well as a few dogs. 'Had an incredible meeting today with @zachskow & some of his crew from @pawsitivechangeprogram their program pairs inmates with rescue dogs to help rehabilitate both,' she captioned the post. 'When the inmates are released from their term in prison they are set up for their future career as dog trainers & the dogs are able to be adopted into loving homes. Win win for everyone. Best part: recidivism rate so far with their program is 0%!!!! Keep up the incredible work, Zach!' Lara, who is embarking on her third trimester, has also been keeping up with her workouts. Feel the burn: Lara has been keeping up with her workouts, and earlier this month she shared a video of herself working up a sweat at the gym during a session with her trainer Mike Maloney Keeping busy: Last week, she met with Zach Skow, the founder of the Pawsitive Change Program, which pairs shelter dogs with inmates in California Prisons Animal lover: Lara, who wore a striped dress and a white blazer, happily cuddled up with one of the organization's dogs No stopping her! The news of Lara's pregnancy came just one month after she competed in a triathlon in Florida. She would have been four-months pregnant at the time Two weeks ago, she shared a video of herself working up a sweat at the gym during a session with her trainer Mike Maloney. The soon-to-be mother-of-two worked out through her entire first pregnancy and shared a video of herself at the gym when she was 39 weeks along. Lara seems to be just as dedicated to fitness this time around, and in her latest video, she can be seen doing a one-arm kettlebell row in a funky tie-dye tank that hung down, hiding her baby bump. She paired the baggy blue tank with a pair of purple tie-dye leggings, and she couldn't help but poke fun at her look when posting the video. 'Even in the dark this morning, I somehow managed to pick out this sweet tie-dye outfit for my workout with @teammaloney,' she joked. Every week, we send a couple on a blind date and report back. This time, Paul Wilson, 58, had dinner at ABode in Canterbury, Kent, with Julia Munro, 59. Paul is a hypnotist living in Folkestone, Kent, and is divorced with three sons. Julia, the director of a health club, is from Herne, also in Kent. Shes divorced and has one daughter and a granddaughter. Julia, 59, says: Julia Munro (pictured) says: 'The moment I met Paul, his energy and warmth made me feel relaxed' The moment I met Paul, his energy and warmth made me feel relaxed. The fact that hes tall, dark and handsome with kind eyes didnt hurt, either! He stood up to greet me with a gentlemanly kiss on the cheek and was smartly dressed in trousers and a blazer. He clearly takes care of himself. When I learned that he was a hypnotist, I was a bit concerned he might put me in a trance. And, in many ways, he did but through his personality, not hypnosis! We met at 7.30pm and didnt leave until well after midnight Paul stayed so long that he missed his train and had to get a taxi home. The fact that he knew he was going to miss it, but preferred to stay talking anyway, was lovely. Im a very chatty person, and so is he, so we hardly drew breath. Although he showed an interest in me and asked plenty of questions, I was actually far more interested in hearing about his very varied life. It sounds like he has gone through some tough times and has great resilience and drive. As for me, I married at 17 and have a daughter who is now 40. After my divorce many years ago, Ive had a few long-term relationships, including one that ended recently. Although he was a lovely man, and it was a great relationship, I knew in my heart that it wasnt what I wanted, so Ive been single for the past few months. Im really busy with work, family and travel, so that keeps me from meeting people, but Id love to find a like-minded man. I have lots of interests obviously keeping fit, given my job in a health club, but also dancing and photography, especially of wild animals on safari. I speak French and am learning Spanish, too, as it really helps with travelling. I still have an Aston Martin, which I adore so a love of fast cars and travel would be great. I worried he might put me in a trance... and he did! Paul and I were able to have some serious conversations about things that mattered, as well as being silly and light-hearted. As a date, it was the whole package. I felt a connection and was so happy in his company. After the meal, instead of coffee, we went to the bar for a cocktail and continued chatting. He was wearing a ring with the Hindu elephant god Ganesh on it, which felt like a sign because I adore elephants and sponsor quite a few in Kenya. They are such beautiful, strong and gentle animals a bit like Paul. When we left, he got me a cab and gave me a peck on the lips, which was a perfect end to the night. He had given me his business card so, later, I texted him to thank him for a lovely evening and weve been chatting since. It can be nerve-wracking dating again, so this was the perfect way to start. Id never been on a five-hour dinner date before. Although Im 59, Im definitely young at heart and want to keep living life to the full, so I wont settle for Mr Average and Paul is definitely not that! He told me hed like to see me again, and I would like that as well. Were both busy, but, when something feels good, you have to make the time. LIKED? Paul exudes warmth, hes handsome and he has a very positive persona. REGRETS? None! COFFEE OR CAB? Coffee. Verdict: 9/10 (only because I dont want to overdo it!) Paul, 58, says: Paul Wilson (pictured) says: 'This date was brilliant' This date was brilliant. There isnt a bad thing I can say about it. Im really attracted to strong women who live a full life and Julia is all of that and more. Luckily, I didnt have to use any of my hypnosis powers, as we just connected. From the moment she walked in, with a beautiful, warm smile, I knew wed get on. Shes gorgeous and a really open, bright woman. We talked about everything our life histories, our jobs, and I loved hearing about her travels (she sponsors five elephants!). I just found her really interesting. We had the occasional serious conversation, but also lots of banter and fun, in a very natural, unforced way. I even showed her a mind trick where I had to guess what item shed picked from everything on the table. My hypnosis business does have a serious side. Ive suffered very badly with depression in the past, so, after working for 25 years with the emergency services on the Channel Tunnel (a very pressured job, as youre constantly assessing what could go wrong), I decided to turn my life around and help men with low self-esteem. Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK, and I knew I could help. Now, I use hypnosis to help men reboot their brains and feel good about themselves again. I did jokingly threaten to hypnotise Julia to make her give me her Aston Martin hopefully shell take me for a ride in it one day instead! I just couldnt tear myself away I certainly flirted like hell. You couldnt not shes so fun to be with. Id like to think she flirted back. Although Ive been round the block a few times, I still find it challenging to assess the situation on a first date. We held hands on the way to her taxi on the pretext she was worried about the laddish crowds around the place and I gave her a brief kiss that definitely could have gone on for longer. Id given her my business card earlier to show her the name of my company, as wed shared lots of jokes about hypnosis, and, when she got home, she texted me and weve been chatting. I know shes busy, but Id really like to see Julia again. We definitely had a spark and I really enjoyed her company. Normally, I would have made my excuses to leave and catch my train, but I couldnt tear myself away. Hopefully well meet up again next weekend. LIKED? Theres nothing not to like. REGRETS? None. I just wish it had lasted longer . . . COFFEE OR CAB? Cocktails! Verdict: 11/10 Guzzling two large energy drinks within an hour is dangerous for the heart, scientists have warned. Researchers say consuming 32ounces (946ml) in such little time raises blood pressure and temporarily affects heart rhythm. However, scientists have warned caffeine is not blame and other ingredients used in the flavoured drinks is the problem. Monster and Relentless two popular energy drink brands sell 500ml cans. The former says its cans 'pack a vicious punch'. Researchers say consuming 32ounces (946ml) in such a short timeframe raises blood pressure and affects heart rhythm Researchers at the University of the Pacific asked 34 volunteers to consume one of two 'commercially available' caffeinated energy drinks or a placebo. All of the drinks were consumed within a 60-minute period and the experiment was repeated on three different days. The placebo drink contained carbonated water, lime juice and cherry flavoring. All of the drinks were placed in identical containers. Both energy beverages tested, which were not named by the scientists, contained 304 to 320 milligrams of caffeine per 32 fluid ounces. Caffeine at doses under 400mg is not expected to induce any electrocardiographic changes, the study authors claimed. Researchers measured the electrical activity of the volunteers' hearts by electrocardiogram, which records the way a heart is beating. They also recorded participant's blood pressure. All measurements were taken at the study's start and every 30 minutes for four hours after consumption. Results showed volunteers who downed the energy drinks had a blood pressure spike of 5mmHg, on average, compared to those given the placebo. They also had a QT interval the time it takes ventricles in the heart to generate a beat again that was up to 7.7milliseconds longer. A 'normal' QT interval is considered to be between 350 and 440 milliseconds, meaning the energy drinks increase the delay by around two per cent. Doctors warn if the QT interval is too short or long, it can cause the heart to beat abnormally, which can cause a life-threatening arrhythmia. Professor Sachin Shah, study author, said the risk 'could not be attributed to caffeine' as he called for urgent trials to investigate what ingredient is to blame. This is despite caffeine being known to cause vessels to contract and release adrenaline, a hormone that can temporarily increase blood pressure. Other common ingredients in the energy drinks analysed in this study included taurine, glucuronolactone and B-vitamins. Professor Shah added: 'The public should be aware of the impact of energy drinks on their body especially if they have other underlying health conditions.' He warned energy drinks may be especially dangerous to patients with long QT syndrome - where the muscle takes longer than it should to recharge between beats. And Professor Shah said adults battling hypertension high blood pressure should also cut down on their intake to avoid spikes that can prove deadly. Professor Kate O'Dell, study co-author, warned understanding how the drinks affect the heart 'is extremely important'. She said: 'Energy drinks are readily accessible and commonly consumed by a large number of teens and young adults.' The findings, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, are not the first to prove energy drinks can be dangerous. Energy drink consumption has been associated with cardiac arrest and heart attacks, the team of academics wrote in the journal. Researchers from the University of Texas at Houston last year said the drinks narrow blood vessels, which restricts blood flow to vital organs. Campaigners, such as Action on Sugar have called for a complete ban on the products for under 16s. But Government advisers said in December that there is not enough scientific evidence to justify such an extreme measure. Gavin Partington, director general of the British Soft Drinks Association, said: 'The European Food Safety Authority confirms the safety of energy drinks and their ingredients. 'Our members do not market or promote energy drinks to under 16s, nor do they sample products with this age group. 'In addition, energy drinks carry an advisory note stating "Not recommended for children".' A student who spent more than 10 years living in agony may have found the answer to her prayers in an electrical device implanted in her spine. Alice Fowle, 20, has been living with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) since she was just nine years old although it wasn't diagnosed until her mid-teens. With excruciating pain spreading out of her right foot, Miss Fowle was sometimes left unable to walk or talk because of her condition. She missed years of school lessons because of the mysterious disability, which is poorly understood but thought to be caused by malfunctioning nerves. But now, thanks to a matchbox-sized gadget called a dorsal root ganglion stimulator, she is able to use technology to dampen the pain and get on with her life. Alice Fowle, from High Wycombe, has suffered with chronic pain in her right foot since she was nine years old and recently had an operation to implant an electrical device to control her nerve signals 'I'm still on a total high from the operation,' Miss Fowle said. 'Even though I am still in pain, it is such a liberating feeling for it to be manageable and not so all-consuming that I can hardly think of anything else.' Miss Fowle, from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, had the operation on the NHS after years of suffering weren't ended by physiotherapy or pain counselling. She was still at primary school when she woke up one morning with a searing pain in her right foot and it never went away. Describing the pain as a 'sharp burning sensation similar to lightning' beneath the arch of her foot, it took five years before Miss Fowle would be diagnosed with CPRS. The condition usually only affects one part of the body but it may spread, and it can be so severe even the feeling of clothing against skin can cause agony. CPRS is more common in women and tends to start around the age of 50, but it can affect anyone there are no reliable estimates of how many people have it. 'I had spent years going to the doctors', with them having no idea what was causing the pain that was ruining my life,' Miss Fowle said. 'But when I was told it was CRPS when I was 14, I didn't feel happy. 'I felt even more upset because there was nothing they could do and I couldn't understand why my body was doing this to me.' Miss Fowle, pictured in hospital in April when she had the surgery, said she was 'astonished' when doctors first told her she could have the device attached to her spine on the NHS The matchbox-sized device is connected to nerves in Miss Fowle's spine (pictured the surgical scar left by the operation) and transmits gentle electrical signals to block the pain sensations being sent between her foot and her brain WHAT IS DORSAL ROOT GANGLION STIMULATION? A dorsal root ganglion (DRG) is a bundle of nerves on the spine which control the sending of pain signals to the brain. The DRG essentially acts as a traffic light, allowing pain signals through or not. If this malfunctions, or allows through pain signals from another malfunctioning nerve, people may suffer from pain when they have no injury. Using electrical currents from a stimulator attached to the nerves with electrodes can enable people to control the signals which are emitted from the DRG. By stimulating the DRG pain signals could be blocked from making it through to the spine and up to the brain. This would reduce or completely eliminate the amount of pain the patient feels. DRG stimulators are surgically implanted under the skin somewhere on the lower half of the torso and are battery powered and controlled by an outside remote such as a smartphone. According to Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, most people who have success with a DRG stimulator have more than 50 per cent of their pain relieved. Source: Oxford University Hospitals Advertisement On some days the pain in her foot was so unbearable it became impossible for her to get out of bed, shower, eat, read or even speak. Missing a lot of school as a result, she fell out with friends who she said thought she was making it up. One teacher even told Miss Fowle, who was often reliant on crutches or a wheelchair to get around, to 'stop limping all the time', she said. But after years of suffering with the condition, Miss Fowle discovered a innovative treatment one of her mother's friends had used. In April this year, almost 11 years after she first started feeling the pain, Miss Fowle had the dorsal root ganglion stimulator implanted under the skin on her back. The stimulator is an electrical device which sends gentle impulses into nerves in her spine when she feels pain. This essentially blocks the pain signals coming from malfunctioning nerves in her leg and reduces the agony she feels. Connected to an app on her iPhone, the DRGS can be switched on or off whenever Miss Fowle wants to use it. Neurosurgeons at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford implanted the device which can be removed if necessary in a two-hour operation. 'When I woke up from the operation, it was like a blind had been lifted, and suddenly I could see clearly again,' Miss Fowle said. 'I am not totally pain free, but whereas before my day-to-day pain level was around eight out of 10, now it is about four out of 10. Miss Fowle (right, pictured with her friends) is now able to enjoy life at university in Birmingham and said she feels 'liberated' by the pain control device Pictured with her mother, Kate, 53, first found out about the dorsal root ganglion stimulator after one of her mother's friends revealed they had been given one Miss Fowle is now the disability officer at university, where she studies geology. She said: 'I just feel so liberated now, and I have so many goals and aims that before I would have struggled with, like getting a 2.1 in my degree' 'And when I have a bad day I am able to use an app on my phone that is connected to the electrodes to reduce the pain. 'Not having to arrange my life around my pain has meant I just feel so liberated now, and I have so many goals and aims that before I would have struggled with, like getting a 2.1 in my degree. 'But at the moment, I just want to be able to take my Dalmatian dog, Lottie, on a walk each day as before I couldn't walk for more than a few minutes.' Miss Fowle, pictured with her boyfriend, Aidan Smith, said: 'Having chronic pain has taught me a lot about myself and my ability to deal with difficult situations' Now the disability officer at her university in Birmingham, where she studies geology, Miss Fowle said she was 'astonished' when doctors first told her about the DRGS. And having the device put into her back has transformed her life. 'My mind is so much freer now and I feel I can now do so many things, like get a good degree and spend more time with my friends,' she said. 'At the same time though, having chronic pain has taught me a lot about myself and my ability to deal with difficult situations. 'CRPS might have taken a lot away from me but it's also made me a stronger person. Now I feel ready to face the world.' A baby boy has been branded a 'miracle' after he survived three cardiac arrests and defied the odds to pull through an emergency procedure. Riley Dibble, born with a heart defect, suffered an almost fatal cardiac arrest just moments after he was delivered last year. Doctors rushed Riley into theatre for emergency open heart surgery when he was only an hour old. But his ordeal was far from over. Riley, who is now 11 months, suffered another cardiac arrest three months later and was whisked to hospital in an ambulance. He suffered a third cardiac arrest during another emergency procedure that he was given just a two per cent chance of surviving. However, Riley pulled through the op to correct his pulmonary artery stenosis, a defect that caused one of his large arteries to be too narrow. His parents, Beth and Jordan, from Staffordshire, have now told of their horror at watching Riley 'dying in front of our eyes'. Scroll down for video Riley Dibble, born with a heart defect, suffered an almost fatal cardiac arrest just moments after he was delivered last year Doctors rushed Riley into theatre for emergency open heart surgery when he was only an hour old (pictured with his mother Beth, father Jordan, and sister Millie) Ms Dibble, 23, said: 'Riley is a living, breathing miracle, one heartbeat at a time, who is continuously happy no matter what life throws at him. Hes our heart warrior.' A cardiac arrest happens when the heart suddenly stops pumping blood around the body. They are more serious than heart attacks. Riley will need surgery again in the future, but has a near-constant smile on his face as he approaches his first birthday. Riley, who has a three-year-old sister called Millie, was kept away from his parents for five hours after the initial surgery. It was five days before his parents were allowed to hold him. He was discharged from hospital a week after he was born. Three months later, Riley began to feel poorly and turned an ashen, grey colour. His parents immediately called 111. Operators made the decision to send an ambulance to take him straight to the Royal Stoke University Hospital. On arrival, medics noted how he had suffered a cardiac arrest and needed to be resuscitated, StokeOnTrentLive reports. Riley, who is now 11 months, suffered another cardiac arrest three months later and was whisked to hospital in an ambulance (pictured in hospital) He suffered a third cardiac arrest during another emergency procedure to correct his pulmonary artery stenosis, meaning one of his large arteries is too narrow Riley will need surgery again in the future, but has a near-constant smile on his face as he approaches his first birthday Ms Dibble, 23, said: 'Riley is a living, breathing miracle, one heartbeat at a time, who is continuously happy no matter what life throws at him' (they are pictured together) Ms Dibble said: 'My poor baby was gasping, his eyes were glazed. He was recessing when he was breathing and making these awful groaning noises.' A doctor told the parents Riley needed to be transferred to Birmingham Children's Hospital. He needed a tube inserting into his windpipe to keep his airways open. Recalling that moment, Ms Dibble said: 'The doctor didn't think he would survive it, but if he wasn't intubated he wouldn't make it to Birmingham. WHAT IS A CARDIAC ARREST? A cardiac arrest occurs when the heart suddenly stops pumping blood around the body, which is usually due to a problem with electrical signals in the organ. This causes the brain to be starved of oxygen, which results in sufferers not breathing and losing consciousness. In the UK, more than 30,000 cardiac arrests occur a year outside of hospital, compared to over 356,000 in the US. Cardiac arrests are different to heart attacks, with the latter occurring when blood supply to the heart muscle is cut off due to a clot in one of the coronary arteries. Common causes include heart attacks, heart disease and heart muscle inflammation. Drug overdose and losing a large amount of blood can also be to blame. Giving an electric shock through the chest wall via a defibrillator can start the heart again. In the meantime, CPR can keep oxygen circulating around the body. Advertisement 'We were blue-lighted to Birmingham, where there were about 30 different people waiting for us, talking about how my baby was going to survive. 'Rileys heart function was practically non-existent. His heart was failing, you could tell just by looking at him. Riley was dying right in front of our eyes.' Doctors decided Riley needed a heart catheterisation which sends dye round the heart to check its function to be able to diagnose the problem. But his chances of surviving that procedure were put at just 50/50 because he was so weak. However, Riley did pull through and it was discovered that he had pulmonary artery stenosis. The heart defect means he has narrow arteries, making it difficult for blood to reach the lungs and pick up oxygen. Riley needed an immediate operation but a surgeon, once again, told his parents it was highly unlikely that he would survive. 'The surgeon said we have got two options, take him back to intensive care and let him go, let him die in our arms; or do the surgery,' Mr Dibble, 24, said. 'But he said he was pretty certain Riley would die on the operating table. I wanted a number for his chances and the surgeon said two per cent. 'It was an awful decision to have to make on the spot, but he had fought this far, who are we to say. 'We thought that if we hadnt given him the best chance to survive, we would spend the rest of our lives wondering, "what if".' Surgeons then fought for 12 hours to save Rileys life. He survived - but suffered a stroke during surgery. Schools in three London boroughs have been urged by health officials to stay on high alert amid a spike in measles cases. Public Health England last week wrote to headteachers of schools in Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, and Hammersmith and Fulham. It warned of the 'significant increase' in cases across the northwest part of the capital - and said cases have been noted at three schools. Public Health England last week wrote to headteachers of schools in Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, and Hammersmith and Fulham The letter warned of the 'significant increase' in cases across the northwest part of the capital - and said cases have been noted at three schools The Government-run body urged headteachers to 'stay vigilant'. The letter comes amid rocketing cases of measles worldwide. Cases of the killer infection have been recorded at Fulham Boys School, Chelsea Academy and the St Marylebone Church of England School. PHE fears measles spreading further if children attending these schools have caught the infection and have siblings attending other ones. The letter, penned by the body's Dr Janice Lo, a consultant in health protection, was sent out last week. Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that spreads easily from an infected person by coughing, sneezing or even just breathing Measles cases in England have more than doubled this year, with 231 confirmed reports in the first quarter of 2019. In comparison, PHE data shows there was just 97 cases in the last quarter of 2018, and 143 confirmed reports in the quarter before Commenting on the measles cases in London schools, she wrote: 'Some of these children may have siblings attending other schools in nearby boroughs. 'And, therefore, we would like to inform you of the affected schools and ask you to stay vigilant for any new cases reported.' HOW MANY CASES OF MEASLES WERE THERE IN ENGLAND OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS? YEAR 2019 2018 2018 2018 2018 2017 2017 2017 2017 2016 2016 2016 2016 2015 2015 2015 2015 2014 2014 2014 2014 QUARTER 1 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 CASES 231 97 143 421 265 149 36 64 17 30 150 118 36 12 13 17 18 4 7 10 66 Data from Public Health England. Cases numbers refers to those that have been laboratory confirmed. Advertisement She urged headteachers to remind staff and parents of the importance of being vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella. Vaccination rates for the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jab dropped in 2018 for the fourth consecutive year in the UK. Debate has been raging in recent months about myths that vaccinations are unsafe spreading on social media. Claims that the MMR jab could lead to autism or that vaccines contain dangerous chemicals are continuing to spread - despite being untrue. In rare circumstances, people can have bad reactions to vaccines but otherwise all the jabs used by the NHS are completely safe. Health Secretary Matt Hancock last month refused to rule out children being kept out of schools if they aren't vaccinated against measles. Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that spreads easily from an infected person by coughing, sneezing or even just breathing. The warning to headteachers came days before PHE urged parents to make sure their children get the MMR vaccine. Its nationwide warning was prompted by worrying figures that showed cases have more than doubled in the last two quarters. Official data shows there was 231 confirmed cases in the first quarter of 2019 - up from 97 in the last three months of 2018. The rise in cases are mirrored worldwide, as experts have warned England 'has not escaped' the global increase in cases. Worldwide, the number of measles cases in the first quarter of 2019 were four times higher than during the same period last year. The World Health Organization has warned slipping vaccination rates are partly to blame, and Ukraine, Brazil and the Philippines have experienced huge increases. Some 112,163 measles cases were reported in January, February and March, with most of them in Africa. It may look like a question mark but it's not. In fact, it's actually a medical scan of a newborn baby's uniquely-shaped large intestine. Doctors were worried when the boy was vomiting, unable to pass stools and had a swollen stomach 24 hours after being born. Scans showed a 'shortened colon that appeared in the shape of a question mark', medics wrote in a prestigious medical journal. It may look like a question mark but it's not. In fact, it's actually a medical scan of a newborn baby's uniquely-shaped large intestine They suspected the infant had total colonic aganglionosis, a complete lack of nerve cells called ganglion that are crucial for digestion. Further tests confirmed the boy, who hasn't been identified, had no ganglion cells and he was diagnosed with Hirchsprung's disease. When these nerves are missing, faeces can build up and form a blockage. This can cause constipation, according to the NHS. The diagnosis was also confirmed by scans showing he had thickened nerve fibres a hallmark sign of Hirchsprung's. WHY WAS HIS COLON SHAPED LIKE A QUESTION MARK? The Medical University of South Carolina states the colon - or large intestine - is shaped 'somewhat like a large question mark'. The organ starts near the right hip, moves up to the ribs, goes across the body and then down to the left hip. It then curves towards the anus. However, for this unnamed baby, his colon did not go up from his right hip and straight across. Instead, it went to his left ribs. Doctors who treated him diagnosed him with Hirchsprung's disease, which affects one in every 5,000 babies, according to figures. Question-mark colons, as they are known, have been linked to several cases of the condition. However, it is unclear why the condition causes the uniquely-shaped colon. 'In Hirschsprung's disease, the nerves that control this movement are missing from a section at the end of the bowel, which means poo can build up and form a blockage,' the NHS states. Advertisement Hirschsprung's disease affects one in every 5,000 babies. The condition is usually picked up soon after birth, the NHS states. Surgeons operating on the baby took samples of his entire colon, which once again confirmed he was missing his ganglion cells. However, they were found to be 'abundant' in his terminal ileum, the end of the small intestine that connects with its larger counterpart. Writing in the New England Journal of Medicine, doctors revealed the boy underwent a procedure called an end ileostomy. It involves removing part, or all, of the colon, as well as bringing the small bowel closer to the surface so a stoma can be formed. Six months later, the boy underwent a colectomy to remove the remaining part of his large intestine. The operation also rejoined the leftover part of his rectum, the final segment of the colon, to his ileum, leaving him with no large intestine. The report was written by Dr Peter Masiakos, of the Massachusetts General Hospital, and Dr Paul Wales, of the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto. However, it was not mentioned where the baby, who was born after 39 weeks to a 28-year-old mother, was from. When the boy went for a check-up, it was revealed that he was able to pass his stools and doctors said he was 'growing well'. A healthcare worker has been left unable to have children naturally after a hospital removed the wrong fallopian tube during surgery. Chelsie Thomas, 26, had 'clearly' suffered an ectopic pregnancy when a fertilised egg starts to develop outside of the womb in her right fallopian tube. She had surgery in March last year at Walsall Manor Hospital run by the same trust which employed her and was told the right-side tube was successfully removed. But the mother-of-one was called back to the hospital a week later when maternity staff raised concerns after reading her medical notes. A further scan found Ms Thomas was still pregnant and the first surgeon had removed the left fallopian tube in error. She had to have another surgery to remove the correct one and has now been left with none, meaning she won't ever be able to conceive naturally. Chelsie Thomas, 26, was rushed into surgery after an ectopic pregnancy was found in March 2018. It was 'clearly' in her right fallopian tube, but a surgeon removed the left one. Picture date unknown After the surgery which removed the wrong fallopian tube, Ms Thomas was still in pain and was called back to the hospital after medics were concerned about her notes Ms Thomas, of Walsall, West Midlands, said her relationship with her partner broke down as a result of the surgery, she has quit her job and is on anti-depressants. Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, has apologised for the blunder and offered to pay for a round of IVF. The mother to six-year-old son Riley-Jay said: 'I have had to explain to my son that he cannot have a brother or sister. 'I have had to leave my job because I can't face going back there and I am going to have to have therapy because it's getting worse not better. 'None of this seems real. I am heartbroken and just feel numb at what has happened and devastated at how I can no longer have children naturally.' Ms Thomas's ectopic pregnancy was discovered after she noticed unusual bleeding and went to hospital on March 7 last year. She had surgery the same day, but her healthy fallopian tube was removed by mistake. 'After I came round from my first operation I felt really ill,' she said. 'I was in so much pain which continued throughout the day. 'The next day the doctor who carried out the surgery came to see me and at this point told me that the operation went really well and I was told I could go home that morning. 'Shortly after I got home, I received a call asking me to go back to hospital for a scan. 'As I was being scanned, I said that I thought that the ectopic pregnancy had been removed and then I saw my baby's heartbeat on the screen. I started to cry instantly.' Ms Thomas said it has been difficult to come to terms with the facts that she not only had unnecessary surgery but has been left unable to have more children naturally. She said: 'I had planned on having two more children as I come from a large family. I wanted Riley-Jay to grow up with little brothers and sisters.' Ms Thomas should still able to have IVF because her ovaries were not removed a fertilised egg could still be implanted into her womb. Ms Thomas said: 'The hospital has classed this as a "never event" and it is difficult to understand how this has happened. 'I just hope that it doesn't happen to anyone else.' Following her ordeal, Ms Thomas instructed law firm Irwin Mitchell to investigate her care and Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust apologised. Ms Thomas said her relationship with her partner broke down as a result of the surgery, has quit her job and is on anti-depressants following the ordeal. Picture date unknown A report by solicitors found that the original procedure 'was carried out without appropriate due diligence and attention' and without the intervention of staff who flagged concerns about Ms Thomas' care it is likely her fallopian tube would have ruptured. Picture date unknown Ms Thomas, of Walsall, had to undergo another operation, performed by a different surgeon, to remove the correct tube, leaving her unable to naturally conceive again. Picture date unknown WHAT IS AN ECTOPIC PREGNANCY? An ectopic pregnancy is when a fertilised egg implants itself outside of the womb, usually in one of the fallopian tubes. The fallopian tubes are the tubes connecting the ovaries to the womb. If an egg gets stuck in them, it won't develop into a baby. In the UK, around one in every 90 pregnancies is ectopic. This is around 11,000 pregnancies a year. An ectopic pregnancy doesn't always cause symptoms and may only be detected during a routine pregnancy scan. Symptoms can include a combination of: a missed period and other signs of pregnancy tummy pain low down on 1 side vaginal bleeding or a brown watery discharge pain in the tip of your shoulder discomfort when peeing or pooing Symptoms of a fallopian tube rupturing or splitting open are: a sharp, sudden and intense pain in your tummy feeling very dizzy, sick, or fainting looking very pale This is very serious and surgery to repair the fallopian tube needs to be carried out as soon as possible. A rupture can be life-threatening, but fortunately they're uncommon and treatable, if dealt with quickly. Deaths from ruptures are extremely rare in the UK. Source: NHS Advertisement Irwin Mitchell said the trust has published an internal serious incident investigation report which said that the registrar and consultant involved in the first surgery seemed not to have given 'appropriate weight' to the original scan result. It said the original procedure 'was carried out without appropriate due diligence and attention'. The report also found the doctor who carried out the second procedure identified that Ms Thomas had 'an obvious' ectopic pregnancy and carried out the procedure without difficulty or delay. If Ms Thomas's right tube had been 'inspected throughout its entire length, the ectopic pregnancy should have been discovered and removed,' the report stated. Without the intervention of staff who flagged concerns about Ms Thomas' care it is likely her fallopian tube would have ruptured due to the ectopic pregnancy, which could have had potentially life-threatening consequences, the trust said. The trust, which has admitted liability, has offered to fund one round of IVF treatment. Ms Thomas's lawyers welcomed the NHS's acceptance of liability and urged health bosses to act on recommendations from the hospital's own post-incident report as soon as possible. Solicitor Jenna Harris said: 'Understandably Chelsie has been devastated by the events that unfolded and she is still struggling to come to terms with not only losing a child, but also the fact that she faces the possibility of not being able to have more children in the future. 'Ectopic pregnancies can be extremely dangerous and Chelsie's care has raised a number of very worrying questions. 'The Trust's own findings in its internal investigation report are quite damning.' Dr Matthew Lewis, Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust's medical director, said the findings of the 'robust' investigation had been shared following the incident. He said in a statement: 'We would once again offer our sincere apologies to the patient involved for the fact that our care fell below the standard that we would expect for anyone who uses our services. 'In this particular case, while the necessary checks were carried out before surgery and consent was given, an error was regrettably made.' He added that the trust worked with 'patients and their families, our own clinicians and staff to learn lessons and put systems in place to try and avoid such incidents'. The family of a seven-year-old boy is hoping to find someone with the exact same heritage for a transplant to help save his life. Asaya Bullock was diagnosed when he was born with IPEX syndrome, a rare disorder that causes the immune system to attack the body's own tissues and organs. In early childhood, the disease can be life-threatening. Because Asaya is of mixed-race, donors who are a close enough genetic match for his blood are few and far between. Now, the Bullock family, from Parkchester, New York, is desperately searching for the match that could save their son's life. Asaya Bullock, seven (pictured), of Parkchester, New York, was diagnosed with a rare disorder called IPEX syndrome when he was born IPEX syndrome occurs because of a gene mutation that causes the immune system to attack the body's own tissues and organs. It is so rare that it only occurs in an estimated one in 1.6 million people. Pictured, left and right: Asaya 'It's like a miracle that Asaya is still alive because the doctors only gave him two years to live,' his mother, Charlene Bullock, told ABC's Good Morning America. 'He was sick a lot and, as parents, we didn't know what was wrong with him.' Immunodysregulation polyendocrinopathy enteropathy x-linked (IPEX) syndrome is a rare autoimmune disorder that only affects males. It occurs due to mutations of the FOXP3 gene, which produces a protein that helps immune system cells, called regulatory T cells, function normally. Mutations cause these T cells to not turn off immune system responses, resulting in body tissues and organs being attacked rather than foreign invaders, such as viruses or bacteria. Sufferers often have secondary conditions that affect the intestines, skin and endocrine glands - such as diabetes, diarrhea, eczema and anemia. According to the National Institutes of Health, it affects an estimated one in 1.6 million people. Doctors typically treat IPEX syndrome with medications that limit immune system function, meaning those who have the disorder are susceptible to illness. Asaya suffers from severe migraines and stomach and joint pain because of the disorder. If he gets sick, he often misses school for several days. Pictured, left and right: Asaya and his younger sister, Anaya The only known cure for the disease is a bone marrow transplant. Asaya's parents cannot donate because they are West Indian Caribbean and African-American. Pictured: Vincent and Charlene Bullock with their son Asaya (on Vincent's shoulders) and daughter Anaya Charlene told the Bronx Times that Asaya suffers from severe migraines, stomach and joint pain, and a forgetful memory. He also often misses school for several days because, if he comes down with a cold or the flu, it can last longer than a month. The only known cure for the disease is a bone marrow transplant. Bone marrow is the spongy tissue inside bones where blood cells are made. Transplants involve taking a donor's healthy blood-forming cells and putting them into the patient's bloodstream, where they begin to grow and make healthy red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Because the set of genes used for determining a match are linked to ethnicity, patients are most likely to find a match within their own ethnic group. Charlene and Asaya's father, Vincent, cannot donate because they are West Indian Caribbean and African-American, respectively, and their son is mixed-race. When Asaya's younger sister, Anaya, was born, his parents hoped her umbilical cord blood might be a cure. According to the Bronx Times, the cord blood was a 70 percent match, but Asaya's body rejected the cells. Asaya's parents hoped his sister's umbilical cord blood might be a cure. The cord blood was a 70 percent match, but Asaya's body rejected the cells. Pictured: Asaya, right, in the hospital playing cards Of the seven million people on the national bone-marrow registry, only three percent identify as mixed-race. Pictured: Vincent and Charlene Bullock with their son Asaya (being held by Vincent) and daughter Anaya The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center states that 70 percent of patients in need of a marrow transplant do not have a matching donor in their family. Of the seven million people on the national bone marrow registry, only three percent identify as mixed-race. Depending on your race, your chances of finding an unrelated donor vary greatly: Caucasian patients find a donor about 75 percent of the time Hispanic patients find a donor about 45 percent of the time Asian patients find a donor about 40 percent of the time African-American patients find a donor about 25 percent of the time The Bullock family has since turned to the Be the Match Registry - the national marrow donor program - in hopes of finding a donor. 'I would tell [donors]: "You're saving a life." There's only one in a million that you just might be called to be a match,' Charlene told Good Morning America. 'At least you know in your heart, if you do get called and you are a match for somebody, you saved a life. We all got to look out for one another.' Rates of colorectal cancer among young people have increased by as much as two-fold in the US since 1995, new research reveals. The disease is hitting Americans under 50 harder and earlier than ever before, but the uptick began over two decades ago, according to a new study from the American Cancer Society (ACS). The obesity epidemic has been the prime suspect in the continuous rise in colorectal cancer - but the latest research found that neither this trend of the rise in drinking in the US was correlated with the changing cancer rates. One thing was clear, however: white Americans in the West account for the majority of the surge in colorectal cancer rates. Colorectal cancer is surging among young Americans, particularly those who are white and live in the West, where rates increased by as much as nearly four percent year-over-year (dark) Cancer, in general, and colorectal cancer, in particular, was once thought of as a disease of old age, with the exceptions of heartbreaking childhood cancers like leukemia and DIPG. But in recent years, tragic reports of men and women in their 40s and even 30s dying of colorectal cancer have become more and more common occurrences. According to the new ACS report, rates of colon cancer increased by 0.7 percent each year between 1995 and 2015. Rates of rectal cancer surged more dramatically, climbing a steady 1.7 percent each year over the same period. At first blush, these may not seem like extreme rises, but some population groups have been affected much more than others. While colorectal cancer rates remained quite stable for black and Hispanic Americans, they climbed ever higher among white and Western Americans. Each year, colon and rectal cancers increased over twice as fast among white people in 10 states as they did in the country as a whole. Six out of those 10 states were in the West, including Washington, where colorectal cancer rates have nearly doubled. Colorado, too, saw a dramatic increase of nearly 60 percent. Increases in rates of rectal cancer were steeper across the board, the research team, based at Ohio Sate University, found. Increases were 'mostly confined to whites,' and were seen among that population in 40 out of 47 states that supplied enough data to be analyzed. Though increases were much more dramatic in Western states, rates remained highest in Southern states. There, rates of obesity are also highest, and scientists have long suspected that excess body weight is helping to literally feed cancer. But when the Ohio State University researchers assessed rates of both obesity and excessive drinking - another known cancer risk factor - and compared them to state increases and rates of colorectal cancer, the categories didn't match up. Neither heavy drinking nor obesity were linked to increased rates of colorectal cancer among young people. 'Early-onset colorectal cancer is increasing in the US for unknown reasons,' the authors wrote. 'Geographic differences in the trend could contribute to etiologic hypotheses but are unknown.' So, for now, the alarming increases in young people dying from colorectal cancer that is often dismissed as IBS remains a mystery. Secretary of State for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs, the Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, met with Norbord to hear about the challenges it is facing sourcing its main raw material. Gove was given a guided tour of Norbords operations in Cowie, Stirlingshire, accompanied by local MP Stephen Kerr, who also chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group for the wood panel industry. Norbord and other manufacturers who are members of the Wood Panel Industries Federation have warned that a major government rethink is required to help the industry satisfy demand for its products, in order to secure thousands of jobs and help the UK face up to its housing crisis. A recent report carried out on behalf of the APPG for the wood panel industry, involving former Energy Minister, the Rt Hon Brian Wilson, concluded that wood availability will decrease dramatically within the next decade. The strain on the UKs wood basket is being exacerbated by renewable energy subsidies and is creating real uncertainty for wood panel manufacturers while endangering the supply of key materials in the construction and house building sectors. Steve Roebuck, Director of Environmental, Health and Safety at Norbord, said: Im very pleased that Mr Gove took time to visit our site and listen to Norbords concerns. He certainly took on board our message that the UKs wood supply is now at a critical point due to demand from heavily subsidised biomass for energy. Were not against the use of wood for energy, but continuing to use subsidy to drive wood towards energy is putting undue pressure our domestic wood supply. This threatens industries, such as construction and furniture manufacture, which rely on wood panels and sequester carbon for generations. The APPG expert working group report concludes that removing the subsidies which cover woody biomass would create a competitive, free market for all wood users competing for a finite resource base. The equalisation of the market would be the most desirable for wood panel manufacturers and would place all wood users on a level playing field. A point that I think all parties agree on is the pent-up demand in the requirement for low cost affordable housing. If youre not going to have wood panels manufactured in the UK, youre going to import them, and youre not going to make them out of steel, so this is a critical area that everybody is agreeing on we have to build those houses and, to build those houses, you need wood-based panels. Thats 50% of our business. Kerr added: Im pleased Michael was able to visit a major contributor to the local and national economy. I have the privilege of chairing the APPG for the wood panel industry, a sector which 7,500 British jobs are directly supported by. In my own constituency alone, 250 jobs are created and sustained by the Norbord plant directly, with another 250 employed by local supply chain partners indirectly. The wood panel manufacturing industry is a UK success story, with a contribution to the economy in excess of 850 million per annum and an ability to meet 65% of the UK demand for wood panel products. This industry has the capability to increase production to meet the UK's demand for wood panel products and to do so with no reliance on imports of wood from elsewhere in the world. However, this is only possible if it has enough wood to sustain and grow its manufacturing capability. Pictured: (L-R) Stephen Kerr, MP for Stirling and Chair of the APPG; Steve Roebuck, Director of Environmental, Health and Safety at Norbord; Rt Hon Michael Gove MP. Gove was given a guided tour of Norbords operations in Cowie, Stirlingshire, accompanied by local MP Stephen Kerr, who also chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group for the wood panel industry. Norbord and other manufacturers who are members of the Wood Panel Industries Federation have warned that a major government rethink is required to help the industry satisfy demand for its products, in order to secure thousands of jobs and help the UK face up to its housing crisis. A recent report carried out on behalf of the APPG for the wood panel industry, involving former Energy Minister, the Rt Hon Brian Wilson, concluded that wood availability will decrease dramatically within the next decade. The strain on the UKs wood basket is being exacerbated by renewable energy subsidies and is creating real uncertainty for wood panel manufacturers while endangering the supply of key materials in the construction and house building sectors. Steve Roebuck, Director of Environmental, Health and Safety at Norbord, said: Im very pleased that Mr Gove took time to visit our site and listen to Norbords concerns. He certainly took on board our message that the UKs wood supply is now at a critical point due to demand from heavily subsidised biomass for energy. Were not against the use of wood for energy, but continuing to use subsidy to drive wood towards energy is putting undue pressure our domestic wood supply. This threatens industries, such as construction and furniture manufacture, which rely on wood panels and sequester carbon for generations. The APPG expert working group report concludes that removing the subsidies which cover woody biomass would create a competitive, free market for all wood users competing for a finite resource base. The equalisation of the market would be the most desirable for wood panel manufacturers and would place all wood users on a level playing field. A point that I think all parties agree on is the pent-up demand in the requirement for low cost affordable housing. If youre not going to have wood panels manufactured in the UK, youre going to import them, and youre not going to make them out of steel, so this is a critical area that everybody is agreeing on we have to build those houses and, to build those houses, you need wood-based panels. Thats 50% of our business. Kerr added: Im pleased Michael was able to visit a major contributor to the local and national economy. I have the privilege of chairing the APPG for the wood panel industry, a sector which 7,500 British jobs are directly supported by. In my own constituency alone, 250 jobs are created and sustained by the Norbord plant directly, with another 250 employed by local supply chain partners indirectly. The wood panel manufacturing industry is a UK success story, with a contribution to the economy in excess of 850 million per annum and an ability to meet 65% of the UK demand for wood panel products. This industry has the capability to increase production to meet the UK's demand for wood panel products and to do so with no reliance on imports of wood from elsewhere in the world. However, this is only possible if it has enough wood to sustain and grow its manufacturing capability. Pictured: (L-R) Stephen Kerr, MP for Stirling and Chair of the APPG; Steve Roebuck, Director of Environmental, Health and Safety at Norbord; Rt Hon Michael Gove MP. A nurse-midwife was charged nearly $5,000 for using laughing gas to manage her own pain during labor. Karli-Rae Kerrschneider, from Baldwin, Wisconsin, had used an epidural while giving birth to her first child, her daughter Eleanor, in 2016, but didn't like that it limited her movement during delivery. So she decided to use nitrous oxide, or laughing gas - which allowed her to walk around her hospital room - during the birth of her second child, her son Leviathan, in December 2018. During the course of the 11-hour labor, Kerrschneider, 32, estimates she breathed in the nitrous oxide about 10 to 15 times an hour, reported Kaiser Health News. She was shocked when she and her husband, Christopher, received a hospital bill charging roughly $12,000, including $4,836 for the nitrous oxide alone. Nurse-midwife Karli-Rae Kerrschneider, 32, from Baldwin, Wisconsin, gave birth to her second child in December 2018. Pictured: Kerrschneider, right, breathing in nitrous oxide during labor with her husband Christopher After using an epidural during her first labor, and not liking it, Kerrschenider opted for nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, to manage her pain over an epidural. Pictured: The Kerrscheniders with their son, Leviathan According to Kerrschneider, her water birth, which is when a woman gives birth in a tub of warm water, at Hudson Hospital didn't have any complications. 'It was amazing. I would do it all over again,' she told Kaiser Health News. She and her son were in the hospital for two days after he was born before they were discharged. Kerrschneider said she didn't receive any other pain relief during her stay aside from nitrous oxide, which is 50 percent gas and 50 percent oxygen. The gas is breathed through a mask held over the nose and mouth and is meant to help patients manage pain without losing feeling. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of hospitals that offer nitrous oxide to women in labor. In 2011, less than 10 hospitals in the US offered nitrous oxide to women in labor, reported NPR in 2016. Porter Instrument, one of the makers of nitrous oxide systems, told the media organization that, today, it services almost 300 hospitals and birth centers. Nitrous oxide was common in the first half of the 20th century for women giving birth before more powerful drugs became available. Epidural anesthesia, now used by more than 50 percent of women in labor, was introduced in the 1970s. While it allows women to feel little to no sensation in the lower half of their bodies, epidurals have drawbacks, such as making movement difficult. Nitrous oxide is very popular overseas and used by nearly 50 percent of women in childbirth in Canada and about 60 percent in the UK, reported The Atlantic. Kerrschneider was charged $12,000 for her hospital stay, including $4,836 for the nitrous oxide alone. Pictured: Kerrschneider breathing in nitrous oxide during labor She says this is about five times more than the hospital she works at charges. After negotiating with the hospital, the nitrous oxide was reduced to $496, leaving Kerrschneider to pay $3,635, including deductibles and co-pays. Pictured, left and right: The Kerrschneiders with their daughter Eleanor and son Leviathan Most hospitals will charge between $100 to $500 for women to use the machine and gas. When Kerrschneider first received the bill, she called the hospital, assuming she'd accidentally been charged for an epidural. At the hospital she works at, Western Wisconsin Health in St Croix County, nitrous oxide only costs $100, reported Kaiser Health News. Kerrschneider discovered she'd been charged per minute, in fact about $120 for every 15 minutes the tank was in her room, even if she wasn't using it. Her insurance company, Medica, refused to pay the bill because it was higher than the agreed upon rate it had made with Hudson Hospital. After negotiating with the hospital, Kerrschneider's charge for the nitrous oxide was reduced to $496, how much it would cost for one hour. She says is this about five times more than the hospital she works at charges, according to Kaiser Health News. In total - including the nitrous oxide charge, deductibles and co-pays - Kerrschneider paid $3,635, out of the nearly $12,000 bill. 'I was just tired of dealing with it,' she told Kaiser Health News 'I had a newborn I was breastfeeding, and I didn't want to have it hanging over my head anymore.' Kerrschneider encourages other mothers-to-be, if they are considering using nitrous oxide during labor, to ask what the hospital charges so they don't get surprised with an astronomically high bill like she was. The world's smallest surviving baby is finally going home after spending five months in the hospital. Saybie was born in December 2018 prematurely at just 23 weeks and three days, weighing only 8.6 ounces, which is about as much as a large apple weighs. After being stabilized by the life support team st Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns in San Diego, California, she was immediately transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit. Saybie, which is the name that was given to her by her medical team, was discharged earlier this month, weighing a healthy 5.6 pounds, about as heavy as a small bag of rice. Saybie (pictured) was born prematurely in San Diego, California, in December 2018 at just 23 weeks and three days In mid-May, Saybie was discharged, weighing 5.6 pounds, about as heavy as a small bag of rice. Pictured: Saybie, May 2019 Saybie's mother, who has chosen to remain anonymous, said that she had been feeling 'uncomfortable' for about a week, but thought it was just a normal part of pregnancy. When she went to the hospital for a check-up, she was told she had pre-eclampsia, a pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure, and that her baby had to be delivered by emergency cesarean section. 'I kept telling them: 'She's not going to survive. She's - I'm only 23 weeks [pregnant]',' Saybie's mother said in a video for Sharp Healthcare. 'It was the scariest day of my life.' Dr Paul Wozniak, medical director for neonatal medicine at Sharp Healthcare, said that when Saybie was delivered, she was much smaller than staff had anticipated. 'The heartbeat was strong, over 100 [beats per minute], and fortunately we were able to get a breathing tube in,' he told DailyMail.com. 'We tried to weigh her and nothing would record. We found out later, it didn't record if the baby weighed less than 300 grams.' Almost one out of every 10 infants in the US is born prematurely. A birth is premature if the baby arrives at least three weeks early - or prior to 37 weeks of pregnancy. Premature babies - or 'preemies' - suffer a greater risk of breathing problems, feeding problems and are more susceptible to contracting infections. According to the March of Dimes, a nonprofit that works to improve the health of mothers and babies, preterm birth is the largest contributor to infant death in the US. At birth she weighed 8.6 ounces or 245 grams, which is about as much as a large apple weighs. Pictured: Saybie, March 2019 She spent five months in the neonatal intensive care unit at Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns. Pictured: Saybie with a NICU nurse, unknown date Data from the Tiniest Babies Registry, operated by the University of Iowa, shows that Saybie is the world's smallest surviving newborn. Previously, the smallest surviving baby was a girl from Germany born in 2015 who weighed 252 grams. '[Doctors] told my husband that we had about an hour with her and that she was going to pass away,' Saybie's mother said. 'But that hour turned into two hours, which turned into a day, which turned into a week.' Micro-preemies, babies born before 28 weeks, experience more medical problems than preemies born later, including brain bleeding and poor heart function. However, according to Sharp Mary Birch, Saybie experienced almost none of these issues. Dr Wozniak does admit though that Saybie was very 'sick', especially during her first week of life. Doctors were stunned that throughout her stay in the NICU, she didn't have many complications such as brain bleeding or heart issue. Pictured: Saybie, April 2019 Saybie be followed long-term, at least every six months, and through grade school to monitor her progress. Pictured: Saybie, with a nurse, 'graduating' from the NICU 'She was extremely lucky to not have a brain bleed, or infection but we didn't know if she was going to make it. 'Dad came...and asked if she was going to make it, we kept saying doing surprisingly well but we'll have to see it.' A 2015 study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association found that survival rates of preemies have increased between five and nine percent in the last three decades due to improvements in neonatal care. 'When I was training, babies born 28 weeks or prior, we didn't even try to revive,' said Dr Wozniak. 'But technology has changed. This was a true miracle, a combination of skill and luck. Not every baby this size will survive and survive without complications.' He added that Saybie be followed long-term, at least every six months, and through grade school to monitor her progress. Staff will checking to see if she develops any visual problems, hearing problems or developmental problems. Measles is now in the glamorous Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan and all but one of New York City's five boroughs, officials announced Wednesday. A total of 550 people have been sickened by the highly contagious disease spreading predominantly through unvaccinated and highly religious communities in the city. The vast majority of cases (77 percent) are still centered around Orthodox Jewish communities in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, but as of this week there has been one case in Manhattan and seven in Staten Island. Only the Bronx has been unaffected, and last week, neighboring New Jersey announced that a traveler at Newark Liberty International Airport had measles, potentially exposing thousands passing through the tri-state hub. Mandatory vaccination is still being enforced in four New York zip codes, and the city has issued summons to 123 people, demanding that they get vaccinated or face a fine of up to $2,000. New York continues to have the highest proportion of the 940 measles cases across the US as health officials across the country try desperately to curb the spread of both disease and misinformation about vaccines. Measles has now struck 550 people in New York City, making its way to every borough except the Bronx, as well as city hub Newark International Liberty Airport 'The recently identified cases are linked to exposures in neighborhoods with known measles activity,' said New York City Health Commissioner Dr Oxiris Barbot. In other words, the disease has continued to spread from neighborhoods with outbreaks - namely Rockland County and Williamsburg - to additional people in Manhattan and Staten Island. 'These cases prove the urgent need to get vaccinated, especially if you spend time in areas that are experiencing an outbreak,' added Dr Barbot. 'This message cannot be overstated - if you live, work or attend school in these sections of the city, get vaccinated if you are able. 'We thank the thousands of people throughout the city who have gotten vaccinated. Each one of you has taken a critical step to protect your family, your neighbors and yourselves.' A person with measles was reportedly in Newark Liberty International Airport on May 8, potentially exposing thousands of travelers to the disease, New Jersey health officials revealed Friday. Although measles outbreaks are now nationwide - striking 26 states - New York's Orthodox Jewish communities have borne the brunt of the disease in the US outbreak that has sickened 940 people. In an effort to stem the outbreak, the city has ordered every adult and child in five Brooklyn zip codes to get vaccinated or face fines of up to $2,000. So far, 123 summons have been issued to unvaccinated New Yorkers who have refused to get shots for themselves or their children. Yet, the highly contagious, once eliminated virus continues to spread, most recently in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, where the city's health department is now trying to reach Spanish- and Chinese-speaking communities. 'The recently identified cases are linked to exposures in neighborhoods with known measles activity,' said New York City Health Commissioner Dr Oxiris Barbot. In other words, the new cases clearly spread from sick individuals in areas with outbreaks - namely, Rockland County and Sunset Park - to previously uninfected areas. 'This message cannot be overstated - if you live, work or attend school in these sections of the city, get vaccinated if you are able,' said Dr Barbot. 'We thank the thousands of people throughout the city who have gotten vaccinated. 'Each one of you has taken a critical step to protect your family, your neighbors and yourselves.' As for the Newark Airport case, there's no telling how many of the passengers and employees might have been unvaccinated - including children too young to get shots - and how many might have come into contact with the infected person. So far, no additional related cases have been reported, In 2017, 43.3 million passengers flew in and out of Newark, which serves as one of the three major hubs for New York City and is the 11th busiest airport in the US. Health officials have pushed hard for public awareness and vaccination campaigns which may have helped to protect New Yorkers, but such efforts aren't really applicable to the people who were in Terminal B of Newark on May 8 between 2pm and 6pm. 'We urge everyone to check to make sure they and their family members are up-to-date on measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine and all other age-appropriate immunizations,' said New Jersey state epidemiologist Dr Christina Tan. In New York, measles has spread like wildfire in Orthodox Jewish communities where some believe that a vaccine constitutes a foreign body, which the Torah forbids Jews from allowing to enter their own bodies. But last month Mayor Bill DiBlasio declared a state of emergency and mandated that everyone living in areas with outbreaks get vaccinated or face fines - regardless of their religious beliefs. Several parents filed a lawsuit claiming that the mandate violated their constitutional rights to freedom of religion, but a Brooklyn judge upheld the vaccine order. Since October 1, the health department counts over 25,000 doses of the measles mumps and rubella vaccine administered in the effected neighborhoods. 'Measles is extremely contagious, and I strongly urge unvaccinated New Yorkers to immediately get the vaccine, unless there is a medical condition that prevents them from doing so,' said Dr Barbot in a Friday statement. Most measles outbreaks began with international travelers, but all of those visitors to the US were old enough to have been vaccinated. These travelers have primarily come from Israel, Ukraine and the Philippines. One such traveler also spread the virus to Detroit, Michigan. CDC officials also underscored the role of misinformation in the current outbreaks. Social media and on-the-ground community agents have been disseminating misconceptions among many communities about the safety and efficacy of the MMR vaccine. Vulnerable, religious and insular communities are particularly 'targeted' by disinformation campaigns, said CDC vaccine expert Dr Nancy Messonier, though officials said they could not determine why these groups are 'targets.' Measles outbreaks have been reported in 26 states, with the highest proportion occurring in New York (map not yet updated to reflect Oklahoma and Maine cases) The Washington state outbreak has now been declared over, after sickening 72 people there in total. Dr Messonier confirmed that not all of the people who have been diagnosed with measles are unvaccinated. She explained that in places where there are 'extreme disease pressures, we know that there can be vaccine failures.' Anyone who received both doses of the MMR vaccine after 1967 should be protected against measles. Those who were born before 1957 are believed to been exposed to the disease already. Health officials say that so far they haven't seen signs that immunity is waning, but urge everyone to speak to their health care providers and check their shot records. Anyone over 30 may not still have the antibodies they need to fight the infection circulating. The year is only a third over, and already there have been more measles cases in 2019 than the US has seen in 25 years, though weekly diagnoses slowed this week However, Dr Esper notes that tests of the MMR vaccine found that it is effective against the strain currently sweeping the US. Earlier this month, President Trump joined the chorus, urging parents to vaccinate their children in a shift from his tweets from several years ago warning over links between the MMR vaccine and autism. When asked if he thought President Trump should publicly decry his previous tweets and sentiments, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Alex Azar defended Trump. 'Some years ago, there was a debate about that issue,' Azar said. 'We can definitely reassure every parent there is no link between vaccines and autism,' he said, adding that the president's statement last week marked a 'strong' stance on vaccination and the measles outbreaks. 'The president has been very clear that people should get their shots...and make sure they are up-to-date,' said Azar. Dr Esper says that changing tunes as President Trump has done is 'actually exactly what we'd like to see. 'Someone that was against the vaccine in 2014 now says go get your vaccine and that is what we'd like to see.' Although one state outbreak has been declared over, health officials said they do expect more cases to be reported in the days to come. 'I would guess that we're still going to see more cases, but the rate at which it goes up will depend on how well-contained the current outbreaks are,' says Dr Esper. Under the new code, victims of authorised push payment (APP) fraud will now be more consistently refunded, as long as they have met certain expected requirements. Every pound stolen goes on to line the pockets of the criminal gangs responsible, funding other crimes such as drug trafficking, people smuggling and terrorism which is why we continue to focus on recovering stolen funds, while also preventing scams from happening in the first place. A new name-checking service, Confirmation of Payee, will add an extra layer of security when making bank transfers. This is expected to be introduced by the UK's six largest banking groups by March 2020. Fighting fraud: Stephen Jones of UK Finance thinks it is vital that all companies do everything in their power to keep our data secure This will be another important tool in the fight against fraud but it is not a silver bullet, and defeating fraudsters will require consumers to be on the lookout for potential scams. You should always question any uninvited request to give your personal or account information in case it's a scam, and instead contact the company directly using a known email or phone number. Data breaches are contributing significantly to this type of fraud. When, for example, customer details held by an airline, hotel or telecoms company are hacked, this can provide criminals with sufficient intelligence to attempt to scam those customers. It is vital that all companies do everything in their power to keep our data secure and take more responsibility for helping to reduce fraud. This should include contributing to financial recompense for victims. The banking and payments sector alone cannot be held responsible for this increasingly sophisticated criminal activity. We must work together across society to beat the fraudsters. Britain's biggest banks are now forcing their online customers to tick a box that could later deny them a refund if they are defrauded. Experts fear the new tick boxes could give banks an excuse to refuse a refund under the new compensation code launched yesterday to protect customers from authorised push payment (APP) scams the fastest-growing type of fraud in the UK. APP fraud is where someone tricks you into sending them money from your account after contacting you by phone or email, pretending to be someone else. Demand: Experts fear the new tick boxes could give banks an excuse to refuse a refund under the new compensation code The new rules will see victims of such scams reimbursed when they have taken reasonable care. In a bid to prevent such fraud, banks have been using alerts to raise awareness of common tactics used by scammers, such as posing as bank staff or police. But now, banks are demanding that customers confirm they are aware of the risks before they approve the payment prompting fears that banks could use these agreements to wriggle out of refunding victims. So far, Barclays is the only bank to state this risk clearly to customers on its webpage. It warns: 'If you confirm this payment, and it turns out to be fraudulent, it is unlikely we will refund you.' Meanwhile, Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and NatWest warn customers it will be difficult to 'recover' their money if they go ahead with the payment and it turns out to be a scam. Under the new, voluntary code of conduct, providers must present customers with 'effective warnings' about scams when transferring money online. However, the rules also say that if banks can prove customers ignored these warnings before making a payment or setting up a new payee, they do not have to refund them. Nationwide rolled out the tick-box warnings for its mobile app users in March and online customers this month, while NatWest introduced tick boxes on its mobile banking app in March. RBS launched similar checks in February, while Santander has been asking customers to confirm new payments following fraud warnings on its online banking site since September. In April, it rolled them out on its mobile app. Lloyds and Barclays introduced the tick boxes in 2017. When Barclays customers make new payments online, a warning flashes up on the 'disclaimer' page. The bank then states that customers are unlikely to be refunded for fraudulent payments if they check the box to confirm the payment. The RBS and NatWest scam warning also suggests that it will not refund customers who tick the box. It says: 'Could this payment be a scam? If you are in any doubt, stop and tap to read advice. Once you've made this payment, it can be very difficult for banks to recover the funds and you may lose your money if this is a scam.' When setting up a new payee online, Santander customers must confirm that they have not been asked to move their money by anyone, including Santander, and have freely chosen to make the transaction. Paul Breen, a senior lecturer at the Westminster Professional Language Centre, has analysed phone call transcripts of fraudsters manipulating victims and says that fighting fraud is more than just a 'tick-box exercise'. 'Criminals are very professional and typically work from scripts,' he says. 'They know how to put you under pressure or exploit your trust. 'The warnings are not an effective way of preventing fraud, in the same way as keeping buckets of water on your doorstep does not stop house fires from starting.' Gareth Shaw, head of money at Which?, says while it is right that banks provide more scam warnings during the banking process, he would be concerned if the industry used tick boxes to avoid reimbursing innocent victims of fraud. He says: 'Banks must show clear evidence their warnings are actually effective before they're used as a means to deny scam victims reimbursement they might well be entitled to.' Banks insist that the warnings and tick boxes are there to prevent scams. They say that they will continue to look at fraud incidents on a case-by-case basis. The Financial Ombudsman Service, which handles disputes, says it will assess cases individually. A spokesman explains: 'Our ombudsmen make decisions based on what is fair and reasonable in all the circumstances, taking into account relevant laws, regulations, guidance and good industry practice.' Banking trade body UK Finance says that banks employ a range of different methods to alert customers to potential scams. A spokesperson says: 'Under the code, warnings must be specific and 'tailored to the customer type and the APP scam risk'. Where a customer meets the requisite level of care, they will be reimbursed.' When Britain's leading health care equipment group Smith & Nephew recruited Namal Nawana as chief executive a year ago it was seen as a major coup. Nawana had led a turnaround at US medical diagnostics firm Alere and played a key role when it was taken over by Abbott in 2017. S&N shares (which I hold) have been serial underperformers in recent years but have picked up momentum since the new boss arrived. Now it seems that Nawana may be exploring the possibility of moving the venerable British firm, which was founded in Hull in 1856, to the United States. In safe hands?: Namal Nawana may be exploring the possibility of moving health care equipment group Smith & Nephew to the United States Since he took the helm at Smith & Nephew the share register has been changing and there are indications that as much as 50 per cent of the stock is now held by US funds and institutions. The US is also Smith & Nephew's largest market, with 49 per cent of sales there against just 6 per cent in Britain. Any attempt to move the domicile of S&N to America would be hugely controversial. When the Anglo-Dutch group Unilever sought to shift its home and share quote to Rotterdam last year it provoked a shareholder revolt partly orchestrated by The Investment Association and the company was forced into a humiliating U-turn. The group's respected chief executive Paul Polman stepped down soon afterwards. The last time a major British company, Lucas Varity, sought to shift domicile from London to Buffalo, it provoked serious concern among British investors. It was sold shortly afterwards to the US group TRW after a contested takeover with Federal-Mogul which dropped out of the bidding. In choosing to work in Britain last year Namal Nawana took a drop in pay from the 6.5m in salary and stock options he earned at his former employer Alere in 2016. At Smith & Nephew his basic pay is 1.2m and even this has been queried by the pay advisory group Glass Lewis. As a UK-based manufacturer of orthopaedic devices, wound care materials, knee replacements and hip implants, Smith & Nephew is a vital player in Britain's healthcare market. It sits alongside big pharma companies such as Astrazeneca and Glaxosmithkline as a centre of excellence vital to the UK's post-Brexit future. Any effort to switch domicile overseas would be viewed as undermining the nation's industrial strategy. TV reality ITV shares perked up a little in latest trading but are still perilously close to the 100p mark not seen for several years. The slump largely is seen as a response to the uncertainty over consumer advertising as the politicians squabble over Brexit. ITV has been punished by the fallout from the suicide of a contestant on the Jeremy Kyle show even though chief executive Carolyn McCall wisely axed the programme. The longer-term shadow over ITV, and for that matter other UK terrestrial broadcasters, is the challenge from the American streaming companies Netflix and Amazon as well as Disney and Comcast, which also are moving online. Not surprisingly there is concern that ITV's response to the challenge in the shape of Britbox, a joint ITV-BBC streaming service, might be coming off the rails. ITV's projected budget for Britbox of 65m is seen as being dwarfed by the 11.5 billion global spend by Netflix over the next year. The scale of the challenge should not be underestimated. Nevertheless, despite complications in the negotiations with the BBC it is now hoped that the Britbox deal will be completed by July and fully operational by the end of the year. The new service will carry thousands of hours of existing programming from the archives of the two broadcasters. But they are also proposing to upload up to 3 billion a year of new shows from their existing studios, giving British creative values a fighting chance. Bad offer One can understand why Neil Woodford is continuing to support the Non-Standard Finance bid for Provident given the huge value he has locked up in the target company. But, as Provvy has pointed out, the execution of this offer has been 'dreadful' and since declaring the deal unconditional a flow of investors, including M&G, has come out against. With so many minority investors holding out, NSF boss John van Kuffeler's confidence of complete victory looks wildly overdone. Maybe it's time to go back to the drawing board. So, one of the country's most senior scam-fighting police officers says not every fraud victim deserves a refund. Commander Karen Baxter, the national co-ordinator for economic crime at the City of London Police, said people needed 'to be more diligent, more personally responsible', and that there should always be consequences for 'extremely irresponsible behaviour'. She was speaking ahead of the launch of a new voluntary code to reimburse victims of bank transfer fraud, and after TSB promised to fully refund 'authorised push payment' fraud victims (where customers are tricked into sending money to a scammer). Money grab: Today's crooks are sophisticated, shrewd and so convincing that even the most careful consumers can be tricked Both schemes were introduced to better protect customers who fall victim to a devastating criminal offence after years of campaigning from the likes of Money Mail. Yet critics such as Baxter say these guarantees could further fuel the fraud epidemic by encouraging risky financial behaviour; a moral hazard whereby customers are less worried about jeopardising a few thousand pounds because they know they can get it back. This is simply victim-blaming and demonstrates a lack of empathy as to how these crimes are perpetuated and their effect. People don't tend to be negligent when it comes to their life savings. Why would anyone needlessly put themselves through the stress and torment of having to make a time-consuming fraud claim? Today's crooks are sophisticated, shrewd and so convincing that even the most careful consumers can be tricked. And scammers aren't only outsmarting the general public, but banks and the police, too. Last year, official statistics showed that more than 96 per cent of fraud cases reported to Action Fraud, the national fraud reporting service run by the City of London Police, went unsolved. One could understand Baxter's view if a customer's negligence was the only thing that enabled fraud. But simple security checks are still not in place to prevent money being sent to unverified bank accounts, and fraudsters are stealing even more with impunity. Are the police and banks really doing all they can to protect ordinary people against losing huge sums of money? Until they can prove they are, the victims of their negligence should be protected under all circumstances. Life lessons When it comes to paying pocket money to young children, academics say you can't beat coins and notes. But, as they get older, it's important that parents also teach them how to use a debit card and online banking. This new generation has to know how a beep at a contactless card reader will deplete their bank account in the same way taking 50p out of their piggy bank will. But cash or cashless, pocket money is the first, vital step in teaching our children how to look after their own money. Post Office threat After a shocking forecast last week warned that 2,500 Post Offices will shut or downsize in the next year, the Daily Mail has launched its Save Our Local Post Offices campaign to preserve vital branches. More than 1,000 have already closed due to financial pressure, while 3,000 others are reliant on subsidies. Here at Money Mail we are often reminded how important the services of the humble Post Office are to our readers many of whom are not online. And, as more banks close branches and cashpoints vanish, their existence will become even more essential. It would truly be a sad day if our Government failed to protect this important institution and the citizens it serves every day. Do you own a stake in the company you work for? Those who do range from the self-employed, to business partners, investors in work schemes, ordinary workers lucky enough to be given some shares and executives, who tend to get awarded a lot these days. Many of us go to work each day, however, without owning even a small part of the company we spend more time with than our family. Plans are afoot to change this on both sides of the Atlantic though. Waitrose and John Lewis are based on a partnership model, where employees own shares Here in Britain, Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell's Labour Party wants to force firms to hand over 10 per cent of their shares to workers to be held in an inclusive ownership fund. And this week, in the US, Senator Bernie Sanders made a similar plan part of his campaign to become the Democrats' presidential candidate for 2020. Yet, how the plans could work is fraught with difficulties. Chief among them is that forcing companies to hand over shares involves appropriating someone else's assets. If existing shares are to be given over they would need to be taken off shareholders. They could be compelled to hand them over for free, or the company might have to buy the shares, but both options involve taking money off those who collectively own the company. A more likely scenario would be one where new shares are created, yet this dilutes existing shareholders and makes their stakes worth less so ultimately this still amounts to taking money off them. Meanwhile, the McDonnell plan would not see workers get the full benefit of the dividends paid by companies, an excess above 500 a year would go to the state. Thus the plan has been labelled a potential dividend tax. There is also the question of size. When McDonnell's plan was floated it was for all companies with more than 250 employees, but what about those that aren't listed on the stock market and so don't have a liquid pool of shares? John McDonnell: The Labour Party wants to force firms to hand over 10 per cent of their shares to workers Likewise, if workers for big companies get benefits, don't employees of firms with fewer than 250 people deserve a stake, a say and a share in profits? Set that to one side though and remember that a noble aim lies behind such ideas: expanding employee ownership and increasing workers' say in how companies are run. So, what if there is another way to do it that also tackles the concern over soaring executive pay? A better way forward would be to introduce a rule whereby when shares are issued to a company's executives then they must also be given to other employees, using a ratio between the highest paid and median worker. Nowadays, in most big companies and many small ones a lot of remuneration is in shares. When you hear about this or that boss or senior executive getting hundreds of thousands or even millions of pounds, they are typically getting a lower base salary and then a big share award on top. High executive pay has led to calls for caps linking the highest paid to the median worker, but a better plan would be to blend that idea and the shares for workers one. So, if the boss gets X in shares, the median worker has to get Y. It could even be a fairly high ratio: make it one to 100 and if a CEO gets 1million the median worker gets 10,000. The problem for existing shareholders is that this still means issuing new shares and diluting their stakes, but the McDonnell plan does that anyway and at least this one combines a limit to high pay and employee ownership. In theory, companies where workers have a stake are better run, have more engaged staff and should be more profitable. In the long-run existing shareholders could win. Luxury tonic company Double Dutch has made a major push into the US to rival stock market darling Fever Tree. The British company, founded by Netherlands-born twins Joyce and Raissa de Haas, will see its first shipment of mixer drinks land in Texas this week for a launch in a grocery chain. Mirror image: Double Dutch was founded by Netherlands-born twins Joyce and Raissa de Haas Double Dutch last week started selling in more than 1,500 Greene King pubs and is rapidly expanding. Joyce de Haas said: 'We're definitely focusing on growing the company globally for the next five to seven years.' Investors hope Double Dutch will replicate the success of Fever Tree, whose shares have soared almost 2,000 per cent since listing in 2014 and saw revenue last year hit 237.4m. Executives from US construction equipment giant Caterpillar are in Britain for crunch talks about the British Steel crisis. Top brass want assurances that it can still buy steel from one of British Steel's specialist plants, Skinningrove, in Teesside, away from the main Scunthorpe site. Caterpillar uses steel made at Skinningrove to produce track shoes, which enable its huge diggers to move around at its factory nearby. Crunch talks: Caterpillar bosses want assurances that it can still buy steel from one of British Steel's specialist plants British Steel collapsed last week after the Government refused to hand over 30m to keep it going, putting about 5,000 jobs at risk. The firm has been taken out of the hands of private equity firm Greybull Capital, which bought it for 1 in 2015, and is under the control of the Official Receiver who yesterday said it is making 'good progress' with a sale. Sixty potential buyers have been given access to commercially sensitive information, which they would need to review before making a formal bid. It is thought that Caterpillar will today hold talks with the management team of its Skinningrove centre as well as local politicians, including Tory MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, Simon Clarke, who said: 'We'll do everything in our power to support Skinningrove at this difficult time.' Caterpillar declined to comment. After a successful 2018 Conference which saw over 100 industry professionals attending, The 4th Annual Women in Roofing Conference 2019 is being held in Birmingham on the 24 June. The event will take place at the Vox Conference Centre in Resort World, and its title for this year is Choosing Change. This reflects the changes made to the format and content of the conference, which this year is being professionally organised and facilitated with a greater focus on networking and substantive learning opportunities for delegates, whilst still celebrating the commitment, contribution and enthusiasm that women bring to the industry. The conference will include a variety of keynote speakers, panel discussions and workshops catering to all professional levels. Attendees can part of an inspirational panel discussion considering What changes do we want to see in our industry? This will be a facilitated audience and panel discussion with audience participation through an electronic questioning system. The conference will be offering a number of interactive sessions for attendees to sign up to attend on the day including Changing Attitudes (Industry Promotions), Changing Culture (Developing People), Changing Lives (Promoting Resilience), Changing Buildings (Case Study), Changing Specifications, Making Changes (Funding Research), Changing Fortunes and a showcase of Product Innovation. The conference will look at the most relevant and pressing of challenges facing the industry and offer focused interactive sessions and workshops, inspiring keynote speakers, best practice case studies, and hear from people who are challenging the norm. The aim of the event is to ensure attendees are empowered and educated with the right tools to enable positive change in their organisations. The company behind the Yellow Pages has been accused of gaming a major customer review website to get better scores. Yell, which sells online listings and marketing services to businesses, is giving staff cash rewards if they convince clients to leave positive reviews on Trustpilot.com. But the policy has sparked an investigation by Trustpilot after Yell staff were told to only seek positive write-ups. Investigation: Yell is giving staff cash rewards if they convince clients to leave positive reviews on Trustpilot.com Trustpilot rules say a firm 'may not selectively invite users to submit reviews; as a general rule, the company must invite all or none of its users'. But a leaflet distributed to salesman at Yell, which faces complaints from businesses for shoddy service and rip-off prices, tells them: 'For every happy customer you speak to, ask them if they mind writing a review on Trustpilot. 'If there's any risk that customers may leave a negative review, please don't ask them.' Trustpilot said it took potential rule breaches very seriously, adding: 'Our team is investigating this matter.' It comes after the Mail revealed Yell faced complaints from frustrated entrepreneurs who say they are not getting services they were promised. Many pay Yell for marketing services, but some say their place on Yell's website and app was superseded by other businesses paying nothing. There are also claims Yell's promotional tactics can leave them with worse rankings on Google. But when firms withheld payment out of frustration, Yell threatened to send debt collectors round. It has prompted calls from some business owners for Yell to pay compensation. Yell holds a four out of five stars rating on Trustpilot, giving it an overall rating of 'great', based on over 5,840 reviews. Only 15 per cent of them are 'poor' or 'bad'; 2 per cent are 'average'; and 83 per cent are 'great' or 'excellent'. The thousands of positive comments left for it include 'Fantastic customer service', 'Pleasure to talk to' and 'Operator was amazingly informative'. However, among hundreds of complaints against Yell are claims its services are 'extortionate', 'useless' and 'leave you feeling manipulated and stupid'. One user wrote: 'I was fooled by the good reviews. They are not delivering the service they sold me... but they still expect me to pay. ' The Yell leaflet shows staff get 10 for each five-star review they bring in, or 5 for four-star reviews. A spokesman said: 'Yell has invested heavily in our service model and we actively encourage customers to review us like any other business. 'The [document] you refer to incentivises our service staff on great service, one of the measures of this is Trustpilot in accordance with their guidelines and six monthly audits.' Yell has said it takes complaints about its services seriously and would investigate. Gordon Ramsay's restaurants broke even last year as he weathered a storm that pushed fellow TV chef Jamie Oliver's chain into administration. Gordon Ramsay Restaurants made a profit before tax of 500,000 in the year to August 31, a recovery on the previous year, when pre-tax losses came to 3.8m. Carve up: Gordon Ramsay Restaurants made a profit before tax of 500,000 in the year to August 31 Sales jumped 4.3 per cent to 53.6m. Ramsay said: 'We are relentless with our food quality, that is a given. 'We have to understand our guests, what they want, where they are heading and we have to head there with them or be left behind.' It comes at a difficult time for the industry, with rising costs and fierce competition pushing several operators to shut up shop. Last week Jamie Oliver's restaurant empire went into administration, leading to the immediate closure of 22 of his 25 sites. But Ramsay is expanding. His portfolio already includes 15 restaurants in London and 23 internationally, with a combined total of seven Michelin stars across the business. The drive to become more energy-efficient amid concerns over climate change, and the rush to develop mass market electric cars, are key factors behind the proposed 27 billion merger of Fiat Chrysler with Renault. The deal, which will create the third-largest force in global motor manufacturing behind Toyota and VW, is the direct result of a dramatic decline in demand for diesel cars, which are considered serious polluters. The tie-up caught the French car giant's long-standing associate, Nissan, off-guard, with chief executive Hiroto Saikawa learning of the deal only when it was brought to the Renault board for approval. The fallout for Nissan will be closely watched in Britain given the importance of its Sunderland plant, one of the most efficient motor manufacturers in Europe. Among the first moves by Theresa May when she took over as Prime Minister in 2016 was to try to secure the future of the Sunderland plant amid fears Brexit would lead to some production being moved. Concern about damage to the Earth's environment, combined with public outrage over the Dieselgate scandal when the German firm Volkswagen was exposed for cheating on fuel emission figures, led Renault and Fiat into each other's arms. Whereas the Blair-Brown government, to curb pollution, made huge efforts to persuade motorists to use diesel, subsequent governments advised about its dangers and then Environment Secretary Michael Gove said Britain's roads must be cleared of all diesel and petrol vehicles by 2040. Meanwhile, car makers are struggling with the technology required to mass-produce electric-fuelled cars. And, after this link-up, there could be further copycat mergers and co-operation deals. One of the most talked about tie-ups has been a possible deal between Indian-owned Jaguar Land Rover, Britain's flagship car maker, and the French group Peugeot, which owns the UK's Vauxhall marque. Car firms everywhere are being forced to accelerate the transition from fossil-fuel internal combustion engines to hybrids (half-electric, half-petrol), fully electric cars and engines fuelled by hydrogen. The result is much pain. Jaguar Land Rover suffered a record loss of 3.6 billion last year, having invested too much in diesel cars. Volkswagen, the world's second-largest car company, is hurting from the 26 billion, and rising, bill for cheating on its emissions figures. Former executives face criminal charges in the US. It and other German manufacturers have struggled to meet the tougher EU rules on emissions from exhausts. Germany's once all-powerful industry is struggling to make cars compliant with eco-rules and output has plummeted. The Renault-Fiat Chrysler deal completed in super-quick time after they began talking about collaborating on Research & Development (R&D) for electric cars. When it was unveiled on Monday both sides emphasised that current production facilities would be unaffected and French ministers have been assured no Renault factories in France would close. The two firms are spending up to 6 billion on R&D and innovation, and they promise the cost reductions will not come from plant closures. But how binding those undertakings prove to be, at a time of overcapacity, is a matter for conjecture. Crucially, they are convinced they can avoid intervention by EU competition authorities, which have blocked or interfered in takeovers. And it's not just in Europe that the industry is undergoing great change. US tycoon Elon Musk's Tesla is establishing itself as the first all-electric car company. Britain's Dyson and Google owner Alphabet are pouring resources into electric and autonomous driving vehicle R&D. There is another practical issue: how the switch to electric will put a huge strain on world electricity suppliers (such as on the National Grid in Britain), when wind and solar power are yet to prove themselves as 100 per cent reliable 24/7 suppliers, and nuclear energy is so very expensive. So it's not just the car giants that have to make big decisions but world governments, too. Flybe's boss will step down in July once the struggling budget airline is sold to a consortium led by Virgin. Christine Ourmieres-Widener, 54, joined as chief executive in January 2017 and oversaw the demise of the airline. Struggle: Christine Ourmieres-Widener joined as chief executive in January 2017 Flybe avoided insolvency at the beginning of the year but investors' holdings were wiped out in the sale to Connect Airways, which is made up of Virgin, Stobart Group and private equity firm Cyrus Capital Partners. Connect bought Flybe's operations for 2.8m and paid 2.2m for its parent company, which valued it at just 1p per share, a huge discount to its price before the Connect offer, when it stood at 16.4p. Shareholders voted the deal through in March. EU regulators decide on whether the sale can go through later this month. Ourmieres-Widener, a French mother of three, had held senior roles at several firms. Flybe expects to find a replacement by July 15. Kenny Alexander, chief exec of Ladbrokes owner GVC Holdings The boss of Ladbrokes owner GVC has given up a six-figure pay rise in a desperate attempt to avoid an investor revolt at next week's AGM. Kenny Alexander, the chief executive of GVC Holdings, will forego most of a planned 200,000 salary increase. Instead of boosting his 750,000 basic salary to 950,000, he will get 800,000 plus pensions, benefits and bonuses. It comes amid growing City unrest over governance and performance. But critics have said it is a token gesture. Thanks to massive bonuses, Alexander took home 19.1million in 2018 and 18.3million the year before, bringing the total to just over 37million. His latest pay cheque was awarded despite shares falling by more than 40 per cent during the last 12 months. Alexander and chairman Lee Feldman also angered investors when they sold 20million of shares, wiping millions of pounds off the company's value. Merian Global Investors has already said it is voting against the pay report. Richard Buxton, head of UK equities, said there appeared to be a 'complete disconnect' between what management was telling the shareholders and the remuneration committee. GVC said: 'This offer was made in light of recent shareholder and proxy adviser feedback on GVC's 2018 remuneration report.' Yesterday shares fell 1 per cent to 589p. Vegan burger company Beyond Meat is planning to start production of its plant-based products in Europe next year as it pushes beyond the US. The California company, backed by Microsoft tycoon Bill Gates and actor Leonardo DiCaprio, is building a new factory in the Netherlands with Zandbergen World's Finest Meat. It will be Beyond Meat's first factory outside the US, and should help the fast-growing firm push its meat-free burgers and sausages into more shops across Europe. Beyond Meat, which is backed by actress Jessica Chastain (pictured with founder Ethan Brown), is planning to start production of its plant-based products in Europe next year Shares rose more than 13 per cent to $97.50 and have jumped 290 per cent since floating at $25 this month. The company, which is also backed by actress Jessica Chastain, is now valued at nearly 4.5billion. Appetite for the meat substitute company has been fuelled by the rise in vegan eating. Its products, such as a burger which 'bleeds' with beetroot juice, can already be found in the UK in Tesco stores, and are served in TGI Fridays and Legoland cafes. Goldman Sachs predicts annual sales could rise to more than 4billion. Shares in Ocado fell 3 per cent after a leading City analyst said one of the company's founders was creating a viable competitor to the online grocer. Barclays Capital's James Anstead reckons Today Development Partners (TDP) is on to something, having been set up by Jonathan Faiman, who co-founded Ocado with Tim Steiner and Jason Gissing. Anstead pointed to the recruitment by TDP of Jon Hillary, one of Ocado's longest-serving employees. Tech wars: Shares in Ocado fell 3 per cent after a leading City analyst said one of the company's founders was creating a viable competitor to the online grocer 'Hillary was reportedly responsible for helping develop Ocado's logistics and automation processes, as well as designing and building its customer fulfilment centres,' said Anstead. 'Creating a viable competitor to Ocado is certainly a huge task, but this move gives TDP a credibility boost.' TDP was recently chosen by Waitrose to help develop its online offering, replacing Ocado (down 53.1 per cent, or 37.5p at 1167.5p). Sticking with the retail sector, Marks & Spencer topped the FTSE 100's list of fallers following a technicality related to its 600million City fundraiser. The rights issue will bring in the bulk of the 750million required to bankroll a food delivery deal with Ocado. Stock Watch - Ryanair UBS and Liberum Capital have both trimmed their target prices for Ryanair after the budget carrier last week forecast 'broadly flat' 2020 profits. UBS cut its valuation for the Irish airline to 14.45 a share from 15.25, saying earnings guidance was weaker than it had predicted. Liberum cut its target price to 12.50 from 14.50 on the back of the Irish carrier's flat profit forecasts. Shares dropped 2.1 per cent, or 22 cents, to 10.41. Yesterday's fall for M&S it was down 7.4 per cent,or 18.5p, to 232p raised the distinct possibility of an ignominious ejection from the top flight after shake-up day next week. It was one of the founding stocks back in 1984. Laith Khalaf, senior analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, thinks Marks will survive, but only just. The FTSE 100 itself had a poor day, falling 83.65 points to 7185.30 amid worries over the deteriorating state of trade relations between China and the US. Wall Street booked a second consecutive session of heavy losses. Beijing has hit back at President Trump's sanctions by threatening to restrict the export of rare earth minerals used in computer memories, rechargeable batteries used in electric vehicles and catalytic converters. Telecoms firm Huawei, meanwhile, is mulling US legal action. Neil Wilson, analyst at Markets, said: 'China's threat is clearly a bargaining chip, if not exactly a trump card, but one the market is starting to really take seriously.' Stobart Group, the logistics firm that owns Southend Airport, motored 6 per cent, or 7p, to 124.4p, despite a full-year loss peppered with a series of expenses and writedowns. Among the small-caps, shares in Xtract Resources rocketed up 46.4 per cent, or 0.33p, to 1.02p after it signed a collaboration agreement to process hard rock gold deposits in Mozambique. Rainbow Rare Earths rose 25.9 per cent, or 0.88p, to 4.25p after investors flooded to non-Chinese rare earth stocks following the threats by Beijing. India-focused clothing firm Koovs jumped 22.8 per cent, or 1.4p, up to 7.55p after receiving 3.7million as part of an agreement with conglomerate Future Lifestyle Fashions, which has the licence in India for brands such as Converse and Champion. Meanwhile, solid state battery maker Ilika said it had developed processing methods that would allow its power cells to be used more easily in medical devices such as insulin pumps and smart contact lenses, sending the shares up 15 per cent, or 4.5p, to 34.5p. In the fallers, customer communications group Netcall sank 11.9 per cent, or 6.75p, to 50p after warning that purchasing delays meant its product revenues would be lower for its current financial year. Cancer drug developer Valirx fell 11.8 per cent, or 0.03p, to 0.23p after its losses widened. Sitting in his office on a hot August afternoon, James Robertson was looking forward to the weekend ahead. At that point, the IT professional had no idea his life was about to change for ever. As his colleagues packed their bags to go home, a visitor arrived and asked James to go to a private room, where he was told he had won 1 million. The mysterious visitor was an Agent Million a man tasked by National Savings and Investments (NS&I) to find and inform lucky winners that they have scooped the biggest prize in the monthly Premium Bond draw. But if it weren't for a second dose of good fortune, James's prize might have gone unclaimed. The previous day, the Agent Million who has to tell the winner the news in person and out of earshot of others had arrived at an old address James and his wife had left two years earlier. James, who had forgotten to tell NS&I his new address, was only found as it was able to make contact using details from his records. Thousands of other savers haven't been so lucky; there are 180,000 prize cheques worth 8.2 million that have been returned to sender usually because the bond owners have moved house and not notified NS&I. In all, Premium Bond winnings worth more than 61 million are still waiting to be claimed. The amount of prize money that has been left unclaimed and which has now been sorted by location reveals Premium Bond-holders in Manchester are missing out on nearly 2 million, and more than 40,000 prizes are unclaimed in Kent. Around 79 billion Premium Bonds are held by 21 million savers, who can invest anything between 25 and 50,000. Each 1 will buy you a Premium Bond, and each month winning numbers are drawn using Ernie, NS&I's unique numbers machine. This month, 3,292,546 prizes worth 94,111,900 were won and two lucky bond-holders received 1 million each. NS&I sends prizes worth less than 5,000 to winners in the form of warrants, which are similar to cheques. Those who win between 5,000 and 100,000 find out from a letter, which comes with a claim form. Jackpot winners are visited personally by one of NS&I's Agent Millions. Life in the fast lane: There are 180,000 prize cheques worth 8.2 million that have been returned to sender Prizes can go unclaimed if the original owner of the bond has died and NS&I has not been notified, or if they move house and do not notify the Government's savings arm. They can also go unclaimed if the winner was bought Premium Bonds as a child and has forgotten about them, grown up and moved away. If a bond-holder dies and NS&I isn't immediately informed, the executor can claim for the estate any prizes the deceased has won 12 months after their death. An executor can also choose whether to cash in the deceased's bonds or keep them in draws up to a year after their death. The oldest unclaimed prize dates back to the sixth Premium Bonds draw in November 1957 and it's worth 25. New figures show there are five unclaimed 100,000 prizes, at least four 50,000 prizes and at least five 25,000 rewards. Greater London is the region with the highest number of unclaimed prizes, with 302,789 in total they're worth 11,759,725. It was followed by Greater Manchester, which has 48,061 unclaimed prizes worth 1,977,050. There are a further 197,512 unclaimed prizes worth 8,822,075 where NS&I does not know the correct details for the rightful owners perhaps because they have moved outside the UK or NS&I does not have an up-to-date address for them. In 2014, Premium Bond-holder James won the top prize with one of his 8,175 bond numbers. However, as James had not told NS&I he had moved house, an Agent Million first went to his old address to deliver the good news. 'When we moved I remember updating my bank with my new address and doing all those other things the one thing I forgot to do was to tell NS&I we were moving,' says James. The father of two, who lives in Berkshire, says when the Agent Million turned up at his work the following day to inform him of his winnings, he was stunned. He says: 'I didn't know what to think, my first reaction was just: 'Wow'. When I got home I told my wife she needed to sit down and I said that we'd won 1 million. She completely freaked out, but then after that initial excitement we both decided it had to be a scam.' James and his wife had invested 8,000 in Premium Bonds in 2013 after saving the money. Since then, they had won around half a dozen 25 prizes and one 500 prize reinvesting most into bonds and using some to overpay their mortgage. Six months after their win, they had a meeting with a financial adviser and each deposited around 300,000 into an investment portfolio. Now, the couple, who have twin boys aged four, are reaping the rewards of their shrewd investments. James was able to become self-employed, and he and his wife also enjoyed a holiday to San Francisco. 'It's not like we live particularly different lives, we haven't massively changed our living standards,' says James. 'It's about having the money to feel secure and making sure the children are set for the future.' To find out if you have an unclaimed prize, write to NS&I, Glasgow G58 1SB with your personal details and any information you have about your account such as your bond-holder's number and account number. If you have lost details of your account, want to register updated details, or want to notify NS&I of a bond-holder's death, you can telephone NS&I on 08085 007 007. James's real surname has not been used at his request. Staff at a Home Depot built a walker for a disabled two-year-old out of PVC pipes so he could get around easier. Logan Moore suffers from hypotonia which leaves his muscles weak and makes walking very difficult. His parents Christian and Justin Moore did not think their insurance would cover a walker for the youngster. So they went to visit their local Home Depot last Friday to make him a gait trainer out of PVC piping after watching YouTube tutorials. But when they went to the store in Cedartown, Georgia, and asked for help with the supplies the store manager and another worker stepped in to make it for them for free. Logan Moore with his new walker surrounded Home Depot employees in Cedartown, Georgia, and his mom Christian Moore behind him Little Logan trying out his new PVC pipe walker for the first time. He suffers from hypotonia which makes walking a challenge They were told to go and get ice cream and come back in an hour. When the family returned the frame was finished, complete with Logan's name written on the handle. Christian Moore said the family was shocked to get the help from the shop staff and were nearly in tears. She told DailyMail.com: 'We saw plans for a walker on YouTube because we were unsure if insurance would pay for one my son needs. 'We went to Home Depot they the parts and one of the employees said she would send someone to help. 'A few minutes later the store manager and another employee came over and started getting all the parts for us. 'They then told us that they would put it together with no charge to us. They said go and get ice cream and come back in an hour and it would be finished. Home Depot employee Jeff Anderson said 'everyone was crying' when Logan started walking with a smile on his face 'We are very grateful for the employees at Home Depot. They didnt have to do that for us but they did and we cant thank them enough.' She told CNN it was an emotional experience to see her son using the walker for the first time. Moore added: 'I couldn't believe they were willing to do that. It took everything I had not to cry because it hasn't been an easy road for my son. He has had a hard time doing things that would be easy for most children his age.' Jeff Anderson, one of the men who helped make the walker, posted on Facebook about how emotional everyone involved became when they saw the joy on Logan's face. He wrote: 'Everyone was crying to see Logan walk around with the biggest smile on his face...Thank to all that help and for being a blessing to this family and to this little guy.' Jacob Rees-Mogg had a bottle of water tipped over him in the latest incident of a Brexiteer being targeted by a member of the public, MailOnline can reveal. The Somerset MP was leaving a public speaking engagement at the Friends' Meeting House in Euston when a handful of protesters surrounded his car. One man shouted through a megaphone: In you go Jacob, you horrible little man. Take your fascism with you. Another activist then approached and tried to pour a bottle of water over the MP's head. He missed and appeared to soak his trousers. The man with the megaphone continued: Have a drink of water. Its European water. The senior Brexiteer did not retaliate, but sat smiling in the black Mercedes as he was driven away. He later told MailOnline: 'It is not easy to turn me into a Tory wet'. An activist pours a bottle of water over Jacob Rees-Mogg as he gets into his car in London Smiling Mr Rees-Mogg was defiant, telling MailOnline: 'It's not easy to turn me into a Tory wet' Mr Rees-Mogg is the latest prominent Brexiteer to be targeted by thugs in the street Mr Rees-Mogg was accosted after he concluded a talk to publicise his new book about the Victorians, alongside the former Labour MP Tristram Hunt, now the director of the V&A. It comes as alarm spreads at the growing trend of attacks on Brexit figures with milkshakes, including Nigel Farage and 81-year-old army veteran Don MacNaughton. During the European election, stands offering free milkshakes were set up outside polling stations in Kent - part of the South East England constituency where Mr Farage stood. Drinks brand Plenish, which makes plant-based dairy-free refreshments, came up with the idea after the Brexit Party leader was hit by a milkshake last week. Mr Farage was left with milkshake dripping down his lapels during a walkabout in Newcastle last Monday. Police said a 32-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault. Paul Crowther, who was detained in handcuffs at the scene, said he threw the banana-and-salted caramel Five Guys shake to protest Farage's 'bile and racism'. The far-right activist Tommy Robinson, who failed to be elected to the European parliament on Sunday, was also pelted with milkshakes during the election campaign. Last week, a McDonald's in Edinburgh said it had been told by police not to sell milkshakes during a Brexit Party rally. In response, Burger King tweeted: 'Dear people of Scotland. We're selling milkshakes all weekend. Have fun. Love BK.' A Tennessee jury deliberated less than two hours Tuesday before sentencing the man who shot up a Nashville church in 2017 to life in prison without the possibility of parole. On Friday, the jury found Emanuel Kidega Samson guilty of murder in the death of Melanie Crow. Samson also injured seven others during his rampage and will be sentenced on an additional 42 counts in July, although those sentences will be largely symbolic. Emanuel Kidega Samson, 27, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole by a Tennesee jury On Friday, the jury found Samson (seen above in February) guilty of murder in the death of Melanie Crow. Samson also injured seven others during his rampage and will be sentenced on an additional 42 counts in July, although those sentences will be largely symbolic During the sentencing phase of Samson's trial on Tuesday, a psychiatrist testified Samson suffered from severe mental illness. That evidence had been suppressed during the guilt phase of the trial because it did not meet the criteria for an insanity defense. Forensic psychiatrist Stephen Montgomery found Samson's illness did not make him unable to premeditate his actions or stop him from appreciating their wrongfulness. According to earlier testimony, on Sept. 24, 2017, Samson left his motor running as he stepped into the parking lot of the Burnette Chapel Church of Christ wearing a motorcycle-style clown mask and a tactical vest. He shot and killed Crow as she walked to her car for a cough drop, scattering her Bible and her notes from church. The shooting rampage killed 38-year-old Melanie L. Crow of Smyrna, Tennessee The September 2017 shooting took place at Burnette Chapel Church of Christ in Nashville Samson then followed up with a hail of bullets inside the church that he once attended. In Samson's car, investigators found a note that suggested the shooting was payback for a 2015 massacre at a South Carolina black church. Samson is black and his victims were white. Psychiatrist Montgomery, in prerecorded testimony played for the jury Tuesday, said the note was bizarre because nothing else in the 27 year old's history indicated racial hatred or ideology. Montgomery said Samson is being treated for schizoaffective disorder and likely also suffered post-traumatic stress disorder from a childhood spent in a refugee camp in Africa and then an abusive home in the United States. Samson (pictured in a September 2017 mugshot) was charged with 43 counts including murder. Prosecutors have said Samson wanted revenge for the 2016 Charleston, South Carolina church massacre carried out by convicted murderer and white supremacist Dylann Roof (right), who is currently on death row Defense attorney Jennifer Lynn Thompson had argued for leniency, saying that even with parole, Samson would be 76 years old before he could leave prison. In closing arguments, she suggested to the jury that the 'genuine Mr. Samson' was polite, kind and helpful, as some churchgoers recalled his demeanor in years before the murder. Assistant District Attorney Amy Hunter said the jurors should remember Samson's victims, including those who witnessed the shooting but were uninjured. Hunter said she wants jurors to remember 'the children who are now afraid to come back to church - the children who say, 'If I go to church today, am I going to die?' The two are on the verge of getting engaged, as an insider told DailyMail.com: 'I think it will be in the next couple of months he's searching for the perfect ring' The mystery man seen dining out with Tara Reid last week is producer and club promoter Nathan Montpetit-Howar, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal. Friends of the Minnesota man, 37, said Reid, 43, has been dating Montpetit-Howar for more than a year after meeting 'on the club scene' and are on the verge of getting engaged. 'Nate is a really, really good guy,' an insider told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview. 'She [Reid] is so lucky. 'He's the kind of guy who can be there for her. He's had so much loss and heartbreak too he's lost both parents and his best friend.' The source added: 'They're very close to getting engaged. I think it will be in the next couple of months he's searching for the perfect ring.' Tara Reid's mystery boyfriend is Nathan Montpetit-Howar, a 37-year-old producer and club promoter, DailyMail.com can reveal. Reid, 43, and Montpetit-Howar, who is from St Paul, Minnesota, met on the club scene and have been dating for more than a year 'Nate is a really, really good guy,' an insider told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview. 'She [Reid] is so lucky. He's the kind of guy who can be there for her. He's had so much loss and heartbreak too he's lost both parents and his best friend.' Pictured: The two last Thursday Montpetit-Howar leads a glamorous Los Angeles lifestyle, complete with chic parties and social media pages peppered with pictures of celebrities, including boxer Floyd Mayweather (pictured together in 2017) Reid has a checkered love life, with past boyfriends including The Voice host Carson Daly to whom she was briefly engaged and Greek shipping heir Paris Latsis. She was also rumored to have brief relationships with Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee and Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst and rapper Eminem. Her last boyfriend was reportedly Israeli DJ Erez Eisen, although the pair never confirmed they were an item. Friends describe Montpetit-Howar as popular and well-liked, but say his life has been blighted by tragedy losing his mother, father and best friend in quick succession. The insider said: 'It's actually very sad. He lost his mother at a young age and in the last couple of years, he also lost his father. 'He lost his best friend in the Iraq war. He's had a lot of loss and a lot of heartbreak.' Reid also lost both of her parents within a short period, with her father Thomas dying December 2016 followed by her mother Donna last October. The actress wrote of her devastation in an Instagram post but added: 'The one thing I know is they are together again.' Friends describe Montpetit-Howar as popular and well-liked, but say his life has been blighted by tragedy losing his mother, father Alan Howard (pictured with Montpetit-Howar) and best friend in quick succession Montpetit-Howar's friends say the tragedies have made him compassionate and the perfect partner for troubled Reid, although he remains 'a social butterfly'. Pictured: Nathan as a boy with his late father Montpetit-Howar's best friend Carlos Wilcox, 27, (pictured) was one of three Minnesota soldiers to be killed in an attack by insurgents in Iraq in 2009. The insider said: 'It's actually very sad... He lost his best friend in the Iraq war. He's had a lot of loss and a lot of heartbreak' Brought up by single mother Renee Montpetit in a suburb of St Paul, Minnesota, he was just 17 when she died from heart problems in 1999. His best friend Carlos Wilcox, 27, was one of three Minnesota soldiers to be killed in an attack by insurgents at their position in Basra, Iraq, in July 2009. Tragedy struck a third time when his father died unexpectedly in December 2017 aged 60 but friends told DailyMail.com that despite the hard time he's had, Montpetit-Howar has coped well. His friend also say the tragedies have made him compassionate and the perfect partner for troubled Reid, although he remains 'a social butterfly'. The friend added: 'He knows everybody. To know him is to love him. People gravitate towards him and he is just the nicest guy. 'He really is just the most loyal person... He's just the most genuine person and she's very lucky.' Montpetit-Howar leads a glamorous Los Angeles lifestyle, complete with chic parties and social media pages peppered with pictures of perfect Malibu sunsets. Friends of Montpetit-Howar say Reid is a lucky woman after the two met on the club scene and have been together for more than a year. Pictured: The couple after a night out in LA last week The source added: 'They're very close to getting engaged. I think it will be in the next couple of months he's searching for the perfect ring.' Pictured: The couple after on a night out in LA last Thursday Montpetit-Howar leads a glamorous life in Hollywood, partying and posing with celebrities, including Louis Vuitton artistic director and Kanye West's friend Virgil Abloh A music producer and club promoter, Montpetit-Howar is one of the founders of Los Angeles-based production company Phantom, as Vice President of Technology Design. According to his company bio, he 'is an Executive Producer credited with over 150 music tracks.' It adds: 'Nathan provides an important role not only in Phantom's end product results but also in creating key business contacts in the music industry.' His Instagram page is filled with his club promotion work with plugs for launch parties and album releases for rappers such as G Eazy and Travis Scott. Inspirational quotes are another favorite, including one from the Doors vocalist Ray Manzarek that reads: 'To be in a recording studio for that first time is an existential moment. 'It only happens once in your life and if that doesn't energize you, nothing will.' DailyMail.com has reached out to both Reid and Montpetit-Howar for comment. A college student has pleaded guilty to sneaking into Mar-a-Lago during President Donald Trump's Thanksgiving visit. University of Wisconsin student Mark Lindblom, 19, apologized on Tuesday and received a year's probation after federal prosecutors agreed he meant no harm when he illegally entered the Palm Beach club. Lindblom, who was charged with entering a restricted area, was visiting his grandparents at a neighboring resort on November 23 when he walked down a beach and got in line with entering Mar-a-Lago members and guests, wanting to see if he could get in. Mark Lindblom when he was a freshman at Woodrow Wilson Senior High School in Washington D.C. He was photographed in 2015 after making over $9,000 dollars through couponing. Now at the University of Wisconsin, Lindblom has received a year's probation after sneaking into Mar-a-Lago during Trump's 2018 Thanksgiving visit Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump sit down for Thanksgiving dinner at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on November 22, the day before Mark Lindblom entered the club and wandered around the grounds for 20 minutes before he was arrested Trump and his family were at the club for the holiday. Lindblom walked into the exclusive resort in a manner similar to how a Chinese national gained admission four months later. He manged to wander around the grounds for 20 minutes before he was arrested and took pictures on his cell phone. The Palm Beach Post reports Lindblom walked past signs warning that only authorized people were allowed entry. The 19-year-old business major from Washington, D.C., then went through a metal detector and Secret Service agents let him enter. A U.S. Coast Guard patrol boat passes President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, on November 22, the day before Lindblom sneaked into the grounds. The 19-year-old business major from Washington, D.C., went through a metal detector and Secret Service agents let him enter Accounts from his attorney and a federal prosecutor indicate Lindblom found it was easy to gain access. 'I wanted to see how far I could get,' Lindblom told Magistrate Judge William Matthewman. He said he did not realize how his actions would affect the Secret Service agents guarding the president. He said after watching online video of the 1981 attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan, he now understands the dangers agents face. 'These men and women are dedicated to serve us and protect the president,' he said. 'I'm so sorry for wasting their time.' Assistant U.S. Attorney John McMillan told Magistrate Judge William Matthewman that an investigation showed Lindblom's only goal was to gain entry and take pictures at the exclusive club (pictured above) 'We have no reason to believe he had a political, criminal or terroristic purpose,' McMillan said. 'It was a foolish decision he did on a lark' Assistant U.S. Attorney John McMillan told Matthewman that an investigation showed Lindblom's only goal was to gain entry and take pictures. 'We have no reason to believe he had a political, criminal or terroristic purpose,' McMillan said. 'It was a foolish decision he did on a lark.' Matthewman agreed, saying Lindblom committed 'a youthful indiscretion more out of misplaced curiosity.' McMillan said security at Mar-a-Lago has since been tightened and Lindblom would not have been able to enter now. Agents also let Chinese national Yujing Zhang, 32, enter Mar-a-Lago in March after she allegedly told them she was there to use the pool. Chinese national Yujing Zhang entered Mar-a-Lago in March after telling agents she was there to use the pool. In this April 15 sketch she listens to a hearing. She is awaiting trial and is facing more serious charges as prosecutors say she lied to agents and was found to be carrying cellphones, a computer and other electronic equipment She is awaiting trial and is facing more serious charges as prosecutors say she lied to agents. She was also found to be carrying cellphones, a computer and other electronic equipment, including a thumb drive containing malicious malware. She has pleaded not guilty. In an April 8 hearing, Zhang's attorney, Robert Adler, said his client wired $20,000 to a party organizer for access to the president's private club to attend what she thought was a party later that night an event that earlier in the week was cancelled. Zhang's lawyer, a public defender, made the case that his client was entitled to be present at the president's exclusive club. Adler said sources in China sent his office a receipt from what appeared to be a wire transfer for $20,000 to businessman Charles Lee, the alleged organizer of the cancelled party. Prosecutors described Zhang as an intruder who lied, changed her story, and had no reason to be at a restricted location. Brain surgeon Charlie Teo has hit back at doctors criticising his expensive medical procedures, saying he would perform surgeries for free if they 'swallowed their egos'. The Sydney-based neurosurgeon defended his practices during a fiery exchange with Today host Georgie Gardner on Wednesday morning. After sparring with Gardner, Dr Teo was planning to head to his surgery and operate on 12-year-old Amelia 'Millie' Lucas, who was previously given just '12 weeks to live'. But the surgery was postponed until Monday due to a lack of available beds. Miss Lucas's desperate parents crowdfunded $156,000 for her treatment after Dr Teo said she was a good candidate for potentially life-saving surgery. Dr Teo and his team will wear Milli's bandanas during the high-stakes procedure. Gardner this morning quizzed Dr Teo about the ethics of his prices but he shot back at the Nine Network presenter, telling her to get her 'facts straight' and arguing the bulk of his bill goes to the private hospital, not him. Sydney-based neurosurgeon Dr Charlie Teo defended his practices during a fiery exchange with Today host Georgie Gardner on Wednesday morning Amelia Millie Lucas's parents crowdfunded $156,000 to pay her medical bills and she will today be operated on by Dr Charlie Teo (together) Dr Teo told Miss Lucas's family he could perform the private open brain surgery for between $60-80,000 The surgeon - who claims he is paid just $8,000 for a $120,000 surgery - said the real issue was 'ego' and 'pride' among doctors in the public health system. He claimed public doctors allegedly refuse to endorse him so he could perform procedures for free. 'It is a little bit unfair. If I was a child with cancer and in a foreign state who wants the very best care, I think it should be able to be done in the public system', he said. 'But unfortunately, if it's done in the public system, you'll know few people have swallowed their egos'. He said doctors at facilities deemed 'centres of excellence' could operate on interstate patients free of charge in the public system, but required endorsements from other doctors. 'To be called a centre of excellence you need at least three or four neurosurgeons to say "that doctor is doing something different to us", and that is not going to happen,' he added. Gardner then calmly asked if he was suggesting he was only willing to work in public hospitals if his costs were covered. Teo replied he'd happily perform procedures free of charge if doctors were willing to have him. 'For the last 20 years, if I get an interstate patient who is poor, who doesn't have private health insurance, they have two options. They come to the private system in NSW and get done privately where they have to pay. The family of Amelia 'Millie' Lucas (left), from Perth, raised over $150,000 online so they could afford Dr Teo's surgery for a malignant brain tumour. Her sister Tess, 15, (right) also has the same brain tumour condition but has since been given the all-clear 'Or I say to them, "Listen, if you can get your neurosurgeon from your state to invite me to your hospital, I will operate free of charge in the public system with benefits not only you but will benefit hopefully the whole neurosurgical community where they can learn my techniques". 'Have I ever been taken up on that offer? Never.' Teo said it was only three weeks ago that a neurosurgeon at Westmead Children's Hospital contacted him for help on a case he could not perform on a sick child. 'He swallows his pride. He gets me over there. A little child who is dying is operated on free of charge. The outcome is fantastic. He's home now, tumour out. 'All they need to do is swallow their ego.' Sydney-based medical practitioner Charlie Teo has come under fire for charging patients as much as $120,000 upfront for high-stakes operations. Professor Henry Woo (right a urologist at the University of Sydney School of Medicine, counted as many as 113 GoFundMe campaigns had been launched by patients to fund the operations His comments come as his chief critic, Dr Henry Woo, a professor at the University of Sydney School of Medicine, doubled down on his claims that 'something is seriously wrong' with a system where the family of a terminally ill girl is forced to raise money for a possible lifesaving procedure. Millie's parents had been prepared to sell everything just to fund their daughter's surgery - which Dr Teo said would cost between $60,000 and $80,000. But family, friends and kind strangers have rallied behind the family to donate more than $150,000 in a week. The rest of the money will go towards alternative therapies being sought for Millie overseas. Professor Woo tweeted on Wednesday: 'There is no surgery that is so difficult that only one or a handful of surgeons could perform it... 'When surgeons are not performing a particular type of surgery, it is easy to blame the system. 'Often it is the actual surgery that is the issue. It is inappropriate to label surgeons as jealous, incompetent or stubborn when the reasons actually have validity'. 'If it was valid surgery, it could/should be performed in the public system under Medicare', Professor Woo said. Professor Woo criticised Dr Teo after a 12-year-old terminally ill girl was forced to raise $100,000 for her own brain operation Dr Teo said he does not believe there was anything wrong with raising money for procedures if patients are going through the private health system. 'Some of the practices are unethical but the actual concept of raising money to try and afford a doctor that does not work in your system or doesn't work in your state, I don't think it's unethical', he said. Teo has taken a swipe at Woo, a urologist, saying he should 'get back to his lab' and try and find a cure for prostate cancer, rather than trying to discredit a colleague. The Sydney-based medical practitioner has over the last decade taken on what other doctors deemed inoperable cases and offered brain cancer patients a second chance at life. He claimed to The Australian that NSW Health had told him it would have broken its budget had it allowed him to operate in the public system. He said the organisation has refused to acknowledge he provided a different level of skill in some cases. Dr Teo, who claims to have performed 11,000 operations, said that neurosurgeons simply felt intimidated by him and subsequently refused to endorse him. 'Am I as good as people say I am?' he asked. 'If you speak to any neurosurgeon in Australia, they will say it's all rubbish so why is it I am lauded and seduced overseas by the best hospitals?' He told Sky News that he had picked up work all around the world, though found a different attitude in Australia. 'I have these appointments everywhere to operate on the world's most difficult tumours and yet no one in Australia is prepared to invite me to their hospital to learn my technique. I mean there's something wrong there.' Despite undergoing a series of treatments, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy, Millie's brain tumour doubled in size within four months Dr Teo first came to attention after Professor Woo slammed the 'disturbing' amount of online fundraisers run by patients unable to afford his expertise. Professor Woo counted as many as 113 GoFundMe campaigns had been launched by patients to fund the operations. He said he found it difficult to reconcile Dr Teo's mantra of 'treating patients like your own family but leaving them financially destitute'. Dr Teo acknowledged Professor Woo had brought up an 'important issue'. 'The difference between public and private (and the) cost of medicine needs to be discussed,' he told the ABC. 'But what you have to remember that of that $120,000 (charged for surgery) most people think it all goes to me, and that's not the case at all.' He went on to explain that a large portion of the surgery fee would go directly to the private hospital, while the remainder would be split between the various experts involved in the operation. 'For example, in the last bill of $120,000, I got $8,000,' he explained. 'It's not even a significant amount for me.' Professor Woo's tweets sparked discussion on the ethics of charging patients excessive fees for healthcare as well as the issue of public versus private institutions. 'The best surgeons practice in the public sector where their decisions are peer reviewed. It's always possible 2 operate - the question becomes - is it safe and sensible. Our public sector gives great care if you have a serious illness. No doctor's afternoon is worth $60K,' one person tweeted. Professor Woo, however, responded that adequate medical care exists in both sectors - but patients should be better informed on the fees. RACS executive director of surgical affairs John Quinn slammed the idea that patients should have to fundraise for surgeries that were already available in the public system. He called for guided financial decisions and reminded patients that its was misleading to believe a higher fee always came with a better service. Publicly-funded cancer treatment had been a topic of debate during the federal election. Labor leader Bill Shorten promised to cut out of pocket costs owed by cancer patients. A charity store manager who was slammed for banning customers who wore pyjamas in her store has defended the shop's policy. Moana Turner, who runs Papakura Salvation Army, in South Auckland, put up a sign which read: 'Pyjama wear is not acceptable in the store. Thank you for your co-operation.' The poster, shared on the Papakura & Takanini Grapevine Facebook page, was labelled as 'silly' because it dictated 'what their customers can and can't wear'. But Ms Turner said the rule was in place because she was raised to believe pyjamas weren't 'suitable' attire to wear in public. Papakura Salvation Army manager Moana Turner, was criticised for a sign which read: 'Pyjama wear is not acceptable in the store. Thank you for your co-operation' 'I don't think it's suitable to wear PJs in a public store,' she told the NZ Herald. 'I was brought up by my mother. She was a single parent and there were 10 of us and not once did we ever go out without wearing clothes and shoes.' But a number of online users expressed their outrage at the store's strict policy. 'Wow I'm actually shocked at this,' one user wrote. Another wrote: 'it's quite cheeky of them to dictate what their customers can or can't wear.' Some users were in favour of the policy, arguing most bars impose dress codes and stores should enjoy the same rights. Ms Turner said she offers free clothing to customers who walk in wearing pyjamas. 'We all do it nicely we ask them if there is anything they need so they can avoid walking in public in their pyjamas,' she said. A group of brazen car thieves as young as 12 allegedly led police in a late-night high-speed chase through three Sydney neighbourhoods before crashing into parked cars. The boys crossed on to the wrong side of the road in their stolen Lexus IS250 at Bidwell forcing police to abandon the pursuit. Within an hour they crashed the $70,000 car in to two other vehicles at Hassall Grove and police rushed to the scene but two of the culprits set off on foot. The thieves were first spotted at Luxford Road at Shalvey at 9.30pm on Tuesday before their joyride turned into a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse. Footage of their arrest show police picking the teenagers up off the ground by the scruff of their necks and shoving them towards a patrol car to take them to Riverstone Police Station. Two boys, aged 12 and 15, were arrested at the scene while two others aged 14 and 17, fled the scene before being found in a nearby yard and arrested. Three of them were charged with breach of bail and two with carry and conveyance while the 15-year-old was released without charge. The trio was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Children's Court on Wednesday. Police can be seen picking the boys up off the ground and shoving them towards a patrol car to take them to Riverstone Police Station A Pennsylvania teen has died just days before her high school graduation after she fell victim to being in the wrong place at the wrong time and was fatally shot in the head. Morgan Dunston, 18, was pronounced dead in the early hours of Friday morning after she was struck by a bullet as she danced in a parking lot just hours after leaving her senior prom at McKeesport Area High School. Someone came up from behind and started shooting and my baby got shot, Dunstons mother, Angie Krimm told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Two of Dunstons friends rushed her to a hospital after the drive-by shooting but the 18-year-old died shortly after arriving. Morgan Dunston, 18, was pronounced dead in the early hours of Friday morning after she was struck by a bullet as she danced in a parking lot Dunston had left her prom just hours before her death. Her twin sister Jordyn (shown right) says she doesn't know how she will cope after Morgan's death Dunstons twin sister, Jordyn, who also went to the prom on Thursday evening, now says shes struggling to comprehend the loss of her sister, as she prepares to attend Slippery Rock Uni in just a few months time. She feels like, If I go on and live my life, I am leaving my sister behind. Krimm admitted on her grief-stricken daughters behalf. And I said, Jordyn, you have to do it for her. Because thats what she would want you to do. Prior to her sudden death, Dunston was set to study cosmetology at a specialist school in the summer. Friends and family say they will remember her as a happy and caring teenager who was always on hand to offer help to another in need. Her mother will now accept Dustons high school diploma on her behalf on Thursday, just twenty-four hours before her funeral. Dunstons twin sister, Jordyn, who also went to the prom on Thursday evening, now says shes struggling to deal with the loss of her sister, as she prepares to attend Slippery Rock Uni in just a few months time Dunston was shot down outside Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community Church. Several windows were shattered by an array of shots administered by an unknown gunman On Saturday, family and relatives plan to host a graduation party for the twins and a celebration of life for Dunston. She wasnt in a gang, Krimm told the newspaper. She wasnt with the wrong crowd. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time, trying to enjoy life. Someone came up from behind and started shooting and my baby got shot, Dunstons mother, Angie Krimm told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Its a dream, its a dream that Im still not awake from. Krimm further elaborated to WPXI. I dont know how youre supposed to bury your kid. Dunston was shot down outside Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community Church. Several windows were shattered by a hail of gunfire administered by an unknown gunman. The churchs pastor, Jeff Eddings, says he doesnt believe the holy building was the target of the assailants. My heart is really just concerned with the victim and what happened with whoever was here, Eddings said. Police say theyre currently investigating a number of leads but no arrests have yet been made. Dunstons death is being investigated as a homicide. Her mother will now accept Dustons high school diploma on her behalf on Thursday, just twenty-four hours before her funeral Krimm revealed that her daughter's murder was the second tragic death in the family's recent history. In 1998, her younger sister Kimmie Krimm, 14, was found dead on a McKeesport hillside. 21-years-on the cause of her death still remains a mystery. Krimm's mother, Jeanie Krimm urged the culprit to come forward, to spare the family another two decades of searching for answers. 'Everything that Angie is saying right now, I said 21 years ago,' Jeanie said to WTAE. 'I always said that we belonged to this club that nobody should belong to, and that's the mothers who have to bury their children. 'I just don't understand, you know? Families can go a lifetime without losing anybody that they love to murder, and then for us to have to do this twice. 'Please come forward,' she added. 'Don't let us go 20 years again without knowing.' Krimm revealed that her daughter's murder was the second tragic death in the family's recent history An online fundraiser set up to help cover the costs of Dunstons funeral has reached nearly $14,000 as of Tuesday evening. Our beautiful Morgan Dunston was taken from us early morning today while leaving a dance, by a senseless drive by shooting, leaving a family devastated, Beth LaRotonda said on the page, on behalf of the family. Her mother, brother and sisters (one of which is her twin) are beyond grief stricken. I would like to raise funds to help defray funeral costs and also help the family until her mom is able to cope with life again and return to work. Morgan was set to graduate from Mckeesport High School next week and had a bright future ahead of her. Australians are set to shiver through the week as a cold blast continues to hit the country, while Melbourne has woken up to its coldest day of the year. Severe wind warnings are in place for Victoria and New South Wales as an icy blast from the Antarctic sweeps across the south and east of the country. Melbourne's forecast maximum for Wednesday was a chilly 12C - lower than the average of 15.7C at this time of year. Weatherzone meteorologist Tom Hough told DailyMail Australia that it's still mild compared to the depths of Melbourne's winter but was likely to be the city's coldest day since the beginning of September last year. Melbourne residents awoke to a chilly 12C - a fair way lower than the average of 15.7C at this time of year Severe wind warnings are in place for Victoria and New South Wales as the icy Antarctic blast sweeping the country hits its peak Australians are set to shiver through the week as a cold blast continues to hit the country - while Melbourne has woken up to its coldest day of the year Thursday is forecast to warm up by just one degree, while temperatures will reach the mid-teens this weekend. Another brief cold period will hit Melbourne on Monday before the city warms up once again next week. As the cold front sweeps across Australia's south, damaging winds are expected for most of Victoria, including Central, East Gippsland, South West, North Central, North East, West and South Gippsland and parts of Wimmera. The cold and unstable west to southwesterly winds were forecast to average up to 90kph, while peak gusts in excess of 125kph were expected over Alpine areas. Blizzard conditions were also expected to continue in Alpine areas such as Warnambool, Ballarat, Geelong, Melbourne, Traralgon and Bairnsdale. Thursday is forecast to warm up by just one degree, while the weekend is expected to warm up to the mid-teens Another brief cold period will hit Melbourne on Monday before the city warms up once again next week Snow was expected down to 600 metres in alpine areas just days after Victorian ski resorts had their first major snowfall for the year. 'The cold front will remain fairly strong across the Victorian coast for much of today, and there are wind warnings for Victoria, NSW and Tasmania at the moment,' Mr Hough said. On the other hand, Sydneysiders are seeing a warmer than average day on Wednesday, with temperatures for the harbour city sitting at 21C. Mr Hough said while the temperature sits at a degree and a half above average, on Thursday it's expected to drop to 18C. Sydneysiders are seeing a warmer than average day on Wednesday, with temperatures for the harbour city sitting at 21C Snow is expected to fall down to 600metres in alpine areas just days after Victorian ski resorts had their first major snowfall for the year 'It's expected to be 20C on Friday and Saturday, and will remain in the high teens through the start of next week,' he said. However, the mornings are cooler than normal, with those in Sydney waking up to a chilly 8C, lower than the average of 11.5C. Those south of Sydney are told to brace for damaging weather as vigorous west to northwesterly winds are developing across southeastern parts of New South Wales. Winds with peak gusts of 90km per hour are forecast for the Illawarra, parts of the Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands and Snowy Mountains districts. Brisbane is expected to be uneventful as the temperature is trending around the low 20s, with most of the week forecast for 22C. As with most of south-east Australia, mornings are expected to be cooler than normal for the southern part of the sunshine state, waking up to 10C. Despite the weather in Brisbane, parts of Queensland woke up to one of the coldest May mornings in decades, with some major parts of the state dropping below 0C. Bundaberg woke to the coldest May morning since 1968, sitting at 5.5C just before 5am As with most of south-east Australia, mornings are expected to be cooler than normal for the southern part of the sunshine state, waking up to 10C Residents of Darling Downs and South Burnett regions woke to an icy morning, with Oakey at -2.3C just after 6am. Bundaberg woke to the coldest May morning since 1968, sitting at 5.5C just before 5am. 'The cold front coming across the south peaked in the early hours of this morning for Adelaide,' Mr Hough said. Adelaide will hit a maximum of 14C on Wednesday, but is expected to warm up a little later on in the week. Tasmania also has wind warnings in place as the cold front covers the state, with showers, cold temperatures and strong southwesterly winds expected to remain through to Thursday. Bureau of Meteorology national duty forecaster and extreme weather meteorologist Jackson Browne told Daily Mail Australia the cold weather was not exceptionable While snow fell on Sunday night in Tasmania, the state's coldest day will be Wednesday, with Hobart reaching just 10C. However, Hobart is expected to reach the mid-teens through the weekend. Bureau of Meteorology national duty forecaster and extreme weather meteorologist Jackson Browne told Daily Mail Australia the cold weather was not exceptionable. 'It's not a notable cold snap so there's no records broken,' he said. 'It's run-of-the-mill winter conditions.' The legislation now heads to the Democratic-controlled Senate, and Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker has said that he looks forward to signing it into law The Illinois House voted to rescind prohibitions on some late-term abortions and other restraints, including criminal penalties for doctors performing abortions GOP lawmakers want to bring the issue to the U.S. Supreme Court in an effort to reverse the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that guaranteed the right to abortion At least six states have adopted steep restrictions or bans on abortion recently Lawmakers in Illinois are taking steps to expand abortion rights at a time when many Republican-led states are seeking to restrict access to the procedure - even attempting to bring the issue before the U.S. Supreme Court in an effort to reverse the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that guaranteed the right to abortion. The Illinois House on Tuesday voted 64-50 in favor of Representative Kelly Cassidy's Reproductive Health Act, which would rescind prohibitions on some late-term abortions and 45-year-old restraints such as criminal penalties for doctors performing abortions, all measures whose enforcement has been prohibited by court orders. Outnumbered Republicans denounced the plan, contending it loosens definitions of fetal viability and doctors' responsibility in determining the medical need for an abortion - and as a result broadly expands allowances for late-term terminations that are not medically necessary. The vote shows how red and blue states are diverging on the issue, with blue states such as Illinois moving toward expanding abortion rights while red states ban abortion as early as six weeks of pregnancy. The high court signaled in an Indiana ruling Tuesday more openness to state restrictions. Illinois state Representative Kelly Cassidy, center right, embraces Representative Sara Feigenholtz after the Reproductive Health Act passed the Illinois House 64-50 Tuesday, May 28, 2019., in Springfield, Illinois. The legislation rewrote Illinois' current abortion law to make it less restrictive At least six states have adopted steep restrictions or bans on abortion - neighboring Missouri just last Friday outlawed abortions past the eighth week of pregnancy. 'These attacks have increased dramatically. They're focused and strategic and aimed at undermining our right to bodily autonomy and self-determination,' Cassidy said. The legislation now heads to the Senate, which Democrats control. Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker said in a statement that he looks forward to signing it into law. 'With reproductive health care under attack across the country, we must do everything in our power to protect women's rights in Illinois,' Pritzker said. 'Today was a major step forward for every woman in this state.' Cassidy, whose first pregnancy two decades ago ended with a medically necessary abortion which she said saved her life and her ability to have her three sons, repeatedly said the intent is to 'codify current practice.' That proved dissatisfactory to Representative Avery Bourne of Raymond, the Republicans' point person on the issue and an expectant mother in the 34th week of her pregnancy. Abortion is currently allowed to the point that the fetus is viable outside the womb. Cassidy said her measure doesn't change that. But Bourne noted that the bill makes exceptions for a physician's determination that viability could be sustained only with an 'extraordinary' post-birth procedure or because of factors 'relevant to the patient's health and well-being,' including 'familial health,' a definition for which Bourne sought futilely. The bill does not appear to include a definition. As her Democrat colleagues stand at their desks, Illinois state Representative Kelly Cassidy makes a final plea for the Reproductive Health Act on the floor of the Illinois House chambers Tuesday, May 28, 2019, in Springfield, Illinois 'This bill means that for a woman at my stage in pregnancy, where the baby responds to his dad's voice as he reads him books at night, ... the baby is perfectly healthy, but if that woman says, 'Based on my familial health, this is medically necessary,' that is allowed,' Bourne said. 'We are talking about the most expansive bill we have ever seen in this state and one of the most expansive across the country.' Cassidy pointed out that the legislation's discussion of the mother's health after fetal viability comes from Doe v. Bolton, a Supreme Court ruling overturning Georgia's abortion law and issued on the same day as Roe. 'All of the factors are there, based on Supreme Court language, to allow a physician to make a decision within the accepted standard of clinical practice,' Cassidy said. Illinois joins Democratic-led states such as Nevada, New York and Vermont with efforts to reinforce abortion rights in advance of the potential abandonment of Roe. An effort to loosen restrictions on late-term abortions in Virginia died last winter after the bill's sponsor acknowledged in a video it would allow abortions up to the moment of birth and Republicans interpreted the governor's comments on the subject as sanctioning infanticide. As her colleagues stand around her, Illinois state Rep. Avery Bourne speaks against the Reproductive Health Act on the floor of the Illinois House chambers Tuesday, May 28, 2019, in Springfield, Illinois. The legislation rewrote Illinois' current abortion law to make it less restrictive and passed 64-50 But with President Donald Trump's hostility toward Roe and his like-minded appointments to federal courts, 'We can no longer rely on bad law protected by federal injunctions,' Cassidy said. There are plenty of testing grounds. Alabama's law signed this month makes providing an abortion a felony in most cases. Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio and Georgia also have approved bans on abortions once a heartbeat in the fetus is detected, usually as early as six weeks. 'If you think this bill goes too far, who do you want to send to prison?' asked Representative Emanuel 'Chris' Welch, a Hillside Democrat. 'The new Georgia law would criminalize women who even traveled outside the state to seek an abortion. Is that really what we want here in Illinois?' Ralph Rivera, legislative chairman for Illinois Right to Life Action, said in a statement that opponents to the plan are in the majority, as evidenced by 'the incredible grassroots efforts' against it - including a Capitol-jamming rally of up to 4,000 anti-abortion protesters in March. 'No words can express the disappointment and heartache pro-life Illinoisans, like myself, are feeling,' Rivera said. A river popular with swimmers during the day is also home to hundreds of bull sharks at night highlighting the dangers of swimming after dark. The watering hole at the Mudjimba dog beach on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland is a hotspot for families and pets. The waterway is at the mouth of the Maroochy river and therefore is a common resting spot for sleepy sharks. Local fisherman Rob Johnston pulled out a bull shark 2 metres long from the popular swim spot (pictured) Fishermen have reported pulling out bull sharks two metres long and say there are hundreds of them around the busy swim spot. Swimmers unaware of the large number of sharks in the waters could be easy prey for the hungry beats. Bull sharks can grow to three and a half metres and will eat anything from small fish to other sharks. The bull shark can be very aggressive and along with the great white and tiger, it's responsible for the most human attacks. Rob Johnston has pulled out numerous bull sharks while fishing in the waters of the Mudjimba dog beach. 'Bullsharks are always there. There's literally hundreds,' Mr Johnston told Yahoo News Australia. Mr Johnston considered the area too dangerous for himself or his pet to swim in, after witnessing the population of huge sharks. The Mudjimba dog beach (pictured) is home to hundreds of bull sharks Shark conservation expert Tony Isaacson from ProjectAWARE said swimmers needed more education to prevent a deadly attack. 'If we don't educate the public that this is bull shark territory there may be an incident,' he said. Mr Isaacson said the community needed to be aware of the sharks and proper signage should be put in place. He said that after heavy rainfall, the water becomes murky and sharks will bump things to see if they're edible. The Maroochy river will always be home to bull sharks and experts say people need to learn to co-exist with the feared creatures. A heavily pregnant woman who was beaten and rammed into a power pole in a daylight attack on a busy street was targeted because she walked between an arguing couple. Olivia Mahe was accused of hitting the victim, who is seven months pregnant, on Wentworth Avenue in Surry Hills - inner southern Sydney - at 9am on Tuesday morning. Security camera footage showed the woman, who was on her way to work, being pushed to the ground and repeatedly punched. It was alleged that Ms Mahe, from Mount Druitt, pulled the victim's hair and rammed her into a power pole. The footage showed the victim, who is 26, clutching her stomach as she fell to the ground. An off-duty policeman and a passer-by intervened to stop the horrifying attack. Ms Mahe was restrained by the police officer and taken into custody. Detective Chief Inspector Adam Johnson described the incident as a 'totally unprovoked, unwarranted, unnecessary attack,' the Daily Telegraph reported. A woman can be seen punching a heavily pregnant victim on Wentworth Avenue in Sydney's inner west on Tuesday morning in an alleged unprovoked attack The pregnant woman falls to the ground as a man walking past (in black) can be seen intervening to wrestle the alleged attacker away from the victim 'The lady is currently under observation, she's got bruising and swelling to her face and she also lost a clump of hair.' The victim's husband praised the two Good Samaritans as 'heroes' for helping his wife, and said their unborn baby was unharmed after the brutal attack. 'We thank the Surry Hills Police for their assistance, the medical team at the RPA Hospital for their continued care and the first responders,' the man said in a statement to 2GB. A woman was arrested and taken to Surry Hills Police Station where she was charged with assault. She was refused police bail and appeared in the Central Local Court on Tuesday, where she was remanded in in custody. The alleged assailant was restrained by an off-duty probationary police officer (in purple) who happened to be walking past during the incident The pregnant woman was taken to hospital for medical assessment. Senior Surry Hills Police have praised the actions of the passerby and intervening police officer. 'The civilian did not hesitate to leap to the rescue of the pregnant woman and we commend his bravery,' Detective Chief Inspector Adam Johnson said. 'We would also like to praise the swift response of the probationary constable who saved the woman from further harm.' The Australian Navy's helicopters were forced to land after being hit with lasers and its ships were trailed during a passage through the hotly contested South China Sea. The HMAS Canberra and HMAS Parramatta were on their way to a joint military exercise earlier this year when a Chinese warship followed them, according to a witness onboard. The Tiger helicopters were conducting night flying and deck landings when they came under attack by laser pointers from passing fishing vessels. Australian military helicopters were forced to land and its ships were discreetly trailed during their recent voyage through the hotly contested South China Sea (pictured HMAS Canberra) Euan Graham, a former Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia analyst for the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, was on board HMAS Canberra from Vietnam to Singapore when it happened. He detailed his experience in The Strategist, a website run by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, an independent, non-partisan think tank based in Canberra. 'Was this startled fishermen reacting to the unexpected? Or was it the sort of coordinated harassment more suggestive of China's maritime militia?,' he wrote. 'It's hard to say for sure, but similar incidents have occurred in the western Pacific.' Mr Graham was one of several academics invited to observe the third iteration of Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2019 (IPE), which concluded last week after three months but it was not specified when the laser attack incident occurred. He claimed the Chinese warship followed the Australian ships for most of the transit, both on the way up and back. Mr Graham said it was despite none of the Australian ships passed through any sensitive area or feature occupied by Chinese military. Four ships, including HMA Ships Success, Newcastle and Parramatta, and MH-60R maritime combat helicopters, MRH-90 maritime support helicopters, and a P8-A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft took part in the exercise. More than 1200 Australian troops were engaged in the three-month long exercise at various ports in India, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam (pictured HMAS Canberra) It was the first time Australian military helicopters were laser targeted, but the Chinese military had been accused of similar incidents in the past. Two American pilots suffered minor injuries last year after they were laser targeted in Djibouti, where the US and China have bases. Beijing has denied it military's involvement in laser attacks on any US aircraft. Mr Graham said the attack helicopters, which practised night flying and deck landings, were laser targeted. They were forced to land for precautionary medical reasons Chief of Joint Operations Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld said this third iteration of IPE was one of the most ambitious regional engagement activities undertaken by the ADF. 'With four ships and various aircraft; more than 1200 personnel from across the ADF, partner nations and Defence industry; this was a landmark activity for our modern joint force,' Air Marshal Hupfeld said in a statement. Four ships, including HMA Ships Success, Newcastle and Parramatta, and MH-60R maritime combat helicopters, MRH-90 maritime support helicopters, and a P8-A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft took part in the three month long exercise. More than 1200 Australian troops were engaged in various activities at ports in India, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. An email had been sent to Department of Defence seeking comment. Euan Graham, a former Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia analyst for the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, claimed the Chinese warship followed the Australian ships for most of the transit, both on the way up and back. He said it was despite the fact that none of the Australian ships passed through any sensitive area or feature occupied by Chinese military The resource-rich South China Sea is bordered by Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. China has made sweeping claims of sovereignty over the sea and continues to construct military outposts on artificial islands in disputed waters. Bill Shorten wants to remain on Labor's frontbench despite losing two elections. While Labor led 55 Newspolls in a row since 2016 under his leadership, the former union leader remained personally unpopular with voters and lost this month's election against all odds. Mr Shorten consistently trailed Malcolm Turnbull and his successor Scott Morrison in the preferred prime minister ratings, even though the Liberal Party had changed leaders twice in less than three years. He was the most unpopular Labor leader for the longest time since Newspoll began in 1985. Bill Shorten (pictured with wife Chloe) wants to remain on Labor's frontbencher despite losing two elections The outgoing Opposition Leader is hoping to remain on Labor's frontbench, under the party's incoming leader Anthony Albanese, with either a health or a more junior National Disability Insurance Scheme portfolio. The member for Maribyrnong, in Melbourne's west, is now the first Labor leader since Kim Beazley in 2001 to have lost two elections without serving as PM, putting him in the same company as the late Arthur Calwell. Poll What should Bill Shorten do? Resign from Parliament Remain on the backbench Seek a frontbench role What should Bill Shorten do? Resign from Parliament 429 votes Remain on the backbench 79 votes Seek a frontbench role 26 votes Now share your opinion However, when Labor was last in government Mr Shorten had created the NDIS while serving as the Rudd government's parliamentary secretary for disabilities. It was during this time, in 2010, that he moved to install Julia Gillard as PM and remove Kevin Rudd, before conniving to revive Mr Rudd three years later. Labor's federal caucus is meeting in Canberra on Thursday, where the Left and Right factions are expected to haggle over frontbench positions. While Mr Shorten is hoping to grab the health portfolio, Labor's existing spokeswoman Catherine King is understood to be determined to stay in her role. That makes an NDIS portfolio more likely for him. During the election, Labor had promised to spend $4.5 billion over a decade funding the medical expenses of cancer sufferers and another $9.3 billion on free dental care for pensioners. It controversially proposed to pay for that promise and others by cracking down on negative-gearing tax breaks for property investors and franking credits for some share-owning retirees. The outgoing Opposition Leader is hoping to remain on Labor's frontbench with either a health or National Disability Insurance Scheme portfolio Some Labor MPs believe Mr Shorten still has leadership ambitions despite losing an 'unlosable' election (he is pictured during the campaign in Perth) Mr Shorten is being replaced by Mr Albanese, a Sydney left-winger who has been elected unopposed. Mr Albanese lost the 2013 Labor leadership ballot to Mr Shorten, despite commanding 60 per cent support from rank-and-file party members, as the federal caucus backed Mr Shorten. Some Labor MPs believe Mr Shorten still has leadership ambitions despite losing an 'unloseable' election, which followed leadership instability in the Liberal Party. With Tanya Plibersek from the Left to be replaced as deputy by the Right's Richard Marles, South Australia senator Penny Wong will be the most senior woman on the Opposition frontbench. Senator Wong, a left-winger who was born in Malaysia, is expected to remain in the foreign affairs portfolio and keep her duties as Senate leader. South Australian senator Don Farrell is set to become the deputy leader in the Senate, beating fellow Right-faction member Kristina Keneally, a former New South Wales premier. With Tanya Plibersek from the Left to be replaced as deputy by the Right's Richard Marles, South Australia senator Penny Wong (pictured) will be the most senior woman on the Opposition frontbench Queensland MP Jim Chalmers, from the Right, is expected to be named shadow treasurer, as part of Mr Albanese's promise to give representatives from the Sunshine State a significant presence in his shadow cabinet so as to rebuild ALP support in the state. Labor's failure to connect with voters in Queensland was seen as a key reason for their election loss, with the Opposition losing the Townsville-based seat of Herbert with an 8.2 per cent swing against it. The Opposition also suffered swings of 11.5 per cent against it in the regional seats of Capricornia and Dawson, centred around Rockhampton and Mackay, as Labor prevaricated over Indian miner Adani's plan for the Galilee Basin. Both National Party electorates in central and north Queensland overlap with state Labor seats. Labor also came close to losing former deputy prime minister and treasurer Wayne Swan's old northern Brisbane seat of Lilley. Paedophile Rolf Harris was recently seen in a car park in Maidenhead, Berkshire Paedophile Rolf Harris has been seen for the first time in public since he was caught waving at children outside a primary school. The disgraced entertainer, 89, was recently spotted looking dishevelled, clutching the arm of his female carer as they walked in Maidenhead, Berkshire before they got in a car and drove off. He told reporters: 'I've got diabetes. I've suffered from it for 25 years,' before he was whisked away to his house in nearby Bray. It was the first time Harris has been seen in public since he was banished from the grounds of a primary school, where he spoke to a wood sculptor and waved at young pupils. His family were said to have put him under 'house arrest' after the 'disastrous' incident, which could have seen him back behind bars. Yesterday neighbours in Berkshire said the school incident has had a negative impact on his health. One said: 'It's badly affected him; he's in poor health and has declined rapidly. He doesn't come out any more and when he does it's only ever with his carer.' Harris's wife Alwen, 87, is also battling Alzheimer's disease, despite his claims she is 'doing well'. Other neighbours claimed the sex offender rarely leaves his home and employs at least five female members of staff to care for him and his wife. Just days ago, it was reported that Harris had dropped plans to appeal against child sex convictions despite having hired private detectives to gather information on his victims. In 2014 he also launched an appeal against his convictions. Harris was convicted of 12 indecent assaults at London's Southwark Crown Court in June 2014, one on an eight-year-old autograph hunter and two on girls in their early teens. The disgraced entertainer, 89, was seen recently clutching the arm of his female carer as they walked in Maidenhead, Berkshire before they got in a car and drove off It was the first time Harris has been seen in public since he was banished from the grounds of a local primary school where he spoke to a wood sculptor and waved at young pupils His convictions also included a catalogue of abuse against his daughter's friend over 16 years, whom the court heard he groomed and molested from the age of 13 until she was 19. Some of the offences had been carried out while his daughter was in the same room. He admitted having a relationship with the woman, but said it only started when she reached 18. Other victims said they were touched or groped by Harris at some of his public appearances. He was also found guilty of groping a teenage waitress's bottom at a charity event in Cambridge in the 1970s Police officers are pictured patrolling the grounds after the incident involving Harris in February this year He was jailed for five years and nine months, but released from HMP Stafford in May 2017 after serving less than half the sentence. During his time behind bars he was hospitalised after his condition spiralled out of control. He last hit headlines for the incident outside Oldfield Primary School in Maidenhead in February, when headteacher Richard Jarrett ordered him to leave the school grounds. Harris is pictured with a female companion in a car park in Maidenhead, Berkshire Sentencing Council guidelines state that a breach of licence by a sex offender carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a minimum of six months in custody or a fine. Thames Valley Police said: 'A report was made that a man was on the site of the school. 'An officer attended the scene but no offence was committed. No arrests were made and advice has been given to the man involved.' A source close to his family said at the time they were 'flabbergasted' he would do such a thing so soon after his release. 'Puppet master': Kiara Serci (pictured) is accused of organising the meth syndicate A former stripper who is behind bars for her alleged involvement in an ice distribution syndicate is expected to give birth behind bars. Kiara Jo-Elle Serci, 25, worked as a dancer at Sinsations strip club in Darwin before she and two co-accused were arrested for trying to smuggle commercial quantities of methamphetamine across the country. Serci, who is on remand, maintains her innocence but admits she 'fell into drug use and was taking methamphetamine until she learned she was pregnant,' Serci's lawyer, Matt Hubber claimed in court. Now six months pregnant, Serci entered a last-ditch plea for bail in Darwin Local Court on Tuesday with the hope of giving birth outside prison. Mr Hubber told the court a mothers-and-children program inside Holtze Prison - where Serci is jailed - that used to run was cancelled due to operational reasons. He said it was 'outrageous' that Serci may have her child taken away from her due to a lack of services within the prison, NT News reported. But the jail may still decide to re-open the wing when Serci gives birth. Under Northern Territory law, pregnant prisoners are required to be taken to a facility to give birth unless doing so poses a threat. Holly Attard, a 22-year-old meth addicted stripper who lived with Serci, has admitted to becoming a drug mule because she wasn't earning enough money doing lap dances The Corrections Commissioner can also allow the child to live with its mother in jail under certain circumstances. Crown Prosecutor Collette Dixon said she had been informed Serci would be transferred into the mothers-only section of Holtze. She opposed bail and told the court the prosecution case argued Serci was 'far more' than a courier. Serci's co-accused, her former housemate and colleague at Sinsations, Holly Attard, provided a statement detailing Serci's role in the syndicate. Crown Prosecutor Collette Dixon said she had been informed Serci would be transferred into the mothers-only section of Holtze In October 2018, Attard was caught with 325 grams of meth when she landed in Darwin from Adelaide. She claims she was just a courier - but Serci denied involvement and claimed Attard was blaming her after she got 'caught red-handed'. The pair had an ongoing arrangement that Attard would be Serci's mule in return for free drugs, a court previously heard. Attard claimed business had dried up in the Top End following an exodus of construction workers, and said she wasn't making enough money as a dancer, but couldn't leave because of her drug habit and her puppy. Attard, who's only other brush with the law was for stealing latex pants, was sentenced to three years and four months jail, suspended after one year served. A third co-accused, Joshua Cozamanis, was also charged in relation to the smuggling operation. Police allege he travelled with Attard from Adelaide to Darwin under the alias Wayne Kerr and was the principal offender. The yoga instructor who went missing in Hawaii for two weeks after getting lost on a hike says she welcomed the experience as a 'spiritual bootcamp' which was a welcome 'escape from the modern world'. Amanda Eller, 35, spent two weeks in the wilderness after getting lost during a run in Maui. She survived by eating berries and drinking water from a stream, she said, before she was found. Now in good health, despite suffering a broken tibia, she has told how she learned to 'embrace' the ordeal as an 'opportunity' and not a punishment. 'I never felt alone and I never felt fearful. It was an opportunity to overcome fear of everything. 'It was an opportunity to be stripped away of all the comforts of this modern world and see what was left,' she said. Eller also believes the ordeal had special significance because 'it is the year of the boar'. 'This is the Chinese New Year, this is the year of the boar, I'm a boar, she said. So I'm like finding myself sleeping in boar's home. And they were like trailblazing for me,' she said. Amanda Eller, the 35-year-old yoga instructor who went missing for more than two weeks in a Hawaiian forest, says drugs and alcohol played no part in her getting lost Eller said she had no 'drugs or alcohol' and that she gets high 'off life'. I definitely didn't have any drugs or alcohol or anything like that. Anybody that knows me and knows my spiritual journey in the last few years knows that I get high off of life, and I get high off of people and heart. 'This is the Chinese New Year, this is the year of the boar, I'm a boar. So I'm like finding myself sleeping in boar's home. And they were like trailblazing for me 'I just had such hope in my heart every day,' she said. Eller admitted that when she heard helicopters missing her overnight, she felt invisible. 'You lose hope. As the sun starts to go down you're like, "Another night alone. How am I gonna stay warm? How am I gonna stay alive?" She said eventually, she turned to the sky and asked for 'mercy'. 'I looked at the sky. I've had everything stripped away... I can barely move. ... And I had a moment where I was like, "mercy." ... I'm looking at the sky, like, 'Please pick me up. I'm ready. I've learned." 'You can play victim... or you can start walking down that waterfall and choose life... I had to choose life,' she said. Despite having a broken tibia from falling, she said she resorted to doing yoga and meditating. 'The only thing I could do was meditate. It was the only thing that brought me peace. This is the moment she was rescued on May 8. She said she had a plant in her mouth that she had been 'saving for dinner' Cantellops said the helicopter only had five minutes left of fuel before it had to go back to the heliport when Eller suddenly came into view. They are pictured here during the rescue Eller lost her shoes in a flash flood and walked barefoot for days. The skin on her ankles is severely damaged and she will be on crutches for several weeks The yoga instructor, shown in the hospital, said she was 'grateful' for every breath now 'The first five days, you know, I just wanted to play victim and crawl into a hole and be like, "Why me?" 'This is not punishment, this is a strong opportunity. 'I want to be an inspiration to others. I want to light the fire in other people. ... I'm no different than anybody else. 'High on life': The yoga instructor said drugs or alcohol played no part in her ordeal 'And we all get to choose life on a daily basis,' she said. Eller said she was not paying attention to social media, where a number of theories have been put forward as to how she got lost for 17 days. Everybody can have their little theories, she said. The yoga instructor from Maryland says she fell to the ground and started bawling when a rescue helicopter spotted her in a forest where she had survived by eating plants and drinking stream water for two weeks. Eller told reporters on Maui that other helicopters had failed to see her earlier in her ordeal. She was rescued on Friday. Eller says she set out for a 3-mile hike in the Makawao Forest Reserve on May 8. She didn't take a cellphone and didn't have a compass. She says her heart was telling her which way to turn. I don't really know what happened, she said. All I can say is that I got out of my car, it's like, you know, I have a strong sense of internal guidance, whatever you want to call that, a voice, spirit everybody has a different name for it, heart. Eller's friend Javier Cantellops (pictured with Sarah Haynes, who helped coordinate the search effort) was in the helicopter when he spotted her waving up at him near the Kailua reservoir But when she tried to go back the way she came, that path didn't lead her to her car. My heart was telling me, Walk down this path, go left, Great. Go right. It was so strong - Go left, go right - I'm like, great, this is so strong that obviously when I turn around and go back to my car it will be just as strong when I go back, but it wasn't. When asked what advice she would give to hikers, she said: Be over-prepared. I should have had a cellphone with me, she said. Theres a reason we carry them all the time. Eller said that she normally packs food, water, and other supplies when she hikes. But for this particular excursion, she decided not to pack anything. It's a friendly jungle, there's not much that'll get ya. But still, be prepared. Eller, 35, had gone missing in the Makawao Forest Reserve on May 8 after she went hiking without her cell phone. A helicopter spotted her near a waterfall on Friday. Eller's friend Javier Cantellops was in the helicopter when he spotted her waving up at him near the Kailua reservoir. Cantellops said the helicopter only had five minutes left of fuel before it had to go back to the heliport when Eller suddenly came into view. 'That moment will live down in the depths of my soul forever,' he told the Today show on Tuesday. 'We're coming up this waterfall and I look down and she appears out of the woods. It can only be described as magic.' A pharmaceutical giant has stopped providing flu vaccines to chemists because there isn't enough supply to deal with a horror season that's already claimed more than 100 lives. GlaxoSmithKline's Fluarix Tetra vaccine will now only be supplied to government agencies across Australia because of unusually strong demand in the lead-up to winter. A horror flu season in Australia has, so far, claimed 139 lives as federal Department of Health notifications for 2019 surged to 57,761, which is more than four times the level of 2018. Pharmacists in parts of Sydney have already run out of the flu vaccine. A GSK spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia the flu season was worse than anticipated, when it planned the vaccine program almost a year ago. Scroll down for video A pharmaceutical giant has stopped supplying flu vaccines to chemists because there isn't enough supply to deal with a horror season that's already claimed 100 lives (stock image) Consequently, GSK was giving its remaining flu vaccines to government agencies so they could prioritise the immunisation of babies and children, aged up to five. 'GSK has received urgent requests from governments for additional doses, particularly for the vaccination of children under five years of age,' it said in a statement. 'Consequently, GSK has taken the decision to divert all of its remaining Fluarix Tetra vaccine doses to these important programs. 'For clarity, all government program supplies of Fluarix Tetra are secure and have either been delivered, or are planned to be, in the next few weeks.' GSK's flu vaccines are manufactured in Germany but it isn't the only supplier. Australian company Seqirus makes the Afluria Quad vaccine in Melbourne while French pharmaceutical Sanofi supplies the Flu Quadri and Flu Quadri Junior products. Associate Professor Sanjaya Senanayake, an infectious diseases specialist at the Australian National University's Medical School, said the flu season could worsen. 'This could go two ways: we've had so many cases through this part of the year it might actually be a milder winter with regard to flu,' he told the ABC's 7.30 program. 'On the other hand, however, it might continue to escalate. We really don't know.' National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance's head of clinical research Professor Robert Booy said three strains of the flu virus were 'kicking in all at the same time.' Consequently, GlaxoSmithKline was giving its remaining flu vaccines to government agencies so they could prioritise the immunisation of babies and children, aged up to five This may help explain why 60,000 people have been struck down. Since January, 139 people have died, even before the start of winter, including a three-year-old Victorian toddler and a 15-year-old girl in Adelaide. Professor Booy urged people to get the flu shot and also said older Australians should have a pneumonia vaccine. He said the bacteria that causes the disease is a 'sleeping dragon' waiting to be awoken. 'The pneumococcus could be described as a sleeping dragon and a ferocious one at that because once it is woken up and causes pneumonia it can be very severe,' Professor Booy told The Courier-Mail. 'Those hospitalised for pneumonia are at real risk of death and especially if over 65.' The three strains of flu hitting Australia are the Influenza A (H1N1) strain which affects children the worst; the Influenza A H3 strain which particularly hits the elderly; and the Influenza B strain, said Professor Boy. 'It's a big surprise to have so much flu, so early in the year. In living memory, we haven't recalled that happening,' he told 7News. Meanwhile, an early start to the cold and flu season has taken a heavy toll on blood donations, with the Red Cross issuing an urgent appeal for help from healthy Aussies. Professor Robert Booy of the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance said three strains of the virus are 'kicking in all at the same time' (stock image) The Red Cross Blood Service needs 5,900 additional people to give blood over the next fortnight, with up to 1,400 donors cancelling their appointments each day due to illness. The Red Cross says it urgently needs help, particularly donors with O and A type blood. 'We haven't seen cancellations this high since March 2017, and as the number of people suffering cold and flu symptoms increases, it limits the number of regular donors who are able to give,' blood service spokeswoman Helen Walsh says. 'We need people who are fully recovered from colds or the flu, and those who have avoided it, to take the place of those who are unable to answer our call.' People can still donate blood if they've had the flu shot. Donors who have had colds or the flu can give blood again seven days after they have recovered. Britain is the world's biggest sponsor of tax avoidance, campaigners have said, blaming light-touch regimes in our overseas territories. The Tax Justice Network pressure group ranked 64 countries based on how much tax avoidance they enabled, taking into account the size of their economies. Topping the list was the British Virgin Islands, followed by Bermuda and the Cayman Islands all British overseas territories. Jersey, a Crown dependency, was seventh. The UK itself was ranked 13th. In a 'sickening' case of 'hypocrisy', the UK has effectively outsourced the corporate tax haven game to a 'spider's web' of offshore territories, which opted to stay connected to Britain after the collapse of the British Empire in the 1950s and 1960s. The Tax Justice Network pressure group ranked 64 countries based on how much tax avoidance they enabled and topping the list was the British Virgin Islands (pictured) The British Virgin Islands (pictured), came second on the list compiled by the pressure group Following the study the group found that the British Virgin Islands, followed by Bermuda and the Cayman Islands topped the list THE WORLD'S TOP TEN TAX HAVENS 1. British Virgin Islands 2. Bermuda 3. Cayman Islands 4. Netherlands 5. Switzerland 6. Luxembourg 7. Jersey 8. Singapore 9. Bahamas 10. Hong Kong Advertisement The index scores each country's system based on the degree to which it enables corporate tax avoidance combined with the scale of its corporate activity to determine the share of global corporate activity put at risk of tax avoidance by the country. The network said that through its network of satellite jurisdictions, the UK bears the lion's share of responsibility for the 'breakdown of the global corporate tax system'. It added: 'The UK with its corporate tax haven network is by far the world's greatest enabler of corporate tax avoidance and has single-handedly done the most to break down the global corporate tax system, accounting for over a third of the world's corporate tax avoidance risks. 'That's four times more than the next greatest contributor of corporate tax avoidance risks, the Netherlands, which accounts for less than seven per cent.' Free market campaigners stressed that low-tax nations provide a 'great boost to tax competition'. Matt Kilcoyne, from the Adam Smith Institute, said the territories kept pressure on other countries to 'lower their rates and reduce complexity'. The index covers 64 jurisdictions and is based on a corporate tax haven score reflecting how aggressively they use tax cuts, loopholes, secrecy and other mechanisms to attract multinational activity; and a global scale weight, reflecting how big a player it is in cross-border activity, the network said. Eight out of the 10 jurisdictions whose systems received the highest corporate tax haven scores for enabling avoidance were part of the UK network of territories and dependencies, the Tax Justice Network said. These were the British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, Anguilla, the Isle of Man, Jersey, and Guernsey. Jersey (pictured), a Crown dependency, was seventh. The UK itself was ranked 13th The City of London (pictured), which is at the epicentre of the tax avoidance web Topping the list was the British Virgin Islands, followed by Bermuda and the Cayman Islands (pictured) - all British overseas territories The Tax Justice Network said the UK bears the lion's share of responsibility for the 'breakdown of the global corporate tax system' The Tax Justice Network said the scale at which jurisdictions have enabled corporate tax avoidance risks to entice multinationals has made countries' corporate tax rates 'meaningless'. It warned that this had also triggered a 'race to the bottom' which will further deplete tax revenues. Chief executive Alex Cobham said a handful of the richest countries have waged a world tax war 'so corrosive it had broken the global corporate tax system beyond repair'. He added: 'The hypocrisy revealed by the Corporate Tax Haven Index is sickening. 'The ability of governments across the world to tax multinational corporations in order to pay teachers' wages, build hospitals and ensure a level playing field for local businesses has been deliberately and ruthlessly undermined. 'To curtail the corporate tax avoidance that costs hundreds of billions of dollars every year, governments must finally deliver international rules that ensure profits are declared, and tax paid, in the places where real economic activity takes place. 'Corporations should be taxed where their employees work, not where their ledgers hide.' The network is calling on governments to introduce a single tax approach that will fully align multinationals firms' taxable profits with the location of their economic activity. A Government spokesman said: 'Tackling tax avoidance, evasion and unfair outcomes is a priority for this government. 'We've been at the forefront of international action to reform global tax rules, using our presidency of the G8 in 2013 to initiate the first substantial renovation of international tax standards in almost a century. 'We also introduced the Diverted Profits Tax to counter aggressive tax planning techniques used by multinationals, and we've secured and protected 200 billion in tax revenues since 2010 from compliance activities which would otherwise have gone unpaid.' Julia Neuberger is the first woman rabbi in Britain ever to run a synagogue Although the majority of my mother's family was murdered during the Holocaust, when I was a child growing up in North London in the Fifties and early Sixties, I was not particularly concerned with anti-Semitism. If Jews were menaced in Britain, we were certainly not aware of it. We were free to practise Judaism, to walk the streets in fancy dress at Purim, to light our candles at Chanukkah. Nobody turned a hair. But in recent years, our sense of security has been replaced by trepidation. The man who shoulders a significant portion of the blame for that is Jeremy Corbyn. Shame I write as the first woman rabbi in Britain ever to run a synagogue, and as someone who has just written a book on anti-Semitism in all its guises around the world with several pages devoted to the shocking level it has reached in Labour under Corbyn. When I heard yesterday that the Equality and Human Rights Commission had finally decided to launch a formal inquiry into the Labour Party, I was not surprised even though it is only the second British political party to be formally investigated for ethnic or religious discrimination. (The first was the BNP in 2009). The investigation into Her Majesty's Opposition represents a new low in British politics. And Corbyn and his blinkered acolytes should hang their heads in shame. Yet the fact is the Commission's inquiry is well overdue. This, after all, is a party that took three years to boot out activist Jackie Walker, a prolific anti-Semite who claimed Jews controlled the slave trade and benefited from the Holocaust but just 36 hours to expel Alastair Campbell after he revealed he voted for the Liberal Democrats last week. A party whose leader has happily shared platforms with members of Hamas, a terrorist organisation determined to wipe every Jew off the face of the Earth. And a party that received 673 complaints of anti-Semitism in just ten months, but expelled only 12 members. There can be no doubt: under Corbyn, Labour has been transformed from a party that once led Britain's fight against racism into one that turned its back on individuals on account of their race. She has recently written a book on anti-semitism around the world and says it has reached lethal levels in Labour, under Jeremy Corbyn As Labour stalwart Dame Margaret Hodge, a secular Jew who lost several relatives in the Holocaust, said yesterday: 'This is a truly disgraceful day for the Labour Party one of the most depressing in my 56 years as a member.' My own parents supported Labour. They would be turning in their graves if they could witness what has happened. The Labour they belonged to was a beacon of tolerance, a party of political titans like Clement Attlee whose family took in a Jewish refugee from the Kindertransport before the war. Under Corbyn, it has become a party where bigotry has been allowed to flourish. He has made as little effort as possible to investigate Labour's festering swamp of anti-Semitism. Labour's own 'official' inquiry into it, for example, ruled that the party was not 'overrun by anti-Semitism', but that there was an 'occasionally toxic atmosphere'. Making no attempt to get to the poisonous roots of the problem, it failed to mention the case of Oxford University's Labour Club, whose chairman, Alex Chalmers, resigned publicly in 2016 after members repeatedly used the phrase 'Zio' a derogatory term for Jews usually confined to far-Right websites. Nor did the report, led by Labour's own Baroness Chakrabarti, tackle in any depth the way some Labour supporters were talking about Jews. Take the Bognor Regis Labour councillor who posted the comment 'Jews drink blood and rape children' on social media. Or Mohammed Yasin, Labour's West Midlands regional organiser, (not to be confused with the Labour MP with a similar name) who was finally suspended in December 2018 after more than two years of offensive social media posts, including 9/11 conspiracy theories, praising a homophobic preacher and blaming 'all wars in the world' on Jewish people. Labour stalwart Dame Margaret Hodge, a secular Jew who lost several relatives in the Holocaust, said yesterday: 'This is a truly disgraceful day for the Labour Party one of the most depressing in my 56 years as a member.' These posts were made mostly while working for the Labour Party. Online, the malignant influence of social media has acted as a scatter gun for anti-Semitic messages. In September 2018, for example, a dossier was passed to the Metropolitan Police setting out 45 cases of online anti-Jewish abuse by Labour supporters. 'We shall rid the Jews, who are a cancer on us all,' read one chilling message. Many of these radical socialists reel off age-old stereotypes that have echoed down the centuries in Europe, such as the beliefs that Jews exert a control over global finance or are 'rootless cosmopolitans' without loyalty or solidarity. Corbyn himself has expressed similar views. Attacks He once defended a vile, anti-Semitic mural in East London that featured a group of hook-nosed bankers playing monopoly on a board which rested on the naked backs of the poor. He complained on another occasion that British Zionists 'don't understand English irony' and 'don't want to study history'. In Corbyn's mind, Jews living here are still foreign, attached to an alien dogma and unable to appreciate British humour. With views like this it is no surprise the Labour leader was praised last month by Hamas for his support. The really pernicious thing is that when Labour's leader legitimises such prejudiced opinions, it encourages the cancer of anti-Semitism to spread not just in the Labour Party, but elsewhere too. This is reprehensible behaviour at a time when anti-Semitism is on the rise and not just in Britain. Across Europe, the foaming peaks of this tidal wave of hate can be found in swastikas at pro-Palestinian rallies, the denial of the Holocaust, attacks on synagogues and Jewish schools, and attempts to close down Jewish student societies on university campuses. Just this week, Germany's commissioner on anti-Semitism warned German Jews not to wear traditional kippahs in public following a rise in anti-Semitic attacks. Violence In chilling comments yesterday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said: 'There is to this day not a single Synagogue not a single daycare centre for Jewish children, not a single school for Jewish children that does not need to be guarded by German policemen.' Fortunately, Britain has yet to plumb the depths of anti-Jewish violence that has gripped parts of Europe although anxiety is spreading. That is little comfort to the UK's 250,000 Jews, many of whom feel that their very existence is now under threat. If Corbyn's bigoted worldview goes unchallenged, anti-Semitism will grow like a contagion. This is why the Human Rights Commission's inquiry is so essential. For decades, I and other Jews relished growing up in a country that had been a safe haven during the war and in a Europe that seemed determined to learn the lessons from the horrors of the Nazi genocide. But almost 75 years after the Nazi extermination camps were closed, anti-Semitism has reared its ugly head again. The lessons of history should have been learned by now. Not least by a Labour leader turning a blind eye to them. The new assistant minister in charge of Multicultural Affairs has said most migrants need to learn how to be Australian and has vowed to deport gang members if they are not citizens. Jason Wood, who will work under Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton as Assistant Minister for Customs, Community Safety and Multicultural Affairs, said he is concerned about the lack of integration by some migrant groups. Last month, the Liberal member for La Trobe slammed 'out of control African youth gangs' in Melbourne and has also said migrants who commit crimes should be deported. Mr Wood told the Sydney Morning Herald he made no apology for his earlier Facebook comments. 'If you want someone in this role to say, 'everything's fine, everything's dandy' I'm not the guy for the job,' Mr Wood said. He said that while his new role requires him to listen to migrant communities, he's also concerned about the needs of the broader community and their feelings about the issue. Jason Wood, the new assistant minister for customs, community safety and multicultural affairs, is taking a hardened approach against the African 'gang crisis' and supports the deportation of 'foreign-born thugs' 'Most migrants when they come here don't know what it means to be Australian. It's more (about) making the effort to get multicultural groups together and mix with the other more traditional, sporting groups,' he told the publication. Mr Wood refused to retract his previous comments about deportations, saying that the rehabilitation role of prisons did not work. 'You put these guys in jail and they don't come out clean shaven and ready to work, they come out ready to go to the next level in the world of crime,' he said. 'If you're on a visa here and you commit a carjacking or home invasion ... I don't care where you're from, if that's what you do, you go home.' Mr Wood had previously said on Facebook that 'African gangs were out of control' in response to recent violence at Melbourne's Fountain Gate shopping centre. Last month he wrote: 'I've secured legislation to deport foreign-born thugs, but Bill Shorten and Labor will not support! Mr Wood will be sworn in on Wednesday, and said in a Facebook status that he has 'no hesitation (in) calling out African gangs' 'I've arranged with Minister for Home Affairs Mr Dutton, to have the AFP as part of a National Anti-Gangs Squad to target violent youth gangs in the South East and Western suburbs.' Mr Wood, who was sworn in on Wednesday, said on Facebook that he has 'no hesitation (in) calling out African gangs'. He went on to recognise the 'majority' of African migrants follow the law and 'contribute to Australian culture'. Jason Wood says any non-citizen who commits violent crimes should be deported, no matter where they are from La Trobe MP Jason Wood has adopted a tough rhetoric after a string of violent brawls at Fountain Gate Westfield However, the minister's comments were branded 'disturbing' by the chair of South Sudanese Community Association of Victoria, Achol Marial. 'I find it quite sad that Jason Wood would use it as a tactic to try to get peoples attention,' Mr Marial told The Guardian. But the assistant minister added that many leaders of migrant communities had commended his honesty while recogising that the Liberals were the only party who would be able to get them jobs. Mr Wood also aims to work with other ministers to combat unemployment, domestic violence and schoolyard bullying. The Ministry of Defence and the Foreign Office are at loggerheads over a 400m 'debt' to Iran linked to the case of jailed Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, it was reported last night. The MoD is said to have rejected pleas to hand over the money because of fears it would end up in the hands of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps. It has long been feared that British-Iranian mother-of-one Nazanin is being held as a 'bargaining chip' in the decades old dispute. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, pictured with her daughter Gabriella, is being denied medical treatment for a mystery illness, her husband claims The claim came as Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt yesterday likened the debt to 'ransom money' for the woman from Hampstead adding that the government faced a 'conundrum'. Sources claim there have been heated clashes over the debt between the Foreign Office - which is believed to have been pushing for a resolution to help secure the mother's release - and the Ministry of Defence. Successive defence secretaries Sir Michael Fallon and Gavin Williamson are understood to have opposed payment claiming it will fund the country's 'malign military agenda in Yemen, Syria and Lebanon', The Guardian reported. The IRGC - the Iranian government's military department - has been declared a terrorist organisation by the US, but not the UK. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt granted Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe diplomatic protection last month The long-running controversy over the money dates back to a 1970s arms deal, when the Shah of Iran ordered and paid for 1,750 Chieftain tanks and support vehicles from a firm owned by the Ministry of Defence. But the deal was halted after the Shah was deposed in 1979, and Britain kept the money. An international court ordered the UK to reimburse Tehran, but international sanctions mean Britain has yet to do so with the money being held by the High Court. The UK and Iran - both of which have previously denied any link between the two issues - put their legal arguments over the payment to a high court hearing last week with a ruling due soon. According to reports, Iranian regime hardliners have said they expect the deal to be settled as part of a list of demands before freeing Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe. The 41-year-old has been held in Tehran since April 2016 after being jailed for five years over trumped up spying charges. Her husband Richard Ratcliffe said the debt case 'matters to us since we have been told explicitly that we are linked to this court case. It feels like we are a very explicit bargaining chip that is being used'. Richard Ratcliffe, husband of Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe, who is detained in Iran, said his wife's symptoms have steadily worsened since she was recalled to Tehran's notorious Evin prison after a temporary three-day release in August A source told the Guardian that records show there had been heated exchanges between the Foreign Office and the MoD about the controversial debt. Some were said to have argued that the government lost the 2001 international arbitration case and owed the money so should therefore show a willingness to work with Iran. But the MoD said even if an agreement on debt was reached the money could not be handed to Iran's military sales arm because the body is under EU sanctions. It was also argued the money could be paid in a way that avoids current sanctions - a case rejected by government lawyers. Legal wrangling over the debt has been shrouded in secrecy for decades - but this was lifted after the Sunday Times won a court order allowing arguments in the case to be published. Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt yesterday claimed that there had never been a government policy to keep the court hearing secret and it was just normal legal practice in arbitration cases. Welcoming the move to make it public on Radio 4, he said that Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was being used as a pawn in a wider diplomatic dispute between Iran and the UK and likened the debt to 'ransom money'. 'The problem is if you pay ransom money to someone who is a hostage then all that happens is you might get that hostage out, but the next time they want something they'll just take someone else hostage. That is the conundrum we have.' Labour's Brexit mayhem deepened yesterday after an MP in the Leave-backing North said the party's policy shift towards a second referendum would be a 'final breach of trust' with voters. Lisa Nandy, who represents Wigan, said if there had been any shift in opinion over Brexit, it was towards the type of No Deal promoted by Nigel Farage. But Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott reiterated that she believed another vote would be 'the democratic thing to do' to move Brexit forward. Lisa Nandy (pictured) said Labour's policy shift towards a second referendum would be a 'final breach of trust' with voters Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (pictured leaving his London home on Monday) has told his MPs that the party is 'ready to support a public vote' on Brexit and Diane Abbott says she will campaign for remain And Tom Watson, the deputy leader, warned of 'electoral catastrophe' unless party leader Jeremy Corbyn is persuaded to throw his weight behind a new vote on any deal. The row between Remain and Leave supporters at the top of Labour threatens to tear the party apart as it struggles to come to terms with their drubbing at last week's European elections. Mr Corbyn is facing mounting pressure to abandon his preference for a general election and go for a second referendum. On Monday, his closest ally, Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, said: 'We're saying quite clearly if there can be a deal, great, but it needs to go back to the people.' An online store has been forced to stop selling t-shirts printed with the slogan 'It's okay to white' after the public slammed the item as 'inherently racist'. Trade Me had been selling the shirts manufactured by VJM Publishing who marketed the item as a way to troll 'anti-white bigots' and 'local communists'. The New Zealand auction website previously said they would continue to sell the shirts despite backlash because they didn't breach rules. But after being inundated with complaints, the online shop took down the listing on Thursday night. An online store has been forced to stop selling t-shirts printed with the slogan 'It's okay to white' after the public slammed the item as 'inherently racist' New Zealand auction shop Trade Me sold the shirts manufactured by VJM Publishing who marketed the item as a way to troll 'anti-white bigots' and 'local communists' The phrase 'it's okay to be white' has been adopted by white supremacists across the globe. VJM Publishing's listing read: 'An ''It's okay to be white'' T-shirt will let people know that you are not a racist who thinks that a child can be born into sin if others with the same skin colour have acted badly in the past. 'Wear this shirt as a white person to troll your local Communists, or wear this shirt as a brown person to troll stuck-up middle-class urbanites. Either way it's funny!' Trade Me initially told Newshub they allowed the listing 'to remain on its site as they do not breach its rules'. The company's head of trust and safety George Hiotakis said 'items which marginalise individuals or promote one race at the cost of another cannot be sold'. 'While we know there is some debate about this slogan, we don't think these items cross that line.' Mr Hiotakis confirmed with Daily Mail Australia that the t-shirts were removed on Thursday evening. 'When we were first alerted to these items, we err on the side of letting legal listings run but we listen to our community and we will change our mind if we feel there's a good reason to do so,' he said. 'We knew there was some ambiguity associated with this phrase so it's been a tough one for us to wrestle with. The listings have proven to be pretty divisive and have attracted a bunch of complaints. 'New Zealand has told us that they don't want to see this sort of thing on Trade Me and we agree, so this slogan will not be allowed to be sold on any item on our site.' Trade Me previously said they would continue to sell the shirts despite backlash saying the slogan promoted white supremacy because they didn't breach rules The white t-shirts are now being sold by another online store, Allgoods.co.nz. The new listing says: 'The infamous 'It's Okay To Be White' t-shirts that caused problems on TradeMe!' 'Resist the Orwellian thought police with this t-shirt! The Human Rights Commission thinks that we shouldn't be allowed to sell these shirts - help up stand up for free speech by telling them where to stick it! 'It is in no way racist, hateful or divisive to say that it's okay to be white!' The listing says delivery may take up to three weeks 'due to unprecedented demand'. An Allgoodz.co.nz spokesman told Daily Mail Australia the company will 'remove obviously offensive, racist or illegal content in real time'. 'In the case of this particular product, the moderation team did not find it to be obviously offensive or racist upon original review,' the spokesman said. 'There is clearly a line somewhere between free-speech and offensive content. 'To us, removing content because some people interpret it in an offensive way is a slippery slope which stifles public debate and gives us as a platform more power than we believe is right. 'We do not feel that we have the authority, or right, to decide what people can or cannot say, outside of obviously inappropriate content.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted VJM Publishing for comment. Inmates should spend 12 months in a resettlement prison before end of sentence The public are being put at risk by violent offenders who are released straight from prison into the community, the government inspector has warned. Up to 100 inmates a year are being set free from a rural jail in Rutland without going through a crucial resettlement process beforehand. They are meant to spent at least 12 months in a resettlement prison before the end of their sentence to help them adapt to normal life outside. But the Chief Inspector of Prisons has raised concerns that at least eight inmates a month are being released directly from HMP Stocken without going to one of these centres. Up to 100 inmates a year are being set free from a rural jail in Rutland without going through a crucial resettlement process beforehand (stock) These prisoners will be significantly more likely to reoffend as they will find it less easy to get a job, and may not adjust to living in the community. Furthermore, they may not have been through important public-protection arrangements in which the police and other agencies take steps to reduce their risks. HMP Stocken is a category C prison near Oakham in the county of Rutland, the East Midlands, housing around 830 adult male prisoners. Exactly half had been convicted of violent crimes at the time of inspection and nearly all were serving sentences of at least four years. Peter Clarke, the Chief Inspector of Prisons, said this created potentially serious risks, particularly given the prisoner population. There are up to 70 resettlement prisons in England and they provide extra support to inmates with finding work, tackling drug addictions and learning basic life skills. They also set up Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements for offenders to work out ways of managing their risk to the public when they are released. But sometimes they are full and unable to take inmates from nearby prisons who are nearing the end of their sentences. There are up to 70 resettlement prisons in England and they provide extra support to inmates with finding work, tackling drug addictions and learning basic life skills Mr Clarke also raised concerns that managers at HMP Stocken were not properly discussing the risks of violent offenders prior to their release. His inspection report, published today, states: The interdepartmental risk management team (IRMT) meeting was poorly attended and was not given sufficient priority across the prison. Although the establishment routinely released about eight prisoners each month, the meeting did not routinely consider high-risk prisoners approaching release, to provide assurance that their risks were being managed appropriately. We looked at the cases of four high-risk prisoners who were due to be released in February 2019, and none of them had been discussed at the IRMT (interdepartmental risk management team) meeting in the previous six months. Yesterday (Tues) concerns were raised about the safety of prisoners undertaking work placements in the community following a major expansion of the Governments day-release scheme. More than 500 businesses have signed up to employ inmates on temporary release including the Pret A Manger sandwich chain and the Greene King pubs. US airports are preparing for a potential summer from hell as Boeings 737 MAX remains grounded, a record number of passengers head for the skies and security staff prepare to move to the Mexican border, according to officials. Airlines for America, the trade group representing major U.S. carriers, said it expects 257.4 million passengers to travel on U.S. airlines between June 1 and August 31, up 3.4 percent from last summers record 248.8 million passengers. That means average 2.8 million people each day will use air travel to go on trips - just as hundreds of aviation security personnel could be heading to the Mexican border. That combined with the grounding of Boeings 737 MAX aircraft after two fatal crashes could make it a very stressful summer for travelers, experts have warned. Travelers wait in line to go through a security checkpoint at Ronald Reagan National Airport on May 24, 2019 in Arlington, Virginia. US airports are preparing for a potential summer from hell as Boeings 737 MAX remains grounded, a record number of passengers head for the skies and security staff head to the Mexican border, according to officials Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX aircraft are parked on the tarmac after being grounded, at the Southern California Logistics Airport in Victorville, California in March 2019 Airlines are adding 111,000 seats daily to accommodate the extra 93,000 passengers expected per day, Airlines for America said, in what it forecast will be the 10th consecutive summer of increases in the number of U.S. airline passengers. Southwest Airlines Co and American Airlines Group Inc have already canceled flights because of the grounding of the 737 MAX into August, while United Airlines has canceled flights into early July. Southwest has canceled 160 daily flights through August 5. It launched service to Hawaii earlier this year but has had to defer flying there from San Diego and Sacramento because of the MAX groundings. American has canceled nearly 115 flights daily until August 19, accounting for two percent of its summer flight capacity. The U.S. Transportation Department said that July 2018 was the all-time busiest air travel month, with 75.8 million passengers. It comes as The Department of Homeland Security looks to move hundreds of Transportation Security Administration workers to help at the southern border. It is also considering tapping more than $230 million from the TSA to fund operations on the U.S.-Mexico border if Congress fails to approve additional funding, a person briefed on the matter said. Earlier this month the TSA confirmed it planned to redirect staff to the U.S. southern border to assist with immigration duties and migrant flows. A TSA spokesman said the agency was looking for volunteers to support efforts at the border with Mexico, where the government has said it is grappling with record numbers of people. Southwest Airlines Co and American Airlines Group Inc have canceled flights because of the grounding of the 737 MAX into August, while United Airlines has canceled flights into July Sara Nelson, the president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, said: 'As the busy summer travel begins, it couldnt be a worse time [to] undermine important safety programs and endanger the safety, security and comfort of the traveling public.' The Federal Aviation Administration met with aviation regulators from around the world in Texas to update them on the various reviews of the 737 MAX last Thursday. Acting FAA Administrator Daniel Elwell said: 'The public can trust that the FAA will not let the 737 Max fly again in the U.S. until it is safe to do so. 'I'm not going down the timetable road. The only timetable we have is the analysis that says the Max is good to fly, and safe to fly.' Ash trees could die out within ten years due to a devastating sequence of problems, an expert has warned. The beloved tree population is currently battling the harsh ash dieback disease, which, it is feared, could wipe out around 95 per cent of them. But those who survive the fungus are likely to be attacked by a destructive beetle called the Emerald Ash Borer - currently making its way to the UK. The beloved tree population is currently battling the harsh ash dieback disease, which, it is feared, could wipe out around 95 per cent of them Leading ash tree expert, Archie Miles, warned this could wipe out the entire ash population within ten to 20 years. Speaking at the Hay Festival, Mr Miles said the ash die back situation was 'absolutely' much worse than most of the population realise. He predicted up to 95 per cent of the population could be wiped out by the fungus, which is currently prevalent throughout the UK. But, he warned, those hardy enough to survive it will likely be 'mopped up by the next epidemic' - a beetle called the Emerald Ash Borer. He said: 'We could lose 95 per cent of them and what we don't lose with ash die back will be mopped up by the next epidemic which is a nasty little thing called Emerald Ash Borer. 'Which so far has taken out about 150 million ash trees in North America. It will get here, it will arrive - beetles fly.' Those who survive the fungus are likely to be attacked by a destructive beetle called the Emerald Ash Borer - currently making its way to the UK The Emerald Ash Borer, native to Asia, has been found in Russia and North America. So far it has filled hundreds of millions of ash trees in the United States since the 1990s. Mr Miles added: 'There's a sort of inevitability about the fact it will get here because it's a pest that's working its way around the world. 'It's working its way towards this county it's not a huge leap for them to get across the channel. 'Everyone is waiting for that first sighting of it, that first notification. 'It will probably eat up whatever is left. It's a rather gloomy outlook for the ash. 'I have estimated we will lose our ash trees within ten to 20 years. 'It's a death from a thousand cuts, it's so gradual, so slow.' The Emerald ash borer is a small bark boring insect which causes ashtrees to die within two to three years of infestation. The increases in the global movement of wood and wood packaging means it poses a significant risk to UK woodlands. Symptoms include thinning or yellowing of foliage as well as fissures in bark, and D-shaped holes, 3mm in diameter, produced by emerging adults. A self-confessed idiot failed his pilot exams 20 times before using a photocopier to fake his credentials only to fly into power lines. Lachlan Jones flew 856 times in his career for five different agricultural companies between 2013 and 2015 without qualifications, a court heard. He had made 23 attempts to pass the seven theoretical exams required but only passed three, according to The Australian. Desperate to get his wings, the St George resident left Australia for the U.S. in 2012 where he obtained a commercial pilots licence in a few days. He had to complete a simple multiple choice questionnaire with a pass rate of 70 per cent to obtain the US licence. 28-year-old self admitted 'idiot' pilot Lachlan Jones faked his licence using a photocopier and 'crashed his plane in to electricity wire' before flying 856 times in his career 'The US licence did not require the defendant to satisfy the same requirements as an Australian Commercial Pilot's Licence,' Civil Aviation Safety Authority said in a court submission. CASA investigator Paul Campbell said Jones was 'dangerous' pilot with with limited abilities. 'There is evidence he operated an aircraft dangerously and was responsible for an aeroplane crash in the US and he flew into an electricity wire in Australia,' Mr Campbell said. When Jones returned to Australia he mocked up an Australian Commercial Pilot's Licence using a photocopier and started working. 'He said he did this (faked his licence) because he was an idiot and because he was having trouble with the exams, although he had now passed them,' CASA said. Jones narrowly avoided jail when he faced the Brisbane District Court for providing false information to CASA, faking a commonwealth document and flying an aircraft without a valid licence. After failing the Australia Commercial Pilot's licence test 23 times he went to the U.S. where he passed their test within days The court heard Jones, who still proudly displays several images of planes and images of himself flying with passengers, came from a long family history of agricultural pilots and was under pressure to follow the same career. Jones has logged 5500 flying hours on a private pilot's licence, for which he is officially qualified, and has not had a crash since the incident with the power lines. Judge Paul Smith chose to be lenient on the man but said he was still taking all of the offences, which has a maximum penalty of jail time, seriously and noted that the situation was unique. The court heard Jones, who still proudly displays several images of planes and images (such as above) of himself flying with passengers, came from a long family history of agricultural pilots and was under pressure to follow the same career He took in to consideration pressure from his family in addition to his valid private and U.S. commercial pilot's licence, his lack of prior offences and his complete admissions in the guilty verdict. Despite his flight career consisting of hundreds of flights, Jones also predominately flew by himself on commercial operations. Jones was spared jail with a six-month suspended jail sentence for providing false and misleading information to CASA and was fined $10,000 for the five counts of flying without a valid commercial pilot's licence. Lachlan Jones was contacted for comment. He murdered the pensioner in his home after making threats in the days before Baker and Frank Tyson had both been dealing synthetic cannabis in Wellington A man who cut off his neighbour's head with a bread knife over a drug deal dispute had threatened the elderly man with his horrific plan days earlier. Frank Tyson was killed by Eugene Baker at his home in Wellington, on New Zealand's North Island, in November last year. Baker stabbed the 71-year-old five times in his public housing flat before grabbing a large bread knife and cutting off the pensioner's head, NZME reported. Eugene Baker (pictured) pleaded guilty to murder in the High Court in Wellington, on New Zealand's North Island, on Wednesday Baker stabbed the 71-year-old five times in his public housing flat (pictured) before grabbing a large bread knife and cutting off the pensioner's head The body of Mr Tyson, who was known as a 'ghetto taxi driver' as he would drive people to buy drugs for a fee, lay in his home for hours while Baker walked around the complex telling people what he had done. The pair had been arguing in the days before the grisly killing as both men had been dealing synthetic cannabis. Tensions reached boiling point when Baker was evicted from the public housing property. He blamed his neighbour for his eviction - claiming Mr Tyson had been an informant to the agency that operates the state house. Two days before the murder, Baker text Mr Tyson saying: 'The nxt time you and I come head to head game over!!!' Mongrel Mob members arrived at the Wellington property the next day to fight Baker. He was 'visibly angry' after being kicked several times time one of the gang members and when the gang left, Baker was heard yelling to Mr Tyson: 'I'm going to take your head'. Frank Tyson (pictured), 71, was known as a 'ghetto taxi driver' as he would drive people to buy drugs for a fee The next day he sent a series of messages to a gang associate telling them to warn Mr Tyson 'Eugene is still going to dehead your ass motherf***er hehehehehe' Baker stormed into Mr Tyson's flat later that night after he returned home with a large amount of synthetic drugs. Armed with a large kitchen knife, he demanded Mr Tyson hand over his drugs. When Mr Tyson refused he stabbed him five times in the chest. Baker then used a serrated bread knife to decapitate Mr Tyson. He left with the head wrapped in a towel and placed in the plastic bag he had brought with him. As he was leaving he told residents about the killing, assuring them he would clean up later. When police arrived, about 10pm, they found the head had been returned. Baker pleaded guilty to murder in the High Court in Wellington, on New Zealand's North Island, on Wednesday. He had been examined to see if he had a psychiatric defence, however, he did not. He has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced in June. Advertisement A faded picture from Courtney Herron's childhood shows a little girl with eyes that shine as brightly as her toothy grin. It is an image that is hard to reconcile with the savagery of her death. But Courtney's life story is complicated. A bright-eyed and smiling Courtney Herron before the weight of the world crushed her gentle spirit. She fought hard to get her life back on track, but in the end it was snuffed out so violently in a cold, Melbourne park Courtney Herron and her beloved grandfather. She had been close with him right up until his death. Even then Courtney would run to her grandmother in times of need A gorgeous child with the world at her feet, she would be consumed by its cruelty as an adult and spat out. In the end it would be a life defined by personal demons, drug addiction and, finally, unspeakable violence. Courtney was born to loving parents John and Maxie in Melbourne on March 3, 1994. 'A DAMAGED LITTLE BIRD' Life was different then. Hey, Hey It's Saturday was still in its prime on Australian TV screens and you could run onto the ground after the siren at a game of AFL footy. But like many before and after them, Courtney's parents fell out of love with each other. They divorced when she was just three and her little world came crumbling down around it. Her mother told The Age she was like a 'damaged little bird'. Courtney never truly got over her broken family and life just seemed to get tougher as the years dragged on. She didn't benefit from the stability of a settled household and was moved from school to school during her formative years. She spent time at Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar School in Essendon, Lauriston Girls' School in Armadale, and then Genazzano in Kew. Kids can be cruel and bullies had made her life that much tougher. By her teens Courtney was already suffering from depression, anxiety and attachment issues. Just two months after turning 18 she got stung for riding a train without a ticket - a trivial matter that somehow ended up in court. Courtney was convicted and fined $180. She was still at school and was given a year to pay it off. But in November that year, no doubt enjoying the end of what had become an arduous grind through high school, she was nabbed with a couple of ecstasy pills. A young Courtney Herron (right) frolics in the trees with her friend Kalinda Brown (left). Courtney had struggled at school with bullies, but made some life-long friends Courtney Herron and her little sister enjoy the sunshine down at St Kilda during one of the area's many market days. Courtney had loved to take selfies with her and they were making a scrap book together. Courtney's body was found about 16kms away from where she posed for this photo The magistrate gave her a rap across the knuckles and gave her a chance to escape conviction on a six month diversion plan. Under the plan, which ordinarily run for a year, offenders are not required to enter into formal pleas and do not have criminal convictions recorded under their names. Her mother said it was a kick in the pants her daughter needed. 'In year 12 she was free falling. Then this diversion thing came in and changed her life. It showed who she was: a capable, smart, loving girl in a work environment,' Maxie said. While on the program she got some work with the Department of Health and Human Services Victoria, which Courtney embraced. She hoped it would lead to full-time work, but something went wrong. Courtney's mum has claimed the stain on her criminal record was to blame for her failing to secure employment there. The diversion was discharged in the Heidelburg Magistrates' Court a little over a month before it was due to expire. High profile criminal lawyer George Balot said a diversion was 'the most merciful outcome' available to magistrates in dealing with accused persons charged with low level criminal offending. 'A recurring problem with a diversion order is that whilst the diversion is pending, the accused is not yet discharged, hence were an employer to obtain a criminal record check during the period of the diversion, it will disclose that the charges are pending,' he said. 'It is often prudent not to order a criminal record check during the course of the diversion program.' For Courtney, it was too late. The checks were made, the job was lost and she got a taste of a justice system that would become sadly familiar to her. FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS The teenager's story until then had been like many who pass through the doors of Melbourne's criminal courts. Judges, lawyers and even reporters have seen countless Courtney Herrons processed through Victoria's revolving door justice system. Good kids from good families who for one reason or another wind up on drugs and into a legal system that has both hands tied by Victoria's under resourced and inadequate mental health, welfare and housing system. Sometimes they wind up dead. Henry Hammond, a 27-year-old homeless man, has been charged with Courtney's murder. A fresh-faced Courtney Herron - red bow in hair and ready to take on the world. She had her ups and downs during her short life and was determined to make something of herself An image of Courtney Herron put out by Victoria Police after her body was found brutally bashed to death at a park just outside of Melbourne's CBD. Her last few years on earth had not been kind and her ending was even worse That original setback at school had sent Courtney on a collision course with disaster, her mum said. 'That was a huge knock,' she said. 'The people she worked with said, "Dont give up, you are so capable". She loved it, and she wanted to do community work and a diploma in housing but then the demon friends came in.' Those demon friends saw Courtney guided into the grip of the scourge of methylamphetamine - the deadly drug ice. Over the next few years she became lost in Melbourne's seedy underbelly, living with mates and using drugs. Her mum would ring her daughter's mates and trawl Facebook for signs of life, but it is hard to find someone who does not want to be found. 'When we knew she was in a psychosis, I would beg dealers. I said, "I dont care, Im not interested in dobbing you in". I would say, "Tell me what street" and would go pick her up. I just wanted to get her help,' Maxie said. By Maxie's own account, intervention orders had been put into place, which restricted what, if anything, she could do for her troubled daughter anyway. BEGINNING OF THE END Then, in 2015, Courtney met Ahmet Ozkurt and fell madly in love. Under his care, Courtney began to get clean but before they had the chance to marry, the Kurdish refugee from Turkey was taken into a detention centre after complications with his visa. Courtney was again shattered and blamed herself because he missed the appointment for his visa renewal. She made it her mission to save him, but it was one that drove her further into the pits of despair and back into the drug's lair. Henry Hammond, a 27-year-old homeless man, has been charged with Courtney's murder. Much is known about his history, but cannot be reported for legal reasons By 2017, Courtney was in the pits. On the day of her 23rd birthday she was sprung shoplifting and arrested. Less than two weeks later the still learner driver was caught driving an unregistered vehicle, without L plates, and allegedly in possession of stolen goods. It is likely she spent time in the police jailhouse cells before being released. The possession charge was ultimately dismissed and on July 23 last year she was released again on a good behaviour bond without conviction. She was ordered to undergo 'treatment' until December 19 that year and appeared to comply with the order - at least to the court's satisfaction. HER FINAL DAYS The last time her family had contact with Courtney was at Greek Easter - April 28 - this year, when her grandmother visited her at the Austin hospital. Courtney had earlier fled her grandmother's home in the dead of night and had cut off communication with her mum. People claimed they had seen Courtney sleeping rough in an alleyway known to be held by territorial homeless men. She had reportedly been at a party with the man accused of killing her on the night she died. Courtney's grandmother was this week seen wailing over the site her precious grand daughter was allegedly beaten to death. It was a harrowing vision for all whom witnessed it. Courtney's father, a lawyer, has remained mostly silent about his role in his daughter's life. 'It's just very difficult. I can barely speak about it,' he told Daily Mail Australia. THE MEAN STREETS In an interview with The Project, Courtney's friend Jessica Bateman said she had 'worried immensely' that something horrible would happen to her. 'She was couch surfing and when she couldnt find a friend to couch surf with, shed spend nights in parks the park that she was discovered in,' Ms Bateman said. 'She knew that her family loved her, but she wasnt in touch with them. It was very, if you will, sporadic.' Ms Bateman knew Courtney was using drugs, but the thought of getting off them terrified her friend. 'She was trying to get into public housing, she was trying to get onto methadone or something that would stop the withdrawal symptoms that she was going to face and the fear of withdrawal is what really kept her using,' she said. While the guilt of the man accused of murdering Courtney will play out in court, many believe they already know what really killed her. Throwing their hands into the air and seemingly asking God to respond, family of the 25-year old made their way to Royal Park on Monday A lonely spot to die: The body of Courtney Herron was found bloody and beaten between these logs. It is a lonely and cold spot off the beaten track. Courtney's life had been tough and her ending was anything but happy A BROKEN SYSTEM The ignorant have declared it her own fault for using drugs. But a more complex truth lies at the heart of this tragedy - one that many believe will not be solved until at least another generation is at the helm of those that control society. Donna Stolzenberg, from the National Homeless Collective, said the reality of life for people like Courtney was grim. 'The system is so broken and it does not help people with drug problems. We don't have enough housing stock for people. There are people on waiting lists for years and years and years,' she said. 'Transitional housing is meant to be for 12 months, but we can't move people forward because it bottlenecks and there is no housing stock to move them ... People aren't getting help for drugs, they're not getting housing and it's nobody's problem. 'Nobody is taking ownership of it. Local government will tell you it's state government and they'll say it's federal government's problem. Everyone passes the buck because the outcome won't happen on their watch.' Ms Stolzenberg said in the two major parties in the last federal election failed to have a policy on homelessness. The mother of Brisbane Broncos star Payne Haas arrived in court wearing a Blues scarf as she prepared to plead with a judge to escape a prison sentence. Uiatu 'Joan' Taufua hopes to be able to watch her son's State of Origin debut in Brisbane on June 5 after he became the most inexperienced player to be selected to represent his state in almost 25 years. The 42-year-old mother-of-10 pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm after she attacked delivery driver Keith Tyler in a car park at The Pines shopping centre on the Gold Coast in a road rage incident last year. Scroll down for video The mother of Brisbane Broncos star Payne Haas arrived in court wearing a Blues scarf preparing to plead with the judge to escape a prison sentence Mother-of-10 Joan Taufua (pictured), 42, will be sentenced at Southport Magistrates Court on Wednesday after attacking delivery driver Keith Tyler (right) Uiatu 'Joan' Taufua hopes to be able to watch her son's State of Origin debut after he became the most inexperienced player to be selected to represent his state almost 25 years Taufua told reporters outside Southport Magistrates Court she would be supporting her son's team come Origin, The Courier Mail reported. 'Go the Blues,' she said. 'This has nothing to do with my son.' But Haas has previously faced punishment from the NRL Integrity Commission after he failed to assist in investigations into a separate incident involving his mum. The 19-year-old was suspended for four matches and fined $20,000 after he refused to cooperate during investigations into a brawl at a women's rugby league match. Taufua told reporters outside Southport Magistrates Court she would be supporting her son's team come Origin Mother-of-ten Taufua (pictured) is seen storming toward Mr Tyler before his phone is knocked out of his hand in shocking footage Taufua is on a three-year probation for assaulting a mother and her teenage daughter. She is pictured on the right with her children, including Haas (far left) Taufua was given a three-year probation order for assaulting a mother and her teenage daughter at the women's rugby league match in Brisbane in August last year. In the latest assault, Taufua attacked Mr Tyler, a delivery driver, when he attempted to record her car's registration number after an altercation. Mr Tyler said at the time 'she was certainly the most aggressive, not just female, but person I've ever come across in my life'. He was treated for a broken nose, broken teeth and a punctured lip at the time, and says he is still mentally scarred. Kumba III DO, Soldiers Take Relief To Teke Twitter Cameroons Defense and Security Forces have provided relief to the population of Teke Village in Kumba III Subdivision who are suffering under the weight of the deepening sociopolitical crisis rocking the countrys North West and South West Regions. The team of defense and security officials was led by the Divisional Officer of Kumba III Subdivision, Mbua nee Epolewane Verklin on Tuesday, May 28, 2019. The Divisional Officer of Kumba III Subdivision used the opportunity to sensitize the population to be law-abiding. She urged them to collaborate with administrative and security officials for a return to normalcy. The sensitization campaign in Teke was followed by a health outreach programme animated by the Chief Medical Officer of lOperation Chacal. In all, 147 persons were received by the medical team of the defense and security forces. They were freely consulted and administered basic treatment and medical care. Drugs were also distributed. Population receive medical care from Operation Chacal (c) Twitter A thick crowd of locals turned out to listen to the sensitization messages and also to get medical care. Women and children constituted a bulk of those who answered present. Before leaving Teke, the special team of defense and security forces led by the Divisional Officer of Kumba III distributed food items and groceries to a cross section of the population. Teke served as the backyard of General Ivo, a separatist fighter who led other armed men to fight for the restoration of the independence of a country they call Ambazonia a geographical allusion to Cameroons North West and South West Regions. The kingpin of the Ambazonia armed separatist movement fondly called General Ivo was reportedly killed in Teke, Kumba III Subdivision in Meme Division on December 21, 2018 during a raid carried out by the elite forces of Cameroons Rapid Intervention Battalion. This is the moment a suspected cocaine dealer complained about being arrested in Sydney's affluent eastern suburbs. The woman protested while an officer led her handcuffed to a paddy wagon in Bondi two weeks ago. She said 'I don't really appreciate this' before the policeman shut her down by responding 'well, you shouldn't be involved in drug supply then should you?' The woman (left) protested while an officer led her handcuffed to a paddy wagon in Bondi, Sydney last weekend The investigation was focused on Sydney's affluent eastern suburbs, with cars stopped and searched In the same police video, another woman is arrested and complains about removing her jewellery when she gets to the police station. 'It's got to come out I'm afraid,' a policeman tells her. The women were arrested after police stopped a white Kia on Bondi Road at around 7pm on Saturday 11 May. Police searched the car and found more than $22,000 cash, concealed in envelopes in the front glove box and boot. Officers also seized illicit drugs believed to be cocaine and cannabis in a hidden compartment, mobile phones and documents. The 30-year-old female driver and 26-year-old female passenger were arrested and charged with supplying drugs. The pair were granted conditional bail to appear at Waverley Local Court on Tuesday 11 June 2019. The raid was part of a series of drugs busts police have made this month. Fifty five people were charged after police investigated cocaine supply across Sydney's affluent eastern suburbs The raid resulted in 55 people being charged after the investigation into the supply of cocaine and other drugs in Sydney Officers seized more than 290g of cocaine, 13g of MDMA - also known as ecstasy - 110g of cananbis and $63,000 cash after six night-time investigations across the city's affluent eastern suburbs Fifty-five people have been charged in a targeted investigation into the supply and distribution of cocaine and illicit drugs across Sydney. The raids took place on six nights over three weeks in May. Police seized more than 290g of cocaine, 13g of MDMA, 110g of cannabis and $63,000 cash. They charged 28 people with drug supply and charged 27 people with drug possession. Redfern Region Enforcement Squad Commander, Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Bell, said the arrests are testament to the hard work of police. A black BMW was stopped and searched in Paddington on May 11, with 17g of cocaine and $4,200 cash found inside. A 29-year-old woman driving a BMW was charged with drug offences Fifty five people were charged following a targeted police investigation into Sydney's cocaine trade 'Strike Force Northrop detectives will continue to investigate and target those in the community that continue to participate in illegal drug-related activity,' Insp Bell said. 'These illicit substances are incredibly dangerous, and we will do everything we can to remove them from the streets of Sydney. 'Police do not want to see any more drug-related deaths and it is disappointing to see so many people putting other's lives at risk through the sale and distribution of these drugs. 'If anyone in the community has information about the supply of prohibited drugs, please contact Crime Stoppers immediately,' Insp Bell said. Several cars were stopped and searched during the investigation 'These illicit substances are incredibly dangerous, and we will do everything we can to remove them from the streets of Sydney,' Mr Bell said During the operation, officers seized more than 290g of cocaine, 13g of MDMA, 110g of cannabis and $63,000 cash Organised crime investigators have seized three properties worth a total of 80million under 'McMafia' laws. The National Crime Agency wants the suspected owner of the London buildings, described as a 'politically exposed person', to explain how they paid for them. Three Unexplained Wealth Orders (UWOs) were granted at the High Court last week, forcing the suspect to prove they were not bought using dirty money. The National Crime Agency wants the suspected owner of the London buildings, described as a 'politically exposed person', to explain how they paid for them The NCA said the identity of the individual could not be revealed pending investigations. The offshore-owned buildings are subject to restrictions on being sold or transferred during the investigation. UWOs are dubbed 'McMafia laws' after the BBC drama about super-rich foreign gangsters using London as their base. It is thought that up to 90billion of money linked to organised crime is laundered through the UK every year. After last year's nerve agent attacks in Salisbury, the Government said the measure would be at the heart of a crackdown on Russian money in the capital. In September, Whitehall sources said that the NCA could target 'more than 100' foreigners within the coming months, with the majority said to be Russian. But the recent seizure of the three London-based properties is only the second time that the laws have been used, raising questions about their application. Graeme Biggar, from the NCA, said: 'The purchase of prime property in London is a tactic used to launder money and we will use all the powers available to us to target those who try to do this.' The mother of a six-year-old boy who was admitted to hospital with a temperature of 39.3 after contracting flu has admitted she had no idea how dangerous the virus could be. Emi Hall took her son, Jackson, to her GP after she found a rash from his neck to his toes, but his condition became worse over the next fortnight. Jackson was rushed to hospital where he was diagnosed with Influenza A and spent the next month recovering. Ms Hall had no idea the flu virus could be life-threatening and said she should have got her son vaccinated. A six-year-old boy was admitted to hospital with a temperature of 39.3 and was diagnosed with Influenza A and his mother had no idea how dangerous the virus could be Emi Hall took her son, Jackson, to her GP after she found a rash from his neck to his toes, but his condition became worse over the next fortnight Ms Hall was terrified when she discovered the rash all over Jackson's body. 'I went into panic mode and definitely thought it was something more than a reaction or a viral infection,' she told ABC's 7.30. After taking Jackson to the GP, his condition did not improve and his body temperature drastically rose. 'He was laying on the couch, lethargic, not moving but it got worse to the point where he wouldn't even eat. He was barely drinking.' 'He had temperatures of 39.3.' Jackson was rushed to hospital and after 12 hours of waiting, the doctors said he had Influenza A. 'I honestly didn't even give it a thought that it could be this bad. It's pretty serious.' 'I honestly didn't even give it a thought that it could be this bad. It's pretty serious'; Ms Hall (pictured) had no idea the flu virus could be so threatening and said she should have got her son vaccinated 'He had temperatures of 39.3'; Jackson was rushed to hospital where he was diagnosed with Influenza A and spent the next month recovering Ms hall explained she had the flu shot in 2013 when she was pregnant with Jackson but didn't receive a follow up after he was born. 'I just thought ''oh, it is a flu injection? What can it do? What would it prevent?'' but now I am kicking myself.' Ms Hall now believes they both should have received a flu shot. 'Maybe he wouldn't have got as bad as what he has got to.' Australia is facing its worst flu season since 2009 and the winter season hasn't even begun. There have been 57,761 notifications for influenza since the start of 2019, which is a drastic increase compared to previous years and 139 people have died Australia is facing its worst flu season since 2009 and the winter season hasn't even begun. There have been 57,761 notifications for influenza since the start of 2019, which is a drastic increase compared to previous years. The number of notifications has increased since 2014, where there were only 5,886, but that number has grown each year and reached 13,732 in 2018. There have been 139 deaths this year as a result of influenza. A total of 26 people in Victoria, including a three-year-old child, have died of influenza-related symptoms this year. Two people died of the flu in less than two weeks in Adelaide last month, including a 15-year-old girl. A mother whose seven-year-old daughter was raped and murdered in Michigan 52 years ago is desperately searching for a kidney donor so she can outlive her child's killer and keep fighting for him to remain locked up. Edith 'Sammie' Siordia, 79, who is battling kidney disease, has vowed to keep fighting until her last breath to ensure convicted child killer Theodore Glenn Williams never walks free. Williams, now aged 80, has been imprisoned at a state psychiatric hospital in Michigan for most of his adult life ever since he pleaded guilty to murdering Siordia's little girl Sonya in Grand Rapids in 1967. He has launched a number of appeals in recent years so he can live out his final days outside the hospital, but Siordia insists she will continue to fight the courts to ensure it doesn't happen. Edith 'Sammie' Siordia, who is battling kidney disease, has vowed to keep fighting until her last breath to ensure Theodore Glenn Williams never walks free after he pleaded guilty to murdering her seven-year-old daughter Sonya in 1967 Siordia, who recently learned she needs a kidney transplant because her organs are failing, said her daughter Sonya's memory inspires her to keep fighting. 'It worries me that one day he's going to get out,' Siordia told MLive. 'If I have to fight this again, I'm going to do it 'til my last breath, if I can, you know? 'I've gotta stay alive for Sonya.' Siordia was diagnosed with kidney disease several years ago and her organs no longer work sufficiently enough to sustain her life. She is appealing for a kidney donor via the Kidney Buzz website. 'The memory of my children, that I have lost, gives me the strength to continue fighting Kidney Failure and live on dialysis which is crippling for most patients,' she wrote on the website. 'This is especially the case when I think about the memory of my daughter, Sonya. Her memory inspires me to keep going.' Williams, now aged 80, has been imprisoned at a state psychiatric hospital in Michigan for most of his adult life ever since he pleaded guilty to murdering Siordia's little girl Sonya in Grand Rapids in 1967. He is pictured above during a 1994 court appearance Siordia, who recently learned she needs a kidney transplant because her organs are failing, said her daughter Sonya's memory inspires her to keep fighting. She is pictured above with a relative Sonya was kidnapped by Williams on her way home from school in September 1967 before being raped and killed. Williams, who worked as a house painter, had been dating Sonya's babysitter at the time. Before the little girl's body was found, Williams had sat in his victim's home comforting Siordia. 'He would sit in my kitchen and say, 'If I could get my hands on the SOB, I'd kill him.' All that time it was him,' Siordia said. Sonya's body was found three weeks later in a shallow grave by horseback riders. Authorities linked Williams to the crime after he accidentally buried his estimate book with her body. Williams, who also admitted to killing a 13-year-old girl, pleaded guilty but was deemed to be a criminal-sexual psychopath. Siordia was diagnosed with kidney disease several years ago and her organs no longer work sufficiently enough to sustain her life. She is appealing for a kidney donor via the Kidney Buzz website Instead of being sent to prison, Williams was committed to a state mental hospital. The Criminal Sexual Psychopath Act was repealed a year later, which meant Williams could be discharged if there were reasonable grounds to believe he was no longer a psychopath and a threat. Williams was briefly released in 1973 but prosecutors refiled charges and he was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in Sonya's case. A high court ordered Williams to be committed to the state psychiatric hospital six years later based on the same law that was in place when he was originally sentenced. Since then, Williams - who insists he has recovered - had repeatedly sought his release from the facility so he can live out his remaining years. Every time he launches a legal bid, Siordia said she fights it in honor of her slain daughter. He is allowed to petition the court every year to be considered for release. Jeremy Corbyn could announce Labour's backing for a second referendum within days, it has been claimed. The party leader has faced huge pressure to commit to a more decisive line on Brexit since his party was thrashed at the European elections last week. Labour fell to an embarrassing third place behind the Liberal Democrats, who took a much more avowedly pro-Europe position - prompting calls for Mr Corbyn to back a new public vote. Now senior Labour figures have said he is poised to back a second referendum, the Mirror reported. Jeremy Corbyn (pictured leaving his home in north London on Monday) could announce Labour's backing for a second referendum within days, it has been claimed One shadow Cabinet minister said a decisive move would 'give our membership confidence again that they can get back on the doorstep'. Mr Corbyn has toed a careful line on a second vote, concerned that Labour would be wiped out in its former northern heartlands if it was seen to be sabotaging Brexit. He has demanded a general election and spoken only vaguely of keeping a second referendum on the table. But his position has come under fierce scrutiny after Labour's embarrassment at the European polls. Labour finished behind the Liberal Democrats in pro-Remain London - including in the party leader's own Islington backyard. After the results came in Mr Corbyn inched closer than ever before to backing a so-called People's Vote, saying any Brexit deal 'has to be put to a public vote'. Labour's shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott (pictured in London) said there was 'no inherent contradiction' between a new vote and respecting the 2016 result Shadow chancellor John McDonnell (pictured) said Labour could unite the party and country by 'taking the issue back to people in a public vote' Pro-EU MPs Wes Streeting and Ben Bradshaw both spoke of difficult doorstep experiences as Labour was derided for its equivocal position on Brexit. Yesterday shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott insisted Labour was moving towards a 'clearer line' on Brexit. Ms Abbott said there was 'no inherent contradiction' between respecting the result of the 2016 referendum and having another poll. 'I've always argued that it's perfectly possible that Leave would win again but we're supporting a People's Vote strongly now because it's the right thing to do and it's the democratic thing to do,' she said. She went on: 'Our position is that ideally we want a general election - if we can't get a general election in time, we would support a People's Vote.' Trade union boss Len McCluskey (pictured), an opponent of a second vote, demanded that Mr Corbyn stick to his existing position of trying to keep Leave and Remain supporters together Deputy leader Tom Watson has also backed a second referendum, saying: 'We've lost many hundreds of thousands, if not millions of potential votes in that election because we got it wrong.' He told the BBC: 'The time is now to show some humility, to listen and to move very, very quickly.' And former prime minister Tony Blair said he had voted Labour 'without great enthusiasm' as he too pushed for the party to throw its weight behind a referendum. He said Mr Corbyn 'has got to come to a clear position', telling Sky News: 'The one that is very obvious is that both party leaderships have made the same mistake, which is to think that it's possible to sit on the fence on Europe and appeal to both sides. 'What the European elections show you is that isn't possible.' This map shows how the Brexit Party topped polls almost everywhere in England and Wales. The Tories did not come first in any council areas However union boss Len McCluskey has urged Labour to stick to its current position and try to bring Leavers and Remainers together. The leader of the Unite union has urged Labour to stay united, ready to govern to 'transform the country' despite the party's poor showing in the Euro polls. 'The blame lies firmly with the Tory party which has handled the Brexit process disastrously causing despair and disillusion among voters driving many to (Nigel) Farage and his simplistic offer,' he said. 'Labour has been the only party that has sought to unite the nation on Brexit and this is an honourable objective that must not be abandoned. 'This is the time to hold our nerve because the true prize is the very real possibility of a looming general election. 'That is the opportunity for Labour to go to the people to present its programme to transform our country, rebuilding our communities and restoring hope to those who feel abandoned by Westminster. Alastair Campbell was yesterday expelled from Labour after he admitted he had not voted for the party for first time in his life, in disgust at the party's stance on Europe 'Faced now with the serious prospect of a no deal Tory prime minister, Labour must stay united and show the country that it is ready to lead.' Meanwhile the party was engulfed by a further row after Mr Blair's former spin doctor Alastair Campbell was thrown out of the party for supporting the Lib Dems. Speaking outside his north London home, Mr Campbell said he will appeal the expulsion and warned Labour faces 'oblivion' unless it clarifies its Brexit position. 'I think that there are people in Jeremy Corbyn's office, senior positions in Jeremy Corbyn's office, who have recommended voting against the Labour Party,' he said. 'You can interpret the rules in all sorts of different ways, but one thing I know is I'm not going to leave the party just because some random email comes in telling me that I've been expelled.' Mr Campbell, a key player in the New Labour era, declined to rule out shunning the party again in a snap general election and said it would 'depend' on its Brexit policy. He described his rapid expulsion as 'strange' and said 'people will inevitably draw the contrast with the lack of rapidity in dealing with cases involving anti-Semitism'. Labour rules say members who support a party other than Labour are automatically ineligible for membership. Advertisement Turkey's military dropped commandos on mountain ridges in a new operation against Kurdish militants based over the border in northern Iraq, the defence ministry said on Tuesday. The push began with artillery and air strikes on Monday afternoon, and the operation by commando brigades began in the evening, according to a ministry statement. It said the operation, part of a years-long campaign against Kurdish rebels, targeted in the Iraq's Hakurk region, just across the border from Turkey's southeastern tip, which also borders Iran. Turkish Firtina (Storm) howitzers launched rockets to hit PKK terrorists positions as Turkish Armed Forces launched a counter-terrorism operation in Hakurk, northern Iraq, yesterday The push began with artillery and air strikes on Monday afternoon - and the operation by commando brigades (pictured) began in the evening The defence ministry said the operation targeted Iraq's Hakurk region, just across the border from Turkey's southeastern tip, which also borders Iran The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant group is based in northern Iraq, notably in the Qandil region to the south of Hakurk. 'With this operation, the aim is to destroy the caves and shelters used by the terrorist organisation and neutralise terrorists in the Hakurk region,' the ministry said. Video published by the ministry showed helicopters landing commandos on mountainous terrain. It also shared photos showing shells fired by howitzers and soldiers perched on ridges, surveying hillsides with their rifles. While the operation (pictured) continues, the defence ministry said: 'With this operation, the aim is to destroy the caves and shelters used by the terrorist organisation and neutralise terrorists in the Hakurk region' The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant group is based in northern Iraq, notably in the Qandil region to the south of Hakurk. Pictured: Turkish Firtina (Storm) howitzers launched to hit PKK terrorists positions (left) and Turkish commandos blend into the rocky terrain (right) 'The operation, with the support of our attack helicopters, is continuing as planned,' the statement said. The military frequently launches air strikes against PKK targets in northern Iraq but ground operations are less common Video published by the ministry showed helicopters landing commandos on mountainous terrain (pictured). It also shared photos showing shells fired by howitzers and soldiers perched on ridges, surveying hillsides with their rifles 'The operation, with the support of our attack helicopters, is continuing as planned,' the statement said. The military frequently launches air strikes against PKK targets in northern Iraq but ground operations are less common. Nine militants had been 'neutralised' so far in the operation, the ministry said later in the day, using a term to refer to deaths, injuries or captures. It added that shelters and ammunition depots were also struck in air strikes in Qandil and Zap, another nearby region. Turkish Chief of General Staff Hulusi Akar (centre) and Commander of the Turkish Land Forces Yasar Guler (centre left) sit next to other commanders as they conduct the operation during night time in Ankara, Turkey Nine militants had been 'neutralised' so far in the operation, the ministry said later in the day, using a term to refer to deaths, injuries or captures Chief of General Staff Akar stops to eat as another commander drinks from a mug during the pre-dawn meal of sahur, the last food before a long day of fasting, in Ankara The PKK launched an insurgency in mainly Kurdish southeast Turkey in 1984 and more than 40,000 people have been killed in the conflict. It is designated a terrorist group by Ankara, the European Union and United States. There was no comment from the PKK on the operation. Sydney nightclub mogul John Ibrahim has opened up on the death of Thomas Kelly, as he called for the end of the city's lockout laws. Kelly, 18, was killed by a fatal blow to the head in unprovoked attack during a night out in Kings Cross in July 2012. His death led to the implementation of Sydney's controversial lockout laws in 2014, which ultimately destroyed the city's nightlife scene. Ibrahim, 48, spoke out on the tragedy saying he was affected by the death as a father of a teenage boy. 'King of the Cross' John Ibrahim has opened up on the death of Thomas Kelly, as he calls for the end of the city's lockout laws Kelly, 18, was killed by a fatal blow to the head in unprovoked attack during a night out in Kings Cross in July 2012. His death led to the implementation of Sydney's controversial lockout laws in 2014, which ultimately destroyed the city's nightlife scene 'My heart goes out to that family as I have a son who was a year older than him when he passed away, more so after what they went through with their younger son as well,' he told LatteLife Newspaper. The Kelly family suffered another tragedy a few years later when Thomas's brother Stuart took his own life in 2016. Ibrahim said he wished Kelly had made it to his club Trademark where he was heading before he was killed by 24-year-old Kieran Loveridge, who is now behind bars. He reflected on his glory days as the 'King of the Cross,' where he was at one point running 23 nightclubs and bringing in 30,000 people every weekend. Ibrahim called the execution of the laws a 'stupid decision' and a 'knee-jerk reaction', revealing the State Government did not provide any consultation. Ibrahim reflected on his glory days as the 'King of the Cross,' where he was at one point running 23 nightclubs and bringing in 30,000 people every weekend Before the laws went into effect, Kings Cross had been the centre for partying and nightlife 'It wasn't about the lives lost, which was a real tragedy. It was all about freeing up hospitals and emergency services, including police and ambulances', he said. He said he and his team tried to help reduce crime and alcohol-related violence by offering to pay to have more police officers on the ground as well as additional nurses and doctors at the local hospital. The Government, he said, did not find his efforts sufficient since it wanted more law enforcement throughout the week. Kelly was punched in head by Kieran Loveridge, who is now behind bars Ibrahim claimed the system, which requires bars and clubs to implement a 1.30am lockout, would have done nothing to prevent the tragedy since the incident took place around 10pm. He said the issue was a criminal matter and should have been treated in such a way. Instead, he said the Government used the deaths 'for gain' and negatively impacted businesses, while pointing out that drug-related deaths at festivals continue to rise. Although efforts are being made to have the law overturned, Ibrahim said it will take years to restore the city's nightlife scene. 'I feel very sorry for the younger generation that have barely anything today and completely missed out on what was the centre of Sydney nightlife,' he said. Australia is ranked 15th in the world on the list of best countries for children to grow up, coming behind Slovenia, Iceland and Cyprus - and only two spots above Israel. While children born today have the best chance in history to grow up healthy, educated and protected, it seems that Australia is falling behind. Save The Children has released a new report comparing 176 countries on access to health care, education, nutrition and protection from issues such as child labour and child marriage. While children born today have the best chance in history to grow up healthy, educated and protected, it seems that Australia is falling behind (stock image of Australian children) While Australia sits ranked at 15th in the world behind countries such as Slovenia, South Korea and Portugal, it is only two spots above Israel. Save the Children Australia CEO Paul Ronalds said he is disappointed in Australia's ranking. 'Australia has not made very much progress on the really complex poverty issues we have in some of our communities,' he said. 'Australia has some of the most geographically concentrated poverty in the OECD and we're really just not making much progress on reducing the impact on children of that entrenched poverty.' Australia's ranking for teenage mothers sits about the same as Malaysia and Bahrain, but just below the United Kingdom. The report said results for indigenous Australian children were troubling, as they are twice as likely to die during early childhood as non-indigenous children. Indigenous Australian children also have significantly lower school attendance rates. Iceland has beaten Australia in the list of best countries for children to grow up (stock image of children in Iceland) The report details that even a generation ago, a child was twice as likely to die before reaching five years old, 70 per cent more likely to undertake child labour and 20 per cent more likely to be murdered. Medical and technological advances are to credit for the change, with breakthrough vaccines preventing childhood diseases and better care for mothers and babies. There has also been considerable progress in building human and institutional capacity to deliver lifesaving solutions for vulnerable children. The report assesses where the most and fewest children are 'experiencing childhood', with Singapore topping the ranks with a score of 989. Save The Children has released a new report comparing 176 countries on access to health care, education, nutrition and protection from issues such as child labour and child marriage (stock image) Among the top ten countries are eight Western European countries and even South Korea, with very high scores for children's health, education and protection status. Central African Republic sits last on the list of 176 countries with a score of just 394. Scores are calculated on a scale of 1 to 1,000 and measures the extent to which children in each country experience 'childhood enders'. 'Childhood enders' are life-changing events such as death, malnutrition, child marriage, early pregnancy, exclusion from education and sickness. When assessed in 2000, Australia's score was 958, but now sits at 975, rising 17 points in 19 years. Australia is ranked 15th in the world on the list of best countries for children to grow up, coming behind Slovenia, Iceland and Cyprus (stock image of children in Cyprus) Despite the disappointing results for Australia, Mr Ronalds said it's promising to see the worldwide progress over the past 20 years. 'However, there are still more than 690 million children who have been robbed of a childhood because of conflict, because they were forced to marry too early, because they had to drop out of school and work to feed their families, because they couldn't access health facilities.' Circumstances have improved in 173 out of 176 countries since 2000, meaning there are now 4.4 million fewer child deaths per year, 130 million more children in school and 11 million fewer girls forced into marriage. While Australia sits at the 'disappointing' rank of 15, it is still ahead of the United Kingdom at 22, New Zealand at 25 and the United States ranked 36. Four men, involved in the gang rape of a 16-year-old girl in a Far North Queensland sugar cane field and then dumped her on the street, have been jailed. Aaron Anau, Jeffrey Banu, Tom Ingui and Francis Peter, aged 34 to 43, took advantage of girl in a Cairns cane field in December 2017. The victim woke up naked from the waist down with one of the men raping her in the boot of a car, as the others watched metres away. Aaron Anau, Jeffrey Banu, Tom Ingui and Francis Peter, aged 34 to 43, took advantage of girl in a Cairns cane field in December 2017 (stock image) Three men Anau, Ingui and Francis were sentenced to 10 years in jail at the Cairns District Court on Wednesday. They will be eligible for parole after eight years. Banu was given a seven year sentence because he did not physically rape the girl, the ABC reported. Anau, Ingui and Francis were initially giving the victim a lift in the evening but she fell asleep in the backseat of the car. The men then drove the girl to a cane field, where she was raped in the boot of the car. The 16-year-old frantically grabbed her pants and tried to flee from the men. But she was chased by her attackers, who dragged her back into car before driving into the city and kicking her out. 'You treated her as if she were nothing more than an object and used her for your own sexual gratification,' Judge Tracy Fantin said during the sentencing. Judge Fantin said the men committed the offence because of the victim was vulnerable and had a smaller frame than them. The victim has turned to drugs and has been emotionally traumatised after the rape, the court heard. A man has survived a heart attack while climbing Uluru, but it's sparked outrage with some people who say he shouldn't have been climbing the rock to begin with. The 64-year-old Australian made it three quarters of the way up the climb chain of the 800 metre-tall rock on Tuesday at around 3pm when he became unwell. Luckily his tour group included two off duty police officers and two paramedics who performed emergency CPR. Within five minutes they used a defibrillator to shock him back into a 'survivable rhythm,' and he was carried down in a stretcher and airlifted to Alice Springs Hospital. The news has caused some critics to say tourists should never be allowed to climb the sacred rock, branding it as 'disrespectful'. The 64-year-old Australian made it three quarters of the way up the climb chain of the 800 metre-tall rock on Tuesday when he became unwell. Luckily his tour group included two off duty police officers and two paramedics who performed CPR He was brought back down the rock in a stretcher and was airlifted to Alice Springs Hospital where he remains in a stable condition Climbing Uluru is a contentious issue as it's a sacred site for Indigenous Australians, and touching it is considered disrespectful to the Anangu people. It's also not entirely safe to climb, with 30 people dying while trying to reach its 860 metre summit. 'Glad the man is OK....but shouldn't have been there in the first place. No respect,' one comment read. News of the man's heart attack has sparked outrage in some people, saying no one should be allowed to climb the rock. 'How come they are climbing Uluru anyway!!! Isn't it closed in October. Very, Very disrespectful climbing the Rock anyway. Karma,' read another. 'Why on earth are people still being allowed to climb this rock?? It was my understanding that sanity had prevailed and all climbing was prohibited,' one woman wrote. A Parks Australia spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia that the park's traditional owners, Anangu, feel a responsibility to look after all visitors whilst on their land. 'When someone is injured or becomes unwell on the climb they are greatly saddened, as are all Park staff.' The man remains in a stable condition and will be transferred to Royal Adelaide Hospital on Wednesday afternoon. The Royal Flying Doctor Service was praised the tour guides for having a defibrillator with them at the time. Climbing Uluru is a contentious issue as it's a sacred site for Indigenous Australians, and touching it is considered disrespectful to the Anangu people Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park have thanked the public for assisting park rangers and staff with the man's rescue. 'Thank you to the amazing members of the public who assisted Park Rangers, NT Police and NT Ambulance staff with a major rescue operation on Uluru this afternoon.' St John Ambulance Territory duty manager Craig Garraway also praised climbers for their patience while taking the man down the rock. 'Thank you also to the climbers who had to wait whilst the casualty was lowered by stretcher.' It's also not entirely safe to climb, with 30 people dying while trying to reach its 860 metre summit Every year more than 400,000 tourists visit Uluru, with between 400 and 500 people climbing it every day. Tourists will no longer be able to climb Uluru after October 26, after the national park board's 2017 decision to close the climb. Paul Atanga Nji Archives A Congolese delegation led by the Minister Delegate at the Ministry of Interior, Decentralisation and Local Development, Charles Ngamfouomo is in Cameroon, where they held talks with the Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji on border related issues between the two countries. Talking to the press after a closed door session, on Tuesday May 28, Cameroon's minister Atanga Nji Paul stated that even though there is no recognised boundary dispute between Cameroon and Congo, there is need for the proper demarcation of the boundary. Congo's led delegation revealed the boundary between Cameroon and Congo was defined by a Franco-German treaty signed in 1908. "Due to time and human factors, some of the boundary pillars that were planted have been destroyed. We cannot clearly identify the borderline that separates Cameroon from the Republic of Congo", said Minister Charles Ngamfouomo. He pointed out that at the end of the working visit this Wednesday May 29, stakeholders must have evaluated and deciphered strategies to continue to maintain peace and stability at the border. Affirming that President Paul Biya will in the days ahead receive resolutions of the brainstorming, Minister Atanga said, " to concretise the redefinition of the boundary, all what we will discuss will be forwarded to President Paul Biya of Cameroon and Denis Sassou Nguessdo of the Republic of Congo", Atanga emphasized. Cameroon on May 20, during celebrations marking the National Day in Yaounde, to prove its strong collaboration with Congo, some officers of the Congolese arm were part of the march past at the May 20 Boulevard, chaired by Paul Biya. A woman whose home was stormed by four thugs during a two-day crime spree over the weekend claims she was held at knifepoint with her husband and 65-year-old mother-in-law, as the teenagers demanded cash and car keys. 'The whole ordeal lasted about 30 minutes and we thought we were gonna get killed or stabbed,' the woman, named 'Jane', tearfully told 3AW on Wednesday. Jane said the group entered holding sharp knives and stole more from her kitchen to arm themselves. After the trio were taken into the bedroom, the thugs first threatened the life of Jane's mother-in-law, before turning their weapons on her. 'They were pulling [my mother-in-law's] hair and holding the knife at her throat and telling my husband and I if we didn't give them everything we had they would kill her,' she said. 'Then they put the knives on me, and they were punching up my husband while they were trying to get the car keys.' A group of men, described by police as of African appearance, allegedly broke into a home (pictured) on Avoca Avenue in Mernda, north-east Melbourne, at 4am on Tuesday Jane said two members of the group had covered their faces with black bandannas, while the other two did not cover their faces. She said the attack, while horrifying, appeared to be disorganised, with men running in and out of the bedroom as they yelled to each other in another language. Jane and her family have not lived in Melbourne long, and the woman said she had no idea why their home was targeted. Police have released an image of Ali Sari (pictured), who is alleged to have taken part in the two-day spree of home invasions over Sunday and Monday 'I don't know [if I can feel safe again],' she said. 'Every time we hear a loud sound, we are startled, every time we see someone who looks like the people who came in, we stay away. 'It's totally changed us, I don't know if we can go back to the people we were before.' Victoria's Police Minister, Lisa Neville, said police were 'throwing everything at catching these people'. 'These are horrific crimes and they leave an incredible scar on people,' she said. A 17-year-old boy was arrested over the crime spree on Tuesday. He was charged with one count of aggravated burglary, three counts of home invasion, five counts of theft of motor vehicle and three counts of theft. Police are now pleading with the parents of the other suspects to help stop and catch them. Officers have released a photograph of 18-year-old Ali Sari, from Shepparton, who is alleged to have taken part in the home invasions. Commander Stuart Bateson, head of the Australian-African Community Taskforce, told 3AW the group were showing 'no signs of slowing down'. He said all four men wanted over the crime spree had been convicted of similar offences before, and that police knew who they were looking for. Victorian Police Minister Lisa Neville said these sorts of crimes leave 'an incredible scar' on the victims A gang of men described as being of African appearance are accused of committing home invasions and vehicle thefts across Melbourne over Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. About 8.40pm on Sunday, four men allegedly broke into a home in Bentleigh East. One of the men was allegedly armed with a knife and threatened the owners, a 39-year-old man and 32-year-old woman, who were both allegedly assaulted and left with minor injuries. The men then allegedly fled with jewellery, computers and handbags, and also took the victims' black BMW. The gang allegedly crashed the car on the Westgate Freeway by driving it into a barrier. Police were then called to a house in Port Melbourne just after 9pm following reports of an aggravated carjacking. 'Crime Spree': Map of Melbourne shows the alleged two-day rampage across the city The men are believed to also be involved in two alleged attacks on Sunday night and one in the early hours of Monday morning It is understood a woman was about to put her child into the car when she was allegedly approached by three men. One allegedly pulled out a knife and demanded her vehicle. The alleged victim, a 42-year-old Box Hill North woman, called for help and was assisted by a family member, a 40-year-old man also from Box Hill North. He was also allegedly threatened by the gang, who took off in their vehicle, described as a black 2012 Hyundai i30. The alleged victims were not injured. Police later responded to an alleged aggravated burglary in Derrimut about 12.10am on Monday. On this occasion, four masked men armed with knives allegedly broke into a home on Ivy Close and were confronted by the occupants. A 65-year-old man was allegedly assaulted during the incident and sustained a minor laceration. He did not require hospital treatment. Once inside the Merinda home (pictured), the group - armed with 'edged weapons' and metal poles - stole various items and the home owner's white BMW SUV A 58-year-old woman, 91-year-old man and 64-year-old woman, who were also home at the time, were not injured. '[Australia] was a very nice country. Now - no,' one of the women told Seven News. 'I was woken by four masked men standing over bed, knife at throat. They come to my bedroom and put the knife in my neck, and I screamed to tell them, "Please leave us. Leave us, we have nothing to give to you. Please, please".' The gang allegedly stole two cars, a grey 2010 Mercedes sedan and a black 2015 Honda HR-V registration 1EY3DI. The Hyundai from Port Melbourne was dumped nearby. Police on Tuesday arrested a 17-year-old boy after a BMW believed to be have stolen in the early hours of the morning was found in a shopping centre car park. The group, described by police as of African appearance, allegedly broke into a home on Avoca Avenue in Mernda, north-east Melbourne, at 4am. Once inside, the group - allegedly armed with 'edged weapons' and metal poles - allegedly stole property and the homeowner's white BMW SUV. A 41-year-old man was allegedly left with minor injuries to his face while a 40-year-old woman and two children were unharmed. After the robbery the allegedly stolen BMW was seen driving alongside a Mercedes, which was allegedly stolen from Derrimut early on Monday, towards Geelong. Police saw the BMW just before 5am in Geelong West and chased the car but had to stop due to the speeds the car was travelling. The Mercedes was found abandoned on Lunan Avenue in Drumcondra. Advertisement As the nation reels from heatwaves, tornadoes, and storm warnings, the Midwest is about to be inundated with record flooding this week as several major rivers are forecast to reach historic levels. The Arkansas and Mississippi Rivers are expected to flood at record-breaking levels as a downpour of rain is forecast to drench the Midwest states on Tuesday and Wednesday. National Weather Service Little Rock warned that the Arkansas River may experience 'the worst flooding in recorded history' as it's projected to crest on Wednesday at 42.5 feet in Van Buren, breaking the 1945 record of 38.42 feet. It'll be devastating for Arkansas and Oklahoma communities that are already underwater. The Arkansas River has flooded hundreds of homes in Sand Springs, Oklahoma and more are expected to be flooded as more water is released from a dam, according to Tulsa World. City officials expect as many as 500 homes to flood eventually. In Arkansas the river is above flood stage in Fort Smith and Van Buren as of Tuesday. Crests are expected to be seen from May 31 to June 7. The already flooded Arkansas River is expected to crest at a record high of 42.5 feet in Van Burden on Wednesday. The river has already swallowed up hundreds of homes in Sand Spring, Oklahoma, as pictured above Tuesday This aerial photo shows flooded homes in Sand Spring, Oklahoma due to the swollen Arkansas River which is forecast to continue to rise The Arkansas River has inundated communities in Arkansas and Oklahoma (above) which have seen little rain as the river swelled due to downpours upstream Storms have ravaged the Midwest from Texas to Oklahoma and Illinois the past week, leading to record floods. The swollen Arkansas River pictured above in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Thursday John MacDonald looks out over the swollen Arkansas River in Bixby, Oklahoma on Thursday Grant Scepanski walks through his Indian Springs Estates neighborhood in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, as flood water from the Arkansas River rose on Friday As of Tuesday, two levees were topped off, as per The Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, adding to the floods. The Arkansas River in Jenks, Oklahoma pictured Friday 'Based on impact statements from previous floods and the newest forecast crests, this will be the worst flooding in recorded history along the Arkansas River from Toad Suck and points northwest,' the NWS tweeted Sunday. They predicted levees would be flooded and there would be 'significant impacts to life and property across a very large area.' Thanks to already significant rain in the area, the flooding is expected to be 'prolonged and impacts will remain significant through much of the upcoming summer.' And the floods will only continue as the National Weather Services Weather Prediction Center released a warning of a moderate risk of excessive rainfall, anticipating five to seven inches of rain across the region in states including Illinois, Iowa and Missouri. As of Tuesday, two levees were topped off in the Arkansas River, as per The Arkansas Department of Emergency Management. Donald Trump tweeted Tuesday evening that he spoke with Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and will offer Fema and federal air to help with the record flooding. The floods got so bad in Oklahoma that the water turned the community of Braggs, Oklahoma into an island last week. 'They were panicking. With morale the way it was crisis mode I wanted them to see me face to face and hear me say, "Its going to be alright,"' Muskogee County Commissioner Ken Doke told the Tulsa World. The National Guard has also been asked to help with flooding in Kansas, where the Arkansas River runs through. Gov. Laura Kelly has declared a state of disaster in 49 of Kansas' 105 counties, as per Weather.com. The National Weather Service forecast excessive rain for the Midwest that will hit Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois and Iowa, adding to already devastating flood levels The National Weather Service in Little Rock, Arkansas warned of 'the worst flooding in recorded history' that will be 'prolonged' and impacts will be felt through the summer The Arkansas River is projected to crest on Wednesday at 42.5 feet in Van Buren, breaking the 1945 record of 38.42 feet Donald Trump tweeted Tuesday evening that he spoke with Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and will offer Fema and federal air to help with the record flooding The rain is expected to hit many areas that are already reeling from high waters. 'Flood advisories are in effect, watches and warnings in some of the same neighborhoods we have been talking about for month,' Fox News Senior Meteorologist Janice Dean said Tuesday. 'They can't take any more rainfall and all of that is going to go downstream.' 'We could see incredible damage, possibly catastrophic damage for these areas that are affected by heavy rainfall. Some of those areas could get hit hard by catastrophic flooding, people are being told to evacuate their homes right now,' he added. So far, evacuations were ordered in nine counties in Arkansas. The Red Cross reported 16 people in shelters so far. The rain will flood the Mississippi River, which is projected to swell and crest at 44 feet in St. Louis this week the second-highest record in history. The highest the river has crested was at 5 feet higher in 1993. 'This has definitely been a year for the record books. Its certainly on the short list for worst [local] river flooding ever,' Thomas Spriggs, a senior meteorologist NWS St. Louis said to the St. Louis Dispatch. 'Tts going to go on for a while longer yet.' The Mississippi River is projected to crest at 44 feet in St. Louis this week the second-highest record in history. The already swollen river pictured above in Iowa on Friday May 3 Taking action: Volunteers in Chaffee Crossing, Arkansas pictured above filling sand bags in anticipation of the rising river waters Seeking refuge: A man lies in a cot a Red Cross evacuation shelter in Tulsa, Oklahoma after flooding overtook his neighborhood Locals are seen waiting in the rising Mississippi floodwater in Foley, Missouri on Sunday May 12 The Mississippi River waters flooded to knee length in Winfield, St. Louis on Friday Locals in Foley, Missouri have been warned to expect rising floodwaters as rain is forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday The Peoria Lock and Dam building is shown surrounded by flood waters of the Mississippi River in Peoria, Illinois This year alone the Mississippi River in St. Louis has been above flood stage for 73 consecutive days. On Monday Missouri Governor Mike Parson deployed the Missouri National Guard to support sandbagging operations to shore up a levee near Brunswick. 'Missouri has been battling historic flooding since March, which is depleting local resources, and now flooding conditions in many parts of the state are only getting worse,' Parson said Monday. 'In addition, communities from Carl Junction to Jefferson City are facing the challenge of recovering from tornadoes and severe storms, further challenging civilian resources. The Guard has demonstrated its capabilities in response to natural disasters across Missouri, and I know theyll make a difference at this critical time,' he added. A senior Victorian police commander has been slammed for suggesting Courtney Herron's death is a reflection on all men. The 25-year-old woman is now the fourth woman to have been killed and dumped in a public place in Melbourne in less than a year. Victoria's assistant police commissioner Luke Cornelius responded to her death by suggesting it was a reflection on male behaviour. Scroll down for audio A senior Victorian police commander has been slammed for suggesting the death of Courtney Herron (pictured) is a reflection on all men 'Certainly there have been instances in our recent past where women have been attacked and they have been attacked by men,' he told reporters this week. 'The key point is this is about men's behaviour, it's not about women's behaviour.' Women killed in Melbourne in one year Courtney Herron - the 25-year-old woman was found dead at Parkville on May 25, 2019 Natalina Angok - the 32-year-woman from Geelong was found dead in Melbourne's Chinatown on April 24, 2019 Aiia Maasarwe - the 21-year-old Palestinian woman from Israel was studying in Australia when she was found dead at Bundoora on January 19, 2019 Eurydice Dixon - aspiring comedienne found dead at North Carlton on June 13, 2018 after walking through Princes Park Advertisement A 27-year-old homeless man, Henry Hammond, has been charged with bludgeoning Ms Herron to death after leaving a party with her. Her body was found on Saturday morning behind logs at Royal Park in inner-city Parkville near Melbourne Zoo. Her death occurred a year after aspiring comedienne Eurydice Dixon was found dead at Princes Park in neighbouring Carlton North, in Melbourne's inner-north. Since then, Israeli international student Aiia Maasarwe, 21, and Natalina Angok, a 32-year-old Geelong resident, were killed and dumped in public places in Melbourne. Sydney radio 2GB broadcaster Ben Fordham said the Victorian assistant police commissioner's comments had appeared to blame all men. 'He didn't say it's this man or that man, when you talk about men who are responsible, or alleged to have been responsible for these heinous crimes, it's about all men,' he said on Tuesday. A 27-year-old homeless man, Henry Hammond, has been charged with bludgeoning Ms Herron to death Victoria's assistant police commissioner Luke Cornelius responded to Ms Herron's death by suggesting it was a reflection on male behaviour Former federal Labor leader Mark Latham, who is now a One Nation upper house MP in New South Wales, agreed. 'Well, you've only got to state the position to understand how silly it is,' he said. 'It's not about all men, it's about one man allegedly who has done something horrific.' In June last year, Victoria's Labor Premier Daniel Andrews tweeted that men needed to change their behavior in the wake of Ms Dixon's death. 'So our message to Victorian women is this: Stay home. Or don't. Go out with friends at night. Or don't. Go about your day exactly as you intend, on your terms,' he said. 'Because women don't need to change their behaviour. Men do.' An eight-year-old girl wrote a heartbreaking note after being raped by her foster carer in which she said she was sad when she had 'sex with her granddad'. Desmond Gore, 73, was found guilty of 20 charges of sexual abuse, including the rape of three eight-year-old girls, at the Perth District Court on Tuesday. Gore's offending took place at his home in the suburb of Armadale in south-east Perth from 2007 to 2010. The abuse only came to light after a case worker stumbled across one of his victim's belongings. In the box was a letter the girl had written which said: 'I feel safe when loved. I feel sad when I have sex with my granddad.' The abuse of the girl, who was eight at the time, occurred two years after the Department for Child Protection received a different allegation of sexual abuse from another child under Gore's care. Desmond Gore was found guilty of 20 charges of sexual abuse including the rape of three eight-year-old girls at the Perth District Court on Tuesday (stock image) The first girl was removed from Gore's care after she told his wife about the abuse and a case worker was informed. He was not charged and the Department of Child Protection continued to place children in his care. The court heard how Gore had abused six children in total including five who were in his care. But Gore's carer status was only suspended and a review into his conduct was launched after the discovery of the box containing his abused victim's 'rape' letter. The discovery of the box led to the girl telling her case worker that Gore would rape her when his wife was not home. Two more children came forward detailing the abuse they suffered at the hands of Gore. One child was in the couple's care for less than a month when they were abused. Gore always denied the allegations from all seven complainants saying they were 'complete and utter lies'. One of the victims wrote about Gore: 'I feel safe when loved. I feel sad when I have sex with my granddad.' Gore was found guilty of 20 charges at Perth District Court 'It's all about the money, nothing else, nothing else,' Gore said in court as reported by WA Today. He told the jury he had no sexual interest in children. He attempted to argue that he couldn't have raped them because he was impotent during the period of time he was accused of committing the crimes. After an eight-day trial, the jury deliberated for only one day and found him guilty on 20 of the charges. He will be sentenced on Friday and has had his bail revoked. Labor frontbencher Ed Husic has announced he will not recontest his position on Wednesday to make room for Kristina Keneally. Addressing his electorate through Facebook, Husic said he had 'loved' his role as Shadow Minister for Human Services, he wouldn't be running for re-election. 'Instead I'll be backing my great friend Kristina Keneally for that spot,' he wrote. 'We need to ensure someone of Kristina's enormous talents has the opportunity to make a powerful contribution on the front line, in the Senate.' The move comes just hours after new Labor Leader Anthony Albanese said he wanted Ms Keneally on his front bench following criticism over the number of women the party had appointed to leadership positions. Former Shadow Minister for Human Services Ed Husic says he will stand down to make room for Kristina Keneally after new Labor Leader Anthony Albanese was slammed for a lack of women in leadership Ms Keneally played a prominent role in the election campaign, and Mr Albanese said the 'best team' he could have would include her. Labor rules dictate there are a certain amount of spots for members of the party's Left and Right factions, so for her to take a spot, someone would have to step down. Ms Keneally is a bold choice for Mr Albanese, whose party is still reeling from their shock loss in the Federal Election. The former NSW premier stood down from the state leadership after leading her party to a catastrophic loss - which saw them thrown from power with the biggest swing in Australian political history. There was a 16.5 per cent swing against them. KRISTINA KENEALLY'S POLITICAL HISTORY Ms Keneally became the Member for Heffron after sitting member Deirdre Grusovin was dumped in 2003. Labor's affirmative action rules dictated a woman had to run for the seat, so she was chosen over her Labor politician husband, Ben, to stand. She sat in NSW Parliament as the member for Heffron from 2003 to 2012, and took over from then-Premier Nathan Rees during a leadership spill in 2009. Corrupt Labor power broker Eddie Obeid - who has since been jailed - backed her to take up the top job, starting an association with the disgraced politician she hasn't been able to shake since. The party she lead into the 2011 election was obliterated. While she was hoping to have Labor re-elected for a fifth term, her campaign ended in disaster. Ms Keneally resigned from her position as leader and returned to the backbench. A year later, she resigned from NSW Parliament all together and became the head of Basketball Australia. She resigned two years later, and became a Sky News commentator in 2014. In 2017, Ms Keneally was asked to stand as a high-profile candidate for the seat of Bennelong. But she lost to the incumbent MP, John Alexander - although he did suffer a swing against him that saw the seat become marginal. In February 2018, she was appointed to the Senate to take over from Sam Dastyari. Advertisement Ms Keneally thanked Mr Husic for his support on Twitter, telling follower she was 'certain he will play a big role in an Albanese Labor Government' Mr Albanese will meet with his caucus in Canberra on Thursday to finalise new arrangements, following the election loss on May 18. The caucus will determine who gets a shadow ministry gig, but Mr Albanese will pick portfolios. He plans to convene a meeting of the shadow ministry next week after announcing the portfolios on Sunday or Monday. Mr Husic did not appear bitter about walking away from his job, claiming it was the best thing for him and the party. 'In the aftermath of the Federal Election, there are things we need to do to rebuild our standing - especially in the place I love, Western Sydney - and I'll be doing just that,' he wrote. Ms Keneally, a former NSW Premier, issued a statement shortly after, thanking Mr Husic for his support and claiming he would continue to play a prominent role in the Opposition. 'I thank my good friend Ed Husic for his gracious and strong support for me to stand for the front bench,' she wrote on Twitter. 'Ed is talented, he enjoys wide support in the NSW Right & across the ALP. I am certain he will play a big role in an Albanese Labor Government.' U.S. Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Clarence Thomas have engaged in a battle of dueling footnotes as they clashed over abortion law in Indiana. Thomas and Ginsburg's differing opinions came to a head on Tuesday when the Supreme Court appeared to send mixed messages on abortion. The court refused to consider reinstating Indiana's ban on abortions performed because of fetal disability or the sex or race of the fetus, but on the other hand upheld the state's requirement that fetal remains be buried or cremated after the procedure is done. Both provisions were part of a Republican-backed 2016 law signed by Vice President Mike Pence when he was Indiana's governor. The action by the justices comes at a time when numerous Republican-governed states including Alabama are approving restrictive abortion laws that the Supreme Court may be called upon to rule on in the future. U.S. Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Clarence Thomas have engaged in a battle of dueling footnotes as they clashed over abortion law in Indiana on Tuesday Ginsburg said she disagreed with the decision to reinstate Indiana's fetal remains provision. She said in a short solo opinion that she believes the issue does implicate a woman's right to have an abortion 'without undue interference from the state'. Thomas, who supports overturning the Roe v. Wade decision that first declared abortion rights, wrote a 20-page opinion that sought to link birth control and abortion to eugenics, the now-discredited movement to improve the human race through selective reproduction. He wrote that the court will need to weigh in on whether states can ban abortions based on disability, race and gender. The Indiana provision promotes 'a state's compelling interest in preventing abortion from becoming a tool of modern-day eugenics,' Thomas wrote. 'Although the court declines to wade into these issues today, we cannot avoid them forever.' No other justice joined Thomas' opinion. Their differing opinions resulted in the battle of dueling footnotes in which Thomas said Ginsburg's dissent 'makes little sense.' Ginsburg wrote that Thomas' footnote 'displays more heat than light,' including his calling a woman who has an abortion a mother. The action by the justices comes at a time when numerous Republican-governed states including Alabama are approving restrictive abortion laws that the Supreme Court may be called upon to rule on in the future WILL REPUBLICANS GET TO CHALLENGE ROE V. WADE AT SUPREME COURT? The growing list of 'heartbeat' abortion bans are designed openly to get the Supreme Court to reconsider Roe v. Wade, with many Republicans gambling that a 5-4 conservative bench would overturn it. But is that the case? Here is how the case may - or may not - reach the Supreme Court. ROUND ONE: LITIGATE IN STATE COURTS The outcome does not matter too much in legal terms because the aim is to get to: ROUND TWO: PRO-CHOICE CHALLENGE Each of the laws passed by the states is going to be challenged in the local federal court by pro-choice groups, with Planned Parenthood and the ACLU litigating some already and getting ready for more. The heartbeat bills are fairly clearly incompatible with Roe v. Wade so it is likely a federal judge would first grant an injunction against them to keep them from being enacted, and order a full-scale hearing. This could be the pro-life movement's first chance to ask for a Supreme Court hearing, by appealing the injunction rather than waiting for a full trial in a federal court. Or they could wait for a trial - but either way the next stage is: ROUND TWO: FEDERAL APPEALS COURT All federal cases can be appealed to the next level - a federal appeals court. The country is divided into 12 geographical circuits and some swing liberal, some conservative. The best bet for the pro-life group to force a Supreme Court hearing is to get an appeal into a liberal circuit, where judges are likely to vote down a heartbeat bill. Cases are heard by three judges and can be appealed to the entire bench of the circuit. Missouri is in the liberal-leaning Eighth Circuit, so if its bill becomes law, look here for a challenge which would come from the state or its pro-life supporters going to the next stage: ROUND THREE: PETITION THE SUPREME COURT - AND GET JOHN ROBERTS ON SIDE Anyone involved in a federal appeals case can petition the Supreme Court to ask for review of the outcome. But the tricky part for the pro-life movement is that the Supreme Court is not compelled to take up a petition. So assuming a heartbeat bill has been blocked by an appeals court, the pro-life petitioners have to find a way to get a majority of the justices to agree to hear their appeal. That means getting Chief Justice John Roberts - the swing vote - to agree to hear the case. But he has made clear since his confirmation hearing that he wants a court respected by all sides and seen as above politics. So it is an uphill task to persuade him not to do the simple thing: keep the hypothetical block on the heartbeat bill in place without a hearing, ending the process without a public and divisive airing of the issues. Exactly that scenario has already happened in North Dakota, whose restrictive laws got struck down by the liberal Eighth Circuit. The Roberts court simply declined to intervene. But assuming a pro-life lobbyist or state, or group of states, succeeds in getting Roberts to agree to a hearing, the next challenge is: ROUND FOUR: WHAT EXACTLY WILL THE JUSTICES REVIEW? Just because the justices have taken up the case a pro-life lobby group want to push doesn't mean their dream of a full-scale Roe v. Wade challenge is anywhere near complete. The justices can look as widely or narrowly at the issue as they want, so could consider a detail in the case rather than looking at abortion in full. Roberts has been a 'gradualist' before, on issues such as gay marriage, so he might guide the court to consider far narrower issues. Examples could include allowing states to make licensing of abortion clinics more difficult, or restricting reasons for having an abortion, such as banning Down Syndrome diagnosis as a reason for termination. Pro-choice groups fear the most likely outcome of the heartbeat bills is not sweeping new abortion bans, but Roberts leading the conservatives to allow more restrictions to stay in place state-by-state without Roe v. Wade being overturned. Advertisement 'A woman who exercises her constitutionally protected right to terminate a pregnancy is a not a 'mother'.' she wrote. In the unsigned ruling on Tuesday, the Supreme Court decided that a lower court was wrong to conclude that Indiana's fetal burial provision, which imposed new requirements on abortion clinics, had no legitimate purpose. The court has a 5-4 conservative majority. Both Ginsberg and Sonia Sotomayor dissented. While that provision was not a direct challenge to the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide, the ruling gave anti-abortion proponents a victory at the Supreme Court, which soon may have to decide whether various state laws violate the rights recognized in that landmark ruling. But the court also indicated a reluctance to directly tackle the abortion issue at least for now, rejecting Indiana's separate attempt to reinstate its ban on abortions performed because of fetal disability or the sex or race of the fetus. The court left in place the part of an appeals court ruling that struck down the provision. Alyssa Farah, a Pence spokeswoman, said he 'commends the Supreme Court for upholding a portion of Indiana law that safeguards the sanctity of human life by requiring that remains of aborted babies be treated with respect and dignity.' 'We remain hopeful that at a later date the Supreme Court will review one of numerous state laws across the U.S. that bar abortion based on sex, race or disability,' Farah added. The court's ruling on the fetal burial issue noted that in challenging the measure the American Civil Liberties Union and women's healthcare and abortion provider Planned Parenthood did not allege that the provision implicated the right of women to obtain an abortion. 'This case, as litigated, therefore does not implicate our cases applying the undue burden test to abortion regulations,' the ruling said. Planned Parenthood said in a statement the fetal burial provision was an abortion restriction 'intended to shame and stigmatize women and families.' 'While this ruling is limited, the law is part of a larger trend of state laws designed to stigmatize and drive abortion care out of reach. Whether it's a total ban or a law designed to shut down clinics, politicians are lining up to decimate access to abortion,' added Jennifer Dalven, an American Civil Liberties Union lawyer. The case was one of the court's first major tests in the abortion context following last year's retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy, who was pivotal in defending abortion rights. Anti-abortion activists hope the high court will greatly narrow or even overturn the Roe ruling following Kennedy's departure. President Donald Trump replaced Kennedy with conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, Mississippi and other states have passed restrictive abortion laws in recent months. The Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a 2017 permanent injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt against both provisions of Indiana's law. She found the measure violated the constitutional privacy rights recognized in the 1973 abortion ruling. The law forbade women from obtaining an abortion if the decision to terminate the pregnancy was based on a diagnosis or "potential diagnosis" of fetal abnormality such as Down syndrome or "any other disability" or due to the race, color, national origin ancestry or sex of the fetus. Indiana said the state has an interest in barring discrimination against fetuses and in protecting the "dignity of fetal remains." "The highest court in the land has now affirmed that nothing in the Constitution prohibits states from requiring abortion clinics to provide an element of basic human dignity in disposing of the fetuses they abort. These tiny bodies are, after all, human remains," Indiana's Republican Attorney General, Curtis Hill, said. A similar fetal burial law from Minnesota was upheld by a federal appeals court in 1990 but the Indiana law and another like it in Texas, enacted in 2016, have been struck down by the courts. Several other abortion cases are heading toward the high court, including Indiana's appeal seeking to revive another law that requires women to undergo an ultrasound at least 18 hours before they undergo an abortion. Advertisement Scott Morrison's family photo after being sworn in for a new term as Australia's Prime Minister highlighted the humble qualities that saw him pull off a shock election victory. While many top politicians and their image-conscious advisers would have agonised over the small details of such a portrait, the Morrison family picture was something more akin to how many Australian families would present on such an occasion. From his daughter Lily's broken right shoe to ScoMo's ill-fitting trousers, the picture has an everyday charm, with his wife Jenny, mother Marion and daughters all wearing simple, understated styles. The portrait continued a theme of the election campaign, in which Mr Morrison's Coalition successfully presented itself as representing every-day middle and working-class voters - the 'quiet Australians' - while portraying Labor as the party of the inner-city and wealthy elites. The official portrait shows the Prime Minister standing beside his proud wife, Jenny, daughters Abbey (right) and Lily (left) and his mother, Marion, at Government House in Canberra Prime Minister Scott Morrison shakes hands with Australia's Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove following the swearing-in ceremony at Government House Scott Morrison is sworn in as Prime Minister by Australia's Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove during the swearing-in ceremony at Government House Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove swore in Mr Morrison's new ministry at his official Canberra residence on Wednesday morning - 11 days after the coalition secured office for another term. Mr Morrison announced his new ministry on Sunday 26 May, following his victory in the May 18 Federal election. Mr Morrison and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack were the first to be sworn in at the ceremony, accompanied by their families. The new Cabinet features a record number of women with seven taking on senior roles, including Bridget McKenzie as the first female Agriculture Minister. Ken Wyatt made history by being the first cabinet minister to wear a kangaroo skin to a function at the Governor-General's residence. Mr Wyatt, the member for the West Australian seat of Hasluck, received a rapturous applause as he was sworn in on Wednesday as the first person of Aboriginal heritage to take on the Indigenous Affairs portfolio in cabinet. Ken Wyatt made history by being the first cabinet minister to wear a kangaroo skin to a function at the Governor-General's residence Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison poses for a photograph with his new ministry during the swearing in at Government House in Canberra Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his wife Jenny Morrison embrace during the swearing-in ceremony at Government House The traditional kangaroo skin, called a 'booka' was given to him by the Noongar people of southwest WA. 'Can I ask all those, other than His Excellency, of course, to stand to welcome the first indigenous member of cabinet ... the Honourable Ken Wyatt AM, MP, as Minister for Indigenous Australians,' Prime Minister Scott Morrison said. All of the frontbenchers received an Australian flag stickpin, which Mr Morrison has made a feature of his daily dress-code since taking up the Liberal leadership in August last year. The new Morrison frontbench largely kept the pre-election positions in place but also promoted some first-timers to new roles. Ken Wyatt is sworn in as Minister for Indigenous Australians by Australia's Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove Michaelia Cash is sworn in as Minister for Small and Family Business, Skills and Vocational Education In the first post-election meeting with coalition MPs on Tuesday, Mr Morrison insisted his 'hungry, committed and united' team would focus on the aspirations of ordinary Australians during their third term in power. 'They are the reason we have the opportunity and the great privilege to serve them each and every day,' he told colleagues. 'We must burn for the Australian people every single day that we have this privilege of serving them, in this party room and as a government.' The prime minister warned his ministers there was a wealth of talent within the government's ranks to keep the pressure on them to perform. And he told his backbench colleagues he and his office would be accessible to them and he expected the same from his ministers. The 46th parliament is expected to open in the first week of July. Greg Hunt (right) and Ken Wyatt attend the swearing-in ceremony at Government House The youngest Australian to scale Mount Everest has described the dangerous conditions on the mountain after 11 climbers died in the span of nine days. Alyssa Azar, who reached the world's tallest peak when she was just 19, said she was shocked to see the harrowing images of Everest climbers stepping over a dead body as they formed a massive queue for the summit. The 22-year-old from Brisbane appeared on Today on Wednesday morning calling for the Nepalese government to regulate the number of permits issued. 'It's hard to look at that, I definitely think something needs to be done. I do think there are too many people. Nepal, like the Tibetan side who already do, should start restricting permits,' she said. Scroll down for video Alyssa Azar, 22, who climbed the world's tallest peak when she was just 19, has called on the Nepalese government to curb the number of permits its issuing to mountain climbers Azar, from Brisbane, said she was shocked to see the harrowing images of Everest climbers stepping over a dead body as they formed a massive queue for the summit 'There are only so many people every year that can climb on the north side but that is unregulated in Nepal, on the south side, where we are seeing a lot of these images.' Everest 'Death Zone' The death zone is the name used by mountain climbers for high altitudes where there is not enough available oxygen for humans to breathe - this is usually above 8,000 metres - 26,247ft. Most of the 200+ climbers who have died on Mount Everest have died in the death zone - often on the descent - where experts say there is a risk of switching of because of the achievement of reaching the top. At the top of Mount Everest, the average person takes in about 30 percent of the oxygen in the air that they would take in at sea level. Therefore, a human used to breathing air at sea level could only be there for a few minutes before they became unconscious. Most climbers have to carry oxygen bottles to be able to reach the top. Those who suffer in the 'death zone' quickly become weak and lose the ability to think straight and struggle making decisions, especially under stress. Climbers have described some who died in the 'death zone' as sitting down for a rest and then never getting up. Advertisement Officials have issued 367 permits to foreigners and another 14 to Nepalese mountaineers to climb Everest this year, according to a government liaison officer at base camp. Azar, who reached the summit after her third attempt in 2016, climbed the exact ridge line but said it looked 'nothing' like the shocking photos. The eerie photo shows a long line of adventurers stepping over a rope attached to a frozen corpse which hangs over the mountain almost 9,000 metres above sea level. Azar explained climbers have a '24-hour time limit' once they reach Camp 4, also known as the 'death zone' where there is limited oxygen. 'So if you haven't reached the summit within 12 hours, you have to turn around because you are going to run out of oxygen,' she said. 'Often people die up there because of exhaustion and the lack of oxygen. So it is dangerous already without having to stop for other climbers.' The influx of people has left mountaineers waiting on long lines, putting them at risk of exhaustion and running out of oxygen. On Monday, 62-year-old Christopher John Kulish, an American lawyer, died suddenly on his descent at South Col after scaling the normal Southeast Ridge route. Just two days later, Australian explorer Gilian Lee was rescued by alpine experts after he found unconscious on the mountain at an altitude of 7,500m. A long queue of mountain climbers are seen lining a path on Mount Everest last week. Eleven climbers died on Everest last week most while descending from the congested summit Colorado resident Christopher John Kulish, 62, became the 11th person to die descending the world's highest peak in the space of nine days on Monday, after scaling the 29,035-foot peak from the normal Southeast Ridge route. Kulish, an experienced climber, died following a clear ascent, of a reported heart attack Gillian Lee (pictured) has been identified as the Australian climber who was found unconscious on Mount Everest on Wednesday. He had been attempting to climb the mountain without oxygen Azar added that some climbers even dare to go on the dangerous expedition despite having very little experience, with some not knowing how to put their gear on. 'You do really have a sense when you go up there that you are taking your life into your own hands,' she said. Everest climbers have since come forward describing 'zoo like' conditions of the summit with 'inexperienced' climbers pushing and shoving. American Ed Dohring, from Arizona, described witnessing a large group already at the summit, some of whom were 'very rude and unruly' and 'basically pushing so they could get better pictures of themselves.' Elia Saikaly, from Ottawa, Canada, posted the disturbing image to warn climbers of the danger of taking on the world's highest peak. He captioned his grim photo: 'Here we all were, chasing a dream and beneath our very feet there was a lifeless soul. Is this what Everest has become?' The route up the mountain includes several large obstacles and a huge moving glacier near to base camp as shown in the map above Labor's new leader Anthony Albanese fired a stinging rebuke to a former Queensland premier after he was accused of being indecisive about the Adani coal mine. Campbell Newman slammed the left-wing leader as he visited Queensland this week in a bid to win back sunshine state voters. Queensland's former Liberal National Party premier taunted Mr Albanese for refusing to unconditionally back the project, which may have cost federal Labor an election victory. Scroll down for video Labor's new leader Anthony Albanese fired back with a stinging remark to a former Queensland premier after he was accused of sitting on the fence about Adani coal mine Campbell Newman (Pictured with wife Lisa Newman) called out Mr Albanese for refusing to back the project, which was a hot election issue and may have even cost Labor victory 'If you are visiting Qld today and you can't bring yourself to totally & unequivocally back our coal industry and support then you & the ALP have not listened,' he said on Twitter. But Mr Albanese hit back fast with a piercing remark about Mr Newman's history in government, which saw him win a landslide in 2012 only to lose his Brisbane seat of Ashgrove three years later. 'Thanks for the advice mate but you went from 78 seats to 42 in one term including losing your own seat and @QLDLabor went from 7 into Govt #JustSaying,' he said. The newly elected Opposition Leader has been tasked with winning back areas of northern and central Queensland that deserted Labor at the ballot box over the controversial Adani mine. Labor lost the Townsville-based seat of Herbert, with an 8.3 per cent swing against it, as the National Party gained 11.5 per cent swings towards it in the previously marginal electorates of Capricornia and Dawson. Mr Albanese has been under pressure to declare whether or not he believes Adani's proposed Carmichael coal mine in the Galilee Basin stacks up economically. But the Sydney inner-city MP, from Labor's hard Left faction, insisted that was not his job. He told ABC Radio politicians do not decide whether mines are built, markets did. War of words: The outspoken former politician slammed Mr Albanese for refusing to back the project, which was a hot election issue and may have even cost Labor the win 'What it's up to governments to do is to give environmental approvals,' he said. 'That's happened of course at the federal level. At the state level, that's being considered.' Mr Albanese was elected unopposed by the Labor caucus this week after Mr Shorten resigned as party leader following his humiliating May 18 election defeat. The 56-year-old former deputy prime minister had a clear run for the Labor leadership following the withdrawal of fellow inner-Sydney Left-faction frontbencher Tanya Plibersek, who had been Mr Shorten's deputy for six years. The 23-year member for Grayndler, in Sydney's inner-west, also had no competition from Labor's Right faction, after outgoing shadow treasurer Chris Bowen pulled out of the leadership race. Mr Albanese's ascension to the Labor leadership has occurred almost six years after Mr Shorten defeated him, under new rules whereby rank-and-file party members were given a say. Mr Albanese briefly served as deputy prime minister under Kevin Rudd between June and September 2013. An infant platypus had to be euthanised after she was found trapped in elastic hairbands. Bushwalkers Gill and Steve Bennett spotted her clearly in distress while hiking in Bright, Victoria. She was believed to have only left her nest about two months ago, and had been 'living in agony' ever since after she became entangled in up to four elastic bands. They were woven around her body so tight constricting her neck and front leg that the wounds were down to the bone. An infant platypus had to be euthanised after she was found trapped in elastic hairbands She was believed to have only left her nest about two months ago, and had been 'living in agony' ever since after she became entangled in up to four elastic bands Staghorn Wildlife Shelter and Geoff Williams from the Austalian Platypus Conservancy together decided recovery from the injuries would be impossible. 'It soon became clear that this beautiful little female platypus would have to be euthanised,' Jo Mitlehner from Staghorn Wildlife Shelter said. A local vet was able to open her clinic on a Saturday in order to 'provide prompt and humane euthanasia'. Ms Mitlehner said the tragic outcome for this baby platypus highlights the dangers the species faces in everyday life. They were woven around her body so tight constricting her neck and front leg that the wounds were down to the bone 'The main threats to platypus are habitat change, pollution, change to river flow, illegal fishing nets, stock trampling river banks and litter entanglement,' she said. 'Despite all these obstacles, platypus can thrive in waterways close to humans. 'It is essential we learn to stop littering in our waterways.' The latest victim is the third platypus to be retrieved from the Ovens River in Bright with life threatening injuries from litter and hair bands. 'Maybe signage outlining this issue would be appropriate in places...particularly where tourists congregate? If you spot a platypus dead or alive you can report to Australian Platypus Conservancy by Facebook or www.platypusnetwork.org.au. Staghorn Wildlife Shelter and Geoff Williams from the Austalian Platypus Conservancy together decided recovery from the injuries would be impossible France's Foreign Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian Facebook French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean Yves Le Drian, has called for the release of Cameroons opposition leader, Maurice Kamto, detained at the Yaounde Central Prison, Kondengui. He was addressing members of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the French National Assembly, where he expressed concerns over crises in Cameroon. Expressing his opinion on his countrys position on some pressing issues in Africa, Le Drian told French parliamentarians that the Separatist conflict affecting the English speaking part of Cameroon is deepening. In the English-speaking regions of Cameroon, the situation continues to deteriorate, the human losses are more and more heavy., said the diplomat. But he assured them that, the French Government, alongside the European Union and United Nations will continue to push Paul Biya to find a lasting solution to the prevailing crisis. He mentioned that the situation of detained CRM leader and international jurist, Maurice Kamto is disturbing . We hope that this important figure of Cameroon can be released, he said. We are pressuring regularly, strongly. Including the President of the Republic(Emmanuel Macron) who has called on President Biya to find solutions. The French foreign ministers comments comes a day after Cameroons External Relations Minister, Lejeune Mbella Mbella met with diplomats in Yaounde to give Governments stance on the two preoccupations It is not the first the French Government has openly called on the Cameroonian leader to address these pressing problems. In a congratulatory message to President Paul Biya on the occasion of Cameroons 47th national day celebrations, Emmanuel Macron urged the government of Cameroon to provide solutions to the ongoing crises in the country. On his way to Nigeria last year, he reportedly called Paul Biya to express his worries, urging him to speed up the decentralization process, in order to water down the Anglophone crisis. At the end of his visit in Nigeria. At a press conference on January 29, 2019, three days after the arrest of CRM leader, Maurice Kamto , the French Ministry spokesman said they are closely following the developments and Le Dian later revealed that Macron has urged Biya to organise an inclusive dialogue and fast-track decentralisation. A mother-of-four crushed sleeping pills into chocolate milk before serving the drink to her children. The Adelaide woman, 47, tried put her children aged 10-17 to sleep before attempting to take her own life in March 2018. The children said they suffered from dizziness, dehydration and felt abnormal and slow after they consumed a high dosage 'above the normal therapeutic level'. A mother-of-four crushed sleeping pills into chocolate milk before serving the drink to her children (stock image) The 47-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was sentenced to three years in jail with a non-parole period of 15 months, the ABC reported. But Judge Wayne Chivell said the mother could be released 'within a fairly short period of time' because she had spent time in custody in March 2018. She pleaded guilty to five counts of committing an aggravated act likely to cause harm at the District Court of South Australia. The mother confessed what she had done to a friend over the phone, who called emergency services. She had woken up one of her sons, who had woken the rest of the children, before she repeatedly apologised to him about what she had done. Her four children were taken to the Women's and Children's Hospital to be checked up. The mother had planned to take her own life three days before, when she told a psychiatrist. 'It is clear that at the time of the offending, you had reached a crisis point as a result of your declining mental health,' Judge Chivell said. Judge Chivell described the woman's act as an 'extremely sad case' and a 'gross breach of trust'. Drug kingpin Tony Mokbel's young attackers taunted the gangland figure before they stabbed him with a homemade knife during a vicious jailhouse attack. Teira Bennett and Eldea Teuira, both 21, pleaded guilty to stabbing the 53-year-old in the exercise yard of Victoria's Barwon Prison on February 11. The duo pleaded guilty to intentionally causing serious injury in circumstances of gross violence, the Herald Sun reported. Drug kingpin Tony Mokbel's young attackers taunted the gangland figure before they stabbed him with a homemade knife during a vicious jailhouse attack Teira Bennett (pictured) and Eldea Teuira, both 21, pleaded guilty to stabbing the 53-year-old in the exercise yard of Victoria's Barwon Prison on February 11 Magistrate Charlie Rozencwajg on Wednesday released a summary of the incident, revealing Mokbel was king-hit and stabbed seven times by Teuira as Bennett kicked him in the head. 'Bennett retrieves a shiv from the front of his pants and ... appears to lift his body up to strike him in the upper shoulder area,' the summary read. Mokbel was unable to move from the moment he was attacked and failed to defend himself as the pair assaulted him. As the assault attracted attention from other inmates and prison guards, the pair could be heard screaming: 'Youre not an enforcer, this is what you get for talking to the screws you f**king dog.' The attack is believed to have been sparked by a news report claiming Mokbel was a 'top enforcer' in jail. On the same day the report was released, Mokbel was approached by prison officers questioning whether he had concerns about what it said. The report detailed how Mokbel had allegedly disrupted an extortion racket being run in the prison by Pacific Islanders, who had targeted a teenager locked up on assault charges. 'All he has to do is say the word, and people listen,' a source said. Mokbel was unable to move from the moment he was attacked and failed to defend himself as the pair assaulted him Bleeding from his mouth and chest, Mokbel was airlifted to Royal Melbourne Hospital and was considered to be in a serious but stable condition The gangland figure said he wasn't concerned by the report and believed it was just a money-making ploy. Just an hour before the frenzied attacked, Mokbel had attended Teuira's 21st birthday celebrations, where the pair 'embraced' and were seen chatting. Bleeding from his mouth and chest, Mokbel was airlifted to Royal Melbourne Hospital and was considered to be in a serious but stable condition. A second victim, aged 31, was also injured while trying to help Mokbel, but returned to prison after spending a night in hospital. The summary also says it was highly likely Mokbel could have died from his injuries if he wasn't quickly treated by emergency staff. Bennett and Teuira are both expected to appear in the County Court for a plea hearing on October 4. Police have launched a desperate hunt for a mother-of-five who went missing from her wealthy Connecticut town in the midst of a bitter divorce and custody battle. Jennifer Dulos, 50, was last seen on Friday driving a black 2017 Chevrolet Suburban and officers have since used trained dogs to search the woods close to where the author lived in New Canaan. Dulos is said to be embroiled in a bitter split and custody battle with her estranged husband Fotis Dulos over their kids, aged between six and 11. Police have launched a desperate hunt for mother-of-five Jennifer Dulos, who went missing from her wealthy Connecticut town in the midst of a reported bitter divorce and custody battle Dulos is said to be embroiled in a bitter split and custody battle with her estranged husband Fotis Dulos (right) over their kids, aged between six and 11 The couple were married for 13 years until Jennifer filed for divorce in 2017, according to The Connecticut Post. After taking their children - three boys and two girls, including two sets of twins - from their home in Farmington, outside Hartford, Jennifer is said to have moved them into a rental home in New Cannan. Court records show that Jennifer and Fotis, who is the president and CEO of building company the Fore Group, have been embroiled in a child custody row ever since their split, with more than 500 documents filed. In July 2017, Dulos had an emergency order for full custody denied. A hearing concerning their split that was scheduled for Wednesday had to be postponed, Dulos' lawyer, Wayne Effron confirmed. The couple were married for 13 years until Jennifer, pictured, filed for divorce in 2017 Dulos, who had previously blogged about their happy family life, got a masters degree in writing from New York University. A statement from her friends and family called Jennifer a 'devoted mother' who would 'never, ever, disappear when she is responsible for the lives of five loving and energetic children'. It read: 'Since learning of the disappearance of Jennifer Farber Dulos, our beloved daughter, mother, sister, cousin, aunt, and friend, we have been heartbroken; at the same time, we are moved and inspired by the support, assistance, concern, and love extended by so many. 'We remain hopeful that Jennifer will be found soon, and we urge anyone with information, however seemingly insignificant, to call the New Canaan Police.' Court records show that Jennifer and Fotis, who is the president and CEO of building company the Fore Group, have been embroiled in a child custody row ever since their split, with more than 500 documents filed They add: 'Jennifer was last seen in New Canaan, the morning of Friday, May 24, 2019, operating a black 2017 Chevy Suburban. Jennifer is 50 years of age, very slender, 57, with a soft voice, dark brown eyes, and shoulder-length brown hair. 'Jennifer is gentle, kind, intelligent, and funny, and above all she prioritizes the health and happiness of her children.' In a statement posted to Facebook the New Canaan police wrote they were 'continuing their efforts and investigation to locate' Dulos. It is not clear if police have identified persons of interest in connection with her disappearance. Anyone who had contact with Jennifer Dulos on Friday May 24th, 2019 or has information regarding her disappearance should call the New Canaan Police Tip Line at 203-594-3544. A Bronx teen subjected to months-long bullying killed herself last year hours after she was forced by two boys to perform oral sex and then was teased about it by classmates, according to a lawsuit filed against the city by the girls parents. Mya Vizcarrondo-Rios, a 16-year-old 9th grade honor student, leaped off the rooftop of her 34-story apartment building in The Bronx on February 28 of last year. She still had her backpack on when her body was found on the sidewalk shortly after 2pm. Her parents, Heriberto Rios and Nelly Vizcarrondo, allege that their daughter killed herself after being subjected to chronic bullying, which included body-shaming attacks and physical abuse, ever since she enrolled at Harry S. Truman High School in September 2017. Mya Vizcarrondo-Rios, a 16-year-old 9th grade honor student, leaped off the rooftop of her 34-story apartment building in The Bronx on February 28 of last year. She still had her backpack on when her body was found on the sidewalk shortly after 2pm Their lawsuit, which was filed against the city, the Education Department, school administrators, and one of the alleged bullies, claims that Myas complaints to counselors about the bullying were not properly handled. The parents are angry that school administrators never notified them of their daughters complaints and absences from class, according to the New York Daily News. After Mya complained to a school guidance counselor and to the principal, Keri Alfano, she was sent back to class and told that the issue would be investigated, the parents allege. But nothing happened, according to the lawsuit. The employees of Harry S. Truman had actual notice of the intimidation but failed to intervene, according to the lawsuit, a copy of which was obtained by the New York Post. The one student named in the lawsuit is referred to in court papers as Vivianna D. The parents claim that the months of chronic bullying took their toll when Mya started missing classes toward the end of 2017. Mya killed herself on the same day that she was forced to perform oral sex on two boys and then teased about the incident, her parents allege in a lawsuit Her parents, Heriberto Rios and Nelly Vizcarrondo, allege that their daughter killed herself after being subjected to chronic bullying, which included body-shaming attacks and physical abuse, ever since she enrolled at Harry S. Truman High School (above) in September 2017 Rios told the Daily News that he was shocked by his daughters absences since before that she had near perfect attendance. I asked what was going on, Rios said. She said she was having trouble, but she didnt tell me she was being bullied. She didnt tell me about this. I found out after she passed. The school never told me about the cutting (classes). The parents were so concerned that they met with a guidance counselor in January 2018 - weeks before their daughters suicide, the lawsuit says. But the staffer and Alfano did not do enough to follow up on the matter, the lawsuit alleges. On the day she died, the parents allege that Mya was sexually assaulted by being forced to perform oral sex on a student. Word about the alleged assault spread and Mya was teased about the incident, according to the lawsuit. Mya, unable to handle the trauma of the alleged bullying, left school early. At around 2:02pm, she leaped to her death. Keri Alfano, the principal at Truman High School, is seen above. School administrators are blamed for not notifying the parents of their daughter's being bullied On the day before she died, a friend of Myas went to see a guidance counselor to express concern for her well-being, the lawsuit alleges. The guidance counselor then talked to Mya that day, but never bothered to inform her parents about the conversation, according to the lawsuit. The guidance counselor saw and willfully ignored the signs that M.A. V-R was suffering severe emotional pain and depression as a result of the bullying she was receiving at school, the suit states. On the day after Myas suicide, the girl named in the lawsuit, Vivianna, was transferred out of Truman. The guidance counselor in question was fired. The tragic circumstances surrounding my clients death could have been prevented, John Scola, the attorney representing the parents, said in a statement. We hope that this case will cause the New York City Department of Education to reevaluate their policies and properly train their employees on issues related to bullying so that no student feels so hopeless they feel suicide is the answer. We hope that this case will prevent helpless students from taking their own lives in the future. The Department of Education released a statement saying: This was a tragic loss, and students deserve safe and supportive school environments. We recognize the deep impact bullying can have, and schools are required to immediately investigate and address any allegation. Troubled NRL star James Roberts has switched teams to be closer to his family. The former NSW State of Origin centre was released from his Brisbane Broncos contract on Wednesday afternoon to join the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Roberts' move comes after he was photographed being carried out of a nightclub on March 30 following a narrow loss to the Dragons. Troubled NRL star James Roberts (pictured with partner Anna) has switched teams to be closer to his family The star avoided sanctioning on after a leaked photo captured him being carried out of a nightclub in Brisbane in March He has a history of drug and alcohol abuse with two stints at a Thailand rehab clinic in 2016 and 2018. Broncos CEO Paul White cited compassionate grounds for letting Roberts leave. He said Roberts had reached out to the club and indicated a strong desire to return home to Sydney with his partner Anna and two young children. 'While we are disappointed to lose James, we understand his position - it wasn't in the best interests of the club to stand in the way of a player who has expressed a honest and strong desire to return home,' White said in a statement. Almost immediately, Souths issued their own statement announcing Roberts would rejoin them for the next two-and-a-half seasons. Dogged by off-field incidents during his career, Roberts, a South Sydney junior, played 10 games in the top grade for the Rabbitohs in 2011 but was released to play with Penrith in 2013. The Panthers moved him on and he played two seasons with the Gold Coast before moving to Brisbane under Bennett in 2016. Roberts (pictured) has a history of drug and alcohol abuse with two stints at a Thailand rehab clinic in 2016 and 2018 There had been numerous reports this season Roberts had fallen out with Bennett's replacement at Red Hill, Anthony Seibold. He was dropped to the Broncos' Queensland Cup feeder club, Wynnum-Manly, last weekend. 'I'm really excited to be coming back to Souths and playing under Wayne again,' Roberts said. 'There are some great players at this club and I can't wait to get into training and get back on the field.' He will be available for Souths' round 13 game against Newcastle. PlayStation's parent company Sony is being taken to court for refusing to refund defective games that were bought online or downloaded. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission announced on Wednesday that it believed the PlayStation Store's refund policy violated consumer laws. The tech giant claimed it did not have to refund malfunctioning games 14 days after it was purchased online or downloaded. Sony is accused of refusing refunds or only offering online currency in exchange for games purchased through the PlayStation Store It was only when developers of the faulty games admitted they were unable to fix their product that Sony would refund customers. The ACCC said online purchases were no less valid than traditional sales and operated under the same consumer law 'We allege that Sony Europe gave false and misleading information to their customers about their rights in relation to games sold via its PlayStation Store,' ACCC chair Rod Sims said. 'Consumer guarantees do not expire after a digital product has been downloaded as we allege Sony Europe told consumers, and refunds must be given in the form of original payment unless a consumer chooses to receive it in store credit.' The ACCC and chairman Rod Sims (pictured) said Sony Europe has violated Australian consumer law and added that online purchases were no less valid than traditional sales The Australian government body is seeking pecuniary penalties, injunctions, declarations, correctives and costs over the refund policy. Sony's PlayStation Store has previously faced controversy in 2011 when its system was broken in to initially shutting the online site through an external hacking attempt. It was only much later when PlayStation revealed the personal data of 77 million of its user were compromised in one of the largest personal data breeches on record. A culture of blaming victims of sexual assault has been uncovered at the University of New England with one young woman told 'you probably should just lock your door when you're asleep'. The culture of trivialising violence against women and blaming victims is detailed in an Australian Human Rights Commission report which examined the Armidale university's seven residential colleges. The university requested the review in the wake of explosive revelations in 2017 concerning the rates of sexual harassment at university colleges which found UNE had the highest rate of sexual assaults of any university in the country. Numerous cases of sexual assault on women were heard during the commission (file image) The commission also discovered the university held social parties with themes like 'GI Joes and Army Hoes', where attendees were encouraged to dress up like the title says. In one instance a man entered a woman's room uninvited and kissed her while she was sleeping but when she complained to a university employee she was told 'probably should just lock your door when you're asleep'. A hazing party resulted in girls pressured into revealing intimate details about their sex lives before being 'slapped on the ass by everybody' while running through a gauntlet of men to enter a party. In another incident 'excessively drunk' new female students were forced to give lap dances to male students in a 'ladies lounge' initiation. The commission's report found one-third of residents at UNE colleges who were surveyed had experienced sexual harassment while living there. That rate was 2.5 times higher for women than men. 'A friend got really drunk one night and said one particular guy had assaulted her,' one student said. One woman was told to 'lock her door when you're asleep' after a stranger came in and kissed her while she slept (file image) 'She had gone to speak to the head of college who had said maybe she shouldn't have been drinking and putting herself in that position.' Hazing rituals were also examined with first-year women reportedly forced to run through a group while being slapped on the arse before being allowed into parties and others made to give lap dances to male students. 'A bunch of older gerro boys came down and found the smallest girl on the floor and made her do a beer bong ... they just kept putting stuff in and she was this little small girl on the floor and said 'Please stop', then they laughed at her and left,' one student said. A lack of understanding of what amounted to sexual harassment was also raised in the report. 'Guys need to understand that someone being so drunk you can't speak or stand without support means you can't give consent,' one person said. 'I know a bunch of girls who have been touched, who have been kissed or raped when very, very, very drunk - beyond consent - these happened at college functions,' another said. The report made 28 recommendations to help UNE improve the culture on campus. They included educating students in sexual assault and harassment prevention, installing CCTV cameras and employing qualified first responders to be available to students in the event they are harassed or attacked. University of New England (pictured) received 25 recommendations to improve college culture University of New England vice-chancellor Professor Annabelle Duncan said the university acknowledged its role in educating students about respect and consent. 'It is important to note that of the 25 recommendations that relate to UNE's colleges, work is completed or underway to meet 17 of the recommendations,' Professor Duncan said. The students who came forward to speak to the commission have been thanked by the university. Advertisement A remote Australian town which was once the most dangerous in the state has turned its fortunes around thanks to increased involvement from the Aboriginal community. In 2013, the remote town of Bourke in north-western New South Wales ranked number one in six out of eight major crime categories. The NSW Bureau of Crime Statistic and Research found the town of just 3,000 people had the highest rates of assaults, break-ins and car thefts. A remote Australian town which was once the most dangerous in the state has turned its fortunes around thanks to increased involvement from the Aboriginal community In 2013, the remote town of Bourke in north-western NSW ranked number one in six out of eight major crime categories in the state The NSW Bureau of Crime Statistic and Research found the town of just 3000 people had the highest rate of assaults, break-ins and car thefts This data made the small town more dangerous per capita than any country in the world when compared with United Nations data. But over the past six years, Aboriginal leaders have worked with Just Reinvest NSW, which advocates for early intervention programs, and have managed to give Bourke a fresh start. Crimes in the area were mainly committed by opportunistic and disadvantaged youth with the biggest crime spikes occurring at night or throughout the school holidays. This data made the small town more dangerous per capita than any country in the world when compared with United Nations data Over the past six years, Aboriginal leaders have worked with Just Reinvest NSW, which advocates for early intervention programs, and have managed to give Bourke a fresh start Bourke is located in the north west of New South Wales and has a population of just 3,000 people The relationship between the residents of Bourke, service providers and police was also very strained and no group trusted the other. Hundreds of millions of dollars had been invested into changing the social disadvantages the Aboriginal population faced but nothing was working. 'That was a stark reality check, finding out how we're being perceived by the broader community in Australia. We had to take drastic measures,' Indigenous leader Alistair Ferguson told The Sydney Morning Herald. Those drastic measures needed to come from within the community itself. Hundreds of millions of dollars had been invested into changing the social disadvantages the Aboriginal population faced but nothing was working The focus would shift from law and order and instead address the social and economic reasons that motivate criminal activity Mr Ferguson partnered with Just Reinvest in 2013 and, working with the Aboriginal community, began to create its own programs aimed at addressing the growing concerns within Bourke. The focus would shift from law and order and instead address the social and economic reasons that motivate criminal activity. 'It's the opposite of a top down approach,' Just Reinvest NSW chairwoman Sarah Hopkins said. 'We're not coming in with a magic bullet. It's the community looking at a whole-of-life course approach to addressing juvenile and adult offending.' With a new focus and support from the Aboriginal community and police, the crime rate in Bourke began to drop Police officers began to talk with people known to have committed domestic violence and informed them about how to avoid it. Methods included identifying triggers and spending the night away from their partners when they had been drinking. With a new focus and support from the Aboriginal community and police, the crime rate in Bourke began to drop. Police officers began to talk with people known to have committed domestic violence and informed them about how to avoid it. Methods included identifying triggers and spending the night away from their partners when they had been drinking. Domestic violence incidents reported to the police dropped by 23 per cent. Officers also became involved in employment strategies to curb criminal activity and provide young people with more options. Domestic violence incidents reported to the police dropped by 23 per cent Even though there is still much work to be done, the community wants to continue supporting its population The number of days spent in custody for adults dropped by 42 per cent and the completion rate of VET courses increased by 84 per cent. Though the new programs have yielded positive, many areas continue to trouble the community. Drug and alcohol-related admissions have increased and high school attendance rate continues to be low. Even though there is still much work to be done, the community wants to continue supporting itself and defining its own identity. The mother of Brisbane Broncos star Payne Haas will be able to watch her son's State of Origin debut after narrowly avoiding prison time. Uiatu 'Joan' Taufua attacked delivery driver Keith Tyler in a car park at The Pines shopping centre on the Gold Coast in a road rage incident last year. The 42-year-old mother-of-10 thought he cut her off while she was on her way to McDonald's with two of her children. Mr Tyler was left beaten and bloody after the brazen daylight attack, which left him with a fractured cheekbone, a hole in his lip and a broken nose. Scroll down for video The mother of Brisbane Broncos star Payne Haas arrived in court wearing a Blues scarf preparing to plead with the judge to escape a prison sentence Uiatu 'Joan' Taufua hopes to be able to watch her son's State of Origin debut after he became the most inexperienced player to be selected to represent his state almost 25 years Assault victim Keith Tyler and his wife Rachel left the magistrates court in Southport after Taufua's sentencing Taufua became 'extremely agitated' and verbally abused Mr Tyler during the altercation - which was partially recorded on his smartphone - calling him a 'f***ing dog', and a 'f***ing d**khead'. Her defence lawyer, Lisa Searing acknowledged Taufua 'reacted differently to how the average person might react'. She said one of Taufua's 10 children became quadriplegic as a result of a car accident. She is also the primary carer of her husband, who is on a disability pension, and cars for an 84-year-old family friend named Pop. In addition to her own 10 children aged between four and 21, Taufua has taken in two more children, the court heard. Mother-of-10 Joan Taufua (pictured), 42, will be sentenced at Southport Magistrates Court on Wednesday after attacking delivery driver Keith Tyler (right) Magistrate Pamela Dowse described her behaviour as 'unforgivable' and sentenced her to two years' imprisonment. But she ordered an immediate parole, meaning Taufua will be able to attend her son's first State of Origin game on June 5 in Brisbane. Haas became the most inexperienced player to be selected to represent his state in almost 25 years when he was announced in Brad Fittler's Blues team on Sunday. Taufua arrived at Southport Magistrates Court for her sentencing hearing wrapped up in a NSW Blues scarf ahead of Haas' game. Taufua told reporters outside Southport Magistrates Court she would be supporting her son's team come Origin Taufua told reporters outside court she would be supporting her son's team come Origin. 'Go the Blues,' she said. 'This has nothing to do with my son.' But Haas has previously faced punishment from the NRL Integrity Commission after he failed to assist in investigations into a separate incident involving his mum. The 19-year-old was suspended for four matches and fined $20,000 after he refused to cooperate during investigations into a brawl at a women's rugby league match. Mother-of-ten Taufua (pictured) is seen storming toward Mr Tyler before his phone is knocked out of his hand in shocking footage Taufua is on a three-year probation for assaulting a mother and her teenage daughter. She is pictured on the right with her children, including Haas (far left) Taufua was given a three-year probation order for assaulting a mother and her teenage daughter at the women's rugby league match in Brisbane in August last year. Security footage of the latest assault played to the court showed Taufua along with two accomplices confront Mr Tyler through the driver's side window. Taufua followed Mr Tyler into the loading dock with two children. He was verbally abused and called a 'f****** dog' and, when he began filming the incident on his mobile phone, it was slapped from his hand. The driver was punched and kneed in the head as Taufua held him in place by the shirt. Bleeding profusely from his mouth and face, Mr Tyler tried to record Taufua's number plate. Phone footage shows Taufua call him a 'f****** dickhead' before she slapped him across the face. Mr Tyler said at the time 'she was certainly the most aggressive, not just female, but person I've ever come across in my life'. Bacon-lovers might want to stock up now as prices are expected to skyrocket as a possible pork crisis looms. Farmers in Asia have been forced cull more than a million pigs after an outbreak of an African swine fever and the epidemic has been tipped to spread. As a result, Australia's pork market is expected to feel the pinch and fears have been raised over the fall-out this Christmas. Bacon-lovers might want to stock up now as prices are expected to skyrocket as a possible pork crisis looms Experts have warned prices will soar as demand increases with stocks already slim due to the drought. As China is the largest producer and consumer of pork, the shortage caused by the swine fever epidemic may trigger a flow-on effect to other parts of the world. Pork South Australia chair and farmer Mark McLean told news.com.au there will be fewer imported products in Australia as those would likely end up diverted to China to fill their requirements. Prices have already begun edging up as many Australian farmers have been forced to shut up shop due to the high price of grain. Queanbeyan butcher Peter Lindbeck said Christmas could be more costly with demand forcing prices to rise even higher. 'As you get halfway through the year and people start trying to collect legs of pork for Christmas hams, the demand for pork starts to increase,' he said. Experts have warned prices will soar as demand increases with stocks already slim due to the drought 'There's quite a low demand for pork in the first half of the year and then it starts to increase, and I'd imagine the price will kick then. What is African swine fever? African swine fever virus is a highly contagious viral disease of domestic and wild pigs The virus poses no risk to humans In August 2018, it was reported for the first time in China Given the uninfected status of the Australian pig herd, ASF will devastate the Australian herd if it is introduced Symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, breathing difficulty, coughing, nasal and eye discharge Source: Australian Pork Limited Advertisement 'Its very likely that the raw pork products will be more expensive in the second half of the year, theres no doubt about that.' The World Organisation for Animal Health said it would likely take years for China to contain the deadly African swine fever virus that has spread throughout the country. Outbreaks of the disease, which is not harmful to humans, has already been reported in almost every region of mainland China. Beijing has said its breeding herd is 22 per cent smaller than this time last year, but many in the industry say the impact of the disease could be much greater. African swine fever has spread to neighbouring Laos, Mongolia and Vietnam and Stone said there was a significant danger that the virus could reach other Asian countries in the coming months. African swine fever kills almost all pigs infected and the virus can last for weeks in contaminated materials, allowing it to travel over long distances. The disease currently has no cure but Chinese state media said on Friday that China would start working on clinical trials of a vaccine. Des gendarmes camerounais Archives Some 100 corrupt and unprofessional gendarmerie officials have been sanctioned, following an ongoing national campaign against corruption within the National Gendarmerie, launched one month ago. A toll free number, 1501 was dispatched to Cameroonians by the National Gendarmerie last month, to denounce corruption and abuse perpetrated by Gendarmes. As a result, these officers were sanctioned. The Head of the Operational Command Post of the National Gendarmerie, Georges Parfait Nana II, has revealed that as soon as denunciation is registered, investigations are opened. He continued that internal rules of the gendarmerie specify the different levels of sanctions applied as soon as guilt is established. Some of these sanctions, include, suspension with or without detention of the guilty officer, suspension with impact on salary, promotion, distinctions and career of guilty officer, punitive transfer and demotion. The initiative to send across this number to denounce corrupt gendarmes within communities, has been appreciated by officials of the National Anti Corruption Commission(NACC), who said it was a great step that will help curb corrupt practices. The Secretary of States to the Minister of Defense in charge of the National Gendarmerie, Galax Etoga during the launch of this project, said they had received over 600 calls already from disgruntled citizens. The main objective of the toll free number is to bring the Gendarmerie closer to the people in line with concept of Gendarmerie of proximity and the enhance the image of the elite corps of Cameroons Defense Forces A young mother whose baby was found dead in his cot at just three months old has admitted she regularly took methadone, heroin and marijuana while pregnant with him. The woman had fed her son a bottle early in the morning, but woke to find him lying unresponsive on his back in bed at the supported accommodation they were living at in Canberra, in June 2017, an inquest into the child's death heard two weeks ago. While a cause of death wasn't identified by a post-mortem examination and it was confirmed there were no drugs in the boy's system, a test of his hair was returned positive for heroin use. A young mother whose baby was found dead in his cot at just three months old has admitted she regularly took methadone, heroin and marijuana while pregnant with him (stock image) There has since been an inquest into the infant's death where it was revealed the young mother exposed her son to drugs frequently, ABC News reported. When asked about her drug use during her pregnancy, the woman admitted to taking methadone and heroin. 'I was using regularly a couple of times a week. I may have smoked some marijuana,' she said. Counsel assisting the coroner Sarah Baker-Goldsmith asked whether the woman had actively stopped taking drugs during her pregnancy, the woman confessed to continuing to use. The inquest also revealed the boy was placed in 'neonatal abstinence' treatment shortly after being born. The woman admitted that she returned to regularly using heroin within just a week and a half of giving birth. There has since been an inquest into the infant's death where it was revealed the young mother exposed her son to drugs frequently (stock image) 'It was just dibs and dabs, I was trying not to. A few times a week,' the woman said. However, she claimed she chose not to ask for help or tell anyone as she was scared she could lose her child. The woman chose to continue her drug use despite 'thinking about' what it could do and how it could affect her son's development. 'I had heard there could be birth defects I had heard there could be problems in the pregnancy and labour,' the young mother said. The woman said she was also aware her son could suffer withdrawal symptoms and already had four other children taken from her and placed in care. She was scared of dealing with the ACT's Care and Protection service, and wanted to live in supportive environment and be a mum to her child. The woman also admitted skipping drug tests in the period leading up to the baby's birth, and avoiding tests by diluting the results or providing clean samples of urine taken from other people, the inquest heard earlier. A hero bystander said he was acting on 'basic instinct' when he rushed to save a heavily pregnant from a brutal attack, but regretted not acting 'two seconds' earlier. The woman, 26, was walking along Wentworth Avenue in Surry Hills, in Sydney, on Tuesday morning when another woman, Olivia Mahe, allegedly punched, kicked and pushed her into the gutter. Martin Barrett was on his way to work when he jumped to the victim's defence and wrestled her away from the attacker. 'I could tell it was one-sided,' the English-born man, who moved to Sydney seven years ago, told reporters on Wednesday. Martin Barrett was on his way to work when he jumped to the victim's defence and wrestled her away from the attacker, and has brushed off claims he is a hero, saying any decent human would do the same thing 'It wasn't a fight, it was an attack and at that point I realised this person was defenceless and just tried to help as any decent human would.' Despite his quick intervention, Mr Barrett said he wishes he sprung into action sooner. 'I took two seconds too long to assess it, so by that point, there were a few extra punches thrown.' 'Two or three punches there that probably shouldn't have landed. I should have been quicker.' Mr Barrett said he saw the victim take 'a few big hits to the left side of her face'. 'I kind of went to pick her up and she was on the floor holding her stomach and saying she was pregnant,' he said he didn't realise she was pregnant at first. Detective Superintendent Gavin Wood praised Mr Barrett for his bravery during the 'despicable assault,' and hailed him as a hero. 'We use the word hero at times very loosely. He is a hero and I note that he's downplaying it, but it shouldn't be downplayed.' A woman can be seen punching a heavily pregnant victim on Wentworth Avenue in Sydney's inner west on Tuesday morning in an alleged unprovoked attack The pregnant woman falls to the ground as a man walking past (in black) can be seen intervening to wrestle the alleged attacker away from the victim He said that if it wasn't for Mr Barrett rescuing the woman, the situation would have been a lot worse. Sup Int Wood said the victim and her husband are thankful for Mr Barrett stepping in. Mr Barrett brushed off claims he is a hero, and said he expects any decent person would do the same thing. An off duty policeman also rushed to the woman's rescue, and pulled the alleged attacker away before police officers arrived. Shocking security footage shows Mr Barrett leading the pregnant woman to safety while the alleged attacker points and yells. The alleged assailant was restrained by an off-duty probationary police officer (in purple) who happened to be walking past during the incident Mr Barrett described the footage as 'disturbing' to watch. The victim has since been released from hospital after suffering bruising and swelling to her face, but thankfully her unborn baby was unharmed. Ms Mahe, was restrained by the police officer and taken into custody where she was charged with assault. U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton has claimed naval mines 'almost certainly from Iran' were used to attack oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. Bolton said the 'prudent and responsible' approach taken by the U.S. - which has beefed up its military presence in the region - made it clear to Iran and rebel groups that such actions risked a 'very strong' response. He was speaking to reporters in Abu Dhabi ahead of emergency summits of Arab leaders in Saudi Arabia on Thursday. The summit was called to discuss the implications of the tanker attacks and drone strikes two days later on oil pumping stations in the kingdom. U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton has claimed naval mines 'almost certainly from Iran' were used to attack oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates The UAE has not yet blamed anyone for the sabotage of four vessels, including two Saudi tankers, near Fujairah emirate, a major bunkering hub just outside the Strait of Hormuz. Saudi has accused Iran of ordering the armed drone strikes, which were claimed by the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels. The group have been battling a Saudi-led coalition in Yemen in a four-year conflict seen as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Iran has denied involvement in either attack. 'I think it is clear these (tanker attacks) were naval mines almost certainly from Iran,' Bolton said. 'There is no doubt in anybody's mind in Washington who is responsible for this and I think it's important that the leadership in Iran know that we know.' There was no immediate response from Iran to the comments by Bolton, who did not provide evidence to support his statement. Norwegian oil tanker Andrea Victory, one of the four damaged boats, pictured with a large dent in its stern Bolton also revealed there had been a failed coordinated attack on one of Saudi Arabia's key oil ports. He said the city of Yanbu had been 'targeted' during the ongoing Persian Gulf crisis, but did not elaborate. He told journalists in the Emirati capital he suspected Iran was behind the attack. Yanbu is the terminus, the final point, of Saudi Arabia's east-west pipeline. It is the most important export center for Saudi Arabias oil to Western countries and America. The pipeline was recently targeted by Yemen's Houthi rebels in a coordinated drone attack. The U.S. official declined to comment on the specifics of an investigation into the attacks in which the United States, France, Norway and Saudi Arabia are taking part, but said the countries and ship owners involved could do so. A UAE bunker barge and a Norwegian-registered oil products tanker were also hit in the attacks.. Bolton said the tanker attacks were connected to the strike on oil pumping stations on the kingdom's East-West pipeline and a rocket attack on the Green Zone in the Iraqi capital Baghdad. He said there had been a fourth unsuccessful attack on Saudi Arabia's Yanbu port a few days before the operation off Fujairah but that it was unclear if it was linked to the others. Saudi officials were not immediately available to comment. Iran's influence with jihadist militias stretches across the Middle East and their domestic weapons capabilities pose a constant threat to US allies in the Persian Gulf Tensions between the United States and Iran have escalated since President Donald Trump withdrew from a 2015 multinational nuclear pact with Iran and reimposed sanctions on Tehran, notably targeting its key oil exports. Iran says it will not be intimidated by what it has described psychological warfare. Sunni Muslim allies Saudi Arabia and the UAE have backed sanctions against Shi'ite Iran, a fellow OPEC producer but a regional foe, and have lobbied Washington to contain Tehran. Bolton said the United States was trying to be 'prudent and responsible' in its approach and that it was discussing next steps with its Gulf Arab allies. 'I support what we are doing so far. The point is to make it clear to Iran and its surrogates that these kind of activities risk a very strong response from the Americans.' Washington said it was sending 1,500 troops to the region after speeding up deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group and sending bombers and additional Patriot missiles. Bolton said the United States was bringing in engineering capabilities 'to help harden facilities associated with U.S. and partner military bases'. He voiced concern about perceived threats from the overseas arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guards. 'We are very concerned about the Quds Force and Qassem Soleimani using Shi'ite militia groups and others in Iraq as indirect ways to attack our embassy in Baghdad, consulate in Erbil, our various bases around the country,' he said. The U.S. Combined Air Operations Center is based at al-Udaid airbase in Qatar. Its navy Fifth Fleet is based in Bahrain. The U.S. air force also uses al-Dhafra airbase in Abu Dhabi and Ali Al Salem airbase in Kuwait. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi visited Oman, Kuwait and Qatar this week. He said on Tuesday that Tehran was ready to engage in dialogue with Gulf countries in a trip ahead of the emergency summits in Mecca. A desperate battle has been launched to keep one of Australia's worst sex monsters locked up over fears he could rape more teenage boys and girls if he is freed in two weeks. Gary Narkle, from Western Australia, is due to finish his ten-year jail sentence on June 9 but the Director of Public Prosecutions has applied to keep him behind bars. The 64-year-old, who was named a 'serial sex monster' by former WA attorney-general Jim McGinty, was convicted a decade ago for sex abuse and sexual penetration without consent, WA Today reported. One of Narkle's most notorious cases of offending occurred when he befriended a homeless man at an ATM in 2005 and invited him back to his caravan in Queens Park, Perth. Gary Narkle, from Western Australia, is due to finish his ten year jail sentence on June 9 but the Director of Public Prosecutions has applied to keep him behind bars Narkle, who had been on parole for under one-year at the time, gave his victim alcohol and drugs and before repeatedly raping him. The homeless man, that Narkle claimed was a prostitute who offered him sex, reported the crime at Royal Perth Hospital after escaping the next morning. Narkle appeared in the WA Supreme Court on Tuesday, via video link from Bunbury Regional Prison, to respond to the consideration of an ongoing detention order. The court heard Narkle committed his first offence when he was aged 12. In the years later Narkle offended against five victims, which included a teenage boy and two teenage girls. An intensive sex offender treatment program Narkle completed in 2017 found most of his offending occurred when he was inebriated, which led to him to be in bad situations. '[He] indicated that he struggled to understand how or why he offended. He stated that he thought that his offending behaviour was a means of escapism, or a form of retribution against others or the result of a miscommunication between the parties,' the judgement said. The program facilitator said Narkle made positive improvements through the program. Narkle appeared in the WA Supreme Court (pictured) on Tuesday, via video link from Bunbury Regional Prison, to respond to the consideration of an ongoing detention order Despite this, Justice Anthony Derrick said Narkle demonstrated no regard for his victims and his record of criminal offending was extensive. 'From the age of 12 through to the age of 55 he has committed many sexual or sexually motivated offences against females and males of varying ages. While all of his offences have been serious, a good number have been extremely serious,' he said. 'I am satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for believing that the court might ... find that the respondent is a serious danger to the community.' The DDP's application was accepted by Justice Derrick and the matter will be heard again in September. Narkle is understood to remain in custody before the hearing. A tattoo addict who calls himself 'Modboy' has taunted police with Facebook videos and posts after a warrant was issued for his arrest. Police in Melbourne issued a warrant for the arrest of 23-year-old Ethan 'Modboy' Bramble, and released a picture of his heavily tattooed face. Bramble, from the New South Wales' Central Coast, did not appear to be taking the warrant seriously and commented on the post: 'I've never once seen him in my life.' The Eyewatch - Melbourne Police Service Area Facebook page issued a warrant for the arrest of 23-year-old Ethan 'Modboy' Bramble alongside a picture of his heavily tattooed face Two hours after the warrant for his arrest was shared on social media, Mr Bramble uploaded a video on his personal Facebook where he filmed himself listening to the N.W.A song 'F**k Da Police.' Mr Bramble also posted on the 'Blokes and Their Ice-Creams' Facebook page where he said: 'Nananana you'll never catch me. Cream on brothers.' 'P.s if I go down I'm taking all you biccie first biters down with me.' Mr Bramble, from the New South Wales' Central Coast, didn't take the warrant seriously and commented on the post: 'I've never once seen him in my life' Two hours after the warrant for his arrest was shared on social media, Mr Bramble uploaded a video on his personal Facebook where he filmed himself listening to the N.W.A song 'F*k Da Police' A Victoria Police spokesman said the warrant had been issued for Bramble after he failed to appear at the Melbourne Magistrate's Court. Neither the Victoria Police or the Melbourne West Police Station would reveal what Bramble was wanted for. Modboy previously made headlines after he appeared on Studio 10 where he showed off his most recent body modifications, including a spider made of silicon under the skin on his hand. A Victoria police spokesperson said the warrant had been issued for Mr Bramble after he failed to appear at the Melbourne Magistrate's Court. Neither the Victoria police or the Melbourne West Police Station would reveal the initial charges against Mr Bramble The 22-year-old first dabbled with body modification at the age of 11, when he stretched his ears and developed a fascination with tattoos He told the hosts on Studio 10 that the body modifications would make him 'the coolest grandpa ever.' The 22-year-old first dabbled with body modification at the age of 11, when he stretched his ears and developed a fascination for tattoos. From the age of 13 he hung out at tattoo parlours and was introduced to more extreme forms of body modification. At 17 he had his tongue split, and cites that change as the most intense adjustment he has ever had. He was left in excruciating pain and was required to sleep upright for five days to avoid choking on his own saliva. Bramble claims he has had more than 40 modifications done to his body. This includes having had his eyeballs tattooed, his nostrils punched, his bellybutton removed, his tongue split, his labret (the area under the bottom lip) cut and each of his ears snipped so that half is missing. 'I've always been into different stuff to all the other kids, from a young age Ive had full blackout tattoos, scarification, eye balls tattooed, ears chopped off, tongue split, navel removal,' he had previously told Daily Mail Australia. Sixteen defendants, including a school headmaster, face the death penalty in Bangladesh over the shocking murder of a 19-year-old woman who was burned to death. Nusrat Jahan Rafi was allegedly killed after making sexual harassment claims against head teacher, SM Siraj-ud-Daula. Police in the country are set to file charges against 16 people, including the headmaster of an Islamic seminary, after Rafi was killed last month. The teenager was lured to the rooftop of the Islamic school she attended where her attackers asked her to withdraw a sexual harassment complaint filed with police against the head teacher. When she refused, she was doused in kerosene and set on fire. She died five days later, triggering outrage. Her death highlighted alarming rise in sexual harassment cases in the country. Nusrat Jahan Rafi suffered burns to 80 per cent of her body during an attack in which she was lured to to the rooftop of the Islamic school and told to drop her sexual harassment complaint The killing of Nusrat Jahan Rafi last month sparked protests across Bangladesh over the horrific killing Rafi's killing sparked protests across the South Asian nation, with the prime minister promising to prosecute all those involved. Bangladesh's Police Bureau of Investigation said they would file the charge sheet in a court in the country's south later on Wednesday against the 16 people who include two girls who were classmates of Rafi. PBI lead investigator Mohammad Iqbal said: 'They are charged under the women and children repression law and we'll recommend death penalty for all 16 accused. Iqbal said the Principal of the Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasa Siraj Ud Doula where Rafi was a student ordered the murder from jail. Rafi was forced to tearfully recount her rape ordeal to police in Bangladesh before the tape was leaked to local media Protesters hold placards and gather to demand justice for the 19-year-old woman who was killed after she was set on fire for refusing to drop sexual harassment charges against her Islamic school's principal, in Dhaka, Bangladesh Rafi had gone to police in late March to report the alleged sexual harassment against the teacher, and a leaked video shows the local police station chief registering her complaint but dismissing it as 'not a big deal'. Iqbal said at least five people including three of Rafi's classmates, had tied her up with a scarf before setting her on fire. The plan was to pass the incident off as a case of suicide. Rafi suffered burns to 80 per cent of her body and died in hospital on April 10. But she recorded a video before her death, repeating her allegations against the principal. Principal Siraj-ud-Daula has been arrested and accused of ordering the killing Rafi's brother Mahmudul Hasan Noman said they want a fast-track trial, adding: 'We want all the culprits to be hanged to death.' Last month video footage emerged showing the teen being forced to tearfully recount allegations of rape to police shortly before she was burned to death. was filmed by officers after she went to a police station to accuse headmaster Siraj-ud-Daula of touching her inappropriately. The video was then leaked online, sparking a backlash against Rafi and her family that ended with her being set alight by a gang of burqa-clad students at her school. When the defendants were first arrested, one of them told police the attack was ordered by the headmaster himself. Teachers at the school said Siraj-ud-Daula has a history of sexually harassing students, some of whom reported the alleged crimes only to be ignored. When Rafi initially complained she was backed by three teachers who demanded action, but no police investigation was launched and the teachers were instead sanction for speaking out against their boss. The head of Mahila Parishad, a women's rights group, gave a 'guarded welcome' at the quick investigation of the case but said more needed to be done to end a 'culture of impunity' over sexual harassment and rape cases. 'Very few rape cases end in convictions', she said. According to the group, about 950 women were raped in Bangladesh last year. A British woman has been handed a two-year suspended jail sentence after confessing to mowing down her ex's girlfriend with a rental car in Magaluf. Kemi Coaker, 30, from Manchester admitted running over Meghan Tattersall, 25, from Leeds, after a plea bargain deal at a court in Majorca on Tuesday. Kemi was arrested in May last year on suspicion of trying to kill Meghan in a hate-fuelled hit-and-run after the younger woman started dating her ex Andrew Coaker, 41, from Reading. She was held half an hour after the May 8, 2018 incident in the nearby resort of Cala Vinyes. Kemi Coaker, 30, from Manchester, was spared jail after admitting to the hit-and-run but ordered to stay at least 1,600 ft from her victim Bar worker Meghan Tattersall, 25, required surgery on her legs after the hit-and-run in the Cala Vinyes resort Coaker admitted running over Ms Tattersall after a plea bargain deal at a court in Majorca on Tuesday The victim's injuries were initially described as serious and she took three weeks to recover from leg wounds which required surgery. As well as receiving a two-year suspended jail sentence for a crime of wounding with a dangerous weapon, Coaker was also handed a three-year restraining order which prevents her from going within 1,600 ft of her victim. Coaker being escorted into court in May last year A second woman in the hire car stopped by police - believed to be a relative of Kemi's although it was not confirmed at the time by officials - was told she will not face any court action. Expat Coaker claimed after her arrest that her victim would taunt her whenever they crossed paths in Magaluf and insisted she only wanted to scare her when she drove at her. She learnt her fate at a criminal court in the Majorcan capital Palma. Kemi was thought to have been using her married name rather than her maiden name Pereira at the time of the incident. It later emerged she was the sister of a jailed drugs dealer. John Pereira, 35, was jailed in 2014 for five years and six months after 9,000 worth of cocaine was found at his home in Majorca. Reports at the time said he had violence and drugs convictions in the UK and would be sent back to Britain after serving his time in Majorca because he was wanted for breaching the terms of his licence following his release from prison. Kemi and Andrew split in 2017. Andrew Coaker, 41, from Reading, had started dating the 25-year-old victim - it is not known whether they are still together The hit-and-run occurred outside flats in Federico Garcia Lorca Street near Magaluf's wild Punta Ballena area Bar worker Meghan is thought to have been dating the Reading-born expat for around three months when she was mowed down. Civil Guard officers confirmed at the time they had arrested a British woman then aged 29, although they did not name her. A spokesman for the Civil Guard said in a statement: 'The Civil Guard has arrested a woman aged 29 as the suspected author of a crime of attempted homicide. 'Officers assisted a a group of people in Magaluf who were around a woman they spotted lying on the ground. 'That woman was an injured British national. 'Witnesses said a car had run her over before speeding away from the scene. One of the witnesses said the car had mounted the pavement intent on running over the woman. Coaker was also handed a three-year restraining order which prevents her from going within 1,600 ft of Ms Tattersall (pictured) 'Officers were told the vehicle was a small, white car and police patrols were alerted. 'Thirty minutes later a Civil Guard patrol searching for the vehicle in Cala Vinyes spotted a suspect car with two young women inside whose descriptions matched those of the people they were looking for. 'The two occupants were intercepted and identified. Officers discovered the hit-and-run victim is the current partner of the ex-husband of the driver of the vehicle they stopped and therefore the suspected author of the allegedly intentional hit-and-run.' The incident occurred outside flats in Federico Garcia Lorca Street near Magaluf's wild Punta Ballena area. An 11-year-old girl was left 'hysterical' after finding the bodies of her mother and her new boyfriend in a suspected murder-suicide. Elizabeth McShane, 39, and partner Hugh Sinclair, 33, were found dead at a flat in Knightswood, Glasgow, at around 11am on Monday morning. Ms McShane's daughter had been staying at a friend's the previous night and raised the alarm after returning home. Emergency services were called but were unable to revive the pair. Elizabeth McShane, 39, left, and Hugh Sinclair, 33, right, were found dead by her 11-year-old daughter at their Glasgow home in a suspected murder-suicide A neighbour told the Daily Record: 'She [the daughter] was hysterical, understandably. The police and emergency services came just before 11am. It's heartbreaking.' Locals said Mr Sinclair had recently moved into the flat after starting a relationship with the mother of two. Neighbours also said the deaths were due to 'murder suicide' but were not clear who was responsible. One neighbour, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Record: 'It's horrible to think that two people have lost their lives and a child, who will be traumatised for life, found her mother in that way. It doesn't bear thinking about.' Former pub worker Ms McShane had lived in the area for around five years and 'kept herself to herself. A police car was still at the scene last night with one officer standing guard by the secure entrance to the block of flats. The pair were found in a flat in Knightswood, Glaggow, pictured, at around 11am on Monday Bin sheds by the flats have also been cordoned off. A GoFundMe page has been set up by a family friend to raise money to cover funeral arrangements. A statement on the page said: 'Due to the tragic event that happened in the Knightswood area 2 young girls have been left without a mother. 'Hoping to raise as much funds as possible to help with funeral arrangements as they have no other family. 'These girls need all the help and support they can get. Any donations are greatly appreciated.' MailOnline has contacted Police Scotland for comment. A Filipina immigrant charged with bigamy has faced court over allegations she already had one husband when she married a second man. Milarosa Ardidon Senobio, who now lives in Brisbane, allegedly married her second husband in December 2012, taking her vows near a man-made lake in a master-planned suburb. The 44-year-old woman from the Philippines is accused of proceeding with a ceremony in December 2012 at Forest Lake in Brisbane's southern outskirts. A Filipina immigrant charged with bigamy has faced court over allegations she already had one husband when she married a second man (Milarosa Ardidon Senobio is pictured leaving Brisbane Magistrates Court) Court documents had scant information about the circumstances. But they alleged Senobio 'did go through a ceremony of marriage with another person ... and at the same time of said ceremony ... was married.' She remained on bail after a brief mention in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Wednesday. The accused, who lives at Durack, had her matter adjourned until June 27. Her Facebook profile said she was from San Antonio, north-west of The Philippines capital Manila. The social media page featured images of Jesus and the Virgin Mary along with a series of religious memes dedicated to God and being moral. Thousands have supported a family's plea to keep their little boy's killer in prison after he launched a bid for early release following just four years behind bars. Matthew James Ireland, 33, was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years over the March 2015 manslaughter of Hemi Goodwin-Burke while he was babysitting the 18-month-old toddler in the North Queensland town of Moranbah. He became eligible for parole on Saturday and has already applied to be released, which means he could a free man within three weeks. The news sparked outrage from Hemi's devastated parents Shane Burke and Kerri-Ann Goodwin. Shane Burke and Kerri-Ann Goodwin want their baby boy's killer to remain behind bars 'Yesterday, our family was told the unbelievable news which, we still can't fathom. Hemi's killer has applied for parole, you dirty, scum, oxygen thief, you took our son's life and you destroyed our girls lives,' Ms Goodwin posted on the Justice for Hemi Facebook page on Sunday. 'Now, you think you can come back out to relive your life, after only doing four years for violently beating our son to death, this is a joke!' 'My head and heart are spinning a hundred miles per hour, how on earth can this be happening!' Child killer Matthew Ireland, pictured with Hemi Goodwin-Burke, could soon be a free man The couple have become outspoken campaigners for longer sentences for violence against children since their little boy's tragic death and have called on the parole board to listen to victims' families. Hemi's parents want to plead their case in person to the parole board as to why Ireland should remain behind bars. 'This wasn't an accident. He beat Hemi to death. I just think it's so insulting to Hemi's memory and to the Queensland community as well,' Mr Burke told the Daily Mercury. Ms Goodwin added: 'We want to keep our community safe. A child's life is worth more than four years.' More than 5200 have signed a Change.org petition within hours of being set up, calling on parole board president Michael Burke to reject Ireland's parole application. Toddler Hemi Goodwin-Burke died from horrific injuries inflicted by his babysitter in 2015 'You think you can come back out to relive your life, after only doing four years for violently beating our son to death, this is a joke!,'Hemi's mother (pictured) posted on Sunday 'Our baby was violently pushed, punched and kicked in a sustained and vicious attack by a full grown man ... 78 bruises, ruptured internal organs, fractured bones and a severed brain stem. And his killer is going to be set free after only FOUR YEARS? HOW IS THIS FAIR?' Hemi's family states in the petition. According to Hemi's parents, Ireland spent the first two years of his sentence in remand while waiting to be sentenced with no rehabilitation programs. 'How can a parole board even consider this baby killer to be rehabilitated? 'the petition states. 'This is a matter of public safety. We can not let this convicted child killer into our community where he could violently take another child's life.' Hemi (pictured) suffered 78 bruises, ruptured internal organs, fractured bones and a severed brain stem four years ago. His killer could be released from jail within weeks Hemi's parents are grateful for the public's overwhelming support for the online petition so far. 'This person needs to stay behind bars for the rest of his life bring back the capital punishment to Australia, one furious supporter wrote. Another added: 'Any child killer or abuser against children should be sentenced to life, he took away this poor babies opportunity to grow into a fine young man. Someone has to stand up for our children.' Shane Burke and Kerri-Ann Goodwin, pictured with newborn Hemi, are fighting to keep their son's killer behind bars and want to plead their case to the parole board in person Des refugiees camerounaises a Bashu, dans l'Etat de Cross Rivers, dans le sud-est du Nigeria le 31 janvier 2018 AFP/Archives/PIUS UTOMI EKPEI The Refugee International(RI) group, has accused the government of Cameroon for downplaying humanitarian needs of citizens in the North West and South West regions, as government continues to deny severity of the crisis. At a conference organised by the Minister of External Relations, Lejeune Mbella Mbella, for diplomats and other international diplomatic institutions in Tuesday in Yaounde, the Minister said Cameroon needed no international intervention into its crisis. He also said the figures of internally displaced persons as well as refugees are exaggerated by human rights organisations for personally gains. He insisted that a humanitarian response fund had been initiated by President Paul Biya and was waxing strong as at least 75000 families have been offered assistance. To RI, authorities denial of severity of the crisis, has slow international assistance and a deviation of foreign donors to supporting a peace process. In a report published this Wednesday May 29 on its website, the group made a call to the government of Cameroon, to publicly recognise the severity of the crisis, and solicited government and armed groups to guarantee unrestricted access for civilians, health workers, humanitarian organisations and the diplomatic community throughout he NW/SW. They continued to call on donors to act now, rather than wait for the situation to deteriorate further, stating that for needs to be attended throughout the Anglophone regions, some $93.5 million must be raised. RI also suggests that humanitarian organisations and the United Nations should train local NGOs on humanitarian principles and strengthen their implementing capacity, expand International NGO Safety Organizations (INSOs) operations into the NWSW regions, establish an INGO Forum with donor support, and uphold the ground rules for engagement and information sharing with Cameroonian authorities. It called on the United Nations to establish full-time positions within UN agency offices in the NW/SW, in order to ensure continuity and prepare for expanded operations, contingent on donor funding. The group further pulls the UN to increase the visibility of the crisis, mobilize donor support, and call for unfettered humanitarian access and launch country-based pooled funds for a more nimble humanitarian response in Cameroon. This report comes after two trips the group made in March and April 2019, where for two weeks of research on the state of humanitarian response to the ongoing unrest in the Anglophone regions, he team highlights that their unsatisfactory assessment warranted answers from government officials which were never answered and in other cases denied. The conflict in these regions has left 1.3 million people in need of assistance. The UN estimates that the number of those internally displaced by the turmoil in the NWSW has steadily increased since May 2018, when 160,000 Cameroonians were first forced to flee. Current estimates of displacement within the Anglophone population in the NWSW now stand at more than 530,000 and continue to rise daily, although government continues to deny these figures. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (pictured yesterday) was not thrown out of the party by Tony Blair despite the number of times he voted against his own party Labour collapsed into open revolt against Jeremy Corbyn today after the expulsion Alastair Campbell prompted a wave of support for the former spin doctor. Mr Corbyn's deputy Tom Watson undermined the leader by blasting the decision to target Tony Blair's former right-hand man as 'spiteful' and demanding an 'amnesty' for the tens of thousands of members who backed another party at the European elections last week. Labour members and former ministers have dared Mr Corbyn to throw them out of the party after Mr Campbell's dramatic ejection. Voters who have backed Labour for decades have been using the hashtag #expelmetoo and posted pictures of ballot papers showing they voted for a different party at the European elections last week. Tony Blair's home secretary Charles Clarke also voted Lib Dem in a one-off decision, ex-defence secretary Bob Ainsworth backed the Greens last week while former MP Fiona Mactaggart dared Labour to expel her after she revealed on Twitter she had not voted for the party. Mr Watson said: 'We should be listening to members rather than punishing them. It is spiteful to resort to expulsions. The politics of intolerance holds no future for the Labour Party'. Alastair Campbell speaks to the media outside his home in north London after he was expelled from the Labour Party for admitting he voted for the Liberal Democrats - Jeremy Corbyn's deputy Tom Watson called the decision 'spiteful' today Tony Blair's home secretary Charles Clarke also voted Lib Dem - ex-defence secretary Bob Ainsworth voted Green BBC Newsnight claims they will not be thrown out because Alastair Campbell's case is considered more serious because he revealed his Lib Dem support on live TV. Jeremy Corbyn should be suspended for 'speaking at a Communist party event, says Campbell Alastair Campbell today revealed that Jeremy Corbyn supported a Communist Party of Britain event while a Labour MP but was never expelled. Tony Blair's former spin doctor tweeted a poster from a 1997 event celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Communist Manifesto where the now-Labour leader was one of the star speakers. Mr Campbell, who was thrown out of Labour for admitting to voting Liberal Democrat in the EU elections, also shared party rules saying that members who 'support a political organisation other than Labour' should be thrown out. He then tweeted: 'This is interesting. Can confidently say I have never spoken at an event to promote and raise funds for another party'. Several of his supporters have said that Mr Corbyn, who voted against the whip on 428 occasions while a backbencher, should have been expelled for it. Advertisement The decision to throw Tony Blair's former spin doctor out of the part has left Labour and Mr Corbyn facing a mass rebellion. Thousands have tweeted the phrase #expelmetoo to admit voting for another party - some have emailed Labour confessing and others have written to the party's HQ in London. Many are irate that those accused of anti-Semitism or threatening anti-Corbyn MPs have remained in the party but it took just 36 hours to expel Mr Campbell. Tony Blairs former spin doctor was told by email he had been thrown for supporting a rival party. He had only revealed late on Sunday night that he voted Liberal Democrat to try to persuade Labour to do the right thing on a second referendum. Labour insisted yesterday that supporting another party was incompatible with membership despite Mr Campbell making clear that hell always be Labour. Last night critics pointed to the speed with which Labour had expelled Mr Campbell compared to the length of time it has taken to act against members accused of anti-Semitism and other serious allegations. The expulsion came on the day the Equality and Human Rights Commission launched a formal inquiry into the party over anti-Semitism. Labour MP Jess Phillips said Mr Campbell was expelled quicker than a man who threatened to kill me and quicker than a man in my local party who denied the Holocaust, adding: Both are only still suspended. Dame Margaret Hodge said: So it takes five days [from voting] for Labour to expel Alastair Campbell but almost three years to expel prolific anti-Semite Jackie Walker. This is why the EHRC are investigating. Miriam Mirwitch, national leader of Young Labour, suggested the Campbell story was being used to distract attention away from the EHRC anti-Semitism probe that was announced into the party yesterday. She said: The Alastair Campbell story is a dead cat distracting from the EHRC investigation. It matters that our approach to discipline is so inconsistent. Mr Campbell said there appeared to be a difference in the swift way his situation had been dealt with compared to the way anti-Semitism cases have been handled. He said he would be appealing against the decision, pointing out that many of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyns senior aides had voted for other parties in the past. Mr Campbell announced on Twitter that he had been expelled. Labour members are actively goading the party to thrown them out by admitting they voted for another party He tweeted: Sad and disappointed to receive email expelling me from Labour particularly on a day the leadership finally seems to be moving to the right place on Brexit, not least thanks to tactical voting by party members, including MPs, councillors and peers who back a Peoples Vote. 'I have been advised by lawyers with expertise in this field I have grounds for appeal against expulsion and shall do so. I am and always will be Labour. I voted Lib Dem, without advance publicity, to try to persuade Labour to do right thing for country/party. It is hard not to point out difference in the way anti-Semitism cases have been handled. Plenty of precedent of members voting for other parties/causes. Some are now senior party staff. Approach also contrasts with our era when Tony Blair was being pressed by whips to withdraw whip for Jeremy Corbyn and others for persistently voting against Labour in Parliament, and he said no. Speaking outside his home in North London, Mr Campbell said: Im not going to leave the party just because some random email comes in telling me that Ive been expelled. So I will definitely appeal against it and we will see where that goes. He claimed people in senior positions in Mr Corbyns office had recommended voting against Labour. Alastair Campbell was today expelled from Labour after he admitted he had not voted for the party for first time in his life, in disgust at the party's stance on Europe Campbell hit back by promising to protect the 'secrets' of Labour members who also told them they had not voted Labour Mr Campbell declined to say who he would vote for in a snap general election. He said: I want to vote Labour at the general election but that will depend on the policy that the Labour Party puts forward between now and then in relation to Brexit. Mr Clarke said Labour should immediately withdraw its expulsion of Alastair and pledged to back the party at the next general election. A Labour spokesman said its rules were that people who vote for other parties are automatically expelled, but those accused of anti-Semitism have to go through a separate disciplinary process. Mr Campbell said there was a difference in the swift way his situation had been dealt with compared to 'the way anti-Semitism cases have been handled'. Labour MP Margaret Hodge backed him up and said: 'So it takes 5 days for Labour to expel @campbellclaret but almost 3 years to expel prolific anti-semite Jackie Walker. This is why the EHRC are investigating'. Momentum, Jeremy Corbyn's grassroots movement, tweeted: 'Alastair Campbell's 'sexed up' dossier started the Iraq war and left a million dead. Being kicked out of the party is the least he deserves'. Mr Campbell was Mr Blair's chief spokesman from 1994 to 2003. He is now a key figure in the People's Vote campaign, demanding a second referendum. Tony Blair said he understood why his friend and former spin doctor had decided to vote Lib Dem. He said: 'I voted Labour. I said I was going to and I did although without any great enthusiasm frankly. But I did.' Asked what he would say to Alastair Campbell after he admitted voting Lib Dem he said: 'I understand why you did what you did. You wouldn't be the only person I know who voted Labour all their lives who didn't vote Labour in this election.' Campbell has also been accused of spinning the result of the European elections by claiming the remain parties came out on top. Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage said it was another example of pro-EU politicians 'moaning about every single election which they lose'. The rebuke came after some Remainers including Campbell argued that by adding up the total votes for anti-Brexit parties, Sunday's poll results proved the public did not want to leave the EU. Mr Farage was asked about the argument as he appeared on ITV's GMB programme, with presenter Charlotte Hawkins claiming: 'If you add up all the pro-Remain parties they did get a bigger percentage - 35.8 per cent versus the Brexit Party's 31.6 per cent.' But a furious Mr Farage replied: 'This is absolute tosh. It is not a fact. Add up the Brexit vote, add up the Ukip vote.. add the Conservative vote... and you will find that Leave beat Remain'. A boy has calmly enjoyed swinging on a play set as a neighbouring house burns to the ground. The short clip shows the child rocking back and forth on the swing as the property is engulfed in flames in Noyabrsk, central Russia. Behind him a small crowd, including a few other children, gather just a short distance away from the house and watch the inferno. The boy appears unfazed by the fire behind him and continues to gain momentum on the swing. Toward the end of the video the boy slightly turns to see the blaze, but he does not get off the swing and does not look worried. Some users commented on his indifference to the disaster behind him, including one who said: 'It's not even a mega-calm, it's scary, insensitive.' A boy has calmly enjoyed swinging on a play set as a neighbouring house burns to the ground in Noyabrsk, central Russia But there were quiet a few who defended the child including local Tatyana Arye who wrote: 'And so what?! I also looked at this fire today and went on to go about my business. So the child looked and went to rock. And what was he supposed to do?' While Anna Akishina praised the boy for seizing the moment, including one who said: 'Man takes the opportunity. Since everyone is looking at the fire, the swings are free.' Meanwhile on Twitter others applauded him for his calmness during the fire. Behind him a small crowd, including a few other children, gather just a short distance away from the house and watch the inferno. The boy appears unfazed by the fire behind him and continues to gain momentum on the swing At one point in the short clip, the boy slightly turns to see the blaze, but he does not get off the swing and does not look worried. Some users commented on his indifference to the disaster behind him calling his behaviour insensitive, while others applauded his calmness Maxim Fomin tweeted: 'A good boy with a strong psyche. Goes far in our difficult times. In Russia, it is very useful to remain imperturbable.' Some even suggested he would make a good test pilot in the future. During the fire, the building's structure partially collapsed, there was also a threat of flame spreading to the neighboring properties. But firemen at the scene managed to defend nearby homes, according to local media reports. The leader of far right group Britain First has been secretly recorded admitting to violently attacking his former deputy. Paul Golding is heard on a documentary admitting to assaulting Jayda Fransen, who was also in a relationship with him after she joined the party in 2014. The recording was made in 2015, and in it Fransen repeatedly challenges Golding about the attacks, which he never denies. In one, the pair can be heard discussing an attempted assault that he had carried out earlier in the day. In the clip, which was obtained by investigators from BBC Northern Ireland's Spotlight, Golding says: 'What happened this morning...you weren't innocent.' Jayda Fransen, former deputy leader of far-right group Britain First (pictured here in 2018), can be heard in the recording challenging Paul Golding Fransen the responds: 'I didn't come near you. You tried to come at me, tried to hit me, you said you were going to kill me and threw a bottle of drink at my face.' Golding then claims: 'Driving someone mentally crazy is just as bad as physical.' Fransen asks Golding if this is what he said to another woman she suggested he used to physically hit. She adds: 'Everyone drives you crazy, so you beat them, that's your excuse?' Golding is then heard admitting to assault on both Fransen and a second woman. He says: 'The only girls I lay a finger on in my life is (name of woman withheld) and you.' Paul Golding can be heard in the audio recording admitting to assaulting Jayda Fransen (pictured here outside court in 2018). The pair were in a relationship after she joined the party in 2014 Jayda Fransen confirmed to the BBC programme that the allegations were true. She also confirmed she was once in a relationship with Golding. After they split up they continued to live in the same house together. She quit Britain First at the start of this year. She told the BBC when they put the allegations to her that 'why would a dozen people lie.' She said the abuse went on for 'five years'. She said it 'didn't take long to start' after she joined Britain First and 'on varying levels, continued' When she heard the clip of his admitting abusing her, she said: 'It's quite embarrassing because I almost feel as if I have let people down.' The recording was made in 2015, and in it Fransen repeatedly challenges Golding (pictured in January) about the attacks, which he never denies She said it was 'such a stupid position to put and keep herself in.' She said: There were incidents that could have gone so badly wrong. I could have ended up really hurt or worse. I guess that is where the fear came in because I thought I am going to end up dead.' She confirmed he would lock her in the house when he went out, claiming that it was for her own protection. 'This was my normality, this was my day to day existence was just complete control, being controlled. I just accepted that that was what he was going to do,' she said. 'If they went out. He would lock me in the house.' Golding, left, and Fransen, right, were both found guilty at Folkestone Magistrates' Court in March 2018 of religiously-aggravated harassment She says she never went to the police, because she didn't want to damage the reputation of the party. She said: 'I don't want to sit here and go into graphic detail, dish the dirt on everything that happened. 'But there is also a moral obligation, to anyone, male or female, involving themselves in Britain First, with no idea that this is how the leader is conducting himself. Britain First have become active in Northern Ireland and has set up its party headquarters in the Shankill Road area of Belfast. The BBC said it had spoken to a dozen former members of Britain First who were aware of the assaults. The BBC put the allegations to Golding. He told the programme: 'I have been advised to warn you that any libel or defamation will result in legal proceedings.' The MailOnline has also contacted Britain First for a response. A German intelligence report says Iran is trying to expand its arsenal with weapons on mass destruction amid flaring tensions with the U.S. The May 2019 report refers to the Islamic Republic as a 'risk country' that is 'making efforts to expand its conventional arsenal of weapons with weapons of mass destruction.' The Bavarian Office for the Protection of the Constitution, the equivalent of MI5, define these as atomic bombs, biological and chemical weapons. The Iranians said they would restrict their nuclear program in the 2015 Iran Deal, but the Trump administration slammed the agreement because they said it did not prevent weapons development. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (pictured at talks in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russia) - according to German intelligence Teharn is seeking to build up its nuclear arsenal The Trump Administration withdrew from the Iran Deal last year claiming it did not prevent Tehran from building weapons President Donald Trump has famously called it the 'worst deal in history.' US national security adviser John Bolton said on Wednesday there was 'no reason' for Iran to back out of its nuclear deal other than to seek atomic weapons, a year after the U.S. president unilaterally withdrew America from the accord. Iran has set a July 7 deadline for Europe to offer better terms to the unravelling nuclear deal, otherwise it will resume enrichment closer to weapons level. The US ambassador to Germany told Fox News: 'We know the Iranian regime is on the hunt for money to fund their malign activities and so it is imperative that the U.S. and our European allies work together to deny this regime the capital they seek. 'They will use secretive schemes and dark money; we must be vigilant. They are strapped for cash.' The German Intelligence report states that Iran, along with North Korea and Pakistan, are attempting to obtain contracts from their technologically advanced factories. It refers to German customs officers intercepting a beam welding machine which can be used for making missile launch vehicles. The device had been ordered through a Malaysian company but was destined for Iran, the intelligence report said. F/A-18 Super Hornets sit secured on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea on Sunday Amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge sail in formation as part of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group in the Arabian Sea earlier this month In recent weeks, tensions have soared as the U.S. beefed up its military presence in the Persian Gulf in response to a still-unexplained threat from Iran. On Wednesday, Trump's adviser Bolton, claimed the alleged sabotage of four oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates came from naval mines placed 'almost certainly by Iran.' Speaking in Abu Dhabi, the Emirati capital, Bolton told journalists that there had been a previously unknown attempt to attack the Saudi oil port of Yanbu as well. Saudi officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Bolton's claim on Yanbu, which is the terminus, or end point, of the kingdom's East-West Pipeline. That pipeline was attacked in recent days in a coordinated drone assault launched by Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. The U.S. also has accused Iran of being behind a string of incidents, including the alleged sabotage of oil tankers near the UAE coast and a rocket that landed near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, while Yemen's Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels have launched a string of drone attacks targeting Saudi Arabia. Iran, meanwhile, has announced it was backing away from the 2015 nuclear deal, which saw it limits its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. Qatari Air Force Mirage 2000s, right, and U.S. F-35A Lightning IIs fly in formation over Southwest Asia in undisclosed location last week Trump withdrew the U.S. from the accord as he believes it didn't go far enough in limiting the Iranian nuclear program, nor did it address Iran's ballistic missile program. Bolton said that without more nuclear power plants, it made no sense for Iran to stockpile more low-enriched uranium as it now plans to do. But the U.S. also earlier cut off Iran's ability to sell its uranium to Russia in exchange for unprocessed yellow-cake uranium. 'There's no reason for them to do (higher enrichment) unless it is to reduce the breakout time to nuclear weapons,' Bolton said. Iran long has insisted its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes. However, Western powers pushed for the nuclear deal to limit Iran's ability to seek atomic weapons. Hero policeman James Stuart McMillan (above) enters the Downing Centre District Court on Wednesday where he is charged with sexually assaulting a woman in 2017 A hero policeman who saved the lives of three people allegedly raped a woman just hours after receiving a bravery award for his efforts. James Stuart McMillan was recognised by the NSW Police force for risking his life to save the elderly trio from a house as it filled with deadly carbon monoxide. McMillan, a Senior Constable, travelled to Sydney in February 2017 with his parents and the woman to stand on stage at the awards ceremony where he was to be a guest of honour. Afterwards Senior Constable McMillan and the woman went back to room 216 of the Ibis Hotel at Darling Harbour where she alleges he raped her on the bed. His parents were in the room next door, just metres away. On the final day of the NSW District Court trial on Wednesday, the court heard Senior Constable McMillan allegedly held the woman down and continued to rape her even as she told him to 'stop, stop' and threatened to scream out to his parents for help. Senior Constable McMillan (left) pictured with NSW Governor David Hurley (right), was in Sydney to receive a bravery award, Just hours after he had stood on stage to receive an award he allegedly raped a woman in the Ibis Hotel at Darling Harbour on February 24, 2017 Senior Constable McMillan was arrested in November 2017 and charged with a single count of sexual intercourse without consent. The court heard the alleged victim did not report the alleged crime to police initially. Instead - during a later conversation with a police officer friend - she mentioned how Senior Constable McMillan had 'held her down' during sex on the night of February 24, 2017. at which point she began to cry. That officer then informed her superior, who contacted the woman over Facebook to ask if she would like to make a complaint. In his closing submission to the jury, Crown Prosecutor Craig Everson said it was not right to claim that because she did not initially report the incident, the woman - who can not be named - had lied about the incident. 'It was suggested by the defence that she made a false complaint... but we know it was the police who got involved in this matter by stumbling across the allegation,' Mr Everson said. The court heard that on the night of the alleged offence, Senior Constable McMillan asked the woman if he could give her a massage as she sat on a bed in their room. She initially refused, before he persisted and she eventually gave in to his request. As she lay face down on the hotel bed the policeman began to rub her back, before allegedly moving his hand further down her body, pulling up her nightie, the court heard. When she tried to pull her clothing back down he allegedly grabbed and pinned her arm, before pulling her underwear to the side and forcing his penis inside her. Mr Everson recounted evidence from the victim earlier in the trial where she claimed she was 'crying' during the alleged assault by Senior Constable McMillan. 'She said "if you don't stop, I'm going to yell out to your parents" but he continued for 10 seconds before he stopped,' Mr Everson told the court. At the time of the alleged rape, Senior Constable McMillan (right) was in Sydney with his mum (left), dad and the woman to attend the awards ceremony He pointed to a series of text messages the pair exchanged in the days and weeks after the attack in which he claimed Senior Constable McMillan made 'admissions'. In her closing summary to the jury, defence lawyer Kellie Stares told the court there were several reasons Senior Constable McMillan should be found not guilty of sexual assault. She said among them was doubt over whether there had been 'penetrative sex'. Ms Stares instead submitted to the court that Senior Constable McMillan had 'only touched her on the outside' of her genitals. She also pointed to evidence the woman had continued to be in a sexual relationship with him for months after the alleged sexual assault. 'This is inconsistent with how a genuine victim of rape would act,' Ms Stares told the court. After returning to the Ibis Hotel (pictured) he allegedly gave the woman a massage before sexually assaulting her even as she said: 'If you don't stop, I'm going to yell out to your parents' In his closing statements on Wednesday, Crown Prosecutor Craig Everson (pictured) said that just because the allegations were not reported for six months does not mean the woman - who can not be named - had made a 'false complaint' Ms Stares said that throughout the entire trip to Sydney the woman had appeared to be 'happy' in the company of both Senior Constable McMillan and his parents. Text messages between the pair exchanged on February 25, 2017 - less than 24 hours after the alleged sexual assault - showed the woman inviting the policeman to her house. Senior Constable McMillan leaves Downing Centre District Court on Wednesday. The jury will begin their deliberations on Thursday 'If you'd been sexually assaulted you sure as hell wouldn't want them to come around the next day,' Ms Stares told the jury. Ms Stares also told the court that over time the woman's complaint had 'developed'. The court heard the woman initially told of allegedly being 'held down', before she eventually made her statement to police where she claimed to have been raped. Over the span of their relationship the pair had exchanged close to 19,000 text messages. But Ms Stares told the court that when the relationship fell apart in mid-2017, Senior Constable began to ignore the woman's calls and texts. The defence claimed the lack of attention from the policeman was among a number of reasons she may have 'lied' about the alleged sexual assault. Senior Constable McMillan has not given evidence throughout the trial. Judge Sarah Huggett told the jury of seven men and five women their deliberations would on Thursday morning. Senior Constable McMillan has been suspended by NSW Police while the matter has remained before the court. A tight-knit community has been rocked by its second fatal crash in as many days after a tradesman died when his ute slammed into the back of a truck. Joseph Guaresi, 62, was killed when he collided with a prime mover towing a trailer in Kumbia, north-west of Brisbane, about midday on Wednesday. The smash is the second fatal accident the town has faced in less than 48 hours after mum Charmaine McLeod, 35, and her four children were killed on a stretch of road about 20 minutes away on Monday night. Mr Guaresi, from Alice Creek, was travelling along Benair Road when he smashed into the other vehicle at Reedy Creek Road. Police said Mr Guaresi, a bricklayer, died at the scene after suffering significant injuries from the crash. Joseph Guaresi, 62, was killed when he collided with a prime mover towing a trailer in Kumbia, north-west of Brisbane, about midday on Wednesday The smash is the second fatal accident the town has faced in less than 48 hours after mum Charmaine McLeod, 35, and her four children (pictured) were killed on a stretch of road about 20 minutes away on Monday night His wife had been following in another vehicle and saw Mr Guaresi fly through the windscreen following the smash, The Courier-Mail reported. Police believe Mr Guaresi, who was reportedly not wearing a seatbelt, did not stop at a stop sign before the collision. The 31-year-old male driver of the truck was not seriously injured. The small community, which is already mourning the loss of the McLeod family, remembered Mr Guaresi as a hard-working and loving father. Bevon Fawcett said Mr Guaresi was a well-respected member of the local community. 'He was a solid worker, he'd dig trenches, whatever you put there for him to do, he'd do,' Mr Fawcett said. The 49-year-old butcher said he could not recall such fatal crashes as seen in the past two days. 'It's bad enough after the first one,' he said. Mr Guaresi, from Alice Creek, was travelling along Benair Road when he smashed into the other vehicle at Reedy Creek Road Police said Mr Guaresi, a bricklayer, died at the scene after suffering significant injuries from the crash Social media users gave gave their condolences to Mr Guaresi on Wednesday. 'Heartbreaking for another family, my condolences to all family and friends RIP and Bless you,' one person said. 'What is going on? Why won't people learn? It's so sad all these people are dying in accidents that are totally avoidable,' one person wrote. Another said: 'Such a sad week hearing of these deaths. I really hope QLD State gov and Federal gov investigate why this happens so often in this area before anymore lives are lost.' Senior Sergeant David Tierney said the fatal accidents served as a reminder to all road-users. 'Wear your seatbelt for a start, drive to the conditions, pay attention,' he said. Ms McLeod, 35, died instantly on Monday night when she was overtaking a truck and slammed into another on the Bunya Highway Her children Aaleyn, six, Matilda, five, Wyatt, four, and Zaidok, two, also died in the inferno South Burnett Regional Council are planning to host an evening for relatives of victims of the recent crashes in the region. Wednesday's death is the ninth death on a South Burnett region road in six weeks. Ms McLeod, 35, died instantly on Monday night when she was overtaking a truck and slammed into another on the Bunya Highway. Her children Aaleyn, six, Matilda, five, Wyatt, four, and Zaidok, two, also died in the inferno. Three of Ms McLeod's children were unable to be rescued and died in the back seat of the family's station wagon, and a fourth child was rushed to hospital but died on the way. The truck Ms McLeod slammed into also caught fire but the driver, a 47-year-old man, escaped and attempted to free the victims as the car was engulfed in flames. Emergency workers described the crash as 'catastrophic' and one of the worst scenes they had ever been to. An alleged hitman for drug kingpin El Chapo and a high-ranking member of the Sinaloa Cartel has been extradited from Mexico to the US to stand trial. Jose Antonio Torres Marrufo, also known as 'Jaguar', was one of 24 Sinaloa Cartel members indicted by a grand jury in 2012, including its leader Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman. That year he was arrested by Mexican police and paraded before the media alongside a stash of weapons. Marrufo has now been extradited to the United States and will appear in court in Texas on Wednesday to face racketeering charges, the US Justice Department said yesterday. The Justice Department said in a statement Marrufo was being brought to justice through cooperation with Mexican authorities, but did not give details on the circumstances of his arrest. Antonio 'Jaguar' Marrufo pictured during his 2012 arrest has been in a Mexican jail for seven years and has now been extradited to the US Federal police present weaponry seized during the arrest of Marrufo in Mexico City in 2012 Drug kingpin Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman is escorted into a helicopter at Mexico City's airport, following his recapture during an intense military operation in Los Mochis, in Sinaloa in 2016 It said the indictment, among other acts, alleged that under Marrufo's orders, an American man, his brother and his uncle were kidnapped during the man's wedding ceremony in Ciudad Juarez in Mexico, and were subsequently tortured and murdered. The alleged target was the groom of the wedding, Justice Department documents state. The bodies of the three men were discovered by Juarez police a few days later in the bed of an abandoned pickup truck. A fourth person was also allegedly killed during the kidnapping at the wedding ceremony. During his arrest in 2012, weapons tied to the gun trafficking operation known as Fast and Furious were discovered in the home of Marrufo, in the city of Juarez, Mexico. Maruffo will make his initial appearance in federal court in El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday, the statement said. DEA Special Agent in Charge Williamson said: 'Through close and sustained cooperation with our partners in Mexico, we are bringing cartel leaders to justice. 'This extradition sends a message to those leaders that we will relentlessly pursue them, no matter where they are or how long it takes.' Federal police escort suspect Jose Antonio Torres Marrufo as he is presented to the media during a news conference at the federal police headquarters in Mexico City in February 2012 'El Chapo', center, being taken from a plane to a waiting caravan of SUVs at Long Island MacArthur Airport, in Ronkonkoma, NY in January 2017 El Chapo was found guilty of smuggling tons of drugs to the United States after an 11-week trial in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, in February. The 14-count grand jury indictment charges conspiracy to violate the RICO statute, conspiracy to possess more than five kilograms of cocaine and over 1000 kilograms of marijuana, importing more than five kilograms of cocaine and 1,000 kilograms of marijuana. It also includes charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, murder, drug trafficking, kidnapping and violent crimes in the aid of racketeering. According to the indictment, the purpose of the Sinaloa Cartel is to smuggle large quantities of marijuana and cocaine, as well as other drugs, into the United States for distribution. El Chapo being escorted to a helicopter in handcuffs by Mexican navy marines at a hanger in Mexico City, after he was captured overnight in the beach resort town of Mazatlan in 2014 Laundered proceeds of drug trafficking activities are then returned to cartel members and used in part to purchase properties for the cartel, including real estate, firearms, ammunition, bullet proof vests, radios, telephones, uniforms and vehicles, the indictment states. ATF Special Agent in Charge Boshek said: 'No one person, community or country should endure the brutality described in these charges. 'The cooperation between US and Mexican officials sends a clear message of our collaborative commitment to investigate and prosecute members of these criminal organizations.' El Chapo is currently being held in the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan awaiting sentencing after he was convicted on 10 criminal counts including drug trafficking, conspiracy and using firearms as leader of the feared Sinaloa Cartel. The 61-year-old was found to be running a continuing criminal enterprise as the kingpin of one of the world's most powerful drug trafficking organizations during the 1990s and 2000s. Before his arrested and extradition to the US in January 2017, Guzman twice escaped from prison in Mexico before his final capture in January 2016. More than a half of Swedish women aged between 16 and 29 claim they have been sexually assaulted or harassed, a new study has revealed. Sweden's Public Health Agency claimed this is a 'major public health issue' which needs to be stopped. Officials discovered the alarming statistic after surveying about 50,000 Swedes between aged between 16 and 84 as part of a study into sex habits. The report found that, while most people are satisfied with their sex life, 42 per cent of women claim to have been sexually harassed, compared to nine per cent of men. The report found 57 percent of Swedish women aged between 16 and 29 have been subjected to sexual harassment and 55 percent have been sexually assaulted (Stock image) Also, 39 percent of women and nine percent of men say they've been subjected to sexual assault. The problem is more widespread among younger people, as 57 per cent of women aged between 16 and 29 say they have been sexually harassed. 55 percent of women in the same age group claim they were subjected to some form of sexual assault. 'This is a major public health issue and these types of behaviours must be stopped,' Louise Mannheimer, the head of the Swedish Public Health Agency's sexual health unit said. The problem of assault and harassment is even more widespread among the LGBT community (Stock image) The survey also found that 11 percent of women have been the victim of attempted rape. This problem is even more widespread among the LGBT community, as 30 percent of lesbians and ten percent of gay men say they have experienced a rape attempt. The Public Health Agency found that women to lower education are more often subjected to harassment or assault than those with higher education. The study took a wide look at the current state of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in Sweden and it found out that most people are happy with their sex lives. The study into Swedes' sex habits also found that 11 percent of women have been victims of attempted rape (Stock image) 'The results show that the majority of the Swedish population is satisfied with their sex life, find sex important, and have had sex during the past year,' the report reads. Three-fourths of Swedish men and women have had sex at least 'a few times', according to the study. The survey also adds that 16 per cent of women and 17 per cent of men report having sex several times per week. The final results show a difference in age groups, as the most satisfied people are women and men between the ages of 30 and 44. Those reporting most dissatisfaction are young men aged 16 to 29 and both men and women aged 65 to 84. A 'Mum of the Year' who stabbed her husband to death was caught on bodycam telling police 'it was an argument that got out of control'. Helena Karine Atay, 42, knifed Atakan Atay, 45, in the heart at their home in Birtley, Gateshead, on October 18 last year - and was convicted of manslaughter on the grounds of lack of intent. After the incident, officers attended the scene and spoke to Helena, who initially tried to deflect attention away from herself, saying Atakan had enemies and business partners he had fallen out with - and that she had heard him arguing on the phone. Helena Karine Atay was given the 'Mum of the Year' award for her campaign to raise money for daughter Sophie (both pictured right), to get treatment for neuroblastoma in the US After Atakan had died, she is told she is going to be arrested on suspicion of murder and replies: 'Oh really, he's not okay.' Sitting on her bed in handcuffs, talking to a police officer, she goes on to say: 'Look, an argument that got out of hand.' When asked if that's what happened, she replies: 'I'm not going to tell you. I'm not a f****** killer, that's it, and I've got to live with that now.' The footage proved to be a crucial piece of evidence in discounting Atays primary defence - that she was acting in self-defence. Atay had previously been given the local paper 'Mum of the Year' award after her campaign to raise 500,000 for her toddler daughter Sophie to get treatment in the US for neuroblastoma. Tragic Sophie lost her fight for life in 2010 when she was just two, before she could start the treatment in America but a family campaign for more research into the disease was taken to Downing Street. After Atakan had died, Helena is told she is going to be arrested on suspicion of murder and replies: 'Oh really, he's not okay' Atay said to her dying husband 'there's Sophie', 'we're going to get you an ambulance. I'm really sorry. I love you so much' Newcastle Crown Court heard she stabbed Atakan just below a tattoo which read 'Sophie, my endless love'. The businessman was only able to utter the words 'nine nine nine please' while struggling to breathe during a 17 minute call he made to the emergency services after the attack, which has been played in court, last October. After he fell silent, his wife, who is known as Karine, could be heard telling him: 'You're lying. I would never do that to you Atakan. I would never hurt you.' She also said to her dying husband 'there's Sophie', 'we're going to get you an ambulance. I'm really sorry. I love you so much.' Mr Atay, who had business interests in a hotel and a convenience store named after the couple's late daughter, died after receiving two stab wounds, one of which punctured his heart. Atay said on the night he was killed, Atakan and she had argued when she tried to leave the house for more drink Atay said in a statement she had been strangled to the point where she feared she would pass out in an attack by her husband the year before. She said on the night he was killed, Mr Atay and she had argued when she tried to leave the house for more drink, that he was 'angry' and had kicked her in the leg and hurt her arm. Atay claimed she was 'terrified' her husband was 'really going to hurt her'. She told jurors during the trial she stayed in the marriage as she feared her husband may take their children back to his homeland in Turkey and was worried how she would survive. She told the court: 'I was scared, scared of the children going, scared of how I would survive, I didn't know how I would survive.' Prosecutor John Elvidge QC claimed Atay 'exaggerated' her husband's past behaviour and that then trouble had started that night because she wanted to go out and get alcohol. Mr Elvidge said the accused mum could be 'volatile, confrontational, aggressive and threatening' in drink and had been in trouble because of it in the past. He said her alcohol problems date back to before the tragic death of the couple's young daughter. Mr Elvidge told jurors: 'The prosecution says that on the night of October 18 2018, as on previous occasions, her craving for alcohol led Karine Atay to seek to leave the matrimonial home. 'There was a confrontation but not a grave one until she chose to pick up a knife and use it against her unarmed husband, deliberately and unlawfully stabbing him more than once, delivering a fatal wound that penetrated into his heart and caused his death.' Atay was cleared of murdering Atakan and convicted of manslaughter on the grounds of lack of intent. Jurors heard she stabbed him in the heart with a kitchen knife up to the hilt. Atay is due to be sentenced for manslaughter on Friday. ByStephanie Haney For Dailymail.comand Reuters Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei is reviewing its relationship with FedEx Corp after it claimed the US-based package delivery company, without detailed explanation, diverted two parcels destined for Huawei addresses in Asia to the United States and attempted to reroute two others. Huawei, the world's largest telecom network gear maker leading the way in creating the next generation of wireless networks known as 5G, said on Friday that FedEx diverted two packages sent from Japan and addressed to Huawei in China to the United States. The company also said FedEx attempted to divert two more packages sent from Vietnam to Huawei offices elsewhere in Asia, all without authorization. FedEx spokesperson Maury Donahue said the packages were 'misrouted in error' after acknowledging in an earlier statement that the U.S. Department of Commerce had recently added the company to its 'Entity List,' which names companies that are subject to specific license requirements before buying things from US providers. This delivery mishap comes amid growing tension between China and the US over trade relations, including a court battle over a bill banning US federal government workers from purchasing Huawei products, as previously reported by DailyMail.com. Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei (logo at left) is reviewing its relationship with FedEx Corp (logo at right) after it claimed the US-based package delivery company, without detailed explanation, diverted two parcels destined for Huawei addresses in Asia to the United States and attempted to reroute two others. FedEx spokesperson Maury Donahue said the packages were 'misrouted in error' Huawei said the four packages involved in the alleged rerouting by FedEx contained only documents and 'no technology.' 'The recent experiences where important commercial documents sent via FedEx were not delivered to their destination, and instead were either diverted to, or were requested to be diverted to, FedEx in the United States, undermines our confidence,' Huawei spokesperson Joe Kelly said. Kelly said the company will now have to review its requirements for document delivery support, implying its relationship with FedEx may be in flux. Huawei declined to elaborate on why it thought the packages may have been diverted. Huawei acknowledged that one package originating in Vietnam was received by Friday, and the other was on its way, according to FedEx tracking records provided by the company. This delivery mishap comes amid growing tension between China and the US over trade relations, including a court battle over a bill banning US federal government workers from purchasing Huawei products (pictured) Two packages sent on May 19 and May 20 from Tokyo, intended for Huawei in China, ended up in Memphis, Tennessee, where GFby May 23, according to images of FedEx tracking records shown to Reuters by Huawei. The two packages originating from Hanoi on May 17, destined for Huawei's Hong Kong and Singapore offices, were held up after arriving in local FedEx stations in Hong Kong and Singapore on May 21 for 'delivery exception,' according to other images Huawei showed Reuters. According to FedEx's website, the status 'exception' means an unexpected event is preventing delivery of a package, for example a customs delay, a holiday, or no one being available to accept delivery. FedEx declined to give details on what the exception was in this case. According to Huawei, a FedEx customer service representative in Vietnam replied to their inquiry on May 22 when two expected packages did not arrive on time, saying: 'Please be informed that FDX SG received notification from FDX US to hold and return the package to US. Hence, the shipment is not deliver to consignee and now being hold at FDX station and under process to RTS it (return to sender). Huawei said that both Vietnam packages were sent by its shipping agent, a contractor to Huawei whom it did not identify, and contained urgent documents. Huawei said the shipping agent refused permission for FedEx to send the packages to the United States and instructed they be returned. Huawei said it only learned that the Japan-originated packages, which were sent by suppliers that it did not identify, had been diverted to the United States after checking FedEx's tracking record. The company said it has lodged a formal complaint with China's postal regulator, which it said is investigating the incident. FedEx China on Tuesday apologized on its Chinese social media account for the 'mishandling' of Huawei packages and confirmed there was no 'external pressure' to divert packages. China's State Postal Bureau did not return a request for comment. FedEx spokesperson Donahue said, 'This is an isolated issue limited to a very small number of packages,' referring to the four parcels affected. 'We are aware of all shipments at issue and are working directly with our customers to return the packages to their possession.' She said that FedEx was not requested to divert the packages by any other party. The U.S. Department of Commerce did not reply to a request for comment on whether the incident might be related to its move on May 16 to add Huawei to the so-called 'Entity List,' preventing it buying certain items from U.S. companies without U.S. government approval. The United States believes Huawei is a potential espionage threat because of its close ties with the Chinese government. Huawei has repeatedly denied it is controlled by the Chinese government, military or intelligence services. Defang Felix, Cameroon who died in the jungle in Columbia Whatsapp The zeal to travel to the United States of America through the dangerous forests of Columbia, has led to the death of a Cameroonian, called Defang Felix. His death was announced by an unknown individual who shared his picture and a message accompanying the picture, which read, "Please inform his family and friends if you know him. He is Defang Felix, he died in the jungles of Columbia on his journey to the USA". Sources close to the family say they have been alerted, after the message went viral on social media. Defang Felix is not the first African to die on this dangerous path, where they take at least three weeks trekking in the forest to get to Mexico, which many believe is the last bridge to the USA. One of those whose friend(anonymous), undertook same journey revealed to CameroonInfo.net that they almost thought their friend had died. We couldnt contact him for almost one month two weeks, after he told us that he was going into that forest. He was very confident but I was scared. Then one day, he texted me on Whatsapp. He said he has gone through the worst experience in his life. He narrated how people died because of fatigue from walking. He also said he met two skeletons of human beings, she said. Most often, these persons are buried, without the knowledge of their families. With the increasing violence in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon, many have been using the crisis, to seek asylum in the US. They go through Europe or South America, to get to Mexico, which is their final hindrance to enter the US legally or illegally. Shocking footage has emerged of Sherpas hauling a frozen solid corpse from Mount Everest amid queuing chaos on the mountain which has claimed 11 lives in 13 days. Four Sherpas are seen heaving the rigid corpse over the ice, its arm sticks into the air and its knees slide along the ground unnaturally. The identity of the dead climber is not yet known. The staggering death toll so far this season has been shrouded in controversy but government officials marking the anniversary of the first ascent said on Wednesday they had no plans to cap permits. The video uploaded by Rohtash Khileri last Tuesday said: 'Sherpas are the form of a God in the mountains. We should respect them. And should also respect the mountains.' Three Sherpas can be seen heaving the body - another off camera tugs on a rope - while the body is bent unnaturally and its arms sticks into the air unmoving The body slides strangely on its knees while its torso and legs are bent back by the way it has frozen In the distance tents can be seen - perhaps a camp where the body was found - the video uploaded last week provides no details about the dead person As well as the Everest deaths, nine climbers have died on other 26,000 ft Himalayan peaks, while one is missing. At least four deaths on the world's highest mountain have been blamed on over-crowding with teams waiting sometimes for hours in the 'death zone' where the cold is bitter, the air dangerously thin and the terrain treacherous. The toll has cast a dark shadow over the anniversary of Sir Edmund Hillary's world first ascent of the mountain. At an event to celebrate the New Zealanders achievement on Wednesday, government minister Gokul Prasad Baskota denied there was mismanagement of climbing on Everest. Badkots said there were no plans to limit permits after a record number were issued this year. He said there could be an issue of inadequate training for the endeavour. The Sherpas drag the body over the ice - they have bundled it in tarpaulin and tied cord around it Elia Saikaly posted this picture he took while he was on the treacherous mountain last Thursday - a dead body can be seen still tethered dangling from the mountain. Mr Sakaily wrote: 'This poor human being perched 7000ft above the Western CWM for everyone to observe was a reminder of each of our own mortality' Last week Canadian filmmaker Elia Saikaly posted a haunting photo of Everest climbers stepping over a dead body while queuing for the summit. The eerie image showed a long line of adventurers stepping over a rope attached to a frozen corpse which hangs over the mountain almost 9,000 metres above sea level. He captioned his grim photo: 'Here we all were, chasing a dream and beneath our very feet there was a lifeless soul. Is this what Everest has become?' The identity of the corpse is not known. This year's Everest toll is the highest since 2014-15 when huge earthquakes triggered devastating avalanches. John Kulish died on Monday - the second American to perish in ten days - after reaching the peak. He was part of a group of climbers who celebrated his 62nd birthday on the mountain. A long queue of mountain climbers line a path on Mount Everest last week - so far 11 people have died this season amid chaos at the peak The route up the mountain includes several large obstacles and a huge moving glacier near to base camp Kulish was a patent lawyer from Boulder, Colorado. It remains unclear how experienced he was. The 11 climbers who have died on Everest this season May 16: Irish professor Seamus Lawless went missing on May 16 after reportedly falling. The search operation has since been called off and he is presumed dead. Last week: Four Indians, one Austrian, one American and one person from Nepal died on Everest. Friday: Irishman Kevin Hynes, 56, passed away on the northern Tibet part of the mountain. The father-of-two died in his tent at 23,000ft on the descent after turning back before reaching the top. Saturday: Robin Haynes Fisher, 44, collapsed and died only 150m from the peak. Monday: Christopher John Kulish, a 62-year-old American lawyer, died suddenly on his descent at South Col after scaling the normal Southeast Ridge route. Advertisement British climber Robin Haynes Fisher, 44, died in the 'death zone' - known for low oxygen levels - on his descent on Saturday after speaking of his worries about overcrowding on the world's highest mountain. In one of his last social media posts, he told of how he had changed his plans in order to avoid the 'fatal' crowds. He said: 'With a single route to the summit, delays caused by overcrowding could prove fatal so I am hopeful my decision to go for the 25th will mean fewer people. Unless of course everyone else plays the same waiting game.' Mr Fisher was described as an 'aspirational adventurer' who 'lived life to the full' in a statement from his family. Irish climber Kevin Hynes, 56, died in his tent at 7,000 metres in the early hours of Friday after turning back before reaching the summit. The father-of-two was part of a group from UK-based climbing company 360 Expeditions which was attempting to scale Everest. His death comes a week after Trinity College professor Seamus Lawless, aged 39 and from Bray, Co Wicklow, fell during his descent from the peak having achieved a lifetime ambition of reaching the summit. The search for Mr Lawless has been called off. An American climber, Austrian climber and two Indian climbers are also reported to have died, while an Australian climber is fighting for his life after being found unconscious about 7,500m on the northern slopes. Robin Haynes Fisher, 44, died in the 'death zone' of Mount Everest - known for its low oxygen levels and had previously told of his worries around overcrowding on the mountain Seamus Lawless 39, from Bray, Ireland, fell during his descent from the peak having achieved a lifetime ambition of reaching the summit. Above: Mr Lawless after scaling Alaska's 20,000-ft Mount Denali last summer Mr Fisher was the tenth fatality on Everest in the current climbing season that ends this month and the 18th in Nepal's Himalayas in the same period. Record numbers of climbers are cramming on to the piste during the spring season's good weather. There are 41 teams with a total of 378 climbers permitted to scale the mountain during the spring climbing season in Nepal that begins around March. An equal number of Nepalese guides are helping them get to the summit. This is the sickening moment an elderly woman was wrestled to the ground by a thug as he tried to snatch the gold bangles from her wrist. Disturbing footage of the attack in Fallowfield, Manchester, shows the pensioner struggling with the mugger at the side of the road before she is flung onto her back. The callous thief continues to try and steal the jewellery from her arm before he is chased away empty handed by a passing taxi driver. A passing taxi driver chased the thug away and detectives are now appealing for witnesses Police investigating the robbery, which happened on May 9, have released the CCTV in a bid to appeal to any witnesses. Officers say the victim who is in her 70s had walked towards the road at around midday to check if her wheelie bin had been emptied. As she opened it to look inside, a man on a bicycle rode towards her, jumped from the bike and grabbed her, wrestling her to the floor as he tried to snatch the gold. A passing taxi driver saw what was happening and stopped his car before chasing the thief away. A second taxi driver also came to help but the man managed to escape on his bike. According to GMP, he was described as white, of skinny build and aged in his early 20s. CCTV of the attack in Fallowfield, Manchester, shows the pensioner being targeted as she checks her bins The thug jumps from his bike and throws the woman to the ground as he tries to rob her PC Daniel Cox of GMP's City of Manchester division said: 'This was a shocking attack on an elderly woman, carried out in broad daylight in full view of other members of the public. 'I'd like to thank the passing taxi driver whose quick-thinking actions meant this brazen offender didn't manage to steal anything. 'We know that everyone in the community will share our disgust at this incident. While the elderly woman was left with only superficial bruising to her wrist and pain to her hip, the psychological effects of crimes such as this can be considerable. 'We're confident that there are several people who saw this crime take place. There are also likely to be witnesses who saw the offender on his bike shortly before and after the incident. 'Did you see his direction of travel or have any information or dashcam footage that can assist us? If so, please get in touch as soon as possible.' Do you know anyone involved in the incident? Email amie.gordon@mailonline.co.uk Natasha Abrahart, a student at the University of Bristol, was found hanged in her flat The parents of a promising Bristol student who took her own life have said the people who were meant to help her 'made things worse not better'. Natasha Abrahart, 20, from Nottingham, was found hanged in her flat on April 30, 2018, the tenth of 12 student suicides at the University of Bristol in just 18 months. Now her parents have given a BBC documentary a glimpse into their legal fight to hold the university responsible for the failings behind Natasha's death. Dying for a Degree tells the story of Natasha's tragic suicide as it follows her parents Robert and Margaret Abrahart in their fight to get answers. Bristol University denies any wrongdoing in the run up to her death, saying it 'worked very hard' to offer the student help and that student services even took her to an emergency GP appointment. The university said Natasha 'continued to receive support and advice from staff in the School of Physics' even when she was referred to mental health specialists. But Natasha's father said: 'The people who were meant after her, whatever they did, made things worse not better.' Natasha's parents Robert and Margaret Abrahart speak in her room as they fight for answers 'You can't accept what you are told by the university or the mental health trust as being the full truth.' Despite their pain, Natasha's parents are not just fighting for answers but also to see changes that might save other young lives. Earlier this month the couple revealed they are taking legal action against the university, saying it was 'not listening to us' and does 'not accept there is a problem'. They have started crowdfunding to cover the cost of the legal fees and are bringing civil proceedings against the university. Mr and Mrs Abrahart believe that legal action is the only way to ensure that the circumstances around Natasha's death, and what they see as systemic failings by the university, are properly examined. The documentary follows Natasha's heartbroken parents as they raised more than 75,000 online to fund lawyers to represent them at the inquest into her death. Her parents collected more than 2,000 pages of evidence on the conduct of the university, Natasha's GP and mental health services. Natasha's heartbroken parents, pictured at her grave, raised more than 75,000 online to fund lawyers to represent them at the inquest into her death But the six day inquest limited its detailed investigation to just the month of Natasha's death, despite signs of her deteriorating mental health appearing long before. The coroner cleared the university of blame and ruled Natasha's death was suicide contributed to by neglect from Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership. The devastated parents say that throughout the inquest the university had attempted to 'shut down, block and narrow any meaningful examination of its actions'. They added that the university used its lawyers to object to a jury sitting at the inquest and argues against certain witnesses being called. At a pre-inquest review hearing, the university said that there was no 'legal or factual basis for intensive scrutiny' of its actions. A chilling email Natasha sent ten weeks before her death to a staff member at the University of Bristol's physics department read: 'I want to tell you that the last few days have been really hard, I have been having suicidal thoughts and to a certain degree have attempted it.' A university member of staff went to Natasha's flat that morning to offer support and took her to the Students' Health Service to see a GP for an emergency appointment. After the inquest Mr Abrahart expressed his frustration, he said: 'I am angry because we were prevented from getting to the truth'. Hope White (pictured), who used to go on runs with Natasha, said when she found out her friend was dead: 'I just remember being in a state of shock and not really believing it' Moving accounts from Natasha's friends show how her death had an impact across the student community. Luke Unger recalled when he heard the news: 'I was devastated. I just felt hollow. I just remember walking by the river and I stopped underneath Clifton Suspension bridge and I just stayed there all night.' He had dinner with Natasha just three days before she died, he said: 'I still get nightmares. I don't really sleep. I think about her every day.' 'You sort of had this constant paranoia of who's next just because there were so many suicides, 11 in total, it was in the back of my mind all the time.' Luke Unger (pictured), who had dinner with Natasha just three days before she died, said: 'I still get nightmares. I don't really sleep. I think about her every day' Hope White, who used to go on runs with Natasha, said when she found out her friend was dead: 'I just remember being in a state of shock and not really believing it. Part of me wanting to cry, part of me wanting to just throw up.' Describing her friend as 'shy' and 'generous' she added through tears: 'It's been almost a year since Natasha died. I think it will be a year at the end of April but it doesn't get any easier.' Even after the tragedy the university failed to offer support, said Hope: 'I was obviously in quite a dark place after Natasha, 'It was quite near to the end of the year they told me to turn to my friends and family and if I still felt bad come back at the start of the year because everyone was leaving now. I didn't feel too supported by university.' The University of Bristol denies any wrongdoing in the run up to Natasha's death in 2018 Professor Sarah Purdy, Pro Vice-Chancellor Student Experience, said university staff met with Natasha on 'many occasions' and referred her to mental health services. She said: 'The University is most definitely not in denial in relation to Natasha's tragic death or in relation to mental health challenges more broadly. 'Everyone at the University is deeply affected by a student death and committed to doing all that we can to keep our students safe. 'We we played a full and open role in the inquest process providing 11 statements and three witnesses in addition to substantial written evidence. 'The Coroner found no fault on the part of the University. We are pleased that this recognises the efforts of our committed staff to support Natasha, but we are by no means complacent about the scale of the challenge in relation to student mental health.' Dying for a Degree airs on BBC One at 11.35pm tonight (Thursday, May 30) and will be available on iPlayer afterwards For confidential support in the UK call the Samaritans on 116123, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here for details Advertisement Striking photos show the terrifying moments before and after the D-Day landings as troops fought to liberate western Europe. The photographs predominantly show North American troops from the US and Canadian armies during the daring operation on June 6, 1944. Terrified-looking US troops can be seen preparing to disembark at Omaha beach on the coast of Normandy and attempting to deal with the chaos of the landing once they finally waded ashore. Other pictures show casualties being ferried away from the beach on a packed landing craft. During the offensive, German defences were unexpectedly strong, which led to unexpectedly heavy casualties - and some estimates suggest as many as 5,000 US soldiers were killed or wounded in the attempt to take the beach. At Omaha in particular the pre-landing bombardment had little effect on the German defensive positions and disembarking US troops were met with fierce volleys of gunfire and heavy artillery. Nearly 160,000 troops crossed the English Channel on D-Day, and the battle remains the largest seaborne invasion in history. Over 73,000 of the soldiers who took part were from the US. US Army troops in an LCVP landing craft approach Normandy's 'Omaha' Beach on D-Day in Colleville Sur-Mer, France June 6 1944. As infantry disembarked from the landing craft, they often found themselves on sandbars 50 to 100 yards away from the beach. To reach the beach they had to wade through water sometimes neck deep US Army troops and crewmen aboard a Coast Guard manned LCVP approach a beach on D-Day. After the initial landing soldiers found the original plan was in tatters, with so many units mis-landed, disorganized and scattered. Most commanders had fallen or were absent, and there were few ways to communicate A LCVP landing craft from the U.S. Coast Guard attack transport USS Samuel Chase approaches Omaha Beach. The objective was for the beach defences to be cleared within two hours of the initial landing. But stubborn German defence delayed efforts to take the beach and led to significant delays An LCM landing craft manned by the U.S. Coast Guard, evacuating U.S. casualties from the invasion beaches, brings them to a transport for treatment. An accurate figure for casualties incurred by V Corps at Omaha on 6 June is not known; sources vary between 2,000 and over 5,000 killed, wounded, and missing Forward 14/45 guns of the US Navy battleship USS Nevada fire on positions ashore during the D-Day landings on Utah Beach. The only artillery support for the troops making these tentative advances was from the navy. Finding targets difficult to spot, and in fear of hitting their own troops, the big guns of the battleships and cruisers concentrated fire on the flanks of the beaches The US Navy minesweeper USS Tide sinks after striking a mine, while its crew are assisted by patrol torpedo boat PT-509 and minesweeper USS Pheasant. When another ship attempted to tow the damaged ship to the beach, the strain broke her in two and she sank only minutes after the last survivors had been taken off A US Army medic moves along a narrow strip of Omaha Beach administering first aid to men wounded in the Normandy landing on D-Day in Collville Sur-Mer. On D-Day, dozens of medics went into battle on the beaches of Normandy, usually without a weapon. Not only did the number of wounded exceed expectations, but the means to evacuate them did not exist Canadian tank crews remove water-proofing from their tanks at Juno beach on D-Day. Only 100 of the 2,400 tons of supplies scheduled to be landed on D-Day were landed. Under heavy fire, the engineers struggled to clear the beach obstacles; later landings bunched up around the few channels that were cleared Canadian soldiers study a German plan of the beach during D-Day landing operations in Normandy. Once the beachhead had been secured, Omaha became the location of one of the two Mulberry harbors, prefabricated artificial harbors towed in pieces across the English Channel and assembled just off shore US Army Rangers show off the ladders they used to storm the cliffs which they assaulted in support of Omaha Beach landings at Pointe du Hoc. At the end of the two-day action, the initial Ranger landing force of 225 or more was reduced to about 90 fighting men British troops disembark from the Canadian navy infantry landing ship HMCS Prince David. Weakened by the casualties taken just in landing, the surviving assault troops could not clear the heavily defended exits off the beach. This caused further problems and consequent delays for later landings Advertisement Tourists have been warned to stay away from a sacred Balinese burial site where visitors can touch the skulls of bodies left out to rot in the open. Trunyan Cemetery, two hours north of Denpasar, has become popular with Australians looking for attractions off the beaten track - as 'dark tourism' becomes more popular. A concerned tourist urged others to avoid the cemetery and argued the poor Trunyan villagers were being 'exploited' 'The local people are getting really tired of folk turning up and trampling all over the place,' he wrote online. 'Several Balinese folk that I spoke to, including guides, strongly discourage people from visiting this site. 'Some locals who need the money will reluctantly take tourists on the boat over the lake, but this is causing friction in the local community tourist scams and aggressive behaviour from non-local greedy tour operators.' Tourists are divided over whether it is okay to visit a sacred Balinese burial site where visitors can touch the skulls of bodies (pictured) left out to rot in the open Tourists can touch and even hold skulls and are welcomed by villagers who are eager to share their culture with the outside world A married woman looks to be recently laid to rest in a bamboo cage. Only married people have the honour of this funeral, while unwed people are buried underground Others argue locals are keen to share their culture with the outside world. 'When we arrived we felt very welcomed and I can't explain how serene and comforting it was over in the cemetery,' one person said. Comments reveal the mixed bag of experiences people had when they visited the burial site. Another tourist replied: 'I have been there but out of respect I never even considered touching anything. 'The man from the actual village was encouraging me to go close to take pics but I thought that was too far.' 'There are only a small number of locals exploiting this place as a tourist site despite the wishes of the majority,' one tourist said. 'You have your opinion, dont try and shame others who feel differently,' a woman who visited the site said. The cemetery has bodies at varying states of decay. Some still have skin and hair, like the man pictured, while others are more skeletal The bamboo cages are arranged under a Taru Menyan tree (pictured), a special species that emits a pleasant scent that is said to neutralise the smell of rotting Once the flesh has rotted away, the skulls and bones are added to an ever-growing cartilage shrine (pictured) under the tree, which is said to be 1,100 years old People leave offerings like money and even cigarettes next to skulls. A visitor described it as a 'poorer area' and encouraged tourists to pay for their visit Villagers from Trunyan are laid to rest in bamboo cages underneath a sacred tree where their bodies are left to decompose in the smoldering Indonesian heat. Once the flesh has rotted away, the skulls and bones are added to an ever-growing cartilage shrine under the tree, which is said to be 1,100 years old. Visitors can only access the village by hiring a boat to cross Lake Batur and reach the settlement at the base of the Mount Batur volcano deep in the jungle. Only married people have the honour of this funeral, which is only practiced in Trunyan, while unwed people are buried underground. The bamboo cages protect bodies from animals looking for a free meal and are are arranged under a special species of tree. The Taru Menyan tree, which translates to 'nice smell', emits a pleasant scent that is said to neutralise the odor of rotting. When all the cages are full of bodies, the one that has been there longest is removed to make room for the next, and placed on a pile. Only when a body is completely skeletonised is the skull removed to place on the stone steps of the altar. The funeral practice is only practiced in this region of Bali. People in Trunyan believe they are the original Balinese people A picture of a deceased man in front of his above-ground grave. An Australian woman said Trunyan cemetery is a 'must do experience' in the Bali Bogans Facebook group The bamboo cages (pictured) protect the bodies from animals looking for a free meal, allowing them to decompose fully Skull island: Trunyan is deep in the jungle at the base of the Mount Batung volcano in the north of Bali There is a strict rule that only men are allowed to deliver the body to the cemetery after the preparation ritual - which involves cleaning the corpse with rain water and wrapping it in cloth, leaving the head uncovered. Women are not allowed to enter the cemetery when a body is being carried but are allowed to enter at other times. It is believed an earthquake or volcanic eruption will be caused if women venture in to the cemetery during the delivery of a body. The village people of Trunyan believe they are the original Balinese, there before the Majapahit migration from Java began in 1340. Tourists wishing to visit Trunyan themselves can do so by taking a boat from the mainland, three hours from Denpasar. Bali is infamous for being full of Australian tourists but many visitors are hungry for attractions off the beaten track. An Australian woman said Trunyan cemetery is a 'must do experience' in the Bali Bogans Facebook group. 'There was an actual ceremony today and we were able to see the villagers celebrating a life and creating a special ceremony of offering to their god,' she wrote. 'I know this sounds quite morbid but it was such a meaningful experience that we will never forget. 'If this is something that you'd like to do please be mindful that this is an old village that needs to be respected. 'Also, they are a poorer area and there is a cost to being able to visit.' Hundreds of years worth of skulls (pictured) are scattered all around the cemetery The legal team of a Navy SEAL accused of war crimes in Iraq are expected to apply for the charges to be thrown out by accusing prosecutors of withholding evidence and spying. The judge in the court-martial of platoon leader Edward Gallagher will hear arguments on Thursday on defense motions to dismiss the charges or to remove the lead prosecutor and judge from the case. The hearing comes 12 days before the special operations chief is set to go on trial charged with killing a helpless, wounded Islamic State fighter in his custody and of shooting two unarmed civilians, a schoolgirl and an elderly man in 2017. The case, being conducted at US Naval Base San Diego, has attracted the attention of President Donald Trump. Pre-trial proceedings for the past month have focused on accusations by Gallagher's attorneys that prosecutors and their investigators illegally snooped on the defense and reporters covering the case to try and pinpoint leaks of sealed information. US Navy SEAL Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher has been charged with war crimes in Iraq. He is shown here in this undated photo Gallagher with his wife Andrea. His defense team are expected to accuse prosecutors of withholding evidence and spying on the defense Gallagher, 39, a decorated career combat veteran, has pleaded not guilty to all charges, including premeditated murder, two counts of attempted murder and obstructing justice. He asserts that he is wrongly accused and that fellow SEAL team members testifying against him, several under grants of immunity, are disgruntled subordinates who fabricated allegations to force him from command. His defense team has argued that the case should be dismissed altogether on grounds of alleged misconduct by the Navy prosecutor, agents of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) and the presiding judge. The defense specifically has accused Navy lawyers of conducting illegal surveillance of defense attorneys and news media by way of electronic tracking software secretly embedded in emails sent to the defense. Gallagher is accused of stabbing to death with a hunting knife an injured and unarmed teenage ISIS fighter who was captured by US forces receiving medical care. He then allegedly posed for photographs with the corpse and threatened onlookers to stay silent. Gallagher also allegedly shot unarmed civilians, including a school-age girl and an elderly man. Gallagher, a decorated career combat veteran, pleaded not guilty to all charges, including premeditated murder, two counts of attempted murder and obstructing justice Gallagher's defense team has argued that the case should be dismissed altogether on grounds of alleged misconduct by the Navy prosecutor Prosecutors allege the Navy SEAL then texted the photograph of himself next to the dead fighter and wrote he 'got him with my hunting knife'. When members of Navy SEAL Team 7's Alpha Platoon first reported what happened to their troop commander and asked for a formal investigation be opened, they were reportedly warned that whistleblowing could cost them their careers. In court, prosecutors have said the email 'auditing tools' they used were designed merely to detect the flow of emails without revealing their content. The judge, Navy Captain Aaron Rugh, has said he did not ask for or order any such surveillance, but the defense contends he was apparently aware of it, calling into question his impartiality. Barring an outright dismissal, which is seen as unlikely, the defense is asking that the lead prosecutor, Commander Christopher Czaplak, be disqualified from the case. He also has entered a motion seeking recusal of the judge. If those motions are denied, and the case otherwise remains on track, jury selection is set to start on June 10. The trial originally had been due to start last week but was postponed over the misconduct allegations. Trump weighed in on the case publicly in March, when he ordered Gallagher moved to less restrictive pre-trial confinement 'in honor of his past service to our country'. Defense attorney Timothy Parlatore, representing Gallagher, leaving court for a pre-trial hearing last week Last Friday, Trump said he was considering pardons for two or three American servicemen charged with war crimes, but might wait until they stood trial before deciding. Trump did not name the cases in question. But the case of Gallagher, whose defense team includes a Trump personal lawyer, Marc Mukasey, is believed to be among those under review. Trump reportedly requested the paperwork needed for pardons, suggesting that the final announcements could come on Memorial Day. Dozens of Republican congressmen have championed Gallagher's cause, claiming he's an innocent war hero being unfairly prosecuted. Congressman Duncan Hunter of California acknowledged also taking a photo with a dead combatant during his time as a Marine as he defended Gallagher. He also said he posed for a photo next to a dead combatant but did not text it or post it to social media. Hunter called the military justice system 'corrupt', adding it is run by lawyers and bureaucrats intent on pursuing 'war fighters'. But critics say a pardon from the president would preempt justice, undermine military discipline and send a message that battlefield atrocities will be tolerated. Many veterans have been angered by reports that Trump intends to pardon alleged war criminals on Memorial Day, which is when they are honored by the country. Wales' former top politician has come under fire for likening Brexiteers to Nazis in an astonishing Facebook post she defiantly praised as a 'powerful image'. Leanne Wood - the former leader of Plaid Cymru who wants Welsh independence - shared a controversial cartoon that showed a figure cloaked in an EU flag arm wrestling with a swastika over a ballot box. She posted the sketch on social media as the European Parliament election results came in. But her followers were quick to slam the post as 'idiotic', 'childish' and 'totally inappropriate' - and urged the politician to delete it. Leanne Wood served as the leader of Plaid Cymru between March 2012 and September 2018. Leanne Wood posted this image of the EU arm wrestling with a swastika as the European election results came in Ms Wood, Plaid leader for six years, said the EU was battling the far right calling the bloc outward looking and progressive Ms Wood's party also enjoyed a good night in the elections, overtaking Labour in Wales She was the first female leader of the party and continues to work as a member of the National Assembly (AM) for Rhondda. Defending the criticism surrounding her cartoon, the staunch Remainer wrote: 'Some very interesting and varied responses to this image. Powerful image, isn't it? For anyone who is interested in my interpretation, I see it as a comment on the battle of values that we are engaged in. 'Pro European, outward looking, progressive, promoting of equality versus the parties of the far right across the EU which are expected to do very well tonight.' But many refused to accept her explanation. Michelle Evans wrote: 'What an idiotic post. I'm actually a Remainer but this is just offensive. 'People are entitled to their opinion and just because it differs to yours doesn't make them a Nazi. 'The only thing this post achieves is ensuring a lot of people don't vote Plaid again.' Similarly, Alan Cairncross said: 'Aw Leanne this post really let me down. 'I am a massive Remainer and my country voted massively to remain as opposed to England and Wales. 'This post is not constructive at all and tags everyone who voted leave as a 'Nazi' which is not right. 'What use is that to building common ground. Please delete.' Her Facebook followers said they felt upset and let down by her use of the swastika Laura Scarrott said: 'I find it a bit worrying that the Swastika is being casually used in any picture, to be honest.' Harrison Graham Meyers noted: 'And here's why people can't connect with Remainers. 'There are so many hardworking everyday people who support Brexit, people who are as far away from Nazism as can be. 'People who just want the best for their communities, and this is how the left is portraying them?' And Mark Taylor vehemently ranted: 'Seriously? Using a Swastika to depict anybody that isnt PRO-EU? 'You have some serious mental issues. 'I'm a valley boy born and bred from one of the most devastated towns in Blaneau Gwent, where 60+ per cent voted to leave the EU. 'Doesn't that tell you that there is something drastically wrong with your beloved paymasters? 'Instead of looking after your own interests, ask yourself why such a high percentage voted to leave.' Andrew Goodwill said: 'You really are not fit to be a politician.' Meanwhile, Stuart Brown said: 'Shocking childish pic from someone who is representing Wales.' Not all the responses were negative, with some expressing their support for the politician. David Eifion Williams wrote: 'Excellent image Leanne, expresses so much.' John Jenkins said: 'Sadly true!' And Peter Sansom simply said: 'Painfully apt.' A spokesperson for Leanne Wood AM said: 'Leanne shared the cartoon because she sees it as a comment on the battle of values that face many countries in Europe. 'On the one hand there is a Pro-European, outward looking, progressive, promoting of equality versus the parties of the far right across the EU which have been on the rise. 'Just look at the results over the weekend in Italy and France to see the dangers that exist. 'Leanne is determined to keep on drawing attention to the rise of the far right across Europe due to the severe dangers it poses for society and equality.' Shocking video has been released showing the moment a teenager at a pedestrian crosswalk is hit by a van which allegedly ran a red light. The 18-year-old boy, who was walking home from work, was allegedly hit on the Hume Highway in Sydney on Wednesday. The boy has been rushed to Liverpool Hospital in a serious condition and is fighting for his life. The teenage boy, who was walking home from work, was hit on the Hume Highway in Sydney on Wednesday In the footage, the young man can be seen waiting at the crosswalk for a green signal and, as other cars stop for a red light, the boy walks across the road but is struck by the van. The force of the impact throws the man 30 metres and into the path of traffic on the other side of the road. Other drivers rushed to give first aid to the man until paramedics arrived minutes later. The 61-year-old female driver of the van has been charged with dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, and failing to stop at a red light. Her license has also been suspended. 'This is a life changing event for this particular driver and no doubt the family of this young man that's been injured,' chief inspector Phillip Brooks from NSW Police told reporters. 'It appears that this is a case of driver error,' he said. Locals have used the incident to highlight the need for more safety measures along the Hume Highway. 'It's going to take an accident or someone to die before they put speed cameras out here, ' local resident Joanne Williams told 7 News. A shop in Manchester has been slammed by people on social media after selling what appears to be a military-style stab vest less than a mile from the Manchester Arena where fanatic Salman Abedi killed 22 people. Sacha Lord, Night Time Economy Adviser for Greater Manchester, posted a picture online of the garment for sale in a city centre shop on his Twitter account. It comes just two years after Abedi set off a bomb in the foyer that killed 22 innocent people, including seven children. The vest is for sale at a shop in Deansgate, in Manchester city centre, located less than a mile from the Arena where the terror attack took place. Sacha Lord, Night Time Economy Adviser for Greater Manchester, posted a picture of the garment on his Twitter account Other Twitter users reacted with absolute fury. It comes just two years after a terror attack in Manchester, killing 22 people Another user said she 'couldn't agree more' with Mr Lord. But another said it was 'just fashion' The shop in Manchester city centre is selling what looks like a military-style stab vest Mr Lord said: 'This is for sale and displayed in the window of a clothes shop in the city centre. 'I've seen it a few times and each time it's bothered me. I can only think they think a fake vest is fashionable. What sort of message does that send out.' One person on Twitter said: 'Seriously who would design that and think it's ok and then who would think it's ok to stick it in a shop window. 'I know what people wear camo etc but a stab vest type of clothing is a bit odd in these sad times.' While another person said: 'First thing I though (sic) if was a bomb vest. why oh why!!' Some shoppers in the city centre reacted with dismay to the item. Brad Doyle, apprentice builder, 18 from Eccles. 'It is a bit questionable, they should definitely take it down.' And Ahmed Ali, 37, from North Manchester, insurance worker. 'I think they should take it down considering people's feelings about it and what they have been through. 'It is two years but it is still in people's minds. 'I think people have moved on but the memory is still fresh.' But others said it was up to the shop if they wanted to take it down. Steve Davies, 60, Salford, engineer. 'It is not offensive to me, but I recognise how it could be. 'It's a philosophical argument whether they should take it down, it's down to them isn't it?' One employee of the store, who did not wish to give his name, refuted the idea the item was offensive. He said: 'It's just fashion, people are wearing it. 'Rappers wear it in rap videos. 'It is just a fashion item. To be honest we have not had anyone come in and say anything.' Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi, killed 22 innocent people after blowing himself up The vest is for sale at a shop in Deansgate, in Manchester city centre, less than a mile from the Arena where the terror attack took place The owner of the store, who did not wish to be named, also said there had been no complaints and said there had been lots of similar vests on sale when he visited a fashion showroom in Manchester yesterday. He said: 'It is not a suicide vest if anything it resembles a bulletproof vest or a stabproof vest. 'We have not actually had anyone complain, no one has come to me about that or been in to say they are upset. 'If you watch grime videos you will see these basically they are in fashion at the moment. 'We are selling a lot of them online, people like Drake wear them.' A 21-year-old woman who was bitten in the face by a drunk make-up artist at a nightclub has broken her silence on the wild brawl. Cheye Way was attacked by mother-of-two Chelsea Hall, 28, after a dance floor argument spiralled out of control at Northies Cronulla Hotel, Sydney's south, on September 29, 2018. Ms Way spent four nights in hospital to treat the three-centimetre laceration to her left cheek, which has since scarred. 'I was like: ''How can she do this to me?'' It's unprovoked, it's out of nowhere, like what have I done to deserve this?,' Ms Way told A Current Affair. Cheye Way, who was bitten in the face by a make-up artist at a nightclub, has broken her silence on the wild brawl Ms Way was attacked by mother-of-two Chelsea Hall, 28, after a dance floor argument spiralled out of control at Northies Cronulla Hotel, Sydney's south, on September 29, 2018 'I have to look at myself every day in the mirror and it's not what I want to see, it's not what I want to remember every single day'. Ms Way had enjoyed dinner with her friends before arriving at the nightclub for some drinks and a dance near the DJ booth. The altercation began when Ms Way and her friends started to dance near an intoxicated Hall, who began to bump into one of the victim's friends. Ms Way decided to intervene and told Hall there was room to dance elsewhere. Hall disagreed and then lunged at Ms Way, pushing her into the DJ booth. 'She came at me again and she grabbed me by the hair. I was looking up at her and then I grabbed her by the hair as well, out of instinct, and then that's when she bit me in the face,' Ms Way said. Ms Way spent four nights in hospital to treat the three-centimetre laceration to her left cheek, which has since scarred 'I was like: 'How can she do this to me?' It's unprovoked, it's out of nowhere, like what have I done to deserve this?,' Ms Way told A Current Affair Looking at pictures of her bloodied laceration from the night of the attack, Ms Way said: 'It's like she was taking a bite out of an apple.' Two security guards were needed to separate Hall and the victim, police said. Hall, a makeup artist, eyelash technician and childcare worker, claimed she acted in self-defence after an alleged physical alteration with the victim's friend. 'Her friend grabbed me by the throat and wouldn't let go, the only thing I could think was I can't breathe, and her face was right there and I literally just panicked and bit her,' Hall told police, the St George Shire Standard reported. Hall, a makeup artist, eyelash technician and childcare worker, claimed she acted in self-defence after an alleged physical alteration with the victim's friend Looking at pictures of her bloodied laceration from the night of the attack, Ms Way said: 'It's like she was taking a bite out of an apple.' Hall also said she thought she was doing to die during the altercation but Ms Way said 'that's a lie'. Magistrate Peter Bugden noted Hall was to blame for her actions and said she was the 'architect of her own doom'. Hall, who pleaded guilty to the assault, was sentenced earlier in the month to an eight-month term to be served in the community. Atemkeng Peter Atem Atia Azohnwi Atemkeng Peter, a Civil Society Advocate in Buea has come up with a blueprint to end the sociopolitical deadlock in Cameroon's North West and South West Regions. He says for the anglophone crisis to end, their core values should be restored and protected. He writes: "The Anglophone problem in Cameroon, which should be more appropriately understood as the Southern Cameroon Question is one which needs to be ARTICULATED in a manner as not to leave any ambiguities. This would help to provide a LASTING solution so that it never recurs again. We need to refrain from joining the Biya regime in turning round and round in circles just so as to avoid the solution. "The English speaking people of Cameroon were a distinct people who came into a union with the fancophones who were also a separate people in 1961. They joined this union bringing along with them a set of CORE VALUE SYSTEMS which included: A legal/judiciary system (the Common Law Practice) An educational system (An Anglo-Saxon system) An economic/infrastructure system (industries, airports, road maintenance system, electric, water supply system, etc A political system (a house of assembly, political parties, electoral system, etc) A security system (the mobile police) A tradi-cultural system (Naturally chosen Chiefs and Fons, etc) An administrative system (Local Government Areas, etc) All these systems were distinct and different from what the francophones were practicing. The conflict arose because the Anglophones found that all these systems were being gradually and systematically deformed, adulterated, polluted, dismantled and erased through discrimination, marginalization, domination, subjugation and assimilation by the francophone majority. If we understand and articulate the Anglophone problem in this light, we are set for a FINAL solution. That final solution must also be expressed succinctly: The Anglophones want these systems to be RESTORED PROTECTED and DEFENDED so that it never resurfaces again. This will have to require dialogue between the belligerents in the presence of a credible mediator who has to be agreed upon by both parties in the conflict. The mediator will eventually countersign the agreement which will be arrived at from the dialogue and ensure its implementation. Now, the Anglophones think that this RESTORATION, PROTECTION AND DEFENCE of their core value systems can only be achieved through: SEPARATION of the two entities which came into union in 1961, into two separate countries, or FEDERATION, the system which held the two polities together from 1961 to 1972, or DECENTRALIZATION of the present unitary government system. That is why Anglophones must meet in a conference to understand, discuss and agree on these issues and also choose their representatives. When the problem is set out this way, it becomes clear that the issue of a 10 state or 4 state federation has no place because this is not a Cameroon problem. It is an Anglophone problem (the Southern Cameroon Question!) and any solution which does not take into account these core value systems and the need to restore, protect and defend them is only postponing the conflict. As for confederation, I consider it to be just a REINFORCED or improved federation. But as I have always said, if Anglophones think that they will not be able to DEFEND themselves and their systems in a federation with La Republique du Cameroun, then they will clearly not be able to defend themselves as a sovereign country because their adversary is sitting right in front of them and that will never change. I hope they are not thinking that by separation, they plan to dig up Southern Cameroon and carry it on their heads to the North Pole so as to be away from LRC! All is a question of defense. Both parties have a duty to forge a sustainable and lasting relationship between themselves and whatever name is given to the relationship does not matter Whether it is a more tightly held totalitarian dictatorship, or a decentralized system, a federation or separation, doesnt make much difference as long as the core value system of each of the peoples is protected and defended. Anglophones must note that they were at least 50% responsible for what LRC did to them in the past 57 years. They were too gullible, credulous, complacent and condescending! And LRC wrongly took advantage of it. Now it is time to rebuild a different system of coexistence and both parties are called upon to manifest maximum effort in that project. Brussels will fight any attempts by Britain to leave with No Deal by trying to force multiple Brexit delays on the UK, it was claimed today. The EU is said to be preparing to extend Article 50 more than once if the new Tory leader tears up Theresa May's deal with the bloc. Candidates Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab, Andrea Leadsom and Esther McVey have all said that they would pull Britain out with No Deal unless the EU rips the Irish Backstop from Mrs May's Withdrawal Agreement. But Eurocrats are ready to shove Britain 'back to the wall' - and delay Brexit after October 31 - if a hard Brexiteer takes over as Prime Minister. A source told The Sun: 'The new Prime Minister doesn't have any ownership of the deal so the withdrawal agreement seems to be off the table. But similarly No Deal is off the table - the only solution is extensions until something changes in the UK'. He added: 'It's clear we'll extend further until the political landscape in the UK changes, because I don't see the deal will be miraculously adopted'. The EU cannot impose an Article 50 extension without the agreement of the prime minister - but remainers in Parliament are expected to try to take it off the table with Brexiteers claiming Speaker John Bercow will help them achieve it. Brussels will also hope that any new Tory minister will blink first as the October 31 cliff-edge approaches. Outgoing European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said he was 'crystal clear' with Mrs May that 'there will be no renegotiation' of the Withdrawal Agreement former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis said the EU would not reopen the Withdrawal Agreement 'before the 12th hour of the night' European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker told Theresa May last night he was 'crystal clear there will be no renegotiation' when they met on the sidelines of a summit in Brussels. And Donald Tusk caused fury by compared Brexit to a disease - but claimed the political chaos in Britain meant it was a 'vaccine' that would stop other countries trying to leave. Mrs May was told last night that the Withdrawal Agreement cannot be reopened as a senior Eurocrat said Britain's Brexit paralysis was acting as a 'vaccine' against further EU separatism. Outgoing European Council president Donald Tusk, who has been a more sympathetic voice in the EU later said that he believes the Brexit fall-out was behind a pro-European majority across the bloc in elections last week. 'As European see what Brexit means in practice, they also draw conclusions. Brexit has been a vaccine against anti-EU propaganda and fake news,' he said. Their comments came as a host of Tories vying to replace Mrs May as party leader and Prime Minister vowed to get either small or wholesale changes to the Withdrawal Agreement if elected. Today former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis claimed that the EU would have to leave the EU before Brussels caved in. He told the BBC that the EU would not reopen the Withdrawal Agreement 'before the 12th hour of the night', adding: 'Any rethinking of any potential freezing of the relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union, any rethinking about the Irish border and so on, will come after such a deadline. 'It is not something I want to see but there is no doubt that the EU knows how to minimise the cost of a failed process.' European Council president Donald Tusk, who has been a more sympathetic voice in the EU later said that he believes the Brexit fall-out was behind a pro-European majority across the bloc in elections last week Nigel Farage (pictured left) has dismissed claims by Tory leadership contender Jeremy Hunt (right) that pursuing a No Deal Brexit would be 'political suicide' Some Tory leadership candidates including Boris Johnson (pictured) have reacted to the party's mauling at the European elections by vowing to leave the EU without a deal if necessary It came after Nigel Farage lambasted Tory leadership candidates who claim they could renegotiate a better Brexit deal than the one tabled by Theresa May, saying it is 'absolute rubbish' to think the EU would change even 'one dot or comma'. The triumphant Brexit Party leader launched a round of media appearances on both sides of the Atlantic last night to capitalise on his European election successes. He turned his guns on Jeremy Hunt after the Foreign Secretary said No Deal would be 'political suicide', comments which sparked a toxic row among leadership wannabes. Mr Farage, who appeared on Tucker Carlson's Fox News show in the US and on his own LBC show from Brussels, dismissed suggestions that a new deal could be thrashed-out before Britain's departure day of October 31. 'Every single person here in the European Commission, and leading groups in the European Parliament, will not change by one dot or comma that withdrawal agreement,' Mr Farage said. The United Kingdom has beaten the United States to become the most popular destination for overseas Chinese students, according to a recent survey. The news comes amid an intense tariff war between Beijing and Washington. More and more of Chinese pupils are turning away from American schools and universities due to concerns over their visas and job prospect across the Pacific Ocean. More Chinese students say they wish to study in the United Kingdom as they turn away from the United States over concerns about visas and job prospect amid a trade war (file photo) Studying in America used to be the biggest dream of millions of pupils in the Far East, but now many of them have changed their mind. According to Chinese education consultancy EIC Education, more than a fifth (or 20.14 per cent) of Chinese students say they have plans to study in the United Kingdom while only 17.05 per cent favour the United States. 'The UK has a lot of highly competitive majors, such as civil engineering, architecture, transport planning, etc.,' Jin Ran, the Vice President of EIC Education told Chinese newspaper The Elite Reference while explaining the UK's advantages over other countries. Australia (15.08 per cent), Hong Kong (13.02 per cent) and Canada (9.19 per cent) took the third to the fifth place in the report. A recent study reveals that around a fifth of the respondents chose the United Kingdom as their first choice of the country to study in, compared to 17.05 per cent who picked America China is the largest source country of international students for both the United Kingdom and the United States. In the 2017-2018 school year, 106,530 Chinese students were enrolled into UK universities - a 21 per cent increase on the figure from four years ago. Over the same period, more than 363,000 Chinese students studied in US colleges and universities. The figure is about 33 per cent of the total international student population in the United States. But Chinese pupils started to shun the United States after the Trump Administration blasted China's 'unfair' trade policies and imposed tariffs on Chinese goods since early last year, according to money-transfer firm Easy Transfer. The number of Chinese students wanting to study in the United States started to dwindle after the Trump Administration imposed tariffs on Chinese goods since early last year, said a source The Beijing-based firm helps students transfer money abroad to pay for their tuition fees and living expenses. It told South China Morning Post that the number of Chinese students wishing to study in the United States had dwindled due to concerns they may not be able to get a visa. Washington has been tightening visas for Chinese students. The Trump Administration reportedly mulled the idea of banning visas for Chinese nationals to study in the U.S. over fears of spying last year. The proposal was shelved due to concerns about its economic and diplomatic impact, according to the Financial Times. Earlier this month, a group of President Donald Trump's fellow Republicans in Congress introduced legislation aimed at prohibiting anyone employed or sponsored by the Chinese military from receiving student or research visas to the United States. Last month, FBI Director Christopher Wray said China was seeking to 'steal its way up the economic ladder' through various agents Beijing sent to the U.S., including 'graduate students and researchers'. 'China has pioneered a societal approach to stealing innovation in any way it can from a wide array of businesses, universities and organizations,' he said. Tory leadership hopeful Boris Johnson, pictured today, will be hauled to court over claims he misled the public before the EU Referendum Boris Johnson was joined by rivals for the Tory leadership crown as he hit back after a judge took the 'extraordinary' decision to haul him to court over a Remainer claim that he lied when he said Britain gave the EU 350million a week. The front runner to replace Theresa May as Tory leader could become the first serving Prime Minister in the modern era to appear in the dock when he appears to answer accusations of misconduct in a public office. Michael Gove was among the colleagues who came to Mr Johnson's defence, saying the move was an attempt to 'criminalise free speech'. And a source close to Mr Johnson said the prosecution was 'nothing less than a politically motivated attempt to reverse Brexit and crush the will of the people'. 'The claimant has openly admitted that his plan is to overturn the referendum via a legal challenge and he clearly intends to try and undermine the one man who can truly deliver Brexit. 'The decision to issue a summons is extraordinary, and flies in the face of hundreds of years of British democratic tradition.' Mr Johnson's representatives have called the case a 'stunt' brought forward for 'political purposes' while former Tory cabinet minister David Mellor called District Judge Margot Coleman's ruling 'nutty' and Jacob-Rees Mogg, who is supporting Mr Johnson's leadership campaign, added it was 'an attack on free speech'. Mr Johnson made the comments in the run-up to the 2016 EU referendum and before the 2017 General Election, claiming the UK should give the cash to the NHS instead. He could now face a crown court trial and if found guilty might be jailed for more than six months, with the maximum sentence life imprisonment. It also raises the possibility he could be forced to appear in court while trying to negotiate Brexit with the EU, with a new Tory leader due to be appointed before the end of July. Lawyers representing entrepreneur and anti-Brexit campaigner Marcus Ball, 29, have brought three charges of misconduct in a public office against Mr Johnson alleging he made statements to the public he 'knew to be false'. Two relate to when he served as both an MP and Mayor of London before the 2016 referendum and the other in his role as MP in the run-up to the 2017 General Election. Mr Johnson was supported by his leadership rival Michael Gove this afternoon. He said: 'Whatever view you take on Brexit, we must not try to close down debate. Contending opinions and vigorous argument are the essence of democracy. 'We should trust the public to decide on the merits of a political case. We should not try to criminalise free speech.' Entrepreneur Marcus Ball, 29, pictured, crowdfunded more than 370,000 to bring the private prosecution against Mr Johnson Mr Johnson, pictured today, did not attend the hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court but had argued in submissions the case was a 'political stunt' Mr Johnson's leadership rival Dominic Raab tonight added his voice to those criticising the decision. He told ITV News: 'I do worry a little bit about the timing of this as a private prosecution and the sense that the cut and thrust of democratic debate ought to be decided by your viewers rather than in court. 'And I think in order to preserve free speech and democratic debate that's something we should all look very carefully (at) and consider.' Who is District Judge Margot Coleman and what are her previous cases? District Judge Margot Coleman is more used to dealing with small-time criminals and foreign nationals fighting extradition to be tried for crimes abroad. The 64-year old from Edgeware, north London, became a qualified solicitor in 1978 and went on to set up her own law firm, Coleman Solicitors, which became Victor Lissack Roscoe & Coleman in 2003. She was appointed a deputy district judge in 2000 and five years later in February 2005 became a district judge, which currently comes with a 110,335 salary. In this role she joined her husband, Jeremy Coleman, who served as a district judge for 21 years before retiring in 2016. District judges - previously known as Stipendiary Magistrates - sit in magistrates courts. They preside over low level crime cases where the maximum penalties are fines or short prison sentences. They also oversee initial hearings in high-level crime cases, before handing them on to more senior Crown Courts, which have the power to hand down heavier sentences. In one case she gave a suspended sentence to a 23-year-old trainee doctor who lost his temper with police when they pulled him while driving, saying she felt sympathy for him. Ramtin Oraki's mother had allowed him to drive the car in 2016 as she had been suffering from a bad back. Judge Coleman sentenced them both to conditional discharges of two years . Other high profile cases include that of alleged paedophile Roger Giese, who in 2015 Judge Coleman refused to extradite. He had been on the run from the FBI since 2007 and Judge Coleman refused to start the extradition process until assurance were received that his human rights would not be breached. In 2018 he was extradited to the US, where he was wanted for trial in California charged with sexually abusing a boy aged under 14. Advertisement Brexiteer Mr Rees-Mogg, who is supporting Mr Johnson's leadership campaign, blasted the decision to prosecute him. The European Research Group chairman said: 'It is an attack on free speech and the courts are ill advised to be used as the tools of political activists.' He added: 'It is trying to use the courts to achieve a political end which, I think, is neither right or proper. 'This is involving the courts in something that is not their area. 'We need courts and politicians to respect each other, and it is an abuse of process, and a troubling one. 'It has been brought by people who are resentful of the referendum result.' Leadership candidate Matt Hancock said: 'However people voted in the Referendum, we shouldn't have courts judging on political debates. Let's have robust debate to test arguments - and keep courts out of politics.' Tory Brexiteer David TC Davies said it was 'deeply sinister' that Brexiteers were being dragged to court, adding: 'EU supporters falsely claimed that a Leave vote would collapse the economy. No action (is) being taken against them.' Today's decision was welcomed by Remainer Lib Dem MP Ed Davey, a supporter of the Best for Britain campaign. He said: 'Given Boris Johnson wants to be the next Prime Minister of this country, it's only right that he is held accountable for the lies he told in 2016. 'Boris Johnson has never had to rely on these vital public services. That's why he doesn't care about the impact of his campaign slogans. 'Three years down the road and our NHS is on its knees. EU staff are leaving in their droves, having been made to feel unwelcome, while local hospitals around the country have warned that they won't be able to deliver critical services in the event of a no-deal Brexit. 'We cannot let our communities down like this. Boris Johnson facing court is a sideshow - we need a final say vote on Brexit so that we can prevent the catastrophe he started.' But Mr Mellor added: 'This decision by a district judge right at the bottom of the judicial food chain is a deplorable absurdity. 'You really cannot have the courts adjudicating on what politicians (do) during election campaigns. There madness lies. 'I imagine there will be no shortage of senior judges who will feel acutely embarrassed about this. Politicians at election times exaggerate, and say things that may or may not be true, and it's the electorate, not the courts, who should decide whether they are reliable or not.' Mr Johnson was a key player in the Vote Leave campaign. He is pictured next to a bus claiming Britain sends the EU 350 million a week The case against Mr Johnson alleges he made the claims despite 'knowing them to be false' between February and June 2016, before the referendum, and then again in April and May 2017 in the run-up to the general election Mr Ball launched a 'Brexit Justice' campaign in 2016 after accusing Mr Johnson of 'abusing public trust' over the comments. He then raised the cash for the private prosecution - which he claims is a 'world first' - by crowdfunding 370,000 through various websites from more than 6,000 donors. Initially Brexit Justice wanted to bring action against six 'remain and leave campaigners' but after reviewing evidence the campaign decided Mr Johnson was the only person who could be prosecuted. The others have not been identified. No date has been set for the next court appearance but, with a new Tory leader due to be in place by the end of July, it means Mr Johnson could face trial while Prime Minister. The die-hard Remainer who films Instagram videos in his bedroom and crowd-funded over 200,000 to spend three years targeting Boris Johnson, boasting: 'This case is a world first' Remainer Marcus Ball, pictured, has been trying to bring the prosecution for more than two years The man targeting Boris Johnson is a die-hard Remainer who has spent the three years since the Brexit referendum working on his case against the Leave figurehead. Marcus Ball, 29, has relied on crowdfunded donations of more than 200,000 to employ a team of lawyers to fight on his behalf - boasting that the case was a 'world first'. The start-up company entrepreneur from Norfolk, who worked developing mobile app including a political Tamagotchi, founded Brexit Justice in June 2016. He has also previously worked as a speaker and writer as well as campaigning to reform higher education in the UK. He is a well-known Instagrammer who often films himself discussing the case in the bedroom of his west London flat, which has signs on the wall including: 'When politicians lie, democracy dies' and 'Brexit justice'. Describing his motivations he said: 'I was just like, 'F*** this. This has to stop',' Ball says. 'This is a primitive problem, which has been around for thousands of years. It's not impossible to stop it.' It followed the 2016 referendum campaign in which Mr Ball says Mr Johnson abused the public's trust. He has since been building a case against Mr Johnson for the last two years. Initially the campaign wanted to bring prosecutions against six 'remain and leave campaigners' but decided to pursue only Mr Johnson after reviewing the evidence. The others have not been identified. A source close to Mr Johnson accused Mr ball of being politically motivated, saying: 'He has written internet blogs, which have since been removed, disclosing his intention to stop Brexit and reverse the referendum via a court case. 'He is deeply dishonest about his intention - which is to frustrate the largest ever popular vote in British history.' Mr Ball has so far raised 234,345 of the 500,000 target through Crowdfunder.co.uk and has raised the rest of the 370,000 through other donation sites. More than 6,000 people have supported the cause through donations. The page was set up in order to pay the lawyers who are representing Brexit Justice. The costs are published on the Brexit Justice website, which show legal fees and well as expenses. Advertisement Mr Johnson is expected to make his first appearance at Westminster Magistrates' Court in three-to-four weeks, and will have to attend to indicate whether he contests the charges. If he does and it is sent to trial, it would likely not take place for another six months. With months often separating a first court appearance and a subsequent trial it is quite possible that the full hearing with a jury would not be ready to start until after the new leader is in place. Mr Johnson has long been the favourite to succeed Mrs May, who announced she would step down last week after her Brexit failures. But he is facing stiff competition from other leading figures including Michael Gove, whose odds have shortened dramatically since he announced he was running. The leadership race sees a wide field of candidates whittled down to just two candidates in voting by MPs. These two finalists then go head-to-head in a vote by thousands of party members. Some MPs have welcomed today's decision claiming Mr Johnson should be 'held accountable' over his statements while others said it was a 'nutty' ruling and a 'bad day for British justice'. The judgment said: 'The allegations which have been made are unproven accusations and I do not make any findings of fact. 'Having considered all the relevant factors I am satisfied that this is a proper case to issue the summons as requested for the three offences as drafted. The charges are indictable only. 'This means the proposed defendant will be required to attend this court for a preliminary hearing, and the case will then be sent to the Crown Court for trial. 'The charges can only be dealt with in the Crown Court.' Neither party attended Westminster Magistrates' Court today and the judge's 13 page ruling was handed down to members of the press. Mr Johnson's position was outlined in the ruling, describing the application as a '(political) stunt'. His position in summary said: 'This application is brought for political purposes. The position presented to the Court is that this is a disinterested attempt to improve the standards of political debate. 'The reality of this enterprise is different. The 'Prosecutor' (a limited company) is 'Brexit Justice Limited'. Brexit Justice Limited is the product of a campaign to undermine the result of the Brexit referendum, and/or to prevent its consequences. 'The company and this application owe their existence to the desire on the part of individuals such as Mr Ball to undermine the referendum result. The 'Brexit justice' which is ultimately sought is no Brexit.' In her ruling Judge Coleman summarised the case against Mr Johnson: 'The proposed defendant was a holder of two public offices. 'He was a Member of Parliament and also the Mayor of London. The prosecution focuses on two timeframes. 'The first is the period between 21 February 2016 - 23 June 2016, with the earlier date reflecting the date when Mr Johnson announced his decision to vote to leave the European Union and the later date being that of the EU referendum. 'The second period is between 18 April 2017 - 3 May 2017 which reflects the period commencing upon the date when the 2017 general election was announced until the date when Parliament was dissolved. 'The proposed defendant was at all material times a member of Parliament. 'Further, during the first period, he was until 8 May 2016 the Mayor of London. 'During both time periods outlined above, the proposed defendant repeatedly lied and misled the British public as to the cost of EU membership, expressly stating, endorsing or inferring that the cost of EU membership was 350 million per week. 'Whilst doing so he was acting as a public officer and using the platforms and opportunities offered to him by virtue of his public office. Mr Johnson, pictured in front of the 'Brexit Bus', faces three charges of misconduct - two relating to his roles as MP and Mayor of London in 2016 and another when he was an MP before the 2017 election. If found guilty he could be jailed for more than six months How the prosecution could see Prime Minister Boris in the dock Boris Johnson could possibly become the first serving UK prime minister to appear in court. The decision to summons him over the 350million per week claim comes as he is the overwhelming favourite to succeed Theresa May. She is due to step down as Tory leader on June 7, with nominations to replace her closing on June 10. All candidates - there are currently 11 declared and more believed to be planning to - will face several rounds of voting over several weeks by Tory MPs until only two remain. These final two will then run-off against each other in a vote by tens of thousands of Conservative Party rank-and-file members across the country. The aim is to have a new leader in place ahead of Parliament's summer recess, which is due to start around July 26. No dates have yet been set in Mr Johnson's case. But with often months separating a first court appearance and a subsequent trial it is quite possible that the full hearing with a jury would not be ready to start until after the new leader is in place. Mr Johnson is immensely popular with the membership - with a third backing him in a Conservative Home poll today - but less so with MPs, meaning he faces a battle to get to the final two. He is facing stiff competition from other leading figures including Michael Gove, whose odds have shortened dramatically since he announced he was running. Advertisement 'Further the defendant knew that such comments were false or misleading in that he had on other occasions used accurate figures and showed a clear understanding of how to quantify UK spending in respect of the EU. 'Lying on a national and international platform undermines public confidence in politics, undermines the integrity of public referendums and brings both public offices held by the proposed defendant into disrepute. 'The law dictates that misconduct to such a degree requires a criminal sanction. There is no justification or excuse for such misconduct. 'To that end Mr Johnson was written to by the prosecution applicant on November 16, 2018, and invited him to provide an explanation and grounds for his belief in the accuracy and truth of the comments made. 'The prosecution applicant expressly informed the proposed defendant that it could provide any such exculpatory material to the court at this stage. 'Whilst the proposed defendant was not obliged to, he has tendered no such explanation or material.' The ruling also said that although there is no obligation on the court to give written reasons why an application for a summons is granted or refused, 'this is an unusual and exceptional application with a considerable public interest and it is right that full reasons are provided to the unsuccessful party'. Adrian Darbishire QC, representing Mr Johnson, said in his skeleton argument, according to the judge's ruling: 'Here, the misconduct alleged concerns Mr Johnson's adoption and repetition of the Vote Leave campaign message concerning the 350m per week. 'No allegation is made, nor could any be made, that Mr Johnson adopted or commended that figure for any purpose other than in the course of a contested political campaign. 'The claim was based upon information that was, at all times, freely available to all. 'As with very many claims made in political campaigns, it was challenged, contradicted and criticised, and many examples of this process are furnished in the material supplied by the Applicant.' Today's ruling, pictured, did not make any findings against Mr Johnson but said the case should be heard at crown court later this year Judge Coleman was appointed to be a district judge on February 7 2005, to be based in the Greater London commission area. She became a solicitor in May 1978 and has practiced for Coleman Solicitors in London since 1980. How do private prosecutions work and when can they become criminal cases? The Crown Prosecution Service says that a private prosecution is started by an individual, in this case Marcus Ball, or entity (Brexit Justice), which is not acting on behalf of the police or another authority in this case they are acting for members of the public. The right to bring about a private prosecution is preserved by section 6 (1) of the Prosecution of Offences Act (POA), 1985. Limitations include that the private prosecutor must seek the consent of an Attorney General before proceedings. There is no law against a private prosecution running its course through verdict to sentencing. Even if the prosecution succeeds, it doesn't always mean that the case should have been prosecuted by the CPS. There will be instances where it is appropriate for the CPS to exercise the Director's powers under section 6(2) POA 1985, either to continue the prosecution or to discontinue or stop it. When asked to do so, the CPS must make a decision on whether or not to take on a private prosecution. The cases can often fail if police don't want to investigate or it the CPS is unwilling to press ahead to trial. Cases can also be stopped if they interfere with other criminal cases, or if they are considered not in the public interest. Advertisement In 2003 she joined Victor Lissack Roscoe & Coleman before being appointed as a district judge for the Magistrates' Courts in November 2000. Her previous high profile cases include that of alleged paedophile Roger Giese, who in 2015 Judge Coleman refused to extradite. He had been on the run from the FBI since 2007 and Judge Coleman refused to start the extradition process until assurance were received that his human rights would not be breached. In 2018 he was extradited to the US, where he was wanted for trial in California charged with sexually abusing a boy aged under 14. Mr Ball, a startup entrepreneur from Norfolk, said earlier this month the case was a 'world first'. Speaking before a preliminary hearing he said: 'This case is a world first, it has never happened before. A member of Parliament has never been prosecuted for misconduct in public office based upon alleged lying to the public. 'My backers and I aspire to set a precedent in the UK common law making it illegal for an elected representative to lie to the public about financial matters.' Mr Ball previously said he raised more than 370,000 across several crowdfunding campaigns to finance the case. Misconduct in public office is an offence which is only triable by indictment. It carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. It has been claimed that Boris Johnson could face more than six months in prison if found guilty. Mr Johnson has three charges of misconduct against him, relating to three different incidents. These relate to two offences before the referendum and then before the 2017 election. The public misconduct offence is confined to those who hold positions in public office and fail to act in a way that constitutes a breach of the duties of that office. Reaction to the ruling has been divided, with former Tory cabinet minister David Mellor, left, branding the decision 'nutty' while Lib Dem MP Ed Davey, right, said Mr Johnson should be 'held to account' over his comments Public officers are supposed to carry out their duties for the benefit of the public as a whole and if they do no conduct themselves correctly then this may lead to a breach of the public's trust. The exact amount of money the UK contributes to the European Union's budget was one of the biggest issues of the 2016 referendum campaign. What is misconduct in a public office and can it lead to a jail sentence? Misconduct in public office is an offence which is only triable by indictment. It carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a starting point of six months in prison, meaning Boris Johnson could face jail time if found guilty. Mr Johnson has three charges of misconduct against him - two relating to comments made before the 2016 referendum when he was both Mayor of London and an MP, and the other when he made similar comments as an MP before the 2017 General Election. The public misconduct offence is confined to those who hold positions in public office and fail to act in a way that constitutes a breach of the duties of that office. The offence is committed when: a public officer acting as such; wilfully neglects to perform his duty and/or wilfully misconducts himself; to such a degree as to amount to an abuse of the public's trust in the office holder; without reasonable excuse or justification. Public officers are supposed to carry out their duties for the benefit of the public as a whole and if they do no conduct themselves correctly then this may lead to a breach of the public's trust Advertisement The Leave campaign attracted criticism for printing a slogan on the side of its battlebus that said: 'We send the EU 350 million a week.' Supporters of the Remain campaign said the figure was misleading as it did not take into account the money the UK receives from the EU in the form of a rebate, as well as payments made to the public sector. Figures published annually by the Treasury in the document European Union Finances show that the UK's net contribution to the EU budget in 2016 was 9.6 billion, or roughly 185 million a week. The net contribution is not quite the same as money 'sent' to the EU, however. According to the Treasury's data, the UK's gross contribution to the EU budget in 2016, before the application of the rebate, totalled 17 billion, or around 327 million a week. But, as the UK Statistics Authority pointed out during the referendum campaign, the Treasury pays the UK's contributions to the EU after deducting the value of the rebate. The rebate in 2016 was 3.9 billion. Subtracting this from the original figure gives a total of 13.1 billion. A further subtraction of the EU's payments to the UK public sector in 2016 - 3.5 billion - gives the final figure of 9.6 billion, or about 185 million a week. All these figures are stated in cash terms - in other words, not adjusted for inflation since 2016. The precise amount of money the UK sends to the EU is difficult to calculate. European Union payments that are made directly to the private sector, such as universities and research organisations, are not included in the Treasury's figures. An analysis published in November 2018 by the House of Commons Library said that UK organisations receive around 1 billion to 1.5 billion a year directly from the European Commission. This includes funding for research and innovation as part of the Horizon 2020 programme, and money for education, training, youth and sport through the Erasmus+ scheme. Leading human rights lawyer blasts 'deeply uncomfortable' ruling A leading human rights lawyer blasted the decision to summon Boris Johnson, saying it risked setting a dangerous precedent for UK politics. Barrister Adam Wagner, who has acted in a host of human rights cases, said he was 'deeply uncomfortable' with the criminal case. He was among a number of senior lawyers who questioned today's decision to proceed with a private prosecution against the former foreign secretary. Mr Wagner, of Doughy Street Chambers in London, said that 'MPs need extensive free speech protections as democratic debate should be fierce', adding: 'Misconduct in public office should be reserved for abuse of public office, not lying in heated political debates.' He went on: 'Politicians lie. We have well-established remedies for that: voting them out and parliamentary disciplinary procedures, including losing posts. 'I am deeply uncomfortable with this being subject of the criminal law. 'I worry about where this leads. Once you start down the path of litigating political disputes which began fully in the political arena in court, where does it end? 'This is different to, for example, breaking electoral laws, where the criminal law has been given a role by Parliament.' Barrister and former Tory MP Jerry Hayes also questioned the decision, saying: 'It is ridiculous and should be thrown out, but by a higher authority. 'The whole point of the legislation and the common law is to stamp out corruption not take politicians to court for dissembling and making false promises.' Advertisement Remain obsessive battling to sink BoJo: GUY ADAMS on the man who took 24,000 out of fighting fund to pay himself By Guy Adams for the Daily Mail Marcus Ball hates lies. He especially hates politicians who lie, a fact trumpeted on his own page on a professional networking website which states: 'When politicians lie, democracy dies.' This is why the 29-year-old is prosecuting Boris Johnson. Mr Ball, pictured at court yesterday, has repeatedly insisted the case has nothing to do with a wish to frustrate Brexit. It is simply to 'stop lying in politics'. All very noble. Yet one man's 'lie' is usually another's 'fair comment', especially in these vexed political times. So how does Mr Ball live up to his own high-minded ideals? To find out, let us look at his personal page on the website Crowdfunder.co.uk, where he launched his legal fight in July 2016. Marcus Ball, 29, (pictured at court yesterday) has repeatedly insisted the case has nothing to do with a wish to frustrate Brexit So what WAS truth of 350million claim? The decision to haul Boris Johnson before a court hinges on the repeated claim that leaving the EU will save Britain 350million a week. Remainers jumped on the number, saying it was an estimated gross figure that did not include rebates the UK receives from Brussels. In 2016, no one knew for sure what Britain's contributions were because the data is published in arrears. The 350million was based on a Treasury estimation. When the figure was again quoted in 2017, Sir David Norgrove, chairman of the UK Statistics Authority, accused Mr Johnson of a 'clear misuse of official statistics' confusing gross and net payments. 'It also assumes that payments currently made to the UK by the EU, including for example for the support of agriculture and scientific research, will not be paid by the UK government when we leave,' he wrote. The gross figure we gave to Brussels in 2016 was actually 363million a week but does not include the rebate Margaret Thatcher successfully negotiated for Britain in 1984. However, the way the rebate is calculated has changed and the amount differs every year. Remainers argued that the amount paid to Britain by the EU around 4.5billion in 2016 brought the total down further to a net 181million a week. Nigel Farage accepted after the referendum that 350million a week would not be available after Brexit. Advertisement It was mysteriously deleted at 5.18pm on the 29th of that month. A copy can still be seen on internet archives and it shows the floppy-haired Mr Ball's pitch in pursuit of '100,000 minimum' from donors. 'Once these prosecutions have established that politicians did indeed lie to voters, our next step will be to take other action to prevent Brexit,' it reads. 'This may be in the form of a judicial review.' Mr Ball's statement added that the campaign was being organised with 'other Remain campaigners' and had been born in a Facebook page called The 48 Percent presumably referring to the minority who voted Remain. All of which suggests his intention, at the time, was very much to stop Brexit. Despite the large number of times he subsequently insisted that wasn't the case. So were his own aforementioned public statements lies? Did he simply misspeak? Or have his views evolved over time? Then there's the issue of Mr Ball's finances. The fundraising website explained: 'This is a non-profit campaign. The people involved are volunteering their time freely.' In October 2016, Mr Ball repeated this line, saying he had 'worked unpaid on the campaign for the past three months.' That position has evolved, too. At some point, Mr Ball decided not to volunteer his time freely. He recently told an interviewer that he was paying himself a salary of 'around 24,000' from his crowd-funding kitty. This money will have supplemented his other earnings, which according to Mr Ball's personal website, come from his varied career as a 'prosecutor', 'reformer', 'speaker' and 'writer'. Mr Ball, who launched his legal fight in July 2016, is bringing a private prosecution case against Boris Johnson That site, which is adorned with pictures and videos of Mr Ball, represents an intriguing exercise in personal branding. On the page devoted to his public speaking career, for example, it says that since 2010 he has earned money from 'speaking in public and teaching public speaking skills'. The page is illustrated with the logos of a number of major institutions which have invited him to speak, including the University of Cambridge. However, Mr Ball, who was educated at Canterbury Christ Church University in Kent, is believed to have given only one talk in Cambridge in the last academic year, to Peterhouse College. That appears to be the limit of his dealings with Cambridge. Intriguingly, Mr Ball's website also says he's contributed to Russia Today, the controversial Kremlin-funded TV station recently fined by Ofcom for breaching broadcasting standards during coverage of the Salisbury poisonings. The case against Mr Johnson alleges he made the claims despite 'knowing them to be false' between February and June 2016, before the referendum, and then again in April and May 2017 in the run-up to the general election The website carries the logo (a two-headed eagle resembling a coat of arms) of an organisation called Ambition House. In fact, it's a company Mr Ball founded in 2012 to 'provide unique training and education to students and graduates' but which has since been dissolved. Mr Ball is a director of three other companies: Think of a Name Later Ltd, a software development firm founded in 2016 but which has been dormant since then; a PR firm incorporated in 2017, which was due to file accounts last month, but hasn't. And finally Brexit Justice Ltd, which seems to have been created to run his legal campaign against Boris Johnson, and whose latest accounts show assets of just 22,000. Several are registered to his family home, a 630,000 property near Norwich Cathedral. Mr Ball was born in the Norfolk city in 1989, the son of a retired English teacher. His birth certificate lists his name as Joshua Edwin Ball. At some point during adulthood, it is believed he changed it by deed poll, to Marcus, for 15. It's unclear why. But as Boris Johnson will doubtless reflect, this is a man with a habit of seeking to re-write history. Farmer Ned, 44, and his wife Sophie Scharer, 45, with their children Sam, 10, and Rowan, 12 A family who won a competition to start a new life on a remote island have given up on their dream - after their ten-year-old son injured his leg on the first day. The Scharer family beat 50 other finalists to move to the idyllic Bardsey Island in North Wales to work as wardens. Farmer Ned, 44, and his wife Sophie, 45, were due to spend three years on the island off the Llyn Peninsula in Gwynedd managing the nature reserve, a farm and bird observatory with their two children. But on day one their son Sam fell off rocks after waving away the boat that had ferried them in - and had to be airlifted to a hospital on the mainland by Holyhead Coastguard with a leg injury. He then had to have further treatment for his injuries following complications, meaning Mrs Scharer had to remain at the family home in Llanrwst. Mr Scharer was left to manage the island on his own and lasted a little over a month, but quickly realised the task ahead was too much for him. His wife said Sam has 'only recently healed', but told how he 'now has a beautiful scar in the shape of the island - it's a wonderful souvenir'. His wife said: 'It was such a shame but in the end, it made the decision to leave the island easier for us because we effectively had no choice. What happened was just one of those things. It could have happened anywhere.' The Scharer family beat 50 other finalists to move to the idyllic Bardsey Island in North Wales The mile-long island off the Llyn Peninsula in Wales is known as the 'Island of 20,000 Saints' Mrs Scharer had to remain at the family home in Llanrwst while Sam had further treatment Mrs Scharer said Sam had slipped on rocks and had to be taken to hospital by helicopter where he was treated for a leg injury. She said: 'The warden has a direct line to the coastguard, so even though you're on the island, you have this amazing back-up. 'The seas were too rough to launch the boat so they sent the helicopter. Sam has only recently healed but he now has a beautiful scar in the shape of the island. It's a wonderful souvenir.' She said Mr Scharer found maintaining the island - which has 2,000 visitors each year - proved too much for him, and the family have now returned home to Llanwrst in Snowdonia. The Scharer family were due to be managing the nature reserve, a farm and bird observatory The mile-long island is known as the 'Island of 20,000 Saints' and is said to be the final resting place of thousands of pilgrims. It is now famed for its wildlife and rugged scenery - attracting seals, Manx shearwaters, porpoises and dolphins. Bardsey Island Trust is now seeking new wardens to manage the remote island for the next three years. Wardens are paid an 16,500 salary and offered accommodation and utilities on the island. Bardsey Island Trust is now seeking new wardens to manage the remote island for three years Wardens are paid an 16,500 salary and offered accommodation and utilities on the island According to the trust, candidates must be physically fit, comfortable with isolation - and prepared for no phone signal. Mrs Scharer said: 'It's an amazing opportunity for a family who love to spend time together and to have an adventure. 'The isolation is an attraction for many but it's incredibly social in terms of the community. 'You have to be pretty hardy to put up with the weather and work - but we were lucky to live somewhere so beautiful. It certainly was an experience.' Israel's parliament voted to dissolve itself and set a new poll date for September PM Benjamin Netanyahu wants to keep ultra-Orthodox military exemption policy But far-right former Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman wants to overturn it Without the five seats of Lieberman's party, Netanyahu cannot muster a majority Israel will hold a second election in five months after Benjamin Netanyahu failed to cobble together a coalition. The country's parliament voted to dissolve itself just weeks after the April 9 election, setting a new poll date for September 17. ADVERTISEMENT Netanyahu and his right-wing allies had appeared to win the first election, but coalition talks have foundered in a row over the military conscription of ultra-Orthodox Jews. Far-right former defence minister Avigdor Lieberman has refused to back down and his party's five seats are enough to deny Netanyahu a majority. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu looks set to push for a new general election just months after an April poll in a last-ditch effort to hold onto power Lieberman has insisted on the passing of a new law which would end the exemption. for ultra-Orthodox Jews. The issue is highly sensitive in Israel and the legislation is opposed by ultra-Orthodox parties, who control 16 seats in parliament and are a key part of Netanyahu's alliance. But without the five seats of Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu party, Netanyahu - who is also under pressure over looming criminal charges - cannot muster a majority. Last night the Israeli parliament, the Knesset voted 74-45 in favour of dissolving itself and setting elections for September 17 as a midnight deadline passed. Netanyahu voted in favour of new elections to prevent his nightmare scenario of Israeli President Reuven Rivlin selecting another parliament member to try to form a government. The prime minister has said Lieberman would be fully responsible for dragging the country to an 'expensive, wasteful' election if an agreement could not be made. After the vote, opposition leader Benny Gantz angrily accused Netanyahu of choosing self-preservation over allowing the country's political process to run its course. Gantz said that instead of following procedure, Netanyahu opted for 'three crazy months' of a new campaign and millions of wasted dollars over new elections because he is 'legally incapacitated' by looming indictments. ADVERTISEMENT 'There is no other reason,' Gantz said. Israel's former defence minister Avigdor Lieberman has prevented an agreement by refusing to abandon a key demand for ultra-Orthodox men to perform mandatory military service Netanyahu appeared to have a clear path to a majority coalition, and fifth term in office overall, after the April 9 elections. His Likud party secured 35 seats, tying it for the largest party in the highly fractured 120-seat parliament. Counting his traditional allies, he appeared to control a solid 65-55 majority. Netanyahu's ruling Likud has traditionally had an alliance with ultra-Orthodox and nationalist parties. But Lieberman, a former top Netanyahu aide, is a wild card. Though staunchly nationalist, he also champions a secular agenda aimed toward his political base of immigrants from the former Soviet Union. Click here to resize this module Likud insists Lieberman is motivated by his personal spite for Netanyahu and has launched a vicious campaign against him in recent days. But Lieberman says he is driven by ideology and will not be a hand to religious coercion. The former defence minister has described his refusal as a matter of principle, and in a late-night Facebook post on the eve of Wednesday's deadline reiterated his stance. 'I'm not vindictive. Im not on a vendetta or seeking to bring down the prime minister,' he said. 'We have no intention to give up our principles and the commitments we gave our voters.' Benjamin Netanyahu looked set to become Israel's longest-serving Prime Minister after his Likud party and its right-wing coalition partners secured the most seats in the country's parliament (shown left). Rival Benny Gantz's Blue and White party and his allies fell short of forming a viable government (top right), with Arab parties collecting a total of 10 seats (bottom right) Ultra-Orthodox parties consider conscription a taboo, fearing that military service will lead to immersion in secularism. But years of exemptions have generated widespread resentment among the rest of Jewish Israelis. A stalemate on the issue was one of the factors that shortened the term of the previous coalition government, which Lieberman resigned from months before elections were called because he disagreed with its policy toward the Gaza Strip. Dissolving parliament would be a shocking turn of events for Netanyahu, who has led the country for the past decade and appeared to capture a fourth consecutive term in April. ADVERTISEMENT While the prime minister has placed full blame of the looming election on Lieberman, others have pointed to Netanyahu's legal troubles as an obstacle. Failure to forge a coalition would see President Reuven Rivlin (pictured right, with Netanyahu) select another parliament member to try to form a government Netanyahu is facing possible indictment for bribery, fraud and breach of trust in the months ahead and is reportedly seeking legislation in the new parliament that would result in him being granted immunity. The main opposition Blue and White, a centrist alliance involving several former military chiefs, says a unity deal with Likud would be possible if Netanyahu would allow someone else from his party to form a government. Blue and White's leaders say they cannot join a government led by Netanyahu due to the corruption allegations he faces, and the premier is seen as wanting partners willing to support legislation that could result in his immunity. There has so far been no sign that Likud members would be willing to turn against Netanyahu. Parliament has already taken initial steps toward provoking new elections and could vote to dissolve itself later Wednesday. While new elections are emerging as the most likely path, there are other options. If a deal is not reached by the deadline, Rivlin could give Netanyahu another two weeks if he concludes the premier is the only person capable of forming a government. Netanyahu said Lieberman (pictured shaking hands) would be fully responsible for dragging the country to an 'expensive, wasteful' election if an agreement can't be made Alternatively, Rivlin could ask another member of parliament to take on the task. Netanyahu could also seek to form a minority government. Political commentators said that as the prospects dimmed for a compromise with Lieberman, Netanyahu would focus his efforts on enlisting the 61 votes needed in parliament to approve a new election. Chemi Shalev, writing in the left-wing Haaretz daily, said a last-minute agreement was still possible and Netanyahu would still be the favourite to win a new poll. But he said Netanyahu's critics now find themselves fantasizing about a world without him. 'It's not an easy task, given his decade in power and the four more years he supposedly had coming,' Shalev wrote. 'Young Israelis can't even begin to imagine an Israel without him: Netanyahu as prime minister is all they've ever known.' A new election could also complicate U.S. efforts to press ahead with President Donald Trump's peace plan in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Even before it has been announced Palestinians have rejected it as a blow to their aspirations for statehood. The White House team behind the proposal, including Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, is in the Middle East to drum up support for an economic 'workshop' in Bahrain next month to encourage investment in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. ADVERTISEMENT The group is due in Israel on Thursday. Israel will hold a second election in five months after Benjamin Netanyahu failed to cobble together a coalition. The country's parliament voted to dissolve itself just weeks after the April 9 election, setting a new poll date for September 17. Netanyahu and his right-wing allies had appeared to win the first election, but coalition talks have foundered in a row over the military conscription of ultra-Orthodox Jews. Far-right former defence minister Avigdor Lieberman has refused to back down and his party's five seats are enough to deny Netanyahu a majority. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu looks set to push for a new general election just months after an April poll in a last-ditch effort to hold onto power Lieberman has insisted on the passing of a new law which would end the exemption. for ultra-Orthodox Jews. The issue is highly sensitive in Israel and the legislation is opposed by ultra-Orthodox parties, who control 16 seats in parliament and are a key part of Netanyahu's alliance. But without the five seats of Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu party, Netanyahu - who is also under pressure over looming criminal charges - cannot muster a majority. Last night the Israeli parliament, the Knesset voted 74-45 in favour of dissolving itself and setting elections for September 17 as a midnight deadline passed. Netanyahu voted in favour of new elections to prevent his nightmare scenario of Israeli President Reuven Rivlin selecting another parliament member to try to form a government. The prime minister has said Lieberman would be fully responsible for dragging the country to an 'expensive, wasteful' election if an agreement could not be made. After the vote, opposition leader Benny Gantz angrily accused Netanyahu of choosing self-preservation over allowing the country's political process to run its course. Gantz said that instead of following procedure, Netanyahu opted for 'three crazy months' of a new campaign and millions of wasted dollars over new elections because he is 'legally incapacitated' by looming indictments. 'There is no other reason,' Gantz said. Israel's former defence minister Avigdor Lieberman has prevented an agreement by refusing to abandon a key demand for ultra-Orthodox men to perform mandatory military service Netanyahu appeared to have a clear path to a majority coalition, and fifth term in office overall, after the April 9 elections. His Likud party secured 35 seats, tying it for the largest party in the highly fractured 120-seat parliament. Counting his traditional allies, he appeared to control a solid 65-55 majority. Netanyahu's ruling Likud has traditionally had an alliance with ultra-Orthodox and nationalist parties. But Lieberman, a former top Netanyahu aide, is a wild card. Though staunchly nationalist, he also champions a secular agenda aimed toward his political base of immigrants from the former Soviet Union. Likud insists Lieberman is motivated by his personal spite for Netanyahu and has launched a vicious campaign against him in recent days. But Lieberman says he is driven by ideology and will not be a hand to religious coercion. The former defence minister has described his refusal as a matter of principle, and in a late-night Facebook post on the eve of Wednesday's deadline reiterated his stance. 'I'm not vindictive. Im not on a vendetta or seeking to bring down the prime minister,' he said. 'We have no intention to give up our principles and the commitments we gave our voters.' Benjamin Netanyahu looked set to become Israel's longest-serving Prime Minister after his Likud party and its right-wing coalition partners secured the most seats in the country's parliament (shown left). Rival Benny Gantz's Blue and White party and his allies fell short of forming a viable government (top right), with Arab parties collecting a total of 10 seats (bottom right) Ultra-Orthodox parties consider conscription a taboo, fearing that military service will lead to immersion in secularism. But years of exemptions have generated widespread resentment among the rest of Jewish Israelis. A stalemate on the issue was one of the factors that shortened the term of the previous coalition government, which Lieberman resigned from months before elections were called because he disagreed with its policy toward the Gaza Strip. Dissolving parliament would be a shocking turn of events for Netanyahu, who has led the country for the past decade and appeared to capture a fourth consecutive term in April. While the prime minister has placed full blame of the looming election on Lieberman, others have pointed to Netanyahu's legal troubles as an obstacle. Failure to forge a coalition would see President Reuven Rivlin (pictured right, with Netanyahu) select another parliament member to try to form a government Netanyahu is facing possible indictment for bribery, fraud and breach of trust in the months ahead and is reportedly seeking legislation in the new parliament that would result in him being granted immunity. The main opposition Blue and White, a centrist alliance involving several former military chiefs, says a unity deal with Likud would be possible if Netanyahu would allow someone else from his party to form a government. Blue and White's leaders say they cannot join a government led by Netanyahu due to the corruption allegations he faces, and the premier is seen as wanting partners willing to support legislation that could result in his immunity. There has so far been no sign that Likud members would be willing to turn against Netanyahu. Parliament has already taken initial steps toward provoking new elections and could vote to dissolve itself later Wednesday. While new elections are emerging as the most likely path, there are other options. If a deal is not reached by the deadline, Rivlin could give Netanyahu another two weeks if he concludes the premier is the only person capable of forming a government. Netanyahu said Lieberman (pictured shaking hands) would be fully responsible for dragging the country to an 'expensive, wasteful' election if an agreement can't be made Alternatively, Rivlin could ask another member of parliament to take on the task. Netanyahu could also seek to form a minority government. Political commentators said that as the prospects dimmed for a compromise with Lieberman, Netanyahu would focus his efforts on enlisting the 61 votes needed in parliament to approve a new election. Chemi Shalev, writing in the left-wing Haaretz daily, said a last-minute agreement was still possible and Netanyahu would still be the favourite to win a new poll. But he said Netanyahu's critics now find themselves fantasizing about a world without him. 'It's not an easy task, given his decade in power and the four more years he supposedly had coming,' Shalev wrote. 'Young Israelis can't even begin to imagine an Israel without him: Netanyahu as prime minister is all they've ever known.' A new election could also complicate U.S. efforts to press ahead with President Donald Trump's peace plan in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Even before it has been announced Palestinians have rejected it as a blow to their aspirations for statehood. The White House team behind the proposal, including Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, is in the Middle East to drum up support for an economic 'workshop' in Bahrain next month to encourage investment in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. The group is due in Israel on Thursday. King Philippe of Belgium met with a far-right party leader, the first time since 1936 that an extreme right-wing party has been received by the monarch. The royal palace announced the meeting with the 32-year-old Tom Van Grieken of the Vlaams Belang party, after they scored a surprise second place in Dutch-speaking Flanders in federal and regional elections on Sunday. King Philippe shook Van Grieken's hand as the Flemish politician bowed before the monarch at the Royal Palace in Brussels on Wednesday. In 1936, Leopold III of Belgium greeted Leon Degrelle amid fascist clamour across Europe, Degrelle later collaborated with the Nazis during WWII. King Philippe of Belgium (right) welcomes chairman of Vlaams Belang party Tom Van Grieken ahead of a meeting at the Royal Palace in Brussels King Philippe of Belgium watches the party leader walk away after shaking his hand at the palace While extremely limited, the role of the Belgian monarch is to serve as a facilitator to build a ruling coalition, a complicated task in a country deeply split between French and Dutch speaking communities. The Vlaams Belang party emerged second in Flanders, behind the nationalist but more mainstream N-VA party. Before the announcement Van Grieken told Flemish media that he would definitely accept the invitation, should he get one. 'If you want to get respect you have to show respect, and that comes from both sides,' he told Radio 1. In the European Parliament, the party is allied with Marine Le Pen's National Rally party, which came out on top in France in EU elections on Sunday. With Socialists and Greens the victors in the French-speaking Wallonia region and Brussels, Belgium faces difficult negotiations to form a government. Leopold III, King of the Belgians, as a young man in uniform, seen sitting at his desk - in 1936, the far-right Rexist party won seats amid fascist clamour in Europe and he met with Leon Degrelle who collaborated with the Nazis during WWII Philippe of Belgium has already consulted various party leaders about prospects for a new coalition and asked outgoing Prime Minister Charles Michel to manage affairs for the time being. 'Just the idea of seeing Vlaams Belang arrive at the Palace scares the hell out of me, but in view of the democratic result in Flanders, no one will hold it against the King to receive them,' Maxime Prevot, head of the French-speaking centrists CDH party, told Belga news agency. Belgium took a record 541 days to form a government in 2010 and 2011. The U.S. Defense Department has submitted a report to Congress on rare earth minerals as it looks to reduce American reliance on China, the Pentagon said on Wednesday, amid mounting concern in Washington about Beijing's role as a supplier. Although the Pentagon did not provide details of the report, it said it was tied to a federal program designed to bolster domestic production capabilities by offering 'tailored' economic incentives. The move came hours after China hinted that a trade war with the U.S. could lead to real war with a coded warning as it threatens to stop exporting essential 'rare earth' minerals. A commentary in People's Daily, the mouthpiece of China's ruling Communist Party, today said 'Don't say we didn't warn you!' - which is a diplomatic term usually reserved by Beijing to signal the start of an armed warfare. China yesterday said it is 'seriously considering' restricting exports to the United States of rare earths, 17 chemical elements used in hospital scanners, nuclear power stations and LED lights. China accounted for 80 per cent of rare earth imports between 2014 and 2017 to the United States. 'The department continues to work closely with the president, Congress and the industrial base to mitigate U.S. reliance on China for rare earth minerals,' Lieutenant Colonel Mike Andrews, a Pentagon spokesman, told Reuters. The United States relies heavily on China for rare earth products. Beijing accounted for 80 per cent of rare earth imports to Washington between 2014 and 2017. Estonia is the second largest rare earth exporter to the U.S., accounting for just six per cent of the overall volume China is considering banning rare earths being exported to the U.S., a move which would hit the cost of everything from LED lightbulbs to phones. Pictured are samples of rare earth minerals (from left) Cerium Oxide, Bastnasite, Neodymium oxide and Lanthanum Carbonate China is by far the world's largest exporter of rare earth minerals, producing more than 95 per cent of the chemical elements used worldwide, or 120,000 tonnes every year 'The department recently submitted a Defense Production Act III rare earth mineral report to Congress, demonstrating the department's continued focus on reducing reliance on China,' Andrews said. The DPA Title III program was designed 'to create, maintain, protect, expand, or restore domestic industrial base capabilities,' according to a defense department website. The website noted that the program gives the U.S. president 'broad authority to ensure the timely availability of essential domestic industrial resources to support national defense and homeland security requirements through the use of highly tailored economic incentives.' It was unclear if the Pentagon offered any new suggestions for economic incentives as part of the report to Congress. The timing, however, is critical. The People's Daily column on Wednesday again hinted that China will use the natural resources to pressure Donald Trump in the trade war. 'Will rare earths become China's counter weapon against the unreasonable crackdown from the U.S.? The answer is not profound,' it said. The article then went on: 'American companies have particularly high demand for rare earth products. 'At present, some people from the U.S. side are indeed fantasising about obtaining resources independently, but it's unarguable that the U.S. depends highly on the global supply chain. Chinese President Xi Jinping visits a rare earth company in southern China last week President Xi learns about the production process and operation of the JL MAG Rare-Earth Co. Ltd. as well as the development of the rare earth industry in the city of Ganzhou Trade war: Trump, who returned from Japan with the first lady Melania Trump on Tuesday afternoon, is facing a new threat from China in their escalating tensions 'Without doubt, the U.S. wants to use the products made with the rare earths imported from China to suppress China's development. Chinese people must not agree,' it continued. The newspaper also stressed that China would prioritise its domestic demand on rare earth elements, which it billed as the 'vitamin for industries'. President Xi Jinping visited a rare earth company in southern China last week, state media reported, lifting the shares of producers on speculation that this indicated Beijing was considering using the chemicals in the U.S. trade war. The phrase 'Don't say we didn't warn you!' is often used by Chinese Communist Party leaders during or in the lead up to military conflicts. It was famously used by Chairman Mao in 1949 during the Chinese civil war as he warned his enemies to leave Beiping, now known as Beijing, and surrender to the Community Party. It also appeared in People's Daily columns in 1962 before China went to war with India over a disputed Himalayan border region as well as before the brief Sino-Vietnamese War in 1979. Last April, China's Xinhua News Agency also used the phrase to caution Washington after it announced plans for imposing tariffs on about 1,300 Chinese products following an investigation into the Chinese foreign trade policies. 'Anyone who is familiar with Chinese diplomacy would know the weight of this sentence,' a commentary at the time said. Rising trade tensions have led to concerns that Beijing will use its dominant position as a supplier of rare earths for leverage. People's Daily, the mouthpiece of China's Communist Party, today hinted that a rare earths ban may happen if Washington refuses to back down China has two major rare earth bases, Bayan Obo in the north and Ganzhou in the south Japanese industry sources said China temporarily cut off exports to Japan in 2010 when a territorial row flared between the Asian rivals, charges that Beijing denied. China is the world's largest exporter of rare earths, producing more than 95 per cent of the chemical elements used worldwide, or 120,000 tonnes a year. Beijing, however, has raised tariffs on imports of U.S. rare earth metal ores from 10 per cent to 25 per cent from June 1, making it less economical to process the material in China. China has used rare earths as a cudgel before. Five years ago, the World Trade Organization slapped down China's attempt to restrict the export of rare earths, rejecting its claim that it just wanted to protect the environment and conserve supplies. Instead, the move appeared to be aimed at hurting Japan with which Beijing was having a diplomatic tiff. Scott Kennedy, director of the project on the Chinese economy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the Chinese might benefit even less if they try to weaponize rare earths again. 'It's not the threat that it was ... when the Chinese threatened to cut off the Japanese,' he said. First, users of rare earths have stockpiled the minerals for a 'rainy day.' Second, they also have figured out how to 'use less rare earth to achieve the same results' in such products as lasers and magnets. And third, different minerals and chemicals are increasingly being used as rare earth substitutes. Kennedy predicts that once investors have 'realized the threat wasn't as dire, markets would bounce back.' Still, he isn't optimistic about the U.S.-China trade negotiations, which broke off May 10 after an 11th round of talks failed to produce an agreement. U.S. officials accused the Chinese of reneging on agreements they'd made in earlier rounds. 'The Chinese first are going to have to signal they will talk,' he said. Then they will have to go back to where they stood before they backpedaled on earlier concessions. 'I don't see any body language from the Chinese that they're about to do that,' Kennedy said. Carl Beech, 51, of Gloucester, arrives at Worcester Crown Court on March 8 last year A 'fantasist' accused of inventing a VIP Westminster sex ring helped detectives draw up e-fits of boys he claimed had been murdered by the MP Harvey Proctor and others, a court heard today. Carl Beech, 51, sobbed through the graphic accounts he gave of the horrifying murders of three young boys during 20 hours of police interviews. But prosecutors say the accounts - and the boys themselves - were fictitious. Beech, from Gloucester, sat with e-fit artist Detective Constable Tony Barnes in November 2014 and described in detail the boys who he claimed to have watched being murdered in sadistic attacks at unknown London addresses. The boys in the photographs were described by police as 'Homicide 2' and Homicide 3' because Beech was unable to give their names, where they were from or any detail on their accents. He told police he didn't know the names of two of the boys who were killed, but mentioned others by name including 'Duncan' and 'Fred'. The boys in the e-fits were described by police as 'Homicide 2' and Homicide 3' because Beech was unable to give their names, where they were from or any detail on their accents When asked whether he spoke to the boys or knew anything about them, Beech told Detective Sergeant James Townly: 'When you got a chance to say anything it was to see if they were OK. 'Not where they are from, none of the niceties like that, it was 'Are you OK? Are you hurting?', trying to look out for each other and sometimes we'd get a name.' Beech detailed three murders in total. He said the first was a hit and run by 'The Group' which involved a boy called Scott, who was mown down by a car as he walked away from primary school with Beech in around 1979. The second was in around 1981 when he gave a tearful account of seeing him murdered by former Billericay Tory MP Mr Proctor, now 71. Beech told police: 'Harvey raped him. I pleaded with them to stop but they didn't listen. They said it would be me next, Harvey grabbed me he put me onto the table and raped me. 'Harvey put his hands around his neck, he (the murdered boy) reached for my hand . He gave up, he gave up he didn't struggle, his grip lessened. Carl Beech, pictured in a police interview in 2014, which has been played at Newcastle Crown Court where he denies 12 counts of perverting the course of justice and one of fraud 'I couldn't do anything, I couldn't do anything. He died. I could still feel his hand in my hand. They left the room again, he wouldn't wake up. When they came back in they laughed, they just laughed and he was just laid there.' In the third murder he gave a similarly detailed account of watching a boy being beaten to death by Mr Proctor and an unnamed other man whilst former home secretary Lord Brittan sat watching. The 'fantasist' helped detectives draw up e-fits of boys he claimed had been murdered by the MP Harvey Proctor (above) and others Detective Constable Barnes went through the lengthy process of drawing up the e-fits with Beech. DC Barnes is the Met's only e-fit expert and said he produces around 300 to 350 images a year mostly for the most serious of offences such as murder, serious sexual offences and terrorism. DC Barnes said the experience with Beech was the only time in his 10 years as an e-fit artist that he had drawn up images of alleged victims of crime. Under Beech's guidance DC Barnes created computer images of two blue eyed boys. The first had dark hair and wore a dark round-necked top, whilst the second was blonde and wore a white polo shirt. DC Barnes said that Beech was specific in his instructions. He said: 'He asked me to add a furrow to the brow of the first image (the dark haired boy) which I did. 'During the process with Nick he was engaging, he appeared very nervous to me but was engaging in answering everything I asked him.' DC Barnes said each witness who he dealt with would be asked to give the image a score out of 10, with 10 being an exact replica. Beech, pictured in a court sketch on May 14, said former MI5 and MI6 heads tortured him by tipping spiders over him, gave him electric shocks and threw darts at him If the score was below seven the images would not be printed for evidence - but Beech passed the seven threshold and the images became part of the enquiry. DC Barnes said: 'They are not my images, I am there to assist, it is what the witness tells me the person looks like. they should be getting clearer to what they remember seeing with every stage.' On December 18, 2014 Beech received words of support from the Metropolitan Police officer who had heard his allegedly false confessions. A senior officer with the force described Beech's allegations as 'credible and true' - whilst Beech's trial at Newcastle Crown Court has been told they were the opposite - 'incredible and untrue.' Prosecutor Tony Badenoch said the allegations against the likes of ex Prime Minister Edward Heath, former home secretary Leon Brittan, former Commander-in-Chief of the Army Lord Bramall and ex-MP Mr Proctor were 'heinous.' Giving evidence, Detective Sergeant James Townly said he and a fellow officer, Detective Constable James Lowe, had built a 'rapport' with Beech since first meeting him in November 2014 when he began his disclosures to them. Beech claimed he was undressed and abused by Lord Bramall (pictured in November 2017 at his home in Hampshire), who is now aged 95 And Beech told them he preferred to deal with only those two officers as the investigation progressed. On December 18, Detective Sergeant Townly emailed Beech saying: 'James and I appreciate how hard this is for you and will do everything we can to help and reassure you. Try to remain positive, you have come so far.' Beech is on trial for claiming 22,000 criminal injuries compensation under false pretences and perverting the course of justice through lies which implicated Sir Edward, Mr Brittan, Lord Bramall and the heads of MI5 and MI6. Previously the trial has been told Beech falsely claimed he had been raped by senior army officers and the disgraced television presenter Jimmy Savile. He told the Metropolitian Police that around 15 men attended weekly abuse parties all over the South of England, including the late former Tory PM Ted Heath's yacht, exclusive clubs and Dolphin Square, where many MPs lived near Westminster. Beech also said former MI5 and MI6 heads tortured him by tipping spiders over him, gave him electric shocks and threw darts at him. And he alleged the former Conservative Home Secretary Leon Brittan was also part of the ring. His claims led to the Met Police launching Operation Midland, which cost 2million and was dropped after 16 months without anyone being charged. It was then that Northumbria Police were called in to investigate Beech and unpicked his alleged web of deceit, the court has heard. He denies 12 charges of perverting justice and one of fraud by falsely claiming 22,000 criminal injuries compensation. When the Met asked Northumbria Police to investigate Beech in 2016, cops raided the rented three-bedroom house in Gloucester where he lived with his son. They discovered on the drive a new 34,000 white Ford Mustang convertible which was bought with the compensation cash he received, it is alleged. Beech is said to have later fled to Sweden but was tracked down and extradited back to the UK to face justice. The trial continues A Baghdad court has sentenced a seventh French jihadist to death for joining the Islamic State group. Yassin Sakkam was among 12 French citizens transferred to Iraqi authorities in January by a US-backed force fighting the jihadist group in neighbouring Syria. The 29-year-old is now among seven French jihadists facing death row in Iraq for belonging to Islamic State. Also facing death row are Salim Machou, Kevin Gonot, Leonard Lopez, Brahim Nejara and Mustapha Merzoughi. Yassin Sakkam, 29, has been sentenced to death by a Baghdad court for joining the Islamic State group after leaving France in 2014 Also condemned to death for their membership with the terrorist group is Salim Machou (left) and Kevin Gonot (right) In court Sakkam admitted to being paid $70 (62 euros) a month by the terrorist group and said: 'I admit to having sworn allegiance'. Sakkam, who was dressed in a yellow prison uniform and sported a closely cropped goatee, said he regretted his decision to join IS, and asked to be pardoned. Iraq has taken custody of thousands of jihadists in recent months after they were captured by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces during the battle to destroy the IS 'caliphate'. They include hundreds of foreigners suspected of IS membership, raising the question of whether suspected IS jihadists should be tried in the region or repatriated. France has long insisted its adult citizens captured in Iraq or Syria must face trial locally, while reiterating its opposition to capital punishment. Iraqi law provides for the death penalty for anyone joining a 'terrorist group' - even those who did not take up arms. French nationals Leonard Lopez (left) and Brahim Nejara (right) have also been sentenced to death for joining IS Also sentenced to death for joining the terrorist group Islamic State is French national Mustapha Merzoughi Sakkam left France in late 2014 to fight for IS, posting pictures online of himself carrying arms and speaking to multiple media outlets about the group. He became one of the most notorious jihadists from France, which has been seeking his arrest since 2016. Kurdish authorities detained him in Syria in 2017. His brother Karim carried out a suicide attack at the Iraqi-Jordanian border in 2015, according to the French Center for the Analysis of Terrorism. Also on Wednesday, an Iraqi court sentenced 24-year-old Tunisian Mohammed Berriri to death for joining IS, after a hearing lasting less than an hour. Berriri, also dressed in a yellow prison uniform, admitted to joining IS, saying he thought it was 'defending the weak', but said he now regretted doing so. Sakkam and the six other French citizens handed death sentences in recent days have 30 days to appeal. Iraqi courts have already found 500 foreign men and women guilty of having joined Islamic State The remaining five French suspects face trial in the coming days. Iraqi courts have dealt with a steady flow of jihadists - with 500 foreign men and women already found guilty of having joined IS. None of those sentenced to death have so far been executed. The trials have been criticised by human rights groups, which say they often rely on evidence obtained through torture. In a statement sent to AFP, a group representing the families of French jihadists asked the government in Paris to 'do everything possible to stop this fatal chain of death sentences' and to try them 'on our soil'. On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said France was stepping up efforts to stop Iraq executing those convicted. France's rights ombudsman on Wednesday said the country must stop the 'inhumane treatment' of children of jihadists stranded in Syria who are not being allowed to come to the country. Meanwhile, Iraq repatriated to Turkey on Wednesday 188 children of Turks accused of belonging to the Islamic State group, a capital offence in Iraq, the judiciary said. The move follows the repatriation to Tajikistan late last month of 84 children of nationals convicted by Iraqi courts of membership of IS or other jihadist groups. That came after dozens of children were flown to Russia and after France and Germany repatriated the children of women nationals detained in Iraq. Baghdad declared victory over IS in 2017 but the group's cross-border 'caliphate' was only eliminated when US-backed fighters conquered its last scrap of territory in Syria in March. A former aide to US president Donald Trump has urged the country to cut its ties to Australia, calling its ally a weak link. George Papadopoulos, 31, took to Twitter on Tuesday to make a post warning America to be careful of some of its closest political friends. 'Keep the heat on the UK/Australia and Italy/Malta (the weak links in the chain),' one tweet read. 'There was a coordinated effort here to take us down. These countries have no loyalty anymore to the previous admin. Political change has rocked Europe. Leverage it!' Mr Papadopoulos acted as policy adviser to then-candidate Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign. George Papadopoulos took to Twitter on Tuesday to make a series of posts warning America to be careful of its closest political friends Papadopoulos was jailed for a period of 12 days after an FBI investigation was launched into possible collusion between Russia and America(pictured, former foreign affairs minister Alexander Downer was also the target of Papadopoulos' attack on Twitter) Papadopoulos acted as policy adviser to president Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign US Attorney-General William Barr has been tasked with examining the events that prompted an FBI probe into whether Donald Trump's 2016 US presidential campaign colluded with Russia, and Mr Trump has said he wants Australia's role examined. The move has been denounced by some members of US Congress who predicted trust between the Five Eyes intelligence sharing nations - the US, Australia, UK, Canada and New Zealand - could be eroded. The FBI probe led to Bob Mueller being appointed as US Special Counsel to investigate links between the Trump campaign and Russia. His report pointed to a 2016 meeting between in a London bar between then Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos and Australian's then high commissioner to the UK Alexander Downer. Mr Downer claimed Mr Papadopoulos told him at the bar Russia had damaging material on Trump's presidential rival Hillary Clinton. The information was forwarded to Canberra and then passed on to US intelligence services and the FBI. Mr Papadopoulos, who spent 14 days in jail after pleading guilty to lying to the FBI, claimed Mr Downer spied on him during the bar meeting, a charge Mr Downer rejects. Other meetings took place between Mr Papadopoulos and Joseph Mifsud, a Maltese academic who also. George Papadopoulos, 31, took to Twitter on Tuesday to make a post warning America to be careful of its closest political friends Mr Papadopolous also attacked Mr Mifsud and Mr Downer in a series of tweets on Sunday, saying that he would be 'exposed' Mr Papadopolous also attacked Mr Mifsud and Mr Downer in a pair of tweets on Sunday, saying that he would be 'exposed'. 'FBI assets like Joseph Mifsud and Alexander Downer will all be exposed. The Russians were non existent,' he wrote. 'Alexander Downers fake testimony against me helped launch a witch-hunt. 'My real testimony against him has launched an unprecedented investigation into the deep state and its global actors in Italy-Ukraine-UK-Australia. 'Downer will forever be remembered as the Clinton errand boy. 'Subpoena him and expose the Australians. They need us. We don't need them!' The last of the 'Gorillas in the Mist' is presumed dead with the 43-year-old having not been seen for almost a year. The ape, called Poppy, was born into American naturalist Dian Fossey's conservationist camp for the species in Rwanda in 1976. The gorillas of Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park were immortalised in the award-winning 1988 film, 'Gorillas in the Mist' starring Sigourney Weaver as Fossey. Fossey - who was brutally murdered in her jungle cabin in 1985 - described Poppy as a 'little darling ... winsome and appealing. She could do no wrong.' Dian Fossey studying Poppy the gorilla when she was a baby - Poppy was born in 1976 into Fossey's conservationist camp and described by her as a 'little darling ... winsome and appealing. She could do no wrong' Poppy gave birth at 41 - the oldest recorded gorilla to have ever given birth, two years before her presumed death Fossey established the camp in 1967 in an effort to protect the dwindling gorilla population - reduced by the stray bullets of civil war and poaching. Her legacy continues to this day and has helped protect the species from utter extinction. The Fossey Fund said: 'The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund is sad to announce that Poppy, the last living gorilla featured by famed primatologist Dian Fossey in "Gorillas in the Mist," is believed dead. She would have been 43 on April 1. 'Poppy was born into Fossey's Group 5 on April Fools' Day in 1976. It was an auspicious birthday for the playful young gorilla, who was full of personality.' Dian Fossey's work was immortalised by Sigourney Weaver in the 1988 film 'Gorillas in the Mist' shot on location in Rwanda The gorilla was a member of one of the mountain's 'royal families,' her mother Effie was the legendary matriarch whose family spread throughout the national park. Her other famous relatives include the silverbacks Cantsbee and Isabukuru, and her sister Maggie was Weaver's favourite while filming 'Gorillas in the Mist.' Dian Fossey was brutally murdered in the Rwandan jungle in December 1985 At 41, Poppy was also the oldest recorded gorilla to give birth and was studied by primatologists from her birth into her old age. 'Being able to observe Poppy over so many stages of life gave researchers a wealth of knowledge,' says Dr. Tara Stoinski, Fossey Fund President and CEO/Chief Scientific Officer. 'She taught us so much about the rich social and reproductive lives of female gorillas, their dominance structure, and of course, their personalities.' Much of the history of the gorilla's life can be found in Fossey's journals and she was one of her favourites. Poppy had lived with Group 5 until November 1985, just a few weeks before Fossey was killed. She later lived with the Susa Group for the next three decades while being monitored by the Rwandan Development Board. Poppy and her baby - Fossey wrote extensively about Poppy in her journals and was one of her favourites Poppy was a dominant female and gave birth to thriving offspring and is survived by five of those gorillas, as well as her sister Mahane. In December 1985, Fossey's mutilated body was discovered at the Karisoke research centre after she was hacked to pieces with a machete. Poachers have been suspected of her killing because of her fearless campaign of burning their houses, leading patrols, ordering her students to carry guns and putting bounties on poachers' heads. Chilling footage released today shows one of the London Bridge terrorists shopping for 6 knives and 2.49 rose wine in Lidl as he planned to murder people with Molotov cocktails. Khuram Butt, 27, Rachid Redouane, 30, and Youssef Zaghba, 22, killed eight people when they drove a van into pedestrians and stabbed others in the London Bridge area on June 3, 2017. The trio had originally intended to target shoppers on Oxford Street using a hired 7.5-tonne lorry but changed their plan at the eleventh hour. CCTV shown to the Old Bailey inquest today shows Redouane buying bottles of wine which he filled with petrol, and 12in knives which were later used to murder bystanders - from a Lidl store in East Ham in the days leading up to the massacre. They also had a lethal arsenal of weapons in their Hertz rental van, blow torches and fake suicide vests, and planned to set off a firestorm of Molotov cocktails during their sickening rampage. Police found 29 bags of gravel in the van, which had been placed in the back in a bid to increase its weight and inflict more severe injuries. Two blowtorches with canisters containing a mixture of butane and propane were also recovered. The inquest into the London Bridge deaths began on May 7 and has already heard details of the eight victims and a narrative of the night of terror. Footage from Lidl on May 15 showed Redouane entering in a red and black coloured jacket with beanie hat at 9.59pm and picking up basket, which he wheeled around as he casually walked down the aisle. A member of staff put the knives through the self-service till for him and dropped them into a carrier bag CCTV shows Rachid Redouane buying 12inch knives from a Lidl store in East Ham, London, which were used in the killing spree On May 30, Redouane went back to the same Lidl to buy wine bottles for the makeshift bombs A mobile phone found in the van they used for the attack had Oxford Street set as its destination, and an arrival time in 10 minutes. The men drove once across the bridge before doubling back and driving across a third time to launch their attack on London Bridge and through Borough Market. Jonathan Hough QC, said there was 'nothing to indicate that London Bridge was a target, it is possible that it was identified en route, and the first pass was the first reconnaissance.' In the footwell of the van police later found 13 bottles of fruity rose wine which Redouane had bought in two boxes from Lidl and filled with petrol. He had bought the pink ceramic knives from the same shop on May 15, two weeks before the attack, and his DNA was found on the fake suicide belts the men wore, suggesting he had made them. Redouane bought a pink ceramic knife (pictured) on May 15, two weeks before the attack From left: Khuram Butt, Rachid Redouane and Youssef Zaghba killed eight people as they drove a van into pedestrians on June 3, 2017 The trio hired this van to mow down innocent people as they enjoyed an evening out in the London Bridge area This map shows the progress of the London Bridge attackers near the scene of the violence Thirteen bottles of rose (including this one), were found in the footwell of the killers' rental van, each filled with highly flammable fuel The men met at the Ummah Fitness Centre, a gym where Butt worked, shortly after midnight on May 29, five days before the attack. Redouane placed his phone on a crate outside the entrance to the gym to avoid surveillance and the three men walked along a nearby street in conversation. All three men were back at the gym together shortly after 10pm on the evening of June 2, the day before the attacks. The court was shown CCTV of the attackers making their final preparations. In the footage, married Butt and Redouane appeared to play the role of doting fathers with their young children hours before unleashing carnage. Butt spent the morning playing with his two-year-old son and month-old daughter in his local park with his wife. CCTV footage shows him lifting his son up as he withdraws 170 from an ATM to pay for the hire of the van. Mr Hough said: 'These are domestic scenes which cannot be more different from the night's events that follow.' Khuram Butt, one of the terrorists involved in the van and knife attack on London Bridge, with his family on the day of the attack The terrorists can be seen on CCTV here beginning their journey from Barking to central London on the day of the attack Rachid Redouane and Youssef Zaghba and Khuram Butt entering the Ummah Fitness Centre in Ilford that all three regularly trained in, days before the attack This map shows the route the terrorists took as they murdered eight people in central London CCTV released by police today shows the van hurtling through London in the moments before the attack A mobile phone found in the Hertz rental van they used for the attack had Oxford Street set as its destination, and an arrival time in 10 minutes The attackers were seen on CCTV footage meeting at the fitness centre in the run-up The court was shown CCTV of the attackers making their final preparations in Butt's flat block. Left, Redouane and right, Butt The attackers also bought 29 bags of gravel, which were put in the back of the vehicle to add weight They had a lethal arsenal of weapons in their van, blow torches and fake suicide vests, and planned to set off a firestorm of Molotov cocktails during their sickening rampage Rachid Redouane (left) and Khuram Butt (centre) shaking hands and Youssef Zaghba (right) hugging Khiram Butt before departing. From CCTV outside the Ummah Fitness Club in Barking East London, in the early hours of May 29 2017 Butt had changed into an Arsenal away top with the name Kool-K and the number 4 on the back after earlier taking his son and baby daughter to the park with his wife. CCTV footage showed Redouane with his young daughter as he went with Butt to hire the van for the attack. Redouane was seen playing football with his daughter, who he was looking after while his former partner, Charisse O'Leary, was at a family barbecue. Earlier Butt had made a booking at S and J self-drive for an Iveco 7.5 ton lorry but never collected it, possibly because the branch had closed at 11am that day. Footage from Lidl on May 15 showed Redouane entering in a red and black coloured jacket with beanie hat at 9.59pm and picking up basket, which he wheeled around as he casually walked down the aisle. A member of staff put the knives through the self-service till for him and dropped them into a carrier bag. Redouane shopped for wine and knives in London in the days before the attack The men met at the Ummah Fitness Centre, a gym where Butt worked, shortly after midnight on May 29, five days before the attack. Redouane placed his phone on a crate outside the entrance to the gym to avoid surveillance and the three men walked along a nearby street in conversation Butt was captured on CCTV in his flat block on the day of the attack The graphic above shows the various points in the London Bridge and the surrounding areas which were affected Butt was said to have been spending more time at the Ummah Fitness Centre, a gym in Ilford, east London, helping run the gym and training with the two other London Bridge attackers Who were the victims of the London Bridge terror attack? Ignacio Echeverria Spaniard Ignacio Echeverria was stabbed to death as he tried to fight off the terrorist attackers with his skateboard. The 39-year-old had been in the UK for over a year was working as a financial crime analyst at HSBC. Mr Echeverria joined unarmed police constables Wayne Marques and Charlie Guenigault in fighting off the three attackers as they set upon Marie Bondeville, hitting at least one terrorist with his skateboard. 'His courageous efforts were to seek to stop the attack,' Chief Coroner Mark Lucraft said. Kirsty Boden Mr Echeverria was the youngest of five siblings and was a Catholic who went to mass every week. He could speak English, German and French fluently. Nurse Kirsty Boden was fatally stabbed as she tried to tend to the wounded and the dying. Miss Boden, 28, moved to London in 2013 from the small town of Loxton, in South Australia. She was a senior staff nurse at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital and lived with her British boyfriend James Hodder in a flat in Hampstead. Mr Hodder said: 'She loved people and loved her life helping others. To Kirsty, her actions that night would have been an extension of how she lived her life.' Alexandre Pigeard Alexandre Pigeard was working as a waiter at Boro Bistro when he was attacked. The 26-year-old Frenchman had moved to London to further his ambitions as a dance music DJ. Minutes before he was fatally stabbed, he video-called his father Philippe during a break from work at the French restaurant. Mr Pigeard had planned to return to France in the autumn of 2017 to help open a restaurant in Nantes and to record an EP with his musician father. Mr Pigeard senior told the inquest: 'I'm present here as a devastated father who has lost a child in such circumstances - an inconsolable father.' James McMullan James McMullan was stabbed in the chest near the Barrowboy and Banker pub while he was celebrating getting financial backing for his online education company. The British-Filipino entrepreneur was watching the Champions League final with friends in the pub. The 32-year-old, from Hackney in East London, was attacked when he stepped outside to have a cigarette. He had dreamed of helping children without access to education through his e-learning company. Mr McMullan's father Simon described his son as 'funny, charming and clever' and said 'his fearlessness could never be underestimated'. Sebastien Belanger The mother of chef Sebastien Belanger said she does not forgive the terrorists who 'mutilated and killed him'. Her 36-year-old son was drinking at the Boro Bistro when he was stabbed repeatedly in the chest. His mother Josiane Belanger said: 'We miss him so much, his smile, his joie de vivre. I do not forgive what they did to him.' Originally from Angers in western France, Mr Belanger started work at the Coq d'Argent in the City and was promoted to the role of head chef. Australian au pair Sara Zelenak was on the 'trip of a lifetime' when she was stabbed to death while on a night out with a friend. Sara Zelenak Miss Zelenak's mother Julie Wallace said 'every sliding door' put her daughter in 'harm's way'. 'She was meant to be working and at the last minute she got the night off,' Mrs Wallace said. 'At 10pm Sara's phone rang and her friend said 'I've finished at the rugby' and so she left her safe haven and walked out into a terrorist attack and was stabbed to death.' Before leaving for UK in March 2017, Miss Zelenak worked with her stepfather Mark as a crane truck operator in Brisbane to save up for her trip. Her parents have since set up Sarz Sanctuary to help other families to cope with grief. Xavier Thomas Xavier Thomas was walking over London Bridge with his girlfriend Christine Delcros when they were hit by the van. The 45-year-old father-of-two was catapulted into the Thames and his girlfriend suffered life-changing injuries. His body was recovered downstream three days later. Mr Thomas, who had arrived in London on the day of the attack, lived near Paris and worked for American Express. Miss Delcros said: 'Since Xavier disappeared in such tragic and traumatic circumstances our whole world has fallen apart.' Canadian tourist Christine Archibald told her fiance Tyler Ferguson she loved him seconds before she was mowed down. Christine Archibald Miss Archibald and Mr Ferguson were walking across London Bridge after dinning at a nearby restaurant when the atrocity unfolded. Her fiance said: 'At one point Chrissy stopped me out of nowhere, grabbed me close and gave me a passionate kiss after telling me she loved me. 'I remember it being a warm summer's evening and the sun had just gone down.. And then the attack took place and Chrissy was killed. 'No words can express how I felt when this happened. I was absolutely devastated and inconsolable. Nothing has ever been the same since.' Miss Archibald's engagement ring was lost during the attack, but later recovered from the bridge. Mr Ferguson now wears it on a chain around his neck. A driver miraculously escaped with only minor injuries when her car spun out of control and smashed in half when it crashed into trees. Dashcam footage captured the moment the driver of the blue Volkswagen Polo appeared to lose control after overtaking on a dual carriageway travelling from Bridgend to Kenfig Hill in Wales. The car spins across the road and then smashes into trees in the central reservation when the front and back of the vehicle separate on impact. The small car appeared to going at an excessive speed before it did a dangerous swerve. The combination of the swerve and speed caused the car veer toward the trees before smashing into them. One half of the car is flung into the trees, while the other half of the car flipped across the road. A driver with the dashboard camera was travelling from Bridgend to Kenfig Hill in Wales. In the video he had been overtaken by a car during the journey followed by a blue Volkswagen Polo that sped ahead of him on the dual carriage way The combination of the swerve and speed caused the car veer into the trees along the road before smashing into the trees As the dust and debris settled the driver, who asked to remain anonymous, slowly and cautiously drove ahead before pulling over to help the other driver. Describing the situation, he said: 'As I was approaching Laleston roundabout, a car, as seen in the video, overtook me in a dual carriageway and seemingly, having lost control, hit against a tree.' 'The car instantly got split into two.' 'I came out of the car, rang for ambulance and in few minutes there were quite a few people at the scene offering help.' The small car smashes into the trees by the right side of the road One half of the car is flung into the trees, while the other half of the car flips across the road In a statement, South Wales Police have said they are investigating the single vehicle collision. 'A blue Volkswagen Polo was travelling along the dual carriageway when it left the road and collided with a tree.' 'The 25 year-old female driver from Bridgend was taken to the Princess of Wales hospital, Bridgend with minor injuries.' South Wales Police are continuing to appeal for any witnesses to this incident, or anyone with any dash-can footage, who have not already done so, to contact them on 101 quoting reference 1900159367. Emma Langford, 47, of Hook, Hampshire, leaves Uxbridge Magistrates Court today A drunken British Airways passenger had to be forcibly restrained in her seat after storming the galley and smashing crockery when cabin crew refused to serve her a drink, a court heard today. Emma Langford, 47, had to be restrained in her seat during the 11-and-a-half hour long haul flight from London to Cape Town in South Africa after allegedly attacking staff who refused to serve her. A cabin crew manager claimed the businesswoman from Hook, Hampshire, 'smelt of alcohol' and 'puffed her chest out' before starting to punch him in the galley area of the Boeing 747-400. Langford, who is believed to be a divorced mother of two boys, admitted being drunk on an aircraft, behaving in a threatening manner towards aircraft crew and criminal damage at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court today. But she denies assaulting the three members of staff on the flight. Langford also claims the criminal damage was not deliberate, but magistrates told her that they will decide on that as part of a Newton hearing after her trial. The court heard Langford boarded British Airways flight BA043 from London Heathrow to Cape Town on December 6 last year. It was scheduled to depart at around 6.15pm and Langford is said to have approached a cabin crew member in the galley 30 minutes after take off. She boarded British Airways flight BA043 from London Heathrow last December (file image) Zara Khan, prosecuting, read a statement from flight crew member Matthew Richardson claiming Langford was behaving 'erratically' and smelt of alcohol. Miss Khan told how Mr Richarson, who works as a customer service manager for British Airways, said in his statement: 'I and several colleagues were assaulted by a disorderly passenger who later had to be forcibly restrained.' According to the charges, Langford assaulted Mr Richardson as well as Monique Foulger and Poppy Haynes. In the statement, Mr Richardson said: 'Around 30 minutes after take off Miss Langford came to the galley area of the aircraft where I was working. Langford, who is pictured at the court today, denies three counts of assault by beating 'She was raising her voice and displaying aggravated body language to Poppy Haynes. She said she had been on the aircraft for 'ages' and wanted something to drink. 'I informed her the bar was about to commence, I could smell alcohol on her so I asked her if she had already been drinking. She said she had not. 'I gave her a bottle of water and asked her to sit down. A few minutes later the same customer returned back to the area demanding a drink. 'She approached me with a puffed up chest and was behaving erratically. I instructed her I was not willing to discuss this further. She kept moving closer toward me. 'I asked a cabin crew assistant to come closer to me because I was becoming increasingly concerned. I asked her to calm down. 'Miss Langford ran towards Monique another cabin crew member and chased her away. She then returned to me and then punched me on my left collar bone three times.' The court heard Langford returned to her seat, but again returned to ask for a drink. Staff say they asked her to return to her seat and did not take further action because flight crew said handing her a violation notice may 'aggravate her further'. Mr Richardson said: 'I then saw the same customer being verbally abusive towards Miss Haynes. I asked her again to sit down. 'From the seat she punched at me then hitting me on my arms and hands and I'm aware Miss Haynes was assaulted by the customer. The six charges against Emma Langford PLEADED NOT GUILTY Assault by beating, three counts PLEADED GUILTY Criminal damage, one count Being drunk on an aircraft, one count Behaving in a threatening manner towards aircraft crew, one count Advertisement 'A short while later she got up again in the galley area shouting more abuse at me and my colleagues. 'She tipped up a drawer full of plates onto the floor and lifted trays of glasses onto the floor causing some of them to break. 'She struck at me a few times on my hands and arms. The flight crew issued us with a violation notice for the customer. 'I explained this to her and she then ripped this up and responded: 'blah, blah, blah' and had to remain restrained in the seat for the rest of the journey.' Meena Shinh, defending, said Langford denies assaulting the cabin crew and that 'any touching would have been when I was being restrained'. Chair of the bench Kamran Zubair said: 'Miss Langford you have heard your case is listed for trial on the 12 and 13 August. 'There are six charges, three of them you pleaded guilty to, those will be sentenced at the close of your trial.' Langford denied three counts of assault by beating and admitted one count of criminal damage, one count of being drunk on an aircraft and one count of behaving in a threatening manner towards aircraft crew. She is due to appear at the same court for a two-day trial. Village and town greens may be under threat after an Appeal Court ruling gives developers the right to build on open space in Royal Wootton Bassett. Britain's oldest national conservation body The Open Spaces Society says the latest judgment has consequences for the rights of people all over the country to protect land they have used for decades. The decision was made in the case of a village green in Wiltshire, Royal Wootton Bassett, that was given protected status as a town or village green (TVG) in 2017 by the council. But landowner Cooper Estates sought a judicial review and the Court of Appeal has now upheld a High Court decision that a village green be registered if the land has been identified for development in a local plan. The Court of Appeal decision was made in the case of a village green in Wiltshire. Local resident Richard Gosnell (pictured) applied to Wiltshire Council in 2016 to register 380 square metres of space in Royal Wootton Bassett as a town or village green After the green (pictured) was given TVG protection in 2017, landowner Cooper Estates sought judicial review of the registration. They argued at the High Court the land had been identified for 'potential development' by policies in Wiltshire Council's core strategy in 2015. They won their case Under current law, land can be registered as a town or village green (TVG) if local people have enjoyed it as a recreational space for 20 years without permission or challenge. And once registered, the land is protected from development. This applies even if the land itself has not been earmarked for development but is on the 'settlement boundary' as councils may identify it as being 'potentially' developed. The decision was made in the case of a village green in Wiltshire on the boundary of land earmarked for development under a local plan from 2015. Local resident Richard Gosnell applied to Wiltshire Council in 2016 to register 380 square metres of space in Royal Wootton Bassett as a TVG. The town of around 11,000 people was given Royal status by the Queen in 2011 due to its role as the town where bodies were repatriated from Afghanistan for military funerals. It was the first town to get Royal status since 1909. The Court of Appeal said although the green space in Royal Wootton Bassett had not been identified in the plan as a development site, it was in the settlement boundary and this would 'frustrate the broad objectives of the plan'. This was because the development plan by Wiltshire Council had suggested a 'relaxation' of settlement boundaries to 'identify new developable land', according to the judgement After the green was given TVG protection in 2017, landowner Cooper Estates sought judicial review of the registration. They argued at the High Court the land had been identified for 'potential development' by policies in Wiltshire Council's core strategy in 2015. They won their case after judges agreed land earmarked for potential development in a local authority plan amounts to a 'trigger event' under the Growth and Infrastructure Act 2013. A trigger event prevents the land from being protected as a TVP. TVP status also cannot be granted even if, despite development plans, a local authority doesn't think planning permission would be granted - for example if the land is currently a playing field. An appeal by Wiltshire Council has now been dismissed. The Court of Appeal said although the green space in Royal Wootton Bassett had not been identified in the plan as a development site, it was in the settlement boundary and this would 'frustrate the broad objectives of the plan'. Why village greens could be under threat Under current law land can be registered as a town or village green if local people have enjoyed it as a recretional space for 20 years - once registered this land is then protected. But a new Court of Appeal has now upheld a High Court decision that the registration cannot be made if the land has been identified for development in a local plan. This applies even if the land itself has not been earmarked for development but is on the 'settlement boundary' as councils may identify it as being 'potentially' developed. The decision was made in the case of a village green in Wiltshire on the boundary of land earmarked for development under a local plan from 2015. The green was given TVG protection in 2017, but landowner Cooper Estates sought judicial review of the registration, and won their case. Advertisement This was because the development plan by Wiltshire Council had suggested a 'relaxation' of settlement boundaries to 'identify new developable land', according to the judgement. Lord Justice Lewison said: 'It cannot be right that a registration authority has, in effect, to decide whether planning permission would be granted before deciding whether to entertain an application for the registration of a TVG. 'The registration authority would not be required to consider whether planning permission would be granted. 'It is clear from the development plan that the planning authority envisaged that during the currency of the development plan over 1,000 new homes would be needed in Royal Wootton Bassett 'To allow a registration of a TVG within the settlement boundary would, in my judgement, frustrate the broad objectives of the plan. 'That is precisely the reason why Parliament decided that, in circumstances like the present, a TVG should not be registered; but, instead, the question of development should be left to the planning system.' He added that although town and village greens may no longer be protected under the registration system because of the loophole - it did not mean there would be a 'free for all' to develop in green spaces. He said: 'Although the absolute protection against development in consequence of registration as a TVG is removed, that does not lead to the consequence that the land will be developed. 'Within the planning system, the land in question could be given the status of Local Green Space within the emerging plan. That would confer on the land the same planning status as green belt land. 'So there is no question of a free for all within the settlement boundary.' But Nicola Hodgson, case officer for the Open Spaces Society, said the case has ramifications for green spaces all over the UK. She said: 'The wide interpretation of 'potential development' in the context of the local plan will make it very difficult for local people to protect their rights and register land as a TVG. 'Many people find the local plan process impenetrable and do not realise early enough in the process that land may be subject to development proposals. 'Lord Justice Lewison mentioned that land could instead be protected as a local green space (LGS). 'However, the opportunities for applying for land to be so designated are few because an application can only be made where a local plan is being reviewed or when a neighbourhood plan is being prepared. 'The designation itself does not give the same permanent protection as registration as a TVG, and it does not provide rights of access for recreation. 'This is a real blow to communities and we urge them to identify now land they believe to be eligible for registration before it becomes defined as land for potential development.' Mr Gosnell, who applied to register the land in Royal Wootton Bassett as a TVG in 2017, said: 'I am disappointed at the appeal decision, particularly as it may allow the landowner to destroy those aspects of the land which make it an attractive amenity. 'It has been used and enjoyed by the public since 1969 and has been mowed by the council's mowing team so we presumed it belonged to the council. 'Sadly, the land's only protection now is for a benign landowner to acquire the land or for Wiltshire Council to continue to refuse any future applications to build houses on it (there have been six applications over 17 years). 'Our application for a TVG was about use of the land as an amenity rather than trying to thwart development. Local residents have enjoyed the natural beauty of the land, its birds, flowers and bushes, for decades.' Cooper Estates have been contacted for comment. Three white female executives in the New York Education Department were demoted in favor of less-qualified people of color, a $90million suit launched by the women claims. The longtime officials say they were unfairly targeted as part of the department's crusade against 'toxic whiteness' through its controversial racial equity plan. Lois Herrera started at the DOE in 1986 as a guidance counselor and worked her way up to lead its Office of Safety and Youth Development. In the suit filed Tuesday, she claims she saw the culture shift when Mayor Bill de Blasio appointed Richard Carranza as the chancellor of NYC's public schools in April 2018. Lois Herrera is one of three women suing the New York Education Department for $90m over claims they were demoted in favor of less-qualified people of color By June the Harvard graduate - who was recognized in 2017 for contributing to the 'safest year on record' in city schools - was abruptly removed from her position and demoted three levels. The experienced official was replaced by Mark Rampersant, an African American man who was 'demonstrably less qualified,' according to the suit. Rampersant was reportedly ushered in without so much as a formal search or interview process. The suit says Richard Carranza (pictured with Mayor Bill de Blasio) instituted an anti-white regime when became chancellor of public schools in March of 2018 Herrera claims she was left embarrassed and 'forced' to attend Rampersant's promotion ceremony. Her belongings were reportedly stuffed into boxes and stashed under a stairwell before she was transferred to an office in the Bronx. Herrera was never given any reasoning for her demotion but claims she was told, 'If you've been with the DOE for more than 20 years, you are responsible for the problem,' by LaShawn Robinson, the then executive director of the DOE's Office of Equity and Access. Robinson, who is black, reportedly told white attendees at a training seminar they 'had to take a step back and yield to colleagues of color' and 'recognize that values of white culture are supremacist'. When Herrera was replaced by Rampersant, another plaintiff Jaye Murray was told that she would now report to him. The move was seen as a demotion for Murray, who was the executive director of the Office of Counseling Support Programs and had been with the DOE since 2006. Jaye Murray was the executive director of the Office of Counseling Support Programs and had been with the DOE since 2006 when she was abruptly demoted Robinson justified the move as a move 'in a different direction', the suit claims. It wasn't long before Murray was demoted another two levels, the documents claim. A third woman, Laura Feijoo, claims Carranza went out of his way to promote a black woman who was far less qualified over her. When Carranza was appointing his first deputy chancellor, he tapped Cheryl Waston-Harris without interviewing Feijoo, who was her boss. Feijoo was in charge of supervising all 46 of the DOE superintendents, whereas Watson-Harris didn't have the necessary license to be first deputy chancellor. Carranza went out of his way to create a 'transition period' so the under-qualified worker could obtain it, the filing says. Feijoo was then demoted further when nine employees were promoted into a new role of 'executive superintendent'. None of the new executive superintendents were white, and all were now above Feijoo. A third woman, Laura Feijoo (pictured), was replaced by one of her delegates who didn't have the correct paperwork to take the role, the file says The three executives declined to comment through their lawyer Davida S. Perry. But in the filing, Perry wrote: 'Under Carranzas leadership, DOE has swiftly and irrevocably silenced, sidelined and punished plaintiffs and other Caucasian female DOE employees on the basis of their race, gender and unwillingness to accept their other colleagues hateful stereotypes about them.' A fourth white DOE employee with similar claims may also file a similar suit. In a statement, Perry told The New York Post: 'As opposed to being assessed by their results or their actions, our clients were removed from their respective responsibilities and replaced by less qualified (or not qualified) individuals due to their gender and the color of their skin,' said Perry in a statement. The Department of Education responded to The Post on Tuesday with the same statement it gave two weeks ago when asked about the race issue. 'We hire the right people to get the job done for kids and families, and these claims of 'reverse racism' have no basis in fact,' it repeated. Department insiders say that under Chancellor Richard Carranza, who was appointed by Mayor Bill de Blasio, administrators are subjected to endless lectures and workshops critiquing 'whiteness' and attempting to root out 'white supremacy' in the workplace. The DOE has contracted Pacific Educational Group Inc for $775,000 to run workshops about racism in the workplace, paying out $582,603 so far. The company defines 'whiteness' as: 'The component of each and every one of ourselves that expects assimilation to the dominant culture.' 'There's been a lot of discussion of white supremacy and how it manifests in the workplace, conversations about race, and looking at how the white culture behaves,' one white executive who received the training told the Post. Donald Trump said Wednesday that former Alabama judge Roy Moore, who lost a 2017 Senate race after denying a string of claims of sexual misconduct with teenage girls, should stay out of a 2020 election where the Democrat who beat him in 2017 is seeking a full term in office. But the president said he has 'nothing against' the polarizing Republican who cost the GOP an ordinarily safe seat the last time around as a cascade of sexual misconduct accusations fell on his head. 'Republicans cannot allow themselves to again lose the Senate seat in the Great State of Alabama. This time it will be for Six Years, not just Two,' Trump wrotein a paid or tweets. 'I have NOTHING against Roy Moore, and unlike many other Republican leaders, wanted him to win. But he didnt, and probably wont.' 'If Alabama does not elect a Republican to the Senate in 2020, many of the incredible gains that we have made during my Presidency may be lost, including our Pro-Life victories,' he added. 'Roy Moore cannot win, and the consequences will be devastating....Judges and Supreme Court Justices!' Moore, who is recently as 2015 said homosexuality should be against the law, fired back on Twitter. 'Ever wonder why the mere mention of my name scares the hell out of the Washington DC establishment, liberals, and LGBT? Like Pres[ident] Trump I want to see America great again, but that is a job only God can do!' Moore wrote. Failed Alabama U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore wants a do-over and President Donald Trump fears a repeat of the 2017 result when sexual misconduct allegations handed the usually reliably red seat to a Democrat Trump said Wednesday that he has 'nothing against' Moore but wants him to stay out of next year's Senate race Trump signaled that he won't endorse Moore again even if he were to improbably win another Republican primary Donald Trump Jr. blasted Moore in more pointed words on Tuesday night after the 72-year-old Alabamian said he would enter a Republican Senate primary contest for the second time. Moore had tweeted a jab at his likely primary opponent, Rep. Bradley Byrne, saying that '[h]e knows that if I run I will beat Doug Jones.' 'You mean like last time? Youre literally the only candidate who could lose a GOP seat in pro-Trump, pro-USA ALABAMA,' Trump Jr. responded. 'Running for office should never become a business model. If you actually care about #MAGA more than your own ego, it's time to ride off into the sunset, Judge.' Sen. Doug Jones, who won a 2017 special election to fill then-U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions' vacated seat, is considered an endangered Democrat. But few political prognostacators gave him a chance 17 months ago in a state Donald Trump won by 28 percentage points. Moore, known for being anti-gay, said in a tweet that the LGBT community is scare to 'hell' with his re-emergence in the news Donald Trump Jr. blasted Moore for losing in 2017 despite boasts that he would keep the seat in GOP hands Moore lost his 2017 Senate race after a string of claims of sexual misconduct with teenage girls Democratic Sen. Doug Jones is considered deeply in danger in the red state of Alabama and won in 2017 because Moore became highly unpopular after winning the Republican primary Moore is the former chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. He lost in 2017 after several women said he had pursued sexual and romantic relationships with them decades ago when they were teens and he was a prosecutor in his 30s. Moore, who denied the allegations, believes he was treated unfairly and that voters will agree. Moore would lead the GOP primary field, a Mason-Dixon poll found in April, with 27 percent followed by Rep. Mo Brooks at 18 percent. Byrne was third in the poll with 13 percent but is the only candidate to make his Senate run official. Trump endorsed Moore a week before the December 2017 special election, but that could not save him. The president backed then-Sen. Luther Strange in the primary, who was Sessions' temporary replacement via a governor's appointment. Moore is suing comedian Sacha Baron Cohen for $95 million for tricking him into appearing on his Showtime program 'Who is America?' His lawyers argue that the judge and his family have 'been the subject of widespread ridicule and humiliation' and suffered 'severe emotional distress and pain and financial damage,' after he was duped onto appearing on the show. Alabamians were split on whether to believe Moore's denials in 2017, with battle lines drawn in public protests as Election Day neared Beverly Young Nelson was one of Moore's accusers; she alleged that he sexually assaulted her when she in her mid-teens, and produced a high school yearbook entry as evidence the two were close The yearbook message, in Moore's hand when he was a 30-something district attorney, calls Nelson 'sweet' and 'beautiful'; she added the notation of the date and location where he signed it During the interview, Cohen, who appeared in makeup and with a heavy accent as his fictional character Erran Morad, demonstrated a supposed pedophile detecting device that beeped when it came near Moore. The 71-year-old became so agitated by the 'pedophile detection wand' he cut the interview short, saying: 'I support Israel. I don't support this kind of stuff.' 'This false and fraudulent portrayal and mocking of Judge Moore as a sex offender ... has severely harmed Judge Moore's reputation and caused him, Mrs. Moore, and his entire family severe emotional distress, as well as caused and will cause plaintiffs financial damage,' the complaint said. Moore also sued Showtime and its parent CBS Corp. for defamation, and accused all three defendants of fraud and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Self-harm images on Instagram associated with subsequent self-harm in viewers Research has documented the widespread availability of graphic images of self-harm, such as cuttings, on the photo-sharing platform Instagram. After a British father said his 14-year-old daughter had viewed such explicit images on Instagram prior to her suicide, the platform announced that it would no longer allow such graphic images to appear. But little is known about how often such graphic images reach Instagram's users and whether they have an effect on viewers. Now, a new study by researchers at the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania and two European institutions is the first to investigate the relationship between exposure to self-harm on Instagram and subsequent self-harm and suicidality-related outcomes in young adults. The research, published in the journal New Media & Society, analyzes data from an online survey of young adults conducted at two points a month apart, in May and June 2018, prior to Instagram's announcement that it would seek to reduce images of graphic self-harm. The two-wave survey was completed by 729 U.S. adults ages 18 to 29. Over 80 percent were women. The researchers found: Exposure: More than 4 in 10 (43 percent) of the people surveyed had seen a post of self-harm on Instagram at least once, and more than half of those had seen more than one; Accidental exposure: Most of those (80 percent) exposed to the self-harm posts said they encountered those posts by accident; Emotional distress: More than half (59 percent) of those exposed to the self-harm content reported being emotionally disturbed by it; Presumed copycat influence: Surprisingly, nearly a third (32 percent) of those exposed to self-harm posts on Instagram said at the first interview that they had performed the same (or very similar) self-harming behavior as a consequence of seeing the content. Importantly, the researchers found that people who reported having seen self-harm images on Instagram at the first interview were more likely than those who didn't to report their own self-harm at the second interview. The study also found that exposure to self-harm on Instagram at the first interview predicted higher levels of suicidal ideation and risk for suicide at the second interview. The analysis controlled for prior reports of self-harm. "Media researchers, suicide experts, and parents have all expressed concern in the past about this explicit content on Instagram," said the lead author, Florian Arendt, a health communication professor at the University of Vienna. "Our results provide evidence that this concern is justified." "The findings suggest that whether the Instagram posts instigate self-harm on their own or not, they do reach vulnerable young people and may play a role in encouraging similar behavior in those who are exposed to them," said the study's U.S. author, Dan Romer, research director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC). Instagram and self-harm images Instagram has more than 1 billion monthly users and over 500 million daily active users, and is one of the most popular social networking platforms among young people. It also has been a publicly available, unrivaled source for regularly uploaded explicit and graphic self-harm depictions. The most common were of mild or moderate injuries, but the depictions also included bleeding flesh wounds caused by cuttings on extremities, the researchers said. Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among 15- to 29-year olds. While deliberate self-harm "tends to be repetitive and largely non-suicidal," the researchers said, "it increases the risk of future suicide." For this analysis, the researchers conducted surveys with young adults who were recruited from internet gaming sites. The researchers cautioned that the nonrepresentative sample may have been overly selective of people concerned with suicide, since that was disclosed as one purpose of the survey, and therefore the results can't be generalized to all young people. "Since the survey sample primarily included young women, we could not determine whether the effects were as strong for men," Romer said. In February 2019, after the survey was completed, Instagram said it would remove graphic images of self-harm but permit nongraphic images such as healed scars. In a statement at the time, Instagram head Adam Mosseri said removing nongraphic images might inadvertently "stigmatize or isolate people who are in distress," and keeping them would let people share their stories and potentially help others. Arendt said, "For Instagram to recognize the potential hazard of self-harm posts is a good and appropriate move. More research will be needed to determine whether self-harm posts that are less graphic also elicit harmful effects, or whether this content could even be helpful to those posting it or to others in distress. It is a complicated issue with no straightforward answer." Efforts by Instagram to remove such images may be a challenge given their prevalence on the platform and the need for constant surveillance to detect and remove them. After Instagram's announcement, there were reports that such posts continued to appear on the platform. ### In addition to Romer and Arendt, the study was conducted by Sebastian Scherr of the School for Mass Communication Research at the University of Leuven, Belgium. "Effects of exposure to self-harm on social media: Evidence from a two-wave panel study among young adults" is published in New Media & Society. The Annenberg Public Policy Center was established in 1993 to educate the public and policy makers about the media's role in advancing public understanding of political, health, and science issues at the local, state and federal levels. This story has been published on: 2019-05-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. A Florida man who was caught on camera allegedly swinging a small dog into a picnic table in shocking surveillance footage has been arrested. Zakery Taylor Zarifis, 23, of Hudson, Florida, faces felony charges for cruelty to animals, and two videos of the abuse have been released. The topless man can be seen in a neighborhood security camera slamming tiny Cujo the dog into a wooden table on Sunday. The man is shown swinging Cojo, the 10lb dog, around by the collar before slamming into the picnic table Zakery Taylor Zarifis, 23, of Hudson, Florida, faces felony charges for cruelty to animals Later, the 10lb dog was also seen being violently yanked across the street and yelping in pain in footage. Pasco County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene in the US 19 area of Hudson on Sunday according to WFL8. Zarifis was arrested on the animal cruelty charge. Deputies described the actions in an arrest report as 'excessive' and causing 'repeated infliction of unnecessary pain and suffering'. The dog, who belongs to a woman known to Zarifis, is said to be in good condition after the attack. Last year, Zarifis was imprisoned for possession of marijuana with intention to supply. The man in the video swings Cojo the dog through the air in this shocking video released by Pasco County Sheriff's Office Later, after the first incident, the man walks away before a second bout of abuse occurs A judge has lambasted a father and son who were caught on camera using a massive plank to steal an historic clock from a tower of a Grade II-listed Victorian pier. Ryan Andrews, 33, was caught trying to remove the black clock after entering Birnbeck Pier with his father Neil, 64. Jailing them for 18 months yesterday, Judge Mark Horton told the court the duo 'will always be known as the two men who destroyed the history; it was vandalism and theft for greed.' The pier in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, which opened in June 1867, survived a Luftwaffe attack, a misguided RAF mine and the British weather. Ryan and Neil Andrews were spotted strolling onto the site by bemused onlookers in January 2018, a court heard. Ryan Andrews, 33, (pictured right) was caught trying to remove the black clock after entering Birnbeck Pier with his father Neil, 64 (pictured left) Ryan Andrews was caught on camera trying to prise the clock from a tower (pictured) Ryan Andrews eventually climbed the tower, forced the clock face out and was seen hitting it with an axe. He later admitted throwing the clock face into the sea Stonemason Neil, a grandfather-of-ten, disappeared behind a building while Ryan picked up a long plank and tried to prise the clock face from the tower. Ryan eventually climbed the tower, forced the clock face out and was seen hitting it with an axe. He later admitted throwing the clock face into the sea. When they realised they had attracted an audience, including a coastguard boat and a police officer, they strolled off the pier in a 'nonchalant' manner. They were due to face trial but the pair, who live in the town, pleaded guilty to burglary and causing criminal damage. Jailing them yesterday, judge Mark Horton told the court: 'The tower and clock face survived a fire in 1897. 'It survived the Luftwaffe and an accidental mine attack. 'It has withstood the extremes of the weather. 'The physical harm you caused is highly visible and irreparable. 'The absence of the clock will impact on the voluntary groups who seek funding for its restoration. A major attractive feature has been removed. 'You will always be known as the two men who destroyed the history; it was vandalism and theft for greed.' The rundown Birnbeck Pier near Weston Super Mare, Somerset. The pier survived the ravages of the Lufwaffe, a misguided RAF mine and the British weather The Birnbeck Pier Water Chute on Side of Pier circa 1910. The duo were due to face trial but the pair, who live in the town, pleaded guilty to burglary and causing criminal damage Edward Hetherington, prosecuting, said Birnbeck Pier is Grade-II listed. It was closed in 1994 and is now on Heritage England's at risk register. In January last year a couple spotted the two men on the pier. Mr Hetherington said: 'The clock face was abandoned when they realised the coastguard was watching them, as well as PC Anna Hall in a marked police car near the entrance to the pier. 'Both abandoned what they were doing and the clock face was left. 'They tried to conduct a nonchalant exit.' As they left PC Hall took a photo of them, the court heard. When trustees of the Birnbeck Regeneration Trust visited Birnbeck island later, they realised the clock face had gone. Mr Hetherington said: 'The prosecution says they went back there and recovered the fruits of their labours.' It was only on May 28 that Ryan Andrews told the judge he had actually thrown the clock face into the sea. Nadeem Aullybocus, defending Ryan Andrews, said the father-of-two had suffered financial difficulties and was ashamed of what he had done. Mr Aullybocus said: 'He tells me the clock was left on the site. 'My instructions are it wasn't taken off the site. 'He says, in panic, he chucked it into the sea onto the rocks.' Tabitha Macfarlane, defending Neil Andrews, said the grandfather-of-ten was extremely ashamed and remorseful. She said: 'It was a moment of madness, it's just such a shame.' An Alabama high school graduation speech was brought to a hilarious halt by a neighborhood dog. The Class of 2019 valedictorian's speech at Alabama's Horseshoe Bend High School in New Site was interrupted when the pooch ambled up to the ceremonial table and nonchalantly relieved itself on it in front of the entire graduating class and their family members. The dog's antics on May 22 prompted uproarious laughter by students, faculty and parents and were captured by videographer company Summer Films, which posted the clip to Facebook. A valedictorian's graduation speech was interrupted when a neighborhood dog approached the ceremonial table and relieved itself The audience broke out in laughter as the dog marked its territory on a fern. His owner's son could be seen sitting in the front row (second from right) covering his face and laughing 'Some Valdectorian speeches are often forgotten, but not Colby Cheaney's,' the company wrote in the caption accompanying the video, name-checking the valedictorian. In the video, Cheaney can be seen making his remarks when the dog, Charlie, pads up to the far side of the table. Within seconds, laughter erupts from his 60 classmates, bringing the speaker to an abrupt stop as Charlie casually lifts his leg and marks his territory on a handy fern. A second, closeup angle of the incident shows the dog staring forward, seemingly unperturbed by the entire field's chortles, as he finishes his business and then walks to the front of the table and wags his tail. After the dog finished doing its business, he walked to the front of the table, wagging his tail while the valedictorian resumed his speech The dog, Charlie, was said to live near the school and is a frequent fixture there Behind Charlie, a student in the front row can be seen with his hand over his face, shoulders shaking with laughter. This is Logan Walls and his mom is Charlie's owner. Logan's aunt, Denise Walls, who captured a photo of the moment for posterity and posted it on Facebook, told WSFA that the dog lives 'right down the road from the school and Charlie is at the school almost every day.' Denise went on to say Charlie 'loves being around people and is the sweetest dog.' The video has gone viral and has been shared more than 1,600 times. An analyst with investment firm Cowen has said that a total ban on iPhone sales in China could cut Apples earnings by 26 per cent in the 2020 fiscal year. Apple is among the U.S. companies vulnerable to Chinese retaliation after the U.S. Commerce Department recently placed Huawei on its 'Entity List,' effectively barring U.S. firms from selling their technology to it without government approval. Federal agencies and contractors are also barred from using Huawei equipment due to security concerns, a law that the Chinese tech giant challenged in court this week. Cowen analyst Krish Sankar wrote in a recent note that a Chinese iPhone ban represented an 'extreme case' scenario for how the trade war could play out, according to Bloomberg. Scroll down for video People visit an Apple store in Shanghai earlier this month. A new research note predicts that a total Chinese ban on iPhones could cut Apple's profits by 26 per cent in fiscal year 2020 The more likely outcome, Sankar wrote, is that Apple would see a 'material but manageable' hit to earnings. 'Apple's iPhone, iPad, and Mac systems are at risk of experiencing demand destruction due to collateral damage from the sales ban to Huawei,' Sankar wrote. Sankar wrote that, even without an official government ban on iPhones, Chinese consumers may 'retaliate as patriotism leads them to support domestic brands while products and services from U.S. companies fall out of favour' if they feel Huawei is being 'unfairly punished' by the U.S. Shares of Apple were down slightly in pre-market trading on Wednesday, after losing nearly four per cent over the past five days of trading. A one-year view of Apple's share price shows a dip this month among trade tension with China Last quarter, Apple's net sales in China were down 22 per cent over the same period the year prior. The company said in financial filings that declining iPhone sales drove the China slump, blaming currency headwinds. For the quarter ended March 30, 'Greater China' represented 17.6 per cent of Apple's net sales, according to financial filings. Huawei is the biggest global maker of network equipment and enjoys a lead in 5G, or fifth-generation, technology. It also is the No. 2 maker of smartphones. The Trump administration claims the company could use its equipment to spy on behalf of the Chinese government and is thus a threat to international cybersecurity. Apple's net sales by geographic region are seen for the last quarter. China represents 17.6% 'Huawei is an instrument of the Chinese government,' Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in an interview with Fox Business Network on Wednesday. 'They're deeply connected. It's something that's hard for Americans to understand.' On Tuesday, Huawei filed a motion late for summary judgment in its lawsuit against the U.S. government's prohibition on agencies and contractors using its equipment. Pompeo did not comment on the lawsuit in the interview, which was taped on Tuesday, but highlighted what the U.S. government says is the company's threat to national security. 'Our companies cooperate with the United States government. That is, they comply with our laws. But no president directs an American private company. That's very different in China. They just simply operate under a different set of a rules.' Michigan Representative Justin Amash reacted to Special Counsel Robret Mueller's public remarks on Wednesday by re-issuing his call for an impeachment probe of President Donald Trump. Mueller reiterated in a statement to the press what was in his report: that his Russia investigation determined no one in the Trump capmaign colluded with Russians or engaged in a criminal conspiracy, and that the attorney general and deputy attorney general decided there was no reason to charge the president with obstruction of justice. Criminally prosecuting Trump was 'not an option,' Mueller said, because of a Justice Department rule against it. 'The ball is in our court, Congress,' Amash responded in a tweet. An hour later at the White House, press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters that the Michigan lawmaker was off the Trump administration's radar. 'I don't think Congressman Amash is worth the time of the White House,' she said. Amash fielded mixed reviews from his constituents at an event in Grand Rapids Tuesday night after becoming the first Republican to publicly call for impeachment following the release of the Mueller report. Michigan Republican Rep. Justin Amash re-upped his call for a Trump impeachment on Wednesday after Special Counsel Robert Mueller gave a brief farewell address to reporters 'The ball is in our court, Congress,' Amash tweeted; he's the first Republican to suggest the president should be removed from office White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters that 'I don't think Congressman Amash is worth the time of the White House' Amash received mixed reviews from constituents at a town hall-style event on Tuesday night over his assertion that President Donald Trump engaged in 'impeachable conduct' For more than two hours on Tuesday evening, Amash took questions from audience members at a town hall event held at the DeVos Center for Arts and Worship at Grand Rapids Christian High School. Many questions centered on infrastructure, the immigration system, health care and legal marijuana, but the majority of attendees peppered him about Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia report and the congressman's analysis of the document. Although many of the audience members about 800 estimated in total applauded the congressman with standing ovations on his courage in calling for Trump's impeachment, others accused him of switching political parties. 'How can you become a Democrat when we voted you in as a Republican?' 57-year-old Diane Luke, who was wearing a 'Make America Great Again' hat, questioned, adding she was disappointed in Amash, according to The New York Times. There were several red hat-wearing Trump supporters in the crowd who opposed Amash's Twitter rant, which he has tripled-down on, that made him the first Republican lawmaker to call for the president's impeachment post-Mueller report Amash told the crowd: 'I haven't changed. I'm who I said I was.' after a 57-year-old female attendee wearing a 'Make American Great Again' hat asked, 'How can you become a Democrat when we voted you in as a Republican?' 'I haven't changed,' Amash said. 'I'm who I said I was.' Amash said he reached the conclusion that Trump had 'engaged in impeachable conduct' after carefully reading the redacted version of Mueller's report, which was handed over to Congress and made public in April. 'Contrary to Barr's portrayal, Mueller's report reveals that President Trump engaged in specific actions and a pattern of behavior that meet the threshold for impeachment,' the congressman tweeted in a thread on May 18. Before the meeting with constituents in the third district of Michigan, Amash made a Twitter post that accused Attorney General Bill Barr of misrepresenting aspect of the report in an effort to protect the president. Ahead of releasing the redacted report, Barr gave a four-page summary almost immediately after Mueller handed the report over to him, which essentially claimed the findings of the probe fully exonerated Trump. 'Attorney General Barr has deliberately misrepresented key aspects of Mueller's report and decisions in the investigation,' Amash tweeted in his May 18 thread, 'which has helped further the president's false narrative about the investigation.' Amash said in a Twitter thread posted May 18 that he felt Attorney General Bill Barr's description of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia report was intentionally misrepresentative in order to protect the president Trump, as well as several other Republicans, have bashed the Republican representative for his assertions. The president said in a Twitter response May 19 that Amash was only calling for his impeachment so he could gain name recognition by stirring up controversy All of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos's four children graduated from the school where the event was held. The billionaire family has bankrolled the Republican Party in the state for decades, but said thrugh a spokesperson it would not financially support Amash Since Amash's assertions, Republicans have voiced their opposition of Amash and his opinion, but despite the wrath from his colleagues, Amash has tripled down on his arguments on Twitter. Trump has also responded to the congressman, claiming Amash only opposes him because he wants to get his 'name out there through controversy.' 'Never a fan of @justinamash , a total lightweight who opposes me and some of our great Republican ideas and policies just for the sake of getting his name out there through controversy,' Trump wrote on Twitter a day after Amash's rant. 'If he actually read the biased Mueller Report, "composed" by 18 Angry Dems who hated Trump, he would see that it was nevertheless strong on NO COLLUSION and, ultimately, NO OBSTRUCTION,' Trump continued. 'Anyway, how do you Obstruct when there is no crime and, in fact, the crimes were committed by the other side? Justin is a loser who sadly plays right into our opponents hands!' The Billionaire DeVos family, including Trump's Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, who have bankrolled the Republican Party in Michigan for decades, said it would not financially support the five-term Republican. All four of DeVos's children attended the Christian school where Amash held his town hall-style event. About 800 people were in the auditorium to hear Amash speak and ask him questions, which ranged from his analysis of the Mueller report to infrastructure, the immigration system, health care and legalizing marijuana Two Republicans in Michigan have filed to challenge Amash in the Republican primaries for the House seat in 2020. Jim Lower (left) is a Republican Michigan state representative and Tom Norton (right) is a National Guard veteran Michigan state representative Jim Lower said he would be issuing a primary challenge against Amash in 2020. 'He's isolated and marginalized himself in D.C.,' Lower said. 'I don't think the district is going to buy into it, frankly.' A National Guard veteran, Tom Norton, also filed to challenge Amash in the next primary elections. Amash did not face a Republican challenger in 2018 and won with a margin of 11 percentage points, down from his 22-point margin in 2016. Amash identifies as a libertarian and strict constitutionalist, and some speculate that he could consider running for the presidency as an independent libertarian candidate. Democrats began calling for impeachment proceedings to be brought against the president in troves after Barr made a redacted-version of the report public. Although the report found no evidence that Trump, or anyone associated with his campaign or administration, had conspired with the Kremlin to influence the 2016 elections, it did not decisively say whether the president had obstructed justice. Many Democrats say the 10 'episodes' Mueller outlines in the report of potential obstruction, are enough grounds for impeachment proceedings to commence. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has urged her colleagues not to jump on the impeachment wagon and instead continue congressional probes to see if there is more solid ground to try and remove the president from office. A face-tattooed fugitive know as 'Modboy' has continued to taunt police online, before revealing the bizarre reason he won't hand himself. Ethan Bramble, 23, has tattoos to 98 per cent of his body including his eyeballs and all over his face. Victorian Police on Wednesday announced they had issued a warrant for his arrest, noting Bramble was known to frequent Melbourne's CBD, Preston, Windsor and Ringwood. But Bramble, who is from the New South Wales' Central Coast, suggested he was no longer in Victoria and said he didn't expect officers to extradite him. The Eyewatch - Melbourne Police Service Area Facebook page issued a warrant for the arrest of 23-year-old Ethan 'Modboy' Bramble alongside a picture of his heavily tattooed face Bramble first mocked police by commenting on his arrest warrant: 'I've never once seen him in my life.' The 23-year-old again appeared to taunt police hours later by live broadcasting a video on Instagram saying he wasn't sure if he should turn himself in. The young father mused he didn't think he would be extradited back to Victoria if he fled to NSW. The heavily-tattooed wanted man is a prominent but divisive member of the 'Blokes and Their Ice-Creams' Facebook page where he said: 'Nananana you'll never catch me. Cream on brothers.' 'P.s if I go down I'm taking all you biccie first biters down with me.' Some members encouraged Bramble to 'cream on' and avoid capture while others were quick to admonish him for his alleged crimes. Bramble said he was 'going home to eat lasagne' and weigh his options before he was seen boarding a bus and asking for a ticket to 'Rosehill'. 'Well, now you know where I live,' he said smiling at the camera. The 23-year-old first dabbled with body modification at the age of 11, when he stretched his ears and developed a fascination with tattoos The western Sydney suburb of Rosehill is the 23-year-old's last known address in NSW, AAP understands. It's unclear if Victoria Police have asked NSW Police to contact Bramble. 'I smoke too much, I drink too much, I don't want to go to jail,' he told the audience of almost 200 people before shutting off the livestream on Wednesday. 'Hopefully I don't get life in prison, later crew.' A recent message to followers on his Facebook account showed Bramble sitting at a bus stop nodding along to N.W.A's anti-authoritarian rap anthem F**k tha Police. Mr Bramble, from the New South Wales' Central Coast, didn't take the warrant seriously and commented on the post: 'I've never once seen him in my life' Two hours after the warrant for his arrest was shared on social media, Mr Bramble uploaded a video on his personal Facebook where he filmed himself listening to the N.W.A song 'F*k Da Police' A Victoria Police spokesman said the warrant had been issued for Bramble after he failed to appear at the Melbourne Magistrate's Court. Neither the Victoria Police or the Melbourne West Police Station would reveal what Bramble was wanted for. Modboy previously made headlines after he appeared on Studio 10 where he showed off his most recent body modifications, including a spider made of silicon under the skin on his hand. He told the hosts on Studio 10 that the body modifications would make him 'the coolest grandpa ever.' Bramble first dabbled with body modification at the age of 11, when he stretched his ears and developed a fascination for tattoos. A Victoria police spokesperson said the warrant had been issued for Mr Bramble after he failed to appear at the Melbourne Magistrate's Court. Neither the Victoria police or the Melbourne West Police Station would reveal the initial charges against Mr Bramble From the age of 13 he hung out at tattoo parlours and was introduced to more extreme forms of body modification. At 17 he had his tongue split, and cites that change as the most intense adjustment he has ever had. He was left in excruciating pain and was required to sleep upright for five days to avoid choking on his own saliva. Bramble claims he has had more than 40 modifications done to his body. This includes having had his eyeballs tattooed, his nostrils punched, his bellybutton removed, his tongue split, his labret (the area under the bottom lip) cut and each of his ears snipped so that half is missing. 'I've always been into different stuff to all the other kids, from a young age I've had full blackout tattoos, scarification, eye balls tattooed, ears chopped off, tongue split, navel removal,' he had previously told Daily Mail Australia. Enough water to fill Sydney Harbour seven times has flowed into Lake Eyre between February and May - leaving it almost filled for the first time since 1974. Adam Voiland of the NASA Earth Observatory told The Advertiser Lake Eyre, also named Kati Thanda, is on track to be 75 per cent full by the end of this week. 'Water will likely cover about three-quarters of the lake's surface area toward the end of the month, putting the lake on track to reach its fullest state in more than 40 years,' he told the publication. Enough water to fill Sydney Harbour seven times over has flowed into Lake Eyre between February and May and has left the lake almost filled for the first time since 1974 Adam Voiland of the NASA Earth Observatory told The Advertiser Lake Eyre is on track to be three quarters filled by the end of this week 'Typically, it fills completely only a few times per century; this most recently happened in 1974 and 1950. Smaller flows of water reach the lake every few years.' The desert river system which makes up Lake Eyre and its surrounds is one of the largest and most pristine in the world. Higher than average rainfall over the summer and autumn months slowly made its way toward Lake Eyre via 'a long series of parched channels, watering holes, and lagoons'. 'Floodwater first began to flow into the lake in mid-March. When the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on Terra acquired this false-color image on May 15, 2019, the lake was nearly half full a,' NASA Earth statement read. 'Water first filled two narrow channels that run north to south; then it begun to pool in the southernmost part of Lake Eyre North.' Typically Lake Eyre will only fill a couple of times every century, making this a rare phenomenon. A side by side shot of what Lake Eyre looked like in May 2018 (left) and what it now looks like as of May 2019 (right) Wildlife is also returning to the shores of Lake Eyre including birds, fish, insects and amphibians The desert river system which makes up Lake Eyre and its surrounds is one of the largest and most pristine in the world Wrightsair owner and pilot Trevor Wright had the unique experience of witnessing the lake filling from above. 'Weve definitely seen an increase in bird life, with the water now coming in the lake, although its dropped off a bit, and along the Channel Country, the increase in vegetation,' he told the advertiser. Wildlife is also returning to the shores of Lake Eyre including birds, fish, insects and amphibians. Lake Eyre is Australia's largest salt lake and is broken up into a North lake and a South lake, it also the lowest point below sea level on the entire continent. It is also considered an extremely important cultural sight for many Indigenous people. The lake has only been filled to capacity four times in the last 150 years. The shocking moment a truck smashes into a power pole and keeps on driving has been captured on Dashcam. The footage, posted to the Dash Cam Owners of Australia Facebook page, shows the small white truck with a blue trailer, veering off the left side of the road straight into the electricity pole. The force of the impact knocks the pole to the ground - sparks can be seen showering off the truck as the live power lines come into contact with the roof. The shocking moment a truck smashes into a power pole and keeps on driving has been captured on Dashcam Another vehicle behind the truck shows impressively quick reflexes as they brake immediately as they notice the collision. The caption to the video says it was filmed on May 21 at 9.28am on Parramatta Rd in Sydney's western suburbs. 'Muppet truck driver... takes out a power pole and keeps right on going,' the caption to the video reads. A commenter on social media said the truck should have been driving in the middle lane as the lanes on that highway are narrow and the power pole is very close to the road. 'It's a combination of narrow lanes and the camber in the road that tilts the truck over. Trucks should always use the middle lane on Parra Rd,' the comment on the video reads. 'Everyone just drives off as if nothing has happened,' another commenter said. 'The cops have been looking for dashcam of this incident. Please forward to the appropriate authorities. Nice to see how many people don't give a damn about 22kV and just keep on going under it,' added a third. A member of the so-called 'Beatles' gang of British ISIS terrorists says 'White Widow' Sally Jones was killed in an airstrike in 2017 alongside her 12-year-old son. Alexanda Kotey said the former L'Oreal saleswoman, 50, and son Jojo died in a bombardment near the Syria-Iraq border close to where he was staying days after the Manchester terror attack in what he called a 'retaliation' by US-led forces. Former punk rocker Jones fled to Syria with her son in 2013 before becoming a recruiter for the ISIS terror group. In October 2017 reports emerged that she and her son were killed by a Predator drone, but it was speculated she may still be alive in March 2018 when she was placed on a list of most-dangerous ISIS operatives by the US. Alexanda Kotey told ITV News she and Jojo died in an air strike on May 25, 2017, three days after the suicide bombing following an Ariana Grande gig that killed 22 people. British jihadi Sally Jones, pictured, WAS killed in an air strike in 2017, according to Alexanda Kotey, a member of the so-called 'Beatles' gang of British ISIS terrorists Kotey (pictured), who was captured by Kurdish fighters in Syria last year, said the 'White Widow' died alongside her son in a building in Al-Mayadin in eastern Syria when it was levelled by a US-led coalition in 'retaliation for the Manchester bombing' He said the pair were in staying in a municipality building in Al-Mayadin in eastern Syria and were among dozens killed when it was levelled. Kotey, who was captured by Kurdish fighters in Syria last year, said: 'There was a building that was shelled, she lived in the building. It was shelled following the incident in Manchester, which I believe was a retaliation.' 'There were families in the building, it was a government building. (Forty) people were dead as a result including Sally Jones and her son'. Previously, Kotey admitted he was behind a plot to kill soldiers and police in west London. He told ITV he had funnelled cash to UK extremists and tried to arrange a massacre in Shepherd's Bush. Kotey also acknowledged his contacts with fellow British terrorist Mohammed Emwazi, the ISIS killer nicknamed 'Jihadi John'. He said the pair had worked as 'hostage keepers' in Syria to extract information from prisoners such as journalist James Foley, who was beheaded by Emwazi in 2014. Kotey said the planned London killing spree, which was foiled in 2014, was supposed to be part of a wider plan to create sleeper cells in European countries. 'The idea was to plant people in countries so that if there was any aggression from these countries they would have people who would conduct a mission,' he said. Discussing his role with Emwazi he said the Londoners had joined Islamic State in Idlib as regular fighters in 2012. Following an 'order from above' they were relocated to Aleppo, where there were more Western prisoners, he said. 'When that order came for [Emwazi] to move to the countryside he requested that we accompany him,' he said. 'They were more in number [the prisoners] ,they had gathered them in one place, different nationalities, varying nationalities. Kotey said Jones and her son Jojo, pictured, died after a building they were in was shelled in eastern Syria in 'retaliation' for the Manchester terror attack '[At] this point it was instructed to extract email addresses from them to open up communication. 'This was mostly before, in the time of Idlib - the time of Aleppo there wasn't really that kind of interaction between myself and the prisoners. 'It was go and take the necessary information and leave,' he said. Despite admitting his association with Emwazi, known for carrying out several filmed beheadings, Kotey denied any involvement with those killings. 'I don't see in my case it makes a very big difference if I was actually there or not there,' he said. However U.S. officials said Kotey and fellow 'Beatle' El Shafee Elsheikh 'are suspected to have participated in the detention, exploitation and execution of Western detainees'. Kotey is under guard in the caliphate's former heartland having fallen into the hands of Kurdish militia fighters in January. Kotey has also acknowledged his contacts with fellow British terrorist Mohammed Emwazi, the ISIS killer nicknamed 'Jihadi John' (pictured) Emwazi was killed in a US air strike in 2015 after appearing in a number of videos in which captives including British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning were beheaded. The fourth gang member, Aine Davis, was convicted of being a member of a terrorist organisation and jailed in Turkey in May 2017. The four Londoners were linked to a string of hostage murders in Iraq and Syria during the bloody Islamist uprising and gained global notoriety. Two further men were jailed for life over the Shepherd's Bush terror plot in 2016. Tarik Hassane and Suhaib Majeed were imprisoned at the Old Bailey for conspiracy to murder and preparation of terrorist acts. Hassane had identified Shepherd's Bush police station and the Parachute Regiment Territorial Army Barracks at White City as possible targets on Google Street View. The judge told the pair: 'It is shocking, tragic and deplorable that you, two young British men, educated through the UK school system, undertaking university courses, should be so influenced by the bloodthirsty version of Islam presented by Isis and other similarly minded groups, that you decided to take up arms against your fellow British citizens and those charged with protecting them in the streets of your own city.' Prosecutor Brian Altman QC had said Hassane and Majeed were heavily influenced by the rise of Islamic State, which pronounced a caliphate in June 2014. Within days, Hassane pledged his allegiance to IS and encouraged his friends to follow suit. He was pictured posing with a gun in one hand and a book on Osama bin Laden in the other. His close friend Majeed was studying at the prestigious King's College London and was chairman of its Islamic society. Mohammed Emwazi (left), also known as Jihadi John, and Aine Davis (right), who was jailed in 2017 in Turkey for belonging to the terror group The court heard that Majeed sent a picture of a dead fighter 'laughing' to a Telegram chat group named Turnup Terror Squad, of which Hassane was also a member. And he had a 'grim' video of Jihadi John beheading a journalist on his iPad, jurors were told. Acting on instructions from mastermind Tarik Hassane, physics student Majeed had got his hands on a gun and ammunition and was discussing buying an untraceable moped before police swooped to arrest him in September 2014. His old school friend Hassane, nicknamed The Surgeon, was studying medicine in Sudan at the time but rushed back to London to carry on as a 'lone wolf terrorist' before he too was picked up. A pensioner who drove from his home in Newcastle to a village in Germany called Rom, instead of the Italian city of Rome has blamed petrol staff for misdirecting his sat nav. Luigi Rimonti, 81, drove 680 miles to the rural German village after he says he pulled over at a petrol station near Dusseldorf when his sat nav stopped working. Rimonti, who hates flying and has driven to Italy from England many times, says the staff member typed in the name wrong. The retired hairdresser, who has lived in Newcastle since 1965, said he wanted to make a pilgrimage to the Vatican to see the Pope and set off from Newcastle last week. Luigi Rimonti is now waiting for a lift from his son in Germany after he ended up in a rural German town called Rom, instead of Rome in Italy Rimonti, who is originally from Italy but now lives in Newcastle, accidentally drove his Jaguar (pictured after running over a sign for Rom) to west Germany after he says petrol station staff sent him the wrong way Instead of travelling south through France and Italy to get to Rome the pensioner cut straight through Brussels and found himself in Rom, Germany Rimonti said: 'I asked the staff at the petrol station to set the navigation correctly.' The pensioner said: 'It told me I had to come off the motorway, but everything became more rural. Then my sat nav said 'destination reached'. I thought 'mamma mia, where am I?'' When the OAP got out of his Jaguar to check where he was, the car started to roll down a hill because he had forgotten to put the handbrake on. While trying to stop the car, he was hit by an open door and suffered cuts and bruising to his right leg and minor injuries to his head. The out-of-control Jaguar ended up knocking down the road sign for Rom, resulting in the police being called to investigate. After he was released from hospital on Monday, Rimonti went to a hotel in Waldbroel where he is currently staying. Rimonti said: 'My son wants to pick me up, but that will take three or four days.' He said he is not interested in visiting Rome anytime soon, adding: 'I have had enough of it. No more Rome, I just want to go home.' The OAP is currently waiting for his car to be released by the police. A police spokesman said Rimonti realised something was wrong when he could not see any of the landmarks he was expecting He said: 'My luggage is still in there, I do not even have clothes.' According to the police, Rimonti's car is at a towing company in the town of Drolshagen. Police spokesman Michael Tietze said: 'He can pick it up any time he wants.' However, he suspects that Rimonti does not want to pay for the damage and a resulting fine because he failed to secure his car properly. Authorities had to tranquilize and remove a small bear cub after it got trapped inside a Missouri school. The Missouri Department of Conservation told Fox 2 Now that the bear an 18-month-old male that weighed about 90 pounds had to be sedated in order for it to be removed from inside the school at Most Sacred Heart Parish in Eureka, Missouri on Tuesday. The bear was said to have found its way inside via a backdoor that an employee had propped open while moving things from the school into a parked car. Fortunately, the school, which was being cleaned at the time, was devoid of students as summer vacation had already begun. A 90-pound bear cub had to be tranquilized after it got stuck inside a Missouri church school Surveillance cameras caught the bear as it stood on its hind legs and clawed at closed doors and windows during its attempt to escape from the school The church's surveillance cameras caught footage of the bear as it entered the building. Footage posted on Eureka, Missouri Community's Facebook page showed the bear standing on its hind legs, pawing at a closed door and a window and jumping while attempting to climb a wall. In the short time that the door was left unattended, the cub 'zipped in and tried to get out the other side,' Father Joe Kempf of Most Sacred Heart Parish told the news station. St. Louis Review staff writer Joseph Kenny tweeted that authorities described the bear as being 'irritable.' The bear then ran into the boy's bathroom, refusing to be lured out of the church, which resulted in it needing to be tranquilized so that it could be removed from the premises and released back to nature. The bear could also be seen jumping and attempting to climb a wall inside the school The bear cub was spotted wandering around the city earlier in the day, getting within feet of unsuspecting people Conservationists said that they put an ear tag on the bear to track it if it returns, before releasing it into a rural area away from people and roads During its efforts to escape, the bear clawed at walls, leaving deep gouge marks, and damaged a statue of an angel, according to the St. Louis Review. Other statues were removed before the bear could wreck them. Inside the bathroom, the bear was said to have cut itself as it tried to climb over a drop ceiling and, in the process, caused damage to tiles and metal stripping. The Missouri Department of Conservation said that the bear was released into a rural, wooded area of Jefferson County, about a half hour away. Conservation department spokesperson Dan Zarlenga said that the bear was given an ear tag so that it could be monitored in case it entered populated areas again. The cub had been spotted wandering around Eureka earlier that day and was even captured by a local business Urethane Roller Specialist's surveillance cameras as it ran down a road, getting within feet of people, before changing directions. Zarlenga said that at this time of the year, it is not unusual to see male cubs wandering around due to the fact that parents push them out of the den to accommodate younger siblings. 'He could be out exploring and learning the world for the first time and getting into all kinds of mischief,' Zarlenga told Fox 2 Now, also noting that flooding in the area could have also contributed to the cub's appearance in the city. Conservationists warned people against feeding bears. 'Do not feed bears deliberately because theres a saying that "a fed bear is a dead bear,"' Zarlenga said. Bears that have been purposely feed by humans tend to get comfortable around them, which 'really creates a behavioral problem and its not good for the people and its not good for the bear in the end either.' People living in areas with bears are also warned not to leave out pet food, to keep garbage cans sealed tight, preferably indoors until trash day, and to properly clean outdoor grills, all to avoid luring bears. The United States believes Russia may be conducting low-level nuclear testing in violation of a moratorium on such tests, the head of the Defense Intelligence Agency said on Wednesday. 'The United States believes that Russia probably is not adhering to its nuclear testing moratorium in a manner consistent with the 'zero-yield'' standard,' Lieutenant General Robert P. Ashley said at an arms control forum at the Hudson Institute. Negotiated in the 1990s, the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) enjoys wide global support but must be ratified by eight more nuclear technology states - among them Israel, Iran, Egypt and the United States - to come into force. Russia ratified the treaty in 2000. 'We believe they have the capability in the way they are set up' to conduct low-level nuclear tests that exceed the zero yield limit set in the CTBT, Ashley said. Accusation: Defense Intelligence Agency chief Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley says Putin's regime is 'probably not adhering to its nuclear testing moratorium in a manner consistent with the 'zero-yield'' standard.' The Nuclear presence: Russia retains a large nuclear deterrent and now the Defense Intelligence Agency is alleging it is working on testing new bombs There was no immediate response from the Russian government, but the head of the Russian State Duma Defense Committee, Vladimir Shamanov, told the Interfax news agency that Ashley 'could not have made a more irresponsible statement.' 'Nuclear tests cannot be carried out secretly,' it quoted him as saying. 'These kinds of statements reveal that the professionalism of the military is systemically falling in America,' Shamanov said. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus referred specific questions to the DIA, but charged that Russia 'routinely' disregarded its international obligations and was in breach of the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty. 'They have been in breach for several years and they have tested, produced, fielded an INF weapon... We are certainly alarmed that they continue to disregard their international obligations as it relates to arms control.' Russia announced last month it was suspending the INF treaty after the United States said it would withdraw because of violations by Moscow. Russia denies flouting the accord and has accused Washington of breaking the accord itself. Also at the conference, a White House aide said that Donald Trump will not decide until next year whether he will extend a separate nuclear treaty with Russia. Extending the New START treaty is under discussion within the administration 'and a decision the president will make next year,' Tim Morrison, a director at the National Security Council, said at the Hudson Institute. Trump has criticized the treaty, which sets limits on the number of nuclear weapons Russia and the United States can have. But supporters of the accord say it is important because it created a monitoring regime to verify compliance. A Las Vegas father has been handed 54 life terms that will keep him in prison until the year 2356 for sexually torturing seven children, including his own, for more than a decade. Clark County District Judge William Kephart ensured 52-year-old Christopher Sena will die behind bars during sentencing on Tuesday after he was found guilty in February of 95 of 120 counts of sexual assault with a minor, incest, use of a minor in the production of pornography, lewdness with a child younger than 14 and child abuse. During the sentencing hearing, the judge called Sena 'highly selfish' with 'a very perverted mind.' Christopher Sena, 52, convicted of sexually abusing seven children for more than a decade, is lead out of a Las Vegas courtroom after being sentenced Tuesday to 54 life terms He said Sena wouldnt be eligible for parole until he served more than 337 years, effectively ensuring that he dies in prison. When asked if he wanted to say something in court, Sena said, 'No, not at this moment,' according to Las Vegas Review-Journal. Prosecutors asked the judge to 'send a message' about Senas conduct. Some of the victims were family members, among them his 28-year-old daughter who had endured 14 years of sexual torture. 'I was just an object for him to do awful things to because there was no one there to tell him otherwise,' she told the court, according to Las Vegas Now. Sena (left), his wife, Deborah Sena (center), and ex-wife, Terrie Sena (right), were all arrested in 2014 after Deborah spoke out about the sexual abuse inside their home For more than decade, the trio lived together in this trailer in Las Vegas and sexually tortured their children as part of a child pornography ring Sena, his wife, Deborah Sena, and ex-wife, Terrie Sena, all lived together in a trailer in Las Vegas where the sexual abuse happened. To stop his victims from speaking out about the abuse, he told at least two of them that he would kill them or break their legs if they spoke out, they told police. Christopher Sena was arrested in September 2014 after Deborah, who had recently split from him, another woman and a child told a family attorney about the abuse. The attorney went to police and a SWAT team stormed the trailer to arrest Sena and seize his recording equipment. Authorities found videos showing all three adults engaging in sex acts with children as part of a child pornography ring. Some of the victims previously said they were abused for years; one boy said the abuse started when he was three and continued until he was a teen, while another woman said she was abused two or three times a week by Sena for more than a decade. Deborah Sena told police that there was 'fear and intimidation' involved when it came to dealing with her husband Christopher (pictured together in an old photo), whom she split from in August 2014 Authorities found footage of Deborah (right) involved in sexual acts with the family dog Terrie Sena, told police she was attracted to young male and female teens, and said it was 'really enjoyable' when one of the boys started to look like Christopher Sena. Terrie and Christopher Sena had three sons and a daughter together before divorcing in 1997. But after they split, Terrie continued to live with her ex and their children, even when he took a new wife. Authorities also found footage of Deborah Sena, who left her husband in August 2014, involved in sexual acts with the family dog. One of the seized recordings also showed two Sena children having sex with the pet. Deborah and Terri Sena pleaded guilty and were sentenced in March 2016 to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 10 years. Three men have been arrested over a string of alleged home invasions and carjackings across Melbourne that lasted several nights and days. Eighteen-year-old Ali Sari, from Shepparton, was picked up by authorities at Kingsbury in the north-eastern suburb on Wednesday night. A 16-year-old boy from Broadmeadows and 20-year-old Beveridge man were also arrested. The trio remain in custody and are assisting police with inquiries as officers continue to search for Alier Nyoc and Yohana Akot, 17, who police believe are driving a stolen black Honda HRV station wagon with registration 1EY3DI. The string of arrests come after a 17-year-old was picked up by police on Tuesday. Police allege a group of armed men terrorised the city and committed a number of home invasions and vehicle thefts from Sunday to Tuesday. The group allegedly threatened a family's life and stole a car from a mother as she was about to put her child into the vehicle. At about 8.40pm on Sunday, a group of men allegedly broke into a home in Bentleigh East. One of the men was allegedly armed with a knife and threatened the owners, a 39-year-old man and 32-year-old woman, who were both allegedly assaulted and left with minor injuries. The men then allegedly fled with jewellery, computers and handbags, and also took the victims' black BMW. The group allegedly crashed the car on the Westgate Freeway by driving it into a barrier. Police were then called to a house in Port Melbourne just after 9pm following reports of an aggravated carjacking. The group, described by police as of African appearance, allegedly broke into a home on Avoca Avenue in Mernda (pictured), north-east Melbourne, at 4am Once inside, the group - allegedly armed with 'edged weapons' and metal poles - allegedly stole property and the homeowner's white BMW SUV Police allege a group of armed men terrorised the city and committed a number of home invasions and vehicle thefts from Sunday to Tuesday It is understood a woman was about to put her child into the car when she was allegedly approached by a number of men. One allegedly pulled out a knife and demanded her vehicle. The alleged victim, a 42-year-old Box Hill North woman, called for help and was assisted by a family member, a 40-year-old man also from Box Hill North. He was also allegedly threatened by the group, who took off in their vehicle, described as a black 2012 Hyundai i30. The alleged victims were not injured. Police later responded to an alleged aggravated burglary in Derrimut about 12.10am on Monday. On this occasion, a group of masked men armed with knives allegedly broke into a home on Ivy Close and were confronted by the occupants. A 65-year-old man was allegedly assaulted during the incident and sustained a minor laceration. He did not require hospital treatment. A 58-year-old woman, 91-year-old man and 64-year-old woman, who were also home at the time, were not injured. The group allegedly stole two cars, a grey 2010 Mercedes sedan and a black 2015 Honda HR-V registration 1EY3DI. The Hyundai from Port Melbourne was dumped nearby. Police on Tuesday arrested a 17-year-old boy after a BMW believed to be have stolen in the early hours of the morning was found in a shopping centre car park. He was charged with one count of aggravated burglary, three counts of home invasion, five counts of theft of motor vehicle and three counts of theft. The group, described by police as of African appearance, allegedly broke into a home on Avoca Avenue in Mernda, north-east Melbourne, at 4am. Once inside, the group - allegedly armed with 'edged weapons' and metal poles - allegedly stole property and the homeowner's white BMW SUV. 'Crime Spree': Map of Melbourne shows the alleged two-day rampage across the city A 41-year-old man was allegedly left with minor injuries to his face while a 40-year-old woman and two children were unharmed. After the robbery the allegedly stolen BMW was seen driving alongside a Mercedes, which was allegedly stolen from Derrimut early on Monday, towards Geelong. Police saw the BMW just before 5am in Geelong West and chased the car but had to stop due to the speeds the car was travelling. The Mercedes was found abandoned on Lunan Avenue in Drumcondra. Commander Stuart Bateson, head of the Australian-African Community Taskforce, said that a number of the people involved in the crime spree had previously been in custody. 'Until we get them into custody, they are absolutely a threat,' he told 3AW. 'They have shown no signs of slowing down the series of crimes have been horrendous for victims involved.' The father of Puneet Puneet, who fled to India after killing a 19-year-old student, has accused Australia of racism and said his son is the real victim. Naresh Kumar defended his son on Wednesday as the case for Puneet's extradition drags out over 10 years after Dean Hofstee was fatally hit by a car the Indian national was driving. Mr Kumar called Australia a racist country and said his son 'will not be treated fairly' if he faced trial here, The Herald Sun reported. Puneet, 19 at the time, was drink driving and speeding when he smashed into Mr Hofstee, a Queensland student, in Melbourne in 2008. The L-plater was on bail and awaiting sentencing when he fled the country using a friend's passport in 2009. Naresh Kumar (pictured holding Puneet Puneet in 2015) defended his son (pictured centre) on Wednesday as the case for Puneet's extradition drags out over 10 years after the crime Queensland student Dean Hofstee (pictured) was just 19 when his life was cut short after being fatally hit by an out-of-control car driven by Puneet in 2008 'Whatever happened in Australia is wrong a life was lost. It was all unintentional,' Mr Kumar said. 'My son was the only hope for our future, but he too has lost fight with life. He is so exhausted with this court case that he attempted suicide twice. 'He is not mentally fit. He doesn't understand what is going on. He doesn't understand the case now.' He said his 'ruined' family has 'nothing left' after fighting Puneet's case since he was arrested on his wedding day in India in 2013. Puneet faces another legal battle as his wife is suing him for mental disturbance and failure to act as a responsible parent to their three-year-old child. Indian national Puneet (pictured in 2015) was on bail and awaiting sentencing when he fled Australia with a friend's passport in 2009 The crash (pictured) happened in Melbourne's Southbank in 2008 The hit-and-runner's defence is only offences punishable in both Australia and India by at least a year in jail are extraditable offences - under a deal between the countries. He is charged with culpable driving, negligently causing serious injury, and improper use of a foreign travel document, which carry a sentence of less than a year, according to his lawyer. His lawyer accused prosecutors of 'deliberately elongating' the case to 'culpable homicide' in order to extradite Puneet. Lawyers representing Australia rejected the defence's claims this and 'are sure that justice will be delivered soon'. The case resumes on July 15. Dr Sandra Thomas was suspended for two weeks over the March 19 incident A medical examiner has been suspended over a crude joke about a 'Muslim autopsy'. Dr Sandra Thomas, an associate medical examiner for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation in Decatur, was suspended for two weeks following the incident on March 19, according to records obtained by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. During an autopsy, Thomas asked another doctor at the GBI's morgue if she knew how to do a 'Muslim autopsy', and then lifted the neck of the dead woman and made a wailing sound known as an ululation, according to the records. Ululation is a common practice at Middle Eastern funerals and weddings. The records indicated that Thomas repeated the remark and the wailing sound to another doctor, and that both of the other doctors found it inappropriate. Thomas is an associate medical examiner for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation in Decatur (above). The records show her colleagues found her remark inappropriate Although the identity of the the body was not revealed, the documents say that the deceased person was not Muslim. According to the documents, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Jonathan Eisenstat reported the incident to internal affairs. Thomas expressed regret for her actions, during an investigation authorized by agency director Vic Reynolds. She said that she had heard the joke while working as a resident in Richmond, Virginia. She said that she thought of the remark randomly during the autopsy and that it wasn't meant to disparage Muslims. Colleagues interviewed during the internal investigation found the remark inappropriate, though one speculated that the remark was a tone-deaf way of dealing with stress at the busy morgue. 'Your comments were extremely unprofessional, disrespectful and insensitive to those around you,' Reynolds wrote in a March 29 letter. The GBI suspended Thomas from April 29 to May 10 without pay and had her sign a document acknowledging that another inappropriate action will result in her termination, records show. The Journal-Constitution's review of two years of disciplinary records at the GBI morgue found one other instance of inappropriate conduct during an autopsy. In that case, one employee took a photo of another employee smiling while posing with the severed head of an elderly murder victim in December 2018. Both employees were fired in that case. Advertisement Villagers on a remote Atlantic island turned the sea red with blood when they slaughtered nearly 250 whales and dolphins as the animals migrated north for the summer. The pod of between 150 to 200 whales could be seen being lanced with gruesome specialised hunting spears, colouring the water red and sending blood flying through the air as the animals were hauled ashore. Fishermen on boats drove the pilot whales towards the shore during the hunt today in the city of Torshavn, the capital of Streymoy Island in the Faroe Islands. The slaughter was described as 'brutal' and 'cruel' by the Blue Planet Society campaign pressure group. Island volunteers helped the fisherman pull ashore the pilot whales they killed as spectators gathered in front of the red-stained sea to watch the hunt. A group of between 20 to 40 white-sided dolphins are also thought to have been among the butchered animals. Fishermen and volunteers pulled on the pilot whales they killed during a hunt to drag them ashore, as blood turned the sea in Torshavn, Faroe Islands, red Villagers gathered in front of the sea, coloured red by the slaughter, during the pilot whale hunt which sees around 800 whales and dolphins a year killed for their meat across the Faroe Islands The whales were killed using a specialised 'spinal lance' that is inserted through the animal's neck to break its spinal cord then hauled ashore using hooks embedded into the flesh As local fishermen spotted pods of whales passing the shores of the Danish territory of Faroe Islands during their migration, a convoy of boats drove the whales towards authorised fjords to harvest the catch. Pilot whaling is subject to Faroese legislation, which sets the framework for the catching, killing methods and permitted equipment. Every summer, some 800 whales and dolphins are killed for their meat across the Faroe Islands, a Danish archipelago located hundreds of miles off the Scottish coast between Norway and Iceland. Blue Planet Society, which is also campaigning to stop the killing of whales in Japan, has started a petition to stop whaling worldwide. A spokesman for the group called for action to be taken by the EU and claimed 500 whales and dolphins had been killed since the start of this year. The activists wrote on Facebook: '150-200 pilot whales and 20-40 white-sided dolphins were brutally and cruelly slaughtered in the Faroe Islands today. 'Approximately 500 cetaceans have now been killed "for food" in these islands since the beginning of 2019. 'The Faroe Islands are part of the Kingdom of Denmark (an EU country). Both pilot whales and white-sided dolphins are protected in the EU.' Volunteers helped the fishermen haul the dead whales ashore in the Danish territory of the Faroe Islands as they were hunted during their migration As many as 200 whales and 40 dolphins were killed during the slaughter today in Torshavn, on the Faroe Islands Fishermen on boats drove the pod of pilot whales towards the shore during a hunt and slaughtered them with spears Whale driving on the Faroe Islands date back to the late 16th century and involve residents herding pods of whales into shallow waters. They are then killed using a 'spinal lance' that is inserted through the animal's neck to break its spinal cord. The locals, who eat both meat and blubber as well as other body parts, carry out the butchering in the open, and the process can seem graphic and brutal to outsiders. The local government says the hunting is not only sustainable, but ensures that the 18 islands, which have limited opportunities for farming, are as self-sufficient as possible. Each whale provides several hundreds of kilos of meat and blubber, food which would otherwise have to be imported from abroad to the islands at a cost to the locals and the environment. It is estimated that the pilot whale population in the eastern North Atlantic is about 778,000 individuals, with approximately 100,000 around the Faroe Islands. A host of factors have combined to cause a global spike in the price of ham and lamb - including an outbreak of the African Swine Flu in Asia. Drought, higher production costs and the outbreak of the Swine Flu in Africa will result in the prices of ham to skyrocket in Australia and abroad. The virus outbreak resulted in a massive cull of pigs in China, the largest producer of pork in the world, as farmers had to kill of 1.7 million pigs across the entire country. Meanwhile in Vietnam pig farmers were forced to cull almost five per cent of its entire pig population, 1.7 million. A host of factors have combined to cause a global spike in the price of ham and lamb including an outbreak of the African Swine Flu in Asia While the disease does not directly affect public health or food safety, it is highly infectious and terminal for pigs, posing a significant threat on the entire industry. Australian pork stock has already taken a massive hit due to the ongoing drought with many farmers forced out of business. Prices of Australian pork had already seen a spike of anywhere from 10 to 15 per cent as a result of the dry spell. Combined with the outbreak overseas, extra pressure is being put on the pork market and experts said a price rise would be inevitable. Pork South Australia chair and farmer Mark McLean told news.com.au consumers needed to brace for a price shock at the checkout. 'There's going to be less pork supply nationally, so prices are moving up and they have for the last four months, but the international situation is another impacting factor with African swine fever changing global pork stocks,' he told the publication. Imported pork into Australia mainly comes from the United States and Denmark however because of the major shortages in Asia those import numbers will drop as pork is diverted. One of the silver linings to the pork shortage will be for the farmers who will recoup some of their lost earnings with improved prices on their end. The outbreak of African Swine Flu in Asia resulted in the culling of 3.4 million pigs in China and Vietnam combined which has heavily impacted on the global pork market As early as January Officers from the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources seized pork coming in from China which had traces of the African Swine Flu. Meanwhile, consumers can also expect a huge spike in the costs of lamb at the counter as global demand and a thinning of the herd driving up auction prices. 'A low Australian dollar will continue to support Australian exports and, in turn, domestic sale yard prices,' a Meat and Livestock Australia statement read. 'Records were broken in 2018 as markets around the world competed strongly for Australia's high quality sheep meat. The expectation for supply, and consequently exports, to decline in both Australia and New Zealand will likely see global competition for sheep meat intensify in 2019.' On Wednesday sheep and lamb prices reached record highs at the Horsham Regional Livestock Exchange, The Wimmera Mail-Times reported. Lambs sold for as much as $325 per head, a record, and only got as low as $110 per head. Rodwells Wimmera area manager Wayne Driscoll told the publication the prices were 'off the charts'. 'We had good results last year in spring but this is the best we've seen in a long time,' he told the publication. 'They were very good lambs and it just shows the strength of the market.' The message from producers to consumers was to get out and show their support by buying locally grown meat where possible. A boatload of 20 asylum seekers, including a baby, have returned to Sri Lanka after their vessel was intercepted by Australian authorities. Operation Sovereign Borders officers spotted the boat heading towards Australia's north-west coast during aerial patrols of the Indian Ocean last week. An Australian navy vessel transported the group to the recently reopened Christmas Island detention centre, where they were held for several days before being sent home on a government charter jet on Wednesday, The Australian reported. A boatload of Sri Lankan asylum seekers were transported to the recently reopened Christmas Island detention centre (pictured) before they were sent home on Wednesday Government sources told the publication no one in the group had a legitimate reason to seek asylum in Australia. The boatload were the first asylum seekers in five years to arrive by sea to Christmas Island, 1,500 kilometres north west of Australia's mainland, where they underwent health and security checks. It's understood they left Sri Lanka earlier this month, just weeks after the devastating Easter terror attacks on churches and hotels that killed more than 250 people across the country. The Department of Home Affairs confirmed it intercepted a people smuggling voyage. 'Australian authorities recently intercepted an attempted illegal people smuggling venture from Sri Lanka,' a spokesman told the Sydney Morning Herald. 'Twenty people aboard the vessel have been returned to Sri Lanka after attempting the dangerous and illegal voyage.' An Australian navy vessel transported the asylum seekers to Christmas Island (stock photo) Daily Mail Australia contacted Australian Border Force and the Department of Home Affairs for further comment. Operation Sovereign Borders is a border protection operation set by the Coalition Government in 2013 led by the Australian Defence Force aimed at stopping asylum seekers from reaching Australia's shores. Around 186 Sri Lankan men, women and children from 10 people-smuggling ventures who have been returned to Sri Lanka since 2013. More than 50,000 asylum-seekers made it to Australia by boat under the previous Labor government, while an estimated 1,200 drowned while Labor were in government during 2007-2013. A group of 17 Vietnamese nationals made it as far as the Daintree rainforest in far north Queensland last August before they were flown to Christmas Island before being sent home. Operation Sovereign Borders officers spotted the boat heading towards Australia's north-west coast during patrols of the Indian Ocean last week (stock photo) Christmas Island detention centre was reopened earlier this year to guard against a feared influx of asylum-seeker boats. 'My job now is to ensure that the boats don't come,' Prime Minister Scott Morrison said at the time. 'My job now is to do everything within my power, and in the power of the government, to ensure that what the parliament has done to weaken our borders does not result in boats coming to Australia.' The prime minister spent $185 million reopening the detention centre to accommodate refugees and asylum-seekers on Nauru and Manus Island found to need medical assessments in Australia. It's understood no medical transferees have yet been taken to the facility. The recent budget revealed the government would try to repeal the laws and close the centre by July. Advertisement Hundreds of family and friends have paid tribute to former Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown at a memorial service today. They gathered at St John's Family Church in Yeovil, Somerset and was hailed a 'fighter, a battler and an optimist' who believed in 'pulling down the walls and barriers that divide us.' The former long-standing MP for Yeovil died surrounded by family on December 22 last year aged 77 - weeks after he revealed he had been diagnosed with bladder cancer. The service was conducted by the Reverend James Dudley-Smith and attended by Lord Ashdown's widow Jane and his family. It was held for close family and friends, with politicians expected to hold another memorial service at St Margaret's Church in Westminster later this year. Hundreds of family and friends have paid tribute to former Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown at a memorial service today at St John the Baptist Church in Somerset Lord Ashdown's widow Jane Courtenay, right, attended the service today with family and friends while David Laws, left, who succeeded the politician as Yeovil MP, also paid tribute to him in the Somerset church Lady Jane paid a glowing tribute to her late husband and said he had 'duty written underneath his skin' and 'never wanted accolades'. Speaking to the BBC before the service, she also revealed how they met by chance at a Royal Marines' Christmas Ball 56 years ago. She said: 'He'd taken his cousin along too, but he knocked on the door of the wrong cousin' when he came to pick her up from the local hotel, she said. She added: 'He was one of those people who, if you peeled back the first couple of layers of skin, there was 'duty' written underneath' she said. Among those paying public tribute was David Laws, who succeeded him as Yeovil's MP in 2001. Mr Laws said: 'Paddy did some of his best work not just in Yeovil and the United Kingdom, but overseas; in Bosnia; he was a passionate supporter of the European Union and the United Nations. 'But he was very definitely not the 'Citizen of Nowhere' that our current Prime Minister once talked of. 'He saw no conflict at all in his loyalty to his home village of Norton-sub-Hamdon, his constituency of Yeovil, his county home of Somerset and his country, but also simultaneously to Bosnia, to the European Union, the United Nations, to the children of Africa he fought for in his Unicef role. 'He rejected a false choice of country or town versus the wider world and he believed instinctively in pulling down the walls and barriers that divide us. The large congregation, pictured, at the Somerset church was made up mainly of family and friends, with politicians to hold a memorial at St Margaret's Church in Westminster later this year The service heard Lord Ashdown, pictured left and right in an order of service, was described as 'a fighter, a battler and an optimist' by Mr Laws 'It is a tragedy that we lost Paddy in our country at a time when he had some much to contribute to the current debates about our future. 'He was always a fighter, a battler and an optimist and would have drawn great comfort from the recent performance of the party he led and loved. 'And he would have judged as a liberal, as a historian and as an optimist that eventually good in mankind will prevail and we will return again not to building walls but to breaking down barriers that divide us.' The congregation sang Lord Ashdown's favourite hymn, I Vow To Thee, My Country, as well as the naval hymn Eternal Father, Strong To Save. Lord Ashdown was the MP for Yeovil from 1983 to 2001 and leader of the Liberal Democrats from 1988 to 1999. Lord Ashdown, pictured, was the MP for Yeovil from 1983 to 2001 and leader of the Liberal Democrats from 1988 to 1999. He died last December aged 77 weeks after being diagnosed with bladder cancer In an extraordinary life he quit school before his A-Levels to join the Royal Marines in 1959 and would later be recruited to Britain's elite Special Boat Service, the seagoing equivalent of the SAS. He served in Borneo, Hong Kong, the Persian Gulf and later commanded the Marines in Northern Ireland in 1970 before retiring with the rank of Captain. Lord Ashdown would join MI6 as an agent but as diplomatic cover worked for the Foreign Office at the UN in Geneva, Switzerland. He then moved into politics and was elected as MP for Yeovil, Somerset, in 1983. Lord Ashdown, second right, began his military career in the Royal Marine Commandos and later became a member of the Special Boat Service, the Navy's answer to the SAS In 1988, Ashdown, pictured with his wife, was elected leader of the newly created Social and Liberal Democratic Party which saw a merger between the SDP and the Liberals He then took over as leader of the Liberal Democrats in 1988 after its crushing 1987 General Election defeat, leading it to a stunning breakthrough at the 1992 election. He was extolled as one of the 'most talented politicians never to hold high office' after being eclipsed by Labour's 1997 Election having been on the brink of a coalition government. After stepping down as leader in 1999, Mr Ashdown was knighted and then made a peer as Lord Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon. He became High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2002, and was an active campaigner for Remain in the 2016 referendum. A guide to help high-ranking British officers spot right-wing extremists in their ranks has been leaked - and the signs include people calling themselves 'patriots' and making 'inaccurate generalisations about the Left'. The leaflet, made in 2017, is titled 'Extreme Right Wing (XRW) Indicators & Warnings' - and advises senior army staff to look out for people who 'use the term Islamofacism' [sic] and call people who challenge their 'XRW' views 'indoctrinated'. The document, which an MoD spokesperson confirmed to MailOnline is genuine, was leaked online, sparking threads on several social media platforms such as Reddit. The document, which an MoD spokesperson confirmed to MailOnline is genuine, was leaked online, sparking threads on several social media platforms Other criteria the leaflet says are an indicator of 'XRW' beliefs include describing multicultural cities as 'lost', adding '-istan' to British place names, having tattoos with 'overt and covert XRW iconography' and viewing opponents as 'traitors'. Speaking of an 'impending racial conflict or "race war"' and making generalisations about Muslims and Jews are also warning signs, the leaflet states. Officers are told to look out for individuals who discuss the creation of 'white only communities' and 'become increasingly angry at perceived injustices or threats to so called national identity'. An MoD spokesperson told MailOnline the card was produced in late 2017, following the arrest of four soldiers who were accused of alignment with National Action. Last year British army veteran Corporal Mikko Vehvilainen, 34, was convicted of being a member of banned neo-Nazi group National Action and jailed for eight years. It is not known whether similar literature has been produced on how to spot left-wing extremists or Islamists. Last year British army veteran Corporal Mikko Vehvilainen, 34, was convicted of being a member of neo-Nazi terror group National Action and jailed for eight years. The Royal Anglian Regiment soldier was kicked out of the Army after his arrest in September 2017, along with another soldier as he tried to form an underground network and stockpiled weapons. British soldier and self-confessed racist Corporal Mikko Vehvilainen The Army's most senior soldier, Sergeant Major Glenn Haughton, had previously posted a social media video which said: 'If you're a serving soldier or a would-be soldier, and you hold these intolerant and extremist views, as far as I'm concerned, there is no place for you in the British Army - so get out.' The leaflet was designed to 'educate Chains of Command on the indicators and warnings of personnel who may harbour extremist views', and was said to highlight 'several indicators and warnings, the demonstration of a significant number of which could be associated with someone with extreme right-wing views'. An MoD spokesperson told MailOnline: 'The values of our armed forces and the nation they serve are totally incompatible with extremist views. 'We have robust measures in place to ensure those exhibiting these views are not permitted to serve.' The spokesperson added: 'Exhibiting one or two of these in no way suggests someone is an extremist, and the card does not suggest that all patriots are extremists. 'Through the Governments counter terrorism and counter extremism strategies (PREVENT) the MOD takes a comprehensive approach to tackling all forms of extremism and terrorism.' Earlier this month The Ferret reported that the UK's armed forces were being trained how to spot signs of radicalisation, and a freedom of information request revealed that between January 1, 2017 and January 1, 2019, there were 6,613 new records added to a service police database called REDCAPS. The MoD added that 'the armed forces are working alongside Prevent teams within the Home Office and police to provide units with regional points of contact who are there to take the lead and provide advice,' the outlet reported. Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar deleted a tweet claiming a merit-based immigration system would disadvantage Latino migrants after Texas Senator Ted Cruz called her out for prejudice against Hispanics. 'As the son of a Cuban immigrant whose Dad came to get a math degree & become a computer programmer, I'm troubled that Dems seem to believe Hispanic immigrants can't qualify for skills-based legal immigration,' Cruz tweeted on Friday in response to Omar's tweet. 'Bringing in more scientists, engineers & doctors is good for US jobs,' he continued. Cruz's full legal name is Rafael Edward Cruz, and he is of Cuban descent. His father was born and raised in Cuba, he left in 1975 to attend the University of Texas at Austin and obtained political asylum in the U.S. after his four years were up. He became a naturalized citizen in 2005. Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar deleted a tweet after Senator Ted Cruz accused her of being prejudice against Hispanics by suggesting President Donald Trump's merit-based immigration policies were discriminatory against the 'Lantix' community Cruz responded to the now-deleted tweet by talking about his Cuban immigrant father who became a computer programmer after attending college in the U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled a plan earlier this month for immigration reform, which included a merit-based system that would grants U.S. entry to migrants based on their skill and trade level and education. Omar slammed the president for the proposal, tweeting Tuesday night that it was 'fueled by racism.' 'A 'merit based' immigration policy is fueled by racism toward the Latinx community,' Omar posted in the now-deleted tweet. 'Our immigration policies shouldn't be based on discrimination, fear, or bigotry. We should welcome immigrants to our country and offer a simple pathway to citizenship,' Omar concluded. Some other Twitter-users said that in accusing the president of racism, Omar was sounding racist herself by suggesting Hispanics would be disadvantaged by a merit-based immigration system. 'So Ms. Smarty Pants @ilhanmn deleted her tweet, cuz she finally realized that in accusing the President of raaaaaaaaaaacism, she was sounding mighty raaaaaaaaaacist herself,' conservative blogger Michelle Malkin tweeted. Omar, who claims she is Trump's 'biggest nemesis,' was also accused by other Twitter users of being racist even as she was accusing the president of being racist Earlier this month, Trump unveiled an immigration plan that includes a merit-based system on granting U.S. entry to migrants based on their skill and trade level and education The freshman congresswoman is a Somali-American refugee who moved to America in 1992 when she was around 11-years-old, and secured asylum a few years later in 1995. She was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2018 midterm elections. Omar is a vocal critic of Trump and his administration, and has called herself his 'biggest nemesis' because she is a refugee, hijab-wearing Muslim and black. She is especially hypercritical of Trump's immigration policies, including a zero-tolerance stance his administration took and then reversed after it caused an influx in children being separated from their parents when crossing the border illegally. The progressive lawmaker has also come under fire for making comments that were widely viewed as anti-Semitic. She caused outrage, even within her own party, with a tweet linking support for Israel to financial contributions. 'It's all about the Benjamins,' she tweeted in February. Nicola Sturgeon today claimed it would be a 'democratic outrage' if the next Prime Minister decided to block a second referendum on Scottish independence. The First Minister made the incendiary claim in Edinburgh today as legislation was published that could pave the way for a fresh vote five years after the SNP lost the last one. But the Referendums (Scotland) Bill contained no details on the key issue of when a referendum could be held or what the question would be as she tries to get Downing Street to give in. Ms Sturgeon said: 'It is essential the UK Government recognises that it would be a democratic outrage if it seeks to block such a referendum - indeed, any such stance would, in my view, prove to be utterly unsustainable'. The SNP leader's party won the European elections in Scotland and has repeatedly dared Theresa May to stop Scotland voting on it again - and has laid down the same warning to her successor after the Tories' disaster at the polls. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon holds up a leaflet featuring Tory rival Ruth Davidson as she published the Referendums (Scotland) Bill, a legislation paving the way for a new referendum on Scottish independence today The SNP leader, pictured with Constitutional Relations Secretary Michael Russell, has tared the Tory Government to block IndyRef2 - but has not set a date for when it takes place All the Tory leadership candidates are expected to oppose IndyRef2, with Sajid Javid linking it with Brexit and said today: 'Nicola Sturgeon has never met a referendum she hasn't wanted to overturn'. Rory Stewart also ruled out allowing one. Can Nicola Sturgeon hold Indyref2 without the Prime Minister's permission? Nicola Sturgeon's wish to hold a binding second Scottish independence referendum is not entirely in her hands. A Section 30 order, as set out in the Scotland Act 1998, allows Holyrood to legislate on reserved areas - but requires the Westminster Government's says-so. The Scottish Government would be required to request a Section 30 in order to hold a second independence referendum as the power to call a referendum is reserved to Westminster. While the Scottish Government could stage another vote on independence, a section 30 order transferring the powers needed to hold such a ballot from Westminster would be needed for it to be legally binding. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said she would not hold a referendum without Westminster's permission. She could choose to hold a non-binding vote, however, to pile pressure on the Government. The SNP may try to launch a legal battle - but that is unlikely to succeed. But a new Labour Government - especially one that requires a coalition to form a majority - could help deliver the Section 30 Ms Sturgeon needs. Advertisement Scots voted against independence 55 per cent to 45 per cent in a 2014 referendum billed as a once-in-generation poll, but the SNP say that Brexit has forced them to tear-up up their pledge and try again. Theresa May has repeatedly refused to sign a 'section 30 order' - needed by the Holyrood parliament to call a legally binding referendum. But Mrs May has now quit and it has been claimed that Ms Sturgeon could do a deal with Jeremy Corbyn and Labour to get them into power if it secures a second referendum on Scottish independence. The First Minister spoke out today as the Referendums (Scotland) Bill was published, setting out the rules and regulations for any future vote. The Scottish Government proposes that these will be set using secondary legislation, if and when the UK Government grants Holyrood the power to hold another ballot. But Theresa May has repeatedly refused to grant a Section 30 order for this, declaring 'now is not the time' for a second independence vote, and it seems unlikely her successor will change that stance. Ms Sturgeon, who has already earmarked the second half of 2020 as a possible time for the referendum, said the Scottish Government would 'seek agreement to a transfer of power at an appropriate point to enable an independence referendum that is beyond challenge to be held later in this parliament'. The publication of the Bill comes in the wake of the European elections - where Ms Sturgeon's ruling SNP increased its share of the vote and won three of the six spots for Scottish MEPs. Sajid Javid said today: 'Nicola Sturgeon has never met a referendum she hasn't wanted to overturn'. Rory Stewart also ruled out allowing IndyRef2 today That contrasts with the success of Nigel Farage's newly formed Brexit Party south of the border. Ms Sturgeon has already told how those elections, coming in the wake of Scots voting to remain in the European Union in 2016, have shown a 'tale of two countries' within the UK - with Scotland 'diverging markedly in our outlook, ambition and vision for the future'. And she stressed: 'Now, more than ever, it is essential that we keep Scotland's options open so that people have the opportunity to choose a better future.' The First Minister stated: 'An independence referendum within this parliamentary term will give Scotland the opportunity to choose to be an independent European nation - rather than have a Brexit future imposed upon us. 'Throughout the Brexit process, Scotland has been treated with contempt by Westminster, and our efforts to find compromise and protect the interests of the people of Scotland, who voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU, have been ignored.' Recent polling found that Scots would vote for independence if the UK crashes out of the EU with no Brexit deal, but they would back to stay in the UK if a vote was held in other circumstances The Bill - which has 42 separate sections - provides a 'legal framework for the holding of referendums on matters that are within the competence of the Scottish Parliament', accompanying papers said. Scots would back independence if there is a No Deal Brexit - but is unlikely otherwise, polling says Scots would vote for independence if the UK crashes out of the EU with no Brexit deal, recent polling has said - but is unlikely in other circumstances. Voters would oppose the break up of the United Kingdom if the referendum was held tomorrow, according to a Survation survey from last Autumn. And if the UK leaves the EU with a deal then the voters are split 50:50 the poll found. According to the survey, if there is a referendum held now then 54 per cent of Scots would vote 'No' and 46 per cent voted 'Yes'. But if the Tories do not get a Brexit deal and a vote is held then the result switches, with 'Yes' narrowly winning by 52 percent to 48 per cent. The poll of 1,013 people was carried out between October 3 and 5 last year. Advertisement These made clear: 'The main policy objective of the Bill is to ensure that future referendums on matters that are within the competence of the Scottish Parliament maintain the high standards achieved by the referendum on Scottish independence in 2014.' They also stipulated that determining what questions are to be asked of voters, Scottish ministers 'must consult the Electoral Commission'. While having the UK Government legislate for future referendums would be a 'alternative approach', Scottish Government papers stated: 'This would not be an effective or acceptable option. 'The Scottish Parliament should set the rules for referendums within its legislative competence, as this is the only legislative approach that respects the rights and role of the Parliament.' Constitutional Relations Secretary Michael Russell said that 'although referendums have become an increasingly common feature of UK democracy, it is a long time since the framework governing them was last comprehensively reviewed'. He added: 'Introducing a standing framework for referendums is a reasonable thing for any country or Parliament to have and this legislation will put Scotland in the same position as the UK and many other countries.' However the pro-UK campaign group Scotland in Union said the publication of the Bill was a 'reckless act by an irresponsible Government'. Chief executive Pamela Nash, a former Scottish Labour MP, said: 'With a constitutional crisis over Brexit, the very last thing the country and the economy needs is deeper division and greater uncertainty. 'Nicola Sturgeon only cares about putting up barriers between people, but it's time for her to become First Minister for everyone in Scotland and drop this unwanted plan. 'Only a fifth of voters back her proposal to force a divisive second independence referendum on the country by 2021, and a third of former Yes voters now want to remain in the UK.' A three-month-old baby was burned alive inside an ambulance after an oxygen tank exploded on a motorway in Turkey. The incident happened in the district of Silivri in the north-western province of Istanbul this week. The ambulance caught fire and was burning by the roadside on the Trans-European Motorway, footage shows. Firefighters were called to the scene following the incident and extinguished the fire Footage shows the burning ambulance after an oxygen tank exploded for unknown reasons Local media reported the vehicle was travelling to the province of Edirne. The baby, named as Rojin, was in an incubator next to her mother when an oxygen bottle exploded. The cause of the incident is still unknown. The baby's mother and ambulance staff were able to escape from the burning vehicle but the baby died inside the vehicle. Emergency services were called to the scene and firefighters extinguished the fire. The baby's mother, identified as Necmiye S., broke down following the incident as she saw her baby burned alive, local media reported. Local media reported the ambulance was travelling to the Turkish province of Edirne The baby was travelling in an incubator on the ambulance with her mother when the oxygen bottle exploded She needed to be tranquilised by paramedics and another ambulance arrived at the scene to take her to hospital for treatment, according to reports. In a statement, she said: 'Suddenly, something happened and fire shot out of the back. Paramedics got out and I also jumped out of the ambulance. 'The paramedics could not get in to save my baby and ran away. There were three people in there with my daughter, but when the fire started there was no one.' A police investigation is ongoing. A man suspected of killing a woman and wounding three others, including a sheriff's deputy was later found dead after shooting himself following a manhunt in Texas. Police had been searching for Pavol Vido, 65, since around 7 am when he shot three employees at a plumbing business in Cleveland and later a Sheriff's deputy who tried to apprehend him. While police have not yet established a motive for the incident, they said Vido lived in a metal container behind the plumbing business and was recently served with eviction papers. The people who own the business also own the land. Authorities confirmed that he shot himself just after 2 pm when he was eventually found by police, KHOU 11 reported. Pavol Vido fatally shot himself when found by cops following a manhunt in Texas. Police believe he killed one woman and injured three others during a shooting spree on Wednesday He was found hiding under a boat outside the house they had surrounded hours earlier, which was near the scene of his first attack. The violence began at around 7 am on Wednesday at B Dependable Plumbing in Cleveland - a city of 8,000 people about 50 miles northeast of Houston. Vido waited there for three employees and allegedly shot them. One of the victims, identified only as a female and believed to be a secretary, died at the scene while the other two were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. Liberty County sheriff's Captain Ken DeFoor said Vido was driving away from the plumbing company when deputies pursued him on a local highway near the business. He said Vido pulled off and exchanged gunfire with the deputies in the parking lot of Big Thicket Veterinary Clinic. DeFaor told reporters: 'Like all other mass shootings, its regrettable, its something you see no logic in and theres no justifiable reason for something like this. 'He did live directly behind the plumbing shop and was in the process of being evicted,' he added. Vido was living in a metal container behind B Dependable Plumbing on Highway 321, (pictured) and was recently served with eviction papers. He waited at the business and shot three people there on Wednesday morning Police had been searching for Pavol Vido, 65, since around 7 am when he began a shooting spree in a plumbing business which he lived behind. He is pictured here in a 1994 mugshot for a previous arrest Deputy Richard Whitten was shot in the throat and was flown to a Houston hospital where he was said to be in a stable condition, DeFoor said. Vido subsequently fled and authorities continued to search for him. DeFoor said Vido was driving a white 2004 Mercury. DeFoor did not provide the names of any of those who were shot, including the deputy. Vido left the clinic in a stolen, white 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis with Texas license plate FGZ7180. At around 11 am, dozens of law enforcement officials could be seen surrounding, (pictured), a home just off FM Road 321 located in between the scenes of the two shootings At around 11 am, dozens of law enforcement officials could be seen surrounding a home just off FM Road 321 located in between the scenes of the two shootings. Officials at the scene said that Vido's car was found at the location. About three hours later, officials said they searched a mobile home near where they found the car but were not able to locate Vido. When asked about the condition of the two surviving victims, Sergeant Erik Burse, of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said: 'I can't go into detail right now, but it's not good.' Video was found hiding under a boat outside the house they had surrounded hours earlier, which was near the scene of his first attack. Public schools in Cleveland were locked down Wednesday morning, according to a statement on the district's Facebook page. Vido was living in a metal container behind the plumbing business, ABC13 reported. In the last month, the sheriff's office served Vido eviction papers. The people who own the land where Vido was living are connected to the plumbing business, according to authorities. KPRC2 reported that this was not Vido's first encounter with law enforcement. He was arrested several times on suspicion of violent crimes including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. It is understood those cases were either acquitted or charges were dismissed.His last encounter with law enforcement was in 1994. His only convictions were for unlawfully carrying a weapon, driving with a suspended license and DWI. The parents of alleged ISIS terrorist 'Jihadi Jack' were 'in denial' when they wired him money in Syria for 'jumpers and glasses', a court heard today. Organic farmer John Letts, 58, and his book publisher wife Sally Lane, 56, were advised they would be breaking the law but continued to transfer some 1,723 to their son Jack Letts anyway, jurors have been told. Fearing her 23-year-old son might already be dead, Lane contacted the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation at Kings College London. They were warned against sending cash to him, but continued to do so anyway after 'refusing to believe their son was fighting for ISIS.' Sally Lane feared her son Jack (pictured) might be dead, so contacted experts at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation at Kings College London for advice John Letts, 58, and his wife Sally Lane, 56, (pictured outside court on May 23), are on trial at the Old Bailey accused of sending money to their son Jack Letts Lane said in an email to the centre: 'We are desperate to find other sources or help to give us extra information or confirm that he is still alive.' Both parents had a three-hour meeting with deputy director Dr Shiras Maher on August 21, 2015 and they raised the subject of sending their son jumpers and glasses. Both parents had a three-hour meeting with deputy director Dr Shiras Maher (pictured outside court today), on August 21, 2015 and raised the subject of sending Jack jumpers and glasses Asked what he thought they meant Dr Maher said: 'To send money to Jack.' He told the Old Bailey today: 'I advised them very clearly not to send money. I said they would fall foul of terrorist legislation. 'I advised them of the consequences of a contravention of terrorist legislation.' Dr Maher said the parents were 'in denial' and refused to believe that their son was fighting for ISIS, even as a guard. He said Lane spoke of her son's Arabic skills and suggested he might be working as a translator but he told them, 'they all fight.' The parents sobbed at the meeting when Dr Maher said their son would probably die in the Middle East. He said: 'I felt it was my role to prepare that for the fact that Jack might not return.I said people could not get out when they wanted to. 'They were very distressed. You are saying to them their child would die. It seemed very likely he would be killed out there. I wanted to say that to them. 'At times it felt like a therapy session.' When he saw a photo of friend with his comrades in the British Army (pictured here), Letts had said he would 'love to perform a martyrdom operation in this scene' and behead him Prosecutors have told the court hw Jack Letts had left the family home in Oxford in 2014 aged 18 The court heard Lane could not believe the radicalised messages sent to her on Facebook were from him. When he saw a picture of friend with his comrades in the British Army Letts had said he would 'love to perform a martyrdom operation in this scene' and behead him. Lane thought someone else had hijacked his Facebook account until he named the family's pet cats and fish. On 2 September 2015, 31 December 2015 and 4 January 2016, Jack's parents are accused of attempting to wire 1,723, to their son when they should have realised it could benefit terrorism. Prosecutors said Jack Letts had left the family home in Oxford in 2014 aged 18. His mother, a former fundraising and marketing officer, had bought him a flight to Jordan, despite a warning that he planned to go and fight in Syria, the court heard previously. From there, he travelled to Kuwait and then on to Iraq and Syria, before he was captured in Raqqa. The couple, from Oxford, deny three charges of entering into a funding arrangement for the purposes of terrorism. The trial continues. Licensed nurse Alisa Newman, 34, allegedly forced her 10-year-old daughter to go through unnecessary and potentially fatal medical treatments her entire life A licensed nurse who is suspected of suffering from Munchausen syndrome by proxy allegedly forced her 10-year-old daughter to go through unnecessary and potentially fatal medical treatments her entire life. The child had a pacemaker, feeding tube, and IV port installed that she didn't need and was subjected to procedures that only made her more ill, according to the criminal complaint. Alisha Newman, 34, is charged with physical abuse of a child causing great bodily harm and child neglect. She has been accused of misleading doctors in six states, claiming her daughter suffered from a number of serious disorders. The married mother-of-three was arrested after she took her daughter to a pediatric gastroenterologist at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin earlier this month. Doctors noted that the girl's skin was pale and ashen and that she appeared severely ill, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She was admitted to the pediatric ICU and diagnosed with severe shock and acute renal failure. Doctors observed she had organ damage and acidosis, an excess of acid in the blood. The married mother-of-three is suspected of suffering from Munchausen syndrome by proxy Newman posted photos of her daughter and her husband at the hospital and frequently shared updates on her Facebook Tests revealed that the girl was suffering from bacteria that had migrated outside the gut. She was placed on antibiotics. Doctors discovered that it was the second time the girl had been hospitalized with a severe infection in less than two months. Five weeks before she was taken to Children's Hospital, the girl was diagnosed with klebsiella sepsis and bacteremia, when bacteria is found in the bloodstream, at a hospital in Oklahoma. She was placed on antibiotics and hospitalized for 21 days. Red flags were raised at Children's Hospital when Newman told staff that her daughter had been diagnosed with a number of serious ailments, including mitochondrial disease and muscular dystrophy. Newman (pictured in court on Tuesday) has been charged with physical abuse of a child causing great bodily harm and child neglect Newman has been accused of misleading doctors in six states, claiming her daughter suffered from a number of serious disorders Following her hearing, Newman turned to her husband - who was sitting in the gallery - and mouthed the words 'help me' But doctors at the same hospital had already ruled out that the girl was suffering from either disorder in November 2016. Red flags were raised at Children's Hospital in Wisconsin when Newman told staff that her daughter had been diagnosed with mitochondrial disease and muscular dystrophy In fact, tests revealed that the girl wasn't suffering from any rare disorders whatsoever. Following her most recent hospitalization, the girl's entire medical records from birth were then reviewed by Alyssa Stephany, the medical director of Pediatric Hospital Medicine for Children's. Stephany alleged that Newman had been providing 'false or misleading information' about her daughter's health to doctors in Oklahoma, Texas, Ohio, Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Tennessee. 'There is a high degree of concern on the part of multiple medical providers that the girl is the victim of' Munchausen syndrome by proxy, Stephany found. Munchausen syndrome by proxy is a mental illness in which a person - usually an adult - tries to gain attention by seeking medical help for another person - usually a child - with exaggerated or fake symptoms. Pictured are some of the updates Newman shared about her daughter's hospitalizations Stephany found that the girl was 'being misdiagnosed and was undergoing multiple unwarranted medical procedures, many of which posed risk to her life'. FAKING IT: WHAT IS MUNCHAUSEN'S? Munchausen's syndrome is a psychological disorder where someone pretends to be ill or deliberately produces symptoms of illness in themselves. Their main intention is to assume the 'sick role' so that people care for them and they are the centre of attention. Any practical benefit in pretending to be sick for example, claiming incapacity benefit is not the reason for their behaviour. Munchausen's syndrome is named after a German aristocrat, Baron Munchausen, who became famous for telling wild, unbelievable tales about his exploits. Munchausen's syndrome is complex and poorly understood. Many people refuse psychiatric treatment or psychological profiling, and it's unclear why people with the syndrome behave the way they do. People with Munchausen's syndrome can behave in a number of different ways, including: pretending to have psychological symptoms for example, claiming to hear voices or claiming to see things that are not really there pretending to have physical symptoms for example, claiming to have chest pain or a stomach ache actively trying to get ill such as deliberately infecting a wound by rubbing dirt into it Some people with Munchausen's syndrome may spend years travelling from hospital to hospital faking a wide range of illnesses. When it's discovered they're lying, they may suddenly leave hospital and move to another area. People with Munchausen's syndrome can be very manipulative and, in the most serious cases, may undergo painful and sometimes life-threatening surgery, even though they know it's unnecessary. DIAGNOSIS Diagnosing Munchausen's syndrome can be challenging for medical professionals. People with the syndrome are often very convincing and skilled at manipulating and exploiting doctors. TREATMENT Treating Munchausen's syndrome can be difficult because most people with it refuse to admit they have a problem and refuse to co-operate with treatment plans. Some experts recommend that healthcare professionals should adopt a gentle non-confrontational approach, suggesting the person may benefit from a referral to a psychiatrist. Others argue that a person with Munchausen's syndrome should be confronted directly and asked why they've lied and whether they have stress and anxiety. People who have Munchausen's are genuinely mentally ill, but will often only admit to having a physical illness. If a person admits to their behaviour, they can be referred to a psychiatrist for further treatment. If they do not admit to lying, most experts agree the doctor in charge of their care should minimise medical contact with them. This is because the doctor-patient relationship is based on trust and if there's evidence the patient can no longer be trusted, the doctor is unable to continue treating them. SOURCE: NHS Advertisement Newman appeared in court on Tuesday, where a judge set her bond to $50,000. Following her hearing, she turned to her husband - who was sitting in the gallery - and mouthed the words 'help me', according to WITI. Milwaukee County Deputy District Attorney Matthew Torbenson said Newman put her daughter through a 'life-threatening, life-altering situation'. 'This is a case that, in essence, involves a continuing course of conduct and offense that has lasted the entirety of this child's life,' he added. Meanwhile, Newman's attorney Martin Pruhs claims she didn't intentionally try to hurt her daughter. 'And I think that also speaks to whether she would continue to pose any potential danger to the alleged victim in this case,' he added. Newman is being held at Milwaukee County Jail. Her preliminary hearing is June 7. Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei is reviewing its relationship with FedEx Corp after it claimed the US-based package delivery company, without detailed explanation, diverted two parcels destined for Huawei addresses in Asia to the United States and attempted to reroute two others. Huawei, the world's largest telecom network gear maker leading the way in creating the next generation of wireless networks known as 5G, said on Friday that FedEx diverted two packages sent from Japan and addressed to Huawei in China to the United States. The company also said FedEx attempted to divert two more packages sent from Vietnam to Huawei offices elsewhere in Asia, all without authorization. FedEx spokesperson Maury Donahue said the packages were 'misrouted in error' after acknowledging in an earlier statement that the U.S. Department of Commerce had recently added the company to its 'Entity List,' which names companies that are subject to specific license requirements before buying things from US providers. This delivery mishap comes amid growing tension between China and the US over trade relations, including a court battle over a bill banning US federal government workers from purchasing Huawei products. Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei (logo at left) is reviewing its relationship with FedEx Corp (logo at right) after it claimed the US-based package delivery company, without detailed explanation, diverted two parcels destined for Huawei addresses in Asia to the United States and attempted to reroute two others. FedEx spokesperson Maury Donahue said the packages were 'misrouted in error' Huawei said the four packages involved in the alleged rerouting by FedEx contained only documents and 'no technology.' 'The recent experiences where important commercial documents sent via FedEx were not delivered to their destination, and instead were either diverted to, or were requested to be diverted to, FedEx in the United States, undermines our confidence,' Huawei spokesperson Joe Kelly said. Kelly said the company will now have to review its requirements for document delivery support, implying its relationship with FedEx may be in flux. Huawei declined to elaborate on why it thought the packages may have been diverted. Huawei acknowledged that one package originating in Vietnam was received by Friday, and the other was on its way, according to FedEx tracking records provided by the company. This delivery mishap comes amid growing tension between China and the US over trade relations, including a court battle over a bill banning US federal government workers from purchasing Huawei products (pictured) Two packages sent on May 19 and May 20 from Tokyo, intended for Huawei in China, ended up in Memphis, Tennessee, where GFby May 23, according to images of FedEx tracking records shown to Reuters by Huawei. The two packages originating from Hanoi on May 17, destined for Huawei's Hong Kong and Singapore offices, were held up after arriving in local FedEx stations in Hong Kong and Singapore on May 21 for 'delivery exception,' according to other images Huawei showed Reuters. According to FedEx's website, the status 'exception' means an unexpected event is preventing delivery of a package, for example a customs delay, a holiday, or no one being available to accept delivery. FedEx declined to give details on what the exception was in this case. According to Huawei, a FedEx customer service representative in Vietnam replied to their inquiry on May 22 when two expected packages did not arrive on time, saying: 'Please be informed that FDX SG received notification from FDX US to hold and return the package to US. Hence, the shipment is not deliver to consignee and now being hold at FDX station and under process to RTS it (return to sender). Huawei said that both Vietnam packages were sent by its shipping agent, a contractor to Huawei whom it did not identify, and contained urgent documents. Huawei said the shipping agent refused permission for FedEx to send the packages to the United States and instructed they be returned. Huawei said it only learned that the Japan-originated packages, which were sent by suppliers that it did not identify, had been diverted to the United States after checking FedEx's tracking record. The company said it has lodged a formal complaint with China's postal regulator, which it said is investigating the incident. FedEx China on Tuesday apologized on its Chinese social media account for the 'mishandling' of Huawei packages and confirmed there was no 'external pressure' to divert packages. China's State Postal Bureau did not return a request for comment. FedEx spokesperson Donahue said, 'This is an isolated issue limited to a very small number of packages,' referring to the four parcels affected. 'We are aware of all shipments at issue and are working directly with our customers to return the packages to their possession.' She said that FedEx was not requested to divert the packages by any other party. The U.S. Department of Commerce did not reply to a request for comment on whether the incident might be related to its move on May 16 to add Huawei to the so-called 'Entity List,' preventing it buying certain items from U.S. companies without U.S. government approval. The United States believes Huawei is a potential espionage threat because of its close ties with the Chinese government. Huawei has repeatedly denied it is controlled by the Chinese government, military or intelligence services. The U.S. Department of Commerce did not reply to a request for comment on whether the incident might be related to its move on May 16 to add Huawei to the so-called 'Entity List,' preventing it buying certain items from U.S. companies without U.S. government approval. The US and China are involved in a trade dispute and tariff war that began last July, after President Donald Trump (pictured) complained that China steals from or pressures foreign companies to hand over technology while unfairly subsidizing Chinese businesses The US and China are involved in a trade dispute and tariff war that began last July, after President Donald Trump complained that China steals from or pressures foreign companies to hand over technology while unfairly subsidizing Chinese businesses. The most recent round of negotiations earlier this month ended with no agreement, after Trump more than doubled duties on $200 billion (158bn) in Chinese imports. China responded by raising tariffs of 5 percent to 25 percent on $60 billion (47.4bn) worth of American goods. Huawei has today filed a request asking a US court to bar legislation that bars federal agencies from buying its products. Song Liuping, the firm's legal officer, said the company was due to file the motion for summary judgment on Tuesday. The company is asking the US to scrap section 889 of the National Defense Authorization Act, which prohibits executive government agencies from procuring equipment from Huawei and its rival ZTE. Despite the apology, dozens took to social media to criticize the company, suggesting it trivialized gang violence and sought to profit from urban cache In response, Mirage Beer quickly deleted the post and scrapped the release, issuing an apology and promising to donate to a gang-violence linked charity A Washington brewery has been slammed and forced into issuing a groveling apology after it advertised a new line of 'Bloods and Crips' themed beers. Mirage Beer, a Seattle-based company, announced the release of two new IPAs called 'Snitch Blood' and 'Where You From' in cans decorated to look like the red and blue bandannas worn by the rival Los Angeles gangs. But the offensive branding was seized upon by the craft beer community which called Mirage Beer out for being 'entitled' and in very poor taste, forcing the company into an embarrassing U-turn. Mirage Beer, a Seattle-based company, announced the release of two new IPAs - called 'Snitch Blood' and 'Where You From' in cans decorated to look like the red and blue bandannas worn by the rival Los Angeles gangs 'F*** all the politeness, people have died over that s*** you're trying to use to be down & kool [sic],' Beer Kulture, an Instagram account dedicated to craft beer said, following the announcement of the two beers. The account continued: 'Mirage Beer... those new beers yall are releasing is a dub. Yall are entitled, non creative Kulture vultures that deserves to fail, hard & fast.' Mirage Beer Company, Michael Dempster released a statement accepting the labels were insensitive and created in poor taste In response, Mirage Beer quickly deleted the post and scrapped the release, issuing an apology and promising to donate to a charity that works in communities affected by gang violence. Mirage Beer said in the brief Instagram post: 'Fully agree those labels were a dumb idea. Still going to release the beers, but obv with new names. All proceeds going to the Southern Poverty Law Center [sic].' Despite the apology, dozens took to social media to criticize the company, suggesting it trivialized gang violence. One said: 'This is so f*****d. Knowing all the children that died because of all that, I fail to see the quirkiness.' Another said he lost his son to gang violence and said the branding was a bad idea. Then in a longer apology, owner of Mirage Beer Company, Michael Dempster released a statement accepting the labels were insensitive and created in poor taste. He wrote: 'I deeply regret the obvious element of appropriation, and further, that they trivialized the impact of gang violence on marginalized communities. Despite the apology, dozens took to social media to criticize the company, suggesting it trivialized gang violence. One said: 'This is so f*****d. Knowing all the children that died because of all that, I fail to see the quirkiness' 'Im embarrassed and ashamed to find myself here. I was blind, and stupid, and I wish I could take it back not for my benefit, but to prevent anyone from feeling like this industry is any more hostile and/or insensitive than it already is. 'This was not my intent, and thats part of the problem: I hadnt thought this through.' Adding: 'It breaks my heart that Im the reason for anyone feeling less welcome in the craft beer community, and Im sorry anyone had to waste any energy at all on me or my ignorant label ideas.' Families face a 'cost of living catastrophe' next year thanks to soaring energy bills, tax increases and the highest inflation in 30 years, a report warns. It predicts that 2022 will be the 'year of the squeeze', with households facing a hit of at least 1,200. With inflation projected to reach 6 per cent in spring, wages next Christmas could be no higher in real terms than they are today, the study by the Resolution Foundation think-tank forecasts. Meanwhile, it says rising gas prices could add at least 600 to family budgets when the energy price cap is reviewed in spring. On top of this, households face higher taxes from April when National Insurance goes up by 1.25 percentage points to fund the NHS and social care - a rise that will affect middle-income earners more. Most town halls are also expected to put up council tax by almost 3 per cent in the same month. The think-tank said the combined impact of these factors would leave the average household at least 1,200 worse off - but warned that even this may be an under-estimate because energy bills could rise by more than expected. Some experts have warned that surging wholesale gas prices could add as much as 1,000 to household bills. Torsten Bell, chief executive of the Resolution Foundation, said: '2022 will begin with Omicron at the forefront of everyone's minds. But while the economic impact of this new wave is uncertain, it should at least be short-lived. Instead, 2022 will be defined as the year of the squeeze. Advertisement Communities along the swollen Arkansas River in Oklahoma and Arkansas are preparing for further flooding, with the mayor of Tulsa urging thousands of residents behind the city's aging levees to be ready to evacuate in the event of a 'worst-case scenario'. 'This is a flood of historic magnitude,' said Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, joined by state emergency officials and officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Wednesday. Hutchinson said that he directed $250,000 in state funds toward the flood response. The Republican says he has also requested federal assistance from the Trump administration. Flooding has already closed 12 state highways, the governor said, and 400 households have agreed to voluntary evacuations. In Oklahoma, Muskogee County Emergency Management spokeswoman Trish German says flooding from intense thunderstorms and the nearby river has forced the evacuations of more than 2,400 people. German says almost 1,100 homes have been flooded. She said about 2 inches of rain has fallen on the area since Tuesday night. Forecasters say the same amount is possible Wednesday. In Tulsa, Oklahoma's second largest city, Mayor G.T. Bynum warned that the city's 70-year-old levees were being tested 'in a way that they have never been before'. 'Please prepare for the worst-case scenario that we've had in the history of the city,' he said on Tuesday. So far, he added, the 20-mile levee system, which protects some 10,000 people, was working as designed. Scroll down for video Communities along the swollen Arkansas River in Oklahoma and Arkansas (pictured is Little Rock on Wednesday) are preparing for further flooding, with the mayor of Tulsa urging thousands of residents behind the city's aging levees to be ready to evacuate in the event of a 'worst-case scenario' According to the National Weather Service (NWS), more rain is forecast and the flooding is expected to spread. Pictured is a structure in Little Rock, Arkansas on Wednesday More heavy downpours were forecast through Wednesday night over much of the two states, with between 1 and 3 inches expected. By early June, rivers are expected to crest to the highest levels on record all the way down to Little Rock, Arkansas. Pictured is the Toad Suck Lock and Dam on Wednesday This photo shows the water steadily rising at the Ormond Lock and Dam near Morrilton, Arkansas, on Wednesday The Little Rock District of the US Army Corps of Engineers warned residents in Arkansas to 'listen to all warnings from your local emergency management offices and elected officials'. Pictured is the Trimble Lock and Dam, Fort Smith on Wednesday There are 46 areas that are currently in major flood zones, as depicted in this graphic More than a week of stormy weather, including violent downpours and deadly tornadoes, has devastated the central United States. It has caused record-breaking floods in parts of the two states, which have turned highways into lakes and submerged all but the roofs of some homes. And according to the National Weather Service (NWS), more rain is forecast and the flooding is expected to spread. 'The rain has been coming fast and furiously and it all has to drain through the rivers,' Patrick Burke, a meteorologist at the NWS Weather Prediction Center, said in an interview on Wednesday. More heavy downpours were forecast through Wednesday night over much of the two states, with between 1 and 3 inches expected, he said. The Arkansas River is projected to crest on Wednesday at 42.5 feet in Van Buren, breaking the 1945 record of 38.42 feet. 'Based on impact statements from previous floods and the newest forecast crests, this will be the worst flooding in recorded history along the Arkansas River from Toad Suck and points northwest,' the NWS tweeted Sunday. They predicted levees would be flooded and there would be 'significant impacts to life and property across a very large area'. Father and son Brad and Bart Hindley, take a boat to Brad's flooded house in Fort Smith, Arkansas, on Wednesday. Brad said he doesn't live in a flood plain, but flood waters from the Arkansas River continue to rise Flood waters surround homes in Fort Smith, Arkansas, on Wednesday as water from the Arkansas River continues to rise The Arkansas River has already flooded hundreds of homes in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, and more are expected to be flooded as more water is released from a dam. City officials expect as many as 500 homes to flood eventually. This home is seen in Fort Smith, Arkansas on Wednesday This graphic depicts the areas where cities and towns are under flood warnings and flood advisories Due to already significant rain in the area, the flooding is expected to be 'prolonged and impacts will remain significant through much of the upcoming summer'. In Arkansas, 13 counties are bracing for historic flooding this week. Those include, Sebastian, Crawford, Logan, Johnson, Yell, Pope, Perry, Conway, Faulkner, Pulaski, Jefferson, Lincoln and Desha. The Arkansas River has already flooded hundreds of homes in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, and more are expected to be flooded as more water is released from a dam. City officials expect as many as 500 homes to flood eventually. And the floods will only continue as the NWS' Weather Prediction Center released a warning of a moderate risk of excessive rainfall, anticipating five to seven inches of rain across the region in states including Illinois, Iowa and Missouri. By early June, rivers are expected to crest to the highest levels on record all the way down to Little Rock, Arkansas, Burke said. At least six people have died as a result of the latest round of flooding and storms in Oklahoma, according to the state's Department of Health. The NWS' Weather Prediction Center released a warning of a moderate risk of excessive rainfall, anticipating five to seven inches of rain across the region in states including Illinois, Iowa (pictured, is Ottumwa) and Missouri Floodwaters surround a home in Ottumwa, Iowa, as rising waters from the Des Moines River has forced residents out of homes along the riverbank A driver makes their way through a flooded street in Ottumwa, Iowa, on Tuesday as residents evacuate the area Residents look on as floodwaters surround a home in Ottumwa, Iowa, on Wednesday The US Army Corps of Engineers has raised the release of water from the Keystone Dam, in northeastern Oklahoma on the Arkansas and Cimarron rivers about 23 miles from Tulsa, into the river system to 275,000 cubic feet per second to stop the dam from overflowing. Corps hydrologist David Williams said Wednesday that the level of Keystone Lake peaked on Tuesday 'and is now dropping'. The reservoir is about 23 miles northeast of Tulsa. Williams said flows from a hydroelectric dam at the reservoir will be reduced by Saturday from 275,000 cubic feet per second to 150,000 cubic feet per second. US Sen Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma says the additional flow in the Arkansas River has strained a levee system built in the 1940s that protects residential areas. Inhofe is also the former mayor of Tulsa. He says 'there have been problems' but that the levees are 'still performing'. Col Bob Dixon of the US Army Corps of Engineers said the levee system is 'performing admirably' as the river approaches its expected crest near Fort Smith, the state's second-largest city. The crest is expected to occur sometime on Wednesday. Still, the river is nearly twice the level it was 10 days ago, and widespread flooding persists. 'Just because the river has crested doesn't mean we're out of danger,' Dixon said. This aerial photo shows flooded homes along Arkansas River in Sand Spring, Oklahoma Storms have ravaged the Midwest from Texas to Oklahoma and Illinois the past week, leading to record floods. The swollen Arkansas River pictured above in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Thursday Dixon says the levee system will be strained as the rush of water moves downstream. He says floodwaters should begin to slowly recede in Fort Smith but that it will likely take weeks. Arkansas Department of Emergency Management spokeswoman Melody Daniel says 45 homes have been affected by floodwaters in Sebastian County, but the number is expected to rise to 'several hundred'. One death has been attributed to the flooding. Authorities are urging people not to drive around barricades. A plague of extreme weather has upended life in the region, with more than 300 tornadoes touching down in the Midwest in the last two weeks. Several tornadoes touched down on Tuesday evening in Kansas, damaging homes, uprooting trees and ripping down power lines, according to the NWS. Tornadoes also pulverized buildings in western Ohio, killing one person, and injuring scores of others. President Donald Trump tweeted Tuesday evening that he spoke with Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and will offer FEMA and federal air to help with the record flooding. The Arkansas River is projected to crest on Wednesday at 42.5 feet in Van Buren, breaking the 1945 record of 38.42 feet The floods got so bad in Oklahoma that the water turned the community of Braggs into an island last week. 'They were panicking. With morale the way it was crisis mode I wanted them to see me face to face and hear me say, "It's going to be alright,"' Muskogee County Commissioner Ken Doke told the Tulsa World. The National Guard has also been asked to help with flooding in Kansas, where the Arkansas River runs through. Gov Laura Kelly declared a state of disaster in 49 of Kansas' 105 counties, as per Weather.com. President Donald Trump tweeted Tuesday evening that he spoke with Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and will offer FEMA and federal air to help with the record flooding 'Flood advisories are in effect, watches and warnings in some of the same neighborhoods we have been talking about for month,' Fox News Senior Meteorologist Janice Dean said Tuesday. 'They can't take any more rainfall and all of that is going to go downstream.' 'We could see incredible damage, possibly catastrophic damage for these areas that are affected by heavy rainfall. Some of those areas could get hit hard by catastrophic flooding, people are being told to evacuate their homes right now,' he added. So far, evacuations were ordered in nine counties in Arkansas. The rain will flood the Mississippi River, which is projected to swell and crest at 44 feet in St. Louis this week the second-highest record in history. The highest the river has crested was at 5 feet higher in 1993. 'This has definitely been a year for the record books. It's certainly on the short list for worst [local] river flooding ever,' Thomas Spriggs, a senior meteorologist with the NWS St Louis told the St. Louis Dispatch. 'It's going to go on for a while longer yet.' The Mississippi River is projected to crest at 44 feet in St. Louis this week the second-highest record in history. The already swollen river pictured above in Iowa on Friday May 3 This year alone the Mississippi River in St Louis has been above flood stage for 73 consecutive days. On Monday Missouri Governor Mike Parson deployed the Missouri National Guard to support sandbagging operations to shore up a levee near Brunswick. 'Missouri has been battling historic flooding since March, which is depleting local resources, and now flooding conditions in many parts of the state are only getting worse,' Parson said Monday. 'In addition, communities from Carl Junction to Jefferson City are facing the challenge of recovering from tornadoes and severe storms, further challenging civilian resources. 'The Guard has demonstrated its capabilities in response to natural disasters across Missouri, and I know they'll make a difference at this critical time,' he added. The son planned the crime by driving to Ohio to illegally purchase the gun and visiting websites hireakiller.com and hitman.com, prosecutors said Prosecutors said Tuesday that Gilbert Jr. used a .05 Glock to kill his father by pressing the muzzle of the gun 'tightly' on his head and pulling the trigger He first appeared in court Tuesday looking frail and thin - a stark contrast to the strapping and handsome man he was when he was arrested four years ago Thomas 'Tommy' Gilbert Jr. made another outburst in court this morning, leading the judge to give him a final warning that anymore disruptions would lead to him being removed from his murder trial. As defense lawyer Arnold Levine introduced a photo of a father-and-son camping trip into evidence, it led to an outburst from the defendant, who mumbled about 'suppression'. The judge removed the jury and the witness, his mother Shelley Gilbert, before warning Gilbert Jr., who appeared disheveled and mostly kept his gaze on the floor. 'It is extremely disruptive. This is my final warning to you,' Judge Melissa Jackson said. At Tuesday's hearing Judge Jackson urged Gilbert Jr. to 'refrain from outburst' after yelling 'objection!' several times in court. During Wednesday's hearing, Thomas Gilbert Jr. made an outburst, mumbling about 'suppression' which led to the judge threatening removal His mother Shelley Gilbert (pictured leaving court Tuesday) testified against her son Tuesday and Wednesday as the court heard her 911 call after finding her dead husband and pointed to her son as the murderer Gilbert Jr. then made a lengthy, garbled request to the judge, citing the First and Fourth Amendments. Your honor judge, the first amendment guarantees the right to freedom of speech in the courtroom, fair cross examination. The evidence in this case specifically, all the evidence being sued, is suppression of the fourth amendment. 'The majority of evidence being used in this case is eligible for suppression under the Fourth Amendment,' Gilbert Jr. said, in part. 'All exhibits are eligible for suppression based on a strong legal theory,' he said. Gilbert's request was denied by the judge who said the law he cited was not relevant. Police arrested Thomas Gilbert Sr's son on a murder charge after they say he went to his father's Manhattan apartment, shot him in the head after an argument about money, and tried to make it look like a suicide His defense attorney, Arnold Levine, told the judge that Gilbert Jr's outbursts were evidence of his incompetency. Levine said: 'His objection has no basis in law. He has been undermining me. Everything he has been doing so far, even during jury selection, is not competent. His is not assisting his lawyer, he is working against his lawyer. He refuses to meet with me. He is affirmatively undermining and sabotaging my ability to defend him. 'These things are evidence of his incompetence not his competence. Anyone can go to the law library and copy things out without knowing that they mean.' The judge noted Levine's remarks but said that in February, a psychiatrist was unable to determine he was unfit for trial. Gilbert Jr. then said: 'Given the lines of questioning and controversies, I'd like to request a court-appointed defense.' Judge Jackson also denied this request as the trial is already under way. The once strapping and handsome Gilbert Jr. made his first appearance yesterday to face murder charges in the death of his father. Prosecutors said Tuesday in court that Gilbert Jr. used a .05 Glock to kill his father Thomas Gilbert Sr.in January 2015 by pressing the muzzle of the gun 'tightly' on the victim's head and pulling the trigger. 'When he murdered his father, the defendant was fully aware of what he was doing, and he certainly knew that it was wrong,' prosecutor Craig Ortner said in his opening statements, adding that the son planned the crime by driving to Ohio to illegally purchase the gun and visiting websites hireakiller.com and hitman.com. In response, Gilbert Jr's lawyer Arnold Levine said he suffers from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. A dated family photo shows Thomas Gilbert Jr. appearing happy with his parents Shelley and Thomas Sr. before allegedly killing him in cold blood Slide me When Gilbert was arrested in 2015 (left) he was a strapping and handsome young man - a stark contrast to the frail and thin man who appeared four years later in court Tuesday (right) Gilbert Jr. first appeared in court Tuesday to stand trial for the murder of his father Thomas Gilbert Sr. after he threatened to cut his $600 allowance by just $200 and stopped paying the rent on his $2,400-a-month Chelsea apartment Gilbert Jr. is pictured handcuffed in a white button down shirt and black slacks as he entered the courtroom Tuesday His mother was on the stand on Wednesday morning to testify against her son in the murder of his father. Mrs. Gilbert spoke about how her son's mental health deteriorated when he was in the 11th grade and how one symptom of his OCD was that he became obsessed with 'contamination'. His mother explained how he became upset when he brushed up against his family members' clothes because he thought this contaminated him. She said that he even refused to fly out of JFK because he believed that someone 'contaminated' had flown in or out of the airport. Mrs. Gilbert testified: 'His junior year roommate became ''contaminated'' and it was difficult for him.' '[Tommy] couldn't be touched. If our clothing became 'contaminated' and he brushed up against us, it would become very upsetting to him. 'He had no control over what was contaminated.' Thomas Gilbert Sr. was a wealthy New York hedge fund boss who was shot in the head after an argument with his son However, Gilbert Jr had academic success at Deerfield. His mother testified: 'He did extremely well. In 11th grade, he did AP Calculus, and in 12th grade Calculus 2. As a boarding school, Deerfield attracted students all over the world. Anything beyond AP calculus is referred to 'God math' and Tommy loved that moniker. 'In senior year, he took AP biology. He studied Chinese for three years. He learned to speak Chinese. He was certainly conversational. He loved it.' Gilbert Jr. went on to Princeton to study economics. His mother said that his condition deteriorated at Princeton and he took a semester off, after he believed he saw his Deerfield roommate on the college campus and believed it had been contaminated. Mrs Gilbert said: 'He wanted to transfer out of Princeton and go to Duke instead. He took a semester off from Princeton after his freshman year. He went to Charleston to go surfing. 'I think he found surfing to be very therapeutic.' While he was in Charleston from 2004-2005, Mrs Gilbert said that she received a call 'from a doctor and her words were that he was very sick'. 'We tried to get him into a hospital outside of Boston and he did spend one night in hospital in Charleston, the psychiatric division of the hospital.' Mrs Gilbert said that she went to visit her son once while he was in South Carolina. 'I had to buy new clothes [to visit her son] because my clothes were all contaminated from home,' she said. 'I was contaminated and my husband was as well.' Mrs Gilbert described other aspects of his condition. 'He washed his hands a lot, longer than usual. He was careful.' The court room heard the 911 call wife and mother Shelley Gilbert made when she found her husband lying in a pool of blood. When the operator asks who shot her husband, Shelley replies: 'My son who is nuts, but I didn't know he was this nuts.' 'I had no idea he was this nuts,' she repeated. To Shelley Gilbert, 72, 'it was obvious he had done it.' Tasked with telling her daughter Clare, now 29, of 70-year-old Gilbert's death, Shelley said, 'Dad's dead and Tommy shot him.' This is the upscale Manhattan apartment where the alleged murder took pace Prosecutors said Tuesday that when Gilbert Jr's mother returned to the family's apartment, she found her husband of 33 years 'lying dead on the floor, blood and pieces of brain matter oozing out into a puddle next to his head.' It is four years since the day in January 2015 that 34-year-old Gilbert Jr. went to his parents' Manhattan apartment and asked his mother to go and buy him a sandwich while he talked to his father. She hadn't been gone long when a single gunshot rang out. When Shelley returned it was to find her husband dead. He had been shot in the head and was holding the Glock pistol as it lay on his chest. Police believe it was a clumsy attempt on Gilbert Jr's part to stage his father's suicide. It convinced no one. The 911 call reveals Shelley told the dispatcher it was her son who killed her husband, giving police his address and a detailed description. When Gilbert Jr. was arrested in his Chelsea apartment soon after, police found a stash that included hollow point bullets, a laser gun sight, handcuffs, a credit-card skimming device and 21 blank credit cards. It is hard to imagine a more catastrophic decline from the man Gilbert Jr. once seemed destined to be, to the man he is now suspected of having become. He is strikingly handsome; tall, with tousled blond hair and the gym-fit body of the keen surfer that he was. His father was an investment banker, his mother a former debutante. They had apartments on the Upper East Side and summered in their home in the Hamptons. He was educated at the most exclusive schools in Manhattan and went on to study at Princeton. But in the time since Gilbert Sr's death another version of his son's life - one less golden than this superficial precis - has emerged. Manhattan socialite Anna Rothschild, 51, dated the accused killer (pictured together) in 2014 and said he was a loner with few friends Despite his Princeton degree and talk of business ventures, the truth is that Gilbert Jr. had spectacularly failed to launch. Speaking to DailyMail.com shortly after Gilbert Jr's arrest, former girlfriend, socialite Anna Rothschild, 51, who dated him in 2014 told of a strained and fractured relationship between Gilbert Jr. and his father. The man she knew was a loner with few friends who resented his father because he was 'never good enough' for the older man. Gilbert Jr. told friends that he was starting his own hedge fund but according to Rothschild he was aimless and jobless and showed little real interest in changing. He was 'preoccupied' with his father, she said, and admitted that a friend once warned her that Gilbert Jr. would, 'chop her into little tiny pieces.' By the time Rothschild and Gilbert Jr. met he already had a history of violence bad enough to have seen him arrested more than once. During his time at Princeton he was busted for possessing cocaine and psychedelic mushrooms and charged with third-degree aggravated assault when he head-butted a nurse who was treating him after he was admitted to the hospital high. He completed a pre-trial intervention program and the assault charge was dismissed the following year in 2008 leaving him to go onto complete his degree in Economics. Thomas Gilbert Jr's mother said her son is suffering from a mental illness, has delusions claiming he is being poisoned by radioactive fallout in prison and even ate a battery. He's pictured in 2015 According to prosecutors the process of mental unraveling was accelerated by Gilbert Jr's fear that his father was going to cut him off financially. He had reportedly decided to stop paying the $2,400 rent on his son's Chelsea apartment and to reduce his weekly allowance from $600 to $400 Financial records aired in court suggest that Gilbert Sr. was not as financially flush as some believed. He was thought to be worth $200million at the time of his death. In fact he had just $10,000 in stocks and bonds, less than $20,000 in cash and retirement funds and some $500,000 in 'miscellaneous assets.' It is not clear if Gilbert Jr. was aware of any of this when he went to have his conversation with the older man that day. Friends have since told of an apparently lengthy history of mental health issues experience by Gilbert Jr. He was on some sort of medication during his days at Princeton. He told his ex Rothschild that, through the years, he had been on Xanax for anxiety, undergone substantial psychotherapy and some reports suggest he had seen a psychiatrist as recently as the month before his father's shooting. Versean Anderson, 25, has been charged with felony child neglect in Milwaukee for allegedly causing his five-week-old daughter to overdose on cocaine and opioids A Milwaukee father has been arrested after police say he caused his infant daughter to overdose on drugs by rinsing out used syringes in water used to prepare her formula. Versean Anderson, 25, has been charged with felony neglect of a child after his five-week-old daughter was rushed to the hospital three weeks ago suffering from respiratory failure. When doctors at St Luke's Medical Center ran tests on the infant on May 6, they found both cocaine and opioids in her system. The baby was administered two doses of Narcan before being transferred to Childrens Hospital of Wisconsin for additional treatment. According to a criminal complaint cited by Fox 6 Now, police who were summoned to the hospital for a child neglect complaint interviewed the girl's mother, who told them she had left her daughter in the care of her boyfriend, Anderson, who is the baby's biological father. When she came home from work at around 4pm, Anderson told her their daughter was sleeping all day and would not take her bottle. Anderson was looking after his baby at his home in Milwaukee (pictured) on May 6 when he said his friend arrived and proceeded to rinse syringes in a jug of 'baby water' The mother, who has not been named, prepared formula for the baby using water from a gallon jug of purified, mineral-enriched baby water in the kitchen, fed the girl and put her down. At round 7pm, Anderson advised his girlfriend that their child was having difficulty breathing, and the woman immediately took the infant to the hospital. Anderson's girlfriend used the purified, mineral-enriched water from a gallon jug to prepare formula for the couple's infant (stock image) Police later went to Anderson's home at South 19th Street and West Rogers Street to interview him and allegedly found needles and other drug paraphernalia, including bent and burnt spoons with brown residue in them. The 25-year-old man initially denied using drugs and blamed his brother and two friends for leaving the needles at his home. But Anderson eventually admitted that on May 6, a friend had come over to do drugs with him, including a Percocet pill, which the 25-year-old crushed up and snorted, according to the complaint. Anderson said that the friend brought with him syringes and rinsed them out in the jug of 'baby water' in the kitchen. Anderson and his companion then allegedly bought cocaine and injected it into themselves, after which they again cleaned the used syringes in the container of 'baby water.' Despite his alleged confession, Anderson has pleaded not guilty to the child neglect charge. He is due back in court on June 19. The case of a teenager who wanted to set the highest death count for a school shooter has highlighted a gray area in the law after serious charges against him were dropped over concerns about 'prosecuting thought.' Jack Sawyer, now 19, from Vermont, a former student of Fair Haven Union High School, situated in a small town near the New York border, came to the attention of police after the school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida on Valentine's Day 2018. The day before, Sawyer had bought a brand-new pump-action shotgun and four boxes of ammunition from a Dick's Sporting Goods in Rutland. Jack Sawyer (pictured above) taken by Vermont State Police on February 15, 2018. He was accused of planning 'to shoot up' his former high school Following the massacre in Parkland that had killed 17 teachers and students, Sawyer came to the police's attention. He was reported by a student at Fair Haven Union, Jennifer Mortenson, who had learnt that Sawyer had bought a gun and was aware he had made threats against his former high school in the past, as reported by NPR. Sawyer was arrested after his friend, Angela McDevitt, contacted police on February 15 to tell them that days before Parkland that Sawyer said he was 'plotting on shooting up my old high school.' On the day of the shooting at Stoneman Douglas, she messaged him to tell him about the incident, to which he'd responded. 'That's fantastic,' he wrote. '100% support it.' Police questioned Sawyer, who described his plans in depth, including how he had been reading books about the 1999 Columbine shooting and that he'd moved back to Vermont to carry out a similar plan at his old high school. In custody Sawyer revealed that he'd been thinking about attacking his old school (shown above) and he wanted to set a new record, the highest death count for a school shooter, killing more than 32 people Police searching his car found the shotgun and ammunition he had legally purchased and a diary called 'The Journal of an Active Shooter.' In custody Sawyer revealed he'd been thinking about attacking his old school and he wanted to set a new record, the highest death count for a school shooter, killing more than 32 people. 'If I do ever die, I would want it to be that way,' he told police adding his arrest would only delay his plans. Sawyer was charged with four felonies by Rose Kennedy, the state's attorney for Rutland County, two counts of attempted aggravated murder, and one count each of attempted first-degree murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Attempted aggravated murder carries the same sentence as a murder charge, that is, life in prison, with no possibility of parole. Camera footage of Sawyer in custody. He was charged with two counts of attempted aggravated murder, and one count each of attempted first-degree murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon Sawyer's public defender, Kelly Green, believed the charges had gone too far, saying that her client hadn't committed any crime. Instead, Green wanted a court order to place Sawyer in a psychiatric hospital to access help. As a young adult, Sawyer had been described as 'funny and nice, if a little shy and standoffish.' In 10th grade, he reportedly became more distant, wrote troubling things on Facebook and brought a book about the Columbine massacre to school. In 2016 a school plan was formulated by staff, counselors and law enforcement to keep Sawyer and his school safe. However, he dropped out before the plan could be discussed or implemented. Shortly afterwards a friend told Sawyer's mother, Lyn Wolk, that her son was having suicidal thoughts. Jack Sawyer, center, appears in Vermont Superior Court for his hearing, Tuesday, April 17, 2018. The four main serious charges against him were dropped after justices ruled that Sawyer may have been prepared to commit the crime, but that wasn't the same 'as attempting' a crime After Sawyer was charged, legal experts in Vermont questioned the charges, asking 'Should someone be allowed to think, "I want to shoot up my old school? Or even write it down and then buy a gun?"' They also questioned if the charges meant Vermont was going down a slippery slope of 'prosecuting thought.' Sawyer's defense attorneys argued Sawyer didn't actually attempt any of the crimes he was charged with and therefore couldn't be held without bail. The case went to the state Supreme Court and in April 2018, Kennedy argued that by moving back to Vermont from Maine and providing so much detail about the planned attack, Sawyer had begun 'the act of murder.' 'Once that happens, does it matter what he does after that?' Justice Harold Eaton asked during the proceedings, adding: 'He could say, "You know, I've changed my mind," throws the gun away, goes back to Maine. He's still guilty?' Upon hearing about the shooting at Stoneman Douglas High, (pictured above), Sawyer told a friend in a message, 'that's fantastic,' he wrote. '100% support it' Sawyer's defense said the teenager had been arrested almost a month before the date he had chosen for his attack. At the end of the trial, the justices ruled that Sawyer may have been prepared to commit the crime, but that wasn't the same 'as attempting' a crime. He was released on bail, a move which forced Kennedy to dismiss all four felony charges. Before the serious charges against him were dropped, two misdemeanors were added by Kennedy to keep Sawyer's case in court. Ten thousand dollars was posted in bail and Sawyer checked into a psychiatric hospital in Vermont. He was ordered to stay away from Fair Haven Union High School and from Angela McDevitt, who had reported him to police. In March 2019 Sawyer's case was resolved in family court in March. The 19-year-old (pictured above) was adjudicated as a youthful offender for carrying a dangerous weapon, a misdemeanor Kennedy said she respected the Supreme Court ruling, but she wondered what will happen when the next Jack Sawyer comes along, NPR reported. 'There's got to be a place where law enforcement should be able to act to stop a horrific crime from occurring that's a lot sooner on this continuum than when someone actually shows up to commit the act,' she said. Just months after Sawyer's arrest and on the back of his case, the Legislature in Vermont passed a new 'domestic terrorism' law. The law, House bill 25, makes it a crime to engage in or take substantial steps toward causing death or serious injury to multiple people, or threatening people with violence or kidnapping. A person convicted of the charge could be sentenced to up to 20 years in jail. In March 2019 Sawyer's case was resolved in family court. The 19-year-old was adjudicated as a youthful offender for carrying a dangerous weapon, a misdemeanor. Sawyer is in a secure residential treatment facility outside Vermont, according to his mother, Wolk. He'll remain under the supervision of Vermont's Department of Corrections and Department for Children and Families until his 22nd birthday. Sawyer is in a secure residential treatment facility outside Vermont, according to his mother, Lyn Wolk He is not permitted to possess firearms, according to the state's attorney. Some students and five members of staff left Fair Haven Union High School in light of the case. Social studies teacher Julia Adams stayed and told NPR that she is angry and worries Sawyer will one day carry out his threat. 'Who knows if he'll get the help that he needs or if anything will ever change with him. ... You don't take a threat lightly anymore,' Adams added. An Amazon customer in Alabama got a surprise delivery when he received a urine sample labelled with the name and birth date of the woman it belongs to instead of the shower rings he ordered. The anonymous man from Tuscumbia says he received a notification from the website last Thursday that his package had been delivered with UPS. However when the Amazon Prime member opened his mail he realized it was a rather special delivery. 'I opened it. And when I reached in and pulled it out. Some kind of urine specimen or something like that,' the Colbert County customer explained to WHNT 19. Scroll down for video An Amazon customer in Alabama was accidentally sent a woman's urine sample. He reached into his package and pulled out the yellow liquid specimen container The anonymous Colbert County customer says his son found it funny as he watched him open the Amazon Prime package The Tuscumbia man had been expecting to receive the shower curtain rings he had ordered He and his family did manage to see the funny side however. The Prime customer - who uses the service which promises free delivery within two days - had hoped to be able to hang his shower curtain when he ripped open the plastic. But instead was more likely to accidentally receive a golden shower than a metallic set of rings. Thankfully it was fully sealed within a plastic bag. 'I was very surprised. My son was standing there watching me open it and he got a good laugh out of it,' the baffled Amazon user explained. The man had been told when he ordered that he'd get components of his shower order delivered separately. While he has no idea where his hooks got to, he says there's a woman - who likely sent in her urine for testing - that could be unaware it never made it to the destination. Amazon said they're 'really sorry' but told him about the urine 'we don't want it', the anonymous man (whose body is pictured) said The Tuscumbia man got a notification his shower rings had arrived with UPS on Thursday but instead they will arrive on Saturday Her name and birthday were contained in the package but the unintended receiver says he'll hang onto it a bit longer in case someone wants to collect it. He claims Amazon on the other hand wants nothing to do with it. 'They just said they were really sorry' and 'we don't want it' the man revealed. The customer said an Amazon representative told him he will receive the shower hooks by Saturday. But it still doesn't explain why he was left holding the yellow stuff. Amazon did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment. A stowaway sneaking into Britain was spotted clinging to the roof of a lorry doing 50mph on the motorway. The death-defying James Bond-style stunt took place during the morning rush hour on the M20 in Kent, and saw the man scan his surroundings as he appeared to check where he was. Drivers and passengers following the truck from the cross-Channel ferry were left gaping in astonishment at the scene. The man was spotted clinging to the top of the lorry during the morning rush hour on the M20 in Kent Ray Wood was on the London-bound carriageway near junction 5 at Aylesford when he spotted the stowaway. He gasped when the man suddenly popped up and sat on the roof of the swaying trailer. Mr Wood said: 'To be honest, you don't see it every day. 'He was up there about five minutes, then he jumped back in - I assume he was just checking where he was.' It's not known if he was alone in the trailer or what he was doing. According to a witness, the man looked around for five minutes before jumping back inside the lorry Mr Wood added: 'He came up through the roof of the trailer, before going back under cover.' The lorry and trailer disappeared in the 7.30am congestion and Mr Wood doesn't know where the man eventually jumped out. The lorry was showing the logo of Waberer's, a haulage company based in Hungary. If the man had sneaked into the trailer in Hungary he would have travelled 2,400 kilometres and taken around 24 hours to reach Britain. However, he could have also got on board the truck when it stopped at the French side of the Channel. Kent Police have been informed of the stowaway. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler said Wednesday that the impeachment option remains 'on the table' when it comes to Democrats' investigation of President Donald Trump. 'With respect to impeachment question at this point, all options are on the table and nothing should be ruled out,' he said at a press conference in New York after special counsel Robert Mueller spoke publicly on his Russia investigation. But Nadler would not say if his committee would subpoena Mueller, who expressed a reluctance to testify before Congress about his two-year probe of President Trump. 'Mr. Mueller told us a lot of what we need to hear today,' Nadler said when asked about a subpoena. He noted his committee continues to investigate. 'We are following through on our investigation. We will continue to do so and we'll make decisions as they seem indicated,' Nadler said. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler vowed to continue his investigations of President Donald Trump Nadler made his vow after special counsel Robert Mueller broke his silence for the first time to discuss his Russia investigation Mueller delivered a surprise statement on Wednesday to discuss his investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 election. While his report found no evidence of collusion between Trump's campaign and Russia, it left the decision on whether or not to charge Trump with obstruction of justice in Attorney General William Barr's hands. Barr, in conjunction with then-Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, did not press charges - a move that infuriated Democrats. And while some Democrats called for a renewed impeachment push against Trump in the wake of Mueller's words, Speaker Nancy Pelosi held back. 'The Congress will continue to investigate and legislate to protect our elections and secure our democracy,' she said in a statement. She also refused to consider the impeachment question when asked about it during an appearance at The Commonwealth Club of California on Wednesday afternoon. 'We want to do what is right and what gets results,' Pelosi said. She added that Democrats would continue their investigations against Trump and his administration. 'We're legislating and investigations and we are litigating. And we're going to, as we go down the path, make a decision based on the strongest possible case to get the best results for the American people,' she said. 'Everybody wants justice. Everybody wants the president to be held accountable,' she added. Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Congress would continue its investigations but is trying to hold Democrats back on impeachment Pelosi also pointed out that Mueller did not exonerate the president in his remarks. 'If he had any evidence that the president was not guilty, he would have let us know. But he didn't. He didn't. And I think that was very, very important,' she said. She also slammed the Justice Department for its handling of Mueller's report. 'I am gravely disappointed in the Justice Department for their attitude, their misrepresentation of the Mueller report to begin with, they're hiding behind something that you could never find in the constitution, that the president is above the law and the misrepresentation even under oath by the attorney general to the Congress of the united States.' Pelosi has been trying to hold back the impeachment tide among House Democrats out of fears it could backfire on the party in the 2020 election. Nadler gave a statement before his press conference that did not mention impeachment but vowed to continue his panel's investigation. 'Given that Special Counsel Mueller was unable to pursue criminal charges against the President, it falls to Congress to respond to the crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump and we will do so,' Nadler said in a statement. 'No one, not even the President of the United States, is above the law,' he said. Nadler also argued that Mueller showed President Trump is 'lying' about the special counsel's findings in its lengthy report on Russia's role in the 2016 election. 'Although Department of Justice policy prevented the special counsel from bringing criminal charges against the president, the special counsel has clearly demonstrated that President Trump is clearly lying about the special counsel's findings, lying about the testimony of key witnesses in the special counsel's report and is lying in saying that the special counsel found no obstruction and no collusion,' he said. Nadler also pointed out Mueller, in his first public statement on his report, 'confirmed three central points: he did not exonerate the President of the United States of obstruction of justice, obstruction of justice is a serious crime that strikes at the core of our justice system and the Constitution points to Congress to take action to hold the president accountable.' Nadler is one of six House committee chairmen leading investigations into Trump's businesses, taxes, administration and his campaign's interactions with Russians in the 2016 election. Given that the Justice Department falls under the purview of Nadler's committee, he has become the Democratic point person on the Russia investigation. Trump, meanwhile, declared the case against him was 'closed.' 'Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you,' Trump wrote on Twitter shortly after Mueller's statement. Mueller told the country in a dramatic statement on Wednesday that it was 'not an option' for his office to have charged President Trump with an obstruction crime and that it would be 'inappropriate' for him to speak further about his probe of Russian election interference. In a public statement he said would likely be his only one, Mueller restated parts of his 448-report including the controversial decision not to charge Trump with a crime. President Donald Trump declared the case against him was 'closed' Mueller said his decision rested on Justice Department policy not on the guilt or innocence of President Trump. 'As set forth in the report, after that investigation, if we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so. We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime.' Mueller explained: 'Under long-standing department policy, a president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office. That is unconstitutional. Even if the charge is kept under seal and hidden from public view, that, too, is prohibited. A special counsel's office is part of the department of justice, and by regulation, it was bound by that department policy. Charging the president with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider.' He also spoke of the seriousness of obstruction, and highlighted language in the report which seemed to suggest it was up to Congress to figure out what to do with the information it included. 'It was critical for us to obtain full and accurate information from every person we questioned. When a subject of an investigation obstructs that investigation or lies to investigators, it strikes at the core of the government's effort to find the truth and hold wrongdoers accountable,' Mueller said. Democrats are pouncing on his words. Rep. Val Demings, who sits on the Judiciary Committee and has been vocal about the need to hold Trump accountable, said Congress 'must act' but she too stopped short of using the word impeachment. 'Special Counsel Robert Mueller just said that 'charging the president with a crime was not an option we could consider' under DOJ policy. It wasn't lack of evidence. It was DOJ policy. He said that this 'deserves the attention of every American.' He's right. Congress must act,' she wrote on Twitter. Several Democratic candidates for president also called on Congress to begin impeachment proceedings including Kamala Harris, Beto O'Rourke, Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg, Kirsten Gillibrand, Seth Moulton, Julian Castro, and Elizabeth Warren Former Vice President Joe Biden held back from calling for impeachment Several Democratic candidates for president called on Congress to begin impeachment proceedings in the wake of Mueller's words. But former Vice President Joe Biden was a notable exception. 'Vice President Biden agrees with Speaker Pelosi that no one would relish what would certainly be a divisive impeachment process, but that it may be unavoidable if this administration continues on its path. For all these reasons and many more, Vice President Biden will continue to make the case as to why President Trump should not be re-elected. That is the surefire way to get him out office,' his campaign said in a statement. Other rivals for the right to take on President Trump next year disagreed. 'What Robert Mueller basically did was return an impeachment referral. Now it is up to Congress to hold this president accountable. We need to start impeachment proceedings. It's our constitutional obligation,' Sen. Kamala Harris tweeted. 'Mueller's statement makes clear what those who have read his report know: It is an impeachment referral, and it's up to Congress to act. They should,' Sen. Elizabeth Warren noted. 'This is as close to an impeachment referral as it gets,' said South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg. 'Robert Mueller's statement makes it clear: Congress has a legal and moral obligation to begin impeachment proceedings immediately,' Sen. Cory Booker wrote. 'There must be consequences, accountability, and justice. The only way to ensure that is to begin impeachment proceedings,' former Rep. Beto O'Rourke wrote. 'It's time for Congress to begin impeachment hearings and follow the facts. Robert Mueller clearly expects Congress to exercise its constitutional authority and take steps that he could not. We can't let the president defy basic accountability measures built into our Constitution,' Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said. 'Mueller did his job. Now it's time to do ours. Impeachment hearings should begin tomorrow,' Rep. Seth Moulton tweeted. 'Mueller made clear this morning that his investigation now lays at the feet of Congress. No one is above the law - Congress should begin an impeachment inquiry,' former Housing Secretary Julian Castro wrote. Germany has urged its citizens to wear the Jewish skullcap as a surge of anti-Semitism continues to sweep across the country. The anti-Semitism commissioner Felix Klein called for the public to wear the kippah ahead of the anti-Israel protests due to take place on Saturday. The move, which comes as demonstrators take to the streets to express their support for Palestinians on Al-Quds Day, is aimed at showing solidarity with the Jewish community. Germany has urged citizens to wear the Jewish skullcap ahead of the anti-Israel protests due to take place on Saturday The anti-Semitism commissioner Felix Klein asked the public to show their support with the Jewish community. Earlier this month the German commissioner had asked that the Jewish community to refrain from wearing the religion symbol 'everywhere' In a statement sent to CNN Mr Klein said: 'I call on all citizens of Berlin and across Germany to wear the yarmulke (as the skullcap is known in Yiddish) next Saturday if there are new, intolerable attacks targeting Israel and Jews on the occasion of Al-Quds Day in Berlin. 'By doing this we can show a great sign of solidarity with the Jewish community and make a statement for the freedom of religion and the diversity of our society.' His comments come ahead of Al-Quds Day which is held on the last Friday of the fasting month of Ramadan and comes from the Arabic word meaning Jerusalem. The annual event, which began in Iran in 1979, sees swarms of protesters take to the streets to oppose Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories. The government official's comments mark a stark change from previous comments given earlier this month in which he asked members of the Jewish community to refrain from wearing the religious cap due to the rising number of anti-Semitic attacks. His comments come ahead of the annual event Al-Quds Day which sees swarms of protesters take to the streets to oppose Israel's occupation of Palestine After Mr Klein initially asked the Jewish community to refrain from wearing the skullcap 'everywhere' his comments were condemned by U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell Speaking to Funke media group he said: 'My opinion has unfortunately changed compared with what it used to be. 'I cannot advise Jews to wear the kippah everywhere all the time in Germany.' Mr Klein's comments, which sparked international controversy and led to the German newspaper Bild publishing a cut-out-and-use kippah on its front page, were immediately condemned by the U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell. Taking to Twitter Mr Grenell wrote: 'The opposite is true. Wear your kippa. Wear your friend's kippa. Borrow a kippa and wear it for our Jewish neighbors. Educate people that we are a diverse society.' Reality Leigh Winner, 27, is being held at FMC Carswell in Fort Worth, Texas The mother of former NSA contractor Reality Winner, who was convicted of leaking classified documents to a news website, has spoken out to claim her daughter is being kept under media blackout by the prison system. 'The prosecution painted her to be a very evil person, who hates her country,' mother Billie Winner-Davis said in an interview with CNN published on Wednesday. 'They don't want the world to be exposed to the real Reality Winner,' the mother said. Winner, 27, pleaded guilty last year to a single count of transmitting national security information for printing out a classified report at a NSA office in Augusta, Georgia where she worked as a contractor and tucking it into her pantyhose. The document, a description of Russian attempts to hack into U.S. voting software, was leaked to The Intercept. Winner was sentenced to five years in prison. Scroll down for video Billie Winner-Davis (above), who is Winner's mother, has said that her daughter has been unfairly portrayed. CNN complains that their camera crews were turned away from the prison Winner is seen during a transfer prior to pleading guilty last year to transmitting national security information. She was sentenced to five years in prison Winner referred to President Donald Trump as an 'orange fascist' in a tweet, and wrote in a diary 'I want to burn the White House down', according to prosecutors. She also expressed admiration for the Taliban in the diary, prosecutors said. CNN revealed on Wednesday that it has been desperately seeking to interview Winner behind bars. A CNN crew went so far as to take a seven-hour road trip with Winner's mother on a visit with her daughter at FMC Carswell in Fort Worth, Texas. The network's camera crew was rebuffed at the prison gates, however, and the warden has denied CNN's repeated pleas for an interview with Winner. The warden cited the need to maintain the 'safety, security, and the orderly management of the facility.' Winner-Davis is seen with Reality Winner when the daughter was in the Air Force Winner (left and right) told family members that her trial strategy was to 'play the pretty, white, cute card', according to federal prosecutors Winner is seen behind bars in a video chat with her mother. The mother claims she has been forbidden to add media outlets to her phone list by federal prison officials Mother Winner-Davis told the network that she believes the Bureau of Prisons is 'afraid' of Americans getting 'to know who Reality Winner really is'. 'They are going to see a loving, caring, compassionate person who is honest and who is good. And I think that that's really why they have fought so hard for America not to hear from Reality,' Winner-Davis said. Winner's mother also claimed that her daughter has been warned by prison staff not to add media outlets to her list of approved phone contacts. 'She has been warned and she has been frightened as far as the restrictions on her communications,' Winner-Davis said. 'They're telling her she cannot even have any contact with any kind of journalists or media, in any way, shape, or form.' The Bureau of Prisons did not immediately respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com. Winner shared a peace sign to reporters following her sentencing on August 23 Winner, an Air Force veteran, was employed by NSA contractor Pluribus International Corporation in Georgia when she took the classified material. U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine acknowledged in a statement last year that Winner's sentence was the longest received by a defendant for an unauthorized disclosure of national defense information to the media, saying the sentence was merited by the crime. 'She knowingly and intentionally betrayed the trust of her colleagues and her country,' Christine said. 'This was not a victimless crime,' he added. 'The document Winner compromised did, in fact, contain TOP SECRET information about the sources and methods used to acquire the intelligence described in the report.' 'That means it revealed how U.S. Intelligence Agencies obtained information,' Christine said, adding that the leak impaired the ability of the U.S. to gather similar information in the future. Winner-Davis said that she believed her daughter was justified in taking the classified report and leaking it. 'I think that what she did was noble, and I think that what she did was patriotic,' she said. After pleading guilty, Winner held out hope that Trump would pardon her after the President tweeted that her crime was ''small potatoes' compared with what Hillary Clinton did'. Winner-Davis said she still holds out hope that Trump will pardon Winner, who once called the President a 'a soulless ginger orangutan' on Facebook. 'I've seen recently that he has pardoned people,' Winner's mother said. 'I know that this is something that weighs heavily on him. She is not a threat to society, she is not a dangerous person.' An Ohio county library has canceled an introductory drag class for teenagers after hundreds of hostile phone calls from community members. Delaware County District Library Director George Needham announced Wednesday that a 'Drag 101' class would not go ahead at the Orange branch as scheduled on June 5. Speaking at a press conference, Needham said the library received telephone threats and he was concerned about the safety of staff and teen participants. 'A small number of messages appeared to threaten the safety of our staff, our patrons and the teens and caregivers for whom we strive to provide a safe space,' he stated. The class was due to be led by drag queen Selena T. West, a former Miss Gay Ohio America, and was one of 400 summer programs slated to be held at the library over the coming months. Selena T. West, a former Miss Gay Ohio America, was scheduled to teach the 'Drag 101' class at the Delaware County District Library Orange branch on June 5 The library (pictured) cited security concerns as the reason for the class's cancellation West revealed the class will still go ahead at an alternative location, but conceded that she was disappointed by the threats and community backlash. 'Today homophobia and fear wins,' she stated on Facebook. She met with supportive library staff after the announcement on Wednesday, where she posed for pictures. The class, which will now be held at Secret Identity Comics in Delaware, is aimed at children between the ages of 12 and 17. 'I want people to come be able to express themselves and learn about drag,' West told The Columbus Dispatch. 'Drag is not scary; drag is not sexual. [Teens can] learn about what seem like trivial things like hair, nails, makeup, clothing. Those are the building blocks of a 'Drag 101' class I would teach.' Backlash to the event was led by Republican Melissa Ackison, an Ohio state state senate candidate. West (center) met with supportive library staff after the announcement on Wednesday, where she posed for pictures The backlash was led by Republican Melissa Ackison, currently campaigning for Ohio state senate Ackison shared an alarmist video to Twitter on Wednesday, stating: 'Our children under attack. Right here, in Ohio, our libraries are hosting summer reading programs with inappropriate content for underage children to get in touch with their sexuality'. 'I'm a Christian, a mother-of-four, and I've had enough,' she added. 'I want to stand with me and tell the radical left that we will not allow you to transform this great nation and completely destroy our family units.' Following news of the threatening phone calls to the library, Ackison took to Facebook to say that she did not condone such behavior. 'Violence, threats, and abusive language towards your fellow man, is never acceptable when debating a particular topic you disagree with. 'I know firsthand what it feels like to have your childrens schools under watch and your home under watch by the authorities after receiving threats of bodily harm and would NEVER condone behaviors like this towards another human being.' An American woman held hostage by the Taliban with her husband in Afghanistan for five years has told how he was a 'sympathizer' who raped her repeatedly, forcing her to have three more children. Caitlan Coleman was rescued along with her husband Joshua Boyle and their three children in 2017, five years after being taken by Taliban militants. She and her husband had gone to the region for a vacation and when they were rescued, they fled straight to Canada. Since then, he has been charged with sexually assaulting her after their return and questions over his motives for the trip have emerged. He is now awaiting his next court date in Ottawa on charges of assaulting, raping, drugging and unlawfully confining his wife, all of which he denies. Caitlan, who is from Pennysylvania, is now speaking out against him. In an interview with ABC's Nightline that will air on Wednesday, she has told how he was a 'Taliban sympathizer' when they ventured to the region but became more abusive towards her than her captors after they were taken hostage when she was six months pregnant in 2012. Scroll down for video Caitlan Coleman was rescued along with her husband Joshua Boyle and their three children in 2017, five years after being taken by Taliban militants She also said that he forced her to have sex with him and that while she never physically resisted him, having to sleep with him was 'abhorrent.' 'Prior to captivity, I did want to have a family with Josh but during captivity, I was not given a choice as to whether or not we would have children in captivity, if they would have to go through that too. 'That certainly not something I wanted for my children,' she said. Asked bluntly if she was raped, she said: 'Yes. I am not saying that I physically struggled but I am saying that I found relations with him pretty abhorrent but I was not given a choice. 'Not only was it psychological, it was physical, it was sexual. I was actually more afraid of him than of the captors,' she said. She also told how he had gone from claiming to want to get the 'inside story' of the Taliban from a journalistic perspective to sympathizing with the group. 'He believed that the Taliban were misrepresented in the west, that he could get the real story. In the 2012, the pair went on what she thought would be a trip to Asia when he suggested they 'dip into' Afghanistan. She was six months pregnant at the time While in captivity, they made these hostage videos with two of their three children. Caitlan also miscarried a baby she says her guards intentionally killed by feeding her poisoned meals When the family returned to Canada, they claimed to have been close but Caitlan said afterwards she still felt like a 'prisoner'. She escaped Joshua with her three children and reported to police how he had treated her. They are shown with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau after arriving back in Canada in 2017 'Go places that nobody else could go. Suddenly its like he sort of dropped any pretense of being a pacifist. 'It's like, when we were no longer around westerners, he could sort of drop his neutrality,' she said. Caitlan is now testifying against er husband She says he forced her into meeting the people who would kidnap them and that she had no choice but to follow him because he was carrying all their money and passports. She was six months pregnant at the time and they had been doing a tour of South Asia when he told her in 2012 they were going to 'dip into' Afghanistan. 'He would always tell me, "I think they're misrepresented in the West. I think they're good people. When you meet them, you're gonna see". 'So I saw. And they are, with the exception of my husband, the worst people that I've ever known in my life,' she said. Eventually, she said the captors began leaving them 'alone' but her husband was becoming increasingly violent. Once back in Canada, she said he took on the role of her controller and captor. 'He restricted pretty much everything. I had no freedom, as far as, you know, where I would go, who I would talk to, how I would dress, what I would say,' she said. 'I certainly felt like I was still a prisoner. There wasn't actually a big change in my life from when we were still in Pakistan in the hands of the Haqqanis and when I was in the Embassy Suites Hotel [in Ottawa] with Josh,' she said. Boyle has denied being a Taliban sympathizer or raping his wife. His trial is on hiatus. Glenn Brigham (pictured) has been jailed for six years after stashing gun parts at his home in Islington, north London A disabled man who transformed his home into an arms and drugs factory, stashing guns and bullets at his flat has been jailed. Glenn Brigham customised his wheelchair so that it could hold a BBM MINIGAP pistol. The 35-year-old kept the weapon, which fires rubber bullets, down the side of his black mobility wheelchair. Brigham also kept a fully equipped workshop with drills and lathes at his home in Islington, north London. Scales, funnels, measuring kits and transparent plastic tubes used for the production of the super-strength cannabis derivative 'shatter' were found at his flat alongside an AK47, which had been deactivated. Officers found the firearm lying next to an African shield and spear and a copy of a book called: The Meaning of the Holy Quran. A series of photographs were shown to Southwark Crown Court revealing the cache of pistols and revolvers including Turkish, German and Italian brands. Police found this cache of weapons at Bigham's flat in Islington, north London, along with cannabis and a wheelchair customised to hold a pistol Brigham's flat featured a laboratory (pictured) which he was using to cultivate a cannabis derivative called 'shatter' Triston Chaize, prosecuting, explained: At page 55 is the one which was found in a wheelchair. 56 shows the gun wedged in. 53 shows the magazine that was in it and it was loaded with blanks at the time. 64 shows was screwed onto the front of the barrel. As well as this factory used to create shatter, police found firearms dotted about the flat in Islington, north London Pictured: The wheelchair which Brigham modified in order to stash a pistol capable of firing rubber bullets inside This deactivated AK47 was among the weapons found at Glenn Brigham's flat in Islington, north London What this is, is a device in which you can put a rubber ball and therefore when you fire a blank the gas projects the rubber ball forward. Police also found 5.2 kilograms of cannabis at the bearded Brighams home stuffed into sealed plastic bags. Brigham, who has a stich-mark tattoo trailing away from his right eye and ink patterned like a snakes scales circling round his neck, admitted six counts of possessing a prohibited firearm and two of producing cannabis. Judge Michael Gledhill, QC jailed him for six years. These shocking photos show a long line of climbers queuing up to take selfies on the summit of Mount Snowdon. The peak of England and Wales' highest mountain, which is 3,560 feet tall, was packed with people over the Bank Holiday weekend, with videos showing the long queues shared widely on social media. Locals have blamed the overcrowding on the Welsh government, claiming recent 'heavy promotion' was behind the surge in tourists. Some have compared the photos to the recent spate of deaths on Mount Everest, which has claimed 11 lives in 13 days following overcrowding chaos. Long queues of people were spotted lining up to reach the summit of Mount Snowdon (right) in Wales, with many of them taking selfies when they reached (left) As well as the Everest deaths, nine climbers have died on other 26,000 ft Himalayan peaks, while one is missing. At least four deaths on the world's highest mountain have been blamed on over-crowding with teams waiting sometimes for hours in the 'death zone' where the cold is bitter, the air dangerously thin and the terrain treacherous. Ian Drew regularly climbs areas of the national park in Wales and filmed a clip of the bank holiday queues on Snowdon. The footage shows climbers lining up to take pictures at the 3,300ft peak while being buffeted by poor weather. Some of them, clearly exhausted, are resting as the others line up to get to the top. Some people have compared the bank holiday queues to the deaths that have hit Mount Everest after overcrowding problems Mr Drew posted the clip to a Facebook group and wrote: 'Bank holiday traffic even on Snowdon this weekend, what a shame I have stood on here many times just me and my kids never seen it like this.' It attracted a deluge of responses, with one user saying: 'Looks like what is happening on Everest!' David Archer, chairman of the The Snowdonia Society, said: 'Snowdon is being quite heavily promoted by the Welsh Government and the tourism board as an adventure location which is great for local businesses and the local economy, but this does create implications. Locals have blamed the overcrowding on the Welsh government for its 'heavy promotion' of the mountain Photos show climbers lining up to take pictures at the 3,300ft peak while being buffeted by poor weather - as others rest in the queue 'What we do think is important is that the National Park Authority does have adequate resources to manage and maintain the area. 'Resources are being cut, and the National Park Authority don't have the same budget or the number of wardens as they did ten years ago. 'The number of people climbing to the summit are rising exponentially and when the numbers are increasing, but the number of people to maintain the mountain are being reduced, it is going to have an effect.' A spokeswoman for National Park Authority, said: 'All revenue from our car parks for example are invested back into managing footpaths on the mountain and maintaining facilities. 'But it's not enough. Snowdonia National Park Authority has half the resources it had 20 years ago, and visitor numbers have at least doubled.' A Welsh Government spokesperson said, 'We are committed to growing tourism in a sustainable way across Wales, encouraging visitors to explore new areas and destinations throughout the year. We are currently consulting on our future tourism strategy, looking at ways we can work with the industry in Wales to explore the challenges and opportunities we face. 'Earlier this year we announced 2.2 million to improve our tourism infrastructure, including improvements to parking, cycle paths and toilets.' A teacher who started a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old pupil said he was 'like a Jimmy Savile', a court heard. Ryan Fisher, 29, complained to his victim that lowering the age of consent 'made sense' but complained that everyone was 'outraged', it is alleged. He is said to have texted the girl: 'I mean, in France and other countries it's 14, ha ha ha.' Fisher is accused of having sex with the youngster at his home in Troon, Ayrshire, and on waste ground near the town's Marr Rugby Club on multiple occasions when she was 14 and 15. He is also said to have engaged in sexual activity and intercourse with her in his car, which he called Basil and had its own Facebook page. A former high school teacher accused of having sex with a 14-year-old pupil told her 'I'm not a Jimmy Savile', Ayr Sheriff Court (file photo) has heard Fisher is further charged with sending an indecent Skype message to the pupil at Prestwick Academy, where he was then teaching. The ex-pupil, now 20, told Ayr Sheriff Court she first met Fisher at a wedding and the computer science expert helped with her studies as she was 'really struggling'. She said they had almost daily contact on Skype and Facebook and he mentioned he had a girlfriend he lived with. Fisher took her for a drive in his car called Basil, with its own Facebook page, when she said she was feeling down. 'He was speaking about his feelings as well, trying to help me with my emotions about school and life in general,' she said. But on about the seventh meeting in his car they started kissing and cuddling. 'He turned around, leaned in and kissed me,' she said. 'I didn't know what to do. I was in shock.' Fisher, of Troon, denies having unlawful sex, breaching a position of trust and sending a sexually explicit communication for his sexual gratification or for causing humiliation, distress or alarm. The offences are alleged to have happened between October 2013 and March 2017, while Fisher was a student and qualified teacher. The alleged victim said she liked being told she looked good after changing an online profile picture, but added: 'It was weird coming from Ryan.' She wept as she described the first time Fisher groped her and said they had sex between 10 - 20 times in his car, twice in his house and once in woods, using a condom each time. The witness said they messaged each other 'almost in code' and Fisher told her how to delete the Skype messages. As he drove her to his home, she had to 'duck down' as they passed his mother's house nearby. They went to the bedroom he shared with his girlfriend, featuring a black leather bed, and had sex. She said she had to 'pick up every single one of my hairs off the bed and leave no trace that I'd been there'. The sex ended in February 2015, when she was 15 and had a boyfriend. In April 2016 her mother unlocked her mobile phone, saw the messages and the relationship 'completely stopped'. Fisher is further charged with sending an indecent Skype message to the pupil at Prestwick Academy (pictured in Ayrshire, Scotland, where he was then teaching 'She confronted me in my room and I told her everything that had been going on up to that point,' the witness said. Fisher told her he had met another Prestwick Academy pupil in a bar and texted: 'Before I say this, she's legal, she's 17 ha ha ha. But I'd still get sacked.' He said that 20 years earlier 'you could get away with it', adding: 'But times have changed and we live in a Jimmy Savile community, like for example that MP who suggested lowering the age of consent. 'He made sense but instead everybody was outraged. I mean, in France and where is it, other countries, it's like 14 ha ha ha.' Fisher texted: 'I'm not suggesting it's right for a teacher to f*** a student - it's not - but that annoys me. 'It's not a joke when you're going through it. Nobody can understand what it's like.' Fisher later texted the witness, asking: 'Wanna s***?' and tried to take her to a hotel. 'Come with me a day or night to a hotel,' he wrote. 'Take a pill in the afternoon.' The girl replied: 'You'll need to be on it for a week for it to work'. But Fisher insisted: 'If you take it the chances are you'll be fine e.g. 89.9%.' One text from Fisher said: 'I'm like a Jimmy Savile ha ha ha.' Prosecutor Hayley Robertson asked the witness: 'What did you take that to mean?' She replied: 'He was saying he was like a paedophile.' Mrs Robertson asked: 'Looking back, how do you feel now?' She said: 'Ashamed. Just so ashamed and violated. My trust was completely broken and I just feel horrible about everything.' The trial continues. Advertisement A group of Chinese parents are risking their lives to clear the names of their children who were killed in a bloody crackdown on Tian'anmen Square 30 years ago as they attended a pro-democracy protest. On June 4, 1989, Chinese tanks and soldiers sent by the Communist Party leadership crushed the student-led movement in the centre of Beijing, killing hundreds, and by some estimates more than 1,000. The event is the most censored topic by China's ruling Communist Party who paints the young participants as anti-government rioters aiming to overthrow their regime. Chinese mothers whose children were killed during the 1989 Tian'anmen Square crackdown are pictured gathering at a secret meeting in March to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the event. The group consists of 127 members A banner with pictures of the young protesters killed during the bloodbath is hung at the meeting as their mothers try to heal their wounds. Beijing has never released the official death tolls as a result of the event and any discussion of it is prohibited The group was founded in 1995 by two mothers whose children were killed on that fateful day. Over the years, more and more people with similar experience found them and they meet regularly to pay tribute to their love ones and compatriots Internet searches for the event are banned in China. Public commemorations of the movement are strictly forbidden. Family members of the victims are treated as 'criminal suspects' and often put under surveillance in the lead up to its anniversary every year. 'The government is trying to erase the episode from the Chinese history,' said a spokesperson from Human Rights in China, a New York-based organisation, who added that Beijing had never released the official death tolls as a result of the event. A number of Chinese residents who lost their loved ones during the military crackdown have been demanding answers from China's top leaders for more than 20 years - to no avail. They call themselves the 'Tian'anmen Mothers'. The bloodbath has been immortalised by the above picture called the 'Tank Man', which shows a student holding bags of grocers standing in front of a row of tanks to protest at the clampdown by the armies against its own people. The picture was taken by photographer Jeff Widener of the Associated Press from a sixth-floor balcony of the Beijing Hotel near Tiananmen On June 4, 1989, Chinese tanks and soldiers sent by the Communist Party leadership crushed the student-led movement, which had been going on for weeks, in the centre of Beijing. They killed hundreds, and by some estimates more than 1,000 'The Tiananmen Mothers are a beacon and the conscience of Chinese civil society,' a spokesperson of Human Rights in China told MailOnline. The New York-based organisation has translated the letters written by the group to support their cause The group was founded in 1995 by two mothers whose children were killed on that fateful day. Over the years, more and more people with similar experience found them and it now consists of 127 members. Another 55 who have passed away insisted the group put their names on any open letters addressed to the top leaders. Together, they try to heal their wounds which still remain open three decades on. They face the risks of being penalised by the authorities and meet regularly at secret locations to pay tributes to the victims. In March this year, they gathered again to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the crackdown. And yet again, they penned an emotional open letter to the Chinese leaders to demand justice. The group wrote: 'It has been 30 years since the June Fourth Massacre. 'While it may be just the blink of an eye in the great river of history, it can be an eternity in a person's life-long enough for a newborn to become a parent himself. 'For 30 years, dust has risen and fallen, and the moon has waxed and waned, but nothing has soothed our trauma and pain inside.' The open letter, written in simplified Chinese, was translated by Human Rights in China which supports the cause of the group and hopes to bring their messages to more people. 'In defying the government-enforced amnesia to document the truth of June Fourth, unearth evidence that the Chinese authorities try to bury, and insist on justice for those killed, the Tiananmen Mothers are a beacon and the conscience of Chinese civil society,' Mi Ling Tsui, the Communications Director of Human Rights in China, told MailOnline. Veteran Chinese dissident Wang Dan (pictured) is urging Western nations to restore the link between human rights and trade with China in the press conference, days ahead of the 30th anniversary of the 1989 student pro-democracy protests Wang Dan (central) who was 20 at the time, was a leader of the Tiananmen pro-democracy movement. This picture was taken on May 1, 1989 in Beijing, roughly a month before the crackdown. He later found himself on top of the most wanted list Eyes are on China as the 30th anniversary of the controversial crackdown is fast approaching. Veteran Chinese dissident Wang Dan, who was one of the student leaders at the 1989 protest, today urged Western nations to restore the link between human rights and trade with China in a speech. China's authoritarian government is spreading its influence to free societies everywhere, requiring foreign nations to take tougher action to curb its abuses, Mr Wang told reporters in Tokyo. He said the overthrow of the one-party Communist government must be the ultimate goal of such a campaign. 'China becomes a threat for the free world, and in my opinion, I think it is time to re-link trade and human rights issues. That might be the only way to deal with this problem,' Mr Wang said. 'I know a lot of Western countries don't want to ruin their relationship with China, and don't want to see any regime change in China, but I have to say, if there's no regime change, nothing can be resolved.' Mr Wang said free trade should be conditional on China's respect for freedoms, including labor rights and an open internet. He said putting rights on the agenda could also help reduce the U.S.-China trade imbalance. 'You don't have to pass a bill, you can just use this way to link trade and human rights,' Mr Wang said. Mr Wang, then a freshman at Peking University, was a key leader of the student protests and ended up at the top of the government's most-wanted list following the crackdown. He served two prison terms before being freed in 1998 and allowed to move abroad. Mr Wang, who has taught at a university and now lives in the United States, remains committed to the cause of bringing democracy to China. 'It is time for us now, for the whole democratic countries now, to re-recognise the true face of the (Communist Party of China) and try to learn some lessons from the Tiananmen massacre,' he said. Disturbing footage has emerged of a man setting himself on fire and calmly walking around near the White House as police desperately tried to douse the flames. The man, who has not yet been identified, set himself on fire on Wednesday on the Ellipse park in downtown Washington D.C. Video of the incident showed the man walking calmly across the Ellipse near the Washington Mall, an area popular with tourists, with flames covering his body. Several seconds later, U.S. Secret Service staff could be seen towards him with a fire extinguisher to put out the blaze. It occurred less than a mile from the White House. The man set himself on fire near the White House on Wednesday morning with terrifying footage showing him engulfed in flames A man set himself on fire Wednesday near the White House with disturbing footage showing him engulfed in flames, the Secret Service said. Shockingly, the unidentified individual managed to stand upright before security ran towards him to extinguish the flames He managed to stand upright before officials got to him, amid reports that he was wearing a protective suit which would have given him some protection from the flames. The man suffered burns on 85 percent of his body and there was a suspicious package on fire near him which was also extinguished, according to TMZ. He was later transported to a nearby hospital with 'life threatening' injuries. More than 70 officers flocked to the scene from multiple agencies. Several tourists and visitors were in the vicinity, but there were no other injuries reported. National Park Service police and the U.S. Secret Service officers also assisted at the scene to try and establish what happened in Washington D.C. White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said he could not immediately comment. According to his official schedule, Donald Trump was in the Oval Office at the time for a ceremonial swearing-in of the President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Export-Import Bank of the United States. A spokesman for the National Park Service, which maintains the White House grounds, told DailyMail.com: 'At 12:22 p.m., officers from the United States Park Police and United States Secret Service responded to a report of an adult male who reportedly lit himself on fire on the Ellipse near 15th and Constitution Avenue. He later drops to the ground as he doused with a fire extinguisher to put out the fire The man's motive is not known but it is understood he was transported to a nearby hospital National Park Service police were seen rendering medical aid to the man a short time later 'USSS personnel extinguished the fire within seconds. The individual was transported to a local hospital for treatment. 'The incident is under investigation. No additional information is available at this time.' A spokesman for the Washington Fire Department said: 'I can confirm that we've transported one patient with burns from the Ellipse and we're now on the scene assisting law enforcement.' The Ellipse is a 52-acre park located south of the White House fence and north of Constitution Avenue and the National Mall. There have been several security incidents in recent years in the vicinity of the White House, due in part to its location in the middle of D.C., with a number of streets approaching it. On April 12, a man in a wheelchair-type electric scooter lit his jacket on fire outside the White House fence. That man was hospitalized with what appeared to be non-life threatening injuries. Crews are due to begin work on installing a larger fence around the White House as part of security improvements beginning this summer. The existing fence will be replaced with a structure that will be about 13 feet tall, an increase of about five feet. Visitors and tourists were seen around the White House, unaware that visitors and tourists were seen around the White House, unaware that a man set himself alight near a security cabin which allows authorized staff to park in a car pack near the South lawn The Secret Service confirmed the incident happened and said they are investigating The incident on Wednesday came just hours after Special Counsel Robert Mueller claimed it was 'not an option' for his office to have charged President Trump with an obstruction crime and that it would be 'inappropriate' for him to speak further about his probe of Russian election interference. In a public statement, Mueller restated parts of his 448-report including the controversial decision not to charge Trump with a crime The president has repeatedly cited the report and his own attorney general's decision not to charge him as proof that there was 'no obstruction.' But Mueller, in his sudden statement delivered with little public notification, said his decision rested on Justice Department policy not on the guilt or innocence of President Trump. That did not stop Trump from tweeting immediately after Mueller's remarks that the case against him was 'closed.' 'Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you,' Trump wrote. Visitors and tourists were seen around the White House, unaware that a man set himself alight near a security cabin which allows authorized staff to park in a car park on Pennsylvania Ave A large plume of smoke could be seen where security staff put out the fire and helped the man It is due include an 18-inch, above ground stone base at the bottom, a 10-foot, 7-inch metal fence and a one-foot-tall 'anti-climb feature' at the top. The changes are intended to keep out intruders after the arrests of several people who have tried to scale the fence in recent years. In January, a 55-year-old woman from Southeast Washington tried to jump a barrier, and a Virginia man in February tried to get into the White House, saying he wanted to help Donald Trump 'bring peace to the world.' A California man was arrested last July after he got through security barrier near the East Wing. Dirk Renard Estes, told the Secret Service he wanted to meet President Trump, The Washington Post reported. The Secret Service and the National Park Service, which maintains the White House grounds, received final approval in 2017 to proceed with building what officials called a 'tougher, taller and stronger' fence. The White House, a National Historic Landmark, sits on about 18 acres in downtown Washington, with the history of its fence dating back to the 1800s. Ambulances and police cars are seen parked south of the White House at the Ellipse A former Georgia gubernatorial candidate who campaigned in a 'deportation bus' has pleaded guilty to falsely reporting that $300,000 worth of computer servers were stolen from his office. Michael Williams, a Republican ex-state senator, was indicted in December in Hall County, northeast of Atlanta, on charges of insurance fraud and lying to investigators. District Attorney Lee Darragh told news outlets Williams pleaded guilty under Georgia's First Offender Act. He was sentenced last week to serve four years of probation, 120 hours of community service and a $5,000 fine. Former Georgia State Senator Michael Williams pleaded guilty to insurance fraud charges after he was accused of making a false report over the theft of $300,000 worth of computers from his campaign headquarters The deportation bus Williams used to campaign read: 'Danger: Murderers, rapists, kidnappers, child molesters and other criminals on board. Follow me to Mexico'. The charges stem from an investigation after Williams reported a burglary in May 2018. Williams finished last in the five-man Republican primary. He campaigned on loyalty to President Trump and publicity stunts, including the 'deportation bus,' symbolically targeting people in the country illegally. As part of his campaign for governor, the Forsyth County Republican drove a 'deportation bus' that read 'Danger: Murderers, rapists, kidnappers, child molesters and other criminals on board. Follow me to Mexico'. His former campaign manager, Seth Weathers, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in December that the indictment was a 'political witch hunt from the beginning and has zero merit.' He added: 'I guess it's the price you pay for being a fearless conservative. Like they say, a grand jury can indict a ham sandwich.' When asked at the time if the alleged theft was politically motivated, Weathers told CBS 46: 'With all the crazy shenanigans that go on in politics, who knows?' Williams was first elected to state senate in 2014. He left office in January. Waging a campaign on loyalty to Trump, he gained national attention during his campaign due to a series of stunts including a deportation bus, leading a protest against a teacher, and enlisting the help reality TV star, 'Dog: the Bounty Hunter' for increased police pay. A Jeremy Corbyn (pictured leaving his north London home on May 27) fanatic has intimidated equality investigators with threats of violence after they announced an inquiry into anti-Semitism in Labour A Corbyn fanatic has intimidated equality investigators with threats of violence after they announced an inquiry into anti-Semitism in Labour, MailOnline can reveal. Yesterday, the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) announced a formal investigation into allegations of anti-Jewish prejudice in the party. A Corbyn supporter, who cannot be named for legal reasons, wrote a blog calling for violence against Adam Wagner, a lawyer who has worked for the EHRC in the past, and other members of the EHRC. He wrote: 'I have thought for years that if Corbyn really did have the Irish, Middle Eastern and other connections that were routinely suggested, then all sorts of people would have been visited at home by now,' he wrote, referring to Hamas, the IRA and other terror groups linked to the Labour leader. 'Perhaps the members and senior staff of the EHRC really do need to be paid a few social calls? That would sharp bring this, publicly funded, nonsense to an end.' In a specific reference to Mr Wagner, he added: 'The Boys might usefully begin with Adam Wagner.' The Corbyn supporter amplified this threat on Twitter, saying: 'The members and the senior staff of @EHRC need to be visited at home. The Boys might usefully begin with @AdamWagner1'. Although Mr Wagner, a barrister, has worked for the EHRC, he is playing no part in the Labour investigation as he acts for the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism (CAA), one of the complainants. A Corbyn supporter, who cannot be named for legal reasons, wrote a blog calling for violence against Adam Wagner (pictured), a lawyer who has worked for the EHRC in the past, and other members of the EHRC The EHRC announced that it would open a formal investigation into the Labour party following a complaint by the CAA and other groups. Gideon Falter, chairman of the CAA, said: 'As soon as the EHRC launched its statutory investigation into anti-Semitism in Labour, supporters of the party proved how urgent the investigation was by declaring that there is no antisemitism within Labour, and additionally that the Commission was controlled by Jews or Zionists or even the Israeli government. 'Now threats have been made against the Commission's staff and CAA's team. We have reported the matter to the police and expect those responsible to feel the full force of the law.' His threats are not the only example of abuse directed at members of the EHRC, with many activists taking to Twitter to suggest that the EHRC is made up of Jews who would be biased. The troll is a former parish councillor and as well as a political activist. A mother-of-two has taken her own life after her former partner sent an old sex tape to her work colleagues. Veronica Rubio, 32, from Spain, was found hanged in her home, situated in Alcala de Henares, after her envious ex-boyfriend, who has not been named, allegedly sent explicit footage to a colleague at CNH Industrial lorry factory. It is reported that the act of revenge was the ex-boyfriend's effort to rekindle his relationship with Ms Rubio- who was now married with a four-year-old and a nine-month-old baby. Mother-of-two Veronica Rubio, 32, from Spain, took her own life after her former partner sent an old sex tape to her work colleagues at CNH Industrial lorry factory After attempts to resume their relationship were rejected by the mother-of-two, the jealous partner is said to have threatened Ms Rubio with the explicit footage. The private video was then reportedly sent to a worker at the factory Ms Rubio worked at. The video, which was also sent to Ms Rubio's husband, continued to spread to other workmates at the factory which belongs to Iveco. Unable to bear the increasing pressure, Ms Rubio is believed to have spoken to the head of Human Resources at her work. According to the company, she was offered support, in accordance with the company's protocol, and was encouraged to report the matter to Spanish police. Ms Rubio (pictured with workmates) began to face increasing pressure as the video began to surface at work The mother-of-two worked at CNH Industrial lorry factory in Spain which is owned by Iveco However Ms Rubio chose not to file an official report with police and was found dead inside her home the following day. Following the devastating discovery, employees at the factory reportedly organised a protest and are also believed to be suing the organisation for not activating the sexual harassment protocol. Spanish police have confirmed they are now investigating the case but it is yet unknown if any arrests have been made. For support please call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org. A British man has been found dead at holiday apartments in the Ibizan party resort of San Antonio. Medical responders raced to Central Park Apartments after a 999 call around 4pm this afternoon but could do nothing to save him. The dead man is understood to be a 33-year-old Brit and a well-placed source confirmed he was on holiday with a large group of around ten male friends thought to be on a stag do. A British man has been found dead at holiday apartments in the Ibizan party resort of San Antonio (stock image) They had checked into Central Park Apartments - Apartamentos Central Park in Spanish - three days ago and were due to leave tomorrow. Police are investigating but initial reports are pointing to the death being potentially drug-related. An autopsy has yet to take place. The dead man, whose body was found inside a room at Central Park Apartments, has not been named. Two planes flying over north Florida collided mid-air and landed near a Clay County farm this afternoon, killing one of the pilots and leaving the other injured. The Federal Aviation Administration revealed in a statement the crash took place at 11.36am over Green Cove Springs, Florida. At a press conference Wednesday afternoon, a Florida Highway Patrol official identified the pilot of a red plane who died in the crash as 74-year-old Robert Henry Woolley. This is one of two small planes that collided mid-air over Clay County, Florida, late Wednesday morning The owner of the plane, retired US Navy pilot David Dollarhide, 77, was able to land the plane and survived Dollarhide's plane is pictured in the middle of a field in Clay County, surrounded by first responders This red plane was involved in the crash and came to rest in the tree line near a lake; its owner, Robert Woolley, 72, was killed The pilot who managed to land his yellow RV-4 plane in a field near Penney Farms was identified as 77-year-old David Dollarhide. It is believed that Woolley and Dollarhide knew each other and occasionally flew their planes in formation. Dollarhide survived and was airlifted to a hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Video shot from an Action News Jax helicopter showed Dollarhide's yellow plane restring in the middle of a field, surrounded by first responders. Meanwhile, Woolley's red plane was seen in the tree line near a lake. According to officials, Dollarhide was taking off when he banked his RV-4 plane and collided with Woolley's plane that was flying near Haller Airport, possibly shearing off one of its wings. After landing his aircraft safely in the field, Dollarhide made a call to report the mid-air collision. According to an oral history published by powmemomorial.org in 2017, Dollarhide is a retired US Navy pilot and a Vietnam War veteran who served in the same squadron as the late Senator John McCain. After leaving the Navy, he worked for three different commercial airlines, including Pan Am and Delta, before retiring from aviation in 2002 at age 60. Dollarhide is a Vietnam War veteran who served in the same squadron as the late Senator John McCain Dollarhide has owned the fixed-wing single engine RV-4 plane pictured above since 2003 A year later, Dollarhide registered his yellow fixed-wing single-engine RV-4 plane, which he has been using to fly with other Navy veterans as part of their 'Dreamland Squadron.' 'We fly to lunch. We tail chase. We dog fight,' Dollarhide recounted during the conversation recorded in 2017. 'We go fly up in the mountains and camp and get up early in the morning and drink coffee around the fire and then jump in the airplanes and go fly to the nearest point of where we can find a great breakfast. Then we fly back into the mountains.' According to the site flightaware..com, Dollarhide's registration expires in 2021. His son, also named David, followed in the veteran pilot's footsteps and became a flight instructor. Dollarhide's daughter also got her pilot's license but decided not to pursue a career in aviation, instead becoming a writer and producer for CNN in Atlanta. According to public records and social media posts, Robert Woolley who was a retired US Air Force pilot who lived with wife Sandra in Green Cove Springs, Florida. The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation into the fatal accident in Florida. Police have arrested a woman who allegedly assaulted a man with a chair and unleashed an anti-Hispanic rant at him inside a McDonald's in New York last month. Rosa Portelli, 49, was arrested for the March 25 attack in which she allegedly picked up a chair and attacked the 33-year-old Hispanic man, who had sat down with his sister for breakfast in the Chinatown restaurant. Portelli, who is charged with assault as a hate crime, is being held without bail on Rikers Island for a second ongoing and unrelated criminal contempt case. Rosa Portelli, 49, was arrested for the March 25 attack in which she allegedly picked up a chair and attacked the 33-year-old Hispanic man, who had sat down with his sister for breakfast in a Chinatown Victim Miguel Ucho said he eating before visiting an immigration office when he was attacked by Portelli, who appeared to take exception to his nationality. Ucho, from Ecuador, said he slid by the suspect to squeeze into the table next to her, and she then began the racist rant , calling him a 'f******* immigrant' and a 'f***** Mexican.' 'You can't do anything in that moment,' Ucho told TDN after the incident. 'She had a chair... you just freeze.' After the woman's rant, she allegedly went to the bathroom and returned carrying her umbrella which she used to beat Ucho with. Police said the woman tried to escape into the subway system at the nearby Canal St. but couldn't get past the turnstile. Ucho, from Ecuador, said he slid by the suspect to squeeze into the table next to her, and she then began the racist rant , calling him a 'f******* immigrant' and a 'f***** Mexican' (the Chinatown McDonald's where the alleged racist incident took placer Ucho said he suffered a bruise on his face as well as a swollen and scraped head. He needed a CAT scan to check for brain injury, he said. Portelli was slapped with a charge of second-degree assault for the March hate crime, police said Wednesday. Additional prior charges include menacing, criminal mischief and several others for criminal contempt, police said. Panic ensued as police raced to the banks of the River Thames today over reports of an unexploded bomb- only to discover the mysterious item was a Christmas bauble. Metropolitan Police officers were called to the 'glittery Christmas bauble', which was seen near Wapping, east London, after it was mistaken for an explosive device. Following the amusing mishap, Tower Hamlets Police took to Twitter to share the festive discovery. Metropolitan Police rushed to the banks of the River Thames today over reports of an unexploded bomb- only to discover a 'glittery Christmas bauble' A message on Twitter read: 'Officers were called to Wapping to investigate a possible unexploded device that had been washed up on the shore. 'Luckily, upon closer inspection, it is a giant glittery Christmas bauble!' Hackney Police responded to the discovery by tweeting: 'That is a Wapping great bauble. Fortunately not as given, but shows as our training teaches us expect the unexpected.' The unexpected incident comes a week after students at Kingston University and residents from nearly 1,500 homes were evacuated from their properties after the discovery of an unexploded World War Two bomb. The incident saw forces rush to the scene near Penryhn Road, Kingston upon Thames, on May 23 after residents discovered the suspected bomb. Tower Hamlets Police later took to Twitter to share the festive discovery with social media users Following the amusing mishap Hackney Police also responded to the unexpected discovery Following the discovery of the bauble, social media users took to Twitter to share their amusement at the startling discovery. One user, Martin Williams, wrote: 'Could've been worse, they could have found a cross channel fairy!' While Heather Lloyd commented: 'Hand on were're missing something here. Who's Christmas tree has that fallen from, it's huge!' Another user wrote: 'Hope the investigation wraps up soon.' An impatient pooch decided to honk the car horn when its owner took too long. Hilarious footage shows the man rush out the shop, only to find determined dog in the driving seat. The hounding was filmed at a gas station near Wichita, Kansas. A driver rushed out a gas station when he heard his car horn - only to find his impatient pooch in the driving seat The determined dog, perhaps late for a much-anticipated walk, only stopped when the owner came up to the car Caught on a phone camera, the driver rushes out the shop as his car's horn blares through the gas station. He quickly comes to a halt and laughs, however, spotting the cross canine with two paws on the steering wheel. The pesky pet, which clearly didn't like being kept waiting, stopped as soon as the owner approached. It jumped down and wagged its tail - possibly excited at the prospect of an upcoming dog walk. Earlier this month a hound resorted to the car-horn tactic when waiting for its owner. The cross canine jumped down and wagged its tail as soon as the owner approached Earlier this month a passerby in Valdez, Alaska, heard and then saw a delayed dog with its paw firmly pressed down on the car horn While a passerby got a coffee in Valdez, Alaska, the delayed dog clambered into the front seat and stamped its paw down on the car horn. The man asked it to stop, but the dog just stared at him and kept going. The car horn honking at a Kansas gas station was filmed in October 2018. A Georgia mother is seeking answers from a daycare center after seeing what she believes to be hand-shaped bruising across her three-year-old son's face. Brianna Meador told Channel 2 Action News that she left her son, Levi, three, at K.C.s 24 Hour Child Care Center in Covington, Georgia, on Saturday. When she picked him up, she saw purple and red marks on his face. She claims that when she asked daycare workers what happened to Levi, they said that he had been dropped off at the center that way, then claimed that he scratched himself and finally suggested that he had a rash, which Meador disagreed with. Brianna Meador said that when she picked up her son, Levi, three, from a daycare center on Saturday, he had unexplained red and purple marks on his face. She believes the marks (shown) look like a handprint and that her son was given a 'hard hit' 'That is not a rash, that is a bruise,' Meador said. She said that she then called police and asked to see the daycare center's surveillance videos to find out what happened to her son, but the workers refused to show them to her. 'I paid them to watch my child, and no one can tell me what happened to my child,' she told the news station. Meador said that the mysterious marks on her son's face continued to darken. In photos, dark purple and red marks cover the left side of Levi's face from the side of his forehead down to his chin. Meador said that she asked to see the daycare center's surveillance video, but that they refused to show it to her. She then filed a police report When asked on camera what happened to his face, Levi (pictured with Meador) he said, 'Hit my face, teacher.' The state is now investigating the day care The state is now investigating the day care, which self-reported the incident to authorities 'That looks like a pretty hard hit, and I know my child cried,' Meador said, adding that it 'looks like a handprint.' When asked on camera what happened to his face, Levi said, 'Hit my face, teacher.' The daycare's owner told Channel 2 that the child was not injured at the center. The Atlanta Constitution-Journal reported that the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) confirmed the state is now investigating the daycare center and that it could take up to 30 days to complete the investigation. The agency said that they had been notified about the incident via its Facebook page on May 27 and that the daycare itself had also filed a report with them. This proud 'pole-dancing rat' certainly wasn't shy as it slid its way down Subway handrails that many New Yorkers touch every day. The shocking sight of the rodent climbing the metal bars has attracted over 10,000 views so far on social media page Subway Creatures. The footage by Sebastian, known on Instagram as @seebaass_, was shot on a New York Subway F Train. This vermin can be seen slowly lowering itself down the metal handrail In the clip, he can be heard fighting back laughter as he slowly zooms into the performing creature. Sebastian's video won an online competition for 'What the L' - referring to a MTA train that has battled closures - claiming a free MTA MetroCard for the year. Online users have been amazed and horrified by the video, citing varying levels of disgust. Instagram user Fullframed commented: 'Times are ruff[sic] right now in nyc. Even the rats are stripping for the cheese.' Carefully clinging to the top the rodent then slides its way down to the bottom, shocking viewers online In the clip, the man filming can be heard fighting back laughter as he slowly zooms into the performing creature Some referenced Pizza Rat which infamously dragged a slice of pizza down a whole flight of stairs. Joan Piccini commenting on Facebook: 'Its Pizza Rat riding to his next pizza place.' While others referred to Remy the hopeful-chef rodent star of the 2007 animated film Ratatouille. Garethbrook7 said on Instagram: 'Ratatouille straight up loving life.' One Facebook user referenced the rat's likeness to aspiring chef Remy from the Walt Disney flick Ratatouille Others jested about the size of the rat, its talent as a performer and suggested it was a 'stripper' Online the video is quickly attracting hits, already surpassing 10,000 Last year rat sightings rose nearly 38 percent on 2014, reaching a reported 17,353 on New York city's 311 hotline, according to OpenTheBooks.com. The non-profit watchdog noted the rise from 12,617 in 2014. While the exact number of rats living in New York remains unclear, a 2014 estimate from scholar Jonathan Auerbach suggest around two million. If the figure is accurate, it could mean that for every four of New York's 8.3 million population, there is one rat. Missouri Republican Governor Mike Parson said Wednesday it would be 'reckless' for a judge to take action to keep open the only abortion clinic left in the state due to what he described as health and safety deficiencies at the St. Louis facility. 'No judge should give special treatment to Planned Parenthood in this circumstance,' Parson said during a live-streamed press conference from his office in Jefferson City. His comments came the same day that Planned Parenthood was due in court over a lawsuit against the state that the organization announced on Tuesday - however the court appearance was cancelled with no explanation and rescheduled for Thursday morning. Planned Parenthood officials said they may be forced to stop providing abortions at the St. Louis facility because the state is threatening to not renew its license to perform abortions. The license expires Friday. If it's not renewed, the organization says Missouri would become the first state without a functioning abortion clinic since the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision. Missouri Governor Mike Parson, a Republican, is shown here during a press conference in which he said it would be 'reckless' for a judge to take action to keep open the only abortion clinic left in the state due to what he described as health and safety deficiencies at the St. Louis facility Parson outlined a number of concerns during the press conference, including reports of three failed abortions done by the Planned Parenthood facility. 'These failed abortions also include the patients returning to Planned Parenthood after realizing they were still pregnant,' Parson said. 'In another case, a patient was rushed to a hospital in an ambulance.' Dr. Leana Wen, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, condemned and disputed the governor's comments in a statement issued Wednesday - though she did not specifically address his claims about the three failed abortions. 'Missouri Governor Parson's remarks today are simply not based on medicine, facts, or reality,' she said. 'He has made it clear that his goal is to ban abortion care in the state of Missouri, and today's comments confirmed that this is exactly what this is all about.' 'Planned Parenthood takes the health and safety of our patients seriously and it is our top concern,' she added. 'We do everything to ensure our patients get the best medical care available. When we find anything that does not meet our high standards of care, we take swift action. Our health center meets the highest standard of care.' Parson had strong words for Planned Parenthood, noting that the organization has had 'ample time' to address the concerns raised by the state's health department. He also objected to the fact that five out of the seven physicians at the facility refused to be interviewed as part of efforts to come into compliance with the state agency. Kay Metcalf chants alongside opponents of the abortion law passed last week by the Missouri legislature on Tuesday, May 21, 2019 outside of Columbia City Hall. The recent laws regulating abortion in Missouri, Alabama and Georgia spurred protests nationwide In this May 17, 2019 file photo, abortion opponent Teresa Pettis, right, greets a passerby outside the Planned Parenthood clinic in St. Louis. Planned Parenthood says Missouri's only abortion clinic could be closed by the end of the week because the state is threatening to not renew its license, which expires Friday, May 31 'The issues that we are talking about are centered around two key issues: Planned Parenthood not following the law and Planned Parenthood not protecting women's health,' Parson said, adding that the state's actions were not politically motivated. 'Regardless if you support abortion or not, Planned Parenthood should be able to meet the basic levels of safety,' he said. Parson said that Planned Parenthood still may be able to come into compliance by Friday's deadline. According to the lawsuit, the state health department visited the clinic in April to investigate a patient complaint. WILL REPUBLICANS GET TO CHALLENGE ROE V. WADE AT SUPREME COURT? The growing list of 'heartbeat' abortion bans are designed openly to get the Supreme Court to reconsider Roe v. Wade, with many Republicans gambling that a 5-4 conservative bench would overturn it. But is that the case? Here is how the case may - or may not - reach the Supreme Court. ROUND ONE: LITIGATE IN STATE COURTS The outcome does not matter too much in legal terms because the aim is to get to: ROUND TWO: PRO-CHOICE CHALLENGE Each of the laws passed by the states is going to be challenged in the local federal court by pro-choice groups, with Planned Parenthood and the ACLU litigating some already and getting ready for more. The heartbeat bills are fairly clearly incompatible with Roe v. Wade so it is likely a federal judge would first grant an injunction against them to keep them from being enacted, and order a full-scale hearing. This could be the pro-life movement's first chance to ask for a Supreme Court hearing, by appealing the injunction rather than waiting for a full trial in a federal court. Or they could wait for a trial - but either way the next stage is: ROUND TWO: FEDERAL APPEALS COURT All federal cases can be appealed to the next level - a federal appeals court. The country is divided into 12 geographical circuits and some swing liberal, some conservative. The best bet for the pro-life group to force a Supreme Court hearing is to get an appeal into a liberal circuit, where judges are likely to vote down a heartbeat bill. Cases are heard by three judges and can be appealed to the entire bench of the circuit. Missouri is in the liberal-leaning Eighth Circuit, so if its bill becomes law, look here for a challenge which would come from the state or its pro-life supporters going to the next stage: ROUND THREE: PETITION THE SUPREME COURT - AND GET JOHN ROBERTS ON SIDE Anyone involved in a federal appeals case can petition the Supreme Court to ask for review of the outcome. But the tricky part for the pro-life movement is that the Supreme Court is not compelled to take up a petition. So assuming a heartbeat bill has been blocked by an appeals court, the pro-life petitioners have to find a way to get a majority of the justices to agree to hear their appeal. That means getting Chief Justice John Roberts - the swing vote - to agree to hear the case. But he has made clear since his confirmation hearing that he wants a court respected by all sides and seen as above politics. So it is an uphill task to persuade him not to do the simple thing: keep the hypothetical block on the heartbeat bill in place without a hearing, ending the process without a public and divisive airing of the issues. Exactly that scenario has already happened in North Dakota, whose restrictive laws got struck down by the liberal Eighth Circuit. The Roberts court simply declined to intervene. But assuming a pro-life lobbyist or state, or group of states, succeeds in getting Roberts to agree to a hearing, the next challenge is: ROUND FOUR: WHAT EXACTLY WILL THE JUSTICES REVIEW? Just because the justices have taken up the case a pro-life lobby group want to push doesn't mean their dream of a full-scale Roe v. Wade challenge is anywhere near complete. The justices can look as widely or narrowly at the issue as they want, so could consider a detail in the case rather than looking at abortion in full. Roberts has been a 'gradualist' before, on issues such as gay marriage, so he might guide the court to consider far narrower issues. Examples could include allowing states to make licensing of abortion clinics more difficult, or restricting reasons for having an abortion, such as banning Down Syndrome diagnosis as a reason for termination. Pro-choice groups fear the most likely outcome of the heartbeat bills is not sweeping new abortion bans, but Roberts leading the conservatives to allow more restrictions to stay in place state-by-state without Roe v. Wade being overturned. Advertisement Planned Parenthood says the agency hasn't specified the complaint, but said its subsequent 'investigation has identified a large number of potential deficient practices requiring explanation by the physicians directly involved in patient care, as well as the attending physicians.' The lawsuit says the state wanted to interview seven physicians, including medical fellows who no longer provide care at the clinic. It says two staff doctors agreed but the others did not, and Planned Parenthood can't compel them because they're not staff. Any stalemate over interviews is significant because, according to the lawsuit, the health department won't decide on renewing Planned Parenthood's license until the investigation is complete. Missouri is among half a dozen states that have passed sweeping anti-abortion measures. Parson signed a bill Friday banning abortions on or beyond the eighth week of pregnancy, with no exceptions for rape or incest. Under the Missouri law that comes into force August 28, doctors who violate the eight-week cutoff could face five to 15 years in prison. Women who terminate their pregnancies cannot be prosecuted. If the St. Louis clinic no longer can provide abortions, the nearest clinics performing abortions are in a Kansas suburb of Kansas City and in Granite City, Illinois, just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis. The Kansas clinic is about 260 miles from St. Louis. 'While the state of Missouri is waging a war against its abortion services and providers, the Hope Clinic remains committed to the patients of Missouri,' Erin King, executive director of the Granite City clinic, said in a statement. Wen said on Tuesday that Missouri has 'illegally weaponized the licensing process.' Colleen McNicholas, an OB-GYN at the Planned Parenthood office in St. Louis, called it the 'natural consequence of several decades of restriction after restriction.' 'This is precisely what we've been warning of,' McNicholas said. Alabama's governor signed a bill on May 15 making performing an abortion a felony in nearly all cases. Supporters have said they hope to provoke a legal challenge that will eventually force the Supreme Court to revisit Roe v. Wade. Unlike Alabama's near-total abortion ban, lawmakers who helped draft the Missouri bill say it's meant to withstand court challenges instead of spark them. If the eight-week ban is struck down, the bill includes a ladder of less-restrictive time limits at 14, 18 or 20 weeks. Missouri's bill also includes an outright ban on abortions except in cases of medical emergencies, but that would kick in only if Roe v. Wade is overturned. Missouri Right to Life called it 'the strongest pro-life bill in Missouri history.' Kentucky , Mississippi , Ohio and Georgia also have approved bans on abortions once fetal cardiac activity can be detected, which can occur in about the sixth week of pregnancy. Some of those laws already have been challenged in court, and similar restrictions in North Dakota and Iowa have been struck down by judges. Even before the latest legislation, Missouri already had some of the most restrictive abortion regulations in the nation, including a requirement that doctors performing abortions have partnerships with nearby hospitals. A total of 2,910 abortions occurred in 2018 in Missouri, according to provisional data provided by the state health department. That includes 433 abortions at eight weeks of pregnancy and 267 at six weeks or earlier. The rash of new legislation has left abortion providers in some states uncertain about what they can now do, and McNicholas said there is 'a tremendous amount of confusion' among women who come to the Planned Parenthood clinic. Meanwhile, the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri is seeking a statewide vote on Missouri's new abortion law. The ACLU said Tuesday that it has submitted a referendum petition to the secretary of state's office as a first step toward blocking and potentially repealing the law. The group wants to force a referendum in 2020. An Ethiopian Airlines pilot sent an email warning his bosses about a need for more training on the Boeing 737 Max three months before that aircraft model went down in Bishoftu, Ehtiopia in March, killing 157 people. The email was sent by pilot Bernd Kai von Hoesslin in December, two months after another Boeing 737 Max crashed into the Java Sea in October and killed all 189 passengers and crew on board, Bloomberg reported. Eithopian Airlines refuted the claim in a statement released on Twitter, calling the claim 'baseless and factually incorrect' and describing von Hoesslin as a 'disgruntled former employee.' As the FAA reviews changes made following the disasters, airlines have opted to ground the Boeing 737 Max, with CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Weolde Gebremariam telling NBC that if the company ever flies the plane model again, it will be the last to do so. Meanwhile, the Securities and Exchanges Commission has reportedly launched its own investigation into the conduct of Boeing as United Airlines cancels another month's worth of flights with 737 Max planes that were grounded after two deadly accidents. Ethiopian Airlines pilot Bernd Kai von Hoesslin sent an email warning his bosses about a need for more training on the Boeing 737 Max three months before the crash in Bishoftu, Ehtiopia that killed 157 (crash scene pictured) In his email dated December 13, von Hoesslin told his superiors that in order to avoid a terrible accident like what happened on Lion Air Flight 610 on October 29, more training and better communication to crew members was needed. 'It will be a crash for sure,' von Hoesslin wrote, foreseeing the possibility that Ethiopian Airlines pilots might encounter the malfunction of Boeings flight-control system coupled with a cockpit warning that the plane was flying too low. Three months later on March 10 a second Boeing 737 MAX - an Ethiopian Airlines flight - crashed in Bishoftu, Ethiopia. A malfunction of the 737 Max feature known as the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System has been discussed as playing a significant role in both crashes. In each crash, automatic nose-down movements were triggered by inaccurate readings from one of the MCAS's two sensors on either side of the jets nose, and pilots were unsuccessful in adjusting for those changes. Ethiopian Airlines refuted the claim in a statement released on Twitter , calling the claim 'baseless and factually incorrect' and describing von Hoesslin as a 'disgruntled former employee.' The scene of the March 10 crash is Ethiopia is pictured In his email dated December 13, von Hoesslin told his superiors that in order to avoid a terrible accident like what happened on Lion Air Flight 610 on October 29, more training and better communication to crew members was needed. 'It will be a crash for sure,' von Hoesslin wrote, foreseeing the possibility that Ethiopian Airlines pilots night encounter the malfunction of Boeings flight-control system coupled with a cockpit warning that the plane was flying too low. The crash scene from March 10 in Ethiopia is shown Von Hoesslin allegedly sent 418 pages worth of documentation citing his concerns over maintenance, pilot rest and operational procedures of Ethiopian Airlines. The airline dismissed the allegations in general, saying von Hoesslin only worked for the company for a short time after many administrative issues and failure to follow company procedures. Specifically related to what he had to say about the Boeing 737 Max, former director of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administrations Accident Investigation Division Jeffrey Guzzetti said it wasn't clear that additional training and communication would've prevented the deadly crash in March. 'I bet there were numerous other similar discussions within other 737 Max airlines following the Lion Air accident, and I bet considerations were made in some fashion with most of those airlines,' Guzzetti said. While the exact scenario as imagined by von Hoesslin in his email didn't play out on March 10, multiple cockpit warnings did create chaos in the moments leading up to the deadly crash. It was the crash in Ethiopia that preceded the worldwide grounding of the Boeing 737 Max and has left the manufacturer struggling to save face after the second disaster in a span of five months. Von Hoesslin allegedly sent 418 pages worth of documentation citing his concerns over maintenance, pilot rest and operational procedures of Ethiopian Airlines. The airline dismissed the allegations in general, saying von Hoesslin only worked for the company for a short time after many administrative issues and failure to follow company procedures United Airlines is cancelling another month's worth of flights with Boeing 737 Max planes that were grounded after two deadly accidents Now, the SEC is looking into whether Chicago, Illinois-based Boeing disclosed information in the proper way about a cockpit alert not working, something they admit they knew about a year prior. In a May 5 filing Boeing states that it revealed the findings to customers and the FAA in October 2018 - after the Lion Air 610 crash in the ocean just off Indonesia. The FAA is currently looking into whether a faulty anti-stall system caused the aircraft and the same Ethiopian Airlines model that crashed in Addis Ababa on March 10, to nosedive and whether pilots were improperly trained about how to take control again. However SEC's probe focuses on a filing Boeing should have made through them to let investors know about issues that could impact them both financially, Bloomberg reports. The 737 Max planes are said to be Boeing's biggest sauce of profit and the company stopped share repurchases to preserve cash when the jets were grounded in March, after the second crash in five months. Boeing acknowledged in an April 24 SEC filing that they were facing multiple legal actions from both customers and families of the 346 victims from the two tragedies. However Boeing said it 'cannot reasonably estimate a range of loss, if any, that may result'. FAA Acting Chief Daniel Elwell called a Thursday meeting with aviation regulators from around the globe in Dallas, Texas 'both comprehensive and constructive' but declined to give a timetable for the agency's review, saying the FAA won't allow the Max to return to the skies until it is convinced the plane is safe. Engine parts are seen at the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash, near the town of Bishoftu, southeast of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on March 11 On Friday it was reported SEC is looking into whether Boeing properly disclosed information about a cockpit alert that didn't work properly. Boeing reported it after the October Lion Air crash. Group of National Transportation Safety Board from United States and Indonesian Committe of Safety Transportation investigate the debris November 1 The FAA meeting with nearly 60 officials from more than 30 countries explained its process for analyzing Boeing's changes to the Max. Boeing has said 200 of the aircraft have successfully completed test flights after a software update and it is expected to soon formally submit its changes and a proposal for additional pilot training to the FAA for approval. Ethiopian Airlines' CEO is being extra cautious following the tragedy that struck flight ET302 on March 10. Ethiopian Airlines' CEO Weolde Gebemariam (pictured) is being extra cautious following the tragedy that struck flight ET302 on March 10. 'If we fly them again, we'll be the last airline to fly them again,' he said To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Oath Privacy Policy United said Friday it has removed the Max from its schedule through August 3 and will cancel about 2,400 flights in June and July as a result. It had previously canceled all Max flights through early July 'If we fly them again, we'll be the last airline to fly them again,' Gebremariam said. 'At this stage I cannot fully say that the airplane will fly [again] on Ethiopian Airlines. It may, if we are fully convinced, and if we are able to convince our pilots, if we are able to convince our traveling public. 'You know all other airlines have grounded the airplane, but in our case, beyond grounding the airplane, we had this tragic accident just a couple of months ago, so it takes a lot of efforts to convince everybody that the air airplane is safe. 'Beyond that, we have to convince ourselves, and we want to do that.' As of Friday United Airlines said it has removed the Max from its schedule through August 3. United will cancel about 2,400 flights in June and July as a result. It had previously canceled all Max flights through early July. United is using other planes to cover some flights that had been scheduled with its 14 Max jets. Southwest dropped the Max from schedules into August. A number of grounded Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft are shown parked at Victorville Airport, California, March 26 Southwest and American have already dropped the Max from their schedules into August. Other regulators around the world grounding the plane in March after the second crash without waiting for the FAA to do so was a setback to FAA's prestige. The FAA hopes that this time, other regulators - some of whom are doing their own separate reviews - will approve Boeing's changes at the same time or soon after FAA does. 'Our review of the Max design changes, the software upgrade, is already under way,' said Nicolas Robinson, the head of civil aviation for Transport Canada, that country's counterpart to FAA. Robinson said, however, that it's 'difficult to put a time limit on that' because the length of the review will depend on how quickly Canada gets answers to questions it has about Boeing's work. Robinson said that at Thursday's FAA meeting in Fort Worth, some attendees put timelines on the review process but the consensus - and the view of FAA - was that 'this is not about meeting a deadline, it's about getting safety done properly. It will be done when we feel comfortable.' A woman has sued Disney over injuries suffered in a bird attack at Walt Disney World Resort, saying the theme park should warn guests of the danger. Lisa Dixon, who lives in nearby Celebration, filed the lawsuit last week in Orange County Circuit Court in Florida, seeking unspecified damages in excess of $15,000, the Orlando Sentinel reported. Dixons' attorney Thomas Schmitt said she suffered a traumatic brain injury and had herniated discs in her neck after the bird 'dive-bombed' her. The incident occurred in May of 2017 on the dock at the Polynesian Village Resort (above) 'It's changed her life,' Schmitt said. He said she would need surgery. The incident occurred in May of 2017 on the dock at the Polynesian Village Resort, according to the suit. The suit does not specify the type of bird except to say it was a seasonal nesting bird. The lawsuit accused Disney of not keeping the dock safe and failing to properly warn visitors of the dangers as well as giving Dixon a false sense of security, among other allegations. Walt Disney World is seen in a file photo. The company said it will respond to the claims in court Dixon is in her 30s and is originally from the Midwest, her attorney said. Her attorney said that she has been living in Celebration in order to take care of some family property. A Disney spokesperson said that the company would respond to the allegations in court. A cross has been set on fire at a predominantly white North Carolina church where a black pastor was due to speak next week. The church is always stationed outside Loray Baptist Church in Gastonia, North Carolina, and had been draped in greenery and an Easter cloth. At 7.45am on Wednesday, a homeless man who had gone to the church to 'pray for his sins' when he saw it ablaze. This is the cross that was set on fire outside Loray Baptist Church in Gastonia, North Carolina, on Wednesday morning. The church is predominantly white and a black pastor is due to speak there next week. This is what was left of it, right, after the fire was put out He called police and the fire department who arrived and extinguished it. It remains unclear what the motive was but the church's pastor noted that it comes a week ahead of an appearance by Pastor Reggie Sadler. Sadler is a notorious preacher who has sung with Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Jerry Lee Lewis, the Drifters, and the Platters. Pastor Kent Crawford said he hoped his appearance had nothing to do with the incident but police have so far been unable to rule it out. It is not clear if he will still speak. There was no answer at the church on Wednesday. Pastor Reggie Sadler and his family are due to appear at the church next week for a revival. It is unclear if his appearance has anything to do with the cross or if he is still planning on attending The cross has been in the church's front yard for years. It had been dressed up for Easter but is now ruined The Gastonia Police Chief was not available to answer questions about the investigation on Wednesday afternoon. Gastonia has a population of around 71,741 and is 22 miles west of Charlotte. Last year, racist graffiti was found in parts of the town which saluted the KKK and Hitler. The city has a rich milling history and was the location of one of the largest labor strikes in US history; The Loray Mill Strike in 1929. Reports from the time say there was 'virulent racism' among residents of the city. Dr Maaruf Ali (pictured) was sacked from the University of Essex after he opposed the creation of a Jewish society at the campus A university lecturer who opposed the creation of a Jewish society on the grounds that 'Zionists' were behind it has been sacked. Dr Maaruf Ali voted against 'Jsoc' being set up, prompting a public outcry at the University of Essex. The 50-year-old wrote 'the Zionists next want to create a society here at our university' on a student Facebook page. The lecturer in computers and electronics also shared material questioning the Holocaust, all of which has since been deleted. Dr Ali was hauled before a tribunal over the row where a panel ruled he should be dismissed from his post. He denied being anti-Semitic or denying the Holocaust and said his vote against the society had been against the ideology of Zionism. 'I am not against Jews, I don't hate their religion, their people or their culture,' he said. 'I believe that everyone should be allowed to form any society. This is what I'm thinking now - which is what I didn't think at the time.' Dr Ali shared a photo on Facebook which claimed that a French police officer killed in the January 2015 Charlie Hebdo attack was actually 'a Mossad agent live and well in Buenos Aires a crypto-Jew in the service of Israeli intelligence'. Pictured: The post Dr Maaruf Ali shared alleging that a man shot dead by Islamists is actually an Israeli agent The academic also shared this post, attributed to the author of Defensive Racism: An Unapologetic Examination of Racial Differences He claims his objection to Jsoc related to the climate in present day Israel and said he had never asked for the destruction of the state of Israel. The row erupted as voting was underway on a Facebook site as to whether a Jewish society should be founded at the university. More than 200 students, 36 per cent of those who cast ballots, voted no. The academic also shared this post online, suggesting that Zionists are pulling strings in the media Dr Ali also posted a quotation attributed to Edgar J Steele, a lawyer notorious for defending white supremacists and for writing a book titled Defensive Racism: An Unapologetic Examination of Racial Differences. The quote reads: 'In all of German Occupied Europe, there resided 2.4 million Jews before the war, according to the world Jewish encyclopedia. 'After the war, 3.8 million Jewish 'Holocaust survivors' were receiving pensions from the German government... Tragically, the remaining 6 million were lost.' At the time, the Union of Jewish Students (UJS) called for an investigation into Dr Ali and the university confirmed an investigation would take place. David Baddiel (left) and Rachel Riley (right) were among the people to slam the academic's opposition to Jsoc In a statement, the university said its investigation 'into the serious allegations made against a member of staff' was completed and an employee had been dismissed. 'Following a tribunal hearing which considered all the evidence the member of staff has been dismissed,' a spokesperson said. Daniel Kosky, Union of Jewish Students campaigns organiser, said it was the correct decision for Dr Ali to be dismissed for his 'severely anti-Semitic' social media comments. He said: 'We welcome this positive step in creating an inclusive campus environment, and we hope to see the University of Essex continue this work into the future.' In February, comedian David Baddiel and Countdown presenter Rachel Riley spoke of their shock at the reaction to the Jewish Society vote. Flight attendants from Delta Air Lines are reportedly complaining that new uniforms introduced last year are causing allergic reactions, including rashes and breathing problems. Two employees think the problems are so bad that they have started a legal action against the uniform manufacturer, Lands' End. Gwyneth Gilbert, from Sandy Springs, Georgia, and Monica DeCrescentis, from New York, have filed a proposed class action against the retailer. Gwyneth Gilbert, from Sandy Springs, Georgia, (pictured above in the lawsuit) alleges the new uniform caused the rash on her neck The lawsuit claims that when Gilbert (shown above) wore her Delta Plum dress she also experienced a sore throat, headaches, body aches and fatigue In the lawsuit, Gilbert claims the two dresses, pantsuit and sweater set she wore from the new line of uniforms, designed by top fashion designer Zac Posen, gave her skin irritations and rashes. Gilbert is pictured in the lawsuit with a red rash across her neck. The lawsuit also claims that when Gilbert wore the Plum dress she experienced a sore throat, headaches, body aches and fatigue. It adds 'she had these symptoms each time she worked a flight wearing the Uniform.' Another photo shows Gilbert with patch tests on her back. A dermatologist concluded that she was 'highly allergic to the disperse dyes and Formaldehyde in the Uniform,' according to the lawsuit She also alleges that the dye in the clothing transfers onto skin, as well as her sheets and towels. Neither Delta nor Posen are named in the suit. Another photo shows Gilbert with patch tests on her back. 'On March 1, 2019, the dermatologist who conducted the patch test on Ms. Gilbert using her Uniform concluded that she is ... highly allergic to the 'disperse dyes' and Formaldehyde in the Uniform. The dermatologist recommended that her uniform be changed,' the suit claims. Delta Air Lines hosts their Uniform Launch celebration in Atlanta, Minneapolis and Los Angeles on Tuesday, May 29, 2018. The style of the uniform was designed by top fashion designer Zac Posen (pictured left). Neither Delta nor Posen are named in the suit Gilbert was placed on short-term disability leave, according to the lawsuit, and returned to work wearing a black pantsuit and white blouse, that have caused her no problems. DeCrescentis alleges similar skin irritations, headaches and a low white cell blood count that she attributes to wearing the new uniform over the past year. 'Additionally, Ms. DeCrescentis has experienced dye transfer issues, both onto her body and her possessions, including her sheets and towels, pantyhose, white robe, white tee shirt, clear hangars and her bathtub,' the suit states. Photos of a stained bathtub and sheets are also shown in the suit that alleges the dye soaks into towels and sheets The plaintiffs claim negligence on the part of Lands' End, as well as design defect, manufacturing defect and other claims. The suit is seeking certification for a class action as well as damages and fees. Other employees have spoken to NBC10 Boston about conditions they believe are caused by the uniform. 'I was experiencing breathing issues,' an employee called Alex told NBC10 Boston. 'My nose was running all the time. I was coughing and fatigued.' Another Delta employee named Jordan told the station: 'I was tugging at my mock turtleneck at work, trying to get some air, and I just couldn't get any and my hair was falling out.' The airline unveiled its new line of uniforms for its employees last May. 'While less than one percent of employees in the new uniform program have reported issues, Delta takes this very seriously and is working directly with employees on solutions that meet their individual needs,' Delta said in a statement The airline unveiled its new line of uniforms (pictured above) for its employees last May Posen told The Hollywood Reporter at the time his team attended 80 employee focus groups and made more than 150 changes to the uniforms based on feedback. 'I wanted to bring glamour back to the runway and to 30,000 feet,' Posen said. Delta issued a statement to DailyMail.com, stressing that out 'of 64,000 employees wearing the new designs introduced a year ago, less than 1 percent report to be experiencing some reaction.' 'Safety comes first in everything we do and the uniform program was no exception,' the statement read. 'Since we began redesigning the uniform three years ago, we have been intentional to ensure employee input and transparency every step of the way. We want our employees to be able to safely wear the new garments with pride. 'To reinforce this commitment, Delta actively sought out employee input, and conducted wear testing, allergen testing and dye testing. Delta flight attendant, Gwyneth Gilbert, who has launched legal action against Lands' End, who manufactured the new uniforms 'Although Delta and Lands' End conducted in-depth testing during every step of development, a small number of employees have reported skin irritations. 'While less than one percent of employees in the new uniform program have reported issues, Delta takes this very seriously and is working directly with employees on solutions that meet their individual needs,' the statement concluded. DailyMail.com reached out to Lands' End. A spokesperson said: 'Lands End does not comment on pending litigation.' This is not the first time flight attendant's uniforms have been criticized by employees for causing allergic reactions. Jazton Kennedy, an American Airline flight attendant, has made allegations regarding her American Airlines uniform On Facebook Kennedy has posted photos, which she claims shows AA flight attendants with rashes caused by the uniform In 2017 the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that thousands of American Airlines flight attendants had reported reactions to their new uniform, with some complaining of 'rashes, hives, migraines, respiratory issues and thyroid problems.' In April, one employee, Jazton Kennedy, a Dallas-Fort Worth-based flight attendant accused the company on Facebook of not 'recalling the chemical laden uniform.' 'I don't wear it, but I react to close proximity of crewmembers who wear it. I'm scared to death of what the long-term effects of cadmium, formaldehyde and pesticides in my workplace have done to my health,' Kennedy said on Facebook. Kennedy has posted photos she alleges are of AA employees showing rashes and breakouts. DailyMail.com has reached out to American Airlines. A spokesperson said: 'Safety has been and remains our number one priority and we would never ask our team members to wear an unsafe uniform. 'We have provided several alternatives for anyone who is concerned with wearing the current uniform, including non-wool uniforms, an off-the shelf option from a different supplier, authorization to purchase replacement garments at retail stores, or wearing old uniforms and we are working with individuals who have concerns on a case-by-case basis. 'It is important to keep in mind that the materials in our current uniforms are consistent with retail clothes we wear every day. Some people may have sensitivities to fabrics or dyes, and we continue to work with these individuals on a one-on-one basis.' Tampa city council aide Carrie Henriquez denies that her cough covered up a curse A legislative aide in Tampa, Florida has provoked controversy with an ambiguous cough at a city council meeting, with some accusing her of calling the council chairman 'a**hole' under her breath. Aide Carrie Henriquez was caught on video at the council meeting on Thursday, walking behind Chairman Luis Viera - her boss's arch rival on the council - just as she breaks into a coughing fit. Henriquez continues out of the council chambers, coughing again. Viera turns in shock to council member Guido Maniscalco, Henriquez's boss. 'Did she just say something?' Viera says to Maniscalco. Henriquez vehemently denies that she said anything, maintaining that she was trying to stifle her coughing until she could get out of the council chambers so as to not disrupt the meeting. Tampa city council aide Carrie Henriquez coughs as she walks directly behind City Council Chair Luis Viera at a meeting on Thursday Viera looks shocked and asks 'Did she say something?' as Henriquez leaves the chamber 'I said no words. I coughed. I sneezed. I coughed. I sneezed,' she told the Tampa Bay Times. 'I can be salty sometimes, but I would never do anything to jeopardize the council member's (Maniscalco's) reputation or my husband's good name,' she added. Poll Did you hear the aide cough or curse? Cough Curse Did you hear the aide cough or curse? Cough 281 votes Curse 290 votes Now share your opinion Henriquez is married to Hillsborough County Property Appraiser Bob Henriquez. City hall watchers point to possibly animosity Henriquez might have for Viera, who outmaneuvered her boss Maniscalco in a contest for the chairmanship earlier this month. Henriquez would have been in line for a salary bump if Maniscalco had taken the chairmanship, leading some to speculate a case of sour grapes. Maniscalco told the Times that he himself at first though the heard 'the a-word' when Henriquez coughed. After the meeting, he said he confronted his staffer, but she denied saying anything. 'She looked at me like I was crazy,' he said. Henriquez's boss Guido Maniscalco (left) challenged Viera (right) for the chair position earlier this month, but lost - and Henriquez lost out on a pay bump in the process Maniscalco said that at first he didn't believe her, but then remembered how easily things can be misheard sometimes. Elton John's 1971 song Tiny Dancer came the councilman's to mind, the lyrics of which many have misheard through the decades as 'Hold me closer, Tony Danza.' 'I've heard that song hundreds of times and I still misunderstood it,' Maniscalco said. 'There's several Beatles songs like that, too. I believe her. Sometimes we hear a song and we think we know the lyrics.' Viera declined to comment, saying the incident is under investigation. However, Henriquez told the Times on Tuesday that she had not been notified of an investigation, and the city's Human Resources director refused to confirm or deny whether the ambiguous cough was under investigation. 'If the City were investigating such a matter, we would not comment nor would there be any public records to release during an active investigation,' Crum wrote in an email response to the Times' public records request. A Florida man was charged with battery after police were called by his disgruntled roommate who complained that he was refusing to flush the toilet, causing a foul stench in their home and a huge bust-up between the pair. Diana Griffin, 58, called the cops after 36-year-old Trovon Patterson allegedly repeatedly spat in her face after she complained about the hygiene of the bathroom at their home in Vero Beach. The argument reportedly happened after Patterson used the bathroom and failed to adequately flush the toilet. When Griffin confronted him about it he allegedly began to swear and insult her before spitting in her face and hair. Diana Griffin called the cops after 36-year-old Trovon Patterson (pictured) allegedly spat in her face after she complained about the foul hygiene of the bathroom the pair shared When Patterson began swearing at her, she told cops she picked up a plunger 'and began swinging it at Patterson to keep him away,' the report on the May 23 incident said. Officers found Patterson a short time later several blocks away. His arrest record in Indian River lists an arrest on battery charges when he was also accused of spitting in his roommate's face over a dispute about a messy apartment in June 2018. According to the report, Patterson told deputies he spit on Griffin but did so only 'after she attacked him with a cooking pot.' Officers said Patterson apparantly showed them a small red area on his forehead where he said his roommate had hit him with the kitchen pot. But Griffin disputed his version of events, telling deputies the red mark ocurred when Patterson ran away from her and ran into a wall, as she wielded the plunger. Officers said they saw smeared spit on Griffin's hair, shoulder and stomach. Patterson has to appear in court on June 18 on the battery charge. Doctors have been told to warn millions of patients about the severe side effects of antidepressants. In a major victory for the Daily Mail, the Royal College of Psychiatrists today admits for the first time that coming off antidepressants can cause side effects lasting for months. And in a move that could significantly reduce the over-use of the pills, the influential body said the potential harms of withdrawal are so serious that all patients should be warned of the risks when they are first prescribed the drugs. For years, health officials have played down the difficulty of withdrawing from antidepressants, insisting side-effects were 'mild' and last no more than a week or two. But in a new 'position statement' published today, the Royal College admits some patients experience 'severe' side effects which can last weeks or even months. In a major U-turn, it said the risk should always be discussed with patients when they are prescribed the drugs and called on NHS watchdog NICE to change its guidance to reflect this position. Britons use more antidepressants than almost every other country in the Western world which experts believes is partly due to a lack of awareness about the withdrawal problems. In a major victory for the Daily Mail, the Royal College of Psychiatrists today admits for the first time that antidepressants can cause side effects lasting for months. File image Campaigners hope the new position which is expected to be written into NICE guidance later this year will cut the huge over-prescription of the pills. It is a major victory for the Mail, which for the past two years has been working with campaigners to highlight the plight of those left struggling to come off prescription drugs. The Royal College has changed its position after hearing countless patients' stories highlighting the devastating impact of withdrawal with the worst-hit experiencing nausea, anxiety, insomnia and agitation. Psychotherapist Dr James Davies of the University of Roehampton, an outspoken critic of the overuse of antidepressants, said last night: 'This is a huge, dramatic shift in position by the Royal College. 'It's a real step forward in trying to stop the widespread harms that have been experienced by people trying to come off these drugs. 'We have been working very hard to persuade the Royal College to change its position and it has been the Daily Mail that has been giving voice to the research community that has called for a change.' Britons use more antidepressants than almost every other country in the Western world which experts believes is partly due to a lack of awareness about the withdrawal problems. File image Psychiatrist Dr Joanna Moncrieff, of University College London, added: 'I'm really pleased to see this shift it is really important for patients who have had difficulties coming off their drugs to have doctors acknowledge the problem and not just have it dismissed. 'Hopefully, it will also make people more cautious about prescribing them in the first place.' Professor Wendy Burn, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: 'As psychiatrists, we are duty-bound to take on board the concerns of patients who've experienced more severe and long-lasting side effects of these medications. 'Antidepressants can be very effective for treating moderate to severe depression, particularly in combination with talking therapies and what we want is guidance that best supports their use.' The Royal College's 23-page position statement said that when patients want to stop taking the pills they should gradually lower the dose, 'tapering' off the pills over several weeks or months to minimise side effects. And they should be closely monitored by doctors to make sure any side-effects are quickly picked up and dealt with. It also called for training for all doctors on 'assessing depression and its severity' including for GPs, who prescribe the vast majority of antidepressants. Antidepressants which include common brands such as Prozac, Cipramil and Seroxat are proven to be an effective way of treating moderate to severe depression. But experts are increasingly concerned about their overuse, with prescriptions in the UK having doubled in the past decade. A league table of antidepressant use published in 2017 put the UK at fourth of the 29 countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, up from seventh in 2000. According to the NHS, 7 million people in England took the drugs in 2016/17. And the length of time people are kept on the pills has soared in recent years, with one in four users taking them for an average of 15 months compared with eight months 20 years ago. The new Royal College position cites evidence unveiled by the Mail in October, suggesting 56 per cent of people suffer withdrawal effects if they try to come off the drugs. That study, published in the Journal of Addictive Behaviours, suggested that of the 7 million people taking antidepressants in England, 4 million are at risk of withdrawal symptoms if they try to come off the pills. Some 1.8 million are at risk of severe symptoms and for 1.7 million 25 per cent of patients taking the drugs the withdrawal effects would last at least three months. The Royal College of Psychiatrists (London headquarters pictured) has changed its position after hearing countless patients' stories highlighting the devastating impact of withdrawal with the worst-hit experiencing nausea, anxiety, insomnia and agitation The Royal College statement added: 'The potential for and existence of more severe and long-lasting symptoms reported by patients needs greater recognition, including in NICE clinical guidelines and patient information. 'The recent evidence should also be taken into account by prescribing clinicians in discussion with patients before embarking on antidepressant therapy. 'Discontinuation of antidepressants should involve the dosage being tapered or slowly decreased to reduce the risk of distressing symptoms, which may occur over several months, and at a reduction rate that is tolerable for the patient.' Sir Oliver Letwin MP, chairman of the all-party parliamentary group for prescribed drug dependence, said: 'We are pleased that the College is now calling for NICE guidelines to be updated to reflect the fact that antidepressant withdrawal can be severe and long-lasting for many patients.' A NICE spokesman said last night: 'We are currently updating our guideline on the diagnosis and management of depression in adults. 'A consultation on this document is due to begin later this year. We hope the final guideline will allow people with depression to be offered the best treatments and reach joint decisions about their care that reflect their preferences and values.' Police on Long Island say they have recovered the body of an MS-13 gang victim who was buried in a shallow grave over two years ago. Detectives unearthed the body in the heavily wooded Massapequa Preserve on Friday, believing it to be one of 11 people killed by MS-13 gang members in 2016. Authorities have combed the park where the badly decomposed body thought to be from a 2016 slaying was found on Friday more than a dozen times searching for human remains, Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said. Nassau Police Benevolent Association James McDermott told Newsday on Sunday that the gang unit in the area is 'undermanned' and the department needs about 60 new detectives to deal with the MS-13 threat. Detectives unearthed a badly decomposed body in the heavily wooded Massapequa Preserve on Long Island on Friday (scene shown), believing it to be one of 11 people killed by MS-13 gang members in 2016 Detectives found the unidentified body after police dogs pointed to an indentation in the ground. The body was found near where police found the remains of 18-year-old Julio Espantzay-Gonzalez in 2017. Nassau Police Benevolent Association James McDermott (pictured) said that the gang unit is 'undermanned' and the department needs about 60 new detectives Three reputed MS-13 members have been charged in Espantzay-Gonzalez's death. McDermott said on Sunday that gang violence is becoming the 'new normal' and more resources are needed. He said: 'Our gang unit is undermanned and not provided with the necessary resources to deal with this threat.' But Commissioner Patrick Ryder told Fox & Friends on Wednesday that's not necessary, and he hopes to increase the gang detectives unit from 12 to 20 members, which he expects to be able to do after a contract issue is re-negotiated which had previously resulted in a pay cut for what is actually a promotion to the rank and team. Ryder told host Brian Kilmeade, 'The pressure we have put on the gang members has suppressed the gang activity.' According to Ryder, MS-13 has been responsible for only one murder in the county in the past 22 months, and violent crime is down 40 percent. The Long Island body was found just days before the arrest of an MS-13 gang member in Texas in connection with an unrelated murder. Mario Guevara, 26, was charged with over a 2018 killing, which was allegedly ordered after the gang was insulted during a rap battle. Mario Guevara, 26, was arrested on Tuesday in Harris County in connection with the killing of a man who was allegedly murdered for insulting MS-13 during a rap battle Guevara, who is from El Salvadore, appeared before a judge on Wednesday, after being arrested on Tuesday by federal agents and Harris County sheriff's deputies at home in Harris County, ABC reported. The man who was killed in 2018 is said to have been engaged in a rap battle with another MS-13 gang member when the killed man insulted the gang, prompting Guevara to allegedly order his murder. Prosecutors said the gang used a woman to lure him into a car under promise of a birthday gift, and he was not seen again. Guevara's bond was set at $100,000 before he was taken into the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), because he is not a US citizen. The mother of a Florida school boy is in shock after her son's teacher seemingly cursed on his science homework assignment. The Rutherford High School teacher in question who has not been named is believed to be behind a note written in red ink that read: 'WTF is this? Absolutely no credit'. Mother Melinda Smith discovered the slang term when her son handed her the paper that according to instructions is counted as a lab grade worth 30 percent. But she gave the boy 'absolutely no credit' after he wrote his name but seemingly failed to complete anything else on the project. 'It's basically what the f**k' is this,' the parent explained to NBC 7. A science teacher in Bay County, Florida wrote 'WTF is this?' on her student's paper where she gave him 'absolutely no credit'. She suggests in red pen the 'title of an article, the author, and the website' it's from and adds in Part 3 'three uncommon words' within it to be explained Smith added about her outrage: 'It wasn't anything about not getting the credit, it was more so the language about what the writing to students, that was very inappropriate and not acceptable for a teacher whatsoever.' Melinda Smith saw the comments and complained that it was 'inappropriate and not acceptable' feedback on the April 17 work Text on the document suggests the assignment was a write up on a 'discovery, breakthrough in technology' or current science event and the remit appeared to be fairly broad with instructions reading: 'It can be any area of science or technology. Just choose something that interests you'. The paper says 'you must finish it in class before' the April 17 due date. But it appears the teacher had to fill in the 'title of the article, the author, and the website/publication' for the student. The suggestion is The Ugliest but Most Talented Bats by Savannah Mitchem, a Physics teacher at Rutherford High School since August 2018 who obtained her BS Physics degree from Florida State University last year and describes herself on social media as 'fierce and formidable'. Mitchem's work as a freelance writer has included interviewing 'scientists and engineers about breakthroughs in research, making complex topics accessible and meaningful to readers', according to her LinkedIn profile. It has not been confirmed whether Mitchem is the teacher behind the offensive comment. The anonymous Rutherford High School teacher is being investigated after the complaint In Part 3 of the assignment she appears to suggest 'three uncommon words' for the boy after students were asked to come up with them. She writes 'mediocre', 'discrepancies', and 'harmonics' then underlines the 'and what are their definitions' part of the instructions. It appears either the teacher wrote in the definitions herself - as seen in pencil - possibly in class with the student, or the child was instructed to explain the words himself. The work of a Savannah Mitchem is referenced on the assignment. The same woman whose freelance work has included interviewing 'scientists and engineers about breakthroughs in research' is a teacher at Rutherford, according to her LinkedIn profile. It has not been confirmed whether Mitchem is the teacher behind the offensive comment But the Bay County mother wants the teacher to face consequences for her reaction, that could be a blemish on her reputation at the school. 'I think for sure she needs to be reprimanded, I believe that something should be placed in her file,' Smith continued. But the Rutherford Principal says the school has taken action. 'Once we were notified, I notified district officials and our HR has been involved and they're currently investigating the situation,' said Coy Pilson. It's not clear exactly what the action is but Pilson appeared to be forgiving and said teachers slip-up too. 'She was apologetic and it was a mistake on her part,' Pilson added. 'All of the teachers at Rutherford High School are caring, loving teachers and we're also human and so, we make mistakes, but we understand that we are called to a high professional standard and when we make mistakes we try to correct those mistakes and move forward.' Pilson did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment. A man who was told by a doctor that his freckle was 'all good' later found out it was actually terminal cancer. Dean Booth's wife Monica noticed he had a small, raised freckle behind his ear, and when the couple saw it had increased in size they went to a doctor. 'He basically just looked at it and just went ''nup, all good'',' Mr Booth, 39, told A Current Affair. Months later, the Queensland man said he felt a tingling behind his ear and so he visited another doctor - who confirmed the worst. Dean Booth's wife Monica noticed he had a small, raised freckle behind his ear (pictured), and when the couple saw it had increased in size they went to a doctor Mr Booth was told he had aggressive melanoma, and was given a terminal diagnosis. 'Obviously the GPs missed the mark and now I'm on death row because he failed his duty of care... there's not a minute that goes by that I'm now not thinking about the position I'm in,' he said. Mr Booth posted a message on Facebook on Wednesday saying his misdiagnosis had been a 'massive drain' and that he has 'very little emotions left'. He has made a $1.7million claim against a former doctor, who Mr Booth claims was negligent when he told him his freckle was 'OK'. 'My whole outlook on life has now changed. This is something that doesn't disappear, it's on my mind 24/7,' he told the Cairns Post. 'Even if I beat this I'll always be thinking if it's going to come back, but the odds I've been given are very, very slim.' Medical negligence lawyer Dimitra Dubrow said patients expected their doctors to be aware of the signs of cancer. Dean Booth (pictured) was told he had aggressive melanoma, and was given a terminal diagnosis Her firm Maurice Blackburn offers assistance with making claims related to cancer misdiagnosis for those suffering from 'devastating physical, psychological and financial burdens'. Since 2016 there has been a steady increase in the number complaints about GPs to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. More than 7000 complaints have been received in the past year. Doctor Gino Pecoraro said Australia had a high-quality standard of medical practitioners who were 'among the best in the world'. 'But because diagnosis is difficult and we rely on patients telling us stories, it can be wrong,' he said. Speaker Nancy Pelosi took a swipe at first lady Melania Trump on Wednesday during her criticism of President Donald Trump's merit-based immigration proposal. 'When the president says merit - turn it upside down. It means make America white again, have people leave, just go back and we'll just let in people we like,' Pelosi told The Commonwealth Club of California. 'I don't know merit counted for when his wife's family came into the country. I don't know. Maybe it did. God bless them if it did. But he calls that chain migration, which he wants to get rid of - family unification, instead call it merit,' she added. Speaker Nancy Pelosi took a swipe at first lady Melania Trump during her criticism of President Donald Trump's merit-based immigration proposal Eric Trump, Viktor Knavs, Amalija Knavs, and Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago in 2006 The first lady's office did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment. Earlier this month the president proposed a new immigration system that 'attracts the best and brightest from all around the world.' The administration's plan, crafted by Trump son-in-law and White House adviser Jared Kushner, prioritizes highly skilled immigrants over those already in the United States and asylum seekers. The president has repeatedly railed against immigrant who use the lottery system or 'chain migration' to enter the country. 'The people that are sent to our country are not the people that we want,' Trump said in a January speech. 'They come in through the lottery, they come in through chain migration.' The first lady's parents obtained their citizenship through the 'chain migration' process. 'They had gotten sponsored by their daughter and then once they had the green card, they then applied for citizenship when they were eligible,' their attorney Michael Wildes told The New York Times last August when her parents became citizens. He claimed the couple did not receive any special treatment in the citizenship process. President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, son Barron Trump and Melania's mother Amalija Knavs walk to Marine One in June 2018 Viktor and Amalija Knavs are seen coming off Marine One in August 2018 after President Trump, Melania Trump and Barron Trump Amalija Knavs, Donald Trump, Melania Trump, Barron Trump, Santa Claus, and Viktor Knavs on Christmas Day at Mar-a-Lago in December 2008 Migrants who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents are able to sponsor other relatives - such as parents, adult married children and siblings - to come to the United States in what is sometimes referred to as 'chain migration.' Viktor and Amalija Knavs had obtained citizenship through that method. Melania Trump came to the United States in 1996 and met Trump two years later. She obtained her green card in 2001 and became a U.S. citizen in 2006. The Knavs have a residence in Maryland, near Barron Trump's school, to help their daughter and grandson. But they are intensely private, never speaking to the press and rarely posing for a public photo. President Trump wants to end the chain migration policy Melania Trump's parents used to come into the United States Amalija and Viktor Knavs arrive with their lawyer Michael Wildes at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in New York in May 2018 They also travel with the first family, having been seen on trips to Camp David and Mar-a-Lago. Viktor is 77, five years older than President Donald Trump. Amalija is 73. The first lady, born Melanija Knavs in the then Yugoslavia, changed her name to Melania Knauss when she started modeling. Trump's new proposal is expected to meet resistance on Capital Hill from some members of his own party, who are working on their own immigration plans. The body of missing hiker Noah 'Kekai' Mina has been found by a crew of rescuers. Mina was tragically found dead about 300ft below a fall line in the summit region of Mauna Kahalawai, in West Maui Mountains in Hawaii on Wednesday, his family said. Mina, 35, was reported missing on Monday May 21. His family said he went into the Kapilau Ridge Trail, also known as Saint Anthony Cross, in the Iao Valley to 'seek clarity' in nature around 8am. Noah 'Kekai' Mina, 35, was tragically found dead, about 300ft below a fall line in the summit region of Mauna Kahalawai, in West Maui Mountains in Hawaii on Wednesday, his family said But after he failed to emerge from the forest after a couple days the alarm was raised. Searchers who helped find hiker Amanda Eller, a yoga instructor went missing in the Maui wilderness for 17 days until she was miraculously found on Sunday, aided in the search for Mina. A ground and air search was launched earlier this week. The police search for Mina ended on Saturday, but the family is continued the search party on their own, paying for private infrared helicopters to scope out the jungle for a sign of him. On Friday his family launched a GoFundMe page entitled 'Bring Kekai Home', seeking to raise $100,000 to continue the search for him. A police search for Mina ended on Saturday, leading the family to launch own and set up a GoFundMe page to fund helicopter searches. He was found Wednesday at the bottom of a fall His family say he went into the Kapilau Ridge Trail (highlighted in red), also known as Saint Anthony Cross, in the Iao Valley to 'seek clarity' in nature around 8am when he disappeared 'It has been over the 72 hours and the research now is between our hands,' the GoFundMe page said. 'There has been new tracks found by the ridges and we are convinced that our loving Kane is out there needing the assistance to come back.' 'Helicopters going out for the search at this point we are looking at $1200/hour. We need more funds for the search in order to have the mission going,' another update in the page said. Vincent Mina described his son as a gentle, loving humble soul with a strong Hawaiian heart and will. 'We ask that you reserve any judgments and only offer the love and respect he deserves on taking a path less traveled many of those out there would never consider taking,' he said. 'We ask that you cover him with a blanket of Angels on this night and bring him back to us safely.' Mina was described as 5 feet 8 inches tall, 180 pounds, with shaved black hair and brown eyes. Cantellops updated followers on the search on Facebook on Sunday, explaining that the terrain in the area was too dangerous and wouldn't include volunteers. Pictures of search teams at the scene of the forest above The father of the Kentucky man who is on trial for killing his five children said he believes his son was in the equivalent of a 'cult' and wasn't 'worthy' to have children. Timothy Jones Sr took the stand on Wednesday to testify in the trial of his son Timothy Jones Jr. Jones allegedly murdered his sons Nahtahn, Elias and Gabriel, and daughters Merah and Abigail in 2014. If convicted, he could face the death penalty. He has confessed to the beating and strangulation murders in a videotaped police interview following his arrest, but pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. Timothy Jones Sr testified that his son changed after he served a year in prison for cocaine possession, burglary, and car theft. Timothy Jones Sr, the father of the Kentucky man who is on trial for killing his five children, said he believes his son was in the equivalent of a 'cult' and wasn't 'worthy' to have children Timothy Jones Jr (pictured left in court last Wednesday) allegedly murdered his sons Nahtahn, Elias and Gabriel, and daughters Merah and Abigail in 2014 Shortly after his release in 2003, Jones joined a Pentecostal church in Chicago. Timothy Jones Sr said he believed his son was in the equivalent of a 'cult' as he became deeply religious. He recalled that he once walked in on his son spanking Merah before he started preaching to her. Timothy Jones Sr also revealed he begged his son not to marry Amber Kyzer, saying he didn't think Jones was in the right place to get married. He also didn't believe Kyzer or Jones were 'worthy' to raise children. Jones' father said his son's religious beliefs caused ongoing issues with the children. Timothy Jones Sr said he had always feared his son would turn out like his mother, who is now in a mental institution. 'It came true,' Timothy Jones Sr said, adding that when he sat in on an interview with investigators following Jones' arrest that 'it wasn't my son'. Timothy Jones Sr said he believed his son was in the equivalent of a 'cult' as he became deeply religious. He recalled that he once walked in on his son spanking his daughter before he started preaching to her Jones allegedly beat to death his six-year-old son, Nahtahn (pictured), after the child broke an electrical outlet, causing the dad to snap Jones then allegedly used a belt to strangle his one-year-old daughter Abigail (left) and two-year-old Gabriel (right) Eight-year-old Merah (left) watched her father kill her seven-year-old brother Elias (right) and was then strangled herself Also taking the stand was Joy Lorick, a former babysitter for the family who went on trips with them to Disney World and Myrtle Beach. Lorick said she witnessed Jones spanking Nahntahn, six, and Gabriel, two, with a belt on the Disney trip, which occurred just a few weeks before they and their siblings were murdered. She said the children also begged her not to tell Jones when she fed them because then he would not feed them, according to WACH. Lorick couldn't hold back tears as she revealed how she would still feed the children oatmeal and later asked her friend Christina Ehlke, who also worked as a babysitter for the family, to make sure to feed the siblings. In the same month that the children were killed, the Department of Social Services received a call that Jones was only feeding his five children a 20-piece McNugget meal that he made them split for dinner. Lorick said that Jones believed that 'women should be seen and not heard'. She recalled the day Jones became furious when he found someone had painted eight-year-old Mera's fingernails because he said women were supposed to wear long skirts and not have flashy accessories. Also taking the stand was Joy Lorick, a former babysitter for the family who went on trips with them to Disney World and Myrtle Beach. Lorick said she saw Jones spank his kids on the trip Chrystal Ballentine testified she started babysitting for Jones just after turning 17 and quickly became his live-in girlfriend. She claimed she could hear him beat his children through the walls of their home Lorick said Jones also made Gabriel eat alone when he wouldn't close his mouth to chew. Chrystal Ballentine testified she started babysitting for Jones just after turning 17 and quickly became his live-in girlfriend. She said he became 'over-angry' about small things and didn't try to calm himself before disciplining the children and claimed she could hear him beat his children through the walls of their home. Ballentine said her relationship with Jones started to sour when he started controlling what she wore. She said the last straw was when Jones looked like he was going to spank her daughter, who was not yet a year old, when she knocked over a drink while grabbing a table to try to walk. Lorick had called the Department of Social Services in August 2014 after she saw that Eli had a black eye. The babysitter told the court she was not aware that DSS had put a safety plan in place that forbade Jones from using corporal punishment on his children. DSS Supervisor Sherry Henry said she made two separate safety plans with Jones in May and August of 2014. In the same month that the children were killed, the Department of Social Services received a call that Jones (pictured during his trial) was only feeding his five children a 20-piece McNugget meal that he made them split for dinner Jones was reported in May after a teacher at the children's school reported that Nahtahn had come to class with bruising on his neck and arm. The father told Jones that Nahtahn had 'destroyed' a train set that he and Elias had worked on so he 'spanked' him. The prosecution rested its case last Wednesday after calling more than 30 witnesses, including Kyzer, who broke down in tears on the stand and exclaimed 'Oh God, my babies.' On Friday, the 18 jurors sitting in judgement of Jones heard from Pastor Micah Sutton, who officiated the defendant's wedding with Kyzer in 2004, reported the Greenville News. 'I used to joke with my wife that we had a church of 25 and Tim was the only one who could make every one of them upset,' Sutton told the court. Sutton described Jones as a devout Christian who could freely quote from Scripture, and who used his deep knowledge of the Bible to win arguments with other members of the congregation. The pastor described his former congregant as a disruptive force who had no sense of boundaries. According to Sutton's testimony, Jones came to him one day saying that the attire and the manner of speaking of the preacher's wife suggested that she was trying to seduce him. Jones' grandmother, Roberta Thornsberry (left and right), took the stand as a witness for the defense and talked about his traumatic childhood as the son of a schizophrenic mother Jnes became emotional during his trial last Wednesday and wiped tears from his eyes 'I explained to him that my wife is an extreme introvert,' Sutton recounted. Sutton also noted that on occasion, Jones told him, 'it seems like there's a monster in my trying to get out.' Next to testify was couple's therapist April Hames, who is 2013 wrote an affidavit at Jones' request recommending that he be given sole custody of his and Kyzer's children during their divorce proceedings. Hames described Jones as an intelligent and loving father who valued good education. She said he claimed his estranged wife was unfaithful to him, that she was doing a poor job homeschooling their children, and that she did not wish to participate in marriage counselling. The therapist, who had more than a dozen sessions with Jones, said that the father-of-five told her he was a conservative and old-fashioned person who believed in spanking children. 'He said spanking and corporal punishment was medicine for their sick bodies,' Hames told from the witness stand. Jones stands accused of beating his six-year-old son, Nahtahn, to death for breaking an electrical outlet. He then allegedly strangled his son Elias, seven, with his hands, in front of his eight-year-old daughter Merah, whom he also strangled, along with his two-year-old son Gabriel and one-year-old daughter Abigail. Thornsberry said her former daughter-in-law, Cynthia (pictured far left) was 'as nutty as a fruitcake, or a bed bug' Both sisters' last words to their father were 'I love you', according to Jones' video-taped confession to police that was played in court earlier in the trial. In her testimony on Friday, the marriage therapist mentioned that, one time, Jones requested that she avoid wearing heels to their sessions. Also on Friday, the jury heard from Jones' grandmother, Roberta Thornsberry, who took the stand as a witness for the defense, reported The Post and Courier. Thornsberry talked at length about Jones' traumatic childhood, having been born to a woman she described as being 'as nutty as a fruitcake, or a bed bug,' reported WLXT. Thornsberry said her former daughter-in-law, Cynthia, would dress her grandson, then known as Timmy, in flannel shirts and jeans in 90-degree heat, would give him laxatives to cleanse his body and would at times withhold food from him, saying she did not want a 'fat baby.' Jones, pictured in police custody in September 2014, was arrested after driving for days with his children's bodies in his SUV 'She didn't act like a mother,' Thornsberry said. 'He'd be screaming and crying. She wouldn't let me in the door...Timmy would be laying in the bed drenched in urine.' By the time he was two-and-a-half, Jones' mother had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and committed to a mental health facility and Thornsberry had taken custody of her grandson. At age 15, Jones was involved in a car crash that left him with traumatic brain injury. Jurors heard from a neurophysiologist who said that as a result of the injury, Jones had a 'misshapen' and 'broken' brain. A prosecutor countered by pointing out that despite the trauma, Jones was able to earn a degree in computer engineering and land a job at Intel. Jones' grandmother added that he was the first in the family to graduate from college and described him as being smarter that his cousins and classmates. Thornsberry said that a few weeks before the killings, Jones arrived at her home drenched in sweat and she sensed that something was wrong, but she did not know what. The grandmother told the court she tried to convince Jones to leave his two youngest children in her care, but he refused, telling her, 'Grandma, I can't be without my babies.' After killing the children at their home (pictured), authorities said Jones wrapped their bodies in plastic and put them in his SUV, driving aimlessly around the Southeast US for most of nine days Jones eventually left the children's bodies on a hilltop (pictured) in Camden, Alabama Thornsberry insisted that had she known then that her great-grandchildren were in danger, she would not have let her grandson leave with them. Jones was arrested after several days on the run with the bodies in the back of his SUV. When questioned by police on camera, Jones claimed he believed he had to kill his children because he thought they were conspiring against him. He said that he'd had thoughts about killing them before but never acted on it. With the bodies in his truck, he then drove around for several days, stopping at Dollar General stores and buying supplies, with the intention of burning them. Police found a list in his car which included a note which read: 'Melt bodies! Sand bones to dust or small pieces.' He tried to saw off Nahtahn's leg but could not bring himself to do it, so he put the bodies in garbage bags and left them on a hillside in Camden, Alabama. Before he was arrested, Jones took out $500 and planned to go to Las Vegas to gamble. Munirah Lowery filed a lawsuit against Philadelphia's Pyramid Club last week claiming they did nothing to stop chef Nicholas Cassidy's alleged sexual harassment A former server at a Philadelphia private members club has alleged she was sexually harassed by its head chef and claims he would use the code 'are you ready?' to other staffers to indicate he wanted to have sex with them in a storage closet. Munirah Lowery filed a lawsuit against the exclusive Pyramid Club last week alleging they did nothing to stop the chef Nicholas Cassidy because they needed someone to run the kitchen. Lowery, who was hired in March 2017 as a banquet server, claims Cassidy made 'inappropriate comments' about her appearance when he was her supervisor. She also claims that he asked her 'Are you ready?' in April last year, according to the complaint obtained by the Philly Inquirer. Lowery alleges that Cassidy indicated the phrase meant that he wanted to go to the storage closet and have sex. She rejected his proposition but was too afraid to complain because she feared reprisal. Lowery claims she heard him asking other female servers the same phrase on different occasions. The server also alleges that Cassidy once approached her when her back was turned in a back room of the club. Lowery, who was hired in March 2017 as a banquet server at the exclusive Pyramid Club, claims Cassidy made 'inappropriate comments' about her appearance when he was her supervisor The lawsuit filed last week claims the Pyramid Club did nothing to stop the alleged sexual harassment because they needed someone to run the kitchen She claims the chef pressed his erect penis against her body and slid his hands down her thighs. Lowery said she left the room but feared reporting the incident to the then-general manager because he was known friends with Cassidy. Instead, Lowery said she told her night supervisor who in turn reported it to the general manager. The lawsuit says that the general manager took Cassidy to a bar to discuss the allegations but the chef denied everything. Lowery claims the club's HR department told her the incident would be investigated and that he was to be fired after admitting to sexual contact with other servers. The lawsuit states that when Lowery later questioned why Cassidy was still employed, she was told: 'We need someone to run the kitchen'. Lowery filed a complaint about the harassment with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission in July 2018. She said she was terminated in March this year after the EEOC confirmed that she was within her rights to sue the Pyramid Club. Cassidy stopped working at the private club last summer. Neither he nor the club has commented on Lowery's lawsuit. In March fifth grade social studies teacher Rebecca Antinozzi (above) came under fire and was fired after she allegedly had her students hold mock slave auctions where white students 'bought' black classmates A private New York school where a social studies teacher held mock slave auctions where white students 'bought' black classmates will hire a diversity officer and change its discipline practices under an agreement with the attorney general. The Chapel School in the Westchester County village of Bronxville has come to an agreement with the Attorney General Letitia James on Wednesday following the March incident. In the agreement the school will take steps to diversify its staff and student body. In March complaints filed in from concerned parents after fifth-grade teacher Rebecca Antinozzi held the mock slave auctions in her classroom in March 5, sparking an investigation led by James' office. The investigation found Antinozzi had black students line up against a wall wearing imaginary shackles and then simulated auctioning them off to their white classmates. Antinozzi was fired following the incident. On Wednesday The Chapel School in the Westchester County village of Bronxville (above) came to an agreement with the attorney general to hire a diversity officer and change its discipline practices following an investigation of the mock slave auction incident 'Every young person regardless of race deserves the chance to attend school free of harassment, bias, and discrimination,' New York Attorney General Letitia James said 'The investigation found that the teacher's reenactments in the two classes had a profoundly negative effect on all of the students present - especially the African-American students - and the school community at large,' James' office said. 'Lessons designed to separate children on the basis of race have no place in New York classrooms, or in classrooms throughout this country,' James said in a statement Wednesday. Mother Vernex Harding (left) said Antinozzi, who is white, picked three black students, among them Harding's son, to play slaves Investigators also learned that parents had complained before about a lack of racial sensitivity at the school and its unequal discipline of students based on race. James said her office's investigation found prior racially-insensitive practices by the school, including inadequate diversity among staff and unfair punitive policies, according to the New York Post. 'Every young person regardless of race deserves the chance to attend school free of harassment, bias, and discrimination,' James said. In a statement, school Principal Michael Schultz said the school had made mental health counseling available after the incident and arranged for anti-discrimination discussions and meetings with fifth-grade families. 'We accept responsibility for the overall findings,' Schultz said, 'and we are committed to implementing all items outlined by the attorney general to help us deepen our cultural competence.' However, Antinozzi's attorney says she was wrongfully terminated and plans to file a lawsuit, according to her attorney Jordan Brooks. Brooks denied that the students staged the mock auction, adding Atinozzi has the support of parents and students - some of them African-American. 'As they will attest, Ms. Antinozzi is a devoted, tireless, and beloved teacher who respects and cares for all of her students,' Brooks said. 'As she has consistently stated, the history lesson has been falsely characterized, and many portions of the lesson as reported did not occur.' Courtesy of Pix11 In an interview Antinozzi gave in March she denied holding the mock slave auction and said she separated black and white student to teach a history lesson on how slaves were taken against their will, bid on, and forced to work. 'I know my intention was to never hurt or offend or upset anyone,' she said. Following the incident concerned parent Vernex Harding told the station WPIX that her son, who is black and attends the school, was left traumatized by the controversial lesson on slavery. Harding said that her child was one of three African-American students who were picked by Antinozzi, who is white, to play the role of slaves. The mother said her son later told her how he and the other students were led out into the hallway, where the teacher pretended to place imaginary chains on their necks and wrists, and shackles on their ankles. The blacks fifth-graders were then brought back into the classroom, where their white classmates were urged to bid on them as part of the mock auction. In an email sent to parent s following the incident, Chapel School Principal Michael Schultz described Antinozzi's lesson as 'racial insensitive and hurtful.' The Fordham-educated teacher, who has been at the Chapel School for four years, was fired following the incident The school principal sent this email to parents following the incident addressing the lesson on slavery, which he called 'racially insensitive and hurtful' According to her profile on the Chapel School's website, Antinozzi has taught social studies at grades 3-5 for the past four years. She has a Bachelor's degree in child studies from Syracuse University and a Master's degree in elementary and special education from Fordham University. Founded in 1947, the Chapel School serves 320-340 students a year from pre-school through eighth grade. Tuition at the school ranges from $5,000-$13,900 a year. Almost 11,000 knives were seized in a single week as part of a police crackdown. The deadly arsenal included samurai swords, machetes, zombie and hunting knives and meat cleavers, as well as knuckle dusters. The weapons recovered in a week-long blitz in March provide a shocking glimpse into the epidemic of violence on the country's streets. In total 10,960 knives were surrendered into amnesty boxes, seized during stop-and-searches or recovered from properties and vehicles. Police have seized almost 11,000 knives, including samurai swords, machetes, zombie and hunting knives, in a single week as part of a police crackdown. (Stock image) During the police search, a total of 10,960 knives were surrendered into amnesty boxes, seized during stop-and-searches or recovered from properties and vehicles. (Stock image) Some 1,372 suspects were arrested and a fifth of shops investigated were found to be selling weapons to under-18s. The crackdown, known as Operation Sceptre, also reveals the extent to which the knife crisis has spread to rural areas including the Home Counties. Terrifying weapons were recovered by police in Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Hampshire, Derbyshire, Cumbria, the Thames Valley and Hertfordshire. In the same operation in September last year 9,302 knives were surrendered or seized 1,658 fewer than this time. Figures last month showed knife crime at a record high with 40,829 offences reported by police in 2018, a six per cent rise on the previous year. The Prime Minister recently described the surge in violence as an 'infectious disease' and called for a radical public health response involving doctors and teachers to tackle it. Duncan Ball, deputy assistant commissioner at the Metropolitan Police and the National Police Chiefs' Council's lead for knife crime, said: 'The increase in knife crime is very concerning and as a society we have a responsibility to act. 'Police officers work incredibly hard all year round to make our communities safer but this operation sends a clear message that there are consequences for carrying a knife or selling one illegally to a child. The police crackdown, known as Operation Sceptre, gives a shocking glimpse into the epidemic of violence in the country. (Stock image) 'Police officers will work with other agencies to consider what support those arrested need to prevent them picking up a knife again. 'Police cannot tackle violence alone and this week of intensification involved work with schools, charities, the health service, Trading Standards and communities to eradicate knife crime and keep people safe.' As part of the operation, which ran between March 11 and 17, police cadets aged 16 or under were sent into shops to try and buy knives. Of the 689 stores they visited, 130 or one in five sold them a weapon illegally as they were under 18. Last year 9,302 knives were surrendered or seized in the same operation. (Stock image) Patrick Green, chief executive of the Ben Kinsella Trust, the anti-knife crime charity set up after the murder of a 16-year- old schoolboy in 2008, said: 'Operation Sceptre continues to play an important role in tackling knife crime by taking knives and those who carry them off our streets. 'We welcome the wider approach being taken by police to work alongside schools, charities, the health service, Trading Standards and communities. 'But it is vital that we not only remove knives we must also dispel the myths that encourage young people to carry them in the first place, such as a knife will protect or give you status.' Home Office minister Victoria Atkins said: 'The rise in serious violence across the country is deeply concerning. I joined the police on Operation Sceptre and saw first-hand the vital work that they do to keep our streets safe. 'This week of action shows how important tough law enforcement is and to support this we have changed the law through the Offensive Weapons Act. This will make it harder for young people to buy knives and introduces knife crime prevention orders to deter them from carrying knives in the first place. 'But we understand more needs to be done, which is why we are investing over 220million in projects to steer young people away from crime. 'Our public health approach will also see public bodies work together more effectively to protect those at risk of being drawn into violence.' Operation Sceptre was first launched in July 2015 and aims to target not only those who carry weapons but also the individuals supplying them. Donovan held the woman's hand and stayed with her as paramedics arrived and carried out their assessments Advertisement It was the moment a good Neighbour became a Good Samaritan. When Jason Donovan saw that a woman had collapsed in the street near his London home, his first thought was to help. Donovan, 50, had been out for a jog when he spotted the woman unconscious on the pavement in Notting Hill. Jason Donovan, 50, proves he is a Good Samaritan after comforting a woman that has collapsed in the street near his London home The Australian actor had been out for a jog when he spotted the woman on the pavement in Notting Hill and attended to her Donovan stays with the collapsed woman as paramedics arrive to the scene. He had moved her into the recovery position as a crowd gathered Donovan, who was seen taking directions from a 999 operator on his phone before paramedics arrived, holds the woman's hand Instead of carrying on with his run, the Australian actor went to her aid and was seen taking directions from a 999 operator on his phone. Donovan, who played Scott Robinson in Neighbours from 1985 to 1989, put his hand under the neck of the woman, who had hit her head in the fall, and moved her into the recovery position as a crowd gathered. He stayed with her after paramedics arrived, holding her hand while she was assessed. When she came round, the woman recognised her helper. The former soap star grinned as she shook his hand before she was taken to hospital by ambulance. Donovan sits by the woman's side while she lies on the pavement as paramedics carry out their assessments on her Donovan, who played Scott Robinson in Neighbours from 1985 to 1989, sits with the collapsed woman as a crowd begins to form around her Donovan holds the woman's hand as she begins to regain consciousness and recognise the man stood over her Donovan offers his hand to the woman as she lies on the pavement in Notting Hill. The woman has since written to the star to thank him The former soap star stays with the woman as a paramedic carries out assessments. He was later thanked by the woman for his help Donovan told the Daily Mail: 'I just did what anyone else would have done.' The woman has since written to the star to thank him for his help in the incident last weekend and to assure him she is recovering. Donovan is to play Pharaoh in a West End revival of Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat from June 27. The actor, who starred as Joseph in the 1990s, and co-star Sheridan Smith will perform songs from the show on Britain's Got Talent. Donovan stays with the collapsed woman before she is taken to hospital by ambulance. The woman has since written to the star to thank him for his help The woman is assisted into an ambulance by paramedics after collapsing on the pavement in Notting Hill in London The Australian star stayed with the woman as a crowd began to gather around her near his London residence in Notting Hill Migration rules must be relaxed for doctors, vets and web designers to fill the jobs Britons do not want, Government advisers warn. Other professions on a proposed new Shortage Occupation List (SOL) include architects, psychologists, IT analysts and engineers. If a job is put on the official list which already includes 34 occupations then workers from outside the EU who are trained in those occupations can jump the queue ahead of other migrants. British employers are able to recruit them more easily and bypass certain Home Office rules, including having to advertise vacancies here beforehand. Professor Alan Manning, chairman of the Government's Migration Advisory Committee, said various industries in the UK are facing difficulties finding skilled people to fill their vacancies The list was published yesterday by the Government's Migration Advisory Committee, which said the number of jobs included needs to be expanded significantly. Its chairman, Professor Alan Manning, said various industries in the UK are facing difficulties finding skilled people to fill their vacancies. The shortages have come about because not enough Britons have been trained. There has been a sharp fall in the numbers of applicants to medical and veterinary schools, for instance. Degree courses last at least five years, they are expensive to fund and also hard work. Other occupations may suffer from nerdy reputations, particularly in the case of IT analysts, web designers and biochemists. Mechanical engineering jobs are particularly difficult to fill as they may involve shift work at night and weekends, the committee said. Professor Manning said: 'Today's labour market is very different to the one we reviewed when the last list was published in 2013. 'Unemployment is lower and employers in various industries are facing difficulties in finding skilled people to fill their vacancies. Alp Mehmet, vice chairman of MigrationWatch UK, said if these recommendations were accepted, it would amount to a turning point in immigration policy That is why we have recommended expanding the SOL to cover a range of occupations in health, information and engineering fields. 'We are recommending a full review of the SOL once there is a clearer picture of what the future immigration system will look like.' The list applies only to workers from outside of the EU as, until Brexit, those from inside the EU enjoy free movement between member states without visas. Where jobs are on the list, foreign employees do not have to meet a minimum 35,800 salary requirement for permanent settlement after five years. They are also given priority if the annual cap of 20,700 highly skilled workers being allowed into the UK is met. Jane Gratton, of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: 'Expanding the Shortage Occupation List will help businesses access the skills they need when they can't recruit locally. 'The ending of free movement will present significant costs and challenges for employers.' But Alp Mehmet, vice chairman of MigrationWatch UK, said: 'If these recommendations were accepted, it would amount to a turning point in immigration policy. The control of numbers would, in effect, be abandoned and the incentive for UK employers to train UK workers would be even further reduced.' The Home Office said of the report: 'We will consider it carefully and respond in due course.' A cocaine empire was brought down by young police officers simply watching deals on the wealthy streets of eastern Sydney. In a huge operation over three weeks this month, police arrested 55 suspected dealers and customers. Instead of using modern technology, they caught the alleged culprits the old fashioned way - with undercover cops standing on the streets waiting to swoop. This woman (left) protested while an officer led her handcuffed to a paddy wagon in Bondi Fifty five people were charged after police investigated cocaine supply across Sydney's affluent eastern suburbs 'It was all on observation,' Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Bell told the Daily Telegraph. 'We didn't use any media platforms, it was just a proactive operation using keen young officers to get out there and target the criminals supplying drugs. 'It's thanks to the tremendous work of the young officers who were out there identifying the drug transactions taking place and reacting to what occurred.' Police said they are now trawling through suspected dealers' phones and will scour their contacts to track down their customers. They will send a message to customers, saying: 'Your phone number has been located in a cocaine investigation. If you have any information in relation to this please contact police or CrimeStoppers.' The raids took place on six nights over three weeks in May. The investigation was focused on Sydney's affluent eastern suburbs, with cars stopped and searched Police seized more than 290g of cocaine, 13g of MDMA, 110g of cannabis and $63,000 cash. Pictured: People arrested in the raids Police seized more than 290g of cocaine, 13g of MDMA, 110g of cannabis and $63,000 cash. They charged 28 people with drug supply and charged 27 people with drug possession. Redfern Region Enforcement Squad Commander, Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Bell, said the arrests are testament to the hard work of police. Many of the suspected dealers were women in their 20s. One police video shows the moment a suspected cocaine dealer complained about being arrested. The woman protested while an officer led her handcuffed to a paddy wagon in Bondi two weeks ago. She said 'I don't really appreciate this' before the policeman shut her down by responding 'well, you shouldn't be involved in drug supply then should you?' The raids resulted in 55 people being charged after the investigation into the supply of cocaine and other drugs in Sydney Julian Assange was today too ill to appear in court for a US extradition hearing over hacking and espionage charges. The Wikileaks founder is said to have suffered 'dramatic weightloss' and continued ill health since being jailed for 50 weeks for skipping bail back in 2012. He has been moved to the hospital wing of Belmarsh prison amid 'grave concerns' for his health after spending seven years holed up in Ecuador's London embassy. WikiLeaks said last night that his health had deteriorated so much that he is now incapable of even holding a conversation. His lawyer Gareth Peirce appeared on behalf of Assange at Westminster Magistrates' Court today and said: 'He is not that well which we notified the court about.' Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot replied: 'No he is not very well, it may be that the [next] hearing takes place at Belmarsh. 'It may be more convenient to everybody if it's there.' Ms Peirce told the court that they have indicated that they may have an application, but did not specify in open court what it would be. Ms Arbuthnot said: 'The Assange case will be held on June 12. There may be a day either side of that.' Assange is also facing rape allegations, which he denies, after the case was reopened by prosecutors in Sweden earlier this month. Julian Assange has reportedly been moved the hospital wing of HMP Belmarsh following a 'dramatic' loss of weight Supporters today gathered outside Westminster Magistrates' Court holding banners that read: 'Hands off Assange' Another supporter was dressed as a giant whistle in an orange prison uniform calling for protection of 'journalists, publishers whistle-blowers' Other banners held aloft included 'Free Assange Jail War Criminals' and 'No to internet censorship' The charges Assange faces in the US Julian Assange has been charged in the US with 17 violations of the Espionage Act for conspiring with former army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning. A federal grand jury returned the indictment against him in Virginia earlier this month. Now, the 47-year-old WikiLeaks founder faces 170 years behind bars. Seventeen of the 18 charges are violations of the Espionage Act. They are: x 1 conspiracy to receive national defense information - (Espionage Act) x 8 obtaining national defense information - (Espionage Act) x 8 disclosure of national defense information - (Espionage Act) x 1 conspiracy to commit computer intrusion Maximum sentence: 170 years Advertisement In a statement on his health, WikiLeaks said: 'WikiLeaks has grave concerns about the state of health of our publisher, Julian Assange, who has been moved to the health ward of Belmarsh prison. 'Mr Assange's health had already significantly deteriorated after seven years inside the Ecuadorian Embassy, under conditions that were incompatible with basic human rights.' Wikileaks added: 'During the seven weeks in Belmarsh his health has continued to deteriorate and he has dramatically lost weight. 'The decision of prison authorities to move him to the ward speaks for itself.' The statement added: 'Defence lawyer for Assange, Per Samuelson said that Julian Assange's health state last Friday was such 'that it was not possible to conduct a normal conversation with him.' Speaking after the hearing today Bafta-winning documentary maker John Pilger, who described himself as a friend of Assange, said: 'He couldn't appear today because he was unwell. 'He's in the prison hospital. When I saw him a couple of weeks ago he wasn't very well then. 'But then he's been in an embassy in a confined space without natural light for almost seven years. His move to the Belmarsh hospital wing comes just a day before the WikiLeaks founder (left, when he arrived at court in April, left, and in 2011, right) is due to appear in court for a hearing on his extradition to the United States to face espionage charges Supporters of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange hold placards and a banners in protest outside Westminster Magistrates Court today Supportes gathered outside the court in London today as Assange failed to appear amid concerns over his health Assange (pictured with the white beard being hauled into a police van) was removed from he Ecuadorian embassy on April 11 'He needs a great deal of diagnostic care and rehabilitation. He's gone through an extraordinary physical and mental ordeal. 'And now he's having to go through this. This is so shameful, so shameful that we are even here today to consider the extradition of a journalist for trying to protect his sources.' Mr Pilger described the case in Sweden as 'bogus'. The US extradition request comes after authorities brought charges for hacking 750,000 classified documents. Assange formally refused to consent to being extradited during a hearing which lasted a little over 10 minutes on May 2. After he was booted out of the Ecuadorian Embassy last month, he was sentenced to 50 weeks in the Category A prison in Thamesmead (HMP Belmarsh pictured) for breaching his bail terms in 2012 to escape being extradited to Sweden for sexual offence charges Last Thursday, the Trump administration ramped up extradition efforts by inditing Assange on espionage charges for publishing classified military documents. Meanwhile, an investigation into rape allegations against Assange, which he denies, has been reopened by Swedish prosecutors who have requested Uppsala District Court detains him in his absence. Deputy director of public prosecution Eva-Marie Persson said if the court decides to detain Assange, she 'will issue a European Arrest Warrant concerning surrender to Sweden'. Woman who claims she was raped by Julian Assange 'hopes justice will win' after Swedish prosecutors re-opened sex attack case Swedish reopened the rape investigation into Julian Assange earlier this month. Prosecutors announced that they want to speak to the Wikileaks founder over allegations he raped a woman while in the country in 2010. Swedish authorities dropped the rape investigation in 2017 because they were unable to proceed while he remained holed up in London's Ecuadorian Embassy. They will now apply to extradite him from Britain. It means both Sweden and the US have competing claims to extradite Assange. After the decision was announced, lawyers for the Assange's alleged victim said her client 'hopes justice will win.' It means both Sweden and the US have competing claims to extradite Assange from the UK Deputy director of public prosecutions Eva-Marie Persson said 'There is still a probable cause to suspect that Assange committed a rape'. She added: 'It is my assessment that a new questioning of Assange is required.' She told how it is 'impossible to predict' which country he would be sent to first, and it is up to UK authorities to decide. With Assange's extradition to Sweden having already been passed by a British court, the US may now be forced to apply to Sweden to get hold of the Australian after he has faced court in Scandinavia. Advertisement 'In the event of a conflict between a European Arrest Warrant and a request for extradition from the US, UK authorities will decide on the order of priority,' she said. Assange sought political asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in 2012 after the leaks of hundreds of thousands of classified US diplomatic cables on his whistleblowing website. He took refuge inside after exhausting all legal options in fighting extradition to Sweden over two separate claims, one of rape and one of molestation. Also this month, the Ecuadorian government confirmed officials were searching through Assange's belongings left at its embassy following a request from the United States. In a statement published online, the Ecuadorian government said the search was to identify and confiscate belongings of Assange that could offer clues to possible criminal activity. The search was being carried out under the authorisation of a judge and following a request for judicial assistance from the US, the statement said. Just days later, Assange was charged in the United States with receiving and publishing thousands of classified documents linked to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The US Justice Department has indicted Assange on 18 counts that relate to his 'alleged role in one of the largest compromises of classified information in the history of the United States', it said. He is accused of working with former US army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning in 'unlawfully obtaining and disclosing classified documents related to the national defence', a statement said. The Justice Department said that by publishing unredacted versions of the leaked files, Assange put 'named human sources at a grave and imminent risk'. After a federal grand jury returned the indictment, WikiLeaks swiftly issued a tweet describing the move as 'madness'. Last week, Home Secretary Sajid Javid was urged by WikiLeaks to block Assange's extradition to the US in the name of press freedom. The organisation said Mr Javid was under 'enormous pressure to protect the rights of the free press in the UK and elsewhere' after its founder was hit with the raft of new charges by the US Department of Justice. Assange is serving a 50-week sentence in Belmarsh Prison in London for bail violations. MailOnline has approached the Ministry of Justice for comment. Special Counsel Robert Mueller exposed key splits with Attorney General William Barr over crucial decisions during his investigation even pushing out a memo that exposed diverging statements while delivering what he said was his only public comment. 'I hope and expect this to be the only time that I will speak about this matter,' Mueller told reporters Wednesday during a nine-minute statement his first formal public utterance since handing in his 448-page report on Russian election interference. But despite his statement, and his statement that he does not intend to offer anything beyond its findings if he were to testify before Congress, Mueller's office distributed a memo during his press conference that highlighted the split with Barr. Special Counsel Robert Mueller said he hoped his remarks Wednesday would be his only public comment on his report, but an official also distributed a memo that contained differing explanations offered by Attorney General William Barr The divergence was first revealed when Mueller memorialized his objections in a March 27 letter responding to a four-page letter Barr wrote summarizing the Mueller report. That letter stood as a public proxy for the report for weeks when the public was at that time unable to view it. The document distributed Wednesday included a reporter's question to Barr at Barr's press conference immediately before his public release of the report, and on whether Mueller had explained to Barr his reasons for not charging President Trump with obstruction of justice. 'He was not saying that but for the [Office of Legal Counsel] opinion, he would have found a crime. He made it clear that he had not made the determination that there was a crime,' said Barr, in a statement subject to multiple intmsnbcerpretations. The document showed Mueller saying his office 'would not reach a determination' on obstruction by President Trump Mueller's statements exposed a split with Attorney General Bill Barr Special Counsel Robert Mueller makes a statement about the Russia investigation on May 29, 2019 at the Justice Department in Washington, DC An official distributed the memo at Mueller's surprise press statement The memo follows up with language that would have been attributed to Mueller. 'So that was the Justice Department policy and those were the principles under which we operated. From them we concluded that we would not reach a determination one way or the other about whether the President committed a crime. That is the office's final position and we will not comment on any other conclusions or hypotheticals about the President,' the memo said. The memo didn't put the statement in quotation marks, but listed it after Mueller's name. MSNBC reported that a special counsel official distributed the memo to reporters at Mueller's dramatic press statement, describing it as a draft of how Mueller would have responded. Mueller during his statement also exposed the split with Barr by saying he was 'bound' by internal Justice Department guideline the same Office of Legal Counsel policy Barr mentioned. 'Charging the president with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider,' Mueller said. The language appears to diverge from Barr's Senate testimony about his meeting with Mueller March 5 coinciding with Mueller turning in the report. 'Mueller stated three times to us in that meeting, in response to our questioning, that he emphatically was not saying that but for the [Office of Legal Counsel] opinion he would have found obstruction,' Barr testified. Influential Democrats lined up to call for the start of the impeachment process against President Trump following Mueller's surprise statement. The normally tight-lipped Mueller stirred the impeachment pot with his remarks at the Justice Department without actually uttering word noting instead that 'the Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting President of wrongdoing.' With Mueller mentioning the preservation of evidence and referencing his report's claim that it did not exonerate the president, even House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who is struggling to contain an impeachment revolt in her caucus, said it was 'on the table. Mueller told the country in a dramatic statement that it was 'not an option' for his office to have charged President Trump with an obstruction crime and that it would be 'inappropriate' for him to speak further about his probe of Russian election interference. Democrats have blasted Barr for putting favorable spin on the Mueller report In a public statement he said would likely be his only one, Mueller restated parts of his 448-report including the controversial decision not to charge Trump with a crime. The president has repeatedly cited the report and his own attorney general's decision not to charge him as proof that there was 'no obstruction.' But Mueller, in his sudden statement delivered with little public notification, said his decision rested on Justice Department policy not on the guilt or innocence of President Trump. That did not stop Trump from tweeting immediately after Mueller's remarks that the case against him was 'closed.' 'Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you,' Trump wrote. Scroll down for video President Trump tweeted immediately after Mueller spoke that there was 'insufficient evidence' and that 'a person is innocent' Charging Trump as such would have been 'unconstitutional,' Mueller said making a technical legal point that nevertheless contradicts President Trump's repeated claims that he has been effectively ruled innocent by the special counsel. Mueller's remarks drew immediate and renewed calls for Trump's impeachment including from several Democratic presidential candidates. Joining them was Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan, the lone Republican to call for Congress to take up an impeachment inquiry. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Kamala Harris, and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg each referred to Mueller's statement as like an impeachment 'referral,' while Sen. Cory Booker called impeachment proceedings the 'only path forward.' Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wrote on Twitter: 'Mueller is playing a game of Taboo with Congress. His word is "impeach."' House Judiciary Chairman Jerold Nadler said it 'falls to Congress to respond to the crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump.' 'With respect to impeachment question at this point, all options are on the table and nothing should be ruled out,' Nadler said at a press conference in New York. Mueller made a point of plucking from the report a statement that investigators would have said so if they had been able to establish that Trump did not commit an obstruction crime. He cited 'longstanding' Justice Department policies that a president cannot be charged while in office and noted, as does the report, that if he had been charged the president wouldn't be able to defend himself as he would in court. 'That is unconstitutional,' Mueller said emphasizing that the fundamental reason not to charge Trump didn't have to do with guilt or innocence, but rather those foundational factors. 'By regulation it was bound by that department policy,' said Mueller. 'Charging the president with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider.' Mueller repeated a key conclusion of the report although one that was not included in Attorney General Barr's original four-page letter. Mueller said virtually nothing publicly during the course of his two-year investigation until his press statement Wednesday 'And as set forth in the report, after that investigation, if we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so. We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime.' Mueller explained: 'Under long-standing department policy, a president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office. That is unconstitutional. Even if the charge is kept under seal and hidden from public view, that, too, is prohibited. A special counsel's office is part of the department of justice, and by regulation, it was bound by that department policy. Charging the president with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider.' He also spoke of the seriousness of obstruction, and highlighted language in the report which seemed to suggest it was up to Congress to figure out what to do with the information it included. 'It was critical for us to obtain full and accurate information from every person we questioned. When a subject of an investigation obstructs that investigation or lies to investigators, it strikes at the core of the government's effort to find the truth and hold wrongdoers accountable,' Mueller said. Although his language was indirect, Mueller referenced both possible future charges, as well as the Constitution's language dealing with impeachment as a political remedy to 'high crimes and misdemeanors' carried out by a president. 'First, the [Justice Department] opinion explicitly permits the investigation of a sitting President because it is important to preserve evidence while memories are fresh and documents are available. Among other things, that evidence could be used if there were co-conspirators who could now be charged,' Barr said. 'And second, the opinion says that the Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting President of wrongdoing,' he added. The 'other than' system if for Congress, through votes in the House and Senate, to remove officials accused of misconduct from office following a trial-like procedure. He also said he does not want to appear before Congress as Democrats are demanding. 'Any testimony from this office would not go beyond our report,' Mueller said. 'The report is my testimony. I would not provide information beyond that which is already public in any appearance before Congress.' Mueller explains why he didn't make a decision on charging Trump 'And as set forth in the report, after that investigation, if we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so. We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime. The introduction to the volume II of our report explains that decision. It explains that under long-standing department policy, a president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office. That is unconstitutional. Even if the charge is kept under seal and hidden from public view, that, too, is prohibited. A special counsel's office is part of the department of justice, and by regulation, it was bound by that department policy. Charging the president with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider. Advertisement 'It contains our findings and analysis and the reasons for the decisions we said. We chose those words carefully and the work speaks for itself.' 'I do not believe it is appropriate for me to speak further about the investigation,' said Mueller. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told DailyMail.com that the White House is 'always' prepared though she didn't say outright that it had been holding impeachment strategy sessions. 'We're always prepared but I don't think the American people deserve that,' she said when asked about impeachment. 'Look, every single minute that Congress spends on that, we're not spending on infrastructure, we're not spending on lowering prescription drug prices,' she said. 'Every single thing that they're doing is taking away from things that could actually help the American people,' she said of congressional Democrats, calling it a 'great disservice.' Asked if that meant White House staffers weren't also huddling on impeachment, Sanders responded: 'I'm not going to get into internal processes. I'm just saying we're always prepared and we're going to move forward doing what we think is important, and focus on things that actually help people.' Mueller also plucked from the report conclusive language describing Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. He brought up Russia's use of 'sophisticated cyber techniques' and quoted from indictments that blamed Russian military intelligence. 'They stole private information and then released that information through fake online identities and through the organization WikiLeaks,' he said, in order to 'damage a presidential candidate' Hillary Clinton. 'Russian citizens posed as Americans in order to influence an election,' he said. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders used Mueller's statement as a call for everyone to move on from the Russia probe. 'The Special Counsel has completed the investigation, closed his office, and has closed the case. Mr. Mueller explicitly said that he has nothing to add beyond the report, and therefore, does not plan to testify before Congress. The report was clearthere was no collusion, no conspiracyand the Department of Justice confirmed there was no obstruction. Special Counsel Mueller also stated that Attorney General Barr acted in good faith in his handling of the report. After two years, the Special Counsel is moving on with his life, and everyone else should do the same,' said Sanders. House Judiciary Chairman Rep. Jerold Nadler vowed to continue his investigation of President Trump but stopped short of saying House Democrats would proceed with impeachment proceedings. 'Given that Special Counsel Mueller was unable to pursue criminal charges against the President, it falls to Congress to respond to the crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump and we will do so,' Nadler said in a statement. 'No one, not even the President of the United States, is above the law,' he added. Mueller's statement brought a renewed focus in Congress on the impeachment question. 'Robert Mueller's statement makes it clear: Congress has a legal and moral obligation to begin impeachment proceedings immediately,' said New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, a Democratic presidential candidate. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts tweeted: 'Mueller's statement makes clear what those who have read his report know: It is an impeachment referral, and it's up to Congress to act. They should.' She added: 'Mueller leaves no doubt: 1) He didn't exonerate the president because there is evidence he committed crimes. 2) Justice Department policy prevented him from charging the president with any crimes. 3) The Constitution leaves it up to Congress to actand that's impeachment.' South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg told NBC: 'This is as close to an impeachment referral as you could get under the circumstances.' 'The ball is in our court, Congress,' wrote Justin Amash of Michigan, the sole Republican to call for Trump's impeachment. Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez retweeted Rep. David Cicilline of Rhode Island, who wrote: 'The next step is for the House Judiciary Committee to open an impeachment inquiry to formally begin consideration of whether or not articles of impeachment should be filed.' 'This Administration has continued to stonewall Congress's oversight. Beginning impeachment proceedings is the only path forward.' Said Sen. Kamala Harris of California, another presidential candidate: 'It's a fair inference from what we heard in that press conference that Bob Mueller was essentially referring impeachment to the United States Congress.' The office of Vice President Mike Pence released a statement saying there was 'no obstruction' and saying the White House had 'fully cooperated.' 'As Robert Mueller confirmed today, the investigation is complete. The Attorney General has made the Special Counsel's report public. The Department of Justice concluded there was no collusion and no obstruction. For two years, the White House fully cooperated with the investigation turning over millions of pages of documents and making witnesses available for hundreds of hours of testimony,' said Pence press secretary Alyssa Farah. Farah also called allegations against the president 'discredited.' 'The Trump Administration is focused every day on working on behalf of the American people. While some Democrats may cling to discredited allegations against the President, the American people can be confident: this Administration will continue to focus on making our nation stronger, safer, and more secure,' she said. Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani blasted Mueller in an appearance on Fox News. 'The reality is that he gave us his opinion on collusion and obstruction,' Giuliani said. 'And his opinion is you can't bring a case.' Speaking to Mueller his counterpart in negotiations where Trump avoided in-person testimony and presented responses to questions in writing, Giuliani wrote: 'Bob, that's the end of it. That's what a prosecutor does. And you don't prove negatives.' Said Giuliani: 'What they've done here is a perversion,' The Hill reported. 'A combination of him and the media. And I'm surprised at Bob because he's a better lawyer than that. I don't know where this notion came that you have to exonerate.' Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale released a statement saying Mueller's remarks revealed there was 'no case for obstruction.' 'Special Counsel Robert Mueller's remarks today confirmed what we already knew. There was no collusion between the Russians and the Trump campaign, and there was no case for obstruction. President Trump has been fully and completely exonerated. Mueller said his investigation is over. The case is now closed,' he said, picking up some of Trump's own language. 'Now it's time to turn to the origins of the Russia hoax and get to the bottom of why the Trump campaign was spied on by the Obama-era DOJ and FBI. Anyone who is for transparency, constitutional civil liberties, and the rule of law should want to know why human sources, wiretapping, and unmasking were used to infiltrate a presidential campaign,' Parscale said. Trump also has called to 'investigate the investigators,' and even has accused multiple FBI officials of treason. HOW ROBERT MUELLER BROKE TWO YEARS OF SILENCE: HIS FULL STATEMENT RESIGNING AND NOT CLEARING TRUMP OF A CRIME This is the script Robert Mueller read from at the Department of Justice on May 29, his first public statement since being appointed as special counsel Two years ago, the Acting Attorney General asked me to serve as Special Counsel, and he created the Special Counsel's Office. The appointment order directed the office to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. This included investigating any links or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the Trump campaign. I have not spoken publicly during our investigation. I am speaking today because our investigation is complete. The Attorney General has made the report on our investigation largely public. And we are formally closing the Special Counsel's Office. As well, I am resigning from the Department of Justice and returning to private life. I'll make a few remarks about the results of our work. But beyond these few remarks, it is important that the office's written work speak for itself. Let me begin where the appointment order begins: and that is interference in the 2016 presidential election. As alleged by the grand jury in an indictment, Russian intelligence officers who were part of the Russian military launched a concerted attack on our political system. The indictment alleges that they used sophisticated cyber techniques to hack into computers and networks used by the Clinton campaign. They stole private information, and then released that information through fake online identities and through the organization WikiLeaks. The releases were designed and timed to interfere with our election and to damage a presidential candidate. And at the same time, as the grand jury alleged in a separate indictment, a private Russian entity engaged in a social media operation where Russian citizens posed as Americans in order to interfere in the election. These indictments contain allegations. And we are not commenting on the guilt or innocence of any specific defendant. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. The indictments allege, and the other activities in our report describe, efforts to interfere in our political system. They needed to be investigated and understood. That is among the reasons why the Department of Justice established our office. That is also a reason we investigated efforts to obstruct the investigation. The matters we investigated were of paramount importance. It was critical for us to obtain full and accurate information from every person we questioned. When a subject of an investigation obstructs that investigation or lies to investigators, it strikes at the core of the government's effort to find the truth and hold wrongdoers accountable. Let me say a word about the report. The report has two parts addressing the two main issues we were asked to investigate. The first volume of the report details numerous efforts emanating from Russia to influence the election. This volume includes a discussion of the Trump campaign's response to this activity, as well as our conclusion that there was insufficient evidence to charge a broader conspiracy. And in the second volume, the report describes the results and analysis of our obstruction of justice investigation involving the President. The order appointing me Special Counsel authorized us to investigate actions that could obstruct the investigation. We conducted that investigation and we kept the office of the Acting Attorney General apprised of the progress of our work. As set forth in our report, after that investigation, if we had confidence that the President clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said that. We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the President did commit a crime. The introduction to volume two of our report explains that decision. It explains that under long-standing Department policy, a President cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office. That is unconstitutional. Even if the charge is kept under seal and hidden from public viewthat too is prohibited. The Special Counsel's Office is part of the Department of Justice and, by regulation, it was bound by that Department policy. Charging the President with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider. The Department's written opinion explaining the policy against charging a President makes several important points that further informed our handling of the obstruction investigation. Those points are summarized in our report. And I will describe two of them: First, the opinion explicitly permits the investigation of a sitting President because it is important to preserve evidence while memories are fresh and documents are available. Among other things, that evidence could be used if there were co-conspirators who could now be charged. And second, the opinion says that the Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting President of wrongdoing. And beyond Department policy, we were guided by principles of fairness. It would be unfair to potentially accuse somebody of a crime when there can be no court resolution of an actual charge. So that was the Justice Department policy and those were the principles under which we operated. From them we concluded that we would not reach a determination one way or the other about whether the President committed a crime. That is the office's final position and we will not comment on any other conclusions or hypotheticals about the President. We conducted an independent criminal investigation and reported the results to the Attorney Generalas required by Department regulations. The Attorney General then concluded that it was appropriate to provide our report to Congress and the American people. At one point in time I requested that certain portions of the report be released. The Attorney General preferred to make the entire report public all at once. We appreciate that the Attorney General made the report largely public. I do not question the Attorney General's good faith in that decision. I hope and expect this to be the only time that I will speak about this matter. I am making that decision myselfno one has told me whether I can or should testify or speak further about this matter. There has been discussion about an appearance before Congress. Any testimony from this office would not go beyond our report. It contains our findings and analysis, and the reasons for the decisions we made. We chose those words carefully, and the work speaks for itself. The report is my testimony. I would not provide information beyond that which is already public in any appearance before Congress. In addition, access to our underlying work product is being decided in a process that does not involve our office. So beyond what I have said here today and what is contained in our written work, I do not believe it is appropriate for me to speak further about the investigation or to comment on the actions of the Justice Department or Congress. It is for that reason that I will not take questions here today. Before I step away, I want to thank the attorneys, the FBI agents, the analysts, and the professional staff who helped us conduct this investigation in a fair and independent manner. These individuals, who spent nearly two years with the Special Counsel's Office, were of the highest integrity. I will close by reiterating the central allegation of our indictmentsthat there were multiple, systematic efforts to interfere in our election. That allegation deserves the attention of every American. Thank you. Advertisement Mueller found that the 'Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election in sweeping and systemic fashion' Mueller was famously publicity adverse during his nearly two-year investigation. He never gave a press conference, and took pains to stay out of the limelight. His absence from the public scene was such that it made news when he was spotted in an airport and at an Apple store. Mueller's report found that the 'Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election in sweeping and systemic fashion.' It cited the hack of Democratic National Committee emails and of information 'damaging to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton,' and said the Russian government was behind the effort. Prosecutors rand down a string of leads, including an infamous Trump Tower meeting with Russians in June 2016, and back-and-forth between Trump and his aides over a misleading statement describing how the meeting got set up. Mueller's team of prosecutors also examined ten areas of potential obstruction of justice by Trump including statements by Trump's own staffers that he ordered them to force out Mueller. They also examined Trump's conduct toward former campaign chair Paul Manafort, who is now serving a 7 1/2 year prison sentence on tax and money laundering charges. They also delved into a Trump Moscow tower project that former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, who is also in jail, did not reveal during his own initial House testimony. The report stated that 'if we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the President clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state.' But it said they were 'unable to reach that judgment.' In another of its famous conclusions, Mueller's report states: 'Accordingly, while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.' Louisiana passed a fetal heartbeat abortion ban on Wednesday and the state's Democratic governor John Bel Edwards has indicated that he'll break from his party and will sign the bill when it comes across his desk. Lawmakers passed the abortion ban in a 79 to 23 vote on Wednesday evening at 5.15pm that will prevent women from having an abortion once a fetal heartbeat has detected - which typically occurs six weeks into pregnancy, often before women are even aware they're pregnant. The vote followed a heated two-hour debate over the bill where the House rejected an amendment Wednesday that would provide an exception for women and girls impregnated through rape or incest. The bill, authored by Shreveport Democrat John Milkovich, is one of the countrys strictest abortion bans. It will prevent women from getting an abortion when theyre six weeks pregnant and onwards with the only exception being for pregnancies deemed 'medically futile'. Louisiana lawmakers passed a fetal heartbeat abortion ban in a 79 to 23 vote on Wednesday. Dem. Gov. John Bel Edward (above) says he will break from his party and sign the controversial bill Governor Edwards released a statement explaining that he's preparing to sign the bill, adding that he's been fighting for pro-life legislation since 2015 Republican Sen. John Milkovich and Rep. Valarie Hodges pictured speaking outside of the State Capitol in Baton Rouge after the House passed Milkovich's fetal heartbeat bill The Senate already approved the bill with amendments that include language to require an ultrasound and clarified that abortion did not include medically necessary terminations. Now it's on its way to Gov. John Bel Edward's desk. The governor, elected in 2015, has previously told reporters that he is pro-life. 'I will just tell you, my personal opinion is that the people of Louisiana are overwhelming pro-life and this is the conversation that we've been having here for many many years,' Edwards said back in 2015. Following the vote he released a statement saying he's ready to sign off on the controversial bill. 'In 2015, I ran for governor as a pro-life candidate after serving as a pro-life legislator for eight years. As governor, I have been true to my word and my beliefs on this issue. But it is also my sincere belief that being pro-life means more than just being pro-birth,' Edwards shared Wednesday. The ban will not allow abortions for pregnancies where a fetal heartbeat is detected - which typically occurs around the six week period, often before women even know they're pregnant. Protesters pictured outside Jackson Square on Saturday ahead of Wednesday's vote The bill, authored by Shreveport Democrat John Milkovich, does not make exceptions for rape and incest victims. The only exception is for pregnancies that are deemed 'medically futile' On Wednesday hundreds of abortion-rights advocates took to the streets to protest the anti-abortion legislation. Protesters pictured on May 22 Handsmaid themed protesters stand outside Jackson Square in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana on Saturday to protest the Heartbeat Bill that was passed Wednesday If signed, Louisiana will become the fifth state to pass a fetal heart ban ban, joining Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Ohio 'My first act as governor was to expand access to health care for working Louisianans. I have worked with Republicans and Democrats in the Legislature to expand investment in education and pass sweeping criminal justice reforms. For each of the last three years, my administration has set records for the number of children being adopted out of our foster care system. And despite fierce opposition, Ive fought to ensure LGBT citizens are not discriminated against in the workplace, to raise the minimum wage, and to pay a woman the same as a man for doing the same job. 'I know there are many who feel just as strongly as I do on abortion and disagree with me and I respect their opinions. As I prepare to sign this bill, I call on the overwhelming bipartisan majority of legislators who voted for it to join me in continuing to build a better Louisiana that cares for the least among us and provides more opportunity for everyone,' he added. Though breaking from his party, hes one of many Democrats voting to ban abortion in the red South. Democrat State Rep Katrina Jackson is a sponsor of the bill and says that her personal religious beliefs overshadow her partys preferences. 'I dont believe in being a cookie-cutter legislator...When you have a sincerely held belief, you stand for that belief. That doesnt mean you abandon your party. That doesnt mean that you abandon anyone. That means that you understand that a one-size-fits-all approach to legislature doesnt work,' she said to the Washington Post. According to the bill's text, the ban will only take effect if a similar bill in Mississippi is held up in federal appeals court. A sweeping number of states have passed abortion ban bills into law in an effort to challenge the Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which states that access to an abortion procedure is a constitutional right If signed, Louisiana will become the fifth state to pass a fetal heart ban ban, joining Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Ohio. According to the bill's text, the ban will only take effect if a nearly identical bill in Mississippi is held up in federal appeals court, according to NBC News. That ban has face legal challenge on on Friday a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking Mississippi's fetal heartbeat anti-abortion law from going into effect, arguing that such a ban infringes on women's health care rights. A sweeping number of states have passed abortion ban bills into law in an effort to challenge the Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which states that access to an abortion procedure is a constitutional right. The abortion bill wildfire started with Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey when he signed a near-total abortion ban bill into law on May 15. Lawmakers said that the ban was designed specifically to challenge and overturn federal abortion protection. A further three teenagers have been arrested over a string of violent carjackings and home invasions across Melbourne. A Melbourne woman says she and her family were held hostage for 30 minutes by four knife-wielding thugs who threatened to kill them during a terrifying home invasion. Police arrested an 18-year-old Shepparton man in the Kingsbury area on Wednesday night, along with a 16-year-old Broadmeadows boy and 20-year-old Beveridge man. They had earlier arrested another teenager. Two other offenders remain outstanding and are believed to be driving a stolen black Honda HRV station wagon with registration 1EY 3DI. The recent crimes included a carjacking on the West Gate Freeway, home invasion at Bentleigh East, and burglaries at Derrimut and Mernda, the latest occurring about 4am on Wednesday. "They held us hostage in our room at knifepoint," the woman, who asked not to be identified, told 3AW radio on Wednesday. "They were threatening to kill us unless we gave them all of our cash, all of our valuables. We don't even have cash in our house and they didn't believe us." The woman and her husband were punched and her 65-year-old mother-in-law had a knife held to her throat. "They were pulling her hair and holding a knife at her throat and telling my husband and I that if we didn't give them everything we have they would kill her," she said. Police commander Stuart Bateson said the woman's experience was one in a spate of crimes committed by the four men, all of African appearance. "We've had a horrendous couple of days. There's been a group of four young men that have gone on a crime spree," he told 3AW. A gaseous planet roughly the size of Neptune which was recently discovered is being cited as an astrological anomaly because it shouldn't exist. NGTS-4B, dubbed the 'Forbidden planet', was found in a region referred to as a celestial 'desert' 920 light years from Earth. The planet has a surface temperature of 1,800C and defies all previous research by existing so close to its star that its atmosphere should have evaporated. This wasteland around a star caused by immense levels of radiation was thought to create a swath of space devoid of any gassy planets. But 'Forbidden' has been spotted in the middle of this zone orbiting every 1.3 days around a star 920 light years away from Earth. Scroll down for video NGTS-4B, dubbed the 'Forbidden planet' (artist's impression, pictured), defies all previous research by existing close so close to its star that its atmosphere should have evaporated The Neptunian planet, known formally as NGTs-4b, was found by telescopes run by the University of Warwick in an international collaboration of astronomers. It is 20 per cent smaller than Neptune, about three times the size of Earth and has a surface temperature of more than 1,000C (1.800F) - hotter than Mercury. Nick-named 'The Forbidden Planet' by researchers it orbits around the star in only 1.3 days and is the first exoplanet of its kind to have been found in the Neptunian Desert. It was thought a large planet the size of NGTs-4b would not be sustainable this close to a host star as the immense radiation would cause the gases to evaporate and disappear, leaving just a rocky core behind. Researchers at the University of Warwick are unsure why the planet defies logic and exists in its current location. WHAT IS A 'NEPTUNIAN DESERT'? The Neptunian Desert is the region close to stars where no Neptune-sized planets are found. This area receives strong irradiation from the star, meaning the planets do not retain their gaseous atmosphere as they evaporate leaving just a rocky core. However NGTS-4b still has its atmosphere of gas. Advertisement They speculate the planet either wandered to its current position recently - within the last million years or so - or it was previously even larger than its current girth and the atmosphere is still evaporating. Experts discovered it when it orbited in front of the star and caused its brightness to dip by just 0.2 per cent. Dr Richard West, from the Department of Physics at the University of Warwick comments: 'This planet must be tough - it is right in the zone where we expected Neptune-sized planets could not survive. 'It is truly remarkable that we found a transiting planet via a star dimming by less than 0.2 per cent - this has never been done before by telescopes on the ground, and it was great to find after working on this project for a year. 'We are now scouring out data to see if we can see any more planets in the Neptune Desert perhaps the desert is greener than was once thought.' A fertility clinic in Dubai asked disgraced scientist He Jiankui for help in controversial experiments modifying the genes of human embryos. It came just one week after He announced the birth of the world's first genetically edited babies via a YouTube video. He Jiankui used the powerful gene-editing procedure CRISPR to modify the DNA of unborn twin girls, nicknamed 'Lulu' and 'Nana'. Emails from an unnamed site reveal scientists wanted help using 'CRISPR gene editing for Embryology Lab Application.' He consulted Stanford University bioethicist Dr William Hurlbut, with whom he had previously spoke with, and decided not to reply. Dr Hurlbut revealed the email this week as scientists urge policymakers to implement firmer laws restricting the modification of human embryos. Scroll down for video He Jiankui (pictured) speaks was widely scorned for helping to make the world's first gene-edited babies, new information suggests that others may be interested in pursuing such work The email's opening line, according to STAT News, read: 'Congratulations on your recent achievement of the first gene editing baby delivered by your application!' 'Your application' refers to He's use CRISPR to confer resistance to the AIDS virus to the embryos to avoid infection from the father, who is HIV positive. He has remained underground and unreachable since his widely publicised YouTube video emerged online in November. Members of the public and the scientific community united in condemning He's research, citing a lack of morality and a reckless approach to the ethical considerations when working with human embryos. Scientists and policy leaders have been debating how to set international standards or controls since He's revelation shook the scientific landscape. He was fired from his university post and is under investigation from Chinese authorities. The disgraced scientist, who was an expert in physics and not human clinical trials, funded a private clinic with his own personal fortune to conduct the research. Dr William Hurlbut spoke about his interaction with He in the run up to his project and also of how others are hoping to mimic his work. The Stanford researcher is a well-regarded expert in the field of gene-editing and its ethical implications and He sought his advice regularly. An email shown to the Associated Press was altered to hide the clinic's name but revealed the interest from other scientists. 'It reveals what eagerness there is out there to use this technology' and the need 'for some sort of enforceable governance' of it, Dr Hurlbut said. Jennifer Doudna, a University of California, Berkeley, co-inventor of the CRISPR gene-editing tool that He Jiankui used, said that she has heard of others who want to edit embryos (file photo) William Hurlbut (pictured) of Stanford University speaks to reporters during the Human Genome Editing Conference in Hong Kong. A fertility clinic in Dubai emailed scientist He Jiankui to seek training in gene editing just a week after he released his YouTube video Last week it was reported that a draft of new code in China's civil law explicitly lists human genes and embryos as protected personal rights for the first time ever. Lawyers interviewed by Nature say that the law would make any doctor or scientist engaging in the editing of the human genome liable for the outcome of their experiments. Editing embryos is outlawed in many countries because it risks damaging other genes, and the DNA changes can be passed to future generations. 'This is far too premature,' said Dr Eric Topol in November, who heads the Scripps Research Translational Institute in California. 'We're dealing with the operating instructions of a human being. It's a big deal.' 'If true, this experiment is monstrous,' added Professor Julian Savulescu, Director of the University of Oxford's Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics. 'These healthy babies are being used as genetic guinea pigs. This is genetic Russian Roulette.' Dr Hurlbut and two other faculty members were investigated by Stanford when it was revealed they has correspondence with him. They were all cleared of any wrongdoing. Rice University in Houston is still looking into any involvement that He's former adviser, physics and bioengineering professor Michael Deem, may have had. Dr Hurlbut said it would be best for the field if all involved revealed what they knew and when, because some people did give He, who goes by 'JK,' encouragement. HOW DID DR HE DESCRIBE THE WORK? 'The gene editing occurred during IVF, or lab dish fertilisation. 'First, sperm was 'washed' to separate it from semen, the fluid where HIV can lurk. 'A single sperm was placed into a single egg to create an embryo. 'Then the gene editing tool was added. 'When the embryos were three to five days old, a few cells were removed and checked for editing. 'Couples could choose whether to use edited or unedited embryos for pregnancy attempts. 'In all, 16 of 22 embryos were edited, and 11 embryos were used in six implant attempts before the twin pregnancy was achieved.' Advertisement 'If you call JK a rogue scientist who did this by himself, you miss the truth, and then you fail to see what's wrong with the current structure for the global governance of science,' Dr Hurlbut said. The Chinese scientist has not been seen publicly since shortly after he spoke at a gene-editing conference in Hong Kong in November. Dr Hurlbut and Ryan Ferrell, a media relations person He had hired, said they could not comment on any contact with him or his whereabouts now. He's claim has not been published in a scientific journal, but the babies' existence seems to have been confirmed by investigators in Guangdong province. According to China's official Xinhua News Agency, investigators said He evaded supervision of his work and violated research norms out of a desire for fame. The report said He acted alone and would be referred to authorities for any violations of laws or regulations. This graphic reveals how, theoretically, an embryo could be 'edited' using the powerful tool Crispr-Cas9 to defend humans against HIV infection There has been no word on how the twins are faring or the status of a second pregnancy He achieved with a gene-edited embryo, thought to be in its seventh month now. Last week, the US National Academies of Medicine and Sciences and others formed an international commission to develop a framework of scientific, medical and ethical issues to be considered for any future attempts to edit eggs, sperm or embryos. The World Health Organization also has formed a panel on developing global standards for oversight of the field. But those efforts are moving slowly. The group plans to gather views for two years. 'Many people are still grappling with the pace at which the technology is advancing,' Professor Doudna said. 'It's really quite astounding.' A recently published opinion piece in the well-respected scientific journal Plos Biology comprehensively dismantled the science behind the work. Researchers Haoyi Wang and Hui Yang, both well-known experts in the field of gene editing, said the work was unnecessary, substandard and posed unnecessary risks to the babies. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE DOUBTS SURROUNDING DR HE'S CLAIMS? Several scientists reviewed materials that Dr He provided to the AP and said tests so far are insufficient to say the editing worked or to rule out harm. They also noted evidence that the editing was incomplete and that at least one twin appears to be a patchwork of cells with various changes. 'It's almost like not editing at all' if only some of certain cells were altered, because HIV infection can still occur, famed Harvard University geneticist Professor George Church said. Church and Dr Kiran Musunuru, a University of Pennsylvania gene editing expert, questioned the decision to allow one of the embryos to be used in a pregnancy attempt, because the Chinese researchers said they knew in advance that both copies of the intended gene had not been altered. 'In that child, there really was almost nothing to be gained in terms of protection against HIV and yet you're exposing that child to all the unknown safety risks,' Dr Musunuru said. The use of that embryo suggests that the researchers' 'main emphasis was on testing editing rather than avoiding this disease,' Church said. Even if editing worked perfectly, people without normal CCR5 genes face higher risks of getting certain other viruses, such as West Nile, and of dying from the flu. Since there are many ways to prevent HIV infection and it's very treatable if it occurs, those other medical risks are a concern, Dr Musunuru said. There also are questions about the way Dr He said he proceeded. He gave official notice of his work long after he said he started it - on November 8, on a Chinese registry of clinical trials. It's unclear whether participants fully understood the purpose and potential risks and benefits. For example, consent forms called the project an 'AIDS vaccine development' program. The hospital linked to the controversial project denied approving the procedure and accused Dr He of forgery. Advertisement Pictured, an embryologist who was part of the team working with scientist He Jiankui adjusts a microplate containing embryos at a lab in Shenzhen in southern China's Guandong province. Other scientists are reportedly interested in using the technology for human embryos They say his procedure was not only morally reprehensible and far beyond the scope of any ethical consideration, but also that his scientific method was lax and took unnecessary risks. The experts argue that Dr He's work was fundamentally misconceived starting with the fact that, in the circumstances, the gene editing was entirely unnecessary. Dr Wang and Dr Yang state the infection could have been avoided during conception by using already well established assisted-reproduction technologies. Similarly, infection could have been avoided after birth by simply avoiding any potential risks of HIV exposure. This, they note, 'suffices for most people'. The gene Dr He edited is called CCR5, and it is involved in regulating the body's immune system. Although naturally-occurring mutations in CCR5 have been associated with higher levels of resistance to infection specifically in European populations, these do not block all strains of HIV. He sought to disable a gene called CCR5 that forms a protein doorway that allows HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, to enter a cell. All of the men in the project had HIV and all of the women did not, but the gene editing was not aimed at preventing the small risk of transmission, Dr He said. Dr He also failed to present a long-term plan to monitor the two children in order to assess the knock-on impact of the procedure, they say. The conduct of Dr He and his colleagues, the researchers conclude, 'represents a gross violation of both Chinese regulations and the consensus reached by the international science community.' SpaceX's artificial constellation of broadband-providing satellites could increasingly spoil views of the night sky and hinder astronomy, experts say. Elon Musk's Starlink project recently placed 60 satellites in low-Earth orbit as they look to beam high-speed internet down to the the planet's surface. It soon became clear that the bright train of orbiting satellites were quite visible to the naked eye, as astronomers and space enthusiasts tracked the launch. The sight has provoked an outcry among the astronomy community, with the development seen as a new headache for researchers who already have to find workarounds to deal with objects cluttering their images of deep space. SpaceX's plans for the Starlink program are fuelling concerns, with the firm setting its sights on increasing their artificial constellation to 12,000 satellites by 2025. Scroll down for video Researchers fear that SpaceX's artificial constellation of broadband-providing satellites (pictured) could increasingly spoil views of the night sky and hinder astronomy University of Alabama astronomer Bill Keel told the AFP that the sighting of the satellite train had experts trying to extrapolate what effect artificial constellations of such steady brightness might have as they grow in size and number. Fears developed, he said, that 'in 20 years or less, for a good part the night anywhere in the world, the human eye would see more satellites than stars.' The brightness of the satellites has since dimmed as they ascended to their final orbiting altitude of around 340 miles (550 kilometres) above the Earth's surface and stabilised their orientations. However, this has not entirely allayed the scientific community's concerns, with fears as to how views of the night sky will be impacted with SpaceX's plans to increase the number of orbiting satellites from 60 to 12,000 over the next five years. There are currently 2,100 active satellites orbiting our planet, according to the Satellite Industry Association and SpaceX is not the only company looking to enter the burgeoning space internet market. Yet even if SpaceX alone adds another 12,000 satellites, there 'will be hundreds above the horizon at any given time,' Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics researcher Jonathan McDowell told the AFP. This issue will be exacerbated at specific times of the year and during certain points in the nighttime, he noted. 'It'll certainly be dramatic in the night sky if you're far away from the city and you have a nice, dark area.' 'It'll definitely cause problems for some kinds of professional astronomical observation.' Elon Musk's Starlink project recently placed 60 satellites in low-Earth orbit as they look to beam high-speed internet down to the Earth's surface, but plans envisage increasing the artificial constellation to 12,000 satellites by 2025 SpaceX CEO Elon Musk offered contradictory messages on Twitter in response to the concern. Despite reporting he had already taken steps to investigate ways to reduce the reflectivity of the Starlink satellites, Mr Musk also said that 'Starlink wont be seen by anyone unless looking very carefully'. The satellite constellation 'will have ~0% impact on advancements in astronomy' and we 'need to move telescopes to orbit anyway,' he added. While SpaceX cares 'a great deal about science', the work to give 'billions of economically disadvantaged people' high-speed internet access through the Starlink network 'is the greater good,' he wrote. Responding to Mr Musk's comments, Professor Keel said that he was happy that the SpaceX CEO had offered to look into ways to reduce the reflectivity of future satellites, but questioned why the issue had not been addressed before. If optical astronomers are concerned, then their radio astronomy colleagues are 'in near despair,' Professor Keel added. Radio astronomers rely on the electromagnetic waves emitted by celestial objects to examine cosmic phenomena such as the black hole that was imaged last month. So-called 'side emissions' generated by satellite operators can interfere with the observation bands that radio astronomers are looking out for if not adequately mitigated. 'There's every reason to join our radio astronomy colleagues in calling for a "before" response,' said Professor Keel. 'It's not just safeguarding our professional interests but, as far as possible, protecting the night sky for humanity.' Amateur astronomer Marco Langbroek caught footage of dozens of miniature satellites from SpaceX's Starlink project traversing their new orbit around Earth. In the video, shot from the Netherlands, the satellites which appear as a string of consecutive lights can be seen flying through the night sky a little more than a day after they were launched. A blog post from Langbroek detailed the amateur astronomer's excitement as the satellites entered his camera's field of view. 'It started with two faint, flashing objects moving into the field of view,' he wrote. 'Then, a few tens of seconds later, my jaw dropped as the "train" entered the field of view. I could not help shouting "OAAAAAH!!!!" (followed by a few expletives...).' The scientific community is concerned about how views of the night sky will be impacted with SpaceX's plans to increase the number of orbiting satellites from 60 to 12,000 over the next five years (Pictured: a Falcon 9 rocket carries Starlink satellites into orbit on May 23, 2019) To time the satellites voyage and get the video, Langbroek said he calculated the instruments' orbit himself. 'There were no orbital elements for the objects available yet on Space-Track, but based on the orbital information (53 degree inclination, initially 440 km orbital altitude) I had calculated a search orbit and stood ready with my camera,' he wrote in a post. 'My search orbit turned out to be not too bad: very close in sky track, and with the objects passing some 3 minutes early on the predictions. And what a SPECTACULAR view it was!' While Langbroek set up his camera in anticipation of viewing the satellites, other stargazers weren't anticipating the spectacle, causing an outpouring of UFO claims. Following the fly-by dutch UFO website www.ufomeldpunt.nl was flooded with reports. 'There's a long line of lights. Faster than a plane. Huh?' said one poster. 'Bizarre train of stars or lights moving across the skies at constant speed,' posted another. In a report by dutch outlet, NOS, one witness said he was concerned the lights were an attack. 'I didn't know what to think,' said an eye-witness who saw the lights go over The Hague reports NOS. 'Is Russia attacking America? Are they UFOs? I really didn't know.' Pharmaceutical companies put out 13 per cent more carbon emissions making medicines than car manufacturers - despite having a market that is 28% smaller. Researchers analysed existing public data on the carbon emissions of around 200 pharma companies worldwide. They also did a more focused analysis on emission reports from 15 leading drug manufacturers in the industry, including Bayer AG, Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer. Emissions levels were highly variable, they found, even accounting for the differences between larger and smaller companies. Drug manufacturers emit greenhouse gases directly into the atmosphere from their factories as a result of their production processes, and indirectly through power use. Despite this, financial performance does not mean firms have to pollute, with the three most successful firms also the least polluting. Scroll down for video Pharmaceutical companies put out 13 per cent more carbon emissions than car manufacturers despite having a market that is 28 per cent smaller (stock image) WHY DOES BIG PHARMA HAVE A BIG CARBON FOOTPRINT? Emission reduction measures have traditionally been focused on industrial sectors such as energy production, car manufacturing and mining. However, studies are beginning to highlight that the carbon footprint of the healthcare industry and particularly the pharmaceutical sector is also a big problem. In 2007, for example, researchers found that the US Healthcare sector accounted for eight per cent of the nation's total greenhouse emissions. Drug manufacturers directly emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere from their factories as a result of their production processes. In addition, these companies produce emissions indirectly through the carbon dioxide emitted in the production of the electrical power which they use in their manufacturing systems. Drug companies can also cause other forms of pollution, such as the accidental leak of medicines into the environment. Advertisement Environmental engineers Lotfi Belkhir and Ahmed Elmeligi of McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, set out to analyse the carbon emissions put out by big pharma. Alongside considering existing data on emissions by the around 200 pharmaceutical firms worldwide, researchers focused in their analysis on the 15 firms that have consistently reported both their direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions since 2012. Indirect emissions are those that come not as a result each company's operations, but from the emissions resulting from their share of the electricity produced by power companies. As larger businesses will inherently generate more emissions than their smaller counterparts, the researchers assessed each firm's emission intensity per million dollars of revenue. 'One immediate and striking result is that the pharmaceutical sector is far from green,' Professor Belkhir wrote in The Conversation. The researchers found that the global pharmaceutical sector puts out around 48.6 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per million dollars in 2015. Professor Belkhir reports that this is '55 per cent greater than the automotive sector, at 31.4 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per million dollars for that same year.' 'Rarely does mention of the pharmaceutical industry conjure up images of smoke stacks, pollution and environmental damage,' Professor Belkhir said. 'Yet our recent study found the global pharmaceutical industry is not only a significant contributor to global warming, but it is also dirtier than the global automotive production sector,' he added. The total global emissions from the pharmaceutical sector about to around 52 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2015, compared to the 46.4 megatonnes put out by the car manufacturing industry in the same year. This, the researchers note, is despite drug manufacturing being a smaller market that the automotive industry. 'By our calculations, the pharma market is 28 percent smaller yet 13 percent more polluting than the automotive sector,' Professor Belkhir said. Emission levels vary wildly across the pharmaceutical sector, researchers found. For example, Eli Lilly and Company (pictured, stock image) had an emission intensity in 2015 that was 5.5 times greater than their fellow firm Roche Holding AG Alongside considering existing data on emissions by the around 200 pharmaceutical firms worldwide, researchers focused in their analysis on the intensity of emissions by the 15 firms that have consistently reported both their direct and indirect greenhouse outputs since 2012 Emission levels also vary wildly within the pharmaceutical sector, researchers found. For example, Eli Lilly and Company's emission intensity was 5.5 times greater than Roche Holding AG in 2015, at 77.3 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per million dollars, compared with 14 tonnes. Similarly, experts found that Procter & Gamble's carbon dioxide emissions were around five times greater than those of competitor Johnson & Johnson, despite the two firms selling similar products and generating the same level of revenue. Professor Belkhir and Mr Elmeligi also encountered challenges in accurately assessing the emissions from some companies, such as Bayer AG. They were surprised to find that the German firm had reported emitting 9.7 mega-tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2015, while receiving a revenue of $51.4 billion (40.7 billion) during the same period. This would yield an emission intensity of 189 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per million dollars a level four times larger than the pharmaceutical sector as a whole. Researchers found that the reason for this extreme outlier stemmed from how Bayer lumps together its emission data from across its pharmaceutical, medical equipment and agricultural product divisions, despite declaring revenue individually. 'This level of opacity makes it impossible to assess the true environmental performance of these kind of companies,' said Professor Belkhir. He added: 'It also raises questions about the sincerity of these companies' strategies and actions in reducing their contribution to climate change.' Researchers encountered challenges in accurately assessing the emissions from some companies, such as Bayer AG, who lump together its emission data from across its pharmaceutical, medical equipment and agricultural product divisions Finally, the research duo estimated by how much the pharmaceutical sector would have to cut back on its greenhouse gas emissions in order to meet the targets established by the 2016 Paris Climate agreement. 'We found that by 2025, the overall pharma sector would need to reduce its emissions intensity by about 59 percent from 2015 levels,' Professor Belkhir said. Although this would require a radical adjustment overall, researchers found that some of the 15 largest drug companies are already operating at compliant levels. These firms were Amgen Inc., Johnson & Johnson and Roche the three companies with the highest levels of profitability and revenue growth in the sector. Lead performer Roche increased its revenue by 27.2 per cent from 20122015, while reducing its emissions by 18.7 per cent, for example. Meanwhile, Amgen and Johnson & Johnson respectively reported revenue increases of 7.8 and 25.7 per cent and emission reductions of 8 and 8.3 per cent during the same time period. 'Environmental and financial performance aren't mutually exclusive,' Professor Belkhir said. 'If those performance levels are achievable by some,' he asked, 'why can't they be achieved by all?' Few previous studies have investigated the pharmaceutical industry's environmental impacts, the researchers noted, although there have been some exceptions. A 2014 study, for example, found that waster water from drug plants in Patancheru, India, was releasing 44 kilograms of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin into the water table every day enough to treat around 44,000 patients 'Clearly, there is a dire need for more extensive and sustained research as well as more scrutiny of the pharmaceutical industry's environmental practices and performance,' Professor Belkhir concluded. 'Healing people is no justification for killing the planet.' he added. The full findings of the study were published in the Journal of Cleaner Production. Apple could lose 26 per cent of its 2020 earnings if China bans sales of the iPhone in the escalating US-China trade war, experts warn. Investment specialists say they move could be brought in as a retaliation to President Trump's orders last week to blacklist tech firm Huawei. The predictions come amid existing fears that the iPhone is struggling in China as the brand loses popularity among its middle class customer base. Nearly 20 per cent of Apple's earnings came from China in 2018 while over 60 per cent of its iPhone sales also came from the country. Scroll down for video Apple could lose 26 per cent of its 2020 earnings if China bans sales of the iPhone (pictured) in the escalating trade war between the two countries, experts warn The latest fears that China might retaliate in response to the Huawei trade ban are directly linked to an ongoing tariff war between Beijing and Washington. Earlier this month the US blocked Huawei and its 68 affiliations worldwide from buying key parts from American companies without special approval by the USA. Washington said last week it would delay implementation of the ban for 90 days to allow Huawei to find suppliers. Despite this, the US sanctions have already sparked a chain reaction among suppliers of digital devices worldwide. Two of Japan's top mobile carriers, KDDI and SoftBank Corp, announced a delay in releasing new handsets made by Huawei. British telecoms companies EE and Vodafone are also putting on hold plans to sell new 5G mobile phones from the Chinese company. Even without hitting back, Apple's products in China are falling out of favour with local consumers. In recent years, there has been a domestic shift among towards Chinese brands like Huawei and Xiaomi, as made-in-China brands improved their technological capabilities and gained global competitiveness. There is also a sense of patriotism that lends support to the country's own brands, which, as a result of Trump's recent actions, could further drive further the iPhone decline. While a 'longshot', it could be instigated in retaliation to President Trump's blockade on tech giant Huawei Technologies last week The predictions come amid already-existing fears that the iPhone is struggling in Chinese market as the brand loses prestige among the country's expanding middle class Krish Sankar, an analyst from Cowen, a financial services company, wrote: 'Apple's iPhone, iPad, and Mac systems are at risk of experiencing demand destruction due to collateral damage from the sales ban to Huawei. 'The perception that Huawei is being 'unfairly punished' could lead Chinese consumers 'to retaliate as patriotism leads them to support domestic brands while products and services from U.S. companies fall out of favour.' Mr Sankar called the ban on Apple a 'very long shot' in a CNBC interview where he also described Chinese consumer sentiments towards the US phone maker 'a fluid situation'. Asked where their loyalties lay, Mr Sankar said: 'Their loyalties switch on the price of the device. 'We saw in January there was a very anti-iPhone sentiment china that kind of changed in February when Apple gave a very sweet deal - there were some pricing cuts during the Chinese new year.' A number of global investment firms have made the same projections about Apple's potentially risky year ahead in China, partly due to government retaliation risks and partly due to its waning prestige among China's middle class consumers. Citi has reduced its stock projections for Apple from $205 (162) from $220 (175), due to what they called 'a slowdown of Apple iPhone demand in China as China residents shift their purchasing preference to China national brands.' Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sach also projected loss of revenue for Apple in the region of 23 per cent and 29 per cent respectively. The US-China trade war sprouted when US President Donald Trump criticised China's 'unfair' trading practices and launched an investigation into the Chinese trade policies in 2017. It intensified when Washington more than doubled tariffs on $200 billion (158bn) worth of Chinese products earlier this month and Beijing retaliated by imposing higher tariffs on $60 billion (53bn) of US goods. Earlier this month Donald Trump (pictured) blocked Huawei and its 68 affiliations worldwide from buying key parts from American companies without special approval by the USA Trump's recent orders on Huawei have meant leading mobile carriers and technology firms have 'paused' their business with Huawei to comply with the recent US trade clampdown. UK-based chip designer ARM have told their staff to 'halt' business with the Chinese telecoms firm while mobile operators EE and Vodafone have pulled Huawei's phones from their 5G networks. Telecom firms EE and Vodafone which are launching their 5G services this month and in July, respectively, have left Huawei out of their line-up of 5G smartphones. EE said it had chosen to 'pause' the sale of Huawei 5G phones amid ongoing tensions between the US and the company. They also confirmed the Huawei equipment it currently uses in its network infrastructure is in the process of being phased out. Nevertheless, Huawei phones sales are growing globally and it unveiled its latest smartphones, the P30 and P30 Pro in March with impressive technologies. Huawei's own founder and Chief Executive Ren Zhengfei told Bloomberg that not only was such retaliation on iPhones by Beijing against Apple Inc unlikely, he would oppose such a move. When asked about calls from some in China to retaliate against Apple, Ren said that he would 'protest' against any such step. 'That (Chinese retaliation against Apple) will not happen first of all and second of all, if that happens, I'll be the first to protest,' Ren said in the interview with Bloomberg. He admitted that export curbs from Donald Trump will cut into a two-year lead built by Huawei over its competitors, but added that the company will either ramp up its chip supply or find alternatives to stay ahead in smartphones and 5G. Baltimore's city government has been crippled for almost a month by a ransomware cyber-attack - and cities around the world could be next, experts fear. The city's computer systems were outdated and IT experts failed to install adequate updates to protect against attacks, which would have stopped its spread. This is an issue faced by almost all large companies and cities around the world and some in the tech sector fear that similar attacks will only grow in numbers. Andrew Martin, CEO of cybersecurity firm, DynaRisk, told MailOnline: 'Free patches have been around for two years and could have fixed the flaw, but large firms and government agencies often have a lot of legacy systems laying around. 'Sometimes they have just one time a year to update them and may not set adequate budgets to update what may be thousands of servers and computers. 'Any city or company that has these same vulnerabilities will be difficult to update and potentially at-risk.' The hack echoes the devastating 2017 WannaCry attack which affected computers in 74 countries, including Russia, Turkey, Germany, Vietnam, and the Philippines Scroll down for video Baltimore's city government has been crippled for almost a month by a ransomware cyber-attack which could have been prevented, experts claim. 'RobbinHood ransomware' locked down various computers inside Baltimore's government buildings on May 7 WHAT HAPPENED IN THE 2019 BALTIMORE HACK? Baltimore was the latest big US city, after Atlanta, Georgia and San Antonio, Texas, to be hit with a ransomware attack in May 2019. Smaller cities like Greenville, North Carolina and Allentown, Pennsylvania were also targeted. The Baltimore attack targeted the Microsoft Windows operating system, blocking city hall's computer system, online sales and real estate sales. The RobbinHood virus responsible exploits a vulnerability in the code of Microsoft systems known as EternalBlue. Andrew Martin, CEO of cybersecurity firm, DynaRisk, told MailOnline: 'Eternalblue and RobbinHood are completely separate. 'Eternalblue can be viewed as the conduit through which the RobbinHood virus can be delivered.' EternalBlue was developed by the Maryland-headquartered National Security Agency (NSA). The hacking tool, which leaked from the NSA, was posted on the internet in April 2017 by 'Shadow Brokers,' a hacking group that first surfaced in mid-2016. Advertisement The 'RobbinHood ransomware' responsible locked down various computers inside Baltimore's government buildings on May 7 and hackers demanded $100,000 (78,000) in Bitcoin. The attack disabled voice mail, email, a parking fines database and a system used to pay water bills, property taxes and vehicle citations. The city's local government has refused to pay the ransom fee, which exploits a weakness in the coding of Microsoft systems. RobbinHood virus exploits a vulnerability in the code of Microsoft systems known as EternalBlue which was first discovered by NSA. Mr Martin added: 'Eternalblue and RobbinHood are completely separate. 'Eternalblue can be viewed as the conduit through which the RobbinHood virus can be delivered.' Leaked from the NSA, the hacking tool was posted on the internet in April 2017 by 'Shadow Brokers,' a hacking group that first surfaced in mid-2016. Mr Martin revealed the patches to protect systems are freely available after being released two years ago and are easy to install in a technical sense. Issues arise when a multi-faceted organisation struggles to keep up to date and has several 'legacy systems'. Tyler Moore, an associate professor of cyber-security at the University of Tulsa wrote in an article for The Washington Post that such fixes could have 'greatly limited' the damage. RobbinHood has caused huge disruption in Baltimore after it locked down various computers inside the city's government. Mr Martin added: 'The attack has affected consumers hard, but indirectly. 'People were unable to close property transactions and this is understandably hugely traumatising to these people.' Another simple, yet effective, method the city of Baltimore failed to implement is the presence of offline back-ups which would be immune to the threat. Should these have been in place, the issue could have been resolved far quicker. Baltimore city hall (pictured) was targeted in a cyberattack. The attack disabled voice mail, email, a parking fines database and a system used to pay water bills, property taxes and vehicle citations The WannaCry attack of 2017 exposed a vulnerability in the system of computers and was spreading at a rate of up to five million emails an hour. Many of the computers were either infected or had to be turned off as a precaution. WannaCry and RobbinHood are noticeably different but may take advantage of the same weakness in Microsoft's coding. Exact details of the virus code and how it is transmitted are yet to be revealed as the attack is still ongoing. New York City's subway system is about to get a major upgrade that could spell the end of swiping in with a MetroCard. Starting on Friday, riders will be able to tap their smartphone, wearable and contactless credit or debit card to pay their fare. Not everyone will be able to take advantage of the new system just yet, however, as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is only launching the 'tap-and-go' readers on Staten Island Buses and 16 stations on the 4, 5 and 6 subway lines for now. Scroll down for video NYC's subway system is about to get a major upgrade. Starting on Friday, riders will be able to tap their smartphone, wearable and contactless credit or debit card to pay their fare The MTA said the new contactless fare payment system, called One Metro New York (OMNY), should roll out to additional stations over time. 'We will continue rolling out OMNY to all bus routes, subway stations, and Staten Island Railway locations,' the MTA said. 'Once this is complete, you will be able to tap and go throughout New York City.' While it's only launching at select stations to start, the MTA expects to roll out OMNY fully by 2020 and, up until 2023, riders can still enter the subway with swipe-based MetroCards. Tap-and-go is also only available for single ride purchases, but the MTA said on its site that additional fare options will be added in the future, like unlimited, student or reduced fare passes. Entering the subway is fairly easy. For iOS devices, users have to set up Apple Pay Express Transit, which first requires that they be updated to the latest software version, iOS 12.3 on iPhone or watchOS 5.2.1 on Apple Watch. Once updated, users open Settings, then Wallet & Apple Pay, then Express Transit Card. While it's only launching at select stations to start, the MTA expects to roll out OMNY fully by 2020 and, up until 2023, riders can still enter the subway with swipe-based MetroCards With the new contactless payment system, riders can pay to enter a bus or subway using a contactless card issued through their bank or a digital wallet app installed on a smart device Users select which card they want to charge their fare to and their device will know to only charge that card in the future. Then, users just hold their iPhone or Android phone near one of the contactless readers until it lights up green with the word 'Go,' then they can proceed. The readers use near-field communication to communicate with contactless cards and smart devices. OMNY works with several digital wallet platforms, including Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay and Fitbit Pay. Contactless cards from American Express, Visa and Mastercard are also accepted by OMNY. It should lead to a more painless experience for subway riders, as they'll no longer have to wait to buy a MetroCard. 'You dont have to stand in line to buy a pass or ticket,' Prakash Hariramani, director of Google Pay at Google, told Digital Trends. 'If you just add it to your phone, you can just tap and go.' As lawmakers, citizens, and company's debate the use of facial recognition software in the U.S., tech giants in America and China have been busy hawking products to eager surveillance states abroad. Among the burgeoning markets, according to a report by Buzzfeed News, are monarchies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), particularly in Dubai, where political leaders have often jailed citizens and journalists that they deem to be political dissidents. Critics of the UAE include Human Rights Watch (HRW) who has frequently derided the country for its authoritarian tendencies. Private companies like IBM are looking to governments accused of violating human rights as a market for facial recognition software. File photo 'UAE authorities have launched a sustained assault on freedom of expression and association since 2011,' says HRW in its analysis. 'UAE residents who have spoken about human rights issues are at serious risk of arbitrary detention, imprisonment, and torture. Many are serving long prison terms or have left the country under pressure.' Those practices have reportedly not prevented some private companies from around the world from offering their services to regimes in the UAE, acccording to Buzzfeed. At a recent conference on artificial intelligence held in Dubai, representatives from Chinese technology company Huawei -- which has recently been banned in the U.S. -- IBM said they viewed the UAE as a promising market for facial recognition and analysis software. In a statement from IBM, a spokesperson said all sales of the company's facial recognition are vetted by the company. 'Robust processes in place to ensure potential client engagements are consistent with our values, as well as US and local laws,' a spokesperson told Buzzfeed. As those companies look to crack markets in the UAE, cities like Dubai have aggressively pursued the formation of a holistic surveillance program called Oyoon, which aims to install tens of thousands of cameras and microphones across the city that will monitor citizens. To achieve its goal -- which Dubai said will reduce crime and traffic accidents -- the city is looking to artificially intelligent facial recognition software that can not only scan the faces of potential suspects but also interpret their behavior and voices, says Buzzfeed. Beyond that, software from the likes of Huawei and IBM also have the capbility to assess crowds in real-time including the gathering's size and what subjects might be wearing. This would theoretically allow law enforcement to respond more quickly to political protests, potentially in an effort to suppress them. In 2018 during Oyoon's first year, police in Dubai said the program directly aided the arrest of more than 300 people. China has arguably the most robust surveillance system worldwide, and usera facial recognition to scan the faces of millions of people every day As access to facial recognition software grows along with its sophistication, activist groups and lawmakers have begun to draw boundaries around where and when the technology can be implemented. In San Francisco, the technology was banned for use by law enforcement -- a legal precedent in the U.S. -- and other legislation has bubbled up on the federal level that would restrict entities' use of facial recognition data without user consent. In the private sector, however, purveyors of the technology have been mostly indifferent toward the ethical quandaries regarding the sale and development of facial recognition software. This month, in a vote by shareholders, Amazon overwhelmingly rejected a ban on the sale of its facial recognition software, Rekognition, despite concerns from some of its board members that the technology may be misused by authoritarian governments and law enforcement or erode personal privacy. A slab of limestone shale containing the impressions of nearly 300 fish has captured whats thought to be a school that swam in unison 50 million years ago. While many animals, from birds and fish to insects, are known to travel in formations, just when this behavior arose in the evolutionary timeline isnt yet certain. The fossil discovery from the Green River Formation that stretches across Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah may finally offer a glimmer of insight, suggesting it dates at least as far back as the Eocene Epoch. Close examination of the slab revealed a staggering 259 fossilized fish, all identified as the tiny extinct species, Erismatopterus levatus. Its unclear how exactly they died Researchers from Arizona State University and the Oishi Fossils Gallery of Mizuta Memorial Museum in Japan detail the findings in a new paper published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Close examination of the slab revealed a staggering 259 fossilized fish, all identified as the tiny extinct species, Erismatopterus levatus. Its unclear how exactly they died, but the researchers say the evidence suggests they were all in the same place at the time of the event. And, their demise took place near instantaneously. Considering that dead bodies in an assemblage of carcasses would be positioned all over the slab, the observed localized aggregation is likely to be the result of behaviour rather than an artefact of fossilization, the researchers note in the paper. Also, the sediment is fine-grained mud, which is one criterion for an in situ rather than transported assemblage. The fossil discovery from the Green River Formation that stretches across Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah may finally offer a glimmer of insight to schooling behavior, suggesting it dates at least as far back as the Eocene Epoch To better understand what might have happened, the researchers simulated 1,000 possible scenarios incorporating the measurements of the fish as well as different types of water flow and spatial distribution. And, these simulations suggest they were swimming in unison much like fish are known to do today. Sticking together in a group (or shoaling) could have helped the small fish stay safe from predators, the researchers note. Because we found evidence of approach from a distance in our fossilized group of E. levatus we can reasonably infer predator avoidance as a selective pressure leading to shoaling behaviour, the researchers write. Consistent with this, the density within the group was higher in the safer central area, while it was lower at the edge of the group, where predators often attack. A slab of limestone shale containing the impressions of nearly 300 fish has captured whats thought to be a school that swam in unison 50 million years ago. While many animals are known to travel in formations, just when this behavior arose isnt yet certain WHEN WERE EARTH'S 'BIG FIVE' EXTINCTION EVENTS? Traditionally, scientists have referred to the 'Big Five' mass extinctions, including perhaps the most famous mass extinction triggered by a meteorite impact that brought about the end of the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. But the other major mass extinctions were caused by phenomena originating entirely on Earth, and while they are less well known, we may learn something from exploring them that could shed light on our current environmental crises. The Late Ordovician : This ancient crisis around 445m years ago saw two major waves of extinction, both caused by climate change associated with the advance and retreat of ice sheets in the southern hemisphere. This makes it the only major extinction to be linked to global cooling. The Late Devonian : This period is now regarded as a number of 'pulses' of extinction spread over 20m years, beginning 380m years ago. This extinction has been linked to major climate change, possibly caused by an eruption of the volcanic Viluy Traps area in modern-day Siberia. A major eruption might have caused rapid fluctations in sea levels and reduced oxygen levels in the oceans. The Middle Permian : Scientists have recently discovered another event 262m years ago that rivals the 'Big Five' in size. This event coincided with the Emeishan eruption in what's now China, and is known to have caused simultaneous extinctions in the tropics and higher latitudes. The Late Permian : The Late Permian mass extinction around 252m years ago dwarfs all the other events, with about 96% of species becoming extinct. The extinction was triggered by a vast eruption of the Siberian Traps, a gigantic and prolonged volcanic event that covered much of modern day Siberia, which led to a cascade of environmental effects. The Late Triassic : The Late Triassic event, 201m years ago, shares a number of similarities with the Late Permian event. It was caused by another large-scale eruption, this time of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province, which heralded the splitting of the supercontinent Pangaea and the initial opening of what would later become the Atlantic Ocean. Advertisement If astronauts involved in NASA's 1969 Apollo mission were to broadcast their lunar journey to audiences today, it might be flagged as 'NSFW.' Astronauts are often touted for being calm and collected, but according to NASA transcripts, several public slip-ups, and various reports, the space explorers are also prone to excited fits of profanity. According to a recent report from the Orlando Sentinel, astronauts in the Apollo mission, Thomas Stafford, John Young and Gene Cernan, cursed a whopping 230 times during their lunar mission 50 years ago as per NASA transcripts. Scroll down for video Tom Stafford, pictured above, was among the astronauts present during one of NASA's most profanity-laced missions to the moon Indeed, a brief scan of NASA's publicly available transcripts reveals a veritable cornucopia of curse words, with the word 's***' appearing 157 times and various iterations of 'damn' cropping up 60. Many of the declarations come during moments of pressure or excitement, like when the astronauts realize they're reaching their destination: lunar orbit. 'Okay, nothing between now and when acquire. God damn, can you see the moon? We're here,' says Cernan as the astronauts break out into laughter. Other slip-ups appear simply because that's the way the astronauts -- all of which served in the military -- spoke. 'Yes. S***, yes, babe,' says Cernan in one exchange. 'Hey, Let me just ask you a question. Where do you suppose a planet like this comes from? Do you suppose it broke away from the - away from the earth like a lot of people say?' While the language of the crew -- some of which was broadcast to millions of people says the Orlando Sentinel -- was chalked up to 'colorful' by many, but some of the astronaut's audience took exception to their prolific use of profanity. One faith leader, Larry Poland, took it upon himself to write President Richard Nixon about the explicit language reports the Sentinel. 'Ive gotten calls from many people who were astounded that they were broadcasting things like that 240,000 miles from the moon when its the kind of language you would expect to see on the restroom wall,' Poland said in a story published in the Orlando Sentinel on May 28, 1969. 'It was in serious bad taste and indiscreet, I felt.' Astronauts may be known for the ability to keep calm under pressure, but that doesn't mean their language reflects their training The crew's conduct cut both ways, however. Counter protesters in support of Cernan, Young and Stafford, said the language should be forgiven on account of the extreme circumstances. Dr. James Lasater, professor of physics, oceanography and space technology, also spoke to the Sentinel in 1969. 'Ideally, of course, it would have been best if the language had not been used, said Lasater according to the Sentinel. 'But the astronauts deserve non censure for it. They were in an extreme and alien situation that occurred 240,000 miles away from our society of Earth.' Future astronauts, or NASA, may have taken note of that backlash from its expletive laden voyage, as its next mission, Appolo 11, which landed Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin onto the moon, managed to cut the amount of curse words down to just 15 An initiative by the U.S. military looks to develop what one researcher is calling 'Google Earth on steroids' that maps entire landscapes, helping to simulate environments and train soldiers. In a report from National Defense, one researcher working on the project revealed that the system will be granular enough to map the inside of buildings and eventually entire cities which can then be used in simulated training exercises. The military hopes to inform the creation of these realistic simulations, what they call Simulated Training Environments (STE), by building a comprehensive and highly detailed 3D map of locations around the globe -- an initiative dubbed One World Terrain. Scroll down for video. An initiative by the U.S. military looks to develop what one researcher is calling ' Google Earth on steroids' that maps entire landscapes. Simulations could help the U.S. military train soldiers and glean useful data in the field While the project may sound like a developer's nightmare, recent advances in drone technology and databases of satellite imagery have brought the project firmly into reality. Building a city the size of San Francisco would have previously taken an entire year and cost the military more than $1.7 million reports Defense One, but with new tools and information a team was able to reconstruct the city of nearly 900,000 people in about eight hours. National Defense reports that researchers were able to use a mixture of commercially available software and unmanned aerial vehicles to map and recreate one compound in about an hour. 'We were able to throw that UAS up, capture that in an hour, put it on the laptop, process it, and push it out,' Jason Knowles, an army researchers involved in the project, told National Defense. The images taken by drones are then stitched together using artificial intelligence. At one time, the project seemed almost impossible, but recent advances have expedited the amount of work and lowered costs This also means that because researchers have to spend less time actually designing the terrain and other natural environments, they can imbue more detail into other aspects of the simulation -- enough to map out the interior of buildings. How exactly the process of reconstructing a building's interior works, however, is left somewhat vague in a report by National Defense. 'The interior of buildings are now being fused and snapped inside of that 3D model,' Knowles told the outlet, adding that his program has tools that 'strip the outside of a building level by level and see whats inside the building. 'Thats obviously very useful for operators.' As the project advances, Knowles told National Defense that he hopes to make the project 'smart.' Using images from satellites and drones researchers can stitch together environments with the help of machine-learning software For instance, instead of just simulating a wall, ideally the system would be able to simulate the wall's underlying characteristics, like whether or not it could be breached by an explosive, munition, or vehicle. Eventually, the models could even be deployed in the field, say researchers. By sending up a drone to scan an area, soldiers in the field could simulate missions on the spot before they deploy. Though the ability to create systems has steadily advanced, according to National Defense, there's still one major hurdle to bringing the models to life -- storage. Data contained in the simulations are gigabytes in size, meaning transmitting them would require top-tier connectivity. After the first-ever image of a black hole confirmed theories posited by Einstein, it's the late scientist Stephen Hawking's turn to have parts of his life's work vindicated. In a paper published in Nature, scientists say that have verified the scientist's namesake theory, Hawking Radiation, which hypothesized that black holes emit radiation from their surfaces due to a mix of different factors regarding quantum physics and gravity. To verify the theory, scientists at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology turned to what sounds like mad science: creating their own black hole. Scientists hope to one day be able to study the radiation of a black hole, which are currently too far away for instruments to gather data on. As reported by Gizmodo, in the absence of instruments capable of observing radiation around black holes from great distance, researchers turned to an analogue of the using a quantum material called Bose-Einstein condensate. The material -- created by using a laser to trap rubidium atoms -- is similar to a black hole in that it creates a 'point of no return' except instead of consuming light, the matter affects sound. Also like a black hole, sound, as a stand-in for light, has one of two options when encountering the material -- it can move away from or into the material, but once inside it can't escape. The analogue produced exactly what Hawking had predicted. While preliminary evidence of Hawking Radiation had been observed by the same researchers in 2016, their second and most recent experiment was able to confirm an array of characteristics about the radiation. Among the new observations were readings on the black hole analogues thermal spectrum and the wavelengths produced, both of which matched predictions made by Hawking. In a separate effort, scientists were recently able to image a black hole for the first time ever and now may have unlocked another secret about the mysterious phenomenon 'The way I see it, what we saw was that Hawkings calculations were correct, Steinhauer told Gizmodo. Researchers findings also seem to have implications in favor of Hawking's theory regarding the Black Hole Paradox, which questions whether matter that is consumed by a black hole is lost entirely. The paradox pits general relativity against Hawking's discoveries regarding quantum physics. While relativity dictates that energy cannot be destroyed, only transferred, Hawking radiation seems to suggest that it can be eliminated. How to reconcile this paradox remains an ongoing debate among theoretical physicists. As for Hawking Radiation, the recent experiment provides the strongest evidence for its existence ever documented, but still falls short of absolute proof as no one has ever been able to observe the phenomenon in an actual black hole. Researchers say they plan to continue conducting the experiment in hopes of gaining even more insight into how the radiation may change over time until science is able to analyze the real thing. Brazil legend Rivaldo has called on Neymar to re-sign for Barcelona this summer in order to become the best player in the world. The Paris Saint-Germain star left the Nou Camp in 2017 for a world-record fee of 198million. Rivaldo also believes that the 27-year-old will be crucial to Brazil's chances of winning the Copa America. Brazil legend Rivaldo has called on Neymar to re-sign for Barcelona this summer He made his thoughts clear in an Instagram post that featured pictures of Neymar Rivaldo said on his Instagram: 'I believe Brazil will win the Copa America with a certain ease. I do not see any team that can win other than Brazil, especially with the return of Neymar, who for me will be the best player in the competition. 'He will be hungry for the ball and will show what he is capable of doing. Another thing that would have to happen is his return to Barcelona, which would be a great signing for the club mainly for everything that happened at the end of this season. 'He is in my humble opinion the missing player for Barcelona to be champion of the Champions League. 'He has personality and a lot of quality to win back Barcelona and also can be the best in the world.' The Paris Saint-Germain star left the Nou Camp in 2017 for a world-record fee of 198million Reports in Spain are suggesting that Barcelona will offer Philippe Coutinho or Ousmane Dembele as bait in a potential part-swap deal with PSG to bring Neymar back to the Nou Camp. Rivaldo won two league titles whilst he was at Barcelona as well as the Copa del Rey during his five years at the club. Advertisement America has always had a funny relationship with the British: they definitely dont want to be British all the time but they, supposedly secretly, look to our standards, taste and heritage as inspiration for their own. This is very true of The Lowell hotel in New York City which sits, with ankles demurely crossed, between Madison and Park Avenue and has done since 1926. For America, this is a deeply historic building. (For Brits, we have milk in the fridge that has been around longer.) As with many place names in Britain (just to keep out the riff raff) The Lowell is its own shibboleth: its pronounced to rhyme with bowl not owl. The Lowell hotel in New York City, 'which sits, with ankles demurely crossed, between Madison and Park Avenue' No one at the hotel seems to know where the name came from, however. Theres no town or village in Britain of that name and a quick thumb through the archives of Burkes reveals no family with that surname. I suspect some clever young thing in the 1920s picked it as it sounds fairly high-brow and has overtones of British superiority. Its a name that suits it well: a certain level of quality and refinement is anticipated even before arriving. The hotel today has 74 bedrooms - 47 of which are suites - and succeeds in attracting CEOs and their families, celebrities and well-heeled, statesman-like jetsetters. Golden oldie: The Lowell dates back to 1926. For America, this is a deeply historic building Being a nearly 100-year-old, 17-storey New York building, each bedroom is unique in design and shape, many with original wood-burning fireplaces: a cute reminder that not that long ago it was incredibly smart, and a key selling point, for hotels to have a fireplace within the room. (The Ritz in London, opened in 1906, was the first to have them in all bedrooms.) The luxury continues today, with marble-heavy bathrooms with heated floors, lavatory paper wrapped in tissue, Frette bedsheets and orchids decorating the room. There are moments in the bedrooms that need some love and TLC - only two years ago the hotels public spaces had a $25million renovation - and some well-worn areas of the bedrooms, often hidden behind chairs and tasteful objets, could do with some renovating, too. The hotel has 74 bedrooms - 47 of which are suites - and succeeds in attracting CEOs and their families, celebrities and well-heeled, statesman-like jetsetters Charles Masson glides around the Majorelle restaurant (pictured) during service 'like a gastronomic theatre director' Mr Hanson was impressed with the marble-heavy bathrooms, but did find evidence of wear and tear in his bedroom Continuing its love affair with all things British, the hotels Pembroke Room plays host not just to breakfast but also to the ceremony of afternoon tea. Once seated, you are cocooned away from the dirty, rushing streets of the city and presented with silver teapots that have come directly from Garrard & Co in London - silversmiths to the Prince of Wales and designers of five of the eight crowns held at the Tower of London. The Lowell gets the afternoon tea service more correct than many London institutions, but with many nods to American mores and ideas of sophistication (Garrards pretty pots are placed on tea light-lit warmers - and while they keep the pots warm, they also stew the tealeaves inside). Sadly theres no clotted cream on offer - just the similar sounding Devonshire cream. We can forgive the Pembroke Room this as clotted cream is so difficult to export, not to mention expensive. The tea service is complimented by white-jacket coated waiters who will warmly engage you in conversation and backstory about each of the teas, as well as discussing their own experiences of tea shops and hotels during their trips to England. 'Being a nearly 100-year-old, 17-storey New York building,' writes Mr Hanson, 'each bedroom is unique in design and shape, many with original wood-burning fireplaces.' Pictured is the living room in one of the two-bedroom suites The Lowell gets the afternoon tea service more correct than many London institutions, writes Mr Hanson The Lowell is worlds apart from some of the recent hotel openings in New York City, such as Public, claims Mr Hanson Cocoon: The Lowell is perfect for those who crave 'a break from the lunacy of the city' For those for whom tea may be too much, their lunch and dinner offering at the Majorelle restaurant is probably more in line with their desires. Classic French cookery with a Moroccan twist, overseen by Charles Masson, who glides around the restaurant during service like a gastronomic theatre director, overseeing every detail of each tables experience. The vaulted, dramatic setting of the restaurant is decorated by even more dramatic floral displays, each created by Masson, who uses the restaurants closure on a Monday to visit the flower markets to hand-pick whatever will grace his stage for the rest of the week. A job well done as the florals perfectly compliment, but do not upstage, the food: the cheese souffle with veloute is a particular hit. The Lowell is worlds apart from some of the recent hotel openings in New York City, such as Public, but I suspect will have a longer legacy and outlive the newer, faddy accommodations in the city. For those who crave a break from the lunacy of the city and country as a whole, and those who appreciate quality, discreet, subtle service and surroundings, this unparalleled portal to the Upper East Side is for them - and me. Phoebe Waller-Bridge has hit back at critics who claim Fleabag is vulgar - claiming there was not a moment of nudity in the first series. The writer and actor, who is this months British GQ cover star, said the show came under fire for being filthy and sexually exposing,' but added the programme only boasted graphic language - and didnt actually contain nudity. Phoebe, 33, said critics reacted to her show by saying This is the filthiest, most overly exposed, sexually exposing show ever.' Speaking out: Phoebe Waller-Bridge has hit back at critics who claim Fleabag is vulgar - claiming there was not a moment of nudity in the first series She told the publication: They made out like I was naked the whole way through. I was like, There is not a moment of nudity in the series." I just say stuff about my a***hole straight down the barrel. I think that makes people feel so naked, but the language was more naked than the actual performance. Meanwhile, Fiona Shaw praised Killing Eve, also created by Waller-Bridge, for giving her the opportunity to not play plain virtue as a female. Not happy: The writer and actor said the show came under fire for being filthy and sexually exposing,' but added the programme only boasted graphic language - and didnt actually contain nudity The Irish actress, 60, won a TV BAFTA for her role as MI6 boss Carolyn Martens in the hit show, which returns in June. She said: Weve all been brought up on endless boys doing this work, and enjoying them, so its fantastic to have three people who are female running the good and bad of this world. Its a joy not to play plain virtue. Women often play virtue and its very nice to not necessarily be good, and not necessarily be bad. Delighted: Meanwhile, Fiona Shaw praised Killing Eve, also created by Waller-Bridge, for giving her the opportunity to not play plain virtue as a female (Pictured L-R: Shaw, Waller-Bridge and co-star Jodie Comer) 'Except for Villanelle whos very bad, but its a morally ambiguous world. The three women are not tied to a home or to husbands or sons. They are tied to a vision of excitement that life can be for both genders and it is fantastic to have the opportunity to be able to do that. Read all about it: The full interview is available to read in the latest issue of British GQ, out now This show looks at your biggest fears about what women might be. Its about the discomfort of a world where nothings sure. Its a thriller, it is funny but its also disquieting. Ultimately that makes it a very fulfilling event. The second instalment, which has already aired in the US, is written by Emerald Fennell. The writer and actress has starred in Call The Midwife and will be seen on screen this year playing Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall in the third series of The Crown. The second series of Killing Eve sees the return of Jodie Comer, who plays psychotic assassin Villanelle and Sandra Oh, who plays British intelligence agent Eve Polastri. The full interview is available to read in the July issue of British GQ, out Friday 31st May. Kim Kardashian sported a new bob hairdo when she was glimpsed leaving a car in Calabasas this Tuesday. Accentuating her features with makeup, the 38-year-old reality TV bombshell and aspiring lawyer flashed her enviably taut midriff in a simple grey crop top. The proud mother of four, whose youngest son Psalm was born via surrogacy this month, wore sweats covered in writing including the phrase: 'TRUST GOD'. Mover and shaker: Kim Kardashian sported a new bob hairdo when she was glimpsed leaving a car in Calabasas this Tuesday The jogging bottoms were one of Kanye West's custom Yeezy designs, based on the recent evangelical Church Clothes collection that sold like hotcakes at Coachella. Psalm is Kim and her husband Kanye's fourth child overall and their second to be born after surrogacy, after one-year-old daughter Chicago last January. Kim gave birth to the couple's firstborn child, a daughter called North, in 2013 and delivered their son Saint in 2015. Psalm entered the world on May 9 in Los Angeles, with the time of birth being 7:02pm, according to a birth certificate obtained by TMZ. The couple named their new baby Psalm after Kanye drew attention for his Sunday Services, which recently played host to a performance by Sia. Looking fab: Accentuating her features with makeup, the 38-year-old reality TV bombshell and aspiring lawyer flashed her enviably taut midriff in a simple grey crop top Fashion statement: The proud mother of four, whose youngest son Psalm was born via surrogacy this month, wore sweats covered in writing including the phrase: 'TRUST GOD' Ever the enterprising businesswoman, Kim has begun the legal proceedings to copyright her new baby's name, according to a report from TMZ. Kim reported on Twitter recently that 'I was freaking out for nothing because he is the most calm and chill of all of my babies so far and everyone loves him so much.' She has also tweeted that her newest little pride and joy is 'Chicagos twin lol Im sure he will change a lot but now he looks just like her'. Kim recently told Vogue that her plan is to skip law school and go straight to taking the bar exam after completing her current apprenticeship at a legal firm. Family matters: Psalm is Kim and her husband Kanye West's fourth child overall and their second to be born after surrogacy, after one-year-old daughter Chicago last January She made a highly publicized visit to the Trump White House last year as part of a successful effort to secure a pardon for Alice Marie Johnson, a 63-year-old who served more than 21 years of a life sentence for eight counts of drug trafficking. It was this trip that convinced her to pursue law because 'the system could be so different, and I wanted to fight to fix it, and if I knew more, I could do more.' The profession runs in the family - Kim's late father Robert Kardashian was part of the legal team that secured O.J. Simpson's controversial acquittal of double murder. Chris Hemsworth has revealed why he almost pulled out of the 2016 Ghostbusters remake. The Hollywood star, 35, signed on to play clueless receptionist Kevin Beckman in the $150 million production but he was unsure about the significance of the role. 'The night before I was shooting, I almost pulled out. Three or four weeks prior, Paul Feig [the director] said to me, "I'm going to write up the character. Don't worry." And then I got the script and nothing had changed,'' he told Variety this week. Touch decision: Chris Hemsworth has revealed why he almost pulled out of the 2016 Ghostbusters remake. Pictured as clueless receptionist Kevin Beckman in the film Chris' agent, Bryan Lourd, arranged a last-minute meeting with Paul, who explained the overall context of the role and convinced him to go ahead. 'I was really scared walking onto that set,' said the Avengers: Endgame star. 'I had no real plan, so I was just feeding off of them, and I just felt ridiculous. So I used that.' Breaking barriers: Chris starred alongside Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones in the film, which garnered some criticism for its all-female cast Chris starred alongside Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones in the film, which garnered some criticism for its all-female cast. The original Ghostbusters, which premiered in 1984, featured male actors Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson and Harold Ramis. 'This garbage was made to make Feminazis happy,' one Twitter user wrote at the time, summing up much of the sexist backlash. Originals: The original Ghostbusters, which premiered in 1984, featured male actors Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson and Harold Ramis Chris described the sexist response from some members of the public as 'very unfortunate' and 'kind of disappointing'. The Australian actor is currently promoting his latest film, Men in Black: International. He stars alongside his Tessa Thompson in the sci-fi comedy. The character has been featured in two poorly received films and a television series from the 1980s and '90s. On Tuesday, streaming service DC Universe released the first full trailer for its upcoming Swamp Thing series. The plant-based comic book hero is briefly seen, as an mysterious sickness sweeps a small Louisiana town. Disturbing images: On Tuesday, streaming service DC Universe released the first full trailer for its upcoming Swamp Thing series The footage opens on a pale young girl in the middle of class. Her attention wanders as she notices her nose is bleeding, but she collapses shortly after trying to stand up. The action shifts to a medical camp in an unnamed country, where Dr. Abby Arcane (Crystal Reed) is helping the victims of a sickness. 'Atlanta called there's a situation back in the States,' her companion says. 'Where?' she says, before glancing at the file he hands her. 'You're kidding,' she gasps, realizing the situation is in her own hometown of Houma, Louisiana. Mysterious illness: The footage opens on a pale young girl who suffers a nosebleed and collapses in class Cleaning up: Dr. Abby Arcane (Crystal Reed) is called back to the US to investigate a sickness sweep a Louisiana swamp town Back home: 'You're kidding,' she gasps, realizing the situation is in her own hometown of Houma, Louisiana The pair, having arrived back in Louisiana, drive the streets of the city, before the trailer cuts to a rowdy church crowd. The reverend tries to calm his anxious parishioners from the pulpit. 'We don't know what this is yet. The hospital is on it 24/7, and the CDC!' he shouts. As he speaks, we see Abby surveying the quarantine field hospital, where the little girl and other people afflicted with the mysterious illness are being treated. A montage shows her in scrubs as she removes some kind of plant matter that appears to have been removed from the little girl. 'My team is here to find the source of this disease,' she tells the other doctors. Assessing the damage: As a reverend tries to calm his parishioners, Abby visits the field hospital where the afflicted are kept Plant-based? A montage shows her in scrubs as she removes some kind of plant matter that appears to have been removed from the little girl Horror style: Seeking more information, Abby visits a house by the swamp, where she and an accompanying Sheriff's deputy make a grisly discovery Strange death: The find the body of a standing man that's held up by vines that have grown through his mouth and anchored him in place Seeking more information, Abby visits a house by the swamp, where she and an accompanying Sheriff's deputy make a grisly discovery: the body of a standing man that's held up by vines that have grown through his mouth and anchored him in place. The fast-growing plants have also spread throughout the house. 'You saw the body. Dealt with anything like that before?' asks a man outside the house, who identifies himself as Alec Holland (Andy Bean). In voice-over, Abby says that Holland was 'investigating illegal dumping on this swamp,' as we see him set upon by someone in the swamp in the middle of the night. There's an explosion, suggesting something terrible has happened to him. Investigating: 'You saw the body. Dealt with anything like that before?' asks a man outside the house, who identifies himself as Alec Holland (Andy Bean) Taking a stand: Abby says that Holland was 'investigating illegal dumping in this swamp,' just as we seem him ambushed at night Ominous: There's an explosion, suggesting something terrible has happened to him The baddies: The show's antagonists are introduced when Dr. Jason Woodrue (Kevin Durand) vehemently denies that his 'accelerant is responsible' for what is happen in town Next, the show's antagonists are introduced. Dr. Jason Woodrue (Kevin Durand) vehemently denies that his 'accelerant is responsible' for what is happen in town as Avery Sunderland (Will Patton) informs him that the CDC is investigating. Meanwhile, the sickness seems to be intensifying. Abby's partner from the CDC collapses, with flecks of green liquid coming out of his mouth, and a woman wading through the swamp screams, 'You should be dead!' as she pushes Abby under the water. On their tail: Avery Sunderland (Will Patton) informs him that the CDC is investigating Spreading: The sickness accelerates as Abby's partner collapses with a green liquid leaking from his mouth Madness: A woman wading through the swamp screams, 'You should be dead!' as she pushes Abby under the water Worsening: 'There's been a shift in the balance of the light and dark. Something's out there,' says a blind woman, suggesting this is more than a mere chemical spill 'There's been a shift in the balance of the light and dark. Something's out there,' says a blind woman, suggesting this is more than a mere chemical spill. The sickness seems to be zombifying the city's residents, as a dirty, bedraggled woman surprises Abby from her bedside. 'There's all kinds of awful that happens in this swamp,' says Jennifer Beals, who plays the Sheriff. Meanwhile, the Swamp Thing has been spotted, and Woodrue is desperate to capture and study it. The undead? The sickness seems to be zombifying the city's residents, as a dirty, bedraggled woman surprises Abby from her bedside Law enforcement: 'There's all kinds of awful that happens in this swamp,' says Jennifer Beals, who plays the Sheriff Mad scientist: Meanwhile, the Swamp Thing has been spotted, and Woodrue is desperate to capture and study it The trailer ends on a quick montage of gruesome images and rapidly-growing vines that burst through walls and windows. As a suspicious looking man rides a boat through the swamp, we get the first good look at Swamp Thing (Derek Mears) as the green plant-based creature roars to life behind him. Swamp Thing arrives May 31 on the DC Universe streaming service. Jules Robinson looked defiant in Sydney Airport on Tuesday afternoon. The Married At First Sight star held her head high as she landed alongside fiance Cameron Merchant, 36, following a brief trip to the Gold Coast. Their public sighting comes after the 37-year-old salon owner denied claims she has become a 'bridezilla' and is 'clashing' with Cameron over their wedding plans. Married At First Sight's Jules Robinson looked defiant amid rumours she's a 'bridezilla' as she jetted into Sydney Airport with her fiance Cameron Merchant on Tuesday afternoon As the couple traveled down an escalator, Jules placed a firm hand on Cameron's shoulder, suggesting there is no strain between them. They then held hands while walking to the baggage carousel to retrieve their luggage. Wearing a floppy fedora hat with a polka dot dress and Louis Vuitton bag, the flame-haired beauty dressed stylishly for the short flight. Fashion icon: Wearing a floppy fedora hat with a polka dot dress and Louis Vuitton bag, the flame-haired beauty dressed stylishly for the short flight Denied! Their public sighting comes after the 37-year-old salon owner denied claims she has become a 'bridezilla' and is 'clashing' with Cameron over their wedding plans According to NW magazine on Monday, Jules has only 'limited contact' with her former MAFS co-stars because she is trying to launch her own brand. The publication also claimed that she and Cameron have 'clashed over Jules' obsessive micromanagement of their wedding' recently. But Jules later told Daily Mail Australia this couldn't be further from the truth. 'I was with Heidi [Latcham, MAFS co-star] yesterday, we had the best day,' she said, dismissing all the allegations. Not true! According to NW magazine on Monday, Jules has only 'limited contact' with her former MAFS co-stars because she is trying to launch her own brand What drama? But Jules later told Daily Mail Australia this couldn't be further from the truth Last week, Jules took to Instagram to address the 'lies' being spread about her in the press - including claims she is a 'bridezilla trying to profit off her own wedding'. 'The positive love and kindness is what really matters, not the nonsense lies and untrue things said about me or our relationship,' she wrote. 'From the bottom of my heart, thank you to all the lovely people who have taken the time to share your thoughts and feelings and write to me. 'You take the bad with the good in life - and when you weigh it all up the goodness is tenfold.' His successful career in showbiz has spanned four decades and seen him interview some of the world's biggest stars. But Sir Michael Parkinson has announced that he'll be returning to Australia for the final time in 2019 as part of his farewell tour. The 84-year-old's show, An Evening With Sir Michael Parkinson, will see him interviewed on stage by his son, as they take a retrospective look at his rise to fame. One last hurrah: Sir Michael Parkinson has announced that he'll be returning to Australia for the final time in 2019 as part of his farewell tour that will kick off in Perth in October Speaking about his show, Parkinson has said it will be an 'unashamed dip into a warm bath of nostalgia'. In a statement shared by news.com.au this week, the broadcaster said: 'It's a 2-hour entertaining, and at times, emotional romp through my life and career.' 'My life has been an unlikely and remarkably lucky journey from a pit village to the top of those famous stairs,' he added. Much-loved broadcaster: The 84-year-old's show, An Evening With Sir Michael Parkinson, will see him interviewed on stage by his son, as they take a retrospective look at his rise to fame over the last 40 years Parkinson's son, Mike (Michael Junior), will join him on the stage where the pair will discuss his most memorable moments throughout his career in television, while sharing video highlights with the audience. Mike is one of Michael's three children he shares with wife of 60 years Mary. The British star is best known for his talk show Parkinson that aired in the UK between 1971 and 1982, before it was brought back to TV screens in 1998 until 2007. TV veteran: The British star is best known for his talk show Parkinson that aired in the UK between 1971 and 1982, before it was brought back to TV screens in 1998 until 2007, and saw him interview some of the world's biggest stars The show saw him interview a number of Hollywood stars and icons including the likes of Elton John, Sir Paul McCartney, Madonna, Tom Hanks, Olivia Newton-John and Fred Astaire. Parkinson claims that the most remarkable guest he has ever interviewed was the late boxer Muhammad Ali. His farewell tour kicks off in Australia in Perth on 10 October and will head to Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne, before finishing up in Brisbane on 24 October. They're the glamorous sisters who are often referred to as Australia's 'Kardashians'. And after launching an exclusive makeup kit with her siblings, Tammy Hembrow shared a tutorial with fans on how to achieve the perfect eyebrow look. On Wednesday, the 25-year-old took to her Instagram Stories to demonstrate how she styles her eyebrows using the products from the 'Great HemBROWS Basics Kit'. Get brows like the Hembrows! Tammy Hembrow shared an eyebrow tutorial on Wednesday, after releasing a cosmetics range with her sisters Amy and Emilee 'Okay, guys. It is here, I'm so excited! The Great Hembrows basics kit. It was so much fun working with my two big sisters on this,' she said in the video. At first, Tammy used a brow pencil to brush through her eyebrows and define the edges. She then used a precise pencil for defined strokes in the inner corners of her eyebrows. 'Okay, guys. It is here, I'm so excited! The Great Hembrows basics kit. It was so much fun working with my two big sisters on this,' Tammy said in the video Nice and easy! At first, Tammy used a brow pencil to brush through her eyebrows and define the edges To finish things off, Tammy used her favourite gel to brush her eyebrows upwards and give them volume. The Great HemBROWS Basics Kit is for sale at the price of $66 and can be purchased exclusively from Sephora. Collaborating with major beauty brand Benefit, the trio have selected their favourite products in the kit. Just three steps! She then used a precise pencil for defined strokes in the inner corners of her eyebrows Bargain: The Great HemBROWS Basics Kit is for sale at the price of $66 and can be purchased exclusively from Sephora On Tuesday, Tammy shared a picture of the sisters via Instagram while writing in the caption: 'Ahhhh I can't wait to finally share our collab with @benefitaustralia.' 'The Great HemBROWS Basics Kit includes Goof Proof Brow Pencil, Precisely My Brow Pencil & Gimme Brow +. You can get this exclusive kit online now at @sephoraaus,' she added. The Hembrow sisters - who are completed by Starlette and Ava - have been likened to Kourtney, Khloe, Kendall and Kylie Kardashian. The new Kardashians? The Hembrow sisters - who are completed by Starlette and Ava - have been likened to Kourtney, Khloe, Kendall and Kylie Kardashian. The sisters pictured in 2015, including Ava, 13, second from the left Tammy is the daughter of Australian director, screenwriter and musician Mark Hembrow, 64. Amy is the oldest Hembrow and has earned social media fame (over 178,000 follows) thanks in part to her younger sisters Emilee and Tammy. She's the general manager of popular clothing brand Saski Collection and has previously worked as a marketing coordinator and graphic designer. He plays top agent 'H' in the upcoming Men in Black reboot. And Chris Hemsworth was every inch the VIP while attending a photo call for Men in Black: International in Bali, Indonesia on Tuesday. The 35-year-old actor looked dapper in a beige suit paired with a Hawaiian shirt and leather shoes as he posed on a beach in Denpasar at the Pan-Asian Media Summit. Scroll down for video Hollywood heavyweight: Chris Hemsworth looked every inch the VIP while attending a photo call for Men in Black: International in Bali on Tuesday With one hand in his pocket, Chris looked sharp while wedged between two Balinese dancers, who were dressed in traditional Indonesian costumes. He posed against a picturesque beachside backdrop, near a boat with promotional MIB flags fluttering in the air. Chris reunites with his Thor: Ragnarok co-star Tessa Thompson in the Felix Gary Gray-directed MIB film. Traditional: With one hand in his pocket, Chris looked sharp while wedged between two Balinese dancers, who were dressed in traditional Indonesian costumes On tour: Chris is promoting his new movie at the Pan-Asian Media Summit in Denpasar, Bali The original 1997 film starred Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. Chris' reboot is scheduled for release in the U.S. on June 14 and the Australian actor is on the lookout for a plus-one to the New York premiere. He appealed to his fans on Instagram earlier this month, holding a sign that read: 'Be my date to the MIB premiere?' Reboot: Chris (right) plays top agent 'H' in the upcoming Men in Black reboot with his Thor: Ragnarok co-star Tessa Thompson (left) Chris has teamed up with the Australian Childhood Foundation and will accompany a VIP guest to the premiere and its exclusive after-party. 'Care to join me at the Men In Black: International premiere?' he wrote in the caption. 'You'll walk the red carpet, go to the exclusive after-party and more.' Competition: Chris' reboot is scheduled for release in the U.S. on June 14 and the Australian actor is on the lookout for a plus-one to the New York premiere Margot Robbie is one of the brightest stars in Hollywood today. But despite being the toast of Tinseltown, the 28-year-old Australian actress is surprisingly humble and down to earth. From being raised by a single mother on the Gold Coast to her boho wedding in Byron Bay, the Suicide Squad star has never let fame change who she is. The humble life of Margot Robbie: She may be one of Hollywood's brightest stars but this down-to-earth A-lister prefers outback adventures to living it up in LA - and Aussies love her for it. Pictured on January 27, 2019 in California Margot was born in Dalby, Queensland to physiotherapist Sarie Kessler and sugarcane tycoon Doug Robbie. Her parents split shortly after she was born, leaving Sarie as a single mum to Margot and her three siblings. Sarie went on to purchase her first home, a four-bedroom property in Queensland's Southport, in 2007. Flashback: Margot, now 28, is pictured as a toddler with one of her brothers in this photo from her family's personal collection Once Margot found success in Hollywood, she paid off her mother's entire mortgage as a 60th birthday gift in 2014. Sarie said at the time: 'It was an amazing thing [that Margot did] but I don't want to say anything more about it... it was a personal present.' In early 2014, just as Margot's star was rising thanks to her breakout role in The Wolf of Wall Street, she was living in a stuffy London share-house where seven people were squeezed into four bedrooms. Family: Margot was born in Dalby, Queensland to physiotherapist Sarie Kessler (pictured) and sugarcane tycoon Doug Robbie. Pictured on March 3, 2018 in Santa Monica 'It was a personal present': Once Margot found success in Hollywood, she paid off her mother's entire mortgage as a 60th birthday gift in 2014. Pictured: Sarie Kessler's home It was there that she met her husband, English-born filmmaker Tom Ackerley, whom she would later marry in a private, bohemian-themed ceremony in Byron Bay. Instead of immediately upgrading to a fancier house once she found fame, Margot and Tom remained in the humble flat until 2016. Speaking to The Guardian in 2018, she said: 'It was our roommates who told us, "You guys had a wedding. You have to live on your own now." It honestly hadnt occurred to us.' Fun times! Margot (pictured in the 'Oscars Bait' T-shirt) once lived in a stuffy London share-house where seven people were squeezed into four bedrooms Rising star: Margot lived in the flat even after her breakout role in The Wolf of Wall Street, in which she starred alongside Leonardo DiCaprio Despite earning millions in American blockbusters like The Legend of Tarzan and Suicide Squad, Margot is surprisingly frugal. 'Ive never spent money on staying anywhere beautiful and Ive never paid a lot in rent,' she told News.com.au in 2016. 'I dont spend much money at all. It actually makes me really anxious, the idea of it. 'It seems crazy to spend a huge amount of money on things you dont need. Im pretty frugal.' Love story: While living in London, Margot fell in love with her now-husband, Tom Ackerley. Pictured together at the Golden Globe Awards on January 7, 2018 When Margot was called to audition for the action movie Focus alongside Will Smith, she was backpacking across Croatia and staying in hostels. '[Hostels] so much fun and you meet so many people,' she told The Kyle and Jackie O Show in 2015. 'When you stay in a hotel everything's very planned and you only really encounter people you plan on encountering.' Goofy! Margot and Tom enjoy a fun moment on the red carpet at the 2018 Vanity Fair Oscar Party on March 4, 2018 in Beverly Hills In 2014, while filming The Legend of Tarzan in London, Margot thought nothing of escaping to Dublin to stay in a hostel. 'A couple of people were like "Oh, you look like that girl",' she said of being recognised. However, she managed to fly under the radar because most backpackers assumed a global superstar 'wouldn't be staying at a hostel'. Even now, Margot still has her adventurous streak. True blue! Margot is pictured with Australian legend Paul Hogan Adventurous: Earlier this month, she took a trip to Australia's Northern Territory to explore the rugged terrain surrounding Uluru Earlier this month, she took a trip to Australia's Northern Territory to explore the rugged terrain surrounding Uluru. She even took a ride on the world famous Ghan train with her sister Anya, which was reportedly a gift for her sibling's 30th birthday. Margot is currently promoting her latest film, Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. She has a number of other projects on the way after that, including the Harley Quinn standalone film Birds of Prey. Her father Derek tragically passed away two weeks ago at the age of 71. And Lisa Armstrong has shared that she is spending time with her nearest and dearest as she shared a snap showing her smiling alongside her mum Linda and another relative on Instagram on Tuesday. The make-up artist, 42, looked relaxed and happy as she stood at the forefront of the capture modelling a visage of expertly applied cosmetics and flashing her teeth. Family time: Lisa Armstrong, 42, shared a snap that shows her smiling alongside her mum and another relative, following the death of her father two- weeks ago, on Instagram on Tuesday Ant McPartlin's ex-wife slicked her blonde tresses back with a middle parting and adorned her ears with gold hooped earrings in the image she captioned: '#familytime x.' She appeared to be sporting a silky khaki blouse and an elegant gold chain dangled down her chest. Behind her, Lisa's mother huddled up to her and placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders. Another female family member beamed behind a pair of mirrored sunglasses at the back of the shot. Tragedy: The beauty, who split from Ant last year, was said to have kept her late dad's illness a secret for a year Lisa Armstrong's father, Derek, died following a battle with cancer, according to reports. The beauty, who split from Ant last year, was said to have kept her late dad's illness a secret for a year. The Strictly Come Dancing make-up artist was reportedly at Derek's bedside at her family home, in Oxford with her mum Linda, according to The Sun. Derek was said to have been given the cancer diagnosis a year ago and his health has deteriorated in recent months. In weeks prior to his passing, Lisa's dad was discharged from hospital to die at home peacefully, the newspaper reported. The cosmetics guru was said to be visiting her dad often at the Oxford family home. MailOnline reached out to Lisa Armstrong's representative at the time for further comment. Emotional time: The Strictly Come Dancing make-up artist was reportedly at her father, Derek's bedside at her family home, in Oxford, with her mum Linda when he passed away Lisa's dad was last seen accompanying his daughter on a beach during a break away in Los Angeles in July 2018. This comes after Lisa went her separate ways for good from her husband of 12 years. She was granted a divorce from the Britain's Got Talent presenter during a 30-second hearing at the Central Family Court in October last year. The I'm a Celeb host and his teenage sweetheart had been together for 23 years; they were married in 2006 but announced their split in January last year. The former flames first met in Newcastle in 1994 before they went onto exchange vows at a stunning country house in Buckinghamshire, in 2006. Since the split, Ant has mended his heartache as he has embarked on a relationship with mother-of-two Anne-Marie Corbett, 42. Reality stars have two choices once their time on TV ends. They can either return to their regular day jobs or they can desperately try and extend their 15 minutes of fame. From tree surgeon to tradie, Daily Mail Australia looks at the familiar faces who have happily chosen the first option - as some of their fame-hungry co-stars struggle. Revealed: The Australian reality TV stars who DID return to their day jobs. Pictured: The Bachelor's Emily Dibden, who works as a tree surgeon in Canberra Former dancer Emily Dibden is best known for appearing on Nick Cummins' season of The Bachelor last year. However, Canberra locals will mostly recognise her for removing and pruning trees in the area. With 11,000 Instagram followers to please, the Treetops Tree Services employee nonetheless likes to pose for the occasional selfie on the job. Back to reality! With 11,000 Instagram followers to please, Emily still likes to pose for the occasional selfie on the job Flying high! Emily's co-star, Kayla Gray, is now meeting fans daily while flying around the country as a Tigerair flight attendant Emily's co-star, Kayla Gray, is now meeting fans daily while flying around the country. The brunette was back working as a Tigerair flight attendant immediately after filming the reality show in mid 2018. Kayla's boyfriend Mick Gould is also a particularly hard worker. After rising to fame on Married At First Sight, the hobby farmer divides his time between working as a plasterer and tending to his animals. Rolling his sleeves up! Married At First Sight's Mick Gould (pictured) is once again dividing his time between plastering walls and tending to animals on his hobby farm in Gympie Humble! Former MAFS stars Telv Williams (right) and Nick Furphy (left) are happily earning an honest living as tradesmen in Melbourne these days Manual labour is a popular sector for many former reality TV stars. Married At First Sight alumni from the past three seasons have all happily returned to their jobs as tradesmen since appearing on the show. Season six's Nic Jovanovic and Sam Ball both stepped back onto construction sites across Sydney and Newcastle in recent months. Telv Williams and Nick Furphy, who starred on the show's fifth and fourth season, currently work alongside each other in Melbourne. Back to it! Nic Jovanovic (pictured), who appeared on this year's season of MAFS, works on a construction site in Newcastle, NSW No stopping him! Love Island winner Grant Crapp (pictured) has purchased two properties in the past year since picking up his tools as an electrician again Grant Crapp, who won the first season of Love Island Australia last year, is employed as an electrician once again. Proving being a sparky can be just as profitable as being a celebrity, the 23-year-old recently purchased his second home in Malua Bay, NSW. Meanwhile, 2018 Bachelor star Alisha Aitken-Radburn jumped right back into her old career after being given the flick by Nick Cummins. On the campaign trail! Bachelor star Alisha Aitken-Radburn jumped right back into her old career in politics after being given the flick by Nick Cummins The Labor Party staffer has been campaigning hard in recent months, promoting the political party while fans watched her journey on Bachelor in Paradise. Having previously worked as an 'advancer' for Bill Shorten, her official title nowadays is Director of Events and Fundraising at NSW Labor. And last but not least, Married At First Sight's Ning Surasiang is proudly back in her JustCuts uniform as a shopping centre hairdresser in Townsville. Working girl: Married At First Sight's Ning Surasiang is proudly back in her JustCuts uniform as a shopping centre hairdresser in Townsville On Monday, Apollo Jackson admitted to booking just two paid gigs as a magician in 2019, adding that he's so broke he can't pay his phone bill or go to the dentist. The former Bachelorette star, whose real name is Jake Spence, explained that he can hardly sleep at night due to a toothache but can't afford to see a specialist. 'Everything I've worked on has been a failure,' he wrote in a candid Instagram post exposing the dark side of reality TV fame. The dark side of fame: On Monday, Apollo Jackson admitted to booking just two paid gigs as a magician in 2019, adding that he's so broke he can't pay his phone bill or go to the dentist Former WAG Abby Gilmore is no stranger to sharing intimate details of her family life on social media. But the 26-year-old 'mummy blogger' revealed more than she bargained for on Tuesday when she uploaded a photo of herself naked in the shower. The picture showed Abby cradling her newborn son Mason, but the unfortunate placement of the child's foot made it look like she'd exposed her nipple. Did you spot it? Former WAG Abby Gilmore revealed more than she bargained for while posing naked in the shower with her newborn son Mason on Tuesday Abby actually addressed the optical illusion in the caption, after several of her followers wondered if she'd suffered a nip slip. 'Hahaha I zoomed. Not gonna lie!' one fan wrote, before another commented: 'Lol I had to look twice!' In response, Abby updated the photo's caption to include the humourous postscript: 'Thats his foot, not a nipple'. 'That's his foot, not a nipple!' The picture showed Abby cradling Mason, but the unfortunate placement of the child's foot made it look like she'd exposed her nipple Putting it out there! Abby is no stranger to sharing intimate details of her family life on social media, having recently shared this post about her changing breast size Indeed, upon closer inspection, the exposed 'nipple' is actually little Mason's heel poking out from behind his body. Earlier in her caption, Abby addressed how her life has changed just two weeks after welcoming her third child. 'Its amazing what one little boy can do. Youve made me relax. Youve made me feel content. Youve made me enjoy this time again and most importantly, youve made my heart feel so complete little man,' she wrote. Break-up: Abby split from childhood sweetheart Jake Stringer in acrimonious circumstances in 2016. Pictured during a Western Bulldogs training session in Melbourne in 2016 'Luckiest Mummy to have my three beautiful kids who share the strongest connection already,' she concluded. Mason is the first baby for Abby and her boyfriend Leighroy Wellington. She shares two older children, Arlo and Milla, with her ex-partner Jake Stringer. She split with Jake, an AFL player signed with Essendon, in mid 2016. Since their break-up, Abby has made a living as an Instagram influencer and by running self-improvement workshops for women. Married At First Sight star Jules Robinson has hit back at a fan for questioning whether she and her fiance Cameron Merchant 'ever work'. The reality star was targeted after sharing a selfie with Cameron to Instagram on Sunday, which showed the pair soaking up the sunshine on the Gold Coast. In a sassy comeback, Jules pointed out that the reason the couple were in Queensland in the first place was actually for a job and they later decided to extend their stay. 'Do they ever work?' Married At First Sight's Jules Robinson hit back at an Instagram troll earlier this week for claiming that she and fiance Cameron 'can't hold down jobs' The couple, who fell in love on season six of MAFS, enjoyed an impromptu weekend on the Gold Coast to make the most of the warmer weather. Jules shared a sweet snap of the pair cuddling up together, but her selfie sparked criticism from one person who asked how the couple earn their keep. Seemingly fed up with seeing Jules and Cameron on vacation, they wrote: 'Do they hold down jobs or ever work? Bizarre.' Defending herself: Their dig didn't go unnoticed by Jules who was quick to hit back and explain she and Cam had been in the Gold Coast for work, but chose to make the most of their time away by extending their trip Their dig didn't go unnoticed by Jules, who was quick to explain she and Cameron had actually been in the Gold Coast for work, but chose to make the most of their time away. She replied: 'Of course we [work]. 'We were meant to fly in and out to GC in one day for [an] event, but decided to have a 48-hour getaway tied in. Was so warm and sunny.' 'Thank you for the old fashioned romance': Alongside her selfie, Jules shared a snap of the beach where 'love u Jules' had been written inside a love heart in the sand by Cam Alongside her selfie, Jules shared a snap of the beach where 'love u Jules' had been written inside a love heart in the sand by Cam. She captioned the arty shot: 'Love is deaf. You can't just tell someone you love them. You have to show it. Well in this case write it. 'Thank you for the old fashioned romance hubby / fiance #alwaysfun #romance #cute #love #goldcoast #solucky #bestfriend.' 'Appreciate all the magic that happens': Meanwhile, Cameron told his Instagram followers that he and Jules had wanted to 'take some time out' together during their weekend away Meanwhile, Cameron told his Instagram followers that he and Jules had wanted to 'take some time out' together during their weekend away. He shared a photo of the pair and wrote: 'Sometimes we all just need to take some time out, really be present and appreciate all the magic that happens around us! 'Thats exactly what we did for 48 hours and I couldnt be more thankful for it!' 'Nonsense, lies and untrue': Jules was recently forced to address claims she has turned into a 'bridezilla' and has been 'clashing' with Cameron over their wedding plans Jules was recently forced to address claims she has turned into a 'bridezilla' and has been 'clashing' with Cameron over their wedding plans. 'The positive love and kindness is what really matters, not the nonsense lies and untrue things said about me or our relationship,' she wrote on Instagram in response to various news reports. 'From the bottom of my heart, thank you to all the lovely people who have taken the time to share your thoughts and feelings and write to me. 'You take the bad with the good in life - and when you weigh it all up the goodness is tenfold.' Cameron proposed to Jules during their final commitment ceremony on Married At First Sight and the couple celebrated their engagement at a lavish party in April. Iggy Azalea's topless modelling photos from 2016 were leaked without her permission over the weekend. And the photographer responsible for the images, some of which featured in a GQ magazine feature at the time, has now broken his silence on the scandal. 'I'm outraged and saddened to find out that images of mine were stolen and published without my permission,' Nino Munoz said in a statement. 'I'm outraged and saddened': Iggy Azalea's photographer Nino Munoz (right) has broken his silence after his topless photos of the Australian rapper were 'stolen' and leaked online Nino continued: 'There is currently an investigation underway. Posting these stolen images is illegal and anyone who has done so will be prosecuted. 'I empathise with any discomfort that this situation has caused to anyone that is involved.' In a follow-up statement, he added: 'My heart goes out to anyone this situation has affected. I'm utterly outraged and will not rest until justice is served.' Speaking out: 'I'm outraged and saddened to find out that images of mine were stolen and published without my permission,' the Chilean-Canadian photographer said in a statement It comes after Iggy deactivated her Twitter and Instagram accounts on Monday, just hours after unpublished 'outtakes' from her 2016 GQ magazine photo shoot were circulated online. The leaked images, which were taken by Nino but not intended for publication, show Iggy posing with her breasts exposed in nothing but a pair of white pajama shorts. Iggy addressed the leak on Twitter before deleting her account. 'I feel violated': It comes after Iggy was left 'blindsided' when topless photos she took for her plastic surgeon Dr Ashkan Ghavami in 2016 were leaked online over the weekend She wrote: 'A lot of high profile women have shot covers for GQ with a strategically placed hand, etc., covering their breasts etc. I always felt they were very beautiful covers, so I jumped at the opportunity. 'I hadn't seen other women's covers leak so I felt comfortable (on a closed set) to model for such a reputable magazine knowing only the images with my hands covering [my breasts] would be considered for print.' Iggy added that she 'never consented' to having her topless photos released, explaining that 'it was my understanding... GQ do not print topless pictures.' Vanished: Iggy's Twitter and Instagram accounts were deactivated on Monday, just hours after unpublished 'outtakes' from a 2016 GQ magazine photo shoot were circulated online Full statement: Iggy addressed the leak on Twitter on Monday before deleting her account She continued: 'There was no reason for anyone to have kept the outtakes from the shoot. I'm surprised and angry that they were not immediately deleted after the final images were selected. 'Today I am a ball of negative emotions. I feel blindsided, embarrassed, violated, angry, sad, and a million other things. Not solely because I did not consent to this but also because of the vile way people have reacted.' She went on to criticise trolls for making vulgar comments in response to the topless photo leak, saying that reading them made her feel physically ill. Deleted: Iggy concluded her statement by saying she planned to take a break from social media to escape the negativity Iggy concluded her statement by saying she planned to take a break from social media to escape the negativity. Censored images from Iggy's 2016 photo shoot are still available on GQ's website, along with a story explaining how the topless photos were not intended for publication but were a 'birthday gift' for her plastic surgeon Dr Ashkan Ghavami. Dr Ghavami had performed Iggy's breast augmentation a year before the photos were taken, and the musician has praised his work in the past. GQ Australia editor Michael Christensen said in a statement: 'We were very disappointed to learn that outtakes from a 2016 photo shoot which were not approved or intended for publication appear to have been stolen from the photographer. 'We understand an investigation is underway and join the condemnation of the publication of these images.' Context: Censored images from Iggy's 2016 photo shoot are still available on GQ's website, along with a story explaining how the topless photos were not intended for publication but were a 'birthday gift' for her plastic surgeon Dr Ashkan Ghavami Meanwhile, it's not the first time Iggy has quit social media without warning. Back in 2015, she deactivated her Instagram and Twitter accounts after she was body-shamed by trolls while on holiday. 'I don't care about being relevant. I just want to live my life,' she said at the time. 'That's just human decency and if it's hard for you to understand then you have a warped sense of reality.' Suzi Taylor has been pictured for the first time since her 'three-day party bender' with troubled NRL legend Greg Inglis made headlines over the weekend. The Block star, who insists nothing untoward happened with Inglis during their time together, was seen smiling on the balcony of her Sydney apartment on Tuesday. Wearing a skintight white dress, the 47-year-old former Penthouse model chatted on the phone and didn't appear to have a care in the world. There she is! Suzi Taylor has been pictured for the first time since her 'three-day party bender' with troubled NRL legend Greg Inglis made headlines over the weekend Suzi, who has three children from a previous relationship, completed her glamorous look with a pair of nude heels and styled her long, black hair loosely. The TV personality also accentuated her age-defying complexion with a swipe of mascara and a subtle peach-hued blush. At one stage, the '90s pin-up burst into laughter after hearing something particularly funny during her lively phone conversation. All smiles! The Block star, who insists nothing untoward happened with Inglis during their time together, was seen smiling on the balcony of her Sydney apartment on Tuesday Later, she leaned over her glass balcony while gazing thoughtfully into the distance. Suzi may well have been pondering this weekend's headlines, which saw her embroiled in NRL star Greg Inglis' recent partying scandal. The sportsman disappeared during the Magic Round last Friday, leaving his girlfriend Alyse Caccamo, family and South Sydney Rabbitohs officials desperately searching for him. Something on your mind? Later, Suzi leaned over her glass balcony while gazing thoughtfully into the distance Primped to perfection! Suzi, who has three children from a previous relationship, completed her glamorous look with a pair of nude heels and styled her long, black hair loosely The rugby league great had travelled from Sydney to Brisbane on the Thursday as a Rabbitohs club ambassador but vanished for three days. He later resurfaced at a luxury riverside mansion alongside Suzi and two other friends on Saturday night, according to The Sunday Mail. In the aftermath of the scandal, Suzi said she was not 'mentally' ready to speak about what happened, but a friend released a statement on her behalf over the weekend. Via the friend, Suzi denied anything untoward happened between her and Inglis and said she was 'devastated' by some of the suggestions being made. Striking: The TV personality also accentuated her age-defying complexion with a swipe of mascara and a subtle peach-hued blush Deep in thought: Suzi may well have been pondering this weekend's headlines, which saw her embroiled in NRL star Greg Inglis' recent partying scandal Not ready: In the aftermath of the scandal, Suzi said she was not 'mentally' ready to speak about what happened, but a friend released a statement on her behalf Suzi's friend, who spoke to the Gold Coast Bulletin on condition of anonymity, said: 'It was not a random meeting in a pub. She gave [Inglis] a safe place to stay and made sure all his family and loved ones had a contact for him - and that he was in a safe environment away from the spotlight and external pressures.' 'The relationship between Suzi and Greg is purely platonic, nothing more. Suzi would help anyone in need of helping,' they added. The friend also emphasised that Suzi and Inglis had met four years prior at an NAIDOC Day event. Vanished: Greg Inglis (pictured) was set to appear as a South Sydney Rabbitohs ambassador at the NRL's Magic Round in Brisbane earlier this month, before he disappeared She spent two weeks prancing on red carpets and making appearances at swanky parties during the Cannes Film Festival followed by the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix in Monaco. And just days later, Bella Hadid's jet-setting ways have taken her to London, where she's back in front of the camera for a photoshoot. The 5ft 9in model gave a glimpse of one of her edgier looks in her latest Instagram snap on Tuesday, as she dressed in a revealing all-black ensemble with the caption, 'Send me to the future.' Lady in black: Bella Hadid showed OFF her edgy side in a revealing all-black ensemble for a photoshoot in Londonon Tuesday The 22-year-old beauty looked almost unrecognizable in a black wig and dark sunglasses as she struck a sassy but confident look inside a studio. She showcased her toned physique in a short leather mini-skirt and matching cropped bustier. For added flair, Hadid wore patterned stockings that fell short of the skirt, black heels and a loose-fitting black jacket that appeared to have a hood pulled over the back part of her head. Showing her skills: Hadid also shared a quick video clip on her Instagram Story showing her rolling her sexy stockings up her leg with the London sky in the background Shadowy figure: Her edgy outfit consisted of a short mini-skirt, cropped bustier, patterned stockings, heels and a long black hooded jacket The sister of model Gigi Hadid also shared a quick video clip on her Instagram Story showing her rolling her sexy stockings up her leg with the London sky in the background. Her latest shoot comes after she lent her face and name to several brands while in the South of France for the 72nd Cannes Film Festival and the star-studded Monaco Grand Prix. Her schedule included attending an elegant dinner hosted by Swiss luxury company, TAG Heuer, where she was among the high-profile people to model the company's Monaco 1969-1979 Limited Edition watch. She was also spotted living her good life sipping champagne on a yacht with the likes of top model Kendall Jenner and her momager Kris Jenner. Bringing the goods: Hadid lent her face and name to the Swiss company Tag Heuer during the star-studded Monaco Grand Prix last weekend Wheels has quickly become the hottest E-Bike craze especially in the celebrity world. So no doubt two of Atlanta's biggest stars had to take part in the launch of the micro mobility company in the southern city last week. Musical artists Monica Brown and Jermaine Dupri took the first inaugural rides for the launch of Wheels in Atlanta, Georgia. Drippin': Musical artists Monica Brown (left) and Jermaine Dupri took the first inaugural rides for the launch of Wheels in Atlanta, Georgia last week The 38-year-old The Boy Is Mine hitmaker and 46-year-old Welcome To Atlanta rapper are two of the most respected artists in the historic Southern city. Monica oozed of sex appeal as she confidently posed atop the electric rideshare bike wearing a grey top and flared multicolored patterned trousers. She accessorized with designer shades featuring rose-tinted lenses and a swipe ruby red lipstick as her signature pixie cut was combed to the side. Chart topping: The 38-year-old Boy Is Mine hitmaker oozed of sex appeal as she confidently posed atop the electric rideshare bike wearing a grey top and flared multicolored patterned trousers Vibes: She accessorized with designer shades featuring rose-tinted lenses and a swipe ruby red lipstick as her signature pixie cut was combed to the side Family affair: No doubt the two-wheeler is designed for family fun as Monica proudly shared photos of her children - 11-year-old son Romelo Montez Hill, and five-year-old daughter Laiyah Shannon Brown - having a blast while riding the Wheels vehicle No doubt the two-wheeler is designed for family fun as Monica proudly shared photos of her three children - 14-year-old son Rodney Ramone Hill III, 11-year-old son Romelo Montez Hill, and five-year-old daughter Laiyah Shannon Brown- having a blast while riding the Wheels vehicle. Jermaine dripped in gold including bracelet, aviator shades, and iPhone as he looked as cool as ever while posing on the battery powered two-wheeler. Bonding time: The siblings shared a laugh while posing on the E-bike Moving forward: Romelo seemed to enjoy the two-wheeler which is free to unlock via the Wheels app and only cost 25 cents per minute of use Fun for the whole family: Her 14-year-old son Rodney Ramone Hill III also posed up with his younger sister Wheels is a Los Angeles-based micromobility company which has chosen Atlanta for it's third market after successful launches in LA and San Diego. As the scooter market has been flooded in the Georgia capital, no doubt Wheels will become a viable alternative as company CEO Josh Viner said in a statement that their E-boles are designed to be 'a safer device that appeals to a significantly broader demographic with a much better operational model.' According to Curbed Atlanta, 1,000 bikes will be offered in the city. Chill: Jermaine, 46, dripped in gold including bracelet, aviator shades, and iPhone as he looked as cool as ever while posing on the battery powered two-wheeler The two-wheeled E-bikes are free to unlock via the Wheels app and only cost 25 cents per minute of use. The Atlanta launch follows the company's successful Los Angeles launch, where Wheels threw a party that included guests like Kelly Osbourne, Drew Taggart and Alex Pall (of The Chainsmokers), Nicole Scherzinger, Larsa Pippen, Delilah Belle Hamlin, Jessica Szohr, James Kennedy, Logan Paul, and King Bach. Wheels - which launched in January - is an app-based ridesharing service centered around E-bikes which boasts safety, comfortability, reliability and sustainability. She's the stunning blonde actress known for her elegance. And Rachael Taylor looked simply sensational when she stepped out in a glitzy black ensemble at the Jessica Jones season three premiere on Tuesday. Flaunting her incredible figure and endless pins, the 34-year-old opted for a glamorous leopard-print dress for the occasion, which was held at ArcLight Cinemas in Los Angeles. Wild thing! Actress Rachael Taylor (pictured) looked simply sensational in this glitzy black leopard-print dress as she attends the Jessica Jones premier in LA Featuring a subtle collar, lace detailing at the bust and a glimmering skirt, Rachael had all eyes on her in the quirky number at the event. She teamed the ensemble with a pair of sky-high black pumps. Keeping her makeup look fresh and dewy, Rachael opted for neutral tones consisting of bronze eye shadow, defined eyebrows and a pop of nude lipstick. The stunner styled her silky blonde tresses straight, with the front strands tucked behind her ears to reveal a pair of dainty silver earrings. Hot! Featuring a subtle collar, lace detailing at the bust and a glimmering skirt, Rachael had all eyes on her in the quirky number at the event. Pictured with Krysten Ritter (R) Rachael portrays Trish Walker on Jessica Jones - who is a former teen actress on the show that was raped by a director when she was 15. The character faced her sexual abuser in the second season. Rachael's success in her acting career comes after a turbulent time in her personal life, due to her former relationship with Australian Underbelly actor Matt Newton. Their romance ended in 2010 following 'two violent and unprovoked' attacks in Rome after he proposed to her. Court documents revealed at the time that Rachael was allegedly left with injuries consistent with having her head 'bashed against the floor and walls', which prompted her to take out an AVO. Visage: Keeping her makeup look fresh and dewy, Rachael opted for neutral tones consisting of bronze eye shadow, defined eyebrows and a pop of nude lipstick Speaking to The Australian Women's Weekly in 2014, Rachael confessed she felt 'ashamed' and 'stupid' after being abused. 'I was a victim of domestic violence. I don't think any woman thinks that they will become an addition to these statistics,' she wrote in a first-person essay. 'At first, my reasons for keeping my experience of domestic violence to myself were very simple. I felt ashamed. I felt stupid. I felt very sad. 'And there was another reason. Domestic violence is not very nice to talk about. Not for the survivor of it, nor the community at large.' She announced her pregnancy at the Oscars in February. And Krysten Ritter, 37, showed off her burgeoning baby bump at a screening for Jessica Jones season three at the ArcLight movie theater in Hollywood on Tuesday. The Netflix series was cancelled back in February, along with the streaming service's other Marvel shows. Glowing: Krysten Ritter, 37, showed off her burgeoning baby bump at a screening for Jessica Jones season three at the ArcLight movie theater in Hollywood on Tuesday Krysten looked radiant at the event as she donned scarlet Rodarte x Universal Standard dress that clung to her burgeoning baby bump. The flirty frock featured ruched detailing across the bodice and arms that added an extra element to the look. The 5ft 9in beauty added to her model height by donning a matching pair of shimmering Stella Luna heels. Krysten finished off the look by donning a slick of scarlet lipstick and let her raven tresses cascade over her shoulder in soft waves, framing her silverblue earrings. All-smiles: Krysten seemed in good spirits at the screening after the Netflix series was cancelled back in February, along with the streaming service's other Marvel shows Timeless: Krysten looked radiant at the event as she donned scarlet dress that clung to her burgeoning baby bump Sassy in scarlet: The flirty frock featured ruched detailing across the bodice and arms that added an extra element to the look Krysten stars as the eponymous Jessica Jones in the series, a former superhero with incredible strength who starts a detective agency specializing in cases involving people with similarly astounding abilities. The series was one of the best reviewed of Netflix's Marvel series, which also included Daredevil, Luke Cage, Iron Fist and The Punisher, but they were all canceled in short succession. Netflix rarely releases viewership numbers, so it wasn't possible to know how many people viewed the series. All about the accessories: The 5ft 9in beauty added to her model height by donning a matching pair of shimmering red heels Finishing touches: Krysten finished off the look by donning a slick of scarlet lipstick and let her raven tresses cascade over her shoulder in soft waves, framing her silverblue earrings. However, Netflix has been cutting off shows produced by outside companies in recent years to focus on productions that originated with the streaming service in order to cut down on costs. It has also fallen into a pattern of canceling many of its shows, even seemingly popular ones, after their third seasons, when many actors and creative talents would renegotiate their contracts for more generous salaries. Despite the fact that season three will be the end of the series, Krysten was beaming ahead of its June 14 Netflix premiere. The boss: Krysten stars as Jessica Jones' eponymous subject, a former superhero with incredible strength who starts a detective agency specializing in cases involving people with similarly astounding abilities Krysten was joined by her partner, Adam Granduciel, guitarist and vocalist for the acclaimed indie rock band The War on Drugs. The two began their relationship in 2014. He stuck to a casual outfit to let his girlfriend shine, opting for a gray T-shirt and black blazer with dark jeans and black boots. Melissa Rosenberg, who created and executive produced Jessica Jones, looked elegant in a low-cut cream-colored dress adorned with dark cherry stem designs. Loving couple: Krysten was joined by her partner, Adam Granduciel, guitarist and vocalist for the acclaimed indie rock band The War on Drugs. The two began their relationship in 2014 The brains: Melissa Rosenberg, who created and executive produced Jessica Jones, looked elegant in a low-cut cream-colored dress adorned with dark cherry stem designs Back in black: Australian actress Rachael Taylor, who portrayed Trish Walker on the series, showed off an alluring black outfit. Pictured with Ritter and Carrie-Anne Moss [R] Australian actress Rachael Taylor, who portrayed Trish Walker on the series, showed off an alluring black outfit. The short sheer dress featured leopard print patterns and a plunging lace front. The Matrix star Carrie-Anne Moss kept things simple with a plunging black blouse and baggy black slacks. She lightened things up with a striking gold clutch. Fierce: The short sheer dress featured leopard print patterns and a plunging lace front. Her dirty blonde locks were parted down the middle and fell down pin straight over her shoulders Action master: The Matrix star Carrie-Anne Moss kept things simple with a plunging black blouse and baggy black slacks Sarita Choudhury, best known for leading Mississippi Masala opposite Denzel Washington, showed off a gorgeous smile as she arrived in a lovely woven gray dress featuring large flower patterns. Jeremy Bobb, who recently played a recurring character on Netflix's Russian Doll, looked dapper in a summery bluegray linen suit with a straw hat and festive floral print tie. Actress Aneesh Seth was unmissable in her gorgeous golden dress, which she paired with a fun set of pink heels. Stunning: Sarita Choudhury, best known for leading Mississippi Masala opposite Denzel Washington, showed off a gorgeous smile as she arrived in a lovely woven gray dress featuring large flower patterns Dapper: Jeremy Bobb, who recently played a recurring character on Netflix's Russian Doll, wore a summery bluegray linen suit with a straw hat and festive floral print tie Stunning: Actress Aneesh Seth was unmissable in her gorgeous golden dress, which she paired with a fun set of pink heels Classic: Actress Jessica Frances Dukes showed off her classic style in a black dress with a ruffled skirt Alluring: Tiffany Mack wore a gorgeous sheer black dress that draped down to the ground Cast: [L-R] Eka Darvile, Rachael Taylor, Ritter, Melissa Rosenberg and Carrie-Anne Moss Rooney Mara was spotted doing some shopping in Los Angeles on Friday, rocking a new ring that is sparking engagement rumors with longtime beau Joaquin Phoenix. The 34 year old actress was spotted coming out of Erewhon Market in Los Angeles, with a huge diamond ring on the ring finger of her left hand. Neither Mara nor Phoenix, 44, have publicly announced their engagement, but it's possible that some sort of announcement may be imminent. Engagement rumors: Rooney Mara was spotted doing some shopping in Los Angeles on Friday, rocking a new ring that is sparking engagement rumors with longtime beau Joaquin Phoenix New rock: The 34 year old actress was spotted coming out of Erewhon Market in Los Angeles, with a huge diamond ring on the ring finger of her left hand Mara and Phoenix first met while filming the 2013 film Her, where she played Catherine, the childhood sweetheart of Phoenix's character, Theodore Twombly. At the time, Mara had been in a long-term relationship with director Charlie McDowell, but they split up in 2016. Mara and Phoenix were first linked together in late 2016, when they were filming Mary Magdalene, and they have been together ever since. First met: Mara and Phoenix first met while filming the 2013 film Her, where she played Catherine, the childhood sweetheart of Phoenix's character, Theodore Twombly The new couple were spotted leaving a detox spa just after reports of their romance first broke and it wasn't long until they were on the red carpet together. The couple made their red carpet debut at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, where Phoenix won the Best Actor award for his performance in You Were Never Really Here. Mara then revealed in a September 2017 interview with T Magazine that she has been living with Phoenix in the Hollywood Hills. Happy couple: The new couple were spotted leaving a detox spa just after reports of their romance first broke and it wasn't long until they were on the red carpet together Since neither Mara nor Phoenix are on social media, neither have commented publicly about the engagement rumors. Both Mara and Phoenix's representatives refused to comment on the rumors, though, according to People. While Mara was spotted out getting groceries on Friday, Phoenix was spotted lighting up a cigarette after a gym session. Smoke time: While Mara was spotted out getting groceries on Friday, Phoenix was spotted lighting up a cigarette after a gym session Mara is getting ready to shoot A House in the Sky, a biopic about a young journalist who was captured and held in captivity for more than a year in Somalia. Phoenix has the highly-anticipated superhero movie The Joker, which is slated to hit theaters on October 4. He is also set to star in Far Bright Star, which will reunite him with his I'm Not Here director Casey Affleck. She found overnight fame as one of the original TOWIE cast members. And now, Amy Childs has revealed that she is set to become a private midwife, embarking on a midwifery course next month after opening up about her love of interacting with other mums and branding herself 'the Queen of a baby empire.' The mother-of-two, 28 - who spoke exclusively to MailOnline at The Baby Show Birmingham with her brands OBaby and Roma earlier this month - also insisted that, despite considering expanding her family, she is 'definitely not' going to have a third child. EXCLUSIVE: Amy Childs, 28, has revealed that she is set to become a private midwife as she embarks on a midwifery course next month and brands herself 'the Queen of a baby empire Gushing about her career change, Amy told MailOnline: 'Next month I'm gonna do a private midwife course. I'm so into all the mummy things. I just love it.' The reality star admitted that becoming a midwife hasn't always been something she's wanted to do, but her desire to pursue the vocation and guide women through motherhood developed after having children of her own. Amy, who has used private midwives in the past, revealed: 'No, it isn't [something I've always wanted to do]. It's since I've had the children it's got me thinking. I love talking to mums, I love interacting with mums. 'I've got a mummyways page which is about everything, and the interaction I get on it is unbelievable. Last night I got 700 messages, people asking my advice, what I would do. Two is the magic number: The mother-of-two also insisted that, despite considering expanding her family, she is 'definitely not' going to have a third child Queen Amy: Amy branded herself 'the queen of a baby empire' as she spoke exclusively to MailOnline at The Baby Show Birmingham with her brands OBaby and Roma earlier this month Career change: Gushing about her career change, Amy told MailOnline: 'Next month I'm gonna do a private midwife course. I'm so into all the mummy things. I just love it.' Making a change: 'I'm so interested in it that I've decided that next month I'm going to apply to become a private midwife. I know it's going to take time, but that's what I'd love to do' 'And I've always said: "I'm not an expert, I'm just giving you my views on what I've found to work." 'I'm so interested in it that I've decided that next month I'm going to apply to become a private midwife. I know it's going to take time, but that's what I'd love to do.' Amy gave birth to her first child, daughter Polly, in April 2017 with ex-boyfriend Bradley Wright, and a year later, the reality star then welcomed her son (whose name she has not revealed) with her business boyfriend, Ritchie, in September 2018. Speaking of her young family, the former Celebrity Big Brother star revealed that, although she's considered having a third child, it's not something she's planning on. She said: 'I love being a mum and I feel like I took motherhood on really, really well. 'Everyone here at The Baby Show Birmingham is pregnant and I'm like "Shall I have another baby?" Definitely, definitely not. Two under two is very hard work.' A case of the ex: Amy gave birth to her first child, daughter Polly, in April 2017 with ex-boyfriend Bradley Wright (pictured together in 2015) Baby boy: A year later, the reality star then welcomed her son (whose name she has not revealed) with her business boyfriend, Ritchie, in September 2018 Hands full: Speaking of her young family, the former Celebrity Big Brother star revealed that, although she's considered having a third child, it's not something she's planning on Amy admitted that although she struggled to adjust to expanding her family so quickly, she doesn't have sleepless nights thanks to her 'strict routine' with her children. She explained: 'Its so difficult going from one to two, but all you need to have is a good routine. Of course its hard but at the same time I absolutely love it. 'Polly goes to sleep about half six, seven oclock, and my son is in bed by about quarter past seven, and theyll both go through until half six the next morning.' Amy spoke of her love for her 'amazing little family' after fearing infertility, and described how her daughter's character has blossomed. She gushed: 'I pinch myself everyday because Ive got the most amazing little family. I get emotional talking about it because it took two years to fall pregnant with Polly. Strict mummy: Amy admitted that although she struggled to adjust to expanding her family so quickly, she doesn't have sleepless nights thanks to her 'strict routine' with her children Mummy's girl: Amy spoke of her love for her 'amazing little family' after fearing infertility, and described how her daughter's character has blossomed 'I literally thought "I probably wont be able to have children." I was about to start IVF and that was the month that I fell pregnant. 'And now, Polly is talking, shes interacting, she says "mummy" and she kisses me. Her first word was "mummy" and then it was either "balloon" or "ball." 'Shes brilliant. Shes very cheeky. Shes lovely, and shes so beautiful but I know Im biased.' The former TOWIE star insisted that as a young woman raising children, it's important to still 'have a life' and treats herself to a glass of wine before bed. She said: 'I need time for me. I feel like my little glass of wine of nighttime is "me time". Im still young. I'm 28, I still wanna be me. 'I think youve still got to have a life. It can be hard with the kids at time but having your family and great people around you is the most important thing. Balance: The former TOWIE star insisted that as a young woman raising children, it's important to still 'have a life' and treats herself to a glass of wine before bed (pictured in 2016) Success: It seems that Amy's hard-work is paying off as she revealed that since becoming the face of Obaby, sales for the brand have soared Queen Amy: With her Roma range too, the TV star insisted: 'I was the Queen on TOWIE and now Im the Queen of a baby empire. Im definitely the queen of the baby empire' 'Of course I go out with the girls sometimes but Im really strict with my routine. I wanna be in with the kids a lot. 'Because I work such long hours, the time I get, I wanna spend with them, I can enjoy it with the kids.' And it seems that Amy's hard-work is paying off, with the television personality branding herself the 'queen of the baby empire' as she revealed that since becoming the face of Obaby, sales for the brand have soared. She said: 'Obaby have got beautiful carts nursery furniture, wardrobes everything. Weve got gender neutral stuff and just gorgeous pieces. 'Theyve just told me that since Ive been the face of Obaby, sales have gone up 75%. So, I feel so overwhelmed, I cant believe that mums buy into me. Im really emotional. Priorities: 'Because I work such long hours, the time I get, I wanna spend with them, I can enjoy it with the kids' explained the mother-of-two A place in the sun: And with a host of lucrative business deals in place fronting baby brands, Amy is branching out and investing in the property world, buying a five-bed house in Portugal 'And of course, Ive got my Roma range which Im so, so proud of. Theyre all such high quality products. 'I was the Queen on TOWIE and now Im the Queen of a baby empire. Im definitely the queen of the baby empire.' And with a host of lucrative business deals in place fronting baby brands, Amy is branching out and investing in the property world. She told MailOnline: 'Ive just bought my first property in Portugal, in Vilamoura. So, Im sorting the building work out. Whod have thought Id have been able to buy a five-bed house in Portugal? 'People always ask "how have you got this much energy with two kids?" But you just do. You just do it.' His striking resemblance to his father Michael Douglas, 74, is constantly commented on. Yet, Cameron Douglas, 40, managed to turn heads for a different reason as he displayed his heavily-tattooed torso while shopping for groceries at Bristol Farm in Los Angeles on Tuesday. The Loaded star, who recently released his debut book Long Way Home, highlighted his toned physique as he strolled to the store in a pair of loose-fitting blue shorts. Shirtless: Cameron Douglas, 40, managed to turn heads for a different reason as he displayed his heavily-tattooed torso while shopping for groceries at Bristol Farm in Los Angeles on Tuesday Showcasing the intricate inkings across his stomach and chest, Cameron carried his white long-sleeved T-shirt in his hand before putting it on outside the store. The star kept to a casual theme as he donned a pair of blue vans and tortoise shell shades for the outing. Cameron is the eldest son of Michael Douglas, 74, and film producer Diandra Luker, 63, and served seven years behind bars on drugs charges and Following his release in 2016, he welcomed a daughter Lua with girlfriend Viviane Thibes, a yoga instructor, in 2017. Walk on: The Loaded star highlighted his toned physique as he strolled to the store in a pair of loose-fitting blue shorts Like father, like son: Cameron is the eldest son of Michael Douglas, 74 Basic Instinct star Michael has two other children - Dylan, 18, and Carys, 15, with second wife Catherine Zeta Jones. Earlier this month, Michael revealed that he is increasingly conscious of his age and the fact that the time that remains to him is limited. 'There's much more planning your time because all of a sudden you don't have this infinite amount of time. Your time is finite now,the actor explained to Britain's Daily Mirror. The Ant-Man and Kominsky Method star Michael also discussed how his priorities changed after surviving stage IV throat cancer. Switching it up: Cameron put on his white long sleeved T-shirt to shop for groceries New chapter: Following his release in 2016, he welcomed a daughter Lua with girlfriend Viviane Thibes, a yoga instructor, in 2017 'You have a much deeper appreciation of marriage, of your children - you see everything a little bit clearer, and a little brighter,' he said. Cameron is his only child from his first marriage to Diandra Luker. They married in 1977 and split in 1995 finalizing their divorce five years later. He started dating Welsh actress Zeta Jones in March 1999 and she gave birth to their son Dylan in August 2000. They married in New York in November 2000 and welcomed daughter Carys in April 2013. He reprises his well-loved introverted character Jonathan for the third installment of Stranger Things which is out on July 4 on Netflix. And Charlie Heaton looked completely relaxed as he puffed on a cigarette while he chatted on the phone outside the Bowery Hotel, in New York City on Tuesday. The Stranger Things actor, 25, dressed casually in a navy zip-up jacket and a loose-fitted T-shirt as he smoked a rollie in the leafy area in the Big Apple. Chilled out: Stranger Things star Charlie Heaton puffed on a cigarette during relaxed outing in New York City on Tuesday ahead of hotly-anticipated season three release For his solo outing, Charlie kept himself amused by talking on his mobile phone as he sat down on a stone bench. The New Mutants star showed off his handsome looks as he arranged his chocolate shade locks in a unkempt style. Die-hard fans are waiting on the edge of their seats for the next installment of the epic series which returns to Netflix on July 4. Chatting away: For his solo outing, Charlie kept himself amused by talking on his mobile phone as he sat down on a stone bench Smoking hot! The Stranger Things actor, 25, dressed casually in a navy zip-up jacket and a loose-fitted T-shirt as he smoked a rollie in the leafy area in the Big Apple The synopsis for the third series reads: 'Its 1985 in Hawkins, Indiana, and summer's heating up,' revealed Netflix's press release about the upcoming season. 'School's out, theres a brand new mall in town, and the Hawkins crew are on the cusp of adulthood. Romance blossoms and complicates the groups dynamic, and they'll have to figure out how to grow up without growing apart.' 'Meanwhile, danger looms. When the towns threatened by enemies old and new, Eleven and her friends are reminded that evil never ends; it evolves. Now theyll have to band together to survive, and remember that friendship is always stronger than fear.' Romance: Characters Jonathan and Nancy (pictured Natalie Dyer and Heaton) are in love on the show, yet their chemistry transcended the show as they fell for each other in real life In new series posters, the cast are all seen appearing shocked as they stand in front of fireworks, like that of the Fourth Of July. Recently, Charlie teased the upcoming season as he said filming scenes for season three was 'super nostalgic' because they shot at the same studio with the same sets. He told Another Mag in April: 'Filming season three was great. Its coming out in the summer. It was super nostalgic shooting this time. We shot in the same studio, with the same sets, and youre back with the same people, where it all started.' The actor also revealed working on Stranger Things has brought him closer to his girlfriend and co-star Natalie Dyer because they can share their 'insecurities'. What's going to happen? Die-hard fans are waiting on the edge of their seats for the next installment of the epic series which returns to Netflix on July 4 In character: In new series posters, the cast are all seen appearing shocked as they stand in front of fireworks, like that of the Fourth Of July (pictured Charlie Heaton and Natalia Dyer) Their characters Jonathan and Nancy are in love on the show, yet their chemistry transcended the show as they fell for each other in real life. He told V Man's Spring 2019 issue: 'To go home with someone you work with, and say, "I think they hate me" Theyll say, "No they dont." 'You can break the walls down with your partner. Because we work in the same industry and have had similar trajectories, weve gone through it together. 'Sharing that does bring you closer. They understand something that maybe no one else would. You go into high-pressure situations together but you can share those insecurities or whatever they are. The great, happy times, tooReally f***ing sweet!' She was linked to Dr Chris Brown last year after they were spotted on several dates together. And Liv Phyland reignited the romance rumours on Wednesday when she shared a photo of the Bondi Vet, 40, visiting her overnight in hospital on her Instagram Stories. The Loop presenter, 28, lay in bed in the shot while Chris appeared to be intently examining a piece of hospital machinery in the background. Hmm: Liv Phyland reignited romance rumours with Dr Chris Brown on Wednesday, when she shared a snap of the Bondi Vet, 40, visiting her in hospital on her Instagram Stories Liv captioned the picture: 'Me repeatedly over the last 24 hours: "You're an animal doctor. I'm a human."' The presenter is in hospital with acute appendicitis and underwent surgery on Wednesday evening. Liv was first linked to Dr Chris last November, following his split from Channel Nine producer Kendall Bora. What happened? It's not known why Liv is currently in hospital, although she's been comforted by Dr Chris Brown and a female friend during her time there Despite being photographed on several dates together, neither Chris nor Liv ever publicly confirmed their romance. The presenter mentioned having a partner in April this year, when sources overheard her saying she was sending photos of engagement rings to her 'boyfriend' at a Tiffany event in Sydney. Liv was recently forced to shut down bizarre rumours they had 'secretly married' in South Africa over the summer. 'No, I'm not married,' she told The Daily Telegraph in February. Together? Liv was first linked to Dr Chris last November, following his split from Channel Nine producer Kendall Bora Chris, who has long been called 'TV's most eligible bachelor', recently said that his travel and work schedule makes it difficult to find a long-term partner. Speaking to Stellar magazine earlier this year, he hinted that he was back on the market following his fling with Liv. 'I am looking for The One,' he said. 'I don't want to be this person with a history of short to medium length relationships.' 'I've probably prioritised work more than I potentially should have over the past 10 years to the detriment of my personal life.' He welcomed his first child with fourth wife Anne-Marie earlier this month. And Gregg Wallace is still in awe of his little boy as he shared adorable snaps of him asleep, a day after revealing he wet the baby's head with 2,000 booze-up alongside pal John Torode. The veteran MasterChef judge, 54, posted a heartwarming photo of the newborn to his Instagram Stories on Tuesday, which saw Sid peacefully napping in a monochrome striped babygro. Doting daddy: Gregg Wallace is still in awe of his little boy as he shared an adorable snap of him asleep, a day after revealing he wet the baby's head with 2,000 booze-up Playing a clip from the Frankie Valli song Can't Take My Eyes Off You, Gregg captioned the sweet snap: 'Here he is, my baby boy Sid.' His wife Anne-Marie shared an equally adorable snap of her husband cradling their newborn in his arms. The social media posts comes a day after he took part in a spread with OK! magazine, that saw the greengrocer and his wife Anne-Marie, 32, introduce their baby boy, named Sid Massimo. In the interview with the publication, Gregg revealed he celebrated the birth with a boozy party, racking up a bar bill of 'well over 2,000' with John Torode and other pals while Anna recuperated in hospital alongside her parents. Adorable: The veteran MasterChef judge, 54, posted the heartwarming photo of the newborn to his Instagram Stories on Tuesday, which saw Sid peacefully napping in a monochrome striped babygrow New parents: Gregg Wallace wet the baby's head with 2,000 booze-up alongside pal John Torode (Pictured with wife Anne-Marie) Baby joy: Gregg and his wife Anne-Marie welcomed their first child He: 'I hired a private dining room and ten close friends came, including John Torode [his MasterChef co-host]. We started at midday and finished at 10pm! The bill was well over 2k!' Despite just welcoming a new child, Anne-Marie told OK she was 'fine' Gregg partied all day after the birth of his son as she was 'tired'. The Masterchef star added he wouldn't have gone if she 'hadn't been happy about it'. The pair had been trying to conceive for a long while, with Anne-Marie finally falling pregnant last summer shortly before the couple were due to start treatment to help them with the process. When he announced that he and Anne-Marie were expecting, the former-green grocer said: 'We were due to start IVF but then it happened naturally after two years of trying.The doctor told us it was a miracle Anna was pregnant.' Baby joy: Gregg recently captured this serene snap of his wife, at home, while she was heavily pregnant Photographer Anne-Marie also shares two pet French Bulldogs with Gregg. The dogs are called Wally and Bella. The couple first met in 2013 when they bonded over their love of food via Twitter, and despite a 21-year age gap they tied the knot three years later. The Eat Well For Less frontman also revealed that he is happier than ever since he married for the fourth time. It is Gregg's third child; he shares Tom, 25, and Libby, 23, with his ex-wife Denise. She announced she was pregnant and expecting their first child earlier this month. And Jess Shears and Dom Lever made an appearance on Wednesday's episode of Lorraine to talk about their journey into parenthood. The Love Island couple, aged 25 and 28, revealed to guest host Carol Vorderman that they are expecting their baby in September. Motherhood: Jess Shears and Dom Lever made an appearance on Wednesday's episode of Lorraine to talk about their journey into parenthood While they also added that they're torn about finding out their child's gender, with Dom wanting it to be a surprise and Jess wanting to know. Talking about her pregnancy and baby bump, Jess said: 'It's soon approaching, everyone is like: "It will go so fast," it really does now. I will be six months in a couple of weeks... 'Everyone says enjoy it, you miss it when you dont have a bump anymore, pregnancy is not as rosy as everyone paints it out to be though.' Although Dom added: 'I dont want to find out the sex, I want it to be like Christmas day, a surprise!' Mother-to-be: Ahead of her Lorraine debut, Jess decided to showcased her growing baby bump in a blue lacy underwear set as she enjoyed a cup of tea Glowing: The Love Island couple, aged 25 and 28, revealed to guest host Carol Vorderman that they are expecting their baby in September Torn: While they also added that they're torn about finding out their child's gender, with Dom wanting it to be a surprise and Jess wanting to know To which Jess explained: 'I am a planner, I want to know what were having, in terms of doing the nursery and buying clothes...' With Dom adding: 'It's names as well, we can't agree on a name either for both sexes. We possibly have a girl name, but a boy name... no.' He sweetly added: 'I went on that show [Love Island] a boy, two years later Im going to be a dad, I can't wait.' With Jess saying: 'He's been more excited than I ever expected him to be, he went to a baby show and didn't want to leave.' Blossoming: Talking about her pregnancy and baby bump, Jess said: 'It's soon approaching, everyone is like: "It will go so fast," it really does now. I will be six months in a couple of weeks...' More decisions: With Dom adding: 'It's names as well, we can't agree on a name either for both sexes. We possibly have a girl name, but a boy name... no.' Jess and Dom became engaged after three months of dating following their introduction on Love Island in 2017. During their time on the ITV2 show, the couple became the first contestants to have sex in the secret hideaway. And Jess and Dom insisted that their child will not be watching their Love Island antics, with the glamour model saying: 'I dont think anyone wants their child to see that... no child wants to see their parents doing that!' Love at first sight: Jess and Dom became engaged after three months of dating following their introduction on Love Island in 2017 Radiant: The former Love Island contestant looked radiant as she left the ITV studios later on Ahead of her Lorraine debut, Jess decided to showcased her growing baby bump in a blue lacy underwear set as she enjoyed a cup of tea. She captioned it: 'Still feeling myself even with the belly underwear from @bouxavenue #myboux.' The couple announced their pregnancy earlier this month by sharing a sweet picture of their news to Instagram. Smitten: Jess displayed her growing baby bump in a fitted white vest top, black leggings and a grey bomber jacket Comfort: She completed her look with a pair of white trainers and silver hooped earrings Posting a snap of the ultrasound, Jess added a Polaroid photo of herself cradling her baby bump while Dom mimicked her pose in a different shot. She captioned it with: 'The best is yet to come,' followed by a pregnancy and angel emoji, while Dom also shared the exact same post on his Insta, sweetly adding: 'Living the dream .' The couple's baby news comes seven months after they tied the knot during a romantic wedding ceremony in the Greek Island of Mykonos in October. She is the MAFS bride who recently revealed she wanted to sell on the wedding dress she wore for her ill-fated 'marriage' to Mark Scrivens. But Ning Surasiang has now changed strategy in a bid to move on the strapless attire - revealing she will auction it off before donating half of the proceeds to charity. The Townsville-based hairdresser said a company had approached her to conduct the sale on her website and that she jumped at the opportunity. Scroll down for audio Taking bids! Ning Surasiang (pictured), 33, has announced she will auction off her MAFS wedding dress for charity following her break-up with Mark Scrivens... after previously trying to find a buyer for the lacy gown Changing tack: The Townsville-based hairdresser said a company had approached her to conduct the sale on her website and that she jumped at the opportunity 'Thanks to all the kindhearted comments for donating the dress to charity and Only Dream Dresses who approached me to do a charity auction on their site,' she said. 'The dress will be auctioned and 50 per cent of the proceeds will be donated to my chosen charity Help For Hirchsprung Disease.' The charity helps those suffering from the condition of the large intestine, which causes chronic constipation. Make your offer! Ning said the dress was designed by Zavana Bridal, but did not offer a suggested price Fellow MAFS bride Jules Robinson was one of those to commend Ning on the auction, which will take place between May 31 and June 2. 'Wish I could join you. But mine came back from the dry cleaners with all the feathers burnt off it!' the beauty salon owner said. Two-and-a-half weeks earlier, Ning shared a post looking for a buyer for the delicate lace dress. Awkward! Ning was left heartbroken by Mark Scrivens (right) when he dumped her at their vow renewal ceremony on Married At First Sight. Pictured on their wedding day 'Getting rid of the blast from the past. What does one do with their wedding dress? Does anyone want to buy my wedding dress?' she wrote. The single mother-of-three said the dress was designed by Zavana Bridal, but did not offer a suggested price. The dress features a strapless design and a fishtail skirt, as well as delicate lace embroidery throughout. Ning explained her dress was originally a size eight, but was altered down to a size four for her wedding day. She claimed it was 'worn twice' (presumably for her nuptials and the official cast photo session) and has a rip in the hemline. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ning Surasiang for comment. Ning and Mark, who struggled with intimacy issues during their 'marriage', split at their vow renewal ceremony. The salon worker later revealed they spent the night together after filming the reunion episode in January. But Mark clarified afterwards that they haven't seen each other since and remain 'just friends'. She's been filling in for Lorraine Kelly as a guest host this week. And Carol Vorderman looked effortlessly chic as she took to the sofa on Wednesday to present another episode of Lorraine. The former Countdown star, 58, looked stylish in a white and black spotted asymmetrical dress. Chic: Carol Vorderman looked effortlessly chic as she took to the sofa on Wednesday to present another episode of Lorraine Carol cinched in her waist with an oversized black belt and a pair of heels which were hidden under the floor-length skirt of the gown. The mathematician styled her blonde locks into a curly blow-dried hairdo, she added a slick of glamorous make-up. Carol had quite a morning interviewing the likes of Love Island's Jess Shears and Dom Lever, EastEnders star Lorraine Stanley and Britain's Got Talent magic act 4MG. Stunning: The former Countdown star, 58, looked stylish in a black and white spotted asymmetrical dress Glamorous: Carol cinched in her waist with an oversized black belt and a pair of heels which were hidden under the floor-length skirt of the gown The presenter also revealed that she has been training hard to do a handstand and the splits before she turns 60 as she's never been able to do them. Carol said: 'I've never done a handstand Im going to learn the splits as well, Im about 12 inches off the floor at the minute!' During her interview with Britain's Got Talent magic act 4MG, Carol squealed with excitement as one of the group made red dots appear, disappear and reappear again before her eyes. Squeal: During her interview with Britain's Got Talent magic act 4MG, Carol squealed with excitement as one of the group made red dots appear, disappear and reappear again Haters gonna hate: Yet fans were more distracted by Carol's screams, asking her to 'pipe down' and that she was being 'cringe' However, sceptics on Twitter claimed it was a trick using magnets, while others were just as full as praise for the boys as the night before. Others were more distracted by Carol's screams, asking her to 'pipe down' and that she was being 'cringe'. And this wasn't the only awkward moment, the presenter left Jess and Dom uncomfortable when she asked whether their child will watch their debut on Love Island, especially after they were one of the first couples to have sex in the villa. Flexible: The presenter also revealed that she has been training hard to do a handstand and the splits before she turns 60 as she's never been able to do them Awkward: And this wasn't the only awkward moment, the presenter left Jess and Dom uncomfortable when she asked whether their child will watch their debut on Love Island... Love at first sight: The couple insisted that their child will not be watching their antics, with the pregnant star saying: 'I dont think anyone wants their child to see that... no child wants to see their parents doing that!' The couple insisted that their child will not be watching their Love Island antics, with the pregnant glamour model saying: 'I dont think anyone wants their child to see that... no child wants to see their parents doing that!' On Tuesday Carol showed off her headstand progress on Twitter as she flaunted her peachy posterior in a pair of bright pink leopard print leggings. Lorraine continues on weekdays at 8:30am on ITV. Joe Hildebrand found himself in a Twitter storm on Wednesday after making controversial comments in relation to the recent murder of Melbourne woman Courtney Herron. In a discussion on Studio 10 on Monday, the 42-year-old journalist said he took offence with Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius' comment that 'violence against women is absolutely about men's behaviour'. 'We know violence against women is a problem. I don't see how me reflecting on myself is going to stop women being bashed or murdered,' Joe said. Scroll down for video Controversial: Joe Hildebrand (pictured) found himself at the centre of a Twitter storm on Wednesday regarding comments he made in relation to the recent murder of Melbourne woman Courtney Herron His 'not all men' remarks left people outraged, with many flocking to Twitter to slam him. 'How can Joe Hildebrand claim violent men are so rare when women who have been victims of violence, and victims of men's violence in particular, are so many?' commented one person. 'How does that make sense? Joe needs to be taken off air. He is a disgrace.' On the attack: Joe's 'not all men' remarks left people outraged, with many flocking to Twitter to slam him Others didn't mince their words in criticising the prolific journalist. 'A white man really never pays for his bad behaviour,' wrote one person Added another: 'Nobody is blaming ALL men. They are saying call out men when they say and do things that aren't acceptable. Help change the culture. If you don't call it out, you're condoning it.' Others threw out statistics of violence against women in Australia. '2.1 million people have been physically and/or sexually abused by a partner,' wrote one person. Disagree: In a discussion on Studio 10 on Monday, the 42-year-old journalist said he took offence with Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius' comment that 'violence against women is absolutely about men's behaviour' Armed with knowledge: Others threw out statistics of violence against women in Australia. '2.1 million people have been physically and/or sexually abused by a partner,' wrote one person 'Considering this doesn't involve abuse by someone who is not a partner it should be fair to say that @Joe_Hildebrand is an idiot for thinking that it is only 0.0042% of men who are violent.' Wrote another: '1 in 3 women have experienced violence and 1 in 5 women have experienced sexual violence. 85% of women have been sexually harassed. Almost all perpetrated by men. It is an epidemic and yes all men need to be part of the solution.' And others didn't mince their words in criticising the prolific journalist. 'We know violence against women is a problem. I don't see how me reflecting on myself is going to stop women being bashed or murdered,' he said 'I'm honestly not surprised Joe Hildebrand is still allowed on TV. A white man really never pays for his bad behaviour, haven't we learned this by now?' wrote one person. Another wrote: 'Joe, youre a fricking jerkins in this case, an uneducated one. MEN'S BEHAVIOUR HAS TO CHANGE. MEN ARE KILLING WOMEN. Not homelessness, mental illness, women walking alone at night, not Vic Police. MEN. 'If you can't accept that, then you are part of the problem in this country.' Joe was unrepentant when he took to Twitter on Tuesday. 'Just wanted to say a massive thank you to the very decent men and especially women who have stood up for me and commonsense over the past couple of days,' he wrote But Joe was unrepentant when he took to Twitter on Tuesday. 'Just wanted to say a massive thank you to the very decent men and especially women who have stood up for me and commonsense over the past couple of days,' he wrote. 'I'm sorry for any abuse you have copped as a result. Thankfully - as we know - such abusers are just a vile minority.' It's no secret that reality TV stars like to cash in on their 15 minutes of fame by advertising brands on Instagram. However, Bachelor In Paradise star Zoe O'Brien voiced her frustration over not being approached by any brands for endorsements since appearing on the series. Taking to Instagram on Wendesday, the 29-year-old joked that she was missing out on cashing in on her time on the show. 'It's been a whole month!' On Wednesday, Bachelor In Paradise star Zoe OBrien (pictured), 29, complained about not getting Instagram deals after appearing on the reality series 'Contemplating that its been a month since @BachelorInParadiseaAU,' Zoe's caption read. She continued: 'And no one has even offered me free Protein Powder or a ZOE30 discount code to share with my followers. I'm now questioning my entire life purpose?!' she added. Despite Zoe's failed attempts to secure some sponsored posts, it seems other reality stars have taken advantage of their fame from appearing on the series. Feeling left out? 'No one has even offered me free Protein Powder or a ZOE30 discount code to share with my followers. Im now questioning my entire life purpose?!' she wrote Last September, Jarrod Woodgate revealed his ex-girlfriend Keira Maguire, 33, gets paid a jaw-dropping amount for selling products to her 177,000 followers. Responding to Keira's claim that she 'has more money than him' despite not having a full-time job, Jarrod told Who magazine: 'She earns over $1,500 for every Instagram post.' The 32-year-old vineyard manager added: 'It's no wonder she earns more than me, I'm on a really low family salary.' She earns how much? The jaw-dropping figure reality TV stars get paid for a single sponsored Instagram post. Pictured: Keira Maguire (pictured) spruiking SmilePro Worldwide teeth whitening product Spilling the beans! Last September, Jarrod Woodgate revealed his ex-girlfriend Keira Maguire gets paid 'over $1,500 for every Instagram post'. Pictured on Bachelor In Paradise Other reality stars with similar Instagram followings include The Bachelor's Megan Marx (184,000), Love Island winner Grant Crapp (156,000) and Married At First Sight's Cheryl Maitland (134,000). It is unclear if Megan, Grant or Cheryl earn the same amount as Keira per post, but it is understood advertisers pay 'influencers' a fee proportional to their followings. Married At First Sight star Sarah Roza has an even greater fanbase than some of her contemporaries with 346,000 followers, so could possibly demand a higher fee. Another day, another dollar! MAFS star Sarah Roza (pictured) has an even greater fanbase than some of her contemporaries with 346,000 followers, so could possibly demand a higher fee The perks of fame! The Bachelor 2016's Megan Marx (pictured) is well known for promoting products on Instagram. She has also admitted that her overseas trips are sponsored by brands Sometimes brands do not pay stars for spruiking their products but instead offer 'freebies' such as complimentary products or all-expenses-paid holidays. Earlier this year, Woman's Day reported that Megan, 29, was overheard bragging about going on free trips thanks to her popularity on social media. 'I got a free holiday to the Maldives because of how many people follow me on Instagram,' she apparently told fellow guests at an event in March. She told Daily Mail Australia at the time: 'Over the last 18 months I've been working with resorts, hotels and tourism boards - some are modelling jobs and others are free flights, accommodation and food in exchange for posts.' Gavin & Stacey fans have been rejoicing since it was revealed the cast are coming back for a Christmas special, nine years after the beloved comedy series ended. And Larry Lamb paid a visit to the This Morning studios on Wednesday, discussing the 'poignant', top secret new script which left him in tears as he confessed he never thought the show would return. The 71-year-old actor, who played Mick Shipman on the BBC show, also said he thought show co-creator James Corden - now a big name in America since he began hosting The Late Late Show - was calling him up to invite him to take part in his famous Carpool Karaoke segment on the chat show. Good news for fans: Larry Lamb paid a visit to the This Morning studios on Wednesday, discussing the 'poignant' new Gavin & Stacey script ahead of the Christmas special Larry joked: 'It was really odd, all of a sudden Ive got this LA number on there [his mobile], I answered it, and someone said: Larry, I said: Who is it? it was James Corden. 'I said: What are you? On it went for ten minutes. I thought it was Carpool Karaoke, its my dream! 'James said: I just wanted to know if youre going to be available in the next little while, it looks like were going to be doing a Christmas special. 'Its quite extraordinary and Hollywood-esque, you get this phone call from a star in La La Land'. The EastEnders legend admitted he never thought the show would return and had resigned himself to it being a short-lived 'jewel'. Larry explained: 'It got to the point I figured it's left this jewel as it was, they didn't want to go on, they were only ever going to do one series anyway.' Hollywood beckons: The 71-year-old actor confessed he thought James Corden (pictured right with co-creator Ruth Jones) was calling him up to invite him to take part in his famous Carpool Karaoke segment instead It seems co-creators Corden and Ruth Jones - who wrote and starred in the BAFTA Award-winning series, which ran from 2007 to 2010 - have penned a very 'poignant' new script. 'Its amazing what him and Ruth have managed to do', Larry said. 'Ive finally read the script, it really got me, I read the first little sequence and just found myself crying. 'It was like running into someone major in your life, youre not bothered what they do, it was so poignant. I was immediately into the feel of the whole thing, it just brought me along.' 'Its all about this melding of people from different elements of British society, the mindset of people who live in Barry island and mindset of people in Bury, England, that was the strength. 'That clever thing of bringing them together and mixing them all up.' Larry revealed: 'Ive finally read the script, it really got me, I read the first little sequence and just found myself crying' Back for more: The EastEnders legend admitted he never thought the show would return and had resigned himself to it being a short-lived 'jewel' Quizzed whether the entire cast would be back, Larry hinted they would be paying tribute to late actress Margaret John in the new episode. The actress, who was beloved for her role as Gwen's neighbour Doris, sadly passed away in 2011 aged 84. 'I'm not up to speed with all that... Dear old Maggie, who played Doris isn't there, by the time I read script I thought "My god they managed to do it, managed to do it", Larry added. The star also hinted filming would begin shortly, teasing: 'Not too long from now, not too long... it's going to be extraordinary. It's all super hush hush.' Thrilled: Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes were delighted to quiz Larry about the upcoming TV special Ready to go: The star also hinted filming would begin shortly, teasing: 'Not too long from now, not too long... it's going to be extraordinary. It's all super hush hush' Dapper: Larry was sporting a smart blazer and cords for his visit to the This Morning studios It was confirmed on Tuesday that Gavin & Stacey would be returning for a one-off episode. After years of requests from fans, the beloved sitcom, which starred Mathew Horne and Joanna Page, will return later this year for a Christmas Special and viewers will once again get to hear Nessa's famous catchphrase: 'What's occuring?' James made the announcement in a Twitter statement on Tuesday, sharing a picture of the new script. It's back: It was confirmed on Tuesday that Gavin & Stacey would be returning for a one-off episode (pictured in 2007) He said: 'Ruth Jones and I have been keeping this secret for a while... Were excited to share it with you. See you on Christmas Day @BBCOne #GavinandStacey.' While in a joint statement, co-creators Ruth and James said: 'Over the last 10 years we've talked a lot about Gavin and Stacey - where they might be today and what their lives might look like. 'And so in secret we took the plunge and wrote this one-hour special. We've loved revisiting Barry and Essex again and bringing the characters back together has been a joy. 'We're so excited to get the chance to work with our fabulous cast and crew once more and to give fans of the show a festive treat this Christmas. Thank you BBC for helping to make this happen.' A Christmas miracle: James made the announcement in a Twitter statement on Tuesday, sharing a picture of the new script Reunited: After years of requests from fans, the beloved sitcom, which starred Mathew Horne and Joanna Page, will return later this year for a Christmas Special (pictured in a 2007 show still) Actress Joanna Page, who plays lead character Stacey, tweeted: 'Its happening!!! Im so excited! Cant wait to get on the slots down Barry again!! #gavinandstacey #christmasspecial #barryisland.' Actor Larry Lamb, who plays Gavin's father Mick Shipman, also took to Twitter to share his excitement, he said: 'So its official...G&S rides again .. were doing a 2019 Christmas special ....a treat for the millions of you whove waited so patiently... love to you all ..and Happy Christmas!!!! X.' He also shared James' tweet, adding: 'Absolutely delighted to be able to share this little secret at last !! X. '...and try not being able to let this little secret out of the bag since smiffie called from LA about two months ago ... Im going to get a lot of grief from some very dear friends !!! But anyway.....' Leading lady: Actress Joanna Page, who plays lead character Stacey, tweeted: 'Its happening!!! Im so excited! Cant wait to get on the slots down Barry again!!' Sharing his thoughts: Larry also took to Twitter to share his excitement Sweet: He also shared James' tweet, adding: 'Absolutely delighted to be able to share this little secret at last !! X.' While Rob Brydon, who plays Stacey's uncle Bryn, also shared James' tweet as he added: 'SURPRISE!!! SURPRISE!!! SURPRISE!!! SURPRISE!!! SURPRISE!!! SURPRISE!!! SURPRISE!!!!!!!!' Fans also took to Twitter to share their joy over the return, with one person tweeting: '#GavinandStacey There back Christmas Day special,I dont need any presents Santa, Ive got mine thanks.' A different person pointed out that Stacey was pregnant in the last series, they added: 'OMG, you know house Stacey was pregnant in series 3, HAVE GAVIN AND STACEY NOW GOT A KID?!?!?! #gavinandstacey.' Another show watcher joked about Uncle Bryn's mystery fishing trip and whether fans would finally find out what happened, they said: 'We might finally find out what happened on that fishing trip! #gavinandstacey.' Show watchers: Fans also took to Twitter to share their joy over the return, with some viewers joking viewers might finally discover what happened during Uncle Bryn's mystery fishing trip A different fan put: 'Only news of a #gavinandstacey reboot can cause "Christmas Day" to start trending in May.' While another show watcher added: 'Gavin and Stacey coming back may have been the earliest and best Christmas gift possible. Enough said! #gavinandstacey #christmas #JamesCorden @JKCorden.' Gavin & Stacey broadcast over three series (plus a Christmas special) from 2007 to 2010 on the BBC. The show's 2010 New Year's Day finale had record ratings for the series with 10.25M viewers. Uncle Bryn: While Rob Brydon, who plays Stacey's uncle Bryn, also shared James' tweet as he added: 'SURPRISE!!! SURPRISE!!! SURPRISE!!! SURPRISE!!! SURPRISE!!! SURPRISE!!! SURPRISE!!!!!!!!' Tragic: Gavin & Stacey also featured flirtatious pensioner, Doris, with actress Margaret John tragically passing in 2011 aged 84 after a short illness (pictured in 2010, left, and on the show during its run, right) The sitcom followed the story of Gavin (Mathew Horne), an ordinary boy from Essex in England and Stacey (Joanna Page), an ordinary girl from Barry in Wales, who spoke on the phone every day at work, they finally met, fell in love and got married. The pair were joined by best friends Nessa (Ruth Jones) and Smithy (James Corden) as they navigated the trials and tribulations of marriage. The beloved series also starred Rob Brydon as Bryn (Stacey's uncle), Melanie Walters as Gwen West (Stacey's mother), Larry Lamb and Alison Steadman as Mick and Pam, (Gavin's parents), while Sheridan Smith played Smithy's sister Ruth 'Rudi' Smith. Creators: James said: 'Ruth Jones and I have been keeping this secret for a while... Were excited to share it with you. See you on Christmas Day @BBCOne #GavinandStacey.' (pictured in 2008) Gavin & Stacey also featured flirtatious pensioner, Doris, with actress Margaret John tragically passing in 2011 aged 84 after a short illness. Charlotte Moore, Director of BBC Content, said about the announcement: 'Everyone at the BBC is hugely excited to be welcoming back Gavin and Stacey to BBC One this Christmas. 'We can't wait to see what's happened to everyone over the last nine years, and what's next for one of the nation's favourite comedy families.' Series three ended with Smithy stopping Nessa and Dave's wedding ceremony while Stacey discovered that she is pregnant. It concluded with the foursome together six months later on Barry's beach, with Stacey displaying a baby bump. During an interview in April 2018, Ruth told Lorraine Kelly that she and James, most famous for playing Smithy and Nessa on the show, enjoyed reminiscing about where the character's would be now, giving hope that they could bring the show back. Parents: The beloved series also starred Rob Brydon as Bryn (Stacey's uncle) and Larry Lamb and Alison Steadman as Mick and Pam, Gavin's parents (pictured together) Ruth said: 'James Corden and I were talking about the characters and we said we think Neil, [the baby], is about 11-years-old... Nessa is training him down the slots. 'She's training him in the art of the dodgy grabber machine and how to weight the two pences.' Lorraine said: 'We did a thing where we looked what he might look like now,' as she showed a mocked up image of Neil. A love story: The sitcom followed the story of Gavin (Mathew Horne), an ordinary boy from Essex in England and Stacey (Joanna Page), an ordinary girl from Barry in Wales, who spoke on the phone every day at work, they finally met, fell in love and got married Ruth noted: 'There's a bit of James Corden in there. I think you should add a few earrings, and maybe a tattoo on his forehead.' However, in 2016, James had told Radio Times: 'I can promise you absolutely that there are no plans to make one [a one-off special].' While in 2018 he told BANG Showbiz: 'It's very flattering that you would still want such a thing. I can't imagine that would be the case. 'I hope to work with Ruth again for sure. Whether that would be on Gavin and Stacey I really couldn't say. Popular: Gavin & Stacey broadcast over three series (plus a Christmas special) from 2007 to 2010 on the BBC 'We would be so conscious of trying not to ruin something that we know means a lot to people. But we would never say never.' In 2017, Larry Lamb had said that there was a 'distinct possibility' that Gavin & Stacey could return, hinting it could even be a movie rather than a TV series. He said: 'I dont think anybody that was in it would ever say no to it. 'I think its highly unlikely that theyll ever make another television series of Gavin & Stacey.' Friendship: After Gavin and Stacey, James and Mathew went on to be panned by critics for their own sitcom Horne and Corden and movie Lesbian Vampire Killers, the two then went on to not 'speak for a few months' (pictured in 2007) He continued: 'I think its a distinct possibility that one day, they might make a film, thats it. Thats purely conjecture... Its got a huge audience, so Im sure thats what theyll do.' After Gavin and Stacey, James and Mathew went on to be panned by critics for their own sitcom Horne and Corden and movie Lesbian Vampire Killers, the two then went on to not 'speak for a few months'. Speaking candidly to The Times in 2013, Mathew said: 'I didnt have the personality to deal with it. Didnt have the skin to deal with it. James is very good at absorbing all the negativity he got and still gets. But whereas he was able to advance, I retreated.' He added: 'Were still friends. I still talk to him all the time. But I dont think were necessarily seen as the same thing any more. There is a disassociation thats healthy.' Candid: Talking about their friendship to The Times in 2013, Mathew said: 'Were still friends. I still talk to him all the time. But I dont think were necessarily seen as the same thing any more. There is a disassociation thats healthy.' (pictured in 2009) On-off: James pursued an on-off romance with co-star Sheridan Smith (pictured together in 2009), who played his on-screen sister Ruth 'Rudi' Smith, he is now married to Julia Carey He added: 'It upsets me because I dont have anything bad to say about him. Because I will work with him again and because we are mates.' James pursued an on-off romance with co-star Sheridan Smith, who played his on-screen sister, during the show, she is now engaged to Jamie Horn while James is married to Julia Carey - they have three children together. The actor has gone on to find further success in the US with his The Late Late Show with James Corden, creating his own spin-off Carpool Karaoke which has featured Paul McCartney, Michelle Obama and Adele. Further details will be announced in due course. Star-studded cast: Sheridan pictured as Ruth 'Rudi' Smith in the award-winning comedy show Sam Faiers spent a day with her beloved children Paul and Rosie by the pool on Tuesday, during her family getaway in the luxury Turks and Caicos islands. The mother-of-two, 28, played with her son Paul, three, and daughter Rosie, 18 months, flaunting her physique in a white polka dot halterneck bikini. The Mummy Diaries star spent the day doting on her two tots whilst modelling her toned stomach and enviable assets, which her other half Paul Knightley relaxing nearby. Beach babe: Sam Faiers spent a day with her beloved children Paul and Rosie by the pool on Tuesday, during her family getaway in the luxury Turks and Caicos islands Sam ensured she caught the eye in the tiny two-piece that clung to her curvy frame. The ex-TOWIE personality appeared to forgo make-up for her day of fun in the sun and slicked her brunette tresses off her face in a relaxed bun to flaunt her sun-kissed complexion. Adding a touch of glitz to her sunshine style, the sister of Billie Faiers accessorised with golden drop earrings. Family time: The Mummy Diaries star spent the day by the pool doting on her two tots whilst modelling her toned stomach and enviable assets in a skimpy white bikini Vision: The former TOWIE star ensured she caught the eye in the tiny two-piece that clung to her curvy frame Glowing: Radiating beauty, the mother-of-two appeared to forgo make-up for her day of fun in the sun Sunny side up: The Mummy Diaries star spent the day doting on her two tots whilst modelling her toned stomach and enviable assets, with her other half Paul Knightley relaxing nearby Paul, 31, joined the fun at one point, running through the sprinklers holding Paul Jr in his arms. Later on, Sam supervised the tots as they sat at a miniature table wrapped in towels, while they enjoyed a tub of ice-cream each. Little Rosie looked in her element as she toddled around with her mum and brother in her pink swimming costume. Doting dad: Paul ran through the sprinklers with his son Quality time: Little Rosie looked in her element as she toddled around with her mum Up-do: The reality TV personality slicked her brunette tresses off her face in a relaxed bun Play time: Sam joined the kids in the sandpit while topping up her tan Mummy's boy: Paul looked in high spirits as he enjoyed an ice cream Paul looked in high spirits as he played and danced with his mum. The toddler looked adorable in black swimming shorts and chased his mum and sister around the poolside. Sam beamed with happiness as she enjoyed the day with her children in the sunshine and later played with them in the sandpit. Sweet moment: The family ran around the pool area together Special day: The Faiers brood are famously close-knit Their latest trip comes just three weeks after the family jetted to the sunny climes of Dubai to ring in Easter. The family spared no expense for the trip, staying at the luxury hotel the One & Only Royal Mirage. Sam has just finished wrapping up the last series on the Mummy Diaries, which aired earlier this month. The Faiers family watched Sam's sister Billie marry Greg Shepherd in a breathtakingly beautiful Maldives beach ceremony. Cute: The trio looked totally relaxed as they spent the day in the sunshine Parenting: Sam beamed with happiness as she enjoyed the day with her children Fans saw the ins and outs, ups and downs and excitement ahead of their wedding, including Billie's dad Dave nearly missing the big day after he was too inebriated to fly and was escorted off his plane to the Maldives. In the 90-minute special the couple finally said 'I do' in front of 95 guests, after five years together and over a year of planning to reach the big moment. Viewers took to Twitter to share their delight at finally seeing the couple exchange their vows, after the build-up was fraught with drama and chaos. Adorable: Rosie giggled with her mum Special: Sam looked in her element as she cooed over her mini-me Down time: The kids stopped for a treat, sitting on a cute little blue table Off we go: The kids seemed to enjoy splashing around in the water Despite a frantic day which saw Greg waiting in the sunshine, the groom was left stunned as Billie finally made her way down the aisle in a lace wedding gown. Sam also paid a touching tribute to her sister in an incredibly moving speech that the mother-of-two close to tears. She said: 'It feels like yesterday when we were all standing in the sea in Ibiza, and I said to Greg ''you fancy my sister don't you?'' and he said ''yes.'' I told Billie straight away. Lovely: The little boy grabbed onto his sister adoringly as they larked around Catch us if you can! Paul Jr ran around with his sister and mum 'I'm so happy that my big sister is marrying the man of her dreams, she may not tell you that Greg, thank you for making me an auntie to Nelly and Arthur. 'Being here in the Maldives with all your family and friends is going to be an unforgettable celebration, I love you both with all your heart, and welcome officially to the family Greg.' And while Billie has tied the knot, there seems to be no plans for Paul to propose to Sam anytime soon. Funny moment: Paul ran along with a mischievous look on his face Making a splash: Rosie enjoyed playing in the hot sunshine and running around with her mother Glowing: Sam looked effortlessly beautiful as her hair blew in the wind On the hit ITVBe show, the All Bits London creator told the reality star he was glad she failed to catch the bouquet, as it would have only increased the pressure on him to pop the question. He said: 'I was celebrating ''yes she didn't catch it.''' Inevitably the response leaves Sam unimpressed, as she dramatically turned to him and screamed 'What?' She jetted to New York to celebrate her 54th birthday. And Helena Bonham Carter spent her big day surrounded by her loved ones as she headed out in the Big Apple with toyboy boyfriend Rye Dag Holmboe, 32, and her mother Elena on Sunday. The BAFTA Award winning actress seemed in high spirits on the outing as she strolled arm in arm with her nearest and dearest. Terrific trio: Helena Bonham Carter spent her big day surrounded by her loved ones as she headed out in the Big Apple with toyboy boyfriend Rye Dag Holmboe, 32, and her mother Elena Helena showed off her typically kooky fashion sense on the outing, teaming a lace trimmed shirt with a patchwork hanky hem skirt. The Oscar nominee accessorised with a beaded necklace and a stripey bow in her hair, whilst she finished off the look with black trainers and chunky socks. Helena is thought to have struck up a relationship with academic Holmboe last summer after meeting at the wedding of a mutual friend. Kooky: Helena showed off her typically kooky fashion sense on the outing, teaming a lace trimmed shirt with a patchwork hanky hem skirt They have since been spotted out and about together a number of times, and the writer visited the actress on the set of The Crown in Spain at the end of 2018. Everyone thought it was a fling but it now seems to be hotting up as they are joined at the hip, a source told the Mail on Sunday. Some people are surprised that Helena has found someone who is younger and from a different walk of life, but others are less surprised as it is very like her to do the unexpected. Helena had a famously unconventional 13-year relationship with director Burton which ended in 2014. The pair, who are parents to children Billy, 15, and Nell, 11, lived in two adjourning houses in London during their relationship. The actress will next be on screens in the eagerly awaited new series of The Crown, in which she plays Princess Margaret, who also famously had a toyboy lover. Last year she shot scenes alongside actor Harry Treadaway, 34, who plays her love interest Roddy Llewellyn in the hit Netflix show. Victoria's Secret Angel Romee Strijd plans her 'vacation outfits' by keeping photos of her different looks in a folder on her iPhone. The 23-year-old Dutch supermodel has revealed that she takes a whole day to try on different garments and mix and match different items all while taking photos of her looks on her smartphone which she saves. Romee - who is on vacation in Greece this week - can then reference the snaps when packing and when she has landed at her holiday destination so she can slip into her clothes with no fuss. Good plan: Victoria's Secret Angel Romee Strijd plans her 'vacation outfits' by keeping photos of her different looks in a folder on her iPhone. Seen here last week on Instagram A planner: The 23-year-old Dutch supermodel has revealed that she takes a whole day to try on different garments and mix and match different items all whilst taking photos of her looks on her smartphone which she saves Speaking to Vogue Australia, she said: 'I love making outfits beforehand, so I take a day to try everything on, take a quick pic on my iPhone (and) put them all in a folder called vacation outfits. Saves you time.' As well as flying for her vacations, Romee spends a lot of time on planes for her modelling career and she has learned just how important it is to keep her skin 'hydrated' when she is flying because it's the most 'important step' to maintaining her flawless complexion. She said: [I survive a long-haul flight by applying] a super-rich cream, or even ... a hydrating mask [and] drinking a lot of water, hydration is the most important. Fun look: Here she said, 'Summer days and summer dresses are here' as she posed in Greece Happy gal: Speaking to Vogue Australia, she said: 'I love making outfits beforehand, so I take a day to try everything on, take a quick pic on my iPhone (and) put them all in a folder called vacation outfits. Saves you time.' Seen here with her beau Laurens Van Leeuwen '[I use] SPF from EltaMd, lip balm from Sisley, Cactus [and Ginseng] Hydrating Mist from Kiehls and The Rich Cream [from] Augustinus Bader.' Romee has to stay in the best possible shape for her work with lingerie giants Victoria's Secret and always packs resistance bands and a jump rope in her suitcase so she can continue exercising on her vacations. She said: 'Do [exercise] outside, bring bands, and jump rope. Do 30 minutes a day before breakfast so you can enjoy your day after.' Having silly fun: She joked around with her beau on a cliff above a cove and said her boyfriend had a fear of heights She became a Victoria's Secret Angel in 2015 and has been with the company ever since often appearing in the runway shows. The beauty walked as a newcomer at the 2014 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in London, and took her current role as a Victoria's Secret Angel the following year. Romee is dating model Laurens Van Leeuwen, whose father Bert is the famous Dutch television presenter of reality series Het Familiediner. She has been sharing several photos from their vacation on Instagram all week, including several that show her modeling a colorful red bikini and a pair of Sunday Somewhere shades. Reese Witherspoon was a vision in vibrant orange as she stepped out in New York City to promote season two of Big Little Lies. The 43-year-old Oscar winner was greeted by fans as she headed to an appearance on Good Morning America on Wednesday. Serving as both star and producer on the project, the highly anticipated second season of her hit HBO drama returns to television in June. Stunning! Reese Witherspoon glowed in a bold orange dress as she stepped out for an appearance on Good Morning America on Wednesday to promote season two of Big Little Lies The blonde beauty waved happily to fans as she headed into the studio for GMA wearing a vibrant orange dress cinched at the waist with a belt and featuring an asymmetric handkerchief hem. Reese topped the look with a khaki trench by Coach, sky-high nude strappy pumps and a pair of glamorous sunglasses. The iconic cast of BLL has been on a whirlwind media tour to promote the sophomore season which is getting some more star power with the addition of Meryl Streep. Reese joked on GMA that the one thing Meryl isn't good at is bowling - something she learned after the legend joined the cast for a team outing. Style goals: The Oscar winner rocked a vibrant orange dress cinched at the waist with a belt and featuring an asymmetric handkerchief hem Neutral glam: The 43-year-old complimented the bright dress with a khaki coat and nude pumps 'I have to be honest, I found the one thing Meryl Streep is not good at,' Witherspoon said during the segment 'Its bowling.' Adding: 'But she was darn cute doing it and such a good sport to go out there and do it with the whole crew. 'But it was fun! Yeah, we always had fun and found time to do fun things.' Her BLL castmate Laura Dern said yesterday that Streep was fitting in nicely and even joined their group chat. Season 2: Reese is starring in and producing her hit HBO drama Big Little Lies which sees Meryl Streep join the cast this season 'I have to be honest, I found the one thing Meryl Streep is not good at,' Witherspoon said during the segment. 'Its bowling.' Quick change! Later Reese was seen in a second bright blue look, wearing a floral dress and white pumps in TriBeCa 'She's very talented. But she's also the funniest person you'll ever meet and so brilliant,' Dern said. 'What a gift for all of us to get to work alongside her. Amazing.' BLL stars Reese and Dern along with Nicole Kidman, Zoe Kravitz and Shailene Woodley. Based on the trailer, season two appears to pick up right where season one left off following the dramatic conclusion that revealed who-done-it. Family: The Big Little Lies cast had a busy day as Laura Dern was also seen in between promotional stops in the Big Apple Flower power: The 52-year-old actress wore a sheer black midi dress featuring flowers embroidered all over it Happy to be there: She beamed as she was greeted by fans 'But she was darn cute doing it and such a good sport to go out there and do it with the whole crew. 'But it was fun! Yeah, we always had fun and found time to do fun things.' (Left to Right: Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Meryl Streep, Shailene Woodley) Witherspoon, whose production company makes the show, will return as producer as well as star. She and Nicole Kidman, who also serves as producer, received a significant salary bump, and will make 'around $1 million an episode' for season two. Co-stars Kravitz, Dern, and Woodley reportedly got raises as well. Big Little Lies season two premieres Sunday, June 9 on HBO. Advertisement He is leading the cast in BBC's adaptation of A Christmas Carol. And Guy Pearce transformed into Ebenezer Scrooge as filming got under way in Hampstead, despite the rainy weather, on Tuesday. The actor, 51, will join a star-studded cast for the reworks of Charles Dicken's prestigious ghost story, with Peaky Blinders Stephen Knight at the helm. Bah, humbug! Guy Pearce transformed into Ebenezer Scrooge as filming got under way for BBC's A Christmas Carol in Hampstead, despite the rainy weather, on Tuesday Taylor Swift's boyfriend Joe Alwyn was seen on set on Monday as filming began on the three-part series. And Guy was pictured dressed in his Victorian period costume, clutching his script as he arrived to shoot scenes for the Christmas special. The Australian actor slicked his grey hair back and looked the part as the prosperous, cranky old man who begrudges spending money. Getting into character: The leading man, 51, will join a star-studded cast for the reworks of Charles Dicken's prestigious ghost story, with Peaky Blinders Stephen Knight at the helm Transformation: The Australian actor slicked his grey hair back and looked the part as the prosperous, cranky old man who begrudges spending money Action! Despite the rain, the cast, who were all dressed in traditional period costumes, pushed on as they filmed scenes for the three-part special Stepping back in time: The scene was set for the 1840s time period complete with horse drawn carriages with riders dressed in top hats Scrooge: A lady, presumably homeless, sat on the floor and looked like she was begging for money He wore a black fitted waistcoat with pocket watch and held onto a small leather purse. However Guy wasn't in his full costume as he walked through the car park in a park of black Birkenstocks. As the Iron Man 3 headed to a snow-laden street, he was deluged in a sudden rain shower. However, the actor appeared undeterred as a crew member held a large red umbrella over his head, while he made the finishing touches to his costume. Turning into the cold-hearted miser: Guy was pictured dressed in his Victorian period costume, clutching his script as he arrived to shoot scenes for the Christmas special Heavens opening: As Guy headed to a snow-laden street, he was deluged in a sudden rain shower Dedicated: However, the actor appeared undeterred as a crew member held a large red umbrella over his head, while he made the finishing touches to his costume Shrewd: Scrooge despises Christmas, and Dickens described him as: 'The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shrivelled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice' Trying to make a living: A poor woman stood outside trying to sell various medicines as Scrooge walked on past Historic: Guy wore a black fitted waistcoat with pocket watch and held onto a small leather purse Wow: Tom Hardy will join his Taboo collaborator Steven as an executive producer in the three-part series Wrapped up: Guy had the finishing touches made to his costume to make it look like he was dressed for the depths of winter He wore a long grey overcoat and added a thick woolly scarf, in keeping with the wintery setting in which the literary classic is set. Despite the rain, the cast, who were all dressed in traditional period costumes, pushed on as they filmed scenes for the three-part special. Guy walked down the street, gazing into the distance as horse drawn carriages trotted by, while a lady, presumably homeless, sat on the floor and looked like she was begging for money. Interesting: The synopsis by BBC reads the adaptation 'is a unique and original take on the novel, and a haunting, hallucinatory, spine-tingling immersion into Scrooge's dark night of the soul' Star-studded: Guy is leading the cast in BBC's adaptation, which also has Line of Duty's Stephen Graham and Joe Alwyn Scrooge, whose famous catchphrase is 'Bah, humbug!' despises Christmas, and Dickens described him as: 'The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shrivelled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue; and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice.' Tom Hardy will join his Taboo collaborator Steven as an executive producer in the three-part series. The special is directed by Nick Murphy and produced by Julian Stevens. The synopsis by BBC reads the adaptation 'is a unique and original take on the novel, and a haunting, hallucinatory, spine-tingling immersion into Scrooge's dark night of the soul'. Exciting: The special is directed by Nick Murphy and produced by Julian Stevens The actor will join a star studded cast; Stephen Graham takes up the role as Jacob Marley, while Black Panther's Andy Serkis will be the Ghost of Christmas Past, and Peaky Blinders star Charlotte Riley will play Lottie. Rutger Hauer (True Blood) is the Ghost of Christmas Future, Kayvan Novak is cast as Ali Baba. Lenny Rush will portray Tim Cratchit. Fascinating: The synopsis by BBC reads the adaptation 'is a unique and original take on the novel, and a haunting, hallucinatory, spine-tingling immersion into Scrooge's dark night of the soul' Journey: First published in 1843, A Christmas Carol recounts the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, an elderly miser who is visited by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come Victorian: Other cast members arrived on set as filming got under way The actor will join a star studded cast; Black Panther's Andy Serkis will be the Ghost of Christmas Past, and Peaky Blinders star Charlotte Riley will play Lottie Talented: Stephen Graham takes up the role as Jacob Marley and joked around on a space hopper First published in 1843, A Christmas Carol recounts the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, an elderly miser who is visited by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come. After their visits, Scrooge is transformed into a kinder, gentler man. Executive producer Steven said: 'This production of A Christmas Carol will respectfully present what we believe to be a timely interpretation of a timeless story.' The movie adaptation of ITV's Downton Abbey is one of this autumn's most anticipated releases. And actor Jim Carter - who plays head butler Mr Carson in hit period drama - has teased details of the plot which is still shrouded in mystery. 'It was a slightly thinner experience because I don't think for instance the kitchen staff met any of the upstairs staff, or hardly any of them because it was... quicker,' the 70-year-old told Reuters. At your service: Downton Abbey actor Jim Carter - who plays head butler Mr Carson in hit period drama - has teased details of the forthcoming film adaptation's plot 'It was 10 weeks instead of six months.' He went on: 'We were filming separately in our own little stories a lot more than we were on the TV programme. 'Filming the film which we finished in November, that was just like going back to the TV series. 'We all knew each other. As soon as you put your costume on, you're back in character really.' Coming soon: The movie adaptation of ITV's Downton Abbey is one of this autumn's most anticipated releases Come on in: The plot of the movie is still shrouded in mystery Behind-the-scenes: 'It was a slightly thinner experience because I don't think for instance the kitchen staff met any of the upstairs staff, or hardly any of them because it was... quicker,' the 70-year-old told Reuters Last week, the first trailer was released, seemingly showing the Crawley family, who live in Downton, preparing for a royal visit to the Abbey. The TV series followed the upstairs and downstairs lives of the household, and aired on ITV from September 2010 until Christmas Day 2015. The show gained a huge following on both sides of the pond and the movie will pick up in the year 1927, scheduled for release in September. He said: 'It was 10 weeks instead of six months [on set]' He went on: 'We were filming separately in our own little stories a lot more than we were on the TV programme' He continued: 'Filming the film which we finished in November, that was just like going back to the TV series. We all knew each other. As soon as you put your costume on, you're back in character really' This summer, three months ahead of the film's release, Jim will return to Highclere Castle, where Downton Abbey is filmed. The actor will perform in Music From Downton Abbey on June 22, alongside the show's composer John Lunn on piano and the Chamber Orchestra of London. In character, he will host the event. Return to Downton: The actor will perform in Music From Downton Abbey on June 22, alongside the show's composer John Lunn on piano and the Chamber Orchestra of London Back in character: 'The (concept) is that Lord Grantham has asked him to reminisce about his time at Downton Abbey,' he said. 'So he goes back and we talk about the loves, the lives, the disasters, the tragedies, the fun of the whole six series, which is linked together by the music' 'The (concept) is that Lord Grantham has asked him to reminisce about his time at Downton Abbey,' he said. 'So he goes back and we talk about the loves, the lives, the disasters, the tragedies, the fun of the whole six series, which is linked together by the music.' Owner of Highclere, Lady Carnarvon, hinted that a few other members of the cast could join Jim on the day, too. She went from unsung hero, to the nation's sweetheart, to one third of a Strictly love triangle. Yet Stacey Dooley has revealed that she doesn't care what people think of her as she discussed hitting the headlines post-Strictly Come Dancing. The 32-year-old journalist, who made waves when it emerged she had split from long-term boyfriend Sam Tucknott and was dating her pro partner Kevin Clifton, spoke to Red magazine about how it feels knowing the public are discussing her personal life. Speaking out: Stacey Dooley has revealed that she doesn't care what people think of her as she discussed hitting the headlines post-Strictly Come Dancing with Red magazine Stacey reasoned: 'You have to allow people to think for themselves and you cant pass judgement. I dont let outsiders worry me too much, I really mean that. 'Im in Iraq filming really remarkable women telling me theyve lost their babies, you know? So, if somebodys gossiping or saying they dont like me, in the grand scheme of things, its really not the end of the world. Revealing how she deals with social media trolls, the radiant redhead added: Im not going to kick off and argue with everyone, but I am also not going to sit and smile like a nodding dog. 'I know who I am, I know the woman I want to be and Im going to stick to my guns. Moving on: Stacey reasoned, 'You have to allow people to think for themselves and you cant pass judgement. I dont let outsiders worry me too much, I really mean that' Dancing duo: The 32-year-old journalist made waves when it emerged she had split from long-term boyfriend Sam Tucknott and was dating her pro partner Kevin Clifton Stacey found fame as a straight-talking yet sympathetic investigative broadcaster who has fronted documentaries exploring a variety of hard-hitting topics. And whilst Stacey's career is thriving, the star revealed she hopes to live abroad in the future, and discussed her dream of starting a family. She revealed: I love England, but I wouldnt mind living abroad for a couple of years. I do love America when Im there. I hope to still be making documentaries, and maybe theres another book in me. 'I would love a family. When I was making the fascinating families series, I thought it must be a beautiful feeling to have your team. Maybe one day. Kicking off: Revealing how she deals with social media trolls, the radiant redhead added, Im not going to kick off and argue with everyone, but I am also not going to sit and smile' Back to her roots: Stacey found fame as a straight-talking yet sympathetic investigative broadcaster who has fronted documentaries exploring a variety of hard-hitting topics Stacey found a new audience of fans during her stint on Strictly Come Dancing last year, which she won with Kevin Clifton - who is now her boyfriend. Kevin and Stacey's relationship has been marred with controversy as she was in a five-year romance with personal trainer Sam, 30, when she joined the show. When the pair split in March, it was reported that he confronted Kevin about his relationship with Stacey in a furious FaceTime call. He claims he called Kevin a 'snake' and a 'rat' when he discovered flirty text messages sent to his ex after they separated. Mother to be? Whilst Stacey's career is thriving, the star revealed she hopes to live abroad in the future, and discussed her dream of starting a family Sam told the Mail On Sunday last month: 'He went white. I just stuck it on him, "Youre an absolute rat. How you conducted yourself. Just a slippery, slimy snake." Snap it up: The July issue of Red magazine is on sale Thursday 30 May 'He didnt say a word. He looked petrified. He looked so shocked. 'I am so respectful of [Stacey], but I am gutted and I am disappointed and I feel so let down that she did not have the respect for me to tell me and just come clean.' The fitness enthusiast said all was well in their relationship until mid-November - when Stacey and Kevin were performing in the BBC competition series - and he noticed flirty text messages from the dancer. But by the end of March, the couple had made arrangements to separate and for the TV presenter to move out of their Brighton home. Stacey is now believed to be living with Kevin. The July issue of Red is on sale Thursday 30 May. For further exclusive content, please go to Red Online Melissa McCarthy looked like a regular mom as she was pictured running on Tuesday. The Bridesmaids star was seen returning some books to her local library in Los Angeles wrapped up in a chunky cardigan and patterned leggings. The 48-year-old kept comfy in some Adidas sneakers and shaded her eyes with some oversize sunglasses. Running errands: Melissa McCarthy is pictured in Los Angeles on Tuesday as she returned some books to her local library It appeared that the Spy actress had borrowed some books for her daughters, including one from the popular Wings of Fire fantasy series. The Oscar nominee is the mom of Vivian, 11, and Georgette, nine, who she shares with her husband, Ben Falcone. Melissa met Ben while at improv school at The Groundlings in LA. They wed on October 8, 2005 and have since worked and acted alongside each other for a handful of projects - including Bridesmaids with Kristen Wiig. Fantasy novels: The comedian was seen with a book from the Wings of Fire series, likely read by one of her daughters Vivian, 12 and Georgette, nine Their next protect together will be for upcoming movie Superintelligence. In it, McCarthy plays a former executive whose life is turned upside down when she is selected for observation by the worlds first super-intelligence a form of artificial intelligence that may or may not take over the world, according to Variety. The couple have already collaborated on three comedies together: Tammy (2014), The Boss (2016) and the upcoming film Life Of The Party, which is based on Rodney Dangerfield's 1986 hit Back To School. Superintelligence is slated to premiere December 20, 2019. Carmine Caridi, the actor best-known for portraying Carmine Rosato in The Godfather: Part II, has died. He was 85. The star, who was infamously kicked out of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for sharing screeners, passed away at Cedars Sinai hospital in Los Angeles on Wednesday. He died of complications suffered from a recent fall. Sad news: The Godfather actor Carmine Caridi, pictured here in 2012, has died at 85 after falling into a coma at a Los Angeles hospital, according to TMZ on Wednesday Carmine's friend, actor Chazz Palmintieri confirmed the sad news to TMZ and a spokesperson later explained that the star had been hospitalized for over a month. While in doctors care after the fall, Carmine became ill with pneumonia and TMZ reported that he 'was diagnosed last Thursday, and although doctors felt he was stable enough for release on Friday ... his health started going south on Saturday.' Caridi played two different roles in The Godfather franchise as Carmine Rosato in Godfather II and then Albert Volpe in The Godfather III. On screen: Caridi played two different roles in The Godfather franchise as Carmine Rosato in Godfather II and then Albert Volpe in The Godfather III (pictured next to Al Pacino and Andy Garcia center right) The actor was director Francis Ford Coppola's fist choice for the lead role of Sonny Corleone in the famed trilogy. Ultimately, the gig went to actor James Caan because Caridi was 'too tall' to play opposite 5' 7" Al Pacino, according the autobiography The Kid Stays in The Picture. Following his stint in The Godfather, Caridi went on to have a lustrous television career landing roles in shows like NYPD Blue, Fame and Taxi. Born and raised in New York, Cardi said in the past that nearly everyone he grew up with went into the mob but he cut a different path for himself by going into acting. Medical care: After being hospitalized following a bad fall in April, Carmine fell ill with pneumonia (pictured with Lee Curreri in Fame 1984) Following the blow that he'd lost one of the lead roles in The Godfather, Caridi fell into a life of addiction and was arrested for selling cocaine. He spent time in prison and went he got out, Coppola offered him the smaller roles in the Godfather sequels. He is perhaps most infamously known as the first person to be expelled from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Caridi was booted for illegally sharing screeners of Oscar contenders which were sent to him as an Academy voter. Acting: Following his stint in The Godfather, Caridi went on to have a lustrous television career landing roles in shows like NYPD Blue, Fame and Taxi In 2004, the Academy announced that it had identified markers in a bootleg copy of the Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton rom-com Something's Gotta Give that was being shared online as one sent to Caridi. Similarly, copies of The Last Samurai, Mystic River, Big Fish and Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World were also traced back to the actor. An FBI investigation into the copyright infringement, revealed that Caridi had been allegedly sending dozens of Hollywood screeners to an Illinois man via FedEx. That man turned out to be Russell Sprague, one of the largest film pirates in the business. Sordid past: Caridi was the first person to be expelled by the Academy for pirating screeners in 2004 (The Gambler 1974) Sprague died while facing charges and Caridi was later cleared of criminal wrongdoing. The pair were also sued by Sony and Time Warner for copyright infringement. Carmine opened up about the ordeal in 2017 during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. 'Let me tell you something,' he told the outlet. 'Everybody does it, OK?' Adding: 'I was doing a guy a favor and he screwed me.' 'His talent, wit, warmth, and charm will be missed. Carmine passed peacefully, surrounded by friends and family,' a rep said in a statement. 'Perhaps Carmine's biggest regret was his involvement in a scandal that left him expelled from The Motion Picture Academy.' 'From Broadway, to film and television, Carmine spent over six decades entertaining audiences, and nothing made him happier,' Caridi's manager told TMZ in a statement. 'His talent, wit, warmth, and charm will be missed. Carmine passed peacefully, surrounded by friends and family.' 'Perhaps Carmine's biggest regret was his involvement in a scandal that left him expelled from The Motion Picture Academy. 'While exonerated by police and the FBI, Carmine was always deeply saddened by what had transpired.' She's no stranger to displaying her envy-inducing physique in a series of show-stopping ensembles during glitzy outings. And Amber Turner turned up the heat as she posed for a vibrant photoshoot for Envy Shoes at the Wiki Woo Hotel in Ibiza, Spain, on Wednesday afternoon. The TOWIE star, 25, caught the eye as she slipped into an array of sizzling swimwear sets while posing up a storm on a pink motorcycle. Ooh-la-la: The TOWIE star, 25, caught the eye as she slipped into an array of sizzling swimwear sets while posing up a storm on a pink motorcycle Showing off her surgically-enhanced bust and washboard abs, the TV personality looked sensational in a bright pink bikini top, which she teamed with high-waisted briefs. The blonde beauty mixed glamour with comfort as she teamed her scanty ensemble with a pair of white chunky boots. Maintaining her stylish display, Amber complemented her appearance with a pair of goggle-style sunglasses. Racy: She showed off her surgically-enhanced bust, washboard abs and perky derriere during the shoot Wow-factor! The TV personality looked sensational in a bright pink bikini top, which she teamed with high-waisted briefs Style savvy: The blonde beauty mixed glamour with comfort as she teamed her scanty ensemble with a pair of white chunky boots All in the details: Maintaining her stylish display, Amber complemented her appearance with a pair of goggle-style sunglasses For her second look, the TV star rocked a pale orange one-piece which came complete with very daringly-cut sides that sat high on her waist. Amber ensured all eyes were on her as she boosted her physique in a pair of ankle-strap sandal wedges. The Essex bombshell styled her tresses into her signature glossy waves to perfectly frame her striking visage, which was enhanced with matte foundation, false lashes and nude lipgloss. Focused: She looked pensive as she showed her pal something on her mobile phone Mixing it up: For her second look, the TV star rocked a pale orange one-piece which came complete with very daringly-cut sides that sat high on her waist Radiant: The Essex bombshell styled her tresses into her signature glossy waves to perfectly frame her striking visage Added height: She ensured all eyes were on her as she boosted her physique in a pair of ankle-strap sandal wedges Her photoshoot comes after Amber was seen with getting up close and personal with Edward, the vice chairman of London-based waste management company Powerday. He is an accomplished businessman who was named vice chairman of his father's company in January and is featured on the company's website. His working title is described on the website as: 'Edward joined the family business in 2007, starting as a machine driver and has worked in various roles within the company to now being a director overseeing the development of the business.' She recently announced on TOWIE that she has closed the door on ever rekindling a romance with her on-off ex Dan Edgar - after he came clean about two-timing her with co-star Chloe Sims, 36. Amber had been dating Dan on and off since joining the show in 2017 and she called it quits earlier this year citing incompatibility issues. Despite her resounding end to the romance she then shared that she had been sleeping with him after they split on her return to the Essex show in May. Amber was axed from TOWIE earlier this year, but insiders revealed exclusively to MailOnline that show bosses had been sympathetic to her break-up with Dan. Finishing touches: Amber enhanced her stunning appearance with matte foundation, false lashes and nude lipgloss Looking good: The model was in her element as she played with her hair throughout the shoot Added pazzazz: The former fashion blogger accessorised her beachwear with an eye-catching gold bodychain Busty babe: She's no stranger to displaying her envy-inducing physique in a series of show-stopping ensembles during glitzy outings While representatives confirmed she was told her contract for the coming series had been terminated, she returned earlier this month. Amber was a divisive addition to the show when she made her entrance as Megan McKenna's best friend during the cast trip to Tenerife in 2017's series 20. She was in a relationship with live-in beau Jamie Reed for four years before her arrival in TOWIE in which she was accused of cheating on the hunk with co-star Dan. Nickelodeon just figured out Blue's Clues (again). The network is relaunching the beloved children's program with a new Filipino-American host and they released a first look video on Wednesday. The rebrand, which premieres in November 2019, also got a refreshed title: Blue's Clues and You. Woof Woof! Nickelodeon debuted the exciting first look at the Blue's Clues reboot with new Filipino-American host Joshua Dela Cruz 'Hi! It's me, Josh and this is my puppy Blue,' the teaser begins. New host Joshua Dela Cruz appears on camera with infectious energy and ear to ear grin. He is, as expected, dressed in the show's signature striped shirt but unlike the original green striped rugby shirt, Josh's is a crew neck in appropriate shades of blue. The first look video revives the nostalgia of Blue's Clues past and features an excited song and dance routine set in the same animated home from the original series. All new: The network is relaunching the beloved children's program and whipped up excitement this week with a musical teaser video Coming soon: The rebrand, which premieres in November 2019, also got a refreshed title: Blue's Clues and You 'Hi! It's me, Josh and this is my puppy Blue,' the teaser begins. Nostaglia: The thinking chair, the handy dandy notebook, the Felt People and even Magenta are back in the reboot and were featured in the first look The thinking chair, the handy dandy notebook, the Felt People and even Magenta are back in the reboot. Blue and Magenta both got makeovers courtesy of modern animation but still look true to the original cartoons. Dela Cruz was plucked from Broadway to star in the children's program and showcases his dancing and singing skills in the video. Makeovers: Blue and Magenta have been modernized and Dela Crus has his very own version of Steve's iconic striped shirt Performer: Dela Cruz was plucked from Broadway to star in the children's program and showcases his dancing and singing skills in the video Exciting: Many of the familiar faces and settings from the original series have returned Many Asian-American's flocked to Twitter to express their excitement about their culture's representation in the program. 'THE NEW BLUES CLUES GUY IS FILIPINO HOLD ME I'M FRAGILE,' one user tweeted. Another added: 'THE NEW BLUES CLUES HOST IS ASIAN & FILIPINO AMERICAN. THIS IS SO DOPE.' While rapper Timothy DeLaGhetto summed it up with his post: 'As a little kid, I NEVER saw an Asian dude on the kiddie shows (or any shows) Im bout to watch this new Blues Clues just to support my PEOPLES! We out here in 2019!' Tentpole series: The original series first aired on Nick Jr. in 1996 with Burns at the helm. He was later replaced by Donovan Patton as host Too cute: The revamped Blue is cuter than ever Thrilled: Many Asian-American's flocked to Twitter to express their excitement about their culture's representation in the program Accolades: Fans are excited about Dela Cruz as the new host When the remake was announced last year, the show's original host, Steve Burns expressed his excitement for the series getting a revival and his support for the new host. 'I had the great honor of being a part of the search for the new host, and I give Josh two thumbs up! He can definitely fill my shoes, and the rugby shirt,' Burns said in a press release at the time. The original series first aired on Nick Jr. in 1996 with Burns at the helm. He was later replaced by Donovan Patton as host. The original! Steve Burns (pictured in 1996) was involved in picking Josh as the new host of the series Impressive: Blue's Clues went off the air in 2006 as one of the longest running shows in the network's history (Donovan Patton pictured) New Blue: The original Blue (left) got a modern makeover for the 2019 version (right) Blue's Clues went off the air in 2006 as one of the longest running shows in the network's history. 'From the moment we decided to make a new version of the series, we knew that so much of the energy and magic of the show comes from the hosts ability to bring preschoolers into the colorfully animated world of Blue and her friends, said Cathy Galeota, Nickelodeon Groups senior vice president of preschool content. 'Joshs wonderful theater background and his natural charisma checked all the boxes for us, and of course Steves stamp of approval only solidified our decision.' Her award-winning TV series Killing Eve is set to make a return to screens on June 8. And Phoebe Waller-Bridge proved there's no rest for the wicked as she attended the press night of West End play The Starry Messenger at Wyndam's Theatre in London on Wednesday evening. The playwright, 33, commanded attention as she flashed a hint of her black bra in a semi-sheer cream top, which she teamed with a pair of indigo straight-leg jeans. Busy bee: Phoebe Waller-Bridge proved there's no rest for the wicked as she attended the press night of West End play The Starry Messenger at Wyndam's Theatre in London on Wednesday Upping the style ante, the actress wrapped warm against the chilly climes of the English capital in a colourful checked coat. The Fleabag star ensured all eyes were on her as she boosted her towering frame in a pair of suede orange ankle boots. With her brunette tresses styled into a tousled updo, Phoebe complemented her porcelain complexion with lashings of mascara, blush-swept cheeks and a slick of classic red lipstick. Kenneth Lonergan's 2009 play The Starry Messenger tells the tale of astronomer Mark Williams, played by Matthew, who works at New York City's Planetarium. Chic: The playwright, 33, commanded attention as she flashed a hint of her black bra in a semi-sheer cream top, which she teamed with a pair of indigo straight-leg jeans Looking good: Upping the style ante, the actress wrapped warm against the chilly climes of the English capital in a colourful checked coat The astronomer, who feels a closer connection to the sky than his personal life, sees his world turned upside down by a chance meeting with young single mother Angela, played by Rosalind Eleazar. This leads him to reevaluate his life, faith, marriage to Anne - played by Elizabeth McGovern and position in the universe. The play, which sees Matthew, 57, make his West End debut, also stars Downton Abbey's Elizabeth and runs until August. Phoebe's display comes after she hit back at critics who brand her TV series Fleabag 'vulgar' - claiming there was not a moment of nudity in the first series. Standing tall: The Fleabag star ensured all eyes were on her as she boosted her towering frame in a pair of suede orange ankle boots Radiant: With her brunette tresses styled into a tousled updo, Phoebe complemented her porcelain complexion with lashings of mascara, blush-swept cheeks and a slick of classic red lipstick Stage: Matthew Broderick and Elizabeth McGovern joined Jim Norton, Rosalind Eleazar and Sinead Matthews onstage The writer and actor, who is this months British GQ cover star, said the show came under fire for being filthy and sexually exposing,' but added the programme only boasted graphic language - and didnt actually contain nudity. Phoebe said critics reacted to her show by saying: This is the filthiest, most overly exposed, sexually exposing show ever.' She told the publication: They made out like I was naked the whole way through. I was like, There is not a moment of nudity in the series." I just say stuff about my a***hole straight down the barrel. I think that makes people feel so naked, but the language was more naked than the actual performance. Not happy: Phoebe's display comes after she hit back at critics who brand her TV series Fleabag 'vulgar' - claiming there was not a moment of nudity in the first series Her husband of 22 years is making his West End debut in The Starry Messenger. And Sarah Jessica Parker looked incredible as she stepped out to support Matthew Broderick at the play's press night, held at London's Wyndham Theatre on Wednesday. The Sex And The City actress, 54, dazzled in a shimmering black tiered dress, teamed with the star's favoured vertiginous heels as she enjoyed a rare PDA with her husband, 57. Wow: Sarah Jessica Parker looked incredible as she stepped out to support Matthew Broderick at the play's press night, held at London's Wyndham Theatre on Wednesday PDA: The happily married couple of 22 years passionately kissed as they celebrated Matthew's success Their smitten display comes after Sarah was forced to defend her 22-year marriage to Matthew earlier this month and branded rumours of arguments between them 'untrue and disgraceful nonsense'. Yet putting the drama behind her, Sarah's 1920s inspired dress featured elegant split sleeves and a plunging neckline, that teased the star's ample cleavage and black bra. Cinching in at her slender waist, the Carrie Bradshaw actress' gown flared into an elegant, tiered mid length skirt. The Footloose star boosted her height with a pair of terracotta satin stilettos, which flashed her honed legs. Shimmer: The Sex And The City actress, 54, dazzled in a shimmering black tiered dress, teamed with the star's favoured vertiginous heels Busty: Her trademark curly tresses were worn sleek and straight while her pretty features were enhanced with smoky shadow, kohl liner and a slick of rose lipstick Dazzle: Their smitten display comes after Sarah was forced to defend her 22-year marriage to Matthew earlier this month and branded rumours of arguments between them 'untrue and disgraceful nonsense' She accessorised with a snakeskin-print handbag from Rebecca Minkoff. Her trademark curly tresses were worn sleek and straight while her pretty features were enhanced with smoky shadow, kohl liner and a slick of rose lipstick. Showing her support for Matthew, who wore Chester Barrie, the actress passionately kissed her husband at the show after-party, with the couple staring into one another's eyes as they cosied up. Their smitten display comes after Sarah took to Instagram earlier this month to rip a US publication after she received an email from them asking for comment on an alleged fight between her and husband Matthew. The Sex & The City actress posted the email on her social media account, which has more than 5.4 million followers, with a detailed caption in which she ripped the tabloid and its repeated efforts 'to fabricate and undermine' her marriage. Showbiz pals: Sarah Jessica walked past a poster of her handsome husband accompanied by TV host Andy Cohen Cute couple: The happy couple looked smitten as they posed up at the after party Success in the city: SJP couldn't take her hands off her handsome husband at the after party In the email asking the actress for comment, the US publication said witnesses in London 'were stunned to see them arguing just days before their 22-year wedding anniversary' (which was May 19) in a row over Matthew's recent London stage work. Sarah wrote a detailed caption describing the longtime difficulties she's had with the tabloid, she said: 'Just like clockwork. Over a decade of the same untrue, disgraceful nonsense. As usual, days ahead of our anniversary on May 19th.' She added that reports of a fight were lies, she continued: 'My children and I are enormously proud of the work he is doing.' The event proved to be a star-studded affair with Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Suki Waterhouse, Amanda Abbington, Kara Tointon, Alan Carr and Graham Norton also in attendance. Incredible: The stunning item of clothing had a backless detail, which showcased her black bra strap, and she carried a handbag from Rebecca Minkoff Home time: The couple were pictured leaving on their way home after the performance Supportive: The couple walked hand-in-hand after Matthew's stage debut on Wednesday night Playwright Phoebe, 33, commanded attention as she flashed a hint of her black bra in a semi-sheer cream top, which she teamed with a pair of indigo straight-leg jeans. Upping the style ante, the actress wrapped warm against the chilly climes of the English capital in a colourful checked coat. The Fleabag star ensured all eyes were on her as she boosted her towering frame in a pair of suede orange ankle boots. With her brunette tresses styled into a tousled updo, Phoebe complemented her porcelain complexion with lashings of mascara, blush-swept cheeks and a slick of classic red lipstick. Busy bee: Phoebe Waller-Bridge proved there's no rest for the wicked as she attended the press night Chic: The playwright, 33, commanded attention as she flashed a hint of her black bra in a semi-sheer cream top, which she teamed with a pair of indigo straight-leg jeans Here she is: Amanda Abbington looked flawless in a blush pink Victoriana-inspired gown Smile: The Sherlock star looked flawless as she joined fellow stars at the event Sisters: Actresses Kara and Hannah Tointon put in an appearance on the night Kenneth Lonergan's 2009 play The Starry Messenger tells the tale of astronomer Mark Williams, played by Matthew, who works at New York City's Planetarium. The astronomer, who feels a closer connection to the sky than his personal life, sees his world turned upside down by a chance meeting with young single mother Angela, played by Rosalind Eleazar. This leads him to reevaluate his life, faith, marriage to Anne - played by Elizabeth McGovern and position in the universe. The play, which sees Matthew, 57, make his West End debut, also stars Downton Abbey's Elizabeth and runs until August. Smile: Presenter Alan Carr looked jovial as he attended the press night Stylish: Alan and Graham, who are judges together on the upcoming RuPaul's Drag Race UK, posed for a photo Home time: The talented siblings left together after the star-studded press night Laugh out loud: SJP accessorised with a sparkling topaz necklace on the night A smitten SJP recently took to Instagram to wish her husband a happy 22nd wedding anniversary. The Divorce actress captioned the snap, 'May 19th, 1997- May 19th, 2019, 22 years, 8,030 days. And a billion memories. Happy anniversary baby. X, SJ.' The Divorce actress has been married to fellow actor Matthew since 1997, tying the knot in Manhattan's Lower East Side in a ceremony officiated by Broderick's sister, Janet Kraft. Pose: Sarah and and Elizabeth McGovern looked stunning as they chatted Leaving: Elizabeth pictured leaving the event as she got into a taxi outside Glamour: SJP looked gorgeous as she struck a smouldering pose Casual cool: Graham Norton kept his look casual on the press night The year 2002 saw the couple welcome their first child, a son called James, who is now 16, into the world. Seven years later in 2009, they were parents of three, welcoming fraternal twins Marion and Tabitha, who are now nine, via a surrogate. Before Matthew, Sarah Jessica was in a relationship with Robert Downey Jr from 1984 until 1991. In demand: Sarah Jessica was greeted by fans as she left the venue Smile: Graham Norton and Alan Carr enjoyed some refreshing drinks at the after-party Happy: Alan appeared in good spirits as he flashed a smile while leaving the event Line-up: Stars Matthew Broderick, Elizabeth McGovern and Rosalind Eleazar posed up Dapper: Christopher Biggins also joined the celebrity guest list Glamour: SJP and her best friend presenter Andy Cohen looked glamorous as they arrived at the theatre Stage: Matthew Broderick and Elizabeth McGovern joined Jim Norton, Rosalind Eleazar and Sinead Matthews onstage Kara Tointon enjoyed a rare night off from mummy duties as she headed to the theatre with her sister Hannah, 31, on Tuesday night. The actress, 35, who is mum to baby son Frey, cut a stylish figure at The Starry Messenger's launch night at Wyndham's Theatre. Kara and Hannah's outing comes after they tragically lost their mother Carol five weeks ago. Sister-time! Kara Tointon enjoyed a rare night off from mummy duties as she headed to the theatre with her sister Hannah, 31, on Tuesday night For the outing, Kara rocked a black biker jacket and denim jeans, which she paired with tough military boots. She wore her brunette locks in a high ponytail and slung a leather handbag over her shoulders. Hannah also opted for a cool leather jacket, which she wore atop of a plunging red chiffon top and denim jeans. Chic: Hannah also opted for a cool leather jacket, which she wore atop of a plunging red chiffon top and denim jeans Glam: The actress, 35, who is mum to baby son Frey, cut a stylish figure at The Starry Messenger's launch night at Wyndham's Theatre Devastating: Kara and Hannah's outing comes after they tragically lost their mother Carol, five weeks ago Kenneth Lonergan's 2009 play The Starry Messenger tells the tale of astronomer Mark Williams, played by Matthew, who works at New York City's Planetarium. The astronomer, who feels a closer connection to the sky than his personal life, sees his world turned upside down by a chance meeting with young single mother Angela, played by Rosalind Eleazar. This leads him to reevaluate his life, faith, marriage to Anne - played by Elizabeth McGovern and position in the universe. The play, which sees Matthew, 57, make his West End debut, also stars Downton Abbey's Elizabeth and runs until August. Stylish: She added a boost to her height with black boots and added a slick of red lipstick Home time: The talented siblings left together after the star-studded press night The girls appeared to be thoroughly enjoying their time together, after losing their mother. Last month Kara revealed Carol had passed away, sharing a heartbreaking video of some of her most precious moments on Instagram. Kara gave birth to her beautiful son four months ago with fiance Marius Jensen She previously revealed she had put off setting a wedding date due to her mother's illness. Poignant: Kara has been sharing beautiful images of herself and her mother Carol on social media - the cause of her death is not known but Kara previously said she had been unwell (uploaded last month) Having a nice time: Hannah flashed a smile as she left the theatre The Mr Selfridge star spoke to Hello! last year about her plans to tie the knot and said: 'We are hoping next year, perhaps in Norway or maybe in London. 'My mum hasn't been too well over the last year or so and I want her to be able to enjoy it. 'Seeing her with Frey and dealing with everything she has to right now is overwhelming and I couldnt be more proud. I just want her to be back to herself again. Thats our priority.' Smiling through the pain: The girls appeared to be thoroughly enjoying their time together, after losing their mother Stage: Matthew Broderick and Elizabeth McGovern joined Jim Norton, Rosalind Eleazar and Sinead Matthews onstage He's forged a successful career in the food business following his appearances on E!'s Keeping Up With The Kardashians. And Jonathan Cheban was in his element as he filmed scenes for his reality series Food God at Oxford Street's Chopstix restaurant in London, England, on Wednesday afternoon. The TV personality, 45, appeared in great spirits as she wolfed down a cup of noddles in the Chinese eatery during his trip in the English capital. Beaming: Jonathan Cheban was in his element as he filmed scenes for his reality series Food God at Oxford Street's Chopstix restaurant in London, England, on Wednesday afternoon Ensuring he captured his food trip, Jonathan's pal documented his activities on a mobile phone. The former publicist looked effortlessly cool as he sported a black hooded jumper, tied in with a pair of classic skinny jeans and fresh hi-top trainers. In his true stylish fashion, Jonathan accessorised with mirrored sunglasses and his signature diamond-encrusted necklace, emblazoned with his Food God nickname. Yummy: The TV personality, 45, appeared in great spirits as she wolfed down a cup of noddles in the Chinese eatery during his trip in the English capital Wow: Ensuring he captured his food trip, Jonathan's pal documented his activities on a mobile phone Looking good: The former publicist looked effortlessly cool as he sported a black hooded jumper, tied in with a pair of classic skinny jeans and fresh hi-top trainers The reality star has been savvy about his entrepreneurial skill, as he has made a name for himself as a food specialist, not by cooking meals but rather by purchasing them in restaurants. He's a food critic for millennials who would not bother checking out Pete Wells' column for The New York Times. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Jonathan described himself as a 'modern-day food critic.' All in the details: In his true stylish fashion, Jonathan accessorised with mirrored sunglasses and his signature diamond-encrusted necklace, emblazoned with his Food God nickname Impressive: He's forged a successful career in the food business following his appearances on E!'s Keeping Up With The Kardashians The reality star elaborated: 'I want to go to a place where somebody sends me this insane cotton candy burrito and Im like, this is amaaazing. 'I was like, "I feel like this is the time for me". 'And then I was like, "Whats my thing?" I eat all day. I love to eat. My whole day revolves around food", he added. She has been earmarked as the next Laura Anderson thanks to her job as an airhostess and her blonde bombshell looks. And Amy Hart has offered some secrets from the skies as she revealed who has been her least favourite celebrity passenger over the years, ahead of her stint in this years series of Love Island. The former British Airways cabin crew, 26, divulged that she has previously had to have a word with television presenter Kirstie Allsopp when she worked as a junior cabin crew during her early days at the company. Opening up: Amy Hart has offered some secrets from the skies as she revealed who has been her least favourite celebrity passenger over the years, ahead of her stint in this years series of Love Island When quizzed about her experiences with celebrity passengers, Amy said: I havent had any proper nightmares, the only one was Kirstie Allsopp because she kept going up and down with one kid and then coming back with two. There were lots of spare seats in business class and she kept coming back with two kids, and I was like no if youve booked three seats [in business class] then youve booked three seats. I was quite junior at the time so it was my manager who told me to, but I had to go over and tell them [that they couldnt all sit there]. Awkward: The former British Airways cabin crew, 26, divulged that she has previously had to have a word with television presenter Kirstie Allsopp when she worked as a junior cabin crew Kirstie, 47, has previously defended the fact she relegates her two sons - Bay, 13 and Oscar, 11 to economy class seating on flights - while she relaxes in business class during family holidays together. Amys other brushes with fame include meeting Piers Morgan during a flight with his three sons, who she dubbed a lovely family,' as well as experiencing a taste of trolling when a picture of her and Liam Payne , who she met on a night out, went viral. She said: Hed just split up with his ex Sophia and the comments said that he was spotted out partying and then there was a huge picture of me and him. Candid: I havent had any proper nightmares, the only one was Kirsty Allsop because she kept going up and down with one kid and then coming back with two,' she said Although it offered her an insight into what her life may be like outside the villa after the show, Amy noted that she isnt nervous for the change in lifestyle because she didnt make the decision lightly. She said: This isnt a rash decision, I applied in October and Ive had a lot of time to think about it, I feel level-headed with the whole thing. I would never read any comments on any online article, Ive seen Alexandra [Cane] from last year posed the comments she got on some beautiful pictures of herself in the Maldives and they were awful comments. Confrontation: There were lots of spare seats in business class and she kept coming back with two kids, and I was like no if youve booked three seats [in business class] then youve booked three seats,' she added So Id never do that and you can go looking for things, if you want to read the four thousands comments on your Instagram picture saying how amazing you look then you also have to red the ones saying that you look awful. Its everything thats wrong with todays society but if you dont want to read them then dont read them. You dont have to have commenting available or have Twitter and you dont have to read it.' Proving she had the necessary thick skin for the job, Amy added: I worked on a plane for eight and a half years so anything a troll can say me, Ive had said to me 20,000 times worse to my face. Familiar face: Amys other brushes with fame include meeting Piers Morgan during a flight with his three sons, who she dubbed a lovely family' If Amy suffers any knockbacks in the villa, she joked she will channel her inner Laura, referencing the stars resilient nature after being let down in the villa several times on the show last year. Discussing the comparisons between herself and the former airhostess, she said: I love Laura shes my favourite so I dont mind that! She was amazing, the fact she got knocked down so many times. I hope I dont get knocked down that many times but if I do Ill just channel my inner Laura and just get back up again. Amy admitted that her job was useful when it came to filming her application video for the show, adding that she used exotic locations and the aircrafts champagne trolley to aid her quest. The Sussex native said: I applied in October and filmed my application video all around the world on the aircraft and in Kingston in Jamaica in the pool on a big unicorn float. We were filming me popping a bottle of champagne [on the aircraft] and I said to everyone until weve got the shot nobody else touches a bottle of champagne. I said I dont care if someone wants a glass and theyve got to wait five minutes I am opening every bottle. This guy was sat in the first seat and he could see into the galley and every two minutes Id be coming back with another bottle of champagne and hed be like did you get another. Amy, who said she was convinced that the show would turn her down, confessed that she applied for the programme as early as October last year and said it has been quite a long process for her. When questioned on what shed have done if shed have found a man in that time, she said: Theyd of had to have been quite special, with me Ive never had a proper boyfriend, Ive only been seeing guys. I was seeing someone in December and I said to him at the beginning and I said to him, just so you know I have actually applied for Love Island, and I think he thought I was joking. All change: Although it offered her an insight into what her life may be like outside the villa after the show, Amy noted that she isnt nervous for the change in lifestyle because she didnt make the decision lightly Because I havent had a boyfriend, before it used to be because nobody fancied me and now its because Ive waited so long, my friends and family are waiting for this Prince Charming to come. She described her perfect man as: Someone who I can also do crazy things with like go to Orlando for two weeks and someone who will be like shall we go here today? and Ill be up for it. Ive got a lot of love to give so I want someone who has a lot of love together, so that we can mutually adore each other, have a lovely time and a lovely life. Amy confessed if she does find the right man in the villa she will be considerate for her family, she said: This is such famous last words to say I would never do anything on television but I have to remember that I have parents, grandparents and a 20-year-old brother who has to go to the pub for the next few weeks. So ll be mindful of that, but you never know who youre going to meet in there. She also added that her family did have reservations about her entering the villa, adding: I think any family will have their reservations, as it is life changing and a big undertaking. My little brother has many plans for my social media. He had all stuff recorded for this weekend and its fine because he told me nobody would know that Im gone. He told me hes going to do a live Q&A every Friday. Im like alright its about me not you! She's known as the Powerhouse in Pigtails. And Margaret Josephs tied up her platinum blonde tresses to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of her global lifestyle brand in New York on Tuesday night. The 52-year-old entrepreneur showed some skin wearing a gorgeous black Marc Bouwer gown to launch her latest jewelry line at the opulent hotspot GoldBar with her Real Housewives of New Jersey co-stars by her side. Bold and beautiful: Margaret Josephs tied up her platinum blonde tresses to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of her global lifestyle brand in New York on Tuesday night Margaret's stunning gown featured a plunging neckline with spiky gold shoulder pads with sparkling tassels. She added inches to her frame with a pair of nude peep-toe heels and accessorized with gold strand earrings and a chunky cocktail ring. Her glam was artfully applied by Marti Petritsis and Julius Michael gave Josephs' a classic pompadour ponytail. Chic in the city: The 52-year-old entrepreneur showed some skin wearing a gorgeous black Marc Bouwer gown to launch her latest jewelry line at the opulent hotspot GoldBar Dressed for success: Margaret's stunning gown featured a plunging neckline with spiky gold shoulder pads with sparkling tassels Golden: Melissa Gorga made sure to support her friend as she introduced a new collection of whimsical pieces at the Caviar Dreams celebration Date night: Gorga showed off her tanned and toned legs in a short mini dress with a black skirt and a sparkling gold top, with husband Joe by her side Melissa Gorga made sure to support her friend as she introduced a new collection of whimsical pieces at the Caviar Dreams celebration. Gorga showed off her tanned and toned legs in a short mini dress with a black skirt and a sparkling gold top. She looked flawless with a smokey eye created by Nikkii Kasak and her luscious, caramel colored hair was styled at DePasquale The Spa. Model behavior: She looked flawless with a smokey eye created by Nikkii Kasak and her luscious, caramel colored hair was styled at DePasquale The Spa Exquisite: Jackie Goldschneider dressed to impress wearing a black Michelle Mason blouse with a sheer polka dot material across her chest and Theory slacks. Looking good: Joe Gorga covered up his muscular biceps with a long-sleeved black shirt and wore khaki slacks Lavish: The gilded soiree was created by Lawrence Scott Events, with guests wining and dining underneath sparkling chandeliers Jackie Goldschneider dressed to impress wearing a black Michelle Mason blouse with a sheer polka dot material across her chest and Theory slacks. Peeks of silver Gucci sandals peered out from under her wide-legged trousers and she showed off impeccable glam by Karlene Damallie with her bright blonde tresses styled by Jamal Tadros. The gilded soiree was created by Lawrence Scott Events, with guests wining and dining underneath sparkling chandeliers. As an ode to where her business began from humble beginnings at her kitchen table in 1999, Margaret made sure to celebrate her success with a cake which read: 'To Caviar Dreams on a tuna fish budget!' Sweet: Pink and gold treats were passed around the room on gilded trays They're expecting their second child together, six months after tying the knot in a lavish Byron Bay wedding. But what should be a happy time for Snezana Markoski and Sam Wood was overshadowed by a troll, who criticised the pregnant star for giving marriage advice this week. In an Instagram post on Wednesday, Snezana told her followers that she doesn't understand why people say 'it's all downhill' after marriage because she and Sam are still blissfully happy less than a year after saying 'I do'. Scroll down for video 'Make this bold statement after six years!' Snezana Markoski (left) has been trolled for giving marriage advice just six months after saying 'I do' with Sam Wood (right). This marks Snezana's second marriage, following her 2005 divorce from Jason Rapoff 'Whoever says it's all down here from the day you get married is dead wrong,' Snezana, 38, wrote in a heartwarming tribute to fitness entrepreneur Sam, 39. 'It's been exactly six months since I married the man of my dreams and became Mrs Wood and I feel our love and respect for another grow stronger with every day that passes.' In the comments section, a troll said that Snezana has no business making 'bold statements' after only being married for six months. 'Bahahaha six months!??? Make this bold statement when you've been married for six years maybe,' they wrote. Backlash: Snezana (pictured left on her wedding day last year) shared a heartwarming tribute to Sam on their six-month anniversary, which prompted a troll to say she shouldn't be giving marriage advice Snarky: The troll had a blunt message for the former Bachelor winner, writing: 'Bahahaha six months!??? Make this bold statement when you've been married for six years maybe' Sam also shared his own heartfelt tribute to Snezana this week, writing: '[Six] months ago today you became my WIFE. 'I fall more in love with you every day even though I wouldn't believe it possible. It has been the best six months of my life without question and I cannot wait to spend the next 60 years together xxx.' It comes several weeks after Sam was criticised for sharing an artistic nude photo of himself to Instagram with his 18-month-old daughter, Willow. In the black-and-white photo taken at a beach in Port Douglas, Sam was pictured standing in the surf with Willow with their backs to the camera - but critics slammed the snap as 'inappropriate'. Controversy: It comes several weeks after Sam was criticised for sharing an artistic nude photo of himself with his 18-month-old daughter, Willow (both pictured) 'As a mum of teens, my kids would be horrified if I posted my a**,' one person commented. Another added: 'A new low in social media attention seeking!' 'Actually, very disappointing. No need for these kinds of photos,' a third person wrote. Snezana and Sam found love on The Bachelor in 2015 and they tied the knot last year after a three-year engagement. They are parents to Willow and 13-year-old Eve, from Snezana's previous marriage, and are expecting another child in coming months. Prior to Sam, Snezana was married to Jason Rapoff, 39, a reformed drug addict, for a year before they split in 2005. Joe Jonas has opened up about Diplo 'ruining' his secret Las Vegas wedding with Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner. Jonas, along with brothers Nick and Kevin, appeared on the UK radio program Capital Breakfast with Roman Kemp, where he said the wedding was, 'lit.' When it was mentioned that Diplo 'ruined' the secretive affair by posting a live stream of the ceremonies on Instagram, Joe responded with a playful dis of Diplo and his constant Instagram habit. Blasting Diplo: Joe Jonas opens up about Diplo 'ruining' his secret wedding with Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner Diplo dis: When it was mentioned that Diplo 'ruined' the secretive affair by posting a live stream of the ceremonies on Instagram, Joe responded with a playful dis of Diplo and his constant Instagram habit 'Diplo did. Yeah, he ruined it. I love Diplo, but he loves his Gram more than a 13 year old,' Joe, 29, joked. 'He posts every five seconds. He literally live-streamed with dog face filters. We just laughed. We loved it. We thought it was ridiculous,' Joe added. 'I just loved that he was walking into the chapel and he's like, "Gonna hit this wedding real quick,"' he joked. Wedding ruined: 'Diplo did. Yeah, he ruined it. I love Diplo, but he loves his Gram more than a 13 year old,' Joe, 29, joked The wedding took place four weeks ago, but with Joe and the rest of his brothers preparing to go on tour starting in August, Joe and Sophie have not gone on their honeymoon yet. 'You know, we've got plans that we'll be hush-hush about, but yeah, we'll make time for that,' Joe replied. Turner also addressed Diplo essentially becoming the unofficial 'wedding photographer' during a recent appearance on The Graham Norton Show. Sophie speaks: Turner also addressed Diplo essentially becoming the unofficial 'wedding photographer' during a recent appearance on The Graham Norton Show 'Well, we didn't choose him to be our wedding photographer, he just kind of decided to live stream it,' Turner said on the UK program. Norton added that they are planning a 'big party' to celebrate their nuptials as well, but Turner was coy, only stating, 'Potentially.' Norton went on to joke that the party is, 'In France, 15th of July, just outside of Montpellier,' before admitting that he had no idea where it was, but Turner admitted, 'That was a pretty good guess.' Wedding photographer: 'Well, we didn't choose him to be our wedding photographer, he just kind of decided to live stream it,' Turner said on the UK program Turner is currently promoting her new X-Men movie Dark Phoenix, which is slated to hit theaters June 5 in the UK and June 7 in the US. The Jonas Brothers' Happiness Begins tour kicks off August 7 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, with the brother traversing North America for three months. The tour concludes December 14th at the Forum in LA. JoBros: The Jonas Brothers' Happiness Begins tour kicks off August 7 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, with the brother traversing North America for three months Hitting the road: The tour concludes December 14th at the Forum in LA JoBros on stage: The Jonas Brothers perform an intimate gig for Banquet Records at PRYZM Kingston in London in support of their upcoming album Happiness begins New album: Happiness Begins will be The Jonas Brothers' fifth studio album Coming soon: The album Happiness Begins is slated to debut June 7, the same date Dark Phoenix hits theaters, the new movie from Joe's wife Sophie Turner A new generation of Hollywood royalty is coming up. Corinne Foxx, 25, and Sistine Stallone, 20, are co-starring in 47 Meters Down: Uncaged, a heart-pounding new shark thriller with a teaser out Wednesday. The rising stars have teamed up 16 years after their respective fathers Jamie Foxx and Sylvester Stallone featured together in the 2003 gambling drama Shade. New generation: Corinne Foxx, 25, and Sistine Stallone, 20, are co-starring in 47 Meters Down: Uncaged, a heart-pounding new shark thriller with a teaser out Wednesday In the new sneak peek for 47 Meters Down: Uncaged, which hits cinemas August 16, what starts out as a fun scuba-diving trip goes horribly wrong. Corinne, Sistine, Brianne Tju and The Book Thief star Sophie Nelisse play the four teen girls who set off underwater for fun. Concerned parents played by John Corbett and Nia Long present them with a shark tooth, foreshadowing trouble down below. When the girls get underwater, they come upon the ruins of an ancient city that they assume was built by the Mayans. Legacy: The rising stars have teamed up 16 years after their respective fathers Jamie Foxx and Sylvester Stallone featured together in the 2003 gambling drama Shade Terror: In the new sneak peek for 47 Meters Down: Uncaged, which hits cinemas August 16, what starts out as a fun scuba-diving trip goes horribly wrong Star cast: Corinne, Sistine, Brianne Tju and The Book Thief star Sophie Nelisse play the four teen girls who set off underwater for fun Acting legends: Concerned parents played by John Corbett and Nia Long present them with a shark tooth, foreshadowing trouble down below Exploring: When the girls get underwater, they come upon the ruins of an ancient city that they assume was built by the Mayans Skeletons are scattered amid the submerged buildings, and the divers theorize that the bones belonged to victims of 'human sacrifices.' However, they soon realize how wrong they are when they detect a creature hunting them - one of them yelps: 'There's something there!' Although the ruins are pitch-dark, the girls turn on their red helmet lamps, and by the eerie glow they see a ravenous shark heading their way. The teaser then plunges ahead into a hair-raising montage that shows the girls desperately trying to avoid being devoured by the beast. Horrifying: Skeletons are scattered amid the submerged buildings, and the divers theorize that the bones belonged to victims of 'human sacrifices' Building fear: However, they soon realize how wrong they are when they detect a creature hunting them - one of them yelps: 'There's something there!' Illumination: Although the ruins are pitch-dark, the girls turn on their red helmet lamps, and by the eerie glow they see a ravenous shark heading their way Situation: The teaser then plunges ahead into a hair-raising montage that shows the girls desperately trying to avoid being devoured by the beast They swim through narrow caves and dart this way and that among the ruins with the shark in hot pursuit, and eventually begin to lose hope. Their oxygen tanks quickly run low on air and they resort to hiding in a cage, presumably thinking the bars will keep the predator at bay. The first 47 Meters Down movie starred Mandy Moore and Claire Holt and bowed in 2017, becoming a big enough hit to merit a sequel. Jamie and Sylvester's film Shade featured Melanie Griffith, whose daughter Dakota Johnson followed her famous parent into the movies just like Corinne and Sistine. Escape: They swim through narrow caves and dart this way and that among the ruins with the shark in hot pursuit, and eventually begin to lose hope Safety?: Their oxygen tanks quickly run low on air and they resort to hiding in a cage, presumably thinking the bars will keep the predator at bay Oscar winner Nicole Kidman embraced her two youngest daughters before she hit the glamorous red carpet at the Big Little Lies premiere in Manhattan on Wednesday. The 51-year-old mother-of-four - who boasts 14.6M Instagram/Facebook followers - captioned her snap: 'I am nothing without the love of my family.' It was a rare snap of 10-year-old Sunday Rose and eight-year-old Faith Margaret, whom she had with second husband, four-time Grammy winner Keith Urban. 'I am nothing without the love of my family': Oscar winner Nicole Kidman embraced her two youngest daughters before she hit the glamorous red carpet at the Big Little Lies premiere on Wednesday The Hawaiian-born Australian and the 51-year-old Kiwi country crooner - who met at G'Day LA in 2005 - will celebrate their 13th wedding anniversary on June 25. 'We're just a very close family. We put the time in, and theres no taking that for granted,' Kidman told InStyle earlier this month. 'I'm constantly learning from them. They teach me about me. Parenting is about learning who they are, not making them what you want them to be, and letting them find their way and then supporting them. It's rigorous rigorous truth, rigorous consciousness. 'You're constantly looking at yourself so you're not placing these expectations on a child. But, I mean, I'm no parenting guru. I'm just walking the path of everyone else, but it is extraordinarily joyful to be able to do it.' Privacy: It was a rare snap of 10-year-old Sunday Rose and eight-year-old Faith Margaret, whom she had with second husband, four-time Grammy winner Keith Urban (pictured in 2018) Family of four: The 51-year-old Aussie and the 51-year-old Kiwi country crooner - who met at G'Day LA in 2005 - will celebrate their 13th wedding anniversary on June 25 (pictured in 2017) Nicole also has two adult children - daughter Isabella, 26; and son Connor, 24 - with her ex-husband, Mission: Impossible - Fallout star Tom Cruise. The Aquaman action star took over InStyle's Insta-stories on Wednesday where she could be seen cradling one of her two Himalayan cats - Ginger. Kidman slipped her slim, statuesque 5ft11in figure into a black-sequin blazer featuring maribou hems, skinny pants, and pumps selected by stylist Julia von Boehm. BTS: The Hawaiian-born beauty took over InStyle's Insta-stories on Wednesday where she could be seen cradling one of her two Himalayan cats - Ginger Suited: Kidman slipped her slim, statuesque 5ft11in figure into a black-sequin blazer featuring maribou hems, skinny pants, and pumps selected by stylist Julia von Boehm 'Fun with feathers!' Hairstylist Kylee Heath coiffed Nicole's blonde locks and make-up artist Kyra Panchenko brightened up her alabaster complexion Hairstylist Kylee Heath coiffed the five-time Golden Globe winner's blonde locks and make-up artist Kyra Panchenko brightened up her alabaster complexion. The Destroyer actress reprises her role as newly-widowed mother-of-two Celeste Wright in the seven-episode second season of the HBO hit, which premieres June 9. According to THR, both Nicole and co-star Reese Witherspoon earn an eye-popping $1M per episode as stars and executive producers of the Sausalito soap. New Zealand's Treasury department says an error on its website allowed highly sensitive government budget information to be accessed by the public ahead of time, after earlier suggestions there had been an illegal hack. The Treasury this week said its website had been "attacked" 2000 times and that it believed it had been "deliberately and systematically hacked", after the country's centre-right National Party released details from the Labour-led administration's upcoming national accounts. But on Thursday the department revealed a problem with a test website had meant some details from the budget could be searched on its main website using the correct phrases. Police had dropped their probe into the leaks because it did not appear to be illegal, Treasury said. The allegations have led to furore in New Zealand's parliament and threatened to overshadow Thursday's release of the Ardern's government's much-touted "wellbeing budget". The new style of government book-keeping aims to add social measures such as mental health and child poverty to traditional economic indicators and has been a cornerstone of the administration's work. Hours ahead of its launch, opposition leader Simon Bridges held a press conference calling for the resignation of Finance Minister Grant Robertson and Treasury head Gabriel Makhlouf for what he said had been deception and smears. "Treasury has known since Tuesday exactly what happened and they covered it up to hide their incompetence," Bridges told reporters. He also played a video recreating how the information had been found simply using a search bar on Treasury's front page and said the party had simply "stumbled" across the information. In a statement, Makhlouf said three computers, including one in parliament, had made 2000 searches of the site over two days and that there had been "deliberate, systematic and persistent searching of a website that was clearly not intended to be public". Robertson has denied he ever accused National of being behind a hack and said he had simply repeated information given to him by Treasury. New Zealand's public sector watchdog has launched an investigation into Treasury's security. Hisham el-Ashmawy was captured in Libya and later handed over to Egyptian authorities One of the most-wanted Egyptian militants who was captured in neighbouring Libya last year has been transferred to Egypt, state media reported on Wednesday. Libyan strongman Khalifa Hafter handed over Hisham el-Ashmawy after meeting with Egypt's intelligence services chief in Benghazi, his office said in a statement late Tuesday. Egyptian pro-government media broadcast footage of Ashmawy arriving in Egypt on a military aircraft early Wednesday morning. "The Libyan armed forces handed over the terrorist Hisham Ashmawy to the Egyptian general intelligence Tuesday evening," state TV said on its website. A former officer with Egypt's special forces, Ashmawy left the army in 2012 and later joined Ansar Beit al-Maqdis which is based in the Sinai Peninsula. Ashmawy is believed to have gone to Libya in 2013, before Maqdis pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group in November 2014, becoming one of Egypt's most wanted terrorists. He is accused of being behind attacks in Egypt's Western Desert region, operating alongside Emad al-Din Abdel Hamid, another army officer-turned-jihadist chief. Ashmawy was captured by Haftar's forces in October 2018 in the city of Derna, east of Libya. Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi had previously asked for the jihadist leader to be handed over. "We want to imprison him," he said at the time. Haftar, who is leading a military offensive against the UN-recognised government in Tripoli, seized the city of Derna last summer. His self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) is backed in particular by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. Aftermath of an attack on the village of Naunde, northern Mozambique, last June. Dozens of people in the region have been killed since a mysterious jihadist group launched an insurgency in October 2017. Islamist insurgents have resumed attacks in northern Mozambique after a cyclone last month, killing nearly two dozen villagers and torching homes in a mounting political threat in the run-up to a general election. A shadowy jihadist group that has targeted Cabo Delgado province since October 2017 briefly halted attacks after Cyclone Kenneth made landfall on April 25, leaving 45 dead and 250,000 affected. Relief teams and UN agencies were still searching for survivors and distributing aid when the islamists returned to action. In less than a month, the insurgents have killed at least 22 people, wounded dozens more and burned hundreds of homes, according to a record kept by AFP. The attacks have increased despite fresh police and military deployments as authorities struggle to prevent the insurgency disrupting voter registration ahead of presidential and legislative elections in October. Islamist fighters have been attacking remote communities in the gas-rich, Muslim-majority northern region since October 2017. But the group's identity and motives remain unclear. "The country is falling victim and we all need to understand the real reasons," President Filipe Nyusi said last week in a rare interview with the privately-owned Canal de Mocambique newspaper. "The defence and security forces are putting their whole resources into this, so we can learn (the insurgents') motivation and who these people are." The government refuses to confirm details of attacks, but AFP tracked the violence via local sources. - Litany of deaths - On May 3, as communities were still reeling from the cyclone, gunmen stormed the village of Nacate, in Macomia district, killing six and setting fire to a dozen homes. The following day, the nearby villages of Ntapuala and Banga-Vieja were attacked, with four people killed, including a teacher driving a motorcycle and three others who died in burned houses. Hours later, the villages of Ida and Ipho, in the district of Meluco, were torched after local people fled to surrounding forests. The pattern has been repeated through the month. Attacks have often forced the temporary closure of voting registration stations, according to the Center for Public Integrity, a Maputo-based civil action group. On May 10, insurgents targeted the road from the provincial capital Pemba to the coastal district of Palma, where a major gas extraction project is being built. Armed with rifles, the insurgents ambushed vehicles and killed two people travelling in a public minibus -- a new tactic in the wave of violence. One day later, in the village of Mangoma, the attackers beheaded two people walking along a dirt road. A third person was tortured and sent to tell locals to abandon their villages. Destruction: The cyclone claimed nearly four dozen lives and affected a quarter of a million people "In the days that followed, there was a climate of terror and the voter registration was paralysed because the population had fled," a local source said. In another incident, gunmen opened fire on a funeral procession, killing two people as mourners ran for their lives. After one attack, a professor said: "They shouted at us to leave the village, saying 'We do not want anyone to live here. Why are you still here? Don't you see that we're at war?'" - Who are they? - Sheik Saide Habibe, a Muslim leader based in Maputo who has written an academic study of the insurgency, said little was still confirmed about the gunmen. "It's a small group that originally used rudimentary weapons. In conversations we have had with local people, they believe there are foreign elements among the attackers," Habibe told AFP, referring to camps across the border in Tanzania. "Mozambican nationals are involved for some adventure or as a means of survival." With over 200 people dead since late 2017, Habibe warned that the authorities seemed unable to quell the violence. "The longer it takes, the harder it will be. Last week they beat up a Muslim leader who appeared publicly to condemn the attacks." The lucrative gas fields off Cabo Delgado add an extra dimension to the insurgency as international exploration companies have been caught up in the violence. Convoys carrying contractors for the US giant Anadarko have been attacked at least twice, with two people killed in the latest incident this month. The company told AFP that it does not believe it had been deliberately targeted. "Is it because we are rich, or because there is wealth in Mozambique?" asked President Nyusi in his interview, saying religion may be only one reason to explain the attacks. For local people, the run-up to October elections looks set to be increasingly dangerous. "We flee to the city (of Mocimboa da Praia) but the government says we should go back to our communities," Barnabe Samuel Mussa, 66, a community leader in the village of Mitumbate, told AFP. "Our village has already been attacked twice. We have soldiers here in armoured cars, but we live in fear." Hong Kong only decriminalised homosexuality in 1991 Hong Kong's government is defending the city's ban on same-sex unions at a landmark court challenge days after neighbouring Taiwan legalised gay marriage in an unprecedented first for Asia. Despite growing public support for gay marriage in the international financial hub, campaigners have made little headway against staunch opposition from the city's successive pro-Beijing governments and religious conservatives. A Hong Kong woman, known only as MK, is suing the government for denying her right to enter into a civil partnership with her female partner, arguing the ban is unconstitutional. The case is currently being heard by the Court of First Instance. Defending the current ban, government lawyer Stewart Wong told the court Wednesday that marriage would be "diluted and diminished" and "no longer special" if that right was granted to same-sex couples. Not all differences in treatment are unlawful. You are not supposed to treat unequal cases alike," Wong said, adding that Hong Kong's definition of marriage was already defined by law and "cannot be trumped". He also argued against same-sex civil unions. "To recognise an alternative form of same-sex relationships which we say is tantamount to a (marriage) is to undermine the traditional institution of marriage and the family constituted by such a marriage," Wong said. The Hong Kong government's view stands in stark contrast to nearby Taiwan where lawmakers made history approving Asia's first gay marriage law earlier this month, despite a conservative backlash. There were jubilant scenes in Taipei as the first same-sex couples were wed with government officials saying they hoped the move would also draw more international business. - Growing tolerance - A poll last year by Hong Kong University found public support for gay marriage had risen to 50 percent, a 12 percent increase in four years. City authorities last week belatedly approved a Cathay Pacific advert featuring two men holding hands, after its reported ban sparked an outcry. But the city's government remains unmoved. In a recent radio interview, even the head of Hong Kong's equality watchdog said it was "impractical" and a "waste of resources" to push for marriage equality, Hong Kong Free Press reported. At a conference on Wednesday exploring the city's inclusion of gay employees, lawyer Michael Vidler told delegates the city's business figures had a uniquely strong influence on the local government. "It (the government) listens to business far more than to NGOs," he said. Instead, the fight for gay rights in Hong Kong has largely ended up in the courts. Rights lawyer Michael Vidler has called on businesses to be more proactive in lobbying the government On Tuesday MK's lawyer, Gladys Li, argued that it is "now or never" for Hong Kong's LGBT couples to secure civil partnership and marriage rights. Li likened marriage to a "private members' club" when limited only to heterosexual couples. Hong Kong does not recognise same-sex marriage or civil unions and only decriminalised homosexuality in 1991. But a British lesbian won the right to live and work in Hong Kong with her partner in a landmark ruling last year hailed by rights groups. A separate case has been lodged by two Hong Kong men directly challenging the same-sex marriage ban as unconstitutional. And a transgender pastor from a church that welcomes gay congregants has sought permission to launch his own legal challenge, arguing his inability to perform same-sex ceremonies breaches his community's religious freedoms. Savimbi, who fought Angola's socialist government in a 27-year civil war, was killed in a battle against state forces in February 2002 Angola's main opposition party, the former rebel movement UNITA, said Wednesday it planned to go ahead with a public funeral this weekend for its ex-leader Jonas Savimbi after a dispute with the government over the handling of his remains. Savimbi, a charismatic, controversial warlord who fought Angola's socialist government in a 27-year civil war, was killed in a battle against the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) government forces in February 2002. His death paved the way for a peace deal bringing an end to one of Africa's longest and bloodiest conflicts, which erupted after independence from Portugal in 1975. UNITA had long called for the MPLA, which has governed Angola since independence, to allow his body to be exhumed and given a "dignified" burial. After a meeting on Wednesday between Savimbi's family and UNITA, the party had "decided to maintain its programme" for the burial on Saturday, UNITA spokesman Alcides Sakala Simoes told AFP. "We are calling for calm," Simoes said, adding the burial would be an important moment to help in "the construction of a national reconciliation." Savimbi's son, Cheya Savimbi, confirmed the burial would take place on Saturday. After negotiations, the government had planned to hand over the remains of the former rebel chief on Tuesday to allow the body to be buried in his native village on Saturday. But the remains were not handed over, sparking accusations from both sides. The government said the family and UNITA delegation did not show up as arranged in Luena in Moxico provInce. But the family delegation was waiting in Kuito, around 400 kilometres away (250 miles) where they said the meeting had been arranged. The government says the body was transported on Tuesday to Andulo, a village near where the Savimbi funeral was planned. "We left the body in the military barracks" in Andulo, said Pedro Sebastiao, head of security for President Joao Lourenco, urging UNITA to collect it as soon as possible. The family said the government had changed the programme but said they did not want any "conflict" over the burial. Nigeria's military has been battling a decade-long Islamist insurgency that has killed tens of thousands of people Nigerian soldiers on Wednesday repelled an attack by Boko Haram jihadists on the northeast city of Maiduguri, security sources and residents told AFP. The attack, the latest in a wave of assaults by Islamist gunmen, was repulsed hours before President Muhammadu Buhari was sworn into office for a second term in power. Soldiers intercepted a "huge number" of fighters from Boko Haram on the outskirts of Maiduguri on Tuesday night, beginning a night-long battle that continued until close to dawn on Wednesday. "Our troops did an impressive job, and fought off the terrorists," said a military source, who asked to be named. Troops fought all night, and "forced them to withdraw by dawn," the source said. A member of a self-defence militia, that fights alongside regular troops, said Boko Haram forces were spotted as they moved towards the city in the dark. "Luckily they were sighted by soldiers, who fought them all night long," the militia fighter said. Residents of the city reported the sounds of a heavy battle. "We kept hearing explosions and the sound of gunfire throughout the night," Maiduguri resident Nasiru Fannami said. It was not clear if there were any casualties. Boko Haram militants have launched several failed attempts to overrun Maiduguri. Their decade-long campaign of violence has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions across the region. The violence has spilled over into neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, prompting a regional military coalition to battle the jihadist group. Buhari, who was sworn in as president for a second four-year term later on Wednesday, has said defeating of Boko Haram -- and ending a raft of other security threats -- is a key part of his work. PARMA, Italy (AP) - The police huddled for hours each day, headphones on, eavesdropping on the doctor. They'd tapped his cellphone, bugged his office, planted a camera in a trattoria. They heard him boast about his power to help Big Pharma make millions pushing painkillers, and about all the money they say he was paid in exchange. Now Dr. Guido Fanelli is at the center of a sprawling corruption case alleging he took kickbacks from an alliance of pharmaceutical executives he nicknamed "The Pain League." Its members, police say, included managers with Mundipharma - the international arm of Purdue Pharma, which is facing some 2,000 lawsuits in the United States over its role in the opioid crisis that has claimed 400,000 lives in two decades. This is the first known case outside the U.S. where employees of the pharmaceutical empire owned by the Sackler family have been criminally implicated, more than a decade after Purdue executives were convicted over misleading the American public about the addictiveness of OxyContin. Hundreds of pages of investigative files obtained by The Associated Press detail how Fanelli helped executives from Mundipharma's Italian branch and other companies promote painkillers by writing papers, organizing conferences and working to counter government warnings that opioid consumption was spiking and that physicians should be cautious. The message trumpeted, the AP found, was that there is an epidemic of chronic pain, addiction fears are exaggerated and not prescribing opioids can amount to neglecting the suffering of patients. Those are the same practices, experts say, that the pharmaceutical industry employed in the U.S. beginning in the 1990s that helped pave the road to disaster. FILE - In this Friday, April 12, 2019, file photo, Cheryl Juaire of Marlborough, Mass., center, leads protesters near the Arthur M. Sackler Museum at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. Juaire, whose son was addicted to opioids and died of a heroin overdose in 2011, led the demonstration by parents who've lost children in the addiction epidemic. They want the Sackler family name removed from the building at Harvard. In New York, there's a Sackler Wing at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and a Sackler Center for Arts Education at The Guggenheim. There's a Sackler Room at the National Gallery in London, a Sackler Wing of Oriental Antiquities at the Louvre. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds) What Italian police overheard on their wiretaps offers a look at how pharmaceutical executives still pushed opioids abroad even after the cause and consequence of the American epidemic had become apparent. As the U.S. market contracts, opioid consumption is climbing overseas. Canada and Australia are already following America's catastrophic course, with rising rates of addiction and death. Others may be on the cusp of crisis: Researchers in Brazil report that prescription opioid sales have skyrocketed 465 percent in six years. Overdose deaths are going up in Sweden, Norway, Ireland and England, fueled by prescription painkillers and the illicit drug trade. Opioid consumption has increased in Italy, too, though authorities say widespread addiction has not taken root in this country with historically strict regulations and a cultural skepticism of the drugs - both of which Fanelli apparently worked to reverse. "It makes me feel sick more than anything else," U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark said when she learned of the investigation from the AP. Clark sent a letter to the World Health Organization in 2017, warning of "deceptive and dangerous practices" of Mundipharma and Purdue and imploring the agency to act - before the American epidemic becomes a pandemic. "We don't want to be proven right," she said. Two Mundipharma managers accepted plea bargains in January in connection to allegations that they paid the doctor to help sell more drugs. A lawyer representing them said the pleas are not an admission of guilt. The company's Italian branch was fined. A spokesman for Mundipharma Europe said the corporation did not admit wrongdoing and denied it endorsed any message minimizing addiction risks. The Carabinieri, Italy's storied paramilitary police corps, code-named its case "Pasimafi," the name of the yacht they say the doctor bought with his kickbacks. They were listening in when an alleged conspirator joked that Mundipharma employees had given Fanelli so much money, the company logo should be plastered on the stern. ___ "THE BUSINESS OF PAIN" The Carabinieri stumbled onto Fanelli. In early 2015, the national health system noticed an unusually high expenditure for blood filters. Officer Giandomenico Nupieri tapped a suspect's phone. Earlier in his career, Nupieri had investigated mobsters, so his ears were attuned to cryptic codes of crime. The suspect mentioned Fanelli as well-connected and able to help boost pharmaceutical sales, and said he planned to meet him at a trattoria in Parma, the northern Italian city known for its prosciutto and parmesan. Investigators installed a camera, researched Fanelli and realized they were onto something bigger than blood filters. Fanelli was a star in the Italian medical world, respected by the government and often featured on the news, with his unbuttoned shirt collars and mop of pepper-gray hair. He served as a chief of the anesthesiology and pain therapy department at Maggiore Hospital in Parma, and called himself the father of a 2010 law that made opioids easier to prescribe, which he championed as necessary to ease suffering. But in 2009, as he was helping to draft the law, prosecutors allege he began meeting with "The Pain League," including managers from Mundipharma, several Italian pharmaceutical companies and the Italian arm of German-based Grunenthal. "The drug companies saw him as the vehicle to commercially promote their own drugs," said Maj. Gianfranco Di Sario, who oversaw the police investigation. Prosecutors allege that Fanelli drew in a web of conspirators, from organizers of medical conferences to fellow physicians. Fanelli, through his lawyer, declined comment. Italy, unlike the U.S., has strict laws limiting drug companies' influence on medical training and practice. A specialized unit of the Carabinieri is tasked with safeguarding citizens' health. The Italian language even has a specific word for the crime committed by doctors who work to drive up drug sales: "comparaggio." So police got to work, listening in to Fanelli's conversations and reading his text messages. In partial transcripts obtained by the AP, Fanelli often exaggerates his dominance in medicine. He claimed he once confronted Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the United States' National Institute on Drug Abuse, after she'd asserted that opioids are often not the best solution for chronic pain. Fanelli crowed of telling her to focus on America and let him take care of the rest of the world. Volkow, through a spokesperson, said she does not know Fanelli and has no recollection of the confrontation. Luca Finocchiaro, an attorney for a Grunenthal manager implicated in the case, described Fanelli as a motormouth and a braggart, and said the executives would put down their phones, not bothering to listen, as the doctor prattled on "without much sense." The Grunenthal employees maintain their innocence. And yet the doctor was paid well: According to the investigative file, 464,000 euros from Mundipharma (about $500,000) and 640,855 euros from Grunenthal (about $700,000) flowed into businesses Fanelli allegedly set up to hide the payments, beginning in 2009. Spokesmen for Mundipharma and Grunenthal said the corporate offices thought the money was for legitimate services, like consultancy and events. Police allege a "bustarella" - an envelope filled with illicit cash - would occasionally arrive from officials with other companies at Fanelli's hospital office. "I created a system," police say the doctor bragged. "That is the business of pain." ___ A STILL-BOOMING BUSINESS OxyContin came onto the American market in 1996. Doctors had been apprehensive about opioids, notorious for their miraculous painkilling power but also extraordinary addictiveness, and tended to prescribe them only to the extremely sick and dying. But Purdue Pharma claimed that OxyContin, twice as potent as morphine, was minimally addictive when prescribed for pain. Its marketing coincided with other forces, including a movement in medical circles to better manage patients' pain. Opioid prescriptions increased for ailments like arthritis, backaches, migraines. The prescription rate quadrupled between 1999 and 2010, and overdoses climbed. The spectacular success of OxyContin added Purdue's owner, the Sackler family, to the Forbes list of richest American families . In New York, there's a Sackler Wing at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and a Sackler Center for Arts Education at The Guggenheim. There's a Sackler Room at the National Gallery in London, a Sackler Wing of Oriental Antiquities at the Louvre. Protesters have started storming the museums, raining prescription slips from balconies and unfurling signs that read "Shame on Sackler. 200 Dead Each Day." In the U.S., Purdue and three executives were fined more than $600 million after pleading guilty in 2007 to misbranding OxyContin by downplaying its addictiveness. Purdue and the Sacklers this year agreed to pay another $270 million to Oklahoma to settle a lawsuit alleging misleading marketing helped unleash the U.S. addiction epidemic. The company has vehemently defended itself. Purdue spokesman Bob Josephson notes the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved OxyContin for chronic pain and that a judge recently dismissed one lawsuit after finding the company's marketing was consistent with its FDA approval. Hundreds more lawsuits are still pending against Purdue and other companies. The Sacklers, through a spokeswoman, declined to comment. Through all this, the family's international operation has stayed mostly out of the limelight. Mundipharma, like Purdue, is owned by a network of trusts that benefit the Sacklers. Its websites date the company's beginnings to 1952, when two Sackler brothers bought Purdue. Patrice Grand, a spokesman for Mundipharma Europe, said the companies have different managers and portfolios and do not share strategies. Mundipharma's branch in Italy began in 2005; the Italian Business Register lists the owners as three Luxembourg companies and American-based Rosebay Medical Co., which is named in two of the U.S. opioid lawsuits . A 2017 U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing lists Richard and Jonathan Sackler as members of Rosebay's board. Mundipharma's network now operates in more than 120 countries, and an emerging markets group has expanded into Asia, Africa and Latin America, selling an assortment of drugs that includes opioids. A 2016 Los Angeles Times story reported that Mundipharma was repeating some of Purdue's controversial marketing tactics overseas, prompting U.S. Rep. Clark and 11 other members of Congress to urge the World Health Organization to intervene before other nations import addiction. All they heard back was that their letter had been received. "We cannot just sit by and hope this is a uniquely American experience," Clark told the AP. Mundipharma sent a representative to the WHO to defend the company's practices as ethical, Grand said. Mundipharma has stopped promoting opioids in Europe, he said, and the drugs now make up less than 40 percent of European sales. The U.S. has backed away from recommending opioids for chronic pain. The National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that up to 29 percent of patients prescribed opioids for chronic pain eventually misuse them. And in 2016, the Centers for Disease Control issued guidelines finding no good evidence that opioids are effective long term and the risks far outweigh the benefits. That same year, Mundipharma's operation in Italy released the results of a study proclaiming nearly half of Italians suffer chronic pain. The news release offered a solution: opioid painkillers. "The still limited use of opioid drugs derives from cultural heritage," it said, "and unfounded fears about the alleged risks of addiction." ____ "THE WEAPONS OF SCIENCE" In early 2015, the Italian government noticed a surge in opioid consumption. Luca Pani, then head of the Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco, which monitors medication, told the media that until the 2010 law that Fanelli helped write, doctors were reluctant to prescribe opioids. But the numbers - a more than 30 percent jump in certain formulations - represented a reversal "that takes on the semblance of abuse," Pani said. He urged doctors to be cautious. Prosecutors say Fanelli sprang into action and told a Grunenthal executive not to appear at an upcoming press event. Journalists would ask about the government's warning, Fanelli allegedly said: "And you are exposed." The doctor invited executives from Mundipharma and Grunenthal, along with Italian drug companies Molteni and Angelini, to Milan to strategize how to counter the warning, prosecutors say, and then he got to work implementing the plan. Representatives for Molteni did not respond to requests for comment. A lawyer for Angelini and one of its managers said his clients did nothing wrong. Fanelli prepared a scientific paper - "Opioids for chronic non-cancer pain: a critical view from the other side of the pond" - that said the alarm bells ringing in the United States should not be applied to other countries and that doctors should continue prescribing opioids for chronic pain. He texted the Italy Mundipharma executives: "Good news, position paper against addiction, supporting opioids signed by me," prosecutors allege. The paper, one of several Fanelli authored downplaying the risk of addiction, was published in the journal Minerva Anestesiologica. Police officers allege that they once overhead Fanelli brag to a Mundipharma manager that the papers he wrote were "the weapons of science." Another paper, prosecutors allege, was published on behalf of Molteni. Fanelli allegedly drove his Porsche to a cafe to meet a Molteni executive and later boasted to his wife about receiving "a score of brioches." Prosecutors contend that was code for a 20,000 euro payoff. A lawyer for the Molteni executive said his client declined to comment. In the U.S., lawsuits against Purdue and other companies claim they paid "key opinion leaders," often prominent pain doctors, who wrote papers that added a veneer of science to commercial claims about the safety of opioids. One Fanelli paper cites the same specious science once used in the U.S., and others claim that reining in prescriptions would lead to undertreating pain and that pain treatment is a human right. That message liberalized the culture of opioid prescribing for a generation of American doctors, experts say. "They're using the same playbook that worked in the United States," said Andrew Kolodny, executive director of Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing, "despite knowing that it led to a public health catastrophe." Grand, the Mundipharma spokesman, rejected that, saying: "There is no such playbook." He said the corporate office was unaware of any alleged wrongdoing and the relationship with Fanelli was managed entirely by the executives in Italy. Fanelli often said that Italy should liberalize its prescribing culture, too. The newspaper "La Repubblica" interviewed him for a story about the spike in opioid consumption, and he said the real risk was that doctors would limit prescriptions even more. When an executive from Italian pharma company Angelini picked up the newspaper, investigators say, he called Fanelli to complain. Fanelli defended himself as having the guts "to go out on a limb." ____ "BRINGING IN THE MONEY FOR PAIN" A traveling road show pulled into Parma on April 16, 2015, and set up an inflatable tent. Investigators heard Fanelli quip that it resembled a giant condom. The GP Open Road was making its eighth stop on a 16-city tour professing about the plight of chronic pain. General practitioners were the target audience; a press release said many doctors were still "far from adequately managing the disease of pain." One story about the show quoted Fanelli saying common anti-inflammatory drugs were overused and that opioids should be prescribed instead. The event was hosted by the nonprofit Vivere Senza Dolore, or "Living Without Pain." The president of the board was Marta Gentili, Mundipharma's marketing manager in Italy. The secretary, according to prosecutors, was the founder of a public relations firm that counted Mundipharma's Italian branch among its clients. As doctors filed into the tent, five Carabinieri officers arrived at a yacht club an hour away near the seaport of La Spezia. Police had been listening days before when Fanelli allegedly described a plan to launder 31,000 euros from his Mundipharma partners by claiming the yacht was catering lunch for the GP Open Road. Officers found the boat covered with a tarp and the parking lot empty. The yacht, the Pasimafi V, was owned by a company Fanelli allegedly created to cover his kickbacks; the same firm officially owned Fanelli's Porsche Macan and 4,300-square-foot penthouse in Parma with a rooftop swimming pool. Investigators also were listening when Fanelli complained about Mundipharma to an alleged co-conspirator; the other man joked that Fanelli should be careful and his yacht might as well have "the logo Mundipharma on its stern" because of all the money he'd supposedly gotten. Fanelli retorted that "GF," his initials, should be on a Mundipharma executive's bank account because he'd helped the company make millions off drugs. The doctor's grandest plan to help the companies, prosecutors allege, was a continuing medical education conference called the World Medicine Park, which Fanelli billed as a vital global discussion on pain management. In private, police allege, Fanelli said the goal was: "Bringing in the money for pain." Fanelli was scientific director of the conference, held in May 2015 on the island of Mallorca. Nick Ross arrived and immediately felt unnerved. Ross, a British broadcaster, often moderates conferences and had expected a familiar scene: earnest doctors packed into classrooms taking notes. Instead he found temporary tents set up at the beach and empty lecture halls. "There seemed to be a hell of a lot of pharmaceutical people there," recalls Ross. "And I remember being concerned, even suspicious." Prosecutors would later describe the event as "upside down." The director is supposed to pick the speakers and subjects, but Fanelli, prosecutors say, turned that task over to pharmaceutical companies, including officials with Mundipharma and Grunenthal. It was "exclusively a marketing event, formally authorized for scientific aims," prosecutors contend, "but which had nothing to do with being scientifically independent." ___ "A BLOW TO THE HEART" After two years of listening, the Carabinieri moved in. At 4 a.m. on May 8, 2017, police fanned out across Italy, pounding on doors, rounding up physicians and executives, and carting off documents from offices. They jolted Fanelli out of bed. It was a spectacular fall from grace for a man who'd appeared on TV days before to promote painkillers. Calls from panicked patients poured into the hospital where Fanelli worked. "Patients were rightly asking: 'Was I treated properly or not?'" said Massimo Fabi, the hospital's director general. "The news arrived like a blow to the heart." Among those implicated were Marco Filippini, Mundipharma's general manager for southern Europe, including Spain, Portugal, France, Belgium and Turkey; Riccardo Cerbai, the business and marketing director in Italy; and Gentili, the marketing manager. The Mundipharma spokesman said Filippini and Cerbai were immediately suspended and then fired last September. Gentili had already left the company. In January, Filippini and Cerbai agreed to plea bargains. Filippini got a suspended sentence of one year, 10 months and one day, while Cerbai received a suspended sentence of one year, six months and seven days. The executives declined interviews through their lawyer. Gentili denied wrongdoing and wrote in a statement that she has dedicated her life to helping people with chronic pain; she awaits a judge's decision on how the case should proceed. A series of preliminary hearings began this month. Also implicated and awaiting next steps are Grunenthal's Alberto Grua, chief commercial officer for Europe, Australia and North America, and Thilo Stadler, general manager for southern Europe. They are no longer with the company, spokesman Stepan Kracala said. Marketing director Sara Carlini was named in the probe but remains employed. Through lawyers, they all proclaimed innocence. Dario Romano, the Angelini lawyer, said his clients chose not to seek a plea bargain because they are confident they will be exonerated should the case go to trial. Deputy Prosecutor Paola Dal Monte has requested indictments against 55 people and 10 companies. Mundipharma and Grunenthal Italia are not among them, because they accepted plea bargains for failing to prevent the alleged activities. Mundipharma's Italian branch was fined 40,000 euros and Grunenthal Italia, 50,000 euros. Both companies, spokesmen said, immediately launched internal investigations. Grunenthal retrained employees and created a whistleblower hotline, Kracala said. Mundipharma's probe found violations of company policies, Grand said, but concluded "a significant part" of the payments into Fanelli's businesses appeared to be legitimate. Mundipharma revamped policies to the satisfaction of Italian prosecutors, who withdrew a motion seeking to suspend the company from government contracts. Fanelli spent four months on house arrest at his penthouse in Parma. He was suspended without pay and barred from practicing medicine pending resolution of the case. He is now free to come and go as he waits to learn if he will stand trial. ___ "WHY CAN'T IT HAPPEN HERE?" The scandal has not caused this country to rethink the law Fanelli helped write. At an annual review after the arrests, Emilia De Biasi, then a member of Italy's Senate, said the allegations shouldn't sully a law "that many envy." Other countries, including Mexico and Poland, have since passed measures to make it easier to prescribe opioids. Italian consumption of prescription opioids went from 1.1 daily doses per thousand people in 2005 to 4.5 in 2017, according to government reports, but the country so far shows no sign of an addiction crisis. Dr. Antonio Boschini works at San Patrignano center, among the largest residential rehabs in Europe near the farm town of Coriano. He said he believes Italy has been spared in part because Italians don't share the American expectation that all things can be cured by a pill. But he worries that the experience of the U.S. opioid epidemic "hasn't been received and absorbed" in Italy. Several of his patients have recently returned from the emergency room for sprained ankles or backaches with prescriptions, feeding his fear that some doctors don't recognize the risk. "There is this feeling that this danger doesn't exist. It's a problem that happened there, but here it won't happen," Boschini said. "Why can't it happen here?" Grunenthal's spokesman said the company is analyzing whether patterns from the American epidemic are emerging elsewhere and will soon release the results of the research. The company, which sells drugs in more than 100 countries, is committed to reaching patients in places that have little access to pain medications while limiting addiction risk, he said. No other country is experiencing an addiction problem on a U.S. scale, Mundipharma's Grand noted. Globally, the network continues to expand. In January, Mundipharma told an Asian business journal that China is set to become its second-largest drug market and could surpass U.S. sales by 2025. Keith Humphreys, a Stanford University professor, published a paper in 2017 pleading with the world to pay attention, especially as prescription rates rise in developing countries with minimal regulation. "As Oxy marches around the world, the things we see in Europe will be disturbing," he said, "but less so than they will be in Botswana or India." In Italy, the Fanelli case has barely registered in this country accustomed to corruption scandals and an ocean away from the American plague. The Pasimafi V yacht sits sequestered on wooden planks at a dock. A sign reading "subject to seizure," on the Carabinieri's letterhead, is taped to the cabin door. Fanelli's Porsche and penthouse are also gone, seized by police. But his papers - "the weapons of science," he allegedly called them - still live on the internet, as opioid painkillers proliferate around the globe. ___ Galofaro, based in Louisville, Kentucky, is an AP national writer who covers the opioid epidemic. She reported in the U.S. and Italy. D'Emilio, based in Rome, reported from Italy. The AP's reporting is funded in part by a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. ___ If you are a doctor, researcher, pharmaceutical employee or resident living outside of the U.S. and have concerns about opioid availability or addiction issues in your country, please contact Galofaro at cgalofaro@ap.org or on Twitter at @clairegalofaro Dr. Guido Fanelli, center, arrives with his lawyer Salvatore Coniglio, left, and an unidentified assistant at Parma's law court in northern Italy to answer magistrates' questions on Saturday, May 13, 2017. Fanelli allegedly took kickbacks from pharmaceutical executives to help push opioids in Italy. Police huddled for hours each day, headphones on, eavesdropping on the doctor. (AP Photo/Marco Vasini) Forensic expert Giandomenico Nupieri, left, and Maj. Gianfranco Di Sario, of the Italian police corps the Carabinieri, are interviewed in Parma, Italy, on Monday, April 1, 2019. In early 2015, the national health system noticed an unusually high expenditure for blood filters. Nupieri tapped a suspect's phone. Earlier in his career he investigated mobsters, so his ears were attuned to cryptic codes of crime. The suspect mentioned Dr. Guido Fanelli as well-connected and able to help boost pharmaceutical sales, and said he planned to meet him at a Parma trattoria. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Carabinieri officers work at a monitoring station in Parma, Italy, on Monday, April 1, 2019. Carabinieri police stumbled onto their investigation of Dr. Guido Fanelli during another probe. Fanelli allegedly took kickbacks from pharmaceutical executives to help push opioids in Italy. Police huddled for hours each day, headphones on, eavesdropping on the doctor. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) A police officer arrives to search Dr. Guido Fanelli's house in Parma, Italy, on Monday, May 8, 2017. After two years of listening in on an alleged opioids corruption scheme, the Carabinieri moved in. At 4 a.m. on May 8, 2017, police fanned out across Italy, pounding on doors, rounding up physicians and executives, and carting off documents from offices. (AP Photo/Marco Vasini) Dr. Guido Fanelli, right, is taken to the Carabinieri headquarters in Parma, Italy, for questioning in an alleged pharmaceutical kickback scheme on Monday, May 8, 2017. That morning, police jolted Fanelli out of bed. It was a spectacular fall from grace for a man who appeared days before on a popular television show to promote painkillers. (AP Photo/Marco Vasini) FILE - This Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019, file photo shows a sign reading "The Sackler Wing" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The spectacular success of Purdue Pharma's OxyContin helped put the Sackler family on the Forbes list of richest American families. Also in New York, there's a Sackler Center for Arts Education at The Guggenheim. There's a Sackler Room at the National Gallery in London and a Sackler Wing of Oriental Antiquities at the Louvre. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) This Thursday, May 16, 2019, photo shows the exterior of a Mundipharma building in Singapore. As the United States fights to undo the damage of an opioid epidemic, Mundipharma and other companies are expanding around the world. The Mundipharma network of companies now operates in more than 120 countries; an emerging markets branch has expanded into Asia, Africa and Latin America, selling an assortment of drugs that include opioids for chronic pain. (AP Photo/Yong Teck Lim) FILE - This Tuesday, May 8, 2007, file photo shows the Purdue Pharma logo at its offices in Stamford, Conn. The company is facing some 2,000 lawsuits in the United States over its role in unleashing an addiction crisis that has claimed 400,000 lives. (AP Photo/Douglas Healey, File) The impounded yacht Pasimafi V sits on wooden posts in Lerici, Italy, on Wednesday, April 3, 2019. Italian prosecutors allege Dr. Guido Fanelli bought the yacht with kickbacks he got from pharmaceutical executives to help push opioids. The Carabinieri police were listening when an alleged co-conspirator joked that Mundipharma managers had given Fanelli so much money, the company logo should be plastered on the stern. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) This Wednesday, April 3, 2019, photo shows the bridge of the impounded yacht Pasimafi V in Lerici, Italy. Carabinieri police code-named their opioids corruption case "Pasimafi" after this ship they say Dr. Guido Fanelli bought with kickbacks he allegedly took from pharmaceutical executives to help them sell more opioids. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) This Wednesday, April 3, 2019, photo shows a bedroom inside the impounded yacht Pasimafi V in Lerici, Italy. The ship was owned by a company Dr. Guido Fanelli allegedly created to cover his kickbacks from promoting opioids sales; prosecutors allege the same firm officially owned Fanelli's Porsche Macan and 4,300-square-foot penthouse in Parma with a rooftop swimming pool. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Wine glasses sit inside the impounded yacht Pasimafi V in Lerici, Italy, on Wednesday, April 3, 2019. The ship was owned by a company Dr. Guido Fanelli allegedly created to cover his kickbacks from promoting opioids sales; prosecutors allege the same firm officially owned Fanelli's Porsche Macan and 4,300-square-foot penthouse in Parma with a rooftop swimming pool. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Dr. Luca Pani speaks during an interview in Rome on Friday, March 29, 2019. In early 2015, Pani headed the Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco, which monitors medication in Italy. The agency issued an alert that year warning doctors of a surge in prescription painkiller consumption and urging caution. The numbers _ a more than 30 percent jump in certain formulations _ represented a spike "that takes on the semblance of abuse," Pani told the media. (AP Photo Domenico Stinellis) FILE - In this Friday, Aug. 17, 2018, file photo, a demonstrator holds a prescription drug bottle with a mock label to protest Purdue Pharma and its product, OxyContin, outside the company's headquarters in Stamford, Conn. The protest was organized by those who have lost loved ones in the opioid epidemic. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill) Dr. Antonio Boschini poses for a portrait at the San Patrignano drug rehab center near Coriano, Italy, on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. He says he believes Italy has been spared from widespread addiction in part because Italians don't share the American expectation that all things can be cured by a pill. But he worries that the experience of the opioid addiction epidemic in America "hasn't been received and absorbed" in Italy. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Residents meet at the printing press at the San Patrignano drug rehab center near Coriano, Italy, on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. Participants at the facility are paired with a mentor for the first year and given training in a profession to build a sense of responsibility and self-esteem. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Teresa Durante works in the laundry room at the San Patrignano drug rehab center near Coriano, Italy, on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. Participants at the facility are paired with a mentor for the first year and given training in a profession to build a sense of responsibility and self-esteem. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Gregorio Raimo of New Jersey works in the bakery at the San Patrignano drug rehab center near Coriano, Italy, on Friday, April 26, 2019. He is one of a handful of Americans at the facility, seeking treatment after he spiraled from swallowing painkillers to shooting heroin. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Nico Serrani, right, and Roberto Marin walk amid barrels in the cellar of the San Patrignano drug rehab center near Coriano, Italy, on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. Participants at the facility are paired with a mentor for the first year and given training in a profession to build a sense of responsibility and self-esteem. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) SOFIA, May 29 (Reuters) - These are some of the main stories in Bulgarian newspapers on Wednesday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. -- Korneliya Ninova stepped down as leader of the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party, heir to once-mighty Communist Party, after its poor showing in the European Parliament election on Sunday (Duma, 24 Chasa, Trud, Monitor, Sega) -- Bulgaria's Energy and Water Regulatory Commission suggested price rise in heating and hot water in the country as of July 1 with an average increase of 4.5 percent (Trud, Monitor, 24 Chasa) -- Archaeologists from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) have found a skeleton in the remains of an early Neolithic tomb at the Slatina site in capital city Sofia, dated back to 6100-5500 BC, the BAS said By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN, May 29 (Reuters) - Jordan's King Abdullah told U.S. President Donald Trump's adviser Jared Kushner on Wednesday that a lasting Middle East peace can come only with the creation of a Palestinian state on land captured by Israel in a 1967 war and with East Jerusalem as its capital. Kushner is leading a U.S. delegation to the Middle East this week. U.S. officials have said the trip, which began in Rabat and will include Jerusalem, is partly aimed at bolstering support for a late June conference in Bahrain, in which Kushner is to unveil the first part of Trumps long-awaited Israeli-Palestinian peace plan. A palace statement said Abdullah, who aides say has been deeply concerned about the plan, told Kushner Israel had to withdraw from the West Bank that Israel captured in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. Jordan is worried the plan could jettison the two-state solution that is backed by the United Nations and most countries around the world. The Palestinians want to establish a state in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, all territory Israel captured in the 1967 war. Jordanian officials have also been worried the plan would challenge King Abdullah's religious custodianship of Muslim and Christian sites in Jerusalem. Amman has been particularly sensitive to any changes of status in Jerusalem after the Trumps administrations decision to recognize it as Israels capital. Jordanian officials have also been worried by the U.S drive to dismantle the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) that provides services to about 5 million Palestinian refugees across Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the West Bank and Gaza. Jordan hosts the largest concentration of U.N.-registered Palestinian refugees. Officials have expressed concern that Trump's peace plan would eventually pave the way for revoking the right to return for refugees in the kingdom. Trump has touted the U.S. peace plan as the "deal of the century", but the Palestinians have boycotted the Trump administration since it recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital and anticipate the plan will fall far short of their core demands. Dozens of Jordanians holding placards denouncing Kushner's visit staged a small protest on Tuesday night near the heavily fortified U.S. embassy in the Jordanian capital. "The deal of the century will not pass. Down with the U.S.," chanted protesters who included figures from Jordan's mainstream Islamist movement, the country's largest opposition group. (Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi Editing by Hugh Lawson, Stephen Powell and Frances Kerry) At the beginning of 2014, there was desultory discussion about what would happen in 2019. Several secular and Left parties felt it was a flash in a pan. "How could lightening strike twice was the refrain among well-informed people. Things would be much better next time. His critics wished too soon: The Opposition was totally unprepared about how to deal with Modi-Shah. (Photo: PTI) But that ephemeral optimism turned out to be false. Now, the electoral parties have to rethink. But they are yet to be sure about how to deal with the Modi-Shah duo and the strongly entrenched Sangh Parivar. Firstly, taking the Modi government lightly was a huge error. Secondly, taking up the Rafale issue didnt cut much ice, because the huge contributions of HAL to building and modernisation were downplayed. By leaking information on the RAFALE MOU in advance to Anil Ambani, the PM has broken the Official Secrets Act and compromised National Security, opening himself up to criminal prosecution. Please WATCH & SHARE this video with highlights from my press conference today. pic.twitter.com/jb1pcQkqXY Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 12, 2019 Demonetisation and GST not tapped by opposition Economists and politicians failed to drive home the lesson of the lack of currency value. The government of India played down this issue, reportedly promising 10 to 15 per lakh per household. The opposition did little to expose this. As the eminent economist John Maynard Keynes pointed out years earlier, The best way to destroy an economy is to debauch its currency. Economists and lay people failed to learn this lesson. GST was another issue which was not systematically exposed it took months before the economy reimbursed the sale and other taxes to merchants, bankers, exporters and the like. #WATCH New York: Arun Jaitley reacts to media reports that National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) data was leaked which stated that unemployment was at a record high. pic.twitter.com/Hzm367PSGh ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2019 It was a signal message to the affluent classes that they would have to bide their time. The reimbursement did take its time. The statistics were not good. Joblessness had risen. So had farm prices. All this hit the middle strata and the poor. This notwithstanding, the people hoped that some of the controversial policies would be diluted, if not overturned. Pulwama helped Modi build a nationalist approach But the Modi government, like the RSS, wanted to display its muscular nationalism. The Pulwama episode was a turning point. It showed that the conceivable threat from Pakistan was not an accident. Then the drums of war started beating. Nothing too extreme, since Pakistan was no walkover besides which it claimed to have support from the US. That notwithstanding, the Modi government could hike the decibels of war, and use this heightened insecurity to consolidate the threat perception from Pakistan. Later came Balakot. #WATCH: Air Vice Marshal RGK Kapoor in the radar images shows the location of the shooting down of F-16 of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) by Indian Mig piloted by Wing Commander Abhinandan pic.twitter.com/CPuf2qf0nT ANI (@ANI) April 8, 2019 It was a genuine firefight between Pakistani F-16s and the ageing M-21 Bison piloted by Wing Commander Abhinandan of the IAF. As a former deputy Chief Air Marshal pointed out, the fact that Abhinandan could knock down an F-16 with his obsolete M-21 Bison was remarkable. But Balakot was clearly a call to arms by the Union Government. Though Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa made it clear that the IAF did not count bodies but buildings, this was deliberately overlooked. Amit Shah claimed that 250 Pakistani terrorists were killed. Another union minister claimed that 500 Pakistani terrorists were killed. #WATCH Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa says, "The Mig-21 Bison is a capable aircraft, it has been upgraded, it has better radar, air-to air missiles and better weapons system." pic.twitter.com/6D3yzBEQrY ANI (@ANI) March 4, 2019 But since the political class was busy over Balakot, to my mind, the exploits of the Indian pilot was sidelined. Modi 2.0 What will Modi do in this term? Much the same. But some urgent episodes will bear fruit. For a long time, literally decades, there has been a demand for the expulsion of so-called Bangladeshis. This is important because before December 1971, there were East Pakistanis, later termed Bangladeshis after Bangladeshs liberation. In the North East region, there is a strong demand for the repatriation of migrants especially Bangladeshis. BJP under the leadership of PM Modi is committed to implement NRC in West Bengal and removing infiltrators from our land. pic.twitter.com/lPkV7lpXN3 Amit Shah (@AmitShah) April 11, 2019 But how will the Modi sarkar deal with this humongous migrant community? Amit Shah has termed this community as termites. He and PM Modi have strongly supported the expulsion of migrants. The only places available are Bangladesh and Myanmar neither of these two countries have made it plain that they would entertain migrants, while they earlier expelled the Rohingyas. It is evident therefore that many complicated issues face the Modi government. Some are issues that the NDA started acting on earlier. Others will rise up on matters like dealing with adequate farming support, low wages, ecological issues, schooling, universities and many more. Its opponents will also take these up, in their own ways. Let us see what the morrow brings. Also read: Narendra Modi: The next five years ahead The legacy of Jawaharlal Nehru could soon be buried and remembered only in history books. Today, the Congress is reduced to a rump and Nehrus great grand-son, Rahul Gandhi, is insisting on quitting as president. I dont know whether it will be a good thing or a bad thing for the Congress if he goes. The inheritor of loss: Why Rahul Gandhi faces such a dismal set of choices today. (Source: PTI) I suspect the latter because the Nehru-Gandhis have, alas, become the only glue in a seriously ailing party. Besides, Generals can walk out after being defeated in the battlefield only when there is a chain of command to take over. In the Congress, there is none and those who still stand will be so busy watching their own backs and destroying each other that they could take down whats left. Its the night of the long knives in the Congress and history has shown us that as turfs get smaller, people fight more fiercely for what is left. Books will be written on what has come to pass but heres my two bit. In the course of the campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked hard on May 4 while speaking at a rally in Pratapgarh in Uttar Pradesh (close to Amethi). He said to Rahul Gandhi that your father was described as Mr Clean by courtiers but he ended his life as Bhrashtachari number 1. The PM was probably referring to the Bofors scandal but the words were tasteless as Rajiv Gandhi was blown to bits by a suicide bomber in 1991. The PM could have alluded to Rajiv without mentioning his death. Hardly forgotten yet: Narendra Modi called Rajiv Gandhi 'Bhrashtachari number 1' during the election campaign. (Source: PTI) I held my horses at that time because it seemed tasteless to comment on the Rajiv legacy in the midst of an election campaign. Numerous friends of Rajiv of that era posted messages and tweets about what a gentleman he was and a fine human being. Im sure he was but I strongly disagree with their assessment of his reign. Now is perhaps the time to be an iconoclast and state quite firmly that Rajiv Gandhi presided over the most disastrous era in Congress history. If Congressmen are lamenting the loss of the soul of India, look not to his mother Indira, who did spectacularly subvert democracy during the Emergency, look not to Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka, who may have been incompetent in various ways, but look to Rajiv. And I speak not of Bofors but list four serious charges. Riot template First, Rajiv was the first democratically elected leader of India to preside over a mass killing and then win a historic mandate. He won 411 seats in Parliament after his mothers assassination and we mostly glibly put it down to a 'sympathy wave' because Indira Gandhi was brutally murdered by her Sikh bodyguards. But look a little more closely and understand that India gave this mandate after many of its fine citizens had turned on an entire community, lynching, killing, burning, looting in the horrific 1984 anti-Sikh riots. And search the internet for that speech made by Rajiv where he said that the earth shakes when a giant tree falls. Here was the grandson of Jawaharlal Nehru, who survived the Partition with his head held high, justifying a mass killing, one of the worst in our history. No, it was not some right-wing ideologue of the past but a Nehru-Gandhi. 1984, according to me, is the first template for electoral success after a mass riot. The Congress did it before the BJP. Where it all began: Rajiv Gandhi justified the 1984 anti-Sikh riots by saying that 'the earth shakes when a big tree falls'. (Source: India Today) Giving BJP lifelines Rajiv Gandhi is also directly responsible for sowing two issues that the BJP would reap a bumper crop on. In 1985, as prime minister after that historic mandate, he gave in to the Muslim conservatives in the Shah Bano affair. He enacted a law that overruled a secular courts decision that stated a wife (Shah Bano) was entitled to alimony from her ex-husband. Rajiv enacted a law abolishing the alimony provision in conformity with the Sharia. In doing so, he gave the BJP its first big issue: that India under Congress succumbed to clerics and Muslim fundamentalists. Having pleased the Muslim conservatives, Rajiv tried to balance it by playing to Hindu fundamentalists. He ordered the locks on the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid in Ayodhya removed. Until then, a priest had been permitted to perform puja once a year for the idols installed there in 1949. Now, the doors were wide open we know what happened next. Crony capitalism We have heard much about crony capitalism these days. But consider how the Rajiv Gandhi regime handled the Bhopal gas tragedy and hang your heads in shame. Four days after a deadly gas leak at Union Carbide's plant in Bhopal killed thousands in 1984, the company's chairman, Warren Anderson, was arrested on his arrival in the capital of Madhya Pradesh. But, after being held under house arrest for only a few hours, Anderson posted bail and quickly left the country never returning to face trial. Several reports have suggested that the government was pressured by the US to let Anderson go. The late Congress leader, Arjun Singh, then the chief minister of MP, wrote in his autobiography that he was instructed by then Union home minister PV Narasimha Rao to let Anderson go. Yes, Rajiv was the PM and if there was complicity with a multinational company, that is crony capitalism too. Yes, Rajiv Gandhi opened up the Indian economy too. Sri Lanka Rajiv Gandhi also took the controversial decision to send Indian forces to Sri Lanka in 1987. Many critics have seen it as an ill-advised decision taken in haste without coordination with the government in the state of Tamil Nadu. Its too complex an issue to get into now but Rajiv did pay with his life for that historic error when a suicide bomber of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam blew him up. In conclusion, I would say that Rajiv could have been the sort of nice guy that Graham Greene novels describe. The kind of person who believes they are doing good and act with the foolishness of privilege and too much power, setting off bush-fires here and there. Some of those fires burn on. His son Rahul, having lived through the trauma of two assassinations, has never inherited a party that had much power. Is it really his fault? Rahul Gandhi has lived through the trauma of two assassinations and multiple bad choices. (Source: India Today) To me, he seems like a nice guy who has struggled and who currently faces two bad choices. Also read: Only a Gandhi can save Congress No discussion on the handsome victory of the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections can be complete without elaborating on how the Narendra Modi government empowered women through its transformational Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao initiative, which has not been a mere slogan but a mission statement. In his riveting address on May 25 in the Central Hall of Parliament, fresh from a historic victory, Modi again won over the women of the world's largest democracy when he said Is baar maataon aur behnon ne kamaal kar diya. Maatrushakti hamara raksha kavach hai. (Women did wonders this time. They emerged as our lifeguard). Modi has clearly won over the women of the world's largest democracy. (Photo: Reuters) The fact that Modi's women's empowerment schemes found huge resonance with the average Indian woman is best exemplified by the fact that more than 60% upper caste women, almost 58% OBC women and anywhere between 43%-46% women from the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes categories voted for the BJP in the recently concluded General Elections, as per various post-electoral surveys. The surge in the sex ratio at birth (SRB) in Haryana, from 871 in 2015 to 914 in 2017, with districts like Panipat and Yamunanagar reporting SRB of 945 and 943 for every 1,000 males, showcases the tremendous strides made by Narendra Modi and his government in the last five years in improving the fortunes of India's women. SRB apart, the conviction rate for crimes against women too improved dramatically in many states particularly Maharashtra, from a dismal 8% in 2008 to a solid 54% under the BJP-led alliance. The World Health Organisation (WHO) data shows that the nationwide Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) fell from a high of 215 in 2010 to 174 in 2016-17. The Modi government aims to bring it down to 100 by 2020. The infant mortality rate also fell by 15% from 40 per 1,000, to 37 in 2016, and 34 in 2017. To cut a long story short, on every conceivable parameter, women in India were far safer in 2017 or 2018, than they were in, say, 2012 or 2013. Yes, when it comes to the safety of our girls, there is always room for more but in this case, the buck does not stop with the elected government alone. The other stakeholders in nurturing a safe environment are civil society and the media. Unfortunately, glib-talking activists and Bollywood starlets who adorn TV studios have trivialised ghastly crimes like rape, thanks to their selective outrage. While crimes against women in states like Uttar Pradesh are widely reported and rightly so, there is deafening silence from large sections of some media that have never deemed it fit to highlight crimes in, say, a state like West Bengal. Working towards women's empowerment is best achieved when we get rid of this doublespeak. For instance, there has been stony silence from a select bunch of lawyers, activists and what I'd call the media mafioso, with no questions asked of the bloodthirsty Communist ideology in Kerala, which reported a total of 16,960 cases of crimes against women and children in 2016 including 2578 rapes! In violent crimes like rape, to be able to come out in the open, talk and discuss fearlessly and name and shame the culprits is half the battle won the greatest service that the Modi dispensation has done in its first term is to prevent crimes from getting communalised by ensuring that such elements from the minority community do not get an unnecessary protective shield, simply by virtue of the religion they belong to. It is a highly politically incorrect statement to make, but one of the most horrific legacies of the previous Congress-led regimes was minority appeasement, and to such an extent that many crimes by radicalised elements from the minority community went unreported or did not elicit the needed outrage and attention. Modi has changed the appeasement, vote-bank centric narrative. Law and order in BJP-ruled states has been far better than those ruled by the Congress. Karnataka under its former chief minister Siddaramaiah has been testimony to this. As per National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data for 2015-16, there were 14,131 crimes against women, with the conviction rate being only 4.7%, in Karnataka. In Bengaluru alone, only 32 of the 921 cases resulted in conviction, with the conviction rate being barely 3.5% in the said period. Crimes against women have seen a higher conviction rate in BJP-ruled states. (Photo: India.com) The conviction rate was worse when it came to Dalits or Scheduled Castes, who account for 18% of Karnatakas population, with a conviction rate of only 2.8 per cent. The conviction rate for STs, Scheduled Tribes, who account for 7% of the states population, was even worse a big zero! Incidentally, with 1,741 crimes in 2016, Karnataka accounted for 30% of all crimes against SCs and STs in India. In June 2018, Thomson Reuters Foundation (TRF) ranked India as the most dangerous country in the world for women ahead of war-torn Syria and Afghanistan. What was laughable about this report was that reportedly a measly sample size of 550 respondents was used to making sweeping comments on a country of 1.3 billion people, home to some of the best female minds nationally and internationally. Ironically, of these 550 women sampled, only 43 were Indian, or those who had roots in India. The ghettoisation of large parts of Britan, Germany and Sweden, where radicalised Muslim immigrant gangs have wreaked havoc, raping minor girls with impunity and getting bail within 48 hours in most cases, is something that conveniently skipped the surveyors at TRF, as did the fact that till recently, women were not even allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia, a country that was behind India at fifth place, in these biased and motivated rankings. The BJP-led Modi government, as is evident, has had to fight a severe battle not only on its home turf, against Left-centric armchair activists, but also against what many consider hopelessly biased names like the TRF too. However, the Modi government, undeterred by these obstacles, took a giant leap of faith on 21st April 2018 and via a historic ordinance, following that up with a path-breaking Cabinet approval on December 28, 2018, in the winter session of Parliament, to bring in amendments under Sections 4, 5, 6, 14, 15 and 42 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, to ensure death penalty or life imprisonment to rapists where the victim is less than 12 years of age. This also raised the minimum imprisonment tenure from 10 to 20 years where the victim is less than 16 years, and from 7 to 10 years where the victim is an adult, setting up fast-track courts also to deliver verdicts in a time-bound manner. These have indeed been sweeping measures by the Modi government, to ensure justice is neither delayed nor denied. The Modi government has worked wonders for the girl child. (Source: Reuters) Also, measures like the social audit of 3,000 shelter homes across the country which was completed by August 2018, with more than 40 being forced to close down for not adhering to norms, after the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) conducted a social audit of Child Care Institutes (CCIs) and submitted its report, reflect how the safety of minors, especially the girl child, has always been a top priority for the Modi government. It needs to be pointed here that while the BJP-led Modi government brought to book the guilty in the notorious Muzzaffarpur and Deoria shelter home cases, what is equally important to remember is how the criminal apathy of previous political establishments, before the Yogi Adityanath government came to power, abetted the reported exploitation of young children and women. The Deoria shelter home, for instance, was given recognition by the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in 2009-10 and then the Samajwadi Party (SP) reportedly went ahead to give this notorious shelter a woman and child protection home status. Coming back to the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign, one of the most decisive steps by the Modi dispensation on this front has indeed been bringing in the Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection of Children) Act of 2015, which lowered the trial age for heinous crimes like rape and murder from 18 to 16 years. A 16-year-old would now be treated and punished like any other adult, as per due process of law under Sections 376 and 302 of the Indian Penal Code. Left-liberal cheerleaders and critics of various hues who have been mocking the Beti Bachao campaign would do well to know that the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana, to facilitate the education of the girl child, has already reached out to more than 1.52 crore aspirational young women. Again, of the over Rs 7 lakh crore that has been disbursed to empower more than 15 crore people under the Mudra Yojana in the first term of the Modi government, at least nine crore have been women, largely from the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe categories. Ditto with the Jan Dhan Yojana, wherein, of the 34 crore odd bank accounts opened, more than 50% of the beneficiaries were women from the weakest sections of the society eliciting huge appreciation from the World Bank, which lauded India for bridging the gender divide and gender disparities that existed in the past, while executing the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, by far the biggest financial inclusion scheme in the world, ever. In India, most factors united for decades under thoroughly incompetent Congress-led establishments to accentuate gender inequalities in finance persistent unemployment, lower wages, lower average years of schooling, unpaid work, lower female labour force participation rates, safety concerns, socio-cultural restrictions that prevented their empowerment, bargaining and decision-taking strength. Also, lack of collateral (title or formal ownership of material assets) made many women high-risk borrowers, in turn, discouraging them from approaching banks. However, once again, the Modi government came in for generous praise from the Global Findex Survey, 2017, which estimates that 77% of Indian women now owned a bank account against 43% and only 26% in 2014 and 2011, respectively. On this basic measure of financial inclusion, females are more financially included than ever before thanks to the Jan Dhan Yojana. This is a great first step because a bank account is the gateway to other financial services and deeper financial engagement, eventually. Modi's idea of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas puts women right at the top. (Photo: narendramodi.in) Again, to provide assured, comprehensive and quality antenatal care, free of cost universally to all pregnant women on the 9th of every month, Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) guarantees a minimum package of antenatal care services to women in their second and third trimesters of pregnancy at designated government health facilities. More than 1.16 crore antenatal check-ups were conducted at over 12,900 health facilities across most states and UTs, with over 4,900 volunteers registered to address more than six lakh high risk pregnancies that were identified, in the last five years. Be it building over nine crore toilets and making large parts of the rural hinterland Open Defecation Free (ODF), financially helping betis with their education and overall well-being via the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana, which by early 2019, had over 1.5 crore subscribers, with total deposits of over Rs 25,000 crore, or giving the lady of the house access to smokeless kitchens in rural India via distribution of almost seven crore LPG cylinders under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, clearly, women and the betis of India have been at the forefront of the BJP-led Modi governments Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas and now additionally, Sabka Vishwaas campaign. The biggest vindication of the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao scheme came from the World Banks Global Findex Survey 2017, which said that 55% bank accounts opened globally between 2014 and 2017, came from India. In a ringing endorsement of Prime Minister Narendra Modis Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, the survey noted how the Jan Dhan bank account ownerships have bridged the gender disparity levels from 20% in 2014 to just about 6% in 2017. Also, the rich-poor divide in terms of bank account ownerships was down from 15% to 5%, in the said period. It is thus apt to conclude by saying that if 50% of India's electorate comprising women came out in droves, rejecting caste, creed, ideological and religious affiliations to vote for Narendra Modi and the BJP, becoming in turn, Modis Raksha Kavach, Modi is truly India's unifier and reformer in chief, for giving a whole new dimension to the very concept of socio-economic inclusion. 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Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Thermo Fisher Scientific: 236 Perinton Parkway LLC, 27 Forge Parkway LLC, ABR--Affinity BioReagents, ACI Holdings Inc., ARG Services LLC, ASPEX Corporation, Abgene Inc., Abgene Limited, Acoustic Cytometry Systems Inc., AcroMetrix LLC, Acros Organics B.V.B.A., Advanced Biotechnologies Limited, Advanced Scientifics (ASI), Advanced Scientifics Inc., Advanced Scientifics International Inc., Affymetrix Biotech Participacoes Ltda., Affymetrix Biotech Shanghai Ltd, Affymetrix Inc, Affymetrix Japan K.K., Affymetrix Pte Ltd, Affymetrix UK Ltd, Afora S.A.U., Ahura Scientific, Alchematrix Inc., Alchematrix LLC, Alfa Aesar, Alfa Aesar (China) Chemical Co. Ltd., Alfa Aesar (Hong Kong) Limited, Allergon AB, Alphine Mountain Limited, Ambion Inc., Apogent Denmark ApS, Apogent Finance Company, Apogent Holding Company, Apogent Technologies Inc., Apogent Transition Corp., Apogent U.K. Limited, App-Tek International Pty Ltd, Applied Biosystems B.V., Applied Biosystems Finance B.V., Applied Biosystems International Inc., Applied Biosystems LLC, Applied Biosystems Taiwan LLC, Applied Biosystems Trading (Shanghai) Company Ltd., Applied Biosystems de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Applied Scientific Corporation, Avances Cientificos de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Avocado Research Chemicals Limited, B.R.A.H.M.S. Biotech GmbH, B.R.A.H.M.S. GmbH, B.R.A.H.M.S. UK Ltd, BAC BV, BAC IP BV, Barnstead Thermolyne LLC, Beijing Phadia Diagnostics Co Ltd, Bender MedSystems GmbH, BioTrove Corporation, BioTrove International Inc., Bioanalysis Labsystems S.A., Biochemical Sciences LLC, Biolab, BmT GmbH Laborprodukte, Bonsai Tecnologies - Sistemas para Biotecnologia e Industria Unipessoal Lda, Brammer Bio, Bumi-Sans Sendirian Berhad, CAC Limited, CB Diagnostics AB, CB Diagnostics Holding AB, CEPH International Corporation, CHK Holdings Inc., CRS Robotics, CTPS LLC, Capitol Scientific Products Inc., Capitol Vial Inc., Cellomics Inc., CellzDirect Inc., Cenduit GmbH, Cenduit LLC, Cezanne S.A.S., Chase Scientific Glass Inc., Chromacol Limited, Clintrak, Clintrak Clinical Labeling Services LLC, Clintrak Pharmaceutical Services LLC, Cohesive Technologies (UK) Limited, Cohesive Technologies Inc., Columbia Diagnostics Inc., Compendia Bioscience Inc., Comtest Limited, Consolidated Technologies Inc., Consultores Fisher Scientific Chile Ltd, Core Informatics, Core Informatics LLC, Core Informatics UK Ltd., D-finitive Technologies Inc., DCG Systems B.V., DCG Systems C.V., DCG Systems G.K., DCG Systems GmbH, DCG Systems Korea Ltd., DCG Systems LLC, DPI Newco LLC, DSM Pharmaceutical Products Inc., Dharmacon, Diagnostix Ltd., Dionex (China) Analytical Ltd, Dionex (Switzerland) AG, Dionex (UK) Limited, Dionex Austria GmbH, Dionex Benelux B.V., Dionex Brasil Instrumentos Cientificos Ltda, Dionex Canada Ltd., Dionex China Limited, Dionex Corporation, Dionex Denmark A/S, Dionex Holding GmbH, Dionex I LLC, Dionex Pty Ltd., Dionex S.A., Dionex S.p.A., Dionex Singapore Pte Ltd., Dionex Softron GmbH, Dionex Sweden AB, Distribution Solutions International Inc., Doe & Ingalls Investors Inc., Doe & Ingalls Limited, Doe & Ingalls Management LLC, Doe & Ingalls Properties II LLC, Doe & Ingalls Properties LLC, Doe & Ingalls of California Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of Florida Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of Maryland Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of Massachusetts Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of North Carolina Operating LLC, Doublecape Holding Limited, Doublecape Limited, Drakeside Real Estate Holding Company LLC, Duke Scientific Corporation, Dynal Biotech Beijing Limited, EGS Gauging Ltd., EGS Gauging Technical Services Company, EP Scientific Products LLC, Ecochem N.V., EnviroEquip Pty Ltd, Epsom Glass Industries Limited, Equibio Limited, Erie Electroverre S.A., Erie Finance Limited, Erie LP Holding LLC, Erie Scientific Company of Puerto Rico, Erie Scientific Hungary Kft, Erie Scientific LLC, Erie U.K. Limited, Erie UK 1 Limited, Erie UK 2 Limited, Erie UK Holding Company, Erie UK Senior Holding Limited, European Laboratory Holdings Limited, Eutech Instruments Europe B.V., Eutech Instruments Pte Ltd., Eutech Instruments Sdn Bhd, Ever Ready Thermometer Co. Inc., FEI Asia Pacific Co. Ltd., FEI Australia Pty Ltd, FEI CPD B.V., FEI Company, FEI Company Japan Ltd., FEI Company of USA (S.E.A.) Pte Ltd., FEI Czech Republic s.r.o., FEI Deutschland GmbH, FEI EFA Inc., FEI EFA International Pte. Ltd., FEI Electron Optics B.V., FEI Electron Optics International B.V., FEI Europe B.V., FEI France SAS, FEI Global Holdings C.V., FEI Hong Kong Company Limited, FEI Houston Inc., FEI Italia Srl, FEI Korea Ltd., FEI Melbourne Pty Ltd., FEI Microscopy Solutions Ltd, FEI Munich GmbH, FEI Norway Holding AS, FEI SAS, FEI Saudi Arabia LLC, FEI Servicos de Nanotecnologia Ltda., FEI Technologies Inc., FEI Technology de Mexico S.A. de C.V., FEI Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., FEI Trondheim AS, FEI UK Ltd., FHP LLC, FRC Holding Inc. V, FS (Barbados) Capital Holdings Ltd., FS Casa Rocas Holdings LLC, FS Mexicana Holdings LLC, FSI Receivables Company LLC, FSII Sweden Holdings AB, FSII Sweden Holdings I AB, FSIR Holdings (UK) Limited, FSIR Holdings (US) Inc., FSUK Holdings Limited, FSWH Company LLC, FSWH II C.V., FSWH International Holdings LLC, Fermentas China Co. Ltd, Fermentas Inc., Fermentas International, Fermentas Sweden AB, Fermentas UK Limited, Fiberlite Centrifuge LLC, Finesse Scientific Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Finesse Solutions AG, Finesse Solutions Inc., Finnzymes Oy, Fisher Alder S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Asia Manufacturing Ventures Inc., Fisher Bermuda Holdings Limited, Fisher BioImage ApS, Fisher BioPharma Services (India) Private Limited, Fisher BioSciences Japan G.K., Fisher BioServices Inc., Fisher Bioblock Holding II SNC, Fisher CLP Holding Limited Partnership, Fisher Canada Holding ULC 1, Fisher Canada Holding ULC 2, Fisher Canada Holding ULC 3, Fisher Canada Limited Partnership, Fisher Chimica BVBA, Fisher Clinical Logistics LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Fisher Clinical Services (Bristol) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Colombia) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Korea) Co. Ltd, Fisher Clinical Services (Mexico) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Peru) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Fisher Clinical Services Colombia S.A.S., Fisher Clinical Services GmbH, Fisher Clinical Services Inc., Fisher Clinical Services Japan K.K., Fisher Clinical Services Latin America S.R.L., Fisher Clinical Services Limited Liability Company, Fisher Clinical Services Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Clinical Services Peru S.R.L, Fisher Clinical Services Pte Ltd., Fisher Clinical Services U.K. Limited, Fisher Emergo B.V., Fisher Germany Holdings GmbH, Fisher Hamilton China Inc., Fisher Hamilton Mexico LLC, Fisher Holdings ApS, Fisher Internet Minority Holdings L.L.C., Fisher Laboratory Products Manufacturing (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Fisher Luxembourg Danish Holdings SARL, Fisher Manufacturing (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Fisher Maybridge Holdings Limited, Fisher Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Scientific (Austria) GmbH, Fisher Scientific (Hong Kong) Limited, Fisher Scientific (M) Sdn Bhd, Fisher Scientific (SEA) Pte. Ltd., Fisher Scientific A/S, Fisher Scientific AG, Fisher Scientific Australia Pty Limited, Fisher Scientific Biotech Line ApS, Fisher Scientific Brazil Inc., Fisher Scientific Central America Inc., Fisher Scientific Chile Inc., Fisher Scientific Colombia Inc., Fisher Scientific Company, Fisher Scientific Company L.L.C., Fisher Scientific Costa Rica Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, Fisher Scientific Europe Holdings B.V., Fisher Scientific GTF AB, Fisher Scientific Germany Beteiligungs GmbH, Fisher Scientific GmbH, Fisher Scientific Holding Company LLC, Fisher Scientific Holding HK Limited, Fisher Scientific Holding U.K. Limited, Fisher Scientific Holdings (M) Sdn Bhd, Fisher Scientific Holdings (S) Pte Ltd, Fisher Scientific International LLC, Fisher Scientific Investments (Cayman) Ltd., Fisher Scientific Ireland Investments Unlimited, Fisher Scientific Ireland Limited, Fisher Scientific Japan Ltd., Fisher Scientific Jersey Island Limited, Fisher Scientific Korea Ltd, Fisher Scientific Latin America Inc., Fisher Scientific Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Fisher Scientific Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Scientific Mexico Inc., Fisher Scientific Middle East and Africa Inc., Fisher Scientific Norway AS, Fisher Scientific Operating Company, Fisher Scientific Oxoid Holdings Ltd., Fisher Scientific Oy, Fisher Scientific Pte. Ltd., Fisher Scientific S.A.S., Fisher Scientific S.L., Fisher Scientific SPRL, Fisher Scientific The Hague I B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague II B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague III B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague IV B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague V B.V., Fisher Scientific U.K. Limited, Fisher Scientific UK Holding Company 2, Fisher Scientific UK Holding Company Limited, Fisher Scientific Unipessoal Lda., Fisher Scientific Venezuela Inc., Fisher Scientific Worldwide (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Fisher Scientific Worldwide Holdings I C.V., Fisher Scientific Worldwide Inc., Fisher Scientific de Mexico S.A., Fisher Scientific of the Netherlands B.V., Fisher Scientific spol. S.r.o, Fisher Servicios Clinicos (Chile) LLC, Fisher Servicios Clinicos Chile Ltda, Fisher WWD Holding L.L.C., Fisher Worldwide Distribution SPV, Fisher Worldwide Gene Distribution SPV, Flux Instruments, Fuji Partnership, G & M Procter Limited, G V Instruments Limited, GV Instruments Canada Ltd., GV Instruments Inc, Gatan Inc, General Scientific Company Sdn Bhd (M), Genomed molekularbiologische und diagnostische Produkte GmbH, Gerhard Menzel B.V. & Co. KG, Gold Cattle Standard Testing Labs Inc., Golden West Indemnity Company Limited, Goring Kerr Detection Limited, Greenville Service Company Inc., HENO GmbH i.L., Hangar 215 Inc., Helmet Securities Limited, Henogen, HighChem, HyClone International Trade (Tianjin) Co. Ltd, Hybaid Limited, I.Q. (BIO) Limited, IDnostics AG, ILS Laboratories Scandinavia AB, Inel Inc., Inel SAS, InnaPhase Inc., InnaPhase Limited, IntegenX, Intrinsic BioProbes Inc., Intrinsic Bioprobes Inc., Invitrogen (Shanghai) Investment Co. Ltd., Invitrogen Argentina SA, Invitrogen BioServices India Private Limited, Invitrogen Europe Limited, Invitrogen Finance Corp., Invitrogen Holdings LLC, Invitrogen Holdings Ltd., Invitrogen Hong Kong Limited, Invitrogen IP Holdings Inc., Invitrogen Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Ion Torrent Systems Inc., Ionalytics Corporation, JSC Thermo Fisher Scientific, Jouan LLC, Jouan Limited, Jouan SA, Kendro Containment & Services Limited, Kendro Laboratory Products Ltd, Kettlebrook Insurance Co. ltd., Keystone Scientific, KonTEM GmbH, Kyle Jordan Investments LLC, LIFE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION, LTC Tech South Africa PTY Ltd., La-Pha-Pack GmbH, Lab Vision (UK) Limited, Lab Vision Corporation, Lab-Chrom-Pack LLC, Lab-Line Instruments Inc., Labomex MBP S. de R. L. De C.V., Laboratoire Service International - L.S.I, Laboratory Management Systems Inc., Laboratory Specialties Proprietary Ltd., LambTrack Limited, Laser Analytical Systems Inc., Liberty Lane Investment LLC, Liberty Lane Real Estate Holding Company LLC, Life Sciences International (Poland) SP z O.O, Life Sciences International Holdings BV, Life Sciences International LLC, Life Sciences International Limited, Life Technologies AS, Life Technologies Australia PTY Ltd., Life Technologies BPD AB, Life Technologies BPD UK Limited, Life Technologies Brasil Comercio e Industria de Produtos para Biotecnologia Ltda, Life Technologies Chile SpA, Life Technologies Clinical Services Lab Inc., Life Technologies Co. Ltd., Life Technologies Czech Republic s.r.o., Life Technologies DaAn Diagnostic (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd., Life Technologies Europe B.V., Life Technologies Finance Ltd., Life Technologies Finland Oy, Life Technologies GmbH, Life Technologies Holdings PTE Ltd., Life Technologies Inc., Life Technologies International B.V., Life Technologies Japan Ltd., Life Technologies Korea LLC, Life Technologies Limited, Life Technologies Magyarorszag Kft, Life Technologies New Zealand Ltd., Life Technologies Norway Investments US LLC, Life Technologies Polska Sp z.o.o., Life Technologies SA, Life Technologies SAS, Life Technologies s.r.o, Linkage Biosciences Inc., Linkage Biosciences S.a.r.l., Loftus Furnace Company, Lomb Scientific, Lomb Scientific (Aust) Pty Limited, MTI-GlobalStem, Marketbase International Limited, Matrix MicroScience Inc., Matrix MicroScience Ltd., Matrix Technologies Corporation Limited, Matrix Technologies LLC, Maybridge Chemical Company Limited, Maybridge Chemical Holdings Limited, Maybridge Limited, Medical Analysis Systems Inc., Medical Analysis Systems International Inc., Medical Diagnostics Systems Inc., Metavac LLC, Microgenics Corporation, Microgenics Diagnostics Pty Limited, Microgenics GmbH, Microm International GmbH, Microm Laborgerate S.L.U, Molecular BioProducts Inc., Molecular Probes Inc., Molecular Transfer Inc., NAPCO Inc., NERL Diagnostics LLC, NOVODIRECT GmbH Labor- und Industrie- Megerate, Nalge (Europe) Limited, Nalge Nunc International (Monterrey) LLC, Nalge Nunc International Corporation, Nanjing WeiKangLe Trading Industrial Co Ltd, NanoDrop Technologies LLC, National Scientific Company, Navaho Acquisition Corp., Neomarkers Inc., New FS Holdings Inc., NewcoGen PE LLC, Nihon Dynal K.K., Niton Asia Limited, NovaWave Technologies Inc., Nunc A/S, ONIX Systems Inc., OXOID CZ s.r.o., Odyssey Holdings Corporation, Odyssey Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Odyssey Luxembourg IP Holdings 1 S.a r.l., Odyssey Luxembourg IP Holdings 2 S.a r.l., Odyssey Venture Corporation, Omega Data Systems, One Lambda Inc, Onix Holdings Limited, Orme Scientific Limited, Owl Separation Systems LLC, Oxoid (ELY) Limited, Oxoid 2000 Limited, Oxoid AS, Oxoid Australia Pty. Limited, Oxoid Company, Oxoid Deutschland GmbH, Oxoid Holding SAS, Oxoid Holdings Limited, Oxoid Inc., Oxoid International Limited, Oxoid Investments GmbH, Oxoid Limited, Oxoid N.V., Oxoid New Zealand Limited, Oxoid Pension Trustees Limited, Oxoid Senior Holdings Limited, Oxoid UKH LLC, PAX - DSI Acquisition LLC, PE AG, Pacific Rim Far East Industries LLC, Pacific Rim Investment LLC, Panomics L.L.C., Panomics S.R.L., Patheon, Patheon API Inc., Patheon API Manufacturing Inc., Patheon API Services Inc., Patheon Austria GmbH & Co KG, Patheon B.V., Patheon Banner U.S. Holdings Inc., Patheon Biologics (NJ) LLC, Patheon Biologics Australia Pty Ltd, Patheon Biologics B.V., Patheon Biologics LLC, Patheon Calculus Merger LLC, Patheon Cooperatief U.A., Patheon Development Services Inc., Patheon Finance LLC, Patheon France SAS, Patheon Holdings B.V., Patheon Holdings I B.V., Patheon Holdings II B.V., Patheon Holdings SAS, Patheon I B.V., Patheon I Holding GmbH, Patheon Inc., Patheon International AG, Patheon Italia S.p.A., Patheon KK, Patheon Life Science Products International GmbH, Patheon Manufacturing Services LLC, Patheon Pharmaceuticals Inc., Patheon Pharmaceuticals Services Inc., Patheon Puerto Rico Acquisitions Corporation, Patheon Puerto Rico Inc., Patheon Regensburg GmbH, Patheon Softgels B.V., Patheon Softgels Inc., Patheon U.S. Holdings Inc., Patheon U.S. Holdings LLC, Patheon UK Limited, Patheon UK Pension Trustees Limited, Pelican Acquisition Corporation, Perbio Science (Canada) Company, Perbio Science AB, Perbio Science BVBA, Perbio Science France SAS, Perbio Science Inc., Perbio Science International Netherlands B.V., Perbio Science Invest AB, Perbio Science Nederland B.V., Perbio Science Projekt AB, Perbio Science Sweden Holdings AB, Perbio Science Switzerland SA, Perbio Science UK Limited, Phadia AB, Phadia Diagnosticos Ltda, Phadia GmbH, Phadia Holding AB, Phadia International Holdings C.V., Phadia Korea Co. Ltd, Phadia Luxembourg Holdings S.a.r.l., Phadia Malta Holdings Limited, Phadia Oy, Phadia Real Property AB, Phadia Sweden AB, Phadia Taiwan Inc., Phadia US Inc., Phadia s.r.o., Pharmacaps Mexicana SA de CV, Phenom-World B.V., Phenom-World Holding B.V, Phenom-World Innovations B.V., Phinotex, Pierce Biotechnology Inc., Pierce Milwaukee Holding Corp., Pierce Milwaukee Inc., Polychromix, Power Sweden Holdings I AB, Power Sweden Holdings II AB, Power Sweden Holdings III Aktiebolag, Princeton Gamma-Tech Instruments LLC, Princeton Security Technologies, Prionics AG, Prionics Asia Ltd., Prionics Deutschland GmbH, Prionics France SAS, Prionics Italia S.r.l., Prionics Lelystad B.V., Prionics USA Inc., Priority Air Express LLC, Priority Air Express Pte. Ltd., Priority Air Express UK Limited, Priority Air Holdings Corp, Priority Solutions International, Promedica Pty Limited, Proxeon, Proxeon Biosystems ApS, Qiagen, REP GBP I-B Blocker Inc., Raymond A Lamb Limited, Remel Europe Limited, Remel Inc., Richard-Allan Scientific Company, Robbins Scientific LLC, Robocon Labor- und Industrieroboter Gesellschaft m.b.H, Rupprecht and Patashnick, Rupprecht and Patashnick (R&P), Russell pH Limited, S.C.I. du 10 rue Dugay Trouin, SCI Inno 92, STC Bio Manufacturing Inc., Samco Scientific (Monterrey) LLC, Samco Scientific LLC, Saroph Sweden AB, Schantz Road LLC, Seradyn Inc., Shanghai Life Technologies Biotechnology Co. Limited, Shanghai Thermo Fisher (C-I) Trading Co. Ltd, Shanghai Thermo Fisher (S) Trading Co. Ltd, Southern Trials (Pty) Ltd., Specialty (SMI) Inc., Spectra-Physics AB, Spectra-Physics Holdings Limited, Spectra-Physics Holdings USA LLC, Spectronex, Staten Island Cogeneration Corporation, Sterilin Limited, Stokes Bio Ltd., Sweden DIA (Sweden) AB, SwissAnalytic Group GmbH, Systems Manufacturing Corporation, TFLP LLC, TFS Breda B.V., TFS LLC, TFS Singapore HK Limited, TFSL Financing GP LLC, TFSL Senior GP Holdings 2 LLC, TK Partnership, TKA Wasseraufbereitungssysteme, TMOI Inc., TPI Real Estate Holdings LLC, TSP Holdings I LLC, TWX LLC, Technology Design Solutions Pty Ltd, Thermedics Detection de Argentina S.R.L, Thermo Allen Coding Limited, Thermo Asset Management Services Inc., Thermo BioAnalysis LLC, Thermo BioAnalysis Limited, Thermo BioSciences Holdings LLC, Thermo CIDTEC, Thermo CRS Holdings Ltd., Thermo CRS Ltd., Thermo Cambridge Limited, Thermo Cayman Holdings Ltd., Thermo Corporation, Thermo DMA Inc., Thermo Detection de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Thermo Dutch Holdings Limited Partnership, Thermo EGS Gauging LLC, Thermo Eberline Holdings I LLC, Thermo Eberline Holdings II LLC, Thermo Eberline LLC, Thermo Electron (Calgary) Limited, Thermo Electron (Chile) S.p.A., Thermo Electron (Karlsruhe) GmbH, Thermo Electron (Management Services) Limited, Thermo Electron (Proprietary) Limited, Thermo Electron A/S, Thermo Electron Australia Pty Limited, Thermo Electron Export Inc., Thermo Electron Holdings SAS, Thermo Electron Industries, Thermo Electron LED GmbH, Thermo Electron LED S.A.S., Thermo Electron Limited, Thermo Electron Manufacturing Limited, Thermo Electron Metallurgical Services Inc., Thermo Electron North America LLC, Thermo Electron Pension Trust GmbH, Thermo Electron Puerto Rico Inc., Thermo Electron SAS, Thermo Electron Scientific Instruments LLC, Thermo Electron Sweden AB, Thermo Electron Sweden Forvaltning AB, Thermo Electron Weighing & Inspection Limited, Thermo Elemental Limited, Thermo Environmental Instruments LLC, Thermo Fast U.K. Limited, Thermo Finland Holdings LLC, Thermo Finland Holdings MT1 B.V., Thermo Finland Holdings MT2 B.V., Thermo Finnigan LLC, Thermo Finnigan Limited, Thermo Fisher (CN) Luxembourg Holding S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher (CN) Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher (CN) Malta Holdings Limited, Thermo Fisher (CN-I) Luxembourg LLC, Thermo Fisher (CN-II) Luxembourg LLC, Thermo Fisher (Cayman) Holdings I Ltd., Thermo Fisher (Cayman) Holdings II Ltd., Thermo Fisher (Finland Holdings 2) LLC, Thermo Fisher (Finland Holdings) Limited Partnership, Thermo Fisher (Gibraltar) II Limited, Thermo Fisher (Gibraltar) Limited, Thermo Fisher (Heysham) Limited, Thermo Fisher (Kandel) GmbH, Thermo Fisher CHK Holding LLC, Thermo Fisher China Business Trust, Thermo Fisher China Business Trust II, Thermo Fisher Costa Rica Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, Thermo Fisher Cyprus Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Detection Mexico LLC, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics (Ireland) Limited, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics AB, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics AG, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics AS, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Aps, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Austria GmbH, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics B.V., Thermo Fisher Diagnostics GmbH, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics K.K., Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Limited, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics NV, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics S.L.U., Thermo Fisher Diagnostics S.p.A. , Thermo Fisher Diagnostics SAS, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Sociedade Unipessoal Lda, Thermo Fisher Eurobonds Ltd., Thermo Fisher Financial Services Inc., Thermo Fisher GP LLC, Thermo Fisher German Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Germany B.V., Thermo Fisher India Divestco Private Limited, Thermo Fisher India Holding B.V., Thermo Fisher Insurance Holdings Inc., Thermo Fisher Insurance Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Investments (Cayman) Ltd., Thermo Fisher Israel Ltd., Thermo Fisher Production et Services SAS, Thermo Fisher Project Cyprus LLC, Thermo Fisher Re Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Asheville) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Australia) C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Barbados) Holdings Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Breda) Holding BV, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Bremen) GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific (CN) Limited Partnership, Thermo Fisher Scientific (China) Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (China) Holding Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (China-HK) Holding Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (DE) Holding S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Ecublens) SARL, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance I) B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance I) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance II) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance III) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance III) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Fuji) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Holding II) B.V. & Co. KG, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Hong Kong) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (IVGN) B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (IVGN) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Johannesburg) (Proprietary) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Mexico City) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Milwaukee) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Mississauga) Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Monterrey) S. De R.L. De C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (NK) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN) Austria Holding GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN) UK LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN) UK Limited Partnership, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN-I) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN-II) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN1) UK Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Panama) B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Panama) Dutch LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Praha) s.r.o., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Real Estate 1) GmbH & Co. KG, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Real Estate 1) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Schweiz) AG, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Shanghai) Instruments Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Suzhou) Instruments Co. Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific AL-1 LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific AU C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific AU II Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific AU LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific AU Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Africa Proprietary Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Aquasensors LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Australia Pty Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific B.V.B.A., Thermo Fisher Scientific BHK (I) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific BHK (II) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Baltics UAB, Thermo Fisher Scientific Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific Biosciences Corp., Thermo Fisher Scientific Brahms LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Brasil Instrumentos de Processo Ltda., Thermo Fisher Scientific Brasil Servicos de Logistica Ltda, Thermo Fisher Scientific C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cayman Investments LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Chemicals Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific China (C-I) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific China (S) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific China Holdings I B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific China Holdings II B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific China Holdings III B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific China Holdings IV B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Chromatography Holdings Aps, Thermo Fisher Scientific Chromatography Holdings S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus I C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus I Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus II C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus II Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus III C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus III Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus IV C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus V C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Denmark Senior Holdings ApS, Thermo Fisher Scientific Erie 1 Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Erie Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Erie Financing S.a r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific Europe GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific FLC B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific FLC Finance C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific FLC II B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific FLC LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific FSIR Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific FSIR Financing S.a.r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific FSUKHCO Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Falcon Senior Holdings Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Finance Company BV, Thermo Fisher Scientific GENEART GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific Germany BV & Co. KG, Thermo Fisher Scientific GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific HR Services Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Holdings (Cayman) I, Thermo Fisher Scientific Holdings (Cayman) II , Thermo Fisher Scientific Holdings Europe Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific IT Services GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific India Holding LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific India Pvt Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments (Malta) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments (Sweden) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments (Sweden) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments Malta (Sweden Financing) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Invitrogen Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Japan Holdings I B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Japan Holdings II B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Japan Holdings III B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific K.K., Thermo Fisher Scientific Korea Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific LSI Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life CV GP Holdings II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life CV GP Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Enterprises C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Enterprises GP LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Financing (Cayman), Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Financing C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Financing Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Holdings I C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Holdings II C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Holdings III C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Holdings Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life International GP Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life International Holdings I C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life International Holdings II C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments GP LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments I S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments II S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments III S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments IV S.a.r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments Malta Holding I LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments Malta Holding II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments Malta I Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments Malta II Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments US Financing I LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments US Financing II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life NL Holdings GP LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Netherlands Holding C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior GP Holdings II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior GP Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior Holdings C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior Holdings II C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior Holdings Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Switzerland Holdings GP LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Tech Korea Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Enterprise Holding Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investment I LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investment II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investment UK I Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investment UK II Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investments Holding LP, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Israel Investment I Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Israel Investment II Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Luxembourg Holding LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Enterprise Holdings S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg German Holdings S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Life Technologies UK Holding S.a r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Sweden Holdings I S.a r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Sweden Holdings II S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Venture Holdings I S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Venture Holdings II S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Thermo Fisher Scientific Malta Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Messtechnik GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific Mexico City S. de R.L. de C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Middle East Holdings Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Milano Srl, Thermo Fisher Scientific NHK Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific New Zealand Holdings, Thermo Fisher Scientific New Zealand Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Norway Holdings AS, Thermo Fisher Scientific Norway US Investments LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Odyssey Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Odyssey Holdings Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Operating Company LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Oy, Thermo Fisher Scientific PN2 C.V, Thermo Fisher Scientific PN2 LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific PRB LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific PRB Malta Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific PRB S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Panama I Cayman Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Peru S.R.L., Thermo Fisher Scientific Pte. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific Re Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific SL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Senior Financing LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Senior Holdings Australia LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific South Africa Proprietary Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific SpA, Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra Malta Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra-Physics Holdings Luxembourg I S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra-Physics Holdings Luxembourg II S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra-Physics Investments Malta Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Switzerland Holdings C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific TR Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Taiwan Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific Vermogensverwaltungs GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific West Palm Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Wissenschaftliche Gerate GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific Worldwide Investments (Cayman), Thermo Fisher Scientific eCommerce Solutions LLC , Thermo Fisher Senior Canada Holdings LLC, Thermo Foundation Inc., Thermo Gamma-Metrics Holdings Pty Ltd., Thermo Gamma-Metrics LLC, Thermo Gamma-Metrics Pty Ltd, Thermo Holding European Operations LLC, Thermo Hypersil Ltd, Thermo Hypersil-Keystone LLC, Thermo Informatics Asia Pacific Pty Ltd., Thermo Instrument Controls de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Thermo Kevex X-Ray LLC, Thermo Keytek LLC, Thermo LabSystems Inc., Thermo LabSystems S.A., Thermo Life Science International Trading (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Thermo Life Sciences AB, Thermo Luxembourg Holding S.a.r.l., Thermo Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Thermo MF Physics LLC, Thermo Measurement Ltd, Thermo Measuretech Canada Inc., Thermo Neslab LLC, Thermo Nicolet Limited, Thermo Onix Limited, Thermo Optek (Australia) Pty Ltd., Thermo Optek Limited, Thermo Optek S.A., Thermo Orion Inc., Thermo Portable Holdings LLC, Thermo Power Corporation, Thermo Process Instruments GP LLC, Thermo Process Instruments L.P., Thermo Projects Limited, Thermo Quest S.A., Thermo Radiometrie Limited, Thermo Ramsey Italia S.r.l., Thermo Ramsey LLC, Thermo Ramsey S.A., Thermo Re Ltd., Thermo Scientific Microbiology Pte Ltd., Thermo Scientific Microbiology Sdn Bhd, Thermo Scientific Portable Analytical Instruments Inc., Thermo Scientific Services Inc., Thermo Securities Corporation, Thermo Sentron Canada Inc., Thermo Sentron Limited, Thermo Shandon Inc., Thermo Shandon Limited, Thermo Suomi Holding B.V., Thermo TLH (UK) Limited, Thermo TLH L.P., Thermo Trace Pty Ltd., Thermo-Fisher Biochemical Product (Beijing) Co. Ltd., ThermoLase LLC, ThermoSpectra Limited, Trek Diagnostic Systems LLC, Trek Diagnostic Systems Ltd., Trek Holding Company II Ltd., Trek Holding Company Ltd., Trex Medical Corporation, USB Corporation, Union Lab Supplies Limited, United Diagnostics Inc., VG Systems Limited, Westover Scientific Inc., ZAO PE Biosystems, eBioscience GmbH, eBioscience Ltd, eBioscience SAS, and picoSpin LLC. Photo: Contributed Distilleries across the province have been receiving international awards and recognition lately, and deservedly so. From gins to vodkas to whiskies, and grappas, brandies, and fortified spiritswe have some talented distillers in B.C. While we cant use some terms such as port, due to international regulations, we can say things like port-style. And we can enjoy some wonderful products and home-grown cocktails. The worlds best contemporary gin comes from Sheringham Distillery on Vancouver Island, category winner at the World Gin Awards. In fact, Canada swept that category. If youre used to classic dry gins, take a chance on a few different ones. Aged gin, such as the Barrel Rested gin from Dubh Glas Distillery, is aged in oak barrels and has aromas of Christmas junipers and fruitcake. Perfect for sipping. The Whole Truth farm to flask gin by RauDZ, in collaboration with Okanagan Spirits, can be found in creative cocktails at the RauDZ family of eateries. Its floral notes lead into a smooth, cucumber and mint melange. Refreshing for your summertime G&T. As for vodka? Legend Distillings Blasted Brew Cold Brewed Spiked Coffee is exactly that. Vodka with a twist of organic coffee from Backyard Beans. If youre intrigued by vodka with colour, Black Goat Vodka, a silver medal winner at the Canadian Artisan Spirit Competition should be your next adventure. Did you know we make vermouth here? The Woods Spirit Company in North Vancouver does. Your next martini can be made entirely from local spirits. Diehard Scotch enthusiasts may scoff at single malts made in B.C., but it wasnt that long ago when the world was surprised by Japanese whiskies taking top awards. Urban Distillery and Winery has won Sip Awards, and bottled the first single malt made in the province. Pemberton Distillery went organic with its whisky. More whiskies are coming from producers in the Okanagan; you simply need to watch for the release before they sell out. When youre done wine-ing in the South Okanagan, a last stop near Penticton should be Maple Leaf Spirits. Your designated driver can enjoy the expansive view while you sample a variety of fruit liqueurs, grappas, and a V.S.O.P. brandy, The Lady of the Cask. It was a gold medal winner at the aforementioned CASC awards, so grab a bottle and tuck it away for a rainy day. UPCOMING EVENTS May 30, Penticton: The BC VQA Wine Centre welcomes Gordon Fitzpatrick to lead a tasting of sparkling wines. May 31 to June 9, Vancouver: The 10th Annual Vancouver Craft Beer Week takes place around the city, with breweries from around the province. June 1, Oliver: Tinhorn Creek hosts its 25th Anniversary celebration with a five-course dinner. June 1, Penticton: Ruby Blues has a vintage pop-up shop and fashion show. June 2, Kelowna: Concert in the Cellar at Tantalus Vineyards with the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra. Through till October, Keremeos: The Grist Mill hosts Sunday Night Suppers, each one with a different The following companies are subsidiares of WESCO International: 1502218 Alberta Ltd., ALLNET Technologies Pty. Ltd., AXE Distribution Solutions Trinidad Ltd., Accu-Tech Corporation, Anixter (Barbados) SRL, Anixter (CIS) LLC, Anixter (Switzerland) Sarl, Anixter (U.K.) Limited, Anixter Argentina S.A., Anixter Asia Holdings Limited, Anixter Australia Pty. Ltd., Anixter Austria GmbH, Anixter Bahamas Limited, Anixter Belgium B.V.B.A., Anixter Cables y Manufacturas S.A. de C.V., Anixter Canada Inc., Anixter Canadian Holdings ULC, Anixter Chile S.A., Anixter Colombia S.A.S., Anixter Communications (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Anixter Communications (Shanghai) Co. 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Ltd., Anixter Slovakia s.r.o., Anixter Sub Holdings B.V, Anixter Sverige AB, Anixter Thailand Inc., Anixter U.S. LLC, Anixter Venezuela Inc., Anixter de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Anixter do Brasil Ltda, Atlanta Electrical Distributors, Atlanta Electrical Distributors LLC, Atlas Gentech (NZ) Limited, Avon Electrical Supplies, B.E.L. Corporation, Brews Supply, Brown Wholesale Electric, Bruckner Supply, CBC LP Holdings LLC, CDW Holdco LLC, Calvert Wire & Cable Corporation, Carlton-Bates Company, Carlton-Bates Company (CBC), Carlton-Bates Company de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Carlton-Bates Company of Texas GP Inc, Central Security Distribution Pty. 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Ltd., WESCO Distribution de Mexico S. de R.L., WESCO Distribution-International Limited, WESCO Enterprises Inc., WESCO Equity Corporation, WESCO Holdings LLC, WESCO Integrated Supply Inc., WESCO Integrated Supply Polska Spolka z o.o., WESCO Netherlands B.V., WESCO Nevada Ltd., WESCO Nigeria Inc., WESCO Procurement Canada ULC, WESCO Real Estate I LLC, WESCO Real Estate II LLC, WESCO Real Estate III LLC, WESCO Real Estate IV LLC, WESCO Receivables Corp., WESCO Services LLC, WESCO TLD Holdings Co. Ltd., WND Nigeria Limited, WireXpress Ltd., Xpress Connect Supply Hong Kong Limited, XpressConnect Holdings B.V., XpressConnect International B.V., XpressConnect Supply B.V.B.A., XpressConnect Supply Colombia S.A.S., XpressConnect Supply Inc., XpressConnect Supply Mexico S.A. de C.V., and XpressConnect Supply do Brasil Ltda. The following companies are subsidiares of Accenture: (Accenture Endustriyel Yazlm Cozumleri Limited Sirketi), 2nd Road, ?What If!, ?What If! 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Ltd, Accenture Solutions Private Limited, Accenture Solutions Pte Ltd, Accenture Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Solutions S.p. z o.o, Accenture Solutions Sdn Bhd, Accenture State Healthcare Services LLC, Accenture Sub II Inc, Accenture Sub III Inc, Accenture Sub LLC, Accenture Systems Integration Limited, Accenture Sarl, Accenture Tanacsado Kolatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Accenture Technology Solutions (Dalian) Co. Ltd., Accenture Technology Solutions (HK) Co. Ltd., Accenture Technology Solutions (Thailand) Co. Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions - Solucoes Informaticas Integradas S.A., Accenture Technology Solutions GmbH, Accenture Technology Solutions Oy, Accenture Technology Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions S.A. de C.V., Accenture Technology Solutions S.r.l., Accenture Technology Solutions SASU, Accenture Technology Solutions SRL, Accenture Technology Solutions Sdn Bhd, Accenture Technology Solutions Slovakia s.r.o., Accenture Technology Ventures B.V., Accenture Technology Ventures SPRL, Accenture Tecnologia Consultoria y Outsourcing S.A., Accenture Uruguay SRL, Accenture Vietnam Co. Limited, Accenture Zambia Limited, Accenture do Brasil Ltda, Accenture plc, Accenture s.r.o., Acceria, Acquity Group, Adaptly LLC, Adaptly UK Limited, AddVal Technology, Adqptly, Advantium Inc., Advoco, Agilex Technologies Inc., Allen International, AlphaBeta Advisors, Altevie Technologies S.r.l., Altima, Altima (Beijing) Co. 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Ltd., Avanade Asia Pte Ltd, Avanade Australia Pty Ltd, Avanade Belgium SPRL, Avanade Canada Inc, Avanade Consulting Poland S.p. z o.o., Avanade Denmark A/S, Avanade Deutschland GmbH, Avanade Europe Holdings Limited, Avanade Europe Services Limited, Avanade Finland Oy, Avanade France SASU, Avanade Holdings LLC, Avanade Hong Kong Ltd, Avanade Inc, Avanade International Corporation, Avanade Ireland Limited, Avanade Italy S.r.l., Avanade Japan KK, Avanade Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avanade Middle East Limited, Avanade Netherlands B.V., Avanade Norway AS, Avanade Poland S.p. z o.o., Avanade Schweiz GmbH, Avanade South Africa Pty Ltd, Avanade Spain S.L., Avanade Sweden AB, Avanade UK Limited, Avanade do Brasil Ltda, Avanade Osterreich GmbH, Avenai, Axia Ltd., BABCN LLC, BCS Consulting, BCT Solutions, BCT Solutions Pty Ltd, BENEXT, BPO Servicos Administrativos Ltda, BRIDGE Energy Group, Beacon Consulting Group Inc., Beijing Genesis Interactive Technology Co. Ltd., Beijing Zhidao Future Consulting Co. Ltd, Benext, Berico Technologies LLC, Bionic, Bionic Solution LLC, Blue Horseshoe, Boomerang Pharmaceutical Communications, Bow & Arrow, Bow & Arrow Limited, Brand Learning, Brand Learning Group Limited, Brightstep AB, Byte Prophecy, Byte Prophecy Private Limited, CAS, CRMWaypoint, CS Technology (Australia) Pty Ltd, CS Technology (UK) Limited, CS Technology Group LLC, CS Technology LLC, CadenceQuest Inc., Callisto Integration Europe B.V., Callisto Integration Europe Limited, Callisto Integration LLC, Callisto Integration Ltd, Capgemini - North American health practice, Capital Consultancy Services Inc, Certus Solutions Consulting Services Limited, Certus Solutions Ltd, ChangeTrack Research Pty Ltd., Chaotic Moon Studios, Chengdu Mensa Advertising Co. Ltd., Cimation, Cirrus Connect Australia Pty Ltd, Cirrus Connect Limited, Cirruseo, Clarity Insights, Clearhead, Clearhead Group LLC, ClientHouse GmbH, Cloud Sherpas, Cloud Sherpas (GA) LLC, Cloud Sherpas Japan G.K., Cloud Sherpas New Zealand Limited, Cloudeasier SAS, Cloudpoint Limited, Cloudsherpas Inc, Cloudworks, Cloudworks Consulting Services Inc, Cloudworks Technology LLC, Computer Research and Telecommunications LLC, Concrete Desenvolvimento de Sistemas Ltda, Concrete Solutions, Concrete Solutions Ltda, Context Information Security, Context Information Security LLC, Context Information Security Limited, CoreCompete LLC, CoreCompete Limited, CoreCompete Private Limited, Corliant Inc., Creative Drive LLC, Creative Drive US LLC, CreativeDrive, CreativeDrive Digital Content Services (Shenzhen) Co Ltd., CreativeDrive EMEA Limited, CreativeDrive Singapore Pte Ltd, CreativeDrive UK Group Limited, Cutting Edge Solutions Limited, Cygni AB, Cygni Norrsken AB, Cygni Stockholm AB, Cygni Syd AB, Cygni Vast AB, Cygni Ost AB, Cygni Ostersund AB, DAZ Systems Inc, DAZ Systems LLC, DAZSI Systems (India) Pvt. Limited, DI Futures Corporation, Data Essential SARL, Davies Consulting, DayNine Consulting, DayNine Consulting (New Zealand) Limited, DayNine Consulting LLC, Declarative Holdings LLC, Decora Marketplace LLC, Decorado Marketplace Ltda-EPP, Defense Point Security, Deja vu Security, Design Strategy and Research de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Designaffairs LLC, Digiplug S.A.S., Digital Results Group LLC, Double Digit Limitada, Double Digit Pty SA, Droga5, Droga5 LLC, Droga5 Studios LLC, Droga5 UK Limited, Duck Creek Technologies, ESR Labs, ESR Labs AG, EdenOne Solutions Limited, Edenhouse ERP Holdings Limited, Edenhouse Solutions Limited, Enaxis Consulting, Enaxis Consulting LP, End to End Analytics LLC, End-to-End Analytics, Endorphin Medici (M) Sdn Bhd, Energuia Web S.A., Energy Management Brokers Limited, EnergyQuote JHA, Enimbos, Enimbos Global Services S.L., Enkitec, Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions LLC, Enterprise System Partners, Enterprise System Partners B.V., Enterprise System Partners Bilisim Danismanlik Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Enterprise System Partners Global Corporation, Enterprise System Partners Limited, Enthusian Pty Ltd, Entropia, Entropia (M) Sdn Bhd, Entropia Holdings Pte Ltd, Entropia Intercraft Sdn Bhd, Epylon, Espedia S.r.l., Ethica Consulting Group, Ethica Consulting S.p.A., Evopro Group, Exactside Limited, Experity, Exton Consulting, Exton Consulting Spain Strategy&Management S.L., Exton Germany GmbH, Exton International SAS, Exton Italia S.r.l., Exton SAS, FGM LLC, Fairway Technologies Inc, Farah BidCo Limited, Farah MidCo Limited, Farah Topco Limited, Filmproduction ApS, First Annapolis Consulting Inc., First Annapolis Consulting LLC, Fjord, Focus Group Europe, Formicary, Fruendo S.r.l., FusionX, Future State Consulting LLC, FutureMove (Beijing) Automotive Technology Co. Ltd., FutureMove Automotive, FutureMove Automotive Co. Ltd., GRA Supply Chain Pty Ltd, Gagel Group S de R.L. de C.V., Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda, Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda., Genfour, George Group Consulting L.P., Gestalt LLC, Gevity, Gren utvikling AS, H.B. Maynard and Co. Inc., HRC Retail Advisory, Hagberg Consulting Group, Hahntel Ltda, Halo Partners LLC, Hamilton Holding Company S.A, Hangzhou Aiyunzhe Technology Co. Ltd., Happen, Happen GP Limited, Happen Limited, Hjaltelin Stahl, Hjaltelin Stahl A/S, Hjaltelin Stahl K/S, Hytracc Consulting AS, Hytracc Consulting Malaysia Sdn Bhd, IBB Consulting, ICM.S S.r.l., IMJ Corp, IMJ Corporation, INSITUM, IQSP Consulting LLC, IT One Company Limited, ITBS Servicios Bancarios de Tecnologia de la Informacion SL, Icon Integration, Icon Integration (NZ) Limited, Icon Integration Pty Ltd, Imagine Broadband (USA) Limited, Imagine Broadband USA LLC, Imaginea Inc, Imaginea Technologies LLC, Industrie IT (Hong Kong) Ltd, Industrie IT (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Industrie IT Group Pty Ltd, Industrie IT Pty Ltd, Industrie&Co, Infinity Works Consulting Limited, Infinity Works Holdings Limited, Infinity Works Management Limited, Infinity Works Midco Limited, Informatica de Euskadi S.L., Innotec International EAD, Innotec International S.p. z.o.o., Innotec Marketing GmbH, Innotec Marketing International Ireland Limited, Innotec- Marketing Spain S.L, Insitum Consultoria Argentina SRL, Insitum Consultoria S.A. de C.V., International Biometric Group LLC, International Biometric Group UK Limited, Intrepid, Intrepid Futureworks Sdn Bhd, Intrigo Systems Inc, Intrigo Systems India Pvt. Limited, Intrigo Systems LLC, Inventor Technology Ltd, InvestTech, Investtech Systems Consulting LLC, ItSafer Continuity Services S.L., JKD Consulting LLC, Javelin Group, K Comms Group Limited, KSC Studio LLC, Kaper Communications Limited, Karma Communications Debtco Limited, Karma Communications Group Limited, Karma Communications Holdings Limited, Karmarama, Karmarama Comms Limited, Karmarama Limited, Knowledge Rules Inc., Knowledgent, Knowledgent Group LLC, Kogentix, Kogentix LLC, Kogentix Limited, Kogentix Singapore Pte Ltd, Kogentix Technologies Private Limited, Kolle Rebbe, Kolle Rebbe GmbH, Kream Comms Limited, Kunstmaan, Kurt Salmon, Kurt Salmon Canada LTD, Kurt Salmon US LLC, LEXTA, LINKBYNET, LINKBYNET Indian Ocean (L.I.O) Ltd, LabAnswer, Lexta GmbH, Lexta UK Limited, Lien par le reseau Inc, Lien par le reseau infrastructures Inc, Lin Bo (Shanghai) Network Technology Co. Ltd., Link By Net SAS, Link By Net SRL, Link By Net Vietnam Company Limited, Linkbynet East Asia Ltd, Linkbynet Singapore Pte Ltd., Loud & Clear Creative Pty Ltd, Lumenup S.A., MAXIM Systems Inc., MCG US Holdings LLC, Mackevision CG Technology and Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Mackevision Japan Co. Ltd., Mackevision Korea Ltd, Mackevision Medien Design, Mackevision Medien Design GmbH, Mackevision Singapore Pte Ltd, Mackevision UK Limited, Maglan, Maglan Information Defense Technologies Research Ltd, Maihiro, Matter, Maud Corp Pty Ltd, Maxamine International, Measuretek LLC, Media Audits Ltd., Media Hive, Mediasenz Pty Ltd., Meredith Specialty LLC, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing LLC, Meridian Informed Purchasing Ltd., Mindtribe, Mistral Wind Operations Servicos Empresariais Unipessoal Lda., MobGen, Mortgage Cadence LLC, Mortgage Cadence an Accenture Company, Most Champion Ltd, Mudano, Mudano Limited, Myrtle Consulting Group LLC, N3 (Dalian) Business Consulting Co. Ltd., N3 Brazil Consultoria em Marketing Ltda, N3 Germany GmbH, N3 LLC, N3 North America LLC, N3 Results Australia Pty Ltd, N3 Results Ireland Limited, N3 Results Japan G.K., N3 Results Limited, N3 Results Malaysia Sdn Bhd, N3 Results Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., N3 Results S.A.S., N3 Results Singapore Pte Ltd, N3 Results Unipessoal Lda, NYTEC, Nanjing Demeng Advertising Co. Ltd., Nashco Consulting, NaviSys Inc., Nell'Armonia Israel Ltd, Nell'Armonia SAS, Nell'Participation SAS, NellArmonia, Neo Metrics Analytics S.L., Neo Metrics Chile S.A., New Content, New Content Editora e Produtora Ltda, New Energy Group, News Imaging LLC, NewsPage, NewsPage (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, NewsPage Pte Ltd, Northstream, Novetta Holdings LLC, Novetta LLC, Novetta Solutions LLC, Novetta Topco LLC, OCTO Technology, OPS Rules Management Consultants, Octagon Research Solutions Inc., Octo Technology Pty Ltd, Octo Technology SA, Odgaard ApS, Olikka, Olikka Pty Ltd, Openmind, Openmind S.r..l., Openminded, Openminded SAS, Operaciones Accenture S.A. de C.V., OpusLine, Orbium, Orbium AG, Orbium Consulting Limited, Orbium Inc., Orbium Ltd, Orbium Pte Ltd, Orbium Pty Ltd, Origin Digital, PCO Innovation, PLM Systems S.r.l, PRION GmbH, PT Accenture, PT Asta Catur Indra, PT Kogentix Teknologi Indonesia, PacificLink Group, Paja Finanssipalvelut Oy, Parker Fitzgerald Inc, Parker Fitzgerald International Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Limited, Parker Fitzgerald PTY Ltd, Parker Fitzgerald Services Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Solutions Limited, Pecaso Ltd., Pegasus Production A/S, Pegasus Production K/S, Phase One Consulting Group, Pillar Technology, Pollux, Pollux Automation Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pollux Canada Inc, Pollux S.A.S., Pollux USA LLC, Pragsis Bidoop, Pragsis Bidoop UK Limited, Pramati Technologies Europe Limited, Pramati Technologies Private Limited, Presence of IT Workforce Management North America LLC, PrimeQ, PrimeQ Australia Pty Ltd, PrimeQ Ltd, PrimeQ NZ Pty Limited, Procurian Inc., Prof. Homburg GmbH, Proquire LLC, PureApps Ltd., Qi Jie Beijing Information Technologies Co. Ltd., RBCP Fund 1-A Vapor Blocker LLC, RBCP Platform Vapor Blocker I LLC, REPL Consulting LLC, REPL Consulting Limited, REPL Digital Limited, REPL Group K.K., REPL Group Pty Ltd, REPL Group Worldwide Limited, REPL Pte Ltd, REPL Software Limited, REPL Technology Limited, Radiant Services LLC, Random Walk Computing Inc., Reactive Media Pty Ltd., Real Protect, Realworld OO Systems Ltd., Redcore, Redcore (New Zealand) Limited, Redcore Group Holdings Pty Ltd, Redcore Pty Ltd, Revolutionary Security, RiskControl, Root LLC, Rothco, Rothco Limited, S3 TV Technology Ltd., SALT Solutions GmbH, SEC Servizi, SOPIA Corp., Sagacious Consultants, Salt Solutions, Sandbox Studio LLC, Sapling Bidco Limited, Sapling Midco Limited, Sapling Topco Limited, Schlumberger Business Consulting, Seabury Aviation & Aerospace (UK) Limited, Seabury Consulting, Seabury Corporate Advisors LLC, Seabury Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Search Technologies BPO Inc, Search Technologies International LLC, Search Technologies LLC, Search Technologies Limited, Securiview SAS, Sentelis, Sentor Managed Secuirty Services AB, Servicios Tecnicos de Programacion Accenture S.C., Seven Seas Business Ventures LLC, Shackleton, Shackleton Chile S.A., Shackleton S.L.U., Shanghai Baiyue Advertising Co. Ltd., Shun Zhe Technology Development Co. Ltd., SigInt Technologies LLC, Silveo, Silveo Consulting India Private Limited, Simian Pty Ltd, SinnerSchrader, SinnerSchrader AG, SinnerSchrader Content GmbH, SinnerSchrader Deutschland GmbH, Sirvart S.A., Sistemes Consulting S.L., Skylink SAS, Soltians Limited, Solutions IQ LLC, SolutionsIQ, SolutionsIQ India Consulting Services Private Limited, Somers Ventures Ireland Limited, Somers Ventures LLC, Spacelink SAS, Storm Digital, Structure Consulting Group LLC, Sutter Mills, Synership LLC, Systor AG, TXF LLC, TargetST8, Tech - Avanade Portugal Unipessoal Lda, Tecnilogica Ecosistemas S.A., Tecnilogica, The Brand Learning Partners Limited, The Callisto Integration Corporation, The Monkeys, The Monkeys Pty Ltd, The Myrtle Group, Total Logistics, Tquila, Trivadis, Trivadis Austria GmbH, Trivadis Denmark AS, Trivadis Germany GmbH, Trivadis Holding AG, Trivadis Partner AG, Trivadis Services AG, Trivadis Services SRL, Troop Studios Pty Ltd, VanBerlo, Vector Acquisition Company LLC, Vector Topco LLC, Verax Solutions, Vertical Retail Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd, Vertical Retail Consulting Ltd, Vivere Brasil Servicos e Solucoes SA, Vivere Brasil Solucoes De Credito Ltda., Wabion GmbH, WaveStrike LLC, White Cliffs Consulting LLC, Wire Stone, Wire Stone LLC, Wise Partners SAS, Wolox, Wolox Colombia S.A.S, Wolox LLC, Wolox Mexico S.R.L de C.V., Wolox S.A., Wolox SpA, Workforce Insight, Workforce Insight LLC, Yesler, Yesler LLC, Yesler Limited, Yesler Singapore Pte Ltd, Zag, Zag Australia Pty Ltd, Zag Limited, Zag USA LLC, Zebra Worldwide Australia Pty Ltd, Zebra Worldwide Group Limited, Zebra Worldwide Media Pty Ltd, Zenta, Zenta Global Philippines Inc, Zenta Mortgage Services LLC, Zenta Recoveries Inc, Zenta US Holdings Inc, Zielpuls, Zielpuls (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zielpuls GmbH, avVenta, designaffairs, designaffairs Business Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., designaffairs GmbH, designaffairs group China Co. Ltd., dgroup, i4C Analytics, iDefense, solid-serVision.com GmbH, and umlaut. 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. Institucion de Banca Multiple Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico, Banco Santander Peru S.A., Banco Santander Rio S.A., Banco Santander S.A., Banco Santander Totta S.A., Banco Santander de Negocios Colombia S.A., Banco de Albacete S.A., Bansa Santander S.A., CCAP Auto Lease Ltd., Canyon Multifamily Impact Fund IV LLC, Capital Street Delaware LP, Capital Street Holdings LLC, Capital Street REIT Holdings LLC, Capital Street S.A., Carfax (Guernsey) Limited (f), Carfinco Financial Group, Carfinco Financial Group Inc., Carfinco Inc., Casa de Bolsa Santander S.A. de C.V. Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico, Cater Allen Holdings Limited, Cater Allen International Limited, Cater Allen Limited, Cater Allen Lloyd's Holdings Limited, Cater Allen Syndicate Management Limited, Centro de Capacitacion Santander A.C., Certidesa S.L., Chrysler Capital Auto Funding I LLC, Chrysler Capital Auto Funding II LLC, Chrysler Capital Auto Receivables LLC, Chrysler Capital Master Auto Receivables Funding 2 LLC, Chrysler Capital Master Auto Receivables Funding 4 LLC, Chrysler Capital Master Auto Receivables Funding LLC, Cobranza Amigable S.A.P.I. de C.V., Community Development and Affordable Housing Fund LLC (g), Compagnie Generale de Credit Aux Particuliers - Credipar S.A., Compagnie Pour la Location de Vehicules - CLV, Comunidad Laboral Trabajando Argentina S.A., Comunidad Laboral Trabajando Iberica S.L. Unipersonal en liquidacion (b), Consulteam Consultores de Gestao Lda., Consumer Lending Receivables LLC, Crawfall S.A. (b), Cantabra de Inversiones S.A., Cantabro Catalana de Inversiones S.A., Darep Designated Activity Company, Decarome S.A.P.I. de C.V., Deva Capital Advisory Company S.L., Deva Capital Holding Company S.L., Deva Capital Investment Company S.L., Deva Capital Management Company S.L., Deva Capital Servicer Company S.L., Digital Procurement Holdings N.V., Diners Club Spain S.A., Direccion Estratega S.C., Dirgenfin S.L. en liquidacion (b), Ebury, El Corte Ingles, Elavon Mexico, Electrolyser S.A. de C.V., Entidad de Desarrollo a la Pequena y Micro Empresa Santander Consumo Peru S.A., Erestone S.A.S., Esfera Fidelidade S.A., Evidence Previdencia S.A., Financeira El Corte Ingles Portugal S.F.C. S.A., Financiera El Corte Ingles E.F.C. S.A., Finsantusa S.L. Unipersonal, First National Motor Business Limited, First National Motor Contracts Limited, First National Motor Facilities Limited, First National Motor Finance Limited, First National Motor Leasing Limited, First National Motor plc, First National Tricity Finance Limited, Fondos Santander S.A. Administradora de Fondos de Inversion (en liquidacion) (b), Fortensky Trading Ltd., Fosse Funding (No.1) Limited, Fosse Master Issuer plc, Fosse Trustee (UK) Limited, GTS El Centro Equity Holdings LLC, GTS El Centro Project Holdings LLC, Gamma Sociedade Financeira de Titularizacao de Creditos S.A., Gesban Mexico Servicios Administrativos Globales S.A. de C.V., Gesban Santander Servicios Profesionales Contables Limitada, Gesban Servicios Administrativos Globales S.L., Gesban UK Limited, Gestion de Instalaciones Fotovoltaicas S.L. Unipersonal, Gestion de Inversiones JILT S.A., Gestora de Procesos S.A. en liquidacion (b), Getnet Adquirencia e Servicos para Meios de Pagamento S.A., Global Vosgos S.L. Unipersonal, Grupo Empresarial Santander S.L., Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico S.A. de C.V., Grupo Financiero Santander SAB de CV, Guaranty Car S.A. Unipersonal, HQ Mobile Limited, Hispamer Renting S.A. Unipersonal, Holbah II Limited, Holbah Santander S.L. Unipersonal, Holmes Funding Limited, Holmes Master Issuer plc, Holmes Trustees Limited, Hyundai Capital Bank Europe GmbH, Iberica de Compras Corporativas S.L., Independence Community Bank Corp., Insurance Funding Solutions Limited, Interfinance Holanda B.V., Inversiones Capital Global S.A. Unipersonal, Inversiones Maritimas del Mediterraneo S.A., Isla de los Buques S.A., Klare Corredora de Seguros S.A., Landcompany 2020 S.L., Langton Funding (No.1) Limited, Langton Mortgages Trustee (UK) Limited, Langton Securities (2008-1) plc, Langton Securities (2010-1) PLC, Langton Securities (2010-2) PLC, Laparanza S.A., Liquidity Limited, Luri 1 S.A. en liquidacion (b) (e), Luri 6 S.A. Unipersonal, Master Red Europa S.L., Mata Alta S.L., Merciver S.L., Mercury TFS, Mercury Trade Finance Solutions S.A. de C.V., Mercury Trade Finance Solutions S.L., Mercury Trade Finance Solutions S.p.A., Moneybit S.L., Mortgage Engine Limited, Motor 2016-1 PLC, Motor 2017-1 PLC, Mouro Capital I LP, Multiplica SpA, NW Services CO., Naviera Mirambel S.L., Naviera Trans Gas A.I.E., Naviera Trans Iron S.L., Naviera Trans Ore A.I.E., Naviera Trans Wind S.L. (b), Naviera Transcantabrica S.L., Naviera Transchem S.L. Unipersonal, NeoAuto S.A.C., Norbest AS, Novimovest Fundo de Investimento Imobiliario, Open Bank Argentina S.A., Open Bank S.A., Open Digital Market S.L., Open Digital Services S.L., Operadora de Carteras Gamma S.A.P.I. de C.V., Optimal Investment Services SA, Optimal Multiadvisors Ireland Plc / Optimal Strategic US Equity Ireland Euro Fund, Optimal Multiadvisors Ireland Plc / Optimal Strategic US Equity Ireland US Dollar Fund, PBE Companies LLC, PECOH Limited, PI Distribuidora de Titulos e Valores Mobiliarios S.A., PSA Bank Deutschland GmbH, PSA Banque France, PSA Finance UK Limited, PSA Financial Services Nederland B.V., PSA Financial Services Spain E.F.C. S.A., PSA Renting Italia S.p.A., PagoFX Europe S.A., PagoFX HoldCo S.L., PagoFX UK Ltd, PagoNxt Merchant Solutions S.L., PagoNxt S.L., Parasant SA, Patagon.com, Pereda Gestion S.A., Pingham International S.A., Popular Spain Holding de Inversiones S.L.U., Portal Universia Argentina S.A., Portal Universia Portugal Prestacao de Servicos de Informatica S.A., Prime 16 Fundo de Investimentos Imobiliario, Punta Lima LLC, Punta Lima Wind Farm LLC, Retop S.A., Return Capital Servicos de Recuperacao de Creditos S.A., Return Gestao de Recursos S.A., Riobank International (Uruguay) SAIFE (b), Rojo Entretenimento S.A., SAM Asset Management S.A. de C.V. 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. S.G.I.I.C., Santander Asset Management UK Holdings Limited, Santander Asset Management UK Limited, Santander Back-Offices Globales Mayoristas S.A., Santander Banca de Inversion Colombia S.A.S., Santander Bank & Trust Ltd., Santander Bank National Association, Santander Bank Polska S.A., Santander Brasil Administradora de Consorcio Ltda., Santander Brasil Gestao de Recursos Ltda., Santander Brasil Tecnologia S.A., Santander Capital Desarrollo SGEIC S.A. Unipersonal, Santander Capital Structuring S.A. de C.V., Santander Capitalizacao S.A., Santander Cards Ireland Limited, Santander Cards Limited, Santander Cards UK Limited, Santander Chile Holding S.A., Santander Consulting (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Santander Consumer (UK) plc, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2013-B2 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2013-B3 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2018-L1 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2018-L3 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2018-L4 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2018-L5 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2019-B1 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2019-L2 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2019-L3 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2020-B1 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2020-L1 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2020-L2 LLC, Santander Consumer Bank, Santander Consumer Bank AG, Santander Consumer Bank GmbH, Santander Consumer Bank S.A., Santander Consumer Bank S.p.A., Santander Consumer Banque S.A., Santander Consumer Credit Services Limited, Santander Consumer Finance Benelux B.V., Santander Consumer Finance Global Services S.L., Santander Consumer Finance Oy, Santander Consumer Finance S.A., Santander Consumer Finance Schweiz AG, Santander Consumer Financial Solutions Sp. z o.o., Santander Consumer Finanse Sp. z o.o. (b), Santander Consumer Holding Austria GmbH, Santander Consumer Holding GmbH, Santander Consumer International Puerto Rico LLC, Santander Consumer Leasing GmbH, Santander Consumer Mediacion Operador de Banca-Seguros Vinculado S.L., Santander Consumer Multirent Sp. z o.o., Santander Consumer Operations Services GmbH, Santander Consumer Receivables 10 LLC, Santander Consumer Receivables 11 LLC, Santander Consumer Receivables 3 LLC, Santander Consumer Receivables 7 LLC, Santander Consumer Receivables Funding LLC, Santander Consumer Renting S.L., Santander Consumer S.A., Santander Consumer S.A.S., Santander Consumer Services GmbH, Santander Consumer Services S.A., Santander Consumer Technology Services GmbH, Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc., Santander Consumer USA Inc., Santander Consumo S.A. de C.V. S.O.F.O.M. E.R. Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico, Santander Corredora de Seguros Limitada, Santander Corredores de Bolsa Limitada, Santander Corretora de Cambio e Valores Mobiliarios S.A., Santander Corretora de Seguros Investimentos e Servicos S.A., Santander Customer Voice S.A., Santander Digital Assets S.L., Santander Drive Auto Receivables LLC, Santander Equity Investments Limited, Santander Espana Merchant Services Entidad de Pago S.L. Unipersonal, Santander Espana Servicios Legales y de Cumplimiento S.L., Santander Estates Limited, Santander F24 S.A., Santander Facility Management Espana S.L., Santander Factoring S.A., Santander Factoring Sp. z o.o., Santander Factoring y Confirming S.A. E.F.C., Santander Finance 2012-1 LLC, Santander Financial Exchanges Limited, Santander Financial Services Inc., Santander Financial Services plc, Santander Finanse Sp. z o.o., Santander Fintech Holdings S.L., Santander Fintech Limited, Santander Fundo de Investimento SBAC Referenciado di Credito Privado, Santander Gestion de Recaudacion y Cobranzas Ltda., Santander Global Consumer Finance Limited, Santander Global Facilities S.A. de C.V., Santander Global Facilities S.L., Santander Global Operations S.A., Santander Global Services S.A. (b), Santander Global Sport S.A., Santander Global Technology Brasil Ltda., Santander Global Technology Chile Limitada, Santander Global Technology S.L., Santander Global Trade Platform Solutions S.L., Santander Guarantee Company, Santander Holding Imobiliaria S.A., Santander Holding Internacional S.A., Santander Holdings USA Inc., Santander ISA Managers Limited, Santander Inclusion Financiera S.A. de C.V. S.O.F.O.M. E.R. 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. Arrendamento Mercantil, Santander Lending Limited, Santander Mediacion Operador de Banca-Seguros Vinculado S.A., Santander Merchant Platform Operations S.A. de C.V., Santander Merchant Platform Services S.A. de C.V., Santander Merchant Platform Solutions Mexico S.A. de C.V., Santander Merchant Platform Solutions S.A., Santander Merchant Platform Solutions Uruguay S.A., Santander Merchant Platform SolucoesTecnologicas Brasil Ltda., Santander Merchant S.A., Santander Mortgage Holdings Limited, Santander Paraty Qif PLC, Santander Pensiones S.A. E.G.F.P., Santander Pensoes - Sociedade Gestora de Fundos de Pensoes S.A., Santander Private Banking Gestion S.A. 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. Sociedad Securitizadora, Santander Secretariat Services Limited, Santander Securities LLC, Santander Seguros y Reaseguros Compania Aseguradora S.A., Santander Servicios Corporativos S.A. de C.V., Santander Servicios Especializados S.A. de C.V., Santander Technology USA LLC, Santander Tecnologia e Inovacao Ltda., Santander Tecnologia Argentina S.A., Santander Tecnologia Espana S.L.U., Santander Tecnologia Mexico S.A. de C.V., Santander Totta SGPS S.A., Santander Totta Seguros Companhia de Seguros de Vida S.A., Santander Towarzystwo Funduszy Inwestycyjnych S.A., Santander Trade Services Limited, Santander UK Group Holdings plc, Santander UK Investments, Santander UK Operations Limited, Santander UK Plc, Santander UK Technology Limited, Santander Wealth Management International SA, Santander de Titulizacion S.G.F.T. 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). 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 Thomson Reuters Corporation provides business information services in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. It operates in five segments: Legal Professionals, Corporates, Tax & Accounting Professionals, Reuters News, and Global Print. The Legal Professionals segment offers research and workflow products focusing on legal research and integrated legal workflow solutions that combine content, tools, and analytics to law firms and governments. The Corporates segment provides a suite of content-enabled technology solutions for legal, tax, regulatory, compliance, and IT professionals. The Tax & Accounting Professionals segment offers research and workflow products focusing on tax offerings and automating tax workflows to tax, accounting, and audit professionals in accounting firms. The Reuters News segment provides business, financial, national, and international news to professionals through desktop terminals, media organizations, and industry events, as well as directly to consumers. The Global Print segment offers legal and tax information primarily in print format to legal and tax professionals, governments, law schools, and corporations. The company was formerly known as The Thomson Corporation and changed its name to Thomson Reuters Corporation in April 2008. The company was founded in 1851 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Thomson Reuters Corporation is a subsidiary of The Woodbridge Company Limited. Read More I watched the legal opposition and ruling party debate in the House of Commons. Conservatives asked: Will the prime minister please tell Canadians why he illegally interfered to try to give a signed navy ship reconstruction contract to a Liberal friendly contractor in Atlantic Canada, a change that would cost the Canadian taxpayer an additional $89 million? The response: Err, umm, ah, umm, the leader of the oppositions knows that Canadians want their government to, err, umm, deal with the real issues of diversification, gender matters and climate change. That is what we are doing, and that is what really matters. This was followed by several additional questions, such as: Will the prime minister please tell Canadians why he withheld critical documents for months, that would have proven the innocence of Vice-Admiral Norman, charged him falsely with breech of trust in an attempt to ruin his life, family and career to cover up governments attempt to give the contract to a Liberal friendly company? The answer was the same: Err, umm, ah, the leader of the oppositions knows that Canadians want their government to deal with the real issues of diversification, gender matters and climate change The debate went on for a week, with refusal by the prime minister to meaningfully answer any questions. Why do these useless politicians get a salary? Our showman prime minister abdicates answering questions regularly. He has not truthfully answered any questions pertaining to the Norman charges, which were stayed as there was no basis for them, his SNC Lavalin illegal interference and firing of two Liberal cabinet ministers, providing approximately $100 million to Bombardier and $12 million to Loblaws (owners worth about $8 billion), the provision of $500 million to left wing news media provided they agree with Trudeau policies, the provision of summer job funding provided that recipients sign on with government gender/abortion policies, signing Canada on to the UN Migration Pact without discussion or consent by Canadians, invitation of Isis fighters back to Canada after their barbarism against us and our allies, and a host of other matters. What matters to Canadians is honest answers, something that our elected PM seems never to have learned. God forbid that this showman will get re-elected in October! Garry Rayner, West Kelowna There is not enough analysis data for North American Palladium. 4.1 Community Rank Outperform Votes North American Palladium has received 159 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes North American Palladium has received 99 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment North American Palladium has received 61.63% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about North American Palladium and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe PALDF will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe PALDF will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next There is not enough analysis data for Hudson's Bay. 4.3 Community Rank Outperform Votes Hudson's Bay has received 521 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Hudson's Bay has received 295 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Hudson's Bay has received 63.85% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Hudson's Bay and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe HBC will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe HBC will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next Photo: The Canadian Press Police in Calgary say a young woman was killed and her teen sister badly injured at the hands of their father who also died in an explosion at their home. Investigators believe Heidar Dehdari was fighting with his daughters in their suburban northwest Calgary house on the weekend before he intentionally set a fire. Police say he and 22-year-old Dorsa Dehdari died, but investigators aren't sure whether the father intended to kill himself along with his daughters. The other daughter, identified in court documents as 15-year-old Dorna Dehdari, suffered life-altering injuries. Staff Sgt. Martin Shiavetta says it was a case of domestic violence and there had been a lot of tension in the home. He says police went there in December for a domestic call related to a verbal confrontation. A 14-year-old boy has been charged with making an online threat targeting Charlottesville City Schools. In a 10 p.m. news release, the police department said there is no active threat and schools will be open Wednesday. The department learned of the threat Tuesday afternoon. The juvenile was later arrested and charged with threatening to commit serious bodily harm to persons on school property, a Class 6 felony. A police spokesman declined to describe the nature of the threat. Individuals who threaten the safety and security of our students, staff and faculty will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, Chief RaShall Brackney said in a statement. The safety of our community, particularly our school community, is not negotiable, and the Charlottesville Police Department will utilize every resource available to address and negate that threat. Police said the 14-year-old is still being detained, but did not say where. I think we pushed the Hampton Inn folks a little bit further than they normally like to be in their envelope in order to get something that was a quality project, he said. The proposed hotel might be able to be seen from Monticello, and Wassenaar said they worked with the Thomas Jefferson Foundation to address concerns they had about vegetative buffering and the color of the building in relation to Monticellos viewshed. We did quite a bit of study on the existing buildings on Pantops, as well as [Sentara] Martha Jefferson [Hospital], so it would fit visually with what you see, he said. That was one of the major issues that Monticello had, as well as the articulation of the building. At a community meeting in July with the Pantops Community Advisory Committee, residents were concerned about traffic and impacts to long-distance views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a staff report said. There were also concerns that the project would not benefit residents in the area. The staff report also addressed the possible impact and/or block of the mountains as one of the unfavorable factors of the proposal. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called the release of self-admitted "American Taliban" member John Walker Lindh "unexplainable and unconscionable." Lindh, who was paroled on May 23 from a federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana, served 17 years of a 20-year sentence for illegally aiding Taliban forces. Lindh had joined the terrorist organization before Sept. 11, 2001. He was in Afghanistan at the time and was also there when a group of Taliban prisoners murdered CIA officer Johnny Micheal Spann. Spann's daughter, who was 9 when her father died, called Lindh's early release "a slap in the face" to everyone who died on 9/11. After his capture and return to the U.S., Lindh struck a plea bargain, admitting to illegally providing help to the Taliban, but denying any role in Spann's death. Lindh is barred from traveling and using a cellphone or the internet. He could still borrow a phone and possibly use someone else's computer and sign-in information, so it is difficult to see how those limitations will be enforced. Lindh stated he would not have joined the Taliban if he had known what it was about, but that doesn't stand up given his statements after he was sent to prison. Photo: pixabay As the City of Penticton puts increased pressure on the street-entrenched population of the downtown core, they are being pushed into other parts of the city including school yards, according to the school district. Select Penticton schools this week sent out a notice to parents providing information on how to safely dispose of discarded needles. Students have been told to avoid touching needles and report them to staff who will deal with them. We have seen an increase in the number of needles and folks on our property that are using needles now that the weather has gotten warmer, Okanagan-Skaha School District superintendent Wendy Hyer told Castanet. Really with the emphasis of pushing some of our more vulnerable folks out of the downtown core, they are ending up on school grounds, Hyer said, adding at the same time, she is cognisant of the impact the situation has had on downtown businesses. To be honest, my principals are frustrated that they are having to deal with needles and people camping out under stairwells, she said. We have to respond to it because it's occurring on our school property. Police are called for instances of people camping or using drugs on school grounds and for non-responsive persons, while the school custodians have been trained to handle discarded needles. The issue of discarded needles on school property has been getting progressively worse for the past four years, Hyer said, pointing out the problem predates the city's controversial proposed bylaw that will ban sitting on some sidewalks downtown. But its really not a school district responsibility around how do we support the most vulnerable people in our community... Its a community response and really I think its up to the City of Penticton to be the lead on that. While she expects the city to take the lead on the issue, Hyer was clear she's not criticizing the municipality; we will solve the problem by working together with Interior Health and other provincial and community agencies. An example of that is the school districts participation in the RCMPs Community Active Support Table, which brings together stakeholders like the city, RCMP, SD 67 and social service providers to try to link individuals with resources. The degrading situation has led some in the community to call for a supervised consumption site to help get drug use off the streets and stem the overdose crisis, which killed 36 people in Penticton between 2016 and 2018. Interior Health told Castanet News Tuesday there are discussions occurring within IH in regards an overdose prevention site within Penticton. "While we dont have details available at this point we will continue to engage with the community throughout this process, an IH statement said. We are working closely with the local Overdose Response Committee, which includes broad stakeholder representation, to develop a collaborative community response. Photo: RCMP An illegally bought handgun was shipped from Armstrong to North Vancouver last month. A handgun that had been illegally shipped to North Vancouver from the Okanagan was seized by police last month, and a man now faces several charges. On the morning of April 30, the Armstrong RCMP informed the North Vancouver RCMP that a handgun had been shipped from the North Okanagan community to the coast. We absolutely did not want another illegal handgun to make it to the street, said Sgt. Peter DeVries, of the North Vancouver RCMP. We knew we had a limited amount of time before it would be lost to the criminal element. So we jumped on it. We worked hard, we worked smart, and we worked fast. The Glock 34 Gen 4 had been fraudulently bought online and shipped to person in North Vancouver. The suspect, who was known to police, allegedly purchased the restricted firearm under a false name using documents belonging to another person, and then had the gun shipped to an address in North Vancouver, Sgt. DeVries said. Just after midnight on May 1, police arrested the man in North Vancouver, and after obtaining search warrants for two units at a different Vancouver address, police found the handgun, along with ammunition, holsters and an airsoft pistol. On May 23, seven charges were approved against 29-year-old Trevor Glenn Beaton, including possession of a restricted firearm contrary to a prohibition order, possession of a loaded restricted firearm, and careless handling of a firearm. He's scheduled to next appear in court on June 10. Sgt. DeVries says no charges were laid against the person who shipped the handgun from Armstrong. Photo: BC Gov't West Vancouver says its time to bring back photo radar on local roads known for leadfoot drivers. Council has unanimously passed a motion calling on the province to allow automated speed enforcement in the municipality. The province announced earlier this month a number of existing red-light cameras would also be configured to automatically ticket speeders blowing through some intersections. The only one on the North Shore is at Marine Drive and Capilano Road. The actual locations of speed cameras in West Van would be selected in consultation with the police and ICBC, but Coun. Marcus Wong has some suggestions: the 300 block of Marine Drive eastbound, the 600 block of Marine Drive westbound, Cypress Bowl Road, and the area around Eagle Harbour Montessori. Certainly, I think we all heard it during the campaign that we need to do something about it. So as the program is being rolled out to the province, I think its very important for us to advocate where we know that is an issue, Wong said. In a letter that will now be sent to Minster of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth, Mayor Mary-Ann Booth makes the case for photo radar. Not only has the use of automated speed cameras as a speed deterrent and enforcement tool proven to be effective and efficient in management of speed, but also in the lowering of incidents of crashes, injuries and fatalities, Booth wrote. Photo: Wayne Moore In 2016, the Kelowna RCMP showed off the drugs and guns they seized from a new gang in town. Twenty-four drug and weapons charges against two West Kelowna residents were dropped Tuesday on the day their jury trial was set to begin, but the Crown won't say why. The charges were laid against 35-year-old Tyson Bone and 27-year-old Savanna Malone in July 2016, after police raided a home on West Kelowna's Windt Road and seized drugs, guns and ammunition. At the time, Kelowna RCMP said the items belonged to a new gang in town, called the Kelowna Warriors. A Kelowna Warriors leather vest was included in an RCMP media presentation to show off results of the raid, along with several guns, a crossbow, GHB, cocaine and methamphetamine. Police also said a seven-year-old child was found inside the home. "This is a significant seizure, definitely, Cpl. Jesse O'Donaghey said at the time. The amount of firearms removed from the residence is obviously concerning, given the fact there was a child inside the home. Following the raid, both Bone and Malone were charged with three counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking, along with 17 additional firearms offences. After the case was sent to a Supreme Court trial following a preliminary inquiry in November 2017, a jury trial was scheduled to begin this week. But at the last minute, the Public Prosecution Service of Canada stayed all the charges against Bone and Malone Tuesday morning. And they won't say why. In an emailed statement, Nathalie Houle, media relations advisor with the PPSC, said to proceed with prosecution, they must consider if there is a reasonable prospect of conviction and if prosecution "would best serve the public interest." Houle did not say what changed in the case that led to the Crown staying the charges so late. A 2016 Supreme Court of Canada decision ruled that Supreme Court cases must be completed within 30 months of charges being laid, or be at risk of being thrown out. Bone and Malone's case was more than 34 months old, but the PPSC would not disclose if this was the reason the charges were stayed. Kelowna RCMP held a media show and tell in 2016 after conducting a raid on a new gang in town. Photo: The Canadian Press Conservative Party of Canada leader Andrew Scheer announces his immigration policy at an event hall in Toronto, Tuesday, May 28, 2019. Scheer says if he's elected prime minister he would put an end to "illegal" border crossings in Canada. If elected prime minister, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer says he would put an end to "illegal" border crossings in Canada. Scheer included that as one of several general commitments outlined in a speech delivered in Toronto Tuesday outlining his vision for immigration in Canada part of a series of policy announcements ahead of the fall federal election. Speaking to a crowd of supporters at a conference centre, Scheer said he would close a loophole in the Safe Third Country Agreement between Canada and the United States that has allowed asylum-seekers who slip into the country by avoiding border checkpoints to make refugee claims that would be automatically rejected at official crossings. "I will work to put an end to illegal border crossings at unofficial points of entry like Roxham Road," he said, citing the busiest such crossing point where two rural roads in Quebec and New York practically touch. He added that he believes the loophole in the agreement allows these irregular migrants to "skip the line and avoid the queue." Scheer told the crowd he believes Canadians have lost confidence in the fairness of the immigration system thanks to the influx of irregular migrants. Since the beginning of 2017, over 43,000 asylum seekers have arrived in Canada through unofficial entry points. He placed the blame squarely on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, accusing him of undermining not only the integrity of the border but of causing a growing number of Canadians to believe that immigration levels should be reduced. A number of polls over the last year have shown a growing concern among Canadians over the numbers of newcomers Canada accepts each year. Scheer said he has heard these concerns most often voiced by new Canadians who have "played by the rules and arrived in Canada fair and square." "They are the most offended at Trudeaus status quo, where some are able to jump queues, exploit loopholes and game the system." Scheer said he is confident he can restore Canadians' trust in the immigration system with his own approach to immigration policy changes that would include: improved language training, better recognition of work credentials and refocusing the government-sponsored refugee program on victims of atrocities. He also pledged to work toward reuniting survivors of genocide who have already resettled in Canada, such as Yazidi women and girls, with their families and promised to promote more private sponsorships of refugees. He further reiterated his intention to bring back the office of religious freedom, a unit in Global Affairs Canada that advocated for threatened religious minorities. As for the numbers of newcomers admitted each year in Canada, Scheer acknowledged it is a controversial topic. But he called the debate about immigration levels a "red herring" because on either side, political ideology is put ahead of the economic and social realities in Canada: that as Baby Boomers retire, Canada will need skilled newcomers to fill labour gaps and secure economic growth. That's why Scheer said he would set Canada's annual immigration levels "consistent with what is in Canadas best interests." "That number may change every year, and I'm not going to get into an ideological debate or, worse, an auction about immigration numbers," Scheer said. "The number will reflect what Canada needs and, just as importantly, who needs Canada." Few details were attached to his commitments; Scheer said he would provide more details during the election campaign in the fall. The Conservative leader also dedicated a good portion of his speech addressing accusations from the Liberals that Conservative concerns about the immigration system are rooted in racism. "I find the notion that ones race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation would make anyone in any way superior or inferior to anybody else absolutely repugnant. And if theres anyone who disagrees with that, theres the door," he said. Scheer took issue with being accused of racism, calling the issue personal to him. He shared a story about his mother, who spent time just before her death a few years ago volunteering to help Syrian refugees at her local church. When she was in the hospital, he said, many of the refugees she had helped visited her to repay her kindness. Conservatives should be free to question the Liberals' management of the border without being called racists and bigots, Scheer said. "To ascribe those motives to those who simply want stronger security screening procedures or less people entering the country illegally makes a mockery of such hateful forces." Scheer ended his speech by taking a phrase often used by Trudeau when talking about immigration and expanding upon it to reflect his own vision for Canada's immigration system. "Justin Trudeau says that diversity is our strength, but I think hes missing the big picture. The reasons why waves and waves of immigrants from all corners of the world have come to Canada it is because we are free," Scheer said. "Diversity is the proof of our strength. And our strength is and always has been our freedom." Mathieu Genest, press secretary to Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen, said Canadians have already rejected the Harper immigration plan once. He said Scheer is promising to return to those failed policies. "That means a return to backlogs in the hundreds of thousands, wait times of years to be reunited with spouses and children and cruel cuts to refugee health care," Genest said in an email. Genest also said it is a myth that asylum-seekers take the place of other refugees. "This lie, which has been debunked many times, is being repeated in order to demonize people seeking Canada's protection. It erodes trust in the system and fuels anti-immigrant sentiment." Photo: The Canadian Press Roy Moore speaks at a rally in Fairhope, Ala. President Donald Trump warned Wednesday the "consequences will be devastating" if Alabama Republican Roy Moore, whose 2017 U.S. Senate campaign was battered by allegations of long-ago sexual harassment of teenagers, seeks the seat again in 2020. Moore lost in the once-reliably red state in a 2017 special election amid the sexual misconduct allegations , which he denied. He told The Associated Press earlier this month that he is considering another campaign next year. Trump, who backed Moore in 2017 despite the allegations, tweeted "I have NOTHING against Roy Moore," but warned that "Roy Moore cannot win." He adds that if Democrat Doug Jones retains the seat in 2020 "many of the incredible gains that we have made during my Presidency may be lost." Trump's comments come as national Republicans have tried to keep Moore out of the race. Moore's nomination could have national repercussions, allowing Democrats to accuse the GOP of ignoring the #MeToo movement and coddling a man accused of sexual misconduct. Moore says he expects to announce a decision in mid-June. Republicans control the U.S. Senate 53-47 and view defeating Jones as a top priority. Jones, 65, is considered the most endangered Democratic incumbent facing re-election in 2020, a year when several GOP senators are vulnerable and control of the chamber will be at stake. Jones defeated Moore in 2017 by 22,000 votes out of 1.3 million cast in a special election to fill the seat previously held by Jeff Sessions, who became Trump's attorney general. OYO believes that this product has the potential to be a game-changer for our asset owners and to elevate their relationship with the company. New Delhi: Hospitality firm OYO on Wednesday launched 'Cash in Bank' facility for its asset owner-partners across India under the company's ongoing OYO Partner Engagement Network (OPEN) initiative. With the 'Cash in Bank' (CiB) facility, the asset owners across the country can benefit from quick, collateral-free business advances to upgrade or renovate their buildings, OYO said in a statement. To begin with, all the new buildings on-boarded by OYO and all the existing buildings of OYO (OYO Rooms, Spot on and Capital O brands only) are eligible to apply for the facility, it added. OYO Hotels & Homes CEO (India & South Asia) Aditya Ghosh said, "As a direct outcome of our constant engagement with the asset owner-partners under the aegis of OPEN, we realised the need for providing a quick and hassle-free financing product to cater to their expansion and renovation needs." OYO believes that this product has the potential to be a game-changer for our asset owners and to elevate their relationship with the company, he added. "In order to cover the financial risks involved in an unsecured, collateral-free advance, OYO will be charging a minimal service fee to the asset owner over and above the monthly instalments to repay the principal amount," the statement said. The limit of the business advance is up to Rs 20 lakh. Asset owners will be able to meet their capital requirements for renovations and upgradation work within 48 hours without the need for any supporting collateral, it added. Currently, OYO Hotels and Homes has over 9,000 asset owner-partners spread across nearly 260 cities in India. Photo: The Canadian Press Special Counsel Robert Mueller walks past the White House, after attending St. John's Episcopal Church for morning services, in Washington. Special counsel Robert Mueller, breaking a two-year silence on his investigation into ties between Russia and the Trump campaign, announced his resignation from the Justice Department on Wednesday so that he can "return to public life." Mueller's statement was expected to be relatively brief, about eight minutes, and Attorney General William Barr was given a heads-up about what he would say, according to people who were not authorized to provide details on the record and spoke on condition of anonymity. The statement came amid demands for Mueller to testify on Capitol Hill about his findings and tension with Barr. Mueller and Barr have been at odds over the attorney general's handling of the special counsel's report on Russia's interference in the 2016 election and the possibility that Republican candidate Donald Trump's campaign co-operated with the Russians' efforts to help him win. Mueller has remained a Justice Department employee since submitting the report in March, though the Justice Department has not said what work he has been doing. Any public statement from Mueller would be extraordinary since his office has been famously tight-lipped throughout the investigation, and the special counsel himself has made no public statements since his May 2017 appointment. His spokesman has only rarely commented to confirm logistical or staff announcements, to announce the filing of public charges and to dispute one published report earlier this year. House Democrats want Mueller to testify publicly, though no date or arrangements have been set, and it's not clear that he will. Mueller's report into meddling in the 2016 campaign did not find that the Trump campaign co-ordinated to sway the presidential election. But, despite Trump's repeated assertions to the contrary, it did not reach a conclusion on whether Trump had obstructed justice. Mueller said in his report that he did not think it would be fair to publicly accuse the president of a crime if he was not going to charge him. A Justice Department legal opinion says sitting presidents cannot be indicted, and Mueller made clear in his report that that opinion helped shape the investigation's outcome and decisions. Barr has said he was surprised that Mueller did not reach a conclusion, and he decided with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein that the evidence did not support an obstruction of justice allegation. Mueller, for his part, privately complained to Barr that a four-page letter the attorney general wrote summarizing his main conclusions did not adequately capture the investigation's findings. Barr called Mueller's letter "snitty" in congressional testimony this month in which he defended his decision to reach a conclusion on obstruction in place of Mueller. Barr is currently in Alaska for work and is scheduled to participate in a round table discussion with local leaders in Anchorage later in the day. A senior White House official said "the White House was notified" Tuesday night that Mueller might make a statement Wednesday. On receiving information from residents of Saravanampatti about a small girl child lying dead near Karattumedu on Monday morning, police rushed to the spot and recovered the body. Coimbatore: Police arrested a 30-year-old woman for poisoning her own child over an extramarital affair near Sarvanamapatti in the suburbs of Coimbatore. She staged a drama as if the child had gone missing. On receiving information from residents of Saravanampatti about a small girl child lying dead near Karattumedu on Monday morning, police rushed to the spot and recovered the body. Simultaneously, a 30-year-old woman identified as Rubini from Karamadai-Velliyankaadu was roaming near Saravanampatti on Sunday evening and searching for her missing child. When police showed the body of the child to her, Rubini admitted that it was her baby and claimed that she was not aware how it happened. On suspicion, police took her into custody. During investigation Rubini confessed to poisoning her three-year-old daughter in league with her lover, Tamil, 36, who is on the run after thrashing the baby to death and disposing of the body in the foothills of Karattumedu. Police arrested Rubina and launched a search for Tamil. Further investigations are on. Jaitley said he had orally informed Modi about his desire not to be a part of the new BJP government to enable him to concentrate on treatment and health. (Photo: File) New Delhi: A day before the swearing-in ceremony of the new government, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying he does not want to be a minister in his new government due to health reasons. Ending days of speculations over his role in the new government owing to his ill health, he posted on Twitter the letter he wrote to Modi requesting recusal from being a part of the new government on health grounds. Jaitley said soon after BJP won a massive majority in the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections, he informed Modi orally about his intentions of taking time out for treatment of an undisclosed illness. Without disclosing the ailment he is being treated for, Jaitley said he would continue to informally support the government and the party in any form that is required. "I am writing to you to formally request you that I should be allowed a reasonable time for myself, my treatment and my health and therefore, not be a part of any responsibility, for the present, in the new government," Jaitley wrote. Arun Jaitley writes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi-"I am writing to you to formally request you that I should be allowed a reasonable time for myself, my treatment and my health, and, therefore, not be a part of any responsibility, for the present, in the new Government." pic.twitter.com/ZaeYQH5jrG ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2019 Jaitley, 66, was admitted to AIIMS last week to undergo tests and treatment for an undisclosed illness and was discharged on Thursday - the day results of Lok Sabha elections were announced. He, however, did not attend celebrations at BJP headquarters that evening after the party's emphatic victory. BJP won a landslide 303 seats, of the 542, in the general elections. In the letter, Jaitley said during the last 18 months, he has had "some serious" health challenges. "My doctors have enabled me to emerge out of most of them. After the campaign had concluded and you were leaving for Kedarnath, I had orally informed you that even though I was able to discharge the responsibilities assigned to me during the campaign, I would in future, for sometime, like to keep away from any responsibility. This will enable me to concentrate on my treatment and health," he wrote. Stating it was a matter of "great honour and learning experience" to have been a part of the Modi government for the last five years, Jaitley said even earlier the party had bestowed responsibility on him in the first NDA government, as also when the BJP was in the opposition. Jaitley was the leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha from 2009 to 2014. "I could not have asked for more," Jaitley wrote. A lawyer by profession, he has been the most important leader in Modi's Cabinet and has often acted as the chief trouble-shooter for the government. While as a finance minister he steered through Parliament major economic legislations such as GST-- which had languished for nearly two decades. He has also played key role in getting through several other laws such as the bill to ban the Muslim instant divorce practice known as 'triple talaq' and also articulately defended the Rafale fighter jet deal. One of the most prolific voices in the Modi government and a key strategist, Jaitley did not contest the recent Lok Sabha elections presumably because of his ill health. He lost his first parliamentary election from Amritsar in 2014. Suave and articulate, he has been the party's spokesperson for many years. He entered Parliament at the age of 47 when he was nominated to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat, where Modi was the chief minister. Jaitley was a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government and when Modi swept to power in 2014, he was made the finance minister and also handled briefly the additional charge of defence and information and broadcasting ministries. He underwent a surgery in the US on January 22 for a reported soft tissue cancer in his left leg, an illness that deprived him from presenting the Modi government's sixth and final budget of its current term. Railway and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal was the stand-in finance minister who presented the interim budget for 2019-20. Jaitley returned to India on February 9 after undergoing skin grafting. He is believed to have undergone some kind of medical procedure again when he visited the US last month to attend the IMF-World Bank Group Spring Meetings. Jaitley had a renal transplant on May 14 last year at AIIMS, New Delhi, with Goyal filling in for him at that time too. Jaitley, who had stopped attending office since early April 2018, was back in the finance ministry on August 23, 2018. Earlier in September 2014, he underwent bariatric surgery to correct the weight he had gained because of a long-standing diabetic condition. The ceremony will begin at 7 pm and will be attended by the leaders of the BIMSTEC member countries, in line with governments 'Neighbourhood First' policy. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Narendra Modi, who was re-elected with majority for a second term as Prime Minister, will take oath at the Rashtrapati Bhawan along with new council of ministers on Thursday. The ceremony will begin at 7 pm and will be attended by the leaders of the BIMSTEC member countries, in line with governments Neighbourhood First policy. BIMSTEC or the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation is a regional group of countries which include Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan. The following leaders will attend the ceremony scheduled to take place on May 30 in Rashtrapati Bhawan: Abdul Hamid, President of Bangladesh Maithripala Sirisena, President of Sri Lanka Sooronbay Jeenbekov, President of the Kyrgyz Republic U Win Myint, President of Myanmar Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Prime Minister of Mauritius KP Sharma Oli, Prime Minister of Nepal Dr Lotay Tshering, Prime Minister of Bhutan The Special Envoy of Thailand, Grisada Boonrach, will also attend the event. Apart from BIMSTEC members, President of the Kyrgyz Republic and Prime Minister of Mauritius will also attend the ceremony. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, however, will miss the ceremony as she will be on a three-nation foreign visit. Among the Indian leaders, chief ministers and Opposition leaders have been invited for the ceremony. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao have accepted the invitation. Apart from leaders, sports legends Rahul Dravid, Saina Nehwal to superstars Rajinikanth, Shah Rukh Khan have also been invited to Modis swearing-in ceremony. Business tycoons such as Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani and Ratan Tata have also been invited for the event. Former sprinter P T Usha, cricketers Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, badminton ace Saina Nehwal, badminton coach Pulella Gopichand are among the sports personalities invited to the ceremony. Several film stars, including Kangana Ranaut, Shah Rukh Khan, Sanjay Bhansali, Karan Johar, Rajinikanth and others have also been invited. IMF Managing Director and Chairman Christine Lagarde is also invited. However, there was no confirmation on the invitees who have confirmed their presence. This would be the fourth time a Prime Minister would take oath at the forecourt instead of the Durbar Hall. The Rashtrapati Bhawan will serve vegetarian fare ranging from samosa to Rajbhog and lemon tarts with high tea. The dinner will include both vegetarian and non-vegetarian fare, reported Economic Times. A highlight of the dinner will be the signature Dal Raisina, preparations for which are already underway. This speciality of Rashtrapati Bhawan takes 48 hours to cook and the process started on Tuesday night. During the 2014 swearing-in, leaders of the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) were invited and attended the ceremony. The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance had won with a thumping majority in the Lok Sabha elections. Of the 542, the party won 352 seats. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analysis et al. Happy reading. Pointing out that the victory was acceptance of PM Modi's development agenda, he said the secret of the PM's success was that he had adopted Gandhian values. (Photo: Twitter) Thiruvananthapuram: Congress leader AP Abdullakutty has courted controversy by praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the BJP-led NDA's massive victory in the Lok Sabha election, prompting the party to seek an explanation from him. Pointing out that the victory was acceptance of PM Modi's development agenda, he said the secret of the PM's success was that he had adopted Gandhian values. He also hailed the Centre's Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (SBA), which envisages cleaning up India's cities, towns and rural areas and to eliminate open defecation through construction of household-owned and community owned toilets. The Congress leader also lauded the Ujjwala Yojana in which the government's aim was to distribute 50 million LPG connections to women of BPL families. In a Facebook post, titled "On Narendra Modi's impressive victory", Abdullakutty said not only the opposition, but even those inside the BJP have been taken by surprise at the saffron party's massive victory. All political workers should keep their feelings apart, and keenly take a look at the results in a "calm and impartial manner," he said. Abdullakutty, who had been sacked from CPI(M) in 2009 for violating party discipline for praising PM Modi while he was the Gujarat chief minister, had served as MP from Kannur in 1999 and 2004. He later joined the Congress. "Mahatma Gandhi had told social workers that when you formulate a policy, you should remember the face of a poor man whom you have met. Modi implemented it accurately," Abdullakutty said. The Centre's flagship SBA project helped 9.16 crore families get their own toilets and the Ujjwala scheme enabled 6 crore BPL families get free LPG connections, he said. "Once, we cross Kerala border, what we see is independent India's most pathetic sight-- open defecation by the poor of the country. Modi, to a certain extent, gave justice to them. The free LPG connections was a huge relief to 6 crore BPL mothers, who until then, used dried cowdung and wood in their kitchens...," he said. Smart cities, bullet trains and many other dream projects were brought into PM Modi's political agenda and one cannot turn a blind eye to these facts, the two-time former MP said. "Our politics is changing completely. Victory is with development. When Modi is criticised, these facts should be remembered," he said in the post. Meanwhile, Congress' Kerala president Mullapally Ramachandran Tuesday said the party will seek an explanation from Abdullakutty on his PM Modi praise. "My opinion is strong action should be taken against him," he told reporters. Dismissing the remarks, senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan, who was recently elected to the Lok Sabha, said the act of praising PM Modi by any congress worker cannot be accepted and was wrong. "There is no compromise on this matter," he said. State youth congress president Dean Kuriakose, who won the Lok Sabha polls from Idukki, also came out against Abdullakutty's remarks. Taking a dig, CPI(M) leader and Kannur district secretary M V Jayarajan said Abdullakutty is waiting to join the BJP. Sanju was arrested in Mathura in Uttar Pradesh. (Representational Image) New Delhi: A 24-year-old kidnapped a man who turned down his request to marry his daughter, reported IANS. The youth has been identified as Sanju. He forced the captive father to telephone his daughter and tell her that she should marry Sanju as he was a good boy. While speaking to her daughter, the father blurted out that he was in Sonipat in Haryana. "Sanju was arrested on Monday night from Mathura with the help of technical surveillance after a team headed by ACP Rajinder Singh Yadav and Inspector Sanjay Kumar rescued the victim," Deputy Commissioner of Police Anto Alphonse said. Sanju was arrested in Mathura in Uttar Pradesh. During interrogation, Sanju disclosed that he wanted to marry the mans daughter but her father opposed to their union. Mumbai: Have you missed any news today? Here are the top national, international headlines of the day. Unscheduled flights barred for Thursday: Delhi airspace will be shut tomorrow for unscheduled flights around the time of the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his council of ministers in the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.Delhi Air Traffic Control has issued NOTAM (notice to airmen) barring unscheduled flights in the radius of 300 km in and around Delhi from 4 PM to 11 PM on Thursday. READ: Unscheduled flights barred from Delhi skies for Thursday's swearing-in: NOTAM Modi and Arun Jaitley to meet: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who has opted out of the new government. The meeting at Jaitley's residence tonight comes hours after Jaitley wrote a letter to the Prime Minister saying he would like to keep out of the new cabinet, citing his health condition. According to sources, Modi is likely to ask Jaitley to reconsider his earlier decision and remain in government. READ: Modi to meet Jaitley tonight to ask him to reconsider his decision to leave Govt CBI grills IPS officer over suppression of evidence: Police officer Arnab Ghosh, one of the SIT members that initially probed the Saradha scam, was grilled for more than nine hours by the CBI on Wednesday over alleged suppression of evidence. The IPS officer has been asked to face interrogation again on Thursday, sources in the probe agency told PTI. The interrogation continued late in the evening for more than nine hours. READ: Saradha scam: CBI grills IPS officer for over 9 hours over suppression of evidence Congress leaders to attend Modi's swearing-in: United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will attend swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 30 at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi at 7 pm. Gulam Nabi Azad is also expected to come. READ: Sonia Gandhi, Rahul to attend Modi's oath taking ceremony tomorrow Mamata goes back on her word: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday decided not to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Narenda Modi as prime minister citing 'untrue" claims by BJP that 54 of the party workers were murdered in political violence in Bengal. READ: I am compelled not to attend Modi's oath-taking ceremony: Mamata Details about Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony: Narendra Modi, who was re-elected with majority for a second term as Prime Minister, will take oath at the Rashtrapati Bhawan along with new council of ministers on Thursday. The ceremony will begin at 7 pm. Read | From venue to menu: Here are the details of Modis swearing-in ceremony Congress workers across country protest against Rahul Gandhi's resignation: Congress workers demonstrate outside party office urging Rahul Gandhi to continue as Congress President in Bengaluru on Wednesday. Read | Congress workers protest against Rahul Gandhi's resignation New Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh: Pema Khandu was sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh for a second term on Wednesday. Along with Pema Khandu, 11 other ministers of the cabinet were also sworn in. Governor Dr BD Mishra administered the oath of office and secrecy to the council of ministers. Read | BJPs Pema Khandu takes oath as Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Arun Jaitley not to be a part of Modi government: "I am writing to you to formally request you that I should be allowed a reasonable time for myself, my treatment and my health and therefore, not be a part of any responsibility, for the present, in the new government," Jaitley wrote. Read | Don't want to be a minister due to health reasons: Jaitley writes to Modi Naveen Patnaik as Odisha CM: BJDs Naveen Patnaik and 20 of his ministers took oath on Wednesday morning in Bhubaneswar. Patnaik was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor Ganeshi Lal in a grand ceremony at the Idco Exhibition Ground. Read | Naveen Patnaik takes oath as Odisha CM for fifth consecutive term TIME Magazine: After publishing a much controversial cover before the Lok Sabha elections calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi the Divider in Chief, Time magazine has now ran a report with a headline, Modi has United India like No Prime Minister in Decades. Read | Changing times: 'TIME' mag now says 'Narendra Modi Has United India' US-India ties: The Trump administration has removed India from its currency monitoring list of major trading partners, citing certain developments and steps being taken by New Delhi which address some of its major concerns. Read | US remove India from currency monitoring list; China, Japan stay BJP's political message to Bengal: BJP has invited families of over 50 BJP workers, who were allegedly killed in political clashes in West Bengal, to swearing-in-ceremony of the PM Narendra Modi. The families designated as special invitees would be hosted by the party in the national capital. Read | PMs oath ceremony: BJP invites kin of deceased workers from Bengal Narendra Modi- Amit Shah meeting raises speculation: Two days before his swearing-in ceremony, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah held an extensive meeting on Tuesday that lasted for around five hours. According to sources, both the leaders are believed to have discussed the shape of the government, which will be sworn in on Thursday, May 30 and the formation of the new council of ministers. Read | Modi-Shah meet to discuss cabinet New Delhi/Mysuru: The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) on Tuesday asked Karnataka to release 9.19 tmcft water to the lower riparian states, including Tamil Nadu, which is the prescribed quota for the month of June under the final notification of the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal,. The CWMAs direction came at a meeting attended by representatives of the Centre and Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Puducherry. Following the meeting Mr S Masood Husain, chairman of the CWMA said it had taken a decision for release of 9.19 tmcft of water by Karnataka at Biligundlu for June this year. The order is bound to be welcomed by Tamil Nadu, where several districts are grappling with acute water shortage. The Centre had last week issued a drought advisory to the state in the backdrop of depleting water levels in its reservoirs. But Karnatakas farmers were far from happy. Mr Kurbur Shanthakumar, head of the state federation of farmers organisations said the CWC must revise its resolution as the monsoon forecast was not encouraging for the state. Currently, Karnataka has 14.61 tmcft of water in all the reservoirs of the Cauvery catchment area. Of this, 3 tmcft is needed to meet a month's drinking water requirements of Bengaluru, Mysuru, 625 villages and 43 towns. Worryingly, the Meteorological department too has predicted 23 per cent deficit rainfall in June and July, which may only lead to saturation of the ground, and not greatly increase the inflow into the dams. Dr G S Srinivasreddy of the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre, however believes that with the South West Monsoon likely to arrive in the state by June 7, it may be able to release 9.19 tmcft to the lower riparian states as ordered. In the clips uploaded on his Facebook page, the deceased claimed that he had collected and handed over about Rs 19 crore to an AIADMK worker in the locality and gave lakhs of rupees to three police personnel attached to Thiruporur and Mamallapuram police stations. (Representational Image) Chennai: A day after a 38-year-old bar manager set himself on fire outside the Mamallapuram DSP office, the Kancheepuram SP on Wednesday transferred three police officers to the control room. The SP has also ordered the closure of all the illegal bars operating in the district. The deceased Nellaiappan, a native of Thirunelveli district, was living in a rented house in Thiruporur and managed a private bar in the locality. He ran these bars on behalf of AIADMK workers in Thiruporur and Mamallapuram and helped them spread the business to nearby towns. On Tuesday morning he allegedly immolated self outside the DSP office. Investigations by the police revealed that Nellaiyappan, before immolating, had uploaded three videos admitting that he enjoyed clout among politicians and police officers but was being forced to take the extreme step due to immense pressure from them. In the clips uploaded on his Facebook page, the deceased claimed that he had collected and handed over about Rs 19 crore to an AIADMK worker in the locality and gave lakhs of rupees to three police personnel attached to Thiruporur and Mamallapuram police stations. Nellaiyappan said he was being harassed by police and politicians for bribes to run bars. Following this, he doused himself in kerosene. Police took him to the government hospital in Chengalpet with 82% burns from where he was shifted to the Kilpauk Medical College were a dying declaration was taken by the Magistrate Gayathri. He succumbed to burns on Tuesday night. Following the gruesome incident, the Kancheepuram SP Santhosh Hadimani on Wednesday transferred Thiruporur Inspector Kannan, Mamallapuram DSP Subburaj and Mamallapuram Inspector Pandian to the control room. He also formed a special team to nab the AIADMK worker mentioned in the video. The SP also ordered the closure of 101 illegal bars operating in the Kancheepuram district. Three illegal bars in Tiruporur were sealed on Wednesday by him, sources said. New Delhi: The noose around Robert Vadra, brother-in-law of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, seems to have tightened further with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) issuing fresh summons to him on Wednesday in connection with a money laundering case, that is linked to purchase of alleged illegal assets abroad. Vadra has been asked to appear before the EDs investigating officer of the case at around 10:30 am at the agencys office here on Thursday. The ED moved to the court only last week to seek cancellation of the anticipatory bail given to Vadra in this case. The Delhi high court had then issued notice to him seeking his response. The ED, which had grilled Vadra over a dozen times in this case, had told the Delhi HC that it required Vadras custody as he was not cooperating in the investigation and the trial court had not discussed the gravity of the offence in its order that gave relief to Vadra, husband of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi. The Enforcement Directorate case against Vadra relates to allegations of money laundering in the purchase of a London-based property located at 12, Bryanston Square that is worth 1.9 million british pounds, that is allegedly owned by him. The agency had told a Delhi court that it has received information about various new properties in London which belong to Vadra. These include two houses, one worth 5 million GBP and the other valued at 4 million GBP, six other flats and more properties. Vadra has denied the allegations of possessing illegal foreign assets and termed them a political witch hunt against him. He said he was being hounded and harassed to subserve political ends. Hyderabad: YSR Congress president and AP Chief Minister-designate Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is trying to win over leaders from other regional parties who he hopes will support his demand for special category status (SCS) for Andhra Pradesh which the BJP government is reluctant to accord. Telangana state Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and AP caretaker Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu tried to do much the same thing before the Lok Sabha results were out. Mr Reddy was silent till the results were declared and now that he has won a resounding victory, he is trying to woo other regional leaders. He personally invited Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, DMK president M.K. Stalin, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, and CPI general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy to attend his oath-taking ceremony as Chief Minister in Vijayawada. According to sources, Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy wants to mobilise support of political parties that have a good number of MPs to garner support for special category status for AP. The Congress and Telangana Rashtra Samiti have already announced their support for the cause. Mr Reddy is not acquainted with many of these leaders, so he wants to take the opportunity of his oath-taking ceremony to meet them. The DMK in Tamil Nadu has 23 MPs, the Biju Janata Dal has 12 MPs and the Janata Dal United has 16 MPs. If Mr Reddy can get the support of other important parties that are friendly to the BJP, they might all help put pressure on Mr Modi on the SCS issue. In West Bengal, the Trinamul headed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has got 22 MPs, but she has not been invited to the oath taking ceremony, reportedly her differencess with the BJP are at its peak. The YSRC, TRS, BJD, BJU and DMK put together will have 82 MPs. The Congress 51 MPs will support the demand for the SCS. If more than 100 MPs put pressure on the centre, it will help to achieve SCS, which was the main election promise of the YSRC. Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy also called Congress MP K.V.P. Rama Chandra Rao, who has always been very close to the Reddy family, to invite him to his oath taking ceremony. Photo: The Canadian Press Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Juno Beach in 2017. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be on Juno Beach to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day this year. His office says his trip will start on June 4 in Portsmouth, the British port from which many of the Allied ships set out for the invasion of Nazi-occupied France in 1944. More than 150,000 troops including Canadians crossed the English Channel on D-Day on June 6 to take five landing points on the Normandy coast. The landings claimed thousands of lives but began the successful campaign to roll back German forces in western Europe and led to the end of the Second World War. After the 75th anniversary commemoration in Normany, Trudeau will go to Paris, which the Allies liberated from the Germans in August 1944. Trudeau's delegation will include the defence minister, representatives from Indigenous and veterans' organizations, and young Canadians. Kolkata: Filmstar-turned-politicians Mimi Chakraborty and Nusrat Jahan have created a buzz on social media after they posted their pictures in front of Parliament, with netizens trolling them, even as a section of them came out in support of the two newly elected TMC MPs. In the pictures, Mimi and Nusrat, who won by huge margins from Jadavpur and Basirhat LS seats respectively in West Bengal, were seen holding up their identity cards in front of the Parliament building. 1st day #Lok Sabha #Member Of Parlia-ment. Wish me luck and keep supporting, Mimi captioned a photograph of hers. Nusrat also posted a picture of hers in front of the Parliament, and wrote A new beginning..!! I thank Mamata Banerjee and people of my #Basirhat constituency to have faith in me. Despite a number of messages trolling the actor, Mimi seemed un-perturbed by this. Her manager said she does not want to att-ach much importance to such trolls. It is going on since she was nominated as a candidate. People are doing this for publicity, he said. One of the trolls on social media said, That (the Parliament) is the temple of democracy, not a place for TikTok. Just like you dont wear fancy dress and heavy jewellery and hop around while attending a funeral, you dont dress up like a mourning lady and weep while attending a marriage party. These dresses which Mimi and Nusrat wore, arent indecent but inappropriate for Parliament. These dresses will suit a Page 3 party, or a public park, or a mall, or a tou-rist spot, or even a news channel interview. But certainly these dresses dont suit Parliament Ho-use, said one of the messages critical of their appearance at the Parliament. Srinagar: With only a few weeks left for annual Amarnath yatra to begin, the Jammu and Kashmir governor, Satya Pal Malik launched the online yatra registration facility on Wednesday on pilot basis for the intending pilgrims. According to Umang Narula, CEO of the Shri Anarmathji Shrine Board (SASB), the pilot project has been launched following a decision was taken by the board at its meeting in March this year. He said that the online registration facility has been developed with the support of National Informatics Centre (NIC), the premier science and technology organisation of the Government of India in informatics services and information and commun-ication technology applications. This years 46-day Amarnath Yatra will commence on July 1. The facility of online registration will be available to five hundred intending pilgrims per day. However, the newly elected MPTCs and ZPTCs will take charge only on July 5, following the expiry of the term of the outgoing ZP and MPP chairper-sons. Hyderabad: The State Election Commission (SEC) on Wednesday issued orders to hold indirect elections for the Mandal Praja Parishad (MPP) chairperson on June 7 and for the Zilla Parishad (ZP) chairperson on June 8. The counting of votes in the local body elections to Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTCs) and Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTCs) will be taken up on June 4 following which, the MPP and ZP chairpersons will be elected by the newly-elected MPTCs and ZPTCs. However, the newly elected MPTCs and ZPTCs will take charge only on July 5, following the expiry of the term of the outgoing ZP and MPP chairper-sons. It may be recalled that the State government on Monday issued an ordinance facilitating the completion of the election process of ZPP chairpersons and Mandal Praja Parishad Presidents immediately after the counting of the votes polled in the ZPTC and MPTC elections. Opposition parties submitted representations to the SEC explaining that a long gap between the declaration of results and the election of ZPP and MPP would enable horse trading and other malpractices as the elected ZPTCs would elect ZP chairpersons while the elected MPTCs would elect MPPs in the indirect elections. After due consideration, SEC officials opined that there was a need to reduce the time between the counting of votes and the date of indirect elections. The counting date was advanced mainly to prevent horse-trading and malpractices but also in view of the polled ballot boxes which, having been stored inside strong rooms in educational institutions, could impair the academic ongoings in such institutions. New Delhi: Around 8,000 guests are expected to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan. Top Opposition leaders and several Chief Ministers, including non-NDA CMs like Telangana states K. Chandrasekhar Rao, Karnatakas H.D. Kumaraswamy, corporate honchos, filmstars and a galaxy of leaders from the Bimstec countries will be present on the occasion. Among foreign dignitaries invited to the ceremony, Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid was the first to reach New Delhi on Wednesday evening. The others will arrive on Thursday morning and afternoon. They include Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, Kyrgyzstan President Sooronbay Jeenbekov, Myanmar President Win Myint, Mauritius PM Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Nepalese PM K.P. Sharma Oli, Bhutan PM Lotay Tshering and Thailands special envoy Grisada Boonrach. This is for the first time that 8,000 guests will be attending a swearing-in ceremony. Afterwards, the Rashtrapati Bhavan kitchen speciality Dal Raisina will be served to the foreign delegates at a dinner hosted by President Ram Nath Kovind. Dal Raisina, a speciality of the Rashtrapati Bhavan kitchen, is cooked for about 48 hours and its main ingredients are brought from Lucknow. The swearing-in ceremony will be of about 90 minutes, after which a dinner will be served to around 40 dignitaries, including vice-president M. Venkaiah Naidu and the PM, besides the leaders of all Bimstec countries. This is the first time 8,000 guests will be attending the swearing-in ceremony that will be held from 7 pm to 8.30 pm on Thursday, said Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson Ashok Malik. About 4,500-5,000 guests had attended such ceremonies earlier. There will be light snacks for guests attending the swearing-in like paneer tikka, the official said. There will be a dinner hosted by the President for about 40 guests. It will begin at 9 pm, Mr Ashok Malik said. New Delhi: The Supreme court on Wednesday set aside the Madras high court order directing Ansar Nisha, a woman, to be kept in the custody of Madras Christian Council Social Service home even though she had expressed the wish to stay in her matrimonial home after she married a life convict Tajudeen. Noting that Ansar Nisha is a major 22 year old and has expressed her desire to stay with the family of her husband, who is presently in custody, the vacation bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Aniruddha Bose said, we do not see how the high court could have passed impugned interim order directing the appellant (Ansar Nisha) to be housed in the home at Madras Christian Council of Social Service,... Referring to the averments made before the court today, the bench in its order said, It is quite clear that the appellant (Ansar Nisha) is clear of her intention to stay with her in-laws in their house and not with her parents. If that is so, we find no justification for the high court to pass the impugned order. Pronouncing the order, Chief Justice Gogoi said, The appellant being a major would have a right to choose to stay in the house of her husband along with the relatives of the husband. Setting aside April 29, 2019, interim order of the high court, the top court today directed that Ansar Nisha, to be released from the home at Madras Christian Council of Social Service, where she is presently lodged. The high court by its April 29, 2019, interim order had continued the custody of Ansar Nisha with the Chennai based Madras Christian Council Social Service home till June 13. The high court while continuing the custody of Ansar Nisha at Madras Christian Council Social Service home had said that it was open to the home to give her counselling. The high court had also permitted the mother and elder brother of Nisha to meet her. The court also added that if the mother and elder brother of Nisha wanted to meet her, then they would have to first approach an all women police station at Perambur and only then, they can meet her in the presence of a police official. Ansar Nisha had earlier filed a domestic violence against her mother and brother alleging that they have misappropriated 250 gms of gold jewellery given to her by her father for her marriage. She had also alleged that she was beaten up. She had further alleged that her mother and brother forcibly tried to marry her to a dumb man. The top court had on May 10 issued notice to Tamil Nadu government and Ansar Nishas family. Guwahati: In what has created anger among residents of the area, a retired subedar who served the Indian Army for 30 years before his retirement in 2017 has been declared foreigner by the foreigners tribunal leading to his arrest by the Assam Police. Police said that Subedar Mohammed Sanaullah was detained after foreigners tribunal declared him a foreign national. He was commissioned as a JCO in 2014, promoted to subedar and later made Honorary Lieutenant. Sanaullahs cousin, retired army personnel Ajmal Hoque, told that the reason for declaring foreigner by the tribunal was a false statement submitted to the court wherein Sanaullah is alleged to have stated to have joined the Army in 1978 where is date of birth was 1967. He said, We showed the documents stating that he joined the army in 1987, they did not accept it. Sanaullah never gave any statement claiming that he joined in 1978. Referring to another reason for declaring Sanaullah as foreigner a lawyer of the foreigners tribunal Aman Wadud in a social media post stated, Sanuallah was not listed on the voters list in 1986 when he was 19 years old. But the minimum age of voting was lowered from 21 to 18 in 1989. Expressing deep anguish over the order of the tribunal, a cousin of the victim alleged, The tribunal did not even accept the land documents he has because of a minor spelling mistake in the name. Now, what can we do if the spelling is not right? It is the responsibility of the government officials. The Police have been accused of not carrying out proper investigation into the matter, but they denied it while claiming that they have recorded the statement of the subedar on two occasions. The case was being tried in the foreigners tribunal since 2008. Sanaullah, who is a resident of Kolohi village under Boko Police Station of Kamrup rural district. He completed his schooling from Champu Para Government High School. New Delhi: A day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she would attend Prime Minister Narendra Modis swearing-in ceremony in New Delhi on Thursday, the Trinamul supremo on Wednesday opted out of the event after the BJP invited family members of its cadre who were allegedly victims of TMC political violence in West Bengal. Also, in another jolt to the Trinamul, another MLA Monirul Islam joined the saffron fold, making him the third legislator to desert the ruling party in West Bengal after the BJP gained significantly in the Lok Sabha polls in the state. The BJP and the Trinamul were engaged in bitter war of words throughout the seven-phase campaigning in the state. On Tuesday, two Trinamul legislators and over 50 councillors joined the BJP. In the last one hour, I am seeing media reports that the BJP is claiming 54 people have been murdered in political violence in Bengal. This is completely untrue. There have been no political murders in Bengal. There is no record with us. Sorry, this has compelled me not to attend the ceremony, Ms Banerjee tweeted. Earlier during the day, former Trinamul stalwart and now BJP MP Arjun had claimed that Ms Banerjee decided to attend the oath-taking ceremony only to save her nephew Abhishek Banerjee. The BJP projected Mr Islams decision to join the party as a vindication of Prime Minister Narendra Modis slogan of Sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka Vishwash (together with all, development for all, trust of all). Along with Mr Islam, two Trinamul youth wing general secretaries Mohammad Asif Iqbal and Gadhadhar Hazra and a party leader, Nimai Das, also joined the BJP. Senior BJP leader Mukul Roys son Subhranshu Roy and Tusharkanti Bhattacharjee had joined the BJP on Tuesday along with 50 councillors. The first batch of the four planes is likely to arrive at Ambala around May 2020. (Photo: File) New Delhi: The first Rafale combat aircraft would be inducted into the Indian Air Force's 'Golden Arrows' 17 Squadron which was commanded by Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa during the Kargil war in 1999. "The first unit to receive the Rafale combat aircraft would be the 17 Squadron which was earlier located in Bhatinda in Punjab and will now be shifted to Ambala in Haryana," IAF sources told ANI. The other squadron of the fighter aircraft would be based out of Hashimara in West Bengal to tackle the front facing China, sources added. The 17 Squadron used to operate the MiG-21s earlier and is 'number-plated' at the moment. The first Rafale is expected to be handed over to the Indian Air Force in September 2019 but it would be required to undergo intensive 1,500 hours of testing to validate the India Specific Enhancements on it. So, the first batch of the four planes is likely to arrive at Ambala around May 2020. In September 2016, India signed a deal with the French government and Dassault Aviation to acquire 36 Rafale fighter jets for over Euro 7.8 billion to arrest the fall of combat squadrons and meet urgent requirements on the eastern and western fronts. The plan to deploy one squadron of the planes at the Saraswat air base in Uttar Pradesh did not work out due to land acquisition issues. Ambala base has been housing Jaguar aircraft squadrons mainly looking after the Pakistan front but due to rapid deployment capabilities, the planes can be utilised on both the fronts in case of requirement. Siliguri: Himalayan Nature and Adventure Foundation expressed condolences over the deaths of the Mountaineers during the mountain expeditions in this month, on the occasion of the 66th Everest Day in Siliguri. Tenzing Norgay, along with New Zealand mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary, had scaled the summit of the world's highest mountain for the first time on May 29, 1953. The day is internationally celebrated as Everest Day. At least 20 climbers including few Indians died during the Mount Everest expedition in the last few days. According to the reports, most of the deaths were due to weakness, exhaustion and delays on the crowded route to the 8,848-meter summit. Three mountaineers from Bengal died during expeditions of Mt Kanchenjungha (8,568 m) and Mt. Makalu (8,463 m). "We have been observing the 66th Everest Day here at a time when around 20 mountaineers have died or are missing during Mt Everest expedition. There were some Indian men and women and foreign climbers. We have lost three mountaineers from Bengal. We are observing the day in pain," Animesh Bose, an adventure enthusiast and the programme coordinator of Himalayan Nature and Adventure Foundation (HNAF) said. According to the media reports, Nepal opened the climbing route to the world's highest peak on 14 May after the government issued a record number of 381 climbing permits to the mountaineers representing 44 teams this season, the most since 1953. Along with the expedition members, more than 500 Sherpa climbers have also been accompanying the teams this year. The reports stated that more than 4,400 people have scaled the summit since Norgay and Hilary first conquered the mountain in 1953. Meanwhile, the organisers said they would again urge to the government that Tenzing Norgay should be conferred with Bharat Ratna- the highest civilian honour in the country. Tenzing was conferred the Padma Bhushan in 1959 and a posthumous Padma Vibhushan in 2008, 22 years after his death. Along with the HNAF, the sherpas in Darjeeling have been raising the demand that the Bharat Ratna be bestowed on Tenzing. Surat: Vivek Ajmera, owner of an ice-cream parlour in Surat, Gujarat is celebrating the landslide victory of the BJP in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections by introducing 'Modi Sitafal Kulfi', which features Prime Minister Narendra Modi's face on it. Interestingly, Prime Minister Modi's image on the Kulfi is not made from any machine but it is handmade. It took the workers of the ice cream parlour 24 hours to make 200 'Modi Sitafal Kulfi' featuring Modi's face on it. The special Kulfi will be served at the parlour only till May 30, when Modi's swearing-in ceremony will take place. Ajmera said 'Modi Sitafal Kulfi' is being sold very well in the city. Also, he shared that the Kulfi is being sold at a discount of 50 per cent to celebrate BJP's victory in Lok Sabha elections. The ingredients used are 100 per cent natural and no essence has been used to make this Kulfi, Ajmera asserted. Photo: The Canadian Press Former justice minister Jody Wilson-Raybould says there was never a specific "end game" for her during the SNC controversy that had anything to do with power. Some of Wilson-Raybould's former Liberal colleagues and other political observers have questioned what she wanted to achieve by speaking out about pressure she felt to intervene in the criminal prosecution of Quebec engineering giant SNC-Lavalin. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has denied he or his staff acted improperly but he has conceded there was an "erosion of trust" between his office and the former justice minister. Wilson-Raybould tells The Canadian Press she simply wanted to do her job. Though the affair saw her kicked out of the Liberal caucus, she says she's comfortable with being an Independent member of Parliament and she'll keep doing the work she's always wanted to do. This week, she and former Liberal cabinet minister Jane Philpott who also resigned over the government's handling of the controversy announced they would run for re-election as Independents in the upcoming general election. 'Congress is ruling the state and our government will fulfil all the expectations of people,' the deputy chief minister said here. (Photo: File) Jaipur: Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee president Sachin Pilot said on Wednesday that the party will analyse the reasons behind people electing the BJP in the Lok Sabha election just a few months after the Congress formed a government in the state. He said Congress president Rahul Gandhi himself has humbly accepted the people's mandate but the state leadership will analyse the reasons for the defeat to see where the changes have to be made and what action needs to be taken. Pilot has asked party leaders and workers to start a mass contact programme across the state to connect with the people after the massive drubbing it received in the polls. "We have accepted the people's mandate humbly. Even the Congress president has accepted it. But we will analyse and study the reasons behind people electing the BJP, four to five months after the Congress formed a government in Rajasthan," he told reporters after the party's executive meeting here. "Congress will definitely introspect it to see where changes and action are required. It will be our effort that Congress gain further strength," he said. Pilot said the Congress accepted defeat in the general elections but it was not the first or the last election. "I have asked the PCC members to start a mass contact programme in cities, towns, villages and hamlets across the state with immediate effect for connecting people with the Congress party," he said. "This was not the first and the last election. We will again go among the masses and win people's heart. Congress is ruling the state and our government will fulfil all the expectations of people," the deputy chief minister said here. Meanwhile, the Rajasthan Congress executive committee endorsed the resolution passed by Congress Working Committee (CWC) on May 25, requesting the Congress president to continue extending his effective leadership. "We all have requested the party president to continue leading us. He is authorised to do whatever changes he wants to do in the organisation," Pilot said. It was the first meeting of the party's state unit after the defeat in the Lok Sabha polls in which the party could not win even a single seat out of the total 25 seats in the state. The BJP won 24 and its alliance partner won one seat in the state. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analysis et al. Happy reading. A close aide of the Delhi Congress chief said Dikshit left a message for the Congress president in which she asked Gandhi to withdraw his offer to resign. (Photo: File) New Delhi: Congress workers gathered outside party chief Rahul Gandhi's residence on Wednesday urging him to withdraw his offer to resign. Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit visited Gandhi's Tughlak Lane residence. After coming out, she remained silent on whether she was able to meet the Gandhi scion. Sources said she could not meet Rahul Gandhi. A close aide of the Delhi Congress chief said Dikshit left a message for the Congress president in which she asked Gandhi to withdraw his offer to resign. "Gandhi is not meeting any party leaders. So, Dikshit left her message urging Gandhi to reconsider his decision in the interest of the party with K Raju, a confidante of the party chief," the close aide added. Boxer Vijender Singh, who had fought the Lok Sabha polls from the South Delhi constituency and ended up at the third spot said workers do not want Rahul Gandhi to resign as he is an "able and hardworking" leader. "He has not resigned. We have come to talk to him. He has made an offer to resign but people do not want him to go. "He has worked hard. If the results are not in our favour, it hurts but we are fighters. Nobody else can work like him. He is a leader who takes everyone together," Singh said. Slogans of 'Rahulji, we are with you' and 'Please do not resign' rang through the air. Several workers were carrying placards with Gandhi's photos urging him not to resign. Some workers were even demanding that elections be held again in a fair manner with ballot papers instead of EVMs since the latter could have been tampered. Congress leader Jagdish Tytler said there are millions of Congress workers who do not want Gandhi to resign. "We had to be here because we do not want him to resign. There are millions of Congress workers who do not want him to resign. We are disappointed with the results but not with the leadership," he said. The crisis in the Congress showed no signs of easing with Gandhi sticking to his decision to resign as party chief after its Lok Sabha poll debacle and staying away from meeting party leaders. On Tuesday, Gandhi had only met his mother and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, besides senior party leader K C Venugopal and the Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his deputy Sachin Pilot went to meet Gandhi at his Tughlaq Lane residence on Tuesday, but they only met Priyanka. Senior Congress leaders have been pressing Gandhi to take back his decision to resign and revamp the party at all levels in these challenging times. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analysis et al. Happy reading. Congress workers demonstrate outside party office urging Rahul Gandhi to continue as Congress President in Bengaluru. (Photo: ANI) Bengaluru: Congress workers demonstrate outside party office urging Rahul Gandhi to continue as Congress President in Bengaluru on Wednesday. They said the worker's decisions need to be considered too in the process. Tamil Nadu Congress Committee will also pass a resolution asking Gandhi not to step down, and to lead the party with a firm hand. Gandhi had offered to step down from his post at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting held on Saturday, taking moral responsibility for Congress' dismal performance in the Lok Sabha elections. However, his offer was unanimously rejected by the CWC. Congress leader Sheila Dikshit: We are going to be near the residence of Rahul Gandhi, will demonstrate there to convey our feelings that he should not resign. The Party will suffer a very heavy loss which we don't want. We are going there to plead with him to not do this. pic.twitter.com/egwl8HWkxf ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2019 Senior Congress leader Sheila Dikshit, along with party workers, will also hold a demonstration outside Rahul Gandhi's residence on Wednesday, urging him to not to step down as the party president. The demonstration will start at 4 pm outside the Gandhi scion's Tughlak Lane residence. Sources said that despite senior members making serious attempts to convince the 48-year-old party chief to rethink his decision, he remains unfazed. On Tuesday, the party asserted that they are not facing any crisis and all speculations are just a creation of the media. The Congress won 52 seats in the recent general elections, which is just eight more than 2014 in the outgoing Lok Sabha, while BJP bagged 303. Karnataka CM, HD Kumaraswamy on Congress President Rahul Gandhi: I will meet him tomorrow and speak to him. He should not resign. pic.twitter.com/gR3DELcc1e ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2019 Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analysis et al. Happy reading. New Delhi: In an unprecedented move, the Bharatiya Janata Party has invited families of over 50 BJP workers, who were allegedly killed in political clashes in West Bengal, to swearing-in-ceremony of the PM Narendra Modi. The families designated as special invitees would be hosted by the party in the national capital. On Tuesday evening, PM-designate Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah had a long meeting to deliberate on many issues which included portfolio allocation for cabinet ministers and inviting the family members of the deceased political workers. As the party eyes West Bengal Assembly election, which is due in 2021, the BJP wants to send the political message that the party cares for its workers. Also, the TMC workers may also perceive as a noble gesture which may persuade them to switch sides. The recently concluded election witnessed a bitter political campaign as both the BJP and the TMC workers clashed on many occasions. There were reports of political killings as well. The saffron party managed to penetrate in West Bengal, a territory which was once a den of the Congress and Left and presently ruled by the TMC, by bagging 18 of the 42 constituencies represented by the state in the Parliament. Also, the BJP found support in two sitting MLAs and over 50 councillors of the TMC who have defected to the BJP. The state has 295-member legislative assembly currently dominated by the TMC with over 200 members. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analysis et al. Happy reading. The saffron party leapt from two seats in the state in 2014 to 18, while the TMC slided to 22 from 34. (Photo: ANI) Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday decided not to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Narenda Modi as prime minister citing 'untrue" claims by BJP that 54 of the party workers were murdered in political violence in Bengal. Banerjee had on Tuesday confirmed her presence at the ceremony to be held on May 30. "Congratulations, new Prime Minister, Narendra Modiji. It was my plan to accept the "constitutional invitation" and attend the oath taking ceremony. However, in last one year, I am seeing media reports that the BJP are claiming 54 people have been murdered in political violence in Bengal. This is completely untrue. There have been no political murders in Bengal. These deaths may have occurred due to personal enemity, family quarrels and other disputes, nothing related to politics. There is no such record with us," Banerjee said in a tweet. "So I am sorry, Narendra Modi ji, this has compelled me not to attend the ceremony. The ceremony is an august occasion to celebrate democracy, not one that should be devalued by any political party which uses it as an opportunity to score political points. Please excuse me," she wrote on Twitter. The just concluded Lok Sabha polls witnessed a heated verbal duel between Modi and Banerjee who spearheaded the campaigns of their parties in West Bengal. Besides winning 303 Lok Sabha seats on his own (the NDA tally being 352), the BJP came up with a surprising poll show in West Bengal by bagging 18 of the state's 42 seats, only four less than the TMC's 22. The saffron party leapt from two seats in the state in 2014 to 18, while the TMC slided to 22 from 34. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analysis et al. Happy reading. The editorial titled 'Ram ka kaam hoga' (Ram's work will be done) says that there is a sense of delight and excitement in the country about PM Modi's oath-taking ceremony to be held on Thursday and compares it with Lord Ram's 'Rajyaabhishek' (coronation ceremony). (Photo: FIle) New Delhi: The Shiv Sena on Wednesday asserted that the goal of building Ram Temple in Ayodhya is about to be realised, especially with Prime Minister Narendra Modi coming to power for the second consecutive term. An editorial in the party's mouthpiece 'Saamana' says that Ram's work will be done with the BJP coming to power. "The party with the mindset of Lord Ram has come to power in the centre. Crores of people have voted them to power so that Ram Rajya can be established in the country, all with the blessing of Lord Ram. Ram is the identity and pride of this country. Hundreds of karsevaks sacrificed their lives to build the Ram Mandir. Their sacrifice and blood will not go in vain, a government with such thoughts has been chosen by the people, with them coming to power, Ram's work will definitely be done," the editorial in Saamana read. The editorial titled "Ram ka kaam hoga" (Ram's work will be done) says that there is a sense of delight and excitement in the country about PM Modi's oath-taking ceremony to be held on Thursday and compares it with Lord Ram's "Rajyaabhishek" (coronation ceremony). The editorial also lists other advantages of having Modiin power, which read, "No farmers will be forced to commit suicide, everybody will have two square meals a day, people will celebrate their festivals without being burdened by debts, the barriers of caste and religion will be broken. The dream of Akhand Bharat (Undivided India) will be realized and the whole world will hail the country of Lord Ram." The editorial dubs the opponents of PM Modi as "Raavan, Vibhishan, Kans Mama and party" who were handed a loss in the recently-concluded elections by the Indian voters. It says that the Supreme Court should take into account the feelings and mandate of crores of Indian voters and give permission to begin construction of the Ram Mandir. "Nobody can stop the Vijay 'rath' (victory chariot) of Lord Ram, building a great nation is similar to building the Ram Mandir. But constructing the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya is an oath which Shiv Sena, BJP and crores of Hindu brothers have taken. We agree with PM Modi on the fact that the foundation of Ram Mandir will be laid with the assent of the judiciary and the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court on its part should also take the feelings of the public and its mandate into account and give the judgment early without sitting on the facts," the article reads. It went on to add that the 2019 Lok Sabha election results went in favour of the BJP and the Shiv Sena because of the blessings of Lord Ram and criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for 'attacking' people who chanted the Lord's name. "The mandate of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections is a mandate given in favour of the Ram Mandir and Ram Rajya. In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP has managed to win 62 seats with the blessings of Lord Ram, in Maharashtra too the huge victory of the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance is a result of his blessings." "In West Bengal Mamata Banerjee launched attacks on the people who chanted Lord Ram's name. Even then Amit Shah kept hailing the Lord in Bengal which resulted in BJP's victory in the state, this is a moment of great joy," the article read. The issue is pending in the Supreme Court. In March, the court appointed a panel of mediators, headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice FMI Kalifulla, and gave it eight weeks to meet all stakeholders and explore the possibility of an amicable settlement to the contentious issue. The panel submitted the report on May 10 and the top court is expected to take up a decision in this regard. The construction of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya has been a long-standing promise by the BJP. The pledge was also included in the party's 2014 and 2019 elections manifestoes. New Delhi: United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will attend swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 30 at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi at 7 pm. Also, on Monday keeping out to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, India had invited leaders of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) that includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand for the swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi. Among the Indian leaders, chief ministers and Opposition leaders have been invited for the ceremony. However, earlier on Wednesday West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata Banerjee stated that she decided not to attend Modi's oath ceremony, though she had confirmed to come on Tuesday. Mamata Banerjee said: ''It was my plan to attend oath-taking ceremony, however in past one hour, I am seeing media reports that the BJP is claiming 54 people have been killed in political violence in Bengal. This is untrue. I am compelled not to attend the ceremony''. The Bharatiya Janata Party has also invited the family memeber of 40 workers who were murdered in political violence in West Bengal in the past one year to attend swearing-in of Narendra Modi. According to the PTI report,: There are speculation that Amit Shah might continue as BJP chief since Assembly elections in some key states are due to be held in the next one year. Many BJP leaders are of the view that most key members of the previous Cabinet could be retained. Senior members like Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Nirmala Sitharaman, Smriti Irani, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Piyush Goyal, Dharmendra Pradhan, Narendra Singh Tomar and Prakash Javadekar are likely to retain their place. Irani, who defeated Rahul Gandhi in his home turf of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh to earn the tag of giant killer, is expected to get a key portfolio. In recently concluded Lok Sabha election, the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) registered a massive victory by winning 303 out of 542 seats on its own, while Congress decimated at 52 seats. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analysis et al. Happy reading. Adityanath said the meeting was a formal introduction for the newly elected representatives who would henceforth be moving to Delhi for the swearing-in and the parliament session. (Photo: File) Lucknow: After the BJP's thumping victory in the Lok Sabha elections, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath held a meeting with the newly elected MPs of the party at his official residence here on Wednesday. Addressing the meeting, which was also attended by state in-charge J P Nadda and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, Adityanath congratulated the MPs for their success. "Rising above candidate and party considerations, people this time came forward aggressively to elect the PM and this was seen all through the electioneering. It is because of this that the BJP won 303 seats on its own across the country; 64 of these are from Uttar Pradesh alone," Yogi said. Adityanath said the meeting was a formal introduction for the newly elected representatives who would henceforth be moving to Delhi for the swearing-in and the parliament session. The chief minister also hosted lunch for them. Among the MPs who attended the meeting were Smriti Irani, who won from Amethi, and Bhojpuri film star Ravi Kishan, who wrested the Gorakhpur seat from the opposition's 'mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance). Notable absentees included Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and actor-politician Hema Malini, who retained her Mathura seat. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analysis et al. Happy reading. Chennai: Though a final picture has not yet emerged, there are chances of the AIADMK finding place in the new Cabinet of Narendra Modi in his second innings as Prime Minister. "We have not yet received any formal communication, but there is possibility", state information minister Kadambur C Raju said here Wednesday. He told reporters that since the AIADMK has been a trusted and strong ally for the BJP, the party is most likely to get the call for nominating its MP to be in the Union Cabinet. And when such an invitation comes from the BJP/PMO, Chief Minister K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam would jointly take the decision on who should be recommended among the party's 13 members in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, minister Raju said. Asked how the AIADMK would be able to secure any development or welfare project for Tamil Nadu from the Centre, given its low presence in the Parliamnt, Raju said the party MPs would indeed strive to get the state's due share from the Centre. "On the other hand, the DMK members would be busy staging walk-outs from the Parliament just as they did in the State Assembly. People are going to regret their decision to elect these DMK members, he said. There has been speculation for some time now that the first-time MP P Raveendranath Kumar of Theni might get a berth as junior minister and that his father and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam has been working for it. Kumar was the lone winner among the AIADMK candidates in the Lok Sabha poll. On the other hand, sources said Rajya Sabha member Vaithilingam, a favourite of Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, could get the call for being sworn in. The Thanjavur strongman was the housing minister during Jayalalithaa's tenure as CM, 2011-16. BJP sources said the state unit of the party has "strongly conveyed" to the high command that at least one BJP leader from the state should be accommodated in the Cabinet as that would help in the party growing in the Dravidian turf. Chennai: Congress senior H. Vasantha Kumar, who got elected as MP from Kanyakumari Lok Sabha constituency in the April 18 Lok Sabha elections, has given up his Nanguneri Assembly constituency from where he won twice, thus necessitating a by-election in the seat. While he exuded confidence that his party high command would field a Congress candidate in Nanguneri when the by-poll is announced, TNCC chief K. S. Alagiri said a call on fielding its candidate would be taken after consulting ally DMK. His resignation as legislator has been submitted to the Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker P. Dhanapal who "wished him well" as Lok Sabha member, Vasantha Kumar said and claimed since the last eight years he had nurtured his Nanguneri constituency. "I had facilitated the introduction of a bus service in un-served area besides ensuring de-silting of 51 tanks. I had worked hard to improve the quality of life of the people in the constituency," Mr. Vasantha Kumar told reporters here on Wednesday. Earlier, he called on Mr. Dhanapal and tendered his resignation and it was accepted effective from today, Assembly Secretary K. Srinivasan said in a release here. With Vasantha Kumar's resignation, the strength of the Congress (in the 234-member House) has come down to seven from eight. By-election to the constituency would be announced in due course by the Election Commission. The newly elected MP said DMK would be persuaded to allocate the Nanguneri constituency again to his party in the by-poll. The confusion in the Congress stems from the poll pact which the party entered with the DMK for the 2019 Lok Sabha election. Like the ruling AIADMK, the DMK had apportioned Lok Sabha seats to allies but retained all the 22 Assembly constituencies for which the by-election was held on April 18 and May 19. While the DMK won 13 seats, the AIADMK had won 9. Hence, Alagiri's averment that DMK should be consulted before deciding on contesting from the seat assumes significance. Photo: CSRD A pile of buoys and chain which was pulled out of Mara Lake as part of a Transport Canada enforcement action on May 22 and 23. Bad buoys, bad buoys, whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do when they come for you? As it turns out, Transport Canada will come for you on Mara Lake and take you out. Transport Canada staff conducted the enforcement effort on Mara Lake on May 22 and 23. This resulted in the removal of 28 buoys from the lake and 180 buoys were also tagged by Transport Canada, the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) announced in a release. This notifies the owners of the violations and gives them an opportunity to ensure their buoy is brought into line with Transport Canada regulations. If left unchanged, tagged buoys may be removed during another phase of enforcement. CSRD bylaw enforcement staff provided support to the Transport Canada team during the removal efforts. "The number of non-compliant buoys is a source of public complaints to the CSRD, as well as a safety hazard to those using the water. We are pleased to be able to support Transport Canada in their enforcement efforts to remove neglected, derelict or substandard buoys from lakes in the Shuswap," says Marty Herbert, the CSRD's Team Leader of Building and Bylaw Services. The CSRD said Transport Canada's Navigation Protection Officers plan to return to the Shuswap to begin tagging additional non-compliant buoys in the North Shuswap area of Shuswap Lake between June 4 and 6. They intend to return in September 2019 to continue the removal of non-compliant buoys. Shuswap residents with buoys in local lakes should be aware that if their private buoy does not meet legal standards, it may be removed or Transport Canada may require modifications to bring it into compliance with current safety standards, CSRD said. For more information on Transport Canada buoy regulations, Transport Canada has produced a guide for owners. The link can be found here. Things fall apart, the centre cannot hold; mere anarchy is loosed upon the world. So wrote the poet W.B. Yeats in 1919, in the aftermath of the First World War. A hundred years later, the sentiments behind those words were at the back of many European minds before the European Parliament elections. The fear of many (and the hope of some) was that nationalist parties would surge and inflict a fatal wound on the European integrationist project. So did the centre collapse in the early hours of Monday morning? Looking at the big picture, the answer has to be a definite dont know. The two dominant European political families the centre-left Social Democrats and the centre-right European Peoples Party (EPP) have ceased to be dominant. Both broadly sympathetic to European integration, they have together commanded a majority of seats in the European Parliament since the first direct elections in 1979. Without their backing, not much of substance could be achieved. But it would be simplistic to say that we have now witnessed their demise. Although the Social Democrats and the EPP have lost between them roughly a fifth of their representation, they remain the two largest political groupings. One of the principal beneficiaries of their decline has been the liberal Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE), which has nearly doubled its tally. Another has been the ecologist Green grouping, which has seen an increase of roughly a third. Far from being hostile to European integration, these two parties are some of its loudest supporters. The net result is that the support of the ALDE or the Greens will be necessary to create a majority. At the other end of the political spectrum, the various varieties of nationalists have also done well, more than doubling their representation. Their message that the elites care nothing about the people, that Europe is a scam run for the benefit of big business, seems to have resonated. They now have just over a sixth of the seats in the 751-member European House. And this is probably to understate their support because they also have sympathisers in the conservative grouping and in the EPP. But does any of this matter? On one level, not very much. While the European Parliament is more than embryonic, it is not a fully grown legislature. It can amend legislation, but it cannot initiate it. That is the prerogative of the European Commission. It can veto legislation, but so can the member states sitting in the Council of Ministers. It can sack the European Commission Europes executive but it cannot appoint it. That is done by the heads of national governments. Its approval is required for certain international treaties, but national parliaments must also approve them. So the fact that ALDE or Green support will now be needed to pass legislation and approve treaties probably wont change the day-to-day dynamic and functioning of the European Unions key institutions. On another level, however, the results of the European elections matter a great deal. Despite the hopes of integrationists, the European elections are not primarily fought on European issues. They are fought on national ones. Underneath the headline figures, there are a variety of different national stories. And they matter very much for the countries concerned; but also for Europe as a whole. The individual member states remain key actors in the European Union and domestic concerns heavily influence how they act. In France the nationalist National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen, edged ahead of President Emmanuel Macrons liberal Renaissance Party part of the ALDE group and the Socialists were all but wiped out. The prospect of an extreme right-wing President has come that little bit closer. Were Ms Le Pen to take power, not only would France change dramatically, but given Frances pivotal role so would Europe too. In Germany, Europes anchor, both Chancellor Angela Merkels centrist Christian Democrats and the moderate left Social Democrats have lost votes to the Greens and the nationalist Alternativ fur Deutschland (Alternative for Germany). In Poland, the ruling Law and Justice Party, which trumpets national identity and is under scrutiny for undermining Polands democratic institutions, has consolidated its position. In Italy likewise, where a nationalist-populist coalition is in power, the governing parties won a comfortable majority of the seats. Of the major countries, only Spain seems to have bucked the trend, with the Socialists in the lead and the EPP in second place. As for the longer term implications, governments led by parties of the centre-right, centre-left or liberal parties will probably turn inward. More than before, any European initiatives will have to be weighed against domestic considerations. Will it diminish or enhance the nationalist threat? Nationalists and populists, on the other hand, will be emboldened. Although they did not achieve a breakthrough, they are likely to feel that the momentum is with them. Continental Europe is in for a rocky ride. And finally, what about the United Kingdom? Even more than in continental Europe, specific national factors were at play. These were elections that the ruling Conservative Party had said would not take place, because Brexit the UKs departure from the European Union would happen by the end of March. These were elections the Opposition Labour Party did not want to take place, because it is deeply divided. The leader and his entourage old-style hard-leftists are Brexiters, whilst the membership overwhelmingly wishes to see Brexit stopped. The Conservative and Labour parties have paid heavily for incompetence on the one hand, and duplicity on the other. A new party, the Brexit party, stole most of the Conservative vote, relegating the Conser-vatives to fifth place with less than nine per cent of the vote. It came first, with nearly 32 per cent of the vote. As for the Labour Party, it lost nearly half its vote to the ardently pro-European and anti-Brexit Liberal Democrats, who came second overall with nearly 20 per cent of the vote. Both parties are now likely to have to go through tumult as they come to terms with their deep humiliation. So has the centre held? For the moment, probably; for the future, not sure. The writer is a lawyer and a keen observer of European affairs, and works in the UK and France The Snapdragon 8cx 5G compute platform is the most extreme Snapdragon platform ever designed, with extreme performance, extreme battery life and extreme connectivity. Qualcomm Technologies announced in conjunction with Lenovo the worlds first1 5G PC2 today at its COMPUTEX Press Conference. Project Limitless encompasses a strong technology collaboration between Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. a leader in 5G connectivity, and Lenovo, the leader in PCs, to bring innovation to the always on, always connected PC ecosystem. Project Limitless is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx 5G compute platform and is the worlds first 7nm platform purpose-built for PCs that offers 5G connectivity. The Snapdragon 8cx 5G compute platform is the most extreme Snapdragon platform ever designed, with extreme performance, extreme battery life and extreme connectivity. It supports immersive user experiences, multi-gigabit LTE, multi-day battery life*, and enterprise applications and security. The platform features the Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 5G modem, a single-chip multi-mode solution which along with Qualcomm Technologies' RF Front-End, allows OEMs to bring 5G connectivity to new and innovative PC form factors. The Snapdragon 8cx 5G platform includes the Snapdragon X55 5G modem, which integrates Category 22 LTE, achieving peak download speeds of up to 2.5 Gbps, for the fastest 4G connectivity available today. The platform is compatible with virtually any band used by global operators in any region, so users can rely on their Always On, Always Connected PC to stay connected almost anywhere in the world. The 5G-enabled Project Limitless collaboration with Lenovo is the latest example of how Qualcomm invents breakthrough technologies that transform how the world connects, computes, and communicates. Consumers can expect more to come from Lenovo and Qualcomm in early 2020. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. The arrests included 56 people suspected of killing someone in an act of domestic violence or of gender-based discrimination. (Photo:AP) Sao Paulo: Brazilian police carried out a giant anti-murder operation in nearly every state of the country Tuesday, arresting 968 suspects in one day, according to the National Council of Civilian Police Chiefs. The arrests included 56 people suspected of killing someone in an act of domestic violence or of gender-based discrimination. The efforts were phase two of the unusually large so-called Operation Cronos. In each state, police shared real-time updates of their work on social media, including photos and videos. Also Read: 4 Prison clashes in Brazil leave 55 dead: Official "By imprisoning murderers, we hope to prevent future crimes," Civil Police tweeted in the northern state of Para. During Operation Cronos's first phase in August, police arrested nearly 3,000 people accused of murder, gender-based killings and domestic violence, among other crimes. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, part of the Organization of American States, expressed in early February "deep concern" over gender-based violence in Brazil, noting that at least 126 women had already been killed in gender-based violence in the country so far this year. Andie MacDowell has spoken out in reaction to Alabama signing through the most stringent abortion legislation in the US. (Photo:AP) Missouri: Missouri is poised this week to become the only US state without access to legal abortions as public health officials may refuse to renew the license of the last clinic in Missouri to perform the procedure, Planned Parenthood said on Tuesday. The state's Department of Health and Senior Services director Randall Williams told the St. Louis Post Dispatch that the state will make a decision by Friday on whether to renew the license of Reproductive Health Services of Planned Parenthood in St. Louis, the only clinic in the state that performs abortions. Missouri Governor Mike Parson on Friday signed a bill banning abortion beginning in the eighth week of pregnancy, making Missouri one of eight states that have passed anti-abortion legislation this year. Also Read: Hundreds turn out to protest Alabama's groundbreaking abortion ban Andie MacDowell has spoken out in reaction to Alabama signing through the most stringent abortion legislation in the US. Missouri is one of a handful of states to have passed restrictive abortion laws in recent months as anti-abortion activists say they aim to prompt the newly installed conservative majority on the US Supreme Court to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that established a woman's right to terminate her pregnancy by enacting these laws that are virtually assured of facing court challenges. The license for Reproductive Health Services to provide abortions expires on Friday, after which it may no longer offer abortions. It would continue providing other healthcare services, a Planned Parenthood spokeswoman said. "This is a real public health crisis," said Leana Wen, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, which runs the clinic. "More than a million women of reproductive age in Missouri will no longer have access to a health centre in the state they live in that provides abortion care." The state department of health told Reproductive Health Services officials it could not approve a license until it interviewed seven of its physicians who the state believed might be involved in "potential deficient practices," the clinic said in a lawsuit it filed against the state in St. Louis court on Tuesday. In the lawsuit, which requests a injunction against the state, clinic officials said they are at an impasse with public health officials over interviews with the other physicians since they are not employees of Planned Parenthood and have not agreed to be interviewed. Separately, the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri said on Tuesday that it would seek to repeal Missouri's law banning abortion after the eighth week of pregnancy through a referendum on the state's 2020 election ballot. If the Missouri Secretary of State certifies the referendum petition for circulation, the ACLU would then need to collect over 100,000 signatures before Aug. 28 - when the law is due to go into effect - to delay the law until a 2020 vote. Also Read: Missouri follows Alabama; passes law that would ban abortion after 8 weeks The recent wave of anti-abortion legislation reflects a boost of confidence among anti-abortion advocates after Republican President Donald Trump named two justices, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, to the US Supreme Court, establishing a 5-4 conservative majority. Earlier this year, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi and Ohio outlawed abortion after a doctor can detect an embryonic heartbeat, which can occur at six weeks, often before a woman knows she is pregnant. Two weeks ago, Alabama passed a total ban on abortions except if a pregnant woman's life is in danger. Despite the uptick in anti-abortion measures, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 58 per cent of American adults said abortion should be legal in most or all cases, up from 50 per cent in a similar poll that ran 10 months earlier in July 2018. The ACLU and Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit against Alabama last week and have obtained injunctions blocking the Kentucky and Mississippi anti-abortion laws. Anti-abortion advocates have said they expected legal challenges to these laws and that they welcome the chance to have a court test their conviction that a foetus' right to life is paramount. Meanwhile, US Senator and Democratic presidential hopeful Kamala Harris on Tuesday was set to unveil her plan to protect abortion rights. 'This is not Europe. This is America. We protect our borders.' (Photo:AP) Sunland Park: A US military veteran has launched construction on the first section of private border wall between the United States and Mexico, using money crowd sourced by supporters of President Donald Trump. Sporting a red "Make America Great Again" hat, New Mexico resident Jeff Allen proudly oversaw the groundbreaking last weekend as workers with heavy construction equipment began erecting a towering fence of steel slats on land he co-owns in the city of Sunland Park, across from Ciudad Juarez, in Mexico. "This is Americans' way of saying, 'Congress, you're worthless, and we're fighting it. We're going to build (the wall) ourselves,'" Allen, 56, told AFP. "This is not Europe. This is America. We protect our borders." Determined to help Trump fulfill his promise to build a "big, beautiful wall" on the border, Allen decided to do part of it himself, together with the United Constitutional Patriots, a right-wing militia that carries out vigilante border patrols. He said the project was being funded by We Build the Wall, a company launched by war veteran and triple amputee Brian Kolfage using millions of dollars in private donations he raised through an online campaign called "We The People Will Fund The Wall." The company's advisory board is chaired by Steve Bannon, the far-right strategist and former Trump advisor. Kolfage celebrated the new wall Monday by posting a sleek video of its construction on Facebook. "WE DID IT!!! First privately funded wall is nearly complete! DONATE NOW to fund more walls!" he wrote. The new private barrier is being built at the spot where the states of New Mexico and Texas intersect with Mexico, outside El Paso. It is a spot often used by migrants, mainly Central Americans, to reach the United States. US Border Patrol says 98,052 migrants were detained in the El Paso sector from October to April. Allen, a Cincinnati, Ohio native who moved here six years ago, said it was also a crossing point rife with crime. Border crossers have tried to kill his dog, slashed his tires and thrown rocks at him, he said. Rare earths are a group of 17 chemical elements used in everything from high-tech consumer electronics to military equipment. (Photo:AP) Beijing: China's Communist Party newspaper warned the United States on Wednesday that the country was ready to use rare earths to strike back in their bitter trade war, saying in an extremely strongly worded commentary "don't say we didn't warn you". President Xi Jinping's visit to a rare earths plant last week fuelled speculation that China would use its dominant position as a supplier of rare earths for leverage in the trade war. Rare earths are a group of 17 chemical elements used in everything from high-tech consumer electronics to military equipment. While China has so far not explicitly said it will restrict rare earths exports to the United States, Chinese media has strongly implied this will happen, including remarks from the editor of influential paper the Global Times on Twitter late on Tuesday. In a commentary headline "United States, don't underestimate China's ability to strike back", the ruling Communist Party's official People's Daily noted the "uncomfortable" dependence on rare earths from China of the United States. "Will rare earths become a counter weapon for China to hit back against the pressure the United States has put on for no reason at all? The answer is no mystery," it said. "Undoubtedly, the US side wants to use the products made by China's exported rare earths to counter and suppress China's development. The Chinese people will never accept this!" the paper added. The industrial chain between China and the United States is highly integrated and highly complementary, and there are no winners in a trade war, it said. "We advise the US side not to underestimate the Chinese side's ability to safeguard its development rights and interests. Don't say we didn't warn you!" The expression "don't say we didn't warn you" is generally only used by official Chinese media to warn rivals over major areas of disagreement, for example during a border dispute with India in 2017 and in 1978 before China invaded Vietnam. China accounted for 80 per cent of rare earth imports between 2014 and 2017 by the United States, which has excluded them from recent tariffs along with some other critical Chinese minerals. Beijing, however, has raised tariffs on imports of US rare earth metal ores from 10 per cent to 25 per cent from June 1, making it less economical to process the material in China. Karachi: Mobs set ablaze shops belonging to Hindus after a veterinary doctor from the community allegedly tore pages of a holy book and wrapped medicines in them in Pakistans Sindh province, according to a media report. The Hindu veterinary doctor, identified as Ramesh Kumar, was arrested on Monday under the countrys strict blasphemy laws after a local cleric filed a police complaint accusing him of committing blasphemy. Under Pakistans blasphemy laws, anyone accused of insulting Islam can be sentenced to death. The doctor was taken into custody while angry protesters set fire to shops owned by Hindus and burnt tyres on road in Phuladyon town in Mirpurkhas district in the province, The Express Tribune reported. Protesters set ablaze a doctors clinic, a medical store, and two shops belonging to Hindus. They also blocked roads by burning tyres, the report said. There were reports that the protesters also looted some shops. With the situation spiralling out of control, local authorities called in the paramilitary Rangers to deal with the mob violence. Police also registered a case against those engaged in rioting. Its an unfortunate incident. We have taken the doctor into custody and are investigating incident, senior superintendent of police Mirpurkhas Javed Baloch said. He said a case has been registered and police have established a picket in the town to deal with any untoward incident. The situation is now normal, he said, adding that the police would take action against those who have ransacked properties of the Hindu community. We have detained some suspects on charges of damaging properties, he added. The Mirpurkhas deputy commissioner said the government would compensate those whose properties were damaged during the violence. 'Brexit has been a vaccine against anti-EU propaganda and fake news.' (Photo:AP) Brussels: The tortuous Brexit process has acted as a "vaccine" against anti-EU sentiment across the continent, European Council President Donald Tusk claimed Tuesday. He was speaking after EU leaders met in Brussels to discuss the European Parliament election results, where nationalist and eurosceptic parties made gains but not as many as some feared. "As Europeans see what Brexit means in practice, they also draw conclusions," Tusk told a end-of-summit press conference. "Brexit has been a vaccine against anti-EU propaganda and fake news." He added: "The vast majority voted for a more effective, stronger and united EU while rejecting those who want a weak Europe. This is a powerful sign." EU council chief Donald Tusk votes in European elections European Council chief Donald Tusk casts his vote in European parliamentary elections that are pitting nationalist right against pro-EU forces to chart a course for the bloc. In fact, "as people have become more pro-European, some major Eurosceptic parties have abandoned the anti-EU slogans and presented themselves as EU reformers. This is a positive development," Tusk continued. "I have no doubt that one of the reasons why people on the continent voted for pro-European majority is also Brexit." British Prime Minister Theresa May was among the EU leaders who gathered in Brussels to discuss the future leadership of the bloc, but Tusk said Brexit was not discussed. May updated her colleagues on her resignation announcement last week, a British government source said, but Tusk insisted her presence at the meeting was "something very natural". "She's still British prime minister and the UK is still member of the EU," he said. The official race to succeed May will not start until next week but almost a dozen of her Conservative colleagues have already declared their interest -- many taking a hard line on Brexit. Tusk refused to comment directly but said: "We are all here aware of what is the state of things in London today. Nothing promising, I should say." New Delhi: Citing the close and good relationship with India, Netherlands has expressed optimism in continuing ties with the new government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "We have very good and close cooperation with the Modi government. We can increase investment and trade relations with India. We are looking to intensify cooperation with new Indian govt and under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi," Dutch Ambassador Marten van den Berg told ANI. Speaking on the sidelines of Global Entrepreneurship Summit in New Delhi, Berg said, "Relations between Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Mark Rutte are very good. There are always high expectations and we will definitively continue this good cooperation." Also Read: Modi is 'great man and leader': Donald Trump Talking about the points of collaboration between the two countries, the ambassador added, "As an ambassador, I'm very much looking forward to connecting systems of innovation from the Netherlands to India. Work closely with sustainable development goals." Netherlands and USA are co-hosting the 2019 edition of Global Entrepreneurship Summit at Hague which starts from June 3. The CPEC, the flagship project of President Xi Jinpings Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), has added a practical dimension to the bilateral relationship and further fortified it. (Photo:File) Islamabad: Pakistan and China have agreed to further expand the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) after the top leadership of the two sides held in-depth discussions on Phase-II of the ambitious project, the Foreign Office said on Tuesday. Both countries underscored their firm commitment for early completion of ongoing CPEC projects and to further expanding CPEC, the FO said in a statement at the conclusion of three-day visit of Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan to Pakistan. Wang, 70, is a member of the ruling Communist Party of Chinas (CPC) powerful Politburo Standing Committee. He is also a member of Chinas Parliament, National Peoples Congress and the Central Foreign Affairs Commission, a key foreign affairs body of the CPC. He held detailed talks with Prime Minister Imran Khan and both leaders witnessed signing of a number of agreements/MoUs and inaugurated several key projects. The two sides held in-depth discussions on Phase-II of the CPEC including industrial and agricultural cooperation and socio-economic development, and on deepening practical cooperation in tourism and people-to-people exchanges, the FO said. The CPEC, the flagship project of President Xi Jinpings Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), has added a practical dimension to the bilateral relationship and further fortified it. The FO said that the two countries also agreed to enhance bilateral trade volume in a balanced way. In this respect, they resolved to implement the recently concluded 2nd Phase of China Pakistan Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA) at the earliest, according to FO. They further agreed that the early development of prioritized Special Economic Zones (SEZs) will play an important role in further enhancing economic relations between the two countries. The FO said that the Pakistan-China all-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership is unique in modern inter-state relations, marked by exceptional trust, mutual understanding and support for each others core interests. It said Wangs meetings with Pakistani leadership were marked by traditional warmth and cordiality. His visit provided the opportunity to the leadership of the two countries to review the entire gamut of bilateral relations and exchange views on important regional and international issues of mutual interest, the FO said. It said that the visit imparted a strong impetus to the further deepening of the time-tested friendship between Pakistan and China. It has reinforced the consensus reached between the leadership in their earlier interactions on the multiple dimensions of bilateral cooperation and set the tone for future trajectory of mutual engagement, said FO. Pakistan also conferred its highest civil award, Nishan-e-Pakistan, upon Wang. The Chinese leader also visited Lahore where he met Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and held a meeting with Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar, who hosted a banquet in his honour. Wangs visit was in continuation of high-level exchanges between the two countries, which have acquired an increased momentum since Prime Minister Khans visit to China in November 2018 and his participation in the 2nd Belt and Road Forum in Beijing in April 2019. Regan: McDonald Indeed, good stuff only if you eat that before a debate. Regan: Hey, I just ate Mapo Tofu for dinner. Darn, great minds think alike for special preparations. So why not also import our American cars with no tariff? The Chinese government is levying 15%. Listen, I dont make these calls. But you make sense. Regan: That tofu I just ate is made of the soy beans grown in Iowa. They are pretty popular in China, arent they? So you guys are now buying some soy beans from Brazil. You guys need so much, Brazil is running out and they are buying from us before they sell them to you. So how does that make any sense? Why not slash the tariff and get them directly from us. You make sense again. But we send millions of to the U.S. With them, we send tens of billions dollars to buoy the colleges and universities. Isnt that trade also? Regan: We are talking about scale here. The trade deficit is about 400 billion. China would have to send ten times as many students to make up for the deficit. We really should. Regan: Deal. Lets call Trump and Xi. GIRLS RULE! Alanna Kelly Hazy skies are back in the Okanagan Valley and many are wondering just how long it's going to stick around for. Environment Canada meteorologist Armel Castellan says that even though the smoke is very visible, we aren't reaching an air quality index of moderate or high at this point. Smoke started moving into the Okanagan on Sunday, from the fires burning in Alberta. I am not surprised at all that we are seeing the effects of the [fire], said Castellan. What is interesting is it is a very stable airmass, we are not dealing with a big flush of air." Those with health conditions, infants and the elderly should be aware of the air quality. It remains a low health risk, a level three, Wednesday in Kelowna. It's projected to drop to a two on Thursday. It is not going to change too much, we might see a little bit of convection, thunderstorm potential maybe Thursday or Friday, he said. Temperatures continue to be around 30 C across the Okanagan way above normal, which is typically about 21 C. It doesnt look like it has really any chance at significantly moving away over the next five days, he said. On Saturday, things are expected to make a turn and hopefully the smoke will move out. Castellan points out these conditions are much better than the smoke we had last year. Last summer when things got really crazy was when we had many, many dozens of big fires so this is still manageable for the airshed, he said. Residents should also note that UV levels are very high this time of year, even though it is hazy. Leaders of all BIMSTEC countries have confirmed their participation in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony on Thursday for a second term. Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth and Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov also confirmed their participation at the event, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said President of Bangladesh Abdul Hamid, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, and Prime Minister of Nepal K P Sharma Oli have confirmed their participation at Modi's swearing-in ceremony. He said President of Myanmar U Win Myint and Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering also confirmed their attendance at the event. From Thailand, Kumar said, its Special Envoy Grisada Boonrach will represent the country at the ceremony. "We look forward to receiving the dignitaries in New Delhi for the ceremony," said the MEA spokesperson. India invited leaders of the BIMSTEC countries as well as Kyrgyz President Jeenbekov, the current chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, and Mauritius PM Jugnauth for the Modi's swearing-in. Besides India, BIMSTEC comprises Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal, and Bhutan. In 2014, Modi had invited all SAARC leaders including the then Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif for his swearing-in ceremony, in a major initiative to reach out to the neighbouring countries. However, the invitation to BIMSTEC leaders for the event on Thursday is seen as an attempt to send a signal to Pakistan that India is not willing to engage with it. Sharif's attendance at Modi's swearing-in ceremony in 2014 had triggered hopes of better ties between the two countries. There were several engagements between the leaders of the two countries following Sharif's visit here. However, the ties derailed after the Pathankot terror attack in January 2016. Within hours after her decision to skip Prime Minister Narendra Modis swearing in ceremony, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee has decided to attend a protest demonstration of her party in North 24 Paraganas district on Thursday. According to TMC sources, the chief minister will attend the protest demonstration being held against the alleged attacks on TMC workers by BJP cadres in the Naihati area of the district. The demonstration will be held outside the Naihati Municipality. Out of 32 councilors of the Municipality, 29 joined the BJP on Tuesday in Delhi. The protest is being held against the violence of BJP goons who have forced our workers in Naihati to flee from their homes, a senior TMC leader said. The Municipality is located in the Barrackpore Lok Sabha constituency, which has witnessed violent clashes between TMC and BJP workers during and after the Lok Sabha elections. Two persons have died in these clashes so far. In the Lok Sabha elections, TMC candidate Dinesh Trivedu was defeated by BJPs Arjun Singh, a former TMC MLA. Clashes erupted between TMC and BJP cadres in the Kakinada and Bharpara area of Barrackpore soon after election results were declared. The bypoll for the Bhatpara Assembly constituency in Barrackpore was also marred with violence. Tamil superstar Rajinikanth on Tuesday described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "charismatic" leader like Jawaharlal Nehru and Rajiv Gandhi and attributed the BJP's massive win in the Lok Sabha polls to his individual leadership. He also said that Congress President Rahul Gandhi need not resign following the party's debacle in the Lok Sabha elections, saying he was a youngster and perhaps had not got the cooperation of senior party leaders. Rajinikanth said he would be attending the swearing-in of Modi as Prime Minister on Thursday, following an invitation for him to participate in the event. The veteran star likened Modi to tall leaders of India, including Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, A B Vajpayee, K Kamaraj, C N Annadurai, M G Ramachandran, M Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa. "This Lok Sabha poll victory is a win for the individual leadership called Modi. It is the victory for a charismatic leader," he told reporters here. "In Indian politics, whether at the national level or state, any party will reap wins only on the (popularity) of a leader. He is a charismatic leader," he said about Modi. He noted that the country in the past had charismatic leaders like Nehru, Indira, Rajiv and Vajpayee. "After them (the country) has got Modi, a charismatic leader. If you see in Tamil Nadu, there were charismatic leaders like Kamaraj, Anna, Kalaignar, MGR, Jayalalithaa. Along those lines, this victory is achieved for the leadership of Modi," he said. However, the BJP lost out in southern states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu due to an "anti-Modi wave" though there was a pro-Modi wave in other parts of the country, he noted. "When there is a political wave, one cannot swim against it and will be swept away," he added. The reasons for such an anti-Modi wave in Tamil Nadu included the Sterlite issue in Tuticorin, methane extraction project in Cauvery delta and the "whirlwind campaign" of the opposition, Rajinikanth added. Asked if the issues surrounding NEET and GST had also contributed to the BJP's bad show, he said "definitely." On Congress chief Gandhi's offer to resign, the Tamil superstar said, "He should not resign." "I won't say he lacks leadership qualities. The thing is it is very really difficult to handle the Congress party, it is an age-old party where senior-most people are there." "As a youngster, it is difficult to handle the senior-most people. Even I think, my observation is, the senior Congress leaders -- they had not cooperated well. They had not worked hard," he said. There was no need for Gandhi to resign as an opposition party was as important as the ruling one in a democracy, the veteran star added. "Now the ruling party (BJP) is very strong. I expect the opposition party should also be strong," he said. To a question, he said the Centre should immediately address the "water crisis" in Tamil Nadu and welcomed Union Minister Nitin Gadkari's statement that the Centre was keen on interlinking Godavari and Krishna rivers to provide water to the state. Such a statement came from Gadkari despite the BJP's poor performance in the state, the top actor added. Asked about the performance of Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), led by his contemporary Kamal Haasan in the Lok Sabha polls, he appreciated the party for securing nearly three per cent votes within 14 months of coming into existence. The actor parried questions on his floating a political party, saying "I have said that many times." In December 2017, the veteran star had said he would indeed make the political plunge and contest from all 234 Assembly constituencies in the next Assembly polls in Tamil Nadu, which are due in 2021. The Government has not invited the chief of Tibetan Government in Exile, Lobsang Sangay, to witness Narendra Modi being sworn-in for his second term in office of Prime Minister on Thursday ostensibly to avoid irking Beijing and derailing efforts to mend India-China relations. Sangay was among the guests, who were in the Rashtrapati Bhavan on May 26, 2014 the day Modi was sworn-in to the office of the Prime Minister for the first time. This irked China, which issued a demarche to India, lodging a strong protest over the invitation to the head of Tibetan Government in Exile (TGiE). New Delhi, however, has chosen to tread cautiously this time and decided against sending invitation to the Sikyong (President) of the TGiE for the ceremony to be held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday. READ: Modi 2.0: Oath taking ceremony- All you need to know The Government is unlikely to invite Taiwan's de facto envoy to India, Chung-kwang Tien, too, as his presence at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday could be perceived by Beijing contradictory to New Delhi's One-China policy. The Ambassadors and High Commissioners of several nations based in New Delhi as well as other foreign diplomats have been invited though. Like TGiE chief, Taiwan's envoy to India too attended the first swearing-in ceremony of Modi Government in 2014. Sources told the DH in New Delhi that no invitation had been sent to the office of Sangay to attend the ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday, when Modi and his new Council of Ministers would be administered the oath of office by President Ram Nath Kovind. Sangay is currently on a visit to the United States. No one else on behalf of the TGiE will attend the ceremony, as his office has not received any invitation till late in the evening on Wednesday, sources said. The TGiE a.k.a. Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) is based at Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh in northern India. Sangay first took the top office of the TGiE in April 2011 after he was elected by the exiled Tibetans living in settlements across India. A few months later, Dalai Lama, who has been the face of Tibetans struggle to free their homeland from Chinese Governments rule since 1959, delegated his political power to the elected head of the TGiE. Sangay was re-elected to the office in April 2016. The Chinese Government has been accusing Dalai Lama as well as the TGiE of leading a separatist movement. Beijing has been protesting over foreign leaders meeting Dalai Lama. It has also been sensitive about visits and other activities of Dalai Lama and the TGiE chief in India and other foreign countries. Beijing had perceived New Delhis invitation to Sangay for the first swearing-in ceremony of Modi in May 2014 as a prelude to lending some legitimacy to the TGiE and giving it some degree of official recognition. New Delhi decided against annoying Beijing this time in view of the efforts by both sides over the past one-and-a-half-years to mend the ties, which had hit a new low over the 72-day-long stand-off between Indian Army and Peoples Liberation Army of China at Doklam Plateau in western Bhutan in June-August 2017. The informal summit between Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at Wuhan in central China in April 2018 brought about a thaw in complex bilateral relations. Ahead of the informal summit, Modi Government issued an advisory asking senior leaders and government functionaries in the states as well as at the Centre to stay away from events attended by Dalai Lama. The advisory fuelled speculation that India was shifting from its traditional approach on Dalai Lama and the exiled Tibetans to avert any complication in its efforts to bring back on track its ties with China. Besides, although the TGiE wanted to hold a Thank You India in New Delhi to mark the beginning of the 60th anniversary of Dalai Lama's escape to India in 1959, Modi Government made it scale down the event and shift its venue from the capital to Dharamshala. Beijing also nudged New Delhi in July 2018 to virtually re-assert its adherence to One-China policy and make Air India to change Taiwan with Chinese Taipei in the list of destinations on its website. Taiwan strongly reacted, stating that the move by Air India could be seen as a gesture by India of succumbing to the unreasonable and absurd pressure from China. New Delhi had earlier refrained from reaffirming its commitment to One-China policy for almost eight years. India and China last year had a series of engagements, including several bilateral meetings between the leaders of the two nations on the sideline of the multilateral conclaves. China on May 1 dropped its policy of shielding terrorists based in Pakistan from United Nations sanctions and stood aside to let the Security Council impose sanctions on the JeM chief Masood Azhar. It came as a shot in the arm for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, which highlighted it in its campaign as a diplomatic victory of Modi Government. Modi is also likely to host Xi for the second informal summit, which is likely to be held in October somewhere in New Delhi. Presidents or Prime Ministers of most of the other BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) will visit New Delhi to attend the swearing-in ceremony on Thursday. Prayut Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister of Thailand, will send a special envoy to attend the ceremony. Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth of Mauritius and President Sooronbay Jeenbekov of Kyrgyz Republic have also accepted the invitation from New Delhi and will attend the ceremony. Jeenbekov also holds the chair of Shanghai Cooperation Organization. I recently learned that the RV sani dump at the Kelowna Canadian Tire is now closed permanently due to continued vandalism. This will have a severe detrimental effect on both local and tourist RV travellers. I hope Canadian Tire will reconsider, even if it means installing a pay system that is less susceptible to vandalism. As far as I know, there are only two other public dumps at gas stations anywhere in Kelowna or West Kelowna. Gord Marshall, Kelowna Paul McHugh, 87, is a psychiatrist and professor at Baltimores Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. McHugh is best known as psychiatrys most outspoken critic and skeptic of the crazes that periodically overtake his specialty. In her recent Weekend Interview with McHugh, Wall Street Journal contributor Abigail Shrier observed, either hes crazy, or all the other psychiatrists are. Hes not crazy. Shrier writes that psychiatry has fallen under the sway of a dizzying number of crazes. Fads such as ADHD, anorexia nervosa and recovered memory, devoid of organizing principles intrinsic to every medical discipline, destroy lives, displace centuries-old moral and societal customs, and lead to gross miscarriages of justice. McHughs expert testimony has exonerated several defendants wrongfully accused of child abuse. McHugh argues that practitioners often employ what he calls DSM checklist psychiatry matching up symptoms from the Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) with the goal of achieving diagnosis rather than inquiring deeply into the sources and nature of an affliction. I agree. In the 1980s Dr. McHugh became a leading opponent of so-called recovered-memory therapy. He argues that recovered memories are iatrogenic -a Greek word meaning brought on by the healer implanted by the therapeutic process that purports to discover them. Twenty-five years ago, a Chester County psychology practice wrought havoc in the lives of many local families through its controversial detachment theory and fostering recovered memories of parental abuse. Pennsylvanias Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs eventually sleepwalked an intervention to revoke the co-founders credentials and their dangerous and unprofessional counseling techniques. I knew the parents of a troubled daughter who were crushed by her recovered memories of sexual abuse. The daughter in turn was victimized by the purveyors of this psychiatric craze. Although her mother courageously led the fight to debunk the accusations and their source, the psychic scars are permanent. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is another example of iatrogenesis. In the United States PTSD is treated as a chronic disease with its chronic invalids on permanent disability at taxpayer expense. McHugh points out that Israel Defense Forces veterans are taken out of battle temporarily. They are counseled that the condition is not permanent. After a few weeks rest, theyre returned to their units. I once knew a Vietnam vet on PTSD-related disability. He lived well, drove a Corvette, enjoyed the company of the opposite sex, while good-naturedly taunting friends for financing his lifestyle. Similarly, the attorneys general of several states cynically blaming drug companies for the opioid crisis should instead target child psychiatrists for treating adolescence as a pathology and psychiatric drugs its cure. When a generation of teens and children as young as 8 are routinely prescribed Adderall and Ritalin for painful or uncomfortable feelings (now all newly discovered diseases such as ADHD, depression, and anxiety), we shouldnt be surprised when as young adults they turn to opioids to cope with the stresses of adulthood too terrible to face drug-free. The world needs more Paul McHughs to bring sanity to a profession teeming with crazes. I suspect many Kelowna residents were deeply disturbed by the recent personal threats against Mayor Colin Basran. I commend him for being courageous and confronting the bully. However, saying to those we chat with that you find this incident troubling, is simply no longer enough. We who rely on our elected officials to lead and guide our community, who are troubled by the precipitous decline in civil discourse, and who are concerned or even frightened about the increasingly abusive and threatening use of online platforms, can no longer be passive bystanders. If you disagree with decisions made by city council you have the right to say so, write letters to print or online media, and speak out it is your right to do so, but that is pretty much it. Mayor Basran was absolutely within his legal right, as set out in the Municipal Act, to ask for a bylaw to be brought back to council. Comments in the media about him knowing the developer or receiving campaign contributions from the applicant are simply muckraking and are a blatant attempt to stir up trouble when there is nothing that could substantiate such comments. We cannot have governance by those who show up and yell the loudest or those who take to social media to malign or threaten in an attempt to get their own way. That is anarchy and would make our beautiful city unliveable. None of us agrees with every decision council makes that is unachievable and simply not how democratically elected governments work. Councils decisions must reflect the wellbeing of our whole community not just your street, my neighbourhood, or our view. The mayor has one vote out of nine he legally had the power to ask for the bylaw to be brought back to council and the majority of council voted in favour. Being a politician these days is a really, really tough job, even without the unregulated fallout of online comments. I believe we all have a civic responsibility to step forward, speak our condemnation this kind of behaviour, and let our mayor know we support him and his family and thank him for having the courage to out the bully. Sharron J. Simpson, Kelowna Most business ideas are neither objectively good nor bad. The quality of an idea for you (as a founder) depends on your goals, your skill set, and your risk tolerance. Even the quintessential lousy idea of trying to build the next Facebook is not necessarily a bad idea. Someone will eventually pull it off it just comes with an enormous amount of risk and requires one hell of a skill set. So given a list of potential ideas, how should one go about picking The One? It turns out humans are pretty bad at comparing things. If idea X will take three months to build and has a large addressable market, is it better or worse than idea Y that will take one month to make but has a slightly smaller market? Whos to say? It gets even trickier the more variables you consider. Theres a better way that I first heard articulated by Jason Cohen: instead of trying to rank your ideas, run them through a set of filters to eliminate those that dont fit. Why am I starting a company? Before trying to establish my filters, I need to understand why Im doing this in the first place. Do I want to change the world by creating innovative new products? Do I aspire to make a life-changing sum of money and retire early? Am I just tired of working for someone else? My primary motivation is to earn a comfortable living for my family, with a bit left over to fund causes for which I have a passion. I want to achieve predictable product revenue that does not directly correlate with the number of hours I work. I want the freedom to build products that are interesting to me as a maker. I love to strategize, design, and create. I dont enjoy managing people. Eventually, I want the ability to take a month off of work without negatively impacting the business. What are my growth ambitions? Its glamorous to imagine coming up with a bold idea, wooing investors, and hiring best-in-class people to execute on the vision. And yet, the venture capital track comes with a high degree of risk (most fail), a strong growth mandate (fast-paced, long hours), and people management. I know Im not interested in trying to build the next unicorn. Paul Graham wouldnt even call what I want to do a startup: A startup is a company designed to grow fast. Millions of companies are started every year in the US. Only a tiny fraction are startups. Most are service businesses restaurants, barbershops, plumbers, and so on. These are not startups, except in a few unusual cases. A barbershop isnt designed to grow fast. Whereas a search engine, for example, is. Like the barbershop owner, I want a small business only I happen to be selling software products on the internet instead of haircuts on a neighborhood corner. Narrowing down my options Since I want to bootstrap my next venture, the market must already exist. There should be competitors attempting to serve the market (but perhaps not doing a great job of it). Im relatively risk-averse, so an MVP must be shippable within a few months. Its hard to know upfront if this is possible, but I can confidently eliminate ideas that I know will take a long time. The product must be valuable to a particular niche, even when its new. The product should not be mission-critical. By mission-critical, I mean so vital that even a short period of downtime will have a significant impact on my customers businesses. Making a sale shouldnt require more than a few decision makers. A counter-example would be a product like Slack, which requires buy-in from every stakeholder in a company to adopt. Native apps should not be a minimum requirement. These days, users have come to expect native desktop and mobile clients for specific categories of applications (communication, project management, and note-taking, to name a few). Its hard enough building for one platform as a small operator, let alone three or four platforms. Since I regularly invest in growing my following on Twitter and my weekly podcast, the market should overlap with my existing audience. Knowing when to compromise My filters look like this right now: The market must already exist MVP must be shippable within a few months The product should not be mission-critical Making a sale shouldnt require more than a few decision makers Native apps should not be a minimum requirement The market should overlap with my existing audience There is no perfect business idea, and I may have to compromise on some of these criteria thats okay. I expect these to evolve as I gain more clarity. I have a handful of filters that didnt make it on the list (at least for now). Most of these have to do with avoiding the annoying things Ive encountered in previous businesses. Dealing with email blacklists and spammers at Drip was exhausting. Trying not to get obliterated by Google at HitTail was frightening. One time I prototyped a lead generation tool based on the Twitter API, only to see the APIs get deprecated not long after. Its tempting to keep a growing list of things I will never do again, but Im trying to resist. It sounds counterintuitive, but I may even intentionally pursue a problem Ive tackled in the past since I already know what to expect and how to get ahead of some of the challenges. No business exists in a vacuum. There will always be parts that keep you up at night but hopefully not too often! In January 1865 several dozen members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints established a settlement called St. Thomas at the confluence of the Muddy and Virgin Rivers in Clark County, Nevada. Its namesake was Thomas Smith, one of the settlers. By 1866, 45 families were building homes and planting crops in the Muddy River Valley. In 1869, when explorer John Wesley Powell floated out of the Grand Canyon and left the Colorado River, he was met by several locals. His journal records: Bishop Leithhead of St. Thomas and two or three other Mormons are coming down with a wagon, bringing us supplies. Powell and his brother went to St. Thomas with the bishop and on to Salt Lake City (see "The Exploration of the Colorado River and its Canyons," by J.W. Powell, page 287). Formal surveying later revealed that St. Thomas was actually in Nevada, not Utah or Arizona. Tax collectors then demanded back taxes for several years in gold or silver. Not believing that the taxes would end up in the proper hands, the residents of St. Thomas voted to leave after receiving permission from President Brigham Young. St. Thomas was later repopulated by other settlers. Decades later, the residents of St. Thomas learned that their town would soon be covered by the waters of Lake Mead soon to be created by Boulder (later Hoover) Dam. It was eventually covered by 60-70 feet of water. In recent years, the lake level has lowered sufficiently to allow the ruins of St. Thomas to reappear. Many of the foundations of homes and businesses are now visible. (Much of the information above comes from interpretive panels at the site of St. Thomas.) SALT LAKE CITY With spring rains apparently beginning to dissipate, and with summer beaming on the horizon, its time to lie in the grass and ponder some recent developments. Be bold Utah lawmakers are hinting they want to consider big, bold ideas when it comes to tax reform. These, according to Senate Majority Whip Dan Hemmert, R-Orem, might even include the crazy idea of drop-kicking the income tax entirely. That would put Utah on a par with neighboring Nevada and Wyoming. Thats bold, all right. The million-dollar (or much more, actually) question, is whether you, the average Utahn, would vote to make this happen. Whether you realize it or not, you would have the final say. The income tax is written into the state constitution, as is the requirement that all its proceeds go toward public and higher education. Utahs constitution cant be changed without a vote of the people. A little history: Just like the sales tax, the state income tax was born during the Great Depression, apparently under the theory that the best way to fix a struggling economy was to take more money out of the pockets of the people. In the beginning, 75 percent of the relatively small income tax went toward public education, with schools receiving the bulk of their funding from the property tax, according to a 2010 briefing paper by the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel. But during World War II, schools began asking for more money, which created a crisis, of sorts, for the general fund. A committee took a couple of years to study the problem, culminating in a constitutional amendment in 1946 to give 100 percent of the income tax to schools. So what happens if lawmakers say its time to turn back the clock? For most Utahns, income taxes always have gone hand in hand with schools. You can imagine what the rhetoric and campaign ads would be like with such a thing on the ballot. The Utah Education Association, and perhaps others, would argue that schools would be short-changed; that the income tax is growing with the economy and that it at least provides a guaranteed source of money. The other side would argue that income taxes are bad for economic development and that, contrary to what politicians said nearly 90 years ago, they dont help the economy. You may hate the income tax, but if it went away, rest assured that property and sales taxes would have to increase to make up the difference. So, given all this, would you vote yes? Read more: "Jay Evensen: So, why do we need tax reform in Utah?" Budgeting disaster? Utah Sens. Mike Lee and Mitt Romney have a novel idea. They are sponsoring a bill that would require the federal government to fund disaster relief from within the budget. Add a line item estimating what this might be each year, then spend only within that budget. This, they believe, would require Washington to face difficult financial realities and stop simply borrowing money it doesnt have. Which is actually rather humorous. Only in Washington would the idea of budgeting for disasters be considered controversial. Businesses build in contingencies for repairs or other predictable problems. Responsible adults budget for car repairs, doctor visits, etc. Of course, given the enormous yearly budget deficit, even if Congress budgets for disasters, that would mean borrowing money. Whats that in the sky? Utah soon may become a landing strip for astronauts using Boeings Starliner spaceship. That makes sense, given the vast stretches of empty land in this remote state. Still, it would be more fitting, and fun, if everyone involved would instead choose Nevadas Area 51, where lore has it the government once captured aliens and not the kind trying to get here from Mexico. Water! Water! You know you live in the West when that simple explanation can have two meanings. Farmers in Utah have been complaining for years about drought. Now they are struggling to keep their heads above water. Crops arent growing as they should. Animals arent getting enough hay. If history is any guide, however, Utahns wont have to wait long for hot, dry weather to return, and for people to begin complaining that its nuts to sell fireworks in July. SALT LAKE CITY Wearing a mechanics coverall, Joe McQueen stepped into Brad Wheelers bar on Ogdens 25th Street, refused to pay a cover charge and gave the blues musician booked that night a hard time. The musician was A.C. Reed Buddy Guys former saxophonist but to McQueen, it made no difference. Joe doesnt really care about blues or rock 'n roll he just thinks its the worst music in the world, Wheeler said with a laugh. Hes into jazz. That happened about 20 years ago, and it was the first time Wheeler, then 27, had ever seen McQueen. Id only heard stories about him growing up, he said. He was almost like Keyser Soze a guy someone talks about but nobody ever really saw. But for Wheeler, McQueen ceased to be a mythical figure that day. Eager to hear the saxophonists tales of life as an African American musician in the 1940s, frequenting Ogdens jazz clubs and connecting with the likes of Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker and Count Basie, Wheeler called McQueen up the next morning. We can hang out right now, McQueen told him. After arriving at McQueens house, Wheeler quickly learned that hang out meant performing manual labor and helping McQueen lay cement. He just put me right to work. It was like Mr. Miyagi and the Karate Kid, he said. I was like, What is going on? This old guy is working me over. But over cement, an unlikely friendship gradually began to form between a 27-year-old blues musician who thought all jazz songs sounded the same and a jazz musician in his late 70s who had zero interest in the blues. And over the years, McQueen has grown from being a mythical figure to an integral figure in Wheelers life. I dont know how to say it; I guess we fell in love with each other, Wheeler said. Which is why Wheeler knew he needed to do something special for McQueens 100th birthday on May 30. Although McQueen is reaching a century of life experience, according to Wheeler, the only thing slowing down about the musician was his horn one hed been blowing on for decades. So Wheeler contacted the Sandy-based company Cannonball Musical Instruments earlier this year to see if theyd be willing to gift McQueen a new horn. Hes playing more than people a quarter of his age. I know 25-year-olds that would kill for six gigs a month. Hes got five gigs this week! Wheeler said. What else would you get him? A couple of weeks later, at the end of January, Wheeler was at the factory with McQueen, watching him take his pick between two horns one silver and the other gold. Ive never been a silver man, he recalled McQueen saying. So McQueen picked up and held the gold horn for about 45 minutes before even playing a note, Wheeler said. And soon after that, to McQueens surprise, the company engraved his signature on the saxophone. Ive never seen him get like a kid like that, Wheeler said. He and that horn are bonding. I havent seen the other saxophone in a long time. I lean on him an awful lot. I get a lot of strength from him being alive. Brad Wheeler Audiences have a chance to see and hear McQueens new horn Wednesday, May 29, at the Gallivan Center in downtown Salt Lake City, and Friday, May 31, at the Lighthouse Lounge in Ogden. The performances celebrate McQueens 100th birthday, and Wheeler will be there to celebrate right along with him because these days, the two are practically inseparable. I lean on him an awful lot, Wheeler said. I get a lot of strength from him being alive. The Lord listens to Joe The strong bond between Wheeler and McQueen has only gotten stronger since an accident three years ago. Today, the specific details of the incident are fuzzy to Wheeler: McQueen, then a month shy of his 97th birthday, was parallel parking and trying to back into a tight space. Wheeler got out to help, standing behind the car and guiding McQueen. I was looking at the rearview mirror we were both looking at each other in the eye and I heard the car go clunk clunk like it (went) into park and then something weird happened, like the car just revved up real quick, Wheeler said. And then all of a sudden the car shot backwards. That motion left Wheeler pinned between two cars, his right leg degloved from behind his knee down to his ankle. He still remembers seeing his own blood. I started getting cold and I started getting tired and I started getting scared and I thought I was going to die, Wheeler said. I literally told Joe, I think Im going to die. I think this is it. I said, Joe you need to tell my mom that I love her cause this is it. And hes like, Im not going to let you die. Im not going to let you die, you hear me? While waiting for the ambulance, McQueen created a tourniquet using Wheelers belt to try to limit the flow of blood. But its what McQueen did next that has since had the greatest influence on Wheeler. He got down on one knee at 97 years old, and he held my head and he held my hand and he started praying, Wheeler said as he began to cry. When you think youre going to die, to see somebody that you love look you in the eye and give you comfort I know the Lord listens to Joe, thats all I can really say. McQueen continued to comfort Wheeler as he recovered in the hospital, encouraging him to be a light to his fellow patients who were in pain and suffering. I tell all my friends, if youre going to get run over, you better hope its by Joe McQueen, Wheeler said with a laugh. Theres no other way I would have survived it. The whole experience has transformed me. Im a much more spiritual person. Because of that experience, its not always easy for Wheeler to talk about McQueen without getting emotional. The first day the pair met, McQueen was a legend to Wheeler, a musical icon of Ogden lore who once bluntly told Louis Armstrong he didnt like his style. Now, though still a bit rough around the edges, hes a spiritual anchor who reminds Wheeler to never pray to the Lord and ask him for something unless youre asking for somebody else. These days, especially, the two are like family. Wheeler, who over the years has developed a spot-on impression of McQueen, said the jazz legend has recently started introducing him to people as his grandson something that has meant the world to Wheeler. And whats been most impressive to Wheeler is that even as McQueen approaches 100 and continues to be a legendary figure in Utahs music scene, the saxophonist has never lost sight of what really matters. Joe is a humble person. Hes never done any of this stuff to be famous; hes always done it because he loves it, Wheeler said. But hes so much more proud of the fact that he and (his wife) Thelma (will) have been married 75 years on June 10. Joe said to me, Brad, when I die, the first thing Im going to do is check on (my wife Thelma) and the next thing Ill do is come and check on you, Wheeler continued. "I will always be a part of you. If you go What: Joe McQueen Quartet When: Wednesday, May 29, 7:30 p.m. Where: Gallivan Center, 239 S. Main How much: Free Web: Excellenceconcerts.org Also ... What: Joe McQueen Quartet When: Friday, May 31, 8 p.m. Where: Lighthouse Lounge, 130 25th St., Ogden How much: $10 cover charge SALT LAKE CITY Who are hate crime laws designed to protect? In theory, everyone. But debate over the meaning and purpose of the laws has reignited with the recent passage of hate crime laws in several states, including Utah and Indiana. While hate crime laws protect members of all groups, they aren't often seen in that light, said Jack Levin, a professor emeritus at Northeastern University and co-director of the Brudnick Center on Violence and Conflict. Hate crime laws vary widely across the United States in terms of the groups and characteristics they designate as protected, raising questions about whether the laws are designed with those who have historically been discriminated against in mind, or merely serve as a reflection of the political values of the state in which they are instituted. Indiana's hate crime bill, which was signed into law by Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb on April 3, has come under scrutiny for not including age, sex, gender or gender identity as protected characteristics. Prior attempts to pass a hate crime law in Indiana that would have included a more comprehensive list of protected characteristics "failed amid fierce opposition from conservatives who said it would unfairly create specially protected classes of victims and wrongly restrict free speech," The Associated Press reported. State Sen. Daniel Thatcher, R-West Valley City, faced a related problem in trying to get a hate crime bill enacted in Utah over the course of multiple years. Thatcher said the original hate crime bill he proposed included the same characteristics protected by federal law, which defines a hate crime as a "criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender's bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender or gender identity." But the hate crime measure that Republican Gov. Gary Herbert signed into law on April 2 included a slew of other protected characteristics, such as age, familial status, homelessness, marital status, matriculation, political expression, service in the U.S. Armed Forces, status as an emergency responder and status as a law enforcement officer. What these categories mean is that if a perpetrator commits a criminal act against someone that is motivated by, say, the victim's specific age, or whether they are homeless, they will face increased legal penalties for that action. "At the end of the day, every single category that's included in our bill that's not currently included" in the FBI definition "is there because that's what it took to get the votes to pass the bill," Thatcher said. For Thatcher, including the additional categories was a "pretty small price to pay to get meaningful legislation passed." "The importance of protecting the traditional categories that are included in federal law and tracked by the FBI far outweighs the awkwardness of adding non-standard categories," he added. Experts say that over time, there has been a push, often politically motivated, to widen the scope of groups and characteristics protected by hate crime legislation, often due to a misunderstanding of both the purpose of hate crime laws and their material effects. "We have to be careful, because we could expand this to the point where it's a meaningless law," Levin said. The politics of protection The first iteration of federal hate crime law, which was signed by Lyndon Johnson in 1968, aimed to "protect people who were targeted because of their race, religion and related characteristics," Levin said. Over time, the list of characteristics protected by federal hate crime legislation expanded from race, color, religion and national origin to include actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and disability. Although there is a federal hate crime statute, the federal government "doesn't have the resources to enforce its law against all hate crimes nationwide," which is why state hate crime statutes are necessary, according to Vox. However, state hate crime laws vary widely, and five states Wyoming, Arkansas, Indiana, Georgia, and South Carolina do not have hate crime laws at all, according to the Anti-Defamation League. (Seth Brysk, a regional director for the Anti-Defamation League, said that Indiana's hate crime law does not meet the organization's standard for an effective statute.) Of the 45 states that do have hate crime laws, each state protects race, religion and ethnicity; 32 cover disability; 31 sexual orientation; 31 gender; and 17 gender identity, according to data from the Anti-Defamation League. A few states protect other characteristics, such as age or political affiliation. Why has the list of protected categories in hate crime legislation changed over time, and why do different states define those categories differently? Part of the answer has to do with shifting conceptions of who is at risk, Levin said. "Gender, for example, was not considered a hate crime category until recently, but it certainly seems to fit when you consider the frequency with which women have been attacked and harassed over the years," he said. "Thanks to the #MeToo movement, these episodes have come out into the open ... and they are certainly seen for the first time as possible categories of hate crimes." "As political situations change, people become more concerned with the conditions" of different groups, Levin added. In some states, one of these groups is police officers. In 2016, Louisiana became the first state to include law enforcement officers in its hate crime law, according to The New York Times. The law was a product of the "Blue Lives Matter" movement, itself a response to the "Black Lives Matter" movement, which critiques law enforcement's treatment of the African American community. Members of "Blue Lives Matter" have argued that the protests led by "Black Lives Matter" have endangered police and sparked targeted attacks against them, although data shows that attacks on police have been decreasing. In the first few months of 2017, an additional 32 "Blue Lives Matter" bills were introduced across the country with the aim of including law enforcement officers as a protected category in hate crime legislation, the Huffington Post reported. The "irony" of including law enforcement officials in hate crime statutes is that there are already "enhanced penalties for assaulting a police officer" in many states, said James Nolan, a professor of sociology at West Virginia University and a former unit chief in the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Crime Analysis, Research and Development Unit. Nolan said part of the reason why certain groups are pushing to be included in hate crime legislation has to do with a fundamental aspect of human nature: The prioritization of the self, and the distinction we make between ourselves and others. People say, "'Look at my life, it matters too. I'm being discriminated against. What about me?'" Nolan said. "We don't see that the 'other' is us, and that by protecting the people who are being harmed the most, we're really protecting ourselves," Nolan said. The purpose of hate crime laws What most people dont understand about hate crime legislation is that it protects everyone, not just minority groups, Levin said. People think hate crime legislation only protects blacks, or Jews, or Muslims, Levin said. Not true. It also protects whites and Christians. It protects everybody. After all, We all have a race, Nolan said. We all have a religious affiliation, even if were areligious. Indeed, the Federal Bureau of Investigations Uniform Crime Reporting program collects data on hate crimes motivated by biases ranging from anti-Arab to anti-white, anti-Catholic to anti-atheism, anti-gay to anti-heteorosexual, and anti-female to anti-male. But there tends to be a fear among certain groups, especially conservatives, that hate crime legislation is skewed in one direction, Thatcher said. The idea that some victims are more equal than others that its worse to hit someone of one color than someone of another color is inherently wrong to most conservatives. State Sen. Daniel Thatcher, R-West Valley City The idea that some victims are more equal than others that its worse to hit someone of one color than someone of another color is inherently wrong to most conservatives, Thatcher said. But, he added, this is a fundamental misunderstanding of hate crime law. Its not about one victim being more valuable than another victim. Its about one offender being more dangerous than another offender by deciding to target someone for a crime based on the victim's inherent characteristics, Thatcher said. Hate crime statutes serve both a material and symbolic purpose: They increase the legal penalties for perpetrators who target victims based on a specific characteristic, but they also "send a message back to the perpetrator ... that we do not tolerate intolerance," Levin said. Although hate crimes are notoriously difficult to prosecute, the laws do have a material effect. In fiscal year 2018, the U.S. Department of Justice charged 27 defendants in 22 cases and obtained 30 convictions for federal hate crime offenses. (However, this represents just a small fraction of the total hate crimes reported to the FBI, a number that is itself regarded as a vast underestimate.) But some protected categories appear to be included in hate crime statutes almost solely for symbolic or political reasons. In the case of Utahs hate crime statute, The fact of the matter is that most of these (categories) will never be considered in prosecuting hate crimes, Thatcher said. Im not aware of a single hate crime based on age. Im not aware of a single hate crime based on matriculation or marital status. In addition, other laws already permit enhanced penalties for criminal acts committed against members of certain groups, which has raised questions as to why those groups should also be protected by hate crime legislation. For example, as Nolan pointed out, many states already enforce enhanced penalties for crimes committed against police officers. And although Utah already has enhanced penalties for crimes committed against children, age is still a protected characteristic in its hate crime statute. "Since it's easier to prove the assault of a child rather than proving a child was assaulted because of his age, no one's ever really going to use the hate crime portion" to prosecute assaults committed against children "unless there's a glut of evidence that the attack" was motivated by the victim's age, Thatcher said. Catch-22 Part of the political turmoil that surrounds hate crime legislation has to do with its optics. By only enumerating certain aspects of people's identities their race, their sexuality, their age, their gender it appears that the other, infinite, aspects of people's identities aren't protected, and thus aren't important. Some states have tried to avoid this problem by not identifying any protected groups in their hate crime legislation, arguing that by not naming any groups, everyone is protected. But this tactic hasn't proved effective. In 2000, Georgia passed a hate crimes law that didn't specify any protected groups, and it was struck down by the Georgia Supreme Court for being "unconstitutionally vague." And before Utah passed its hate crime statute in April, it had a hate crime law that also didn't identify protected groups, which The Associated Press referred to as "essentially unenforceable." But the alternative identifying every possible group as a protected category is neither practical nor effective, and would ultimately miss the point of what hate crime legislation was created to do, Levin said. "Hate crime laws shouldn't be passed for temporary fluctuations in behavior towards groups," Levin said. "The long-term trend has to be considered." "And we know African Americans have been killed disproportionately over the long term," he added. "But that's not true of police officers." SALT LAKE CITY Criminal charges were filed Tuesday against a Salt Lake man who police say pulled a woman out of her minivan and carjacked her vehicle while her 4-year-old girl was still inside. Derek Orr, 29, is charged with aggravated robbery and child kidnapping, both first-degree felonies. The felonies are the latest in what has been a violent past couple of months for Orr, according to police. About 1:30 p.m. on May 16, a woman was on 2100 South near 645 East waiting to make a U-turn in her minivan when Orr approached her vehicle, "opened her door and demanded she get out of the car," according to charging documents. "The man pushed (her) out of the minivan and drove away with her 4-year-old daughter," the charges state. The woman began screaming that "he had taken her baby." A short time later, a person pulled into Publik Coffee, 975 S. West Temple, "and noticed a little girl crying and asking for 'Mommy,'" the charges state. The witness took the girl into the coffee shop where it was later determined she was the kidnapped girl. Investigators identified Orr using surveillance video from a store he went into before the carjacking where he "demanded car keys and acted aggressively" toward several employees, according to court documents. A few days later, based on a tip, a SWAT team surrounded a Salt Lake home and took Orr into custody. Orr told detectives that "when he realized there was a child in the car with him, he pulled over and let the child out. (Orr) could not remember where he dropped the child off or where he left the car," the charges state. Prosecutors have asked for a high bail of $250,000. The charges on Tuesday come one week after he was charged in 3rd District Court with theft, a second-degree felony; failing to stop for police, a third-degree felony; reckless endangerment, a class A misdemeanor; and causing an accident involving damage, a class C misdemeanor. Those charges were filed after Orr was found inside a stolen car, but then drove recklessly out of a parking lot when Unified police attempted to arrest him, nearly hitting pedestrians and other vehicles, according to charging documents. Also in May, Orr was charged in Davis County with failing to stop for police and reckless endangerment when he allegedly hit a North Salt Lake police officer's car while trying to avoid arrest, and then led officers on a chase that reached speeds of 100 mph before police terminated their pursuit due to public safety. In April, Orr was charged with retail theft, a third-degree felony, for attempting to steal about $121 worth of merchandise from Kohl's, charging documents state. Orr also currently faces another felony theft charges in a separate case. OGDEN Criminal charges against a man shot nine times when police say he refused to drop two knives in his hands were filed Tuesday, the same day it was announced the officers who shot him have been found legally justified and returned to duty. Jamal Samuel Bell, 28, of Ogden, was charged in 2nd District Court with four counts of assault against a peace officer, a second-degree felony, and criminal mischief, a class A misdemeanor. On March 23, a neighbor reported hearing loud arguing between a man and woman inside and outside a downstairs apartment at 2510 N. Charleston Ave in Harrisville, the charges state. The neighbor said fighting had been "an ongoing problem between the two," police wrote. "The complainant stated the fight had been going on for approximately an hour and was getting more aggressive, with items being thrown and doors being slammed, waking residents. It was also reported that alcohol and weapons were possibly involved," according to a statement from attorneys on behalf of Harrisville City. The neighbor reported that the fight appeared to turn physical while the couple was outside the complex in the parking lot. "The complainant could see the male grab the female in a bear hug, and saw the female physically punching the male. This action by the couple led the complainant to make the 911 call," the charges state. When two Harrisville officers arrived at the apartment, they saw that the front door had been "forced open," police said. The officers pushed the door the rest of the way open but did not go inside. They called out from outside, announcing their presence. Officers could see a knife on the floor, as well as items that had been broken or knocked over, according to the charges. Eventually, Bell came into the officers' view, walking down the hallway with two "large knives" in his hands and glaring, police said. "Bell walked directly toward the officers but did not say anything to them," the charges state. Body camera footage released in April showed the dramatic standoff. One officer pulled his gun from its holster and pointed it at Bell, while telling him to put the knives down. The other officer also pulled out his gun while both officers began walking backwards, according to court documents. Bell continued to walk in the officers' direction. One officer announced that he was switching to his Taser, after which police say Bell turned around and started walking back toward the apartment. Bell then turned around and again faced the officers, the charges state. One officer fired his Taser at Bell, but it was unsuccessful, police wrote. Bell tried to shut the door but because the door jamb was broken, an officer was able to open the door with his foot, the charges state. Inside the home, Bell continued facing the officers with the knives in both hands and officers continued telling him to put them down, court documents state. "Bell verbally did not respond, but spread both hands out to his side," police said. Two other officers heard yelling as they arrived at the apartment, the charges state. When Bell began again walking toward the door, three officers fired their guns and struck him several times. He was taken to a hospital for treatment. The statement from Harrisville officials announced that Weber County Attorney Chris Allred had found the three officers who shot Bell legally justified in using deadly force. A review by the city also concluded that the officers acted within policy in the shooting and cleared them to return to duty. "The officers did everything they could to try to resolve the situation without using lethal force and gave Bell every opportunity to end the situation peacefully," according to Harrisville's statement. "The city is grateful that the officers were not physically injured and that their body camera recordings captured what occurred during the chilling confrontation with Bell." Bell was shot nine times, according to a search warrant affidavit, but survived. The woman involved in the fight with Bell reported he "came home intoxicated and they started to argue." During the fight, Bell allegedly broke the woman's phone. She later locked him out of the apartment, but he kicked the door open and broke the door jamb, police said, and began breaking items in the home. Help for people in abusive relationships can be found by contacting the YWCA's Women in Jeopardy program at 801-537-8600, or the confidential statewide Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-897-LINK (5465). Resources are also available online at udvc.org. SALT LAKE CITY Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper warned the Democratic Party of leaning too far to the left as it prepares for the 2020 presidential election, NPR reports. Hickenlooper told NPR that he doesnt think some of the Democratic Party's recent policy proposals like the Green New Deal will sit well with most common voters and could put the Democrats too far to the left on the political spectrum. "If we don't stand up and say that we Democrats don't stand for socialism, we're going to end up reelecting the worst president this country's ever had," Hickenlooper said. Hickenlooper said that the Democrats will need to focus on kitchen table issues if they want to have a shot at competing in 2020 battleground states, like Ohio, Michigan and North Carolina. Certainly we want to address income inequality. Right. Absolutely we want to make sure that women have a right to choose, that civil rights and social justice are addressed aggressively, he said. But we've also got to recognize to win in Ohio and Michigan and North Carolina and Wisconsin, we're going to have to get more to those kitchen table issues that have to do with somebody's job, or how many jobs they're having to work just to balance a household budget. Hickenlooper recently talked about gun issues while on the campaign trail, according to The Denver Post. He said he hopes the 2020 election will create an opportunity to reassess gun laws. Every great social triumph was built on the ashes of previous failures, Hickenlooper said to a crowd in Connecticut. Were at a point now where we have critical mass. I really feel now were at an inflection point, where if everyone continues their efforts in the next year or two, after 2020 we will have the momentum it really is momentum to address gun violence issues. Mobs set ablaze shops belonging to the Hindus after a veterinary doctor from the minority community allegedly tore pages of a holy book and wrapped medicines in them in Pakistan's Sindh province, according to a media report. The Hindu veterinary doctor, identified as Ramesh Kumar, was arrested on Monday under the country's strict blasphemy laws after a local cleric filed a police complaint accusing him of committing blasphemy. Under Pakistan's blasphemy laws, anyone accused of insulting Islam can be sentenced to death. The doctor was taken into custody while angry protestors set fire to shops owned by Hindus and burnt tyres on road in Phuladyon town in Mirpurkhas district in the province, The Express Tribune reported. Protesters set ablaze a doctor's clinic, a medical store, and two shops belonging to the members of the Hindu community. They also blocked roads by burning tyres, the report said. There were reports that the protesters also looted some shops. With the situation spiraling out of control, local authorities called in the paramilitary Rangers to deal with the mob violence. Police also registered a case against those engaged in rioting. "It's an unfortunate incident. We have taken the doctor into custody and are investigating incident," Senior Superintendent of Police Mirpurkhas Javed Baloch said. He said a case has been registered and police have established a picket in the town to deal with any untoward incident. "The situation is now normal," he said, adding that the police would take action against those who have ransacked properties of the Hindu community. "We have detained some suspects on charges of damaging properties, he added. The Mirpurkhas deputy commissioner said the government would compensate those whose properties were damaged during the violence. A large number of Hindus reside in the interior of Sindh province and in Karachi and the Pakistan Hindu Council has complained in the past of minority community members being targeted under the blasphemy law by people because of personal enmity. Hindus form the biggest minority community in the Muslim-majority Pakistan. According to official estimates, 75 lakh Hindus live in Pakistan. However, according to the community, over 90 lakh Hindus are living in the country. -PTI PROVO Utah County's top law enforcer says he wants to relieve pressure on his overworked staff by forgoing certain low-level cases, a move city attorneys contend would overwhelm them and could leave some offenses uncharged. Prosecutors in Utah's fastest-growing county are now spread too thin to focus on the important crimes or serve victims properly, according to Utah County Attorney David Leavitt. So his office will leave some misdemeanor cases it previously handled to attorneys in the area's cities, a change he estimates will drop the number of cases his criminal lawyers take on each year from an average of 244 down to 175. "This is not a wholesale dumping of misdemeanors to city attorneys. We're going to go after the charges that hurt people the most," Leavitt said Tuesday. The plan is part of a larger overhaul that includes ranking and prioritizing the big cases, like the county's current 19 homicides, and choosing not to file certain criminal charges against first-time offenders if they complete treatment, do community service or pay restitution. The changes are set to take effect alongside the pre-filing diversion program, which goes into effect July 1 Utah's constitution directs county attorneys to handle class A misdemeanors in addition to felonies, but Leavitt believes prosecutors have the discretion to bypass more minor ones, like drug possession, and instead focus on more serious behavior, such as domestic violence, DUI and child abuse. "It's not an effort to get soft on drugs," Leavitt said. "It's just an effort to bring the best benefits to society that we can." Several city attorneys contend the change would overburden their tiny offices, which advise local leaders and represent the city in civil disputes, in addition to prosecuting more minor class B and C misdemeanors, plus infractions like traffic violations. "Someone is going to have to prosecute those offenses, and the city attorneys don't have the resources to do so," said Saratoga Springs City Attorney Kevin Thurman. He anticipates the shift would pile an extra 60-75 heroin and meth possession cases onto his office, where two full-time attorneys share the criminal and civil workload. "We're definitely stretched thin as it is," said Thurman, who believes his counterparts within the county are universally opposed to the change. "I get where they're coming from. I think that their office is underfunded by the county commission and that's the main problem. But the county commission and the county attorney's office can't expect cities to step up and fund the difference," Thurman said. He likes the diversion program that favors treatment over penalties, but in cases where an offender doesn't qualify, he estimates, the county attorney still won't file charges. At that point, his city must step up, in part to maintain its good relationship with police, he said. "Nobody wants to see those crimes go unprosecuted," Thurman said. Provo, for its part, could not take on the extra load of misdemeanors if it wanted to, said Robert West, city attorney. "Under state statute, it's clear that it's a discretionary function for us, and it's a responsibility, a duty, for the public prosecutor for the county," West said of the class A misdemeanors. "We don't have enough attorneys in our office to handle the eight courtrooms in the district court." His office, including part-time employees, amounts to eight attorneys who already prosecute thousands of misdemeanors every year, in addition to defending the city and its airport in civil cases, he said. The new county initiative is a dialed-down version of the plan Leavitt announced in an April letter to city prosecutors, which informed them his office would refer each class A misdemeanor within city limits to the city's attorney, except those uncovered by a major crimes task force or lumped in with felony cases. Leavitt wrote that he believed the change "is in the interest of the public good," but walked the approach back after criticism from the city prosecutors. After hearing their concerns, his office will continue to handle the types of class A misdemeanors that his office deems a high priority, he said. The original announcement "was admittedly a bit of an interception. It didn't articulate really what our motive was," Leavitt said Tuesday. His prosecutors will continue to review police investigations to decide whether criminal charges fit the behavior, but will refer many of those cases to city attorneys, who will make the final call on whether to file a case. Last year, Utah County's 19 line prosecutors had an average of about 244 criminal cases, while seven other attorneys supervised them, reviewed police investigations to determine if charges should be filed and handled fewer, more complex cases, according to figures provided by the office. The American Bar Association recommends a caseload of no more than 150 felonies or 400 misdemeanors at a time. Correction: An earlier version said Utah County Attorney David Leavitt does not consider his actions as "a wholesale dumping of misdemeanors to county attorneys." He actually said it is not dumping on city attorneys. RIVERTON Anthony Godfrey, associate superintendent of the Jordan School District, was named the district's 12th superintendent on Tuesday. Jordan School Board President Bryce Dunford said the board searched "far and wide and we have found the right person worthy of your trust." Godfrey, whose career in the Jordan School District dates back to the 1990s, said he went to a college job fair with hopes of being hired by the district. At that time, there were more teaching candidates than teaching positions, so the competition was intense. One candidate didn't show up, giving Godfrey the opportunity for an interview, he said. "I got the job," he recalled. In thanking board members for their trust and confidence, Godfrey said, "Tonight Im very grateful to you and whomever didnt show up for his interview on time," referring to that first teaching job interview. Godfrey has worked for the school district 26 years, starting as an English teacher, then an assistant principal, principal and a member of the administrative cabinet for the past 13 years. He earned a bachelor's degree in English teaching and French from Weber State University. He also received a master's degree and doctorate from the University of Utah. Becoming emotional, Godfrey said he sometimes cries when he is very happy "and I am very happy," he said. The board's vote was unanimous. "We want you to know we are united on this, all seven of us," Dunford said. "Tonight, we proclaim we got this right." Godfrey will succeed Superintendent Patrice Johnson, who is retiring after leading the district for eight years. Godfrey was introduced to the school community in a packed board room at the district's Jordan Academy for Technology & Careers South Campus. The announcement was met with a standing ovation by the audience, who included district and building-level administrators, educators, classified employees and community members. Board members praised Godfrey's skill at conflict resolution. Board vice president Tracy Miller, who led the nationwide search, said one employee told her that Godfrey had the ability offer constructive criticism "and make you feel good about it." Godfrey introduced his parents, who were both educators. His father was a college professor, and his educational attainment encouraged Godfrey to seek a doctorate degree as well. Moving forward, Godfrey said he wants the school district "to make great use of technology." "We want flexibility for families so they can have the type of education that's just right for their child. We want the type of opportunities that prepare students for an uncertain future, where they're trained in the types of skills that will work whatever the job market brings, whatever their family may need in the future, so they have lots of opportunities to discover what clicks for them, where that spark is, so that they know what they want to do next," he said. Johnson was Jordan District's first woman leader, and the first superintendent hired after the split of Jordan District created the Canyons School District. She is also the first Jordan superintendent hired from outside the suburban school district. Johnson relocated to Utah from Clark County School District in Nevada, where she was an associate superintendent. Godrey assumes the helm of a rapidly growing school district, which is home to many young families and a burgeoning school-age population. The district is in the process of opening a new high school next fall in Herriman, along with four elementary schools. Enrollment increased about 13 percent during Johnson's helm. Godfrey said he is feeling the weight of the responsibility, "but at the same time, I'm very excited. We have great employees. We have great families and great students and a lot of wonderful opportunities ahead." The Jordan School District has 57 schools and 54,865 students, according to the district website. Established 114 years ago, Jordan is the fourth largest school district in Utah. WOODS CROSS A 15-year-old boy was killed in a bicycle accident at a livestock supply store Tuesday. The boy, whose name has not yet been released, was riding his bike at Tractor Supply Co., 1533 S. Redwood Road, in Woods Cross, when police believe he either fell or rode off a loading dock, said Woods Cross Police Lt. Adam Osoro. When the boy failed to come home on time, his parents pinged his phone to look for him, he said. About the same time the boys' parents found him, a store employee also found him about 8:40 p.m. Both called 911, Osoro said. Despite attempting lifesaving measures, the boy was pronounced dead at the scene. Osoro said the boy, who was not wearing a helmet, suffered severe head trauma. The drop-off from the loading dock is 4 to 5 feet, he said. Police checked the business' surveillance video but did not find a recording of the crash. WEST JORDAN A man charged in February with trying to entice minors now faces charges of engaging in unlawful sexual conduct with a teenage girl. Darius Antonio Williams, 24, of West Jordan, was charged Wednesday in 3rd District Court with three counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a 17-year-old, a third-degree felony, and two counts of enticing a minor, a class A misdemeanor. Williams already faces a charge of enticing a minor, a second-degree felony, in Weber County's 2nd District Court. According to charging documents, a member of the Roy Police Department working with the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force while posing as a 13-year-old girl had multiple conversations with Williams on two social media apps. On Feb. 11, Williams drove from West Jordan to Weber County where he thought he would be engaging in sex with the 13-year-old but was arrested when he arrived, the charges state. When police searched his phone, they "observed several sexually explicit conversations with other minor children ranging in age from 10 to 16," the charges state. According to Williams' new charges, police also found five images of a juvenile girl who lives in Salt Lake County. Detectives found the girl and interviewed her. She said Williams portrayed himself as an 18-year-old man on a dating app, according to charging documents. They met several times to engage in sexual activity and she texted pictures to him, the charges state. Bail on Williams' new charges was set at $250,000. SALT LAKE CITY The University of Utahs J. Willard Marriott Library has digitized 100 years of editions of The Provo Herald known today as the Daily Herald. The archive is available online and free to the public. Starting with 1909 and ending with 2009, the project, which is part of the Utah Digital Newspapers online repository, is one of the largest digitization efforts completed by the Marriott Library to date. The Herald published three times a week until 1921, when it ramped up to five days a week. The 18-page Sunday edition started in 1922 and ran for 50 years. The daily edition started in 1939 and continues to be published today. The primary advantage of digitization is that every page of every issue is keyword-searchable, a feature that cannot be replicated in print or on microfilm, Tina Kirkham, manager of the Digital Library Project, said in a statement. Having it available online also means that the newspapers are freely accessible to the public those residing in Utah as well as throughout the world. The first issue of the Herald, printed on Jan. 2, 1909, is labeled Volume 12, Number 1, which may seem confusing. However, the Heralds predecessor, the Utah County Democrat, had been issued from the same office since 1898. When the paper changed ownership at the end of 1908, its political stripes morphed, too. The newly christened Herald gave up its Democratic Party affiliation and became politically independent. But in a nod to its predecessor, the first issue of the Herald was treated as Volume 12 instead of Volume 1. SALT LAKE CITY A village in the United Kingdom is currently under attack by two raccoon dogs. Yes, theyre real animals. According to Yahoo News, police from Clarborough in Nottinghamshire have warned residents that potentially dangerous wild raccoon dogs have escaped from an enclosure. Residents Mandy and Dale Marsh said they chased one of the dogs away from their pet goat, Betty, and pony, Peaches. We were laid in bed at about 4am and I heard such a terrifying noise like I had never heard before. It was screaming," Mandy Marsh said, according to Yahoo News. My husband went out. He came back and he said to me 'you are going to have to come and see this, there is something in the field attacking the pony and I have absolutely no idea what it is'. Fortunately, Peaches and Betty weren't injured in the incident. BBC News reports that the raccoon dogs or tanukis are native to Eastern Asia, including Japan. The animals have become widespread in Europe thanks to escapes like the one in Clarborough. The animals feed on insects, fish and small mammals. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals discourages people from keeping them as pets since raccoon dogs are difficult to domesticate, extremely smelly and require large environments to live in. It is also illegal to sell and keep raccoon dogs in the U.K. due to their status as an invasive species. FARMINGTON The organist had just finished practicing hymns at her Centerville church and began rehearsing her prelude for the next morning's services when she heard tapping and then harder knocking on the door. It wasn't her responsibility to let visitors in, so she ignored the noise like she usually did. Moments later, she felt an arm wrap around her neck and drag her backward, toppling the bench she was sitting on. The attacker then gripped the 71-year-old organist's neck so tightly that she dipped in and out of consciousness, she recalled Wednesday in a Farmington courtroom. This cannot be happening to me," she recalled thinking. "There were times I was no longer being choked and it was pleasant and it was lovely, and all of the sudden I was back in the chapel," Margaret Orlando, now 72, testified. "It was like, 'Oh no, the arm is whats real.'" Prosecutors say her assailant is a 17-year-old boy whose family lives near the church. The teen cut himself when he hurled a rock through a church window and climbed in, leaving three small drops of blood matching DNA that police lifted from a plastic milk bottle he later tossed one day after lunch, according to police. After testimony from Orlando and a detective, a judge on Wednesday ordered the 17-year-old to stand trial on each criminal charge he faces: aggravated burglary, a first-degree felony; aggravated assault, a second degree felony; and criminal mischief, a class B misdemeanor. Second District Juvenile Judge Robert Neill agreed with prosecutors, who argued the evidence shows there were only two people in the church at the time. While DNA ties his client to the break-in, Joseph Jardine had argued that it does not prove that he carried out the attack. "It could have been anybody," Jardine said. "We don't know." The teen, whom the Deseret News has chosen not to name at this time, is being held in a juvenile detention facility and did not attend Wednesday's hearing. Prosecutor Kathi Sjoberg emphasized that a member of the church tasked with making sure the building was secure had finished his rounds shortly after Orlando began practicing. He had locked windows and saw nothing out of place, Sjoberg said. Orlando was alone in a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 270 N. 300 East about 9 p.m. on Nov. 17. She had gone to practice earlier in the day, but someone else was there, so she returned later that night to play the organ, she recalled Wednesday. She couldn't see the person who attacked her, she said, but she managed to scream and turn her head to bite the arm wrapped around her. After a time, the attacker let go of her, and she said she saw someone with a slight frame and wearing a sweatshirt with a hood up leaving the church. She believed the person to be male. "I couldn't imagine a woman doing that," she said. She said she then called her bishop, who lives across the street, and spoke to police, who photographed red marks on her neck and bruising on her face. Police later found a trash can that had been pulled from a neighboring home to a church window, determining the glass had been shattered with a large rock, Centerville police detective Mark Taggart testified Wednesday. Early in his investigation, blood found on the windowsill and on a doorknob failed to match anyone in the FBI's national DNA database, so Taggart sent the genetic information to a private lab for DNA analysis, he testified. Genealogists searched for a link on the database GEDmatch, the same technique that led to the 2018 arrest of Joseph James DeAngelo, the alleged Golden State Killer. Genealogists from Parabon Labs identified a relative of the teen who had a nephew who lives near the church and had a 17-year-old son living with him, Taggart said. He asked a school resource officer to keep watch as the boy ate lunch at school one day and tossed his trash, which investigators tested for genetic information. The blood at the church matched the DNA on the milk container, he said. The judge will next weigh whether the case should remain in the juvenile system or if the 17-year-old should face the charges as an adult. To help him make the decision, Neill heard Wednesday from experts who reviewed the teen's mental health and family history. That testimony was closed to the public. The hearing is set to continue next month. LOGAN David Tarboton, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Utah State University, will lead the Utah Water Research Laboratory beginning July 1. Tarboton was selected May 20 following a nationwide search to replace outgoing director Mac McKee, who will retire in June after nearly 20 years of service to the university. The Utah Water Research Laboratory is one of the countrys leading institutions for water resources engineering and environmental quality research. It employs approximately 200 faculty, staff and students and is one of the oldest and largest university-based water research facilities in the U.S. The lab comprises 113,000 square feet of research and office space and is home to two world-class hydraulics modeling facilities and an environmental quality lab. Tarboton joined USU in 1990 and has worked as a visiting professor and scholar at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and at the National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research in Christchurch, New Zealand. He holds a masters and doctorate from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and undergraduate degrees from University of Natal and University of South Africa. Tarboton, a veteran water resources engineer and a renowned hydrologist, has authored more than 80 research manuscripts, received over a dozen accolades for research and is a fellow of the American Geophysical Union. After listing its Nigerian unit on the countrys stock exchange, MTN has been placed under investigation by the countrys Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. MTN was cleared to list MTN Nigeria as an introductory offer from May 16th, with the unit valued at around $5 billion. The Commission has asked it to submit additional documentation relating to the offer. The group claims to have received all the required approvals for the listing and denies any foul play. Despite this, the Nigerian financial crimes agency has reportedly raided MTNs local headquarters as part of the probe, according to Bloomberg. MTN has struggled with a number of difficulties in Nigeria, which is its largest operating market. In January, the operator reached an agreement with the countrys government to over a vast fine issued after MTN was accused of illegally repatriating its earnings from Nigeria, but it still faces demands for $2 billion in unpaid taxes. In March this year, a strategic review led MTN to announce that it would launch a number of new services while selling off assets worth ZAR15 billion before 2022, in a bid to streamline its offering and reduce risk. Following on from this, the group has recently announced that it will divest its holdings in the investment fund Amadeus and travel booking site Travelstart. It is selling both stakes for a combined ZAR1.2 billion to the private equity company HarbourVest, with the deals expected to conclude within three months. The patent was granted by the US Patent and Trademark Office on Tuesday. The US Patent and Trademark Office has granted Apple a patent for a foldable screen that could be used on iPhones and other devices. According to Patently Apple, the patent is for an electronic device with a display and cover that are flexible or bendable. The flexible cover layer may be formed from materials like glass, strengthened glass, sapphire or zirconia to provide protection to the flexible display from potential damage. This layer may also provide structural support for the display. The latest patent differs from the one that was granted to Apple earlier this year. Two parts hinged together with a foldable panel fixed on top were depicted in that patent. The new patent shows a foldable phone that wraps around the outside of the device. It should be noted that companies, including Apple, often patent ideas that never get transformed into a product or a service. It could also be that Apple is experimenting with different designs to get one right for foldable iPhones to come. Reports of bendable iPhones have been doing the rounds since 2016 and Apple has been rumoured to be in talks with Samsung, LG and BOE for foldable displays in the past. So the Apple wagon is certainly moving towards some form of foldable device in the future. While Samsung and Huawei picked up on the foldable phone trend this year, Apple still finds itself on the other side of the fence. Samsungs Galaxy Fold, however, is on a sticky wicket after several reviewers reported issues with the display and Samsung delayed the launch of the phone. Huawei is yet to launch its Mate X foldable device which is slated for a July debut. Samsung's bendable flagship could arrive alongside the Mate X in July unless the company hits any further hardware snags. Talking about Apple's stake in the market, Daniel Ives, an analyst at Wedbush Securities, told CNN Business., "They're [Apple] well behind Samsung when it comes to foldable phones. But one advantage is that Samsung's Galaxy Fold has had technical issues as well as expensive pricing. Apple has also filed patents for a flexible display with touch sensors and portions, as well as a flexible iPhone that can fold in half and grip a person's clothes. It has been reported that the Cupertino-based company will launch a foldable phone in 2020. Foldable phones and 5G represent the next generation of smartphones in the coming years, Ives added. Maybe Apple will have that chunk of the pie after all. Subscriber content preview TACOMA (AP) Washington state regulators have fined a Cincinnati-based charter school bus company $23,700 for safety violations. The News Tribune reported Sunday that the state Utilities and Transportation Commission found more than 150 violations of state and federal transportation safety law following a routine inspection of First Student in February. . . . Bharti Telecom stake in Airtel comes down to 41.24% Meanwhile, the stake of Sunil Bharti Mittal family in Bharti Airtel has come down to 41.24 per cent after the previous fund raising of Rs25,000 crore. The Bharti Mittal family and Singapore telecom firm Singtel-owned firm together held 50.1 per cent stake in Bharti Airtel at the end of March 2019. Bharti stake in Bharti Telecom has come down to 41.24 per cent following renouncement of 113.4 million rights shares by the entity valued at around Rs3,920 crore and the Rs25,000-crore rights issue, according to the updated shareholding of the company. According to sources, Bharti Telecom renounced shares in favour of the Singapore government and the Monetary Authority of Singapore and foreign-based promoter group firm Indian Continent Investment Limited (ICIL). GIC Pvt Ltd, on behalf of the Government of Singapore and the Monetary Authority of Singapore, has made a commitment of Rs5,000 crore during the rights issue programme. The Singapore government entities now jointly hold over 247.3 million shares. Based on stock closing price of Rs345.65 a unit on the BSE on Tuesday, the value of shares allocated to Singapore government entities now stands at around Rs8,550 crore and accounts for 4.82 per cent stake in the Indian telecom firm. ICIL holding in Airtel increased by 250 million shares, valued at around Rs8,651 crore based on stock closing price, to 331.4 million units in May from 81.1 million shares at the end of March 2019. PNB back in the red with Rs4,750-cr loss in January-March quarter State-run Punjab National Bank (PNB) has reported a net loss of Rs4,750 crore, on the back of increased provisioning over stressed assets that are now stuck in insolvency courts, according to its CEO Sunil Mehta. The bank had posted a net profit of Rs247 crore in the preceding quarter. The bank posted losses of Rs13,417 crore in the year-ago period. PNBs provisioning, however, declined 41.3 per cent year-on-year to Rs7,611 crore in the January-March 2018-19 quarter PNB managing director and chief executive officer (CEO) Sunil Mehta on Tuesday blamed the increased loss to stressed assets of Rs5,000-6,000 crore stuck in insolvency courts. A few things which we thought will happen during this quarter didnt materialise. In two-three major accounts (Essar Steel and Bhushan Steel and Power), which have already been resolved by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), were on the table, but that money could not be unlocked. Against that, we had to make 100 per cent provisioning because of the ageing," Mehta said. The bank expects a write-back of roughly Rs4,000 crore, he added. Mehta expects the lender to be back in black soon and hopes to garner Rs1,000 crore from the sale of non-core assets during the current fiscal year. Because of some regulatory permission we could not get in time, our stake sale for PNB Housing Finance didnt materialize. These were the expected inflows that would have given us a net profit (in January-March)," he said. There has been a delay in the recovery of stressed assets because of litigations. A slowdown in the economy affects the prospect of investment proposals for stressed assets and, thus, slows down resolution. Bad loans also restrict the banks ability to finance more projects. PNBs gross non-performing assets (NPAs) in the quarter fell to 15.5 per cent from 18.38 per cent year-on-year, while net NPAs declined to 6.56 per cent from 11.24 per cent. The lenders exposure to collapsed Jet Airways was also less than Rs900 crore, a senior PNB official said. The lenders net interest income grew 37.1 per cent year-on-year to Rs4,200 crore in the January-March 2018019 quarter. Net interest margin rose to 2.45 per cent in Q4FY19 from 1.90 per cent in the March quarter of FY18. And, despite fresh slippages, PNBs net loss, however, narrowed to Rs9,975 crore in 2018-19, from Rs12,283 crore a year ago. Asset quality also improved with higher NPA provisioning. Gross NPA fell to Rs78,473 crore during 2018-19 from Rs86,620 crore a year ago. Similarly, net NPAs fell by 38 per cent year-on-year to Rs30,038 crore in 2018-19. The bank had incurred net losses during the fiscal year 2017-18, after it discovered fraud of more than Rs14,000 crore involving jewellers Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi at its Brady Road branch in Mumbai in January 2018. Thereafter, PNB had posted losses for three consecutive quarters, beginning January-March 2017-18. The bank has strong fundamentals. We suffered a setback last year of which 50% provisioning was made last year and 50% has been made this year. We have taken a conscious step to clean up the book and take provision coverage ratio to a reasonably high level, which gives a high degree of safety to our stakeholders," Mehta added. Mehta said he expects PNB to be back in black soon and hopes to garner ?1,000 crore from the sale of non-core assets during the current fiscal year. PNB will focus on the recovery of NPAs, conservation of capital, rationalization of operation, and sale of non-core assets, he said. Mehta also said that the bank has not received any proposal for taking control of two-three small state-owned banks and has not thought about it. RBI to extend RTGS transactions time till 6 pm, make NEFT 24x7 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Tuesday announced an extension in the time for custome4r transactions under the Real Time Gross Settlement System (RTGS) from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm beginning 1 June. Transactions will now take place under three windows - 8 am to 11 am, 11 am to 1 pm and 1 pm to 6pm. Transactions between 1:00 pm and 6:00 pm will be charged Rs5 extra, according to an RBI release. There shall be no charge for transactions between 8 am and 11 am.. The RTGS system is primarily meant for large value transactions. The minimum amount to be remitted through RTGS is Rs2 lakh with no upper limit. The RBI's latest vision document for payment and settlement systems, which outlines the road map for 2019 to 2021, aims to achieve a cash-lite society . To that end it proposes to examine round-the-clock availability of various payment systems, including NEFT. The RBI sees payment systems like IMPS/UPI registering average annualised growth of over 100 per cent and NEFT at 40 per cent till 2021. "The total volume of retail electronic payments witnessed about nine-fold increase over the last five years," RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das had said in his keynote address at NITI Aayog's FinTech Conclave in March. The regulator is now looking to build on this success with its latest vision document for payment and settlement systems, which outlines the road map for 2019 to 2021. The core theme of the document is 'Empowering Exceptional (E)payment Experience', and the aim is to achieve "a highly digital and cash-lite society" through the four goal posts, namely competition, cost effectiveness, convenience and confidence, or the 4Cs. According to the RBI, specific thrust areas such as creating regulatory sandbox, and authorising new players have been incorporated to enhance competition, and this, along with the presence of multiple players in the market, is expected to achieve optimal cost for customers. Simultaneously, the availability of multiple anytime-anywhere payment systems while ensuring a 'no-compromise' approach towards the safety of these options will take care of the convenience and confidence angles. In line with the above goal posts, especially on the convenience aspect, the vision document proposes to examine the "need for extending availability of NEFT on a 24x7 basis to facilitate beyond the banking hour fund transfer needs" as well as adding more features to this payment system, including faster settlements and staggered payments. "Reserve Bank would examine the need to consider uninterrupted and round-the-clock availability of various payment systems; gradual enhancement of limits, including differential day-night, holiday limits for transactions, subject to risk management and liquidity management; etc," the document stated. The regulator further intends to examine the possibility of extending the timings for RTGS transactions "based on industry preparedness and customer demand". National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) is a nation-wide retail payment system facilitating one-to-one funds transfers. Managed by the RBI, this option allows any individual or firm to electronically transfer funds from any NEFT-enabled bank branch to another party having an account with any other bank branch participating in the Scheme. All banks boasting the 11-digit IFSC or Indian Financial System Code - it will be clearly displayed in your cheque books - are participating in the NEFT system. Besides personal funds transfer, the NEFT system can also be used for other transactions such as premium renewal, payment of credit card bills and paying loan EMIs. "Even individuals who do not have a bank account (walk-in customers) can also deposit cash at the NEFT-enabled branches with instructions to transfer funds using NEFT. However, such cash remittances will be restricted to a maximum of Rs50,000 per transaction," the RBI explains in its website. The system currently provides for batch settlements at half-hourly intervals during its operating hours - from 8 am to 7 pm on all working days of week, except the second and fourth Saturdays of the month. Some banks, like ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank, limit NEFT timings to 6.30 pm. "The beneficiary can expect to get credit for the NEFT transactions within two business hours from the batch in which the transaction was settled," the apex bank added. The Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system is primarily meant for large value transactions, with the minimum cap set at Rs2 lakh. In this option, there is continuous and real-time settlement of fund-transfers, individually on a transaction by transaction basis, unlike NEFT, which clears transactions in batches. However it is not a 24x7 system. The RTGS service window for customer transactions is available to banks from 8 am to 4 pm or 4.30 pm on a working day, for settlement at the RBI end. While the RBI has not specified any caps on the amount of funds that can be transferred using NEFT and RTGS, banks have set their own maximum limits. For instance, SBI and ICICI Bank cap the maximum amount for NEFT and RTGS transactions under retail banking at Rs10 lakh. There is no minimum limit for NEFT, but RTGS transactions have to be Rs2 lakh or over. On the other hand, HDFC Bank limits the amount for online NEFT and RTGS (netbanking) transfers at Rs25 lakh while there are no caps for such transfers from bank branches. SBI's maximum NEFT/RTGS limit for corporates is much higher at Rs50 lakh for small and medium enterprises and Rs2,000 crore for large corporates. Immediate Payment Services, or IMPS, which is managed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), is currently the only payment option that is available 24x7, throughout the year, including Sundays and any bank holiday. However, the maximum amount that can be transferred is much lower than NEFT and RTGS - Rs2 lakh per day for most banks. Hence, the RBI proposal to make NEFT 24x7 could give a major push to e-payments. A restored 1920s mandolin which Ror Gallagher played some tunes on is being gifted to Ballyshannon & District museum and the timing of the handover tomorrow, Friday, is perfect as thousands gather in Ballyshannon for the annual Rory Gallagher International Festival. At 11.30am tomorrow the museum will hold a reception to celebrate the gifting of a a vintage George La Foley mandolin which was rescued from a rubbish bin outside Crymbles Music Store in Belfast in the early 70's by Joseph Cohen. Although the mandolin was in a very poor condition Mr Cohen, an employee of Crymbles, and a work colleague lovingly restored the 1920's instrument. The original strings have never been replaced. In the mid 1970s, following one of his legendary concerts in Belfast, Rory Gallagher heard about the discovery of the mandolin and suggested the instrument be brought to Boosey & Hawkes Ltd., of London to verify its history. Rory then preceded to play several tunes on the restored historic instrument. George Le Foy was a famous British luithier manufacturer active in London in the early Twentieth Century but ceased trading in the early 1930's and his instruments are rare and much sought after. Joseph Cohen, from Belfast, a former president of the Northern Ireland Guitar Association has graciously decided to gift this beautiful instrument to the Ballyshannon & District Museum for permanent display. Cohen has close links with the late Rory Gallagher, his live interview with him in 1975 something of a coup and he is a great friend and supporter of the Rory Gallagher Festival and all things Rory In conjunction with the Rory Gallagher Festival an official handover and presentation is taking place in the museum at 11.30am tomorrow, Friday, May 31 and all are welcome to attend. *The museum is located on the top floor of Slevin's Department Store in the heart of the town. The man who brought the Sam Maguire to Donegal is this week celebrating both his election to the Glenties Municipal District and his birthday. Anthony Molloy, 57, celebrated his birthday on Tuesday, May 28. His phone has been exceptionally busy with people congratulating him on both his election and his birthday. Hoping to help The Ardara native said that he is very much looking forward to his journey into politics and aims to help people from Owentheskna to the Log Cabin in the coming years. He said: I like to help people and I am to do anything I can to help people in my area. Topping the agenda for the All-Ireland team captain are roads, broadband, mobile phone coverage and health. Having spent the last seven weeks on the doorsteps of homes across the county, Molloy has heard first-hand the issues the people of the area have. Funding Yesterday morning, Anthony Molloy said that he feels that more funding is needed for the Glenties Municipal District area. We should be treated like everyone else, he said. Also on the Ardara man's agenda is health. We need a better health system up here in Donegal. There is a lot of work to do on health up here, that is certain, he said. Tributes He paid great tributes to both Enda Bonner and Seamus O Domhnaill who lost their seats in the last election. I am very sorry for the two of them. They have both worked so hard for this area. Seamus O Domhnaill was a great mayor, a great politician. Enda worked so hard. I have to be honest and say that my heart went out to both of them. I know all about defeat and it is not easy, he said. He thanked all those who canvased, postered, drove, supported and voted for him. He paid special tribute to Ian Molloy and Anne Moy and his hard-working team for all their support. Patricia "Pattye" Louise (Green) Adams of Pensacola, FL passed away Tuesday, May 21, 2019 at Mobile Infirmary Hospital from a long battle with cancer and residuals. She went to the arms of the Lord peacefully, with her family by her side. Pattye was born Patricia L. Green in Great Falls, MT on July 8, 1946, but was raised in Geneva, AL. She graduated from Geneva High School in 1964 and then moved to Columbus, GA, where she worked as a companion to the mother of the boys who started Liberty National Insurance Company. She worked until marriage to Gary Lemay, and had a daughter, Tiffany. She remained in Columbus, GA after her divorce. She later went on a blind date with a Senior Drill Sergeant (her worry was that he would try to kiss her since he had a mustache!) and then married Sergeant First Class James P. Adams on January 4, 1980, and 4 days later departed to Fort Lewis, WA, to experience the life of a military spouse, with an introduction as an Infantry First Sergeant's wife! From there she impacted upon military and civilian families around the world! She grew into a woman who managed countless wives clubs, from companies, battalions, brigades, and military posts, serving as President and Vice President of Post Wives Clubs! Always a gracious lady, kind and compassionate, but with the steel to fight for her wives! From Ft. Lewis, WA to the Sergeants Major Academy in Ft. Bliss, TX, to European Headquarters in Heidelberg, Germany, to Berlin, Germany, back to Fort Lewis, WA, to be the Post Command Sergeants Major's wife in Fort McClellan, AL, and lastly, to be the Post Command Sergeants / Major's wife of Fort Drum, NY. Thru thick and thin, she always focused on her military spouses and their families! In Berlin, Germany, she was so well known by the guards at Check Point Charlie that when she took her wives to East Berlin for shopping, they would simply smile and wave her through, with a cheery Guten Tag! She was the epitome of a military wife, and always kept her husband straight, and informed. After retirement from the military the family returned to Enterprise, AL in 1992, where Pattye began her second lifelong focus, Civil Service for the Government. She spent her first civil service position in Heidelberg, Germany, but then returned to it at the Military Hospital at Fort Rucker, AL, serving as the Records Management Supervisor. Her husband Jim, and daughter Tiffany finished their Master and Bachelor's degrees respectively, at Troy State at Dothan University. Then it was off to Portland, OR, where Pattye transferred to the Drug Enforcement Agency Field Office there. People would call her just to hear her Southern accent! A true joy to Pattye. She was highly respected and thought of in the Agency, both in Portland, OR and Headquarters in Seattle, WA. During her time spent there she managed to finish her Associates Degree from Portland Community College. The next major move was to Washington, DC. Her husband Jim, now working for the VA, was moved to Veterans Benefits Administration in Washington, DC, so Pattye transferred also. She spent the next 10 years working directly for the Administrator for the Drug Enforcement Agency Headquarters. During her time there she was awarded many times for her family programs and initiatives for DEA families, and also aided her husband's VA families also. She received many awards from VA for her work also. Her tremendous and untiring efforts impacted upon so many people in our Nation's capital! She and her husband moved to Orlando, FL in 2012 after they both retired from civil service, to be close to their daughter Tiffany, who was now in senior management at Universal Studios. Plus, their house was on one level, and it was warm 12 months out of the year, their primary goal. Pattye's passion was cooking all her life, and after her retirement, she perfected it even further, although she had already won several awards for her cooking and baking proweress! She also became engrossed in genealogy, and found long lost cousins and friends, and made new friends everywhere! She began battling ovarian cancer shortly after their arrival in Orlando, and then moved to Pensacola, FL, where Pattye absolutely loved her house, the community, and the people there. She remained there until her death. Survivors include her husband, James Adams; daughter, Tiffany Pardue and husband Randy; brother, Robert Green and wife Derita; nephew, Richard Green; as well as her Yorkie, Adams's Dainty Lady Scarlett! Funeral cortege will depart Harper-Morris Memorial Chapel, 2276 Airport Blvd., Pensacola, FL, promptly at 10:30am Friday, May 31, 2019 for an 11:00am Graveside Service at Barrancas National Cemetery, Pensacola Naval Base, Pensacola, FL. Pastor Mark Lily of the First United Methodist Church of Pace, FL, (Pattye's local church) will officiate. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Pattye's favorite charity, Florida Yorkie Rescue (floridayorkierescue@yahoo.com) and make the donation in memory of Pattye Adams. A special recognition and thanks must go to Dr. James Kendricks, Florida Cancer Center at Orlando, Dr. Rodney Roconni and Dr. David Clarkson of Mobile Cancer Center, all their staff, and the loving and caring staff at Mobile Infirmary Hospital, who impacted so positively on Pattye's life during her 6 year-long battle with ovarian cancer and residuals. It must be said that Pattye (Green) Adams had a long and extremely successful life, and impacted upon people throughout the world, much more so than even she appreciated. Her family, and all of those who knew and loved her, will miss her, but she rests in the arms of the Lord now, looking over all of us! Remember her, and say a prayer, while living by the shining example she provided us all throughout her life! God Bless! Alabama Municipal Electric Authoritys solar power research, aided by a project in Dothan, will soon pay dividends to its customers. AMEA announced a major solar power project agreement with Lighthouse BP, a subsidiary of British Petroleum, on Wednesday. AMEA provides power to 11 Alabama municipal utilities including Dothan Utilities and the deal could save AMEAs customers $40 million during the 20-year deal, said Fred Clark, AMEA president and CEO. An 800-acre solar farm containing 350,000 solar panels in rural Montgomery County serves as the foundation of the deal. Lighthouse BP will fund the construction of the solar farm, and AMEA agrees to buy all the power it produces for a 20-year period once the farm is online in 2022, Clark noted. The farm is expected to generate 100 megawatts of power, equating to about 245,000 megawatt-hours of power annually, according to an AMEA document. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Clark said the project provides benefits to AMEA customers in a couple of different ways. First it ensures AMEA has options for low-cost power if market conditions change in the next few years. A teacher from Rutherford High School in Bay County, Florida, could face backlash for writing an acronym of a popular slang term on the top of a students homework according to reports. Melinda Smith says her son handed her his science homework and WTF is this? Absolutely no credit was written in red across the top of the page. Smith is calling for the teacher to account for her inappropriate and not acceptable actions. The teacher in question is not responding publicly about the situation. The principal of the high school says they are taking necessary steps to deal with the incident. For more, visit WJHG-TV. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The entrepreneur, who was previously and inventor of smart tools for the logistics industry, said delivery of goods is just the start. Down the road, he envisages fleets of robo-vans providing everything from 24/7 mobile vending to help with running errands. His confidence stems from the Chinese e-commerce boom thats spawned Goliaths such as Mas Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., which is valued at $400 billion. While humans are trying to keep up and becoming more efficient with inventions such as smart lockers, theres no doubt robots are becoming an increasing threat. With robo-vans, theres no need for a messenger who will need a salary, and robo-vehicles are bound to have fewer accidents than humans. One limitation: either a human needs to be present to accept the package, or the vehicle has to leave the parcel at a prearranged accessible location such as a ground-floor locker. One solution proposed by Ford Motor Co. is a small robot that walks on two legs to bring the parcel from the vehicle to the doorstep. The new Alabama abortion legislation endorsed by our Republican-led legislature and signed into law by our feckless governor left out many details. Those details pertain to the person obtaining the abortion. Choose one of the following: 1. The perpetrator will be tarred and feathered and taken to the outer city limit, where they will be stoned to death. 2. The perpetrator will be stripped to their undergarments (as long as there are no holes) and paraded through the streets and then hanged by the neck until dead in the public square. 3. The perpetrator will be cast into a live venomous snake pit with no means of escape. Hello, Alabama; we are now in the 21st Century, not the medieval ages. Clyde Gardner Eufaula Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A Dundalk graphic design studio has had three of its works added to an annual archive of the best 100 examples of Irish contemporary communication. The 100 Archive for 2018 has included three pieces by studio Grandson, run by Killian Walsh, in this years selection which showcases the best in Irish graphic design. Killian and his colleague Jake Heavey collaborated on all archive selected projects in their studio on Jocelyn Street, Dundalk. The pieces being added are campaign identities for Louth Science Festival, music festival Arcadian Field, and a conference entitled Do Borders Matter? held in County Museum Dundalk in October 2018. Founded by a group of design studios, 100 Archive has created archive selections since 2010 showcasing the best in Irish graphic design, digital design, design for print, branding, wayfinding, motion design and typography. The 100 Archive for 2018 features iconic graphics such as the Together For Yes campaign, and diverse work from the microscopic detail on Irish postage stamps to towering supergraphics which were displayed at the Venice Biennale. This years application process saw a record number of 414 individual submissions from Irish designers and studios based all over Ireland and internationally in cities such as New York, London, Oslo and Amsterdam. A two-stage selection process by ten Irish and international design experts resulted in the 2018 Archive Selection, which can be viewed on 100archive.com. 2018 was the year of Repeal and Times Up, and their marks on graphic design are represented in this years archive selection. The identity for Together for Yes by Language is featured, along with Womens Health Ireland by Jennifer Leahy, Womens Aids campaign relating to dating abuse Too Into You, designed by Language, and the NWCIs campaign It Stops Now, regarding sexual violence and consent, designed by Piquant Media. A number of civic, cultural, and political national institutions engaged designers to refresh their identity in 2018, as well as small businesses all over Ireland working with designers to differentiate themselves from the pack, and these are reflected throughout this years selection. What I found most encouraging this year is the energy around the country, with studios like Grandson and TrueOutput raising standards and expectations outside of the capital and engaging with local issues and the communities they impact, said selection panelist Noelle Cooper, designer, educator and co-founder of Unthink design studio. Irish Water is upgrading the Castlebellingham wastewater treatment plant as part of a large scale nationwide scheme to benefit communities and safeguard the environment. The works are being carried out in partnership with Louth County Council. Commenting on the upgrade, Peter Flood, Regional Project Lead says: Ensuring that the wastewater generated every day in our homes, schools and workplaces is treated in compliance with the EU and national wastewater treatment regulations and can be safely returned to the environment is a key priority for Irish Water. Works will begin in the coming months, once the final statutory approvals are in place, and are expected to be completed by 2021. As the majority of the works will be carried out within the plant, Irish Water will be able to minimise disruption to residents and businesses in the surrounding area. Irish Water is investing 250,000 in the works, which include upgrades to the inlet works, storm water management and sludge treatment and storage at the Castlebellingham plant. Further information can be found at here Peter Flood adds: The investment Irish Water is making in upgrading our wastewater plants around the country will improve the environment for all of us. However, it is really important that everyone thinks about the possible impact of what they flush. "Items like wet wipes and cotton wool can prevent the network from working efficiently, as well as damaging the plumbing in our homes. Placing a bin in the bathroom and disposing of sanitary items safely will help to prevent pollution of our beaches and riverways. 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 contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. The Minister for Business, Enterprise, and Innovation Heather Humphreys T.D. has today launched Irelands first ever Masters in Blockchain (Distributed Ledger Technologies) in the Davenport Hotel in Dublin and she is encouraging Louth IT professionals to consider upskilling. The programme has been developed by Skillnet Irelands Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet, in collaboration with Dublin City University. The launch coincides with Blockchain Ireland week, a Government initiative focused on promoting the growth and development of Blockchain technology in the country. Speaking at the launch, Minister for Business, Enterprise, and Innovation, Heather Humphreys T.D. said: "Ireland is a global technology leader, including in blockchain technology. Nine of the top ten US technology companies operate in Ireland, along with nine of the top ten global companies recruiting in the blockchain industry. Our aim is always to be proactive in anticipating and serving the needs of the industry and the people who work within it. This programme directly supports objectives set out in the Governments Future Jobs Ireland initiative. The first of its kind in Ireland, this Masters programme will help ensure the country has all the skills necessary to become a global hub for this new technology." In response to the National Blockchain strategy, Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet worked with Blockchain Ireland to identify what skills were needed in this sector. This Masters programme was developed as a result. Skillnet Ireland awarded funding to Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet, under its Future Skills programme, to develop this Masters programme in collaboration with industry. Ireland can be at the forefront of Blockchain revolution, said Chief Executive of Skillnet Ireland Paul Healy, Blockchain technology has now penetrated multiple industry sectors such as banking and finance, food supply-chains and medtech . A highly skilled workforce is one of the essential ingredients for Ireland to be a leader in Blockchain technologies. This Masters programme will help ensure we have the right skills available for companies and IT professionals to enhance their blockchain technology capability and to seize the immense opportunities that are available he added. The Masters in Blockchain (Distributed Ledger Technologies) will be delivered by industry specialists in collaboration with Dublin City University. The programme will be primarily taught online, part time, over a two-year period. DCU is proud to collaborate with Skillnet Ireland on the first of its kind Masters programme in Blockchain (Distributed Ledger Technologies), said President of Dublin City University, Professor Brian MacCraith. This programme will produce graduates equipped with the skills and knowledge required to thrive in this rapidly changing sector. This project displays the combined strengths of higher education and enterprise networks in the face of new challenges we all face in our quest to flourish as an economy, he added. Blockchain was first introduced as the underlying platform for the famous cryptocurrency Bitcoin, over a decade ago. Since then, it has been gaining popularity and has become one of the fastest growing technologies of recent times. In 2018, over $5 billion was invested in the sector by venture capital firms, a significant increase from the previous years $1.5 billion. Experts have considered it to be the best technology created in recent years, after the internet itself. The lack of technical Blockchain skills is of national and international concern as it is a significant inhibitor to Blockchain adoption in companies across key industries including manufacturing, supply-chain, health, food, aviation, finance and the public sector, said Dave Feenan, Acting Network Manager for Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet This new Masters will provide Ireland will a real opportunity to upskill our already excellent IT professionals, preparing them for jobs of the future. The synergy between industry and education means these professionals will have the practical tools needed to bring the benefits of Blockchain technology to a variety sectors, he added. This course is aimed at IT professionals working in the Republic of Ireland. To qualify for direct entry, they must have a Level 8 Honours Degree (2.2) or higher in Computer Science, Computing, Computer Applications or a related discipline. Applicants without these entry requirements may be considered if they can demonstrate previously obtained competence equivalent to the entry requirements. Applications are now open for this new Masters beginning in September 2019. The closing date for applications is July 23rd 2019. In the first instance, applicants should submit their CV directly to info@ictskillnet.ie For more information on the Masters degree in Blockchain (Distributed Ledger Technologies) at DCU click here: Open minded "Innovators are often young and think less in constraints, compared to those who are around a little longer. This can be a source for really new solutions", Nijhof continues. "Large companies have solutions that they already use on a large scale. Many are of limited use in the less developed world, especially when it comes to water supply. This is where young and smaller organisations can come in with more tailor-made solutions". Nijhof hopes that the investors that will attend the GES summit seriously consider the wider impact of the solutions presented by the entrepreneurs of the water sector. "That is also the aim of the GES summit. To offer them a stage and connect them with investors who hopefully think more out-of-the-box and not only go for the short term financial gain, but also for the wider societal impacts and the broader economic gains". By the Staff of The News PORTALES The Roosevelt County Commission plans to approve its preliminary final budget during a special meeting set for 1 p.m. Thursday at the Roosevelt County Courthouse. The commission also plans to consider three resolutions and some other... Fuel Your Pipeline. Close More Deals. Our full-service marketing programs deliver sales-ready leads. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee! Learn more Google showed off its chops in artificial intelligence and machine learning, renewed its commitment to giving users greater control over their data, and introduced a new economically priced smartphone during a keynote presentation at its annual I/O conference held in Mountain View, California, on Tuesday. They were there to hammer home the point that when it comes to AI, they are ahead of their peers, said Paul Erickson, a senior analyst at IHS Markit, a research, analysis, and advisory firm based in London. Whether it be translation for the disabled or some of the other things they showcased, they wanted to put a different face on what theyre doing with their AI outside the tech industrys typical use cases, he told TechNewsWorld. During its presentation Google announced Live Caption, an addition to its Live Transcribe app, which is designed for the hearing impaired. It transcribes phone calls in real time. Live Caption will display captions for the speech content in any app with little or no lag, because it runs entirely on the device its installed on. Google also profiled Project Euphonia, which provides translations for the speech-impaired. When the person speaks, the translator will display speech as conventional text. Focus on Privacy Google also focused on privacy and user control of data during its keynote. Privacy is a strategic and competitive necessity for them, Erickson said. Theres much more scrutiny now about whats being done with user data. That scrutiny is not only coming from government, but from buyers. Apple has used privacy to its competitive advantage in the consumer, government and enterprise markets, he noted. If Google wants to navigate in this political and social mood that is more concerned with privacy, it has to be more proactive in functionally protecting privacy and giving users greater control over their data, Erickson suggested. Googles presentation shows its continuing to push toward giving people more control over the information collected about them, noted Stephen Baker, an analyst with the NPD Group, a market research firm based in Port Washington, New York. Theyre pushing hard to create an ecosystem where people have management tools to understand whats happening with their data and fix what they dont like, he told TechNewsWorld. A D V E R T I S E M E N T Easier Access to Security Settings During Googles keynote, CEO Sundar Pichai noted that privacy and security is for everyone, not just a few. This is why powerful privacy features and controls have always been built into Google services, he said. The company launched Incognito Mode in Chrome more than a decade ago and has added Google Takeout, which is an easy way to export data from a Google account, Pichai pointed out. Other privacy enhancements announced in the address: Easier access to privacy and security settings through a users profile photo; While in search, tapping the accounts photo displays its security settings. A new auto-delete feature in those settings allows a user to determine how long search data will be stored. Google also is adding an Incognito Mode for its maps app. When its activated, locations searched and visited during a session will not be linked a users account. In addition, there are almost 50 security and privacy features in the latest version of Android, said Stephanie Cuthbertson, Googles senior director for Android, during the keynote. One of those features keeps users aware of the apps using their phones location services. Premium Phone at Lovable Price Google also announced two new Pixel smartphone models, the 3A and 3A XL. The US$399 3A and $479 XL are targeted at consumers tired of ever-rising prices for a quality smartphone. Theres been a really troubling trend in the smartphone industry, said Rick Osterloh, Googles senior vice president for hardware, during the keynote. To support the latest technologies, everyones high-end phones are getting more and more expensive. The 3A and 3A XL are designed to deliver premium features at a price people will love, he added. The phones, which will be available from all the major carriers, are offered in three colors: black, white and purplish. A D V E R T I S E M E N T Both models have OLED displays. The 3As 5.6-inch screen has a resolution of 2220 x 1080 pixels, and the XLs 6-inch display is 2160 x 1080 pixels. The units have the same camera found in Googles more expensive models. Google says the battery life can be as long as 30 hours, and 15 minutes of charging can last seven hours. Apple in Rear-View Mirror? The Pixel 3A, coupled with the advancements in Google Assistant announced at I/O, will put real pressure on Apple, maintained Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group, an advisory services firm in Bend, Oregon. The advancements to Google Assistant are massive, he told TechNewsWorld. Having the ability to have a two-way conversation with Assistant, to know who you are, and to share data across devices is a generation in front of Apples Siri, Enderle observed. Whats more, the Pixel phones are priced below Apples offerings and have capabilities well above Apples offerings. Thats not a great combination for Apple if it wants to capture new customers, he added. When you start talking about devices that outperfrom and sell at about half the price, the wallet dictates where the user will move, Enderle remarked. More Than Search Google also announced the expansion of a Google News feature called full coverage to general search. The feature creates context around news stories by displaying information from a wide variety of sources. In addition, Google is going to start indexing podcasts not only by title but by their content. Searchers will be given the option of listening to the podcast immediately or saving it for later listening. During the keynote, Jeff Dean, Googles AI lead, maintained the company was moving from one that helps people find answers to one that also helps them get things done. Thats a great tagline, NPDs Baker said. It makes a lot of sense. They cant be a search company forever. If they want to keep growing, theyve got to expand their vision. When middle school Principal Sarah Guerrero decided to build a 1-to-1 computing program in her school, she turned to advice she had read in an article in the Harvard Business Review. Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail, by retired Harvard Business School professor John P. Kotter, provided a loose blueprint for how she would move forward, including eight success factors with clear steps for communicating a vision, empowering others to act on that vision, and institutionalizing new approaches. The iconic article, first published in 1995, was written for executives in the business world, where transformation is expected and innovation is encouraged. But the steps outlined by Kotter worked just as well when applied to Guerreros new ed-tech initiative, which was rolled out during the 2017-18 school year at Northbrook Middle School in Houston. Guerrero first read the article in 2011 when she was enrolled in the Rice University Education Entrepreneurship Program, or REEP, as well as simultaneously earning a masters of business administration through Rices Jones School of Business. Great management is not something you learn through the traditional pathways of education, she said. The way I approach my work as a principal is through this leadership and management lensthe bulk of that I learned from my time working on my MBA. The idea of taking a business approach, based in entrepreneurial thinking, is one that works particularly well when it comes to ed-tech initiatives in schools, but its also one that school principals often dont use. In part, thats because many rise to the position through the educational system where risk-taking and quick pivotswhich can be hallmarks of success in todays evolving business worldare not always valued or encouraged. Recognizing that working as a principal often has more in common with managing a business than being a classroom teacher, several colleges and universities have created business fellowships or full-blown MBA programs for educators. REEP, a business fellowship which also allowed some educators to earn their MBAs through Rice University, trained more than 300 Houston-area educators until philanthropic funding for the initiative ran out in 2017, said Lawrence Kohn, who served as REEPs director of programs and evaluation. Principals are often not prepared for this role, said Kohn, who is now the founding partner and chief research and evaluation officer for Leadership Partners, which provides professional development to education leaders. They dont get preparation around strategy and change management, deeper communication skills, and marketing [in their education careers]. Kohn said he has seen districts roll out big ed-tech-device programs using tactics in direct opposition to those recommended in business settings: They do it all at once with little thought to the goals behind the technology, they dont get buy-in, they dont build on small successes. Theres so much they should have done strategically for that moment, Kohn said. If those principals were trained in change management, theyd recognize that. For Paul Baez, the concepts he learned during the REEP fellowship have guided him as he worked to expand the use of ed tech as the principal of Rees Elementary School for the past eight years. The school is in the Alief Independent district in Houston. First, Baez had to take on some risk. When he arrived at Reeswhere 82 percent of students qualify for free and reduced lunchthe school scored alongside some of the best in the district on state testing. But when he visited classrooms, he saw traditional teaching and students who were not engaged. He decided to focus on integrating technology into the school day, with the ultimate goal of forging a strong blended-learning program at Rees. But teachers and the district were reluctantafter all, students were already scoring well on state tests, and a new approach could jeopardize that success. The idea of this being risky was huge, Baez said. I walked into a school that had the reputation of doing well. Teachers thought, Why should we change anything? So Baez went back to his REEP trainingincluding the advice in Kotters article. He started small, by implementing low-cost versions of electronic white boards into classrooms, before investing in more expensive smart boards. Baez said his training through the REEP project, particularly around budgets, had a big impact on his ability to be creative with funds to pay for the technology, particularly since principals in his district have a lot of autonomy over their school finances. Before REEP, I was never trained on budgeting, or day-to-day prioritizing of funds, or looking at funding to pay for initiatives, Baez said. Its astonishing to me how few educators know about these concepts. He then aimed to buy devices for students and mapped out a yearly technology phase plan. Baez added a few devices to classrooms before introducing a full 1-to-1 model. He analyzed the budget and did lots of scaffolding around implementation and introduction of technology. He got a few teachers excited, and over the years of the rollout, they got others invested. Now, all students in grades 2, 3, and 4 have iPads or laptops to work on. But there has been resistance at the district level along the waythough the superintendent has now recognized his efforts, and Baez regularly provides training and support to other schools in the district. Initially, district officials were hesitant about the expansion of technology, and even the IT department was nervous about opening the network up, Baez said. The district blocked YouTubewhich had a lot of instructional videos Baez wanted his teachers to usefrom the devices. The technology department also made it difficult to add and use the 40-some educational apps teachers identified as useful in their classrooms. That fear lasted a long time, and I had a good number of battles, Baez said. But I broke down a lot of walls for a lot of people, and now our district is transformed in terms of wanting to embrace technology. But Baez acknowledged apprehension on the part of principals who worry that if ed-tech efforts dont move forward glitch-free, they will be blamed. A lot of principals dont want to take that risk, he said. Theres a fear of being held accountable by the district in terms of those assessments. Jeanna Sniffin, the principal of the 1,125-student Ronald Thornton Middle School in Missouri City, Texas, just helped open the brand-new school in the Fort Bend Independent district this academic year. Each class has 10 laptops that can be folded into tablets, and the school has three computer labs stocked with 30 laptops each. The school features flexible spaces for collaboration and creative furniture optionsmany on wheels to provide different configurations. Part of being a new school was creating the branding or marketing around the school and its emphasis on technology. Sniffin said the REEP fellowship taught her to view her school community as different target marketsstudents, parents, teacherswith different outreach needs. She had to market this new school and its tech initiatives to each group. Part of that effort meant pushing the idea of personalized learning through technology to teachers. While teachers worried that moving away from traditional classroom instruction would affect state test scores, my philosophy is that if we provide those meaningful learning experiences every day in relevant ways, then the test will take care of itself, Sniffin said. The district has been supportive of the tech initiative, rolling it out slowly to other schools, with Sniffins school on the forefront. The district has allocated lots of training for teachersmuch of it voluntaryand created an online course for professional development. It also has provided a position on the school campus called a technology-integration champion, who supports both students and teachers around the technology. Our district is very forward-thinking in knowing that all the teachers arent ready and each teacher is coming in at a different place, Sniffin said. When Guerrero, the principal of Northbrook Middle School, got the opportunity to do a digital expansion at her school, she only had four days to decide whether to sign on. The school, in which nearly all students qualify as low income, had just recently cycled off the list of those penalized by the state for poor performance, and she knew there would be a huge learning curve. But Guerrero said she had already put in place a management structure that allowed for a quick pivot. We could quickly identify whether we were ready or not and had ways to get feedback from teachers, she said. In fall 2017, the 1-to-1 iPad initiative, funded by a grant from the Verizon Foundation, launched. Each of the devices has a data plan, and students take the iPads home. During the planning and roll out, Guerrero harkened back to the Kotter article, ticking off the need for a vision, a guiding coalition of champions for the project, the ability to communicate her visionand felt the school could tackle it. She also used lessons from a negotiation class she took through her MBA program. Verizon typically requested that schools receiving the technology grants unveil the devices in a large community event to pass the iPads out to students and families. Guerrero didnt think that would be the most effective way to highlight the value of the technology to parents, students, and teachers. Instead, she negotiated with Verizon for special permission to give the students the iPads first, teach them how to use the technology, and then hold a community event in which the students highlighted for their parents the power of the technology. It was such a powerful opportunity for everyone, she said. And, Guerrero said, the event also allowed her to take control of her schools narrative around the ed-tech initiative. As a school or a company or a corporation, if youre not telling your story, someone else is going to tell it, she said. We dont think about that much in education, but its really important. To build the largest and most complete Amateur Radio community site on the Internet - a "portal" that hams think of as the first place to go for information, to exchange ideas, and be part of whats happening with ham radio on the Internet. eHam.net provides recognition and enjoyment to the people who use, contribute, and build the site. This project involves a management team of volunteers who each take a topic of interest and manage it with passion. The site will stand above all other ham radio sites by employing the latest technology and professional design/programming standards, developed by a team of community programmers who contribute their skills to the effort. The site will be something of which everyone involved can be proud to say they were a part. We welcome your comments. The eHam.net Team, Revision 07/2020. Report details PFAS contamination near Pittsburgh airport that likely extends beyond military base boundaries "The issue is that the chemicals will still very likely be in the groundwater 100 years from now unless someone cleans them up." TT 2019: Woman arrested for entering closed TT course A woman has been arrested after entering the closed TT course yesterday. Officers made the arrest earlier today after she crossed the closed road during last night's practice session. The 35-year-old woman has been charged and currently is awaiting a court appearance. Isle of Man Constabulary have reiterated "When roads are closed for TT Practices and Races it is for everyone's safety." Last year, James William Ford from Bingley in Yorkshire was sentenced to four weeks in jail, and given a five-year banning order from entering the Isle of Man after trespassing on the closed course. Woman fined 1500 for crossing closed TT course A woman has been fined 1500 after entering the closed TT course yesterday. The 35-year-old woman visiting the Island from from Vanuatu appeared in court this afternoon, before the Magistrates. The incident happened during last night's practice session near Hillberry Green. She had been charged with contravening the Road Closure Order, having crossed the closed road yesterday and fined 1500. Sailings delayed because of medical emergency The Steam Packet Company are warning of delays because of a medical emergency. The emergency caused a two-hour delay to the Ben-my-Chree leaving Heysham and is now due to arrive into Douglas at 7:30pm. Passengers booked onto the 7:30pm Belfast sailing have been advised the boat will not depart until 8:45pm. The nature of the incident is currently unknown. Armed bandits attack killed 23 in Nigeria According to the police spokesman, at least twenty-three people have been killed by armed bandits in Nigeria's northwestern Zamfara state. At least 23 people have been killed by armed bandits in Nigeria's northwestern Zamfara state, police said on Tuesday. TWENTY-THREE DEAD Mohamed Shehu, police spokesman for the state, told Anadolu Agency the incident occurred in Kaura-Namoda local government area of the state. He said normalcy have been restored in the area after heavy security deployment. "We have a combined team of security operatives, including an Air Force surveillance helicopter, patrolling the areas," Shehu said. Zamfara has been the worst hit by armed bandits attacks in the northwestern region, with several hundred people already killed and thousands displaced. Chinese media: We will hit back at US with rare earths China is ready to use rare earths to strike back in a trade war with the United States, Chinese newspapers warned on Wednesday. While China has so far not explicitly said it would restrict rare earths sales to US, Chinese media has strongly implied this will happen. "DON'T SAY WE DIDN'T WARN YOU!" In a commentary headlined United States, dont underestimate Chinas ability to strike back, the official Peoples Daily noted the United States uncomfortable dependence on rare earths from China. Will rare earths become a counter weapon for China to hit back against the pressure the United States has put on for no reason at all? The answer is no mystery, it said. Undoubtedly, the US side wants to use the products made by Chinas exported rare earths to counter and suppress Chinas development. The Chinese people will never accept this! the ruling Communist Party newspaper added. We advise the US side not to underestimate the Chinese sides ability to safeguard its development rights and interests. Dont say we didnt warn you! In its own editorial on Wednesday, sister paper the Global Times said an export ban on rare earths is a powerful weapon if used in the China-US trade war. Nevertheless, China will mainly use it for defense, it added, noting that while China might incur losses from a ban on exports, the United States would suffer more. RARE EARTHS Rare earths are a group of 17 chemical elements used in everything from high-tech consumer electronics to military equipment. The prospect that their value could soar as a result of the trade war caused sharp increases in the share prices of producers. China has used rare earth sales to exert pressure in past diplomatic disputes. EU leaders to pick new chief by considering gender equality The national government leaders agreed to finalize their nominations at their next gathering due on June 20-21, in time for the new EU chambers first sitting due on July 2nd. European Union leaders engaged in a first skirmish on Tuesday over who should become the next chief of the European Commission, giving themselves a short deadline to agree on the blocs top jobs and a target of assigning half of them to women. EU AGREE TO PICK NEW MR OR MS EUROPE NEXT MONTH Chancellor Angela Merkel was upset with French President Emmanuel Macrons public dismissal of Berlins preferred candidate, a center-right German lawmaker Manfred Weber, as the 28 national EU leaders bargained behind closed doors over the blocs new leadership for the next five years. The key for me is for the people at the most sensitive positions to share our project and be the most charismatic, creative and competent possible, Macron told reporters as the summit ended in Brussels. It is important for me to have gender balance, that we name two men and two women, he added. A bloc-wide election last week returned a European Parliament with a splintered center and gains by pro-EU liberals and Greens as well as eurosceptic nationalists and the far right, making agreeing a common agenda harder. Held once every five years, the European Union election means new people will take over key EU institutions, including the powerful executive Commission. Luxembourgs Prime Minister Xavier Bettel described the race as searching for the next Mr. or Ms. Europe. Stripped of their longtime combined parliamentary majority, the center-right European Peoples Party (EPP) and the center-left Socialists & Democrats (S&D) would no longer able to decide on the next Commission head alone in the new EU assembly. They are looking for support from the liberal ALDE and the Greens, since the four groups together would command enough seats to approve or reject any nomination by the 28 heads. The national government leaders agreed to finalize their nominations at their next gathering due on June 20-21, in time for the new EU chambers first sitting due on July 2nd. We agreed that it is essential for us to show we are capable of action and so we want by the June summit to have our proposal for the position of Commission president, Merkel told a news conference. Merkel said Macron needed to be realistic and take into account the fact that the EPP, which has nominated Weber for the Commission, would remain the biggest group in the new chamber. Huawei: The ban would only hurt US interests Huawei has taken the next step in its legal case against the US in a bid to expedite the process. Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei has filed a motion seeking to block the USs ban on its businesses with American companies. HUAWEI FILES MOTION AGAINST US BAN According to China News Service, Huawei requested a Texas-based court to declare unconstitutional a law which places bans on the companys equipment. Earlier this month, Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring a national emergency over "threats against information and communications technology and services" in the country, slapping Huawei with sanctions and blacklisting the company from doing business with US firms. But Huawei said a ban on its businesses would only hurt US interests. The 2019 National Defense Authorization Act [NDAA] illegally targeted the company in violation of due process without opportunity for rebuttal or escape, said Song Liuping, Huawei's chief legal officer. "The ban is a quintessential bill of attainder and a violation of due process," he added. The motion has sought judges decision on newly-imposed restrictions on Huawei products without going to a full trial. Earlier in March, the Chinese company had sued US over a clause of the NDAA which bans government agencies from procuring telecommunications hardware made by Huawei. The case is listed for hearing on September 19. US calls for ceasefire in Idlib US continues to be alarmed by the Syrian government and Russian airstrikes in northwest Syria and believes they are a reckless escalation of violence, the State Department said. Ongoing hostilities between the Syrian regime and its allies, and opposition forces in northwestern Syria must end immediately, the US said Tuesday. "THE RELENTLESS VIOLENCE" State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus told reporters that Washington "continues to be alarmed" by airstrikes being carried out by Russia and the Syrian regime in Idlib province. "Indiscriminate attacks on civilians and public infrastructure such as schools, markets and hospitals is a reckless escalation of the conflict and is unacceptable," she said. "The relentless violence is generating massive civilian displacement in Idlib." Ortagus estimated that roughly 300,000 people have been forced to flee violence in Idlib, just hours after the UN said the number of persons displaced from the ongoing conflict is around 270,000. Earlier Tuesday, Ursula Mueller, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' top humanitarian affairs official, lambasted the Security Council for a history of inaction in Syria, questioning what it will do to prevent another catastrophe, this time in Idlib. "Can't this council take any concrete action when attacks on schools and hospitals have become a war tactic that no longer sparks outrage?" "Is there nothing to be said or done when indiscriminate barrel bombs are dropped in civilian areas?" she said. "Millions of battered and beleaguered children, women and men cannot wait for another Geneva round to succeed. They need protection and your action now." Ladies and gentleman, an actual press release from the Department of Energy (with EMPHASIS ADDED): Increasing export capacity from the Freeport LNG project is critical to spreading freedom gas throughout the world by giving Americas allies a diverse and affordable source of clean energy. Further, more exports of U.S. LNG to the world means more U.S. jobs and more domestic economic growth and cleaner air here at home and around the globe, said U.S. Under Secretary of Energy Mark W. Menezes, who highlighted the approval at the Clean Energy Ministerial in Vancouver, Canada. Theres no doubt todays announcement furthers this Administrations commitment to promoting energy security and diversity worldwide. Approval of additional LNG exports from Freeport LNG furthers this Administrations commitment to promoting American energy, American jobs, and the American economy. Further, increased supplies of U.S. natural gas on the world market are critical to advancing clean energy and the energy security of our allies around the globe. With the U.S. in another year of record-setting natural gas production, I am pleased that the Department of Energy is doing what it can to promote an efficient regulatory system that allows for molecules of U.S. freedom to be exported to the world, said Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy Steven Winberg, who signed the export order and was also in attendance at the Clean Energy Ministerial. The tiny, isolated gray wolf population on Isle Royale has withered to near-extinction, but not because each animal carries a large number of harmful genes, according to a new genetic analysis. Instead, each one has been more likely to inherit the same harmful recessive alleles from both parents. This pattern enables expression of related genes as physical deformities, including the population's characteristically crooked spines. The findings contradict many previous studies, which suggest the crux of the genetic problem for historically small or sharply reduced populations is an increase in the quantity of harmful alleles. While the Isle Royale wolf population once consisted of 50 wolves, it has dwindled to just two - a father and daughter that are also half siblings. The collapse of the Isle Royale wolf population occurred despite a reported genetic "rescue" in 1997 by a single migrant from the mainland. To better characterize the genome-wide effects of intense inbreeding and isolation on this population, and their role in its decline, Jacqueline A. Robinson and colleagues analyzed mutations within the protein-coding regions of DNA from Isle Royale wolves, compared with genetic data from wolves in nearby mainland Minnesota. The former didn't have a greater number of deleterious genes than the Minnesota group, but the proportion of Isle Royale wolves with paired harmful recessive alleles in their genome was 38.4% higher. When the researchers compared Isle Royale genetic data with that from other wolf genomes from around the world, they found that individuals from historically large populations more frequently contained two different alleles at a gene location, while those from historically small populations more frequently contained short sequences of identical allele pairings, as with the Isle Royale wolves. These findings, supported by further simulations, contain broader implications for conservation efforts to manage fragmented populations at risk for decline due to inbreeding. Individuals brought in from historically small populations, rather than those from larger, more diverse gene pools, may actually prove more beneficial because they carry fewer potentially harmful alleles. ### A new study published today in Nature Climate Change finds coral reefs are under threat from ocean acidification. The study was led by researchers from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies (Coral CoE). Their results suggest some corals and coralline algae--the 'glue' that holds reefs together--cannot survive the expected more acidic oceans caused by climate change. "The results validate previous research on ocean acidification threats to coral reefs," said lead author Dr Steeve Comeau, who is now based at the Sorbonne Universite CNRS Laboratoire d'Oceanographie de Villefranche sur Mer in France. Co-author Prof Malcolm McCulloch, from Coral CoE at the University of Western Australia, said the researchers examined the calcifying fluid of four species of coral and two types of coralline algae under a year-long simulation. "The effects on the calcifying fluid were rapid and persisted for the whole year," Prof McCulloch said. Co-author Dr Chris Cornwall, now at the Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, explained coralline algae cements reefs together by acting as a foundation species and breeding ground for many species from the poles to the tropics. "Declines in coralline algae could lead to the loss of important marine species that use the algae as a nursery," he explained. "The results also confirm that ocean acidification could have repercussions on the competition between species. This can affect the ecological function of reefs," Dr Comeau added. He said the team did find two coral species were resistant to ocean acidification. However, these are corals that were resistant from the start. "This indicates they already had an in-built mechanism that made them resistant," he explained, "whereas sensitive corals were affected from the start and were not actually able to acclimatise." The study suggests the composition and function of future reefs--if they can survive climate change--will be very different to what we see today. ### PAPER Comeau S, Cornwall C, DeCarlo T, Doo S, Carpenter R, McCulloch M (2019). 'Resistance to ocean acidification in coral reef taxa is not gained by acclimatization'. Nature Climate Change. DOI: 10.1038/s41558-019-0486-9 Link to the paper at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-019-0486-9 CONTACTS Prof Malcolm McCulloch (AWST, Western Australia) P: (08) 6488 1921 E: malcolm.mcculloch@uwa.edu.au Dr Steeve Comeau (CEST, France) E: steeve.comeau@obs-vlfr.fr Dr Chris Cornwall (NZST, New Zealand) P: + 64 4463 5720 E: christopher.cornwall@vuw.ac.nz FOR MORE INFORMATION Melissa Lyne (AEST, Sydney) Media Manager, Coral CoE P: 0415 514 328 E: melissa.lyne@jcu.edu.au New York, NY, May 29, 2019 - The winners of the 2019 Grand Finals of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Student Research Competition (SRC) were recently announced, culminating a year-long competition in which more than 360 computer science students presented research projects at 26 ACM conferences. Gengjie Chen of The Chinese University of Hong Kong; Christie Louis Alappat of the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg; and Scott Parker Kolodziej of Texas A&M University took the top three places among graduate students. Zhuangzhuang Zhou of Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Fandel Lin of National Cheng Kung University and Elizaveta A. Tremsina of the University of California, Berkeley took the top three spots among undergraduates. Microsoft sponsors the SRC by providing travel grants of $500 to allow exemplary computing students to attend and present their research at major ACM computing conferences around the world. Through the Student Research Competition, each participating student has the unique opportunity to attend conference sessions, gain a new understanding of the practical applications of computer science scholarship, and share their own research with other students, conference attendees and eminent scientists and practitioners. For most students, the ACM Student Research Competition is their introduction to participating in premier computing research conferences. "We are always heartened by the testimonials of the students who tell us how much they enjoyed participating in the Student Research Competition and the doors it opened for them," said ACM President Cherri M. Pancake. "The SRC builds self-esteem--as students learn to communicate about their work, are recognized for their creativity, and are encouraged and challenged by their peers. However, with the steadily rising cost of higher education, and students taking on debt, an added expense to travel to a conference is a barrier for many. We thank Microsoft for their partnership in the SRC and supporting this wonderful 'outside-the-classroom' learning opportunity." "Microsoft is delighted with the strong participation of students to the ACM SRC from around the world and congratulates the 2019 SRC student winners." said Evelyne Viegas, Director of Global Research Engagement at Microsoft Research. "By taking part in the SRC, students are exposed to a broad range of research areas and a forum to share their creative ideas with peers, educators and established professionals, learn from each other, and grow their network. Microsoft is looking forward to meeting the 2019 winners at the ACM Awards Banquet." Judges assess each presenter's demonstrated knowledge, the caliber of student contributions to the research and the overall quality of their oral and visual presentations. The most successful student researchers move through the competition's stages. In the first stages, their research posters and presentations are evaluated for content and presentation. During the Grand Finals, the students share a written 4,000-word description of their work before the final step of the competition, when an entirely new panel of judges evaluates each student's complete body of work and selects the overall winners. SRC winners are invited to the annual ACM Awards Banquet, to be held this year on June 15 in San Francisco. The 2019 Student Winners: Graduate Category First Place: Gengjie Chen, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, ICCAD 2018 Conference, for his research project, "VLSI Routing: Seeing Nano Tree in Giga Forest" Second Place: Christie Louis Alappat, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg , SC18 Conference, for his research project, "RACE-Recursive Algebraic Coloring Engine" Third Place: Scott Parker Kolodziej, Texas A&M University, SIGCSE 2019 Technical Symposium , for his research project, "Empirical Assessment of Software Documentation Strategies: A Randomized Controlled Trial" Undergraduate Category First Place: Zhuangzhuang Zhou, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, ICCAD 2018 Conference, for his research project, "DALS: Delay-driven Approximate Logic Synthesis" Second Place: Fandel Lin, National Cheng Kung University, ACM SIGSPATIAL 2018 Conference, for his research project "An Intelligent and Interactive Route Planning Maker for Deploying New Transportation Services" Third Place: Elizaveta A. Tremsina, University of California, Berkeley, Tapia 2018 Conference, for her research project, "Your Story Recorded in a Magnet: Micromagnetic Simulations of Spin-Orbit Torque in Multi-layer Structures" ### About the ACM Student Research Competition The ACM Student Research Competition (SRC), sponsored by Microsoft, offers a unique forum for undergraduate and graduate students to present their original research at well-known ACM sponsored and co-sponsored conferences before a panel of judges and attendees. The SRC is s a joint venture of ACM and Microsoft, which has provided generous funding of $120,000 per competition year for this event since 2003. The top three undergraduate and graduate winners at each SRC receive prizes of $500, $300, and $200, respectively (USD), an award medal and a one-year complimentary ACM student membership with access to ACM's Digital Library. About ACM ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, is the world's largest educational and scientific computing society, uniting computing educators, researchers and professionals to inspire dialogue, share resources and address the field's challenges. ACM strengthens the computing profession's collective voice through strong leadership, promotion of the highest standards, and recognition of technical excellence. ACM supports the professional growth of its members by providing opportunities for life-long learning, career development, and professional networking. Research has documented the widespread availability of graphic images of self-harm, such as cuttings, on the photo-sharing platform Instagram. After a British father said his 14-year-old daughter had viewed such explicit images on Instagram prior to her suicide, the platform announced that it would no longer allow such graphic images to appear. But little is known about how often such graphic images reach Instagram's users and whether they have an effect on viewers. Now, a new study by researchers at the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania and two European institutions is the first to investigate the relationship between exposure to self-harm on Instagram and subsequent self-harm and suicidality-related outcomes in young adults. The research, published in the journal New Media & Society, analyzes data from an online survey of young adults conducted at two points a month apart, in May and June 2018, prior to Instagram's announcement that it would seek to reduce images of graphic self-harm. The two-wave survey was completed by 729 U.S. adults ages 18 to 29. Over 80 percent were women. The researchers found: Exposure: More than 4 in 10 (43 percent) of the people surveyed had seen a post of self-harm on Instagram at least once, and more than half of those had seen more than one; Accidental exposure: Most of those (80 percent) exposed to the self-harm posts said they encountered those posts by accident; Emotional distress: More than half (59 percent) of those exposed to the self-harm content reported being emotionally disturbed by it; Presumed copycat influence: Surprisingly, nearly a third (32 percent) of those exposed to self-harm posts on Instagram said at the first interview that they had performed the same (or very similar) self-harming behavior as a consequence of seeing the content. Importantly, the researchers found that people who reported having seen self-harm images on Instagram at the first interview were more likely than those who didn't to report their own self-harm at the second interview. The study also found that exposure to self-harm on Instagram at the first interview predicted higher levels of suicidal ideation and risk for suicide at the second interview. The analysis controlled for prior reports of self-harm. "Media researchers, suicide experts, and parents have all expressed concern in the past about this explicit content on Instagram," said the lead author, Florian Arendt, a health communication professor at the University of Vienna. "Our results provide evidence that this concern is justified." "The findings suggest that whether the Instagram posts instigate self-harm on their own or not, they do reach vulnerable young people and may play a role in encouraging similar behavior in those who are exposed to them," said the study's U.S. author, Dan Romer, research director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC). Instagram and self-harm images Instagram has more than 1 billion monthly users and over 500 million daily active users, and is one of the most popular social networking platforms among young people. It also has been a publicly available, unrivaled source for regularly uploaded explicit and graphic self-harm depictions. The most common were of mild or moderate injuries, but the depictions also included bleeding flesh wounds caused by cuttings on extremities, the researchers said. Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among 15- to 29-year olds. While deliberate self-harm "tends to be repetitive and largely non-suicidal," the researchers said, "it increases the risk of future suicide." For this analysis, the researchers conducted surveys with young adults who were recruited from internet gaming sites. The researchers cautioned that the nonrepresentative sample may have been overly selective of people concerned with suicide, since that was disclosed as one purpose of the survey, and therefore the results can't be generalized to all young people. "Since the survey sample primarily included young women, we could not determine whether the effects were as strong for men," Romer said. In February 2019, after the survey was completed, Instagram said it would remove graphic images of self-harm but permit nongraphic images such as healed scars. In a statement at the time, Instagram head Adam Mosseri said removing nongraphic images might inadvertently "stigmatize or isolate people who are in distress," and keeping them would let people share their stories and potentially help others. Arendt said, "For Instagram to recognize the potential hazard of self-harm posts is a good and appropriate move. More research will be needed to determine whether self-harm posts that are less graphic also elicit harmful effects, or whether this content could even be helpful to those posting it or to others in distress. It is a complicated issue with no straightforward answer." Efforts by Instagram to remove such images may be a challenge given their prevalence on the platform and the need for constant surveillance to detect and remove them. After Instagram's announcement, there were reports that such posts continued to appear on the platform. ### In addition to Romer and Arendt, the study was conducted by Sebastian Scherr of the School for Mass Communication Research at the University of Leuven, Belgium. "Effects of exposure to self-harm on social media: Evidence from a two-wave panel study among young adults" is published in New Media & Society. The Annenberg Public Policy Center was established in 1993 to educate the public and policy makers about the media's role in advancing public understanding of political, health, and science issues at the local, state and federal levels. Chinese scientists have revealed that a new substance can form during the oriented attachment (OA) process of crystal growth, which may shed new light on the microscopic mechanism of crystal growth. The research was done by scientists from the Institute of Solid State Physics (ISSP) under the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences and other collaborative institutions. It was published in Matter on May 29. Crystallization, a very familiar physical process, occurs both naturally and artificially. The resulting products - crystals - play an important role in modern science and technology. For instance, single silicon crystals play a central role in the semiconductor industry; nonlinear optical crystals - e.g., -BaB2O4 (BBO) - are indispensable in modern laser technology and experiments on quantum optics; and high-quality single crystalline samples are usually a prerequisite for experimental measurements and studies on novel quantum effects. Therefore, research on crystal growth is always in the spotlight. Oriented attachment (OA) is a concept that cannot be ignored when it comes to crystal growth (see Background Information). OA is commonly thought to be a physical process whereby nanocrystals align in certain directions to form larger single crystals by interface fusion (Figs. 1a and 1b). Due to this process, the resulting crystals possess both constituent and phase structures identical to those of the precursor nanoparticles. But is it possible for a new substance to form through OA process? To answer this question, Chinese scientists conducted a series of experiments and their results provided a positive answer. By adding NaHCO3 to Y2(CO3)32H2O nanoparticle suspensions in an aqueous environment, the researchers obtained single crystalline sheets identified as NaY(CO3)26H2O. A similar product ((NH4)Y(CO3)2H2O) was obtained by adding (NH4)HCO3 to the suspension. The morphology and atomic structures of the products were characterized by using state-of-the-art experimental methods. Combined with theoretical calculations, the researchers provided convincing evidence that the mechanism governing the synthesis process is a new type of OA (Fig. 1c). The scientists have named the mechanism "Chemical Reaction-directed Oriented Attachment" (CROA). "We believe that the discovery of CROA will pave a new way for the synthesis of novel functional materials, and deepen the understanding of the mechanism of natural mineral formation," said QIN Xiaoying, the corresponding author of the work from ISSP. ### The work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China. Men whose mothers were exposed to stressful life events while they were in the first 18 weeks of pregnancy may have reduced sperm counts when they become adults, according to a study published today (Thursday) in Human Reproduction [1], one of the world's leading reproductive medicine journals. Research has shown that the first few months of pregnancy is when male reproductive organs are at their most vulnerable stage of development. This current study of 643 young men aged 20 found that those who were exposed to at least one stressful life event during early gestation (0-18 weeks) had worse sperm quality and lower testosterone concentrations than those who were not exposed, or who were exposed during later gestation, between 18-34 weeks. The findings come from the Western Australia's Raine Study [2], a multi-generational study that recruited nearly 3000 women in their 18th week of pregnancy in the period between May 1989 and November 1991. The mothers completed questionnaires at 18 and 34 weeks' gestation, and each survey included questions about stressful life events during the preceding four months of pregnancy. These events included death of a close relative or friend, separation or divorce or marital problems, problems with children, mother's or partner's involuntary job loss, money problems, pregnancy concerns, moving home or other problems. A total of 2868 children (1454 boys) were born to 2804 mothers and were followed by the researchers, making this the first study to investigate prospectively the links between exposure to stressful life events in early and late gestation and male reproductive function in young adult men. When they reached 20 years old, up to 643 young men underwent a testicular ultrasound examination and provided semen and blood samples for analysis. The researchers found that 63% of the men had been exposed to at least one stressful life event in early gestation, while fewer stressful life events occurred in late gestation. Those who were exposed to stressful life events in early gestation had lower total sperm counts, fewer sperm that could swim well and lower concentrations of testosterone than those exposed to no events. The researchers adjusted their analyses to take account of factors that could affect their calculations, such as the mothers' body mass index, socio-economic status and whether or not the mothers had given birth previously. The senior author of the study, Roger Hart, Professor of Reproductive Medicine at the University of Western Australia and medical director of the Fertility Specialists of Western Australia IVF unit, said: "We found that men who had been exposed to three or more stressful life events during early gestation had an average of 36% reduction in the number of sperm in their ejaculate, a 12% reduction in sperm motility and an 11% reduction in testosterone levels compared to those men who were not exposed to any stressful life event during that period. "This suggests that maternal exposure to stressful life events during early pregnancy, a vulnerable period for the development of male reproductive organs, may have important life-long adverse effects on men's fertility. This contrasts with the absence of any significant effect of exposure to maternal stressful life events in late gestation." In their Human Reproduction paper, the authors write: "These potential associations could provide important insight into the decline of total sperm count in Western men, which has been, apart from genetic and direct spermatogenic damage, largely unexplained." Prof Hart said that exposure to stressful life events during early pregnancy was unlikely to cause a man to be infertile by itself, but when added to other factors, it could contribute to an increased risk of infertility. "Like most things in life, if exposure to stressful life events in early gestation is added to other things that are known to affect men's fertility, it may contribute to an increased risk of male infertility. These other, predominantly lifestyle exposures include being overweight, central obesity, smoking, excessive alcohol intake, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sugar, or fat levels in the blood, a varicocele in the scrotum, or possibly exposure to chemicals in the environment that interfere with natural hormones, both before birth and in adulthood," he said. The researchers point out that they have found only an association between stressful life events in early pregnancy and reduced sperm quality and testosterone concentrations in offspring, not that one definitely causes the other. First author of the study, Dr Elvira Brauner, a senior scientist in reproductive epidemiology at the Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, Denmark, said: "It is likely that women have always been exposed to stressful life events during pregnancy. However, the World Health Organization has described a general upward trend in stress over time. So, the additional effect of a stressful life event during pregnancy might be more pronounced in women who are already stressed." One of the main limitations of the study is that it was not possible to measure how stressful life events affected women's experiences and their perceptions of stress, and their resilience in coping with such events. Prof Hart said: "Our findings suggest that improved support for women, both before and during pregnancy, but particularly during the first trimester, may improve the reproductive health of their male offspring. Men should also be made aware that their general health is also related to testicular health, so they should try to be as healthy as possible to ensure that not only do they have the best chance of maintaining fertility, but also of remaining healthy in later life. "To provide some perspective, the association between exposure to stressful life events and reduction in sperm counts was not as strong as the association between maternal smoking and subsequent sperm counts, as this was associated with a 50% reduction in sperm number." ### [1] "The association between in utero exposure to stressful life events during pregnancy and male reproductive function in a cohort of 20-year-old offspring: The Raine Study", by E.V. Brauner et al. Human Reproduction journal. doi:10.1093/humrep/dez070. [2] The Raine Study, established in 1989, is one of the largest prospective cohorts of pregnancy, childhood, adolescence and adulthood to be carried out anywhere in the world. It has followed a group of young adults from before they were born and throughout their life. Their families are also part of the study, with their children, their parents and their grandparents involved in the research as well. Over 30,000 pieces of data and more than 30 million pieces of genetic information on each of these participants provide researchers around the world with information to help them better understand and improve human health and quality of life. A study conducted by scientists from Brazil, the United States and Portugal investigated the accuracy and consistency of different satellite data collections with regard to the location and size of burned areas in the Cerrado biome, the Brazilian savanna. The results, published in the International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation will help improve the output produced by Programa Queimadas, a program run by Brazil's National Space Research Institute (INPE) to monitor wildfires and burns by satellite and to calculate and forecast forest fire risk. The study was linked to the Brazilian Fire-Land-Atmosphere System (BrFLAS), a project supported by Sao Paulo Research Foundation - FAPESP. Its principal investigator was Renata Libonati, a professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) in Brazil, in collaboration with researchers at the University of Maryland (USA) and the University of Lisbon (Portugal). The study was also one of several projects conducted as follow ups to the master's research of the first author Julia Abrantes Rodrigues. Several previous studies showed that fire - which can be used intelligently as part of a properly considered strategy with total area zoning and a rotating fire schedule - is indispensable to renewal the Cerrado (read more at agencia.fapesp.br/26064). The indiscriminate, often criminal, use of fire to eliminate native plants and prepare land for crops and extensive cattle raising is a different story. "In this case, areas are burned repeatedly at very short intervals, almost always in the dry season, and no vegetation can survive. Natural adaptation is impossible," environmental engineer Alberto Setzer). Setzer is a researcher at INPE and a coauthor of the article. "A most important aspect to consider is the atmospheric emissions from burning. Depending on the year, they can account for between 28% and 75% of Brazil's total carbon emissions, contributing substantially to global estimates, as Brazil ranks seventh among the world's countries that are the largest sources of carbon emissions. Even 28% is very significant, while 75% is extremely serious," Setzer said. "The Amazon was the main concern in the past as far as fire was concerned, but the burning in the Cerrado has become very alarming. This biome, particularly the part known as MaToPiBa [an acronym that designates the area at the intersection between the states of Maranhao, Tocantins, Piaui and Bahia], has become a magnet for large-scale agricultural projects. For example, western Bahia has undergone brutal devastation, and almost all the natural vegetation has been removed." Setzer noted that this change has been very drastic and swift and that the scientific community is practically unaware of it. Hence, the timeliness of this new study, which set out to answer the following question: "How much of the Cerrado is being burned?" Data from satellites operated by reliable organizations such as NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) are global in scale and relatively imprecise for the study of regional phenomena, according to Setzer. "It was in this specific respect that we set out to enhance the quality of INPE's output for use in measuring burned areas," Setzer said. "The study shows the limitations and errors of both global-scale estimates and those produced by INPE. The aim was to refine our data to arrive at more precise information on burned areas, including what, when and where data, as well as the resulting emissions." The Programa Queimadas portal offers current data on the subject. At a resolution of 1 km, it is possible to obtain data on the total burned area and burned areas by biome, year by year and month by month, as well as each biome's percentage of total burned area. The maps also show each biome's fire scars. The portal offers LANDSAT quadrant images, maps, and other detailed information for the Cerrado at a resolution of 30 m. "In our study, we calculated the errors and uncertainties of the data provided by the satellite images. It's the first study of the kind for the Cerrado. We also found that the data are more reliable for the northern than for the southern Cerrado. This is because properties in the southern part of the biome are far smaller, so the use of fire occurs in relatively small areas rather than over very large swathes of land. In the northern portion, in areas such as Bananal Island, we measured almost continuous fires in areas as large as 10,000 km2 in some years. That never happens in parts of northern Sao Paulo or southern Minas Gerais [Southeast Brazil], where the land-use pattern is quite different. It's an important finding because it shows you can't have a single algorithm for the entire biome," Setzer explained. At present, the impact on the Cerrado is greatest in areas of arable land. "The Cerrado is being practically destroyed, and the land is being converted to crops or pasture. In most cases, this is being done in breach of the environmental legislation. In the Amazon, the law requires that 80% of any property must be left untouched. In the Cerrado, this requirement applies to only 30%, but even that small proportion isn't enforced," he said. ### About Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) The Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) is a public institution with the mission of supporting scientific research in all fields of knowledge by awarding scholarships, fellowships and grants to investigators linked with higher education and research institutions in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. FAPESP is aware that the very best research can only be done by working with the best researchers internationally. Therefore, it has established partnerships with funding agencies, higher education, private companies, and research organizations in other countries known for the quality of their research and has been encouraging scientists funded by its grants to further develop their international collaboration. You can learn more about FAPESP at http://www.fapesp.br/en and visit FAPESP news agency at http://www.agencia.fapesp.br/en to keep updated with the latest scientific breakthroughs FAPESP helps achieve through its many programs, awards and research centers. You may also subscribe to FAPESP news agency at http://agencia.fapesp.br/subscribe. A Florida State University researcher has found gender inequality in U.S. states is bad for everybody's health. In a new study published in the American Sociological Review, FSU Assistant Professor Patricia Homan developed a new structural sexism approach to the study of gender inequality and health. Her approach goes beyond sexist mistreatment by individuals to examine how the degree of systematic gender inequality in power and resources -- i.e. structural sexism -- in a society can impact people's health. "Researchers have known for decades that the experience of being sexually harassed or discriminated against can have a harmful effect on a woman's health," Homan said. "But much less is known about the broader health consequences of living in a social environment where power, resources, roles and opportunities are unequally distributed along gender lines." Structural sexism can be evident in major social institutions, such as the government and the economy, in interpersonal interactions and relationships, such as marriages and in individuals' beliefs and identities. Homan established concrete ways to measure structural sexism within U.S. states, within heterosexual marriages and at the individual level and examined its effects on men's and women's health. To conduct her research, Homan compiled data from multiple sources including the U.S. Census and the National Longitudinal Study of Youth. Based on a sample of more than 3,300 U.S. adults, Homan found that at the state level structural sexism resulted in worse health outcomes for both men and women alike. Those living in states with the highest levels of structural sexism, such as Utah, Wyoming, Mississippi, Louisiana and Oklahoma, reported higher levels of chronic conditions, worse self-reported health and had worse physical function at age 40 and 50. "This means that at the macro level structural sexism is universally harmful for population health," Homan said. To illustrate the magnitude of the health effects, Homan noted, that women exposed to high levels of structural sexism in their home state had roughly twice as many health issues as women living in states with lower levels. Put differently, a woman living in a state with high structural sexism looked seven years older in terms of her health profile than her counterpart in a state with low levels of structural sexism. Homan found the states with the lowest structural sexism were Maryland, California, Massachusetts, Vermont and Hawaii. Homan created several measures of state level structural sexism designed to capture the degree to which men and women are unequal in four arenas of society -- political, economic, cultural and physical/reproductive. The measures included: the gender wage gap, gender differences in labor force participation and poverty rates, the proportion of state legislature seats occupied by men, the prevalence of religious conservatives in each state -- which is linked to traditional gender roles and the exclusion of women from leadership positions -- and the proportion of women who live in a county without an abortion provider. "Public health scholars and international human rights organizations consider reproductive choice and access to a full range of reproductive health care services to be a fundamental human right," Homan said. "It's also considered a precondition for women's equal citizenship and participation in social, political and economic life." Homan said there are several policy implications to consider as a result of her research. "The first thing we need to realize is that gender inequality in the United States is not only a human rights issue, but also a public health problem," she said. "Therefore, gender equity policy is health policy." This means that policies aiming to close the gender wage gap, increase women's political representation, protect and expand access to reproductive health services, or otherwise promote gender equity, also have the potential to improve health for all members of society. ### Researchers embark on zero-gravity parabolic flights to test novel graphene-based thermal management devices for space applications. Graphene significantly improves the performance of loop heat pipes, which dissipate heat in satellites to avoid equipment failure. The Graphene Flagship aims to get these graphene devices included in satellites, and even the international space station in the next few years. Check out our video about the zero-gravity campaign: https://youtu.be/Kd-twPfkkFU Thermal management is essential for satellites and other equipment to perform correctly in space. The difference in temperature between two sides of a satellite, for instance the sides facing towards and away from the sun, can vary by over 200 degrees Celsius. Removing unwanted heat and avoiding equipment failure requires the use of a loop heat pipe to dissipate excess heat. Loop heat pipes cool electronic devices and instruments by using the heat they generate to evaporate a fluid inside a wick. The wick is traditionally made of porous metal. In the case of this experiment, the wick will be coated in graphene to improve the heat transfer between the electronic units and the fluid. The work is a collaboration between Graphene Flagship partners the Universite Libre de Bruxelles, the University of Cambridge, the National Research Council of Italy (CNR) and industrial partner, Leonardo. Two successful campaigns completed in 2017 showed strong evidence that graphene's thermal properties can improve the efficiency loop heat pipes. This third zero-gravity campaign will test an advanced device at higher technology readiness level, as a further step towards space applications. "This new parabolic flight experiment is a further step in order to test graphene in space," explained Carlo Iorio, senior researcher at Universite Libre de Bruxelles and co-ordinator of the zero-gravity experiments. "In June, the Graphene Flagship will test graphene in a sounding rocket campaign, which will be held in Kiruna in the North of Sweden." "The rocket campaign will provide our researchers with six minutes of micro gravity. During this time, we will test fundamental aspects of graphene solutions, the same used to prepare the thermal management devices, essential tools for the future of space exploitation," adds Iorio. "Experimentation in zero-gravity is fundamental to ensure access of new technologies to operational missions in Space. The graphene loop heat pipe is a promising application for Leonardo, a company with wide aerospace expertise, always looking at new ways to improve its products quality through innovation. We are glad the Graphene Flagship is making this possible", stated Marco Molina, Chief Technology Officer of Space line of business at Leonardo. "Experiments in space require significant investments and extensive planning. They are only possible within long-term collaborations between industry and academia: this is exactly what the Graphene Flagship is all about. The devices were produced with a technique that was initially developed for completely different applications, in electronics. We are now testing this for space applications in the loop heath pipes, thanks to the synergies enabled by the Graphene Flagship", said Vincenzo Palermo from CNR and Vice-Director of the Graphene Flagship. Andrea C. Ferrari, Science and Technology Officer of the Graphene Flagship and Chair of its Management Panel added that "this third parabolic flights campaign in two years is a testimony of the pace of development of the new graphene-based devices. The aim is to get these included in satellites or in the international space station in the next few years. The further tests of graphene inks to be performed in the sounding rocket in June will further our understanding of their behaviour in microgravity conditions." ### A team of scientists demonstrates for the first time that neurogranin is a very reliable biomarker for prion diseases in humans This protein is found in neurons, and can be easily detected at the cerebrospinal fluid of alive patients Every year in Catalonia 15 new cases of Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease are diagnosed. It is a mortal prion disease whose cause is unknown and has no treatment. It is very similar to the mad cow disease provoked by prions, also known as CJD variant. The challenge has always been to diagnose prion diseases when a person or an animal is suffering from them, since the current the diagnose is done once the patient is dead. Recently, a study published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry demonstrates that very high levels of neurogranin in the cerebrospinal fluid can be detected in human patients that suffer from prion diseases. The work has been led by researchers from The Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED)) of the Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII), the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) and the UMG-Gottingen in Germany, with the participation of the PRIOCAT laboratory of the Animal Health Research Center (IRTA-CReSA). So far, some studies have already shown that patients with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's have higher levels of this protein in the cerebrospinal fluid. "We have now verified that the same but magnified happens in people who suffer from the sporadic Creutzfeldt Jakob", says Franc Llorens, researcher at CIBERNED and IDIBELL. Neurogranin is a protein found naturally in neurons. His role is to participate in the process of the synapse and can be detected by analyzing the cerebrospinal fluid, "a fluid that surrounds and protects our central nervous system and fills up its cavities or ventricles, therefore it can give us much information about what is happening to the brain", explains Enric Vidal, researcher at IRTA-CReSA. There are currently several methods to help diagnose prion diseases, but they are not completely reliable. In fact, these diseases can only be diagnosed with absolute certainty by analyzing the brain of the dead patient. "This finding will help us make more accurate diagnoses, since it is a biological sample that can be obtained when the patient is alive and is relatively easy to collect with a lumbar puncture", the authors of the study confirm. More information on the prognosis of the disease According to experts, today it is impossible to predict the duration of prion diseases, since they depend on many factors and some of them are still unknown. In this study, however, it has been detected that the levels of neurogranin are associated with the duration of the disease. "Neurogranin is a marker of neuronal damage. When we find it in high quantities, it is indicating that neurons are harmed, therefore the disease will move faster, it will have a short duration", explains Franc Llorens. This information will help the experts to predict the clinical evolution of the Creutzfeldt Jakob cases and to better select patients according to their condition, as well as to better interpret clinical trials to find anti-prion therapies. ### Some phases of this study have been carried out in the biosafety level prion laboratory 3, located in the facilities of the Center for Research in Animal Health (IRTA-CReSA). PRIOCAT is the only laboratory in Catalonia that works with animal prions and maintains an agreement with CIBERNED to carry out experiments with these highly pathogenic agents also in samples obtained from human patients. Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center have developed a simple new blood test that can detect the presence of seven different types of cancer by spotting unique patterns in the fragmentation of DNA shed from cancer cells and circulating in the bloodstream. In a proof-of-concept study, the test, called DELFI (DNA evaluation of fragments for early interception), accurately detected the presence of cancer DNA in 57% to more than 99% of blood samples from 208 patients with various stages of breast, colorectal, lung, ovarian, pancreatic, gastric or bile duct cancers in the U.S., Denmark and the Netherlands. DELFI also performed well in tests of blood samples from 215 healthy individuals, falsely identifying cancer in just four cases. The test uses machine learning, a type of artificial intelligence, to identify abnormal patterns of DNA fragments in the blood of patients with cancer. By studying these patterns, the investigators said they could identify the cancers' tissue of origin in up to 75% of cases. A report on the research will be published online May 29 in Nature. Blood tests, or so-called "liquid biopsies" for cancer detection typically look for mutations, which are changes in the DNA sequence within a cancer cell, or for methylation, a chemical reaction in which a methyl group is added to DNA, says senior study author Victor E. Velculescu, M.D., Ph.D., professor of oncology and co-director of the Cancer Biology Program at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center. But not all cancer patients have changes that are detectable using these methods, he says, and there is a great need for improved methods for early detection of cancer. DELFI, he says, takes a different approach, studying the way DNA is packaged inside the nucleus of a cell by looking in the blood at the size and amount of DNA from different regions across the genome for clues to that packaging. Alessandro Leal, M.D., a lead author of the study and a Ph.D. candidate at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, explains that the nuclei of healthy cells package DNA like a well-organized suitcase in which different regions of the genome are carefully placed in various compartments. By contrast, the nuclei of cancer cells are more like disorganized suitcases, with items from across the genome thrown in haphazardly. "For various reasons, a cancer genome is disorganized in the way it's packaged, which means that when cancer cells die they release their DNA in a chaotic manner into the bloodstream," says Jillian Phallen, Ph.D., a lead author on the study and a Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center postdoctoral fellow. "By examining this cell-free DNA (cfDNA), DELFI helps identify the presence of cancer by detecting abnormalities in the size and amount of DNA in different regions of the genome based on how it is packaged." The researchers caution that the test's potential must be further validated in additional studies, but if that happens it could be used to screen for cancer by taking a tube of blood from an individual, extracting the cfDNA, studying its genetic sequences and determining the fragmentation profile of the cfDNA. The genome-wide fragmentation pattern from an individual can then be compared with reference populations to determine if the pattern is likely healthy or derived from cancer. Robert B. Scharpf, Ph.D., a senior author on the study and an associate professor of oncology, says that because the genome-wide fragmentation patterns may reveal differences associated with specific tissues, these patterns, when found to be derived from cancer, can also indicate the source of the cancer, such as from the breast, colon or lung. DELFI simultaneously analyzes millions of sequences from hundreds to thousands of regions in the genome, identifying tumor-specific abnormalities from minute cfDNA amounts, says Scharpf. Using DELFI, investigators found that genome-wide cfDNA fragmentation profiles are different between cancer patients and healthy individuals. Stephen Cristiano, a lead author on the study and a Ph.D. candidate in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, says that in cancer patients, fragmentation patterns in cfDNA appear to result from mixtures of DNA released from both blood and tumor cells, and show multiple distinct genomic differences with increases and decreases in fragment sizes at different regions. For the current study, the Johns Hopkins investigators worked with colleagues from institutions in the U.S., Denmark and the Netherlands to perform low-coverage whole genome sequencing of cfDNA from 208 patients with cancer, including 54 breast cancer patients, 27 colorectal cancer patients, 12 lung cancer patients, 28 ovarian cancer patients, 34 pancreatic cancer patients, 27 gastric cancer patients and 26 bile duct cancer patients. They also performed whole genome sequencing to analyze cfDNA from 215 healthy individuals. All cancer patient samples were obtained before any treatment, and the majority of the samples (183) were from people whose disease could be treated with surgical removal of the tumors. Overall, the researchers report, healthy individuals had similar fragmentation profiles, while patients with cancer had more variable fragmentation profiles that were less likely to match healthy profiles. DELFI detected cancer in 73% of cancer patients overall, while misclassifying four of 215 healthy individuals (98% specificity). The test also was found to be 61%-75% accurate in identifying the tissue of origin of the cfDNA. When DELFI and mutation-based cfDNA analyses were combined, investigators could accurately detect 91% of cancer patients. Velculescu, Leal, Phallen, Scharpf, Cristiano and colleagues are in the process of scaling up their analyses to study DELFI's performance in thousands of samples. "We're encouraged about the potential of DELFI because it looks at a completely independent set of cell-free DNA characteristics from those that have posed difficulties over the years, and we look forward to working with our collaborators worldwide to make this test available to patients," Velculescu says. Because the test is easy to administer and employs simple and inexpensive laboratory methods, Velculescu expects that the test could ultimately be more cost-effective than other cancer screening tests, including other current cfDNA tests. ### Additional scientists who contributed to the work include Jacob Fiksel, Vilmos Adleff, Daniel C. Bruhm, Jamie E. Medina, Carolyn Hruban, James R. White, Doreen N. Palsgrove, Noushin Niknafs, Valsamo Anagnostou, Patrick Forde, Jarushka Naidoo, Kristen Marrone and Julie Brahmer of Johns Hopkins; Sarah strup Jensen, Mai-Britt Worm rntoft and Claus Lindbjerg Andersen of Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark; Karlijn L. van Rooijen, Geraldine R. Vink and Miriam Koopman of University Medical Center at Utrecht University in The Netherlands; Anders Husted Madsen of Herning Regional Hospital in Denmark; Cornelis J.H. van de Velde of Leiden University Medical Center in The Netherlands; Marcel Verheij, Annemieke Cats, Remond J.A. Fijneman and Gerrit A. Meijer of The Netherlands Cancer Institute; Brian D. Woodward and Hatim Husain of Moores Cancer Center at the University of California, San Diego; Cornelis J.A. Punt of the Academic Medical Center at the University of Amsterdam; Nicole C.T. van Grieken of VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam; Julia S. Johansen of Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark; and Hans Jrgen Nielsen of Hvidovre Hospital in Denmark. The work was supported by the Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson Medical Research Foundation, the Stand Up to Cancer-Dutch Cancer Society International Translational Cancer Research Dream Team Grant (SU2C-AACR-DT1415), the Commonwealth Foundation, the Cigarette Restitution Fund, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund and the Maryland Genetics, Epidemiology and Medicine Training Program, the AACR-Janssen Cancer Interception Research Fellowship, the Mark Foundation for Cancer Research, the National Institutes of Health (grants CA121113, CA006973, and CA180950), the Danish Council for Independent Research (11-105240); the Danish Council for Strategic Research (1309-00006B), the Novo Nordisk Foundation (NNF14OC0012747 and NNF17OC0025052) and the Danish Cancer Society (R133-A8520-00-S41 and R146-A9466-16-S2). Cristiano, Leal, Phallen, Fiksel, Adleff, Scharpf and Velculescu are inventors on patent applications (62/673,516 and 62/795,900) submitted by The Johns Hopkins University related to cell-free DNA for cancer detection. Velculescu also is a founder of Delfi Diagnostics and Personal Genome Diagnostics, a member of their scientific advisory boards and boards of directors, and owns Delfi Diagnostics and Personal Genome Diagnostics stock, which are subject to certain restrictions under university policy. Velculescu has been an adviser to Daiichi Sankyo, Janssen Diagnostics, Ignyta and Takeda Pharmaceuticals. The terms of these arrangements are managed by The Johns Hopkins University in accordance with its conflict of interest policies. Northern and Central Asia have been neglected in studies of early human migration, with deserts and mountains being considered uncompromising barriers. However, a new study by an international team argues that humans may have moved through these extreme settings in the past under wetter conditions. We must now reconsider where we look for the earliest traces of our species in northern Asia, as well as the zones of potential interaction with other hominins such as Neanderthals and Denisovans. Archaeologists and palaeoanthropologists are increasingly interested in discovering the environments facing the earliest members of our species, Homo sapiens, as it moved into new parts of Eurasia in the Late Pleistocene (125,000-12,000 years ago). Much attention has focused on a 'southern' route around the Indian Ocean, with Northern and Central Asia being somewhat neglected. However, in a paper published in PLOS ONE, scientists of the Max Planck Institute for the History of Human Science in Jena, Germany, and colleagues at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology in Beijing, China, argue that climate change may have made this a particularly dynamic region of hominin dispersal, interaction, and adaptation, and a crucial corridor for movement. 'Heading North' Out of Africa and into Asia "Archaeological discussions of the migration routes of Pleistocene Homo sapiens have often focused on a 'coastal' route from Africa to Australia, skirting around India and Southeast Asia," says Professor Michael Petraglia of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, a co-author of the new study. "In the context of northern Asia, a route into Siberia has been preferred, avoiding deserts such as the Gobi." Yet over the past ten years, a variety of evidence has emerged that has suggested that areas considered inhospitable today might not have always been so in the past. "Our previous work in Saudi Arabia, and work in the Thar Desert of India, has been key in highlighting that survey work in previously neglected regions can yield new insights into human routes and adaptations," says Petraglia. Indeed, if Homo sapiens could cross what is now the Arabian Deserts then what would have stopped it crossing other currently arid regions such as the Gobi Desert, the Junggar Basin, and the Taklamakan Desert at different points in the past? Similarly, the Altai Mountains, the Tien Shan and the Tibetan Plateau represent a potentially new high altitude window into human evolution, especially given the recent Denisovan findings from Denisova Cave in Russia and at the Baishiya Karst Cave in China. Nevertheless, traditional research areas, a density of archaeological sites, and assumptions about the persistence of environmental 'extremes' in the past has led to a focus on Siberia, rather than the potential for interior routes of human movement across northern Asia. A "Green Gobi"? Indeed, palaeoclimatic research in Central Asia has increasingly accumulated evidence of past lake extents, past records of changing precipitation amounts, and changing glacial extents in mountain regions, which suggest that environments could have varied dramatically in this part of the world over the course of the Pleistocene. However, the dating of many of these environmental transitions has remained broad in scale, and these records have not yet been incorporated into archaeological discussions of human arrival in northern and Central Asia. "We factored in climate records and geographical features into GIS models for glacials (periods during which the polar ice caps were at their greatest extent) and interstadials (periods during the retreat of these ice caps) to test whether the direction of past human movement would vary, based on the presence of these environmental barriers," says Nils Vanwezer, PhD student at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History and a joint lead-author of the study. "We found that while during 'glacial' conditions humans would indeed likely have been forced to travel via a northern arc through southern Siberia, during wetter conditions a number of alternative pathways would have been possible, including across a 'green' Gobi Desert," he continues. Comparisons with the available palaeoenvironmental records confirm that local and regional conditions would have been very different in these parts of Asia in the past, making these 'route' models a definite possibility for human movement. Where did you come from, where did you go? "We should emphasize that these routes are not 'real', definite pathways of Pleistocene human movement. However, they do suggest that we should look for human presence, migration, and interaction with other hominins in new parts of Asia that have been neglected as static voids of archaeology," says Dr. Patrick Roberts also of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, co-author of the study. "Given what we are increasingly discovering about the flexibility of our species, it would be of no surprise if we were to find early Homo sapiens in the middle of modern deserts or mountainous glacial sheets." "These models will stimulate new survey and fieldwork in previously forgotten regions of northern and Central Asia," says Professor Nicole Boivin, Director of the Department of Archaeology at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, and co-author of the study. "Our next task is to undertake this work, which we will be doing in the next few years with an aim to test these new potential models of human arrival in these parts of Asia." ### Pregnant black women low in vitamin D have higher levels of bacteria associated with preterm delivery, report investigators at the Medical University of South Carolina and Virginia Commonwealth University in the Journal of Perinatology Vitamin D, sometimes known as the sunshine vitamin, has long been known to be important for a healthy pregnancy. Pregnant mothers take vitamin D supplements to ensure their own health and that of their unborn child. But how does vitamin D affect the bacteria residing in the vagina, known as the vaginal microbiome, during pregnancy? That depends on the mother's race, according to a recent study by researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). Their findings, published online in March in the Journal of Perinatology, are being featured as part of a collection of manuscripts from the integrative Human Microbiome Project (iHMP/HMP2) published today in the Nature family of journals. The natural microbiome is made up of "friendly bacteria" that help prevent infection by harmful microbes. Disruptions of that natural microbiome can leave women vulnerable to infection. The research team showed that the makeup of bacteria in the vaginal microbiome differed between black women with lower vitamin D and white women with higher vitamin D. In the MUSC trial of 387 healthy pregnant women of diverse ethnicity, black women with lower levels of vitamin D during pregnancy had more Megasphaera - a type of bacteria linked to bacterial vaginosis, which is a common dysbiosis or disorder in the vaginal canal. In contrast, white women with higher levels of vitamin D had more lactobacilli, a type of bacteria that promotes vaginal health. The study did not find any bacteria significantly associated with vitamin D status in Hispanic women. The Kellogg Foundation and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded the trial. Bacterial vaginosis, which is the disruption of a healthy vaginal microbiome, can increase the risk for infertility, spontaneous abortion, and preterm birth. Black women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with bacterial vaginosis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, they are more than twice as likely to give birth early preterm - less than 33 weeks into pregnancy - than white women. Black women are also more likely to be deficient in vitamin D. "If you have a rich, darker pigment, you need more sunlight exposure to penetrate through the melanin in your skin to activate the conversion of 7-dehydrocholesterol to vitamin D," explains Carol Wagner, M.D., a neonatologist at MUSC Children's Health who led the study. Wagner teamed up with Kimberly Jefferson, Ph.D., a bacteriologist at VCU, to investigate a possible link between racial disparities in vitamin D deficiency, bacterial vaginosis, and pregnancy outcomes. A team of investigators at VCU, which includes Jefferson, Gregory Buck, Ph.D., and Jerome Strauss, M.D., Ph.D., lead the NIH Human Microbiome Project-funded study "Multi-Omic Microbiome Study: Pregnancy Initiative (MOMS-PI)." The study is focused on the role of the vaginal microbiome in pregnancy. "An association between vitamin D deficiency and bacterial vaginosis has been observed in the past," says Jefferson. "We wanted to know whether certain bacterial taxa could be implicated and whether these taxa were associated with preterm birth." Women enrolled in the MUSC trial were followed from their first trimester until delivery. One group of women took 400 international units (IU) of vitamin D per day, which is the average dose found in prenatal vitamins. The other group took 4400 IU per day. Wagner and her colleagues have previously shown that to be a safe and effective dose for achieving vitamin D sufficiency in pregnant women, regardless of race. The researchers evaluated vitamin D status monthly by measuring levels of a vitamin D metabolite. The South Carolina Clinical & Translational Research (SCTR) Institute's Research Nexus provided laboratory support. Vaginal swabs were taken at each visit, and samples were sent to VCU for analysis. On average, women taking the 4400 IU supplement per day achieved greater than 40 ng/mL of the metabolite by the end of the study, which is a healthy range for pregnant women. These women had vaginal microbiomes with higher levels of healthy lactobacillus bacteria compared to women with <30 ng/mL. One bacterial species linked to bacterial vaginosis, G. vaginalis, decreased significantly over the course of the study for women in both groups. "Certain, potentially harmful bacteria become reduced in abundance as pregnancy progresses," says Jefferson. "This may be a defense mechanism that has evolved to protect the growing fetus during pregnancy." Though low levels of the vitamin D metabolite were associated with a genus of bacteria related to bacterial vaginosis in black women, the study did not provide evidence that vitamin D deficiency directly causes bacterial vaginosis. This is perhaps because few women in this study were profoundly deficient in vitamin D. Since 2015, women at greatest risk of vitamin D deficiency have been identified during their prenatal visit at MUSC and prescribed supplements. "We typically see the dramatic changes in the women who are most deficient and then you make them replete," says Wagner. "We had far fewer women in this study who were profoundly vitamin D deficient, which is a good thing but can blunt the treatment effect." Based on this study and her previous research, Wagner advocates for women, especially black women, to be mindful of their vitamin D status during pregnancy. "Women who are thinking about getting pregnant or are early in their pregnancy, especially black women, need to think about vitamin D status and that vitamin D affects many systems in the body," explains Wagner. "We really want women to be replete and ideally to have a level around 40 ng/mL, because it will not only affect their vaginal microbiome, but really more importantly their placental function and immune function." Jefferson plans to continue exploring the relationships between vitamin D and the vaginal microbiome. "We want to know how the body protects itself from potentially harmful infectious agents during pregnancy," says Jefferson. "Our understanding of the relationship between the human host and the microbiome of the reproductive tract is in its infancy but, as we increase our knowledge in this area, we hope to reduce the ethnic disparity in preterm birth and empower women to achieve healthier pregnancies." ### The content of the article summarized by this release is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. About MUSC and MUSC Health Founded in 1824 in Charleston, MUSC is the oldest medical school in the South, as well as the state's only integrated, academic health sciences center with a unique charge to serve the state through education, research and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates and trains more than 3,000 students and 700 residents in six colleges: Dental Medicine, Graduate Studies, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy. The state's leader in obtaining biomedical research funds, in fiscal year 2018, MUSC set a new high, bringing in more than $276.5 million. For information on academic programs, visit http://musc.edu. As the clinical health system of the Medical University of South Carolina, MUSC Health is dedicated to delivering the highest quality patient care available, while training generations of competent, compassionate health care providers to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond. Comprising some 1,600 beds, more than 100 outreach sites, the MUSC College of Medicine, the physicians' practice plan, and nearly 275 telehealth locations, MUSC Health owns and operates eight hospitals situated in Charleston, Chester, Florence, Lancaster and Marion counties. In 2018, for the fourth consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named MUSC Health the number one hospital in South Carolina. To learn more about clinical patient services, visit http://muschealth.org. MUSC and its affiliates have collective annual budgets of $3 billion. The more than 17,000 MUSC team members include world-class faculty, physicians, specialty providers and scientists who deliver groundbreaking education, research, technology and patient care. About VCU and VCU Health Virginia Commonwealth University is a major, urban public research university with national and international rankings in sponsored research. Located in downtown Richmond, VCU enrolls more than 31,000 students in 217 degree and certificate programs in the arts, sciences and humanities. Thirty-eight of the programs are unique in Virginia, many of them crossing the disciplines of VCU's 11 schools and three colleges. The VCU Health brand represents the VCU health sciences academic programs, the VCU Massey Cancer Center and the VCU Health System, which comprises VCU Medical Center (the only academic medical center and Level I trauma center in the region), Community Memorial Hospital, Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU, MCV Physicians and Virginia Premier Health Plan. For more, please visit http://www.vcu.edu and vcuhealth.org. About the South Carolina Clinical & Translational Research Institute The South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research Institute (SCTR), a National Institutes of Health Clinical and Translational Science Awards hub, is the catalyst for changing the culture of biomedical research, facilitating sharing of resources and expertise, and streamlining research -related processes to bring about large-scale, change in the clinical and translational research efforts in South Carolina. Our vision is to improve health outcomes and quality of life for the population through discoveries translated into evidence-based practice. For more information, visit https://research.musc.edu/resources/sctr. Ivan Smirnov, a researcher from the Higher School of Economics, analysed the data of 36,951 students from 590 schools of Saint Petersburg and found that there is a strong correlation between the educational outcomes of a school and its digital neighbours. Students are more likely to be connected if the educational outcomes of their schools are similar. The results were published in PLOS One. The Internet provides students with a unique opportunity to connect and maintain social ties with peers from other schools, regardless of how far away they live from each other. However, little is known about the actual structure of such relationships. While friendship networks of students from a single school are well-studied, interschool friendship remains an underexplored topic. In the paper, 'Schools are Segregated by Educational Outcomes in the Digital Space', Ivan Smirnov examines the data of 36,951 students from 590 schools in Saint Petersburg, one of the largest cities of Europe, and their friendship links on VK. VK is the most popular Russian social networking site, and it is ubiquitous among young Russians: more than 90% of them use it regularly. Ivan Smirnov found that online friendship is closely related to physical distance, i.e. the probability of a friendship tie between students from neighboring schools is high, and it decreases with the distance between schools. He also found that the position of a school in a friendship network is a good predictor of its educational outcomes. A school's centrality explains as much about variations in its academic performance as the socio-economic status of its students does. Finally, his study showed that students are more likely to be connected if the educational outcomes of their schools are similar. This is an intriguing finding, because it cannot be explained by residential distance. While high- and low-performing schools are evenly distributed across the city, this is not the case in the space of social media, where the distance or proximity of schools' digital communities to each other are determined not by geographical location but by educational outcomes. There is no significant correlation between the educational outcomes of a school and its geographical neighbours; however, there is a strong correlation between the educational outcomes of a school and its digital neighbours. These results provide insight on interschool friendship and the relationship between online ties and physical space. They may also have important implications for understanding inequality in the digital age. ### A mass die-off of seabirds in the Bering Sea may be partially attributable to climate change, according to a new study publishing May 29 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Timothy Jones of the citizen science program COASST at University of Washington, Lauren Divine from the Aleut Community of St Paul Island Ecosystem Conservation Office, and colleagues. The birds appeared to have died from the effects of starvation. Tufted puffins breeding in the Bering Sea, off the coast of Alaska, feed on fish and marine invertebrates, which in turn feed on ocean plankton. Elevation of sea temperatures has led to major changes in ocean ecosystems, and has been linked to previous mass mortality events in marine birds. Beginning in 2014, increased atmospheric temperatures and decreased winter sea ice led to declines in energy-rich prey species in the Bering Sea, as well as a shift of some species more northward, diminishing puffin food resources in the southern portion of the sea. In the current study, Jones and colleagues documented a four-month-long die-off of puffins and a second species, the Crested auklet, on St. Paul Island, one of the Pribilof Islands in the southern Bering Sea, about 300 miles east of the mainland. Beginning in October 2016, tribal and community members recovered over 350 severely emaciated carcasses, mostly adults in the process of molting, a known nutritional stressor during the avian life cycle. A reduction in food resources before entering molt may have prevented many birds from surviving, the authors suggest. Using wind data to model beachings, they calculated between 3,150 and 8,500 birds could have died in the event. Tufted puffins comprised 87% of this total, or 40-100% of the Pribilofs Islands' population, making it highly likely that affected birds originated from colonies throughout the Bering Sea. In comparison, puffins have made up less than 1% of recovered carcasses in the region in prior years. The authors suggest that climate-driven shifts in prey abundance and/or distribution, combined with the onset of molt, may have caused this puffin die-off, and note that further climate variability in this region is probable. Further research and observation will show whether seabirds can remain resilient in an increasingly variable environment. Divine adds: "This paper is a successful application of citizen science in the real world. Island residents collected high quality data in real time and provided COASST with a detailed context for their analysis. Without the positive and mutually beneficial relationship built over years of collaboration, this massive die-off of Tufted Puffins would have gone unreported in the scientific community." ### Citation: Jones T, Divine LM, Renner H, Knowles S, Lefebvre KA, Burgess HK, et al. (2019) Unusual mortality of Tufted puffins (Fratercula cirrhata) in the eastern Bering Sea. PLoS ONE 14(5): e0216532. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0216532 Funding: These analyses were supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) EHR/DRL award 1322820 and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife award 13-1435, to JKP. Support for algal toxin analyses was provided by NSF OCE-1314088 to KAL and Dr. David Marcinek at the University of Washington. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. In your coverage please use this URL to provide access to the freely available article in PLOS ONE: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0216532 Rice University nanoscientist Naomi Halas has been chosen by the American Chemical Society to represent the Americas as the winner of a coveted 2019 ACS Nano Lectureship Award. The awards, established in 2012, honor the contributions of scientists whose work has significantly impacted the fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology. Only three are awarded each year, with one awardee each from the Americas, Europe/Middle East/Africa and Asia/Pacific. Halas will present her award lecture at ChinaNano, the eighth International Conference on Nanoscience and Technology, which will be held in Beijing Aug. 17-19. Halas is the Stanley C. Moore Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering in Rice's Brown School of Engineering, director of Rice's Smalley-Curl Institute and a professor of chemistry, bioengineering, physics and astronomy, and materials science and nanoengineering. A pioneer in the study of light-activated nanoparticles and their possible uses, Halas is the first person in the university's history to be elected to both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering for research done at Rice. Her discoveries have wide-ranging applications in areas as diverse as cancer treatment, optoelectronics, photocatalysis, chemical sensing, solar-powered distillation and steam production, and off-grid water treatment. Halas is the author of more than 300 refereed publications, and her work has been cited more than 85,000 times. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Materials Research Society, the Optical Society, the American Physical Society, the International Society for Optical Engineering and the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers. ### Published monthly, ACS Nano is an international forum for the communication of comprehensive articles on nanoscience and nanotechnology research at the interfaces of chemistry, biology, materials science, physics and engineering. Related research from Rice: Rice U. lab adds porous envelope to aluminum plasmonics -- Feb. 8, 2019 https://news.rice.edu/2019/02/08/rice-u-lab-adds-porous-envelope-to-aluminum-plasmonics-2/ Naomi Halas honored by Royal Society of Chemistry -- Jan. 14, 2019 https://news.rice.edu/2019/01/14/naomi-halas-honored-by-royal-society-of-chemistry-2/ Rice U. lab probes molecular limit of plasmonics -- Sept. 5, 2018 https://news.rice.edu/2018/09/05/rice-u-lab-probes-molecular-limit-of-plasmonics-2/ Reimagining MRI contrast: Iron outperforms gadolinium -- Aug. 22, 2018 https://news.rice.edu/2018/08/22/reimagining-mri-contrast-iron-outperforms-gadolinium/ Freshwater from salt water using only solar energy -- June 19, 2017 http://news.rice.edu/2017/06/19/freshwater-from-salt-water-using-only-solar-energy/ Rice lab expands palette for color-changing glass -- March 8, 2017 http://news.rice.edu/2017/03/08/rice-lab-expands-palette-for-color-changing-glass/ Rice finding could lead to cheap, efficient metal-based solar cells -- July 22, 2015 http://news.rice.edu/2015/07/22/rice-finding-could-lead-to-cheap-efficient-metal-based-solar-cells/ This news release can be found online at news.rice.edu. Follow Rice News and Media Relations on Twitter @RiceUNews. Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,962 undergraduates and 3,027 graduate students, Rice's undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is just under 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for lots of race/class interaction and No. 2 for quality of life by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger's Personal Finance. Chino, CA (91710) Today Rain. High around 50F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.. Tonight Rain likely. Low 48F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected. Although pollen has covered cars for weeks and allergy sufferers have been sneezing, we think of sex as being the realm of animals. But plant sex can be quite interesting, especially in species that can have male or female flowers. More than 90 percent of flowering plant species combine both sexes in one plant. In the less than 10 percent of species where female and male flowers exist on separate plants, they typically remain female or male throughout their lifetime. But it isn't always this simple. In a study in the journal Annals of Botany, Rutgers University-New Brunswick researchers found that striped maple trees can change sex from year to year. A tree may be male one year and female the next, and while male trees grow more, female trees are more likely to die. The study found that 54 percent of striped maple trees changed sexes over a four-year period, with some switching at least twice. Male trees usually outnumber female trees by more than three to one. Since the study started in 2014, 75 percent of trees that died were female. Since only female trees can make seeds, changes in the relative numbers of males and females might lead to reduced populations. "We found that, contrary to previous scientific knowledge, unhealthy trees have a higher likelihood of being female, and the size of the tree doesn't seem to influence what sex a tree is," said lead author Jennifer Blake-Mahmud, a botanist who earned her doctorate at Rutgers and is now at Princeton University. The striped maple (Acer pensylvanicum), a slow-growing species that reaches heights of about 30 to 50 feet, thrives at medium to high elevations along the Appalachian Mountains from Georgia to Nova Scotia, and is native to New Jersey. Although the ability for a plant to switch sex is incredibly rare, some other species are known to do so, such as the Jack-in-the-pulpit, an understory woodland plant that also flowers in the spring in New Jersey. In these cases, usually females appear to be healthier or larger since it takes more energy to be female and to produce fruits and seeds. Understory trees like the striped maple, which grow beneath the forest canopy, can become less healthy for many reasons: insects chew on them, deer use them for antler rubs, large trees fall on them during storms or they can suffer through droughts. Over longer periods, these stressful conditions may result in increasing numbers of females compared with males in striped maple tree populations. More females likely mean more seeds and more seedlings of striped maples. At first this might seem like a good thing, but that might not necessarily be the case. Since the female death rate is much higher than the male death rate, the number of trees in these populations may decline over the long-run. Upcoming research will look at how important certain environmental factors may be in determining a striped maple tree's sex. The scientists are looking at the concentration of sugar stored in sap to see if trees with more sugar reserves are more likely to be female. They are also looking at whether they can trigger a sex change by causing an injury, such as cutting off a branch. ### Blake-Mahmud's co-author and former adviser is Lena Struwe, a professor in the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources and Department of Plant Biology in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. Needed most in poorer nations: Educational opportunities, greater focus on practical water-related results, papers say; Assess water research impact by successful results achieved, not by papers published and cited by other researchers Post-secondary education and research aimed at tackling the global water crisis is concentrated in wealthy countries rather than the poorer, developing places where it is most needed, the United Nations University says. Two new papers from the UNU's Canadian-based Institute for Water, Environment and Health call for reducing this "alarming" imbalance between resources and need, which impedes the search for solutions to crucial water challenges. They also suggest refocusing how water research is assessed; with more emphasis on whether the work leads to successful, practical solutions and less on counting the number of papers published and cited by other researchers. Leading international agencies rank inadequate water supply and sanitation among the top-10 global risks, and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals set ambitious targets for improvement. Despite the research and other efforts that have gone into trying to resolve the water challenges, "not many of them have been removed from the global development agenda," says Hamid Mehmood, a UNU-INWEH Senior Researcher, based in Hamilton, Ontario, in his paper, "Bibliometrics of Water Research: A Global Snapshot." "Higher education related to water is a critical component of capacity development," according to Colin Mayfield, Professor Emeritus at the University of Waterloo, Ontario, in "Higher Education in the Water Sector: A Global Overview." In their separate papers, Drs. Mayfield and Mehmood examine the weaknesses in water-related research and education systems and suggest reforms. In both cases, with no global data source offering detailed information on educational activities in the water sector, or even listing water-resources programs as a discrete category, the authors devised indirect strategies to extract information from several databases. Mehmood entered a string of 1,057 search terms into the Scopus database, which indexes 22,800 journals, magazines and reports from more than 5,000 international publishers, to find trends in water-related publications and citations, between 2012 and 2017. Mayfield also used Scopus as well as the Shanghai Academic Ranking System, the Times Higher Education (THE) website, the Ranking Web of Universities, Our World in Data and the UNESCO Institute for Statistics to get data on the location of the world's more than 28,000 universities that offer degrees in water-related programs, particularly those with high academic rankings, as well as the obstacles and opportunities for researchers and students to access them. Most troubling for both is the evidence that too little training and research takes place where water problems are most acute. "Countries with protracted water problems in infrastructure, environment, agriculture, energy solutions do not seem to be at the forefront of water research production or knowledge transfer. Instead, global water research is reliant on the Western - particularly US - scientific outputs," Mehmood states. "Considering the regional and cross-boundary nature of water-related problems, the lack of regional knowledge flows is alarming." Among Mehmood's findings: Globally, more research papers are being published and the number of academic journals focused on water issues is rising. Even so, water-related research doesn't figure prominently in most countries. -- usually falling below 10 per cent of all published papers. And the proportion is even lower among those that lead in publications in all subject areas Water-related research is published in 88 countries. Between them, the United States and China accounted for 33 per cent of the 1.2 million papers published between 2012 and 2017, although their publication rate is growing more slowly than many other countries About 70 per cent of the academic journals that carry research on water issues are published in just four countries -- the United States, Britain, Germany and the Netherlands -- and only two per cent are in China. All 15 countries leading in publications per million population are among the world's wealthiest, suggesting water research does not necessarily emerge as a reaction to water scarcity but, instead, to some economic value in a supply and sanitation industry expected to be worth $1 trillion (US) in 2020. Using artificial intelligence, researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have succeeded in making the mass analysis of proteins from any organism significantly faster than before and almost error-free. This new approach is set to provoke a considerable change in the field of proteomics, as it can be applied in both basic and clinical research. The genome of any organism contains the blueprints for thousands of proteins which control almost all the functions of life. Defective proteins lead to serious diseases, such as cancer, diabetes or dementia. Therefore, proteins are also the most important targets for drugs. To better understand life processes and diseases and develop more appropriate therapies, it is necessary for as many proteins as possible to be analyzed simultaneously. At present, mass spectrometry is used in order to determine the type and quantity of proteins in a biological system. However, the current methods of data analysis continue to produce many mistakes. A team at the Technical University of Munich led by bioinformatics scientist Mathias Wilhelm and biochemist Bernhard Kuster, Professor of Proteomics and Bioanalytics at the Technical University of Munich, has now succeeded in using proteomic data to train a neural network in such a way that it is able to recognize proteins much more quickly and with almost no errors. A solution to a serious problem Mass spectrometers do not measure proteins directly. They analyze smaller parts consisting of amino acid sequences with up to 30 building blocks. The measured spectra of these chains are compared with databases in order to assign them to a specific protein. However, the evaluation software can only use part of the information that the spectra contain. Therefore, certain proteins are not recognized or are recognized incorrectly. "This is a serious problem," explains Kuster. The neural network developed by the TUM team uses all the information of the spectra for the process of identification. "We miss fewer proteins and make 100 times fewer mistakes," says Bernhard Kuster. Applicable to all organisms "Prosit", as the researchers call the AI software, is "applicable to all organisms in the world, even if their proteomes have never been examined before," explains Mathias Wilhelm. "This enables research which was previously inconceivable." With the help of 100 million mass spectra, the algorithm has been so extensively trained that it can be used for all common mass spectrometers without any additional training. "Our system is the global leader in this field," says Kuster. A market worth billions Clinics, biotech companies, pharmaceutical companies and research institutes are using high-performance devices of this kind; the market is already worth billions. With "Prosit", it will be possible to develop even more powerful instruments in the future. Researchers and physicians will also be better and faster able to search for biomarkers in patients' blood or urine, or monitor therapies for their effectiveness. The researchers also have high hopes for fundamental research. "The method can be used to track down new regulatory mechanisms in cells," says Kuster. "We hope to gain a considerable amount of knowledge here, which, in the medium and long term, will be reflected in the treatment of diseases suffered by humans, animals and plants." Wilhelm also expects that "AI methods such as Prosit will soon change the field of proteomics , as they can be used in almost every area of protein research". ### The study was carried out in cooperation with the companies JPT (Berlin), SAP (Potsdam) and ThermoFisher Scientific (Bremen). The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) as part of the ProteomeTools project. Prosit is available via ProteomicsDB, which is funded by the BMBF in the scope of the DIAS project. Publication: Prosit: proteome-wide prediction of peptide tandem mass spectra by deep learning Siegfried Gessulat, Tobias Schmidt, Daniel Paul Zolg, Patroklos Samaras, Karsten Schnatbaum, Johannes Zerweck, Tobias Knaute, Julia Rechenberger, Bernard Delanghe, Andreas Huhmer, Ulf Reimer, Hans-Christian Ehrlich, Stephan Aiche, Bernhard Kuster und Mathias Wilhelm Nature Methods, 27.05.2019 - DOI: 10.1038/s41592-019-0426-7 An international team of researchers demonstrates that our brain need only perform a few lightning-fast statistical calculations to detect key properties of unknown objects NEW YORK -- From a child snapping Legos together to a pickpocket plucking a wallet from your bag, our brains have a remarkable ability to spot new objects and figure out how to manipulate them. Scientists have long believed that the brain accomplishes this by methodically interpreting visual and textural cues, such as an object's edges or boundaries. But a new study suggests that the human brain requires only a tiny bit of information, as well as its previous experience, to calculate a complete mental representation of a new object. These results help to explain the mental mathematics that enable us to easily know what a novel object looks like simply by touching it, or the way an object feels from sight alone. This study, led by researchers at Columbia University, the University of Cambridge and the Central European University and reported in the journal eLife, illustrates the brain's natural power to learn quickly and generalize. "Our brains' ability to single out one object from many by touch -- the way pickpockets use their fingers to hone in on a wallet deep inside a purse -- is a broadly used skill, and key to our ability to interact with the world," said Daniel Wolpert, PhD, a principal investigator at Columbia's Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and the study's co-senior author. "Our latest study exemplifies the brain's knack for performing mathematics to infer an object's identity." Nearly 40 years ago, scientists trying to understand how we identify individual objects proposed that the edges or boundaries of each item allow us to distinguish one object from the next. But Dr. Wolpert and the research team hypothesized that this explanation did not tell the whole story and was perhaps a smaller part of a much larger, more generalized principle of how the brain infers properties about its surroundings. "We wondered whether our brains could do more, with less," said Mate Lengyel, PhD, professor of computational neuroscience from the University of Cambridge, a research fellow at the Central European University and one of the study's senior authors. "Perhaps they don't need to acquire and analyze boundary information systematically in order to identify an object, but can instead work out an object's identity by performing clever statistical analyses that also incorporate memories and experiences," These "clever statistical analyses," Dr. Lengyel and his colleagues thought, could allow our brains to not only immediately identify objects we've encountered before, but also predict key properties of new objects we come across. To test their object-identification hypothesis, the researchers developed a simple computer game where players watched jigsaw-like puzzle pieces stuck together in various combinations on a screen. Their task, which they generally did with ease, was to recognize which combinations appeared together more frequently. "The players' brains were able to gather visual information about the pairs of puzzle pieces, such as which pieces were most often found together, or which looked easiest to pull apart," said Dr. Wolpert, who is also a professor of neuroscience at Columbia's Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. A second set of participants was given similar scenes of puzzle pieces stuck together. But instead of using their eyes to work out which pieces went together as a pair, they used their sense of touch. Scientists call this form of identification haptic perception. The players grasped two handles -- mounted to a robotic contraption that controlled the forces the player experienced when ripping apart different sets of puzzle pieces. Some combinations were easy to pull apart; others, more difficult. After providing visual or haptic information to each of the two groups of players, the research team swapped the groups; the visual group now evaluated puzzle pieces using their sense of touch, and the haptic group now used their sense of vision. "Our results of this swap revealed players' adeptness to take the knowledge they had learned from one of the two modalities -- either visual or haptic -- and extrapolate to the other modality," said Dr. Lengyel. These findings challenge the conventional view of how our brains extract and learn about our environment. Even when faced with a minimal amount of source material -- a small amount of statistics about how often two objects appeared together, or how much force it took to pull them apart -- the human brain could make powerful inferences and connections. "Our study shows that our brains are wondrously adept at generalizing from one modality, such as vision, to another, such as touch," said Dr. Wolpert. "This may be because our brains have calculated a statistical understanding of how objects behave based on our previous experiences. This study further reveals that the computations our brains perform are sufficiently powerful for achieving a multitude of cognitive feats -- whether it be picking someone's pocket or imagining the feel of a leather purse in a window display." ### This paper is titled "Unimodal statistical learning produces multimodal object-like representations." Additional contributors include first author Gabor Lengyel, Goda Zalayte, Alexandros Pantelides, James N. Ingram, PhD, and co-senior author Jozef Fiser, PhD. This research was supported by the European Research Council (Consolidator Grant ERC-2016-COG/726090), the Royal Society (Noreen Murray Professorship in Neurobiology RP120142), the Seventh Framework Programme (Marie Curie CIG 618918), the Wellcome Trust (New Investigator Award 095621/Z/11/Z; Senior Investigator Award 097803/Z/11/Z) and the National Institutes of Health (R21 HD088731). The authors report no financial or other conflicts of interest. Columbia University's Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute brings together an extraordinary group of world-class scientists and scholars to pursue the most urgent and exciting challenge of our time: understanding the brain and mind. A deeper understanding of the brain promises to transform human health and society. From effective treatments for disorders like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, depression and autism to advances in fields as fundamental as computer science, economics, law, the arts and social policy, the potential for humanity is staggering. To learn more, visit: zuckermaninstitute.columbia.edu. Combining big data with artificial intelligence has allowed University of Copenhagen researchers to determine whether you wrote your assignment or whether a ghostwriter penned it for you -- with nearly 90% accuracy Combining big data with artificial intelligence has allowed University of Copenhagen researchers to determine whether you wrote your assignment or whether a ghostwriter penned it for you - with nearly 90 percent accuracy. Several studies have shown that cheating on assignments is widespread and becoming increasingly prevalent among high school students. At the University of Copenhagen's Department of Computer Science, efforts to detect cheating on assignments through writing analysis by way of artificial intelligence have been underway for a few years. Now, based on analyses of 130,000 written Danish assignments, scientists can, with nearly 90 percent accuracy, detect whether a student has written an assignment on their own or had it composed by a ghostwriter. Danish high schools currently use the Lectio platform to check if a student has handed in plagiarized work that has passages copied directly from a previously submitted assignment. High schools have a harder time discovering if a student has enlisted someone else to write the assignment for them, something that happens to a more or less systematized degree via online services. The case of the SRP, a major written assignment in the final year of Danish high school, is particularly telling. Because the assignment counts for double, students have gone as far as tendering out their writing assignments on the Danish classified website, Den Bla Avis. "The problem today is that if someone is hired to write an assignment, Lectio won't spot it. Our program identifies discrepancies in writing styles by comparing recently submitted writing against a student's previously submitted work. Among other variables, the program looks at: word length, sentence structure and how words are used. For instance, whether 'for example' is written as 'ex.' or 'e.g.'," explains PhD student Stephan Lorenzen of the Department of Computer Science. He, along with the rest of the DIKU-DABAI research group, recently presented their findings at a major European AI conference. Prior to setting the trap, an ethical debate The program, Ghostwriter, is built around machine learning and neural networks - branches of artificial intelligence that are particularly useful for recognizing patterns in images and texts. MaCom, the company that provides Lectio to Danish high schools, has made a dataset of 130,000 written assignments from 10,000 different high school students available to Ghostwriter project researchers at the Department of Computer Science. For now, it is still a research project. Stephan Lorenzen doesn't think that it is unrealistic for the program to find its way into high schools in the not too distant future, as schools must constantly stay apace with technological developments to address 'authorship verification'. "I think that it is realistic to expect that high schools will begin using it at some point. But before they do, there needs to be an ethical discussion of how the technology ought to be applied. Any result delivered by the program should never stand on its own, but serve to support and substantiate a suspicion of cheating," believes Lorenzen. Police and fake news Ghostwriter's technological foundation can be applied elsewhere in society. For example, the program could be used in police work to supplement forged document analysis, a task carried out by forensic document examiners and others. "It would be fun to collaborate with the police, who currently deploy forensic document examiners to look for qualitative similarities and differences between the texts they are comparing. We can look at large amounts of data and find patterns. I imagine that this combination would benefit police work," says Lorenzen, who emphasizes that ethical discussions are needed here as well. The artificial intelligence used by researchers at the Department of Computer Science to detect cheating on assignments has a wide range of applications. It has already been used to analyze Twitter tweets to determine whether they were composed by actual users or penned by paid imposters or robots. FACTS: The ghostwriter program uses what is known as a Siamese neural network to distinguish the writing styles of two texts. The network is trained on large amounts of data to learn from representations of writing styles, which are then compared. When a student submits an assignment, the network compares it against their previous assignments. For each previous assignment, the network provides a percentage score for writing style similarity against the new assignment. In the end, a weighted average of these scores is calculated using a calculation that also takes other factors, such as delivery time, into account. This final score is presented as a percentage and indicates the similarity between the new assignment and the student's writing style. The research group behind the result is DIKU-DABAI (Danish Center for Big Data Analytics driven Innovation). The group is headed by Professor Stephen Alstrup. Access the research article "Detecting Ghostwriters in High Schools" here. The research is supported by Innovation Fund Denmark. ### Greater transparency is needed to understand the influence of lobbyists when delivering crucial renewable energy schemes in the UK, new research has claimed. The comprehensive new study, led by heat policy expert Richard Lowes from the University of Exeter, examined the true extent of how much influence lobbyists still wield to shape Government initiatives. Richard, a key member of Exeter's prominent Energy Policy group, centred the research around the flagship Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) - a national scheme designed to encourage homes and businesses to switch to renewable and low-carbon heating. The study found that 'niche actors' - such as lobbyists and campaigners - were the most influential group during the early development stages of the RHI. The research suggests that strengthening the UK 'Lobbying Act' could provide more visibility, and so more control, over the influence of lobbyists over policy change. The study is published in the journal Energy Policy. Richard, who is based at Exeter's Penryn Campus in Cornwall said: "There are very few UK studies which unpick attempts to influence government policy and even fewer which investigate actual effects on policy change. With so much consumer money and such big issues at stake, it's important that we know who is affecting Government programmes. Light is often the best disinfectant'. The RHI scheme, introduced in 2011for non-domestic buildings and in 2014 for homes, is designed to encourage a switch from fossil fuel heating systems to renewable and low-carbon alternatives. A report by the National Audit Office, published last year on which Richard was an advisor, assessed a number of the scheme's key factors, including value for money, take-up rates and cost-effectiveness. It shows that the scheme has had a small impact on UK carbon emissions and delivered more than 78,000 installations nationwide already in place. However it concludes that the scheme has not achieved value for money and has not deployed sustainable heat at the expected levels. It also explains that the Government does not have a reliable estimate of the amount it has overpaid participants who have not complied with the regulations, nor the impact of how participants may have 'gamed' the scheme to maximise profits. In the new study, Richard analysed the power exerted by different groups and influencing agents during the development of the scheme. The research identified a number of fundamental changes made to the policy as it was being developed and showed how individuals and organisations had influenced and attempted to influence the scheme. It showed that lobbyists and influencers with 'niche' technological expertise or close relationships with policy makers were the most powerful drivers of policy development and change. Richard added: 'The UK's energy system needs to be transformed and the Government must ensure that this transformation is supported by consumers and not unduly influenced by business interests. "Strengthening the rules around reporting of lobbying meetings and who lobbyists are would be a pragmatic step and it seems odd and undemocratic to me that nearly all lobbying goes unreported. There should be a legally mandated and publicly accessible central register of all meetings between government officials and politicians with interest groups." ### Policy change, power and the development of Great Britain's Renewable Heat Incentive is published in the journal Energy Policy and is available free online. Bridget Woodman and Oscar Fitch-Roy are co-authors. "The motivation of the study was to increase our basic understanding of viral replication, but in the long term this may contribute to tackling viral disease," says the director of the of the project, Associate Professor Juha Huiskonen from the Helsinki Institute of Life Science HiLIFE. The breakthrough results were achieved using cryogenic electron microscopy, a method that has in recent years revolutionised structural biology--a field of biology that aims to understand how molecules of life work at the atomic level. Using powerful electron microscopes, the team took tens of thousands of images of highly purified viruses. The images were then combined into three-dimensional models, allowing the scientists to not only see the proteins that make up the shell of the virus, but also, for the first time, to trace the nucleic acid genome inside the protein shell. The genome was seen to form a liquid crystal, a highly condensed and ordered state of matter that is still fluid. "The degree of condensation is remarkable. To illustrate, if the virus was the size of an exercise ball and the viral genome was thick manila rope, there would be almost 70 metres of such rope stuffed inside the ball," Huiskonen says. The fluidity of the genome may be required to allow expression of the viral genes in the confines of the viral capsid, but it is still an open question how the virus genome doesn't get entangled in the process. In a follow-up study the team aims to address this very question. "The virus particles are molecular machines that can be switched on by giving them the right chemical compounds," explains Minna Poranen, university lecturer from the Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences of the University of Helsinki. "When the viruses are carrying out their work, they can be observed at different states. This way we can gain an even better understanding of how these fascinating nanomachines function," adds Huiskonen. ### One of the latest cyber threats involves hackers encrypting user files and then charging "ransom" to get them back. In the paper, "Project Almanac: A Time-Traveling Solid State Drive," University of Illinois students Chance Coats and Xiaohao Wang and Assistant Professor Jian Huang from the Coordinated Science Laboratory look at how they can use the commodity storage devices already in a computer, to save the files without having to pay the ransom. "The paper explains how we leverage properties of flash-based storage that currently exist in most laptops, desktops, mobiles, and even IoT devices" said Coats, a graduate student in electrical and computer engineering (ECE). "The motivation was a class of malware called ransomware, where hackers will take your files, encrypt them, delete the unencrypted files and then demand money to give the files back." The flash-based, solid-state drives Coats mentioned are part of the storage system in most computers. When a file is modified on the computer, rather than getting rid of the old file version immediately, the solid-state drive saves the updated version to a new location. Those old versions are the key to thwarting ransomware attacks. If there is an attack, the tool discussed in the paper can be used to revert to a previous version of the file. The tool would also help in the case of a user accidentally deleting one of their own files. Like any new tool, there is a trade-off. "When you want to write new data, it has to be saved to a free block, or block that has already been erased," said Coats. "Normally a solid-state drive would delete old versions in an effort to erase blocks in advance, but because our drive is keeping the old versions intentionally, it may have to move the old versions before writing new ones." Coats described this as a trade-off between retention duration and storage performance. If the parameters of their new tool are set to maintain data for too long, old and unnecessary versions will be kept and take up space on the storage device. As the device fills with old file versions, the system takes longer to respond to typical storage requests and performance degrades. On the other hand, if the parameters are set to a retention window that is too narrow, users would have a quicker response time, but they may not have all of their backup files saved should a malware attack take place. To manage this trade-off, Huang and his students built in functionality for the tool to monitor and adjust these parameters dynamically. Despite the dynamic changes to system parameters, their tool guarantees data will be retained for at least three days. This allows users the option to backup their data onto other systems within the guaranteed time-period if they choose to do so. The idea behind their tool has gained interest at an international level. The paper about this research was published at a top-tier system conference, EuroSys, this past spring. Coats represented the group at the conference. "Our research group really enjoys building practical computer systems; this is a great practice for our students, they will experience how our research will generate real-world impact," said Huang, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Illinois. "Moving forward, our group will look at the possibility of retaining user data in a storage device for a much longer time with lower performance overhead, and applying the time-traveling solid-state drive to wider applications such as systems debugging and digital forensics." ### Research carried out by the University of Kent has found differences between the knuckle joints of primates that will enable a better understanding of ancient human hand use Research carried out by the University of Kent has found differences between the knuckle joints of primates that will enable a better understanding of ancient human hand use. Using samples from the Powell-Cotton Museum in Birchington-on-Sea (UK), as well as samples from Germany, Belgium and the USA, a team led by School of Anthropology and Conservation (SAC) PhD student Christopher Dunmore examined the internal bone structure, called trabeculae or cancellous bone, of great apes. Trabecular bone is a honeycomb structure that is found within most bones and changes depending on what that bone is used for during a lifetime. When it is preserved in fossils, researchers can learn more about how ancient apes as well as humans moved and interacted with their environment. The study compared the internal bone structure of the knuckle joints in chimpanzee, bonobo, orang-utan and gorilla hands, to assess whether this bone structure records how these apes moved when knuckle-walking on the ground or hanging from trees. The researchers found the knuckle joints of orang-utans were consistent with flexing the knuckles while grasping branches, while the joints of chimpanzees, bonobos and gorillas were consistent with knuckle-walking - the most frequent ways in which these animals move around in their respective environments. The information will now enable scientists studying fossils to better understand whether ancient humans were swinging from trees or walking on the ground. Mr Dunmore said: 'For the first time we see interesting internal bone patterns differentiating subtle differences between chimpanzee and gorilla knuckle-walking, as well as arboreal grasping in orang-utans. This matters because when we find ancient human hand fossils that preserve their internal structure, we can work out if they were probably swinging from trees during their lifetime or if they were walking on the ground more like humans today.' ### The study, entitled Metacarpal trabecular bone varies with distinct hand-positions used in hominid locomotion (Christopher Dunmore, Dr Ameline Bardo, Professor Tracy Kivell and Dr Matthew Skinner, Skeletal Biology Research Centre, SAC, University of Kent) was published in the Journal of Anatomy. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31099419 For further information and interview or image requests contact Sandy Fleming at the University of Kent Press Office. Tel: +44 (0)1227 823581 Email: S.Fleming@kent.ac.uk News releases can also be found at http://www.kent.ac.uk/news University of Kent on Twitter: http://twitter.com/UniKent Established in 1965, the University of Kent - the UK's European university - now has almost 20,000 students across campuses or study centres at Canterbury, Medway, Tonbridge, Brussels, Paris, Athens and Rome. It was ranked 22nd in the Guardian University Guide 2018 and in June 2017 was awarded a gold rating, the highest, in the UK Government's Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF). In 2018 it was also ranked in the top 500 of Shanghai Ranking's Academic Ranking of World Universities and 47th in the Times Higher Education's (THE) new European Teaching Rankings. Kent is ranked 17th in the UK for research intensity (REF 2014). It has world-leading research in all subjects and 97% of its research is deemed by the REF to be of international quality. Along with the universities of East Anglia and Essex, Kent is a member of the Eastern Arc Research Consortium (http://www.kent.ac.uk/about/partnerships/eastern-arc.html). The University is worth 0.7 billion to the economy of the south east and supports more than 7,800 jobs in the region. Student off-campus spend contributes 293.3m and 2,532 full-time-equivalent jobs to those totals. Kent has received two Queen's Anniversary prizes for Higher and Further Education. COLUMBIA, Mo.-- One of the most devastating images from 2015 shows a 3-year-old boy, Alan Kurdi, facedown and unmoving on a beach in Turkey. Alan had drowned during an attempt to escape Syria, and the image sparked outrage and concern worldwide over the refugee crisis in Europe. It also highlighted the power a single image can have. Now, Keith Greenwood, an associate professor in the Missouri School of Journalism, has found that a majority of photos depicting the 2015 Syrian refugee crisis portrayed the refugees as victims. Greenwood said this finding has implications for how the public perceives migratory events, including current ones such as the influx of migrants arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border. The study also underscores the responsibility of photojournalists to convey a broader story with their pictures. "Typically, powerful or shocking photos of migrants get the greatest reaction," Greenwood said. "However, those potentially dark moments don't always capture the full scope of the event. Photojournalists and news organizations have a big opportunity to tell a greater story." Greenwood and TJ Thomson, a Missouri School of Journalism alumnus, analyzed more than 800 photos from the 2015 Syrian refugee crisis that were submitted by photojournalists for the 2016 Picture of the Year International competition. They found that more than 600 of the photos depicted the migrants as victims dependent on foreign aid, including refuges being detained or waiting in a migrant camp. Only 186 of the photos showed the refugees with some amount of agency, such as refugees looking for food or bathing themselves. Out of the entire collection, only a single photo showed refugees in an educational setting. Photographs are used by the public to make sense of news stories. If an individual only sees images of migrants clashing with police at a border, for example, they might be more inclined to think the situation more militarized than if they had seen photos of migrants peacefully waiting in line to go through a border checkpoint. However, Greenwood adds that individuals viewing images tend to accept or reject them based on their own personal belief system. "Research shows that people view photos through their own frame of reference and judge them accordingly," Greenwood said. "For example, a person who believes migrants are a threat might find that a photo of a migrant throwing tear gas at a border officer enforces their opinion, but they might reject an image of a migrant shown in a more peaceful light as a one-time thing." While photojournalists are often limited by their assignment, Greenwood recommends that news organizations take note of how their visual storytelling is framing a migration event and work to present the bigger picture through daily photographs made in the field. "There needs to be a greater discussion on telling the broader story -- a migrant's story doesn't end once they cross the sea or make it through the border," Greenwood said. "If news organizations leave out what happens to migrants once they've settled in to a new place and are working to make a new life, they might be missing out on a huge opportunity." "Framing the migration: A study of news photographs showing people fleeing war and persecution," was published in the International Communication Gazette. The coauthor, TJ Thomson, is an alumnus of the Missouri School of Journalism and currently a lecturer in digital journalism at Queensland University of Technology in Australia. ### KINGSTON, R.I. -- May 29, 2019 -- Scientists with a NASA-led expedition are operating from the Inner Space Center at the University of Rhode Island's Graduate School of Oceanography as colleagues explore the deep Pacific Ocean to prepare to search for life in deep space. The SUBSEA (Systematic Underwater Biogeochemical Science and Exploration Analog) research program is a partnership among NASA's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the Ocean Exploration Trust and various academic centers that blend ocean and space research to better understand if the watery worlds found on moons and planets in our solar system offer conditions that could support microbial life. Last year, the SUBSEA shipboard team used remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) deployed from the Ocean Exploration Trust's E/V Nautilus to explore Loihi Seamount, an underwater volcano off the southeastern coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. The type of hydrothermal venting at the Loihi Seamount is a good representation of conditions scientists believe exist on certain moons in the outer solar system. The onshore NASA team, stationed in Mission Control at the Inner Space Center, learned how scientists and engineers communicate science objectives via telepresence. The NASA team returns to the Inner Space Center through June 8 to test specialized mission-planning software as part of NASA's long-term strategy for achieving extended human presence in deep-space. Scientists will study the work practices, habits, communication and information flows necessary to conduct remote science and exploration by observing operations conducted by the SUBSEA teams on the E/V Nautilus and at the Inner Space Center. "The m+ost important role of the Inner Space Center for the SUBSEA project is to help NASA learn how to use telepresence for ocean exploration as an analog to how it may be used for space exploration," said Dwight Coleman, director of the Inner Space Center. SUBSEA researchers aboard E/V Nautilus will conduct field programs at the Gorda Ridge offshore of northern California and Oregon. This section of mid-ocean ridge is of interest to ocean researchers because it is home to seafloor hydrothermal activity that departs from the convention of black smoker hydrothermal systems, instead emitting clear fluids from the seafloor. The public will be able to watch exploration of the seafloor via 24/7 live stream at http://www.nautiluslive.org as ROVs collect high definition video footage from the sea floor. A human-robotic voyage to the moon or Mars might parallel SUBSEA's mission architecture using robotic explorers controlled by humans nearby as directed by a remote team of scientists. Using the Inner Space Center's cutting edge technology -- including telepresence -- for ocean research, exploration and education, the SUBSEA team will be able to test, evaluate and improve the necessary processes and technology tools needed for deep space exploration. Ultimately, the results of SUBSEA's research will inform strategies for conducting science via tele-operations at destinations in space as well as scientists' understanding of a wider range of deep-sea environments for conducting ocean research. "The Inner Space Center is the world leader in supporting telepresence-based ocean exploration missions, so we're excited to serve as a base of operations for this groundbreaking project," said Coleman. ### The SUBSEA Gorda Ridge Expedition aboard Exploration Vessel Nautilus is funded by NOAA's Office of Ocean Exploration and Research (OER) and the NASA PSTAR program, and is a collaboration among Ocean Exploration Trust, NASA Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, and NOAA OER to foster collaboration between ocean and space exploration teams. Computers and similar electronic devices have gotten faster and smaller over the decades as computer-chip makers have learned how to shrink individual transistors, the tiny electrical switches that convey digital information. Scientists' pursuit of the smallest possible transistor has allowed more of them to be packed onto each chip. But that race to the bottom is almost over: Researchers are fast approaching the physical minimum for transistor size, with recent models down to about 10 nanometers -- or just 30 atoms -- wide. "The processing power of electronic devices comes from the hundreds of millions, or billions, of transistors that are interconnected on a single computer chip," said Dr. Kyeongjae Cho, professor of materials science and engineering at The University of Texas at Dallas. "But we are rapidly approaching the lower limits of scale." To extend the quest for faster processing speed, the microelectronics industry is looking for alternative technologies. Cho's research, published online April 30 in the journal Nature Communications, might offer a solution by expanding the vocabulary of the transistor. Conventional transistors can convey just two values of information: As a switch, a transistor is either on or off, which translates into the 1s and 0s of binary language. One way to increase processing capacity without adding more transistors would be to increase how much information each transistor conveys by introducing intermediate states between the on and off states of binary devices. A so-called multi-value logic transistor based on this principle would allow more operations and a larger amount of information to be processed in a single device. "The concept of multi-value logic transistors is not new, and there have been many attempts to make such devices," Cho said. "We have done it." Through theory, design and simulations, Cho's group at UT Dallas developed the fundamental physics of a multi-value logic transistor based on zinc oxide. Their collaborators in South Korea successfully fabricated and evaluated the performance of a prototype device. Cho's device is capable of two electronically stable and reliable intermediate states between 0 and 1, boosting the number of logic values per transistor from two to three or four. Cho said the new research is significant not only because the technology is compatible with existing computer-chip configurations, but also because it could bridge a gap between today's computers and quantum computers, the potential next landmark in computing power. While a conventional computer uses the precise values of 1s and 0s to make calculations, the fundamental logic units of a quantum computer are more fluid, with values that can exist as a combination of 1s and 0s at the same time or anywhere in between. Although they have yet to be realized commercially, large-scale quantum computers are theorized to be able to store more information and solve certain problems much faster than current computers. "A device incorporating multi-level logic would be faster than a conventional computer because it would operate with more than just binary logic units. With quantum units, you have continuous values," Cho said. "The transistor is a very mature technology, and quantum computers are nowhere close to being commercialized," he continued. "There is a huge gap. So how do we move from one to the other? We need some kind of evolutionary pathway, a bridging technology between binary and infinite degrees of freedom. Our work is still based on existing device technology, so it is not as revolutionary as quantum computing, but it is evolving toward that direction." The technology Cho and his colleagues developed uses a novel configuration of two forms of zinc oxide combined to form a composite nanolayer, which is then incorporated with layers of other materials in a superlattice. The researchers discovered they could achieve the physics needed for multi-value logic by embedding zinc oxide crystals, called quantum dots, into amorphous zinc oxide. The atoms comprising an amorphous solid are not as rigidly ordered as they are in crystalline solids. "By engineering this material, we found that we could create a new electronic structure that enabled this multi-level logic behavior," said Cho, who has applied for a patent. "Zinc oxide is a well-known material that tends to form both crystalline solids and amorphous solids, so it was an obvious choice to start with, but it may not be the best material. Our next step will look at how universal this behavior is among other materials as we try to optimize the technology. "Moving forward, I also want to see how we might interface this technology with a quantum device." ### Dr. Jiyoung Kim, professor of materials science and engineering at UT Dallas, and Dr. Jeongwoon Hwang, a former postdoctoral researcher in Cho's lab currently at Chonnam National University in South Korea, are co-authors of the Nature Communications article, along with researchers at South Korean universities: Hanyang University, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Yonsei University, Kookmin University, and Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology. The research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea. Allison Osmanson, a doctoral student in the Materials Science and Engineering Department at The University of Texas at Arlington, is the recipient of a prestigious fellowship from the Semiconductor Research Corp. The company named fellowship, in partnership with Texas Instruments, funds tuition and fees for three years, plus a generous monthly stipend. In addition, two Texas Instruments employees will be technical advisers for Osmanson to give her more in-depth knowledge of where industry is headed and help her shape her study to best match industry interests. "This is a very competitive fellowship. It's humbling that they selected me. I'm hoping to work in the microelectronics industry after I earn my degree, and I know that what I learn through this fellowship will be put to good use in my career," Osmanson said. Osmanson is the first UTA student to earn an SRC fellowship. She has two research projects assigned to her through the fellowship. Both involve microelectronics packaging with a specific focus in electromigration, which is the migration of electrons through conductors that can cause electrical failures within components. An example of microelectronics packaging is the green plastic board onto which electronic parts are soldered in solid-state electronics such as cell phones. The SRC supports university research into common current and future problems in microelectronics. SRC Fellows have to work on SRC-funded grants, be excellent academically, be U.S. citizens or be permanent residents. "A lot of leaders in the microelectronics industry are former SRC fellows, so this will have a major impact on Allison's future," said Choong-Un Kim, a professor of materials science and engineering and Osmanson's faculty adviser. "In addition to the obvious financial benefits, this fellowship will help her better tune her research direction to what industry needs, and she will make valuable contacts with people at companies such as Texas Instruments, Intel, IBM and others." Osmanson's fellowship is an example of how UTA serves students by transforming the student experience by enhancing access and ensuring success and by engaging in high-impact research and scholarship, two guiding aspirations with the University's Strategic Plan 2020, said Stathis Meletis, chair of the Materials Science and Engineering Department. "I was very pleased to learn that Allison earned an SRC fellowship. It is a highly prestigious award, and she is very deserving. As electronics become increasingly smaller, packaging is increasingly important. Allison's work with Dr. Kim and his research group will continue to discover better ways to create packaging that is robust and able to handle the stresses of modern electronics," Meletis said. Kim's Electronic Materials Laboratory performs research in microelectronics and packaging, focusing largely on failures in interconnect structures, especially in solder joints and materials used for the interconnects, or metal conductors that conduct current between structures on a chip. The Materials Science and Engineering Department has long been at the forefront of emerging materials technology, discovering new materials and offering innovative curricula in advanced material, including materials for energy, electronics, bioapplications and nanotechnology. The department is the oldest, largest and most diversified in North Texas and offers courses in nanoscale materials and nanotechnology, magnetic, optical and energy materials, bio/nano materials and surface engineering and thin film technology. Research includes the areas of micro/nano electronic devices, self-assembled nanomaterials, multifunctional, nanocomposite thin films, bio/nanomagnets, optoelectronics, solar cells and materials for clean energy, advanced lubricants and coatings. ### Written by Jeremy Agor Ibrutinib and venetoclax, two FDA-approved drugs for treating chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), have been shown to be effective when given together for high-risk and older patients with the disease, according to a study at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Study findings were published in the May 29 online issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Lead researchers included Nitin Jain, M.D., associate professor of Leukemia, William Wierda, M.D., Ph.D., professor of Leukemia; and Varsha Gandhi, Ph.D., department chair ad interim of Experimental Therapeutics. Researchers followed 80 previously untreated patients in a Phase II study. Median age was 65 years with 30 percent over age 70. Ninety-two percent had high-risk genetic anomalies. Eighty-eight percent of patients had complete remission with normal or incomplete blood count recovery after 12 cycles of treatment. Sixty-one percent of patients had complete remission with undetectable minimal residual disease. "These efficacy results are substantially better than what has been reported with ibrutinib or venetoclax monotherapy for CLL patients," said Jain "With monotherapy, the majority of responses have been partial, and remissions with undetectable minimal residual disease in bone marrow has been rare." Jain added that more robust therapies are needed for patients with CLL given that the majority of patients are older than 65 and existing therapies are not always effective. "This group of patients often has unacceptable side effects and has a lower rate of complete remission and undetectable minimal residual disease," said Jain. "Our data showed that non-chemotherapy, combination therapy with ibrutinib and venetoclax demonstrated no new toxic effects compared to what has been previously reported for the individual agents." The study reported that 60 percent of patients developed low white blood cell counts, which was similar to what has been reported in other venetoclax combination trials. No new safety concerns were observed with the combination therapy. While the current median follow-up of the trial is 14.8 months, Jain said that "a longer follow-up is needed to adequately assess the long-term safety of this combination." ### Study team participants included: Michael Keating, M.D.; Philip Thompson, M.D.; Alessandra Ferrajoli, M.D.; Jan Burger, M.D., Ph.D.; Gautam Borthakur, M.D.; Koichi Takahashi, M.D.; Zeev Estrov, M.D.; Tapan Kadia, M.D.; Marina Konopleva, M.D., Ph.D.; Yesid Alvarado, M.D.; Musa Yilmaz, M.D.; Courtney DiNardo, M.D.; Prithviraj Bose, M.D.; Maro Ohanian, D.O.; Naveen Pemmaraju, M.D.; Elias Jabbour, M.D.; Koji Sasaki, M.D.; Katrina Sondermann; Nichole Cruz; Chongjuan Wei, Ph.D.; Ana Ayala; and Hagop Kantarjian, M.D.; all of the Department of Leukemia; Nathan Flower, M.D., of the Department of Lymphoma and Myeloma; Rashmi Kanagal-Shamanna, M.D.; Keyur Patel, M.D., Ph.D.; and Jeffrey Jorgensen, M.D., Ph.D.; of the Department of Hematopathology; Xuemei Wang, of the Department of Biostatistics; Naveen Garg, M.D., of the Department of Diagnostic Radiology; and William Plunkett, Ph.D., of the Department of Experimental Therapeutics. The study was funded by AbbVie Inc.; the Andrew Sabin Family Foundation; the CLL Global Research Foundation; and the National Institutes of Health (P30 CA016672). The study also was supported with funding from the Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Moon Shot, part of MD Anderson's Moon Shots Program, a collaborative effort to accelerate the development of scientific discoveries into clinical advances that save patients' lives. Jain, Wierda and Gandhi received grant funding from AbbVie, and Jain has received honoraria from and has served on the Advisory Board for AbbVie. Jim Westwood, a professor in the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award to France where he will study the interaction of sunflower broomrape, a parasitic plant species, with sunflower. Westwood will conduct research in the Laboratory of Plant-Microbe Interactions at the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique in Toulouse as part of a collaborative project with colleagues who have unique resources for parasitic plant research. He will also share his extensive experience with these organisms and work to raise awareness of plants as sophisticated organisms that perceive and manipulate their environment. Westwood, a professor in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, is one of over 800 U.S. citizens who will teach, conduct research, and/or provide expertise abroad for the 2019-2020 academic year through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement as well as record of service and demonstrated leadership in their respective fields. "My career has centered on parasitic plants, and this Fulbright represents a valuable opportunity to expand my research, update my knowledge of research methods, and gain a fresh outlook," Westwood said. "It's actually quite challenging to work on these parasite species in the U.S. because they are non-native, and we must operate under federal quarantine conditions. However, parasitic plants are an important agricultural problem in the Mediterranean region, Africa, and Europe, including France, so this experience will put me near the geographical center of parasitic plant research. "I will have easy access to many other parasitic plant researchers in the region. In addition, I will use this opportunity to expand my skills in bioinformatics," Westwood said. ### The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to build lasting connections between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The Fulbright Program is funded through an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the Program, which operates in over 160 countries worldwide. Since its establishment in 1946 under legislation introduced by the late U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas, the Fulbright Program has given more than 380,000 students, scholars, teachers, artists, and scientists the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas, and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns. Fulbrighters address critical global in all disciplines, while building relationships, knowledge, and leadership in support of the long-term interests of the United States. Fulbright alumni have achieved distinction in many fields, including 59 who have been awarded the Nobel Prize, 82 who have received Pulitzer Prizes, and 37 who have served as a head of state or government. At Virginia Tech, the program is administered through the Global Education Office. For further information about the Fulbright Program, please visit http://eca.state.gov/fulbright this news is not available Truecaller has appointed Sandeep Patil as Managing Director for its India operations, and will be part of the global management team. Based in Bengaluru, Patil will be responsible for spearheading business strategies to expand the companys footprint and accelerate revenue growth globally. This move is a significant leadership expansion within the organisation. Patil will be overseeing the teams based in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. Speaking on the occasion, Patil said, I am incredibly excited about joining Truecaller. We have a unique opportunity here to provide distinctive and empowering services that can improve the lives of our customers and drive their economic development. We consider India our home market where we want to deepen our presence, engagement and relevance. I look forward to further strengthening our innovative organisation and collaborating with the ecosystem to take Truecaller to greater heights. Patil brings extensive experience in consumer internet and is a global veteran of banking and financial services industry. Before Truecaller, he led several mandates at Flipkart including launching and substantially scaling the FinTech business, contributing as the Head of Corporate Strategy, and driving the Home and Furniture business unit. Patil has advised worlds leading financial institutions on growth and profitability at McKinsey & Company, London, and directed several consumer lending businesses at Capital One Bank in the US and the UK. He holds an MBA from the London Business School and a B.Tech from the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai. Commenting on Patils appointment, Alan Mamedi, CEO and Co-Founder, Truecaller said, It is great to have a leader like Sandeep on board. More than 100 million of our daily active users are based in India, making it the most important market for us. We are very excited to have Sandeep join our global management team and to elevate the organisation to connect deeply with customers, employees and partners alike. Sandeeps expertise and experience in consumer technology, financial services, and his strong global strategic experience will definitely help Truecaller fast track many of our ambitious plans and take it to the next level. Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India) USD/GBP UPDATE: The US Dollar failed to extend gains against the British Pound on Wednesday with intra-day rallies failing to gain traction. At the time of writing the Greenback was last seen trading at 0.79005, flat against the daily open. While the US$ often finds itself supported in times of market stress with investors seeking the relative safety of the Dollar, mounting concerns over the direct US economic impact of escalating US-China trade tension has curbed some of the $'s safe-haven appeal. Meanwhile for the GBP, analysts noted current pricing to be appropriate in terms of the current Brexit outlook which could limit GBP weakness moving forward in lieu of further developments. Moving forward, the UK could find some support should Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn capitulate to party pressure and throw his weight - and that of the whole labour party - behind a push for a second EU referendum with such a development opening the door to the UK remaining part of the EU. US Dollar Pound (USD/GBP) Exchange Rate Flat as No-Deal Brexit Risk Increases The US Dollar Pound Sterling (USD/GBP) exchange rate remained muted and the pairing is currently trading at an inter-bank exchange rate of 0.7891. Sterling remained weakened on Tuesday as Brexit pessimism continued to batter the UK currency. The outcome of last weeks European Parliamentary Elections revealed the Brexit Party made significant gains alongside the Liberal Democrats and Green Party. Following Prime Minister Theresa Mays announcement that she would be stepping down 7 June, the risk of a no-deal Brexit increased. Many Tory leadership candidates are now under pressure to deliver a more decisive break from the European Union. Commenting on this, Morten Lund, FX Strategist at Nordea stated: For the Brexit Party to get so many votes is a sign to politicians that people are not as afraid of the no-deal scenario as most members of parliament. So the no-deal risk has increased a bit. US Dollar (USD) Flat despite President Trumps Comments On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump concluded his four-day visit to Tokyo to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The US President indicated that there will be trade announcements between the two sides probably in August. He also suggested the trade gap between the US and Japan would be straightened out rapidly, which likely sparked an upswing in risk-appetite. However, Japans Economy Minister played down expectations for a quick deal, stating the comments reflected Trumps hopes for fast progress during negotiations. Speaking to reporters, Economy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said: When you look at the exact wording of his comments, you can see that the president was voicing his hopes of swift progress in talks towards something that is mutually beneficial. US Dollar Pound Outlook: Will Disappointing Home Sales Weigh on USD? Looking ahead to Thursday, the US Dollar (USD) could increase against the Pound (GBP) following the release of the US GDP. If data reveals that the US economy has expanded faster than expected during the first quarter of 2019, it could buoy the Greenback. However, the US Dollar could slide following the release of the US pending home sales. If data shows that pending homes sales do not rise as high as forecast in April, it could cause the US Dollar Pound Sterling (USD/GBP) exchange rate to slide. UPDATE: The Pound to Norwegian Krone (GBP/NOK) exchange rate steadied on Thursday, with the pairing trading at NOK11.0630 following comments from Bank of England Deputy Governor Dave Ramsden. Speaking in Scotland, Ramsden suggested the BoEs recent growth forecasts may be too optimistic as he suggested that sluggish productivity and investment will hamper growth. Meanwhile the Norwegian Krone was left on the back foot on Thursday as the oil sensitive currency was again buffeted by sliding crude prices. GBP/NOK UPDATE: The British Pound to Norwegian Krone exchange rate snapped a seven-day losing streak on Wednesday, posting marginal gains as concerns over decreasing oil prices weighed on the commodity-coupled Krone. After rising to a one-week high just above K11.1, the cross largely reversed gains ahead of Thursday's session as oil prices rebounded with Sterling last seen trading at K11.04168, down a shade from the session open. Moving forward, focus will be on whether or not a resolution can be found which removes the threat of oil-sector strikes next week. Meanwhile for the GBP, Brexit remains at the fore with market pricing reflecting rising expectations of a no-deal outcome. With little in the way of progress expected before the Tory leadership contest is dealt with and May's successor expected to be of the eurosceptic camp, heightened no deal expectations come coupled with less time to find an alternative - compounding investors already negative sentiment on the GBP. With a light data schedule, focus will remain on political headlines as well as fluctuating oil prices. At the time of writing, Brent (BCOUSD) had recovered from Wednesday's slump to trade at $69.82 per barrel. GBP/NOK Exchange Rate Increases as Decreasing Oil Prices Weighs on NOK The Pound Norwegian Krone (GBP/NOK) exchange rate is up today and is currently trading around 11.0775kr on the interbank market. The Norwegian Krone (NOK) failed to benefit from the release of the Norwegian retail sales figures for April, which rose above the consensus of 0.3% to 1.8%. Norways economy, which relies heavily on oil prices, has been hit by an increasing decline with fears increasingly mounting over a further decrease and being Western Europes largest producer of crude oil, this has weighed on sentiment in NOK. Norwegian oil workers are also set to go on strike next week over pay negotiations, effecting seven offshore fields and possibly two other fields Neptune Energys Gjoea and Okeas fields which will shut production, limiting output considerably. The Pound has managed to gain despite a general gloom surrounding Brexit, and with Theresa Mays resignation fast approaching, uncertainty regarding the future leadership of the Conservative Party is also rising concerns over a possible hard Brexit. GBP/NOK Exchange Rate Rises despite UK Leadership Uncertainty Sterling has remained generally shaky against its competitors, however, as doubts are setting in over the possibility of a second referendum, despite some Labour MPs calling for it following the disastrous European elections for both major parties. Ian Lavery, the Chairman for the Labour Party, criticised MPs for pushing for a second vote, saying: It does feel that a certain portion of left-wing intellectuals are sneering at ordinary people and piling on those trying to convey the feelings of hundreds of thousands of Labour voters. Perhaps, in reflecting on the results, we should consider the effect all of this has had. Meanwhile fears are rising that the Conservative Party favourite, the former Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, may rise to take the leadership role from Theresa May following her resignation heightening fears of a no-deal Brexit, as Mr Johnson is a known hard-Brexiter. However with Johnson facing courts over comments made during the Brexit referendum, this may limit his possibility of being voted in by Tory MPs. GBP/NOK Forecast: Sterling Could Sink on Increasing Brexit Uncertainty Tomorrow is a bank holiday in Norway for Ascension Day, which will see the Norwegian markets closed for the day. NOK traders will be looking ahead to Fridays publication of the Norwegian registered unemployment figures for May, which are expected to decrease. Pound traders will be focusing on Brexit and political developments, along with the leadership contest, and as the UK faces increasingly turbulent uncertainty surrounding its future with the EU, this is likely to drag the GBP/NOK exchange rate down. GBP/AUD UPDATE: Dismal overnight AU data did little to stem the Sterling's depreciation against the Australian Dollar with the cross extending losses into Wednesday's session. At the time of writing, Sterling was last seen trading at a fresh one-month low of AU$1.82, a key psychological support level. The Aussie's gains come despite the continued fall in building approvals - printing a monthly change of -4.7% in contrast to forecasts of a +0.1% change. Private sector capital expenditure also missed, registering a 1.7% quarterly decline in the total inflation-adjusted value of new capital expenditures. Coupled with weak readings for retail sales and construction output in Q1, the downbeat overnight releases don't bode well for next week's Q1 GDP report. Nevertheless, Brexit concerns overshadowed the Aussie's domestically generated weakness as well as rising risk-off as investors continue to see increasing odds of a no-deal Brexit with most of the candidates in the running for the Tory leadership signalling they are prepared to accept no-deal in lieu of a better offer. Thursday's light on the data front with US GDP the only notable release which could impact the cross via any subsequent impact on Fed rates expectations. A solid print could see markets pare expectations of an interest rate cut - current pricing indicates an 80% probability of a quarter point cut by September - which would likely boost the already firm USD while prompting a weaker Aussie. UK Political Uncertainty Weighs on Pound Sterling Australian Dollar (GBP/AUD) Exchange Rate The Pound Sterling to Australian Dollar (GBP/AUD) exchange rate remained trapped in a narrow range on Wednesday as UK political uncertainty continued to dominate the minds of investors. As the odds of a hard-line Brexiteer succeeding Theresa May as prime minister remain higher than markets would like the appeal of the Pound has remained generally limited. With current frontrunner Boris Johnson still advocating for a potential no-deal Brexit investors continue to see little cause for confidence in the UK outlook. Although global trade tensions picked up once again, driven by the risk of fresh Chinese retaliation against US tariffs, this was not enough to shore up the GBP/AUD exchange rate. Ongoing Conservative Leadership Contest to Keep Pound Sterling (GBP) Exchange Rates Under Pressure Political anxiety looks set to keep GBP exchange rates biased to the downside for the foreseeable future as the Conservative leadership contest unfolds. Unless there are signs of a swing in support towards a more moderate candidate any upside potential of Pound Sterling is likely to remain limited. Speculation could keep the Pound under pressure well into the second half of the year, with tensions set to rise the closer the October Brexit deadline draws. However, as Jane Foley, senior FX strategist at Rabobank, noted: The potential for further losses is likely to depend on how much parliament looks likely to push back against a no deal Brexit. This process, however, will be disrupted by parliaments summer recess which usually lasts from late July until early September. This means that the final weeks before the October 31 Brexit date are likely to be fraught with political tension and in the meantime GBP will be clouded by political woes. Australian Dollar (AUD) Exchange Rates Vulnerable to Falling Business Investment Further weakness may be in store for the Australian Dollar on Thursday, though, with the release of the first quarter private capital expenditure data. Forecasts point towards growth in expenditure slowing sharply from 2.0% to 0.5% in the first three months of the year, suggesting a lower level of business confidence. A weaker level of investment would not bode well for the wider economic outlook, raising concerns that growth could stall further in the second quarter. On the other hand, signs of improvement in Aprils building approvals figures may offer AUD exchange rates a degree of support. UK Consumer Confidence Improvement to Limit GBP/AUD Exchange Rate Downside Fridays GfK consumer confidence index may encourage a GBP/AUD exchange rate rally, meanwhile, as investors anticipate a modest improvement on the month. Evidence that UK consumers shrugged off the recent increase in political uncertainty could bolster confidence in the resilience of the economy as a whole. An increase in Aprils net consumer credit data could also offer a boost to the Pound ahead of the weekend, pointing towards a greater sense of confidence among lenders. Even so, GBP exchange rates remain vulnerable to any fresh developments in the political landscape. [email protected] said: muchas gracias para este story . . . as I mentioned earlier, "I am too old to go through hoops . . . " grins . . . planning to cross Nuevo Laredo early afternoon ( end of junio ) so I can visit Banjercito with all my paperwork to cancel. Will keep all paperwork, and then when I return apply for new TIP . . . Gracias por tu ayuda. con una sonrisa. Tony Click to expand... I have written at length on this forum of our experiences when our vehicle was stolen in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero in early 2007, and found several days later, "totaled" beyond repair. It took us about 18 frustrating months to obtain an official cancellation of our Temporary Import Permit, (TIP)....from Mexican Customs head office in Mexico City.Months before we received that cancellation, we attempted to enter Mexico with a different vehicle, (the one I had purchased, in Canada, to replace the stolen/totaled vehicle).We were denied entry, on the grounds that the records showed I still had a vehicle in Mexico. Fortunately, that replacement vehicle was registered in both mine AND my wife's name. The workaround was for her, not me, to be the registered owner and importer of the "new" vehicle......saving us a 2500 mile return trip home.Another question concerning TIPs has been whether one who has their vehicle in Mexico under a valid TIP can leave the country without the vehicle. I never received definitive answers when I raised the question a couple of years ago, but a friend in Zihua did exactly that, without any problems. He had entered Mexico with his vehicle, on a TIP, and had to return to Canada on short notice for family reasons. He reports there were no questions asked when leaving Mexico at Zihua airport, nor when he returned to Zihua by air a week or so later. He later left Mexico with his vehicle, before the TIP had expired. Welcome to the News Release Wire Selection Control Panel. Instant News Wire Wednesday, May 29, 2019 Og Mandino wrote, The Greatest Salesman in The World. The best selling book on sales ever written. Its parable about a little camel boy in the time of Christ. Og Mandino claims he is not a salesman, or is he? He has written 16 books that have been translated into 20 languages and sold more 33 million copies. The Greatest Salesman in the World has sold 12 million by itself. WOW. I dont know about you, but Id be happy with those sales numbers. I had the privilege of talking with Og Mandino about his seminar with Brian Tracy. Here are some excerpts from that conversation. (Im JG, hes OM) JG: As a platform speaker you must have superior knowledge of the topic. You have to be a better salesperson and motivator than everybody in the room, dont you?. OM: Youve got to realize one thing about me. I dont consider myself a salesman. I happen to write a book in 1967 called, The Greatest Salesman in the World, but its not just aimed towards salespeople. I dont consider myself an expert salesman, and I dont walk out there and tell you how to make a sale. Im a motivational speaker. I show people how to get on a path to success and stay there. JG: Over the course of the last few years how has your audience changed? OM: Most of the audience has probably read at least one Mandino book. So they are sitting out there as fans, Theyre cheering before I even open my mouth, because they have already been touched by something I was fortunate enough to write. JG: What specific recommendations do you have for the audience to take maximum advantage of your talk? OM: Take notes. I learned through the years, especially after spending all this time with W. Clement Stone, (Mandino was the original editor of Stones Success Unlimited Magazine) that taking notes is one of the most important things you can do when listening to something or someone important. Some early expert said years ago that we forget about 90% of what we hear 10 minutes after we hear it unless we write it down. JG: Is there one big obstacle to success among people that you keep running into? OM: Yes. Most of us hide behind our busy work. Most of us spend too much time doing things we think are important because they are disguised as urgent. Most people dont really do whats important for their own success. They always seem to be too busy to succeed. JG: Would you say that you have sold as many books as Burger King has sold hamburgers? OM: (Chuckle) I think Burger King has stopped keeping count. I dont think so, but I think 32 or 33 million has passed Napoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone. My new book, which will be out in January of 1995 is called The Spellbinders Gift, Ill tell you two things about it. The hero is a speaker and you better have some Kleenex handy when you read it. JG: When you are speaking motivationally to an audience, is the preponderance of what you talk about from your own personal experience? OM: Yes. I am working on a new speech called Target Success from my days as a fighter pilot flying bombing missions over Germany. I will stand up and brief you for one hour on how to reach your mission of success in life what to avoid, and what to look for. I teach you like a briefing officer. I am going to take you to the target and safely back home. Whenever Im in front of an audience, what I am sharing are some secrets of success that really arent secrets at all. They have become secrets to us, because we are so blinded to things that work because we are all still looking for fast answers. My audience is mostly a group of people who are trying to find out how to handle this tough life we live in. JG: Og, I think everybody is your audience. OM: I am my own audience. I have to listen. I have to remember what I am telling everyone else to do. I dont tell you how to close a deal, or how to make eye contact or all the things we learned as salespeople. I am teaching you how to deal with tomorrow. Tomorrow is tough enough. Authors note: Og Mandino passed away in 1998, just after he was given the National Speakers Associations lifetime achievement award. He was loved by all who knew him, and has helped thousands to find a better path to success. Me included. I am my own audience. I have to listen. I have to remember what I am telling everyone else to do. ~Og Mandino Texas shellfish lovers may get at least one pearl out of Texas 86th Legislature: passage of a bill to allow farm-raised oysters. With dwindling populations of wild oysters, a measure to allow farmers to grow them in submerged cages or other structures sailed through both House and Senate committees. Gov. Greg Abbott signed the bill into law on Friday. Texas has been the only U.S. coastal state not to allow oyster farming, and wild oyster harvesting has suffered in recent years. Gulf of Mexico oyster reefs have been hit hard by hurricanes as well as drought followed by floods of fresh water. The measure takes effect Sept. 1. It calls for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Texas General Land Office to identify areas suitable for oyster cultivation and establish a permitting system for commercial oyster farms. Oyster farming is not known to harm the environment oysters serve as natural water filters and the cultivation does not disturb estuaries. On ExpressNews.com: Read about campaign for commercial oyster cultivation State Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, carried the bill at the urging of researchers with Texas A&M University-Corpus Christis Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies. He also got prodding from restaurant owners and oyster merchants who pay top dollar for oysters from other states during warm weather months when native Coastal Bend oysters are spawning. The merchants pass the cost on to consumers who may not know the oysters they are eating come from distant waters. Oyster mariculture, oyster farming it brings in a new hope in developing that industry back, Hunter said Wednesday. It creates new opportunities up and down the Texas coast for everybody. Lynn Brezosky is a San Antonio-based staff writer covering trade, agriculture and the economy. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | lbrezosky@express-news.net | Twitter: @lbrezosky The owners of Papa Grande Gourmet Foods, the bankrupt San Antonio food company that does business as Garcia Foods, accuse TransPecos Banks in a lawsuit of trying to take their business away from them. Owners Kenneth and Hilda Garcia allege their business has sustained catastrophic losses while they have suffered severe mental anguish because of TransPecos brutal, brass knuckle tactics. The bank had sought the appointment of a receiver to take over Papa Grandes operations, which led the business to file for bankruptcy protection in February. Papa Grande wants a judge to award it unspecified financial damages and to rule that its entitled to have its loans with TransPecos reinstated after the bank declared them in default. The lawsuit was filed Friday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in San Antonio. Morris Weiss, a lawyer for the bank, had no comment on the suit. Papa Grande is a producer of barbacoa, tamales, fajitas, chorizo and other Mexican food products under the brand name Andy Garcia Foods. The products are sold at H-E-B, Walmart, Sams Club and elsewhere. OnExpressNews.com: Mexican food maker Papa Grande puts San Antonio plant up for sale Papa Grandes lawsuit was filed Friday two days after the company and the bank met in a mediation with U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Craig Gargotta, who is not presiding over the Chapter 11 case. The parties did mediate and they were unable to come to an agreement, said Ron Smeberg, Papa Grandes bankruptcy lawyer. Obviously, if we came to an agreement in mediation we wouldnt have filed the lawsuit. Smeberg said he was prohibited from commenting on the details of the mediation because such proceedings are confidential. The parties are due back in bankruptcy court Tuesday. The bank has had a standing request to have a trustee appointed to oversee the business, or have the case dismissed or converted to a Chapter 7 liquidation. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the bank is concerned about how (Papa Grande) is being operated, Weiss said during a brief court hearing May 9 before Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Ronald King. We continue to be concerned. TransPecos made a $5 million real estate loan, a $1.5 million equipment loan and provided a $750,000 revolving line of credit to Papa Grande and a related company in 2014. In its lawsuit, Papa Grande says Patrick J. Kennedy Jr. the principal shareholder of TransPecos San Antonio-based holding company and a local attorney told Kenneth Garcia that Fort Worth-based Mission Consumer Capital was interested in acquiring Papa Grande. Kennedy strongly encouraged Kenneth Garcia to meet with Missions principals. A meeting was held, but, the suit says, Mr. Garcia did not wish to sell the business, and no agreement was reached. Then, last fall, Papa Grande suffered a significant equipment failure that hurt production during a critical peak period for its sales, the suit says. It fell behind on property taxes, but worked out a deal to bring the taxes current. Despite its cash flow troubles, Papa Grande say it did not miss any payments on its loans with TransPecos. Nevertheless, a bank representative informed Papa Grande that the tax deficiency resulted in a lien being filed on the property, which was collateral on a loan that was now declared in default, according to the lawsuit. RELATED: Owners of bankrupt San Antonio food company remain in control Kenneth Garcia called the bank representative and was told TransPecos would make a protective advance on the delinquent property taxes. Papa Grande was required to repay the advance, a proposal Gacia agreed to, the suit says. In December, the suit says, Papa Grande renewed the original revolving credit note with a nearly $715,000 promissory note from TransPecos. Then, in February, Garcia was informed by a TransPecos lawyer that the tax default had not been cured and that the three notes had to be immediately repaid. TransPecos filed suit seeking the appointment of a receiver to take control of the business in February. Papa Grande responded by filing for Chapter 11, which put TransPecos court action on hold. Papa Grande alleges TransPecos actions constitute an unreasonable debt collection. The banks effort to collect on the note was done in a bad faith attempt to enable the bank to acquire or force the sale of Garcia Foods to the banks preferred purchaser, the suit says. San Antonio attorney Barry Snell, who filed the lawsuit on behalf of Papa Grande, said TransPecos possibly was motivated to force a sale of the business as a way to get the loans off the banks books. Patrick Danner is a San Antonio-based staff writer covering banking and civil courts. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | pdanner@express-news.net | Twitter: @AlamoPD Forget France. A quick drive up to the Texas Hill Country is all thats required to get a Provencal fix this time of year. Acres of the rolling countryside will be blanketed in blooming lavender fields over the next two months. Lavenders gorgeous perfume is probably most recognizable in soaps, lotions, candles and other soothing forms of aromatherapy, but the plant has a longstanding place in the kitchen, as well. Were celebrating the Texas lavender season by dishing up everything you need to know about using more of it in your cooking. Weve got buying advice, some simple ways to use it, and four recipes that show off its powerful aroma in a salad, a grilled shrimp appetizer, a showy roasted leg of lamb and a bowl of elegant cocktail nuts. Keep it culinary: Lavender grown for use in soaps, lotions and whatnot can be treated with things you wouldnt want to ingest. If youre buying lavender for the kitchen, make sure its specifically designated for culinary use. Find culinary lavender in the herb section of grocery stores. Eat it all: Every part of the lavender plant that grows above ground is edible. The tender fresh leaves and delicate flowers are the star of the show, but the stems and buds can be dried and used to infuse flavor into tea and into milk for puddings and custards or other uses. 15th Annual Blanco Lavender Festival Want to experience the Hill Country lavender season for yourself? Visit a commercial lavender farm, browse a sprawling lavender market, learn how to grow your own and more, all in Blanco. Noon to 6 p.m. June 7, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 8 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 9 Most events will be held on the grounds of The Old Blanco County Courthouse, 300 Main St. Admission is free. More info at blancochamber.com, 830-833-5101 See More Collapse On ExpressNews.com: With school out, teach your kids to cook this summer Safe keeping: Properly dried lavender has an intense perfume thats slow to fade. Stored in an airtight container in a cupboard, it can keep most of its potency for at least two years, so theres no need to buy a fresh batch every spring. Grind it finely: Dried lavender blossoms can have an offputting texture in some applications, but thats no reason to pass on its remarkable flavor. Grind dry blossoms in a mortar and pestle to help smooth out the experience. Herbs de Provence: Interesting fact: lavender does not appear in traditional herb blends hailing from the Provence region of France, but it nearly always shows up in blends made for the American market. And we arent complaining. Try making your own blend from dried savory, marjoram, rosemary, thyme and both lavender leaves and blossoms. Rub it in: Give your next brisket or rack of ribs a touch of refinement by adding lavender. Combine 2 tablespoons of dried and ground lavender leaves and 1 tablespoon of dried lavender blossoms to a quarter cup each of ground black pepper, salt and garlic powder to make a simple dry rub. Extra aromatic: Give your next rice dish an extra splash of perfume by adding a teaspoon of dried lavender flowers per cup of jasmine or basmati rice before cooking. On ExpressNews.com: Celebrate peach season with a DIY peach margarita Give it lemons: Steep a quarter cup of lavender flowers in 2 cups of boiling water for 10 minutes. Strain and discard the flowers, let the water cool, and then use it to make lemonade with your favorite recipe. Glazed over: Add a quarter teaspoon of dried lavender blossoms to two cups of confectioners sugar. Stir in 3-4 tablespoons of lemon juice until a thick paste forms. Use this to give your next batch of cupcakes, pound cake or other baked good a floral boost. So simple: Lavender-infused simple syrup can seriously punch up your cocktail game. Bring a tablespoon of dried lavender, 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water to a simmer and stir until the sugar melts. Let the syrup steep for 30 minutes, then strain out the flowers. Recipe: Lavender Leg of Lamb Recipe: Lavender Shrimp Skewers Recipe: Beet and Radish Salad with Lavender Dressing Recipe: Lavender Spiced Nuts Paul Stephen is a food and drink reporter and restaurant critic in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | pstephen@express-news.net | Twitter: @pjbites | Instagram: @pjstephen Barr has assigned John. H. Durham, a respected career prosecutor and U.S. attorney in Connecticut, to find out. Also investigating is Michael Horowitz, inspector general of the Department of Justice. Theyre pulling the threads of how all this started, with the FISA warrant application and who knew what about the former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele. He was the author of the Steele dossier, was on the Clinton political payroll and used Russian contacts to put a political case together against Trump, which was then leaked to the media. San Antonio-area school district leaders are grateful, optimistic and slightly cautious about the Legislatures school finance changes, praising the reforms before being able to calculate their exact effects. As welcome as the funding boost is, school budget-makers can only count on it for the next two years, some warned. House Bill 3, which passed the House and Senate unanimously Saturday night, increases state education spending by $4.5 billion, including about $2 billion for teacher and employee compensation. The bill raises the states base per-student allotment by more than $1,000 to $6,160, provides funding for full-day pre-kindergarten for low-income students and more money to schools with higher concentrations of under-served students, including those in special education. The plan also commits $5 billion for property tax relief over the next two years. No bill is perfect but this is a great start, Edgewood ISD superintendent Eduardo Hernandez said. I think the legislative body really reached out to those of us leading school districts. I think theyve definitely pointed us in a good direction. The session started with huge ambitions to inject more money into districts while providing tax relief, competing goals that worked against each other, Northside Independent School District Superintendent Brian Woods said. The compromise, in the end, still gave districts a lot, he said. Compared to anything thats happened in the last 10 sessions, 20 sessions, I think we were hugely successful, Woods said. Estimates from the Legislative Budget Board show area districts tax rates dropping between 7 to 11 cents per $100 in assessed value of taxable property, with the largest changes in Somerset, Edgewood, Harlandale, San Antonio and Southside ISDs. That revenue loss is offset by per-student funding increases estimated in varying amounts for all area districts. Locally, Somerset ISD would receive the largest per-student increase in revenue, estimated at $1,576 more in 2020 than under the current system. Increases of more than $1,100 are also expected in Lackland, Randolph Field and Edgewood ISDs. Comal ISDs increase would be the least, at $302 per student, according to the estimates. Hernandez cited the bills funding of full-day pre-kindergarten for qualifying 4-year-olds, including low-income and English-language-learners. The district has been going it alone in funding full-day pre-K for several years, he said, and will be able to shift some of that money to other programs. Northside, which was already planning to expand its half-day pre-K programs to full-day at 31 schools, will have about $10.7 million to spend elsewhere because of the additional funding, Woods said. The plan also eases recapture obligations under the states system of redistributing property tax revenues from property-wealthy districts to poorer ones. North East ISD, which was expected to start paying recapture soon, will likely see that delayed. We are pleased that, based on current property values and enrollment trends, it looks like recapture will be pushed back several years, interim superintendent Sean Maika said in a statement. We are also happy that additional revenue will likely be available to offer raises to our hard-working employees. Many district leaders say theyre still evaluating the changes. For example, some of the estimated $27 million that constitutes the first new money that NEISD has received since 2011 is allocated to specific programs or comes with stipulations, Maika said. It will take weeks to unpack all of the information. At a board meeting Tuesday night, Maika relayed what Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath told a regional gathering of school superintendents Friday: I wouldnt rush and go spend all this money. The warning was a little unprecedented, and makes me pause, he added. He brought up the fact that he has to adopt a lot of rules, he hasnt even hired the staff yet to adopt some of these rules, Maika said. North East ISD, like several other districts here, must adopt a new budget before its fiscal year starts on July 1. Others, including Northside, adopt budgets by the end of August. The bill is 300 pages. Its going to take a lot of analysis and rule-making before we understand all of the aspects, Woods said. House Bill 3 will use a new weighting system for per-student funding that San Antonio ISD already uses for other analyses, superintendent Pedro Martinez said. It differentiates between levels of poverty and types of disadvantage based on census data. The way we identify poverty is very outdated and the new law will help address that, Martinez said. He also praised the bills funding for students in dual-language programs and those with dyslexia, and its investment in teacher compensation. At least 30 percent of the total increase in revenue that districts receive must be used for boosting employee pay, the majority of which is earmarked specifically for full-time teachers, librarians, counselors and nurses. I think obviously we would have preferred to have more discretion over how those compensation dollars are being spent, Woods said. A bigger concern is that whats been advertised is going to overshoot the reality, he said, noting that at different times this year, lawmakers called for teachers to make six figures annually and for $5,000 raises across the board, and adding, That aint going to happen any time soon. Martinez said other legislation will cut into the additional $36 million in revenue SAISD is slated to receive under HB 3. The district will need to spend $5 million more in pension costs because of Senate Bill 12, which passed Sunday, he said. The measures used in the poverty-weighting formula and what restrictions will be placed on the teacher compensation requirements are among the unknowns. South San Antonio ISD superintendent Alexandro Flores said his district is going to wait and see how the rule-making goes but will try to implement as many of the changes as possible in its upcoming budget. Starting a dual language program might be advisable, since South Sans existing bilingual programs likely wont qualify for the new funding, he said. Before making that kind of decision, or when discussing raises, districts need to consider the long-term sustainability of the initiatives beyond the next two years, he said, adding, Once you give it, its tough to take it back. But overall, Flores said, he was ecstatic about the reforms. He and Martinez both praised the bills half-day funding that will help extend the school year for up to 30 days, which could be used for enrichment programs, they said. The rules governing that funding still need to be developed. District leaders also praised the property tax relief included in the bill. For a community like mine that is struggling just to make ends meet, this is money thats going to be back on someones table, Edgewoods Hernandez said. The changes to tax and recapture calculations might help Alamo Heights ISD out of a budget shortfall, Superintendent Dana Bashara said. The property-wealthy district regularly sends part of its property tax revenue to the state, and its budget problems have been caused by the size of the payments in the past three years, administrators have said. Under HB 3, Alamo Heights would be responsible for forfeiting $34 million, instead of $42 million, according to the estimates. I have a positive outlook that we would be able to get out of the deficit with the numbers were seeing, and by the skin of our teeth, Bashara said. Despite the lingering ambiguity in how the bills provisions will translate to actual dollars, school districts are grateful that it was passed in the regular session any later would have hampered budget-making for the coming year - and grateful that it is meaningful, comprehensive reform, Bashara said. Im ecstatic, said Rich Sena, a Boerne ISD trustee, echoing South Sans Flores. The fast-growing suburban districts recapture payments have totalled more than $100 million since it started making them more than a decade ago, and it was expecting to pay more than $25 million in recapture over the next two years, he said. Under HB-3, it will now pay none. The net increase to the districts revenue from all sources, about $4.5 million next year, will help it open new schools, keep up with increasing staff needs, improve safety and security and give out a good raise, Sena said. Superintendent Saul Hinojosa said Somerset ISDs large per-student funding increase and other provisions of HB-3 will allow the district to raise salaries he plans to recommend an 8 percent pay hike for teachers, librarians, counselors and nurses and cover needed purchases and construction. The bill will allow Somerset to reallocate local dollars that were being spent on things that the state now will cover, like full-day pre-K, he said. Its going to be a tremendous boost to our district and our teachers and ultimately our students, who are going to benefit from this, Hinojosa said. The celebrating was quieter at Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD, where Superintendent Greg Gibson told trustees Tuesday that this formula, I would argue, is not a super bold victory. While the additional revenue will eliminate the need for a tax ratification election this year and likely next year, the bill basically punted a lot of the same issues, he said. The states part of the SAISD budget will rise from 38 percent to 45 percent next year, but what Martinez would really like to see is that share reaching 50 percent for every district. Still, this is a great place to be at, he said. Krista Torralva covers several school districts and public universities in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | Krista.Torralva@express-news.net | Twitter: @KMTorralva Former Vice President Joe Biden used his first campaign event in Texas on Tuesday to roll out a public education platform that includes tripling federal funding for low-income schools, doubling the number of child psychologists and counselors on campus and expanding access to prekindergarten. The heart of the plan is tripling the nations $15 billion in funding for low-income students through a program known as Title I. That boost in funding would require local school districts to raise teacher pay, among other things. That would have a big impact in Texas, boosting funding for nearly 6,200 of the 8,800 public schools in the state. Nearly every campus in the Houston Independent School District receives Title I funding. HISD reported that in 2018, the district had 256 of 276 campuses receiving the funding. Speaking at a town hall organized by the American Federation of Teachers, Biden said another key piece to his plan is recognizing that teachers now play many roles in helping students they are often called on to act as social workers and psychologists, he said, which takes away from valuable teaching time. Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox You all are expected to do so many things, Biden said to more than 200 people at the town hall hosted by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers #716. One of the things I believe is essential is we need more nurses and psychologists and access to psychiatrists, social workers. Biden said he knows that effort will also be expensive costing over $2 billion but it has to be a priority. Everyone is going to tell you how much they value education, Biden said. I got an expression I use: Dont tell me what your values are, show me your budget. Bidens not the only Democratic presidential contender turning to education to win over voters. Two weeks about U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vermont, rolled out his own education plan that also calls for tripling Title I funding. Former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro has a $1.5 trillion education plan that calls for a $10,000 tax credit for teachers. In a crowded field of more than 20 Democrats vying for the White House, Biden has surged in early polling since joining the presidential race a month ago. In five different national polls over the last two weeks, Biden had a lead of at least 18 percentage points over the closest Democrat. President Donald Trump has upped his attacks against Biden as the former vice president climbs in the polls. On Twitter hes labeled him Sleepy Joe Biden and while in Japan over the weekend, Trump went after Biden. "Kim Jong Un made a statement that Joe Biden is a low-IQ individual. He probably is, based on his record, Trump said during a news conference in Tokyo with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. More for you Trump joins Democrats taking aim at Biden on crime bill In Houston in his first public appearance since Trumps attacks, Biden did not respond to the attacks and did not take questions from reporters. However, his deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield said earlier in a statement that Trumps remarks were "beneath the dignity of the office." Instead, Biden went after Trump in other ways on Tuesday. Asked about how hed respected the nations ethnic diversity, Biden called out Trump for his comments after unrest in Charlottesville when white supremacists marched through the Virginia city. He said there were some very fine people on both sides, Biden reminded the crowd. Biden said since then, hate crimes are up and that Trump has empowered people to come out from under rocks like hes never seen before. Bidens arrival in Houston continues a parade of top contenders through the city. Over the past two months, Sanders, Castro, former El Paso Congressman Beto ORourke, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Sen. Kamala Harris of California, Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, and Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey have been among those who have been to Houston. Terri Calvert was visiting family in Arkansas when she got the frantic call: Her pregnant daughter was in a San Antonio hospital. Her boyfriend had set her on fire. Calvert, a former psychiatric nurse, had implored her daughter to break up with Bryan Lee Hoover, who she alleged hit and choked her daughter several times. Her daughter, though, dismissed the concerns. Then, on Sunday, Calvert got the call. Her 39-year-old daughter, who is six months pregnant, had third-degree burns. Her daughter had told police that Hoover grabbed a large container of rubbing alcohol and poured it on her, then used a lighter to set her on fire. Hoover, 39, was arrested Tuesday by Balcones Heights police. He will likely face a charge of aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury, a first-degree felony, Police Chief John Jahanara said. He has a long criminal record, including four assaults. The woman was discharged from the hospital Tuesday afternoon, her family says. She is six or seven months pregnant, but the baby appears to be OK. Calvert said Tuesday that she is relieved her daughters attacker is in jail. Now, she wants to share her story to get the word out about domestic violence. No woman deserves this kind of thing, Calvert said. No family deserves this kind of thing. It needs to stop. On ExpressNews.com: Mother speaks out about daughters death, allegedly at the hands of abusive boyfriend Calvert was first introduced to Hoover around six months ago, shortly after her daughter met him. She said she immediately got the impression that Hoover was a thug and told her daughter that he wasnt allowed in her apartment. Her daughter, though, would still invite Hoover over at night when her mother was asleep. Calvert said the violence began early in the relationship and that Hoover would regularly hit her daughter. Afterward, he would apologize and shower her with gifts. Several times, Calvert tried to explain to her daughter that Hoover was exhibiting the behavior of a typical abuser, but she wouldnt listen. Her daughter said Hoover was in rehab and was trying to change. Then, the violence escalated. Calvert said Hoover cut her daughter with a knife once. On Mothers Day, Calvert said, Hoover tried to strangle her daughter. Research shows an abusers attempt to strangle an intimate partner can be an indicator that the abuse could turn fatal. Calvert said her daughter broke up with Hoover several times, but she kept taking him back. He worked up from hitting her, to cutting her, to choking her on Mothers Day, to setting her on fire, Calvert said. Im just so grateful that it wasnt worse and that hes arrested now. A turn for the worse Calverts daughter was sitting at her vanity at home Sunday afternoon preparing to go to San Marcos when Hoover came over, and the couple argued. She had told him that she didnt want to see him anymore, Calvert said. He had too many issues and too many problems and she could not deal with that kind of stress anymore. At that point, Hoover allegedly grabbed the rubbing alcohol and doused her with it. He used a lighter to start the fire, police say. Calverts daughter started screaming, What have you done? Calverts son, who was asleep in another room, heard the screams and ran to the bedroom. He took blanket and wrapped his sister in it, extinguishing the flames. If my son hadnt reacted so quickly, we would be talking about something different, Calvert said. A friend who had just arrived at the apartment led Calverts daughter to her car and rushed her to the hospital. From there, she was transported to the Brooke Army Medical Center and placed in the intensive care unit. She had third-degree burns on her arms and first-degree burns on her legs. Her hair had also caught fire. Calvert said Hoover, who fled, began calling and texting her daughter continuously after the assault. She blocked him, but then he called her from a different number. He told her, Im so alone. Im walking the streets. No one will take me. Please tell them that its an accident, Calvert said. He tried to play on her emotions. Hoover also took to Facebook. I love you baby, he wrote on Monday. I wish I could be there for you but at least we still can talk on the phone for now. Calvert said Hoover also contacted her via Facebook Messenger to tell her he was taking care of several issues at work and that he would turn himself in later. She told him he should turn himself in immediately or she would share photos of him on Facebook. On ExpressNews.com: Some wonder why domestic violence not a focus of San Antonios mayoral campaign In the end, Calverts niece did publish several photos of Hoover in an effort to get him apprehended. One showed Hoover in a black T-shirt with a San Antonio Police Department logo. In the photo, hes holding a rifle. A San Antonio police spokeswoman said Hoover is not employed by the department, and it is not clear how he got the T-shirt. The post was shared over 13,000 times. Jahanara, the police chief, said the post helped investigators gather tips about Hoovers whereabouts. They obtained a warrant for his arrest Tuesday and apprehended him a few hours later at a hotel off of Rittiman Road. Balcones Heights police say there is no record of calls about Hoover but he has been charged in connection with 22 crimes in Bexar County dating to 1998, when he was 18. One of his convictions was for domestic violence. Calvert said her daughter has vowed to stay away from Hoover and that she wants him to go away for a long time. Originally, Calvert said, her daughter was planning on giving her baby up for adoption, but now she is beginning to rethink that plan. Police say Hoover is not the father. Calvert said she hopes to help her daughter get into therapy so she can begin to heal and tell her story and help other women. I want other women to know that these are all the symbols of danger, Calvert said. When men do these things, its not going to stop. Its going to get worse ... you and your children are going to be hurt. Emilie Eaton is a criminal justice reporter in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | eeaton@express-news.net | Twitter: @emilieeaton San Antonios municipal runoffs got off to a record-making start, with 25,474 people casting ballots during the first two days of early voting. Thats nearly double the 13,843 that voted during the same span in the general municipal elections last month, according to the Bexar County Elections Department. The office called Tuesdays tally the largest first day of early voting in recent years in a City Election. San Antonio is an oddity in that its common to see higher turnout in municipal runoffs than in the first round of voting. But this cycles turnout has been abnormally high, at least so far. On ExpressNews.com: Here is how San Antonios neighborhoods voted in the mayors race This rounds ballot features seven fewer elections than in May, since all the incumbent council members won outright in the first round. That makes Tuesdays turnout even more impressive. When no candidate garners a majority of the vote in a race, the top two finishers in that contest proceed to a runoff. This year, that was the case for the mayors race and council elections in the East Sides District 2, the Southwest Sides District 4 and the West Sides District 6. The campaign between Mayor Ron Nirenberg and challenger Greg Brockhouse, the outgoing District 6 councilman, has commanded the most attention at the top of the ballot. On ExpressNews.com: Heres what you need to know about early voting The Brook Hollow Branch Library led all polling sites with 2,776 votes. The Cody Library was close behind with 2,748 votes. Municipal elections are still marked by low turnout. In all, 66,875 people voted early in the first round of voting. There were 110,365 total votes in the election, or a turnout rate of 11.47 percent. Lila Cockrell, the 97-year-old former mayor of San Antonio, was one of the thousands of San Antonians who went to the polls Wednesday, but ultimately, did not cast a ballot. She was turned away from the Lions Field voting site for lack of identification, she told the Express-News. I went over and I wasnt able to vote, she said. Honestly, I dont understand why I was turned back. Texas so-called Voter ID law requires residents to bring identification, such as a Texas drivers license, passport, or Department of Public Safety-issued personal identification card, to the polls. Those IDs are accepted even if theyre expired, as long as theyre not more than four years out of date. That limit doesnt apply to voters over 70. The former mayor said she brought her voter registration card, but did not have an ID. Im 97, I dont drive anymore, Cockrell said. I havent been on a cruise or anything in years. Voters who dont have valid identification may bring instead a current utility bill, bank statement or government check. The voter also would have to sign whats called a reasonable impediment declaration. Cockrell said shes going to consult with her attorney and see if she can accompany her when she tries to vote again. I dont know what else to do. I was disgusted, she said. Im going to do my best to vote. Bexar County Elections Administrator Jacque Callanen did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Early voting for the runoffs continues through Tuesday, although polls will be closed Sunday. Election day is June 8. Dylan McGuinness covers City Hall and local politics in San Antonio. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | dylan.mcguinness@express-news.net | Twitter: @DylMcGuinness Thanks to the heroic work of agents from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Rendon Madrid has been deported from Chicago to her native Colombia. She sought asylum in the United States in 2006, was denied asylum in 2008 and then, as the years went on, became the one thing Americans fear most: a Lutheran student pastor with no criminal record. When Donald Trump invites historical comparisons, it is usually to his detriment. This is the risk of being even more corrupt than Warren Harding and even less articulate than, well, Warren Harding (whose rhetoric reminded H.L. Mencken of a string of wet sponges and stale bean soup). Even so, the Trump administrations recent snubbing of Harriet Tubman in favor of extending Andrew Jacksons run as the face on the $20 bill is particularly revealing, and especially damning. It is revealing for who is being kept on the money not only the proud owner of slaves, but the political author of a vicious white mans populism. During the 2016 presidential campaign, Donald Trump called the proposed replacement of Jackson pure political correctness. Actually, the switch would be an example of sound moral judgment. Jacksons defining cause was the ethnic cleansing of Native American lands to make way for more slavery-based agriculture. In pursuit of his pale-faced vision of democracy, Jackson was imperious, violent and indifferent to constitutional norms. Late at night, if Trump speaks to the portrait of Jackson he has hung on the wall of the Oval Office, I suspect the two men would find much in common. The most damning part of the controversy for Trump, however, comes from whom he is rejecting. In opposing Harriet Tubman, Trump has messed with the wrong woman. Tubman was familiar with white men who discounted and underestimated her. As a teenager, she was nearly killed by one who fractured her skull because she defended a fellow worker. She defied white slave hunters slipping past them on at least a dozen forays to rescue about 70 slaves as a conductor on the Underground Railroad. Frederick Douglass emerged as an abolitionist leader because of his brilliance and rhetorical skill. Tubman may have been illiterate, but she was justly celebrated for her fearlessness and sense of calling. White supremacists attempted to create an image of black inferiority, passivity and helplessness. Tubman was bold, calm under pressure and organizationally gifted. She was also a mystic, who found divine guidance during trances and occasionally burst out into religious song and rhythmic dance (what some call a spiritual shuffle). This combination of the efficient and the numinous made her one of the most interesting figures of the 19th century. Tubman became a legend in a certain historical context. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 essentially left African Americans anywhere in America slave or free vulnerable to apprehension and accusation in special courts. Slave hunters could take their searches even into abolitionist strongholds such as Quaker Pennsylvania and the burned-over district of New York state. As outrage built in the North, slave rescues through the Underground Railroad became an important source of symbolic defiance. Though the total number freed was relatively small, these efforts provided outsized inspiration to both slaves and abolitionists. The work of Tubman and other conductors was also a demonstration of African American agency in the defeat of slavery. Contrary to accounts that exaggerated the role of whites, the Underground Railroad was mainly manned and funded by free blacks in the North (and Canada). Black women contributed money to support Tubmans raids. Black churches hid fleeing refugees. Black vigilance societies in the North met slave hunters with physical resistance. Tubman herself was not an advocate of nonviolence. She carried a pistol on her rescues. She was friendly with the radical abolitionist John Brown. Before Browns raid on Harpers Ferry, according to Henry Mayers All on Fire, Tubman supplied him with information about the terrain and local allies and offered him help in building his force. Brown called Tubman the General. But she was better known as Moses. Tubman believed that African Americans were a specially chosen people, engaged in their own Exodus from oppression. This armed Tubman and black Americans with a sense of purpose no whip or cannon could defeat. It also placed white Americans in the uncomfortable role of being pharaohs forces. And during a terrible, fraternal conflict, horse and rider were thrown into the sea. Honoring Tubmans contribution along with the essential role of African Americans in ending slavery would not be an example of political correctness. It would be evidence of historical discernment and moral maturity. In the Trump era, these things are in short supply. But Tubman is still making her pursuers look like fools. michaelgerson@washpost.com State Rep. Jonathan Sticklands is an embarrassment to the state of Texas. Its been a while, but its not forgotten. The legislators personal attack May 7 on Dr. Peter Hotez, the dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine, for voicing his concern about the rising number of measles cases was despicable. Stickland, a Republican from Tarrant County, did not agree with Hotezs call to amend state vaccine exemption laws that are creating a growing population of unvaccinated children. Nothing wrong with that, we can all agree to disagree. But taking to social media, lambasting the medical doctor and dismissing vaccines as sorcery, dangerous, self-enriching science, and nothing more than a scam was uncalled for, especially from an elected public official. The legislators unsubstantiated claims that Dr. Hotez was bought and paid for by special interest groups fringes on slander. Strickland owes Hotez a public apology. Hotezs concerns are well founded. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed 764 measle cases in 2019 in 23 states. Thats twice the rate reported for all of last year. Texas has reported at least 24 cases. In the last 15 years, the number of vaccine exemptions for nonmedical reasons has more than quadrupled. Today, there are more than 564,000 unvaccinated children enrolled in Texas public schools. There is no documentation on the statistic among the 300,000 children who are home-schooled. The number of unvaccinated children has surged after 2003 with passage of legislation allowing parents of public school children to opt out of the states immunization requirements for reasons of conscience. Sticklands behavior may play well to a constituency back home, but it is irresponsible when the country is in the midst of nationwide outbreak of a disease the CDC had declared had been eliminated 19 years ago. Hotez is a pediatrician and professor of infectious disease. He was well within his rights to speak out against the anti-vaccine movement by referencing factual information, as he did when he tweeted a graphic accompanying a Houston Chronicle article showing the latest statistics of Texans who sought vaccine waivers for their students for nonmedical reasons. The public focus on this issue needs to be on the public health implications of the states lax vaccine regulations. Regrettably it has centered on boorish behavior of a flame-throwing state official. Viva Tacoland owner Chris Erck suffered a huge setback in April when his landlords, already suing Erck for at least $200,000 in damages, shuttered the bar and began searching for a new tenant. Now, Ercks River Walk property next to the defunct bar is headed to the auction block. The 0.3-acre lot at 102 W. Josephine St. is slated to be sold Tuesday at a foreclosure auction at Bexar County Courthouse, according to a foreclosure listing filed May 13. The Bexar Appraisal District valued the land at $833,750 earlier this year. On ExpressNews.com: Viva Tacoland near the Pearl is now closed Erck has struggled to make payments on a $637,500 mortgage he took out in December 2013 to buy the land. The owner of the now-defunct Juniper Tar bar also owes more than $46,000 in back taxes on the property, which includes retail and warehouse space, according to county tax records. Erck owed more than $73,000 in unpaid federal taxes as of November, a filing shows. Erck did not return a call requesting comment. On ExpressNews.com: Fort Worth firm buys $79 million hotel on San Antonios River Walk The bar closed April 28, 10 months after the property owners local developer David Adelman and actor Ricardo Chavira sued Erck in June alleging breach of contract and mismanagement. Adelman told the Express-News earlier this month a Dallas chain with a cult following will likely set up shop on the land. Viva Tacolands closure came after Juniper Tar, another Erck-owned bar, shut down in August. Ercks Swig Martini Bar closed in 2017 during a dispute with the landowner. The local punk rock community fumed when Erck opened Viva Tacoland in 2014 on the site of the venerated punk club Taco Land. Friends and supporters of the venue accused Erck of co-opting the name as well as the image of Taco Land owner Ramiro Ram Ayala, who ran the club for 40 years before he was fatally shot during a robbery there in 2005. Erck told the Express-News in 2016 that, despite the outcry, the bars sales had doubled year-over-year and that he was eyeing a second location on the River Walk and a third in Austin. Staff writer Paul Stephen contributed to this report. Joshua Fechter is a San Antonio-based staff writer covering retail and tourism. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | jfechter@express-news.net | Twitter: @JFReports FAIRFIELD The fourth time was the charm. At their Tuesday meeting, the Fairfield Representative Town Meeting, in a unanimous and bipartisan vote, passed an ordinance that effectively bans single-use plastic bags in town. The ordinance which RTM members applauded after its passing is to go into effect Feb. 1 of next year in order to let retail establishments accommodate to the new regulations. Heather Dean, who originally introduced the ordinance 10 years ago did not hide her elation. It became clear during the the last RTM committee meeting that this had strong bipartisan support and would pass, especially in light of the positive survey results from Fairfield neighbors and merchants, Dean said. According to the ordinance, the Health Department would be in charge of enforcement. A first violation would result in a written warning followed by a $150 fee for a second violation and subsequent ones at $250. RTM member amended the ordinance, adding that no fee shall be imposed for a second violation if it has occurred on or prior to the date that is 30 calendar days following receipt by the retail establishment of a written warning notice of its initial violation. Further, if multiple violations by a aretial establishment occur within a 24-hour period, no more than one monetary penalty shall be imposed for such violations, the amendment, which passed, reads. Sands Cleary, Health Department director, said that by next February, the department would receive and respond to complaints of establishment that are not in compliance. First Selectman Mike Tetreau said the ordinance was an example of the town taking a leadership position on something that is good for the environment. The towns legislative body first considered a plastic bag ban a decade ago, an effort that back then did not make it past the administration committee. Im gratified by the many who came forward to hep since first considered in 2009, Dean said. For now Im enjoying the victory for Fairfield and the environment -- perseverance pays off. Though no members of the public spoke at the May 28 meeting, several had expressed their support at previous meetings. Plastic bags live quite a while, almost forever. Its wonderful to see that Fairfield is taking the steps toward eliminating them, resident David McKinnis said at an April 29 meeting. Fairfield joins a growing number of towns and cities that are considering and implementing policies banning the use of plastic bags. Westport was the first town east of the Mississippi to ban single-use plastic bags almost a decade ago. In the recent months, towns and cities like Stamford, Greenwich, Norwalk, New Canaan and Hamden. These efforts come at a time when the state is also mulling over similar plastic bag bans that, if passed, would be statewide, municipalities could also pass more stringent regulations at the local level. humberto.juarez@hearstmediact.com by Matthew Terelle | Wed, May 29th 6:18am EDT Minnesota Twins outfielder Eddie Rosario hit his 17th homer in a 5-3 win over the Brewers on Tuesday. The two-run shot wound up being his only hit in the win. Less than 1 in 5 general education teachers feel very well prepared to teach students with mild to moderate learning disabilities, including ADHD and dyslexia, according to a new survey from two national advocacy groups. The survey found that only 30 percent of general education teachers feel strongly that they can successfully teach students with learning disabilitiesand only 50 percent believe those students can reach grade-level standards. Overall, the findings depict a teaching corps that considers itself ill-equipped to meet the needs of millions of children with disabilities in the nations public K-12 schools and clings to misconceptions about student learning and attention issues. In compiling their report, the two groupsNational Center for Learning Disabilities and Understood.orgsurveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,350 teachers; convened teacher focus groups in California, Ohio, and North Carolina; researched teacher certification requirements in all 50 states; and distilled the findings from 150 academic articles to learn more about effective teaching methods for students with disabilities. At least one-third of the respondents reported that they have not participated in professional development on serving the students with disabilities in their classrooms. (Education Week wrote about how many teachers lack training in how to meet the needs students with disabilities for a special report on blind spots in professional development.) In one of the more surprising findings, a quarter of the survey respondents indicated that they believe ADD/ADHD diagnoses result from poor parenting, evidence that some teachers express beliefs suggesting they are unaware of scientific findings showing that learning disabilities and ADHD are based on differences in brain structure and function. Overall, the survey respondents indicated the problems begin in teacher preparation programs , well before education students lead a classroom: Many teachers reported they were not required to take courses in working with students with disabilities or found that the courses they did take left them unprepared to work with all students. The work also details how states policies for educator certification have set a low bar for preparing general educators to teach students with disabilities. According to the National Center for Learning Disabilities research, fewer than 10 states have specific coursework requirements for teaching students with mild to moderate learning disabilities In effect, almost every state has failed to bring their licensure or certification standards in line with our new reality: Every general education teacher will surely have students with these high-incidence disabilities in their classroom, the report finds. The reports definition of mild to moderate learning disabilities includes: dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, ADD, ADHD, processing disorders, or other language-based learning disabilities. The definition does not include students with autism spectrum disorders, oppositional defiant disorders, or unrelated emotional issues. In an attempt to address some of the concerns general education teachers have, the report authors outline steps that teachers, school leaders, district leaders, families, and policymakers can take to improve education for students with learning disabilities and a glossary to help readers understand key terms. The recommendations include creating more time for collaboration among teachers and education specialists, focusing on family engagement, advocating for dual certifications in general education and special education, and prioritizing professional development opportunities for teachers and principals. The report also identifies eight key practices, including targeted instruction and universal design for learning, that educators can use in classrooms to boost the achievement of all students. Differing Opinions on IEPs The findings square with the conclusions of a survey released by the Council for Exceptional Children earlier this year. That survey found that special education teachers are concerned about the ability of general education teachers and supervisors to work with students who have disabilities. Of the special education teachers who participated in the Council for Exceptional Childrens survey, fewer than 15 percent thought their general education colleagues were highly prepared to work with students with disabilities. Both sets of teachers felt they werent given ample time to plan with peers and had questions about their ability to co-teach with colleagues. The two surveys do highlight a key difference in how special education and general education teachers view IEPs: the special education teachers see the individualized education plans as essential documents that play a large role in determining student and teacher success; their general education colleagues are more likely view IEPs as mere paperwork. Of the general education teachers who participated in the National Center for Learning Disabilities and Understood survey, just 56 percent of teachers believed IEPs provide value to students, and just 38 percent believe IEPs improve their teaching. Focus groups and teachers surveyed both point to the challenges of remembering accommodations for each child and to the perception that IEPs and 504 plans often include accommodations or services that are not necessary, the report found. That clashes with the findings from the Council for Exceptional Children survey, where respondents indicated that having adequate resources to meet student IEP requirements and the support of administrators during the IEP process were among the top three things that special education teachers need to be successful. While general education teachers were pessimistic about their ability to work with students with disabilities, many of the survey respondents expressed an interest in learning how to better support them. When teachers felt negatively about inclusion, the feelings were driven by concerns and frustrations about their own ability to meet the students needs, the report concludes. Heres the National Center for Learning Disabilities and Understood.org report . Related Reading The most important American who has exhibited indifference to that allegation, of course, is the one who bears the chief responsibility for protecting the nation from such attacks: the president. The report made abundantly clear that the Russian government and its confederates tried to manipulate events and perceptions to get the outcome Vladimir Putin wanted. Putin did get what he wanted, and Trumps presidency has been a boon to the Kremlin. COLUMBUS National Weather Service storm survey teams confirmed eight tornadoes struck Ohio late Monday night/early Tuesday morning five in the Miami Valley area, which left catastrophic damage and massive power outages. Damage assessment continues across the state. Confirmed tornadoes by the NWS EF3 Trotwood, Montgomery County EF3 Beavercreek, Greene County EF3 Celina, Mercer County EF2 Vandalia, Montgomery County EF0 near Phillipsburg, Miami/Montgomery Counties EF0 Circleville, Pickaway County EF1 Tarlton, Pickaway County EF2 Laurelville, Hocking County Safety tips More than 34,000 customers remain without power in the Dayton/Miami Valley area. The following lists safety tips from Dayton Power & Light: Never Touch a Power Line If you see a fallen or sagging power line or a line that is in contact with tree branches or other foliage, assume it is live and dangerous. Report fallen wires to your local power company. DP&L: 877-468-8243. If there is a life-threatening emergency, call 911 immediately. Allow Utility Crews to Focus on Restoration When utility crews arrive in a neighborhood, it is not uncommon for people to want to talk about the status of restoration. These crews are dealing with extremely hazardous conditions and need to focus their attention on their technical and dangerous jobs. For your and their safety, please stay away from utility crews and their vehicles. Also, if you have pets in your yard, put them inside if crews need access to your property. Be Careful Using Candles and Generators Candles Avoid using candles, if possible. Flashlights or battery-operated lanterns are a safer alternative. If you do use candles, be sure to place them on a stable surface away from combustible materials, and be careful around children and pets. Never leave burning candles unattended. Portable Generators Follow all manufacturers instructions and think safety first. NEVER use a generator inside homes, garages, crawlspaces, sheds or similar areas, even when using fans or opening doors and windows for ventilation. Deadly levels of carbon monoxide can quickly build up in these areas and can linger for hours, even after the generator has shut off. Store generator fuel in approved containers away from your home. Never refuel a hot generator. Turn it off and let it cool before adding more fuel. Learn more: Portable Generator Information Food Safety Practice safe food handling during power outages to prevent food-borne illnesses. Spoiled food may not look contaminated when in doubt, throw it out. Learn more: Additional Food Safety Tips Shelters Montgomery County Shelters Corinthian Baptist Church 700 S. James H McGee Blvd Dayton OH 45402 Mt. Enon Baptist Church 1501 W. Third St Dayton OH 45402 The Ridge 7555 Brookville Phillipsburg Rd Brookville OH 45309 Morton Middle School Vandalia Butler City Schools 8555 Peters Pike Vandalia OH 45377 Greene County Shelter First Baptist Church of Kettering 3939 Swigart Rd Dayton OH 45440 Mercer County Shelter Fraternal Order of Eagles 101 W. Walnut St Coldwater OH 45828 A Kent farmer who farms 768 hectares close to Britains east coast is the newest host appointed for AHDB's Monitor Farm network. Trying new methods, techniques and a desire to take on challenges lay behind a Will Smith's decision to join the network as Canterbury Monitor Farm. This is an interesting time for agriculture, said Will. As farmers, we have to contend with the loss of actives, replacement of the basic payment scheme, as well as broader issues such as the ongoing political uncertainty. We can either choose to bury our heads in the sand or see them as challenges to be overcome. Describing himself as an innovative grower, Will is a practising agronomist and contract farmer. He knew he wanted to work in agriculture from an early age, growing up on his family farm in Beaute, near Canterbury. Farming 768 hectares, of which 678 is arable cropping, he grows a diverse range of crops, including milling wheat, oilseed rape, beans and maize. Beaute Farm also features a beef and sheep enterprise, as well as a straw and hay business. Located close to Britains east coast, the farm spans chalk loam soils, brick earth and heavy clay. 'Improve direct drilling' Will is currently aiming for minimal soil disturbance through direct drilling. He uses specialist equipment to drill directly into a variety of crop aftermaths and mulches including his cover crops. He added: I really want to improve direct drilling and see if what weve been doing is both viable and profitable. Id like to be able to integrate this with our nitrogen use. Im interested in learning more about nitrogen fixation in wheat. When it comes to rotational strategy, Will exercises a degree of flexibility, preferring to choose different options depending on the year. Previously, oilseed rape and wheat featured heavily. The farms location in a low rainfall area meant that the former gave the best margins. From 2015 onwards, Will branched out due to declining yields and a worsening blackgrass problem to include a mixture of autumn and spring crops over a four-or-five-year rotation. Beaute Farm replaces the Sittingbourne Monitor Farm from June 20, 2019. It joins Freefolk Farms, near Basingstoke, and Moor Farm, in Petworth, as the cereals and oilseeds Monitor Farms in AHDBs South East region of the UK. Part of the Farm Excellence programme, Monitor Farms bring together groups of farmers interested in improving their businesses by sharing best practice around a nationwide network of host farms. Police are appealing for more information following the theft of 55 lambs in north east Scotland. Officers in Moray say the theft occurred sometime between the beginning of April and 14 May 2019. The lambs were stolen from a field near to Wellfield in the Newmill area of Keith and they were a mix of Texel and Suffolk cross lambs with a blue mark in the middle of their back, as well as relevant ear tags. The estimated value of the missing livestock is a mid four figure sum of money. Investigating Officer PC Tomas Spracklen said: The owner of the sheep had been regularly checking on his livestock for their welfare during this period however hadnt realised that lambs were missing until 14 May. Although it is a wide time frame, it would be very helpful if the public could take a moment to think back and contact us if they recall any unusual activity or vehicles in the area that could be relevant to this enquiry. It follows new figures which show that livestock worth 2.5m were stolen in 2018 amid an increase in organised large scale animal thefts across the UK. Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting reference 4654 of 14 May. A major survey has been launched to gather feedback from Yorkshire farmers to make the case to the government for increased business support post-Brexit. The findings will help the Yorkshire farming industry gather a better understanding of what challenges and barriers they are facing. It also wants to know what the biggest threats are going to be to farm businesses over the next 12 months. Grow Yorkshire, an initiative co-ordinated by the Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), launched the survey. Insight gained will underpin the next phase of the initiative which is to create an action plan to ensure the relevant support and resources can be requested from the government. David Kerfoot, Chair of Grow Yorkshire, said there are farmers that are already embracing change and using it as an opportunity to develop their business. A big part of helping other farmers capitalise on these opportunities is sharing the stories of those that have already started doing this, he said. However, the initiative needs to understand the specific challenges Yorkshire farmers are currently facing. This is really key to us developing our action plan and will underpin what we prioritise in terms of next steps, Mr Kerfoot said. Open letter to Farming Minister An open letter, which has been signed by over 30 leading organisations of Yorkshires agricultural sector, was delivered to Defra's Farming Minister Robert Goodwill as part of the initiative. The letter calls for the government to commit to supporting the regions rural economy so it can continue to thrive post-Brexit. Alongside the survey, a steering group has been set up to help shape the strategy for the initiative going forward. A key milestone has been that a representative from Defra has officially joined the panel, alongside leaders from the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, NFU, CLA, and the Yorkshire Food, Farming and Rural Network. All groups are working together to ensure that all farming and food businesses in the region are made aware of the support that is available. 'Farming is in for a massive change' A key part of the initiative is to share success stories from farmers to help encourage others to think about ways they could innovate. East Yorkshire farmer Tom Mellor, who farms at Hunmanby Farm Grange near Driffield, runs Wold Top Brewery alongside his farming operation and is keen to encourage others to find ways to innovate and remain profitable. He highlighted how farmers must be 'constantly open' to being challenged and responding to that in a 'positive way'. Farming like every other industry is in for a massive change. Its always evolving so modern day agriculture needs to meet the challenge of constant change and be proactive, otherwise well get left behind, he said. Mr Mellor now runs an independent brewery and distillery that produces beer and spirits. The changes you make dont always need to be big ones. Its important to look at what youve already got to see what opportunities could already be available to you. He added: For us, that was realising that we could use the water supply that was already present on the farm and look at other ways we could use it. Its shaping up to be a good year for those who like exploring and train travel. With two new passenger rail services due to become operational in Turkey, it makes faraway places and indeed, a different country, much more accessible. New Eastern Express for tourists The new Eastern Express, a scenic train service that links the capital Ankara with the eastern province of Kars, will debut today (May 29). Turkey is launching the second train due to rising demand for the traditional express train. The new service is expected to increase the number of tourists visiting Kars by 30%. The new train will leave Ankara at 7:55 p.m. and arrive in Kars 27 hours later. The tickets, which went on sale starting May 14, cost 400 TL (approximately $65) per person for a single compartment and 250 TL (approximately $41) for a double compartment. The train leaves Ankara every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7.55 p.m., and from Kars every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 11.55 p.m. It can accommodate up to 120 passengers in its nine wagons. Although the Eastern Express runs all year round, it is especially popular in late autumn and winter when the landscape is covered in snow. The trains are often fully booked from December through March, prompting thousands to buy their tickets in advance. Now, tourists will be able to enjoy the scenic route on the new Tourist Eastern Express line, increasing the availability of tickets on the original Eastern Express line for residents trying to reach eastern Turkey. After setting off from the Ankara train station, the Tourist Eastern Express will make stops at the Erzincan, Ilic and Erzurum train stations. During those stops, tourists can get off the train and spend time touring historical sites in those areas. On the return journey from Kars to Ankara, stops will be made at Divrik and Bostankaya train stations, located in the Central Anatolian province of Sivas. The Culture and Tourism Ministry is aiming to boost the popularity of travel-by-train tourism and spread it across other cities in Turkey. Turkeys Edirne to Bulgarias Plovdiv passenger rail link Photo Credit: Daily Sabah A new passenger rail service between Turkey and Bulgaria will begin operation on June 1. The train primarily aims to attract Bulgarian visitors wanting to take sightseeing and shopping trips to Edirne, but also serves for people wanting to visit the Bulgarian town of Plovdiv. The train will only run at weekends, Saturday and Sunday. The departure and arrival times are as follows: Plovdiv-Edirne train timetable The 180-km-long journey all take 4 hours 20 minutes, including border crossing and passport checks. Ticket fares are not announced yet, but is expected to be less than bus fares (TL 79, 11). The Istanbul-Sofia Express line was inaugurated in 2017 and runs daily from Istanbuls Halkal train station to the Bulgarian capital. Up until now, it has been the only passenger rail service between the countries, also acting as the line connecting Turkey to European lines. Sources: Daily Sabah/Hurriyet Daily News/anews.com.tr You may know banchan is traditionally given away for free and refilled too, but should that be the case? You might be thinking theres no such thing as a free banchan, because costs get accounted for by pricing other dishes accordingly, but thats harder to do with increasingly tighter margins. When Joong Boo Market opened its food court in Glenview, a self-service banchan buffet stood as its centerpiece, but that has disappeared. The controversial question about free appetizers has been asked in other cultures too. Award-winning Mexican chef Diana Davila was criticized by Yelpers at the closed Cantina 1910 restaurant for not giving away chips and salsa. Once complimentary bread baskets have become a rarity with bread on menus now the norm. Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release SubCategory Select Sub-Category Is Arjun Kapoor Delaying His Wedding With Malaika Because Of This Reason? When quizzed if he is delaying his marriage with Malaika because he wants his sister to get married first, Arjun said, "I would like to believe that would be the nice organic thing to do. But, it's not so easy to pinpoint that." Anshula Is Currently Focusing On Her Work Arjun said, "If she likes...I would be very happy. If she says, "No, I want to wait for a bit.", I'll be okay. She believes in the institution of marriage and so do I. Despite whatever we've seen in our lives, we both have faith that marriage is good. Let her make something out of herself. She's focusing on her work right now, so I've not had the marriage conversation with her." Meanwhile, Arjun Is Not Ready To Take The Marital Plunge Yet "I'm not getting married. I understand why there are speculations. Because in my own house people would ask tu shaadi kab kar raha hai? It's a very organic Indian question. If you're with someone for even three days, the marriage question pops up. Shaadi karlo, tumhari umar ho gayi hai, abhi kitna sochoge?" 'Why Would I Hide Marriage?,' Asks Arjun The actor further said, "33 for most people in India is great age to get married, but not for me. I still have time. If I've not hidden my relationship, why will I hide my marriage yaar?" The Actor Also Recently Opened Up About Why He Came Out In Public About His Relationship "We've come out because we feel the media has given us dignity. There's a certain understanding the media has... they've been respectful, kind, honest and decent about it. That is why I felt comfortable," the actor was quoted as saying by the magazine. Fort St. John, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 28, 2019) - Macro Enterprises Inc. (TSXV: MCR) (the "Company" or "Macro") announces the election of Robert L. Fedderly to its Board of Directors by the shareholders at the Annual General Meeting held earlier today. Mr. Fedderly has been appointed to the Audit Committee and the Compensation Committee of the Company. Management is of the view that Mr. Fedderly will provide valuable perspective and expertise to the Board as an independent director. Bob Fedderly is the President of Fedderly Transportation Ltd., a Fort St John based heavy industrial carrier and hoisting contractor incorporated in 1980. Fedderly Transportation Ltd. provides services to industries with a focus on natural gas production equipment moving and pipeline transportation in western Canada. He is currently also the President of GasNorth Energy Ltd. Mr. Fedderly served as a director and President of Energy Services BC from 2002 to 2007 and of the Northern BC Truckers Association from 1997 to 2002. Mr. Fedderly is a former member of the board of directors of the BC Association for Crane Safety. Additionally, he was appointed Chair of the BC Oil and Gas Commission Advisory Committee from 2001 to 2006. Mr. Fedderly's experience gained throughout many years serving the energy industry has provided him with a wide angle view of the industry. The Company Macro's core business is providing pipeline and facilities construction and maintenance services to major companies in the oil and gas industry within Canada. The Company's corporate office is in Fort St. John, British Columbia. Its shares are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol MCR. Information on the Company's principal operations can be found at www.macroindustries.ca For further information please contact: Frank Miles President & C.E.O. Phone: (250) 785-0033 Jeff Redmond, CPA, CA C.F.O. & Corp. Secretary Phone: (250) 785-0033 Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/45109 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 28, 2019) - UGE International Ltd. (TSXV: UGE) (OTCQB: UGEIF) (the "Company" or "UGE"), a leader in solar energy solutions for the commercial and industrial sector, reported its financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2019. UGE reports all amounts in US dollars. The first quarter of 2019 saw UGE continue to reposition itself for future success. The Company has been shifting its focus from engineering, procurement and construction ("EPC") work in the Canadian market, where there have been dramatic policy reversals away from solar, to the US and Philippines markets, where UGE plays the role of both developer and EPC, earning higher margins as a result. In the first quarter, this saw Canadian revenue decline, which other markets were not yet able to offset, seeing overall Company revenue decline from $6.1 million to $2.1 million. This led to a loss of $0.5 million in the quarter. However, there are clear signs the US/Philippines-focused strategy is starting to take hold. Backlog grew 10% to $28.7 million, virtually all of which is in these two markets, leading management to believe the Company will return to revenue growth in the latter half of 2019. In addition, as backlog projects include both development and deployment (EPC), gross margins are expected to continue to increase; the estimated gross margin on current backlog is 23%. Finally, the Company has reduced overhead expenses significantly, with SG&A expenses falling 31% versus the comparative quarter, to $0.8 million. Select Financial Information Three months ended March 31, 2019 2018 Revenue $ 2,065,556 $ 6,059,933 Cost of sales (1,486,080 ) (4,977,509 ) Gross profit 579,476 1,082,424 Gross profit margin 28% 18% Expenses Selling, general, and administrative (803,574 ) (1,169,600 ) Project-related gain (loss) 24,208 (354,982 ) Expected credit loss (137,970 ) - Share-based compensation (102,802 ) (12,852 ) Net finance expense (52,834 ) (241,593 ) Accretion expense (18,007 ) - Loss from operating activities $ (511,503 ) $ (683,751 ) Income (loss) before income taxes $ (511,503 ) $ (683,751 ) Income tax recovery (expense) (36,361 ) (104,032 ) Net income (loss) for the period $ (547,864 ) $ (787,783 ) Adjusted EBITDA $ (288,301 ) $ (68,548 ) Analysis of Financial Results Revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2019 was $2.1 million, a 66% decrease from the same period of the prior year, as the Company wrapped up past EPC projects from our Canadian entities and worked through the planning stage of a significant number of new projects in the US and Philippines. In particular, while revenue from the US and Philippines accounted for only $0.2 million during the first quarter, over 90% of the Company's current backlog is in these markets. The gross profit margin for the three months ended March 31, 2019 increased to 28%, compared to 18% in the comparable quarter from the prior year and 10% in the 2018 calendar year, as revenue quality showed significant improvements, both in terms of the results of closing out past EPC projects, and in the higher margins expected from new projects in our growth markets. Backlog grew 10% from the beginning of the quarter, to $28.7 million, and is now nearly entirely made up of projects for which UGE has played the developer role, which is expected to generate stronger gross margins going forward. The current estimate of gross margin on Committed Backlog is approximately 23% as the Company benefits from its refined focus; these projects will become revenue throughout 2019 and beyond. Meanwhile, SG&A expenses of $0.8 million are in line with our goals to reach near term profitability. The Company recorded a project-related gain of $24,208, as past EPC projects were closed out successfully. The Expected Credit Loss of $137,970 relates to the Company's implementation of IFRS-9 and not to any one specific project or receivable. "The first quarter was another positive step forward in our plans to return to profitable growth in 2019," said UGE's CEO, Nick Blitterswyk. "While the first half of 2019 sees our revenue pass through a valley between past EPC projects and new self-developed projects, all signs point to near-term revenue growth, while benefiting from higher margins and lower expenses in our drive towards profitable growth." Full financial results and Management's Discussion and Analysis are posted to SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and are available through the Company's website. About UGE UGE delivers immediate savings to businesses through the low cost of solar energy. We help commercial and industrial clients become more competitive by providing low cost distributed renewable energy solutions at no upfront cost and maximum long-term benefit. With over 375 MW of global experience, we work daily to power a more sustainable world. Visit us at www.ugei.com. For more information, contact: 917-720-5685 investors@ugei.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/45107 Hdac Technology-TODAQ, promoting organic collaboration for innovation of decentralised technology Utilizing TODA Protocol for Hdac projects, and building markets for the HDAC token and TDN SEOUL, South Korea, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai backed Hdac Technology, a blockchain technology company founded by Dae-sun Chung, a president of Hyundai BS&C, signed a business agreement with TODAQ for strategic business cooperation at its headquarters in Toegye-ro, Seoul, on May 17th. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/891269/TODAQ_Hyundai_s_Hdac_Technology_and_TODAQ_sign_agreement_for_Str.jpg TODAQ is a global fintech company with offices in Seoul and Toronto and operates across Asia, Middle East and Europe providing decentralised supply chain and customer solutions to global corporations, banks and governments. TODAQ's platform is built on the decentralised TODA Protocol, which will be open sourced in the near future. Hdac and TODAQ pledged organic cooperation for the development of innovative decentralised technology through this agreement. In order to innovate blockchain technology, both companies will actively pursue joint projects and research and development based on the technological capabilities of each company. The TODA Protocol will be used to strengthen existing Hdac blockchain technology. In addition, the two companies will make multifaceted efforts to establish close partnership between the two companies' global business development; join with TODAQ's other corporate partners on a global series of developer labs and hackathon competitions across Korea, North America, Europe, etc; and collaborate on building real economy usage cases for digital assets, including the HDAC token and the soon to be released TDN ('TODA Note'). "Based on our innovative technology, we will continue to carry out various projects for the development of blockchain technology with TODAQ. We will continue to strengthen cooperation with leading domestic and foreign innovation companies to provide more value to our customers." said BuYoung Yun, Hdac CEO. "We expect this agreement Hdac will bring both companies greater competitiveness in the development of decentralised business solutions and global expansion." said Hassan Khan, TODAQ CEO and Co-founder. Both companies also look forward to leveraging their respective markets and partners to mutual benefit. This year, TODAQ is concurrently launching retail, energy, education and pharmaceutical commercial projects across Asia, the Middle East and Europe. On the other hand, Hdac signed a MOU with Hyundai BS&C and GC Green Cross Healthcare in March for cooperation in the blockchain-based healthcare business, and is actively working on developing blockchain technology and expanding business by signing a partnership with India's first blockchain project "Eleven01" in April to develop blockchain technology. For further information: Info@todaqfinance.com WINNIPEG, MB / ACCESSWIRE / May 28, 2019 / FP Newspapers Inc. ("FPI") announces financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2019. FPI owns securities entitling it to 49% of the distributable cash of FP Canadian Newspapers Limited Partnership ("FPLP"). First quarter operating results of FPI FPI reported income of $0.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019, compared to a net loss of $0.1 million for the same period last year. First quarter operating results of FPLP FPLP's revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2019 was $15.5 million, a decrease of $0.6 million or 3.6% from the same three months in the prior year. FPLP's print advertising revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2019 were $8.0 million, a $0.8 million or 9.0% decrease compared to the same period last year. FPLP's largest advertising revenue category, display advertising including colour, was $4.3 million, a decrease of $0.3 million or 6.4% from the same period in the prior year, primarily due to decreased spending in the local and national automotive and retail categories, partially offset by an increase in the telecommunications category. Classified advertising revenues for the first quarter decreased by $0.2 million or 12.8% compared to the same period last year, primarily due to lower spending in the obituary, employment and real estate categories. Flyer distribution revenues decreased by $0.2 million or 8.8% compared to the first quarter in 2018, primarily due to a decrease in flyer volumes delivered. Circulation revenue increased by $0.1 million or 2.4% compared to the same quarter last year, primarily due to an increase in print subscription prices and increased digital subscription revenue. Digital advertising revenues were $0.6 million, an increase of $0.1 million or 27.0% compared to the first quarter of 2018, primarily due to increased digital design services revenues and revenues from web ads and mobile ads. Operating expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2019 were $15.0 million, a decrease of $0.9 million or 5.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Employee compensation costs for the first quarter decreased by $0.4 million or 5.0% from the same period in the prior year, primarily due to a reduction in the number of employees across most of our business units. Newsprint expense for FPLP's own publications for the first quarter decreased by $0.1 million or 3.2% compared to the same period in the prior year, primarily due to lower printing volumes, partly offset by higher newsprint prices. Delivery expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2019 decreased by $0.3 million or 10.2%, primarily due to a lower number of circulation subscriptions delivered and initiatives implemented to improve delivery route efficiency. Other expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2019 decreased by $0.1 million, primarily due to the expiration of a major sponsorship agreement. EBITDA(1) for the three months ended March 31, 2019 was $1.2 million compared to $0.9 million for the same period last year, an increase of 32.0%. EBITDA(1) margin for the three months ended March 31, 2019 was 7.6%, compared to 5.5% in the same period last year. The changes in EBITDA(1) were due to the factors described above. Finance costs for the three months ended March 31, 2019 decreased slightly, primarily due to the lower level of debt outstanding. FPLP's net income was $0.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019, compared to net loss of $0.1 million for the same period last year. Outlook We expect the long term trend of lower print advertising revenues to continue. To date in the second quarter we have seen print advertising revenues at slightly better year-over-year levels than we experienced in the first quarter. In May management and the union representing the unionized employees of the Winnipeg Free Press and Canstar Community News and the unionized delivery agents of the Winnipeg Free Press completed the negotiation of the collective bargaining agreements that were scheduled to end on June 30 2019. A ratification vote for the two year agreement that will run to June 30, 2021 is scheduled for June 1, 2019. The negotiated extension terms would see wage rates unchanged from existing levels and cooperation between the union and management at exploring the option of transferring the defined benefit pension plan to a multi-employer plan with fixed maximum company contributions going forward. The contingent wage reduction language that was negotiated in the 2017 renewal remains in place. Under this agreement, if free cash (as defined in the agreement) falls below $0.8 million for a rolling 12 month period an 8% wage reduction would apply for the majority of employees, with newer employees hired on a reduced compensation grid subject to a 4% wage reduction. We continue to wait for further details with respect to the federal government support for journalism programs previously announced in the 2019 budget. Bob Cox provided expert testimony at budget committee hearings in May and we're hopeful that the industry will get further clarification on the support programs in the coming months. On April 29 the owners of the Westman Journal in Brandon announced its closure. The publication which began as an independent weekly free publication in 2002 was purchased by Glacier Media in 2004. Additional Information Additional information including financial statements and management's discussion and analysis can be found on the Company's website at www.fpnewspapers.com or on SEDAR at www.sedar.com . Caution Regarding Forward-looking Statements Certain statements in this news release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. These statements include but are not limited to statements regarding management's intent, belief or current expectations with respect to market and general economic conditions, future costs and operating performance. Generally, but not always, forward-looking statements will be indicated by words such as "may", "will", "intend", "anticipate", "expect", "believe", "plan", "is budgeting for" or similar terminology. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of FPI or FPLP, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the current general economic uncertainty, FPLP's ability to effectively manage growth and maintain its profitability, FPLP's ability to operate in a highly competitive industry, FPLP's ability to compete with other forms of media, FPLP's ability to attract advertisers, FPLP's reliance upon key personnel, FPLP's relatively high fixed costs, FPLP's dependence upon particular advertising customer segments, indebtedness incurred in making acquisitions, the availability of financing for capital improvements, the availability of an extension on refinancing of FPLP's term loan facilities, costs related to capital expenditures, cyclical and seasonal variations in FPLP's revenues, the risk of acts of terrorism, the cost of newsprint, the potential for labour disruptions, the risk of equipment failure, and the effect of Canadian tax laws. Additional information about these and other factors is discussed in our Annual Management Discussion and Analysis dated April 17, 2019, which is available at www.sedar.com. In addition, although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon assumptions that management of FPI and FPLP believe to be reasonable, such assumptions may prove to be incorrect. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof and, except as required by law, FPI and FPLP assume no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. Because forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, readers should not place undue reliance on them. About FPI FPI owns securities entitling it to 49% of the distributable cash of FP Canadian Newspapers Limited Partnership ("FPLP"). FPLP owns the Winnipeg Free Press, the Brandon Sun, and their related businesses, as well as the Canstar Community News division, the publisher of six community newspapers in the Winnipeg region, The Carillon in Steinbach with its related commercial printing operations and the Carberry News Express weekly publication. The Winnipeg Free Press publishes six days a week for delivery to subscribers and single copy sales, and publishes a single copy edition on Sundays. Vividata, a third party research firm, which measures newspaper readership across Canadian markets, estimates that weekly 62% of all Winnipeg adults read the print or digital edition of the Winnipeg Free Press. The Brandon Sun publishes six days a week, serving the region with an average circulation of approximately 7,600 copies. Canstar Community News publishes weekly with an average circulation of approximately 200,000 copies. The businesses employ approximately 370 full-time equivalent people in Winnipeg, Brandon, Steinbach and Carberry, Manitoba. Further information can be found at www.fpnewspapers.com and in disclosure documents filed by FP Newspapers Inc. with the securities regulatory authorities, available at www.sedar.com. Non-IFRS financial measures (1) EBITDA FPLP believes that in addition to net earnings as reported on FPLP's interim condensed consolidated statements of earnings, EBITDA is a useful supplemental measure as it is a measure used by many of FPLP's Unitholders, creditors and analysts as a proxy for the amount of cash generated by FPLP's operating activities and is not a recognized measure of financial performance under IFRS. Investors are cautioned that EBITDA should not be construed as an alternative to net earnings determined in accordance with IFRS as an indicator of FPLP's performance. FPLP's method of calculating EBITDA may differ from that used by other issuers and, accordingly, EBITDA as calculated by FPLP may not be comparable to similar measures used by other issuers. FPLP's method of calculating EBITDA is detailed in the Management's Discussion and Analysis for the quarter ended March 31, 2019 on FPI's website www.fpnewspapers.com or on SEDAR at www.sedar.com . For further information please contact: Daniel Koshowski, CFO FP Newspapers Inc. Phone (204) 771-1897 FP Newspapers Inc. Condensed Statements of Income (Loss) and Comprehensive Income (Loss) (unaudited, in thousands of Canadian dollars except per share amounts) Three Months Ended March 31, 2019 2018 Equity interest from FP Canadian Newspapers Limited Partnership Class A limited partner units $ 120 $ (54) Administration expenses (36) (38) Other income 1 1 Net income (loss) before income taxes 85 (91) Current income tax (expense) (33) (3) Deferred income tax recovery 2 10 Net income (loss) for the period $ 54 $ (84) Items that will not be reclassified to net income: Equity interest of other comprehensive income (loss) from FP Canadian Newspapers Limited Partnership 385 (56) Deferred income tax (expense) recovery (103) 15 Comprehensive income (loss) for the period $ 336 $ (125) Weighted average number of Common Shares outstanding 6,902,592 6,902,592 Net income (loss) per share $ 0.008 $ (0.012) FP Canadian Newspapers Limited Partnership Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss) and Comprehensive Income (Loss) (unaudited, in thousands of Canadian dollars) Three Months Ended March 31, 2019 2018 Revenue Print Advertising $ 8,017 $ 8,811 Circulation 5,884 5,746 Commercial Printing 839 866 Digital 602 474 Promotion and services 151 173 TOTAL REVENUE 15,493 16,070 Operating expenses Employee compensation 7,261 7,639 Newsprint and other paper 1,315 1,388 Delivery 2,720 3,030 Other 3,026 3,121 Depreciation and amortization 721 748 Restructuring charge - 5 Operating income 450 139 Interest income 16 21 Finance costs (222) (270) Net INCOME (LOSS) for the PERIOD $ 244 $ (110) Items that will not be reclassified subsequently to net earnings (loss): Remeasurements for defined benefit pension plan 786 (114) Comprehensive INCOME (loss) for the PERIOD $ 1,030 $ (224) SOURCE: FP Newspapers Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/546883/FP-Newspapers-Inc-Reports-First-Quarter-2019-Results 29 May 2019 Conroy Gold and Natural Resources plc ("Conroy Gold" or "the Company") DRILLING AT SLIEVE GLAH GOLD TARGET Over 600m of drilling completed Detailed logging underway Conroy Gold and Natural Resources plc (AIM:CGNR), the gold exploration and development Company focused on Ireland and Finland, is pleased to report the completion of a 600m drilling programme on its Slieve Glah gold target in the Longford-Down Massif in Ireland. Further details of the Company's 2019 drilling programme were announced on 20 March 2019. The primary focus of the current drilling programme has been to follow up on encouraging gold-in-soil, deep overburden and trenching results in the Slieve Glah area. Four drill holes, totalling 611m of drilling, have been completed. Detailed logging of the drill core is now underway, and is expected to be completed by July 2019. Slieve Glah is located at the south western end of the 65 km (40 miles) gold trend which Conroy Gold has discovered in the Longford-Down Massif. It lies approximately 40 km downtrend from the Glenish-Clontibret-Clay Lake gold target in the northeast of the gold trend. An overall exploration target on the Glenish-Clontibret-Clay Lake gold target of 8.8 million ounces gold (excluding a JORC compliant resource of 517,000 ounces of gold at the Clontibret deposit) has been estimated (announced by the Company on 2 August 2018). At Slieve Glah, the Orlock Bridge Fault, one of the main controlling features of gold mineralisation within the Longford-Down Massif, undergoes a significant strike swing. Such strike swings can act as focal points for mineralisation. An extensive gold-in-soil geochemistry exploration programme which the Company has carried out at Slieve Glah has demonstrated the presence of a series of extensive, (c.3km long), gold-in-soil targets. Follow up deep overburden and trenching at a number of sites has confirmed the prospectivity of the Slieve Glah area. This release has been approved by Kevin McNulty PGeo, who is a member of the Company's technical staff and holds a BSc/MSc in Geology and Remote Sensing, in accordance with the guidance note for Mining, Oil & Gas Companies issued by the London Stock Exchange in respect of AIM Companies, which outlines standards of disclosure for mineral projects. Professor Richard Conroy, Chairman commented: "The Company's emphasis remains on its potential multi-million ounce gold target in the Glenish -Clontibret- Clay Lake area. However, the nature and extent of the Slieve Glah gold target area in the southwest of the gold trend suggests that it could add significantly to the 8.8 million ounce gold potential seen in the Glenish-Clontibret-Clay Lake gold target area." For further information please contact : Conroy Gold and Natural Resources plc Tel: +353-1-479-6180 Professor Richard Conroy, Chairman Allenby Capital Limited(Nomad) Tel: +44-20-3328-5656 Nick Athanas/Nick Harriss Brandon Hill Capital Limited (Broker) Tel: +44-20-3463-5000 Jonathan Evans Lothbury Financial Services Tel: +44-20-3290-0707 Michael Padley Hall Communications Tel: +353-1-660-9377 Don Hall Visit the website at:www.conroygold.com Headquartered in Tokyo, Canon is a pioneer in the provision of innovative consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions worldwide. The company's businesses include the development and manufacture of such imaging and optical products as digital cameras, camcorders, multifunction office devices, printers, semiconductor lithography equipment and medical equipment. Canon will use ANAQUA software to ensure the efficient management and prosecution of the company's valuable intellectual property assets. The company will also utilize Anaqua's AcclaimIP patent search and analysis tool. "Canon is a true industry pioneer and innovator, which is reflected in the company's substantial patent portfolio," said Bob Romeo, CEO of Anaqua. "We are honored to have been selected by Canon to assist them in managing and protecting these valuable IP assets, and are delighted to welcome another of the world's most innovative companies to our client community." Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Seoul Semiconductor Co., Ltd. (KOSDAQ 046890), a leading global innovator of LED products and technology, announced that its SunLike Series natural spectrum LEDs have been awarded the German Innovation Award 2019 in the category "Lighting Solution". Presented by the German Design Council, the award recognized products and solutions from different industries that offer additional benefits and added value compared to previous solution. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005287/en/ SunLike Series Natural Spectrum LEDs (Graphic: Business Wire) Seoul Semiconductor's SunLike Series natural spectrum LEDs are the world's first LEDs to produce light that closely matches the spectrum of natural sunlight, delivering human-centric lighting by reaching lower blue light peak similar to sunlight spectral curve possible to reduce scattered reflection and glare. The light sources with SunLike Series LEDs more accurately show the color of objects as they would appear in natural sunlight. It is optimized to natural light spectra and color rendering of CRI-97 close to CRI-100 of sunlight, and higher than the CRI-80 of conventional LEDs. SunLike Series natural spectrum LEDs were co-developed through the combination of Seoul Semiconductor's optical semiconductor technology and Toshiba Materials' TRI-R technology. TRI-R technology, supported by Toshiba Materials, defines its original concept as "the light closest to the sun for human wellbeing." TRI-R technology enables the spectrum of natural sunlight to be reproduced by a white LED light source technology. TRI-R is a registered trademark of Toshiba Material Co., Ltd. SunLike Series natural spectrum LEDs have beneficial effects on human health and well-being according to a recent study conducted by Dr. Octavio L. Perez, adjunct researcher in Integrative Lighting at Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC, NY, USA on the non-visual melanopic stimulus of LED sources. The study showed that SunLike Series LEDs provide up to 21% more melanopic stimulus than conventional LEDs at 4000K, and the same melanopic stimulus as daylight at 6500K. It has also achieved the highest level of eye safety certification from the International Commission on Illumination as an RG-1 level light source with no photo-biological risks. "We are proud that our SunLike Series natural spectrum LEDs have been named as a winner of German Innovation Award 2019. This recognition confirms that light sources with SunLike Series LEDs certainly bring differentiated value compared to conventional LEDs to lighting industry," said Carlo Romiti, Europe sales vice president of Seoul Semiconductor. "We will expand global sales market for customers and consumers to experience our human centric lighting solutions to have beneficial effects on visual comfort, daytime alertness, mood, and sleep intensity." To learn more about the SunLike Series natural spectrum LEDs, please visit: http://www.seoulsemicon.com/en/technology/Sunlike/ About German Innovation Award Established by the German Bundestag and with a foundation endowed by members of German industry, the German Design Council works to promote the competitiveness of companies. Since 1953 the competitions organized by the German Design Council honor achievements in design, branding and innovation on an international level. Design, brand and innovation. About Seoul Semiconductor Seoul Semiconductor develops and commercializes LEDs for automotive, general illumination, specialty lighting, and backlighting markets. As the second-largest LED manufacturer globally excluding the captive market, Seoul Semiconductor holds more than 14,000 patents, offers a wide range of technologies, and mass produces innovative LED products such as SunLike delivering the world's best light quality in a next-generation LED enabling human-centric lighting optimized for circadian rhythms; WICOP a simpler structured package-free LED which provides market leading color uniformity and cost savings at the fixture level, providing high lumen density and design flexibility; NanoDriver Series the world's smallest 24W DC LED drivers; Acrich, the world's first high-voltage AC-driven LED technology developed in 2005, including all AC LED-related technologies from chip to module and circuit fabrication, and nPola, a new LED product based on GaN-substrate technology that achieves more than ten times the output of conventional LEDs. UCD constitutes a high color gamut display which delivers more than 90% NTSC. For more information, please visit www.seoulsemicon.com/en. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005287/en/ Contacts: Seoul Semiconductor Inc. Jeonghee Kim Tel: +82-70-4391-8311 Email: jeonghee.kim@seoulsemicon.com From a business standpoint, in order for us to do good quality dim sum, as you know it has to be done fresh, said Lawrence. When it comes to dim sum, theres a lot of handwork and craft. With this concept we want to try to maintain our budget for labor to a minimum. We are going to see how people react and then adjust. FOSTER CITY, Calif., May 29, 2019, provider of enterprise-grade in-memory computing solutions based on Apache Ignite, today announced its participation in multiple industry events during late May and June, where company experts and other industry thought leaders share their insights on the latest in-memory computing technology developments and trends. "In-memory computing can make new or existing applications 1,000x faster and scalable to petabytes of in-memory data, so demand for knowledge about how best to deploy and scale in-memory computing solutions is skyrocketing," said Terry Erisman, executive vice president of marketing and alliances at GridGain Systems. "We're proud to be thought leaders in the thriving in-memory computing community. We are pleased that our team can provide expert advice during these events on how companies can best apply in-memory computing to the challenges of digital transformation and their unique use cases." Conferences The In-Memory Computing Summit 2019 - Europe - June 3-4, 2019 - GridGain will host the In-Memory Computing Summit Europe 2019, the only in-memory computing conference that focuses on the full range of in-memory computing-related technologies and solutions. Attendees will learn about the role of in-memory computing in the digital transformation of enterprises. The conference is attended by technical decision makers, business decision makers, architects, CTOs, developers and more who make or influence purchasing decisions about in-memory computing, Big Data, Fast Data, IoT and HPC solutions. Held in London, the event is a meeting place for in-memory computing experts from across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa and beyond. Webinars Options for Adding Speed and Scale to PostgreSQL Deployments - May 22, 2019 - PostgreSQL is one of the most widely used databases globally, especially if you add up all the different distributions. This is in part what makes it challenging to figure out how to lower latency and improve scalability with business-critical PostgreSQL deployments. In this webinar, GridGain's Rob Meyer discussed how companies have added speed and scale to PostgreSQL deployments for different use cases, covering the various options available and when each option makes sense. The webinar also discussed how to evolve your architecture over time to add the speed, scale, agility and new technologies needed for digital transformation and other initiatives. Moving Apache Ignite into Production: An Initial Checklist - Wednesday, May 29, 2019 - Guaranteeing that your in-memory computing solution stays up and running is the most important goal for rolling out a new production environment. The trick is making sure that you have all the bases covered and have thought through all your requirements, needs and potential roadblocks. In this webinar, GridGain Director of Product Management and Vice President of the Apache Ignite PMC Denis Magda shares a checklist to consider for your Apache Ignite production deployments. Meetups NYC In-Memory Computing Meetup - May 21, 2019 - GridGain was pleased to host the latest NYC In-Memory Computing Meetup, featuring George Williams, the director of data science and chief evangelist of embedded AI at GSI Technology. Williams presented "Searching large databases with a billion objects or more," where he talked about GSI Technology's custom chip that accelerates large-scale similarity search. Moscow Apache Ignite Meetup #6 - May 21, 2019 - GridGain experts presented the Native Persistence component in Apache Ignite, including how to configure the "large topologies" product for use on small amounts of data. This session also included information about the Apache Ignite machine learning module and its integrations. Bay Area In-Memory Computing Meetup - May 23, 2019 - Stan Lukyanov, software engineer at GridGain Systems, presented to a packed crowd on "Troubleshooting Apache Ignite - May 23, 2019 - GridGain was pleased to organize the inaugural Tokyo Meet-up, featuring topics including, "Getting Started with Apache Ignite as a Distributed Database" and "Apache Ignite In-memory Data Processing Platform: Features and Uses." The London In-Memory Computing Meetup - June 3, 2019 -GridGain is organizing a special edition of the London In-Memory Computing Meetup. The theme will be "Speed networking!" The Meetup immediately follows the networking reception at the In-Memory Computing (IMC) Summit Europe 2019. This event is for those looking to hire, those looking for a new opportunity, or those just wanting to network with peers. Data Natives Meetups - Data Natives London Meetup , June 5, 2019; Data Natives Copenhagen Meetup , June 20, 2019; Data Natives Oslo Meetup , June 25, 2019; Data Natives Stockholm Meetup , June 26, 2019; and Data Natives Helsinki Meetup , June 27, 2019 - During these Data Natives Meetups, GridGain's Alexey Zinoviev will deliver a talk titled "Distributed Machine and Deep Learning at Scale with Apache Ignite," in which attendees will learn how Apache Ignite and GridGain help to address limitations like ETL costs, scaling issues and time-to-market for new machine learning and deep learning models and help achieve near-real-time continuous learning. About GridGain Systems GridGain Systems is revolutionizing real-time data access and processing by offering an in-memory computing platform built on Apache Ignite. GridGain solutions are used by global enterprises in financial services, software, e-commerce, retail, online business services, healthcare, telecom, transportation and other major sectors, with a client list that includes ING, Raymond James, American Express, Societe Generale, Finastra, IHS Markit, ServiceNow, Marketo, RingCentral, American Airlines, Agilent, and UnitedHealthcare. GridGain delivers unprecedented speed and massive scalability to both legacy and greenfield applications. Deployed on a distributed cluster of commodity servers, GridGain software can reside between the application and data layers. CONTACT: Terry Erisman GridGain Systems terisman@gridgain.com (650) 241-2281 BRISTOL, England, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The BBC's flagship current affairs programme, Panorama, is to air two one hour films focussing on the adult social care crisis in Somerset tonight at 9.00pm. The films took 10 months to make and represent a detailed account of the day-to-day pressures facing the elderly needing care, the council and the carers whose role it is to deliver effective support. National Friendly, the Bristol-based mutual insurer, welcomes the attention these programmes will bring and urges people to discuss the issue with their own families. A national crisis Somerset is effectively representative of a wider UK crisis: the national issue of pressure on social care services as the population ages and the need for a national plan to sustainably fund care in the long-term. With Government apparently unable to suggest any policy initiatives, let alone start a debate on the matter, National Friendly, which has 150 years' experience of looking after families, feels the time is right for the private sector to step up and deliver insurance policies that address the most immediate needs an ageing population might face. Wayne Carter, Head of Sales and Marketing at National Friendly thinks there is a lot the private sector can do in the short term at least. He also feels it is imperative that action is taken now to help protect families from the financial and emotional hardships that can result when someone, often a woman, gives up a paid career to become an unpaid family carer. Planning ahead Once you have overcome the 'it won't happen to me' defence, there are two methods of approaching the issue - pre-pay with modest monthly payments or plan financially for a much larger sum at point of need. Carter thinks, "Just like with any delicate family matter, it is almost always the case that families do not discuss things, let alone plan ahead, so typically they are always on the back foot, reacting rather than anticipating. There are a number of non means-tested state benefits we are all entitled to receive, to help with old age, such as blue badges to help with mobility and parking, attendance allowance and higher rate attendance allowance. Occupational therapy units accessed via your local GP can pay for the installation of basic safety and mobility equipment to help people stay in their homes, for example, but finding a single source to advise on what your options might be is very hard. We offer our members discounted access to Grace Consulting, a helpline which helps people identify which state benefits are readily available, how they can secure help through their GP and district nurses and what is available at a generic level via their local social services adult support units. Accessing this information can make a real difference when it comes to alleviating financial hardship within the family too." Care in your home Whilst residential care may be a necessity for some, and appealing to others, many people would prefer to stay in their own home. So the next hurdle faced might be payment for care, especially if a person's savings exceed the current threshold of just over 23,000. Over this level, means-tested help is generally not available, even via local social services. Carter believes that the private sector can and should get involved at this point, as the costs can be modest, but the perceived value of what can be delivered can be high. The start of a solution National Friendly's experience suggests a pattern where care needs in the home start at a modest level. In many cases, the situation can be managed with limited intervention by third party carers over quite long periods before care needs escalate and a more permanent solution is required. Carter explains that, "The first step is usually a realisation by the individual concerned that they do need some sort of help, yet there will still be a resistance to having, for example, live-in care, as this is felt to be too brutal a reminder that a person is becoming infirm. Instead, we see that clients often opt for limited help, perhaps with getting up in the morning, meal preparation and basic mobility. This can normally be accommodated through two or three short visits a day, the result being we see families are far more relaxed knowing that a person is being regularly checked up on and the individual themselves gains in confidence. "Insurance products such as our Assisted Living policy are designed to help those in good health prepare for future care needs. Our policy will help fund the cost of particular care needs, such as professional care services or the purchase and installation of assistive devices, up to the policy cover limits." Policies such as Assisted Living are not intended to be a catch-all solution, rather they provide an important first step and can help families start to set up a long-term, properly planned and funded care plan for their relatives. Having advice and support on how to access the right care, and where money can be saved is an important addition to financial cover. Panorama's programmes will demonstrate how having a little help in later life helps entire families. National Friendly and others in the insurance sector are now starting to offer realistic and practical insurance products which are designed to meet both the financial and non-financial challenges of adult social care. Details of National Friendly and its insurance policies are available on its website - www.nationalfriendly.co.uk/pr About National Friendly Based in Bristol, National Friendly is a mutual organisation which is solely owned by its members. Established in 1868, it has no shareholders and exists to serve the best interests of its 32,000 (as at December 2017) members. National Friendly is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Its vision is to be a forward-thinking and trusted mutual that meets the health, welfare and protection needs of its customers, through a portfolio of innovative insurance products. For more information please visit www.nationalfriendly.co.uk LONDON and KIEV, Ukraine, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Leaders from global creative technology company Splash Worldwide are very proud to announce the immediate launch of a new office in Kiev, Ukraine, as well as the opening of a powerful development centre in London. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/893994/kievlonl.jpg By partnering with global digital solutions company Ciklum, Splash has quickly and efficiently launched its presence in Ukraine around a highly accomplished team of developers. In its Kiev location, Splash welcomes Senior Backend Developer Denys Chmeliuk, Senior Frontend Developer Dmytro Demchenko, QA Automation Engineer Igor Vladymorov, Frontend Developer Vyacheslav Khomitskyi, and Backend Developer Aleksandr Babich. To fully leverage these robust resources in service of Splash and its clientele, Solutions Architect Matthew Tomich has joined the company to build and manage its new Technology Centre of Excellence in London. Also vital to this groundbreaking London team are Product Owners Greg Machray and Chris Perry, UX Designer Borja Portos, and Lead Developer Zoltan Nagy - all of whom recently joined Splash. According to Splash's Chief Technology Officer Ben Terry, "Many of our clients are actively creating, optimizing and distributing marketing content into various regions across multiple continents. As such, our extended development capabilities spanning workflow and automation technology, insight and analytics, are already benefiting our clients on an international scale." "We are also prioritizing the development of the next generation of our proprietary software platform through these new resources," Terry continued. "As a result, these efforts will soon begin delivering seamless new technology experiences for our clients in ways that are sure to heighten their marketing effectiveness and efficiency." "Through our daily client interactions, as well as our Dynamic Content Optimisation studies and Thinkfast events, we are seeing great demand for simplifying the processes and technologies behind media asset creation and delivery," added Splash CEO Paul Stonebridge. "These new investments in Kiev and London are critical to our strategy as innovators dedicated to helping our clients seize the future." To support Splash's mission to Unleash Creativity around the globe, the expanding company continues to seek out dynamic individuals driven to innovate and collaborate with the world's best. To learn more about open positions across its network of offices in North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, please visit http://bit.ly/SplashWW. About Splash Worldwide Splash Worldwide (https://www.splashworldwide.com) is a creative technology company that unleashes creativity for everyone, everywhere. With multi-disciplinary insight, creative, production, technology, consulting and innovation teams, we collaborate with clients to create impactful content and distribute it within the right ecosystems. Our offices in London, New York, Los Angeles, Portland, Amsterdam, Dubai, Singapore and Kiev serve the world's largest brands and bridge the gap from concept to delivery. NOTE TO EDITORS: Video and images to accompany this story available here: http://www.darnellworks.com/splashww/tx19.html Allied Wallet, a global FinTech company offering various payment solutions in 196 countries, and its CEO Andy Khawaja were recently recognized as one of the 'Most Prominent Tech Companies of 2019' by Business Sight Media. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005216/en/ Allied Wallet and CEO Andy Khawaja recognized by Business Sight Media. (Photo: Business Wire) Allied Wallet and its leading CEO are featured on Business Sight Media's website in an article that discusses how technology is changing the way we live, the way we earn money, and the way we spend money. As technology continues to change the way people shop, pay bills, and even send money to friends and family, it's important that new features and functionalities are added to increase not only capabilities but security as well. Allied Wallet has been leading the industry in innovation, introducing more payment options in new regions than any other payment services company. They have spent over a decade establishing themselves as a convenient, low-cost, secure option for payment services. With their leading NextGen Payment Gateway, they offer varying payment options for online business owners and consumers alike to accept payments, spend, or send money safely and securely. "It's always been our goal to connect more buyers and sellers. Digital payments are the new standard. We want to continue innovating the standard and take digital payments to the next level of functionality and security," said CEO Andy Khawaja. Business Sight Media called Dr. Khawaja "a man of persistence and resilience," adding that he "knows how to overcome challenges that emerge in the path to success." Week after week, Allied Wallet has been in the news for new features they have added to their services. They are continually ranked as one of the fastest growing companies in the world, and they seem more and more eager to show the world what they will bring to the FinTech world. About Allied Wallet: Allied Wallet continues to revolutionize the e-commerce industry by introducing new and innovative payment processing solutions for online merchants, enabling them to send and receive global payments. With PCI compliant merchant services for nearly any business size, Allied Wallet provides a state-of-the-art payment gateway to optimize online transactions. Please visit www.alliedwallet.com/. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005216/en/ Contacts: A.J. Almeda E-mail: aalmeda@alliedwallet.com United States: (310) 424-5495 London, May 29, 2019 The CASE Construction Equipment manufacturing facility in Burlington, U.S.A. and the CNH Industrial agricultural equipment plant in Harbin, China have both achieved Bronze status in the World Class Manufacturing (WCM) program. This important milestone for CASE, Case IH and New Holland Agriculture, global brands of CNH Industrial (NYSE: CNHI/MI: CNHI), represents further tangible proof of the Company's commitment to the pursuit of world-class manufacturing excellence. The Burlington plant in Iowa, U.S.A. manufactures tractor loaders backhoes, rough-terrain forklifts and crawler dozers for the CASE brand, as well as headers for the Case IH and New Holland Agriculture brands and features a state-of-the-art Research and Development Center. Occupying 1,000,000 square feet alongside the Mississippi River and employing some 600 people, the plant has been producing equipment since 1937. The facility also includes a test laboratory set in 400 acres of proving grounds located ten miles north of the plant. The Harbin plant, in north-east China, is the largest manufacturing complex of its kind in the region occupying 400,000 square meters. It produces a state-of-the-art range of tractors, combine harvesters, headers, balers, and other equipment through the Case IH and New Holland Agriculture brands. The plant employs some 350 people and adopted the WCM program just three years ago, initially involving a core group of people, before progressively extending it to the entire workforce. World Class Manufacturing is one of the global manufacturing industry's highest standards for the integrated management of manufacturing plants and processes. It is a pillar-structured system based on continuous improvement, designed to eliminate waste and loss from the production process by identifying objectives such as zero injuries, zero defects, zero breakdowns and zero waste. To certify improvements, a system of periodic third-party audits evaluates all of the WCM pillars, forming an overall score for each plant that is the basis for three achievement levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold. The WCM audits in both Burlington and Harbin noted progress and consistency across a variety of both manufacturing and managerial areas including People Development and Environment leading to their Bronze Level designation. CNH IndustrialN.V. Sign up for corporate news alerts from the CNH Industrial Newsroom: bit.ly/media-cnhindustrial-subscribe Media contact: Laura Overall Corporate Communications Manager CNH Industrial Tel. +44 www.cnhindustrial.com Attachments Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2019) - LEUCROTTA EXPLORATION INC. (TSXV: LXE) ("Leucrotta" or the "Company") is pleased to announce its financial and operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2019. All dollar figures are Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted. HIGHLIGHTS Achieved net earnings of $2.7 million and adjusted funds flow of $4.1 million. Maintained production at 3,166 boe/d from 3,202 boe/d in Q4 2018. Closed sale of equipment for proceeds of $5.9 million. Maintained working capital of $2.7 million at March 31, 2019. Completed and tested successful liquids-rich Upper Montney gas well in core Doe/Mica area. FINANCIAL RESULTS Three Months Ended March 31 ($000s, except per share amounts) 2019 2018 % Change Oil and natural gas sales 8,102 10,426 (22) Cash flow from operating activities 3,729 5,931 (37) Per share - basic and diluted 0.02 0.03 (33) Adjusted funds flow (1) 4,108 6,387 (36) Per share - basic and diluted 0.02 0.03 (33) Net earnings 2,674 2,546 5 Per share - basic and diluted 0.01 0.01 - Capital expenditures 4,954 11,460 (57) Sale of equipment (2) 3,142 - 100 Working capital 2,675 13,613 (80) Common shares outstanding (000s) Weighted average - basic 200,525 200,516 - Weighted average - diluted 200,939 203,307 (1) End of period - basic 200,525 200,517 - End of period - fully diluted 227,082 227,133 - (1) See "Non-GAAP Measures" section. (2) The sale of equipment for proceeds of $3.1 million is exclusive of $2.7 million deposit received in Q4 2018. OPERATING RESULTS (1) Three Months Ended March 31 2019 2018 % Change Daily production Oil and NGLs (bbls/d) 824 1,144 (28) Natural gas (mcf/d) 14,049 18,216 (23) Oil equivalent (boe/d) 3,166 4,180 (24) Oil and natural gas sales Oil and NGLs ($/bbl) 51.84 62.08 (16) Natural gas ($/mcf) 3.37 2.46 37 Oil equivalent ($/boe) 28.44 27.71 3 Net operating expenses (2) Oil and NGLs ($/bbl) 6.37 6.32 1 Natural gas ($/mcf) 0.75 0.78 (4) Oil equivalent ($/boe) 5.00 5.14 (3) Net transportation and marketing expenses(2) Oil and NGLs ($/bbl) 1.51 2.55 (41) Natural gas ($/mcf) 0.98 0.43 128 Oil equivalent ($/boe) 4.74 2.59 83 Operating netback (2) Oil and NGLs ($/bbl) 43.96 53.21 (17) Natural gas ($/mcf) 1.64 1.25 31 Oil equivalent ($/boe) 18.70 19.98 (6) Depletion and depreciation ($/boe) (9.58) (9.37) 2 General and administrative expenses ($/boe) (4.10) (3.23) 27 Share based compensation ($/boe) (0.75) (0.72) 4 Gain on sale of equipment ($/boe) 5.46 - 100 Finance expense ($/boe) (0.35) (0.16) 119 Finance income ($/boe) - 0.26 (100) Net earnings ($/boe) 9.38 6.76 39 (1) See "Frequently Recurring Terms" section. (2) See "Non-GAAP Measures" section. Selected financial and operational information outlined in this news release should be read in conjunction with Leucrotta's unaudited condensed interim financial statements and related Management's Discussion and Analysis ("MD&A") for the three months ended March 31, 2019, which are available for review at www.sedar.com. PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE In Q1 2019, Leucrotta's capital was spent predominantly on the drilling of a Lower Montney well at Mica, the completion of an Upper Montney well at Mica and infrastructure projects. The Montney land base remained fairly static with Leucrotta owning over 220 net sections in a large contiguous block spanning the Doe, Mica and Two Rivers areas in northeast British Columbia. Production remained relatively stable at 3,166 boe/d for the quarter as wells continue to outperform expectations. Production is estimated to remain fairly flat throughout 2019 with an increase in late Q4 2019 as additional wells are placed on production. Leucrotta's product mix was 26% liquids for Q1 2019 of which 65% is light oil and condensate. On a development basis, it is expected that Leucrotta's product mix would increase to over 40% liquids with focus on the volatile oil window combined with the installation of a gas plant capable of increased liquids extraction. Operating netbacks for Q1 2019 increased to $18.70/boe compared to $15.38/boe in Q4 2018 mainly as a result of higher realized prices for both oil and gas. Leucrotta realized $63.72/bbl for its oil and condensate in Q1 2019 versus $48.43/bbl in Q4 2018 and realized $3.37/mcf of gas in Q1 2019 versus $2.78/mcf in Q4 2018. Diversification of marketing for gas in Q1 2019 also resulted in Leucrotta realizing $3.37/mcf versus AECO spot price of $2.62/mcf in the quarter. For Q2 2019 and Q3 2019, Leucrotta has contracted 7 mmcf/d of gas for delivery to Chicago for an estimated wellhead price of $1.85/mcf in addition to contracting 6 mmcf/d at a price of AECO plus $0.31/mcf. Leucrotta maintained a strong balance sheet with $2.7 million net positive working capital and a $20 million credit facility at the end of Q1 2019. For the remainder of 2019, the Company will remain conservative and protect the balance sheet given significant volatility seen in both the oil and gas markets. Leucrotta estimates it will continue to have positive working capital at year-end. Leucrotta has been able to materially de-risk a large light oil resource in the Lower Montney over a minimum of 140 net sections of land and is working to de-risk additional Lower Montney lands as well as the Upper Montney and Basal Montney (Below Lower Montney) on the Company's land base. Infrastructure currently in place combined with up to 1,000 de-risked potential drilling locations(1) will allow for Leucrotta to rapidly and materially increase production once the decision is made to move to the development phase. We look forward to reporting on the results of the new wells and other business developments in the near future. (1) See "Potential Drilling Locations" section. FREQUENTLY RECURRING TERMS The Company uses the following frequently recurring industry terms in this news release: "bbls" refers to barrels, "mcf" refers to thousand cubic feet, and "boe" refers to barrel of oil equivalent. Disclosure provided herein in respect of a boe may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. A boe conversion rate of six thousand cubic feet of natural gas to one barrel of oil equivalent has been used for the calculation of boe amounts in this news release. This boe conversion rate is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead. NON-GAAP MEASURES This news release refers to certain financial measures that are not determined in accordance with IFRS (or "GAAP"). This news release contains the terms "adjusted funds flow", "adjusted funds flow per share", "operating netback", "net operating expenses", and "net transportation and marketing expenses" which do not have any standardized meaning prescribed by GAAP and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures used by other companies. The Company uses these measures to help evaluate its performance. Management considers adjusted funds flow to be a key measure as it demonstrates the Company's ability to generate the cash necessary to fund future capital investments and abandonment obligations and to repay debt, if any. Adjusted funds flow is a non-GAAP measure and has been defined by the Company as cash flow from operating activities excluding the change in non-cash working capital related to operating activities and expenditures on decommissioning obligations. The Company also presents adjusted funds flow per share whereby amounts per share are calculated using weighted average shares outstanding, consistent with the calculation of net earnings per share. Adjusted funds flow is reconciled from cash flow from operating activities under the heading "Cash Flow from Operations and Adjusted Funds Flow" in the Company's MD&A for the three months ended March 31, 2019, which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Management considers operating netback an important measure as it demonstrates its profitability relative to current commodity prices. Operating netback, which is calculated as average unit sales price less royalties, net operating expenses, and net transportation and marketing expenses, represents the cash margin for every barrel of oil equivalent sold. Operating netback per boe is reconciled to net earnings per boe under the heading "Operating Netback". Net operating expenses is calculated as operating expenses less processing revenues. Management uses net operating expenses to determine the current periods' cash cost of operating expenses less processing revenue and net operating expenses per boe is used to measure operating efficiency on a comparative basis. The measure approximates the Company's operating expenses relative to its produced volumes by excluding third party operating costs. Net transportation and marketing expenses is calculated as transportation expenses less marketing revenues. Management uses net transportation and marketing expenses to determine the current periods' cash cost of transportation expenses less marketing revenue and net transportation and marketing expenses per boe is used to measure transportation efficiency on a comparative basis as well as the Company's ability to mitigate the cost of excess committed capacity. POTENTIAL DRILLING LOCATIONS Potential Drilling Locations - This news release discloses drilling locations in four categories: (i) proved undeveloped locations; (ii) probable undeveloped locations; (iii) unbooked locations; and (iv) an aggregate total of (i), (ii) and (iii). Of the 1000 total potential/possible locations referenced above, only the following have been assigned reserves at December 31, 2018 as independently evaluated by GLJ, in accordance with National Instrument 51-101 ("NI 51-101"): 19 Proved Undeveloped 34 Probable Undeveloped The remaining 947 potential/possible locations are unbooked. Unbooked locations are based on the Company's prospective acreage and internal estimates as to the number of wells that can be drilled per section. Unbooked locations do not have attributed reserves or resources (including contingent and prospective). Unbooked locations have been identified by management as an estimation of the Company's multi-year drilling activities based on evaluation of applicable geologic, seismic, engineering, production and reserves information. There is no certainty that the Company will drill all unbooked drilling locations and if drilled there is no certainty that such locations will result in additional oil and gas reserves, resources or production. The drilling locations on which the Company will actually drill wells, including the number and timing thereof is ultimately dependent upon the availability of funding, regulatory approvals, seasonal restrictions, oil and natural gas prices, costs, actual drilling results, additional reservoir information that is obtained and other factors. While certain of the unbooked drilling locations have been de-risked by drilling existing wells in relative close proximity to such unbooked drilling locations, the majority of other unbooked drilling locations are farther away from existing wells where management has less information about the characteristics of the reservoir and therefore there is more uncertainty whether wells will be drilled in such locations and if drilled there is more uncertainty that such wells will result in additional oil and gas reserves, resources or production. FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words "expect", "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "may", "will", "should", "believe", "intends", "forecast", "plans", "guidance" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements or information. More particularly and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements and information relating to the Company's risk management program, oil, NGLs, and natural gas production, capital programs, and working capital. The forward-looking statements and information are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the Company, including expectations and assumptions relating to prevailing commodity prices and exchange rates, applicable royalty rates and tax laws, future well production rates, the performance of existing wells, the success of drilling new wells, the availability of capital to undertake planned activities, and the availability and cost of labour and services. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and information are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements and information address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. These include, but are not limited to, the risks associated with the oil and gas industry in general such as operational risks in development, exploration and production, delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures, the uncertainty of estimates and projections relating to production rates, costs, and expenses, commodity price and exchange rate fluctuations, marketing and transportation, environmental risks, competition, the ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources and changes in tax, royalty, and environmental legislation. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this document are made as of the date hereof for the purpose of providing the readers with the Company's expectations for the coming year. The forward-looking statements and information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. Leucrotta is an oil and natural gas company, actively engaged in the acquisition, development, exploration, and production of oil and natural gas reserves in northeastern British Columbia, Canada. Further Information For additional information, please contact: Mr. Robert J. Zakresky President and Chief Executive Officer (403) 705-4525 Mr. Nolan Chicoine Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer (403) 705-4525 Leucrotta Exploration Inc. Suite 700, 639 - 5th Avenue SW Calgary, Alberta T2P 0M9 Phone: (403) 705-4525 Fax: (403) 705-4526 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/45097 Nomad Foods Limited (NYSE: NOMD), today announced that Stefan Descheemaeker, Chief Executive Officer, and Samy Zekhout, Chief Financial Officer, will be presenting at the Deutsche Bank Global Consumer Conference in Paris on Wednesday, June 12, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. CET. An audio webcast and slides from the presentation will be made available on Nomad Foods' website at http://www.nomadfoods.com. About Nomad Foods Nomad Foods (NYSE: NOMD) is a leading frozen foods company building a global portfolio of best-in-class food companies and brands within the frozen category and across the broader food sector. The company's portfolio of iconic brands, which includes Birds Eye, Findus, Iglo, Aunt Bessie's and Goodfella's, have been a part of consumers' meals for generations, standing for great tasting food that is convenient, high quality and nutritious. Nomad Foods is headquartered in the United Kingdom. Additional information may be found at www.nomadfoods.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005243/en/ Contacts: Investor Relations Contacts Taposh Bari, CFA Nomad Foods Limited +1-718-290-7950 John Mills ICR, Managing Partner +1-646-277-1254 Media Contact Felipe Ucros Gladstone Place Partners +1-212-230-5930 Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2019) - Maple Gold Mines Ltd. (TSXV: MGM) (OTCQB: MGMLF) (FSE: M3G) ("Maple Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to report initial results from the Porphyry Zone, where the Company has now received assays for three complete drill-holes. The highlighted intercepts below are from two drill-holes within the central portion of the Porphyry Zone, collared approximately 540m apart (see Fig. 1 and Table 1). DO-19-256 demonstrated the presence of higher-grade mineralisation near-surface , cutting 16m averaging 1.57 g/t Au from 77m downhole (67m estimate vertical depth), plus an additional 11m averaging 1.00 g/t Au further up-hole. This shallow mineralisation remains open to the north. , cutting (67m estimate vertical depth), plus an additional 11m averaging 1.00 g/t Au further up-hole. This shallow mineralisation remains open to the north. DO-19-258 intersected multiple higher grade zones, with a best of 19.0m averaging 2.46 g/t Au, including 6m averaging 5.11 g/t Au, which also includes 26.7 g/t Au over 1m (see Table 1). These intercepts are within a broader 41m interval (including lower grade material) averaging 1.41 g/t Au (all uncapped) from 274 downhole (225m estimated vertical depth), which supports the down-dip continuity of mineralisation and remains open to depth downhole). The primary objective of the drilling in the central part of the Porphyry Zone was to demonstrate continuity of higher grade mineralisation, both near surface and at moderate depths; results from the highlighted holes support this concept in both regards. DO-19-256, meant to demonstrate the presence of near-surface mineralisation, was drilled entirely in intrusive rocks, including strongly altered and mineralised syenite (Fig. 2) closer to surface, with mineralisation cut off in the lower half of the hole by a fracture/fault zone and post-mineralization alkaline gabbros and fluorite-rich carbonatite dykes. DO-19-258 was drilled to test the down-dip continuity of a significant intercept from 2012 (DO-12-95) collared on the same section (see Fig. 3). Results support the down-dip continuity of this mineralised zone, with comparable intercepts in each case. Both 2019 and previous drill results outline a much broader mineralised envelope (includes lower grade material), as shown in Fig. 3; the broader lower-grade halo in DO-19-258 extends for more than 175 metres downhole. This hole ended at 342m downhole in geologically similar rocks as the highlighted intercept, including 1.17 g/t Au from 338-339m, leaving this mineralised zone open both down-dip and downhole. Maple Gold's VP Exploration, Fred Speidel, commented: "Initial drilling results from Porphyry Zone lend support to the concept of a near-surface higher-grade zone, as well as for the down-dip continuity of higher grade mineralisation at modest depths. Additional drilling is required to better define the ultimate down-dip continuity for this area, consistent with our current focus on not only optimizing the near-surface resource, but also assessing the potential significance of deeper mineralisation at Douay." Fig. 1: Drill plan on magnetic base. Only the three drill-holes referenced in Table 1 are labelled. To view an enhanced version of Fig. 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3077/45113_510e6904147ffb1e_001full.jpg Table 1: Main intercepts from initial Porphyry Zone Results To view an enhanced version of Table 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3077/45113_510e6904147ffb1e_002full.jpg *Applies 13 g/t Au gold capping value for Porphyry Zone (Micon 2018). Re-assay of the 26.7 g/t Au sample returned 30.4 g/t Au. True widths estimated to be ~90% of downhole widths. Click the following link to view drill core photographs for highlighted intercepts: https://maplegoldmines.com/index.php/en/projects/maps-figures Fig. 2: Section 705900E including hole DO-19-256. Note that this near-surface mineralised zone is open to the north. Broader mineralised zone is defined using 0.1 g/t Au cut-off, but may include internal lower grade material. To view an enhanced version of Fig. 2, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3077/45113_510e6904147ffb1e_003full.jpg Fig. 3: Section 706375E, including hole DO-19-258, illustrating the down-dip continuity of mineralisation cut in historical hole DO-12-95; mineralisation remains open to depth (down-dip and downhole). Note variable individual sample grades in highlighted DO-19-258 drill intercept, the longest black bar is equal to 26.7 g/t Au. To view an enhanced version of Fig. 3, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3077/45113_510e6904147ffb1e_004full.jpg Qualified Person The scientific and technical data contained in this press release was reviewed and prepared under the supervision of Fred Speidel, M. Sc, P. Geo., Vice-President Exploration, of Maple Gold. Mr. Speidel is a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Speidel has verified the data related to the exploration information disclosed in this news release through his direct participation in the work. Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) Maple Gold implements strict Quality Assurance ("QA") and Quality Control ("QC") protocols at Douay covering the planning and placing of drill holes in the field; drilling and retrieving the NQ-sized drill core; drill-hole surveying; core transport to the Douay Camp; core logging by qualified personnel; sampling and bagging of core for analysis; transport of core from site to ALS laboratory; sample preparation for assaying; and analysis, recording and final statistical vetting of results. For a complete description of protocols, please visit the Company's QA/QC page on the website at: http://maplegoldmines.com/index.php/en/projects/qa-qc-qp-statement About Maple Gold Maple Gold is an advanced gold exploration and development company focused on defining a district-scale gold project in one of the world's premier mining jurisdictions. The Company's ~355 km Douay Gold Project is located along the Casa Berardi Deformation Zone (55 km of strike) within the prolific Abitibi Greenstone Belt in northern Quebec, Canada. The Project benefits from excellent infrastructure and has an established gold resource3 that remains open in multiple directions. For more information please visit www.maplegoldmines.com. ON BEHALF OF MAPLE GOLD MINES LTD. "Matthew Hornor" B. Matthew Hornor, President & CEO For Further Information Please Contact: Mr. Joness Lang VP, Corporate Development Cell: 778.686.6836 Email: jlang@maplegoldmines.com NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS PRESS RELEASE. Forward Looking Statements: This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively referred to as "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation in Canada, including statements about the prospective mineral potential of the Porphyry Zone, the potential for significant mineralisation from other drilling in the referenced drill program and the completion of the drill program. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions, uncertainties and management's best estimate of future events. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations and projections. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding timing and completion of the private placement. When used herein, words such as "anticipate", "will", "intend" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on certain estimates, expectations, analysis and opinions that management believed reasonable at the time they were made or in certain cases, on third party expert opinions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, and uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual events, results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future events, results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. For a more detailed discussion of such risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, refer to Maple Gold Mines Ltd.'s filings with Canadian securities regulators available on www.sedar.com or the Company's website at www.maplegoldmines.com. The Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/45113 Vesper Medical, Inc., a developer of medical devices for minimally invasive peripheral vascular procedures, today announced a $37 million financing with Vensana Capital and Gilde Healthcare as lead investors. They were joined by existing investors New Enterprise Associates ("NEA") and Quaker Partners. The first tranche of the financing has closed and future tranches will close as the Company achieves key milestones. "We see deep venous disease as one of the most exciting frontiers in endovascular medicine," said Justin Klein, Managing Partner at Vensana Capital. "The team at Vesper Medical is poised to play an important role in advancing treatment for patients with deep venous disease, and we are proud to support them." Vesper Medical plans to use the proceeds from this financing to complete the development of its innovative Duo Venous Stent System including a large, pivotal clinical trial and subsequent submission of a Pre-Market Approval ("PMA") application to the FDA. A portion of the financing will also be used to obtain CE Mark certification for the Vesper Duo stents. "Deep venous disease is a highly under-treated disease with dire consequences for patients," said Geoff Pardo, Partner at Gilde Healthcare. "We are excited to partner with Vesper Medical on the development of a truly novel family of venous stents to treat deep venous disease." When the deep veins of the pelvis or upper leg become occluded by clots or narrowed by compression, this can lead to a blockage (or increased resistance) of blood flow out of the leg and abnormally increased pressures in the affected veins. This abnormality can cause symptoms such as severe leg swelling, pain, skin discoloration and even ulcers. Deep venous disease impacts millions of people worldwide, and the primary treatments include elastic compression stockings and blood thinners (oral anticoagulants), which temporize the problem but do not address the root cause the blockage or narrowing of the veins. "This financing provides us with the capital we need to rapidly advance development of the Vesper Duo Stent System and bring this important technology to the 25 million1 U.S. adults suffering with deep venous disease," said Bruce Shook, President CEO at Vesper Medical. "Vensana and Gilde bring both experience and resources to the Vesper team, and we are thrilled to have them on board." About Vesper Medical Vesper Medical is a privately held medical device company that develops minimally- invasive peripheral vascular products. Vesper Medical is advancing the treatment of deep venous disease and creating a highly differentiated, purpose-built venous stent portfolio that addresses the multiple anatomical challenges presented by the iliac and femoral veins. Vesper Medical is a spinout of Intact Vascular, Inc., a company dedicated to innovation in the treatment of peripheral arterial disease. Visit www.vespermedical.com for more information. About Vensana Capital Vensana Capital is a venture capital and growth equity investment firm dedicated to partnering with entrepreneurs who seek to transform healthcare with breakthrough innovations in medical technology. Launched in 2019, Vensana is actively investing in late development and commercial stage companies across the medtech sector, including medical devices, diagnostics, drug delivery, digital health, and tech-enabled services. Vensana's investment team has a history of successfully partnering with management teams behind industry-leading companies including Cameron Health, CardiAQ, Cartiva, CV Ingenuity, Epix Therapeutics, Lutonix, Neuwave Medical, Sequent Medical, Topera, Ulthera, and VertiFlex. Learn more at www.vensanacap.com. About Gilde Healthcare Gilde Healthcare is a specialized European healthcare investor managing EUR 1 billion (USD 1.2 billion) across two fund strategies: venture & growth capital and private equity. Gilde Healthcare's venture growth capital fund invests in medtech, diagnostics, digital health and therapeutics. The portfolio companies are based in Europe and North America. Gilde Healthcare's lower mid-market buy-out fund invests in profitable European healthcare services companies with a primary focus on the Benelux and DACH regions. Gilde is currently investing out of Gilde Healthcare IV which is financed, in part, by the European Recovery Program-European Investment Fund Facility. Learn more at www.gildehealthcare.com. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" concerning the development of Vesper Medical's products, the potential benefits and attributes of such products, and the company's expectations regarding its prospects. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, assumptions and uncertainties that could cause actual future events or results to differ materially from such statements. These statements are made as of the date of this press release. Actual results may vary. Vesper Medical undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements for any reason. Vesper DUO and Vesper DUO Venous Stent System are trademarks of Vesper Medical, Inc. CAUTION: Device not approved for sale or use in the United States. 1. Benjamin, Emelia J., et al. "Heart disease and stroke statistics-2017 update: a report from the American Heart Association." Circulation 135.10 (2017): e146-e603. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005223/en/ Contacts: Vesper Medical, Inc. Andrea Dunkle, 1-484-892-6340 And then comes the increase in the civil wars, Gomez says. And the tourists stop coming and buying our dolls. My mother decided it was not safe for us to be in the country any more. She and my father came here first and then were able to get the money for us to come. She could not wait for visas so we came undocumented. 2019 China Yiwu Imported Commodities Fair, a key platform to accelerate Yiwu's opening up to the world, closed on May 26, 2019 in Yiwu City of China. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005470/en/ 2019 China Yiwu Imported Commodities Fair Concludes, with Number of Professional Buyers Up 48.41% Year-on-year (Photo: Business Wire) With an exhibition area of 50,000m2, the Fair of this year gathered exhibitors from 85 countries and regions, including Spain, Italy, Germany, Russia, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, India, Pakistan, Australia, and Tanzania, to show more than 100,000 varieties of daily necessities covering handcrafts, household goods, maternal and baby care, clothing accessories, food and beverage. The four-day event attracted 119,600 person-times of visitors, including 48,800 professional buyers, up 48.41% compared to last year, from 81 oversea countries and all over China. This year, three professional business matching meetings, namely Comprehensive Imported Commodities Purchasing Meeting, Spanish Products Purchasing Meeting and Chained Retail Enterprises Purchasing Meeting were held with great success. 50N Natural Ecology Group from Canada signed a million-dollar deal of flaxseed oil with a buyer from China's Hunan Province. The renowned Dutch supermarket brand Albert Heijn (AH), with its unique operation mode and local supplies, attracted more than 100 potential franchisees including China's leading chain supermarkets Yonghui and Trust-Mart. As the guest of honor, Spain had a record number of over 40 companies exhibiting at the Fair. In addition, a series of activities such as the National Image Conference, Food and Wine Tasting, "Espana Fantasitica" Art Performance, and Charity Fair were held, presenting a unique Spanish style. Furthermore, special areas such as China International Import Expo (CIIE) Enterprises Area and Sister Cities Exchange Area were set up to boost the quality of the Fair. In recent years, Yiwu has been accelerating its transformation to a city capable of buying and selling globally by seizing new opportunities in the upgrade of domestic consumption and deepening its reform in import trade. In the first quarter of this year, Yiwu's import trade increased by 150%, with the daily necessities imports increasing by 811%. Yiwu Imported Commodities Fair will continue to adhere to the "Belt and Road" initiative, and build itself as a benchmark for China's imported daily necessities. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005470/en/ Contacts: Chim Chen service@yiwufair.com Led by M Ventures with participation by Waters Corporation, the financing will be used by Riffyn to meet surging demand for its R&D data analytics platform Riffyn, a global provider of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) for scientific process design and data analytics, announces the close of a $15 million Series B financing led by M Ventures with participation from Waters Corporation, O'Reilly AlphaTech Ventures, and Plug and Play Ventures. Funds will be used to globally expand sales and scientific services, and to accelerate development of Riffyn's process development and advanced data analytics technology. Riffyn automatically integrates heterogeneous scientific data in real time to feed machine-learning and AI. Its uniquely adaptive technology allows scientists to continuously improve R&D processes while seamlessly integrating associated experimental data. Riffyn is used by eight of the top 15 largest biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies to deliver repeatable scientific outcomes, faster product development, and right-first-time technology scale-up. "I am absolutely delighted to welcome M Ventures and Waters as investors and directors of Riffyn," said Tim Gardner, Founder and CEO of Riffyn. "They bring a depth of experience and knowledge about the life sciences market that will turbo-charge our already-rapid growth." Riffyn has delivered exceptional benefits to its customers' R&D programs including: 30% reduction in effort (thousands of person-hours saved) to execute scientific workflows real-time access to multi-experiment data sets for data-driven decision-making global integration of data for collaboration and machine learning "We are really pleased to lead this significant investment round alongside such high-quality co-investors and founders. Riffyn brings considerable efficiencies and value to its growing base of R&D customers worldwide," said Joey Mason, head of M Ventures' Life Sciences Fund. "The company is becoming a stand-out leader in scientific data analytics and is a compelling example of how digital transformation is creating the lab of the future." Maura Fitzpatrick, Senior Director Global Products Marketing noted, "Riffyn's innovative analytical engine makes study design and data sharing more intuitive. It also helps meet a growing need in our customer base for highly adaptive data analytics and visualization." Application of machine learning and AI to scientific R&D data has been hampered by the heterogeneity of data and the constant change of R&D processes. Researchers commonly report spending 80% of their data analysis time cleaning and preparing data. Traditional data systems have failed to address these issues because they lack the structure, flexibility, or data accessibility needed for fast-paced R&D cycles and modern data analytics. Riffyn resolves these issues with "scientific blueprints," a patented computer-aided-design approach to science that breaks down silos to deliver clean, contextualized, and connected data. About M Ventures (www.m-ventures.com) M Ventures is the strategic, corporate venture capital arm of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. Its mandate is to invest in innovative technologies and products with the potential to significantly impact the company's core business areas. From its headquarters in Amsterdam and offices in the US and Israel, M Ventures invests globally in transformational ideas driven by great entrepreneurs. M Ventures takes an active role in its portfolio companies and teams up with entrepreneurs and co-investors to translate innovation towards commercial success. M Ventures has a significant focus on early stage investing and company creation including the creation of spin-offs to leverage the company's science and technology base. About Waters Corporation (www.waters.com) Waters Corporation (NYSE:WAT), the world's leading specialty measurement company, has pioneered chromatography, mass spectrometry, and thermal analysis innovations serving the life, materials, and food sciences for more than 60 years. With approximately 7,000 employees worldwide, Waters operates directly in 31 countries, including 15 manufacturing facilities, and with products available in more than 100 countries. About Riffyn (www.riffyn.com Riffyn's pioneering cloud software for scientific experimentation solves previously intractable data fragmentation and data sharing problems in R&D organizations. Using patented technology based on "scientific blueprints," Riffyn breaks down data silos to provide deeply integrated data sets for real-time analysis and global access. The software provides process life cycle management capabilities that support rapidly evolving R&D processes. In addition, Riffyn Scientific Services provide expert training and consulting on assay design, process improvement, and scientific data analysis. Riffyn supports eight of the top 15 global biopharmaceutical, biotechnology, and food technology firms. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005100/en/ Contacts: Jean-Claude Calegari media@riffyn.com +1-510-543-0077 Prior to Commencing 2,000M Drill Program at Ecum Secum, Composite Grab Sampling from Waste Rock Has Returned Significant Grades Supporting Gold Mineralization Halifax, Nova Scotia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2019) - MegumaGold Corp. (CSE: NSAU) (OTC: NSAUF) (FWB: 2CM2) ("MegumaGold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce initial field work at its Ecum Secum property has returned composite samples grading gold as high as 49.79 g/t from waste rock piles associated with past mining operations. These results, in part, support presence of gold mineralization in geology additional to the main veins targeted in past production. Mechanized site preparation work required to support the planned 2,000 m RC drilling program at Ecum Secum commenced May 21st and will be followed immediately by initiation of drilling activities. This program is part of a 10,000 m regional gold corridor drilling campaign on high probable drilling targets. Ecum Secum is a site of past high-grade gold production for which Nova Scotia government assessment reporting records show an average grade of approximately 12 g/t for total estimated production of 1,275 ounces of gold from 2,984 tons (2707 tonnes) processed. The RC program is designed to confirm, expand and reinterpret the known mineralization on this property in light of and in relation to the recent promising RC drilling results at the Company's Killag Project area (see MegumaGold press release dated April 9, 2019), approximately 40 km north-west from Ecum Secum. Geological modelling of historical data from the Ecum Secum property indicates similarity to Killag stratigraphy with the possibility of a greater abundance of mineralized quartz-argillite intervals. The Ecum Secum Property sits 60 km to the south east of Atlantic Gold's Touqouy deposit (see figure 1). Atlantic Gold is subject to a pending $802-million acquisition by Australian company St Barbara Ltd. Theo van der Linde, the President of MegumaGold Corp. stated; "Meguma continues to execute on its business plan to establish the premier gold exploration opportunity base within Nova Scotia's developing Meguma gold belt. The pending acquisition of Atlantic Gold demonstrates that we are indeed in a new golden era in Nova Scotia as the province has now received international recognition as an emerging gold district and validates the bulk tonnage model Atlantic Gold first recognized and has since perfected with the industry's lowest costs per ounce. Nova Scotia is vastly under explored for the bulk mineable concept and we continue to be excited by the exploration potential available to our operations on our massive land package, playing host to the company's pipeline of rapidly developing projects that fit this model." The planned RC program at Ecum Secum includes completion of multiple holes from seven separate drilling locations that are designed to: Test the main past-producing bedding-parallel and fissure veins along a 300 m strike length west of the current underground workings area, Establish an accurate stratigraphic section across the prospective south limb of the main anticline in the area of historic workings, and Evaluate the relationship between secondary structural crumple zones, host rock lithology (quartz, argillite or greywacke) and intensity of gold mineralization. Figure 1 To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2655/45114_02561d6284f66ab2_001full.jpg Interpretation of initial three dimensional modelling of underground workings and historic drilling data by MegumaGold has characterised a previously mined, gold-bearing crumple zone and identified a second crumple zone target that will be assessed in the current RC drilling plan. Investigations are also targeting stratigraphy having highest argillite frequency and thickness that was not tested by previous underground work. This assessment to increase potential for intersection of argillite-hosted disseminated gold. Mine Waste Pile Sampling Results Initial field work carried out in April 2019 on the property included collection of 12 composite grab samples of quartz vein material from waste rock dumps associated with historic workings. A total of 28 composite grab samples of greywacke and argillite were also collected. Quartz vein samples were analysed by screen metallics processing methods at Eastern Analytical Ltd. and regular preparation and assaying were carried out on the greywacke and argillite samples. The quartz sampling program returned gold grades ranging between 49.79 g/t and 0.01 g/t. Highlights include gold grades of 49.79 g/t, 9.50 g/t, 6.95 g/t and 5.20 g/t. The remaining eight samples returned gold grades between 0.01 g/t and 2.24 g/t. These results support the high-grade character of certain veins previously exploited on this property and also show that mineralization is present at locations additional to that of the main historic workings. Gold grade results for 12 argillite composite grab samples range between 0.31 g/t and 0.005 g/t, with 3 samples grading in excess of 0.10 g/t. Gold grade results for 16 greywacke composite grab samples range between 0.65 g/t and 0.005 g/t, with only one sample exceeding 0.01 g/t. Argillite and greywacke sample results indicate that gold not associated with visible quartz veining is present on the property. Since the composite grab samples were collected from various mine dumps, it is not possible to specify the exact location and spatial dimensions of the source materials. Samples range in weight from 1.1 to 7.5 kilograms (see Table 1 below). Historic production from Ecum Secum came primarily from a bedding parallel vein system, the Cameron Vein, it's associated crumple zone saddle structure, and a separate fissure vein termed the Galena Vein. These were exploited along the south limb of the local anticline for a cumulative strike length of approximately 200 m and to a vertical depth of about 65 m. The fissure vein is a relatively unique gold setting in the Nova Scotia goldfields and is recognized by MegumaGold as having potential at Ecum Secum to host economic gold mineralization, particularly in areas where it intersects zones of increased interbedded argillite. It is associated with a strong geophysical (very low frequency electromagnetic - VLF-EM) anomaly that has been defined by historic ground and airborne surveying to extend for a distance of more than 2km across the property. The fissure vein and VLF-EM anomaly are also spatially associated with the prominent Cameron Vein structural crumple zone in the area of historical mining. Although planned for preliminary testing by MegumaGold in the 2019 RC program, the VLF-EM anomaly and associated fissure vein trend have not been substantively tested to date beyond the immediate area of historic workings, where the fissure vein was mined. These composite samples consist of selected grab sample chips of quartz vein, argillite and greywacke lithologies present in the waste rock piles and range in weight from 1.1 to 7.4 kilograms. Results show that anomalous gold values are present in all three rock types. Quartz vein samples most commonly returned anomalous gold values, followed by argillite and then greywacke. MegumaGold notes that while these sample results indicate that auriferous material was previously exploited on the property, they should not be considered to be generally representative of all gold mineralization on the property. The distribution of sampled waste rock piles, combined with sampling results, indicates that gold mineralization is present at locations additional to the main site of past production. Next Steps Follow-up drilling of high probability targets at the Killag Property will commence once the initial RC drilling program at Ecum Secum has been completed. Management is of the opinion that the initial 2019 RC drilling results at Killag confirm the Axial Zone as an important new exploration target on the property that remains open for assessment both along strike and down dip along the entire 6 km length of the Killag anticline. Similar potential is also recognized along the further east and west strike extensions of the anticline that define the entire Gold Lake-Killag-Goldenville structural corridor. The Goldenville deposit, located roughly 35 km east of Killag along this corridor is detailed in Nova Scotia government records as historic gold production of more than 200,000 oz from the district at an estimated average gold grade of approximately 12g/t. MegumaGold believes that this production history substantiates gold endowment of this structural corridor, along which the company holds the largest current exploration land position. Mineralization developed on adjacent properties such as Goldenville is not necessarily indicative of comparable mineralization being present on the Company's Killag property or on its other properties along the corridor. Review and Qualified Person This press release has been reviewed and approved by Regan Isenor, Chief Executive Officer of MegumaGold Corp.; Michael Cullen, P. Geo., of Mercator Geological Services Ltd., an "Independent Qualified Person" as defined under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved reporting of the composite rock sampling results included in this press release. Technical Disclosure Rock samples referred to in this press release are composite samples consisting of material recovered as chips measuring typically between 1 cm and 4 cm in largest dimension that were collected from the historic mine waste rock piles sampled. Since specific source locations and widths for the contributing waste rock pile materials that comprise these samples are not known, the samples are classified by MegumaGold as "composite grab samples". Representative samples of the three main lithologies present in the piles were collected, these being quartz vein material, argillite and greywacke. Quartz vein samples were designated for processing by screen metallics methods followed by gold analysis using fire assay-atomic absorption (FA-AA) methods. Table 1 below presents further sampling details. Argillite and greywacke samples were designated for standard rock sample preparation followed by gold analysis by FA-AA methods. All samples were shipped by commercial courier to Eastern Analytical Limited (Eastern) in Springdale, NL for crushing to -10 mesh followed by pulverization to 95 % passing -150 mesh. For screen metallics samples, the plus 150 mesh fraction and one 30 g split of the minus 150 mesh fraction were separately analysed for gold using standard FA-AA methods. A mass-weighted average of results for the two analyses was recorded as the gold grade for the sample. For all other samples, a single 30 g split of the minus 150 mesh pulp material was analyzed using FA-AA methods. For QAQC purposes, one blindly inserted blank sample and one certified reference material sample were included with the sample shipment. Eastern is an independent, commercial analytical services firms registered to the ISO 17025 standard and accredited by the Canadian Association for Laboratory Accreditation Inc. (CALA). Eastern has internal QAQC protocols that include analysis and results monitoring for certified reference materials, blank samples and duplicate split samples. Results of all QAQC programs are continuously monitored by MegumaGold and acceptable results were received for all analytical work associated with this press release. Table 1: Details of 2019 Ecum Secum Waste Rock Pile Sampling Sample Number Au_g/t Weight (kg) Analysis Type Rock Type 00502 2.3 Normal FA-AA Argillite 00506 1.9 Normal FA-AA Argillite 00509 0.11 1.9 Normal FA-AA Argillite 00511 0.20 3.6 Normal FA-AA Argillite 00515 0.01 2.5 Normal FA-AA Argillite 14869 2.3 Normal FA-AA Argillite 14871 6.6 Normal FA-AA Argillite 14873 0.01 1.8 Normal FA-AA Argillite 14878 2.6 Normal FA-AA Argillite 14879 0.01 6.3 Normal FA-AA Argillite 14880 0.01 4.5 Normal FA-AA Argillite 14886 0.04 3.6 Normal FA-AA Argillite 14889 2.5 Normal FA-AA Argillite 14894 0.02 3.7 Normal FA-AA Argillite 14895 0.31 3.5 Normal FA-AA Argillite 14898 7.5 Normal FA-AA Argillite 00503 2.6 Normal FA-AA Greywacke 00504 0.01 2.6 Normal FA-AA Greywacke 00508 3.3 Normal FA-AA Greywacke 00512 0.01 2 Normal FA-AA Greywacke 00513 0.01 2.3 Normal FA-AA Greywacke 00514 2 Normal FA-AA Greywacke 14868 0.01 3.2 Normal FA-AA Greywacke 14874 0.01 4.3 Normal FA-AA Greywacke 14876 4.1 Normal FA-AA Greywacke 14877 0.01 4.1 Normal FA-AA Greywacke 14881 6.2 Normal FA-AA Greywacke 14884 6 Normal FA-AA Greywacke 14885 4.5 Normal FA-AA Greywacke 14887 6 Normal FA-AA Greywacke 14888 0.01 5 Normal FA-AA Greywacke 14893 0.65 3.3 Normal FA-AA Greywacke 000501 5.20 1.1 Screen Metallics FA-AA Quartz Vein 000505 0.03 1.5 Screen Metallics FA-AA Quartz Vein 000507 0.61 1.2 Screen Metallics FA-AA Quartz Vein 000510 6.95 1.1 Screen Metallics FA-AA Quartz Vein 14870 0.19 1.2 Screen Metallics FA-AA Quartz Vein 14872 9.50 1.2 Screen Metallics FA-AA Quartz Vein 14875 49.79 1.2 Screen Metallics FA-AA Quartz Vein 14882 2.24 1.5 Screen Metallics FA-AA Quartz Vein 14883 1.97 1.5 Screen Metallics FA-AA Quartz Vein 14890 0.94 1.2 Screen Metallics FA-AA Quartz Vein 14891 0.01 1.4 Screen Metallics FA-AA Quartz Vein 14892 0.46 1.5 Screen Metallics FA-AA Quartz Vein 14896 0.02 1.3 Screen Metallics FA-AA Quartz Vein 14897 0.05 2.5 Screen Metallics FA-AA Quartz Vein 14899 0.02 1.2 Screen Metallics FA-AA Quartz Vein 14900 0.01 1.2 Screen Metallics FA-AA Quartz Vein *See Technical disclosure text above for description About MegumaGold Corp. MegumaGold is a Canadian junior gold exploration company engaged in the business of acquiring, exploring and developing natural resource properties. In 2018, the exploration focus by the Company on the developing Meguma formation of Nova Scotia resulted in a strategically-positioned tenure of 180,754 hectares within the Meguma Gold District. For more information please contact Mr. Regan Isenor, Chief Executive Officer 902-233-4381 info@megumagold.com www.megumagold.com Forward-Looking Statements All statements in this presentation, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to MegumaGold within the meaning of applicable securities laws including, without limitation economic estimates and any statements related to estimated mining costs. MegumaGold provides forward-looking statements for the purpose of conveying information about current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. By its nature, this information is subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that may be general or specific and which give rise to the possibility that expectations, forecasts, predictions, projections or conclusions will not prove to be accurate, that assumptions may not be correct and that objectives, strategic goals and priorities will not be achieved. These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to exploration findings, results and recommendations, as well as those risks and uncertainties identified and reported in MegumaGold's public filings under its SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Although MegumaGold has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. MegumaGold disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise unless required by law. Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/45114 BBS - Bioactive Bone Substitutes, an innovator in orthobiologics, today announced that the company's Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) Paul Watkins will present the company at Smabolagsdagen in Stockholm on June 3, 2019. Smabolagsdagen is a capital market's day arranged by Aktiespararna that takes place on Monday June 3, 2019, at Sheraton Hotel in Stockholm, Sweden. BBS - Bioactive Bone Substitutes CCO Paul Watkins will present the company in brief at 10:40 am, followed by a short Q&A session. The company's CEO, Pekka Jalovaara, will also be attending the event. More information about the event and forms for registration can be found on Aktiespararna's website: https://www.aktiespararna.se/smabolagsdagen . Contact Pekka Jalovaara, CEO Phone: +358 505 52 92 75 E-mail: pekka.jalovaara@bbs-artebone.fi Paul Watkins, CCO Phone: +358 404 856 034 E-mail: paul.watkins@bbs-artebone.fi VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 29, 2019 / BTU METALS CORP. ("BTU" or the "Company") (BTU-TSX:V) is pleased to announce initial field program findings from an interpreted D2 structural trend parallel to the one hosting the high grade Hinge Zone of Great Bear Resources Ltd.'s Dixie Gold Project (GBR - TSX:V) in the Red Lake district, Ontario. Highlights of this release: New highly prospective gold environment found approximately 1,200 meters from GBR's Hinge Zone gold discovery Extensive quartz-carbonate-pyrite silicified stockwork zone to be further sampled and surveyed by IP in preparation for drilling Drone survey to be completed soon to help further evaluate already identified target areas The company has had a seasoned prospecting crew on the ground for the last few weeks, resulting in the discovery of a broad quartz - carbonate -pyrite zone in silicified basalt. The new prospect is located in the central portion of BTU's 13,000 ha Dixie Halo property and approximately 1,200 metres south of GBR's Hinge Zone gold discovery. Other associated rock units noted are pyritic iron formation and what are interpreted to be ultramafic rocks. Spatially, the company's new zone is on the edge of an east-west oriented major structure of the same orientation as the one currently being drilled by GBR at its Hinge Zone. Structures such as these have previously been described as 'D2 structures' in a previous BTU press release (Feb.20, 2019). This new prospecting discovery has led to the mobilization of a ground geophysical crew and initial planning of an IP survey to map out the zone. A drone magnetic survey is currently being flown over the area to help direct the planned IP survey and generate drill targets. With the aid of new data derived from the current, low altitude, high resolution drone magnetic survey on the Dixie Halo project, BTU personnel have begun follow-up ground truthing to prioritize drill targets. It must be emphasized that the company is at a very early stage of its evaluation of its extensive Dixie gold property. "It's remarkable to be able find new zones of highly prospective gold mineralization at Dixie considering the exploration history here extending since the late 1930s." stated V.P. Exploration Doug Hunter. Magnetic signature map of Dixie Halo project outlining major D2 disruptions, GBR's Hinge Zone discovery and BTU's recently discovered prospect The Company further announces it has decided not to proceed further with the acquisition of the Burnthut project located in the province of Ontario. With respect to this decision, the company has entered into a termination agreement with the underlying owner. Pursuant to the termination agreement, the company will issue 100,000 common shares to the underlying owner, in consideration for a full release of the company from any matters relating to or arising out of its option agreement with respect to the property. The issuance of shares is subject to the company receiving prior approval from the TSX Venture Exchange and will be subject to a four-month hold from the date of issuance. The technical contents of this release were approved by Mr. Doug Hunter, P. Geo., a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. BTU Metals Corp. is a publicly traded junior mining exploration company focussed on its Dixie Halo project located in the Red Lake District, Ontario. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Paul Wood" Paul Wood, CEO, Director pwood@btumetals.com FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Telephone: 1-604-683-3995 Toll Free: 1-888-945-4770 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release contains forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Investors are cautioned that these forward looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those expected. These forward -looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and by those made in our filings with SEDAR in Canada (available at WWW.SEDAR.COM). SOURCE: BTU METALS CORP. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/546922/Positive-Initial-Ground-Program-Findings-Adjacent-to-Great-Bear-Resources-at-Dixie-Halo Duos to Provide Additional Two Years of Maintenance and Support for Existing, Long-Term Customer JACKSONVILLE, FL / ACCESSWIRE / May 29, 2019 / Duos Technologies Group, Inc. ("Duos" or the "Company" or "our") (OTCQB: DUOT), through its operating subsidiary Duos Technologies, Inc., a provider of intelligent security and analytical technology solutions, has received an award renewing its maintenance and support agreement with a long-time customer of its Rail Inspection Portal (rip) technology. The contract specifies that Duos will provide an additional two years of service, extending the initial eight years that the Company has already been supporting this customer. The scope of work covered in the agreement requires uninterrupted software service, tech support and maintenance for the customer's portals, which currently perform a vital role in various inspections occurring at the US/Mexico border. "Our premium software and tech support services are key to maintaining the high quality and functionality of our rail inspection portal technologies," said Gianni Arcaini, Duos Chairman and CEO. "The challenges that U.S. Customs and Border Protection faces day-to-day require guaranteed performance quality, making it critical that our inspection portals operate as intended. With this extension of our services, our Class 1 customer continues to recognize the value of our border security applications and re-affirms confidence in our abilities to maintain and support our installations. Going forward, we are continuing to make investments in our own infrastructure to ensure that our growing installed base of portals for railcar inspections is well supported into the future." Separately, Duos is advancing its other capabilities for the rail transportation business and is expected to release a number of new technologies throughout 2019. Services supporting existing and planned new products include 24/7 support, preventative maintenance, inspection services and machine learning algorithms. About Duos Technologies Group, Inc. Duos Technologies Group, Inc. (OTCQB: DUOT), based in Jacksonville, Florida, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Duos Technologies, Inc., provides advanced intelligent security and analytical technology solutions with a strong portfolio of intellectual property. The Company's core competencies include intelligent technologies that combine machine learning, artificial intelligence and advanced video analytics that are delivered through its proprietary integrated enterprise command and control centraco platform. The Company provides its broad range of technology solutions with an emphasis on mission critical security, inspection and operations within the rail transportation, retail, petrochemical, government, and banking sectors. Duos Technologies also offers professional and consulting services for large data centers. For more information, visit www.duostech.com. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking terminology such as "believes," "expects," "may," "will," "should," "anticipates," "plans," or similar expressions or the negative of these terms and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, which could cause Duos Technologies Group, Inc.'s actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those described in Item 1A in Duos' Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is expressly incorporated herein by reference, and other factors as may periodically be described in Duos' filings with the SEC. CONTACTS: Corporate Tracie Hutchins Duos Technologies Group, Inc. 904-652-1601 tlh@duostech.com Investor Relations Matt Glover or Tom Colton Gateway Investor Relations 949-574-3860 DUOT@gatewayIR.com SOURCE: Duos Technologies Group, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/546854/Duos-Technologies-Secures-11-Million-Contract-Extension-with-Class-1-Rail-Operator ETHERAL Europe Reached 100 Patients Randomized Last Week MADRID, SPAIN and CAMBRIDGE, MA / ACCESSWIRE / May 29, 2019 / Oryzon Genomics (ISIN Code: ES0167733015, ORY), a public clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company leveraging epigenetics to develop therapies in diseases with strong unmet medical need, announced today the enrollment of the first patient in the US in its Phase IIa clinical trial with vafidemstat in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The study, named ETHERAL-US (Epigenetic THERapy in ALzheimer's Disease), is being conducted in the United States (US). ETHERAL-US is the US extension of the ongoing ETHERAL study, which is being conducted in 17 European hospitals across UK, France and Spain. The ETHERAL trial is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 3-arm, 24 weeks parallel-group study to evaluate the safety, tolerability and preliminary efficacy of vafidemstat in patients with mild-to-moderate AD. Secondary endpoints include measures of cognition, function and behavior. Finally, ETHERAL will measure and monitor several traditional and novel CSF biomarkers. ETHERAL-US received IND approval by the FDA on March 15th. The European arm of the study plans to enroll up to 125 patients, and surpassed the 100 patients randomized last week. This US trial plans to enroll up to 30 patients, to complete a minimum of 150 patients on the aggregate. The company has received a grant of $1.5 million from the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) to support the US-arm of ETHERAL clinical trial. Vafidemstat is a neuroactive molecule which is also being explored in other CNS and psychiatric conditions. The company recently reported first human efficacy data in reducing aggression in an open-label Phase IIa trial (REIMAGINE) in Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) patients. Additional data in aggression in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) patients and also in a specific cohort of AD patients in the same REIMAGINE study are expected later this year. Michael Ropacki, Oryzon's Vice-President of Clinical Development, stated: "The AD community is committed more than ever to explore new drugs with novel mechanisms of action for this devastating and difficult-to-treat disease. Vafidemstat's epigenetic approach is supported by strong preclinical data as well as recent clinical findings in patients suffering other types of CNS disorders, which together has heightened our expectations for potentially promising findings from the ETHERAL trial". Carlos Buesa, CEO and Founder of Oryzon, has said: "Epigenetics plays a role in a broad range of CNS disorders. LSD1 is as a fascinating target for different CNS conditions and Oryzon has a unique competitive position. With ETHERAL-US, the company is starting clinical operations in the US and we expect to expand the clinical trials with vafidemstat in the US to additional CNS indications soon". About Oryzon Founded in 2000 in Barcelona, Spain, Oryzon (ISIN Code: ES0167733015) is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company considered as the European champion in Epigenetics. Oryzon has one of the strongest portfolios in the field. Oryzon's LSD1 program has rendered two compounds vafidemstat and iadademstat in clinical trials. In addition, Oryzon has ongoing programs for developing inhibitors against other epigenetic targets. Oryzon has a strong technological platform for biomarker identification and performs biomarker and target validation for a variety of malignant and neurodegenerative diseases. Oryzon has offices in Spain and the United States. For more information, visit www.oryzon.com. About Vafidemstat Vafidemstat (ORY-2001) is an oral, brain penetrant drug that selectively inhibits LSD1 and MAOB. The molecule acts on several levels: it reduces cognitive impairment, including memory loss and neuroinflammation, and at the same time has neuroprotective effects. In animal studies vafidemstat not only restores memory but reduces the exacerbated aggressiveness of SAMP8 mice, a model for accelerated aging and Alzheimer's disease, to normal levels and also reduces social avoidance and enhances sociability in murine models. In addition, vafidemstat exhibits fast, strong and durable efficacy in several preclinical models of multiple sclerosis (MS). Vafidemstat is in Phase IIa clinical studies in patients with Relapse-Remitting and Secondary Progressive MS (SATEEN), in patients with Mild to Moderate Alzheimer's disease (ETHERAL) and in aggressiveness in patients with different psychiatric or neurodegenerative disorders (REIMAGINE, a basket trial). FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This communication contains, or may contain, forward-looking information and statements about Oryzon, including financial projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives and expectations with respect to future operations, capital expenditures, synergies, products and services, and statements regarding future performance. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally identified by the words "expects," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates" and similar expressions. Although Oryzon believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors and holders of Oryzon shares are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of Oryzon that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include those discussed or identified in the documents sent by Oryzon to the Spanish Comision Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV), which are accessible to the public. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and have not been reviewed by the auditors of Oryzon. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they were made. All subsequent oral or written forward-looking statements attributable to Oryzon or any of its members, directors, officers, employees or any persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statement above. All forward-looking statements included herein are based on information available to Oryzon on the date hereof. Except as required by applicable law, Oryzon does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This press release is not an offer of securities for sale in the United States or any other jurisdiction. Oryzon's securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration. Any public offering of Oryzon's securities to be made in the United States will be made by means of a prospectus that may be obtained from Oryzon or the selling security holder, as applicable, that will contain detailed information about Oryzon and management, as well as financial statements. US Contact: Spain: Oryzon: Solebury Trout ATREVIA Emili Torrell Thomas Hoffmann Patricia Cobo/Idoia Revuelta BD Director +1 646 378 2931 +34 91 564 07 25 +34 93 515 13 13 thoffmann@troutgroup.com pcobo@atrevia.com irevuelta@atrevia.com etorrell@oryzon.com SOURCE: Oryzon Genomics View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/546913/ORYZON-Announces-First-Patient-in-the-US-in-ETHERAL-US-A-Phase-IIa-Clinical-Trial-with-Vafidemstat-in-Alzheimers-Disease To Provide US-based Editorial and Offshore Composition Services for Engineering Journals DANBURY, Conn., May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Westchester Publishing Services announced today that it has reached an agreement with ASCE (The American Society of Civil Engineers), the leading membership organization for civil engineering professionals. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, it is the oldest national engineering society in the United States. Under the agreement, Westchester will be providing US-based editorial services and offshore composition (typesetting) services for several of ASCE's leading engineering journals. Westchester's market-leading U.S. editorial project management staff and network of U.S. copyeditors, as well as its offshore composition typesetting operation that handles complex content including LaTeX journal production, were critical factors for ASCE in selecting Westchester to handle its pre-press production work. Westchester has supported ASCE on its book program since 2017, and its steps to support ASCE's journals program allow Westchester to expand its resources devoted to supporting ASCE and other engineering publishers. ASCE was founded in 1852 and publishes over 3,900 journal articles and 60-70 books each year. "We are excited to partner with Westchester for journal services. Our authors and editors value high-quality copyediting and service. The Westchester Client Portal, an online platform giving us real-time access to check on the status of manuscripts and review author correspondence, is critical for us to provide the service our authors expect," commented Angela Cochran, Managing Director and Publisher. "Westchester is proud to have been selected by ASCE to handle pre-press production for a number of their prestigious journals, in addition to the work we've done to support their book program in recent years," commented Paul J. Crecca, President & CEO at Westchester. Chief Revenue Officer, Tyler M. Carey, added, "The relationship with ASCE has been a very collaborative one, with our and their staff extensively exploring workflows specific to each journal, customizations to Westchester's cloud-based Client Portal, and calibrations to ensure top quality editorial services specific to ASCE's journal style guide. Westchester's staff feel the resulting work is the product of a true partnership that is allowing us to both grow our capabilities. We look forward to continued work with ASCE for years to come." About Westchester Publishing Services: Founded in 1969, Westchester Publishing Services is the only US employee-owned company concentrating in editorial, composition, design, and digital conversion services. Westchester Publishing Services has been a trusted partner to the US publishing industry for decades with clients including Macmillan, Harvard University Press, W.W. Norton, The MIT Press, Bloomsbury, and UCL Press. In 2014, Westchester Publishing Services became a 100% employee-owned company through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). In 2017, Westchester Publishing Services launched a new division, Westchester K-12 Publishing Services, based in Dayton, Ohio, to serve the needs of educational publishers. In 2018, Westchester Publishing Services launched Westchester Publishing Services UK, based in Stratford upon Avon, to provide added services for publishers in the UK, and Europe. For information about our expanded offerings, please contact: Nicole Tomassi, Marketing and Conference Manager, Westchester Publishing Services, at: 203-658-7135 or Nicole.Tomassi@westchesterpubsvcs.com. Further information is also available at: www.westchesterpublishingservices.com. About ASCE: The American Society of Civil Engineers represents more than 150,000 members of the civil engineering profession in 177 countries. Founded in 1852, ASCE is the nation's oldest engineering society. ASCE stands at the forefront of a profession that plans, designs, constructs, and operates society's economic and social engine - the built environment - while protecting and restoring the natural environment. Through the expertise of its active membership, ASCE is a leading provider of technical and professional conferences and continuing education, the world's largest publisher of civil engineering content, and an authoritative source for codes and standards that protect the public. www.asce.org Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2019) - Good Life Networks Inc. (TSXV: GOOD) (FSE: 4G5) ("GLN", or the "Company"), a Vancouver-based programmatic advertising technology company, will release its first quarter financial and operating results at 7:50am EST (4:50am PST) Thursday, May 30, 2019. GLN will then host a conference call beginning at 9:00am EST (6:00am PST) to discuss the results. Conference Call Access To access the conference call by phone, please dial the following numbers. Canada/USA TF: 1-800-319-4610 International Toll: +1-604-638-5340 Germany TF: 0800-180-1954 UK TF: 0808-101-2791 Callers should dial in five to 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time and ask to join the Good Life Networks call. We encourage you to access the webcast and presentation material that will be published in the Investors section of GLN's website at https://glninc.ca/overview/ The GLN Story GLN is a patent pending machine learning programmatic video advertising technology company that does not collect PII (Personal Identifiable Information). GLN has the ability to transact on millions of online video ads daily 3 times faster than IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau) standards. GLN is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada with offices in the US and UK and trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the stock symbol "GOOD" and The Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the stock symbol 4G5. Addressable Market: The total media ad spend worldwide will rise 7.4% to $628.63 billion in 2018, according to "Global Ad Spending: The eMarketer Forecast for 2018." Digital media will account for 43.5% of that investment, thanks to rising global ecommerce spending and shifting viewership from traditional TV to digital channels. By 2020, digital's share of total advertising will near 50%. CONTACT: Investor Relations investors@glninc.ca Jesse Dylan, CEO604 265 7511 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/45098 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2019) - Asterion Cannabis Inc. (P.ASTR) ("Asterion" or the "Company") and Asterion Australia Pty Ltd ("Asterion Australia"), the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, announces that Asterion Australia has entered into a strategic advisory services agreement with Mr. John Wagner, a Non-Executive Director of Wagners Holding Company Limited (ASX: WGN) ("Wagners"). Pursuant to the agreement, Mr. Wagner has been appointed as a Strategic Advisor to the Board of Directors of Asterion Australia and Asterion's Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Wagner is one of the co-founders of Wagners and has been involved with Wagners since its inception. He has been instrumental in developing Wagners into one of the leading construction materials producers in South East Queensland. Mr. Wagner is also the inaugural Chair of Darling Downs Tourism and was the inaugural chair of the Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprises. Wagners had a significant role in assisting Asterion and Asterion Australia in securing the appropriate piece of land in Toowoomba, Australia on which to construct and house approximately 40 hectares (99 acres) of cutting-edge, secure, purpose-built greenhouses for the production of high-quality medicinal cannabis (the "Queensland Facility"). Mr. John Wagner commented, "I am very pleased to support Asterion and its plans to develop a state of the art facility at Wellcamp Airport, it is an exciting opportunity and one that will bring many economic benefits to the region." Asterion's Chairman and CEO, Mr. Stephen Van Deventer commented, "We are extremely pleased to have established a strong following of support from Wagners. They are globally recognized as one of Queensland's largest construction materials and service providers who add value across several industries. Having John Wagner as an advisor will assist in fostering long-term and deeply-rooted community and strategic relationships for Asterion in Australia." About Wagners Wagners is an Australian company focused on the production and sale of construction materials. Wagners is an innovative service provider and a producer of new generation building materials. From a foundation as an independently owned company nearly 30 years ago in Toowoomba, Australia, Wagners is now an ASX-listed operator in domestic and international markets and one of Queensland's largest construction materials and mining services companies. The Wagner family developed the Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport, the first public airport to be constructed in Australia in 50 years. It was built entirely with private money and completed in less than 20 months. Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport has become a thriving international airport and a regional international gateway. In 2009, Wagners was acknowledged by the Premier of Queensland at the Smart Business Awards as the company that had made the most significant impact on regional Queensland in the state's 150-year history. In 2018 Wagners was inducted into the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame in recognition of their intrepid entrepreneurship in successfully completing highly challenging infrastructure projects nationally and internationally. Celebrating 30 years of operations, Wagners is constantly striving for innovative, effective and economic solutions, when supplying for the construction and mining industry both within Australia and internationally. About Asterion Asterion is a Canadian medicinal cannabis company with operations in Australia, specializing in medical cannabis and is focused on becoming an industry leader in next-generation cannabis products. The Company is focused on the future of precision agriculture and aims to produce the highest quality of genetically uniform cannabis strains, at an affordable price. The Company is led by a team of highly experienced executives with over 120 years of combined experience in medical cannabis, renewable energy, capital markets, and other highly relevant sectors across North America, Oceania, Europe, Africa and Asia. On Behalf of the Board of Directors "Stephen Van Deventer" Chairman & Chief Executive Officer For further information, please contact: Deanna Kress +1-778-999-6063 info@asterioncannabis.com Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities legislation, including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements in this news release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations and orientations regarding the future including, without limitation, the advisory services to be provided by John Wagner, the construction of the Queensland Facility, the Company's anticipated business plans, and its prospect of success in executing its proposed plans. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "will", "plans", "expects", "may", "intends", "anticipates", "believes", "proposes", "estimates" or variations of such words including negative variations thereof and phrases that refer to certain actions, events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. Forward looking statements are based on certain assumptions regarding the Company, including that the Company will be able to obtain the financing and approvals needed to build the Queensland Facility and to carry out its planned future activities. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors including, but not limited to, the inability of the Company and Asterion Australia to obtain the required approvals for the construction and operation of the Queensland Facility, execute its proposed business plans and obtain the financing required to carry out its planned future activities. Other factors such as general economic, market or business conditions or changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting the biotechnology or cannabis industry, changes in general economic conditions, changes in the financial markets and in the demand and market price for cannabis, and delays in obtaining governmental and regulatory approvals, may also adversely affect the future results or performance of the Company. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and, unless required by applicable law, the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in these forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the statements, beliefs, plans, expectations, and intentions contained in this news release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that those statements, beliefs, plans, expectations, or intentions will prove to be accurate. Readers should consider all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to other periodic reports provided by the Company from time-to-time. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and, accordingly, are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements due to the inherent uncertainty of such statements. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/45115 YANGZHOU, China, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science & Technology Co., Ltd. ("Zoomlion") (Shenzhen: 000157) has broken the record for China's tallest impeller just two weeks after it was set. The record was broken recently in Yangzhou when crews operating Zoomlion's ZCC9800W crawler crane installed the impeller at the record-breaking height of 152 metres, breaking the previous record of 140 metres set earlier this month. At the height of 152-meters, the newly installed impeller is the tallest flexible steel fan tower in China and will contribute to the 46 tower Yangzhou Wind Farm project's output to 100 megawatts in total. "The recently installed impeller, which is currently the tallest wind turbine in China, presented a new challenge for our crawler crane which was required to operate in difficult terrain. The result is a testament, not just to the incredible skill of the engineering crew and our on-site service team, but also the functionality and quality of our machinery," said Zhiwei Luo, Manager from Zoomlion Crawler Crane. The ZCC9800W crawler crane, designed for unique and challenging engineering projects, is one of the most advanced on the market. The light-weight and modular design comes mechanized for ultimate versatility and can be disassembled, separated into multiple segments and transported conveniently across a variety of roads and terrains to be re-assembled on site. As Zoomlion's latest 4.0 flagship model, the IoT enabled ZCC9800W is constructed from advanced materials to meet the demands of the Intelligent Manufacturing (IM) era. The optimized structure and innovative combination boom can reach 178 meters, with a maximum hoisting height of 180 meters. "Wind power is an emerging clean source of power, but to utilise this source efficiently, we need to develop advanced dependable equipment continually," Luo said. As a leader in the industry, Zoomlion has supported several clean-energy projects, such as the QAY2000 all-terrain crane, ZCC8800W and ZCC9800W crawler cranes have already contributed considerably to the production of wind farms and the adoption of green energy. Zoomlion will continue to invest in research and development in the search for new ways to contribute to cleaner, greener construction. For more information, please visit http://en.zoomlion.com/. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/894237/Zoomlion.jpg SpendEdge, a global procurement market intelligence firm, has announced the release of their Global Translation and Localization Services Category Procurement Market Intelligence Report This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005529/en/ Global Translation and Localization Services Category Procurement Market Intelligence Report. (Graphic: Business Wire) The spend momentum of the translation and localization services category is primarily attributed to the wide-scale immigration that is being observed across the significant economies. This is necessitating the adoption of language translation services to suit the immigrant's documents to that of the host countries. Most of the MNCs tend to float marketing campaigns across different regions to propagate their product and services portfolio. 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Download a FREE sample Category management enablers Procurement organization Category enablers Want customized information from our translation and localization services procurement research report? Get in touch Category definition Category hierarchy Category scope Category map To view this the complete table of contents for the market intelligence report, Download a FREE sample Do you purchase multiple reports in a year? Our subscription platform, SpendEdge Insights, provides ready-to-use procurement research reports for multiple categories. Now access latest supplier news, innovation landscape, markets insights, supply market forecasts, and much more at the click of a button. Start your 7-day FREE trial now Related Reports: Global QA QC Certification Services Category Procurement Market Intelligence Report Global Management Consulting Industry Procurement Market Intelligence Report About SpendEdge: SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions. To know more, https://www.spendedge.com/request-free-proposal View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005529/en/ Contacts: SpendEdge Anirban Choudhury Marketing Manager US: +1 630 984 7340 UK: +44 148 459 9299 https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us The market for factory simulation software products will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 11% to reach US$4.1 billion for over 172,000 users in 2030. According to ABI Research, global tech market advisory firm, these sales include software that uses computer modeling to analyze how production might work in any given factory or situation and implement virtual commissioning to test proposed changes and upgrades before they are put into effect. "Today, many manufacturing enterprises have started to use simulation software, but most have not yet realized the added benefits of using simulation software as part of a larger smart manufacturing platform or to virtually test other new technologies," said Nick Finill, Principal Analyst at ABI Research. "Cloud-based platforms can provide a similar interface for simulations from the different points of view of process engineers, operations support managers, plant engineers, and control engineers. Companies can assign user roles so that engineers only see and modify the details and information that they need for their job or level of expertise, and engineers in different locations can work on different parts of the same model. This increases data security, speeds up the simulation process, and makes the product easier to use." Vendors that provide or partner with larger smart manufacturing platforms control the largest chunks of the market share. In discrete industries, this means Dassault Systemes with its 3DEXPERIENCE platform, Siemens with its Digital Industries portfolio and Rockwell Automation with Arena and its partnership with PTC control most of the market. In process industries, AVEVA, AspenTech, and Siemens control most of the market. The automotive industry represents the largest opportunity globally, with US$1.8 billion in factory simulation software revenues forecasted for 2030. In fact, automotive represents the largest opportunity in every country except for South Korea, where electronics manufacturing has a slight edge. "Automotive manufacturing leads the way for many transformative technologies and therefore has a higher demand to simulate those technologies. It also has an edge on most industries in sheer size and organizational transformation, with more holistic solution deployments due to cross-functional technology transformation teams. Vendors of factory simulation software and larger platforms specifically target these teams for growth opportunities," concludes Finill. These findings are from ABI Research's Industrial Virtualization, Visualization, and Simulation Market Tracker market data report. This report is part of the company's Industrial Solution, which will help manufacturers digitize operations to create better quality products at lower costs. Market Data spreadsheets are composed of deep data, market share analysis, and highly segmented, service-specific forecasts to provide detailed insight where opportunities lie. About ABI Research ABI Research provides strategic guidance for visionaries needing market foresight on the most compelling transformative technologies, which reshape workforces, identify holes in a market, create new business models and drive new revenue streams. ABI's own research visionaries take stances early on those technologies, publishing groundbreaking studies often years ahead of other technology advisory firms. ABI analysts deliver their conclusions and recommendations in easily and quickly absorbed formats to ensure proper context. Our analysts strategically guide visionaries to take action now and inspire their business to realize a bigger picture. For more information about ABI Research's forecasting, consulting and teardown services, visionaries can contact us at +1.516.624.2500 in the Americas, +44.203.326.0140 in Europe, +65.6592.0290 in Asia-Pacific or visit www.abiresearch.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005544/en/ Contacts: Global Deborah Petrara Tel: +1.516.624.2558 pr@abiresearch.com VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 29, 2019)) ("Rockridge" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Grant Ewing as Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Grant Ewing is a professional geologist with over 25 years of experience in the mineral industry and the last 10+ years in senior executive roles. His extensive knowledge base covers the entire mine development cycle, from early stage exploration through to production, in several different commodities. Strong merger and acquisitions, corporate development, and capital markets knowledge complement Mr. Ewing's mineral industry experience. Mr. Ewing has been involved in exploration and development of base metals projects (predominantly copper) and has experience managing successful exploration and resource development programs in Canada. He holds a Bachelor of Science, Geology from the University of Calgary. Recently, he was President and CEO of Kiska Metals (2014 to 2017) until it was acquired by AuRico Metals, where he continued as Vice President Exploration of AuRico Metals until it was acquired by Centerra Gold for approximately $300 million. Prior to that, he was President and CEO of Acadian Mining (2010 to 2014) until its sale to an international mining company. Atlantic Gold later acquired and is currently developing the projects that Acadian advanced through the discovery and resource development stages. Rockridge's new CEO, Grant Ewing commented: "I am excited to join the Rockridge team, and focus on building shareholder value by advancing the Knife Lake project, and growing the Company's asset base through strategic acquisitions. The Knife Lake project is a significant deposit with many high grade intercepts returned from historic drilling, and excellent discovery potential exists on the large landholding controlled by Rockridge." Jordan Trimble will remain as the President and a Director of the Company working closely with Mr. Ewing going forward. As the Company's Founder and President, Mr. Trimble, commented: "We would like to welcome Mr. Ewing to the Rockridge team as our new CEO. He has a very impressive track record in the mineral exploration and mining industry both as a geologist as well as in executive and management roles where he has helped to oversee several mergers and acquisitions. He will be a highly valued part of the team given his experience and we look forward to working with him as we advance our project base." The Company has issued 150,000 incentive stock options (the "Options") to Mr. Ewing. The Options are exercisable at $0.25 per share for a period of five years from the date of grant. The Options have been granted under and are governed by the terms of the Company's incentive stock option plan. About Rockridge Resources Ltd. Rockridge Resources is a new publicly traded mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral resource properties in Canada, specifically copper and base metal projects. The Company's flagship project is the Knife Lake Project located in Saskatchewan, which is ranked as the #3 mining jurisdiction in the world by the Fraser Institute. The project hosts the Knife Lake deposit, which is a VMS, near-surface copper-cobalt-gold-silver-zinc deposit open along strike and at depth. There is strong discovery potential in and around the deposit area as well as at regional targets on the 85,196-hectare property. Rockridge's goal is to maximize shareholder value through new mineral discoveries, committed long-term partnerships, and the advancement of exploration projects in geopolitically favourable jurisdictions. Rockridge Resources Ltd. "Jordan Trimble" Jordan Trimble President and Director For further information contact myself or: Nick Findler Corporate Development and Communications Rockridge Resources Ltd. Telephone: 604-639-3850 Toll Free: 800-567-8181 Facsimile: 604-687-3119 Email: nfindler@rockridgeresourcesltd.com NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THE CONTENT OF THIS NEWS RELEASE. Forward Looking Statements: Statements included in this announcement, including statements concerning our plans, intentions and expectations, which are not historical in nature are intended to be, and are hereby identified as, "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements may be identified by words including "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "expects" and similar expressions. The Company cautions readers that forward-looking statements, including without limitation those relating to the Company's future operations and business prospects, are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Halifax, Nova Scotia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2019) - Ucore Rare Metals Inc. (TSXV: UCU) (OTCQX: UURAF) ("Ucore" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on the legal proceedings in Utah commenced by IBC Advanced Technologies, Inc. ("IBC") and Steven R. Izatt against Ucore and some of its executives. During a hearing on May 23, 2019, the Third District Court, Salt Lake Division, Salt Lake County, State of Utah (the "Court") granted a motion submitted by Ucore to dismiss the January 4, 2019, Complaint filed by IBC against Ucore and some of its executives This dismissal was granted by the Court on the grounds that the Court does not have jurisdiction over Ucore and the named individual defendants in this matter. The associated Motion and Memorandum in Support of Temporary Restraining Order and Preliminary Injunction submitted by IBC on May 9, 2019, was denied as moot by this decision. "Ucore is very grateful to the State of Utah's legal system for its decision in this matter," said Ucore President & CEO, Jim McKenzie. "The Company continues to vigorously pursue an expeditious resolution to the legal dispute related to the Company's Option to Purchase Agreement with IBC. This Utah ruling, in combination with the recent jurisdictional ruling in favor of Ucore in Nova Scotia, is an indicator of our continued progress to that end." "At stake is the control of a valuable, green, and highly disruptive rare earth extraction technology", continued McKenzie. "The use of molecular recognition in the separation of metals is a very capable platform for expediting REE production on U.S. soil. This extraction technology has already successfully separated all of the Critical Rare Earth Elements [CREE] without the use of costly and environmentally precarious reagents associated with Solvent Extraction [SX] methodologies." "These strategic metals are a central issue in the increasingly contentious trade relations between China and the U.S.," concluded McKenzie. "CREE such as terbium, dysprosium, neodymium, and praseodymium, are indispensable to the American high-tech industry. Commercial liberation of this extraction technology for use in the rare earth industry will be a tremendous win not just for Ucore, but for an enormous array of Noth American rapid-growth sectors. This recent ruling in Utah brings us one step closer to that event." The next scheduled court appearance is before the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal on June 19, 2019, to hear IBC's appeal of the decision of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia that it had jurisdiction in the matter of Ucore Rare Metals Inc. versus IBC Advanced Technologies, Inc. and Steven R. Izatt. More information on the Nova Scotia proceedings can be obtained in person at the Law Courts, 1815 Upper Water Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia. Since January 4, 2019, IBC has pursued parallel civil litigation proceedings in Utah, against which Ucore has challenged whether Utah is the proper venue. More information on the Nova Scotia and other proceedings, generally, can be obtained under the Company's profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) or by contacting Mark MacDonald, Vice President Business Development at (902) 482-5214 or info@ucore.com. About Ucore Ucore Rare Metals is a development-phase company focused on rare metals resources, extraction and beneficiation technologies with near term potential for production, growth and scalability. The Company has a 100% ownership stake in the Bokan-Dotson Ridge Rare Earth Project. On March 31, 2014, Ucore announced the unanimous support of the Alaska State Legislature for Senate Bill 99 (2014), which authorized the AIDEA to issue up to USD $145 Million in bonds for the infrastructure and construction costs of the Bokan-Dotson Ridge Rare Earth Project. Ucore's vision and plan is to transition to become a leading nanotechnology company that provides mineral separation products and services to the mining and mineral extraction industry. This vision includes the development of a Strategic Metals Complex (initially announced on Nov. 15, 2016) in Ketchikan, Alaska and the development of the Company's rare earth minerals property located at Bokan Mountain in Alaska (technical report filed on SEDAR on March 14, 2013). For further information, please contact Mr. Jim McKenzie, President & CEO of Ucore Rare Metals Inc. at: +1 (902) 482-5214 or visit . Cautionary Notes This press release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release (other than statements of historical facts) that address future business acquisition activities (including any related required financings), timelines, litigation outcomes, events or developments that the Company expects, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance or results and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Ucore has assumed that it will in the near future be able to obtain interim financing and sufficient additional financing to acquire IBC in compliance with the terms contemplated in the existing agreements with IBC and its shareholders holding a majority of its shares. Ucore has also assumed that there will be no material adverse findings in its upcoming expected comprehensive due diligence review of IBC. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include: Ucore not being able to raise sufficient funds to acquire IBC (including the non-acquisition payments owed under the previous and existing agreements); adverse capital market conditions; unexpected due diligence findings; unexpected or adverse outcomes in the currently outstanding litigation matters between Ucore and IBC; resistance to or noncompliance by IBC or its key shareholders with the existing agreements; the emergence of alternative superior metallurgy and mineral separation technologies; the inability of IBC to retain its key staff members and clients; the inability of IBC to protect its intellectual property; unexpected transaction costs or other deal completion setbacks; the availability and procurement of any required interim financing that may be required; and general economic, market or business conditions. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined by the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/45122 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 29, 2019 / Searchlight Resources Inc. ("Searchlight" or the "Company") (TSX-V: SCLT) is pleased to announce a private placement financing of up to 10,000,000 Units consisting of one common share and one full share purchase warrant at a price of $0.05 per unit (the "Offering"). Each warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one common share at $0.05 per share until the close of business on the day which is 24 months from the date of issue of the warrant. Closing of the proposed Offering is subject to a number of conditions, including receipt of all necessary corporate and regulatory approvals, including approval from the TSX Venture Exchange. Finders fees may be payable in connection with this private placement. All the securities issuable will be subject to a four-month hold period from the date of closing. Searchlight will rely upon such prospectus exemptions as are available, including access to existing shareholders through the Existing Shareholder Exemption. This ensures all shareholders are treated equally and fairly. Searchlight intends to use the proceeds of the up to $500,000 of the Offering for general corporate purposes. About Searchlight Resources Inc. Searchlight Resources Inc.is a Canadian mineral exploration and development company listed on the Toronto Venture Exchange (TSX-V: SCLT). The corporate strategy of the company is: to explore and develop opportunities in safe, low risk jurisdictions. The Company holds claims in Saskatchewan and Ontario, Canada and Nevada, USA. These are three of the top seven jurisdictions in the world for mining investment, as ranked by the Fraser Institute. to target known highly productive geological belts, including the Flin Flon - Snow Lake Greenstone Belt, the Abitibi Greenstone Belt and the Walker Lane Structural Belt. to acquire high quality projects, close to infrastructure, focusing on road access. to work closely with stakeholders, including First Nations, Metis, local and provincial governments and local contractors to advance mineral exploration and development in a safe and environmentally sound manner. Searchlight holds a portfolio of gold, cobalt, copper, vanadium and specialty metal projects from grassroots stage to advanced exploration and NI43-101 resource development. On behalf of the Board of Directors, "Stephen Wallace" SEARCHLIGHT RESOURCES INC. Stephen Wallace, President, CEO and Director Contact: Searchlight Resources Inc. Investor Relations (604) 331-9326 info@searchlightresources.com Forward-Looking Statements Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. The Company cautions that all forward looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to the Company's limited operating history and the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information. NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. SOURCE: Searchlight Resources Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/546939/Searchlight-Announces-Private-Placement-Financing BEIJING, CHINA / ACCESSWIRE / May 29, 2019 / Lambda Global Partner Node election has announced on BISSExchange on 17th May, which has opened partner node voting system. Lambda is a secure, reliable, and infinitely scalable decentralized storage network that enables data storage, data integrity check, security verification, and marketplace for storage-related services on the Lambda Chain Consensus Network. Lambda is to promote the decentralization of the Internet, with the goal of creating a storage infrastructure for the next generation of blockchain. The launch of the election also contributes to this original intention. Lambda Global Partner Node Plan insists on the principle of community self-governance to maximize the participation from supporters. Key features of Partner Node Reward System Total rewards of a partner node consist of two parts: the partner node reward and the user reward. Daily Reward of 50,000 LAMB During the Lambda testnet period, the elected partner nodes of the day will share a total of 50,000 LAMB according to the proportion that each of these nodes earned in the total voting. 50% of the reward will go to the elected partner node owners and 50% will go to the voters who have voted for them that day. Below are the rules used to calculate partner nodes' rewards and voters' rewards: Partner Node Reward: (cumulative votes earned / UTC natural day total votes) x (50,000 LAMB x 50%) Voter's Reward: (Cumulative votes cast by the voter/ UTC natural day total votes) x (50,000 LAMB x 50%) Additional Rewards During the testnet period, the top three newly elected partner nodes and their voters will share a bonus reward of 50,000 LAMB! The rewards will be distributed as follows: First place winner: 25,000 LAMB Second place winner: 15,000 LAMB Third place winner: 10,000 LAMB The voters who have voted for the top three partner nodes will get bonus rewards which will be distributed as follows: Voters who have voted for the first-place partner node will be rewarded as follows: Votes cast by the voter/ total current votes of partner nodes* (50,000 LAMB*50%). Voters who have voted for the second-place partner node will be rewarded as follows: Votes cast by the voter / total current votes of partner nodes* (50,000 LAMB*30%). Voters who have voted for the second-place partner node will be rewarded as follows: Votes cast by the voter / total current votes of partner nodes (50,000 LAMB *20%). Mainnet Reward After Lambda's main net launch, global partner nodes and all the voters will share an annualized return of approximately 30% of Lambda's annual revenue. Partners' Reward Since its inception, Lambda has established strategic cooperation with IOST, a famous public chain project, and some overseas KOLs, who have been continuously helping with Lambda's ecological development. All IOST nodes elected as Lambda's partners will be rewarded 1,000 LAMB by the Lambda Foundation for their voting support. All Lambda overseas KOLs will be rewarded 1,000LAMB by the Lambda Foundation for their voting support. Lambda has successfully to activate the testnet,120 PB worth of data storage pledge by storage miners. While the election has begun, elected partner node included Butterfly Capital, Huobi Pool, Star Chain Technology, Blockchain value investment community, Jidou Capital, Feiniao Community, Anrong Node, BISS, Star Fund, LAMB Pacific, SSS nodes, Meta Node, BCV Wallet, Wutong Community, Big Block Exchange, Metropolis VC, BCTOPIA, Lambda believers. Lambda and BISS exchange support one-click voting here https://lambda.biss.com/#/vote CONTACT: Name: Patti Lin Email: Patti.lin@lambda.im SOURCE: Lambda View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/546936/Lambda-Open-Global-Partner-Node-Election Seattle, Washington--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2019) - CFN Media Group ("CFN Media"), the leading agency and financial media network dedicated to the North American cannabis industry, announces the publication of an article covering Vancouver-based Wildflower Brands Inc. (CSE: SUN) (OTCQB: WLDFF), which develops and designs brands focused on plant-based health and wellness products, made several recent strategic moves demonstrating its commitment to becoming a global leader in the space. New Products The company's core brand started in 2012 with a mission to inspire holistic health & wellness through a range of CBD-infused products. The CBD+ Wellness line offers the natural healing properties of hemp-derived CBD with other plant-based ingredients in tinctures, capsules, vapes, and soaps, and carries a customer satisfaction guarantee. In March, Wildflower expanded its offering with the introduction of Pure and Pure Plus tinctures formulated with hemp-derived CBD, milk thistle, and hemp seed oil to provide relief from inflammation and support healthy liver and heart function. Hemp seed oil has been added to the new offering for an optimal ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and the solvent-free formulations can be taken sublingually via a dropper or added to food and beverages. Wildflower will continue to expand its CBD+ lineup, and the launch is part of the company's ongoing product development to meet growing wholesale and retail demands for its high-quality CBD-infused health & wellness offerings. Click here to see the company corporate presentation William MacLean, Wildflower Brands CEO, said, "Consumers are drawn to Wildflower because of the effectiveness and range of options available in our product lineup. The strong brand loyalty of Wildflower customers reflects the time and resources invested in our pipeline of products." Bolstered by greater public awareness of and desire for alternative wellness products, the CBD market is the fastest-growing segment of the burgeoning cannabis market, with Brightfield Group cannabis industry analysts predicting a global market of $22 billion US by 2022, and hemp-derived CBD is forecast to be especially lucrative, the same report predicting a per annum increase of 55% over the next five years alone. Click here to see the company corporate presentation Wildflower received some exciting attention in February when the company's all-natural CBD Cool Stick, designed to provide relief of muscle, joint and back pain, was selected for inclusion in this year's 'swag bag' given to Academy Award nominees and presenters staying at the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles, reinforcing how mainstream CBD products have become. New York Retail Expansion Wildflower kicked off 2019 with an expansion into New York. Wildflower products can be found in Sak's 5th Avenue, and in over 20 health and wellness retailers in Manhattan alone. The company chose to focus on New York because of the city's role in setting global trends, and it was obviously a prudent move, 40% of its online sales now come from the New York market. Wildflower's store-in-store marketing will be a place for consumers to learn about incorporating CBD into a natural, plant-based health & wellness regime, and complement its existing online and retail presence throughout the US. Click here to see the company corporate presentation Growing US Presence New York has quickly become Wildflower's largest source of online sales with California and Washington close behind. Online sales saw 400% growth in the past 12 months and will continue to grow as online marketing programs begin this year. In Washington state, Wildflower products are sold by over 200 retailers. In other US markets, distributed to over 150 health & wellness practitioners and stores giving Wildflower a presence in over 300 stores nationwide. Last April, Wildflower acquired an established cannabis retailer serving the city of Los Angeles, that has all the licenses to cultivate, manufacture, distribute, retail and deliver in the State of California and the city of Los Angeles. In 2017, the company acquired King Extracts, a California-based company focused on cannabis technology and delivery systems, best known for its King Recharge 97mm discreet rechargeable vaporizer and vape cartridges formulated with proprietary terpenes and all-natural flavours. King Extracts products are distributed in California. Establishing a European Footprint Wildflower recently announced its expansion into Europe's red-hot CBD market through an agreement with Two Towers, a leading wholesale prescription medical and over-the-counter wellness distribution company in Poland and an extension of Omega Rex, a group of 14 pharmacies in the Warsaw area. Europe's population of over 740 million represents a potential market twice the size of the US and Canadian markets combined, a market experiencing supply shortages and still in its infancy compared to North America's, presenting an immense opportunity for companies with the foresight to establish an early presence. Click here to see the company corporate presentation Wildflower has received tariff codes for the importation of its CBD+ line of products into Poland, which will then allow them to be exported to the rest of Europe. Europe's CBD market has vastly outpaced earlier estimates, buoyed by greater public awareness and desire for CBD-infused products which have led to a push for a more rapid liberalization of regulations across the continent. As a result, European companies are actively seeking reputable, high-quality CBD brands to fill swelling demand and attract eager consumers. With Wildflower's CBD+ plant-based formulations in a line-up of premium wellness products, the company is well positioned to capitalize, with Two Towers helping to navigate the regulatory landscape, along with their extensive distribution network. Commenting on the agreement, MacLean said, "The European market is fragmented with no CBD market leaders. Our agreement with Two Towers vastly reduces barriers to moving our products between member states. This will position Wildflower as a market leader as the EU members begin opening their markets to CBD. We are excited to be working with Two Towers; their ability to expedite the regulatory process has been invaluable." There's far too much to say about Wildflower than can be contained in a single article, so keep watching this page and visit https://www.wildflowerbrands.co/ for additional information. Please follow the link to read the full article: http://bit.ly/2W8uQfW About CFN Media For Visitors and Viewers CFN Media's Cannabis Financial Network (CannabisFN.com) is the destination for savvy investors and business people profiting from the worldwide cannabis industry. Viewers will see breaking news, exclusive content and original programming involving the people, companies and investments shaping the industry. For Cannabis Businesses & Companies CFN Media is a leading agency and financial media network dedicated to the cannabis industry. We help private, pre-public and public cannabis companies in the US and Canada attract capital, investors and media attention. Our powerful digital media and distribution platform conveys a company's message and value proposition directly to accredited and retail investors and national media active in the North American cannabis markets. Since 2013, CFN Media has enabled the world's preeminent cannabis companies to thrive in the capital and public markets. Learn how to become a CFN Media client company, brand or entrepreneur: http://www.cannabisfn.com/featuredcompany Disclaimer The above article is sponsored content. Emerging Growth LLC, which owns CannabisFN.com and CFN Media, has been hired to create awareness. Please follow the link below to view our full disclosure outlining our compensation: http://www.cannabisfn.com/legal-disclaimer/ Contact Wildflower Brands Inc. Will S. Elston - Investor Relations 604-559-0420 ext. 111 welston@wildflowerbrands.co CFN Media Frank Lane 206-369-7050 flane@cannabisfn.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/45096 Dedicated to Building a New Open Source Experience for Developers, Logz.io will Use Funds to Extend Product Portfolio and Expand Internationally BOSTON and TEL AVIV, May 29, 2019, an intelligent and scalable machine data analytics platform based on open source ELK and Grafana, today announced it has raised $52 million in Series D funding led by General Catalyst with participation from OpenView Ventures, 83North, Giza Venture Capital, Vintage Investment Partners, Greenspring Associates and Next47. The funding will be used to further develop and enhance the company's product offering, increase their global presence and invest in its partner ecosystem. Dedicated to building a better open source experience, Logz.io has grown rapidly--more than doubling their business in 2018--and now serves more than 700 customers such as Unity, British Airways, Bleacher Report, Symantec, and Schneider Electric. Founded in 2014 by two engineers dedicated to alleviating the pains of operating and securing large distributed workloads, Logz.io empowers engineers to focus their efforts on building better software rather than maintaining difficult to scale open source monitoring stacks. Originally built to enhance ELK by adding increased cloud scalability, a variety of enterprise-grade features and machine learning capabilities, the company has expanded their open source offering by adding new products for security analytics based on Kibana and announced the upcoming time-series analytics using Grafana. Designed for monitoring modern applications, Logz.io combines cloud-native simplicity and scalability with crowdsourced artificial intelligence to help engineers identify critical issues before they occur and enable them to monitor, troubleshoot and secure mission-critical applications using one unified platform. "Before switching to Logz.io, my engineers were spending over 20% of their time managing our self hosted logging platform; it could not reliably scale during a crisis when we needed it and integration with our heterogeneous environments was very tricky," said Jujhar Singh, Global Head of DevOps at The Economist. "Since moving to Logz.io, our teams spend much more of their time building better code, and I know the Logz.io platform will scale to any level we need. Plus, the additional AI capabilities Logz.io provides makes it much easier for my engineers to find and fix problem areas before they affect production." "The role machine data analysis plays in maximizing performance and minimizing downtime is unquestionable, but increasingly distributed environments and massive volumes of data make it nearly impossible for developers to keep up. We are enabling engineers to consume open-source in a completely new way to meet the growing challenge of machine data analysis efficiently and at any scale, allowing them to focus their time and energy on driving value for the business," says Tomer Levy, co-founder and CEO of Logz.io. "This new funding will enable us to double down on our product leadership to better serve our customers as well as enable more companies around the world to benefit from different open-source with Logz.io through our growing go-to-market and strategic partnerships." In addition to expanding their product offering, Logz.io plans to use the funding for expanding their partnerships with global technology leaders. The company recently announced a partnership with Microsoft Azure enabling customers to easily use open-source ELK on Azure. This partnership enables Logz.io to quickly address this underserved market and expand globally through the Microsoft sales team in six global regions. In addition, Logz.io recently expanded their AWS regional coverage across North America, Europe, and Australia. The company has offices in Tel Aviv and Boston and recently opened their European headquarters in London. "Managing service reliability and security is a real resource sinkhole for technical teams," said Larry Bohn, Managing Director at General Catalyst. "Logz.io uses crowdsourcing and ML to up-level the efficiency and effectiveness of those teams. Customers rave and we think Logz.io has the potential to transform infrastructure management in the enterprise on down to early-stage startups." About Logz.io Logz.io is an intelligent and scalable machine data analytics platform built on ELK and Grafana that empowers engineers to monitor, troubleshoot, and secure mission-critical applications more effectively. Customers like Turner Broadcasting, Intel, and Rent-A-Center use Logz.io to analyze machine data at scale, driving higher reliability and spending less time troubleshooting issues while decreasing overall costs. Contact: lauren@logz.io In the 1970s, he visited the Soviet Union and became a leading voice in pushing for the rights of Soviet writers, and later for those in South America, China and Czechoslovakia. He helped found Helsinki Watch, a watchdog for the human rights provisions in the Helsinki Accords signed by the U.S. and the Soviet Union in 1975. A handful of related organizations followed, including Asia Watch and Americas Watch, before all were combined under Bernstein's leadership into Human Rights Watch in 1988. CHARLESTON, South Carolina, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Anoox , the non-profit Social network that is small business focused and Search engine that is People powered, announces final release version 12 after more than 10 years of development; with zero funding from VCs and Wall Street but via support from our global volunteers and small business members. During this journey, Anoox has reached over 2 million members, with 1000s more joining per week and a notable average 7.79 million views per month. Anoox version 12 is full featured as a social network and as a People powered search engine; it is stable, bug free, massively scalable and fast. Above all, it is a joy to use, with most applications being single page applications (SPAs) for the best user experience. Via this version 12 you can: 1- Get social to get the best answers out and discuss today's issues based on shared interests; as a result, meet new business contacts and clients and get more free traffic 2- Contribute to the People powered search engine, so we have Choice when it comes to all-important search engine, to Google's monopoly over search 3- Connect with your family, friends and co-workers by sharing your photos, videos, stories, etc. 4- Be organized and productive via My-2nd-Brain, your personal search engine, an AI based note taking service 5- And much more, such as have private secure worldwide Chat, take Polls We invite journalists to write about Anoox, because your readers would probably love to know that now they have a non-profit Choice when it comes to all important Social network and Search engine. About Anoox: Anoox is the non-profit search engine & social network project. To our knowledge it is the only one of its kind in the World! We are a global community, a collective, dedicated to operating this one of a kind non-profit social network that is Small business focused and search engine that is People powered. Related Links https://www.anoox.com/ https://www.anoox.com/what_anoox_is.php New Brand Identity Sets the Stage for a New Pure-play Commercialization Partner to the Pharmaceutical Industry YARDLEY, Pennsylvania, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- PHS Health Solutions (PHS), a leading pharmaceutical contract commercial organization with an exemplary 35-year track record as a trusted partner for its customers, announces that beginning today, the company will operate under the new identity of Amplity Health. The new corporate brand represents a pure-play pharmaceutical commercialization business that integrates a family of brands including Touchpoint, PDI and Tardis Medical, offering customized and multi-channel medical, remote engagement, and sales solutions, along with strategic consulting and organizational capability development for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, and diagnostics companies. This rebranding follows the acquisition of PHS by Altamont Capital Partners (Altamont), a well-established private equity firm with a well-earned reputation for building and expanding durable and competitive companies. The new brand name captures the amplified results the company achieves every day for its pharmaceutical clients. "Our vision is singular, and we wanted our new corporate identity to match," said Michael A. Griffith, Chief Executive Officer of Amplity Health. "As commercialization specialists, we understand the significance of creating a brand that embodies our values and exemplifies our strengths. For us, it means accelerating, elevating and amplifying the abilities of our organization, and infusing a new energy into our client partnerships to unlock their potential." Now operating as a unified organization with locations in New York NY, Yardley PA, and London UK, Amplity will harness its collective resources and extensive expertise to meet a wide range of challenges for its customers. The company will strengthen its core competencies of designing, implementing and managing customer-facing and inside sales, service and clinical teams, while delivering complementary services in strategic consulting and organizational development. With Altamont's support, Amplity will be able to make substantial investments to improve and expand its capabilities to build better careers for its colleagues and to create a better experience for its clients. "Today, pharmaceutical and other healthcare companies face increasingly complex demands in product commercialization. Rather than delivering a one-size-fits-all approach, we work with our customers to co-create dynamic strategies and solutions tailored to their unique needs," Griffith added. "By integrating our services and capabilities around a common vision for amplifying our partner relationships, we can achieve our end goal of improving the physician experience and the lives of patients." About Amplity Health A true partner to global healthcare companies, Amplity Health builds transformational solutions by challenging boundaries and the status quo. Amplity Health has the expertise, infrastructure, and insights to help clients overcome any healthcare commercialization hurdle. With wide-ranging capabilities such as patient identification solutions, multichannel messaging, inside sales and service resourcing, field sales, campaign planning and execution, and more, Amplity Health has what it takes to maximize marketing efforts and set strategies up for success. About Altamont Capital Partners Altamont Capital Partners is a private investment firm based in the San Francisco Bay Area with more than $2.5 billion of assets under management. Altamont is focused on investing in middle market businesses where it can partner with leading management teams to help its portfolio companies reach their full potential. The firm's principals have significant experience building business success stories across a range of industries, including healthcare, consumer/retail, industrials, and financial services. To learn more about how Amplity partners with customers to co-create dynamic bespoke solutions, visit www.Amplity.com, or follow the company on Facebook and on Twitter @Amplity and LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/Amplity/. LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / May 29, 2019 / Compare-autoinsurance.org has released a new video that explains how to get affordable car insurance, even if the person is a high-risk driver. Lack of experience, young age, DUI or poor credit score are just a few reasons a person can be labeled high-risk. And the financial consequences are very harsh. Car insurance costs soar immediately, with premiums becoming double or triple. However, using car insurance quotes online will help drivers find acceptable deals. Use http://compare-autoinsurance.org to get free car insurance quotes and compare prices. Do not rely only on the big, nationwide standard carriers . This is one of the biggest mistakes high-risk drivers commit. Depending only on the big 4-5 companies to provide high-risk coverage will, in many cases, bring disappointing results. Big names prefer to work with safe drivers. If they would accept high-risk drivers, the news will spread up immediately and they would be assaulted by such drivers. A high number of high-risk drivers will spell disaster for their business, . This is one of the biggest mistakes high-risk drivers commit. Depending only on the big 4-5 companies to provide high-risk coverage will, in many cases, bring disappointing results. Big names prefer to work with safe drivers. If they would accept high-risk drivers, the news will spread up immediately and they would be assaulted by such drivers. A high number of high-risk drivers will spell disaster for their business, Look for reliable subsidiaries of standard carriers. These companies may provide high-risk coverage. Even the industry giants have subsidiaries for high-risk drivers. It is recommended to check for other subsidiaries, too. With a simple search online, a person can obtain several company names, standard carriers. These companies may provide high-risk coverage. Even the industry giants have subsidiaries for high-risk drivers. It is recommended to check for other subsidiaries, too. With a simple search online, a person can obtain several company names, Also, check for specialized, non-standard carriers . The big names and their subsidiaries are not always the best choice. There are dozens of smaller companies designed to provide coverage for high-risk drivers. Again, it is up to the client to check the market and make an educated choice . The big names and their subsidiaries are not always the best choice. There are dozens of smaller companies designed to provide coverage for high-risk drivers. Again, it is up to the client to check the market and make an educated choice Use online car insurance quotes . Getting online quotes becomes really crucial when looking for fair prices for high-risk drivers. And don't look just for prices, also check for flexible payment programs and coverage customizations. Look for extra services, like roadside assistance and check the prices. Compare-autoinsurance.org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. For more information, please visit http://compare-autoinsurance.org "Being considered a high-risk driver will make you pay more expensive premiums. It is recommended to shop around using quotes and a list of companies that will accept you", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. Contact: cgurgu@internetmarketingcompany.biz SOURCE: Internet Marketing Company View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/546924/High-Risk-Drivers-Can-Now-Use-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online-And-Find-Cheaper-Coverage Wolters Kluwer, Health announces today the appointment of Greg Samios, President CEO of Health Learning, Research Practice (HLRP). The HLRP business provides health solutions that help clinical professionals learn, practice, conduct research and advance their careers using market-leading tools and evidence-based information. Samios succeeds Cathy Wolfe who will become the President CEO of the Emerging Developing Markets group. Samios will report to Diana Nole, CEO, Wolters Kluwer Health. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005636/en/ Wolters Kluwer has named Greg Samios president and CEO of Health Learning, Research Practice. (Photo: Business Wire) Samios is an experienced executive in the health and legal information industries with a 25-year track record of successfully leading content-based businesses in driving transformation and growth. Most recently, he led Wolters Kluwer's Legal Regulatory US business where he transformed the business and returned it to growth by accelerating customer-focused product development and driving operational excellence. Among his accomplishments were the launch of innovative research and workflow products for legal practitioners, law school students, and business and health compliance professionals on a global scale. "As a seasoned leader, Greg will bring great experience to HLRP. He has a very strong background in healthcare information solutions coupled with deep insights into customer needs and industry trends. Greg will be leading our next evolution of delivering expert solutions to our customers, fully benefitting from our investment in advanced technologies," said Diana Nole, CEO of Wolters Kluwer, Health. Samios joined Wolters Kluwer in 2014 from Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions where he served as the President of Health Programs successfully transitioning the company from classroom models to online education, and returning the business to growth. In this role, he rapidly expanded the business's digital product and service offerings, broadened its geographic footprint, and developed its leading digital marketing capabilities. Prior to that, he held senior executive global positions in Reed Elsevier, including President of the medical education and communications division Excerpta Medica, and Senior Vice President of Strategy and Development for Elsevier Health Sciences, where he expanded the company's position in high-growth areas and further advanced its business leadership position. Samios earned an MBA at Duke University and graduated from the University of Rochester with a B.S. and M.S. in Engineering. He is an advisor and mentor to several early stage health information and education businesses and has lectured on healthcare innovation at Duke University. About Wolters Kluwer Wolters Kluwer N.V. (AEX: WKL) is a global provider of professional information, software solutions, and services for physicians, nurses, accountants, lawyers, tax specialists, and finance, audit, compliance, and regulatory sectors. The company provides expert solutions a combination of deep domain knowledge with specialized technology and services that help professionals navigate change, solve complex problems, and deliver impact in their respective fields. Headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands, Wolters Kluwer holds market-leading positions in 40 countries globally, represents customers across 180 countries and employs 18,600 people worldwide. In 2018, it reported annual revenues of 4.3 billion. Wolters Kluwer provides trusted clinical technology and evidence-based solutions that engage clinicians, patients, researchers and students with advanced clinical decision support, learning and research and clinical intelligence. For more information about our solutions, visit http://healthclarity.wolterskluwer.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter @WKHealth. For more information, visit www.wolterskluwer.com, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005636/en/ Contacts: Media Ann Joyal VP of Global Brand Communications Wolters Kluwer Health +1 781.392.3831 Ann.joyal@wolterskluwer.com LONDON, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Roots Analysis has announced the addition of "Companion Diagnostics Market (2nd Edition), 2019-2030" report to its list of offerings. Ishita Nanda and Rohan Mukhopadhyay, the principal analysts, stated, "Given the influx of novel technologies and growing demand for personalized medicine, companion diagnostics have gradually become a necessity for modern pharmacological interventions. Tailored therapies are expected to transform healthcare practices, offering improved treatment outcomes, eliminating adverse reactions and, in a way, reducing cost and time barriers associated with drug development and approval. Currently, over 140 companion diagnostics are available / under development for a range of disease indications." The report presents opinions on several key aspects of the market. Among other elements, it includes: A detailed assessment of the current market landscape of companies offering companion diagnostics, including information on their geographical location, availability to patients, corresponding drug(s) / drug class, affiliated biomarkers, assay technique involved ( in situ hybridization (ISH), immunohistochemistry (IHC), next generation sequencing (NGS), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and others), therapeutic area (oncological disorders, infectious diseases, metabolic disorders, neurological disorders, inflammatory disorders and others) and the type of sample required (tumor tissue, blood, bone marrow and others). It is worth noting that around 87% of the pipeline candidates are being developed for the treatment of oncological indications; of these, more than 35% are being investigated for the treatment of breast and lung cancer. Examples include ( in alphabetical order, no specific selection criteria ) AmoyDx EGFR 29 Mutations Detection Kit, FoundationOne CDx, HER2 FISH pharmDx Kit, PathVysion HER-2 DNA Probe Kit, therascreen EGFR RGQ PCR Kit and VENTANA PD-L1 (SP142) Assay. hybridization (ISH), immunohistochemistry (IHC), next generation sequencing (NGS), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and others), therapeutic area (oncological disorders, infectious diseases, metabolic disorders, neurological disorders, inflammatory disorders and others) and the type of sample required (tumor tissue, blood, bone marrow and others). It is worth noting that around 87% of the pipeline candidates are being developed for the treatment of oncological indications; of these, more than 35% are being investigated for the treatment of breast and lung cancer. Examples include ( ) AmoyDx EGFR 29 Mutations Detection Kit, FoundationOne CDx, HER2 FISH pharmDx Kit, PathVysion HER-2 DNA Probe Kit, therascreen EGFR RGQ PCR Kit and VENTANA PD-L1 (SP142) Assay. Elaborate profiles of developers of companion diagnostics ( shortlisted based on strength of product portfolio ), featuring an overview of the company, its financial information ( if available ) and a detailed description of companion diagnostics available / under development. In addition, each profile includes a list of recent collaborations and the likely strategies that may be adopted by these players to support future growth. ), featuring an overview of the company, its financial information ( ) and a detailed description of companion diagnostics available / under development. In addition, each profile includes a list of recent collaborations and the likely strategies that may be adopted by these players to support future growth. An in-depth brand positioning analysis of leading industry players ( shortlisted based on strength of product portfolio ), highlighting the current perceptions regarding their proprietary brands, taking into consideration several relevant aspects, such as strength of product portfolio, geographical presence / reach, recent collaborations, diversity in therapeutic focus and overall market position. It highlights the key strengths / competitive advantages, including our rationale justifying its position as a competitive entity in the market. ), highlighting the current perceptions regarding their proprietary brands, taking into consideration several relevant aspects, such as strength of product portfolio, geographical presence / reach, recent collaborations, diversity in therapeutic focus and overall market position. It highlights the key strengths / competitive advantages, including our rationale justifying its position as a competitive entity in the market. An analysis of the partnerships and collaborations pertaining to companion diagnostics for the period 2014-2019, featuring a comprehensive set of analyses based on parameters, such as the type of partnership (R&D collaborations, licensing agreements, acquisitions, product development and / or commercialization agreements, manufacturing agreements, clinical trial agreements, and other relevant deals), affiliated biomarkers, therapeutic areas and the most active players. It is worth noting that product development agreement was the most popular type of deal inked in this domain, representing 33% of the total number of collaborations. A comparative analysis of the needs of different stakeholders (drug developers, diagnostic developers, testing laboratories, physicians, payers and patients) that are involved in this domain. The analysis features a qualitative assessment of the current and long-term needs of different stakeholders involved in this domain. It further compares the needs of the drug developers that are involved in development of companion diagnostic tests for their drug molecules, offering a combined perspective on the current and the future scenarios. A discussion on various steps involved in the development of a companion diagnostic test, namely R&D, clinical assessment, manufacturing and assembly, payer negotiation and marketing / sales activities. It also includes and assessment of the cost requirements across each of the aforementioned stages. It is worth mentioning that presently R&D costs are estimated to account for 30-33% of the total expenditure involved in the development of a companion diagnostic. A comprehensive clinical trial analysis of completed, ongoing and planned studies of key biomarkers across different type of therapies and cancer indications. The analysis highlights the key trends associated with these clinical studies across various parameters, such as trial start year, trial status, phase of development, key indications, type of therapy, biomarkers evaluated, enrolled patient population and regional distribution of trials. In the past few years, several organizations, such as ( in alphabetic order ), AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, Novartis emerged as the leading industry sponsors / collaborators that are engaged in clinical research efforts in this domain. ), AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, Novartis emerged as the leading industry sponsors / collaborators that are engaged in clinical research efforts in this domain. A comprehensive market forecast analysis based on the primary growth drivers, disease incidence, adoption of companion diagnostic tests and the likely prices, for the period 2019-2030.The report includes information on the likely distribution of the current and forecasted opportunity across the following segments: Type of therapeutic area (oncological disorders (breast cancer, colorectal cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer and ovarian cancer) and non-oncological disorders (Alzheimer's disease and HIV/AIDs)) Type of techniques used (In situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, next-generation sequencing, and polymerase chain reaction) Key geographical regions ( North America , Europe and Asia Pacific ). Companion diagnostics intended for the treatment of oncological disorders are expected to capture majority of the market share (~80%) by 2030, while those being evaluated for the treatment of neurological disorders are anticipated to grow at a relatively faster rate during the forecast period. Further, North America (primarily the US) and Europe are anticipated to capture the majority share by 2030, in terms of the sales-based revenues. Mukhopadhyay further remarked, "Despite the increasing demand of personalized medicine, the full potential of companion diagnostics continues to remain untapped owing to an array of concerns associated with their development, regulations and affiliated reimbursement policies. It is worth mentioning that various pharma giants have opted to collaborate or acquire diagnostic developers having broad testing portfolios, in order to meet the growing demand in this domain". The research covers detailed profiles and assesses product portfolios of several companies, including (illustrative list, no specific selection criteria): Abbott Agilent Technologies Biocartis bioMerieux Foundation Medicine Guardant Health Illumina Invivoscribe Myriad Genetics NanoString Technologies QIAGEN Roche Thermo Fisher Scientific For additional details, please visit https://rootsanalysis.com/reports/view_document/companion-diagnostics-market-2nd-edition-2019-2030/251.html or email sales@rootsanalysis.com Contact: Gaurav Chaudhary +1(415)800-3415 +44(122)391-1091 Gaurav.Chaudhary@rootsanalysis.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/742223/Roots_Analysis_Logo.jpg Joins industry steering group to help shape and lead coordinated effort to stop new attacks and criminal activity A senior expert from iconectiv one of the world's leading telephone numbering and fraud experts is to join an industry steering group looking to guide the fight against the growing threat of international telecoms fraud. John Haraburda, Principal Solutions Engineer at iconectiv and a recognized industry expert, is joining the International Steering Group of RAG - the global telecoms body that leads the fight against fraud to minimize risk and guarantee revenue assurance. With telecoms fraud on the rise globally the latest figures put the potential annual cost to the global industry at some $30 billion the need to share knowledge and coordinate best practice across the operator community has never been greater. To help coordinate the industry response, the Risk and Assurance Group (RAG) organizes a series of events and conferences that give the operator community the opportunity to gather and hear first-hand the latest trends and experiences from the global frontline. As part of his role within the steering group, John Haraburda will provide input to each of the conference and meeting agendas, and play a key role in some of the discussions at the events. "The work carried out by RAG and within its Steering Group is crucial to the way the global industry is able to respond to the threat of international telecoms fraud," said Haraburda. "Globally the industry has to coordinate activity and fight this problem together. That's the only way to ensure that any weak links in the chain can quickly be spotted and blocked." Haraburda will be speaking at the RAG Conference in Germany and the RAG Conference in Toronto to discuss how to use data intelligence to drive anti-fraud measures. About iconectiv iconectiv provides authoritative numbering intelligence to the global communications industry. Our market-leading solutions enable the interconnection of networks, devices and applications for more than two billion people every day who count on a simple, seamless and secure way to access and exchange information. With 30+ years of experience and more than 5K customers worldwide, iconectiv has intimate knowledge of the intricacies and complexities in creating, operating and securing the communications infrastructure for service providers, regulators and enterprises. Our solutions span network and operations management, numbering, registries and fraud prevention. For more information, visit www.iconectiv.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005341/en/ Contacts: Sharon Oddy iconectiv +1-732-699-5130/908-809-2268 soddy@iconectiv.com Casey Bush/Kyle Loomis Global Results Communications +1-949-689-9550 iconectiv@globalresultspr.com Finthesize will resell Trintech's Adra Suite to help organizations in Japan simplify and accelerate the financial close process DALLAS, TX and TOKYO, JAPAN / ACCESSWIRE / May 29, 2019 / Trintech, a pioneer and leading provider of Financial Corporate Performance Management (FCPM) software, and Finthesize, a Japanese IT solution provider that specializes in solving the challenges within the office of finance, today announced they have entered into an exclusive reseller partnership for Japan. Under the terms of the new agreement, Finthesize will have the ability to resell Trintech's Adra Suite to businesses in Japan looking to simplify and accelerate their financial close process by streamlining work, improving accuracy and reducing risk. "There is a vast market opportunity in Japan for a solution to help companies simplify and streamline critical processes in the financial close," said Darren Heffernan, President, Mid-Market at Trintech. "As we continue to expand our global presence, we are committed to providing Japanese companies with a proven software solution coupled with the local presence and resource base of a Japanese company capable of providing immediate value to customers." Currently deployed by over 1,800 companies across the globe, the Adra Suite provides cloud-based, financial close and reconciliation solutions for mid-sized companies looking to quickly increase the efficiency, control and visibility of their financial close process through: balance sheet reconciliation (Adra Balancer), financial transaction matching (Adra Matcher), and financial close management and controls (Adra Task Manager). "We are excited to offer Trintech's Adra Suite to help Japanese companies streamline the financial close process by replacing manual, error-prone processes with a proven solution," said Hiroyuki Oyama, Chief Executive Officer at Finthesize. In addition, Adra and Finthesize will be doing a Financial Roadshow in Tokyo and Osaka in late July. Finthesize will provide its professional service and support for the Adra Suite to deliver a complete solution and immediate value to the rapidly growing Japanese market. If you are interested in learning more about how the Adra Suite can simplify your financial close process, please contact us. About Finthesize Finthesize Inc. partners with best-in-class software companies to provide technology solutions, consulting services and system implementation support for Japanese companies looking to solve challenges within their office of finance. Finthesize is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, and supports all surrounding areas. To learn more about Finthesize, visit finthesize.com. About Trintech Trintech Inc., a pioneer of Financial Corporate Performance Management (FCPM) software, combines unmatched technical and financial expertise to create innovative, cloud-based software solutions that deliver world-class financial operations and insights. From high volume transaction matching and streamlining daily operational reconciliations, to automating and managing balance sheet reconciliations, intercompany accounting, journal entries, disclosure and fiduciary reporting and bank fee analysis, to governance, risk and compliance - Trintech's portfolio of financial solutions, including the Cadency Platform, the Adra Suite, and targeted tools, Trintech Disclosure Management, ReconNET, T-Recs, and UPCS, help manage all aspects of the financial close process. Over 3,500 clients worldwide - including the majority of the Fortune 100 - rely on the company's cloud-based software to continuously improve the efficiency, reliability, and strategic insights of their financial operations. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Trintech has offices located across the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and the Nordics, as well as strategic partners in South Africa, Latin America and Asia Pacific. To learn more about Trintech, visit www.trintech.com or connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Media Contact: Kelli Shoevlin 1 (972) 739-1680 Kelli.Shoevlin@trintech.com SOURCE: Trintech View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/546836/Trintech-and-Finthesize-Partner-to-Deliver-Financial-Close-and-Reconciliation-Solutions-in-Japan The "The FDA Drug Approval Process" conference has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. A comprehensive overview of FDA procedures, requirements for marketing authorisations and recent developments affecting the drug approval process in the US. This course is designed to help you gain a better understanding of the US drug approval process. You will gain a practical insight into FDA requirements for submission of NDAs, ANDAs and 505(b)(2). It will also cover the organisation and structure of the FDA and review processes, as well as discuss recent changes. The course will emphasise areas of interest to innovative manufacturers, but will also deal with issues relating to generic and over-the-counter drugs. Benefits of attending: Gain an overview of FDA drug development regulatory requirements Comply with FDA requirements for NDAs, ANDAs and 505(b)(2) Discuss recent changes and developments Improve your communication and interactions with the FDA Who Should Attend: This programme will be especially beneficial to those responsible for preparing US registration documents (INDs, NDAs, Biologics License Applications, etc), regulatory affairs personnel, lawyers and others responsible for advising companies on strategies for developing new drugs for the US market. Agenda: Programme Day one An overview of the US FDA Drug development regulatory requirements for FDA Overview of INDs Data requirements for drug substance and drug product Pre-clinical testing and clinical testing The different phases of development Drug development regulatory requirements for FDA (continued) Overview of the IND application and the data requirements IND structure Submission procedure IND review FDA actions Maintenance of INDs Structure and content of STED Technical file vs design dossier Identifying recent changes Examining accelerated review and breakthrough status Paediatric legislation Financial disclosure Clinical trial transparency Exclusivity and patent declaration Workshop: Optimising your meetings An overview of the different types of FDA meetings Create a best practice guide for FDA meetings Programme Day two Identifying the NDA types and categories What is a full NDA? 505(b)(2) applications CTD requirements FDA approach to CTD format Review approach Biologics and biosimilars (BLA) Review of ANDA/NDA Understanding ANDA classification Examining paragraph I-IV Overview of GDUFA US change control amendments NDA/ANDA amendments SUPAC/BACPAC guidance Annual reports/CBE and PAS applications NDA annual report requirements Obtaining information from the FDA Access to Federal Register FOIA FDA homepage Final discussion and review of day Speakers: Andrew Willis Consultant Independent Andrew Willis is an independent consultant providing expert advice and training on global regulatory solutions and pharmaceutical development. Previously, he worked for Catalent Pharma Solutions as VP Regulatory Affairs Consulting Services. Catalent is the world's leading contract manufacturer and distributor of pharmaceuticals, and he was head of a team of internal and external regulatory affairs consultants. He qualified as a Chemist from the University of Glamorgan, after which he furthered his understanding of pharmaceutical development, working as a research chemist with Parke Davis. He has 10 years' manufacturing and analytical experience prior to entering regulatory affairs as a Senior Executive Officer with responsibility for submission of European MAAs and project management of development programs. He currently has a total of 28 years' pharmaceutical experience with extensive knowledge in the development and manufacture of sterile, solid oral, inhalation, topical and biotech pharmaceutical products. These experiences have allowed knowledge of many Biotech products requirements with experiences of growth hormones and multiple cancer treatments, including development and clinical registration of the first genetically modified live bacterium for such treatment. He has extensive experience of major European and US regulatory projects, in the clinical and marketing authorisation stages, and has significant experience in coordinating and managing meetings with European and US Health Authorities. Specific experience includes the project management of a large MAA requiring full clinical data, followed by Mutual Recognition of the application in all of the European Concerned Member States. The project recorded successful outcomes in all major markets (26 countries) and was viewed as highly successful by the client, meeting very stringent project timings. For more information about this conference visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/7g6cqr View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005710/en/ Contacts: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 Related Topics: Drug Discovery Providers in Latest VSG Research Noted as the Best Choice for Delivering Large Scale, Complex and Resilient SD-WAN Services End-to-End Aryaka, the global leader in managed SD-WAN, today announced it has been named to Vertical Systems Group 2018 U.S. Carrier Managed SD-WAN Services LEADERBOARD. The eight companies included on the LEADERBOARD had the highest market shares of installed Carrier Managed SD-WAN customer sites in the U.S. as of year-end 2018. Vertical Systems Group defines a Carrier Managed SD-WAN Service as a carrier-grade offering for business customers that is managed by a network operator, utilizes an SDN architecture, enables dynamic customer edge site connectivity and provides centralized network control and visibility end-to-end. This definition aligns with MEF terminology for an SD-WAN service. Rick Malone, principal of Vertical Systems Group said, "Providers in the Carrier Managed segment of the SD-WAN market have emerged as the best choice for delivering large scale, complex and resilient SD-WAN services end-to-end." According to Vertical Systems Group, the eight companies included in the 2018 U.S. Carrier Managed SD-WAN Services LEADERBOARD address the rapidly changing networking requirements of enterprise and large business customers worldwide. The company's latest Vertical BLOG, Managed SD-WAN Services Reality Check, says that the four interrelated Cs Cost, Cloud, Connectivity and Control are what's driving customer migration to SD-WAN services. "We are honored to be named to the Vertical Systems Group Leaderboard for Carrier Managed SD-WAN service. It is a great validation of the unique value that Aryaka brings with its highly innovative technology stack and its global network. We believe the best way for global enterprises to accelerate WAN transformation is to consume their WAN as a fully managed global service, in much the same way as they experience SaaS applications and infrastructure-as-service cloud providers," said Shashi Kiran, Chief Marketing Officer at Aryaka. In the past six months, Aryaka has made major business strides. Earlier this month, the company announced it has closed a $50 million Series F round of funding led by Goldman Sachs Private Capital Investing. And the company's momentum has translated into numerous high-profile customer wins. To name a few, in the last few months, the company announced it has become a strategic service provider to HMSHost International, part of Autogrill S.p.A., the world's largest global operator of food and beverage outlets at airports, train and service stations. Pilot Freight Services, a transportation and logistics company and the largest privately held U.S. freight forwarder, selected Aryaka for their SD-WAN as the company embarked on their digital transformation. Makino, a global leader in metal-cutting and manufacturing technology, selected Aryaka's SD-WAN as-a-Service to respond to customers faster and enable their cloud migration. And Element Solutions Inc., a global, diversified producer of high technology specialty chemical products and provider of technical services, selected Aryaka's managed SD-WAN to consolidate its global infrastructure of 200+ sites. For more on Aryaka, please visit: https://www.aryaka.com/ Visit the Aryaka blog: https://www.aryaka.com/blog/ Follow Aryaka on Twitter: @AryakaNetworks Visit Aryaka on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aryaka-networks/ About Aryaka Aryaka is a world leader in accelerating WAN transformation for global enterprises. With over 800+ enterprise customers, and growing rapidly, Aryaka is the industry benchmark for managed SD-WAN solutions. Aryaka's highly integrated offering brings together a global network with a highly innovative technology stack for WAN optimization, security and cloud services, all delivered as a managed service. About Vertical Systems Group Vertical Systems Group is recognized worldwide as a leading market research and strategic consulting firm specializing in defensible quantification of the networking industry. For more information see www.verticalsystems.com and Twitter @VerticalSys. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005721/en/ Contacts: US Aryaka Media Contact: Liam Collopy Executive Vice President Harden Communications Partners Ph: 510-488-2472 Lcollopy@hardenpartners.com UK Aryaka Media Contact: Elliot Harrison Account Director, Head of Digital Positive Marketing Ph: +44 (0)20 3637 0649 M: +44 (0)7763 683 055 E: eharrison@positivemarketing.com In the leadup to the books conclusion, he comments at length on the disincentives for media companies to do the kind of long-form investigative reporting that may have finally wounded Kellys image in 2017, eventually leading to the Lifetime documentary Surviving R. Kelly and a new wave of legal scrutiny culminating in February with charges on 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. DeRogatis describes the series of mergers and acquisitions that changed how he worked at the Chicago Sun-Times. It is a microcosm of the financial plays being had across media companies. And investors do not like to buy companies that might be hit with lawsuits or negative publicity as fallout from a controversial story, no matter how socially important the story may be. It is a sympathetic case, but it should be noted that it was not a traditional publication that ran DeRogatis final series the one that captured the zeitgeist the way his early reporting on Kelly never did. After three other outlets passed on publishing the 2017 article he wrote about R. Kellys cult, the digital publisher Buzzfeed under the editorial auspices of a black woman editor, Shani O. Hilton was the one to publish the expose. The real story may be that diversity in leadership might save journalisms soul if not fix its bottom line. Disruption is complicated. Regulatory News: The Remy Cointreau Group (Paris:RCO) announces having entered into exclusive negotiations with the Brillet family with the intention of acquiring the Maison de Cognac JR Brillet and part of its vineyard estate. Since the beginning of the Brillet family's history in the 17th century, Maison JR Brillet has built up a vineyard estate and a stock of eaux-de-vie that enables it to produce high-end products. The acquisition of Maison JR Brillet will represent, for Remy Cointreau, the opportunity to integrate spirits with genuine development potential into its portfolio and to increase, over time, the value of an inventory of eaux-de-vie and vineyards of the highest quality. The signing of the deeds of acquisition, which remains subject to the administrative procedures provided for by the regulations in force, should take place in fall 2019. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005682/en/ Contacts: Laetitia Delaye +33 7 87 25 36 01 Infiniti Research, a market intelligence solutions provider, has recently announced the completion of their latest customer experience management strategy for a CPG company. During the course of this engagement, the experts at Infiniti Research helped the client to enhance customer experience and retention. Also, the study highlights how our experts identified the shortcomings of the company in meeting customer demands and helped them develop strategic business plans. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005753/en/ Customer experience management strategy for a CPG company (Graphic: Business Wire) With the ongoing transformations in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, CPG companies are facing huge predicaments in efficiently meeting the needs and demands of their customers. In addition, the entry of new players in the market has made it even more difficult for CPG companies to competitively price their products. In this context, it becomes important for CPG companies to incorporate new approaches to enhance customer experience and engage with customers. Infiniti's customer experience management solutions have helped various CPG giants to improve customer loyalty and reduce the customer attrition rate. Engaging constantly with customers and assessing changes in customer expectations has become vital for CPG companies to stay relevant in today's competitive marketplace. Request a free brochure to gain more insights into our services portfolio and know how our customer experience management strategy will help you tackle all the customer experience management challenges. The business challenge: The client is a CPG company based out of North America. The client's unstructured approach to engaging with the target customer segment resulted in a steep decline in their market share. Also, they were facing difficulties in attracting new customers to their brand. With this, the company witnessed an increase in the churn rate by 11%. With Infiniti's customer experience management solution, they wanted to reverse the decline in their market share and enhance CX. Employing a customer experience management strategy will help companies recognize factors that improve customer loyalty and identify best practices to reduce customer attrition. Request a free proposal to know how. The solution offeredThe experts at Infiniti Research followed a 4-phase approach to customer experience management. With Infiniti's customer experience management strategy, the client was able to identify complexities related with their customer journey. Also, they were able to identify the shortcomings of the company in meeting the demands of their customers. This subsequently helped the client make changes in their business strategies and personalize their product offerings. Furthermore, with Infiniti's solution, they were able to enhance customer experience by 2X and reduce the attrition rate. Infiniti's customer experience management strategy helped the client to: Enhance customer retention rate by 17% Gain deeper insights into the customer journeys Wondering how your business can benefit from our customer experience management strategy? Request more information from our experts! Infiniti's customer experience management strategy offered predictive insights on: Achieving cost savings and enhancing profit margins Fine-tuning their strategies and ensuring a better customer experience Interested in achieving high growth for your business? Get in touch with us to know how our customer experience management strategy can help. About Infiniti Research Established in 2003, Infiniti Research is a leading market intelligence company providing smart solutions to address your business challenges. Infiniti Research studies markets in more than 100 countries to help analyze competitive activity, see beyond market disruptions, and develop intelligent business strategies. To know more, visit: https://www.infinitiresearch.com/about-us View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005753/en/ Contacts: Infiniti Research Anirban Choudhury Marketing Manager US: +1 844 778 0600 UK: +44 203 893 3400 https://www.infinitiresearch.com/contact-us Regulatory News: Legrand (Paris:LR) is the global specialist in electrical and digital building infrastructures. Its comprehensive offering of solutions for commercial, industrial and residential markets makes it a benchmark for customers worldwide. Drawing on an approach that involves all teams and stakeholders, Legrand is pursuing its strategy of profitable and sustainable growth driven by acquisitions and innovation, with a steady flow of new offerings-including Eliot* connected products with enhanced value in use. Legrand reported sales of close to 6 billion in 2018. The company is listed on Euronext Paris and is notably a component stock of the CAC 40 index. (code ISIN FR0010307819) https://www.legrand.com The Board of Directors of Legrand ("the Company") met on May 29, 2019 and agreed to set up a share buyback program as authorized by shareholders at the Ordinary and Extraordinary General Meeting held the same day. Established in accordance with articles 241-1 and following of the General Regulation of the French Financial Markets Authority (Autorite des Marches Financiers),this description is drawn up for the purpose of setting out the objectives and terms of Legrand's share buyback program set up by the Board of Directors of Legrand met on May 29, 2019 ("the Share Buyback Program"), pursuant to the authorization granted by the above-mentioned General Meeting of Shareholders. I.Number of shares and percentage of capital stock held by the Company On May 24, 2019, the Company's capital stock consisted of 267,138,429 shares. At the same date, the Company held 683,763 of its own shares. II. Allocation by purpose of own shares held by the Company On May 24, 2019, the 683,763 own shares held by the Company were allocated by purpose as follows: 78,635 shares under a contract to ensure liquidity of trading in shares in accordance with the Charter of Professional Ethics recognized by the French Financial Markets Authority ( Autorite des Marches Financiers ) through an investment service provider acting independently; ) through an investment service provider acting independently; 340,128 shares allocated for implementation of performance share plans under the provisions of articles L. 225-197-1 and following of the French Commercial Code; and 265,000 shares to be cancelled. III. Purposes of the new Share Buyback Program Legrand envisages conducting or arranging for a share buyback for the purposes of: ensuring the liquidity and active operation of the market in Company shares by the intermediary of an investment services provider, acting independently under a liquidity contract in compliance with applicable regulations; implementing (i) any and all Company stock options plans in accordance with articles L.225-177 et seq . of the French Commercial Code or any similar plan; (ii) any and all Group employee share-ownership programs in accordance with articles L.3332-1 et seq. of the French Labour Code ( Code du travail ) or to provide for share allocations for employee profit-sharing and/or in lieu of discount according to applicable laws and regulations; (iii) any and all free share allocations pursuant to articles L.225-197-1 et seq . of the French Commercial Code, and any and all share allocations for employee profit-sharing, as well as providing hedging for such transactions at such times as the Board of Directors or the person acting on its behalf takes action, (iv) any allocation of shares to employees and/or corporate officers of the Company and/or the Group, according to applicable laws and regulations; . of the French Commercial Code or any similar plan; (ii) any and all Group employee share-ownership programs in accordance with articles L.3332-1 et seq. of the French Labour Code ( ) or to provide for share allocations for employee profit-sharing and/or in lieu of discount according to applicable laws and regulations; (iii) any and all free share allocations pursuant to articles L.225-197-1 . of the French Commercial Code, and any and all share allocations for employee profit-sharing, as well as providing hedging for such transactions at such times as the Board of Directors or the person acting on its behalf takes action, (iv) any allocation of shares to employees and/or corporate officers of the Company and/or the Group, according to applicable laws and regulations; holding and subsequently transferring shares by way of exchange or payment relating to a business acquisition, merger, demerger, or transfer of assets, it being stipulated that the number of shares acquired by the Company with a view to holding these and employing them at a later date as payment for or in exchange for a merger, demerger or transfer of assets may not exceed 5% of the Company's capital stock; delivering shares on the exercise of rights attached to securities providing immediate or future access to the equity of the Company, through redemption, conversion, exchange, presentation of a warrant, or in any other way; cancelling all or some of the shares thus purchased; or carrying out such other practices as may be permitted or recognized by law or by the French Financial Market Authority (Autorite des marches financiers), or pursuing any other objective complying with applicable laws and regulations. IV. Limit on the percentage of capital stock that may be acquired and maximum number of shares that may be purchased pursuant to the Share Buyback Program, types of securities that may be acquired under the Share Buyback Program, maximum price and terms of purchase 1. Maximum percentage of capital stock that the Company may acquire and maximum number of shares that may be purchased pursuant to the Share Buyback Program The limit on the portion of capital stock that is authorized for purchase under the Share Buyback Program is 10% of the total number of shares representing the capital stock at the date of the Combined Ordinary and Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders held on May 29, 2019, with the proviso that, when shares are bought to ensure the market liquidity of Legrand shares under the conditions described above, the number taken into account for the calculation of this limit of 10%will be the number of shares bought less the number of shares resold during the term of the Share Buyback Program. As provided under articles L. 225-209 and following of the French Commercial Code, the Company may not at any time hold, directly or indirectly, Legrand shares representing more than 10% of the total number of shares making up Legrand's capital stock at that time. 2. Types of securities that may be acquired under the Share Buyback Program The only securities that may be acquired under this program are Legrand shares. The shares purchased and held by the Company will be deprived of voting rights and will carry no entitlement to payment of a dividend. 3. Maximum authorized unit purchase price The maximum price that the Company may pay for shares purchased under the Share Buyback Program is 90 per share (excluding acquisition expenses) or the equivalent value of this amount in any other currency or currency unit established with reference to several currencies on the same date, it being noted that this price will be adjusted as necessary to reflect capital transactions, in particular incorporation of reserves or free share allocations and/or share splits or reverse splits. The maximum amount allowed for the implementation of the Share Buyback Program is 1 billion (or the equivalent value of this amount in any other currency or currency unit established with reference to several currencies on the same date). 4. Terms of purchase Shares may be purchased, sold, transferred or exchanged, directly or indirectly, in particular by any third party acting on behalf of the Company at any time within the limits authorized by laws and regulations, except at such times as Company shares may be the object of a tender offer, in one or more instalments, by any means, on or off any market, including via systematic internalisers or through OTC transactions, trading in blocks of shares or public tender offers, or through the use of any financial instruments or derivatives, including option-based mechanisms such as purchases and sales of put and call options or by delivery of shares arising from the issuance of securities giving access to the Company's capital by conversion, exchange, redemption, presentation of a warrant or any other means, either directly or indirectly through an investment service provider. V.Duration of the Share Buyback Program The Share Buyback Program is to be implemented for a period of eighteen months from the authorization granted by the Combined Ordinary and Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders on May 29, 2019, which is to say up to November 29, 2020 at the latest. VI. Investment service provider Implementation of the Share Buyback Program The Company will appoint an investment service provider acting independently to assist it in implementing the Share Buyback Program. Liquidity contract Under a contract signed on May 29, 2007 as subsequently amended, Legrand charged Kepler Cheuvreux with providing for the liquidity of Legrand shares and ensuring more regular trading. This contract complies with the Charter of Professional Ethics drawn up by AMAFI (French financial markets association) on March 8, 2011. The total amount of this liquidity contract is currently 15 million. VII. Transactions made under the previous share buyback program Meeting on May 30, 2018, shareholders at the Combined Ordinary and Extraordinary General Meeting authorized the Board of Directors to implement, or have implemented by delegation, a share buyback program for a period of eighteen months. A detailed description of the program implemented by the Board of Directors on May 30, 2018 within the framework of the authorization mentioned above is published on the Company's website. The Company made no use of derivative products. During the Share Buyback Program, any significant change in any of the information set forth above will be brought to the attention of the public as soon as possible in compliance with the provisions of article 221-3 of the General Regulations of the France's Financial Markets Authority (Autorite des marches financiers A French societe anonyme with capital of EUR 1,067,780,596 Registered at 128, avenue du Marechal de Lattre de Tassigny 87000 Limoges, France 421 259 615 RCS Limoges View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005042/en/ Contacts: Legrand Summary Regulatory News: The Combined Ordinary and Extraordinary General Meeting of Legrand (Paris:LR) Shareholders was held on May 29, 2019, chaired by Mr. Gilles Schnepp, Chairman of the Board. I. Key outcomes of the votes of the Combined Ordinary and Extraordinary General Meeting All resolutions submitted to shareholders by the Board of Directors were approved by a large majority In particular, the General Meeting of Shareholders agreed to: renew, for a period of four years, the Director's term of Eliane Rouyer-Chevalier , who also chairs the Audit Committee and is a member of the Compensation Committee; , who also chairs the Audit Committee and is a member of the Compensation Committee; appoint Michel Landel as an independent Director for a four-year term, noting that the Board of Directors held on this day and acting on the recommendation of the Nominations and Governance Committee, appointed Mr. Landel as a member of the Nominations and Governance Committee. As a result, among a total of eleven members (including one representing employees), the Board of Directors is composed of: eight independent directors , i.e. 80% 1 of the total number, which exceeds the minimum ratio of 50% recommended by the Afep-Medef Code of Corporate Governance; , i.e. 80% of the total number, which exceeds the minimum ratio of 50% recommended by the Afep-Medef Code of Corporate Governance; five women , i.e., a proportion of 50% 1 , which exceeds the minimum ratio of 40% stated in the provisions of the French Commercial Code; , i.e., a proportion of 50% , which exceeds the minimum ratio of 40% stated in the provisions of the French Commercial Code; five nationalities: American, French, German, Italian and Spanish; The Board of Directors, with varied and complementary skills thus offers a composition in line with best practices. The General Meeting of Shareholders also approved the distribution of a 1.34 per-share dividend in respect of 2018 (compared with 1.26 in respect of 2017). Based on the number of shares outstanding at April 30, 2019, this distribution will be effected under the same conditions as that in respect of the previous year by deducting from: on the one hand, distributable income in an amount of 0.792 per share, and - on the other hand, the "issue premium" account in an amount of 0.552 per share. Shares will go ex-dividend on June 3, 2019, and dividends will be paid on June 5, 2019. II. A robust sustainable and profitable growth model During the General Meeting, Benoit Coquart, Chief Executive Officer, presented Legrand's value-creating development model, based on solid fundamentals (robust market positions; recognized financial discipline; efficient industrial organization structures; a comprehensive, high-quality offering; and a broad accessible market powered by buoyant social and technological megatrends). This model generates profitable, sustainable growth that creates value, equitably distributed among all Legrand stakeholders. Benoit Coquart then pointed out how Legrand has strengthened its profile of profitable, sustainable growth by (i) stepping up its strategic Eliot program, in particular by acquiring Netatmo; (ii) pursuing multiple organic growth initiatives; (iii) continuing to fuel its acquisitions momentum; (iv) optimizing performance, in particular by deploying the Legrand Way program1 and digitalizing targeted areas of operations; and, finally, (v) launching its fourth CSR2 roadmap. Franck Lemery, Chief Financial Officer, then presented (i) the Group's 2018 integrated performance, which fully met both financial and CSR2 targets, as well as (ii) the Group's financial performance in the first quarter of 2019. Benoit Coquart concluded by presenting shareholder value creation. Angeles Garcia-Poveda, Lead Director and Chairwoman of the Nominations and Governance Committee, then presented changes in the membership of the Board of Directors. Angeles Garcia-Poveda then, proceeded to comment the activities of the Board and its specialized committees, as well as the assessment process of the functioning of the Board of Directors. Angeles Garcia-Poveda, who also chairs the Compensation Committee, reviewed the resolutions on compensation of company officers submitted to shareholders for their approval: (i) components of compensation paid to Gilles Schnepp and Benoit Coquart in respect of 2018, and (ii) compensation policy in respect of 2019 for the Chairman of the Board of Directors and the Chief Executive Officer, by virtue of their offices. She also discussed the rules for distributing the attendance fees allocated to Directors. All presentations made at the Combined Ordinary and Extraordinary General Meeting, results of votes, and a webcast of the entire meeting are available on the Legrand website: www.legrand.com under "INVESTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS Shareholders' meetings 2019 General Meeting". Key financial dates: Ex-dividend date: June 3, 2019 Dividend payment date: June 5, 2019 Investor Day: June 12, 2019 2019 first-half results: July 30, 2019 Quiet period1 begins on June 30, 2019 2019 nine-month results: November 7, 2019 Quiet period1 begins on October 8, 2019 ABOUT LEGRAND Legrand is the global specialist in electrical and digital building infrastructures. Its comprehensive offering of solutions for commercial, industrial and residential markets makes it a benchmark for customers worldwide. Drawing on an approach that involves all teams and stakeholders, Legrand is pursuing its strategy of profitable and sustainable growth driven by acquisitions and innovation, with a steady flow of new offerings-including Eliot* connected products with enhanced value in use. Legrand reported sales of close to 6 billion in 2018. The company is listed on Euronext Paris and is notably a component stock of the CAC 40 index. (code ISIN FR0010307819) https://www.legrand.com *Eliot is a program launched in 2015 by Legrand to speed up deployment of the Internet of Things in its offering. A result of the group's innovation strategy, Eliot aims to develop connected, interoperable solutions that deliver lasting benefits to private individual users and professionals. www.legrand.com/fr/le-groupe/eliot-programme-objets-connectes 1 The Director representing employees on the Company's Board of Directors is not included (i) in keeping with the recommendations of the Afep-Medef recommendations of the Code of Corporate Governance, in calculating the percentage of independent Directors on the Board of Directors (ii) in keeping with legal provisions, in calculating the minimum ratio of Directors of the same sex. 2 Indicative split released for informative purposes only and likely to be amended, depending on the change in number of shares entitling their holders to the distribution by the payment date. 1 Legrand's operating excellence best practice implementation program. 2 Corporate Social Responsibility. 1 Period of time when all communication is suspended in the run-up to publication of results. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005600/en/ Contacts: Financial communications Legrand Francois Poisson Tel: +33 (0)1 49 72 53 53 francois.poisson@legrand.fr Press Publicis Consultants Vilizara Lazarova Tel: +33 (0)1 44 82 46 34 Mob: +33 (0)6 26 72 57 14 vilizara.lazarova@consultants.publicis.fr More stringent IPCC guidelines include accounting for CF 4 by-product formation and emissions. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the United Nations' body for assessing the science related to climate change, has just released the latest refinement to its 2006 Guidelines. As part of an effort to tackle climate change, the refined regulations tighten control on new greenhouse gases used in semiconductor manufacturing and increase requirements for reporting and accountability for manufacturers. "The IPCC has recognised that there is a gap between the amount of greenhouse gas measured in the atmosphere and the amount calculated from the inventory of known sources of emission," said Prof. Mike Czerniak, Visiting Industrial Professor, Bristol University, and Environmental Solutions Business Development Manager, Edwards. "The gap is of particular concern for gases such as perfluoro compounds (PFCs), which not only have extraordinarily high global warming potentials (GWP) but also extremely long lifetimes in the atmosphere, as long as 50,000 years." Two new mechanisms for PFC formation during semiconductor manufacturing have been identified and emission factors have been added to the latest IPCC refinement: 1) CF 4 formation when cleaning chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber deposits. 2) CF 4 formation by reaction of fluorine with hydrocarbon fuel in combustion-based abatement in systems that mix the fuel and process chamber effluent. "For the first time ever, there is a new emission factor for combustion-based abatement of fluorine direct accountability is now required, in the form of a data-backed certification from the equipment manufacturer that the reaction is minimised," said Prof. Czerniak. "PFC formation can be minimised by appropriate combustor design." Edwards' inward-fired combustor avoids the mixing of chamber exhaust and fuel that, in other designs, can lead to the production of PFCs where they did not exist in the original exhaust stream. The lower, more uniform temperature profile of the inward-fired combustor ensures a high destruction removal efficiency (DRE), with low NOx generation. Inward-fired combustors have been standard on Edwards' abatement systems since the company started developing them in the 1990s. Visit Edwards (booth #750) during SEMICON West to learn more about the latest IPCC guidelines and best practices for reducing greenhouse gases. SEMICON West takes place July 9-11, 2019, in San Francisco, Calif. Further information about Edwards can be found at www.edwardsvacuum.com. About Edwards Edwards is celebrating its 100-year birthday in 2019. The founder, FD Edwards, began by providing vacuum equipment from a small office in South London; 100 years later Edwards has over 6,000 employees worldwide engaged in the design, manufacture and support of high technology vacuum and exhaust management equipment. Edwards' innovations are integral to manufacturing processes for semiconductors, flat panel displays, LEDs and solar cells. They are also used within an increasingly diverse range of industrial processes including power, glass and other coating applications; steel and other metallurgy; pharmaceutical and chemical; and for scientific instruments in a wide range of R&D applications. Edwards has state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Europe, Asia and North America. About the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) The IPCC is the scientific organization supporting the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Organized by the United Nations and the World Meteorological Organization, the IPCC's reports provide the scientific underpinnings for the international climate negotiations that led to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol and the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change. The IPCC reviews the state of the science of climate change every 5-7 years. For more information, visit https://www.ipcc.ch. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005440/en/ Contacts: Company Contact: Rebecca Walder +44 (0) 1293 603103 rebecca.walder@edwardsvacuum.com Agency Contact: Sandy Fewkes 408.529.9685 sandy@mind-write.com BALTIMORE, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center say they have developed a simple, new blood test that can detect the presence of seven different types of cancer by spotting unique patterns in the fragmentation of DNA shed from cancer cells and circulating in the blood stream. In an early proof-of-concept study, the test, called DELFI (DNA evaluation of fragments for early interception), accurately detected the presence of cancer DNA in 57% to more than 99% of blood samples from 208 patients with various stages of breast, colorectal, lung, ovarian, pancreatic, gastric, or bile duct cancers in the U.S., Denmark and the Netherlands. DELFI also performed well in tests of blood samples from 215 healthy individuals, falsely identifying cancer in just four cases. The test uses machine learning, a type of artificial intelligence, to identify abnormal patterns of DNA fragments in the blood of patients with cancer. By studying these patterns, the investigators identified the cancers' tissue of origin in up to 75% of cases. A report on the research published in the journal Nature. Blood tests, or so-called "liquid biopsies" for cancer detection typically look for mutations, or changes in the DNA sequence within a cancer cell, or for methylation, a chemical reaction in which a methyl group is added to DNA, says senior study author Victor E. Velculescu, M.D., Ph.D., professor of oncology and co-director of the Cancer Biology Program at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center. But not all cancer patients have changes that are detectable using these methods and there is a great need for improved methods for early detection of cancer's genetic markers. DELFI, he says, takes a different approach, studying the way DNA is packaged inside the nucleus of a cancer cell. It does so by looking in the blood at the size and amount of DNA from different regions across the genome for clues to that packaging. Alessandro Leal, M.D., a Ph.D. candidate at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, explains that the nuclei of healthy cells package DNA like a well-organized suitcase in which similar items are loaded together in separate sections. By contrast, the nuclei of cancer cells are more like disorganized suitcases, with items from across the genome thrown in haphazardly. "For various reasons, a cancer genome is disorganized in the way it's packaged, which means that when cancer cells die they release their DNA in a chaotic manner into the bloodstream," says Jillian Phallen, Ph.D., a Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center postdoctoral fellow. By examining this cell-free DNA (cfDNA), the DELFI test helps identify the presence of cancer by detecting abnormalities in the size and amount of DNA in different regions of the genome based on how it is packaged." The researchers caution that the test's potential must be further validated in additional studies, but if that happens it could be used to screen for cancer by taking a tube of blood from an individual, extracting the cfDNA, studying its genetic sequences, and determining the fragmentation profile of the cfDNA. The genome-wide fragmentation pattern from an individual can then be compared to "reference populations" with known cancer types to determine if the pattern is likely healthy or derived from cancer. Robert B. Scharpf, Ph.D., associate professor of oncology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, says that because the genome-wide profile may reveal differences associated with specific tissues, these patterns, if found to be derived from cancer, can also indicate the source of the cancer, such as from the pancreas, breast, etc. DELFI simultaneously analyzes millions of sequences from hundreds to thousands of regions in the genome, identifying tumor-specific abnormalities from minute cfDNA amounts, says Scharpf. Using the DELFI test, investigators found that genome-wide cfDNA fragmentation profiles are different between cancer patients and healthy individuals. In cancer patients, fragmentation patterns in cfDNA appear to result from mixtures of DNA released from both blood and tumor cells, and show multiple distinct genomic differences with increases and decreases in fragment sizes at different regions. DELFI detected cancer in 73% of cancer patients overall, while misclassifying four of 215 healthy individuals (98% specificity). The test also was found to be 61%-75% accurate in identifying the tissue of origin of the cfDNA, compared to current mutation-based cfDNA analyses. When both of these approaches were combined, investigators said they could accurately detect 91% of cancer patients. The team is in the process of scaling up their analyses to study DELFI's ability in thousands of samples. "We're extremely encouraged about the potential of DELFI because it looks at a completely independent set of cancer DNA characteristics from those that have posed difficulties over the years," Velculescu says. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/893662/DELFI_picture.jpg LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / May 29, 2019 / SinglePoint Inc. (OTCQB: SING) is pleased to announce presenting at the 9th annual LD Micro Invitational on Wednesday, June 5th at 11:40 AM PST/ 2:40 AM EST at the Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel in Los Angeles, CA. SinglePoint President Wil Ralston and CEO Greg Lambrecht will be presenting, as well as meeting with investors. Watch SinglePoints Introduction to Latest Acquisition Direct Solar VIDEO - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idGdjEv4w8k "This year's Invitational will showcase some of the most unique names in the financial world, from early-stage start-ups to well-established names on the national exchanges" stated Chris Lahiji, "Even though LD has emerged as one of the largest and most influential organizations in the space, our focus has never deviated from showcasing some of the more interesting businesses in the world to our ever growing community." The LD Micro Invitational will take place June 4th and 5th in Los Angeles, at the Luxe Sunset Bel Air Hotel, will feature 230 companies, and will be attended by over 1,000 individuals. View SinglePoints profile here: https://www.ldmicro.com/profile/SING Profiles powered by LD Micro - News Compliments of Accesswire About SinglePoint, Inc. SinglePoint, Inc (SING) is a technology and investment company with a focus on acquiring companies that will benefit from the injection of growth capital and technology integration. The company portfolio includes mobile payments, ancillary cannabis services and blockchain solutions. Through acquisitions into horizontal markets, SinglePoint is building its portfolio by acquiring an interest in undervalued companies, thereby providing a rich, diversified holding base. Through SingleSeed, the company is providing products and services to the cannabis industry. Connect on social media at: https://www.facebook.com/SinglePointMobile https://twitter.com/_SinglePoint https://www.linkedin.com/company/singlepoint For more information visit: www.SinglePoint.com Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Rule 175 under the Securities Act of 1933 and Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and are subject to the safe harbor created by those rules. All statements, other than statements of fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential future plans and objectives of the Company, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Technical complications, which may arise, could prevent the prompt implementation of any strategically significant plan(s) outlined above. The Company undertakes no duty to revise or update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release. Corporate Communication SinglePoint Inc. 855-711-2009 investors@SinglePoint.com SinglePoint.com About LD Micro LD Micro was founded in 2006 with the sole purpose of being an independent resource in the microcap space. What started out as a newsletter highlighting unique companies has transformed into several influential events annually (Invitational, Summit, and Main Event). In 2015, LDM launched the first pure microcap index (the LDMi) to exclusively provide intraday information on the entire sector. LD will continue to provide valuable tools for the benefit of everyone in the small and micro-cap universe. For those interested in attending, please contact David Scher at david@ldmicro.com or visit www.ldmicro.com for more information. SOURCE: SinglePoint Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/547017/SinglePoint-to-Present-at-9th-Annual-LD-Micro-Invitational Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2019) - Benchmark Botanics, Inc. (CSE: BBT) (FSE: BBW) (OTC Pink: BHHKF) ("Benchmark", "BBT" or the "Company") a federally-licensed producer and distributor of medical-grade cannabis, is pleased to report that it has signed a definitive agreement with China-based Zhejiang Yatai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. ("Zhejian Yatai "), a publicly listed company on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (stock code: 002370), to set up a joint venture company in Canada. Subject to compliance with relevant Canadian Cannabis Laws, the new company will explore business opportunities in the Cannabis industry to become involved in cultivation, manufacture, processing, and marketing of high cannabidiol ("CBD") cannabis products; in the cultivation and R&D of medical cannabis; and in the extraction, isolation, and purification of high-CBD cannabis oil for commercial applications. This definitive agreement solidifies the terms of the Letter of Intent of Strategic Cooperation between Benchmark and Zhejian Yatai, which was reported in a news release on May 7, 2019. "This agreement with Zhejiang Yatai is a significant milestone for Benchmark Botanics," said William Ying, CEO of Benchmark Botanics. "Zhejiang Yatai is a Top 500 Chinese corporation and is a leader and an innovator in the pharmaceutical industry. Benchmark is the perfect partner to take Zhejiang Yatai's drug research and development, production and sales in the pharmaceutical field and synergize with Benchmark's expertise in cannabis cultivation and extraction." On May 27, 2019, the companies signed the definitive investment cooperation agreement, whereby the parties agreed to set up the new joint venture company in Canada. The new company will have a share capital of $14 million CAD, of which Zhejiang Yatai will invest $7 million CAD cash, accounting for 50% of the new company's share capital; BBT will cause its wholly-owned subsidiary Potanicals Green Growers Inc. ("PGG") to use its existing Health Canada issued license to apply for a license for property to be acquired by the new company (the "Facility") for cannabis cultivation, processing, and sale thereon and in exchange BBT will receive 25% of the new company's share capital (with a cash equivalent of $3.5 million CAD); and Rippington Investment ("RI") will invest $3.5 million CAD, accounting for the remaining 25% of the new company's share capital. Objective of the Agreement The objective of the Investment Cooperation Agreement is to explore business opportunities in the Cannabis industry, subject to compliance with Canadian Cannabis and Hemp Regulations and Act, to become involved in cultivation, manufacture, processing, and marketing of high CBD (cannabidiol) cannabis products; the cultivation and R&D of medical cannabis; and the extraction, isolation, and purification of high-CBD cannabis oil for commercial; and any other activities as approved by the Board of Directors. Future products from the joint venture company may also be marketed, sold and distributed in countries and jurisdictions where cannabis products are legal. Primary Components of the Joint Venture The company name will be YATAI & BBT Biotech Ltd. A limited liability corporation is to be established pursuant to the laws and regulations of Canada with the company's first issue of 14 million shares will be made as follows: Yatai Pharmaceutical will purchase 7,000,000 shares for $7,000,000 CAD, representing 50% of the initial issued shares. The contributions will be made in two stages. In the first stage Yatai Pharmaceutical will contribute $4 million CAD and in second stage Yatai Pharmaceutical will contribute $3 million CAD. BBT will receive 3,500,000 shares, representing 25% of the initial issued shares, by causing PGG to use its existing Health Canada issued license to apply a license for the Facility for cannabis cultivation, processing, and sale. The shares will be issued at the time of the joint venture company's incorporation. RI will purchase 3,500,000 shares for $3,500,000 CAD, representing 25% of the initial issued shares. The contributions will be made in two stages. In the first stage RI will contribute $2 million CAD and in second stage RI will contribute $1.5 million CAD. The company's business scope will be to explore business opportunities in the cannabis industry, subject to compliance with the Canadian cannabis legislation and regulations, promote high content of CBD industrial hemp cultivation, cultivation, processing, marketing and medical cannabis cultivation, research and development and high purity CBD-based cannabinoid extraction, separation, purification and commercialization of multi-field applications and other activities to be determined by the company. The joint venture company will make full use of the existing resources and the company's experience in the field of drug development, promote the cultivation of high content of CBD industrial hemp cultivation, processing, marketing, research and development of medical cannabis and high purity CBD-based cannabinoids extraction, separation, purification and development. "We are extremely happy to have signed this agreement with Benchmark Botanics and look forward to capitalizing on the medical applications of CBD. We are delighted to have partnered with a quality organization that shares the same standards as well as a philosophy rooted in science to produce unique, safe, and quality products," said Mr. Chen, Chairman of Yatai Pharmaceutical." We will utilize all of our expertise and resources to maximize our efforts to build the company's value and a long-term successful joint venture." The definitive agreement filings will be available on SEDAR. About Zhejiang Yatai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Zhejiang Yatai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (http://en.yatai.com/), a publicly listed company on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (stock code: 002370) is a China-based company engaged in the manufacture and distribution of drugs. The Company's main business consists of the research, development, production and sales of chemical agents, chemical raw materials and diagnostic reagents, as well as the provision of pharmaceutical research and development outsourcing (CRO) services. The Company's chemical agents are classified as antibiotics and non-antibiotic drugs. Along with its subsidiaries, the Company provides preclinical research services, clinical research services and other advisory services. The Company distributes its products primarily in domestic markets and overseas markets. About Benchmark Botanics Inc. Benchmark Botanics is a diversified multi-licensed cannabis producer focused on a three-way vertical business model targeting the medical, pharmaceutical, and recreational markets in Canada and the EU. The Company's business plan also includes a strategy to become a Canadian licensed producer to pioneer selling medical cannabis and hemp in China and throughout Asia. Benchmark Botanics is focused on producing the highest-quality, indoor-grown cannabis for patients and adult recreational consumers, as well as developing international business partnerships to extend the Company's global footprint. Benchmark Botanics' 100% owned subsidiary, Potanicals Green Growers Inc. is a Health Canada licensed producer under the Cannabis Act and its regulations (formerly ACMPR). The Company is producing at its indoor Peachland Cannabis Complex and is in the design stage for a Phase II expansion of an additional facility there. Along with cultivation and production, the company's Peachland BC facility also provides propagation, cultivation, cloning, storage, research and development, genetics and is progressing towards CBD oil extraction and an EU-GMP certification. As part of its expansion strategy the company is building a second facility, a 4-acre Pitt Meadows Greenhouse Operation in BC. The Company has established several European Union partnerships including the rights to "The Bulldog" trademark in Canada. The Bulldog trademark has a long-established successful history as one of the most well-known cannabis cafe brands in Amsterdam and around the world. For further information, please visit the Company's website at www.benchmarkbotanics.com or the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. If you would like to be added to Benchmark Botanics' news distribution list, please sign up at this link https://benchmarkbotanics.com/signup/ Investor Relations info@bbtinc.ca. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF BENCHMARK BOTANICS INC. /s/ "William Ying" William Ying Chief Executive Officer Tel: 604-238-0005 www.benchmarkbotanics.com The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this release. FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements or information. More particularly and without limitation, the news release contains forward-looking statements and information relating to Company's corporate strategy. The forward-looking statements and information are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by management of the Company, including, without limitation, the Company's ability to carry out its business plan. Although management of the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking statements and information are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements and information since no assurance can be given that they will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements and information are provided for the purpose of providing information about the current expectations and plans of management of the Company relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such statements and information may not be appropriate for other purposes, such as making investment decisions. Since forward-looking statements and information address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to several factors and risks. These include, but are not limited to, the Company's ability to identify and complete additional suitable acquisitions to further the Company's growth as well as risks associated with the medical marijuana industry in general, such as operational risks in development and production delays or changes in plans with respect to development projects or capital expenditures; the uncertainty of the capital markets; the uncertainty of receiving the required licenses, production, costs and expenses; health, safety and environmental risks; marketing and transportation; loss of markets; environmental risks; competition; incorrect assessment of the value of the potential market; ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources; failure to obtain required regulatory and other approvals and changes in legislation, including but not limited to tax laws and regulated regulations. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, timelines and information contained in this news release. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and no undertaking is given to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws or the Canadian Securities Exchange. The forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/45126 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 29, 2019 / DeepRock Minerals Limited (the "Company") (CSE Symbol: "DEEP"), is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Patrick D. O'Brien, ICD.D, MIoD to its Board of Directors, and to the position of Chief Executive Officer. Mr. O'Brien is a widely recognized and respected leader in the Canadian junior mining sector and considered a specialist on the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral projects in the provinces of Quebec and Ontario, Canada. Mr. O'Brien, brings more than 30 years of Senior Management leadership and Board experience to DeepRock's team, as well as an extensive global network of mining and finance contacts. Currently, Mr. O'Brien is CEO and Chairperson of Junior Mining Incorporated, Executive Editor/Chairperson juniormining.com, CEO/Founder of RockStar Capital Corporation, and CEO/Chairperson of Paymaster Mining Corporation. Mr. O'Brien is a Certified Corporate Director (ICD.D designation) and Member of the Institute of Corporate Directors; and a full member of the Institute of Directors (MIoD designation), Pall Mall, England. He is currently a member of the Mining Association of Canada (MAC). He is acknowledged as a brilliant strategic planner and dynamic tactical leader who thrives on challenge. Employees, associates and peers alike speak highly of his mentoring and mentoring talents, which allowed many to thrive and mature under his thoughtful and insightful leadership style. Pat is a tenacious, high energy individual who is not afraid to tackle difficult business situations. He is able to quickly identify and assess opportunities and implement strategies to meet the required objectives. For a non-geologist, Pat understands exploration and mining concepts very well and can assess situations and opportunities quickly and with clarity. He has the ability to couple the right business ideals with prime projects, and the best people. Mr. O'Brien can with ease, and confidence, attract and assemble equally talented teams of individuals around him. Patrick has championed the successful roll-outs of IPOs on the TSX Venture Exchange, one of which achieved and maintained Tier 1 Status for more than 21 years, was appointed to the inaugural junior market index, and qualified for trading on the United States OTCQX platform. Mr. O'Brien served 21 years as the CEO of what is currently known as VanadiumCorp Resource Inc. (previously PacificOre/Apella Resources/Novawest Resources) and during his tenure acquired a substantial 865 sq. km. mineral claim/permit assemblage in the heart of the Raglan Nickel-Copper-PGM camp in northern Quebec. His ambitious activities in the area led to an extensive staking rush, tens of millions of dollars of exploration in the region, and a new nickel mine being opened and acquired by a Chinese conglomerate for several hundred million dollars. Under his leadership, Mr. O'Brien's company was able to divest its Raglan Assemblage into a deal involving a $120 million transaction to a Chinese mining giant and then shift the company's sights onto the Chibougamau, Quebec mining camp. Following the divestiture, Mr. O'Brien continued as CEO/Chairperson of VanadiumCorp. and solidly established its presence within the Canadian Vanadium industry with the surprise staking of more than 800 sq. kms of key mineral claims in the heart of the Chibougamau, Quebec gold-copper mining camp. Like the Raglan, with Mr. O'Brien and his key geologists' presence, the Chibougamau camp came alive and again a staking rush ensued. O'Brien's ambitious first-mover staking program in Chibougamau led to his company owning many coveted exploration vanadium, gold and copper assets of merit. Mr. O'Brien then followed up the aggressive Chibougamau expansion with what many thought was impossible. His research led him to conclude the highly coveted 21 "K-claims" as they are known, hosting what is recognized as the world-renown Lac Dore Vanadium Deposit, were about to come open. The Lac Dore was discovered by the Quebec government and was a crown asset for approximately 50 years. Mr. O'Brien along with consulting geologist Robert Stewart successfully led to what is VanadiumCorp today gaining title to the Lac Dore "K Claims. Mr. O'Brien is also the individual, along with geologist Dr. Christian Derosier, who in the same year negotiated and concluded the acquisition of the Quebec based Iron-T Vanadium deposit and managed the large staking campaign to extend the Iron-T some 20-fold. In 2009 Mr. O'Brien requested that his lead geologist, who had also spearheaded the ground staking at the Lac Dore and Lac Dore North Magnetite Projects in 2007 for what is VanadiumCorp today, proceed to research and scope out the nearby Mont Sorcier deposit. At the recommendation of the geologist, O'Brien and the Board proceeded to stake a significant portion of the 270 million tonne Mont Sorcier Vanadium-Iron Deposit. The entire Mont Sorcier deposit is now the key asset of TSX.V listed Vanadium One Energy Corp ("VONE"). Following a series of drill programs Vanadium One recently released its resource estimate for Mount Sorcier at 113.5m tonnes indicated and 520.5m tonnes inferred. As a result of his earlier due diligence, Mr. O'Brien has garnered extensive knowledge of the Mont Sorcier Vanadium Project and the regional geology. Mr. O'Brien served as a Director of Vanadium One from June 2017 through December 2019 and is currently on the company's technical Advisory Committee. The Board of DeepRock comments: "Pat O'Brien is a well-recognized leader in the junior mining world and we look forward to drawing on his expertise as the Company moves towards differentiating DeepRock Minerals and positioning of the Company to investors and all stakeholders." DeepRock Minerals wishes to thank Mr. Matt Reams for his dedicated service to the company during his tenure as Chief Executive Officer. Matt will continue to contribute to DeepRock Minerals in his position as a Director of the company. About DeepRock Minerals Limited: DeepRock Minerals is a mineral exploration company located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Our primary focus is to acquire and develop prime North American exploration mining projects and existing producers and processors. DeepRock Minerals is managed by an experienced team of mining professionals with extensive operating and financial experience. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF DEEPROCK MINERALS LIMITED Richard Shatto Director Richard@deeprockmining.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Neither the Canadian Stock Exchange Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains "forward-looking information" including statements with respect to the future exploration performance of the Company. This forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements of the Company, expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks, as well as others, are disclosed within the Company's filing on SEDAR, which investors are encouraged to review prior to any transaction involving the securities of the Company. Forward-looking information contained herein is provided as of the date of this news release and the Company disclaims any obligation, other than as required by law, to update any forward-looking information for any reason. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate and the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking information. SOURCE: DeepRock Minerals Limited View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/547020/Junior-Mining-Leader-Patrick-D-OBrien-Joins-DeepRock-Minerals-Board-and-is-Appointed-Chief-Executive-Officer-Effective-Immediately Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2019) - Pacific Empire Minerals Corp. (TSXV: PEMC) (OTCQB: PEMSF) ("Pacific Empire", "PEMC" or the "Company"), a hybrid prospect generator focused in British Columbia is pleased to announce it has entered into an option agreement to acquire a 100% interest in the Worldstock Property located 100 km north of New Gold's New Afton Mine and 130 km north of Teck Resources' Highland Valley Mine in the Quesnel Terrane of south-central British Columbia. About the Worldstock Property Historical work conducted on the Worldstock Property identified favourable geology and outlined several areas of anomalous copper and gold soil geochemistry, spatially associated with magnetic and induced polarization anomalies. Limited historical diamond drilling, which predates ground and airborne geophysical surveys, intersected altered copper bearing porphyry dikes that returned up to 0.38% copper over 10.4 m. Several attractive drill targets remain untested. The 1,730 hectare project is accessible by an extensive network of forestry roads and is ideally suited for PEMC's reverse circulation drill. Details with respect to the consideration payable for the Worldstock Property acquisition are as follows: Table 1. Option agreement terms. Timing Cash Payments * PEMC common share issuances Upon signing $10,000 50,000 First anniversary of Effective Date $10,000 50,000 Second anniversary of Effective Date $15,000 100,000 Third anniversary of Effective Date $20,000 100,000 Fourth anniversary of Effective Date $30,000 300,000 TOTAL = $85,000 600,000 The vendor of the property will be granted a 2% net smelter royalty ("NSR"). The Company may, at any time, purchase one half of the NSR Royalty, thereby reducing the NSR Royalty to a 1% net smelter returns royalty, for $1,000,000. * Dollar amounts expressed in Canadian dollars This property acquisition remains subject to approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. Any securities issued as consideration under this option agreement will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day from the date of issuance. Qualified Person Rory Ritchie, P.Geo., Vice President of Exploration for the Company, serves as a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed the scientific and technical information in this news release, approving the disclosure herein. About Pacific Empire Minerals Corp. PEMC is an exploration company based in Vancouver, British Columbia, that employs a "hybrid prospect generator" business model and trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol PEMC and on the OTCQB Markets under the symbol PEMSF. By integrating the project generator business model with low-cost reverse circulation drilling, the company intends to leverage its portfolio by identifying, and focusing on, the highest quality projects for partnerships and advancement. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, "Brad Peters" President and Chief Executive Officer Pacific Empire Minerals Corp. Tel: +1-604-356-6246 brad@pemcorp.ca www.pemcorp.ca Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements Information set forth in this news release may involve forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are statements that relate to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", and "intend", statements that an action or event "may", "might", "could", "should", or "will" be taken or occur, or other similar expressions. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, are forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the following risks: the need for additional financing; operational risks associated with mineral exploration; fluctuations in commodity prices; title matters; environmental liability claims and insurance; reliance on key personnel; the potential for conflicts of interest among certain officers, directors or promoters with certain other projects; the absence of dividends; competition; dilution; the volatility of our common share price and volume and the additional risks identified the management discussion and analysis section of our interim and most recent annual financial statement or other reports and filings with the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable Canadian securities regulations. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/45128 The story was top news on all local TV stations. News presenters reported live on air, from outside a home just like ours as the sickening updates continued: A body found. Yellow tape and police cars blocked access to the area around the home. Our street saw more automotive and foot traffic than ever before. By the afternoon, the helicopter count doubled. When my 10-year-old sister asked why the copters were back, we faked goofy smiles and said, Youre famous honey! The corners of her mouth crept up into a smile. Calgary, Alberta and Houston, Texas--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2019) - PetroTal Corp. (TSXV: TAL) (AIM: PTAL) ("PetroTal" or the "Company"), a development and production company focused on oil assets in Peru, is pleased to announce the Company has received approval of the Environmental Impact Assessment ("EIA") to fully develop the Bretana oil field in Block 95. The Company also signed a contract with PetroPeru for access to the existing pipeline for transport of crude oil to commercial markets. The approval of the EIA sets the stage for PetroTal to continue with the full field development of the Bretana oil field, and allows the Company to fully develop its reserves. The EIA provides the authorization to drill future development wells and install needed production equipment and facilities. The EIA also sets forth the work needed to return the field to its original condition at the end of the license contract, including the safe and environmentally responsible removal of facilities and reforestation of the affected lands. Additionally, the Company signed a contract with PetroPeru, the State owned oil company, who operates the North Peruvian Pipeline ("ONP") to deliver oil to the Pacific coast via the pipeline. The contract is important to efficiently access commercial markets for the Company's production. PetroTal currently sends oil to multiple markets via barges and trucks, however the use of the pipeline mitigates potential production constraints. The Company plans to access the ONP once it reaches 5,000 barrels of oil per day ("BOPD") by mid year. Manolo Zuniga, President and Chief Executive Officer, said: "I personally congratulate the team in Lima who have worked diligently over the past year and a half to finalize this permit to develop the field and execute the ONP contract. It is a testament to the professional staff we have and the regard for safe and efficient operations that brought this to the finish line. Additionally, we want to thank each and every person who reviewed and commented at various levels of the government along the way. It is clear that our team here at PetroTal, most of whom are Peruvian, are working in the best interest of every stakeholder, from the government to employees, to shareholders, and the communities in which we work. PetroTal has a commitment to environmentally safe and efficient development of the assets that we have been tasked to develop. Furthermore, to sign the contract for use of the pipeline allows us to continue ramping production for the next several months. We have been working diligently to sign this agreement before bringing total Bretana field production to 5,000 BOPD by mid-year, both of which are key milestones for PetroTal." ABOUT PETROTAL PetroTal is a publicly-traded, dual-listed (TSXV: TAL) (AIM: PTAL) oil and gas development and production company domiciled in Calgary, Alberta, focused on the development of oil assets in Peru. PetroTal's development asset is the Bretana oil field in Peru's Block 95 where oil production was initiated in June 2018. Additionally, the Company has large exploration prospects and is engaged in finding a partner to drill the Osheki prospect in Block 107. The Company's management team has significant experience in developing and exploring for oil in Northern Peru and is led by a Board of Directors that is focused on safely and cost effectively developing and exploiting the Bretana oil field. More information on the Company can be found at www.PetroTal-Corp.com. For further information, please contact: Greg Smith Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Gsmith@Petrotal-Corp.com T: (713) 609-9101 Manolo Zuniga President and Chief Executive Officer Mzuniga@Petrotal-Corp.com T: (713) 609-9101 Mark Antelme / Jimmy Lea Celicourt Communications petrotal@celicourt.uk T: 44 207 520 9261 James Spinney / Ritchie Balmer / Eric Allan Strand Hanson Limited (Nominated & Financial Adviser) T: 44 (0) 207 409 3494 John Prior / Emily Morris / George Price Numis Securities Limited (Joint Broker) T: +44 (0) 207 260 1000 Jonathan Wright / Hugh R. Sanderson GMP FirstEnergy (Joint Broker) T: +44 (0) 20 7448 0200 http://www.petrotal-corp.com/ FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This press release may contain certain statements that may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Such statements relate to possible future events, including, but not limited to PetroTal's business strategy, objectives, strength and focus and the impact of the declaration of commerciality in respect of the Bretana oil field. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "plan", "estimate", "potential", "will", "should", "continue", "may", "objective" and similar expressions. In addition, statements relating to expected production, reserves, resources, recovery, costs and valuation are deemed to be forward-looking statements as they involve the implied assessment, based on certain estimates and assumptions that the reserves and resources described can be profitably produced in the future. The forward-looking statements are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the Company, including, but not limited to, expectations and assumptions concerning the ability of existing infrastructure to deliver production and the anticipated capital expenditures associated therewith, reservoir characteristics, recovery factor, exploration upside, prevailing commodity prices and the actual prices received for PetroTal's products, the availability and performance of drilling rigs, facilities, pipelines, other oilfield services and skilled labour, royalty regimes and exchange rates, the application of regulatory and licensing requirements, the accuracy of PetroTal's geological interpretation of its drilling and land opportunities, current legislation, receipt of required regulatory approval, the success of future drilling and development activities, the performance of new wells, the Company's growth strategy, general economic conditions, availability of required equipment and services and prevailing commodity prices. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. These include, but are not limited to, risks associated with the oil and gas industry in general (e.g., operational risks in development, exploration and production; delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures; the uncertainty of reserve estimates; the uncertainty of estimates and projections relating to production, costs and expenses; and health, safety and environmental risks), commodity price and exchange rate fluctuations, legal, political and economic instability in Peru, access to transportation routes and markets for the Company's production, changes in legislation affecting the oil and gas industry and uncertainties resulting from potential delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures. Please refer to the risk factors identified in the Company's annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2017 and management's discussion and analysis for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/45131 Regulatory News: Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (LN:PSHD) (NA:PSH) today released its regular weekly Net Asset Value ("NAV") and performance returns on its website, https://www.pershingsquareholdings.com/company-reports/weekly-navs/. The NAV and returns were computed as of the close of business on Tuesday, 28 May 2019. PSH NAV per share as of close of business on 28 May 2019 was 23.52 USD 18.58 GBP and year-to-date performance was 36.5%. Weekly net asset value ("NAV") is calculated as of the close of business on each Tuesday and posted on the following business day. In the event that Tuesday is not a business day, the Company will calculate the close-of-business NAV as of the business day immediately preceding that Tuesday. The end-of-month NAV is calculated as of the close of business on the last day of the month and posted on the following business day. For weeks that include a month-end NAV report, PSH will provide only the month-end NAV and not report the Tuesday NAV. Monthly NAVs are published in accordance with the Decree on Conduct of Business Supervision of Financial Undertakings under the Wft (Besluit Gedragstoezicht financiele ondernemingen Wft). Performance is presented on a net-of-fees basis and reflects the deduction of, among other expenses: management fees, brokerage commissions, administrative fees and accrued performance fees, if any. The performance figure includes the reinvestment of all dividends, interest and capital gains. Depending on the timing of a specific investment, net performance for an individual investor may vary from the net performance as stated herein. Net performance is a geometrically linked time weighted calculation. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. All investments involve risk including the loss of principal. About Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (LN:PSHD) (NA:PSH) is an investment holding company structured as a closed-ended fund that makes concentrated investments principally in North American companies. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005938/en/ Contacts: Media Camarco Ed Gascoigne-Pees Hazel Stevenson +44 020 3757 4989, media-pershingsquareholdings@camarco.co.uk Bharti Telecom shareholding dropped to Rs 200.28 crore in May disclosure by Bharti Airtel. New Delhi: Stake of Airtel promoter group firm Bharti Telecom has come down to 41.24 percent following renouncement of 11.34 crore shares by the entity valued at around Rs 3,920 crore and Rs 25,000-crore rights issue, according to the updated shareholding of the company. Sunil Bharti Mittal family and Singapore telecom firm Singtel-owned firm Bharti Telecom held 50.1 percent stake with 211.62 shares in Bharti Airtel at the end of March 2019. Bharti Telecom shareholding dropped to Rs 200.28 crore in May disclosure by Bharti Airtel. According to sources, Bharti Telecom renounced shares for the Singapore government and the Monetary Authority of Singapore and foreign-based promoter group firm Indian Continent Investment Limited (ICIL). However, it cannot be ascertained the exact number of shares that Bharti Airtel transacted to the entities GIC Pvt Ltd, on behalf of the Government of Singapore and the Monetary Authority of Singapore, has made a commitment of Rs 5,000 crore during the rights issue programme. At the time of the Rs 25,000-crore rights issue, the company allocated shares for Rs 220 a unit. The Singapore government entities now jointly hold over 24.73 crore shares. Based on the stock closing price of Rs 345.65 a unit on the BSE on Tuesday, the value of shares allocated to Singapore government entities now stands at around Rs 8,550 crore and accounts for 4.82 percent stake in the Indian telecom firm. ICIL holding in Airtel increased 25 crore shares, valued at around Rs 8,651 crore based on stock closing price, to 33.14 crore units in May from 8.11 crore at the end of March 2019. Responding to an e-mail query, Bharti Airtel said, "As stated in our letter of offer, the promoter group amongst themselves, have subscribed to their aggregate entitlement except to the extent of 227,272,727 shares renounced in favour of GIC Private Limited. Bharti Telecom Limited and Indian Continent Investment are part of the promoter group." Airtel had announced the rights issue to raise up to Rs 25,000 crore through issuance of fully paid-up shares at a price of Rs 220 per share, and additional Rs 7,000 crore through a foreign currency perpetual bond issue. It opened on 3 May and closed on 17 May, 2019. While the offer price was fixed at Rs 220 per share, the Bharti Airtel scrip ended at Rs 328.20 apiece on the BSE, 0.84 percent higher than the previous close, on the day the rights issue closed. Earlier this month, Bharti Airtel reported a surprise 29 percent surge in the March quarter net profit as exceptional income gains and Africa business helped offset losses in India mobile services operations. The company, whose profitability has been battered by intense price competition posed by richest Indian Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio, earned a net profit of Rs 107.2 crore in January-March as against Rs 82.9 crore it earned in the same period of the previous fiscal. This marked the first rise in profit after several quarters for the company. Its revenue soared 6.2 percent to Rs 20,602.2 crore for the three months ended 31 March 2019. The finance ministry may look at a 10-year tax holiday for real estate developers on profits earned from rental housing as it looks to revive investment and boost a slowing economy, sources said New Delhi: The finance ministry may look at a 10-year tax holiday for real estate developers on profits earned from rental housing as it looks to revive investment and boost a slowing economy, sources said. In a recent meeting with senior finance ministry officials, the real estate developers have been asked to suggest steps to address challenges faced by the sector. They have also been asked to submit a note on the rental housing business model, where expenses would be allowed to claim for the deduction, but the profit will be exempted from tax for 10 years, sources said. Over the past few years, investments in the country have fallen from 36 percent of GDP to 29 percent, and the finance ministry believes that the primary reason for this decline is a slowdown in the real estate sector. The ministry has already started discussions with industry bodies on their demands from Budget 2019-20, which is likely to be tabled in Parliament in July. To perk up demand in the sector, the GST Council had cut tax rates on new projects under affordable housing to 1 percent and 5 percent for others, without input tax credit, from 8 percent and 12 percent with ITC, respectively. For ongoing under-construction residential projects, however, builders have an option to choose between old tax rates and the new ones to help resolve input tax credit issues. The real estate developers had long been demanding that the government take steps to improve liquidity situation of developers and also restructure their loans saying that the sector is in financial stress due to lack of funding from banks and NBFCs. Follow full coverage of Union Budget 2019-20 here In 2008, when Nissan and its partner Frances Renault SA agreed to set up a car plant in Chennai, the state government promised several incentives, including tax breaks. New Delhi: The Permanent Court of Arbitration in Singapore has rejected Indias argument that the court does not have the jurisdiction to rule on a case brought against India by Japans Nissan Motor, according to two people and documents reviewed by Reuters. If India had won the plea, the entire case would have been thrown out, said one of the people who has direct knowledge of the matter, adding that the Indian government is now likely to file an appeal with Singapores Supreme Court. Nissan sent a legal notice to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis administration in 2016 claiming more than Rs 5,000 crore ($720 million) in a dispute over incentives it said were due from Tamil Nadu as part of a 2008 agreement to set up a car manufacturing plant in the state. The Japanese carmaker brought the case against India for alleged violation of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) the country has with Japan. The CEPA gives some protection to Japanese firms investing in India and vice versa. India, which according to the source agreed to have the arbitration in Singapore, filed a plea in 2017 saying the arbitration court in Singapore does not have the authority to rule on the case for many reasons, including that it was a tax-related matter outside the purview of the CEPA with Japan. The international tribunal, in a 140-page order dated 29 April, denied Indias objections, saying it has the authority to rule on the matter and would hold the final hearing in February 2020 after submission of evidence and arguments from both sides. The order has not previously been reported. Nissan said in a statement it continues to work with the government to resolve this matter. The case is one of a string of arbitration proceedings against India by investors including Vodafone Group, Cairn Energy and Deutsche Telekom over issues ranging from retrospective taxation to payment disputes. Though India has lost investment treaty arbitration cases in the past, there is no clarity yet on the legal position when it comes to enforcement of awards or rulings, said Moazzam Khan, head of global litigation at law firm Nishith Desai Associates. In the past, however, India has either voluntarily complied or settled the dispute prior to the award, said Khan. If India loses, the final cost to the country would depend on the merits of the case but there have been instances where it has had to pay the entire claim amount and legal costs, he said. Settlement talks In 2008, when Nissan and its partner Frances Renault SA agreed to set up a car plant in Chennai, the state government promised several incentives, including tax breaks. Nissan and Renault have invested Rs 6,100 crore to set up the factory which has an annual production capacity of 480,000 vehicles and has created more than 40,000 jobs. Earlier this week, Italian carmaker Fiat Chrysler said it has proposed merging with Renault, in a deal which risks leaving Nissan out in the cold. The Japanese car maker in its 2016 notice claimed Rs 2,900 crore in unpaid incentives from Tamil Nadu and Rs 2,100 crore in damages, plus interest and other costs. The Tamil Nadu government, meanwhile, has been trying to settle the matter with Nissan since last year but has failed to come to an agreement on the final terms. All obligations would be honoured, said N Muruganandam, principal secretary to Tamil Nadu governments industries department, adding he hopes to finalise a deal within a month. If the two decide to settle, Nissan, which has only nearly 1 percent share of Indias passenger car market, has the option to withdraw its arbitration case against India. HOUSTON (Reuters) - Citgo Petroleum Corp said on Tuesday it is holding talks with the government of Aruba on its oil refinery operating contract, a day after Aruba disclosed it would form a committee to decide the fate of the plant. HOUSTON (Reuters) - Citgo Petroleum Corp said on Tuesday it is holding talks with the government of Aruba on its oil refinery operating contract, a day after Aruba disclosed it would form a committee to decide the fate of the plant. The U.S. subsidiary of state-owned Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) said it is holding "active conversations with our counterparts in Aruba and hopeful that we will reach a solution for future work together." Aruba's prime minister, Evelyn Wever-Croes, on Monday said the Caribbean nation expects to overhaul or terminate the contract. U.S. sanctions against Venezuela have hampered production. An advisory committee will evaluate options including continuing to work with Citgo, terminating its contract and finding another operator, or seek another activity for the facility. Citgo and Aruba in 2016 agreed to a 25-year contract to refurbish and reopen the 209,000-barrel-per-day refinery, which has been idled since 2012, when its former operator, U.S.-based Valero Energy Corp, abandoned it over low profits. The $685 million overhaul, which had received initial funding from Citgo and PDVSA, had shown little progress since Washington in August 2017 issued a first round of sanctions on the Venezuelan state-run oil company. In late January, a second round of sanctions left the refinery without access to credit. (Reporting by Gary McWilliams; Editing by Sandra Maler) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. India-based global IT Services companies do not take the majority of new H-1B visas, contrary to prevalent rhetoric The Donald Trump government has taken the first step towards banning work permits of spouses of H-1B visa holders. The move was first proposed in 2017. According to The Economic Times, the US government issued a notice on 22 May for the proposed rule that will kick in public consultations to ban the H-4 EAD (Employment Authorisation Document). H-4 visas are work visas issued only to very close or immediate family members of H-1B visa holders. It was issued in 2015 by the Obama administration through an executive order so as to mitigate the large skills gap in the US IT sector to be filled by hiring highly skilled professionals who are spouses of H-1B visa holders awaiting green cards. The revocation has been under review at the White Houses Office of Management and Budget (OMB) since February. Its now for the White House to take a final call on it before a formal regulation in this regard is issued and the Department of Homeland Security can inform a federal court where a lawsuit on this issue is pending, according to a PTI report. What does this latest move from the Trump administration mean? If this proposal goes through, spouses of H-1B skilled professionals who are given H-4 visas will have to leave the country at the end of their work permits. The H-4 visas are given to spouses of H-1B visa holders and their children below 21 years of age. Since Trumps election, the H-1B visa has been a focal point of discussion and has come in for a three-pronged attack from the Justice Department, Department of Homeland Security and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. Trump who campaigned on an "America First" platform of favouring Americans for hiring has remained true to his promise by putting in jeopardy jobs and lives of IT professionals from across the world who work in the US. Some analysts were pragmatic in India about the move and said that it would not impact many Indians. Simply because, says industry veteran TV Mohandas Pai, Indians who are in the US are highly qualified and so are their spouses. It wont be easy to find replacements for them, said Pai. The fate of 90,000 spouses is in a delicate balanceof which a majority are Indian professionals. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialised fields. Under the H-1B visa programme, US-based companies hire highly skilled foreign workers, up to a maximum of 85,000 a year. Of these 65,000 are hired from abroad and 20,000 from among foreign nationals studying in the US. In February the White House formally received the proposed changes in the existing regulations to end the work authorisation for certain categories of H-1B foreign work visas, according to a PTI report. Is there cause for alarm. Not yet, says Zeenat Phophalia, associate partner, LawQuest that specialises in immigration services. "It is too early to say whether this will go through and one must wait and watch", she said. However, Phophalia concedes there will be challenges if this proposal goes through. The idea for H-4 visas was to bring in talent from outside to fill in the skills gap in the US economy. If the present administration makes that difficult, it will not only impact Indian highly skilled IT professionals inclination to work in the US but more importantly, also impact US economic growth. Indian nationals are in demand in the US because of the high technical skills they possess, said an IT analyst. The Indian IT industry is a net creator of jobs in the US and supports nearly half a million jobs there. According to Forbes, Trumps administrations crackdown on high-skilled H-1B immigrants will impact American companies and the US policy. The services provided by high-skilled Indian IT service professionals have been important in making the US companies more competitive and increasing the countrys economic growth, Forbes said. Contrary to prevalent rhetoric, India-based global IT services companies do not take the majority of new H-1B visas. The Indian IT sector received around 16 percent of the 65,000 visas issued last year. The sector gets over 80 percent of its revenues from the US and Europe while the remaining 20 percent comes from Asia and the domestic market. The top 7 India-based companies received only 2,200 new H-1B petitions for initial employment in FY 2018, less than 2.6 percent of the 85,000 annual limits for companies, according to an analysis of USCIS data by the National Foundation of American Policy. Further, their use of H-1B visas is declining: New H-1B petitions for these top 7 India-based companies had fallen 43 percent between FY 2015 and FY 2017. Monster, a global online employment solution, quoted a survey on its site on talent shortage in the US. According to IT outsourcer Harvey Nash and auditing firm KPMG's CIO survey 2018 conducted with over 3,000 technology leaders, 65 percent said that US hiring challenges are hurting the industry, against 59 percent the previous year. There is a skill set gap that exists in the US. There are two ways of bridging this gapone way is to upskill locally. Another is to grant a short-term visa for which the H-1B visa is a critical exponent. Nasscom, a trade association of Indian Information Technology (IT) and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), said it will continue to highlight the positives of hiring Indian spouses of H-1B visa holders. "There is a broad admission of the contribution of Indians in the IT industry, of which 75 percent work with the Fortune 500 companies and a majority of these are American firms. They contribute $58 billion to the country's gross domestic product which is much more than the GDP created by six individual states in the US," said Shivendra Singh, Vice President and HeadGlobal Trade Development, Nasscom, adding that each of these companies that Indians contribute to will be impacted. "Everyone will weigh their issues and we [Nasscom] will make a submission. For us, this is a trade issue. This isn't an immigration issue," he said. However, Mohandas Pai was sceptical if any lobbying would work in India's favour in Trump's administration. He said that Trump was trying to curry favour with his electorate for the re-election and would do all that he can to show that he is protecting American jobs for Americans. It is too early to say how the latest proposed move by the Trump government will impact Indian IT professionals in the US though. An expiry date is yet to be determined. India's domestic air traffic registered first negative growth rate in more than five years in April, mainly due to the demise of Jet Airways, global airlines' grouping IATA said on Wednesday New Delhi: India's domestic air traffic registered first negative growth rate in more than five years in April, mainly due to the demise of Jet Airways, global airlines' grouping IATA said on Wednesday. The country was one of the fastest growing domestic aviation markets in the world for the past many months. The International Air Transport Association (IATA), a grouping of around 290 airlines, said following a sustained period of strong double-digit RPK growth, the India domestic market recorded its first negative growth rate in April since January 2014. Revenue Passenger Kilometre (RPK) is a measure of passenger volumes. "After a sustained period of very strong growth, RPKs in the domestic India market are 0.5 percent lower than their year-ago level. This is the first negative growth rate in more than five years and is largely due to the demise of Jet Airways," the grouping said in its global passenger traffic results for April. Air India, Vistara, SpiceJet and now defunct Jet Airways are among the Indian carriers that are members of the IATA. Jet Airways, which was flying for more than 25 years, temporarily suspended operations in April after it ran out of cash. Flight cancellations and subsequent grounding of the airline adversely impacted seat capacity in the domestic market which also resulted in fares going up. According to the report, RPKs in India are currently 0.5 percent lower than their year-ago level, down from a 15 percent year-on-year pace as recently as December. "Over the past five years, annual growth has averaged a pace close to 20 percent. The main explanation for this dramatic slowing is the exit of Jet Airways from the market. "This sizeable supply side interruption has not yet been offset by other carriers, resulting in ASK growth also slowing sharply, to just 0.5 percent y-o-y currently (compared to an average pace of around 15 percent in the past two years). More broadly, rising airfares in recent months are also likely to have weighed upon passenger demand," it said. Available Seat Kilometre (ASK) is an indicator of capacity. Globally, the IATA said RPK rose 4.3 percent in April compared to the same period a year ago. "We experienced solid but not exceptional rising demand for air connectivity in April. This partly is owing to the timing of Easter, but also reflects the slowing global economy. "Driven by tariffs and trade disputes, global trade is falling, and as a result, we are not seeing traffic growing at the same levels as a year ago," IATA Director General and CEO Alexandre de Juniac said. However, he noted that airlines are doing a very good job of managing aircraft utilisation, leading to record load factors. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Tuesday he would fight to save jobs at a General Electric Co (GE) factory in eastern France where more than 1,000 posts are threatened Strasbourg, France/New York: French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Tuesday he would fight to save jobs at a General Electric Co (GE) factory in eastern France where more than 1,000 posts are threatened. GE earlier on Tuesday said it was considering ways to cut costs and make its operations more efficient in France in response to a shrinking market for power plants. While details have not been finalised, GEs plan calls for cutting up to 1,044 positions, mainly at its Belfort site, which employs 4,300 people. GE said the plan would potentially cut 792 out of 1,900 jobs at the gas power unit, and possibly 252 other support positions. The remaining reductions also would occur mainly at Belfort, which handles gas, steam, nuclear and hydro technology, GE said. The proposed reductions are separate from 1,000 jobs GE said it cut from its power unit in the first quarter. GE presented its plans to French union officials on Tuesday, kicking off negotiations. The proposals are in line with the companys intention to improve the operational and financial performance of its gas activities, GE said. But job reductions face a tough climate in France. Le Maire said on Tuesday France would seek four guarantees in exchange for supporting a proposed merger between Renault and Fiat Chrysler, including preserving industrial jobs and factories. It could not be learned whether GE plans other reductions in power operations in Europe. French industrial group Alstom was Belforts biggest employer until 2014 when it sold its gas turbine manufacturing business to GE, which pledged to create 1,000 jobs to win backing for the deal from the French government. However, the company had to break that commitment as the gas turbine power plant market collapsed. In the end, GE created just 25 jobs, and in February agreed to pay 50 million euros ($56 million) into a reindustrialisation fund for falling short of the target. Speaking in the lower house of parliament, Le Maire said he wanted the money to be used in Belfort to support projects in aeronautics, dismantling nuclear plants and the hydrogen industry. We are ready to fight alongside you ... and local politicians and obviously alongside GE workers to ensure the industrial future of the GE site, Le Maire told lawmakers during weekly questions to government session. A Finance Ministry official said the site would not be shut down outright. GE tamped down enthusiasm earlier this month about a quick recovery in its power-plant unit, which lost a staggering $22.8 billion last year, mainly due to a large goodwill writedown. GE said it has about 16,000 employees at 20 industrial locations in France, and the country houses GEs headquarters for five divisions: renewable, hydro and offshore wind power generation, plus grid and power conversion units. The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to examine the powers of tax authorities to arrest an individual for Goods and Services Tax (GST) evasion New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to examine the powers of tax authorities to arrest an individual for Goods and Services Tax (GST) evasion. A vacation bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Aniruddha Bose issued a notice to the Centre and sought its reply on a batch of pleas challenging the provision of arrest under the CGST Act. The bench said that different high courts had taken different views in granting anticipatory bail to individuals accused of GST evasion and therefore, it needs to decide the question of law on the power of arrest. The bench also asked all the high courts to keep in mind, while dealing with grant of anticipatory bail in GST evasion cases, its earlier order by which it had upheld the Telangana High Court verdict which had said that individuals can't be given protection from arrest in such cases. The bench listed the batch of petitions before a three-judge bench to decide the question of law on the power of arrest. "I know there are many who feel just as strongly as I do on abortion and disagree with me and I respect their opinions," Edwards said in a statement after the ban's passage. "As I prepare to sign this bill, I call on the overwhelming bipartisan majority of legislators who voted for it to join me in continuing to build a better Louisiana that cares for the least among us and provides more opportunity for everyone." On May 14, the Supreme Court declined to consider a petition of Karti seeking to release Rs 10 crore that he had deposited with the registry. The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed a plea of Congress MP Karti Chidambaram seeking the return of Rs 10 crore which he had deposited with the apex court's registry for travelling abroad. Supreme Court dismisses a petition of Karti Chidambaram seeking to release Rs 10 Crore he had deposited with registry as a condition to travel abroad, earlier.A Bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi tells Karti Chidambaram 'pay attention to your constituency'. pic.twitter.com/Bcthq5QAWa ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2019 Karti, who is an accused in the INX Media money laundering case involving Rs 305 crore, is facing criminal cases being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED). A vacation bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Aniruddha Bose rejected Karti's plea and said, "Pay attention to your constituency." The bench was hearing Karti's plea in which he had sought the return of Rs 10 crore deposited earlier by him in the apex court's registry, claiming he had taken the money on loan and was paying interest on it. On 14 May also, the Supreme Court declined to consider a petition of Karti seeking to release Rs 10 crore that he had deposited with the registry. On 7 May, the Supreme Court had allowed Karti to travel to the United States, Spain and Germany in May and June. A bench comprising Chief Justice Gogoi and Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna said this nod to travel abroad was subject to compliance of conditions imposed earlier. In January this year, the apex court had granted Karti permission to travel abroad after depositing Rs 10 crore with the secretary general of the Supreme Court. The top court had also asked him to file an undertaking that he would return and cooperate with the investigation. Senior Congress leader and Karti's farther P Chidambaram is also an accused in the INX Media money laundering case. In the INX Media case, the CBI had registered a first information report (FIR) in May 2017 against alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007. Chidambaram was the then Union finance minister under the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. Karti was arrested in February 2018 by the CBI for allegedly taking money to facilitate the FIPB clearance to INX Media in 2007. He was granted bail later. Both Karti and Chidambaram denied all allegations made by CBI as well as the ED. In October last year, the ED had attached properties worth Rs 54 crore belonging to Karti and a firm in the case. It also attached properties belonging to Peter and Indrani Mukerjea in connection with the same case. Chidambaram and Karti have come under the scanner of investigating agencies in the Rs 3,500-crore Aircel-Maxis deal as well. In July last year, the father-son duo was named in a charge sheet by the CBI in the Aircel-Maxis deal case. With PTI inputs McConnell spokesman David Popp said McConnell was being consistent because he took care in 2016 to say that vacancies occurring when the White House and Senate are held by different parties should be held up. Republicans now control the Senate and White House. On a programming note, the Teacher Beat blog will no longer be publishing new articlesbut dont worry, Education Weeks coverage of teacher policy will continue. (See Editor-in-Chief Scott Montgomerys note explaining the changes at Education Week.) For all news related to the teaching profession, please follow the Teaching Now blog , subscribe to the Teacher Update newsletter , and follow @madeline_will , @educationweek , and @EdWeekTeacher on Twitter. Thanks for reading! Relatively few highly effective teachers take on roles as mentors to student-teachers, researchers say. One solution? Pay them morea lot more. Dan Goldhaber, the director of the Center for Education Data and Research at the University of Washington, and his co-authors examined data on student-teaching placements from 15 teacher-preparation programs in Washington state. Graduates from those programs comprise 92 percent of the new teachers in the western half of the state, so the researchers analysis focused on school districts in that region. The researchers found that more than 40 percent of math teachers within 50 miles of a teacher-prep program who do not host a student-teacher are more effective than the average math teacher who does serve as a mentor. They also found that there are two to four times as many effective teachers than are currently being used as mentors. (In this analysis, teacher effectiveness is measured by value-added scores, or how much a teacher has contributed to student learning.) Why arent more effective teachers serving as mentors to student-teachers? Goldhaber said the Spokane school district conducted a survey of potential mentor teachers, and found four common refrains: Its a lot of work. While some mentor teachers might view the role as getting an extra set of hands and a little bit of a break, Goldhaber said those who are doing the job well have to take on a lot of extra responsibilities. Mentor teachers receive shockingly little compensation, he said. According to a 2016 study, the average mentor teacher receives around $200. Some teachers have had bad experiences mentoring in the past, and are reluctant to sign up again. Theres a concern among some potential mentor teachers that having a student-teacher in the classroom would harm student achievement. But Goldhaber said his research indicates that this is not the case. The teachers who were interested in being a mentor teacher, he said, were interested in giving back to the profession. And indeed, studies have found that teacher candidates who are supervised by a more effective mentor teacher during student teaching tend to be more effective when they enter the profession. See also: How to Be a Better Mentor to Your Student-Teachers (Opinion) So how can district leaders recruit highly effective teachers to act as mentors? Goldhaber suggests paying them more15 times more. Past research out of Washington state has shown that the average teacher who is mentored by a highly effective teacher begins their career with the same effectiveness as an average third-year teacher. In Washington, the average third-year teacher is paid $3,500 more than the average rookie. Given that the salary differential is a reflection of the value that policymakers put on experience, Goldhaber argues that policymakers should be willing to invest roughly 15 times more to encourage effective teachers to become mentors. He pointed to past research that suggests the value to students of having a first-year teacher who student-taught under a highly effective mentor teacher is about $70,000 in lifetime earnings across an average classroom, compared to students whose new teacher was trained under an average mentor teacher. Thats worth a whole heck of a lot more than $200, Goldhaber said. Those in the teacher-preparation field have called for student-teaching to be revamped and to better incorporate evidence-based practices . Kate Walsh, the president of the National Council on Teacher Quality, a Washington-based research and advocacy group, has said districts need to commit to placing student-teachers only with strong mentor teachers, and consider the chemistry between a mentor and his or her mentee. Of course, being a highly effective teacher does not equate directly to being an effective mentorsome teachers might be good at mentoring, and not have as big an effect on student achievement, or vice versa. That said, there appears to be a really strong association between the two, and we should take a look at that, Goldhaber said. Image via Getty Surprising Washington with brief remarks Wednesday, Mueller indicated it's up to Congress to decide what to do with his findings. The special counsel reiterated that, bound by Justice Department policy, charging a sitting president with a crime was "not an option." But he also stressed he could not exonerate Trump. Instead, he cited that same policy to say, "The Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system." New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler said it falls to Congress to respond to the "crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump and we will do so." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has so far discouraged members of her caucus from demanding impeachment, believing it would only help Trump win re-election and arguing that Democrats need to follow a methodical, step by step approach to investigating the president. But she hasn't ruled it out. Kenneth Turner, 28, was shot in the 4800 block of West Gladys Avenue, at Cicero Avenue, in the Austin neighborhood, and was pronounced dead at 3:44 p.m. Wednesday at Mount Sinai Hospital, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. Turner, of the 300 block of South Kilpatrick Avenue, died from a gunshot wound to the head, the office determined following an autopsy Friday. The National Immigrant Justice Center, which is representing the family, had filed an application with ICE last week seeking to stop the deportations for the couple, whose asylum claims were denied more than a decade ago. Diana Rashid, the attorney representing the family, said the center asked ICE to use its discretion and allow the couple to remain in the U.S. President Donald Trumps administration has granted fewer of these types of applications than prior administrations, Rashid said. UIC is not able to attract and enroll any sizable number of Native Americans because of our tuition policy, Browne said. A lot of the tribes and nations that existed were moved around repeatedly so native people were often taken away from their homeland there arent any native tribes in Illinois. Youre kind of out of your mind, he said. Even with (supplemental) oxygen, youre so (oxygen-starved) when you get up there. You try to slow yourself down and remember where you are. You try to appreciate it. I definitely cried a bit. My guide was like, Do not cry. Youre going to freeze up your goggles. If you are a female and are looking for the male thats the most fit, one of the most obvious signs is size, Muir said. If youre a big male, you must have survived, you must have been able to get food and have all the good genes. But in the case of transgenic salmon, I hypothesized this was false advertising. It was big, but not because it had the good genes or that it could find a lot of food. Its big because of the transgene, and it actually has lower fitness than the wild type. So females would be mating with less fit males and it would perpetuate fewer offspring to maturity. Burkes plight surely was on many minds as the aldermen decided it was smarter to fall in line behind Lightfoot than to challenge her nascent campaign against corruption, pinstripe patronage, insider deals and clouted City Council decisions. The aldermen know that the feds likely have some of them chattering on recordings made by a fellow, now former alderman. And who knows, some of them might be on those thousands of Burke telephone calls the government captured. Were keenly aware, for many reasons, that money and talent dont need to stay in Illinois. When it comes to tech, the allure of Silicon Valley never fades. For Chicago to boost its global reputation and deepen its talent pool requires constant momentum. Investment in innovation is key. The schools upgraded status and scale positions it to bring in more brain power to conduct research, launch startups and teach the next generation of inventors. Its a powerful testament to an ambitious new way of thinking about science and technology. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is planning a major initiative for a tap-proof quantum network in collaboration with the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, the Max Planck Society and the German Aerospace Center (DLR). German Federal Minister of Education and Research Anja Karliczek announced BMBF funding for the QuNET initiative. An initial grant of 25 million euros will fund research into how the laws of quantum physics can be applied to create secure communication networks. Minister Anja Karliczek outlined the BMBFs plans: In the digital age, business and society are more dependent than ever on secure communication. Secure data lines are the lifelines of our age, which is why we have to make data transfer as tap-proof as possible. Quantum communications offers unique opportunities to do this. Germany and Europe must develop their own competencies in this area in order not to become dependent on others. This is why we need to advance research in this field. Germany and Europe should become the most trustworthy data space in the world, which is why I will be putting this topic on the German and European agenda. The idea behind the QuNET initiative is for leading German researchers and companies to join forces to lay the foundations for secure communication in the future. I am grateful to the participants in this unique project for their dedicated efforts in this future-oriented field. QuNETs goal is to enable governmental organizations to communicate securely. The seven-year project is also designed to serve as a central platform for establishing a German quantum communications infrastructure and represents a groundbreaking step toward the development of a quantum internet. At the European level, the German federal government and the QuNET consortium partners are aiming to create a secure European data space. Challenges for quantum communications To confront this challenge, the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF (Jena) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, Heinrich Hertz Institute, HHI (Berlin) have joined forces with the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (Erlangen). Industry partners from telecommunications, system and component development, security and satellite operations are also participating in the project, including companies such as Deutsche Telekom AG, ADVA Optical Networking and Tesat-Spacecom. The heavy involvement of German industry is intended to ensure rapid transfer of the solutions developed in the QuNET project. Fraunhofer President Professor Reimund Neugebauer explained the Fraunhofer-Gesellschafts strategy: QuNET is an opportunity to work side by side with outstanding partners from research, business and government to lay the foundations for developing a uniform and secure European information and communication infrastructure. This project will further boost Germanys pioneering role and technology leadership in this strategically important area. In the long term, we plan to connect the quantum-based communication infrastructure with International Data Spaces in order to unite data sovereignty and data security at the highest levels in the European data space. New opportunities for a digital society The initiative is being launched in the face of the growing capabilities of digital technologies that are impacting todays data networks and posing an increasing threat to the security of our modern information-based society. This requires many organizations to rethink and revise their security infrastructures, in particular government agencies, banks and businesses that play a critical security role. Professor Andreas Tunnermann, director of the Fraunhofer IOF and initiator of the QuNET project, explains the benefits: The initiative will generate synergies by combining the complementary skills of top-tier German research institutes in the area of quantum communications. The project strategically addresses the development of new heterogeneous quantum communication networks that will enable multi-user operations. QuNET will thus make an important contribution to providing physically secure communications in Germany and Europe. In addition, Professor Gerd Leuchs, director emeritus of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light highlighted the technical potential of optical quantum communication: One of the characteristics of quantum measurements is that they only ever reveal part of the existing information, and never all of it. This paves the way for exciting applications ranging from the perfect random number generator to the detection of eavesdroppers. Both are important for secure communication. The project, which has been divided into three phases, will officially begin in the fall of 2019. First, the researchers will develop the hardware components; then, in the second phase, they will formulate the technological foundations of multi-user operations in heterogeneous networks. In the third phase, they will collaborate with industry and the German federal network operators to implement the quantum technology-based network for government agencies. But make no mistake: Switching to a graduated income tax is not going to save this state. Not even close. New revenue generated under the rates proposed optimistically, $3.4 billion per year doesnt come close to paying down the massive debts Illinois lawmakers have piled up, including a $133.5 billion unfunded pension obligation thats still rising. Worse, hitting high-income earners will have the reverse effect of driving more residents and businesses to flee Illinois. Why should they get soaked as punishment for decades of financial mismanagement in Springfield? Boca Raton, in income-tax-free Florida, beckons. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross presented Fredericksburg company B-FOR International with the Presidents E Award for Export Service Excellence at a ceremony Thursday in Washington to recognize its contribution to American export growth. The Presidents E Award is the highest recognition any U.S. entity can receive for making a significant contribution to the expansion of U.S. exports. B-FOR International, 520 William St., is a provider of export services for U.S. companies through international trade shows all over the world and a leading organizer of USA Pavilions at trade shows in a variety of industries. B-FOR International has demonstrated a sustained commitment to export expansion, Ross said in his letter announcing the companys selection. The E Awards Committee was very impressed with B-For Internationals design of trade events to promote exports and identify international opportunities for U.S. exporters. The Presidents E Award was created in 1961. Staff report The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Stafford County Supervisor Tom Coen has announced his intentions to seek re-election on Nov. 5 as the George Washington District representative. My time in office has allowed me to advocate for the issues we believe in, those significant for the George Washington District, and beyond. Coen said in a news release. Over the past year, we have confronted many issues: growth, transportation, public safety, the budget and even education. We have made progress, but there is still more work to do. Coen said he has been a strong supporter of the Land Use Tax Credit and Purchase of Development Rights program. He also noted that he led the effort to return firefighter training program to the school system this fall. The George Washington District is in the southeast corner of the county and includes the England Run, Chatham, Ferry Farm and White Oak areas of Stafford. Coen has served as a supervisor since February 2018, when he was appointed to replace Del. Bob Thomas, who left the board after being elected to the General Assembly. Coen won a special election last November to finish out Thomas term on the board and is now seeking a four-year term. James Scott Baron: 540-374-5438 jbaron@freelancestar.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. A man who raped a teenage girl at knifepoint after driving her from King George County to southern Stafford County last year was ordered Tuesday to serve 20 years in prison. Grant Michael Johnson, 23, of King George, was convicted of rape in March in Stafford Circuit Court. In exchange for his Alford plea, an abduction charge was dropped and prosecutor Ed Lustig agreed to cap his maximum active sentence at 25 years. The plea means that Johnson does not admit guilt, but acknowledges there is enough evidence for a conviction. Lustig pushed for the 25 years Tuesday, while defense attorney John Mayoras argued for less time. Mayoras pointed out that Johnson had no prior felony convictions and that he hadnt actually admitted guilt in entering the Alford plea. Judge Victoria Willis sentenced Johnson to a total of 50 years, with 30 years suspended. Johnson must also register as a sex offender. According to the evidence, the 16-year-old victim got into an argument with her grandmother Aug. 18 of last year and left the house. A short time later, Johnson drove up and offered her a ride. The girl knew Johnson from Facebook and past social settings, so she accepted. Carpenter and Figueroa were taken into custody at that point. Charges against both have already been sent to circuit court. During the subsequent interrogation, detectives learned from Figueroa that there was more drug activity going on "between rooms 138 and 140." Mervil knocked on room 139 and was quickly pulled inside by Jacob E. Dougherty, 22, of Rochester, N.Y. Mervil testified that Dougherty explained that it was "hot outside," meaning police were in the area. After seeing cocaine being weighed on a scale in plain sight, Mervil announced his true profession and arrested Dougherty. Petine, who came out of a bathroom as the arrest was in progress, was not arrested that night after claiming that he was there only to shoot a music video. But he was arrested following a traffic stop in Maryland four days later. He was with Christopher Foxworth of Stafford, who police described as a known member of the Westside Piru gang, a subset of the Bloods. Police later tied Petine to the gang as well. A Maryland detective testified that Petine had admitted in 2015 that he was a member of Westside Piru, though he described it as a family, not a gang. A Spotsylvania County man was jailed Sunday on charges that he choked and assaulted his girlfriend in a convenience store parking lot, authorities said. Spotsylvania Sheriffs Capt. C.A. Carey said the altercation began about 4 p.m. at a home in a neighborhood behind the Sheetz off Lafayette Boulevard in Spotsylvania. Following an argument, he said, the woman left the home and went to the Sheetz parking lot. According to Carey, the woman was sitting in her car texting someone when the suspect showed up. Police said he reached into the car, snatched her cellphone and wallet, then pulled her out of the car by the arm. Carey said that the man then choked the woman as the dispute escalated. Other people began to gather as the woman finally broke away and went into the store to call for help. Carey said the woman had obvious injuries. The woman later went to a Sunoco station in Fredericksburg, where she was met by police and taken back to the Sheetz store. Carey said he wasnt sure why the woman went to Fredericksburg. Antoine I. Rabb, 22, was charged with strangulation, assault and battery, robbery, credit card larceny, larceny from a person and preventing a 911 call. He was still in the Rappahannock Regional Jail on Tuesday evening. 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. Four schools in Stafford County and one in Spotsylvania County received distinguished achievement awards from the state Board of Education, a press release from Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday. Chancellor Elementary in Spotsylvania and Winding Creek Elementary, Rodney Thompson Middle, Colonial Forge High and Mountain View High in Stafford received the award, which recognizes schools and divisions that met all state and federal benchmarks and made progress toward the goals of the Governor and the Board of Education. Eight divisions and 175 schools in the state earned the award this year. It is the third highest award in the Virginia Index of Performance program. The awards are based on student achievement and other performance indicators during the 201718 school year, the press release states. The VIP program was established by the state Board of Education in 2007 as a means of recognizing schools and school divisions that exceed state and federal accountability standards. In April 2018, the board approved criteria for a new exemplar school recognition program to replace the VIP awards. The new program will include awards for high achievement, continuous improvement and innovative practices. The first awards under the new exemplar school system will be announced this summer. 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. The reasons the Incas called this the Sacred Valley are all around you. Discover them in each of our explorations. So read the welcome note left on a desk in our hotel room. It rang true: The mountains and fields and Incan terraces surrounding the hotel amounted to quite an awe-inspiring scene. Im not sure I was even aware of the Sacred Valley of Peru prior to this trip. I knew about Machu Picchu, and I suppose if you had mentioned the Incan empire, I would have had vague awareness of the history. But five days of hiking and biking around the valley guided by experts brought the history and culture to life. The history of the Incan trails is pretty interesting, and its cool to be able to still walk on many of the trails, many of which were built over 500 years ago. Most intriguing to me was how the Incas saw God in nature. Mountains were God. Trees were God. Rain was God. Many of us feel a sense of awe in nature. Turning that sense of awe into a full religious fervor is something else entirely. Archaeoastronomy is apparently the study of how ancient peoples incorporated the sun, moon and stars into their daily lives. The religious connection to the mountains is multiplied by Perus insane weather. As someone told Mark Adams in his book below, I was in the Sacred Valley in 1983 when a hailstorm knocked out ninety percent of the corn crop in fifteen minutesSo if your perception is that the mountains control weather, youre going to try to make those mountains happy. Machu Picchu itself is a sight to behold. Of course, its famous, so its crawling with people, which distracts a bit from the sacred vibe. Its still awe-inspiring to see a mini stone city nestled amidst the Andes. And its hard to imagine thousands of men carrying thousands of heavy stones to build the buildings, with no modern stone carving tools. The purpose of Machu Picchu is debated among archeologists and historians to this day. Maybe it was a mini temple. Maybe it was simply the home of the Inca. Maybe it was meant as a stop on a longer pilgrimage. Who knows. In Johan Reinhards book quoted by Mark Adams in the book I link to below he suggests that trying to understand places like Machu Picchu and Vitcos as individual, self-contained sites misses a larger point. These monuments were built in relation to the sun, the stars, the mountainsand to one another. There are many microclimates in the Valley, and hikes, bike rides, and car tours available at different elevations. On our last day, we climbed to 14,000 feet and experienced a moonscape-like set of lakes and paddies nestled in the the high Andes mountains. There were no other people; just alpacas and shepherds. The whole scene felt quite distinct from the river trails in the basin of the valley. Overall, Id rank this part of Peru up there in terms of outdoor activities combined with historical interestingness. (Note that the city of Lima is generally not a recommended stop for tourists and my one day there on the way home didnt move me to challenge that recommendation.) The book Turn Right at Machu Picchu by Mark Adams is a really engaging tour through Peru and the Sacred Valley from a modern travel writer. The first 20% is slow going, but the last 80% was excellent. Recommended reading if youre traveling to Peru and arent aware of Hiram Binghams explorations. Here are some highlights from my Kindle reading of the book: Listen, I am who I am, and my views on a range of different issues have been quite clear, she said. We were the only campaign that put out detailed policy statements on virtually every issue that I think is important for the city to take on. Its not about me moving one way or the other. Im 56 years old. Obviously new issues come up, you learn about different issues. But my North Star is very clear. And Im still the kid that grew up in a low-income family that struggled every single day to make ends meet. And of course that animates and guides me in thinking about policy, particularly when I look across the city, and I see the number of challenges in communities, particularly on the South and the West Side. WASHINGTON - A national group seeking to help Democrats in Virginia win control of the General Assembly is trying a novel approach in key areas of the state: a money challenge that rewards candidates who visit as many voters as possible. The Washington-based Future Now Fund, which steers money to Democrats seeking state offices across the country, will split $400,000 among nine candidates who are seeking seats currently held by Republicans in the House of Delegates. Each candidate will get a minimum of $5,000. The four who knock on the most doors each month will each receive an additional $20,000. Daniel Squadron, a former Democratic state senator from New York and director of the 2-year-old group, said the challenge is meant to help candidates establish deep roots with voters in GOP-held districts. Virginia is the only state in the country where control over the legislature is at stake this fall, with all 140 General Assembly seats on the ballot and Republicans holding razor-thin majorities in both chambers. It will work. Democrats will emerge from this nomination fight even more divided than the last cycle. Like the Mad Queen at the conclusion of Game of Thrones, Biden will inherit the ruins of a party he destroyed. Trump goes into 2020 stronger than ever. Republicans are unified. Democrats look like fools for the debunked Russiagate fiasco and like wimps for refusing to try to impeach him. The economy looks strong. If the president lays off Iran, well be relatively at peace. In the Rust Belt swing states, its not just Republicans who like his trade wars. Abortion will not motivate as many voters as liberals hope. Biden is the worst candidate in the Democratic field, even worse than Hillary Clinton. Some progressives voted for her because of her history-making potential as first woman president and her role trying to make health care policy. Biden offers nothing like that for progressive voters. Hes a warmonger who voted to kill a million people in Iraq. Hes against Medicare for All. He undermined Anita Hill, pretended to apologize years after the fact, and then took it back. And hes just another old white man. No one is excited about him. Virginia death row inmates are housed at Sussex I State Prison in Sussex County. Those nearing execution are transported to Greensville Correctional Center, where the death chamber is located. The improvements to Sussex 1 prompted the plaintiffs to acknowledge that conditions were no longer cruel or unconstitutional. The dissenting opinion by U.S. Judge Paul V. Niemeyer pointed to the improvements, suggesting that the case was moot and the appeal unnecessary. The reason for the appeal, however, was that Virginia corrections officials had refused to guarantee that they would never revert to their former policies and methods. Because the same officials had been so pro-active in improving conditions, the refusal constituted a head-scratching choice, according to Robert Dunham, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center. We think that issuing the ruling and closing the circle on the lawsuit was a wise and worthwhile decision. The state is forced to agree that it will never revert, and other states facing similar situations can refer to the 4th Circuit ruling as they determine their own courses of action. Going out in Chicago can be expensive, but it doesnt have to be. Theres plenty of fun to be had every week without putting a dent in your wallet. Were making it easier for you by providing a weekly guide to free things to do throughout the city. NetEase Games and 24 Entertainment are proud to announce that NARAKA: BLADEPOINT has been a huge hit on Steam in 2021, taking high spots on the Best of 2021 lists. After the initial salvo of infections, the ransomware known as WannaCry has started to initiate a second wave of attacks that has affected even more countries. The online security breach has prompted the White House to hold emergency meetings with experts. It has been speculated that the NSA was involved in some way that led to the eventual development of the virus. Experts claim that the WannaCry ransomware was created from some hacking tools available online. The tools were allegedly leaked by a group who call themselves the Shadow Brokers. It appears that one of those tools were developed by the NSA to take advantage of a Windows vulnerability to give them unrestricted access to a computer. Gizmodo confirmed that Microsoft immediately took action when the tools were leaked and released a patch to fix the vulnerability. However, when the WannaCry ransomware started to attack computers last week it revealed just how many computers were not updated. Over 200,000 victims across 150 countries were infected with the ransomware that crippled their computers. The victims were asked to pay amounts from $300 to $600 in order to gain back access to their files. This potentially places the blame on the NSA for a global chaos that has rendered some important services to shut down until it is resolved. Cyber security experts claim that ATMs went offline, factories and other manufacturing processes were halted, medical facilities had to turn away patients, and obviously sleepless nights for cyber security experts. New outlets confirm that the US government's Cyber Response Group continues to huddle with Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert. It is suspected that they are discussing the extent of the NSA'a involvement with the WannaCry ransomware. The WannaCry ransomware attacks are an ideal example of why a collection of vulnerabilities by the US government becomes a problem. The vulnerability exploit stolen from the NSA has obviously caused problems for a lot of people around the world. Users are advised to update their Windows OS on all of their computers to hopefully prevent the spread of the virus, as suggested by Gamenguide. Total War: Three Kingdoms feature a diverse array of warlords for players to choose from when they pick their starting faction. Many of these warlords come with different approaches to playstyle and strategy to achieve success. One of the more unique warlords is Ma Teng, a warlord that players who are going to enjoy if they find early expansion and war their type of approach. Due to Ma Tengs starting loyalties, a rapid expansion approach can prove fruitful or fatal. Heres a break down of how to best tackle fighting in China when playing Ma Teng. Playing Ma Teng in Total War: Three Kingdoms Starting Focus Unlike many of the other warlords in Three Kingdoms, Ma Teng is loyal to the current regime in power, Dong Zhuo and the Han Dynasty. This friendship makes finding allies nearby quite easy, as his faction starts directly west of the capital. Although, there are also plenty of Yellow Turban settlements scattered throughout the area, making these ripe for the picking to add to your overall worth. Youll want to map out these locations as quickly as possible, muster an army, and advance towards them. Ma Teng specializes in pushing through enemy territory and remaining there for extended periods. Youll want to use this to your advantage during the early part of your game to dominate your opponents who are still gathering strength to their main forces. However, dont let it keep you too far in enemy territory. You need to watch the numbers in your armies to make sure you dont overstretch your position. Make sure to use the encamp military movement if youre running out military supplies, having your warriors forage for food. Expand With Caution and Reforms Youre going to want to spread out your focuses on reforms, and then highlight a particular area you start dominating in depending on how your campaign progresses. For example, if you find yourself having to hold back with Ma Teng, then its better to start grabbing the Infrastructure & Economy and Government reform trees. These are going to assist you in building up a more substantial income to support more massive armies you can use to push through your enemy. However, if youre spending more time expanding and fighting, then youre going to want to switch to Military Doctrines and Philosophy & Trade to produce a stronger army along with a diverse spy network. Its tempting to want to expand well into the mid-game with Ma Teng. The more you focus your army outward and gather up enemies as an ally of the Han Dynasty, its challenging to know when to stop. It can feel like you can keep going, and theres going to be no end to your success. Youll find this an easy mistake to make, and youre going to stumble hard economically and cripple your army if you go too far out. Its better to keep your hands close and carefully mark where all of your enemies are and where theyre moving. Silk and Spice Economy Another tremendous benefit about Ma Teng you cannot afford to forget about is his connection to the Silk Road. Ma Teng is situated to the western portion of China, giving him an advantage and history of this lucrative business. As such, hes going to receive additional income from both spice and silk. More income than other factions can acquire from it. Youll want to find ways to press this advantage early, mainly if you can rely on it to amass armies quicker than neighboring factions. Regardless of how you handle Ma Teng, focusing on his economic expansion is imperative. Every good leader needs to know how to supply their armies and their settlements. Because of how many Han factions are near Ma Teng, creating trade networks and working with them before the significant enemies start to show up would be a good idea. You can use the Han as a barrier and buy yourself more time as you establish your position. You dont want to get too comfortable, though. Youre going to find Ma Teng a delicate warlord as some players may find it difficult to time his rate of expansion carefully. Again, his advantages with the silk road and being allied with the Han Dynasty can prove useful, and make winning a viable outcome for this governor. A suspect in a Sweet Home murder was charged in Linn County Circuit Court on Tuesday afternoon. Page Lee Butterfield, 25, of Turner, was accused of murder, attempted murder, second-degree assault, felon in possession of a firearm and unauthorized use of a vehicle. Judge DeAnn Novotny set Butterfields bail at $1 million, as requested by prosecutor Coleen Cerda. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for June 10. The murder allegedly occurred early on Friday in the 500 block of Surrey Lane in Sweet Home. Corey Burdick, 43, of Sweet Home, was pronounced dead at the scene. Ervin Larry Smith, 65, of Sweet Home, also was the victim of a gunshot wound and was transported to a local hospital. The incident occurred in and around a travel trailer occupied by Smith. After identifying Butterfield as a suspect, authorities received a report that he had stolen a red 2008 Ford Edge from an acquaintance in Albany. Cerda said that after fleeing Linn County, Butterfield was arrested by the Oregon State Police in the Sisters area on Sunday, and he fled from troopers who saw him. Butterfield has a lengthy criminal history that includes convictions in Linn, Benton, Lincoln, Marion and Deschutes counties for crimes such as fourth-degree assault, menacing, second-degree burglary, providing false information to a police officer, criminal driving while suspended or revoked, failure to perform the duties of a driver, resisting arrest, unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of heroin and possession of methamphetamine. He also has an open case under investigation by the Albany Police Department, where Butterfield is accused of unauthorized use of a vehicle, possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of methamphetamine, resisting arrest and giving false information to a peace officer. The homicide case remains under investigation and those with information about the shooting should call Detective Cyndi Pichardo of the Sweet Home Police Department at 541-367-5181. Kyle Odegard can be reached at kyle.odegard@lee.net, 541-812-6077 or via Twitter @KyleOdegard. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. Oregon State University is hosting a two-day conference on ideology and U.S. foreign policy Friday and Saturday. The goal, said organizer Christopher McKnight Nichols, associate professor of history at OSU, is to help the wider public understand how history impacts the present and likely helps us see (and perhaps impact) the shape of the future. The event, which is free and open to the public, runs from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, with most events in the Memorial Union Journey Room. A final panel discussion, sponsored by World Oregon, will be held at 7 p.m. Monday at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland. Keynote speaker James Lindsay, senior vice president and director of studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, will give OSUs annual Governor Tom McCall Memorial Lecture at 7 p.m. Friday at the LaSells Stewart Center. Lindsays talk is titled Donald Trump and Ideology. Afterward, Lindsay will sign copies of his book, Empty Throne: Americas Abdication of Global Leadership, which he co-wrote with Ivo H. Daalder. For a look at the complete schedule of speakers and forums go to https://liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/shpr/citizenship/ideologies-and-us-foreign-policy-conference/schedule-events. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 LINN COUNTY SHERIFF Trailer troubles About 7:47 a.m. Monday, a caller in the 400 block of Goldfish Farm Road reported that a trailer came off a hitch while being towed and traveled across oncoming lane of traffic. It also crossed a gravel construction area, hit a mailbox and broke a wooden post. The homemade trailer is 6-feet wide and 20-feet long. Was towed by AA Towing. SWEET HOME POLICE Stolen stereo About 2:14 Monday, a caller in the 1200 block of 2nd Ave., reported that he loaned his vehicle to a friend and the friend took a stereo out of the vehicle and refuses to give it back. Officer assisted with mediation and items were exchanged. Opossum problems About 10:41 p.m. Sunday, a caller in the 600 block of 8th Ave., reported that an opossum was in her home. Officer assisted in getting it out of her house. CORVALLIS POLICE Dangerous animal At 3:10 p.m. on Saturday an officer went to a house in the 700 block of Northwest Linden Avenue, where a woman reported that a neighbors dog had killed her chickens. The officer found a large brown and white Husky stuck in the chicken coop, with seven dead chickens and one badly injured bird. The dog was impounded as a dangerous animal and its owner notified. Theft by deception At 3:29 p.m. Saturday an officer went to check on an elderly woman who might be in the process of being defrauded. The woman was attempting to send $50 to Jamaica to bail out a family friend she was told had been arrested in Portland. She was able to get her money back but appeared to be confused. Rental fraud At 4:19 p.m. Saturday an officer was dispatched to the 100 block of Northwest Seventh St. for a reported fraud. A man said he had responded to a Craigslist ad for a house for rent and had sent the poster pictures of his drivers license and his wifes drivers license. He became suspicious when the man asked him to transfer $4,500 to his cousin but declined to give the cousins name. The man was advised to take steps to protect his personal information. BENTON COUNTY SHERIFF Stolen car At 8:50 a.m. on Sunday a Corvallis man reported his car had been stolen two weeks earlier from the parking lot of the Safeway supermarket at 5270 SW Philomath Boulevard. The car is a silver 2004 Chevrolet Impala, Oregon license number 675-KCC. LINN COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT From Tuesday afternoon Sex crime Elijah Drew Cavanaugh, 26, of Lyons, was charged with second-degree sexual abuse. The crime allegedly occurred about May 17 or May 18, according to the charging document. The Linn County Sheriffs Office investigated the case. Assault Kyle Matthew Park-Harmon, 29, of Albany, was charged with felony fourth-degree assault (domestic violence) and interfering with making a report. The crimes allegedly occurred during the month of May and were investigated by LCSO. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Xiaomi Launches Mi Business Casual Backpack In India News oi-Karan Sharma Xiaomi launched a new Mi Business Casual Backpack with waterproof coating, Anti-theft compartment and rear trolley harness and more. Back in 2017 Chinese smartphone maker Xiomi launched its Mi Business Backpack in India. After that, the company introduced its Mi Casual Backpack, Mi City Backpack and Mi Travel Backpack. Now the company has launched a new Mi Business Casual Backpack, which is specially made for office goes. The company is slowly moving its products lineup to lifestyle also. Earlier the company came up with its Mi Shoes, last week Xiaomi launched its Mi Polarised Square and Pilot sunglasses in the country and now Backpack. The newly launched Mi Business Casual Backpack comes with waterproof coating, Anti-theft compartment and rear trolley harness. Apart from that, the backpack offering 21 litres capacity ample room for all your requirement which also includes your business laptops. It comes with an IPX4 Waterproof coating which makes it tough for all condition use. When it comes to comfort the bag offers an extra padded shoulder strap, padded mesh back and cushioned laptop support. These extra paddings increase the comfort of the backpack. The Mi Business Casual Backpack is made up of durable 600D polyester and the bag also offers Hidden anti-theft pocket, Elastic pocket for water bottles, along with a rear trolley harness to ensure your commute easier. Xiaomi Mi Business Casual Backpack comes in the combination of a black and gray color. If you are also interested in buying the newly launch backpack then you can grab it from mi.com for Rs 999. The company is also providing a warranty of 6 months on this product. You can also grab the Mi sunglasses from company's official website mi.com. You can grab the Mi Polarized Square for Rs 899, and the Mi Polarized Pilot is up for sale at Rs 1,099. Meanwhile, the Redmi K20 also arrived in China with the triple rear camera setup, 8GB RAM and the most amazing pop-up front camera. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Huawei Ban: Companies Involved And Benefiting Brands Features oi-Vivek Here is everything you need to know about the US and Huawei's trade war. Due to an ongoing trade war between the US and China, Huawei, the Chinese tech brand has been facing a lot of issues, and the company has lost major connections from other tech brands, especially from the US-based establishments. Here is the list of companies that have cut off ties with Huawei after the US ban. Who is going to get a profit from it? Huawei is currently the #2 smartphone brand in the entire world, and this ban is going to affect Huawei in the long run. Though the ban is not going to affect the already available Huawei/Honor smartphones, it is most likely that the competing brands like Samsung and Apple are most likely to see a rise in market share. Huawei is most likely to come down from second place in the next few months, and other brands will definitely get benefits from the same. Which countries and users are going to be affected? Chinese will be the least affected market, as Google services are currently banned in China. However, the company might lose some customers in Europian countries and India. As Huawei phones are already banned in the US, the latest development will not affect the North American market in any manner. Is it a political move by the US govt against China? Though it seems like a political move, nothing can be said for sure. It is a well-known fact that Huawei has currently the leading brand in 5G technology, and, US-based companies like Qualcomm and Intel are also working on similar technology. Huawei definitely in the lead with the 5G technology, which might affect other US-based tech brands. With the trade deal in place, Huawei cannot work in the US and other countries (except for China), where other brands will have an advatage with one less competition. How is India going to be impacted? As of now, there should be no problem for smartphones that are already available in India. However, this bad PR might impact the Honor/Huawei smartphone sale figures in the country in the coming days. Do we need Huawei in the world and India? Competition is always great, with one less name in the 5G race some brands might behave as a monopoly which will definitely a bad thing. At the end of the day, users are going to be impacted by this ban, especially in the long run. List of companies that have been cut off from Huawei Google/Android Though there is a temporary ban lift from Google/Android for the next 90 days, this breakup is going to hurt Huawei badly, especially outside China. Most of the modern Huawei smartphones are based on Android OS, and with no support from Google, Huawei has to depend on AOSP source, which will slow down the OS upgrade process. This also means that Huawei will not be able to work with Google to bring in some new feature in the Android ecosystem. Microsoft Microsoft has taken down the Huawei laptops and notebooks from Microsoft online stores, and with the latest order from the Trump lead govt, the company will stop working with Huawei. This might result in a bad way for Huawei laptops based on Windows OS, and they are less likely to receive software updates until the issue is sorted out. With the current situation, Huawei will not be able to release new notebooks and laptops with Windows OS. Intel Intel powers almost every Huawei notebook/laptop with Windows OS, and with this breakup, Huawei's already existing notebooks will not get some of the important security updates like BIOS update, and it will be very difficult to get drivers for the other components as well. Without Intel, Huawei will not be able to design a laptop or notebook what so ever, unless, just like Qualcomm they launch a chipset with custom OS support. ARM ARM is a mobile CPU design company, where almost every smartphone chipset will be based on ARM architecture. Though Huawei has its own chipset brand, HiSilicon, the company will not be able to design new chipsets without the help of ARM. It is suggested that the HiSilicon Kirin 985 or the Kirin 990 is already in production, which is most likely to use the ARM A77 CPU architecture, which offers up to 20% improved performance compared to ARM A76 architecture, used on the Snapdragon 855 and the Kirin 980 SoC. Corning Corning is a household name in smartphone display protection, and the company is known for Gorilla Glass series tempered glass, which prevents the smartphone screen from scratches and cracks. Some of the Huawei flagship smartphones come with a 2.5D Gorilla Glass, and Huawei will not be able to use the same for the upcoming Huawei smartphones. Instead, the company has to depend on a brand like Asahi Glass or they have to come up with their own tempered glass. Micron Micron is a US-based RAM/storage manufacturing company, and the latest trade war between China and the US makes sure that Micron cannot supply hardware components to Huawei smartphones. Though Micron is not the only company that makes flash-based storage devices for phones, the company is going to lose an old friend and has to look for other options to make newer devices. Skyworks and Qorvo Skyworks and Qorvo are again a US-based company which supplies network components to the smartphones. These brands are known for their networking cards, which enables the device to connect with 3G or 4G network, and Huawei will not be able to use network cards from these two brands until the issue is resolved. Best Mobiles in India Nokia 9 PureView With Five Cameras Slated To Launch On June 6 In India News oi-Sandeep Sarkar The smartphone is powered by a Snapdragon 845 chipset. HMD Global showcased the flagship Nokia 9 PureView smartphone at the technology trade fair MWC 2019. The smartphone comes with a Penta-lens camera module at the rear making it first smartphone to offer this setup. The company had also announced the Nokia 3.2, Nokia 4.2, and the Nokia 1 Plus smartphones during the event. While the Nokia 3.2 and the Nokia 4.2 have gone official in the Indian market, the Nokia 9 PureView is yet to be launched in the country. The smartphone has been tipped to launch in India a number of time previously, however, there was no specific date available for the same. Now, the company has revealed the launch date of its latest flagship in India. Nokia 9 PureView India launch date and specifications: HMD Global has scheduled a launch event in India on June 6. The Finnish giant is expected to launch the Nokia 9 PureView during the event which will be hosted in New Delhi. The company has also started sending out media invites for the same. It is also being said that HMD Global might also launch the Nokia 1 Plus along with the Nokia 9 PureView during the launch event on June 6. However, nothing concrete can be said at the moment. In terms of specifications, the Nokia 9 PureView packs a pOLED display panel which measures 5.99-inches in size. The display offers a QHD+ resolution of 1440 x 2560 pixels and is protected by a Corning Gorilla Glass 5 layer on top. The display incorporates an fingerprint scanner for biometric authentication. The major highlight of the smartphone is the penta-lens camera setup. The primary camera module comprises of 12MP lenses with three monochrome and two RGB sensors. The AI camera setup comes with various modes such as HDR, Portrait, Auto Focus, and Phase detection etc. To capture selfies and to make video calls, the smartphone makes use of a 20MP selfie snapper. Under the hood, a Snapdragon 845 processor powers the smartphone. The processor is combined with Adreno 630 GPU and 6GB of RAM. The smartphone offers a internal storage space of 128GB which can be expanded using a microSD card. To keep the processor ticking, a 3,320mAh battery is packed inside the device which has a Quick Charge support. Best Mobiles in India Telecom sector reached new heights India is the second largest telecommunications market globally with a user base of 1.2 billion as of January 2019. Not long ago, there were just a few million smartphone users getting things done on low-speed connectivity. However, the tables have turned, and telcos in the country are now adopting new technologies to make lives easier for generations to come. The constant surge in mobile phone usage and decline in data charges is said to drive the adoption of internet services in the coming years. As per recent TRAI and DoT reports dating from 2001 to 2019, the usage of landlines and PCOs have decreased gradually due to the increase in the use of mobiles. Also, many users are inclined towards the use of wireless internet connections rather than wired broadband. Also, this trend has increased the popularity of 4G in the rural regions of the country, thanks to 4G-enabled feature phones such as JioPhone and affordable tariff plans. With the emergence of Reliance Jio, every telco is offering bundled and unlimited combo plans that have reduced the average cost of 1GB of 4G data plans. Also, the average time spent on voice calls has increased considerably over the years due to the bundled tariff plans that come with voice calling minutes for free. E-commerce bets on regional languages In the past few years, there has been a steep increase in the e-commerce and digital shopping sectors. Besides India, it has become a global trend as people like the convenience of shopping from their home. In India, e-commerce sales are growing rapidly and are projected to be valued over $45 billion in 2021. As per Statista, India ranks first in the B2C e-commerce development with an annual growth rate of 17.8. The online shopping market is led by Flipkart, Amazon, and Myntra and these companies are said to have generated net sales of over $1.45 billion in 2017. Besides, the growth, e-commerce companies are betting big on the regional languages. E-commerce biggies are estimated to widen their user base by a few hundred millions by focusing on regional languages. These companies are in plans to use Artificial Intelligence to focus on regional language users. Citing a few examples, Flipkart has acquired Liv.ai to develop a speech-to-text platform with support for 10 Indian languages. And, cab-hailing platform Ola offers support to 12 languages for its users in tier 2 cities. Amazon and PatniGroup have entered a joint venture to expand its operations by offering voice-based and text-based consumer support in regional languages. With this, e-commerce can penetrate deeper into the rural markets in the country and gain a massive user base taking them to great heights. Social media became an integral part of society Thanks to the easy internet access, social media users in the country have surpassed 326.1 million by 2018. As per the research, the major growth took place in 2016 and 2017. It is estimated that this number will hit 448 million in 2023. And, the most used social networking platform appears to be Facebook. The increase in social media use comes due to various reasons such as increased availability of internet connections in recent years, the central government's Digital India initiative and more. In fact, India has progressed to become the second largest market in internet usage in the world next to China. Features phones made a comeback Ever since the smartphones came into existence in the late 2000s, the number of feature phone users started declining gradually. Of course, the convenience of using a smartphone is known. However, the feature phones were able to withstand due to their affordability and were ruling the mobile sales in the rural regions in India until the past few years. Well, the launch of 4G-enabled feature phones was actually a comeback for these basic handsets. While the feature phones of earlier days such as the Nokia Asha series supported WhatsApp and Facebook, the actual change came with the launch of the JioPhone from Reliance Jio. The company wanted to make its 4G service popular across the country (including the tier 2 and tier 3 markets). And, well, it did achieve the same. As per a report by Counterpoint Research in 2018, Reliance Jio has captured more than one-third of the total feature phone market. This has led to an increase in 4G and internet usage in the rural regions, as stated above. It is also said that, "Feature phones grew faster than smartphones during the year for the first time ever, driven by Jio Phone." Chinese brands have enjoyed quite a success When it comes to the smartphone market segment, India is one of the largest markets in this segment with numerous brands from across the world wanting to launch their offerings here. Also, the country is home to many brands that have lost their foothold due to the dominance of Chinese brands. In terms of numbers, research by Counterpoint did earlier this year suggests "Overall India mobile phone shipments crossed 330 Million units for the first time ever with smartphones capturing almost 44% of the total volume in 2018". Analyzing the smartphone shipments and sales in India for the whole year of 2018, this research report says that Xiaomi is leading the market with a share of 28% in 2018, which is a considerable increase from 19% in 2017. Trailing behind Xiaomi is Samsung with a market share of 24%, which is similar to what it achieved in 2017. Then come Vivo, Oppo, Micromax, and others. While Xiaomi is leading the smartphone market, it is Reliance JioPhone, which has established its leadership in the feature phone market segment, it adds. When it comes to the overall smartphone market segment, the Chinese brands have exhibited the strongest ever annual performance in the country capturing over 60% of the market in 2018, while it was 54% in the previous year. While Xiaomi is dominating the market in terms of shipments, Tecno was the fastest growing smartphone brand with 221% growth due to offline reach in 2018. The other fast-growing brands are Honor (+183%), Infinix (+146%), Nokia HMD (+138%) and Asus (+76%). In the premium market segment, OnePlus has witnessed a growth of 85% year-on-year. The research firm also stated that "Online share of smartphone shipments reached a record 36% during the year driven by a strong performance of both Flipkart and Amazon." Wearable devices are becoming a hit Back in 2013, the wearable devices sector was in the phase of infancy. But over time, Indians have shown a keen interest in buying smartwatches and fitness bands that are most used wearable devices in the market. And, the market has many unique wearable devices such as personal air purifiers, a tag to help trace lost devices, and other gadgets these days. As per Research and Markets, the wearable device market has recorded a humongous growth of over 140% from 2013 to 2017. Also, the report claims that this market is projected to grow significantly from 2018 to 2023 due to trends such as modern lifestyle, rising fitness trends, growing keenness to use devices and increased internet penetration. It adds that 2017 saw a lot of new smartwatch and fitness tracker launches in India with Garmin and Huawei entering the market's wearable segment. Though global brands are present in this segment, Xiaomi dominates it for the 5th consecutive quarter with a 41% market share, claims IDC. It is followed by GOQii and Titan in the second and third positions. This is due to the competitively priced Mi Band series. India is home to several startups turned big businesses There are many young entrepreneurs in India who have unleashed the vibrant startup scene in the country. The business ecosystem in the country has numerous successful startups. As a result, many new businesses have erupted and grown at a steady pace. As per reports, the Indian startups have witnessed increased funding and reduced cost of building the business from scratch. One way of making the latter possibly due to the emergence of the coworking trend. These coworking spaces provide all the services needed for businesses within their efficient spaces. When it comes to the presence of coworking spaces, the first one was Evoma, which was opened in Bengaluru in 2004. It was an attempt to meet the requirement for a flexible office space for people who had to commute to long distances to reach their office. Now, the situation has changed with the leading companies being WeWorks, Cowrks, and 91SpringBoard. As per reports, 32% of the total coworking spaces is located in Bengaluru, which was a thriving startup and business ecosystem in the country. Phenomenal growth in the digital payment system The digital payment system in the country has witnessed a phenomenal growth in recent years. Previously, the acceptance by merchants and scarce use of smartphones and data were hindrances to the growth of digital payments in India. This has been gradually reduced with the progress in technology over the years. As per a report by Credit Suisse, the digital payment market is all set to grow by $1 trillion in the country by 2023. This growth is led by mobile payments, which witnessed a drastic growth due to demonetization back in 2016. However, digital payments growth is higher in the urban areas and the rural markets are yet to gain high volumes. Nevertheless, to say, tier 2 and tier 3 cities have started accepting UPI and car payments since 2016. Our opinion India is one of the most attractive destinations of tech companies for many reasons. As there are many companies and startups that have set foot in the company, there is progress for growth as well. When it comes to the country's tech ecosystem, it is evident that Bengaluru is the technological capital of India. Many genres of tech are thriving in this city and this is supported by the golden triangle of technology and IT situated in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai being the backbone of R&D, science and technology and manufacturing. With the penetration of mobile companies, there are increased employment opportunities across the country. If you are wondering how it is possible, then we should make you understand that the many manufacturing units set up by the smartphone brands and service centers are creating employment opportunities across the country. And, given that this initiative is backed up by the government, we can expect more support to pour in towards the Digital India and Make in India initiatives that further strengthen these developments. Moreover, with the steady increase in the use of smartphones and internet, we are sure that there will b a consistent increase and growth in the use of online payment and e-commerce as well. So, in the coming years, the technological growth is going to be higher without any plunge. Raymond to Stay 24/7; Scobey, Morgan and Opheim to Get Year-Round Hours In a slight softening of their initial proposal, Customs and Border Protection has decided to reduce the hours of operation at ports in Scobey, Morgan and Opheim starting June 1. Originally CBP had sought to eliminate the extended summer hours at... Dear Editor, A recent letter to the editor from Ron Stoneberg contained factually inaccurate information about the work of American Prairie Reserve. I'd like to set the record straight. Mr. Stoneberg claims APR's goal is to have "10 or 20,000 wi... A "Small" Contribution to Exercise Northern Edge 2019 Navy News Service Story Number: NNS190528-36 Release Date: 5/28/2019 4:43:00 PM By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Alex Corona, USS Theodore Roosevelt Public Affairs GULF OF ALASKA (NNS) -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Russell (DDG 59) is one of three U.S. Navy destroyers participating in this year's exercise Northern Edge 2019 (NE19) in the Gulf of Alaska, which began May 13. NE19 is the largest joint military training exercise on and above central Alaska ranges and the Gulf of Alaska, which prepares joint forces to respond to crises in the Indo-Pacific. "This is a very demanding operating area and not something we're used to," said Capt. David Fowler, commodore, Destroyer Squadron 23. "We, as a Navy, need to get acclimated to these regions and work in a joint environment to gain a better appreciation for what our sister services do and what they bring to the table, because should we ever need to truly defend our nation against adversaries, it is going to take all of us working together to achieve that objective." NE19 is one in a series of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command exercises in 2019. Along with USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) and embarked Carrier Air Wing 11, other participating Navy ships from Carrier Strike Group Nine (CSG-9) include USS John Finn (DDG 113), USS Kidd (DDG 100), and USNS Henry J Kaiser (T-AO 187). "We have a unique opportunity to participate in a joint exercise effort in a dynamic environment, not only with the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group, but also with the Air Force, Army, National Guard, and Marines," said Cmdr. Matthew Foster, commanding officer of Russell. "This is our first joint exercise since completing a significant maintenance availability and material inspection. We view it as a tremendous training opportunity for Russell Sailors to integrate into an environment with over 10,000 other U.S. military personnel." The exercise allows Russell and the other Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers to demonstrate their contributions to the strike group. "Our multi-mission capabilities and operational flexibility make us valuable to the strike group," Foster said. "We also have the ability to operate with the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) or independently, as needed." According to Foster, being able to track and identify surface and air contacts is one of the most important abilities in any defensive posture against an opposing threat. "Our radar system is a focal point in creating a common tactical picture to identify threats and neutralize them," said Chief Fire Controlman (Aegis) Zachary Quirk, combat fire control leading chief petty officer. "We act as a giant shield for our strike group and, being in coordination with the other destroyers, are an irreplaceable asset." Russell faces many unique opportunities and challenges participating in NE19. "Operating during this exercise, with so many moving parts, and in this geographic area requires a lot communication," said Lt. Keith Hollis, plans and tactics officer assigned to Russell. "We have to create a level of cohesiveness outside of our strike group, with other branches of the military." This exercise has also presented Russell with a chance to work with Alaskan fishing vessels, a practice only seen in the Pacific Northwest. "Working with fishing vessels to coordinate military formations is something I have never seen before," Hollis said. "This is an opportunity for our Sailors to get out and see a new part of the country and for Alaskans to be a part of what we're doing." NE19 provides Russell and CSG-9 with more than 50,000 square miles in the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex in which to operate, along with a strong maritime support network for exercise participants which cannot be found anywhere else in the Indo-Pacific. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Carney Departs Rota to Finish MOB-D Navy News Service Story Number: NNS190528-24 Release Date: 5/28/2019 3:22:00 PM By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Fred Gray IV , Navy Public Affairs Support Element Det. Europe ATLANTIC OCEAN (NNS) -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) departs Rota, Spain, to finish their Mobility Damage Control Warfare (MOB-D) certification, May 26, 2019. The Carney's crew has passed nine drills including fire, flooding, toxic gas, and structural repair during the most recent in-port period. "The crew has been dedicated to accomplishing this certification," said Lt. j.g. Kyle Plunkett, the damage control assistant, from Van Buren, Arkansas. "Our Sailors that specialize in DC (damage control) have been looking forward to being able to prove they have what it takes to keep the ship fighting fit during a casualty." The remaining drills will encompass the at-sea fire parties, all three repair lockers, and an all hands General Quarters drill. "I love this stuff," said Damage Contolman Fireman Brian Bravo, from San Bernardino, California. "To be able to run these drills and to show what I am trained to do is the best part, because let's face it nobody wants the ship to undergo a casualty." Following the completion of their MOB-D certification the Carney is slated to continue with their 6th forward deployed naval presence (FDNF) patrol in the U.S. 6th fleet area of operations. U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Carney Completes Formidable Shield 19 Navy News Service Story Number: NNS190528-09 Release Date: 5/28/2019 10:44:00 AM By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Fred Gray IV , U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet Public Affairs ATLANTIC OCEAN (NNS) -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) completed her support of the U.S.led multinational integrated air and missile defense (IAMD) exercise Formidable Shield (FS) 19, May 17, 2019. FS is a U.S. 6th Fleet-hosted exercise, conducted by Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO). The 2019 exercise included 13 ships, more than 10 aircraft, and approximately 3,300 personnel from 12 countries, nine of which sent ships and aircraft. "The exercise was a great opportunity for partner nations to come together and coordinate engagement strategies," said Cmdr. Tyson Young, commanding officer of Carney. "This exercise allows us all to come together for the common goal of a more secure global environment." The exercise consisted of multiple training evolutions that included electronic warfare, surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, and air defense. The air defense portion included live missile engagements by the Standard Missile (SM)-2, Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles, Aster 15, and Aster 30. Missiles were fired upon various targets, including subsonic Banshee and Firejet targets and air-launched supersonic drone targets. "It was a powerful feeling being able to push that button," said Fire Controlman (Aegis) 2nd Class Brendan Hall, from Westport, Massachusetts, on being the one to fire Carney's SM-2 missile during a live-fire portion of the exercise. "I have trained for this 'once-in-a-lifetime' moment since joining the Navy." Carney is scheduled to return to Rota, Spain, the ship's homeport, following a successful FS 19. U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address USNS Lawrence H. Gianella Completes its Final Underway Mission Navy News Service Story Number: NNS190528-08 Release Date: 5/28/2019 10:18:00 AM By Bill Mesta, Military Sealift Command Public Affairs NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- Military Sealift Command's last champion class T-5 petroleum tanker, USNS Lawrence H. Gianella (T-AOT 1125), completed its final underway mission for the U.S. Navy by sailing down the Elisabeth River to downtown Norfolk, Virginia in support of National Maritime Day, May 23. Christened April 19, 1986, USNS Lawrence H. Gianella's primary role has been to perform point-to-point delivery of petroleum products to Department of Defense storage and distribution facilities worldwide. "USNS Lawrence H. Gianella is the last and longest serving U.S. government owned champion class T-5 Tanker," said Matthew Sweeney, Military Sealift Command tanker project officer. "As the longest serving T-5 Tanker she moved more petroleum for the U.S. military than any other vessel in U.S. military history." "USNS Lawrence H. Gianella was the last of five T-5 tankers built," said Capt. Robert J. Mills III, USNS Lawrence H. Gianella's ship master since 1998. "The Gianella is a liaison between commercial petroleum terminals and Department of Defense fuel facilities around the world." The other T-5 tankers in the U.S. Navy's inventory were the MV Gus. W. Darnell (ATO-1121), USNS Paul Buck (T-AOT 1122), USNS Richard G. Matthiesen (T-AOT 1124) and the USNS Samuel L. Cobb (T-AOT 1123). "Military Sealift Command operated its T-5 tankers in each of its five area commands, MSC Atlantic, MSC Pacific, MCS Central, MSC Far East and MSC Europe and Africa," added Mills. USNS Lawrence H. Gianella is the last non-combat logistics force petroleum tanker in MSC service capable of providing underway replenishment-at-sea services with combatants using the modular fuel distribution system (MFDS), according to Sweeny. "Fuel is the lifeblood of the U.S. Navy's combatant fleet," said Mills. "USNS Lawrence H. Gianella is able to re-stock MSC's fleet oilers and Navy combatant ships while at sea using its two re-fueling stations. We would pull into port and bring fuel to our fleet oilers so that they could remain at sea." Over the course of USNS Lawrence H. Gianella service, the ship has provided direct support to the warfighters in multiple wars. "During the Iran-Iraq War in 1988, USNS Lawrence H. Gianella supported U.S. fleet and convoy operations in the Gulf of Oman and Persian Gulf by providing fuel consolidation (CONSOL) support to MSC fleet oilers," according to Sweeney. "The ship also provided CONSOL and petroleum logistics support for Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom." As an ice class oil tanker USNS Lawrence H. Gianella has performed numerous Arctic and Antarctic resupply missions since the mid-1980s. "USNS Lawrence H. Gianella, is fitted with reinforced framing on the hull which allowed us to sail through icy waters to support the annual resupply missions Operation Deep Freeze in Antarctica and Operation Pacer Goose at Thule Air Base, Greenland, in the Arctic," said Mills, "We have supported a total of 11 of these missions." USNS Lawrence H. Gianella also performed duties as part of MSC's pre-positioning fleet. Prepositioning is an essential element U.S. Military's strategy which involves placing military equipment and supplies aboard ships located in key ocean areas to ensure rapid availability during a major theater war, humanitarian operation or other contingency. "From 2009-2012, we were part of the prepositioning fleet out of Diego Garcia," said Mills. "While in this role, the ship was on standby to respond to a crisis in a variety of areas including the Persian Gulf, Africa, or locations in the Far East." "While in the MSC inventory, USNS Lawrence H. Gianella has incurred minimal down time and its length of time in service is a testament to how well this ship was built," said Mills. USNS Lawrence H. Gianella is owned by MSC and crewed by civilian mariners from Ocean Ships Inc., whose duties include running the deck department, engine department and steward's department. "We have typically been crewed by 23 civilian mariners and occasionally travel with two maritime academy cadets," Mills said. "In addition to myself, we have a chief mate, two third mates, one bosun, five able bodied seamen, and two deck engine utilities. "On the engine side of the crew, we have one chief engineer, one first engineer, and a second engineer," he added. "The engine team also includes one pump-men and two qualified members of the engine department. "Our galley is crewed by one steward, one cook and two galley steward utilities personnel," according to Mills. The ship's namesake, Lawrence Henry Gianella, recipient of the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal, was born on February 15, 1921 in California. On December 19, 1941, Gianella was serving as the radio operator on board unarmed U.S. freighter S.S. Prusa when Japanese submarine I-172 torpedoed and sank the ship in the mid-Pacific Ocean, according to the Naval History and Heritage Command website. The explosion blew through Prusa's after decks, wrecking the engines and dynamos, and it became immediately apparent that the ship would remain afloat for only a few minutes. The ship's master ordered the crew to prepare to abandon ship, and an officer directed Gianella to send an S.O.S., but found the radio operator already engaged in rigging an emergency set. The crewmen meanwhile lowered lifeboats, and the master sent orders to Gianella to join them. He had not been able to get his message through, however, and realizing that upon him rested all hope for the rescue of his shipmates, Gianella refused to leave his post and chose to face certain death in his stark devotion to duty. "We, the crew of USNS Lawrence H. Gianella feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to serve aboard this ship," Mills concluded. "Serving aboard this ship has been very much like serving with family." The five sister ships of the USNS Lawrence H. Gianella were also named after Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal honorees. Upon deactivation, USNS Lawrence H. Gianella will be placed in lay-up in coastal Texas. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump rips aircraft carrier design, says will 'use steam' Iran Press TV Tue May 28, 2019 09:07PM US President Donald Trump rips the Navy's new electromagnetic aircraft launch systems on its new Ford-class supercarriers, asserting that he wants them "to use steam." Trump made the comments before the US troops aboard the USS Wasp at a Memorial Day event in Japan's Yokosuka Tuesday. "You know, they were saying one of the folks said, 'No, the electric works faster. But, sir, we can only get the plane there every couple of minutes,'" he said. "So, really, what they did was wrong." The American commander in chief has been obsessed with steam catapults like those on Nimitz-class carriers, arguing that they work better than the more expensive electromagnetic launchers. "I think I'm going to put an order," the president said. "When we build a new aircraft carrier, we're going to use steam. I'm going to just put out an order: We're going to use steam. We don't need we don't need that extra speed." Trump further slammed the idea of the "crazy" catapult, which he claimed has had a high cost. "Steam's only worked for about 65 years perfectly," the president added. "And I won't tell you this because it's before my time by a little bit, but they have a $900 million cost overrun on this crazy electric catapult." The US president has previously said that American soldiers need to be Albert Einstein to be able to work with the new systems. "It sounded bad to me. Digital. They have digital. What is digital? And it's very complicated, you have to be Albert Einstein to figure it out. And I saidand now they want to buy more aircraft carriers. I said, 'What system are you going to be' 'Sir, we're staying with digital.' I said, 'No you're not. You going to goddamned steam, the digital costs hundreds of millions of dollars more money and it's no good,' " he told Time magazine in 2017. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign forces must exit Afghanistan for peace: Taliban Iran Press TV Tue May 28, 2019 05:13PM The Afghan Taliban militant group says the foreign occupation of Afghanistan must end for peace to prevail in the Asian country. The Taliban delegation, led by chief negotiator Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, met a group of top Afghan politicians, including former president Hamid Karzai and candidates challenging President Ashraf Ghani in a presidential election slated for September, in the Russian capital of Moscow on Tuesday. The Taliban group "wants peace, but the first step is to remove obstacles to peace. The obstacle is the occupation of Afghanistan, and that should end," said Baradar, insisting that the militant group would only sign a deal after foreign forces quit Afghanistan. The US and its allies invaded Afghanistan in 2001 over the claim that the then-Taliban regime was harboring al-Qaeda terrorists, responsible for the 9/11 attacks inside the US. The Taliban's five-year rule over at least three quarters of Afghanistan came to an end following the invasion; however, 18 years on, Washington is seeking truce with the militants, who still control large swathes of land in the volatile country and carry out deadly attacks on government troops and civilians alike. The talks do not include the incumbent Afghan government, which the Taliban say they do not recognize. The Taliban have for months been talking to US diplomats about the terms of a withdrawal of more than 23,000 American troops. However, Washington has refused to agree to a pullout until the Taliban put in place security guarantees, a truce, and other commitments, including "intra-Afghan" dialog with Kabul and other Afghan representatives. A sixth round of talks between the US and Taliban ended in the Qatari capital, Doha, with no tangible progress. President Ghani recently announced a government offensive, dubbed Operation Khalid, against the militant group. The Taliban and the group of Afghan politicians that met in Moscow had been invited by Kremlin to attend a two-day conference to mark the centennial anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and Afghanistan. Moscow appears to be gaining influence in the ongoing process. Last month, the US announced that Washington had reached a consensus with China and Russia on the key formula for a peace deal it is negotiating in Afghanistan. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who opened the Tuesday meeting, said Russia and Afghanistan have "a shared aim fighting terrorism," and reiterated that Moscow supports a complete pullout of foreign forces. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN agency says attacks on Afghan schools tripled in 2018 Iran Press TV Tue May 28, 2019 09:11AM A new report by the United Nations children's agency says the number of attacks on schools in Afghanistan nearly tripled in the past year. UNICEF said in a report on Tuesday that attacks on Afghan schools increased from 68 in 2017 to 192 in 2018. "Education is under fire in Afghanistan," UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said in a statement. "The senseless attacks on schools; the killing, injury and abduction of teachers; and the threats against education are destroying the hopes and dreams of an entire generation of children." The report said, however, that using schools as voter registration centers for parliamentary elections last year had been one factor that led to the increase in the number of the attacks, as militants targeted such centers during the voting period. In June last year, UNICEF had said that about 3.7 million schoolchildren between the ages of seven and 17 accounting for almost half of all school-aged children in Afghanistan did not attend school. A Taliban regime that ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 opposed education for girls. After it was toppled in a US-led invasion, millions of girls began to receive formal education, but they continue to face difficulties. Schools, students, and teachers have been coming under attacks by the militant group. Last month, gunmen blew up a girls' school in the western Farah Province. The incident followed the killing of a school teacher in the northern Faryab Province earlier this month. The ongoing US-led occupation of Afghanistan has failed to bring security to the country. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address General strike starts in Sudan Iran Press TV Tue May 28, 2019 08:10AM Sudanese people have launched a two-day nationwide strike to step up pressure on a ruling military council to transfer power to a civilian authority. The umbrella protest movement Alliance for Freedom and Change had called for a two-day general strike starting on Tuesday after talks with the ruling Transitional Military Council (TMC) failed to achieve a breakthrough. Sudan's ruling generals who set up the TMC after ousting president Omar al-Bashir last month and the opposition are at odds over the composition of a new governing body and whether it should have a civilian or military majority. Chanting "civilian rule, civilian rule," dozens of employees at Khartoum Airport went on strike on Tuesday, leaving hundreds of travelers stranded. Many of the personnel carried banners or wore badges reading, "We are on strike." Sudanese airlines Badr, Tarco, and Nova canceled flights on Tuesday, although some international flights went ahead as scheduled. Employees at Khartoum's main bus terminal also participated in the strike. Many of them carried banners that read "Today, tomorrow no buses as we are on strike." Siddiq Farukh, a leader of the protest movement, told AFP that the strike action "aims to deliver a message to the whole world that the Sudanese people want a real change and they don't want the power to be with the military." Addressing reporters late Monday, protest leader Wajdi Saleh said the protest movement was ready to negotiate if the generals offered fresh talks. But he also warned that the strikes could go on indefinitely if the deadlock continued. Protest leaders had said medics, lawyers, prosecutors, and employees in the electricity, water, public transport, railway, telecommunication, and civil aviation sectors were set to join the strike. One opposition body had however cautioned against such sweeping action. Bashir was ousted by the military on April 11, following mass anti-government protests. Thousands of protesters continue to camp outside the army headquarters in Khartoum, however, demanding that the ruling generals hand over power to a civilian-majority body. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UNICEF Says Militant Attacks On Afghan Schools Tripled In 2018 May 28, 2019 The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) says militant attacks on schools in Afghanistan increased almost threefold last year, making it increasingly difficult to ensure education for children in many parts of the country. The agency, which promotes education and children's rights, said in a report on May 28 that the number of attacks against Afghan schools jumped from 68 in 2017 to 192 in 2018. It was the first time since 2015 that a rise in attacks had been recorded. UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said that "education is under fire in Afghanistan." "The senseless attacks on schools; the killing, injury, and abduction of teachers; and the threats against education are destroying the hopes and dreams of an entire generation of children," she said. More than 1,000 schools across the country remain closed because of security threats from militant groups like the Taliban and Islamic State, which have sought soft targets for attacks. Although Taliban leaders say they have shifted from their previous opposition to all forms of girls' education, the militant group faces regular accusations of shutting down schools run in a way they do not approve. UNICEF said the use of school buildings as voting stations during the 2018 parliamentary election might have been a factor behind the increased number of attacks. Although Afghanistan has a young and fast-growing population, UNICEF said on May 28 that about 3.7 million Afghan children -- nearly half of all school-age children -- were not enrolled in formal education. Based on reporting by Reuters and The New York Times Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/unicef-says- militant-attacks-on-afghan-schools-tripled -in-2018/29966908.html Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hosting Taliban Delegates, Russia Calls For Withdrawal Of Foreign Forces From Afghanistan By RFE/RL May 28, 2019 Hosting Taliban delegates and Afghan politicians in an effort to promote itself as a peacemaker in Afghanistan, Russia has called for the complete withdrawal of international forces from the war-ravaged country. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke at a May 28 ceremony in Moscow marking what the government says is the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Russia and Afghanistan. The ceremony was followed by talks between the 14-member Taliban delegation and senior Afghan politicians, including candidates challenging President Ashraf Ghani in a presidential election due to be held in September. "We are calling for a total pullout of foreign forces from the country. We are calling on all Afghan sides to start talks as soon as possible involving a broad range of social and political forces," Lavrov said in welcoming the Taliban delegation, despite the fact that the militant movement is designated a terrorist organization in Russia. The remarks appeared aimed in part at the United States, which has thousands of troops in Afghanistan nearly two decades after leading an invasion that ousted the Taliban from power following the September 11, 2001 terror attacks on the United States. The Taliban was harboring Al-Qaeda leaders behind 9/11. "Russia is convinced that there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan," Lavrov said. "The only possible way...is to achieve peace by political and diplomatic means." The leader of the Taliban delegation, chief negotiator Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, said later that the group was "committed to peace" but "believes that, first of all, the obstacle on the way to peace must be removed, which means ending the occupation of Afghanistan." It was the first ever public media appearance for Baradar, a co-founder of the group who was jailed for years in Pakistan before his release last year. Among the Afghan politicians in attendance were ex-President Hamid Karzai; Atta Mohammad Noor, a powerful figure from northern Afghanistan; Ghani's former national-security adviser Hanif Atmar, who is contesting the presidential election; and Omar Zakhilwal, the ambassador to Pakistan. Two women were present, including lawmaker Fawzia Koofi. The meeting in Moscow comes amid a push by the United States for a peace settlement with the Taliban as fighting and attacks persist. Afghan officials said on May 28 that a a total of at least 23 members of the security forces were killed in two Taliban attacks targeting security checkpoints, one in western Ghor Province and one in Logar Province in the east. The meeting in Moscow comes amid a push by the United States for a peace settlement with the Taliban as fighting and attacks persist. Afghan officials said on May 28 that a total of at least 23 members of the security forces were killed in two Taliban attacks targeting security checkpoints, one in western Ghor Province and one in Logar Province in the east. Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. envoy seeking a peace deal with the Taliban, has held several rounds of talks with the militants in Qatar in recent months. The sides have made progress, but the Taliban has so far rejected the idea of direct negotiations with the Afghan government, and a summit planned for April in Qatar was canceled. U.S. and Taliban negotiators have been trying to find agreement on four interconnected issues: the Taliban breaking off ties with groups designated as terrorist by Washington; the timetable of a U.S. military withdrawal; a cease-fire in Afghanistan; and an intra-Afghan dialogue that would include the Taliban and government representatives. The sides have reached a draft agreement on the first two issues, but progress on the latter two have been slow. Advocates of talks like those held in Moscow say meetings between Taliban members and political figures not formally associated with the Afghan government are a way of laying groundwork for broader negotiations, but critics contend that they undermine the government and strengthen the Taliban. After the Soviet military withdrew from Afghanistan in 1989 following an unsuccessful nine-year war of occupation and the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, partly due to the cost of the conflict in terms of money and morale, Moscow had less involvement in Afghanistan. But Russia has been assuming a more prominent role in diplomacy over Afghanistan in recent years, as President Vladimir Putin has sought to increase its clout around the world. Taliban officials met a delegation of powerful Afghan power brokers in Moscow in November and February, but those talks did not include members of Ghani's government. The February talks marked the most significant contact between senior Afghan political figures and the militant group since the U.S.-led invasion in 2001. Khalilzad welcomed Russia's efforts in the peace process, although some U.S. officials have said Moscow is promoting itself as a power broker in order to challenge the U.S.-backed peace process with the Taliban in Qatar. The United States has about 14,000 troops in Afghanistan as part of a 23,000-strong NATO-led mission that is training and assisting the government's security forces in their fight against Taliban militants and other extremist groups such as Islamic State and Al-Qaeda. With reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan, Reuters, TASS, Interfax, and AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/taliban-envoys- arrive-in-moscow-to-meet-afghan-politicians -tribal-elders/29967224.html Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. National-Security Adviser In U.A.E. To Discuss 'Regional Security' By RFE/RL May 28, 2019 U.S. national-security adviser John Bolton says he has arrived in the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) for talks on "regional security matters." Bolton tweeted on May 28 that he had "just landed" in the U.A.E., adding that he was "looking forward to meeting with our Emirati allies tomorrow to discuss important and timely regional security matters." Bolton's visit comes amid heightened tension between Iran and the United States and its allies in the Persian Gulf. Washington, a close ally of Iran's regional rivals Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E., blamed Tehran for an attack on oil tankers in the Gulf earlier this month. And Saudi Arabia accused Tehran of ordering drone strikes on oil installations in the kingdom that was claimed by Yemen's Shi'ite Huthi rebels. Iranian officials have denied the accusations. Regional summits are planned on May 30 and May 31 in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, as Riyadh attempts to further isolate Tehran. Earlier on May 28, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Tehran was ready to engage in dialogue with Gulf Arab countries in order to address regional tensions. Araqchi was speaking during a visit to the Qatari capital, Doha, the final stop in a tour that included Kuwait and Oman. Relations between Tehran and Washington have plummeted since U.S. President Donald Trump a year ago pulled out the United States of a 2015 nuclear accord between world powers and Iran that curbed the country's nuclear program in exchange for relief from crippling economic sanctions. Since then, Washington has reimposed sanctions, stepped up its rhetoric, and beefed up its military presence in the Middle East, citing " imminent threats" from Iran. Tehran has dismissed the U.S. allegations. With reporting by Reuters and AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/u-s-national- security-adviser-in-u-a-e-to-discuss- regional-security-/29968890.html Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address New US Aircraft Carriers' Catapults Will Use STEAM, Trump Says Sputnik News 15:01 28.05.2019 Earlier this year, the US Navy announced plans to purchase an additional two Ford-class aircraft carriers equipped with the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) which has repeatedly been criticised by President Donald Trump. President Donald Trump has once again called for equipping US aircraft carriers with traditional steam powered catapults rather than newer electromagnetic systems which he claimed may malfunction during warfare. "We're spending all that money on electric and nobody knows what it's going to be like in bad conditions. So I think I'm going to put an order when we build a new aircraft carrier, we're going to use steam", he told sailors and marines on board the USS Wasp during his visit to the Yokosuka Naval Base south of Tokyo. He upheld his view by insisting that steam catapults work much better that higher-tech Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS). "Steam's only worked for about 65 years perfectly. And I won't tell you this because it's before my time by a little bit, but they have a $900 million cost overrun on this crazy electric catapult. They want to show next, next, next. And we all want innovation, but it's too much", Trump added. His remarks come after Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said earlier this year that the US Navy announced plans to purchase an additional two Ford-class aircraft carriers equipped with EMALS. Trump has repeatedly expressed doubt over EMALS' efficiency, especially in combat conditions, something that he apparently wanted to underscore during a Thanksgiving Day call with a US sailor in 2018, when the US president wondered whether the sailor wants to "go with steam or electromagnetic" aircraft catapults. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pentagon Deploys F-35 Stealth Fighters to Italian Airbase Sputnik News 13:35 28.05.2019 F-35s from two fighter wings are set to take part in exercises and conduct routine training with other allied Europe-based aircraft. The Pentagon has deployed a squadron of F-35A Lightning stealth fighters to an Italian airbase to take part in drills as part of a European Theatre Security Package (TSP) mission. The aircraft are from the 388th and 419th Fighter Wings, stationed at Hill Air Force Base in Utah, and have been deployed to NATO's Aviano Air Base in north-eastern Italy. The F-35s and members of the 421st and 466th Fighter Squadrons arrived at the base on 24 May and will remain in Europe for several weeks, the US Air Force said in a press release. "Funded through the European Deterrence Initiative, the TSP provides a more robust US military rotational presence in the European theatre capable of deterring adversaries and assuring partners and allies of US commitment to regional security," said Lt. Col. Richard Orzechowski, 421st Fighter Squadron commander. This is the 388th Flight Wing's second mission to Europe, following a mission in England in April 2017. "The 421st FS is the newest F-35A squadron and this is their first deployment with the multi-role stealth fighter," the officer noted. The European Deterrence Initiative (EDI), prior to 2017 known as the European Reassurance Initiative, is a US defence welfare programme launched under President Obama in 2014, shortly after the re-unification of Crimea with Russia, with the purpose of building up the US presence across the Atlantic and bolstering the defence of its European allies. This year, the United States' $750 billion defence budget included $6.3 billion for the EDI a seven-fold increase from $789 million in fiscal year 2016. The Pentagon's request for next year, which is yet to be approved in Congress, indicates a slump in funding for the European theatre, coming in at $5.9 billion. Washington has been enlarging its military footprint in Europe since the outbreak of the Ukrainian crisis, particularly as part of NATO. US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, has been pushing the allies to boost their defence budgets. NATO has been consistently strengthening its posture on the eastern flank, including in Poland and the Baltic states, citing an alleged "Russian threat". The military bloc's chief, Jens Stoltenberg, warned in April of a risk posed by "a more assertive Russia", claiming that Moscow "has made the world a more dangerous place". Last week, it was reported that NATO had adopted a new military strategy in response to what Stoltenberg described as "Russia's nuclear threat". The Kremlin has underscored that Russia poses no threat to other nations, but will not ignore actions which endanger its interests. Russia repeatedly voiced concerns that NAto used the pretext of the alleged threat to deploy more equipment and troops along its borders. Meanwhile, amid mounting tensions with Iran, the United States is seeking to forge a similar alliance in the Middle East. The Middle East Strategic Alliance, commonly referred to as "Arab NATO", is an initiative first suggested by the Arab League in 2015, which is designed to include Gulf Arab states, and Egypt and Jordan. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Maduro Says Sabotage Prevents Ships With Gasoline, Food From Reaching Venezuela Sputnik News 09:56 28.05.2019 BUENOS AIRES (Sputnik) - Vessels carrying gasoline and food to the crisis-stricken Venezuela are being prevented from reaching the country's coast because of sabotage attacks, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said, adding that Caracas was trying to find a solution to the issue. "Last week, sabotage was committed against ten tankers [with gasoline] to prevent them from reaching the Venezuelan coast. In any case, this problem is being dealt with and we are stabilizing the situation," the president said late on Monday as broadcast on Twitter. The president added that ships carrying food for Venezuelan citizens have were facing similar challenges, without specifying where the vessels were coming from, and who could have been responsible for the sabotage. Since the beginning of the major political crisis in Venezuela in late January, the Latin American country has also suffered several major blackouts, with the authorities attributed to attacks as well, pinning the blame on the United States, which is supporting the Venezuelan opposition and is striving to oust Maduro from power. Washington denies the accusations. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address India's Navy Chief: Kashmir Airstrike Will Change Pakistan's Behaviour Sputnik News 09:49 28.05.2019(updated 09:52 28.05.2019) The former princely state has been at the heart of India-Pakistan animosity for decades. In February, the age-old conflict flared up once again following an Indian air raid on a suspected terror camp within Pakistani territory. India's military believes that the February air raid inside Pakistan, which brought the two arch-foes close to the brink of a large-scale armed conflict, will force Islamabad to change its attitude toward cross-border terrorism. "India's pro-active action (the air strikes) has changed the discourse and dialogue vis-a-vis Pakistan," Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chief of the Naval Staff and head of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, said in an interview with The Times of India. While Indian jets hitting alleged terrorist facilities in the first air raid across the line of control since 1971, the Navy "forward deployed" its warships and subs in the north Arabian Sea, which washes the southern shore of Pakistan, to deter and defeat any "misadventure" by Islamabad, the Navy chief said. "It successfully worked," he was quoted as saying. On 26 May, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan phoned Narendra Modi, who had earlier secured another five-year term as India's prime minister, and stressed the importance of creating trust and building an environment free of violence in the region. Islamabad and Delhi have managed to keep tension under control, with speculation floating around that Khan is looking to appoint a national security adviser to revive backchannel diplomacy with New Delhi and pave the way for peace talks. The most recent spike in tensions occurred in February, after India bombed a purported terror camp inside Pakistan on 26 February. It was the first time Indian jets had conducted an air raid across the Line of Control since it was established. New Delhi stated that the strike targeted facilities belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammad, a Pakistan-based jihadist terror group responsible for the 14 February suicide bombing in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir, which killed 44 Indian paramilitary police. Jaish-e-Mohammad is also suspected of being behind an airbase attack in northwest India in January 2016, which left three servicemen dead. Pakistan's military claimed that India had missed the target and bombed an abandoned wooded hilltop area, but New Delhi was quick to rebuff those allegations. Pakistan retaliated by shooting down an Indian warplane in an aerial dogfight above Kashmir, and capturing a pilot who was subsequently released. India and Pakistan have been at loggerheads since the very beginning of their existence as independent states. Both nuclear-armed rivals claim Kashmir, a Muslim-majority Himalayan region, and have fought three wars over it: in 1947, 1965 and in 1999 (the war of 1971 occurred during the liberation war in East Pakistan, now Bangladesh). As things stand now, Indian- and Pakistani-administered parts of Kashmir are divided by the Line of Control, agreed to in 1972, which is not internationally recognised but serves as the de-facto border. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address In Afghanistan, attacks against schools have tripled in one year 28 May 2019 - The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Monday that much greater protection for educational facilities was needed across Afghanistan where attacks against schools have increased three-fold in just one year. The call coincides with the third International Conference on Safe Schools, taking place this week in Mallorca, Spain. If you are a pupil in Afghanistan, then you were three times more likely to be affected by an attack in 2018 than you were the previous year. Attacks on schools in the country surged from 68 in 2017 to 192 in 2018, according to UNICEF. This is the first time that the number of school attacks has increased, since 2015. "Education is under fire in Afghanistan," said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore in a statement. "The senseless attacks on schools; the killing, injury and abduction of teachers; and the threats against education are destroying the hopes and dreams of an entire generation of children". One of the factors behind the increase was the use of schools as voter registration and polling centres for the parliamentary elections in 2018. According to UNICEF, ongoing conflict and rapidly deteriorating security across the country have led to the closure of more than 1,000 schools as of December 2018. The consequences for over half a million children affected are extremely concerning and represent a denial of their fundamental right to education, and a brighter future. An estimated 3.7 million children between the ages of 7 and 17 nearly half of all school-aged Afghans are out of school in the country. Worsening insecurity, high rates of poverty and persistent discrimination against girls caused the rate of out-of-school children to increase last year for the first time since 2002. Girls account for 60 per cent of children not in the education system. UNICEF continues to work with the Government and other partners to provide informal and accelerated community-based education, including the provision of education in community buildings and homes, which is key in reducing the risk of attacks against children making their way to school on a daily basis. On Monday, the third International Conference on Safe Schools opened in Spain for decision-makers to discuss the implementation of the Safe School Declaration endorsed by 87 nations its challenges and lessons learned, at the national, regional, and international levels. Furthermore, the conference is an occasion to encourage cooperation and stronger gender-responsive practices. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taliban, Russia Demand Foreign Troops Leave Afghanistan By Ayaz Gul May 28, 2019 The Taliban and Russia have jointly called for the withdrawal of U.S.-led coalition troops from Afghanistan, with a top leader of the Islamist insurgent group denouncing the foreign presence in the country as a major obstacle to Afghan peace. Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the political deputy of the Taliban, made the remarks in Moscow to a gathering of Russian and Afghan government personnel, as well as representatives from prominent political groups from the war-torn country. Russia organized the meeting to mark the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Afghanistan. "The Islamic Emirate [Taliban] is truly committed to peace but the first step is to remove obstacles in the way of peace, meaning the occupation of Afghanistan must come to an end," Baradar said in rare public appearance and speech. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in his welcome address to the group urged that foreign forces leave Afghanistan. He underscored the importance of bilateral relations, saying Russia is ready to offer more help to Afghanistan to fight terrorist groups led by Islamic State and drug-trafficking networks. "This conflict in Afghanistan has no military solution and the only way to settle this issue is to rely on diplomacy and politics. We believe all foreign military [forces] should be withdrawn from the country and the society of Afghanistan should unite in finding a solution," the Russian foreign minister stressed. "We believe that Afghanistan should stay united where all the ethnic groups can live peacefully. We hope that peace will settle in Afghanistan as soon as possible," Lavrov added, saying that accelerated Afghan peace-building efforts recently initiated by Moscow are furthering the peace process. Top Afghan candidates challenging President Ashraf Ghani in the upcoming presidential elections, former president, Hamid Karzai, and Afghan diplomats in Moscow, as well as the head of the official Afghan High Peace Council (HPC) tasked with promoting peace, were in attendance at Tuesday's meeting and delivered their own speeches. In his address, the HPC chief, Karim Khalili, emphasized the need for agreeing to "a dignified and just mechanism" for ending years of bloodshed in Afghanistan. Mullah Baradar Mullah Baradar, who is heading a 14-member Taliban delegation, was the center of attention during Tuesday's meeting in Moscow. He is known as a co-founder of the Islamist Taliban and is believed to have played a central role in organizing insurgent activities after the U.S.-led military invasion of Afghanistan 17 years ago. Baradar was traveling through Pakistan in 2010 when American security operatives, together with local counterparts, arrested him in Karachi. The insurgent commander was then placed in Pakistani custody until late last year. At that point, Washington requested that Islamabad free Baradar to push a nascent process of negotiations that U.S. diplomats initiated with the Taliban late last fall to seek an end to the Afghan war. Intra-Afghan conference Taliban and Afghan delegates also are scheduled to hold an intra-Afghan meeting on Wednesday to discuss ways to promote peace in their country. The bilateral talks would mark the second time Taliban officials have met with Afghan opposition politicians in Russia. The first such interaction took place in February, but no government representatives were present because of objections by the insurgents. The Taliban clarified in a statement issued late Tuesday that no Kabul government representatives will participate in the intra-Afghan conference, and insurgent delegates will interact only with Afghan politicians as well as civil society representatives. The Taliban refuse to engage in any peace talks with anyone associated with the U.S.-backed Kabul government, dismissing them as "stooges" installed by foreign "occupation" forces. "The delegation of Islamic Emirate [Taliban] will also hold closed-door meetings with senior officials of the Russian Federation," said Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid. U.S.-Taliban talks The meetings in Moscow come as months of direct peace negotiations between the United States and the Taliban appear to have slowed down, if not deadlocked, over the insurgents' refusal to cease hostilities until all U.S.-led international forces withdraw from Afghanistan. Washington has linked its troop withdrawal move to counterterrorism assurances by the Taliban, a comprehensive cease-fire and the insurgent group's participation in a peace dialogue with the Afghan government and other groups to end years of hostilities. The U.S.-led military invasion ousted the Taliban from power in late 2001 for sheltering al-Qaida leaders blamed for the 9/11 terrorist attacks on American cites. The Islamist group rejected the charges and has since retaken control or influences nearly half of the country, inflicting heavy casualties on American-backed and trained embattled Afghan security forces. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address HRW: Egyptian Security Forces Committed Widespread Abuses in Northern Sinai By VOA News May 28, 2019 The Egyptian military and police forces have committed widespread abuses in the northern Sinai Peninsula, according a new report by Human Rights Watch, which said some of the actions amount to war crimes. The report alleges that Egyptian security forces, who have been conducting military operations against Islamist insurgents in the region, have engaged in unlawful action against civilians in the region. The report describes widespread extrajudicial arrests and killings, as well as torture, forced evictions and collective punishment by Egyptian security forces. Egyptian forces have also armed and trained militias that have conducted abuses and rights violations, according to the report. The organization documented 50 cases of arbitrary arrests and specifies that in 39 of the cases, the individuals were "likely disappeared. The report also describes torture sites that detained children as young as 12 years old, according to former detainees. Egyptian government officials have dismissed the report. The HRW report also notes alleged abuses committed by Islamic State affiliates in the region, including kidnappings and executions. The local branch of IS claimed responsibility for the bombing of Metrojet Flight 9268 in October 2015, killing all 224 people on board. The plane crashed in the Sinai Peninsula after taking off from Sharm el-Sheikh. The conflict in the northern Sinai region has escalated since 2013, following the ouster of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi by then-defense minister Abdel Fatah el-Sissi. The government subsequently mobilized tens of thousands of forces to the region The report calls on the Egyptian government to allow the Red Cross into the region and calls for the ceasing off all aid to Egypt until an investigation confirms that the abuses have stopped. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Uganda Seeks $927 Million to Support Refugee Population By Halima Athumani May 28, 2019 The Ugandan government and the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees are calling on the donor community to extend $927 million to support the over 1.2 million refugees living in Uganda. But the appeal is complicated by the alleged misuse of previous contributions. Located next to several countries in conflict, Uganda has become host to huge refugee populations. Currently there are 792,000 South Sudanese, 417,000 Congolese and more than 35,000 Burundians, among others. The $927 million sought would pay for water, sanitation, food, health care, shelter and other basic needs for the refugees. Jens Hessemann is the senior field coordinator for the U.N. refugee agency in Uganda. "Uganda is Africa's largest refugee situation of over 1.2 million refugees and the number is growing with continued influxes to the country. And over 100 partners, U.N. and NGO partners have been supporting the Uganda government in managing this humanitarian situation and deliver life saving services. That needs to continue," said Hessemann. However, the appeal is weighed down by what donors are calling unsatisfactory investigations over abuse of funds. In early 2018, four Ugandan officials under the Office of the Prime Minister were asked to leave their positions, pending investigations into alleged abuse of funds, fraud and exaggeration of refugee numbers. Uganda's junior minister for refugees, Musa Ecweru, said the probes are still ongoing. "We are saying, the investigation is systematic, is thorough. Those gentlemen and ladies will not step in these offices, until, they are either cleared or brought to book if they are found to have committed a crime." He also accuses Uganda's development partners of misusing donor funds. "The partners have also had a challenge. You over cost your administrative response. The money that the international community gives, three quarters of the money goes to your welfare. You drive big cars, you sleep in big hotels," he said. Hessemann declined to comment on Ecweru's remarks. He said the UNHCR has been working with the government to verify actual refugee numbers using a biometric system that the agency named Progress. He said the system will reduce fraud and corruption. "Priority of all the partners is accountability. We are accountable to refugees. To deliver services, meeting their rights and their needs. But we are obviously also accountable to donors to ensure that funding is value for money and is used in the right way," said Hessemann. The appeal follows critical remarks from German Ambassador Albert Conze, who said Germany has re-established financial dealings with UNHCR but will not dispense half of the $52 million it had pledged until the Ugandan government limits corruption. "I am a bit surprised that this takes 15 months. Not a very convincing response. We are getting the response that this is now with this or that agency and that they should come up with something, but nothing has come up so far. You can do what you want with your own money, but when you get money from friends, I think your accountability is increased," he said. UNHCR states that in 2018, only 57 percent of the Uganda refugee response plan was funded, leaving many unmet needs. The contributions in 2019 have been particularly slow in coming, with less than 20 percent of the needed funds received so far. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Strikers in Sudan Push Military to Cede Power By Jason Patinkin May 28, 2019 Chanting anti-government slogans, workers lined up outside the upscale al-Waha shopping center in downtown Khartoum, demanding an end to the country's 30-year military rule. "Our martyrs lost their lives," they shouted, referring to the dozens of people killed since December in Sudan's revolution. "We can lose our jobs." Tuesday was the first day of a two-day nationwide strike called by opposition leaders demanding that Sudan's military junta transfer power to a civilian government. The junta took power in April following the ouster of longtime president Omar al-Bashir after months of street protests. Bashir had ruled for nearly 30 years and was accused of human rights abuses and corruption. An alliance of unions, professional organizations, and political parties called the strike. Talks between the alliance and the military council, which took power in an April coup, collapsed earlier this month after soldiers attacked peaceful demonstrators in the city, killing several and wounding hundreds. The talks had stalled over whether civilians or generals would have control of a sovereign council meant to run the country for the next three years before elections. With talks deadlocked, leaders of Sudan's protest movement said they are escalating their pressure on the military, starting with the strike. Outside al-Waha mall, Idris Ibrahim, a teller at the Bank of Khartoum, said the Sudanese people are growing impatient. "We want a civilian government," he said. "The military council has had the country for almost 50 days now. We've had negotiations, but they don't seem to want to give us our civilian government." Around the nation, workers in various sectors posted photos of themselves on social media holding signs supporting the strike, including oil workers, dentists, sugar processing employees, cement factory workers, and veterinarians. Numerous international flights to Sudan were also cancelled as aviation employees threatened to strike. The broad support for the protest was despite the rejection of the strike by of the opposition Umma Party, a member of the opposition alliance, which had raised fears of a split in the civilian movement. Back at al-Waha mall, Ibrahim said the upper management of his bank was totally against the strike. A few steps away, his colleague Susana Abdalla Hassan said her bosses' stance didn't matter to her. "I don't care," she said. "Even if they fire me, it's a small tax for the country. There are people who have lost their lives. The job is nothing." Inside the mall, many shops remained open, but employees supported the strike by refusing to do any work. At a shop of the MTN mobile phone company, staff politely turned away any potential customers away at the door, handing small pieces of paper explaining their support for the strike. At the Sena supermarket, employees lined shopping carts to block shoppers from entering. Throughout Khartoum, most businesses appeared shuttered, except for small stores selling basic necessities and petrol stations. On one run-down block, Siddig Ibrahim said he managed one of eight stores that normally sell clothes, watches, shoes, and other goods. All of them agreed to close. "We ask everybody who is not striking to join the strike. It's for the nation," he said. "Those who aren't striking don't represent the majority." On Ibrahim's block, only one shop - selling ties, suits, and dress shirts - remained open. The owner said he opened his store because he had not heard of the strike, but added he would close up soon because he feared crowds of striking workers that had gathered in the streets. There were no reports of violence from protesters by late Tuesday, but members of the military council earlier vowed to fire any striking government workers. Video circulated on social media Tuesday appeared to show uniformed security forces arresting staff of an electricity utility. Sudanese electricians had otherwise downed their tools, but said they would ensure power supply to necessary services such as hospitals. The Sudan Professionals Association, a leading member of the opposition alliance, also accused members of the military of entering the Central Bank and attempting to force employees to work. SPA spokesman Amjed Fareed condemned the alleged arrests, which he described as "illegitimate" and a "clear violation of political freedom of association." "The military council have to see the will of the Sudanese people, and accept it, and implement its previous commitment of handing over the power to a civilian government," he said. Fareed added if the military does not hand power to civilians after the strike ends Wednesday, the opposition alliance will call for further civil disobedience. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Text of a Letter from the President to Selected Congressional Committee Leadership May 28, 2019 Dear Mr. Chairman: (Dear Madam Chairwoman:) Consistent with section 1264(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 115-91) (the "Act"), I am transmitting Executive Order 13862 of March 6, 2019 (Revocation of Reporting Requirement). This Executive Order revokes an annual reporting requirement from Executive Order 13732 of July 1, 2016, related to counterterrorism strikes undertaken by the United States outside areas of active hostilities. After closely evaluating the reporting requirement called for in Executive Order 13732 and in light of subsequent requirements specified by the Congress in the Act, I determined to revoke section 3 of Executive Order 13732, while retaining all other portions of that Executive Order. The report submitted to the Congress by the Department of Defense pursuant to section 1057 of the Act is more comprehensive in certain ways than the report Executive Order 13732 required, which was limited in geographic scope and type of United States Government operation. The United States Government is committed to minimizing civilian casualties and complying with its obligations under the law of armed conflict. All United States efforts to minimize civilian casualties described in Executive Order 13732 continue to apply. Sincerely, DONALD J. TRUMP NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Oklahoma National Guard supports local communities following severe weather By Pfc. Emily White May 28, 2019 TULSA, Okla. -- The Oklahoma Army National Guard has been mobilized to parts of Northeastern and Central Oklahoma in response to flood and tornado damage beginning May 23. More than 250 Oklahoma Army National Guard Soldiers from 160th Field Artillery Regiment and 279th Infantry Regiment, have conducted various disaster relief missions including the inspection of flood walls along the Arkansas River, filling thousands of sandbags to be placed along fatigued levees, water pump set-up and the stabilization of the historic WWII submarine, the USS Batfish. Oklahoma National Guard aviation assets from the 245th Aviation Battalion have flown their UH-60 "Black Hawk" and UH-72 "Lakota" helicopters more than 45 flight hours while assisting with rescue missions and relief efforts in the most devastated parts of the State. Chief Warrant Officer 2 David Zahn, a Black Hawk pilot with the Company C, 1st of the 244th Aviation Battalion said he was proud of the work he and his crew members have done, especially the rescuing of flood victims. "It's very rewarding to see the sense of relief on flood victim's faces as we fly in and load them onto the helicopter," said Zahn. Cpl. Steven Ward, a Soldier with the 120th Engineering Battalion, assisted in the evacuation of citizens from Braggs, via a Black Hawk helicopter. "It's not about us, it's about the people hurting and in need, they are our people," Ward said. "They are Oklahomans and Americans so they are family, and family takes care of each other." In El Reno, 12 Soldiers from the 63rd Civil Support Team provided search and rescue assistance to the community dealing with the EF-3 tornado damage that occurred, May 25. The Guardsmen searched a destroyed hotel and adjacent mobile home park. Fortunately, they did not find any trapped or injured individuals. Currently, the damage from the record-breaking floods spans across much of Northeastern and Central Oklahoma and continues to devastate the surrounding areas. The Oklahoma National Guard will remain on site working along side Oklahoma emergency managers and other first responders until their mission is complete. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Oklahoma, Kansas Guard support communities after storms By Pfc. Emily White | 145th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment May 28, 2019 TULSA, Okla. -- The Oklahoma Army National Guard has been mobilized to parts of Northeastern and Central Oklahoma in response to flood and tornado damage beginning May 23. More than 250 Oklahoma Army National Guard Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 160th Field Artillery Regiment, 120th Engineering Battalion and 1st Battalion, 279th Infantry Regiment, have conducted various disaster relief missions, including the inspection of flood walls along the Arkansas River, filling thousands of sandbags to be placed along fatigued levees, water pump setup and the stabilization of the historic WWII submarine, the USS Batfish. Oklahoma National Guard aviation assets from the 245th Aviation Battalion have flown their UH-60 Black Hawk and UH-72 Lakota helicopters more than 45 flight hours while assisting with rescue missions and relief efforts in the most devastated parts of the State. Chief Warrant Officer 2 David Zahn, a Black Hawk pilot with the Company C, 1st of the 244th Aviation Battalion, headquartered in Tulsa, said he was proud of the work he and his crew members have done, especially the rescuing of flood victims. "It's very rewarding to see the sense of relief on flood victims' faces as we fly in and load them onto the helicopter," said Zahn. Cpl. Steven Ward, a Soldier with the 120th Engineering Battalion, assisted in the evacuation of people from Braggs, Oklahoma, via a Black Hawk helicopter. "It's not about us, it's about the people hurting and in need, they are our people," Ward said. "They are Oklahomans and Americans so they are family, and family takes care of each other." In El Reno, Oklahoma, 12 Soldiers from the 63rd Civil Support Team provided search and rescue assistance to the community dealing with the EF-3 tornado damage that occurred May 25. The Guard members searched a destroyed hotel and adjacent mobile home park. Fortunately, they did not find any trapped or injured individuals. The damage from the record-breaking floods spans across much of Northeastern and Central Oklahoma and continues to devastate the surrounding areas. The Oklahoma National Guard will remain on site working alongside Oklahoma emergency managers and other first responders until their mission is complete. And in Kansas, where heavy flooding has also occurred, the Kansas National Guard continues to haul pallets of water and to assist local authorities with evacuations. The Kansas National Guard has positioned high-wheeled vehicles and personnel at designated positions throughout the affected areas. Airmen from the Kansas National Guard's 184th Intelligence Wing's Unclassified Processing Assessment and Dissemination (UPAD) continue to support emergency officials with geospatial imagery. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address DR Congo: Strengthened effort against Ebola is paying off, but insecurity still major constraint UN health agency 28 May 2019 - Although the Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to make headway thanks to the determination of health workers on the ground, insecurity is still hampering the response, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday. This has led the UN to establish a new coordination structure in the hopes that access to at-risk areas can be improved. "We are seeing a dramatic increase over the past few months in the number of security incidents in the area of North Kivu, which lies at the epicentre of this ebola outbreak," said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, to journalists in Geneva as she recalled the brutal killing of a WHO colleague in mid-April. She added that on Saturday, another attack took place during which another health worker was killed. Insecurity equals lack of access So far, in 2019, there have been 174 attacks against health care facilities or workers. That's a three-fold increase compared to the number of attacks that took place during the previous five-month period (August through December 2018). "Insecurity really is what is making the response to this Ebola outbreak so challenging and also so unpredictable," she insisted, adding. "And this insecurity leads to a lack of access and that is really what is driving the increase in cases. When the response can't reach people, they don't get the chance to be vaccinated or to receive life-saving treatments if they do fall ill." Currently, the DRC's worst ever outbreak of the deadly virus has seen 1,920 Ebola cases overall, including 1,281 deaths. Despite the risks, the more than 700 workers deployed by WHO remain in the area working alongside other health teams providing care. "This Ebola response is one of the most complex health emergencies the world has faced," said Dr. Moeti, explaining that "the authority of the Government is not strong, and what further complicates the situation is that there are many belligerents and armed groups and parties, and it's not always clear under whose leadership they are operating". A new UN coordinating structure To strengthen the coordination of the response and "create a much more enabling environment", this week, the Deputy head of the DRC peacekeeping mission MONUSCO, David Gressly newly appointed UN Emergency Ebola Response Coordinator will be arriving in the city of Butembo, at the epicentre of the outbreak. Among several other key objectives, his role will be to help strengthen the DRC Government's engagement around security, in a bid to reconcile various warring parties in the area. In parallel, a scale-up of operations in the region from health and humanitarian organizations is also expected. "I'm hopeful that this new structure will bring the much-needed stability, safety and clarity, and enable the response to proceed," said Dr. Moeti. 'Encouraging signs' To date, more than 500 people have survived thanks to adequate care. In particular, transmissions in medical centres ("nosocomial transmissions"), which represented 35 per cent of all transmissions just a few weeks ago, which are now down to 5 per cent. "That number is still too high, we still want to reach for zero," said Dr. Michael Ryan, chief of WHO's Health Emergencies Programme. Enhanced community engagement efforts continue to be put in place with 21 community Ebola committees in place so far, and vaccinations are also ongoing thanks to pop-up centres. Currently, 95 per cent of people offered vaccinations are accepting them and 90 per cent of families are agreeing to "safe and dignified burials". Dr. Ryan also explained that efforts in improving the surveillance and tracing of cases are also showing progress with 1,400 alerts per day on average, a number that was only half of that six weeks ago. The number of samples taken daily for laboratory analysis is also increasing steadily with the proportion of positive cases decreasing. In another "encouraging sign", Monday was "the first day in a very long time that we had zero positive cases among community deaths", said Dr. Ryan, as he gave credit to the "brave frontline workers who risk their lives every day to do this work and to our communities who are very much engaged and participating in the response." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Divergence over DPRK missiles issue clouds Abe-Trump summit People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 07:24, May 28, 2019 A cloud of uncertainty had loomed over the summit between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and visiting U.S. President Donald Trump due to differing approaches to the recent missile launches of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), local media reported on Monday. Speaking at a joint press conference in Tokyo, Trump took a conciliatory tone regarding the DPRK firing projectiles earlier this month, stating that he did not see the DPRK's actions as violating U.N. Security Council resolutions. "All I know is there have been no nuclear tests, there have been no ballistic missiles going out, there have been no long-range missiles going out," Trump said, adding that he is in "no rush" to strike a deal with the DPRK over its denuclearization. Abe had relied on Trump, who has met with top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un twice for denuclearization talks, hoping the U.S. president will help with the abduction issue of Japanese nationals, according to local media. Japan protested against the DPRK's launches of short-range ballistic missiles on May 9 for its violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions, while Trump downplayed their significance. Trump said Sunday on Twitter that the DPRK fired off "some small weapons, which disturbed some of my people, and others, but not me." The remarks contradicted his security adviser John Bolton who said that the launch of missiles violated U.N. Security Council resolutions. When asked if he was not bothered at all about the missiles, Trump said, "No, I am not. I am personally not." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address FM Zarif: Trump's actions, not words to show his real intention IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, May 28, IRNA -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif reacted to US President Donald Trump's recent statements during his visit to Japan, and said that actions speak louder than words. "Ayatollah @Khamenei_ir long ago said we're not seeking nuclear weapons-by issuing a fatwa (edict) banning them.#B_Team's #Economic Terrorism is hurting the Iranian people & causing tension in the region. Actions-not words-will show whether or not that's @realDonaldTrump's intent," Zarif wrote on his Twitter account late on Monday. Zarif's remarks came in reaction to Trump's latest remarks on Iran who said his administration is not looking for regime change in Iran and would rather sit down for talks, signaling a change of tone after a period of saber-rattling that saw him and other US officials threaten Tehran with war while vainly hoping that they might get concessions. 2050**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address No prospect for talks with US: Iran Foreign Ministry spokesman ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency Tue / 28 May 2019 / 12:49 Tehran (ISNA) Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Seyyed Abbas Mousavi said on Tuesday, Iran's diplomacy has entered a new era. In his first press conference, the new spokesman of Iran's Foreign Ministry presented some details on Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammad Javad Zarif's recent regional tours, saying, "Such diplomatic visits will continue in coming weeks". Mentioning US calls for negotiation with Iran, the spokesman stressed, "We see no prospect to hold talks with US for now". Pointing to the Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe's possible visit to Iran, Mousavi said, "Iranian and Japanese sides are holding talks to determine the timing of the visit". Answering a question about whether Iran accepts mediation with US in the current situation, the spokesman said, "Currently, we are not in the phase of mediation". He stressed, "We have not received a special message from officials of the friendly countries that have traveled to Iran and we have not delivered a message either". Mousavi also noted, "According to some reports, a group of managers from the Instrument for Supporting Trade Exchanges (INSTEX) and some companies are going to travel to Iran". End Item NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump's actions not words to show his intent: Iran FM ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency Tue / 28 May 2019 / 10:51 Tehran (ISNA) Iran's Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif in a tweet reacted to recent remarks made by US President Donald Trump in Japan. "Ayatollah khamenei long ago said we're not seeking nuclear weaponsby issuing a fatwa (edict) banning them. B_Team's Economic Terrorism is hurting the Iranian people & causing tension in the region. Actionsnot wordswill show whether or not that's Donald Trump's intent," Zarif wrote on his official Twitter account. End Item NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran has dried up enemies' capacity for war: IRGC Iran Press TV Tue May 28, 2019 06:12PM The chief commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says the country's enemies have unsuccessfully exhausted all of their capacity for various types of warfare against the Islamic Republic. Speaking on Tuesday, Major General Hossein Salami said Iran's enemies had already attempted maximum pressure against Iran in every area including economic, cultural, and political ones to no effect. "Today, we are a great and invincible power because we have experienced and defeated all of the enemy's scenarios," Major General Salami said. "We have been able to shatter enemy psyops and dry up the enemy's capacity for war." He said the power of Iran's enemies was on the decline whereas the Islamic Republic's might was growing. "Today, Iran's reach is no more confined to within its borders; today, Iran is a robust power in the region," he said. The United States recently took a quasi-warlike posture against Iran when it dispatched an aircraft carrier strike group, a bomber task force, and an amphibious assault ship to the Persian Gulf, citing an alleged Iranian threat. Iran said it posed no threat to anyone but would defend itself against any aggression. 'Iran, enemy in final showdown' Salami reiterated that Iran was undaunted. "We are not worried by enemy intrigues and are in the last phase of the battle against it," he said. "We have received so many threats that we are saturated with them." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran's Revolutionary Guards 'Doesn't Fear a War' as US Makes Military Moves Sputnik News 17:42 28.05.2019 The United States earlier blacklisted the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terror group, in an escalating spiral of hostile rhetoric and actions aimed at curbing Iran's regional influence and apparent nuclear ambitions. Iran's influential Revolutionary Guards have downplayed Washington's muscle-flexing and stated that the Islamic Republic does not fear a potential armed conflict, following a year of ever-growing tensions and weeks of US military build-up in the Middle East. IRGC spokesman Ramazan Sharif told reporters in Tehran on Tuesday that Iran's elite paramilitary force doesn't "support engaging in any war" but at the same time doesn't "fear the occurrence of a war." "We have enough readiness to defend the country," he said, adding that Iran has boosted its military capabilities over the past 30 years while the United States "is not more powerful than before". Iranian military and civil officials have on multiple occasions refused to hold any peace talks with the United States. Most recently, a deputy IRGC commander said that negotiating with the "Great Satan" will bring no result. While Donald Trump is said to be seeking a peaceful way out of the crisis and Japanese Prime Minister Abe is pitching his services as a mediator, Tehran is expecting the POTUS to back up his intentions with actions. "Actions not words will show whether or not that's Donald Trump's intent," Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Monday. The United States has been amassing military forces in the Middle East, alleging that Iran was plotting an attack on US interests and was behind recent attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and Saudi oil facilities, something that Tehran vehemently denied. The Trump administration has taken a belligerent stance on Iran, pulling out of the hard-fought 2015 nuclear deal and imposing sanctions on the oil-rich country. Trump said the rationale is to pressure Iran into a new nuclear deal, because the existing agreement has allegedly failed to stop the country from pursuing nuclear weapons development. Iran had consistently maintained that it was fully committed to the deal, but relentless US pressure (which included efforts to cut off its crucial oil exports) prompted the Islamic Republic to scrap parts of the deal. Earlier this month, Iran announced that it would lift the caps on stocks of enriched uranium and "heavy water" the materials used to produce both nuclear power and weapons and threatened to resume higher enrichment of uranium if world powers fail to shield its economy from crippling US sanctions. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel Moves Toward New Elections By Ken Bredemeier May 28, 2019 Israel moved closer to new parliamentary elections Tuesday as lawmakers voted in favor of the first of three procedural moves necessary to dissolve the current parliament. The 66 to 44 vote set a tentative date of September 17 for a new election, if the measure makes it through the final two rounds of voting. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been unable to form a new government since his party won the most seats in an election last month. He has until Wednesday to reach a coalition deal with other parties or risk having Israel's president give someone else a chance to form a coalition government. Netanyahu is unlikely to allow that to take place, preferring to take his chances in a new election. His prospective coalition has been thrown into turmoil by former defense minister Avigdor Lieberman, sometimes a Netanyahu ally and sometimes a rival. Lieberman has demanded passage of a new law mandating that young ultra-Orthodox men be drafted into the Israeli military, like most other Jewish men, while Netanyahu's ultra-Orthodox allies have called for the current draft exemptions to remain in place. In a statement late Monday, Netanyahu called for his potential coalition partners to put "the good of the nation above every other interest" to avoid what he said would be "expensive, wasteful" elections. The Israeli leader said he was hopeful that a compromise could be forged before the late Wednesday deadline for him to form a new government. But he acknowledged, "Unfortunately, I haven't been able to convince Lieberman to avoid another election. The reality is that we must be responsible and form a government immediately." Netanyahu cannot form a government without the five seats of Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu party. "The draft law has become a symbol, and we will not capitulate on our symbols," Lieberman said, vowing to press for new parliamentary elections if his demand is not met. Ultra-Orthodox parties consider military conscription a violation of their religious beliefs, fearing that military service will lead to secularization. But such exemptions from military service are widely resented by other Jewish Israelis. Some Likud adherents say that Lieberman is motivated by his personal spite for Netanyahu, but Lieberman says he will not give in to religious coercion. "I will not be a partner to a Halachic state," he said, using the word for Jewish law. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump, Abe jointly inspect Japanese destroyer People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 14:54, May 28, 2019 TOKYO, May 28 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday jointly inspected Japan's largest warship south of Tokyo at the Yokosuka-based Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. Aboard the Japanese J.S. Kaga destroyer, a helicopter carrier designed to carry submarine-hunting helicopters to distant waters, Trump, winding up his four-day state visit to Japan, made a joint speech with Abe to address some 500 Japanese and U.S. personnel inside the warship's hangar. "I want to thank my friend, and your prime minister. He's an extraordinary man, for his commitment to improving Japan's defense capabilities which also advances the security of the United States of America," Trump said. The U.S. president also thanked Japan for planning to buy more U.S.-made 5th generation F-35B stealth fighter jets. Before heading home from Japan on Tuesday afternoon, Trump will also land aboard the USS Wasp, a U.S. multipurpose amphibious assault ship, where he'll deliver a Memorial Day speech to U.S. troops. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Myanmar Grants Early Release to Soldiers Involved in Rohingya Massacre By VOA News May 28, 2019 Myanmar's early release of seven soldiers who were jailed for killing a group of Rohingya Muslims is drawing criticism from rights activists. Four officers and three enlisted service members were freed last November, Reuters first reported, after being sentenced in 2018 to 10 years in prison with hard labor for killing 10 Rohingya men and boys the year before. Prisons department head Myint Soe confirmed to reporters Tuesday in Yangon the soldiers were "no longer in custody," but he declined to provide more information. The soldiers served less time than two Reuters reporters who were jailed for exposing the massacre. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were jailed last September after being sentenced to seven years on charges linked to their reporting. They served 500 days and then were released after receiving a presidential pardon. The massacre occurred during a military crackdown in 2017 that forced nearly three-quarters of a million Rohingya to flee to neighboring Bangladesh. United Nations investigators have said the violence warrants the prosecution of top military leaders for "genocide." The International Criminal Court has launched a preliminary investigation into the killings. Human Rights Watch Deputy Asia Director told the VOA Burmese Service the early release of the soldiers reveals that top Myanmar military leaders "don't really consider the Rohingya to be human, and were never committed to seeing anyone held accountable for their crimes in Rakhine state." Asia Human Rights Commission attorney Min Lwin Oo said in an interview with VOA Burmese the soldiers' early release "obviously shows that the military does not care about the judicial system." The Rohingya are widely viewed in Myanmar as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. The military has justified its 2017 crackdown, which involved mass killings, gang rapes and widespread arson, as a way of eradicating Rohingya insurgents. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Thousands Attend Anti-Military Protests In Pakistan By RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal May 28, 2019 Thousands of protesters have attended anti-military protests overnight in northwestern Pakistan after activists from a rights group were killed when soldiers fired at their demonstration. Members of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) representing ethnic Pashtuns protested in major cities across the region late on May 27, chanting slogans against the army and demanding the release of their leaders. At least four PTM activists were killed and almost 50 were wounded on May 26 in North Waziristan, a region near the Afghan border, when soldiers opened fire on a protest staged by the group near a checkpoint outside the town of Boyya. The Pakistani military said a group led by two PTM activists and lawmakers -- Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir -- "assaulted" the checkpoint. However, videos of the May 26 protests posted on social media showed the demonstrators were unarmed when soldiers opened fire on them. Wazir was later arrested. The protests were held at night because of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, when people fast from dawn to dusk. The army has allegedly barred Pakistani television channels from covering the rallies, which were nevertheless livestreamed and shown on social media. The PTM emerged last year after an ethnic Pashtun was killed by a rogue police officer in the port city of Karachi. With reporting by dpa and Dawn Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/thousands-attend-anti-military -protests-in-pakistan/29967093.html Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Angering Anti-Corruption Crusaders, Russia Proposes Banning Access To Land Registry By Matthew Luxmoore May 28, 2019 Russia's Economy Ministry has proposed restricting access to the Unified Land Registry, or EGRN, a database widely used by journalists and anticorruption campaigners to shed light on the lifestyles of the country's elite. The bill, which has been published on the parliament's website, would introduce fines of up to 400,000 rubles for publishing, sharing, or selling information from the registry. It will be debated in parliament following a public appraisal. Critics say the legislation falls in line with attempts to restrict access to information in the wake of several high-profile investigations into official corruption, and note previous attempts by authorities to restrict access to sensitive data capable of revealing the undeclared assets of powerful figures. "This bill strictly regulates the rights of those who possess information to use it freely and distribute it as they wish," Ilya Shumanov, deputy director of Transparency International Russia, told the newspaper Vedomosti, adding that anyone who accesses information that doesn't concern state secrets from a government registry should be allowed to legally distribute it. 'Duplicate Websites' In 2015, the Federal Security Service backed legislation that would anonymize the personal data of real-estate owners, but it foundered in parliament after the Justice Ministry warned that it would endanger property rights. In 2017, the Duma passed amendments that limited the publication of officials' details and those of their family members to instances when their express permission was granted. A description of the new bill on the parliamentary portal presents the initiative as a response to complaints from Russian citizens about "duplicate websites" that allegedly present fake information acquired from the EGRN register. But Georgy Alburov, a lawyer at the Anti-Corruption Foundation run by opposition leader Aleksei Navalny who first drew public attention to the new bill, believes it's aimed at clamping down on groups like his. "It's clearly written there that the handover and publication of data is forbidden," he told Vedomosti. "The Anti-Corruption Foundation publishes EGRN data in its entirety." One example is the foundation's 2017 investigation into Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, titled He's Not Dimon To You. It was a catalyst for mass protests against corruption that erupted across Russia that March, and the bulk of the data cited was acquired from Russian state registers. In 2017, the Supreme Court rejected a complaint by Navalny against the actions of the state registry, which anonymized the names of Prosecutor-General Yury Chaika's sons following an Anti-Corruption Foundation's probe into their business dealings. Alburov pointed out proposed legislation apparently released in conjunction with the new bill that would substantially raise the costs of acquiring data from the registry and set a lower limit of 50,000 records, at a cost of over 1 million rubles ($15,500). "That means everyone who doesn't have a million can't use the service -- that's a blow to journalists and to business," Alburov said. Shumanov appeared to agree. "The new bill is largely aimed at private services selling EGRN records, which would compete in competition with the official register," he told Vedomosti. "But considering the unpredictable nature of Russian law enforcement I wouldn't be surprised if average citizens are harmed through this." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ngering-anti-corruption- crusaders-russia-proposes-banning-access -to-land-registry/29968557.html Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Defense Minister Discusses Military Cooperation With Tajik President In Dushanbe By RFE/RL's Tajik Service May 28, 2019 DUSHANBE -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has discussed military cooperation between Russian and Tajikistan with the Central Asian country's president, Emomali Rahmon, and its defense minister. The one-hour talks between Shoigu and Rahmon were held behind closed doors in the Nations' Palace in Dushanbe on May 28. Rahmon's office said that he spoke of a "strategic partnership" and called the development of Russian-Tajik military cooperation "a priority of Tajikistan's foreign policy." Shoigu then held talks with Tajik Defense Minister Sherali Mirzo, during which he said that Tajik military forces will take part in the Tsentr (Center) military maneuvers in Russia and in the Collective Security Treaty Organization's (CSTO) military exercises in Tajikistan this year. After the talks, Shoigu inspected the Russian military base in Dushanbe. About 7,000 troops from Russia's 201st Motor Rifle Division are stationed at three facilities that are considered part of the Russian base in Tajikistan. In October 2012, Moscow and Dushanbe signed a lease agreement under which the military base will be deployed in Tajikistan, which borders Afghanistan, until 2042. Visiting Tajikistan a week ago, Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) chief Aleksandr Bortnikov said that militants from the extremist group Islamic State (IS) have been amassing in northern Afghanistan. Moscow has been expressing concern about an IS spillover into Central Asia for years. Security experts have said that Russia has exaggerated the number of militants in order to justify its outreach to the Afghan Taliban and to suggest to Central Asian governments that they need support from Russia to defend themselves. With reporting by Asia Plus and TASS Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russian- defense-minister-visits-tajikistan -for-talks/29966914.html Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Deripaska Office Calls OFAC Memorandum on Sanctions Justification Groundless Accusations Sputnik News 01:30 29.05.2019(updated 02:07 29.05.2019) MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian businessman Oleg Deripaska's representatives slammed the evidentiary memorandum issued by the US OFAC, which justifies the sanctions against him, as a poorly compiled document that is full of false claims and factual inaccuracies guided by considerations of personal revenge, according to a statement by Deripaska's office. US TREASURY'S MEMORANDUM In April 2018, the United States included Deripaska and companies controlled by the businessman, namely En+ Group and the entities it controls, Rusal and JSC EuroSibEnergo, in the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list. Assets of SDN-blacklisted individuals and entities in the United States are frozen and US companies are banned from working with them. On January 27, 2019, the US Treasury lifted the sanctions on the three companies after Deripaska reduced his stake in the En+ Group under 44.95 percent and stopped running it via the board of directors. On Tuesday, after a long resistance, the OFAC complied with a court order to release its list of documents substantiating sanctions against Deripaska. The so-called evidentiary memorandum alleges that the businessman was acting on behalf of a senior government official and working in the Russian energy sector. These claims served as justification for including Deripaska on the SDN list. Evidence largely includes articles from Western media, information from anonymous sources and assumptions. The memorandum is dated June 2018, but the US Treasury had refused to publish it until compelled to do so by US order. At the same time, many fragments remain redacted, possibly due to concerns that confidential sources would become public. DERIPASKA'S RESPONSE Derispaka's representatives condemned the memorandum as "a poorly researched report riddled with false statements and factual inaccuracies." "It's outrageous that there seems to be no burden of proof required for OFAC's bureaucrats to indulge personal vendettas by ruining a man's life, his businesses and leaving at risk hundreds of thousands of people, including workers and members of the community, as well as investors (Russian and international). This is more than professional incompetence it looks like nothing short of gross misconduct in public office and raises substantial questions about the integrity and true intentions of OFAC's investigations," the businessman's office said. The press service also refuted both statements that served as foundation to blacklist the businessman that he allegedly acted on behalf of a senior Russian government official and that he operated in the Russian energy sector. "Both claims are patently false," the office said. PURCHASE OF PLANT IN MONTENEGRO The office has also commented on the OFAC's reference to an article published by The Nation magazine, titled "McCain's Kremlin Ties," on October 1, 2008. "This first allegation appears bizarrely to be based on a decade-old article in The Nation... published five weeks before the US 2008 presidential elections ...The article falsely asserted that Mr. Deripaska purchased the KAP aluminum plant in Montenegro as part of a Russian plot spearheaded by President Vladimir Putin to effectively seize control of Montenegro's economy following the country's independence," the office said. According to the office, the plant was purchased "not for political reasons or because President Putin or any other Russian government official encouraged them to do it." The deal was guided by legal commercial considerations, the press service said. "KAP has never been central to the economy of Montenegro, so the suggestion that it could have been bought for political reasons is utterly absurd," the office explained. TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT In claiming that Derispaka represented the Russian state, the US Treasury referred to an article in The Financial Times published on October 28, 2008. According to the report, the businessman said that he would give up his company if the Russian government asked him to. "The question Mr. Deripaska was asked was why he chose to stay in Russia. The point that he made was simply that he doesn't detach himself from his homeland and can't imagine his future anywhere else. He said he wants to develop his business in Mother Russia, including not only aluminium producer Rusal, but also a carmaker GAZ Group, as it was Mr. Deripaska's goal and ambition to make it Russia's biggest commercial automaker. This is what he was saying, but the quote was distorted and has since gone on to take on a life of its own," the office said. The office also stated that the US Treasury's mention of Deripaska's diplomatic passport was completely irrelevant to his designation as a blacklisted individual. "Mr. Deripaska was entitled to obtaining a diplomatic passport as a Russian member of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). Members of ABAC from all APEC economies, including the U.S., are appointed by their governments, which is sufficient ground to be issued a diplomatic passport to fulfill entrusted responsibilities," the office said. TWO SECTORS MIXED The businessman's representatives also refuted the OFAC's claims that Deripaska was allegedly involved in the Russian energy sector as an attempt to mislead. "[The claim] once again suggests that the bureaucrats working for OFAC were either extremely poorly informed on the details of Mr. Deripaska's business, or deliberately chose to ignore the fact that EN+ a company which Mr. Deripaska founded is not an energy company (operating in the oil and gas sector), but rather an electrical utility business where power generation represents less than 20-25%," the office said. Deripaska's visits to global forums, such as the World Economic Forum and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit, by no means support the OFAC's claims that the businessman was alleged involved in the energy industry, the office said. The OFAC reached "an inaccurate conclusion" by inferring the opposite, the office added. "As a major international business leader, he was of course invited to prominent global events. He's always been committed to setting high environmental standards across aluminum industry, and his core focus at these events was usually advocating for climate change initiatives," Deripaska's office said. Additionally, the US Treasury's claims about Deripaska's links to organized crime networks "are utterly false and to this day remain completely unsubstantiated," the office stressed. "He has never even been charged with a crime or investigated, let alone convicted. These allegations are based simply on claims made in the 1990s by Oleg Deripaska's former business rivals. No evidence to support these claims has ever been produced, nor were the motivations of those making the claims ever considered," the press service said. The businessman's representatives stated that the OFAC document had failed to provide "any evidence for its tired old and false claims". "It provides distorted interpretations of publicly available materials published on corporate websites and in the media," the office concluded. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address France blasts 'dirty' Saudi-led war, but keeps arms flow Iran Press TV Tue May 28, 2019 04:20PM France has urged Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to stop the "dirty war" on Yemen, but says, at the same time, that it will continue its controversial arms sales to the Persian Gulf states. "Yes, it's a dirty war, yes it has to be stopped, Saudi Arabia and the Emirates must stop" the fighting, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told France Inter radio on Tuesday. "Yes, we must be extremely vigilant with arms sales to these two countries, which is what we are doing," he said. France is among the top weapons exporters to Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, two key members of a coalition waging war on Yemen since March 2015. Tens of thousands have reportedly died since the onset of the warfare, which seeks to restore the former Yemeni officials, who are close to the Saudi kingdom. Paris spurns accounts blaming it for selling weapons that are being used against civilians in the Arab world's most impoverished nation. It also insists that the arms are being deployed in the service of "self defense." Last month, Disclose, an investigative reportage website, published findings from a classified French military note that said French weapons were being used in the war. Three Disclose reporters were subsequently questioned by France's domestic intelligence agency, a move that drew protests from press freedom advocates, AFP reported. Disclose has also reported plans for loading weapons onto two France-bound Saudi-flagged vessels. Pressure resulting from the first disclosure, which came earlier in May, prompted Riyadh to decide against picking up the cargo. Later, the whistleblower said another Saudi Arabian cargo ship was set to arrive in the south of France on Tuesday to pick up munitions for French Caesar cannons. The cargo, it said, would be loaded at the Mediterranean port of Fos-sur-Mer, near Marseille. "I learned about the imminent arrival of the Bahri Tabuk cargo ship this morning," the French news agency cited Pierre Dharreville, an MP for the Fos-sur-Mer region, as telling journalists, and calling for a "moratorium" on arms deliveries to Saudi Arabia. Nevertheless, the spokesman for Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement, which has been defending the country against the Saudi-led invasion, welcomed Le Drian's remarks, Lebanon's al-Manar television network reported. Echoing rights groups, he said Paris should put its words about the Saudi-led war into action by stopping its arms sales to the Saudi regime. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Tensions Grow Between Russia, Iran in Syria By Sirwan Kajjo May 27, 2019 Russian military police last week reportedly carried out a raid against Iranian-backed militiamen stationed at Syria's Aleppo international airport, local media reported. In the aftermath, several Iranian militia leaders were arrested in what was seen as the latest episode of tensions between Iranian and Russian forces in Syria. Since the beginning of Syria's civil war in 2011, Russia and Iran have built a strong military presence in the country in support of forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime. Iran has since deployed thousands of its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and allied Shiite militias to Syria, while Russia officially entered the Syrian conflict in September 2015 to help Assad's regime. But as the war is waning, with Syrian regime forces reclaiming most of the territory once controlled by rebel forces, Russia and Iran seem to be vying for influence in the war-torn country. 'Slice of the pie' Analysts say the protracted war in Syria has created a slight fissure between the two allies. "There are definite tensions that exist between Russia and Iran within Syria," said Phillip Smyth, a researcher at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy who closely follows Iranian-backed militias in Syria. "You see things like this [raid in Aleppo] that occur in flashpoint zones because there's criminal activity going on. Each country's proxy wants a cut of that," he told VOA. Similar incidents have been taking place throughout the country in the past two years. Recently, two divisions of the Syrian military were engaged in deadly clashes in different parts of the country, local reports said. This power struggle is the result of differences among Syrian military leaders who are either loyal to Russia or Iran, observers believe. "I do believe that it comes down to who controls what, what slice of the pie they all have. But I don't necessarily believe that this is going to lead to some major conflagration between Iranian and Russian forces there," analyst Smyth said. Tactical differences The strategic partnership between Russia and Iran in Syria goes beyond such disagreements, especially since Russia is still dependent on Iranian forces to hold territory and to provide manpower for Syrian regime troops, some experts say. "I never believe that Russia would separate from Iran," said Anna Borshchevskaya, a research fellow at the European Foundation for Democracy who focuses on Russia's policy in the Middle East. "The disagreements they're having is that they're trying to carve out spheres of influence in Syria, which is something that Russia understands very well," she told VOA in a phone interview. "Their relationship is a complex one, for sure. But what holds them together is their anti-Americanism and a desire to reduce American influence in the region." Borshchevskaya added that "on the tactical level, [Russia and Iran] are going to have differences sometimes. But they agree on the big picture." The U.S. has been involved in the war against Islamic State militants since 2014, when the terror group announced its so-called caliphate in Syria and Iraq. U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who declared victory over IS in March, now control more than a third of Syria's territory. The United States has about 2,000 troops in areas under the control of the Kurdish-led SDF. But the U.S. administration has said it will keep only about 400 soldiers in those areas after the war against IS is over. Russia and Iran have constantly opposed the U.S. military presence in Syria. Economic competition Some analysts believe that, unlike when they became involved in Syria's war, Russian and Iranian forces now control larger territories and both countries are searching for economic opportunities in the country. "Now there are more points of friction between the two countries than ever before," said Jowan Hemo, a Syrian economist who follows the economic patterns of the war. "So naturally, you would see them compete to win contracts with the Syrian regime, including the energy and power sectors and other types of investments," he told VOA. In 2018, Russia was awarded exclusive rights to produce Syria's oil and gas. Russia has also signed a contract to use the Syrian port of Tartus for 49 years, while Iran won a bid to partially use the port of Latakia. Both countries want to economically monopolize Syria for the long term, because they each have given sizable loans to the Syrian regime throughout the war, economist Hemo said. "I believe this type of competition will continue in Syria, but eventually Russia's economic dominance will prevail," he added. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Eight years in, Syria still embroiled in conflict 'that no longer sparks outrage', Security Council hears 28 May 2019 - After eight years of deadly air strikes and terrorist attacks that have left hundreds of thousands of Syrians dead and millions of others injured, United Nations Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator Ursula Mueller asked the Security Council on Tuesday, the hard-hitting question: "Can't this Council take any concrete action when attacks on schools and hospitals have become a war tactic that no longer sparks outrage"? "You all know the statistics of this conflict", Ursula Mueller told the chamber. "You know that more than half the Syrian population has either fled the country or faced repeated internal displacement...and you know that currently, an estimated three million people in Idlib are caught up in the crossfire, with some living under trees or plastic sheeting on bare patches of land". There are no safe schools or clinics, she said, and no way to earn a living, while families live in "the constant fear" of sending their children to a school that may be bombed "later that day". Despite a temporary ceasefire announcement on 17 May, fighting in the last rebel stronghold of Idlib in Syria's north-west, has continued over recent days, with heavy shelling and aerial bombardment this month leaving more than 160 civilians dead and some 270,000 others displaced. The deputy relief chief quoted the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, in saying that "both pro-Government forces and non-State armed groups fighting in northern Syria appear to have failed to respect the principles of distinction and proportionality under international humanitarian law". She told the Council that since 28 April, the World Health Organization (WHO) had reported a total of 25 attacks targeting medical infrastructure in northwestern Syria, including 22 health facilities, with some having been hit more than once. Moreover, some 25 schools are reported to have also been impacted by the violence, as well as marketplaces and at least three sites for displaced people. While the humanitarian community is responding in accordance with its contingency and readiness plans, "despite our best efforts, the response is stretched", she explained. "Many of our humanitarian partners are part of the affected population and have themselves been displaced", she said, adding that as a result, "in many areas of active hostilities, humanitarian operations have been suspended", including health, nutrition and protection services that previously supported some 600,000 people. Pointing out that this year marks the 70th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions and the 20th anniversary of the Council's adoption of protection of civilians as an agenda item, she recalled the Secretary-General's word's last week, saying that "respect today for international humanitarian law is, at best, questionable. "You are all, as Member States, aware that all parties to armed conflict are legally bound to comply with international humanitarian lawSparing hospitals and schools is not optional. It is a fundamental legal obligation". Other crisis areas While calling the fighting in Idlib "the most distressing front in the conflict at present", she painted a picture of "deteriorating conditions inside Rukban" camp for internally displaced, on the southern border with Jordan, that during the past two months, have caused more than 13,100 to flee. For those who remain, food, basic medicines and other life-saving supplies delivered in February have run out. Fuel is scarce; prices are skyrocketing; and "people are exhausted", she spelled out. Ms. Mueller said a third humanitarian convoy to Rukban was urgently needed "to avoid further suffering" for the 29,000 people who remain, strongly urging the Syrian authorities "to reverse their refusal and facilitate accessas first requested in March and again on 9 Mayto provide support to this vulnerable population". Turning to the continuing plight of some 74,000 civilians 92 per cent of whom are women and children at the Al Hol refugee camp in the country's north east, near the Iraqi border, she said that "most have been exposed to extreme violence and trauma under ISIL". "They are now living in extremely difficult conditions where they face a range of protection challenges, and an uncertain and disconcerting fate", she said, including being denied repatriation, rehabilitation, re-integration, a fair trial, or even of becoming Stateless. "All children, including those suspected of being associated with armed groups and/or designated terrorist organizations, are entitled to special care and protection under international humanitarian law and international human rights law, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child" Ms. Mueller stated, adding "these children must be treated first and foremost as victims". NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taiwan's jet fighters land on freeway for 1st time in 5 years ROC Central News Agency 2019/05/28 11:50:16 Taipei, May 28 (CNA) The three main fighter jets in the Air Force fleet successfully completed emergency take-offs and landings on a section of Taiwan's No. 1 National Freeway on Tuesday morning to test the military's response capabilities in the event of a Chinese attack. A F-16 V fighter jet, followed by a Mirage 2000-5, an Indigenous Defensive Fighter (IDF), and an E-2K airborne early warning aircraft, landed on the Huatan section of the freeway in Changhua County in western Taiwan at around 6 a.m. After landing, the planes later took off again in the same order from the same roadway. The exercise, part of a series of annual Han Kuang live-fire exercises staged over five days, starting on Monday, was presided over by President Tsai Ing-wen () and was witnessed by hundreds of military fans, who were eager to take photos of the rare occasion. The last time such a drill was held was in September 2014 on the Minxiong section of the No. 1 National Freeway in Chiayi County. Similar drills were also held in 2004, 2007 and 2011. In her address, Tsai thanked the R.O.C. Armed Forces in completing the task, which she described as "extremely complicated and challenging." "Despite the challenging mission, all of us have worked together to achieve the goal. This demonstrates the defense capability and trustworthiness of Taiwan's military," she said. It was also the first time the F-16V, or F-16 Viper, took part in the Han Kuang exercises, Taiwan's most important war games, which are held each year to test the combat capabilities of all branches of the armed forces, in the face of a continued military threat from China. Taiwan's military is currently upgrading its 144 F-16 A/B jets to F-16Vs as part of a US$3.68 billion project launched by the government in 2016. The retrofit program includes installing advanced equipment on the fighters, including the AN/APG active electronically scanned array radar system currently used in the United States' F-22 and F-35 fighters. The comprehensive upgrade of the Air Force's entire F-16 fleet is expected to be completed by the end of 2023, according to the Air Force. Tuesday's drill was not much different from past freeway landings and take-offs conducted by the military during the Han Kuang exercises, but it was still challenging, a military source told CNA. Among the challenges were that the drill could not be rehearsed in advance and it required clear communications between the military, police and the National Freeway Bureau, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the issue publicly. To prepare for the highway landing drill, ground crews had to make sure no foreign objects were present on the section of the freeway that was used as an emergency runway. They had to sweep clean all the foreign objects or risk having them sucked into an aircraft's engines, possibly resulting in damage or even a crash, the source said. Also, after the planes landed, ground crews only had limited time to refuel the planes and load missiles on them, making the job even more difficult, the source said. (By Matt Yu and Joseph Yeh) Enditem/ls NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China strongly opposes official contact between US, Taiwan: spokesperson Global Times Source:Xinhua Published: 2019/5/28 7:28:57 China on Monday voiced its firm opposition to official contact between the United States and Taiwan "in any form" and "under any excuse." "China is strongly dissatisfied with and resolutely opposed to it," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said at a news briefing. According to reports, Taiwan claimed that US National Security Advisor John Bolton has recently held talks with his Taiwan "counterpart." In response, Lu said the US government has clearly recognized the government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government representing the whole of China, and promised it will only maintain unofficial contacts with Taiwan. So Bolton and David Lee can't be "counterparts," he noted. The one-China principle constitutes the political foundation of Sino-US relations, Lu said. "We are also firmly opposed to any attempt to create 'two Chinas' or 'one China, one Taiwan.' Our position is clear and steadfast." "We once again urge the US side to adhere to the one-China principle and the three joint communiques between the two countries, stop official contact or substantively upgrading relations with Taiwan, prudently and properly handle Taiwan-related issues to avoid negative influence on Sino-US relations and the two countries' cooperation in major areas," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 23, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aequus Pharmaceuticals Inc. (TSX-V: AQS, OTCQB: AQSZF) (Aequus or the Company) is pleased to announce an agreement for the Zepto Precision Pulse Capsulotomy device (Zepto) with The Kensington Eye Institute, a world renowned clinic and leader in Canada for cataract, glaucoma, and retina surgery. Additionally, Aequus is pleased to announce the extension of the Zepto distribution agreement with Mynosys, which prolongs the term to April, 2022. The Zepto Capsulotomy System has received positive feedback with our customers in specific types of cataract surgeries, said Ian Ball, CCO of Aequus. Were proud to have the Zepto placed in one of the top clinics in Canada, where over 10,000 cataract surgeries are performed every year. Kensington has consistently been home to some of the top eye surgeons in the country and leads in the introduction and development on new technologies in ophthalmology. This placement, along with the extension of the distribution agreement, provides further validation of Aequus ability to successfully commercialize assets within Canada. I am really pleased to have access to the Zepto system at Kensington, said Dr. Rosa Braga-Mele, Director of Cataract Surgery at Kensington Eye Institute. It has been really useful in my complex cataract surgeries and I'm looking forward to gaining further experience with Zepto. The extension of the Mynosys distribution agreement adds an additional year onto the previously agreed upon initial term of the agreement. Thereafter, the term will automatically renew for consecutive three-year terms given Aequus meets certain requirements set out in the agreement. We are delighted to announce that we have extended the relationship between the two companies, said Pat Lydon, Vice President, Mynosys. We have been tremendously impressed by the professionalism of the company the excellence of the marketing and overall advocacy that Aequus has created for Zepto has gone beyond our expectations in a partner. We look forward to continuing our partnership to bring this much needed device to the market. ABOUT THE ZEPTO PRECISION PULSE CAPSULOTOMY SYSTEM The Zepto capsulotomy system provides consistent, high quality anterior lens capsulotomies during cataract surgery in a convenient, cost-effective, disposable format. Zepto integrates seamlessly into the routine steps of cataract surgery with phacoemulsification. The Zepto System consists of a disposable Zepto capsulotomy handpiece that is attached to a small control console. Zepto uses the precision pulse capsulotomy method, a proprietary combination of calibrated suction and a 4-millisecond multipulse energy algorithm to produce highly accurate capsulotomies. Zepto is ideal for surgery using premium lenses as well as difficult cases and creates a capsulotomy with an edge strength greater than conventional methods or femtosecond lasers. For more information, please visit https://www.zeptocapsulotomy.ca . ABOUT KENSINGTON EYE INSTITUTE The Kensington Eye Institute is a state-of-the-art academic health centre located in Toronto, Ontario that provides ambulatory surgical and medical vision care and supports ophthalmic research and education. The Kensington Eye Institute is licensed under the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care as an Independent Health Facility, and are affiliated with the University of Toronto Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences. ABOUT DR. ROSA BRAGA-MELE Dr. Rosa Braga-Mele is a cataract specialist and educator who speaks frequently at both the national and international level on advanced surgical techniques, innovations in phacoemulsification surgery, complicated cataract cases, and IOL development. She was voted by her peers as one of the top 50 opinion leaders in cataract and refractive surgery and has over 150 published abstracts and papers within the field. She has been involved in clinical trials pertaining to wavefront IOLs, multifocal IOLs, and phacoemulsification surgery. Dr. Braga-Mele has been active within the ophthalmic community throughout her career, currently serving as Chair of the Education Clinical Committee for the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), holding various roles in the past with the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the Canadian Ophthalmology Society, and achieving several awards for her contributions to mentorship and volunteer service within the community. Dr. Braga-Mele is a Professor of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, at the University of Toronto and the Cataract Director at the Kensington Eye Institute. ABOUT AEQUUS PHARMACEUTICALS INC. Aequus Pharmaceuticals Inc. (TSX-V:AQS) (OTCQB:AQSZF) is a growing specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing high quality, differentiated products. Aequus has grown its pipeline to include several commercial products in ophthalmology and transplant, and a development stage pipeline in neurology and psychiatry with a goal of addressing the need for improved medication adherence through enhanced delivery systems. As a complement to its focus in neurology, our most recent addition to the development pipeline was a long-acting form of medical cannabis, where there is a high need for a consistent, predictable and pharmaceutical-grade delivery of products for patients. Aequus intends to commercialize its internal programs in Canada alongside its current portfolio of marketed established medicines and will look to form strategic partnerships that would maximize the reach of its product candidates worldwide. Aequus plans to build on its Canadian commercial platform through the launch of additional products that are either created internally or brought in through an acquisition or license; remaining focused on highly specialized therapeutic areas. For further information, please visit www.aequuspharma.ca Forward-Looking Statements: This release may contain forward-looking statements or forward-looking information under applicable Canadian securities legislation that may not be based on historical fact, including, without limitation, statements containing the words believe, may, plan, will, estimate, continue, anticipate, intend, expect, potential and similar expressions. Forward- looking statements are necessarily based on estimates and assumptions made by us in light of our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as the factors we believe are appropriate. Forward-looking statements include but are not limited to statements relating to: Aequus meeting certain requirements for agreement renewal. Such statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties and are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Aequus, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In making the forward looking statements included in this release, the Company has made various material assumptions, including, but not limited to: obtaining positive results of clinical trials; obtaining regulatory approvals; general business and economic conditions; the Companys ability to successfully outlicense or sell its current products and in-license and develop new products; the assumption that the Companys current good relationships with its manufacturer and other third parties will be maintained; the availability of financing on reasonable terms; the Companys ability to attract and retain skilled staff; market competition; the products and technology offered by the Companys competitors; and the Companys ability to protect patents and proprietary rights. In evaluating forward looking statements, current and prospective shareholders should specifically consider various factors set out herein and under the heading Risk Factors in the Companys Annual Information Form dated April 30, 2018, a copy of which is available on Aequus profile on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com, and as otherwise disclosed from time to time on Aequus SEDAR profile. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties, or a risk that is not currently known to us materialize, or should assumptions underlying those forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release and we do not intend, and do not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are inherently uncertain. Accordingly, investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward looking statements. Aequus Contact Information: Aequus Investor Relations Email: investors@aequuspharma.ca Phone: 604-336-7906 Follow Aequus on LinkedIn and on Twitter for more news about our company, partners and products. Icelandic English Today Fitch ratings has published a new report on Icelands sovereign ratings. Icelands Short-Term (ST) foreign- and local currency ratings are upgraded to F1+ from F1, in line with the agencys publication from 3rd of May. Icelands Long-Term (LT) ratings are affirmed at A with stable outlooks. Icelands country ceiling was also raised from A to A+, due to the almost full lifting of capital controls. As stated in Fitchs press release, the collapse of Wow air as well as the current absence of fishable capelin stock in Icelandic waters, are among the factors that have led to a worsening economic outlook for 2019. However, the agency assumes that economic growth will return in 2020 and be positive by 2.5%. The announcement also points to the recent relative stability of the Icelandic krona despite the lifting of capital controls and Wow airs collapse. The main factors that could lead to a positive rating action are a continued fall in the public debt ratio, supported by prudent fiscal policy, and a sustained improvement in the external balance sheet and increased resilience of the economy to external shocks. The main factors that could lead to a negative rating action are a sustained and sharper than expected economic downturn, impacting on the banking sector and leading to excessive capital outflows, jeopardising financial stability and weakening external buffers. Attachment VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 28, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zanzibar Gold Inc. (ZBR CSE; ZNZBF OTC Pinks) reports that its consultants have initiated their exploration evaluation of the Mkuvia Gold Property in the Nachengwea area of southern Tanzania. The Mkuvia property has had small scale local placer operators mining gold from the property since 2005. In 2009, a 43-101 Compliant Reserve report was calculated on the central portion of the main gold producing area, that outlined an inferred reserve 6 million grams of gold. The initial assessment is to determine that the identified reserve is intact and the purity of the gold being recovered. A field visit to the property and the collection of the alluvial gold for analysis is being completed by the reports original author. This work will determine how much of a gold bullion inventory can be established for the company by a low cost placer operation, Company President S.A. Farrage outlined, As well as enabling the company to evaluate other gold prospects in the region. Tanzania has moved from an insignificant gold producing country in the last century to a 50 tonne per year producer in the early part of the 21st century with Anglo Since Ashantis Geita Gold mine (7 million ounces produced since 2000 with reserves estimated at 7.7 million ounces) and Acacias (Barrick gold) Buylanhulu (initial reserves 17 million ounces) as the forefront operations. G. Macdonald, the QP for the company has reviewed this news release. On behalf of the Board Abby Farrage President 1-778-891-2701 Web site Zanzibar Gold Inc. This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements that are not historical facts, including without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, plans, programs, forecasts, projections, objectives, assumptions, expectations or beliefs of future performance, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, estimates, intends, anticipates or does not anticipate, or believes, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, events or developments to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. THE CSE HAS NEITHER APPROVED NOR DISAPPROVED THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. White Sox employee Mary Ruich and photographer Darren Georgia speak with the media on May 29, 2019, at Guaranteed Rate Field. On May 28, Ruich hit Georgia's camera as she threw out a ceremonial first pitch before the Sox's game against the Royals. Read more here OTTAWA, May 28, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Calian Group Ltd. (TSX: CGY) has again been awarded an eLearning contract with the Department of National Defence (DND) to provide courseware production support services for the Canadian Army. Calian will develop and support courseware projects for the Army Learning Support Centre (ALSC) located in Gagetown, N.B. The contract value is approximately $17 million over a term of approximately three years. Calian and its training partners have been providing eLearning services to ALSC since 2007. This contract enhances ALSC's eLearning production capability with the provision of a full scope of eLearning services including eLearning production, distribution and related support services. Calian has partnered with Bluedrop Performance Learning Inc. and Valcom Consulting Group Inc. to deliver the services. "This contract re-win is a testament to our continued commitment to service delivery excellence and the eLearning projects we build in support of the Canadian Armed Forces advanced training requirements," said Donald Whitty, VP, Calian Training. Through DND training contracts like this one and our work with the Canadian Army Simulation Centre, we continue innovating with our customer with advanced training technologies to help facilitate student learning. "The first pillar of Calian's growth strategy is customer retention. Building on our signature contract re-win last year to deliver training with the Canadian Army Simulation Centre with an estimated value of $170 million over the full nine-year period I am very pleased to see us continue our strong and trusted training relationship with our largest customer, DND, stated Kevin Ford, CEO. Calian is honored to continue to support mission readiness for CAF members. About Calian Training For more than 20 years Calian Training has been providing a full-suite of specialized training services to both public and private sector organizations, including the Canadian Armed Forces and nuclear power operators. We help customers in both the emergency management and military domains validate their plans and team performances. Calians training experts help large and small organizations prepare for events in which the consequences of failure are unacceptable. About Calian Calian employs over 3,200 people with offices and projects that span Canada and global markets. The companys capabilities are diverse with services delivered through two divisions. The Business and Technology Services (BTS) Division is headquartered in Ottawa and includes the provision of business and technology services and solutions to industry, public and government in the health, training, engineering and IT services domains. Calians Systems Engineering Division (SED) located in Saskatoon provides the worlds leading space technology companies with innovative solutions for testing, operating and managing their satellite networks. SED provides leading-edge communications products for terrestrial and satellite networks, as well as providing commercial (including agriculture) and defence customers with superior electronics engineering, manufacturing and test services for both private sector and military customers in North America and Europe. www.calian.com For investor information, please visit our website at www.calian.com or contact us at ir@calian.com Kevin Ford President and Chief Executive Officer 613-599-8600 Patrick Houston Chief Financial Officer 613-599-8600 Media inquiries: Simon Doyle 613-599-8600 x 2205 DISCLAIMER Certain information included in this press release is forward-looking and is subject to important risks and uncertainties. The results or events predicted in these statements may differ materially from actual results or events. Such statements are generally accompanied by words such as intend, anticipate, believe, estimate, expect or similar statements. Factors which could cause results or events to differ from current expectations include, among other things: the impact of price competition; scarce number of qualified professionals; the impact of rapid technological and market change; loss of business or credit risk with major customers; technical risks on fixed price projects; general industry and market conditions and growth rates; international growth and global economic conditions, and including currency exchange rate fluctuations; and the impact of consolidations in the business services industry. For additional information with respect to certain of these and other factors, please see the Companys most recent annual report and other reports filed by Calian with the Ontario Securities Commission. Calian disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. No assurance can be given that actual results, performance or achievement expressed in, or implied by, forward-looking statements within this disclosure will occur, or if they do, that any benefits may be derived from them. Volta Finance Limited (VTA/VTAS) Dividend Declaration NOT FOR RELEASE, DISTRIBUTION OR PUBLICATION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES Guernsey, 29 May 2019 Volta Finance Limited (the Company) announces that it has declared a quarterly interim dividend of 0.15 per share payable in June 2019, amounting to approximately 5.5 million. The ex-dividend date is 6 June 2019 with a record date of 7 June 2019 and a payment date of 27 June 2019. The Company has arranged for its shareholders to be able to elect to receive their dividends in either Euros or Pounds Sterling. Shareholders will, by default, receive their dividends in Euros, unless they have instructed the Companys Registrar, Computershare Investor Services (Guernsey) Limited (Computershare), to pay dividends in Pounds Sterling. Such instructions may be given to Computershare either electronically via CREST or by using the Currency Election Form which will be posted to shareholders and a copy of which is also available on the website www.voltafinance.com within the Investors Other Documents section. The deadline for receipt of currency elections is 12:00 (midday) on 10 June 2019. As previously announced, the Company targets the payment of stable annual dividends payable on a quarterly basis, which it expects to pay towards the end of each March, June, September and December. For further information, please contact: Company Secretary and Administrator BNP Paribas Securities Services S.C.A, Guernsey Branch guernsey.bp2s.volta.cosec@bnpparibas.com +44 (0) 1481 750 853 Corporate Broker Cenkos Securities plc Sapna Shah Andrew Worne +44 (0) 20 7397 8900 For the Investment Manager AXA Investment Managers Paris Serge Demay serge.demay@axa-im.com +33 (0) 1 44 45 84 47 ***** ABOUT VOLTA FINANCE LIMITED Volta Finance Limited is incorporated in Guernsey under The Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008 (as amended) and listed on Euronext Amsterdam and the London Stock Exchange's Main Market for listed securities. Voltas home member state for the purposes of the EU Transparency Directive is the Netherlands. As such, Volta is subject to regulation and supervision by the AFM, being the regulator for financial markets in the Netherlands. Voltas investment objectives are to preserve capital across the credit cycle and to provide a stable stream of income to its shareholders through dividends. Volta seeks to attain its investment objectives predominantly through diversified investments in structured finance assets. The assets that the Company may invest in either directly or indirectly include, but are not limited to: corporate credits; sovereign and quasi-sovereign debt; residential mortgage loans; and, automobile loans. The Companys approach to investment is through vehicles and arrangements that essentially provide leveraged exposure to portfolios of such underlying assets. The Company has appointed AXA Investment Managers Paris an investment management company with a division specialised in structured credit, for the investment management of all its assets. ***** ABOUT AXA INVESTMENT MANAGERS AXA Investment Managers (AXA IM) is a multi-expert asset management company within the AXA Group, a global leader in financial protection and wealth management. AXA IM is one of the largest European-based asset managers with 759 billion in assets under management as of the end of June 2018. AXA IM employs approximately 2,420 people around the world. ***** This press release is for information only and does not constitute an invitation or inducement to acquire shares in Volta Finance. Its circulation may be prohibited in certain jurisdictions and no recipient may circulate copies of this document in breach of such limitations or restrictions. This document is not an offer for sale of the securities referred to herein in the United States or to persons who are "U.S. persons" for purposes of Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or otherwise in circumstances where such offer would be restricted by applicable law. Such securities may not be sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration from the Securities Act. The company does not intend to register any portion of the offer of such securities in the United States or to conduct a public offering of such securities in the United States. ***** This communication is only being distributed to and is only directed at (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom or (ii) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order") or (iii) high net worth companies, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). The securities referred to herein are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents. Past performance cannot be relied on as a guide to future performance. ***** Attachment Colorado Springs, Colorado, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- At Catalyst Space Accelerator, our alumni companies are central to our ever-growing network of outstanding commercial partners, and we are always excited when they build upon the successes achieved during their time at the Space Accelerator. Right now, several alumni companies have some great news to report: Echo Ridge LLC of Sterling, Virginia, which participated in our Positioning, Navigation and Timing Cohort in 2018 (https://www.echoridgenet.com/), focuses on wireless applications such as communications systems, position/navigation/timing, electronic warfare and modeling/simulation/test. President Joe Kennedy is proud to announce that Echo Ridge was selected for not just one, but two different Small Business Innovation Research grants (SBIR): Echo Ridge was selected for a Phase II SBIR (AF182-002 F2-10745) for their work in Innovative Positioning, Navigation & Timing (IPNT). Phase I of this SBIR was the basis for Echo Ridges participation in the PNT Cohort of the Catalyst Space Accelerator and created a detailed plan for a trial implementation of their proposed solution. The Phase II SBIR seeks to expand the addressable (DoD and Commercial) market segments by providing test and demonstration opportunities for prospective customers. Echo Ridge has also been awarded a Phase I SBIR from AFWERX (https://www.afwerx.af.mil/) in association with their IPNT work. They qualified to compete for this SBIR based on their participation in the Catalyst Campus accelerator. With this SBIR, Echo Ridge will conduct a feasibility study towards providing a comprehensive tactical-edge electromagnetic environment (EME) situational awareness (SA) capability that includes PNT and blue comms weather, red/gray activity, blue/red/gray proximity, alt nav, etc., in a military-suitable form factor for size, weight & power (SWaP)-constrained platforms. Gareth Block is CEO of Third Insight of Austin, Texas, which also participated in the PNT Cohort late last year. Third Insight builds software that enables "Thinking Drones. Third Insights HALO platform provides vision-based navigation for UAVs and drones and for its Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance analytics tools, enabling drones to perform a variety of autonomous tasks indoors and outdoors without requiring GPS for positioning. Dr. Block reports that since completing the Catalyst Space Accelerator in December 2018, five short months ago, the company, impressively, has won two SBIRs and a government contract: Third Insight won a US Air Force (USAF) Phase II SBIR focused on building and deploying their autonomous navigation platform for UAVs for the purpose of automated aircraft inspection They won a USAF Phase I SBIR with AFWERX (https://www.afwerx.af.mil/) focused on customer discovery for use cases related to their computer vision analytics and machine learning product line They won their third contract with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to test and expand their core autonomous navigation platform for First Responders SaraniaSat of Los Angeles, California was one of several stand-outs among the Catalyst Space Accelerators inaugural cohort, the Terrestrial Weather Cohort, in early 2018. Their participation in the Space Accelerator was followed shortly with becoming subcontractor to a $5.1 million NASA InVEST contract. SaraniaSat was originally founded by former NASA scientist Dr. Tom George to address a Grand Challenge facing the agricultural industry, to break through the logjam blocking widespread acceptance of satellite remote-sensing data and information products by the industry. Since participating in the Catalyst Space Accelerator, SaraniaSat has greatly expanded interest in their remote-sensing technologies among both government and commercial entities. Since we last heard from him, Dr. George is pleased to announce that SaraniaSat has won another SBIR award in this latest round. It was in response to the Airforce SBIR topic AF191-006 "6U CubeSat EO/IR Solutions for Operational Weather Demo" (https://www.sbir.gov/sbirsearch/detail/1531771). Their proposal was entitled "CLOUD 6" for satellite-based cloud characterization. Guidestar Optical Systems of Longmont, Colorado also joined Catalyst Space Accelerator for the Terrestrial Weather Cohort. Chief Engineer Dr. Aaron Buckner is now happy to report that barely a week ago, Guidestar was selected to participate in the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade Advanced Industries Accelerator Grant Program with an award of $249,961. According to Dr. Buckner, Our participation in the Catalyst Accelerator was a major contributor to Guidestars ability to secure this award. Guidestars adaptive optics technology addresses the ground-to-space optical communications needs of companies, enabling them to transmit large amounts of data more quickly, reducing latency of data availability to ground-based operations, and circumventing challenges in obtaining RF spectrum permits required for data transmission relying on slower radio transmission of data. Guidestars technology also addresses the backhaul network connectivity challenge in terrestrial 5G networks. Catalyst Space Accelerators Program Director KiMar Gartman feels Its immensely satisfying to see the companies grow from where they were in the Accelerator to now as they are scaling their businesses and helping to solve some of our most difficult technical challenges. * About Catalyst Space Accelerator The AFRL Space Vehicles Directorate Catalyst Accelerator is a New Space defense and national security industry accelerator. Headquartered on the Catalyst Campus, a collaborative ecosystem in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Catalyst Space Accelerator is a public-private partnership hosted by the Center for Technology, Research, and Commercialization (C-TRAC), Catalyst Campus for Technology and Innovation (CCTI), the Colorado Small Business Development Center (SBDC) TechSource, Space Capital Colorado, and the Colorado Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), in partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory to provide a robust, mentor-driven curriculum for accelerator teams. https://catalystaccelerator.space Net profit for the quarter totaled NIS 821 million , an increase of 31% compared with corresponding quarter, return on equity of 9.0% - , an increase of 31% compared with corresponding quarter, return on equity of - Income from regular financing activity grew by 7.8% - TEL AVIV, Israel, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bank Hapoalim (TASE: POLI) (ADR: BKHYY), Israel's leading financial group, today announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2019. Key financial highlights: Total net profit - reached NIS 821 million , compared with a net profit of NIS 628 million in the corresponding quarter of 2018, an increase of 31% (excluding provision in connection with the investigations by the US authorities, net profit in the corresponding period totaled NIS 688 million). - reached , compared with a net profit of in the corresponding quarter of 2018, an increase of (excluding provision in connection with the investigations by the US authorities, net profit in the corresponding period totaled NIS 688 million). Return on equity (ROE) - reached 9.0% , compared with 7.2 % in the corresponding quarter of 2018 (excluding provision in connection with the investigations by the US authorities, ROE in the corresponding quarter stood at 7.9%). (ROE) - reached , compared with % in the corresponding quarter of 2018 (excluding provision in connection with the investigations by the US authorities, ROE in the corresponding quarter stood at 7.9%). Income from regular financing activity - totaled NIS 2,396 million compared with NIS 2,222 million in the corresponding quarter of 2018, an increase of 7.8 %. - totaled compared with in the corresponding quarter of 2018, an increase of %. Cost income ratio - totaled 59.2 % for the first quarter of 2019, compared with 62.1 % in the corresponding quarter of 2018 (excluding provision in connection with the investigations by the US authorities, cost income ratio in the corresponding quarter of 2018 totaled 60.3%). - totaled % for the first quarter of 2019, compared with % in the corresponding quarter of 2018 (excluding provision in connection with the investigations by the US authorities, cost income ratio in the corresponding quarter of 2018 totaled 60.3%). Housing loans totaled NIS 83.1 billion compared with NIS 81.5 billion at the end of 2018, an increase of 2.1 %. totaled compared with at the end of 2018, an increase of %. Commercial credit totaled NIS 38.2 billion compared with NIS 37.5 billion at the end of 2018, an increase of 1.9 %. totaled compared with at the end of 2018, an increase of %. Net credit to the public, totaled NIS 283.0 billion , compared with NIS 282.5 billion at the end of 2018, an increase of 0.2%. totaled , compared with at the end of 2018, an increase of 0.2%. Gross provision for credit losses , stood at 0.45% in the first quarter of 2019, compared with 0.69% in the corresponding quarter of 2018. , stood at in the first quarter of 2019, compared with in the corresponding quarter of 2018. Common Equity Tier 1 capital ratio - stood at 11.45% as at March 31, 2019, surpassing both regulatory and Board of Director's capital targets. Latest developments: On April 15, 2019, the CEO of the Bank, Mr. Ari Pinto, advised the Board of Directors of his decision not to renew his employment contract as Chief Executive Officer for another term, and of his intention to retire from this position on December 31, 2019, at the end of his employment contract. On May 5, 2019, the Board of Directors appointed a search committee for his replacement. On April 8, 2019 the Bank completed a public sale offering of 65.2% of Isracard Ltd., for a total (gross) consideration of NIS 1.76 billion, reflecting a value of NIS 2.7 billion for the company. As a result of the transaction, the Bank will record a net profit of NIS 210 million in its financial statements for the second quarter of 2019. The Bank continues to hold 33% of Isracard share capital. As a result of the sale of Isracard the Bank accumulated additional capital surplus in the amount of approximately NIS 1.3 billion. Further to the coordination with the Banking Supervision Department, the Board of Directors of the Bank instructed the Board of Management to formulate a plan for a buyback of shares of the Bank against this capital surplus, to be executed over a period of time, subject to the directives of the law and of the Banking Supervision Department on this matter. The implementation, volume, and terms of the plan are subject to resolution and approval by the Board of Directors of the Bank. Key developments in the financial statements for the first quarter of 2019: Total income from regular financing activity, totaled NIS 2,396 million in the first quarter of 2019, compared with NIS 2,222 million in the same period last year. The increase is attributed to the growth in business activity according of the Bank's strategic directive. totaled NIS 2,396 million in the first quarter of 2019, compared with NIS 2,222 million in the same period last year. The increase is attributed to the growth in business activity according of the Bank's strategic directive. Fees and other income, totaled NIS 787 million in the first quarter of 2019, compared with NIS 817 million in the same period last year, a decline of 3.7%. totaled NIS 787 million in the first quarter of 2019, compared with NIS 817 million in the same period last year, a decline of 3.7%. Net provision for credit losses, totaled NIS 121 million in the first quarter of 2019, 0.17% of the average credit to the public, compared with NIS 216 million, 0.32% of the average credit to the public. totaled NIS 121 million in the first quarter of 2019, 0.17% of the average credit to the public, compared with NIS 216 million, 0.32% of the average credit to the public. Gross provision for credit losses , stood at 0.45% in the first quarter of 2019, compared with 0.69% in the same period last year. , stood at 0.45% in the first quarter of 2019, compared with 0.69% in the same period last year. Operating and other expenses, totaled NIS 1,877 million in the first quarter of 2019, compared with NIS 1,965 million in same period last year, a decline of 4.5%, due in part to the provision made in the first quarter of 2018 in relation to the investigations by the US authorities. Key developments in Balance Sheet items for the first quarter of 2019: Consolidated balance sheet, as at March 31, 2019 totaled NIS 465.8 billion, compared with NIS 460.9 billion at the end of 2018, an increase of 1.1%. as at March 31, 2019 totaled NIS 465.8 billion, compared with NIS 460.9 billion at the end of 2018, an increase of 1.1%. Net credit to the public, totaled NIS 283.0 billion, compared with NIS 282.5 billion at the end of 2018, an increase of 0.2%, led mainly by the increase in commercial credit and housing loans and mainly offset by the decline in consumer and small business credit. totaled NIS 283.0 billion, compared with NIS 282.5 billion at the end of 2018, an increase of 0.2%, led mainly by the increase in commercial credit and housing loans and mainly offset by the decline in consumer and small business credit. Consumer credit in Israel, totaled NIS 43.4 billion compared with NIS 44.1 billion at the end of 2018, a decline of 1.5%. totaled NIS 43.4 billion compared with NIS 44.1 billion at the end of 2018, a decline of 1.5%. Housing loans in Israel, totaled NIS 83.1 billion compared with NIS 81.5 billion at the end of 2018, an increase of 2.1%. totaled NIS 83.1 billion compared with NIS 81.5 billion at the end of 2018, an increase of 2.1%. Credit to small business in Israel, totaled NIS 32.1 billion compared with NIS 32.6 billion at the end of 2018, a decline of 1.4%. totaled NIS 32.1 billion compared with NIS 32.6 billion at the end of 2018, a decline of 1.4%. Credit to the commercial segment in Israel, totaled NIS 38.2 billion compared with NIS 37.5 billion at the end of 2018, an increase of 1.9%. totaled NIS 38.2 billion compared with NIS 37.5 billion at the end of 2018, an increase of 1.9%. Credit to the corporate segment in Israel, totaled NIS 72.0 billion compared with NIS 71.9 billion at the end of 2018, an increase of 0.1%. totaled NIS 72.0 billion compared with NIS 71.9 billion at the end of 2018, an increase of 0.1%. Deposits from the public, totaled NIS 354.2 billion compared with NIS 352.3 billion at the end of 2018, an increase of 0.6%. totaled NIS 354.2 billion compared with NIS 352.3 billion at the end of 2018, an increase of 0.6%. Deposits from consumers in Israel, totaled NIS 187.8 billion compared with NIS 187.1 billion at the end of 2018, an increase of 0.4%. totaled NIS 187.8 billion compared with NIS 187.1 billion at the end of 2018, an increase of 0.4%. Deposits from small businesses in Israel, totaled NIS 42.9 billion compared with NIS 42.4 billion at the end of 2018, an increase of 1.0%. totaled NIS 42.9 billion compared with NIS 42.4 billion at the end of 2018, an increase of 1.0%. Shareholders' equity, totaled NIS 38.5 billion, compared with NIS 37.5 billion at the end of 2018, an increase of 2.5%. totaled NIS 38.5 billion, compared with NIS 37.5 billion at the end of 2018, an increase of 2.5%. Total capital ratio, stood at 14.45% as at March 31, 2019 compared with 14.39% as at December 31, 2018. Conference Call Information Bank Hapoalim will host a conference call today to discuss the results at 5:00 p.m. Israel time/ 3:00 p.m. UK time/ 10:00 a.m. Eastern time. To access the conference call, please dial: 1-888-281-1167 toll free from the United States; 0-800-051-8913 toll free from the United Kingdom; or 972-3-9180685 internationally. No password is required. The call will be accompanied by a slide presentation, which, together with the financial statements, will be available on the Bank's website at www.bankhapoalim.com , under Investor Relations, Financial Information. An archive of the call will be available on the Bank's website at the above address a few hours following the completion of the call. Please note: The conference call does not replace the need to peruse the immediate reports and the Financial Statements of the Bank, including all the forward-looking information included therein in accordance with Section 32A of the Israeli Securities Law, 1968. About Bank Hapoalim: Bank Hapoalim is Israel's leading financial group. In Israel, the Bank Hapoalim operates 225 full-service retail branches, 12 regional business centers and specialized industry relationship managers for major corporate customers. The Bank Hapoalim Group includes holdings in Isracard Ltd, Israel's leading credit card company, as well as financial companies involved in investment banking, trust services and portfolio management. Internationally, commercial banking services are provided in North America by the New York branch. Bank Hapoalim is listed on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE: POLI) and holds a Level-1 ADR program. For more information about Bank Hapoalim, please visit us online at www.bankhapoalim.com Contact: Karen Mazor, SVP Head of Investor Relations Bank Hapoalim T: +972 54 228 8039 E: Karen.mazor@poalim.co.il Table 1-1: Condensed financial information and principal performance indicators over time(1) For the three months ended March 31 For the year ended December 31 2019 2018 2018 Main performance indicators Return of net profit on equity attributed to shareholders of the Bank(2) 8.97% 7.16% 7.06% Return of net profit on equity attributed to shareholders of the Bank excluding extraordinary items(2)(3) 8.97% 7.86% 9.74% Return of net profit from continued operations on equity attributed to shareholders of the Bank(2)(7) 7.94% 6.26% 6.07% Return of net profit from continued operations on equity attributed to shareholders of the Bank excluding extraordinary items(2)(3)(7) 7.94% 6.96% 8.75% Return on average assets(2) 0.71% 0.56% 0.57% Ratio of income to average assets 0.51% 0.51% 2.29% Efficiency ratio cost-income ratio from continued operations 59.23% *62.14% 65.05% Efficiency ratio cost-income ratio excluding extraordinary items from continued operations(3) 59.23% *60.25% 57.70% Financing margin from regular activity(2)(4) 2.24% 2.17% 2.31% Liquidity coverage ratio(5) 125% 120% 120% As at March 31 As at December 31 2019 2018 2018 Ratio of common equity Tier 1 capital to risk components(6) 11.45% 11.05% 11.16% Ratio of total capital to risk components(6) 14.45% 14.06% 14.39% Leverage ratio(6) 7.58% 7.38% 7.51% * Reclassified. Expenses in respect of insurance for Sale Law guarantees are stated as a reduction of income from financing transaction fees, instead of being recorded within the other expenses item. (1) Does not include the data of the Isracard Group, which constitutes a discontinued operation. (2) Calculated on an annualized basis. (3) Does not include expenses in respect of the update of the provision in connection with the investigation of the Bank Groups business with American customers, and costs in respect of the discontinuation of activity in Switzerland. (4) Financing profit from regular activity (see the Report of the Board of Directors and Board of Management, in the section Material developments in income, expenses, and other comprehensive income) divided by total financial assets after allowance for credit losses, net of non-interest bearing balances in respect of credit cards. (5) For additional information, see the section "Liquidity and refinancing risk," in the Condensed Financial Statements. (6) For additional information, see the section "Capital, capital adequacy, and leverage," in the Condensed Financial Statements. (7) The return of net profit from continued operations, after separation from Isracard, may be influenced by processes of adjustment of capital in respect of the subtraction of risk-adjusted assets in the amount of approximately NIS 12.5 billion, as a result of the separation, and additional adjustments. Table 1-1: Condensed financial information and principal performance indicators over time(1) (continued) For the three months ended March 31 For the year ended December 31 2019 2018 2018 Main credit quality indicators Allowance for credit losses as a percentage of credit to the public(1) 1.33% 1.37% 1.31% Impaired debts and debts in arrears of 90 days or more as a percentage of credit to the public(1) 1.35% 1.27% 1.23% Net charge-offs as a percentage of average credit to the public(1)(2) 0.17% 0.11% 0.20% Provision for credit losses as a percentage of average credit to the public(1)(2) 0.17% 0.32% 0.22% Main profit and loss data NIS millions Net profit attributed to shareholders of the Bank 821 628 2,595 Net profit attributed to shareholders of the Bank excluding extraordinary items(3) 821 688 3,579 Net profit from continued operations attributed to shareholders of the Bank 730 551 2,231 Net profit from continued operations attributed to shareholders of the Bank excluding extraordinary items(3) 730 611 3,215 Net interest income 2,277 2,086 8,906 Provision for credit losses 121 216 613 Net financing profit** 2,366 2,314 10,351 Non-interest income 892 *1,076 4,868 Of which: fees 785 *826 3,318 Operating and other expenses 1,877 *1,965 8,960 Of which: salaries and related expenses 1,043 1,044 4,097 Total income 3,169 *3,162 13,774 Net earnings per ordinary share (in NIS) Net profit attributed to shareholders of the Bank 0.62 0.47 1.95 * Reclassified. Expenses in respect of insurance for Sale Law guarantees are stated as a reduction of income from financing transaction fees, instead of being recorded within the other expenses item. ** Net financing profit includes net interest income and non-interest financing income (expenses). (1) Does not include the data of the Isracard Group, which constitutes a discontinued operation. (2) Calculated on an annualized basis. (3) Does not include expenses in respect of the update of the provision in connection with the investigation of the Bank Groups business with American customers, and costs in respect of the discontinuation of activity in Switzerland. Table 1-1: Condensed financial information and principal performance indicators over time(1) (continued) SPARTANBURG, S.C., May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Integrated Biometrics, designer and manufacturer of high performance mobile biometric fingerprint sensors, announced today that its Columbo FBI-certified FAP 30 single-digit fingerprint scanner now plays a key role in securing US cargo facilities. The United States Coast Guard purchased 250 of the Columbo-equipped Mozaic ID handheld devices from Parroco Security Integration Group (P-SIG) and has deployed them at ports to conduct verification of the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) system, which was put in place to prevent terrorist attacks at container cargo facilities by establishing and biometrically verifying the identity of all employees with access to those facilities. After 9/11, Homeland Security put TWIC in place to secure the nations cargo facilities against attack. These are workplaces where ease of use, durability and simplicity are key, and where environmental conditions can be harsh, said David Gerulski, Executive Vice President of Integrated Biometrics. Our products are recognized in the market for their ruggedness and mobility, making them the go-to devices for securing borders and facilities around the world. IB is thrilled that P-SIG chose Columbo as the biometric sensor for Mozaic ID. The Mozaic ID device verifies the security of facilities in several ways, including biometric verification of the identity of the person to whom the TWIC card has been issued and demonstrating that the facilities TWIC card readers are functioning properly. Mozaic ID is compliant with the Coast Guard Reader Rule and compatible with TWIC, CAC, PIV, PIV-I and other issued Smartcards. The Coast Guard requirements were stringent in terms of functionality, reliability, durability and mobility, said Jim Parroco, CEO of P-SIG. Their decision to go with the Mozaic ID device is testament to the hard work and dedication of our development and manufacturing teams, and to the fantastic Columbo fingerprint scanner, which made a vital contribution to the winning of this contract. Instituted in 2002, the TWIC program provides a tamper-resistant biometric credential to maritime workers requiring unescorted access to secure areas of port facilities, outer continental shelf facilities, and vessels regulated under the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 and all merchant mariners with Coast Guard credentials. More than two million TWIC cards have been issued. About Integrated Biometrics Integrated Biometrics fingerprint sensors are mobile, easy to use and affordable. The company designs and manufactures the worlds smallest, lightest and most durable FBI-certified fingerprint sensors for law enforcement, military operations, homeland security, national identity, election validation, social services, and a wide range of commercial applications. The companys patented light emitting sensor (LES) film yields products superior to traditional prism-based devices in size, power consumption, portability, and reliability. For more about Integrated Biometrics, visit www.IntegratedBiometrics.com or call (888) 840-8034. About P-SIG LLC P-SIG designs complete security solutions that enable compliance and accountability tailored to customer requirements. The company is headquartered in Chesapeake, Virginia. P-SIG maintains a development team with more than 30 years of experience designing solutions, introducing new technologies and providing support services. The current MozaicID solution provides high assurance smart card authentication by enforcing card trust and utilizing biometric matching. MozaicID creates an expedient, accountable transaction experience for users within a single compliant stand-alone device. For more information about P-SIG LLC, please visit us at our website at http://www.p-sig.com/biometrics/ or call (757) 560-5287. Contact Information: David Wright Integrated Biometrics e: david.wright@integratedbiometrics.com t: (408) 363-2843 m: (408) 836-6694 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8f20bcc1-6d23-43e3-bf8d-4e1ea064adf7 VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EnWave Corporation (TSX-V:ENW | FSE:E4U) (EnWave, or the "Company") reports today that, following its April 26, 2019 joint news release with Aurora Cannabis Inc. (Aurora) (TSX: ACB) (NYSE: ACB), a global leader in the cannabis industry, that Aurora has exercised its option and that the companies signed an exclusive, royalty-bearing commercial license agreement with sub-licensing rights (the Agreement) for the use by Aurora of EnWaves proprietary Radiant Energy Vacuum (REV) dehydration technology for the drying of cannabis in South America (excluding Peru). Aurora will hold the exclusive master license for the drying of cannabis using REV in the South American license territory and will work with EnWave to pursue additional sub-licensing opportunities. Aurora will receive an undisclosed share of royalties derived from any cannabis product dried with REV technology by sub-licensees in the South American license territory. This is the third such agreement signed by Aurora and EnWave. Equipment Purchase Agreement Signed Aurora has also signed an equipment purchase agreement for a large-scale 60kW commercial REV machine for its operations in South America. The REV dehydration machines purchased will be used to increase throughput of THC and CBD extraction for the manufacture of derivative cannabis products. On April 26, 2019, EnWave and Aurora announced that the companies had entered into a royalty-bearing commercial license agreement with sub-licensing rights, providing Aurora with the exclusive rights to EnWaves patented REV drying technology for the production of cannabis materials in the European Union, excluding Portugal (the European License). Aurora announced its intention to purchase an additional 120kW REV machine for its European operations. Additionally, Aurora secured a non-exclusive sub-license to use REV technology in Canada, signed an intellectual property agreement with the Company and made a $10 million strategic investment into EnWave. Auroras exercise of its South American license option reflects Auroras global footprint and its intention to pursue widespread adoption of the REV technology throughout its global derivative manufacturing operations. Aurora continues to hold an exclusive option to license REV technology for cannabis in Australia. Benefits of REV Technology in the Cannabis Industry EnWaves patented REV technology is a rapid, low temperature, continuous drying method that maintains the optimal terpene profile, flavour, as well as other product attributes during the drying process. The companys vacuum-microwave technology enables uniform drying with flexible moisture content, unattainable with freeze drying or air drying. In the cannabis industry, REV technology provides for capital expenditure savings on drying space (smaller footprint) and related HVAC investments, as well as the ability to free up space, which can be repurposed to increase the economic output of each facility. Furthermore, EnWaves REV technology reduces drying time from 5-7 days to less than two hours, resulting in significant working capital savings and speed to market of product. The technology has certain additional benefits, including the support of industrial scale flow-though, accelerating the ability for large-scale processing of cannabis and CBD-rich biomass into intermediate or finished product. About EnWave EnWave Corporation, a Vancouver-based advanced technology company, has developed Radiant Energy Vacuum (REV) an innovative, proprietary method for the precise dehydration of organic materials. EnWave has further developed patent-pending methods for uniformly drying and decontaminating cannabis through the use of REV technology, shortening the time from harvest to marketable cannabis products. REV technologys commercial viability has been demonstrated and is growing rapidly across several market verticals in the food, and pharmaceutical sectors including legal cannabis. EnWaves strategy is to sign royalty-bearing commercial licenses with industry leaders in multiple verticals for the use of REV technology. The company has signed over twenty royalty-bearing licenses to date, opening up nine distinct market sectors for commercialization of new and innovative products. In addition to these licenses, EnWave has formed a Limited Liability Corporation, NutraDried Food Company, LLC, to develop, manufacture, market and sell all-natural cheese snack products in the United States under the Moon Cheese brand. EnWave has introduced REV as the new dehydration standard in the food and biological material sectors: faster and cheaper than freeze drying, with better end product quality than air drying or spray drying. EnWave currently has three commercial REV platforms: nutraREV which is used in the food industry to dry food products quickly and at low-cost, while maintaining high levels of nutrition, taste, texture and colour; powderREV which is used for the bulk dehydration of food cultures, probiotics and fine biochemicals such as enzymes below the freezing point, and quantaREV which is used for continuous, high-volume low-temperature drying. An additional platform, freezeREV, is being developed as a new method to stabilize and dehydrate biopharmaceuticals such as vaccines and antibodies. More information about EnWave is available at www.enwave.net . EnWave Corporation Mr. Brent Charleton, CFA President and CEO For further information: Brent Charleton, CFA, President and CEO at +1 (778) 378-9616 E-mail: bcharleton@enwave.net Dan Henriques, CPA, CA, Chief Financial Officer at +1 (604) 835-5212 E-mail: dhenriques@enwave.net Deborah Honig, Corporate Development at + 1 (647) 203-8793 E-mail: dhonig@enwave.net Safe Harbour for Forward-Looking Information Statements: This press release may contain forward-looking information based on management's expectations, estimates and projections. All statements that address expectations or projections about the future, including statements about the Company's strategy for growth, product development, market position, expected expenditures, and the expected synergies following the closing are forward-looking statements. All third-party claims referred to in this release are not guaranteed to be accurate. All third-party references to market information in this release are not guaranteed to be accurate as the Company did not conduct the original primary research. These statements are not a guarantee of future performance and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. No statement in this press release should be construed as a waiver of any partys rights, and all such rights are reserved. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cannabix Technologies Inc. (CSE: BLO) (OTC PINK: BLOZF) (the Company or Cannabix) developer of the Cannabix Marijuana Breathalyzer for law enforcement and the workplace, is pleased to report that Company engineers have made a significant breakthrough with the ionization module which is a vital component of the breathalyzer device, where breath samples are ionized prior to entrance into the FAIMS cell. New ion focussing techniques have resulted in a 30% increase in ion current and transmission/signal strength in testing, further increasing instrument sensitivity. The Company also reports that it has been steadily progressing with human breath testing at its Vancouver, BC, based lab with its FAIMS (field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry) 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) detection device and breath collection unit (BCU). Testing and refinement of the BCU over the last 30 days has led to upgrades in flow and CO2 sensor components as well as refinements in breath analysis from various users. Furthermore, engineers are developing an improved detector component for the system and a smaller footprint for the ionization chamber. These upgrades are being made in preparation for a design freeze of the prototype and multi device creation for additional testing. The Company is also preparing new marketing materials of its device for potential pilot users. The Company is also pleased to report that it has renewed its ongoing research engagement with the Dr. Rick Yost group at the University of Florida (UF). Research at UF is done in parallel with Cannabix research team in Canada and Gainesville to advance complex development of breath testing devices using ion mobility. The Yost Research Group is a world leader and pioneer in the development of FAIMS, and Cannabix and the Yost Research Group are working together to identify THC in ultra low ranges using highly sensitive FAIMS and FAIMS-mass spectrometer systems. About Cannabix Technologies Inc. Cannabix Technologies Inc. is a leader in marijuana breathalyzer development for law enforcement and the workplace. Cannabix has established breath testing technologies in the pursuit of bringing durable, portable hand-held tools to market to enhance detection of marijuana impaired driving offences on roads at a time when marijuana is becoming legal in many global jurisdictions. Cannabix is working to develop drug-testing devices that will detect THC- the psychoactive component of marijuana that causes intoxication- using breath samples. In particular, Cannabix is focused on developing breath testing devices for detection of recent use of THC, in contrast to urine testing for THC metabolite that requires an invasive collection and reflects previous usage from days or even weeks earlier. The devices will also be useful for other practical applications such as testing employees in the workplace where impairment by THC can be hazardous. We seek Safe Harbor. On behalf of the Board of Directors Rav Mlait CEO Cannabix Technologies Inc. For further information, contact the Company at info@cannabixtechnologies.com The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking information that involves various risks and uncertainties regarding future events. Such forward-looking information can include without limitation statements based on current expectations involving a number of risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance of the Company, such as final development of a commercial or prototype product(s), successful trial or pilot of company technologies, no assurance that commercial sales of any kind actually materialize; no assurance the Company will have sufficient funds to complete product development. There are numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and the Companys plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information, including: (i) adverse market conditions; (ii) risks regarding protection of proprietary technology; (iii) the ability of the Company to complete financings; (iv) the ability of the Company to develop and market its future product; and (v) risks regarding government regulation, managing and maintaining growth, the effect of adverse publicity, litigation, competition and other factors which may be identified from time to time in the Company's public announcements and filings. There is no assurance that the marijuana breathalyzer business will provide any benefit to the Company, and no assurance that any proposed new products will be built or proceed. There is no assurance that existing patent pending technologies licensed by the Company will receive patent status by regulatory authorities. The Company is not currently selling commercial breathalyzers. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. These and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking information are based on estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. Except as required by law, the Company does not intend to update these forward-looking statements. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CUV Ventures Corp. (TSX-V: CUV) (the Company) is pleased to announce that, further to the news release dated 10th May 2019, the Company has successfully concluded the submission of all requisitioned documentation to the Central Bank. The two final documentation submissions occurred on May 24th and, May 29th 2019, with the Company having received formal date stamped submission approvals accordingly. Further, the Company wishes to provide a comprehensive update of the various proprietary verticals. PSD2 License Final Documental Submission Concluded As per the news release dated 10th May 2019, the Company worked intensively with legal counsel, on both sides of the Atlantic, to complete the task to successfully submit, any and all final documentation requisitioned by the Central Bank. The Company is now in position to confirm to shareholders that every document requested is in the possession of the Central Bank. Timeline for Central Bank PSD2 License Response In a written communication received from lead counsel at the prestigious law firm Hogan Lovells dated 28th May 2019, the lead attorney handling the RevoluPAY PSD2 License petition advised the Company that, the Central Bank would likely provide a final response within 40 calendar days. Therefore, presuming that the whole term given be entirely utilized by the Central Bank, this would result in a final maximum response date of 8th July 2019. However, Hogan Lovells advises in the said communication that, in their experience, the outcome could well be known between 30-40 days from today. The Company remains extremely positive with regard to the ultimate approval of a Central Bank issued PSD2 License. RevoluCHARGE Update While RevoluCHARGE has yet to be marketed in any meaningful manner, the proprietary Worldwide Mobile Phone Top-Up service has begun to gain reasonable traction through word of mouth. On certain peak days, the vertical has generated up to 330 separate mobile phone top-ups of a median average of $10 USD per top-up. In the month of May, the system experienced an increase in user top-ups of 249.35% compared to April 2019. Based upon the fact that the Company has yet to market this vertical, the results have proven very promising thus far. RevoluVIP Technical and Programming Updates As explained to shareholders in the 18th April 2019 news release, RevoluVIP will incorporate a gradual launch. As such, on Friday 31st May the following enhancements will be introduced. Airport Transfers From Airport to Accommodation Airport Transfers From Accommodation to Airport The Company has successfully completed all steps relating to the provision of Cruises on the RevoluVIP platform and, is awaiting final technical XML link-up shortly. The company has further experienced certain delays, attributed to Juniper, concerning rental-car incorporation, however, both in-house CTO and Juniper are working diligently to solve the issue forthwith. The Company will continue to update the RevoluVIP members only travel club and, once a homogenous assortment of worldwide services is available, it will begin extensive marketing of the platform. However, consumer uptake of the system has begun, multitudes of flights and hotel packages have been sold and, successfully utilized. More importantly, consumer feedback concerning the attained discounts achieved through Diamond Membership have been very encouraging. RevolUTILITY Update Advisor Daniel Hernandez and, software contractor Bonsoft, both of whom previously assisted with the prior released RevoluCHARGE vertical, have contractually confirmed that the RevolUTILITY vertical will make its public release debut on the 28th June 2019. RevolUTILITY Presentation RevoluPAY App Usage Data The Company has established an average user usage heavily weighted towards Apple iOS devices at a range of approximately 12 to 1. Initially, the Company had assumed that this disparity be related to inconsistencies with the software and, certain legacy Android devices, however, after an extensive revision of the Android App version and, profound analysis of customer feedback, from both current and legacy Android devices, there seems to be no correlation between the lower Android use and, the App itself. Therefore, the Company has concluded that the cross-section of users is simply weighted towards iOS due to mobile device preference. RevoluFIN Update On May 17th 2019, both Company CEO, Steve Marshall and, Director Alfredo Manresa, concluded a 7 day visit to the RevoluFIN headquarters in Panama City, Panama. Mr. Marshall, Mr. Manresa and, corporate Panamanian attorney, Christian Ortega, met with several financial institutions and, studied numerous loan applications. The Company expects to provide shareholders with a concise update concerning RevoluFIN in June 2019. About CUV Ventures Corp.: CUV Ventures Corp. is a multi-asset, multidivisional publicly traded Canadian company deploying advanced technologies in the; Online Travel, Vacation Resort, Mobile Apps, Money Remittance, Mobile phone top-ups, Invoice factoring, Blockchain Systems, and Fintech app sectors. Our flagship technology is RevoluPAY, the Apple and Android multinational leisure payments and remittance app, powered by blockchain protocols, and aimed at the worldwide + $595 billion family remittance market. Click here to read more. For further information on CUV Ventures Corp. (TSX-V: CUV) visit the Companys website at www.cuvventures.com. The Company has approximately 144,873,000 shares issued and outstanding. CUV VENTURES CORP. Steve Marshall ______________________ STEVE MARSHALL CEO For further information contact: Don Mosher CUV Ventures Corp. Telephone: (604) 685-6465 Toll Free: 800-567-8181 Facsimile: 604-687-3119 Email: info@cuvventures.com NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. Prosafe has signed a contract with Petrobras Netherlands B.V. (Petrobras) for the provision of the Safe Eurus semi-submersible vessel for safety and maintenance support offshore Brazil. The contract commencing Q4 2019 with a firm period commitment of three years will be the first for the Safe Eurus, a vessel designed and built to service the Brazilian market. Safe Eurus will be the third Prosafe vessel under charter in Brazil, with sister vessel Safe Notos also on charter to Petrobras, and Safe Concordia on charter with MODEC. The Safe Eurus, a technologically advanced and efficient Dynamically Positioned (DP3), harsh environment semi-submersible safety and maintenance support vessel, can accommodate up to 500 persons with extensive recreation facilities. In addition with a large capacity open deck area and telescopic gangway, the Safe Eurus will provide Petrobras with 300 tonne lift capability. Total value of the contract is approximately USD 80 million. Jesper Kragh Andresen, CEO of Prosafe says: Prosafe is proud to secure this contract to continue the strong partnership with Petrobras built over 8 years of Brazilian operations. The Safe Eurus joining the Safe Notos provides synergy potential and will reaffirm why Prosafe is the benchmark for safe and efficient UMS operations in Brazil. Prosafe is a leading owner and operator of semi-submersible accommodation vessels. The Company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange with ticker code PRS. For more information, please refer to www.prosafe.com Stavanger, 29 May 2019 Prosafe SE For further information, please contact: Jesper K. Andresen, CEO Phone: +47 907 65 155 Stig H. Christiansen, Deputy CEO and CFO Phone: +47 51 64 25 17 / +47 478 07 813 This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act CALGARY, Alberta, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Board of Directors of Enerflex Ltd. (TSX:EFX) (Enerflex or the Company) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Juan Carlos Villegas as a director of Enerflex. Mr. Villegas has 40 years of executive and operational leadership experience in the industrial services sector across North America and Latin America. After an early career with Cummins and Komatsu in Latin America, Mr. Villegas joined Finning International Inc. and held numerous senior executive roles which provided experience in corporate planning, business development, operations leadership, and risk management. Until his retirement in December 2018, Mr. Villegas was President and Chief Operating Officer of Finning Canada and prior thereto was Chief Operating Officer for Finning International. Mr. Villegass extensive international business expertise will bring additional strength to the Enerflex Board of Directors. Mr. Villegas was educated in Chile and attended the University of California at Irvine. Until his retirement in December 2018, Mr. Villegas sat on the Caterpillar Global Mining Counsel. He recently moved back to Santiago, Chile from Canada. Mr. Villegas has an impressive record of achievement and a wealth of knowledge of the industrial services sector from his long career with Finning, Cummins, and Komatsu. He will bring an enhanced depth to our Board with his international experience, said Stephen J. Savidant, Chair of the Enerflex Board of Directors. We are very pleased to have the benefit of that experience to support the global growth of Enerflex. Mr. Villegas joins the current slate of Enerflex directors comprised of Messrs. Robert S. Boswell, W. Bryon Dunn, Marc E. Rossiter, H. Stanley Marshall, Kevin J. Reinhart, Stephen J. Savidant, and Michael A. Weill and Ms. Maureen Cormier Jackson and Ms. Helen J. Wesley. About Enerflex Enerflex Ltd. is a single source supplier of natural gas compression, oil and gas processing, refrigeration systems, and electric power generation equipment plus related engineering and mechanical service expertise. The Companys broad in-house resources provide the capability to engineer, design, manufacture, construct, commission, and service hydrocarbon handling systems. Enerflexs expertise encompasses field production facilities, compression and natural gas processing plants, gas lift compression, refrigeration systems, and electric power equipment servicing the natural gas production industry. Headquartered in Calgary, Canada, Enerflex has approximately 2,500 employees worldwide. Enerflex, its subsidiaries, interests in associates and joint-ventures operate in Canada, the United States, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Australia, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Enerflexs shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol EFX. For more information about Enerflex, go to www.enerflex.com. For investor and media inquiries, please contact: As another year marked by the global pandemic comes to an end, our photojournalists remain challenged and, frequently, awed - by the constant state of change. We documented our ever-evolving world in ways few photo staffs could as we all worked to regain normalcy amid COVID-19s seemingly unbreakable hold on our communities. We showed the relieved faces of people receiving a coveted vaccine, telling the story of a scientific breakthrough with images of those benefitting from it. We covered new workplace policies, school protocols and policing practices. We traveled half-way across the world to an Olympics where the athletes couldnt hug each other, masked medalists step atop the podium and no one came to watch. The Chicago Tribune faced its own series of changes, too. We have new owners. New bosses. Endured another move. Gained new talented journalists and lost many others from the newsroom ranks. The one constant has been our dedication to providing photography on a daily basis that is relevant to the communities we cover: The joy of picnicking at the lakefront on a summer afternoon, the pain of children, police officers and neighbors all falling victims to violent crime. Documenting whos in and whos out in the political landscape, escaping to your favorite cultural event or sports competition. We hope this installment of the annual Photos of the Year project reminds us of the moments that shaped our lives and the thoughtful way we portray them. Its also a platform for acknowledging the talent and dedication of Tribune photographers, and all photojournalists, who make change a way of life. The Chicago Tribune staff photographers for 2021: Brian Cassella, Erin Hooley, Terrence Antonio James, Vashon Jordan Jr., John J. Kim, Youngrae Kim, Jose M. Osorio, Antonio Perez, Armando L. Sanchez, Chris Sweda, Abel Uribe, E. Jason Wambsgans, Stacey Wescott and Raquel Zaldivar. Tribune visual editors: Mark Hume, Andrew Johnston, Marianne Mather, Steve Rosenberg and Peter Tsai. - Todd Panagopoulos, Director of Content/Visuals BEDFORD Blue Ridge Optics, which manufactures precision laser optics, crystals and thin film coatings, is an unusual business caught in the middle of the trade war with China. The Bedford company uses certain rare earth materials used in manufacturing high-end optics, and China is a dominant global supplier of rare earths. Walter Siehien founded Blue Ridge Optics in 2005, and now his son Justin Siehien is the general manager. The business employs 42 people. Its one of numerous businesses in Virginia concerned about the trade war, which could put serious strain on them unless a deal is negotiated soon. Rep. Denver Riggleman, R-Nelson, visited Blue Ridge Optics on Friday to learn about the business and how it has been affected by the tariffs. The Siehiens both back the tariffs against China. Were all for tariffs against China right now, Justin Siehien said. Its an unfair market right now that they can sell optics at one-tenth of the cost and develop their technology. Its only going to hurt us. Rare earth metals are a group of 17 elements that appear in low concentrations in the ground, and theyre used in products such as iPhones, electric car motors, computers and televisions. Blue Ridge Optics uses one of those metals, cerium. China accounted for 81% of the worlds rare earth production, according to data from the U.S. Geological Survey. They really do control the market, Justin Siehien said. So far, the U.S. government has exempted rare earths from tariffs on Chinese goods. But Riggleman expressed concern that China could use its position as the supplier of rare earths as leverage in the trade war if tensions increase. The worry is if the trade war keeps going, that there might be some arbitrary issues with getting rare earth metals from China, Riggleman said. The private industry has stockpiles of rare earths to plan for an increase in prices. On Friday, a machine at Blue Ridge Optics was running, infusing liquid with cerium. Blue Ridge Optics makes components that go into other products, many of which end up being sold to China, Justin Siehien said. So Riggleman said if China cut off rare earth exports, it would suffer as well. I do believe China is going to come to the table, Riggleman said. I want you guys to succeed, and I know enough about the challenges you face, and you dont need more on your plate. Riggleman said hes hopeful a deal can be negotiated within the next month. President Donald Trump has also expressed hope that China will make a deal, but its unclear how long hes willing to extend the trade war. At a joint press conference Monday in Tokyo alongside Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Trump said the United States was not ready to make a trade deal with China. I think they probably wish they made the deal that they had on the table before they tried to renegotiate it, Trump said. They would like to make a deal. Were not ready to make a deal. Riggleman said many small businesses across the central Virginia congressional district he represents are in support of the United States getting tough on China. But they have expressed trepidation that China may not negotiate, he said, prolonging the trade war and overburdening American businesses. Theres a lot of small businesses that are willing to take the short term pain for long term gain when it comes to free and fair trade practices with China, Riggleman said. People know its been an unfair, unbalanced playing field for decades. Beales Brewery in Bedford purchases metal tanks that are made in China. Its set to open a second Beales Brewery location in the Tidewater. Owner and developer Dave McCormack said the business hasnt felt the effects of the tariffs yet but expressed concern about the trade battle dragging on. Were worried what the tariffs could do, he told Riggleman. SALT LAKE CITY (AP) For millennials looking to buy their first home, the hunt feels like a race against the clock. In the seven years since the housing crash ended, home values in more than three-quarters of U.S. metro areas have climbed faster than incomes, according to an Associated Press analysis of real estate industry data provided by CoreLogic. That gap is driving some first-timers out of the most expensive cities as well as pressuring them to buy something before they are completely priced out of the market. The high cost of home ownership is also putting extreme pressure on 20- and 30-somethings as they try to balance mortgage payments, student loans, child care and their careers. "They do want all the same things that previous generations want," said Daryl Fairweather, chief economist for the brokerage Redfin. "They just have more roadblocks, and they're going to have to come up with more creative solutions to get the homes that they want." A Redfin analysis found these buyers are leaving too-hot-to-touch big-city markets among them, San Francisco and Seattle, where the tech boom has sent housing prices into the stratosphere. The brokerage found that many millennials are instead buying in more reasonably priced neighborhoods around places like Salt Lake City, Oklahoma City and Raleigh, North Carolina. That, in turn, is driving up housing prices in those communities. Jake and Heather Rice, both 35, moved to Utah last year from Mountain View, California, where the biggest employers are tech giants such as Google, Symantec and Intuit and the median home price is a dizzying $1.4 million or so. The couple and their three children settled into a 4,500-square-foot house in fast-growing Farmington, just far enough away from Salt Lake City to feel rural but minutes from a major shopping center and Heather's sister. They did not disclose the purchase price for the sake of privacy, but they said their monthly mortgage payments will be $3,000, roughly the same as the rent for their former two-bedroom, 1,000 square-foot apartment in Mountain View. "We didn't expect to stay in California because of how ludicrous the prices had become," said Jake, a mechanical engineer who works in the medical device sector. Nationally, home prices since 2000 have climbed at an annual average rate of 3.8%, according to the data firm CoreLogic, while average incomes have grown at an annual rate of 2.7%. And in the metro areas with the strongest income growth for example, parts of Silicon Valley home prices have risen even faster. The Salt Lake City area is among the hottest spots for first-time buyers in part because of a staggering burst of home construction and a surge of high-tech jobs. The suburb of Lehi, which served as a film location for the 1984 Kevin Bacon movie "Footloose," about a rural town that banned dancing, is in what is now known as "Silicon Slopes" because Adobe, eBay and Microsoft have opened offices there. Of course, the influx of people from unaffordable cities is contributing to the very problem they were trying to escape: Home prices in the greater Salt Lake City area surged 10.8% in the past year, while average incomes rose only 3.9%, according to figures from CoreLogic and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Scott Robbins, president of the Salt Lake Board of Realtors, sees the price growth as having changed the habits of first-time buyers. They are putting less money down and carrying more debt. And some first-time buyers are looking at condos and duplexes instead of houses. There is also more pressure on families to earn two incomes, rather than letting one choose to be the stay-at-home parent. This could be a particular challenge in the Salt Lake City area, where families are generally larger, mostly because of the influence of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and about 28% of the population is under 18, compared with nearly 24% nationwide. "The one thing that really would make it even more sustainable is if wages would increase," Robbins said. "Whereas before you could have a young couple buy a place and only one of them would work. Now, you need both of them to work." Andy and Stacie Proctor made a bid on a house in the Salt Lake City suburbs, only to rescind it upon learning there were 13 rival offers. At one point, they almost decided not to buy a house just yet, figuring the bubble was going to burst eventually, said Andy, a 35-year-old who hosts the podcast "More Happy Life." But there was also the opposite risk: "There is the question about whether it's going to keep going up," his 31-year-old wife said. The couple ultimately made a successful offer on a three-bedroom house for $438,000 in Vineyard, Utah. It includes an apartment that could be rented out to defray their mortgage payments. That will make it easier for them to afford starting a family. Roughly 1 in 6 homes sold in the Salt Lake Valley since 2004 have been in a 4,100-acre development called Daybreak, being built on land once owned by mining giant Rio Tinto. About 5,500 homes have been constructed, with an additional 14,500 units planned enough in total to house roughly 65,000 people. The homes range from $180,000 to $1 million. One of the guiding principles is that homeowners can upgrade or downsize without having to move out of the neighborhood. But that cycle of upgrading might not continue as it did for past generations. Home values need to rise for people to build equity that they can use to buy a new house. Yet if they rise too fast, it will become too expensive for many people to move up. Parry Harrison, a 26-year-old divorced father of two small children, bought a townhouse in Daybreak for $309,000 in March. His down payment came in large part from selling his previous home, which appreciated a robust 25% in the two years he owned it. He hopes to upgrade again in five years, when his children might need more space. "It's definitely not a forever home," he said. "It's a lot more convenient if I have move-up opportunities that are right next door." ___ Follow Josh Boak on Twitter at https://twitter.com/joshboak First, Judge Joseph W. Milam heard Daviez Daquan Hairstons plea of not guilty. A few hours later, after evidence mounted in Danville Circuit Court, the judge watched as Hairston changed his mind about the plea. Hairston, 19, of Danville, pleaded guilty to unwittingly shooting at an undercover Virginia State Police car, with an officer inside, Dec. 11. Danville Commonwealths Attorney Michael Newman said the plea was not planned, nor was the shooter deliberately targeting that state police special agent. There is no evidence anyone in that car knew it was an officer, Newman said after the hearing. Even so, the charge of attempted malicious wounding and the four firearms-related counts could net Hairston as much as 48 years in prison eight of which are mandatory. The mandatory sentences are for the charges of malicious shooting at a vehicle and possession of a firearm as a violent felon. The state police officer driving the car, E.W. Blackstock, testified that he had been in Danville helping local police with surveillance when he saw a red Dodge Charger wheel across North Main Street. Driving an unmarked Hyundai Santa Fe, he pulled two or so car-lengths behind it and followed. After a time, the two cars pulled up to a stop sign, one behind the other. At that time, shots started to be fired toward my vehicle, Blackstock testified. Initially I ducked at that point, I activated my blue lights. When the Chargers occupants saw the police lights, the driver took off but skidded out on a patch of ice close to nearby Sunnyside Street. Hairston, driver Gregory James Gladden and three other people jumped out of the car and ran, but police tracked them down. A gun was recovered in the snow. Hairston and Gladden were indicted in connection to the shooting, though the others in the car were not. Gladden would go on to testify against Hairston on Wednesday. Gladden, 20, of Danville, was initially charged with felony eluding police and accessory after the fact of a felony, but in exchange for his testimony and guilty plea to the accessory charge, the felony will be dropped. He is expected to plead guilty Thursday. Hairston pursed his lips Wednesday as Gladden took the stand, eyeing him intently. Gladden said he was driving someone home when the Santa Fe started to follow his Charger. One of the passengers noticed they were being followed and directed him to turn off the route several times, which he did. When they saw the car was still in pursuit, the shooter, Gladdin said, fired off several rounds into the car. While testifying, Gladdin repeatedly referred to Hairston as the shooter, but never by name. Why do you keep referring to him as the shooter? Newman asked. Because he was the one who shot, Gladden responded. Gladden said he heard a shot come from the seat directly behind him the one Hairston occupied but never saw the gun being fired. Two long divots also were found along his Chargers side panel consistent with bullets zinging off the car on their way to the intended target. Defense attorney James Martin argued that Gladden had initially told police a different story, which he admitted on the stand. Martin pressed Gladden on how he knew who was shooting and why he decided to testify. What made you decide to tell that you did know who was seated in the back? Martin asked. Its the truth, I guess, Gladden mumbled. State police also found spent shell casings, unfired bullets and dug what they believe to be a bullet fragment out of Blackstocks car. A phone call from the Danville City Jail also weighed against Hairston. In a recording played in court, he could be heard admitting to the shooting, saying once I stopped shooting and looked back, he turned his lights on. Shortly after the recording was presented in court, Hairston changed his plea. He is scheduled to be sentenced June 26. James Whitlow reports for the Danville Register & Bee. Contact him at jwhitlow@registerbee.com or (434) 791-7983. Officers from several police agencies are concentrating their search efforts in southern Virginia for a missing Cumberland County woman who disappeared after a Powhatan County man was found slain in her home Friday. Her ex-boyfriend, who was arrested early Saturday in North Carolina, has been charged in the killing. On Monday, the suspect, George W. Knisley IV, 41, briefly escaped custody from the Wake County Justice Center in Raleigh, N.C., as he was being transferred to another facility to face additional charges. Handcuffed, Knisley pushed down a sheriffs deputy and ran about a block and a half before a good Samaritan grabbed and held him for pursuing deputies, a Wake County sheriffs spokesman said. As he was being led to a patrol car, Knisley admitted he was a murderer and didnt want to live any longer, said the spokesman, Eric Curry. Based on investigative leads developed over the Memorial Day weekend, the Cumberland Sheriffs Office with assistance from the Virginia State Police, South Hill police, the Mecklenburg County Sheriffs Office and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management is actively searching the area of South Hill and Mecklenburg for Amy Renee Fabian, 43. Authorities also are looking for a 2002 white Ford F-350 work truck that police believe Knisley stole Thursday in Maryland. Investigators believe Knisley, who lives in Carroll County, Md., left Fabians home in the 200 block of Mount Airy Lane in Cumberland driving the truck, which has Alleghany Industries displayed on the side. Police captured Knisley early Saturday morning in Wake County, N.C., after he allegedly carjacked a man in Raleigh of his 2009 Toyota Corolla outside a motel and later led Wake County sheriffs deputies in a brief pursuit before crashing the car. Knisley is being held on an assortment of charges, including for murder in the killing of Matthew T. Broyles, 29, of Powhatan, who was found dead Friday in Fabians home. Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller described Broyles and Fabian as friends. Authorities have not said whether they believe Fabian is alive or dead. The investigation began about 3:30 a.m. Friday when Cumberland authorities received a 911 call about a homicide occurring in Fabians home. Upon arrival, deputies found Broyles dead and Fabian missing. Police have not disclosed how they believe Broyles was killed. His body was taken to the state medical examiners office in Richmond for an autopsy and determination of cause of death. Later Friday morning, about 6:30 a.m., a woman walking to her car from a residence in South Hill encountered a man who threatened her at gunpoint and stole her 2013 Honda Civic. The woman was not harmed and the man who fit Knisleys description drove away in her car, police said. The Civic was subsequently recovered in Raleigh, where Knisley is suspected of carjacking the man of his Corolla and driving away. Curry, the spokesman for the Wake County, N.C., Sheriffs Office, said a deputy spotted a man driving the stolen Corolla on Saturday shortly after midnight after receiving a be-on-the-lookout call for the vehicle from Raleigh police. That deputy and another, along with a Raleigh K-9 officer, then pursued Knisley briefly at high speeds before he crashed. He suffered minor injuries, Curry said. Officers found a loaded handgun on the drivers-side floorboard. Knisley had no identification and was very uncooperative, Curry said. However, he was making comments that he was wanted for murder in Virginia, Curry said. A short time later, North Carolina authorities confirmed there was an outstanding murder warrant for his arrest, Curry added. Then on Monday about 1:45 p.m., as a deputy was in the process of transferring Knisley from the Wake County Justice Center to another facility to appear before a magistrate at the Wake County Detention Center on additional charges, Knisley attempted to escape and make a run for it, Curry said. Knisley told the deputy his right handcuff was too tight, and when the deputy tried to loosen it, Knisley pushed him with his shoulder, knocking the deputy down. Knisley, still handcuffed, then ran down the jails sally port ramp and onto a nearby street, Curry said. The deputy then gave chase and the good Samaritan who spotted Knisley fleeing grabbed him by the arm and pulled him down to the ground, holding him until deputies could arrive, Curry said. He made it about a block and a half, Curry said. Pomp and circumstance depends a lot more on circumstance than pomp. The 396 graduates of Morehouse College in Atlanta learned that in an unforgettable way the other day at their commencement ceremony. The graduates whooped it up with their families and friends, with plenty to whoop it up for. The commencement speaker surprised them with the announcement that he was going to pay off all their student loans. Robert F. Smith, a billionaire investor, certainly deserved his honorary degree, and the Class of 19 was suddenly freed from burdensome college debt, relieved of monthly payments on their loans. They could now change their calculations for the future. Were going to put a little fuel in your bus, he told them, and suddenly, the sun was providing not so much heat as light, a source of driving energy. Lets make sure every class has the same opportunity going forward, he said, because we are enough to take care of our own community. It was a moment for taking to heart the exhortation from their benefactor to pursue the American Dream through action, word and deed, for themselves and for those who will follow in their footsteps. The successful investor, who was a large donor to the National Museum of African-American History and Culture on the Mall in Washington, D.C., added to that history with an investment that could bring big returns for black America. Morehouse College was founded as an all-black college two years after the end of the Civil War to educate freed slaves and, in particular, to guide those who wanted to enter the Christian ministry. Its most famous alumnus is Martin Luther King Jr., who showed as a student with mediocre grades that he had a gift for oratory, if not for academics. But he argued in The Maroon Tiger, the college newspaper, that education has both a utilitarian and a moral function, to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Robert Smith was acting on that acquired wisdom. The billionaires gift was both refreshing and bountiful, running against the cliched and hackneyed rhetoric of many contemporary commencement speeches. He refrained from the vogue of calling for reparations, as did many of the Democratic candidates for president. Smiths gift, estimated to be worth $14 million, is about investing in opportunity in the future, not bemoaning the sins of the past. In its beneficence, it outshines the victimization debate in the academy, abetted by The College Board, which administers the SAT exam that largely determines the acceptance rates to elite colleges. The College Board says it will add adversity to the scoring of the exam to make the playing field friendlier for the disadvantaged. Students who suffer socioeconomic deficiencies in three categories, home, neighborhood and school, will be rewarded for the unseen circumstances they might have endured, rather than their actual accomplishments. The worse the adversity, the higher the SAT score. If, for example, an SAT test taker lives in a high-crime neighborhood, was raised by a single impoverished parent or attended a dreadful school in a low-income neighborhood, misfortune becomes good fortune. Such bizarre math may add up on paper, and even draw attention to real problems. But creating a level playing field this way can create an obstacle course harming those who suffer adversity in privileged circumstances that cant be measured on a victim measuring stick. Consider the adversity of having to care for a disabled sibling while attending a good school, or living with high-income parents who are abusive or remote. The adversity index merely reduces the whole person to the sum of negative parts. The SAT initiative poses problems similar to those imposed by affirmative action, discriminating against categories of people not included in the accepted hierarchies of suffering. J.D. Vance, who went to Ohio State University and Yale Law School and wrote the best-selling book Hillbilly Elegy, points out how, on the checklist of affirmative action, he is a big-time loser because he is white, male, straight and Protestant. I have no idea how he scored on his SAT, but the prejudice against him and those like him, despite poverty and hardship, assures his coming up short on sympathy in the measurements of identity politics and the accepted culture of victimhood. Critics of Robert Smiths gift to the Morehouse Class of 19 complain that its a one-shot deal and does nothing to solve the larger problem of the high price of college and stultifying debt students incur. True enough. But as John F. Kennedy reminded us in a previous century, life is unfair, proving again that where you stand is caused by where youre sitting. One graduate, thrilled by the liberation of being debt-free, told The New York Times, The fact that I know somebody who paid off $98,000 of my student loans makes me just want to go out and just give to people even more than I did before. Thats not bad as inspiration, and it beats the bitterness of victimhood. Fields is a columnist for The Washington Times. Email her at suzannefields2000@gmail.com. Vancouver, May 29, 2019 - Medgold Resources Corp. (TSX-V: MED) is pleased to announce that further to its news release of March 21, 2019, drilling at its Tlamino Project (the "Project" or "Tlamino") in southern Serbia, consisting of up to 5,000m of diamond drilling, will commence during the week of June 3. The initial focus of the 2019 program will be to seek southward extensions to the gold and base metal mineralization defined at the Barje Prospect in 2018 - at which a shallow-dipping, structurally-controlled tabular hydrothermal breccia measuring 700m east-west by 250m north-south was seen to give host to continuous gold mineralization. Of significance in this program is that historic drilling 1.5km to the south of Barje by Yugoslav State Agencies, at the so-called Liska Prospect, reported a shallow-dipping tabular zone of breccia hosted lead-zinc mineralization. Historic records indicate that such mineralization ranges in thickness from 15m to 40m over an area of approximately 300m by 450m, and that no systematic gold analysis appears to have been undertaken by the Yugoslav State. The reported mineralization potentially represents a similar mineralizing structure and hydrothermal system to that discovered by Medgold's 2018 drilling program at Barje. Medgold's 2019 drilling program will commence in the area of historic Yugoslav drilling at Liska, and will test for additional mineralization between Liska and Barje. Subsequent drilling by Medgold will focus on well-defined exploration targets at Karamanica including a 2km long Induced Polarization ("IP") chargeability anomaly within a 2km by 1.5km gold-in-soil anomaly, which management believes to represent the continuation of a mineralized structure into Medgold's tenement along strike from underground mine workings at Podvirovi currently being put into production by Mineco Limited. The 2019 exploration program remains fully funded by Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. (NYSE: FSM) (TSX: FVI) ("Fortuna") and directed by a joint Fortuna-Medgold technical committee pursuant to the terms of the Tlamino Option Agreement announced on March 7, 2017. The Tlamino Gold Project The Project is located in Southern Serbia, close to the borders of both Bulgaria and Macedonia, five hours south of Belgrade. Tlamino is comprised of two exploration licenses, Donje Tlamino and Surlica-Dukat, each approximately 100 sq.km. All exploration work at the Project is fully-funded by Fortuna, which has an option to earn up to 70% of the Project by spending US $8 million on exploration over five years and completing a Preliminary Economic Assessment (see Medgold news release of March 7, 2017). About Medgold Resources Corp. Medgold is a Serbia-focused, TSX-V listed, project generator company targeting early-stage gold properties in the Oligo-Miocene Belt of Serbia. Run by an experienced management team with a successful track-record of building value in resource companies, Medgold is aiming to become a leading European gold exploration company. Qualified Person The scientific and technical information in this new release has been prepared and approved by Mr. Thomas Sant, FGS, CGeol, EurGeol, who is the Company's Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Sant has provided consulting services to Medgold since 2017. Additional information on Medgold can be found on the Company's website at www.medgoldresources.com and by reviewing the Company's page on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Jeremy Crozier, President and CEO For Further Information, Contact: President and CEO Jeremy Crozier (Vancouver), +1 604 801 5432, info@medgoldresources.com Investor Relations Elina Chow (Toronto), ec@catchadvisorygroup.com, +1 416.845.8495 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-looking statements Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and include, without limitation, statements about the exploration plans for the Tlamino Project. Often, but not always, these forward looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "estimate", "estimates", "estimated", "potential", "open", "future", "assumed", "projected", "used", "detailed", "has been", "gain", "upgraded", "offset", "limited", "contained", "reflecting", "containing", "remaining", "to be", "periodically", or statements that events, "could" or "should" occur or be achieved and similar expressions, including negative variations. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Such uncertainties and factors include, among others, the exploration plans for the Tlamino Project; changes in general economic conditions and financial markets; the Company or any joint venture partner not having the financial ability to meet its exploration and development goals; risks associated with the results of exploration and development activities, estimation of mineral resources and the geology, grade and continuity of Mineral Deposits Ltd.; unanticipated costs and expenses; and such other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's quarterly and annual filings with securities regulators and available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking statements contained herein are based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations and opinions of management, including but not limited to: that the proposed exploration of the Tlamino Project will proceed as intended; that the Company's stated goals and planned exploration and development activities will be achieved; that there will be no material adverse change affecting the Company or its properties; and such other assumptions as set out herein. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by law. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Copyright (c) 2019 TheNewswire - All rights reserved. Toronto, May 29, 2019 - BacTech Environmental Corp. ("BacTech" or the "Company") (CSE:BAC, US-OTC:BCCEF) today announced that it has taken initial steps to establish a bioleach project in Ecuador that will treat high arsenic concentrates produced in the country. A visit that coincided with the annual Expominas Convention in Quito in late April provided an opportunity for management of BacTech to identify and secure arsenopyrite concentrate samples for bioleach work to be conducted at Laurentian University under the direction of the Company's Dr. Paul Miller. It is anticipated that samples totalling approximately 35 kg of arsenopyrite concentrate will be secured from 2 mines in an area that historically has produced very high levels of arsenic associated with gold. The sample collection should take place in early June and will be carried out by MSA Labs of Vancouver, Canada. MSA will also be tasked with providing assays for the samples as well as a 35 element ICP scan for metallurgical data. A standard bioleach test program will take 6 months to complete. In Ecuador, high arsenic concentrates are sold mostly to buyers in Asia with severe penalties applied to the sales price. It is not uncommon for concentrates with up to 15% arsenic to be sold for as little as 50% of the gold content with no compensation for any related silver or copper. Bioleaching provides a hydrometallurgical solution to processing these "dirty" concentrates, as any associated arsenic is produced as a ferric arsenate, meeting United States Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") or local equivalent environmental regulations for management. Producers of high arsenic concentrates are constantly searching for an inexpensive means of processing their material, but this has proven to be very difficult given the global restrictions on treating concentrates high in arsenic. Smelter and/or roasters have severe limitations on the amount of arsenic that can be burned as the off-gas is a very toxic arsenic trioxide which is collected and stored. The Giant Mine in Yellowknife, Canada is a good example of the long-term effects of burning arsenopyrite as there remains some 250,000 tonnes of this material stored underground waiting for a disposal solution. In this instance the estimated cost to rectify the mine site and the associated arsenic is estimated to cost the taxpayers of Canada $1 billion. Over the past year, BacTech and Laurentian University have run 2, separate bioleach test programs on 3 different types of material from Ecuador, namely ore, concentrate and tailings. Results of the first program confirmed the ability of bioleaching to produce and stabilize over 99% of the contained arsenic in the material. Arsenic values in several of the samples reached as high as 17%. The second test program was designed to focus on different pulp densities which in turn will provide expected gold percentage recovery. These final results will be released shortly pending assay by an independent laboratory. The upcoming bioleach work will focus on concentrate from 2 separate mines from the same area. Should the test work results conform to historic results on similar materials treated by BacTech, the Company will move to negotiate a secure feed by paying a higher price per tonne of concentrate than what is received today. The material will be the base feed for what is initially expected to be a 40 tonne per day bioleach plant in the area. A local bioleach circuit would provide many benefits to Ecuador and the affected area of the plant. Instead of exporting raw material for processing, the plant will allow for local job creation, increased taxes generated locally and federally and of course, the knowledge that arsenic associated with gold production in the area is being dealt with in a sustainable manner. There are many arsenic gold mines in the area, and it is expected that over time the amount of arsenopyrite concentrate that is produced locally will continue to grow allowing for modular expansion of the original bioleach plant to handle the increase in feeds. "We are very excited about starting this new venture. The support we have received from the Ministry of the Environment has been great as it helps to open doors for us in the country. These two particular mines are part of a much larger community of mines in the area. It is not unreasonable to expect that if we build the plant, that others will come forward to supply concentrates for local processing. The key is getting the commitment to a secure feed so we can finance the project," commented Ross Orr, President and CEO of BacTech. Company Overview The Telamayu project involves the environmental remediation of the "Antiguo" tailings with an option on the larger "Nuevo" tailings, both situated at the Telamayu Mill site near the town of Atocha in the Department of Potosi, Bolivia. A second project entails BacTech investigating the use of bioleach processing to treat historic arsenic tailings and arsenopyrite concentrates produced in the Ponce Enriquez area of Southern Ecuador. Finally, BacTech has recently agreed to participate with a group looking to reprocess the Arsenic Stockpile in Snow Lake, Manitoba. For further information contact: Ross Orr, President & CEO, BacTech Environmental Corporation/ 416-813-0303 ext. 222, Cell 416-346-5529 and Email: borr@bactechgreen.com Robin Cook, Investor Relations: 416-809-1738, Email: robin@frontiermcg.com Follow us on: Facebook http://www.facebook.com/BacTechGreen Twitter:http://twitter.com/BacTechGreen LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/company/1613873 Vimeo http://vimeo.com/bactechgreen YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/bactechgreen Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking information", which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to future tailings sites, sampling or other investigations of tailing sites, the Company's ability to make use of infrastructure around tailings sites or operating performance of the Company and its projects. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified using words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and the Company disclaims, other than as required by law, any obligation to update any forward-looking statements whether because of new information, results, future events, circumstances, or if management's estimates or opinions should change, or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Shares outstanding: 96,903,756 The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or the accuracy of the contents of this release. Copyright (c) 2019 TheNewswire - All rights reserved. On the eve of todays opioid trial in Oklahoma, a second drugmaker has settled with the state. On Sunday morning, Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter, a Republican, announced an $85 million settlement agreement with Israeli-based Teva Pharmaceuticals for its alleged part in the states opioid crisis.In March, OxyContin maker Perdue Pharma, the lead defendant in the Oklahoma case, settled with the state for $270 million. The states case, in which opening arguments are being heard today in the Cleveland County District Court, now focuses on the role Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals played in the epidemic.In a statement, Teva said the settlement does not establish any wrongdoing on its part. Teva has not contributed to the abuse of opioids in Oklahoma in any way.Teva said it had resolved the case in a way that benefits the people who have suffered from abuse of opioids and to help stop the effects of the opioid crisis.The Oklahoma trial which will be live-streamed and open to the public precedes a consolidated, multi-state federal opioid lawsuit slated for trial in Ohio this fall. In that case, Purdue and other drugmakers face claims from more than 1,600 cities, counties, states and Native American tribes, and the U.S. Justice Department has filed a brief.The lawsuits seek to hold drug companies responsible for the worst drug overdose epidemic in the nations history.From 1999 to 2017, nearly 400,000 people died from overdoses involving a prescription opioid or heroin and other illicit opioids, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Almost 218,000 of those deaths were directly related to prescription opioids. And the opioid addiction and overdose epidemic of the last decade has cost the nation an estimated $79 billion a year.According to Hunter, the proceeds of the settlement will go directly to state coffers to abate the opioid crisis. He said the terms of the agreement will be announced in about two weeks.Nearly all Oklahomans have been negatively impacted by this deadly crisis and we look forward to Tuesday (May 28), where we will prove our case against Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiaries, Hunter said in a statement. Beyond Hospice Shortage of Providers The doctor never asked Berman, a registered nurse who works at a New York health care foundation, what she wanted out of whatever time she had left. If he had, she would have told him she wanted to enjoy life: continue working, relish time with friends and family, walk her dog Lola.His recommended treatment plan chemotherapy, radiation, a mastectomy, more chemo and likely hospitalizations would have jeopardized all those wishes. I would have been living a medicalized existence, Berman said, and a debilitating one at that.Instead, she chose palliative care no surgeries or chemo, just medicines to manage her pain and slow the spread of the disease, while allowing her to pursue a fulfilling career and active personal life.Nearly a decade later, to her surprise and everybody elses, Berman is still alive 59 years old and still living a really great life. Shes working, savoring time with family and friends, and walking Lola. She estimates shes saved more than a million dollars in medical expenses and has never been hospitalized.Berman, whose diagnosis is unchanged, still receives palliative care. Fortunately, unlike many Americans, her insurance covers it outside of hospice. According to a recent Commonwealth Fund report, an estimated 40 million adults in the United States are living with or have had a serious illness in the last three years.Many of them, health policy experts say, would benefit from palliative care to help them cope with their conditions.Now more states are taking steps to extend such coverage to millions more people. They are extending palliative care benefits to adult Medicaid beneficiaries who are not necessarily close to death, mandating that providers tell patients that palliative care is available when it might be of some benefit, and requiring palliative care training for doctors.Maryland in 2017 became the first state to require all hospitals with more than 50 beds to provide palliative care services.Where we are in palliative care is that it is an emerging hot topic, said Stacie Sinclair, senior policy manager at the Center to Advance Palliative Care at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, in New York City. She is also a member of the Nebraska Palliative Care and Quality of Life Advisory Council.Confusion is still alive, Sinclair continued. Policymakers are getting more sophisticated, but public awareness is one of the first issues states will have to tackle.Much of the confusion Sinclair referred to is that many people dont understand the difference between palliative care and hospice.Palliative care is given to patients with serious illnesses or injuries to relieve their symptoms and stress. Its goal is to improve the quality of life for patients and their families. It can be provided from the onset of an illness, and is often delivered by a team of doctors, nurses, social workers and sometimes chaplains.Patients in hospice are not expected to live long, usually six months or less. Hospice patients do receive palliative care, but you dont have to be in hospice to be a palliative care patient.Even if death is not imminent, palliative care may be the best strategy for patients whose top priority is maximizing quality of life, not extending it by any means necessary.Patients with diseases such as cancer, heart disease, arthritis and diabetes may benefit from palliative care, for a short period or for years. But those who arent terminally ill may find it hard to find such services, according to a recent report on state palliative care policies and programs by the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP).The report notes that most states define palliative care within their hospice regulations, thereby limiting them to patients with terminal illnesses.But some states take a more expansive view: Colorado, Maryland and New York recognize that palliative care can take place outside of hospice by including it in the licensing of other health care facilities, while Texas regulates palliative care provided in homes and in the community.These states dont require that all medical facilities offer palliative care. But facilities that do offer it have to follow certain standards on procedures, treatment, staffing or training.The NASHP report also praises California, Connecticut, Oklahoma, Rhode Island and Texas for defining palliative care as treatment that addresses a patients physical, intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual needs throughout the course of the illness, not simply when death is imminent.That is notable language, said Kitty Purington, one of the authors of the report, because it hones in on that ability to provide palliative care at any point in the continuum of an illness. Bermans employer, the John A. Hartford Foundation, funded the report.Colorados definition is even more expansive, proclaiming that palliative care is appropriate at any age and at any stage in a serious illness and can be provided together with curative treatment. That is significant because under Medicare, patients who receive hospice benefits must forgo any treatment intended to cure them of their disease.The Colorado language makes it clear that patients should be able to receive palliative care even while their doctors continue to try to save their lives.The availability of palliative care in hospitals has increased dramatically. According to Mount Sinais Center to Advance Palliative Care, less than a quarter of U.S. hospitals had a palliative care program in 2000. By 2016, three-quarters of hospitals did.Still, access to palliative care varies according to geography, hospital size and income. The center says that many programs remain too understaffed or underfinanced to reach all patients who would benefit from treatment.Maryland is the only state that requires all hospitals of a certain size to provide palliative care and lays out staffing and training requirements. But Massachusetts, New York, Oregon and Rhode Island all require hospitals, nursing homes and long-term care facilities to inform patients about palliative care.Among other states, Oregon has a process for identifying potential palliative care patients; Florida requires facilities to honor physician orders on palliative care; and Massachusetts, Michigan and New York require primary care providers to inform terminally ill patients about pain management and palliative care.Many areas have a shortage of medical professionals trained in palliative treatments, which has prompted at least six states California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont to require continuing medical education in end-of-life care, palliative care or pain management.California and Arizona also have made palliative care broadly available to Medicaid beneficiaries. Other states, including Florida, Iowa, Michigan, New York, South Carolina and Washington, are testing or implementing programs that make palliative care available to at least some Medicaid patients who arent in hospice.For example, South Carolina is experimenting with providing palliative care services to Medicaid patients with serious, chronic or life-limiting illnesses who have a history of hospitalizations requiring intense treatment for pain and symptom management.Beyond Medicaid, at least seven states Illinois, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia offer palliative care services in their state employee health plans.Theres a growing understanding that were not dying the way we used to, said Jennifer Moore Ballentine, executive director of the California State University Institute for Palliative Care, which was founded in 2012 and has created a palliative care curriculum for doctors, nurses, social workers and chaplains. The end of life isnt weeks or months but years, and we need to put systems in place to maintain quality of life as long as possible. A family of fast food workers 'The workers ... make the workplace' 'I won't have to struggle as much' 'I want to be a Navy SEAL' With the stroke of a pen, Gov. Ned Lamont signed a bill Tuesday to raise Connecticut's minimum wage to $15 an hour, directly impacting the lives of more than 300,000 workers across the state.Some of those workers gathered in Hartford and cheered as they watched Lamont sign the bill -- at times chanting with other advocates and elected leaders who had pushed for the measure for the past six years. The first increase will be to $11 in October, up from the current minimum of $10.10 an hour, and the minimum wage will eventually reach $15 an hour in 2023."We tried and failed a couple of times, and this year we got it done," Lamont told the enthusiastic crowd gathered in a function room at a nursing home. "As Joe Biden might have said, this is a big deal."Business groups said the higher minimum wage will force employers to cut jobs, reduce employees' hours and speed up automation."Businesses will be having fewer hours for the workers," said Eric Gjede, the chief lobbyist for the Connecticut Business and Industry Association. "It's processes being automated. It's happening slowly, but it's happening before our eyes."But the focus Tuesday was on the workers who will be affected.Kyra Franklin, 20, has been working at Wendy's in East Hartford for the past two years, and the path toward $15 an hour gives her hope as she tries to get a better job and more economic security. Her two brothers also have fast food jobs."Ten-ten wasn't a lot," Franklin said of her starting wage that has since been boosted to $11 per hour. "I was still struggling to pay bills. Fifteen isn't a lot, but it helps families -- not just my family, but other families around the country. You can finally provide for your children and grandchildren. We made it this far, and we're not going to stop."Franklin, who works 20 hours a week and also attends Manchester Community College, dreams of one day becoming a pre-kindergarten teacher. She says the impact of a $15 an hour minimum wage will be felt across the state."Poverty is going to be reduced," she said. "I'm grateful to be here. I'm speechless. Being here right now is a dream come true."Joseph and Daurian Franklin have worked at the McDonald's restaurant on Tolland Turnpike in Manchester for the past one and a half years.Their father, who lives in East Hartford, has two jobs and is in the process of getting a third one. Their mother wants to go back to college.Daurian Franklin, 21, said the increase is "a big change" as the family is looking to better days ahead."Today is a big day for me," said Joseph Franklin, 22. "I get goose bumps that we really got $15. We do so much for so little pay. It's a nonstop grind. That's why I'm glad we passed this bill."Richard Grimes, 23, of Hartford has worked at Burger King for the past two years after previously working at Dunkin' Donuts for $10.10 an hour.Despite trends in the fast food industry and at supermarkets that have far more self-checkouts than in the past, Grimes said he was not concerned about automation."Not really," Grimes said. "It's really the workers that really make the workplace. Without us, there really is nothing -- even if you put computers, automated systems, it doesn't really matter."But he added, "McDonald's has a little kiosk where you actually place your order now, you grab a ticket, they call your name out, and that's it. You do all that without the hassle of talking to any workers or anybody."Like others, 20-year-old Takara Gilbert cited her family situation to say that increasing the minimum wage will help her. She currently earns $10.10 an hour while working 30 hours a week at the McDonald's on Albany Avenue in Hartford and is trying to help her father, who had a stroke and is on disability."I won't have to struggle as much, and I can pay my bills on time and help my dad out," Gilbert said. "I will be able to provide for my family without struggling. We'll be able to get more of the essentials."Angel Candelario is currently unemployed at age 38 after working at Burger King, Subway and Dunkin' Donuts in the past. He attended the bill signing ceremony because of his family history of struggles."On a personal level, it's a big impact," Candelario said. "My mom raised four children, struggling day to day. A mother would not buy clothes for herself until her kids are fed. She is my example. I thank her."Candelario is currently preparing to take the written test for his driver's license so that he will be able to increase his mobility and job chances. Right now, he relies on his family and friends, along with the bus, for transportation.Another worker, 22-year-old Chase Williams of Hartford, also talked about his family's struggles after watching the bill signing."It means a lot to me -- my mom working two, three, four jobs," Williams said. "My dad working two jobs. In the future, if I have kids, I'll be able to provide."Williams currently works 25 hours a week at McDonald's, along with studying part time at Manchester Community College. He has been earning $10.10 an hour for the past two years, but he has much bigger aspirations."I want to be a Navy SEAL," Williams said. In 2017, the Nebraska Public Service Commission embarked on a quest to convince lawmakers to update the states 911 system from one reliant on phone calls to an adaptable, modern service that could respond to, for example, a text message in emergencies.The commission, with the help of consultants from Mission Critical Partners [MCP], presented a 911 Service System, Next Generation 911 Master Plan to the Nebraska Legislature, which passed a bill approving the outline in 2018.Thats when the real work began, said Dave Sankey, director of the State 911 Department. Sankey said that with the aid of MCP, which also won the contract to consult on next-generation 911 implementation, a five-prong approach is being used to overcome current obstacles to a new system.These five working groups have each been tasked with tackling an issue related to the members area of expertise. Problems in need of solutions include: an RFP for contractual services, which will be used to select a contractor to install the next-generation 911 hardware and software; how to pay for a statewide system and reconfigure an outdated wireless 911 funding model; the establishment of baseline policies and guidelines for public-safety answering points [ PSAPs ]; an outline for minimum training standards and a statewide certification program; and aligning the geographic information systems [GIS] within the state.Eric Caddy, an MCP spokesman, said the working groups will be led by members of the 911 Service System Advisory Committee and include Nebraskan stakeholders who will give local, logistical input and MCP-provided subject-matter experts who will relay nationwide trends.The working groups are really designed to work through the minutiae, if you will, of some of these topics and then bring their recommendations back to the committee, Caddy said. The committee is then responsible to make those recommendations to the Public Service Commission.The highest hurdles to next-generation 911 implementation are GIS and a better funding model, Sankey said. GIS relies on GPS coordinates delivered to dispatchers when a 911 phone call is dialed. Some PSAPs in the state use outside vendors to provide this information and others use in-house systems. The work groups task is to consolidate these varying methods and create a statewide tool to locate those in need of help during emergencies.One of our challenges that were trying to get on top of right away is getting our GIS data in a position where we can geospatially locate and route callers. We have a lot of work to do in that area, Sankey said. Once those [calls] are received, youll be able to locate the caller and route the caller to the appropriate PSAP based on the GIS data that youve developed in your state.He said that optimistically, next-generation 911 could be fully implemented in Nebraska as early as 2022. The goal of the commission is to have the system online within three to five years, he said.The commission oversees a 911 revenue stream, with money coming in from cellphone users and the upfront cost of a prepaid cellphone and minutes cards. But the formula hasnt been modernized to reflect the present-day volume of cellphone users. Both Sankey and Caddy agree that next-generation 911 in Nebraska needs a new funding model to support it long term.How do we transition that to a new funding mechanism where we fund a statewide system using, at least right now, only the wireless 911 dollars? Sankey said. Thats the direction that weve been tasked with moving forward on, and one of the things that were going to work with our committee is trying to develop a new 911 funding mechanism for the statewide system.The implementation process will see 69 locally controlled and operated PSAPs coming together to form eight to 10 regions; so far there are six regions. Each region will have two hosts, where the hardware is located, and other PSAPs will connect remotely via a statewide ESInet, which is a broadband-enabled network capable of transmitting video, images and other bandwidth-intensive data.Our idea is once we have our statewide ESInet that we would then connect the host PSAPs to that ESInet, Sankey said. We see that as a real cost-saving measure because then were not connecting all 69 PSAPs to our ESInet and paying for the connection costs for all those PSAPs to join. Were just paying the connection costs for the hosts to connect to the statewide ESInet. We believe its a good way to both save money for the PSAPs and for the state and to provide that redundancy that our PSAPs need. (TNS) A tornado ripped through northeast Kansas Tuesday evening, leveling homes and other structures in one small community, as residents across the Kansas City area weathered the latest round of severe storms.Meteorologists tracked the devastating storms starting after 4:30 p.m. and the warnings and funnel cloud sightings continued through the night in both Kansas and Missouri.Before 8 p.m., emergency crews headed to Linwood, Kansas, in Leavenworth County, after reports of damaged structures. As darkness fell, and an eerie quiet set in, the destruction was clear: At least a dozen houses were damaged or destroyed, some wiped from their foundations and others ripped apart by violent winds.About a dozen people had been reported injured in Douglas County, but the extent of those injuries was unknown late Tuesday.Kansas City International Airport temporarily halted flights and evacuated people to tunnels for shelter. They remained there for about an hour.Almost no home went untouched in a neighborhood just south of Lawrence near U.S. 56 and 1000 Road, where the tornado struck before moving on to Linwood. Police reported debris along roads and large trees and power lines down.Billy Brumley, who lost his entire roof as well as a work shed to the storm, yelled up the street to a family with young children and an elderly couple the minute he felt safe enough to leave his house.Just minutes before, he was lying under the support beams in his basement, praying for his life.Im fortunate to be alive, weve lost a lot here today, but got our life, Brumley said.The family up the road lost their entire house. Cara Muths, another neighbor, said they needed to be cut out of the wreckage with chainsaws so they could get to shelter for the evening.Her home, which she grew up in, had managed to escape with minimal damage. She said it had been standing since 1876.Every home on the street could be seen with trees toppled in front, none had power, many had seen damage to barns and others felt damage directly to their home.You never think its gonna happen to you, said Mike Hart, who lost the roof and large chunks of a house he had lived in for more than 30 years. He described the storm running through quickly what felt like 15 seconds.Its almost a lack of feeling, said Carole Laroue, who lives a couple doors down.East of Lawrence, on the approach to Linwood, the smell of gasoline and the buzz of chainsaws filled the air up and down the roads. Felled trees littered the way in.Mark Duffin, 48, who stood outside his smashed house west of Linwood Tuesday night, said his wife had called him and told him the weather was getting seriously bad.Then it was deathly calm at their home on Golden Road. Duffin checked the TV. The reception was bad, but the message was clear: the tornado was headed right for them.The next thing he knew, the walls of his house were coming down.He grabbed a mattress and followed his 13-year-old son down to the basement, and used the mattress to protect him.The house came crashing down around them.Duffin said he had owned the house for about 14 years. He and his family had been thinking of moving.Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Markell Williams said authorities were making sure everyone was accounted for and would be going house-to-house in the affected areas in Linwood.Some homes were totally destroyed, Williams said, with other damage to power lines and vehicles being reported. Cattle were also on the loose.A greenhouse appeared to be completely flattened. Numerous emergency vehicles lined the street leading up to the business for a short time. Its unclear if anyone was injured, but one person said employees were working on the second shift when the tornado came through.Several roads into Linwood and along Kansas 32 were blocked because of debris and downed power lines.One couple said they were in the basement when the storm hit.David Denham said he felt the air pressure change and heard the storm pass over him.His wife Lisa Denham said, I felt something different, just started praying.With only minor damage, the couple said they considered themselves fortunate.No significant injuries or deaths were reported in Linwood or along the Kansas 32 corridor, which was heavily damaged, according to Leavenworth County Sheriff Andy Dedeke.The storm that kept the Kansas City area on edge for hours first moved through east-central Kansas and progressed through the Kansas City area and towns to the north.It was part of a massive severe weather system in the central United States that produced at least eight tornadoes a day for 11 straight days, which ties a record.Residents across the area posted photos and videos on social media, sharing reports of damage.The storm began developing south of Kansas City, on the Kansas side, just as many were headed from work or just got home.Kris Craven, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Topeka, said the first tornado warning associated with the storm went out at 4:39 p.m. for parts of Osage and Lyon counties.A little over an hour later, at 5:41 p.m., a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was observed near Pomona Lake, moving northeast at 35 mph, the weather service said.Twenty minutes later, just after 6 p.m., tornadic circulation was seen south of Clinton Lake, the weather service said in a tweet. The storm would likely be difficult to see, the post added.Then at 6:10 p.m., a tornado was reported south of Lone Star, moving northeast. A tweet from the National Weather Service in Topeka indicated that its radar confirmed debris from the tornado about a mile east of Lone Star.After hitting areas around Lawrence and Linwood, the tornado continued east into Missouri.The National Weather Service used urgent language on social media to warn residents on both sides of the state line of the seriousness of the storm.The heart of KC is in this tornado warning! This is a dangerous situation! TAKE SHELTER NOW!, the weather service posted in a tweet at 7:21 p.m.In a tweet at 8:08 p.m., the National Weather Service in Kansas City said a strong tornado was on the ground, heading toward Excelsior Estates. It warned that Excelsior Springs Hospital was close to, and possibly in the path of, the storm At 8:02 p.m., a storm capable of producing a tornado was observed over Kearney, moving east at 35 mph, according to the National Weather Service in Kansas City, and a warning was issued for northeastern Clay County and northwestern Ray County until 8:30 p.m.Duffin, the Linwood resident, had some advice: Watch the news, keep your head down, and be prepared.I had a plan for years, Ive lived here a long time, he said.Asked how he remained so calm after the disaster Tuesday evening, he laughed.Im just glad I found my two dogs alive, he said. Wifes alive, familys alive, Im alive. So, thats it.Dennie Roberts emerged unharmed physically from the tornado near Linwood.But he choked up a little when he talked about what just happened. He thought of his wife, Sherry, who died of injuries from a tornado not far away in 2003.When the storm came this time, he was at home watching TV. It was a cable show, so they didnt interrupt with the weather report.It was his son who called him: Put your butt in the basement, the son said.Thats what Roberts did. He crouched there, on the phone with his son.Well see if the good Lord blesses me, he said.He did, Roberts said later, getting in his car to drive away and meet some friends for dinner. He carried me through it.Star reporters Katie Bernard, Katie Moore and Steve Vockrodt contributed to this report. The Associated Press also contributed to the report.2019 The Kansas City Star (Kansas City, Mo.)Visit The Kansas City Star (Kansas City, Mo.) at www.kansascity.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. As I head towards my last day of work, I want to acknowledge the great #TechTeam @cityofhenderson. Thank you for letting me be a part of your success! pic.twitter.com/nIZR071pHf Laura Fucci (@Henderville) May 27, 2019 After nearly seven years with the city of Henderson, Nev., Chief Information Officer Laura Fucci has announced her retirement.Fucci announced her departure via Twitter with a tweet thanking the staff of the citys Department of Information Technology. Fucci said in an email tothat her last day will be May 30.She said she is epileptic, and the condition is forcing her to retire earlier than expected. My seizures have gotten progressively worse over the past few years and its time to stop work, she explained.She attributes the success of her department during her tenure to the hard work of the IT Team, city leadership and staff. A few projects she said she is proud of include: the development and implementation of a smart city program to improve residents' experience and public safety; a cybersecurity program to improve the security and resiliency; and an IT Governance program with a 10-year road map to reduce costs and improve up-time.Since I joined Henderson, the IT team has completed 270 projects, Fucci said. Pretty amazing. Fucci took on the CIO position with the city of Henderson in November 2012 with the goal of leveraging technology to improve services, according to her biography on the city website . Before that, she was CIO of Clark County, Nev.Deputy CIO Russell Nelson will serve as acting CIO effective June 1. City leadership has not yet determined the next steps beyond that, Fucci said. (TNS) A professor at the University of Colorados Colorado Springs campus led a project that secretly snapped photos of more than 1,700 students, faculty members and others walking in public more than six years ago in an effort to enhance facial-recognition technology.The photographs were posted online as a dataset that could be publicly downloaded from 2016 until this past April.While professor Terrance Boult and CU officials defended the project and its efforts to protect student privacy, a University of Denver law professor questioned whether this is an example of technological advancement crossing ethical boundaries.Its yet another area where were seeing privacy intrusions that disturb us, said Bernard Chao, who teaches the intersection of law and technology at DU and previously practiced law in Silicon Valley for almost 20 years.The CU Colorado Springs project , first reported last week by the Colorado Springs Independent , began in 2012 with funding from a variety of U.S. intelligence and military operations, including the Office of Naval Research, Special Operations Command and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. It was not clear how much funding the project received from government agencies.Boults research originally was intended to analyze facial-recognition algorithms to determine whether they were up to snuff for use by the U.S. Navy. But it turned out the technology wasnt as efficient as the Navy wanted.It was solved if you wanted to match two passport photos where the person is facing forward in good light, but not if you wanted to recognize someone 100 meters away, Boult said.Boult and his team did more advanced research to try to improve the facial-recognition technology.The study is trying to make facial recognition better, especially at long range or surveillance applications, Boult said. We wanted to collect a dataset of people acting naturally in public because thats the way people are trying to use facial recognition.Facial-recognition technology is being used more and more, including for things such as enabling Facebook to tag people in pictures, in helping government agencies to check passports or visas, and beyond.To conduct the study, Boult set up a long-range surveillance camera in an office window about 150 meters away from the West Lawn of the Colorado Springs campus, a public area where passers-by would not have a reasonable expectation of privacy.The camera surreptitiously photographed people walking in the area of the West Lawn on certain days during the spring semesters of 2012 and 2013.The candid shots caught students as they looked down at their phones, blurred in motion or walked out of frame altogether.More than 16,000 images were taken, producing 1,732 unique identities. To protect student privacy, Boult said, he waited five years to release the dataset publicly. That way, people were unable to look at the pictures and figure out a students whereabouts in case of a domestic violence concern or a clandestine military placement, he said.Jared Verner, a CU Colorado Springs spokesman, said the university is committed to academic freedom and the ability for faculty to study and research a variety of topics while also taking student privacy seriously.The research protocol was analyzed by the UCCS Institutional Review Board, which assures the protection of the rights and welfare of human subjects in research, Verner wrote in a statement. No personal information was collected or distributed in this specific study. The photographs were collected in public areas and made available to researchers after five years when most students would have graduated.DUs Chao noted that if the study was approved by the universitys institutional review board, CU Colorado Springs determined that there was not substantial concern about individuals being harmed. Still, Chao called the project surprising.Theres creeping concern that maybe he has all this data and all these photos, and what other use could be used for that? Chao said.The dataset of photos was taken off the internet on April 15, but not because of privacy concerns, Boult noted. The CU Colorado Springs dataset was used in an April article in the Financial Times entitled, Whos using your face? The ugly truth about facial recognition.They gave out more information in the article than we had intended, Boult said.The information published included the date and time the photos were taken, which Boult said thwarted the intended purpose of trying to randomize the photos in the dataset. Boult said hes considering releasing another version of the data publicly that would fix this.If a student objected to being unknowingly involved in the study, Boult said he would try to make amends.If somebody wants to come and sit in my lab and go through the thousands of photos and say, That one is me, we can gladly remove them from the dataset, Boult said.But Boult argues the students faces are being used for the greater good, saying he balanced the privacy of students with the need to improve facial-recognition systems.As long as the systems are bad, their potential misuse is consistent, Boult said. If police use them and they match the wrong person, thats not good. Our job as researchers is to balance the privacy needs with the research value this provides society, and we went above and beyond what was required.Chao countered by saying Boults reasoning assumes what government or federal agencies are doing is something society wants them to do when that might not be the case.He may be helping them do something thats not right in the first place, Chao said. Im not sure I want to be in a state where every place I walk, my picture is being taken and automatically uploaded into facial-recognition software. I actually know I would not like that. I think the response is, Maybe we just shouldnt be doing this, period. (TNS) U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen and Rep. C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger are seeking briefings from the National Security Agency after a report that a spying tool developed by the agency and then leaked online was used to spread the ransomware that has debilitated Baltimores computer systems.And Baltimore City Council President Brandon Scott said the federal government should step in to cover some of the cost of Baltimores recovery.Thereported Saturday that hackers used a tool known as EternalBlue to spread the ransomware through the citys systems. The Times cited anonymous security experts briefed on the case.Ruppersberger, a Democrat whose district includes part of Baltimore, has previously raised concerns about the dangers posed by EternalBlue and other leaked tools part of a huge cache posted online in 2017 by a group calling itself the Shadow Brokers and says more needs to be done to counter them.If recent media reports regarding the origins of the Baltimore ransomware attack are true, the congressmans concerns are further validated, said Jaime Lennon, a spokeswoman for Ruppersberger. We will be seeking a full briefing from NSA regarding these reports.While the tools have been widely linked to the U.S. spy agency, and experts and former government employees have said they appear to be authentic, U.S. officials have never acknowledged the connection.Van Hollen, a Democrat, said in a statement that he had been in contact Saturday with Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the partys top member on the Senate Intelligence Committee, and that they would seek a briefing from the NSA.We must ensure that the tools developed by our agencies do not make their way into the hands of bad actors, Van Hollen said.Scott said he was calling on Gov. Larry Hogan to ask the White House for the ransomware attack to be declared a federal emergency, which would unlock funding.Given the new information and circumstances, it's even more clear that the federal government needs to have a larger role in supporting the Citys recovery, including federal reimbursement for damages, Scott said.The fact that the root technology that enabled this attack came from our own federal government, just miles away, only adds insult to injury.A spokesman for Hogan responded Saturday to the latest news on the ransomware, with a statement that said: "We continue to work closely with city leaders, including leveraging both state and federal resources, to help restore affected systems."Lester Davis, a spokesman for Bernard C. Jack Young, said the Democratic mayor supported Ruppersbergers efforts to glean more information.The information that was included in the Times story was very troubling, Davis said.Theres going to be a lot of speculation around this. What the mayor's going to be interested in is getting beyond speculation and hearing from the authorities that would have some insight into what actually went on.The FBI and Secret Service have been working with the city to respond to the ransomware. An FBI spokesman did not respond Saturday to a request for comment.Since the 2017 leak, EternalBlue has regularly been put to use by hackers from foreign countries to spread ransomware and other malicious computer code.The leak rekindled a debate between security officials, civil libertarians and the cybersecurity industry over when spy agencies should disclose to technology companies that they have found flaws in their systems. The spy agencies can use those flaws to gather valuable intelligence about terrorists and foreign governments, but there is also a risk that criminals or rival spies find the same flaws and use them to target Americans.In a report his office issued last year, Ruppersberger said the government needed to be prepared to take defensive steps against such leaked tools.The weaponization of these tools by malicious actors poses a significant risk to the U.S., our allies and the American private sector, he wrote.Because the U.S. government has never acknowledged the connection between the Shadow Brokers leak and the NSA, there has been no public accounting of what steps the agency took to protect the powerful tools it created or whether it should have kept the weaknesses they relied on a secret.The EternalBlue tool relies on a flaw in Microsoft software, though the company issued a patch before the leakers posted the tools online. Many systems remain vulnerable two years later, but the existence of the patch prompted some security researchers to argue Saturday that the responsibility for the Baltimore breach lies with the city.If an organization has substantial numbers of Windows machines that have gone 2 years without patches, then thats squarely the fault of the organization, not Eternalblue, security consultant Rob Graham wrote in a tweet.But Jake Williams, a former NSA operative who now runs a security company, framed the argument differently.Should the victims have patched? Sure, he said, But thats like me putting the gun in the hands of someone intent on killing a police officer. If the officer isnt wearing a bulletproof vest (but should have been), that doesnt absolve me of playing a role in his death.Scott has formed a commission to review the citys computer security . He said the commission would look at what the citys IT office did to protect the network.Scott said he wanted to learn what officials knew about the patch and whether steps were taken to install it or if they failed to act.They have to be able to come up with a very good reason why they didnt do that, he said. Its unacceptable if it was readily available and known to them. (TNS) Facebook announced Tuesday it has removed more than 50 profiles and pages originating from Iran for coordinated inauthentic behavior" the second time the company has taken down an Iran-linked network of fake accounts in just seven months.The people behind this scheme falsely represented themselves as U.S.- or Europe-based journalists or other personas and tried to contact reporters, academics, Iranian dissidents, policymakers and other public figures, the social network said in a blog post The company provided few details and did not say whether the individuals were connected to the Iranian government. But a new report by FireEye, a U.S. cybersecurity firm that tipped off Facebook about the fake accounts, said the people behind this activity tried to leverage American and Israeli media in support of Iranian interests, going as far as impersonating on Twitter several Republican candidates who ran in the 2018 midterm elections.The network promoted anti-Saudi, anti-Israeli and pro-Palestinian narratives, among other themes, according to the report . The firm said the accounts often expressed support for the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which President Trump abandoned last year, and opposition to his recent decision to designate Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a foreign terrorist organization.Most of the accounts were created between April 2018 and March 2019 and used profile pictures taken from the Internet, the report said. Some of them identified themselves as activists, correspondents or journalists, according to the firm.Facebooks announcement and the FireEye report suggest malicious actors continue to use social media to try to influence public opinion and political narratives. Thats exactly what Special Counsel Robert Mueller said the Russian government did in 2016 to boost Trumps candidacy.The previous takedown of Iran-linked fake accounts came in October two weeks before the election when Facebook suspended 82 such pages and groups that were sharing divisive political messages.The social network said the latest takedown included 51 Facebook profiles, 36 pages, seven groups and three Instagram accounts. Their posts were typically in English or Arabic, the company said.In an apparent attempt to remain neutral, Facebook said in its blog post that it removed the accounts based on their behavior, not the content they posted.In this case, the people behind this activity coordinated with one another and used fake accounts to misrepresent themselves, and that was the basis for our action, Nathaniel Gleicher, the companys head of cybersecurity policy, wrote in the post.Gleicher also said Facebook is investing heavily on stronger technology and hiring more people to root out inauthentic behavior on its platforms. (TNS) Potter County, Texas, officials say the effort to return to a sense of operational normalcy after last month's system wide information technology virus is in the recovery phase. County personnel previously noted the viral attack impacted the court system, including the offices at the Santa Fe Building, as well as the Potter County Detention Center and mental health patient intake. People conducting business at the district and county clerks office were also affected."Kudos to our IT department and all of the elected officials and department heads," Potter County Precinct Two Commissioner Mercy Murguia said. "Obviously this is something everyone has been working through. We're looking at our bigger programs and kind of going list by list to stabilize our larger departments. We're still in a recovery state, so our IT director has been sending out countywide communication about where we sit with every computer program - the ones that impact our public facing. This is something we will work through and continue to work through."Murguia said the process is ongoing."This is going to be a long term conversation," she said. "The strategic dialogue around IT infrastructure will be a long term conversation countywide and I think it should be for any organization. You'll still hear about this a year from now, as we look at strategic movements, support the network and determine what that looks like for the county. Our partnering counties have been asking questions about what we've done different, how they can learn alongside us and I think it will turn out to be a community conversation."The key lessons to be learned from the experience, per Murguia, are the basics."It's making sure you're not clicking on things in your email, ensuring email passwords are strong and protected and all of the other normal things you would do in observing general operations," she said. "What's great about where we sit is we're not in this alone. We have partnering cities, counties and teaching institutions. It really has opened a dialogue, which is always healthy."Officials said the top down approach to addressing virus recovery includes another dimension of public facing - assessing what the public feels first and how quickly the county responds. You walk into any bookstore and you can immediately tell which illustrations were done by Wendell by the beauty, the clarity, the simplicity, said Ald. Robert OConnor, at large. Im so proud of how you express so well what it was like to grow up in Aurora. Pete was always for the residents and the employees, Gier said. He always did the right thing and if you came to him with a problem, he would look into it. We will better train and mentor our prosecutors to retain skilled attorneys, Mosser said about her goals if elected. We will be more visible in the community by offering programs to address the opioid epidemic, domestic violence and gang violence. We will work with the Kane County Board and all county officials in a continuing spirit of open communication and transparency. Put more simply, we will do more for Kane County. Music showcases at the 20th annual Americanafest in Nashville, Tenn. will highlight North Carolina musicians, Come Hear North Carolina and the Americana Music Association announced Wednesday. Multiple showcases are scheduled Sept. 10 to 15 in Nashville, allowing audiences to experience what North Carolina sounds like. Come Hear North Carolina is an initiative of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and the N.C. Arts Council. The state's presence will build awareness about its influence on American music. The Americana Music Association, which produces Americanafest, has more than 3,000 members from around the world. The organization has strong ties to North Carolinas music heritage that includes many sounds in the Americana umbrella from folk, country, bluegrass and more. Musicians in the genre include Greensboro native Rhiannon Giddens, and the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Emmylou Harris, The Avett Brothers, Jim Lauderdale, Tift Merritt, Dom Flemons and Mandolin Orange, who performed during the announcement at the Executive Mansion in Raleigh. Giddens has been nominated as 2019 Artist of the Year among the Americana Music Association 2019 Americana Honors & Awards nominees GREENSBORO Jody Cauthen has left her post as executive director of Community Theatre of Greensboro to join the staff of another downtown theater three blocks away. Cauthen starts Wednesday as marketing and development director at Triad Stage, the nonprofit professional theater at 232 S. Elm St. Cauthen, 48, called her 17 months at CTG "a really special time." She had joined its staff after 18 years as theater manager for the UNCG School of Theatre. At CTG, she led a 70-year-old nonprofit community organization that produces plays at its own Starr Theatre at 520 S. Elm St. and at the nearby Carolina Theatre, home to its popular annual production of "The Wizard of Oz." "I met some really amazing people and worked side by side with them," she said Tuesday. But the new post at Triad Stage matches her experience and background, Cauthen said. She had begun her career in nonprofit professional theater in Cincinnati, Ohio; Baltimore and Hartford, Conn. "It's something that has always had a pull for me," she said. "I feel like it's where I am supposed to be." * Note: I actually prefer the graphics-lite and hard-to-navigate College Navigator , mostly because theres more data. Numbers dont have to be pretty; just present. Have something to say about the blog post above? Email me at john.newsom@greensboro.com. You can also follow me on Twitter at @JohnNewsomNR. Support my coverage of higher education. Click here to learn about digital subscriptions to www.greensboro.com. Jet and Ali Tilas new book is designed to teach home cooks how to improve their cooking skills. Jet Tila is a former Food Network star who visited Forsyth Country Day School in Winston-Salem in 2017 in connection with FLIK Independent School Dining, which provides food service to the school. Tila grew up in a Thai family of restaurateurs in Los Angeles and has appeared on Iron Chef America, Cutthroat Kitchen and Chopped. Ali Tila, his wife and business partner, is a pastry chef who works at Red Bird restaurant in Los Angeles and has appeared on such shows as Cutthroat Kitchen and Guys Grocery Games. Jet Tilas first book was 101 Asian Dishes. The couples new book, 101 Epic Dishes ($21.99, Page Street Publishing), aims to make readers better cooks. Our goal for this book is to take you deeper into the why of cooking, they write in the introduction. Every one of the recipes was chosen to teach a technique similar to something taught in culinary school, the Tilas say. That means you will have learned 101 new techniques by the time you cook through this book. He admitted Tuesday to fatally shooting 16-year-old Sateria Zoe Fleming on March 26, 2018, outside apartments on Baker Avenue. Prosecutors agreed to reduce Johnsons first-degree murder charge to second-degree murder when he admitted guilt. Johnson asked to speak before being sentenced. Im so sorry, he said. I know theres nothing I can say to stop the pain. Im sorry. Johnson told Cubbage he would accept his consequences and promised to be a better man when he leaves prison. His tears made the rest of his words inaudible. Cubbage sentenced Johnson to a minimum of 16 years in prison and promised to pray for both families. Young man, you be sorry, but come out a better person, she said. Before the sentencing, Chief Assistant District Attorney Steve Cole said Fleming and a friend planned to buy $100 worth of marijuana from Morehead then flee before paying. Cole said Johnson told police he tried to shoot above the girls heads to scare them. He watched one of the girls fall to the ground but wasnt sure where he hit her. GREENSBORO A woman who shouted "Free Jacques!" before leaving a court hearing in a first-degree murder case Tuesday got called back before the judge. "We're going to keep this respectful," Superior Court Judge Lora Cubbage told the woman after bailiffs brought her back to the courtroom. "If you do it everyone thinks it is OK. Let's not do that." The woman, who never identified herself, told the judge she understood. Cubbage let her leave without holding her in contempt. Cubbage had already warned those in the gallery not to talk during the beginning of Tuesday's court session. Some ignored that warning, calling out "We love you Jacques," when bailiffs brought Lawrence Jacques Baird into the courtroom and again later in the hearing after prosecutors said they would not seek the death penalty against him. Baird, 28, is accused of killing Alisia Dieudonne, 19, of Homewood, Ill., and Ahmad Campbell, 21, of Kitrell, on Oct. 2, 2016. Prosecutors had scheduled Baird's hearing Tuesday to announce their decision. In the wake of heavy storms which hit the Aurora area Monday, more rain on Tuesday and more storms in the forecast, local officials are asking residents to clean leaf debris away from storm drains to give rainwater a place to go. Guttman said the Franks had already planned their funerals to be held in their respective places of faith. She was insistent that her faith and his faith be honored, Guttman said. No one could predict that those services would be held so soon and on the same day. Ive been here 24 years now and I never saw anything like this. It was quite moving, Guttman said. The Franks were just a month shy of their 50th wedding anniversary. They were a wonderful couple. Its not everybody that after 50 years still have the spark, but they did, Guttman said. Bill Frank was a Greensboro native who attended Saint Andrews College and was a N.C. National Guard veteran. For most of his professional career, Bill Frank worked with his father Stanley Frank and brother, Barry, at the family-owned Carolina By-Products. Rock n Play. Ingenuity Moonlight. Pretty in Pink. If your infant needs a nap, the charming names alone of these popular Fisher-Price and Kids II sleepers make them seem perfect. The reality is different and tragic because manufacturers created those sleepers with a defect. They allow children to roll over onto their stomachs. When they are unable to roll back, infants cant breathe. Since 2011, at least 37 of them have suffocated in just that way. It might seem as though the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which I used to head, deserves thanks for recalling those sleepers last month. The truth: CPSC has known about this danger for a long time the first article about it appeared in 2013. CPSC moved only after Consumer Reports broke a story in April. Is such refusal to act in the face of danger an isolated event? Not at all. Take, for example, the BOB stroller. Britax has marketed it as a stroller for parents who want to run while pushing their child inside. WASHINGTON Difficulties with Iran will recur regularly, like the oscillations of a sine wave, and the recent crisis if such it was, or is illustrates persistent U.S. intellectual and institutional failures, starting with this: The Trump administrations assumption, and that of many in Congress, is that if the president wants to wage war against a nation almost the size of Mexico (and almost four times larger than Iraq) and with 83 million people (more than double that of Iraq), there is no constitutional hindrance to him acting unilaterally. In April, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was pressed in a Senate hearing to pledge that the administration would not regard the 2001 authorization for the use of military force against al-Qaida and other non-state actors responsible for 9/11 as authorization, 18 years later, for war against Iran. Pompeo laconically said he would prefer to just leave that to lawyers. Many conservatives who preen as originalists when construing all the Constitutions provisions other than the one pertaining to war powers are unimpressed by the Framers intention that Congress should be involved in initiating military force in situations other than repelling sudden attacks. Does Walker really believe his tweet? In a recent tweet, Rep. Mark Walker stated, Even Bob Mueller and his team of Democrats conclude that there was no collusion and no obstruction. It is disheartening to have one of my own congressional representatives mislead his constituents by presenting this false narrative. The Mueller report states, on page 2 of Volume 2: If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the President clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state. Based on the facts and the applicable legal standards, however, we are unable to reach that judgment. The evidence we obtained about the Presidents actions and intent presents difficult issues that prevent us from conclusively determining that no criminal conduct occurred. If Congressman Walker wants us to believe he is an elected official with the highest of moral standards, perhaps he shouldnt misrepresent the facts. But defending President Trump seems to be more important to him than telling the truth. I pray for Mr. Walker every day. Create in him a clean heart, oh God. Libba Genova Whitsett The youths enthusiastic burst in response to finding historic evidence is a type of curiosity thats familiar to teacher and historian Valencia Abbott of Reidsville. In fact, Abbott helped fellow black historian Fletcher Dalton lead the very seminar about Freetown last August at the Madison Public Library that ignited Trenton Phelps interest in the settlement. When we allow these students to see these diverse stories when they become personally connected and engaged with them, it becomes what they are interested in. Its not my story, its our story, Abbott said. We have to pass those stories down. History in our own backyard is powerful and has a deeper connection for students, Abbott said. And when a student knows about an historic site and can say, this is a mile from my house, this is where my family grew up it starts making pieces fall into place. Beyond that, Citizens Cemetery is a touchstone to family lineage for many area African-American families who may not have the benefit of a thorough paper trail to the past, Abbott said, explaining vital records for blacks were not thoroughly maintained by the county and state during past centuries. GREENWICH Officers stopped a car that was observed driving without headlights on Arch Street Saturday night, police said. The 68-year-old driver from Norwalk was charged with driving while intoxicated. Bail was set at $250. A 39-year-old man from Greenwich went to police headquarters Tuesday to be served an arrest warrant charging him with strangulation, assault, disorderly conduct and risk of injury to a minor. The arrest stemmed from an incident earlier in the month, police said. Bail was set at $50,000. A 39-year-old man from Ossining, N.Y., was charged Friday with evading responsibility resulting in property damage. Police said he was involved in a collision April 18 on Railroad Avenue and left the scene. He was also ticketed for unsafe backing. Bail was set at $3,000. A 31-year-old Cos Cob man was charged with disorderly conduct and criminal mischief on Monday. Police said he was involved in an altercation in the Pemberwick section of town. Bail was set at $5,000. A 36-year-old man from New York City was charged with missing a court appearance, police said. He was arrested Thursday on a warrant. He was previously charged with financial fraud. Bail was set at $25,000. Compiled by Staff Reporter Robert Marchant GREENWICH Nearly 500 children participated in the Greenwich United Ways Reading Champions Program this year, and the biggest group was at the Boys & Girls Club, where more than 40 students participated. The program held its end-of-year celebration at the Greenwich Boys & Girls Club last week. A retired Greenwich Public School teacher co-founded the program to address the achievement gap, the gap in achievement between white students and minority students, and students from wealthy and low-income families. Joan Lowe, also a former guidance counselor, said she saw a need for one-on-one literacy programs. Fun in partnership with the Greenwich Public Schools, the Reading Champions literacy program pairs Greenwich youth with trained volunteers to build reading skills. Volunteers teach students to read and comprehend in ways that are best-suited to their learning styles. Lowe remains a volunteer and site liaison for other Reading Champions volunteers at the Boys & Girls Club. The program has tripled in size and outgrown its original setting, Lowe said. Eight years ago, three tutors taught eight students, and operated in small work spaces scattered throughout the Boys & Girls Club. The clubs program has since tripled in size, outgrowing its space in the library and moving to the clubs auditorium. It is amazing to witness the growth of Reading Champions at the Boys & Girls Club, Lowe said. The large turnout of Reading Champion parents and families at the celebration is testimony to the respect and appreciation for the program. Reading Champions has a great impact on the kids at the Boys & Girls Club, CEO Bobby Walker Jr. said. After graduation, one father expressed his gratitude for Greenwich United Way, the Boys & Girls Club and the volunteer who spent hours reading with his daughter to improve her skills, Walker said. He said, This program really can change a childs life, and I fully agree. United Way CEO David Rabin said his organization is proud to partner with the Boys & Girls Club to close the achievement gap. The Greenwich United Ways Reading Champions program is one of many ways we uncover a need, raise awareness and support, and develop a lasting solution, Rabin said. To learn more about the impact of Reading Champions, visit greenwichunitedway.org/reading-champions/. Prospective volunteers can fill out an application at greenwichunitedway.org/2018-19-reading-champions-volunteer-application-november-2018_for-upload/. GREENWICH In almost every era, certain questions keep coming up, a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian told a Greenwich audience on Wednesday morning. How can a pluralistic society survive? How can a country whose citizens often hold radically different concepts about the meaning of equality, as well as issues like abortion rights, remain united? Yale University professor David Blight told the crowd at the Retired Mens Association of Greenwich that the questions that dominated the Civil War era the subject of his latest book still arise today. Could a republic, so diverse, so multi-ethnic, with its past of slavery, survive and exist? asked Blight, who was awarded a Pulitzer for Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom, his biography of the abolitionist leader. Its so relevant to our own moment. The word we use now is polarized We used to get angry and fight. Now were polarized. Speaking in the community room at the First Presbyterian Church, Blight joked, I hate that word polarization. But its useful. Blight discussed the life of Douglass, a former slave who let his righteous anger flow against the country that formally permitted his enslavement for 20 years. Douglass became more of an optimist after the Civil War was over and slavery was abolished, though he remained a complicated thinker and leader in the African-American community. The Yale professor said Douglass believed the country could live up to the ideals professed in its most idealistic aspirations. Hes hoping against hope, but hes not naive, said Blight, He was trying to capture this idea, this dream, that the United States, after it had survived this massive Civil War, had the chance to create a single nation that would be multi-racial, multi-ethnic and multi-religious. Noting the battles over access to abortion currently being waged in state capitols across the country, and the question of states rights versus federal authority, Blight said they were a classic battle over federalism as well as morality. They were the same issues that Douglass grappled with, and we are still asking those questions 150 years later. The biographer sketched out some of the ideals that made Douglass a compelling subject. He was a genius with words, metaphors and story-telling. ... And he was quite a performer. While he was reluctant at first to call Douglass a prophet, Blights study of the Old Testament made it an apt description after all, especially since Douglass was deeply versed in Biblical scripture. Prophets will trouble us and warn us, and take us places we dont want to go, Blight said. And remind us of our denial, our sin and our hypocrisy. Douglass became an American Jeremiah. Blight said he still had more than a hundred unanswered questions about Douglass, a man he has studied for more than 40 years. But there was one constant in his life that was crystal clear, the historian said: His voice and his pen ... he knew it was the only power he had. NEW CANAAN Local and state police swarmed Waveny Park on Wednesday, searching by ground and in the air the walking trails, a tall grassy area and a pond, in hopes of finding a mother of five children who disappeared last week. The search has intensified for Jennifer Dulos, who was reported missing Friday night. Her black Chevy Suburban was found on Lapham Road near Waveny Park soon after she was reported missing. Dulos has been involved in a two-year divorce case with her estranged husband, Fotis Dulos, whose attorney requested on Wednesday for a judge to allow his client to see his children. The motion, filed by attorney Michael J. Rose, said the couples five children who range in age from 8 to 13 have been staying at the New York City apartment of Jennifer Dulos mother under the watch of an armed guard the family hired. My client has joint custody, but is limited by your orders, Rose wrote in his motion to the judge. However, at this point, the court needs to take action to provide my client with custody. Rose declined to comment and Fotis Dulos has not been able to be reached. Jennifer Dulos filed for divorce in 2017 after the couple had been married for 13 years. In court documents, Jennifer Dulos said she feared her husband and believed he would harm me in some way for seeking a divorce. A divorce hearing that was scheduled at the Stamford courthouse on Wednesday was postponed. The postponement came one day after a court-appointed guardian ad litem filed a motion for a status conference regarding the safety of the children. Police said two of Jennifer Dulos friends reported her missing Friday night after she missed several appointments that day and no one heard from her in about 10 hours. Police said the last time anyone had contact with Jennifer Dulos was Friday morning after she dropped off her kids at New Canaan Country School. New Canaan police said their officers and other agencies have since worked around the clock to locate Jennifer by exploring all leads and tips. This investigation is being treated as a missing person case, but as with any missing person case, a criminal investigation is being conducted concurrently to determine if Jennifer was the victim of foul play or intentional harm, Police Lt. Jason Ferraro said in a statement released Wednesday afternoon. A large number of New Canaan and state police canvassed the popular 300-acre Waveny Park on Wednesday. Their primary focus was the area near the parks Carriage Barn Arts Center. They searched an open field area and a pond, used a drone and boarded a New York state police helicopter that circled over the area for about an hour. Police blocked walking trails near the parks South Avenue entrance and closed the parking lot near the Walled Garden. At least a half a dozen police dogs searched the park, focusing on the area near the pond and the part known as the cornfield. I think it is tragic, Michelle Voigt, of Greenwich, said as she walked in the park. I have two children and I am the same age. I cant imagine a mother of five missing that long and not having a major search, a major response from the community. I cant believe its not all over. The search on Wednesday shifted from Jennifer Dulos Welles Lane neighborhood where she rented a home and lived with her children since filing for divorce in 2017. On Tuesday, about a dozen New Canaan and state police cars lined the neighborhood and K-9 units searched a wooded area along Frogtown Road between Weed Street and Ponus Ridge Road. In a statement, Jennifer Dulos friends and family said they were heartbroken by her disappearance, but moved and inspired by the support, assistance, concern, and love extended by so many. Those who know Jennifer know her to be a devoted mother; an extremely thoughtful, reliable, an organized woman; and attest that she would never, ever, disappear when she is responsible for the lives of five loving and energetic children. Jennifer is gentle, kind, intelligent, and funny, and above all, she prioritizes the health and happiness of her children. She and the children have been embraced by the New Canaan Country School community, where they have made good friends and are active in athletics and arts. According to her profile on Patch.com, where she wrote blog posts regularly as an Avon resident, Dulos was a journalist and writer in New York City after earning a bachelors degree from Brown University and a masters in writing from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. She was a very nice woman, very kid-centric, said Arnold Karp, who owns the New Canaan house that Jennifer Dulos has been renting and living in with her children. Its a head-scratcher for all of us, which isagain, its the mystery of where did it go and what happened to her? As part of the divorce proceedings, Jennifer Dulos filed for an emergency order for full custody that was denied in July 2017. The couple has a shared custody arrangement until the divorce is finalized. Since Jennifer Dulos disappeared, the children have been staying in New York with her mother, Gloria Farber. Farber and her late husbands estate are also in a legal battle with Fotis Dulos, claiming the builder owes $1.7 million in loans he used to purchase and develop homes. Fotis Dulos has remained at the Farmington home, which he also uses to operate his building company, The Fore Group. According to the companys website, Fotis Dulos received a bachelors degree from Brown University and a masters from Columbia Business School. The 6-bedroom, 10,000-square-foot Farmington home is listed for sale at $4.35 million. Anyone with information about the case can contact the New Canaan Police Tip Line at 203-594-3544. Staff writer Jim Shay contributed to this story. GREENWICH Theyre everywhere, yet somehow invisible. The old stone walls of New England largely remain in plain sight, but they also inspire great passion for those who are drawn to take a closer look at them. Sylvia Reiss is a connoisseur and self-described collector of old stone walls, and shes journeyed all over New England with a camera to study and record the rough-hewn structures that crisscross the landscape, for an estimated distance of 100,000 miles. Reiss gave a presentation to the Retired Mens Association in the First Presbyterian Church community room Wednesday morning, offering a primer on how, why and where the stone walls were built. A former teacher and antiques dealer, Reiss called on members of the audience to look closely at stone walls the next time they have the opportunity, to take in all the textures and details. If you look at old stone walls, stop, slow down and really see whats in the wall, she said. The walls were sometimes assembled with great care that can still be appreciated two centuries later. More News Journey to the past in the archives of the Greenwich Historical Society The golden age of stone-wall building ran from roughly 1775 and 1825, following the deforestation of the region for agriculture. With the trees gone, millions of rocks rose from the earth , bedeviling farmers who broke their plows tilling the soil. They had to be hauled off the field to cultivate that field, Reiss said, And the stones kept coming up, one year after another after another. They were referred to as New England potatoes, and there were people who believed it was the work of the devil. The stone walls were often used to enclose farmland, keeping livestock out, or to line roads, but the main goal was to simply get the stones out of the way of a farmers plow. The use of strong backs and legs was the main method applied to build the walls, as well as oxen, sleds and winches, she said. They left behind this great legacy stone walls, said Reiss, a Darien resident. Different kind of walls emerged, some more elaborate than others. Among the most common are the tossed walls, put together with little care or effort, as the name implies. Laid walls are also fairly common, in which the stones were assembled deliberately for sturdiness and longevity. A more elaborate structure was the double wall, parallel rows of stone filled with interlocking thrusters and small stones. Among the rarest are lace walls, which can be seen through. Reiss talked about the different kind of ornamentation for walls, including copestones, which resemble dragons teeth. As she spoke admiringly of the texture and craftsmanship of old stone walls, Reiss poked gentle fun at the modern stone walls that adorn many suburban mansions. Boring company, she called them. As agriculture declined in the region after the Civil War, the walls became ruins, glimpses into the past and a reminder of the hard life that farming entailed in a landscape littered with stones. Reiss said the walls were often deceptively simple, but they offered a study in geology, history and ecology all wrapped up in one stony package. Stone walls theres a lot to see, she said. A RMA organizer called the presentation an impressive one. It certainly opened my eyes, said Hollister Sturges. Jaime Harrison, the former chairman of the South Carolina Democratic Party, formally kicked off his campaign Wednesday to topple Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., with a video that highlights his humble roots and Graham's evolving views on President Trump. Harrison, who was the state party's first black chairman and is a former aide to Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., has been encouraged to run by national party leaders in a state that has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1998. In his announcement video, Harrison highlighted his birth to a 16-year-old mother, his upbringing by his grandparents, his education at Yale University and Georgetown Law School and his return to South Carolina. The video also included clips of derogatory comments that Graham made about Trump as they both were pursuing the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, including Graham labeling Trump "a kook," "crazy" and "not fit to be president of the United States." "He's a race-baiting, xenophobic religious bigot," Graham said in one highlighted clip. In subsequent clips, Graham is shown saying, "No, I don't think he's a xenophobic, race-baiting, religious bigot," and that Trump "deserves the Nobel Peace Prize and then some." "Here's a guy who will say anything to stay in office," Harrison said in the video. "Lindsey Graham can't lead us any direction because he traded his moral compass for petty political gain." Graham, who is serving his third term, defeated his Democratic challenger in 2014 by more than 16 percentage points. Trump carried the state over Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016 by 14 percentage points. In an interview with The Washington Post in March, as he was considering a Senate bid, Harrison said that Graham's reelection "is not a slam dunk for him" given his emergence as a strong Trump ally. "The refrain these days is: What's happened to Lindsey?" Harrison said. "He's won in the past with a coalition of country club Republicans, independents and some moderate or conservative Democrats. But he's lost some of those middle-of-the-road voters." Graham kicked off his reelection campaign in March with a visit from Vice President Pence, who emphasized Graham's loyalty to Trump. - - - The Washington Post's Robert Costa contributed to this report. Newly-elected Malawian President Peter Mutharika on Tuesday was sworn in for his second and last term in office, and he called on the nation to unite in order to achieve the country's aspirations. Malawi's President elect Arthur Peter Mutharika speaks during the swearing in ceremony at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre on May 28, 2019. [Photo: AFP/Amos Gumulira] Mutharika and Vice President Everton Chimulirenji were sworn in by Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda during a ceremony conducted at the Kamuzu Stadium attended by hundreds of his supporters as well as second President Bakili Muluzi. "The election is over. There is a time to fight, there is a time to unite. There is a time to argue, there is a time to agree. There is a time to pursue personal interest, there is time to pursue national goals," Mutharika said as his supporters clad in party colors roared in support. The Malawian leader urged his opponents to accept his victory as there can only be one winner and thanked Malawians for voting for him, adding that his victory is the victory of the people, the rule of law and democracy. He further commended the country's electoral body for the way it managed the elections, adding that the elections were conducted in a way which reflects the will of Malawians. Mutharika won by 38.57 percent of the votes against his closest rival Lazarus Chakwera, the country's main opposition leader of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) who had 35.41 percent of the votes, while Vice President Saulos Chilima was the third with 20.24 percent of the votes, in the tightly contest election. A former law professor, Mutharika, 78, came to power in 2014. His government carried out agricultural subsidies and electrification programs in rural regions where his support is the strongest. He will be inaugurated on Friday at the same stadium, according to an announcement from the ruling party. Concerns of Police Survivors is a group that focuses on the survivors of police families after an officer is killed. Burr Ridge Sgt. Michael Barnes, said the Illinois chapter was formed in 2005 and it seeks to compensate and help every family after a law enforcement officer has died on duty. This appeared in Wednesday's Washington Post. - - - Last month, a bipartisan congressional majority voted against further U.S. support for Saudi Arabia's disastrous intervention in Yemen, which has failed to achieve its aims while helping to produce the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. President Donald Trump vetoed the resolution, and now he has doubled down on offering unqualified support to the Saudi regime and its allies. On Friday, the State Department notified Congress that it was invoking emergency authority to bypass opposition and complete 22 arms deals to Saudi Arabia and several other countries - including more of the munitions that have been killing civilians in Yemen. The action was another violation by Trump of established norms, if not law. The administration's notification did not explain what "emergency" allowed it to use a loophole in the Arms Export Control Act, which gives Congress authority to review weapons sales. Though Secretary of State Mike Pompeo cited the need for Arab nations "to deter and defend themselves" against Iran, some of the arms being provided will not be available for years, which means they are not relevant to the civil war in Yemen or rising tensions elsewhere in the region. Some of the materiel is going to Jordan, which is not at war in Yemen or anywhere else. The maneuver extends Trump's defiance of Congress' rightful role in shaping U.S. foreign policy. Members of both parties had placed holds on sales to Saudi Arabia, because of its repeated and evidently deliberate bombing of civilian targets in Yemen and because of its refusal to hold senior officials accountable for human rights offenses, including the murder and dismemberment of journalist and Post contributing columnist Jamal Khashoggi. To permanently stop the sales, Congress would have had to pass legislation; Trump could have and should have allowed the review process to play out. Instead, he has once again ignored congressional authority in order to favor Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who launched the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen and who, according to the CIA, probably ordered the murder of Khashoggi. Earlier this year, Trump failed to meet a legal requirement that he report to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the crown prince's responsibility for that killing. If the new gift to the crown prince is allowed to stand, Trump will have established a new precedent: Presidents may sell arms anywhere in the world without congressional review simply by claiming an unspecified emergency. Even supporters of Trump and of arms sales to Saudi Arabia ought to be troubled by this. Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, is at least thinking about it: In a statement, he said he was "reviewing and analyzing the legal justification for this action and the associated implications." Risch has a ready remedy: He can allow a vote in his committee on legislation to block the sales until the Saudi regime stops bombings in Yemen and meets other basic conditions, including the release of women's rights activists it has detained and tortured. Congress has an obligation to rein in Trump's wanton embrace of the Saudi strongman; it also must defend its basic foreign policy prerogatives. It's time for Risch to show whether he is up to that challenge. It is tempting for normal people to ignore our president when he starts ranting about treason and corruption at the FBI. I understand the temptation. I'm the object of many of his rants, and even I try to ignore him. But we shouldn't, because millions of good people believe what a president of the United States says. In normal times, that's healthy. But not now, when the president is a liar who doesn't care what damage he does to vital institutions. We must call out his lies that the FBI was corrupt and committed treason, that we spied on the Trump campaign, and tried to defeat Donald Trump. We must constantly return to the stubborn facts. Russia engaged in a massive effort to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. Near as I can tell, there is only one U.S. leader who still denies that fact. The FBI saw the attack starting in mid-June 2016, with the first dumping of stolen emails. In late July, when we were hard at work trying to understand the scope of the effort, we learned that one of Trump's foreign policy advisers knew about the Russian effort seven weeks before we did. In April 2016, that adviser talked to a Russian agent in London, learned that the Russians had obtained "dirt" on Hillary Clinton in the form of thousands of emails, and that the Russians could assist the Trump campaign through the anonymous release of information damaging to Clinton. Of course, nobody from the Trump campaign told us this (or about later Russian approaches); we had to learn it, months after the fact, from an allied ambassador. But when we finally learned of it in late July, what should the FBI have done? Let it go? Go tell the Trump campaign? Tell the press? No. Investigate, to see what the facts were. We didn't know what was true. Maybe there was nothing to it, or maybe Americans were actively conspiring with the Russians. To find out, the FBI would live up to its name and investigate. As director, I was determined that the work would be done carefully, professionally and discretely. We were just starting. If there was nothing to it, we didn't want to smear Americans. If there was something to it, we didn't want to let corrupt Americans know we were on to them. So, we kept it secret. That's how the FBI approaches all counterintelligence cases. And there's the first problem with Trump's whole "treason" narrative. If we were "deep state" Clinton loyalists bent on stopping him, why would we keep it secret? Why wouldn't the much-maligned FBI supervisor Peter Strzok - the alleged kingpin of the "treasonous" plot to stop Trump - tell anyone? He was one of the very few people who knew what we were investigating. We investigated. We didn't gather information about the campaign's strategy. We didn't "spy" on anyone's campaign. We investigated to see whether it was true that Americans associated with the campaign had taken the Russians up on any offer of help. By late October, the investigators thought they had probable cause to get a federal court order to conduct electronic surveillance of a former Trump campaign adviser named Carter Page. Page was no longer with the campaign, but there was reason to believe he was acting as an agent of the Russian government. We asked a federal judge for permission to surveil him and then we did it, all without revealing our work, despite the fact that it was late October and a leak would have been very harmful to candidate Trump. Worst deep-state conspiracy ever. But wait, the conspiracy idea gets dumber. On Oct. 28, after agonizing deliberation over two terrible options, I concluded I had no choice but to inform Congress that we had reopened the Clinton email investigation. I judged that hiding that fact - after having told Congress repeatedly and under oath that the case was finished - would be worse than telling Congress the truth. It was a decision William Barr praised and Hillary Clinton blamed for her loss 11 days later. Strzok, alleged architect of the treasonous plot to stop Trump, drafted the letter I sent Congress. And there's still more to the dumbness of the conspiracy allegation. At the center of the alleged FBI "corruption" we hear so much about was the conclusion that Deputy Director Andrew McCabe lied to internal investigators about a disclosure to the press in late October 2016. McCabe was fired over it. And what was that disclosure? Some stop-Trump election-eve screed? No. McCabe authorized a disclosure that revealed the FBI was actively investigating the Clinton Foundation, a disclosure that was harmful to Clinton. There is a reason the non-fringe media doesn't spend much time on this "treason" and "corruption" business. The conspiracy theory makes no sense. The FBI wasn't out to get Donald Trump. It also wasn't out to get Hillary Clinton. It was out to do its best to investigate serious matters while walking through a vicious political minefield. But go ahead, investigate the investigators, if you must. When those investigations are over, they will find the work was done appropriately and focused only on discerning the truth of very serious allegations. There was no corruption. There was no treason. There was no attempted coup. Those are lies, and dumb lies at that. There were just good people trying to figure out what was true, under unprecedented circumstances. - - - Comey is a former director of the FBI and a former deputy attorney general. Apple is officially announcing iOS 13 next Monday, on June 3, at its annual developer conference. That's when we expect to find out all about the new features that the OS will be packing when it's released to the public this fall. One of the constantly rumored additions to iOS 13 has been Dark Mode, and today the screenshots below have leaked purportedly showing it in action. As the name implies, this is a dark theme, but as the screenshots show, it's going to use true black backgrounds, at least in certain built-in apps like Music. This looks great on an AMOLED screen (which the iPhone X, XS, and XS Max all have) and it should also aid in battery endurance somewhat, because AMOLED panels don't use any power when showing black pixels. Since Google is adding a dark theme to its next Android release too, it seems like 2019 is the year in which the two main mobile platforms both get this exciting new feature. In iOS 13, you enable Dark Mode in Settings or with an option in Control Center. On a Home screen the only noticeable change once you turn on Dark Mode is that the Dock has a dark background instead of a light one. Another UI change in the upcoming release is in the interface that appears after taking a screenshot. This now shows a blurred version of your wallpaper and the annotation tools at the bottom look more life-like. On an iPad, this interface uses a rounded tray at the bottom of the screen to hold the tools, and you can drag this tray around the screen. iOS 13 will also ship with a redesigned Reminders app, which you can see below. This is also coming to macOS 10.15. On an iPad the new app has a large sidebar with separate boxes for Today, Scheduled, Flagged, and All. The sidebar also includes a search box and a collection of your lists of reminders. The app uses the SF UI Rounded font, introduced in the Wallet app in iOS 12.2. The Find My Friends and Find My iPhone apps will be unified into something called "Find My". When you start it up it will show a big map that fills the entire screen, with a small window in the corner listing your friends and family and another tab for your devices. When Dark Mode is enabled, the map looks the same as it does in Maps on macOS with Dark Mode. Source Each year Samsung refines its DeX platform allowing users to expand their phones functionality to a desktop setup. The Galaxy S8 line introduced the first generation docking station which was followed by a refined version which came with the Galaxy S9 duo. Last years Note9 came with the ability to run the full DeX experience via a USB-C to HDMI cable and now Samsung is looking to bring the DeX experience wirelessly. This means that future Samsung phones and tablets will be able to power the full DeX experience without the need for docking stations or cables. Yesterday the company applied for a patent with the European Union Intellectual Property Office for the DeX Live name. Samsung is expected to use the brand for the project. Given Samsungs past track record it's very likely that well see the new wireless DeX functionality with the upcoming Galaxy Note10 which is expected to come in at least two sizes. Source | Via (in Dutch) Sony had just started the sales of its Xperia 1 flagship in Europe. The flagship with Snapdragon 855 and extremely tall 21:9 CinemaWide display goes for 949 and can already be purchased in numerous EU countries, including Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. The phone is also expected to appear overseas in the United States, but a separate launch is scheduled for mid-July. The British retailer Clove was among the first that announced the arrival of Xperia 1. Back then it only announced the 849 price, but now there is a Buy button, with the phone expected to ship tomorrow, May 30. You can get in your inbox a flagship with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage, but only in Black or Purple. The device is also on Amazon UK, coming with an exclusive gift of 64 GB microSD card. Some German retailers promise to ship the phone immediately, while some continue only taking per-orders with shipments to start on June 5. However, on the continental side of Europe, the price tag is 949, which is only a tad less expensive than the UK. And you also get a 64 GB microSD card, so it sounds like a deal. If you dont want to wait, head over to Italy, where the deal is also in place, although youll miss on the Gray or White color option. The Real Deal, however, is in the Netherlands, where Belsimpel offers the Sony Xperia 1 for 949, but with a couple of gifts - Sony WH-1000XM3 wireless headphones with active NC (sold separately for 380) and a PD Fast Charger that costs 59 on its own. If you order by the end of today, youll have a new Sony flagship in any color you choose right in time for the weekend. Source 1 Source 2 Source 3 (in German) Source 4 (in Dutch) Source 5 (in Italian) Since the new Redmi K20-series are already out in China, it's time for Xiaomi's sub-brand to focus on the international market. The latest piece of information, however, comes as a surprise because it seems that in some countries, the handsets won't come out under the Redmi brand. The Redmi K20 Pro is said to appear as Pocophone F2 Pro while the vanilla K20 will be named Pocophone F2. This also means that the phones will be called Poco F2 and Poco F2 Pro in India. The source also claims that both phones will retain their amazing price tags. And almost certain, darlings. The Redmi K20 is indeed likely to be the Poco F2. The SD 855 edition is likely to be called F2 Pro and the SD730 just F2. And the prices will be astonishing! Tech Auntyji (@techauntyji) May 29, 2019 To further complicate things Xiaomi just teased the arrival of a new member to the Mi 9 family with a pop-up selfie camera, much like the K20 and K20 Pro. It could very well be the Mi 9T and Mi 9T Pro that leaked the other day from a Polish source. K, I or T...Which letter would you choose for the newest member of our Mi9 family? why? #PopUpInStyle pic.twitter.com/Ks5xokWrUG Xiaomi #5GIsHere (@Xiaomi) May 29, 2019 To sum things up, while in their original launch the K20 and K20 Pro were Redmi phones, they will carry Xiaomi's brand and in others, and be branded Pocophone/Poco elsewhere. It remains to be seen which markets will get which versions. One thing is for sure, though, the hardware will be the same and the price tag will be tempting. T-Mobile has already been testing its own 5G network before its officially launches its initial markets. Currently, T-Mobile doesnt sell any 5G-compatible handsets, but one Twitter user @Milanmilanovic has been able to pick up 5G signal in many parts of the island of Manhattan. According to a previous tweet of his, Milan attempted to pick up 5G signal using an unlocked Verizon Galaxy S10 5G. It was only yesterday that Milan was able to get a signal and pull speed tests over T-Mobiles 5G network. We now know that T-Mobile might plan to launch New York City as one of the first markets for 5G. The user also posted a speed test which pulled 495Mbps down, and although it wasnt in the video, he claimed 60Mbps upload speeds in another tweet reply. It isnt immediately clear which range of spectrum the S10 was able to connect to, but the owner thinks it might be a 100Mhz range in the 28GHz band which has theoretical download speeds of 500Mbps. T-Mobile has not yet revealed its launch timeframe for 5G, but considering the network is being tested in a market as dense as New York City, the carrier might be close to revealing its plans for 5G and the markets that will be available at launch which we expect NYC will be a part of. Although this phone was spotted on the 28GHz spectrum, T-Mobile plans to use a 600MHz band that it is currently using for Ultra-low band LTE to eventually launch 5G with. After all, T-Mobile did spend a lot of money on the spectrum. The carrier hopes to combine this with Sprints 2.5GHz spectrum to roll out a nationwide low-band 5G network. The carrier only plans to use the much higher frequency bands in more dense populations such as New York City, but the lower bands are what will really blanket 5G coverage across the US. Bring it on, T-Mobile! Via Twitter Haiti - Politic : 2 months later... the European Union worries The Delegation of the European Union in Haiti expresses its concerns about the general situation of the country which, faced with major and urgent challenges, has been waiting for nearly two months pending the ratification of a new government. On the economic front, the gourde continues to down, poverty worsens and investment is at a standstill. On the political front, strong tensions have provoked serious social unrest as well as a serious deterioration of security and the situation of human rights; Moreover, these tensions pose uncertainties about the holding of the legislative elections scheduled for next October. In this context, the Delegation of the European Union reminds all the actors of the urgency of holding an honest and inclusive inter-Haitian dialogue, without preconditions, with a view to achieving a unifying national project. Integrating the political and economic sectors as well as civil society, this dialogue should lead to a consensus as soon as possible on the reforms to be undertaken to strengthen institutions, improve public financial management and stimulate investment for the purpose to better meet the basic needs of the population. The establishment of a new government should provide an opportunity to accelerate the implementation of reforms in accordance with the commitments made by the Haitian State and to continue the actions in terms of accountability, facilitating the completion of ongoing legal procedures in Haiti. It is also urgent to ensure a full investigation of human rights violations, including the events in La Saline, and to ensure the protection of citizens and human rights defenders. In this context, the government can count on the support offered by the EU as well as by other actors in the international community. The dialogue process should also create the conditions conducive to the completion of parliamentary elections, in accordance with the timetable provided for in the Constitution, thus avoiding an institutional vacuum, while allowing citizens to express their views on the future of the country in a democratic way. The holding of a fair, open and transparent electoral process is based in particular on the adoption of the draft electoral law prepared by the Provisional Electoral Council, the allocation of a new mandate to this Council, the adoption of the necessary budgets for the organization of elections, the updating of electoral rolls and the issue of new identity cards. S/ HaitiLibre Germany was so willing to take in such a large population of refugees many other European countries refused and objected to taking in any refugees, she said. I think that the humanity that was portrayed through the leadership of Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, made me interested in the role of Germany as an international power, but also their politics within the state. Haiti - Security : 15 underage girls raped According to figures provided yesterday Tuesday, by Garry Desrosiers, deputy spokesman of the National Police of Haiti (PNH), at a press conference, 22 women and girls including 15 underage were victims of rape in 2 months, from Wednesday, March 20 to Tuesday, May 28, 2019, in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince, about ten arrests were made for cases of rape. He invites victims to lodge a complaint against those involved in rape cases. Also for this period, 10 firearms were seized; 4 police officers were killed while 5 others were wounded by bullets; there were 8 cases of stoning deaths, 6 corpses discovered , 13 presumed bandits mortally wounded and 30 others wounded by bullets were also recorded. 507 people were arrested, 472 of them were brought before a court in cases of attempted assassinations, assassinations, rapes of minors, attempted rapes of minors and robbery, among others... 6 others were transferred to the Central Directorate of Judicial Police (DCPJ) and 3 to the civil prison of Port-au-Prince. However, the number of reported rapes represents only a minority of victims, according to statements by Pascale Solages, a feminist activist on a radio in the capital, "at least 10 rapes are committed every day in Haiti". HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... Ti Hougan hands over his weapons "Ti Hougan", gang leader of the Boston neighborhood, officially handed over a batch of 8 firearms to the National Commission of Disarmament, Dismantlement and Reinsertion (CNDDR). The ceremony took place on Tuesday in Immaculate Conception Square, in the presence of police and judicial authorities, as well as notables from the largest slum in the country. CFI at Apparel Textile Sourcing In order to promote Haiti as a destination of choice for investment in the Textile sector, the Investment Facilitation Center (CFI) is taking part from 28 to 31 May 2019 to the Apparel Textile Sourcing in Miami, USA. This trade show attracts international apparel, textile and fashion manufacturers to the United States to meet buyers, sourcing professionals, designers, importers, distributors and business leaders of large and small brands. Haiti at the Conference of Latin America and the Caribbean Haiti participate in the Conference of Latin America and the Caribbean, which takes place in Berlin on May 28 and 29, 2019. This event brings together more than twenty Foreign Ministers of the Region, on the initiative of Heiko Maass, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs. 4th edition of Cinecolo-Haiti Festival The 4th edition of the Cinecolo-Haiti Festival, the international environmental film festival will take place from 1st to 8th June 2019 under the theme "A territory project for sustainable living environments", on the program : hiking, projections / exchanges , conferences / debates, school events. The program on : https://www.facebook.com/cincelohaiti7 Japanese Ambassador visits Barbancourt On May 24th, Japan's Ambassador to Haiti, Mr. Mizuno paid a visit to the Barbancourt Distillery. He discovered the history of the Barbancourt Rhum Company's foundation, their manufacturing method and their corporate policy. The rums of Barbancourt are also appreciated in Japan where there are many connoisseurs of brandy. The .ht domain in numbers - 4 local providers - More than 200 international providers - 3,000 registered domain names - 2,206 .ht domain names - 421 .com.ht domain names - 241 .gouv.ht domain names - 102 .edu.ht domain names - 6 .perso.ht domain names HL/ HaitiLibre Published on 2019/05/29 | Source Director Bong Joon-ho (far left) poses for a photo with the cast of his film "Parasite" at a press preview in Seoul on Tuesday. Advertisement Bong Joon-ho's Palme d'Or winning film "Parasite" premiered in Korea on Tuesday. Along with Bong, the stellar cast including Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Choi Wooshik, Park So-dam and Jang Hye-jin attended a press preview at a theater in Yongsan, Seoul. But Bong said winning the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival last week "is already history to me". Instead, he said he wants to hear what viewers have to say about the film and added, "I am going to go to cinemas in a little disguise whenever I have some spare time to see what audiences really think of the film". Six screens with a total seating capacity of 1,200 were reserved for the preview but there was hardly an empty seat. The fable-like comedy revolves around two families whose lives become intertwined when the son from a poor family scams his way into a tutoring job in a wealthy family. Bong explained he departed from a thought to "create a film dealing with the bipolarization of the rich and the poor through lives of a family, a basic unit as a microcosm of the larger society". "The film is also about human dignity, which allows people a space to dream of co-existence instead of being forced to live off others", he added. Some of his fans may be disappointed as "Parasite", unlike his previous works, lacks the symbolic depth that allow for multiple interpretations, opting instead to have characters explicitly deliver the film's key messages. But others may prefer being able to concentrate on the story's twists and turns without having to look out for hidden clues. The New York Times on Monday mentioned "Parasite" as a possible Academy Award contender. "No Korean film has been nominated for the international Oscar before, but "Parasite" is so strong it could even blow past that category to factor into directing and screenplay races if upstart distributor Neon plays its cards right", it wrote. The film goes on general release on Thursday. Published on 2019/05/28 | Source Actors Song Joong-ki, Jang Dong-gun, Kim Ok-vin and Kim Ji-won were at the premiere of the tvN drama "Arthdal Chronicles" on the 28th. Advertisement "Arthdal Chronicles" is the story of heroes who write up their own different legends. It begins on the 1st of June. The battle of the century! Let's start with Kim Ok-vin (left) and Kim Ji-won~ Holding hands nicely~ When the posing by the two actresses finishes in laughter They don't let go of their hands even when they're going in Song Joong-ki (left) and Jang Dong-gun come in holding hands This is what couple posing is all about~ That's not all~ Charismatic stare pose~ One more! Couple hearts~ and this is the end of the battle...but wait! 'We can't be beat!' Kim Ok-vin and Kim Ji-won pose from under the stage And another couple here! Song Joong-ki and Kim Ok-vin's status difference pose from "Arthdal Chronicles" 'Come on up if you want to meet me!' ___________ "Arthdal Chronicles" is directed by Kim Won-seok, written by Kim Yeong-hyeon, Park Sang-yeon, and features Song Joong-ki, Jang Dong-gun, Kim Ji-won, Kim Ok-vin, Kim Eui-sung, Jo Sung-ha. Broadcasting information in Korea: 2019/06/01~Upcoming, Sat, Sun 21:00 on tvN. The council voted 11-2 Tuesday to retain Matt Welch, of Palos Heights-based Montana and Welch, to serve as legislative counsel. Welch will be available to advise aldermen on matters relating to their legislative duties including the validity of actions taken by the city, according to an ordinance the council approved. New interactive website to make it easier for communities to find state funding opportunities Montana's lieutenant governor announced today he will be coming to Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation in June as part of his second tour in the Main Street Montana Rural Partners Project. "Engaging our tribal communities and working to understand the unique economic challenges they face is critical to ensuring all Montanans have the same opportunities," Lt. Gov. Cooney said in a press release today. "I'm looking forward to hearing from leaders on how we can highlight each community's strengths and support efforts to increase access to education and a good job, promote and grow local businesses, and identify innovative ways to grow the economy." Cooney also announced in the release the relaunch of the Main Street Montana website, http://mainstreetmontanaproject.com/, which includes outcomes of the first tour of the Rural Partners Project. "It will also be a place for communities to share their success stories with similar communities and will hold a state funding tool kit to make it easier for communities to find state funding opportunities," the release said. Gov. Steve Bullock launched the Main Street Montana Project in 2013, inviting public and private sectors to join in partnership to implement a business plan for Montana by Montanans and provide direction for Montana's economic future. Bullock commissioned the project to present recommendations on how he could implement policies to support a bottom-to-top system where local communities attract businesses and create jobs. One stop in the first year of implementing the project was on Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, where state and economic development representatives discussed issues facing economic development in Indian Country. Main Street Montana - Rural Partners Project held roundtable meetings last fall with community leaders and stakeholders in Troy, Choteau, Glendive, Lincoln, Harlowton and Glasgow. Cooney and Rural Partners Project Chair Lance Trebesch, CEO of Ticketprinting.com, along with state agency representatives visited the communities to discuss challenges and opportunities in each community. Over the next two months, Cooney will hold roundtables on the state's Native American reservations to identify ways the Rural Partners Project can assist with current and ongoing efforts: The roundtables are scheduled as: Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe, May 30 Blackfeet Tribe, June 4 Fort Peck Tribe, June 5 Crow Tribe, June 6 Northern Cheyenne Tribe, June 6 Fort Belknap Tribe, June 13 Chippewa Cree Tribe, June 14 Little Shell Tribe, July 9 The Rural Partners Project focuses on empowering small towns in Montana to get ahead, support their efforts to make their communities vibrant and ensure economic opportunities can be found throughout the state. Projects include: Creating a roadmap for the future of broadband connectivity in Troy with Deloitte Consulting and Montana Telecommunications Association; Connecting Lincoln with resources to develop an in-town trail system with Montana State University Western Transportation Institute and Lewis and Clark County; Identifying next steps for updating infrastructure in Choteau and preparing the community for improvements to their main street; Connecting Glasgow with workforce and job training resources through Dawson Community College; and Founding of a C3 group in Glendive which has identified common priorities for the community and meets regularly to move the community toward a unified effort. From the Office of Rep. Greg Gianforte WASHINGTON Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Mont., and Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., said Friday that U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced that it backed off of its initial proposal to cut hours of operation at four Montana ports of entry, although three ports still will have reduced summer hours. CBPs initial heavy-handed approach ignored Montanans and produced a wrongheaded proposal. Working together, we brought them to the table and had them listen to Montanans describe the harm CBPs proposed cuts would cause, Gianforte said. CBP changed its course, maintaining around-the-clock service at the Raymond port and reducing cuts in service to others. Ill continue working with folks along the Hi-Line to hold CBP accountable and to improve operations at our Montana ports. Im glad to see CBP listen to the concerns of our local communities and reverse their decision to change the hours of the ports of entry, Daines said. Ill continue working with CBP and the local communities to find solutions that dont harm Montanas rural economy. CBP officials released a plan Feb. 28 to cut hours of service at four Montana ports of entry, effective April 14. The hours at the Port of Raymond, north of Raymond, were 24 hours a day. At the Port of Opheim the hours were 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sept. 15 to May 31 and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. June 1 to Sept. 14. The hours at the Port of Scobey were 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sept. 15 to May 31 and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. June 1 to Sept. 14. The hours at the Port of Morgan north of Malta were 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sept. 15 to May 31 and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., June 1 to Sept. 14. The hours at each port matched the hours of the Canadian ports on the other side of the border. The proposed changes were to make Port of Raymond to 8 a.m. to midnight, 18 hours per day Port of Morgan to 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. year-round, nine hours per day Port of Opheim to 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. year-round, nine hours per day Port of Scobey to 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. year-round, ten hours per day Canadian officials at the time said Canada Border Services Agency had no plans to change hours of operations for the Canadian ports. CPB, which had announced in 2015 it was reducing hours at Port of Raymond then reversed itself in 2016 after opposition including from Daines and Sen. Jon Tester, cut the hours at Raymond this year temporarily. After again receiving opposition, including from Daines, Gianforte and Tester and Montana residents, it temporarily reversed that decision pending more public meetings. Testers office announced Thursday that Raymond was staying open 24-hours-a-day, and Daines and Gianforte announced Friday the schedule for all four ports, saying CBP officials announced Thursday the agencys revised plan, effective June 1. Along with maintaining the 24-hour-a-day schedule at Raymond, the plans include Morgan and Opheim having one-hour longer schedules in the winter but Morgan, Opheim and Scobey having reduced hours in the summer, with all three open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. year-round. CBP also affirmed it will remain flexible with communities having special events and will continue to have processes to allow for emergency vehicle crossing, Daines and Gianforte said. Havre Daily News staff contributed to this report. Montana's governor and all three members of its congressional delegation are on the same page about a Trump administration plan to close a Job Corps Center in Anaconda. Letters were sent Friday by Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Sen. Steve Dains, R-Mont., and Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Mont., and Monday by Gov. Steve Bullock, decrying the announcement by the U.S. Department of Labor and U.S. Department of Agriculture Friday that Job Corps will move from the U.S. Forest Service to the Department of Labor, and nine Civilian Conservation Centers including in Anaconda will be closed. "I write to express my strong objections to your irresponsible plans to close successful Job Corps centers," Tester wrote in his letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and Labor Secretary R. Alexander Acosta. "Make no mistake, this decision will lead to an immediate loss of jobs in rural American and undermine economic development in communities like Anaconda moving forward. "The fact that you are announcing this on a Friday before a holiday weekend is even more offensive," Tester added. "I will be working with anyone that will stand up against this decision in hopes of changing your mind." The announcement from the Department of Labor says the action will create "an opportunity to serve a greater number of students at higher-performing centers at a lower cost to taxpayers by modernizing and reforming part of the Job Corps program." "Focusing on the best possible outcome for students now and in the future, the Department will increase student access to Job Corps centers with the highest sustained student performance outcomes," it concludes. "The Department will continue to ensure student access to the program through a commitment to maintain at least one Job Corps center in each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico." The Job Corps website says the program, created in 1964 during the administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson, is a no-cost education and vocational training program administered that helps young people ages 16-24 "improve the quality of their lives by empowering them to get great jobs and become independent." "Job Corps helps young people from disadvantaged backgrounds complete their high school education and trains them for meaningful careers so they can get a good start in the working world," it continues, adding that Job Corps serves about 60,000 youths a year through 123 Job Corps centers throughout the country. In their letter to Secretary Acosta, Daines and Gianforte say they appreciate the "effort to better align CCC's organization structure with DOL's mission, but have concerns about the closure of the Anaconda CCC. ... I urge you to maintain Anaconda CCC's operating status or provide suitable and equivalent alternatives for the students currently served by the Anaconda CCC." Daines and Gianforte wrote that they also have concerns bout the decision to transition CCCs to new contract operators. "While the need to ensure CCCs operate as efficiently as possible is important, it is critical that such a transition does not impede the effectiveness or capacity of impacted sites. They continued that the centers provide valuable skills and training. "This training is even more important as demand for skilled employees in construction, manufacturing, and many other trades is increasing substantially," they continue. " ... I request that you reverse the decision and keep the Anaconda CCC open." In his letter to Acosta and Purdue, Bullock also asked them to reconsider their decision about the Anaconda center and also expressed concerns about the plan to transition to new contract operators at the Trapper Creek center in Darby. He writes that the Anaconda center trains an average of 170 people a year in high-demand areas, providing a source of employees for local employers in manufacturing, heavy equipment operation, diesel mechanics, welding, and other trades. He adds that it also provides workers for Montana's firefighting efforts, and is a major economic driver in Anaconda, as well, and acts as a community partner, with students assisting with snow removal and maintenance and repair projects. Steve Daines "Although this rural training center may not have as many graduates as those located in more urban areas, the workers trained through the Anaconda Job Corps Center do not have other private training programs available, making this center the only source of training for both workers and local businesses," Bullock wrote. "Closing this center will lead to immediate job loss for the workers, but also will have negative impacts on our state's resiliency to fires and other disasters, economic development and private enterprise in our state." Tester also cites work the students do in surrounding communities and in providing resources to USDA and the U.S. Forest Service as well as studying in fields like welding, heavy construction, painting, bricklaying and carpentry. The program provides workers for a variety of businesses in different fields - including a student who finished the welding program getting a job with a state-of-the-art aerospace manufacturer. "It is unbelievable you would claim to support economic development in a rural state like Montana while closing down this facility, which has a proven track record of success," he wrote. USDA reminds producers of approaching marketing assistance loan deadlines From Montana FSA Producers have until May 31 to apply for crop year 2018 marketing assistance loans for feed grains, upland cotton, soybeans and minor oilseeds. These marketing assistance loans are considered nonrecourse, meaning they can either be redeemed by repaying the loan or delivering the pledged collateral i.e., the crop at loan maturity to the Commodity Credit Corporation as full payment. In circumstances where the county commodity price falls below the county loan rate, producers may repay loans at less than loan rate principal plus accrued interest and other charges, therefore, receiving a market loan gain. Alternatively, producers who are eligible for marketing loans are also eligible for Loan Deficiency Payments should the county price fall below the county loan rate. The 2018 Farm Bill simplified market loan gains and LDP provisions by removing payment limitations, actively engaged in farming provisions and cash-tenant rules; however, adjusted gross income rules still apply. Producers must have title, possession and control of the commodity and be responsible for loss of or damage to the commodity to be eligible for commodity loans and LDPs. All application forms must be completed at the local FSA office prior to loss of beneficial interest. Other eligibility requirements may apply. Producers can see their daily LDP rates online at http://fsa.usda.gov/. To apply for a loan, people can contact their local FSA office, location available at http://farmers.gov/. Additional information is available at fsa.usda.gov/pricesupport. Timely filing an NAP notice of loss Timely filing a Notice of Loss is required for all crops including grasses. For losses on crops covered by the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program, producers must timely report damage or loss to their administrative county office. For all low yield and value-loss crop claims, a CCC-576 Part B Notice of Loss must be filed within 15 calendar days of earlier of the date disaster occurs or becomes apparent or the normal harvest date. However, all producers should be aware that deadlines to provide initial notice to FSA do now vary by method of harvest and crop. Crops that are hand-harvested or other crops determined by FSA to deteriorate quickly and therefore need prompt appraisal must notify FSA within 72 hours of the date of damage or loss first becomes apparent. This initial notice may be by the filing of the CCC-576 Part B, email, fax, or a phone call. When initial notice is by email, fax, or phone, County Offices will provide a Receipt for Service with additional requirements. A CCC-576 Notice of Loss will still be required within 15 calendar days of earlier of date of occurrence/appearance of damage or harvest date. Other crops, such as forages and grains, continue to have the 15 day requirement to file a required CCC-576, Notice of Loss, to report failed acreage and prevented planting and may be completed by any producer with an interest in the crop. This Notice of Loss must be filed within 15 calendar days of the earlier of date of occurrence/appearance of damage or harvest date. If filing for prevented planting, an acreage report and CCC-576 Part B must be filed within 15 calendar days of the final planting date for the crop. Further, to receive NAP assistance for claimed losses producers must timely file an Application for Payment on CCC-576 Parts D through H along with all required production records. Each producer on the unit must file their own application for payment. The deadline to apply for payment is 60 calendar days after the end of coverage for the crop year on the unit. There are no late-file provisions for NAP Applications for Payment. Montana FSA program dates and deadlines May 15 to July 15: Montana Primary Nesting Period May 31: Final day to certify 2018 production for the Market Facilitation Program for producers of corn, cotton, sorghum, soybeans, wheat, dairy, hogs, fresh sweet cherries and shelled almonds, extended. May 31: Final availability date for Loans and LDPs for corn, dry peas, grain sorghum, lentils, mustard seed, rice, safflower seed, chickpeas, soybeans and sunflower seed June 3: Continuous Conservation Reserve Program Enrollment Reopens June 14 to Aug. 1: Nomination Period for 2019 FSA County Committee Elections July 15: 2019 Acreage/Crop Reporting Deadline for spring seeded alfalfa seed, forage seeding, CRP, perennial forage not covered under NAP, and all other crops not required to be reported by a previous reporting date. Producers should note that this is the final date that FSA can accept late-filed 2018 reports for these crops. July 15: Deadline to submit 2018 Individual Agriculture Risk Coverage Production Sheets, CCC-863. July 16 to Sept. 13: 2019 CRP Summer/Fall Managed Harvesting Period, prior approval required. Aug. 1: Deadline to request a farm reconstitution for 2019 Sept. 1: 2020 NAP Application for Coverage Deadline for Value-Loss Crops such as nursery, christmas trees, grass sod, ginseng, aquaculture, floriculture, root stock sets and mushrooms Sept. 30: 2020 NAP Application for Coverage Deadline for annual fall-seeded crops, perennial forage and grazing, mixed forage crops, including spring seeded annual types of mixed forage, rye, speltz, triticale, wheat and garlic. The Chippewa Cree Criminal Investigation Department at Rocky Boys Indian Reservation has new supervision, with Project War Shield Program Director Gary LaMere Jr. taking over as head of the department. My main mission for criminal investigations is going to be the main mission Ive carried out throughout my career, he said. Project War Shield started about three years ago with a discussion between Chippewa Cree Business Committee members about the growing drug problem on the reservation. That discussion led to the Business Committee passing a resolution creating Project War Shield to coordinate tribal investigations on drug issues with the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Montana. LaMere was hired in December to head the program. In the last week of April, the Business Committee put the War Shield Program over the entire Criminal Investigation Department, to work on all federal crime investigations with LaMere the supervisor of the department, he said. LaMere, who was raised on Rocky Boys and Fort Belknap Indian reservations, has 21 years of law enforcement experience. He started with the Fort Belknap Police Department, where he worked for 17 years as a special agent investigating major crimes that took place on the reservation. Then he worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, was a special agent in Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, the Crow Agency and was a chief of police in New Mexico. LaMere also was the regional agent in charge of the BIA division for drug enforcement. In that time he specialized in child abuse investigations, sexual assault investigations and homicides, he said. He said that the Criminal Investigation Department will focus on cases of child abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence, homicides, missing or murdered indigenous people, human trafficking and a number of other violent or federal crimes including drug offenses. He added that the department will also begin investigating white collar crimes, such as fraud. I have my goals. I have my mission, he said. The mission is to make sure every allegation of a federal felony gets investigated, tracked and prosecuted, he said. He added that he also wants to assure victims rights and assistance to crime victims, and push federal drug cases to federal court. Its pretty much what the basis of my career has been, he said, stressing providing assistance. Get justice for those victims of violent crimes. He said that bringing federal drug crimes to court may help in lowering the occurrence of violent crimes. Ive seen it before, in being a chief of police in a community, that violent crime rate will drop, he added. The Criminal Investigation Department will be working closely with the tribal justice system, so all the departments are on the same page, as well as working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, LaMere said. He added that the reservation has a good working relationship with the FBI and he is a big supporter of maintaining the working relationship and full cooperation. This month, Gov. Steve Bullock signed into law House Bill 21, known as Hannas Act, to help efforts to find missing persons, and LaMere said that the department will be utilizing the resources provided in this bill to address missing and murdered indigenous people. Missing and murdered indigenous people is a nationwide crisis, and he wants to create a team of people who will be assigned to address any report of missing persons immediately, he said. He added that missing persons occasionally overlap with the issue of human trafficking, although that is not always the case. Human trafficking is still a serious problem in the state, LaMere said, and a number of people in the state government are focused on the issue. He added that Hannas Act will have the state Department of Justice hiring a person this year whose main focus will be coordinating efforts to address the issue. On a local side, LaMere said he will pay specific attention to training investigators on these violent crimes. He said that he will be seeking out training in both the region and nation to send investigators to. Investigators will be trained in cases such as child abuse and homicide, he said. The training involves crime scene investigations, autopsies, interviews of suspects and everything concerning these crimes. Theyre going to be doing a little bit of traveling this next year, he said, adding that the investigators will be leaving for one training course within the next couple of weeks. He said that he has requested $1,000 to find proper training for the investigators. Since he has stepped into the position of supervisory lead for the Criminal Investigation Department, he has been reviewing the past criminal investigations unit, performing inspections, inventory, case files and previous cases. LaMere said. After he has completed his review, he will write up a report to give to his supervisors to address the needs of the department. Just reviewing everything from the top down with the program, he said, LaMere said that after reviewing the whole program he will also make some recommendations. He said he foresees some changes. What Im really looking at is whats working and whats not working when it comes to the program, he said. The department has two investigators, he said. He said he has talked with Chippewa Cree Police Department about bringing in someone local who is interested in investigations to train up to be an investigator, as well as working on the patrol side. I would love to see somebody thats young and ambitious and wants to be an investigator, and I would love to give them the training to do that, he said. You have to want it. Its a very tough job. Pauline "Polly" Albertson, 67 years young, with her family by her side, went to her heavenly home May 24, 2019, after a five-year battle of cancer. A celebration of Polly's life will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, May 31, 2019, at St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church with Father Dan Wathen officiating. Polly's family has suggested memorial donations be made in her name to the Hi-Line Sletten Cancer Institute, the Friends of Beaver Creek Park, or the charity of the donor's choice. Holland & Bonine Funeral Home has been entrusted with services and arrangements. Please visit Polly's online memorial page and leave a message of condolence for her family at http://www.hollandbonine.com. Polly was born on December 7, 1951, to H. Gilman "Slim" and Katherine Marie (Meyer) Braley, and raised in Havre, Montana. In 1970, Polly graduated as the first and largest class of the established Havre High School. Cruising the drag, she met her first husband, Robert Duane Dawson, and the couple married on August 22,1970. Polly and Duane were blessed with a boy, Scott Duane Dawson, on December 28, 1971. Duane passed away in an accident November 30, 1975. When Polly was cruising the drag meeting her first husband, in the back seat hunkered down, was her second husband. Polly and Kennith "Butch" Albertson married July 15, 1978. Their union brought together Scott and Ryan Sheldon Albertson as brothers. Their son, James Eugene Albertson, was born June 24, 1984. Her first job started in high school at the Lutheran Home of the Good Shepherd followed by many others including Garrahan's Greenhouse, Mel's Grocery, Ben Franklin's Crafts, with Polly retiring from the Northern Montana Hospital in October of 2015. As a child, Polly and her family camped in the Beaver Creek Park and Echo Lake. Her love of camping continued with Butch, camping with the Pagers and many other friends. She belonged to a birthday club, and anybody that gnomed Polly, she was the Gnomes biggest fan. Pauline Albertson Polly's kindness and sarcasm touched many lives. Her love was very evident as she put family first. Her experience at the nursing home helped diagnose Ryan's diabetes. Her second love was crafting. She and her mom would craft and craft in her mom's basement, selling their wares at craft shows. Whatever craft there was, she did it. She designed and created beautiful creations with her talents of stamping and permanent botanicals for her sons' weddings and many other weddings, sewed Halloween costumes and patches, and knitting/crocheting, all were her strong suits. Her wish for a girl came true with her first grandchild, Savannah, followed by eight more granddaughters with a grandson born last summer. She absolutely loved teaching them all how to be kids and stay kids as long as they can. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Duane, her parents, and brother, James G. Braley. Polly is survived by her husband, Butch, of 40 years and 10 months; children, Scott (Serena), Ryan (Cassie), and Jimmy (Stephanie); grandchildren Savannah, Sophia and Selah Dawson, Zoey and Adalyn Albertson, and Kathryn, Makena, Penny, Teddi and Jeremiah Albertson; sister, Mary Ann (Jack) Gamble; brother-in-law Brett (Julie) Albertson; and sister-in-law Mardy Robinson. THE new leader of the Conservative Party will be judged on more than just the way they handle Brexit, says John Howell. The Henley MP said that while the debate over Britains withdrawal from the EU was dominating the news headlines, the next Prime Minister would need to demonstrate they could deal with other issues, such as education, housing and healthcare. He said he had a candidate in mind to support in the race to replace Theresa May, who announced last week that she will step down next Friday, but would not say who. The favourite to win is Boris Johnson, his predecessor as Henley MP. Its too early, said Mr Howell. I have a number of different candidates in mind and at the moment Im talking to them to try to get their opinion, not just on Brexit but on a whole load of other issues too. Brexit is certainly the flavour of the month from the Presss point of view but Ive spoken in Parliament over 200 times in the last year and only six or seven of those were on Brexit. The things Ive spoken about are things that actually matter to people, things like housing, the NHS, schooling and social care. Those are the things people want us to get to grips with. Mr Howell praised Mrs May, who announced her resignation in an emotional speech outside 10 Downing Street on Friday but plans to stay on as MP for the neighbouring constituency of Maidenhead. He said: I thought the way she resigned showed the dignity she has in this job and even the most implacable opponents were impressed by that. Its very sad that it has come to this stage and that the end of her premiership is being conducted in this way. Everyone wishes there had been a way forward to keep her in the job and to help her achieve the things she set out to achieve. Mr Howell admitted that the ongoing uncertainty over Brexit was the main factor in the Conservatives poor showing in last weeks European elections. The party lost out to the Liberal Democrats and newly-formed Brexit Party in the South-East, reflecting the national trend. The Liberal Democrats received the highest share of the vote in South Oxfordshire, Reading and Wokingham followed by the Brexit Party. The Conservatives and Labour both saw big losses, with their share of the vote down by up to 26 per cent. Mr Howell said: It was down entirely to Brexit and the Government vow to deliver Brexit, which proved impossible due to the obstinacy of some members of the Conservative Party. I dont think its particularly helpful for people to try to add up the percentages that the individual parties got in order to say remain or leave won. I dont think thats a very helpful way of going about it. Mr Howell described Labours decision to expel its former communications chief Alastair Campbell after he voted for the Lib-Dems as ridiculous. Last week, former Conservative deputy prime minister and Henley MP Lord Michael Heseltine had the Tory whip suspended after saying he would be voting Lib-Dem at the election. Mr Howell said: I think people need to calm down. Both major parties have had rebels who are still members of that party. We should just be getting on with things. Matt Rodda, Labour MP for Reading East, said: Im very pleased that weve managed to retain our MEP for the South-East, John Howarth. We campaigned very hard to secure his re-election. Im disappointed by the result overall. Its important that we listen now to what the public says and Jeremy [Corbyn] has made clear hes doing that, as are local colleagues. Locally, Ive had lots of people saying they support Labour but want more clarity on Europe. People were pleased that I voted twice for a second referendum and also to revoke Article 50 as an emergency measure if we get close to the deadline with no deal. This year-long internship is the Future Leaders of Chicago Program. Biba and Perez will be among 30 high school juniors who will spend a week at the University of Chicago this summer where they will reside in the dorms, meet mentors and participate in various field experiences. Then, once a month they will join their cohort in different leadership workshop experiences throughout the city. One of the biggest adventure playgrounds in Ireland has been forced to remove two trampolines from its premises after its insurance was hiked by 25,000. Fort Lucan Outdoor Adventureland in Dublin announced to customers it had "no choice" but to permanently remove its trampolines due to the insurance crisis. Gillian Martin-Smith, manager of Fort Lucan, said the company's premium has doubled to more than 50,000 since 2015. Supervised Ms Martin-Smith said they were told they would have to pay an extra 25,000 on top of that to insure the two trampolines. She said if the Government doesn't move to address insurance costs they are "going to close down the entire country". "Basically, there were two trampolines built into the ground. People were always supervised, no adults were allowed on, children couldn't do somersaults or anything remotely dangerous and yet the insurance was hiked," she said. "We've had no claims in the last 15 years. They were the safest trampolines in the country. "I assume someone must have had an accident on a trampoline somewhere but there is no transparency from insurance companies. We are just given this magic number." Fort Lucan has welcomed generations of children for nearly 25 years to its adventure park and customers were up in arms about the news. "They talk about obesity levels rising and then they're making it impossible for kids to go anywhere to have physical fun because of insurance. Kids want to be outside having fun, the same way we all did when were young," said Ms Martin-Smith. "If insurance keeps doubling year on year, every business is going to be closed. "We're building a fantastic new attraction in its place. It's going to be fabulous. We're adamant we're not going anywhere and we're going to put a slide there in the meantime for this summer. Threatened "It's terrible not knowing year on year what your insurance is going to be. "It should be like paying an electricity bill - it should be factored into your business, not be putting you at risk of going out of it." Fort Lucan is a member of Play Activity and Leisure Ireland, which has been campaigning for reduced insurance costs. More than 61 play centres have been threatened with closure this year alone. Two play centres, in Dublin and Co Carlow, were forced to close earlier this year after their insurance costs soared by 300pc, resulting in the loss of dozens of jobs. Gardai at the abandoned home where the body of Ana Kriegel was found A boy told Garda interviewers that his co-accused told him he was planning to kill schoolgirl Ana Kriegel but he didn't think he was being serious, a trial has heard. Boy B said Boy A had approached him the month previously and said to him "hey, wanna kill somebody?". Boy B told gardai he said "no", and told Boy A it was "retarded". Boy B also said his friend was wearing a "zombie mask" when he assaulted Ana. Asked why he didn't say anything to gardai when they called to his house investigating Ana's disappearance, Boy B said he had been "scared". He also said he was afraid of "being framed by [Boy A]" and he was "ashamed" as he had run away and not helped Ana. The accused, who were 13 years old at the time, have pleaded not guilty before the Central Criminal Court to murdering Ana Kriegel at Glenwood House, Laraghcon, Clonee Road in Lucan on May 14 last year. Footage Boy A has also denied a charge of aggravated sexual assault. Yesterday, the jury finished watching video footage of interviews which gardai conducted with Boy B after he was arrested for a second time on suspicion of the murder of Ana. The interviews took place at Lucan Garda Station on July 7, 2018. Present during interviews seven and eight were Boy B, his mother, his solicitor Barry Powderly and Detective Garda Donal Daly and Detective Sergeant (now Inspector) Damien Gannon. Boy B told gardai other friends told him that Boy A had said he was going to kill someone, but he didn't think he was serious. Boy B said Boy A had also approached him the previous month and said to him "hey, wanna kill somebody?". Boy B said he told him "no", and that it was "retarded". Boy B said he had asked Boy A who he was planning to kill and he [Boy A] told him Ana Kriegel. Boy B said he replied: "In your dreams." Boy B told gardai he thought Boy A was messing, and he knew he wasn't being serious. This was because he and his friends "joke around all the time" and never mean stuff, he said. Boy B said that when Boy A asked him to call for Ana on May 14 he [Boy A] told him it was relationship issues. Friendly Gda Daly put it to Boy B that he had to tell the truth. "I didn't know what Boy A was planning", Boy B said. He said he just thought it was a friendly request to bring Ana to the park. Asked why he did not go for help when he realised what was happening, Boy B said he was "scared" and "shocked". "My brain was frozen, frozen in place. I didn't know what to do," he said. Gda Daly put it to Boy B that he could have saved Ana. "I know," he said. Asked why he did not try to save her, Boy B responded: "I don't know." Boy B also told Gda Daly he was ashamed for running away and not helping Ana. Asked why he didn't say what had happened when gardai called to his home investigating Ana's disappearance, Boy B said he was "scared to tell anyone". He said he "just tried to forget about it" and tried to pretend that nothing had happened. "You made up stories," Gda Daly said. "I was scared," Boy B said. "Scared of what?" Gda Daly asked. "I was scared of being framed by [Boy A]," he said. In the final interview with gardai, Gda Daly asked Boy B to "tell me the truth". Boy B said Boy A asked him to call for Ana, citing "relationship issues". He initially refused but gave in when Boy A started "whinging". Boy B said he and Ana walked through the park to the Lucan Road, and towards the house. He said Ana and Boy A stopped near the house and he walked inside to explore, before he came back out. Boy B said Boy A and Ana then walked inside the house. He was told to leave, but he didn't want to go, though he didn't tell Boy A that. He said he then heard "shuffling" and he went and stood at the door of the room Boy A and Ana had gone into. "I stood still. I couldn't move. I couldn't do anything," Boy B said. Ran Boy B said Boy A started stripping Ana and once he got to her bra he looked up at Boy B and that was when he ran. Boy B said that he ran through the field, and as he did so he heard a "faint scream". Boy B said he didn't know why Boy A had targeted Ana, nor did he know why Boy A had decided on the abandoned house. Asked why he didn't tell anyone what he'd witnessed, Boy B said that he was "too scared to tell anyone". Asked why he didn't say anything to gardai, Boy B said he was too scared to admit he didn't help Ana and was too stupid not to realise what was going on. Boy B also said he didn't recall seeing Ana's blood. "Ana's injures were not paper cuts," Gda Daly said. "Do you expect us to believe you didn't see any blood?". Boy B answered: "From my point of view I didn't see any blood." Boy B said he did not see Boy A attack Ana. "I only saw him flip her and choke her and take off her clothes," he said. He also said he did not know how Ana's blood was found on a top he'd seen Boy A throw across the room. "I told you the truth. I told you everything I saw, everything I remember," Boy B said. Gda Daly put to it Boy B that he brought Ana to the abandoned house. "You brought the prize. You brought her. You lured her to her death, didn't you?" Gda Daly said. "No," replied Boy B. Gda Daly also told Boy B that he had ample opportunity to tell gardai what had happened yet he let "this charade play out in the park and people were out searching when you knew Ana was dead." "I didn't think [Boy A] would murder her. I didn't want to think that," Boy B said, adding that he kept thinking that it couldn't be real and Boy A wouldn't do that because "it's not like him". "Can you see why I believe you were involved in the murder of Ana?" Gda Daly asked. "Yes," said Boy B. "You're not saying anything to change my mind," Gda Daly added. "I told you the truth," Boy B said. "You've told us lie after lie after lie," Gda Daly added. "As I said before I told you the truth," Boy B repeated. Earlier, Boy B was questioned about a backpack carried by Boy A. Gardai said they found it in Boy A's home, and it contained gloves, shin pads, knee pads, a snood and a mask. Gda Daly showed a photograph of a mask to Boy B. Boy B called it the "zombie mask" because he said that's what Boy A called it. Boy B said that he had worn it previously and it was "really cool". He initially said he hadn't seen the mask on May 14 but later asked by gardai if Boy A was wearing the mask, Boy B responded: "Yes, he was wearing the mask." He added that Boy A was wearing it for the "whole incident". The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of eight men and four women. Jackson admitted in a plea agreement that he sold heroin and guns to the informant in three transactions in June 2017, according to the release. Two deals happened at Jacksons residence in Tinley Park, while a third transaction was held in a nearby forest preserve, authorities said. Margaret Keating is suing the taxi driver in the case. Photo: Collins A woman has claimed in the High Court that she was injured when a taxi collided with a Luas tram on which she was travelling. Margaret Keating (63) is suing the taxi driver, claiming that he ran a red light and caused an emergency on the Red Line. Opening the case yesterday, David McGrath SC, for Ms Keating, said his client, who was sitting at the back of the tram, hit a support bar during the accident. She claims that she suffered injuries to her neck and shoulder and was "black and blue" in her upper body following the crash. The accident happened at the junction of Stevens Hill approaching Heuston Station. Ms Keating said she had not been the same person since the accident. Switch "It was like a switch going off in my head. I am not the same person since," she told the court. Ms Keating said that after the accident she got off at the Jervis Street stop, but she was not feeling well and was helped by some people. She got on a Luas to go home but got off at St James's Hospital to attend A&E. Ms Keating, of Bluebell Road, Bluebell, Dublin, is suing taxi driver Martin Mulligan, of Leixlip, Co Kildare, over the accident on June 15, 2016. She claims that Mr Mulligan went through a red traffic light and collided with the Luas which was going through on a green light. She says that as a result of the accident she has developed a travel anxiety and now has a fear of travelling on trams and trains. Mr Mulligan denies that Ms Keating suffered injury as a result of the accident. Cross-examined by Bernard McDonagh SC, for Mr Mulligan, Ms Keating agreed that she was not standing on the Luas at the time of the accident as had been pleaded in court documents. She also agreed that she was not thrown to the floor. Referring to CCTV footage shown to the court, counsel put it to her she was not in distress as she exited the Luas after the accident. Ms Keating said she was in pain and "thought off the Luas I would never get". She said she had to sit down and was shaking when she got off the tram. Counsel put it to her that hospital X-rays showed she did not suffer any fractures. Ms Keating replied she wished she had broken a bone because that could be fixed and "I am not fixed". College She added that she had gone back to college and had got her life back before the accident. But, she said, she got off the Luas a different person. She agreed that she had settled an action in the UK in 2002 for 400,000 (453,000) over an accident that happened in 1996. The case continues. Angeline Power and Martin ORourke, who was gunned down The partner of an innocent gangland murder victim has been spared jail for trying to steal cash from a man at a city centre ATM. Angeline Power (26), whose partner Martin O'Rourke was gunned down in a case of a mistaken identity three years ago, was given a six-month suspended sentence for attempted theft. She also admitted public order offences after verbally abusing gardai who caught her smoking heroin in public. Suspending the sentence, Judge Michael Walsh said he was "disappointed" to see Power in court and although she was attending counselling to deal with the loss of her partner, she had not dealt with her drug problem and continued to re-offend. Mr O'Rourke, the father of her three children, was shot in the north inner city as part of the ongoing Kinahan-Hutch gang feud on April 14, 2016. Dublin District Court heard that on July 14 last, Power attempted to steal 50 cash from a man at an ATM at Camden Street, after he had made a withdrawal. Separately, gardai on patrol at Foster Place, Dublin 2, on November 28, 2017, saw Power smoking heroin off tinfoil in full view of the public. She failed to stop and was arrested. The next day, she was found in the same place, again openly smoking heroin. Gardai went to speak to Power at Foster Place and she became verbally abusive, shouting profanities while members of the public were present. Childcare Power had suffered from a significant drug addiction in her young life, her solicitor Kelly Breen said. Her partner was "unfortunately killed in a case of mistaken identity" in Sheriff Street three years ago, Ms Breen said. Power had attended drugs treatment but found herself using heroin again. She had since returned to live with her mother and was interested in getting training in childcare. "Parallel to all that, she continues to re-offend," Judge Walsh said. "She can't have it both ways." The judge noted what had been said about the "awful incident that happened in Sheriff Street" and added he had dealt with the accused before. "I'm disappointed to see you back again, Ms Power," he said. "The problem is, you continue to offend and I'm not convinced you have taken any steps to deal with your drug addiction." He said she had the court's sympathy and he would suspend the sentence but warned if there was any breach of her bond, she would be jailed. He suspended the sentence on condition Power keeps the peace, is of good behaviour and attends a clinic to deal with her drug addiction. Conway retrieved the gun and fired it at a kitchen wall, demanding she return his money. Instead, she took another $20 bill, which she told him was to compensate for the damage, prompting him to fire another shot at the wall, the release said BRISTOL, Va. Less than a year into the emergency medical service business, city leaders have approved buying a new ambulance. The Bristol Virginia City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved spending $133,000 toward the purchase of a 2019 Braun Chief XL ambulance, which is based on a four-wheel drive Ford chassis and running gear. It will be matched by a $132,000 grant from the Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services, making the total cost just over $265,000. The new unit will replace the citys DuraStar International ambulance that was purchased used last year for $17,000 and was placed into service last July 1. The grant covers 50% of the cost. The cost of the ambulance and a cot for the ambulance is $265,158, and grant funding will cover approximately $132,000, which leaves $133,000, City Manager Randy Eads said. All of the funds are in the fire departments current fiscal year budget. City firefighters have long responded to assist on medical calls with fire trucks, but the ambulance allowed the city to enter the transport business. To date, the single ambulance has generated more than $150,000 in revenues, Eads said. MENDOTA, Va. -- More than 70 law enforcement officers are in Mendota today searching for evidence in the shooting deaths of three women. Capt. Jamie Blevins with the Washington County Virginia Sheriff's Office said officers are searching Mendota for any evidence in the deaths of three women that police believe were murdered by James Michael Wright over an 18-day period from February to March. Investigators recovered the bodies of Elizabeth Marie Vanmeter, 22, of Elizabethton, Tennessee, and Joslyn M. Alsup, 17, Georgia earlier this month after Wright confessed to committing the murders. Blevins said that the search party will be regrouping later today near the North Fork of the Holston River to search for the body of Athina Hopson, 25, of Johnson City, Tennessee. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The ESO Board is a strong, supportive group, Bearden said. I have been fortunate to know and learn from such great leaders. I want to thank the incredible patrons of the ESO for their belief, love and affirmation of the ESO mission. BRISTOL, Va. Pet owners in need of food and supplies can now get help from the Bristol Virginia Animal Shelter. Due to the incredible generosity by the residents of our region, I am happy to announce that our pet food pantry is now open, shelter manager Deena Bouton said Tuesday. Anyone in need of dog or cat food is welcome to visit the new shelter on Shakesville Road for supplies, she added. For months, Bouton has been accepting donations for the shelter and the pantry. I plan on keeping it open, Bouton said. There may be times I get low, but I hope to help as long as I have food to donate. The shelter has received many donations recently from Virginia and Tennessee residents, and Bouton said she is allowing residents from both states to pick up needed items. My ultimate goal is to keep an owner from having to give up an animal just because they cant afford food, Bouton said. The shelters new pantry also has collars and dog beds available for pet owners. One doghouse is also currently available. The shelter is open Tuesday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The shelter, at 2215 Shakesville Road in Bristol, Virginia, can be contacted at 276-645-3714. 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. ABINGDON, Va.The National Weather Service is Morristown, Tennessee, reports several trees have fallen in Wise County, Virginia, after severe storms moved through the area. Trees were down around 4:30 p.m. in the Norton and Pound areas, according to the NWS. The NWS has issued a number of severe thunderstorm warnings in the region, including one until 5:15 p.m. for sections of Washington, Russell and Scott counties. The storm could bring strong winds and hail to areas near Lebanon, Abingdon and Glade Spring, the NWS said in an alert. Pour the champagne; Bristols homes sales and job growth are all pointing up as reports come in from the regions first quarter. Home sales and jobs often go hand in hand, and thats certainly the case here. Home sales doubled in Bristol, Virginia, over the 2018 numbers, according to the Bristol Tennessee-Virginia Association of Realtors (BTVAR). Unemployment is now at a meager 4% from 9% in 2013, and job growth from September 2017 to September 2018 significantly outpaced job losses for the region, with a net gain of roughly 1,373 jobs. Add it all up, and Bristols prospects are looking rosy. Its not just the first quarter of 2019, either; the region has actually sustained professional growth for roughly six years. Plus, the types of jobs that Bristol is attracting speak volumes, with 1,087 new jobs in administration and waste management, and an additional 515 in professional, scientific and technological services. These arent short-term positions. They represent the kinds of jobs that residents have sought after for years. This is obviously good news, so lets put these numbers in context. Cold, flu or COVID? How to tell your symptoms apart I will miss watching (students) get hooked on the music as they start to feel the passion for it. Thats by far the biggest thing I will miss, said Brhel, who spent almost half of her career at South Elgin, joining the staff in 2005 when the building first opened. Leader in organic functional materials recognised Professor Liu Bin, Head of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Faculty of Engineering, has been awarded the 2019 American Chemical Society (ACS) Nano Lectureship Award for Asia/Pacific. A leader in the field of organic functional materials, Prof Liu was selected for this prestigious award from a highly competitive field of nominees. Her innovative research focuses on the design and synthesis of organic nanomaterials and explores their applications in optoelectronic devices and biomedical research, including advances in solar cells, bioimaging, and cancer therapy. The ACS Nano Lectureship Awards honour the contributions of scientists whose work has significantly impacted the fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology. Three award recipients from around the world are honoured each year, with one awardee each from the Americas, Europe/Middle East/Africa, and Asia/Pacific. Prof Liu said, "I am deeply honoured to receive the ACS Nano Lectureship Award for Asia/Pacific. This is not only a recognition of my own research, but also reflects the excellence of the multidisciplinary materials research community at NUS. I am also grateful to the University and Singapore for their generous support of my research, and will strive to deliver even greater impact." She will be presenting an award lecture at this year's ChinaNano meeting, which will be held in Beijing, China, from 17 to 19 August. Prof Liu has an impressive list of accolades to her name, including the L'Oreal Women in Science National Fellowship in 2011 and the 2016 President's Technology Award. In 2014 she co-founded Luminicell, a NUS spin-off company that produces aggregation-induced emission dots, which are organic luminescent nanoparticles for use in medical and biological applications. Prof Liu is a Fellow of the Singapore Academy of Engineering, Asia Pacific Academy of Materials, and Royal Society of Chemistry. She serves on the editorial advisory boards of more than ten peer-reviewed chemistry and materials journals and has been named one of the world's most highly cited researchers in materials science by Thomson Reuters and Clarivate Analytics since 2014. ### This story has been published on: 2019-05-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Words of encouragement during speeches included reminders for graduates to seek help along the journey and to not be afraid to ask and speak up. While claiming victory, the tone of the president's tweet was a far cry from the refrain of "total exoneration" that has dominated his declarations. Mueller has privately vented to Barr about the attorney general's handling of the report, while Barr has publicly said he was taken aback by the special counsel's decision to neither exonerate nor incriminate the president. Under pressure to testify before Congress, Mueller did not rule it out. But he seemed to warn lawmakers that they would not be pulling more detail out of him. His report is his testimony, he said. "So beyond what I have said here today and what is contained in our written work," Mueller said, "I do not believe it is appropriate for me to speak further about the investigation or to comment on the actions of the Justice Department or Congress." Mueller's comments, one month after the public release of his report on Russian efforts to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton, appeared intended to both justify the legitimacy of his investigation against complaints by the president and to explain his decision to not reach a conclusion on whether Trump had obstructed justice in the probe. India is poised to be a global leader for change, with progress in areas like sanitation, health, renewable energy and scientific innovations. It is equally important that every citizen gets an opportunity to contribute to the economy, be happy and productive, and have a good quality of life. The stark reality of suicides in India is evident with an age standardised suicide rate of 16.3 per 100, 000 population, compared to 10.5 per 100,000 globally. We also have the highest number of suicide deaths globally. The National Crime Records Bureau records the number at 1,33,623 suicides in 2015, but there is a lot of underreporting of suicides due to social stigma, and some estimates have put the number at twice that. Suicide was the leading cause of death in India in 2016 for those aged 1539 years; 71.2% of the suicide deaths among women and 57.7% among men were in this age group. If the trends observed up to 2016 continue, the probability of India achieving the SDG suicide death rate reduction target in 2030 is zero. Despite this, the issue, which particularly affects women and young people, seems to have gone unaddressed. Four out of 10 suicides worldwide among women occur in India. Though more girls are getting educated, they continue to face barriers in terms of economic opportunities. Various factors for vulnerability to suicide include domestic violence, dowry, economic dependence and other societal factors. Additionally, alcoholism plays a significant role in suicide in India, with close to 1/3 to half of male suicides occurring under the influence of alcohol, and many wives driven to suicide by their alcoholic husbands. By 2020, India is positioned to be the youngest country in the world, with nearly half the population under 26. The loss of young lives is a loss not only to self, family but also the nations economic growth. The causes include pressures for academic excellence, career opportunities, personal relationships, generational divide and lack of communication. The first step to addressing the suicide narrative is to ensure that the deaths by suicide are recorded accurately to understand the severity of the crisis. Limiting access to the choice of suicide method is a critical intervention that can be easily introduced. The most common method of suicide is by pesticide poisoning and in a project spearheaded by SNEHA in Tamil Nadu, by providing common storage lockers for pesticides, villages have become nearly suicide free. This intervention has potential for scale up, including a legislation on purchase and storage of pesticides in India. The fact that rates of suicide are highest among young women (especially married women) is a cause for concern. The underlying social and economic causes need a long-term strategy, but immediate steps could include sensitisation of police force to take complaints of domestic violence seriously, counsellors to resolve marital disputes, and community support groups that can provide peer support. Ultimately, it is only when women feel that they have the same educational and economic opportunities as men, and truly feel that they are in a partnership of equals, are things likely to change significantly. For young people, there is an urgent need to develop interventions to address life, coping and interpersonal skills to make them resilient and not shy to seek help when needed. Conversations should commence young, to ensure a support system to address grievances, including provisions for counselling and helplines in all schools and resilience development in the school curriculum. Some countries have introduced peer counsellors in schools with good impact; adolescents are more likely to relate to someone of their own age and background. There are not enough mental health professionals to provide the required services at different levels of the health system. Training of physicians, nurses, ASHAs and ANMs to detect symptoms of depression or suicidal ideation in the clinic or the community, and take the necessary action (including referral and basic counselling) should be undertaken as part of the implementation of the national mental health policy. While mobile based tools to tackle depression and suicidal thoughts are being tested, there are known, evidence-based, cost-effective measures, which can be implemented now. Involvement of groups like the village health and nutrition committees, and adolescent and womens self-help Groups (SHGs) will help raise awareness and reduce stigma. In the majority of cases, having someone to talk to at the moment of desperation can mean the difference between life and death. India has already introduced several steps towards health for all, including the launch of Ayushman Bharat and adopting a visionary mental health policy. A national suicide prevention plan is under discussion in the ministry of health and family welfare; its success will depend on policy and programmatic interventions in many different ministries. As we close out the mental health awareness month in India, it is our collective responsibility to plan and work together to end these tragic and preventable deaths. Soumya Swaminathan is chief scientist, World Health Organization, Geneva. This article is co-authored by Lakshmi Vijayakumar, founder of SNEHA and member of WHOs network on suicide research and prevention, and member of the International Academy of Suicide Research and Sukriti Chauhan, lawyer with a decade of advocacy and communications expertise in public health in India and across the globe The views expressed are personal Game of Thrones star Kit Harington has checked into a wellness retreat to work on what his representative says are personal issues. A representative for Harington said Tuesday the British actor was utilizing a post-Game of Thrones break in his schedule to spend time at the facility. Kit has decided to utilize this break in his schedule as an opportunity to spend some time at a wellness retreat to work on some personal issues, a representative for the British actor said in a statement. Also read: Game of Thrones: Kit Harington broke down on learning Jon kills Daenerys. Fans think its better than actual scene The statement did not give details of his issues, but The New York Posts Page Six column said Harington was hard hit by the ending of the show and was being treated for stress, exhaustion and alcohol use. It added that he checked into a clinic in the United States help several weeks before the medieval fantasy series came to an end on May 19. The finale attracted a record 19.3 million viewers in the United States alone. This combination photo of images released by HBO show Kit Harington portraying Jon Snow in "Game of Thrones." The final episode of the popular series airs on Sunday. (AP) Harington, who married his Game of Thrones co-star Rose Leslie in 2018, told Variety earlier this year that he had previously found it hard to deal with the fame and attention the show brought, calling it terrifying. WATCH | Game of Thrones sets new record, had 19.3 million views for Finale episode I felt I had to feel that I was the most fortunate person in the world, when actually, I felt very vulnerable. I had a shaky time in my life around there - like I think a lot of people do in their 20s, he told Variety in an interview published in March. Harington, 32, went from virtual unknown to world stardom in Game of Thrones, in which he played the role of the courageous Snow, whose actions in the final episode were one of the shows biggest shockers. Follow @htshowbiz for more Beijing is gearing up to use its dominance of rare earths as a counter in its trade battle with Washington, according to a salvo of media reports in China that included hints from the state planning agency. Stocks of producers surged. The US shouldnt underestimate Chinas ability to fight the trade war, the Peoples Daily, a flagship newspaper of the ruling Communist Party, said in an editorial Wednesday that used some historically significant language on the weight of Chinas intent. The newspapers commentary included a rare Chinese phrase that means dont say I didnt warn you. The specific wording was used by the paper in 1962 before China went to war with India, and those familiar with Chinese diplomatic language know the weight of this phrase, the Global Times, a newspaper affiliated with the Communist Party, said in an article last April. It was also used before conflict broke out between China and Vietnam in 1979. On rare earths specifically, the Peoples Daily said it isnt hard to answer the question whether China will use the elements as retaliation in the trade war. China is seriously considering restricting rare earth exports to the U.S. and may also implement other countermeasures, the editor-in-chief of the Global Times, said in a tweet. An official at the National Development & Reform Commission told CCTV that people in the country wont be happy to see products made with exported rare earths being used to suppress Chinas development. Editorials in the Global Times and Shanghai Securities News took similar tacks in their Wednesday editions. The nations producers have rallied hard in recent weeks on the view that rare earths could be an ace in the trade war. President Xi Jinping visited a plant earlier this month, accompanied by his chief trade negotiator with the U.S., fueling speculation that the strategic materials could be weaponized in Chinas tit-for-tat with the U.S. Rare earths have already featured in the trade dispute. The Asian country raised tariffs to 25% from 10% on imports from Americas sole producer, while the US excluded the elements from its own list of prospective tariffs on roughly $300 billion worth of Chinese goods to be targeted in its next wave of measures. The U.S. relies on China, the leading global supplier, for about 80% of its rare earths, which are used in a host of applications from smartphones to electric vehicles to military gear. Rare earths, which include elements such as neodymium, used in magnets, and ytrrium for electronics, are relatively abundant in the earths crust, but mine-able concentrations are less common than other ores. Chinas rare earth market is dominated by a handful of producers including China Northern Rare Earth Group, Minmetals Rare Earth Co., Xiamen Tungsten Co. and Chinalco Rare Earth & Metals Co. The nation has form in using the elements to make a political point. It blocked exports to Japan after a maritime dispute in 2010, although the consequent spike in prices saw a flurry of activity to secure supplies elsewhere, which would be the risk again if Beijing follows through with its threat of retaliation. China Northern rose as much as 7.7% in Shanghai, while Lynas Corp., the biggest producer of rare earth products outside China, added as much as 12% in Sydney. Both stocks are up by about a third this month. Hong Kong-listed China Rare Earth Holdings Ltd. spiked as much as 41% and has doubled in value in May. Chinas stranglehold is so strong that the US joined with other nations earlier this decade in a World Trade Organization case to force the nation to export more amid a global shortage. The WTO ruled in favor of America, while prices eventually slumped as manufacturers turned to alternatives. In December 2017, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to reduce the countrys dependence on external sources of critical minerals, including rare earths, which was aimed at reducing US vulnerability to supply disruptions. WATCH | USA-China tariff war intensifies as consensus on trade deal eludes The poor security features in ATMs across India have made the country a sitting duck for Bulgarian gangs involved in cloning cards, the Delhi Police said after foiling an attempt to fix a skimming device at an ATM in Khan Market on Sunday. At last count, the police recovered 260 cloned cards from the gang whose two members have been arrested one from the Khan Market ATM and the other from a five-star hotel in east Delhi. The gang was found carrying 25,000 euros. Almost all this money was withdrawn fraudulently from their latest visit to India, Shobhit Saxena, additional deputy commissioner of police (New Delhi district) said, adding that this gang had made three such visits to the country in the last one year. The process of skimming and cloning is an easy process if not for the advanced security measures in ATMs in the European countries. The gang started visiting countries like India, Indonesia and Turkey where ATMs still accept cards with magnetic strips even though such cards are fast being replaced with those with chips, Saxena said. Explaining the modus operandi, Saxena said the gang begins by procuring a skimming device and a pinhole camera. The skimming device resembles a debit card. The gang would fix this slim device in the space where cards are inserted into an ATM. When a customer inserts a card into the ATM, the skimming device reads the necessary data, Saxena said. The gang then steals the PIN by fixing a tiny pinhole camera above the ATMs keypad, Saxena said. By the end of the day, the gang would have the data of hundreds of ATM cards. The gang would then purchase gift cards, resembling ATM cards, in bulk from various shopping platforms. Using a card reader, an online application and a laptop, the gang would copy the original stolen data on to the gift cards and jot the PINs behind each card. Carrying out the fraud up to this stage was not a problem in the European countries, the officer said. The problem there was using these cloned gift cards for withdrawing money. The ATMs in European countries accept only chip-based cards. So, these cloned cards couldnt be used in those countries. The gang chose countries like India, Turkey and Indonesia to make the withdrawals, Saxena said. They used tourist visas to frequently visit these countries and allegedly make withdrawals. Once they got the money in Indian rupees, they would visit a foreign exchange centre and get them converted into euros, the officer said. Sometimes, the gang would also perform the entire fraud in India, but it was not their preferred choice as most card holders in India did not have more than a few thousand rupees in their accounts, Saxena said. It was one such attempt to dupe Indians that landed the gang in the police net. Officials of a bank noticed a strange device at an ATM in Khan Market and found that it was a skimming device. They checked the CCTV footage saw that a foreigner was making frequent visits to the ATM. They waited for the suspect to enter the booth before closing the shutters and calling the police, Saxena said. The suspect turned out to be 36-year-old Bulgarian, Tsvetelin Angelov. At his instance, the gangs alleged mastermind, 43-year-old Ruslan Petrov Metodiev, was caught from a five-star hotel in the city. Police said the gang used the stolen money to enjoy vacations in Indonesia, Thailand and India. Apart from Bulgarian gangs, the Delhi Police has over the last two months arrested at least seven Romanians for skimming data from ATMs and cloning cards. Reid was elected to office in 2017 after a well-publicized arrest in November 2016 by Evanston police officers as he was gathering signatures to get on the ballot. He refused to give a police officer his birth date. Police officials at the time said the arrest should not have happened. A 24-year-old man was arrested for allegedly kidnapping the father of a 20-year-old woman from southwest Delhis Dwarka after she had refused to marry him, said police. The woman and her family, residents of Dwarka, had shifted to Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh last December owing to the constant harassment from the suspect, Sanjeev Singh, for almost a year, said police. Apart from abusing her family, he had allegedly threatened them with dire consequences if the woman did not agree to the marriage. At the time, the family had not filed a complaint with the police. The womans father worked as an accountant at a shop and had not shifted with the rest of the family. Police said that Sanjeev Singh and his three friends abducted the man on Sunday morning. At around 8 am the shop owner called the police control room and reported that his 50-year-old accountant was missing since 4 am, said DCP (Dwarka) Anto Alphonse. He told police that another employee had informed him three to four men had taken the accountant in their car from outside the shop. The shop owner, meanwhile, suspected that he was kidnapped. Accordingly, a kidnapping case was registered and investigation was taken up. During the probe, the DCP said, the investigating team contacted the accountants son in Bhopal and informed him about the incident. They learnt that the accountants daughter had received calls from two mobile numbers and had spoken with her father. The woman said her father had told her that he was in Haryanas Sonepat and advised her to marry Sanjeev saying that he was a good man and the best match for her. Her fathers advice confused her. It made her believe that he was in trouble because she knew that her father disliked Singh and had himself rejected his marriage proposal said the DCP. We put the two numbers on surveillance and their locations were found to be in Baoli area of Uttar Pradesh. A team was dispatched there but the suspects frequently changed their locations. The police team located and arrested Sanjeev from Mathura railway station and rescued the womans father from platform number-2 on Monday. He was later brought to Delhi. Police are still looking for the other suspects in the case Ankur, Hansraj and Johnny (all identified with their single name). The woman had come in contact with Sanjeev around three years ago through a common friend. She distanced herself from him because of his rude and obsessive behaviour. However, Sanjeev continued stalking her, police said. Sanjeev began threatening everybody in her family when she turned down his marriage proposal. He often visited her to abuse and threaten her family. The family was so terrified that they left the city, the officer added. Police said Sanjeev is a resident of Meerut and a delivery man for an online company. The viewing point for tourists atop Signature Bridge in northeast Delhi is likely to be ready by June 30, a senior official of the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC) said. The corporation, the agency that built the bridge, is constructing a glass facade (viewing gallery) atop the bow shaped pylon twice the height of Qutub Minar. Tourism department officials said the government will later decide when to open the point for the public. The bridge, which connects outer Ring Road with Karawal Nagar and Bhajanpura in northeast Delhi, boasts of 127 strands of cables and is being projected as Indias first asymmetrical cable-stayed bridge. It was inaugurated in November last year after a delay of eight years. The bridge, built at a cost of Rs 1,518.37 crore, has eased vehicular movement between northeast and north Delhi. Tourism activities include setting up a glass box at a height of 154 metres at the top of the pylon from where tourists can have a panoramic view of the city, as from the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The Qutub Minar is about 73 metres tall. Construction of the glass box, elevators and pylon access system is in progress and we are hopeful of completing all this work by the end of June, managing director, DTTDC, Shurbir Singh said. Singh said the government will decide when to open the viewing gallery for the public. Two elevators will take people to the top of the pylon. Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who holds the tourism portfolio, on Monday inspected the bridge and directed the officials not to compromise with safety measures. Within one to two months, the tourist nomenclature will become visible. From the glass facade, visitors will be able to have a birds eye view of the city. The viewing gallery can accommodate 50 to 60 people at a time, he said. Sisodia said the government was also trying to make such arrangements to sell refreshments at the viewing gallery. The government also plans safe selfie spots so that people do not climb the crash barriers or the cables of the bridge to click photographs with the structure. During the course of the Lok Sabha election campaign, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee often referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Expiry PM to suggest that he was about to lose power. As irony would have it, it is the Bharatia Janata Party (BJP), which can use the expiry prefix for Ms Banerjee now. The All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) has lost 12 Lok Sabha seats between 2014 and 2019, and the BJP, with 18 seats, a gain of 16, is only three percentage points behind the AITC in terms of vote share. Even though assembly elections in West Bengal are only due in 2021, the existing political culture in the state, where political activity is symptomatic with complete local domination aided by a nexus of money and muscle to deny even basic democratic space to the opposition, is likely to keep both society and politics in a state of flux. When Ms Banerjee ousted the 34-year-old Left government in the state in 2011, there was large scale violence against Left activists. This was also accompanied by a defection of grass root level workers of the Left to the AITC. After the BJP pulled off a surprise victory in the Tripura elections, nearly one-third of the seats in the West Bengal panchayat elections held in 2018 did not even see a contest (read opposition was not allowed to file nominations) in the state. It was this subversion of democracy which provided a big boost to the BJP in the state. With the BJP having demolished the AITCs claim of invincibility in 2019, the latter seems to have entered a phase of political haemorrhaging with mass defection of its leaders and workers to the former. Can Ms Banerjee stage a fightback? Will she become a lame duck chief minister like her predecessor, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, was between 2009 and 2011? Will the Left continue to stay with the BJP to settle scores with the AITC, or will its leadership argue for an alliance with the AITC in the name of defending secularism? These are questions which cannot be answered today. However, there is a much bigger responsibility which Ms Banerjee, as the current chief minister, must deliver on. Leaders of the BJP are openly celebrating the partys gains in the state as Hindu consolidation. Thirty per cent of the states population is Muslim. The government must do everything it can to prevent any serious communal clash in the state. A day before the Uttarakhand Board of School Education declares results for the board examinations for both class 10 and 12, students were anxious ahead of what they called the D-day. Anjali Dyal, a Class 10 student of government girls inter-college in Dehradun said, The best exam that I wrote according to me would be English. Though mathematics is my favourite subject, but this time the English paper was the easiest. I feel I will score well in both the subjects. Rakhi Bisht, another student of Class 10 of a government school in the capital said, I hope the results are as per my expectations. As of now I am very scared thinking what will happen tomorrow. The secretary of UBSE had earlier this month announced that results for both class 10 and class 12 will be declared on May 30 by the chairman of the board. The results will be uploaded on the website soon after the formal declaration and students will be able to check from 11am. Premlata Bodayi, principal of Government Girls Inter College Rajpur Road said, Students were happy with the exams this year. None of my students complained that the questions were out of syllabus or that difficult. I hope that they all score well and the pass percentage of the state goes up. In 2018, the pass percentage was 74.57% for class 12 and 78.90% for class 10. Bhavneshwari Bisht, a class 12 student of a government school in Dehradun who had Humanities stream said, The result day is like D-Day for us and it is natural only to be scared. Even though I gave my best in the exams this time and even the question papers were easy compared to last year, but these results are very important as my future course of education depends on it. Unidentified men opened fire at three policemen escorting an undertrial in a murder case and managed to free him from their custody on Tuesday. Two police personnel were injured were injured in the incident, which took place at entrance of the new bus stand. The injured cops have been identified as sub-inspector Surinder Singh and constable Sandeep. They have been admitted to Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College and Hospital with bullet injuries. The cops said the incident took place when they were returning after the hearing in a murder case registered in June 2016 against the undertrial Sunil, 23. When they reached the new bus stand, three assailants came on a motorcycle and attacked the cops with pepper spray and open fired at them. A case under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 224 (resistance or obstruction by a person to his lawful apprehension), 225 (resistance or obstruction to lawful apprehension of another person) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Arms Act has been registered against the unidentified assailants. Karnal superintendent of police (SP) Surender Singh Bhoria said, Soon after getting information of the attack, we alerted the police stations of nearby districts which have constituted teams to conduct raids to arrest the accused. The incident has exposed loopholes in the security of cops who accompany under-trials to hearings. Previously, Narender Singh of Karnal police and a minor girl were shot dead by assailants outside the Rohtak court complex when Narender along with other cops were escorting the girl to court for a hearing in a case filed against the girl by her family members for inter-caste marriage. In May 2017, two cops and a murder accused were injured when assailants open fired at them inside a Karnal district court. I write this week from Nairobi, Kenya, where officials from nearly 100 countries are gathering at the first UN-Habitat Assembly to discuss major urban challenges facing our planet. With the world being more than 50% urban at this time and predictions that it will be more than 70% urban by 2050, these challenges, including climate change, pollution, poverty and inequality, need urgent solutions. The New Urban Agenda that was prepared in 2016 is a key guiding document of the shared vision that countries have for sustainable urbanisation. It was adopted at the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III), held in Quito, Ecuador. The New Urban Agenda (NUA) is an inclusive, action-oriented framework to guide the next 20 years of sustainable and transformative urban development. India is included in the countries that endorsed the document. New Urban Agenda slogan The slogan of the NUA is cities for all which refers to inclusive urbanisation that does not discriminate against anyone. The NUA provides key goals and road map for making urbanisation a positive force in our countries. The agenda aims to provide urban residents a better life, especially for all disadvantaged groups. UN-Habitat is the key UN body which is monitoring the progress on the commitments of the NUA. They have identified four broad areas where progress and change are critical. The four areas include reducing inequality and poverty, enhancing shared prosperity, strengthening climate action and working towards prevention and response to effective urban crisis. Climate change and its effects Climate change and its effects is one of the greatest threats facing not just our cities, but the entire planet. But it has been said that cities and urbanisation will determine whether we will be able to address the host of problems that are arising due to climate change and global warming. As many as 70% of cities are already dealing with the effects of climate change, and nearly all are at risk. Over 90% of all urban areas are coastal, putting most cities on the Earth at risk of flooding from rising sea levels and powerful storms. While all of us suffer due to the ill effects of climate change, it is the disadvantaged groups including those living in poverty and slums who will be more impacted. We have already seen cities having to deal with flooding, drought and extreme weather. Larger cities consume more than 60% of worlds energy We have to recognise that while we are facing the effects as city dwellers, we are also the cause of the problem. Cities are the main producers of greenhouse gas emissions. Larger cities consume more than 60% of the worlds energy and create over 70% of global CO2 emissions. In India, we have three cities with more than 10 million population and 53 urban agglomerations with more than one million people. Cities have to fight the battle Having said that, it is in cities that the battle has to be fought and major changes are needed in how we urbanise and how we consume resources. There is evidence that compact dense cities are more energy efficient. Indian cities must look inward as well as outward for good models of urban growth and development. We know that we are at a very crucial moment at addressing the effects of climate change and over the past month, we have seen young people raising their voice globally inspired by a 15-year-old Swedish schoolgirl Greta Thunberg who has asked for immediate action to climate change so that we leave behind a better world for children and young people. @SafetipinApp (Co-founder and CEO of Safetipin, the author works on issues of womens safety and rights in cities A salesman of the liquor shop, which allegedly sold spurious liquor that caused the deaths of at least 16 people in Uttar Pradeshs Barabanki, was arrested by police on Wednesday after a gunfight, officials said. Barabankis superintendent of police Ajay Sahani said Pappu Jaiswal suffered a bullet wound in his right leg in the retaliatory firing by the police team around two kilometres from Raniganj village under Ramnagar police station in Barabanki. The confirmation of two more deaths by the administration has taken the toll to 12 and the figure given by the locals to 16. There was confusion over the number of victims because of a mismatch in the list of the dead given by the administration and those who locals claim have died. Also read: 14 dead, dozens in hospital after consuming hooch in Barabanki Pappu Jaiswal is the fourth person to be arrested in connection with the case. Sunil Kumar Jaiswal, another salesman, Pitambar and Chottu were arrested on Tuesday. Pappu Jaiswal, the owner of the liquor shop authorised by the excise department Danveer Singh and another salesman Manish Singh have been named in the first information report lodged in the case. They were named in the FIR lodged with Ramnagar police station of Barabanki under Indian Penal Codes sections 302 for murder and 272 for adulteration of drinks intended for sale. The FIR was lodged on the complaint of Monu, whose father Chhote Lal and three brothers Ramesh, Mukesh and Sonu died on Monday and Tuesday after consuming the liquor bought from Danveer Singhs shop. A fresh FIR was also registered in the case at Ramnagar police station. Also read: Denied ambulance, mother carries body Police will send their recommendations to impose the National Security Act (NSA) against the four accused arrested so far in the Barabanki hooch case. Officials said the dead and the survivors purchased two brands of country liquor, Power House and Windies, from the authorised shop of the excise department at Raniganj market in the Ramnagar area of Barabanki. After the deaths, excise officials sounded an alert about the two brands sold from the authorised excise department shops in the area. Police had seized bottles of the same brands on April 14 in Barabanki and arrested two people for distilling spurious liquor and supplying it to authorised shops with wrappers of the registered brands. A district excise officer, an excise inspector and two policemen circle officer and inspector of Ramnagar area have been suspended. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered a high-level probe to look into all angles, including the possibility of a political conspiracy. He also announced an ex-gratia payment of 2 lakh to the families of the dead and directed senior officials to ensure medical attention to all those who took ill after consuming the liquor. Uttar Pradeshs chief secretary Anup Chandra Pandey directed the officials to examine the samples of these two brands at all shops in Barabanki as well as other parts of the state. He also formed a three-member committee, headed by excise commissioner P Guru Prasad, to probe the matter and submit a report in 48 hours. Excise minister Jai Pratap Singh said stringent action will be taken against those found guilty of selling tainted liquor. At least 100 people had died in another hooch tragedy in adjoining districts of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand in February this year. Less than two weeks later, more than 120 people died, mostly tea estate workers, after drinking a locally brewed liquor sulai, which is made of jaggery and ethyl alcohol, in Golaghat and Jorhat districts of Assam. Two suspected agents of Pakistans main spy agency ISI were arrested by the Indian Army on Tuesday while shooting videos and taking photographs with their cell phones outside Ratnuchak military station in Jammu, police said on Wednesday. The men have been identified as Nayeem Akhtar of Doda and Mushtaq Ahmed of Mallar village in Kathua. The duo was nabbed by military intelligence officials when they were shooting videos and pictures with their cell phones on Tuesday afternoon. They were immediately whisked away by the army and after preliminary question handed to police, which shifted them to a joint interrogation centre at Miran Sahib, said a police officer. Sources in the police claimed the men were in regular contact with their handlers in the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency and had shared some videos of the military station on WhatsApp a few hours before their arrest. They have confessed that they were being paid by the ISI. Two mobile phones have been seized and were being scanned, a source said. More than a dozen contact numbers from Pakistan were found on their phones during the investigations, sources said and added that some maps were also found from them. Meanwhile, the army has asked all its military stations in Jammu region to step up their security in a fresh alert. The Indian Army had claimed last year that suspected militants had attacked the Ratnuchak military station on December 30 but the attempt was foiled by alert guards on the gate. The Sunjuwan military station in Jammu was attacked on February 10, 2018, which left six soldiers and a civilian dead. On November 29, 2016, the Nagrota army cantonment in Jammu district came under attack by armed terrorists. Two officers and five soldiers were killed in the attack. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In a world of instant communication where Twitter and WhatsApp have become ubiquitous, typos are only to be expected. What would you say, however, about a law into which typographical errors such as memebrs and stalement crept in and that took seven years to fix. Hindustan Times learns that the government finally issued a notification last week to correct these errors in a Constitutional Amendment Act. The errors had gone undetected for more than seven years. On May 22, the legislative department of the Union ministry of law and justice issued a corrigenda correcting the errors in the Constitution (Ninety Seventh Amendment) Act of 2011. In the corrigenda, Braj Raj Sharma, secretary of the legislative department, wrote that the word members had been twice written wrongly in the Act as memebrs and stalement should actually have been stalemate. The 97th amendment was issued on January 13, 2012, with the purpose of including co-operative societies in Article 19(I) c, which gives citizens the right to form associations and unions. It also inserted Article 43B in Part IV of the Constitution: The State shall endeavour to promote voluntary formation, autonomous functioning, democratic control and professional management of the co-operative societies. The aim of the amendment was to encourage economic activities of co-operatives. The 97th amendment added Part IX B in the Constitution on co-operative societies after Part IX A. It is in this part that the printers devil struck thrice. When contacted, former law secretary T K Vishwanathan said whenever such errors occur, errata are published. As a rule, any legislation is read at every stage not just in the law ministry, but also in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha secretariats. The former civil servant reckoned that the mistake must have crept in at the stage of printing. Another former senior bureaucrat, Uday Kumar Varma said normally such mistakes do not occur and they should not occur as even a misplaced comma can completely change the meaning of a sentence. A former information and broadcasting secretary Uday Varma also felt that the typos may have crept in at the time of printing. The West Bengal government has once again changed the commissioner of Bidhannagar City Police (BCP) on Wednesday, the fourth time since May 26. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee is in charge of the police department. On May 26, Gyanwant Singh, who was removed by the Election Commission of India before the Lok Sabha polls, was reinstated as BCP commissioner. Next day, the state government issued another order replacing Singh with Nishat Parvez, who was with the deputy inspector general (operations) of the Criminal Investigation Department of Bengal Police.He didnt last either. On May 28, Parvez was also replaced by the Commissioner of Siliguri City Police, Bharat Lal Meena. On May 29, Bharat Lal Meena was told to go back to his previous posting and Laxmi Narayan Meena was named the Bidhannagar city police chief. Meena was earlier the commissioner of Asansol- Durgapur City. The government also changed the commissioner of Barrackpore City Police twice in four days. On May 26, Devendra Prakash Singh was appointed as the head of Barrackpore City Police. However, on May 29, Singh was replaced by Tanmay Ray Chaudhuri, who was the commissioner of Howrah City Police. Opposition leaders did not lose the opportunity to mock the chief minister. BJP Bengal unit vice president Jay Prakash Majumdar said the development indicates extreme panic. She (Mamta Banerjee) cannot trust anyone in the police department. Therefore, a decision is taken in the morning and is changed in the evening, Majumdar said. Psychologists say that when one stares at inevitable defeat, people get unnerved and do things that defy logic. This syndrome is inevitable in the chief minister. In fact, she may change her decision tomorrow again, said Congress legislator Abdul Mannan. Incidentally, Bidhannagar, popularly known as Salt Lake, is a satellite township adjacent to Kolkata. Elections to Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation is scheduled to be held in 2020. Currently, the civic body is controlled by the TMC. In the notification issued on Wednesday, a total of eight Indian Police Service officers were transferred. In another notification also issued on Wednesday, the state government made a minor bureaucratic reshuffle, where district magistrates of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and North 24 Paraganas were changed. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Sgt. Anthony Korus grew up in Franklin Park in a family with a history of service both in the military and in the American Legion. Korus said hes been part of the American Legion for about 10 years, as long as hes been in the Army. The number of Bengal MLAs switching allegiance to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rose to four on Wednesday with Moniral Islam, Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislator from Labpur in Birbhum district, joining the saffron camp. Along with Islam, former Trinamool MLA, Gadadhar Hazra, and two party leaders from Birbhum joined the BJP in New Delhi. Trinamool leaders in Birbhum district are making crores of rupees by extortion and illegal coal business. The top leaders of the party are silent. As a mark of protest, I decided to join BJP, Islam alleged in Delhi. On Tuesday, three MLAs (two from the TMC and one from the Left), along with 56 TMC councillors from three civic bodies, joined the BJP. As a result, the control of Kanchrapara and Halisahar civic bodies passed on to the BJP. The exodus has started. In the coming days, more TMC leaders will join BJP, said BJP national general secretary, Kailash Vijayvargiya. TMC chief whip Tapas Roy said the party was not worried by leaders switching sides. In the 2021 Assembly elections, we will prove that people are with us. The two TMC leaders who joined were Md Asif Iqbal, general secretary of the district unit of TMC youth wing, and Nimai Das, a local party leader. An adjudicating authority in cases related to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) has given approval to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to take possession of a plot in Haryanas Panchkula worth 64.93 crore belonging to Associated Journals Limited (AJL), publisher of the National Herald newspaper, a mouthpiece of the Congress party. AJL is owned by Young India, in which Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi are major stakeholders. ED, which investigates violations of foreign exchange regulations and suspected money laundering, provisionally attached the plot on December 1 last year. Under the PMLA, the ED can issue an order provisionally attaching any property that it suspects may be linked to proceeds of crime; the attachment is confirmed by a quasi-judicial authority. On the day the plot was attached, the CBI too had filed a charge sheet against former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and senior Congress leader Motilal Vora. The ED said in a statement on Wednesday: The PMLA Adjudicating Authority has held that defendants have committed the scheduled offence, generated proceeds of crime and further found that the properties attached are proceeds of crime beyond any doubt and thereby ordered for confirmation of the provisional attachments order. However, Hooda said: The decision to restore an institutional plot at Panchkula to AJL at old rates was within my powers as the chairman of the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA). The decision was also ratified by the Authority. The plot was restored after charging an interest amounting of over 55 lakhs on the allotment price of 2 lakhs... Family members of 50 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters killed in West Bengal over the past few years have been invited to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday. The victim families have been randomly chosen from the list of BJP supporters who became victims of the ruling party in Bengal. The focus has been those who were killed since the panchayat elections in 2018, said Jay Prakash Majumdar, vice-president of the Bengal unit of the BJP. They have started for Delhi on Wednesday. The party is taking care of the travel, stay and other expenditure of all those who have been invited for the ceremony, added Majumdar. The invitation is seen as a snub to Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress who are often blamed by BJP leaders for attacks on their workers to halt the partys march in the state. In the run up to elections held in Bengal over seven phases due to fear of violence, PM Modi had repeatedly accused Mamata Banerjee of giving her partys goons a free run and reducing democracy to what he termed as goondacracy, rule by goons. The violence had also figured prominently in PM Modis victory speeches in Delhi and Varanasi where he recalled the sacrifices made by BJP workers in Bengal. Also Read | Ahead of PMs grand swearing-in, a key 4-hour Modi-Shah meeting It is not clear if news of the invitation would impact Mamata Banerjees plan to come to Delhi for the grand swearing-in ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Banerjee had yesterday told reporters that he would try to come to Delhi for the oath event since it was a ceremonial programme. She had skipped PM Modis first oath ceremony in 2014 and instead deputed two representatives. Among those invited are Yadav Sahis, resident of Arsha area in Purulia district. On April 18, the body of his son, Sishupal Sahis, was found hanging state in the village with BJP leaders alleging that he was killed by Trinamool Congress-backed miscreants and subsequently hanged. I have been told that the BJP national leaders want us to be present in the ceremony of the Prime Minister. In the Lok Sabha elections, the people have defeated the party who workers killed my son, said Sahis. Sukhmay Satpathi, BJP district president in Jhargram area, said there are three families in his area who lost members to attacks of the Trinamool Congress supporters in the past five years. Also Read | Trinamool govt in Bengal will fall by 2021: BJP leader Members of these families will be present in the oath taking ceremony. We were instructed over phone from our party leaders to convey the message that they were invited to be programme, said Satpathi. Bidyasagar Chakrabarti, the BJP district president in Purulia said the leaders of the party are going to pay respect to those who were killed by Trinamool Congress supporters. The Bharatiya Janata Party won 18 out of West Bengals 42 Lok Sabha seats, a remarkable improvement over the two seats that the party had won in 2014. The ruling Trinamool Congress has been left with 22 seats, down from 34. A fire broke out at a godown in Park Circus area of south Kolkata Wednesday afternoon, an official said. At least 15 fire tenders have been pressed into service to bring the blaze under control, the official said. The godown at Rifle Range Road stores bamboos and plywood, and has been partially gutted in the blaze. An officer of Kolkata Police said that there was no casualty in the incident. There is no report of anyone trapped in the blaze, he said. The facility is situated near railway tracks in Sealdah South section of Eastern Railway. Train services were not affected due to the fire since the godown is situated at a safe distance from the south section tracks, ER spokesman Nikhil Chakraborty said. (The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text, only the headline has been changed.) The income tax (I-T) department has sufficient evidence to prosecute a Delhi-based power company promoted by Ratul Puri, nephew of Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath, for tax evasion and money laundering to the tune of Rs. 1,350 crore, two government officials with direct knowledge of the matter said. The assessment order will be issued and prosecution [case] will be filed in two-three months, one of the officials said on condition of anonymity. In I-T raids in April, tax officials found several documents and diary and laptop entries that claim payments were made to various Congress leaders, the officials said. HT has reviewed these documents and entries. The diary/laptop entries claim that around 11 Lok Sabha candidates, including the Congresss Bhopal candidate Digvijay Singh, received 3.2 crore, while 4.4 crore was spent by 64 MLAs towards Lok Sabha elections. According to the entries, Congress leader Randeep Surjewala was among the beneficiaries. Also read: Suspense over Rahul Gandhis role lingers as allies, colleagues urge rethink HT could not independently corroborate these entries. Animosity & a desire to seek revenge through falsely dragging me by Modi Govt [government] & its agencies is natural. I neither know Mr. Puri nor his firm. As I have no association of any nature, any insinuation is purely mischievous and is being planted in your newspaper to malign, Surjewala said in a text message. Digvijay Singh, who lost the Bhopal election, said, I have no clue as to what you are saying. I have not been given any notice,. We do not comment on rumours or speculation of any kind including political. Our Group neither has any connection with Congress party nor any business association with Mr Digvijay Singh and Mr Randeep Surjewala, Puris office said in a statement. On May 23, PTI reported that the I-T department had detected tax evasion worth overRs1,350 crore in search and seizure operations conducted against Hindustan Powerprojects, a company run by Puri. According to the I-T department, the search and seizure action was initiated by the Delhi unit of the Directorate General of Income-tax (Investigation) on April 7, 2019 across several locations the National Capital Region centred on Delhi, Bhopal, Indore and Goa based on credible information of large-scale collection, possession and movement of unaccounted assets. Also read: Your work will speak: Anupam Khers advice to Gautam Gambhir As reported in Hindustan Times on April 9, 2019, Kamal Nath alleged that raids by the I-T department raids against several of his close aides were politically motivated. Those raided were Ratul Puri,the officer on special duty (OSD) to Jamal Nath, Praveen Kakkar, and a close associate, RK Miglani. They (raids) are politically motivated. They wont be successful, Kamal Nath was quoted as saying by ANI in Chhindwara. According to the I-T department, some of the significant transactions detected during the search operation included accommodation entries of Rs 370 crore, bogus billing of Rs 330 crore, unaccounted transactions of Rs 240 crore, bogus loans ofRs 30 crore, over-invoicing of imports and round tripping of Rs 252 crore and sums spent on unaccounted foreign investments. Inquiries reveal that the group used the services of a Dubai based operator to park unaccounted foreign remittances in overseas jurisdictions. Out of such remittances, approximately Rs 27 crore was paid towards credit card expenses andRs72 crore for purchase of a property abroad, a statement issued by the Central Board of direct Taxes (CBDT) on April 22 said. CBDT officials said that the raids were conducted at Puris firm on April 7. They were an outcome of investigations by the Enforcement Directorate, which investigates suspected foreign exchange rule violations and money laundering and also reports to the finance ministry. Also read: Doctor accused of abetting junior colleagues suicide held in Mumbai A day after the raids, CBDT said, Searches in Madhya Pradesh have detected wide spread and well-organized racket of collection of unaccounted cash of about Rs 281 cr through various persons in different walks of life including business, politics and public service. A part of the cash was also transferred to the headquarter of a major political party in Delhi including about Rs 20 cr which was moved through hawala recently to the headquarter of the political party from the residence of a senior functionary at Tughlak Road, New Delhi,. Meticulous records of collection and disbursement of cash in the form of hand written diaries, computer files and excel sheets found and seized corroborate the above findings, it said. I-T officials also found unaccounted cash of Rs14.6 crore, besides 252 bottles of liquor, a few weapons, and tiger skins, it said Senior leaders of the Congress, including AICC general secretary KC Venugopal, and chief minister HD Kumaraswamy of the Janata Dal (Secular) held hectic parleys on Wednesday to discuss ways to keep the year-old coalition government safe. Venugopal arrived in the city in the early hours of the day to hold discussions with state leaders especially in the light of the dismal performance of the coalition in the 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state. They were able to win only one seat each. Venugopal held a meeting with CM Kumaraswamy, deputy chief minister G Parameshwara, Congress state president Dinesh Gundu Rao, Congress Legislature Party chief Siddaramaiah and water resources minister DK Shivakumar. Former chief minister Siddaramaiah told reporters after attending the meeting that the partners had discussed an expansion of the state Cabinet. There is no reshuffle, its an expansion. There are three vacancies and we are thinking of filling them, he said. At present, there are 31 ministers in the Cabinet out of a maximum strength of 34.The Congress has one vacancy out of its quota of 22 ministerial berths and the JD(S) has two. Through an expansion the coalition leaders hope to include dissident leaders and placate them to quash any possibility of rebellion. This move comes in the light of the opposition BJPs renewed confidence that the government is likely to dissolve. The BJP led in 170 of the 224 segments in the state in the Lok Sabha polls, a year after it won 104 of the 224 seats in the state polls. On paper, the coalition enjoys the support of 118 MLAs 79 of the Congress, 37 of the JD(S), one BSP MLA and an Independent legislator. However, the coalitions year in power has been marked by concerted efforts from some Congress MLAs to break away and join the BJP. Parameshwara said the leaders had primarily discussed the outcome of the Lok Sabha polls and why the coalition had been ineffective in winning more seats. We discussed why the outcome was poor despite contesting as a coalition. We have also discussed the situation in the state. Later in the day there will be a Congress Legislature Party meeting and weve asked MLAs to discuss the problems they face in their constituencies, he said. The Congress has also called a meeting of its Legislature Party to take its MLAs into confidence. However, all eyes will be on the attendees as rebel MLAs had stayed away from previous CLP meets in January. Ramesh Jarkiholi, who said in April that he would quit the party, R Roshan Baig, who criticised Venugopal and Siddaramaiah, are not expected to attend the meeting. A senior Congress leader told HT on condition of anonymity that the party had given up on Jarkiholi as he had refused to speak to any of its leaders for a considerable time. Venugopal said the party had informed the central leadership about the dissidents and a decision would be taken soon. We will seek the opinion of senior leaders and we will take an unanimous decision and move forward, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON As Rajasthans chief minister Ashok Gehlot met Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi in New Delhi on Tuesday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said infighting and Gehlots preoccupation with the constituency of his son, who lost election, had helped it post a thumping victory in the state. The BJP won all 25 parliamentary constituencies in Rajasthan, just five months after being defeated by the Congress in state assembly elections. Chief minister Ashok Gehlot sat in the Jodhpur constituency for a month to make his son (Vaibhav Gehlot) win. That definitely demoralised other constituencies in the state, said Muralidhar Rao, the BJP national general secretary holding charge of Rajasthan and Karnataka. Rao said that his partys teams were able to cash in on this. Our cadres and social media then focussed on this fact and were able to get mileage out of it. Rao is familiar with Jodhpur, having served as a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) pracharak in the area for three years. Congress president Rahul Gandhi said at a meeting of the Congress Working Committee on Saturday that some party leaders had been more concerned about their sons than the partys performance in the Lok Sabha elections. Vaibhav Gehlot was defeated in Jodhpur by Union minister Gajendra Shekhawat by around 200,000 votes. Also read: Ashok Gehlots team rebuts charge he campaigned for son at partys cost The chief minister campaigned diligently in the Lok Sabha elections. He held 104 meetings for all candidates in the state and worked for all candidates. It is not true to say that he campaigned only for his son. said Congress spokesperson Archana Sharma. Muralidhar Rao also said that the lack of coordination and the failure of the chief minister and deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot to work together also worked to the BJPs advantage. Lack of trust among the top leaders did help us, said Rao, adding, There was no single command system for the party. This is perhaps the first time that a BJP leader has pointed to factionalism within the Congress as a reason for the partys own victory. He also pointed to other factors, for instance the lack of delivery of promised farm loan waivers. The Congress party had no accountability about why the farm loan waiver didnt reach most people. If this wasnt effective, people had no hopes or trust about the NYAY scheme, said Rao, citing the Congresss promise of giving Rs.72,000 a year to the poorest Indian households. Out of the eight assembly constituencies in Jodhpur, six are with the Congress at present and so the BJPs Shekhawat had quite an uphill task to begin with, said Rao, but the Congress proved no match. Also read: 20-25 MLAs unhappy government may fall: BJP on flurry in Rajasthan Congress Will not attend oath ceremony due to false reports of killing of 54 BJP workers: Mamata Banerjee It was my plan to attend the oath-taking ceremony, however in past one hour, I am seeing media reports that the BJP is claiming 54 people have been killed in political violence in Bengal. This is untrue. I am compelled not to attend the ceremony, said West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. :ANI Sheila Dikshit to stage demonstration urging Rahul Ganghi not to resign as Cong president Sheila Dikshit is going to stage a demonstration urging Rahul Ganghi not to resign as Congress president. The demonstration will start at 4 pm outside the Gandhi scions Tughlak Lane residence. Give me time to get treated, Arun Jaitley writes to PM I am writing to you to formally request you that I should be allowed a reasonable time for myself, my treatment and my health, and, therefore, not be a part of any responsibility, for the present, in the new Government, Arun Jaitley writes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I will always be a part of Cong: MLA over reports of him joining BJP The news is baseless, I am shocked such news being spread. I am with Congress and will be in Congress only, someone has intentionally spread this rumour to damage my reputation, said Congress Maharashtra MLA Satyajit Deshmukh over reports of him joining BJP. :ANI BJP leader Pema Khandu sworn-in as Arunachal CM Pema Khandu was sworn- in as the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh for a second term. UP CM Adityanath hosted a lunch for most of the newly elected MPs Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath hosted a luncheon meet for most of the 62 newly elected MPs from Uttar Pradesh at his official residence in Lucknow on Wednesday. :ANI Odisha CMs first cabinet meet this term to take place today Naveen Patnaik is going to meet top industrialists who attended the oath-taking ceremony. The first cabinet meeting of this term will also take place today afternoon. Cong workers urge Rahul Gandhi to continue as party president Congress workers demonstrated outside party office in Bengaluru, urging Rahul Gandhi to continue as Congress president. Congress workers demonstrating in front of party office in Begaluru. ( ANI Twitter ) I humbly accept the responsibility: Naveen Patnaik Its a nostalgic and personal journey for me to reminiscence the past 19 years. Today, while I take oath of office for the 5th term, I humbly accept the responsibility that comes with the faith my 4.5 crore family members have reposed in me, yet again, tweeted Naveen Patnaik. No portfolios allotted to ministers who took oath today No portfolios have been allotted to Odisha ministers who took oath today. PM Modi congratulates Naveen Patnaik on Twitter Congratulations to Shri Naveen Patnaik Ji on taking oath as Odishas Chief Minister. Best wishes to him and his team in fulfilling the peoples aspirations. I assure complete cooperation from the Centre in working for Odishas progress, Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi tweeted. Over 10,000 people attend Naveen Patnaiks oath-taking ceremony More than 10,000 people attended the swearing-in ceremony of Naveen Patnaik despite the temperature being over 40 degree Celsius. The ceremony is being held at a public ground in Bhubaneswar. Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee to meet Rahul Gandhi today Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee leaders are going to meet party President Rahul Gandhi later today. Naveen Patnaiks siblings Prem Patnaik, Gita Mehta attend ceremony Naveen Patnaiks elder brother Prem Patnaik and sister Gita Mehta, a celebrated writer, are attending the oath-taking ceremony. 20 ministers take oath after Naveen Patnaik 20 ministers took oath after him. Half of them are first-time ministers. Naveen Patnaik takes oath as Odisha CM for the fifth time Naveen Patnaik takes oath as the Chief Minister of Odisha. This is his 5th consecutive term as the Chief Minister. :ANI WATCH: Naveen Patnaik takes oath as the Chief Minister of Odisha for a fifth time https://t.co/k5DSeKrkUm ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2019 Kin of BJP workers killed in Bengal invited to PM Modis oath ceremony Kin of BJP workers who were killed in West Bengal in political violence have been invited to the swearing-in ceremony of PM Narendra Modi. Son of Late Manu Hansda,on of the victims, says,My father was killed by TMC goons. We are happy that we are going to Delhi. Theres peace in our area now. :ANI I am with my younger brother: Tej Pratap Yadav RJD supremo Lalu Prasads elder son Tej Pratap Yadav Tuesday told party men to leave the party if they dont like his younger brother Tejashwi Prasad Yadavs leadership. I am with my younger brother as Krishna and will always stand by him, he said. Tej Pratap did not attend RJD meeting held to discuss poll debacle on Tuesday Tej Pratap, who could not attend the RJDs Tuesday meeting held at former chief minister Rabri Devis residence to discuss the poll debacle, said he had intimated the party leaders about his inability to attend the meeting. Tejashwi Yadav to chair RJD meet at Rabri Devis residence today RJD MLAs and MLCs are to meet later today at Rabri Devis residence in Patna. The meeting will be chaired by Tejashwi Yadav. :ANI JD (U) bagged 16 parliamentary seats in Bihar JD (U) is a part of BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and bagged 16 parliamentary seats in Bihar. BJP-JD (U) had contested on 17 seats each. JDU meeting at Bihar CM Nitish Kumars residence today Meeting of Janata Dal(United) office bearers is to be held at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumars residence later today. :ANI A two-member team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), led by inspector general Alok Mittal, reached Colombo on Tuesday to discuss with Sri Lankan authorities the Indian links of radical Muslims who carried out the Easter Sunday attacks in the island nation, according to an official familiar with the trip. The purpose of the visit is not to probe the coordinated bombings on April 21 that left 258 people dead, but to exchange information on suspects and about people based in Tamil Nadu and Kerala who likely have links with the National Towheed Jamaath (NTJ), which is suspected to have masterminded the attacks,the NIA official said on condition of anonymity. The discussions will be about people whose names, phone numbers, social media accounts or other details may have cropped up during the interrogation of suspects captured by law enforcement agencies in the island nation. Indian agencies are trying to make sure that the Sri Lankan-style attacks do not take place in India. Also read: PM Modi, Amit Shah brainstorm ahead of oath ceremony The team will also seek from the Sri Lankan investigators details of blasts mastermind, Maulvi Zahran bin Hashims travels to India. The visit was approved by the ministry of home affairs after Sri Lanka gave the go-ahead for the trip. Its Sri Lankas investigation. We have sent a team there to assess the influence of ISIS, NTJs links to India and details of travel of mastermind Maulvi Zahran bin Hashim. It has come to our notice that Hashim had visited India (Tamil Nadu and Kerala) a couple of times to motivate Indians to take part in establishing Islamic rule in the region, said a second NIA officer, also requesting anonymity. Our investigations have revealed many Indian youngsters saw Zahrans videos and got self-radicalised. Whether they are in touch with people in Sri Lanka as well is a matter of investigation, said the officer. HT had first reported on April 28 about Hashims visit to India and the fact that Sri Lanka was alerted about the attacks in advance following an NIA probe into the Coimbatore module of the Islamic State in 2018. Also read: Sri Lanka enters port deal with Japan, India In the Coimbatore module, NIA had identified six suspects - Mohammed Ashiq A, Ismail S, Samsudeen, Mohammed Salauddin S, Jafar Shadik Ali and Shahul Hameed -- who were either in touch with Hashim or got radicalized listening to his speeches. The NIA will seek details from Sri Lanka about their possible visits to the island. The agency had, meanwhile, also found that one of the members of Kasargod module, from which Riyaz Aboobacker was arrested on April 29, was friends with Hashim on Facebook. Aboobacker had managed to convince several Indians from Kerala and Tamil Nadu to follow the speeches of Hashim and join the violent jihad. At least six Indian ISIS suspects had travelled to Sri Lanka. They all were investigated by NIA. Six days after securing the first electoral victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party in Arunachal Pradesh in the assembly polls, Pema Khandu took oath as the northeastern states chief minister on Wednesday. Khandu, who has been in the CMs chair since July 2016 and witnessed several twists and turns in the states politics, was administered the oath of office by Governor BD Misra. The swearing-in ceremony of the 39-year-old and 11 other ministers took place at Dorjee Khandu State Convention Centre in state capital Itanagarthe first time outside the Raj Bhawan. Starting with Assam (2016), Manipur (2017) and Tripura (2018), the BJP now has four elected governments in the northeast. The party is a part of coalition governments in Nagaland and Meghalaya and NDA-ally Mizo National Front is at the helm in Mizoram. Wednesdays ceremony was attended by Pema Khandus counterpart in Assam Sarbananda Sonowal, Manipurs chief minister N Biren Singh, Tripuras Biplab Deb, Nagalands Neiphiu Rio and Meghalayas Conrad Sangma. Union minister Kiren Rijiju, the BJPs national vice-president Ram Madhav, senior Assam minister and convenor of North East Democratic Alliance Himanta Biswa Sarma were also present. The BJP won 41 of the 60 seats in the state assembly in the assembly polls which were held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections across the country. The Janata Dal (United) came second with seven seats, National Peoples Party (NPP) won five, Peoples Party of Arunachal won one and two seats were bagged by Independents. In 2014, the BJP had won just seven seats while Congress got 42. The Congress government led by Nabam Tuki was dismissed in January 2016 after differences among the partys legislators over leadership. The next government in the state was formed by Kalikho Pul, who led a group of rebel Congress MLAs. But after the government was dismissed by the Supreme Court, Pema Khandu took oath as CM of a Congress government in July 2016. Pema Khandu and almost all Congress MLAs, except Tuki, joined the Peoples Party of Arunachal a few months later and switched sides to the BJP in December 2016 after PPA expelled them. It was the second (un-elected) BJP government in the state after Gegong Apang engineered a switch by most Congress MLAs to the saffron party in 2003. That government lasted eight months. Son of former chief minister Dorjee Khandu, Pema Khandus rise in politics began after his fathers death in a helicopter crash in 2011. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The good news is both parties will end up with the same amount of land, but then we can efficiently design and build our new fire station on our new piece of land and the Park District can more efficiently build their ice center and, specifically, the parking field, Owen said. The Maldivian Parliament on Wednesday unanimously passed a resolution inviting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the House during his visit to the Indian Ocean archipelago in June. All 80 lawmakers present in Parliament voted in favour of the resolution inviting PM Modi to deliver a speech in the House. Though there has been no official word from the Indian government on the trip, the Maldives is expected to be the destination of PM Modis first foreign visit during his second term as prime minister. He is expected to visit the island nation during June 7-8, people familiar with developments said. Maldives Parliament has unanimously passed a resolution to invite PM @narendramodi to address a sitting of the house during his upcoming visit to the Maldives, foreign minister Abdulla Shahid tweeted. Former president Mohamed Nasheed, recently appointed Speaker of the Parliament, had said on Tuesday that President Ibrahim Solih had requested Modi to address the House during his visit, the Maldives Independent reported. PM Modi had visited the Maldives last November to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Solih, who became president after defeating Abdulla Yameen in elections. Bilateral ties had deteriorated after the pro-China Yameen imposed emergency in February last year. India criticised his decision and asked his government to restore the credibility of democratic institutions and release political prisoners. First, Grand Tamashas Executive Producer Lauren Dueck takes the helm to interview Milan Vaishnav (Director of the South Asia programme at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) on the election aftermath. Milan and Lauren discuss whether the election marks a structural break in Indian electoral history and what, if any, impact the economy had on the outcome. The two also discuss whether secularism has a leg to stand on going forward. Then, Milan sits down with Devesh Kapur, director of Asia programs at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). Devesh has spent much of his career researching the Indian state and he talks with Milan about his diagnosis of the challenges facing Indian public institutions. The two discuss Indias personnel shortcomings, whether India is truly a patronage democracy, and what should be on the next governments administrative reform agenda. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The BJP has made major inroads into the Congress seats in Punjab, an analysis of all the 20 assembly segments that the BJP failed to win in the Punjab polls two years back in February 2017 reveals. In the assembly seat sharing matrix, the saffron party contests 23 urban seats , while its senior ally, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), the remaining 94. During the last state polls, the Congress had reclaimed its traditional vote bank of Hindus to wrest seats contested by the BJP. It won Pathankot, Bhoa, Dinanagar, Jalandhar North, Jalandhar Central, Mukerian, Dasuya, Anandpur Sahib, Hoshiarpur, Fazilka and Ferozepur city. But it has lost all these 11 segments in the parliamentary polls. In nine other assembly seats the BJP lost to the Congress in Punjab elections, the leads of the ruling party have shrunk considerably. Though the Congress has been able to lead in all the four assembly seats in Amritsar city that the BJP contests, its victory margin has taken a hit in all four. The steepest fall is in local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhus Amritsar East seat where the partys lead is down by 37,000 votes. Though school education minister OP Soni has been able to sail through with a slender lead of 5,378 votes in the Amritsar Central seat, the partys margin is over 15,000 votes down. In the Hindu-dominated Jalandhar West seat which the BJP lost in the state polls, the lead of Congress has fallen by 15,845 votes. It is the same story in the three seats the BJP contests in Ludhiana Ludhiana Central, Ludhiana North and Ludhiana West where the lead of minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu in the latter is down by 28,000 votes. In Patiala too, Hindu-dominated Rajpura segment has dented the Congress 2017 lead by 25,000 votes, though sitting Congress MLA Hardayal Kamboj has been able to save it from going the BJP way. In all the three seats the BJP won in state polls, it has bettered its vote tally, including Phagwara, Sujanpur and Abohar, the home turf of Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar. The results reflect a tectonic shift in communal as well as urban-rural votes. It is not just the Congress that needs to worry owing to the saffron surge in Punjab but also the Akalis. SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, who posted highest victory margin in state from Ferozepur, has won handsomely from BJP seats such as Abohar, Fazilka and Ferozepur city. It is the Hindu vote that has also salvaged the Bathinda seat of Sukhbirs wife, Harsimrat Kaur Badal. Her lead has fallen in family bastion, Lambi, but she won with higher margin from urban seats of Bathinda urban, Bhucho and Budhlada. Finance minister Manpreet Badal, who could not secure a lead for Congress in his Bathinda urban seat, says traditionally, Jat Sikh farmers supported the Akali Dal and Hindu traders in urban areas the Congress. But the trend has reversed this time. We have done better in rural areas, among Sikh voters due to their anger against Akalis on sacrilege issue. Akalis have nothing to gloat about as Harsimrats vote share is falling with every election. It was 50% in 2009, 43.9% in 2014 and 41% in this election, he said. Against 14 of the BJP, the SAD has been able to register a lead in 21 assembly segments. The Scheduled Caste (SC) vote has been split on communal lines. Reserved seats dominated by Sikh SCs Faridkot and Fatehgarh Sahib went the Congress way and those by Hindu SCs such as Hoshiarpur opted for the BJP. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Senior Congress leader Sheila Dikshit met Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday in her effort to stop him from resigning. Senior Congress leaders and allies have been trying to persuade Rahul Gandhi to continue to lead the party that is struggling after a crushing defeat in the Lok Sabha elections. I have given him the message that he should not resign. We want him to continue on his post, otherwise it will cause us pain. We have conveyed that to him, Sheila Dikshit was quoted as saying by news agency ANI after the meeting Sheila Dikshit led a group of Congress workers to the 12, Tughlaq Lane house of Rahul Gandhi to meet him to persuade him to change his mind. Rahul Gandhi said at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting on Saturday that he had decided to step down as party president, a post he took over from his mother and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi in 2017. Also Read | Rahul Gandhi should not resign: Now, HD Kumaraswamy urges Congress president Gandhi has stayed firm on his decision to quit after the poll debacle despite several party leaders urgings to reconsider his decision. The party won only 52 Lok Sabha seats and its governments in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan face an uncertain future. We are going to be near the residence of Rahul Gandhi and will demonstrate there to convey our feelings that he should not resign. The party will suffer a very heavy loss which we dont want. We are going there to plead with him to not do this, Sheila Dikshit was quoted as saying by ANI. WATCH | Wont let Rahul Gandhi quit as Congress pres: Sheila Dikshit The Delhi Congress chief had said earlier that the party has bounced back in the past from challenging circumstances to triumph. Under the dynamic leadership of Indira Gandhi, the Congress party fought back from the setback in the 1977 Lok Sabha elections to wrest power two-and-a-half years later, and the party remained in power for several years thereafter, Dikshit said in a statement. Also Read | Sheila Dikshit appeals to Rahul Gandhi to withdraw his decision to quit as party chief Delhi Congress was with Rahul Gandhi in this challenging time for the party, she said. There was no need for the Congress president and the party workers to get disheartened by the setbacks in the Lok Sabha elections, she said, appealing Gandhi to withdraw his decision to step down as party president. The Congress was routed in Delhi by the BJP, which won all the seven Lok Sabha seats in the Capital with huge margins. The Congress, however, managed to replace the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as runners up on five of the seven seats. Dikshit too lost to her BJP counterpart and sitting member of Parliament Manoj Tiwari by a margin of over 366,000 votes from North East Delhi. The former chief minister said the Congress candidates finished second in five of the seven Lok Sabha constituencies in Delhi, and the party also came first in five assembly segments and second in 42 others. Dikshit said the Congress workers will go to the people with a positive agenda to win back their trust and confidence, and the party will bounce back in the upcoming assembly elections in Delhi in 2020. (with agency inputs) HD Kumaraswamy, the leader of Congress alliance partner JD(S) in Karnataka, has joined the chorus of voices asking Rahul Gandhi to reconsider his decision to quit as the grand old partys president after its dismal performance in the Lok Sabha election. The Karnataka chief minister on Wednesday became the latest leader after the DMKs MK Stalin, RJDs Lalu Prasad Yadav and actor-politician Rajinikanth to urge Rahul Gandhi not to step down as the Congress president. I will meet him tomorrow and speak to him. He should not resign, the Karnataka chief minister, who said before the Lok Sabha election that his party is ready to support Congress president Rahul Gandhi for the PM post. was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. Gandhis decision to step down as party chief was announced at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting held after the party could manage just 52 of the 542 Lok Sabha seats with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA storming to power with 352 seats. Before this, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader MK Stalin spoke with the Congress president over the phone, asking asked Rahul Gandhi not to resign. Stalin had said that Gandhi had won the hearts of the people, according to a DMK release. Also read: Sheila Dikshit to stage demonstration urging Rahul Ganghi not to resign as Congress president Though your party has failed in consolidating votes, you have won the hearts of Indians. So, you should give up the idea of resigning from the Congress presidents post, Stalin said to Rahul Gandhi, according to the DMK. Stalin, apparently, also spoke to UPA chairperson and Rahul Gandhis mother Sonia Gandhi. The DMK, however, did not say what Rahul Gandhis response was to Stalins request. Veteran actor Rajinikanth has also asked Rahul Gandhi not to step down. Rahul should stand firm. He should prove that he can do anything. Also, a strong opposition is necessary for a democratic country. So, I request Rahul to lead a strong opposition, Rajinikanth told the media. Jailed RJD leader Lalu Prasad has said that by resigning Gandhi would walk into the BJP trap. In an analysis published in The Telegraph, the leader serving a jail term in a fodder scam case, said: Rahuls offer to resign is suicidal. Opposition parties had the common goal to dislodge BJP but failed to build a national narrative. The result in a particular election can never alter the reality in as diverse and plural a country as India. Also read: Rahul Gandhi should go on a padyatra to connect with people: Abhishek Singhvi Robert Vadra, brother-in-law of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday sought permission from a Delhi court to travel to London citing medical reasons, even as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) asked him to join investigations in connection with alleged money laundering in the purchase of a London-based property. An agency official, who asked not to be named, claimed that Vadras arrest is imminent. The court will hear matter on June 3. Vadras lawyer informed the court that his client has a small tumour in his large intestine for which he needs to travel to London. The ED has issued fresh summons to Robert Vadra, brother-in-law of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, to appear before it Thursday in connection with a money laundering case linked to purchase of alleged illegal assets abroad, officials said. They said Vadra has been asked to depose before the investigating officer of the case at around 10:30 AM at the agencys office here. (With PTI inputs) Two Congress lawmakers skipped a meeting of their legislature party in Karnataka on Wednesday. The two included Ramesh Jarkiholi, who had in April said he would quit the party. R Roshan Baig, the other absentee, has criticised the Congresss state leadership over the partys poor performance in Lok Sabha polls. Five others, who could not attend the meeting, had informed the party in advance. B Nagendra, and Mahesh Kumathahalli, who were believed to have been in the dissident camp, attended the meeting. Former chief minister Siddaramaiah said Congresss all 79 lawmakers are with the party. There is no dissent in our ranks and we are like a rock, he said. Separately, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal on Wednesday met state Congress leaders and chief minister HD Kumaraswamy. Venugopal was rushed to Bengaluru as the Janata Dal (Secular) JD (S)-Congress coalition government in Karnataka sensed trouble after Bharatiya Janata Party swept the national polls and won 25 out of the 28 seats in the state. A Congress minister said his party was considering re-inducting independent lawmaker Shankar into the cabinet. Shankar had withdrawn support to the coalition government in January after he was dropped from the cabinet in December. The coalition has a support of 118 lawmakers. The BJP has 105 members in the state assembly. Congress state chief Dinesh Gundu Rao said the Lok Sabha poll results were not a mandate against the state. We will try and ensure our programme reaches people even better, he said. The Supreme Court Wednesday dismissed a plea of Congress lawmaker Karti Chidambaram seeking return of 10 crore which he had deposited with the courts registry for travelling abroad. A vacation bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Aniruddha Bose rejected Kartis plea and said, Pay attention to your constituency. In the Lok Sabha elections, Karti Chidambaram won the Sivaganga seat in Tamil Nadu by over 3 lakh votes. He defeated BJP national general secretary H Raja. In his plea, Karti Chidambarams sought the refund claiming he had taken the money on loan and was paying interest on it. Son of senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, Karti Chidambaram is facing probe in the INX Media and the Aircel Maxis cases. A bench of the top court had allowed him to travel abroad but with a condition of depositing the said amount. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to pressurise Pakistan to undertake a thorough probe into the destruction of the centuries-old Guru Nanak Palace in Narowal. He has also offered his governments help to get the property in Pakistans Punjab rebuilt, if the Centre could secure Islamabads permission for the same. Amarinder Singh wrote to Modi requesting him to take up the matter with the government of Pakistan asking for a probe in the wanton destruction of the property in question and to bring to justice all the guilty persons associated with this unfortunate act. Calling for urgent steps to restore the remaining structure through scientific conservation and restoration, the Chief Minister also sought to impress upon the government of Pakistan the need to preserve all such monuments that have an association with Sikh heritage in an institutionalised manner so that such incidents do not recur in future. If the government of India arranges permission from the Pakistan government, the Punjab government (India) would rebuild the historic property, he said in a press statement. Amarinder Singh strongly condemned the shocking incident, which he said hurt the sentiments of Sikhs around the world. In his letter to the Prime Minister, he wrote: The building, which some media reports cite to be around four centuries old and has been visited by a large number of Sikh pilgrims, has been rapaciously pillaged and destroyed. He said the incident had caused great consternation in his state and it was almost ironic that it had happened at a time when the two countries were poised to celebrate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the first Sikh guru. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.) The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to examine the power of tax authorities to arrest an individual for evading Goods and Services Tax (GST). A vacation bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi issued notice on two appeals filed by the Centre questioning a Bombay high court order that granted anticipatory bail to individuals and took the view that an accused cannot be arrested without following the procedure laid down under the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPc). In its appeal, the Centre also attacked the emerging trend of persons accused in economic offences challenging the constitutional validity of the statutory provisions under which they are charged. The bench also said the question of law on the power of arrest would be decided by a larger bench of three judges. The need to examine the issue arose after solicitor general Tushar Mehta pointed out that the views of the Bombay HC and the Telangana HC were divergent. Mehta said the Telangana HCs order that individuals cannot be granted protection from arrest in such cases was upheld by the top court, which on May 27 dismissed an appeal against the same. While agreeing to set up a larger bench to give more clarity on the law, the SC asked all high courts to keep in mind its May 27 order in case it is approached for pre-arrest bail under the GST law. Its for us to remember those who offered the supreme sacrifice for us to be able to live in a country where we can enjoy the freedoms that we have, said John Wolk, commander of Joseph M. Sesterhenn American Legion Post 166. Shashi Tharoor, three-time MP from Thiruvananthapuram, feels it is far too premature to write an obituary for the Congress and, being the only credible national alternative to the BJP, the party cannot afford to roll over and die. In an interview with Hindustan Times, he discusses how Narendra Modi managed such a stunning victory, why Rahul Gandhi should continue to take the party forward and why the BJP has failed to make inroads into Kerala. Edited excerpts: Where is the Congress now? I think the election results make it clear that we have suffered a major setback, and that there are major issues our party will have to work to resolve. It will undoubtedly take us serious introspection and a comprehensive assessment to correctly identify what these issues were. For example, we were (not unreasonably) convinced that grave economic concerns such as unemployment levels hitting a 45-year-high, or the significant agrarian distress, or even the disastrous impact of demonetization, would play a pivotal role in deciding the fate of the election. After all, there is a well-recognised wisdom in believing that voters would cast their votes according to their economic self-interest. But this time the Indian voter did not do that, and we need to understand why. Another area where we could have done better is, perhaps, if we had released our party manifesto earlier and given ourselves more time to market ideas like NYAY, which was nothing short of revolutionary. It appears the core messaging around NYAY may have only reached around half the electorate and perhaps even the wrong half mainly centred in urban areas and among professional classes, who would be paying for the scheme, rather than the bottom 20%, mainly in rural India, who would become beneficiaries of it. Now I must stress that all of this is based on 20-20 hindsight. But we really do need a comprehensive and systematic assessment of where and what we got wrong. At the same time, I strongly believe that we have no time to sit and lick our wounds and must instead pick up again immediately and effectively. Also read: PM Modi, Amit Shah brainstorm ahead of oath ceremony Do you think the setback is temporary and Rahul Gandhi can salvage pride? Absolutely, and I certainly think its far too premature to write any obituary for the party as Kerala and Punjab have shown, we are very much alive and kicking! We represent an alternate vision of the idea of India, an inclusive and pluralist vision that reflects truly the heart and soul of the country. We cannot afford to roll over and die and leave the field uncontested for a distorted, bigoted and narrow-minded version of what India stands for. The Congress party represents the only credible national alternative to the BJP and we will take our message to the country under Rahuljis leadership. I am convinced that Rahul Gandhi has led the party with energy and commitment from the front and has far more to offer to the party still While Rahulji has bravely taken full responsibility for the defeat, we all are responsible for what went wrong and we all have a responsibility to ensure the partys revival. How did Narendra Modi manage such a win? At this stage any assessment is purely speculative. One factor is, perhaps, the other side executed the crucial messaging better; they decided early that their product was Mr Modi and they marketed him very well. They built up the most extraordinary personality cult in modern Indian political history, buttressed by larger-than-life imagery, hundreds of thousands of social media warriors, an intimidated mainstream media, ubiquitous cameramen and a slick publicity machinery that was switched on 24/7. They also had great success in marketing many of their flagship schemes. Perhaps we could have done better to make the reality of the flawed delivery of such schemes more apparent. Another issue is we may have underestimated the impact of national security on the psyche of the voter. This is more true in the north than in south. You said if the party makes you parliamentary party leader you will accept it? If offered, certainly I would, but that is not for me to determine. Since so many of our stalwarts have lost, those of us who remain will have to take on extra responsibility. I am ready for that. Also read: Raghuvansh Prasad blames Lalus sons for RJDs poll debacle After storming Bengal and Odisha, BJP says Kerala is next on top of its chart. What is your assessment? I am confident that will not happen. In the recent elections, despite dedicating serious resources in terms of manpower and financial power, the party only managed to register a marginal increase in their vote share and barring my own constituency of Thiruvananthapuram, all of their remaining candidates were confined to the third position in their respective constituencies. The fact remains that in a largely cosmopolitan state comprising highly educated electorate, the BJPs implicitly communal political messaging hit a ceiling of sorts. The BJP keeps overlooking a historic reality of the state, that it is fundamentally rooted in the fact that Keralites see the best guarantee of their own security and prosperity in the survival and success of a pluralist India. The Malayali ethos has always been the same as the best of the Indian ethos accepting, inclusionist, flexible, eclectic, absorptive. That ethos stands for a fundamentally different idea of India than what the BJP seeks to promote, which is a distorted, chauvinistic and bigoted idea. That is fundamentally why the saffron wave has been repeatedly and emphatically been repudiated by the voters of the state and I have no doubt that the people of Kerala will continue to do so in the elections to come. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The third doctor accused of driving a 26-year-old postgraduate medical student at state-run BYL Nair Hospital in Mumbai to suicide has been arrested, news agency ANI reported on Wednesday. According to ANI, Dr Ankita Khandelwal was arrested by Mumbai Police and will be produced before a court on Wednesday. The other doctors Bhakti Mehre and Hema Ahuja were arrested on Tuesday. The family of Dr Payal Tadvi has accused all the three doctors of driving their daughter to suicide on May 22 by discriminating against her on the grounds of her caste. A student of gynaecology and a resident doctor at BYL Nair Hospital, Dr Tadvi belonged to the tribal Tadvi Bhil community. The police have registered a case against Dr Khandelwal, Dr Ahuja and Dr Mehare under section 306 (abetment to suicide) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), sections of the Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribes Atrocities Act, Anti-Ragging Act and Information Technology Act, 2000. They have also questioned Dr Yi Ching Ling, who headed the unit that Dr Payal Tadvi was a part of, and Dr SD Shirodkar, head of the gynaecology department at BYL Nair Hospital on Tuesday. Statements of other hospital employees have also been recorded. An anti-ragging committee appointed by Maharashtras health department said on Tuesday that it had found prima facie evidence that Dr Khandelwal, Dr Ahuja and Dr Mehare had subjected Dr Tadvi to casteist comments. The three accused have claimed they did not know Dr Tadvis caste or community. Also read: Mumbai doctor commits suicide, three seniors booked If the deceased had chosen to simply abstain from coming to the hospital when she was expected there and there were responsibilities to be performed by her from November 2018 to December 2018, if the deceased was labelled as a person who runs away (bhagoda), it cannot be said that it amounted to any kind of abetment to suicide or offences under the Prevention of SC/ST Act, they said in their bail plea. The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken a suo moto cognisance of the matter and written to the hospital administration, requesting to appraise it with the action taken in the case. The NCW is deeply disturbed ... It is a matter of serious concern, NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma wrote in the letter addressed to the hospitals director Dr Avinas Supe. On Monday, the Maharashtra State Commission for Women had also issued a notice to the dean of the BYL Nair Hospital seeking a report on the action taken in the case. The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) has suspended the three doctors. The doctors accused of abetting Dr Tadvis suicide wrote to the association on Monday urging to ensure a fair probe into the issue. (With agency inputs) Ensuring better working conditions for contractual workers and farmers, enhanced facilities for irrigation and a re-think on trade agreements are high on the wish list that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) affiliates are likely to present to the new government after it takes office later this week. The RSS is the ideological parent of the Bharatiya Janata Party that has stormed back to power by winning 353 seats along with its allies in the Lok Sabha polls. The RSS wings such as the Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) and the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) had been critical of the National Democratic government during its last tenure over key policy issues, including relaxation of norms for Foreign Direct Investment, negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and delay over implementing a wage code. These groups, however, were seen toning down their displeasure just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. With the BJP returning to power, they now have a wish-list for the new government. We want the government to revisit RCEP negotiations and other trade agreements to ensure that Indias interests are protected. There are upheavals in the trade sector and the United States of America, for instance, is not going by the WTO [World Trade Organisation] rules on tariff and dispute settlement mechanism. The political leadership must be careful that it does not get misled by the bureaucracy in decision making, said Ashwani Mahajan, national co-convenor of the SJM. Also read: Congress-NCP Maha bastion turns saffron, time to put in west efforts RCEP is a trade agreement between 10 Asean nations and the groupings six free-trade pact partners Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China, Korea and India. Negotiations for the agreement are expected to end this year. The SJM has pointed out that the pact will give nations such as Australia and New Zealand that lead in dairy exports an edge over the Indian dairy sector. It pitched for Indianisation of the production sector, also wants to ensure that e-commerce platforms do not adversely impact conventional employment sources and appointments to key positions in institutions such as the Reserve Bank of India, NITI Aayog and other advisory bodies are carefully vetted. With the India Meteorological Department warning that many parts of India may face a dry and torrid summer, the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, the RSS wing for the farm sector, wants the government to take immediate steps to ensure irrigation facilities. The BMS, the labour arm of the Sangh, wants the government to bring a wage code and a social security act for contractual workers. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In continuing trouble for Trinamool Congress, another party MLA, Munirul Islam, joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) here on Wednesday. Islams decision comes a day after, two party MLAs including Shubrangshu Roy, son of Mukul Roy, along with 63 municipal councillors, had joined BJP. Besides Islam, former MLA Gadadhar Hazra, TMC youth wing general secretary of Bibhum district, Mohd Asif Iqbal and TMC worker Nimai Das, also joined BJP in the presence of West Bengal BJP in charge Kailash Vijayvargiya. Munirul Islam is a legislator from Labhpur the constituency of West Bengals Birbhum. Addressing the media on the occasion, Mukul Roy said, Those joining are very significant. We are making inroads in different constituencies and will expand our party in the state. Because of Didis arrogance, there is a lot of infighting in TMC. Under Modis leadership, we will not only reinstate peace in the state but will also push it towards development, he said. Along with Subhrangshu and Tushar Kanti Bhattacharya, a CPI (M) MLA Hemtabad Devendra Roy also joined the BJP in the presence of West Bengal BJP in charge Kailash Vijayvargiya. The BJP broke into the TMC citadel winning 18 Lok Sabha seats, 16 more than it bagged in the 2014 general elections, while TMC bagged 22 out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Congress managed to win just two seats, while the Left parties drew a blank. Also read | Mamata Banerjee to skip PM Modi oath after invites to killed Bengal BJP workers kin Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to hold bilateral meetings with leaders of the US and China in September and October respectively, with security, trade and unresolved issues in relations with both countries expected to top the agenda. Modi is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump in September, people familiar with the matter said. Dates for the meeting, which is expected to be held around the time of the UN General Assembly session, are being discussed through diplomatic channels, the people added. Also Read | 2 TMC legislators, 56 councillors in Bengal quit party to join BJP When Trump called Modi to congratulate him on the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) electoral victory, the two leaders also agreed to meet on the margins of the G20 Summit to be held in the Japanese city of Osaka on June 28-29. Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit India for his second informal summit with Modi on October 11, people familiar with development in New Delhi and Beijing said. The meet is expected to take forward the momentum created by the first informal summit at Wuhan in April last year. Long before the informal summit, Modi and Xi will also meet on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in the Kyrgyzstan capital of Bishkek during June 13-14, the people quoted above said. This meeting will allow the two leaders to review recent developments in bilateral relations and key issues such as the impact of the US-China trade war, the people added. Though the two sides have agreed on October 11 for the second informal summit, there is still a possibility that the date could be advanced if the two leaders decide to do so in order to take forward the momentum created by the Wuhan Summit, the people said. Also Read | PM Modi, Amit Shah brainstorm ahead of oath ceremony For now, the external affairs ministry is focused on choosing an appropriate venue for the informal summit. The thinking in official quarters in New Delhi is that the venue should reflect Indias long civilisational history and culture, and also allow the two leaders to spend time together for one-to-one talks, just as they had done in Wuhan. If Modi takes up Russian President Vladimir Putins invitation to be the chief guest at the Eastern Economic Forum to be held in Vladivostok during September 4-6, the Indian premier will meet the top leaders of the three great powers within the space of two months, an official said. Ahead of the meeting between Modi and Trump in September, India and the US are exploring the possibility of a visit to New Delhi by a key member of the US presidents cabinet, the people said. The two sides are also discussing the possibility of the first visit to India by Trump either in December or January, the people added. Recent irritants in trade relations, such the US decision to withdraw benefits under the Generalized System of Preferences (GPS) programme, the ending of exemptions to sanctions on Iranian oil exports to India and the US demand for access to Indian markets for dairy products and medical devices, are expected to figure prominently in the meeting between the leaders of India and the US. Security and defence ties have grown rapidly in recent years and India is eyeing the possibility of acquiring the Predator B or MQ-9 Reaper armed drone from the US, the people said. The meeting will also allow the two sides to discuss their respective approaches to and policies for the Indo-Pacific region, the people added. Also Read | Mamata, KCR, Jagan Mohan Reddy to attend PM Modis swearing in The second India-China informal summit, coming after bilateral ties received a boost following Beijings decision to withdraw its technical hold on the designation of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist, will give the two sides an opportunity to discuss key issues such as Indias trade deficit of more than $50 billion with China and market access. The Chinese side is expected to raise its concerns such as the border dispute, Indias opposition to its Belt and Road Initiative and the Dalai Lama and also seek clarity on Indias stance on the Indo-Pacific and the Quad. The Indian side is expected to raise Chinas opposition to the countrys membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group and ways to take forward the current positive spirit in bilateral ties. In its first meeting after the general elections, the Uttar Pradesh cabinet on Tuesday revoked a decision to shift the affiliation of Amethis degree colleges from Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Awadh University in Ayodhya to Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj University (CSJMU) in Kanpur. The cabinet approved the UP State Universities (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2019, to amend the UP State Universities Act , 1973, to revoke the decision on the affiliation of colleges in Amethi,the former Lok Sabha constituency of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who was unseated by Union minister Smriti Irani in the just concluded elections. The cabinet also approved a draft bill to replace the ordinance in the next session of the state legislature.The notification to shift affiliation of colleges of Amethi from Ayodhya to Kanpur had been issued but not implemented. Minister for medical and health Sidharth Nath Singh and energy minister Shrikant Sharma announced the decision at a media briefing. Also read: PM Modi, Amit Shah brainstorm ahead of oath ceremony Degree colleges are affiliated to universities for the purpose of academic control. The university conducts examinations and awards degrees to students enrolled in affiliated colleges. Affiliation to CSJMU was inconvenient as Kanpur is situated at a distance of about 250 km from Amethi. The state cabinet has decided to affiliate these colleges to Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Awadh University, which is just 90 km away, said Singh. Affiliation of colleges was an issue in Amethi and a delegation of local residents had met Irani to discuss it while she was campaigning in the constituency. Senior BJP leader from Amethi, Uma Shankar Pandey, said, The state governments decision to shift affiliation of Amethis colleges came to our knowledge in December 2018. So, this issue was raised before Smriti Irani. A Congress leader in Amethi, Yogendra Mishra, said the affiliation of colleges was not a big issue in the elections. There was a proposal to shift affiliation from Ayodhya to Kanpur. We wanted that the decision is reverted soon, said Mishra. Regional higher education officer Rajiv Pandey said the cabinets decision would affect 47 government-aided and private degree colleges of Amethi. The toll from spurious liquor tragedy in Uttar Pradeshs Barabanki rose to 18 as an excise inspector and two other accused were arrested on Wednesday. The two include Daanveer Singh, owner of the shop where liquor was sourced from.. Sub-divisional magistrate Chandra Prakash put the toll at 18 even as local residents said 21 people have died so far. A police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the toll figures varied since bodies of those cremated without post-mortem examination were not included in the official list of the deceased. Officials feared the toll was likely to go up as many of 56 others, who had also taken ill after consuming spurious liquor, were critical at hospitals in Lucknow and Barabanki. Inspector general Praveen Kumar said Singh was arrested along with Pappu Jaiswal. He added excise inspector Ram Tirath Maurya was arrested after his alleged connivance with the two accused in the sale of spurious liquor came to light. Kumar said Jaiswal was arrested after an exchange of fire with police. He added Jaiswal was wounded and is undergoing treatment at a Barabanki hospital. Kumar said Jaiswal has been questioned. He added Singh and Maurya were arrested following Jaiswals interrogation. Three others were earlier arrested on Tuesday. A First Information Report has been lodged in the case under Indian Penal Codes sections 302 (murder) and 272 (adulteration of drinks for sale) on the complaint of one Monu, whose father Chhote Lal and three brothers, Ramesh, Mukesh and Sonu, died on Monday and Tuesday after consuming the liquor. Officials said the dead and the survivors purchased two brands of country liquor, Power House and Windies, from Singhs shop. After the deaths, excise officials sounded an alert about the two brands sold from the authorised shops in the area. The police seized bottles of the same brands on 14 April in Barabanki and arrested two persons for distilling spurious liquor and supplying it to authorised shops with wrappers of registered brands. Around 100 people had died in another hooch tragedy in two adjoining districts of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand in February this year. Less than two weeks later, more than 120 people died, mostly tea estate workers, after consuming a locally brewed liquor called sulai, which is made of jaggery and ethyl alcohol, in Golaghat and Jorhat districts of Assam. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A 52-year-old policewoman posted with the local intelligence unit in Uttar Pradeshs Bareilly was found murdered inside her room in the transit hostel on Tuesday, officials said on Wednesday. Preliminary investigations have suggested that she was murdered on Monday, they added. Sub-inspector Reena Kumaris body was found in her room inside Police Line on Tuesday night. She used to live alone. A case has been registered and further investigations are on, Bareillys senior superintendent of police (SSP) Muniraj G said. Muniraj said the assailant had ransacked the room in search of something and that only her mobile phone was missing. As of now, the only missing item is Reenas mobile phone which has been switched off. We are trying to track the last location of the phone, he said. It appears that the assailant was known to Reena as there are no signs of forced entry. The killer strangled her and hit her on the head with some heavy and sharp object, said the SSP. The post-mortem examination report is awaited. Bareilly Police have formed two teams headed by two superintendents of police level officers to investigate the murder. We are screening the footage of the CCTV camera to identify the killer. The womans husband and her family members have been informed about the incident, he said. Reena had joined the department as a constable in 1988 and was later promoted. She was transferred to LIU in Bareilly in 2017 from Meerut. She had separated from her husband almost a decade ago and got the custody of her son, who is now 15 years old. He son, who studies in Delhi, had visited her recently and left last Friday. A speeding driver in Germany was saved from a 105 pounds ($133) fine when a white dove interceded on his behalf, the media reported on Tuesday. A light-hearted statement from the police in Viersen suggested that perhaps it was no coincidence the Holy Spirit intervened - a reference to the dove as a symbol of that aspect of God in Christianity, the BBC reported. We have understood the sign and leave the speeder in peace this time. The driver was caught on speed cameras - but his identity was hidden by the birds wings spread in flight. We hope that the protected speeder likewise understands this hint from above and drives appropriately in the future, the statement added. The department took to Facebook to share the image on May 27. Since only the car, and not the driver, could be identified, he was probably spared the fine thanks to the feathered guardian angel with seemingly carefully spread wings. A major attack by locust, a tropical grasshopper, has been reported from Jaisalmer district in Rajasthan, which borders Pakistan, after a gap of 26 years, the Locust Warning Organisation (LWO), headquartered in Jodhpur, said on Tuesday. The LWO officials said locust hunters are trying to control the impact of the attack reported in the Ramdeora-Pokhran area of the district that borders in Pakistan the first time in May. Locust invasions are generally reported in June-July as the locust active season is from summer to rainy season, officials said. The last major locust outbreak was reported in Rajasthan in 1993. LWO deputy director, Dr KL Gurjar, said that locusts in millions have attacked vegetation fields in Jaisalmer. We are spraying insecticides to prevent local breeding, he said, adding that so far, locust control activities have been carried out in 800 hectares. According to an advisory by UNs Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), which coordinates global locust control efforts, small-scale breeding continues in coastal areas of Pakistan, especially in Balochistan, where limited control activity was carried out against a few grasshopper groups. The advisory said local infestations could be supplemented by adult groups and small swarms arriving from Iran. The longerterm outlook suggests that there is a moderate risk of a few swarms migrating after mid-june from the spring breeding areas to the summer breeding areas along both sides of the Indo-pakistan border. If Balochistan fails to control breeding of locusts by mid-june, when the monsoon will arrive in the region, there can be major threat along the Indo-Pakistan border, Gurjar said. Outlining the reasons for the attack, the deputy director, said: Control operation was going on in Balochistan (Pakistan) for the past one month. Meanwhile, the swarm of locust with winds and sandstorms from Pakistan entered Jaisalmer district. Gurjar said usually the desert locust cannot fly long distances but the wind helps them to cover large distances. India blamed lax controls in Pakistan for the 1993 swarms, also. The British Government of Imperial India established a locust warning organisation in 1939 with its headquarters in Karachi after the ravages and depredation of the desert locust plague of 1926-1931. The main function of this organization at that time was to keep surveillance in the Thar Desert and issuance of warning to the then Indian states about the possibility of the desert locust swarms incursion, movement and breeding. The present locust warning organisation established in October 1946. The organisation estimated that the damage to crops caused by locusts between 1926-31 cycles was at least 10 crore, highest in the last 100 days. During 1940-46 and 1949-55 locust cycles, the damage was estimated at 2 crore each and it was only 50 lakh during the last locust cycle (1959-62). Though no locust plague cycles have been observed after 1962, during 1978 and 1993, large-scale upsurges were reported, LWO officials said. A: I often get the chance to open up younger peoples minds to what the possibilities of theater can be to push the vision of what is possible onstage. Thats what physical theater is all about. What are the ways in which we can re-imagine how to tell a story? After suffering a rout in the Lok Sabha polls in the state, opposition parties have yet again vowed to fight unitedly in the Assembly elections scheduled to be held in October this year. The Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) alliance, which won only six seats in Maharashtra, held its first joint meeting on Tuesday after the poll results. The meeting was held to review reasons behind their defeat and brainstorm for the upcoming Assembly polls in October. In a deja vu scenario, the Opposition parties continue to be hopeful about the Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) joining their alliance while remaining divided over the induction of the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) for the state election. Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, too, the allies held similar opinions; then, too, they had decided to put a united front but seat-sharing talks had gone on till March. The parties have now decided to meet every week and begin seat-sharing talks immediately so that they get enough time to prepare for polls in every constituency. The opposition leaders also decided that they would again try to convince Ambedkar to support them. Though we have officially decided to make an attempt, we are not hopeful about the alliance as Ambedkar is predetermined about damaging Congress-NCP. We were open about his demands but he kept changing them every time during our 13 meetings with them, said an NCP leader, who did not want to be named. Congress state unit chief Ashok Chavan said, I am not sure about what Ambedkar wishes, but we are open for talks with the front. While NCP and other smaller allies including Swabhimani Paksh are in favour of joining hands with MNS, Congress leaders have expressed reservations. The leaders felt MNS had made no impact in the Lok Sabha polls despite Thackerays rallies drawing big crowds and an alliance could alienate Congress North Indian votes. Leaders from all the parties expressed surprise over the Lok Sabha election results in the meeting. None of the opposition parties will now be stubborn over seat-sharing and (will) come together under one umbrella, said a Congress leader who attended the meeting. There is distress among people over various issues including drought, farmer suicides,reservation, etc. Lok Sabha results are always different from that of Assembly polls. We had registered victory in three Assembly polls just six months before the Lok Sabha elections, said Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar. Meanwhile, BJPs strength in the Legislative Council is expected to increase by one as no other party filed nomination for the bypoll to be held on June 7. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast that heatwave will continue over Vidarbha and Marathwada regions till June 2. Anupam Kashyapi, head of weather, IMD Pune, said,Heatwave pattern will continue over isolated pockets of central Maharashtra till May 30 and till June 2 over isolated pockets of Marathwada and Vidarbha regions because of absence of immediate rainfall system over the state. On Wednesday, Pune recorded a maximum temperature of 39.7C. Meanwhile, according to the El Dorado Weather forecasting agency, Chandrapur (48C) and Bramhapuri (47.5C) in Maharashtra were recorded as fourth and fifth hottest cities in the world. Central India was among the hottest regions of the earth on Wednesday. According to IMD, a heatwave occurs if the maximum temperature of a station reaches at least 40C or more for plains, 37C or more for coastal stations and at least 30C or more for hilly regions. According to the All India Weather Warning Bulletin, the maximum temperature would soar 4-5 degrees Celsius above normal over parts of Maharashtra. Seven out of 15 cities listed as the worlds warmest by the El Dorado website at 7:30pm (IST) were from central India. IMD has also forecast widespread rainfall which is likely over Andaman and Nicobar Islands during the next four days. Fairly widespread to widespread rainfall activity with isolated heavy falls very likely to occur over sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim and northeastern states from May 20 on wards, according to IMD. The Northern Limit of Monsoon (NLM) continues to pass through little Andaman. Conditions are becoming favourable for further advance of southwest monsoon into some parts of Maldives-Comorin area, some more parts of South Bay of Bengal, Andaman Islands and north Andaman Sea during next 48 hours. Strong wind with speed reaching 40-50 kmph are very likely to prevail over Andaman Sea and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal. Squally weather likely to prevail over southeast Arabian Sea. Fishermen are advised not to venture into this area. On Sunday, I wrote about a recent trip to Bangalore in Rude Food, my other Hindustan Times column. (It appears in Brunch in some cities, the HT Sunday broadsheet supplement in others and of course, here on Hindustantimes.com). The trip was about a search for the countrys best street food, a quest that has taken me to many Indian towns and cities and should continue for most of this year. My conclusion was that while chaat was essentially a North Indian phenomenon, evolving in UP and Bihar and spreading East (Calcutta), West (Mumbai) and the North (Delhi, Punjabi etc.), it had, somehow, failed to travel very far south of the Vindhyas. When you did get chaat (in the sense of golgappas, papri chaat, etc.) in the South, it was still treated as a North Indian import. In Mumbai, on the other hand, everyone believes that paani puri is indigenous to the city and in Calcutta, Bongs believe they invented the puchka. But, or so I argued, the street food traditions were changing. The new hub for street food, I found, was no longer Lucknow. It was Mumbai with its wide variety of street food dishes. All over the South, you can now find pav bhaji, bhelpuri, raaste ka Chinese, etc. The flavours of Mumbai (epitomised by pav bhaji masala), permeated street food all over India. The pav that dominated Mumbai streets (pav bhaji, pav keema, vada pav etc.) was fast becoming as much of a Pan Indian street food staple as the golgappa/puchka puri. Even raaste ka Chinese, made originally by thelawallas with soya and ketchup, had acquired a new depth after the roadside guys started adding pav bhaji masala and other Mumbai flavours. It is a controversial thesis based on not much more than my own experience and my theory is, admittedly, a work in progress; I have to visit many more towns before I can come to firmer conclusions. But the one thing that emerged from the many responses to that article is that not only is everyones choice of chaat determined by the city they grew up in, there are also few absolute standards for judging what constitutes good chaat. It is all extremely subjective. For those of us who grew up in Mumbai, there is no substitute for the local chaat (though I am not even sure that we used the word chaat when I was growing up). I was ten years old when I had my first North Indian golgappa and it tasted wrong to me. That was partly because when we made paani puri in Mumbai, we put a little black channa and a few moong sprouts in it. Everybody in North India thought that was weird. Even in Mumbai, there were so many variations of our citys most famous dish, bhelpuri, that it was hard to say which one was the iconic version. The dish was (apparently --- of course, this is controversial) invented by a restaurant called Vithals (near the old Excelsior and New Empire cinemas) which had the bright idea of taking those Gujarati staples, fine, thin sev and mamra (puffed rice), and adding them to North Indian chaat. You can argue about how good Vithals bhelpuri was by the 1970s when I first had it, but just because it may have been invented there, was that version necessarily the best representation of bhelpuri? Was it how all bhelpuri should taste? (Butter chicken was invented by the Daryaganj Moti Mahal but it has been decades since anyone claimed that Moti Mahal that original restaurant, at least --- had the best or even, a particularly good version.) And almost everybody in Mumbai had a favourite bhel, depending usually on where they lived. My favourite bhel guy used to have a cart in the compound of a building in Babulnath. (One of his specialities was dahi bhel, a dish I have hardly ever seen made well anywhere.) Much more famous than his version was the Shettys bhelpuri, made (I assume) by guys from Karnataka, who sent boxes of their bhelpuri all over India. I thought it had too much nimbu, but that may just be a personal preference. My friend, Sameer Sain, grew up in Bandra and swears by the Elco chaat (which is still highly regarded) of his childhood. Despite flitting from one three-star restaurant to another and making such difficult decisions as to whether La Tache is better than Richebourg in any given year, Sameers favourite food is still probably to be found at Elco. For Gujaratis of my generation, Swati near Bhatia Hospital made a seminal version of bhelpuri though that honour (of the best Gujarati style bhel) now belongs to Soam in Babulnath (not far from where my bhelpuriwalla used to be). And lets not forget the regional variations. How about the bhelpuri made by the UP bhaiyyas (they wanted to be called that) on Chowpatty beach, which was one of the citys most famous tourist attractions? Or the more Sindhi-influenced bhel at Kailash Parbat in Colaba? All of these are, recognisably, the same dish. But they are, in terms of taste at least, also completely different. So which one is the real bhel? Lets not get into authenticity. But even in terms of taste, how do we judge a bhel if we dont know what the perfect bhel should taste like? I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that bhel (and other chaat) is the closest we come in food memory terms to our mothers cooking. There are no objective standards to judge mummys phulkas or her sabzi. Because we grew up on it, we think it is the best. Ill give you my own example. Till I was five years old, we lived in Churchgate in Mumbai on a road called A Road. (They were not as imaginative with road names then as they are today.) At the end of A Raod, near the Satkar South Indian restaurant, was a guy who made channa bhatura (or chholey bhaturey as we called it in my house). He would come each day by train to Churchgate, with readymade channa and bhaturas. When you asked for a portion, he would heat the channa and would refresh the bhaturas by frying them again in a little oil so that the edges became crisp. Each plate of channa would then have two chutneys splashed on it along with a shower of onion rings. I grew so addicted to his channa-bhatura that, long after we had moved to another part of town, my parents would send for channa-bhatura from Churchgate as a special treat for me. Was it really such high-quality chaat? How good could reheated bhaturas be anyway? How can this kind of channa compete with the stuff freshly made by the legendary Delhi channa-bhatura guys? These are good questions. And I have no good answers. But for me, that is the real taste of channa-bhatura. Serve me any version that is not tarted up with chaat chutneys and I will find it lacking. Or take the example of my wife who grew up in Calcutta. For her, chaat is inextricably linked with the happiest memories of her childhood. Each evening, a chaatwallah would visit her neighbourhood and all the children would gather around him. He would make churmur (a Cal speciality which never gets the recognition it deserves) for them and then, as they lined up, he would feed them puchkas, one by one. As a consequence, my wife will turn her nose up at most variations on the golgappa/paani puri, arguing that only in Calcutta do they know to make chaat properly. I took her to Lucknow where all these dishes probably originated and she said that the UP versions were very nice but you know, they werent in the same league as Calcutta chaat... At some level, we are all the same. Yes, we love chaat. But no, I dont think we can be objective about it. It is the taste of our childhoods, of our happiest memories and of our formative years. There is no such thing, I fear, as the best chaat. The tastiest chaat is the chaat that appeals to the child deep inside us all. To read more on The Taste With Vir, click here Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The worldwide grounding of Boeing Co.s 737 Max is taking its toll on airlines and it will be months before the plane returns to service, the head of the International Air Transport Association said. Boeings fastest-selling aircraft, grounded by regulators after fatal crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia, wont resume flights until at least 10 to 12 weeks from now, Alexandre de Juniac, IATAs chief executive officer, said on a call with reporters Wednesday. We are preparing a meeting between regulators, the aircraft manufacturer and the operators to make an assessment of the situation, De Juniac said. But it is not in our hands. Its in the hands of regulators. IATA represents some 290 airlines, or more than 80% of total air traffic. The group will hold its annual meeting in Seoul this weekend, in the biggest gathering of airline and plane-company executives since the Boeing tragedies in October and March. Bleak Assessment De Juniacs bleak assessment echoes the cautious stance adopted by aviation authorities on the timeline for the Maxs possible return. European regulators, assessing proposed changes to the Max, plan to scrutinize the jets entire flight-control system before they approve a return to the skies, while U.S. aviation regulators said they wont rush the matter. Indonesia, one of the biggest markets for the plane, signaled it may keep the jet parked until next year. The regulators arent on the same page, De Juniac said in a phone interview. Otherwise theyd have a similar timeline, a similar set of measures. Airlines, regulators and Boeing will meet in five to seven weeks to try and set a common timeline on when the Max could return to service and how trust could be restored, De Juniac said in the interview. While the location has yet to be finalized, IATA would like to see a single regulator taking the call on airworthiness to avoid useless complexity and additional costs, he said. Boeing, meanwhile, told SpiceJet Ltd. the 737 Max should be back in the air by July, signaling a quicker return for the plane than many expect. The Indian budget carrier is one of the biggest buyers of the jet. The timeline communicated to us based on their experience is July -- end of June basically, SpiceJets Chief Financial Officer Kiran Koteshwar said in an interview. We are expecting it to be July. Representatives for Boeing in India didnt comment. The rapid appointment of the outgoing Chinese envoy to India and career diplomat Luo Zhaohui as vice foreign minister in charge of Asian affairs even as he was finishing his farewell dinners in New Delhi is a positive sign for Sino-India ties. Luos appointment was announced on Wednesday and he will take over his responsibilities at the sprawling foreign ministry office in Beijing as India and China prepare for President Xi Jinpings much-awaited visit in October. A new momentum is expected to be generated from Xis upcoming visit to India and Luo is likely to hold the reins for Beijing in terms of the diplomatic groundwork thats crucial for such meetings. Technically, Luo hasnt been promoted as envoy to India he was already at the level of a vice-minister but given a wider range of responsibilities. Much like vice-foreign minister, Kong Xuanyou who for example visited Islamabad following the India, Pakistan aerial dogfight in end February -- and is now moving on Thursday as Chinas ambassador to Japan. In the coming days, he could also be appointed as Chinas special representative for Korean affairs, which was part of Kongs profile. Theres little doubt, however, that as in-charge of Asia besides looking after border issues, maritime territorial issues and consular aspects Luo brings rich experience and intuition to his new profile. Chinese experts on south Asia and India told HT that Luo knows the importance and is a keen student of the gradual evolution of Sino-India ties; he was in the thick of things during the long military standoff between the two countries near the Sikkim border and was also an intrinsic part of the post-Wuhan bilateral bonhomie. I think under Luo Zhaohui as the head of the Asian department, Sino-India ties will improve. He knows a lot about south Asia; he has been posted both in India and Pakistan as envoys. During his tenure in India, he was very active, Ma Jiali, a long-time India watcher and a director at the China Reform Forum said. Ma, who knows Luo since the late 1980s, said the diplomat knows about Indias importance to China and has focussed on improving bilateral ties. For China, India is very important, both in the neighbourhood and in the international arena. Luo knows that, Ma said. Both he and his wife (diplomat and scholar Jiang Yili) know India very well. During Luos tenure, bilateral ties have visibly improved, Hu Shisheng, director of the Institute of South and Southeast Asian and Oceania Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations said. The new reality in China-India ties is that all problems can now be put on the table and discussed. Nothing is put on the shelf. Maybe, Luo Zhaohui will be able to give a push towards resolving the border issue, Hu added. China has indicated that it could use its total control over the strategic resource of rare earths in the escalating trade war with the US with a flagship Communist Party of China (CPC) mouthpiece warning the US not to underestimate Chinas ability to fight the trade war. The editorial in Peoples Daily, the CPCs flagship newspaper, follows an official from the National Development Reform Commission (NDRC), Chinas top planning body, saying at a press conference on Tuesday: You asked whether rare earths will become Chinas countermeasures against the US. What I can tell you is that if anyone wants to use products made of Chinas rare-earth exports to contain Chinas development, the people of Ganzhou and across China will not be happy with that. Another editorial by official news agency, Xinhua, said: China has reiterated its stand in promoting multilateralism and tried to avoid a trade war that hurts public interests. But if necessary, China has plenty of cards to play. Following the statement and editorials, shares of Chinas rare earth-related firms rallied significantly on Wednesday. China dominates global supply chains of rare earths, a group of 17 elements used in production in a huge number of sectors, including oil refining, high-tech products ranging from flat-screen TVs to lasers and military equipment. The country accounted for at least 71 percent of mined output last year, with the percentage for processed rare earth compounds even higher, and the US sourced 80 percent of its rare earth imports from China from 2014 to 2017, according to statistics from the US government, the Global Times said in a report. Bloomberg news quoted a Peoples Daily editorial in Chinese, saying it included a rare Chinese phrase that means dont say I didnt warn you. According to the news agency, the specific wording was used by the paper in 1962 before China went to war with India, and those familiar with Chinese diplomatic language know the weight of this phrase, the Global Times, said in an article last April. An export ban on rare earths is a powerful weapon if used in the China-US trade war. Nevertheless, China will mainly use it for defence. It is not the first choice of Chinas offensive weaponry, the report said. By making unilateral moves to contain technological development of other countries, the United States seems to have overlooked one fact: the international supply chain is so intertwined that no economy could thrive on its own, the Xinhua editorial said. According to the US Geological Survey, from 2014 to 2017 the United States imported 80 percent of its rare earth compounds and metals from China. Along with the technological revolution and industrial evolution, rare earths are expected to be applied in more areas, and their strategic value will become more prominent, said the official. China has reiterated its stand in promoting multilateralism and tried to avoid a trade war that hurts public interests, it added. But if necessary, China has plenty of cards to play. The quality of paperwork provided by India in the Nirav Modi extradition case will be under focus during a case management hearing in the Westminster Magistrates Court on Thursday, days after he was denied bail by the same court. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which represents the Indian government in UK courts, assured chief judge Emma Arbuthnot at the May 8 hearing that the paperwork would be submitted to the required standard by the hearing on May 30. Modi was denied bail on the third occasion during the last hearing, when the judge sought the papers to be perfectly paginated. He remains in custody in the Wandsworth jail in west London. The papers are expected to substantiate Indias charges against Modi, who is wanted to face charges of fraud related to a Mumbai branch of the Punjab National Bank running into thousands of crores. Claire Montgomery, Modis lawyer who also represented controversial businessman Vijay Mallya in the same court, remarked at an earlier hearing that the documents on Modi submitted by New Delhi made me cry. The quality of evidence and documents submitted by India has long been an issue. In previous extradition cases, bundles of poorly written FIRs and documents many hand-written used to arrive from India; many were either unintelligible or were of poor evidential equality, resulting in Indias cases invariably falling through in British courts. This changed for the better in the Mallya case, when thousands of pages of documents were submitted. Officials associated with the case admit it was a learning exercise for ministries, CBI and others, when there was rare joined-up thinking and attention to detail in various quarters in New Delhi and London. However, as recent remarks in court during Modis bail hearings reveal, the quality of paperwork remains a challenge for New Delhi. Also read | Three luxury London homes of foreign politician frozen SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Fellow workers called him al Qaeda and Taliban and sent him condolences on the killing of Osama bin Laden. Students he ferried to and back from school called him a terrorist and, sometimes, hesitated to the board the bus. Authorities were responsive to his complaints, but not enough. Sawinder Singh, a Sikh, heard and experienced these slights and insults on his appearance for 13 years as a school bus driver in Maryland, a largely liberal state abutting the national capital, according to a complaint he filed with a government agency on workplace equality. One time when he missed a turn while driving a bus-full of middle-schoolers, students shouted he was kidnapping them. The driver is going to blow up the bus! students yelled, Singh said to The Washington Post. Another time, a student boarding the bus stopped, saying, Look at the driver! We are all going to die today! How did they let you back in the country? Osama bin Laden was killed, a transportation department colleague told Singh after the announcement of bin Ladens death, according to Sikh Coalition an advocacy group that combats bias against the Sikh community. Singh and Maryland state county, where he works, on Tuesday reached a settlement on his dispute triggered by a 2016 complaint. After years of harassment in the workplace, I am grateful that MCPS (Montgomery County Public School district) has worked with me to resolve these issues and prioritize making the work environment safer and more inclusive for all, Singh said in a statement issued by Sikh Coalition.. My hope is that through this process, every MCPS employee can gain a deeper respect for Sikhs and other religious minorities. No employee should have to deal with the years of racial and religious harassment that Mr. Singh endured, said Amrith Kaur, Sikh Coalition Legal Director in a statement. All employers must be held accountable for protecting their employees. We are encouraged that MCPS is now taking the necessary steps to create awareness programs that better foster safe and inclusive workplaces. Sikhs in America have been targeted for verbal, and physical abuse, mistaken, mostly, for West Asians because of their turban and beard. Balbir Singh Sandhu became the first victim of a backlash in the aftermath of the September 11,2001 terrorist attacks carried out by men from the Middle East. Six Sikhs were gunned down in a gurdwara in Wisconsin in 2013 by a white supremacist. And members of the community have complained of suffering slurs and hateful behavior all around the country, with some people forced to relocate to escape harassment. Taliban fighters have stormed several security posts providing protection to Afghanistans historic minaret of Jam, cutting access to the UNESCO World Heritage Site and killing 18 security forces, officials said Wednesday. The attack comes less than a week after the revered 12th-century minaret, located in a remote part of the western province of Ghor, was threatened by surging floodwaters. The Taliban have captured some checkpoints around the minaret. We had to retreat because more fighting would cause damage to the minaret, Sayed Zia Hussaini, the deputy police chief of Ghor, told AFP. Abdul Hai Khatebi, the provincial governor spokesman, said 15 pro-government militias and three policemen had been killed in the attacks, which started Monday. The Taliban have shut off telecommunication towers and have cut any access to the area, Fakhruddin Ariapur, the Ghor province director of information and culture, told AFP. The cleaning-up work (from the flood) has stopped and we dont know what is happening there. Dramatic video footage from late last week showed brown torrents crashing up against the base of the brick minaret, which was built in about 1190. On Monday, the government said it had hired about 300 local workers to channel floodwaters away from the tower. The work appeared to have saved the minaret from imminent danger. Located in an area largely under Taliban control, the Jam minaret is the worlds second tallest made of bricks, reaching a height of 65 metres (213 feet). It is situated on the frontier of Ghor and Herat provinces, at the heart of the former Ghorid empire which dominated Afghanistan and parts of India in the 12th-13th centuries. (The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text, only the headline has been changed.) I knew I did a lot better this time on the test than before, Atman said after learning he had advanced to the finals. I feel relieved to make it to the finals this year, but I want to win. I feel very prepared, and Im hoping to get some words I can spell. The United States on Tuesday called India a great ally and reiterated it is looking forward to working closely with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose re-election has been welcomed by President Donald Trump and other senior members of his administration. But there was no word yet about a India visit by US secretary of State Mike Pompeo, as has been suggested in reports. A stand-alone visit from the secretary is long overdue his first and only trip to India so far was undertaken last September as part of the inaugural 2+2 ministerial. Though a visit was not being ruled out, there were no dates or announcements. Secretary Pompeo will meet his India counterpart certainly in September when the United States hosts the second edition of the 2+2 ministerial dialogue, along with defense ministers of the two countries Calling the elections historic, incredibly impressive, State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus told reporters Tuesday, So we, of course, will work closely with Modi, as we have many times. Were confident in the fairness and integrity of the elections, and I think that Secretary Pompeo will have a very robust discussion on a range of issues Ortagus added: India is a great ally and partner of the United States. Though there is uncertainty about a Pompeo visit, Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to meet President Trump on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan later in June, as they discussed in a phone call from the American leader last week. They will meet together with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in the trilateral format, the inaugural edition of which took place on the sidelines of the G-20 meeting in Buenos Aires. Argentina last November-December. Efforts are reported to be underway for a bilateral meeting as well. The second edition of the trilateral which was christened JAI (Hindi for victory) by Prime Minister Modi using the first letters of the names of the three countries is expected to be more substantive than the first, according to people familiar with the planning of the meeting. The White House had said in a readout of the call the meeting was being held in pursuit of their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific. India is a great ally and partner of the US and the Trump administration will work closely with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his second term on a range of issues, a senior State Department official said Tuesday. State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus also said that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was looking forward to have a robust discussion with his Indian counterpart on a wide range of issues. The Trump administration, including President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Pompeo, congratulated Prime Minister Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party on the spectacular electoral victory in the Lok Sabha elections. We, of course, will work closely with Modi, as we have many times, Ortagus told reporters in response to a question during an off-camera news conference on Tuesday. Were confident in the fairness and integrity of the elections, and I think that Secretary Pompeo will have a very robust discussion on a range of issues. India is a great ally and partner of the United States, Ortagus said. Her comment came amid a report that Pompeo may visit New Delhi next month on his way to Osaka, Japan for the G20 summit to be attended by Prime Minister Modi, US President Donald Trump and other leaders. Meanwhile, US lawmakers and senior government officials continue to congratulate Prime Minister Modi on his electoral victory. According to a compilation made by the Indian Embassy here, more than 50 Congressmen, Senators and the senior government officials have sent congratulatory messages to Modi. India continues to have amazing potential and is a strong US partner. Congratulations to Narendra Modi on your success with the elections and the direction you are taking India. We look forward to seeing our partnership continue to strengthen, tweeted Indian-American politician Nikki Haley. Congratulations to Modi on being re-elected as Prime Minister of India, said Congressman Al Green. I wish peace and prosperity for India and its neighbours and look forward to seeing you at India House in my congressional district in Houston, Texas, USA, he said. In the first back-to-back majority for a single party in over three decades, the Modi-led BJP won 303 out of the total 542 Lok Sabha seats. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.) Union officer struck Boy General in the head with a saber during Rebel surrender at Nashville ON A WINTER DAY in 1876, former Confederate Brig. Gen. Thomas Benton Smith armed himself with a bow and arrows, mounted a horse, and rode near Nashville attacking everyone he met. Among the 37-year-old veterans victims was his cousin, struck in the leg with a steel-tipped arrow. Imagining himself to be the Indian Emperor of America, Smith fled into the hills around the city, where he finally was captured with great difficulty and jailed. He deserves too much from his State to be sent as a common thief to jail, a Nashville newspaper wrote about Smiths arrest, and it is a shame upon the laws that makes no distinction between a thief and a lunatic. Obviously unwell, the Tennessee native was committed by his sister to the Central Hospital for the Insane in Nashville, a foreboding, castle-like building southeast of the city that was finally demolished in 1999. From 1876 to 1923, Smith was confined there, reportedly leaving only once or twice a year for Confederate veterans reunions. In the years after his confinement, Smith was described as a pathetic figure, incurably ill, and demented. After Smith was committed, the reunions became the highlights of his life. At an early20th century event, he became a commander again, running old soldiers through drills from the Hardees Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics manual. Although he suffered from depression, General Smith was self-poised that day, according to an account, as full of the animation of the old days as could be imagined. Despite his dementia, the lifelong bachelor showed off a remarkable memory at another reunion by calling all his old comrades by name. But at another gathering of Confederate veterans in 1901, Smith bemoaned his circumstances. This is the only free day I have in the year, the 63-year-old told an acquaintance. All of you should be happy, for you are free every day. When this day is ended, I will have to go back to those terrible prison walls. How did the once-promising life of Thomas Benton Smithwho rose from captain in the 20th Tennessee Infantry to colonel and in July 1864, at age 26, to boy general in the Army of Tennesseetake such a terrible turn? For the answer to that question, go back to another gloomy dayDecember 16, 1864, atop a hill near Granny White Pike during the Battle of Nashville. Outgunned, outmanned perhaps 3-to-1, and nearly surrounded on the rainy, cold afternoon, the Confederates atop Comptons Hill (Shys Hill) were desperate. In command of a brigade in Maj. Gen. William B. Bates Division, Smith had somehow held out, leaving the steep hillside strewn with Federal dead and wounded. But it was obvious he had no chance of victory, and about 3:30 p.m., a portion of the line occupied by his soldiers gave way. Smith removed a handkerchief from his pocket, waved it above his head, and ordered what remained of his command to cease fire. The surrender was inevitable. The enemy, Union Army of the Cumberland commander Maj. Gen. George H. Thomas wrote, was hopelessly broken. Explained Army of Tennessee commander Lt. Gen. John Bell Hood in his after-action report: The position gained by the enemy being such as to enfilade our line caused in a few moments our entire line to give way, and our troops to retreat rapidly down the pike in the direction of Franklin, most of them, I regret to say, in great confusion, all efforts to reform them being fruitless. Besides losing 54 cannons Hood lost more than 1,500 soldiers as POWs, including Smith. As the general was marched to the rear, perhaps down Granny White Pike north toward Nashville, a Federal officer approached him. Drunk or simply incensed by his own losses in the battleno one knows for sureColonel William L. McMillen struck Smith violently on the head with a saber. McMillen was a former Union army surgeon and commander of the 95th Ohio Infantry, but he was serving in brigade command at Nashville. He would attack Smith, standing a little over 6 feet tall, at least twice more. I am a disarmed prisoner! Smith cried out to no avail during the beating. Private Monroe Mitchell, one of at least two 20th Tennessee soldiers who witnessed the sad event, recalled in 1891: Gen. Smith had just gotten through a gap in a rock fence, when I saw a Federal Major [sic], his rank being indicated by his uniform, approach him. This officer was a man probably of 150 pounds in weight and perhaps 5 foot 11 inches or thereabouts. He was very angry and said to Gen. Smith, Come here, you d-d rebel s of a b-. Here you are living, and (he called some Federal Colonels name which I did not catch) is dead or dying! Mitchell noted that the first blow by McMillen knocked off Smiths hat. The blows were so hard, in fact, the weapon quickly became bent. Yes, God damn you, I mean what I say, McMillen yelled. According to Mitchell, embellishing perhaps, Smith fell to his knees but remained perfectly erect and calm while receiving the blows. Rushed to a Federal field hospital, Smith was examined by a surgeon, who gave him no hope of surviving. Well, you are near the end of your battles, he said, for I can see the brain oozing through the gap in your skull. Smith, who would miraculously survive the brutal at- tack, was sent first to a Federal prison in Nashville. Later, he was held at Johnsons Island in Ohio and then at Fort Warren in Boston. In a plea for his release, Smith wrote to President Andrew Johnson in June 1865: Ihave been severely wounded several times, lost killed the only brother I had, and am the only son of an aged widowed Mother, who is in moderate circumstances. Released on July 24, 1865, Smith returned home, but the effects of the brutal, unwarranted and cowardly attack in Nashville haunted him the rest of his life. After the war, Smith ran for Congress in 1870 (he lost) and worked in various roles for the railroad, including as a conductor. But he eventually was crippled by bouts of depression, perhaps caused by the severe brain injury suffered in the 1864 attack, and could not take care of himself. He lived with his mother, Martha, until she died. Sometimes, Smith was blunt with others about his mental health. While wandering the grounds of the asylum one day, he encountered a hunter. After Smith asked to examine his weapon, the young man handed it to the old soldier, who checked the ammunition. You have done a foolish thing. You have put a loaded gun in my hands. I live over there, the veteran told the hunter, pointing to the asylum, and Im crazyat times. I might shoot you. Dont ever give your gun to a stranger. Then he returned the weapon to the man. Most of the time Smith was perfectly rational, according to a newspaper account, although occasionally he has an attack of homicidal mania. In 1903, Smith aided rescuers during a fire at his asylumOne of the heroes of that night, the local newspaper called him. Four years later, the Nashville Tennessean published a lengthy feature about Smith under a seven-column headline A Gallant Confederate Soldier Who Suffered Worse Than Death. The story noted: A 1909 Confederate veterans' reunion at Nashville's Mount Olivet Cemetery. Smith stands right-center, behind a young girl, his hate in his right hand. (Metro Nashville Archives/Banner Newspaper Collection/Nashville Public Library) Although for nearly thirty years Gen. Smith has been in retirement, he is still in the most affectionate remembrance by those of his comrades who are still living. This fact alone seems a guaranty of his noble courteous nature, as well as his invincible spirit. Whenever the name of this brave Confederate soldier is mentioned the men who spent four terrible years fighting by his side seem eager to add to his meed of praise. They all love Tom Smith and seem to think it particularly hard that he should have been singled out as the victim of fates cruel trick. In 1917, at the height of World War I, a former Confederate from Tennessee lamented the beating Smith took at the hands of McMillen, whom he likened to a then-hated German soldier. In a letter to the editor of the Tennessean, the veteran wrote that the U.S. government should atone in some way forthis great wrong on an honorable and defenseless soldier, fighting for his country in a cause he believed to be just and right. It is none too late to do the right thing. Although there is no known record of the government doing the right thing, the Grand Army of the Republic post in New Orleans reportedly revoked McMillens membership when it got wind of his barbarous treatment of Smith during the war. Perhaps that brought the general a small measure of satisfaction. McMillen, who had moved to Louisiana in 1866 to make his postwar fortune as a cotton planter and carpetbagger politician (both unsuccessfully), died in Ohio in 1902. Is it possible that this cowardly wretch could have been anything other than a Yankee bounty jumper, an early 20th Tennessee regimental historian wrote about McMillen, or perhaps a Southern deserter? One is as good as the other. (McMillen, in fact, was accused of cowardly conduct for actions during a battle near Richmond, Ky., in 1862. He was court-martialed but acquitted.) Smith outlived his Civil War tormentor by 21 years, dying at 85 of heart failure on May 21, 1923, at the insane asylum that was his home more than half his life. He was among the last Confederate generals to die. A military genius, General Smith ended his days in a madhouse, the Tennessean reported, after 47 years of confinement more lonely than ever was Napoleon at St. Helena. In Nashville, the generals passing was a major event, meriting Page 1 coverage in the newspaper. A service with military honors was held for Smith at the state capitol. Facing each other, two solemn guardsmen stood at parade rest near his casket there, the gleam of their sky-pointed bayonets creating a shaft of light through the darkness. The bier was draped with two flagsthe Stars and Stripes and Stars and Bars. Confederate veterans served as honorary pallbearers. I was often at reunions with him, a gray-bearded 20th Tennessee veteran who sat near Smiths coffin at the service told a reporter. I loved him; we all loved him. A prisoner no more, Smith was buried in Nashvilles Mount Olivet Cemetery. John Banks, a frequent contributor to Americas Civil War and the author of two Civil War books, writes from Nashville, Tenn. He is also author of a Civil War blog (john-banks.blogspot.com). A 425 million London Tramlink extension that will offer commuters in a swathe of south-west London a greener, more pleasant way to get to work, is being considered by Transport for London. A referendum on the plan found more than eight in 10 people were keen to see the tram network enlarged and the most popular route option was between Wimbledon and Sutton, via Morden. A decision on whether to go ahead with the five-mile extension will be made by transport chiefs later this year. Work would start in 2022 and services could be running by 2025. The green light for the project would shine a spotlight on Sutton, currently one of the most affordable parts of London. According to Rightmove, homes in the SM1 postcode cost an average of 417,000, up almost 50,000 in the past two years as buyers are pushed out to the borders of Surrey in search of better value. Its an impressive price performance against a wider backdrop of falls. A typical flat in Sutton costs 265,000, while a detached house costs an average 649,000. At present Suttons stock of Victorian and Thirties family homes and an increasing number of new flats is rather let down by its gloomy town centre. But Sutton council is working on proposals to revamp the area and regenerate a number of its council estates. Some 5,000 new homes are to be built in Sutton by 2031. We need new and modern means of transport to persuade people to travel into and around our borough in a sustainable way, said Jayne McCoy, deputy leader of Sutton council. Trams made a return to London in 2000 after an absence of almost 50 years. A 17-mile track now operates across south and south-west London, an area with fewer Tube stations than the rest of the capital. The trams run from Croydon towards Beckenham Junction, Wimbledon and Addington. Also, in her first short months in office, Underwood has decided to follow the Democrat playbook. She also has the most liberal voting record in the House, according to VoteView, a project of UCLA political scientists who track the ideological voting records of members of Congress. She also has run into the same problem other members of her freshmen class have documented: Foot-in-mouth disease. Pipeline 29 May 2019 IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), one of world's leading hotel companies has signed a Management Agreement with Omenport Developments Ltd for Hotel Indigo London - Clerkenwell. The 151-room hotel will be the fifth Hotel Indigo in London and is expected to open in early 2021. Located in the heart of the city, Hotel Indigo London - Clerkenwell brings a brand defining property to IHG's pipeline. Established in 2004, Hotel Indigo is IHG's upscale boutique brand and has over 100 hotels across more than 15 countries. The brand is set to double its portfolio presence over the next three to five years and continue its growth as one of the largest boutique brands. All Hotel Indigo properties provide a gateway to discover some of the world's most inspiring neighbourhoods and locations, making Clerkenwell a natural fit for the brand's expansion in the UK. The neighbourhood has strong travel links with Farringdon station, Barbican and Old Street all within walking distance, making it an increasingly popular location for both business and leisure travellers. Just like no two neighbourhoods are alike, no two Hotel Indigo properties are the same. At the Hotel Indigo London - Clerkenwell, the current historic listed building of the Hat & Feathers pub will be added to by two newly-built modern wings. When it opens in 2021, the hotel will feature 151 guest rooms, an all-day restaurant and 5 meeting rooms, as well as incorporating the existing pub into the hotel. Press Release 29 May 2019 Bangkok, 29 May 2019: Dusit Thani Public Company Limited (DTC), one of Thailand's leading hotel and property development companies, has announced its expansion into food business with the official launch of Dusit Foods Co., Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary designed to leverage Dusit's rich experience in food and beverage service to generate revenue from adjacent lines of business. Advertisements Officially introduced to food industry specialists at THAIFEX World of Food Asia 2019, Southeast Asia's largest food and beverage show, Dusit Foods outlined its strategy to invest in food-related companies with strong growth potential. It also announced its plans to market its own premium instant food brand, named Khong Thai, produced in partnership with world-renowned Australian chef David Thompson and aimed mainly at international markets. By pursuing organic and non-organic growth, Dusit Foods aims to achieve THB 400 million in revenue by the end of this year. It has set the target of achieving THB 1 billion in revenue by 2021. Expanding on DTC's vision to uniquely deliver gracious Thai-inspired hospitality to the world, Dusit Foods aims to 'Bring Asia to the World' through Thai and Asian food products that reflect four key pillars of sustainable production - Healthy, Natural, Organic, and Supporting local communities - while also leveraging DTC's strong reputation for delivering high quality experiences, particularly in Asia, where most of the company's hotels and resorts are located. To expedite its growth, Dusit Foods recently invested in two companies with a proven track record in the food industry. This included investing for a 26% stake in NR Instant Produce Co., Ltd. (NRF), a leading manufacturer and exporter of instant food and beverages for more than 50 brands; and investing for a 51% equity stake in Epicure Catering (ECC), the leading provider of catering services to international schools in Thailand. Dusit Foods plans to increase its holdings in ECC to 70% with further investment in early 2020. As for its own products, Dusit Foods plans to establish Khong Thai in the international market. The products will initially be aimed at white tablecloth restaurants, with a view to targeting key food suppliers later. Popular recipes such as Pad Thai Sauce, and traditional seasonings like Sri Racha, Fish Sauce, White Soy Sauce, and Oyster Sauce are all slated to be introduced soon. The product line up is expected to comprise at least 20 different items within the next two years. "By leveraging and complementing our core operations in hospitality, we are confident that Dusit Foods will be a fruitful venture for our company," said Ms Suphajee Suthumpun, Group CEO, Dusit International. "The return on investments will be a key driver in achieving our target of 400 million baht from food business this year. And these investments, coupled with the introduction of our own food products, will be another important factor in our sustainable and profitable growth as a company." Mr Jate Sopitpongstorn, Managing Director, Dusit Foods Co., Ltd., said, "We are delighted to work with celebrated Australian chef David Thompson to develop the recipes for Khong Thai. His passion for authentic Thai food is well known, especially as he is behind the success of Michelin-starred Thai restaurants both in Thailand and abroad. Our initial marketing mix is 90% overseas and 10% domestic, with a particular focus on the United States because of the large consumer base and popularity of Thai food. We plan to penetrate both online and offline markets, reaching directly to chefs, food entrepreneurs and food services operators. We will launch Khong Thai in the US this September, before expanding to England, Germany, France, and other key European markets." Dusit Foods will be present at THAIFEX World of Food Asia 2019 (Booth 11RR55) during 28 May - 1 June 2019. Khong Thai products will be introduced in a cooking demonstration by chef David Thompson together with leading chefs from Dusit Thani College and Le Cordon Bleu Dusit Culinary School. The initial product line-up includes four premium recipes, namely Green Curry, Massaman Curry, Yellow Curry and Laksa. Each dish comes in two styles - "Simmer Sauce, Ready to Cook," and "Concentrated Paste," which, depending on the recipe, is designed to be combined with coconut milk and/or water. Supplier News 29 May 2019 IDS Next, a leading global provider of next-generation technology solutions for the hotel industry, today unveiled their impressive list of new implementations and installations in April 2019, with 29 new live sites in India, Africa, and the Middle East. For decades, IDS Next has been a pioneer in Hotel ERP architecture, providing landmark hospitality solutions to hotels in all market segments, from enterprise to single property. They offer integrated hotel management software, central reservations, hotel channel management, restaurant management software, mobile apps, and mobile analytic solutions. "We've known for a long time that the future of technology is in emerging markets," says Binu Mathews, CEO of IDS Next. "The economic growth and travel opportunities forecasted for these regions is tremendous, which is why hotel specific technology companies that invest now, will have an upper hand on their competition...But it's not just a matter of software, companies hoping to enter Asia, Africa and the Middle East need to be mindful of ways to counter the language barrier and partner with long-term technology partners who demonstrate investments in local resources and a commitment to the culture they're supporting." In April 2019, IDS Next's technology was installed and set live in the following countries: 16 new installations in India including the Royal Court Hotel and Beleza By the Beach 2 new installations in Nepal at Hotel Diyalo Pvt Ltd and Hotel Sabrina Pvt Ltd 1 new installation in Bangladesh at Sarah Resort Pvt Ltd 1 new installation in Tanzania at Escarpment Lodge and Safari Ltd 1 new installation in Kenya at Ciala Resort 4 new installations in the United Arab Emirates including Joker Restaurant in the Marcopolo Hotel and Fisherman's Hub 2 in the Orchid Vue Hotel 3 new installations in Bahrain including Le Vendome Hotel IDS Next software and technology solutions are trusted by over 4800+ hotels in 40 countries across South Asia, South-East Asia, Africa, Middle East, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Oceania. IDS Next understands that emerging markets are the future of growth in hotel technology which is why they invest in country-specific operations, including 24/7 customer care to support all time zones and languages. Their dedication has led to an unrivalled 98% customers retention. To learn more, please visit www.idsnext.com. Comfort hotels, franchised by Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), continues its expansion with the opening of two hotels in Brooklyn and Long Island City, N.Y. Comfort hotels, franchised by Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), continues its expansion with the opening of two hotels in Brooklyn and Long Island City, N.Y. The newly built hotels are the latest to open as part of the brand's multi-year transformation, featuring updated room and public space designs, as well as the new Comfort logo. The Comfort brand has more than 300 properties in its pipeline, 80 percent of which are new construction. More than 60 Comfort hotels are expected to open this year in major cities across the United States, including Dallas; Nashville, Tenn.; Pittsburgh; San Antonio; and San Diego. "Comfort hotels are designed to serve business travelers more than ever before, so it's fitting that these new hotels are opening in the New York area, the business capital of the world," said Anne Smith, vice president, brand management, design and compliance, Choice Hotels. "Guests and developers are raving about Comfort's new look, from the lobby and rooms to the brand identity. The investment we've made with franchisees in our transformation journey ensures travelers visiting Comfort hotels for both business and leisure leave with lasting impressions." Comfort Inn Prospect Park Brooklyn, N.Y. Located at 150 20th St. in the South Slope area of Brooklyn, guests of the 84-room Comfort Inn Prospect Park-Brooklyn can easily access many of New York's top businesses. Industry City, the World Trade Center, and Wall Street firms like JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs are all just a short subway ride away. Comfort Inn Long Island City, N.Y. The 94-room Comfort Inn at 37-35 21st Street is in one of New York's emerging neighborhoods. The hotel is the latest newcomer to the redeveloped industrial area of Long Island City, home to corporate offices of JetBlue Airways, Silvercup Studios, and Altice USA. The NYC Subway's F-train is nearby and gets into midtown Manhattan in 2 short stops, perfect for visitors to explore the Empire State Building, Central Park, and more. "I am pleased to see these great Comforts opening across New York," said Brian Quinn, head of development, new construction brands, Choice Hotels. "Entering these new markets demonstrates our commitment to both franchisees and guests in locations that matter." Comfort hotels are designed to meet the needs of business and leisure travelers with amenities that make for a refreshing stay, including: Modern guestrooms with premium pillows, bedding and bath amenities. Open lobbies with space to work or socialize. Complimentary hearty and healthy breakfast, featuring the brand's signature waffles, eggs, breakfast meats, pastries, yogurt, and fresh coffees and teas. Free Wi-Fi and business centers. 24-hour fitness centers. 100-percent smoke-free. The Comfort Inn Prospect Park-Brooklyn was developed by Prospect Brothers Realty, LLC and the Comfort Inn in Long Island City was developed by Surjeet Kaur and Balbir Sandhu. "Guests will love the Comfort Inn Prospect Park-Brooklyn's contemporary features and premium location close to so many of New York's top businesses," said Wu Chen of Prospect Brothers Realty, LLC, whose affiliate is developing the hotel. "We're thrilled to establish a presence here with Choice Hotels, whose commitment to the brand and support has been invaluable all the way through the opening process and beyond." Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource Jordan Brand has had a pretty amazing 2019 that seemingly keeps getting better with a mixture of retro colorway releases and some brand new models as well. The Air Jordan 1 High OG is always a priority for Jumpman and as we approach the summer months, the silhouette will certainly be getting some fresh makeovers. One of the colorways that have been teased over the last few months should be familiar to many Jordan Brand consumers as it features the colors that made the "Chicago" model so famous, albeit, they're dressed up in a different way. Based on the brand new images courtesy of @zsneakerheadz, which you can find below, the sneaker features white on the toe box and side panels, while black overlays make their way throughout the upper. Red is then used to dress up the Nike swoosh and the back heel cuff which completes the "Chicago" aesthetic. As if right now, it is being reported that the shoe will release on Saturday, June 29th although for now, that's simply a rumor as Nike hasn't officially announced anything. As for the price, you can expect the normal retail cost of $160 USD. A little thing like a prison stint can't stop the wave. On Tuesday, French Montana let fans know that the production of Coke Wave 4 is finished. To help celebrate Max B's birthday last week, the imprisoned rapper dropped off his French Montana-assisted single "Hold On." Montana has been working diligently for Max B's release from prison, but in the meantime, the pair may be preparing to deliver the latest installment of their Coke Wave series. Montana shared a video clip on Instagram of himself and an audio engineer in the studio. The rapper previewed some tracks for fans and wrote that the mixtape will hit the streets just in time for the summer. "COKE WAVE PART 4 @maxb140 2 weeks lets feed the streets OWWW ," Montana wrote in the caption. He didn't confirm that Max B would definitely be on CW4, but he hinted back in April that the next CW project would feature both artists. "I was just so happy that I was able to get Max B and Chase on one record together for the Wave Culture, and me and Max B got another Coke Wave album done," he said. Are you ready for CW4? Last week, news broke that actor Jason Mitchell had been dropped from The Chi and an upcoming Netflix film Desperados, along with being fired by his agent and manager. The wave of bad news surrounded allegations of sexual harassment and sexual misconduct by his The Chi co-star Tiffany Boone and the show's second-season showrunner, a woman named Ayanna Floyd. Both women filed complaints against Mitchell, but Floyd claims that no one, not even The Chi's creator Lena Waithe, did anything about Mitchell's behavior and let it continue. Floyd spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about her experience, saying that multiple complaints were sent to Human Resources. Even so, Mitchell was still slated to appear in season three. When I took the helm in season two, it was Lena who informed me of the issues between Jason Mitchell and Tiffany Boone from season one, and that Tiffany was thinking of leaving the show because of it, says Floyd. As a result of this information, I discussed Tiffanys claims with the studios HR department and set up HR presentations for the writers, cast and crew. Ultimately, everyone was well aware of Jasons behavior and his multiple HR cases, including Lena, the creator and an executive producer of the show, who is very involved at the studio and network level." Amy Sussman/Getty Images Floyd continued, "As showrunner, I did everything I could to deal with his behavior, by speaking with the studios HR department multiple times and instructing one actress to call HR herself, before I became a target of his rage and inappropriateness, and had to report him to HR, as well." Waithe issued a statement of her own, but she only focused on Boone. "I think Tiffany is a wonderful actress and an extremely brave woman," she told THR. "I wish her nothing but success in the future. I look forward to getting back to work on season three." For weeks the beef between Kodak Black and T.I. was the talk of the town, but since the Florida rapper released his "diss" track, there hasn't been a peep from the self-proclaimed King of the South. T.I.'s silence doesn't mean that he hasn't been making moves; the rapper recently met with the Black Caucus to discuss how to build opportunities in lower income neighborhoods and he continues to walk the front lines against inequality and inequity. However, his fans are awaiting a response to Kodak's "Expeditiously," a song where the rapper makes some unfavorable remarks about T.I.'s wife, Tiny. "How you tell me what came out my mouth, you don't even know Nipsey," Kodak raps. "Tiny that b*tch ugly as hell, I don't even want Piggy." Now, XXL reports that Tiny sat down for an interview with Yung Joc's morning show Streetz Morning Takeover last week to discuss the back-and-forth between T.I. and Kodak, as well as the allegations that Kodak made comments about T.I.'s daughter, Deyjah Harris. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images "Yeah, I thought that was pretty disrespectful," Tiny said. "Tip is one of those people hes not a person to be disrespected. And then you are going in and talking about kids and it's just too much." She also said that she's grateful that Kodak and T.I. are currently in a place where they can't see or run into each other. "God works in mysterious ways. He separated them, so it cant go no further. Nobody loses their lives and nothing happens. Everybody is still living and breathing and everybody is doing good. Although Tiny flipped Kodak's "piggy" line on social media when she shared a photo of herself with a caption that read "Channeling Ms/Mrs Piggy, That Bitch who had it all!!" Tiny said that she didn't want to say anything about the diss because she knew her husband could hold it down. "I try not to get into Tip's rants, but I know that he's a strong, opinionated person and he's going to say how he feels and he was very close to Nip so he took it very personal." "He has to feel like he needs to step in but that's what he does," Tiny added. "I just sit back and let him handle it. I don't get in the middle of it. I don't really listen to half of the stuff that's going on and I just let him do what he doing because he's running it and I'm just going to fall back because I know he's got me." Yo Gotti received both good and bad news today but the bad might outweigh the good. The rapper won a lawsuit he filed against an auto shop he accused of wrecking his Lamborghini. The rapper reportedly paid $409,198.70 for the vehicle four years ago and faced $330K worth of damages after it was wrecked. The judge awarded him $66,300 which amounts to 17% of the cost of damages. Rodrigo Varela/Getty Images Unfortunately, Gotti also took an L in court today after losing a $2.2M lawsuit over a verse he failed to deliver. According to TMZ, the rapper was hit with a $6.6M default judgment earlier today in North Carolina. The rapper allegedly received $20K to rap on Young Fletcher's track in 2016 but later refused to release the track. It was later revealed that he recorded a similar verse for a separate song. That was apparently not all Gotti did. Apparently, he tried to go behind Fletcher's manager's back in an attempt to sign the artist to his own label for $150K. The rapper was served with the suit onstage but he never responded to the lawsuit which seemingly made things worse for him in the end. The judge issued a $2.2M judgment but then tripled it because of Gotti's "willful, unfair, and deceptive acts." In the case that Gotti refuses to cough up the loot, Michael Terry, Fletcher's manager, said they'll collect the rapper's cars and Bel-Air mansion. A Miami man pleaded guilty in a federal court in Houston on Wednesday for his role in a foreign bribery scheme involving Venezuelan state-owned oil company PDSVA and its Houston-based subsidiary Citgo Petroleum, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Wednesday afternoon. Jose Manuel Gonzalez Testino, 48, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Venezuela, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, one count of violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and one count of failing to report foreign bank accounts, according to the Justice Department. Related: Two arrested, charged with conspiring to bribe PDVSA Gonzalez is the latest person to plead guilty as part of a bigger U.S. government investigation into bribery at PDVSA. Including Gonzalez, the Justice Department and U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick of the Southern District of Texas office has charged 21 people in connection to the investigation, 16 of whom have entered guilty, according to the Justice Department. Charges against the other five defendants remain outstanding. As the Chronicle previously reported, the Houston federal court has become one of the busiest in the nation over the past decade for cases involving foreign bribery in large part because of the concentration of energy companies here with global operations. Houston accounted for seven, or about one-fourth of the 26 cases brought by the Justice Department in 2016 under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. EARLIER: Five more charged in Houston in PDVSA bribery case In this latest case, Gonzalez allegedly conspired to bribe PDVSA and Citgo officials to secure contracts for several companies he controlled from about 2012 until at least 2018, the department said. The Justice Department said Gonzalez admitted to paying at least $629,000 in bribes to Cesar Rincon David Godoy who formerly managed PDVSAs procurement subsidiary Bariven. Gonzalez also apparently admitted he and his co-conspirators paid bribes to Alfonso Eliezer Gravina Munoz, a former official at the Houston-based subsidiary PDVSA Services Inc, the Justice Department said. In exchange for these payments, Rincon and Gravina directed PDVSA contracts to Gonzalezs companies, gave Gonzalez access to inside information on PDVSAs procurement process and give priority to his companies over other vendors, the Justice Department said. Related: Former Citgo exec sues over allegations of fraud, theft Gonzalezs alleged bribery also extended into a special projects group within Citgo that procured goods and services on behalf of its parent company PDVSA. Gonzalez admitted he and his co-conspirators paid at least four Citgo officials in the special projects group and provided gifts and other things of value to a senior Citgo executive. The Justice Department didnt name who these officials were. In exchange, Gonzalez said those Citgo officials also helped his companies obtain inside information on PDVSAs bidding process, assisted Gonzalez in winning contracts and helped to hide the fact that Gonzalez controlled multiple companies on certain bidding panels for PDVSA projects, according to the Justice Department. Gonzalez, who also admitted he failed to file a foreign bank account report in 2017, was arrested last July at the Miami International Airport, the federal government said. His sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 28. Two other Miami men were arrested and charged in February in relation to the ongoing federal investigation too. marissa.luck@chron.com twitter.com/marissaluck7 Every minute of every day, corporations generate millions of documents filled with your personal information that, if revealed, could allow criminals to steal your identity. Every minute of every day, a company also is complying with a subpoena for hundreds of thousands of those documents. The industry standard for protecting the personal data on these pages is to hire armies of lawyers with Sharpies or laptop computers loaded with Adobe. They manually go through every page and black out any personally identifying information. The process is expensive, annoying and haphazard. They hire out contract lawyers, 150 to 300 attorneys at a time. We would do mass training, and they would go at it, explained Lisa McComb, who worked for the corporate legal department of SBC Communications. The attorneys, though, would get tired and McComb would find errors that needed correcting. Later, we were building little bots to go in and do it, and we did it all night long to fix their mistakes, she added. On HoustonChronicle.com: Plus One Robotics takes out the drudgery of warehouse work Those computer bots searching through documents to find the lawyers mistakes led to Rectify, a startup thats automating the redaction process. McComb, the CEO, has half the team in Austin at the Capitol Factory Accelerator. Her business partner and Rectifys president, Melissa Unsell-Smith, runs the other half from Build Sec Foundry, a San Antonio incubator specializing in cybersecurity. Documents required for litigation are the most obvious application. Unsell-Smith recounts how a bankruptcy judge set a quota for 85 lawyers to redact 52,000 pages a month to move a case forward. The expense was huge. But sometimes, companies want to strip out personally identifying information for other purposes. With the proliferation of data itself, organizations are starting to realize that they can monetize their data to gain advantages, Unsell-Smith said. Were finding that a lot of organizations with these large datasets are struggling to automate the redaction process. They resort to manual processes, which take a long time and are risky. Rectify has developed an automated tool to ferret out sensitive information, even in the hidden parts of the document. Everyone knows to blackout a Social Security number, but few know about the metadata. Any document with an undo function still could have the Social Security number stored in this hidden file. Savvy computer users also can reverse poorly executed manual redactions. In some cases, the black box electronically drawn over sensitive data can be removed to reveal what lies beneath. Journalists recently unredacted documents released as part of the Mueller investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Rectifys customers can tell the software what they want redacted and kick out a version that cant be reversed. If the software finds something that is unclear, the software asks for clarification. The computer also applies a consistent strategy, which helps attorneys defend against accusations that a company may have redacted something nefariously. We do like to differentiate ourselves in the fact that we are creating a repeatable, auditable process for protecting sensitive content in unstructured data, Unsell-Smith said. The biggest advantage, though, is speed. Rectify recently searched 126,000 pages for a customer and found 14,000 pages that contained sensitive information from 371 people. The software made 100,000 redactions in 32 hours with a 98 percent accuracy rate. Now humans QC the software, not the other way around. On HoustonChronicle.com: A few good men and women needed as cyber warriors Rectify is generating cash flow from clients, mostly in the financial services industry in North America and Europe. McComb and Unsell-Smith won a $100,000 prize in October for the best pitch at the Women in Tech Summit. Not bad for a company that only launched a year ago this month. The company currently is developing new features based on customer feedback. Solutions like Rectify cannot come quickly enough. Almost daily reports of data hacks remind us how criminals frequently outpace the corporate sector in cybersecurity. Governments are also levying ever-larger fines on companies that do not adequately protect consumer data. At Rectify, you have two founders who personally suffered through tedious hours of manually redacting millions of pages. They recognized that redaction was a growing chore, and therefore, a ripe business opportunity where few knew there was a problem. Thousands of companies could gain extra protection from using Rectifys patent-pending technology. Millions of consumers could feel more secure that companies are protecting their data, all thanks to two people who spoke the entrepreneurs mantra: There must be a better way. Tomlinson writes commentary about business, economics and policy. chris.tomlinson @chron.com twitter.com/cltomlinson At the time, then-board President Lori Price said board wanted to put Sullivan up against the best candidates in the nation. In the end, it was Sullivans experience in the school district and passion for students made her the best candidate, board members said. Kevin Fujii/Houston Chronicle Devon Energy will sell its Canadian assets for $2.8 billion as the Oklahoma oil producer moves out of our northern neighbor. Devon said it is selling its large Alberta oil sands position to Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. as it opts to focus on its shale acreage in Texas and Oklahoma. In May, 1969, the Japanese-made Destroy All Monsters landed in American theaters, telling the story of how Godzilla stood up for humankind against the hydra-headed King Ghidora who just wanted to lay waste to the planet. Exactly 50 years later, the Hollywood-made Godzilla: King of the Monsters lands in global theaters, telling the story of how Godzilla stood up for humankind against the hydra-headed King Ghidora who just wants to lay waste to the planet. What was that about those not learning from history being doomed to repeat it? Of course, originality isnt why anyone goes to a movie starring a reptile so ginormous that he makes a skyscraper look like a bonsai tree. They want to see annihilation of major swaths of humanity (if not Tokyo, then San Francisco, which is the go-to metropolis these days for destruction by the L.A.-based film industry); soldiers shooting useless bullets at monsters that will either swat them aside or eat them; scientists who think they know it all but know nothing; and a rickety, predictable story thats just sturdy enough to keep the whole thing from collapsing into a special-effects show reel. SAD SONGS: Elton John biopic 'Rocketman' misfires. Read the review on HoustonChronicle.com. Godzilla: King of the Monsters Rated PG-13: For sequences of monster action violence and destruction, and for some language Running time: 131 minutes **1/2 (out of 5) See More Collapse Well, Godzilla: King of the Monsters revels in all of these. In fact, the best thing that can be said about it is that director Michael Dougherty (Krampus), working from a script he wrote with Zach Shields (though the Japanese writers of Destroy All Monsters deserve at least a head nod), doesnt skimp on the monsters. For much of the 131-minute running time, monsters are rampaging, fighting, and generally ripping stuff up. If monster mayhem is your jam, then G: KoM will hit that sweet spot. If not, get ready for a long two-hours plus. The film starts out with a call back to 2014 when San Francisco (of course) was turned to dust in the last Godzilla film. Were introduced to Dr. Emma Russell (Vera Farmiga) and her precocious daughter Madison (Millie Bobby Brown). We soon learn that Emma lost a son in the attacks five years ago. But now mom, who is a scientist, has a plan. She has perfected a device called an Orca that simulates the calls the titans -- the politically correct name for the long-buried monsters that have been discovered living in our midst -- and can be used to calm them. Long story short: she wants to find a way to live in peace with the titans who apparently ruled this world long before mankind arrived. Her ex-husband, Mark (a seemingly eternally exasperated Kyle Chandler), feels otherwise and wants all of the titans put down. REVIEW: How does the live-action "Aladdin" hold up to the original? Find out on HoustonChronicle.com. Well, that is until until King Ghidora is thawed out from his icy lair, in part thanks to an eco-terrorist played by Charles Dance (Tywin Lannister in Game of Thrones) who looks like he cant wait to get off the set and cash his check. As Godzilla, with an assist from Mothra, is the only one who can stand up to the three-headed terror that is Ghidora, Mark then takes a more, Well, I guess theyre not all bad view of things. The monsters are fairly well rendered though much of the fighting action takes place at night or in the dark, making it difficult to discern whats going on at times. But when Godzilla and King Ghidora are going at it tooth, nail and scale, the movie does deliver on its most basic of promises. Still, its fitting that a film that is so unapologetically conventional and predictable (even by the standards of the genre) ends with the song Godzilla from composer Bear McCreary and System of a Downs Serj Tankian, a cover of a Blue Oyster Cult track from 1977. As with so much of the movie, it has been done before and better. cary.darling@chron.com Twitter: @carydar STAY IN THE KNOW: Get caught up on what's going on around Houston. From sports to news and entertainment, check out the newsletters we're offering. Director Ash Mayfair was searching for the right story for her first feature. It turns out it was in her family all along. Through her grandparents and their parents, the NYU Tisch School of the Arts graduate stumbled upon the basis of the Vietnamese-language film The Third Wife, which will debut in Houston Friday at Cinemark Memorial City. For five years, Mayfair (also known as Nguyen Phuong Anh) organized all she gathered into a visual-driven journey of one 19th-century 14-year-old girl in rural Vietnam who was sent off to be a landowners latest mate. I grew up in a family full of women, Mayfair, 34, said by phone. Some of the stories were told to me directly, some would be shared in conversations between, say, my aunt and my grandma. My mom would mention certain rituals and certain things in passing. Over the years of my childhood they would just accumulate and became a tapestry that was fascinating to me. I assimilated them without purposely thinking, I will use this as biographical material later to create. Her great-grandmother was one of her great-grandfathers wives, all of whom used to live in northern Vietnam. During the Southeast Asia countrys feudal times, polygamy was a mark of power in the household. The more wives by a mans side, the more wealth he possessed. 'Rocketman': New Elton John biopic misfires. Read the review on HoustonChronicle.com. Such a concept, oppressive it may be, was the norm, so much so it would be rendered into sayings. One among them upon translation: While men have five or seven wives, women have just the one husband. Mayfair was editing the film when the #MeToo movement gained tremendous traction. It made her realize that The Third Wife is personal in substance but universal in telling. And part of the film, even though it was a very personal story, the inherent message is in there, out of the societal artifacts that existed in the film, Mayfair said. Anything to do with child marriage, arranged marriage, female regression that were regarded in history at some point. Before we knew it, we were tapping into something that was a much bigger movement outside ourselves. Throughout the films festival run, for which it earned recognition at Toronto, San Sebastian, Kolkata and Cairo, Mayfair met countless women who shared that their mothers or grandmothers were a mans third wife or how they themselves as the trailer revealed just a little bit of once loved another woman. The Third Wife was released in Vietnam on May 17, but local media reported on May 20 that the countrys censorship board declared there will be no additional screenings of the film after 6 p.m. the same day. Child endangerment was cited as the main reason, a reference to how lead actress Nguyen Phuong Tra My was 13-years-old during filming and had to engage in mature content. The films co-producer, Tran Thi Bich Ngoc, in an interview with local media, said that Mys parents as well as siblings were present both on set and at festivals. Mys mother also approved Mayfairs handling of the now-controversial scenes. ARTS & THEATER: New ballet summons David Bowie's spirit. Read about it on HoustonChronicle.com. Prior to the order, however, Mayfair said her post-production crew and her had to do a lot for the censorship board. Although a couple of shots had to be replaced and some angles tightened, the emotional through line is intact, she added. And on a similar note, Mayfairs passion to tell stories remains unwavering. Drawing from past experience with short films in different genres, and now a feature which was bolstered by the Spike Lee Fellowship and artistic consultancy from Vietnamese-born French director Tran Anh Hung, she feels driven to keep on crafting meaningful art wherever she is. Universally, no matter the color of your skin or your background, I think we all understand the very primal human emotions love, desire, anger and hatred, said Mayfair, who divides her between Ho Chi Minh City and New York City. Right now Im just writing as much as I can about everything under the sun and trying to get the next project made. That includes Skin of Youth, which is set in 1990s Vietnam, with two young people who find their love tested when they court the criminal underworld in order to find enough money for Sans sex-change operation. nguyen.le@chron.com PREVIEW: Get experts picks for concerts, kids stuff, fine arts, movies and more delivered to your inbox weekly. The Lone Star College System, already the largest college in the state, is growing with the addition of a seventh campus. LSC-Houston North, made up of four different Lone Star centers, recently received accreditation approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Registration is open for students who want to enroll this fall, said Sheldon Moss, the chief strategist for the campus. Were taking LSC-Fairbanks, which is attached to the LSC-CyFair campus, LSC-Victory center and LSC-Greenspoint center, which are attached to the LSC-North Harris campus, and merging them to form a main campus. They wont be satellites anymore, Moss said, adding that LSC-Fallbrook will complete the campus when it is finished in 2020. Those four buildings once individual satellite centers will symbolically merge to operate as one college that will serve about 5,200 students initially. That number will grow to about 6,400 students when LSC-Fallbrook opens, system officials say. To make the center consolidation happen, the system plans to add a little more than $5 million to the campus budget over the course of the next three to four years to cover new staffing and equipment costs, bringing the newest campus budget up to more than $14 million in total. Moss said the purpose for LSC-Houston North is to address the educational attainment and socioeconomic disparities that exist in the locations around Beltway 8, which are also the farthest south locations for the system. Chancellor Stephen Heads vision for the project is to restructure and realign these locations to provide innovative practices and educational support for these communities, Moss said. Head said this will be one of the most unique colleges in the community, one that he hopes improves the success rates of African-American and lower-income students. We know what needs to be done and we know what the issues are, we just have to execute it, the chancellor said. Itll be a lot of hard work, but its a long-term reward. The system named Quentin Wright as the founding president of LSC-Houston North on May 10. Wright was selected after a national search, but hes been one of the projects planning committee members for the last year and a half in his former role as LSCs special assistant to the chancellor. Its an honor, and its very humbling. Im excited about the impact well be able to have on the community, Wright said. The new position, he added, feels like the fulfillment of a dream hes had since beginning his higher education career 17 years ago. Lone Star College Campuses LSC-CyFair: 9191 Barker Cypress Road, Cypress, 77433 LSC-Houston North: 4141 Victory Drive, Houston, 77088 LSC-Kingwood: 20000 Kingwood Drive, Kingwood, 77339 LSC-Montgomery: 3200 College Park Drive, Conroe, 77384 LSC-North Harris: 2700 W.W. Thorne Drive, Houston, 77073 LSC-Tomball: 30555 Tomball Parkway, Tomball, 77375 LSC-University Park: 20515 TX-249, Houston, 77070 For more information about campuses and programs, go to www.lonestar.edu. See More Collapse Wright is set to assume his duties June 15. Programs that will be offered at the new campus include biology, mechanical engineering, business management, welding and HVAC skills. English for speakers of other languages and General Education Development (GED) courses are also to be offered. Goals for the newest campus include increasing persistence rates of first-year students, meaning the percentage of students who continue on at any higher education institution after their first year, and achieving a three-year graduation rate of 25 percent by 2025. Moss said that is ambitious, but that goal combined with the wraparound services and programs now offered means that students can be successful. We look at it as a non-negotiable. We want to push students forward, provide extra support and help them continue on in school, Moss said. Some of the ways college officials are doing that is through putting students first, engaging with the community and implementing practices that are the best fit for the areas demographic. Our plan is to do some things differently with this college than was traditionally done at our other campuses, Moss added. This includes eight-week terms so students can accrue college credit more quickly, assigning faculty and staff mentors to first-year college students, and scheduling classes in morning, afternoon, evening or weekend blocks so students can accommodate their work schedules. We also realize that students face many other barriers that dont fall within the classroom, Moss said, barriers such as health care, mental health and food insecurity. Because of those extra issues, Moss said the college campus will have food pantries on-site as well as a partnership with Avenue 360 Health and Wellness at the Greenspoint location to more easily address the medical, social and emotional needs of students as well as community members. To develop these goals and programs, Moss said a group of 80 faculty and staff members got together in the fall of 2017 to form planning sub-committees to develop the campus mission and values. They also visited other successful institutions, such as Odessa College in west Texas, to learn what models work. Moss said everybody is excited for this project thats a big, big deal. We definitely want to be a college for the community, Moss said. We want to be a pillar for the community that were serving. Everybodys got their eye on this project. jane.stueckemann@chron.com MISSION MOON: Nearly 50 years have passed since Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the moon. Our special Apollo 50 anniversary coverage explores how the country came together to fulfill President John F. Kennedys goal of reaching the lunar surface by 1970, NASA's bold missions - and crippling tragedies - since that historic day, and the future of space exploration and Houston as America's "Space City. *** At a massive plant in New Orleans, encompassing 43 acres of manufacturing space, some 600 Boeing workers assemble rocket components for NASAs Space Launch System a vehicle destined for the moon and then Mars. Its the same building where Boeing built the Saturn V rockets first-stage booster that put men on the moon 50 years ago. Boeing is often associated with commercial aviation, but the company has also been a longtime government contractor building and managing complex projects for NASA. Now, the Chicago aerospace company is entering the emerging sector of commercial space travel where NASA, and hopefully others, will be a customer. For its commercial space business, Boeing is developing the Crew Space Transportation (CST)-100 Starliner capsule that will carry astronauts to the International Space Station. Boeing will own the spacecraft and charge NASA to use it for the space agencys missions. The Starliner could have other customers, such as companies planning space hotels and asteroid mining. SPACE JUNK: Sign up to get news on NASA, science and more delivered to your email Boeing was going to stay in that market, said Boeing corporate historian Mike Lombardi. Be relevant in space. And the next step in space is opening up commercial space. The 103-year-old company has a history of tackling complex projects. During the Cold War, Boeing was contracted to create the supersonic anti-aircraft Bomarc missiles capable of shooting down the Soviet Unions long-range bombers. It then became the assembly and test contractor for the Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missiles. At its peak, Boeing employed 39,700 people to build these missiles, which President John F. Kennedy called his ace in the hole during the Cuban missile crisis. If the U.S. were attacked by a nuclear weapon, these missiles would survive for retaliatory strikes. The Soviets ultimately withdrew their missiles from Cuba as the superpowers pulled back from the brink of nuclear war. These projects taught Boeing to develop and integrate complex systems. And that made it a natural fit for the Apollo program, where Boeing organized the collection and assembly of rocket parts made by other contractors. It also managed rocket testing. Boeings history in space 1916 Boeing is founded. 1958 NASA is created, and Boeing begins working with the government agency. 1959 The X-15 rocket plane built by North American Aviation takes its first flight, later becoming the first aircraft to carry a pilot at hypersonic speed. Boeing absorbed North American Aviation as part of an acquisition. 1960 TheDelta Rocket has its first successful launch. This rocket was initially built by Douglas Aircraft, though Boeing would continue building Delta variants after acquiring its successor company McDonnell Douglas. 1961 The Mercury spacecraft takes the first American into space. It was built by McDonnell Aircraft, which Boeing would later acquire. 1961 McDonnell Aircraftis selected to build the Gemini space capsule. 1965 A Gemini capsule with humans onboard launches into space. 1969 Apollo 11 launches and takes astronauts to the moon. Boeing (and companies it later absorbed) built most major components of the spacecraft and the Saturn V rocket. 1973 The Boeing-built Mariner 10 space probe launches and begins traveling to Venus and Mercury. 1981 Space Shuttle Columbia has its first launch. It was built by Rockwell International, and Boeing later acquired its defense and aerospace assets. 1982 The Boeing-built Inertial Upper Stage rocket, used to launch payloads from the space shuttle, takes its first flight. 1993 NASA selects Boeing as prime contractor for the International Space Station. 2014 NASA selects Boeing as prime contractor for the design, development, test and production of the Space Launch System's core stage. The SLS will take humans into deep space. 2014 NASA awards Boeing a contract to fly astronauts to the International Space Station on Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft. This is still being developed. Source: Boeing Boeing's history in space 1916 Boeing is founded. 1958 NASA is created, and Boeing begins working with the government agency. 1959 The X-15 rocket plane built by North American Aviation, with divisions of its successor company later acquired by Boeing, takes its first flight. It would later become the first aircraft to carry a pilot at hypersonic speed. 1960 TheDelta Rocket has its first successful launch. This rocket was initially built by Douglas Aircraft, though Boeing would continue building Delta variants after acquiring its successor company McDonnell Douglas. 1961 The Mercury spacecraft takes the first American into space. It was built by McDonnell Aircraft, which Boeing would later acquire. 1961 McDonnell Aircraftis selected to build the Gemini space capsule. 1965 A Gemini capsule with humans onboard launches into space. 1969 Apollo 11 launches and takes astronauts to the moon. Boeing (and companies it later absorbed) built most major components of the spacecraft and the Saturn V rocket. 1973 The Boeing-built Mariner 10 space probe launches and begins traveling to Venus and Mercury. 1981 Space Shuttle Columbia has its first launch. It was built by Rockwell International, and Boeing later acquired its defense and aerospace assets. 1982 The Boeing-built Inertial Upper Stage rocket, used to launch payloads from the space shuttle, takes its first flight. 1993 NASA selects Boeing as prime contractor for the International Space Station. 2014 NASA selects Boeing as prime contractor for the design, development, test and production of the Space Launch System's core stage. The SLS will take humans into deep space. 2014 NASA awards Boeing a contract to fly astronauts to the International Space Station on Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft. This is still being developed. Source: Boeing See More Collapse Boeing has a huge amount of heritage in the space business, said David Alexander, director of the Rice University Space Institute. Thats very valuable, the knowledge that they bring, and the expertise that they bring. $82 million a seat Boeing continued as a government contractor after Apollo. Its projects included the International Space Station, for which Boeing was prime contractor. Outside of NASA, Boeing partnered with Lockheed Martin of Bethesda, Md., in 2006 to create the United Launch Alliance rocket company. Its rockets have launched commercial, military and government satellites. Boeing also builds satellites for government and commercial customers. Other Boeing innovation: Self-cleaning space suit could help NASA astronauts avoid harmful dust on moon, Mars Boeing was more recently awarded the $4.2 billion contract to develop the CST-100 Starliner to end the U.S. reliance on Russia for transportation to the space station. Russia charges $82 million per seat. The Starliner was designed to accommodate up to seven passengers, or a mix of crew and cargo, and it can be reused up to 10 times. For NASA missions to the space station, it will carry up to four crew members and time-critical scientific research. Boeings Starliner is an example of legacy aerospace companies redefining their role in space, said Eric Stallmer, president of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, which promotes the development of commercial spaceflight. Theyre trying to be more adaptive to how the market is turning and how government procurement is changing, Stallmer said. Boeings work on the SLS rocket is behind schedule and over budget. The first flight of its Starliner, without people on board, was most recently pushed back to August. NASA said this was due to limited launch opportunities in April and May and a critical Air Force national security launch in June. Still, Boeing is optimistic it will take people to the space station later this year. Pit stop Boeing also is working with NASA to study moon outposts. This habitat would orbit the moon and could be a stop for astronauts before continuing to Mars. Its been 50 years since Americans first landed on the moon. But the celestial body still plays a strategic and inspirational role in deep-space exploration. Its really exciting to have this anniversary right now, Lombardi said, as we prepare to take these next steps into space. Apollo helps remind us what we can do. andrea.leinfelder@chron.com Twitter.com/andrearumbaugh MISSION MOON: Chronicling 50 years of NASA's influence on Houston A Katy man who was out on $75,000 bond on a murder charge is back in custody following a charge of drug possession, Harris County Precinct 5 Constable Ted Heaps Office reports. Levar Knox, 40, originally from Louisiana, was arrested on Friday, May 24, by Precinct 5 deputies at his Katy apartment on Wednesday, May 22, on an unrelated charge of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. The drug charge is a second-degree felony. According to Heaps office, Precinct 5 deputies from the Major Offenders and Narcotics Division executed a search warrant on his Katy apartment in the 2000 block of Westborough Drive. Inside the apartment, deputies found heroin and a stolen firearm, it was reported. According to the latest charging documents, Knox previously was convicted of armed robbery in East Baton Rouge Parish in Louisiana. Knox is currently awaiting trial on charges in the shooting death of 25-year-old Ryan White in Alief on Sept. 24, 2018. Knox was arrested and released after posting bond in December. His latest arrest came after a new arrest warrant was issued after he violated the conditions of his bond. As part of his bond, Knox wore an ankle monitor and violated curfew at least three times in May. Knox has one previous felony charge on his Harris County record for forgery in 2009 but the case was dismissed after the witness could not be found, according to District Clerk documents. At the time of his death, White was under indictment for forgery and aggravated robbery. Prior to his latest arrest, Knoxs bond was raised in March to $185,000 due to violation of his previous bond conditions. His bond has since been revoked and Knox is currently being held in Harris County Jail. rkent@hcnonline.com WASHINGTON - Lambda Legal and other civil rights groups are asking the courts strike down a Department of Health and Human Services "conscience" rule that is set to dramatically expand the situations in which health providers, insurers and others could refuse to provide or pay for services that they say violate their religious or moral beliefs. The lawsuit filed Friday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California claims the policy, which was published May 21, is unconstitutional and exceeds the HHS' statutory authority. President Donald Trump personally announced the rule during a speech before faith leaders who say the protections are necessary because of ineffectual enforcement of existing statutes protecting such decisions. The plaintiffs represent health care providers, community centers, and LGBTQ and women's rights groups across the country - from Seattle and Los Angeles to Allentown, Pennsylvania and Washington. They emphasized that while transgender individuals may be most vulnerable to discrimination under the rule, it would affect all Americans. "This rule erodes trust between patients and providers," said Jamie Gliksberg, senior attorney at Lambda Legal. Gliksberg said there has always been a balance between patients' right to care and providers' right to decline services such as abortion, assisted suicide and sterilization. The new policy, she said, "disturbs that balance." According to the complaint, the new policy "creates a wholly new regime that elevates religious objections over all other interests and values." Among the allegations in the suit are that the rule "violates patients' rights to privacy, liberty, dignity, and autonomy" by imposing conditions that unduly burden patients' access to medically necessary health care and "chills constitutionally protected First Amendment activity, such as a patient's ability to disclose or express their sexual orientation," they wrote. The rule is one of a number of new socially conservative HHS polices - such as new funding criteria for providers of family planning services that abortion providers fear will shut them out - that are under a court challenge. Earlier this month, San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera filed suit against the HHS, saying the new conscience rules are discriminatory and prioritize "providers' religious beliefs over the health and lives of women, lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender people, and other medically and socially vulnerable populations." The new challenge is being filed by Lambda Legal, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and the Center for Reproductive Rights. Plaintiffs include California's Santa Clara County, the Los Angeles LGBT Center and the Washington-based Whitman-Walker Health. Despite it being common in all communities, there still is a real stigma against reporting domestic violence, Milligan said. There is this thought that this is not the kind of thing that happens in an affluent community. This is not the kind of thing that happens with educated people. WASHINGTON - He was, as ever, stolid, serious, sober. He spoke in clipped, cautious sentences. He said he was not saying a single thing beyond what he'd written in his report. Yet when Robert Swan Mueller III finally spoke Wednesday, breaking two years of silence, he delivered a nine-minute soliloquy that seemed as powerful an invitation to impeachment of the president as anyone has delivered to date. The special counsel who examined Russia's effort to interfere with the 2016 U.S. election repeatedly said that this was the end - his final act in a position from which he is now esigning, his last words about President Donald Trump's possible role in obstructing his investigation, his ultimate conclusion that there would be no criminal charges against Trump. But Mueller's statement, read with dampened expression, his eyes cast down at a script, sounded to many like a call to action - to Congress to consider his findings about Trump's behavior and to the American people to pay closer attention to "multiple, systematic efforts to interfere in our election." Intent on going out on his own terms, Mueller insisted repeatedly that his report was his final word. "The report is my testimony," he said, seeming to decline an invitation to testify to Congress. Yet he had clearly concluded that he needed to say something beyond what was in his 448 pages of written work. "I hope and expect this to be the only time that I will speak to you in this manner," Mueller said. But from the halls of Congress to millions of screens across the country, Mueller's statement, delivered in a half-empty Justice Department briefing room, was received as anything but an ending. In some quarters, there was a reflexive retreat to the battle stations of the past two years. Congressional Democrats heard Mueller punting the ball to them, for action on the obstruction charges that Mueller did not bring. The president, reacting by tweet, countered with a declaration: "There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed!" On cable news, the nation's separate perceptions of reality were reflected in dueling chyrons. Fox News: "Mueller: There was insufficient evidence to charge broader conspiracy." CNN: "Mueller: 'If we had confidence the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so.' " But many Americans, listening to live special reports across all media, heard Mueller say that although "a president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office," the Russians' efforts to interfere in the 2016 election "deserves the attention of every American." Mueller, 74, was the adult in the room, sternly reminding the nation to step aside from the partisan fray and focus on the threat to democracy. He delivered his message in the way he has conducted his career - by the book, in a code designed to inform rather than inflame. Anyone expecting the special counsel to let his hair down and speak from the heart about what he really thought of Trump did not know who Mueller is. A decorated Marine, a career prosecutor who wears a white shirt to work every day, Mueller rose through the government and became FBI director and a valued adviser to presidents of both parties not by speaking his mind but by proving his reserve. Until now, Mueller had played the role of the sphinx of the capital. For two years, his silence flew in the face of a Washington political culture that feeds on jolts of Twitter adrenaline and cable cacophony. Mueller sightings were infrequent and frustratingly uncontroversial: Here he was at the Apple store getting his device fixed. There he was at Reagan National Airport's infamously hectic Gate 35X, being totally calm. There were sightings at church on Sunday morning, at his favorite restaurant in American University Park, all empty calories. For many months, the nation heard Mueller's voice only through the imagination of Robert De Niro's depiction of the special counsel as a humorless stiff on "Saturday Night Live." Now, when he finally spoke, Mueller did so in a voice thinned by age, but strong in its controlled rectitude. If Mueller's words seemed opaque, if he appeared to be more concerned about following Justice Department rules than about seeking to hold an alleged lawbreaker-in-chief to account, he nonetheless sent his message with a clarity heard at both ends of the polarized field that is Trump's America. Mueller "today characterized the president as someone who committed crimes," said Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., a candidate for president. Mueller's message, Swalwell said, was that but for Justice Department policy against prosecuting a sitting president, he would have indicted Trump. "The ball is in our court, Congress," tweeted Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., the lone House Republican to have concluded that Trump "engaged in impeachable conduct." Other Republicans agreed that, as Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina put it, "the report speaks for itself," interpreting the document through the president's eyes: "The case is over," Graham said. "A possible obstruction case was a hodgepodge of complicated facts and law." Despite the cloud of partisan interpretations, Mueller declared that he had provided all the clarity he could. The rest would remain with Congress. This would be his single and final statement. He seemed determined to demonstrate that he meant it. After Mueller finished, a reporter tried to elicit something beyond the written statement, but the special counsel said, "No questions," turned, and strode out of the room. - - - The Washington Post's Devlin Barrett contributed to this report. As Spring Branch ISD leaders crafted their budget for the 2019-2020 school year, straining for a third consecutive year to avoid layoffs and major classroom cuts, they stared down yet another deficit projection. For districts like Spring Branch that increasingly pay into recapture, the states method of creating equity among property-wealthy and property-poor districts, the only hope for reversing course rested this spring with the Texas Legislature. Were not the only ones that were going to begin with a deficit, so theres a lot of districts both rich and poor starting in the same boat, said Spring Branchs CFO, Karen Wilson. After nearly a quarter-century of failing to deliver a major financial lifeline, Texas legislators came through last week with bipartisan legislation that will boost education spending in every district with several in the Greater Houston area benefiting the most. Now, with more details emerging about the financial impact of the legislation, district administrators and school boards have started eyeing potential ways to spend new revenues while cautioning any decisions likely remain weeks away. Preliminary estimates of the legislations impact show several local recapture-paying and higher-poverty districts rank among the biggest winners from school finance reform, with projections showing them increasing day-to-day operations revenue by 8 percent to 13 percent. They include Aldine, Alief, Pasadena and Spring Branch ISDs. Meanwhile, several of the regions more affluent suburban districts Clear Creek, Cy-Fair, Fort Bend, Katy and Pearland stand to reap the smallest rewards from the legislation, with revenues rising by about 3 percent. Houston, Conroe, Humble and Klein ISDs landed in the middle, projected to receive about 5 percent or 6 percent revenue increases. The estimates remain susceptible to change, as several factors contributing to the reforms impact student enrollment, local property values, legislative kinks are smoothed out over the next several weeks. Still, the estimates generated by the Texas Legislative Budget Board show higher-poverty districts, as well as property-wealthy districts making recapture payments, stand to receive the biggest boost. Its a combination of so many different things that its hard to pinpoint why some are winners and some are losers, said Bob Popinski, director of policy for the education advocacy nonprofit Raise Your Hand Texas. Theres going to be a lot of technical issues to clean up, but in the end, its a good program. The landmark legislation is expected to pump about $6.5 billion more into Texas public school districts over the next two fiscal years, while also providing about $5 billion in property tax relief. Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to sign the bill, which passed with zero votes against in the Texas House of Representatives and Senate. Legislators agreed to cover the costs by boosting the states share of funding for education from 38 percent to 45 percent, relying largely on increases in state revenue to cover the costs. Some budget and education observers have questioned whether legislators will maintain the added funding in future years, particularly if the state economy turns sour. More Information The benefits of reform Early projections from the Texas Legislative Budget Board show the projected impact of school finance reform in fiscal 2020. The totals are expected to change as enrollment, property values and legislative details are finalized. District; Average daily attendance; Net benefit from reform; Benefit per ADA Houston ISD; 187,105; $97.5 million; $521 Cy-Fair ISD; 110,774; $30 million; $272 Katy ISD; 78,323; $24 million; $306 Fort Bend ISD; 73,580; $19.5 million; $264 Conroe ISD; 60,502; $24.4 million; $403 Aldine ISD; 60,260; $46.9 million; $778 Klein ISD; 50,571; $24 million; $475 Pasadena ISD; 50,550; $45.4 million; 897 Humble ISD; 42,417; $22.9 million; $540 Alief ISD; 42,128; $35.6 million; $844 Source: Texas House Public Education Committee See More Collapse In allocating more money for education, legislators had several goals: increasing teacher pay; providing relief to districts burdened by fast-growing recapture payments; dedicating additional funding to the states neediest students; and supporting full-day pre-kindergarten for low-income children. Legislators dictated how some money must be spent, including a requirement that 30 percent go toward salary increases, while leaving other funds to districts discretion. Ahead of the landmark legislations passage last week, state budget officials used current enrollment data and projected property values to calculate the estimated financial benefit to each district. Spring Branch emerged as the regions biggest beneficiary under the projections, with operating revenues forecasted to rise about $35 million, or 13 percent. Wilson said Spring Branch will know the ultimate impact of reforms in the next few weeks, but the districts school board already has identified trimming its budget deficit projected at $21.6 million if legislation didnt pass and boosting employee pay as spending priorities. Fortunately, the boards number one priority was the same as the Legislature, and thats salaries for all staff, Wilson said. In Houston ISD, estimates show the district receiving a $97.5 million net benefit from the legislation, equivalent to roughly 5 percent of the districts operating budget. Although Houston ISD is expected to receive the headline-grabbing benefit of wiping out its nearly $300-million recapture payment, the district also will collect fewer property taxes in the upcoming fiscal year. Hours after state government leaders announced the bipartisan reform deal last week, Houston ISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said staff salary increases would be the very start of her plan for spending additional revenue, with several school board members echoing her call. The districts average base salary for teachers ranked among the regions lowest at various experience levels, often trailing by $2,000 to $5,000, according to a report by the Texas Association of School Boards. The analysis did not include benefits or incentive pay, including the $5,000 bonuses given to teachers at about 50 of the districts 280 schools. If we dont catch up now, were never going to catch up, Houston ISD Trustee Elizabeth Santos said. Were behind. State estimates on the legislations impact did not always follow clear patterns, with some recapture and lower-wealth districts projected to receive relatively low revenue bumps. Both Brazosport ISD, a 12,400-student, recapture-paying district about 60 miles south of Houston, and Spring ISD, which boasts above-state-average percentages of economically disadvantaged and at-risk students, are projected to get 3 percent bumps from finance reform. The anomalies could be attributed to several factors, including property value patterns, a state-mandated change in districts accounting practices and student demographics. This is a big benefit to taxpayers, even if its not necessarily to the districts, said Kelli Moulton, superintendent of Galveston ISD and president of the Texas School Coalition, an organization of recapture-paying districts. We were a little all over the place, but were also very fortunate that there were no losers in this system. jacob.carpenter@chron.com twitter.com/chronjacob For more than 70 years, visitors have toured the Battleship Texas near the site where its namesake state won a crucial battle in its fight for independence. But the rusting ship, which saw action in two world wars, will soon move to a location where it can attract more visitors and revenue. Bruce Bramlett, the executive director of the Battleship Texas Foundation, confirmed on Wednesday that the battleship would move from the San Jacinto Battleground in East Harris County, where Texian troops defeated Mexican army forces in 1836. About 80,000 paid visitors per year visit the ship docked on the Houston Ship Channel at the battleground, generating about $1.2 million in revenue, Bramlett said. It's a losing proposition and frankly the state is tired of pouring money into it," said Bramlett. "It needs to be somewhere where it's going to track four or five times that many people. It is unclear where the battleship will go. Bramlett declined to speculate, but said the ship would go to a site that Houstonians could visit fairly easily. He said the foundation has some potential locations in mind and intends to move quickly. If it stays there, it's going to die there, Bramlett said of the current site. It just doesn't work financially. It hasn't worked in years. The decision to move the battleship follows action by state legislators aimed at saving it. SB 1511, which awaits Gov. Greg Abbotts signature, will provide the battleship with a new caretaker, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and send it to Alabama temporarily for repairs. The vessel has continued to rust despite sporadic repair efforts spanning decades, and many believe it will sink unless it is moved to a dry berth. Rep. John Cyrier, R-Lockhart, one of the sponsors of SB 1511, suggested recently that the battleship be moved to Galveston, which has a larger tourist industry and could provide more visitors and help pay for maintenance costs. I think everybody that looks at this, if they look at the numbers and look at the reasoning on bringing it to Galveston, I think they'll realize that's the best option to save this battleship, said Cyrier. Galveston City Manager Brian Maxwell said he spoke to Battleship Texas Foundation representatives about a year ago regarding the possibility of moving the ship to Galveston. Its certainly feasible, said Maxwell, adding that Seawolf Park, where the USS Cavalla submarine and USS Stewart destroyer are berthed, would be an ideal location. The Parks and Wildlife Department said in a statement that based on passage of SB 1511, it would secure a 99-year partnership with a nonprofit to operate and maintain the battleship. The Battleship Texas Foundation will be the appropriate nonprofit partner and will submit a preservation plan to the Legislative Budget Board for their consideration and approval, the statement said. That plan will also dictate the foundations wishes for the ships ultimate berth location after repairs are made. The news comes as The San Jacinto Museum of History seeks donations after losing tens of thousands of dollars when the battleground and museum closed for more than 50 days during peak season. The closure was the result of a March fire at the nearby Intercontinental Terminals Company. Larry Spasic, the museum president, said the group hopes to raise $500,000. Each year, Spasic said, $70,000 to $85,000 is spent on the San Jacinto Day Festival and Battle Renactment, which was to occur on April 13 but was canceled due to the closure. The two largest days of attendance are usually the day of the festival and Easter, but guests were not allowed in on either day. Spasic also noted that the ITC fire occurred during spring break, when families from other areas travel to the site. Were coming back to this museum and opening up as an act of faith that Texas, Texans and our honorary Texans from other states and countries will help us survive this challenging situation, said Spasic. The prospect of moving the battleship was not universally welcomed. I would really hate to see it moved, said La Portes Mayor, Louis Rigby, who grew up in the area and has visited the site since he was a boy. It's a part of Texas history just as much as the Alamo is. Bramlett said he understands the emotional appeal of keeping the ship at its original site, but said moving it will be a better financial decision. Sometimes in order to get what's best, you gotta relocate, said Bramlett. Sadly, it's the same situation with the ship. It's all about location and this one doesn't work. Staff writer John Tedesco contributed to this report. Right-wing extremists across the state of Texas are disappointed in the 86th Legislature, which adjourned on Monday. Theyre also a bit dyspeptic with House Speaker Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, who wrapped up the session by pouring salt into the various wounds his critics have sustained since the session began in January. Hardline conservatives applauded when Bonnen declared, late last year, that he would succeed Joe Straus, a moderate Republican who became speaker in 2009 after securing the support of the chambers Democrats. Bonnen made it clear that his top priority was school finance reformand he had never, during his years in the Legislature, filed legislation proposing, for example, carrying a weapon without a permit or banning abortion outright. Still, the extremists probably assumed Bonnen would show some tolerance for their antics, as Straus sometimes did. So it was probably unpleasant to learn, over the course of the 86th Legislature, that its a new day in Texas. You will never please or appease those folks and Im sure as hell not going to waste my time trying, said Bonnen on Monday, when reporters in Austin asked about the criticism he had received from groups such as Texas Right to Life, Texas Gun Rights, and EmpowerTexans. Like most Texans, I like and respect Straus. But I would like to buy everyone in southern Brazoria County a drink for providing us with Bonnen. This years session wasnt perfect, by any means. It included some noxious debates, as well as painful missed opportunities. And to say that the legislators accomplished far more than they did two years ago would be to evaluate their efforts using an insultingly low bar. The 85th Legislature, in 2017, featured a months-long debate over school bathrooms as well as the passage of a vicious crackdown on sanctuary cities. It culminated in a scuffle on the Texas House floor, triggered when Rep. Matt Rinaldi, a Republican of Irving, told a group of Democratic colleagues that he had called Immigration and Customs Enforcement on a group of Latino protesters in the chambers gallery. I texted one of those Democrats Monday, shortly after the House adjourned: It seemed, I told him, like a different world. People were smiling, he concurred. The most obvious explanation for the change is that although Republicans still control both chambers of the Legislature, their hold on power is loosening. In last years midterm election, Democrats picked up 12 seats in the House and two in the Senate. In addition, the results made it clear that moderation is no sin in the eyes of most Texas voters. Republicans such as Sarah Davis of West University Place and John Zerwas of Richmond won re-election, despite the blue wave that swept over the greater Houston area. Rinaldi, by contrast, was unseated by Democrat Julie Johnson, who was named Freshman of the Year by the chambers newly formed LGBTQ Caucus. But legislators of both parties have been poorly served by Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, since the two were elected to their respective offices in 2014. Both have proven all too willing to make common cause with right-wing extremists and the hard-line legislators most closely affiliated with them. And Straus, with his commitment to civility, was reluctant to take these extremists to the woodshed even though they felt free to attack him. But the states right-wing extremists arent the only people who live in Texas, or who should have a voice in their own state government. Bonnen might have reminded them of that more gently on Monday, but Im glad he didnt. Schadenfreude, to be clear, isnt my cup of tea. And I take no pleasure in the distress of grassroots activists such as Michael Openshaw, who announced in a blog post that after 57 years of volunteering for various political campaigns, hes concluded its no longer worth bothering. There simply are no longer enough conservative ideals being practiced by 95% of GOP officials to put my effort freely into them staying in office, he wrote. Ive crossed paths with Openshaw online, usually because we disagreed. But it always seemed to me that his efforts were sincerely motivated. I wouldnt necessarily say the same about more vitriolic peers such as Julie McCarty, who leads the Northeast Tarrant Tea Party, or professional activists such as Michael Quinn Sullivan, the CEO of EmpowerTexans. Amazing LOSER #TXlege session, tweeted Sullivan on Sunday, as legislators in the House were preparing to give final approval to Senate Bill 2 and House Bill 3, related pieces of major legislation concerning property taxes and school finance respectively. Sullivan was in a snit because the Lege had failed to focus on his priorities, such as restricting access to abortion, expanding access to guns, and banning taxpayer-funded lobbying. Also, in his view, the biennial budget is too big. McCarty, similarly, announced in a Facebook post that she will not lift a finger on behalf of any Republican legislators who decide to run for re-election. Not worth my time when the returns yield nothing, she said. Sullivan and McCarty may be genuinely disappointed in the results of this years legislative session; if so, they have only themselves to blame. Grassroots conservative voters like Openshaw have been betrayed, in a sense, but they werent betrayed by the speaker or the Republican legislators who joined with their Democratic colleagues to elect him. They were betrayed by leaders like Rinaldi, Sullivan, and McCarty whose belligerence and sense of entitlement was bound to come back to haunt them. erica.grieder@chron.com A Harris County judge on Tuesday denied a motion to dismiss a lawsuit against a Houston man accused of making false statements in a criminal case that sent his former in-laws to prison for aiding his ex-wife in the kidnapping of their child. An attorney representing the man tried invoking a First Amendment protection statute under the Texas Citizens Participation Act, arguing that the Houston father used free speech in the realm of public interest during the trial. While lawyer Alan Daughtry was unsuccessful, he said he plans to appeal state District Judge Dedra Davis decision. Are we disappointed? Yes, Daughtry said. But you know, we think weve got good arguments; we think the records really good. And frankly, the case will get shut down until the Court of Appeals rules. The former in-laws, Carlos and Jemima Guimaraes, brought the lawsuit against Christopher Brann in February, alleging that he defrauded the court in their trial. They were sentenced in December for their role in kidnapping Nicolas Brann, who is now 9 and living in Brazil with his mother. The elder Brann shared joint custody of Nicolas with his ex-wife, Marcelle Guimaraes. She took their boy, then 3 years old, to Brazil for a family wedding in July 2013 and never returned. The wealthy Brazilian grandparents sat in on the hearing on Tuesday but declined to speak to reporters. They were released from federal custody earlier this year. Stay Informed Text CHRON to 77453 to get breaking news alerts by text | Sign up to receive breaking news alerts delivered to your email here. See More Collapse Daughtry accused the Guimaraes family of essentially re-trying the criminal case in a civil court, which their attorney, Jeff Diamant, denied. There is no way to have a do-over in the case, he said. They should at least get what they deserve for having gone through it. In the lawsuit, the couple alleges that Brann was the perpetrator of domestic violence against their daughter Marcelle. The suit also contends that Brann was addicted to sex and pornography. WALKER COUNTY: DA dismisses case against Texas parole official accused of skipping inmate interviews Witnesses at the jury trial said that Jemima Guimaraes helped her daughter get a job at the school where she was a director. The grandfather paid for tuition for the boy at the school, and also bought a series of return tickets for the mother and son, which prosecutors said was part of a cover-up. The couple was convicted in May 2018. The grandfather was sentenced to three months in federal prison, while the grandmother was sentenced to one month in the federal facility. Theyre serving one year of supervised release. Marcelle Guimaraes, who is living in the Brazilian city of Salvador, is considered a fugitive by the U.S. government. In a written statement, Covert said she supported the right of fellow board members to express their view, but also noted the state legislation was not a county issue and the county board had not taken a stance on the measure. A girls 16th birthday celebration has been filled with fun and lighthearted jokes when she and her new friend, a Spring High School sophomore, went swimming in Matagorda Bay. The girl and her friend, Joseph Thomas, ran into trouble in the bays rough waters as they swam on Sunday afternoon. Both teens became trapped in a strong rip current. His friends mother screamed when she saw them without flotation devices. The girl's parents jumped in the water to save them, but the current was too powerful. Eddie Dolan, his friends father, said he swam about 30 yards from the shore when he almost lost sight of Thomas and his daughter. The last time they saw Thomas, he was saving the girl's life. Just before I couldnt see them in the water any longer with the waves, I saw him push her away, said Dolan, who asked that his daughter not be identified. That was the last I saw of him. Dolan said the waves carried his daughter back to shore. The U.S. Coast Guard found Thomas body in the area on Monday, leaving his own family devastated and Dolans family stricken with guilt from the tragedy. Dolan said his wife nearly drowned and is still recovering in a hospital. There was just nothing we could do, Dolan said, adding that Thomas was one of the most warm and selfless people hes ever met. Sixteen-year-old Thomas was one of three people who drowned in Gulf area beaches during the Memorial Day weekend when visitors encountered rough surf and unusually strong rip currents. Authorities found the body of 29-year-old Jose Hernandez around 8 a.m. Sunday in San Luis Pass, known to be a dangerous area to swim. On Tuesday, the body of a 17-year old boy who went missing near Surfside Beach was found about 4 miles north of where he was last seen. He has not been identified. Thomas father, James Thomas Jr., said his sons heroic actions fall in line with his sons caring nature at Spring High School where on Tuesday afternoon hundreds attended a vigil for their classmate. Zephyr Glover, who had her first date with Thomas last Friday, told the grieving students: At least he died not in vain, but he died a hero. It wasnt hard to spot him walking down the hallways of the school. He carried his acoustic guitar with him everywhere between classes and occasionally played for special needs students during fourth period, the father said. He played music for the kids, but most of the time he would just identify and work with them, James Thomas said. Now Playing: Students and staff gather Tuesday, May 28, 2019 to remember Joseph Thomas, 16, a Spring High School sophomore, who drowned while saving a friend after they became trapped in a rip current along Matagorda Beach on Sunday. Video: Houston Chronicle Outside school, Thomas constantly wrote songs and performed around Spring. He played at The Blue Giraffe and Trilogy Brew Coffee shop, honing his talent in front of an audience. He was also a familiar face at the Guitar Center on Interstate 45.Thats where he met his friend two weeks before she invited him to the beach with her family for her birthday. The pair quickly bonded after singing together in a guitar room at the store. He was just a musically inclined kid, James Thomas said. He was very gifted, very creative and he would write music incessantly. James Thomas described his son as a deep thinker who showed an unusual amount of intellect for his age. His son was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at 12 years old, but he went through treatment and was doing well when he died, his father said. Joseph Thomas had been taking advanced classes at school and hoped to one day become a musical therapist. The family is devastated, his father said. This is an absolute unexpected shock... I told my wife just this morning that Joseph is like a comet. He just burst on the scene, glowed and now hes gone. Sandy Priska, the co-founder of Ridgemont Academy in Spring, said she met the younger Thomas in September when he accompanied a student to an open mic event at the school. He came in that day and did not know a stranger. Everybody took to him and he performed and all of the teens had a great time, she said in a Facebook message. You meet certain people in your life that leave a lasting impression, and I would have to say that he was one of those people. Hundreds of Spring High School students attended Tuesdays vigil , their sniffles echoing throughout the large cafeteria. Dozens lined up at the microphone to share stories and memories about the teen, using the same words to describe him: trustworthy, warm, and talented, with an infectious energy. He could walk into a room, say one thing, and everyone would be in a good mood, said Maegan Pradarits. Josephs magic was his guitar. Students shared stories about how he played his guitar to introduce himself to new people, to exit a room and to get someone to stop crying. Multiple students talked about how Joseph helped them improve their own musical skills, challenging them to write the best lyrics and craft the best melodies. Joseph was more than words can describe as a person, said his sister, Jamie, 18, a Spring High senior, at the vigil. Massarah Mikati contributed to this report. julian.gill@chron.com A national organization that advocates for separation of church and state on Wednesday refiled an unusual federal lawsuit against a sitting judge who invites chaplains to hold a prayer service in the courtroom before calling his docket for the day. The Freedom From Religion Foundation is suing Justice of the Peace Wayne L. Mack, who serves in rapidly developing Montgomery County north of Houston as well as the state of Texas for allowing a practice the organization says violates the constitutional protections. The federal case originally sought relief from the judge and the county where he serves. Sam Grover, an attorney from the nonprofit foundation in Madison, Wisc., said Macks courtroom prayer service unfairly pressures parties and lawyers to join a volunteer chaplain judge in prayer, while the judge watches to see what they do. The fact that he announces people can leave the room if theyre offended by the ritual only adds to the pressure to participate, the lawyer said. When Judge Mack is acting on behalf of the state of Texas he should not be dictating to the public how and when to pray, Grover said. Our goal is to ensure that every court in the state of Texas is equally accessible to everyone regardless of their personal religious or nonreligious beliefs. The foundation wants a court to find the state of Texas and Mack liable for violating lawyers First Amendment rights by coercing them to join the service. Mack said on Wednesday that he has held the prayer service throughout the five years he has been in office and for four of those years hed been battling with complaints from the national foundation. He has every mosque, temple and synagogue represented among more than 60 chaplains, who are also called to respond when the judge is overseeing matters involving recent deaths in the county. Mack was unaware the new lawsuit had been filed, he said, adding, I was hoping this issue was resolved after the judge ruled in our favor. Hiram Sasser, general counsel to First Liberty, which is representing Mack, said "The FFRF continues to harass Judge Mack despite repeatedly losing in court. It's ridiculous that a group from Wisconsin would continue to fight invocations similar to those the Supreme Court of the United States has twice ruled are constitutional." In the previous case, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued an opinion upholding Macks pre-court prayers. He stated that the judge was following legal precedent and complying with the Constitution. A news release from Paxtons office at the time of the opinion stated, The Freedom from Religion Foundations quest to expunge any vestige of religion from public life flies in the face of the Supreme Courts holdings. A spokesperson for the AGs office did not respond to a call about the case filed Wednesday afternoon. U.S. District Judge Ewing Werlein in Houston on Sept. 27 dismissed the original suit on the grounds that the county was not an appropriate party in the case, since Mack is employed by the state judiciary. According to the new lawsuit, Montgomery County attorneys whose names are concealed in the suit feel pressured to bow their heads in prayer and not leave the room, for fear that refusing to do so, or even praying reluctantly could impact the outcome of their clients cases. The suit says the judge reportedly states before the prayer, If any of you are offended by that you can leave into the hallway and your case will not be affected. A non-religious lawyer using the pseudonym John Roe is bringing the lawsuit along with the foundation. This attorney appeared before the judge 20 times to represent clients in 45 matters, and encountered Macks courtroom prayer activity each of those times. Along with Roe, other lawyers named in the complaint state that they dont feel comfortable declining to join the prayer lest it affect the judges rulings in their cases. No other JPs hold prayer sessions during business hours, according to the suit. Macks use of prayer meetings and the chaplains he invites to lead them previously were upheld in a challenge before the State Commission on Judicial Conduct , which rarely sanctions judges. At a 2014, Faith & Freedom Prayer Breakfast, which doubled as a fundraising event, Mack was recorded on video pledging his commitment to impartiality but noting that there is no reason as an elected official that I have to be ashamed to declare to this crowd and anybody listening that as the Justice of the Peace I will bring the Prince of Peace to work with me every day, according to the suit. Mack started the chaplaincy program in 2014 and has asked religious leaders of various faiths to give the invocation. Following the hearing before the judicial commission, Mack has added a sign outside the courtroom to clarify that people who do not want to participate in the Pledge of Allegiance or the prayer do not have to leave the room, and that the justice now keeps his eyes closed and head down during the prayer, the judges counsel previously said. He said Wednesday that he has additional signage in the room to alert people to this policy. The Supreme Court has addressed the question of prayers by government entities twice, upholding the prayer practices in both cases. The first involved a legislative body in Nebraska and the second a town council in Greece, N.Y.. Grover, who represents attorney Roe in Montgomery County, said previously that he planned to argue in Houston that the 2014 Greece ruling does not apply to courtroom prayer. gabrielle.banks@chron.com A government-subsidized apartment complex in Galveston that residents complain has been almost unlivable for years failed its May inspection by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. The government cited missing smoke detectors, cockroach infestation, clogged toilets, broken stoves and damaged walls, ceilings and doors in its inspection of the 192-unit complex. HUD spokesperson Patricia Campbell said Tuesday that officials are very concerned and that HUD would be taking action. HUD is always concerned when properties receiving HUD rental assistance are not providing decent, safe and sanitary housing, Campbell said in an emailed statement. A Houston Chronicle investigation found residents had been living with mold, sewage and rats but that the complex continued to received subsidies from the federal government for low-income residents. Residents said the management failed to respond to their complaints. On HoustonChronicle.com: Residents live with mold, sewage at low-income Galveston housing complex Sandpiper Cove Apartments are privately owned by the Ohio-based Millennia Housing, with a HUD contract that subsidizes the residents rents. Tenants pay 30 percent of their income after deductions, or a minimum of $25 per month. HUD pays the difference. Millennia, which has owned the property since 2015, did not respond to a request for comment. I really hope that they get in here and do the work that needs to be done to really just make everybody feel safe, said Sharonda Barnes, a former Sandpiper Cove resident whose daughter lives in the complex. All kinds of stuff is going on in these apartments and the living conditions is just not what it is supposed to be. Ongoing complaints The on-site manager of the apartment complex distributed the top sheet of the findings from the May 8 investigation to residents late last week, as required by HUD regulations. The owners now must correct the problems cited by HUD and provide evidence of corrections. HUD will follow up with an in-person visit, Campbell said. Sandpiper Cove received a passing score on the same inspection in 2016, despite resident complaints that toilet backups, mold and rodent infestations problems all cited in the May 2019 inspection had endured for years. The examination, called a Real Estate Assessment Center inspection, is mainly focused on physical structure and safety and randomly selects units to look at. Although properties must correct issues found in REAC inspections, a 2016 inspection called the Management and Occupancy Review conducted by a contractor and focused on whether a property complies with HUD management guidelines noted that Sandpiper Cove had failed to comply with numerous issues in its 2015 REAC inspection. Its really bad, said Cynthia Minix, 51, who lives in a first-floor unit with her husband. I didnt know they failed inspection but the damage was done around here. Housing shortage Six of Sandpiper Coves buildings had power outages in March for nearly four days, including Minixs. She had to feed her husband, who is disabled and requires a feeding tube, through oversized plastic syringes. She told the Chronicle about her situation and the conditions at the complex. Stay Informed Text CHRON to 77453 to get breaking news alerts by text | Sign up to receive breaking news alerts delivered to your email here. See More Collapse Now, she said, the on-site manager is trying to evict her, alleging that Minix is harassing other tenants. Minix, who is working with a legal aid attorney, believes shes being evicted because she spoke out. Residents who live at Sandpiper Cove usually have nowhere else to go. The apartment complex is the only privately owned, federally subsidized residence on the island, and the Galveston Housings voucher waitlist has been closed for years. Galveston demolished much of its public housing stock after Hurricane Ike tore through the city in 2008. Although the city has state and federal funding, it has not rebuilt the 287 missing units. sarah.smith@chron.com The University of Houston is down to the last major hurdle standing in the way of the citys first new medical school in nearly half a century after the Legislature approved funding for it Sunday. The Texas Legislatures inclusion of $20 million in the budget for startup costs for the school $10 million in 2020 and $10 million in 2021 leaves accreditation as the only milestone still UH needs to attain. The funding follows a bill passed in April that recognizes a UH medical college in state statute, another important step. Those legislative actions are very important, said Dr. Stephen Spann, the planned colleges founding dean. Being recognized in state statute justified the request for startup funding, which was essential to hire faculty and staff and develop a curriculum. Were very grateful. Such hiring and curriculum building are necessary to gain accreditation from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, said Spann. UH submitted its application in March and is now waiting on the agency to schedule a site visit, likely this fall. The entire process typically takes nearly a year. RELATED: UH regents OK creation of medical school UH is hoping to begin enrolling medical students in fall 2020. Plans call for the school to focus on primary care in underserved areas, a huge need in Houston and the state, given projected doctor shortfalls. Plans also call for the school to be built on campus, a location pivotal to the role it plans to serve in the Third Ward, where Spann compares the health disparities to those of Third World countries. To that end, a safety-net health clinic for low-income people opened on campus April 1. The medical school will be built on a 43-acre tract of undeveloped property just southeast of the campus proper. UH will ask for a total of $20 million more in subsequent sessions of the Legislature $5 million in each of 2021, 2023, 2025 and 2027. Spann said special startup funding is needed because it will take time for the schools revenue streams to cover costs. RELATED: UH medical school to offer value-added campus experience When the school is fully up and running, the revenue streams will be state formula funding (based on enrollment), tuition, philanthropy and research grants and clinical activity. Formula funding will account for about 55 percent of the pie, said Spann. The creation of a UH medical school is a longtime dream for the public institution. Regents finally committed to the idea in November 2017, establishing a College of Medicine and authorizing staff to apply for Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board approval and for LCME accreditation. Coordinating coard approval, granted in October 2018, was the first major hurdle UH surmounted. The other medical schools in the city are Baylor College of Medicine, which opened in the Texas Medical Center in 1943; and McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, which opened in 1972. UHs pursuit of a medical school is one of two in the area. Sam Houston State University hopes to create a college of osteopathic medicine in Conroe. Were very inclusive, I think thats who we are, Kelsall said. We work with you and we want you to be successful in whatever way that means for you, the best you. Its called Monument One. A 12-foot boundary marker, erected in 1855 near El Paso, on the axis of three states and two countries a single desert point where cultures have mixed and merged for centuries. Its a sign of the times that the white obelisk now sits in the shadow of a 20-foot, half-mile fence to nowhere, paid for by followers of President Trump. Built on private property with crowd-funded money, the barrier of steel posts connects to nothing and serves no purpose. Call it Monument Zero. The fence was scheduled to be completed Wednesday but local officials determined the project didnt have the proper permits and issued a cease-and-desist order to stop construction late Tuesday. Former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, a close ally of the president and a lawyer for the group building the fence, said the project would cost between $6 million and $8 million, about a third of the money raised so far by the We Build the Wall GoFundMe campaign. The plan is to fill in a fourth of the gap in a border fence that runs from El Paso to Sunland Park, New Mexico. It is a half-mile, but it is a half-mile that is so important, Kobach told the El Paso Times, adding that it was easy for people to swarm through the existing gap and infiltrate the metropolitan area. In truth, the importance of that bit of fencing isnt its impact on illegal border crossings. After all, over the past decade Border Patrol agents averaged fewer than 17,000 arrests per year in the sector (compared with more than 130,000 in the Rio Grande Valley). Most of the crossings occur far from the city, and the reason there wasnt a fence there already is because of the difficult terrain and heavy law enforcement presence. No, the real importance of those millions of dollars spent on steel and concrete and the billions of taxpayer money the president wants to spend is to make people feel that someone is doing something. Its part political ploy and part placebo for anyone who is worried about a crisis on our southern border but who profoundly misunderstands its causes and cures. There is an increase in people being detained for crossing illegally. So far this fiscal year, apprehensions have topped 460,000, but almost 293,000 are families or children traveling alone, mostly from Central America. Few of these migrants want to sneak in, with large groups turning themselves over to Border Patrol, sometimes right next to an area where the fence ends. Fleeing violence and poverty, many are requesting asylum, which sets in motion a legal process that is so backlogged that it can take years for a case to be adjudicated, ending either with the immigrant allowed to stay or being deported. Since children cannot be legally held in detention for an extended amount of time, a child and his or her parent are released pending a court hearing. Many immigrants show up, but some do not, adding to the problem of what to do with the estimated 11 million people in the country illegally. With no real solutions proposed by our leaders, its no wonder that some Americans are susceptible to opportunists such as Kobach. So far, President Trump has failed to step up with any substance, fixating on a border wall and unable to address neither the desperate people crossing illegally nor the root of their desperation in Central America. His latest effort was a plan to limit legal immigration that was immediately declared nonviable by congressional Democrats and Republicans alike. Congress hasnt performed any better. Leaders in both parties show no signs of wanting to tackle immigration and proposed legislation by Texas lawmakers, such as the Helping Unaccompanied Minors and Alleviating National Emergency (HUMANE) Act sponsored by Republican Sen. John Cornyn and Democrat Rep. Henry Cuellar. It would help detain families and speed up deportations for unaccompanied minors a bit more substantive but hardly humanitarian. There is no easy fix. No wall, no rule, no law by itself can accomplish what is needed, which is a holistic approach that includes more immigration judges, a path toward legalization, a flexible guest worker program, and help rebuilding institutions to fight crime and corruption in Central America. Faced with such an enormous task, and the amount of work and compromise that it would take to accomplish those goals, its easy to see why for some, even a useless structure is better than nothing. And no one can argue it doesnt have meaning. As long as Congress and the president continue to abdicate their responsibility on immigration, you cant ask for a better testament to inaction than a multimillion-dollar, unfinished, 20-foot boondoggle. With hurricane season officially beginning Saturday, its frightening that the Trump administration continues to ignore the role climate change plays in spawning increasingly horrific storms that threaten the lives and property of Texans and residents of other Gulf states. The U.S. Climate and Health Alliance said Hurricane Harvey dealt Texas a harder blow two years ago because climate change produced stronger storm surges, increased precipitation, and created more powerful winds. Harvey dumped nearly of 52 inches of rain on parts of Harris County. Researchers said that was 40 percent more rain than a similar storm would have produced decades ago. Not even scientists within President Trumps administration have been able to weaken his skepticism. He paid no attention to the latest National Climate Assessment, which every four years evaluates the effects of climate change on the United States. The report said climate change had made Texas particularly vulnerable to increasing temperatures, extreme precipitation and continued sea level rise. The report meant nothing to Trump, who remains hell bent on reversing environmental rules imposed by previous administrations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon dioxide that cause global warming. Its bad enough that Trump ignores science, but he has also placed accomplices in key positions to hide the truth from the rest of us. One culprit is former astronaut James Reilly, who Trump appointed last year to head the U.S. Geological Survey, one of the federal agencies charged with keeping tabs on climate change and predicting its impact. Reilly, a geologist who also once worked for an oil exploration company, has ordered USGS scientists using computer-generated climate models to project the impact of climate change only through 2040. If you think its mere coincidence that scientists say current emissions impact on global warming wont be felt until after 2040, you need to know more about Reilly. During last years confirmation hearings, he assured senators, Im fully committed to scientific integrity. Yet when asked specifically when more action should be taken to address global warming, Reilly suddenly became cryptic. Interpretation of the when is really the problem, he said, and the when really is the problem in: Whats that spectrum of time for you? Time, in this regard, is probably the same as what was best described in how you measure depth in a seismic section. That is, its basically numbers on a rubber band, and youre doing one of these things, trying to figure out wheres the best fit. Come again? His mutterings are reminiscent of Bill Clinton debating the meaning of the word is. Only in this case, the consequences of denial are quite possibly apocalyptic. Truth becomes more complex when we dont want to face it. All Reilly had to say is now. Now is the time to directly confront global warming. Reilly shouldnt be in charge of the USGS if he cant admit that. If scientific integrity is as important to him as he said it is, he wont make it a casualty to Trumps insistence that global warming take a back seat to whatever business model he believes is more important than surviving catastrophic climate-related events. Another of Trumps sycophants, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, shocked some participants at a recent meeting in Finland of the eight-nation Arctic Council when he seemed to suggest global warming is good because it is thawing a bonanza of untapped reserves of oil, gas, uranium, gold and rare minerals while opening up new shipping routes and fisheries. The words climate change never came out of Pompeos mouth. NASA, which like the USGS studies our climate, says the damaging changes scientists expect to occur beyond 2040 include stronger, more frequent, and longer-lasting hurricanes, rising sea levels due to melting ice, and an essentially ice free Arctic Ocean. NASA says the southwestern United States should expect declining water supplies, reduced agricultural yields, health impacts in cities due to heat, and flooding and erosion in coastal areas. At this point, it appears unlikely that Trump will ever stop trying to weaken or get rid of environmental rules that would help mitigate these and other devastating consequences. Hes surrounded himself with yes men such as Reilly and Pompeo who wont talk him down from his position. He doesnt listen to anyone in Congress, Republican or Democrat, who might change his mind. So, its up to the American public to reach the president. Hes running for re-election, so he must care what voters think. Contact the White House and let Trump know you dont want to live in fear of more storms even worse than Harvey. Tell the president its time to acknowledge human activitys role in creating the greenhouses gases that cause global warming and to do something about it. SAN DIEGO A reader recently asked me: Is the USA full? This was no random survey. I had just asserted that legal immigration was the best thing about America. The reader was not persuaded. He asked: Have you spent time in Los Angeles and experienced the transportation gridlock Bay Area, San Diego, San Bernardino, Sacramento, Orange County? What about Texas traffic in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, San Antonio? Have you ever been to Arizona, been on the highway trying to get to work at 8 a.m. in Phoenix? Yes. All of the above. Ive lived in Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, Dallas and Phoenix. Do you ever consider the high cost of housing in California? What about the cost of education? Health care? Yes. As a California native, I battle the rising cost of living in my home state every day. But heres the truth from the front lines: Immigrants legal or illegal arent bankrupting the Golden State. The culprit is the crushing cost of public-employee pensions, coupled with the fact that police officers, firefighters, teachers, prison guards, sanitation workers and their cohort are retiring earlier, collecting bigger checks and living longer. In this deep-blue state, Democrats run the show and unions run the Democrats. The result is bureaucratic looting on a massive scale. Not distracted by facts, the reader put me on the spot: I have a simple question to a man who seems to have all the answers, HOW MANY? Is there a limit to how many the USA can take? Please let me know the correct number, as I never hear any liberals come forth with a proposed number. Dont ask me to explain liberals. They baffle me. They turn their outrage on and off like a light switch depending on who occupies the White House. During the eight years of the Obama administration, they fought me when I complained that immigrant families were separated, children were dumped into foster care, women were deported for selling tamales without a permit and local police were pressured to enforce federal immigration law through the program known as Secure Communities. Still, the readers questions nagged at me. Is the USA full? Not even close. The United States isnt the Plaza Hotel during the holiday season. There isnt a sign out front announcing: No Vacancy. There is still plenty of room depending on where you look. As of 2015, there were as many as 13 states where the population density amounts to fewer than 50 people per square mile: Alaska, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico, Idaho, Nebraska, Nevada, Utah, Kansas, Oregon and Maine. The United States isnt all Times Square and Grand Central Station. How many immigrants should the USA take in? As for an exact number, thats not for me to say. Any more than its the job of everyday Americans to whiteboard their own immigration reform plan. These are matters for Congress, and the president, to sort out. Still, I know this much: What immigration restrictionists consider a big number isnt that big. The United States takes in about 1 million legal immigrants annually; about half of those people are already in the United States and become legal due to a change of status. Conservatives brag about that 1 million figure as if it were an accomplishment worthy of a Nobel Prize. Perhaps for a nation of 10 million people. Imagine taking in, each year, a number of immigrants equal to 10 percent of your countrys population. But the United States has a population of 327 million. One million is fewer than one-third of 1 percent of the total population. Thats a pathetic showing for a fabled land of immigrants. America could take in 3.27 million legal immigrants each year just 1 percent of the total U.S. population and civilization would not crumble. Yet my main concern isnt about numbers. Its about motives. Given the spotty history of U.S. immigration policy, we have to be careful that when we settle on limits of any kind we dont base those decisions on our fears or prejudices and camouflage them under a vague notion of occupancy rates. The reader signed off: As I see it, the USA is full, nothing to do with racist, nativist, white people, just a matter of logistics. Dont you believe it. Throughout history, weve seen this movie over and over again. Folks like these arent worried that the United States is taking in too many people. Theyre worried that were taking in too many of the wrong people. Navarrette writes a syndicated column for the Washington Post. Readers may contact him via email at ruben@rubennavarrette.com. With several classes already being taught art and music in their homeroom by a teacher who moves from class to class with a cart, there is no room left to add additional classrooms in order to keep the sizes of the class below the districts guidelines. 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. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. Gary Police officers Shane and Robin Bolde hired Batey after Shane Bolde was injured in a car crash in March 2014 and was off work and placed on workman's compensation, the probable cause affidavit states. The couple had signed power of attorney documents to allow Batey to conduct business on their behalf regarding their insurance claims from the crash; Batey was to receive one-third of the $80,000 settlement, or about $29,287, the affidavit states. Translation: Encuentro de los lideres de la aviacion en Seul en la 75 Asamblea General Anual de la IATA (pdf) Lideres da aviacao se reunem em Seoul na 75 Assembleia Geral Anual da IATA (pdf) 75 IATA (pdf) 75 (pdf) Seoul - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that leaders of the global air transport industry are gathering in Seoul, Republic of Korea, for the 75th IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit (WATS). Hosted by Korean Air, and held for the first time in the Republic of Korea, the event is expected to attract more than a thousand top leaders from among IATAs 290 member airlines, their suppliers, governments, strategic partners, international organizations and the media. Over the next few days, Seoul will be transformed into the global capital of air transport as aviation leaders from around the world gather for the 75th IATA AGM and WATS. The airlines will be meeting in challenging times. 2019 is expected to be the 10th consecutive year of airline profits, but rising costs, trade wars and other uncertainties are likely to have an impact on the bottom line. The prolonged grounding of the 737 MAX aircraft is taking its toll. And aviation, like all industries, is under intensified scrutiny for its impact on climate change. The agenda will be full, said Alexandre de Juniac, IATAs Director General and CEO. The AGM agenda will feature keynote addresses by Kim Hyun-mee, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of the Republic of Korea and Violeta Bulc, European Commissioner for Mobility and Transport. The World Air Transport Summit (WATS) opens immediately following the AGM under the theme, The Vision for the Future. A highlight of the WATS is the CEO Insight panel featuring Goh Choon Phong (Singapore Airlines), Robin Hayes (JetBlue), Christine Ourmieres-Widener (Flybe) and Carsten Spohr (Lufthansa Group). The panel will be moderated by CNNs Richard Quest. A key challenge will be preparing the air transport industry for the future amid the expected doubling of demand for connectivity over the next two decades. In this regard, airline digital transformation, infrastructure capacity, sustainability and building the workforce of the future will feature prominently in the agenda. The inaugural IATA Diversity and Inclusion Awards will also be presented during the event. The awards recognize and encourage excellence in promoting gender diversity and inclusivity in the aviation industry. See the complete AGM program (pdf) The Aviation Potential of Korea is Bright We are delighted to bring the AGM to Seoul. Six of IATAs members are based in the Republic of Korea. The countrys aviation sector supports 838,000 jobs and $47.6 billion of the countrys GDP. Korea is expected to be among the top ten passenger markets in 2036. With the right policy environment, the aviation sector will potentially support 1.5 million jobs and $138 billion in economic activity here in 20 years, said de Juniac. Attendance at the AGM is by invitation only. Accredited media are invited to attend, but must be pre-registered. For more information, please contact: Corporate Communications Tel: +41 22 770 2967 Email: corpcomms@iata.org Notes for Editors: IATA (International Air Transport Association) represents some 290 airlines comprising 82% of global air traffic. You can follow us at https://twitter.com/iata for announcements, policy positions, and other useful industry information. View the Value of Aviation Report for the Republic of Korea (pdf) Lake County Public Libraries will offer a wide variety of upcoming programs and events. Kids and their families can kick off the Summer Reading Program at SciFi Fest from 1-2 p.m. Saturday at the Griffith Calumet Branch Library, 1215 E. 45th Ave., Griffith. Register at www.lcplin.org/branches/gr.htm or at 219-838-2825. The Summer Reading Launch Party for children and their families will be held from 3-4 p.m. Saturday at the Hobart Branch Library, 100 Main St. Register at www.lcplin.org/branches/ho.htm or at 219-942-2243. A Family Dance Party with Bellaboo will run from 11 a.m. to noon Tuesday at the Merrillville Branch Library, 1919 W. 81st Ave. Register at www.lcplin.org/branches/cnl.htm or at 219-769-3541. Professor Steve's Flight and Space Show Summer Reading Kickoff will be from 1-2 p.m. Wednesday at the Cedar Lake Branch Library, 10010 W. 133rd Ave. Register at www.lcplin.org/branches/cl.htm or at 219-374-7121. A Fun Fair Summer Reading Kick Off for children will be held from 2:30-4 p.m. Wednesday at the Dyer-Schererville Branch Library, 1001 W. Lincoln Highway, Schererville. Register at www.lcplin.org/branches/ds.htm or at 219-322-4731. The IFJ has welcomed news that the "illegal" search warrants issued against two journalists are to be quashed. Following two days in court, Lord Chief Justice Morgan has decided he is "minded to quash" the search warrants linked to the documentary film No Stone Unturned and the raids on the homes and office of NUJ members Trevor Birney and Barry McCaffrey. The judge said the next step would be a "remedy" hearing on Friday this week. Welcoming the indication by the High Court Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, said: "We welcome the decision of the High Court and eagerly await the formal quashing of the warrants on Friday. Three High Court judges have vindicated the stance taken by Trevor, Barry and the NUJ. We have said all along that there was no legal basis for the searches and the intrusion into the family life of our members. Their legal teams deserve great credit and we acknowledge the support of allies and friends who rallied behind two brave, independent and committed journalists. Our Irish Executive Council and Belfast and District branch in particular have worked closely with external organizations. I know Barry and Trevor have been impressed by the public support and in particular by the efforts of Amnesty International. I want to thank every NUJ member for their backing and to thank the wider trade union movement for its unflinching support. Huge thanks are also due to our Irish office, campaigns and legal departments but above all I want to pay tribute to Barry and Trevor for the manner in which they have stood by the NUJ code of conduct." IFJ General Secretary said: ""These warrants should never have been issued and Trevor and Barry should never have had to face the intrusion and threats they have faced. They have simply stood up for ethical journalism and we applaud them - and the NUJ for its great campaign in support of two brave journalists". Speaking outside court, Seamus Dooley, NUJ assistant general secretary also paid tribute to the two NUJ members and their legal teams. He said: "When the two journalists were arrested the Irish Journalist headline was: Stop Fishing: Go Catch the Killers. Todays announcement confirms our view that the raids on the homes of Barry and Trevor were illegal. The Chief Justice places a strong emphasis on the right of working journalists to protect their confidential sources. He drew heavily on the NUJ ethics code in questioning counsel for the police services and his written judgement will be of tremendous significance." Seamus also pointed out that, separate from the judicial review, the two journalists remain on police bail until September. He explained: "The judicial review was a challenge to the search warrants and the seizure of journalistic material. Barry McCaffrey and Trevor Birney are on bail and subject to severe restrictions on their ability to work. The Chief Constable should now lift the threat of criminal prosecution and bring an end to this disgraceful episode." Speaking after the decision today, Trevor Birney said: "When he watched the film, the PSNI chief constable had a decision to take - to go after the killers or set the dogs on the journalists and press freedom, he chose the latter. In his last days I office he should do the right thing - end this attack on the press. We want to thank all our comrades in the NUJ who stood by us though this ordeal. We are indebted to them all." Barry McCaffrey said: "This has been a hugely stressful 10 months for our families and friends. This case was always a deliberate and determined attack on press freedom and the medias ability to hold those in power to proper scrutiny. There were dark forces at the heart of this case and if we had lost it would have had huge ramifications for investigative journalism throughout Ireland and the UK. Thankfully the courts have acknowledged this fact. I would like to thank Sarah Kavanagh and Seamus Dooley at the NUJ, who led a tireless and brilliant campaign in our defence. A huge debt of thanks to our legal teams John Finucane, Niall Murphy, Gavin Millar QC, Barry MacDonald SC, Steven Toal and Peter Girvan. We will always be indebted to Patrick Corrigan at Amnesty, Daniel Holder at the Committee on the Administration of Justice and all of the other human rights defenders who supported us throughout this harrowing ordeal. This is a hugely important day for public interest reporting. The courts have sent a clear message journalism is not a crime." Gerry Carson, chair of the NUJs Irish executive council, said: Imperial Valley News Center California Prunes Introduces New Brand to Inspire All to Choose California for Prunes Roseville, California - The finest prunes on earth have a new brand with a familiar name: California Prunes representing all that makes California Prunes premium: world-famous growing conditions, generations of expertise among our growers and handlers, a perfected drying system, and the highest quality agricultural standards of any other nation. The world comes to California for prunes, and we take that seriously, said Donn Zea, Executive Director, California Prune Board. California is the most reliable and consistent source in the industry for quality, size, and taste. The new brand is a positive embrace of California Prunes for their premium nature and an expansive view of all their benefits. The new logo design transforms a statement of origin into a reflection of market leadership and a dual message emerges through the tagline: Prunes. For life. signifying that California Prunes are good for your life, at every stage of your life. It moves prunes away from an occasional food choice to a daily pleasure. This is ideal since California Prunes are good for your gut, heart and bones, said Zea. He explains that consumers care more than ever about their food and the time is right to promote California Prunes in a fresh way. Gut health has gained more interest and relevance, and clinical trials suggest that eating five or six prunes a day may support healthy bones, said Zea. In addition to the nutritional benefits, market research has shown that the only thing holding people back from eating more prunes isnt negative perceptions, but rather the simple need for more top-of-mind awareness. CALIFORNIA PRUNES DRIVE GROWTH WORLDWIDE For more than three decades, we have opened markets globally for California Prunes, and we continue to do so today, said Zea. California has invested in premium growing processes and quality control along with nutrition and crop research, all while being committed to sustainable agriculture and ethical labor practices. When it comes to prunes, California delivers. California Prunes have earned a premium reputation in global markets, said Zea. The message of our new brand is clear: Choose California for prunes. Joe Turkovich, Chairman of the California Prune Board and California Prune grower from Winters, Calif., said the new brand represents the premium qualities of California Prunes. Californias lush valleys, ancient soils, and endless sun are ideal for growing a delectable-tasting fruit that is like none other, said Turkovich. California Prunes are handcrafted with care to ensure each piece of fruit is harvested at its peak for optimal size, exceptional texture, and a signature sweetness. Turkovich explains that California Prunes taste and pair like no other prunes in the world. They are fresh and sweet with a rich, smooth mouthfeel that is reliably consistent, said Turkovich. We are eager to encourage everyone to enjoy California Prunes today and every day. GROWN IN CALIFORNIA, SAVORED AROUND THE WORLD California Prunes are delivered into more than 60 countries around the world. The new brand will be integrated extensively into markets including the United States, Canada, the European Union, Japan, China, and South Korea. To access the new California Prunes logo, photos, and recipes, visit the newly re-designed California Prunes website at www.CaliforniaPrunes.org. For additional information, visit the California Prunes Facebook, Twitter and Instagram social media channels at CAforPrunes. ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA PRUNE BOARD: Created in 1952, The California Prune Board aims to amplify the premium positioning and top-of-mind awareness of California Prunes through advertising, public relations, promotion, nutrition research, crop management and sustainability research, and issues management. The California Prune Board represents approximately 800 prune growers and 28 prune, juice, and ingredient handlers under the authority of the California Secretary of Food and Agriculture. Imperial Valley News Center Richwell Group, Inc. Recalls Siluriformes Products Produced Without Benefit of Import Inspection City of Industry, California - Richwell Group, Inc., doing business as Maxfield Seafood, a City of Industry, Calif. firm and the importer of record, is recalling approximately 154,560 pounds of Siluriformes fish products that were not presented for import re-inspection into the United States, the U.S. Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. Additionally, the products were produced at a Vietnamese establishment that was not eligible to export Siluriformes fish to the United States. The frozen Siluriformes items, specifically Yellow Walking Fish, were imported from Vietnam to the United States on various dates from March 2018 through January 2019. The products have a shelf life of two years. The following products are subject to recall: Varying weights of packages containing 2 pieces of FARM RAISED INDIVIDUALLY QUICK FROZEN FROZEN HEADLESS YELLOW WALKING FISH Clarias macrocephalics. Varying weights of packages containing 3 pieces of FARM RAISED INDIVIDUALLY QUICK FROZEN FROZEN HEADLESS YELLOW WALKING FISH Clarias macrocephalics. Varying weights of packages containing 2 pieces of FARM RAISED INDIVIDUALLY QUICK FROZEN FROZEN YELLOW WALKING FISH Clarias macrocephalics. Varying weights of packages containing 3 pieces of FARM RAISED INDIVIDUALLY QUICK FROZEN FROZEN YELLOW WALKING FISH Clarias macrocephalics. These items were shipped to retail locations nationwide. The problem was discovered on May 22, 2019, during routine FSIS surveillance activities of imported products. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about a reaction should contact a healthcare provider. FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. Consumers and members of the media with questions about the recall can contact Jae Hwang, Maxfield Seafood Operations Manager, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Imperial Valley News Center President Trump and the First Lady in Memorial Day Address to Troops Aboard the USS Wasp Yokosuka, Japan - President Trump and the First Lady in Memorial Day Address to Troops Aboard the USS Wasp: THE FIRST LADY: Hello, everyone. AUDIENCE: Hello! THE FIRST LADY: It is wonderful to be with you today. This has been a very enjoyable and productive visit with the Japanese people. And we are thankful for the incredible hospitality that we have received. Back in November, I visited the USS George H.W. Bush, one of our nations great aircraft carriers at work in the Atlantic Ocean. It is a privilege to once again join with you, our incredible sailors and Marines, on the USS Wasp at work, here in the Pacific Ocean. Thank you for your service and sacrifice and all that you do on behalf of our country. May God bless you and your families. Id now like to introduce my husband, your Commander-in-Chief, the 45th President of the United States of America. Mr. President? (Applause.) AUDIENCE: USA! USA! USA! PRESIDENT TRUMP: What a group. What a group. This is a tough bunch of people, right? (Applause.) And thats good. Thats very good. And I want to thank you, Melania. Youve been really the talk of Japan. Theyre not covering me. Im a little bit upset with her right now. (Laughter.) No, they love you in Japan, honey, and we appreciate it very much. She really works very hard. They love our First Lady, and they love our First Lady back home. I want to just tell everyone before we even begin: At ease! At ease. Just relax. We have plenty of time. Plenty of time. Were going to have a little fun. And Im thrilled to be aboard the USS Wasp with the brave sailors and Marines, the Seventh Fleet. Special, special people. Thank you very much. Great job. Thank you. (Applause.) And I have to wish you all a very Happy Memorial Day, right? Memorial Day very special back home. And I always like to be back in the U.S., as you do, for that day. But we did a lot of great things for the last three days in Japan. So were working together. Youre working. Im working. Were all working together. As President, I have no higher honor than serving as your Commander-in-Chief and the extraordinary men and women of the American Armed Forces. This has been a truly amazing and unforgettable visit to Japan. Melania and I are profoundly grateful to Their Majesties the new Emperor and Empress. I had the great honor of being their first state guests. That was a big honor for our country. Were also deeply thankful to our cherished friends and treasured partners, Prime Minister and Mrs. Abe. Very, very great people. Our thanks as well to Ambassador Hagerty and his wife Chrissy. Thank you very much. Thank you, Ambassador. Thank you, Chrissy. Thank you very much. Great job youre doing. Today, were proud to be joined by the many outstanding military leaders. We have a lot. These are very incredible ones. I especially want to thank the Commanding Officer of USS Wasp, Captain Christopher Herr. (Applause.) They like you, Christopher. They like you a lot. Thats very good, Christopher. (Laughter.) And the Command Master Chief, Kevin Guy. (Applause.) Popular people. Thats great. Wow. Great leaders. My thanks as well to Lieutenant General Kevin Schneider, Commander of the U.S. Forces Japan. Thank you, Kevin. (Applause.) Thank you. Vice Admiral Phil Sawyer, Commander of the U.S. Seventh Fleet. (Applause.) And, you know, theyre all such good-looking people. You have all this media over here. Theyre going to end up in Hollywood. Theyre going to leave us. Some of them will be picked for Hollywood, right? And they wont do it. They like this better and I agree. Rear Admiral Gregory Fenton, Commander of the United States Naval Force Japan. Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you, Gregory. Thank you. Great. Rear Admiral James Pitts, Commander of the Submarine Group 7. (Applause.) And you know were doing a lot of big submarines right now. Were building a lot of them. Ill tell you, the best in the world. Not even a contest. Right? Its really something. I just saw plans for one. But theyre no longer the little submarines that we think about. These are incredible machines, right? Thank you very much. Brigadier General Todd Dozier, Deputy Commander of the 5th Air Force. Todd. Thank you, Todd. (Applause.) Rear Admiral Fred Kacher, Commander of Task Force 76. Thank you very much. (Applause.) Thank you very much. Great. Great leaders. Captain Jim McGovern, Commander of the Amphibious Squadron 11. And Captain Jeffrey Kim, Commander of Fleet Activities, right here. Thank you very much. (Applause.) Thank you. Great. Together, these officers are leading the most fearsome group of American warriors this side of the Pacific. We have more than 1,000 sailors and Marines from the Seventh Fleet here today, including hundreds who serve on this impressive assault ship, USS Wasp. (Applause.) Also joining us are sailors from the following ships: USS Shiloh. (Applause.) USS Chancellorsville. (Applause.) USS Mustin. (Applause.) USS Barry. (Applause.) You love those ships, dont you? Huh? (Laughter.) USS McCampbell. (Applause.) USS Benford [Benfold]. (Applause.) Thank you, fellas. Thats great. Great pride. Finally, I want to recognize our many shore-based commands here today, including large contingents from Navy Region Japan. Thank you very much. (Applause.) We like them. We like them. The Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team. (Applause.) The Naval Intelligence Operations Center. (Applause.) Fleet Logistics Center Yokosuka. (Applause.) The Ship Repair Facility. Ill bet you guys do a good job. Do they do a good jobs with the ships, right? (Laughter.) Repairing them. Huh? (Applause.) So then, let me ask you a question. Catapult right? The catapult system. Do you like electric or steam? AUDIENCE MEMBERS: Steam! AUDIENCE MEMBERS: Electric! PRESIDENT TRUMP: Steam. Who said electric? Theres one guy back there. (Laughter.) Okay, I really need this information because, you know, were building carriers. Were building one. Theyre using an electric catapult and an electric elevator. Number one, I cant imagine, in the case of battle it must be very delicate, okay? And, you know, steam has only worked for about 65 years, perfectly. And I wont tell you this because its before my time by a little bit, but they have a $900 million cost overrun on this crazy electric catapult. I said, What was wrong with steam? I would like to know all of the folks that know exactly what Im talking about, the catapult system steam or electric? Ready? Steam. (Applause.) Electric. AUDIENCE MEMBERS: Yeah! (Laughter.) PRESIDENT TRUMP: He works for the enemy. (Laughter.) Hes all right. Well ooh, you might be in danger. I better be careful. (Laughter.) No, we want to go with steam. You know, theyre always coming up with new ideas. Theyre making planes so complex you cant fly them. (Laughter.) You know that. No, its I really mean it. They want to show next, next, next. And we all want innovation, but its too much. But theres never been anything like the steam catapults. And I went to the Gerald Ford, which is under construction now for a long time. Theyre having a problem with their electric catapult. And I was talking to the catapult people, and they said steam. In the meantime, were spending all that money on electric, and nobody knows what its going to be like in bad conditions. You understand. So I think Im going to put an order. When we build a new aircraft carrier, were going to use steam. Im going to just put out an order: Were going to use steam. We dont need we dont need that extra speed. You know, they were saying one of the folks said, No, the electric works faster. But, sir, we can only get the plane there every couple of minutes. So, really, what they did was wrong. And we make mistakes, but, generally speaking, we get it right. But when we make them, we have to correct it. So were going to put out an order: We want to use steam. The military doctors and nurses from the U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka, and many more. (Applause.) So many people. So many great, great people. Every Marine and sailor standing on USS Wasp is the face of American strength and power in the Pacific. The Seventh Fleet is Americas largest forward-deployed naval fleet. Together, you are 70 ships and submarines strong, with 140 aircraft, and 40,000 of Americas finest sailors and Marines. Did you know that about yourselves? Not bad. Its very impressive. With us today is Marine Staff Sergeant Daniel Patterson. Wheres Daniel? Wheres Daniel? Get over here, Daniel. (Applause.) Tough-looking guy. Every single generation of Staff Sergeant Pattersons family has served in the United States military, all the way back to the Revolutionary War. But Staff Sergeant Patterson was the first to choose the Marines. AUDIENCE: Oo-rah! PRESIDENT TRUMP: Right? (Laughs.) After completing two tours of duty in Afghanistan, Staff Sergeant Patterson requested another overseas tour this time wanted to go to Japan. He knows that America needs and what they need is daring and mighty warriors in the Pacific, and hes a daring and mighty warrior. Staff Sergeant Patterson, today, you and your fellow Marines and sailors of the Seventh Fleet are confronting this regions pressing security challenges with unmatched courage and valor. You know whats going on. You know where were talking. You know what were talking about. We really appreciate your being here. Daniel, Im going to do something that you didnt expect. Say a few words, Daniel. (Applause.) STAFF SERGEANT PATTERSON: Well, its such an honor and a privilege to be here with you, Mr. President. And I definitely didnt expect this. And its an honor and privilege to serve with my fellow sailors and Marines and drive our mission forward that General Smith and the Commodore and Colonel Brodie has kind of laid out for us. And we know why were here and we know what we who we need to egress. Because if we dont, we let ourselves just sleep on it for even a second, then we wont be the ultimate power in the world. So thank you very much and thank all of you. (Applause.) PRESIDENT TRUMP: Good job, Daniel. Hell be running for political office within two weeks. Look. (Laughter.) Daniel, great. Thank you very much. Great job. Every day, the men and women of the Seventh Fleet live out their motto: Ready Power for Peace. You face down terrorism and render aid in the wake of devastating natural disasters. And Ive seen what you do. Incredible. You proudly patrol the Yellow Sea, the Sea of Japan, the East China Sea, and the South China Sea. You defend your homeland and our allies against missile attack with our most advanced radar and weapons systems in the world. We have equipment, missiles, rockets, tanks, planes, ships. Nobody in the entire world can build them like we do. Nobody. Its not even close. You know that better than anybody. Here in the Pacific and around the globe, we want our armed forces to have the tools, resources, and equipment you need and that you deserve. Thats why we have given our Seventh Fleet new, American-made, F-35B Marine fighter aircraft. Very stealthy. You know that, right? The enemy has a problem with it. You know what the problem is? They cant see it. (Laughter.) Other than that, its a fair fight. (Laughter.) Just like my one, and this one right here. That just came out. Beautiful. Last year, USS Wasp made history when it became the very first ship to deploy these cutting-edge aircraft. I want to congratulate you all. And youre getting a lot of brand new ones. Were getting brand new equipment. You know, when I came two and a half years ago, we had planes that were so old they didnt make parts for them anymore. You dont have that anymore. You dont have that. Were getting all new beautiful equipment. We need it. We need it. Peace through strength, right? In April, USS Wasp also became the first ship to deploy F-35Bs in the Balikatan Naval exercise with the Philippines and with Australia. Later this year, the USS Wasp returns home. We will be sending the men and women of the Seventh Fleet our most formidable amphibious assault ship: USS America. USS America will soon be sailing these Pacific waters, and I am pleased to say that she will also be carrying the most beautiful F-35Bs on her deck. Brand new. Brand new. My administration is committed to ensuring that Americas military strength forever remains second to none. Over the past two years, we have made historic investments in our military with $700 billion. Right, General? Thats billions, right? No more millions. Not when it comes to our military. Its a little bit scary. With a B. Scary. You know, it used to be millions; now its billions. And thats the way it has to be, because we have to protect our country and we have to protect our allies. And last year, $716 billion. So, this year, were going up. And in a very short period of time, our military will be completely rebuilt and stronger, bigger, better than ever before. Wont even be close. And were very close. And when I took over, we were very depleted. And you people knew that better than anybody. We were depleted. Its the only word I can use to describe it. It was not a good situation. But were going to be very close. Right now, were very close. Very shortly, were going to be at a level the likes of which weve never been before. This includes money for five new guided-missile destroyers, four new nuclear-powered fast-attack submarines. Thats the one you want? Okay. We got them. Weve got four of them. You only wanted one; we got you four. And 163 brand new F-35 Joint Strike fighter jets. As Prime Minister Abe and I discussed yesterday, Japan also plans to equip the Japanese Self-Defense Forces with 105 F-35 aircraft, which would make Japans F-35 fleet the largest of any U.S. ally. The U.S.-Japan alliance has never been stronger. The relationship between your President and the Prime Minister of Japan hes a great gentleman; great man is a fantastic one. This remarkable port is the only one in the world where were American naval fleet and an allied naval fleet, headquartered side-by-side a testament to the ironclad partnership between U.S. and Japanese forces. Together, you are advancing freedom on the high seas, shielding our nation from dangerous weapons, and preserving the peace that generations of valiant American warriors gave their lives to secure. One of those intrepid Americans was Private First Class John Schaeffer. Born and raised in Tower City, Pennsylvania, Private Schaeffer was a member of a group of U.S. Army Special Forces who fought in the Pacific during World War II under the legendary command of General Frank Merrill. Good General? Good General? Pretty good, right? Thats what they say. Are you better? Huh? (Laughs.) Just be as good. Although Private Schaeffer sadly perished in the Battle of Burma, his deep love of country endures in someone very special with us today, his grandnephew, Senior Chief Petty Officer Daniel Schaeffer. Wheres Daniel? Should I get him up? (Applause.) And I want to thank you very much for the incredible job youve done. We picked a couple of people that are outstanding. Please say a couple of words. SENIOR CHIEF PETTY OFFICER SCHAEFFER: Sure. PRESIDENT TRUMP: Please. SENIOR CHIEF PETTY OFFICER SCHAEFFER: Thank you, Mr. President. This is amazing to have recognized my family. But I know a lot of others have families that served as well. Memorial Day is that time where we honor our fellow Americans who pay the ultimate sacrifice. So, you know, thank you for all my shipmates and fellow Marines that are out here today, its a great day. Thank you, Mr. President. PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much. (Applause.) Two great jobs. And thats not easy. They dont know theyre coming up. You didnt know, did you, huh? You had no idea. And you both did it. They didnt choke. We dont like chokers, do we? We dont like chokers. We dont like chokers. On this Memorial Day evening in the United States, Americans are concluding a sacred day of remembrance, reflection, and prayer. Citizens all across the country came together to decorate the graves of our fallen heroes and to honor their selfless acts of courage. The citizens of our country are incredible. They love our country, and they love you. They love you. You have no idea how much they love you. Down through history, from Americas earliest days, fearless Americans have said goodbye to their loved ones, gone off to war, and stared down our enemies, knowing that they may never, ever return. Memorial Day links every grateful American heart in eternal tribute to those brave souls who gave their last breath for our nation, from Concord to Gettysburg, from Midway to Mosul. Today, the unbreakable resolve of these heroes lives on in every American who wears our great uniform. Each day that you serve on these rolling but beautiful seas, you honor their sacrifice, you carry on their righteous duty, and you continue their noble legacy. Our republic endures because of brave men and women who are willing to lay down their lives to defend us all. Our freedom is earned through the blood, and sweat, and toil, and sacrifice of great American patriots just like you. As we honor Americas fallen warriors, we pledge our unwavering devotion to all of those who serve our nation in uniform. Throughout this region from Yokosuka, to Guam, to Singapore, to Okinawa, to Busan the Seventh Fleet is holding the line and defending the peace. Among the sailors and Marines the USS WASP, you serve as warfare officers, naval aviators, Marine riflemen, air-crewmen, corpsmen, machinist mates, avionics tech AUDIENCE: Ooh! PRESIDENT TRUMP: Go ahead. You can do it. (Laughter.) Ordnance technicians. (Applause.) Okay. (Laughter.) Where are the avionics guys? (Applause.) And gals. Huh? Right there? Good. Thats complicated business, right? Got to be pretty good. Cooks, fire control men and women, intelligence specialists. You are the strongest, toughest, best, and bravest. Do you agree with that? AUDIENCE: Yeah! PRESIDENT TRUMP: You better. You are the ones keep going and striving, and keeping America safe, and strong, and proud, and free. You defend our freedom, our families, and you defend our great American flag. (Applause.) You show the world the force of American might and American heart. And you prove, across these perilous waters and far beyond, that there is no match on Earth for the awesome power and glory of the American Navy and the United States Marines. (Applause.) To the men and women of Americas Seventh Fleet: The First Lady and I have been deeply honored to be with you all today. On behalf of all Americans, we thank you, we salute you, we honor you, we cherish you, and we stand with you now and forever. Thank you to the proud sailors and Marines of USS Wasp. (Applause.) God bless you. God bless our military. And God bless the United States of America. Thank you very much. (Applause.) Imperial Valley News Center In the Eye of the Fire Gaithersburg, Maryland - In experimental fire research, some of the most compelling data you can get is the visual data from video and photography, says Matt Hoehler, a research structural engineer at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, Maryland. So were always trying to get closer to the fire. With a prototype camera system developed by Hoehler and his colleagues at NISTs National Fire Research Laboratory (NFRL), he has succeeded not just in getting close to a fire, but inside it. So far, the system has captured mesmerizing 360-degree video from a burning room, a mock-up of a museum collection storage room, a kitchen fire and, most recently, a forest fire. The footage allows a viewer to immerse themselves in the scene and shift their gaze in any direction to look at different aspects of the fire. At the NFRL, scientists and engineers develop ways to measure fire and its effects to help designers, engineers and emergency responders find the best ways to protect people, buildings and other infrastructure. Fire researchers have long used still photography to record conditions before and after an experiment, but they were limited to two dimensions. In the last few years, high-resolution, spherical cameras with multiple lenses have been getting smaller, better and cheaper, making the NIST effort possible. The project to capture video from within a fire began in 2015, when Hoehler and his colleagues were using lasers to measure distances to objects within a fire. The lasers were placed near the fire, not in it, but they were close enough that the heat from the fire would damage them. We were developing filters to strip off the intense thermal radiation when we realized water could do a really good job without the expense, says Hoehler. The heat from a fire travels in three ways. Standing in front of it, you can feel the hot air rush toward you; thats convection. But you are primarily warmed by the electromagnetic energy the fire emitsthats radiation, which includes the visible light you see, but is primarily infrared energy. Once the heat from those two paths hits an object, it can move through the object by conduction. Wood doesnt conduct heat very well, but metal does, for example. At the NFRL, scientists and engineers develop ways to measure fire and its effects to help designers, engineers and emergency responders find the best ways to protect people, buildings and other infrastructure. Fire researchers have long used still photography to record conditions before and after an experiment, but they were limited to two dimensions. In the last few years, high-resolution, spherical cameras with multiple lenses have been getting smaller, better and cheaper, making the NIST effort possible. The project to capture video from within a fire began in 2015, when Hoehler and his colleagues were using lasers to measure distances to objects within a fire. The lasers were placed near the fire, not in it, but they were close enough that the heat from the fire would damage them. We were developing filters to strip off the intense thermal radiation when we realized water could do a really good job without the expense, says Hoehler. The heat from a fire travels in three ways. Standing in front of it, you can feel the hot air rush toward you; thats convection. But you are primarily warmed by the electromagnetic energy the fire emitsthats radiation, which includes the visible light you see, but is primarily infrared energy. Once the heat from those two paths hits an object, it can move through the object by conduction. Wood doesnt conduct heat very well, but metal does, for example. As Hoehler explains in the video, In case things dont go as planned, its always good to have a backup. With each test, the NIST team has improved and refined its camera enclosure system to make it more robust and able to capture better images. Hoehler became a bit obsessed with creating the next prototype during a series of experiments to study how a building material called cross-laminated timber contributes to a fire. One Saturday, while attending his daughters gymnastics practice, he sketched out his plans for the latest version. Unfortunately, there was not enough time to build it before the timber experiment was complete. Once that project was over, Hoehler applied for funding through an internal NIST program that supports exploratory projects such as prototype building. In July 2018, he completed the first Burn Observation Bubble, or BOB, which consists of a globe of high-temperature glass, filled with water. Water circulates through the globe via pipes. For field deployments, that pipe leads to a buried tank. (In the forest fire video, you can hear the hum of the water pump before the sounds of the rushing fire drown it out.) Various commercially available cameras can be placed inside the globe. With this new system, Hoehler says, We can put a 360-degree camera where you couldnt, or wouldnt want to, send a person to capture video. And after three tests in indoor fires, where Hoehler wanted to put the BOB was inside a forest fire. The Prescribed Burn Wildlandsareas that are left in their natural statecan pose fire hazards to the communities that increasingly encroach upon them. This is known as the wildland-urban interface, or WUI. In southern New Jersey, the Franklin Parker Preserve protects a portion of a unique ecosystem called the New Jersey Pine Barrens, an area of heavily forested coastal plain that early settlers learned was not suitable for farming. Far from being barren, the preserve is filled with diverse flora and fauna, including of course, pine trees. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service, in coordination with the U.S. Forest Service and the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, conducts prescribed forest management burns there as part of a fuel reduction plan. By periodically clearing out some growth, the effort reduces fire risk for nearby communities and promotes a more varied range of plant species, and a healthy forest. Hoehler learned about upcoming Pine Barren burns from Rory Hadden, who researches fire safety engineering at the University of Edinburgh, in Scotland. Hadden and Mike Gallagher, a fire researcher for the U.S. Forest Service, planned to set up their own equipment during the fires. They study the embers (what fire researchers call firebrands) that float up from a fire and help carry it into unburned areas. The prescribed burns give researchers a unique opportunity to study a fire because they know where and when it will be happening. That doesnt mean the fire will always move as predicted. Weather conditions are carefully monitored to reduce risks and to make sure the prescribed dose of fire does whats expected. Hoehler traveled to New Jersey twice before conditions were right. And for at least one of the video shoots, the fire petered out as it arrived at the camera site. But even when they dont look dramatic, the videos provide important data for researchers. The recently released video is dramatic. It offers a unique view that lets you virtually stand in front of the oncoming fire, turn to look down its advancing line and watch smoke and embers float through the air while you hear the rush of wind created by the fires heat. This type of video greatly expands our ability to observe and measure the extremely harsh fire environment, says Gallagher. He notes that it could serve as a valuable tool to improve training to educate researchers, firefighters, land managers and the public about fire. Hadden agrees. The ability to see inside the wildfire is essential to help corroborate our experimental findings. For example, we have previously used video footage to identify where firebrands are generated. Being able to do this in 360 degrees will reduce the number of measurement points needed and allow us to see what happens after the fire passes the measurement point. Gallagher says the new system has the potential to reveal phenomena their other sensors might miss. For instance, the range of strong air flows created by the fire before, during, and following the flaming front are extremely interesting but not well documented in the literature, he says. Now that weve tested this camera technology, we could design future experiments to pair sensor and visual measurements about flames, fire spread, spotting and wind with the camera. Communicating in 360 Degrees Hoehler is excited about another aspect of the new system: In addition to offering visual data researchers could not otherwise get, it has the potential to combine the visuals with data from other sensors. For example, the NIST team has taken the video from a museum storage room fire experiment and added temperature data. Wearing a virtual reality headset, a fire researcher, museum archivist or firefighter can immerse themselves in the fire and focus on the elements most important to them. For example, the researcher might want to know the temperature at the sprinkler heads on the ceiling, while the firefighter might choose to watch how smoke leaves through the doorway. The archivist can gain an appreciation for just how hot shelvingand therefore artifactsacross the room can get before fire even reaches them. The University of Edinburghs Hadden also sees value in the immersive experience the 360-degree view provides. This technology could be used to demonstrate to stakeholders the differences in wildfire behavior under different conditions, adding a visual layer on to the quantitative data. It can allow a transformation in the way we communicate wildfire research, he says. Visualizing a wildfire is something that few researchers and stakeholders have the opportunity to do, and the virtual reality applications of the 360-degree video is a fantastic opportunity to show what a wildfire looks like. This is a significant step to communicate the challenges in understanding wildfires and the risks they present. The effort to capture the 360-degree view has inspired another group of NIST researchers, who model fire behavior. They are now offering 360-degree views in their visualizations, which can give viewers insight into how fire will move in a particular space, under various conditions. Its like going from watching a movie, where the director has decided where you would look, to being able to look anywhere you want on the set, says Glenn Forney, a fire visualization specialist who helps develop NISTs popular Fire Dynamics Simulator and Smokeview software. The advancement of 360-degree video technology, as well as virtual and augmented reality tools, is so rapid these days, says Hoehler. It feels like every month we see new ways to interface our work with the research that others are doing. The BOB camera provides a unique and new perspective of fires that will hopefully help to educate people about fire behavior and inspire the development of new tools for fire research. CDFA updates on fairs, water policy and rural issues Sacramento, California - The California State Board of Food and Agriculture will hear updates on fairs, water policy and rural issues at its upcoming meeting on June 4, 2019. The meeting will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the California Department of Food and Agriculture, 1220 N Street Main Auditorium, Sacramento, California. Californias fair season is off to a great start, said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. Our local fairs provide a venue for all cultures to come together to showcase one-of-a-kind exhibits, exchange ideas, share new creations, and learn more about the bounty of California agriculture. California has more than 75 fair organizations located across the state, primarily in rural areas, serving the citizens of California. Fairgrounds are an important part of Californias economy and play a major role in the economies of the communities and counties where they are located. Beyond the annual fair event, fairgrounds operate 365 days per year hosting thousands of events from large trade shows to small family celebrations. Fairgrounds are also in service in times of need serving as shelters and evacuation centers during local emergencies. In addition to celebrating California fairs, the Board will have a discussion on water issues with the Chair of the State Water Resources Control Board and hear updates on rural initiatives from representatives of the California Farm Bureau Federation. Representatives from the almond sector will also provide a briefing to the Board on agricultural pests. California agriculture is more than just farming and ranching its also about community, said President Don Cameron, California State Board of Food and Agriculture. When we discuss fairs and water policy, our constituents are the communities of the Central Valley, the Central Coast, the Sierras, Imperial and the Far North, among others. Over the next few months we look forward to visiting these communities and engaging on the issues that are not only important to farmers and ranchers, but to the communities in which they are based. Invited speakers include: SWRCB Chair E. Joaquin Esquivel; Michael Kelley, Central California Almond Growers Association; Jim Houston, California Farm Bureau Federation; Sarah Cummings, Western Fairs Association; John Quiroz, California Department of Food and Agriculture; Patricia Conklin, Dixon May Fair; Rick Pickering, California State Fair; Laurie Giannini, Calaveras County Fair & Jumping Frog Jubilee; and Cliff Munson, Siskiyou Golden Fair. The California State Board of Food and Agriculture advises the governor and CDFA secretary on agricultural issues and consumer needs. The Board conducts forums that bring together local, state and federal government officials; agricultural representatives; and citizens to discuss current issues and concerns to California agriculture. All meetings are open to the public and attendance is welcome. These thieves really cleaned up Marlborough, Massachusetts - It must have been pretty scary when Nate Roman and his five-year-old son returned to their Marlborough, MA home recently. The Association of Mature American Citizens says they found the back door wide open. It was pretty obvious that someone had broken in while they were away and, indeed, it was a clear-cut case of breaking and entering, which the police are taking seriously despite the fact that nothing had been taken. In fact, not only was there no damage or loss from this particular home invasion, whoever the culprit was, he or she or them must have had only the best intentions. It seems they cleaned the Roman home. In Nates own words: "You could smell the cleaning chemicals. I could tell something was wrong so I started looking around the house, and I found that my bathrooms had been cleaned." The only clue the police found when they searched the property was an origami rose fashioned out of toilet paper. The Periodic Table: It's More than Just Chemistry and Physics Gaithersburg, Maryland - This is the International Year of the Periodic Table, and while Ive been (accurately) accused of being a physics fanboy, Im here to tell you that this famous chart isnt just about physics, chemistry and the other sciences. Its also about mathematics and engineering and even nonscientific areas of knowledge including history, geography and the origins of words. First, a quick review of what the periodic table is. Its a chart of all the chemical building blocks of matter. To date, humans have observed 118, both natural and artificially made. Each of these building blocks, known as atomic elements, contains a positively charged core (known as the nucleus) that is (usually) surrounded by a cloud of negatively charged particles called electrons. Zooming in on the nucleus a little more, we find positively charged particles known as protons and neutral particles known as neutrons. The one feature that defines an atomic element is its atomic number, that is, the number of protons it has in its nucleus. Hydrogen has one proton, so its atomic number is 1, and uranium has 92, so its atomic number is 92. If there are an equal number of electrons and protons, the atom is electrically neutral. If there are fewer or more electrons than protons, the atom is electrically charged and known as an ion. The official NIST periodic table. Each atom can have several different versions, known as isotopes, in which there are different numbers of neutrons in the nucleus. For example, hydrogen usually only has one proton and no neutrons, but an isotope known as deuterium or heavy hydrogen also contains one neutron. The deuterium isotope helps create heavier elements inside stars, makes certain drugs more effective, and could be the key ingredient for making clean fusion energy. It was discovered in the 1930s at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST, then known as the National Bureau of Standards), where it was identified by Harold Urey of Columbia University, who won a Nobel Prize for the feat. (Alas, no prize for NISTs Ferdinand Brickwedde. Thats fine.) So, already you can see this one isotopes importance in astronomy, pharmaceuticals and energy. And, yet, despite its importance, its a rarity compared with ordinary hydrogen, the most abundant ingredient in water, most stars and the universe in general. Its amazing how one element in the periodic table is found in so many different kinds of stuff in our world. In 1869, Dmitri Mendeleev, a Russian chemist, created the first periodic table by arranging the atomic elements into columns and rows. Atomic elements in the same columns and rows have certain properties in common. For example, atoms in the rightmost column, known as the noble gases, may differ greatly in mass from light (helium) to heavy (such as radon), but what they have in common is that they dont ordinarily participate in chemical reactions. The genius of Mendeleev was that he left spaces for elements yet to be discovered, and in so doing he predicted their existence, such as gallium in 1875 and germanium in 1886. As you may have guessed, the latter was named after Germany (the home country of discoverer Clemens Winkler). As for the former, Paul Emile Lecoq de Boisbaudran named the element gallia, after Gaul, the Iron Age region that includes present-day France. So, if you love history, literature and words, the periodic table is for you. Some elements are named after towns: Strontium comes from the Scottish village of Strontian, where the mineral containing the element was found. Some take their names from mythology. The element vanadium is named after the Norse goddess Vanadis. More recently discovered elements have tended to be named after real people, such as meitnerium (Austrian-Swedish physicist Lise Meitner was a co-discoverer of nuclear fission). Naming elements after places has also been trending. For instance, tennesine comes from the state of Tennessee, the home of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which performed key work to produce this particular element. If you like engineering, the periodic table is the ultimate canvas for innovation. The semiconductor industry has used the periodic table to go beyond standard silicon-based devices. Semiconductor engineers have used different combinations of elements from the III and V columns of the periodic table to create new semiconductor alloys, such as gallium nitride (GaN) and indium nitride (InN), each having different advantages. For example, gallium nitride can produce light over a large number of wavelengths, including the blue light used in smartphone screens. Indium nitride can absorb light over a narrower range of wavelengths, making it a great candidate for solar cells, as it absorbs the specific wavelengths of light most common from the sun. And, of course, theres materials engineering, too. Engineers like to combine the lightweight metal titanium with other elements such as aluminum to create alloys for aircraft and other vehicles. Alloys of magnesium and other elements such as gold are finding use in medical implants for bone repair. The cool thing about these alloys is that they are biodegradable, so they disappear after serving as scaffolding for new bone growth. NISTs Materials Genome Initiative is a modern embodiment of the spirit of the periodic table, using the power of computing, including artificial intelligence, to combine the elements into new materials for desired applications, such as less-expensive-to-make nickel coins and metallic glasses for stronger building materials. Precision timekeeping may not be something you associate with the periodic table, but for NIST researchers who build cutting-edge atomic clocks, it could be the first thing that comes to mind. Since 1967, the second has been defined by atomic clocks using cesium atoms. If cesium atoms are exposed to microwave radiation at a frequency of 9,192,631,770 hertz (cycles per second), they will change quantum energy states. Using an electronic detector to measure if the atoms have changed states, NIST scientists keep the generated frequency locked to the atomic transition, making a very stable frequency output. Atomic clocks allow us to precisely divide the second into billionths of parts and beyond. Precise time measurements are useful for time stamping financial transactions, synchronizing communications and data, and navigating using the Global Positioning System (GPS). More recently, NIST researchers are making clocks with other atoms such as strontium, ytterbium, mercury and aluminum. The researchers change the quantum states of these atoms using optical radiation, with frequencies of hundreds of trillions of cycles per second (much higher than the microwave radiation used in cesium clocks). These optical clocks enable the second to be split into even smaller intervals that could be useful for things such as detecting underground geologic deposits and even dark matter. If you love numbers, well, of course, the periodic table is filled with them. Each atom on the table has a bevy of quantities. Besides atomic number, theres atomic weight and ionization energy (the amount of energy it takes to remove an electron from that atom). How did we get such accurate numbers? As physicists developed quantum theory, they made highly precise (and remarkably correct) calculations for the energy levels of electrons in atoms. Among so many other things, chemists determined how the arrangement of electrons in atoms influences chemical reactions. All this work by the scientists involved state-of-the-art mathematics. Once scientists developed the fundamentals, however, there was still a lot of work to do in understanding the properties of each of the elements. Who is involved? Measurement scientists, such as the people who work at NIST. NIST mathematician Jim Sims explained to me: As the standards people, we are the ones who collect the worlds experimental and theoretical data on atomic properties of the elements and critically evaluate it to come up with the best estimate of the numbers in the table at any time. Mathematics certainly goes into that analysis, and more fundamentally any atomic structure calculation relies heavily on both math and computational science. I asked Jim what developments in mathematics led to the periodic table that we know today. Rather than any specific example, he said, all I can come up with is the fact that modern physics, chemistry and mathematics are intimately entwined. And Ill take things a step further by saying that so many other fields are intertwined in the periodic table. One small chart is both a source of knowledge and a springboard for creativity, in so many fields. Its so much more than a poster in your high-school chemistry class; its a roadmap for the future. Being overweight as a teen may be associated with higher risk of heart muscle disease in adulthood Dallas, Texas - A large study of Swedish men found that those who were even mildly overweight around age 18 were more likely develop cardiomyopathy in adulthood an uncommon heart muscle condition that can cause heart failure, according to new research in the American Heart Associations journal Circulation. The study examined data on height, weight and overall fitness from a Swedish registry of 1,668,893 men who enlisted in compulsory military service between 1969 and 2005, when the men were 18 or 19. The researchers then used two other national databases that track the causes of all hospitalizations and deaths in Sweden to determine whether the men had serious heart disease as they aged, and followed them for up to 46 years. We were interested in studying cardiomyopathies, because heart failure caused by this historically uncommon disorder doubled in Sweden between 1987 and 2006, said Annika Rosengren, M.D., Ph.D. study co-author, professor of medicine at the University of Gothenburg and cardiologist at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden. Among the men in the study, 4,477 were diagnosed with cardiomyopathy at an average age of 45.5 years. The men who were lean at age 18 with a body mass index (BMI measure of body weight) below 20 had a low risk of cardiomyopathy. However, that risk steadily increased as weight increased, even among men on the high end of a normal BMI (22.5-25). There are several types of cardiomyopathy, but the causes are poorly understood. In one form, called dilated cardiomyopathy, the heart muscle becomes weak and cant pump blood efficiently. In another, called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the heart muscle becomes stiff and isnt able to fill with blood properly. Cardiomyopathy can reduce heart function and lead to heart failure, which means the heart is not able to pump blood properly. In the study, men who had a BMI of 35 and over in their youth were eight times more likely to develop dilated cardiomyopathy as adults compared to men who were lean in their youth. It was not possible to estimate increased risk for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in men with BMI 35 and above because there were too few cases to provide a meaningful analysis. Because overall rates of cardiomyopathies are so low, it took a dataset as large and long-term as this one to have enough statistical power to find an association with weight, said Rosengren. She is not aware of other datasets large enough for a comparison study, but she would expect the results of this study to apply to men throughout the world, including the United States, although additional studies would need to be conducted to see if there are racial or ethnic differences in how body weight in adolescence influences the development of cardiomyopathy later in life. The findings may or may not translate to women. The data on weight was gathered when males in Sweden register for compulsory military service. Since women do not register for military service, data on womens weight at around age 18 was not available to the researchers. Co-authors are Josefina Robertson M.D.; Maria Schaufelberger, M.D., Ph.D.; Martin Lindgren, M.D., Ph.D.; Martin Adiels, Ph.D.; Linus Schioler, Ph.D.; Kjell Toren, M.D.; Ph.D., John McMurray, M.D., Ph.D.; Naveed Sattar, M.D., Ph.D.; Maria Aberg, M.D., Ph.D. Author disclosures are on the manuscript. The Swedish state, the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Heart and Lung Foundation and the Swedish Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare funded the study. (CNN) Huawei is pressing on with its lawsuit against the United States, challenging the constitutionality of a US law banning federal agencies from buying its products. The embattled Chinese tech firm said Wednesday that it wants Washington to "halt illegal action" against it, calling US restrictions on Huawei an attempt to put it out of business. American politicians are "using the strength of an entire nation to come after a private company," Song Liuping, Huawei's chief legal officer, said in a press conference in Shenzhen. Huawei has filed a motion for summary judgment, asking the court to overturn part of the National Defense Authorization Act. The tech company alleges that a portion of the law which specifically forbids government agencies from using technology from Huawei and its smaller Chinese rival, ZTE violates the U.S. Constitution by singling out an individual or group for punishment without trial. "The U.S. government has provided no evidence to show that Huawei is a security threat. There is no gun, no smoke. Only speculation," Song said. Huawei first filed the lawsuit challenging part of the National Defense Authorization Act back in March. But that was before the United States slapped it with an export ban, effectively barring US companies from doing business with Huawei. The U.S. Commerce Department placed Huawei on a list of foreign firms deemed to undermine American national security or foreign policy interests earlier this month. Listed companies are barred from receiving components and software unless the trade is licensed. The Huawei lawsuit would be "a pyrrhic victory at best" in the face of the new US restrictions, said Paul Triolo, who specializes in global technology policy at Eurasia Group. The case "looks like the last gasp of the firm's litigious approach to U.S. actions, and if it is to survive ... the firm will have to sue for lenient treatment from the Commerce Department," said Triolo. Huawei is the world's largest telecommunications company and its smartphones compete with the likes of Apple and Samsung. The US export ban forced suppliers like Google and ARM Holdings to cut off ties with the Chinese company. Top carriers in the U.K. and Japan are also delaying the launch of Huawei smartphones. Adding Huawei to a trade blacklist "sets a dangerous precedent," according to Song. "Today it's telecoms and Huawei. Tomorrow it could be your industry, your company, your consumers," he said. Huawei says it has been stockpiling inventory and diversifying its supply chain for years, in anticipation of being cut off from US suppliers. But experts say being unable to source US parts and components for too long would be crippling. Huawei is a leader in 5G technology, and the trade blacklist could also make it difficult to continue rolling out the ultra-fast wireless tech globally. Song said being on the blacklist would hurt "more than 3 billion customers" of Huawei in over 170 countries, including in the United States where it still works with some rural operators. "Connectivity is a basic human right, and the US government is putting their rights at risk," he said. This story was first published on CNN.com. "Huawei calls on Washington to halt 'illegal action' against the company." Its a shame that a mural at Applebees has caused such a commotion. The restaurant has the right to display whatever it wishes. They have the right to try to please their customers. Removing a picture of the mayor who has been convicted of federal charges seem fair. Because there are others in the picture who are not guilty of a crime may not seem fair, there is no other way to deal with this than to remove the picture. Skin Cancer Remains the Most Common Cancer in the United States Washington, DC - The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 96,000 new cases of melanoma the most dangerous form of skin cancer will occur in 2019. With this in mind, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), joined by the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is recognizing the Friday before Memorial Day as Dont Fry Day to encourage Americans to take action to protect their skin and eye health. One simple step is to become familiar with the Ultraviolet (UV) Index and how to avoid damaging UV rays. Given the prevalence of skin cancer, we want to remind all Americans to be smart in the sun this holiday weekend and throughout the year, said Bill Wehrum, assistant administrator for EPAs Office of Air and Radiation. The UV Index helps Americans prevent overexposure to UV radiation while we enjoy the outdoors. EPA, the National Weather Service, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention work together to make the UV Index forecast available in the United States. To make accessing the forecast convenient for the public, EPA offers a free UV Index app on iOS and Android devices now available in Spanish. The app gives daily and hourly UV intensity forecasts by location and provides recommendations on sun safety. To download the app, search for EPAs UV Index in the iTunes App Store and on Google Play. All people are equally at risk of eye damage and developing cataracts, but some people may be at greater risk of developing skin cancer depending on the color of their skin, a history of blistering sunburns in early childhood, the presence of many moles, or a family history of skin cancer. Also, UV may be high throughout the year depending on factors such as location, elevation, and reflective surfaces. Reduce risk of skin cancer and eye damage by: Seeking shade when outside during mid-day hours. Wearing clothing that protects skin and eyes from UV rays. Generously applying SPF 15+ sunscreen and reapplying often. Being aware that reflective water, snow and sand intensify UV exposure. Avoiding tanning beds and minimizing sunbathing. Download the app today, or visit www.epa.gov/sunsafety to check the UV Index online or subscribe to the daily UV Index forecast email. EPA Seeks Comment on Proposed Options for Regulating Perchlorate in Drinking Water Washington, DC - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a notice of proposed rulemaking that seeks public input on a range of options regarding the regulation of perchlorate in public drinking water systems. The agency is seeking comment on a proposed National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) for perchlorate to establish a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) and a health-based Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) at 56 micrograms per liter. In addition, the agency is seeking comment on three alternative regulatory options: An MCL and MCLG for perchlorate set at 18 micrograms per liter. An MCL and MCLG for perchlorate set at 90 micrograms per liter. Withdrawal of the agencys 2011 determination to regulate perchlorate in drinking water. The agency is requesting comment on all relevant aspects of the proposed rule but is especially interested in the perchlorate monitoring and reporting requirements for public water systems and a list of treatment technologies that would enable water systems to comply with the MCL, including affordable compliance technologies for small systems serving 10,000 persons or less. EPA is also requesting comment on its methodology for deriving the MCLG, the underlying assumptions and analysis of its cost and benefit estimates, and other specific items listed in the proposed rule. Perchlorate is commonly used in solid rocket propellants, munitions, fireworks, airbag initiators for vehicles, matches, and signal flares. Perchlorate may occur naturally, particularly in arid regions such as the southwestern United States and is found as an impurity in hypochlorite solutions used for drinking water treatment and nitrate salts used to produce nitrate fertilizers, explosives, and other products. EPA will accept public comment on the proposal for 60 days after publication in the Federal Register via http://www.regulations.gov [Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2018-0780]. For more information and to view the pre-publication version of the Federal Register Notice, visit https://www.epa.gov/dwstandardsregulations/perchlorate-drinking-water Many people wonder about the focus on growth embedded in our economic thinking. Can a countrys economy grow forever? When does it stop? Can consumption expand infinitely? And, do consumption and growth lead to happiness? Is GDP a measure of well-being? This week New Zealand launches its radical new well-being budget, prioritizing five areas: mental health, child poverty, indigenous people, thriving in a digital age, and transitioning to a low-emission, sustainable economy. Bhutan tracks gross national happiness with its GNH index, rather than GDP, and several other countries are looking at measures of well-being, and not just financial indicators. Economist Kate Raworth has developed a new model that can help us get away from the old linear thinking where goods and services get sold ever more efficiently to wealthier and wealthier consumers, and GDP growth is somehow infinite. She points out that we need to bring millions of people into the economy who are currently left out - because of poverty, lack of education, poor health, gender inequity and so on. But at the same time, we need to stay within certain planetary boundaries, delineated by things like pollution, loss of biodiversity and thinning of the ozone layer, if we want to have a chance of survival through the next century and onward. Raworths model doesnt look like the usual line, heading endlessly up into the top right corner of an xy graph. Instead of being plotted on a graph, it simply looks like a donut, the area between two concentric circles. Theres an outer edge to it, because we have to live within limits, and an inner hole, because millions of people live below the poverty line and need to be lifted out of the hole and into the donut. So the inner boundary of the donut represents our social foundation, and the outer limit our ecological ceiling. Raworth brings up the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, which include No Poverty, Zero Hunger, and Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions when she talks about how to eliminate the donut hole and leave no one behind. When she describes the outer limits, she applies a framework known as the Nine Planetary Boundaries developed by a group of scientists led by Johan Rockstrom and Will Steffen. These are: climate change, ocean acidification, chemical pollution, nitrogen and phosphorus loading, freshwater withdrawals, land conversion, biodiversity loss, air pollution, and ozone depletion. Companies have an opportunity to use this kind of thinking when developing their sustainability strategies. Instead of asking how their businesses can do less environmental and social harm, they can look for their ideal place in the donut. That means balancing positive impacts (such as job creation, providing needed goods or services, wealth generation for new populations) with ecological and human limits. One of the strong criticisms that Raworth and others have of mainstream economic thinking is that it ignores the environmental and social impacts of growth-at-all-costs. The most important things we have, such as the air we breathe, are dismissed as mere externalities. But protesters around the world, notably school children, wont have it anymore. Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old Swedish climate activist, recently told the British parliament, "This ongoing irresponsible behavior will no doubt be remembered in history as one of the greatest failures of humankind. The jury is out on whether humanity will be able to live, in the future, within the limits of planetary resources. Answering this question is the 21st century journey, says Raworth. She doesnt have all the answers, but knows the first step is to change the lens weve been using. A donut mindset can be applied to any ecosystem, local or global. For example, cities can approach their policy-making this way, looking at social foundations and ecological ceilings. As Raworth points out, many impacts need to be managed locally. Some companies are stepping up their commitment to sustainability by starting with scientific limits (an outer edge) and working backwards to determine the outer edges their own impacts must stay within. So-called science-based targets are targets for reducing a companys carbon emissions to levels that would equate to that companys fair share of containing the earths temperature at below 2 degrees celsius over pre-industrial levels. This is no small feat for a company to accomplish, but many are stepping up to the challenge, aided by new tools based on scientifically-calculated emission scenarios and allocation methods. This same logic could be applied to all nine of the planetary boundaries in the donuts outer limit, and more. A sustainability strategy using this approach, and looking at the positive societal impacts a company can make strategically through the lens of the Sustainable Development Goals, can lead companies closer to becoming regenerative forces for good. There are lots of ways to map and measure and implement actions. How we fill all this in is evolving, says Raworth. Were going to get better and better at it. Still, it wont be easy, and an enormous cultural shift will be required. Some people, cognizant of how much our industrial society has pushed the earths ecological limits, believe that population growth will simply be too much. How can a planet already overheating, losing so many species to extinction, seeing too many of its forests converted to farmland, and undergoing destruction by extreme weather events, support nine, ten or eleven billion people? Raworth notes that population growth doesnt move in a straight line. As populations get wealthier, and specifically as girls and women become more educated, birth rates fall. This is why strengthening the inner edge of the donut, its social foundation, is imperative. The inequality we are so used to in our GDP growth system needs to give way to much more inclusive, equitable sharing of the earths resources. If you're a business owner or manager, firing an employee may be the hardest things you ever have to do. You worry about avoiding a loud scene--or even violent retaliation, as when a factory worker in Illinois pulled out a gun and began shooting during a termination meeting earlier this year, killing five people and wounding several more. You worry about opening your company up to legal action. And, unless the employee is being fired for sever misconduct, you also worry about being as humane and empathetic as you can. It's hard to know which words and which procedures will make the termination as painless as possible. There may not be one best way to fire someone. But at least there's one best day to do it: Wednesday, preferably in the morning. Forget Friday. For years, HR experts advised employers to let people go on Friday afternoon. The idea was that to give ex-employees the weekend to process the news, and also to give them their final paychecks, which were often issued on Fridays. But there are a few problems with Friday firings. Giving employees the whole weekend to process their feelings also means giving them the whole weekend to stew about how they've been treated, perhaps becoming more and more resentful. And to fires someone on a Friday afternoon firing is practically encouraging that person to seek solace at a bar. Adding alcohol to those stewing feelings may not be helpful for either your company or your former employee. Also, if fired employees have questions, about health insurance benefits or unused vacation time, they'll have to wait through the weekend before they can get answers to those questions. And then there are your remaining employees, some of whom may be friends the person you hired. Chances are, they'll have both concerns and lots of questions about why their former colleague was fired. Making them wait through the weekend for answers won't help anyone's morale. Finally, employees who've been terminated may want to immediately start lining up their next job, contacting recruiters or reaching out to their professional networks to learn what opportunities are out there for them. Forcing them to wait two days to begin this process won't help them, and it won't hurt you either since it's in your best interest for them to find other work as quickly as possible. The problem with Monday. Given Friday's drawbacks, some HR experts advocate for Monday as the best day to fire someone. After all, that gives former employees an entire week to resolve any outstanding issues with your company and also to make a start on their job searches. But most HR experts these days recommending firing people toward the beginning of the day, or perhaps at lunchtime, rather than at the end of the day. And if you fire an employee at the very start of the week, that employee may wonder why he or she bothered getting dressed for work and facing the morning commute. Why Wednesday is best. That leaves the middle of the week. Rachel Bitte, chief recruiting officer at recruiting software company Jobvite, says she has no single preferred day for firing an employee, but she prefers to do it Tuesday to Thursday. But a Tuesday morning firing can leave employees feeling like your company squeezed one last day of work out of them, knowing they were about to leave. And a Thursday afternoon firing doesn't leave employees much time to get any questions answered and start their job search before the weekend rolls around. A Wednesday morning termination walks the fine line between too early in the week and too late. It gives former employees two full business days to get any questions resolved and to begin their job search--even if they take the rest of the day to regroup and process the news. It also gives you two full days to discuss the situation with your remaining employees. Any time Amazon announces a new innovation or makes a move into a new industry, it sends ripples throughout that industry and beyond. Case in point: the purchase of Whole Foods and the announcement of one-day shipping, for starters. The e-commerce ace made a surprisingly quiet, but profound, move in February, one that CEO Jeff Bezos has barely spoken of, at least publicly. They made a $700 million investment in electric truck startup and future Tesla competitor, Rivian, opting not to comment on it. This followed a stake they bought the prior week in Aurora, an autonomous vehicle technology startup. CNBC obtained a recording of a March all-hands session in which Bezos offered perspective on the autonomous technology investment to his employees. Bezos expressed his fascination with the auto industry, given how Uber has changed transportation and given the rise of electric and connected cars. Said Bezos, "It's going to be something very interesting to watch and participate in, and I'm very excited about that whole industry." Surprisingly during the meeting, though, Bezos tamped down expectations by saying he doesn't see the Rivian investment as being a driver of growth. Which begs the question, then why make the investment? Here's why Amazon entering the auto industry is so smart. This play isn't about profit, at least not from the auto industry in and of itself. Michelle Krebs, an analyst and auto industry expert for Autotrader (an online vehicle marketplace) told CNBC, "We know that Amazon wants to reinvent its delivery system." Amazon has been trying to wean away from dependency on the USPS and UPS, even creating an enticing overture to current employees to quit their post and start a delivery business. Autonomous vehicles could vastly disrupt their massive logistics systems and supply chain. According to Gene Munster, an analyst at Loup Ventures (a venture capital firm), Amazon's investments in autonomous vehicle technology also gives them "greater insights into cutting edge technology" that can have a direct benefit on the company's core e-commerce business. It could reduce shipping costs, which skyrocketed 21 percent to $7.3 billion in the previous quarter. Munster called it "a form of outsourced R&D." In January, Amazon announced a new delivery robot, about the size of a cooler, called Scout. The autonomous little guy, hailed as the cutest part of Amazon's delivery chain, rolls along sidewalks to take that Amazon package the last mile to the customers doorstep. Undoubtedly, what's learned as scientists exchange notes post the Rivian purchase will help inform Scout 2.0 and beyond. Finally, don't count out the auto industry play for being able to influence Amazon's retail forays as well. Amazon Go, the cashier-less stores launched in 2016, "is made possible by the same types of technologies used in self-driving cars: computer vision, sensor fusion, and deep learning," according to the Amazon Go site. Amazon's investments in autonomous companies makes for a genius way to cross fertilize cutting edge technology and insight across multiple platforms of business. More and more companies are attempting to jumpstart their innovation by accessing technologies from other companies and trying to import it in different ways across their own product line. My former employer, Procter & Gamble, has been doing this for years in an attempt to create better products and new categories. Gucci has made a pro-choice political statement at its Cruise 2020 show amid a wave of anti-abortion laws in the US. Choosing Rome the home of the Vatican and the Catholic Church as his stage, the Italian fashion houses creative director, Alessandro Michele, presented a collection which carried the message of autonomy on Tuesday night. Among a sea of folded togas, ornately embroidered gowns and Mickey Mouse motifs, Gucci drew fashion into the latest debate over abortion rights being waged in the US with a number of garments that featured phrases associated with the pro-choice movement. The brand sent a navy jacket down the runway featuring a womens rights slogan from the Seventies: My body, my choice, and a T-shirt that read: Chime for Change the name of Guccis gender equality campaign, which was launched in 2013. The initiative has so far funded more than 825,000 euros in projects for reproductive and maternal health in countries ranging from Afghanistan and Thailand to Uganda. Other standout looks included a gown with an embroidered female reproductive system and pieces that read May 22 1978 the date the Italian law for the social protection of motherhood and legal abortion took effect. Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster Show all 7 1 /7 Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster Derry Girls cast members Siobhan McSweeney and Nicola Coughlan (right) join MPS and women impacted by Northern Ireland's strict abortion laws PA Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster Heidi Allen (second right) joins the protest PA Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster A luggage tag on a suitcase, symbolising the women who travel from Northern Ireland to England for terminations PA Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster The campaigners march across Westminster Bridge PA Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster Counter-protesters Rebecca Morgan (left) and her daughter Helen, one, demonstrate in favour of Northern Ireland's current laws Getty Images Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster Protesters supporting Northern Ireland's abortion laws at Parliament Square Getty Images Northern Ireland abortion protest in Westminster Demonstrators pull suitcases to symbolise the women who travel from Northern Ireland to England for a termination AFP/Getty Images Before the show, Michele told WWD the reason the Seventies was so intrinsic to this collection is because of the freedom the decade represented for women. It was a historical moment when women finally rejected all the constraints that were imposed in the previous centuries and they became free. Thats why I am paying homage to the Italian law regarding abortion, the law number 194, Michele said. Its unbelievable that around the world there are still people who believe that they can control a womans body, a womans choice. I will always stand behind the freedom of being, always. Nobody should have the right to decide about freedom of choice of any human being. No law should say to any person what to do or what not to do when it comes to very personal choices. Guccis political statement comes as eight US states have passed restrictive laws concerning access to abortion. Earlier this month, Georgia became the fourth state this year to make abortion illegal with the so-called heartbeat bill legislation which means a woman cannot terminate a pregnancy if a heartbeat is detected, which can be as early as six weeks. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed a similar abortion bill into law which will see doctors face 10 years in prison for attempting to terminate a pregnancy and 99 years for carrying out the procedure. The strict abortion ban, which has been branded a death sentence for women, would even criminalise performing abortions in cases of rape and incest. A number of celebrities have condemned the new abortion laws including Milla Jovovich, Jameela Jamil and Lady Gaga who described the move as a travesty. Thousands of women have also shared stories about having an abortion on social media using the hashtag #YouKnowMe. Governments are becoming ever more reliant on digital technology, making them more vulnerable to cyberattacks. In 2007, Estonia was attacked by pro-Russian hackers who crippled government servers, causing havoc. Cyberattacks in Ukraine targeted the countrys electricity grid, while Irans nuclear power plants were infected by malware that could have led to a nuclear meltdown. In the US, president Trump recently declared a national emergency to recognise the threat to US computer networks from foreign adversaries. Politically motivated cyberattacks are becoming increasingly commonplace but unlike traditional warfare between two or more states, cyberwarfare can be launched by groups of individuals. On occasion, the state is actually caught in the crosshairs of competing hacking groups. This doesnt mean that states dont actively prepare for such attacks. British defence officials have said theyre prepared to conduct cyberattacks against Moscows power grid, should Russia decide to launch an offensive. Recommended UK charity set up to counter Russian disinformation hacked In most cases, cyberwarfare operations have been conducted in the background, designed as scare tactics or displays of power. But the blending of traditional warfare and cyberwarfare seems inevitable and a recent incident added a new dimension. How to respond to cyberattacks Israeli Defence Forces bombed a building allegedly housing Hamas hackers, after they had attempted to, according to the IDF, attack Israeli targets online. This is the first time a cyberattack has been met with physical force by a states military. But who is to blame and how should states respond when defending against cyberattacks? Cyberattacks are a serious challenge for established laws of armed conflict. Determining the origin of an attack isnt impossible, but the process can take weeks. Even when the origin can be confirmed, it may be difficult to establish that a state was responsible. This is especially true when cyberoperations could be perpetrated by hackers in other countries routing their attacks through different jurisdictions. NATO experts have highlighted the issue in the Tallinn Manual on International Law Applicable to Cyberwarfare. There is no consensus on whether a state is responsible for a cyberattack originating from its networks if it did not have explicit knowledge of the attack. Failure to take appropriate measures to prevent an attack by a host state could mean that the victim state is entitled to respond through proportionate use of force in self defence. But if theres uncertainty around who is to blame for the attack, any justification for a counter-attack is diminished. Even if the problem of attribution is resolved, a states right to respond with force to a cyberattack would normally be prohibited. Article 2(4) of the UN Charter protects the territorial integrity and political structures of states from attack. This can be lawfully bypassed if a state can claim theyre defending themselves against an armed attack. The International Court of Justice explains: It will be necessary to distinguish between the most grave forms of the use of force (those constituting an armed attack) from other less grave forms. So a cyberattack would justify force as self-defence if it could be considered an armed attack. But is that possible? Only when the scale and effect of a cyberattack are comparable to an offline armed attack, such as attacks that lead to deaths and widespread damage to infrastructure. If so, self-defence is justified. But what about when a cyberattack has been successfully targeted defensively? Then its effects can only be guessed at. This makes deciding a proportional response even trickier. Any physical force in this situation could be considered unnecessary and therefore, illegal. If an attack was imminent, however, an exception might be made for preemptive moves. When self-defence is considered reasonably necessary, the nature of the force permitted can vary. Proportionate counter-attacks with conventional military weapons can be acceptable responses to cyber operations under international law. These issues are only the start of the challenges posed by cyberwarfare, which will get more complicated as technology develops. The intellectual challenges this will generate are numerous, but we still cant help but be fearful. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Societies face potentially devastating consequences from cyberwarfare as we become more reliant on information technologies and communication networks for everyday life and were only just starting to ask questions about it. Vasileios Karagiannopoulos is senior lecturer in law and cybercrime at the University of Portsmouth. Mark Leiser is an assistant professor of law and digital technologies at Leiden University. This article first appeared on The Conversation Huawei has called on the US to reverse its illegal trade ban on the company, claiming it will harm billions of consumers around the world. The comments came after the US government placed Huawei on its Entity List, meaning US firms cant do business with Huawei unless they have a special licence. The Chinese tech giant, which is the worlds largest maker of telecoms equipment and second largest smartphone maker, relies heavily on US firms like Google and Microsoft to build its equipment. Politicians in the US are using the strength of an entire nation to come after a private company, Song Liuping, Huaweis chief legal officer, said in a press conference in Shenzhen, China. This is not normal. Huawei has also filed a motion for summary judgment asking a court in Plano, Texas, to rule on whether a US military spending provision that bars the government and its contractors from using Huawei equipment is constitutional. The Trump administration claims the company could use its equipment to spy on behalf of the Chinese government and is thus a threat to international cybersecurity. Europe replicated in Huawei City, China Show all 8 1 /8 Europe replicated in Huawei City, China Europe replicated in Huawei City, China Karl Theodor Bridge in Heidelberg, Germany Getty Europe replicated in Huawei City, China Replica Karl Theodor Bridge in Huawei City, China Getty Europe replicated in Huawei City, China Heidelberg, Germany Getty Europe replicated in Huawei City, China Replica Heidelberg in Huawei City, China Getty Europe replicated in Huawei City, China Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic Getty Europe replicated in Huawei City, China Replica Cesky Krumlov in Huawei City, China Getty Europe replicated in Huawei City, China Heidelberg, Germany Getty Europe replicated in Huawei City, China Replica Heidelberg in Huawei City, China Getty This decision threatens to harm our customers in over 170 countries, including more than 3 billion customers who use Huawei products and services around the world, Mr Song said. Huawei, whose US headquarters is in Plano, launched a lawsuit in March against the US national defence law, calling the provision a bill of attainder that selectively punishes Huawei and violates its due process by presuming its guilt without a fair trial. The summary judgment motion seeks to accelerate the legal process to give US customers access to Huawei equipment sooner, according to a statement from Huawei on Wednesday. Mr Song said the state-sanctioned campaign against the company will not improve cybersecurity. The moves against Huawei are part of a broader trade war between the worlds two largest economies that has both sides imposing billions of dollars of punitive tariffs against each others products. Recommended Huawei boss admits he buys iPhones for his family The dispute centres on Chinas huge longstanding trade surplus with the US, and complaints that Beijing and Chinese companies use unfair tactics to acquire advanced foreign technologies. The most recent round of negotiations between Beijing and Washington ended earlier this month without an agreement after Trump more than doubled duties on $200bn (158bn) in Chinese imports. China responded by raising tariffs of 5 per cent to 25 per cent on $60bn worth of American goods. The moves against Huawei have already affected the companys US partnerships. Google said it would continue to support existing Huawei smartphones, but future devices wont carry its flagship apps and services, including maps, Gmail and search a change that will likely make Huawei phones less appealing. Mr Song said the US has not provided any evidence to show Huawei is a security threat. There is no gun, no smoke, only speculation, he said, accusing the US of setting a dangerous precedent. Today its telecoms and Huawei, he said. Tomorrow it could be your industry, your company, your consumers. Mr Song said Huawei was asking FedEx about four packages containing paper work that were found to have been diverted to FedEx headquarters in the US instead of being delivered to Huawei offices in Asia. FedEx apologised and said the packages were rerouted accidentally. It said the company wasnt told by anyone to divert the packages. Mr Song said Huawei was aware of FedExs apology over the incident. But the company has questioned if the diversions were purely accidental. I dont think it is right for any company to intercept or detain individual documents or information. If our rights were truly infringed upon, we have the legal rights to defend ourselves, he said. In the UK, networks have also responded to the trade ban by dropping Huawei phones from their 5G offerings. Additional reporting from agencies Jeopardy host Alex Trebek has revealed he is shocked to have learned that some of his pancreatic cancer tumours have shrunk by up to 50 per cent. Earlier this year, the 78-year-old announced he had been diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer in a clip posted on the shows official Twitter account. Normally, the prognosis for this isnt very encouraging but Im going to fight this and keep working, he told the shows 200,000 social media followers. However, according to the presenters doctors he is now near remission and is responding to chemotherapy treatment so well that some of his tumours have shrunk. Its kind of mind-boggling, he told People magazine. Mastectomy: Stand Up To Cancer launches powerful photo campaign Show all 13 1 /13 Mastectomy: Stand Up To Cancer launches powerful photo campaign Mastectomy: Stand Up To Cancer launches powerful photo campaign Joanna, Newcastle (Image: Ami Barwell) Mastectomy: Stand Up To Cancer launches powerful photo campaign Mel, Merseyside (Image: Ami Barwell) Mastectomy: Stand Up To Cancer launches powerful photo campaign Lucy, Wakefield (Image: Ami Barwell) Mastectomy: Stand Up To Cancer launches powerful photo campaign Sharon, Bath (Image: Ami Barwell) Mastectomy: Stand Up To Cancer launches powerful photo campaign Jan, Hereford (Image: Ami Barwell) Mastectomy: Stand Up To Cancer launches powerful photo campaign Gillian, London (Image: Ami Barwell) Mastectomy: Stand Up To Cancer launches powerful photo campaign Fiona, Northampton (Image: Ami Barwell) Mastectomy: Stand Up To Cancer launches powerful photo campaign Anon S, West Midlands (Image: Ami Barwell) Mastectomy: Stand Up To Cancer launches powerful photo campaign Debbie W, Worcestershire (Image: Ami Barwell) Mastectomy: Stand Up To Cancer launches powerful photo campaign Debbie B, York (Image: Ami Barwell) Mastectomy: Stand Up To Cancer launches powerful photo campaign Clare, North Lincolnshire (Image: Ami Barwell) Mastectomy: Stand Up To Cancer launches powerful photo campaign Caroline, Brancaster (Image: Ami Barwell) Mastectomy: Stand Up To Cancer launches powerful photo campaign Anon (Image: Ami Barwell) Despite the male survival rate of pancreatic cancer estimated at 22 per cent for at least one year according to Cancer Research UK, Trebek said his doctors have never seen this kind of positive result in their memory. Some of the tumours have already shrunk by more than 50 percent, Trebek told the publication. The presenter said that he will still have to go through several more rounds of chemotherapy in order to get into full remission but is happy at how much his health has improved. Describing his emotions when he learned that some of his tumours had shrunk, the Canadian-American star said he cried tears of joy, not tears of depression. Trebek credits the support of his fans around the world for his ongoing recovery. Ive got a couple million people out there who have expressed their good thoughts, their positive energy directed towards me and their prayers, he said. I told the doctors, this has to be more than just the chemo, and they agreed it could very well be an important part of this. He added: Ive got a lot of love out there headed in my direction and a lot of prayer, and I will never ever minimise the value of that. Host Alex Trebek poses on the set at Sony Pictures for the 28th Season Premiere of the television show 'Jeopardy' on 20 September 2011 in Culver City, California (Getty Images) Earlier this month, the long-time television host opened up about how his cancer diagnosis often resulted in bouts of depression. My oncologist tells me Im doing well even though I dont always feel it, Trebek told Good Morning America anchor Robin Roberts. Ive had kidney stones, Ive had ruptured discs, so Im used to dealing with pain, but what Im not used to dealing with is the surges that come on suddenly of deep, deep sadness and it brings tears to my eyes. Chemo takes it out of you, he said. I mean, I feel so weak all the time, and thats not a good place to be. Pancreatic cancer occurs when abnormal cells grow and divide to form a tumour in the pancreas, a large gland located in the abdomen that aids in digestion, according to the NHS. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Causes of pancreatic cancer are not fully understand, however, there are certain known factors that increase the risk of developing the disease. Working night shifts does not increase the risk of breast cancer, a new study suggests. The research, published in the British Journal of Cancer, involved researchers looking at data from 102,869 women in the UK over 10 years, 2,059 of whom later developed invasive breast cancer the most common form of the disease. Researchers from the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London said that they found no overall link between night shift work and the likelihood of developing breast cancer. The link between night shift work and an increased risk of breast cancer was first suggested in the 1970s. Several studies have proposed that the exposure to electric light may increase the risk of developing the disease, by potentially disrupting the body's internal clock, suppressing levels of the sleep hormone melatonin and raising oestrogen levels. Mastectomy: Stand Up To Cancer launches powerful photo campaign Show all 13 1 /13 Mastectomy: Stand Up To Cancer launches powerful photo campaign Mastectomy: Stand Up To Cancer launches powerful photo campaign Joanna, Newcastle (Image: Ami Barwell) Mastectomy: Stand Up To Cancer launches powerful photo campaign Mel, Merseyside (Image: Ami Barwell) Mastectomy: Stand Up To Cancer launches powerful photo campaign Lucy, Wakefield (Image: Ami Barwell) Mastectomy: Stand Up To Cancer launches powerful photo campaign Sharon, Bath (Image: Ami Barwell) Mastectomy: Stand Up To Cancer launches powerful photo campaign Jan, Hereford (Image: Ami Barwell) Mastectomy: Stand Up To Cancer launches powerful photo campaign Gillian, London (Image: Ami Barwell) Mastectomy: Stand Up To Cancer launches powerful photo campaign Fiona, Northampton (Image: Ami Barwell) Mastectomy: Stand Up To Cancer launches powerful photo campaign Anon S, West Midlands (Image: Ami Barwell) Mastectomy: Stand Up To Cancer launches powerful photo campaign Debbie W, Worcestershire (Image: Ami Barwell) Mastectomy: Stand Up To Cancer launches powerful photo campaign Debbie B, York (Image: Ami Barwell) Mastectomy: Stand Up To Cancer launches powerful photo campaign Clare, North Lincolnshire (Image: Ami Barwell) Mastectomy: Stand Up To Cancer launches powerful photo campaign Caroline, Brancaster (Image: Ami Barwell) Mastectomy: Stand Up To Cancer launches powerful photo campaign Anon (Image: Ami Barwell) In 2007, the International Agency for Research on Cancer said that shift work which disrupts the sleep cycle is "probably carcinogenic". However, the new studys lead researcher Dr Michael Jones says that previous research suggesting this has so far been inconclusive. He added: "In our new study, we found no overall link between women having done night shift work in the last ten years and their risk of breast cancer - regardless of the different types of work they did involving night shifts, and the age at which they started such work. Jones said that "although night shifts may have other effects on people's health, and we still don't know the effect of a person's body clock being disturbed for very long periods of time, it is reassuring to see more evidence suggesting that night shifts are not linked with a higher risk of breast cancer". The researchers hope their findings will help to reassure workers following decades of debate over the link between night shifts and breast cancer. Baroness Delyth Morgan, chief executive at Breast Cancer Care and Breast Cancer Now which funded the research, said: "We hope these findings will help reassure the hundreds of thousands of women working night shifts that it's unlikely their job patterns are increasing their risk of breast cancer. "This question has been widely debated in recent decades and has understandably caused concern, and it's encouraging that the evidence now suggests night shift work has no impact on breast cancer risk." The causes of breast cancer aren't fully understood. However the NHS states that the risk of developing the disease can be as a result of an increases in age, a family history of the condition, previous breast cancer or limps, and dense breast tissue. Morgan added: "Whilst there are some things we can't change, there are steps all women can take to lower their breast cancer risk, such as maintaining a healthy weight, keeping physically active and drinking less alcohol. "Even small changes are a great start." The International Agency for Research on Cancer, which forms part of the World Health Organisation (WHO), will review evidence on night shift work and cancer in the summer of 2019. The new study contradicts researchers from China last year who predicted that the risk of breast cancer increased by about 3.3 per cent every five years for workers who did clocked in for regularly night shifts. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Those involved in the study, published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, came to the conclusion after analysing 61 studies which examined a link between long-term night shifts and 11 different cancers. Overall they found that women who worked nights were 20 per cent more likely to have a diagnosis at some point. All students from the Class of 2019 have been accepted to more than 150 different colleges and universities. The senior class has also been awarded more than $23 million in academic scholarships, according to Trinity spokeswoman Patti Williams. Kanye West has spoken about feeling hyper-paranoid due to his bipolar disorder diagnosis, saying that everything can feel as though its a conspiracy. The rapper opened up about his mental health issues in a new interview with David Letterman, for the second series of the Netflix show My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman. In the interview, which will air on Friday 31 May, West detailed his experiences of "ramping up" due to his mental health condition, saying that doing so can make him feel better able to express his personality. What I want to say about the bipolar thing is because it has the word bi in it, it has the idea of, like, split personality. Well, that works for me because Im a Gemini, but when you ramp up, it expresses your personality more, he said. You can become almost more adolescent in your expression, the musician stated, adding that being in this state can also lead to him feeling hyper-paranoid about his surroundings. Recommended Kim Kardashian announces name of fourth child While West acknowledged that people with bipolar disorder have different experiences, he added that, in his experience, everything can feel like "a conspiracy". You feel the government is putting chips in your head. You feel youre being recorded. You feel all these things," he stated. Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition which can lead to extreme mood swings, the NHS explains. Symptoms can include periods depression and phases of mania. West added that it can reach the point where he feels that everyone wants to kill you, adding : You pretty much dont trust anyone. 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes Show all 10 1 /10 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes "I was the best new artist this year" Kanye asserted this after losing the New Artist of the Year award at the 2004 American Music Awards Getty Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes I am the number one human being in music. That means any person that's living or breathing is number two. Kanye made this claim while appearing on the Wendy Williams show in 2007. He had recently released the album 'Graduation' to critical acclaim Getty Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes Yo Taylor, I'm really happy for you, I'mma let you finish, but Beyonce has one of the best videos of all time. One of the best videos of all time! In arguably the most famous incident of his career, Kanye bravely stole the microphone from then 19 year old Taylor Swift during her acceptance speech for the Female Music Video of the Year at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards REUTERS 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes "I walk through the hotel and I walk down the street and people look at me... like I'm Hitler" Kanye said this during a mid-set rant while on stage at the Big Chill festival in 2011. Despite releasing the acclaimed 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' in 2010, he was still widely disliked following the Taylor Swift incident PA Archive/PA Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes "I am Picasso. I am Michelangelo. I am Basquiat. I am Walt Disney. I am Steve Jobs" Kanye compared himself to these visionaries in a mid-set rant on stage in Paris, 2013 AFP/Getty Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes My greatest pain in life is that I will never be able to see myself perform live. In 2013, Kanye opened up to reveal more Kanye. His pain is understandable, considering such performances as his at the BRITs in 2015, where he came on stage with an entourage of flamethrower wielding grime artists (pictured) Getty Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes I have to dress Kim everyday so she doesnt embarrass me. Kanye tweeted this in 2014, around the time that he was designing the first Yeezy range AFP/Getty Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes By 50 percent [I am more influential than] Stanley Kubrick, Apostle Paul, Picasso f***ing Picasso and Escobar. By 50 per cent more influential than any other human being. Kanye made this claim backstage after appearing on Saturday Night Live in 2016, he did not show his working out Getty Images for Yeezy Season 3 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes "My wife just called me and she wanted me to make this clear to everyone. I don't agree with everything Trump does. I don't agree 100% with anyone but myself." This quote followed Kanye's recent expression of love for Donald Trump on Twitter, in which he claimed that he and Trump were "dragon energy" Getty Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes "When you hear about slavery for 400 years... for 400 years? That sounds like a choice." Kanye made this comment in a May 2018 interview with TMZ. He later clarified that, in saying slavery was a choice, he meant "we can make our own reality" PA Wire/PA Images They have this moment where they put you they handcuff you, they drug you, they put you on the bed, and they separate you from everyone you know, the rapper said. Thats something that I am so happy that I experienced myself so I can start by changing that moment. West revealed the impact not taking prescribed medication for a mental health condition can have on ones state of mind. Recommended Kim Kardashian announces name of fourth child If you dont take medication every day to keep you at a certain state, you have a potential to ramp up and it can take you to a point where you can even end up in a hospital, the 41-year-old said. And you start acting erratic, as TMZ would put it," he stated, referencing the US tabloid news website. West went on to discuss the stigma of crazy that surrounds mental health issues, comparing suffering from a mental health issue to having a sprained brain. This is like a sprained brain, like having a sprained ankle. And if someone has a sprained ankle, youre not going to push on him more, he stated. West first opened up about his mental condition when promoting his new album Ye in June 2018, describing his bipolar disorder as a superpower in song Yikes. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Later that year, the 21-time Grammy Award winner revealed while speaking with US president Donald Trump that his initial bipolar diagnosis had not been accurate. According to West, a doctor had informed him that he was actually suffering from sleep deprivation. However, in a recent interview with Vogue, West's wife Kim Kardashian-West said that he had once again accepted his bipolar diagnosis amid conflicting assessments from medical professionals. I think were in a pretty good place with it now, the reality star and entrepreneur said. You contact the Mind helpline by calling 0300 123 3393, emailing info@mind.org.uk or texting 86463. The helpline is open 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday except on bank holidays. Boris Johnson faces trial for allegedly lying and misleading the British public about the consequences of Brexit. A judge summonsed the Conservative MP to appear in court after a member of the public launched a private prosecution over claims EU membership was costing the UK 350m a week. District Judge Margot Coleman threw out arguments by Mr Johnsons lawyers that the case was a vexatious attempt to undermine the result of the 2016 referendum. A written judgment handed down on Wednesday said: Having considered all the relevant factors, I am satisfied that this is a proper case to issue the summons as requested for the three offences [of misconduct in a public office]. The charges are indictable only. This means the proposed defendant will be required to attend this court for a preliminary hearing, and the case will then be sent to the crown court for trial. Who is standing to be the next prime minister? Show all 3 1 /3 Who is standing to be the next prime minister? Who is standing to be the next prime minister? Boris Johnson - 157 votes PA Who is standing to be the next prime minister? Michael Gove - 61 votes Getty Who is standing to be the next prime minister? Jeremy Hunt - 59 votes PA Mr Johnson denies misconduct in a public office, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Marcus Ball, 29, raised more than 200,000 through crowdfunding campaigns in order to lodge a private prosecution against Mr Johnson. A Westminster Magistrates Court hearing earlier this month heard that the former foreign secretary used the platforms and opportunities offered to him by virtue of his public office to endorse claims that EU membership was costing the UK 350m a week. Lewis Power QC, a lawyer representing Mr Ball, told the court Mr Johnson had deliberately misled the public during the EU referendum campaign and then repeated the statement during the 2017 general election. At the time of the alleged offences, Mr Johnson held public office as the mayor of London and MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip. Mr Power said: Democracy demands responsible and honest leadership from those in public office. The conduct of the proposed defendant Boris Johnson was both irresponsible and dishonest. It was, we say, criminal. Mr Power said the prosecutions application was not brought to undermine the result of the Brexit referendum and was not about what could have been done with the saved money. He told the court: The UK has never sent, given or provided 350m a week to Europe that statement is simply not ambiguous. The claim featured on Leave campaign buses The prosecution is not about Brexit. The only relevance to Brexit is that it was during the Brexit referendum Mr Johnson chose to mislead the public. The ruling detailed evidence that Mr Johnsons chief of staff at City Hall informed workers it was official mayoral policy to support the case for leaving the EU in 2016. The applicants case is there is ample evidence that the proposed defendant knew that the statements were false, it continued. One example is given that in a televised interview in May 2016 the proposed defendant [Mr Johnson] stated, we send the EU 10bn per year and that therefore he knew that the 350m per week figure (20bn per year) was incorrect. Mr Johnson did not attend the hearing earlier this month but his lawyer, Adrian Darbishire QC, said his client denied acting dishonestly. It is absolutely denied by Mr Johnson that he acted in an improper or dishonest manner at any time, he added. A summary of Mr Darbishires arguments claimed Vote Leaves 350m-a-week claim which was displayed on the side of a bus was based on information that was freely available to all. No allegation is made, nor could any be made, that Mr Johnson adopted or commended that figure for any purpose other than in the course of a contested political campaign, he added. Boris Johnson, the former foreign secretary and London mayor, is running as Tory leader (AFP/Getty) As with very many claims made in political campaigns, it was challenged, contradicted and criticised. Mr Darbishire claimed the private prosecution was brought for political purposes ... it is a [political] stunt seeking to undermine the referendum result. Judge Coleman ruled that the application was not vexatious, finding that although there may have been a political purpose to these proceedings when they were first considered in 2016, that argument, in my view, is no longer pertinent. She found that there was prima facie evidence of potential misconduct in a public office but added: The allegations which have been made are unproven accusations and I do not make any findings of fact. The ruling stated that although there is no obligation on the court to give written reasons why an application for a summons is granted, this is an unusual and exceptional application with a considerable public interest and it is right that full reasons are provided. Mr Johnson is currently the bookies favourite to become leader of the Conservative Party and succeed Theresa May as prime minister. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said it currently has no involvement in the case. A spokesperson added: It is an established principle that anybody has the right to bring a private prosecution. The CPS has published legal guidance on the circumstances in which we may take over any private prosecution and either continue or discontinue as required. Our decisions are based on whether our legal test is met. Letter bombs that were posted across the UK this year in a campaign claimed by the New IRA are linked to explosive packages sent to British Army recruitment centres in 2014, police have revealed. Four packages containing incendiary devices were sent to locations in London and Glasgow in March, while a fifth device was discovered at a postal depot in Ireland. They sparked security alerts and evacuations at Heathrow, London City Airport, Waterloo railway station and the University of Glasgow. Only one device partially detonated, bursting into flames in an office building near Heathrow airport, and no one was seriously injured. Scotland Yard said forensic analysis demonstrated particular similarities between the devices and the methodology with packages sent to British Army recruitment centres five years ago. Suspicious packages delivered to various locations in Britain Show all 7 1 /7 Suspicious packages delivered to various locations in Britain Suspicious packages delivered to various locations in Britain An improvised explosive device that was sent to The Compass Centre at London Heathrow Airport. The package burst into flames upon opening AFP/Getty Suspicious packages delivered to various locations in Britain An improvised explosive device that was sent to London City Airport AFP/Getty Suspicious packages delivered to various locations in Britain An improvised explosive device that was sent to London's Waterloo train station AFP/Getty Suspicious packages delivered to various locations in Britain Emergency responders are seen outside Glasgow University after a suspicious package was found Lilli Schlossbach/Reuters Suspicious packages delivered to various locations in Britain Counter-terror police investigated a suspicious package at Heathrow on Tuesday 5 March AP Suspicious packages delivered to various locations in Britain London's Waterloo station was closed after a suspicious package was found on Tuesday 5 March PA Suspicious packages delivered to various locations in Britain Counter-terror police investigated a suspicious package at London City Airport on Tuesday 5 March PA That campaign, which was also claimed by the New IRA, was the first of its kind in almost a decade. Explosive packages were sent to locations in Oxford, Brighton, Canterbury, Slough, Aldershot, Reading and an RAF careers office in Kent. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dean Haydon, the senior national coordinator for UK counterterror policing, said: Our inquiries continue, but clearly a key element of the investigation now is the link between the devices previously sent in 2014, and the five sent earlier this year. As with any investigation, we will be led by the evidence, but at this stage, our principal line of inquiry is that the devices were sent by a violent dissident republican group. The devices that were sent not only put their intended recipients in danger, but also endangered the lives of all those who handled and processed the parcels both in the Republic of Ireland as well as the UK. This was an extremely dangerous and reckless act and I would urge anyone who may have information about those responsible to contact police. No arrests have yet been made, amid fresh concern about rising New IRA activity. The group, which was formed in 2012 by the Real IRA and several armed republican vigilante factions, detonated a large car bomb in Derry in January and admitted accidentally shooting journalist Lyra McKee dead during riots in April. Police at Glasgow University follow suspicious package evacuation Police have issued advice urging postal services, transport hubs and universities to be on the alert for new letter bombs a tactic dating back to the Provisional IRAs terror campaigns in the 1970s. Detectives are appealing to hear from any postal workers who may have come into contact with the devices between 1 March and 22 March. You may have information that could help us with our investigation and it would also help with our forensic inquiries to be able to eliminate anyone who may have innocently come into contact with any of the five parcels after they were posted, Mr Haydon said. Three of the packages were discovered at Waterloo railway station, Heathrow and London City Airport on 5 March, and a fourth at the University of Glasgow the following day. On 22 March, a fifth package was recovered at a postal depot in Limerick in the Republic of Ireland. The only package that detonated was one sent to Heathrow airport (Getty) Investigators believe the package failed to reach its intended destination in the UK and was returned to the National Return Letter Centre the depot for all undeliverable mail in Ireland. A photograph of the fifth package showed it was addressed to Charing Cross, which is both a road junction and railway station in London. The New IRAs claim of responsibility said three parcel bombs were sent to commercial targets while the remaining two were directed to British army recruitment offices. Police said the packages were all A4-sized white postal bags and contained small improvised explosive devices that were capable of igniting an initially small fire when opened. They had been posted from the Republic of Ireland, with false senders addresses in Dublin written on the outside. The identical packages were addressed by hand, with stamps from a limited 2018 Valentines Day range produced by Irelands An Post service, featuring the words Love Eire. Anyone with information is asked to contact UK police in confidence by calling 0800 789 321 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. A man who was allegedly seen swinging a live duckling around before eventually trading it for a cigarette has been arrested. Witnesses said the yellow fluffy bird obviously scared when he entered a charity shop in Loughborough on Tuesday morning. As concerned people asked him to hand it over he swore at them, refused and said the animal was his, and that hed been on the train and night bus with it, witnesses told the Leicester Mercury newspaper. He was off his face and as he walked in he nearly fell onto the floor," said Rachel Wade, a teacher at Loughborough College. "He smelled strongly of alcohol and the woman working in the shop was trying to get him to leave." I saw the duck, which was still young yellow and fluffy and was obviously scared. I said to him: Its crying, why dont I take it back to its mum. But he just swore at me and told me I couldnt have it. As he left the shop and wandered along the road I started calling the police and thats when he started to swing the baby duck. The UK's top birds 2018 Show all 10 1 /10 The UK's top birds 2018 The UK's top birds 2018 10. Chaffinch Down one place on last year. Birdwatch has released this year's rankings for the most frequently spotted birds in the UK. Results were collected from 420,489 British birdspotters Getty The UK's top birds 2018 9. Long-tailed tit Up one place on last year Getty The UK's top birds 2018 8. Robin Redbreast Down one place on last year Getty The UK's top birds 2018 7. Great Tit Up one place on last year Getty The UK's top birds 2018 6. Goldfinch In the same place as last year Pierre Dalous The UK's top birds 2018 5. Woodpigeon In the same place as last year Getty The UK's top birds 2018 4. Blackbird Down one place on last year Getty The UK's top birds 2018 3. Blue tit Up one place on last year Getty The UK's top birds 2018 2. Starling In the same place as last year Getty The UK's top birds 2018 1. House sparrow In the same place as last year Getty As more people told him to give up the duckling. the man became aggressive, shaking and swinging the animal about, Ms Wade said. Eventually the man said he would swap the duckling for a cigarette. A woman nearby had one and gave it to him, at which point he immediately dropped the duckling. Ms Wade picked up the duckling and together with the woman who had provided the cigarette, they took the duckling to the park. I was hoping to find its mother but I couldnt see any others. It wandered off and I hope its okay. It was a beautiful little duck, she said. Leicestershire Police confirmed a man had been arrested and charged following the incident. A spokesman said officers were called out "about concern over the treatment of a duck." He added: Officers attended and a male was arrested. Samuel Phillips, 26, of Mansfield was charged with being drunk and disorderly in public place. He was bailed and is due to appear in Leicester Magistrates Court on 18 June. The RSPCA recommends lost ducklings whose mothers are unable to find them after two hours are brought to a wildlife centre. They are the much-derided 30-year-old trains that have become a symbol of all that is wrong with the UKs embattled railway network. But it seems Pacers politely called workhorses by rail bosses; known as buses on rails by everyone else may be given a new lease of life after they are finally retired from the countrys lines this summer. Government proposals suggest carriages literally reconfigured bus chassis could now be transformed into village halls and community eateries. Officials with the Department for Transport have launched a campaign asking for ideas on how best to reuse the 100-strong fleet, saying that community spaces, cafes or new village halls were the sort of proposals they had in mind. Launching the scheme, rail minister Andrew Jones said: Through this competition we can ensure that the Pacer can be transformed to serve a community near where it carried passengers in an entirely different way. What we need now are creative and exciting proposals from the public, alongside ideas from businesses keen to support this competition, as we say goodbye to Pacers on our railway. The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature Show all 40 1 /40 The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature Colourful British Rail Trailblazers Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature A famous front for young persons Train Travel Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature A Colourful Choice of Railway Tickets in 1983 Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature A trip to see Lady Diana's wedding Flyer 1981 Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature Celebrating 150 years of passenger Railways 1975 Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature Days out from Derby Godfrey Holmes/Midland Advertising The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature Colourful Freedom of Scotland 1981-82 Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature British Rail Summer Trains 1980 Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature Cambrian coast Godfrey Holmes/Welsh Tourist Board The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature Colourful Britainshrinkers 1981 Godfrey Holmes/Brian Little The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature Advertising the new Family Railcards Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature Beeching's inter-city 21 Years Old in 1987 Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature Chance to say goodbye to one of Britain's first diesels Early 1980s Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature Landslide Godfrey Holmes/Serco Abello The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature Colourful Discovering Scotland ..before privatization Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature Day Trips to Worcester Flyer 1983 Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature Exploring the Highlands 1981 Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature Jolly Fishermen Trains 1978 Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature London Coastway in 1984 Thin paper used for Leaflet Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature Merrymakers in the South-West 1980 Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature Northeast England Merrymakers 1981 Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature Paytrains A brave effort to beat the Beeching Axe - Rural Lines Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature Railrovers with a famous front man 1981 Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature Railway Outings 1976 Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature Railways around Leicester Early 1980s, produced on very thin paper Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature Ride Dorset 1978 Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature Runabout Rovers in British rail days Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature Saturday Round Robins Mid 1970s Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature Sleeper leaflet Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature Special holiday trains Running from Nottingham in 1977 Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature Steam allowed back in the 1980s Scarborough Specials Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature The Hallam Line Tiny timetable, 1984 Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature The short-lived Humberail branding 1981 Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature Very Modern Wherry Lines, 2010 When National Express ran Railways too Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature White Rose Harrogate Circle, 1975-76 Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature Yorkshire Rangers 1970s Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature A brand new 125 Train comes into service Early 1980s Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature A colourful freedom of Scotland From 1981 to 1982 Godfrey Holmes The joy of collecting ephemeral railway literature A colourful way to the continent The Harwich Ferry preceding Eurostar Godfrey Holmes Jake Berry, minister for the northern powerhouse, added: Replacing Pacers with a brand new fleet of trains is not just great news for passengers, it now provides this exciting opportunity for our grassroots community groups across the north to bring people together through this competition. I travelled to school on a Pacer train and I look forward to getting on board again to see how these old carriages will continue to provide a valuable service for many years to come. But the idea was given short shrift by MPs whose constituents have long complained about the trains. Jonathan Reynolds, Labour member for Stalybridge and Hyde, told the Manchester Evening News: I am not sure my constituents will agree that this is an exciting opportunity, unless one of them is turned into a museum dedicated to highlighting years of under-investment in northern transport. My personal suggestion would be to invite my fed up constituents to dismantle them piece by piece, a bit like when the Berlin Wall came down. Pacer trains are operated primarily by Northern Rail and Arriva Trains Wales, and are often deployed on busy commuter routes into cities including Sheffield, Leeds, Manchester, Lincoln and York, as well as on the Merseyrail network. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The fleet is to be phased out by the end of the year and replaced with 101 new trains worth 500m. The male leader of the far-right group Britain First has been secretly recorded admitting to attacking his female former deputy. Paul Golding is heard saying he assaulted both Jayda Fransen and another woman in the audio obtained by the BBC. Ms Fransen who was in a relationship with the 37-year-old for a period has since confirmed the allegations are true. She said the violence continued for roughly four-and-a-half-years until she quit the group at the start of 2019. The revelations were made as part of an investigation into Britains First increased activity in Northern Ireland. Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Britain First: the far-right group in pictures A demonstrator with 'Bring back the rope!' sign during a Britain First Rotherham demonstration in 2015 Rex Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen lead a Britain First demonstration in Rochdale on 22 July, 2017 Rex Britain First: the far-right group in pictures In 2016 they staged a small counter demo at Eros. UN Anti Racism, Refugees Welcome march and rally through central London. Rex Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Here a supporter kisses a badge reading " Speak English or Fuck off " on the jacket of a man at a Britain First demonstration in Telford on 25 February, 2017 Rex Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Britain First lead a demonstration in Dudley with a sign reading 'Britain First. No more Mosques!' in 2015 Alamy Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen, the leader and deputy leader of far-right group Britain First were charged with causing religiously aggravated harassment in 2016 PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Following the Westminster terror attack on parliament in March 2017, Britain First and EDL protesters marched through central London. AFP/Getty Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Many of the protesters reacted along the route during the Britain First and EDL demonstration held on 1 April, 2017 PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Members of the Britain First group and the English Defence League rallied in central London in on seperate marches entitled a "March Against Terrorism" and "We Are Not Afriad" following the terror attack on Westminster Bridge and the British Parliament AFP/Getty Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Paul Golding reacts whilst he leads the protest PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Britain First and EDL protesters both marched on the same day PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures One protester during the march held a sign reading 'Political correctness + migration = chaos' on 1 April, 2017 PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures Protesters held placards during the protest calling for Britain First leader, Paul Golding, to be mayor Getty Britain First: the far-right group in pictures At a Birmingham Britain First protest in June 2017, supporters had to be contained by police, where an estimated 250 supporters of the party were escorted. PA Britain First: the far-right group in pictures 'Britain First' held a rally in November in support of their leaders Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen, who had to sign in at Bromley Police Station as part of their bail conditions. Rex Over the last 18 months, the group has targeted support in the province and has set up its headquarters in Belfast. In the secret recordings made in December 2015 but first aired on Tuesday night Ms Fransen, 33, repeatedly challenges Mr Golding about the fact he has assaulted her. He never contradicts her claims. In one excerpt, the pair discuss an attempted assault that Mr Golding had apparently carried out on Ms Fransen earlier that day. Mr Golding says: "What happened this morning...you weren't innocent." Ms Fransen replies: "I didn't come near you. You tried to come at me, tried to hit me, you said you were going to kill me and threw a bottle of drink at my face." Mr Golding says: "Driving someone mentally crazy is just as bad as physical." Ms Fransen asks if he said the same thing to another woman who it is suggested he used to physically hit. Seconds later, Mr Golding is heard saying: The only girls I lay a finger on in my life is [name of woman withheld] and you." The investigation aired on the corporations Spotlight current affairs show also included CCTV footage of Mr Golding fighting with a former Britain First member in a Belfast street in December. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Both Mr Golding and Ms Fransen were convicted for hate crimes last year. He was jailed for 18 weeks, while she received a 36-week sentence. The man himself declined to comment but told the programme: "I have been advised to warn you that any libel or defamation will result in legal proceedings." The Independent has contacted Britain First for comment. A Saudi Arabian human rights activist who sought refuge in the UK has launched a legal claim accusing his country's government of hacking his phones. Ghanem al-Dosari believes two of his iPhones were corrupted with spyware that enabled agents to extract communications data and access microphones and cameras. A letter was delivered to the Saudi Arabian embassy in London launching a legal claim against the country's government. It alleges that he was harassed and had his private information stolen. In June 2018, Mr al-Dosari clicked on links from text messages that appeared to have come from a reputable courier company and news service, it said. He noticed that the two phones he used suddenly stopped software updates and began. losing battery life quickly. An analyst later found that malware had been downloaded, it said. 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Show all 10 1 /10 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In October 2014, three lawyers, Dr Abdulrahman al-Subaihi, Bander al-Nogaithan and Abdulrahman al-Rumaih , were sentenced to up to eight years in prison for using Twitter to criticize the Ministry of Justice. AFP/Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In March 2015, Yemens Sunni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi was forced into exile after a Shia-led insurgency. A Saudi Arabia-led coalition has responded with air strikes in order to reinstate Mr Hadi. It has since been accused of committing war crimes in the country. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Women who supported the Women2Drive campaign, launched in 2011 to challenge the ban on women driving vehicles, faced harassment and intimidation by the authorities. The government warned that women drivers would face arrest. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Members of the Kingdoms Shia minority, most of whom live in the oil-rich Eastern Province, continue to face discrimination that limits their access to government services and employment. Activists have received death sentences or long prison terms for their alleged participation in protests in 2011 and 2012. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses All public gatherings are prohibited under an order issued by the Interior Ministry in 2011. Those defy the ban face arrest, prosecution and imprisonment on charges such as inciting people against the authorities. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses In March 2014, the Interior Ministry stated that authorities had deported over 370,000 foreign migrants and that 18,000 others were in detention. Thousands of workers were returned to Somalia and other states where they were at risk of human rights abuses, with large numbers also returned to Yemen, in order to open more jobs to Saudi Arabians. Many migrants reported that prior to their deportation they had been packed into overcrowded makeshift detention facilities where they received little food and water and were abused by guards. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses The Saudi Arabian authorities continue to deny access to independent human rights organisations like Amnesty International, and they have been known to take punitive action, including through the courts, against activists and family members of victims who contact Amnesty. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Raif Badawi was sentenced to 1000 lashes and 10 years in prison for using his liberal blog to criticise Saudi Arabias clerics. He has already received 50 lashes, which have reportedly left him in poor health. Carsten Koall/Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Dawood al-Marhoon was arrested aged 17 for participating in an anti-government protest. After refusing to spy on his fellow protestors, he was tortured and forced to sign a blank document that would later contain his confession. At Dawoods trial, the prosecution requested death by crucifixion while refusing him a lawyer. Getty Images 10 examples of Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses Ali Mohammed al-Nimr was arrested in 2012 aged either 16 or 17 for participating in protests during the Arab spring. His sentence includes beheading and crucifixion. The international community has spoken out against the punishment and has called on Saudi Arabia to stop. He is the nephew of a prominent government dissident. Getty Analysis by the University of Torontos Citizen Lab found that the malicious texts had led to internet domains associated with Pegasus spyware, which is owned by the Israeli surveillance company NSO Group. Mr al-Dosaris lawyers said that analysts concluded with a high degree of confidence that the state responsible was Saudi Arabia. They said the operator found to have sent the spyware to Mr al-Dosari also targeted two other Saudi dissidents, an Amnesty International researcher working on Saudi issues and individuals within the middle eastern country itself. Mr al-Dosari previously told The Independent how he was attacked by Saudi men shouting abuse outside Harrods in August last year. He has received death threats and abuse over his satirical YouTube videos ridiculing the Saudi royals, and was granted asylum after seeking refuge in the UK in 2003. Mr al-Dosari believes he was spied on because of his criticism and because the Saudi government does not like to be laughed at. I left Saudi Arabia to get away from its oppressive government, however, I believe their extensive reach has followed me here, he said. I am bringing this case to get justice in this country, because no one in Saudi Arabia would be able to make a legal case against the royal family. Everyone should have a right to their privacy and be able to live their lives freely, without interference or intimidation. It is not only my privacy that has been invaded, it is also the privacy of my family and friends and those that come to me for help to tell their stories from inside the country. Ghanem al-Dosari's YouTube channel, the Ghanem Show, frequently mocks the Saudi government and has hundreds of millions of views Mr al-Dosaris YouTube videos have been viewed more than 200 million times on his channel, the Ghanem Show. They have sparked numerous hostile posts and blogs. Many of his videos target the Saudi government and he has nicknamed Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman the tubby teddy bear. Mr al-Dosari joined protests outside the countrys London embassy in the wake of the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October and accused the Saudi government of involvement. Canadian-based dissident Omar Abdulaziz, a friend of Mr al-Dosaris who had been in contact with Mr Khashoggi, also claimed his phone was also hacked using Pegasus spyware and is suing NSO in Israel. WhatsApp recently urged users to update its app after discovering a vulnerability allowing NSO spyware to infect devices. Lawyers representing Mr al-Dosari are seeking damages, costs, a public apology from Saudi Arabia, disclosure of who acted on its behalf and the return of allegedly stolen data. Solicitor Astrid Perry said: The widespread abuse of these invasive technologies creates a climate of fear and repression and ultimately leads to a loss of freedom for us all. My client believes he was targeted for the simple reason that he seeks to hold those in power to account. He should be free to live his life in the UK without interference and intimidation from Saudi Arabia. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Martyn Day, a senior partner at Leigh Day added: It is important that we use the laws that have been put in place to protect people in Britain from harassment and invasion of their privacy to defend against foreign regimes who seek to use technology unlawfully. NSA Group declined to comment on the case, but has previously said that its technology is licensed to authorised government intelligence and law enforcement agencies to investigate terrorists and criminals. The Saudi Arabian embassy in London has not responded to The Independents request for comment. Allies of Boris Johnson have denounced the move to summons him to court to face allegations that he lied to the public during the 2016 EU referendum when he claimed the UK handed 350m a week to Brussels. The frontrunner in the Conservative leadership contest may face trial for allegedly lying and misleading the British public about the consequences of Brexit. But an aide said that the crowd-funded private prosecution, brought by campaigner Marcus Ball, was nothing less than a politically-motivated attempt to reverse Brexit and crush the will of the people. And rivals in the race to succeed Theresa May as prime minister voiced concern that the prosecution might have a chilling impact on the democratic debate. Marcus Ball founded the Brexit Justice campaign (Sandra Vijandi) (Image: Sandra Vijandi) District judge Margot Coleman today summoned Mr Johnson to attend Westminster Magistrates Court to face three charges of misconduct in public office, which he denies. In a ruling, she said that court will hold a preliminary hearing and the case will then be sent to the crown court for trial. A member of Mr Johnsons camp said: The claimant has openly admitted that his plan is to overturn the referendum via a legal challenge and he clearly intends to try and undermine the one man who can truly deliver Brexit. The decision to issue a summons is extraordinary, and flies in the face of hundreds of years of British democratic tradition. Jacob Rees-Mogg, who is backing Boris Johnson for Tory leader, said: It is trying to use the courts to achieve a political end which, I think, is neither right or proper. This is involving the courts in something that is not their area. We need courts and politicians to respect each other, and it is an abuse of process, and a troubling one. It has been brought by people who are resentful of the referendum result. Dominic Raab worried about timing of Boris Johnson's legal case Leadership candidate Dominic Raab, who joined Mr Johnson in campaigning for Leave during the 2016 referendum, told ITV News: I do worry a little about the timing of this as a private prosecution, and the sense that the cut and thrust of democratic debate ought to be decided by your viewers, rather than in court. And I think that in order to preserve free speech and democratic debate thats something we should all think carefully and consider. Asked if he would be willing to go to court to defend the former foreign secretarys use of the 350m figure, he said: I answered all these questions at the time. I think we made the case on the basis of net contribution. The gross contribution was 350m a week, and I think this is the stuff of democratic debate. Of course no one has presented me with any legal challenge in relation to what I specifically said during that referendum campaign. Another contender for the leadership, Matt Hancock, said: However people voted in the referendum, we shouldnt have courts judging on political debates. Lets have robust debate to test arguments and keep courts out of politics. Liberal Democrat MP Sir Ed Davey, a supporter of the Best for Britain campaign for a second Brexit referendum, said: Boris Johnson facing court is a sideshow we need a Final Say vote on Brexit so that we can prevent the catastrophe he started. Brussels is moving to break up the team that negotiated Theresa Mays Brexit deal, in the most concrete sign yet that the EU has absolutely no intention of reopening talks on the treaty. Sabine Weyand, the brains behind the withdrawal agreement, will be leaving the European Commissions Article 50 taskforce next week to start a new job running the EUs trade department. Ms Weyands departure comes as Michel Barnier, the EUs chief negotiator, was named by French president Emmanuel Macron as someone who might make a good next president of the commission suggesting that he too may also soon be moving to a different role. While EU officials say Taskforce 50 has not been officially disbanded and still exists, the departure represents a move of resources to other areas. It is understood that there is no plan to replace Ms Weyand, who was deputy chief negotiator and who has an intimate working knowledge of the negotiations. On Tuesday evening, Jean-Claude Juncker said he was crystal clear that there would be no more renegotiation, reiterating a commission line that he has held since October last year but apparently fallen on deaf ears in Westminster. Recommended Tory leadership candidates told there will be no Brexit renegotiation But despite the unambiguous message emanating from Brussels, most Tory leadership candidates are still standing on platforms of reopening negotiations on the withdrawal agreement, which MPs rejected three times. An attempt by Ms May to bring the deal back for a fourth vote in the House of Commons set in motion a chain of events that resulted in her announcing he resignation precipitating the current leadership contest. The move of Ms Weyand to be the boss of the Directorate General for Trade means that were the UK to accept the withdrawal agreement, it would also face her in negotiating its future trade deal with the EU the next phase of talks. She will also oversee the negotiation of trade deals with the rest of the world in the post because it is not Brexit-specific. Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Show all 30 1 /30 Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Pro-Brexit leave the European Union supporters attend a rally in Parliament Square after the final leg of the "March to Leave" in London AP Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit The protest march which started on March 16 in Sunderland, north east England, finished on what was the original date for Brexit to happen before the recent extension Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit AP Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit PA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit EPA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter sips a can of Stella in protests outside of the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Dedicated anti-Brexit campaigner Steve Bray and likewise pro-Brexit campaigner Joseph Afrane go head to head near the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A pro-Brexit marching band in Parliament Square Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Remain supporters wave EU flags from a bus in Parliament Square PA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter shouts slogans outside parliament EPA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter protests outside parliament Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter protests outside of the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters protest outside of the Houses of Parliament REUTERS Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A pro-Brexit flag is waved in Parliament Square AP Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit The March to Leave nears the Houses of Parliament Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit protester holds a sign outside parliament EPA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters carry the coffin of democracy AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters march outside parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters take part in the March to Leave protest in London PA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters protest outside parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter holds a sign outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A man holds satirical paintings of politicians Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit An pro-Brexit float on the March to Leave march in London Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Far-right activist Tommy Robinson addresses protesters outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Tommy Robinson supporter arrives at the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A jogger gestures rudely at a Brexit supporter outside of the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament PA Mr Barnier tweeted: Congrats to Sabine Weyand on her appointment as new Director-General of Trade! Thanks for your hard work and commitment throughout these extraordinary Brexit negotiations. Working together with you has been a privilege. Our team continues work on UKs orderly withdrawal. A spokesperson for the European Commission said: The taskforce remains operational. Michel Barnier remains our chief negotiator for Article 50 and there is no ongoing procedure for appointing anyone else in Sabines place. Schoolchildren and hospital patients could be fed lamb chops in the event of a no-deal Brexit, a Conservative leadership candidate has said. Kit Malthouse, the housing minister, said thousands of tons of British "sheep meat" that are currently exported could instead be bought by the government and sent to schools and hospitals if the EU refuses to delay Brexit further. The Eurosceptic minister joined the Tory leadership race on Monday, promising to bring "fresh new ideas" to the debate. He raised eyebrows in one of his first interviews as a candidate, telling LBC he wanted to ensure that lamb meat "ends up on British dining room tables" and in schools and hospitals. Asked what preparations he would make for no deal, he said: "I represent rural North West Hampshire and I have quite a lot of sheep farmers in my constituency - beautiful rolling downs. Something like 80,000 tonnes of sheep meat is exported every year. Now if we go out with no deal, they think that will be significantly affected, so what do we say to them? Do we say, look, what can we do to make sure that the lamb ends up on to British dining room tables - it probably equates to something like four to five lamb chops per person per year. Could we use it in hospitals and in schools or could we compensate farmers for any damage that might be caused? Recommended James Cleverly becomes eleventh MP to enter Tory leadership race "If we're going to go over the line we need to have these contingencies in place and we need to be honest with ourselves about where the impact is going to come." Mr Malthouse said it was important that the government was "transparent" about the preparations being made for no-deal and claimed that, under Ms May's leadership, ministers had been too "shy" in doing so. He added: 'We need to have a proper conversation with those industries that are going to be significantly affected by no deal. Those people who say it's going to be a catastrophe are wrong, those people who say it's going to be a walk in the park are wrong too. It will be somewhere in between." The housing minister suggested the UK may be forced into leaving without a deal if the EU refuses to extend Brexit beyond 31 October. He said: "We need to be realistic about no deal and recognise that it's not just our decision. The EU may decide to choose no deal on our behalf and in fact just last week [French] President Macron said he would not allow us to go beyond 31 October come what may." As the leadership race stepped up a gear, several candidates signed a pledge promising to keep the campaign "clean" and not launch personal attacks on their rivals. Matt Hancock, Dominic Raab and Sajid Javid announced they had jointly signed the pledge, but were quickly accused of dirty tricks when it emerged that they had not asked other candidates to join them in doing so. Cliffs of Dover lit up in Brexit protest Show all 5 1 /5 Cliffs of Dover lit up in Brexit protest Cliffs of Dover lit up in Brexit protest Campaign group Led By Donkeys projected this statement by Nigel Farage on the Cliffs of Dover on the evening of April 4 @ByDonkeys / Twitter Cliffs of Dover lit up in Brexit protest Campaign group Led By Donkeys projected this statement by former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab on the Cliffs of Dover on the evening of April 4 @ByDonkeys / Twitter Cliffs of Dover lit up in Brexit protest Campaign group Led By Donkeys projected this message to the EU on the Cliffs of Dover on the evening of April 4 @ByDonkeys / Twitter Cliffs of Dover lit up in Brexit protest Campaign group Led By Donkeys projected this message on the Cliffs of Dover on the evening of April 4 @ByDonkeys / Twitter Cliffs of Dover lit up in Brexit protest Campaign group Led By Donkeys projected this message on the Cliffs of Dover on the evening of April 4 @ByDonkeys / Twitter Mr Hancock also caused a stir by criticising Boris Johnson, widely seen as the frontrunner in the race, over his previous comments on business. Mr Johnson reportedly exclaimed "f*** business" last year when asked about industry concerns about a no-deal Brexit, although his team insisted he had been referring to business representatives rather than actual companies. Mr Hancock told the Financial Times: To the people who say 'f*** business;, I say f*** ;f*** business;. We talked about it before we came to explain the meaning of the day, Moody said. Three Conservative leadership candidates have been accused of playing a "cheap trick" after signing a joint a pledge promising a "clean" campaign. Dominic Raab, Sajid Javid and Matt Hancock vowed not to attack other candidates personally and to stick to campaigning rules, amid concerns that the hotly contested race could deepen Tory divisions. But the move triggered an immediate backlash after other candidates said they had not been invited to join the pledge. Mr Hancock had also attacked Mr Johnson hours earlier over the former foreign secretary's past comments on business. The pledge, posted by Mr Raab on Twitter, included promises to "not speak ill of my fellow Conservatives", "not engage in personality attacks on others" and "stick strictly to the spending limits" In an apparent dig at Mr Johnson, who has been the subject of a supportive advertising campaign run by the owner of the Guido Fawkes website, they also promised "not to allow third parties to spend money on online advertising to support my candidacy". But Conservative MP Steve Baker, a prominent Brexiteer who is considering joining the leadership race, suggested the pledge was a "cheap trick". Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Show all 9 1 /9 Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Boris Johnson Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson has long been hopeful, he previously stood in the leadership contest that followed the Brexit vote and has at many times since been thought to be maneuvering himself towards the goal. He remains a darling of the party's right wing, particularly those in the ERG, and is the most popular choice among Tory voters but his leadership bid would be fiercely opposed by many MPs PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Michael Gove Environment secretary Michael Gove is another member who has long wanted to be leader. He has lately been known for rousing his party in the commons, his recent speeches on the Brexit deal and Labour's no confidence motion have overshadowed the Prime Minister's. He has been loyal to the Prime Minister, partly to shed his reputation as a backstabber who abandoned Boris Johnson to stand against him in the 2016 leadership election Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Dominic Raab Former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab has emerged as a favourite to be the Brexiteer candidate in a contest to succeed to Ms May. He displayed a grip on detail in his role as Brexit secretary. When asked recently if he would like to become prime minister he replied "never say never" Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Rory Stewart International development secretary Rory Stewart is pitching himself as the sensible candidate, promising to rule out both a second referendum and a no-deal Brexit. He was only recently promoted to the cabinet, previously serving as prisons minister, where he caught headlines with a pledge to resign if he could not reduce levels of violence within a year PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Esther McVey The former work and pensions secretary announced that she will be standing for the leadership when May leaves. McVey is the first to explicitly state that she intends to stand. She resigned from the cabinet in protest over May's Brexit deal AFP/Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Sajid Javid Home secretary Sajid Javid is said to have a plan in place for a leadership race. He made headlines over Christmas when he declared that people smuggling over the English channel was a "major incident" and more recently when he revoked the citizenship of ISIS bride Shamima Begum. Son of a bus driver, he wants the Conservatives to be seen as the party of social mobility PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Jeremy Hunt Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt was recently thought to be the favourite in the event of a leadership race as he could sell himself as the man to unite the party. Critics worry that his long stint as health secretary could return to haunt him at a general election. He has reportedly been holding meetings with Tory MPs over breakfast to promote his leadership PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Andrea Leadsom Following the Prime Minister's second defeat over her Brexit deal, Leader of the house Andrea Leadsom hosted a dinner party at which "leadership was the only topic of conversation", The Times heard. Leadsom ran against Theresa May in the 2016 leadership election before dropping out, allowing May to become Prime Minister AFP/Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Priti Patel Former international development secretary Priti Patel is thought to be positioning herself as a contender. One MP told The Independent "she knows she's from the right of the party, the part which is going to choose the next leader, so she's reminding everyone she's there." Patel left the government late in 2017 after it emerged that she had held undisclosed meetings with Israeli officials PA He tweeted Mr Raab, Mr Javid and Mr Hancock asking: "Did you ask the other declared candidates to sign before you published this? I hope so. That cheap trick was played on Andrea Leadsom last time. Hopefully the three of you are better than that." He added: "I am disappointed but not surprised. We can do better than this." At least four of the other candidates are understood to not to have been approached about signing the pledge. Who is standing to be the next prime minister? Show all 3 1 /3 Who is standing to be the next prime minister? Who is standing to be the next prime minister? Boris Johnson - 157 votes PA Who is standing to be the next prime minister? Michael Gove - 61 votes Getty Who is standing to be the next prime minister? Jeremy Hunt - 59 votes PA International development secretary Rory Stewart, who entered the contest last week, tweeted to say he would be "delighted" to sign the declaration and asked for his name to be added. Another candidate, housing minister Kit Malthouse, said: "I'm signing up - I hope all the other candidates will too - we need to unify the party in the spirit of compromise. Hours before signing the pledge, Mr Hancock appeared to have attacked Mr Johnson, who is widely seen as the frontrunner in the contest. Mr Johnson reportedly exclaimed "f*** business" last year when asked about industry concerns about a no-deal Brexit, although his team insisted he had been referring to business representatives rather than actual companies. Mr Hancock told the Financial Times: To the people who say 'f*** business', I say f*** 'f*** business'. The race to succeed Theresa May risks descending into a Nigel Farage lookalike contest, with consequences that could blight the Conservatives electoral prospects for a generation, Michael Heseltine has warned. The former deputy prime minister said the Tories are in danger of being captured by the narrow nationalism and phobia-filled and poisonous politics of Mr Farage, driving away millions of Conservative voters who support a Final Say referendum on EU membership. He warned that if the new prime minister rejects a public vote, he or she will be faced with the bleak alternatives of a harmful no-deal Brexit or a general election which could lead to a Jeremy Corbyn-led government. The peer, who had the Tory whip suspended after voting Liberal Democrat in last weeks European elections, said he would not be silenced or forced into betraying his belief in the EU project. Contenders in the leadership race have taken increasingly hardline positions on Brexit, with Esther McVey stating that the UK should actively embrace withdrawal without agreement and frontrunner Boris Johnson promising to ensure it happens on 31 October, deal or no deal. Newly declared contender James Cleverly said he was "Brexit tooth and claw", though he said no deal was not my preferred destination. Dominic Raab, the former Brexit secretary, told ITV News that he would go back to Brussels to ask the EU to reconsider the alternative arrangements for the Irish border set out in the "Malthouse compromise", and made clear he was ready to go for no deal if they refused. "If its the EU's choice that they're not going to give anything, that they're not going to budge, that they're going to remain stubbornly intransigent, then we must give the public and businesses the finality of saying that we would leave at the end of October, and as prime minister, that's what I would do," said Mr Raab. Dominic Raab said he would be ready to walk away without a deal (ITV News) He said he had pushed for a "more robust" line during negotiations but was "undermined by others in government", with the result that his chances of getting a deal acceptable to parliament were reduced. Mr Raab, Ms McVey, Mr Johnson and Andrea Leadsom have all said they would be prepared to take the UK out of the EU without a deal in October. But Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, warned it would be political suicide. In a speech to mark his appointment as president of independent pressure group the European Movement, Lord Heseltine said he viewed the impending contest with dread. Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Show all 9 1 /9 Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Boris Johnson Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson has long been hopeful, he previously stood in the leadership contest that followed the Brexit vote and has at many times since been thought to be maneuvering himself towards the goal. He remains a darling of the party's right wing, particularly those in the ERG, and is the most popular choice among Tory voters but his leadership bid would be fiercely opposed by many MPs PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Michael Gove Environment secretary Michael Gove is another member who has long wanted to be leader. He has lately been known for rousing his party in the commons, his recent speeches on the Brexit deal and Labour's no confidence motion have overshadowed the Prime Minister's. He has been loyal to the Prime Minister, partly to shed his reputation as a backstabber who abandoned Boris Johnson to stand against him in the 2016 leadership election Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Dominic Raab Former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab has emerged as a favourite to be the Brexiteer candidate in a contest to succeed to Ms May. He displayed a grip on detail in his role as Brexit secretary. When asked recently if he would like to become prime minister he replied "never say never" Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Rory Stewart International development secretary Rory Stewart is pitching himself as the sensible candidate, promising to rule out both a second referendum and a no-deal Brexit. He was only recently promoted to the cabinet, previously serving as prisons minister, where he caught headlines with a pledge to resign if he could not reduce levels of violence within a year PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Esther McVey The former work and pensions secretary announced that she will be standing for the leadership when May leaves. McVey is the first to explicitly state that she intends to stand. She resigned from the cabinet in protest over May's Brexit deal AFP/Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Sajid Javid Home secretary Sajid Javid is said to have a plan in place for a leadership race. He made headlines over Christmas when he declared that people smuggling over the English channel was a "major incident" and more recently when he revoked the citizenship of ISIS bride Shamima Begum. Son of a bus driver, he wants the Conservatives to be seen as the party of social mobility PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Jeremy Hunt Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt was recently thought to be the favourite in the event of a leadership race as he could sell himself as the man to unite the party. Critics worry that his long stint as health secretary could return to haunt him at a general election. He has reportedly been holding meetings with Tory MPs over breakfast to promote his leadership PA Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Andrea Leadsom Following the Prime Minister's second defeat over her Brexit deal, Leader of the house Andrea Leadsom hosted a dinner party at which "leadership was the only topic of conversation", The Times heard. Leadsom ran against Theresa May in the 2016 leadership election before dropping out, allowing May to become Prime Minister AFP/Getty Who could succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader? Priti Patel Former international development secretary Priti Patel is thought to be positioning herself as a contender. One MP told The Independent "she knows she's from the right of the party, the part which is going to choose the next leader, so she's reminding everyone she's there." Patel left the government late in 2017 after it emerged that she had held undisclosed meetings with Israeli officials PA The prospect of a new prime minister being chosen by perhaps little more than 100,000 Conservative Party members in the current circumstances fills me with dread, he said. There will be an arms race in which candidates vie against each other for who can be the most Faragiste. Despite confident assurances from leadership candidate of their intention to renegotiate the withdrawal agreement obtained by Ms May last November, Lord Heseltine said that the new prime minister will soon themselves unable to get a new deal or to persuade the House of Commons to back any form of Brexit. Any attempt in these circumstances to run down the clock to a no-deal Brexit by default on Halloween would be nothing short of a democratic and constitutional outrage, he said. If successful, the consequences for businesses, for young people and for the integrity of the United Kingdom itself would rightly be hung around the neck of the Conservative Party for a generation to come, warned Lord Heseltine. But the alternative of a general election would be similarly bleak, with the Tories potentially forced into alliance with a newly elected cohort of Brexit Party MPs. Nigel Farage says the Brexit Party could 'stun everybody' in a general election The consequence would either be a Tory-led or a Corbyn-led minority hung parliament that would settle nothing, or the prospect of the Conservative Party the party of Disraeli, Churchill, Macmillan and Thatcher in alliance with and captured by the narrow nationalism, phobia-filled and poisonous politics of Nigel Farage, said Lord Heseltine. He added: Today, I want to appeal to every sensible Conservative MP, to potential leadership candidates, even to the Labour leader, not to force Brexit upon us now. I ask them to stand up, to speak out for our democratic right to have our say on Brexit. Whether you want to leave the EU or to stay in, the only way to unlock the Brexit process in parliament, the only way secure a stable majority in parliament, the only way to legitimise the outcome so we can build a lasting settlement in the country is to give the people the final say. A big increase in skilled immigration from outside the EU is needed to plug gaps in key jobs amid considerable Brexit uncertainty, according to an official review for the Home Office. The report from the influential Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) calls on ministers to significantly expand the UKs list of understaffed occupations. It recommends adding roles such as architects, web designers, psychologists and veterinarians for the first time to the list. Other occupations that are already listed should be extended to cover all roles within the category, including medical practitioners, artists and civil engineers, the MACs report added. It calls on ministers to increase the shortage list from 1 per cent of jobs in Britains labour market to 9 per cent placing around 2.5 million workers on the Shortage Occupation List (SOL). Jobs that fall under the SOL entail certain benefits, such as applicants and their families facing lower visa application fees and no requirement to meet the 35,800 salary threshold required for settlement in the UK after five years. Brexit culture: film posters reimagined Show all 5 1 /5 Brexit culture: film posters reimagined Brexit culture: film posters reimagined The Hunchback of Notre Dame with a Brexit spin Jeff Moore / Rooftop Film Club Brexit culture: film posters reimagined Les Miserables reimagined Jeff Moore / Rooftop Film Club Brexit culture: film posters reimagined A Room with a View of Britain's future Jeff Moore / Rooftop Film Club Brexit culture: film posters reimagined Roman Holiday relocated Jeff Moore / Rooftop Film Club Brexit culture: film posters reimagined The Sound of Music reimagined Jeff Moore / Rooftop Film Club Commissioned by the home secretary Sajid Javid, the report makes clear employers are finding it increasingly difficult to fill crucial roles in Britains labour market. Shortages of labour from falling supply could arise due to increasing retirements or decrease in the desirability of the job compared to alternatives, or, perhaps a fall in the availability of EEA migrants following the EU referendum, it states. Professor Alan Manning, who chairs the MAC, said: Todays Labour market is very different to the one we reviewed when the last SOL was published in 2013. Unemployment is lower and employers in various industries are facing difficulties in finding skilled people to fill their vacancies. That is why we have recommended expanding the SOL to cover a range of occupations in health, information and engineering fields. Recommended EU immigration to UK falls to lowest level since 2013 He noted that the recommendations are only applicable under the current immigration system, while EU free movement remains. We are recommending a full review of the SOL once there is a clearer picture of what the future immigration system will look like, Professor Manning said. Under the Tier 2 visa route, UK employers can recruit staff from outside the European Economic Area. Tier 2 applies to two categories of skilled workers those coming to fill jobs advertised under a resident labour market test and those arriving to take up positions included on the SOL. Jeremy Corbyn has inched closer towards throwing Labours full support behind a second referendum, saying the only way out of the Brexit crisis is to go back to the people. Amid intense pressure to stem the exodus of remain voters to pro-EU parties, the Labour leader said letting the people decide the countrys future through a general election or a public vote was the only option. Mr Corbyn will travel to Dublin on Thursday for meetings with political leaders, where he will pledge to do whatever is necessary to stop a disastrous no-deal Brexit as a new Tory prime minister could back a disorderly exit from the EU. It comes as the Labour leadership was scrambling to deal with the fallout of the European parliament elections, when the party suffered its worst national election result since 1910 as frustrated pro-EU voters defected to the Greens and the Liberal Democrats. Shadow cabinet divisions were laid bare, with senior figures including John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, Emily Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary and Tom Watson, the deputy leader, calling for a public vote. European election 2019 UK results Show all 9 1 /9 European election 2019 UK results European election 2019 UK results Brexit Party European election 2019 UK results Liberal Democrats European election 2019 UK results Labour European election 2019 UK results Greens European election 2019 UK results European election 2019 UK results Plaid Cymru European election 2019 UK results Scottish National Party European election 2019 UK results Change UK European election 2019 UK results UKIP Labours preference is still a general election but Mr Corbyn has softened his tone towards a Final Say vote since the European elections, telling MPs that the party was ready to support a public vote on any deal, rather than only to stop a Tory Brexit. Speaking ahead of his trip to Ireland, Mr Corbyn emphasises the shift, saying: Labour will work with anyone across party boundaries and do whatever is necessary to stop a disastrous no deal outcome, which would open the way for a frenzy of deregulation and a race to the bottom in jobs, rights and protections. But faced with the threat of no deal and a prime minister with no mandate, the only way out of the Brexit crisis ripping our country apart is now to go back to the people. Let the people decide the countrys future, either in a general election or through a public vote on any deal agreed by parliament. Mr Corbyn said the upcoming Tory leadership contest and the prospect of a no-deal zealot becoming prime minister meant the issue must go back to the people. It is understood that party position has not changed to offer full backing for a Final Say vote, however Mr Corbyns language may give hope to supporters within Labour ranks. Meanwhile, Mr Watson stepped up his efforts to change party policy by publishing his own survey, which found an overwhelming majority of members and supporters want an online ballot to decide Labours Brexit position. More than 84 per cent of more than 8,800 respondents said they would prefer an all-member poll, while 13 per cent favoured a special conference and only 3 per cent backed an annual conference this autumn. Posting the results of the three-day survey on Twitter, he said: The results of my Brexit poll are clear. 84% of Labour members and supporters who took the survey want an all-member ballot to decide our partys Brexit policy. As deputy leader Ill support them to make this happen. Labour MP Bridget Phillipson, a supporter of the Peoples Vote campaign, said Mr Corbyns comments show he was at last beginning to listen to what our voters and members are saying. She said there was no immediate prospect of a general election so Labour should campaign explicitly for a public vote. It comes after divisions within the party were further exposed by the decision to expel Alastair Campbell, a former spin doctor for Tory Blair, for voting for the Liberal Democrats in the European elections. A refugee was found hiding in a car glove box in a desperate attempt to cross the border from Morocco into Europe. Found squeezed behind the dashboard of the vehicle, the man in his twenties was trying to enter the Spanish enclave Melilla, on the north African coast. He was one of three people found within three hours of each other inside separate vehicles at the border in Beni-Enzar, Morocco, on Saturday morning, the Spanish Civil Guard said. A fourth person, a 20-year-old man of African origin, was found earlier that day hidden in a dangerous position in the base of a dump truck, where he was at risk of being crushed. The civil guard believe he was an opportunist and that he was not helped into his hiding place by the trucks driver. Man found hiding in car's glove box in attempt to enter Europe Show all 6 1 /6 Man found hiding in car's glove box in attempt to enter Europe Man found hiding in car's glove box in attempt to enter Europe Glove box1 Three men in their early 20s and a 15-year-old girl were arrested by border guards after they were found in dangerous conditions in vehicles attempting to cross border from Morocco to the Spanish enclave of Melilla, on the north African coast. One man was discovered squeezed into a glove box behind a car's dashboard. Spanish Civil Guard Man found hiding in car's glove box in attempt to enter Europe Glove box2 Spanish Civil Guard Man found hiding in car's glove box in attempt to enter Europe Glove box3 Spanish Civil Guard Man found hiding in car's glove box in attempt to enter Europe Glove box4 Spanish Civil Guard Man found hiding in car's glove box in attempt to enter Europe Glove box5 Spanish Civil Guard Man found hiding in car's glove box in attempt to enter Europe Glove box6 Three men in their early 20s and a 15-year-old girl were arrested by border guards after they were found in dangerous conditions in vehicles attempting to cross border from Morocco to the Spanish enclave of Melilla, on the north African coast. One man was discovered squeezed into a glove box behind a car's dashboard. Spanish Civil Guard Officers shared a picture of a man hiding behind a cars dashboard, while another person was found behind a cars rear seats. Two men, aged 20 and 21, found in the other vehicles had to be treated for asphyxia, disorientation and joint pain caused by the conditions they were travelling in. A 15-year-old girl was also among the refugees. Three male drivers from Morocco, aged 19, 30 and 31, have been arrested. The fourth was released since the stowaway could have climbed into his hiding position unaided. In January, two men were arrested by border guards after they were found hidden inside mattresses strapped to the top of a van as it attempted to cross from Morocco into Melilla. After more than a decade of rapid growth, Chinese travel to the US is falling. And that has cities, malls and other tourist spots scrambling to reverse the trend. Travel from China to the US fell 5.7 per cent in 2018 to 2.9 million visitors, according to the National Travel and Tourism Office, which collects data from US Customs forms. It was the first time since 2003 that Chinese travel to the US slipped from the prior year. Friction between the US and China is one reason for the slowdown. The Trump administration first imposed tariffs on Chinese solar panels and washing machines in January 2018, and the trade war has escalated from there. The US now has a 25 per cent tariff on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports, while China has retaliated with tariffs on $60 billion of US imports. Last summer, China issued a travel warning for the US, telling its citizens to beware of shootings, robberies and high costs for medical care. The US shot back with its own warning about travel to China. Wang Haixia, who works at an international trade company in Beijing, travelled to the US in May for her sister's graduation. She and her family planned to spend 10 days in Illinois and New York. These products may become more costly in the trade war Show all 9 1 /9 These products may become more costly in the trade war These products may become more costly in the trade war Orange Juice, which Florida is known for, may soon be subject to import tariffs Getty Images These products may become more costly in the trade war The EU lists 'footwear with outer soles of rubber or of plastics and uppers of plastics' amongst the goods that may soon be subject to import tariffs Getty Images These products may become more costly in the trade war Cosmetic products, such as US brands Maybelline, MAC and Avon, may soon be subject to import tariffs Getty Images for Rebekka Ruetz These products may become more costly in the trade war Jeans, the all-American trousers, are on the EU's list of goods that may be subject to import tariffs Getty Images These products may become more costly in the trade war Bourbon whiskey is on the EU's list of over 100 US products that may be subject to import tariffs Getty These products may become more costly in the trade war US peanut butter products are on the EU's list of goods that may soon be subject to tariffs Getty Images These products may become more costly in the trade war US motorcycles, such as the Harley-Davidson, may soon be subject to import tariffs Getty Images These products may become more costly in the trade war Cranberry products, a major US crop export, may soon become more expensive Getty Images These products may become more costly in the trade war All tobacco products are on the EU's list of US goods that may be subject to import tarifs AFP/Getty Images Wang says she might have stayed longer but doesn't want to contribute to the US economy amid the trade war. "I cannot cancel this trip because I promised my sister I would go to her commencement," she said. "My relatives will contribute more than 100,000 yuan to America just staying for 10 days, and that's enough." There are other reasons behind the slowdown. Economic uncertainty in China has travellers at the lower end of the market vacationing closer to home, says Wolfgang Georg Arlt, director of the Chinese Outbound Tourism Research Institute, which found that 56% of travellers leaving China in the last three months of 2018 went to Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan compared with 50% in 2017. Those who do travel farther are seeking out more exotic destinations like Croatia, Morocco and Nepal. Chinese travel to the US had already been moderating from its breakneck pace earlier this decade. In 2000, 249,000 Chinese visited the US That tripled to 802,000 by 2010, then tripled again by 2015, in part because of higher incomes, better long-haul flight connections and an easing of visa restrictions, according to McKinsey, the consulting firm. The US welcomed more than 3 million Chinese visitors in 2016 and 2017. But year-over-year growth edged up just 4% in 2017, the slowest pace in more than a decade. Trump's top economic adviser admits US will 'suffer' in trade war with China Most industry-watchers agree that any downturn is temporary, since China's middle class will only continue to expand. The US government forecasts Chinese tourism will grow 2% this year to 3.3 million visitors, and will reach 4.1 million visitors in 2023. "Even if the Chinese economy cools, it's still going to continue to be a very good source of growth for the travel industry," said David Huether, senior vice president of research for the US Travel Association. In general, international travel to the US has been declining. Overall data for 2018 hasn't been released yet, but international travel fell 2 per cent in 2016 and was flat in 2017. But because China commands some of the highest tourism traffic to the US, any falloff will be felt by destinations that have come to rely on Chinese spending power. In 2017, the country had the fifth highest number of US-bound tourists, behind Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom and Japan. Ten years earlier, China wasn't even on the top 10 list, falling behind countries like Germany, France, South Korea and Australia, according to the National Travel and Tourism Office. China didn't crack the top 10 list until 2011 and has been climbing ever since. Spending by Chinese visitors which doesn't include students ballooned more than 600% between 2008 and 2016, to nearly $18.9 billion. In 2017, that fell by 1 per cent to $18.8 billion, or about 12 per cent of overall tourism spending. To hold onto those dollars, experts say the tourism industry must do more to keep up with Chinese travellers and their changing needs. Larry Yu, a professor of hospitality management at George Washington University, notes that Chinese tourists particularly younger ones are increasingly planning trips using social media apps like WeChat and are less likely to book through big tour groups. They have also rapidly adopted smartphone-based payment systems. Destinations should invest in those technologies now if they want to continue attracting Chinese tourists, says David Becker, former CEO of Attract China, a New York-based travel consultancy. "A lot of companies looked at the Chinese market as easy money, but we have to be relevant to the Chinese," Becker said. Attract China, for instance, has helped luxury stores in Manhattan incorporate Jeenie, a live translation app, and add Alipay and WeChat Pay for mobile payments. Others have also been stepping up their efforts. The Beverly Center mall in Los Angeles caters to both busloads of Chinese tourists and mid-size groups. But now it also focuses on small groups of less than 10 VIP shoppers, says Susan Vance, the mall's marketing and sponsorship director. The mall has also pushed stores to offer China UnionPay, a digital payment service. More than 100 stores now have it, Vance says, up from three in 2014. Tourism officials are also catching onto WeChat. In late 2017, Washington D.C became the first US city to launch an interactive guide in the app. Chinese travellers can use it to get directions to attractions, access audio tours in Mandarin and find dining and shopping. The city's marketing office has one staff member dedicated to WeChat. Washington also recently launched a Welcome China program that teaches hotels, restaurants and other venues about Chinese customs and encourages them to offer things like Chinese-language menus or in-room slippers. Forty-four hotels and a handful of restaurants have signed on. Elliott Ferguson, president and CEO of Destination DC, the city's marketing office, said the number of Chinese tourists visiting Washington doubled in the last five years before falling slightly in 2017. But Ferguson, who travelled to China last month to meet with tourism officials, said there's still significant interest in travel to the US "We're beefing up our efforts because we see there's so much potential for growth," he said. AP Justin Amash has become the first Republican congressman to call for the impeachment of President Trump, but many right-wing voters in his constituency are angry. Mr Amash has cited volume II of the Mueller report, which outlines 10 instances in which Mr Trump attempted to interfere with the investigation, as the reason for his calls for impeachment. I am confident if you read volume II, you will be appalled at much of the conduct, Mr Amash said during a town hall meeting at Grand Rapids in his home state of Michigan. I was appalled by it And we cant let conduct like that go unchecked. Mr Amash has also accused the Attorney General William Barr of misrepresenting the facts in the Mueller report to help build the presidents false narrative that the investigation was unjustified. Inside Trump Tower: New York's least desirable luxury property Show all 13 1 /13 Inside Trump Tower: New York's least desirable luxury property Inside Trump Tower: New York's least desirable luxury property Looking out of the lobby of Trump Tower Philo Ratio Inside Trump Tower: New York's least desirable luxury property A view of the atrium of Trump Tower Sebastian Bergmann Inside Trump Tower: New York's least desirable luxury property Trump tower from across Fifth Avenue S.F. Roberti Inside Trump Tower: New York's least desirable luxury property A view of the atrium inside Trump Tower Julian Stallabrass Inside Trump Tower: New York's least desirable luxury property A counter selling Trump merchandise including his 1987 book The Art of the Deal Takahiro Nagao Inside Trump Tower: New York's least desirable luxury property The Ivanka Trump jewellery shop inside Trump Tower Reuters Inside Trump Tower: New York's least desirable luxury property The waterfall in the atrium of Trump Tower Alistair McMillan Inside Trump Tower: New York's least desirable luxury property The atrium of Trump Tower featuring a Starbucks outlet Fletcher Inside Trump Tower: New York's least desirable luxury property A doorman stands by the lobby elevator in Trump Tower Reuters Inside Trump Tower: New York's least desirable luxury property Donald Trump merchandise for sale in a gift shop of Trump Tower Reuters Inside Trump Tower: New York's least desirable luxury property Trump merchandise on display by the entrance to a bar named after Trump in Trump Tower Reuters Inside Trump Tower: New York's least desirable luxury property Shoppers and diners in the atrium of Trump Tower AFP/Getty Inside Trump Tower: New York's least desirable luxury property A view up Trump Tower Getty Many voters in Michigan have applauded Mr Amashs stance, with some giving him a standing ovation, but others are dismayed the Republican candidate they voted for is not backing the president. There were numerous heated exchanges during the meeting, with some people accusing Mr Amash of grandstanding, of carrying out a smear attack and seeking to build his political career on the issue. One woman, wearing a Make America Great Again hat, asked Mr Amash: How can you become a Democrat when we voted for you as a Republican? She also said she believed Democrats were trying to take over the country through a silent coup. In response, Mr Amash listed his conservative credentials, and also expressed his concern that partisanship had become a stronger force than Congressional independence. He said he fears in the US weve gotten to the point that impeachment will never be used. As a result of his calls for impeachment, Mr Amash has been denounced by the Republican Party, and faces two Republican primary challenges one opposing candidate has raised over $60,000 (47,500) in eight days. Mr Amash was first elected to Congress in 2010 among a wave of Tea Party candidates. He has maintained a strong fiscally conservative agenda and has refused to back government spending on healthcare. Special counsel Robert Mueller has spoken publicly for the first time following the release of his report on Russian meddling in the 2016 election, saying that his investigation could not have charged Donald Trump with obstruction because of Department of Justice policy that prohibits charging a sitting president with a crime. In a statement, Mr Mueller hinted that congress holds the authority to impeach a sitting president, and appeared to directly contradict attorney general William Barrs interpretation of his report by saying that his office would have said so if his investigators had confidence the president clearly did not commit a crime. He continued, noting that congress has the authority to impeach a president, not the Department of Justice, which is a part of the executive branch of the US government. The constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing, Mr Mueller said, noting that his team had followed protocol in not charging the president even under seal because it would be unfair to charge an individual whose case could not actually be adjudicated. It would be unfair to potentially accuse somebody of a crime when there can be no court resolution to the actual charge. Mueller investigation: The key figures Show all 12 1 /12 Mueller investigation: The key figures Mueller investigation: The key figures Robert Mueller is the special counsel overseeing the investigation into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election, and potential obstruction of justice by the president. Mr Mueller has a pristine reputation in Washington, where he was previously in charge of the FBI. Throughout his investigation, he and his team have been notoriously tight lipped about what they know and where their investigation has led. REUTERS Mueller investigation: The key figures Former FBI director James Comey was the catalyst that led to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller. Mr Comey was fired by the president after Mr Trump reportedly asked him to drop his own Russia investigation. Mr Trump has long maintained that the investigation is a "witch hunt". AFP/Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein had authority over the special counsel investigation for much of the two years it has been active. Mr Rosenstein found himself with that responsibility after then-attorney general Jeff Sessions recused himself from that oversight. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney general Jeff Sessions's decision to recuse himself from oversight of the special counsel investigation may have cost him his job in the end. Mr Sessions resigned last year, after weathering a contentious relationship with Donald Trump who vocally criticised his attorney general for taking a step back. Mr Sessions recused himself from the oversight citing longstanding Justice Department rules to not be involved in investigations overseeing campaigns that officials were apart of. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney General William Barr is currently responsible for oversight of the special counsel investigation. Mr Barr's office will be the first to receive the Mueller report when it is finished. His office will then determine what portion or version of that report should be delivered to Congress, and also made public. EPA Mueller investigation: The key figures Michal Cohn is the president's former personal lawyer, who has been helping the special counsel investigation as a part of a plea deal over financial crimes, and campaign finance crimes, he has pleaded guilty to. Among those crimes, Cohen admitted to facilitating $130,000 in hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign. Cohen has said he did so at the direction of Mr Trump. Cohen has also admitted that he maintained contacts with Russian officials about a potential Trump real estate project in Moscow for months longer than Mr Trump and others admitted. The talks continued well into 2016 during the campaign, he has said. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Stormy Daniels has alleged that she had an affair with Donald Trump in 2006, soon after Melania Trump gave birth to Baron Trump. The accusation is of particular importance as a result of the $130,000 hush money payment she received to keep quiet about the affair during the 2016 campaign. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Paul Manafort was Donald Trump's former campaign chairman. Manafort was charged alongside Rick Gates for a slew of financial crimes, and was convicted on several counts in a Virginia court. He then pleaded guilty to separate charges filed in a Washington court. Manafort has been sentenced to just 7.5 years in prison for his crimes in spite of recommendations from the special counsel's office for a much harsher sentence. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures George Papadopoulos was one of the first individuals associated with the Trump campaign to be charged by the Mueller probe. He ultimately received a 14 day prison sentence for lying to investigators about contacts he had with Russian officials. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Roger Stone is a well known political fixer and operative, who has made a name for himself for some dirty tactics. He has been charged by the Mueller probe earlier this year, and he has been said to have had prior knowledge that WikiLeaks planned on publishing stolen emails from the Hillary Clinton campaign in 2016. Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Rick Gates was charged alongside former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort for a range of crimes. Gates, who worked alongside Manafort for a pro-Russia Ukrainian political party. The two were charged with conspiracy and financial crimes. Gates pleaded guilty. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Former national security adviser Michael Flynn was one of the first casualties of the Russia scandal, and was forced out of his position in the White House weeks after Donald Trump took office. Flynn pleaded guilty in 2017 to "willfully" making fraudulent statements about contacts he had with Russian officials including former Russian ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Flynn then lied to Vice President Mike Pence about that contact. REUTERS Beyond obstruction, Mr Mueller defended his offices investigation, and stated that the findings of Russian meddling in the election were of great importance to the American people. There were multiple, systemic efforts to interfere in our election, Mr Mueller said. And that allegation deserves the attention of every American. Soon after Mr Muellers statement, Mr Trump responded on Twitter claiming his innocence despite the retiring special counsels comments. Nothing changes from the Mueller report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our country, a person is innocent, Mr Trump said. The case is closed! Thank you. Robert Mueller hints he was blocked from charging Trump in damning resignation speech Press secretary Sarah Sanders also weighed in, claiming that Mr Muellers report made it clear that there was no collusion, no conspiracy, and noted that the Department of Justice had determined not to charge the president with obstruction. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The special counsel has completed the investigation, closed his office, and has closed the case, Ms Sanders said in a statement. Mr Mueller explicitly said that he has nothing to add beyond the report, and therefore, does not plan to testify before congress. The report was clear there was no collusion, no conspiracy and the Department of Justice confirmed there was no obstruction. Special counsel Mueller also stated that attorney general Barr acted in good faith in his handling of the report. After two years, the special counsel is moving on with his life, and everyone else should do the same. The Democrats responded to Mr Muellers report by calling for further punitive action against the president, apparently sensing that Mr Mueller had not meant to exonerate the president. That includes 2020 presidential candidates hoping to take Mr Trump on next year in the general election. Among those are Elizabeth Warren, Beto ORourke, and Julian Castro all of whom had come out forcefully in favour of impeachment previously. Mueller leaves no doubt: 1) He didnt exonerate the president because there is evidence he committed crimes. 2) Justice Department policy prevented him from charging the president with any crimes. 3) The constitution leaves it up to congress to act and thats impeachment, Ms Warren tweeted. Newcomers to that line of thinking include Cory Booker and Kamala Harris, who both said they believe Democrats in the house must now act. What Robert Mueller basically did was return an impeachment referral. Now it is up to congress to hold this president accountable, Ms Harris tweeted. We need to start impeachment proceedings. Its our constitutional obligation. Mr Booker said the Trump administration has continued to stonewall congresss oversight in a statement on Twitter that made his views explicit on the issue for the first time. Robert Muellers statement makes it clear: Congress has a legal and moral obligation ot begin impeachment proceedings immediately, Mr Booker said. Democrats in the house, meanwhile, were less explicit. Jerry Nadler, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said in a statement that the president has been lying about the special counsels findings, and promised action in congress. Given that special counsel Mueller was unable to pursue criminal charges against the president, it falls to congress to respond to the crimes, lies and other wrongdoings of President Trump and we will do so, Mr Nadler said in a statement. No one, not even the president of the United States, is above the law. House speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has resisted the measure previously by saying that the house must conclude its investigations, thanked Mr Mueller for his service as special counsel and challenged the policy that kept him from charging Mr Trump. But, she did not call for the presidents impeachment. Despite Department of Justice policy to the contrary, no one is above the law not even the president, Ms Pelosi said in a statement. The congress holds sacred its constitutional responsibility to investigate and hold the president accountable for his abuse of power, Ms Pelosi continued. The congress will continue to investigate and legislate to protect our elections and secure our democracy. The American people must have the truth. Robert Mueller is to make a public statement today on his investigation into Russian interference in Donald Trump's 2016 election, the Department of Justice has announced. In a press release, the department said Mr Mueller would issue his statement at 11am EDT (4pm GMT), but would not be responding to media questions afterwards. It was not clear what he intended to say but the statement comes amid demands for Mr Mueller to give evidence on Capitol Hill about his findings and tension with attorney general William Barr over the handling of his report. The Washington Post reported the special counsel would deliver a "substantial" statement, and that it was unrelated to claims in an upcoming book that Mr Mueller drafted indictments against the president before ultimately deciding against charging him. The explosive allegations were denied on Tuesday by spokesperson for the special counsels office, who said those documents do not exist. Mueller investigation: The key figures Show all 12 1 /12 Mueller investigation: The key figures Mueller investigation: The key figures Robert Mueller is the special counsel overseeing the investigation into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election, and potential obstruction of justice by the president. Mr Mueller has a pristine reputation in Washington, where he was previously in charge of the FBI. Throughout his investigation, he and his team have been notoriously tight lipped about what they know and where their investigation has led. REUTERS Mueller investigation: The key figures Former FBI director James Comey was the catalyst that led to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller. Mr Comey was fired by the president after Mr Trump reportedly asked him to drop his own Russia investigation. Mr Trump has long maintained that the investigation is a "witch hunt". AFP/Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein had authority over the special counsel investigation for much of the two years it has been active. Mr Rosenstein found himself with that responsibility after then-attorney general Jeff Sessions recused himself from that oversight. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney general Jeff Sessions's decision to recuse himself from oversight of the special counsel investigation may have cost him his job in the end. Mr Sessions resigned last year, after weathering a contentious relationship with Donald Trump who vocally criticised his attorney general for taking a step back. Mr Sessions recused himself from the oversight citing longstanding Justice Department rules to not be involved in investigations overseeing campaigns that officials were apart of. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney General William Barr is currently responsible for oversight of the special counsel investigation. Mr Barr's office will be the first to receive the Mueller report when it is finished. His office will then determine what portion or version of that report should be delivered to Congress, and also made public. EPA Mueller investigation: The key figures Michal Cohn is the president's former personal lawyer, who has been helping the special counsel investigation as a part of a plea deal over financial crimes, and campaign finance crimes, he has pleaded guilty to. Among those crimes, Cohen admitted to facilitating $130,000 in hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign. Cohen has said he did so at the direction of Mr Trump. Cohen has also admitted that he maintained contacts with Russian officials about a potential Trump real estate project in Moscow for months longer than Mr Trump and others admitted. The talks continued well into 2016 during the campaign, he has said. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Stormy Daniels has alleged that she had an affair with Donald Trump in 2006, soon after Melania Trump gave birth to Baron Trump. The accusation is of particular importance as a result of the $130,000 hush money payment she received to keep quiet about the affair during the 2016 campaign. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Paul Manafort was Donald Trump's former campaign chairman. Manafort was charged alongside Rick Gates for a slew of financial crimes, and was convicted on several counts in a Virginia court. He then pleaded guilty to separate charges filed in a Washington court. Manafort has been sentenced to just 7.5 years in prison for his crimes in spite of recommendations from the special counsel's office for a much harsher sentence. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures George Papadopoulos was one of the first individuals associated with the Trump campaign to be charged by the Mueller probe. He ultimately received a 14 day prison sentence for lying to investigators about contacts he had with Russian officials. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Roger Stone is a well known political fixer and operative, who has made a name for himself for some dirty tactics. He has been charged by the Mueller probe earlier this year, and he has been said to have had prior knowledge that WikiLeaks planned on publishing stolen emails from the Hillary Clinton campaign in 2016. Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Rick Gates was charged alongside former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort for a range of crimes. Gates, who worked alongside Manafort for a pro-Russia Ukrainian political party. The two were charged with conspiracy and financial crimes. Gates pleaded guilty. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Former national security adviser Michael Flynn was one of the first casualties of the Russia scandal, and was forced out of his position in the White House weeks after Donald Trump took office. Flynn pleaded guilty in 2017 to "willfully" making fraudulent statements about contacts he had with Russian officials including former Russian ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Flynn then lied to Vice President Mike Pence about that contact. REUTERS Mr Mueller's report into Russian meddling in the 2016 election did not find sufficient evidence to conclude the Trump presidential campaign conspired with Russia to sway the presidential election. It did not reach a decision on whether the president had obstructed justice, but the report laid out multiple instances in which the president attempted to impede or even end the two-year probe. Additional reporting by AP Robert Mueller has spoken out publicly for the first time regarding his teams conclusions after nearly two years of investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 election sparking the latest firestorm as Washington and political enthusiasts interpret what the resigning special counsel truly meant to say about Donald Trump and his connection to that election interference. In a 10-minute speech at Justice Department headquarters, Mr Mueller announced that his team could not clear the president of potential obstruction, but that they did not charge Mr Trump because of department policy. In response, Mr Trump declared that he had been exonerated once again, noting that he had not been charged. Democrats, meanwhile, are seeing increased pressure to proceed with impeachment hearings against the president. This is his full statement: Thank you for being here. Two years ago, the Acting Attorney General asked me to serve as Special Counsel, and he created the Special Counsels Office. The appointment order directed the office to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. This included investigating any links or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the Trump campaign. Now I have not spoken publicly during our investigation. Im speaking out today because our investigation is complete. The Attorney General has made the report on our investigation largely public. We are formally closing the Special Counsels office, and as well Im resigning from the Department of Justice to return to private life. Ill make a few remarks about the results of our work. But beyond these few remarks it is important that the offices written work speak for itself. Mueller investigation: The key figures Show all 12 1 /12 Mueller investigation: The key figures Mueller investigation: The key figures Robert Mueller is the special counsel overseeing the investigation into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election, and potential obstruction of justice by the president. Mr Mueller has a pristine reputation in Washington, where he was previously in charge of the FBI. Throughout his investigation, he and his team have been notoriously tight lipped about what they know and where their investigation has led. REUTERS Mueller investigation: The key figures Former FBI director James Comey was the catalyst that led to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller. Mr Comey was fired by the president after Mr Trump reportedly asked him to drop his own Russia investigation. Mr Trump has long maintained that the investigation is a "witch hunt". AFP/Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein had authority over the special counsel investigation for much of the two years it has been active. Mr Rosenstein found himself with that responsibility after then-attorney general Jeff Sessions recused himself from that oversight. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney general Jeff Sessions's decision to recuse himself from oversight of the special counsel investigation may have cost him his job in the end. Mr Sessions resigned last year, after weathering a contentious relationship with Donald Trump who vocally criticised his attorney general for taking a step back. Mr Sessions recused himself from the oversight citing longstanding Justice Department rules to not be involved in investigations overseeing campaigns that officials were apart of. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney General William Barr is currently responsible for oversight of the special counsel investigation. Mr Barr's office will be the first to receive the Mueller report when it is finished. His office will then determine what portion or version of that report should be delivered to Congress, and also made public. EPA Mueller investigation: The key figures Michal Cohn is the president's former personal lawyer, who has been helping the special counsel investigation as a part of a plea deal over financial crimes, and campaign finance crimes, he has pleaded guilty to. Among those crimes, Cohen admitted to facilitating $130,000 in hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign. Cohen has said he did so at the direction of Mr Trump. Cohen has also admitted that he maintained contacts with Russian officials about a potential Trump real estate project in Moscow for months longer than Mr Trump and others admitted. The talks continued well into 2016 during the campaign, he has said. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Stormy Daniels has alleged that she had an affair with Donald Trump in 2006, soon after Melania Trump gave birth to Baron Trump. The accusation is of particular importance as a result of the $130,000 hush money payment she received to keep quiet about the affair during the 2016 campaign. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Paul Manafort was Donald Trump's former campaign chairman. Manafort was charged alongside Rick Gates for a slew of financial crimes, and was convicted on several counts in a Virginia court. He then pleaded guilty to separate charges filed in a Washington court. Manafort has been sentenced to just 7.5 years in prison for his crimes in spite of recommendations from the special counsel's office for a much harsher sentence. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures George Papadopoulos was one of the first individuals associated with the Trump campaign to be charged by the Mueller probe. He ultimately received a 14 day prison sentence for lying to investigators about contacts he had with Russian officials. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Roger Stone is a well known political fixer and operative, who has made a name for himself for some dirty tactics. He has been charged by the Mueller probe earlier this year, and he has been said to have had prior knowledge that WikiLeaks planned on publishing stolen emails from the Hillary Clinton campaign in 2016. Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Rick Gates was charged alongside former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort for a range of crimes. Gates, who worked alongside Manafort for a pro-Russia Ukrainian political party. The two were charged with conspiracy and financial crimes. Gates pleaded guilty. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Former national security adviser Michael Flynn was one of the first casualties of the Russia scandal, and was forced out of his position in the White House weeks after Donald Trump took office. Flynn pleaded guilty in 2017 to "willfully" making fraudulent statements about contacts he had with Russian officials including former Russian ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Flynn then lied to Vice President Mike Pence about that contact. REUTERS Let me begin where the appointment order begins: and that is interference with the 2016 presidential election. As alleged by the grand jury in an indictment, Russian intelligence officers who were part of the Russian military launched a concerted attack on our political system. The indictment alleges that they used sophisticated cyber techniques to hack into computers and networks used by the Clinton campaign. They stole private information and then released that information through fake online identities and through the organisation Wikileaks. The releases were designed and times to interfere with our election and to damage a presidential candidate. And at the same time as the grand jury alleged in a separate indictment, a private Russian entity engaged in a social media operation where Russian citizens posed as Americans in order to influence an election. These indictments contain allegations, and we are not commenting on the guilt or innocence of any specific defendant. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The indictments allege, and the other activities in our report describe, efforts to interfere in our political system. They needed to be investigated and understand. And that is among the reasons why the Department of Justice established our office. That is also a reason we investigated efforts to obstruct the investigation. The matters we investigated were of paramount importance and it was critical for us to obtain full and accurate information from every person we questioned. When a subject of an investigation obstructs that investigation or lies to investigators, it strikes at the core of the governments effort to find the truth and hold wrong doers accountable. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Support free-thinking journalism and subscribe to Independent Minds Let me say a word about the report. The report has two parts, addressing the two main issues we were asked to investigate. The first volume details numerous efforts emanating from Russia to influence the election. This volume includes a discussion of the Trump campaigns response to this activity, as well as our conclusion that there was insufficient evidence to charge a broader conspiracy. And in a second volume, the report describes the results and analysis of our obstruction of justice investigation involving the president. The order appointing the Special Counsel authorised us to investigate actions that could obstruct the investigation. And we conducted that investigation and we kept the Office of the Acting Attorney General apprised of the progress of our work. And as set forth in the report after that investigation, if we had had confidence that the President clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so. We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime. The introduction to the volume two of our report explains that decision. It explains that under long-standing Department policy, a President cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office. That is unconstitutional. Even if the charge is kept under seal and hidden from public view, that too is prohibited. The special counsels office is part of the Department of Justice and by regulation it was bound by that Department policy. Charging the president with a crime was, therefore, not an option we could consider. The Departments written opinion explaining the policy makes several important points that further informed our handling of the obstruction investigation. Those points are summarised in our report, and I will describe two of them for you. First, the opinion explicitly permits the investigation of a sitting President because it is important to preserve evidence while memories are fresh and documents available. Among other things, that evidence could be used if there were co-conspirators who could be charged now. And second, the opinion says that the Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting President of wrong doing. And beyond Department policy we were guided by principles of fairness. It would be unfair to potentially it would be unfair to potentially accuse somebody of a crime when there can be no court resolution of the actual charge. So that was Justice Department policy. Those were the principles under which we operated and from them we concluded that we would not reach a determination, one way or the other, about whether the President committed a crime. That is the offices that is the offices final position, and we will not comment on any other conclusions or hypotheticals about the President. We conducted an independent criminal investigation and reported the results to the Attorney General, as required by Department regulations. The attorney general then concluded that it was appropriate to provide our report to Congress and to the American people. At one point in time I requested that certain portions of the report be released. The Attorney General preferred to make that preferred to make the entire report public all at once, and we appreciate that the Attorney General made the report largely public. And I certainly do not question the Attorney Generals good faith in that decision. Now I hope and expect this to be the only time that I will speak to you in this manner. I am making that decision myself. No one has told me whether I can or should testify or speak further about this matter. There has been discussion about an appearance before Congress. Any testimony from this office would not go beyond our report. It contains our findings and analysis and the reasons for the decisions we made. We chose those words carefully and the work speaks for itself. And the report is my testimony. I would not provide information beyond that which is already public in any appearance before congress. In addition, access to our underlying work product is being decided in a process that does not involve our office. So beyond what I have said here today, and what is contained in our written work, I do not believe it is appropriate for me to speak further about the investigation or to comment on the actions of the Justice Department or Congress. And its for that reason I will not be taking questions today as well. Now before I step away, I want to thank the attorneys, the FBI agents, and analysts, the professional staff who helped us conduct this investigation in a fair and independent manner. These individuals who spent nearly two years with the Special Counsels Office were of the highest integrity. And I will close by reiterating the central allegation of our indictments that there were multiple, systematic efforts to interference in our election. That allegation deserves the attention of every American. Thank you. Thank you for being here today. You are here: Arts An exhibition featuring ancient Buddhist art from Dunhuang in northwest China's Gansu Province is touring Taiwan. The exhibition opened in Taipei on Tuesday, the last stop of its three-leg tour across the island, and will run through June 21. Displays include high-definition replicas of the Dunhuang grotto murals, sculptures, musical equipment, models of Buddhist towers, and photos of the decades-long exploration of the Dunhuang grottos. Hou Liming, a fellow at Dunhuang Research Academy, said the items on show were chronologically organized and represent only a tiny part of the entire Dunhuang relic collection. "Our friends from Taiwan are welcome to visit Dunhuang," he said. Hou also gave a public lecture on Dunhuang art on the sidelines of the exhibition. Since 2016, institutes across the Taiwan Strait have been cooperating to organize Dunhuang art exhibitions in Taiwan. Donald Trump complained the Jews always flip after a number of former Jewish associates agreed to cooperate with the Mueller probe, according to an explosive new book by journalist Michael Wolff. The claim, in which Mr Trump accused Jewish people of lacking loyalty an antisemitic trope, comes amid an effort by the president and his Republican allies to cast figures within the Democratic Party as being anti-Jewish and hostile to Israel. According to The Guardian, which obtained a copy of Mr Wolffs Siege: Trump Under Fire, Mr Trump made the remark after three former associates struck agreements to cooperate with Robert Mueller, who was investigating Russian links to the Trump presidential campaign. Michael Cohen, Mr Trumps former lawyer, Trump Organisation accountant Allen Weisselberg and American Media chief David Pecker, who helped the president with a hush-money payment, all made plea deals with the special counsels team. According to the book a sequel to Mr Wolffs controversial Fire and Fury Mr Mueller drafted indictments against Mr Trump before ultimately deciding against charging the president with obstruction of justice. Most shocking remarks made by Trump at campaign rallies Show all 7 1 /7 Most shocking remarks made by Trump at campaign rallies Most shocking remarks made by Trump at campaign rallies Doctors and mothers killing babies At a rally in Wisconsin in April 2019, Mr Trump made this extraordinary claim. The baby is born, the mother meets with the doctor, they take care of the baby, Mr Trump said. They wrap the baby beautifully and then the doctor and the mother decide whether they will execute the baby Getty Most shocking remarks made by Trump at campaign rallies "China rapes our country" At a rally in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 2016, Mr Trump said this in reference to the US trade deficit with China: "we cant continue to allow China to rape our country and thats what theyre doing. Its the greatest theft in the history of the world" Getty Most shocking remarks made by Trump at campaign rallies "EU formed to take advantage of US" At a rally for the midterm elections in October 2018, Mr Trump called the EU a "brutal" alliance that "formed to take advantage of us" AFP/Getty Most shocking remarks made by Trump at campaign rallies "I will build a wall and Mexico will pay for it" Mr Trump first made this claim at the launch of his presidential campaign back in 2015: "I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will have Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words" AFP/Getty Most shocking remarks made by Trump at campaign rallies "Horrible, horrendous people" At a Republican rally in Pennsylvania on August 3 2018, President Trump deemed all journalists in attendance "horrible, horrendous people". He later denounced the "fake, fake, disgusting news" for falsely reporting that he was late to his meeting with the Queen when visiting Britain AFP/Getty Most shocking remarks made by Trump at campaign rallies "I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody" Mr Trump said this in reference to his popularity during a rally in Iowa in 2016 AFP/Getty Most shocking remarks made by Trump at campaign rallies "I wish I could punch him" Mr Trump said this in reference to a protester who was escorted out of his rally in Las Vegas on 22 February, 2016. There was often violence between protesters and supporters at Trump's campaign rallies AFP/Getty The alleged three-count obstruction indictment was immediately disputed on Tuesday by a spokesperson for the special counsels office, who said those documents do not exist. Mr Wolff claimed the draft document would have charged Mr Trump with influencing, obstructing or impeding a pending proceeding before a department or agency of the US, along with tampering with and retaliating against a witness, victim or informant, according to the newspaper. The alleged indictment went on to describe the extraordinary lengths the president took to protect himself from legal scrutiny and accountability, and to undermine the official panels investigating his actions, Mr Wolff wrote. Though Mr Mueller ultimately cleared Mr Trump and his associates of conspiring with Russia to interfere in the 2016 election, he detailed multiple instances in which his campaign willingly and knowingly benefited from those efforts. Michael Wolff describes how the inside of the White House worked with Armando Ianucci The special counsel also outlined a number of occasions in which Mr Trump attempted to obstruct justice by ordering officials to impede the investigation or, in one case, to have Mr Mueller removed. Mr Trump was unsuccessful in obstruction largely because the persons who surrounded the president declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests, Mr Mueller concluded. Hogan Gidley, White House deputy press secretary, told The Independent: Michael Wolffs first book was destroyed for its countless inaccuracies, made up accounts, and use of shady sources with personal political agendas that even the author himself admitted to. "This latest book is just another attempt by Wolff to line his own pockets by pushing lies and pure fantasy aimed at attacking the President." Sixty-six years to the day since Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary became the first people to scale Mount Everest, numerous climbers have spoken out about the lethal impact of overcrowding and underpreparedness on the summit of the worlds tallest mountain. Since Nepal opened its side of the mountain to commercial climbing a half-century ago, the allure of Everest has grown, and so too have the crowds and the deaths, to the extent that this year climbers have spoken of walking over bodies to reach the peak. On May 22 a climber took a photograph showing an enormous queue of climbers standing crampon-to-crampon, clipped on to the safety line to reach the summit. Other climbers spoke of stepping round dead climbers who were still attached to the safety rope on the final ascent. One British man who died minutes after reaching the summit on Saturday had spoken of his concern about overcrowding on the peak. Everest peak crowded in deadly climbing season: In pictures Show all 7 1 /7 Everest peak crowded in deadly climbing season: In pictures Everest peak crowded in deadly climbing season: In pictures Climbers wait in line to reach the peak of Mount Everest AFP/Getty Everest peak crowded in deadly climbing season: In pictures A long queue of climbers line a path on Mount Everest just below camp four AP Everest peak crowded in deadly climbing season: In pictures Climbers descend from the summit of Mount Everest following a line of Climbing the Seven Summits/Reuters Everest peak crowded in deadly climbing season: In pictures Climbers near the summit of Mount Everest behind a long line of others Reuters Everest peak crowded in deadly climbing season: In pictures This is not the first busy season, 2018 also saw long queues AFP/Getty Everest peak crowded in deadly climbing season: In pictures Climbers near a camp on the south face of Mount Everest, 2018 season AFP/Getty Everest peak crowded in deadly climbing season: In pictures Climbers queue to reach the peak of Mount Everest AFP/Getty Elia Saikaly, a Canadian film-maker who was filming four Arab women on the mountain on Thursday, wrote on Instagram: I cannot believe what I saw up there. Death. Carnage. Chaos. Lineups. Dead bodies on the route and in tents at camp 4. People who I tried to turn back who ended up dying. People being dragged down. Walking over bodies. Everything you read in the sensational headlines all played out on our summit night. This year around 600 people are believed to have summited the mountain, and the number of deaths, which included 11 in just nine days, is the highest since 2015, when severe avalanches caused several deaths. Nepal is one of the world's poorest countries and relies on the climbing industry to bring in $300m (237m) a year. The climbing season on the mountain is only a few weeks long, and the weather dictates when the summit is scalable and also contributes to overcrowding. This season saw a record number of 381 climbing permits issued to foreign climbers by the Nepalese government. This is only nine more than the number issued in 2018, and each costs $11,000 (8,700). Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay after climbing Everest in 1953 (Reuters) (REUTERS) No experience requirements are made by the Nepalese government for the issuing of permits, and the government has denied its permit process has contributed to the numbers of deaths. "There were more people on Everest than there should be," the Kul Bahadur Gurung, the general secretary of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, an umbrella group of all expedition operators in Nepal. He told the Associated Press: "We lack the rules and regulations that say how many people can actually go up and when." Most of those who died are believed to have suffered from altitude sickness, which is caused by low amounts of oxygen at high elevation and can cause headaches, vomiting, shortness of breath and mental confusion. Once only accessible to well-heeled elite mountaineers, Nepal's booming climbing market has driven down the cost of an expedition, opening Everest up to hobbyists and adventure-seekers. Nepal requires climbers to have a doctors' note deeming them physically fit, but not to prove their stamina at such extreme heights. Because of the altitude, climbers have just hours to reach the top before they are at risk of a pulmonary edema, when the lungs fill with liquid. From Camp Four at 8,000 metres (26,240 feet) to the 8,850-metre (29,035-foot) peak, the final push on Everest is known as the "death zone." The conditions are so exhausting at such times that when a person dies, no one can afford to expend energy on carrying the body down from the mountain. "Every minute counts there," said Eric Murphy, a mountain guide from Bellingham, Washington, who climbed Everest for a third time on May 23. He said what should have taken 12 hours took 17 hours because of struggling climbers who were clearly exhausted but had no one to guide or help them. Just a handful of inexperienced climbers, he said, is "enough to have a profound effect". The deaths this year on Nepal's side of the mountain included Don Cash, a sales executive from Utah, and Christopher Kulish, an attorney from Colorado, who both died on their way down from the peak. Kulish, 62, had just reached the top with a small group after crowds of climbers congested the peak last week, according to his brother, Mark Kulish. He described his brother as an attorney who was an "inveterate climber of peaks in Colorado, the West and the world over." Just before he died, Kulish made it into the so-called "Seven Summit Club" of mountaineers who have reached the highest peaks on every continent, his brother said. Mr Cash, 55, collapsed at the summit and was given CPR and massages by his two Sherpa guides. He got up only to fall again in the same way at Hillary Step, the first cliff face down from the summit. His body was left near there. Irish professor Seamus Lawless, aged 39 and from County Wicklow, fell during his descent from the peak having achieved a lifetime ambition of reaching the summit. The search for Mr Lawless, presumed dead, has been called off. Another Irish man, Kevin Hynes, 56, died in his tent at 7,000m after turning back before reaching the summit. The father of two was part of a group from UK-based climbing company 360 Expeditions. An Austrian climber and two Indian climbers are also reported to have died in the past week. Earlier this year climbers reported growing numbers of bodies emerging from melting glaciers on Everest. In addition to the physical impracticality of climbers removing bodies from the mountain, it is also dangerous and very expensive, so the vast majority of those who have died while trying to reach the summit remain on the mountain. More than 300 people are thought to have died on Everest over the last 50 years and around two-thirds of the corpses are currently believed to be buried beneath ice and snow. Additional reporting by AP An Australian teenager who became a viral sensation after cracking an egg on the head of a far-right senator has donated around 55,000 to survivors of the New Zealand mosque attacks. Will Connolly, 17, became known as Egg Boy after being filmed splattering Fraser Anning during a press conference in March. The 69-year-old politician had sparked widespread anger a day earlier when he said Muslim migration was to blame for the Christchurch shootings, in which a white supremacist killed 51 people at two city mosques. Footage of the egging showed the senator then retaliating by punching his smiling teenage antagonist. Now Will, a Melbourne-based student, has revealed he has donated some A$100,000 (55,000) raised in the aftermath of the incident. Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' Show all 16 1 /16 Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 562600.bin REUTERS Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 562599.bin REUTERS Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 562598.bin AP Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 562597.bin GETTY IMAGES Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 561983.bin Getty Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 562261.bin AP Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 561923.bin REUTERS Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 561921.bin GETTY IMAGES Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 561882.bin GETTY IMAGES Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 561982.bin Getty Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 561985.bin Getty Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 561986.bin Getty Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 561987.bin Getty Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 561988.bin Getty Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 561984.bin Getty Christchurch left devastated on New Zealand's 'darkest day' 561981.bin Getty The money comes from two GoFundMe pages set up by other people to cover his potential legal fees and to buy more eggs with. Because police have said they will not press charges the teenager received an official caution instead Will has chosen to pass the money to the Christchurch Foundation group and Victims Support charity. Revealing the decision in an Instagram post on Tuesday, he wrote: Finally!!! After a huge amount of red tape, $99,922.36 has today been transferred... I decided to donate all monies to help provide some relief to the victims of the massacre. It wasnt mine to keep. To the victims of the tragedy, I wholeheartedly hope that this can bring some relief to you. A spokesperson for Victim Support confirmed receipt of the payment, saying: Every cent pledged has and will continue to be distributed to the victims. For his part, Mr Anning refused to withdraw his comments on Muslim migration even after a petition signed by 1.4 million people asked him to do so. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events He failed to win a new term in the senate at Australias general election on 18 May. With Jean-Claude Junckers term ending later in the year, and the EU elections out of the way, its time to choose the next president of the European Commission. There are many different sub-plots and clashing interests that will have to be worked through before the final president emerges. But one of the most important is the rivalry between France and Germany. How is the European Commission president chosen? Serbian troops have been put on full alert after heavily armed Kosovo police arrested 23 people in Serb-dominated northern Kosovo. Police fired tear gas as they carried out the operation and several people on both sides were injured in the clash on Tuesday, and a Russian UN official was also detained. The raid has raised tensions between Serbia and its former province, which declared independence from Belgrade in 2008 after a bloody 1998-1999 war that ended only after Nato intervened. Serbs make up 90 per cent of the population in northern Kosovo and want to remain part of Serbia, not an independent Kosovo. Action by Kosovo special police there is rare and always triggers Serb anger. In a sign of lingering tensions, Serb troops and armoured vehicles were seen leaving their barracks in central Serbia and headed towards the Kosovo border. An air force MiG-29 fighter jet made a low pass near the border with Kosovo, according to the state Tanjug news agency. Kosovo: Remembering the war, 20 years on Show all 9 1 /9 Kosovo: Remembering the war, 20 years on Kosovo: Remembering the war, 20 years on A woman walks past pictures of victims displayed on a wall at the cemetery in Krusha e Madhe, Kosovo, on March 26, 2019, as part of commemorations marking the 20th anniversary of the Krusha e Madhe massacre. AFP/Getty Kosovo: Remembering the war, 20 years on Kosovo Albanian children look out from a window at a memorial complex attending the 20th anniversary of the NATO bombing in the village of Glogjan, Kosovo on March 24, 2019. AP Kosovo: Remembering the war, 20 years on Kosovo Albanian children place Albanian flags on the graves at memorial complex during the 20th anniversary of the NATO bombing in Glogjan. AP Kosovo: Remembering the war, 20 years on Kosovo Albanians mourn during the ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of 113 men killed during the 1998-99 war in the village of Krusha e Vogel, Kosovo, 26 March 2019. EPA Kosovo: Remembering the war, 20 years on Some 113 Kosovo Albanian men of the village were separated from their families and executed on 26 March 1999 by Serb security forces, 45 of them are buried and 68 still missing. EPA Kosovo: Remembering the war, 20 years on A man walks past the graveyards at the cemetery in Krusha e Madhe. AFP/Getty Kosovo: Remembering the war, 20 years on A woman mourning during the ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the people killed in the village of Krusha e Vogel. EPA Kosovo: Remembering the war, 20 years on A woman with a child walks past a train that was used to ferry thousands of Albanians out of Kosovo. Reuters Kosovo: Remembering the war, 20 years on These trains took people into North Macedonia during the 1999 NATO bombing in Blace, Kosovo. Reuters Russia and Serbia blamed Nato and the European Union for the tensions in Kosovo on Wednesday. Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, said the raid on Tuesday was instigated by those who want to create a buffer zone from Russia on the Balkans and who want to push everyone to Nato. Speaking to reporters in Slovenia where he was on an official visit, Mr Lavrov said the two bodies hold sway over the authorities in Kosovo. Aleksandar Vucic, the Serbian president, accused Nato-led peacekeepers in Kosovo of lying when they said they had informed Belgrade in advance of the police action. He also criticised them for insisting Tuesdays raid in the north was a regular police operation. Nato should do its job, and when they dont do it, there are others who will, Mr Vucic warned. They are not telling the truth. The situation for the Serb population in Kosovo is much worse than it was up until yesterday. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic says Albanians 'didn't want to compromise' over Kosovo army The KFOR peacekeeping mission spokesman, Colonel Vincenzo Grasso, said he had been informed days before the raid. That was not a surprise. Everybody was informed. That was on the news, he said. The EUs top diplomat Federica Mogherini urged Kosovo and Serbia to return to the negotiating table and normalise relations amid tensions. She warned about the risk of the dark forces of the past coming back, in terms of confrontation, even of conflict if the two sides continue facing off. Thousands of people gathered on Wednesday at a rally in the northern, Serb-dominated part of the divided city of Mitrovica to protest the arrests. The protesters waved Serbian flags and banners with the names of those who were detained. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Serbia and allies Russia and China do not recognise Kosovos 2008 declaration of independence, while the UK and more than 100 other countries do. The lingering dispute has stalled both countries efforts to become EU members. Additional reporting by agencies Britains new Middle East minister has unveiled a 1.6m aid package for Gaza to help provide life-saving medical treatment for nearly 400,000 people, warning the crisis in the besieged enclave was unsustainable. During his first trip overseas in the new role, Andrew Murrison visited Gaza to support the collapsing health service, which has been battered by a 12-year Israeli siege and multiple devastating wars. The funds, which will be given to the World Health Organisation, will establish a new limb-reconstruction unit that the UK says will address urgent gaps in trauma and emergency care there Gazas ailing hospitals have struggled to treat thousands of people who have been injured by Israeli fire during regular rallies and clashes at the border over the past year. Israeli soldiers have killed more than 190 people and shot and wounded 6,800 more during the weekly protests, which have seen Palestinians hurl firebombs and explosives at the security fence. Of the injured at least 120 have had their limbs amputated, including 20 children. The United Nations warned last week that without an urgent injection of funds an additional 1,700 people in need of limb-saving surgery could lose their legs and arms due to funding shortfalls. Mr Murrison said that UK aid to the WHO would establish a new limb-reconstruction unit in Gaza to mitigate that, as well as providing valuable expertise to help Gazas health service deal with emergency patients more efficiently. Middle East minister Andrew Murrison visits a prosthetic limb charity in Gaza (DFID) The former navy doctor said the package of UK aid support will assist Gaza in dealing with the 28,000 trauma patients in the past year. The situation in Gaza is unsustainable and the health services are struggling to deliver basic care to those in need of emergency medical attention, the minister said from Gaza. Ive seen first-hand how important this new UK aid package is to save the lives and limbs, relieving at least some of the strain on Gazas health system, he added. The Department for International Development said funds would also create an emergency medical team coordination cell to manage more efficiently the treatment of patients with urgent life-threatening conditions. It will also provide equipment such as radios and GPS maps to the ambulance service to improve their ability to respond. DfID added that the aid to Gaza is designed to complement the UKs 2m package it delivered to the International Committee of the Red Cross in March, which provided surgical equipment, drugs and disposables, wound-dressing kits, rehabilitative prosthetics and post-surgery physiotherapy. Wednesdays announcement comes in the middle of a humanitarian funding crisis. The UNs Palestinian refugee agency, UNRWA, which supports over 5 million Palestinians across Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, warned this week that it would run out of funds by mid-June. In the Palestinian territories, this will mean a million people in Gaza will go hungry, UN schools will be forced to close and UNRWAs health services including vaccination clinics will close down. UNRWA was plunged into a financial crisis last year when the US, its biggest donor, slashed all funds leaving it with a $400m budget deficit. US special envoy Jason Greenblatt defended Washingtons decision in a UN Security Council session on Wednesday, saying UNRWA needed to be dismantled completely on the grounds it is irredeemably flawed and had failed the Palestinian people. UNRWA, which vehemently disagreed, will host a donor conference next month to try to drum up funds. In the same week, the US plans to host an economic workshop in Bahrain to encourage investment in the Palestinians economy, during which they are pitted to unveil Donald Trumps deal of the century peace plan. However, the Palestinians have already rejected both the conference and the peace deal on the grounds that it will likely be too pro-Israeli. The Gaza amputee football team that's a source of hope for players The Palestinian authority has also aired its fears that the US has abandoned a two-state solution to the decades-long conflict, which is generally accepted by the International community Mr Murrison said the UK was committed to making progress towards a two-state solution. Only a just and lasting resolution that ends the occupation and delivers peace for both Israelis and Palestinians will fully resolve the problems facing Gaza, he said. Yury Lukashenia, a 40-year-old manager in an Austrian company in Belarus, a country often described as Europes last dictatorship, earns enough money to take his family on regular holiday getaways to sunny places like Spain and Greece. But the trip he really looks forward to each spring is a two or, if he is really lucky, three-week stint in a Belarus salt mine in Salihorsk. Of course, the first time, it was a little scary, he says, recalling his debut journey on a rickety, unlit elevator that rattled 460 yards underground into a dimly lit warren of caves and tunnels gouged from one of the worlds biggest deposits of salt and potassium. But now on his sixth trip to Salihorsk, the jewel of the former Soviet Unions salt mining industry, Lukashenia, who suffers from allergies that make it difficult to breathe, says he wouldnt miss his annual trek for anything. I feel better as soon as I get here, he says. It is much better to spend two or three weeks in a salt mine than sitting on a yacht. He has tried getting his wife to join him but she suffers from claustrophobia so is not interested. She prefers a sunny beach to a dark hole in the ground. Nor are any of his friends eager to tag along. When I tell my friends Im going to the salt mines, they always ask: What did you do wrong? In Belarus and across the former Soviet Union, the suggestion of a visit to the salt mines generally evokes grim memories of prison camps. Today, however, the Belarus mines have been rebranded as a health cure, an idea supported by the countrys longtime authoritarian leader, Alexander Lukashenko. The notion that salt mines can be curative is not new: the phenomenon started in neighbouring Poland in the early 19th century at the Wieliczka Salt Mine, which still operates a health resort. Around 4,000 people a year, including Lukashenia, now visit the National Speleotherapy Clinic, a hotel-like compound in Salihorsk, a mining town 80 miles south of the Belarus capital, Minsk. The clinic first opened just months before the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union but has grown steadily since. Around 4,000 people a year visit the clinic (Reuters) Half its visitors are from Belarus, whose stay is covered by the countrys national health system, and the other half foreigners, mostly Russians, who pay their own way, around 790 for a two-week stay. Other places, including a recently opened nearby spa, offer rooms pumped with salt-infused air but only the clinic provides daily visits deep into the still-active salt mine, says Natalia Dubovik, the deputy director. Buses shuttle visitors, dressed in heavy coats and hard hats, to the mine head for a six-hour afternoon shift underground and, for the really hardcore, a longer overnight shift. Miners and patients cross paths in the waiting area for elevators and on the walk to the sleeping chambers. Lights go out in the mine at 10pm and then come on again at 5.45am, when the salt catacombs start trembling with jaunty polka music, somebodys idea of a soothing wake-up call. To help visitors pass the time, cavernous corridors in the salt mine contain ping pong tables, a volleyball court and a jogging track. There is no television or internet. We dont want tourists. People who come here have to be motivated. They have to be sick. We dont want healthy people Pavel Levchenko We offer total isolation from the world, Dubovik explains. But like any treatment, it is important to get the dose right. You cant overdo it. The salt mine used by the clinic belongs to the state-owned Belarus Kali, the countrys biggest company and one of the worlds largest producers of potash fertilisers, which are made from potassium. Mountain-like mounds of salt and potassium ring the town. Even on a beautiful spring day, the place looks more like a Soviet industrial wasteland than a health resort. The streets are eerily clean, as they are across Belarus. Concrete apartment blocks are painted with murals celebrating miners, and the only advertising billboards are for cement. But salt treatment for asthma, allergies and various respiratory ailments has proved so popular that Belarus Kali, the mining company, recently opened its own for-profit spa next to the clinic. Pavel Levchenko, a Minsk surgeon who runs the clinic, insists that his own establishment is not a spa or a sanitarium but a serious medical facility. Staff members wear white medical coats and have qualifications as doctors, nurses and other medical professionals. Visitors are called patients, not guests. We dont want tourists, he says. People who come here have to be motivated. They have to be sick. We dont want healthy people. Lights in the mine go out at 10pm (Reuters) Lukashenia says he certainly qualified on that score, explaining how he had suddenly developed ferocious allergies after gorging himself on cherries. He had to stop eating fruits and had so much trouble breathing he often could not sleep. Here I sleep like a baby, he says. Being totally cut off from sunlight, cellphones and the internet relieves stress and helps his condition, he says, but most important is the tangy air. He acknowledges being initially really sceptical but was amazed how quickly he started breathing normally again. The scientific jury is still out on whether salt mine therapy really works, but health authorities in Belarus are convinced that their country, despite its reputation for retrograde politics and repression, is on the cutting edge of medical innovation. Levchenko, the clinics director, acknowledges that he was not initially a believer himself. I meet lots of people who think this is all fake. I was very sceptical myself at first, but I have seen how well it works Levchenko I meet lots of people who think this is all fake, he says. I was very sceptical myself at first. But, he adds, I have seen how well it works. Time in the salt mine, he adds, does not cure visitors of their ailments but puts them into remission. So far, the only regular foreign visitors are Russians, though an American is said to have stayed once and left satisfied. Nadezhda Vasilenko, 58, a Russian woman from the southern region of Krasnodar who suffers from asthma, says she visited the mine last year after hearing about it from her son, who works in Minsk. I felt so much better so decided to come again, Vasilenko says, sitting with a group of other women in a cave-like sleeping compartment deep underground. As well as the pure air there is also camaraderie. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Friendships forged underground are very strong, says Zhanya Sakanchuk, an asthma sufferer from the Belarus town of Pinsk, who has visited every year since 2012, when she saw a television report about President Lukashenko visiting the facility. She says she was desperate for help, having lost her only child to illness, which sent her into a deep depression and shattered her health. Bubbling with enthusiasm for the joys of sleeping in the salty catacombs of Belarus, she says she was not really sure why she felt so much better but would definitely keep coming back. Maybe it is all just the placebo effect but the salt mine saved my life, she says. New York Times Q You wrote about potential problems if someone books a trip but doesnt fly all the legs. Is there a problem if two people book a flight together and only one flies? David C A Almost always not. It is fairly common for two people to be booked on the same flight (and have the same reservation code, known as the PNR) but for only one of them to travel. That might be because of unexpected work commitments, illness or the breakdown of the relationship. The legal position applied by the airline to the missing person is usually: You are a no-show and we are keeping all your money, as we warned you. Asia Bibi, the Christian woman who was acquitted by Pakistans Supreme Court in a blasphemy case last year, left the country of her birth earlier this month to seek refuge in Canada, where she has been reunited with her family. Bibi was ultimately acquitted of blasphemy charges only after spending nine years in jail on death row following a previous guilty ruling. The decision of the Supreme Court sparked country-wide protests by hardline religious-political groups, raising fears for Bibis safety. Indeed, so concerned were the authorities that when she was released from a women's prison in the Punjabi city of Multan in November, Bibi was flown to Islamabad via special aircraft, and then taken to an undisclosed location. Officials remained tight-lipped about her movement and whereabouts for security reasons. Two months later, in January this year, the Supreme Court dismissed a review petition against her acquittal and her freedom was confirmed. Finally, in early May, a Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman, at a weekly press briefing, confirmed that Bibi had left the country. She is, said the spokesman, a free person and travelled on her independent will. Forgotten Women: The sisters fighting for human rights in Pakistan Show all 5 1 /5 Forgotten Women: The sisters fighting for human rights in Pakistan Forgotten Women: The sisters fighting for human rights in Pakistan Forgotten Women: The sisters fighting for human rights in Pakistan Human rights activist Gulalai Ismail was apprehended by Pakistan officials upon landing in Islamabad after a flight from London Forgotten Women: The sisters fighting for human rights in Pakistan Forgotten Women: The sisters fighting for human rights in Pakistan Forgotten Women: The sisters fighting for human rights in Pakistan Of course, in theory Asia Bibi like many others acquitted of blasphemy charges had two options. One was to stay in Pakistan; the other was to flee the country to a safer haven, probably in the West. But to stay in Pakistan? Was this really an option? Recommended Christian woman acquitted of blasphemy finally leaves Pakistan According to Amnesty International, two individuals who were found not guilty in a blasphemy case by a high court ruling in 2012 said that they had to relocate to another town. Even there, they avoid interacting with their new neighbours because they fear that the blasphemy accusations will become known and put their lives at risk. Very clearly, had Asia Bibi and her family decided to try to stay in Pakistan, they would never have been able to live in the area where they had resided prior to the accusations against her due to security concerns. Yet relocating to another city to rebuild their lives would not have been much easier particularly when you consider the publicity caused by the case. In truth, and contrary to the statement of the Pakistan Foreign Office, Bibi had entirely lost her freedom as had her family. Certainly they did not have the freedom to live their lives like any ordinary citizens of Pakistan. Wherever they might have gone in their own country, the sword of blasphemy would have continued to hang over their heads for the rest of the lives in a society which is not ready to have any kind of reasoned debate about the misuse of religious laws. Protests across Pakistan after acquittal of Asia Bibi blasphemy trial Bibi and her family might indeed have ended up like retired Justice Arif Iqbal Bhatti of the Lahore High Court, who was killed in 1997, three years after he acquitted Salamat Masih and Rahmat Masih in a blasphemy case. His killer admitted to murdering the retired justice and said that he did so because Bhatti had acquitted the accused. No wonder then that Bibi took the second and only viable option for her, leaving the country altogether in the hope of starting her life afresh with her family in a much safer environment. Nor is Bibi the first Pakistani to flee their home country after being acquitted of blasphemy. Younas Sheikh, a physician, was charged in 2000, acquitted in a retrial in 2003 and fled to Europe. Likewise, a young girl, Rimsha Masih, living in the suburbs of the federal capital Islamabad, was accused of blasphemy and arrested in 2012. She was acquitted at trial and subsequently granted asylum by Canada. She is a free person and travelled on her independent will insisted the government of Pakistan after Bibis acquittal. But that notion is a charade. On the other hand, free are the people who brought fake charges against Asia Bibi and condemned her following her acquittal in public speeches. Free are those who called for the murder of the justices who acquitted Asia Bibi and called for mutiny within the army. Free are those whose threats, intimidation and blasphemy allegations have halted attempts to reform and to institute procedural safeguards against the misuse of blasphemy laws. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Free are the people whose death threats forced the then member of the National Assembly, Sherry Rehman, to stop her efforts to push a bill with the intention of preventing miscarriages of justice in blasphemy cases. As things stand, there is no political will in Pakistan to tackle hardliners on this vital issue, no matter who suffers from false allegations and the lynch mob. Until there is, individuals like Asia Bibi can have no freedom here and will continue to have no choice but to seek a life elsewhere. The EU election result has gone to the heads of far-right leaders across the old continent. And they have gone straight to the playbook of right-wing populism and fascism to start mixing propaganda with demagoguery. The results have been exalted as evidence they are the chosen ones representing the will of an absolute majority. After topping polls, and in a paradoxical new bid for power, Marine Le Pen said that it was now necessary to dissolve Frances National Assembly. The strong victory for the Fidesz party led Hungarys prime minister Viktor Orban to claim that Hungarians have given his movement the task of stopping immigration all across Europe, along with protecting Christian culture. Meanwhile in Rome, the like-minded hard-right politician, Italys interior minister Matteo Salvini, echoed that statement while clutching a crucifix in his hands. He suggested that, given the strong gains of his party, League, and other, similar groups in France and Britain, Europe is changing. Italians, apparently, also gave him a mandate to change the EU budgetary rules. Is all this real? Will the EU and its member states look different in the years to come? Well, first, Britains Brexit Party will (probably) soon leave the EU. Fidesz has been around a while but is close to a pariah as it falls under scrutiny of human rights and democracy watchdogs. Le Pen, meanwhile, is not in power in France and it will likely stay that way. Italys far-right and anti-establishment government, however, is the troubling nightmare for eurocrats and progressive forces. European election 2019 UK results Show all 9 1 /9 European election 2019 UK results European election 2019 UK results Brexit Party European election 2019 UK results Liberal Democrats European election 2019 UK results Labour European election 2019 UK results Greens European election 2019 UK results European election 2019 UK results Plaid Cymru European election 2019 UK results Scottish National Party European election 2019 UK results Change UK European election 2019 UK results UKIP Leagues 34.3 per cent share of the vote in the EU election was coupled with a spike in some regional and local ballots across the country. Following victory in the important region of Piedmont, Salvinis party in coalition with its traditional allies (Silvio Berlusconis Forza Italia and Giorgia Melonis far-right Fratelli dItalia) is now running all Italys northern regions. Moreover, they also saw tremendous gains in left-wing strongholds such as the Emilia Romagna region. More surprisingly, League became a top party in the South which is astonishing for an originally regionalist and anti-southern movement. What it is clear now is that Salvini has replaced Berlusconi in leading the so-called moderate centre right. He is now the pre-eminent example of demagoguery and post-truth on Italian soil. This opens up an uncertain future for a country which is economically struggling and facing poor growth under the current government. There remains a chance of a new general election after the summer, perhaps in 2020, with Salvini potentially even running with a far-right bloc (and keeping out the declining Berlusconi). What is certain is an immediate takeover by League of the coalition agenda further sidelining its bruised 5 Star partners. This would mean new measures on taxes and, in particular, anti-migrant security policies. In sum, Italy will face another season of political radicalisation and scapegoating (against the EU and refugees). This will come along with an even more polarised, irrational and messianic vision of politics and society. In the press conference following the first exit polls, Salvini kissed the crucifix and once again invoked religion to reinforce his message, to make it untouchable; close to the people: I thank who is up there [God]. For him, voters legitimised his party, and the divine will likely protect them and the politician leading them. He has implored the Virgin Mary to help Italy and Europe to find again hope, pride, roots, jobs [and] security. It is not quite clear how she, and God, are supposed to help with security, but in any case, this is a direct challenge to secularism and Enlightenment values. It is an attempt to play with fears and hijack Christianity. It is easy to get wrapped up in this kind of far-right rhetoric, whether you agree with it or not. In truth though, there is some hope for the future. The far-right parties have delighted in portraying themselves as the only election winners, but they will have a limited impact in Brussels. The EU parliament will be more fragmented now, but other, pro-European voices, have emerged. Even if nationalists are (worryingly) well represented in the mainstream a majority bloc will be created against such overtly anti-EU extremist forces. It is, once more, up to liberal and moderate forces to legitimise or de-legitimise the far right, its themes and its nationalism. Equally, the vote in Italy was more complex than Salvini would have you believe. League won the EU election, but local ballots are a different story. The centre-left kept a number of important city councils in the north. Given the failure of 5 Star, the Leagues performances in the South where they have no established political and social roots nor any relevant party militancy look, at least partially, to be a protest vote. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Also, Leagues share in the EU vote does not necessarily translate into a majority in city councils. In relevant cities such as Bari and Lecce, the centre-left gained considerably in the local vote compared to the European one (respectively +36 per cent and +20 per cent). As the famous writers collective Wu Ming put it, we should pay more attention to numbers and data rather than follow the right-wings almost apocalyptic propaganda. It is not irrelevant, after all, that 44 per cent of Italians abstained from the election. League has not therefore captured the will of the people, but only that of 9,000,000 citizens out of 60,000,000. As we have said, many of them did not even replicate their vote locally. Rhetoric and some of the media headlines have also hidden the growing signs of opposition in society the civic engagement, the reborn anti-fascist activism, the protests against the polices excessive involvement as Salvinis personal guards, and the discomfort of Pope Francis with the xenophobic policies implemented by the far-right party. In 2014, former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi gained roughly the 40 per cent in the EU election only to fall shortly afterwards. Exactly like Salvini, he was convinced he was unstoppable and could count on all Italians supporting and loving him. Will history now repeat itself? Andrea Mammone is a visiting fellow in the Robert Schuman Centre at the European University Institute, and a historian of Modern Europe at Royal Holloway, University of London. Reports that a company in Nanyang, Henan province, had produced a car that can run on water sparked confusion and disbelief, with one engineering professor declaring the feat impossible. The producer of the vehicle, China Youngman Automobile Group Co, was quoted as saying the engine can convert water into hydrogen, which in turn generates electricity to drive the vehicle, but it didn't reveal the exact process involved. "It is not a theory," Pang Qingnian, the company's chairman, told Xinhua News Agency last week. "We actually produced the car and it is running. We want to launch it to the market next year. This is our goal." The vehicle was the first prototype to apply the hydrogen generation technology and needs further improvement before being put into mass production, according to the administrative committee of Nanyang's high-tech zone, where China Youngman is located. After taking a test ride, the city's Party chief, Zhang Wenshen, called it "very good" in a news report on Thursday. The administrative committee said the project, which was approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology in 2010, produced technology that has been patented and is supported by Hubei University of Technology. But media reports about the "water-fueled" vehicle soon sparked skepticism online, as scientists and industry experts said that simply turning water into hydrogen, even with the help of catalysts, contradicted the law of conservation of energy in physics and chemistry. "Converting pure water into hydrogen as fuel is as impossible as turning water into oil," Sun Baigang, a professor at Beijing Institute of Technology's School of Mechanical Engineering, told The Beijing News. He said making hydrogen out of water can only be achieved by adding other chemicals, including methanol, sodium borohydride, magnesium or aluminum powder. These are all existing technologies and are not considered new in the industry, he said. Staff members at the local industry and information technology bureau told The Beijing News on Friday that the initial report released inaccurate information that led to misunderstanding. The project was still under development and had not been put into production or approved by industrial authorities. According to the committee, the project has been under development by a team from Hubei University of Technology since 2006. The team started cooperating with the company two years ago to commercialize their scientific results. Dong Shijie, the project leader from the university, said the technology was misinterpreted and is not the same thing as a "water-fueled engine". "Water is just a reactant. The core technology lies in the equipment, materials that produce hydrogen and the control systems. It is purely a misunderstanding that the vehicle only runs on water," he said. Liu Zhongmin, director of the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, a subsidiary of Chinese Academy of Sciences, said, "The media report only emphasized the role of water but failed to give a full explanation. It is incomplete and misleading to simply introduce the concept of water." Liu said if the technological process applied in the vehicle used aluminum, which reacts with water to make hydrogen, as explained by the committee, before generating power, then the principle seems more reasonable. He said the science behind hydrogen-fueled vehicles has already been done, but the actual cost and how to ensure safe use of hydrogen-considering its flammable and explosive nature-remains a big challenge to the future marketing of the product. So there we have it: Robert Mueller went out in the style to which we have become accustomed saying very little in public and being as professional as he can. But the fact Mueller felt he needed to do those eight minutes behind the podium at all shows how he believes the words of his report have been twisted by the administration of Donald Trump. He said that it is the only time he would speak like this and that he is returning to private life and marked his only public statement on the report. If the special counsel sought this press conference as his mic-drop moment, he had one clear message to get across. If we had confidence that the president had not committed a crime, we would have said so. Mueller clearly wants the report to speak for itself, and obviously thought it would, until attorney general William Barr put out his own summary ahead of the redacted report. The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Show all 25 1 /25 The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Bernie Sanders The Vermont senator has launched a second bid for president after losing out to Hilary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic primaries. He is running on a similar platform of democratic socialist reform Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Joe Biden The former vice president recently faced scrutiny for inappropriate touching of women, but was thought to deal with the criticism well and has since maintained a front runner status in national polling EPA The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Elizabeth Warren The Massachusetts senator is a progressive Democrat, and a major supporter of regulating Wall Street Reuters The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Amy Klobuchar Klobuchar is a Minnesota senator who earned praise for her contribution to the Brett Kavanaugh hearings Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Michael Bloomberg Michael Bloomberg, a late addition to the 2020 race, announced his candidacy after months of speculation in November. He has launched a massive ad-buying campaign and issued an apology for the controversial "stop and frisk" programme that adversely impacted minority communities in New York City when he was mayor Getty Images The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Tulsi Gabbard The Hawaii congresswoman announced her candidacy in January, but has faced tough questions on her past comments on LGBT+ rights and her stance on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Pete Buttigieg The centrist Indiana mayor and war veteran would be the first openly LGBT+ president in American history Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Deval Patrick The former Massachusetts governor launched a late 2020 candidacy and received very little reception. With just a few short months until the first voters flock to the polls, the former governor is running as a centrist and believes he can unite the party's various voting blocs AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Beto O'Rourke The former Texas congressman formally launched his bid for the presidency in March. He ran on a progressive platform, stating that the US is driven by "gross differences in opportunity and outcome" AP The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Kamala Harris The former California attorney general was introduced to the national stage during Jeff Sessions testimony. She has endorsed Medicare-for-all and proposed a major tax-credit for the middle class AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Bill De Blasio The New York mayor announced his bid on 16 May 2019. He emerged in 2013 as a leading voice in the left wing of his party but struggled to build a national profile and has suffered a number of political setbacks in his time as mayor AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Steve Bullock The Montana governor announced his bid on 14 May. He stated "We need to defeat Donald Trump in 2020 and defeat the corrupt system that lets campaign money drown out the people's voice, so we can finally make good on the promise of a fair shot for everyone." He also highlighted the fact that he won the governor's seat in a red [Republican] state Reuters The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Cory Booker The New Jersey Senator has focused on restoring kindness and civility in American politics throughout his campaign, though he has failed to secure the same level of support and fundraising as several other senators running for the White House in 2020 Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Wayne Messam Mayor of the city of Miramar in the Miami metropolitan area, Wayne Messam said he intended to run on a progressive platform against the "broken" federal government. He favours gun regulations and was a signatory to a letter from some 400 mayors condemning President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord Vice News The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Kirsten Gillibrand The New York Senator formally announced her presidential bid in January, saying that healthcare should be a right, not a privilege Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: John Delaney The Maryland congressman was the first to launch his bid for presidency, making the announcement in 2017 AP The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Andrew Yang The entrepreneur announced his presidential candidacy by pledging that he would introduce a universal basic income of $1,000 a month to every American over the age of 18 Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Julian Castro The former San Antonio mayor announced his candidacy in January and said that his running has a special meaning for the Latino community in the US Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Marianne Williamson The author and spiritual adviser has announced her intention to run for president. She had previously run for congress as an independent in 2014 but was unsuccessful Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Eric Swalwell One of the younger candidates, Swalwell has served on multiple committees in the House of Representatives. He intended to make gun control central to his campaign but dropped out after his team said it was clear there was no path to victory Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Seth Moulton A Massachusetts congressman, Moulton is a former US soldier who is best known for trying to stop Nancy Pelosi from becoming speaker of the house. He dropped out of the race after not polling well in key states Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Jay Inslee Inslee has been governor of Washington since 2013. His bid was centred around climate change AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: John Hickenlooper The former governor of Colorado aimed to sell himself as an effective leader who was open to compromise, but failed to make a splash on the national stage Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Tim Ryan Ohio representative Tim Ryan ran on a campaign that hinged on his working class roots, though his messaging did not appear to resonate with voters Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Tom Steyer Democratic presidential hopeful billionaire and philanthropist Tom Steyer is a longtime Democratic donor AFP/Getty Constrained by his position, and the professionalism he obviously prides himself on, Mueller decided he needed to be as clear as he could in the wake of that and hope that congress hears his words. I would say it is mission accomplished. Congress can be in no doubt that Mueller intends for them to pick up the baton on the 11 instances of possible obstruction he laid out in his report. Trump has denied any suggestion of him obstructing justice. The fact that the special counsel must end his report in the same spirit of professionalism that ensured so few direct leaks about his report across two years of investigation should be taken as ambiguity. Mueller says he will not give further testimony on report during resignation speech Muellers language is careful, controlled and deliberate but the subtext screams as loudly as it can. When the special counsel told the waiting media that charging the president with a crime was not an option he did not mean it to affirm the presidents innocence, no matter how much that soundbite will be taken out of context by supporters of Trump. Rather to make clear his professional restraints. He explained that Department of Justice rules made it explicitly clear that the special counsel could not even consider filing criminal charges against a sitting president because of longstanding policy. Barr has previously tried to paint the picture that the opinion was not a major factor in Muellers findings. The major takeaway that Mueller wants us to take onboard for 2020 is the fact Russia did interfere in the 2016 election, but he is not subtle about the question of obstruction either. In response Trump has tweeted that nothing changes from the Mueller report and the special counsel would likely agree it was all there in the original report and congress just needs to see it. Democrats may be disappointed that Mueller has ruled himself out of possible testimony to congress, or at least that if he is called he will say nothing beyond what was in his report. But if anything, that is merely to make clear that it is all there in the document. Democrats and at least one congressional Republican Justin Amash, who has called for impeachment proceedings against the president have seized on Muellers remarks and called on the legislative branch to act. The ball is in our court, Amash tweeted and there is no doubt that there is where Mueller meant to put it. Indeed, House Judiciary Committee chair, Democrat Jerry Nadler, said Muellers comments made clear that the responsibility now lies with congress to respond to the crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Calling for impeachment is something that Mueller would be too professional to do given his public role. But he wants us all to know that he is leaving the door as wide open as he possibly can. Trump will use the same tactic with possible 2020 voters as in his tweet. In the eyes of the president the case is closed! The subtext of Muellers words is that it does not have to be. Congress, over to you. Since the Windrush scandal caused mass outrage last year, much has been said about the appalling ways in which the government treated a whole class of citizens, but little effort is made to really consider the nuances of what the generation means. Consider, for example, the Polish presence a whole contingent of Windrush arrivalswho are rarely represented when discussing these issues. There were 66 Polish refugees on board the Empire Windrush on its now historic passage from the Caribbean to England. After the ship departed Kingston, Jamaica, it detoured to Tampico, a port on the coast of Mexico, to collect the Polish passengers. They had been displaced in Mexico since 1944. All except one were wives and children of Polish military men who had fought alongside the Allies against Nazi Germany. In recognition, Britain had granted the soldiers leave to remain, as well as family reunification rights, under a policy called the Polish Resettlement Act of 1947. The Empire Windrush was one of over 50 ships that transported Polish displaced persons From all over the world to the UK. I have been researching and writing about this Polish presence aboard the Windrush for a decade. When I began researching this group, I referred to them as the Windrush Poles, but I now believe this title holds the potential to do as much harm as good. How long do you have to live in a society and contribute to it before you are regarded as truly belonging? This is the aching question at the heart of the Windrush scandal, and I hear an echo of it, now at a low decibel but always threatening to pump up its volume, in Windrush Poles. Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Show all 15 1 /15 Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK The ex-troopship 'Empire Windrush' arriving at Tilbury Docks from Jamaica, with 482 Jamaicans on board, emigrating to Britain. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Jamaican immigrants being welcomed by RAF officials from the Colonial Office after the ex-troopship 'Empire Windrush' landed them at Tilbury. PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Alford Gardner who arrived in Britain in 1948 on the first Windrush ship to dock in Tilbury, Essex, speaking at his home in Leeds PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Alford Gardner in Leeds shortly after he arrived in Britain in 1948 on the first Windrush ship to dock in Tilbury, Essex PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Gardner was 22 years old when he boarded the ship in Kingston, Jamaica, with his brother Gladstone before they and hundreds of Caribbean migrants called on to rebuild post-war Britain disembarked the ship in Tilbury Docks PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Alford Gardner (right), during his RAF service in 1947 PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK The son of Ruth Williams, a Windrush-generation immigrant, wants to the leave the country after threats of deportation. According to his mother, Mr Haynes applied for British citizenship in 2016 but was rejected, despite Ms Williams having lived in the UK almost permanently since arriving from St Vincent and the Grenadines in 1959. Ruth Williams, 75, said she felt "betrayed" by Britain after the Home Office twice turned down applications for her 35-year-old son, Mozi Haynes, to remain in the country. Ms Williams is understood to have cancer and said she relies heavily on her son for support. PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK The British liner 'Empire Windrush' at port in 1954. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Ruth Williams, 75, with her British passport. "I feel betrayed and a second class citizen in my own country," she said. "This makes me so sad and the Home Office must show some compassion. "I am unwell and almost 75, I live on my own and I need my son to stay here. I need my family around me and I cant face being alone. He has applied to the Home Office and been refused twice." PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK From the top, hopeful Jamaican boxers Charles Smith, Ten Ansel, Essi Reid, John Hazel, Boy Solas and manager Mortimer Martin arrive at Tilbury on the Empire Windrush in the hope of finding work in Britain. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Jamaicans reading a newspaper whilst on board the ex-troopship 'Empire Windrush' bound for Tilbury docks in Essex. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK After half a century in Britain, Anthony Bryan decided it was time to go abroad. But the decision set off a nightmare that saw him lose his job, detained twice and almost deported to Jamaica. AFP/Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Jamaica-born Anthony Bryan poses outside his home in Edmonton, north London. Now 60 and a grandfather, Bryan thought the issue could be resolved swiftly, as he legally moved to Britain with his family as part of the Windrush generation of Caribbean migrants after World War II. In 1948, the ship Windrush brought the first group of migrants from the West Indies to help rebuild post-war Britain, and many others followed from around the Commonwealth. A 1971 law gave them indefinite leave to remain, but many never formalised their status, often because they were children who came over on their parents' passports and then never applied for their own. AFP/Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Three Jamaican immigrants (left to right) John Hazel, a 21-year-old boxer, Harold Wilmot, 32, and John Richards, a 22-year-old carpenter, arriving at Tilbury on board the ex-troopship 'Empire Windrush', smartly dressed in zoot suits and trilby hats. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Newly arrived Jamaican immigrants on board the 'Empire Windrush' at Tilbury in 1948. Getty In these times, as borders open or become more porous, the definition of who belongs inside any given nation becomes even more rigid. For example, it is still common practice now in 2019 to speak of Polish nationals who arrived in Britain after 2004 as migrants, even though many are now British citizens. Last Tuesday, family and friends of Karol Andrzej Pisula, formerly of Harlow, Essex, gathered at the Parndon Wood Cemetery and Crematorium to bid him a final farewell. Mr Pisula, who was 86, suffered a fatal aneurysm. On 21 June, exactly one month from the day of his funeral, is the anniversary of the arrival at Tilbury in 1948 of the Empire Windrush. Mr Pisula, who was 15 at the time, was one of the 1027 passengers. As I keep telling people, Mr Pisula said to me when I interviewed him last year. The first tour operator I had was in 1940 his name was Joseph Stalin. He took me to north Siberia. Mr Pisula was six years old. Recommended The Home Office are acting like the Windrush scandal never happened In 1939, Russian troops under Stalin annexed eastern Poland and deported up to one million of its inhabitants to the nether reaches of the Soviet Union. When Russia joined the Allied powers in 1941, a Polish manned army was formed of these deportees. The men were sent off to fight, while their families were evacuated to displaced persons camps in Africa, Asia, the Middle and Near East and Mexico. Mr Pisula was moved around to many of those locations, ending up at Colonia Santa Rosa, a refugee village for displaced Polish women and children. His Windrush generation experience was both the same and different to his African-Caribbean counterparts. He told me that he had not faced discrimination in seeking housing and employment in Britain as a Polish man, unlike most of his British West Indian counterparts. However, he did not evade the same othering comments and attitudes they suffered: Why dont you go back to Poland?, Youre only a bloody foreigner, and so on. Mainly for the echo of these words in our present Brexit moment, hurled at Polish and other EU residents, as well as Black and Asian Britons, I now find it more comfortable to refer in my writing to the Polish refugees who arrived in Britain aboard the Empire Windrush as the Windrush 66. With Mr Pisulas passing, only a couple of the Windrush 66 remain alive. There is a tendency on occasions such as this to mourn the passing of a generation. We have been bandying about the word generation quite a bit over the past year since the Windrush scandal began making headlines. But the interpretation of the word itself is vexing. What determines when a generation begins and ends, and who defines the terms of its membership? Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Nowadays, individuals know they are part of a specific generation from the outset of their lives because they are told so, mostly by marketers. Along with this identification comes a prescribed set of likes and dislikes. Millennials like this; Gen Zers dislike that. This is a recent development. Historically, the very idea that a generation had been formed of a common condition or experience was a determination made in retrospect. In Poland, the Generation of Columbuses is a term given to the group of people born just before Mr Pisula who were adolescents during the Second World War. They are so named because it is thought that Poland was a place they had to discover after the ravages of war and the imposition of communism. What, then, will history make of the Windrush 66? As a generation, they focus our attention on todays refugees, particularly women and children. By following the Windrush 66 from the first footsteps they took at Tilbury to, for most, the ground in which they are interred, we get a picture of the present in motion. Said Peter Pisula, a son of the departed, We decorated Karols coffin with a British and a Polish flag to demonstrate that he was a true British Pole. A plaque in memory of the 48 people who died in the Stardust nightclub fire in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA) Survivors and families of victims who died in the Stardust fire met with the Taoiseach in a bid to garner his support for a fresh inquest into the atrocity. Forty eight people died in the fire at the popular Stardust nightclub in Artane, Dublin at a Valentines Day disco in 1981. The Stardust Campaign group previously petitioned the Attorney General for the new inquest. Expand Close The scene following a fire at the Stardust nightclub in Artane (PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The scene following a fire at the Stardust nightclub in Artane (PA) Families have been told that the Attorney General will make a decision before July 16. Campaigners say fresh evidence and new witness statements about the night of the fire provide enough assurance that a new inquest should be opened. Only one emergency phone call is on public record from the night of the fire, but campaigners say they have a signed statement from a woman who claims she made a second call about a fire on the roof of the nightclub. The group also says it has evidence that the Electrical Supply Board had written to the owners of the Stardust about faulty electrical wiring before the fire occurred, all of which, it says, is crucial to the timing and cause of the fire. Officials originally ruled that the cause of the fire was arson, a theory that was never accepted by the families. Expand Close The Stardust Justice Campaign (Lynn Boylan/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Stardust Justice Campaign (Lynn Boylan/PA) Despite findings of safety breaches, there were no prosecutions over the incident. Investigations into the fire showed that a number of escape routes from the dance hall were blocked as emergency doors were locked by chains, concerns have also been raised about the investigation of the scene, which allowed politicians and media to walk through the building just days after the fire. Solicitor Darragh Mackin, from Phoenix Law, said there is considerable fresh evidence and witness testimony which depicts a very different picture than that was told to the families. He said: As the Taoiseach has considerable weight we say he should put it behind and support the application given the wider public interest for the families, and the wider Irish public, in establishing the truth. The reality is there has been for too long ineffective investigations into the atrocity. It can never be acceptable that the families are left to investigate the atrocity of this magnitude themselves without any State-funded or effective body to ascertain and examine the relevant evidence. We say that the request by the families is a minimal one. Its simply to establish an inquest which can investigate and examine all of the evidence, which they collated, and come to a conclusion of how the fire started. It cannot be situation where families are left in limbo where they simply do not know the full facts or the truth of the events. Antoinette Keegan, who survived the fire but lost her sisters Mary and Martina in the tragedy, said they remain hopeful that an inquest will be established. She said: The meeting went fairly well. The Taoiseach listened to us and he took our concerns into consideration. Some of the issues he wasnt aware of but he listened and observed and reflected on a few things. We have met three different Taoiseachs over three decades. We are now hopeful that between the Taoiseach and the Attorney General the inquest will be reopened. We need a verdict recorded and we have waited 38 years to have a verdict. A spokesman for the Taoiseach said: It was a very good meeting with the families. Both sides engaged fully and constructively. Another long day of counting has taken place in the Midlands North West constituency with Luke Ming Flanagan likely to retain his seat after no substantial changes. Fine Gaels Mairead McGuinness was elected to the first of the four seats on Monday after counting began in Castlebar, Co Mayo, on Sunday. She will return to Brussels with a huge mandate of 134,630 votes the quota for election stands at 118,986. It is unlikely any other candidate will reach the quota apart from incumbent independent MEP Mr Flanagan, who on the 12th count remained in the lead for the second seat on 112,760 votes. He is followed by Fine Gaels Maria Walsh on 96,163 and Sinn Feins Matt Carthy on 91,396. Mr Flanagan said his election was a certainty. Rising star of the Green Party Saoirse McHugh was eliminated in the early hours of Wednesday morning but independent failed presidential candidate Peter Casey remained in the race. Expand Close Sinn Fein candidate Matt Carthy with party leader Mary Lou McDonald at the count centre in Castlebar, Co Mayo (Brian Lawless/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sinn Fein candidate Matt Carthy with party leader Mary Lou McDonald at the count centre in Castlebar, Co Mayo (Brian Lawless/PA) Likely to be joining Ms McGuinness and Mr Flanagan is incumbent MEP Mr Carthy. Although his share of the vote has decreased on 2014, the Sinn Fein representative should be safe in his position as he retained an over 20,000 vote lead on Mr Casey throughout the day. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald visited the count centre on Wednesday. Although the decision was not certain until its over, she hailed Mr Carthys performance and positive campaign amid a turbulent time for the party, which polled badly in the local elections over the weekend. Fine Gael newcomer Ms Walsh also looked likely to be headed for Brussels on Wednesday evening, with her vote count significantly increasing from transfers from other candidates. Fianna Fail has polled poorly in the constituency, falling behind Mr Casey. It fielded two candidates in Anne Rabbitte, who was eliminated on Tuesday night, and Brendan Smith, who was eliminated on Wednesday afternoon. Counting is expected to go on well into the night. BRITISH Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has said a second referendum on Brexit should not be a rerun of the 2016 vote but a new withdrawal deal. Speaking in Dublin this evening, he said he would support a public vote on a negotiated deal with the EU or alternatives to that. Mr Corbyn said he was in town to meet old friends at the Irish Congress of Trade Unions Office to discuss workers rights. He also plans to meet the Taoiseach tomorrow to discuss a customs union with the EU, and the dynamic protection of rights obtained through EU membership, The referendum would be on a negotiated deal or alternatives to that, he said when asked about the possibility of a second referendum. Its not a rerun of 2016. It would be on the basis of whatever we have succeeded in negotiating. The British government is imploding at the present time and we are very keen to ensure that there is a process that prevents a no deal exit from the European Union. Because I believe that would be incredibly damaging to industry all across Britain and with that, trade across Ireland as well. He said the Tory party leadership candidates that have nominated themselves so far seem to be of the view that there should be a no deal exit. But he said his partys position has always been that the border between the north and the Republic should be an open trading border. Weve made that absolutely a basis of all our discussions and negotiations in parliament, he said. When asked how he would convince the EU to renegotiate, he said there would be a new commission following the recent elections and the important thing is to get agreement. I do not want Britain to become some sort of tax haven on the shores of Europe, he added. I want us to have a close relationship with Europe in the future. After all, jobs on both sides of the channel and of course in Ireland as well depend on that trading relationship. When asked about the fact that Boris Johnson has been ordered to appear in court over claims he lied to the British public during the Brexit campaign, he said: I try not to think about Boris Johnson too much. Developer Johnny Ronan's Ronan Group Real Estate (RGRE) has been confirmed as the successful purchaser of the 13-acre site at TC3 in Cherrywood, Dublin 18, earmarked for a major commercial and residential development. The deal follows lengthy talks with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Properties - owned by Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, who've sought a completed office building as payment rather than a traditional cash purchase. The Irish Independent first reported back in February that RGRE was the preferred bidder for the site. Ronan Group plans to develop a mixed-use scheme of residential accommodation together with premium offices which it has dubbed 'Central Park #2' in reference to the large scale commercial and residential hub at Leopardstown, Co Dublin, built back in 1999. The 5.3 hectares (13.1 acres) TC3 site is served by Cherrywood Luas stop, with a direct link to the city centre and forms part of the Cherrywood Strategic Development Zone (SDZ), which benefits from 'fast-track planning' rules. A master plan for TC3 was prepared in advance of the sale by architects Scott Tallon Walker. That plan is for more than 74,320 sq m (800,000 sq ft) of office space, 358 apartments and spaces for retail, leisure and community use. The framework plan also provides for up to 1,900 car parking spaces. Ronan Group's Guy Leech said the development will be world-class. "We are going to build a new world-class, sustainable and eco-friendly scheme. "Ronan Group built Central Park, now owned by Green Reit. "TC3 will be 'Central Park Mark 2' designed for tenant requirements for the 21st century." Advisers on the deal were Conor Whelan of QRE for the vendors and Evan Lonergan of Knight Frank represented the Ronan Group. Developer Johnny Ronan's Ronan Group Real Estate (RGRE) has been confirmed as the successful purchaser of the 13-acre site at TC3 in Cherrywood, Dublin 18, earmarked for a major commercial and residential development. The deal follows lengthy talks with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Properties - owned by Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, who've sought a completed office building as payment rather than a traditional cash purchase. The Irish Independent first reported back in February that RGRE was the preferred bidder for the site. Ronan Group plans to develop a mixed-use scheme of residential accommodation together with premium offices which it has dubbed 'Central Park #2' in reference to the large scale commercial and residential hub at Leapordstown, Co Dublin, built back in 1999. The 5.3 hectares (13.1 acres) TC3 site is served by Cherrywood LUAS stop, with a direct link to the city centre and forms part of the Cherrywood Strategic Development Zone (SDZ), which benefits from 'fast-track planning' rules. A master plan for TC3 was prepared in advance of the sale by architects Scott Tallon Walker. That plan is for more than 74,320 sq m (800,000 sq ft) of office space, 358 apartments and spaces for retail, leisure and community use. The framework plan also provides for up to 1,900 car parking spaces. Ronan Group's Guy Leech said the development will be world-class. "We are going to build a new world class, sustainable and eco-friendly scheme. Ronan Group built Central Park, now owned by Green Reit. TC3 will be 'Central Park Mark 2' designed for tenant requirements for the 21st century". Advisers on the deal were Conor Whelan of QRE for the vendors and Evan Lonergan of Knight Frank represented the Ronan Group. Glanbia Ireland said today that it paid approximately 1 billion, including VAT, for milk directly to 4,500 farmer suppliers in 2018. CEO of Glanbia Ireland, Jim Bergin, told its AGM today that this delivered a direct boost to the economies of towns and villages in rural Ireland, with payments worth 168m to suppliers in Co Kilkenny, 149m in Co Waterford, 124m in Co Tipperary and 122m in Co Wexford. The 5.1pc growth in milk supply in 2018 was worth over 47m extra in payments last year which has an impact on the economies of rural Ireland and our suppliers farms, he said. Milk supplies to Glanbia Ireland are now at 2.7 billion litres per year, with supply reaching 88 million litres per week at peak this year, compared to around 45 million per week in 2014. In line with the growth in milk volume, Glanbia has invested 343 million in processing capacity, including investments in the Belview milk powder plant and in cheese processing in Wexford. Glanbia Co-op said its members benefited from a strong dividend last year, with a total of 14.8m paid out to Members (39 cent per share). This included an Ordinary Dividend of 13c, plus a Special Dividend of 26c as approved by Members their 2017 Special General Meeting in Punchestown. The AGM approved Share Interest (Dividend) of 15 cent per share for 2019, which is 15pc higher than the previous year. At a Special General Meeting post the AGM, Members approved the creation of a 30 million Support Fund and the distribution of 13.5 cent per share (c.5 million) in Share Interest (Special Dividend) to be paid no later than 30 December 2020. Glanbia has come under fire from farm organisations in recent months over cuts to its milk price. IFA National Dairy Committee Chairman Tom Phelan said this month that a huge level of anger was building up among Glanbia suppliers over milk price. He said Glanbia was the only milk purchaser to have cut their pay-out to farmers in both February and March, and was firmly last in the March league. He said feedback from Glanbia farmer meetings and conversations with numerous suppliers clearly show just how dangerously out of touch Glanbia have become as to how important a benchmark milk price is to farmers. Glanbia rightly pride themselves in being a leading player in the dairy industry. But farmers supplying Glanbia legitimately expect them to be a leading payer, too. And in this respect, all the farmers I speak to at the moment are bitterly disappointed with the poor Glanbia milk price performance, Mr Phelan said. As a processor of milk, Glanbia Ingredients Ireland takes a margin of 3.2% after tax, the highest in the industry, which has been agreed with farmers to satisfy their lending commitments to fund expansion investment, he said. Glanbia is a complex structure made up of many parts. It is well resourced, as shown by its ability to pay a 14m trading bonus to farmers earlier this spring, he said. However, Glanbia must realise that ultimately, farmers will judge them on the milk price they pay every month. They must convince farmers that their ambition is not just to be a leading player, but also a leading payer, he said. An Taisce has said the EU would be right to revoke Irelands nitrates derogation. In a heavily critical submission to the Department of Agriculture's review of the Derogation it has claimed that the derogation is propping up what it described as an 'unsustainable and environmentally damaging' Foodwise 2025 strategy. It also claimed that intensive agriculture was putting Ireland in breach of multiple EU and international laws and agreements, and also said that it is one of the root causes of our recently declared climate and biodiversity emergency. It went on to say that without drastic measures to reduce the pollution and ecological damage caused by the intensification of bovine farming on both derogation and non-derogation farms the future of Irelands nitrates derogation hangs in the balance. Dr. Elaine McGoff, Natural Environment Officer with An Taisce said sustainable intensification in an oxymoron. "Herd reduction and agricultural diversification, as recommended in the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action (JOCCA) report, are the only way to protect the environment and avert climate breakdown in any meaningful way. "Intensive bovine agriculture is the leading cause of water pollution, habitat and species loss, and ammonia and GHG emissions. "The data prove that this intensive agricultural model is environmentally unsustainable, whatever way you look at it, and it will ultimately be the death knell for Irish habitats and wildlife," she said. "Given our environmental record, I believe the EU would be right to revoke Irelands nitrates derogation. "How could they continue to sanction this breakneck pace of agricultural intensification once they see the resultant destruction of our wildlife, our waters and our climate," she asked. The Department of Agriculture has just completed a public consultation on their nitrates derogation, as part of a review process. '900m in output' IFA President Joe Healy said, the Department of Agricultures early mid-term review of the Nitrates derogation provides a real opportunity to support the sustainable development of a cohort of farmers who he said contribute over 900m in agricultural output in every county in Ireland and are a cornerstone of the future development of the sector. The Association has also strongly rejected proposals by the Department of Agriculture to classify farms that are stocked at 1.5 dairy cows/ha as intensive, describing it as an incorrect and deeply unfair perception of our family-owned and operated, grass-based farms, at a time of unprecedented and extraordinarily aggressive social media driven scrutiny of farming and food production systems. Thomas Cooney added, Farmers are fully engaged in positive water, air and climate action, with farmers in derogation using resources such as phosphorous with increased efficiency. All of this action is contributing to falling emissions intensity in our livestock sector, strong demand for access to air quality improvement schemes such as LESS; as well as climate, biodiversity and water improvement schemes, such as GLAS. IFA has called on the Department of Agriculture to introduce a Sustainability Development Programme to support improved efficiency and to continue to reduce the environmental footprint of the sector. IFA Environment Chairman Thomas Cooney called for the following measures: BBC Radio Ulsters Stephen Nolan said he was furious after the bovine invaders set off his alarms and woke him up. A radio presenter said he thought he was being raided by the British Army as he was woken by cows invading his property. Stephen Nolan, who presents the Nolan Show on BBC Radio Ulster, posted a video on Twitter of him chasing the dirty brutes from his property wearing nothing more than shorts and trainers. I thought I was getting raided by the British Army, the 45-year-old wrote. I woke up to sound of heavy footsteps and banging on my door. I thought I was getting raided by the British army . I woke up to sound of heavy footsteps and banging on my door. Cows broke into my site. Set off alarms, which sent call to security team. Total mayhem . Dirty brutes. Im furious pic.twitter.com/n7FpIh74TN Stephen Nolan (@StephenNolan) May 29, 2019 Cows broke into my site. Set off alarms, which sent call to security team. Total mayhem. Dirty brutes. Im furious. While Nolan himself was furious about the bovine invasion, his followers certainly saw the funny side of the incident. This is a very mooving story, wrote one, while another replied: I think youre milking this a little bit. Tommy Kielty ( left) from Culfadda, Co. Sligo pictured with his neighbour Joe Hannon. Tommy was disappointed with the price for his heavier sheep, lot 25; 9 lambs, 53kg average weight, fetched 115 each. Photo Brian Farrell The full cost of electronic sheep tagging (EID) must be carried by the Department of Agriculture until the marts and factories are fully compliant with the new technology. The demand was made this week by the ICSA and INHFA after it emerged that most marts will not have EID reading equipment operational by June 1. Under new regulations, all sheep leaving a farm from this Saturday (June 1) must have a form of electronic identification. However, many marts have confirmed to the Farming Independent that they will not have their tag-reading equipment in place and operational until later in the summer, and not until the autumn in some cases. It was initially envisaged that factories and marts would be approved Central Points of Recording (CPRs), with the necessary equipment to read EID tags. ICSA and INHFA have now called for the Department of Agriculture to carry the full cost of EID tagging until sheep farmers can see the benefits of the technology. Justification ICSA sheep chair Sean McNamara said there was no justification for sheep farmers to bear the cost of EID tagging. "The factories and marts have not come on board with electronic tagging," he said. "They have not been compelled to do so by the Department of Agriculture and so the majority have not invested in the necessary equipment in time for the June 1 deadline. "Sheep farmers don't have a choice in the matter; we have to buy electronic tags. "However, from June 1, ICSA is calling for a full refund for electronic tags purchased after that date. The cost to farmers for EID tags is upwards of 2.5m per annum. It is a cost we cannot bear, and a cost we should not be expected to bear, if the tags are not being read by the marts and meat factories," he added. "So until it comes to pass that 100pc of sheep and lambs passing through marts and factories are being read electronically, there is absolutely no justification for sheep farmers to be out of pocket." This view was shared by INHFA leader Colm O'Donnell. He called on Agriculture Minister Michael Creed to step in and cover the full cost of this tagging until such time as it can deliver for farmers in terms of higher prices and reduced paperwork. "With an annual underspend of over 6m in the Sheep Welfare Scheme, we believe that this should be used in providing the funding for this additional cost," Mr O'Donnell maintained. Huawei Technologies Co filed a motion for summary judgment on Wednesday Beijing time, as the Chinese tech company aims to speed up its lawsuit against the US government over a ban that bars federal agencies from using its products. The Chinese tech heavyweight asked a court in Plano, Texas, where it filed the case, to declare the US ban on its products unconstitutional. It also called on the US government to halt its state-sanctioned campaign against Huawei over alleged cybersecurity fears. Banning Huawei using cybersecurity as an excuse "will do nothing to make networks more secure. It provides a false sense of security, and distracts attention from the real challenges we face," said Song Liuping, Huawei's chief legal officer. The company sued the US government in March. "Politicians in the US are using the force of an entire nation to go after a private company," Song noted. "This is not normal. It's almost never seen in history." "The US government has provided no evidence to show that Huawei is a security threat. There is no gun, no smoke. Only speculation," Song added. The US has launched a crackdown on Huawei, including adding the Chinese company to a trade blacklist which banned Huawei from accessing any US technologies without special approval. It accused the company of posing risks to its national security. Huawei has repeatedly denied the accusations and said these charges were not supported by any factual evidence. Song also said adding Huawei to the trade blacklist "sets a dangerous precedent. Today, it is telecoms and Huawei. Tomorrow, it could be your industry, your company, your consumers," he said. Huawei filed the lawsuit against the US government in a district court in Plano, Texas, where Huawei has its American headquarters. Huawei said that part of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act is unconstitutional because it singles out Huawei. The act bans government agencies from contracting with Huawei or companies that use the company's equipment. Accumulated profits at Darina Allen's Ballymaloe Cookery School last year increased to 2.7m. New accounts show that the firm that operates the Co Cork cookery school recorded profits of 62,134 in the 12 months to the end of August last. This followed Ballymaloe Cookery School Ltd recording a 45,548 loss in 2017. The firm employs 60 and staff costs last year totalled 1.97m. One of Darina Allen's sons, Toby, is general manager of the school and was appointed to the company board in February of last year. Mr Allen said: "After a number of difficult years where we had some one-off expenses that we needed to absorb, thankfully last year was more upbeat and we once again showed a small profit." The bedrock of the school's operation is the school's 12-week certificate course, which costs 12,595 per person and runs three times a year "This year has again been challenging with Brexit causing uncertainty that has had an effect on our Irish and British students," said Mr Allen said. "Our current 12-week course is a little under-subscribed - about 5pc down - but still shows the international character of our students with 14 nationalities present." Mr Allen added: "Our next 12-week course in September is on course to be fully subscribed and we have tackled the uncertainty caused by Brexit by increasing our advertising and social media exposure." The school has been operating since 1983. Board meetings at subsidiaries of Quinn Insurance Ltd (QIL) to sign off on loan guarantees of 1.2bn for the wider Quinn Group appear not to have taken place, despite signed minutes indicating that they had, a public inquiry has heard. Hearings for an inquiry set in train by the Central Bank of Ireland into the collapse of Quinn Insurance Ltd in 2010 kicked off yesterday. Senior counsel Eoin McCullough for the legal practitioner team assisting the inquiry told the first day of public hearings that neither the board nor the investment committee of Quinn Insurance had been made aware that the assets of eight subsidiaries had been pledged as collateral against 1.2bn of loans. Referring to three separate board meetings of Quinn Insurance in 2005, 2006 and 2007 at which Liam McCaffrey, former CEO of Quinn Group and Kevin Lunney signed off on the pledges, he said that it appeared that board members had not been notified of the meetings. Both Mr McCaffrey and Mr Lunney deny the charges. "It actually appears that the board meetings did not take place," Mr McCullough told the inquiry, adding that the failure to inform the Quinn Insurance board and its investment committee had breached company statutes and showed that internal controls were inadequate. The assets of the subsidiaries of Quinn insurance were supposed to work as regulatory capital for the insurer. The Central Bank of Ireland imposed a fine of 5m on Quinn Insurance for its failure to maintain those solvency margins and for the lack of management controls in 2013, but the fine was waived as the firm was in administration. In order to fund compensation for the liabilities, which run at more than 1bn, arising from Quinn Insurance's financial collapse insurance customers in Ireland still pay a 2pc levy on non-life policies. Mr McCullough's statement was the only one made in the hearing. "The persons concerned never told the other members of the QIL board or the investment committee of the proposal to enter into the guarantees - or the fact that the guarantees were entered into," he said. The board of Quinn Insurance did not become aware that the assets of eight subsidiary companies, which were directly or indirectly owned by the insurance company or some of its entities had been pledged until 2010 when, in the words of Mr McCullough "matters became difficult". The firm was put into administration in 2010 and later bought by Liberty Insurance of the US for one euro. The inquiry is headed by Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O'Neill, a retired High Court judge, with barrister Ita Mangan and former Zurich Insurance lawyer John Cashin. It is scheduled to run for two weeks. The annual Bilderberg conference of wealthy business leaders and powerful political heavyweights begins tomorrow in the Swiss tourist resort of Montreux. The meeting runs from Thursday to Sunday, with Ryanair's Michael O'Leary sitting on its organising steering committee for the fourth year. As the Irish representative on the steering committee, Mr O'Leary is hosting Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe, who is attending the invite-only conference for the second time; and banker Richard Gnodde, the CEO of Goldman Sachs International. Though of South African origin, and based in London, Mr Gnodde is referred to in the Bilderberg 2019 participant list as an Irish delegate, as he holds an Irish passport. Attending this year's annual conference is the usual mix of senior politicians, financiers and business people. This year's event will feature two prime ministers, two finance ministers, the minister of defence for Germany, the secretary general of Nato, and the King of the Netherlands. Jared Kushner and two members of Donald Trump's National Security Council are also on the list, as are CEOs and chairs from Thales, Microsoft, Total, BP, Santander, Deutsche Bank and AXA. Expand Close Attendees: Ryanair founder Michael OLeary (pictured) and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe will attend the event. Photo: Bloomberg / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Attendees: Ryanair founder Michael OLeary (pictured) and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe will attend the event. Photo: Bloomberg The head of British intelligence and security organisation GCHQ, Jeremy Fleming, and the head of the Bank of England, Mark Carney will also be at the conference in Montreux. The steering committee is run by Henri de Castries, the vice-chairman of Nestle and a director of HSBC. Ireland traditionally holds a single seat on the 33-strong steering committee, which was held for many years by the late Peter Sutherland, who first introduced Mr O'Leary to the group in 2015. The Ryanair CEO replaced Mr Sutherland on the steering committee in 2016. Alongside Michael O'Leary on the steering committee is Thomas Leysen, chairman of Mediahuis, the proposed buyer of Independent News and Media (INM), which publishes the Irish Independent. On the agenda for the 2019 summit is: 'What's Next for Europe?'. Brexit is also up for discussion, as is 'The Future of Capitalism', 'Russia', 'China', 'The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence', 'The Weaponisation of Social Media', 'The Importance of Space' and 'Cyber Threats'. Transparency campaigners have long complained about the Bilderberg Conference, which does not publish details of proceedings at its meetings, in particular because politicians such as Mr Donohoe will meet in private with corporate CEOs and industry lobbyists. France will seek protection of local jobs and other guarantees in exchange for supporting a merger between carmakers Renault and Fiat Chrysler, its finance minister said yesterday, underscoring the challenges facing the plan. Renault chairman Jean-Dominique Senard arrived in Japan to discuss the proposed tie-up with the French company's existing partner Nissan - another potential obstacle to the $35bn (3.13bn) merger of equals. Renault and Italian-American rival Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) are in talks to tackle the costs of far-reaching technological and regulatory changes by creating the world's third-biggest carmaker. Nissan found out about Renault's merger talks with Fiat Chrysler just days before they became public, four sources told Reuters, stoking fears at the Japanese carmaker that a deal could further weaken its position in a 20-year alliance with Renault. A deal between Renault and FCA would create a player ranked behind only Japan's Toyota and Germany's Volkswagen and target 5bn a year in savings. Analysts, however, have warned that the companies face a challenge to win over powerful stakeholders ranging from the French and Italian governments, to trade unions and Nissan. French finance minister Bruno Le Maire said the plan was a good opportunity for both Renault and the European car industry, which has been struggling for years with over-capacity and subdued demand. Mr Le Maire added that the French government would seek four guarantees in exchange for backing a deal that would see its 15pc stake in Renault reduced to 7.5pc of the combined entity. "The first: industrial jobs and industrial sites. I told the Renault chairman very clearly that it was the first of the guarantees I wanted from him in the opening of these negotiations. A guarantee on the preservation of industrial jobs and sites in France," said Mr Le Maire. The minister also said France wanted to be well represented on the board of the new company, for it to be a leader in developing electric batteries, and for the deal to take place "within the framework of the alliance between Renault and Nissan". Mr Le Maire said he had spoken to the Japanese personally about the proposed tie up. On Monday, Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said Rome might need to take a stake in the combined company, balancing France's shareholding. Reuters Ed Sheeran has warned that home-grown talent could disappear from the music industry without public funding. The chart-topper said many aspiring musicians, artists and actors need subsidies to discover their talents. The 28-year-olds comments follow complaints about the sidelining of the arts, including music education, amid funding constraints in schools. Without the funding for art, drama and music for young people then you just wont have any home-grown talent at all, Sheeran said. Without funded programmes and opportunities, a massive number of talented young people just wont have the chance to discover what theyre capable of or develop their skills. The music industry in England is one of the most powerful things in the world and one of Britains best and most lucrative exports. It just makes no sense not to support it. Expand Close Phoebe Waller-Bridge worked with a number of subsidised organisations and venues before her successes with Fleabag and Killing Eve (Matt Crossick/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Phoebe Waller-Bridge worked with a number of subsidised organisations and venues before her successes with Fleabag and Killing Eve (Matt Crossick/PA) His comment comes in a report from the Creative Industries Federation and Arts Council England. Alan Bishop, chief executive of the Creative Industries Federation, said the commercial success of British fashion designers, music stars and film directors had been umbilically linked to the deep talent pool of the publicly funded arts. Video of the Day The report states that, without public investment into arts and culture, the economic success of the UKs creative industries which it says is the UKs fastest-growing sector would not be possible. It says that arts and culture contributes more than 10.8 billion to the UK economy. And it adds that Fleabag and Killing Eve creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge worked with several subsidised organisations and venues before launching her hit shows. In film, Idris Elba, Olivia Colman and Daniel Kaluuya are among the stars to have trained and developed their craft through subsidised programmes and courses. Proving you're never too young to appreciate Metallica, a group of sixth class chidlren in St Patrick's National School, Slane, have recorded a haunting version of the metal band's 1991 single 'Nothing Else Matters'. The children, aged 11 and 13, are hoping to nab the attention of the band ahead of their upcoming, highly-anticipated concert at Slane Castle on Saturday, June 8. At Christmas the children recorded a charity single and raised 2,500 for SVP, and their teacher, Kevin Fagan, was impressed by their skills. "I saw a few of the musicians playing 'Master of Puppets' by Metallica at last year's end of year concert so I knew there were a few interested in Metallica," he tells Independent.ie. "So when Metallica announced they were playing Slane and as we are the only school in the village I thought we had to pay tribute to them. "So I got the idea to try Nothing Else Matters as I thought it would suit them vocally, and I knew we had a girl on violin in the class that we could use on this song. "So we got together and stayed in for numerous lunchtimes practicing and writing out the music, learning vocals and harmonies etc. Then I set up a recording studio in the class room so we could capture it." All the instrumentation and vocals are provided by the children themselves. "They have a huge interest in music so I've just been delighted to give them a space to practice," says Mr Fagan. "Three acts made up of kids from the class even went on to enter School Stars talent competition in the TLT after making the Christmas CD. All three acts made it through to the final after over 300 acts auditioned." Video of the Day They have sent their video to Slane Castle owner Lord Henry Mountcharles and are hoping Metallica will get the chance to listen to the result of all their hard work. James Hetfield, Robert Trujillo, Lars Ulrich and Kirk Hammett will play Slane on June 8 as part of the WorldWires tour, fulfilling their promise to Irish fans that they would play here in 2019. They have not played Ireland in ten years and will be the first to play the legendary Co Meath venue since Guns N' Roses in 2017. The band only does 50 shows per year and changed dates to make sure they played Slane. "They actually moved and rescheduled some shows to make they could play Slane because obviously Slane is only on a Saturday," said MCD's Denis Desmond earlier this year. "So it was on their bucket list and it's on Henry's bucket list." Metallica will be supported by Ghost and Bokassa and two more bands, and as is traditional at Slane, one of those will be an Irish band to open on the day after gates at 1pm. Aviva Insurance's ten-fold increase in the number of investigators of suspected fraud it employs has contributed to the insurer winning 80pc of personal injury claims it has defended in the courts this year. That is according to investigations manager with Aviva Robert Smyth, who said: "It is very evident that in most cases, the courts will dismiss claims when the evidence is there to support a dismissal." Over the past four years, Mr Smyth has overseen the expansion of Aviva's investigation unit, with 30 officers now investigating suspected fraud, compared with three in 2015. Attributing the 80pc success rate to Aviva investing resources in investigations, Mr Smyth said: "Along with boots on the ground, we have also invested in data analytics." However, Mr Smyth quoted one case which involved 80 damage to a car resulting in Aviva paying out just under 215,000 in personal injury awards and costs "as a reason why insurance companies settle claims, rather than risking significant losses". In the incident, Aviva's insured driver tipped into the rear of the car that contained a driver and passenger. Arising from a court case on the personal injury claims, a judge last December awarded one of the parties in the other car 105,000 in damages while the other claimant from the car received 5,000 damages. Aviva also had to pay their legal costs totalling 65,000. Mr Smyth confirmed that Aviva's own legal costs from the case totalled 33,000. Mr Smyth said that there was "minimal damage" done to the car owned by the other driver. Mr Smyth said that total costs to Aviva from the case were just under 215,000. He said the case "is an example of how our compensation culture racks up some very high costs". In a separate case, Mr Smyth welcomed the dismissal of an appeal to the High Court by Ann Marie Mongans (39) of Clancy Park, Ennis, against the scale of an award she received in the circuit court. The 5,000 Ms Mongans received at Ennis Circuit Court in 2017 was the seventh award she had received, bringing to 110,000 the total received in all of her claims. The appeal was dismissed at the High Court sitting in Ennis after Ms Mongans failed to show. Mr Smyth confirmed Aviva has paid its own legal costs of 20,000 in the case. The May 2012 accident was the seventh accident where Ms Mongans has received compensation in a claim history spanning 29 years. :: Aged seven in 1988, Ms Mongans received 13,970 in compensation after being knocked down; :: 1998 - Ms Mongans was awarded 9,000 as a result of a road traffic accident; :: 1999 - Ms Mongans received compensation of 7,000 from a road accident at Clarecastle Rd, Ennis; :: 2004 - Ms Mongans received 11,000 from a road accident at Market Street in Ennis; :: 2006 - Ms Mongans received 55,000 as a result of breaking her pelvis and suffering back injuries in a road accident on Ennis's Quin Rd; :: 2011 - Ms Mongans received 10,000 from a road traffic accident near O'Connell Street in Limerick. Hero: The body of Garda David Hearne is carried into Star of the Sea Church in Duncannon, Co Wexford. Picture: Mary Browne A Garda and father-of-four who died while scuba diving has been remembered as a "consummate professional" and a devoted family man with a cheeky smile, who had saved many lives. Members of An Garda Siochana formed a solemn guard of honour for the funeral of their colleague, Garda David Hearne. His colleague, Garda John Duggan, told mourners at the packed Star of the Sea Church in Duncannon, Co Wexford, yesterday that Gda Hearne was a devoted husband and father. "David loved his family so much that on his locker in work, he had a newspaper clipping of his wedding day, pictured with his wife, Barbara," he said. "Diving was his big thing, the life-saving, the generosity he showed diving into rivers to save a person." Gda Hearne (47), died while scuba diving off Hook Head on Saturday. He is survived by Barbara, their children Dylan, Toby, Noah and Libby, his parents Declan and Gemma and his siblings Brid, Maeve and Declan. His children brought gifts to the altar symbolising his life. Libby brought a figure of 'Murty the Garda', while Noah brought a picture he had drawn. Toby brought his father's diving gear and Dylan his guitar. Gda Hearne's younger brother Declan spoke of being overwhelmed at the generosity of so many people, who came along to tell stories relating to David. "It would have been a more traumatic time for the family but for the Hook Head Sub Aqua club members going with him on Saturday afternoon, thus ensuring his return to the family," he said. A member of the club, Noel Furlong, told mourners Gda Hearne would be remembered by all for his cheeky smile and incredible sense of humour. No matter what, he would always be looking towards the next adventure, while everyone loved him, he added. An eight-year-old girl who suffered second-degree scald burns when a cup of hot chocolate tipped into her lap on a Ryanair flight has settled her High Court action for 150,000. American Sriya Venkata Neti was travelling from Rome to Krakow, Poland, with her parents when she took a sip of the hot chocolate but recoiled from the hot liquid and the paper cup fell on top of her. Her counsel Hugh Mohan SC told the High Court the little girl suffered significant burns. A medical report handed in to the court said the hot liquid pooled on the seat, causing extreme burning pain and the child's mother had to unbuckle her from the seat and her clothing had to be removed. Where the liquid had hit, the mother reported her daughter's skin was gone and blisters were forming in other areas and the child was crying. Upon landing in Krakow the girl was airlifted to hospital and was then transferred to Toronto, Canada, where she spent eight days being treated as an outpatient for her burns before returning home to California. Sriya Venkata Neti, who is now 11, and lives in Freemont, California had through her father Srinivas Neti sued Ryanair over the accident on the Rome-Krakow flight on June 25, 2016. She had claimed she had been served a hot chocolate at such a high temperature that the liquid could and did cause severe scalding and burns to her and there was an alleged failure to provide a safe method of service of hot beverages, in particular hot chocolate suitable for minors. It was further claimed there was an alleged failure to warn the little girl of the known danger posed by the temperatures at the which the chocolate was served. It was also alleged there was an alleged failure to provide any or any adequate assistance to the child and her family post-spillage and after a time it was allegedly requested the little girl be moved to a toilet for treatment so as not to disturb other passengers. The alleged failure of the cabin crew, it was claimed, to prove any adequate assistance to the girl or her parents allegedly resulted in the burns suffered being exacerbated. In particular, it was claimed the alleged failure to provide any or any adequate means of cooling the burns worsened the injuries considerably. Ryanair denied all the claims. Mr Mohan told the court it was a slightly unusual case in that under the Warsaw Convention if a passenger on an international flight can show that bodily injuries were caused by an accident, an unexpected or unusual event that is external to the passenger, then the passenger need not show negligence or fault as against the airline. The young girl suffered burns to her thighs and buttocks and has been left with scarring, the court heard. In an affidavit to the court, the girl's father Srinivas Neti said the scarring has now substantially improved and whereas the injuries sustained were extremely serious, his daughter has made a good recovery. Approving the settlement, Mr Justice Kevin Cross said when Sriya was scalded it must have been extremely painful. The Zham-Tatopani Border Port, which was closed due to a devastating earthquake in Nepal and some parts of Tibet in 2015, reopened Wednesday. The reopening ceremony was held Wednesday in Nyalam County in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. Officials and representatives from the Chinese side and Nepalese side attended the ceremony. "China and Nepal will continue to strengthen cooperation to ensure the safety and operation of the port and roads, and constantly improve the infrastructure conditions around the port, and bring new vitality to this lifeblood linking the two countries," said Hou Yanqi, the Chinese ambassador to Nepal. Qizhala, chairman of the regional government, said as a major gateway for China's opening to South Asia, and the gateway connecting Nepal and the inland areas of China, Tibet would actively participate in the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and strengthen and promote exchanges and cooperation in various fields. Four trucks loading goods from Nepal passed the port on Wednesday. Phurjung Tsering, in charge of a Tibet-South Asia courier company, witnessed the reopening of the port. "We hailed the resumption of the port and will actively promote economic and trade exchanges between China and Nepal, to benefit the people of the two countries." An earthquake struck Nepal and some parts of Tibet on April 25, 2015, and destroyed roads and bridges linking China and Nepal, which severely impacted bilateral trade, cooperation and people-to-people exchange between the two sides. "The Chinese government, at all levels, has invested enormous manpower and materials in rebuilding the port. The Chinese side has made great efforts to deal with post-disaster damages, roads and port restoration, water conservancy project construction, and assisted project construction in Nepal. And the Nepalese side has also worked closely with us and offered support to various projects," said Zhang Jiwen, deputy administrator of the General Administration of Customs of China. "It is indeed an important day in Nepal-China relations. ... Tatopani-Zham port is a lifeline of our economy. Though the reopening of this port today is limited to cargo handling only, we believe that it will be operational for the movement of people as well," said Matrika Prasad Yadav, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies of Nepal. "It is admirable for China to overcome the problem of geological disasters and complete the project in such a short period, and I thank the Chinese government and their people," said Kemar, a Nepalese truck driver. Zham-Tatopani Border Port is located in the high mountains and gorges, where natural disasters happen frequently. Li Zhaoping, director of the port management office of Tibet, said until the end of 2019, only general trade and small-scale border trade are allowed to pass the port during the trial operation period. "If the trial operation is successful, general trade and small border trade can be carried out on a regular basis. And after ensuring the geological conditions of the port are stable and safe, other functions will be restored gradually in due course," Li added. Journalist Ian Bailey displayed traits of a "borderline" personality, a Paris court heard today. The Manchester-born Schull resident denies having murdered Sophie Toscan du Plantier on the night of 22-23 December 1996 near her holiday home in Toormore, west Cork. He is being tried (in absentia) in the French criminal court at the request of Ms du Plantiers family. Expand Close Journalist Ian Bailey is on trial in France for the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier. Picture: Collins / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Journalist Ian Bailey is on trial in France for the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier. Picture: Collins Psychiatrist Jean Michel Masson and psychologist Katy Lorenzo-Regreny said Mr Bailey displayed some traits of a borderline personality, a disorder that can lead to extreme emotions and impulsive behaviour. The two experts, who were not present in court, said that Mr Bailey had no impairment to influence him in carrying out a criminal act, and that he was not psychotic. The psychiatric profile was ordered by the French magistrate overseeing the case in 2014, and was based on Mr Baileys diaries and Garda interviews following the 1996 killing. The report concluded that Mr Bailey had a personality based on narcissism, psycho-rigidity, violence, impulsiveness, egocentricity with an intolerance to frustration and a great need for recognition. Expand Close Sophie Toscan du Plantier. Photo: Family Handout/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sophie Toscan du Plantier. Photo: Family Handout/PA Wire In 2001 he was sentenced to three months in prison for assaults causing actual bodily harm. Several witnesses whose testimony was passed on to French investigators testified to his violent behaviour towards his partner, Jules Thomas - including Jules herself. Its the third day of a week-long trial, with the court now poring over the evidence of cuts and scratches on Mr Baileys hands, arms and forehead on the day of and following the killing. Mr Bailey says got the injuries while cutting down a tree for Christmas, and while killing the holiday turkey. Local residents Liam Driscoll, Christy Lynch, Bernie Kenny and barman John McGowan, who saw Mr Bailey in the Galley bar on the night of the murder, could not recall any cuts and scratches. But the court heard on Wednesday that musician Richard Tisdall saw a scratch on one of Mr Baileys hands, but he couldnt remember which. Gardai Kevin Kelleher and Bart OLearys witness statements mentioning the cuts were read out in court earlier this week. There was also a lengthy and exhaustive read-out of various witness statements from Mr Baileys partner, Jules Thomas, over the years. She testified at various times to going with Mr Bailey to the scene of the crime the morning following the murder. The trial continues this afternoon with written statements from Mr Bailey and victim impact testimony from Ms du Plantiers family. The owner of the former La Stampa restaurant on Dublin's Dawson Street was "terrified and confused" to find a bank had appointed a receiver to sell the asset just days after he believed he had entered into an agreement for a consensual sale, the High Court heard. Louis Murray (73), and his company Balieboro Springwater, in receivership, are suing AIB and the receiver claiming they sold his two adjoining properties on Dublin's Dawson Street, including the Dawson Hotel and Samsara Bar, at an undervaluation of 17.5m when he had an offer from an investor for 21.5m. He says the bank breached an agreement for the consensual sale when it appointed Declan McDonald as receiver and further breached it when the property was advertised as a 'forced sale' with a guideline price of 15m. He says, as a result, he still had a debt of 2.3m when he could have sold it at a price which would have repaid the outstanding 19.5m debt against him while still running his business. Mr Murray was "the essence of a self-made man" who left school at 14, got involved in the jewellery business, which proved profitable, before later getting involved in the nightclub business, his counsel John Fitzgerald said when opening his case yesterday. In 1989, he bought 35 Dawson Street from which La Stampa operated and later bought the adjoining property from which the hotel and bar operated. Both restaurant and bar were very popular in the 1990s and early 2000s, he said. Business suffered during the downturn. In 2011, Mr Murray was diagnosed with cancer, counsel said. In 2013, AIB, called him in because of concern over an inability to repay debts. Mr Murray appointed his son-in-law, John Quinn, as a director and to find a way to discharge the 19.6m debt to AIB. They also brought in accountant Bernard Somers and Mr Murray's other son-in-law, Shane Woods of Deloitte accountants. A business plan was drawn up and, among the proposals, was one to increase revenue by extending the ground floor bar. That work began in October 2015 with a loan from Irish Distillers, counsel said. However, a meeting took place on October 17, 2015, between officials of AIB, Mr Murray and Mr Somers. Mr Murray and Balieboro Spring Water claim it was at this meeting an agreement was reached that there would be a "consensual sale" of the property. AIB denies there was any such agreement. A week later, on October 24, AIB appointed receiver Declan McDonald. Mr Fitzgerald said Mr Murray was shocked and viewed this a breach of the consensual sale agreement. His son-in-law, Mr Woods, on the evening of the receiver's appointment, found Mr Murray "terrified and confused". Discussions followed and there was some discussion about entering examinership and about keeping the business running so it could avail of the Christmas trade. Mr McDonald agreed to co-operate in this. Efforts were made to find an investor over the following months. Mr Murray, it is claimed, got two offers, including one from Olympia Investments for 21.5m. The breakdown of this investment ultimately turned out to include a 5m contribution from Mr Murray based on his other assets, including his home in Killiney, Dublin, but which AIB was not happy with. On May 5, 2015, Mr McDonald advertised the property with a guide price of 15m which Mr Murray claims was deliberately set at that figure to scupper his efforts to sell it. It sold for 17.5m In evidence, Mr Woods told the court the relationship between Mr McDonald and Mr Murray had broken down. When Mr Murray sought to be allowed into the premises to show a prospective investor around, Mr McDonald allegedly said "F... Louis, I don't want to help him" and that Mr Murray had threatened to sue the receiver, Mr Woods said. Under cross-examination by Lyndon MacCann SC, for AIB, Mr Woods agreed Mr Murray had sent abusive text messages late at night to Mr McDonald "making complaints and being generally abusive". Mr Woods said, however, that was a couple of months before the sale. He agreed the receiver's solicitors had to write to Mr Murray threatening legal action if the abusive texts did not stop. The case continues before Mr Justice David Barniville. A MOLDOVAN national has been given a two and half year suspended sentence for sexually assaulting a woman at a house in Dublin. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard the woman had pushed Constantin Cobzac (25) away and told him no when he tried to kiss her in the kitchen at the premises. He later followed her into a bedroom, lifted her up onto the bed and put his hand down her trousers while lying on top of her. Cobzac, with an address at Park Drive, Ranelagh, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to sexually assaulting the woman in Dublin on July 2, 2018. He has no previous convictions. Expand Close Constantin Cobzac pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting the woman PIC: Collins Courts / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Constantin Cobzac pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting the woman PIC: Collins Courts Garda Paul Gray said a number of people, including the woman's two friends, had been drinking and socialising in the house that evening. The woman later told gardai that though she was mainly speaking with her friends, at one point she asked Cobzac for the wifi password. He tried to kiss her as he showed her the password and she pushed him back. Later on, when her friends had gone, he followed her into a bedroom upstairs, closed the door and lifted her onto the bed. He lay on top of her and removed her trousers belt. The court heard the woman kept saying no and was pushing him as he tried to kiss her. Gda Gray told Fionnuala O'Sullivan BL, prosecuting, that the incident lasted up to ten seconds. Then Cobzac got up and left the room, but returned to say he was sorry and wanted to be friends. By this stage the woman was sitting on the floor with her back to the door to prevent him coming back in. She texted her friend to say what had happened and Cobzac was arrested the following day. Gda Gray said Cobzac claimed that the woman had asked him for a hug and said she didn't want to do anything sexual because she had a partner. He admitted he had been drunk at the time and that the woman had made it clear to him she wanted him to stop. The woman, in a victim impact statement referred to in court, said she was more afraid walking home at night and felt ashamed about the incident even though she didn't do anything wrong. Gda Gray agreed with Luigi Rea BL, defending, that his client had not come to garda attention since. He accepted that Cobzac had told gardai in interview that he had not been thinking straight during the incident. Mr Rea submitted to Judge Melanie Greally that it was a terrible fall from grace for his client. He asked the judge to take into consideration his client's early guilty plea and that his name is on the Sex Offenders Register. Judge Greally noted from the victim impact report that although the incident was obviously a deeply distressing and unpleasant event and a serious violation of a young woman she seemed to have made a full recovery. She further noted from a probation report that the officer accepted Cobzac's account that under the influence of alcohol he misunderstood the situation and made a grave error of judgement. Judge Greally said that when Cobzac, realised that the woman didn't want sexual contact with him, he desisted. She took into account the fact that Cobzac has no previous convictions, fully co-operated with the investigation and expressed remorse both at the time of the offence and subsequently. Judge Greally suspended a two and half year sentence on strict conditions including that Cobzac remain under the supervision of the Probation Service for 12 months and complete one to one work to deal with his offending behaviour. Two of the packages which contained the letter bombs (above), with Dublin postmarks Gardai and police in London and Scotland have issued a new appeal to people who may have inadvertently come into contact with a number of 'Love' letter bombs sent to addresses in the UK. And police in London say there is a formal link between these devices - posted last March - and a number of devices sent to various British Army Recruitment Centres back in 2014. Gardai is investigating the posting of these devices, in conjunction with the Metropolitan Police in London, Police Scotland and the PSNI. All five parcels were posted from Ireland in March. Three of these were delivered in London, a fourth was delivered in Glasgow, and a fifth parcel addressed to London was returned to the Limerick postal cnetre. The packages all bore the 'Love Eire' heart stamps - issued by An Post for St Valentine's Day - and had Dublin as a return address. No arrests have been made. Statements appealing for the public's assistance were issued by An Garda Siochana and the Metropolitan Police this morning. "This extremely dangerous and reckless act endangered the lives of innocent persons and could have caused serious harm to anyone handling these devices," gardai said. "An Garda Siochana thanks the public and in particular postal workers who have provided information to date which has been of benefit to the investigation. "Further to these ongoing enquiries, it is still possible that members of the public may have information that could help us with our joint investigation and An Garda Siochana want to identify any person, postal workers or other persons, in Ireland who may remember collecting/ seeing the parcels around 1st March 2019 from postal delivery locations within Ireland. "The investigation to date has recovered forensic evidence, and An Garda Siochana and our partner agencies are keen to eliminate any person who may have innocently come in to contact with the parcels," the statement said. In their statement, the Met Police say on 11 March, a claim of responsibility for the packages was made by a group claiming to be the New IRA. Since then, further analysis of the five packages has been carried out by forensic experts and, due to particular similarities between the devices and the methodology, the investigation teams are now formally linking the packages to those sent to various British Army Recruitment Centres in 2014. In London, the Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dean Haydon - who is Senior National Coordinator for the UK's Counter Terrorism Policing - said: Our enquiries continue, but clearly a key element of the investigation now is the link between the devices previously sent in 2014, and the five sent earlier this year. As with any investigation, we will be led by the evidence, but at this stage, our principal line of enquiry is that the devices were sent by a violent dissident republican group. The devices that were sent not only put their intended recipients in danger, but also endangered the lives of all those who handled and processed the parcels both in the Republic of Ireland as well as the UK. This was an extremely dangerous and reckless act and I would urge anyone who may have information about those responsible to contact police. They call it the GAA of the music world. It hasn't quite reached every county, town or suburb yet, but Music Generation - the first publicly supported system of local music education services in Ireland - has become a national phenomenon. It offers affordable, vocal and instrumental tuition - known as performance music education - for children and young people up to 18 years of age. Tuition is by professional musicians It caters for all genres, from classical to trad, to hip-hop, to jazz, and many more, as well as all instrumental and vocal styles, with each community tailoring its range of offerings in response to local needs and contexts. It was a long time coming. Dr Patricia Flynn of Dublin City University (DCU), who has conducted research on the powerful positive impact of the initiative, traces the wait back to 1930, when the Vocational Education Act promised tuition on instruments together with the formation of orchestras and choirs. The title of Dr Flynn's 2016 research report, 'Possible Selves in Music', speaks to an underlying aspiration of the programme -that when young people connect with music, they begin to imagine their own possible future self, which, in turn, leads to a transformation in their personal development. Rosaleen Molloy, National Director of Music Generation, says it is every child and young person's right to have the chance to participate as a musical citizen, and points to spin-offs such as social connectivity and friendships. Dr Flynn draws the analogy with the GAA and how Music Generation can create a context for more young people to engage in music, to pursue a talent, to play together, to set up bands and, generally, to facilitate music becoming part of the fabric of their lives. It was thanks to a 5m donation from U2 and another 2m from the Ireland Funds that Music Generation got up and running in 2010, in 12 parts of the country. Last year, in those 12 areas alone, it facilitated 42,500 engagements by children and young people in music tuition and provided 8,300 musical instruments for use by participants, 350 employment opportunities, mainly for musicians, 56,200 tuition hours in 800 centres and 150 different programmes across all genres of music. A second phase in 2017 saw it extended into 20 areas. The recently-announced third phase brings Kerry, Kildare, Longford, Meath and Tipperary into the Music Generation fold; each county will now receive funding to devise and implement their local programme, beginning with the recruitment of a development officer. That leaves four areas still to be covered - Fingal, Dublin City, Cork county and Limerick county, with a commitment to do so by 2022. Music Generation is a public-private partnership, both in terms of its main funding streams and through its area collaborations, known as Local Music Education Partnerships, which involve private music providers and education and training boards (ETBs) and local authorities in its delivery. While ongoing philanthropic funding is key, Music Generation is now also factored into the Department of Education's annual budget and is an integral part of the Government's Creative Ireland initiative, which included the promise of full roll-out by 2022. This year, projects are receiving about 3.5m from the Department of Education. Rosaleen Molloy says the Government's commitment under Creative Ireland was hugely significant and would ensure long-term sustainability. Ciaran Somers is a music teacher in Borris Vocational School (VS), Co Carlow, and has been involved in Music Generation Carlow since its development stages. As part of the Carlow programme, the school is the location for a weekly Music Generation Hub on Thursday nights. The hub is open to all young people and, according to Somers, "it provides music tuition and performance music tuition in small groups and for individuals across number of genres". In an area with a rich history in traditional music, his background as a trad musician is a great asset to his pupils, both in Borris VS and Music Generation. But he gives an example of how Music Generation has extended the local repertoire by allowing the school to call on the services of contemporary composer Dr Linda Buckley of Trinity College, Dublin. It is a collaboration that has made Borris VS a force to be reckoned with in the choral world. While the aim of Music Generation is to nurture a connection with music for life generally, there is anecdotal evidence from around the country of how it is inspiring young people to pursue formal study of the subject In his school role, Somers has noticed how access to it has raised the confidence and quality of musicianship of pupils coming into first year, and also sees an uptake in interest in music as a subject. "It is because they were involved in Music Generation," he says. In his Leaving Cert class, he says there are students considering the study of music at third level and going on to work in Music Generation because of the exposure to career musicians they have met through the programme. "They are looking at them as role models." Winners and contenders: Mairead McGuinness and Saoirse McHugh at the Castlebar count centre. Photo: Mark Condren GREEN Party candidate Saoirse McHugh, who had been tipped to surf the 'green wave' to a surprise electoral victory, has been knocked out of the race for a European Parliament seat. There was speculation that Ms McHugh (28) would cause an upset after an exit poll put the Achill Islander in the frame to go to Brussels. However, it didn't pan out and she was eliminated on the eleventh count in the Midlands-North-West constituency just after 1:00 this morning. In the end the first-time candidate got 61,957 votes. Ms McHugh came to national prominence after an impressive performance on an RTE TV debate where she clashed with controversial ex-presidential candidate Peter Casey. During the debate Ms McHugh took issue with Mr Casey's views on immigrants and told him: "Go on Dancing with the Stars if you want attention". Expand Close Green party leader Eamon Ryan and Green Party MEP candidate Saoirse McHugh, at the Castlebar count centre for the Midlands-Northwest. McHugh polled well in the European elections but may lose out in the race for the final seat. Photo: Mark Condren / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Green party leader Eamon Ryan and Green Party MEP candidate Saoirse McHugh, at the Castlebar count centre for the Midlands-Northwest. McHugh polled well in the European elections but may lose out in the race for the final seat. Photo: Mark Condren It became apparent on Monday that she would not take a seat. She told Independent.ie at the time she didn't plan to dwell on disappointment if she lost because it could "take away from the fact that that many people decided to give me their number one and we worked so hard". She said she was "overwhelmed" by the more than 51,000 first preference votes she won. Ms McHugh is now seen as a rising star in the Green Party. Asked if she'd like to run for the Dail she said: "Ah stop. I cant think about that right now." The 'green wave' vote has seen her party boost its numbers in local authorities and win a European Parliament seat for Ciaran Cuffe in Dublin. She said: "The Greens have done very well. And what that will do is it will definitely mean that the bigger parties will take climate action seriously. "They know that its not a fad and its not going away." Fine Gael's Mairead McGuinness topped the poll in Midlands-North-West and was elected with a first preference vote of 134,630. Independent MEP Luke 'Ming' Flanagan is on course to take the second seat. He is on 97,319 votes. Sinn Fein's Matt Carthy is also in a strong position to return to the European Parliament. His vote stands at 84,825. Former Rose of Tralee Maria Walsh is set to join her Fine Gael running mate Ms McGuinness in the European Parliament. She has 80,338 votes. Mr Casey is on 66,565 votes. Fianna Fail TD Brendan Smith is on 64,532. The quota in the four-seat constituency is 118,986. Transfers from Ms McHugh's vote will be distributed to the remaining candidates when the twelfth count begins at 10:00 this morning. Bound for Brussels: New MEPs Clare Daly and Barry Andrews had a good third day at the Dublin count. Photo: Damien Eagers / INM The lawyers were amongst the first to arrive, along with the Fianna Fail backroom heavyweights. Clare Daly was in a Julian Assange T-shirt. If he was able to stick the cramped surroundings of a broom cupboard in the Ecuadorian embassy for seven years, how long would the Independents4Change candidate be willing to camp out in the RDS if things did not go her way? We braced ourselves for all hell kicking off. At least it made a change. Fine Gael's John Paul Phelan had already been on the radio effectively putting it up to the returning officer to resolve things. It didn't go down well - especially when he had to go back on the air to correct his remarks. "Out of his depth," fumed Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin. The row had erupted on Monday night. Barry Andrews was gung ho to win Fianna Fail's first seat in 15 years. Daly was sure she could overtake him with Lynn Boylan's votes. Both wanted to avoid the weird 'no man's land' of fourth place, cryogenically frozen while we all wait for a Brexit outcome. The idea that either Andrews or Daly could end up taking over Nigel Farage's MEP expenses was strangely comforting. At 11.30am, Daly disappeared behind the barricades for a discussion with returning officer Fergus Gallagher, her barrister Hugh McDowell, joined by Louise O'Reilly from Sinn Fein, since Boylan's votes were being debated. Was there a decision? "No," shrugged Daly afterwards, muttering something about "making it up all morning". The Fianna Fail team had their own meeting with the returning officer and barrister Robert Beatty SC. They had told Barry Andrews not to bother turning up early - but they had no say when it came to his mother Colette, who watched these puzzling proceedings anxiously. The returning officer announced Andrews had requested a "simple recount" of count 14. A member of the unrequired count staff had a little power nap, face down, on the table. She might as well. Everyone stood around in clusters. General secretary of Fianna Fail Sean Dorgan and chief press officer Pat McPartland paced tensely back and forth. And then Andrews strolled in with his wife, barrister Sinead McGrath. "The recount was out of an abundance of caution," he explained. Ideally you'd be going to Brussels straight away, he admitted - but he was happy to have won a seat. The 15th count saw Daly overtake him, as predicted. Shortly after 4pm came rumours of a final result. Obviously the lawyers had come to a decision to keep their powder dry. Everyone took their places near the podium and waited. The results were pretty conclusive - thanks to Boylan's transfers, Andrews had gained 5,775 votes, with a total of 68,952. Daly had gained a whopping 22,087 votes, leaving her on 87,770. "Jesus Christ," exhaled one of the Fianna Fail backroom men, in awe. The place erupted. Clare Daly promised to rattle a few cages in Brussels. It had been an "emotional rollercoaster" since the exit polls, admitted Sinead McGrath. But now her husband's back in politics after many years away. "We're looking forward to it as a family," she said. "It's good for us - good to experience something different in life and to just go for it." The place cleared out and some of the count staff celebrated with a well-deserved game of frisbee. FORMER Rose of Tralee Maria Walsh has caused an upset and won a surprise seat in the European Parliament. Ms Walsh will join Mairead McGuinness in Brussels taking a second seat for Fine Gael in Midlands-North-West. Political newcomer Ms Walsh vowed to "hit the ground running" in Brussels and said she is excited that she will be sitting in the European Parliament representing the West and North-West. She conceded her victory wasn't expected by some but said: "I put my name forward and I very much roped in family. I had a strong team and the party rowed in behind us from the start." Expand Close Maria Walsh with her parents Noreen and Vincent in Castlebar Count Centre / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Maria Walsh with her parents Noreen and Vincent in Castlebar Count Centre She said they "worked ferociously" for the victory. She won 107,198 votes. Ms Walsh (31), was the first member of the LGBT community to be crowned Rose of Tralee. She was joined by her parents Noreen and Vincent at the count. Independent MEP Luke 'Ming' Flanagan was also returned to the European Parliament in the thirteenth count with a vote of 121,824. The quota of 118,986. Sinn Fein's Matt Carthy also took the final seat with 98,732 votes. The result will come as a relief to party leader Mary Lou McDonald who had a nightmare first local and European Elections as leader. Fine Gael's Mairead McGuinness topped the poll in the first count on Monday with a massive first preference vote of 134,630. Ms Walsh began her victory speech saying: Wow, MEP Walsh, thank you very, very much. She said her campaign team knew they had a job to do, to spread a message about opportunity that can happen in rural Ireland where she grew up and is "so bloody passionate about". Ms Walsh added: "I am unbelievably honoured to be a girl from Shrule and the fact that we have an MEP". Mr Flanagan said he will be "fighting like a dog" for rural Ireland over the next five years. Mr Carthy said he had a "very difficult and tough fight" and Sinn Fein is "devastated" that outgoing Dublin MEP Lynn Boylan lost her seat. He added that Liadh Ni Riadh is in a battle for her political life in Ireland South. He said Sinn Fein will see better days. Mr Carthy also noted the "phenomenal vote" secured by Ms McGuinness who has been vocal in the Brexit process and the debate over the backstop to avoid a hard border in Ireland. He said he believes that in part "her huge vote was an endorsement of the backstop and the political position that has been taken with the support of all political voices from Ireland in relation to the Brexit scenario." He said he hopes the government: "will see the huge vote that she got as a signal from the electorate that they expect us to continue to work together in Ireland's interests in the face of the challenge that Brexit presents." Fianna Fail failed to win a seat in the constituency for the second European Election in a row. Mr Smith's running mate, Galway East TD Anne Rabbitte was eliminated in the tenth count late last night. Mr Smith ended up with 68,677 votes. The party will be conducting a post mortem on what went so badly wrong in the campaign. Mr Casey's vote eventually came in at 78,362. Last night he said he's "almost certainly" going to run for the Dail in Donegal. The Green Party's Saoirse McHugh, a first time candidate who impressed with her take down of Mr Casey in a TV debate, ended up with a vote 61,957 being eliminated in the early hours of Wednesday morning. She is now seen as a rising star in the party, but has not made a decision on whether or not she will seek a Dail seat in the future. Challenge: Phil Hogan could go in interests of gender balance. Picture: Mary Browne EU Commissioner Phil Hogan's position could be under threat due to a significant push to introduce more gender balance in European institutions. Meanwhile, it has also emerged the Government has been lobbying for re-elected MEP Mairead McGuinness to be appointed President of the European Parliament. A senior Government source said: "She has the experience, the reputation and the contacts." There is growing demand in Brussels for more female representation in senior EU positions and member states will come under pressure to put forward women for key roles. The move could mean the Government will be urged to replace Mr Hogan with a female commissioner when his term in office ends later this year. "There is a big push from a lot of the candidates going for the EU commissioner job for a 50/50 gender split on the next commission," a senior Brussels source said. The appointment of EU commissioners is the sole responsibility of each member state. However, countries that appoint women commissioners may be rewarded with more senior portfolios. There are currently just nine women on the 28-member EU Commission. A recent survey by the European Women's Lobby found 54pc of people believed there should be more gender balance on the commission. Horse trading for key roles has intensified in recent weeks as EU groupings negotiate for the top jobs in Europe. The European People's Party (EPP), of which Fine Gael is a member, has been pushing for German politician Manfred Webber to be appointed as commission president. However, he is facing tough opposition for the role from EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar yesterday insisted he still supported Mr Webber's candidacy despite reports the Government would eventually weigh in behind Mr Barnier. The Taoiseach also said the presidency should be given to the EPP because the grouping has the biggest representation in the parliament after last week's elections. "The EPP has won the most seats in the European parliament elections and our candidate for that position is Manfred Weber, who again has been to Ireland many times and has been very supportive of Irish interests," he said. Ahead of the EU summit, the Taoiseach held a bilateral meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron during which they signed off on a plan to connect Ireland and France's energy grid. Mr Macron is expected to put pressure on Mr Varadkar to support Mr Barnier's candidacy. Ms McGuinness, who topped the poll in the Midlands-North-West constituency last weekend, would be certain to lose out on the European parliament presidency if Mr Webber was appointed commission president because the EPP would not be given two senior roles. However, if Mr Barnier is appointed, Ms McGuinness's chances of taking the top job in the parliament would greatly improve. "She is highly regarded across Europe, popular with colleagues and has a good understanding of climate change and agriculture," a Government source said. Chinese law enforcement agencies Tuesday launched an upgraded version of its national tip-off platform against gang crime. The public can provide leads of gang crimes via various online channels, including the official website of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the Communist Party of China Central Committee as well as its official WeChat and Weibo accounts, said Chen Yixin, a senior official with the commission and head of the national office against organized crime, at a press conference. According to Chen, the upgraded platform utilizes big data, model analysis and cloud computing, among other digital methods, allowing the platform to compare the information of suspects, cases and key areas of the crackdown. As the crackdown goes wider and deeper, some places are lacking clues on whitewashed and undiscovered gang crimes, while some other places are short of in-depth investigations for the large amount of leads. The establishment of the upgraded platform aims to meet the new needs of China's crackdown on gangs and organized crimes, according to Chen. The platform increases the mass participation by offering easy accesses on smart phone and computer, as well as detailed instructions and simplified reporting procedures for the public to provide leads, Chen said. It also enhances the accuracy of crackdown by generating submitted clues and automatically processing data, which allows authorities in charge of gang crimes crackdown to better manage and deal with relevant cases and clues, Chen said. The platform can not only dynamically monitor the process of relevant cases and the movement of vicious gangs but also summarize rules with big data to strengthen the continuity of the crackdown, Chen said. The original report platform was set up in February 2018 amidst China's increased efforts to crack down on gang crime. As of March 31, the platform had received more than 190,000 leads on gang crimes from letters and phone calls. Newly elected Dublin City councillor Marie Sherlock hid her pregnancy during her campaign out of fear of discrimination. Speaking on RTE Radio Ones Ryan Tubridy Show earlier today, the newly-elected councillor for the Cabra-Glasnevin area in the north of Dublin city said she did not want to be treated any differently than a male candidate would have been. You wouldnt treat a man differently if his partner was expecting a child. Luckily, I have had a very good pregnancy and still a lot of energy. Ultimately it is about not being treated differently to any other candidate. Ms Sherlock said that the fact that it is her third child helped her to know what to expect during the pregnancy and how to cover the bump with big coats, sweatshirts and scarves. While she understands the concern of citizens about her managing the workload of a councillor during her pregnancy, Cllr Sherlock said she had considered the implications. I have a great support network around me. There is no reason why I cant get to the meetings. It wont be easy at the start but it is certainly very doable. I dont want people to have the impression that there wont be anything done for 6 months, she said. She sees herself facing an issue that many women are confronted with in todays world. There is a more serious and bigger issue here. There is discrimination out there against women who are pregnant and how they are treated in the workplace or any other environment. Furthermore, Ms Sherlock highlighted the difficult circumstances female councillors are facing if they get pregnant. The reality is that there is no maternity leave for Councillors. This needs to be addressed. Some arrangements need to be put in place to allow the flexibility and balance to those elected. She mentioned that the process of putting your name and your ideas forward is stressful enough and that women should not be facing these additional challenges. Cllr Sherlock added that she was glad that there is quite the number of people on the council, both newly elected and re-elected that also have young children. Overall she looks back on the experiences during her special campaign and election with fondness. Of course it is very tough and exhausting because of all the work that is involved and because Im trying to be active and connected in my community. But It has been a wonderful experience overall. MEP Mairead McGuinness and Anne Rabbitte Fianna Fail at the Castlebar count centre for the Midlands-Northwest Pic: Mark Condren FIANNA Fail TD Anne Rabbitte has been eliminated from the race for a European Parliament seat. Her party had a disastrous campaign in the Midlands-North-west constituency and are set to return no MEPs for the second election in a row. Her running mate, Cavan-Monaghan TD Brendan Smith is on 46,820 votes after the tenth count and is also unlikely to be elected. Transfers from the 34,610 received by Galway East TD Ms Rabbitte will now be distributed to the remaining candidates. Fine Gael's Mairead McGuinness topped the poll and was elected yesterday with a first preference vote of 134630. Independent MEP Luke 'Ming' Flanagan is on course to take the second seat. He is on 94,353. Sinn Fein's Matt Carthy is also in a strong position to return to Brussels. He is on 83,851. Former Rose of Tralee Maria Walsh is also tipped to join her Fine Gael running mate Ms McGuinness in the European Parliament. She has 76,056 votes. Ex-presidential candidate Peter Casey is on 64,690 votes. The Green Party's Saoirse McHugh has 60,778. The quota in the four-seat constituency is 118,986. The amount of time being taken to appoint an investigation team to examine the tragic abortion case at the National Maternity Hospital in Holles Street was criticised yesterday. Caoimhe Haughey, solicitor for the couple at the centre of the case, said she was very disappointed more progress had not been made by now. It emerged recently that in March a couple made the agonising decision to have a termination after a test showed their unborn baby had a fatal foetal abnormality and would not survive. However, the results of a second test showed the baby was healthy. Experts from the Royal College of Obstetricians are due to be appointed to examine the circumstances of the case. However, Ms Haughey said yesterday that "at this stage we still do not know if the Royal College will do so". She added: "It is not clear if they are in a position to undertake an investigation and secondly if they are willing to do so." Terms of reference for the investigation have yet to be drawn up and the couple want to have an input into its details. The full extent of the result of the second test only became clear after a genetics specialist explained the upsetting finding to them after they had sought his expertise privately. The distraught couple had been told in black and white terms there was no hope for their unborn baby in March. This followed the results of the first test involving Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) showed their baby had trisomy 18, known as Edwards syndrome. The abortion was carried out by the hospital based on the information from the first test. But the more detailed lab investigation which was returned after the termination later revealed the baby was clear of abnormalities. Meanwhile, Health Minister Simon Harris said the legal agreement overseeing the running of the new National Maternity Hospital, to be built on the site of St Vincent's hospital, has yet to be finalised. He said he remains committed to the development of a new maternity hospital on the St Vincent's campus. "This is vital for women and babies in Ireland in terms of the co-location of a maternity hospital with an acute adult hospital," he said. "It will represent the flagship project of the national maternity strategy and constitute the largest single investment ever made in maternity services." The new development will cater for up to 10,000 births a year and include state-of-the-art obstetrics, neonatal and gynaecology care facilities. "Following the granting of planning permission, the design team is continuing to work on the detailed design of the hospital and the preparation of tender documents," Mr Harris said. The agreement needs to be finalised and brought to Government before any of that progresses. The legal agreement is pending finalisation and it could see a lease or a licence of a site granted at a nominal or peppercorn rent. Alternatively, there could be a lien to protect the State's investment. A hospital has unreservedly apologised in the High Court to a 52-year-old woman who was given the incorrect 'normal' diagnosis for a breast cancer gene test nine years ago, but is now seriously ill with ovarian cancer. Our Ladys Childrens Hospital, Crumlin, in a letter of apology read to the court today, accepted it was negligent in the matter and in particular the misreporting of Martina Murphys gene test results. The Hospital acknowledges you have an extremely guarded prognosis and further acknowledges the very extensive pain, suffering and distress you have had to endure and continue to endure, the letter stated. It added: The Hospital wishes to unreservedly apologise to you and your family for the profound upset, distress and injury caused to you as a result of this reporting error. The Hospital, it said, accepted a letter of January 27, 2010, was sent to Ms Murphys treating oncologist "wrongly reporting the results of the genetic testing for the BRCA gene." It also accepted the reporting error was not realised until she and her treating oncologist brought it to the Hospitals attention in October 2018. The Hospital further accepted that in May 2018, having experienced a deterioration in her health, Ms Murphy attended a hospital where you received a shock diagnosis that that you had extensive late stage cancer impacting on your chances of survival. The apology was read out as Martina Murphy, from Dublin, settled her High Court action on confidential terms. She had sued Our Lady's Childrens Hospital, Crumlin, Dublin which provides genetic testing at its Genetics Department , formerly knows as the National Centre for Medical Genetics, Cooley Road, Crumlin, Dublin. The High Court heard last December liability was admitted in the case. Ms Murphy, who lives in the Dublin area, found out last year she had late stage ovarian cancer. She was unable to attend the Four Courts for the settlement hearing today as she had to undergo chemotherapy. Her counsel Richard Kean SC, instructed by solicitor Caoimhe Haughey, said Ms Murphy wished to thank the court for dealing with her case in an expeditious manner. Ms Murphy also wanted to acknowledge the assistance of the defendant in granting her an interim payment towards a new drug which has allowed her to be pain free when with her family. Counsel said it was a tragic case and the events have had a catastrophic effect on Ms Murphy who has a very poor prognosis. Approving the settlement,Mr Justice Kevin Cross wished Ms Murphy well in her treatment. He said it was very refreshing to hear in this case and in other cases of the extraordinary cooperation between the different sides and the HSE. The judge said it was to be welcomed and contrary to what people think, there is not necessarily an atmosphere of total confrontation in these cases. In a statement after the case and issued by her solicito,r Ms Murphy said she hoped valuable lessons have been learned as a result of her case. "I am now looking forward to getting on with my life and spending time with my family. I am very determined and remain positive notwithstanding my diagnosis,"she added. Ms Murphy, in February 2004, was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a lumpectomy followed by chemotherapy and made a full recovery. Around 2007/2008 she became aware a member of her family had a significant history of breast cancer and it was decided she should be referred to Our Lady's Children's Hospital,Crumlin and the former National Centre for Medical Genetic Testing to see if she had the BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 cancer linked gene. If she had the gene mutation it was contended certain treatment including a hysterectomy would have to be considered. She had the genetic test and it was sent to a laboratory in Birmingham. On January 27, 2010, Ms Murphy got a letter in relation to the genetic testing which stated that "no alteration was identified" referring to the BRCA gene, but the laboratory report was not sent to her or her treating doctors. In May 2018 she experienced a deterioration in her health, was losing weight and had a loss of appetite. On the August bank holiday 2018 she had pain in her left side and a CT scan showed up a 5cm ovarian tumour. In October of last year, Ms Murphy's medical team sought all records in relation to her genetic testing, including the lab report of 2009. It was then discovered by her for the first time the reporting given in the January 2010 letter that there was not mutation and or pathogenic change in the BRCA gene was wrong. The latest gangland shooting victim, Iranian asylum seeker Hamid Sanambar (42), had joined the inner circle of the 'Gucci Gang' last year. He had been the subject of much controversy in the underworld. It is understood that Gucci Gang associates claimed he had been sent by Daniel Kinahan to Ireland to finish off the Hutch gang. They claimed that he had fought in Iran and Syria and that he was an expert in beheadings and other methods of torture which have sickened the West. Instead Sanambar was an asylum seeker who has been involved in low-level criminality in Ireland for years. He had arrived in the country more than five years ago and was once arrested in a brothel and charged with stealing a laptop and cash. He had lived initially in Cork where he had been involved in petty crime, but gardai had established that Sanambar had started to be involved with the Gucci Gang last year. He wore two teardrop tattoos on his face - and he had either been involved in murders or he was seeking revenge for two murders. He was at one point named in underworld circles as the assassin who killed Eric Fowler last December. It was in Fowler's house where international hitman Imre Arakas was arrested on his way to murder Hutch associate James 'Mago' Gately in 2017. The Gucci Gang has been imploding since the murder of 22-year-old Zach Power last January. He was Sean Little's best friend and the pair even shared a house together. He was buried in Kinahan cartel colours despite the fact that no senior members of the mob attended his funeral and Little and other young generation Gucci Gang members were the chief mourners. Last month pal Lee Boylan (25) survived after he was shot in rush-hour traffic in Dublin. Despite being hit a number of times he remains in hospital with serious injuries. Last Tuesday night gardai were alerted to a car burning on a quiet country road in north Dublin. When they arrived at the scene they found a man, later identified as Sean Little, lying dead on the ground beside his burning car. The following day, minutes after posting a message on social media about his pal, Jordan Davis was shot dead by a gunman on a bicycle. His partner fled with her four-month-old baby. A death notice for both men was posted online yesterday but didn't contain funeral arrangements. However it is understood that friends and family had gathered at the Little family home at Kilbarron Avenue in Coolock for a wake. Gardai are trying to establish who is responsible for the murders and whether or not the latest killing is another attack on the gang from outside or if it was organised from within. MEMBERS of the Defence Forces are discriminated against by the uniform that they wear, the Dail has been told Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin has asked the Taoiseach whether he is ashamed of the manner in which the Government has allowed the army to be dismantled and demoralised. He said naval ships have been unable to sail because of a lack of crew and there are huge safety issues within the Air Corps. Mr Martin quotes retired Comdt Cathal Berry who has said the sense of betrayal within military families is at an extraordinary level. This level of criticism is unprecedented from a former head of the Army Ranger Wing but it shouldnt be surprising to you and your government, the Opposition leader said. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar admitted Mr Berrys comments amounted to stinging criticism. Sometimes Government needs to hear criticism and take it board. I am very much aware of the anger, he said. However, he claimed recruitment to the Defence Forces is actually going very well. But we have a problem with retention. More people are leaving than coming in. Mr Varadkar insisted the Government are serious about responding to the retention difficulties. He said the government are investing 50m in new vessels, equipment and better pay. The Public Sector Pay Commission has also been aske to consider issues that are unique to the Defence Forces. Their report will be brought to the Cabinet in the coming weeks. Mr Martin said the issue is far deeper than just to refer to the public sector pay commission. The Defence Forces goes to the heart of our democracy. Our army withstood subversion within this state for more than 30 years. He added: "Stop this codology thats gone on for the last two years of burying your head in the sand. Security breach: Incoming head of the Central Bank Gabriel Makhlouf said systems had been deliberately hacked. Picture: Bloomberg The incoming head of the Central Bank of Ireland has been forced to call in the police after the New Zealand budget he was overseeing preparation of was leaked. New Zealand's Treasury Secretary Gabriel Makhlouf was last month selected by Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe to succeed Philip Lane as Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland. He'll take up his post here in September, but in the meantime has been overseeing preparations for New Zealand's first Well Being Budget, due to be unveiled tomorrow, as the top civil servant in the equivalent to the Department of Finance. But opposition members of the New Zealand parliament released what they called key details from the budget in advance. New Zealand's treasury department was deliberately hacked, Mr Makhlouf said. "The treasury has gathered sufficient evidence to indicate that its systems have been deliberately and systematically hacked," Mr Makhlouf said in a statement. Security has now been tightened, he said. "The treasury has referred the matter to the police on the advice of the National Cyber Security Centre," the statement from Mr Makhlouf added. The leak sparked a furore around the much-anticipated Well Being Budget that Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has promised would overhaul the approach to the nation's accounts to focus on metrics beyond economic growth. Opposition National Party leader Simon Bridges defended releasing the budget details after the treasury said it had been hacked. "The National Party has acted entirely appropriately," Mr Bridges said in a post on his official Twitter account. He added Finance Minister Grant Robertson "has falsely smeared us to cover up his and the treasury's incompetence". Minister Robertson said some details released by Mr Bridges yesterday were incorrect and that he had asked the National Party not to release any more in the wake of the hack. Mr Bridges earlier said that the government's budget would see defence spending go up sharply and there would be double spending in forestry with an extra $138m. International aid will also rise, Mr Bridges said. "This has nothing to do with the government's wellbeing priorities," he said. The government said that some details were incorrect, without specifying which ones, and that the wellbeing initiatives were still to be revealed tomorrow. Business Minister Heather Humphreys has lashed out at the "compensation culture" in this country, amid the political controversy over her colleague Maria Bailey's legal suit. The backbencher is now an isolated figure within Fine Gael as ministers and TDs seek to distance themselves as a result of the "swing case". Answering questions about the "Maria Bailey fiasco" in the Dail, Ms Humphreys said businesses were frustrated by "fraudulent or exaggerated claims". And while she did not directly cite the TD's case, she added: "People need to have some common sense and to be responsible for their own personal safety. "If one trips or falls, one has to ask why it happened. More often than not, the answer is 'because of one's own carelessness'." Speaking in Brussels, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said "a lot of people would identify with that and agree with" what his Cabinet minister said. Mr Varadkar is to meet with Ms Bailey to discuss the controversy, possibly as early as today. However, he refused to comment on the much-anticipated meeting or detail the questions he has for the Fine Gael TD. "I would like to have that meeting and hear her story," he said. "I am not going to ask her questions through the media, I'll do that when I meet her during the week and that is the appropriate thing to do." Ms Bailey did not attend the Dail yesterday, despite insisting she was "drawing a line in the sand" during her now infamous appearance on RTE's 'Today with Sean O'Rourke'. Notably, her close ally in Fine Gael Kate O'Connell changed her cover photograph on Facebook to remove one that included Ms Bailey since the radio interview. The Dun Laoghaire representative was scheduled to chair the Oireachtas Housing Committee today, but the Irish Independent understands she will not. Instead, Fianna Fail's Pat Casey has been asked to temporarily step in. There is much speculation in political circles that she will have to give up the role, which comes with a salary top-up of 9,500. Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy is due before the committee this morning to give an update on efforts to resolve the housing crisis. A press release issued ahead of the meeting quotes Ms Bailey as saying the committee was "eager" to discuss draft exempted development regulations and the Rebuilding Ireland plan with Mr Murphy. She said that it came at a time "when we need to accelerate housing supply delivery, while also ensuring that existing housing supply is protected". One member of the all-party committee, Independent TD Mattie McGrath, has called for her to give up the role. He said he has "no personal animosity" towards Ms Bailey, but claimed the legal action against The Dean hotel "completely calls into question... her judgment". Ms Bailey dropped the case after the Irish Independent revealed she ran a 10km race three weeks after falling from a swing at the hotel in July 2015. In court papers, her solicitors claimed she wasn't able to run "at all" for three months after the incident. Opposition parties yesterday used the controversy to pile pressure on the Government over insurance costs. Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy said: "While I am sure it is embarrassing for the minister, Deputy Humphreys, and for her party colleagues, there is a much bigger picture at play here that the Government must deal with." Ms Humphreys replied by saying: "We need to change this culture in this country, which says when one has an accident, it is everyone's fault except one's own." Meanwhile Culture Minister Josepha Madigan is refusing to say whether she was involved in the legal case. Ms Bailey is represented by law firm owned by the minister's family, Madigan Solicitors. Ms Madigan left the practice, which is headed by her brother, in 2017. She stonewalled reporters while arriving and leaving an event in Dublin yesterday. FINE Gael is to appoint a senior counsel to carry out an internal review into Maria Baileys compensation claim. The TD met with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar today and agreed to participate fully with the review. Senior Counsel David Kennedy will be tasked with trying to establish all facts around the case. Independent.ie has also learned that the case against The Dean Hotel was formally withdrawn this morning. A note on the court file said: The plaintiff has wholly discontinued this action. It remains to be seen if lawyers for the hotel, where the incident occurred in July 2015, will go to court to seek an order for their outstanding costs. However, the legal bill is not expected to be large as the case was only in a preliminary stage when it was abandoned. Mr Varadkar met with his backbench deputy shortly after 2pm today. He informed TDs and senators of the outcome at a private party meeting tonight. A spokesperson for the Taoiseach was not in a position to provide a time-frame for when Mr Kennedy will be expected to report back. Ms Bailey did not attend the Dail and was absent from the Oireachtas Housing Committee, which she normally chairs. With the controversy now entering its eleventh day, there is still substantial anger within Fine Gael. Privately some TDs have expressed sympathy for Ms Bailey on the basis that she has been subjected to a torrent of online abuse. In an astonishing appearance on RTEs Today with Sean ORourke last Monday, Ms Bailey criticised the reporting of the case over the past week and attempted to justify her action against the hotel. She described the media as judge, jury and executioner, claimed her privacy had been invaded and that humanity has been crossed. As part of a week long investigation into the claim, the Irish Independent revealed last Tuesday that Ms Bailey was claiming the hotel was negligent because the swing was unsupervised and there were no signs to instruct patrons how to safely use it. We then reported how she completed a 10km race three weeks after the incident. Court papers lodged by her solicitors claimed she was unable to run at all for three months. Ms Bailey insisted she only wanted her medical expenses of between 6,000 and 7,000 paid and was not looking for any extra damages. This is despite the fact her endorsement of claim stated she was seeking damages for personal injury, loss, damage and inconvenience in addition to her medical costs. The circuit court, where she took the case, can award up to 60,000 in personal injury matters. CCTV was a key factor in the hotels decision to defend the claim. In defence papers, it alleged Ms Bailey had items in each hand, restricting her ability to balance or hold rope grips properly. On radio, Ms Bailey confirmed that she had a beer in her hand and that she was reaching for her friends bottle of wine when she fell from the swing. Chinese law enforcement agencies Tuesday launched an upgraded version of its national gang crime informant platform. The public can provide leads on gang crimes via various online channels, including the official website of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the Communist Party of China Central Committee as well as its official WeChat and Weibo accounts, said Chen Yixin, a senior official with the commission and head of the national office against organized crime, at a press conference. According to Chen, the upgraded platform utilizes big data, model analysis and cloud computing, among other digital methods, allowing the platform to compare the information of suspects, cases and key areas of the crackdown. As the crackdown goes wider and deeper, some places lack clues on whitewashed and undiscovered gang crime, while others are short of in-depth investigations for the large amount of leads. The establishment of the upgraded platform aims to meet the new needs of China's crackdown on gangs and organized crimes, according to Chen. The platform increases mass participation by offering easy accesses on smartphones and computers, as well as detailed instructions and simplified reporting procedures for the public to provide leads, Chen said. Citizens only need to provide basic information on the gang crime they want to report via the platform, which takes about three minutes, said Wang Hongxiang, a senior official with the commission and deputy head of the national office, at the press conference. Measures will be taken to prevent relevant information from being leaked, he added. The platform also enhances accuracy of crackdown by generating submitted clues and automatically processing data, which allows authorities in charge of the gang crime crackdown to better manage and deal with relevant cases and clues, Chen said. The informants will receive a unique code for each lead they report, with which they can check progress or results online, Wang said, adding that authorities should contact informants who leave their names or contacts within 30 days of their leads being received. The platform can not only dynamically monitor the process of cases and the movement of vicious gangs but also summarize rules with big data to strengthen the continuity of the crackdown, Chen said. The original report platform was set up in February 2018 amidst China's increased efforts to crack down on gang crime. As of March 31, the platform had received more than 190,000 leads on gang crime, from letters and phone calls. Former friends: In 2012, Alan Shatter and Leo Varadkar were political allies. Picture: Collins Former justice minister Alan Shatter has launched a remarkable attack on the Taoiseach, claiming he opportunistically used the Garda whistleblower scandal to begin his Fine Gael leadership bid. Five years after leaving the Cabinet, Mr Shatter has penned a cutting analysis of the role played by Leo Varadkar in the events that led to his resignation. He claims his ex-colleague was orchestrating or engaging in extensive briefing to bolster his reputation and image, and deliberately damage mine. I knew Varadkar had a great capacity to rock the boat and had no concept of collegiality, Mr Shatter says. The comments, in a new book entitled Frenzy and Betrayal; The Anatomy of a Political Assassination, come at a time when Mr Varadkar is already under pressure on several fronts. He is expected to meet with backbench TD Maria Bailey today to discuss the reputational damage her swing fall compensation case has caused the party. And in the coming days, Fine Gael officials will carry out a post-mortem on the local election results, which were well below expectations. A spokesperson for Mr Varadkar said he would not be commenting on the claims in the book. Mr Shatters book gives his insights into a string of controversies which engulfed the Department of Justice in 2014. He blames Mr Varadkar, who was then minister for transport, for helping turn what was already a perfect storm into a category five hurricane which destroyed my reputation and laid the foundations for ending my over 30 years of active involvement in Irish politics". Among the controversies which dominated media coverage for months were inaccurate claims the offices of the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) were bugged, the handling of an investigation into penalty point cancellations and the revelation of unknown recordings of telephone conversations in Garda stations across the country. The ex-Dublin Rathdown TD writes at length about a now infamous speech given by Mr Varadkar at a road safety conference in March 2014. Mr Varadkar called on then Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan to withdraw controversial remarks he made about the two Garda whistleblowers, Maurice McCabe and John Wilson. The commissioner used the word "disgusting" in relation to the leaking of details of the scrapping of penalty points by the two men. By contrast, Mr Varadkar described them as "distinguished" and suggested the Department of Justice was not properly investigating the allegations. Mr Shatter was in Mexico on government business at the time and felt "ambushed" by the comments. In his book, he claims Mr Varadkar chose to "entirely ignore" briefings from the Department of Justice on the actions being taken and the fact the issue had been referred to the Garda Inspectorate. Mr Shatter says the RSA event was used "as a platform for a publicity-seeking piece of self promotion". "The speech also clearly promoted the false narrative that both Callinan and I had 'turned a blind eye to McCabe's complaints" "I believe that Varadkar was opportunistically reigniting a controversy, despite knowing the background to be more complex than the public could have understood or as presented by Opposition politicians and media commentators." He continued: "Varadkar was depicted as the handsome hero, Luke Skywalker, and Martin Callinan and I joined at the hip as Darth Vader, with the shadow of Maurice McCabe cast across the whole stage." He says the moment "would ultimately be recognised as marking the effective launch of his successful bid to become leader of the Fine Gael party". Mr Shatter, a qualified lawyer, said that if Mr Varadkar had "genuine concerns, no barrier prevented him from discussing them with me, dropping into my office or raising them through discussions between our special advisors or proposing that we jointly meet with the Garda Commissioner to discuss them". Assuming "all hell was about to break loose, the then minister cut short his trip to Mexico and returned home immediately. He says Mr Varadkar "struck media gold": "I knew that, from his perspective, he would regard March 21, 2014 as a particularly good day. From my perspective, I felt I had just entered some parallel universe." Throughout the book, Mr Shatter repeatedly claims the current Taoiseach was "dedicated to media spin". "On an occasion when we were together and I had joked about the frequency of his appearances in the print media, he had laughingly described himself as 'a media whore'," Mr Shatter claims. Mr Shatter resigned from government in May 2014 after a report by barrister Sean Guerin found he mishandled the whistleblower's allegations. He lost his Dail seat in the election in 2016. However, the courts later ruled his constitutional rights were breached by the Guerin investigation and cleared him of any wrongdoing. He suggests this was a "pyrrhic victory" because "the clock could not be turned back". "There was little likelihood of resurrecting my political career. Multiple reports of Guerin's damning conclusions would forever be accessible online and I knew my reputation remained damaged," he writes. He criticises the fact there was no public response from the Fine Gael party or any member of government when the final Supreme Court hearing concluded. A CLIMATE change debate featuring TD Michael Healy-Rae has been deemed "awful stuff" by a former Environment minister. Former Green Party TD John Gormley hit out at RTE after the prime Time debate and claimed that the Kerry TD is a "climate change sceptic." He told Independent.ie: "The Healy-Raes, to judge from their statements, are climate sceptics. "Quite simply, giving a platform to those sort of views is no longer a tenable position for our national broadcaster, given that climate breakdown is our biggest challenge." Mr Gormley earlier tweeted that while he supports public broadcasting, he had a few choice comments about the debate. "I believe in public service broadcasting and I would like the Licence Fee to be collected more efficiently. In fact, the last time you got a raise was from a green minister. But can we have proper analysis of climate change issues? This is awful stuff." Deputy Healy-Rae has previously said that he feels farmers are unfairly blamed for climate change, whereas he thinks we should look at "10,000 aeroplanes in the sky. His brother, Deputy Danny Healy-Rae has also stated that he does not "subscribe to the idea that man can influence climate". Expand Close Former environment minister John Gormley. Photo: Caroline Quinn / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Former environment minister John Gormley. Photo: Caroline Quinn He has said: "God above is in charge of the weather and we here can't do anything about it". Mr Gormley went on to say that RTE should adopt a climate change reporting policy like the BBCs. The British broadcaster issued guidelines on 'false balance' last year, which state: "To achieve impartiality, you do not need to include outright deniers of climate change in BBC coverage, in the same way you would not have someone denying that Manchester United won 2-0 last Saturday. The referee has spoken. "However, the BBC does not exclude any shade of opinion from its output, and with appropriate challenge from a knowledgeable interviewer, there may be occasions to hear from a denier," the guidelines continue. Michael Healy-Rae, who also appeared in the debate, defended his appearance on Prime Time. "Firstly I think everyones entitled to an opinion." He then raised the issue of cost. "We can only implement changes that the people can afford." The Kerry TD agrees with the green idea that we need to cut down on single-use plastics. "There are a ridiculous amount of plastics going into the ground. Years ago we used to have milk in glass bottles; could you imagine if we returned to that tomorrow? It would make an enormous difference. "I know people in my own constituency who sell milk in bottles. They are washed and re-used, its brilliant. "In supermarkets everything is wrapped up in plastics. We need to cut down on this. "These are simple measures we can take that wont put a burden on the hard-pressed tax payer." The Independent TD also agreed that deforestation was an issue, but that grants relating to forestry and tree planting had become much less attractive over the years, something he was trying to rectify. He says he has been "diligently working" on issues like this, and the Green Party arent the only ones pushing a green agenda. "What is the point in two people sitting on a programme with the exact same ideology its not a debate," he concluded. Many of Gormley's former Green party colleagues also criticised the debate. Peter Kavanagh, who represents for Dublin Mid-West, says that the framing of the debate was flawed. "This comedic, Punch and Judy style debate, where someone opposes what is essentially fact, is not helpful." Cllr Kavanagh also claimed that the debate being framed as the green agenda versus others. "I just won a hard-fought battle in a predominantly working-class constituency. Two other now-elected councillors ran on green campaigns, and they were organic farmers. "This nonsense of rural people versus liberal elites is only making us stay put [and not act]. Business as usual is going to kill us all." Hazel Chu, newly elected Green Party councillor for Pembroke, says we are living in democracy and people should be able to express their views. She said: "It was a debate last night because Catherine Martin made good points. But I hate to see it turn into a shouting match, with people not caring about the facts. "When the argument is not fact-based then it is an issue. Last night a claim was made that you have to change the battery in an electric car every two years. This is not true, it is every seven years or so," Ms Chu said. RTE said in statement that in relation to climate change, they did not need to ensure balanced debate coverage. As specified in the BAI guidelines, all broadcasters are obliged to be fair, objective and impartial in their coverage of News and Current Affairs. The relevant code states: the principle of fairness does not necessarily require that all possible opinions on a subject are addressed or that they should receive equal airtime." "The BAI advise that covering issues of public debate should be guided by ensuring equitable proportionate coverage. "RTE adheres to all relevant codes of the BAI and our own Journalism Guidelines." TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar plans to visit communities in Dublin that have been left shocked by a series of murders in recent days. Mr Varadkar said Gardai have made a lot of progress in tackling organised crime but admitted problems still exist. I want to share with the House our collective revulsion at what has happened, he said, referring to the murders of Hamid Sanambar, Sean Little, Jordan Davis and Zach Parker in north Dublin. Sanambar was shot dead yesterday outside Sean Littles family home yesterday afternoon. The Iranian native was a suspect for the 22-year-olds murder in a double-cross murder. The killing spree was discussed at a Cabinet meeting on Monday and Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has already committed to visit Darndale and Coolock in North Dublin. Speaking in the Dail today, Mr Varadkar said: I will do the same as soon as I can find a little bit of time. He said there are good people, hardworking people and they have a right to feel safe in their own homes and own communities. Sinn Feins David Cullinan said Gardai are operating with one hand behind their back due to lack of resources. People in those communities are living in fear. Im sure you would agree with me that these are great communities. But they are living in fear. They deserve better, he said. The Waterford TD acknowledged the complexity of gang feuds but argued the Government is not doing enough. The response has, to say the least, been lacklustre, he said. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin said: There are families with children afraid to walk the streets in these areas. He said cocaine use had doubled in the past six years and questioned whether strong enough legislation is in place. Mr Martin described events of recent days as an indiscriminate murder rampage. Mr Varadkar responded by saying that while Ireland is a wealthy country there is only a certain amount of money. The garda budget is at an all time high of 1.7bn, he said. They say that every human walks around with a certain kind of sadness. They may not wear it on their sleeves, but it's there if you look deep. That weight of sadness around Suzanne McClean and her husband Gary Monroe is such that you wonder how they bear it at all. On April 20 of last year, their daughter died in her cot at home in Co Galway. She was 16 months old. Her funeral Mass on April 24 was at St Mary's Church, where her parents married in 2016 (she was a flower girl). Suzanne and Gary, both 43, are in many ways broken beyond repair by what happened. You wonder how they cope. Yet in the eight months since Rosabel's passing, as Gary says, "in a way we have no choice but to keep putting one foot in front of the other". Ruben - Rosabel's big brother, who is now five - has "been through so much", adds Gary. "So we are determined that he doesn't suffer any more than he already has." "There are times it feels as though we're not coping at all," says Suzanne. "We're just existing. Going through the motions. As Gary says, we have a responsibility to our son Ruben, and we are determined that he will have as happy a childhood as he possibly can. I probably cope best when I find ways to keep parenting her. By continuing to love her and by concentrating on her legacy. That's a coping mechanism for me." In terms of the support they received from family and friends, Suzanne says it is impossible to "overestimate how much they have helped us through this darkness. I could not have survived this without my parents", she says, referring to her father Syl and mother Jean. Suzanne and her four girlfriends - Sarah Peelo, Bianca Luykx, Aisling Farrell and Fiona O'Brien - in Dublin share a WhatsApp group so there is conversation and connection on a daily basis. Expand Close Suzanne McClean and Gary Monroe with son Ruben and dogs Juno and George. Photo: Andrew Downes / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Suzanne McClean and Gary Monroe with son Ruben and dogs Juno and George. Photo: Andrew Downes "They are all suffering too. They adored her. We are very close to each other's children and we are all devastated by this." "There was always a member of Suzanne's family or her friends from Dublin here in the days and weeks after Rosabel's death," Gary says. "They were incredible. Rosabel's godparents, Roger O'Sullivan and Jenny Buckley, were outstanding." "Both of our families are desperately impacted by this," says Suzanne. "Rosabel was the youngest of 10 grandchildren on both sides, so it was like the littlest link has been broken for both of our families. She was, and still is, loved so much. Her four grandparents and all of her aunties, uncles and cousins adored her. She also had a very special bond with her childminder, Dee." Asked how they helped each other through this hell, Gary says he believes that because of Suzanne's professional background as a psychologist (she is on leave from the Galway Rape Crisis Centre), she has helped him normalise the emotions that he has experienced since they lost Rosabel. "It's been helpful to know that there are no emotions that are not normal. The anger, the fear, the anxiety, the helplessness. She has helped me to accept all of this as being a normal part of the grief process." Suzanne says: "For me, it's the simple things. Just knowing that somebody is there every morning. Somebody is making a pot of coffee. Another human being knows and remembers the intricate, delicate details of your child's face in the same way that you do. They remember the sound of her laughter and the warmth of her skin in the same way that you do. And they carry the weight of that loss with you. It's knowing that when one of us is paralysed with grief, the other can pick up the pieces." Have they come to find any meaning in all this? "I have always known that there was something special about Rosabel," says Suzanne. "We recognise the uniqueness of both our kids and love them both beyond measure, but there was always something about Rosabel that made me believe she was here for a reason. It sometimes felt as though she was too good to be true. She was incredibly perceptive and empathic for her age." She adds that her mother Jean lost her little sister Paula, in 1955, and so was raised as an only child. "I know that my grandmother Eileen grieved for her youngest daughter for the rest of her life. There was never a day that passed when she wasn't wishing her back. I think their souls are somehow entwined. We were given the little girl that we wanted so badly, but she was borrowed. I believe she's back there with them now. Myself and Gary cherished her. "There was something about her that captured the best of both of us. Like as if the best parts of our histories blended into one and she was the outcome. She was meant to be here, but perhaps her life was never meant to be a long one. Perhaps she had perfected herself." Gary says: "I find it difficult to find any meaning. Suzanne has a very close relationship with her mum, her sister Nicola, and the women in her life. They are very strong women and they feel so deeply about this that I guess it has helped me to find some meaning, too. But it doesn't stop the physical ache in my chest. The longing and the missing. It doesn't fill the silence for me." I ask them to tell some stories about Rosabel. Suzanne says: "From the time Rosabel was born, her grandmother Margaret often commented on 'the way she might look at you' [referring to the old Harp ad, 'Sally O'Brien and the way she might look at you']. Rosabel had this calm, intuitive look in her eyes. She would catch eyes with you and stare, smiling gently as if to tell you everything was going to be OK. As if she knew something that the rest of us didn't know. But she was mischievous too, and lots of fun. Gary says: "She was full of fun and she knew she was loved very deeply." Rosabel, adds Suzanne, had figured out tricks to make them all laugh: little faces she would pull, noises she would make. And when the room would erupt in laughter, she would clap her hands, delighted with herself, and toddle away. Rosabel was in awe of her big brother, and was really happy hanging out with him and their two dogs, Juno and George. Rosabel was "always smiling and giggling," adds Suzanne with heartbreaking candour. "She had the most beautiful smile I have ever seen in my life. She would have moved mountains. She would have set the world on fire. In a way, I guess she did. From the moment she was born, she was the easiest child in the world to mother and to love," says Suzanne. "Her name means beautiful rose, and that's precisely what she was. Everybody who knew Rosabel even a little knew there was something special about her. Maybe she really was too lovely for this world. By a strange and very sad twist of fate, our friends Uli and John Kennedy lost their 12-year-old daughter, Zoe, the week before Rosabel died. Zoe was a vivacious, talented, beautiful child who had a wonderful life ahead of her. There is no sense to any of this, but both of these girls were so very special. It makes you wonder." "Rosabel," says Gary, "always made me feel very proud. Both of my kids do. She was very girlie in some ways, gravitating towards handbags and stuff, but she also loved the rough and tumble of Ruben's world. The bond they shared was magic. We were blessed, but we knew we were blessed. We never took her for granted." What do they tell Ruben about his little sister? "Ruben shared a room with his little sister, and so he woke in the frenzy of Suzanne finding her on the night she died," says Gary. "We had no choice but to bring him with us when we raced to the hospital. The morning after we took her back home, Suzanne explained to him that the kind doctors and nurses had tried their best to save her. It was the most difficult experience of my life to have to watch my heartbroken wife try to gently tell my son that his little sister had died." They explained that her body was here but that it wasn't working any more; that she was with them and would always be with them, but that they couldn't play with her or hold her any more. "He wasn't afraid," says Gary. "He kissed her and held her hand. He chose items that he wanted to send with her to heaven so that she would always remember him." Suzanne says she was struck by how courageous little Ruben was - "and still is". "Though, naturally he was also very upset and confused. We continue to talk about Rosabel daily, but always at his own pace. He knows that he is still her big brother. He misses her hugely, especially at bedtime. His best friend, Dylan, attended the funeral with his parents, and this little guy has been such a great support for Ruben. They often reminisce about her in their own little way when they are together." What do Gary and Suzanne tell themselves about Ruben's little sister? "That she made us the happiest, proudest parents in Ireland," says Suzanne, "and that while our happiness has been shattered, we continue to be so proud of our little girl. She brought so much joy in her short life, and in due course she will bring so much comfort to other bereaved families in Ireland." Gary adds: "She taught me so much, She taught me about what really matters and what doesn't matter at all. She has made us very brave, I think. It is not a bravery we would have chosen but she has made us very brave, and very strong as a couple." Not long after Rosabel died, Suzanne and Gary took little Ruben away to Greece to attempt some sort of healing process. "We had to get away," says Gary. "Our families and friends and the broader community of Galway were incredibly supportive, but we also needed privacy to grieve for her. We needed space to try to love her big brother back to better." Gary's brother Rob, also his closest friend and his business partner at Monroe's bar and venue in Galway, was supportive of him taking time away. "Himself and Rosabel loved each other very much. She was the only person in the world who could distract him from his horse racing," smiles Gary. There is something therapeutic about being by the sea for long periods of time, says Suzanne of their three months in Greece, something soothing about the rhythm of the waves and how they flow towards the shore, over and over again. It reaffirms how utterly powerless we are against the force of nature. "We were so powerless the night our daughter died," says Suzanne. "There was nothing that could have saved her. Rosabel's death was so sudden and we still know of no apparent cause of death. It remains unexplained after a thorough case investigation. All we know is that it could not have been predicted or prevented. Apparently, there is a 1.4 chance in 100,000 of a healthy toddler dying in their sleep. I suppose our time in Greece was about somehow learning to accept the cruel reality that we were in that 1.4." Is there ever a minute in their lives when the pain of Rosabel's loss isn't churning inside them? "I sometimes find peace in music. I grew up around music and I guess that has served me well," says Gary. Suzanne says: "For me, music is a bit of a dichotomy really. I find some peace in it but it breaks my heart at the same time. All the old songs associated with memories over the years now just seem to represent the depth of what we have lost, and all the things she will never have. Even saying those words now feels horrifying. I am reluctantly learning to somehow live with my loss, but hers I will never be able to accept." Suzanne says that there were very poignant moments during the couple of days they had Rosabel at home in Mincloon, before the funeral. Their families and close friends gathered outside the family home in Galway with candles lit, waiting for Rosabel to arrive for her private wake. Rosabel's dog Juno seemed to know what was going on. The dog lay under her casket for hours. Suzanne will never forget the image of Rosabel's cousin Jessica (12) when she held her hand and kissed Rosabel goodbye for the last time. Suzanne also remembers that Rosabel's "two beautiful little hands were warm right until the end because there was always somebody holding them". Asked what are their memories of when the funeral was over and they went home, just them and Ruben, Gary remembers clearly the first time he and Suzanne were alone. Ruben was at his cousins' house and they decided to put a polite note outside their front door, requesting privacy. "We just closed the curtains and cried." Suzanne says: "I know that everybody has their own unique way of dealing with loss, but I think the Irish in general have a very warm way of grieving. We literally carry and pull each other through the darkness. To be honest, we didn't have much time alone until we went abroad. That time was really important to us as a family." Do they believe in God? If so, does this shake that faith? Suzanne says: "I believe in Rosabel. It's not even a question of belief really. I know that she is with us, though in a different capacity, a different frequency. I believe in her goodness and in the power of goodness in general. I believe in souls. I know this now. But God? Perhaps this is my anger speaking, but I'm not sure that the God I may have believed in at one time would have allowed this to happen. Gary says: "My faith is shook. My daughter's life on earth ended before her second birthday. I look at my son, who has had his entire world turned upside down at five years of age. I look at my parents, John and Margaret, who have to endure the loss of their youngest grandchild at this stage of their life. "If there's a God up there, then in the wise words of Stephen Fry... how dare he? Maybe this feeling will change with time. People mean well when they tell you you've an angel in heaven. Well, I'd rather her here in my arms." The reason Suzanne and Gary are doing this interview is to raise awareness of Rosabel's Rooms at the Irish Hospice Foundation, which they launched on January 5 last week in Salt Restaurant, in Salthill, Galway, on what would have been Rosabel's second birthday. Suzanne says: "As you know, Rosabel died at home, but she was raced to University Hospital Galway. The staff were truly incredible that night but unfortunately, there was not really an appropriate space available to us while we were trying to navigate our way through those first crucial, post-trauma hours with our deceased child. Rosabel's Rooms will be family-focused bereavement suites in hospitals around Ireland, designed and developed in collaboration with the Design and Dignity Project at the Irish Hospice Foundation. Following our decision to establish a charity in Rosabel's memory, the Irish Hospice Foundation offered us the opportunity to work under their well-established umbrella. Rosabel's Rooms will also be providing therapeutic and financial supports for individuals impacted by child loss. The Room-to-Heal fund will provide direct financial support for families in the aftermath of child loss, assisting families to take time off work, pay for funeral costs, etc." If you would like to pledge support to Rosabel's Rooms, please email rosabelsrooms@gmail.com for further details. Thousands of Brittany Ferries customers are facing holiday disruption with the company's flagship Pont-Aven ferry now out of action until June 14. The cruise-ferry, which sails from Cork to Roscoff in France, has been out of service since May 17 to facilitate repairs to a fault. "Despite these efforts it has now become apparent that this work will take longer than initially planned, whilst replacement parts are delivered and installed, and comprehensive checks are carried out," the company has announced. The Pont Aven will not resume sailings until Friday, June 14. For passengers, that means sailings on the Cork/Roscoff route have been cancelled for this weekend (May 31/June 1) and next (June7/8), along with a number of sailings on the companys Plymouth/Santander and Plymouth/Roscoff routes. Since May 17, a total of some 6,500 customers will be affected. Read More Affected customers will be contacted "over the coming days," the company says, with those due to sail soonest being contacted first. Additional sailings will be operated on the Plymouth/Roscoff route, and some Cork/Santander rotations will be diverted to Cork/Roscoff, it says. "An alternative sailing will be offered where it is available, but if no suitable alternative is available then a full refund will be offered," it adds. Customers are being advised to wait for contact, but many have taken to social media to complain about not being able to reach customer service agents. Expand Close Brittany Ferries 'Connemara' / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Brittany Ferries 'Connemara' "We recognise that many customers have struggled to get through on busy lines and that we haven't been able to respond as quickly as we would have liked to concerns via email and on social media," the company told the Irish Independent. "For this we apologise and we thank everyone for their patience and understanding." On behalf of everyone at Brittany Ferries I would like to apologise profusely for the further delays to the return of our flagship Pont-Aven, and the disruption that this will cause to travel plans," said the company's CEO, Christophe Mathieu. The companys technical teams have been working "around the clock" with the Damen shipyard in Brest to carry out repairs to the ships starboard-side steering gear, it adds. Brittany Ferries' Cork to Roscoff route is a popular summer holiday service that last year celebrated its 40th anniversary. In 2018, the company also added a Cork to Santander route - Ireland's only direct ferry link with Spain. Last year, thousands of ferry customers had their holiday plans thrown into disarray after the delayed arrival of Irish Ferries' W.B. Yeats cruise-ferry. Read more: 'He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy" - the quip from Monty Python classic 'Life of Brian' could serve as a pithy critique of Leo Varadkar's inflated reputation as a vote winner following Fine Gael's lacklustre performance in the local elections. Where did it all go wrong for Fine Gael? For two years, a succession of opinion polls had the party topping 30pc with Fianna Fail trailing far behind. In Dublin, polls had put the party's support even higher, with a Red C survey in April suggesting support of 37pc. The first real sign of cracks were beginning to appear earlier this month, when Red C placed the party at 28pc nationally and 26pc in the capital. In the event, the local election results were much worse. Nationally, the party stands at 25.3pc, with Fianna Fail ahead on 26.9pc, but it is in Dublin where the real rot has set in. Among the city's four local authorities, the highest share Fine Gael could muster was 27.3pc in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown while it sank to just 13.7pc in Dublin City, 17.5pc in South Dublin and 17pc in Fingal. Given the party secured 36pc of the vote in Dun Laoghaire and 30.6pc in Dublin Rathdown in the 2016 general election, the slide should cause some significant concern. As it stands, Fianna Fail is outpolling its rivals in every local authority area in the capital bar one. If Dublin is supposed to be a Fine Gael stronghold, it's time to man the walls and prepare for battle. Mr Varadkar has described the party's performance in the local elections as "disappointing", which is something of an understatement given he recently publicly stated his goal was to win an additional 50 seats and become the largest party in local government. On one level, it's easy to see where the Taoiseach's misplaced optimism came from. In 2014, it secured 24pc of the vote and lost 105 seats when anger at spending cuts and tax increases boiled over during the water charges campaign. This time, with no commensurate national protest movement and the economy apparently booming, the party expected a dividend. In short, it became complacent. Fine Gael has long traded on its reputation for fiscal rectitude, trenchantly criticising Fianna Fail for its "if I have it I'll spend it" attitude during the boom years. But when it was revealed the children's hospital would cost 1.4bn and counting, the reaction was a collective shrug of the shoulders. Health Minister Simon Harris told an Oireachtas committee the revised cost was "reasonable" - despite a budget-busting 450m rise in one year. Even now, no one in government can say with any degree of precision how much the project will ultimately cost, with the sky appearing to be the limit. A similarly ambivalent attitude to budgets was evident in the approach to the national broadband plan, with the final tender price of 3bn representing multiples of the initial budget of just 500m. Dare to criticise these eye-popping figures and defensive Fine Gael ministers accuse critics of wanting to deny sick children a world-class hospital or rural dwellers a reliable internet connection. The fact these things could have been delivered without breaking the national bank is never addressed. Value for money is a concept lost by a Government burning through public money with wild abandon. How are the public expected to have confidence in Fine Gael's ability to deliver on its capital investment plan, contained in Ireland 2040, when all of its prestige projects are now hugely over-budget? The children's hospital and broadband garner most of the headlines, but an inability to estimate the cost of these projects correctly will have implications for capital investment all over the country for the foreseeable future. When the reality of delayed, deferred and cancelled capital projects becomes apparent in years to come, public anger at the Government's profligacy will only increase. An inability to make progress on housing, as homelessness continues its inexorable rise and rents continue to soar, represents the single biggest threat to the party's electoral fortunes. Having published its first housing plan in 2014, the public are still being told five years later that the reason progress is not being made is because houses take a long time to build. This patronising, flippant response to a crisis engulfing an entire generation of young people will reap a whirlwind for this Government. The inability of Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy to even empathise with those who are despairing as a result of the housing fiasco is quite something. His widely ridiculed comments that young people should view shoebox co-living en suite rooms in Dublin at 1,300 per month as an "exciting" choice beggars belief. Until relatively recently, 1,300 was sufficient to rent a two-bed apartment. The prospect of owning or renting your own home, without sharing kitchen facilities with hordes of other people, is now deemed too ambitious a dream for this generation of young people. Mr Murphy's gaffe, which dominated headlines for days in advance of the election, was not the only own goal from a Fine Gael TD that did serious damage. The party has spent months slamming personal injuries awards and insurance hikes, so the revelation Maria Bailey was suing a hotel after she fell from a swing on a night out was devastating. While every citizen has a right to take a civil action, the inability of Fine Gael to address the drip-feed of information, coming from this newspaper, was spectacularly inept. The failure of Mr Varadkar to speak with Ms Bailey before she gave her disastrous interview to RTE on Monday, more than one week after the story first hit the headlines, is inexplicable. Given the party's obsession with public relations, the biggest mystery is that its members appear singularly useless at communicating with the public. Regrettably for Mr Varadkar and his Government, it is impossible to spin their way out of mismanaging major projects, the housing crisis and a succession of foot-in-mouth gaffes from people who are supposed to be media trained to within an inch of their lives. If the party wants to avoid a return to the opposition benches after the next election, it will have to spend less time spinning its own mediocre performance and more getting results on issues that actually matter to people - particularly health and housing. It would be wise to resist the temptation to sing the old 'Sound of Music' ditty, 'How do you solve a problem like Maria?' in Fine Gael circles right now. The dilemma around Maria Bailey's ill-starred compensation case was never good for laughs among the party faithful. By Monday morning there were many in the parliamentary party who would have gladly forgotten the whole debacle after the 'Sunday Independent' report that the Dun Laoghaire TD had withdrawn her ill-judged lawsuit against a Dublin hotel. But by noon on Monday their dismay had turned to anger as Ms Bailey had given an extraordinary interview to RTE's Sean O'Rourke in which she compounded the political fall-out from the previous week's events. Two ministers publicly said she should not have done that interview - and one of them, Health Minister Simon Harris, said she should at least have awaited an expected meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. Well that meeting will happen very soon, perhaps as soon as today or tomorrow, after Mr Varadkar's return from the EU leaders' summit in Brussels last night. There has been much talk about "disciplinary measures" - but it is hard to see what for. Ms Bailey has said the case is now withdrawn. Even if Mr Varadkar, his senior officials at party headquarters, or Fine Gael's national executive had access to the court documents surrounding the case, they would hardly be entitled to begin their own trial on the rights and wrongs of it all. Previous moves for censure against established politicians in the past followed on from completed court proceedings. There is no such thing here. Then there is the prospect of a catch-all charge of "bringing the party into disrepute". That could be a long and contested process which would also sustain the continued bad publicity impacting on the whole Fine Gael organisation. But you can't entirely rule it out. It is also worth noting that Mr Varadkar's Dail numbers could not be tighter at present. He cannot afford the loss of another party TD in tight divisions. The reality is Ms Bailey is definitely guilty of playing a very poor political hand around all of this right up to Monday. But if the Fine Gael mandarins were to take disciplinary action on foot of that one, then they would be very busy indeed. Yet Mr Varadkar does have one very potent move open to him. It is the removal of the chairmanship of the Oireachtas housing and planning committee which carries some prestige and 10,000 per year in extra pay. There is for and against such a move at a time of tight Dail arithmetic. But it is also clear there is, at best, limited sympathy for her at present in the party. In the Dail yesterday Business Minister Heather Humphreys denounced compensation culture. She did not have to cite Ms Bailey's name - the Opposition TDs did it for her. Media trainers are usually agreed on one thing - keep it simple. Don't complicate the message. Find a basic concept and sell it over and over again. The ongoing, seemingly interminable, insurance debate is a classic example of this. Three years ago, the insurance industry was under huge pressure to explain astonishing rises in motor premiums. After a short period of obfuscation and denial, it settled on a strategy. Blame the lawyers and the courts. This is a well-worn path and one which has seen much success in the past, particularly around the time of the last crisis in 2002. This time though it embarked on a slightly different tack. Because the Personal Injuries Assessment Board had seen a large reduction in litigation, the focus turned to what was once deemed sacrosanct. The right of the victim to fair compensation. Aided by the report of the Personal Injuries Commission (PIC) which found that damages in Ireland were 4.4 times the level of those in England and Wales, a relentless campaign has been waged by the insurers and various business organisations to have damages reduced. Government, in the guise of Junior Minister Michael D'Arcy, has added its voice to the cacophony. This is all predicated on the assumption that a diminution in damages will result in a consequential reduction in premiums. In spite of requests from the likes of Mr D'Arcy and the chairman of the PIC, Nicholas Kearns, for a public commitment from the insurance industry that premiums will reduce in those circumstances, the silence has been deafening. This is not surprising, unfortunately. The facts, as we know them, would suggest that damages are not the main driver in premiums. There has been no increase in damages in recent years except in the Circuit Court, where the monetary jurisdiction for personal injury awards increased from 38,000 to 60,000 in 2014, and yet premiums have spiralled out of control. In fact, the robust decisions of the Court of Appeal have seen a decrease in levels over the last three years. In England and Wales, where damages are so much lower, motor premiums have in fact been consistently higher than in this country over a protracted period of time. Surely, they should be a fraction of ours if the hype about damages is to be believed. So why have premiums for business owners increased by so much in the last three years? Perhaps the answer lies in the separate investigations into the insurance industry by the European Commission and the Consumer and Competition Commission. The industry has been accused by both organisations of operating as a cartel. Is this why businesses with no claims' histories are finding themselves being subjected to swingeing premium increases or not being quoted in circumstances where there has been no real change in market conditions? We should not expect the competitions probes to improve matters greatly. Firstly, the pace at which they move doesn't inspire confidence. Secondly, although they may eventually increase competition, which is to be welcomed, in the short term, huge fines will be swallowed up by insurers already making supernormal profits and which, in any event, they will likely pass on to consumers as increases. There are ways to alleviate this crisis though. It will require government to take on the insurers who are currently operating a Wild West-type regulatory environment. The first solution is well documented. The report of the PIC recommends the introduction of guidelines by the judicial council. As a member of the commission, I endorsed this report and continue to do so. However, the level of damages outlined in these guidelines is a matter for the judicial council, when established, and it alone. It should not be dictated by business lobbies, the legal profession, former judges or by government. The separation of powers, as set out in the Constitution, makes it crystal clear that government should have no influence over judicial power. This is of critical importance where the State is a defendant in many cases where damages are paid. The judicial council should decide the appropriate level of damages, having regard to criteria set by the council. The result of this, whatever level it deems appropriate, will be more consistency and will allow insurers to calculate premiums with more accuracy. The primary aim, though, has to be to call the insurers to account. In 2018, three insurers alone made nearly 200m in profits yet show no interest in returning any of this to premium payers. Government needs to set rules which do not allow premium increases where no claims have been made and there has been no material change in risk. The Financial Services Ombudsman needs to be empowered to investigate premium levels which are out of sync with the previous year. The aim of substantially reducing awards may seem superficially attractive but it merely takes the money out of the pockets of deserving victims, injured through no fault of theirs, and it will line the wallets of insurance company executives and their shareholders. With a bit of imagination and a desire to take on an industry no one trusts, we can finally give businesses and motorists a break while still fairly compensating victims. Stuart Gilhooly is a partner in H J Ward & Co Solicitors and specialises in personal injuries. He is also a past president of the Law Society 'How do you solve a problem like Maria?' was one of the hit songs from the film 'The Sound of Music' which was released 14 years before the Taoiseach was born. But even if Leo Varadkar could answer that question, it's only one of a mounting sea of troubles arising from the local and European elections. The Fine Gael party needs a healthy post-mortem on its lacklustre performance in the local elections. The sheen has been taken off the Leo political shine, partly over what's now been jokingly referred to as "swing gate". The claim against a Dublin hotel, initiated by the Dun Laoghaire TD Maria Bailey, damaged the party which did not perform as well as hoped for in the local elections. She has described herself as someone who "shoots straight", but on this occasion her foot got in the way. That was bad enough for Fine Gael, but now the party leader is suffering personal reputational damage with the publication of withering criticism of him in Alan Shatter's book 'Frenzy and Betrayal'. He claims Mr Varadkar once "laughingly described himself as 'a media whore'". But there will be little for the Taoiseach to laugh at in the book which claims he has "no concept of collegiality". According to the former justice minister, "Varadkar was depicted as the handsome hero, Luke Skywalker, and Martin Callinan (former Garda commissioner) and I joined at the hip as Darth Vader, with the shadow of Maurice McCabe (the Garda whistleblower) cast across the whole stage". Shatter's book will tarnish the Taoiseach's image for some time to come. He can take some credit from his party's better performance in the European elections. But the fault lines across Europe are becoming more evident and not just in Britain, where Nigel Farage's six-week-old Brexit Party humiliated the Conservative and Labour parties. Farage tweeted that unless Britain left the EU at the end of October, a general election would return a similar result. The Euro election outcome poses existential threats to both the Tories and Labour, which is now edging towards giving its backing to a second "people's vote". Many on this side of the Irish Sea would love to see a second referendum, but the outcome is by no means certain, given the strength of the Brexit party. The reality also is that Theresa May's successor will be chosen from one of a slate of soft or hard Brexiteers. The very real danger of a no-deal exit by Britain poses huge threats for this country, which is why it is essential that we secure a top seat in the new European Commission. That process began last night in Brussels at a meeting attended by leaders from EU countries including Ireland. Securing a heavyweight portfolio is more important than solving any party political squabbles at home. The number of Francois' leaf monkeys at the Jinfo Mountain Nature Reserve in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality has increased to more than 150 thanks to continuous ecological restoration in recent years, the administration of the nature reserve said Tuesday. Since 2014, the reserve has set up 180 infrared sensor cameras in six key areas to more accurately monitor the rare wild animal and plant populations, said Zhong Wei, director with the research monitoring center of the administration. The reserve also collaborated with Yangtze Normal University and Southwest University to investigate the population, distribution and living environment of the Francois' leaf monkeys. The latest data shows that a total of 151 Francois' leaf monkeys are recorded in the reserve. The number of the species increased significantly compared with more than 70 in 1990s and more than 110 in 2004. In recent years, the reserve has strictly controlled human activities in the habitat of the monkeys, and planted more than 30,000 trees on more than 46.7 hectares of wasteland to expand the area of suitable living environment for them. In winter and spring when there is a shortage of food for the species, apples, corns, peanuts and other food are put in the reserve. To raise public awareness on the protection, publicity posters were set up and publicity activities were held in the reserve, Zhong said. Also known as Francois' langurs, the species is one of China's most endangered wild animals, and one of the endangered species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list. They are found in China's Guangxi, Guizhou, Chongqing and the northern mountain areas of Vietnam. There are about 2,000 Francois' leaf monkeys worldwide, of which 1,500 live in China. Having read Lorraine Courtneys piece on the elections (We should have given Fine Gael bloody nose over inept handling of housing crisis, Irish Independent, May 27), one felt like apologising for having the temerity to vote on issues other than those which Ms Courtney dictates we should have. Indeed, perhaps it hasnt crossed her mind that some voters might have decided that the proposals of the Opposition parties on the housing crisis were not workable? In any event, when one considers the voter turnout in the Greater Dublin Area which is suffering most from this crisis was considerably lower than the rest of the country, maybe she might have been better directing her ire at those who did not vote rather than those who exercised their democratic right. Brian Collins Askeaton, Co Limerick Theres no excuse for not taking part in democracy Christy Galligan (Letters, May 28) is concerned about the ethics of some elected politicians. I am more concerned about the large number of voters who refused to vote in any election. For example, in my native Co Sligo with 57,297 enrolled voters, on Friday last, 23,268 voters could not be bothered to cast their vote. In my opinion, those who refuse to participate in the democratic process are the people who should reflect on their own set of values. The cute hoors involved in Irish politics are well aware they can count on the abstainers to get elected. Your vote is invaluable and was hard fought for over many generations to ensure you could cast it safely, peacefully and confidentially. With proportional representation, you have as many votes as there are candidates. Declan Foley Berwick, Australia If you can protest about Trump, what about Charles? Why is it that those who protested most vociferously at the Governments invitation to US President Donald Trump to visit Ireland, then remained silent during the recent visit to Ireland of Prince Charles, the colonel-in-chief of the British armys parachute regiment? One could be forgiven for thinking it was US soldiers, not British paras, who were responsible for the killings of 11 innocent people in Ballymurphy in August 1971 and the 14 civil rights marchers in Derry on Bloody Sunday in 1972. Why the double standards? Tom Cooper Templeogue, Dublin 6 Best advice is to hold on tight for a ride on the roundabout On the basis that what goes around, comes around should a certain Fine Gael swinger be advised to avoid roundabouts? Dr Mary Frances Rogan Annaghdown, Co Galway Greens support will go when voters are hit in their pockets There is a complete contradiction in the surge in support for the Green Party and debate about climate change, and the fact that only a few years ago a mass movement of protests led to the scrapping of water charges. I had no problem in principle with the concept of water charges where people paid a modest charge and were penalised for wastage/excessive usage. I withdrew my support for the charges when a flat rate was brought in. Yet many of the people who took part in the water charge protests have now attended events highlighting climate change and/or support their children taking part in the young peoples protests on the matter. How do you explain that logic to a 10-year-old? People tend to latch on to popular movements. Climate change awareness is the flavour of the year right now, just as the water protests were the popular movement a few years ago. The fact that there is an inherent contraction in this seems to be lost on many people. I wonder how long the green surge will last, particularly when it affects peoples pockets. Peoples pockets being plundered was the unravelling of the water charges. Tommy Roddy Lower Salthill, Galway Bord na Mona gives whole new meaning to up in smoke If Bord na Mona produce cannabis, wont it give a whole new meaning to the term a bale of briquettes? John Williams Clonmel, Co Tipperary Ashton Kutcher testifies in the murder trial of Michael Gargiulo in Los Angeles Superior Court (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times via AP, Pool) Ashton Kutcher has testified as a witness during a murder trial in Los Angeles. The 41-year-old actor told the court he went to pick up Ashley Ellerin to go out for drinks on a night in 2001, but left when she did not answer her door. The next day he learned she had been killed. The TV and film star said from the witness stand on Wednesday that he looked into the window at the Hollywood home of 22-year-old Miss Ellerin and saw what he believed were wine stains. Expand Close Kutcher points to an evidence screen during his testimony (Frederick M Brown/Pool via AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kutcher points to an evidence screen during his testimony (Frederick M Brown/Pool via AP) He then left, thinking the fashion design student had already gone out for the night. Kutcher said he told detectives the next day he knew his fingerprints were on the door and he was freaking out. His testimony came during the trial of Michael Gargiulo, who is charged with killing Miss Ellerin and another woman. Gargiulo, 43, has pleaded not guilty at Los Angeles Superior Court to two counts of murder and an attempted-murder charge stemming from attacks in the Los Angeles area between 2001 and 2008. Vogue Williams and Spencer Matthews attend the Paul Costelloe presentation during London Fashion Week February 2019 at the Simpsons in the Strand on February 18, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Eamonn McCormack/BFC/Getty Images) Vogue Williams' husband Spencer Matthews was forced to hide in the vault of a luxury watch shop during a terrifying raid by moped-riding armed robbers. Made In Chelsea star Spencer was in the store in London's West End with a friend when the front window was smashed while a moped was left abandoned on the pavement. In a post on Instagram, he said: "I just had to hide in a safe. More like a vault downstairs while this watch shop, The Hour House on Duke Street, got smashed to pieces by armed robbers." The socialite posted pictures on the social media site of the glass-strewn shop and smashed cabinets. He said the robbers were wielding "huge jack hammers". "These guys drive a scooter through the glass and start battering the shop with hammers, big huge hammers, wearing helmets," Spencer said. "We're in the back of the shop looking at them, sprint downstairs, hide in the vault until all the noise passes. Come upstairs and the place is just battered. Like I mean Gonzo. All the watches gone." He and his friend began looking for the "vintage piece" that Spencer had been hoping to collect. "We were looking around and I'm just thinking 'f**king hell, the thing that I've been waiting for has obviously just been nicked so I'm going to have to go and get another one'," the 30-year-old added. "Lo and behold we look around and on the floor amongst all the rubble and the glass and stuff there's one watch in the entire shop and it's mine. Now if that's not luck I don't know what is." Video of the Day The Metropolitan Police Twitter account for Westminster @MPSWestminster said officers were called to the store just after 10.30am yesterday. A series of tweets read: "A number of males armed with weapons are reported to have driven to the premises on mopeds and smashed a window before stealing goods and fleeing. "Officers attended, including specialist firearms colleagues. "A man aged in his 30s has been treated for an eye injury sustained after the shop window was smashed. "At this stage there have been no arrests. Inquiries continue." A radio presenter said he thought he was being raided by the British Army as he was woken by cows invading his property. Stephen Nolan, who presents the Nolan Show on BBC Radio Ulster, posted a video on Twitter of him chasing the dirty brutes from his property wearing nothing more than shorts and trainers. I thought I was getting raided by the British army . I woke up to sound of heavy footsteps and banging on my door. Cows broke into my site. Set off alarms, which sent call to security team. Total mayhem . Dirty brutes. Im furious pic.twitter.com/n7FpIh74TN Stephen Nolan (@StephenNolan) May 29, 2019 I thought I was getting raided by the British Army, the 45-year-old wrote. I woke up to sound of heavy footsteps and banging on my door. Cows broke into my site. Set off alarms, which sent call to security team. Total mayhem. Dirty brutes. Im furious. While Nolan himself was furious about the bovine invasion, his followers certainly saw the funny side of the incident. This is a very mooving story, wrote one, while another replied: I think youre milking this a little bit. Christopher John Kulish (61) a lawyer, did not show any distress when reaching the peak of the world's highest mountain yesterday but died after descending. Photo: AP/PA Images An American mountaineer has become the 11th person in two weeks to die on Mount Everest, as sherpas and tour operators alike blame an influx of inexperienced climbers and budget tour operators for the rise in fatalities. Christopher John Kulish (61) a lawyer, did not show any distress when reaching the peak of the world's highest mountain yesterday but died after descending. With a record number of climbers permitted to ascend Everest this year, bottlenecks have also contributed to greater exhaustion and, in some instances, death. The Nepalese government granted permission for 381 mountaineers to scale Everest from the southern side. Ten Rohingya men with their hands bound kneel as members of the Myanmar security forces stand guard in September 2017. Photo: Reuters Burma's Rohingya Muslim minority is facing fresh atrocities and human rights violations at the hands of the military, according to a report by Amnesty International. Evidence gathered through interviews in the western Rakhine state since January documents indiscriminate attacks, extra-judicial executions, arbitrary arrests, torture and enforced disappearances. The crackdown appears to have escalated in response to attacks on police posts by the Arakan Army (AA), a Rakhine armed group. Amnesty has also accused the AA of abducting civilians and endangering them with its operations. The abuses are continuing despite global outrage at the brutal military operation in August 2017 that prompted 730,000 Rohingya to flee and take shelter in refugee camps in neighbouring Bangladesh. UN investigators said the army's campaign of murder, rape and arson had been conducted with "genocidal intent". "Operations in Rakhine state show an unrepentant, unreformed and unaccountable military terrorising civilians and committing widespread violations as a deliberate tactic," said Amnesty. In one incident, a boy (7), reportedly hurt by a military mortar, died after being denied treatment. The military has not responded and the AA denies endangering civilians. European Union leaders are divided over who to appoint to the top jobs in Brussels, after elections shredded comfortable political alliances and raised troubling questions about the future of the bloc. At a summit in Brussels, major powers France, Germany and Spain differed over who is best suited to lead the EUs powerful executive arm, the European Commission, for the next five years. Former Luxembourg premier Jean-Claude Juncker heads the commission, which proposes EU laws and ensures they are respected, until October 31. After voters turned out for last weeks European Parliament elections in numbers not seen in 20 years, the leaders want to show they can respond quickly to peoples concerns. The aim is to name all four top jobs the commission chief, a replacement for Donald Tusk as European Council president, a new foreign policy chief and head of the European Central Bank at a summit from June 21-22. Expand Close Jean-Claude Juncker will head the European Commission until October 31 (Francisco Seco/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jean-Claude Juncker will head the European Commission until October 31 (Francisco Seco/AP) Avoiding any mention of the differences or candidate names, Mr Tusk said the leaders hope we can provide clarity on all these posts already in June, but he added that will depend on the goodwill of everyone involved. French President Emmanuel Macron, whose party is joining forces with a new pro-business liberal group in the EU parliament for the first time, insisted the choices should represent the new political project that European voters are demanding. He said: The new order means one thing: Its that we cannot just repeat the old habits. Expand Close French President Emmanuel Macron said the appointments need to reflect the fact that voters views are changing (Olivier Matthys/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp French President Emmanuel Macron said the appointments need to reflect the fact that voters views are changing (Olivier Matthys/AP) It is important to me that these nominations have parity, that we have two men and two women. It is important for me to have the best profiles possible. He added there must also be balance in terms of political leanings and in terms of geography. Other leaders, too, said the aim is to have two women in top posts. Expand Close German Chancellor Angela Merkels choice for EC president is Manfred Weber (Francisco Seco/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp German Chancellor Angela Merkels choice for EC president is Manfred Weber (Francisco Seco/AP) Last weeks elections saw Europes mainstream centre-right and centre-left parties lose seats in the European Parliament. The conservative European Peoples party, which has been the largest group in the assembly, and the Socialists and Democrats have held a majority in the body for 40 years. But voters concerned about climate change, migration or security turned instead to the Greens, the pro-business ALDE group or far-right parties. As a result, it is unclear what workable majority will emerge in the assembly, which sits in Brussels and Strasbourg, when politicians gather in July, especially as the leaders and party groups jockey for position. German Chancellor Angela Merkel described the summit as good and harmonious, even though Mr Macron virtually ruled out the prospect of her favourite, Manfred Weber, replacing Mr Juncker. He suggested the former Bavarian politician lacks solid experience. Mr Weber has never served in government or at a major institution like the European Commission. He has led the European Peoples party since 2014, but the group suffered major losses at the polls. Expand Close EC presidency candidate Margrethe Vestager has won backing from Emmanuel Macron (Olivier Matthys/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp EC presidency candidate Margrethe Vestager has won backing from Emmanuel Macron (Olivier Matthys/AP) Mr Macron said Denmarks Margrethe Vestager, who is now the EUs competition commissioner, would be a suitable replacement, as would Michel Barnier the Frenchman who has led the EUs Brexit negotiations. Meanwhile, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez threw his political weight behind the Socialists candidate, Frans Timmermans, who is a former Dutch foreign minister and currently Mr Junckers right-hand man at the commission. We will support Frans, Mr Sanchez said. He has the experience not only at the national level but also at the European level to lead the commission. After Tuesdays summit it appeared clear the process will take some time, amid signs of a power struggle between the EU Council, which represents national governments, and the parliament. Booted out: Alastair Campbell has been expelled from the Labour Party after admitting he voted for the Liberal Democrats. Photo: PA Tony Blair's former spin doctor Alastair Campbell has been expelled from the British Labour Party after admitting that he voted for the Liberal Democrats in the European elections. Mr Campbell, a leading campaigner for a second referendum on Brexit, said that he was "sad and disappointed" by the decision. A Labour Party spokesman said "support for another political party or candidate is incompatible with party membership". Mr Campbell, one of the key players in the New Labour era, insisted that there was "plenty of precedent" of members voting for other parties or causes, and pointed out Jeremy Corbyn's own rebellious past in Westminster votes during Mr Blair's premiership. And he said there was a difference in the swift way that his situation had been dealt with compared to "the way anti-Semitism cases have been handled". He said he would be appealing the decision to throw him out of the party. In a series of posts on Twitter, Mr Campbell said that the email informing him of his expulsion came as the Labour leadership "finally seems to be moving to the right place on Brexit, not least thanks to tactical voting by party members, including MPs, councillors and peers" who back a so-called People's Vote. "I was not intending to publicise this at this stage, but have had calls from friends in the party telling me it is now widely known and likely to be leaked," he said. "I have been advised by lawyers with expertise in this field I have grounds for appeal against expulsion and shall do so. "I am and always will be Labour. "I voted Lib Dem, without advance publicity, to try to persuade Labour to do the right thing for country/party." He added the "approach also contrasts with our era" when Mr Blair was pressed to withdraw the whip from Mr Corbyn for "persistently voting against Labour in Parliament", but said no. Labour rules state that members who support a party other than Labour are automatically ineligible for membership. Before Mr Campbell's expulsion, former prime minister Mr Blair said he understood why his ex-aide had voted Lib Dem. Mr Blair said that he had voted Labour "without any great enthusiasm" at last week's European election. Asked on Sky News what he would say to Mr Campbell, Mr Blair said: "I understand why you did what you did. "You wouldn't be the only person I know who has voted Labour all their lives who didn't vote Labour in this election." He said the party had to stop "equivocating" and called for it to campaign explicitly for another referendum. Jeremy Corbyn is coming under pressure to make a new referendum a condition of Labour support for any Brexit deal, after an exodus of Remain voters consigned the party to its worst national election result since 1910. The British Labour leader is increasingly isolated at the top of the party on Brexit, with senior figures including shadow chancellor John McDonnell, shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry and deputy leader Tom Watson calling for a public vote. Mr McDonnell appeared to accept that the strategy of attempting to straddle Labour's Remain and Leave-voting constituencies had reached the end of the road. "Now we face prospect of Brexiteer extremist as Tory leader and threat of no deal, we must unite our party and country by taking issue back to people in a public vote," he tweeted. In a message to the Parliamentary Labour Party, Mr Corbyn said: "We are ready to support a public vote on any deal." But it is understood that the shift of tone does not amount to a change in policy to make support for any deal conditional on a second referendum. Mr Corbyn said any policy change would be for Labour's annual conference in September to determine. The move did not go far enough for Labour MPs reeling from the party's collapse to 14pc in the European elections, which saw them lose 10 MEPs as voters frustrated with Mr Corbyn's ambiguous stance on Brexit flooded to Liberal Democrats and Greens. Backbencher Ian Murray, a supporter of the campaign for a second referendum, said: "The one thing the results have shown us is that if you stand in the middle of the road you get hit by both sides." As the disastrous results rolled in on Sunday night, Mr Corbyn said that the Brexit issue "will have to go back to the people, whether through a general election or a public vote". But in a later TV appearance, he made clear his preferred outcome remained a general election. "The priority at the moment, I think, is for this government to call for a general election," he said. Family, friends and fans gathered at St Stephens Cathedral in Vienna for a last farewell to Formula One champion Niki Lauda. The wooden coffin of the three-time champion was decorated with his red racing helmet and surrounded by six white candles and rose wreaths with two large portraits of Lauda behind it. The Austrian died on May 20 at the age of 70, less than a year after undergoing a lung transplant. Lauda, who won two of his Formula One titles after a horrific crash in which he suffered serious burns, later became a prominent figure in the aviation industry and in recent years served as a non-executive chairman of the Mercedes F1 team. Expand Close Lauda became a prominent figure in the aviation industry (Ronald Zak/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lauda became a prominent figure in the aviation industry (Ronald Zak/AP) Several Formula One stars attended, including current world champion Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas and their team boss Toto Wolff; four-time champion Alain Prost and fellow winners of the title Sir Jackie Stewart, Nelson Piquet and Nico Rosberg. Austrian president Alexander Van der Bellen and Arnold Schwarzenegger also paid their respects at the funeral mass. That was for you, Niki. Your fighting spirit was right there with me every step of the way. I know you are looking down and taking your hat off to us. I miss you, we truly miss you and I hope we did you proud today, legend. pic.twitter.com/gwNJvFzY8C Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) May 26, 2019 After winning the Monaco Grand Prix last Sunday, Hamilton paid tribute to Lauda, writing on Twitter: That was for you, Niki. Your fighting spirit was right there with me every step of the way. I know you are looking down and taking your hat off to us. I miss you, we truly miss you and I hope we did you proud today, legend. Before the beginning of the service, hundreds of fans walked by the coffin, many of them crossing themselves and taking mobile phone photos. Expand Close Lauda died aged 70 on May 20 (Ronald Zak/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lauda died aged 70 on May 20 (Ronald Zak/AP) He was an unpretentious, humble, shining star among the racing drivers, Toni Faber, the cathedrals priest who was to give the sermon for Lauda, told Austrian news agency APA before the service. He had a sense of humour, was true to life, target-oriented and no-nonsense. Lauda won the F1 title in 1975 and 1977 with Ferrari and again in 1984 with McLaren. Expand Close Laudas widow Birgit (Ronald Zak/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Laudas widow Birgit (Ronald Zak/AP) In 1976, he was badly burned when he crashed during the German Grand Prix, but he made an astonishingly fast return to racing only six weeks later. Lauda remained closely involved with the F1 circuit after retiring as a driver in 1985. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 29) San Miguel Brewery, Inc. (SMB) revealed plans to put up a new brewery in Vietnam amid growing demand for beer. The listed firm confirmed news reports on Wednesday, saying that it is "conducting a study" to possibly set up another facility in Vietnam. If realized, it would be their second brewery in the Southeast Asian country. The firm led by businessman Ramon Ang said the new brewery will cost about $70 million, which is meant to address growing demand for San Miguel's beer products abroad. Ang said on Tuesday that the brewery will produce at least two million hectoliters, versus the current 200,000-hectoliter production capacity in Vietnam. READ: Strong beer, liquor sales drive SMFB profit in Q1 SMB offers the beer brands San Miguel Pale Pilsen, San Mig Light, RedHorse, Cerveza Negra, and the locally-available WIN Bia in Vietnam. In its first quarter financial report, the company said growth in their Vietnam operations is "encouraging." SMB also operates in Hong Kong, China, Indonesia and Thailand through its unit San Miguel Brewing International Ltd., which can collectively produce up to eight million hectoliters of beer yearly. The company also exports beer to over 50 markets. San Miguel's beer business saw orders rise by four percent in the international market, on top of an 18.8 percent volume pickup in the Philippines. You are here: China Wu Xieyu, a former Peking University student suspected of killing his mother, was arrested on Monday with the approval of the Jin'an District People's Procuratorate in Fuzhou, East China's Fujian province. Wu is suspected of intentional homicide, fraud and selling identity documents. His case is under further investigation. Xie Tianqin, Wu's mother, was found dead on Feb 14, 2016, in her apartment in Fuzhou. Xie was believed to have been murdered by her son after they had an argument on July 11, 2015. Wu managed to borrow more than 1 million yuan ($144,700) in his mother's name after her death. Wu also borrowed money from relatives and friends, saying he was going to study abroad, then he absconded with 1.44 million yuan ($207,000). On March 3, 2016, Jin'an police issued a reward notice for information on Wu. After three years on the run, he was captured on April 21 at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport when he went to see a friend off. When he was detained, police found more than 30 ID cards Wu bought online. Israels parliament has voted to dissolve itself, sending the country to an unprecedented second snap election this year as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a governing coalition. The dramatic vote, less than two months after parliamentary elections, marked a dramatic downturn for Mr Netanyahu and sent the long-time leaders future into turmoil. Mr Netanyahu, who has led Israel for the past decade, had appeared to capture a fourth consecutive term in Aprils election. But infighting among his allies, and disagreements over proposed bills that would protect Mr Netanyahu from prosecution stymied his efforts to put together a majority coalition. Expand Close Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before voting in the Knesset (Sebastian Scheiner/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before voting in the Knesset (Sebastian Scheiner/AP) Rather than concede that task to one of his rivals, Mr Netanyahus Likud party advanced a bill to dissolve parliament and send the country to the polls for a second time this year. Had the deadline passed, Israels president would have given another politician, most likely opposition leader Benny Gantz, an opportunity to put together a coalition. After the vote, Mr Gantz angrily accused Mr Netanyahu of choosing self-preservation over allowing the countrys political process to run its course. Mr Gantz said that instead of following procedure, Mr Netanyahu opted for three crazy months of a new campaign and millions of wasted dollars over new elections because he is legally incapacitated by looming indictments. There is no other reason, Mr Gantz said. Mr Netanyahus Likud party won 35 seats in the April 9 election, and his religious and nationalist allies won another 30, appearing to give him a solid majority in the 120-seat parliament. But discord between his ultra-Orthodox allies and former defence minister Avigdor Liebermans secular nationalist Yisrael Beitenu party resulted in a deadlock. After the vote, Mr Netanyahu angrily accused Mr Lieberman of making unrealistic demands and forcing an unnecessary election. He is dragging the entire country for another half a year of elections, he said. The vote sends the country into uncharted political waters, no less because Mr Netanyahu, the interim prime minister, still faces a likely indictment for a series of corruption charges just around the time of the election. Former couple: Amazons Jeff Bezos and wife MacKenzie Bezos last year before they split up. Photo: Evan Agostini This year MacKenzie Bezos became one of the world's richest women through divorce, getting $35.6bn (31.9bn) of her husband Jeff's Amazon fortune. Yesterday, she announced half of it would be given away. Her decision to join the Giving Pledge, a scheme that gets millionaires and billionaires to donate 50pc of their money to charitable causes, was widely hailed after being announced yesterday. Yet it has also cast a new light on the decision by Mr Bezos, the world's richest man, not to adopt the pledge himself. He is the only one of America's top five billionaires not on the list. Ms Bezos, a 49-year-old novelist, explained her thinking in an open letter about the decision. "We each come by the gifts we have to offer by an infinite series of influences and lucky breaks we can never fully understand," she wrote. "In addition to whatever assets life has nurtured in me, I have a disproportionate amount of money to share. "My approach to philanthropy will continue to be thoughtful. "It will take time and effort and care. "But I won't wait. And I will keep at it until the safe is empty." Mr Bezos's own fortune, estimated at around $114bn according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, comes from the online retailer he founded and of which he remains chief executive. The 55-year-old also owns 'The Washington Post'. The Bezoses announced their separation in January after the tabloid magazine 'National Enquirer' prepared to reveal a relationship between Mr Bezos and another woman. The statement announcing the end of a 25-year marriage said the pair would remain "cherished friends". A settlement a few months later suggested the split had been amicable. U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller makes a statement on his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 REUTERS/Jim Bourg U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller departs after delivering a statement on his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election at the Justice Department in Washington, U.S REUTERS/Jim Bourg US Special Counsel Robert Mueller said on Wednesday his investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election was never going to end with criminal charges against President Donald Trump and indicated it was up to the House of Congress to decide if impeachment proceedings are justified. In his first public comments since starting the investigation in May 2017, Mueller said Justice Department policy prevented him from bringing charges against a sitting president, telling reporters it was "not an option we would consider." But he also said his two-year investigation did not clear Trump of improper behavior and pointed out there were other ways to hold presidents accountable. "The Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting President of wrongdoing," Mueller said as he announced his resignation from the US Justice Department. Democrats in Congress are debating whether to try to move ahead with impeachment, an effort that is almost certain to fall short in the Republican-controlled Senate. The White House and several top Republicans said it was time to move on to other matters, while several Democratic presidential candidates called for impeachment. "What Robert Mueller basically did was return an impeachment referral," Senator Kamala Harris said on Twitter. A redacted version of Mueller's report was published in April, concluding that Russia repeatedly interfered in the 2016 election and that Trump's election campaign had multiple contacts with Russian officials, but did not establish a criminal conspiracy with Moscow to win the White House. Expand Close U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller makes a statement on his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 REUTERS/Jim Bourg / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller makes a statement on his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 REUTERS/Jim Bourg Mueller's report declined to make a judgment on whether Trump obstructed justice, although it outlined 10 instances in which Trump tried to have Mueller fired or otherwise impede the investigation. "If we had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so," Mueller said. "We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime." Matthew Jacobs, a former federal prosecutor, said he thought Mueller was "saying in his own way that a crime was committed." A source close to Trump said the Mueller statement amounted to a "bad day for the home team." "Muellers statement today was a direct assault on the president," said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "And it will only empower the Democrats to be bolder and more aggressive in their move to impeach him." Trump, who has repeatedly denounced Mueller's investigation as a "witch hunt" and "hoax" meant to hobble his presidency, still took to Twitter to say the matter was settled. "Nothing changes from the Mueller Report," he said. "There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you." Mueller, who headed the FBI from 2001 to 2013, said he would not elaborate beyond what was contained in his 448-page report, signaling to Democrats that he was unlikely to provide them more ammunition for impeachment if he were to testify to a congressional committee. He said his office is formally closing its doors and he is now returning to life as a private citizen. "Beyond what I've said here today and what is contained in our written work, I do not believe it is appropriate for me to speak further," he said. He did not take questions after making his statement. House Judiciary Committee chairman Jerrold Nadler, who is pressing to get Mueller to testify, did not say whether or not he would file impeachment charges. "It falls to Congress to respond to the crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump and we will do so," he said. The committee's top Republican, Representative Doug Collins, said relitigating Mueller's findings would only divide the country. "It is time to move on from the investigation and start focusing on real solutions for the American people," he said. Only one Republican so far, Representative Justin Amash, has said Trump has committed impeachable offenses. "The ball is in our court, Congress," he said on Twitter. Mueller's investigation ensnared dozens of people, including several top Trump advisers and a series of Russian nationals and companies. Among them are his former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, who is serving 7 1/2 years in prison for financial crimes and lobbying violations, and his former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, who recently began a three-year sentence for campaign-finance violations and lying to Congress. Since the report's release, Democratic lawmakers have tried without success to get the unredacted report and underlying evidence. Barr now is leading a review of the origins of the Russia investigation in what is the third known inquiry into the FBI's handling of the matter. Trump harbors suspicions that the Democratic administration of President Barack Obama started the investigation in 2016 to undermine his presidency. Mueller said the prosecutors, FBI agents, analysts and others who worked with him were "of the highest integrity." Cheryl Gunter, account manager for the Southern Piedmont Red Cross, said the Red Cross is in desperate need for Type O blood matches. Of course, we are in need of blood donors of all types, but right now we are in need of type O, simply because our level of type O is not sufficient with what the hospitals need, Gunter said. This is a great event. Bethany Ledwell, communications director for the city of Concord, said her mother died in 2013 with myeloma, a cancer in the blood, and had to receive several blood transfusions. Now, working as an emergency responder, she feels donating blood is important just because they deal with so many tragedies. When you are in this field, you have the heart of a public servant, Ledwell said. Not only do we do what we do for the city, but we always want to give more. This is an opportunity and a way for us to give more. She encourages the public to donate as well. A lot of times when you cant do anything else, this is something you can do, Ledwell said. This is something thats always needed. Its a great way for the community to give back and help deal with these emergencies around the city. Bullock launches long-shot presidential bid Montana Free Press HELENA A handful of news reporters gathered on a Tuesday morning in a conference room in what used to be the downtown offices of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana. They were there for the first press conference at the new headquarters of Democratic Gov. Steve Bullocks long-rumored and just-announced 2020 presidential campaign Its obvious Bullock has a lot of ground to make up if hes going to close the gap between himself and the other 22 Democrats vying for the partys nomination. If hes going to be a serious contender for the White House, then the large, mostly empty office space will soon be bustling with an army of staff and volunteers. Look this isnt, for me, a vanity project, Bullock told reporters. I wouldnt be getting into it if I didnt think I had something really significant to offer. Bullock is a latecomer to the most crowded Democratic presidential primary field since 1976, when former Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter emerged as the partys nominee and went on to become president. I wouldnt write off anybodys chances in a big field, said Kyle Kondik , managing editor of Sabatos Crystal Ball, a nonpartisan political tip sheet produced by the University of Virginia Center for Politics. But part of the problem with so many candidates is its hard to get attention, and Bullock is someone I would say is not well-known, even in Democratic politics. When you show up and listen, it's easy to realize that there's more that unites us than divides us. Thank you to to the Meskwaki Nation for hosting me. pic.twitter.com/dXQNVbWRB5 Steve Bullock (@GovernorBullock) May 21, 2019 Though hes not widely known outside Montana, Bullock believes he has a secret weapon that will catch the attention of Democratic primary voters: I was the only Democrat to get re-elected in a state where Trump won, Bullock said. In national news stories speculating about Bullocks candidacy, thats the point that defines him. In a primary where many top candidates are scrambling to tap the energy, enthusiasm, and emotion of the partys left-wing progressive base, Bullock is seeking to carve out space closer to the middle. As a Democratic governor of a Republican-leaning state who has had to work with GOP-controlled legislatures his entire term in office, its a space he thinks will appeal to voters in Middle America, where Democrats lost to Trump in 2016. When Id say [to people] outside of Montana, You had 25 to 30 percent of my voters voted for Donald Trump, far too often Id hear either, Whats wrong with those voters? or a little skepticism, like Whats wrong with you, Bullock? Bullock said. Never, like, How is it that, you know, the people who are voting their economic interests, their hopes for their kids, their hopes for health care, they would have been with Democrats. Montana Gov. Steve Bullock (D) speaks to citizens of the Meskwaki Nation during a campaign visit to the tribe's settlement in Tama, Iowa, on May 21, 2019. Photo: Governor Bullock The difficulty of Bullocks approach, Kondik said, is that the middle lane is already occupied by a far more prominent and experienced Democrat who also happens to be leading by a wide margin in early primary polling. That candidate is former Vice President Joe Biden. If Bullock is going to do anything, he needs Biden to collapse, Kondik said. While Bullocks status as a relative unknown is an obvious handicap, he faces another hurdle: convincing Democrats that hes better suited for the presidency than for the U.S. Senate. First-term incumbent Rep. Steve Daines is up for reelection in 2020, and many Democrats think Bullock could be the partys best chance of unseating Daines and inching Democrats closer to breaking the GOPs control of the Senate. Bullock has consistently said he has no interest in serving in that body. Ive expressed all along [that] I just dont have an interest in running for U.S. Senate, Bullock told the Montana Lowdown Podcast in March. I think that my skill set, and what Ive done, I just wouldnt enjoy it, so Id ruled it out. Some Democrats think Bullocks refusal to challenge Daines in favor of a long-shot bid for the presidency could damage Democrats hopes of returning Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell to the minority. That sentiment has been rampant on Twitter in the weeks since MTN News political reporter Mike Dennison broke the news that Bullock was planning to announce his presidential campaign. Bullock reiterated his lack of interest in the Senate seat again on Tuesday. I think were going to have a lot of good candidates to take on Sen. Daines. My experience in public office has always been on the executive side, Bullock said. Look, Im not interested in running for Senate. Thats not to take anything away from them, but I think I have a lot to offer here. If Bullocks presidential campaign doesnt get off the ground, he still has plenty of time to change his mind and run for the Senate. Candidates dont have to officially declare for the Montana primary ballot until March 2020. He has been pretty clear he doesnt want to run for the Senate, but if he wants to run for president, he has to say that, Kondick said. Theres a ton of time left now. The first 2020 Democratic primary debates are scheduled for June 26 and 27, and according to Politico, Bullock has already qualified for the debate stage by meeting Democratic National Committee requirements. Bullock is counting on that opportunity to tell his story. I think that when you look at this big field, it would be a shame if they didnt have someone that won in a state where Donald Trump won, Bullock said. Itd be a shame if they didnt have someone that bridged the divides to govern along the way. So I think I have a lot to add to that. John S. Adams is an award-winning investigative reporter who has covered Montana politics, government, and people for more than a decade. Prior to founding the Montana Free Press Adams was the statehouse bureau chief for the Great Falls Tribune and a correspondent for USA Today. This story originally appeared on Montana Free Press on May 14, 2019. It is published under a Creative Commons license Join the Conversation The Navajo mother: Nellie Shirley HOUCK Near the kitchen at St. John the Evangelist Church, Nellie Shirley greets parishioners after Mass as they gather for hot coffee, pastries and bowls of homemade menudo. Many in the room are her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Shirley, 86, has attended Roman Catholic services here all of her life, completed her sacraments here, even was married here, in 1954. When it came time to raise her own children, she made sure they grew up in the same faith she did, the faith that gave her the strength to persevere even during the most difficult times. Native Americans in the American Southwest often reconcile Christianity with eons-old spiritual and religious Native culture. Its rarely an easy intersection, merging generations-old colonialism by oppressors with the soothing and fulfilling nurture of religion, blending modern religious practices and traditional indigenous practices with love. For Shirley, her Catholic faith, life in a boarding school after being orphaned and building a large family steeped in the love and connection to the Navajo Nation have proven to be a lifeline. Here, based on interviews with Shirley, is the story she tells of her birth on the reservation to her life nearly nine decades later: A life begins Nellie Shirley was born October 15, 1932, in Whiterock, New Mexico, to John and Elizabeth Bah Yazzie. She describes her early childhood as happy. While her father worked for the railroad, her mother stayed home and cared for Nellie and her three siblings. She attended school at St. John the Evangelist (then named for Kateri Tekakwitha, a Mohawk woman who later was the first Native American to be canonized by the church), the only school nearby. She fondly remembers her mother taking her there every morning on horseback. Here, she said, is when her faith first began. As a young girl, Nellie Shirley attended church at St. John the Evangelist, formerly named for Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Native American saint. Shirley was baptized there, went to school there and was married there. Photo by Vivian Meza / Special for Cronkite News A life changes Her parents werent rich, but the family never went without. They owned horses, sheep, fine jewelry and dishes, a shed full of tools, their own hogan, and even a new sewing machine. Whenever they went to the trading post for food and other supplies, her parents always brought Nellie candy or soda pop as a treat. Things began to change when Bah Yazzie died in 1943. Without her mother there to guide Nellie through her Kinaalda, the traditional coming-of-age ceremony for Navajo girls, Nellies father arranged for female relatives to help. But two years later, John Yazzie died. Nellie was 13. Nellies oldest brother, Albert, was in the Army at the time. Because she and her two younger siblings were so young, they were put in the care of relatives, who took control of all money and possessions their parents had left them. Her younger brother, Lee Chee, was sent to live with an aunt. Her younger sister, Alyce, was sent to school in Utah, and she and Nellie lost contact for several years. Nellie was sent to an Indian boarding school in Fort Defiance, on the Arizona-New Mexico line. I just figured, its got to be something better than being at home without parents. I expected something good to come out of being there, Shirley remembered. Although she loved school, had many friends and staff members were kind, she was lonely. On visiting days, no one came to see her. Worse was knowing her parents would not be waiting for her at home. I know what it is to miss your parents. Youre hungry, youre lonesome, you have lice in your head, and I thought a lot, what could it be? Shirley said. You crave attention, and I was there for nine months; nobody came to see me. She found solace and comfort in her Catholic faith. Each Sunday, nuns from St. Michaels, the parish close to her school, would visit her. She would put on her good clothes, which were kept in a special storage room, and attend Mass with them. The nuns also would bring her clothes and anything else she needed, and soon were helpful in dire times. This church respects our way of doing our ceremonies, Nellie Shirley says. It wasnt like that (before). They considered it another religion, but you cant help but hang onto your culture. Theyre connected: We all pray to God. Photo by Vivian Meza / Special for Cronkite News The end of everything When she returned home from Fort Defiance, Nellie found that her relatives had taken or sold every possession her parents had left for her and her siblings. When she asked around, no one would tell her anything about what happened. I went to a trading post and asked, Who pawned the sewing machine? and they told me my aunt sold it. That was the end of everything, she said. Finding herself without a home and with few options, Nellie was encouraged by the nuns from St. Michaels to attend a Catholic boarding school in Laveen, a neighborhood in south Phoenix. They gathered enough money to pay for her tuition and anything she needed, and off she went to the next stage of her life. At the school, students didnt learn much about science or math, she said. Instead, they were taught how to weave rugs, how to crochet, how to read and how to get along with other people. One of her favorite things about the school was meeting people from different tribes several who would eventually go on to become leaders in their communities. Despite attending a Catholic school, she never lost touch with her Navajo culture, her heritage, her roots. If anything, Shirley says she feels as if her experiences only made her prouder and strengthened her values. It was all in me, and I loved it and respected it. I had no dislike or disappointment in it. To this day I still have my culture. We still have it. Meeting her life partner With help from one of the priests at the Laveen school, she received a scholarship to Northern Arizona University, where she intended to study to become a teacher. Her plans changed when she met Tom Shirley. A bit older than she was, he was the brother of a close friend. He had attended school at Fort Wingate in New Mexico but returned to Arizona to visit his sister. Tom and Nellie fell in love, and she followed her heart rather than go to NAU. They married in 1954 at St. John the Evangelist; they decided not to have a Navajo marriage ceremony because she had no family members she felt she could ask to sponsor them. From the mid-1950s to the early 60s, they had five children: Willardine, Marlene, Dolores, Perry and Carol. Aside from her duties as a mother, Shirley helped her husband run the trading post they owned near their home in Lupton. Tom first worked as a carpenter but later went to work for the United Mine Workers of America. He was also a politician and served as councilman for the Navajo Tribe, as well as an Apache County supervisor. Nellie Shirley finally had the family she had always yearned for as a young girl away at boarding school. But she still had challenges. Soon after her youngest child was born in 1966, Nellies younger brother, Lee Chee, was arrested after a major misunderstanding, she said. His wife worked at a restaurant in a nearby town and had forgotten her purse one day. When he went to retrieve it for her, he was arrested and accused of stealing the purse. Because his wife was an alcoholic, the tribe took custody of their seven children and asked family members to help. Nellie and Tom stepped in, taking in the children and raising them as their father served his sentence and their mother sought help with her addiction. Although it was a struggle caring for 12 young children, Shirley said they received financial assistance from the state and the tribe. Keiloh Nellie Poola, who is the great-granddaughter of Nellie Shirley, officially came of age on February 3, 2019, during a ceremony that took place at Shirley's home on the Navajo Nation. Photo by Vivian Meza / Special for Cronkite News Strengthening her faith As Shirley watched her children grow and start families of their own, her faith was strengthened even more, as was her pride in being Navajo. Even during her most difficult times, she said she never lost sight of who she was as a Catholic or a Navajo woman. To her, faith in God and respect for his creations were universal. Although some Catholic leaders didnt understand Navajo teachings They thought we worshipped trees, mountains and statues, but they misunderstood us she said the church has grown more accepting of traditional ceremonies. It even allows incorporation of some aspects of Native culture into services. They used to consider it another religion, but you cant help but hang onto your culture. Theyre connected: We all pray to God, she said. We dont pray to worship the mountains, but we respect them. Theyre a footprint of God, and we are hopeful that one day we will be up there in heaven. Today, most of her children and grandchildren still practice Catholicism that incorporates Navajo traditions. Although they sometimes falter in their faith, Shirley said that as long as they are good people who remember where they come from, shes fine with that. I think I would like my children to live in harmony and remember me, how I brought them up, and how hard their dad and I worked, Shirley said. Tom Shirley died in July, at age 98. Nellie said her children worry about what life will be like without their mother. She reminds them she knows what its like to live without parents, but with the values she and Tom instilled, theyll be fine. One day Carol came and said, Mom, youre getting older. How am I going to survive? I said, Honey, if I survived, youll survive. Vivian Meza is a former Cronkite News reporter and wrote this story for her Arizona State University honors thesis, a project posted on her website that explores the intersection of Christian and Native faith This story originally appeared on Cronkite News and is published via a Creative Commons license . Cronkite News is produced by the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University Join the Conversation Hu Kaihong: Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Starting now, we will hold a series of press conferences, and invite the heads of every province, autonomous region and municipality directly under the central government to brief you about local economic and social development over the past 70 years. Today, we invite Mr. Wang Dongfeng, secretary of the Hebei Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and chairman of the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of Hebei province, as well as Mr. Xu Qin, vice secretary of the Hebei Provincial Committee of the CPC and governor of the People's Government of Hebei province, to brief you about the province's development in the new era. Now I'll give the floor to Mr. Wang. Wang Dongfeng: Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the press, I am very glad to see you here. Firstly, on behalf of the Hebei Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the Standing Committee of the Hebei Provincial People's Congress, the People's Government of Hebei province, the Hebei Provincial Political Consultative Conference and 75 million people of Hebei, I would like to extend a warm welcome and sincere gratitude to all of you here. The theme of today's press briefing is, "Hebei: Forging Ahead on a New Journey in the New Era." I am very delighted to have the opportunity to be with you to review the development and great changes that Hebei province has made over the past 70 years since the founding of the People's Republic of China, and share our vision for Hebei's future of strong economic growth and a beautiful environment in the new era. Cherishing a long revolutionary history, Hebei is home to many heroic figures. It was where the plan to establish a new China took shape. Seven decades ago, when Comrade Mao Zedong and the CPC Central Committee left Xibaipo, the move was compared to students going to the capital city to take the imperial examination of old. Since then, under the leadership of the CPC, the Chinese nation has achieved a remarkable transformation it has stood up and grown rich. Thanks to 70 years of hard work, as with all the regions in the country, Hebei has made historical achievements and witnessed fundamental changes. Generally speaking, five major changes have taken place. First, the economy continues to develop in a sound manner and great changes have taken place in the overall strength. The province has increased its GDP by more than 880 times since the founding of the People's Republic of China, and the level of productivity has increased substantially, forming a modern industrial system with a solid foundation. In 2018, the added value of high-tech industries accounted for 19.5% of those industrial enterprises above the designated size, 1.1 percentage points higher than that of the previous year. After three rounds of industrial restructuring, the proportion rankings of the three industries had changed from "secondary, tertiary, primary" to "tertiary, secondary, primary" by the end of last year. With new historic changes in industrial, ownership and product structures, the province has made new strides in high-quality development. Second, with the rising living standards and the income of rural and urban residents, people in Hebei province are forging ahead with a better life and the goal of building a prosperous society. In 2018, the per capita disposable income of urban and rural residents was 119.5 and 123 times that of 1978, respectively. Third, the constant push for reform and opening-up has facilitated the desired change of growth drivers. By deepening supply-side structural reform and pursuing a new round of high-level opening-up, we have injected greater dynamism into Hebei's development. Nearly 3,000 national-level high-tech enterprises started business in Hebei between 2017 and 2018 alone. The service sector contributed 65.5% of provincial economic growth in 2018. The HBIS GROUP Serbia Iron & Steel is an outstanding example of international cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Its management team was awarded the title "role model of our times" by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee for its contribution to promoting the BRI and building a community with a shared future for all humanity. The fourth aspect is to promote the harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. The quality of the ecological environment has been significantly improved. We have resolutely put into practice Xi Jinping's thinking on promoting ecological progress, which resulted in positive changes in environmental protection and constantly improved air quality. As is known, Hebei's industrial structure has long been more inclined to heavy industry and the energy use structure was not that reasonable. In particular, there is considerable surplus steel production capacity. We have adopted the approach to "resolutely cut capacity, actively adjust and accelerate the process of transformation." We would rather sacrifice GDP growth and ensure blue skies for the Beijing region. Through the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei joint prevention, control and governance program, air pollution control has secured important achievements. Last year, Hebei's concentration of PM2.5 was 56 micrograms, a 48% drop from 2013, and down 14% from the previous year. Not only Shijiazhuang but other cities in the province have witnessed a growing number of days with blue sky. In addition, this also serves as the key to help Beijing and Tianjin to increase their blue-sky days, which, in turn, increases the sense of gain and happiness of the people. The pollution control in regard to water and the soil has also been solidly promoted, and blue skies, green land and beautiful sparkling waters are gradually becoming a reality in Hebei province. Fifth, we uphold the overall leadership of the Party, and our Party's and our government's working style, as well as our social conduct, have greatly improved. We consistently uphold the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, press ahead with the great new project of Party building, and move further forward with the full and rigorous governance of the Party. We are continually purifying and improving our political ecosystem across the entire province, and the public widely believe that our Party's and our government's working styles have continuously improved, and that our social conduct has achieved a historical level of change. Last year, in the re-elections to the provincial People's Congress, provincial government and provincial Political Consultative Conference, the candidates for all posts approved by the CPC Central Committee and proposed by the provincial Party Committee, as well as for deputies to the National People's Congress, were all elected by unanimous vote or by absolute high vote. In this year's election for the "two sessions" of the province, the candidates for all posts were all elected by unanimous vote. The achievements of the past 70 years fully demonstrate the unparalleled advantage of the leadership of the CPC and socialism with Chinese characteristics. Hebei people are eager for more achievements in the new era and will make unswerving efforts for this. Since the start of reform and opening-up in 1978, particularly after the 18th CPC National Congress, Hebei province has made fresh economic and social advances. General Secretary Xi Jinping is quite familiar with provincial affairs and cares about us deeply. In the 1980s, he worked in Zhengding county, and left us valuable thoughts, cultural wealth and many achievements. After moving on to other posts, he has never ceased caring about us. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, he has made seven inspection tours of Hebei. On Jan. 16, he returned to the province and issued a series of major instructions. On Jan. 18, a symposium was held in Beijing to discuss the integrated development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei. He pointed out our shortcomings while recognizing our achievements. In particular, he issued a series of major instructions on improving the quality and degree of integrated development. His remarks mapped the future direction for Hebei's reform and development, and gave us the fundamental guidelines in our ongoing work. When visiting Xibaipo, he stressed that Party officials and Party members should seek a good performance, as well as in other ongoing and upcoming "tests," so as to satisfy the people. The provincial CPC committee, the provincial government, all officials and the general public in the province will always bear in mind the instructions of General Secretary Xi. We will strengthen our consciousness of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the core leadership and keep in alignment. We will increase our confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics. We will resolutely uphold General Secretary Xi's core position on the CPC Central Committee and in the Party as a whole, and resolutely uphold the CPC Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership. We will work hard to achieve good results in the "examinations" of the new era. Surrounding Beijing geographically, we will rally closely to the central authority. We will promote a stable atmosphere in the province to help maintain the capital city's stability. We will make further advances to better contribute to the development of Beijing and Tianjin and the other parts of the country in the reform and opening up. We will launch continuous campaigns to study, publicize and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. We will fully implement the guiding principles of the 18th and 19th CPC national congresses, and all major policies and plans made by the CPC Central Committee. We will pursue coordinated implementation of the five-sphere integrated plan and the four-pronged comprehensive strategy. We are totally committed to the underlying principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability. We will follow the new development philosophy, fulfill the requirements for high-quality development, and take supply-side structural reform as our main task. We adhere to the "3689" plan on provincial development. Based on the achievements of our forebears in this task, we will continue to make fresh advances in the new era, and build Hebei into a strong economic power and a beautiful province. The major characteristics of Hebei's development can be summarized as follows. First is being firm in political stance and implementing national key development strategies and projects. As is well known, the three key projects for Hebei province include the planning and development of the Xiongan New Area, the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, as well as Beijing's cooperation with Zhangjiakou city to co-host the 2022 Winter Olympics, in which the sporting events on ice will take place in Beijing and the snow events will be held in Zhangjiakou. All three of these key projects have inspired people in Hebei province, building their confidence and determination to forge ahead and work toward the Chinese dream. Taken as the major political tasks of Hebei province, the three key projects have undergone steady, orderly and effective implementation. Although significant progress has been made in recent years, we can still put forth greater effort. With the further implementation of national key development strategies and projects, Hebei province has become a popular destination for investment from all over the world. Second is the full implementation of the new development philosophy, making solid progress in innovative, green and high-quality development of Hebei province. We will fully implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions to scale down overcapacity, promote structural readjustment and speed up the transformation of growth drivers. We will accelerate the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries, and improve their quality and performance. In order to achieve this goal, we need to, first of all, cut overcapacity in the steel industry. The steel produced in Hebei province is of world-class quality, yet such overcapacity is not outdated. Our principle in this regard is to "shut down small outdated steel plants and strengthen development of big producers, and promote the elite and phase out the inferior." Up to now, the total steel production volume is still relatively large. With a 14-million-ton annual reduction in steel production, the annual volume of steel produced in Hebei is expected to be held within 200 million tons by 2020. Meanwhile, we also encourage the global development of our advanced industrial capacity. For example, the HBIS Group Serbia Iron & Steel was awarded the title "role model of our times" by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee. It sets a model on how China's steel industry can go global, and a success story in international cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative. In addition, we have made progress in the development of strategic emerging industries and the modern service industry. The province has sustained steady and sound economic and social development. Last year, Hebei's GDP increased by 6.6% and the general public budget increased by 8.7%. Per capita disposable personal income in urban and rural areas increased by 8% and 8.9% respectively. The first quarter of this year saw a good start, as its GDP increased by 7.4% and its general public budget increased by 13%. During the January-April period, the value added from industrial enterprises with annual revenue of 20 million yuan or more increased by 8.8%, with the high-tech industries growing by 15.5%. In the first quarter, the per capita disposable personal income in urban and rural areas increased by 7.9% and 8.9%, respectively. The fixed-asset investment increased by 6% and foreign investment utilized increased by 10.6%. The gross export value increased by 12.3%. Many figures from the first quarter reached their highest level compared to the same period in recent years. Third, we should adhere to the people-centered development methods to continually enhance the people's sense of gain, happiness and security. Serving the people should be made the starting point and foothold of all work. The CPC Hebei Provincial Committee and the Hebei provincial government have kept at it for many years, with 20 livelihood projects launched every year, such as the renovation of shanty areas, transformation of old residential communities and dilapidated rural houses, renovation of "villages" inside cities, and more. By these means, the people's concerns about employment, starting new businesses, medical care, education and caring for the elderly have been well addressed, the income of urban and rural residents has increased continuously, and the environmental and ecological issues that the people care about have also been markedly improved. For example, the authorities have dealt with bulk coal pollution to promote clean heating in winter, which helps to transform the energy structure and also controls pollution. We have so far replaced bulk coal stoves with electricity and natural gas in 5.35 million homes. We have also carried out the greening campaign. Last year, Hebei saw its forest area grow by 9.87 million mu (658,000 hectares), and this year, we will further enlarge it by over 10 million mu. When you travel in Hebei by car or train, you can see green everywhere on either side of the roads and railways. For one thing, we need to deal with air pollution to win the blue-sky battle; and for another, we need to plant trees to improve the ecology, and we need to keep the water clean. Air pollution control is an inter-regional effort, and water pollution control is a joint effort with Beijing and Tianjin in terms of the whole river basin. Soil contamination prevention and control work is being undertaken by local governments. Delivering these combination blows, Hebei has been taking the initiative to protect the environment. Hebei has also carried out a rural revitalization strategy to improve the living environment in villages, and people's living and working environments have hence been greatly improved. These achievements have been made possible by the firm leadership of the CPC CentralCommittee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, as well as by the support of all relevant ministries, other provinces, cities and autonomous regions, as well as the whole society, including the media. These achievements are also returns on the Hebei people's united struggle. It is an arduous challenge and serious duty for Hebei to forge ahead on a new journey in the new era. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, points out the times give us a test, we are the exam takers, and the people are the ones in charge of reviewing the exam papers. On the journey of the new era, Hebei should rally closely around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, and must always be true to its missions, bravely assume its responsibilities, and strive to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China with the latest developments on all fronts. Now is the time for Xu Qin, provincial governor of Hebei, and me to take your questions. Hu Kaihong: Thank you, Mr. Wang. At this time, we welcome questions, Please report the news agency you represent before asking your question. Plans for a Medal of Honor museum in South Dakota have been scrapped following controversy over ties to the Wounded Knee Massacre John L. Johnson will instead open a gallery for Native artists in the Rushmore Mall, The Rapid City Journal reports. He changed his mind after hearing complaints about his decision to honor the men who participated in the slaughter of 300 Lakota men, women, children and elders on December 29, 1890. "They did make a point and just to avoid any more divisions in our society, to avoid any more controversy and to pay respect to those people, I have dropped the museum project," Johnson told the paper. The sdmmoh.org site for the project has since gone offline after Native Sun News Today questioned plans for the museum. The paper noted that Johnson had told the Journal that the men who committed the massacre acted "heroically." We have parallel paths of history in America, the white version and the Indian version," Native Sun News Today owner Tim Giago said in his paper's story about the project . "Unfortunately most white journalists know and understand only the white perspective of history because they have never walked in the shoes of a Lakota. Altogether, 20 soldiers received the Medals of Honor for the atrocities at Wounded Knee. Lakota veteran O.J. Semans has asked President Donald Trump , the U.S. military, key members of Congress and all of the candidates for president to rescind the awards. "The murderers of Wounded Knee committed no gallantry. They committed an atrocity that stains the honor of the United States Armed Services to this day," Semans wrote in a February 4 letter to Trump and other federal officials. Read More on the Story Join the Conversation Related Stories The following is a May 29, 2019, release from the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe , based in Akwesasne, New York. AKWESASNE It is with a heavy heart that the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe has joined in sharing condolences for the loss of a beloved Akwesashro:non Louis Levi Oakes. Oakes was an enrolled tribal member and the last remaining Akwesasne Mohawk Code Talker who served during World War II. He touched the lives of everyone who met him and will be missed by many, particularly by his loved ones. Louis Levi Oakes was born on the Mohawk Territory of Akwesasne in 1922 and, following the onset of World War II, registered for the U.S. Army at the age of 18. He received his formal military training as a code talker while stationed in Louisiana, along with other Akwesasne Mohawks. He was assigned as a Technician 4th Grade with Company Bs 442nd Signal Battalion in the U.S. Army. During his six years of military service, TEC 4 Oakes saw action in the South Pacific, New Guinea and Philippines theatres in World War II. For his exemplary service, he received the third-highest military combat decoration for gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States The Silver Star. He served with distinction and received an honorable discharge on Enniska/February 15, 1946. Louis Levi Oakes. Photo courtesy Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe Throughout World War II, Louis Levi Oakess knowledge and usage of Kanienkeha (Mohawk language) was used to send communications between U.S. forces. It was one of 33 Native languages used during World War II to code important messages, which became known the world over as the only unbroken military code in history. To recognize their role in helping the Allied Forces to be victorious, in 2008 the U.S. Congress passed the Code Talkers Recognition Act to honor every Native American Code Talker who served in the U.S. military, including Louis Levi Oakes. As a result, Oakes was one of 17 Akwesasne Mohawks to receive the Congressional Silver Medal for his military contributions as a Native American Code Talker on Onerahtohko:wa/May 28, 2016. Louis Levi Oakes received further recognition for his valor as an Akwesasne Mohawk Code Talker at the 2017 United South and Eastern Tribes Impact Week, Rochester Nighthawks Native American Night (Tsiothohrko:wa/January 7, 2017), 2018 Salamanca Powwow, 2018 Hopi Code Talkers Recognition Day, 2018 Special Chiefs Assembly of the Assembly of First Nations and the Canadian House of Commons, among others. On Ohiari:ha/June 8, 2018; Akwesasne Mohawk Code Talker and Congressional Silver Medal Recipient Louis Levi Oakes was presented with the New York State Liberty Medal the highest civilian honor bestowed by New York State upon individuals who have merited special commendation for exceptional, heroic, or humanitarian acts and achievements. The award follows his induction on Onerahtohko:wa/May 15, 2018 into the New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame Join the Conversation Game of Thrones might have ended but for the actors, who gave more than eight years of their lives for the characters, it'll surely take some time to get over it. Well, when you get into the skin of a particular character to feel every nuance and emotion, you get absorbed into it in a very different way. For a lot of actors, the return journey from their role to normal life has been a tough one. Today, Kit Harrington is back in news for enrolling himself for a therapy course. While we, as the audience judge every character, film and show critically, there is a lot that goes behind making these characters appear real and intriguing. In order to give you a closer glimpse of what all these actors go through to make all their characters look real, we have a list of six actors who had a tough time in letting go of the characters they played. Read on. 1. Kit Harrington checked into a luxury health retreat in Connecticut weeks before the finale aired on May 19 Twitter According to PageSix, the 32-year-old checked into a luxury health retreat in Connecticut weeks before the finale aired on May 19. He played Jon Snow across eight seasons on the HBO's epic fantasy show. Harington has been doing cognitive behavioral therapy, meditating, and practising other psychological exercises to better cope with stress related to the "Game of Thrones" ending. Rose Leslie, the actor's wife and former co-star, is "extremely supportive" of Harington. "The end of 'GoT' really hit Kit hard... He realized, 'This is it, this is the end'. It was something they had all worked so hard on for so many years. He had a moment of, what next? "He's in the clinic predominantly for stress and exhaustion and also alcohol. His wife Rose is being extremely supportive. Everyone close to him really wanted him to get some rest. Right now, he just needs peace and quiet," a source close to the actor told the outlet. Harington's representative said that the actor has "decided to utilize this break in his schedule as an opportunity to spend some time at a wellness retreat to work on some personal issues". The actor had previously admitted that he had to resort to therapy to deal with his character's death in the show, which he said was his "darkest time". "It wasn't a very good time in my life. I felt I had to feel that I was the most fortunate person in the world, when actually, I felt very vulnerable. I had a shaky time in my life around there - like I think a lot of people do in their 20s," the actor told Variety recently. "That was a time when I started therapy, and started talking to people. I had felt very unsafe, and I wasn't talking to anyone. I had to feel very grateful for what I have, but I felt incredibly concerned about whether I could even f***ing act," he added. 2. Ranveer Singh reportedly consulted a psychiatrist after his intense role in Padmavat Filming Padmavati as Alauddin Khilji reportedly resulted in Ranveer experiencing behavioural changes even off the sets. A DNA report had quoted a source as saying, "It affected his reactions and behaviour towards people. Which is why, his friends advised him to get help in emerging beyond Khilji. He is going to a psychiatrist to get rid of the Khilji influences." 3. After her role in Possession, Isabelle Adjani later revealed that it took her "years of therapy" to get Anna out of her system Every horror film lover would remember the epic subway scene in Andrzej Zulawski's 1981 Possession (And if you haven't, time to watch it now!). She won a Cesar Award for her performance of Anna but not many know that playing a character as intense physical and emotional made it easy for her to recuperate. In an interview with a French magazine, she confessed that it took her "years of therapy" to get Anna out of her system and she promised herself that she wouldn't attempt a role like that ever in her life. 4. Adrien Brody took a year and half after Pianist to come back to normalcy in his life Brody spoke about the steps he took to get into the skin of his character several times. He, time and again, explained that he had to go through enormous mental and emotional strain in order to play the role of Holocaust survivor pianist Wladyslaw Szpilman. He also won an academy award for the role. In an interview with BBC, he had confessed that he gave up his apartment, sold his car, disconnected his phones, and moved to Europe. In an interview he was quoted as saying, "I've experienced loss, I've experienced sadness in my life, but I didn't know the desperation that comes with hunger," he said. There were moments when he wasn't sure he'd get out of the experience with his sanity intact, and in the end, he said it took a year and a half "to settle back into things." 5. After he completed shooting for The Doors, Val Kilmer claimed that he took over a year to get out of his 'Jim Morrison' mode To play the role of Rock legend Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone's 1991 movie The Doors, Val started with basic preparations. From learning music to how to sing 50 of the band's songs, he spent a lot of time in the studio to understand Morrison's vocal performances. He also watched endless footage of Morrison's interviews in order to understand his personality and mannerisms. Not many know that the entire cast and crew also referred to him as Jim. Several people went on to claim that by the end of filming they were unable to tell the difference between Morrison's singing voice and Kilmer's. After he stopped shooting, Kilmer confessed that he had to go to therapy to get Jim out of his system. Rock producer Paul Rothchild, who knew Morrison, also claimed that Kilmer "knows Jim Morrison better than Jim ever knew himself." 6. After wrapping up Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Devdas, Shah Rukh Khan didn't take up any project for six months and confessed that he peacefully felt sad during that time. SLB Films In an interview with Rediff, Shah Rukh confessed that after wrapping up Devdas, he was sad for six months. He was quoted in a report as saying, "You know, I have heard from Dilipsaab that he had to go through psychiatric treatment after he finished the original version, he told me it was so intense it took him over a year to recover. But then, you are talking of the previous generation of actors. They were a lot more conscientious than we are! But I remember the last day of shooting. I was up in the branches of this tree, loving Ash --- now how difficult is that! Anyway, I was up there, holding her hand, and the shot was canned. I kept holding her hand. I realized that I was going to miss being sad. For an entire year, that is what I did. I was sad. I don't remember the exact quote, but someone once said something to the effect that sadness brings out the best in art. After we wrapped this film, I have not worked for six months --- I have just enjoyed the feeling of being sad. It is a very beautiful emotion to be in. We stars live in this bubble where everyone is smiling at you, where everyone loves you. Somehow, you lose touch with real, deep down sadness. Working on this film put us in touch with that emotion." In a rather surprising news, Parasite, a wickedly humourous suspense movie about class struggles directed by South Koreas Bong Joon-Ho, won the top Palme dOr prize at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday, on a big night for newcomer filmmakers too. Bong, who made his mark at Cannes in 2017 with Netflix-produced Okja, is the first South Korean to nab the award at the worlds biggest cinema showcase. The festival also shone a light on a debut feature-length movie by Franco-Senegalese director Mati Diop, whose haunting migrant tale Atlantics clinched the runner-up Grand Prix award. The unanimous decision to crown Parasite partly came down to its unexpected mash-up of genres, this years jury president, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, the Mexican maker of Birdman, told reporters. AFP It was up against films by a whole cast of industry heavyweights, including Quentin Tarantinos latest opus, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. Twitter Set in modern South Korea, Parasite follows a down-on-its-luck family of four who worm their way into jobs in a wealthy household. The darkly comic tale doubles up as a thriller, with flashes of violence. Bong told Reuters that his film - which pokes fun at the affluent mother gushing about her art genius son, or at a family in a cramped flat trying to capture the Wi-Fi signal off their neighbours - reflected the reality of the times. I really respect films that deal with heavy political issues very seriously but I much prefer to mix that with humour, Bong said. While theyre laughing I want them to be hit like a hidden blade behind their pocket when theyre not expecting it. The award adds to a successful run at the French cinema showcase for Asian films after Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda got the prestigious gong last year. After a long, long search operation, finally Mumbai Police arrested two men who were suspected to be terrorists. However, they turned out to be actors from Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroffs next yet-to-be titled movie. The incident took place recently in Vasai, Mumbai, where the shooting of the movie is taking place. These two actors were spotted in the vicinity by the locals, who raised an alarm. Why? Because they were roaming around casually dressed like bombers wearing bullet vests and apparently buying cigarettes, reports freepressjournal.in. So, the people got scared and reported the matter to the police. When the police arrived, they caught hold of the two actors. The police were serious about this because the shooting of the film was going on nearby Vasai creek, which has access to Arabian Sea, and often infringement cases have been reported there. So, after their arrest, when the police were interrogated the duo -- Balram Ginwala (23) and Arbaaz Khan (20) it turned out that they were actors from the sets of the Yash Raj Films. But, it didnt end there. The production unit had to submit all the documents as proof to confirm they are actors. But despite all this, they have been booked Section 188 of Indian Penal Code for creating panic and disrupting peace among citizens. So, all actors beware! Dont roam around in costumes because you might just get arrested. In India, a child is abused every 15 minutes, according to the latest statistics. Just imagine the horror the little kids go through. Some of us, in fact, have been in such a position in the past, and its simply sad. And so had American comedian, television host and actress Ellen DeGeneres. She was sexually abused her own stepfather, she revealed in David Letterman's Netflix show My Next Guest Needs No Introduction. She was just 15 or 16 then. Twitter Ellen said that it was important for her to share this story because she wants the young girls to not go through what she went through. It's a really horrible, horrible story and the only reason I'm actually going to go into detail about it is because I want other girls to not ever let someone do that. Instagram The abuse started after her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her stepfather, who is no more now, first assaulted her when her mother was out of town. He told me... he'd felt a lump in her breast and needed to feel my breasts because he didn't want to upset her, but he needed to feel mine. Again, because I didn't know about bodies. I don't know that breasts are all different. usmagazine.com Anyway, he convinced me that he needs to feel my breasts and then he tries to do it again another time, and then another time he tries to break my door down and I kicked the window out and ran 'cause I knew it was going to go more to something. shawetcanada For a long time, Ellen said, she didnt tell her mother. But when she did, her mother refused to believe her. I should never have protected her. I should've protected myself, and I didn't tell her for a few years and then I told her, and then she didn't believe me and then she stayed with him for 18 more years. nbcnews.com Her mother finally left her stepfather after he changed his version of the story many times. By speaking up about her story, Ellen said, she wants to inspire the young girls to speak at the right time and not be afraid. That's the only reason I think it's important to talk about it, because there's so many young girls and it doesn't matter how old you are. YouTube And now, when victims speak up about their sexual misconduct encounters and they are not believed, Ellen says, she feels angry. When I see people speaking out, especially now, it angers me when victims aren't believed, because we just don't make stuff up. And I like men, but there are so many men that get away with so much. It was in 1997 that Ellen DeGeneres had come out as a gay. In 2005, in an interview to Allure, she had first opened up about her sexual abuse story. Four days after the badly burnt body of a 14-year-old Dalit girl was recovered from a house situated near a brick kiln in Rohana area of Nagar-Kotwali in Muzaffarnagar district, an FIR under various sections, including 302 (murder), 376 d (gangrape), SC/SC Act and POCSO Act, has been filed late on Monday evening against seven persons. The brick kiln's owner Guddu and accountant Pintu are among the accused, said police. The victim's father, Raj Singh, in his complaint to police said, "I had gone to the village to see my ill wife leaving behind my 12-year-old son and 14-year-old daughter Minakshi. On May 24, my daughter was raped by seven men, including the brick kiln owner and the accountant. representational image They then burnt her alive after threatening my son to keep silent and sleep." According to sources, the girl's father initially did not mention that his daughter was raped and murdered, but when members of the Bhim Army arrived and interpreted the matter, Raj Singh then filed a complaint of gangrape and murder on Monday following which the FIR was lodged. Deputy superintendent of police (DSP), city, Harish Bhadauria said, "We have registered a case after a complaint was filed by the victim's father. He changed his earlier statement. We are probing every angle in the matter. We are also going to record the complainant's statement before a magistrate." afp/representational image Minakshi was found charred to death in mysterious circumstances at her home in Muzaffarnagars Kotwali area on Friday morning. A neighbor alerted police after seeing smoke emanating from the house. Soon, some policemen, accompanied by a forensic team, reached the spot to probe the matter. According to sources, the girls brother was in the house when the incident happened, but he had initially told police that he was sleeping and didnt hear any commotion. Bittium is a Finnish company that has been working in the field of advanced radio communication and biosignal processing for 30 years. So they decided to put their expertise building tactical communication systems towards a smartphone The company calls its new device, the Bittium Tough Mobile 2, the "world's most secure smartphone", and say it's suitable for both professional and personal use. The device supposedly has a "multilayered security structure", based on the hardened Android 9 Pie OS with additional security features built into the source code The idea is to secure both the data stored on the device as well as any it would transfer. The Bittium Tough Mobile 2 comes with several encryption, authentication, and key management features, as well as boot up security checks, a privacy mode, and more. The privacy mode disables the device's microphones, cameras, and Bluetooth, and reduces the accuracy of sensors, with a single button click. You know, for when a dictatorial government is hunting you for sedition. The device also works with the company's Bittium Secure Suite software, which lets you remotely manage the device and its encrypted data transfers. Bittium also goes on to promise it will provide more comprehensive security updates than conventional smartphones, and allows it to subject to certification testing, in the hopes it will be adopted by authorities and government officials worldwide. As for hardware, the Bittium Tough Mobile 2 has a 5.2-inch Full HD display, Snapdragon 670 processor with 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of internal storage expandable via microSD. It features a 12 MP rear camera, 5 MP selfie shooter, dual front-facing speakers, dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, and NFC The device is also meant to be durable as heck, with an IP67 water and dust resistance. It also features the MIL-STD-810G (military grade) compliance for shock and drop resistance, and is powered by a 3,000 mAh battery. If this is your kind of device, you can get it from Bittium's website for about Rs 1.2 lakh, plus VAT. We don't know if this happened due to a miscommunication between Amazon or Motorola, and we don't really care. But it looks like Amazon definitely broke Motorola's embargo. Ouch! Because the online e-commerce giant not only listed an unknown, unannounced Motorola phone, it actually sold and shipped the device to a buyer. Just spectacular, right? JETFIRE007 / YouTube Motorola had made no noise about the MotoMod-ready Moto Z4, but that fact was missed by Amazon when they briefly listed the Z4 on its website and offered it for sale, as first reported by Droid Life. As if it wasn't embarrassing enough, things went from bad to worse for Amazon as someone actually ordered the Moto Z4. Maybe it was stopped at the warehouse or fulfillment centre? Not a chance, as the guy actually received the device as advertised on Amazon's product page -- the Moto Z4, along with a 360-degree camera MotoMod that Motorola will apparently ship for free with the phone. JETFIRE007 / YouTube Like we said, no one even knows the existence of a Moto Z4 -- except the guys at Motorola, some Amazon executives, and a few eagle-eyed shoppers and tech enthusiasts. According to screenshots captured on the Z4 listing page, these are the phone's specs: 6.4-inch OLED screen at 2340 x 1080, in-display fingerprint reader, Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 processor, 128GB of built-in storage (expandable with microSD), 4GB of RAM, a 3600mAh battery (with 15-watt fast charging), and a headphone jack. The phone was sold for $499.99 on Amazon.com, which is about Rs 35,000 roughly. Not sure how the Motorola event announcing this phone will go now, as everything that can be known about the Moto Z4 is already out in the open, thanks to Amazon. Last year, Forbes released a list of the top 10 most reputable Chief Executive Officers in the world. At the time, Google CEO Sundar Pichai was actually in the number 1 spot. Now, just about 12 months later, Pichai isn't even in the top 10 anymore. Images courtesy: Reuters The list is currently topped by the likes of Royal Dutch Shell's Ben van Beurden, Lego's Niels Christiansen, Dell's Michael Dell, and others. Pichai meanwhile has dropped way down to the 88th spot. Despite a polarising internal memo that surfaced in 2017, with one employee decrying Google's diversity initiatives, the CEO emerged unscathed. However, 2018 saw other problems for the company like mass employee protests regarding its apathy when dealing with sexual harassment cases, and a major data leak that saw them shutter Google Plus. Pichai isn't the only tech CEO that hasn't made it to the list of reputable company heads. In fact, the only two that have made it are Michael Dell of Dell Technologies, and Nintendo's Shuntaro Furukawa. No surprises that likes of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter's Jack Dorsey aren't on the list. To celebrate the International Children's Day, a grand gala will be held in China's National Centre for the Performing Arts from May 31 to June 1. This year also marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, and so the gala will be divided into three chapters: "family," "country" and the "world." "The gala will integrate singing, dance, traditional Chinese opera, drama and multimedia. We hope to reflect 70 years of change to children's performance," said Guo Xinbao, director of the China Soong Ching Ling Science and Culture Center for Young People. The gala, themed around the children growing together with their country, is cohosted by China Soong Ching Ling Foundation (CSCLF), China Welfare Institute (CWI) and China's National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA). The Little Companion Art Troupe of the CWI organized a pop-up art event in Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport before arriving in Beijing on May 25. The young actors performed classic children's songs such as "Let Us Sway Twin Oars," and "My Motherland and I." The art troupe was established by Madame Soong Ching Ling on June 1, 1955. The art troupe will perform a dance "The Earth: We Will Always Be With You" which will reflect harmony between nations and ethnic groups. The dance will show the children's understanding of concepts such as peace and friendship. Zhu Jing, vice-president of the NCPA, said that NCPA as a national performing arts center, pays special attention to the art cultivation of young people. Each year, the center carries out around 1,000 educational art activities. However, this gala is a collaborative effort. "We would not be able to roll out this gala on our own. Thanks to the help from the community, we are able to present the children a platform for them to express their affection towards the motherland." The gala involves 38 groups of children from Beijing, Shanghai, Sichuan, Fujian and Hainan. Chief Director of the Gala Meng Yan said the children's ideas were fully considered and respected during the compiling of the show. "In the creation and arrangement of the program, we paid full attention to the children, let them think about their responsibilities, and cultivate their love for the environment, their motherland and peace," said Meng. In order to allow more children to enjoy the gala, a high definition live broadcast will also be aired. Recently, the Pentagon released a statement that blew everyone's minds. They confirmed that not only did they previously investigate UFO sightings, but they still monitor reports of this kind to this day. And it seems they had quite a few sightings to go on over the years. Pixabay In a New York Times report, the publication describes how it spoke to a number of US Navy pilots about sightings of "unidentified aerial phenomena". As it turns out, pilots were reporting "almost daily" sightings of unidentified flying objects between 2014 and 2015, including one that seemed to look like a "spinning top moving against the wind." Though there were probably at least a few instances before, it seems the number of reports began skyrocketing in 2014. At the time, Navy pilots began reporting they spotted unidentified craft in the air at 30,000 feet, while conducting training maneuvers between Virginia and Florida. Apparently, they sometimes reported those vessels seeming to reach hypersonic speeds. In late 2014, one pilot in Super Hornet reported almost colliding with what he thought was a UFO, understandably freaking him out enough to file a report. He says he saw something that looked like a "sphere encasing a cube" zipping between his jet and another pilot's roughly 100 feet away. Another pilot, Lieutenant Danny Accoin, talked about an incident where his plane's radar, missile system, and infrared camera all picked up an object in range, but not his helmet camera "I knew I had it, I knew it was not a false hit," he said. But still, "I could not pick it up visually." The strange sightings apparently became so common that the Navy had to earlier this year issue special guidelines for how to report "unexplained aerial phenomena." They still don't have an explanation for what their pilots may have been seeing though. Since the 1980's US jets have been steadily improving their radar and detection systems, which is when the sightings began increasing. Many other may have also encountered the phenomena, but assumed they were false hits on the radar. US Department of Defense via New York Times One 10-year US Navy veteran, Lieutenant Ryan Graves, claimed he saw these UFOs almost daily. What bamboozled him the most though was the way they seemed to be flying. He reported to both the Pentagon and Congress that he saw these objects at 30,000 feet, seemingly flying at hypersonic speeds but with no visible exhaust plumes even on infrared. They would also be in the air for what seemed to be 12 hours at a stretch. More importantly though, he describes the objects' uncanny ability to stop rapidly, turn instantly, and immediately accelerate to hypersonic speed again. While a machine could do that, the maneuvers themselves would subject a human pilot to G-forces that could very easily knock them unconscious. All of these sightings took place in airspace designated for fighter-jet training, so the pilots don't believe they were drones, even the classified kind operated by the US military. None of them would outright say that they may have spotted aliens either. They just have no idea what they were. Just a couple of days back, a UK company switched to four-day work week and even gave pay-hike to the staff. The switch to working four days a week - rather than the usual five - is gaining popularity and this school in the US is also living the four-day week dream for real. 27J Schools in Adams County, Colorado, switched to the shorter week at the start of this academic year only. The system means that everyone at the school gets Monday off and their week starts from Tuesday till Friday, meaning students can enjoy or pursue their hobbies and teachers can spend it preparing for the week doing what they want. Twitter Science teacher, Ally Hyatt told NBC, "It was attractive to me because I was essentially working that long of a day in DPS anyway. Here, I could just do it four days a week. It's been amazing for my personal life, and I love that I have more time to actually plan lessons on Monday and get everything ready for the week." 27J Schools Superintendent, Dr Chris Fielder also told NBC, "We weren't going to compete in the current system. You just can't be dead last in funding, last in starting teacher salaries, last in average teacher pay and expect you'll attract the best folks. If you have the money, you should pay your teachers. But for us, it's a significant differentiating factor that makes us really competitive." Twitter However, some parents havent been big fans of the change due to issues with sorting out childcare. It is difficult for the parents, but it is a relief for the students! Dont you think India should also follow this system? In a freak accident that seems straight of the Hollywood hit Final Destination, a woman from Gujarat died after apparently being decapitated by an elevator door! This incident took place at a plastic manufacturing factory unit in Vadodara. According to an Indian Express report, the victim has been identified as 48-year-old Sushila Vishwakarma from Uttar Pradesh. Source/Twitter/Picture for Representation Vishwakarma was reportedly making her way up to the fourth floor of the factory in a lift with grilled doors when the accident happened. Her head was found on the ground floor with her earphones, while her body went up three floors. Officials were flummoxed at the sight of her body and multiple theories have been put forth to understand what caused this gory accident. M.N Saporiya of Bapod police station told the newspaper: The elevator, which is without a roof, is used specifically for carrying goods. We are speculating that she was using her phone and absent-mindedly she tried to stick her head outside the lift, which started going up, and the accident happened." Reuters/Picture for Representation The police found earphones plugged in the severed head, probably connected to a playlist that was found running on her phone, states the report. We have sent the body for a post mortem and we are investigating the possibilities of how her head got stuck and whether it was because of the head phones or something else. We are also looking at whether the elevator was faulty, Bapod Police inspector TR Bamaniya said. A case of accidental death has been registered at Bapod police station. Pursuing higher studies is no doubt highly stressful and people have different ways to deal with the pressure, from burning the midnight oil to doing everything out of the ordinary to pass through the course. Things are fine until the pressure gets out controls and affects your daily life. For this Indian-origin guy, the pressure of landing a PhD course at a prestigious Australian University was so stressful, the he lost his sex-drive. Shutterstock Kuldeep Mann has launched a 3 million dollar lawsuit against James Cook University in Queensland after lost his sex drive when his admission was rejected over alleged plagiarism. Mann paid 20,000 dollars to start his PhD in social sciences in 2015 however the university accused him of plagiarism and kicked him out. "It has stopped my sex life. I have no sex drive. There is no stimulation in my organs. I have never had this problem before. I don't feel any blood down there," Mr Mann told The Courier-Mail. Mann claims that the University gave him a 'Grade Fail' despite meeting the requirements of the four-year social sciences PhD. Facebook Speaking to 9 News, the 52-year-old said, "If the university didnt have this kind of trick on me, had they not destroyed my ruined my career I should have by now completed my PhD." Kuldeep Mann is now taking things to the next level, the case is going to be produced at the country's Supreme court. "I hope that the honourable Supreme Court will do full justice with me by awarding me the aforementioned full amount of compensation as remedy for all my losses and sufferings," said Mann. Flash The Badaling section of the Great Wall built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) will cap the number of visitors at 65,000 a day and adopt a real-name booking system starting from June 1. Those planning to visit the Badaling Great Wall are required to book a ticket online through the official website (ticket.badaling.cn) and the official WeChat account seven days in advance. On the day of visit, tourists need to show the ID they used to book the ticket to enter the scenic spot. Authorities will also start a tri-colored warning system to help the public stay informed of the number of visitors and to implement response measures, with yellow, orange and red meaning 39,000, 52,000 and 65,000 tourists a day. The information will also be available on the website, WeChat, LED screens near the highway, the traffic guide on search engine Baidu and city radio stations amid efforts to make visitor management intelligent. As one of the best preserved and most representative section of Great Wall, Badaling is very popular and has received many world leaders including former U.S. president Richard Nixon during his historic tour in 1972. Data shows the Badaling Great Wall received 9.9 million tourists in 2018, with peaks mainly in holidays. A manager at the Badaling administration office said the fluctuation in daily tourists brings hidden dangers to the cultural relic and seriously affects the experience of visitors. Three Trinamool Congress MLAs including Subhrangshu Roy, Tushar Kanti Bhattacharya and CPI-M MLA Kanti Bhattacharya along with 52 councilors join BJP in the presence of BJP leaders Kailash Vijayvargiya and Mukul Roy at the party's headquarters in New Delhi on May 28. (IANS photo) AIM and TSX-V-listed Bacanora Minerals Ltd has reported 337% increase in the indicated mineral resource estimate for its Sonora lithium project in Mexico to 5m tonnes lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) 364m tonnes clay at 2,600 ppm up from previous levels of 1.14m tonnes 95m tonnes clay at 2,200 ppm. The sites inferred mineral resource is now estimated to be 3.9m tonnes LCE 355m tonnes clay at 2,000 ppm down from 6.3m tonnes LCE 500m tonnes clay at 2,300 ppm previously reported, as much of the previous inferred resource was upgraded to the indicated level. The company said that the new indicated resource would be used for detailed life of mine planning, with an initial focus on the sites higher grade deposits at the La Ventana and Fleur concessions. This updated estimate will form part of an ongoing preliminary feasibility study (PFS), which Bacanora said is on schedule for completion in Q1 2016 Fellow TSX-V-listed Pure Energy Minerals Ltd which like Bacanora also has a provisional supply deal with electric vehicle (EV) producer Tesla Motors Inc. said it is moving to the next phase of process test work with Bateman Advanced Technologies Ltd (BAT) as part of efforts to complete a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) of its Clayton Valley site in Nevada in 2016. Pure Energy said it would begin trial processing runs in early 2016 at BATs mini pilot plant in Katzrin, Israel, designed to recover high-purity, battery-grade lithium products from brine sourced from Clayton Valley. BATs proprietary technology aims to recover lithium from brines and chemical waste streams using a tested process with a small environmental footprint. TSX-V-listed Western Lithium USA Corp. released an organisation and integration update on its operations following its merger with Lithium Americas Corp. in September this year. The company said it would restructure senior management in order to accelerate the development of its Argentinian and US lithium resources and announced that Geologic Resource Partners LLC has signed a letter of intent to lead a small group of investors to provide the company with a $5m line of credit. Western Lithium also said that it would introduce re-branding initiatives in early 2016 which will change its corporate name in order to "more appropriately reflect the scope and future of its new asset and business base". Durango Resources Inc. is set to become the latest in a line of companies purchasing Nevada lithium claims. The explorer has agreed to terms in a right of first refusal (ROFR) with an arm's length vendor for the 2,460 acre (9.96km2) East Fault lithium claims lithium in South Clayton Valley Nevada, US. Durango has 30 days to complete due diligence on the claims before entering into a definitive agreement, following which it will issue 1m shares to the vendor, sign a 3% net smelter royalty (with the option of a 1% buyback for $1m within three years) and pay $29,000 in claim fees. Durango currently holds the NMX East lithium project in Quebec, Canada, as well as a number of limestone, gold and nickel claims in the US and Canada. Another TSX-V-listed junior, Noka Resources Inc., is also seeking to join the Nevada lithium race, with the announcement of an agreement with arms-length vendors to acquire the 1,920 acre (7.77km2) Columbus lithium project in the Big Smokey Valley, Esmeralda County. To gain a 100% interest in the project, Noka must issue 1.9m common shares to each of the vendors, for a total of 3.2m common shares, make cash payments of Canadian dollar (C$) 450,000 ($336,376*) over the next three years and spend at least C$1m on exploration at the site within 36 months. Noka holds a number of uranium interests in the in the Athabasca Basin region of northern Saskatchewan, Canada. In China, Jinanxi Ganfeng Lithium Co. Ltd has signed an agreement to proceed with the construction of a new lithium carbonate plant in Qingtang town, Ningdu county, Jianxi province, in the south east of the country. The facility will make use of spodumene mined in the village of Heyuan and will source sulfuric acid from Jiangxi Chaosheng Mining Co. It is expected to have a capacity of 17,000 tpa, will cost Chinese renminbi (Rmb) 450m ($70.34m) and will be brought into production in two years time. In battery news, the Government of Ecuador has requested a supply of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries from Bolivia, for use in a public transport EVs, according to a report by the Latin American Herald Tribune. Ecuadors minister for knowledge and human talent, Andres Arauz, made the request during a meeting with the Bolivian vice president, Alvaro Garcia Linera, in a meeting this week. The initiative would include the construction of a lithium carbonate production plant as well as a Li-ion battery factory. Bolivia hosts the worlds largest identified lithium reserves, at 9m tonnes, according to the US Geological Survey. However, there is currently no commercial-scale production in the country. Nemaska Lithium Inc. has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Johnson Matthey Battery Materials Ltd (JMBM) a subsidiary of London-listed Johnson Matthey Plc for the sale of C$12m of product from its phase one and subsequent commercial hydrometallurgy plant to be built in Shawinigan, Quebec. The funds will be used to finance construction of the phase one plant to begin processing spodumene concentrate from Nemaskas Whabouchi property in the Lac des Montagnes region of Quebec. The agreement also provides for the potential long term provision of lithium salts by Nemaska to JMBM for use in the latters battery material products. Nemaskas CEO, Guy Bourassa, described the deal as a "non-dilutive approach [to the] project financing of the Phase 1 Plant," which he said the company "will be ready to start building as soon as the financing is closed which we expect by February 2016". *Conversions made November 2015 A joint venture (JV) 750,000 tpa diammonium phosphate (DAP) plant is to be set up in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, with the support of the governments of Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia, according to reports by Arab News. The private sector-led venture has been agreed between the finance ministers of the two countries, Abul Maal A Muhith of Bangladesh and Ibrahim Al-Assaf of Saudi Arabia. The announcement came during talks between the two countries, aimed at intensifying cooperation in the fields of trade and investment. Israel Chemicals Ltd(ICL) noted that Israels Knesset had approved the Taxation of Profits from Natural Resources legislation, implementing the conclusions of the Sheshinski Committee II. It said that the net impact of the legislation on its annual profits in the coming years would be "significantly dependent" on the prices of potash over the period. "The legislation is expected to apply to all minerals other than potash as of 2016 and to apply to potash as well as of 2017," ICL stated. Separately, ICL noted that its Spanish subsidiary, ICL Iberia, had signed a cooperation agreement with the Government of Catalonia to ensure the continuation of ICL Iberias potash mining activities in the Bages Region of Catalonia. In the UK, ICL will cut a number of jobs at its Boulby plant in Cleveland. Reports by the Northern Echo indicated that the workforce of the "manual" team could be reduced by 20% to 361, with 68 jobs to be cut from the technical workforce, a 25% cut in management numbers to 124 and 11 job office job losses. An ICL spokesperson said that decisions regarding staffing levels were yet to be finalised. The Unite labour union has said it will fight to retain jobs at the company. London-listed Russian fertiliser producer PhosAgro OAO said that it had been forced to partially suspend production at its Balakovo plant, due to undelivered raw materials from supplier, Gaxprom Sulphur. The company said that the gradual suspension of sulphuric acid production at the plant, which mainly supplies the Russian market, may cause a decrease in December production volumes of phosphate-based fertilisers of 72,000 tonnes. ASX-listed Rewards Minerals Ltd said that recent drilling at its LD project in Western Australia (WA) had increased the its mineral resource estimate to 564m tonnes sulphate of potash (SOP) contained in brine grading 13.7kg per square metre. Michael Ruane, managing director of Rewards, said that the company is "in the process of defining the extractability parameters of the mineral resource brine and will provide results from on lake pumping trials shortly". "Overall, this mineral reserve confirms the significance of the LD basin as a potentially viable source for a long life SOP operation," he added. Fellow ASX-listed Minemakers Ltd, a phosphate producer, has changed its name to Avenira Ltd, following approval at its annual general meeting. Cliff Lawrenson, the companys managing director said that it had "undergone a significant transformation over the past 12 months", adding that it was "delighted to commence the development [its] flagship Baobab Project under the new Avenira banner". Its ASX ticker has now been changed to AEV. Korab Resources Ltd, also listed on the ASX, has signed a heads of agreement for the offtake of 250,000 tonnes phosphate rock with DPA Oceania Pty Ltd from its Geolsec phosphate operations in Australias Northern Territory. The deal is to consist of 50,000 tpa over a five year period, with the option to extend. It also confirms Oceanias interest in acquiring an equity stake in Geolsoc Phosphate Operations Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Korab, for Australian dollar (A$) 4m ($2.89m*) and in assisting in the development of the quarry. ASX-listed Elemental Minerals Ltd has received a non-binding proposal from SUMMIT Private Equity providing for SUMMIT to invest $40m in the company at A$0.20/share. The deal is subject to a number of conditions including due diligence, documentation and internal approvals and is intended to ensure Elemental is sufficiently funded through to the commencement of the construction of its Kola Sylvinite1 potash project in the Republic of Congo. Belarusian Potash Corp. and CNAMPGC Holding Co., a Chinese fertiliser producer, have signed a memorandum of association up to 2020, according to Belarus News. The deal follows the site visit of a Chinese delegation to Belarus. Under the memorandum, the two companies will aim to "strengthen economic cooperation". CNAMPGC is already one of the largest importers of Belarusian potash globally. Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan Inc. (PotashCorp) will deal with struggling world markets by becoming more efficient, but will not cut jobs, its CEO Jochen Tilk has said. Tilk told the Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce that crop prices have experienced double-digit percentage declines over the past year. He added that, in order to remain competitive, the company will reduce costs and increase production. Canadian potash trader Canpotex Ltd is to decide late next year where to expand its west coast terminal capacity, a move which it hopes will give it a faster route to Chinese buyers, its CEO, Ken Seitz told news site Canadian Cattleman. The companys options include building a Candian dollar (C$) 775m ($583m) terminal at Prince Rupert, British Columbia, which would allow it to bypass Port Metro Vancouver and cut shipping times to China by two days, Seitz said. Canpotex, is owned jointly by miners PotashCorp, Mosaic Co. and Agrium. Phosphate production in Senegal increased 16.4% in the first nine months of 2015, according to the Directorate of Forecast and Economic Studies, in a report by Star Africa. Production increased from 729,700 tonnes in 2014 to 849,300 tonnes in 2015, an increase attributed mainly to the production of calcium phosphates which stands at 714,900 tonnes, 21.1% above 2014 figures. Elsewhere, the Jordan Phosphate Mines Co. (JPMC) plans to build a fertiliser plant in Indonesia as part of its expansion and marketing strategy, the Jordan Times reported. Along with the Indonesian government, JPMC has registered a JV company called Petro Kaltim Abadi to establish a factory in the Pantang. The project is the companys second investment in Indonesia following the Petro Jordan Abadi fertiliser factory in Gersik city, East Java province, which was brought into operation last year. Finally, Maaden Phosphate Co. has received commitments from a number of local and international lenders to replace its existing debt. A new loan of $3.07bn has been agreed on "more favourable terms" than previous debt. The company expects to sign definitive financing agreements by the end of the year. Maaden Phosphate is owned 70% by Saudi Arabias Maaden and 30% by Saudi Basic Industries Corp. *Conversions made November 2015 By Huaqing Fu China imported 14,259 tonnes of flake graphite in April, up 156% year on year, while exports fell due to cheaper available stocks from Mozambique, according to official but unconfirmed data seen by Fastmarkets. While rising significantly year on year, imports were down 15.7% from March.... Mineral Commodities (MRC) plans to expand the lifetime of its mineral sands operation in Tormin, South Africa, a spokesman for the company has told Fastmarkets. The Australia-registered company has applied for an extension to its license to operate in... Just a few hours after he took the oath of office for his second term, President Muhammadu Buhari jets off to Saudi Arabia to attend the Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. This was made known by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu in a statement on Wednesday. Read full statement below President Muhammadu Buhari departs Abuja on Thursday to attend the Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The 14th session of the Summit Conference of the OIC, scheduled to hold on Friday, May 31, will be hosted by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and attended by Heads of State and Governments of Member States. According to the OIC secretariat, the summit to be convened under the theme, Makkah al-Mukarramah Summit: Hand in Hand toward the Future, seeks to develop a unified stance on events in the Islamic world. President Buhari is expected to address the forum and underscore the need for member countries to unite and work together to combat common challenges such as terrorism and violent extremism. The President will also push forward themes that have been at the forefront of his domestic and international priorities, including reviving the Lake Chad Basin, investing in Nigeria to create jobs and financing for development. On the margins of the summit, the Nigerian leader will hold bilateral meetings with world leaders to promote increased cooperation and collaboration on issues of mutual concern. President Buhari, who is expected to return to the country on June 2nd, will be accompanied by Governors Mohammed Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State, Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State and Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State. Also on the delegation are the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mustapha Suleiman; Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Ahmed Rufai Abubakar; Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr Isa Pantami; and the Chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Abdullahi Mukthar. Ahead of the Summit, was a preparatory meeting in Jeddah meant to adopt the draft agenda and work programme for the Summit. On the agenda were the question of Palestine and the Arab-Israeli conflict; combating terrorism and violent extremism; the humanitarian situation in the Muslim world; promotion of scientific cooperation, among others. President Buhari becomes the third Nigerian leader to attend the OIC conference in person, after the late Alhaji Umaru YarAdua and Dr Goodluck Jonathan. A former minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode has confirmed that former president, Olusegun Obasanjo was among other Nigerians who escaped death on Wednesday at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport. According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), both Obasanjo and prominent Nigerians in the Ethiopian airline passenger aircraft, Boeing 777-300, included the Director General of Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) Ambassador Ayoola Olukanni. A NAN correspondent who was also one of the passengers aboard aircraft, ET-901, said the aircraft departed the Bole International Airport, Addis Ababa, at about 9:10 a.m., Ethiopian time; 7 a.m Nigerian time. The almost 5-hour flight from the Ethiopian capital to Lagos had gone smoothly been until the pilot attempted to land at the Murtala Mohammed International airport, the NAN correspondent said. According to eve reports, the pilot rather than landing on the first touchline of the runway, he over short it, due to rain and heavy wind, and landed on the third touchline. The pilot was said to have quickly realized this, and manoeuvred the plane back air, flying out of the Lagos airport. After hovering around between Lagos and areas suspected to be in Ogun, causing panic in passengers and crew members, the plane landed in Lagos airport, some 20 minutes after the initial false landing, the report said. The duty manager and Chief Customer Service (Nigeria) of the airline, Mr Otori Jimoh Otan, told NAN that if the pilot had continued taxing down after landing on the third touchline, he would have overshot the runway. But this is an experienced pilot. He realized this immediately. Fortunately, the distance between when he realized the situation still permitted him to take off and renegotiate landing, Otori said. Speaking on the incident, the former minister said Obasanjo wouldnt die now or anytime soon until Nigeria becomes a better place. He wrote: I just confirmed that an Ethiopian Airline plane in which our father and leader Pres. Obasanjo was flying ALMOST crashed. Baba, I say, NOT TODAY! You shall not die now or anytime soon. None of us will. We shall live long to make Nigeria a better place and we shall bury our enemies! Flash Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou on Tuesday. Calling China and Niger good friends, partners and brothers, Xi hailed the constantly strengthening political mutual trust and fruitful pragmatic cooperation between the two countries. Xi said China stands ready to work with Niger to implement the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) to boost strategic cooperation and benefit the two peoples. He called on the two countries to understand, trust and support each other on issues of core interests and major concern, and continue their exchanges in governance and development experience. China and Niger should deepen synergy within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative and FOCAC, Xi said, stressing the importance of carrying out key projects in infrastructure, people's livelihood, energy and agriculture. He said China will continue to support Niger in fighting terrorism for regional peace and stability, and promote the UN support for the Group of Five Sahel joint force. Calling for more communication and collaboration on major international affairs, Xi promised China will help Niger improve people's livelihood in such field as medical care. He also voiced his hope that China and Niger would expand exchanges in culture, youth, women and think tanks, so as to enhance the two peoples' mutual understanding. "As long as all countries follow a development path suited to their own national conditions, cooperate in jointly building the Belt and Road, and move toward the goal of building a community with a shared future for humanity, we will surely achieve success," Xi said. Issoufou congratulated on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the great achievements the Chinese people have made in building socialism with Chinese characteristics under the leadership of the Communist Party of China. China's development has contributed greatly to human society, Issoufou said, adding that China's inclusive economic growth has lifted a large number of people out of poverty and accelerated realization of the UN millennium development goal. Niger speaks highly of China's adherence to the five principles of peaceful coexistence in international affairs and its long-term commitment to world peace and development, he said, adding the country supports the goal of building a community with a shared future for humanity. The Belt and Road Initiative proposed by Xi embodies the concept of win-win instead of zero sum and it will benefit the whole world, the Nigerien president said. As for China-Africa cooperation, Issoufou said African countries appreciate China's adherence to the principles of sincerity, real results, affinity and good faith, as well as the eight major initiatives put forward by Xi at the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. Saying Niger would work closely with China in Africa's cause of peace and security and the process of modernization, Issoufou said Niger always sticks to the one-China policy and is willing to participate in the joint construction of the Belt and Road. After their talks, the two heads of state jointly witnessed the signing of several bilateral cooperation documents. Prior to the talks, Xi held a welcoming ceremony for Issoufou, who is paying a state visit to China from May 26 to 30. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has distanced himself from the report that he escaped plane crash earlier today. According to the former president, he was not on board the Boeing 777-300 aircraft Ethiopian flight that almost crashed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Wednesday because of bad weather. Earlier reports had claimed that the former president was among the 393 passengers on the flight from Addis-Ababa, capital of Ethiopia. Speaking via his spokesperson, Kehinde Akinyemi, Obasanjo sid he didnt travel let alone board the plane that almost crashed in Lagos. According to Akinyemi, Obasanjo was at his home in Abeokuta, Ogun State and did not travel as widely reported. Obasanjo was reported to have been returning from a stakeholders dialogue on Continental Trade and Strengthening Implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) which ended on Tuesday in Addis Ababa, when the near mishap almost occured. Outgoing Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, has made it known that he will not attend the inauguration ceremony of his successor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu. The inauguration is meant to take place at the Tafawa Balewa Square today Wednesday, May 29th. Via a statement released by his Chief Press Secretary, Habib Aruna, Ambode stated that; Media personality Tolu Oniru aka Toolz and her husband Captain Demuren are celebrating their third wedding anniversary. The couple who welcomed their first child a few months ago, took to social media to pen sweet words for each other as they celebrated their day. Toolz wrote; Happy Anniversary Papa Asher! 3 years down, 99 to go! No need for too much talk, you know how much I stan you and will take care of anyone that messes with you! #TSquareForever The captain on his part wrote; Three (3) Years ago today, my Princess became my Queen. I thank God for the blessings, the lessons and everything In between. You have made me better and I hope I have done something similar in your life. Looking forward to plenty blissful and beautiful years with my Queen. #weddinganniversary #3Years#Forever Congrats to the couple. Vice president Yemi Osinbajo has taken to Twitter to gush about his wife, Dolapo Osinbajo as he journeys into another 4 years of being Nigerias VP. The professor of law in a tweet on Wednesday after their swearing-in ceremony at the Eagles Square in Abuja said he could not have done anything without her in the last years And that certainly needs her by his side for the task ahead. Sharing a very beautiful photo of himself and his wife, the vice president wrote: My dear Dolapo, Thank you for years past. Thank you especially for the last four years, You are my rock. And with you by my side, I am ready for the next four years of service. See post The supreme court of Singapore has set a Nigerian man, Adili Ejike, sentenced to death for drug trafficking, free. Akinremi Bolaji, head of Nigeria high commission in Singapore, expressed pleasure over the acquittal of Ejike, NAN reports. According to NAN, Ejike was sentenced to death for allegedly importing nearly two-kilogramme of methamphetamine, but was on Monday released with no outstanding charges. While was arrested in November 2011 and had been behind bars since then. Ejikes freedom from death by hanging by the court made history as the first time such a decision was made in a case involving a Nigerian, Bolaji was quoted to have said. The acquittal of Mr Ejike has been termed locally as a miracle of God and I am elated that his freedom from death happened under my watch here as the head of mission. In other words, Ejike was not guilty of wilful blindness or deliberately shutting his eyes to the truth if his possession of the drugs, he said. The trial focused on his knowledge of the substance; while the defence claimed he had no knowledge of the substance, the prosecutor claimed he knew about it. However, both the prosecutor and the defence agreed that he was in possession of the drugs, which was sufficient to convict him and affirm the death sentence earlier passed on him by both the lower and appellate courts. Ejike reportedly said his childhood friend in Nigeria gave him the bag that contained the drugs to be delivered to an unspecified person in Singapore. The envoy says this case raises more awareness as to how drug peddlers target unsuspecting people as conduits to transport their consignments, at the risk of the lives of the possessors of such substances. There is the need for the ministry of foreign affairs to join hands with other ministries, departments and agencies, especially the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the Nigerian Immigration Service to develop a framework to rehabilitate such Nigerians returning from abroad into the society. The Immigration Services of Singapore would release Ejike to travel to Nigeria on Wednesday, May 29, on board of Ethiopian Airlines and should be arriving in Lagos to join his family in Anambra, afterwards. Now, Mr Ejike is a free person and will travel to Nigeria unaccompanied, hoping he has learnt his lessons. That he would be wise enough not to subject himself in future to such circumstance that has kept him behind the bars for nearly eight years from Nov. 13, 2011, to May 27, 2019. This is our top headlines from Nigerian Newspapers for Today, Wednesday, 29th May, 2019: The Enugu State Police Command has said that it will arrest and prosecute anyone, who uses the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) as a guise to perpetuate crime in the state. The state Commissioner of Police, Sulaiman Balarabe, said this at a new conference Adding that only the Federal Government reserves the right to declare public holidays in the country. Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation, has described a recent comment by Peter Obi, vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), against him as sad and cheap. The minister on Tuesday, while speaking during an interactive forum of maritime stakeholders in Lagos, on Tuesday, said Obi has no right to call him irrelevant Especially since his Obis party, the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) failed to win the presidential election. President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, in compliance with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, submitted his assets declaration forms to the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB. The assets declaration forms according to the law, must be submitted before taking the oath of office which is slated for tomorrow, May 29th. Emotions definitely ran high at the Imo State Government House on Tuesday, as the outgoing governor, Rochas Okorocha formally vacated the governors lodge. The ceremony saw supporters, political appointees and aides weep openly as the flag of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was lowered. The Lagos Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested the proprietor of a Yahoo-Yahoo training school in Lagos, identified as Frank Chinedu. According to the commissions acting spokesman, Tony Orilade in a statement on Tuesday, Chinedu(22) was arrested alongside eight students while giving a lecture at an unnamed training centre located at 14, Animashaun Street, Progressive Estate, Ojodu Berger, Lagos. not long after Acho Ihim resigned as the Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, a new speaker has been announced in the person of Lawman Duruj. The new speaker who represents Ehime Mbano has announced the winner after he emerged top during an election conducted between him and the acting Speaker, Chinedu Offor. Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has finally handed over to new governor Babajide Sanwoolu. Thanking Lagosians for their support, Ambode said; Ibrahim Dankwambo, the outgoing governor of Gombe state as dropped a truly emotional statement as he takes a now from office tomorrow. On May 29th, many political office holders will give for new ones to over and emotions are definitely running high. A Prosecution witness has revealed how he convinced Senator Dino Melaye not to commit suicide in 2018. On Tuesday, a prosecution witness told an FCT High Court that he begged Melaye not to drink the substance he had in his hand when he threatened to commit suicide on April 24, 2018. The outgoing governor of Lagos state, Akinwumi Ambode is definitely ready to officially leave office tomorrow, May 29th The governor who has handed over the reins of government to his successor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Tuesday, just hours to his inauguration on Wednesday Also changed his bio on Twitter to the former governor of Lagos state. resident Muhammadu Buhari has made it known that he does not rate the Senate President Bukola Saraki and The Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara, high. According to Buhari; A Kano state magistrate court has ordered the arrest of Munir Bayero, chief of staff to Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, as well as his aides Mujitaba Abba, and Sani Kwaru. Those were our newspaper headlines for today: Wednesday, 29th, 2019. Read more at Information Nigeria Adams Oshiomhole, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress(APC) is currently trending on social media after he was. asked to step away from a line by a security official at the Presidential Inauguration. Oshiomhole had joined army chiefs, Chief Justice of Nigeria and some elected officers at the inauguration at Eagle Square, Abuja When he was asked to leave the line by an army officer. This has stirred the reaction of many Nigerians as they have taken to social media to react. See video https://twitter.com/ogundamisi/status/1133714032530251776?s=19 And the reactions below @Sanromeo wrote; See the moment Adams Oshiomole was chased away by security for breaching protocol at the Presidential Inauguration. This was on Live TV oo. Next Level crisis begins! #TheInauguration Aigb4real wrote: Please what was Adams Oshiomole doing there in the first place. He is standing with Service chiefs and Chief Justice? Na wah o. This @OfficialAPCNg Chairmanship dey enter his head. #TheInauguration @AdelajaAdeoye wrote: Adams Oshiomole, a governor in Edo State for 8 years wont say he is ignorant of inauguration protocol, he only pushed his luck too far and got the deserved disgrace live on TV for the whole world to see how foolish he has become over time. @Ody_Johnson wrote: Who told Adams Oshiomole that as a party chairman you should be treated as an elected officer? See as dem chase the nigga #TheInauguration @Chinonu wrote: Adams Oshiomole was a Governor for 8yrs, hes been witnessing official protocols. What a huge national embarrassment he got today! The Lagos Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested the proprietor of a Yahoo-Yahoo training school in Lagos, identified as Frank Chinedu. According to the commissions acting spokesman, Tony Orilade in a statement on Tuesday, Chinedu(22) was arrested alongside eight students while giving lecture at an unnamed training centre located at 14, Animashaun Street, Progressive Estate, Ojodu Berger, Lagos. He gave the names of the students as: Ahmed Musa, 24; Desmond Eze, 29; Preye Kingsley, 23; Benjamin Irabor, 21; Benjamin Opah, 19; Akapo Prosper, 22; Innocent Paul, 20 and Olamide Edun, 20. The statement also revealed that the suspected internet fraudsters were arrested undercover on May 22, 2019, after the commission received intelligence reports of their alleged criminal activities. At the points of arrest, nine laptops, 16 mobile phones, an Airtel modem, Orange Wifi and one Toyota Camry with registration number EPE406FN, the statement read. The statement also read that the suspects will soon be charged to court. Newly inaugurated vice president of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, has expressed his readiness to serve the country for the next four years with the support of his adorable wife, Dolapo Osinbajo. Osinbajo who eulogizes his wife shortly after his inauguration described her as his rock before going on to thank her for the past years in a very emotional and romantic post. What he wrote: My dear Dolapo, Thank you for years past. Thank you especially for the last four years, You are my rock. And with you by my side, I am ready for the next four years of service. A former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri has said that foreign leaders stayed away from President Muhammadu Buharis inauguration because they dont want to be associated with a master rigger. Omokri said this in a tweet on Wednesday just hours after Buhari took the oath of office for his second and final term as president and Commander-in-chief. According to Omokri, Buhari may not be in office after the Supreme court verdict. The Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and its presidential candidate in the last election had filed a petition against the President over his victory in the election. The PDP and its candidate had asked the tribunal to declare them the winner of the election because the scored more votes ahead of the All Progressives Congress(APC) candidate and incumbent president, Buhari. Omokri reacting to the May 29 inauguration wrote: Do you know why there were very few foreign leaders at the so-called 2nd term inauguration of Muhammadu @MBuhari? Because no one wants to be associated with a MASTER RIGGER who may not be in power after the Supreme Court verdict on @Atikus petition Flash The European Union (EU) member states leaders didn't discuss names of the candidates but only the process to choose new president of the European Commission (EC), European Council President Donald Tusk said Tuesday. During a press conference following the leaders informal dinner, Tusk told reporters that the discussion confirmed the agreement reached by the leaders in February last year, that "the European Council will exercise its role when electing the Commission president, meaning -- in accordance with the Treaties --that there can be no automaticity." "At the same time, no-one can be excluded: being a lead candidate is not a disqualification, on the contrary, it may increase their chances. The Treaty is clear: the European Council should propose, and the European Parliament should elect," he said during the press conference. "Therefore, the future President of the Commission must have the support of both a qualified majority in the European Council and a majority of the Members of the European Parliament," he noted. The landscape of European politics is changing as far-right and nationalist politicians made strong gains in the European Parliament elections although parties committed to strengthening the Union retained over two-thirds of the seats. This year's elections saw a record-high turnout as nearly 51 percent of the 426 million eligible voters in the 28-member bloc voted from May 23 to 26. "We are very happy about the turnout, which was the highest in 25 years. This proves that the EU is a strong, pan-European democracy, which citizens care about. Whoever will lead the European institutions, they will have a genuine mandate from the people," said Tusk. Meanwhile, Angela Merkel, German Chancellor, told reporters that tonight's discussion was "harmonious." She said leaders agreed they would try to settle on a nominee for the Commission president by the time of their next summit, in late June. She said Tusk had been tasked with consulting among leaders and "very closely" with the European Parliament. Before the leaders started the informal dinner, the current EC President Jean-Claude Juncker publicly showed his support to a president-choosing process --Spitzenkandidat. "Last time round the Spitzenkandidat I became European Commission President. Should happen this time too," he said on his twitter account. This long German word essentially means "lead candidate," and refers to a system in which the European political groups put forward one candidate to lead their list of candidates. This makes the Spitzenkandidat something of the "face" of a political group's campaign. The Spitzenkandidat is also meant to represent a European political group's choice for the next President of the EC, to take the place of Juncker when he steps down this autumn. In theory, the European political group who wins enough seats in the European Parliament to form a governing coalition would have their Spitzenkandidat become the next EC President, provided that he or she is approved by the European Council. Juncker was the first European Commission president to be elected in this way, as the Spitzenkandidat for the European People's Party political group in 2014. He may also be the last, however, since not all EU leaders are agreed that the system should continue. French President Emmanuel Macron is one of the recent leaders to suggest he would not support the approach, saying at a news conference in Sibiu, Romania, on May 9, that he didn't "feel bound at all by the principle of Spitzenkandidat." Macron was joined by Luxembourg's prime minister Xavier Bettel in showing some doubt about the system. DKSH acquires Dols International DKSH Business Unit Performance Materials, a specialty chemicals and ingredients distributor, has acquired Dols International, a specialty chemicals distributor based in the Netherlands. The transaction is said to be in line with DKSHs accelerated acquisition strategy, strengthened since 2017. In its Performance Materials business, DKSH provides distribution and sourcing services for the specialty chemicals, personal care, pharmaceutical and food and beverage industries. Performance Materials is the only Business Unit in DKSH with a distribution business both in Europe and Asia. Following acquisitions in Spain, Portugal and the Nordics in recent years, this transaction is described as another step for DKSH to complement its European market coverage. Founded in 1989, Dols International focuses on marketing, sales and distribution of specialty chemicals in Benelux, which represents a white spot in Europe for DKSHs Business Unit Performance Materials. Dols product portfolio includes pigments, binders and additives for use in paints, coatings, adhesives, plastics and construction applications. The company also formulates products in its in-house laboratory, which will convert to a DKSH innovation centre, expanding the network to 40 innovation centers worldwide. Dols already represents several leading international clients and serves more than 200 customers. Dols Internationals specialty chemicals distribution business generates net sales of almost CHF 10 million and us profitable. DKSH is acquiring 100% of the business and expects the acquisition to be immediately earnings accretive. The current management team of the business and its employees will join DKSHs Business Unit Performance Materials. Silver Elliott Wave Analysis: Seems Under Pressure EW-Forecast.com - 32 minutes ago Silver came sharply down in November, from 25.40 resistance area, so it appears that metal is in a higher degree three-wave drop. Ideally, it will be an A)-B)-C) the decline ^XAGUSD : 22.637 (-1.61%) Dow Does it Alone Market Tea Leaves - Wed Dec 29, 5:16AM CST Yesterday only the Dow advanced and the other indices did not. Will this change today? Natural Gas (NG) Retesting Key 4 Level Ahead of 2022 Tradable Patterns - Wed Dec 29, 3:42AM CST Natural Gas (NGG22) is firming in todays European morning, continuing a strong reversal since last weeks bottom near the psychologically key 3.5 whole figure level. Significantly, although NG is... NGG22 : 4.065 (+4.63%) UGAZF : 5.1700 (-5.14%) Hog Market Mixed at Close Barchart - Tue Dec 28, 4:43PM CST At the closing bell for the Tuesday session, lean hog futures were 32 to 52 cents higher in the summer contracts, while the nearbys dropped as much as $1.02. Feb is now a $4.92 discount to April and a... HEG22 : 82.625s (-1.23%) HEK22 : 92.175s (+0.35%) KMG22 : 92.650s (-0.75%) Soy Market Mixed at Close Barchart - Tue Dec 28, 4:43PM CST Afternoon trading for soybeans left the board 2 1/4 to 3 1/2 cents red on the day. Beans were up by double digits during the session, setting new highs for the move. Soymeal also faded into the close,... CSF22 : 179-6 (+1.13%) ZSF22 : 1347-6 (-0.85%) ZSPAUS.CM : 13.2546 (-0.27%) ZSH22 : 1357-2 (-0.79%) ZSX21 : 1234-0s (+1.79%) ZSPX21US.CM : 12.3270 (+1.90%) Cattle Close Higher on Tuesday Barchart - Tue Dec 28, 4:43PM CST Cattle finished the day with 5 to 27 cent gains in the front months. The December contract rallied $1.17 on the day though OI was just 1,530 contracts as of Mondays settle. The contract rolls off the... LEZ21 : 138.475s (+0.86%) LEJ22 : 143.950s (+0.19%) GFF22 : 163.550s (+0.71%) GFH22 : 165.225s (+1.19%) Flash Newly-elected Malawian President Peter Mutharika on Tuesday was sworn in for his second and last term in office, and he called on the nation to unite in order to achieve the country's aspirations. Mutharika and Vice President Everton Chimulirenji were sworn in by Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda during a ceremony conducted at the Kamuzu Stadium attended by hundreds of his supporters as well as second President Bakili Muluzi. "The election is over. There is a time to fight, there is a time to unite. There is a time to argue, there is a time to agree. There is a time to pursue personal interest, there is time to pursue national goals," Mutharika said as his supporters clad in party colors roared in support. The Malawian leader urged his opponents to accept his victory as there can only be one winner and thanked Malawians for voting for him, adding that his victory is the victory of the people, the rule of law and democracy. He further commended the country's electoral body for the way it managed the elections, adding that the elections were conducted in a way which reflects the will of Malawians. Mutharika won by 38.57 percent of the votes against his closest rival Lazarus Chakwera, the country's main opposition leader of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) who had 35.41 percent of the votes, while Vice President Saulos Chilima was the third with 20.24 percent of the votes, in the tightly contest election. A former law professor, Mutharika, 78, came to power in 2014. His government carried out agricultural subsidies and electrification programs in rural regions where his support is the strongest. He will be inaugurated on Friday at the same stadium, according to an announcement from the ruling party. If you do the math (and account for seven hours of sleep), thats about 2,000 decisions every hour or one choice every two seconds. Most decisions are actually micro-choices, like clicking a link or taking a sip of coffee. But some choices feel momentous. An internal tug-of-war indicates that something big is at stake. You sense that the choice could significantly affect your happiness, freedom, pride, or personal fulfillment. If youre running a business, there are even more decisions to make and many are critical to the health of your company. The good news? Science is continually discovering new and better ways to make tough decisions. As Lea Heinrich writes in the New York Times, over the past few decades, a growing multidisciplinary field of research spanning areas as diverse as cognitive science, management theory and literary studies have given us a set of tools that we can use to make better choices. Unfortunately, none of these tools can actually make the decision for you. They are prompts, hacks, nudges, says Heinrich. Theyre intended to help you see the current situation from new perspectives, to imagine new possibilities, to weigh your options with more sophistication. There is no foolproof algorithm for lifes difficult choices. But the research shows that you can get better at making them. In the 12 years since I started JotForm, my team and I have faced a lot of tricky choices, and Ive tried many different decision-making techniques. Here are six methods that I rely on when Im losing sleep over a challenging decision. 1. Make a value-based pros & cons list Imagine that youre considering a move. Will you relocate to another city? Pull out a piece of paper and write a classic pros and cons list for the move. Now, heres where science has added a helpful twist. Assign every list entry a number from 0 to 1, based on your personal values. For example, if being closer to your family is a pro thats extremely high on your list, you might score it at 0.9 or 0.95. If you listed near the mountains as another pro, but youre more of a culture hound than an alpine hiker, then it might only rate 0.2 or 0.3. Do the same for the con side. Leaving a job you love could score 0.8, for example, if your career is an essential part of your life. Add up each side, multiply by 100, and see whether the pro or con side wins out. You can also make a separate pro and con list for staying where you are. Compare the final values and see how you feel about the outcome. Often, confronting a logical number (which was actually weighted with emotions) can illuminate subconscious feelings. If you see the numbers but still feel pulled in the opposite direction, its worth doing some deeper exploration. You can also use this technique for smaller, less personal decisions, like which project or feature to tackle next. 2. Explore future scenarios Considering the best- and worst-case scenarios is a common way to make tough choices. Whats the very best future you can imagine? The worst? And how would you feel if that disastrous scenario became reality? To expand on this technique, psychologist Gary Klein has studied a twist he calls the premortem. In a classic Harvard Business Review story, Klein explains why a premortem is the hypothetical opposite of a postmortem. A postmortem in a medical setting allows health professionals and the family to learn what caused a patients death. Everyone benefits except, of course, the patient. A premortem in a business setting comes at the beginning of a project rather than the end, so that the project can be improved rather than autopsied. Imagine that your decision was terrible. The project you chose to tackle was a crash-and-burn disaster. Now, explore every possible reason for the failure. Once you address this worst-case scenario, you can take steps to prevent it and make a better decision in the first place. In fact, research shows that premortems (which are also called prospective hindsight) can increase our ability to identify future outcome causes by 30%. On the flip side, try to visualize that epic, best-case future scenario and gauge how you feel. If youre not happy or excited, its worth considering why. Amazon uses a variation of both these techniques. Company developers must draft a hypothetical press release and FAQ announcement before they even write any code. By working backwards, the team tackles the most difficult decisions upfront and clarifies the products value proposition. As reporter Jillian DOnfro explains, if the team cant come up with a compelling press release, the product probably isnt worth making. 3. Avoid binary choices We often get stuck choosing between this or that. Should I go back to school or start a business? Should I move to San Francisco or stay in Houston? Its easy to see the world in black-and-white, but theres typically a grey option in the middle or several shades of grey. Maybe you could spend summers in San Francisco (as long as you can embrace Karl the Fog) and winters in Houston. Or, you could live in Houston for another couple years and move to the Bay Area later. Sometimes the right choice is not one of two opposites. Its a more creative, nuanced, or flexible solution. 4. Consult with others Sharing your dilemma with others can justify or reinforce a choice, but more importantly, its a valuable way to gather valuable information. If you cant decide whether to move, for example, dont just survey your friends and family (who will also have skin in your game); talk to someone who made the same move. Ask how they feel now about their decision. For professional or business decisions, try hiring a consultant. Find people who have deep, niche expertise and learn as much from them as you can. The extra information you gather will almost inevitably help you make better choices in the future. 5. Give yourself enough time I still remember the day I quit my job. As I climbed the two flights of stairs to my bosss office, my heart was thumping in my chest. My legs were shaking and my mouth was parched. I knew it was the right choice, but my mind raced: Am I making a mistake? Should I turn around? Maybe I should stay another year. But, I made it to his office and had the conversation I was dreading. I had been thinking about this leap for at least two years, and my side products were easily paying the bills. Taking time to choose empowered me to make one of the best decisions of my life. 6. Avoid hidden decisions For nearly 6,000 years, North Americas First Nations hunted the plains buffalo by chasing them over cliffs and finishing the kill below. This method enabled tribes to gather and store large quantities of meat, hide and fat for the long winter ahead. I always wondered why so many bison would just run over the cliff. They were usually pursued by hunters on horseback, for one, but its also an example of herd behavior. All the animals are just following the group, letting the flow take them where it will. Buffalo jumps are a good metaphor for hidden decisions or non-decisions, which weve all experienced at times. When you procrastinate or delay an important choice, youre still making a decision and its rarely a good one. For example, maybe you need to part ways with an employee, but you put it off to avoid a potential confrontation. If the employee is negative, unpleasant, or ill-suited to their role, the choice to wait and delay can poison the whole team. Non-decision is a choice with real consequences. Those 35,000 daily choices can be daunting, but quick action is the enemy of decision fatigue. Choose fast and whenever possible, tackle your choices head-on. Use as many methods as you need to pick the best solution. Just dont follow the herd. Choose whats best for you and then stand firm in your decisions. One final note: if youve started a business or launched a product and youre feeling overwhelmed by all the decisions, please know that it does get easier. Once your business is stable, many of the big, foundational choices are done and you will reach equilibrium. Then its time to focus on the constraints. Determine where you can make the most important, impactful decisions, and use them to grow or refine your business. Remember: decision-making gets easier with practice, and a new choice is always just seconds away. This was originally published here. Aytekin Tank is founder and CEO of JotForm, an online form creation software with 4 million users worldwide and more than 100 employees. A developer by trade but writer by heart, Aytekin shares stories about how he exponentially grew his company without receiving any outside funding. Earlier this year the latter brought criminal and civil actions not only against its biggest shareholder but also against Covea chair and chief executive Thierry Derez over breach of trust allegations, among others. The cases stemmed from a takeover proposal that never came to fruition. Now it has been reported that ACPR wants the two to make peace. According to Reuters, the banking and insurance regulator is calling for reconciliation to ensure financial stability. It seems obvious to us, the authority of prudential control, that this conflict [should be] sorted out via dialogue and an amicable agreement, the news agency quoted Delas as saying. Its not clear what form of settlement is likely between the two camps, which have engaged in a series of back-and-forths from September 2018. Christian Erickson, a managing director in Accentures insurance practice, said this finding suggests there may be scope for insurers to be harvesting and using data in different ways. There is certainly an opportunity for Australian insurers to collect and analyse a broader range of data, and, equally importantly, to be clear and transparent with consumers about how exactly this is used and the value or benefits they are receiving in return, said Erickson. There are a number of great examples of how some insurers in other markets are creating new business models and opportunities off the back of data-driven strategies and hyper-personalisation some well publicised examples in the US market include Toggle and Lemonade. Erickson also told Insurance Business that the recent Accenture study should make for welcome reading by insurers as long as they also respond to concerns. Its clear from the survey that consumers in Australia do trust their insurers, so they are starting from a position of strength, said Erickson. However, there are broader, ongoing concerns around data security across all industries, and so insurers must communicate the security parameters that are in place to safeguard their customers data, and bolster their investment in data infrastructure and cyber security. Marianne Hutchinson, Accentures insurance lead for Australia and New Zealand, agreed the survey suggested there may be some opportunities for insurers to better use data but said they often encountered difficulties in communicating this to customers. Often, insurers find that the power of consumer data is in big data that is, the insights and patterns they can draw from analysing a huge and anonymised data-set, she said. This is harder to explain to consumers, but should go some way to reassuring consumers who feel that microscopically-tailored, individual pricing is too intrusive. Hutchinson also told Insurance Business that when primary carriers do leverage big data to their advantage, they dont just see business benefits, they also pass on those benefits to customers. Insurers that focus on the use of data can generate significant value for their organisation by exploring unique and innovative ways to better serve their customers, creating more compelling customer experiences (through the utilisation of insights generated through data), developing new products and offerings, participating in partnerships and ecosystems, and finding other ways to monetise data, she said. Interestingly, the same Accenture survey found that Indonesian customers were far more likely to offer up additional information in exchange for personalised service, with 75% saying theyd be willing to share more data. So, what makes the two customer bases so different? Indonesia is an interesting comparison because the financial services sector is in a very different space to Australias, said Hutchinson. Its a young market, with many consumers who are hungry for innovation and willing to experiment in order to get it, especially as their economy grows and whole new customer segments emerge with the need for insurance products. Hutchinson says that, as the Australian market is in a more mature place, local insurers have a fairly clear set of propositions which consumers, in broad terms, understand and are comfortable with. The challenge for our insurers is how to innovate and bring new ideas to a market that may not be overtly clamouring for it, but will nonetheless respond if the offer is compelling enough, she says. Also joining Locktons corporate team, but based in Melbourne, is Antony Meakin. He has more than 30 years of large corporate insurance/risk advocacy experience in Australia, London, Asia, and the Middle East, as well as strong leadership and mentoring skills which will enhance Locktons management team nationally. Last but not least is Stephen Kerridge who returns to Lockton after five years predominantly with a large international broker. He joins the companys resources team in Perth, bringing more 20 years of experience leading teams and developing strategy on risk and insurance programs across the mining, construction, and utility insurance sectors both in local and international markets. We are very pleased to attract Andrew, Antony, and Stephen to our business, said Paul Marsden, Lockton Australia CEO. This investment continues Locktons commitment to add talented leaders with expertise that complements our core specialisms and above all adds client value. One insurance company that has identified this shift and elevated it to a prevalent part of its global brand is Allied World. In 2018, the global insurance and reinsurance solutions provider appointed its first ever head of client engagement and global accounts. Faye Cook (pictured) was tapped for the role, and her objectives are clear: to manage relationships with Allied Worlds global account insureds and their trading partners - and to do that in a way that adds the most value to all stakeholders. Strong client relationships are an important brand pillar for us at Allied World, said Cook. The creation of my role was the companys formal way of saying: This is where we stand with clients. We want to build long-term holistic partnerships with them, and ensure that our lines of business around the world are communicating and coordinating in order to foster that relationship. We dont just want to be seen as capital; we want to offer value and trust. This notion of value and service-oriented client engagement is not limited to the insurance industry. Rather, it seems to be a common trope across all industry verticals. Theres been a concentrated drive towards providing customers the best value for the money theyre spending. As Cook pointed out: No-one wants to be a transaction. When it comes to managing global accounts, which is part of Cooks remit at Allied World, she believes insureds and their brokers appreciate an understanding of their global spread of business with the company. A US-headquartered multinational firm may purchase multiple coverages from Allied World in Bermuda, Europe or Asia, and in todays connected society, theres no reason for these transactions to be only understood in isolated, geographic business siloes. The client engagement and global accounts team at Allied World is breaking down those siloes, not literally from a business perspective, but rather from a communication perspective. Externally theyre helping clients understand what Allied World does for them around the world, and internally theyre helping their underwriters understand everything Allied World does for a client. In the large account space, insureds might use multiple broker partners and providers for their various lines of business, and work with several underwriters and insurance companies all over the world, Cook told Insurance Business. Its complex. Roles like mine help to bring everything together as respects to Allied World for the client, their broker partners and serves as an internal advocate for their needs. Weve found that clients want a relationship, especially when theyre larger customers with more complex risks. We are not all things to all people - there might be a risk that we arent able to handle, but if we have that transparent relationship with our clients, we can at least talk about it and try to figure out an alternative solution. The relationship aspect of the insurance transaction has traditionally been dominated, or at least claimed, by brokers and agents. Theyre the clients chosen advisors and theyre the ones who can share expertise on the different markets and what their risk appetites are. So, what does Allied Worlds client engagement push mean for its broker force? Our broker partners have met this idea with open arms, and think its a great for our mutual clients. We are working with them to garner more meaningful facetime with our insureds to help foster a partnership that benefits everyone, Cook said. If theres a claim, for example, its much better for all parties if the conversation starts from a warm relationship versus a cold transaction. Its understandable that wildfire is on the top of mind for California lawmakers this session. Coming on the heels of the 2017 wildfire season that saw $13.2 billion in insured losses, the fires last November that destroyed the town of Paradise have produced $12 billion of losses, the single-costliest blaze in state history. But while theres a strong case for California to take action to mitigate its wildfire risk and better prepare for future blazes, some of the responses being pursued in Sacramento risk repeating the mistakes that the State of Florida is just now starting to undo. As the state Assembly appears ready to vote on AB 740, its important to remember how starkly Californias wildfire problem differs from Floridas experience with hurricanes. Moved by the Assembly to third reading May 28 after unanimous votes by the Assemblys Appropriations and Insurance committees, AB 740 declares the Legislatures intent to create what sponsors call the California Catastrophic Wildfire Victims Fund (previously, the Climate Change Catastrophe Compensation Fund), ostensibly modeled on the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund. One must say ostensibly because precisely how this compensation fund would work remains muddy. Where the Florida Cat Fund provides reinsurance coverage that every property insurer operating in the state must purchase, Californias proposed fund offers scant details regarding both how the fund would be funded and who would receive payouts. The bills most recent draft drops text that explicitly named insurers as one of the funds intended funding sources, as well as one of its potential beneficiaries. Where earlier drafts declared the fund would be used to reimburse insurers, insureds, and local governments for their losses after a wildfire caused by climate change or an electrical corporation, the most recent version states only that it shall be used to reimburse victims for their losses after a catastrophic wildfire. And while the prior version listed electrical corporation shareholders, ratepayers, and insurance company shareholders among the funds expected funding sources, the amended version offers only the vague assertion that the California Catastrophic Wildfire Victims Fund should be funded by multiple entities If the goal of those changes is to move away from any suggestion the proposed fund operate as a part of the states insurance market, thats very much a welcome change. While wildfire losses have been devastating, there is no crisis in Californias homeowners insurance market. If lawmakers want to ensure that insurers continue to provide coverage even as the effects of climate change become more apparent, the most important reforms they could undertake are those that permit risk-based rates. The same is not necessarily true of Californias utility market, where theres evidence of significant dislocation. A report issued last month by Gov. Gavin Newsom recommended that the state make changes to its inverse condemnation and strict liability doctrines that hold utilities responsible for disasters arising from their equipment, even in the absence of a finding of negligence. That doctrine was a driver of the $30 billion in liabilities Pacific Gas and Electric Co. incurred from 2017 and 2018 wildfires, ultimately forcing the company and its parent to file for bankruptcy. More recently, S&P Global Ratings downgraded the states other two major investor-owned utilities Southern California Edison Co. and San Diego Gas & Electric Co., noting that the companies will continue to experience catastrophic wildfires because of climate change and without sufficient regulatory protections due to Californias common law application of the legal doctrine of inverse condemnation. Creating some form of fund to better manage the utilities wildfire exposure could be a sound idea, provided that it was structured, like the California Earthquake Authority, in such a way as to accurately reflect risk. A utility-centered fund also could, like the CEA, take advantage of the deep pools of capital in the global reinsurance market to transfer risk outside of California, rather than forcing the states taxpayers to bear that undiversified risk locally. Whether this works in practice will depend quite a bit on how it is implemented. But there simply isnt evidence that there is a need for insurance companies to participate in such a fund. In the bills preamble, the sponsors note that the number of homeowners in the wildland urban interface who complained about policy nonrenewal more than tripled from 2010 to 2016. Thats not surprising. Wildfire risk is correlated by geography and the recent conflagrations have no doubt led some insurers to rethink their concentrations in wildfire-prone areas. Theres only a problem to address if policyholders cant find anyone to insure that risk. For that evidence, we need to turn to Californias Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) Plan. California is one of 30 states that operate FAIR plans to serve consumers who find they cannot get adequate coverage in the market. Another five states sponsor specialized pools for coastal windstorm risks (beach plans). Mississippi, North Carolina and Texas operate both FAIR plans and wind pools, while Florida and Louisiana sponsor state-run insurance companies that operate as both wind pools and FAIR plans. AB 740s authors see a crisis brewing with Californias FAIR plan, noting in the bills text that over the last five years, the number of FAIR Plan policies written in brushfire and wildfire areas has increased from 22,397 policies to 33,898 policies, equating to a 51-percent increase. It is true that Californias FAIR Plan has grown in recent years, and wildfire risk considerations are no doubt a major part of that. But its important to keep that growth in perspective. According to data from the Property Insurance Plans Service Office (PIPSO), as of 2017, the California FAIR Plan accounted for just 0.77 percent of the market. Thats up from 0.66 percent in 2013, but it still marks California as one of the smaller FAIR plans in the country. Indeed, the California plan has just a fraction of the market share of Floridas Citizens Property Insurance Corp., even as the latters monumental efforts to shrink to a more reasonable size have been rightly hailed as a smashing success. As the following graphic demonstrates, even as California bucks the general shrinking trend of FAIR and Beach plans nationwide, it has only roughly half the market share of the typical state residual property insurance market. MARKET SHARE (%) OF STATE RESIDUAL PROPERTY INSURANCE MARKETS SOURCE: PIPSO Moreover, to the extent that insurers are showing themselves less eager to extend coverage to properties in the wildland-urban interface, those are market signals we should heed, not try to override. Mitigation can be a powerful tool, and property owners and insurers alike are rightly taking a harder look at expanding zones of defensible space around wildfire-exposed properties and considering an areas slope, fuel load and access to properties. Significant improvements in the area of mitigation and firefighting could help keep more properties insurable and tamp down the rates that would otherwise be necessary. But under Californias Proposition 103 system, insurers lack many of the options they would need to incorporate this data. They cannot, for instance, consider changes in the cost of reinsurance in their rate filings. They are limited in how they may use catastrophe models, forcing underwriters to rely on historical loss data even where the evidence is overwhelming that future losses will be far worse. Already limited in their ability to non-renew policies in exposed areas, insurers are now hearing from state lawmakers who want to force them to take all comers. Accepting the reality of climate change necessarily means grappling with difficult questions of adaptation. Market price signals offer a way to make the pain of such adjustments more gradual and bearable. Recent research by Headwaters Economics finds that nearly half of all new homes are built in the wildfire-prone wildland-urban interface. Rather than seeking to cap insurance rates via regulation or to displace the capital of insurers and reinsurers via a new catastrophe fund, California lawmakers should allow natural market forces to arrest and reverse those settlement patterns. There is no crisis in Californias homeowners insurance market today. But there will be, if we refuse to hear what price signals are loudly trying to tell us. Topics California Catastrophe Natural Disasters Wildfire Johnson & Johnsons greed for more sales of its addictive opioid painkillers helped create a deadly epidemic in Oklahoma that claimed thousands of lives, and the company should pay billions of dollars as compensation, the states top law-enforcement officer told a judge. J&J and its Janssen unit used a deceitful, multibillion-dollar brainwashing campaign to dupe doctors into prescribing the powerful medications for unapproved ailments, causing a wave of fatal overdoses and addiction woes, Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter said at the start of a trial in the states claim against the company. Oklahomas lawsuit one of more than 1,600 filed by U.S. governmental bodies is the first to go to trial. All claim drugmakers and distributors are responsible for a public-health calamity tied to opioid painkillers. They say billions in tax dollars were spent on dealing with the fallout of drug abuse. The outcome in Oklahoma could impact claims and settlement talks involving other states, cities and counties. The oversupply of opioids and the over-prescribing to vulnerable populations such as children spawned the worst man-made public-health crisis in the states history, Hunter told Judge Thad Balkman, who is hearing the case without a jury in Norman, Oklahoma. J&J and Janssen should be ordered to clean up the terrible mess theyve left us, Hunger said during his opening statement, whatever the cost. Balkman will decide whether the company should pay and how much. Hunter also sued opioid makers Purdue Pharma LP and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. for their roles in the crisis. Purdue, the top marketer in the state, settled in March for $270 million. Teva agreed on Sunday to pay $85 million, sending the companys shares plunging 12% Monday. J&J Statement In his opening argument, J&J lawyer Larry Ottaway disputed the contention that children were targeted in marketing campaigns, and he said the company sponsored prescription-drug-education programs in some of the states schools. The drugmaker says it legally promoted and sold the painkillers and shouldnt be held responsible for the misdeeds of other companies. Ottaway noted that Purdue and Teva had settled rather than go to trial. Why are we still here? he said. Because when you are right, you fight. Because the state painted J&J and Janssen as heartlessly targeting youths, the companies have no choice but to present the facts of what they actually did, Ottaway said. Facts are stubborn things, Ottaway said, quoting former President John Adams. Government studies have shown chronic pain affects as many as 50 million Americans annually, sapping more than $500 billion from the U.S. economy, and can cause depression and suicide if left untreated, Ottaway said. Serious chronic pain is a soul-stealing thief, he said. Janssen did not invent this disease it was trying to assist with the treatment of this disease through opioid-based products, he said. J&J is also attacking the states attempt to apply public-nuisance law to the problems of opioid abuse. In the past, the Oklahoma statute has been used primarily to address real-estate disputes. The legal theory will be used in other opioid cases. A federal judge in Cleveland who is overseeing municipal suits against J&J and other drugmakers and distributions will allow plaintiff attorneys to use public-nuisance law in the first cases set for trial there in October. In court filings, J&J also said its products a fentanyl-based patch and an opioid pain-killing pill accounted for less than 1% of the market for such medicines in the state. The company has since sold off or stopped marketing both products. Hunter dismissed the drugmakers questions about his use of public-nuisance laws in a pharmaceutical case as ridiculous. He said J&Js illegal marketing was linked to the deaths of more than 4,600 Oklahoma residents between 2007 and 2017, and those shady sale pitches created a threat to public welfare. The fact that I am a Republican, a conservative and someone who believes in capitalism doesnt mean I will turn a blind eye to companies that hurt people, Hunter told Balkman. Reggie Whitten, an outside lawyer hired by Hunter to prepare the opioid case, noted the state may ask for almost $13 billion in damages and penalties to cover 20 years of treatment and prevention programs. If Balkman adopts the states plan, hell be saving tens of thousands of lives in the future, Whitten said. The case is State of Oklahoma v. Purdue Pharma LP, CJ-2017-816, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, District Court (Norman). Related: Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics Oklahoma You are here: World Flash Greece will hold early national elections on July 7, the Greek government's spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos announced on Tuesday. On June 10, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will ask President Prokopis Pavlopoulos to dissolve parliament, Tzanakopoulos said in an interview with local Alpha radio. "The premier decided to hold the elections on July 7 to avoid disrupting the process of school exams," he said. Tsipras announced his decision to call early national elections on Sunday night after his radical left-wing SYRIZA party suffered heavy losses to the conservatives in the European and local elections. The current government's term expires in October this year. Boston-based insurance brokerage and risk management firm Risk Strategies has acquired MainStreet Consulting Group, a brokerage headquartered in Conroe, Texas, just north of Houston. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Established in 2003, MainStreet Consulting Group is primarily focused on placing a wide variety of coverage types for commercial clients. In its commercial business, MainStreet services clients in a variety of industries, from manufacturing to construction. While many are well-represented in Risk Strategies current client base, a number represent new fields for the company, including the energy industry, a major business in Texas. In addition to commercial property/casualty, MainStreet does substantial business helping commercial clients develop alternatively funded employee benefits programs. The company also has an active practice providing personal lines clients with insurance placement and risk management advisory services. Joining up and becoming part of Risk Strategies was a winning idea as we sought ways to expand our business and provide deeper expertise for clients in todays rapidly changing business world, MainStreet Consulting Group President and CEO Dee VanSchoick Jr. said in an announcement. Risk Strategies entered the Texas market in 2016 with the acquisition of McLaughlin-Brunson, a specialty brokerage focused on professional liability and other risk issues for architectural, engineering and design firms. Risk Strategies has since acquired the Texas firms, Terrell Insurance Services Inc., Select Insurance Markets LLP (SIM) and Preferred Personal Insurance Agency LLP (PPIA). Source: Risk Strategies Topics Mergers Texas Appalachian Underwriters, Inc. has hired three new underwriters to its Commercial Specialty division. April Cook comes to AUI with background in the underwriting industry, starting as a property and casualty renewal underwriter with an agency and then moving into workers compensation and then commercial lines underwriting with different companies. She will work out of AUIs St. Peters, Mo. office, quoting commercial package submissions for West agents. Amanda Setchfield will also work on quoting commercial package accounts from AUIs St. Peters office with a focus on Florida and Midwest states. She started with a large, independently owned wholesaler in the mid-2000s, moving from underwriting assistant to senior underwriter. Carol Armstrong will work on Xpress BOP (business owner policy) submissions, both through AUIs online rater and email submissions, at AUIs Oak Ridge, Tennessee headquarters. Her background in commercial insurance underwriting dates back to 1989, and she most recently served as senior sales manager at another agency. Appalachian Underwriters Inc. is a full service managing general agency (MGA) and wholesale insurance brokerage. Topics Commercial Lines Excess Surplus Underwriting West Virginias Roman Catholic diocese failed to publicly disclose decade-old allegations of sexual abuse of a student involving a Catholic school teacher, the states attorney general said May 21. Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced an amended lawsuit against the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston and former Bishop Michael Bransfield. A diocese spokesman didnt immediately comment on the complaint. It accuses the diocese of keeping secret a 2006 report on sexual abuse allegations involving a teacher in Kanawha County. Morrisey said an internal investigation alleged the teacher used alcohol and prescription drugs to gain a teenage students trust before multiple incidents of abuses occurred. Like the original suit, the amended complaint cited the state Consumer Credit and Protection Act, accusing the diocese of unfair competition over other schools when it advertised for prospective students to join its schools and camp without disclosing the employment of accused priests. The amended complaint alleges Bransfield was personally advised that more than 20 background checks were not done at a Catholic elementary school in Charleston between 2007 and 2008. Morriseys original lawsuit filed in March accused the diocese and Bransfield of a cover-up, adding the diocese didnt conduct background checks on admitted abusers and priests credibly accused of child sexual abuse. Attorneys for the diocese and Bransfield filed a motion last month to dismiss the lawsuit. Last week, the diocese said in a statement that some of the allegations in the amended lawsuit werent accurately described. In the strongest terms, we deny the allegation that initial background checks were not conducted on school employees, as the amended complaint contends, the diocese said. In one decades-old instance cited in the original lawsuit, Rev. Victor Frobas, who was forced out of the Philadelphia seminary system because of a credible accusation of child sexual abuse, was made the director of a summer youth camp owned by the diocese. Frobas was then accused of sexually abusing children at that post and, following a leave of absence, was later assigned to work as a chaplain at Wheeling Central Catholic High School, the lawsuit said. Frobas was convicted in 1988 of molesting two boys at a parish in suburban St. Louis. He served more than two years in prison and died in 1993. In November the West Virginia diocese released the names of 18 priests or deacons who it said had been credibly accused of child sexual abuse since 1950, including 11 who had since died. None of the others are in active ministry. Bransfield resigned last year and the Vatican appointed Baltimore Archbishop William Lori to take over the Wheeling-Charleston diocese. Bransfield had been implicated in a 2012 case against Philadelphia priests accused of sexual abuse, but he denied abusing anyone. Catholic Church officials in March imposed ministerial restrictions on Bransfield pending the Holy Sees final assessment on the investigation into the claims in West Virginia. There are many, many wonderful people in the church. I know many of them. Im a practicing Catholic, Morrisey said at a news conference in Wheeling. And I can say to you that a lot of people have been deeply disturbed by the activities and the cover-up here. The most important thing everyone can do now is to come clean, to be transparent, acknowledge the mistakes and move forward. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Abuse Molestation Virginia Madrid, Spain - May 29, 2019 (Investorideas.com Newswire) 2gether, the first collaborative banking platform, has announced the addition of QTUM to its cryptocurrency portfolio. Users across the eurozone can now buy and sell Qtum directly in the 2gether app with two clicks and zero markups. 2gether prepaid Visa cardholders can now make purchases with their QTUM holdings and withdraw cash from any Visa-accepted ATM. The crypto winter has come to an end and once again the industry is in full bloom. As digital tokens continue to rise in market value, there is a greater demand for mainstream adoption. The 2gether prepaid Visa card enables users to spend crypto as they would euros, either with the swipe of a card or by withdrawing fiat against their crypto holdings at ATMs across Europe. By adopting Qtum, one of the world's major blockchain platforms and a rising star in the space, 2gether will be able to reach more users and support the further integration of crypto into mainstream consumer habits. Qtum, the open-source blockchain application underpinning the QTUM token, has established itself as a leading smart contracts platform running on top of a Bitcoin fork, most recently integrating with Google Cloud and Amazon Web Services. Currently, Qtum has more than 3,000 nodes around the world, making it an attractive platform for developers and scalable solution for enterprises seeking a more robust blockchain. "We are thrilled to be adopting Qtum to the 2gether platform, as it's one of the world's major blockchain platforms and a rising star in the space," says Ramon Ferraz, CEO of 2gether. "Adding Qtum to our list of eight cryptocurrencies means that now even more people will be able to take advantage of the benefits of 2gether." Qtum CIO Miguel Palencia said: "We are very much looking forward to leveraging 2gether to bring Qtum to more users across Europe. As the calls for mainstream cryptocurrency integration continue to get louder, building key relationships like this one will be critically important to expanding engagement with the general public. We're on the precipice of real change in modern consumerism and, with 2gether by our side, I believe we will soon be leading the charge." In addition to QTUM, 2gether provides integrations with seven other cryptocurrencies, including ETH, BTC, XRP, BCH, EOS, XLM, and LTC. Clients in all 19 countries of the eurozone can still participate in the pre-sale of the 2GT token. Eurozone citizens can now download the app on Google Play and the App Store, pass the KYC process and enjoy all of 2gether's services. About 2gether: Led by CEO Ramon Ferraz and senior professionals in the field, 2gether's aim is to build the financial platform that customers would build for themselves. Founded in 2016, the digital platform is successfully bridging the gap between crypto users and the mainstream market to simplify customers' financial decisions. 2gether is developing the bank of the future, a future in which users move beyond solely interacting with euros and dollars and augment their financial decisions through the use of exponential technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, and blockchain. Learn more at 2gether.global 2gether Leadership: Ramon Ferraz, CEO Salvador Casquero, Founder & Business Development Salvador Carrillo, Founder & Product Luis Estrada, Founder & Technology Senior Vice President About Qtum: Qtum is an open-sourced public blockchain platform, leveraging the security of UTXO while enabling multiple virtual machines including EVM and, soon, the revolutionary x86 VM. Qtum is Proof-of-Stake based and boasts a Decentralized Governance Protocol (DGP) allowing specific blockchain settings to be modified by making use of smart contracts. For instance, the block size of Qtum can be increased without the need for a hard fork. Learn more at qtum.org/. More Info: This news is published on the Investorideas.com Newswire - a global digital news source for investors and business leaders Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions. More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ and tickertagstocknews.com Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp Hampshire, UK - May 29, 2019 (Investorideas.com Newswire) New data from Juniper Research has found that the global number of shipments of BMIs (Brain Machine Interfaces); devices that connect computers to the brain, will reach 25.6 million by 2030, up from an estimated 350,000 in 2019. According to the new research, Brain Machine Interfaces & Neuromodulation: Impact Assessments, Vendor Positioning & Market Forecasts 2019-2030, BMIs will expand beyond pure experimental medical use cases, with strong consumer uses developing. BMIs will offer the ability to control virtual reality scenarios; enhancing the user experience and immersion level. Consumer BMI devices will also enable compelling wellness functions, such as supporting guided meditation and enhancing sleep quality. Juniper anticipates that this enhanced consumer demand will drive consumer BMI shipments to almost 13 million per annum by 2030, from just over 100,000 in 2019. For more market insights, download the free whitepaper: 'Demystifying Brain Machine Interfaces'. Medical BMIs Will Drive Revenues The research also found that while shipments of medical BMIs will be significantly lower, this segment will drive revenues throughout the forecast period; accounting for 78% of total revenues in 2030. Medical devices, such as experimental visual and limb prosthetics, will be highly expensive, with extensive research and clinical trials required in order to reach their full potential. Research author Nick Maynard explained: "While other areas will drive shipments, the potential to change lives with medical BMIs is boundless. The race to get to market at scale is on, with clinical trials set to ramp up rapidly". EEG (Electroencephalography) the Dominant Interface for Now Meanwhile, of all the potential interface technologies, EEG will remain the most dominant. While EEG is highly susceptible to noise, it is both affordable, given its existing prevalence in medical fields, as well as non-invasive, which is crucial for consumer adoption. The research found that, in the longer term, the utilisation of machine learning will be crucial to improving the quality of EEG performance, which will reduce calibration time and unlock EEG's full potential as a consumer control interface. Juniper Research provides research and analytical services to the global hi-tech communications sector; providing consultancy, analyst reports and industry commentary. Contact: sam.smith@juniperresearch.com www.juniperresearch.com More Info: This news is published on the Investorideas.com Newswire - a global digital news source for investors and business leaders Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions. More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ and tickertagstocknews.com Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp Failte Ireland has announced that it will invest 150m into the development of major new visitor attractions across the country. The 150m is the largest programme of investment yet from the tourism development authority and it forms part of its Grants Scheme for Large Tourism Projects which runs up to 2022. Tourism minister Shane Ross announced the group's new Platforms for Growth initiative which aims to drive sustainable growth in the Irish tourism sector. CEO Paul Kelly has said Platforms for Growth will "transform the tourism landscape across the country". Through the programme major new visitor attractions of scale will be developed and existing attractions greatly enhanced. Failte Ireland will be making individual grants available for large-scale visitor attractions of 2.5m upwards. 'Immersive Heritage and Cultural Attractions' is the first of the Platforms to be launched. According to a statement it "will invest in projects that deliver innovative and interactive experiences for the visitor to immerse themselves in." Minister @Shane_RossTD today launched @Failte_Irelands Platforms for Growth initiative which will transform the #tourism landscape across the country according to @Failte_Ireland CEO Paul Kelly. pic.twitter.com/fcYZpYIZGD Failte Ireland (@Failte_Ireland) May 29, 2019 Speaking at the launch, Mr Kelly said: "Driving growth in the regions through tourism is a core focus of our work at Failte Ireland and having top-class visitor attractions and experiences is an integral part of this. "At Failte Ireland, we are currently working on over 50 large capital projects throughout Ireland that will significantly enhance the Irish tourism offering as they open in the coming four years. "Platforms for Growth builds on this work and takes a new approach to investment, as it will specifically seek out projects of scale that tap into exactly what overseas visitors are looking for." Mr Ross added: "Tourism has experienced significant growth in recent years and having world-class attractions has been fundamental in attracting visitors from around the globe to Ireland. "Platforms for Growth will deliver on the Governments Project Ireland 2040 objectives and it will do exactly as the name suggests provide a platform that will contribute significantly to a growth in visitor numbers and the development of tourism nationwide." Yesterday, the Central Statistics Office announced that the total number of trips to Ireland Read More: From January to April 2019, there were 2,965,000 trips to Ireland, an increase of 5.1% when compared with the same period in 2018. A That is according to the chief executive of lobby group, the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation (ITIC), who claimed the Government had to match the ambition of private investment which had pledged "2.5bn in new hotels, attractions, and routes in the next the years alone". Eoghan O'Mara Walsh said: "Public investment in new tourism product is important as this sector is the only industry that can deliver regional balance and economic development. The Government must do all it can to support Irish tourism competitiveness during these turbulent times of Brexit." Failte Ireland said its 150m fund will develop what it called "major new visitor attractions of scale across the country". The body said the so-called "Platform for Growth" fund will see individual grants of 2.5m or more for large-scale projects. The large attractions would be designed as a magnet to draw in tourists to a specific town or area, Failte Ireland said. The standalone landmarks would "fill gaps in the Irish tourism offering in order to meet changing visitor preferences", it said. It follows a strategy in recent years of designating routes as tourist trails, such as the 2,500-kilometre stretch between Cork and Donegal along the west coast, the Wild Atlantic Way. One of the new standalone attractions, the new Museum of Literature Ireland, or MoLI, was used as the launchpad for the new 150m fund. The Dublin attraction is set to open later this year. The grants for the new tourist attractions will be based on "strategic importance, potential for economic growth and job creation in communities", Failte Ireland said. Criteria for the grants must be "grounded in consumer research and satisfy what overseas visitors want", it added. The organisation's chief executive Paul Kelly said: "Driving growth in the regions through tourism is a core focus of our work at Failte Ireland and having top-class visitor attractions and experiences is an integral part of this." He said Failte Ireland was currently working on over 50 large capital projects throughout the country "that will significantly enhance the Irish tourism offering as they open in the coming four years". "Creating a more regional spread of visitors is central to our capital investment strategy and through Platforms for Growth, new attractions across the country will be developed and existing ones transformed," Mr Kelly said A body has been recovered in the sea off the south-east coast. The Irish Coast Guard assisted in the recovery from a vessel yesterday evening. You are here: World Flash Two separate mass shootings during the Memorial Day holiday killed one and injured 15 others in Trenton, the capital city of eastern U.S. state New Jersey, the local authorities said Tuesday. A 18-year-old man, identified as Unique Anderson, died from multiple gunshot wounds after the second gunfire erupted just before 11:30 p.m. Monday in Trenton, the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office said in a statement. Four men ranging from 18 to 22 years old and a 20-year-old woman were treated for gunshot wounds, investigators said. Early on Saturday, ten people were injured when two men fired about 30 shots from a car outside a bar in Trenton, according to local media reports. The Monday shooting occurred about a mile from Saturday's crime scene. Prosecutors said there is no information connecting the two shootings. Both shootings remained under investigation. A 16-year-old boy has been charged with murder following the fatal stabbing of Azzam Raguragui in a south Dublin park earlier this month. The 18-year-old, who was due to sit his Leaving Cert this summer, was stabbed during a row at Finsbury Park, Dundrum on May 10. The Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) conducted search operations in Co Louth and Co Dublin this morning. Searches were conducted at a home in Blackrock, Co Louth and at a professional premises in Co Dublin. The Dail Public Accounts Committee acted unlawfully as a whole in its treatment of former Rehab CEO Angela Kerins when she appeared before two hearings of the committee in 2014, the Supreme Court has declared. The declaration by the seven-judge court could have significant implications for the work of Oireachtas committees but the Chief Justice, Mr Justice Frank Clarke, said the Oireachtas itself can put in place an appropriate mechanism in the event of a committee "acting inappropriately". Ms Kerins' case will now return to a three-judge High Court. Any decision on whether or not she is entitled to damages will be made at a later hearing. She will, as a result of the Supreme Court's ruling on Wednesday, get her legal costs to date. Giving the judgment of the entire court, the Chief Justice said the actions of the PAC as a whole were such they condoned the "significant departure" by at least three members of PAC from the terms of its invitation to Ms Kerins to appear before it. The invitation and related correspondence permitted questioning about Ms Kerins salary and the operation by Rehab of three schemes funded by the State, he found. However, contrary to the terms of the invitation, Ms Kerins was questioned at the February 2014 meeting about matters including salaries of other Rehab officials, any commercial relationships between Rehab and Frank Flannery, her predecessor at Rehab, a commercial relationship between Rehab and a company, Complete Eco Solutions Ltd, and the age of her company car. While a number of deputies had concentrated their questions on the operation of schemes funded by the State, as provided for in the invitation, questioning on areas "well outside" the invitation did represent a significant part of that hearing. At the April 2014 meeting, which Ms Kerins did not attend, Rehab officials were questioned about a range of matters outside the scope of the invitation to Ms Kerins and Rehab, including whether they believed she had "dominated" the organisation and damaged its reputation. Comments of the then PAC chairman John McGuinness during the hearings, including that the committee was acting on an agreed course of action, also supported a conclusion the PAC acted broadly in unison on the relevant occasions. While the court could not infer the PAC adopted every action of each member, the absence of any objection or intervention and other materials could properly lead to an inference the PAC as a whole did not object to persistent and significant actions by a number of deputies which went unopposed. While quite a number of the members did seem to concentrate on questioning on issues at least generally within the scope of the invitation to Ms Kerins, at least three, including "significantly" the chairman, engaged in questioning which went significantly outside the scope of the invitation, even if that was taken to include Ms Kerins' salary. On the evidence, the actions of the PAC as a whole were ones where Ms Kerins was invited to attend before it on one basis but where the committee acted on a "significantly different" basis once she attended, it found. It ruled Ms Kerins was entitled to a declaration to that effect against the Dail, rather than the individual members of the PAC. It declared, by conducting a public hearing in a manner which was significantly outside its terms of reference and which also departed significantly from the terms of an invitation by virtue of which a citizen was requested to attend, the Public Accounts Committee of Dail Eireann acted unlawfully. Following the judgment, the court stressed any dispute between the sides about the further progress of the case should be decided by the High Court in the first instance as the Supreme Court decision related to the first module of Ms Kerins' case only. That means any consideration of whether Ms Kerins is entitled to damages will occur later. In her action, initially brought against the members of the PAC and the State, Ms Kerins alleged her treatment at the PAC hearing in February 2014 amounted to a "witch hunt" and resulted in her being too unwell to attend the second hearing. Angela Kerins. File image PAC denied her claims and argued it was entitled to ask questions concerning State funding to Rehab. A three-judge High Court found PAC's treatment of Ms Kerins damaged her personally and professionally but held it could not intervene due to the constitutional immunity conferred on utterances in the Oireachtas. In an interim judgment on her appeal last February, the Supreme Court held there is no absolute barrier to the bringing of proceedings concerning the actions of a committee of the Houses of the Oireachtas. It said there were factors which might entitle Ms Kerins to a declaration that the PAC acted unlawfully as a whole. These were that the PAC acted "significantly" outside its terms of reference, might have acted unfairly by departing significantly from the terms of its invitation to Ms Kerins to appear before it; the conduct of the hearing as a whole, including by the chairman; and the fact there appeared to be no appropriate remedy available to Ms Kerins as the Dail Committee on Procedure and Privileges had declined to intervene. The court directed a further hearing to decide whether the actions of the PAC as a whole amounted to an unlawful and unfair process and whether the Dail, rather than individual members of the PAC, was the appropriate respondent. It heard submissions on those matters last month before giving judgment today. Newspapers are being inhibited from investigating and publishing on issues of public importance due to the Governments failure to reform defamation laws. In the annual report of the Press Council of Ireland and the Office of the Press Ombudsman, Press Council chairman Sean Donlon said the Defamation Act is a major threat to the freedom of the press here. In the absence of a reform of the act, newspapers are inhibited from investigating and publishing matters which the public has a right to know, he said. Because of the exorbitant costs involved they are understandably reluctant to confront legal actions and threats of such actions, sometimes from individuals with deeper pockets than those of the papers themselves. Mr Donlon said that despite the 2009 Act containing a clause it be reviewed after five years, a review was not announced until 2016. The Press Council along with the other stakeholders in the industry made a detailed submission including suggesting an enhanced role for the council. Now, over two years later, the review has not been published Mr Donlon said it is a sobering fact that newspaper circulation in Ireland had halved over the last decade and pointed out that revenue from advertising is also in sharp decline with 11% falls expected this year. Online advertising this year is projected to be at least five times that of the print sector, he said. The shortage of funds has inevitably brought about a decline in investigative journalism, public interest reporting and coverage of the activities of local authorities and other public bodies. The annual report reveals that a total of 464 complaints were received by the Press Ombudsman in 2018, up from 330 in 2017. However, it was noted that one cartoon generated some 160 of the complaints in 2018. A total of 24 complaints were resolved to the satisfaction of the complainants and 30 complaints were decided by the Press Ombudsman. Just 10 complaints were upheld. These relate to articles published by Village, Irish Daily Star, The Wexford People, Extra.ie, The Sunday Times, Independent.ie (2), thesun.ie, and Irish Examiner. Another day of drama is expected in the Ireland South count today, as Sean Kelly became the first MEP elected in the constituency. It took 34 hours of counting before the former president of the GAA was re-elected to Europe, as the 2ft-long ballot featuring 23 candidates significantly delayed progress. Mr Kelly had received 119,444 first-preference votes, but had to wait until the ninth count before being re-elected to the European Parliament. The Kerryman hailed the win as probably the greatest moment in my political career, to be returned top of the poll by so many people. There was further drama last night, as Independents- 4Change candidate Mick Wallace overtook Fianna Fails Billy Kelleher, mopping up a considerable number of transfers throughout the day. Mr Wallace, who performed better than exit polls had suggested, received the lions share of transfers from the majority of early eliminations. After the first count, there were 2,342 votes between Mr Kelleher who was in second position, and Mr Wallace in third, but after eight counts that gap had reduced to 1,070 votes. By the 12th count, the Wexford TD had jumped into second place, with 87,569 votes, while Mr Kelleher was on 87,036. Mr Kelleher said: I was always anticipating that Mick Wallace at some stage would catch me in the initial counts. That was quite obvious from the first count that that would be the case. A lot of the early eliminations would be from the independent type of vote, so from that perspective that was no surprise to me. Its now a case of where the sequencing of the eliminations will take place, who will start to be eliminated early on. From our perspective, we are still hoping there are going to be two seats, but thats going to be very, very challenging. A tense tit-for-tat around ballot transfers is expected between both men, as more candidates are eliminated today. Solidarity PBP candidate Adrienne Wallace is expected to be excluded early today, with Labour party candidate Sheila Nunan expected to go out of the race shortly afterwards. Fine Gaels Andrew Doyle is then expected to be eliminated. Sinn Feins Liadh Ni Riada, Grace OSullivan of the Green Party, Fianna Fails second candidate Malcolm Byrne, and outgoing Fine Gael MEP Deirdre Clune will then battle it out for the final two seats. However, it could be late on Thursday or into the early hours of Friday before all five MEPs are elected in Ireland South. Speaking after he was elected on the ninth count, Mr Kelly said he was ecstatic. Its something that I never expected, he said. I couldnt expect to be that high, especially with three candidates from Fine Gael, and Im most grateful to everybody involved. I want to return to Brussels and really work hard for Ireland over the next five years. Mr Kelly added that he would deliver for voters and make sure Irelands voice is heard in the European parliament. Ill do like I did for the last five years: I will deliver. The European Parliament is about compromise, Im good at that, he said. Asked whether there were MEPs milking the system, he said: There are obviously those who work, there are obviously those who dont. Im thinking particularly of the far right, the extremists, like Nigel Farage and those, they arent renowned for working... but those of us who believe in the European Union, who want the EU to be strong and, above all, for Ireland to play a strong part into the future were going to work our butts off. The Kerry native, who was first elected as an MEP in 2009, topped the poll with 118,444 first-preference votes, but he failed to reach the quota of 119,866. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was among those to tweet their congratulations to Mr Kelly on becoming the first over the line in the 12-county constituency. Independent MEP Luke Ming Flanagan is set to be re-elected this morning but a neck-and-neck race lower down the pecking order last night saw Peter Casey come within a few hundred votes of an upset. The storylines emerged after an increasingly complex bout of transfer roulette left Sinn Feins Matt Carthy, Fine Gaels Maria Walsh, and Mr Caseys futures in the balance. With nine counts completed at the time of going to press and two more expected overnight, four-time Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness was still the only candidate guaranteed to return to Brussels for another five years. Ms McGuinness whose 134,630 votes was the highest first-preference vote in the country, and 15,644 votes more than the 118,986 election quota is set to be followed by Mr Flanagan early today, with Mr Carthy and Ms Walsh likely to take the final seats. This is because by count nine, after 9pm last night, Mr Flanagan was on 91,747 votes, with a flurry of transfers due from Greens candidate Saoirse McHugh, who was on 58,642 votes and is expected to be eliminated on count 12 this morning. It is expected Mr Carthy (82,921 on count nine) and Ms Walsh (74,116) will ultimately take the two other seats over the next 24 hours, meaning the first three seats will be held by returning MEPs. However, the final two candidates are unlikely to reach the 118,986 quota. And with Mr Casey yesterday rising fast on transfers including from Renuas Michael ODowd, Independent Fidelma Healy Eames, and at 1,224, the most from Solidarity-People Before Profits Donegal candidate, Cyril Brennan there was the potential for the presidential runner-up to get back in the race last night. This is because Mr Casey was on 61,616 votes by count nine and was expected to receive significant transfers from Ms Eames (20,410) in count 10. If he was marginally ahead of either Ms Walsh or Fianna Fail TD Brendan Smith (45,235) after count 11 late last night, when Fianna Fail TD Anne Rabbittes (32,714) was due to be eliminated, he would likely benefit from any of Mr Smiths surplus. However, if he has failed to get ahead of either Ms Walsh or Mr Smith, the path will be opened up this morning for both Mr Carthy and Ms Walsh to make it over the line as Mr Smith will be too far back to pose a real threat. In this scenario, the Midlands North West race will ultimately be decided by Ms Eames and Ms Rabbittes transfers. As the ninth count was announced at the time of going to press, the candidates were placed as follows: Mr Flanagan, 91,747; Mr Carthy, 82,921; Ms Walsh, 74,116; Mr Casey, 61,616; Ms McHugh, 58,642; Mr Smith, 45,235 (due to benefit most from Ms Rabbittes 32,714 in count 11). [/factbox] Ms Rabbittes surplus was due to be transferred late last night, before Ms McHughs this morning. Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Mr Casey claimed I am very much in the mix and described himself as transfer friendly. Mr Flanagan separately told the Press Association: Ill definitely get elected. Really the only question here is whether Brendan Smith will get enough votes to get by Peter Casey. Gardai have renewed their appeal for information after five letter bombs were posted from Ireland in March. Three were delivered in London, one was delivered in Glasgow, while the fifth parcel was returned to the Limerick Postal Centre. On March 11, a group calling themselves the New IRA claimed responsibility for the packages. "This extremely dangerous and reckless act endangered the lives of innocent persons and could have caused serious harm to anyone handling these devices," a Garda spokesperson said. Gardai want to eliminate anyone who may have innocently come into contact with the letters bombs and to identify anyone - postal workers or other persons - in Ireland who may remember collecting or seeing the parcels around March 1 from postal delivery locations within Ireland. Anyone who remembers seeing the parcels or who has any information is asked to contact the Garda Siochana Confidential Number 1800 666 111, or the Crimestoppers Number 1800 25 00 25. The London Metropolitan Police have also issued an appeal which said the investigation teams have linked the packages to those sent to various British Army Recruitment Centres in 2014. "Our enquiries continue, but clearly a key element of the investigation now is the link between the devices previously sent in 2014, and the five sent earlier this year," said Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dean Haydon from the UKs Counter-Terrorism Policing. "As with any investigation, we will be led by the evidence, but at this stage, our principal line of enquiry is that the devices were sent by a violent dissident republican group." Gardai fear that there could be more violence after a third murder in seven days in north Dublin. Detectives are investigating if the spate of gangland killings is part of a murderous campaign by a rival gang or is part of an internal feud. The man shot dead yesterday afternoon is an Iranian national who is suspected of being a hitman for a major organised crime gang based in the Finglas area. Hamid Sanambar, aged 41, was gunned down outside the house of Sean Little, who himself was found shot dead in north county Dublin late on Tuesday last week. There were reports yesterday that Littles body was being waked in the house on Kilbarron Avenue, in the Kilmore area of Coolock, but this could not be confirmed. Gardai believe three men wearing balaclavas were involved in the shooting and are appealing for sightings of their getaway car, which was found burned out nearby. Less than 24 hours after Littles murder, on Wednesday last, Jordan Davis was shot dead in Darndale, adjacent to Kilmore. Little and Davis, both aged 22, were friends and drug dealing associates. They, in turn, were friends and associates of Zack Parker, aged 23, who was shot dead in Swords, north Dublin, last January. Commenting on the spate of murders, one senior source said: The temperature has been raised and the fear is its only getting going. A number of garda sources have stressed that no one knows what the motive is behind the attacks and whether or not all, or some, of them, are connected. There are as many theories as you like, said a source. The fact is no one knows. The scene of the shooting on Kilbarron Avenue in Dublin. Pic: Collins. One senior source said that given who the latest target is, a top line of inquiry would be that a rival gang has launched a murderous campaign to take out the Finglas-based outfit. Several motives are cited to support this theory, one being that the Finglas gang have rivals who might feel emboldened now that the connection it had with the Kinahan cartel is now thought to have been severed. The Kinahan cartel has cut them off, so people might be saying we are not afraid of the Finglas mob anymore, they dont have the backing of the Kinahans, said one source. Sources have said there is a perceived vacuum in drug distribution in Dublin given the mass imprisonment of senior members of the cartel, with the exodus abroad of its leaders. Sources have also said the Finglas mob is being targeted because of links to one side of a violent feud in neighbouring Blanchardstown and even suggestions that the mob is linked to one side of an equally vicious feud in Drogheda. There are reports that Little and Davis were setting up people locally to be killed. But gardai have also stressed that the murders could be linked to internal house cleaning or an internal feud in the Finglas gang, and the possibility that there may be separate motives to the murders. Flash Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said the delivery of Russian S-400 systems to Turkey "might be delayed until after June," local media reported on Tuesday. "They may not catch June, but will arrive in following months. The process has started," Akar said late Monday in an interview with private broadcaster HaberTurk. "There are some details about the agreements we have made regarding the procurement of the S-400, within the framework of the contracts. Related institutions and organizations continue to negotiate about them," the minister said when asked about the arrival time of the air defense systems. Turkish defense ministry is working on the possible locations where the S-400 batteries will be deployed, he said. In April, Akar said Turkey was expected to receive Russian S-400 air defense batteries by June. The missile batteries are most likely to be used for the defense of capital Ankara and Istanbul. The United States threatens to suspend the delivery of the F-35 fighter jets and slap sanctions if Turkey insists on the purchase of the S-400s. Gardai are investigating after a man was stabbed in Dublin this afternoon. The incident occurred at around 1.45pm on Thomas Street in the city centre. A man was hospitalised after being stabbed and his condition is currently unknown. He was taken to hospital by ambulance with what gardai describe as "slash-type wounds". The investigation is ongoing. Gardai have launched an investigation into an incident where a potentially blinding laser was used to target crew of the Shannon-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter. The crew was flying to the Aran Islands last night for a training exercise when the dangerous green laser light was aimed at their aircraft. The incident occurred at around 10.18pm while the Sikorsky S92A helicopter was crossing the coast just north of Doolin. The crew reported being hit by a green laser multiple times and asked air traffic controllers to inform gardai of the incident. Such lasers can cause glare and flash blindness however, in this incident, the helicopter was able to continue to the Aran Island to complete the training exercise without the crew being adversely affected. Air traffic controllers notified gardai and a mobile patrol was dispatched to the area. Gardai were only told however that the laser was pointed at the aircraft from the Lisdoonvarna area with no other specific information being available. A garda spokesman confirmed that officers were dispatched to the area but despite a comprehensive search, nothing was discovered. A garda investigation into this incident is continuing. Last month, the Shannon based helicopter was targeted while the crew searched for a person reported to have entered the water in Limerick city. The crew of Rescue 115 was forced to break off from the search mission while it later transpired that the report of a missing person was a hoax. A spokesperson for the Irish Coast Guard said: The Coast Guard is aware of the alleged incident. CHC Ireland, the operators of the Coast Guard helicopter contract, is reviewing the incident in accordance with established company protocols and regulatory reporting requirements. Incidents of this type are of great concern and the Coast Guard very much regrets the lack of understanding and safety risk displayed by such actions. Gardai are renewing their appeal for information on a woman missing from Co. Louth on the first anniversary of her disappearance. There have been no sightings of Giedre Raguckaite since she left a house with two men, in May last year. Lithuanian national Giedre arrived in Ireland in March 2018 and took up residence in Drogheda. The 29-year-old moved to College Heights, Hoey's Lane, Dundalk, at the end of April. She moved out of that accommodation on May 24 and, in the next five days, there were two sightings of her in the Dundalk area. She was last seen being assisted into a house by two men in Laytown, Co Meath, on May 29 of last year at 11pm. It's understood she was very intoxicated and she left that house with these men about three hours later. There has been no sightings or contact with Giedre since that time. Gardai are looking for any information from the public, especially those who observed her in the company of these two men. A well-known broadcaster and daughter has revealed it is proving extremely difficult to get her elderly father home from hospital despite being physically well. Respected radio broadcaster and motivational speaker Teena Gates said her much loved father Terry Martin, 93, and her family are being pressurised to place him in a nursing home despite not wanting to. Mr Martin now needs 24-hour-care following a fall which led to a head injury which in turn accelerated his dementia. The Dublin man turns 94 next Wednesday. I dont want Dad sitting healthy but confused in a ward full of sick people looking forward only to mealtimes and sneak visits to the veranda outside his hospital window by Google his dog, posted Tina on her Facebook page. I am watching his will to live drain from his mind in front of my eyes. Dad is a man who worked and paid taxes for nearly 80 years. He is a man who helped form our country, who helped pay for the education of the ministers sitting in Government today. He is the future facing mums and dads all over Ireland. Id take him home from hospital in the morning - even without (a healthcare package) - but his health team says he needs 24/7 care. Ms Gates explained that he, the family and medics want him to go home but it is just not happening due to a lack of enough adequate care packages provided by the HSE. She also said that staff at the Woodlands Medical Unit at Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown, Dublin have been "wonderful and so caring. Terry Martin 'Minister...Am I wrong in saying that wed save you over 5,000 per week by bringing Dad home?' Heading into week seven in hospital for Dad whos 94 on June 6th. His wounds have healed after his fall and he wants to go home.We want him home. His GP wants him home. The hospital wants him home. His social worker wants him home. The HSE wants him home - and according to the Minister for Health (Simon Harris), he wants him home too. However he needs the HSE support package which the Minister and the HSE website says is available, free, to elderly people in this country to facilitate them to live independently at home. Id take him home from hospital in the morning - even without it - but his health team says he needs 24/7 care after an acquired brain injury accelerated dementia. I can pay privately for some extra care, along with happily caring for him myself. But they dont think thats quite enough to ensure his safety at home so here I am waiting for a care package with no idea when it will materialise. I have felt heavy pressure from the medical profession in the past month to sign Dad into a nursing home. Thats not what he wants. Its not what I want. Its not going to happen. Its been made clear to me that signing Dad out of hospital without a HSE home care package would make me responsible if he hurt himself - and more importantly, would drop him to the bottom of the HSE waiting list. 500 ahead of him on the list Ms Gates revealed that unofficially, she has been informed that there are 500 people ahead of her father, waiting for a home care package and theres no budget available to provide for them. But Dad (will be) 94. We dont have time for 499 people to die or be sent to a nursing home. We want him home now. She added and pointing out to Minister Harris, that the maximum HSE support package is 21hrs a week. The Carer agency I already employ privately charges 25 per hour. Unofficially Ive been told dads hospital bed is costing 6,000 per week. Minister, Im open and happy to be corrected on that. Also, Id be happy if you did the maths above - but am I wrong in saying that wed save you over 5,000 per week by bringing Dad home? So why isnt this package available to Dad? The HSE website says it is, Minister, you say it is. But the seven-week wait says it isnt. Who is telling lies? Minister, please #BringHimHome." Teena Gates More than 1,000 members of the public have reacted to her post with one saying, The home care packages are there, the carers on the frontline are not. The reason being is simple, the carers are not paid enough, the ministers can say its all there but talk is cheap. As someone facing this reality daily, I really and truly hope your poor dad gets home asap. At 94 he deserves it. You have articulated the situation so beautifully, and I really hope you can highlight the issues of the carers for everyone waiting in hospitals across the county to get home. Another added: Disgusting treatment of our older people they pulled this country up by its knees and it's the politicians taking the cream and leaving people at all ages on long waiting lists. I hope to God you get your Dad home he deserves that. Update 12.49pm: The Housing Minister says websites should not be allowed to advertise sub-standard accommodation. He provided an update on short-term letting regulations to an Oireachtas Housing Committee this morning. Eoghan Murphy feels publishers need to take responsibility for the properties they are advertising online. He says the Government is considering legislation on the issue. Minister Murphy says websites should not be allowed to advertise sub-standard accommodation, and that all participants in the market must act responsibly. "There should be an obligation on a publisher of a website to ensure that they are not allowing the advertisment of illegal practises, so I'm talking about substandard accommodation and everything else," he said. "I would like to move to a point where we are regulating the platforms as well." He says it's a cross departmental issue that is currently being worked on: "We have had discussions between my department and Minister Ross's department about that next stage that needs to happen, regulation of the platforms," he added. "It cuts across as well to the regulation of other platforms that advertise letting properties." Meanwhile, this morning's committee meeting went ahead without its chairperson Maria Bailey. She is set to meet the Taoiseach today following her abandoned legal action after she fell off a swing at a Dublin hotel. Earlier: Housing Committee to hear from Eoghan Murphy today; Maria Bailey won't chair meeting Update 7.57am: TD Maria Bailey will not be chairing today's Oireachtas Housing Committee. Vice-chair Pat Casey will oversee the meeting pending Deputy Bailey's upcoming meeting with the Taoiseach. It follows the TD's now withdrawn legal case against a Dublin hotel where she fell off a swing and subsequent radio interview that was sharply criticised by party colleagues. Today's committee meeting will hear from Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy. Committee member Eoin O'Broin says Deputy Bailey has a lot of explaining to do before she can take up her position as chair of the Oireachtas housing Committee. He says people are still looking for answers from her. "I found it very, very difficult to believe or accept the version of events that Maria Bailey put on the record. "I'm not going to make a judgement until I hear the outcome of the meeting with Leo Varadkar but I do think that she has an awful lot of explaining to do if she's to come back and resume business as normal." Mr O'Broin outlined what will be discussed at today's meeting. "The first is the quarterly review of Rebuilding Ireland," he said. "We've seen over the course of the year homelessness rising, the cost of buying or renting a home rising and the output of social or affordable housing either non-existent or glacially slow so obviously we'll be challenging the minister on all of those issues today. "We'll also be dealing with the new regulations for the short-term letting sector, something that urgently needs to be implemented." A dogfight to the last is expected in Ireland South with three seats yet to be filled. A fifth day of counting will be required to determine the final order, with Deirdre Clune, Liadh Ni Riada and Grace OSullivan all battling to secure the seats. The candidate who ends up taking the fifth seat will face a further wait before assuming their role as it is the so-called cold storage seat, which will only become available when Britain leaves the European Union. While Sinn Fein members at the count centre in Nemo Rangers GAA Club were remaining tight-lipped about their next steps, the Green Party say they are in fighting mode as the last seat looks like it could come down to just a few hundred votes. To be left battling for the final seat is a disappointment for Green Party candidate Grace OSullivan who, just hours before the election of Billy Kelleher, had been talking about miracle transfers and her target of getting the fourth seat. She later conceded that she faces an uphill battle and said the party will do everything to secure the seat. Ms O'Sullivan said: The gap is so small that its now significant. Now I am in trouble, I am in serious trouble, I am not looking at a seat at all There was such a bounce there, but now there is a lot of angst and tension in our corner and a lot of relief elsewhere. I feel in fighting form, this will be a fight to the end for the fifth seat. I will have to wait and see the numbers and if the margin of error is small, we are going to have to talk about a recount. Ms OSullivan said she will only seek a recount if it is worthwhile and reasonable. The Sinn Fein camp, meanwhile, were keeping tight-lipped about their chances of securing the seat. Earlier in the day, the transfers of Andrew Doyle and Shiela Nunan had blown the race wide open, with Malcolm Byrnes eventual elimination proving significant. The Wexford councillor said he was proud of the campaign his team ran. It was always going to be tough when you are up against a couple of big names in politics, Mr Byrne said. I am not disappointed, I had a great campaign team around me and we knew it was always going to be difficult when you are trying to compete with strong names, but we ran a positive pro-European-themed campaign, he said. Mr Byrne, who was re-elected to Wexford Council in the local elections, said he would continue to campaign on issues. We are moving fairly soon towards a general election, there are European issues that we fought on, but there are also a lot of domestic issues that will continue to surface and I will continue to campaign on, said Mr Byrne. Labours Sheila Nunan, meanwhile, said she was proud of the grassroots campaign she undertook. She paid tribute to her supporters and urged the newly-elected MEPs not to take their responsibilities lightly. I entered this race to fight for a social Europe, a more accountable Europe and a Europe that will endure well into the future, she said. The countrys highest-ranking judge has said the courts must be a backstop for resolving civil disputes when all other options have been exhausted. Chief Justice Frank Clarke said mediation and other diversion programmes should be attempted first. The courts must always be the backstop, he said. If people have rights, they are entitled under the Constitution and under international rights instruments to go to court and have those rights vindicated, but that doesnt mean that that has to be the only route by which problems can be resolved. A range of areas such as mediation potentially have the capability of diverting people away from unnecessarily having to go to court and often, in some areas at least, provide better solutions. Mr Justice Clarke was speaking at the publication of the annual report of the Press Council and Press Ombudsman which investigate complaints by members of the public against print and online newspapers and numerous magazines. I see the Press Council and the Press Ombudsman playing an important role in diverting unnecessary court litigation, he said. I think its a win-win. We all know the cost of litigation. The Press Ombudsman received 464 complaints last year but 160 of them related to one issue so the number of separate issues was around 300. Most were resolved at an early stage by assisting the complainants to approach the publication involved, seven went through a formal conciliation process and 30 were decided by the Press Ombudsman. Some were appealed to the Press Council. But the availability of the complaints mechanisms has not stopped a rise in the number of defamation cases going to court. In 2017 there were 287 defamation cases on hand. Press Council chairman Sean Donlon expressed frustration at the delays in reforming the defamation laws which, by international standards, set a very high bar for publications trying to defend themselves. We have been waiting five or six years for reform of the Defamation Act which within it has a clause requiring its review in 2015, he said. Nothing has happened and meanwhile there are huge problems in relation to defamation. Mr Justice Clarke said defamation cases could possibly benefit from the kind of pre-trial consultations that were in use in commercial cases and which helped to narrow down the contentious issues, reducing the length of trials and costs. He said a review of civil procedures currently being completed by Judge Peter Kelly was examining ways of making the courts work more efficiently and that included greater use of pre-trial procedures. Press Ombudsman Peter Feeney said declining circulation and loss of advertising revenue to social media outlets were affecting the ability of newspapers to do their job. We have seen examples in the last year where it was quite evident to us that the journalist assigned to the subject matter didnt have enough time or resources to go out and check what they were writing about, he said. The way in which some social media organisations take their material from newspapers without paying anything and then compound it by taking the advertising revenue is a huge threat to newspapers. In his chairman's note Sean Donlon went on to say newspapers face significant challenges including a drop in advertising revenue, a sharp decline in circulation and the operation of the Defamation Act 2009. Mr Donlon also said newspaper circulation in Ireland had halved in the last decade and this disruption had brought about a decline in investigative journalism, public interest reporting and coverage of the activities of local authorities and other public bodies. You can read the full annual report of the Press Council and Press Ombudsman here. - Additional reporting by Digital Desk Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe says it is likely that the Taoiseach will raise the issue of Ireland being on a watch list drawn up by the United States Treasury when he meets with President Trump next week. Being on the watch list is a cause for concern, he acknowledged, but the figures will be explored and Ireland will continue to engage with the US administration. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 29) The infamous coffee cup spotted on "Game of Thrones" was not from Starbucks, said the director who made a documentary about the show's final season. "I was sort of laughing a bit because everyone said it was Starbucks and I knew that it was a catering cup," British filmmaker Jeanie Finlay tells CNN Philippines in a phone interview. "I have to look into the footage and see if we captured it." Hawk-eyed viewers earlier spotted an out-of-place coffee cup on the table of Daenerys Targaryen in the fourth episode of the show. The producers acknowledged the error, but said in a tweet it was not a coffee cup but an herbal tea. HBO later removed the anachronism digitally on the episode's version on streaming platform HBO Go. READ: Someone left a coffee cup in a 'Game of Thrones' shot But Finlay defended the cast and crew for the slip-up, saying they worked for long hours producing the show. "You need your cup of coffee; you need to be sustained. It's kind of a miracle that on a scale of a show that big, that there were more coffee cups," Finlay explained. Finlay produced and directed the documentary "Game of Thrones: The Last Watch," which chronicles the year-long production of the eighth and final season of HBO's most watched television show. Although the almost two-hour documentary does not offer any closure to the most burning questions from fans, it gives an intimate look at the massive effort behind creating the show. Some people who never watched "Game of Thrones" told Finlay they are now interested in watching the series after they have seen her documentary. Message to Filipino fans The documentary maker also invited Filipino fans to visit Belfast, Northern Ireland one of the show's major shooting locations so they can experience the real "Game of Thrones" landscape. "I would hope that they would find a connection with the show that was made so far away, yet it's dealing with human stories, both in Game of Thrones and The Last Watch," Finlay said. "Both things are about emotional journeys of people, and in a way these themes are universal - things we hope Filipinos could connect." Fans may still catch "Game of Thrones: The Last Watch" on HBO and HBO Go. Flash The Azerbaijan National Day reception and the 100th anniversary of Azerbaijani Diplomatic Service were held by the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Beijing on Tuesday. Government officials and military officers from countries including Nepal, Brazil and Mexico attended the event. The event began with the national anthems of Azerbaijan and China. The deputy foreign minister of Azerbaijan, Ramiz Ayvaz oglu Hasanov, delivered a welcome speech. He said that one of the great achievements made in the Versailles Peace Conference was the proclamation of Azerbaijan's independence. Azerbaijan then established its foreign policy office under such a complex environment in 1919. He noted that Azerbaijan has always attached special importance to its relations with China. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in China in April. A Chinese delegation led by State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Azerbaijan last week. The Azerbaijan deputy foreign minister said he believes the bilateral relations will be enhanced through these visits and cooperation efforts. Zhang Hanhui, deputy foreign minister of China, gave his congratulations to the achievements made in Azerbaijan. "As a good friend and good partner of Azerbaijan, China rejoices at Azerbaijan's achievements," he said. "China-Azerbaijan relations have maintained sound growth momentum since the establishment of diplomatic ties 27 years ago," Zhang said. He then recounted recent communication between leaders of the two countries and said that "[the] two countries will have even closer relations, stronger mutual political trust and new impetus to practical cooperation." Azerbaijani performers presented singing and dancing to celebrate the event. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has told a private meeting of Fine Gael TDs that an internal review to establish the facts in the Maria Bailey saga will take two weeks. He also gave, what several sources said, was an indication that by-elections to fill seats vacated by new MEPs will not happen and a General Election is more likely this year. He told the room at the next election that all our faces will be on the ballot paper which we all took as by-elections will not happen, one source said. At the meeting, Mr Varadkar told TDs and Senators that the review will be short and snappy and will be completed by Senior Counsel David Kennedy within two weeks. He spoke for just over a minute on the Bailey issue but warned his colleagues to remember Ms Bailey is a person with a family when briefing on the matter, in public and in private. Fine Gael statement re Maria Bailey.. an internal review to be conducted but no mention of sanction as of now #iestaff pic.twitter.com/k07rU8HzaX Daniel McConnell (@McConnellDaniel) May 29, 2019 Despite calls for her to be sacked as chair of the Oireachtas Housing Committee, Ms Bailey has so far escaped sanction. Mr Varadkar met face-to-face with Ms Bailey on Wednesday to discuss the damage done to the party over her personal injuries case taken against the Dean Hotel after she fell from a swing in 2015. She has agreed to cooperate and participate fully in the review. Ms Bailey caused fury among her own by her decision to wait until polls closed in the local and European elections to drop the case and by her disastrous interview on RTE Radio on Monday. In a statement, Fine Gael confirmed she met the Taoiseach. In relation to a civil case which Deputy Bailey is withdrawing from the courts, Fine Gael is undertaking an internal review to establish all facts. The review will be undertaken by David Kennedy, Senior Counsel. Deputy Maria Bailey has agreed to participate fully with this review, the statement said. Culture Minister Josepha Madigan must clarify if she personally gave to Ms Bailey, Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald has said. Josepha Madigan and Maria Bailey pictured in 2016 at Leinster House on Kildare Street, Dublin. Photo: Gareth Chaney Collins Meanwhile, Independent Alliance Minister John Halligan has hit out at his Fine Gael colleagues for the rough treatment of Ms Bailey. He said that while she handled the situation badly, the treatment of some of her colleagues has been over the top. She made a mistake but the time has come to leave her alone. I think I am the only minister talking in support of her. The time for vilifying her is over, he told the Irish Examiner. At the Fine Gael meeting last night, Mr Varadkar gave his summation of the local and European elections, highlighting the increase in seats at local level and having the most MEPs. But it was his comment about the next General Election which raised eyebrows. Mr Varadkar in Brussels on Tuesday said he would not be the cause of an early election but said he could not rule it out. Gardai investigating the fatal stabbing of Azzam Raguragui at Finsbury Park, Dundrum on May 10 have charged a teenage boy. He is scheduled to appear before the Juvenile District Court, Smithfield, Dublin 7 this afternoon charged in connection with the stabbing. A study has found 100% of Irish whiplash patients attending a spine specialist pursued lawsuits but the visits almost always stopped once the legal action was settled. The researchers examined all the whiplash cases attending a specialist spine surgeon in Ireland over a 15-year period. The NUI Galway study found the visits to the specialist stopped in almost all cases when the legal action was completed. Of note, despite the reported severity of whiplash symptoms, only a small proportion of patients returned for a further consultation once their litigation settled, the authors said. Patients were reviewed in the clinic twice on average during the litigation process with medico-legal reports requested on each occasion only 3% of patients were seen in the clinic after receiving the last solicitors letter. This suggests either that their symptoms may be related to the legal process and resolve once complete or that they see no further benefit in presenting to a specialist spine practice, given that the majority were managed conservatively, the study said. The researchers from the School of Medicine, National University of Ireland Galway, and Galway University Hospital added that the patients may have continued to attend primary care including physiotherapy or pain specialists for their ongoing pain concerns. The study concluded that whiplash defined as soft tissue injuries to the cervical spine after a road traffic accident poses a significant societal economic burden in Ireland. The soft tissue injury has associated symptoms which can include neck pain and stiffness, headaches, interscapular pain, upper limb pain, paraesthesia, and weakness. The paper, which has just been published in the Irish Journal of Medical Science, examined the private medical records of 301 patients who had attended a specialist spine surgeon from 1996 to 2011 with potential soft tissue injuries following a road traffic accident. All were ultimately involved in litigation, said the study. Nearly six out of 10 58% had associated back pain, 93% reported chronic neck pain; only four received surgical intervention. The remainder were managed conservatively with physiotherapy, simple analgesics as required such as Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and heat and cold packs. The study headed by Eva McCabe found data on seatbelt use for 207 patients 88% reported using a seatbelt at the time of the accident while 12% did not. Eighteen patients stated that they quit their jobs as a result of the accident and six said they changed roles. The study found an an inextricable link between whiplash-associated disorders and litigation. Data from the Personal Injuries Assessment Board reveals that minor whiplash injuries in recent years were awarded up to 15,700, while severe and permanent whiplash injuries resulting in significant disability amounted to 44,600-77,900. Cork woman Ciara Ambrose travels all over the world in her role with Oasis Class vessels. With 9,000 people onboard, her job is pretty busy, she tells Ailin Quinlan. There are plenty of people wholl tell you they love their job but how many of them regularly go on holiday with their employer? Cork woman Ciara Ambrose does both. Its immediately clear on chatting to the manager of hotel operations onboard Royal Caribbean Internationals Oasis Class vessels described as the largest and most innovative cruise ships on the globe that this is one woman who absolutely loves what she does. I genuinely think Ive got the best job in the world! I get to work on a cruise ship, enthuses Ciara, who has been with the organisation for some 15 years. She currently works aboard the state-of-the-art Symphony of the Seas, the worlds largest cruise ship. As part of her job, the Ballinhassig native has been everywhere in the world that cruise ships go. Her multi-award-winning employer brings passengers to more than 260 destinations in 72 countries on six continents, sailing 26 ships to destinations in Bermuda and the Caribbean, Europe, Canada, New England, Alaska, South America, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. So yes, although travel is a major benefit of the work she loves, Ciara also holidays with her employer. The 38-year-old says: When I take a holiday I go on a cruise with one of the Royal Caribbean cruise ships And, in fact, Ciaras connection to Royal Caribbean is about to get even stronger in August, in a ceremony to take place in Las Vegas, she marries fiance Alex Radic, a bar manager with Royal Caribbean. One of the reasons her job is so enjoyable, she says, is because every day brings something different, something which is not surprising given the fact that, in conjunction with the hotel director, Ciara oversees a massive onboard, round-the-clock operation dedicated to looking after a staggering 6,880 guests. The hotel operations teams responsibilities also encompass the wellbeing of thousands of dedicated crew members while overseeing everything from guest services and housekeeping to food and beverage experiences, spa and retail offerings, and shore excursions. Ciaras department, in fact, is the largest onboard, with some 2,220 crew members. Ciara stepped aboard her first cruise ship in 2004 after earning a diploma in business studies for hotel and catering management at CorkInstitute of Technology and seven years learning every aspect of the hotel industry. After about seven years I had got to the stage where I had worked my way through all aspects of hotel management, including the front desk, recalls Ciara, who had worked in hotels since the age of 16. By age 23, she wanted more. SY, Symphony of the Seas. I wanted to travel and I wanted a bit of sunshine! Her initial job with the cruise line was, she recalls, a relatively lowly one. My first job was as a cadet purser, which was a front-desk trainee position. It was essentially the lowest-ranking post on the front desk. All the same, the qualifications required for the job were high and, Ciara says she wouldnt have landed it without her extensive experience of hotel work, her ability to speak French, and her college qualification. Her career path quickly moved upwards as Ciara took on leadership roles as front desk manager, and, just prior to her current position, as marketing and revenue manager. The Cork woman has also been involved in the launch of Royal Caribbeans groundbreaking Quantum and Oasis Class ships, the most recent being Symphony of the Seas, the worlds largest cruise ship. Royal Caribbean was named best ocean cruise company across the island at the Irish Travel Trade Awards in 2018, best cruise company at the Irish Travel Media Awards 2018, and Irelands favourite cruise line at the Irish Independent Reader Travel Awards in 2018 and again in 2019. There are four Oasis Class vessels, and two more on order. With the last two, I was involved in the start-up process, bringing the shop into operation, says Ciara. Her day usually starts about 5am, two hours before the ship arrives at its next destination. I have my first meeting of the day at 6am with the gangway-operating team. We discuss everything from the taxi fare to the local beach to towel distribution, she explains, adding that on any one day, up to 4,500 people, and sometimes more, will leave the ship to enjoy scheduled land-based activities. The facilities are so good that many guests often choose to stay onboard enjoying the facilities. Its a busy job, and with some 9,000 or so people on the ship between crew and guests, a challenging one. Its the hospitality industry and were on call all the time, she says. And yes, things do sometimes happen, she acknowledges, but the vessel has response teams to deal with every aspect of emergency. I love the changing nature of the work. Ive been very lucky, very fortunate to be able to go into an industry that has developed so much and to grow with it, declares Ciara. The Independence of the Seas cruise liner docks in Cobh, Co Cork, today. Over the last four weeks, I had the privilege of hosting three members of the Badjao tribe from the Philippines in my house. I have worked closely with them over the last 10 years as part of a charity programme I organise for Catholic University School. It has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my teaching life, I have always held the belief that to enjoy work you must find meaning in the work you do. For me, this project filled that philosophy more than I could have ever imagined all those years ago when I first set out on this mission with a small number of students and a wonderful parent. This was the first time we have brought them to Ireland on a cultural exchange. As always, I feel slightly guilty leaving them in the knowledge that I have learned far more from being in their company than I could have ever taught them. The Badjao are a small ethnic group that live above the shoreline in Davao. They are an incredibly loving people who open their heart to every aspect of life, the authenticity with which they live brings into focus the guard we have up in order to navigate western living successfully. There is no doubt about it; being in their presence is a spiritual experience. Living with them for four weeks, (pictured right are Danilo Junari, Judy Araman, Jackilyn Araman at the Healy Pass), gave me a good insight into how they relate to one another. They never waste anything, and never ask for things they do not need. Their relationship with food is one of the most striking features of their culture. They share every piece of food with each other and are always thinking about the next meal. Its funny I find myself often thinking about my grandmother when Im chatting with them. They remind me of her so much, her kindness and self-deprecating humour is very similar to the Badjao. When someone you love dies, you can really feel like you lose a piece of you that was unique to that relationship. But, that person is still with you she is certainly with me and I see her in the Badjao and they help me to be close to her. Im always interested in how they view us. After a week of living with me and following me to work and seeing how I live, I asked them: Well, what do you think of the way I live my life?. Their response wasnt too surprising: Oh, so fast, too fast, not good. Its hard to disagree with them. The Badjao have a special relationship with the sea. Their name translates as sea gypsy. Their fathers dive for pearls while their daughters sell the pearls to tourists. But they spend the majority of the day together, preparing the food and sharing stories. That is sharply incongruent to how we spend our days. The mechanisation of our work has separated us from each other. There is something incredibly distant and detached about how we are reshaping the dynamic of our world. Working in the mental health profession, I cant help but think that we are removing ourselves from each other. And we are mammals, and mammals dont do separation well. Its hard not to wonder, in all this progress, are we creating a situation where we are isolated because we dont have time to be together? There does seem to be a deepening disenchantment with the modern world. As a systemic family psychotherapist, I wonder does this disenchantment emanate from the fact the family is under threat from this western desire for individualism? Of course, individual freedom is an important pursuit, but excessive individualism, where we only consider ourselves, seems to be a feature of modern living. When I watch the Badjao, I see them working for each other, and in this I see their beautiful individuality. Maybe thats a paradoxical statement, but I wonder can we truly be ourselves without an overarching set of shared moral values? Without that sense of togetherness? I think thats why my grandmother comes to mind when I watch them sharing their food or working for each other because she so often spoke about the nature of communal living in Whitechurch at the turn of the 20th century. Where the Trashing was the expression of the shared complicity of survival. And so, my time with the Badjao has come to end for another year. They always leave me with a new sense of self, a new sense of joy and appreciation for the family I have. Of course, I couldnt do any of this work without my wife who supports it all. The highlight of this trip was watching my children interact with the Badjao. Every morning I woke to the sound of rice being prepared and my children screaming as the Badjao showed them their traditional dance. A magic time, a truly dignified and wonderful people, I feel so privileged to have been a part of it and know it will stay with me long into the future. When you find meaning in your work, you find enlightenment and joy. Richard Hogan is clinical director of therapyinstitute.ie, a school teacher, systemic family psychotherapist, and father of three. If you have a question, contact info@richardhogan.ie Sarah Outen has rowed oceans and survived typhoons, but the Lismore bound adventurer and travel writer tells Ellie OByrne that the toughest journey can sometimes be coming home. Explorer Sarah Outen has rowed the Indian Ocean solo, traversed countries by bike in temperatures ranging from 40 degrees to minus 40 degrees, and made it out of a terrifying typhoon in the Pacific alive, but her biggest voyage of discovery has been her inner journey. These days, the 34-year-old lives happily with her wife, Lucy Allen, and their pets in Oxfordshire. Outen is studying to be a child psychotherapist, working as a freelance tree-climbing instructor and motivational speaker, and preparing to release Home, the documentary film of her dramatic London 2 London: via the world journey by bike, kayak and rowing boat, which she completed in 2015. Before that voyage of over 32,000km, Outen had become both the first woman and youngest person to row solo across the Indian Ocean, a journey of 125 days. For most people, that much time alone would be tough, but Outen is quick to point out that theres a big difference between alone and lonely. Maybe the difference was that I had chosen solitude, she says. Before setting out on the Indian Ocean, Id spent time alone, but never weeks or months. "I felt like it came naturally to me, though, and I found beauty in that solitude. I found that you are confronted with yourself, which can be frustrating and painful at times, but you get to find out what you feel, without the filter of anyone else; you get to be uninhibited. Ive always loved being in nature, and to get that deep relationship with my surroundings for an extended period was sublime: it was quite a spiritual experience at times. It would be hard not to be touched by it. BOARDING SCHOOL As a child, Outen went to boarding school at eight. Her father, an officer in the Royal Air Force, suffered from crippling rheumatoid arthritis that eventually left him wheelchair-bound; Outen says both her love of nature and her desire to seize a hold of life and live it to the fullest come from the experiences of her early life. From a very early age I was conscious that there were days Daddy couldnt do things because hed be in splints; hed be all laid out flat because he was so sore. In my teens, that grew into an awareness of how difficult it was for him and then, Oh crikey, what if that happens to me one day?. There was a sense of the finiteness and preciousness of health, so I had a real drive to fill my days and hours with doing as much as I could. It was her fathers sudden death when she was 21 that precipitated Outen into her record-breaking Indian Ocean quest, setting out from Fremantle in Australia and rowing to Mauritius in 2009. Having taken up rowing in college, Outen became hooked on human-powered travel. You travel quietly and slowly when youre human-powered, she says. Youre not bundled up in a metal box travelling so fast that you dont see anything; you get a chance to really deeply experience whats going on around you: the elements, the wildlife. Theres something really visceral about that. I'm really looking forwards to speaking at @lismoreimmrama next month in Lismore, Co. Waterford, Ireland next month. Tickets below .... https://t.co/IpWjRwIoFI Sarah Outen (@SarahOuten) May 22, 2019 Outens London to London voyage, originally meant to take two and a half years, took four years to complete, due in part to the storm that she still finds hard to talk about to this day; in 2012, she was 900km off the Japanese coast when Typhoon Mawar hit. Believing she could weather the storm, she endured days of 30ft waves and over 20 capsizes before she was rescued from her damaged boat by the Japanese coastguard. The experience left her with PTSD; asked to describe the storm, she pauses. Heres me with my new boundaries: I still get triggered by it so I keep it at arms length when I can. If its ok, Id rather not talk about it? You can read about it in the book. Although her London to London journey also came with emotional highs she proposed to her wife via satellite while at sea in 2013 she suffered a break-down and severe struggles to control her anxiety in the aftermath of her triumphant return in 2015. The history books are full of gung-ho explorers, seemingly invincible heroes who have undertaken journeys like Outens. But she says admitting to vulnerabilities has ultimately made her stronger, and being open about her mental health issues is, she feels, destigmatising for others. The biggest difficulty was initially being able to declare that I wasnt coping, she says. The attitude I was brought up with was, you just get on with it. I felt if Id grown up with more of an awareness of looking after yourself, maybe I would have been able to deal with those issues differently and not come to such explosive crescendos with it. Hearing about the experiences of other people proved really powerful for me so I felt being open about the down parts was really important. If that can be helpful to one other person, thats good. GENDER NON-ISSUES Although she does call out the machismo exhibited by some of her male adventurer counterparts I call it willy-waving, she says with a chuckle shes not keen on gender generalisations and doesnt connect her willingness to admit vulnerability to being a female explorer. Even in love, she says, its never been about gender; in her college years at Oxford, she had a long-term boyfriend. Her wife was her first girlfriend. It wasnt like coming out for me, it was more like, oh, Ive fallen in love with a woman. I met Lucy and we fell in love very quickly. I suppose it was a realisation that its not about gender for me, its about two human souls that connect. Outen has written two books chronicling her adventures, A Dip in the Ocean, covering her Indian Ocean voyage, and Dare to Do, the tale of her London to London circumnavigation. Despite her love of writing, Outen says both books were the product of a really difficult, pressured process. For my first book, we found a publisher who wanted a manuscript in eight weeks, so I was writing late at night, in hotel rooms and on trains. Coming back from my London to London journey, I had six months to write my second book. But that whole coming home process, with such extremes of survival situations and emotional trauma, I ended up having a breakdown towards the end of the six months, which was horrible, and a really difficult time to be writing. I felt I didnt have the time to honour that process and the story as much as Id like to. My aim one day is to write a book where I do have time, and my next book will be for children. Sarah Outen will give a keynote address at the Immrama Festival of Travel Writing on Saturday, June the 15th at 8pm in Lismore, Co Waterford. www.lismore-immrama.com Ireland U21 manager Stephen Kenny has defended his decision to call-up League of Ireland players despite Shamrock Rovers boss Stephen Bradleys desire for them to be excluded. A raft of domestic matches over the next fortnight have been postponed due to the inclusion of players in Kennys squad for the Toulon Tournament. Ireland will play at least four matches in France, starting with Mondays opener against China. Not all managers are embracing the elevation of home-based talent. Although UCD manager Collie ONeill was pleased that two of his starlets received international recognition, Bradley was fuming at Fridays game against Waterford being pulled. Hes furious that the fixture pile-up could interfere with their title challenge and European campaign starting in July. Hitting back at Bradleys claim that only UK-players should have gone to France, Kenny was not for moving. I couldnt agree with saying players from our league shouldnt be picked for a prestigious tournament with a worldwide TV audience, said the former Dundalk manager. I just dont see any negative in players getting a massive opportunity to play against good international teams. It will be an amazing experience to face nations like China and Mexico preparing to play in next years Olympics. I managed in the League of Ireland when we couldnt get a game live on television. Self-esteem was non-existent. That has improved through runs in European competition and our players are in Ireland squads. Every big club in the UK will have a scout watching our players at these matches in France. Keith Andrews, the former Ireland international now on Kennys staff, is on the same wavelength.He said: You cant have it both ways. League of Ireland players didnt get near the under-21 squad in recent years and now theyre getting call-ups.Players are selected on merit and I know they see it as a privilege. It shows the good work going on at League of Ireland level. Neil Farrugias grade two hamstring strain has ruled out the UCD winger, opening the door for Reading attacker Josh Barrett to make the trip. Weve chosen four wingers and three centre-forwards, said Kenny. We have three games in six days and we need energy in the wide positions. Ireland follow up their opener against the Chinese by meeting Mexico on Thursday week and completing the pool against Bahrain three days later. Before that, they face Mick McCarthys squad in a behind-closed-doors friendly tomorrow. Trump has exposed rifts within Americas alliances when it comes to the North Korean nuclear issue. By contrast, Kim Jong-un is building ties with China and Russia, writes Kent Harrington. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe prioritised pomp over policy while hosting US President Donald Trump this week. The one exception was the issue of North Korea, which recently conducted more short-range missile tests off its east coast. Abe is clearly anxious about keeping Japan and the United States on the same page now that Trumps denuclearisation talks with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un have faltered. But at a joint press conference on Monday, Trump dismissed concerns about the latest tests breaking not just with Abe, but also with his own advisers. Abe has every reason to worry that Kim is gaining an important diplomatic edge. To be sure, as the North Korean economy struggles and food shortages loom, Kims bromance with Trump has failed to secure an easing of economic sanctions. But he has now reshuffled his negotiating team and tried to strike a statesmanlike pose, offering to hold yet another summit with Trump if the terms are right. At the same time, Kim has been shoring up his position for further negotiations, not least by reaching out to China and Russia. Such overtures by the North Korean regime certainly are not unprecedented, but they are unusual. As the scion of a dynasty that has jealously guarded the Norths independence for 70 years, Kim, like his grandfather, Kim Il-sung, the states founder, regards national self-reliance as sacrosanct. Though China and Russia are the Kim regimes traditional allies, Kims grandfather and father, Kim Jong-il, always kept their distance from the two powers, often playing one off against the other. By contrast, Kim is teaming up with both to tilt the geostrategic field in his favour. China, Russia, and North Korea most likely are not sharing a script, but they do appear to have settled on a division of labour, and are operating accordingly. Kim is doing his job on the Korean Peninsula, exploiting South Korean President Moon Jae-ins eagerness for rapprochement in order to drive a wedge between South Korea and the US. He is even entertaining the possibility of talks with Abe, who is desperate not to be excluded from the high-level exchanges. China, meanwhile, is playing its traditional role as the Norths most influential partner. Ignoring US demands that Kim must abandon his nuclear programme before sanctions can be eased, China has suggested that sanctions relief could be used as a confidence-building measure on the way to a political resolution. For its part, Russia, which participated in failed negotiations to end North Koreas nuclear programme more than a decade ago, has now taken the field on Kims behalf. Last month, Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin met for the first time. Rejecting the idea that US and South Korean security guarantees could ever suffice to persuade Kim to follow through with denuclearisation, Putin called for renewed talks with Russia and China at the table. This Sino-Russian-North Korean collaboration will most likely continue. Kim has already made a habit of calling Chinese President Xi Jinping before and after his summits with Trump, and his regime will probably be in more frequent contact with the Kremlin, too. This does not bode well for US objectives on the Korean Peninsula. Though Russia and China will pay lip service to the need for denuclearisation, neither country has ever seriously tried to impede the Kim regimes weapons programme. The willingness of China and Russia to tolerate a nuclear-armed North Korea reflects a strategic calculation. Even if they are often unhappy with Kims behaviour, their top priority is to shore up his regime. Were it to collapse, the likely outcome would be a reunited Korea under the government in Seoul; China and Russia would suddenly have a US ally and potentially even US forces on their borders. Given the stakes, neither country is likely to curb its sanctions-busting oil shipments or, in Chinas case, rising cross-border trade. Moreover, China and Russia have plenty to gain from playing a more active role in the Korean nuclear issue. The Kim regime wants US military forces removed not just from the Korean Peninsula, but from the entire Western Pacific theatre. That would suit China and Russia just fine. In the meantime, the added attention on US forces in Asia provides useful political fodder at home, especially now that Trump has withdrawn the US from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Russia. Both Russia and China are concerned about the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) anti-missile system that is now operational in South Korea. But Sino-Russian co-operation isnt just about the Korean Peninsula. As Western sanctions in response to Russias 2014 annexation of Crimea have begun to bite, China has become an increasingly important market and source of investment for Russia. And now that China is supplanting Americas role in Asia, Russia has all the more reason to improve its relations with the new power. At the same time, it is deepening its economic ties across the region, with plans to triple bilateral trade with Vietnam by 2020. For China, Russia offers not just energy and raw materials, but, more importantly, a potential military partnership. Russia can provide defence technologies and the benefits of joint training; and if a conflict arises, it could be Chinas main ally in Asia. Given Trumps history of threatening, on Twitter, to launch a nuclear war against North Korea, it would be very surprising if Russian and Chinese military strategies did not already feature contingency plans for the Korean Peninsula. Whether Kims approach will pay off at the negotiating table remains to be seen. Despite striking out at the nuclear summits in Singapore and Hanoi, Trump continues to boast that has he already knocked the ball over the fence. Meanwhile, Kim is fielding a team that can chalk up consistent points for him over the long term. Kent Harrington, a former senior CIA analyst, served as National Intelligence Officer for East Asia, Chief of Station in Asia, and the CIAs Director of Public Affairs. Addressing a seminar in Saint Patricks College, Maynooth, to mark World Communications Day, Emma Tobin asks those who think the online world is a force for evil to think again and assess the opportunities it has brought to the world. At its heart faith is about action, and love, and neighbourliness, and getting young people involved in programmes where they can see the positivity they are bringing into the world is so important, and social media is the way to get people involved. Emma Tobin When I started secondary school, if you didnt have Facebook, you may as well not have existed. If you didnt have Facebook, nobody could tag you in anything, no one could like your posts or, perhaps most importantly, your profile pictures. The number of likes you could rack up on a picture of yourself was a real mark of your influence and general relevance within the social hierarchy. Facebook was useful, in a sense, as a means of figuring out where you stood within the many cliques and faction that made up the 120 first years. If someone tagged you in one of the tagging games, which allowed you to designate the craziest or prettiest or smartest, then that made you their friend. If they didnt tag you, well I remember the first time a girl I admired tagged me in one of those games. At that age I was bookish, quiet, and always visibly eager to go to class and learn, so when I logged on and saw that this extremely cool girl whose hair was the envy of the whole year had tagged me as the smartest, I stared at the post for a long time. I revisited it too, running my cursor over where my name popped up. I wasnt very good at making friends, and with just that simple gesture, I had been made someones friend. Its a powerful thing, social media. Ive tried to ignore it, tried to pretend it didnt matter to me if people liked what I said or not, but in reality, it does matter. It mattered immensely, to me. There were very real stakes involved in the comments you wrote on peoples posts. I knew girls who said the wrong thing and were shouted down by twenty or thirty outraged voices, and it would be naive to think the cold shoulder disappeared when they came to school the next day. If a boy liked one of your pictures, it was reason to think he liked you. Of course, when I asked for permission to join Facebook (technically, Facebook is only for ages 13+), I was given a crash course in how to act responsibly online. Many of my friends either joined social media sites in secret or had no oversight whatsoever from their parents. My first Facebook friend was my mother, and I was always surprised when my friends reacted with amazement to that fact. They would never, in a million years, have let their parents near their Facebook pages. Around when I was in fourth year, I lost interest in the Facebook-style social platform, which generally seeks to connect you with people you already know. Two girls I knew, who I thought of as cool, introduced me to a new website after they heard me complaining about how hard it was to find people who liked to read epic fantasy. It was called Tumblr, a microblogging platform which was then what Facebook tries to be now; a never-ending series of videos and pictures and posts to scroll through. On Tumblr, finding dozens of people who shared your interests was as simple as typing Lord of the Rings into the searchbox. Half a second later there were 50, 60, 100 blogs all dedicated to discussions, debates, pictures, videos, artwork, and of course fanfiction about that very thing. Emma Tobin inspiring us on the joys and challenges of social media from a young persons perspective. #DigitalBelievers pic.twitter.com/izrGZuvHcU A Kildare woman (@Petra_C) May 29, 2019 Thats the real power of modern social media. In a world where technology has made the interests and passions of those around us so diverse, so particular, social media connects us to people who share our passions. Fanfiction particularly has a strange reputation now, as something almost shameful, but I can honestly say I wouldnt be half the writer I am today if I hadnt practically grown up within a community of passionate writers who, for no profit whatsoever, would write hundreds of thousands of words of richly imagined stories in existing fictional worlds. We would read each others stories, offer helpful criticisms and heaps of praise, encourage each other to keep writing, to keep creating. Its funny, I remember teachers telling me how rare I was, a teenager who read so much, when I knew for a fact that almost every one of my peers was reading for hours every day- online - on Wattpad and Fanfiction.net and Archive of Our Own. It can be quite isolating, as a young person of faith, in secondary school. Its the age when its trendy, and important, to question what our parents have taught us. Most of my friends saw only what the media and the internet were telling them about religion. My best friend in the world at that time told me in a whisper, during math class, that she believed in God, and she didnt care what anyone else thought. But she still whispered, and it felt like a secret between us. Thats where social media is important to young people of faith; because it is often not cool to have faith, and it can isolate young people, and therefore make them more likely to let their faith slip away. Social media has the potential to connect people, to give them spaces where they are able to live their faith. I would have loved, in secondary school, to have seen my parish using Facebook and their own website to reach out to young people and get them involved in what interests young people above all else action. Climate action, social justice action, helping the homeless, helping migrants. At its heart faith is about action, and love, and neighbourliness, and getting young people involved in programmes where they can see the positivity they are bringing into the world is so important, and social media is the way to get people involved Social media has definitely enriched my life. Ive had in-depth conversations about medieval battle tactics with a girl from Turkey, exchanged theories about Doctor Who with a girl from Australia going through Chemo. Its not just that social media means that if my friend has a problem at 2am my phone will wake me up to be there for them, or that as my friends scattered across the country, across the world to China and Sweden, Ive never been unable to contact them. Ive spoken to people Ive never really met, people I would never have known, people a thousand miles away who needed me after a difficult break-up, who needed me to tell them that they wouldnt be working in a McDonalds in central London forever. Social media is powerful. Less than six months ago I was reading pleas from bloggers I half-knew in Brazil, who claimed that the election of a new president might endanger their very lives. Some of those bloggers have since gone silent. I can scarcely imagine how small my world would be if I hadnt sat on my bed in awe reading as my friend in Istanbul described getting water cannoned during political protests in her city, what she recommended for your eyes after getting tear gassed. In a moment, I can read with my own eyes what Pope Francis is saying about climate, about migrants. Its powerful, its magical. It has already changed the world and how we relate to it, how we relate to others. It has shaped me and changed me and made me more aware of the world outside my corner of it. Social media has touched almost every aspect of my life, I think ultimately for the better. Thanks to Facebook and Tumblr, Snapchat and WhatsApp and Viber, there is always a shoulder to cry on, or a miasma of all your favourite things to sink into when the world seems dark. It is, and will continue to be, a part of who we are. The other day I was walking through my local shopping centre, the late afternoon sun streaming on the polished floors, and with few exceptions every person I passed was not looking at how the sun played on the marble, or the bright displays around them. Their eyes were fixed on their phones. And for a moment, yes, I thought that was a shame. It is. But then I imagined those people lit up with invisible threads of light, signals, connecting them to faraway people, connecting them to invisible worlds and unheard conversations. And I thought it was beautiful too. Feedback is being taken now from the working groups on faith in the digital space #DigitalBelievers #wcd2019 pic.twitter.com/tLaoF6HYbP CatholicBishops (@CatholicBishops) May 29, 2019 Emma Tobin is a 22-year-old post-graduate student from Newbridge, Co Kildare. She graduated from UCD in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Philosophy. Emma is an award-winning writer and poet and will commence a Masters in Creative Writing in University College Dublin this coming September. Emma was speaking today at a seminar to mark World Communications Day 2019 entitled Believers in the Digital Space: Opportunities for Mission which took place today in Saint Patricks College, Maynooth. The seminar was hosted by Archbishop Eamon Martin and chaired by Senator Joan Freeman. World Communications Day is a worldwide celebration originally promoted in 1963, during the Second Vatican Council, with the publication of Inter Mirifica (Amongst the Wonderful) on the media of social communications. WCD is marked annually on the Sunday before Pentecost Sunday, Ascension Sunday, which this year falls on 2 June. The full text of the 2019 message of Pope Francis for WCD can be accessed here. UCCs students called for action on the environment a year ago, and we are following through as we all should be, writes John OHalloran. Sustainability rests on all our shoulders. We are the last generation that can fight climate change, and history will judge us harshly if we do not act. These were the sentiments of the then UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon in 2015, and it is our belief that it is incumbent on universities to act in the single greatest challenge our society faces. Over a decade ago, our students led our university community to make the decision that we must seek to act. If we were to inspire policy change, if we were to inspire those around us, the generations that pass through our doors, we must become a university that places sustainability at the heart of all that we do. So what did we do? We examined our practices, our teaching, our research, and our engagement and set out on a path to that which would lead this institution on a course to be recognised as a world-leading university in the field of sustainability. The framework adopted at UCC incorporates a bottom-up approach activism, matched with top-down leadership, support, and strategies. At middle out a university-wide module on sustainability. This approach has mobilised and inspired a university to contribute towards creating a sustainable future. It's #WorldBeeDay! are vital to life on our but they are under threat by human activities & #climatechange. Watch our short animation on how everyone can help!@scienceirel pic.twitter.com/VBbVXFKlXB MaREI (@MaREIcentre) May 20, 2019 More than 500 universities in 75 countries were recently assessed to ascertain how they are contributing towards the UNs blueprint for creating a sustainable world. UCC was Irelands highest ranked university, at number 21 in the world. Such a recognition is testament to the passion and determination of our students and staff, to be part of an institution that places sustainability at its core. Of course, recognition is appreciated, but plaudits will not help in what must be our continuous focus: How society can balance our impact on the planet. Watching recent documentaries on climate change can leave one in a mournful state on how we got here and how, with the clock ticking, we can find a solution. We must put our shoulder to the wheel and, yes, it starts with you. Little changes in how we lead our lives can add up to significant impacts for our planet. We have to question the use of plastic, we must plan that public transportation is extended across our communities, and we must encourage debate on the sustainability of our practices which impact on our environment. Just this week, 200 education leaders from 51 Asian and European countries met in Bucharest to share how their organisations contribute to policy development and take action towards the UNs 2030 Agenda for Sustainability. On a recent bank holiday Monday, Ireland awoke to news of a major global UN report that painted in detail how our natural world is being decimated. From coral reefs disappearing to rainforests becoming savannahs, nature is being destroyed at a rate a hundred times higher than the average over the past 10m years. Greta Thunberg In Ireland, 91% of our habitats are in bad or poor condition, according to the National Parks and Wildlife Service. We may be a green country, but our action on sustainability is depressingly grey. Mary Robinson, on our new UCC podcast, Plain Speaking, delivered an impassioned 20-minute discussion with one central message: We as a nation have not done enough. Recently, experts from more than 30 countries gathered for an international conference on sustainability. Delegates reviewed the framework for the UI GreenMetric World University Rankings. What struck me was the passion from each university to try to make some imprint on the path that our economies and society have taken. Sharing the same planet, it is our collective responsibility to share our challenges and seek to find some possible solutions. When seeking solutions, we can call on government, we can judge those who are not contributing, or we can seek change through our own actions. Even small actions can have a big impact. For example, our campus is now home to several beehives. Honey bees are known to be at risk of extinction all around the world, with considerable knock-on effects on human food sources as bees are needed to pollinate many crop species around the world. Following the emergence of information on the global threat to bees, what was extraordinary to see has been the community response across Ireland, where small changes are set to make a big impact. The All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, launched by the National Biodiversity Data Centre in 2015, lacks budget but certainly does not lack energy or impact. This simple but effective plan brings together communities across Ireland to change practices that impact on our bees and to address this real issue and to reverse pollinator decline. That is where the answer lies, within the individual. We cannot wait for government to act, we cannot think of it as someone elses problem, we cannot simply tune out. This is our problem, and our time to act is now. Think about your individual impact on the environment and make those changes today. Can you use public transportation? Can you encourage retailers to use less plastic? Think about the cheap product you are going to buy, what has made it so cheap and how long will it last before you discard it? Challenge others to make similar changes in their lives. Age is not a barrier to making a difference on this issue. Swedens Greta Thunberg, from the age of 15, has inspired a global movement to take action. At UCC we take the approach that campaigns and events that engage the student body in environmental issues are part of the informal curriculum. Eighteen sustainability teams across the university, composed of our students and staff, dissect our impact and seek to change our practices and inform our teaching on sustainability. In 1979, I published my first research paper on ecology. Forty years later and I have now witnessed the growth of a stunning research community here in Cork that is dedicated to environmental sustainability. In Ringaskiddy, the Marine and Renewable Energy Centre is seeking ways to harness the energy within our waves and wind; the Environmental Research Institute on the banks of the River Lee brings together over 300 environmental researchers to address complex global challenges; in our School of Law our experts seek to embed environmental law in a path towards sustainability. Solutions to our challenges can be found in evidence-based research, which, when matched by will, can achieve great things. In 2014, Irelands UN ambassador, David Donoghue, along with Kenyas ambassador, Macharia Kamau, played a pivotal role in ensuring the UNs Sustainable Development Goals were developed and adopted. We are a small nation, but that, like age, is no excuse for inaction. The recently published UN report on biodiversity states that developed countries, where policy actions and societal impacts are helping to raise awareness of environmental issues are leading the way in the protection of biodiversity and enhancing sustainability. The hard-hitting report, which identifies the detrimental impacts of human activities on our natural environment, also presents a wide range of actions for sustainability across sectors such as agriculture, forestry, energy, and finance, underpinned by scientific knowledge, and highlights the critical need to integrate biodiversity considerations in global decision-making and individual behaviours. It reminds each of us of our responsibility to preserve our planet for future generations. As universities we must build understanding, create hope, and realise an enduring transformation towards sustainability sustainability through scholarship. Professor John OHalloran is deputy president and registrar at University College Cork. Business Govt Seeks Green Light from Parliament to Join BRI Tax Scheme as Observer Men unload rubber imported from Belt and Road Initiative countries at a bonded logistics center in Nantong, in Chinas Jiangsu province, on May 17, 2019. / REUTERS YANGONPresident U Win Myint has sought Parliaments approval to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that would give Myanmar observer status in a multilateral tax cooperation mechanism established under Beijings ambitious Belt and Road Initiative. The BRI Tax Administration Cooperation Mechanism, also known as BRITACOM, aims to facilitate cross-border trade, investment and projects for enterprises and countries along the BRIs routes by helping to resolve tax disputes and barriers. We will have a chance to improve tax management proficiency, Deputy Planning and Finance Minister U Maung Maung Win told Parliament on Wednesday. The deputy minister said signing the MOU gives Myanmar the opportunity to be involved in discussions on tax management cooperation. He said this would improve the conditions in which the country implements long-term projects under the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) agreement. In November, Myanmar signed an MOU with China agreeing to establish the CMEC as a component of the BRI. The estimated 1,700-km-long corridor will connect Kunming, the capital of Chinas Yunnan Province, to Myanmars major economic centersMandalay and Yangonand the Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone (SEZ). The governments agreed to collaborate in many sectors including basic infrastructure, construction, manufacturing, agriculture, transport, finance, human resources development, telecommunications, and research and technology. So far, Myanmar has agreed with China to construct three border economic cooperation zones in Shan and Kachin states as part of the CMEC agreement. In April, 34 countries including Cambodia, Indonesia and Bangladesh joined BRITACOM as council members, while the tax authorities of 11 nations including Singapore, Italy, Greece, Iran, Saudi Arabia and New Zealand joined as observers. Members agreed to open an office in Beijing to expand tax dispute resolution activities and increase transparency, according to an official BRI statement. It said collaboration between the tax administrations of BRI countries would lead to the pooling of skills and expertise on tax collection; strengthen national tax rules in the areas of withholding tax and transfer pricing; and facilitate dispute resolution to ensure that fair amounts of taxes are collected. U Maung Maung Win said the government sought approval from the Ministry of International Cooperation and the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations, along with related government departments, to sign the MOU. The Union government has already approved it, he said. Union Parliament Speaker U T Khun Myat said a final decision would be made next week. Those lawmakers who want to discuss the issue in Parliament have until Friday evening to submit their names, he said. You may also like these stories: Foreign Countries Behind Myitsone Dam Opposition: Chinese Ambassador A Renewable Vision for Myanmar Business Community Counters Govt Reasons for Kyat Depreciation Myanmars Ambitious 20-Year Plan to Attract Foreign Investment Burma Military Chief Pardoned Soldiers Involved in Rohingya Massacre Ten Rohingya men with their hands bound kneel as members of the Myanmar security forces stand guard in Inn Din village, Rakhine State in September 2017. / REUTERS NAYPYITAWSeven soldiers jailed by the military for killing 10 Rohingya in Rakhine State in 2017 were released as the result of a pardon from the military chief, according to a military spokesperson. The four officers and three soldiers were dismissed from the military and sentenced to 10 years with hard labor at a remote prison in April last year for their participation in the massacre, the military announced at the time. However, they were released in November 2018, after serving less than one year, after a group of people including monks submitted a petition on their behalf to Myanmar military commander-in-chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday. He explained that given the soldiers dutifulness during their time in the Army, and in consideration of the petition, the military chief reduced their prison sentence from 10 years to one year with hard labor in accordance with military justice. Thats why they were released in November, due to their petition. The military acted according to the laws, the spokesperson said. The militarys explanation came two days after the soldiers release was first reported by Reuters on Monday. At the time, the military said it couldnt confirm the release. On Wednesday, the brigadier general said the soldiers were found not to have had any intention to kill, but their actions were simply not in line with procedures while serving in a time of conflict. The Office of the Judge Advocate General submitted this finding to the military chief, he added. After that, the commander-in-chief acted according to the law based on the Office of the Judge Advocate Generals input in the case prosecuted in a military court, he said. The fates of three policemen and six villagers arrested along with the soldiers are unknown. U Pe Than, a lawmaker from Rakhine State in the Lower House of the Union Parliament, said its permissible for the military to issue a pardon in a case prosecuted by a court martial. But, its unfair if they dont release civilians involved who were following orders from the Army, he said. U Tun Kyi, a former political prisoner in Yangon, said the release shows the military is a privileged institution in the country. Its totally unfair, said U Tun Kyi, who is a Muslim. The killings of the 10 Rohingya created international headlines when Reuters exposed the incident early last year. Two local reporters from the agency were arrested due to the report but later released on a presidential pardon early this month, after serving 16 months behind bars. The Myanmar Army has come under international pressure for its actions against the Rohingya, including the killing of the 10. The military leadership was accused of crimes against humanity by a United Nations fact-finding mission in 2018. Both the Myanmar government and military rejected the accusation, saying solid evidence was lacking. When asked if the release of the soldiers would fuel more international pressure, the military spokesperson told The Irrawaddy that the military expected it would. But we have just acted according to the law, he said. In Myanmar, the Constitution grants the military chief the final say in questions of military justice, stating that the decision of the Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Services is final and conclusive. You may also like these stories: Circumstances of Release of 7 Soldiers in Rohingya Massacre Remain Unclear Burma Rakhines ANP to Elect New Party Chairperson The ANP headquarters in Sittwe, Rakhine State. / Min Aung Khine / The Irrawaddy SITTWEThe Arakan National Party (ANP), a major political party in Rakhine State, will elect a new chairperson at the second party conference to be held on Thursday and Friday, according to vice-chairperson of the party U Khine Pyi Soe. There is no eligibility criteria for the position of chairperson. The conference will elect 63 central committee members, and 25 of them will be elected to the central executive committee and among them, the chairperson and secretaries will be elected, he told The Irrawaddy. The party has made a decision about U Aye Maung, who submitted his resignation as the party chairperson in November 2017 according to the electoral law. According to the electoral law, a person serving a prison term cant join a political party, and we have made our decision according to that law, he said. U Aye Maung cited mounting internal discord when he submitted his resignation letter to the partys central executive committee. After filing for resignation, he, along with author Wai Hin Aung, was prosecuted for high treason and given a 20-year sentence in March 2018. The two were arrested for their public remarks at an event in Rathedaung Township in January 2018 commemorating the anniversary of the fall of the Arakan Kingdom to the Burmese in 1785. ANP lawmaker U Pe Than representing Myebon Township in the Lower House of the Union Parliament told The Irrawaddy that the party chair would be elected from middle-aged party members. We will give priority to middle-aged party membersthose over 50in considering the chairperson and secretary positions. And we will elect young party members to the central committee, said the lawmaker. The party conference will also form a new seven-member body called the policy-leading committee, said U Khine Pyi Soe. That committee will be higher than the central committee. As soon as the party conference concludes, the seven-member body will be the highest authority of the party, he told The Irrawaddy. The party will not accept resignations recently filed by some ANP lawmakers, he added. They contested the election representing this party. They were chosen under the ANP name, so we will not accept their resignation. [Their party membership] will end automatically only after an election term ends, he said. Upper House lawmaker U Wai Sein Aung of Sittwe, Lower House lawmaker U Aung Thaung Shwe of Buthidaung, and Rakhine state lawmakers U Kyaw Zaw Oo of Sittwe and U Kyaw Lwin of Kyaukphyu have officially tendered their resignation to the party. Ive resigned whether they allow it or not. There is no party policy that says once a member, always a member. As Ive resigned, I am no longer interested in whether they allow it or not, Lower House lawmaker U Aung Thaung Shwe told The Irrawaddy. The ANPs conference is held every five years with the first held in 2014 in Thandwe Township, southern Rakhine State. At the 2014 conference, the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party and the Arakan League for Democracy merged to form the ANP with 111 central committee members. The number will be reduced to 63 at the second conference. At the first conference there were disagreements, disputes and rigging as two parties merged. But now we are in the same party, and the second conference will therefore be different and put right [members] in the right places, said U Pe Than. Burma I Will Face the Arrest: U Wirathu U Wirathu speaks at the rally against amending Article 59 (f) of 2008 Constitution in Yangon on May 5, 2019. / Htet Wai / The Irrawaddy YANGON Myanmars ultra nationalist Buddhist monk U Wirathu said he will face the arrest after a warrant for his arrest was issued on Tuesday. He told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday that he is now in Yangon to have a meeting with the Yangon Regions Sangha (Cleric) Council members who had summoned him to warn him against getting involved in secular affairs. It is scheduled for Thursday, and its likely that police will move to arrest him after the meeting. I still havent got any notification about the warrant. If they want to catch me, let them do. I will face it, he said. He added that as the government in power is a democratic one, he doesnt expect a lengthy prison sentence. I dont think they (the government) would be that brutal, he said. A district court in Yangon issued an arrest warrant against him for his attempts to excite disaffection towards the government, according to police. A senior police officer in Naypyitaw told The Irrawaddy that Yangons Western District Court has issued the warrant under Article 124 (a) which is on sedition. If he is prosecuted under the article, he faces seven to 20 years in prison, or a fine. The warrant came after recent comments made by the countrys religious affairs minister that the monk would be prosecuted for making personal and obscene comments about State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Long before his verbal attacks on the State Counselor, the monk has been known for his anti-Muslim rhetoric, fanning racial and communal strife between Buddhists and Muslims across the country. As of Tuesday night, despite the information shared about the arrest warrant, police said they havent officially received it yet and thus havent made an attempt to arrest the monk. The arrest would be the second blow for U Wirathu made by the government. In 2017, he was banned from preaching for one year for his fiery sermons against Muslims. He was also banned by Facebook for his anti-Muslim posts. Based in Ma Soe Yein Monastery in Mandalay, he rose to prominent after 2012 when bloody communal strife broke out between Buddhists and Muslims in Rakhine State. Following the violence, the country has seen a rise in nationalism, especially in anti-Muslim sentiment. Having dubbed himself the Buddhist Bin Laden, U Wirathu has been at the forefront of the nationalist movement, and has suggested that Buddhist women marry monks or even with dogs rather than Muslims. He has actively encouraged Buddhists to boycott Muslim businesses. He said the foundations of Myanmars majority religion were under assault and that Buddhists must be vigilant against the influence of other fundamentalist religions. After the National League for Democracy (NLD) government came to power in 2016, the monk and other nationalists have staged pro-military campaigns across the country. They oppose the major constitutional amendments proposed by the NLD which are supported by a majority of the countrys population, who believe the current military-drafted charter is unfit for the democratic federal Union the country is transitioning to. U Wirathu recently said nationalists have asserted that the military-appointed representatives in Parliament should be worshipped. They accuse the current government of prioritizing human rights over the countrys majority religion, Buddhism. During a recent pro-military rally in southern Myanmar, the monk ridiculed the countrys leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, with personal and obscene comments. Earlier this month, Thai authorities in Phuket banned him from staging a sermon in the area fearing problems could arise from the event. Correction: A previous version of this story referenced an outdated article of the Penal Code. The updated article stipulates a seven- to 20-year prison sentence for sedition. You May Also Like These Stories: Myanmar Can No Longer Afford to Ignore the Threat of Nationalism Govt Weighs Legal Action against Monk for Speeches Attacking State Counselor Firebrand Monk Calls for Military Parliamentarians to be Worshipped Sermon Canceled Over Concern Nationalist Monk Could Stir Trouble Burma Yangon Sangha Council Cancels Meeting with Firebrand Monk U Wirathu joins nationalist forces at a pro-military demonstration in Yangon in October 2018. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy YANGONThe Yangon Region Sangha (Clerical) Council has postponed a scheduled meeting with ultranationalist Buddhist monk U Wirathu, who is currently the subject of an arrest warrant, at the last minute, according to the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture. The regional Sangha Council had summoned U Wirathu to its office to warn him against getting involved in secular affairs. The meeting was initially scheduled for 2 p.m. on Thursday. In a letter to the monk dated May 22, the council said the state clerical authority, the State Sangha Maha Nayaka, had instructed it to summon him over recent comments he made at a rally in downtown Yangon held to oppose efforts to amend Article 59(f) of the Constitution and calling for Article 261 to be amended. The ministry said in a statement released on Wednesday afternoon that the regional Sangha council postponed the meeting under present circumstances. The council couldnt be reached for comment on Wednesday evening. U Wirathu told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday morning that he was in Yangon to attend the meeting with the Yangon Sangha Council members. Yangons Western District Court has issued an arrest warrant for U Wirathu under Article 124(a), which covers crimes of sedition. If prosecuted under the article, he faces seven to 20 years in prison, or a fine. The warrant was issued in the wake of recent comments by the religious affairs minister that the monk would be prosecuted for making personal and obscene remarks about State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Long before his verbal attacks on the State Counselor, the monk was known for his anti-Muslim rhetoric and fanning of racial and communal tensions between Buddhists and Muslims across the country. You may also like these stories: I Will Face the Arrest: U Wirathu Govt Weighs Legal Action against Monk for Speeches Attacking State Counselor Firebrand Monk Calls for Military Parliamentarians to be Worshipped U Wirathu Holds Groundbreaking Ceremony for Unauthorized School News Four Killed in Explosion at Coal Mine in Sagaing Region Authorities inspect a coal pit where an explosion killed four workers on May 28. / Ministry of Information YANGONFour workers were killed and four others were injured in an oxygen cylinder explosion in a coal pit near Kyet Pa Nat village tract in Sagaing Regions Kale Township on Monday, according to township police. The oxygen cylinder exploded at around 11.30 pm at Htoo Han Thit Co.s coal mining field No. 1, some 16 miles northeast of Kale, township police station chief Police Captain Htay Win confirmed to The Irrawaddy. The police station has opened a case regarding the incident, he said. We have apparatus for producing oxygen in the pit. Gas from [the apparatus] ignited when exposed to a flame from mining activity, said pit worker Saw Thae Oo, who escaped the accident as he had left the pit some 30 minutes before the explosion for health reasons. I want the company to assume responsibility for those killed and injured, he added. According to Kale Police Station, the victims were aged 18, 21, 22 and 27. Local labor rights activist Ma Ei Ei Khaing said mining companies largely ignore safety regulations, especially in cases where a company that signed a contract with the government has transferred operations to another company. When the original companies lease out the mines to third parties, [the third parties] dont strictly follow safety regulations. They only care about mining coal. As a result, such incidents happen frequently, she said. On May 19, five Myanmar workers and a Chinese technician were injured in a methane gas explosion at a coal pit in Sagaing Regions Kalewa Township. A manager at the company involved in that incident said the firm provided compensation to the injured. Lower House Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation Committee chairman Dr. Soe Thura Tun said, These things happen because not enough attention is given to worksite safety. Only harsh punishments for such explosions will act as a deterrent. There are strict safety regulations for coalmines. We have also issued directives. In August 2018, five miners trapped in a coal pit collapse in Kalewa died due to lack of oxygen. According to local media, the collapse was caused by a methane gas explosion on Aug. 2. You may also like these stories: Frenchman Sentenced to Death for Drug Trafficking in Indonesia Govt to Buy Electricity from China to Cover Shortfall INVESTIGATIONMissing wombs: The Health Scandal Enslaving Families in Rural India A Renewable Vision for Myanmar News USDP and Military Propose 4 New Charter Amendments USDP members and party supporters at a rally in Naypyitaw in May 2019. The USDP has organizing rallies in several cities calling for Article 59 (f) of the Constitution which bars Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from becoming president not to be amended. / Union Solidarity and Development Party / Facebook YANGONMyanmars military and the former ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) have jointly proposed four amendments to the 2008 Constitution, including changes to limit the presidents executive power in states and regions. The Union Parliament Speaker T Khun Myat announced to lawmakers on Wednesday that the USDPs U Maung Thin has put forward a draft bill amending the Constitution and that it was signed by 145 lawmakers including USDP lawmakers and 105 military appointees. According to Chapter 12 of the Constitution, a bill to amend the charter must be submitted with the signatures of at least 20 percent of lawmakers in Parliament. Since the USDP lacks the number, it collaborated with the military, which occupies 25 percent of parliamentary seats, to submit its proposal. This is the second move by the USDP and military to make amendments to the formation of the region and state governments, the terms of dismissals of chief ministers and ministers of regions and states, the function and authority of the Constitutional Tribunal of the Union and Union Election Commission. Their efforts are made in parallel with those of the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) to amend the undemocratic, military-drafted Constitution. In their first attempt in February this year, they proposed to make a single amendment to the charters Article 261 to elect state and regional chief ministers through local legislatures rather than appointed by the president. However, it was voted that their proposal be reviewed by the Charter-Amendment Committee rather than by Parliament. The Parliament instead determined that the USDPs proposed bill be examined as part of a broader review being carried out by the Constitution-Amendment Committeethe method paved by the NLD to review the entire 2008 Constitution for amendments. USDP lawmaker U Maung Thin told reporters in Naypyitaw after the parliamentary session on Wednesday that the proposed changes this time are to Article 248 (c), Article 264, Article 322 and Article 402 of the Constitution. In the proposed amendment to Article 248 (c), the USDP and military suggest that president must negotiate with the respective state and regional chief ministers to specify the number of ministries needed in each. Under the current Constitution, the president specifies the number of ministries and ministers needed for every state and region and the number may be increased or decreased. U Maung Thin said they are making the proposal for decentralization as the current government also aims for the establishment of a democratic federal Union. The NLD has long suggested to amend the same article, but their suggestion is to give full authority to state and regional chief minister to decide the number of ministries and ministers needed in order to grant a degree of autonomous power. Another proposed amendment sought by the USDP and military in Article 264 of the Constitution is to consider the dismissal of a chief minister or minister if they fail to guard the Constitution in carrying out their duties. In Article 322, they suggest changes to allow the Constitutional Tribunal of the Union to determine whether the measures of Union-level agencies and parliaments are in conformity with the Constitution or not. U Maung Thin said they also propose to amend Union Election Commissions (UECs) authority stated under Article 402 which currently stipulates that resolutions and functions made by the UEC are final and conclusive in the cases of election functions, electoral disputes and political party matters. He said as the UEC is appointed by the winning party, there is no second chance for the aggrieved party if the commissions decision is not fair. We propose that the Parliament make a final decision in the case of electoral disputes, he said. In their list of proposed amendments to 168 of the Constitutions 457 articles published in 2014, the NLD suggested to take out the entire article, suggesting that electoral disputes should be decided by the Supreme Court of the Union. Union Parliament Speaker T Khun Myat told the Parliament on Wednesday that the proposed draft bill of the USDP and military will be scrutinized by a joint bill committee as per the Parliament laws and by-laws. At the same parliamentary sitting on Wednesday, the joint bill committee was formed with members of the Lower House and Upper House bill committees. The Irrawaddys Naypyitaw correspondent Htet Naing Zaw contributed to this report. On This Day Dr. Ba Maw, Facilitator of Myanmars Struggle for Independence Dr. Ba Maw, the first premier of British Burma. Forty-two years ago today, Dr. Ba Maw, the first premier, or prime minister, of British Burma and head of State during Japanese rule, died in Yangon at the age of 85. Dr. Ba Maw was a prominent figure in Myanmars political history, having served in the Poor Mans Party, the Mahar Bamar Party, as education minister, as the first chief minister (prime minister) during British rule and head of state during Japanese occupation. In his capacity as permier during the colonial period, he reduced tax burdens on Myanmar people, refunded deposits paid by news agencies, dispatched students to foreign universities for study and designated National Day as public holiday. During Japanese rule, despite the fact that independence under the Japanese had been dismissed as a sham, he appointed Myanmar citizens into the administrative mechanism, and used the fighting peacock symbol on the State flag. He designated Burmese as the official language, established diplomat missions and kept the name of the armed forces as Burma National Armyall of which facilitated the struggle for real independence. In spite of being the head of state during Japanese rule, he gave official protection to youths, including Gen. Aung San, who rose against the Japanese. He also provided assistance with Indias independence struggle. Dr. Ba Maw retired from politics during the rule of the Anti-Fascist Peoples Freedom League government after Myanmar regained true independence in 1948. He wrote a book on the countrys independence struggle titled, Breakthrough in Burma: Memoirs of a Revolution 1939-946, which was published by Yale University Press. His elder brother Dr. Ba Han studied in European universities and served as the attorney-general of independent Myanmar in 1957. He was better known for compiling the English-Burmese Dictionary. You May Also Like These Stories: The Day Burmas 1st Female Minister Took Office When the Myanmar Navy Took Possession of Its 1st Flagship The Day Mandalay Was Born A Call for a Coup Chinese telecommunications equipment vendor Huawei Technologies has filed a motion for summary judgment in its case against the US Government in which it has challenged the constitutionality of Section 889 of the 2019 National Defence Authorisation Act. The motion will be heard on 19 September. The company filed the suit on 7 March, saying that Section 889 unfairly discriminated against it and prevented it from operating in the US. Huawei chief legal officer Dr Song Liuping told the media in Shenzhen that the company had also called on Washington to halt its state-sanctioned campaign against Huawei as it would not improve cyber security. Using cyber security as an excuse to ban Huawei will do nothing to make networks more secure. They provide a false sense of security, and distract attention from the real challenges we face, said Song. Politicians in the US are using the strength of an entire nation to come after a private company This is not normal. [It has] almost never [been] seen in history. Song said the the US Government had provided no evidence to show that Huawei was a security threat. "There is no gun, no smoke. Only speculation. One of the company's arguments in the case is that the ban on its products is a bill of attainder a legislative act that condemns a particular person or group of people and punishes them with no trial. Bills of attainder are banned by the US Constitution. A second allegation made by Huawei is that its rights to due process have been violated. The argument being made is that Congress has violated the constitutional principle of separation of powers by acting as judge, jury and executioner. On Wednesday, Song said the summary judgment was being sought so that the court could issue a ruling in the fastest and most efficient way, declare restrictions on Huawei as unconstitutional and stop enforcement of related sanctions. He also addressed the addition of Huawei to the Entity List by the US Commerce Department two weeks ago. On 16 May, the US imposed the ban on Huawei and 68 of its affiliates, preventing the company from importing components from American companies without government approval. Some of the affiliates are in other countries like Canada, Japan, Brazil, the UK, Singapore and others. This sets a dangerous precedent. Today it's telecoms and Huawei. Tomorrow it could be your industry, your company, your consumers, Song said. The judicial system is the last line of defence for justice. Huawei has confidence in the independence and integrity of the US judicial system. We hope that mistakes in the NDAA can be corrected by the court." Huaweis lead counsel for the case, Glen Nager, said Section 889 of the 2019 NDAA violated the Bill of Attainder, Due Process, and Vesting Clauses of the United States Constitution. Thus the case was purely a matter of law as there were no facts at issue, thereby justifying the motion for a summary judgment to speed up the process. On 20 May, Google announced it was cutting off Huawei's access to future updates of Google's Android and Google Play Store. A day later, the US Commerce Department eased some of the restrictions, allowing Huawei to maintain and update existing networks and handsets for 90 days. US President Donald Trump has also put in place a ban on the use of equipment from Huawei and its fellow Chinese firm, ZTE, within the US. Julian Assange being carried out of the Ecuadorian embassy in London on 11 April. WikiLeaks publisher and founder Julian Assange has been moved to health ward of Belmarsh Prison where he is incarcerated for jumping bail, with the whistleblower organisation expressing "grave concerns" about the state of his health. In a statement, WikiLeaks said Assange's health had deteriorated during the seven years he spent inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London "under conditions that were incompatible with basic human rights". It said the UN had twice found him to be arbitrarily detained and asked the UK to honour its commitments to international law and free him. "During the seven weeks in Belmarsh, his health has continued to deteriorate and he has dramatically lost weight," the statement said. "The decision of prison authorities to move him to the health ward speaks for itself." Assange wasby British police on 11 April and removed from the Ecuador embassy in London where he was taking refuge after the South American nation offered him asylum. This was withdrawn in April and Assange appeared in court shortly thereafter. He was later sentenced to 50 weeks in jail for skipping bail at the time he fled into the Ecuador embassy; at that time, he was wanted in Sweden for questioning on rape allegations made against him by two women. Sweden has subsequently reopened the rape probe and sought his extradition; it had dropped the charge and cancelled the warrant in May 2017. Soon after his arrest, the US sought his extradition to face charges of computer hacking and being involved in a compromise of classified information, a charge that carries a maximum sentence of five years. Washington revealed its hand on 24 May when it hit Assange with 17 new charges under the US Espionage Act over his alleged role in leaking documents from former US intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning in 2010. WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Kristinn Hrafnsson said: "Julian's case is of major historic significance. It will be remembered as the worst attack on press freedom in our time. "The people need to voice their condemnation; it is theur politicians, their courts, their police and their prisons that are being abused in order to leave this black stain on our history. Please act now to avert this shame." On Thursday UK time (Friday AEST) a formal hearing will take place in Westminster Court on the US extradition request. From a friend on Facebook: Me: Alexa please remind me my morning yoga sculpt class is at 5:30am. Alexa: I have added Tequila to your shopping list. We talk to our devices, and sometimes they recognize what we are saying correctly. We use free services to translate foreign language phrases encountered online into English, and sometimes they give us an accurate translation. Although natural language processing has been improving by leaps and bounds, it still has considerable room for improvement. My friends accidental Tequila order may be more appropriate than she thought. Arriba! What is natural language processing? Natural language processing, or NLP, is currently one of the major successful application areas for deep learning, despite stories about its failures. The overall goal of natural language processing is to allow computers to make sense of and act on human language. Well break that down further in the next section. Historically, natural language processing was handled by rule-based systems, initially by writing rules for, e.g., grammars and stemming. Aside from the sheer amount of work it took to write those rules by hand, they tended not to work very well. Why not? Lets consider what should be a simple example, spelling. In some languages, such as Spanish, spelling really is easy and has regular rules. Anyone learning English as a second language, however, knows how irregular English spelling and pronunciation can be. Imagine having to program rules that are riddled with exceptions, such as the grade-school spelling rule I before E except after C, or when sounding like A as in neighbor or weigh. As it turns out, the I before E rule is hardly a rule. Accurate perhaps 3/4 of the time, it has numerous classes of exceptions. After pretty much giving up on hand-written rules in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the NLP community started using statistical inference and machine learning models. Many models and techniques were tried; few survived when they were generalized beyond their initial usage. A few of the more successful methods were used in multiple fields. For example, Hidden Markov Models were used for speech recognition in the 1970s and were adopted for use in bioinformaticsspecifically, analysis of protein and DNA sequencesin the 1980s and 1990s. Phrase-based statistical machine translation models still needed to be tweaked for each language pair, and the accuracy and precision depended mostly on the quality and size of the textual corpora available for supervised learning training. For French and English, the Canadian Hansard (proceedings of Parliament, by law bilingual since 1867) was and is invaluable for supervised learning. The proceedings of the European Union offer more languages, but for fewer years. In the fall of 2016, Google Translate suddenly went from producing, on the average, word salad with a vague connection to the meaning in the original language, to emitting polished, coherent sentences more often than not, at least for supported language pairs such as English-French, English-Chinese, and English-Japanese. Many more language pairs have been added since then. That dramatic improvement was the result of a nine-month concerted effort by the Google Brain and Google Translate teams to revamp Google Translate from using its old phrase-based statistical machine translation algorithms to using a neural network trained with deep learning and word embeddings using Googles TensorFlow framework. Within a year neural machine translation (NMT) had replaced statistical machine translation (SMT) as the state of the art. Was that magic? No, not at all. It wasnt even easy. The researchers working on the conversion had access to a huge corpus of translations from which to train their networks, but they soon discovered that they needed thousands of GPUs for training, and that they would need to create a new kind of chip, a Tensor Processing Unit (TPU), to run Google Translate on their trained neural networks at scale. They also had to refine their networks hundreds of times as they tried to train a model that would be nearly as good as human translators. Natural language processing tasks In addition to the machine translation problem addressed by Google Translate, major NLP tasks include automatic summarization, co-reference resolution (determine which words refer to the same objects, especially for pronouns), named entity recognition (identify people, places, and organizations), natural language generation (convert information into readable language), natural language understanding (convert chunks of text into more formal representations such as first-order logic structures), part-of-speech tagging, sentiment analysis (classify text as favorable or unfavorable toward specific objects), and speech recognition (convert audio to text). Major NLP tasks are often broken down into subtasks, although the latest-generation neural-network-based NLP systems can sometimes dispense with intermediate steps. For example, an experimental Google speech-to-speech translator called Translatotron can translate Spanish speech to English speech directly by operating on spectrograms without the intermediate steps of speech to text, language translation, and text to speech. Translatotron isnt all that accurate yet, but its good enough to be a proof of concept. Natural language processing methods Like any other machine learning problem, NLP problems are usually addressed with a pipeline of procedures, most of which are intended to prepare the data for modeling. In his excellent tutorial on NLP using Python, DJ Sarkar lays out the standard workflow: Text pre-processing -> Text parsing and exploratory data analysis -> Text representation and feature engineering -> Modeling and/or pattern mining -> Evaluation and deployment. Sarkar uses Beautiful Soup to extract text from scraped websites, and then the Natural Language Toolkit (NLTK) and spaCy to preprocess the text by tokenizing, stemming, and lemmatizing it, as well as removing stopwords and expanding contractions. Then he continues to use NLTK and spaCy to tag parts of speech, perform shallow parsing, and extract Ngram chunks for tagging: unigrams, bigrams, and trigrams. He uses NLTK and the Stanford Parser to generate parse trees, and spaCy to generate dependency trees and perform named entity recognition. Sarkar goes on to perform sentiment analysis using several unsupervised methods, since his example data set hasnt been tagged for supervised machine learning or deep learning training. In a later article, Sarkar discusses using TensorFlow to access Googles Universal Sentence Embedding model and perform transfer learning to analyze a movie review data set for sentiment analysis. As youll see if you read these articles and work through the Jupyter notebooks that accompany them, there isnt one universal best model or algorithm for text analysis. Sarkar constantly tries multiple models and algorithms to see which work best on his data. For a review of recent deep-learning-based models and methods for NLP, I can recommend this article by an AI educator who calls himself Elvis. Natural language processing services You would expect Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud to offer natural language processing services of one kind or another, in addition to their well-known speech recognition and language translation services. And of course they donot only generic NLP models, but also customized NLP. Amazon Comprehend is a natural language processing service that extracts key phrases, places, peoples names, brands, events, and sentiment from unstructured text. Amazon Comprehend uses pre-trained deep learning models and identifies rather generic places and things. If you want to extend this capability to identify more specific language, you can customize Amazon Comprehend to identify domain-specific entities and to categorize documents into your own categories Microsoft Azure has multiple NLP services. Text Analytics identifies the language, sentiment, key phrases, and entities of a block of text. The capabilities supported depend on the language. Language Understanding (LUIS) is a customizable natural-language interface for social media apps, chat bots, and speech-enabled desktop applications. You can use a pre-built LUIS model, a pre-built domain-specific model, or a customized model with machine-trained or literal entities. You can build a custom LUIS model with the authoring APIs or with the LUIS portal. For the more technically minded, Microsoft has released a paper and code showing you how to fine-tune a BERT NLP model for custom applications using the Azure Machine Learning Service. Google Cloud offers both a pre-trained natural language API and customizable AutoML Natural Language. The Natural Language API discovers syntax, entities, and sentiment in text, and classifies text into a predefined set of categories. AutoML Natural Language allows you to train a custom classifier for your own set of categories using deep transfer learning. Register with JOC.com and receive 5 free pieces of content for the first thirty days. After thirty days, you will receive 3 pieces of content and after sixty days you will receive 1 piece of content. To receive full access, Subscribe Today . You can also subscribe to our daily newsletter. Register Q: My husband received a phone call from someone who addressed my husband as Grandpa. He said that he had been in a wreck and had a broken nose and that was why he sounded different, and was in a holding tank at jail and needed bail money. We dont have a grandson, so we hung up. I thought others should be aware of this. S.G.B. Answer: This is another version of the grandparent scam we have warned readers about in the past. These scams are unfortunately common, with con artists trying to trick an unsuspecting person into sending money. While the scams are known as grandparent scams because they often target grandparents, they may also come from someone claiming to be a family friend, niece or nephew, or another family member. Among the common scenarios, according to an FBI report on the scam: The grandparent gets a call or email from someone claiming to be his or her grandchild, often late at night or very early in the morning. A N.C. House bill cleared the first of two committee steps on Wednesday that would allow UNC School of the Arts to build a $46 million, 444-bed dormitory on its campus. The UNCSA project was inserted last week into House Bill 402, titled UNC Capital Projects, to join similar infrastructure projects at UNC Wilmington and Western Carolina. The bill goes to the House Rules and Operations committee for recommendation. If funding is approved, the goal is starting construction in late 2020 and opening in time for the fall 2021 semester.(tncms-asset)3f7c9380-8222-11e9-b325-00163ec2aa770 (/tncms-asset) UNCSA has said the proposed dorm would represent a net increase of 64 beds on its Winston-Salem campus. Officials said the dorm is necessary to attract arts-education students by offering a mix of apartment-style and suites units, the latter would be the first such residential option on campus. The Canadian Snowbirds will fly their jets in an aerial demonstration today above Smith Reynolds Airport in Winston-Salem. The squadron's flight is part of the 2019 Carolina and Auto Center open house at the airport, said Steve Flippin, the chairman of the center's board of directors. The airport's gates open at 5 p.m., and the Snowbirds will fly about 6:30 p.m. Admission is free. Today's forecast calls for a high temperature near 95 degree amid sunny skies. The low temperature tonight will be around 68 degrees amid mostly clear skies. The Snowbirds are members of the Royal Canadian Air Force and other branches of the Canadian armed forces. They will fly in CT-114 Tutors, which are Canadian training aircraft. The Snowbirds, part of the 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, landed their 11 jets Tuesday at Smith Reynolds. Nine jets will participate in the demonstration; the other two planes will serve as backup aircraft. The Snowbirds are based just outside of Moose Jaw in south-central Saskatchewan, a province in Canada. When asked at Tuesdays news conference whether Medicaid expansion was in the Senate budget proposal, Bergers response was an emphatic no. A statement from Bergers office said that while Democrats have focused their efforts on expanding socialized medicine via Obamacare Medicaid expansion, Republicans believe that care for people with severe disabilities should be prioritized over taxpayer funding for able-bodied adults. State Sen. Joyce Krawiec, R-Forsyth, said that the backlog of people with disabilities who cannot care for themselves is a serious issue, and funding these slots will continue to be a priority for us. The lack of Medicaid expansion in the Senate budget proposal is likely to set up a clash with Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and Senate Democrats, who may be willing to bog down the budget process for months to get some form of expansion. Cooper can veto any public bill if he has the unanimous support of the 21 Democratic senators and loses no more than six Democratic votes in the House. Cardinal said in a statement that continued cuts to single-stream mental health funds will inhibit us from serving our members with the care and services they need and deserve. New services or projects that require on-going, non-Medicaid investments will not be possible. Continuing to reduce single-stream behavioral health funds is a huge risk for our state the need for addiction and mental health services is greater today in North Carolina than it has ever been. DHHS said in a statement that "there are several other proposed provisions in the Senate budget that impact the departments ability to fulfill its mission to protect the health and safety of all North Carolinians and provide essential human services." Those include: * The absence of Medicaid Expansion, which would provide an additional 450,000 to 670,000 North Carolinians with access to affordable care; * Underfunding the Medicaid program by $100 million; and * A flex cut to DHHS administration of $30 million in year one and $42 million in year two. The first breadcrumb leading me to an Auntie Network landed in my path last week, in the form of a Facebook post written by a friend of a friend: "Hey! People with uteri in other states! If you need to visit your friend Cindy in Chicago, you just PM me and ask for my phone number. I will be so excited to TALK and HANG OUT with you. No judgment. No questions." Cindy went on to describe this theoretical Illinois vacation which, as became clear when reading between the lines, was not a vacation at all. It was an offer to reach across state borders, into the jurisdictions that are passing severe reproductive legislation, and help desperate pregnant people acquire abortions. Some of us with dark imaginations have spent lifetimes imagining theoretical apocalypses. How would we react? Would we be the neighbors who would open our homes, share our bottled water and ramen? What would all of this look like? This lowering of standards continues the unacceptable double standard in accountability for charter schools. Remember, the idea was that charter schools would provide good educations for their students while leading the way in innovative approaches that might be models for all schools. Instead, they would be allowed to fall behind and hurt the cause of education across the state. If thats not bad enough, the bill also would eliminate the enrollment cap on two online charter schools, Connections Academy and North Carolina Virtual Academy, even though both are clearly doing a bad job. Both virtual schools have consistently received D grades on the states performance report cards for schools, and their students are not meeting growth expectations. One of the senators supporting the bill argued that parents should be able to determine what works best for their children. Virtual charter schools are evaluated every day and every year by the parents who choose to enroll their students in them, Sen. Ralph Hise, a Republican from Mitchell County, argued. Around 1,000 overseas Hainan merchants, elites and representatives of well-known domestic enterprises will gather in Sanya this week to contribute ideas and explore cooperation opportunities in constructing the China (Hainan) Pilot Free Trade Zone (Port) with Chinese characteristics, according to the Sanya authorities. The 2019 Sanya Conference on Overseas Chinese Investment, Innovation and Pioneering, will be held at the Sanya Bay Mangrove International Conference Center from May 30 to June 2. The local officials said overseas Chinese are an important force in building the Hainan FTZ and free trade port with Chinese characteristics. Hainan is the hometown of 3.9 million overseas Chinese who are living in more than 40 coun tries and regions. With the theme of "gathering overseas Chinese, sharing opportunities and promoting the construction of Hainan free trade zone and free trade port", the conference will serve as a platform for friendship, introduction of talent and investment, and cooperation in technology and trade. Organized by the United Front Work Department of the CPC Hainan Committee and Sanya government, the conference includes a main forum, eight subforums and a road show. It will be Sanya's first large-scale event to attract overseas Chinese investment and talented people, especially young entrepreneurs, according to Chen Zhengguang, a member of the standing committee of the CPC Sanya committee and head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Sanya committee. Apart from the High-end Forum for World Overseas Hainan (Sanya) Merchants - the main forum, the eight sub-forums are the Overseas Chinese Wealth Management and Financial Science and Technology Forum, Global Medical Device Industry Innovation Development Forum, Qionghai and Taiwan Agricultural Cooperation Forum, Digital Trade Strategy Forum, Deep-Sea Science and Technology Forum, Space Industry Forum, Artificial Intelligence Forum and Free Trade Zone (Port) Forum on High-end Talent. About 350 people will participate in the High-end Forum for World Overseas Hainan (Sanya) Merchants. They will include two academicians and 10 political leaders of Hainan origin, 100 overseas Hainan business leaders from 30 countries and regions, 100 representatives of Hainan business communities across the country. The participants will discuss how to take advantage of the resources of the 3.9 million overseas Chinese, many of whom live in countries taking part in the Belt and Road Initiative, to explore new opportunities for building the Hainan FTZ. Participants will also discuss developing a cross-border production chain and boosting exchanges and cooperation among young entrepreneurs. They will discuss how to turn agreements reached at the Boao Forum for Asia 2018 Annual Conference into reality in Hainan. The agreed projects include the Hainan Merchants Bank, the World Hainan Merchants Center and an industry innovation park for overseas Hainan merchants. The Overseas Chinese Wealth Management and Financial Science and Technology Forum, with 200 participants expected, will focus on the opening-up of the Hainan FTZ financial market and discuss how to turn Sanya into a wealth management center with international competitiveness and capability that can radiate to other areas in the FTZ. The Global Medical Device Industry Innovation Development Forum will be a large-scale meeting of about 300 participants, including three Chinese and foreign academicians, more than 20 outstanding experts, 15 trade organizations, representatives of 100 innovative companies and specialized service institutions and a number of investors. The forum will announce a statement on innovative cooperation among medical device manufacturers around the world. It will also launch the Sanya Testing Platform for Innovative Medical Devices. The Digital Trade Strategy Forum expects around 300 participants and will discuss new digital service modes and opportunities in developing service trade innovation. The Qionghai and Taiwan Agricultural Cooperation Forum will focus on developing new paths for cooperation in high-efficiency tropical agriculture to help promote rural economic growth in Hainan. The Deep-Sea Science and Technology Forum aims to help build a demonstration zone of cooperation in developing maritime resources, deep-sea engineering technology and equipment. The Space Industry Forum will talk about the possibilities of space industry development and establishing a national lab in Sanya while the forum on artificial intelligence will look into new opportunities of investment in building smart cities generated in the construction of the Hainan FTZ. (China Daily 05/29/2019 page10) Cover-ups I dont do cover-ups, said the president who secretly paid off porn stars, secretly tried to negotiate a business deal in Russia while running for president, secretly ordered staff members to lie and refuses to release his secret tax returns (3 minutes: Meeting with Trump goes bust in a flash, May 23). That reminds me of the time Richard Nixon said, I am not a crook. Maybe Trump is just not cut out for this whole president thing. Congress might do him a favor by impeaching him. Josie Hall Winston-Salem The demands Local politicians listen to small groups of protesters who represent identity-based special interests and make demands on city government. So, the city removes a statue and hides it. The city plans to change the name of a fair. Some local governments change the names of streets. Core Gold reminds its shareholders to continue disregarding its former CEOs continuing false, misleading, defamatory and inaccurate statements, all which it addresses in todays response Of the total votes cast to date 82.62% have been cast FOR the arrangement with Titan with over 70% of all votes eligible to be cast having now been cast Core Gold also notes Titans announcement of its receipt of its final permit for its Vista Gold Plant in Peru, which is now fully commissioned, permitted and licenced to commence commercial production VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Core Gold Inc. (Core Gold or the Company) (TSXV: CGLD, OTCQX: CGLDF) would like to continue to thank shareholders for their continued support during this pivotal time as Core Gold proceeds with the proposed plan of arrangement (the Arrangement) with Titan Minerals Limited (Titan). To date, 140,711,510 securities representing 70.17% of all outstanding Core Gold securities eligible to be voted have been voted, with 82.62% of the votes being cast FOR the Arrangement with Titan. This continuing strong support IN FAVOUR of the proposed Arrangement (despite the votes of the dissenting shareholder now having been cast) shows that the vast majority of Core Gold securityholders understand and support the Titan Arrangement as the best way forward for future value creation for Core Gold, and are rejecting its former CEOs smear campaign and calls to reject the Arrangement in order that he can try again with Core Gold, even though 2.5 years of the former CEO resulted only in increased liabilities, missed production targets, and significant share dilution. The Company encourages all securityholders to vote prior to 10:00 a.m. (Vancouver time) on Monday, June 10, 2019, in advance of the Special General Meeting to be held on Wednesday, June 12, 2019 at The Terminal City Club in Vancouver, BC. Core Responds to Dissident Circular Core Gold has today filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and on its website (www.coregoldinc.com) a response to the dissident circular filed last week by its former CEO. Core Golds response is also being mailed to Core Gold securityholders. Core Gold has again rebutted its former CEOs assertions, many of which Core Gold has already responded to publicly, including his false claims and misrepresentations regarding other possible transactions, his assertion without any evidence that Core Gold intends to waive certain conditions of the Arrangement with Titan, his inaccurate statements of the law regarding secuityholder voting, his complete lie that Core Gold has promised to buy back their shares after the Titan Arrangement, and his assertion that he was fired for cause as CEO because he did not support the Titan Arrangement. All are untrue. As well, and given that Mr. Piggott now pleads with Core Gold securityholders to let him run Core Gold again, todays response to the dissident circular also highlights what Mr. Piggott does not want Core Gold shareholders to know (but should) in assessing whether he is appropriate to run Core Gold or any other mining company, including that: he has presided, as CEO of TSX listed Goldgroup Mining Inc. over a peak to present share price decline of 96.5% as Core Golds CEO, he reduced Core Golds assets by 60%, increased its total liabilities by 27% and increased its working capital deficit by 55%, all while issuing 63.4M new shares thereby increasing Cores outstanding shares by 72.2% in just 2.5 years as Core Golds CEO, he made numerous gold production promises, including for 100,000 oz in 2019, none of which were ever met, and many of which are documented in interviews which we have linked in the response for all to view and assess for themselves as Core Golds CEO, every quarter under him had negative cash flow from operations which required a financing each quarter just to keep his loss-making mining operations going he has misled Core Gold shareholders about the new proposed CEO of the combined entity, Laurence Marsland, suggesting that he was successfully sued by his former employer, when in fact, the case was dropped. With respect his continuing press releases regarding shocking allegations that only he has uncovered against Titan, Core Gold has, through legal counsel, demanded that Mr. Piggott, a Core Gold director, provide this evidence to his fellow Core Gold directors. He and his legal counsel have refused. Accordingly, while the Core Gold board is receptive to reviewing and testing the evidence from his investigation in assessing its relationship with Titan and the accuracy of Titans disclosures, unless and until Mr. Piggott acknowledges his legal duty of disclosure and is co-operative, Core Gold can only assume that the evidence either does not exist or the allegations are false, or both. Core Gold does note that if its former CEOs assertions regarding Titan were true, that it seems unlikely the Peruvian authorities would have provided the final permit for Titans Vista Plant in Peru which it announced on May 27, 2019. Core Gold would like to again remind shareholders to read about the benefits of the Arrangement in the Management Information Circular (the Circular) that was mailed on May 13, 2019. The Circular can also be found on Core Golds website at www.coregoldinc.com and at www.sedar.com. VOTE YOUR SECURITIES TODAY Your vote is important regardless of the number of securities you own. Whether or not you are able to attend the Core Gold Meeting, we urge you to vote. If you have any questions or require assistance with voting, please contact our proxy solicitation agent: Laurel Hill Advisory Group North American Toll-Free Number: 1-877-452-7184 Collect Calls Outside North America: 416-304-0211 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. About Core Gold The Company is a Canadian based mining company involved in the mining, exploration and development of mineral properties in Ecuador. The Company is currently focused on gold production at its wholly-owned Dynasty Goldfield project. Mineral is treated at the Companys wholly-owned Portovelo treatment plant. The Company also owns other significant gold exploration projects including the Linderos and Copper Duke area in southern Ecuador all of which are on the main Peruvian Andean gold-copper belt extending into Ecuador. For further information please contact: Mark Bailey, Interim CEO, Director Suite 1201 1166 Alberni Street Vancouver, B.C. V6E 3Z3 Phone: +1 (604) 345-4822 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SAINT-MICHEL-DES-SAINTS, Quebec, May 28, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nouveau Monde Graphite Inc. ( Nouveau Monde ) (TSX VENTURE: NOU) is pleased to announce the following strategic additions to its Matawinie project team and Board of Directors. MARTINE PARADIS, VICE-PRESIDENT CHIEF ENGINEER INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENVIRONMENT Ms. Martine Paradis is a geological engineer with eighteen years of experience in mining and engineering. She holds a masters degree in Earth Science on mine site reclamation and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). Ms. Paradis consulted as an engineer, project manager and manager on various projects related to geochemistry, hydrogeology, climatic change, field work, mine reclamation techniques, tailings and water management and engineering, and mine project development. She has also worked for the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources for the reclamation of abandoned mine sites, follow-up of active mine sites and several ministerial dossiers. At Nouveau Monde she will oversee engineering and planning for civil and environmental infrastructure projects. ALAIN DORVAL, VICE-PRESIDENT - CHIEF ENGINEER METALLURGY AND PROCESS Mr. Alain Dorval is a respected and established mining engineer with over 35 years of experience specializing in mineral processing. Throughout his career, he has worked in the fields of engineering, industrial operations and research. He has collaborated to develop several mineral processing techniques for a wide variety of mineral types. He has carried out several evaluation audits of ore processing plants for expansion projects and for investors. Mr. Dorval has also participated in numerous studies as a senior process engineer, expert engineer and qualified person (QP) NI 43-101 for various projects located in Australia, Canada, Chile, the United States, French Guiana, Guyana, India, Cote d'Ivoire, Mauritania, Mexico, Suriname and Venezuela. A respected mineral processing professional, he constantly collaborates with internationally renowned equipment suppliers and research laboratories on the development of mineralurgical processes. His experience as an expert in mineral processing and in engineering team management will allow Nouveau Monde Graphite to efficiently optimize the demonstration plant and the detailed engineering of the future commercial plant. In addition, he will take an active role in future product development at Nouveau Monde. Eric Desaulniers, President and CEO of Nouveau Monde commented, I am delighted to welcome such accomplished technical professionals to our team. Their presence significantly strengths our technical capability and our ability to execute and deliver the Matawinie project. ARNE H. FRANDSEN, DIRECTOR OF THE BOARD Mr. Arne H. Frandsen is the Co-Managing Partner of The Pallinghurst Group. Mr. Frandsen has a LL.B and Masters in Law from Copenhagen University. He has over 10 years of investment banking experience with Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan, providing strategic advice and structuring mergers and acquisitions, as well as corporate finance transactions for clients in 30 different countries. In 2005, Mr. Frandsen left investment banking in order to become the Chief Executive Officer of Incwala Resources, one of South Africas leading black economic empowerment mining companies. Mr. Frandsen was one of the founders of The Pallinghurst Group in 2006 and has been instrumental in the groups development. In addition, he is the Chairman of Sedibelo Platinum Mines. CHRISTOPHER SHEPHERD, DIRECTOR OF THE BOARD At The Pallinghurst Group for the last 10 years, Mr. Christopher Shepherd is a Managing Director and the Head of Corporate Finance of The Pallinghurst Group, spearheading the execution team for most of its investments. He is a Chartered Accountant (CA) since 2002 and holds a bachelor's degree in Applied Finance and Commerce from Macquarie University, in Sydney, Australia. Mr. Shepherd has 20 years of experience in private equity, investment banking and accounting, with a focus on the natural resources industry and mining operations. Desaulniers continued, I am very pleased to welcome Arne Frandsen and Christopher Shepherd to our Board of Directors. Both gentlemen bring extensive capital markets expertise with a focus on mining. Their unique talents and perspectives are accretive to that of our existing board members and I look forward to working with my expanded Board of Directors as we collaborate on the strategies to bring the Matawinie project to production. The Board of Directors has granted a total of 1,125,000 stock options to executive officers. These stock options are granted pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Corporation's stock option plan. Each stock option entitles the holder to purchase one common share of the Company at a price of $ 0.235 per common share for a period of 5 years from the date of grant. ABOUT NOUVEAU MONDE GRAPHITE In 2015, Nouveau Monde Graphite discovered a major and high-quality graphite deposit on its Matawinie property, located in Saint-Michel-des-Saints, 150 km North of Montreal. This discovery led to the completion of a Feasibility Study, which revealed strong economics with projected graphite concentrate production level of 100,000 tonnes per year over a 26-year period. Nouveau Monde will operate its demonstration plant until 2020. During this period, the Corporation expects the production of 2,000 tonnes of concentrated flake graphite to qualify its products with North American and international clients. Moreover, in a vertical integration and sustainable development perspective, Nouveau Monde is planning the establishment of a large-scale graphite secondary transformation facility, catering the needs of the booming lithium-ion battery and expandable graphite markets. With over 60 years of experience in the world of graphite, Nouveau Mondes team develops its project with the utmost respect of neighbouring communities, while favoring a minimal ecological footprint. Nouveau Mondes project is privileged by direct access to the workforce and infrastructure needed to operate its mining project, and it can also rely on an abundant, affordable and renewable source of hydroelectricity. For more information: Eric Desaulniers Tristan Menard President & CEO Director, Capital Markets Tel: +1 (819) 923-0333 Tel: +1 (514) 296-6339 www.nouveaumonde.ca Subscribe to our newsfeed: http://nouveaumonde.ca/en/support-nmg/ Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release including, but not limited to generally, or the About Corporation Graphite paragraph which essentially describe the Corporations outlook and objectives, constitute forward-looking information or forward-looking statements within the meaning of certain securities laws, and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the time of this press release. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Corporation as of the time of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. These estimates and assumptions may prove to be incorrect. Many of these uncertainties and contingencies can directly or indirectly affect, and could cause, actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about managements expectations and plans relating to the future. The Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law. Further information regarding Corporation is available in the SEDAR database (www.sedar.com) and on the Corporations website at: www.nouveaumonde.ca High potential within underexplored epithermal district THUNDER BAY, ON, May 29, 2019 /CNW/ - Premier Gold Mines Limited (TSX: PG) ("Premier", "the Company") is pleased to announce the start of a drilling campaign at the Rye Vein and Goldbanks Properties, located some 55 km south of Winnemucca, in Pershing County, Nevada (Figure 1). Premier holds an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Rye Vein Property ("Rye") from Barrick Gold, and up to a 50% interest in the Goldbanks Property from Kinross Gold. Rye is considered one of the Company's top exploration priorities in 2019 targeting high-grade epithermal mineralization. Figure 1 Geological map of Goldbanks and Rye Properties The Rye and Goldbanks properties are host to low-sulfidation epithermal systems, locally known to contain appreciable gold-silver mineralization. Rye hosts one of the most extensive epithermal veins in Nevada with an exposed strike length of more than 5 km and widths of up to 10 m. It has remained greatly underexplored for the past several decades, with limited shallow drilling. However, numerous significant intercepts returned gold grades up to 1.5 m of 139.2 g/t Au along an ore shoot (Figure 2), whose trend will be one focus of 2019 drill campaign. Premier is required to spend $3.0 million at Rye by July 2021 in order to meet the terms in the earn-in agreement. "Whilst our drill program is just getting underway for 2019, we have not been idle at Goldbanks and Rye", commented Stephen McGibbon, Executive Vice-President. "Previous work has identified high-grade gold mineralization that appears to have appreciable upside. A strong plan has been developed by our geological team, highlighting why Premier is well-suited to advance this emerging epithermal district." Figure 2 Longitudinal view of the Rye Vein looking East presenting the historical drill holes Goldbanks is host to several significant exploration targets including the high-grade Golden Devil discovery area where previous drilling has identified several vein intervals at depth. Importantly, the Golden Devil model has been refined by better integrating geophysics and geochemical vectors into the geological framework. The result of this work includes revised interpretation of vein orientations and a potential 400 m vertical productive horizon within the targeted vein. Clear exploration targets have emerged and will be drill-tested in June. High-grade intercepts from previous drill campaigns include 3.4 m of 245.27 g/t Au & 251.65 g/t Ag (GB-17-13) and 0.9 m of 25.30 g/t Au & 1,379 g/t Ag (GB-18-04). Premier has limited spending requirements at Goldbanks through 2020 in order to maintain earn-in obligations. Julie-Anais Debreil, Ph.D., P.Geo., is the Qualified Person for the information contained in this press release and is a Qualified Person within the meaning of National Instrument 43 - 101. Drill samples from Goldbanks are sent to American Assay Laboratories in Reno, Nevada, for analysis with the analytical facility utilizing a 30 g fire assay with an ICP-AES finish for Core and RC samples. Samples containing visible gold are submitted for screen metallic analysis and all over-limit samples receive an automatic gravimetric finish. Premier Gold Mines Limited is a gold producer with a respected exploration and development pipeline of high-quality precious metal projects in proven, accessible and safe mining jurisdictions in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Premier remains focused on creating a low-cost, mid-tier gold producer through its two producing gold mines - South Arturo and Mercedes - as well as mine development opportunities at McCoy-Cove in Nevada and Hardrock in Ontario. This Press Release contains certain information that may constitute "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements about strategic plans, including future operations, future work programs, capital expenditures, discovery and production of minerals, price of gold and currency exchange rates, timing of geological reports and corporate and technical objectives. Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including the risks inherent to the mining industry, adverse economic and market developments and the risks identified in Premier's annual information form under the heading "Risk Factors". There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. All forward-looking information contained in this press release is given as of the date hereof and is based upon the opinions and estimates of management and information available to management as at the date hereof. Premier disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Almonty Industries Inc. (Almonty or the Company) (TSX:AII / OTCQX: ALMTF / Frankfurt: 1MR)) announces that it has signed a Power Supply and Consumption Agreement with Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) for the construction and supply of a power line to the Sangdong Tungsten Mine located in the Republic of Korea. The Power Supply and Consumption Agreement, entered into on May 29, 2019 between Almonty Korea Tungsten Corp. (AKTC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Almonty, and KEPCO, a state-owned monopoly power supplier, is for the construction and installation of a 10MW exclusive power line to the site of the Sangdong Mine. Under the Power Supply & Consumption Agreement, KEPCO is responsible for building the high voltage power line (22.9kV) of 22.8 km and auxiliary facilities connecting the Taebaek Sub-station of KEPCO and the transfer point designated inside the Sangdong Mine site. The construction cost of KRW2,044 million (approx. US$1.7 million) will be entirely borne by KEPCO as a part of its power line subsidy program for industrial promotion. KEPCO will commence the construction of the power line with the target completion by June 23, 2020, which will be several months before the scheduled completion of the processing plant at the mine. Almontys Chairman, President and CEO Lewis Black said: The signing of the Power Supply and Consumption Agreement for the Sangdong Mine development will be another important and meaningful step to Almonty for bringing what was historically one of the largest and lowest-cost tungsten mines in the world back into production. We are particularly pleased and grateful for KEPCOs subsidized construction of the power line. The subsidized power line extension by the government power company, in addition to the subsidized connection of potable water line by the County Government in 2017, signifies the continued support of the South Korean government for the development of the Sangdong Mine. The in-time supply of power will contribute to ensuring the scheduled completion of the processing plant and other facilities at the Sangdong Mine, enabling AKTC to meet targeted commercial production in Q4 2020. About Almonty Industries Inc. The principal business of Toronto, Canada-based Almonty Industries Inc. is the mining, processing and shipping of tungsten concentrate from its Los Santos Mine in western Spain and its Panasqueira mine in Portugal as well development of its Sangdong tungsten mine in Gangwon Province, South Korea and the development of the Valtreixal tin/tungsten project in north western Spain. The Los Santos Mine was acquired by Almonty in September 2011 and is located approximately 50 kilometres from Salamanca in western Spain and produces tungsten concentrate. The Panasqueira mine, which has been in production since 1896, is located approximately 260 kilometres northeast of Lisbon, Portugal, was acquired in January 2016 and produces tungsten concentrate. The Sangdong mine, which was historically one of the largest tungsten mines in the world and one of the few long-life, high-grade tungsten deposits outside of China, was acquired in September 2015 through the acquisition of a 100% interest in Woulfe Mining Corp. Almonty owns 100% of the Valtreixal tin-tungsten project in north-western Spain. Further information about Almontys activities may be found at www.almonty.com and under Almontys profile at www.sedar.com. Legal Notice The release, publication or distribution of this announcement in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law and therefore persons in such jurisdictions into which this announcement is released, published or distributed should inform themselves about and observe such restrictions. Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Statements When used in this press release, the words estimate, project, belief, anticipate, intend, expect, plan, predict, may or should and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. These statements and information are based on managements beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and reflect Almontys current expectations. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the expected use of proceeds of the Debenture Offering. The forward-looking statements and information in this press release include information relating to the intentions of management. Such statements and information reflect the current view of Almonty with respect to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to vary. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Almonty to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: the receipt of all required approvals, unanticipated costs and expenses, general market and industry conditions and operational risks, including large project risk and contractual factors, any specific risks relating to fluctuations in the price of ammonium para tungstate (APT) from which the sale price of Almontys tungsten concentrate is derived, actual results of mining and exploration activities, environmental, economic and political risks of the jurisdictions in which Almontys operations are located and changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, forecasts and assessments relating to Almontys business, credit and liquidity risks, hedging risk, competition in the mining industry, risks related to the market price of Almontys shares, the ability of Almonty to retain key management employees or procure the services of skilled and experienced personnel, risks related to claims and legal proceedings against Almonty and any of its operating mines, risks relating to unknown defects and impairments, risks related to the adequacy of internal control over financial reporting, risks related to governmental regulations, including environmental regulations, risks related to international operations of Almonty, risks relating to exploration, development and operations at Almontys tungsten mines, the ability of Almonty to obtain and maintain necessary permits, the ability of Almonty to comply with applicable laws, regulations and permitting requirements, lack of suitable infrastructure and employees to support Almontys mining operations, uncertainty in the accuracy of mineral reserves and mineral resources estimates, production estimates from Almontys mining operations, inability to replace and expand mineral reserves, uncertainties related to title and indigenous rights with respect to mineral properties owned directly or indirectly by Almonty, challenges related to global financial conditions, risks related to future sales or issuance of equity securities, differences in the interpretation or application of tax laws and regulations or accounting policies and rules of the TSX. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including but not limited to, the receipt of all required final approvals, no unanticipated delays in the project financing, no material unanticipated costs and expenses, no material adverse change in general market and industry conditions and no unanticipated material operational risks, including large project risk and contractual factors, no material adverse change in the market price of APT, the continuing ability to fund or obtain funding for outstanding commitments, expectations regarding the resolution of legal and tax matters, no negative change to applicable laws, the ability to secure local contractors, employees and assistance as and when required and on reasonable terms, and such other assumptions and factors as are set out herein. Although Almonty has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results, level of activity, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and even if events or results described in the forward-looking statements are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, Almonty. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and are cautioned that actual outcomes may vary. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. Almonty cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on Almontys forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Almonty has also assumed that material factors will not cause any forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF ALMONTY AS OF THE DATE OF THIS PRESS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. WHILE ALMONTY MAY ELECT TO DO SO, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS. CALGARY, May 27, 2019 /CNW/ - Lithium Chile Inc. ("Lithium Chile" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that an agreement has been reached between the Company and the Indigenous Community of Turi as to the locations of the 3 holes in its planned reconnaissance program on Turi. The agreed drill hole locations were designed to evaluate the 30 Km2 core of the current 63+ Km2 TEM anomaly whilst minimizing environmental impact. The company is now in the process of filing the necessary documentation with the SEA (Servicio Evaluation Ambiental, DGA (Direccion General de Agua) and SERNAGEOMIN (Servicio Nacional de Geologia y Mineria) in order to proceed with the planned drilling program. News Highlights Locations of 3 priority holes confirmed with Indigenous Community of Turi Initial drill holes designed to evaluate 30 Km 2 core of the current 63+ Km 2 TEM anomaly core of the current 63+ Km TEM anomaly Filings in progress with relevant government bodies to proceed with drill program Lithium Chile has an access agreement in place with the Indigenous Community of Turi for an exploration program that includes these three exploration drill holes and in the spirit of this agreement the Company will continue to work closely with the Turi Community through all stages of the agreed exploration program. At 13,000 hectares the Turi property covers 100% of Salar de Turi and is the third largest property in Lithium Chile's Andean and Pre-Andean Salar belt portfolio. Steven Cochrane, President and CEO for Lithium Chile, said, "We are extremely pleased to have reached another positive milestone in both our planned exploration program and Community relations at Turi. We anticipate having our approvals on our Turi and Coipasa drilling programs during June." Turi Project - 3 Drill Locations About Lithium Chile Lithium Chile is advancing a lithium property portfolio consisting of 167,050 hectares covering sections of 14 salars and 1 laguna complex in Chile. Lithium Chile's common shares are listed on the TSX-V under the symbol "LITH" and on the OTC-QB under the symbol "LTMCF". On Behalf of the Board of Directors, LITHIUM CHILE INC. Steven Cochrane President & CEO NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. Forward Looking Statements This news release may contain certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities legislation (collectively "forward-looking statements"). Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "expects", "believes", "aims to", "plans to" or "intends to" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking statements relating to, among other things, management of the Company's views regarding the current and subsequent drilling programs. You are cautioned that the following list of material factors and assumptions is not exhaustive. Specific material factors and assumptions include, but are not limited to: the general stability of the economic and political environment in which the Company operates; the timely receipt of required regulatory approvals; the ability of the Company to obtain future financing on acceptable terms; currency, exchange and interest rates; operating costs; the success the Company will have in exploring its prospects and the results from such prospects. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements herein, except as required by applicable securities laws. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES TORONTO, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- African Gold Group, Inc. (TSX-V: AGG) (AGG or the Company) is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement financing of up to 23,809,500 units (a Unit) at a price of $0.21 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $5,000,000.00 (the Offering). Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company and one common share purchase warrant, entitling the holder to acquire one additional common share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.30 for a period of 24 months from issuance. Closing of the Offering is expected to occur on or about June 21, 2019. In connection with the Offering, a finders fee may be payable in line with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange. All securities issued in connection with the Offering will be subject to a statutory hold period of four-months and one day. Completion of the Offering is subject to a number of conditions, including without limitation, receipt of TSX Venture Exchange approval. The Company intends to use the proceeds of the Offering to continue to develop its Kobada Project in Mali and for general corporate purposes. About African Gold Group African Gold Group is a Canadian listed exploration and development company on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSX V:AGG) with its focus on developing a gold platform in West Africa. Its principal asset is the Kobada Project in Mali. For more information: Ryan Ptolemy Chief Financial Officer (416) 861 8165 Cautionary statements This press release contains forwardlooking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forwardlooking information includes, but is not limited to, statements regarding, the intended use of proceeds, closing conditions and timing and other matters relating to the Offering. Generally, forwardlooking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates or does not anticipate, or believes, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. Forwardlooking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of AGG to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forwardlooking information, including but not limited to: receipt of necessary approvals; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; future prices of mineral prices; accidents, labour disputes and shortages and other risks of the mining industry. Although AGG has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forwardlooking information. AGG does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act) or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. OTTAWA, Ontario, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cornerstone Capital Resources Inc. (Cornerstone or the Company) (TSXV:CGP) (Frankfurt:GWN) (Berlin:GWN) (OTC:CTNXF) today announced that the Company is proposing to consolidate (the Share Consolidation) its issued and outstanding common shares (the Common Shares) on the basis of one (1) post-consolidation Common Share for up to every twenty (20) pre-consolidation Common Shares, or such lower number of pre-consolidation Common Shares (the Consolidation Ratio) as may be determined by the board of directors of the Company (the Board) in its sole discretion and as may be required to obtain approval of the Share Consolidation from the TSX Venture Exchange (the TSXV). The Share Consolidation must be approved by a special resolution of the shareholders of Cornerstone at the annual general and special meeting of shareholders to be held on June 25, 2019 (including any adjournment or postponement thereof, the Meeting). To be effective, the special resolution must be approved by not less than 66 2/3% of the votes cast at the Meeting by shareholders in person or represented by proxy. As noted above, the Share Consolidation is also subject to approval of the TSXV. As a result, the Company may determine that it is necessary to modify the Consolidation Ratio in order for the Board to ensure that the Company will be in compliance with the distribution requirements of the TSXV. Notwithstanding the required approvals being obtained, the Board, in its sole discretion, may abandon the Share Consolidation without further approval by or prior notice to shareholders. If the approvals required for the Share Consolidation are obtained and the Board decides to implement the Share Consolidation, the Share Consolidation will occur at a time determined by the Board and announced by a press release of the Company. Registered shareholders will then receive a letter of transmittal from the Companys transfer agent with instructions for exchanging their pre-consolidation Common Share certificates for post-consolidation Common Share certificates. Non-registered beneficial holders holding their Common Shares through a bank, broker or other nominee should note that such banks, brokers or other nominees may have specific procedures for processing the Share Consolidation. Shareholders holding their Common Shares with such a bank, broker or nominee and who have any questions in this regard are encouraged to contact their nominee. If approved and implemented by the Board, the Share Consolidation will occur simultaneously for all of the Common Shares. The Consolidation Ratio will be the same for all such Common Shares and will affect all holders of Common Shares uniformly and will not affect any shareholders percentage ownership interest in the Company, except to the extent that the Share Consolidation would otherwise result in any shareholder owning a fractional Common Share. No fractional Common Shares will be issued upon the Share Consolidation. In the event a holder of Common Shares would otherwise be entitled to receive a fractional Common Share in connection with the Share Consolidation, the number of Common Shares to be received by such shareholder shall be rounded down to the next whole number if that fractional Common Share is less than one half (1/2) of a Common Share, and will be rounded up to the next whole number of Common Shares if that fractional Common Share is equal to or greater than one half (1/2) of a Common Share. There are 639,841,422 Common Shares currently issued and outstanding. Assuming a Consolidation Ratio of 20:1, upon completion of the Share Consolidation, the number of post-consolidation Common Shares issued and outstanding will be approximately 31,992,071 post-consolidation Common Shares (on a non-diluted basis and subject to rounding to account for fractional shares). The expected benefits of the Share Consolidation include increased investor interest, improved trading liquidity and reduced price volatility. The exercise or conversion price of, and the number of Common Shares issuable under, any convertible securities of the Company will be proportionately adjusted upon the completion of the Share Consolidation. The Companys name and trading symbol will remain unchanged. Full details regarding the proposed Share Consolidation are included in the Companys management information circular for the Meeting, which is available under the Companys profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. About Cornerstone: Cornerstone Capital Resources Inc. is a mineral exploration company with a diversified portfolio of projects in Ecuador and Chile, including in the Cascabel gold-enriched copper porphyry joint venture in north west Ecuador. Further information is available on Cornerstones website: www.cornerstoneresources.com and on Twitter. For investor, corporate or media inquiries, please contact: Investor Relations: Mario Drolet (Montreal); Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ; Tel. (514) 346-3813 Corporate Matters: David Loveys, CFO; Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ; Tel. (343) 689-0714 Due to anti-spam laws, many shareholders and others who were previously signed up to receive email updates and who are no longer receiving them may need to re-subscribe at http://www.cornerstoneresources.com/s/InformationRequest.asp Cautionary Notice: This news release may contain Forward-Looking Statements that involve risks and uncertainties, such as statements of Cornerstones plans, objectives, strategies, intentions and expectations. The words potential, anticipate, forecast, believe, estimate, expect, may, project, plan, and similar expressions are intended to be among the statements that identify Forward-Looking Statements. Although Cornerstone believes that its expectations reflected in these Forward-Looking Statements are reasonable, such statements may involve unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors disclosed in our regulatory filings, viewed on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. For us, uncertainties arise from the behaviour of financial and metals markets, predicting natural geological phenomena and from numerous other matters of national, regional, and global scale, including those of an environmental, climatic, natural, political, economic, business, competitive, or regulatory nature. These uncertainties may cause our actual future results to be materially different than those expressed in our Forward-Looking Statements. Although Cornerstone believes the facts and information contained in this news release to be as correct and current as possible, Cornerstone does not warrant or make any representation as to the accuracy, validity or completeness of any facts or information contained herein and these statements should not be relied upon as representing its views after the date of this news release. While Cornerstone anticipates that subsequent events may cause its views to change, it expressly disclaims any obligation to update the Forward-Looking Statements contained herein except where outcomes have varied materially from the original statements. On Behalf of the Board, Hugh Brooke Macdonald President and CEO Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. TORONTO, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Galane Gold Ltd. (Galane Gold or the Company) (TSX-V: GG; OTCQB: GGGOF) is pleased to announce the release of its financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2019. A copy of the unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2019 prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards and the corresponding Managements Discussion and Analysis are available under the Companys profile on www.sedar.com. First Quarter 2019 Highlights Produced 6,326 ounces of gold. Negative cash flows from operating activities of $878,661. Galane Gold CEO, Nick Brodie commented: The first quarter of 2019 was behind our internal targets due to the failure of the ball mill transformer at the beginning of the year followed by a failure of the main SAG mill motor at the end of the quarter. The ball mill was fixed by the end of March 2019 and the SAG mill motor was fixed in May 2019. This will also affect our second quarter results but the aim is to make up the lost ounces during the remainder of 2019.(1) The Galaxy project continues at pace with the refurbishment of the existing plant completed and now in operation, concentrate production commenced, and first ore production from Princeton achieved. The expansion of the plant to 30,000 tonnes per month is expected to be completed ahead of schedule.(1)(2)(3) About Galane Gold Galane Gold is an un-hedged gold producer and explorer with mining operations and exploration tenements in Botswana and South Africa. Galane Gold is a public company and its shares are quoted on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol GG and the OTCQB under the symbol GGGOF. Galane Golds management team is comprised of senior mining professionals with extensive experience in managing mining and processing operations and large-scale exploration programmes. Galane Gold is committed to operating at world-class standards and is focused on the safety of its employees, respecting the environment, and contributing to the communities in which it operates. Notes: (1) This is forward-looking information and is based on a number of assumptions. See Cautionary Notes. (2) The Company is not basing its decision to expand the throughput capacity of the Galaxy mines processing plant to 30,000 tonnes per month on a feasibility study of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability of production at such levels, and as a result there is increased uncertainty and there are multiple technical and economic risks of failure which are associated with producing at such plants throughput capacity. These risks, among others, include areas that are analyzed in more detail in a feasibility study, such as applying economic analysis to resources and reserves, more detailed metallurgy and a number of specialized studies in areas such as mining and recovery methods, market analysis, and environmental and community impacts. (3) The deposits at the Galaxy mine are supported by a technical report entitled A Technical Report on the Galaxy Gold Mine, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa which was issued January 4, 2016 with an effective date of September 1, 2015 (the Galaxy Technical Report), a copy of which is available under the Companys profile on www.sedar.com. The Galaxy Technical Report was prepared by Minxcon (Pty) Ltd and approved by Daniel van Heerden, B Eng (Min.), MCom (Bus. Admin.), Pr. Eng., FSAIMM, AMMSA, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101). The Galaxy Technical Report satisfies the requirements to be a pre-feasibility study. Cautionary Notes Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including, without limitation, those regarding the Companys future financial position and results of operations, strategy, proposed acquisitions, plans, objectives, goals and targets, and any statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words believe, expect, aim, intend, plan, continue, will, may, would, anticipate, estimate, forecast, predict, project, seek, should or similar expressions or the negative thereof, are forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts but instead represent only the Companys expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual results may differ materially from what is expressed, implied or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. Additional factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially include, but are not limited to: the Companys dependence on two mineral projects; gold price volatility; risks associated with the conduct of the Companys mining activities in Botswana and South Africa; regulatory, consent or permitting delays; risks relating to the Companys exploration, development and mining activities being situated in Botswana and South Africa; risks relating to reliance on the Companys management team and outside contractors; risks regarding mineral resources and reserves; the Companys inability to obtain insurance to cover all risks, on a commercially reasonable basis or at all; currency fluctuations; risks regarding the failure to generate sufficient cash flow from operations; risks relating to project financing and equity issuances; risks arising from the Companys fair value estimates with respect to the carrying amount of mineral interests; mining tax regimes; risks arising from holding derivative instruments; the Companys need to replace reserves depleted by production; risks and unknowns inherent in all mining projects, including the inaccuracy of reserves and resources, metallurgical recoveries and capital and operating costs of such projects; contests over title to properties, particularly title to undeveloped properties; laws and regulations governing the environment, health and safety; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities; lack of infrastructure; employee relations, labour unrest or unavailability; health risks in Africa; the Companys interactions with surrounding communities and artisanal miners; the Companys ability to successfully integrate acquired assets; risks related to restarting production; the speculative nature of exploration and development, including the risks of diminishing quantities or grades of reserves; development of the Companys exploration properties into commercially viable mines; stock market volatility; conflicts of interest among certain directors and officers; lack of liquidity for shareholders of the Company; risks related to the market perception of junior gold companies; and litigation risk. Management provides forward-looking statements because it believes they provide useful information to investors when considering their investment objectives and cautions investors not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and other cautionary statements or factors contained herein, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect subsequent information, events or circumstances or otherwise, except as required by law. Information of a technical and scientific nature that forms the basis of the disclosure in the press release has been prepared and approved by Kevin Crossling Pr. Sci. Nat., MAusIMM. and Business Development Manager for Galane Gold, and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Crossling has verified the technical and scientific data disclosed herein and has conducted appropriate verification on the underlying data. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. For further information please contact: Nick Brodie CEO, Galane Gold Ltd. + 44 7905 089878 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. www.GalaneGold.com Vancouver, Canada / TheNewswire / May 29, 2019 - Medgold Resources Corp. (TSX-V: MED) is pleased to announce that further to its news release of March 21, 2019, drilling at its Tlamino Project (the "Project" or "Tlamino") in southern Serbia, consisting of up to 5,000m of diamond drilling, will commence during the week of June 3. The initial focus of the 2019 program will be to seek southward extensions to the gold and base metal mineralization defined at the Barje Prospect in 2018 - at which a shallow-dipping, structurally-controlled tabular hydrothermal breccia measuring 700m east-west by 250m north-south was seen to give host to continuous gold mineralization. Of significance in this program is that historic drilling 1.5km to the south of Barje by Yugoslav State Agencies, at the so-called Liska Prospect, reported a shallow-dipping tabular zone of breccia hosted lead-zinc mineralization. Historic records indicate that such mineralization ranges in thickness from 15m to 40m over an area of approximately 300m by 450m, and that no systematic gold analysis appears to have been undertaken by the Yugoslav State. The reported mineralization potentially represents a similar mineralizing structure and hydrothermal system to that discovered by Medgold's 2018 drilling program at Barje. Medgold's 2019 drilling program will commence in the area of historic Yugoslav drilling at Liska, and will test for additional mineralization between Liska and Barje. Subsequent drilling by Medgold will focus on well-defined exploration targets at Karamanica including a 2km long Induced Polarization ("IP") chargeability anomaly within a 2km by 1.5km gold-in-soil anomaly, which management believes to represent the continuation of a mineralized structure into Medgold's tenement along strike from underground mine workings at Podvirovi currently being put into production by Mineco Limited. The 2019 exploration program remains fully funded by Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. (NYSE: FSM) (TSX: FVI) ("Fortuna") and directed by a joint Fortuna-Medgold technical committee pursuant to the terms of the Tlamino Option Agreement announced on March 7, 2017. The Tlamino Gold Project The Project is located in Southern Serbia, close to the borders of both Bulgaria and Macedonia, five hours south of Belgrade. Tlamino is comprised of two exploration licenses, Donje Tlamino and Surlica-Dukat, each approximately 100 sq.km. All exploration work at the Project is fully-funded by Fortuna, which has an option to earn up to 70% of the Project by spending US $8 million on exploration over five years and completing a Preliminary Economic Assessment (see Medgold news release of March 7, 2017). About Medgold Resources Corp. Medgold is a Serbia-focused, TSX-V listed, project generator company targeting early-stage gold properties in the Oligo-Miocene Belt of Serbia. Run by an experienced management team with a successful track-record of building value in resource companies, Medgold is aiming to become a leading European gold exploration company. Qualified Person The scientific and technical information in this new release has been prepared and approved by Mr. Thomas Sant, FGS, CGeol, EurGeol, who is the Company's Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Sant has provided consulting services to Medgold since 2017. Additional information on Medgold can be found on the Company's website at www.medgoldresources.com and by reviewing the Company's page on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Jeremy Crozier, President and CEO For Further Information, Contact: President and CEO Jeremy Crozier (Vancouver), +1 604 801 5432, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Investor Relations Elina Chow (Toronto), This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , +1 416.845.8495 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-looking statements Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and include, without limitation, statements about the exploration plans for the Tlamino Project. Often, but not always, these forward looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "estimate", "estimates", "estimated", "potential", "open", "future", "assumed", "projected", "used", "detailed", "has been", "gain", "upgraded", "offset", "limited", "contained", "reflecting", "containing", "remaining", "to be", "periodically", or statements that events, "could" or "should" occur or be achieved and similar expressions, including negative variations. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Such uncertainties and factors include, among others, the exploration plans for the Tlamino Project; changes in general economic conditions and financial markets; the Company or any joint venture partner not having the financial ability to meet its exploration and development goals; risks associated with the results of exploration and development activities, estimation of mineral resources and the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; unanticipated costs and expenses; and such other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's quarterly and annual filings with securities regulators and available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking statements contained herein are based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations and opinions of management, including but not limited to: that the proposed exploration of the Tlamino Project will proceed as intended; that the Company's stated goals and planned exploration and development activities will be achieved; that there will be no material adverse change affecting the Company or its properties; and such other assumptions as set out herein. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by law. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Norway and China are enjoying tremendous potential in service trade cooperation, thanks to the two countries' economic complementary advantages, said Knut Roald Sorlie, commercial counselor of the Norwegian embassy in China. "Trade in services is a major part in the cooperation between Norway and China," Sorlie said, adding the sector is conducive to the transformation and upgrading of China's economic structure. China is a shipbuilding powerhouse, while Norway is strong in ocean-related technologies, he said. "The cooperation between the two sides is highly complementary." "Norway is a big player in the ocean industry, from maritime affairs, oil and gas to seafood," Sorlie said. "The ocean economy is very important to the bilateral trade cooperation." During the ongoing 2019 China International Fair for Trade in Services, Norway has set up an exhibition booth and will hold the Norway China Business Services Seminar on Thursday, focusing on issues ranging from tourism, transportation and films to copyrights. "This is the first time the country has taken part in the event, and we hope to see more cooperation," Sorlie said. Norway shares some of the same policies with the European Union and is open to business investment in the sectors, such as manufacturing and services, he noted. The Nordic country is focusing on data centers and expects more Chinese companies to invest in them, Sorlie said. "Data centers are energy-consuming, and if Chinese companies set up their cloud systems in Norway, we can provide them with sustainable resources including clean energy." In 2018, the volume of trade in services between Norway and China was 9.7 billion Norwegian krone ($1.12 billion), much higher than 6.4 billion krone in 2017, the official said. To date, China's cumulative investment in Norway is about 11 billion Norwegian krone, and Norway's cumulative investment in China is about 5 billion krone, he added. China and Norway are currently negotiating in free trade agreements, he said. "This will be a very important milestone and I hope the two countries can succeed in building deep and ambitious free trade agreements, which will open up more trade between our two nations." liangkaiyan@chinadaily.com.cn (China Daily 05/29/2019 page7) An ultra-nationalist monk dubbed the Buddhist Bin Laden for his anti-Muslim vitriol said Wednesday he was not afraid of arrest as police pursued him on charges of stirring up unrest. Wirathu has long been the face of the countrys hardline Buddhist movement, notorious for espousing hate against Islam and particularly the long-persecuted Rohingya minority. A court issued an arrest warrant for the abbot late Tuesday under article 124(a) which targets anyone who excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the Government. Wirathu told local media by phone Wednesday he was in Yangon, but said the police had not yet come for him. If they want to arrest me, they can do it, the Irrawaddy newspaper quoted him as saying. Im not afraid. The exact reasons behind the warrant have not been clarified but the rabble-rousing monk has recently given several provocative speeches at nationalist rallies. In April, he took aim at the countrys civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi. She just dresses up like a fashionista, wears makeup and walks around in stylish, high-heeled shoes, shaking her ass at foreigners, he told a cheering crowd. At another rally in Yangon he caused widespread offence by saying soldiers protecting the country should be worshipped like Buddha. He has also upset the countrys highest Buddhist authority, the State Sangha Maha Nayaka a state-appointed body of high-ranking monks that oversees the clergy across the Buddhist-majority country. The council last week summoned him for a disciplinary hearing Thursday over his involvement with social affairs during a rally but announced Wednesday this had been postponed due to current events. Face of Buddhist Terror Wirathu is no stranger to jail. He was sentenced in 2003 to 25 years behind bars under the former military junta on charges including preaching extremism and distributing banned books. As the country opened up, he was released in 2012 alongside several thousand political prisoners. He immediately returned to his hardline preachings, calling for boycotts of Muslim-owned businesses and restrictions on interfaith marriages. The abbot appeared on the cover of Time magazine as The Face of Buddhist Terror in 2013. In 2015 he called UN special envoy Yanghee Lee a whore. The Buddhist authority had previously prohibited him from speaking in public for a year after he delivered hate speech against religions but the ban expired in March last year. Facebook blacklisted him in January 2018 after a string of incendiary posts targeting the Rohingya. Rights groups say these helped whip up animosity towards the Muslim minority, laying foundations for a military crackdown in 2017 that forced some 740,000 to flee to Bangladesh. Like many in Myanmar, Wirathu pejoratively refers to Rohingya as Bengali, implying they are illegal immigrants. Refugees testimonies of mass killings, rapes and arson spurred UN investigators to call for the prosecution of top generals for genocide and the International Criminal Court (ICC) is conducting a preliminary probe. The day the ICC comes here is the day Wirathu holds a gun, he told a rally last October. Over the past 25 years, at least 11 national park rangers have died in violent circumstances in Colombia while safekeeping the natural areas under their care, powerless against the financial interests of multi-million dollar businesses such as drug trafficking, illegal mining, and war. However, the signing of a peace agreement with the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in 2016 has opened a window of opportunity to understand what happened to them. A group of respected environmental scientists and leaders has been working since last year on a proposal for the new transitional justice to investigate the ways in which the environment and its caretakers have been affected by violence, as part of its core mission to investigate and judge the crimes that took place in the context of the Colombian armed conflict. In the two cases of Martin Duarte of La Macarena Range National Park and Jairo Varela of Paramillo National Park, there is strong evidence that FARC guerrilla members who laid down their weapons two years ago and are in the process of reintegration into civilian life are accountable for their death. The FARC could therefore, as part of their commitment to peace, help these families understand what happened and ask them for forgiveness. The guardian of La Macarena Martin Duarte was so satisfied with his job as a park ranger that he decided to study an undergraduate degree to become an even better civil servant. The mission of this 36-year-old agricultural technician from Bogota was to safe keep La Macarena Range National Park, a rocky oasis in the middle of the lowlands where the Colombian Amazon begins, slightly detached from the Guiana Shield. Martin Duarte sailing on a boat in Amacayacu National Park ( DUARTE family). In 2008 La Macarena was still the setting of intense confrontations between the military, guerrillas, and other paramilitary groups. Duarte had been working in Colombias National Parks system for 13 years. His work had begun in the national park adjacent to Bogota that protects the Sumapaz paramo (moorland) at the top of the mountain range. From there he moved to Los Picachos, which safeguards the transitional forests that connect the Andes and the jungle. He finally arrived in La Macarena after separating from his wife and requesting a transfer to be closer to his daughter Stephania. On Saturday, February 2, 2008, at about 8:30 p.m., Martin called his aunt, Carmen Elena Triana, whom he frequently visited in the nearby town of Granada. Elenita, I am hurt, he blurted. Come pick me up, he told her in an urgent, intermittent voice. He did not answer his phone again. Although the circumstances around his death are still uncertain, evidence suggests that the same people he had seen two days before carrying a woman by force had gone to look for him and shot him in the back while he was working. He didnt receive a warning. They did not give him a chance. They shot him in the back, said his mother, Elsa Acero. A traumatic trial A month later, a military operation led by the Gaula, an anti-kidnapping unit of the Colombian Armed Forces, was able to rescue 22-year-old Libia Camila Dominguez. The kidnappers were demanding a one-billion-peso ransom (around US $500,000). Four men were captured, along with a small arsenal: an AK-47 rifle, a submachine gun, two grenades, two shotguns, and two revolvers. They were all convicted of extortion and aggravated kidnapping with sentences of up to 59 years. The trial for Martins murder was so traumatic for the Duarte family that they stopped attending the hearings, afflicted by the constant procedural postponements. For them, the case looked solid and clear: Libia Camila testified from behind a one-way mirror that prevented her former captors to see her that one day after hearing a gunshot in the forest, one of the men told her they had had a problem with a loud-mouthed environmental engineer. You know theyre looking for you and this man seems to have seen something, so he was shot, she recalled one of her captors telling her. On April 28, 2014, six years after Martins assassination and despite a request from the Attorney Generals Office to convict all four suspects for aggravated homicide, a Bogota court acquitted them due to an absence of compelling evidence. Rangers in the middle of war zones Being a park ranger in Colombia means much more than taking care of a national park. In a country ravaged by a 50-year-long war that left 220,000 dead and 8.8 million victims, it means having to deal with countless armed groups, often in open confrontation between each other, and to persuade these groups that park rangers are not a threat to them. Even today park rangers must deal with a number of very complex problems: with vast illegal coca and opium poppy crops, with dredges and backhoes thirsty for hidden gold and coltan, with rampant deforestation deliberately seeking to clear the forest to sell precious wood or to ensure the illegal appropriation of public lands, or with anti-personnel mines planted to obliterate the legs of any human or animal who steps on them. Martin Duarte driving his company car ( DUARTE family). Martin was not the first, nor the last. The list of fallen park rangers is long and covers almost the entire geography of the country. The burden of being perceived as the State is highly unfair. We assigned park rangers surveillance and control tasks to deal with problems such as hunting, mismanaged tourism, or misuse of water as if we were in Yellowstone. It was never thought that armed with a uniform and a code of natural resources they would have to face guerrillas, paramilitaries, and criminal groups, said environmental lawyer Eugenia Ponce de Leon, former director of the Humboldt Institute and former environmental deputy at the State Ombudmans Office. A window of opportunity to find out the truth The families of these park rangers have one thing in common: above all, they want to know exactly why they died. If one took the 27,000 proposals sent by victims to the peace negotiators in Havana as a reference, those who suffered most from violence wish to have the possibility of rebuilding their lives (34%) and having truth (16%), more than seeing justice (11%). We really want to know what happened. Had he not made that call, bravely and fatally wounded, we would have no idea about what happened. We would still be looking for a missing person, said Javier Duarte, Martins older brother. The Duarte family have heard several hypotheses about who Martins murderers were, but few certainties. One possibility mentioned was that in the La Macarena area, two of the acquitted detainees were FARC guerrilla members and the other two were civilians in cahoots with them. Another possibility was that the kidnappers were new guerrillas in the area, which would explain why Duartes identity was unknown to them. Eleven years after Martins murder and two years after the peace accord that ensured 13,049 members of the FARC abandoned their weapons, new clues finally emerged. After comparing the names of the four men convicted for Libia Camilas kidnapping with the official lists of demobilized FARC members, we found that one of them has connections with the former Marxist guerrilla group. Two years after the peace accords were signed, more than 13,000 members of the FARC have demobilized ( Luis ACOSTA / AFP). Elisein Pinto appears as one the 3,170 persons deprived of liberty (in the jargon of the peace agreement) in Colombian jails that FARC recognized in the lists of combatants they submitted. After due verifications, the Government accredited him as a member of FARC, a step that makes him a party to both the obligations and benefits of the deal. This means that at least one of the suspects of Martins murder could help reconstruct the events that happened on February 2, 2008. A comprehensive transitional justice system This scenario is possible because the Colombian peace deal devised an innovative transitional justice system in which, instead of privileging some victims rights over others, Colombia chose to try to satisfy all of them. Thanks to this formula, FARC former combatants may receive more lenient sentences for serious and representative crimes, such as murder and kidnapping, if and only if they meet three conditions: acknowledging their responsibility, telling the truth, and personally helping redress victims. With this model, Colombia seeks to fulfill its legal obligations as well as guaranteeing victims right to truth, justice, reparation, and non-recurrence. In 2018, three institutions began working as part of this transitional justice system. The Special Peace Jurisdiction (or JEP) is in charge of investigating, prosecuting, and sanctioning the most serious crimes, while the Truth Commission is reconstructing what happened during conflict. Finally, the Disappeared Persons Search Unit is searching for approximately 45,000 missing persons. The creation of this transitional justice system, which will only work between three and fifteen years, led several scientists in the environmental sector to ponder: What if the Special Peace Jurisdiction and the Truth Commission investigate the environmental damages caused by conflict, from attacks on pipelines to the murder of park rangers? Number of Park rangers murdered in Colombia. From past horrors to present threats Next to the horror of what happened during war, this seems like a minor issue but it isnt. Our national parks have been mined, bombed, cultivated with coca, sprayed with glyphosate [to eradicate coca] polluted by mercury and oil spills, and have seen roads opened and their animals eaten, said Eugenia Ponce de Leon, who has worked with park rangers since she began her career three decades ago as a National Parks attorney. She and other environmental lawyers drafted a legal analysis proposing that there is a unique opportunity today to measure the environmental cost of violence in the national parks. They are now persuading National Parks to formally propose the transitional justice system to open such a case. One of their chief arguments is that the Rome Statute, which created the International Criminal Court and to which Colombia is a party, states that attacks which cause extensive, lasting, and serious damage to the natural environment could be considered war crimes. National parks have not only been the epicenter of war, but also harbor strategic resources: minerals, energy, an agro-industrial potential, and infrastructure possibilities. Despite the peace agreement, this collective heritage of all Colombians is once again in a position of suffering victimization, because those interests and those resources are still there, said Rodrigo Botero, director of the Foundation for Conservation and Sustainable Development (FCDS), who was the head of the regional office of National Parks in the Amazon for ten years. A decade of threats against park rangers (2009-2019). The environmental costs of war They did not come up with this idea out of nowhere. The peace agreement mentions the possibility of reforestation being considered as a form of reparation to victims and a job opportunity for former combatants returning to civilian life. In addition, coca substitution programs include a plan to eradicate the 8,301 hectares of coca currently planted within 16 parks, including 2,832 hectares in La Macarena. Finally, the Truth Commissions mandate included the need to clarify the impact that the conflict has had on Colombians constitutional right to a healthy environment. This is a long-standing debt in Colombia. We must accept the environmental costs that war left us. We have an opportunity to render them visible and see exemplary rulings can help us ensure these episodes never happen again, said Ponce de Leon. If the idea gains traction and the special tribunal decides to open an environmental inquiry, Colombia could better understand the contradictory role played by guerrillas. For example, the FARC used to hide in the dense green carpet of the jungle and imposed environmental bans on hunting or logging, while at the same time blowing up oil pipelines and financing itself through criminal and predatory economies like coca crops and illegal mining. If the environmental dossier reaches the special tribunal and the Truth Commission, many former FARC members, including Elisein Pinto, have a legal duty to tell the truth about cases like Martins. The protectors of nature and communities On the table in front of Elsa Acero lies a photo of Martin, smiling and wearing his blue rangers vest while riding a boat in Amacayacu National Park. He did not deserve that [death] because he devoted his whole life to national parks. He was in love with his job, she said. Over time, many of Martins objects have been lost. His notebooks and psychology books were given to a niece. His tree lamp, made in his free time from a tree stump, was thrown out because it took up much space. Only a poster of an Amazonian lotus and a handcrafted maraca made from a gourd survive. Duarte family. Disappointed by the State, the Duarte family decided not to seek legal recognition under the Victims Law passed by Juan Manuel Santoss government in 2011 to identify and redress the 8.8 million victims of the Colombian conflict. Therefore, they are not counted in the statistics detailing the legacy of atrocities that half a century of violence left behind. Although the victims registrar closed in 2015, some legal experts believe that an extraordinary two-year extension for reasons of force majeure should apply to victims of the FARC, given that many live in regions where there were no conditions to denounce what happened to them. That period, which would have begun with the end of FARCs disarmament in August 2017, will end for the Duarte family in six months. In the end, what do the families like those of Martin, seek? It is an open wound we feel every day. We mainly want Martin to be remembered, said Jose Venancio Duarte. For each family, the form this may take is different, but the background is the same: a plaque, the name of a rural school, their photo in a public building, a hall of fame showing in Rodrigo Boteros words that heroes wear not only [military], green but also [park ranger] blue. As Javier says, Park rangers should be given the status that they have in other parts of the world: they are protectors of nature and communities, disseminators of life. But here, they are nobody. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 29) Canada will shoulder the cost of repatriation of the tons of trash illegally dumped to the Philippines years ago, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Wednesday. More than 2,000 tons of garbage from the North American country, which arrived in batches in 2013 and 2014, are slated to be shipped back Thursday. "The cost of reshipment from Manila to Vancouver, estimated at Php10 million, will be shouldered by the Canadian government. The container vans will be loaded on vessels owned by three shipping companies," Guevarra said in a statement to reporters. Maersk, Zim Integrated Shipping Services, and CMA-CGM Group are the shippers. Guevarra is the Philippine government's officer-in-charge while President Rodrigo Duterte is in Japan from May 28 to 31 for a working visit. The Philippines already offered to pay for shipping back the waste after they failed to meet a previous May 15 deadline set by Duterte. The President had been at odds with Canada over the garbage shipment, and even threatened to go to war if Canada does not pull the trash out of the Philippines. Canada said all the trash will be pulled out by June 30, but Foreign Affairs Secretary "Teddy Boy" Locsin Jr. said the shipments are ready for deployment by May 30. NEWS PROVIDED BY Catholic League May 28, 2019 NEW YORK, May 28, 2019 /Christian Newswire/ -- Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on an abortion bill that is pending in Illinois: New York and Virginia are proud of their abortion recorda child can be aborted for any reason and at any time of pregnancyand now Illinois lawmakers are playing copycat. The "Reproductive Health Act" would allow for partial-birth abortion, which means that the skull of a baby who is 80 percent born is crushed, thus going well beyond what Roe v. Wade allowed. Senate Bill 25 may be passed this week. Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he would sign it. "A fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus does not have independent rights under the laws of this State." That is the Hitlerian language of the bill. The language is efficiently sanitized so as to blunt any perception that what is at stake is an innocent human life. Even so, the fact that it mentions the word "fetus" means that it runs afoul of the style guide used by National Public Radio (NPR), a taxpayer-funded media outlet. As recently disclosed by Thomas D. Williams, the NPR style guide does not permit journalists to talk about a "fetus." Other words or expressions that are banned include "partial-birth abortion," "abortion clinics," "abortion doctors," "personhood," "crisis pregnancy centers," "taxpayer funding of abortions," "chemical abortion," and "unborn babies." NPR has mastered the Orwellian language of abortion: "The term 'unborn' implies that there is a baby inside a pregnant woman, not a fetus. Babies are not babies until they are born." (My italics.) It makes me wonder: Are pregnant women who work at NPR allowed to have a "baby shower?" Illinois already has a reputation for tolerating murderalmost 900 people have been shot in Chicago thus far this year, resulting in almost 200 homicides. Almost all are African Americans. Now it wants to legalize abortion through term, and that means that a disproportionate number of the victims will be African Americans. Is Illinois run by racists? Catholic League members in Illinois need to contact their state senator. Click here and scroll down to do so. Click here for updates on this story PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) -- As the summer travel season approaches, officials at the Portland International Airport are hoping to prevent fires sparking from lithium batteries. Lithium batteries are commonly found in travel items such as laptops and e-cigarettes. PDX officials say in recent years, there have been four cases of lithium batteries catching fire in travelers luggage. On Tuesday morning, Port of Portland fire chief explained how easily it can happen. "Carrying around loose batteries inside of luggage and in the same area where you'll find keys, change, or other metal objects, and what happens in the batteries short circuit out, start to overheat and then catch fire," said Port of Portland Fire Chief Craig Funk. Fire officials say the best thing to do is to place you batteries in a Ziploc bag and take them with you in you carry-on bag. Batteries should not be inside your checked luggage. Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform. GRANTS PASS, Ore. An eventful car chase through Josephine County ended with a crash along I-5 and a suspect in custody, according to a report from the Oregon State Police (OSP). The chase began shortly before 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday when deputies from the Josephine County Sheriff's Office (JCSO) tried to pull over the driver of a Volvo along Highway 199. The driver refused to stop, and the pursuit began. Deputies tried to spike the suspect's tires near milepost 3 on Hwy 199, but the attempt failed. As the suspect entered Grants Pass, city police took up the chase and tried again to spike the suspect's tires successfully, according to the OSP report. The driver, later identified as 40-year-old Daniel Philip Beier, did not stop when his tires were destroyed. "The vehicle then drove northbound on 7th street until it reached I-5 and city terminated their pursuit," OSP said. A state trooper reportedly spotted Beier in his Volvo on I-5, driving northbound with all four tires popped near milepost 59. He still refused to stop when the trooper approached, OSP said. Another trooper caught up with the Volvo about one mile north. "I was able to pin and stop the vehicle when he spun out and hit the cable barrier near mile post 63 north bound," Trooper Joshua Quick reported. Beier was arrested and lodged in the Josephine County Jail with Attempt to Elude and Reckless Driving. He has an extensive criminal record that goes all the way back to to the 1990s including multiple recent citations for driving with a suspended or revoked license. Beier was out on conditional release for a Reckless Driving charge and Attempting to Elude a Police Officer when Tuesday's incident occurred. SALEM, Ore. A bill now heading for Governor Kate Brown's desk will ban the practice of "fracking" for oil or gas until 2025, state Democrats heralded on Wednesday. Fracking is the common nickname for hydraulic fracturing, a technique for blasting water, sand and chemicals into bedrock in an effort to access oil or natural gas deposits. This bill will put a stop to a dangerous and environmentally damaging practice in Oregon, said Sen. James Manning (D-Eugene), a chief co-sponsor of the bill. We dont want oil and gas companies to come in and start wasting our water and damaging our environment to make a buck. It dirties our water and pollutes our planet. House bill 2623 passed the Senate in a 17-11 vote on Wednesday. It declares a five-year moratorium on the practice while exempting "natural gas storage wells, geothermal activities and existing coal bed methane extraction wells," according to the Democrats. HB 2623 is a straight-forward bill that reflects Oregons priorities to combat climate change and wean our economy off fossil fuels, said Meredith Connolly, Oregon State Director of Climate Solutions. The devastating impacts of fracturing on numerous communities around the country further demonstrates the foolhardiness of expanding fractured gas exploration and production. Prohibiting fractured gas production also sends an important signal to Oregons natural gas utilities and distributors that Oregon is not interested in expanding its reliance on fossil fuel-based gas. Instead, we need to develop alternatives such as renewable natural gas and shift to clean sources of electricity. The technology for fracking has been around for decades, but it has become increasingly common in recent years, leading to a marked increase in U.S. oil and gas production. KEARNEY The public is invited to donate canned goods and other non-perishables from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 5 at Family Fresh Market at 3920 Second Ave. Items most needed are canned goods, paper products, personal hygiene products and laundry soap. Items collected will go to mobile food pantries in Buffalo County. The drive is part of the 10/11 Can Care-a-Van, which will collect donations in 18 Nebraska communities the first week in June. The 10/11 Can Care-a-Van began as a 12-day food drive in 1988 stemming from the national Farm Aid effort. It was shortened to a six-day drive in 1998. It visits towns in Nebraska and northern Kansas. Last year, the 10/11 Can Care-a-Van collected 265,409 pounds. For more information, including a complete schedule and most-needed items for each stop, visit www.1011now.com KEARNEY Tabitha Hospice is planning to expand its services to Kearney. Its office location, opening date and other details still are being determined. Tabitha, based in Lincoln, is a 130-year-old nonprofit that serves clients and families in their homes, in independent or assisted living facilities, or long-term care communities. For now, Tabitha will not open a dedicated hospice facility in Kearney. The majority of clients wish to remain in the comfort and familiarity of their home, surrounded by the things and people they love, said Becky Fulmer, director of marketing for Tabitha Hospice. Hospice care is considered a service, not a place. Initially, Tabitha will hire people for full-time hospice nursing positions and key support roles. Staff will be increased as needed, Fulmer added. Tabitha began as an orphanage in 1886 and gradually expanded its services to 28 counties in southeastern Nebraska. Tabitha was the first in Nebraska to offer hospice care service, and the first hospice program to become Medicare-certified. Its Grand Island office opened in 1996. LINCOLN Soon after a prison riot broke out on Mothers Day 2015, an inmate nicknamed Zero yelled into a protective custody wing of the Tecumseh State Prison: All you sex offenders are going to die. John Wizinsky even at 6-foot-2, 275 pounds said he was petrified. In the code of life behind bars, sex offenders are at the lowest rung, and Wizinsky was among them after a 1985 conviction for sexual assault in the Phoenix area. Normally, protective custody inmates are walled off from other prisoners for their protection. But soon after the riot broke out, doors to the unit were flung open to anyone seeking revenge, Wizinsky testified. There was something fixin to go down, he told a judge Tuesday. A lot of people in protective custody had a contract on them. We gathered up and cliqued together (for protection). Wizinsky, now 54, survived the riot that left two other sex offenders dead and a housing unit scorched and trashed. But he sued the State of Nebraska, claiming that prison staff were negligent in failing to take reasonable care to protect him from harm, and that the riot had caused frequent nightmares and post-traumatic stress disorder. You had one job, Nebraska Legislature. Tax reform. Shake things up. Try new approaches. Change some things. Provide property tax relief. Instead, youre leaving town four days early with your "theres always next year" attitude intact. Same as it ever was. Already approved by the Legislature is a $51 million annual increase in the states property tax credit fund. That came with opposition from the Appropriations Committee and another dent in the states cash reserve fund. But the governor says it is in line with his No. 1 priority, property tax relief. In a recent news release from his office, he touts the total $275 million in property tax relief annually for all property owners. Thats nearly double the direct property tax relief to taxpayers in the last five years with total property tax relief and state aid to local government at more than $2 billion annually, he says. Guess what, folks, the Appropriations Committee had recommended half of that $51 million be sent to replenish the "rainy day" fund. I agree with their intention and woe the day when that money is gone. Police find no evidence of Sunday night explosion A number of Kenosha residents reported hearing an explosion Sunday night, but Kenosha Police were unable to find any evidence of an explosion. Sgt. Matt Strelow said police received a report of a loud noise, possibly of fireworks, at 10:36 p.m. Sunday. He said that no evidence of an incident was found by police or by the Kenosha Fire Department. Illinois man charged in crash that hurt boy Codie Oberg, 22, of Lindenhurst, Ill., was charged Tuesday with reckless driving causing great bodily harm for a crash Friday at highways Q and U in Bristol that left a 7-year-old boy seriously injured. According to the criminal complaint, Oberg was driving a pickup truck west on Hwy. Q when he ran into the rear of a westbound Volkswagen SUV that had stopped for the stop sign at the intersection with U. A witness told a sheriffs deputy that it appeared the pickup was traveling at about 45 mph when it struck the Volkswagen. The 7-year-old boy, who was a passenger in the SUV, was taken to Childrens Hospital of Wisconsin with possible life-threatening injuries. The complaint states that Oberg told a deputy he had a sneezing fit before the crash. The complaint stated that Oberg said he had two beers before driving. A preliminary breath test showed his blood alcohol level was .058 percent, below the legal alcohol limit of 0.80. Obergs bond was set at $5,000. Illinois couple suspected in string of burglaries Warrants were issued Tuesday for a Harrisberg, Ill., couple accused of burglarizing several storage facilities in Kenosha County. Michael Zentz, 35, and Peni Allen, 29, were each charged with 17 felony counts of burglary. According to the criminal complaint, Zentz and Allen are alleged to have broken into storage units at three different storage facilities in Salem Lakes in June 2018. Investigators tied the burglaries to Zenta and Allen through a witness description of a vehicle involved and a license plate number captured on a surveillance video. The Kenosha County Sheriffs Dept. was contacted by Illinois law enforcement reporting that the couple were also suspects in storage unit burglaries in several communities in Illinois along with Walworth and Green counties in Wisconsin. The couple were arrested in Illinois in April. According to the criminal complaint, Allen purposefully rammed a U.S. Marshals vehicle while law enforcement was trying to take them into custody. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 3 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. State Sen. Bob Wirch, D-Somers, has authored legislation to restore the requirement that hunters tag deer carcasses. This requirement had been law in Wisconsin for more than 100 years until its elimination in the 2017-19 state budget. During the last two rounds of Conservation Congress spring hearings, hunters overwhelmingly voted in favor of the tagging requirement. I think we should go back to what worked, Wirch said. Beginning in 1901, hunters in Wisconsin were required to tag deer carcasses. After its repeal, Wisconsin became one of only eight states without this requirement. Wirch said more than 70 of hunters at both of the last two Conservation Congress spring hearings supported tagging. The legislation is being circulated for co-sponsors. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 The Kenosha Unified School Board Tuesday night approved a teacher contract that includes the maximum 2.44 percent base wage increase for the 2019-20 academic year. The board approved a similar increase on base wages for non-represented employees based on the maximum consumer price index, along with level and tier salary advancements for all employee groups. In addition, all full-time equivalent employees, who are actively employed as of Tuesday will receive a $500 stipend to be paid before the end of June. Part-time equivalent staff members would be paid on a prorated basis. The board voted 4-0 with one abstention on the three items. Voting in favor of the measures were board members Rebecca Stevens, Mary Modder, Tony Garcia and Dan Wade, board president. Abstaining was board member Todd Battle, whose wife works as a teacher in the district. Board members Gary Kunich and Tom Duncan were absent. The vote on the teacher contract comes two weeks after members of the Kenosha Education Association unanimously ratified the tentative agreement reached between the union and the district. The agreement was quickly reached at a collective bargaining session between the district and the KEA on May 9. Union members then voted to ratify on May 14. The 2.44 increase goes into effect July 1. In March, the district ended its relationship with long-time health insurance provider WEA Trust, with the School Board favoring a three-year agreement with United Health Cares plan filed in Wisconsin. The district is expected to save more than $18.3 million, or 30.6 percent, on health care costs this year and, as result of the savings, was able to offer base wage increases in accordance with the maximum consumer price index level and level and tier advancements to staff. The stipend approved by the board for active staff is a one-time payment for the 2018-19 year. With the approved stipend, the district is budgeting about $1.5 million to be paid to staff, according to Tarik Hamdan, the districts chief financial officer. The funds used would come from nearly $2.5 million in savings due to staff vacancies for budgeted teaching positions and benefits. Now, as we get closer to the end of the year, were projecting that we would spend around 98 percent of that $103.3 million set aside for district funded teaching staff, which leaves you with a decision of approximately $2 million plus with the benefits added almost $2.5 million, he said. Nows your opportunity to do something with those funds. During deliberations, board member Rebecca Stevens said she would like to have given staff a larger stipend. We feel confident moving forward were going to have more opportunities to be supportive in some of those areas that we do need dollars on, she said. Im appreciative that the full board is in favor of doing this, and it lessens the blow a little bit. Wade said he was in favor of the stipend, but that, in the future, he would like it to go to the classroom. I dont think any of those funds went to who we work for, and thats the students of this district, he said. I think its important at some point in time we do have to keep the students in mind. Thats what we all say. Were here for the kids. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. 121 Shares Share Financial planning is comprised of the six decisions people make with their money. Physicians need to make decisions as to how you earn, spend, save, borrow, give, and protect yours. Home buying typically touches on all of the six money decisions. Home buying often begins with a mortgage, so you will have to make decisions about borrowing money. You also must earn money or at least have the potential to earn money to qualify for a mortgage. Physicians can qualify for a physician loan during training, with zero income, if there is a spouse or co-signer with an income. Physicians and dentists also may need to save money and spend money to buy a house. Lastly, insurance is necessary to protect mortgages or homes, and homeowners are required to pay property taxes, which is where giving your money comes into play. The six money decisions are important because people think they have worked with a financial planner, when you may have worked with a professional to set up a Roth IRA, someone helped you buy an insurance policy, or you worked with a CPA who helps you manage your taxes. While those are all critical financial components, they dont quite rise to the level of comprehensive financial planning or service all six of the money decisions. This home-buying decision can apply to you if you are in residency and thinking about buying a house or it can apply to you during your transition from training to practice, as you are settling down in your medical practice. At some point, this question is likely to come up, whether its today, three or five years from now. First, you need to decide if it really makes sense for you to buy, depending on your current and future situation. If you do decide to buy a home, the next step is to figure out how much house you can afford. Once you figure out the price/budget, youll need to figure out what type of loan is best for you. Then the fun part comes in finding the right house. Below are the four main questions you should answer when considering buying a home. Should I buy or rent? Owning a house may sound intimidating or super awesome to you, but does renting actually make sense for your current situation if you are in a temporary location for your training? Banks might loan you the money to purchase a home which, would indicate you can buy but you may not be ready, based on where you are today and where you see yourself in the future. To help you decide if you should buy a home or rent, consider these questions: 1. Do you plan to move in the next five years? This is important because if there is a possibility that you would move in the next five years, you may not be able to recoup the cost of buying or selling the house. 2. Length and location of your residency? 3. Do you plan to do a fellowship? Where will it be located and how long will it be? 4. Where do you plan to practice medicine after training? 5. Is the home you buy a starter home or forever home? 6. If you do plan to move, would the home become a rental? How much house can I afford? If you have answered the six questions above and you have come to the conclusion that it is time for you to buy, you may have already been looking on Zillow or Realtor.com for the perfect house. Its OK to check out the area you are interested in to see the prices and types of homes, but we suggest to analyze your budget and work with a lender first. Depending on your financial situation, your medical student loans and other debts can affect how much house you can afford. If you are paying IBR (incomebased repayment) on your student loans, it is crucial to consider the projection of your student loan payment in the future. Once you have factored your student loans into your budget, also think about your car situation, if you are planning to send your kids to private school, or if you will need to finance starting or joining a medical practice. What type of loan? There are several mortgage loan options out there. Many banks offer a doctor loan for physicians and dentists, with great benefits for those who qualify- including residents. It is important to shop around for a mortgage lender and work with the one you choose to get pre-approved for a mortgage loan. Your financial planner and the lender can also help you decide which loan works best for your personal financial situation. How do I find the right house? Once you are pre-approved for a loan, the home buying process becomes real, and you now have the credibility to tour houses and ultimately put in an offer. Now is the time to shop around for a realtor to help you through the home buying process and represent you at closing. John Dameron is a financial planner and partner, Spaugh Dameron Tenny. He is the author of the Residents and Fellows Financial Survival Guide. He is a registered representative of and offers securities, investment advisory and financial planning services through MML Investors Services, LLC. Member SIPC (www.sipc.org). 4350 Congress St., Suite 300, Charlotte, NC 28209. Spaugh Dameron Tenny is not a subsidiary or affiliate of MML Investors Services, LLC, or its affiliated companies. CRN202102-243147 Image credit: Shutterstock.com MYRTLE CREEK, Ore. -- A day after the city's drinking water system was contaminated, Myrtle Creek officials are lifting the drinking water advisory. Officials said a vehicle that drove into a ditch above the Springbrook Water Treatment Plant is to blame for the diesel-related water contamination. RELATED: OFFICIALS IDENTIFY CAUSE OF WATER CONTAMINATION IN MYRTLE CREEK The lifting of the advisory comes after two rounds of testing that showed the water has acceptably low levels of gasoline and diesel based on Oregon Department of Environmental Quality standards. All test results are available at City Hall, 207 NW Pleasant Street. A taste or smell of gas or diesel could linger in the water system. If it's too strong, officials said you shouldn't use the water for drinking or cooking. The Public Works staff will continue to flush hydrants throughout the system to ensure the safety of the city's drinking water. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 29) A poll commissioner expressed doubt about the controversial case of former National Youth Commissioner chair Ronald Cardema, saying he may not be able to take a seat in 18th Congress amid numerous petitions against his substitution bid. Speaking to CNN Philippines Wednesday, Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Commissioner Rowena Guanzon said Cardema may not be able to join the new set of lawmakers come July unless his pending disqualification cases have been resolved. I dont think the speaker will recognize him (Cardema) if he has no certificate that he is the lawful representative. Guanzon said after the poll bodys closed-door en banc meeting. At least 10 opposition cases have been filed against Cardema's bid to become the first nominee of winning party-list Duterte Youth. Guanzon, for her part, said the process may take too long and may not be resolved before the end of 17th Congress. Usually they have to collect all the records, the respondents will have to answer. Are you asking me if it will be finished by June 30? I dont think so, she added. The poll commissioner said officials are already looking through the said petitions. Now by procedure that will be heard by the commission, that petition for cancellation or disqualification of Cardema was already filed with the clerk of court. Thats already a numbered case, a pending case, she said. The commissioner has since been vocal on the case of Cardema, who is seeking to replace his wife as the first nominee of Duterte Youth. COMELEC chair Sheriff Abas last week said the poll body approved Cardemas bid since the latter met the deadline for the substitution plea. However, Guanzon later clarified that a resolution has yet to be issued. Some netizens and detractors criticized Cardema's move, saying it will "abuse" and "railroad" the democratic process as well as the election law. He also faced backlash for aiming to represent a youth party-list when he is already 33 years old. According to the Section 9 of the Party-list System Act, a nominee of the youth sector must not be more than 30 years old. However, Cardema stressed that his party-list is registered under both the youth and professional sectors. He said the latter category holds no age limit. CNN Philippines Correspondent Makoi Popioco contributed to this report. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) Kids of the next-generation dipped their toes into the world of business as they participated in Commercenter Alabangs BIZ KIDS 2019, a unique business expo specifically tailored for the youngsters. Now on its second year, the event, which took place May 25-26, gathered groups of budding entrepreneurs who sold self-made products to a wide audience. A total of 14 businesses participated in BIZ KIDS 2019, which featured several merchandise including food and beverages, arts and crafts, stationery and accessories, personalized gift items and souvenirs, as well as skincare products. Seeing the kids creativity, determination, and enthusiasm is really inspiring, said , Assistant Vice President for Marketing of Commercenter Alabang Leslie Tagle-Dinglasan They could have chosen to just sleep in or play that weekend, but instead they chose to be at BIZ KIDS 2019 to learn, work, and earn. Filipino rock music icon Bamboo likewise graced the event. At the end of the weekend event, the standout kiddie ventures were honored at the BIZ KIDS Awards. Lois Faith Berino bagged the Best Booth Design Award for her biz, Lois Faith Gourmet Recipes, which offered pastimallows, crispy mushrooms, and yema spread. Little tycoons Hidde and Rinke Bartlema, and Lucius Manalac-- the trio behind homemade skincare brand Flubber Blubber Soaps and Scrubs-- received the Most Innovative Biz Award. The biggest-selling businesses were also recognized with the Sales Genius Award, which was given in four categories: Desserts, Snacks, Handicrafts, and Arts. Beatrice Velosos Grand Slam Cookies, Zac and Zion Jimenezs Yummy Bites, Natalie Sumagpaos CLAYThings, and Christine Yenkos Sandys Little Nook topped each segment, respectively. Crisps Gourmet Snacks, helmed by Aria Gacutan, Anree Ignacio, and Almond Wong, bagged the Asianparent Philippines Biz Kid 2019 Award as it garnered the most number of likes on the Asian Parent Mobile App. The honor was awarded by Commercenter Alabangs Bianca Pabello together with Richelle Morana, Community Manager of The Asian Parent Philippines. Prior to the expo, BIZ KIDS also hosted the future tycoons on a two-day workshop that introduced them not only to the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, but also to the basics of stock market investing either as a means to raise capital or an alternative venture. BIZ KIDS is about empowering kids with real-world experience and with basic business and finance concepts that will help them realize their potential, said Tagle-Dinglasan. Were thankful to everyone who helped us do that by dropping by last weekend to support the participating kiddie ventures. BIZ KIDS 2019 is presented by Commercenter Alabang, and is supported by media partners theAsianparent Philippines, Inquirer.net, InqPOP, Manila for Kids, CNN Philippines, Pop Life TV, Yuneoh.com, ClickTheCity.com, WhatsHappening.PH, WazzupPilipinas.com, Mom Center, Mommy Practicality and Mommy Levy. JOHANNESBURG, May 29 (Reuters) - South Africa's Sibanye-Stillwater said on Wednesday its Chairman Sello Moloko would step down after the precious metal producer and Lonmin cleared the final hurdle to create the world's second-largest platinum producer. Sibanye, whose 226 million pound ($286 million) takeover of its London-listed rival was approved by shareholders on Tuesday, said Moloko was resigning to focus on his other business interests. He will be succeeded by Vincent Maphai effective from June 1. Maphai has held various positions in academia, the public and private sectors including serving as chairman of BHP Billiton Ltd South Africa for five years, Sibanye said. "With the successful conclusion of the shareholder vote to approve the Lonmin acquisition yesterday, I feel confident that the group is poised to deliver on its vision of creating superior value for all of our stakeholders and believe that this is an opportune time to hand the chairmans baton on, Moloko said in a statement. (Reporting by Tanisha Heiberg; editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise) Messaging: tanisha.heiberg.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)) Italy's bond yields rose sharply this week as tensions between Rome and the EU Commision resurfaced, with Brussels considering a large fine in response to missed budget targets. "I think the message is very, very clear: when tensions between the Italian government and (European) Commission come down, spreads narrow," de Guindos told a news conference on Wednesday. "If you have increasing tensions, you immediately have a widening of the spreads." "The lesson is quite evident: it's very important to respect fiscal rules," he added. Sitting on a debt pile equivalent to more than 130 percent of GDP, Italy is one of the euro zone's most indebted nations but has struggled to cut debt and recently faced conflict with the EU over the government's plans to increase spending. De Guindos said Italy had done a good job in generating a primary surplus -- a budget surplus before debt payments -- and that its main problem was exceptionally low growth. He also said that any rise in bond spreads would immediately translate into higher costs for the state, which could then erode any benefit of higher spending. (Reporting by Balazs Koranyi; Editing by Catherine Evans) WINDHOEK (Reuters) - Namibias mines and energy minister said he has no objection to Rio Tintos sale of its uranium mine stake to China provided it respects the African nations laws. Rio, which is seeking to divest less profitable assets, said last November that it was selling its 69% stake in the worlds longest-running open pit uranium mine to China for up to $106.5 million and expected the deal to be completed in the first half of 2019. Asked whether the sale would be cleared, Mines and Energy Minister Tom Alweendo told Reuters: We have no objection to the sale provided that the buyer abides by whats expected of him by our laws. China already owns stakes in Namibian uranium production, which, along with diamonds, is the mainstay of the Namibian economy. Addressing concerns among Namibians that China will bring in foreign nationals to replace local employees, China National Uranium Corporation (CNUC) Vice President Li Youliang told a public hearing last week that was not the case. There was no intention to replace local Namibian employees with foreign nationals solely as a result of this transaction, he told the hearing in the coastal town of Swakopmund. In fact, CNUC has a strong commitment to maintain the current level of local employees. Rio Tinto is selling its stake in Rossing Uranium mine to CNUC in a deal dependent on approval from the Namibian competition commission. The Namibian government holds a 3% stake in Rossing and 51% of voting rights. The Iranian Foreign Investment Company also holds a legacy 15% stake that goes back to the original funding of the mine, which could have deterred some potential buyers. The other shareholders are the Development Corporation of South Africa (10%) and individual shareholders (3%). China is targeting nuclear power as an alternative to fossil fuels. It was the only obvious buyer of the shares in the Ros sing mine. Rossing has been operating since 1976 and has produced more uranium than any other mine. It employs around 1,000 workers and can carry on producing until 2025. The sale agreement comprises an initial cash payment of $6.5 million, payable at completion, and a contingent payment of up to $100 million following completion. The contingent payment is linked to uranium spot prices and Roofings net income during the next seven years. While China is a big source of uranium demand, the market has languished as Western countries turn away from the energy source and trade tensions between the United States and China are generally disrupting commodities trade. A spokesman for Rio Tinto declined to comment. (Refiles to correct typos in story that were due to technical problems.) By Balazs Koranyi FRANKFURT, May 29 (Reuters) - Super low rates are a boon for banks rather than a hindrance, European Central Bank (ECB) Vice President Luis de Guindos said on Wednesday, setting the tone for a debate on whether lenders should be compensated. Banks have long complained that negative rates weigh on their profits, hurting the ECB's efforts to cut borrowing costs, and policymakers are expected next week to discuss possible compensation for lenders. One idea under discussion is to exempt banks from the ECB's negative charge on some of their cash deposits held at the central bank by implementing a multi-tiered deposit rate. "Negative rates have been behind the recovery of ... the European economy in the recent past and in that sense, it has been a helping hand in the profitability of banks," de Guindos told a news conference. He added that more structural issues including a high stock of non-performing assets, excess capacity and high costs appeared to be the main reason for weak banking sector profits. A tiered deposit rate -- a proposal that was discussed before being dismissed several years ago -- does not appear to enjoy widespread support among policymakers, many of whom have voiced scepticism. Banking profitability is exceptionally low in the euro zone and de Guindos said returns will fall this year, recovering only slowly in the next two years. The combined return on equity (ROE) of euro zone banks will fall below 6% in 2008 and rise above 6% percent again only in 2021, a level that is still considered low given the cost of capital and investor expectations. Adding to stability risk, de Guindos said real-estate bubbles, a no-deal Brexit, and high government debt levels, particularly in Italy, were increasing stability risks for the bloc. Italy's bond yields rose sharply this week as tensions between Rome and the EU Commision resurfaced, with Brussels considering a large fine in response to missed budget targets. "The message is very, very clear: when tensions between the Italian government and (European) Commission come down, spreads narrow," de Guindos said. "If you have increasing tensions, you immediately have a widening of the spreads." "The lesson is quite evident: it's very important to respect fiscal rules," he added. Outlining risks in a biannual Stability Report, the ECB also warned that residential property markets were showing signs of mild overvaluation, a concern as the post-crisis decline in household indebtedness appears to have slowed significantly. To slow the rise, the ECB raised the prospect that it could force banks to hold more capital, topping up national measures, such as countercyclical buffers. "The ECB is monitoring property market developments too and may top up capital-based national macroprudential measures if needed," it added. While the euro zone is relatively well prepared for Brexit, Britain's departure without a deal would dent economic growth and likely lead to sharp market swings as investors do not adequately price the risk of such a scenario, the ECB added. "Combined with an impact via trade channels, potential financial market shocks related to a no-deal scenario pose a material downside risk to euro area GDP growth," the ECB added. (Editing by Alison Williams and Helen Popper) (Adds comments from Global Times editorial in paragraphs 10-11, updates share price movements) BEIJING, May 29 (Reuters) - China is ready to use rare earths to strike back in a trade war with the United States, Chinese newspapers warned on Wednesday in strongly worded commentaries on a move that would escalate tensions between the world's two largest economies. President Xi Jinping's visit to a rare earths plant last week had sparked speculation that China would use its dominant position as an exporter of rare earths to the United States as leverage in the trade war. Rare earths are a group of 17 chemical elements used in everything from high-tech consumer electronics to military equipment. The prospect that their value could soar as a result of the trade war caused sharp increases in the share prices of producers, including the company visited by Xi. While China has so far not explicitly said it would restrict rare earths sales to the United States, Chinese media has strongly implied this will happen. In a commentary headlined "United States, don't underestimate China's ability to strike back", the official People's Daily noted the United States' "uncomfortable" dependence on rare earths from China. "Will rare earths become a counter weapon for China to hit back against the pressure the United States has put on for no reason at all? The answer is no mystery," it said. "Undoubtedly, the U.S. side wants to use the products made by China's exported rare earths to counter and suppress China's development. The Chinese people will never accept this!" the ruling Communist Party newspaper added. "We advise the U.S. side not to underestimate the Chinese side's ability to safeguard its development rights and interests. Don't say we didn't warn you!" The expression "don't say we didn't warn you" is generally only used by official Chinese media to warn rivals over major areas of disagreement, for example during a border dispute with India in 2017 and in 1978 before China invaded Vietnam. In its own editorial on Wednesday, sister paper the Global Times said an export ban on rare earths "is a powerful weapon if used in the China-U.S. trade war." "Nevertheless, China will mainly use it for defence," it added, noting that while China might incur losses from a ban on exports, the United States would suffer more. The paper's editor had said on Twitter late on Tuesday that Beijing was "seriously considering" restricting rare earth exports to the United States. China has used rare earth sales to exert pressure in past diplomatic disputes. In 2010, Beijing cut rare earth export quotas after a Chinese trawler collided with two Japan Coast Guard ships near uninhabited islands in the East China Sea that both countries claim. In 2012, Japan, the United States and European Union complained to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over the restrictions. Two years later, China was rebuked by the WTO for citing environmental reasons to justify the quotas. It ultimately scrapped its export quota system after losing the case. Chinese trade experts say if Beijing moves forward with new restrictions on rare earth exports to the United States, it will likely follow Washington's example and use national security as a justification. China has repeatedly criticised Washington for what it says are abuses of national security exceptions at the WTO, including this week when, according to media reports, it accused the United States of breaking rules by blacklisting Huawei Technologies Co Ltd , the world's largest telecom network gear maker. But China for years has used national security considerations to block major U.S. technology companies, including Google and Facebook, from operating in its market. Such restrictions have in recent years fuelled calls from within some parts of the U.S. business community for Washington to pursue more reciprocal policies with Beijing. Shares in the company Xi visited last week, JL MAG Rare-Earth Co Ltd , surged another 10% to a record high on Wednesday, having gained 134.1% in May alone. China Rare Earth Holdings Ltd soared more than 40%, while Australia's Lynas Corp , the only major rare earths producer outside of China, climbed as much as 14.6%. China accounted for 80% of rare earth imports between 2014 and 2017 by the United States, which has excluded them from recent tariffs along with some other critical Chinese minerals. Beijing, however, has raised tariffs on imports of U.S. rare earth metal ores from 10% to 25% from June 1, making it less economical to process the material in China. Some trade analysts expect an acceleration in bringing fresh rare earth mining capacity on line in California and Australia if China uses its dominant position in the market for diplomatic advantage. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard, Michael Martina and Tom Daly; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore) U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he was not yet ready to make a deal with Beijing, alleging that "businesses are leaving China, by the hundreds, by the thousands, and going into areas that are not tariffed." Hitting back, a Chinese Communist Party newspaper warned the United States on Wednesday the government was ready to use rare earths to strike back on trade, saying in an extremely strongly worded commentary "don't say we didn't warn you". But the yuan was unlikely to swing wildly ahead of the G20 summit in Japan in late-June, where Trump is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, traders said. "The possibility of a large depreciation (before G20) is low, and at the same time, the renminbi also lacks strong drivers for strengthening," said a trader with a foreign bank in Shanghai. DBS analysts said in a note on Wednesday that it was a "reflief" the Trump administration refrained from labelling China a currency manipulator, but trade uncertainty will still weigh on global currencies before G20. Spot yuan drifted lower for a second consecutive day to 6.9138 per dollar at 0403 GMT, 58 pips softer than the previous late session close and 0.22 percent weaker than the midpoint. It was trading close to lowest point in almost six months, at 6.9217 per dollar, which was breached last Thursday. Investors got some respite after People's Bank of China Governor Yi Gang reiterated the central bank's determination to keep the yuan stable, and also kept the fixing on the strong side of 6.90 per dollar. "If you look at the midpoint, the central bank's attitude (to keep the yuan stable) is very clear," said a second trader in Shanghai. The PBOC set the midpoint rate at 6.8988 per dollar before the open, weaker than the previous fix of 6.8973. Onshore spot can trade 2 percent either side of this point. But analysts at Bank of America Merrill Lynch warned in a note on Wednesday that the PBOC's ability to keep the yuan stable has come under fresh pressure, amid increasing credit risk in the domestic market. Regulators took over troubled lender Inner Mongolia-based Baoshang Bank this week, lifting interbank financing costs for some smaller banks and stirring contagion fears. On Wednesday, sources told Reuters the banking regulator had asked lenders to conduct thorough checks and report their business ties with Baoshang Bank. "The challenge will be how to facilitate this liquidity without allowing the CNY to depreciate too far," the analysts said. The offshore yuan was trading 0.21 percent weaker than onshore spot at 6.9284 per dollar, down 0.1 percent on the day. The global dollar index fell to 97.918 from the previous close of 97.952. (Reporting by Noah Sin Editing by Jacqueline Wong) Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 29) The Department of Finance (DOF) wants the Senate to approve higher taxes on alcoholic drinks to raise more funding, now that the additional duties proposed for cigarettes turned out lower than expected. Finance Undersecretary Karl Kendrick Chua said Senate Bill 2233, or the new bill that will further raise the excise taxes on tobacco products, will only generate 15 billion once implemented. The DOF has endorsed higher taxes on cigarettes to deter smoking and to fund a projected 62-billion funding gap as the government rolls out the Universal Healthcare Act. "The Senate tobacco (bill) can contribute 15 billion. May mga 40+ billion pa na natitira, kaya iniisip namin na sana 'yung alchool, maisama din. Kasi kung hindi, we have either less quality (of services) or we have to get money from other projects," Chua said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum on Wednesday. Senate Bill 2233 now pending second reading will jack up the excise tax on cigarette packs from 45 by Jan. 1, 2020 to 60 by 2023. The DOF backed the original bill filed by Senator Manny Pacquiao that will bring excise taxes to P60 per cigarette pack in the first year of implementation, plus a nine percent increase per year thereafter. This would have raised 30.1 billion, or double the tax take of the new measure. Time is running out for the Senate to pass the watered-down bill as Congress is down to its last three plenary session days, with June 5 declared as a holiday for Eid'l Fitr. The 17th Congress closes next Friday, which will leave all pending bills back to zero. Bill sponsor Senator Sonny Angara said he is not yet sure about how lawmakers will vote on the measure as of Tuesday, but its chances could be boosted by Malacanang's intervention. READ: 'Sin' tax bill for cigarettes certified urgent a week before Congress closes House Majority Leader Fredenil Castro told CNN Philippines that their chamber is open to adopt the Senate's version just to make it to the deadline, doing away with the need for a bicameral session to harmonize the two tax bills. The UHC is seen to cost 257 billion for the first year, with 195 billion provided for in the national budget. It will cost about 1.44 trillion over the next five years, Chua said. Israel Pargas, senior vice preident of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp., said the expansion of services mandated under the UHC will depend on the available funding. "Sana they can include as amendment the alcohol (taxes). Puwede naman, or sa bicam," Chua added. The Senate bill for higher alcohol duties is seen to generate around 32.3 billion. [Translation: Hopefully they can incude the higher alcohol taxes as an amendment (to the cigarette bill.) That's possible, or it can be done during the bicam.] The House has passed its version of higher sin taxes on liquor. The DOF is also studying if they can slap excise taxes on e-cigarettes for additional revenues. Charade Mercado-Grande, assistant secretary at the Department of Health, added that they will issue an order that puts these e-cigarettes and vapes under the watch of the Food and Drug Administration "anytime soon." "Depending on the risk, then we will determine the rate. As of now, I don't know," Chua said. "I will take the cue from DOH, WHO (World Health Organization) and health experts and then we'll collectively propose the appropriate tax." READ: Study finds e-cigarette flavors can damage cardiovascular cells Chua said that e-cigarettes are a "relatively new" product, and they will need the help of the DOH and the Department of Trade and Industry once they decide to tax these goods. Currently, these are subject to the 12 percent value-added tax. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 29) President Rodrigo Duterte has declared June 5 (Wednesday) as a regular holiday in observance of Eid'l Fitr or the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea confirmed on Wednesday. The Eid'l Fitr under Republic Act 9177 of 2002 is declared as a national holiday, but the date is not fixed as the Muslim calendar is based on the different phases of the moon. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 29) The Philippines and Japan have announced 26 deals amounting to 288.8 billion in estimated investments during President Rodrigo Duterte's visit to the East Asian country. The agreements are expected to give jobs to 82,737 Filipinos, information relayed by Malacanang showed Tuesday. Seven deals are government agreements with business entities, while 16 are letters of intent of Filipino and Japanese firms doing business with each other. The deals are in the form of letters of intent from various private firms, a memorandum of cooperation between the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Japan External Trade Organization, and a joint venture agreement for an electric power distribution system between the Bases Conversion and Development Authority as well as the Meralco Marubeni consortium. Here is the full list of agreements: 1. Memorandum of Cooperation: Department of Trade and Industry and Japan External Trade Organization: Enhance bilateral cooperation on investment promotion activities between the Philippines and Japan 2. Memorandum of Understanding: EMS Group, Tescom Denki Co. Ltd. and Outsourcing, Inc. Partnership in skills training and human resource development and deployment, manufacturing, and assembly 3. Memorandum of Understanding: Advanced World Systems, Inc. Alsons/AWS Information Systems, Inc. and Ubicom Holdings, Inc. Outsourcing of projects involving software development, testing, and maintenance in the following areas: 1) R&D on Data Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, Automation, Internet of Things, 2) Enterprise Systems and Web Applications Development, 3) Automotive Software Development, 4) Embedded Systems Development, 5) Mobile Systems Development, and 6) Product Quality Assurance and Testing 4. Joint Venture Agreement: Bases Conversion and Development Authority and Meralco Marubeni Consortium Financing, design, engineering, establishment, construction, development, and operation and maintenance of the electric power distribution system in New Clark City. 5. Master Franchise Agreement Grant of development rights for the Dohtonbori Okonomiyaki restaurant business within the Philippines 6. Franchise Agreement Grant of license to open and operate Karayama outlets within the Philippines 7. Memorandum of Understanding: Asia Defense and Armament Corp., Kenko Tokina Co., Ltd. and Diversified Ecozone Corporation Establish a manufacturing facility in the Philippines for optics equipment, injection molded holsters, and related equipment to supply customized equipment for the AFP, PNP, and other defense units of the Philippine Government 8. Letter of Intent: Toyota Motor Corporation Additional investments for further parts localization under the CARS Program, including side member panels, radiator assy, fan assy with motor, and FR axle assy. 9. Letter of Intent: Murata Manufacturing Co. Ltd. Expand manufacturing capacity of the Philippine Manufacturing Co. of Murata Inc. (PMM) to service demands of existing customers, accommodate new customers, and anticipate increase in sales of multilayer ceramic capacitors. 10. Letter of Intent: Aeon Fantasy Co. Ltd. Increase investments in the country for indoor theme parks and amusement facilities through the local subsidiary. 11. Letter of Intent: Sojitz Corporation (Sojitz FUSO Truck) Expand investments in the distribution of FUSO truck and bus products through the local subsidiary. 12. Letter of Intent: Sojitz Corporation (Bakery Project) Invest in bakery company (Nippon Premium Bakery Inc.) and the upstream business through flour milling and other ancillary services. 13. Letter of Intent: Sojitz Corporation (Industrial Estate Project) Co-development of a general industrial park 14. Letter of Intent: JACCS Co. Ltd. Invest in the credit and finance business by extending credit facilities to individual and corporate buyers. 15. Letter of Intent: Terumo Corporation Expand investments in manufacturing, selling, and exporting medical devices (disposable syringes, needles, safety-needles, IV catheters, and urinary drainage bags) and the development of new products and new technologies in sterilization capability and eco- and smart factories. 16. Letter of Intent: Ibiden Co. Ltd. Expand existing investments in the manufacture of Flip Chip Ball Grid Array (FC-BGA) products, as well as capacity to cater to new drivers of growth such as artificial intelligence and establishment of data centers. 17. Letter of Intent: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. Build a new facility for wiring harness and related products for export to Japan and North America. 18. Letter of Intent: Mitsui & Co., Ltd. Develop the Philippine automotive industry through a local partner (GT Capital Holdings, Inc.) 19. Letter of Intent: Marubeni Corporation Develop possible new and existing infrastructure projects in energy development, New Clark City, railways, and water services 20. Letter of Intent: Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. Expand the production capacity of the local wholly-owned center for wire harnesses 21. Letter of Intent: Lawson, Inc. Expand investments through the opening of additional convenience stores 22. Letter of Intent: Japan Marine United Corporation and Marubeni Corporation Develop the countrys maritime safety capability by providing maritime expertise, including but not limited to the service of design and construction of ships 23. Letter of Intent: Canon Inc. Expand existing investments in the Philippines for monochrome laser beam printers, including service parts, packaging materials, and optional products 24. Letter of Intent: Nidec Corporation Expand current investments in the Philippines as manufacturer of hard disk drives, spindle motors, and related parts 25. Letter of Intent: Mitsubishi Motors Corporation Expand current investment to support local production of completed vehicles 26. Letter of Intent: Tokyo Gas Create an inter-island liquified natural gas (LNG) distribution network to serve new markets for natural gas in the Philippines Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Cloudy skies with some morning fog. Temps nearly steady in the mid 30s. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Variably cloudy with snow showers. Some mixed winter precipitation possible. Low 29F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 50%. Snow accumulations less than one inch. (ST. JOSEPH, Mo.) Officials are closing I-29 at Hwy. 71 north of St. Joseph once again due to flooding, the Missouri Department of Transportation confirmed Tuesday evening. According to MoDOT, water is over the road on U.S. Route 59 in Mound City and has begun to go over I-29 near mile marker 85. Crews are working with the Missouri State Highway Patrol to reroute traffic. All traffic going northbound is being diverted at the 56A exit on to Hwy. 71. This is the same closure as earlier this spring. For a full list of road closures in the area, visit MoDOT's traveler information map by clicking here. Temperatures are on the cold side this morning thanks to a cold front that moved through yesterday. Today temperatures will struggle to warm up into the low to mid 30s by the afternoon hours. A few areas of light snow will also be possible in extreme northwest Missouri late this morning. A dusting at most is possible. Most areas will remain dry. Temperatures will slowly start to recover through the end of the work week with highs back in the 40s and 50s by New Years Eve. Another cold front will move through Friday into Saturday bringing some very cold air. This front will also bring the chance for some light rain overnight Friday that could change over to snow Saturday morning as temperatures begin to dip. Temperatures look to stay around average moving into next week. Radar Temperatures Alerts (ST. JOSEPH, Mo.) The Buchanan County Prosecutor's Office issued a statement on Tuesday to clarify its role in the juvenile arson case of a teen found dead in a burned home. Buchanan County Prosecutor Ron Holliday said his office has received multiple calls from the public with questions about the minors involved in the arson investigation. Holliday said his office is not handling the prosecution of the juveniles. "There was some confusion among the public with the difference between our office and the Juvenile Office," explained Holliday. "Several people wanted to discuss what happened with some of the minors' case and we had to explain that our office had not handled those matters." The body of 15-year-old Cameron Satterley was discovered in April in the rubble of a house on the 1400 block of N. 3rd Street, more than two months after the home went up in flames. No one has been charged in Satterley's death. The Buchanan County Juvenile Office charged three minors in connection to the fire. Two children were charged with arson and abandoning a corpse. A 15-year-old was also charged with abandonment of a corpse but a judge ruled last week there was insufficient evidence that the juvenile abandoned the body of Satterley. Under Missouri law, children under the age of 17 are prosecuted in juvenile court. Holliday said children 12 or older may be certified to stand trial as an adult if they are charged with a felony. Holliday said the Court considers several factors such as the seriousness of the crime, prior record and history of the juvenile, age, and facts of the case when deciding whether or not to certify a juvenile as an adult. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 29) The man who was seen in a video driving his car from the front passenger seat is facing serious charges for reckless driving, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said on Wednesday. It said the Land Transportation Office (LTO) summoned Miko Lopez, the man in the video, on Wednesday. In a video he posted on May 23, Lopez can be seen driving the car from the passenger seat on a busy road. He also lit a cigarette, taking his hands off the steering wheel, while the car is moving. In a separate post, he shared a photo of his car without a steering wheel. DOTr said Lopez will face several charges, adding his driver's license will be revoked and he will be banned from renewing it. "He has already been identified and address was already determined. LTO will charge him for reckless driving, illegal modification (removing the steering wheel), not wearing seatbelt, and improper person to operate a motor vehicle. His license will be revoked, and he will also be disqualified from applying for a driver's license again in the future," it said on its official Facebook page. DOTr also quoted LTO Executive Director Romeo Vera Cruz as saying, "This video is clear proof that he is an improper person to operate a vehicle, aside from committing traffic violations." Transportation officials warned motorists against engaging in reckless driving then bragging about it on social media. Veteran Yoruba actor, Babatunde Omidina- Baba Suwe, has returned to Nigeria after completing his treatment in the United States. His colleague, Yomi Fabiyi, revealed this on his instagram page. Yomi wrote; Baba Suwe leaves Hospital in Rhode Island, United States of America and now back in Nigeria. He will continue his final recovery at home. Without going into individual details, on behalf of Baba Suwe and his family, I want to thank everyone for playing a vital role. Hopefully, his health restore to full capacity in no distance time, so as to enable him return to the screen. With tears of joy and gratitude, he sends his sincere heartfelt appreciation to you all(Wish I can post this, his mouth is not good there ). This update should be the near final public information I will be supplying on this matter. I must thank you all(Nollywood Artists, fans and well wishers especially) for trusting me to give you required updates on this, much valued. I shall loose no time to supply any further or additional vital information if and when needed in future. Baba Suwe Survived! He made it and near 100% recovery. Thank you God, Thank you Nigeria, Thank you Nigerians. Return of Adimeru loading by his grace. Continue to pray and support him. Bye for now. Yomi FABIYI For: Baba Suwe & Family. 29/05/2019 Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates WHITEWATER The University of Wisconsin System has named Dwight Watson as the next chancellor of UW-Whitewater, the first chancellor selected under a new policy that ceded majority control away from the faculty he will now lead. How the process played out at UW-Whitewater could be a harbinger of chancellor searches to come at other UW campuses. The way in which the system and its governing board handled the five-month search sparked UW-Whitewaters Faculty Senate to pen an open letter saying they and other campus stakeholders were ignored and marginalized throughout the process. System President Ray Cross told UW-Whitewater in December the interim chancellor would not be considered for the permanent position. Months later, he named her as a finalist. No minutes from meetings when the search committee met were made available to faculty members despite three requests made over a two-month period, according to the Faculty Senates letter. And a former member of the UW System Board of Regents remained on the committee even after her term expired. The perception that UW System President Ray Cross is making up rules as he goes elevates concerns that the selection of UW-Whitewaters next chancellor is actually in the hands of one or two people and not the broader body of UW-Whitewater students, staff, faculty, alumni and local community members, the letter said. Religious studies professor David Simmons, who leads UW-Whitewaters Faculty Senate, said none of the candidates had the facultys full confidence. Regent Tracey Klein, who led the search committee, responded to the letter in a system statement that said the committees dedication and strong shared governance chemistry represented the Wisconsin Idea in action. The Board of Regents unanimously voted May 23 in favor of appointing Watson, who has served as provost at Southwest Minnesota State University since 2015. The institution serves about 7,300 students. UW-Whitewaters enrollment in fall 2018 was about 12,000 students. Watson was a first-generation college student who received his bachelors and masters degrees in education from the University of South Carolina and a doctoral degree from North Carolina State University. His research focused on the literacy and language acquisition of students of color and urban learners. He starts Aug. 1 and will receive an annual salary of $240,000. UW-Whitewater geography professor Eric Compas, who served as vice chairman of the search committee, said Watson is a great fit for our campus. He wants to build on the strengths that we have, help us to better tell our story, and write UW-Whitewaters next chapter, Compas said in a system statement. The search for UW-Whitewaters next chancellor began in December when Chancellor Beverly Kopper resigned following allegations that her husband, Alan Pete Hill, sexually harassed at least seven students and staff. Cross named Cheryl Green as interim chancellor that month through consultation with the campus community that faculty members say did not happen. Cross said in the same message that Green would be ineligible for the permanent position, but reversed course in a March letter, deciding that she should be allowed to apply, after consulting with a diverse group of stakeholders. The Faculty Senates letter said they were not consulted in that decision either. Kopper was selected through a more-than-yearlong process by a 21-member search committee that included 11 faculty members and broad campus representation from university staff, academic staff, students, alumni, foundation members and community members, Simmons said. Terry Warfield, a UW-Madison professor who heads the universitys executive committee of its Faculty Senate, said larger search committees typically yield larger campus buy-in. People buy in and feel like theyre part of the process, he said. Chancellors dont get their power solely by virtue of their positions. Under a Regent policy adopted in 2017 designed to streamline the process, chancellor search committees now include 10 members, half of whom are Regents. The other five members selected by Cross must include two faculty, a university staff person, a student, and one community member or graduate. System officials allowed a nonvoting member of UW-Whitewaters Rock County campus to serve on the search committee because the search committee policy was made before a system-wide restructuring put the Rock County campus under Whitewaters oversight. Concessions were not made, according to the faculty letter, to add nonvoting members from two of the universitys academic colleges that lacked representation on the committee. That never sat well with the faculty, Simmons said. Regina Millner was one of five Regents appointed to UW-Whitewaters search committee in January. Even after her term expired May 1, she remained on the committee through the May 23 appointment. The same scenario is unfolding at UW-Stout, which is in the middle of its own chancellor search process following the retirement of Bob Meyer in August. Former Regent president John Robert Behling who spearheaded the new policy that gave the Regents majority control of chancellor search committees appointed himself to the UW-Stout chancellor search committee. The appointments were released to the public April 5, less than a month before his term on the board ended. UW System spokesman Mark Pitsch said Regents are selected based on factors including their background, experience, expertise and geographic location. He said search committee members are selected to serve in accordance with both Regent policy and state law and serve through completion to ensure continuity of the work. Asked to explain how Millner and Behling who are no longer Regents, according to state law can serve on the committees through a policy that specifically calls for five Regents, Pitsch did not offer clarification. He also did not say when asked whether it had occurred in past chancellor searches. 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. A project aimed at boosting affordable housing options in Lake Geneva could produce a new apartment complex that also would become headquarters of the Walworth County Housing Authority. The housing authority has unveiled plans for an estimated 28-unit apartment complex to be built in partnership with a private developer along Wells Street south of downtown Lake Geneva. The as-yet-unnamed complex would give the housing authority its first major presence in Lake Geneva and would signal the start of a concerted effort to increase affordable housing countywide. The housing authority plans to move its headquarters from Elkhorn to offices within the new Wells Street complex. Lake Geneva Mayor Tom Hartz, who serves on the housing authority board, said he welcomes the affordable housing development. Noting that more than 40 percent of children in public schools locally come from low-income families, Hartz said: Thats a large chunk of our population. And to provide them affordable housing seems the right and moral thing to do. The housing authority currently operates apartment complexes in Delavan and Elkhorn, and helps another 300 or so clients who qualify for rent assistance through the Section 8 federal housing program. But the agency has a long waiting list of people for whom no affordable housing options exist. John Bigler, another member of the housing authoritys board, said if the Lake Geneva project is successful, it could allow his agency to pursue similar developments elsewhere. Our intention is to keep this model rolling, he said. By next year, the housing authority and its partner, Keystone Real Estate Services LLC, hopes to be under construction at a vacant three-acre site in the 600 block of Wells Street, across from Lake Geneva Chiropractic Wellness Center. Keystone Real Estate, a private developer active in the Whitewater area, purchased the site last year. The project will require approval from the Lake Geneva City Council. As a member of the housing authority board, Hartz said he would abstain from any discussion or decision at the city. Alderwoman Shari Straube said she supports increasing affordable housing in Lake Geneva as a way of achieving greater diversity among socio-economic classes, as well as racial and ethnic groups. Straube said she believes people in Lake Geneva would welcome the new residents on Wells Street. Its always a good thing to have everybody a little more integrated, she said. Hopefully people dont have the wrong idea about it, and think thats a bad crowd. Plans for the development have not been presented yet at City Hall. Housing authority board members said the complex would include 28 apartments, but a representative of Keystone Real Estate said the exact number of apartments has not been determined yet. Keystone spokesman Matt Kuehl said his company is happy to be working with the county housing authority, and he said the Lake Geneva project is still very much in the conceptual phase. We are focusing on evaluating the site to determine how best to utilize the space we have to work with, he said. Our goal is to provide an attractive development that anyone, regardless of income, would be proud to live in. Bigler said the project should engender public support because it is located in an area along Wells Street that is populated by older hotels, some in poor condition. Of the new apartment complex, Bigler said, Its going to end up probably being the nicest building on the street. Hartz said he likes the location because it would give Wells Streets newest residents convenient access to the citys downtown, to public schools, and to grocery stores and other services along Edwards Boulevard. Its a perfect location, he said. Low-income residents already live in Lake Geneva under the Section 8 scattered-site program, in which qualified residents receive vouchers for federal funding to pay rent to any landlord willing to accept such tenants. Some landlords in Lake Geneva have accepted Section 8 tenants, but the waiting list of applicants reflects a countywide shortage of housing. Jean Carroll, another board member with the housing authority, said her organization sees the Lake Geneva project as an opportunity to expand the available inventory of housing suitable for low-income residents and families. Its just hard to find, Carroll said. The housing authority is not a county government agency, although it receives county funding to pay for its current rented headquarters at 735 N. Wisconsin St. in Elkhorn. The county funding has been between $12,000 and $13,000 a year. The housing authority has asked the county for a $90,000 contribution for the new Lake Geneva project. Of that, $40,000 would be invested in the partnership with Keystone Real Estate to build the apartment complex, while the remaining $50,000 would go toward the housing authoritys new headquarters. If the new headquarters is built, the county would stop allocating funds each year to the housing authority. The County Board Finance Committee on May 23 endorsed the $50,000 allocation without taking action on the rest. The committee is scheduled to revisit the matter before the full county board reviews the proposal on June 11. In a memo to the county, housing authority executive director Sarah Boss wrote that the new Lake Geneva headquarters would give her agency a permanent space to ensure all of our programs can run efficiently and with the most success. Bigler said the agencys staff and offices are relatively small. More important, he said, is that the organization is embarking on a strategy to improve affordable housing in the county. The arrangement being discussed with Keystone, he said, is that the housing authority would use the $40,000 in county funding to invest in the apartment project, then gradually increase its ownership stake with addtional capital later. The partnership utilizes Keystones experience in developing and building apartments, while the housing authority would manage the property and use its client waiting list to fill the units. Bigler said he and his colleagues at the housing authority have decided to develop more housing rather than rely on landlords accepting Section 8 vouches and rely on the federal governments willingness to continue funding the program. To be effective in this market, he said, we feel like were probably better off if we can develop our own sites. Lake Genevas historic downtown church organ is coming home one restored piece at a time. Parishioners at Holy Communion Episcopal Church are welcoming back their 19th-century Hook & Hastings pipe organ after a four-month offsite restoration effort. Crews from Buzard Pipe Organ Builders in Champaign, Illinois, have started returning pieces of the restored church treasure and delicately reassembling it inside the church. Theres a lot of excitement, parish member Tom McGrath said. Everyone is excited about it all being put back together. The congregation worked five years to raise about $65,000 to repair and restore the organ. The music piece was donated to Holy Communion in 1883, after being manufactured in Boston and then shipped to Chicago by train. It has not undergone significant restoration since the 1960s. Crews estimate that it will take a few weeks to bring back all of the repaired pieces and reinstall the organ inside the church at 320 Broad St. Pastor Kevin Huddleston said he is anxious to hear the organs music once again. Weve been missing it, he said. Weve been waiting patiently. Crew members began by re-installing the organs main wind chest, wind reservoir and connecting pieces to the wind chest. David Brown, foreman for Buzard Pipe Organ Builders, said more of the restored pieces, including the pipes, will be re-installed during the next couple of weeks. Church members hope to be able to use the organ again during their June 9 opening service. Huddleston said the church also plans to host a community concert with the organ in August. For us, it will enhance our worship services and music program, Huddleston said. The church had worked hard in recent years to finance and plan the organs restoration. I couldnt be more proud of the congregation, McGrath said. They are the ones who made this happen. The organ was donated to the church in June 1883 by Mrs. George Mary Delafied Sturges. The organ, which is a Hook & Hastings brand, was installed in Lake Geneva during the early 1800s. Brown said Hook & Hastings was one of the best organ builders in the country at the time. They had an exceptional reputation when this organ was built, he said. So the church chose quite wisely and invested in this organ. After decades of usage, however, it was in need of significant repairs. Brown said there is still more work that will need to be done in the future on the historic musical piece. He said the organs swell wind chest is the next portion that will need attention. This is one stage of the restoration, he said. The main wind chest was prioritized, because it was considered to not be in as good of condition. Brown said he and his company have enjoyed being involved with the restoration project. When youre restoring an organ like this, you feel a connection to the craftsmen who built it, he said. Youre respecting their work by restoring it and leaving it for future generations. Its one of the things I love about this trade. Henry Sibbing was considering hanging up his robe and gavel as Lake Genevas municipal judge until a chance meeting with a stranger convinced him to change his mind. Sibbing said he was walking his dog one day when a women stopped him and thanked him for helping her son as municipal judge. I said, Maam, I was not going to run for judge again until you told me your story, Sibbing recalled. I decided to run for judge again so I could continue to help kids. Sibbing, 75, was re-elected April 2 to another four-year term as municipal judge, running without opposition. He has served as municipal judge since 1997 and is Lake Genevas longest serving elected official currently. Deanna Crisman, the judges court clerk in Lake Geneva Municipal Court, said she has been impressed by his demeanor and approach to handling defendants. Sibbing oversees about 1,000 cases annually involving traffic violations, first-time drunken drivers, disorderly conduct, minor drug possession, trespassing and city ordinance violations. Hes very easy to work with, Crisman said. Hes just a very kind, considerate person. Sibbing said most of the defendants he sees in municipal court are regular people who made a bad decision. They want to be treated justly, he said. Most just want to be heard. Born in Springfield, Ohio, Sibbing attended Marquette University in Milwaukee and earned a degree in philosophy. After getting his law degree in California in the 1970s, he and his family returned to the Midwest and settled in Lake Geneva. He opened a law practice here in 1978, and a short time later some Lake Geneva aldermen urged him to run for the elected position of city attorney. Sibbing said he enjoyed serving as city attorney from 1980 to 1996, but he always felt that he would be more effective behind the bench. I thought I would make a good, quality judge, he said. I felt it was a career path that was best suited for my personality. Sibbing ran unsuccessfully for Walworth County circuit judge three times, in 1992, 1998 and 2000. He now regards not being elected circuit judge as a blessing in disguise, because it allowed him to serve as Lake Genevas municipal judge. I think Im able to accomplish more as a municipal judge than a circuit judge, he said. When he was in his mid-50s, Sibbing also decided to pursue a career in counseling to complement his work in the courtroom. I wanted to do something more helpful, he said. I was helping people fight legal battles, but I wanted to help them in another way. In the early 2000s, he earned a masters degree in counseling from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Donald Norman, one of Sibbings professors in Whitewater, said the judge worked hard to earn his counseling degree and became one of Normans best students ever. We had a lot of younger students, so he was pushing the age limit, Norman said. But that was fine, because he had a lot of wisdom to pass on. The most rewarding part of his job in municipal court, Sibbing says, is helping young people get their lives back on track. If a youth commits a somewhat serious offense, he may order them to perform community service, attend a counseling program or become involved in a school activity, in addition to paying a court fine. He tries to work with young people, because he realizes there may be issues going on in their lives that affect their behavior. I dont want to punish them. I want them to learn their lesson, he said. Years ago, it became clear to me that punishing them wasnt getting the job done. Crisman said Sibbing treats young people fairly in the courtroom. He works more towards restorative behavior, she said. He would rather see someone get rehabilitated than sentence them with a fine. Combining his years as city attorney and as municipal judge, Sibbing has 38 years of service as an elected official in Lake Geneva. He also works privately as a counselor at Morning Star Psychotherapy in Whitewater, assisting clients who are dealing with drug and alcohol addiction. He said he never refers municipal court defendants to Morning Star, acknowledging that doing so would be a conflict of interest. Norman, who also works at Morning Star, said Sibbing is respected by the other counselors there. Hes a kind, gentle person, Norman said. All of his colleagues think that hes great to work with. We enjoy having him around. As readers walked by 915 W. Main Street (across Main Street from the Lake Geneva Public Library), they may have noticed a small house with two plaques on it. The first one is an oval plaque stating that the house dates back to 1847. It is the second oldest surviving house in Lake Geneva, a house on the west side of the 300 block of Sage Street being the oldest. On the other plaque is a history of the house noting that it is indeed an historic house. Both plaques were erected by the Lake Geneva Historic Preservation Commission, of which I am a member. The house belongs to Mary Tanner, an emeritus member of the Lake Geneva Historic Preservation Commission. During the 1930s, the house was the office of the Lake Geneva lawyer Lewis G. Brown (1876-1948). Browns assistant was my mother, Helen Wardingle, who did much of Browns legal work for him, as he was quite elderly. In addition to the house being the second oldest house in Lake Geneva, it is historically important because, for seven years (1871 to 1878), it was owned by the famous Chicago newspaper editor Charles L. Wilson, who lived in it during the summers. Wilson edited one of the leading 19th century newspapers in Chicago, the Chicago Daily Journal. Its primary rival was the Chicago Tribune. Todays Chicago Sun-Times traces its lineage back to the Chicago Daily Journal. What is historically important about the house is that its owner, Charles L. Wilson, invited many of his prominent friends and acquaintances in Chicago to spend time with him during the summers of the early 1870s at his Geneva home. His guests included Mary Todd Lincoln (the widow of Abraham Lincoln), and the famous Union generals U.S. Grant, William Tecumseh Sherman and Philip Sheridan (after whom Sheridan Springs Road is named as is the well-known Geneva Lake sailing trophy). By that time, U.S. Grant was the president of the United States. Who was Charles L. Wilson? He had been born on Oct. 10, 1818 in Fairfield County Connecticut, the son of John Quinford Wilson and Maria Lush Wilson. His ancestor, John Wilson, had arrived in Massachusetts aboard the famous ship Mayflower in 1620. The John Q. Wilson family moved from Connecticut to Albany, New York, where Charles L. Wilson grew up and attended local schools. Wilson moved from Albany to the new village of Chicago in 1835 at the age of 17. On April 23, 1844, he joined with his older brother, Richard Wilson, in founding the Chicago Daily Journal newspaper. Originally a supporter of the Whig Party, the Chicago Daily Journal became one of the first newspapers to support the brand new Republican Party, which had been founded in Ripon, Wisconsin, in 1854. After his older brother Richard became incapacitated by a terrible accident, Charles L. Wilson took over the Chicago Daily Journal, assisted by his younger brother, John R. Wilson. During this period, Charles L. Wilson became a close personal friend of Abraham Lincoln. My own great-great-grandfather, John Wilkinson, who owned a tavern in Greenview, Illinois, a few miles away from Abraham Lincolns hometown of New Salem, Illinois, was also a close friend of Abraham Lincoln. In 1856, Charles L. Wilson joined with Abraham Lincoln and others in founding the Republican Party in Illinois. In the 1856 election, the new Republican Party ran its first candidate for president, John C. Fremont, for whom Fremont Street in Lake Geneva is named. Prior to the election of 1858, Wilson persuaded Lincoln to engage in the famous series of debates with U.S. Senator Stephen Douglas. During the decade before the Civil War, Charles L. Wilson was a staunch anti-slavery advocate. Accordingly, his paper, the Chicago Daily Journal, was a firm supporter of the anti-slavery cause. Growing up in New York state, Wilson had supported the well-known politician William Henry Seward, and later became a close friend of Sewards. Before the 1860 election, Wilson supported the nomination of Seward rather than Abraham Lincoln as the Republican Partys candidate for the presidency. After Abraham Lincoln defeated Seward for the nomination at the Republican National Convention, Wilson switched his support to Lincoln and helped persuade Seward to come to the Midwest and campaign for Lincoln during the months leading up to the 1860 election. After Lincoln became president in March 1861, he appointed Seward as secretary of state. Seward and Lincoln then appointed Charles L. Wilson as the secretary of the U.S. Legation (Embassy) in London. Charles Francis Adams (the father of the famed writer Henry Adams) was appointed the U.S. ambassador to England. Wilson served as the secretary of the U.S. Legation in London for three years during the Civil War. After completing his service in London, Wilson returned to Chicago where he resumed his editorship of the Daily Journal, which had become a prosperous newspaper. In July 1868, Charles L. Wilson married Catherine F. Farrar of Cambridge, Massachusetts. They had two children, a boy and a girl; however, the boy died in infancy. In 1872 Wilson had a five-story building erected in downtown Chicago to house the Chicago Daily Journal after its building was destroyed during the Great Chicago Fire of Oct. 8, 1871. In 1871, Charles L. Wilson played an important role in facilitating the restoration of rail service between Chicago and Geneva. Shortly afterwards, he purchased as his summer home the house at 915 W. Main Street. It was the great Chicago Fire, combined with the restoration of rail service between Chicago and Geneva on July 28, 1871, that prompted many wealthy Chicagoans to purchase land on the shores of Geneva Lake and build summer cottages on the land that they had purchased. Among the first to do so were the three Sturges brothers, George, Sheldon, and Buckingham Sturges. Charles L. Wilson was as prominent and distinguished in Chicago as the Sturges brothers. George Sturges initially lived in a house across Main Street from Wilsons house. Sturges house had been built in 1859 by the Geneva lawyer Asa W. Farr. As an officer in the Union Army, Farr had been murdered in cold blood by Quantrills Confederate guerillas in Baxter Springs, Kansas on Oct. 6, 1863. In June 1894, George Sturges widow, Mary Delafield Sturges, donated their house on Main Street to house the new Lake Geneva Public Library. It was during the summers of 1871 to 1874 that Charles L. Wilson invited Mary Todd Lincoln and Generals U.S. Grant, William Tecumseh Sherman, and Philip Sheridan to spend time with him as guests at his summer home in Geneva. In 1875, however, Wilson fell ill and became an invalid. Wilsons younger brother, John R. Wilson, succeeded him as editor of the Chicago Daily Journal. John R. Wilson lived during the summers at a house at the northeast corner of Main and Madison streets, three houses west of Charles L. Wilsons home. Charles L. Wilson was ill and an invalid between 1875 and 1878. He went to San Antonio, Texas, in 1878 in the hope that the warmer Texas climate would improve his health. Unfortunately, it did not. He died in San Antonio on March 9, 1878, at the age of 59. For all-too-brief a time, 1871 to 1878, Charles L. Wilson was one of Genevas most prominent summer residents. And during the preceding quarter century, he had been one of Chicagos most well known and distinguished citizens. Were it not for the two plaques on the house at 915 W. Main Street, current residents of Lake Geneva would have never heard of him. Knowledge of his impressive life would have simply dissolved into oblivion. Quinn is a Lake Geneva native who is the University Archivist Emeritus at Northwestern University. To the Editor: Ice Castles would like to express our gratitude for a magical winter season! During the past 8 months you have welcomed us into your community and onto your beach. As the site manager this season in Lake Geneva, I personally wanted to express our sincerest thanks on behalf of our entire team. Your town has an incredible spirit of love and adventure, and we felt that from you. I have been fortunate enough to oversee the construction of ice castles all over the world, from Utah to New Zealand, to the East Coast and now the great state of Wisconsin. Your community stands above the rest in support and excitement! One of the greatest strengths was the local workforce you provided us. As the site manager from Utah, I was the only non-resident employee in Lake Geneva. We hired over 50 employees, all of which live in Walworth county and surrounding towns in Southeastern Wisconsin. It truly was special getting to know the culture and the families in this area. It is evident by your city employees, business owners, and local residents, that you take pride in creativity, friendship and community. The support we received from you was different from any other location we have ever built an ice castle. We look forward to what the future may hold. We hope to experience more winters with you in the future! From our family to yours, thank you for all your support this past winter, it was truly a blessing getting to know you and being a part of your wonderful community. Jesse Stone Ice Castle site manager Bad news, Moby fans: The book tour is off. On his website, the electronic musician announced he was canceling all upcoming appearances. Moby is canceling all upcoming public appearances for the foreseeable future, the statement reads. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. All tickets will be refunded at the point of purchase, and Moby is happy to provide signed bookplates to everyone who bought tickets to these events. He also posted on Instagram on Tuesday that hes going to go away for awhile. Advertisement According to a schedule still posted on the site, Moby had been slated to appear at four locations in the United Kingdom and Ireland in the next week and a half, including a stop at the Hay Festival in Wales on June 1 and at Liberty Hall Theatre in Dublin, Ireland on June 6. He had been promoting Then It Fell Apart, his new memoir described on his site as a journey into the dark heart of fame and the demons that lurk beneath the bling and bluster of the celebrity lifestyle. A message on Mobys website announcing canceled dates on his book tour. (moby.com) Over the course of three chapters in the book, Moby born Richard Melville Hall details a brief relationship with Natalie Portman, who was then 18 to his 33. The Vox Lux actress says it didnt quite happen that way. I was surprised to hear that he characterised the very short time that I knew him as dating because my recollection is a much older man being creepy with me when I just had graduated high school, Portman said in an interview with Harpers Bazaar UK published last week. There was no fact checking from him or his publisher it almost feels deliberate, she added. That he used this story to sell his book was very disturbing to me. It wasnt the case. There are many factual errors and inventions. I would have liked him or his publisher to reach out to fact check. Mobys rebuttal came in the form of a now-deleted Instagram post showing him shirtless with his arm around Portman. I recently read a gossip piece wherein Natalie Portman said that wed never dated. This confused me, as we did, in fact, date, he wrote in the caption. And after briefly dating in 1999 we remained friends for years. I like Natalie, and I respect her intelligence and activism. But, to be honest, I cant figure out why she would actively misrepresent the truth about our (albeit brief) involvement. I completely respect Natalies possible regret in dating me (to be fair, I would probably regret dating me, too), but it doesnt alter the actual facts of our brief romantic history. In another Instagram post, which has also since been deleted, he wrote, [T]heres ample photographic evidence that we briefly dated and then were friends(some pictures included in this post) It hurts to be lied about, especially as Ive always respected her, and I thought we were friends. On Saturday, he posted a public apology. As some time has passed Ive realized that many of the criticisms leveled at me regarding my inclusion of Natalie in Then It Fell Apart are very valid, he wrote in the caption. I also fully recognize that it was truly inconsiderate of me to not let her know about her inclusion in the book beforehand, and equally inconsiderate for me to not fully respect her reaction. I have a lot of admiration for Natalie, for her intelligence, creativity, and animal rights activism, and I hate that I might have caused her and her family distress. I tried to treat everyone I included in Then It Fell Apart with dignity and respect, but nonetheless it was truly inconsiderate for me to not let them know before the book was released, he continued. So for that I apologize, to Natalie, as well as the other people I wrote about in Then It Fell Apart without telling them beforehand.Also I accept that given the dynamic of our almost 14 year age difference I absolutely shouldve acted more responsibly and respectfully when Natalie and I first met almost 20 years ago. On Tuesday, he made another post, with an image that reads last post. Im going to go away for awhile, he wrote in the caption. But before I do I want to apologize again, and to say clearly that all of this has been my own fault. I am the one who released the book without showing it to the people I wrote about. Im the one who posted defensively and arrogantly. Im the one who behaved inconsiderately and disrespectfully, both in 2019 and in 1999. There is obviously no one else to blame but me. Thank you, and Im sorry. Beijing is readying to use its dominance of rare earths to hit back in its deepening trade war with Washington. A flurry of Chinese media reports on Wednesday, including an editorial in the flagship newspaper of the Communist Party, raised the prospect of Beijing cutting exports of the commodities that are critical in defense, energy, electronics and automobile sectors. The worlds biggest producer, China supplies about 80% of U.S. imports of rare earths, which are used in a host of applications including smartphones, electric vehicles and wind turbines. And most of the rare earths mined outside China still end up there for processing even the sole U.S. mine at Mountain Pass in California sends its material to the nation. The Department of Defense accounts for about 1% of total U.S. consumption of rare earths, according to a 2016 report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Still, rare earths are essential to the production, sustainment, and operation of U.S. military equipment. Reliable access to the necessary material, regardless of the overall level of defense demand, is a bedrock requirement for DOD, the GAO said in the report. Advertisement Rare earths have already featured in the trade dispute. The Asian country raised tariffs to 25% from 10% on imports from Americas sole producer, while the U.S. excluded the elements from its own list of prospective tariffs on roughly $300 billion worth of Chinese goods to be targeted in its next wave of measures. China and rare earths is a bit like France and wine France will sell you the bottle of wine, but it doesnt really want to sell you the grapes, said Dudley Kingsnorth, an industry advisor and Perth-based executive director at Industrial Minerals Co. of Australia. The strategy is intended to encourage end users like Apple Inc., General Motors Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. to add manufacturing capacity in China. It also means that Beijings threat to employ its dominance of rare earths threatens serious disruption to U.S. industry, by starving manufacturers of components commonplace in items that include cars and dishwashers. Its a stranglehold that might take years to break. The development of alternative rare earth supplies is not something that can occur overnight, said George Bauk, chief executive officer of Northern Minerals Ltd., which produces rare earths carbonate, a preliminary product, from a pilot plant in Western Australia. There will be a lag time for the development of any new projects. Each U.S. F-35 Lightning II aircraft considered one of the worlds most sophisticated, maneuverable and stealthy fighter jets requires approximately 920 pounds of rare-earth materials, according to a 2013 report from the U.S. Congressional Research Service. Its the Pentagons most expensive weapons system and the first fighter designed to serve three branches of the U.S. military. Rare earths including yttrium and terbium are used for laser targeting and weapons in Future Combat Systems vehicles, according to the Congressional Research Service report. Other uses are for Stryker armored fighting vehicles, Predator drones and Tomahawk cruise missiles. The Pentagon didnt immediately respond when asked about the issue. The threat to weaponize strategic materials ratchets up the tension between the worlds two biggest economies before an expected meeting between Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump at the G-20 meeting next month. It shows how China is weighing its options after the U.S. blacklisted Huawei Technologies Co., cutting off the supply of American components it needs to make its smartphones and networking gear. China, as the dominant producer of rare earths, has shown in the past that it can use rare earths as a bargaining chip when it comes to multilateral negotiations, said Bauk. A case in point is the last time Beijing used rare earths as a political weapon. In 2010, it blocked exports to Japan after a maritime dispute, and while the consequent spike in prices saw a flurry of activity to secure supplies elsewhere and a case brought to the World Trade Organization nearly a decade later the nation is still the worlds dominant supplier. There is no such thing as an automobile sold in the U.S. or made in the U.S. that doesnt have rare-earth permanent magnet motors somewhere in its assembly. Jack Lifton, Technology Metals Research LLC The U.S. shouldnt underestimate Chinas ability to fight the trade war, the Peoples Daily said in an editorial Wednesday that used some historically significant language on the weight of Chinas intent. The newspapers commentary included a rare Chinese phrase that means dont say I didnt warn you. The specific wording was used by the paper in 1962 before China went to war with India, and those familiar with Chinese diplomatic language know the weight of this phrase, the Global Times, a newspaper affiliated with the Communist Party, said in an article in April. It was also used before conflict broke out between China and Vietnam in 1979. On rare earths specifically, the Peoples Daily said it isnt hard to answer the question whether China will use the elements as retaliation in the trade war. Editorials in the Global Times and Shanghai Securities News took similar tacks in their Wednesday editions. China could wreak maximum havoc by squeezing supplies of the magnets and motors that use the elements, said Jack Lifton, co-founder of Technology Metals Research LLC, whos been involved with rare earths since 1962. The effect on American industry could be devastating, he said. For example, rare-earth permanent magnets are used in miniature motors or generators in many, now ubiquitous, technologies. In a car, they allow windshield wipers, electric windows and power steering to function. And China accounts for as much as 95% of world output, according to Industrial Minerals Co. There is no such thing as an automobile sold in the U.S. or made in the U.S. that doesnt have rare-earth permanent magnet motors somewhere in its assembly, Lifton said. It would be a tremendous hit to the consumer appliance industry and the automotive industry. That means washing machines, vacuum cleaners, cars. The list is endless. The collection of 17 elements, which includes neodymium, used in magnets, and ytrrium for electronics, is actually quite abundant in the Earths crust, but mineable concentrations are less common than other ores. In terms of processing, Chinas capacity is already about double existing global demand, Kingsnorth said, making it more difficult for foreign companies to enter and compete in the supply chain. Chinas rare earth market is dominated by a handful of producers including China Northern Rare Earth Group, Minmetals Rare Earth Co., Xiamen Tungsten Co. and Chinalco Rare Earth & Metals Co. Chinas stranglehold is so strong that the U.S. joined with other nations earlier this decade in a World Trade Organization case to force the nation to export more amid a global shortage. The WTO ruled in favor of America, while prices eventually slumped as manufacturers turned to alternatives. In December 2017, Trump signed an executive order to reduce the countrys dependence on external sources of critical minerals, including rare earths, which was aimed at reducing U.S. vulnerability to supply disruptions. But industry veteran Lifton said the move wont lessen the countrys vulnerability any time soon. Even if the U.S. government said they were going to fund the supply chain, it would take years, he said. You cant just say, Im going to build a mine, Im going to make a separation plant, and a magnet or metals facility. You have to design them, build them, test them, and that doesnt happen in five minutes. Rogers, Stringer and Ritchie write for Bloomberg. Rare but everywhere Rare-earth elements have widespread uses in defense, energy and technology Scandium: Light alloys for the aerospace industry, as a radioactive tracer and in lamps. Lanthanum: High refractive index glass, camera lenses and catalysts. Cerium: Used to give a yellow color to glass, as a catalyst, as a polishing powder and to make flints. Praseodymium: Lasers, arc lighting, magnets, flint steel, and as a glass colorant, in high-strength metals found in aircraft engines and in flint for starting fires. Neodymium: Some of the strongest permanent magnets available; used to give violet color to glass and ceramics, in lasers, capacitors and electric motor discs. Promethium: The only naturally radioactive rare-earth element. Used in luminous paint and nuclear batteries. Samarium: Lasers, magnets, masers, nuclear reactor control rods. Europium: Used to prepare red and blue phosphors (marks on euro notes that prevent counterfeiting,) in lasers, in fluorescent. Gadolinium: Lasers, X-ray tubes, computer memory, high refractive index glass. Terbium: Used in green phosphors, magnets, lasers, fluorescent lamps, magnetostrictive alloys and sonar systems. Ytrrium: Used in yttrium aluminium garnet (YAG) lasers, as a red phosphor, in superconductors, in fluorescent tubes, in LEDs and as a cancer treatment. Dysprosium: Permanent rare earth magnets; lasers and commercial lighting; hard computer discs and other electronics; nuclear reactors and modern, energy-efficient vehicles Holmium: Use in lasers, magnets, and calibration of spectrophotometers can be used in nuclear control rods and microwave equipment Erbium: Vanadium steel, infrared lasers and fiberoptics lasers, including some used for medical purposes. Thulium: One of the least abundant rare earths. Used in lasers, metal halide lamps and portable X-ray machines. Ytterbium: Healthcare applications, including in certain cancer treatments; stainless steel and for monitoring effects of earthquakes, explosions. Lutetium: Positron emission tomography (PET) scans, high refractive index glass, catalysts and LEDs. Source: Bank of America Merrill Lynch, USGS An affiliate of Aberdeen Standard Investments has agreed to buy the Carlsbad desalination plant in San Diego County for more than $1 billion, according to people with knowledge of the matter. A transaction could be announced as soon as this week, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the matter is private. The Claude Bud Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant, named for a former mayor, is owned by Orion Water Partners, the joint venture between Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners and Brookfield Infrastructure Partners affiliate Poseidon. Representatives for Aberdeen, Stonepeak, Poseidon and Brookfield all declined to comment. The plant removes salt and impurities from seawater. It was developed as a public-private partnership and delivers about 50 million gallons of fresh water per day, enough to serve roughly 400,000 people and about a third of all water generated in fast-growing San Diego County. Its capacity is set to rise to 60 million gallons after approval from local authorities to construct a stand-alone pumping station to draw seawater and build a new intake structure that will reduce the number of fish sucked into the plant. Advertisement The ownership group signed a 30-year agreement with the San Diego County Water Authority in 2012 and later constructed a 10-mile pipeline as well as the plant itself, which opened in 2015 and is the largest in the Western Hemisphere, according to its website. SoftBank Group Corp.s Japanese telecom unit has selected Nokia and Ericsson as vendors for its next-generation wireless network, excluding longtime supplier Huawei Technologies Co. SoftBank Corp. named Nokia as a strategic partner for 5G rollout and Ericsson as a supplier of radio access network equipment, the companies said in separate releases Wednesday. Huawei, which together with ZTE Corp. was a 4G vendor for the Japanese company, wasnt selected despite participating in 5G trials. SoftBank declined to comment further. President Trump has targeted Huawei for months, first encouraging allies to ban the Chinese companys equipment from their networks and then putting Huawei on an export blacklist that prohibits it from buying American software and components. Australia and New Zealand have prohibited Chinese gear from their networks, while Japan has said it will exclude equipment with security risks without making an official decision on Huawei. Local media have reported the countrys top three carriers NTT Docomo Inc., SoftBank and KDDI Corp. will shun Huawei and ZTE. Advertisement You can also expect Docomo and KDDI to follow suit, said Masahiko Ishino, an analyst at Tokai Tokyo Research Center. So SoftBank isnt going to be at a cost disadvantage. The phone companies are also scrapping plans to sell Huawei handsets as the effect of a U.S. supply ban spreads. The Chinese company didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. On Wednesday, Huawei announced it was seeking to expedite a federal court case in Texas challenging the Trump administrations decision to bar the U.S. government and its contractors from using its equipment. The company said the ban was threatening its business in more than 170 countries. So far, few carriers have actively decided against choosing Huawei for new networks, though in March, TDC, Denmarks biggest phone company, chose Ericsson to build its 5G network rather than Huawei, its existing supplier. Britains BT Group announced plans to remove Huawei gear from the core of its mobile network soon after the head of the countrys foreign intelligence agency MI6 warned about the risks of using Chinese equipment. Taiwan already bans Chinese telecom equipment. In the U.S., the Trump administrations ban could hit rural telecom companies hard because many rely on Huaweis cheaper equipment to maintain and build out their networks. At an earnings briefing in February, SoftBank Group Chief Executive Masayoshi Son said it would cost about $46 million to replace existing Huawei gear in its network. At the time, Son said the company was considering all options for 5G equipment. Alpeyev and Hyuga write for Bloomberg. The Associated Press and Times staff writer Laurence Darmiento contributed to this report. Before you realize that June Edmonds abstract paintings echo the structure of the star-spangled banner, your gut tells you that you have entered a place of mourning, where a tragic loss is being grieved. Its as if youre at a funeral, awash in a flood of melancholy. Then you realize the funeral Edmonds has staged is for the American flag itself. In six paintings in the first room of the exhibition Allegiances and Convictions at Luis De Jesus gallery in Culver City, its as if the flag is being laid to rest because the ideals it has represented for centuries freedom and self-determination, not to mention life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness no longer have a place in the nation the flag is meant to represent. Thats chilling and harrowing. But its only part of the story. Advertisement Edmonds paintings are also defiant, rebellious and celebratory. Their palette is unapologetically beautiful: a rainbow of rich, resplendent browns interspersed with deep olive greens, glorious harvest golds, regal purples and burgundies as well as velvety blues and supersaturated blacks. June Edmonds, Unbought and Unbossed Flag, 2019, acrylic on canvas mounted on linen, 74 by 50 inches. (Michael Underwood / From June Edmonds and Luis De Jesus) Edmonds paint handling is equally attuned to nuance: thick strokes of paint-loaded brushes applied one at a time, with the deliberation and patience of someone who knows every moment counts and that the struggle is a long one. Edmonds stacks brushstrokes architecturally, building her abstract banners vertically while marking time. Her flags form the foundation of a future that might be better than the present and true to the ideals the founding fathers had in mind, particularly their conviction that all people have unalienable rights and that the governments job is to protect them no ifs, ands or buts. Each of Edmonds paintings commemorates an American who lived or lives by those convictions. Theres Claudette Colvin, who, as a 15-year-old, refused to give up her seat on a bus in Alabama. Theres Omar ibn Said, an Islamic scholar from Senegal who was captured and enslaved in 1807 and wrote the only known Arabic autobiography by a slave in America. Other flags honor poet Lucille Clifton, the Iroquois Confederacy (the oldest known democracy in North America) and Rep. Ilhan Omar, the Somali American from Minnesota elected to the House last year. In the back gallery hang three more stretched canvases (like the six in the front gallery) and three unstretched ones, each loosely draped on the wall like a battered triptych. Commemorating William Harvey Carney, the first African American to be awarded the Medal of Honor as a Union solider, Edmonds blackened canvases appear to have endured more than their fair share of hellfire. Like flags, paintings pack a punch when people rally round them. Luis De Jesus Los Angeles, 2685 S. La Cienega Blvd. L.A. Tuesdays-Sundays, through June 15. (310) 838-6000, luisdejesus.com June Edmonds, Carney and The 54th (A Memorial), I, II and III 2019, acrylic and spray paint on canvas (Michael Underwood / From June Edmonds and Luis De Jesus) See all of our latest arts news and reviews at latimes.com/arts. One evening in May 1959, inside a doughnut shop called Cooper Do-nuts on South Main Street in downtown Los Angeles, three LGBTQ individuals were being arrested because their outward gender identities did not match the ones on their identification. Thats when they decided to revolt. Doughnuts, coffee cups and wadded napkins were thrown at the police officers, who retreated at first but returned with reinforcements. The revolters, who included transgender people, gay men and hustlers according to John Rechy, one of the men the police attempted to arrest, who detailed the event in his 1963 novel City of Night continued their stand, the commotion blocking off that strip of the street through the night and into the next day. That revolt is widely regarded as the first recorded event where people in the LGBTQ community took a stand against police brutality. It laid the foundation for later uprisings at the Black Cat Tavern in Silver Lake (then Edendale), Comptons Cafeteria in San Franciscos Tenderloin neighborhood, and then, most notoriously, at the Stonewall Inn in New York City, all of which occurred within the ensuing decade. Advertisement In essence the gay rights movement, one could argue, started not in a bar, with beer bottles crashing under the glow of neon, but in a tiny restaurant serving doughnuts 60 years ago this month. A couple, surrounded by other diners, share a drink while they enjoy their wedding-anniversary celebration brunch at Hamburger Marys in West Hollywood. (Silvia Razgova / For The Times) Gay people have always gathered in bars or secret clubs, sacrosanct for their ability to protect us from outside evils. But more minutely, the sites function as just great places to knock back a drink after being on high alert all day in public. Every gay person who moves to a new city first seeks out the bars, to better understand the new environment. I did this in my 20s in New York as well. But many of the special, formative moments I had after coming out in a city occurred not at the bars but over meals shared with friends after the bar closed or the next morning for brunch, which typically occurred at a laughably late 4 p.m. because we hadnt gone to bed until 6 that morning. Often diners that sold to anyone and everyone just like Cooper Do-Nuts these were second-phase forums. You met your new friends on the dance floor; you got to explore their humanity in the red leather booth over a plate of fries in the back. A signature Mary hamburger at Hamburger Marys in West Hollywood. (Silvia Razgova / For The Times) Stephen Swafford, 57, remembers moving to L.A. from Birmingham, Ala., 20 years ago and feeling overwhelmed by the scale of the city. His coworkers introduced him to gay clubs such as RoosterFish, Ripples and Boom Boom Room, but the feeling of home really cemented when I went to the gay restaurants. Being from the South, food was always an important way to get to know other people, so those restaurant meals were really special times, said Swafford, a landscape architect who lives in East L.A. These restaurants, found across the country, are what we in the community call gay restaurants: spots that are either owned by, or cater to, a largely gay most often cis male clientele (although no one would get turned away). Fresh homemade guacamole, served in a crispy flour tortilla bowl, with hand-cut tortilla chips and a side of salsa, at Casita del Campo in Silver Lake. (Silvia Razgova / For the Times) In L.A., they include downtown hot spots Precinct and Redline. In Silver Lake, El Condor is a favorite of 40-year-old screenwriter Adam Roberts, who resides in Atwater Village Its low-key and has a festive atmosphere. I came here with a group of friends recently, and they actually ate all the carbs on the table and the Kitchen, which counts Drew Droege, 42, as a loyal customer. Its got feel-good, kinda healthy food and a real classic neighborhood vibe, Droege, an actor who lives in Beachwood Canyon, says. I always run into a dozen folks I know here before we walk around the corner to go drink at Akbar. And in West Hollywood, there are staples like Cafe dEtoile, Saint Felix and even the Abbey, more famous as a raucous bar but one thats also a community center for its patrons. The Abbeys best times are its quietest, says 54-year-old lifestyle writer and WeHo resident Eric Diesel. I like to come here on a lazy Monday afternoon, and I see neighbors who stop by to chat; waiters I know by name will come say hi and give a genuine hug. Ive even had strangers toast me from across the room. Everyone here is family. A drag queen entertains guests during brunch with a show at Hamburger Marys in West Hollywood. (Silvia Razgova / For The Times) Some gay restaurants have interiors decked out in rainbow flags, framed pics of Bea Arthur as her Golden Girls character Dorothy Zbornak and posters of exuberant drag queens advertising the next themed brunch. Some look like your run-of-the-mill casual-dining restaurant, but the owners employ mostly gay waitstaff who know how to deliver the right amount of sass and a smile to get you to order that cinnamon bun that everyone at the table says they wont eat but then devours within 20 seconds. Some just happen to be located in gay neighborhoods and, if theyre welcoming, stand the test of time as hallowed totems of the community. The food, frankly, is never that good. But thats also not the point. These restaurants care more about creating an atmosphere of inclusiveness or simply making money off a loyal clientele than crafting the perfect dish that will land them in the pages of a food glossy. The now-closed Rocking Horse Cafe in New Yorks Chelsea neighborhood was my go-to spot specifically for that reason. The food was perfectly fine American-filtered Mexican food, but the scene on a summer weekend, especially during Pride, was upbeat and joyful, with the euphoric excitement spilling out into the street. When you went in, though, the guacamole was always cold, the chips freshly fried and salty, and the margaritas strong. In other words, it hit the marks it needed to hit to keep people happy. Many of the special, formative moments I had after coming out in a city occurred not at the bars but over meals shared with friends after the bar closed. Ben Mims Since moving to L.A. in March, Ive found a few spots that already give me that same feeling. At El Coyote Cafe on Beverly Boulevard, you can get one of the best plates of carnitas in town, with an orange liqueur-heavy margarita that is kinda wonderful. Its labyrinthe dining room, lit in neon colors and decorated with brightly colored Mexican blankets, stained-glass parrots and pinatas, is the epitome of camp. The carnitas plate, with a side of guacamole and chips, salsas, and a margarita at El Coyote in Hollywood. (Silvia Razgova / For the Times) For a frivolous night out in West Hollywood, theres Hamburger Marys. There are several across the country, but the WeHo locations reputation as a training ground for famous drag queens makes it feel like an L.A. establishment. It offers a decent burger and, more important, the chance to pelt the winners of each round on bingo night with balls of paper as they run around the restaurant while you take 1 1/2-foot-long sips of your margarita through a cocktail glass shaped like a fishnet stocking-sheathed, red pump-shorn ladys leg. And at Casita del Campo, a flamboyant restaurant in Silver Lake with a cabaret theater in the basement, you get your guacamole in a giant taco shell and your chile verde served extra saucy. Gays have been going there for decades. Why? My best guess is that it started because the late owner, Rudy del Campo (his son Robert Martin del Campo still owns the restaurant), was a dancer who played one of the sharks in the 1961 film adaptation of West Side Story and was supposedly an uncredited dancer in the 1954 version of A Star Is Born starring Judy Garland. If that doesnt merit a gay affiliation, I dont know what does. Tahdig is a Persian showpiece dish: the inverted contents of a pot or pan of rice, the bottom of which is expertly cooked until it is crisp and burnished and crackles when you cut into the pilaf with a spoon. My friend Dorna Khazeni once gave me a tahdig lesson, one that involved a lot of soaking rice, rinsing rice, salting water, boiling rice, agitating the pot, flipping the pot upside down and some other things I dont quite remember. On my own, my version wasnt a disaster, but it wasnt a culinary triumph either. I couldnt attain the right color of orange-gold on the underside that, once flipped and served, is the top part, and the white rice beneath the strata of crust was a little soft, not the elegant individual strands that Id hoped for. Then a few months ago, Dorna returned from visiting family in Tehran. She told me that her father, shocked that she was still cooking tahdig the old-school way, insisted she purchase a polo paz, or a Persian rice cooker. Reluctantly, Dorna bought one. She soon became a convert. Well, a semi-convert. Dorna, who works as a translator and interpreter for the likes of French author Michel Houellebecq and Oscar-winning Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi, could now start soaking her long-grain basmati rice before she left for work, have tahdig on the dinner table within 90 minutes of arriving home, and be left with just one pot to wash. But as much as she loved the expediency, she was still torn: She missed the breath-holding trickiness of making tahdig on the stove. She also wasnt sold on the end result. It isnt as nice as what you make when youre going through all those steps, she said. Advertisement As it turns out, this conflict of tradition versus convenience is as old as the Persian rice cooker itself, which dates back to the 1960s. Thats when the folks at Toshiba realized that by coating the interior pot with a smooth, non-stick surface and modifying the self-monitoring thermal sensor in the base that knows when to switch from cooking to keep warm, theyd transformed their Japanese rice cooker into a tahdig maker. Pars Khazar, an Iranian-based small appliance maker, was the first to partner with Toshiba. Soon an entire industry was born, represented now by more than eight brands on the market, and a raging debate on the internet about which is best. Parisa Amini of Persian Basket, online company that sells Persian food and kitchen equipment from Atlanta, including three types of rice cookers, says that the discourse is largely over design. Some people say, This one reminds me of back home when I was a little kid, other ones are more modern-looking, Amini said. But as a distributor of Persian rice cookers, I can say that functionality-wise, theyre pretty much all the same. She added that the companys target audience for rice cookers is the younger generation because they arent interested in cooking and its the quickest and most dummy-proof way of making rice. When I mentioned that an estimated 85% of households in Tehran have a rice cooker on their kitchen counter, that theyre so popular that a man in Tehrans Grand Bazaar specializes in re-coating the Teflon on worn-out pots, she explained that cookers are for immediate-family-use only. Stove-top tahdig and cooker tahdig are different enough in quality that youd never serve the latter to a guest, she explained, that it would indicate that you didnt care and that by simply pressing the on button and walking away, you were willing to cheat the system. But she offered me a sort of cultural loophole: If I, an American, was married to an Iranian man, my making tahdig in an automatic cooker for his visiting family would qualify as the height of hospitality. The Iranian guests would be impressed, she said, before adding this not-so-subtle asterisk, Americans dont like to cook rice, and especially not in the traditional way. Persian rice cookers arent magic one-touch devices. The booklets that come with the appliances are pretty thin on the particulars. You are still left with questions: How much rice to how much water? How long do I wait before adding oil? In the end, it took a village: Dorna told me to mix in a tablespoon of saffron-infused yogurt to give the tahdig a thicker, cakier texture. Najmieh Batmanglij, author of Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies, advised me to use a standard measuring cup for the water and rice, not the small plastic one that comes with the cooker. It was a man at my local beauty supply store dont ask how we landed on the topic who reminded me to wrap the lid in a dish towel, weigh it down with a heavy bowl, and cook for up to 90 minutes. I kept all these details in mind when I made my first rice cooker tahdig. An hour and a half later, I nervously placed a dish on the top of the interior pot and turned it upside down. Out slid a crunchy medallion of caramelized rice, the color of burnished pumpkin. The grains were fluffy and unbroken, and I could tell that when I cut into the tahdig, thered be an audible crackle. On a whim, I decided to pack it up, take it over to a friends house and put it on the dinner table. It wasnt Instagram-perfect. It might not have passed muster with an Iranian grandmother. But it was gone in a breath. The Sadaf rice cooker comes with a dial to set your rice-cooking time. (Ren Fuller / For The Times) So, youre ready to try a Persian rice cooker Most Persian markets in Los Angeles sell at least a couple of styles (so do Amazon and Persianbasket.com). Here are some options: My most successful attempts were made in a 5-cup Imperial Rice Cooker. A stripped-down model is available on Persian Basket for about $49. At $55 for a 5-cup cooker, Pars, which is controlled by a color-coded timer, is considered the most popular brand. The more affordable Sadafs 6-cup cooker, a sturdy, basic style, can be purchased in store or from its website for about $39. Mona Soofer, head of marketing at Sadaf, says she uses hers not just for rice, but for steaming vegetables and making spaghetti tahdig, a crusty, one-pot Persian take on Italian pasta. The Imperial rice cooker has one switch for turning the machine on and off. (Ren Fuller / For The Times) Once youve purchased the rice cooker, whats the best way to make basic rice in it? Naz Deravian, the Iranian-born and Los Angeles-based author of Bottom of the Pot: Persian Recipes and Stories, says there isnt one. Every home has their own way and each will tell you that their way is best, says Deravian, adding that her personal technique is to put rice, water, oil and salt in the cooker, give it a gentle stir, put the lid on and wait for the timer to ding. For me, the point of the Persian rice cooker is for a Wednesday night meal where we all crash into the house and its something we can make easily. When it comes to care and maintenance, Deravian says its essential to treat the non-stick pot lovingly. I never go at it with a metal utensil, and my husband and I dont let anyone else wash it, she says. If grains of rice get stuck in scratches that form on the Teflon surface, the tahdig can crack. Itll still taste good, but that will ruin the presentational wow moment at mealtime. I grew up in the West, Deravian says. My friends are mostly not Iranians. And when I flip that rice pot? Everybody just loses their minds. I went to school Tuesday morning. Saturn Street Elementary is a Mid-City L.A. Unified campus with about 350 students, 80 of them in special-ed classes. The nurse comes only twice a week; same for the school psychologist. As you might have heard, the nations second-largest school districts got money troubles. I met in the school library which is closed two or three days a week with L.A. Unified Supt. Austin Beutner and teachers union President Alex Caputo-Pearl. These two strong-willed tough guys have gone at each other like bulls in the past. But the topic of our Tuesday chat was Measure EE, the parcel tax on next weeks ballot that would provide additional school funding, and the two most powerful people in Los Angeles public education are like a tag team now, practically completing each others sentences. Advertisement Reprehensible, Caputo-Pearl said of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerces attack on EE as the wrong answer to a legitimate problem. The chamber said its not the answer, so what is? Beutner chimed in. If you think its not the answer for kids of poverty and kids of color, I wish the chamber would come to school and say, Were sorry, but we dont think youre worth a librarian a day. Lets back up for a minute, though, to January. Thats when traffic was stopped in downtown Los Angeles, as thousands of teachers and their allies marched in the rain. Angelenos roared in support of 600,000 L.A. Unified students and their teachers, and that public cry helped end a six-day strike with promises of higher pay for teachers, smaller class sizes and more support staff. The people said loud and clear that it is not okay to shortchange schools in which 80% of the students are poor and 90% are minorities, here in a state that ranks at the top in wealth and near the bottom in funding per pupil. So here we are a few months later, less than a week from an election in which all those school supporters will be asked to put their money where their mouths were. Measure EE would raise about $500 million annually for L.A. Unified for the next 12 years, paying to retain and attract more teachers, shrink class sizes and fund more nurses, librarians, and other support staff, among other things. The students would love to come in here every day during break time and after school, said Saturn Principal Tracie Bryant, who briefly joined us in the library. She said a full-time psychologist would help immensely at her school, given the level of trauma many students are dealing with. Its not hard to understand voter weariness over repeated demands for yet another tax to pay for problems that never seem to get solved, especially in the case of a school district that hasnt always been particularly well run. L.A. Unified has agreed to pension and healthcare obligations without budgeting for the cost, its been embroiled in more than a few scandals, and declining enrollment means less revenue going forward. On the other hand, the district has just come up with tens of millions of dollars worth of savings on efficiencies in healthcare costs. L.A. Unified Supt. Austin Beutner, right, with United Teachers Los Angeles President Alex Caputo-Pearl at a January news conference. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) So what would Measure EE cost you? If you own a 1,500-square foot house youll pay about $240 a year; twice as much for a house twice that size. About 80% of the revenue would come from commercial, industrial and apartment building owners who might pass the added cost to customers and renters. Chamber of Commerce President Maria Salinas issued statements criticizing EE for various reasons, including concerns about whether the funding sought will actually make it to the classroom. Unsurprisingly, the chamber would have preferred a flat fee per parcel rather than one based on square footage. Cry me a river, Beutner said, imagining a skyscraper owner with a million square feet of floor space who would have to pay a $160,000 parcel tax. Another opponent of Measure EE is the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn. Thats the current incarnation of the movement that brought us Proposition 13, which undercut school funding. California has fallen into the bottom tier of national funding per student when you factor in the cost of living, even while homeowners and commercial property owners have enjoyed strict limits on property tax increases for years. So in climbing into bed with Jarvis, as the L.A. Chamber has done while complaining about a lack of equity in the structure of Measure EE, its not hard to see how the word reprehensible popped into Caputo-Pearls head. In the Saturn library, Beutner took a napkin and wrote the names of some cities that have taxed themselves to help support local schools: Oakland, San Francisco, Santa Monica, Torrance. Then he drew a curve and wrote New York City and Boston at one end, with a 23 for the thousands of dollars they spend per pupil. At the other end were Los Angeles, Mississippi and Alabama, where he wrote 16. One of the biggest outcomes of the strike was the awareness that were 44th out of 50 in per-pupil funding, said Caputo-Pearl, who thinks the momentum of the strike will carry into next week. Beutner noted that while the chamber is opposed, business titans, nonprofit executives and university leaders have endorsed EE. Russell Goldsmith, chairman of City National Bank and head of the Los Angeles Coalition for the Economy & Jobs, said Tuesday in a statement that EE will help to close the funding shortfalls facing the district and give Beutner and the school board time to implement much-needed reform. There are plenty of business leaders supporting EE who get it, and understand that in fact investing in public schools is good for business, said Caputo-Pearl. Voters need to ask themselves what happens if Measure EE goes down. Will decades-old buildings deteriorate further, will layoffs be unavoidable, will the students who get a cut-rate education end up costing us more as adults than they contribute? Measure EE needs two-thirds approval to pass, and thats a high bar. The turnout was great in January, though, when supporters of teachers and students marched downtown. On Tuesday they need to march to the polls. steve.lopez@latimes.com Get more of Steve Lopezs work and follow him on Twitter @LATstevelopez Lawyers for a Navy SEAL accused of killing an Islamic State prisoner in Iraq in 2017 want the case thrown out because of alleged prosecutorial misconduct that includes withholding evidence and conducting surveillance on the defense. Attorneys for Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher plan to ask a military court Wednesday in San Diego to dismiss the case or remove the prosecutor and, possibly, have the judge himself step aside. Gallaghers case has been irreparably corrupted by a government campaign of outrageous and illegal conduct, attorney Tim Parlatore said in the opening salvo of his motion to dismiss the charges. This prosecution threatens to make an unequivocal farce of our justice system. The hearing originally scheduled for Wednesday but postponed for a day comes with Gallaghers trial less than two weeks away and amid mounting pressure from defense lawyers who discovered prosecutors planted tracking software in emails sent to them and a journalist who may have violated attorney-client privilege and other constitutional rights. Advertisement The Navy has said it did nothing wrong and has no plans to remove the prosecutor. A spokesman wouldnt comment on the motions. Among the evidence apparently kept from the defense were results of a polygraph exam Gallagher was given weeks before his arrest on charges that he fatally stabbed an injured young teenage militant and picked off civilians from a snipers perch. Gallagher knew at the time he was under investigation and denied committing any war crimes during the test, Parlatore said in court papers. Gallagher was told he passed the exam. Parlatore said he only knows about the exam because his client told him about it and investigation documents showed efforts to schedule the test. Polygraphs, commonly referred to as lie detector tests, are not admissible in civilian or military courts because they are not an indication of truth, said Gary Solis, a former military judge and Marine Corps prosecutor who teaches law at Georgetown. Passing such a test means the person answered most of the key questions without any indication of lying. Its debatable whether the results would be considered evidence of innocence, and therefore the prosecution would not necessarily have to turn them over to the defense, Solis said. The judge could admonish the defense for revealing polygraph results because they could taint the jury in the case, Solis said. The effort to get the case thrown out comes as President Trump has considered pardoning several service members accused of war crimes, including Gallagher, who has pleaded not guilty. Gallaghers family has lobbied vigorously for his freedom and dozens of Republican lawmakers have rallied to his cause. Prosecutors have said Gallagher stabbed the injured militant and then posed for a photo with his corpse for his reenlistment ceremony. He sent a text to fellow SEALs later, saying, I got this one with my hunting knife. Parlatore dismissed that as a joke that reflects the dark humor of a warrior. No blood was found on the knife by forensics experts, he added. Parlatore said hes aware of evidence that showed at least one member of Gallaghers squad practiced medical procedures on the militant when he was dead or nearly dead, which might indicate he died from a different cause. He said witnesses would be willing to testify to that, but prosecutors have said theyre unaware of anything performed on him that was not medically necessary or any alternative cause of death. Parlatore also claimed that prosecutors cant prove that Gallagher shot a young girl and old man because charges of attempted murder are based only on rumors and inadmissible hearsay. Gallagher faces trial June 10. Artist Beau Stanton has agreed to make changes to a mural in Koreatown thats attracted criticism from some activists but that also inspired many others opposed to political censorship to come to his defense. The mural at the Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools is dominated by an image of actress Ava Gardner. It ran afoul of the Wilshire Community Coalition, a group led by Korean Americans, which objected to sun rays in the background. Its members associate sun rays, a common artistic motif, with the Japanese imperial battle flag, a hated symbol of that nations oppression of Korea during World War II. In December, Los Angeles Unified School District officials quickly gave in to demands from the group by agreeing to paint over the mural. The group pronounced the background to be as offensive as a swastika and threatened legal action. But the backlash to this decision was almost immediate. Artists including Shepard Fairey came to Stantons defense. Fairey said he would insist on the removal of his own mural from the school if Stantons were destroyed. Faireys mural of Robert F. Kennedy is a defining symbol of the campus. Kennedy was assassinated in 1968 at the hotel that once stood on the site of the school. Advertisement Other muralists also spoke out. Also coming to Stantons defense were prominent members of the Kennedy family and members of the Korean and Korean American community who did not find the mural objectionable. At the same time, a group of Korean art professionals stated that the mural should be removed or altered. The school district backed away from immediate action but remained in communication with various parties in the dispute. Stanton said Wednesday he could have held firm on principle but decided instead on an alternative path that would allow him to maintain his artistic integrity and build on his many contacts with community members over the last several months. These interactions have allowed me to synthesize a solution that aims to rise above the original binary conversation of keep or remove the mural in order to build upon the original work and create something that speaks to the past, present and future of the RFK campus, Stanton said in a statement provided to The Times. Stantons plan is to accept broad input and then work closely with a team of students at the school to develop concepts and images that become part of the original work. My proposal involves creating a transformative work utilizing the original mural as a base for layering and weaving additional imagery into the original image, much like an urban wall with many historic layers. Stanton said the district had set aside about $20,000 to do the work, which will include the cost of renting lift equipment to bring painters to the higher portions of the mural. All along, Stanton has denied any connection between his artwork and the Japanese battle flag. The rays on the flag differ in number, thickness and color from the rays on the mural. Sun rays appear frequently in Stantons work. He had not intended the work to be political in nature at all; his goal, he said, had been to pay homage to the history of the site at the location of the Ambassador Hotels Cocoanut Grove nightclub, with which Gardner was associated. Stantons willingness to compromise has gotten the school system out of a tight spot. District officials are clearly relieved to have resolution. We appreciate everyones time and effort on this important issue, Los Angeles Unified Local District Central Supt. Roberto A. Martinez said. This exercise allowed all participants to express their opinions on polarized ideas and listen to all perspectives. It was a great learning experience for us all. Ashton Kutcher figured hed screwed up nearly two decades ago when he went to pick up a date and she didnt answer the door. He was late, and Ashley Ellerin, a 22-year-old fashion student, hadnt been answering his calls. I knocked on the door. There was no answer. Knocked again. And once again, no answer, the actor testified in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom Wednesday about the February 2001 incident. At this point I pretty well assumed she had left for the night, and that I was late, and she was upset. But before he left, he peeked through a window. All the lights were on and he saw what appeared to be red wine stains on the carpet. Kutcher said he had been at a housewarming party at Ellerins Hollywood home about a week before where people had been drinking. He wasnt alarmed. Advertisement I didnt really think anything of it, he said. The next day, he found out Ellerin was dead. Kutchers testimony came in the capital murder trial of Michael Gargiulo, whom prosecutors have called a serial sexual-thrill killer. Gargiulo faces two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder in attacks in the Los Angeles area between 2001 and 2008. He has pleaded not guilty. Michael Gargiulo listens to his defense attorney make an opening statement in his capital murder trial in downtown Los Angeles. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) Kutchers celebrity and connection to one of the dead women have heightened interest in what is already a sensational case. Kutcher, dressed in a blue suit, testified for less than an hour. He was called to the witness stand by the prosecution. During cross-examination, Kutcher said he was freaking out when he spoke with police at the time, noting that his fingerprints were on the door. Dont worry, youre not a suspect, Gargiulos attorney, Daniel Nardoni, told him. Thank you, Kutcher replied. Gargiulo watched Kutcher intently, sometimes sitting forward with his eyebrows raised, as several jurors took notes. Kutcher testified that he first met Ellerin at a friends birthday party months earlier. He had a girlfriend at the time and introduced her to his friend, whom she began dating. By February, Kutcher and Ellerin were both single. The night she was killed, theyd made plans to grab dinner and drinks. When they last spoke about 8:30 p.m., Kutcher said that he was running late and that they should just get drinks instead. No problem, she told him. Shed just showered and planned to blow-dry her hair, he testified. When he was finally on his way, he tried calling. No answer. He rang her about three more times and left messages. When he got to her house around 10:30 p.m., he thought she couldnt hear him knocking and tried the front door. It was locked. After peering through the window, he left. After Kutcher finished testifying, a sheriffs deputy escorted him out of the packed courtroom. Victims photos are shown as Michael Gargiulo appears in court for opening statements in his murder trial. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) Prosecutors said Gargiulos series of attacks began in the Chicago area in 1993. One night in August of that year, Tricia Pacaccio, 18, was celebrating her high school graduation with friends before they headed off to college. She dropped a friend off about 1 a.m. before heading home. She walked up to her door carrying her house key but never made it inside. Her father found her on the doorstep later that morning with numerous stab wounds to her chest, shoulder and neck. Gargiulo, 17 at the time, was a friend of Pacaccios younger brother. It wasnt until a decade later that investigators discovered that the DNA collected from her fingernails was his. By then, prosecutors say, Gargiulo had moved to the Los Angeles area and killed Ellerin. Gargiulo first met Ellerin when he offered to help her change a flat tire. Later, he offered to help fix her heater, and from then on hed show up to her apartment uninvited and unannounced. Some reported seeing him park in front of her home at all hours, staring at her residence for long periods of time. Her roommate thought he was a stalker. Prosecutors allege he entered Ellerins home and stabbed her 47 times, slashing her throat so severely that he almost decapitated her. Ashton Kutcher, left, answers questions from prosecuting attorney Daniel Akemon as he testifies in the murder trial of Michael Gargiulo. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) Gargiulo later moved to the El Monte area, into the same apartment complex as Maria Bruno, 32. In 2005, prosecutors allege, Gargiulo attacked her as she slept and quite literally butchered her, slashing her throat and slicing off her breasts. His last alleged attack, in April 2008, was unlike the others. Michelle Murphy survived. She testified this month, describing for jurors the harrowing ambush more than a decade ago. It was a Monday in April 2008. After work, Murphy washed her bedsheets, jumped rope in the alley behind her Santa Monica apartment complex and watched TV before crawling into bed. She had been asleep for about an hour, she testified, when she woke up to a man straddling her, stabbing her arm and chest with a serrated knife. She screamed and asked why he was attacking her. The man didnt say a word, she said. In a struggle to save herself, Murphy said, she wrapped her hands around the knifes blade and kicked the man off the bed. As he ran out the door, Murphy recalled, he spoke for the first time. Im sorry, the attacker said. Gargiulo and Murphy lived across from each other, sharing an alley in Santa Monica. Gargiulo left a trail of his blood out her door and past his apartment, prosecutors said. He was arrested less than two months later. Detectives later linked him to the killings of Ellerin and Bruno. Gargiulo was also charged with Pacaccios slaying in Illinois, where he will be extradited after the Los Angeles trial. alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com Twitter: @AleneTchek A man charged with fatally beating a Long Beach woman to death with an electric Bird scooter on May 13th pleaded not guilty Wednesday and is scheduled to return to court next month, according to the Los Angeles County district attorneys office. Amad Rashad Redding, 27, has been charged with a count of murder and accused of accosting and beating Rosa Hernandez, a 40-year resident of Long Beach. Hernandez suffered major injuries to her upper torso and died at the scene, police said. Redding was subsequently arrested at a convenience store on Downey Avenue and Artesia Boulevard. A man with the same name and birthday as Redding was charged with arson in Opelousas, La., in February in connection with a fire at his family residence, according to a release from the Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal. The release states that after treatment for burns, Redding was transferred to an unidentified mental health facility in New Orleans and was taken into custody after his release from that facility. Advertisement The state fire marshals office declined to elaborate on what led to the mental evaluation. Redding was released from jail Feb. 7 after posting $5,000 bond, according to the St. Landry Parish Sheriffs Office. A GoFundMe campaign for Hernandezs family has raised more than $11,000 to date. Days before Joseph McStay and his family mysteriously vanished in February 2010, he accused his business partner of owing him thousands of dollars. On Tuesday, a prosecutor in the McStay family murder trial recounted for jurors the events that followed. The partner, Charles Chase Merritt, allegedly forged checks to himself from McStays QuickBooks account, then tried to erase the paper trail. When speaking with detectives, Merritt referred to McStay in the past tense. For several days after the familys disappearance, Merritts phone went dark for hours at a time. Where was the defendant? San Bernardino County Deputy Dist. Atty. Britt Imes asked jurors, referring to one particular six-hour stretch of no phone activity. What could the defendant do in six hours? Clean up a crime scene? Hide evidence? Move evidence? Advertisement Imes offered the narrative in closing arguments that marked the culmination of Merritts five-month trial in San Bernardino on charges that he bludgeoned Joseph and Summer McStay and their two boys, Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3, and buried them in shallow graves in the Mojave Desert. He told jurors that Merritt was motivated by greed and self-interest Merritt owed McStay $42,845, he said. Prosecutors have acknowledged that the case is built almost entirely on circumstantial evidence, but called it overwhelmingly convincing. No matter which way you look at it, no matter which way you turn the wheel, it always come back to Merritt, Imes said. Merritt leaned back in his chair during the summation, occasionally taking notes. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and maintains his innocence. At the time, the McStay familys disappearance transfixed the nation and puzzled police. Their Fallbrook home showed signs of a swift departure: uneaten bowls of popcorn on the futon, vegetables left out to rot. Within days, the familys Isuzu Trooper was towed from the parking lot of a strip mall near the Mexican border. A check of the familys computer revealed searches suggesting an international trip, including What documents do children need for traveling to Mexico? Detectives initially thought the family might have crossed the border. But in the fall of 2013, an off-road motorcyclist discovered parts of a skull in the desert off Interstate 15 in Victorville, about an hour north of the familys home. The remains of McStay, 40, were found buried with Joey Jr. A second grave contained the remains of Summer McStay, 43, and Gianni along with a rusty sledgehammer. Joseph and Summer McStay with their children, Joseph Jr.. 3, front, and Gianni, 4. (McStay family) Joseph McStays skull was shattered, while his wife sustained a blow to the jaw. Both boys had skull fractures. Prosecutors believe the children were collateral damage, killed presumably because they could have identified Merritt as the killer in what Imes called senseless slayings. It was blow, after blow, after blow to a childs skull, Imes said, slamming his hand on a podium for emphasis. Merritt worked as a subcontractor for McStays company, Earth Inspired Products, which sold water fountains. Prosecutors said Merritt was being cut out for doing sloppy work. Imes played video and audio clips for jurors of Merritts interviews with CNN and with investigators. In one, a reporter asks Merritt if he was the last person to see Joseph McStay. Im definitely the last person he saw, he replies. In another, an investigator questions Merritt on why he refers to McStay in the past tense. Oh, he said. I did I dont know why. At one point, Merritt searched the internet for how to change his identity, Imes said. Merritt, was arrested and charged with four counts of murder in 2014. Still, many questions remain. Its unknown where and when the family was killed. You can have a murder case without answering those questions, Imes argued. He later added, Something happened in that house What exactly happened in that house? Only one person knows. The killer. The defense team, which began its closing argument Tuesday afternoon, argued that prosecutors failed to offer evidence that Merritt was linked to the murders and put forward a contrived story about motive. Justice will not be given when you convict an innocent man, James McGee, an attorney representing Merritt, told jurors. They tried his character, and not the facts of this case. They want you to focus on hatred and emotion hate Mr. Merritt and have sympathy for the family. Closing arguments are expected to continue on Wednesday. alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com Twitter: @AleneTchek A $75,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the death of Victor McElhaney, a 21-year-old USC student who was fatally shot in March. The Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to offer a $50,000 reward and the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors approved a motion the same day to offer a $25,000 reward. McElhaney, who was studying jazz percussion at the Thornton School of Music, was with a group of friends about a mile and a half from USC on March 10 when he was killed during a robbery outside a liquor store at Maple Avenue and Adams Boulevard. The three assailants fled in a dark-colored sedan, police said. No arrests have been made in connection with the slaying. Advertisement RELATED: Slain USC student was a gun control advocate who believed music could heal the world Its disheartening to know the killers are still on the loose while a family and entire community continues to grieve in search for answers, City Councilman Curren Price said Tuesday when introducing the motion calling for the reward. I hope [the reward] sends a clear message: We are committed to finding these killers and bringing them to justice. Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who presented the motion to the county board, wrote on Twitter, Victor did good during his 21 years on Earth. We honor his brief journey and his contributions through music. We must bring those who are responsible for this ultimate violent crime to justice. McElhaney was the son of Oakland City Councilwoman Lynette Gibson McElhaney, who has consistently appealed to the community for information about her sons death. Weve got some men out there who dont know the value of their own lives, the councilwoman said earlier this month. They dont need to be at large where they can do harm to another mothers son. RELATED: Slain USC student was a gun control advocate who believed music could heal the world Victor McElhaney had transferred to USC from Cal State East Bay in the fall of 2017. A talented drummer, he had taught at the Oakland Public Conservatory of Music before coming to Los Angeles. The City Council vote on the reward money was 12 to 0. Councilmen Mike Bonin, Paul Koretz and Greig Smith were absent. Anyone with information about McElhaneys slaying is urged to call LAPDs Southwest Division at (213) 485-2582. Tips also can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477. City News Service contributed to this report. Oakland is one step closer to becoming the second city in the United States to decriminalize entheogenic plants, including hallucinogenic magic mushrooms. The resolution, presented by City Council member Noel Gallo, would allow for plant-based hallucinogenic practices in Oakland. It would set a citywide policy ending the investigation and imposition of criminal penalties for use and possession of hallucinogens derived from plants or fungi, such as mushrooms, cactuses and the iboga plant. Practices with Entheogenic Plants have long existed and have been considered to be sacred to human cultures and human interrelationships with nature for thousands of years, and continue to be enhanced and improved to this day by religious and spiritual leaders, practicing professionals, mentors, and healers throughout the world, many of whom have been forced underground, the resolution states. Council member Loren Taylor expressed concern about the possibility of psychedelics becoming the fad in schools. Advertisement But on Tuesday, the City Councils Public Safety Committee advanced the resolution to the City Council, which will consider the proposal next Tuesday. The resolution cites economic, environmental and social equity benefits to the city as well as possible health benefits in treating addiction, PTSD and depression. Earlier in May, Denver decriminalized the use of hallucinogenic magic mushrooms, becoming the first city in the U.S. to do so. Similar initiatives in Oregon, Iowa and elsewhere in the country are currently underway. Last year, California voters failed to get a similar measure on its ballot. Decriminalize Nature Oakland, the group behind the resolution, started discussions within the community in early 2019. In March, DNO had its first public educational event with support from seven community organizations. Gallo says there are no plans for the hallucinogens to be sold. Instead, they might be shared in collectives. Since DNO believes entheogens should not be commodified, there will be no sales of entheogenic plants and fungi, and we will work closely with local communities to share resources, Gallo wrote in his agenda report to the City Councils Public Safety Committee. Concepts such as collectives could provide a space to have an experience, or road people who could visit those in hospice care or unable to leave their home. The resolution only applies to plant-based hallucinogens. Synthetic drugs like LSD and MDMA would not be included. colleen.shalby@latimes.com @cshalby Murray Gell-Mann, the Nobel Prize-winning physicist who brought order to the universe by helping discover and classify subatomic particles, has died at his home in New Mexico. He was 89. Gell-Mann died Friday at his home in Santa Fe. His death was confirmed by the Santa Fe Institute, where he held the title of distinguished fellow, and Caltech, where he taught for decades. The cause was not disclosed. For the record: In a previous version of this article, Murry Gell-Manns last name was misspelled in some instances as Gell-Man. Gell-Mann transformed physics by devising a method for sorting subatomic particles into simple groups of eight based on electric charge, spin and other characteristics. He called his method the eightfold way after the Buddhist Eightfold Path to enlightenment. Later Gell-Mann developed the theory that identified quarks, indivisible components of Earths matter that make up protons, neutrons and other particles. Experiments confirmed the existence of quarks, and these objects now form the basis for our physical understanding of the universe, Caltech said in a statement. Advertisement It would be hard to overestimate the degree to which Murray dominated theoretical particle physics during his heyday in the 1950s and 1960s. He contributed so many deep ideas that drove the field forward, many of which are just as relevant today, said John Preskill, the Richard P. Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics at Caltech. Caltech mourns the passing of Murray Gell-Mann. He died May 24 at the age of 89. A Nobel Laureate in Physics, Gell-Mann is perhaps best known for developing the theory of "quarks." https://t.co/sCDR5774TX pic.twitter.com/oX77MYJfMd Caltech (@Caltech) May 24, 2019 In 1969, Gell-Mann was honored with the Nobel Prize in Physics for his contributions and discoveries concerning the classification of elementary particles and their interactions. Born and raised in New York City, Gell-Mann received a bachelors degree in physics from Yale University in 1948 and a doctorate from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1951. In later years, Gell-Mann became interested in the issues of complexity at the heart of biology, ecology, sociology, and computer science. He co-founded the Santa Fe Institute to study complex systems and authored the 1994 book The Quark and the Jaguar to present his ideas to a general audience. He is survived by his children, Nicholas Gell-Mann and Elizabeth Gell-Mann, and stepson Nicholas Southwick Levis, according to the Caltech statement. Tony Horwitz, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and the best-selling author of Confederates in the Attic, has died. He was 60. Horwitz died Monday of apparent cardiac arrest in Washington, D.C., Sarah Hutson, a spokeswoman for his publisher, Penguin Press, said in an email. He had been on a publicity tour for his latest book, Spying on the South: An Odyssey Across the American Divide. Horwitz lived in West Tisbury, Mass., on Marthas Vineyard. He covered conflicts in the Middle East, Africa and the Balkans for the Wall Street Journal for decades. Advertisement He won the 1995 Pulitzer Prize for a Journal series on widening income inequality and low-wage jobs. He was also a staff writer for the New Yorker before becoming a full-time author. In addition to Confederates in the Attic, which chronicles modern-day Southern attitudes about the Civil War, he wrote seven other books, including Blue Latitudes, in which he traced Capt. James Cooks 18th-century journeys in the Pacific, and Midnight Rising, about John Browns 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry. He was also a fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University and a former president of the Society of American Historians. Horwitz was a native of Washington who attended Brown University and Columbia Universitys Graduate School of Journalism. He was married to Pulitzer Prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks. They have two sons. The family has lived on Marthas Vineyard since 2006, where he was an advocate for conservation and historic preservation and was a regular at summer softball games. Funeral arrangements are pending. Raphael Mechoulam seems an unlikely figure to be called a pot pioneer. But the 88-year-old Bulgarian-born Holocaust survivor and professor emeritus at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem was among the first scientists to isolate psychoactive ingredients in marijuana and realize their therapeutic potential. I was surprised that the knowledge on marijuana was so far below other drugs like opioids and cocaine, Mechoulam said in an interview at his cluttered office at Hadassah Medical Center just outside the city. Most people think cannabis is a plant you smoke, he said. My point is it is much more than that. His discovery was more than half a century ago, and today Israel has emerged as one of the worlds leading research centers for medical uses of cannabis, according to industry experts. Advertisement Unlike California, where the boom in medical marijuana has been a pathway to legalization for recreational use, Israel allows production for pharmacological purposes only. It is illegal to smoke pot in Israel. Now the country sees legal production of medicine based on cannabis as its next big industry, hoping to tap into a global market that research organizations estimate at $17 billion a year and growing. There are several factors that make Israel especially well-positioned to capitalize on the drugs medical promise. Blessed with mild weather, lots of sunshine and sophisticated research-and-development sectors, Israel also has a tradition of educated farmers through the kibbutz system who can easily implement the precision agriculture necessary for high production standards. Israelis have dedicated thousands of acres and millions of dollars to cultivating the plant under controlled conditions. Potential investors from as far away as China are visiting Israel to explore opportunities, which so far include nearly 100 start-ups producing cannabis-based medicines and other products. Pot bust: California dramatically cuts marijuana tax revenue projections Researchers say the Israeli government has given enthusiastic support to the industry for decades. Medical marijuana was legalized for use with a prescription in 1973, and this year, the government voted to permit exportation of the drug, opening up a global market for Israeli producers. Modern understanding of pots medicinal properties began in large part with Mechoulam, who in 1964 was a young professor curious about the unknown chemical composition of cannabis. A friendly police officer helped him smuggle 11 pounds of hashish from an evidence room. Mechoulam recalled taking a bus home with the drugs tucked into his bag, as passengers looked around for the source of the strange smell. In the United States, I would have gone to jail, he said. You cant have a policeman at the door of every university laboratory. Here we had quite a liberal attitude. Experimenting on his newly acquired stash, Mechoulam was able to isolate and identify tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the main mind-altering component of cannabis, and cannabidiol, or CBD, which has therapeutic properties but does not get the user high. He was building on work by Roger Adams, an early 20th century American chemist who first identified certain chemical components of cannabis in the 1940s but whose efforts were slammed shut by J. Edgar Hoovers FBI. After Mechoulam revived and expanded on Adams data, it still took years for follow-up research to be developed, in part, Mechoulam said, because of the stigma once attached to an element classified by the U.S. as a Schedule One controlled substance, on par with narcotics such as cocaine and heroin. The ailments that Mechoulam and his associates say are being treated effectively with cannabis-based medicines include epilepsy, osteoporosis, obesity and all sorts of pain, though they also acknowledge a need for more clinical studies that meet the most rigorous standards of scientific research. An estimated 46,000 Israeli patients are signed up to receive medical cannabis, and thousands more are on a waiting list. Workers separate the flowers, stems and leaves of cannabis plants in an Israeli greenhouse. (Tracy Wilkinson / Los Angeles Times) Medical cannabis is one of the fastest growing sectors on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange; 26 listed companies have a combined value equivalent to $952 million, although many have yet to show profits. The liveliest champion of what he calls Israels cannabis revolution is Yuval Landschaft, a pharmacist who heads of the Medical Cannabis Unit of the Israeli Health Ministry. We dont use the word marijuana, he said as he ushered two Times reporters through thick rows of lush pointy-leaved plants in climate- and light-controlled greenhouses in central Israel. That, he said, is a way to avoid lingering stigma and distinguish the medical side of the plant from its recreational use. On a recent morning in Israel, Landschaft buzzed from a slide show presentation to investors and pharmaceutical companies to pot farms where he greeted entrepreneurs from Hong Kong, to labs where Israeli Arab workers were separating flowers from stems, to a brainstorming session with his staff finishing details of the new exportation program. We are going to write the Torah of cannabis, Landschaft said. This is really the future. Inside the cannabis greenhouses, conditions are strictly monitored. The farmers who tend the plants and the workers who handle and process the flowers, leaves and stems wear white lab coats, hair covers and blue latex gloves, and must clean their shoes before entering. So do visitors. The plants do not touch the ground. Opinion: Californias cannabis marketplace is a mess. Heres how to fix it Israel, along with Canada, is at the forefront of cannabis research and development, outpacing the United States, according to Daniele Piomelli, director of the Center for the Study of Cannabis at UC Irvine. Numerous U.S. states have legalized pot at least for medicinal purposes and increasingly for recreational use as well. But the federal government continues to regard marijuana as an outlawed substance and limits spending money for research. Its such a shame; [the United States] and especially California could be the leaders, said Piomelli, who has spent time observing Israeli cannabis operations and praises them. In the United States in recent years, the study of cannabis was put on the back burner behind coca and poppy plants, the sources of cocaine and opiates. Cannabis was dismissed as either too dangerous without the medical benefits of cocaine or opium, Piomelli said, or as simply laughable the Cheech and Chong version. Only last year, after months of clinical trials, did the FDA approve the first medicine derived from cannabis for use in the United States: Named Epidiolex, it is a cannabidiol medication extracted from marijuana for treatment of severe seizure disorders in children. The regulations for clinical trials in Israel are more relaxed, which also speeds up the development of cannabis-based drugs. Would this California town have become so pro-cannabis if not for a councilwomans pot industry ties? Mechoulam, the pioneer, looks back with understated pride at how far the industry has advanced in Israel in recent years. With no plans to retire and his legacy secured, he still shows up most mornings at his cramped office, dons his lab coat and continues his work looking for new applications of cannabis. There are a lot of question marks, he said. But we take this plant, we have to know [it], and we have to see what it can do. Times staff writer Wilkinson was recently on assignment in Jerusalem. Tarnopolsky is a special correspondent. Over the last month, about 500 tornadoes have struck the central United States, part of a pattern of unusual weather that has pummeled communities day after day with flooding, hail and thunderstorms along with the twisters. The latest round of damaging weather came Tuesday, a day after violent storms killed one person and injured at least 130 others in Indiana and Ohio. When a tornado touched down on the western edge of Kansas City, Kan., according to the National Weather Service, it marked the 12th consecutive day of tornadoes reported to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Storm Prediction Center, which collects eyewitness reports to estimate a preliminary number. That broke a record set in June 1980, when there were 11 consecutive days of tornadoes. During the latest streak, there were at least eight tornadoes every day. And there appears to be no simple answer for why it is happening. Advertisement Scientists have linked other extreme weather, such as drought and hurricanes, to climate change, but the same cannot be said for tornadoes. Experts say a lack of data on tornadoes makes it hard to conclude whether climate change is a contributing factor. A family ducks under power lines as it makes its way out of a tornado-damaged neighborhood near Lawrence, Kan. (Chris Neal / Topeka Capital-Journal) Its possible that more tornadoes are being reported because its easier to do, via social media and cellphone, than it once was. What is significant, said Bill Bunting, chief of forecast operations at the storm center, is the weather pattern that has gripped the region, pounding the same areas with severe storms. Normally the atmosphere doesnt get stuck in these patterns, he said. This kind of persistent pattern, with so many events in a short amount of time, is unusual. In the central United States, May is the height of tornado season, which starts in April and extends into early June. There is high pressure over the Southeast, low pressure in the West, and a river of strong winds extending from the southern plains into New England. The strong winds, combined with warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico, create a perfect recipe for severe storms and tornadoes, Bunting said. A man and woman inspect the damage to their home and classic cars after a tornado hit near Lawrence, Kan. (Chris Neal / Topeka Capital-Journal) The central U.S. has had below-average tornado seasons since 2011, Bunting said, and so far this year it is about 200 tornadoes above average. The wave of severe weather is already shifting to the east. On Thursday, the main areas that will be at risk will be from Kentucky eastward, including Pennsylvania and Maryland, Bunting said. Friday is expected to be the first quieter day, and the severe storms are expected to lessen over the weekend. Reliable historical data on tornadoes only dates to the 1950s, Bunting said, and it is not enough to say whether climate change directly contributes to frequency trends. Family members gather their belongings after a tornado hit their home in a neighborhood south of Lawrence, Kan. (Chris Neal / Topeka Capital-Journal) Tornadoes are rare events themselves, so ascribing any trends to changes in the large-scale atmosphere is challenging, he said. Victor A. Gensini, an assistant professor of meteorology at Northern Illinois University, co-wrote a study published in October that examined whether climate change plays a role in the frequency of tornadoes, but the lack of data makes it unclear, he said. Its possible, he said, that the number of tornadoes annually could decrease, but a high level of devastation could remain because of urbanization. It might just be because our footprint on the surface of the Earth, the human-built environment, is just continuing to grow and grow and grow, he said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. For years developers have tried to figure out how to repurpose Kaiser Steels former open-pit iron mine at Eagle Mountain in Riverside County. One idea: Use it as a massive landfill, a proposal that fortunately never came to fruition. The current owners of the site now want to convert it into an immense, $2.5-billion hydroelectric battery, using daytime power to pump water from a lower-elevation pit to a pit 1,400 feet farther up the mountain, then running the water downhill at night through turbines to create energy. As California sprints to convert to all-renewable energy sources, it is confronting a persistent problem: what to do when the sun goes down and solar farms stop generating electricity, or when the doldrums hit and wind turbines stop churning. These sources produce more electricity than can be consumed immediately, but the grid doesnt have the storage capacity to save the power for when night falls or the wind stops. And as a result, solar farms have been going offline or producers have been giving away their excess watts. California already has several pumped-water storage systems, and that approach, while expensive to build, has been relatively reliable. It makes a certain amount of sense in places where water flows naturally, so long as the projects dont harm the local environment. Still, technology may be making such systems obsolete, as developments in batteries and other storage technologies are preparing a path to cheaper and more efficient systems. Environmentalists such as the Sierra Club argue convincingly that the diversion would pose a mortal threat to desert life in the park. Advertisement Nevertheless, the state Legislature is considering a measure (Senate Bill 772) by Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) that would require the California Independent System Operator, which oversees most of the states power grid, to begin buying at least 2,000 megawatts of power from one or more long duration energy storage projects in the next three years. The costs would be passed along to ratepayers covered by the grid. No projects are specified, but about the only one that would meet the criteria is the proposed Eagle Mountain Pumped Storage Project. This bill would essentially lock in a power source for the grid that market forces might disfavor, leaving consumers to foot the bill. At the same time, it would guarantee revenues for a project that may not make sense financially. According to the Senates own analysis, considering the cost to ratepayers is likely in the billions of dollars for projects and corresponding transmission lines mandated by this bill, it would seem wise to proceed with caution. We suggest an even stronger line: Dont pass this bill. And not just because the necessity of this particular project is in doubt, but because the potential environmental impact is far too severe to let it go through. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute The plan calls for pumping 8 billion gallons of water in the first few years, and more than 30 billion gallons over 50 years, from the aquifer adjacent to, and connected with, the one beneath neighboring Joshua Tree National Park. Environmental groups such as the Sierra Club argue convincingly that the diversion would pose a mortal threat to desert life in the park at a time when global warming is already stressing out the habitat. The proposed site, which Congress carved out of the then-Joshua Tree National Monument in 1950 to allow iron ore mining, has become a home for bighorn sheep, golden eagles and desert tortoises, among other species. Environmentalists argue that filling the basins with water creating manmade lakes would significantly alter the desert habitat. A better use for the land, which ceased to be mined more than 30 years ago, would be to return it to the fold and make it part of Joshua Tree National Park. There is no issue of higher importance facing the nation today than climate change, which results from the global warming caused by our reliance on fossil fuels for energy. It is existentially important for the nation the world to get away from fossil fuels as quickly as we can to have any hope of mitigating the worst effects of an environmental catastrophe of our own making. But boosting lawmakers pet projects, especially those that may not aid us in our increasingly desperate fight against global warming, is a poor way to go about it. SB 772 faces a vote this week in the Senate before it can go on to the Assembly. If the Legislature has the bad judgment to pass it, then Gov. Gavin Newsom should veto it. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook UPDATES: 2:23 a.m.: This editorial was updated to clarify the location of the aquifer to be tapped. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia had barely breathed his last in February 2016 when Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) announced that the Republican-controlled Senate wouldnt act on any replacement proposed by President Obama. The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court justice, McConnell said. Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president. As the Los Angeles Times noted in an editorial at the time, McConnells justification for keeping the Scalia seat open was self-serving sophistry. We added: The American people do have a voice in any nomination Obama makes. They spoke when they elected him to a second term that has 11 months remaining. His authority to nominate Supreme Court justices is no more diminished by his supposed lame-duck status than any of his other constitutional powers. Advertisement Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute Alas, McConnells stonewall held. Because the Senate refused to act on Obamas nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to succeed Scalia, the seat was held open until a new president, Donald Trump nominated Judge Neil M. Gorsuch, who was confirmed largely on party lines. It was obvious from the start that McConnells invocation of the principle that Supreme Court seats shouldnt be filled in an election year was bogus. Now it develops that it was a principle hes willing to abandon to serve his partys interests. On Tuesday, McConnell was asked at a Chamber of Commerce luncheon in Paducah, Ky., about the possibility that a Supreme Court justice might die next year. The questioner asked: What will your position be on filling that spot? Ted Barrett of CNN reported on what happened next: The leader took a long sip of what appeared to be iced tea before announcing with a smile, Oh, wed fill it, triggering loud laughter from the audience. It was a Mr. Burns moment that has brought cries of Hypocrisy! from McConnells critics. His spokesman and defenders in the media argued that no hypocrisy was involved because the actual principle guiding McConnell is that Supreme Court nominees shouldnt be confirmed in an election year in which the Senate and the White House are controlled by different parties. McConnell did float this alternative justification in an interview in March 2016, telling reporters: Youd have to go back to 1888 you do remember Grover Cleveland, right? to find the last time a vacancy created in the Supreme Court in a presidential year was confirmed by a Senate of a different party. The fact that McConnell offered shifting rationalizations for his obstructionism doesnt alter the fact that stonewalling Garland was a nakedly partisan power play. Principles and precedents had nothing to do with it. Partisanship had poisoned the Supreme Court confirmation process long before Scalia died. But in blocking any consideration of Garland, McConnell escalated the conflict to the political equivalent of DEFCON 1. He escalated it even further when he engineered the end of the filibuster on Supreme Court nominations to secure Gorsuchs confirmation. (In that instance, he was following the example of former Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid, whose party ended the filibuster for lower-court appointments.) To accuse McConnell of hypocrisy, a venial sin committed by most politicians, obscures the fact that he is guilty of the mortal sin of violating a political and constitutional norm and exacerbating a partisan war over Supreme Court nominations that shows no sign of abating. Its McConnells fault that some Democratic presidential candidates are considering the terrible idea of increasing the number of seats on the Supreme Court to compensate for the seat stolen from Obama in 2016. McConnell should think about that as he sips his iced tea. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Robert S. Mueller III is right. A special prosecutor does not have the authority to indict a sitting president. The Constitution specifies that the punishment for impeachment shall not extend further than removal from office and disqualification from further service. It goes on to say that a president convicted of impeachment shall nevertheless be liable and subject to indictment, trial, judgment and punishment, according to law. The text does not authorize an indictment before Congress removes a president from the White House. For the record: An earlier version of this story erroneously said Andrew Jackson was reelected president in 1836. His reelection was in 1832. That approach is common sense. Defending against an indictment would be a time-consuming business, diverting attention away from the countless matters pressing on a presidents attention. It is tempting, given President Trumps erratic behavior, to ignore the texts express limitation and push for legal action against him. But the Constitution is designed for the long haul, and should not be bent out of shape by the pressures of the moment. If Trump were indicted, the action would serve as a precedent for decades to come. So, if indictment is premature, what should be the next step? Advertisement In the wake of Muellers statement, calls for impeachment are certain to increase. But its crucial to recognize that is not the only option. The House could also introduce a motion to censure the president for his abuses of power. In the wake of Muellers statement, calls for impeachment are certain to increase. But its crucial to recognize that is not the only option. Such formal condemnations by a single chamber of Congress have a long history, going back to the earliest years of the republic. The most compelling precedent was established in 1834 when the Senate censured President Andrew Jackson for actions remarkably similar to those we have witnessed recently. Like Trump, Jackson was determined to undo the legislative legacy of his predecessors. In Jacksons view, the policies pursued by the Second Bank of the United States favored the rich and were destroying the hopes of farmers and workers for success in a free-market economy. When Jackson entered the White House in 1829, he immediately set out to kill the monster bank. But he confronted a big legal problem: The banks charter guaranteed it policymaking independence until 1837. If he followed the law, Jackson would never have a chance to rein in the bank, even if he won reelection for a second term. The obvious answer was to convince Congress to abolish it immediately. But like Trump, Jackson resolved his dilemma by defying the law. He ordered William Duane, his secretary of the Treasury, to cripple the Second Bank of the United States by withdrawing all the governments deposits. When Duane refused, Jackson fired him and appointed Roger Taney, who followed his boss command and was rewarded by being named chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. The Senate responded to Taneys assault on the bank by endorsing a motion of censure: Resolved, [t]hat the President, in the late executive proceedings in relation to the public revenue, has assumed upon himself authority and power not conferred by the Constitution and laws, but in derogation of both. Precisely the same words fit Trumps recent decisions to fund a border wall and enforce his immigration policies with money explicitly appropriated by Congress for other purposes. The public record contains many other examples of lawless action from Trumps early exclusions of migrants from Muslim majority nations to his ongoing support of the Saudi war against Yemen without gaining approval from Congress, as required by the War Powers Resolution. There is no reason to delay. The presidents contempt for Congress and the courts is demonstrated by his own words and deeds. They merit immediate censure by the House. In contrast, impeachment would be a long, drawn-out affair with a highly uncertain outcome. It would take months for committee members to consider all the evidence, assuming that the Justice Department hands over the crucial documents. The House should press on with its investigations, of course, since it is always possible that the committee will uncover such compelling evidence that two-thirds of the Senate would agree that the president must go. Stranger things have happened. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute In the meantime, however, the House debate on a censure motion would dramatize the high stakes raised by Trumps unilateral power grabs. The culminating vote on a resolution would serve as a moment of truth, especially for genuine constitutional conservatives who have proudly committed themselves to the principles of limited government throughout their careers. Are they really prepared to say that Trumps behavior is acceptable? My crystal ball is no better than yours. But if a censure were to pass with significant bipartisan support, it would give hope to the many millions of Americans who have not yet given up on our system of checks and balances and would help make its defense a central issue of the coming presidential campaign. Censure or no, Trump is likely to be a formidable candidate in 2020. Andrew Jackson once again provides a sobering precedent. Despite the censure of his conduct, he won reelection in 1832, and even managed to convince the Senate to expunge its earlier motion from the record. Lets hope the historical parallels stop with a censure. Bruce Ackerman is a professor of law at Yale University and an author, most recently of Revolutionary Constitutions. Americas annual infrastructure week dedicated to motivating policymakers to address the decaying of our roads, bridges and rails ended last week with President Trump storming out of a meeting with congressional leaders. Before the negotiations had even begun, the president told the Democrats in the room hed discuss infrastructure only after Congress ended these phony investigations. This stands in sharp contrast to how President Clinton dealt with the same issues 20 years ago. In the summer of 1998, Clinton worked across the aisle with then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich to enact major infrastructure legislation. That occurred despite the House pressing an investigation led by special counsel Ken Starr that started with a real estate deal known as Whitewater and ended with the Republican House impeaching Clinton six months after the infrastructure bill was passed. Twenty years later, those infrastructure investments continue to benefit Americans, and the scandal is history. The Clinton-Gingrich deal is instructive. It shows how politicians who go for each others throats can still compromise and what it might take to make infrastructure week meaningful instead of serving as a punchline for Washingtons inability to make progress on the most bipartisan of problems. Trump has talked a good game about infrastructure since his campaign, but it has taken an exceedingly public backseat in his administration. Advertisement The deal included nearly $200 billion in funding for surface transportation. However, that funding wasnt enough to address all of the challenges, so it included innovative ways to leverage federal money with private-sector capital creating the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA), used to finance 74 projects including L.A. Metros Crenshaw line. It also included many congressional earmarks to address specific projects and politics that cannot be solved through funding formula changes. The process wasnt pretty but the results were, resulting in six years of stable, increased funding for our nations roads, bridges and transit systems. The outlines for a similar deal are in place today. The gas tax remains at 18.4 cents, the same as it was in 1998. But back then gas was pushing $1 a gallon. If the gas tax today were the same share of the cost of gas as it was in 1998, the tax would be around 52 cents. This would cover most of the new funding needed for a big surface transportation bill. This is an important point because false arguments against the viability of the gas tax are common. Yes, electric vehicles dont pay the tax. But there are not enough all-electric vehicles to make an impact. More Dodge Caravan minivans were sold last year (nearly 152,000) than all electric vehicles combined, excluding the Tesla 3 (whose sales versus delivered figures in 2018 are difficult to parse). Average fuel efficiency across all new cars sold is rising, but extremely slowly: just one-tenth of a mile a gallon, to 24.7 mpg in 2016. But the average age of a car on the road is 10 years old, while pickup trucks are 13. Major shifts in transportation may be coming over the next several decades, but Americans are driving more than ever. As a whole, they drove 23% more miles in 2018 than 1998. Contrary to popular opinion, millennials are not giving up cars or adopting alternative transportation lifestyles. Driving fell from 2008 through 2010 not because of a change of preferences, but because unemployment rose to 10 percent. As jobs came back, people returned to the roads. In a 2018 study on millennial habits, Federal Reserve economist Chris Kurtz found millennials are buying cars at the same rate as previous generations. A decades-old infrastructure deal cannot solve transportation problems forever. But it can work for the next six to 10 years the gas tax will remain a viable funding method for surface transportation for that window, if not longer. The federal government needs to incorporate more private capital to fund infrastructure projects. The TIFIA program created in 1998 can easily be expanded and increased to allow 10 times as many projects to be funded. After all, every municipal bond is funded with private capital. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion The answers are there if politicians are willing to work together. President Clinton had the courage to work directly with those who investigated and ultimately impeached him. Voters rewarded Clinton in the 1998 midterms partly because of that. If President Clinton could work with Speaker Gingrich while Gingrich was working to impeach him, why cant President Trump work with Speaker Nancy Pelosi now? Trump has talked a good game about infrastructure since his campaign, but it has taken an exceedingly public backseat in his administration. Of all things, infrastructure has become an internet meme, a way to poke fun at Trumps inability to stay on message. The Republican Congress showed zero interest in his original infrastructure proposal, refusing to even introduce his idea as legislation, let alone vote on it. Trumps signature legislative accomplishment slashing corporate tax rates will actually make infrastructure more expensive by raising costs for state and local governments to finance projects. The presidents chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, has repeatedly thrown shade on infrastructure talks, leading the president to publicly criticize his own chief. One wonders whether the crew is listening to the captain and whether the captain will ever be able to handle turbulence. Aaron Klein is a fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution. He served as deputy assistant secretary for economic policy at the U.S. Treasury Department from 2009-2012 where he handled transportation and infrastructure policy. The greatest security breach in the history of the United States occurred during the 1940s and 1950s when American citizens forwarded top-secret information to Soviet agents. Yet the students in my Stanford University classes hardly know about it. Theyre not historically ignorant. Theyve earned top scores on the Advanced Placement U.S. history exam and can go on at length about the House Un-American Activities Committee, loyalty oaths, Hollywood blacklists and Sen. Joseph McCarthy. But when it comes to Russian spying, their knowledge starts and ends with Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, who met their deaths in the electric chair at Sing Sing. The Rosenbergs were part of an extensive spy ring of American citizens who betrayed their country on behalf of a foreign power. Hundreds of American spies infiltrated the highest echelons of government, including Assistant Treasury Secretary Harry Dexter White. The information they passed along allowed the Russians to hopscotch over phases of development and produce an atomic bomb years before they would have otherwise. Why do my students know only half of this story? Advertisement It starts with the books they read. One of them always among the most popular among precocious young students is Howard Zinns A Peoples History of the United States, a book thats sold 2 million copies. Zinn describes the Red scare of the 1950s as a time of national paranoia cooked up by the government to gain mass support for a policy of rearmament. He cites a 1977 book that claims that not a single case of espionage was uncovered. When the evidence changes, so must the story. Many would agree even today. But the claim is outdated and wrong. Historians, examining newly released evidence over the last quarter-century, have changed their minds about the extent and damage of Russian spying. Two years before American scientists tested the atomic bomb in a New Mexico desert in 1945, Igor Kurchatov, father of the Russian atomic program, was already examining hand-drawn sketches smuggled out of Los Alamos and ferried 6,000 miles to his Moscow laboratory. These diagrams spelled out the principles of implosion, a theory so new to Soviet scientists that they used the phrase explosion toward the inside because no word existed for it in Russian. This evidence came to light when Russian President Boris Yeltsin unbolted his countrys archives in 1992. Among the files historians discovered were top-secret documents from the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence and the Department of State. However, it was a set of cables from an American counterintelligence operation, code-named Venona, that caught the eye of Harvey Klehr, an Emory University historian. Combing through these messages, Klehr essentially found a smoking gun: evidence of a U.S. program so secret that President Truman hadnt known about it. How did messages from a U.S. code-breaking operation end up in Moscow? Because the Soviets even had a spy William Weisband, a linguist with the Armys Signal Intelligence Service inside the former Virginia girls school where code-breakers deciphered the cables sent between Moscow and their agents in New York, Washington, Chicago and San Francisco. My students textbooks mute this story. American Pageant, one of the most widely used texts for Advanced Placement history, offers this lone sentence: Soviet agents did infiltrate certain government agencies, though without severely damaging consequences, and espionage may have helped the Soviets to develop an atomic bomb somewhat sooner than they would have otherwise. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion May have? Scientist Kurchatov saw things a bit differently. Writing to superiors in 1943, he described American secrets as having a huge, invaluable significance for our state and science. More lopsided is The Americans, another leading textbook. A lengthy section on McCarthys slimy Red-baiting tactics dominates a chapter on the Cold War. Tacked at the end is a sentence about newly released Soviet cables that implicated Alger Hiss, a State Department official, which seemed to prove his guilt as a spy. Students, however, never learn about a second cable (KGB File 36857) that named agent Alger and explained his role in procuring documents for the Soviets. Well, lets face it, historian Maurice Isserman wrote in 1999 in reference to Hiss guilt, the debate just ended. None of us can be completely objective. What matters is what we do when our preconceptions collide with new evidence. This happened to Walter and Miriam Schneir. In their 1965 book about the Rosenbergs, they sought to prove that allegations of spying were baseless. Confronted with new evidence 30 years later, the husband-and-wife team reassessed their lifework. Their efforts to establish the Rosenbergs innocence had been in vain a realization that was painful news for many people, as it is for us, they wrote. When the evidence changes, so must the story. Its a lesson I want my students to learn. Maybe textbook writers should learn it as well. Sam Wineburg teaches education and history at Stanford University. His latest book is Why Learn History (When Its Already on Your Phone). If Daniel Dale were a figure in Greek mythology instead of the Washington bureau chief for Canadas Toronto Star newspaper he might be Sisyphus, the man who kept rolling a rock uphill, only to have it roll back down again. Or perhaps Hercules, who was tasked with cleaning out a kings vast stables and we all know whats in stables. Dale arrived in D.C. in time to cover the last two years of the Obama administration and the ascending candidacy of Donald Trump. Since September 2016, he has kept a running tally of every untruth, false claim and outright lie by candidate and then President Trump. Its demanding, even exhausting work for him and for his readers, including a half-million-plus Twitter followers, its indispensable. Nearly a hundred years ago, Ernest Hemingway was also a reporter for the Toronto Star, and he would later write that the best ammunition against lies is the truth. Click here for the full archive of "Patt Morrison Asks" podcasts When you started this in September 2016, during the presidential race, you could have had no idea what this would end up involving, the tracking of every single lie that the man who would become President Trump would tell. No. I did not know. At first I did not think I was going to do every single claim or every single lie. I thought I would just do it occasionally, on days where it seemed like he was being especially dishonest. And then Michael Moore, of all people, the filmmaker, tweeted maybe five days into me doing it, saying something like, Every single day, this Canadian journalist shames the U.S. media by pointing out every lie Trump tells. And I got thousands of followers from that, and I seriously thought, Oh gosh, I have to do it every day now to satisfy these people. And then I thought I would probably be done with Trump, because I thought he was going to lose the election. Then, one of my first thoughts sitting there at Hillary Clintons so-called victory party in November 2016, election night, was, Oh my gosh, Im going to have to keep doing it for years now. How has the actual job of doing this changed? It is not the only thing I do. I am the Washington correspondent for the Toronto Star, and so my job is to cover the bilateral relationship, write about the trade and cover Washington more generally. I write about Trump, write about Congress. Its just gotten harder over time, in part because Trump has gotten more dishonest over time, and I can quantify that. In 2017, he was averaging 2.9 false claims per day by my count. And then in 2018, it was over eight per day. I forget if it was 8.3 or 8.6. What are the mechanics of this? You must have started with notebooks, and now youve moved to a spreadsheet? Yes, there is a spreadsheet. The thing about Trump is that many of the lies he tells are so transparently dishonest that it barely takes any work to fact-check them. An example I like to cite is when he was criticized for his highly political speech to the Boy Scouts Jamboree in 2017. He was asked about this criticism and he said, No, no, the head of the Boy Scouts called me and told me it was the greatest speech ever given to the Boy Scout Jamboree. So I just sent an email to the Boy Scouts media contact and he emailed back saying that never happened. No one ever said that. No one ever called him. Do you have to check the repeats, like his constant claiming about the 3 million illegal votes that were cast that constituted Hillary Clintons margin of victory in the popular vote? I count the repeats, but by my last count, of about 4,900 false claims, those include hundreds, maybe into the thousands, into the four figures, of repeats. But because he repeats himself so often, it does get a little easier over time. Is there any strategy to these falsehoods? Or do they just get thrown out willy-nilly? I think in some cases there is a clear strategy of lying for political ends. And I think the best example of that was during the midterm election campaign. What was notable to me about that period was that many of the lies were being written into his speeches. Usually, the lying is Trump ad-libbing its him deviating from his text. In that [campaign] case, immigration lies in particular were being written into his rally speeches. In many cases, I think it is unstrategic. I think its just Trump being Trump. I dont know if its his natural state, or if its a learned behavior, after lying successfully as a real estate guy and lying successfully as a playboy celebrity to get his name in the tabloids. Something you see extremely frequently is him exaggerating statistics or data points that are already good for him. Hell say, This is the lowest unemployment rate in 18 years. And then he'll say, The lowest unemployment rate in more than 18 years. Does that count as a lie? Yes. I track what I call false claims. Many of them are lies. Some of them, people might more commonly call exaggerations. But, yes, if its factually incorrect, then I count it. I do use the word lie, but for my database, I call it a database of false claims, because I think while a significant percentage are lies, I'm not sure about all of them. As we know with this president, hes often confused or ignorant of policy specifics. And so I dont know that he intentionally attempted to deceive with all 4,900-plus. So many of those are lies, but I cant say that for all of them. The Washington Post began counting untruths when Trump took office and now counts more than 10,000. Do they have a different counting method from yours? They do. They count what they call false and misleading statements, so the methodology is quite different. There are many claims that they count that are factually correct; they are simply true statements that they call misleading, because of a lack of context or because Trump used to say something different. Theres some differences there. But Im happy the Post is doing it, because theyre an important American media outlet and we agree on the majority of them, for sure. When you started doing this, in September of 16, were you shocked to hear untruths coming out of the mouth of a candidate when theyre so easily checked? I wasn't shocked that he was lying. But I was flabbergasted by the frequency and the triviality of many of them. We know that politicians lie. But what you more frequently see are politicians when theyre telling absolute lies, its to try to get their way out of some jam or some scandal or controversy. And then you see them twisting, exaggerating, taking grains of truth and just adjusting it for their own political purposes. What we saw was that Trump was simply making things up about everything, for no apparent reason, about the smallest things. The Canadian versus U.S. audiences is there a difference in perception and response to your work tracking these? I think so. I think a lot of Canadians are happy Im doing it, as well as a lot of Americans. I get hate mail from Canadians and Americans alike. I get a lot of angry emails, tweets, people saying, Youre obsessed. You suffer from Trump derangement syndrome. I get a fair number of Go back to Canada messages from the Americans. Theyre pleased to be able to say things like, You're a foreigner meddling in our democracy. Oh, like Russia! Like Russia, right. Im the real Russia. I get stuff like that and that makes me laugh. Are American reporters covering the White House less inclined to challenge something and say, This is not true? I think they are, and I want to emphasize that I think that the vast majority of the White House press corps are fantastic reporters whove done superb journalism, digging up various things about the way the administration is operating, or Trumps behavior, or Trumps business dealings. But on this particular matter, the subject of challenging his dishonesty, I think the coverage has been inadequate and the level of deference far too high. Hes been in politics for four years, and still hes almost never confronted to his face when he lies, even when its a lie that hes told literally dozens of times before. In sit-down interviews, the attitude I think is still too frequently, Lets just get him talking, lets just have him generate as much content about as many subjects as possible. And we dont want to play prosecutor. We dont want to get into a fight with him. Thats not our job. And I just think this is not how politicians should be handled. No one is saying you have to be belligerent with him. But when the president is being consistently dishonest, its incumbent upon journalists you can be polite about it to press him, to challenge. And I just think it too rarely happens. But its most important that hes challenged in print or on air. Its less about fighting with him in person than about pointing out to your readers or your audience that hes not being accurate, and that I think is still relatively rare. Its gotten marginally better over these years. But hell have a rally where he makes 35, 30, 25 false claims. And if you were to read the next days paper and read the story about that rally, or you watch the cable news, network news or local news, people have almost never been told that the speech was filled with dishonesty. The coverage will be like, Trump debuts new attack on [Democratic presidential candidates Joe] Biden or [Pete] Buttigieg or [Elizabeth] Warren or whoever. Or itll be like, Trump previews immigration announcement. Those things are significant as well. But there has to be room made in all the coverage to note how dishonest hes being, and its still relatively only rarely happened. How does the White House treat you? They ignore me. Ive literally only dealt with them once, when I had a scoop about Trumps comments in NAFTA negotiations. I had to ask them for a comment. But otherwise, they just pretend I dont exist. Most presidents they dont want to get Pinocchios [ratings for stating lies]. They dont want to be declared false. And so their team will try to spin the fact-checkers, or more generously, will offer alternative explanations and context. Trumps team, I think, know that hes lying all the time. Their attitude is, Let's just pretend these people don't matter at all. A lot of newspapers and news outlets have had to grapple with whether or not to use the word lie, which has a distinct meaning. I honestly think that it was only my paper that was willing to use it. The Star has been great about this, in part because we had some of these discussions when covering our late [Toronto] Mayor Rob Ford. He lied about not smoking crack, which he did. And so we had to talk about this in 2011, 2012: Can we use the word lie? Is that appropriate in news copy? And we just decided, yes, in some cases. And then when Trump came along, we didnt even have to have a discussion. It is obvious that this candidate and this president is lying a lot. I understand that in many cases, reporters are uncomfortable discerning the intent. I think intent is necessary to use the word lie. And so you cant use it in all cases. And I tell that to people when they scold me on Twitter for using the term false claim. Theyll say, Why are you soft-pedaling? Why are you normalizing this? And I say, Look, I just don't know in this case that hes doing this on purpose. But with all that said, in many other cases, it is clear by any reasonable standard that Trump is intentionally making things up. Ive heard the argument from people the New York Times and others that if you use it a lot, it loses its power. I just think thats so bizarre. Like if someone commits 100 crimes, in our newspaper, we say that person committed 100 crimes. We don't say that the person committed two crimes and 98 non-legal behaviors. If you say we can only use the word lie occasionally because it loses power if we use it frequently, then Trump wins when he lies frequently, because only one or two or whatever of those 100 are going to be described correctly. Do you think he believes what he says? Its so hard to know. I think in some cases possibly. I think in many cases he does not. You can sort of trace the evolution of a lie and sort of see how he formulates it. One case I think it was at one of the midterm campaign rallies he told a joke about Democrats giving illegal immigrants free cars. He was, They want to give illegal immigrants free healthcare, free education. Next thing you know itll be a free car! And then, in the next days rally, he said, Have you heard this? Democrats want to give illegal immigrants free cars! So he turned it from a joke to an assertion of fact. You see him work-shopping these. There are people who say, Well, he might just be delusional, he believes all of it. I think maybe in a smattering of cases. But I think for the most part, he is aware of what hes doing. Youve got a big Twitter following now of people who think that this is so important, and theyre delighted that youre doing it. Do you get cards? Flowers? Thank-you notes? I occasionally get letters in the actual mail, which as you know is reasonably rare these days. I get lots of nice emails. I frequently get people offering to buy me drinks I dont drink. But people sincerely suggesting that they want to donate to my vacation fund or a spa fund people seem concerned about my welfare, my well-being, my sanity. As journalists we dont expect to really hear from readers when theyre happy with us. And so to get all this nice feedback along with the hate mail is really wonderful. Are you ready for the 2020 election, and the consequences of perhaps a Trump second term? I dont know if Im ready to fact-check him until 2024. It just seems like a lot of years to be doing it. Support our journalism Already a subscriber? Thank you for your support. If you are not, please consider subscribing today. Get full access to our signature journalism for just 99 cents for the first four weeks. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook. MORE PATT MORRISON ASKS: Guess what? The rich really are different from everyone else and it aint pretty Have tech companies like Facebook tricked us into abandoning our humanity? Ken Burns on making his Vietnam War documentary: 'I was humiliated by what I didn't know' To the editor: James Kirchicks solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is to ignore the Palestinians. Kirchick mentions China, North Korea, Syria, Egypt and Iran as perpetuating much graver humanitarian crises than what the Palestinians are enduring. What Kirchick ignores is that those countries are authoritarian dictatorships over which the United States has little or no influence. Israel, meanwhile, proclaims itself a democracy and, given the decades of unstinting financial, legal and moral support, one would expect that the U.S. has some mitigating influence on Israeli behavior. If we choose to ignore the Palestinians, then we are left to hope that the Israelis and Palestinians will find a way to live in peace in one state, or Kirchick will be forced to concede that Israel is an apartheid state. Advertisement Arch Miller, Arcadia .. To the editor: If the ultimate Palestinian goal was statehood, there could have been one alongside Israel in 1948, and several times since. Even Jordan, which has a Palestinian majority and comprises almost four-fifths of the original Mandate for Palestine, could have been a Palestinian state. The primary obsession of the cause has always been to destroy Israel. Thus Palestinian leaders rejected every peace process, such as President Clintons 2001 plan, lest they have to recognize a permanent Israel of any size. Imagine how different the region could be if Arab leaders had looked forward, as did Israel after it survived the 1948 war. Israel uplifted all the Jewish refugees from Arab countries. It built a modern economy under siege. More than 70 years on, Palestinian and other Arab leaders still cannot accept that Israel survived all their military and political warfare. Their unwavering intransigence and corruption are the real cause of the Palestinian plight. Doron Lubinsky, Atlanta .. To the editor: Kirchick employs a classic variant of the tu quoque logical fallacy, also known as whataboutism, in which he attempts to convince the reader that we shouldnt invest that much concern over the Israeli treatment of the Palestinians. He then offers us a litany of other morally objectionable concerns that we should be focused on instead. We might not like what is happening in parts of China, Congo, North Korea or other places, but we arent giving the perpetrators millions of dollars in aid a day and giving them diplomatic cover and tacit approval as well. Paul McDermott, Los Angeles Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook To the editor: U.S. Military Academy commencement addresses by high government officials are an annual ritual. Quite often, they will hint at an administrations intentions for the newly minted shavetails among their usual encomiums to duty, honor, country. In his remarks to the West Point Class of 2019, Vice President Mike Pence didnt hint. He flat-out told them that you will fight on a battlefield for America at some point in your life, and that some of you may even be called upon to serve in this hemisphere. Pence is the putative point man for the administrations ham-handed efforts at regime change in Venezuela. He is leagued in this effort with national security advisor John Bolton and diplomat Elliott Abrams, the latter of whom was involved in the Central American dirty wars, and the former in our disastrous 2003 Iraq invasion. Now that Pence has told the graduates to expect combat, it is obvious what this trio has cooked up for this years crop of second lieutenants. God help them. Advertisement Stuart Sheldon, Murrieta .. To the editor: Along with the version of this article published in the May 26 print edition, there is a picture of Pence saluting a cadet, under which the caption reads, Pence who like President Trump, did not serve in the military noted his fathers service in Korea. While I have no real feelings regarding Pence but an overall loathing of President Trump, I cant help but wonder if you would have printed the following caption with a similar picture taken during the previous administration: Biden who like President Obama, did not serve in the military Somehow, I think not. Bernie Taupin, Solvang, Calif. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook. Robert S. Mueller IIIs public statement Wednesday about his investigation sharply increased pressure on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to open an impeachment process that she has resisted, with several Democratic presidential candidates demanding that Congress act. Pelosi (D-San Francisco) remained noncommittal, but half a dozen presidential candidates issued demands just minutes after Mueller reiterated that his report did not exonerate President Trump. If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so, Mueller said. He also noted that the Justice Department policy that forbids indicting a sitting president explicitly refers to alternatives. The opinion says the Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing, he said. Advertisement Although Mueller had said the same thing in his report, presidential hopefuls and some sitting House members took his repetition of those words in a televised, public statement as an invitation for Congress to begin the impeachment process. Their comments highlighted the degree to which large parts of the Democratic voter base want Congress to go further than Pelosi has been willing to support. Pelosi and her allies have concerns that a focus on impeachment would simply help Trump rally his own supporters and would detract from Democratic efforts to gain attention for their legislative agenda. They also fear that since a Republican-majority Senate would almost surely refuse to convict Trump, an unsuccessful impeachment effort would allow him to claim exoneration. But many other Democratic leaders, including several of the partys presidential hopefuls, disagree, saying that if the evidence suggests Trump abused his authority or committed criminal acts, Congress cant refuse to act. What Robert Mueller basically did was return an impeachment referral, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), who has previously supported impeachment, said on Twitter as she campaigned in South Carolina. Now it is up to Congress to hold this president accountable. New calls for impeachment proceedings came from candidates who had previously not embraced the idea, including Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and former Rep. Beto ORourke of Texas. We have one remaining path to ensure justice is served. It is our legal and moral obligation to hold those who have committed crimes accountable. Its clear that the House must begin impeachment proceedings. No one is above the law, said Booker, who had previously called impeachment talk premature. ORourke, who previously said grounds for impeachment existed but left the decision to Congress, responded to Mueller with a more decisive call for Congress to act. There must be consequences, accountability and justice. The only way to ensure that is to begin impeachment proceedings, he said. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) and former Obama Cabinet official Julian Castro made the call, too. Pelosi has accused Trump of a cover-up, but has argued that impeachment would be divisive without bipartisan support for the procedure. After Mueller spoke, she said during an appearance at the Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco that nothing is off the table and indicated that the Houses investigations would continue. But she cautioned that Democrats needed to make a compelling case before moving to impeach. We want to do what is right and gets results, she said. The House leadership and the heads of the committees investigating the Trump administration continue to consult on a daily, weekly basis about whether impeachment is warranted, whether an impeachment inquiry is necessary, and at the same time continue to do our investigative oversight work, said House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank). Schiff didnt exclude the possibility of an impeachment inquiry and suggested that the White Houses refusal to comply with congressional investigations or court orders could add to the force of the argument for impeachment. Those calls may become irresistible, he said. Like Schiff, Pelosi stressed that she is gravely disappointed in the Justice Department, including Atty. Gen. William Barr, for their attitude, for their misrepresentation of the Mueller report. Pelosi received important support in her strategy from the Democrats 2020 front-runner, former Vice President Joe Biden, who continued to stop short of calling for impeachment proceedings to begin. A campaign spokesman said Biden believed Congress should continue to investigate. Vice President Biden agrees with Speaker Pelosi that no one would relish what would certainly be a divisive impeachment process, but that it may be unavoidable if this administration continues on its path, spokesman Bill Russo said. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) also was only lukewarm about moving toward impeachment proceedings. If the House Judiciary Committee deems it necessary, I will support their decision to open an impeachment inquiry, he said. So far, only one Republican member of the House, Justin Amash of Michigan, and no Republican senators have supported impeachment proceedings. But impeachment has become all but a litmus test for the progressive left, both among House Democrats and the 2020 field. A few dozen House Democrats have come out in favor of starting impeachment proceedings soon, including several last week after former White House Counsel Donald McGahn rebuffed a congressional subpoena to testify. Those who support impeachment make up a small portion of the 235 Democrats in the House. But advocates say they expect momentum to build slowly, and there are signs that Muellers statement may have helped. House Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), a Pelosi ally, came out in favor of an impeachment inquiry on Wednesday. So did Rep. Chuy Garcia (D-Ill.), a freshman, and Rep. Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-N.J.), who previously only left the door open to impeachment, said that the House needs to begin proceedings now. Mr. Muellers statement that his office could have exonerated Donald Trump but did not is nothing short of an alarm bell above the door of our republic, he said. In addition to continuing our other investigations into rampant corruption throughout this government, Congress must proceed with an Article I inquiry of whether Donald Trump committed obstruction of justice. South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg said the question now lies with the legislative branch. The message really is, Over to you, Congress, he said in an interview with NBC News. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who was the first major 2020 presidential candidate to call for Trumps impeachment, said she was vindicated by the Mueller statement. Muellers statement makes clear what those who have read his report know: It is an impeachment referral, and its up to Congress to act, she said. They should. The latest from Washington More stories from Jennifer Haberkorn The only Republican in Congress to accuse President Trump of impeachable conduct faced voters in his Michigan district Tuesday, receiving standing ovations from many who saluted his courage while sparring with some former supporters who faulted him for embracing a Democratic smear attack against Trump. Over two hours, fifth-term Rep. Justin Amash fielded more than two dozen questions from an estimated crowd of 900 that packed a high school auditorium in Grand Rapids. He said those who read special counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs report on Trumps conduct during and after the 2016 presidential election would be appalled, and said Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is trying to hold the majority rather than uphold the law. We cant let conduct like that go unchecked, Amash said. Congress has a duty to keep the president in check. Asked by one questioner whether impeachment proceedings are worth the time since Trump is up for reelection next year, he said he is concerned the country has reached the point where impeachment may never be used in any circumstance. Advertisement That is a greater risk than the risk that it will be used too often, he said, noting the high hurdles that exist before impeachment would lead to a president actually being removed from office. It is more dangerous for our country to allow a president to mislead people, make things up. Amash said Mueller determined that Trump asked former White House counsel to create a false record. Things like that to me reflect incredible dishonesty and really harm the office of the presidency. I dont think that you can just let that stuff go. I think you have to have proceedings to deter this kind of conduct even if ultimately the person is not convicted. Several people thanked Amash for his stance drawing sustained applause while some in attendance told him that he is in trouble politically and those praising him are Democrats who hate Trump. Two Republicans are running against Amash, who has not ruled out potentially running as a Libertarian for president. Ive been your supporter since you started running for Congress, and I cant tell you how disappointed I am, said Diane Luke of Grand Rapids, who characterized Muellers report and Democratic criticism of Trump as a smear attack. But Pamela Medford-Conley of Cedar Springs said she read Muellers report and agreed with Amashs assessment. If you actually read the whole thing, I dont know how you can come to different conclusions, she said after the town hall event. Now whether or not we should actually impeach him, I dont know. In one particularly testy exchange, Anna Timmer of Grand Rapids told Amash that a lot of people cheering him on most likely didnt vote for you. She said she made hundreds of calls on his behalf during his first congressional campaign, in 2010, and has voted for him every two years. I was there for you from the very beginning. I would like to say since that time, I have changed my position on you, Timmer said. You have spent the last two years failing to do your job, which is to directly represent the popular will of your constituents. Amash responded: My job is to uphold the Constitution. Timmer said there is no proof that Trump had a corrupt intent. Impeachment would tear this country apart, she said. She accused Amash of political grandstanding to raise his profile nationally. You know you have no future in this district as a Republican, she said. Another woman yelled: This Republican still loves you, Justin! Earlier, when a man asked if it was going too far to fall on your sword to do what you believe is right, Amash said he is not worried about losing in 2020. I believe in the people I represent, he said. I believe the people are smart enough to figure out whats going on. ... The president did much worse than I did in this district. Top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell says that if a vacancy occurs on the Supreme Court during next years election cycle, the chamber would likely confirm a GOP nominee selected by President Trump. In an appearance in Paducah, Ky., on Tuesday, McConnell, asked what would happen if a Supreme Court justice died next year, creating a vacancy, said, Oh, wed fill it. Three years ago, during President Obamas second term, McConnell orchestrated a blockade of Obamas choice of Merrick Garland to fill a vacancy created with the sudden death of Justice Antonin Scalia. McConnell said then that the choice should be left to voters in an election year. McConnells change of heart is sure to draw attacks from Democrats still smarting from his success in cementing the high courts conservative majority. Scalias vacancy went to conservative Neil M. Gorsuch, while swing vote Anthony M. Kennedy was replaced by Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh in an acrimonious brawl last year. Advertisement McConnell spokesman David Popp said that the Kentucky Republican is being consistent since he took care in 2016 to say that vacancies occurring when the White House and Senate are held by different parties should be held up. The current situation involves the Senate and the White House being held by Republicans. There is no announced vacancy and no justice has made moves indicating theyre about to go, but theres internet chatter that conservative Justice Clarence Thomas, the current courts longest serving justice, would consider retirement if his seat could be filled by a Trump-named younger conservative. California lawmakers embraced new privacy rules on Tuesday for consumers who purchase smart speakers like Amazons Alexa and the Google Home device, legislation designed to ensure that the devices dont record private conversations without permission. The proposed law passed on a bipartisan vote in the state Assembly even as it faced strong opposition from the technology industry. It now heads to the Senate for consideration this summer. Assembly Bill 1395 would require manufacturers of smart speakers which would include voice command systems built into tablets and mobile phones to obtain permission from a consumer before the device saves recordings of commands or conversations it hears. It would create an opt-in system for consumers to consent even when the device hears certain trigger words designed to alert it to take action. They can and do record conversations that are private within our home, Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham (R-Templeton), the bills author, said about the devices now sold in California and nationwide. They have the capacity to have those conversations shared and sold without our consent. Advertisement Amazon confirmed earlier this year that the company has technicians who listen to recordings collected by its Alexa devices, but only as a way to improve the technology. But critics have said that customers have no idea theyre being recorded by the smart speakers, which are growing in popularity. That trust has been breached, Cunningham said. We need to restore it. Technology companies, along with the California Chamber of Commerce, oppose AB 1395. Those groups told lawmakers earlier this year that manufacturers are already required to secure the recorded information and that a new sweeping state privacy law enacted last year ensures that consumers can force the deletion of personal information. Opponents of the bill said the devices record conversations only once theyve been awoken to take action and that purchasers can easily change the settings to delete those files. Some critics of AB 1395 said Tuesday that, while they support restrictions on selling or sharing information, they remain concerned about any new limits that could affect a devices learning ability, such as adjusting to a users speech patterns. Prohibiting the device from retaining your voice and learning from your voice, and getting trained in what you sound like when you say the wake word, makes it a lot more likely that the device will wake up at inappropriate times and record inappropriate conversations, said Assemblyman Jay Obernolte (R-Big Bear Lake). The bills supporters said they remain open to further amendments to its language as it makes its way through the state Capitol. All bills faced a key deadline this week for action, with final action required by mid-September. john.myers@latimes.com Follow @johnmyers on Twitter and sign up for our daily Essential Politics newsletter By an overwhelming majority, the state Assembly on Wednesday passed a police use-of-force bill that could give California one of the toughest standards in the nation, days after changes pacified law enforcement but caused some of the bills earliest supporters to abandon it. Absent from the Capitol were some Los Angeles and Bay Area families of victims of police shootings who helped propel the legislation to this point with marches, rallies and an emotional and pervasive presence that kept their loved ones names at the forefront of a contentious conversation. While legislators opined about the bill mostly in support the half-empty gallery was missing people wearing T-shirts and carrying signs demanding justice. Also absent were the mothers whose grief was often unconstrained and the raw anger that over past months has often broken the staid decorum and helped pressure legislators to acknowledge that the issue was unlikely to disappear. Floor votes seldom draw the crowds of legislative hearings because their timing is less predictable; still, some said they dont plan to return as the bill works through the Senate. Last week, Black Lives Matter Los Angeles and a Northern California group representing families of victims, Silicon Valley de-bug, pulled their support of the bill, saying in part that its vague new compromise wording will leave courts to sort out its meaning requiring a test case that would probably involve a lethal encounter. Fifteen of 17 families working with Black Lives Matter L.A. and 11 families in the Bay Area said they couldnt support legislation they viewed as failing to prevent deaths, according to representatives from the two groups. Advertisement Another person is going to have to die before we can prove that this bill is not going to do what you think its going to do, said Laurie Valdez, whose partner, Antonio Guzman Lopez, was shot by San Jose State police in 2014, and who has been a fixture at the Capitol fighting in favor of AB 392. Its like a slap in our face. Cephus Johnson, uncle of Oscar Grant, who was shot by a Bay Area Rapid Transit officer in Oakland in 2009, said there are five organizations still co-sponsoring the bill that work directly with families of victims, representing hundreds of supporters. Stevante Clark, a member of Johnsons group whose brother, Stephon Clark, became a rallying point for the legislation after he was killed by Sacramento police in 2018, said the bill was a little watered-down with the changes that were made, but at the same time this is progress. Slow progress is better than no progress, Clark said. The outrage by some families comes as many inside the Legislature frame the measure as a significant change to existing law that, along with a companion proposal, Senate Bill 230, passed unanimously by that house a day earlier, will fundamentally change policing in the state albeit years from now. Assembly Bill 392 is supported by the governor and leaders in both houses, suggesting a potential shift for the powerful law enforcement lobby that once could tamp down legislation almost at will. Legislators also praised Assemblywoman Shirley Weber (D-San Diego) for her tenacity on the issue after seeing a similar bill, AB 931, fail last year. The bills co-author, Assemblyman Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento), called her fearless and dogged, praise echoed over the long debate. Weber said her impetus for refusing to back away from the issue was her two young grandsons, Kadir and Jalil. She said shes made a commitment that I never want to have that conversation with them, referring to a common talk African American parents have with children about how to handle police interactions to avoid violence. They believe at this point that they have just as much right and respect as any other child in this nation, and that should never change, she said. Weber said the compromise was ultimately what she was after with the bill, and she believed it remained strong with the revisions. I kept saying this bill will make it safe behind and in front of the badge, she said. My community deserves the luxury of calling police and knowing life will get better because of it. Law enforcement groups initially opposed AB 392 when it sought to upgrade the current standard on deadly force, allowing police to use it only when necessary, as opposed to when it is reasonable. In a surprise capitulation, law enforcement groups withdrew their opposition to AB 392 late last week after changes that included removing de-escalation requirements and removing the definition of necessary and after a private meeting with Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has indicated he will sign the legislation. The bill retained language that could allow broader investigations into uses of lethal force by expanding the timeline that can be examined to include actions leading up to the fatal moment. That, in turn, could encourage increased de-escalation and crisis intervention training, among other skills, though the bill doesnt directly deal with training. Currently, criminal case law set by the U.S. Supreme Court allows only the seconds of the fatal force to be considered in determining whether it was justified, though California civil law allows for broader considerations. The bill also changes when police can use lethal force on a fleeing felony suspect to bring state law in line with federal case law. The division between how some activists and politicians viewed Wednesdays vote underscores the power of high-profile, media-savvy organizing to capture the attention of legislatures and the divide that often emerges as the reality of a political system based on compromise clashes with the passion of street activists. Johnson, Grants uncle, said he considered himself a grandfather of the police reform movement. As such, he said, he had a better understanding of the legislative process than some families with more recent losses. Johnson said he believes those families who have dropped off are facing a learning curve in politics. In the past 10 years, never have we even come close to what 392 does, Johnson said. I believe that as it falls into judges hands for interpretation, into D.A.s hands to decide to charge, we will see changes. Its that season. Its that time. Legal experts and some who worked on the bill said there was probably no wording that could both pass into law and keep the bill from ultimately being deciphered by courts. The notion that we would write a law that would not require scrutiny and judicial determination is complete fantasy, said Robert Weisberg, director of the Stanford Criminal Justice Center. Mike Rains, a trial lawyer who specializes in law enforcement and represented the officer who shot Grant, said the bill will probably require litigation around its totality of circumstances language to determine whether it does crack the door to examining officers actions leading up to the use of lethal force. This is the lawyers full-employment act, Rains said. This totality of circumstances is scary to me because it doesnt clearly say they are going to consider pre-shooting tactics, so I dont know. That to me is really an ambiguity. David E. Mastagni, a Sacramento-based lawyer who worked on the bill and represents police and other labor unions, said that although the law was imperfect, he believed that it, combined with SB 230, could significantly change how police are trained in California and create more uniform policies. Departments largely make their own use-of-force rules because of the loose law. You really have to look at this package of legislation, Mastagni said. SB 230 is going to result in better outcomes from everybody because its going to mandate better training and higher standards of policies statewide. But Mastagni and others said retraining all officers will take time, both to create the standards and funnel them through classes. The state had about 80,000 sworn officers in 2017, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. AB 392 will probably be amended in the Senate, where it moves next, to delay its implementation until that training can be completed, a process that could take years. Valdez, whose partner was killed in San Jose, said she is disappointed, mostly for her 9-year-old son, Josiah, that her months of advocacy have ended without the bill she wanted. A few days ago, Josiah found video on YouTube of his father being shot because he just wanted to see my dad back alive, he told Valdez. But it traumatized him and has left Valdez unable to sleep. Ive been fighting so hard, she said. It just hurts. The luxury watch connoisseur opened a rectangular green leather box and slipped one of the worlds most-recognized timepieces onto his fingers. The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona watch, introduced in 1963 and designed to meet the demands of professional race car drivers, was made famous by actor Paul Newman who reportedly wore his all the time and is among the most desired and talked about vintage timepieces on the market. It means something more than telling time. Its a symbol of achievement, Paul Altieri said of the Swiss luxury watchmaker. And the older ones always keep me excited. Altieri is founder and CEO of Huntington Beach-based Bobs Watches, the worlds largest online specialty retailer of pre-owned and vintage Rolexes. If scarcity increases desirability, Altieri knows collectors are quick to hunt for pieces that differ from the standard catalog. But not all consumers, he learned, were receiving a fair price for their used watches online, and the true market value needed to be disclosed. Paul Altieri is the founder and CEO of Huntington Beach-based Bobs Watches. (Scott Smeltzer / Daily Pilot) Too often he learned dealers would sell a $5,000 watch for $8,000 after buying it for $2,000. Online commerce sites, such as eBay, were plagued with fake timepieces or watches altered with aftermarket parts. Altieri thought both figures, including both the buy and sell numbers, should be listed for each watch. Such transparency has set him apart from other pre-owned online watch sellers. Altieris Kelley Blue Book-style model online garnered trust from watch enthusiasts around the world, and the business expects to do $24 million in sales this year. Altieri, who founded the company nearly a decade ago, relaunched Bobs Watches after buying the domain name from a retired North Carolina dealer. He, his wife, chief operating officer Carol Altieri, and a team of 21 employees operate in a 5,000-square-foot space in a nondescript Goldenwest Street shopping center that neighbors 405 Tropical Fish and Platos Closet. There, certified watchmakers quote, service and identify every Rolex within a transaction. Marketing and commerce specialists build an online presence for the site, as Bobs consistently pops up as one of the top results on search engines. Sales representatives are responsible for customer service. Others load product pictures online. Defined as at least 30 years old, vintage Rolexes generally appreciate. The Swiss manufacturer founded in 1905 produces more than 2,000 watches a day, doing $4 billion in annual sales. Its a company that is known for many firsts. Rolex was the first to offer a wristwatch that would automatically change the date and day on the dial. The first to market a watch case waterproof up to 100 meters. The first to display two time zones at once. The first to earn chronometer certification. Its also a brand thats become iconic through cinematography. Several Rolex watches at Bobs Watches in Huntington Beach. (Scott Smeltzer / Daily Pilot) In 1962, when Sean Connery made his debut as James Bond in Dr. No, he wore a Big Crown Submariner as he held actress Ursula Andress. Roger Moore, who played Bond in 1973s Live and Let Die, sported a Submariner 5513; Steve McQueen, a Submariner 5512 in 1980s The Hunter. Bobs Watches also carries timepieces by Patek Philippe, Omega and Cartier, but Altieri said Rolex drives the resale market. Altieri, who has 300 Rolexes in his personal collection, said the brick-and-mortar location is near the Los Angeles-Orange county line since several buyers and sellers from around the world fly into Los Angeles International Airport or drive down from L.A. A man who flew in from Mexico City brought in a Rolex Daytona Cosmograph 6240 valued at $200,000. Another seller brought in a 1958 James Bond Big Crown Rolex Submariner 6538. The bezel insert is faded lightly but is in excellent condition, as is the pearl at the 12 oclock. Its valued at $500,000, but wouldve fetched $1 million without slight cracks on the dial. Mens watches arent just for men, Carol Altieri said. Women are buying mens Rolexes, as many prefer the bold designs over the delicate, bright or feminine designs marketed to women, she said. Since Rolex appreciates, the staff is finding shoppers interested in gifting watches for high school graduations and other rites of passage. It can be an emotional moment for those selling watches. Altieri has witnessed customers finding it difficult to release a piece of sentimentality. He always offers to let the seller keep the watch, but most dont. People know that its going to a home and that someone else is going to enjoy it, Altieri said. Its like buying history. Bobs Watches is at 15176 Goldenwest St., Huntington Beach. For more information, call (800) 494-3708 or visit bobswatches.com. kathleen.luppi@latimes.com Twitter: @KathleenLuppi As the social season debuts on the Orange Coast I thought it would be interesting to explore the anatomy of one specific philanthropic couple dedicated to one particular nonprofit in the community. Folks often ask, Why do people donate so much money to this or that organization? Do they really know where their money is going? Arent nonprofits just another kind of business? Is the donation for a tax deduction? Isnt the charity gala circuit just about social networking and a fashion parade for the rich? Legitimate questions to be sure. Further, there is certainly validity in the implied answers to all of the common questions. Yet having covered the scene for years, I am confident reporting that the truth is often behind the mirror. Which is why I share the story of Keith and Florence Smith. The Newport Beach couple arrived in Orange County some 26 years ago, following Keiths meteoric rise in the business world from manager of a Dairy Queen store to the top echelon of the shopping center world. Born in Franklin Grove, Ill., a town of some 500 residents, Keith grew up as the son of hardworking parents in the produce business. We always had food on the table, but there was no extra money, he said. He did not have the chance to attend college. Instead, within a year following high school graduation, a boyhood friend from a well-to-do family offered Keith an opportunity to go to work at one of his fathers business ventures on the East Coast. So off he went to Meriden, Conn., to work at a Dairy Queen. Rising to manager in short speed, Keith would meet his future bride, Florence. Their journey together would begin. Still in his early 20s, Keith was recruited from Dairy Queen to develop a chain of Tastee Freez stores in Connecticut and Rhode Island. The project proved successful, and he eventually purchased the franchise with financing from the owner who had hired him. That opportunity changed the lives of Keith and Florence Smith. Within a short time, they sold the chain. For the first time in our lives, we had money, he said. And with that money, Keiths career took off. From Tastee Freez, his next stop was opening an advertising agency, Keith B. Smith Associates. Soon he would represent a big discount department store chain, Arlans, a forerunner to Walmart. His first agency would grow, and soon he would open a second, larger agency in New York City. At the ad agency, Keith created the concept of inviting celebrities to assist him by making personal appearances at the stores to increase customer traffic. He rallied many of the eras biggest names, including Van Johnson, Joey Heatherton, Forrest Tucker, Eddie Arnold, Ed McMahon, Rick Jason and his personal favorite, Jayne Mansfield. The concept was a smash. The public flocked to the events, and the merchants realized significant sales gains. As the shopping mall business was exploding, Keith sold his agency and became a founding partner in the Macerich Co., which specialized in acquiring existing malls. As director of acquisitions, he traveled the country. In 1976, the company purchased Lakewood Center, then one of the largest malls in the country, and relocated their corporate offices from New York to Santa Monica, which is where the Smiths decided to settle. With all of this success, Keith and Florence, who had both risen from humble beginnings, raised a family and built a life based on hard work and high standards, wanted to give back. It was Florence who set the couple on a philanthropic journey. She was volunteering as a teachers aid for underprivileged students in Santa Monica when she met a bright young boy from a seriously troubled family on the verge of eviction. We have to do something, she told Keith. For more than a year Florence had filled a role as surrogate grandmother to the boy, learning more about the family in crisis. What happened next is perhaps the heart of this story, as well as the message about the motivation of people passionate about helping others. In 1995 the Smiths purchased a three-bedroom home in Lakewood for the boy and his family. This gave them a permanent home in a safe environment, and it also gave them an opportunity to get their financial life back on track. There were no mandatory requirements, and the family lived comfortably in the home for 23 years. Fast forward to the early 1990s, when Keith and Florence settled in Newport Beach. There they would be introduced to a nonprofit, Serving People In Need (SPIN), by friends Frank and Peggy Listi, long-time advocates of the SPIN programs aimed at ending homelessness for children and families in Orange County. It was kismet, the perfect union of passion and purpose for the Smith family and for SPIN. Over the past 14 years, the Smiths have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to SPIN outreach, ranking as the largest individual donors. In our recent interview, the Smiths confided that they give to other causes, but said it would be hard to imagine any organization with leaders more committed than Jean Wegener and Kim Frazier. In addition to funding housing needs, Florence has in the past served as a dedicated volunteer every week, preparing meals for SPINs food service, which helps feed the homeless on the streets of Orange Countys poorest neighborhoods. Coming up on Oct. 5, the Smiths will underwrite the annual SPIN gala fundraiser as presenting sponsors at the Newport Beach Country Club. The Oktoberfest event will star comic Bobby Collins from Jimmy Fallons Tonight Show. To learn more about SPIN, or to attend and support the dinner contact, Frazier at KimF@SPINOC.org. The back story on Keith and Florence Smith is only one example of why well-meaning people step up to make a difference. It is not just about tax deductions, or glamorous parties. We must always pull back the curtain to find the real story about people. Impressions are often just that impressions. The O.C. can be proud of the Smiths and many others with the same genuine motivation to make a difference. B.W. COOK is editor of the Bay Window, the official publication of the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach. As the environmental review process ramps up for One Metro West, a mixed-use community proposed for northwestern Costa Mesa, residents are invited to give their thoughts on how to shape that analysis. An opportunity to do so is coming June 5, when the city will hold a public meeting at 5 p.m. at the Costa Mesa Senior Center, 695 W. 19th St. The project would bring 1,057 residential units, 6,000 square feet of retail, a 25,000-square-foot office building and 1.7 acres of open and park space to a 15.6-acre site at 1683 Sunflower Ave., north of the 405 Freeway. Feedback received at the meeting will be considered when determining the scope and content of an environmental impact report for the project. The EIR will examine how the proposal could affect everything from cultural resources to noise to transportation to air and water quality. Community members also can mail written comments to Principal Planner Minoo Ashabi at the city Development Services Department, 77 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, or email minoo.ashabi@costamesaca.gov. For more information, visit bit.ly/2EFHA2H. One Metro West would include studio and one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments in three residential structures with integrated parking garages. Beverly Hills-based Rose Equities has committed to designating 15% of those units for people with incomes considered low, very low or moderate. We look forward to every opportunity to engage with our neighbors and to learn what they know of and think about our One Metro West community, Brent Stoll, a partner at Rose Equities, wrote in an email. It is a learning process for everyone. The comment period offers another of many ways we collaborate and communicate with our Costa Mesa neighbors, residents and civic leaders. The firm, he added, has been actively engaging with our neighbors and community residents and is looking forward to meeting and speaking to thousands more. The property eyed for the project is just west of South Coast Collection and currently contains a 345,400-square-foot industrial building. Even if the project eventually gets the necessary sign-offs from City Hall, its ultimate fate will be up to local voters because of Measure Y, a 2016 ballot initiative that requires public approval of developments that require a general plan amendment or zoning change and would add 40 or more dwelling units or 10,000 or more square feet of commercial space on top of what exists. Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Vanguard University nursing program graduate Miguel Rosado remembers hiding on rooftops and in bushes from both the army and guerrilla fighters while growing up in El Salvador. If either faction discovered him at age 12 or older, he would have been conscripted into one of Central Americas bloodiest civil wars. Like many Salvadorans caught between the factions, Rosados mother immigrated to the United States he was 8 when she left to work and send money home. I think that if I hadnt gone through that experience with the civil war, I wouldnt be as strong, said Rosado, 40. Vanguard, a Christian college in Costa Mesa, honored Rosado and 33 other nursing graduates Thursday during a nursing pinning ceremony, a tradition that dates to Florence Nightingale. The pins display the Nightingale lamp and a Christian cross chosen by the programs inaugural class. Miguel Rosado, 40, one of 34 Vanguard University graduating nursing students, speaks during a pinning ceremony Thursday. (Scott Smeltzer / Staff Photographer ) We honor and celebrate the nurses being pinned today for the differences they make daily in caring for patients and their families through the provision of compassionate, quality and evidence-based care, Vanguard President Michael Beals said during the ceremony. Rosado and two other nursing program graduates, Kanoe Martin and Melissa Smith, were selected by their classmates to speak to administrators, faculty members, family and friends gathered at Newport Mesa Church. The nursing graduates also will participate in Vanguards commencement Friday. Before his mother left El Salvador, Rosado would place washcloths on her forehead when she was sick while wearing his white lab coat and toy stethoscope. With the help of his aunt, Rosado hid for more than five years before leaving El Salvador to be with his mother, who became a U.S. citizen. He has worked for 10 years as a licensed nurse at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange. I sincerely believe God has a calling for everyone, and Im so happy to be part of this calling, Rosado said. Vanguard University nursing graduate Miguel Rosado gets a kiss from his mother, Ana Zelia Gonzalez, after a pinning ceremony Thursday. Both are Salvadoran refugees. (Scott Smeltzer / Staff Photographer ) Earning his bachelors degree in nursing while working full time came with challenges, including having his gallbladder removed shortly before his final presentation. God gave me a lot of angels that supported me in many ways, he said. Rosado plans to pursue a doctorate as a nurse practitioner in spring 2019, but that dream could be cut short because of his immigration status. Like many Salvadorans in the United States, Rosado has temporary protected status through Sept. 9, 2019. He could be deported to El Salvador unless the Trump administration takes action. Rosado hopes the program will be extended so he isnt sent back to a country he hasnt seen in more than 20 years. Its scary, but theres always hope, he said. Its going to work out somehow. The pin given to graduating nursing students at Vanguard University contains two symbols the Florence Nightingale lamp and the Christian cross. (Scott Smeltzer / Staff Photographer ) DANIEL LANGHORNE is a contributor to Times Community News. Twitter: @DanielLanghorne Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words can also hurt you. OK, thats not how the old saying goes. But according to a new study by a team of researchers including two UC Irvine professors, negative political rhetoric can adversely affect peoples self-image, stress levels and sense of well-being, in addition to their physical health. On the other hand, positive rhetoric can have positive effects, according to the study, published in Social Science & Medicine. If you want to perpetuate inequalities and make people feel ... they dont belong, continue with negative rhetoric, said UCI anthropology professor Leo Chavez, who was joined in the study by Chicano and Latino studies associate professor Belinda Campos. I think people know these things. But the point of our study is that we showed it statistically and scientifically. Its not just hearsay. You can actually measure it and show that. The study looked at emotional responses, perceived stress and the overall health of Mexican Americans following exposure to positive, neutral or negative writing or images about immigration. Subjects would report their emotional responses, level of perceived stress and perceived health and well-being. Open-ended questions focused on how the subjects felt about the rhetoric, how they felt in the world at that moment and whether they felt healthy in relationship to others. The study involved 280 students at the Irvine campus between August 2016 and June 2017. Participants were defined broadly as having at least one ancestor of Mexican heritage. Chavez said the study came about partially in response to Donald Trumps presidential campaign in 2016. I was already sort of ready to think about Is there another way of examining the impact of some of this rhetoric that was going through media and public discourse at the beginning of the Trump campaign? Chavez said. During the campaign, now-President Trump said: When Mexico sends its people, theyre not sending their best. ... Theyre sending people that have lots of problems. ... Theyre bringing drugs. Theyre bringing crime. Theyre rapists, and some, I assume, are good people. Chavez said he wanted to test the psychological influence of rhetoric does it affect their sense of well-being and their stress level, and why might that be? He said subjects in the study frequently used words such as stereotypes, racism and ignorant and that negative stimuli produced negative emotions, including anger. Students who saw positive stimuli would use words such as contribute, good and happy. I think there are two key take-home points from the study, Campos said. First, political rhetoric affects people who are targeted in that rhetoric. Second, positive rhetoric can have a favorable effect on ones well-being. I think this latter finding speaks to what might be possible, even though the harms of negative rhetoric are so salient right now. Karina Corona, a UCI doctoral candidate in psychology, helped design the study and establish protocol for data handling. She suggested it is important to be aware of how immigration is talked about and to create social support for people targeted by negative rhetoric because of its effects on psychological and physical health. I think what the public should know is that words do matter, Chavez said. We sort of have become numb to the constant negative rhetoric that we hear from politicians, people in the news stations and radio with the hate speech. You have to recognize that may be good for votes and listening, but what do we want as a society? ... Our study is trying to say, lets think about what were doing. Exercise your freedom of expression and speech but think about your expression. Id like to see us moderate our political discourse to make people feel like they belong and make our world better. Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. An ex-Marine was sentenced to three years in prison Friday for choking a 31-year-old man to death in a Glendale apartment two years ago. Jared Kasiewicz received the sentence two years after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter for his part in the Sept. 10, 2015, death of John Michael King-Smith. In April, Kasiewiczs ex-girlfriend Sparkle Soojian was also sentenced to three years in prison for her involvement in King-Smiths death after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter. The pair originally faced murder charges that were subsequently reduced in return for their guilty pleas, according to the Los Angeles County district attorneys office. Court testimony shows King-Smith was an ex-boyfriend of Soojians roommate and had showed up unannounced at their apartment in the 200 block of West Windsor Road on the night of Sept. 10. Soojian soon texted Kasiewicz to come over after an altercation broke out. When he arrived, the former Marine tackled King-Smith and placed him in a choke hold, according to court testimony. He then bound King-Smiths wrists to his feet. According to testimony, Kasiewicz then went to wash off blood he got on himself during the scuffle and told several people at the apartment that he wasnt here. Soojian, the self-described heiress to an Armenian cracker-bread company, then reported to police that King-Smith had broken into the apartment and that neighbors had detained him. Officers soon found King-Smith in medical distress. He was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The Los Angeles County medical examiners office later concluded King-Smith had died from asphyxia and a compressed neck. andy.nguyen@latimes.com Twitter: @Andy_Truc Crescenta Valley Water Districts board of directors have proposed rate increases for both its water and sewer rates. If approved, customers could see their combined monthly bills increase by about $7. On June 11, board members will hold a public hearing about the proposed 7% water rate hike, as well as a 4% increase in sewer, or wastewater, rates, according to Christy Scott, spokeswoman for the water district. If adopted, the new rates will go into effect July 1, impacting the districts roughly 33,000 customers in La Crescenta, Montrose, and portions of Glendale and La Canada Flintridge. Under the proposed rates, monthly water bills would increase by an average of $5.32 and monthly sewer service bills would increase by an average of $1.66. Driving up costs is a decreased availability of local groundwater sources, Scott said. As a result, the district has been purchasing more water from Northern California and the Colorado River, which travels hundreds of miles through aqueducts and costs more than tapping into closer wells. Previously, the district pumped 60% of its water and purchased 40%. That ratio has flipped, with the district now pumping 40% and buying 60% of the water it needs to serve customers, Scott said. I think every agency that pumps groundwater is having this problem because [of the] historic drought, that spanned from 2011 to 2017, Scott said. While the past year saw record rainfall across the state, Scott said it will take at least 18 months before that water is available to pump. Capital improvements, such as reservoir and well maintenance, are also a big driver of the budget for water rates, according to Scott. Currently, the water district has a list of 11 capital improvement priority projects totaling nearly $3.2 million it could undertake, a water district document showed. Scott said each project needs to be voted on by the districts board to move forward. Last year, water rates increased 5.5%, Scott said. They have risen annually for the past 10 years. Wastewater rates reflect what the district charges customers to collect sewer water and transport it to a treatment center, Scott said. Those rates last increased four years ago, she added. A vote on the new rates is tentatively set for the end of June, Scott said. The upcoming public hearing will be held in the CVWDs board room at 2700 Foothill Blvd., La Crescenta. Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Memorial Day ceremonies will be held on Monday in Glendale, Montrose and La Crescenta within hours of each other. At 7:30 a.m., a ceremony will be held at Vietnam War Memorial on the corner of Ocean View Boulevard and Honolulu Avenue in Montrose. At 8 a.m., a ceremony will be held at Two Strike Park, 5107 Rosemont Ave., La Crescenta. The event will be hosted by the American Legion Post 288 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1614. The keynote speaker will be Lt. Gen. Eugene L. Tattini, retired from the U.S. Air Force. This year, a local veteran, Roy Leo Chiarot, will be honored during the ceremony. He served in the U.S. Navy from February 1964 until February 1970. Chiarot was a member of American Legion Post 288 and passed away recently. For more information about the La Crescenta event, call Dick Clubb at (818) 384-5761. Then, at 9:30 a.m., a ceremony will be held at the Glendale City Hall, 613 E. Broadway, Glendale. The event will be sponsored by the patriotism committee of the Glendale Veterans Coalition. Before and after the ceremony, there will be tables available to distribute information about services for U.S. veterans and their families. Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Departments Homicide Bureau is attempting to identify a body discovered on Memorial Day by a hiker some 400 feet down an embankment of Angeles Forest Highway in the Angeles National Forest. At around 5 p.m. Monday the Crescenta Valley Sheriffs Station received a call from a U.S. Forest Service worker whod been contacted by the hiker, according to Watch Commander Lt. Mark Lopez. They were flagged down by a hiker whod found what they believed was a body, Lopez said Tuesday. It had fallen approximately 400 feet off a cliff near Mile Marker 18.87. Lopez said a patrol unit responded to the scene, while Montrose Search and Rescue helped recover the body from the location where it was discovered. The watch commander said those on scene believed the body belonged to a male, although no other identifying information was available Tuesday. The incident comes less than a month after the body of an adult male was discovered the morning of April 29 by a citizen on Angeles Forest Highways Mile Marker 5.62. Anyone who might have information regarding the incident is asked to call the Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. Anonymous tips may be called into (800) 222-8477. Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. A security guard who appeared to be shoved to the ground by Ezekiel Elliott earlier this month said he wasnt satisfied with the apology he received from the Dallas Cowboys running back. It wasnt a sincere apology, Kyle Johnson, 19, told KCBS-TV. He didnt really maintain eye contact, did not seem sincere at all. TMZ published a video of the incident, which occurred at the the Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas at 3 a.m. May 19. The Las Vegas Metro Police Department confirmed to TMZ that Elliott was placed in handcuffs while the incident was investigated but released after the victim of the misdemeanor battery refused to press charges. I told the police I just want an apology out of the guy, Johnson told KCBS. Advertisement That happened, Johnson said, while Elliott was still in handcuffs. But when asked by KCBS what he was going to do next, Johnson said, I dont know, kind of just play it by ear, evaluate all my options, see where we go from there. That doesnt sound great for Elliott. Johnson seems to want a sincere apology. But, as Elton John said, sorry seems to be the hardest word. And speaking of songs, here are a few that might help the two-time Pro Bowler express himself (and some he might want to avoid): Im Sorry, Brenda Lee The classic apology song: Im sorry, so sorry. Please accept my apology. Although if sincerity is what Johnson is looking for, this one might come across as a bit cliched after years of overuse. Not to worry plenty of others to choose from. Please Forgive Me, Bryan Adams The phrase please forgive me is repeated more than a dozen times. If thats not sincerity, I dont know what is. All Apologies, Nirvana Not to be outdone, Nirvana offers not one, not a handful, but all apologies. Every last one. And for good measure, they throw in: Everythings my fault.I take all the blame. Sorry, Justin Bieber Despite the title, theres really not much in this one that can help Elliott: Ill take every single piece of the blame if you want me to. But you know that there is no innocent one in this game for two. Come on, Biebs, were going for sincerity here. Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word, Elton John It seems Sir Elton was looking 40-some years into the future at Elliotts situation when he sang: Its sad, so sad (so sad). Its a sad, sad situation. And its getting more and more absurd. No actual apology here, but he definitely seems sincere. Hard to Say Im Sorry, Chicago Same sentiment as the Elton John selection above but with an added promise: After all that weve been through. I will make it up to you. I promise to. Sorry Not Sorry, Demi Lovato Clearly, Elliott needs to stay far away from this one. Lines like Itd be nice of me to take it easy on ya, but nah and Being so bad got me feeling so good arent going to do him any favors. Apologize, Timbaland featuring One Republic Actually, this is one Johnson might be able to use: You tell me that youre sorry. Didnt think Id turn around and say that its too late to apologize. Its too late. Said its too late to apologize. Its too late. Better hurry up with that sincere apology, Zeke. Sign up for our daily sports newsletter charles.schilken@latimes.com Twitter: @chewkiii The journey matters as much as the destination on this 13-day Canadian Rockies rail-and-cruise journey from western Canada to Alaskas Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve. This Original Travel tour includes visits to Lake Louise and Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada, before passengers board the Rocky Mountaineer train to head south to Vancouver. Participants then fly to Juneau, Alaska, for a weeklong small-ship tour of Glacier Bay and other southeast Alaskan destinations. Dates: Flexible Advertisement Price: From $5,415 per person. Includes custom itinerary, accommodations and meals, concierge services, private transfers and local guide. Airfare not included. Info: Original Travel, (866) 205-8369 travel@latimes.com @latimestravel In a largely forgotten tragedy, 24 people died in a May 31, 1924, fire at the Hope Development School in Playa del Rey. The victims were mostly mentally disabled girls and young women. The school's building originally was the Hotel Del Rey, opened in the early 19th century on the banks of the Del Rey Lagoon. The three-story wooden structure had 40 rooms and a large dining room. Hotel guests had access to boating and fishing just outside the hotel's front door. The hotel later became a center for prostitution and in 1917 was closed. In 1920, the structure became the Hope Development School for mentally disabled girls. The school offered training and other occupational programs. The Los Angeles County Public Welfare Commission and operator of the school recognized the building's fire danger. At the time of the fire, they were actively looking for a better location. On May 31, 1924, there were 42 people in the building 39 patients ages 4 to 26 and two staff members. The 14-year-old son of the school's owner also was staying at the school. Of the 39 patients, 24 came to the school from Juvenile Court. The others came from families unable to care for them. May 31, 1924: Charred remains of the Hope Development School for mentally disabled girls in Playa del Rey. Los Angeles Times Archive / UCLA The fire broke out about 9 p.m. on a Saturday. It started in a first-floor room on the south side of the structure and quickly spread. The staff and residents quickly became disorientated, not knowing which way to go to escape. There were no fire escapes, exit lights or fire extinguishers. The June 2, 1924, Los Angeles Times reported on the actions of two strangers after they spotted the flames: Outside, two men saw the smoke wisps curving upward. One was Walter T.C. Curtis, auto tourist and father of four baby girls himself. The other was Sylvester Vogel, a World War veteran now stationed at the Compton Sanatorium. Vogel had a police whistle. As he ran toward the house he blew sharp blasts repeatedly. He dashed to the front door and found it locked. He ran to the rear door and smashed it open with a shoulder; only in the short time to be faced with a mass of flame and smoke that singed his hair to a crisp and scorched his skin. Down the stairs again and in a few leaps to his automobile. And then a mad, wild dash to Venice and the fire department. He gave the alarm and aid got under way. Curtis? He didn't hesitate. A short climb to the roof of the garage, a smash of a bare fist against a pane of glass and then, heedless of the jagged edges, he crawled into that cloud of death. He walked a foot or two and stumbled over something. A body: the body of a baby. He staggered to a window and hurled it out. And so, one by one, he picked up and carried seventeen to safety. And [assistant matron] Mrs. Rodemaker, after they had gone, won back to life through his guidance. Half suffocated now, he dashed back in again and, and sought to gain the second floor. The stairs collapsed beneath him, showering cinders and glowing ends of broken board . The school burned to the ground. Only 19 of the known 42 occupants survived. The June 6, 1924, Santa Monica Outlook reported another unidentified body had been found in the building's debris, bringing the death toll to 24. All the survivors were taken to St. Catherine's Hospital in Santa Monica. June 2, 1924: Los Angeles Times illustration shows the burned-out remains of the Hope Development School, with photos of Walter T.C. Curtis, who rescued 17 victims trapped in the building, and Mrs. Anna Rodemaker, assistant matron, who was saved. ProQuest / Los Angeles Times May 31, 1924: Rescue workers carry the remains of a victim of the fire at the Hope Development School. Los Angeles Times Archive / UCLA June 1, 1924: St. Catherines Hospital superintendent Mrs. Anna Taugher, from left, with Hope Development School residents Sebastinia Rodriguez, Alberta Hughes, Lorraine Gould, Lois Blick, Dorothy Smith and Elsie Vidal and Mrs. Anna Rodemaker, assistant matron. after the fire. Los Angeles Times Archive / UCLA June 1924: Three men look over the charred remains of the Hope Development School in Playa del Rey. Los Angeles Times Archive / UCLA June 1924: Los Angeles Coroner Frank Nance, left, conducts an inquest into the fire that destroyed the Hope Development School. Los Angeles Times Archive / UCLA Following the fire, the county coroner's office, the Los Angeles County Grand Jury, the Board of Supervisors and Los Angeles County State's Attorney's Office all launched investigations. June 4, 1924, Los Angeles Times reported on the coroner's report: "We are unable to determine the origin of the fire from the evidence presented. We do not find that this fire was the result of carelessness on the part of the management of the school, but we recommend that all schools of this nature be either provided with ample fire protection or closed." The next day, the Los Angeles Times reported: Ten hospitals and twenty orphan asylums, homes and schools for children were branded as distinct fire hazards yesterday by Fire Chief (Ralph) Scott. The June 20, 1924, Times quoted the grand jury report: It is the opinion of the grand jury that the State of California is primarily responsible for this terrible catastrophe because of the fact that it has not provided a home for these children, either with monies it may have at its disposal for this purpose or in taking steps thoroughly to acquaint the public with the situation and to obtain sufficient funds to make such provision. That the members of the County Welfare Commission were sadly negligent in the performance of their duties in allowing the children to be placed in a building which had been condemned by them as unfit for this use. The evidence placed before this grand jury regarding this fire is that the cause is unknown; that the building, in a depressing environment, was a fire-trap; that there were no provisions made for the safety of the inmates; that at the time of the fire, there were only two attendants in charge of the welfare and safety of these thirty-eight mentally defective children, who were sleeping on the second floor and many of the children unable to help themselves, therefore it was a physical impossibility for the two attendants to remove all of them from the burning building . " The grand jury also recommended, "that immediate steps should be taken to insure the safety of similar institutions" A followup article in June 20, 1924, Times reported that California Gov. Friend Richardson supported the opening of a mental hospital near Pomona. Richardson commented on the Hope Development School fire: The disaster at Playa del Rey was unfortunate. Unfortunately, there are no fire-proof buildings. Many great fires have proved this. Unfortunately, there was no one with self-possession to get the poor unfortunate children out of the building. But the State is no more responsible for the disaster than it was for the gun explosion at San Pedro or the blowing up of the Maine. The responsibility for the care of all children rests upon parents and guardians. The responsibility for educating children rests with the counties and school districts, and the State advances many millions each year for this purpose." Richardson was referring to the June 12, 1924, explosion aboard the battleship Mississippi off San Pedro that killed 48 sailors and the Feb. 15, 1898, explosion that sank the battleship Maine in Havana harbor. On June 18, 1924, one of the survivors, Josephine Barthelemy, 16, confessed to setting the fire. Because of her mental condition, no charges were filed against Barthelemy. The state of California opened the Pacific Colony facility in Pomona on May 2, 1927. In 1979, the hospitals name changed to the Frank D. Lanterman State Hospital and Development Center. That facility closed in 2014. June 1, 1924: Spectators looking towards the charred remains of the Hope Development School in Playa del Rey Los Angeles Times Archive / UCLA June 1924: Charred remains of the Hope Development School for mentally disabled girls in Playa del Rey. Los Angeles Times Archive / UCLA See more from the Los Angeles Times archives here Built by Walt Disney Studios, Its a Small World originally opened at the 1964 New York Worlds Fair. After its successful run, the ride moved to Disneyland. Staff writer Ray Rogers reported in the May 31, 1966, Los Angeles Times: Walt Disney joined Bank of America officials Monday in opening the newest attraction at Disneyland a musical journey by boats through enchanted foreign lands where animated dolls perform. "It's a Small World" is the theme of the international voyage which is based on audio-animatronics, the Disney technique of making three-dimensional figures seem alive. It was first used in the Abraham Lincoln exhibit at the Anaheim park. Cackling fireworks and the release of 10,000 balloons and a flock of white doves heralded the opening of the new feature that becomes a part of Fantasyland. The Bank of America is its sponsor. Louis B. Lundborg, the bank's board chairman, explained that the 12-minute journey through Small World takes place over "Seven SeaWays," a channel that flows through nine major regions. Disney and Lundborg sat in the first boatload of children to complete the journey. Scores of child-like dolls in various native costumes danced, waved and performed along the route. Water from major oceans was flown to Disneyland, and Disney and children from 16 Southern California ethnic groups poured it into Seven SeaWays. The colorful voyage was developed by Disney's "imagineers" for the New York World's Fair where it was enjoyed by an estimated 10 million children. Upon moving to Disneyland, the feature was lengthened by one-third. A similar photo by staff photographer John Malmin accompanied Rogers' article. Standing next to Disney in this image is Louis B. Lundborg, Bank of America board chairman. This post was originally published on Aug. 21, 2014. See more from the Los Angeles Times archives here Brazilian officials said Tuesday that as many as 29 inmates blamed for killing rampages in several prisons would be transferred to stricter federal facilities, after two days of unrest left 55 prisoners dead and authorities rushing to prevent the violence from spreading. Fighting between inmates began around noon on Sunday in a prison complex in Manaus, the capital of the northern state of Amazonas. The states governor, Wilson Lima, said the deaths were the result of infighting in one of the prisons criminal groups. We already had intelligence indicating there was a fissure between members of the same criminal fraction, Lima said in a news conference, without specifying which group. Drug trafficking and criminal gangs are able to run much of their day-to-day business from Brazils prisons, where they often have wide sway. Authorities frequently try to separate factions and transfer prisoners to prevent clashes. Advertisement In the Manaus complex, an emergency security protocol was activated, and within 45 minutes the situation was under control, local authorities said. Still, 15 inmates were killed, either asphyxiated or slain with hand-crafted arms such as sharpened toothbrushes. The following day, more fights erupted in three other facilities, all in the city of Manaus, leaving 40 more inmates dead and pushing federal authorities to send a special task force to avoid a scenario similar to that of January 2017, when weeks of gruesome prison killings left more 120 victims. The Puraquequara Prison Unit. (Andre Penner / Associated Press) Nine inmates who were transferred to federal facilities Tuesday are believed to have ordered the killings, authorities said. It is unclear when the other 20 prisoners will be transferred to federal facilities. As a precautionary measure, 200 other prisoners have been moved to different cells. While police forces were intervening to separate inmates considered at-risk, two detainees were shot as they tried to take prison workers hostage. As the officers advanced, inmates were killing people, choking them inside their cells, said Col. Vinicius Almeida, who leads the state prison office. Family members of inmates gathered outside the prisons, waiting for information on their loved ones. Some outside the Puraquequara Prison Unit, or UPP, told the Associated Press on Tuesday that they heard people screaming and calling for help from within the facility Monday night. Im going to stand here until they give me some news, said Ediane Costa Soares, 38, whose 19-year-old son, Anderson Soares de Souza, is an inmate at UPP. Her son does not appear on the list of victims, but Costa Soares wants reassurance of her sons well-being after the riots. They have not told us anything. Another woman, Ana Claudia Bonfim da Silva, was seeking information about her husband, Marinaldo Chavier, serving a five-year sentence at UPP for robbery. Its not easy because they are treated like animals inside. But they are humans, not dogs. [The authorities] should give them a job, make them work, but there is not anything like that, she said. Brazil has the worlds third-largest prison population, with more than 720,000 people behind bars, according to 2016 data from the online database World Prison Brief. Many facilities are severely overcrowded, holding up to three times their capacity, leaving guards vastly outnumbered. The Anisio Jobim Prison Complex, where 15 inmates died Sunday, was the scene of gruesome infighting two years ago that left 56 prisoners dead. Many of those victims had their heads cut off or their hearts and intestines ripped out. In a separate episode, 18 prisoners escaped Monday from a prison in the state of Goias. Officials from the prison said Tuesday they had captured six of the fugitives. Twenty members of the federal task force arrived in Manaus on Tuesday for a period of 90 days, Lima said at a news conference, adding that by the end of the week the number should rise to about 100. A British judge ruled Wednesday that former British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson will be summoned to court over allegations that he lied and misled the public during the Brexit referendum campaign in 2016. District Judge Margot Coleman said Johnson will answer questions about his possible misconduct in public office, when he claimed Britain contributed 350 million pounds ($442 million) to the European Union each week. Johnson was a key figure in the leave campaign advocating a break with the EU. The campaign emblazoned a bus with a promise that voting for Brexit would mean that instead of sending substantial money to the EU, the cash could be used to fund Britains National Health Service. Britains statistics regulator has said Johnsons claim about the 350 million pounds was misleading and a gross misuse of official statistics. Advertisement Lawyers representing Marcus Ball, an activist pursuing a private prosecution of Johnson, asked Westminster Magistrates Court to summon the politician. Ball and his legal team assert that Johnson deliberately misled the public during the referendum and then in the general election of 2017. The case comes at an awkward time for Johnson. Hes a prominent contender in the Conservative Party leadership race who stands to become prime minister if he wins that contest. Prime Minister Theresa May announced this month that she would step down June 7 as party leader, instantly setting off a battle to replace her. May said she would remain as a caretaker premier while the party chooses a new leader. Coleman said in a written statement that the allegations against Johnson are unproven and that she was not judging the evidence to determine if Johnson is at fault. But she said summoning Johnson is proper. This means the proposed defendant will be required to attend this court for a preliminary hearing, and the case will then be sent to the Crown Court for trial, the judge said. Johnson has denied through his lawyers that he acted dishonestly. Ball has raised more than 200,000 pounds by crowdfunding to pay for the private prosecution. No date has yet been set for a hearing. A Council of Europe report on Wednesday called for an independent public inquiry into the car bomb assassination of a leading Maltese investigative journalist, criticizing the glacial pace of the investigation into the case so far. Three Maltese men are believed to have triggered the powerful car bomb that killed 53-year-old Daphne Caruana Galizia on a road close to her rural home on Oct. 16, 2017. They were ordered two months later to stand trial for murder, but the trial has not yet begun and they could soon be released. Nobody has been arrested for ordering the assassination of Caruana Galizia, who became one of Maltas best-known journalists for her regular reporting on widespread allegations of corruption on the Mediterranean island thats a member of the European Union and uses the shared euro currency. In his report for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Dutch lawmaker Pieter Omtzigt listed a litany of corruption scandals in Malta, shortcomings in the nations legal and judicial system and holdups in the Caruana Galizia investigation. Advertisement The police investigation was delayed by the authorities refusal to remove an officer with a conflict of interest. The police failed to obtain information from Ms. Caruana Galizias laptop when it was offered to them, he wrote, adding that police also have failed to investigate the prominent public figures that Caruana Galizia wrote about. Daphne Caruana Galizia, the Maltese investigative journalist who exposed her island nations links to the so-called Panama Papers in 2014. (Jon Borg / Associated Press) I can fully understand why the Caruana Galizia family has no confidence in the ability of the Maltese authorities to investigate the murder effectively, Omtzigt wrote. There is now a clear need for an independent inquiry. The Maltese government slammed the report as riddled with inaccurate and gratuitous statements exposing a very biased agenda which is not based on the true picture of the matter. In a written statement, the government said Omtzigts report represents the very biased views of a small fraction of Maltese opposition politicians. The report was discussed Wednesday by the legal affairs and human rights committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Paris. It issued a draft resolution calling for an inquiry that will be sent to a full meeting of the assembly next month in Strasbourg, France. That draft resolution is likely to be adopted. It is nonbinding, but would pressure the Maltese government to address its concerns. The 47-nation Council of Europe, which calls itself Europes leading human rights organization, has issued similar resolutions in the past aimed at protecting journalists, notably targeting the governments of Turkey and Russia. An Argentine bishop close to Pope Francis is now on trial at the Vatican, accused of sexually abusing seminarians. Francis revealed the development in an interview with Mexicos Televisa on Tuesday. He said he received the results of a preliminary investigation into Bishop Gustavo Zanchetta two weeks ago and ordered the case be handed over for trial by a Vatican tribunal. Zanchetta resigned suddenly as bishop of Oran, Argentina, in 2017 and within a few months, Francis named him to a senior Vatican administration position. Through documents and interviews, the Associated Press and Argentinas Tribune of Salta have reported that the Vatican was aware of inappropriate sexual behavior by Zanchetta two years before he resigned. Advertisement The Vatican had insisted Zanchetta was only facing governance problems at the time, and that the first accusation of abuse only came in late 2018. Francis acknowledged in the interview that he asked Zanchetta about the first accusations against him, made in 2015 and involving nude selfies on his cellphone. He said he gave Zanchetta the benefit of the doubt when he claimed his phone had been hacked. A year later, documents show that Orans seminary rector was so concerned about Zanchettas behavior that he told the Vatican ambassador in a formal complaint that urgent measures were needed to protect his first-year students, since their introductory classes were held in Zanchettas residence. The 2016 complaint, signed by the rector and two former vicar generals, listed Zanchettas problematic behavior with seminarians, including walking by their rooms at night, asking them for massages, going into their rooms to wake them up in the morning and sitting on their beds, inviting them to drink alcohol and having an obsessive omnipresence in the seminary that made the young men feel asphyxiated. READ MORE: Pope accepts resignation from top Chilean church official accused of sex abuse cover-up Francis didnt refer to that 2016 complaint in his interview. He jumped instead to 2017, saying as soon as he received a subsequent complaint, he summoned Zanchetta to the Vatican and had him resign. He denied the appointment to the Vaticans financial oversight office was a soft landing, saying that a psychiatric analysis had determined Zanchetta had an aptitude for administration and that he required further treatment in Spain, making his continued residence in Argentina unrealistic. Israel slid into political chaos Wednesday when scandal-ridden Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed in his efforts to form a new coalition government and moved to make sure his main rival wouldnt get to try to do so in his stead. That means that only seven weeks after the last Israeli election, a new one is now on the horizon. The developments not only cast a cloud over the political future of Netanyahu a Houdini-like figure who in the past has been able to wriggle his way out of almost any political tight spot but also darkens already dim prospects for a Mideast peace deal, which President Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner, has been tasked with crafting. The bizarre second-election scenario, the first of its kind in the country, was set in motion when Israels Knesset, or parliament, held a late-night vote to dissolve itself, with the prime minister having failed to form a governing coalition in the allotted time. Advertisement To do that, he would have needed to cobble together a majority in the 120-seat chamber. Once Israeli President Reuven Rivlin gave him a mandate to form a government, Netanyahu had 50 days to do so, with a deadline of midnight Wednesday. If that deadline had passed, Rivlin would have given another lawmaker, almost certainly Netanyahus main electoral rival, former military chief Benny Gantz, a chance to put together a coalition. The self-dissolution of parliament was the first step toward holding a new nationwide vote, now set for Sept. 17. The political debacle began with the previous vote: an April 9 election that at first looked like another of Netanyahus trademark narrow escapes. In that vote, his Likud Party won 36 parliamentary seats, barely squeaking past the second-place Blue and White party, which garnered 35 seats. Neither was nearly enough for a majority. But Netanyahus allies on Israels political right also won significant numbers of seats, so he appeared to have enough support to form a coalition government and keep his job as prime minister. That proved a massive miscalculation. The prime minister was unable to get the 61 seats he needed, and now the April vote will become the first in the countrys history not to produce a government. In the meantime, Netanyahu who has been prime minister for a decade and dominated the Israeli political scene for nearly a generation will remain in his post, presiding over an interim government as Israelis confront a long summer of electioneering. A hoarse and bleary-eyed Netanyahu was quick to cast blame elsewhere over what many fear will be a divisive and expensive election do-over. I didnt spare any effort to avoid unnecessary elections, he told reporters in an angry post-vote, post-midnight news conference. Gantz, the Blue and White leader, said Netanyahu had acted for his own self-preservation rather than the good of the country, calling the prime minister legally incapacitated by the impending charges. In failing to secure coalition commitments, Netanyahu was hampered by growing public doubts as he reversed an oft-repeated campaign promise not to seek personal legal immunity on corruption charges. The prime minister stands accused of improperly accepting expensive gifts, ordering government action aimed at hurting one newspaper in exchange for favorable coverage from another, and helping a telecommunications company get regulatory concessions. He has denied any wrongdoing and denounced investigations as a witch hunt. With charges looming, he appears set to become the first Israeli prime minister to be indicted while in office even as he remains on track in July to surpass David Ben Gurion, Israels founding father, as the countrys longest-serving prime minister. As the deadline to form a government approached, Netanyahu sought to put together a narrow, extreme right-wing coalition that stretched the boundaries of Likud, traditionally a center-right party. Considered by many critics to be a classic political opportunist, Netanyahu was undone by a onetime ally, Avigdor Lieberman, a former aide who leads a small parliamentary faction, Yisrael Beitenu. It has only five Knesset seats, but the prime minister needed them to clinch a majority. He and Netanyahu could not come to terms over Liebermans demand to subject ultra-Orthodox religious men to the military draft, which is compulsory for most other citizens. Since no one in the opposition wanted to go along with Netanyahus self-immunity plan, Liebermans refusal to back him doomed his efforts. The upheaval boded ill for the Trump administrations much-heralded peace effort. Kushner, a senior White House aide, arrived in Israel only hours before the Knesset dissolved itself, accompanied by special envoy Jason Greenblatt. Though Israels conflict with the Palestinians is seen by most of the outside world as the defining challenge confronting the nation, domestic politics tend to revolve around a different set of concerns. One important example is the draft bill to conscript ultra-Orthodox Jews into the military, over which Netanyahu and Lieberman clashed. Ultra-Orthodox Jews have had their military service exemption since the early days of statehood. But ultra-Orthodox Jews now account for about 10% of the population, and many Israelis feel that their traditionally large and often poor families are a heavy social burden. Meanwhile, Netanyahus wife, Sara, made a plea deal with prosecutors who accused her of using public funds to pay private chefs to feed the first family while state-funded chefs were on standby. As part of the deal, she pleaded guilty to a criminal offense and agreed to reimburse about $15,000 of the $100,000 she was accused of fraudulently charging the state. In 70 years of Israeli parliamentary democracy we have not had a situation such as this, Einat Wilf, a former member of the Knesset for the Labor Party, said in an interview with the online publication Jewish Insider. In the Israeli system, the prime minister is not the person who has the most votes, but the person who has the most friends and this time around, Netanyahu did not have enough parties which were willing to come together and overcome their differences to forge a coalition supporting his prime ministership. Special correspondent Tarnopolsky reported from Jerusalem and Times staff writer King from Washington. Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro has proposed bringing forward next year's election for the opposition-controlled National Assembly. National Assembly President Juan Guaido dismissed the proposal as "a farce". The two men have been at loggerheads since January when Mr Guaido declared himself interim president, arguing Mr Maduro's re-election was fraudulent. Talks between the two sides via international mediators are under way in the Norwegian capital, Oslo. Full Article Editors Note: This article is a sponsored advert and all the claims expressed therein are those of the client and not verified by us. We advise that you confirm directly with the sellers before you transact. The world is fast changing technologically, but we are all making sure to adapt. As new technology keeps popping up, people are fast making efforts to match the pace of technological advancements. This explains the sudden popularity of cryptocurrency. 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[Sponsored] Source: Legit.ng - Controversial media personality Daddy Freeze recently shared a post in which he was mocking Nigerian blogger, Blessing Okoro - Freeze shared a photo of his mansion and cards and used the same narrative Okoro used in claiming a house which belonged to someone else - Since claiming a seven bedroom mansion as hers and getting caught, Blessing has become subject of ridicule on social media Yet another celebrity has mocked Nigerian blogger, Blessing Okoro, who claimed a seven bedroom mansion belonging to one Onye Eze as hers. Nigerian controversial media personality, Daddy Freeze, shared a recent post where he appeared to be ridiculing Blessing. Earlier, Legit.ng shared how Nigerian comedian, Etinosa, mocked Okoro by visiting the house to take photos and advicing that anyone in Enugu should find the house and do the same. Just recently, Freeze, released his own version of mockery and he seemed to be enjoying every moment of him subtly ridiculing Blessing. Without mentioning her name, he shared a post where he posed in front of his house and cars and shared the same narrative as Okoro when she posted a photo of the acclaimed seven bedroom mansion on social media. READ ALSO: Faces of Nollywood actors who graced Regina Daniels' induction into womanhood Read his post below: Did you know? NAIJ.com (naija.ng) is now-> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better. Meanwhile, just recently, Daddy Freeze, took popular comedian Akpororo to the gutters and back. It all began when a video showing some guys issuing out free tickets for Akpororos comedy show in Okokomaiko. The commentator in the video alleged that there was a poor turn out at the show, which made the comedian reduce the price from N5000 to N2000 but no one was willing to attend. This made him give out the tickets free of charge but no one was still ready to attend. PAY ATTENTION: Get your daily relationship tips and advice on Africa Love Aid group PAY ATTENTION: Read best news on Nigeria's #1 news app Daddy Freeze on Nigerian Pastors and British Royals on Legit TV: Source: Legit.ng Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 29) Senator Grace Poe is ready to leave the majority bloc and join the opposition in case Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III is removed from leadership. She made this statement amid rumors some newly elected senators want Sotto replaced. "Sa tingin ko kapag pinalitan talaga nila si Senator Sotto, may banta talaga na may mga iba na hindi sasanib doon sa mayorya," Poe said in a chance interview on Wednesday. [Translation: I think if they will really replace Senator Sotto, there is a threat that other senators will join the minority.] When asked if she was among these senators, she said yes. "Kung lilipat si Senator Sotto sa minority, sasama na lang ako (If Senator Sotto will move to the minority, I will just join him)," she added. Senators have reaffirmed their support for Sotto amid talks of a possible leadership change. Sotto himself believes he has the support "of at least 15 or 16" senators, he said Tuesday. He would need 13 votes to stay as Senate President. The 17th Congress adjourns on June 7. It will reconvene as the 18th Congress on July 22, when the election of new leaders could happen. Battle for committee chairmanships Poe hopes the newly elected senators will respect the Senate leadership and their colleagues' incumbent chairmanship of congressional committees. She confirmed a senator-elect is eyeing her post as chairperson of the Public Services Committee, but refused to disclose who the person was. "Yun nga ang sinabi, yung kung sino ang mga naunameron naman silang equity of the incumbentsana respetuhin nila (That's what we're saying, those who were elected first, they have equity of the incumbent and should be respected)," Poe said. She also stressed the importance of making sure that the Committee on Public Services is in good hands. The committee handles all matters affecting services and utilities, communications, as well as land, air, river and sea transportation. It is also in charge of granting or amending legislative franchises. "Ang Public Services ay maselan na komite sapagkat kung hindi mo gagamitin ang kapangyarihan mo sa maayos na paraan, puwedeng magkaroon ng korapsiyon," Poe said. [Translation: The Public Services is a crucial committee because there could be corruption if the powers are misused.] In the 18th Congress, the committee is expected to tackle the renewal of the controversial franchise of television giant ABS-CBN which President Rodrigo Duterte opposes. It could also grant or reject the emergency powers requested by the President to solve Metro Manila traffic. Poe stressed she is not leaving her post unless Senator Richard Gordon agrees to trade it with the chairmanship of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, the body tasked to investigate cases involving public officials and government employees. Poe said she has talked to Gordon about it, but he has not made up his mind yet. Poe said she would be perfect for the blue ribbon committee, considering that she is an independent senator aligned with no political party. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Global Pillow Market is projected to grow at the CAGR of 4.3%. Growing demand for pillows with therapy and cooling features is driving the growth of pillow market. Increased application of pillows for decoration and availability of huge varieties of pillows are influencing the sales of pillows. Improved distribution network is playing the key role to boost pillow market growth in developing counties like India and China. Huge potential in Middle East and Africa region is attracting key players to enter in that particular market and pillow market in these region will witness significant growth in upcoming years. Polyester is a very popular pillow fill across globe as it is cheap and durable. Latex pillows are made from latex rubber collected from rubber trees grown on plantations in tropical countries. These pillows are gaining attraction from consumers as it have some wonderful properties that make them ideal for people who suffer from allergies, neck and back pain. Decorative pillows are found on furnishings parts of the home, such as sofas, chairs and window seats. Increasing demand of indoor furniture is boosting pillows which are used for decorative application. Get a Free Sample Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/2766 Major Key Players: This report includes a study of strategies such as mergers and acquisitions, product launches by the major pillow market players. It further includes product portfolios, developments of leading major players which includes Hunan Mendale Hometextile Co., Ltd (China) Luolai (China) Dohia Home Textile Co., Ltd (China) Hollander (U.S.), American Textile Company (U.S.) Wendre (Estonia) Romatex (South Africa) Regional Analysis: The Global Pillow market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and rest of the world (ROW). Asia Pacific has the major market share followed by Europe. Population in Asia Pacific region contributes around half of the worlds population which has created huge customer base for pillow market. Rising disposable income and living standard likely to lift sales of pillows in Asia Pacific region. Innovation by key players in pillow filling material and attractive designs and shapes of various pillows is gaining attention by consumers from Europe and North America region. Segments: Pillow market has been segmented on the basis of material which includes 100% Cotton, 100% Bamboo Fiber, 100% Silk, 100% Polyester and Others Pillow market has been segmented on the basis of filling material which includes memory foam, hollow fibre, latex, microfiber and others Pillow market has been segmented on the basis of shape which includes square, u-shape, rectangle, wave, round, convex and others Pillow market has been segmented on the basis of feature which includes therapy, cooling, anit-static, anti-bacteria and others Pillow market has been segmented on the basis of application which includes decorative, sleeping, bedding, travel, massage and others Access Report Details @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/pillow-market-2766 Intended Audience: Pillow manufacturers Cotton manufacturers Silk and Polyester manufacturers Latex and fiber manufacturers Agriculture Industry Retailers and wholesalers Traders, importers and exporters About Market Research Future: At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. Contact: Market Research Future +1 646 845 9312 Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Bethlehem hit the jackpot Wednesday when Pennsylvania gaming regulators approved the $1.4 billion sale of the Sands casino to an Alabama-based Indian tribe that plans to invest $190 million into the property immediately. After an almost three-hour meeting, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board voted unanimously to transfer ownership of the states top table games casino from Las Vegas Sands Corp. to PCI Gaming Authoritys Wind Creek Bethlehem and issue Wind Creek a gaming license. The board voted to impose a $3.75 million change of control fee on the transfer. The vote ushers in a new era of rebirth and redevelopment for the 125 acres of the former Bethlehem Steel plant. As Sands looked to unload its smallest holding in recent years, growth stagnated on what was once the countrys largest privately-held Brownfield. Two prior sales fell apart before making it this far. More than 10 years ago, when this very board granted the license to us and said go forward, we built a lot, we have a lot to be proud of , Sands Bethlehem President and CEO Brian Carr, who is staying on after the sale, said. But a lot of the promise of what this would mean for the 125 acres that is sitting there is about to be realized if we can get this deal done." For the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, its new 159,000-square-foot Bethlehem casino is one of its largest properties and it plans to turn it into more than just a casino to stay competitive in a tightening gaming market. We believe we are in the process of acquiring a great casino resort, Wind Creek Vice President of Business Development Arthur Mothershed told the gaming control board. What wed like to end up with is a great resort destination. Wind Creek promised to invest $190 million into the site immediately to create a new 276-room hotel tower, add 42,000 square feet of events space and start redeveloping the No. 2 Machine Shop into a third, 400-room hotel and indoor water and adventure park. We are committed to seeing the property and its team reach the potential thats available at that site," Wind Creek President and CEO Jay Dorris said. Wind Creek plans to close as early as Friday on the $1.3 billion loan and $100 million revolving line of credit, which Dorris said he does not expect to tap. The $190 million it plans to invest in the site is built into the loan, he explained. Expansion of the existing 282-room casino hotel and 27,000 square feet of meeting space should take about two years and Wind Creek is ready to start construction as soon as it has the approvals. The new operator estimates it will take $250 million to transform the cavernous building where naval ammunition was once made into a 300,000-square-foot adventure park, featuring about 105,000-square-feet of water park with the rest dedicated to ziplines, rock climbing and ropes courses. Wind Creek officials stopped short of guaranteeing a transformation of the crumbling No. 2 Machine Shop. It is ready to invest $100 million into the project but needs development partners to come up with an additional $150 million needed to bring the adventure park, third hotel and family-friendly food offerings to fruition. The new operators see diversifying the sites attractions and amenities as crucial to the propertys future survival if casinos come to New York City -- something that would be a major hit to the Sands Bethlehems robust busing program from the city. The Sands currently attracts about 9 million visitors annually, and the reuse of No. 2 Machine Shop is expected to attract another 1.4 million, Mothershed said. Wind Creek remains confident the property can support three hotels. Currently, the hotel turns away guests up to four nights a week and it missed out on bidding on $7 million of events last year because it did not have enough space, Mothershed said. The two hotel towers will serve Wind Creeks gaming clientele while the third hotel will support the adventure park. Tribe and Wind Creek officials fielded questions from board members and gaming control staff expressing concerns about competition and its inexperience with table games. The new operator emphasized how fiscally conservative it is -- this is only the second loan its taken out during its rapid expansion and diversification -- and how this allows it to have cash for growth and marketing when other companies are tied up making interest payments. Wind Creeks dedicated $15 million for rebranding in the first 90 days of ownership and will have plenty of money available for marketing if faced with gaming expansion in neighboring states, officials said. It is working on finalizing a deal with an interactive gaming provider and remains open to bidding on another category 4 casino license. Not all of Wednesdays hearing focused on the propertys future. The board wanted to know if Wind Creek would continue Sands Bethlehems tradition of being a strong community partner. At the Sands 2018 license renewal hearing, Carr said the casino had donated $3.2 million since opening in 2009 while growing a reputation for community involvement. Since 2013, the tribe has made more than $75 million in charitable contributions to its community, much of it to schools and its host communities, said Stephanie Bryan, tribal council chair. Most recently, it made headlines when it covered the funeral costs for 23 people killed in Alabama tornadoes. Wind Creek is pledging to continue and honor all of the Sands charitable commitments. The way for us to be successful is for the community to be successful and for people to want to live in the community, to visit the community, Dorris said. For the tribe, success has meant spending more than $200 million on payroll, employing more than 5,000 people directly and 7,600 indirectly. All of the roughly 2,500 Sands employees who wish to stay on after the sale will keep their jobs, Dorris pledged. The nine-person Sands Bethlehem management team, which built the property into Pennsylvanias king of table games, has signed three-year deals with Wind Creek. The new operator deflected concerns about its inexperience with table games and slot machines -- its Alabama properties offer electronic bingo machines similar to slots and no table games -- noting that the team that built Sands Bethlehem would be guiding them. It has 71 table games over its 9 properties. To operate in Pennsylvania, the 3,000-member tribe has waived its sovereign immunity and is subject to all state laws. The sale of one of Pennsylvanias most lucrative casinos is going to mean a massive cash infusion for local government coffers. The real estate transfer tax could net the Bethlehem Area School District and city each up to $6.5 million. The citys five-year capital plan includes $5.9 million from the casino transfer tax. Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @sarasatullo and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Miles Sanders has spent the majority of the Eagles first four OTA practices on the sideline, sans a helmet, out of action. The rookie was a full participant in rookie minicamp earlier in the month, but strangely disappared due to an unknown injury. Well, now the injury is known, and theres no reason to panic, at least according to ESPNs Adam Schefter. Per Schefter, Sanders missed OTAs at the start due to a strained hamstring but the injury is not considered serious and he could return as soon as the Eagles next practice on Wednesday. That practice is not open to the media, and none will be until Monday. Eagles rookie RB Miles Sanders has missed OTA time with a strained hamstring but the injury is not considered serious and he could return to action as early as today. Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 29, 2019 Sanders, a second-round pick out of Penn State, is expected to be an immediate contributor to the Eagles offense as one of their primary ball-carriers. Hell likely be part of a rotation early on with Jordan Howard, acquired in a trade with the Chicago Bears, and Corey Clement, the third-year vet who is currently recovering from a knee injury. Depending on how quickly Sanders adjusts to the NFL, it wouldnt be surprising if he eventually took over the lead back role from Howard. Heres what offensive coordinator Mike Groh said about Sanders before practice on Tuesday: I think his versatility, No. 1. We think hes really good between the tackles and has the ability to make somebody miss in the hole and obviously create more than what might have been there. And obviously his ability out in space, again, to make guys miss. We think hes a versatile player and that he has very good ball skills and can catch the ball out of the backfield. Were excited to add him to the team. Zack Rosenblatt may be reached at zrosenblatt@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ZackBlatt. Find NJ.com on Facebook. UPDATE: A tornado warning for northern Warren County expired at 9 p.m. Hundreds of power outages are being reported around Blairstown and Hope. County emergency reports indicate some trees and wires are down in Blairstown. Elsewhere, a confirmed tornado touched down in Berks County, less than 50 miles from Allentown. And in New Jersey, a possible tornado may have damaged a high school in the Sussex County borough of Stanhope, about 30 miles northeast of Phillipsburg. ORIGINAL POST: A tornado warning has been issued for the Stroudsburg area and northern Warren County until 9 p.m. Tuesday. Residents in that area are advised to immediately take shelter in the lowest levels of sturdy buildings, away from any windows. A warning means a tornado has been seen or is imminent. The National Weather Service issued the warning at 8:23 p.m. for areas including East Stroudsburg, Blairstown and Hope Township. Tornado Warning including Blairstown NJ, Hope NJ, Hainesburg NJ until 9:00 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/FAnP5SYZH9 NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) May 29, 2019 The alert said radar indicated rotation in a storm that is also capable of producing half-dollar-sized hail. If you are in a car and unable to get indoors, get down low in your vehicle and cover your head or find a low-lying area such as a ditch or ravine. Avoid seeking shelter under bridges, which offer little protection against flying debris. (LIST: Every tornado ever recorded in the Lehigh Valley -- and what to do when one strikes) The entire Lehigh Valley, along with most of Pennsylvania and western New Jersey, was placed under a tornado watch early Tuesday afternoon ahead of forecasted severe weather. The watch expires at 10 p.m. The latest confirmed tornado in our region was May 19 in Bucks County. In 2019, Pennsylvania has recorded at least 16 tornadoes already meeting the states average for an entire year. Severe thunderstorms continue tracking through the region. Please remain alert as warnings continue to be issued. As it safe to do so, we appreciate your storm reports. If you observe hail or wind damage, please let us know! #NJwx #PAwx #DEwx #MDwx NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) May 28, 2019 Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveNovakLVL and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. UPDATE: A tornado warning in the Lehigh Valleys southern reaches has expired. Power outages affecting a several hundred people are reported in southeastern Lehigh and upper Bucks counties as a strong storm moves eastward into Hunterdon County in New Jersey. Hail over an inch in diameter was reported around Emmaus, Trexlertown and Macungie, according to the National Weather Service. Hail reached up to two inches wide in Berks County, the weather service reports. ORIGINAL POST: A tornado warning was issued until 3:45 p.m. Wednesday for southeastern Lehigh County and northwestern Bucks County, and followed up with another one until 4:15 p.m. extending into Hunterdon County. Residents in that area are advised to immediately take shelter in the lowest levels of sturdy buildings, away from any windows. A warning means a tornado has been seen or is imminent. The National Weather Service issued the warning at 3:17 p.m. for areas including Coopersburg, Quakertown, Perkasie and Doylestown, then a second warning at 3:38 p.m. extending through New Hope and Lambertville. Tornado Warning including Quakertown PA, Perkasie PA, Plumsteadville PA until 3:45 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/yI33tcMIy6 NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) May 29, 2019 Tornado Warning including Lambertville NJ, Plumsteadville PA, New Hope PA until 4:15 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/BYZVChSGVW NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) May 29, 2019 The alert said radar indicated rotation in a storm that is also capable of producing hail two inches in diameter. If you are in a car and unable to get indoors, get down low in your vehicle and cover your head or find a low-lying area such as a ditch or ravine. Avoid seeking shelter under bridges, which offer little protection against flying debris. (LIST: Every tornado ever recorded in the Lehigh Valley -- and what to do when one strikes) A large swath of Pennsylvania and western New Jersey is under a tornado watch until 8 p.m. A watch means a tornado is possible, while a warning means one is imminent. The region also was under a watch Tuesday, when there were two confirmed tornadoes within 50 miles of our area. Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveNovakLVL and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. The trial of a former psychic charged with money laundering has heard a developer freaked straight away when he realised a man who he thought was to provide him with a bridging loan knew nothing about the project. Simon Gold (54) with an address of Augharan, Aughavas, Co. Leitrim, has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 22 charges including money laundering, theft, deception and control of false instruments on dates between January 1, 2010 and October 22, 2012. The trial has heard that Mr Gold accepted he had used the names Simon Gold, Simon Gould, Simon Magnier and Niall O'Donoghue. The trial has also heard Mr Gold acknowledged he is responsible for an Ulster Bank account in the name of Anglo Irish Global Ltd. On the eighth day of evidence before the jury, Frank Gleeson told Lorcan Staines SC, prosecuting, that he was a developer living outside Athy and that in 2008 he became involved in construction in Portugal. Mr Gleeson said he bought a site in Portugal and raised 1 million from a Portuguese bank to start building ten apartments, with the intention being to raise further funds by selling them and then building more apartments. He said he did not sell any and the bank started looking for repayments. He said he began to look for private financing and reached an agreement with Leicester Finance that they would provide 3 million in exchange for a 10% deposit. He said he did not have the 300,000 and began to search for further financing. Mr Gleeson said he had a conversation with Simon Gold, who he described as having a very middle class English accent, and Mr Gold said he could secure the funding for a bridging loan provided he pay a deposit of 30,000 up front. He said his wife transferred 10,000 from their savings account and his business partners transferred 20,000 as well to Belgravia Consultants UK Ltd. He said that once the money was transferred, Mr Gold told him he had to meet with a man named Jason Pienaar in London. He said it was his understanding at the time that Mr Pienaar was a high net worth individual who invested in projects. He said that Mr Gold told him that Mr Pienaar was married to the daughter of a multi-millionaire and that he had contact with a lot of cash funds. Mr Gleeson said he freaked straight away when he met Mr Pienaar, who he said knew nothing about the project and wanted him to make an offer on a huge house. He said he felt like it was a disaster and wanted to back out of it. He said he later got a phone call from Mr Pienaar telling him that the money was ready and that he needed to sign documents to authorise Mr Gold to transfer the 30,000 to him. He said he told Mr Pienaar he was not willing to do that. Mr Gleeson said he called Mr Gold and told him that under no circumstances should he transfer the money. He said Mr Gold told him that he had already made the transfer. He said he did some sleuthing after being told that Mr Gold's real name was Niall O'Donoghue and discovered an address of his at Wiggers Cross, Co Meath. He said he went to the house and spoke to a woman over an intercom who he told to inform Mr Gold of his presence. Mr Gleeson said he first received a phone call from a man purporting to be Mr Gold, but that he could tell it was not in fact him. He said he then received a phone call from Mr Gold who hung up after he refused to stop calling him Niall. He said the following day he received another phone call from Mr Gold who said he was going to pay him back 10,000 out of his own pocket. He said Mr Gold claimed that Mr Pienaar had run off with the money. Mr Gleeson said he never got the remaining 20,000 back. He said he never met Mr Gold in person, but that they had arranged to meet on several occasions and Mr Gold failed to show up. Dominic McGinn SC, defending, put it to Mr Gleeson that he had said in his statement to gardai that Mr Gold has a South Dublin accent. Mr Gleeson replied that he thought the Dublin 4 accent was very like a middle class English accent. The trial continues today (Wednesday) before Judge Nolan and a jury. Eason is delighted to announce Fionn OLeary as this years winner of the Eason Spelling Bee Connacht final which took place in Eason, Galway Shopping Centre. Fionn, who is a pupil at Gortletteragh NS, Co Leitrim, came out on top after stiff competition from his fellow spelling enthusiasts and will go on to compete in the Eason Spelling Bee All-Ireland final in The Helix, DCU, in June. Fionn is an avid reader and loves reading the Percy Jackson series. Now in its ninth year, the Eason Spelling Bee is the very definition of fun for school kids, encouraging them to read more, expand their vocabulary and fall in love with literacy. Brendan Corbett, Group Head of Marketing at Eason, said; Were now in the ninth year of the Eason Spelling Bee and were incredibly proud to see it going from strength to strength annually. Each year, the children involved continue to impress us with their level of spelling skill and its wonderful to see schools across the country continuing to support this competition. Along with the prestigious title of Eason Spelling Bee 2019 Champion, the winning speller will also take home a collection of books for their school library, worth 7,500 as well as a personal collection of books worth 500. This year, 900 schools around Ireland have taken part in the nationwide contest. Eason are partnering with Today FM for a fourth year and presenter Alison Curtis is the host of this years Provincial and All-Ireland Spelling Bee Finals. Keep up-to-date with all the 2019 Spelling Bee buzz on www.easons.com/spellingbee and @easons #EasonSpellingBee A pensioner who put a bomb on a bus bound for Dublin and made hoax bomb threats during Queen Elizabeths State visit to Ireland, has lost an appeal against his conviction which focused on Irish language rights. Lawyers for Donal Billings (67), whose trial at the non-jury Special Criminal Court was heard in both Irish and English, claimed their clients Irish language rights were destroyed during his trial. Billings, with an address at St Bridgets Court, Drumlish, Co Longford, was found guilty of possessing an explosive substance at Longford railway station car park on May 16th, 2011. He was found guilty of making false reports on May 16 and May 18, 2011, that bombs had been placed at Busaras and Sinn Fein's headquarters in Dublin and that two mortars were set for Dublin Castle. He was also found guilty of making a false report on May 20th that two bombs had been placed in the toilets at Cork airport. Queen Elizabeth was visiting Ireland at the time. Sentencing him to eight-and-a-half years imprisonment, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding, said Billings was "perfectly entitled to hold a low opinion" of Queen Elizabeth and her visit to Ireland but was "not entitled to express such an opinion by engaging in criminality". In a judgement made available in both Irish and English yesterday, Tuesday, May 28, President of the Court of Appeal Mr Justice George Birmingham said the appeal was based on two issues, namely sufficiency of evidence and Irish language rights. He said the Court of Appeal had not been persuaded that the evidence against Billings was insufficient to ground a conviction on any count. Secondly, he said the court had not been persuaded that Mr Billings Irish language rights were disrespected to the extent that his conviction should be quashed. Counsel for Billings, Martin Giblin SC, had argued that his clients Irish language rights were decimated and destroyed during the trial process. Advancing his arguments in Irish, which were translated into English for the court, Mr Giblin said Billings wanted to be tried by three judges who had an ability in Irish as far back as 2011. He said the State, including the Special Criminal Court and the DPP, had a duty to show respect to the Constitution and to personal constitutional rights. He said constitutional rights couldnt be denied by questions of procedure. He said the defence applied for a transcript of proceedings that recorded everything that was said in both Irish and English during the trial. A transcript was provided in the English language only, even though it was within the States abilities to provide one in Irish also, counsel submitted. Mr Giblin further submitted that the Explosive Substances Act 1883, under which Mr Billings was convicted, had never been translated into Irish. Mr Justice Birmingham said the Explosives Substance Act was passed by the Westminster Parliament. The fact it had not been translated into Irish was not the result of inertia but a conscious decision had clearly been made not to translate pre-1922 statutes. He said Billings had no right to any transcript during the trial, be it in English or Irish or any other language. Ordinarily, no transcript is made available during the majority of trials conducted in Ireland. Exceptionally, he said, an overnight transcript is prepared during trials in the Central Criminal Court and the Special Criminal Court but there was no entitlement to be provided with such a transcript, it was made available to the parties as a concession. He said there was no evidence of any disadvantage having been experienced by Billings and the fact a transcript was made available in the English language only did not render his trial unfair or unsatisfactory. Mr Justice Birmingham said the arrangements put in place by the Special Criminal Court were reasonable in the circumstances. Everything that happened in English was translated into Irish and everything said in Irish was interpreted into English for everybodys benefit, with two court-appointed interpreters alternating at hourly intervals for that purpose. He said the DPP may carry out its functions in the official language of its own choice and was not compelled to adopt the preferred official language of the accused person. He said it was open to the DPP to run a prosecution in Irish if it wishes and perhaps there were cases where it may be appropriate to do so, for example in a Gaeltacht area. Mr Justice Birmingham, who sat with Ms Justice Marie Baker and Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, dismissed the appeal. GARDAI have renewed their appeal for information following the discovery of an explosive device in a package which was returned to the An Post sorting depot in Limerick earlier this year. The alarm was raised shortly after 6am on March 22 when the plastic envelope was discovered by a worker at the National Mail Returns Centre on the Dock Road. The device did not go off and nobody was injured. The package which was posted at the beginning of March to an address at Charing Cross, The Strand, London, has been formally linked to four others which were posted to tranport hubs in London and Glasgow. All five packages were posted from Ireland and the New IRA has claimed responsibility. Workers at the An Post depot in Limerick were evacuated from the premises as a precaution and the device was made safe by an Army EOD team which attended the depot. In a statement, issued this Wednesday morning, gardai confirmed they are jointly investigating the posting of the devices, in conjunction with the Metropolitan Police Service Counter Terrorism Command, Police Scotland, and the Police Service of Northern Ireland. This extremely dangerous and reckless act endangered the lives of innocent persons and could have caused serious harm to anyone handling these devices, said a spokesperson. Gardai investigating the posting of five parcel IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) in March 2019 are appealing for information. Of the 5 parcels posted in Ireland, 4 were delivered in the UK. For further details see - https://t.co/CK34EU0em1 pic.twitter.com/oRaguO3nD2 Garda Info (@gardainfo) May 29, 2019 An Garda Siochana thanks the public and in particular postal workers who have provided information to date which has been of benefit to the investigation. Further to these ongoing enquiries, it is still possible that members of the public may have information that could help us with our joint investigation and An Garda Siochana want to identify any person, postal workers or other persons, in Ireland who may remember collecting/ seeing the parcels around 1st March 2019 from postal delivery locations within Ireland, added the statement. While forensic evidence has been recovered, gardai say investigators are keen to eliminate any person who may have innocently come in to contact with the parcels. Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police have also issued a fresh appeal for information. Our enquiries continue, but clearly a key element of the investigation now is the link between the devices previously sent in 2014, and the five sent earlier this year. As with any investigation, we will be led by the evidence, but at this stage, our principal line of enquiry is that the devices were sent by a violent dissident republican group, said Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dean Haydon. Police are appealing for anyone who may have information about the origins of devices sent through post - or postal workers and others who may have handled them - to come forward and help them with their enquiries https://t.co/QmT2pfTYIU pic.twitter.com/dRvfJPTdSl Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) May 29, 2019 If any member of the public has any information that they think might assist the investigation they are asked to contact the Garda Siochana Confidential Number 1800 666 111, or the Crimestoppers Number 1800 25 00 25. GARDAI are advising people who are waiting for late-night buses in Limerick city centre to be mindful of their safety following a nasty incident at the weekend. They are appealing for information following what has been described as a vicious attack. A young woman was assaulted and robbed while waiting at Arthurs Quay in the early hours of last Friday morning. According to gardai, the 19 year-old was suddenly and viciously attacked by four women and a man at around 2.30am. The victims mobile phone was taken and anyone who witnessed what happened is asked to come forward. There is no detailed description of the culprits There were many people around this area last Friday morning at approximately 2.30am. Some were also waiting for buses while others were late night revelers. If you were one of these and seen this attack, then we would like to hear from you, said Garda John Finnerty. Gardai at Henry Street can be contacted at (061) 212400. A BREAST cancer survivor from Dooradoyle is to take on the Irish Cancer Societys Colour Dash this June to mark six years since she received her diagnosis, writes Jess Casey. Jackie Kennedy, from Dooradoyle, is getting ready to take on the 5km colour dash at the University of Limerick on June 15 to help give back to the service that helped her. As dashers run, jog and walk the colour dash course, they are doused from head to toe in a different colour of powder paint at each kilometre, representing a different type of cancer and cancer survivorship. Its four years since I got the all clear, Jackie said. It was a hard road, but with the love and care I got from doctors, nurses, family and friends I got there. Jackie was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in 2014, when she was 40. It was a difficult experience, but one made a little bit easier by the Irish Cancer Societys free services which are funded by Colour Dash, she added. Then there was the Irish Cancer Society - they were such a great help to me. I had counselling funded by the Society to help me cope. I had no car so the Societys Volunteer Driver Service was a lifesaver. The driver would pick me up, drop me to the hospital for chemotherapy, and bring me home again. These volunteers would have to wait around all day if necessary to get a call to bring me home, and they were so kind and caring. The Irish Cancer Society relies almost entirely on public donations to fund these free services, she added. Jackie will be joined by her friend Fiona Quinn on the colour dash and she is encouraging others to get involved to help ensure other people have access to free support services to help them through their cancer diagnosis. Supermarket chain Aldi has also announced that it is extending its sponsorship of Colour Dash until 2020, and local Limerick staff in Limerick are also looking forward to participating in the fun filled event. Those who would like to take part in the dash can sign up now at cancer.ie/colourdash. Spaces for Colour Dash are limited and expected to sell out again this year. Registration is 30 per person, and 5 for children under 12. For more information on the Irish Cancer Society and the services the organisation offers, see www.cancer.ie. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Market Synopsis: According to Market Research Future (MRFR)s assessment report offered, the Global Lithium Hydroxide Market is expected to grow steadily but constantly over the forecast period 2017 to 2023. The growth of the battery market is likely to augment the demand for lithium in the upcoming years. Lithium Hydroxide is excessively used in the battery industry to support the production & sales of consumer electronics as well as automobiles. The growth of the end-user industries is expected to drive the expansion of the market over the next few years. Rapid industrialization is poised to unleash growth opportunities for the players of the Lithium Hydroxide Market. The growing demand for Industrial Lubricant is anticipated to revolutionize the growth trajectory of the market in the years to come. Get Free Sample @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/988 The rising inclination towards electric cars is likely to multiply the consumption of Lithium Hydroxide over the assessment period. Additionally, the increasing solar PV installations have also intensified expansion of the battery market. It is expected to catapult the Lithium Hydroxide Market on an upward trajectory. On the flip side, price volatility of raw materials is poised to restrict the growth of the global market over the next few years. Market Segmentation: On the Basis of the Application, the Global Lithium Hydroxide Market has been into batteries, ceramic glass, lubricant grease, and air-conditioning segments. On the Basis of End-Use, the Lithium Hydroxide Market has been segmented into automotive, electrical & electronics, marine, aerospace, and others. Regional Analysis: The Global Lithium Hydroxide Market, by region, has been segmented into Asia Pacific (APAC), North America, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific is expected to retain its command over the maximum share of the market in the upcoming years. The exponential growth of the battery industry is poised to dictate the acceleration in revenue creation across the review period. Major country-level markets that are expected to flourish in the region are China, Japan, South Korea, and India. Have Any Query? Ask Our Expert @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/988 The report indicates that North America is anticipated to proliferate significantly over the assessment period. Investments are likely to flow towards the market in the upcoming years. In addition, the substantial increase in demand for lithium-ion batteries is prognosticated to boost the future trajectory of the Lithium Hydroxide Market in the region. Europe is forecasted to thrive significantly owing to the supportive laws and regulations. The enforcement supporting the adoption of light-weight components in the end-user industries are expected to propel the expansion of the Lithium Hydroxide Market in the region. Industry News: In February 2019, Albemarle Lithium, an industry leader in lithium and lithium derivatives, has awarded a contract to engineering company Civmec for the development of lithium hydroxide plant Kemerton Strategic Industrial Area, Australia. The construction cost will be around USD 1.3 Bn. In February 2019, Quebec-focused Nemaska Lithium has ratified its multi-year lithium supply deal with a producer Livent. In December 2018, Kidman Resources, Melbourne, Australia, has announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the supply of lithium hydroxide to South Koreas LG Chem from the Mt Holland lithium project in Western Australia. In October 2018, Canada-based Critical Elements Corporation, has announced the successful conversion of spodumene concentrate from the Rose Project into battery grade lithium hydroxide at the Outotec Research Center using a thermal leaching process. In September 2018, Ganfeng Lithium, Chinas No.1 producer of lithium, has announced the signing of a deal with Tesla, which is an American automotive and Energy Company, for the supply of 20 percent of its total production. In February 2018, Nemaska Lithium Inc., a lithium hydroxide supplier and lithium carbonate supplier, has sent lithium hydroxide monohydrate samples to potential customers as a part of its marketing strategy. Competitive Dashboard: The major players operating in the Global Lithium Hydroxide Market are SQM (Chile), Albemarle Corporation (U.S.), FMC Lithium (U.S.), Jiangxi Ganfeng Lithium Co., Ltd. (China), Tianqi Lithium Corporation (China), LITHIUM AMERICAS (Canada.), Nemaska Lithium (Canada), MGX Minerals Inc (Canada), Galaxy Resources Limited (Australia), and Wealth Minerals Ltd (Canada). About Market Research Future: At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by Components, Application, Logistics and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions. Contact: Market Research Future +1 646 845 9312 Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com FOUR members of the same family who sustained minor injuries in a road crash five years ago have been awarded damages totalling 13,000. Six of the seven occupants of a car which was struck by another car at Dooradoyle Link Road on December 1, 2013 had sued the driver of the other car as well as the rental company which owned it. During a contested hearing, Judge Sean O Donnabhain was told none of the plaintiffs had sustained serious injuries. One of them told the court she suffered from pain to her neck, back and arms for some time afterwards. She said she had to take Paracetamol and had difficulties completing work around the house such as picking up after the kids. Being cross-examined by Martin Fitzgerald BL, defending, she accepted she was involved in a previous accident in 2010 but insisted her injuries had resolved themselves. She confirmed she had claimed as a result of the first accident and agreed a 5,000 settlement in April 2014. Limerick Circuit Court was told a young boy, who was aged two and-a-half at the time, was emotionally upset after the collision and was bed-wetting. He has since been diagnosed with ADHD. Another boy, aged seven, sustained mild whiplash after he was propelled forward following the impact while an 11-year-old boy attended his GP having sustained minor injuries to his shoulder and lower back. The two remaining legal actions were struck out as the plaintiffs did not attend court. GARDAI have arrested a man in connection with a burglary of a home in Limerick city this Tuesday. Gardai at Henry Street received a report that tools and a mountain bike were stolen from a shed from the rear of a home in Galtee Avenue, Old Cratloe Road after 10am. Gardai on patrol stopped a man in the Moyross area and he was arrested. The property that was stolen was also recovered. He was brought to Henry Street Garda Station where he is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984. Speaking at Henry Street garda station today, crime prevention officer Sergeant Ber Leetch said: This was a good arrest and great to see the person getting their property back. However, they are one of the lucky ones. We seize stolen goods on a regular basis and find it hard to reunite them with the owner. For the likes of the tools and bike stolen in this incident, try putting some type of identity mark like your eircode on them by way of stamping, etching or stencilling. Then take a photo of the property with the number showing and email it back to yourself so you have it forever. A LONDON-based Limerick film director has set up a crowdfund campaign to help finance his third major short film this summer. Dave Slade, originally from Corbally, and Gemma Addy are looking to raise upwards of 4,500 via Indiegogo for their third project, Sean Bakes A Cake and Loses His Sh*t, a comedy-drama about a man who risks missing his sons birthday while baking a cake. Pairing up in 2015, the writing and directing duo set out to make their first film together, Kerry. Since then, they have made a further film and an installation, constantly pushing themselves to find new stories and innovative ways of portraying those stories to a wider audience. In 2016, Kerry was officially selected for the London Short Film Festival, The Irish Film Festival London, The East End Film Festival, the Miami Short Cinefest and was runner up for Shooting People's Film of the Month. In October 2016, Dave and Gemma completed their second narrative short, Jon, starring Paul Reid. JON was officially selected for 12film festivals in the UK, Ireland, and US. In 2017, Gemma and Dave created a video art installation, The Landscape of Loss, which premiered at the Sailors Home in Limerick City in November. As Wednesday evening, the duo have raised close to 1,000. The funds will go towards purchasing props and materials, cast and crew, location fees, lighting and camera equipment, post-production, music and sound, insurance, festival fees and Indiegogo fees. To see their Indiegogo crowdfund page, click here. Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo and 393 other passengers, escaped a plane crash in Lagos. According to reports, the former president was among the passengers onboard an Ethiopian Airlines plane that found it difficult to land at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. The Ethiopian Airlines aircraft, ET-901, had departed the Bole International Airport, Addis Ababa, at 9:10am, Ethiopian time (7am Nigerian time). Five hours after flying, the plane attempted to make a landing at the Lagos Airport but failed. The rain and heavy wind obstructed the pilots vision. On realising that landing might be difficult, the pilot who is said to have many years experience, quickly manouvered the plane back on air, flying out of the Lagos airport. After hovering around between Lagos and areas suspected to be in Ogun, causing panic among passengers and crew members, the plane landed in Lagos airport, some 20 minutes after the initial false landing. The former president had gone to Ethiopia for a Stakeholders Dialogue on Continental Trade and Strengthening Implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) in Ethiopia which ended yesterday Tuesday, May 28th. Many passengers came out of the plane thanking God for sparing their lives. In this Holy Month of Ramadan and in the spirit of giving, Nigerias premium malt drink, Malta Guinness is celebrating with Muslim faithfuls around the country, more so the cities of Abuja, Kano, Kaduna and Bauchi. During this season of fasting, Malta Guinness will visit mosques in these cities to share the goodness and vitality of the non-Alcoholic Malt Drink with Muslim faithfuls. The first of these visits held at the National Mosque, Shehu Shagari Mosque and Kubwa village central Mosque on the 22nd, 23rd, and 24th of May respectively. Here, the Malta Guinness team joined Muslims in breaking the days fast, praying with faithfuls and donating a number of ablution kettles to the Mosques. Assistant Brand Manager for Malta Guinness, Ife Odedere said: By celebrating Ramadan with Muslim faithfuls across the country, Malta Guinness is reaffirming its position as the non-alcoholic malt-brand that fuels the greatness of Nigerians everywhere, no matter where they are or what they do. These visits provide a platform to showcase the energy-giving attributes of Malta Guinness, which revitalizes the bodies of Muslim faithfuls as they break their fast, he added. In addition to these mosque visits, Malta Guinness also supports a number of already existing TV and Radio Ramadan programs that educate and inform Muslims on best practices during the holy month. Over the next few days, Malta Guinness will visit other mosques in Kaduna, Kano and Bauchi to spread the message of greater giving this season of Ramadan. For more details about Malta Guinness follow the social media pages on Instagram @maltaguinnessng and twitter @maltaguinnessng, Facebook: www.facebook.com/maltaguinness See Photos from the visit A man whose wife disappeared while they honeymooned at sea has been sentenced by a federal judge to eight years in prison for involuntary manslaughter. Lewis Bennett, 42, apologized to the family of Isabella Hellman during a Tuesday hearing before U.S. District Judge Federico Moreno in Miami. He waived his right to appeal. Defense attorneys sought a 7-year sentence, a year lower than the maximum number spelled out in a plea agreement reached last November. Bennett was originally charged with murder, with investigators alleging he intentionally tried to sink the boat, but later dropped the charges. "It's not because I expect that he will commit this crime again," Judge Moreno said. "Sentencing is for punishment." Before Moreno announced his decision, Bennett, a dual citizen of Australia and the United Kingdom, asked the judge that he let him get out of prison sooner so he could continue to raise the couple's daughter, who was an infant when the mother vanished. Emelia Bennett turns 3 in July and is being raised by his parents in Scotland. "If you may permit me to be with my daughter as soon as possible," Bennett said. "I want to bring her up in a manner that is respectful to my wife's wishes." But Moreno sided with prosecutors and chose eight years in prison as the sentence and three years on supervised release. Hellman disappeared as the couple sailed off the Bahamas in May 2017. A statement from the U.S. Attorney's office says Bennett had experience sailing, including training on emergency procedures and had previously traveled from St. Marteen to Australia. His wife, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Cuba, had not trained in emergency sailing procedures and had less experience, prosecutors said. The couple had been married for three months when they set sail to St. Marteen, Puerto Rico and Cuba for a delayed honeymoon in late April. After they left Cuba on May 14, Bennett asked Hellman take over control of the boat for the night so he could go rest in the boat's cabin, according to court documents. He didn't require her to wear a life jacket, harness or personal locator, prosecutors said in the statement. He said he woke up when the craft hit something, and Hellman was missing. Assistant U.S. attorney Kurt Lunkenheimer said on Tuesday that Bennett "did not search for her diligently enough despite him being an experienced sailor." Americas removal of India from the list of countries under its watch for currency manipulation has been a relief. Three conditions get a country onto that list. One, a trade surplus of more than $20 billion; two, a current account surplus of more than 2% of gross domestic product (GDP); and three, purchases of foreign currency totalling at least 2% of GDP in a year. India was flagged only on one count: Its trade surplus with the US. On the other two, India has received a clean chit. India shouldnt have been on the watch list in the first place, given its stated policy of letting demand and supply determine the rupees level, unlike nations like China that peg their currency cheaply to the dollar as a way to cheapen exports and gain a trade advantage. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made it clear that it intervenes in the currency market only to contain excessive volatility. Also, a currency peg means that capital flows in and out of India have to be kept under control, without which RBI could lose its leash on inflation. That would be against our interests. In the context of the US glaring at India on trade issues, the let-off is especially welcome. Its one less thing to worry about. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics Doggerland once covered a vast swath of land between what is now the east coast of England and the European mainland. Deep beneath the North Sea, scientists have discovered a fossilized forest that could hold traces of prehistoric early humans who lived there around 10,000 years ago, before the land slipped beneath the waves a few thousand years later. The discovery gives the researchers new hope in their search for "lost" Middle Stone Age or Mesolithic settlements of hunter-gatherers, because the find shows that they have found a particular type of exposed ancient landscape. The scientists took sediment samples from the submerged fossilized forest during their 11-day voyage in the North Sea aboard the research ship RV Belgica, in the Doggerland region known as Brown Bank or Brown Ridge. The scientists say they are certain they are close to finding traces of a prehistoric human settlement in the submerged lands. [See Images of a Treasure Trove Found Beneath North Sea] "We are absolutely dead sure that we are very close to a settlement," said archaeologist Vincent Gaffney of Bradford University in the U.K., one of the project leaders. "The numbers of artifacts historically from that region tell us there is something there." "We have now identified the areas where the Mesolithic land surface is close to the surface [of the seafloor]," he said. "So we can use the dredges or grabs to get larger samples of whatever that surface is." The scientists now plan to revisit the Brown Bank area on a Dutch research ship in the fall, with heavier dredging equipment that will let them take more samples from the submerged fossilized forest, Gaffney said. Although the voyage was often plagued by bad weather, the scientists were able to take samples from a submerged Mesolithic landscape, including a fossilized forest. (Image credit: Image copyright Dr. Simon Fitch - Europe's Lost Frontiers Project (University of Bradford)) Beneath the waves Doggerland once covered thousands of square miles between what is now the east coast of England and the European mainland. It is named after the nearby Dogger Bank, a shallow region frequented in the Middle Ages by Dutch fishing boats called doggers. The region was exposed as the northern icecap receded at the end of the last Ice Age, about 12,000 years ago, and became a vast, forested plain, populated by herds of animals and communities of early human hunter-gatherers. But the land became submerged as sea levels continued to rise; Doggerland slipped beneath the North Sea about 8,000 years ago leaving Britain as a group of islands off of the coast of Europe. Over the years, the so-called Brown Bank area between England and the Netherlands has given up numerous archaeological finds to fishing boats and dredges, including ancient human bones, flint tools, spear points and even carved-bone artworks. An area as large as Doggerland would have contained many different human hunter-gatherer groups, totaling thousands of people, Gaffney told Live Science. The exposed underwater landscape of Brown Bank is the best opportunity for finding any of them, he said. Thousands of sediment cores were taken from North Sea in the past for different reasons, including offshore wind farms, Gaffney said, but the latest expedition was "a chance to prioritize the finding of human settlements in the center of the North Sea." Searching for the Stone Age During the latest expedition, the researchers used specialized dredges to grab samples from Brown Bank, but the hard petrified wood of the submerged, fossilized forest made that difficult, and heavier dredges will be used the next time that the researchers explore the area by ship. [30 of the World's Most Valuable Treasures That Are Still Missing] Some samples had also shown layers of compressed peat just below the seafloor, which indicated former wetlands that may have provided nearly perfect conditions for early human habitation. "The optimum areas are wetlands, where there [area]water, birds, fish and shellfish," Gaffney said. The sediment samples from the latest expedition are now being studied; the analysis will take several months, he said. Data from the expedition will also be used to further update archaeological maps of submerged Doggerland, which have been prepared from seismic surveys and sediment samples over several years, Gaffney said. The existing maps of Doggerland show the now-submerged locations of what once were coastlines, rivers, lakes and wetlands even a giant saltmarsh. "I is a massive landscape underneath the sea,"the researchers said, But the maps also show that parts of the submerged lands are completely covered by relatively modern sediments, dumped by some of the largest rivers in Europe, such as the Rhine and the Meuse, Gaffney said. Areas like Brown Bank were especially important to archaeologists, because the Stone Age landscape there was exposed, or within a few inches of the surface of the seafloor. The researchers now hope that their future expeditions to Brown Bank yield decisive signs of human settlement there such as ancient human bones or even human-made artifacts. "We are very close to finding this settlement," Gaffney said. "It is there, we know it is we need just that little bit of luck and good weather to get there." The team plan to revisit the area aboard a Dutch research ship in the fall, with heavier dredging equipment that will facilitate taking more samples from the submerged landscape, Gaffney said. Original article on Live Science. This is the first sighting of a wild albino panda on record. Pandas are known for their furry black-and-white markings, so wildlife experts were stunned to see an all-white panda with red eyes tramping through a bamboo forest in China last month. This wild giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is the first known albino of its kind. "Judging from pictures, the panda is an albino, 1 to 2 years old," Li Sheng, an assistant professor in conservation biology at Peking University who specializes in bears, told China Central Television (CCTV), a Chinese news outlet. [The Pink and White Album: Amazing Albino Animals] Researchers snapped a photo of the rare bear using an infrared camera (a device that makes images that show differences in heat) in the Wolong National Nature Reserve, located in China's Sichuan province. The photo was taken on April 20, but wildlife officials announced the finding on May 25. At the time of the impromptu photo shoot, the albino panda was wandering in a bamboo forest about 6,500 feet (2,000 meters) above sea level. It's one of the nearly 1,900 pandas that live in the wild. Another 300 pandas live in captivity in zoos and breeding centers, according to the Smithsonian National Zoo. A 2017 study found that pandas likely sport their iconic black-and-white coloring because it helps them hide in the snow and the shadows. The large, dark circles around pandas' eyes may also help the bears recognize one another, the researchers of that study found. Little is known about this newly identified, ghostlike panda. Albinism is a condition in which individuals do not have skin, eye or hair pigmentation. In people, albinism can increase the risk of vision problems and skin cancers. In the wild, the recessive disorder, and varying degrees of it, can make it harder for animals to hide from predators. Luckily, the albino panda didn't seem to have gotten that memo. "The panda looked strong, and his steps were steady, a sign that the genetic mutation may not have quite impeded its life," Li told CCTV. Other albino animals seen in recent years include an inbred gorilla, a 3-year-old Risso's dolphin off the coast of California and a zebra at a sanctuary in Hawaii. Originally published on Live Science. In 2014 and 2015, pilots with the U.S. Navy reported multiple UFO sightings during training maneuvers. Between 2014 and 2015, seasoned pilots in the U.S. Navy experienced a number of harrowing encounters with UFOs during training missions in the U.S. While pilots were mid-flight, their aircraft cameras and radar detected seemingly impossible objects flying at hypersonic speeds at altitudes up to 30,00 feet (9,144 meters); these mysterious UFOs did so with no visible means of propulsion, The New York Times reported on May 26. However, none of the pilots suggest that these perplexing UFOs represent an extraterrestrial invasion, according to The Times, which previously wrote about Navy pilots encountering UFOs in 2004. In total, six pilots who were stationed on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt between 2014 and 2015 told The Times about spotting UFOs during flights along the southeastern coast of the U.S., extending from Virginia to Florida. [7 Things Most Often Mistaken for UFOs] Two of the pilots who spoke with the newspaper about the inexplicable sightings share their stories in the new History Channel documentary series "Unidentified: Inside America's UFO Investigation," premiering May 31. Video of two aerial encounters appears in the series, showing clips of UFOs: one tiny white speck and one large, dark blob. These UFOs later came to be known respectively as "Go Fast" and "Gimbal." The objects had "no distinct wing, no distinct tail, no distinct exhaust plume," Lt. Danny Accoin, one of the Navy pilots who reported UFO sightings beginning in 2014, said in the documentary. "It seemed like they were aware of our presence, because they would actively move around us," Lt. Accoin said. According to the lieutenant, when a strange reading shows up on radar for the first time, it's possible to interpret it as a false alarm, "but then when you start to get multiple sensors reading the exact same thing, and then you get to see a display, that solidifies it for me." Accoin told The Times that he encountered UFOs twice, during flights that were a few days apart. He also said that though tracking equipment, radar and infrared cameras on his aircraft detected UFOs both times, he was unable to capture them on his helmet camera. Lt. Ryan Graves, an F-18 pilot, said in the documentary that a squadron of UFOs followed his Navy strike group up and down the eastern coast of the U.S. for months. And in March, 2015, after the Roosevelt was deployed to the Arabian Gulf, Graves said the UFOs reappeared. "We did have issues with them when we went out to the Middle East," Lt. Graves said. Pilots who spotted the UFOs speculated among themselves that the unnerving objects may have belonged to a highly classified drone program using unknown technology, and they did not consider them to be extraterrestrial in origin, The Times reported. Lt. Graves and others are speaking out now because what they saw raised concerns for them about their comrades and national security, Christopher Mellon, a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, told the History Channel. In 2015, following this spate of UFO sightings, the U.S. Navy issued official guidelines for personnel to report and investigate aerial objects, according to The Times. Those Navy protocols were updated earlier this year; all data will be classified information and will not be made available to the general public, Live Science previously reported. "Unidentified: Inside America's UFO Investigation" airs on the History Channel on May 31 at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT. Originally published on Live Science. It's been said that diamonds are forever probably because "diamonds are billion-year-old mutant rocks exposed to many lifetimes of crushing pressures and scorching temperatures in Earth's deep mantle" doesn't have the same snappy ring to it. Either way, it takes a long, long time for a chunk of carbon to crystallize into a sparkling diamond so long, in fact, that scientists aren't positive how they're made. One popular theory maintains that many diamonds form when slabs of seabed (part of an oceanic plate) grind underneath continental plates at so-called tectonic subduction zones. During the process, the oceanic plate and all the minerals at the bottom of the sea plunge hundreds of miles into Earth's mantle, where they slowly crystallize under high temperatures and pressures tens of thousands of times greater than those on the surface. Eventually, these crystals mix in with volcanic magma called kimberlite and burst onto the planet's surface as diamonds. Support for this theory can be found in the oceanic minerals that give blue stones like the infamous (and possibly cursed) Hope diamond their signature hue. However, these diamonds are among the deepest, rarest and most expensive on Earth, making them hard to study. Now, research published today (May 29) in the journal Science Advances provides fresh evidence for diamonds' oceanic origins. For the study, the researchers looked at the salty sediment deposits inside a much more common class of stone, known as fibrous diamonds. [In Photos: Ocean Hidden Beneath Earth's Surface] Unlike most diamonds that end up in wedding paraphernalia, fibrous diamonds are clouded with little deposits of salt, potassium and other substances. They're less valuable to jewelers, but arguably more valuable to scientists looking to uncover their underground origins. "There was a theory that the salts trapped inside diamonds came from marine seawater, but it couldn't be tested," Michael Forster, a professor at Macquarie University in Australia and lead author of the new study, said in a statement. So, short of tracing the ancient origins of an actual diamond, Forster and his colleagues attempted to re-create in their lab the hyperhot, hyperpressurized reactions that occur when seafloor minerals subduct into Earth's mantle. The team placed marine sediment samples into a container with a mineral called peridotite, which is a volcanic rock widely present at depths where diamonds are thought to form; then, they exposed the mixture to a combination of intense heat and pressure conditions that mimicked those found in the mantle. The researchers found that when the mixture was subjected to pressures of 4 to 6 gigapascals (40,000 to 60,000 times the average atmospheric pressure at sea level) and temperatures between 1,500 and 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit (800 to 1,100 degrees Celsius), salt crystals formed with nearly identical properties to those found in fibrous diamonds. In other words, when the old seabed slips into the deep crucible of the mantle, the colliding forces create the perfect conditions for diamond formation. (Gem diamonds, which are made of pure carbon and dont include any sediment deposits, can also be created this way.) "We knew that some sort of salty fluid must be around while the diamonds are growing, and now we have confirmed that marine sediment fits the bill," Forster said. He added that the same experiments also produced minerals that are key to the formation of kimberlite, on which diamonds typically hitch a ride to Earth's surface during volcanic eruptions. So, diamonds may truly be bits of ancient oceanic history you can wear on your finger. And if these gems are too expensive for your taste, don't fret you can still wear a piece of the planet's extreme past by slipping on a gold or platinum ring. According to a recent study in the journal Nature, trace amounts of the shiny minerals in those common types of jewelry probably originated with an epic neutron star collision that literally rained bling on our solar system 4.6 billion years ago. Originally published on Live Science. Just in time for summer, two much-anticipated restaurant projects at River Oaks District promise to turn up the heat on the high-end dining and nightlife scene in Houston. Ouzo Bay, a slick Mediterranean restaurant boasting a Greek-inspired menu and an enormous selection of fish and seafood flown in daily from around the world, will operate next to Loch Bar, a lobster- and caviar-fueled raw bar with live music nightly. Both concepts are from Atlas Restaurant Group which operates 18 restaurants in Washington, DC, Baltimore, and South Florida. Brothers Eric and Alex Smith plan to launch the neighboring concepts a total of 12,000 square feet fronting Westheimer at the posh retail hub on June 17. Houston foodies are already buzzing. Get ready to party, Santorini-style. Ouzo Bay is poised to dazzle with its Agean isles riches meze dishes such as pastitsio spring rolls, baked cheese in phyllo, stuffed grape leaves, lamb meatballs, spanakopita, smoked eggplant dip and flaming saganaki. Mediterranean dishes such as blue mussels in white wine, grilled calamari, garlic tiger shrimp, shrimp with spiced ouzo and kalamata olives and grilled Portuguese octopus are also on the appetizer list. TOTS TOWN: Houston is experiencing a tater tot boom But where Ouzo Bay intends to truly dazzle is the daily fished selection: Australian lobster tails, Dover sole from Holland, kona kampachi from Hawaii, langoustines from Norway, Atlantic-caught red snapper, branzino from Greece, Chilean sea bass, diver scallops, Maine lobster,and jumbo prawns form Madagascar. "We're aiming to transport guests to Santorini through these dishes," Alex Smith said. Familiar faces from the Houston food scene are part of the Ouzo Bay team: Ryan Studt, formerly of Eddie v's Prime Seafood and McCormick & Schmick's, is head of operations; David Hall, formerly of Le Colonial, is director of operations, and sommelier Evan Turner, formerly of Helen Greek Food and Wine, is curating the wine program. The restaurant seats 275. Loch Bar is an entirely different concept, a seafood tavern inspired by Northeastern oyster bars designed with whitewashed wood, brass fixtures, antique mirrors, pinstripe canopies and tufted red leather banquettes meant to evoke a Cape Cod speakeasy. The restaurant and lounge will feature what it's calling "one of the largest raw bars in Houston" featuring ice towers loaded with lobster, oysters and caviar. The menu will include classics such as New England lobster roll, crab cakes, and grilled East Coast oysters as well as Viet-Cajun crawfish boil, and fried chicken served with fries and chilled pasta salad. The bar program is big on whiskey (more than 400 selections) and craft cocktails. Loch Bar seats 175 with a patio and live music nightly. Greg Morago writes about food for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Facebook or Twitter. Send him news tips at greg.morago@chron.com. Hear him on our BBQ State of Mind podcast to learn about Houston and Texas barbecue culture. Graduating seniors from Martin, Nixon and Cigarroa High Schools will be receiving their high school diplomas during commencement exercises on Thursday, May 30 at the Sames Auto Arena. READ MORE: Early College graduate shares story behind viral video of meeting on international bridge The Martin High School Class of 2019 walks the stage at 10 a.m. MHS Principal Guillermo Pro reports 460 students will be graduating. Doors open at 9 a.m. The procession of graduates begins promptly at 9:45 a.m. Valeria Pruneda is the Valedictorian while Mayka Coutino is the Salutatorian. Three military veterans, Roque Vela, Dagoberto Carmona, and Miguel Romo, will join the Class of 2019 and be presented their diplomas. Nixon High School will confer diplomas on 491 students at 2 p.m. Doors open at 1 p.m., with the procession of graduates beginning at 1:45 p.m., for the NHS ceremony. NHS Principal Cassandra Mendoza announced that Edith Garza Garza is the valedictorian. Abigail Mercedes Ramon is the salutatorian. Cigarroa High School has 392 students in its graduating class, reports principal Laura Flores. The CHS graduation ceremony is set for 6 p.m. Doors open at 5 p.m. The procession of CHS graduates begins at 5:45 p.m. Diana L. Santos is Cigarroa High's valedictorian, while Amy Perez is the Salutatorian. The Garcia Early College High had its graduation last week at TAMIU, according to Jose Iznaola, school principal. More than 100 students received their high school diplomas while earning college credit at TAMIU. Kassandra Romero was the GECHS Valedictorian. Francisco Colunga was the salutatorian. Sames Motor Company will be awarding a brand new 2019 Ford Fiesta to a student with perfect attendance through its Drive Sames for Education Program. The car giveaway is scheduled for 1:20 p.m., at the Sames Auto Arena on Thursday. The Laredo Federal Credit Union is sponsoring the tax, title, and license for the winning student. Guests attending the graduation ceremonies at the Sames Auto Arena are asked to adhere to bag and security policies. The Laredo ISD Police Department and the City of Laredo Police Department will be assisting with traffic and security detail during the ceremonies. READ MORE: Chilean songstress Mon Laferte sets date at Sames Auto Arena For those who are not able to attend the graduation ceremonies for Martin, Nixon and Cigarroa High Schools, Laredo ISD is offering live video broadcast on the district's YouTube and Facebook Live pages. The graduation ceremonies will be shown in their entirety during the summer months on Cable Channel 1302. Rotary Club of Katy / Rotary Club of Katy Chris Garcia, president of the Rotary Club of Katy, honored Officer Johnny Alvarez on May 23 as Officer of the Year for his first-aid assistance to motorists involved in a seven-vehicle collision when he was off-duty. Capt. Bryon T. Woytek wrote a letter of commendation for Alvarez last year after the Dec. 12, 2018 accident that occurred about 2 p.m. on eastbound Texas 99 near FM 2920 in Spring. Woytek said that the seven-vehicle accident involved five injured and two fatalities. Toni, I have a friend who just received a bill from the state of Texas for his mothers Medicaid nursing home care. No one informed him that Medicaid (the State of Texas) was running a tab of the entire healthcare that Medicaid paid and would take his mothers house. Now Medicaid wants to be reimbursed for over $125,000 that was spent for his mothers care and her expensive prescriptions. Stan recently received a document from MERP saying that Medicaid wants the money used for her care back because his mother owned the house that he lives in. Thanks Abe from Richmond Abe: Americans should know about the MERP (Medicaid Estate Recovery Program). At the Toni Says office, we consult with confused adult children who are shocked when they find out their state has taken a lien on their parents house because of long-term care health-care cost that the specific state paid for. I am sure your friend was astonished to find out that the state of Texas wants its $125K back that was spent for his mothers Medicaid long-term care/medical. The care can be at home, assisted living facility, personal care home or in a nursing home. It does not matter when the Medicaid system has paid for the care. Medicaid can recover any and all medical expenses which include any hospital services, prescription drugs and even Medicare cost sharing expenses which are Medicare premiums (Part A - hospital insurance, Part B medical insurance), deductibles and coinsurance amounts that the states Medicaid has paid. All claims against an estate, including MERP claims, must be paid before the property can be distributed as specified in the legal will. The state does not, however, require an heir to sell the deceased recipients homestead (house) if the claim can be paid by other funds. But if not, then you may have to sell the house, or the state will file a lien against the house. This is a real surprise when a Medicare beneficiary receives Medicaid Long Term Care and later the Medicaid recipients estate receives notification from the state of Texas for a Notice of Intent to File a Claim against the Estate. In the letter sent to the recipients estate it states: the amount received will not exceed the value of the estates assets, if any. If there is no money or assets in the estate, then there is nothing to recover. Now you know how the Medicaids Long Term Care services operates. My advice would be to explore all of your options and work out a schedule with family members to take care of your loved one. This way you can protect all that your loved ones have worked so hard to accumulate. To do list for Medicaids Long-Term Care planning: Explore long-term care options for yourself or an elderly parent/family member while still in decent health to help avoid using Medicaid LTC planning to protect your financial assets. Seek the advice of an Elder Care Attorney that can help with proper Medicaid planning. Do proper planningNo one wants their adult kids or grandchildren to be their caregiver and take care of their activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, bathroom problems, etc. Do not rely on advice from well-meaning friends who are not experts in the Medicare/Medicaid arena. For more information regarding Medicare and long-term care options contact the Toni Says team by emailing info@tonisays.com or calling 832-519-TONI (8664). Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke rolled out a broad immigration plan that would limit deportations for undocumented people with no criminal background, create a path to citizenship for about 11 million migrants and undo restrictions imposed by President Donald Trump. O'Rourke on Wednesday became the second contender among the roughly two-dozen Democrats to release an immigration agenda, with a series of planks that mirror Hillary Clinton's platform in 2016. It elevates the issue among top-tier contenders with whom O'Rourke has been competing for attention and support in early surveys. His plan comes after Julian Castro, a fellow Texan and former Obama administration cabinet secretary who's seeking to become the first Latino president, has called for decriminalizing migration while cutting the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency in half and limiting its role to issues such as drug trafficking and terrorism. Fresh surges of migrants crossing from Mexico, along with Trump's vows for a broader crackdown and demands to build a wall along the border mean that immigration will remain a central issue through the 2020 campaign. O'Rourke's campaign described his proposals as "the most sweeping rewrite of immigration law in a generation," adding that it would end "the cruel and cynical policies of the Trump administration that create chaos." With a series of executive actions, O'Rourke would prohibit the separation of families of asylum-seeking migrants and detain only those "with criminal backgrounds who represent a danger to our communities." The plan also would establish a new "community-based visa category" and raise visa caps to match legal immigration with economic needs. In addition, O'Rourke would separate immigration courts from the U.S. Justice Department, cut off federal funding for companies that operate for-profit prisons, station thousands of lawyers at the border and offer $5 billion in aid to Latin American countries to fight violence and poverty. O'Rourke, who rose to national attention last year when he forced Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, into an unexpectedly close race for re-election, released his immigration plan as he has lost ground in the polls after garnering lavish media attention in the early days of his campaign. Former Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday unveiled his first major policy plan as a 2020 presidential candidate, an education proposal that would help teachers tackle debt, triple funding for districts with a high proportion of low-income students, and boost the number of psychologists and other health professionals in schools. The proposal came as Biden addressed a town hall in Houston hosted by the American Federation of Teachers, the second-largest teachers union in the country, which is staging as series of town hall meetings with Democratic contenders vying for the union's endorsement. Biden's pitch was as much that of a union booster as of a would-be education president. He offered a robust plan for new federal spending and vowed to fight for new gun restritions that he hopes would halt the string of mass shootings in schools. The campaign did not say how much total new spending Biden was proposing, but it would amount to a significant increase. "Don't tell me what you value. Show me your budget, and I'll show you what you value," he said. Also notable was what Biden did not propose. He said nothing in his plan about the teacher or school accountability ideas that animated both the Bush and Obama administration but irritated teacher unions. During the town hall, Biden voiced skepticism about charter schools, which won significant support under President Barack Obama. The former vice president said some charters work, but he said he does not support federal money to back for-profit versions. "The bottom line is it siphons off money for our public schools, which are already in enough trouble," he said. In a statement, Biden's campaign said: "Educators deserve a partner in the White House. . . . With President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, they'll get two. Dr. Biden has worked as an educator for more than 30 years. She and Joe understand that, for educators, their profession isn't just what they do; it is who they are." Most recently, Jill Biden taught English at Northern Virginia Community College both during and after her husband's time in the Obama administration. AFT has held town halls around the country for its members to question presidential candidates in person. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., headlined one such event in Philadelphia, where she pledged that if elected president, her secretary of education would be a former public school teacher. Biden is leading early polls for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. Some of his competitors, including Warren, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., have embraced sweeping policy plans - such as Medicare-for-all or comprehensive gun control legislation - favored by the party's liberal base. By contrast, Biden chose an area where the federal government plays a relatively minimal role for his first policy proposal. In the plan, the former vice president pledged to triple Title I funding, which goes toward school districts with a high proportion of children from low-income backgrounds. He also promised to reform the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program to help public school teachers pay off their student loan debt. He called for doubling the number of school psychologists, guidance counselors, nurses and other health professionals; ensuring federal funding for children with disabilities; and banning assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines. And he threw his support behind universal prekindergarten for 3- and 4-year-olds. As Biden was rolling out his proposal, Harris, who has promised to allocate federal funding to raise teacher salaries, on Tuesday became the latest candidate to release a plan to protect reproductive rights. According to a campaign aide, Harris planned to back new legislation that would require states and local jurisdictions to pre-clear any abortion-related laws with the Department of Justice before implementing them, much like the Voting Rights Act's requirement that such entities do the same with voting and election-related laws. Such a law would target jurisdictions that Harris argues have a history of violating the Roe v. Wade ruling over the last 25 years. Under a similar system, the Voting Rights Act blocked nearly 100 proposed election changes between 1998 and 2013. - - - The Washington Post's Chelsea Janes, Laura Meckler and Annie Linskey contributed to this report. WASHINGTON - Vice President Mike Pence is scheduled to land in Ottawa on Thursday to talk up the renegotiated North American free trade deal. But he might be in for a discussion on access to abortion - at least according to his host, Justin Trudeau. The prime minister said Wednesday that he plans to raise Canadian concerns about recent U.S. moves to curb access to abortion, and to address "backsliding" on women's rights from conservative groups around the world, when he meets the vice president Thursday. "Obviously, I am very concerned with the backsliding of women's rights we are seeing from conservative movements here in Canada, in the United States and around the world," Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa. "I will have a broad conversation with the vice president, in which that will of course come up, but we are mostly going to focus on the ratification process of NAFTA and making sure we get good jobs for Canadians." His remarks could dampen what was billed by the White House as an upbeat trip focused on Trump administration priorities such as trade and growth. They also provide a glimpse of the growing political distance between the Trump administration and the Trudeau government. The United States and Canada remain close allies with tightly integrated economies, but the past few years have been tough on the relationship. Trump, who was elected in part on promises to rewrite the rules of global trade, has repeatedly accused Canada of taking advantage of the United States. Last year, amid tense negotiations over the future of the North American Free Trade Agreement, the Trump shocked Ottawa by levying tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum, citing national security concerns. Then, after attending a contentious Group of Seven meeting in Quebec, Trump tweeted insults at Trudeau from his plane - an unusual display of diplomacy that many Canadians took personally. After the United States, Mexico and Canada reached a tentative deal for the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, Canadians expected the Trump administration to lift the tariffs. It did not. It was not until this month that the three countries reached a deal on steel and aluminum, providing a news peg for Pence's trip and paving the way for the deal's ratification. Against this backdrop, the promise of a discussion on abortion adds an unknown element to the mix. Though abortion is mostly treated as a medical question in mainstream Canadian politics, not a political one, Trudeau and the journalists who pressed him are aware of the significance of the issue to an American conservative such as Pence. Joy Harris | Reader photo The Mississippi River will crest this week just above the 1973 flood levels, according to the latest predictions by the National Weather Service. This comes as residents of West Alton east of U.S. 67 were told to start leaving the area now because of a controlled release along Riverlands Way. BATON ROUGE, La. - The Louisiana state legislature on Wednesday passed one of the country's strictest abortion bans, advancing the bill to the Democratic governor John Bel Edwards, who, like a coterie of conservative executives before him, has said repeatedly he would sign it. Louisiana's measure is the first of the drumbeat of bans this year to receive the imprimatur of prominent local Democrats, whose support for the controversial legislation has provoked anger from party members nationwide who see it as a betrayal in the battle over abortion rights. The Wednesday vote came after an ardent debate over amendments to the bill, including one that would have added an exception to the abortion ban for cases of rape and incest. That change, and others that sought to make the law more lenient, were rejected. After nearly two hours, 79 lawmakers voted to pass the bill, while 23 voted against it. More than a dozen Democrats supported it. "As I prepare to sign this bill," Edwards said in a statement after it passed, "I call on the overwhelming bipartisan majority of legislators who voted for it to join me in continuing to build a better Louisiana that cares for the least among us and provides more opportunity for everyone." Nationally, however, Edwards, state Sen. John Milkovich, the Democrat who sponsored the bill, and other antiabortion Democrats have become the unlikely intraparty combatants in a debate that has grown increasingly partisan. As the party has shifted left in recent decades, its leaders have increasingly signaled that members who oppose abortion rights are fundamentally out of step with the Democratic platform. Since the Reagan presidency, the issue has become increasingly divisive, especially among judicial confirmations, said Sherry Colb, a professor at Cornell Law School. Now, parties tend to use a judge's stance on abortion as a litmus test to decide whether they'll support a particular nominee, she said. But, in Louisiana, antiabortion sentiment has long been part of the cultural milieu. The issue isn't nearly as divisive as it is on the national stage. The legislation, a so-called "heartbeat" ban, resembles other bills passed this year in deep red states that could outlaw abortions after an ultrasound is able to detect the electric pulsing of what will become a fetus's heart, a milestone that can come at six weeks - before some women even know they're pregnant. If signed, the six-week ban would join a number of antiabortion laws already on the state's books, many of which made it there with bipartisan support. In 2006, a Democratic state senator sponsored a "trigger law" that would automatically ban abortions, except when birth threatens a mother's life, in the event that the Supreme Court ever overturns its Roe v. Wade decision. Gov. Kathleen Blanco, also a Democrat, signed it into law, ensuring Louisiana would be among the first states to outlaw abortion should the high court reverse course. The state also prohibits public funding for abortions, and most private insurers there don't cover them, which means the procedure can be costly. Other laws, like requiring women to undergo an ultrasound and submit to a mandatory, pre-scripted counseling session, have also made abortions less accessible, particularly for those who must travel to a clinic from afar. Another measure making its way through the legislature would let the public vote on a constitutional amendment that would prevent the state from protecting the right to an abortion or requiring funding for it. The bill's sponsor, State Rep. Katrina Jackson, another Democrat, said in an interview with The Post before the vote that she plans to support the six-week ban, too. Her party's preferences are no match for her own deeply-held religious beliefs. "I don't believe in being a cookie-cutter legislator, which means, you say, 'Oh, what's the party doing?' she said. "When you have a sincerely held belief, you stand for that belief. That doesn't mean you abandon your party. That doesn't mean that you abandon anyone. That means that you understand that a one-size-fits-all approach to legislature doesn't work." Discussion of a new ban and the laws already in action have "made Louisiana an extremely hostile place" for women trying to obtain abortions, and for doctors trying to provide them, said Michelle Erenberg, the executive director of Lift Louisiana, which advocates for women's health and abortion access. The state's three remaining abortion providers have already begun receiving calls from women asking whether abortion is still legal, she said. "Things have become incrementally worse, and then suddenly catastrophic," said Katie Caldwell, the clinic coordinator at Women's Health Care Center in New Orleans. The Louisiana branch of the American Civil Liberties Union said in a statement that "Louisiana politicians have now sunk to a new low." The ban, should he sign it, won't go into effect right away - and may even end up languishing for years in legal purgatory. It will only take effect if a federal court upholds a near-identical ban in neighboring Mississippi. Just like other bans, Mississippi's has faced vigorous legal challenges. On Friday, a judge temporarily blocked it. And earlier this year, another federal judge halted Kentucky's similar six-week measure, questioning the law's constitutionality. All the bans are part of a barrage of new restrictions - largely in states in the South and the Midwest - championed by religious conservatives and meant to spark a court fight that would challenge Roe, which legalized abortion nationwide in 1973. Before any of the cases makes it to the Supreme Court, an appeals court judge would have to defy federal precedent and uphold one of the bans. The process could take years, and on Tuesday, the justices issued a compromise decision on an Indiana law that signaled they might proceed slowly on other abortion cases. In Louisiana, the nation is seeing some of the last remaining "pro-life" Democrats, a class of politician that has become obscure in recent decades. Edwards has been a high-profile member of it since he was elected governor in 2015. Like other antiabortion Democrats, he likes to say he's "pro-life for the whole life," because he opposes abortion but supports policies like Medicaid expansion and a higher minimum wage. The Army veteran and devout Catholic has said he traces his long-held views on abortion to his faith - and so do many of his constituents, he said. "That's the way I was raised," Edwards said in an October 2018 episode of his monthly radio show. "I know that for many in the national party, on the national scene, that's not a good fit. But I will tell you, here in Louisiana, I speak and meet with Democrats who are pro-life every single day." But one of Edwards' fellow Democrats, Rep. Royce Duplessis, disagrees with his governor's stance. In an interview, he said the government has no right to interfere in decisions about a woman's health care and that this bill "absolutely goes too far." He opposes it, he said, and it wasn't about the national party's marching orders. "It has nothing to do with party for me," he said. "It has nothing to do with party lines for me. I tend to stay consistent with what I believe, and that's respect for women, respect for women's health." Countrywide, Democratic voters are more in line with Duplessis than with antiabortion lawmakers like Edwards, Milkovich and Jackson. Today, more than two-thirds of Democrats believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases, a number that has increased by 20 percent since the mid '90s, according to Pew Research Center. But this shift has left some more conservative lawmakers and voters, whom the party had long welcomed, feeling alienated. It's yet another example of phenomenon so often observed it has become a cliche: the country's political parties are more polarized, the electorate more divided. "It's almost like the Democratic Party is this club, and there are rules to this club. And you can't violate the rules," said Colb, the professor who clerked for Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun, the author of the Roe decision. "There's a sense that we're not going to tolerate intolerance." LONDON, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --A Alveo Land, the high-end residential brand of Ayala Land, bags the 'Best Real Estate Brand' in the Philippines this year for its revolutionary living solutions and well-planned communities. Global Brands Magazine (GBM) is one of the world's most admired brand publications, devoted to news and opinions on brands that are shaping the future of their industry. The UK-based magazine provides its readers with the latest news and information on 'best-in-class' brands across the globe. Each year, GBM develops a series of awards for companies that have stood out among their industry leaders, demonstrating exceptional service and unique vision. Alveo Land is committed to providing high quality living and working spaces in the Philippines, driven by foresight, excellence, commitment, and an inherent passion and drive for innovation. Robert Lao, President of Alveo Land, "On behalf of Alveo Land, it is truly an honour to be recognized as one of the best brands in the industry. We have always aimed to set a high bar for ourselves, and this much-valued acknowledgement can only inspire us to achieve even greater milestones in the future. We also owe this success and gratitude to our clients, for recognizing and appreciating what we do. As we celebrate our 17th year, we are proud of just how much Alveo has grown as a brand and as a company. Most of all, this award is all the more special as it recognizes the collective efforts of the entire TEAM ALVEO, who helped build what we have become today." About Alveo Land Alveo Land sets the benchmark for innovation in Philippine real estate today. Armed with sharper foresight, unparalleled excellence, and total commitment, Alveo prides itself on creating master-planned living and working solutions that enhance the total customer experience. Its unique portfolio of vibrant neighbourhoods, ground-breaking living solutions, and master planned communities nurture individuals and hard-earned investments with a singular vision: giving you a place for living and working well. Alveo is a residential brand of Ayala Land, the Philippines' leading developer of sustainable estates offering a diverse mix of quality residential and commercial developments that support local economic growth. About Global Brands Magazine Global Brands MagazineA is the one of the world's best branding publications. The magazine provides the reader with up-to-date news, reviews, polls on brands across the globe. The Magazine is headquartered in England.A Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/709695/Global_Brands_Magazine_Logo.jpg Public schools in Oregon will be required to teach students about the Holocaust and the concept of genocide, born from a meeting between two unlikely partners. The state's house voted unanimously, 58 to none, with two no-votes, on Thursday to pass a bill that will requires schools to begin providing this instruction in the 2020-2021 school year, if it is signed into law by Gov. Kate Brown, D. The senate passed the measure in March. The text stipulates that instruction must be designed to "prepare students to confront the immorality of the Holocaust, genocide, and other acts of mass violence and to reflect on the causes of related historical events." It also must help students respect the importance of cultural diversity and gain insight into the importance of international human rights. The bill is the result of the work of Holocaust survivor Alter Wiener, who died in December at 92, and high school freshman Claire Sarnowski. Sarnowski first encountered Wiener about four years ago when she went to one of his talks as a fourth-grader, according to the Lake Oswego Review. Wiener, who was born in Poland, was imprisoned in five different concentration camps during the Holocaust. Most of his family was murdered, including his father. Wiener weighed 80 pounds when he was liberated in 1945. He moved to the United States after the war; to New York first, and then, in 2000, to Oregon, where he began to speak about his life, and wrote a book called "From A Name To A Number: A Holocaust Survivor's Autobiography." Sarnowski and Wiener became friends after the talk; the student and her mother had visited him at his house. "It was almost like we were old friends every time we talked," Sarnowski told Oregon Public Broadcasting. "The age difference was never something we looked at." Sarnowski told the outlet that it was Wiener's lifelong dream to implement mandatory curriculum standards for teaching students about the Holocaust, so she reached out to a state senator, Rob Wagner. Wagner went on to co-sponsor the bill, telling the Lake Oswego Review that the idea for the legislation had come to him from Sarnowski, who arranged a meeting between him and Wiener. "I remember looking at my kids, after many of the incidents of racism and anti-Semitism in Lake Oswego and thinking, 'We need to prioritize a culture change,'" Wagner told the Review. Wiener and Sarnowski both testified at a hearing for the bill in September. "Learning about the Holocaust is not just a chapter in recent history, but a derived lesson how to be more tolerant, more loving and that hatred is, eventually, self-destructive," Wiener told lawmakers at the time. "Remember, be better, rather than bitter." The legislation is part of a larger discussion about the importance of remembering the Holocaust, in which around 6 million Jews were killed, as the generation that lived through it dwindles, to prevent future genocides. A widely publicized study of millennials in 2018 found that one in five reported that they did not know what the Holocaust was about -- double the rate of U.S. adults overall. Ten states have enacted similar legislation for schools, according to news reports: California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. WASHINGTON - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Wednesday that Facebook's refusal to take down an altered video of her shows that the company's leaders were active contributors to online disinforrmation and "willing enablers" of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Pelosi's comments to KQED News, her first public response to the video since it began spreading online last week, revealed a dramatic escalation of tensions between the Democratic leader and the world's most popular social network. "We have said all along, poor Facebook, they were unwittingly exploited by the Russians. I think wittingly, because right now they are putting up something that they know is false. I think it's wrong," she said, according to a transcript of the conversation provided by Pelosi's office. "They're lying to the public." Pelosi added, "I think they have proven - by not taking down something they know is false - that they were willing enablers of the Russian interference in our election." "For me, I'm in the arena, I've been the target all along," Pelosi added. But "I wonder what they would do if (Facebook CEO) Mark Zuckerberg wasn't portrayed, you know, slowed down, made to look" drunk, she said. If it was "one of their own, would this be - is this their policy? Or is it just a woman?" Facebook, which did not immediately respond to requests for comment, has acknowledged that the video is intentionally misleading but declined to remove it, saying in a statement Friday to The Washington Post, "We don't have a policy that stipulates that the information you post on Facebook must be true." Pelosi was not made available for comment after her remarks to KQED. Facebook said that it has heavily reduced the video's appearances in people's news feeds, and that the video now plays alongside a small informational box linking to fact-checks indicating that the video is false. When someone attempts to share the video, a pop-up box tells the user there is "additional reporting" on the video but still allows it to be viewed and shared. But the videos spread on Facebook has continued in spite of those efforts. When The Washington Post first reported last week that the video, which had its speed and sound altered to make Pelosi appear to slur her words, was spreading online, it had been viewed more than 1 million times. That viewership has since more than doubled, with one version of the video now having more than 2.8 million views, 30,000 comments, and 38,000 shares. Other Democratic lawmakers have urged Facebook to act more decisively in finding and removing viral disinformation. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., who represents Silicon Valley, tweeted on Wednesday that he had already had to explain to a voter that the video was doctored. "Facebook must remove the video," he said. JERUSALEM - In a stunning turn, Israel will head to elections for a second time in less than six months after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a government before a midnight Wednesday deadline. Rather than give someone else the chance to do so, his party advanced a bill to dissolve the parliament and trigger new elections in September. Despite his reputation as a master of political maneuvering, Netanyahu proved unable to bring Avigdor Liberman, his former defense minister, into a coalition that would give the prime minister a majority in the parliament, or Knesset. The two veteran politicians were at loggerheads over legislation sought by Liberman to draft ultra-Orthodox Jews into the military, a measure bitterly resisted by Netanyahu's powerful political allies in the religious parties. The move for new elections leaves Israel in political disarray as it now embarks on an expensive nationwide vote that has no guarantee of shifting the balance of power among the parties. For Netanyahu, his inability to build a coalition casts fresh uncertainty over his future as he battles accusations of corruption and likely indictment in three criminal cases. This failure puts a stop for the time being to his party's efforts at passing legislation that would shield him from prosecution. And for the White House, the political breakdown presents a significant challenge to the rollout of President Trump's long-awaited Middle East peace plan. Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law and adviser, was scheduled to touch down Wednesday night in the midst of Israel's political maelstrom ahead of talks with Israeli officials about the economic component of the peace proposal. In national elections in April, Netanyahu's Likud party won the largest share of the vote and the most seats in parliament but fell well short of a majority in the 120-seat body. To achieve a majority required balancing the demands of the staunchly secular Liberman and ultra-Orthodox religious parties. When the prime minister failed to do so, Knesset members, including a stony-faced Netanyahu, decided by a vote of 74 to 45 to dissolve the body just a month after being sworn in, making it the shortest-lived parliament in Israel's history. The proposed date for new elections is Sept. 17. "This is devastating to the average Israeli who is really tired of such selfish politics," said Gil Hoffman, chief political correspondent for the Jerusalem Post. "There is no way to explain this situation to the average Israelis who are saying their politicians aren't working for their interests." Netanyahu and Liberman blamed each other for Israel returning to the polls. Speaking to the Knesset in the early hours of Thursday morning after it voted to dissolve itself, Netanyahu branded Liberman as "part of the left" and said he wanted to topple the government. "It's completely unbelievable," the prime minister said, promising to win in the new elections. "You waste billions, and you paralyze the state for almost a year. We have very important things to do." While Netanyahu's allies accused Liberman of trying to destroy the prime minister, Liberman said there was no "hidden agenda" behind his actions. Liberman had been insisting on the passage - without amendment - of a bill that sets quotas for drafting the ultra-Orthodox into the military. Ultra-Orthodox parties, which hold 16 seats in Netanyahu's proposed coalition, have asked that the bill's requirements be eased. Traditionally, the ultra-Orthodox have been exempted from conscription so they can devote themselves to studying religious texts. This exemption is widely resented by many other Israeli Jews, who are required to serve in the military, including many of Liberman's constituents. A Supreme Court ruling on the issue of ultra-Orthodox conscription has required the government to pass legislation changing the current system of generous exemptions. But some political observers said the legislation itself had little to do with the breakdown of coalition talks. "The Knesset is dispersing itself over an ego battle," Hoffman said. Liberman and Netanyahu have a fractious history. Liberman quit the Likud party in 1997, taking issue with concessions that Netanyahu granted to Palestinians in negotiations leading up to the Wye River Memorandum. Since then, Liberman has tried to hone a strongman image while repeatedly serving in governments with Netanyahu despite their conflicts. Most recently, Liberman quit his post of defense minister last year to protest Netanyahu's policy in the Gaza Strip, arguing it was too soft on the Hamas militant group that controls the enclave. Netanyahu accused Liberman of using the current political showdown as a way to win more Knesset seats. It's possible he could do that, said Maoz Rosenthal, a senior lecturer at the Lauder School of Government at the Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya. "This plays perfectly with his base, and this kind of behavior has benefited him in the past." Netanyahu had been given a two-week extension beyond the initial deadline to form a government, the maximum time allowed under the law. In the past, when a political leader has been unable to form a coalition, the Israeli president has then given a chance to another Knesset member to do so. Under the Israeli parliamentary system, the prime minister is not necessarily the leader of the largest bloc in the Knesset but the person able to form a government by lining up a majority of members. In 2009, when Tzipi Livni failed to form a government even though her Kadima party won the most seats in the elections, it opened the way for Netanyahu to do so and become prime minister. In a statement earlier Wednesday, President Reuven Rivlin said he would "do everything in my power to prevent the State of Israel from going to another election campaign." But while Netanyahu was unable to secure a majority, he made sure no one else would get a chance. On Wednesday afternoon, opposition lawmakers had begun a filibuster aimed at preventing the Knesset from triggering new elections but said they stopped after it became clear that former military chief of staff Benny Gantz of the opposition Blue and White party was also making little headway in his informal efforts to form an alternative coalition. The Trump administration is tightly aligned with Netanyahu, who claims the relationship as his calling card. Trump has repeatedly made clear his backing for Netanyahu and has been looking to the Israeli leader to support the U.S. peace initiative. The secret peace package drafted by Kushner is expected to codify some aspects of current Israeli control of disputed territory and to stop short of ensuring a fully sovereign Palestinian state. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told an audience of senior U.S. Jewish leaders Tuesday that Trump and his advisers know the plan could fall flat and said they have a Plan B, according to a person in the room who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private meeting. The White House plans to unveil the plan in two parts. Kushner has announced a gathering of Arab and other governments in Bahrain in late June to air economic proposals for development of the Palestinian areas, as well as Egypt, Jordan and probably Morocco. The money would largely come from Gulf Arab states, although Kushner frames the gathering as a "workshop" rather than a pledging conference. The more consequential political elements would follow at an unspecified date. Israeli political analysts said a delay to the rollout is convenient for Netanyahu because it could be problematic for him to discuss political compromises with his far-right partners. It is unclear whether new elections will delay Netanyahu's pre-indictment hearing, scheduled for October. Netanyahu denies the allegations of corruption, bribery and breach of trust. Netanyahu's Likud was also advancing legislation to give Knesset members, including the prime minister, immunity from prosecution, while trying to roll back the powers of the Supreme Court to overturn Knesset legislation it deems unconstitutional. While the balance of power among political blocs might not change drastically before the elections, there could be shifts, said Reuven Hazan, a politics professor at Hebrew University. "When Netanyahu called the last election, there was no such thing as Blue and White, no contest," he said. "Netanyahu can control when we call it and what the date is, but what happens after is completely out of anyone's control." - - - The Washington Post's Anne Gearan and John Hudson in Washington contributed to this report. After 35 years of literary events in south Longford, the Goldsmith Literary Festival shows no sign of stopping any time soon. With a programme that just gets bigger and better every year, more and more people are sitting up and taking notice of Ballymahon's literary history, with people from across the country and further afield ensuring they can come to the county for the annual festival. This year's theme deals with journalism and, with fake news rife in the world of today, all events taking place this weekend will relate to a classic line from Oliver Goldsmith's She Stoops to Conquer: Ask me no questionsa nd I'll tell you no fibs. There will be a wide range of events taking place this weekend that deal with the importance of supporting local journalism, getting your news from valuable local sources and, most importantly, the future of journalism in a world that is going more and more online by the day. The truth is that Goldsmith spent the vast majority of his working life as a hack writer - as a journalist. Actually, his first period of proper employment - his first real job, after abandoning pretensions of medicine and dabbling in teaching - was with a publisher called Ralph Griffiths, said Arthur Conlon of the Goldsmith Literary Festival committee. He actually is better known as the publisher in 1750 of Memoirs of aWoman of Pleasure - possibly the first pornographic in the English language. It's better known to us as Fanny Hill. Thankfully, Mr Conlon added, Goldsmith's sensibilities were spared from all that. I'm not sure what he could have added, given his awkwardness with woman, but he was asked to write reviews for the periodical monthly review, he said. For all of Goldsmith's fame as a dramatist and a novelist, journalism was his bread and butter and, like many writers, he got paid by the word so he could keep food on the table. We hope this year to look at the world of journalism through his eyes and also the future of the profession, said Mr Conlon. Moving onto the theme for this year's festival, he explained that journalists have to ask awkward questions every day to go behind propaganda and try to disrupt the tightly-controlled flow of information from those who seek to cover up the truth. In an era of fake news, social media and mobile technology, quality journalism and great story-telling now matter more than ever, said Mr Conlon. But how can an industry that faces such mounting change still fulfill its role as a watchdog of the state and a beacon for democracy? And I suppose that's the nub of what we're trying to get at this year. Millions are spent on promoting social media causes currently and Mr Conlon questioned this platform as a news source: is the current internet-reared generation losing the ability to judge and evaluate the different sources of news? Is a Facebook post the equivalent of a meticulously researched Prime Time Investigates? To some of our young people, maybe it is, he continued. What does the media industry have to do now to adapt? Are we willing to pay for quality journalism? Or is it much easier for us just to Google and believe the first search result? If people are not being informed in a truthful manner, that effects democracy and our decision making across our society. This year's festival will question whether or not we have lost the ability to be critical. We all want good versus evil. We want our news to contain heroes and villains. We don't want to analyse a story. We don't want to go into depth, said Mr Conlon. A tweet is easier than a long article. Look at Donald Trump trying to reduce some of the most complex issues known to man into 160 characters. What we believe is not in doubt is the essential role of journalists in firstly improving the depth, range and quality of the news we hear, and thus promoting better engagement and the integrity of the democratic process. The role of journalists is absolutely essential to modern society, he said, adding that he hopes this year's festival will get that point across over its three-day programme. There will be a number of speakers on the topic over the three-day festival, starting on Friday, May 31, in the Rustic Inn, Abbeyshrule. Willie Kealy, former deputy editor of the Sunday Independant will give a talk entitled The Decline of Print and the Future of Good Journalism, starting at 9pm. On Saturday, there will be two press-related discussions: Press Freedom or a Free Press, with Cian McCormack, Professor Brian O'Neill and Press Ombudsman Peter Feeney, will be the first of the two, taking place in Ballymahon Community Library at 11am. At 1pm in the same venue, Shannonside producer and journalist Denise Canavan will chair a discussion entitled The Digital Onslaught - What Future for Print Journalism. She'll be talking to thejournali.ie journalist Grainne Ni Aodha and group editor of the Connacht Tribune Dave O'Connell. There will be a wide range of other events taking place throughout the festival and in various venues, including music, readings and discussions. See olivergoldsmith festival.com for the full programme. PICTURES | Literary Festival set to fight fake news in south Longford's Goldsmith Country A pensioner who put a bomb on a bus bound for Dublin and made hoax bomb threats during Queen Elizabeths State visit to Ireland, has lost an appeal against his conviction which focused on Irish language rights. Lawyers for Donal Billings (67), whose trial at the non-jury Special Criminal Court was heard in both Irish and English, claimed their clients Irish language rights were destroyed during his trial. Billings, with an address at St Bridgets Court, Drumlish, County Longford, was found guilty of possessing an explosive substance at Longford railway station car park on May 16, 2011. He was found guilty of making false reports on May 16 and May 18, 2011, that bombs had been placed at Busaras and Sinn Fein's headquarters in Dublin and that two mortars were set for Dublin Castle. He was also found guilty of making a false report on May 20 that two bombs had been placed in the toilets at Cork airport. Queen Elizabeth was visiting Ireland at the time. Sentencing him to eight-and-a-half years imprisonment, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding, said Billings was "perfectly entitled to hold a low opinion" of Queen Elizabeth and her visit to Ireland but was "not entitled to express such an opinion by engaging in criminality". In a judgement made available in both Irish and English yesterday (Tuesday, May 28), President of the Court of Appeal Mr Justice George Birmingham said the appeal was based on two issues, namely sufficiency of evidence and Irish language rights. He said the Court of Appeal had not been persuaded that the evidence against Billings was insufficient to ground a conviction on any count. Secondly, he said the court had not been persuaded that Mr Billings Irish language rights were disrespected to the extent that his conviction should be quashed. Counsel for Billings, Martin Giblin SC, had argued that his clients Irish language rights were decimated and destroyed during the trial process. Advancing his arguments in Irish, which were translated into English for the court, Mr Giblin said Billings wanted to be tried by three judges who had an ability in Irish as far back as 2011. He said the State, including the Special Criminal Court and the DPP, had a duty to show respect to the Constitution and to personal constitutional rights. He said constitutional rights couldnt be denied by questions of procedure. He said the defence applied for a transcript of proceedings that recorded everything that was said in both Irish and English during the trial. A transcript was provided in the English language only, even though it was within the States abilities to provide one in Irish also, counsel submitted. Mr Giblin further submitted that the Explosive Substances Act 1883, under which Mr Billings was convicted, had never been translated into Irish. Mr Justice Birmingham said the Explosives Substance Act was passed by the Westminster Parliament. The fact it had not been translated into Irish was not the result of inertia but a conscious decision had clearly been made not to translate pre-1922 statutes. He said Billings had no right to any transcript during the trial, be it in English or Irish or any other language. Ordinarily, no transcript is made available during the majority of trials conducted in Ireland. Exceptionally, he said, an overnight transcript is prepared during trials in the Central Criminal Court and the Special Criminal Court but there was no entitlement to be provided with such a transcript, it was made available to the parties as a concession. He said there was no evidence of any disadvantage having been experienced by Billings and the fact a transcript was made available in the English language only did not render his trial unfair or unsatisfactory. Mr Justice Birmingham said the arrangements put in place by the Special Criminal Court were reasonable in the circumstances. Everything that happened in English was translated into Irish and everything said in Irish was interpreted into English for everybodys benefit, with two court-appointed interpreters alternating at hourly intervals for that purpose. He said the DPP may carry out its functions in the official language of its own choice and was not compelled to adopt the preferred official language of the accused person. He said it was open to the DPP to run a prosecution in Irish if it wishes and perhaps there were cases where it may be appropriate to do so, for example in a Gaeltacht area. Mr Justice Birmingham, who sat with Ms Justice Marie Baker and Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, dismissed the appeal. EVIDENCE The Special Criminal Court heard that a phonecall was made to Longford garda station on May 16, 2011. The caller said there was a bomb on a Dublin-bound Corduff travel passenger bus, a second bomb on a bus at Busaras and a third bomb at Sinn Fein headquarters in Dublin. The Corduff travel bus was stopped on Station Rd, Maynooth, and searched by gardai, who found a suspicious object, comprised of gunpowder and a two-litre bottle of petrol, in the luggage compartment. Mr Justice Hunt said that Billings had placed a highly dangerous explosive on a public transport vehicle containing an innocent driver and many passengers. This was an "outrageous, highly irresponsible and dangerous act", the judge said, which "recklessly exposed passengers, staff and members of the emergency services to very significant risk of serious injury or death". The bomb, the judge added, was intended to give credence to further hoax calls Billings planned to make. A further phone call was made on May 18, threatening two mortars were set at Dublin castle for 8pm that evening. The time and place coincided with a state banquet in the castle for Queen Elizabeth. The caller said, "I'm a member of the Republican Brotherhood, Squad A. Two mortars are set for Dublin Castle at 8pm." "This is for the Queen of blood and war of Iraq." Searches were carried out but nothing was found. A third phonecall, made at 3.15pm on May 20, threatened two bombs at Cork airport. Queen Elizabeth was due to fly out that afternoon from the airport. After a search, nothing was found. The investigations led to Billings being identified as a suspect. Referring to Billings garda interviews, Mr Justice Hunt said that the "lies told by the accused were rather obvious and unsophisticated". Billings has two previous convictions, from Northern Ireland in 1973, for possession of explosives. Youssef el-Akh is originally from the Christian village of Ain Ebel, located close to Lebanons southern border. Next September, he is scheduled to appear before a military court on charges of having contact with the enemy. His case started last December when el-Akh got in touch with family members, who have been living in Nahariya (in northern Israel) for 19 years, in order to coordinate the repatriation of his fathers remains after he died in a car accident in the Galilee. El-Akh, who is 36, doesnt understand why an arrest warrant was issued against him, why he was questioned by the military or why he now needs to defend himself in front of a military court. As required, I had informed the authorities of my fathers repatriation to Lebanon. I performed all the legal procedures and formalities necessary so I could respect my fathers last wish: to be buried in his country, el-Akh said. In May 2000, el-Akh was 17 years old. Like nearly 15,000 other Lebanese from the south who were accused of collaborating with the Israelis during the occupation, his family and the family of his paternal uncle left for Israel when Israeli troops withdrew from Lebanon. El-Akhs father was 48 at the time and a member of the South Lebanon Army (SLA), a militia that served as Israels proxy force in the region. I have two sisters and a brother, all younger than me. They were immediately put in school in Israel while I was finishing my education in Lebanon. I was supposed to sit for my baccalaureate. I missed the first session, but I came back in July 2000 and I passed the exam in the second session in September. I lived with my paternal grandparents in Ain Ebel. In 2006, they both died within a week. My sisters got married in Israel to men who, like us, came from Lebanese families exiled to the Holy Land. One is from Kleya and the other from Rmeich (two Maronite villages along the border). My brother studied medicine and is currently practicing in a hospital in Tel-Aviv, el-Akh said. I saw my mom. She was standing 400 meters away from me El-Akh is speaking openly now because Lebanese authorities are already aware of his situation and he is frustrated that his father died without being able to see him one last time. My father was a victim of a car accident last November and was in a coma for one month. After he died, we respected his last wish to have his body repatriated to Lebanon, and we completed all the necessary paperwork with both the Lebanese authorities and the International Red Cross. While waiting for the ambulance that carried his body, I saw my mother across the border (in Ras Naqoura). She was standing about 400 meters away from me. I could neither talk to her nor hold her hand for comfort. Once my fathers body reached the Lebanese border, the casket was opened for one last identity check. I saw my father. I held his hand and wanted to hold him in my arms, but his body was cold as ice. He was just a dead body in a coffin. He was 67 years old. When he left Lebanon he was a healthy and vigorous 48-year-old man. It is Their Right to Return Two years ago, young people from the border villages of Ain Ebel and Rmeich started an initiative called It is Their Right to Return. Last Saturday, on the 19th anniversary of the Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon, the group held a conference at the Press Club in Beirut to explore the possibility of return of our loved ones exiled in the Holy Land. The conference included discussions on the situation of separated families, people who have been charged with crimes for staying in touch with family members on the other side through social media and the possibility of an amnesty law. There were around 60 participants in attendance, mostly people from south Lebanon who have family in Israel, as well as representatives from the Lebanese Forces, Kataeb and the Free Patriotic Movement. Several people called for the return of the Lebanese exiled in Israel for the past 19 years. When Israeli soldiers withdrew from south Lebanon in May 2000, around 15,000 Lebanese who were members of the SLA or day laborers in factories in the northern Galilee fled to Israel. They feared retaliation from Hezbollah after the partys general secretary, Hassan Nasrallah, promised to deal swiftly with any collaborators. The Lebanese who fled to Israel have become naturalized Israeli citizens, while Lebanon and Israel are still technically in a state of war. Today, around 3,500 Christians from south Lebanon continue to live in Israel. There are no figures available for Shiites or Druze. People who returned to Lebanon were thrown in prison and deprived for their civil rights for a period of 10 years. Others chose to emigrate from Israel to Europe or Australia. From the beginning of the year, arrest warrants against the residents of south Lebanon have multiplied, Christelle Hanna, the coordinator of It is There Right to Return said during the conference last Saturday. They are targeting those who are getting in contact with their family through social media, especially Facebook. We do not know why these measures were taken recently. The situation is as tough as it was nineteen years ago. Antoine Saad, an expert in international law, has called for the immediate adoption of an amnesty law. (This article was originally published in French in L'Orient-Le Jour on the 27th of May) Earlier this year, Singapore advanced in its quest to become an intellectual property hub in the ASEAN region with the appointment of the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) as an International Authority in Patent Search and Examination, specifically as an International Searching Authority (ISA), and International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA) under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). This marked IPOS as the first IP office to receive ISA/IPEA recognition by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) within the ASEAN region. With a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) executed in late October between IPOS and the Thailand Department of Intellectual Property at the Ministry of Commerce at the fourth Singapore-Thailand Enhanced Economic Relationship (STEER) Ministerial Meeting held in Bangkok, Thailand becomes the eighth country to recognise IPOS as an ISA and IPEA under the PCT. This means that Thai applicants can now utilise Singapore's search and examination services when filing for patent protection under the PCT. Thailand joins the United States, Japan, Mexico and the ASEAN countries of Brunei, Indonesia, Laos and Vietnam in recognising IPOS as an ISA/IPEA. This development also aligns with the existing regional cooperation between Singapore and other ASEAN countries by allowing businesses and entrepreneurs from over half of ASEAN to now utilise Singapore's search and examination services to seek patent protection internationally. In addition, the Singapore/Thailand MoC complements existing regional patent cooperation through an arrangement known as ASEAN Patent Examination Co-operation (ASPEC). With the sharing of patent examination information between the IP offices, businesses in the ASEAN region could expect to save time and cost when they file their patent in ASEAN. Since its launch three years ago, 80% of applicants who leveraged on ASPEC received a first office action within nine months, compared to the previous two to seven year wait time. Outside the ASEAN region, IPOS's recognition as a competent ISA and IPEA for PCT applications filed in the United States, Mexico and Japan complements its participation in the Global Patent Prosecution Highway (GPPH) and bilateral patent prosecution highways that expedite patent applications to over 30 countries, including key economies such as Europe, China, Japan and Korea. Singapore's robust IP regime has been consistently ranked as one of the best in the world. The new collaboration between IPOS and the Thailand Department of Intellectual Property at the Ministry of Commerce is an extension of cooperation between Singapore and other countries, reaffirming Singapore as an active contributing member on issues pertaining to intellectual property in the ASEAN region. Daniel Collopy Serene Ong Spruson & Ferguson (Asia) Pte Ltd 152 Beach Road #37-05/06 Gateway East Singapore 189721 Tel: +65 6333 7200 Fax: +65 6333 7222 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 Parallel imports are a common issue for brand owners, particularly with the continuous increase of online trade. Parallel imports, or grey market goods, are branded goods that are imported into and sold without the owners permission in a market where the specific branded goods in question have not yet been distributed. Infringers usually buy the products legitimately in one market in order to sell them in a different market where the price is higher, in order to undercut the legitimate market. However, once the rights holder has put the goods in question on the market in the EU or permitted the goods to be put on that market, it has exhausted its rights in that jurisdiction and is then unable to prevent parallel imports. For these purposes, the EU is treated as one jurisdiction. So, if the particular items in question are put onto the market in one member state by or with the consent of the rights holder, that rights holder will be unable to prevent those specific goods being imported into any other member state in the EU. There are commercial methods that businesses can adopt to try to deter online parallel imports in this jurisdiction, but this article is intended to provide a summary of one particular relatively recent civil remedy, an internet blocking injunction against internet service providers (ISPs), and how effective that remedy is in practice. While this approach does not stop the problem at source, and a parallel importer may therefore still find ways around any such blocking order, such orders are difficult to circumvent in the jurisdiction concerned and can therefore be a very useful practical remedy. As explained below, the dynamic nature of this order enables rights holders to rapidly track and block access to new websites for relatively minimal costs and thus make it more difficult for the parallel importer to avoid the effects of the order. What to do when you identify grey market goods online Once the individual or company responsible for the parallel imports has been identified, the first step will usually be to contact them directly requiring them to cease and desist, in order to try to resolve the issue as inexpensively as possible without issuing court proceedings. A cease and desist letter sent to the importer should set out details of the rights holders trademarks on which they rely and request appropriate undertakings. Even though this is not likely, in practice, to resolve the matter, it should, for the reason set out below, be done before writing to an ISP. If the dispute is not resolved satisfactorily through pre-action correspondence, a rights holder may decide to issue proceedings against the parallel importer to obtain an injunction preventing it from infringing the rights holders trademark. It is also open to a trademark owner to seek the transfer of the relevant domain to it from the website owner either through the relevant countrys domain registry (e.g. Nominet in the UK) or through ICANNs Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) for domains with a generic top-level domain (for example, .com or .net). However, rights holders rarely take such action because, even if such actions are successful, the orders obtained can easily be ignored or circumvented by website owners. Parallel importers are often located in jurisdictions where it is difficult to enforce an English judgment and, even if they are not, they may move to another jurisdiction to avoid enforcement of a judgment. It is relatively easy and inexpensive for infringers to simply set up a clone website using a different domain, from which it can continue selling grey market goods. Those difficulties raise the question of what effective measures rights holders can take to prevent parallel imports. Internet blocking injunctions for IP infringement The leading UK case of Cartier International and others v British Sky Broadcasting and others (2016)established the availability and conditions for the grant of internet blocking injunctions against ISPs in trademark infringement claims. While there is legislation enabling rights holders to obtain blocking injunctions against ISPs in relation to copyright infringement claims, there is no such English legislation or EU regulation enabling that for trademark infringement. Cartier was the first case to deal with blocking injunctions for trademark infringement in the EU. In that case, Cartier and the other claimants obtained an injunction against five of the main ISPs in the UK. The injunction required those ISPs to block access to specified websites that were offering for sale counterfeit goods bearing the claimants trademarks. Practical effect of Cartier for parallel imports Following Cartier, it is open to trademark owners who have identified websites that are illegally selling products bearing their trademark (whether counterfeit or grey market goods) to obtain blocking injunctions against ISPs to stop online parallel importers who refuse to engage with actual or threatened legal proceedings or where direct action against the infringer is unlikely to be effective. In such circumstances, the rights holder can take action against ISPs to block access to the infringing website(s) in the ISPs jurisdiction. As it is extremely unlikely that an ISP would take any action to block access to the website in the absence of a court order, the first step to take in relation to the ISP (having already written to the infringer) before making an application to court should be to write to the ISP to inform it of the infringing activity and put it on notice of the intended application (see (4) below). It is very rare for an ISP to challenge the application and it will be for the court to decide whether or not to exercise its discretion to grant an order on the basis of the information available. Before the court will grant an injunction, certain threshold conditions must be satisfied. These are: 1. The ISP must be an intermediary; 2. The third partys website must be infringing the rights holders trademarks; 3. The infringing third party must use the ISPs services to do so; and 4. The ISP must have actual knowledge of this (for example, when provided with notice by the rights holder). If those threshold conditions are satisfied, the court will take into account the following additional principles when deciding whether or not to grant such an order, namely the relief must: a) Be necessary to combat the infringement of the rights holders trademark; b) Be effective in that an injunction will at least seriously discourage users from accessing the target website; c) Dissuade third parties from infringing in the future; d) Not be unnecessarily complicated or costly; e) Avoid barriers to legitimate trade; f) Be fair and equitable to strike a fair balance between the applicable fundamental rights; and g) Be proportionate. The court will also take into account the substitutability of other websites for the target websites. If there are a large number of alternative websites offering for sale similar parallel imports that are accessible to a user in the jurisdiction, then it is less likely to be effective and proportionate to block access to the infringing website. However, in those circumstances, the rights holders can, of course, also take action against those other websites. Any order granted by the court should also ensure that it provides safeguards against the abuse of any such remedy. One such safeguard is the inclusion of a provision allowing the ISPs or the owners of the target website to apply to the court to discharge or vary the order, for example, to enable them to dispute that the website infringes the rights holders IP. However, in practice, this is unlikely, particularly in circumstances where the parallel importer has been unresponsive to pre-action correspondence. Further, the blocked websites should display a page which identifies the name of the party that obtained the order and makes clear to the user that they have the right to apply to the court to discharge or vary the order. Finally, the court in Cartier stated that website blocking orders should not be in force longer than necessary. It therefore ruled that the order should only last for a defined period of time (in that case, two years) unless either the ISP consents to, or the court orders, the continuation of the order. In most instances, whether or not the threshold conditions are satisfied will be a relatively straightforward matter. The applicant must then focus on the additional principles listed above. When considering whether or not an injunction is necessary to combat the infringement of the rights holders mark, the court will consider whether alternative measures are available which are less onerous. Accordingly, the court is likely to take into account whether or not the rights holder has sent a cease and desist letter to the infringer and whether the infringer has responded. If a rights holder has tried to resolve the matter directly with the infringer but the infringer has not been responsive, then the court is more likely to conclude that the order being sought against the ISP is necessary to achieve a just outcome. It is, for this reason, that even though action against the infringer is unlikely to be effective, it is sensible to write to them before seeking an order against the ISP. The court made clear in Cartier that it was not necessary for the rights holder to demonstrate that the blocking order would be effective in reducing the overall level of infringement of its IP rights. Rather, the question is whether the order would at least seriously discourage users from accessing the target website. While the court recognises that some dedicated people will always find ways around a court order to obtain goods illegally, it accepts that a blocking order against the ISP which hosts the site will discourage the general public in that jurisdiction from accessing the site. If, however, there are a lot of other similar websites that are accessible to users, the court will take that into account, as it would serve to reduce the effectiveness that an injunction would have on discouraging users from accessing such websites generally. Nonetheless, although the court in Cartier accepted that there were a huge number of other infringing websites, it still considered the blocking order to be justified and proportionate. Further, and importantly, if the applicant obtains evidence that an infringer has found ways around the order by, for example, moving the website to a different domain name, the order provides for the rights holder to notify the ISPs of additional IP addresses and/or URLs that should be blocked. This can therefore be done without incurring the costs of returning to the court to obtain another order in respect of the new domain. There are companies that can be engaged for a reasonable cost to monitor the IP addresses and domains for the targeted websites through an automated process. The dynamic nature of this order, therefore, enables rights holders to rapidly track and block access to new websites at a relatively low cost. In relation to the requirement to avoid barriers to legitimate trade, the question is whether the relevant website sells infringing products only and, if not, whether it would still be fair to make the order. The court will look at the overall picture and assess whether the existence of some legitimate activity means that it would not be appropriate to block the whole website. The fact that there is some legitimate trade would not be an absolute bar to a blocking order as, otherwise, a party could effectively get a free pass for its unlawful activity by including a small amount of legitimate trade. There is no hard and fast rule on the amount of legitimate activity required, and this is a developing area of the law, but the proportion of legitimate activity will be a relevant factor to be taken into account by the court on a case by case basis. Such an order is usually sought against the five ISPs that cover approximately 95% of the UK market: BSkyB, BT, EE, TalkTalk and Virgin Media (as it was in Cartier), even where only one of those ISPs is hosting the website(s) in question. Obtaining a blocking order against those companies is therefore very effective in preventing access to the infringing website by consumers, particularly when coupled with the ability to monitor the infringing website and add new URLs to the blocking order if the website moves to a different URL or one of the other ISPs. This will usually be uncontentious, provided the website at the new URL is substantially the same as the website that is covered by the existing order. The answer to the question of whether the website is the same does not depend upon the appearance, but rather the nature of the website and whether it is carrying on the same or similar activity as the infringing website. Only if there is a change in the nature of the activity so as to alter the assessment of the threshold conditions or discretionary factors would a rights holder have to go back to court. By way of example, if the proportion of legitimate trade has changed significantly so that before the majority of the website dealt with illegitimate goods, whereas now the majority deals with legitimate goods, then it might have to be reconsidered by a court. Additional considerations Costs Applying for a website blocking order against ISPs is a useful option for rights holders who are concerned about stopping online parallel imports, particularly in circumstances where the infringing party is proving unresponsive to other methods, which they normally are. The costs of applying for a blocking order against an ISP are likely to be less than applying for an injunction directly against an infringer who actively contests the injunction. This is because, in practice, it is very rare for an ISP to engage in the application to either consent or object to the order. However, it is also important to note that the Supreme Court in Cartier ruled that rights holders must indemnify the ISPs for their costs of implementing the order, which will add to the costs of this route, although those costs are usually modest. Obtaining such an order would also not lead to payment of damages by the infringer. A rights holder would be required to take action directly against the infringer itself in order to recover damages. However, obtaining damages is not normally the main concern of a rights holder whose priority is the protection of its brand and its network. There can also be potential difficulties with quantifying the loss suffered in the absence of any information from the defendant and with the enforcement of a money judgment directly against the infringer, particularly where (as is often the case) the infringer is based in a jurisdiction where it is not easy to enforce an English judgment. Brexit The Information Society Directive sets out a partys right to apply for an injunction against intermediaries in relation to copyright or related rights and was transposed into domestic law by the Copyright and Related Rights Regulations 2003 (SI 2003/2498). However, the provision in the Enforcement Directive (2004/48/EC) extending this right to all forms of IP was never transposed into English law. Nonetheless, the Supreme Court in Cartier confirmed that the basis for granting such injunctions lies in English common law, as it would for any other type of injunction, rather than under the Enforcement Directive (2004/48/EC). As such, the right to apply for such orders will survive Brexit. However, trademark owners considering this avenue should note that this is still very much a developing area of law. Rights holders should also note that, although orders to date have been made against ISPs, the jurisdiction exists to make orders against any intermediaries. That could include anyone involved in or facilitating the wrongdoing such as payment providers, search engines and others. Mark Lewis is a partner and Charlotte Tanner an associate at Kemp Little in London. The above guidance reflects the law as of May 29 2019. 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 The Henry County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a resolution asking the Commonwealth Transportation Board and the Department of Transportation to consider a potential route for Interstate 73 to the western side of U.S. 220 and the city of Martinsville. County Administrator Tim Hall told the board that during its meeting on April 23 Rob Catron with Alcalde and Fay recommended that the board draft a resolution to do just that. The current proposed route is targeted for east of U.S. Route 220 and also east of the city of Martinsville; however, the Army Corps of Engineers has indicated it would not provide permits for any construction within that corridor because of environmental impact concerns, Hall said. County staff prepared the resolution to move the route west. This action would place it within the same general corridor being considered for the Martinsville Southern Connector project, Hall said, Let me kind of clarify a couple of things here. I think there may be some confusion. You are not selecting a route for either the Martinsville Southern Connector or for Interstate 73. This is merely to shift it back to where it originally was intended, which is the western side of the county and the western side of the city. The Martinsville Southern Connector project is a separate project. VDOT has identified, I think, five or six potential routes on the western side, but this board has not even considered for a second any of those routes to support. Those routes were just released, I think, two or three weeks ago." Hall said anybody who wants to see the potential routes for the Martinsville Southern Connector can Google "Martinsville Southern Connector route" or go to the Henry County website. We have linked the mapping to our website on our GIS site, so once you call up our GIS site, theres a box to the upper left that says 'Martinsville Southern Connector.' Click on that box, and youll see a display of the proposed route corridor. VDOT has not taken any action on a defined route for I-73 or the Southern Connector. They are separate. Hall told the supervisors that what they were being asked to do Tuesday regarding the potential route for Interstate 73 was to consider approving a joint resolution with the city saying were OK with shifting back to the western side of the county as opposed to this boards action several years ago to shift it to the eastern part of the county. There is no defined route. There is no route corridor. Theres not been any work on a defined corridor on this part of the Interstate 73 project. I would suggest, should you choose to adopt this, do it contingent on the city of Martinsville adopting a similar resolution The board of supervisors unanimously approved the resolution on that condition. The resolution says in part: Interstate 73 would be a primary growth engine for the Henry County and Martinsville economy, promoting employment, capital investment, travel, tourism, recreation and other economic development avenues; and the location of I-73 through Henry County is vital to our business and economic future, and has been a primary point of discussion for many years. In an email, Henry County Deputy Administrator Dale Wagoner explained the difference between the Martinsville Southern Connector study and I-73. As for the Martinsville Southern Connector Study," Wagoner wrote, in February 2018, VDOT started a study, called an Environmental Impact Statement [EIS], to evaluate potential transportation improvements along the U.S. Route 220 corridor between the U.S. Route 58/220 Bypass and the North Carolina state line. This project is independent of other road projects, including I-73. The Connector Study involves the one section of the 220 Corridor. I-73 was identified by the U.S. Congress as a high-priority corridor in the federal transportation funding bill of 1991, the Intermodal Surface Transportation Act [ISTEA]. It was defined as a north-south corridor from north of Detroit to Charleston, S.C. In Virginia, The CTB [Commonwealth Transportation Board] has proposed a route from Roanoke to the N.C. line, traversing counties in between. David Kiser, assistant resident engineer for the Virginia Department of Transportation, said in a phone interview that he understands that VDOT officials will announce a preferred proposed route for the Martinsville Southern Connector at a community meeting on Aug. 15. In other business during the boards 3 p.m. meeting, the supervisors: Appropriated the Henry County Budget for fiscal year 2019-20, which totals $150,808, 768, a 5% increase that also provides schools with another $400,000. This 2019-20 budget, which will take affect at the beginning of the fiscal year, July 1, also provides raises to all county employees and funds several major projects while adding no new costs to citizens. It includes no increases for taxes or fees. Approved the Henry County School Boards request for categorical transfer of $650,000 from the instruction category to the categories of transportation, maintenance, facilities and technology. Schools Superintendent Sandy Strayer wrote in a memo that the funds are needed for new buses, ADA maintenance compliance, paving projects, floor resurfacing for a gym, final payment on a new bus garage (Millards Machinery property) and technology. Received a report from County Treasurer Scott Grindstaff that as of April 30, the office had collected 91.3% of 2018 personal property taxes, with $305,656.33 collected for the month. As of April 30, the office had collected 93.21 percent of 2018 real estate taxes, with $401,085.90 collected for the month. Awarded a contract to Dominion Dodge of Bedford in the amount of $37,760 for a new 2018 Dodge Ram truck for the public safety department. Awarded a contract in the amount of $23,584 to ROBCO Manufacturing Inc. for a dock and gangway as part of the marina expansion project. The award is contingent upon approval by the Army Corps of Engineers for a lease boundary adjustment. Awarded a contract a contract in the amount of $24,400 to the Timmons Group Inc. for engineering services at Commonwealth Crossing Business Centre, a publicly owned industrial park being developed near U.S. 220 South at the Virginia-North Carolina line. This would include site development on Lot 5 to allow the site to be ready for a prospect. Awarded a 3-year service contract to Trane Inc. in the amount of $28,922 annually for heating, ventilation and air conditioning. Awarded a contract to Mid-Atlantic Waste Systems in Salem in the amount of $58,414 for two trash compactors at the Axton Convenience Center. Awarded a contract to Excel Truck Group in Cloverdale in the amount of $139,837 for a roll-off-type refuse truck. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 29) House leaders denied the allegations of re-elected Davao del Norte 1st District Rep. and former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez that two of his rivals for the speakership are doling out cash to congressmen to secure votes. First, congressmen are not for sale. Second, congressmen are not cheap cheap in the sense that they have integrity to maintain, House Majority Leader Fredenil Castro told CNN Philippines The Source on Wednesday. House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez also denied Alvarez claims, saying that no money was shelled out in the elections of the last two Speakers. Even the former Speaker (Alvarez) can speak for himself. I mean naging Speaker siya, gumastos ba siya? Wala. Eh nung nag-break away si GMA (Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo), may gastusan ba? Wala, Suarez also told The Source. [Translation: Even the former Speaker can speak for himself. I mean he became Speaker, did he spend money? No. When GMA broke away, did she spend money? No.] Alvarez has claimed that two lawmakers also vying for the top post in the House are offering 500,000 to 1 million per congressman to get votes. He said that should lawmakers accept the offer, they are made to sign a manifestation of support which now has over a 100 signatures. Of those running for Speaker, only Alvarez and Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Jay Velasco have denied throwing cash at fellow lawmakers. On the other hand, Suarez said that incoming Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez now has around 150 congressmen backing his speakership bid, but denied that he handed out cash to secure their votes. Romualdez vs Velasco? Suarez and Castro have narrowed down the speakership race to two contenders: Romualdez, who they say now has the backing of at least half of the chamber, and Velasco, who has close ties to President Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, who was elected Taguig representative, is also seen by Castro as a top candidate due to his close ties to the President. Congressmen said that the two Dutertes endorsements will sway them on who to vote for Speaker. Suarez said that even if around 150 lawmakers have committed to support Romualdez speakership bid, they may still turn their backs on him if Duterte or his daughter who had a hand in the ouster of Alvarez in 2018 endorses a different candidate. Of course he admits that the anointment of the President or Inday Sara is very important but he does not capitalize on the anointment. Perhaps I could deduce that he wants to protect the independence of the House of Representatives and as well as the independence of the executive, Castro said, referring to Romualdez. Duterte has not announced his pick for the speakership a key position leading up to the 2022 presidential elections and Malacanang said that it is all up to the House to pick its next leader. The Presidents daughter said she will not announce her choice for Speaker as she is just a mayor, with no business in meddling with the affairs of the House. For the House leaders, it is best for the President not to endorse a speakership bet. Yung [The] division ng basic essence of democracy is judiciary, legislative and executive. Let them work independently, Suarez said. The Presidents party, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas ng Bayan, expects him to choose among the party's members Alvarez, Velasco and Pampanga 3rd District Rep. Aurelio Dong Gonzales for the speakership. A judge sentenced a Tyngsborough woman to three to five years in prison and 10 years probation after she pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide on Tuesday. Lynn DeWolfe pleaded guilty to the charges in addition to to operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs, 3rd offense, operating a motor vehicle to endanger and leaving the scene of property damage. The sentence stems from an incident in August of 2017, when police received a report that she was driving erratically on I-95 North. Police said she hit another car, putting that vehicle into a spin. The out-of-control car hit Christopher Weisz, knocking him off his motorcycle, then hit two other cars before coming to a stop. Weisz was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead. DeWolfe was arrested on the scene after she failed to complete field sobriety tests. Following her arrest, the Registry of Motor Vehicles confirmed that DeWolfe was convicted twice of drunken driving and was required to have an ignition interlock device in her vehicle for two years, starting in August 2015. She reportedly violated the terms of the interlock use in March 2017, which automatically extended its use for six more months. The judge who sentenced DeWolfe also required her to not consume illegal drugs, alcohol or marijuana and to be subject to drug random screens. DeWolfe will also undergo a substance abuse evaluation as well as a mental health evaluation and comply with any recommended treatment. The judge also ordered DeWolfe to not operate a motor vehicle, not apply for a reinstatement of her drivers license in Massachusetts or any other state during the probationary period and to perform 50 hours of community service each year of her probation. Power dynamics are shifting at Boston public radio station WBUR, where reporters and newsroom staff fought to establish a union this year. WBUR reported on Wednesday that owner Boston University has agreed to share control of the station with a new board made up mostly of the stations Board of Overseers, a group of volunteer advisers and donors who previously held little authority. The new board would have the power to hire and fire the stations manager as well as oversee finances, the station said. The change was reportedly announced at a staff meeting on Wednesday, and comes months after 115 WBUR workers voted to form a union in February. The decision to unionize followed the firing of On Point host Tom Ashbrook, and came as General Manager Charlie Kravetz announced he would step down on June 30. The new board would be called the WBUR Executive Committee with the Board of Overseers being changed into a Board of Directors. The Boston Business Journal reported earlier this month that the new union at WBUR had filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, accusing BU and other management of delaying contract negotiations. BU contacted the unions representatives about discussions several days after the complaint was filed, BBJ reports. According to WBUR, the new agreement gives power to the Board of Overseers, a group comprised of donors and members who volunteer their time, resources and expertise in working with senior leadership of WBUR," the stations website says. The board previously held no decision-making power, WBUR reports, but under a new agreement will have the ability to oversee finances and hire or fire the stations general manager. EAST LONGMEADOW One of two men suspected of robbing the Peoples United Bank on Main Street earlier this month and then attempting to rob the same branch five days later was arrested and arraigned on related charges last week, police said. The second suspect, subject to an outstanding warrant, is in federal custody on unrelated charges, East Longmeadow Police Sgt. Steven Manning said. William Martin lll, a 42-year-old Springfield resident, denied charges of armed assault with intent to rob, assault with a dangerous weapon and robbery while armed and masked during his arraignment last Friday in Palmer District Court. Bryan Fitzpatrick, a 38-year-old Boston man, faces the same charges. Both men are suspects in a robbery that occurred at the 61 North Main St. branch on May 9 and an attempted robbery at the same branch on May 14. During the first incident, a suspect, believed to be Fitzpatrick, displayed a knife and made off with about $1,600. Police believe Fitzpatrick attempted to rob the branch the second time around. Manning said the suspect implied that he had some kind of weapon but was spooked and left without getting any cash. Although a witness to the first incident told police the suspect had a swastika tattoo on his right hand, Manning said Fitzpatrick does not have such a tattoo. He and fellow investigators believe the suspect may have drawn it on his hand prior to the robbery. Police believe Martin served as the driver both times. James Leydon, spokesman for the Hampden District Attorneys office, said Martin was ordered held in lieu of $1,000 cash bail. He was ordered to stay away from the bank and to remain drug-free with testing. His next appearance in court was slated for August 1. Leydon had no information as to whether Martin posted bail. Manning praised the work of his fellow officers who responded to the incidents and the efforts of Detective Michael Ingalls in resolving the case. Observant witnesses were also a factor in the charges being filed against the two men, he said. Manning had no information on the federal charges faced by Fitzpatrick. He was arrested in Boston after the East Longmeadow incidents occurred. The people at the New England Aquarium didnt hear or see much about Laysan, the harbor seal who recently created a stir at the Holyoke dam, in the days leading up to Memorial Day weekend. And that's the way they like it, said spokesman Tony LaCasse. "The photos and video I saw showed that he wasn't too alarmed by having people nearby," LaCasse said Tuesday. "But now we hope that some of those instincts have kicked in and he's staying away and keeping himself a little more hidden." The most recent reports about Laysan were from Saturday, when he was spotted having climbed up on an island in the Connecticut River. "That's normal," LaCasse said. "He probably does that every day." Aquarium biologists charged with looking out for the seal feared hed collide with a boat during the busy Memorial Day weekend. That didnt happen. Staff at the Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut said the harbor seal was abandoned by his mother shortly after birth in Maine in May 2018. He was believed to be premature, and arrived at the aquarium at just one week old. At Mystic, veterinarians performed surgery on his ears to relieve an infection and nursed him back to health. He was released in January in Charlestown, Rhode Island. Laysan is the name the rehab team at Mystic gave him. It comes from the name of a small island in Hawaii. Fishermen spotted the seal near the Holyoke dam May 22 after he apparently followed the shad migration up the Connecticut River. Laysan is apparently thriving, gaining weight and getting plenty to eat. The worry was that he wouldnt learn to fend for himself in the wild. Catching shad in the Connecticut is easier than hunting on Long Island Sound. "This is behavior we see often as harbor seal populations grow," LaCasse said. Seals have been known to move up from Boston Harbor and fish the Charles River, he said. The resourceful creatures use the locks to make it past the dam. Theyll just wait near the Museum of Science for the current to change, indicating that the lock is about to be used, and then head right in, he said. But what will Laysan will do when the shad migration ends next month? Only a few shad live past spawning and make it back down the river. I know from growing up on the Connecticut that the bases of dams are good places to catch fish, said LaCasse, who is originally from New Hampshire. So Laysan might just hang out near the dam and keep eating. Hell likely move back down to Long Island Sound as the food runs out, LaCasse said. A 41-year-old Washington State man is facing federal prosecution after allegedly soliciting sex from a 14-year-old Fall River girl and taking her on a bus across the country shortly after completing a prison term for manslaughter. Jabarie Phillips allegedly told the girl in Facebook messages that he had served time for killing a rival gang member and asked her to run away with him. He was arrested earlier this month and charged Wednesday with sexual exploitation of a minor. Phillips began using Facebook to communicate with the teenager on April 23, 2019, a short time after completing his sentence for a 2008 manslaughter conviction, FBI Special Agent Bryce Montoya wrote in an affidavit. Phillips allegedly began making sexually explicit comments to the girl and asking her to send pornographic images, despite knowing her age. Are you hearing yourself you got out the joint after doing 12 years, and now u tryna fw a 14 year old? U tryna do 12 more? the girl wrote back, according to the affidavit. The introduction to Phillips Facebook profile, which was cited in Montoyas affidavit, says, Just got released Monday after doing a 12 year bid in prison. Looking to find a good time. Need money. Phillips also suggested that she run away with him, telling her he had plane ticket money for her and that he needed a partner in crime. The girl took an Uber from Fall River to Boston on May 1 and met Phillips at Logan International Airport, Montoya wrote. They then boarded a bus at South Station to Washington State. The girls mother reported her missing to the Fall River Police Department, who put out a warrant on Phillips for kidnapping. Phillips was taken into custody as the bus made a scheduled stop in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 3. In a subsequent interview with investigators, the girl said she and Phillips were involved in sex acts while they were on the bus. The charge against Phillips carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Phillips, who is from Seattle, is in state custody on a related charge. He will be brought to federal court in Boston at a later date. WILBRAHAM Friendlys closed a restaurant in Windham, Maine, on Monday, and now there is just one Friendlys left in that state. The Windham closing and the shuttering of an Augusta Friendlys earlier this year leaves just the South Portland restaurant. WMTW-TV, Channel 8, in Portland reported the closing, the latest in a rash of shutdowns as Friendlys adjusts to a changing marketplace. Friendlys had 32 employees at Windham and 10 have been transferred to other restaurants in the chain, WMTW reported. The company told the station what its spokespeople have said following other restaurant closures: the lease was up and the Windham location on Route 302 was under performing. One thing Friendlys has struggled with is a having locations in spots where the shopping, and customer traffic, has migrated away over time. Following this shutdown, the Wilbraham-based Friendlys will have 75 corporate-owned restaurants and 96 franchisee-owned restaurants for a total of 171 locations. At its height in 1996, Friendlys had 850 restaurants in 15 states. The closing in Windham, Maine, also came the same weekend as Friendlys mourned the loss of one of its co-founders, Curtis Blake. He died Friday at his Florida home at the age of 102. Curtis and his brother, S. Prestley Blake, founded the business in the summer of 1935 because they couldnt find jobs during the Great Depression. Pres Blake, who turns 105 in November, survives. They built the company in the baby-boom years after World War II as suburbs grew and families looked for a simple and satisfying night out. They sold the business to Hershey Foods in 1979 when it had 600 restaurants. The chain is now owned by Sun Capital Partners. NORTHAMPTON Murray Nossel, an Oscar-nominated documentary storyteller with a background in clinical psychology, has been helping the world tell its stories as a form of advocacy since the 1990s. Nesime Salioska, an advocate from the Republic of North Macedonia for the Roma, an ethnic group persecuted by the Nazis and the focus of continued discrimination today, uses the storytelling methodology that Nossel first developed while working with AIDS patients in New York City to help her community tell its own narratives as a way forward. Nossel, whose work with the Roma in Europe has been supported since 2014 through an initiative funded by the George Soros Open Society Foundations, and Salioska, who has focused on health care issues in her advocacy, will share their approaches in Transforming Roma Narratives: Advocacy Through Storytelling, Tuesday, June 4, at 7 p.m. in Smith Colleges Weinstein Auditorium. The presentation, sponsored by the Smith College School for Social Work, is open to the public. Salioska was one of two Macedonian women to receive the European Union Award for Roma Integration in the Western Balkans and Turkey, Women grassroots activists Unknown heroes, this year along with 12 other female Roma activists from other countries. She was nominated by the United Nations Population Fund for her efforts around the issue of child marriages which helped lead to the National Parliament in her country passing a law making marriage under 18 a crime. The change is seen as both helping to educate about the practice, which can often result in a life of poverty and illiteracy for the women involved, as well as helping social workers seek prosecutions. Nossel, who holds a doctorate in social work from New Yorks Columbia University, and Dr. Paul Browde, a South African-born psychiatrist with whom Nossel wrote the play about the two reconnecting called Two Men Talking," founded a communications consultant company in 2002 called Narativ to promote the methodology that Nossel developed that has been used by corporations in getting to know their employees, nonprofits for advocacy and individuals for educational purposes. Its universal, said Nossel of what he likes about the methodology. Anyone can learn it and apply it to their own lives. It can be used as a mode of communication with family, at work and for advocacy on the social and political stage. He said it is based on his teaching that listening when done in a safe environment without judgment becomes the shaping bowl into which the liquid of storytelling flows. The Roma are at the very margins of society particularly in Eastern Europe, said Nossel who has worked to train Roma leaders in his methodology of storytelling as advocacy to counteract what he calls profound political, cultural deprivation. There is a tremendous amount of ignorance about the Roma and they are treated as subhuman in a medical and educational context. Training their leaders has had two major results - galvanizing followers that they do have history and culture to be surfaced and told and that their legacy can inform and educate when the truth is told by Roma about Roma. Nossel said people on the margins do not realize they have a "voice and a life worth talking about. " You have to have someone interested in listening to you and your story, he said. (Co-presenter) Nesime Salioska tells her story and creates space for others to tell theirs and identify with the same things. - Roma being told by teachers to sit in the back of the classroom because that is where they belong. Nossel, who earned undergraduate and masters degrees in psychology at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa, said being born South African at a time when apartheid policies segregated the population by race or nationality made him very aware of the personal and the political and developed in him a fascination earlier on in seeing the way someone is shaped by family, history and particularly the circumstances of a country. Nossel, whose documentary, Why Cant We Be a Family Again, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short in 2002, is author of Powered by Storytelling: Excavate, Craft and Present Stories to Transform Business Communication, published last year. His other documentaries include Turn to Me, featuring the late Nobel Peace Prize winner and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, Paternal Instinct and A Brooklyn Family Tale. He is also founder of the World Mother Storytelling Project that has just completed a pilot program in which high school students in the Bronx were trained to interview and record the stories of their mother and then to share them in class as the collective element is an important part of Nossels methodology. The project was inspired in part by Nossels own realization 13 years ago after his parents were car hijacked at gunpoint in Johannesburg and his mothers actions helped get the couple to safety that he did not really know the strengths and struggles of his mother who had had a career as a concert pianist when few women worked outside the home. He returned to Johannesburg and got to understand her differently and myself differently. In getting to know my own mothers story, I thought deeply about the need for women to tell their stories and for children to listen to their mothers story, Nossel said. Many, many mothers hold untold stories of courage and resilience. Some of the states cities and towns want to let 16- and 17-year-olds vote. Some members of Congress support a lower voting age. But a majority of Massachusetts residents think its a bad idea, according to a new survey by the Western New England University Polling Institute. In a telephone poll of 495 adults across the state, 29% of respondents said they support lowering the voting age in congressional and presidential elections, while 65% said they oppose it. Another 6% said they neither support nor oppose the idea, or were unsure of their opinion. This survey is the first look at what Massachusetts residents think about lowering the voting age, said Tim Vercellotti, director of the institute and a professor of political science. Its pretty clear that the people are generally opposed to it, although the gap closed significantly between national and local elections. Conducted between April 9 and 27, the survey found a sharp divide among registered Democrats and Republicans. Democrats were relatively split with support increasing for a lower voting age in local elections while Republicans overwhelmingly opposed the idea. Nearly three-quarters of unenrolled voters said they are against a lower voting age in national elections. Support was highest among people under 40. Men were more likely to say they strongly oppose a lower voting age. Among parents of 13- to 18-year-olds, 62% said they are opposed to dropping the voting age in national elections and 54% said they oppose it for local elections. The surveys margin of error is 4 percentage points. The university sponsored and paid for the poll. Explore the data: Chart by Greg Saulmon / The Republican Source: Western New England University Polling Institute The survey came on the heels of discussion about the issue in a number of Massachusetts communities and in Congress, where U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, a Boston Democrat, introduced a proposal to lower the voting age to 16 in federal elections beginning in 2020. From gun violence, to immigration reform, to climate change, to the future of work, our young people are organizing, mobilizing and calling us to action, Pressley said on the House floor in March. They are at the forefront of social and legislative movements and have earned inclusion in our democracy. She also argued that since they can drive, work and pay taxes, 16- and 17-year-olds should be able to vote. In 1971, the 26th Amendment to the Constitution lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. Dropping it again may take time, Vercellotti said. When the voting age lowered to 18, it was something that took people time to wrap their brains around, he said. Pressleys proposal faced immediate criticism, failing in the Democrat-controlled House with a 305-126 vote. While a majority of Democrats voted in favor of the amendment, Republicans almost unanimously voted against it. That vote may have foreshadowed the polls findings. While 41% of the registered Democrats surveyed said they support a lower voting age in national elections and 48% said they oppose it, the Republicans interviewed were more strongly decided. Eleven percent said they support the idea, and 89% said they are against it with 78% saying they are strongly opposed. Support among Democrats increased for local elections, with 55% in favor and 33% opposed, while Republicans remained unwavering in their opposition. Vercellotti wasnt surprised. Republicans show much uniformity in their opinions on issues, where Democrats vary more often, he said. Respondents who said they favor a lower voting age in national elections were asked to explain their support in their own words. Common answers were that 16- and 17-year-olds are mature enough to vote, that they have valid viewpoints and that the elections are about their future. Opponents said people under 18 arent mature enough, dont have enough knowledge of candidates and issues and dont have enough life experience. One percent of respondents said they do not support lowering the voting age because younger voters will support Democrats. Allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in local elections was more popular among the respondents: 42% said they support it, while 52% were opposed. For something that may seem very abstract on a national level, it is relevant on a local level, Vercellotti said. Several cities across Massachusetts have attempted to lower the voting age to 16 in municipal elections. In early May, the Somerville City Council voted unanimously in favor of lowering the voting age. If approved by the state Legislature, the city would become the first community in the state to lower its voting age. Northampton is considering a similar measure. Lowering the voting age to 16 is one of four changes to municipal elections the citys Charter Review Committee is recommending this year. Municipal elections affect teens in regard to school budgets, school committees and many other things, said Stanley Moulton, the committees chairman. Im confident that 16- and 17-year-olds for the most part would make informed decisions. Although the change wouldnt go into effect until 2021, Moulton is hopeful that the committees recommendations will move forward. It is first step in lengthy process, but its a significant step, he said. The Massachusetts Legislature has already struck down proposals in Lowell and Cambridge. Other towns including Ashfield, Shelburne and Wendell are awaiting a decision from the Legislature. Town meeting voters in each community passed resolutions to lower the voting age as far back as 2017. The Empower Voting Act proposed in January by Democratic Reps. Andres X. Vargas, of Haverhill, and Dylan A. Fernandes, of Falmouth, would allow communities to lower voting ages in local elections without state approval. In 1970, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Congress has the authority to change the voting age for federal elections, but not state and local elections. In addition to Massachusetts, a dozen other state legislatures are considering lowering the voting age for federal or local elections, including California, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Oregon and Virginia, according to Vote16, and organization led by high school and college students that advocates for lowering the voting age. The organizations website lists 20 countries that allow 16- or 17-year-olds to vote, sometimes with requirements that include employment. The countries include Brazil, Germany, Indonesia, Norway, Scotland and Serbia. Gov. Charlie Baker has expressed skepticism about the idea, citing his experience as a parent. I did raise three teenagers, and based on that Id be pretty dubious about lowering it to 16, he said in March, response to Pressleys proposal. Supporters at the national level include House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang. A man who allegedly broke into the homes of families attending services for lost loved ones, and at least one deceased mans home, was arraigned in Wrentham on several criminal charges this week. Franklin police said Daniel Lennon, 37, of Stoughton, was taken into custody on Saturday over the holiday weekend in connection to a series of break-ins. On Saturday, a caller told Franklin police that someone recently broken into his property in Wrentham, and he feared that another home on Highwood Drive in Franklin could be next. He requested police conduct a property check. Responding officers visited the Franklin home and did observe signs of a break-in. Police soon located Lennon in the area. The Sun Chronicle reports that the call on Saturday came from a married couple, who were attending funeral services in Wrentham for the wifes 75-year-old father, Daniel McIsaac, a decorated Vietnam War veteran and Army special operations unit commander. The newspaper reports Lennon allegedly first broke into their Wrentham home during the funeral, and then into the deceaseds fathers condominium in Franklin. Documents uncovered during an investigation by Franklin police found that Lennon was allegedly targeting the homes of families who were attending services for deceased loved ones. Authorities from nearby towns continue to participate in an ongoing investigation, police said. Lennon was held on $50,000 cash bail when he was arrested over the weekend. He was arraigned in Wrentham District Court on Tuesday on several charges, as well as a warrant from the U.S. Marshalls Office. Authorities charged the suspect with the possession of burglarious instrument, disorderly conduct, breaking and entering for misdemeanor, malicious and wanton damage to property, and possession of a Class E substance. According to The Sun Chronicle, Lennon has had 45 arraignments on a criminal record dating back to 2000, which includes crimes like housebreaks and a stolen firearm. As Americans confront how to improve low voter turnouts, giving 16-year-olds the vote has become a fashionable suggestion. Its an artificial way to build vote counts, and it would be a mistake. This is The Republicans editorial stance and according to a Western New England University Polling Institute survey, it is echoed by every major adult demographic in Massachusetts. The surveys results are fairly consistent across lines of party, gender and age. Those 18 and older with a high school education (or less) were more favorable to a lowered voting age than most for national elections (including president), but the clear majority still rejected it. Registered Democrats opposed 16-year-old voting by a 48-41 percentage. Republicans were opposed 9-to-1. Unenrolled voters, who make up more than 50 percent of Massachusetts voters and traditionally vote Democratic in state races (though not always for governor) were 3-to-1 against. The argument for 16-year-old voting goes beyond the simple need for more activity on Election Day. To this thinking, teenagers are directly affected by decisions of our leaders, theyre paying attention (as witnessed by protests against school shootings and the desire for climate change legislation), and theyre exposed more to news than teens of earlier generations. One of the better arguments is that some 16-year-olds work and therefore pay taxes. Denying them the vote amounts to taxation without representation, but is it practical to give the vote only to 16-year-olds who work, and deny the rest? The national political reality is that lowering the voting age is being pushed most ardently by left-leaning Democrats. They see a fertile, untapped base in this new demographic. Younger Americans in general (including those between 18 and 30) seem more willing to consider policies and candidates once branded too socialist to be elected. Lowering the age for partisan reasons, though, would be nothing more than a new form of gerrymandering - a way to manipulate outcomes by changing the rules. The age of adulthood and adult rights vary from state to state and issue to issue, but 18 is the most commonly used divider. The 16-year-old population can be integrated into our democracy in other ways, without giving them the vote before most of them are high school juniors. School systems are gradually restoring civics and government courses in schools, including in Massachusetts, where the Legislature is expanding curriculum requirements. These include participatory projects and activities that encourage early voting registration, along with other ways that treat the age 16-18 period as a preparatory launching pad toward full, knowledgeable civic involvement. Done properly, these programs will engage teenagers into the democratic process so that, by the time they reach 18, they are prepared for the responsibilities and opportunities of voting and other civic activities. A teenager is not handed a full drivers license upon reaching a certain age, and while driving is a privilege and voting is an adult right, it still makes sense to develop good citizens during those two transitional years, as opposed to handing them a fast-pass to the voting booth. Keeping the voting age at 18 is not a slap at 16-year-olds. It is recognition that an informed electorate is the best kind. Lets keep the age where it is, and use those two years to give teens the tools for a lifetime of not just voting, but doing so as well-prepared participants who are ready for the task. SPRINGFIELD - Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni on Wednesday identified the man shot to death early Monday as 29-year-old Zachariah Ramsey of Springfield. Ramsey was found shot on Parker Street near Kazbeck Street just after 2 a.m. The first officers responding to the scene found him and performed first aid until EMTs arrived and rushed him to Baystate Medical Center. He died at around 6:30 a.m. Springfield police said there was a large house party going on in the area at the time of the shooting. Gulluni spokesman James Leydon said the homicide remains under investigation by Springfield police and prosecutors with Gullunis office. There have been no arrests. The death is the 6th homicide in the city this year, and the first since April 10. There were 18 homicides in Springfield in 2018. Willie Williamson, the former Hampden County correctional officer found guilty last week of having sex with female inmates, was sentenced Wednesday to 60 days in jail, avoiding the possibility of a lengthy state prison sentence. Judge John S. Ferrara handed down the sentence Wednesday morning in Superior Court. He also sentenced Williamson to serve one year of probation following his jail time. He will be jailed for a total of 55 days, to account for the five days he spent in custody after his conviction on Friday. Williamson was found guilty of four counts of a prison guard having sexual relations with a prisoner. He was found not guilty of a fifth count of the same charge; a charge of trafficking a person for sexual servitude was dismissed. According to state sentencing guidelines, Williamson could have been sentenced to 5 years in state prison and fined $10,000 for each count. Ferrara told the court he did not feel such a sentence was warranted, given Williamsons lack of a prior record. He said that while some incarceration would be appropriate, he did not feel it necessary to send him to the state prison system. Williamson, 30, of Holyoke, was accused of having sex with female inmates at the Western Massachusetts Regional Womens Correctional Center in Chicopee between December 2015 and September 2016. When the allegations came to light, then-Sheriff Michael Ashe fired him. Williamson was a correctional officer responsible for leading inmates to and from work details on the facility grounds. Last week, a former inmate who was under his supervision testified at the trial that Williamson had sex with her multiple times in exchange for contraband items, namely Fireball whiskey and cigarettes. She also testified that on two occasions Williamson had sex with her and another inmate. The woman also testified that she was aware if she refused, Williamson had the power to change her status and revoke privileges. Under Massachusetts general law, anyone employed at a jail or correctional institution is forbidden from having sex with any inmate even if the inmate appears to be a willing participant. An inmate shall be deemed incapable of consent to sexual relations with such person, the law states. Prior to the sentencing, Williamsons attorney Jeffrey S. Brown argued for a lenient sentence. He cited his clients character and lack of a prior record. But for these offenses, he has good character, he said. A 5-year sentence as recommended in the sentencing guidelines would be out of proportion to the charges. Ferrara said he tended to agree. Neither of the two women who testified against him indicated they were coerced or threatened in any way into having sex with him. One of the women testified that she approached Williamson with the idea of sex and he went along with it. But for the state law saying inmates are incapable of granting consent, Ferrara said prosecutors would not have met the burden of establishing their case. But, he said, Williamsons conduct was egregious and made a negative reflection on the correctional facility, so some incarceration is warranted. BOSTON Manager Alex Cora has used a closer-by-committee approach so far this season and he will stick with it for now. He has no intention to name a closer. The Red Sox entered the top of the ninth Tuesday with a 5-2 lead against the Indians, but Ryan Brasier allowed a solo homer to Roberto Perez and a two-run blast to Greg Allen without recording an out. Travis Lakins then relieved Brasier and allowed three walks and a two-run double. A three-run lead turned into a 7-5 loss. Cora was asked if hes rethinking his closer-by-committee approach and could name a closer. No, no. We feel that weve done an outstanding job so far," Cora said. "So nothing is going to change right now. The Red Sox are tied for the second most blown saves (9) in the American League with the Royals. Detroit and Oakland each have 10 blown saves. Four of the nine blown saves have come in the ninth inning or later. The Red Sox had two blown saves last Wednesday against the Blue Jays when Marcus Walden gave up the lead in the ninth and Heath Hembree gave up the lead again in the 12th. The Red Sox had blown just one ninth-inning lead before May 22. The 8th Annual Worcester Food Truck & Craft Beer Festival is returning to Worcester Common on Saturday. At least 28 food trucks and 15 breweries are expected to park on the Common in downtown Worcester, as the city becomes more of a foodie destination amid an ongoing renaissance of dining and development. From noon to 5 p.m., avid eaters and craft beer fans can fill up on the Common. The festival, hosted by Food Truck Festivals of America, says its bringing some of the areas most popular food trucks to Worcester, in addition to craft beer. The day will also feature a cornhole tournament sponsored by Boondock Sports, music and lawn games. You can register for the tournament online. General admission tickets are available online for $5 or at the gate for $10. Children 12 and younger as well as active or retired military and first responders who show valid ID get in for free. Admission begins at noon. A VIP hour goes from 11 a.m. to noon. Tickets are available in advance online for $25 and include early access at 11 a.m.; one free dessert from our designated VIP food truck; a Free Food Truck Festivals of America koozie; $1 off beer; and unlimited bottled water Theres also a VIB package for beer-lovers. Tickets are available in advance online for $40 and include: early access to the festival at 11 a.m.; 3 beer tickets for 3 craft beers of your choice; $1 off all additional beers; one free dessert from our designated VIP food truck; a free Food Truck Festivals of America koozie; and unlimited bottled water. Trucks in the lineup include: Trolley Dogs from Natick: All beef gourmet hot dogs, fries, & lemonade Shishkaberrys, the VIP Dessert Truck, from Shrewsbury: Chocolate covered strawberries Shuckin Truck from Point Judith, Rhode Island: Fresh seafood GottaQ from Cumberland, Rhode Island: BBQ Riceburg from Boston: Asian fusion Anzios Brick Oven Pizza from Grafton: Slices of pizza Da Bomb Truck from Boston" Sweet, savory, and fried bombs Dinoras Catering from Providence, Rhode Island: Salvadoran and Mexican food Moyzilla from Boston: Dumplings and Asian comfort food The Whoo(pie) Wagon from Topsfield: Homemade whoopie pies Birds Nest from Hudson: Fried manicotti, fried ravioli, mozzarella sticks and steak and cheese egg rolls Nom Nom Hut from Chicopee: Japanese dumplings Captain Mardens from Wellesley: Fresh seafood Patrunos Place from Hartford, Connecticut: Giant meatballs, meatball sliders, chicken parm sliders, and rice balls Reds from Warren, Rhode Island: Cheesesteaks, fries and fried chicken TC Scoops from Medway: Ice cream Kowloon Mobile from Saugus: Chinese cuisine Say Cheese! from Worcester: Grilled cheese and more Roxys Grilled Cheese from Allston: Gourmet grilled cheese and truffle fries Chick-fil-A: Fried and grilled chicken Clydes Cupcakes from Exeter, New Hampshire: Homemade cupcakes and sweets The Bacon Truck from Charlestown: Bacon based everything Papis Stuffed Sopapillas from Boston: Handmade Sopapillas Better Buzz from Manchester Center, Vermont: Coffee, Lattes, Smoothies, and more Zinnekens from Cambridge: Belgian dessert styled waffles The Greek Village: Homemade Greek cuisine Northeast of the Border from Boston: Street tacos and Mexican Travelin Bones from Marlborough: BBQ Craft beer in the lineup includes: Former Massachusetts State Police Lt. David Wilson, one of several troopers charged in the overtime scandal case, claimed he was out conducting enforcement on the Mass. Pike, but his radio data showed during some shifts his cruiser was on for just a minute, federal records said. The information was contained in the governments sentencing memorandum in Wilsons case. The paperwork was filed this week. Wilson, 58, of Charlton, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of embezzlement from an agency receiving federal funds. His sentencing in a Boston federal court is scheduled for June 4. While the government wants Wilson, the only supervisor to plead guilty in the case so far, to serve six months in prison, his lawyer is arguing for one day in custody with two years of supervised release. Wilsons lawyer submitted 12 letters of support written by family and friends who state his commitment to law enforcement and his years of being a foster parent for more than 50 children show his true character. Despite any arguments by the government to the contrary, Mr. Wilson is not a criminal, defense lawyer Leonardo Angiulo wrote in the defense sentencing memorandum. He is simply a person who has admitted to a crime. Wilson is one of eight troopers who were charged in federal court after authorities said they skipped or left early during specialized overtime shifts on the Mass. Pike and Metropolitan Tunnel System. These patrols were known as Accident Injury Reduction Effort patrols and "X-Team" patrols. An internal investigation by state police in 2017 flagged more than 40 troopers in the overtime case. The shifts that were scrutinized took place in 2015 and 2016. Wilson and the seven other troopers pleaded guilty in federal court and many have been sentenced already. Wilson and two other lieutenants also face state charges in the case. In a recent interview with MassLive, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said the states investigation in the overtime scandal is not over. Federal prosecutors want Wilson to be on supervised release for one year after serving six months in federal prison. The government continued to allege troopers working the specialized patrols had ticket quotas to reach, an accusation state police said is untrue. Wilson collected $12,450 in overtime hours that he didnt work during AIRE patrols. The 30-year-plus veteran of the state police retired in March 2018 amid allegations of the overtime abuse. Troopers assigned to these shifts who chose to abuse these overtime benefits would purport to write the minimum number of tickets, and then simply go home, federal prosecutors wrote. In many instances, these troopers would obtain the minimum number of citations in an hour, or less. Federal prosecutors claim the troopers in the scandal worked together to commit the abuse. The claim is made in court filings in connection with the case against former Trooper Daren DeJong, who has also cooperated with investigators from Healeys office. Similar to the other federal cases, Wilson created phony tickets, falsified payroll records and submitted phony paperwork to make it appear he was conducting traffic enforcement during AIRE patrols. In some instances, bogus citations were created ahead of shifts that Wilson planned not to work, and in others, Wilson created bogus citations after the fact, prosecutors said. Federal authorities said during an Aug. 3, 2016 AIRE patrol, Wilsons cruiser radio was only active for one minute. The AIRE patrols lasted four hours for each shift. Records for a Dec. 3, 2016 AIRE patrol show Wilson claimed to write five tickets. All of those were bogus, prosecutors said. Wilsons cruiser radio was never on and he never ran driver history records during those shifts. Wilson skipped 124.5 hours of AIRE overtime, authorities said. As a lieutenant, Wilsons criminal actions had even more significant impact within this widespread scheme, prosecutors wrote. As the officer in charge of the AIRE overtime shifts he worked, Wilson was responsible for ensuring that other troopers (sometimes as many as four or five others) complied with the rules. Wilson was in no position to ensure other troopers were not abusing the AIRE program when he, himself, failed to show up at all. Angiulo asked for one day in custody, six months of home detention and two years of supervised release for Wilson. The lawyer said working for the state police was Wilsons calling. It is impossible to drive anywhere in Massachusetts without seeing cars with that familiar blue MSP shield on the back or front windshield, Angiulo wrote. Everyone wants to be associated with the state police. They are revered, sometimes feared, but always respected. Wilson admitted to wrongdoings, but there were days and nights where he went above and beyond, the lawyer wrote. In the federal case, Wilson admitted to being untruthful in his overtime filings, but he is not a criminal, Angiulo contends. The former trooper, who recently worked as a ski lift attendant in Central Massachusetts after he was indicted, raised four biological children and two adopted children. Wilson and his wife were foster parents for more than 50 children. Angiulo notes Wilson asked for two years of supervised release, a year more than what other troopers were sentenced to serve in their cases. The defense lawyer said even after the federal case is over, Wilson still has the pending state charges. My heart breaks because Dave would never steal, lie or hurt anyone, Wilsons wife, Carolyn, wrote in a letter of support. He loved his job; he has judges that speak extremely highly of his honesty when he was in their courtroom, attorneys that enjoy working with him, he even has those that he had arrested, and given citations to speaking highly of him. All of the troopers flagged in the overtime investigation were part of Troop E. The troop was disbanded by Col. Kerry Gilpin. Worcester has plenty of greasy spoon diners and high-end eateries, but when Bryan Baltazar and Jennifer Palazzo realized there was no in-between option that offered farm-to-table dining, they decided to start their own business. The couple, who live in Westborough, recently launched Noms, a food pop-up and catering service that hosts events around the Worcester area. Working with the Center for Women and Entrepreneurship and the Worcester Regional Food Hub, they focus on specialty cuisines that combine flavors from a variety of influences. Both Baltazar and Palazzo are deaf and spoke with MassLive through an interpreter. Wed had the idea of opening up a restaurant for some time and thats always been the ultimate goal, Baltazar said. I kind of felt like Id hit a ceiling in a lot of other opportunities Id had working in restaurants and other places, so we contacted the Worcester Regional Food Hub and they kind of gave us some guidance as far as what we can do. Although they didnt expect to start a pop-up, the couple said the business has grown quickly, serving up dishes like flatbread pizzas, watermelon gazpacho, and chicken and waffles. We didnt realize it would be possible to take small steps to get to that dream, Baltazar said of their goal of eventually opening a restaurant. Noms also offers personal chef services, catering and recently started a Roaming Cafe thats set to begin July 13 at the Worcester Regional Food Hub. The cafe will pop up at different locations and allow guests to choose from a selection of small dishes, entrees and desserts. Well be able to personally deliver to the tables and we want to have kind of that tableside service where were pouring a gazpacho out in their bowl and having that really direct relationship with the people there, Baltazar said. Its good practice for us to try out new menu items, Palazzo added. Baltazar, who grew up in a family where much of the culture revolved around food, said he began working in restaurants at the age of 16 and realized after studying art at Rochester Institute of Technology that cooking was a passion he wanted to pursue full time. He graduated from Illinois Institute of Art in Chicago and worked in several James Beard Foundation Award-nominated restaurants. It was in New York that he fell in love with the farm-to-table movement. There, Baltazar worked in a restaurant where the chefs would use every park of the animal down to pickling the skin and worked with whatever ingredients were fresh at the time. I was just amazed because not only was my experience there with the food wonderful, but I also had a chef who was open to communicating with me visually as opposed to relying on spoken English as the primary means of communication, he said. Since returning to the area and starting Noms, Baltazar and Palazzo said theyve gotten to know the community and have plans to expand to several local farmers markets this summer, including in Worcester and Westborough. The food scene is really blossoming here and the city of Worcester itself has really grown and once we got connected, thats when we started to see more and more restaurants and some that were really excited to try and make personal and professional networks with, Baltazar said. So far, Noms has held a handful of pop-ups at area businesses like Redemption Rock Brewing Co., Medusa Brewery and The Medusa Saloon, and has more events in the works. Baltazar and Palazzo said they hope to open up a permanent location within the next three years. For more information, including a schedule of pop-ups, click here. I want him to have an education, she said. Curnutte has been with the school for 11 years, and while she considers herself no hero, she ensures that breakfast and lunches are served up to students with a smile, and goes the extra mile to help out with school events and the afternoon pick-up lines. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} I enjoy the kids, its all about the kids, she said. I like watching them grow from kindergarten to fifth grade. And hopefully they will remember Miss Peggy the lunch lady. Eastfields principal Michelle Baker nominated Curnutte as a school hero because she works so hard to make sure the cafeteria is a warm and inviting place for students. I wanted to highlight the work she does, its so much more than just preparing and serving food, Baker said. Even though she is selected as one person from a specific school, she represents so many people who work behind the scenes at the school who are our unsung heroes. The $10,000 for the school will go toward new playground equipment, Baker said. NEBO - Trail closures are in place as firefighters respond to the Lost Cove Fire burning in the Wilson Creek area on the US Forest Service Grandfather Ranger District in Avery County. The fire is located near Bee Mountain in a remote part of the Lost Cove Wilderness Study Area, 10 miles southeast of the town of Linville. The fire, which was reported on Friday afternoon, is estimated at 350 acres and 10% contained. Crohns Disease Treatment Industry 2019 Description:- Crohns disease belongs to a condition called inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes inflammation and damage to the digestive tract. Crohns disease usually affects at the end of small intestine and beginning of colon, but inflammation may occur anywhere along the digestive tract. Crohns disease may be hereditary or develop due to the malfunctioning of the immune system. Currently there is no cure for crohns disease. However, there are many treatments to manage disease symptoms. Inflammation, ulcers, bowel obstruction, malnutrition, colon cancer, and anal fissures are some of the complications associated with the disease. Surgery and drug therapy are some of the treatment options available to treat Crohns disease. Some of the anti-inflammatory drugs used to treat crohns disease include, corticosteroids and oral 5-aminosalicylates. Get a Free Sample Report @ https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/2868235-crohn-s-disease-treatment-market-global-market-estimation-dynamics-regional For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.com The prime driver for Crohns disease treatment market is increase in number of people being infected by the disease. In addition, increase in demand for biologics and high unmet needs within the anti-TNF refractory patient group that presents untapped market opportunities. Strong pipeline and novel mechanisms to treat Crohns disease are fuelling the growth of Crohns disease treatment market. However, patent expiry of the key drugs and high cost of treatment is expected to hamper the Crohns disease treatment market globally. High R&D investment for development of biological drugs and unknown aetiology of the Crohns disease further hindering the market growth. Global Crohns disease treatment market is segmented based on, drug class and distribution channel Based on drug class, Crohns disease treatment market is segmented into Antibiotics Anti-Diarrheal Immune System Suppressants Analgesics Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Monoclonal Antibodies Based on distribution channel, Crohns disease treatment market is segmented into Hospital Pharmacy Retail Pharmacy Others Crohns disease treatment market is expected to grow at a significant rate during the forecast period. Growth in biologics development unfolded the opportunities for the new market players as they are most commonly used in Crohns disease treatment. Market players are focusing on to develop new products that can treat Crohns disease. For instance, mongersen, is investigational therapy for the treatment of crohns disease, is being developed by Celgene Corporation in phase 3 clinical trials. Considering the foreseen factors Crohns disease treatment market is projected to have a lucrative opportunity for market players. Geographically Crohns disease treatment market is divided into five key regions, i.e. North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America expected to contribute major share owing to increase in R&D activity and biologics approval to treat autoimmune disease. Furthermore, increase in prevalence and incidence of the Crohns disease are expected to drive the growth of the market. According to Crohns and Colitis Foundation of America 700,000 have crohns diseases in between 1992-2004, and 74% increase in doctor office visits due to crohns disease. Asia-Pacific region is expected to create significant growth opportunities for the market players owing to develop infrastructure, R&D activities related to biologics and increase in prevalence of Crohns disease in the region. Developing countries such as India and China expected to show the fastest growth owing to increase in R&D investment and healthcare expenditure in these countries Some of the market players in Crohns disease treatment market are Allergan, Inc. (U.S.), AbbVie Inc., (U.S.), Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Japan), Bayer AG (Switzerland), UCB S.A. (Belgium), Perrigo Company plc (Ireland), Pfizer Inc. (US), Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc. (US), and Ferring B.V. (Switzerland) to name a few. Report Details @ https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/2868235-crohn-s-disease-treatment-market-global-market-estimation-dynamics-regional Table Of Contents Major Key Points Executive Summary Global Crohns Disease Treatment Market Introduction Global Crohns Disease Treatment Market Dynamics Global Crohns Disease Treatment Market Analysis, 2012 2016 and Forecast, 2017 2023 Global Crohns Disease Treatment Market, By Drug Class, 2012 2016 and Forecast, 2017 2023 (Revenue, USD Mn) Global Crohns Disease Treatment Market, By Distribution Channel, 2012 2016 and Forecast, 2017 2023 (Revenue, USD Mn) Global Crohns Disease Treatment Market Forecast, By Region, 2012 2016 and Forecast, 2017 2023 (Revenue, USD Mn) North America Crohns Disease Treatment Market Analysis, 2012 2016 and Forecast, 2017 2023 (Revenue, USD Mn) Europe Crohns Disease Treatment Market Analysis, 2012 2016 and Forecast, 2017 2023 (Revenue, USD Mn) Asia-Pacific Crohns Disease Treatment Market Analysis, 2012 2016 and Forecast, 2017 2023 (Revenue, USD Mn) Latin America Crohns Disease Treatment Market Analysis, 2012 2012 2012 2016 and Forecast, 2017 2023 (Revenue, USD Mn) Middle East and Africa Crohns Disease Treatment Market Analysis, 2012 2016 and Forecast, 2017 2023 (Revenue, USD Mn) Continued Also Read : Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) Filters Market: Global Market Estimation, Dynamics, Regional Share, Trends, Competitor Analysis 2012 to 2016 and Forecast 2017 to 2023 CONTACT US: NORAH TRENT Partner Relations & Marketing Manager sales@wiseguyreports.com www.wiseguyreports.com Ph: +1-646-845-9349 (US) Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK) ABOUT US: Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories. As per an insightful report furnished by Market Research Future (MRFR), the mammography market is expected to demonstrate a robust growth rate of 22.60%, depicting a million dollar growth during the forecast period (2017-2022). Market Drivers and Key Challenges According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), breast cancer is considered to be the leading cause of cancer among the female population around the world, belonging to any ethnicity or race. Breast cancer has also been identified as the third most common reason for deaths among American Indian or Alaska Native women. As per the analysis done by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), in 2016, roughly 246,660 new cases along with 40,450 deaths have been registered owing to breast cancer. The primary reasons behind the strong growth of the global mammography market include the continuous technological innovations in the field of breast imaging, growing investment from several organizations with rising number of breast cancer screening campaigns and the increasing prevalence of breast cancer across the globe. Request Free Sample @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/2443 World over, a large portion of the population is aging, with a growing number of women moving into the 60 and above age category. Furthermore, women more than the age of 60 are responsible for approximately 78% of the overall breast cancer-related deaths. The growing incidences as well as mortality rates for breast cancer, particularly within this age group are indicative of a massive unmet requirement for breast cancer diagnostics. With these numbers increasing at a rapid pace, the demand for mammography is subsequently projected to rise in the coming years. These factors are expected to be the major factors supporting the growth of the mammography market during the conjectured time frame. Key Trends With the emergence of digital mammography all around the world, a boost in the number of countries are witnessing growing demand for these systems, on account of their higher accuracy levels when it comes to low-contrast objects, along with wider dynamic change, as well as enhanced diagnostic quality of images, specifically in cases of denser breasts. These tests also offer an extra advantage of soft-copy image displays coupled with soft-copy reading that have the ability to be easily transferred. Other than this, digital mammography also provide a major leeway to substantial advances in breast cancer diagnosis, such as reduced breast compression pressure, enhanced detection as well as decreased radiation dosages. These advantages are presumed to elevate the product demand in the years ahead, which will have a lucrative effect on the growth of the global market in the process. Market Segmentation The worldwide mammography market is segmented on the basis of technology and application. The mammography market, in terms of technology, includes digital mammography, 3D mammography, C-View 2D, breast tomosynthesis contrast enhance mammography, Analog, and others, where the digital mammography segment is slated to take the lead, owing to the various benefits associated with it in providing accurate results at a quick rate. The various applications covered in the report include Screening, Diagnostic, and others. Regional Insight The region-wise segments in the global mammography market include the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East & Africa. The Americas market has stolen the limelight by garnering the largest share of the overall market, with main factors being the mere presence of highly established vendors in the region, growing number of patients afflicted with cancer and the availability of sophisticated technologies in the field. Over the last decade, the regional market has expanded at a substantial rate on account of the increasing government support in the form of rising investments in research and development activities. Also, constant efforts being put in by the leading companies based on the marketing hacks being adopted by them, such as partnerships and acquisitions in order to expand their customer base are expected to give the regional market an extra boost over the upcoming years. With the second largest share of the global market, Europe is thriving on the back of factors including the massive funds available for research and development along with the presence of supportive government within the region. In the region, the United Kingdom (U.K) and Germany are identified as the spearheading countries because of the existence of well-established healthcare infrastructure and sophisticated technology. MRFR acknowledges Asia Pacific as the fastest expanding regional market globally as a result of the burgeoning patient pool coupled with the rapidly growing economies like India and Japan. On this note, the region consists of various developing economies that are offering increasing number of growth opportunities to the market. The survey conducted by Pfizer states that in the year 2012, around 6.7 million of those suffering from cancer were reported in Asia Pacific, with predictions of this number increasing at a steady rate in the years to come. Thus, the growing prevalence of cancer in the region is presumed to stimulate the growth of the market in the following years. Lastly, the Middle East and Africa is set to be the slowest developing market since there is a limited availability of modern technologies combined with abysmal economic conditions. However, the Middle East is expected to be the leading contributor within the Middle East and Africa market backed by the presence of growing healthcare funds and rising number of initiatives being undertaken by the government. Leading Vendors The prominent participants of the global mammography market include Hologic, Inc (U.S.), FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation (Japan), Koninklijke Philips (Netherland), Shimadzu Corporation (Japan), Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation (Japan), Hitachi Medical Corporation (Japan), Siemens Healthcare GmbH (Germany), Carestream Health, Inc. (U.S.), General Electric Company (U.S.), among others. Industry Update April 2019 Hologic Inc. has recently made available its latest mammography technology, Trident HD specimen radiography system. This solution has the ability improve the quality, image and workflow, in addition to allowing quick sample verification during stereotactic breast biopsies and breast-conserving surgeries. Get an Exclusive Discount on Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/2443 About Market Research Future: At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by Components, Application, Logistics and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions. In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members. Contact: Akash Anand Market Research Future +1 646 845 9312 Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, May 28, 2019 The ACLU is urging a federal judge to rule that Governor Matt Bevin violates the First Amendment by blocking critics on social media. The Governors policy violates the First Amendment, the ACLU argues in papers filed last week with U.S. District Court Judge Gregory F. Van Tatenhove in Frankfort. The organization is asking Van Tatenhove to issue an injunction blocking Bevin from enforcing his social media policy. The legal dispute dates to 2017, when the ACLU sued on behalf of Kentucky residents Drew Morgan and Mary Hargis, who said Bevin blocked them on Facebook after they made critical comments. Moran said his comments related to Bevin's property taxes, which were overdue, while Hargis criticized Bevin's right-to-work policies and a job apprenticeship program. advertisement advertisement The ACLU argues that the Bevin violates the First Amendment by censoring critics based on their viewpoints. Last year, Van Tatenhove rejected the ACLU's request for a preliminary injunction against the governor. At the time, the judge said Bevin's use of Facebook was "personal," and he has no obligation to allow members of the public to comment via the platform. The ACLU argues in its new court papers that the legal landscape has changed in recent months, as judges across the country have weighed in on questions surrounding censorship on social media. Numerous courts ... have held that the interactive spaces of a public officials social media accounts are fora for First Amendment purposes and therefore entitled to constitutional protections, the ACLU writes. Among other examples, the organization points to a decision by U.S. District Court Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald, who ruled in May 2018 that President Donald Trump violates the First Amendment by blocking critics on Twitter. Bevin is asking Van Tatenhove to reject the ACLU's request. The governor contends his social media policy doesn't discriminate based on viewpoint, but rather blocks people who make obscene, abusive, or repeated off-topic comments. It is time to put an end to this case, which is really nothing more than an attempt to wrest control over the Governors social media accounts away from the Governor and give it to those who desire to exercise a hecklers veto by drowning out the Governors messages with a cacophony of obscene, abusive, or otherwise off-topic comments, he writes. But the ACLU counters that Bevin's interpretation of off-topic includes comments that are negative. Evidence obtained by Plaintiffs ... reveals that the Governor and his staff have indeed engaged in viewpoint discrimination in the name of keeping his Twitter and Facebook posts 'on topic,' the ACLU writes. The organization says its examination of 1,700 pages of screenshots of speech that resulted in people being blocked shows that nearly 90% of the messages were critical, while no more than 1% were supportive. Bevin also argues that people who are blocked can simply create new social media accounts, and then use those accounts to interact with him. The ACLU argues that suggestion is unacceptable. Even putting aside the fact that doing so violates the Terms of Service for both Facebook and Twitter and would expose those new accounts to deactivation, this argument ignores that many users would like to interact with the Governor in their own name, so that their many existing friends and connections may see those posts and potentially join in the conversation themselves, the organization writes. Plaintiffs should not have to create new fictional accounts to accommodate the Governors unconstitutional policy. Gillette, which angered some people in January with its ad that showed men being sensitive as a counterpoint to the macho image mens grooming products often depict, has now debuted a commercial showing a transgender man's first shave. With the new ad, the right-wing Town Hall website accused Procter & Gambles Gillette of continuing to force its progressive agenda down America's throat. On the flip side, the website Pride wrote approvingly, exclaiming that its just freaking great to see inclusivity in mainstream companies and commercials, and noted that "the new spot arrived just as the spate of Pride parades begin. (The biggest, in New York, San Francisco and Chicago, dont occur until the last weekend in June but other cities often host theirs during the first weeks of June.) advertisement advertisement The ad also dropped at about the same time the Trump Administration formally proposed to lift safeguards on transsexual medical patients and make it easier for insurers not to pay for some procedures. Why can a razor company understand the need to give my community dignity but not my gov't? tweeted Ellie Krug, author of "Getting to Ellen: A Memoir about Love, Honesty and Gender Change. The ad shows Samson, a Canadian teen, about to try his first shave, with his father offering encouragement and advice. Now dont be scared, he tells the young man as he holds the shaver to his face. Shaving is about being confident. Samson says later, Im at the point of my manhood that Im actually happy. Its not just me transitioning, its everybody around me transitioning. The ad ends with words reading, Whenever, wherever, however it happens, your first shave is special. The Gillette slogan, The best a man can get follows. (The tagline in the so-called toxic masculinity ad slightly reworked that slogan into The best a man can be.) Unlike that first ad in January, Gillette didnt overtly publicize the First Shave ad, which a spokesman said will only run on the brands Facebook and Instagram pages. Gender conversations are happening all around us and we believe brands play a role in influencing culture and have a responsibility to use their voice to champion issues of great relevance to both the brand and our customers, the spokesman wrote. There isnt a right and wrong time to join an important conversation, as long as you have something of value to contribute to the dialogue. We believe that the optimistic view we have on the potential for men to be at their best is a positive addition to the conversation already underway, and were excited to be part of this dialogue going forward. The number of U.S. transgender people is quite small though its hard to find an accurate count but that group is part of the much larger LGBTQ community. Additionally, countless studies now seem to agree that younger consumers want their brands to take a stand on social issues. So while Gillette got hammered by Fox News and others for its earlier ad, there was probably more upside with the consumers it wanted to reach. The Atlantic called that first ad the latest example of exactly what many marketers think brands have to do to communicate with the next generation of shoppers, noting that brands are stepping into the leadership void left by ineffective government and cultural leaders. by Tanya Gazdik , May 29, 2019 Uwe Dreher is the new vice president of marketing at BMW of North America, effective July 1. The German native succeeds Trudy Hardy, who will be assuming the role of vice president of BMW Motorrad of the Americas on the same date. Dreher will serve as a member of the companys executive management team and will oversee all marketing communication and product planning for the BMW brand within the U.S. market. His most recent post was at the BMW Group headquarters in Munich, Germany, where he served in the central marketing department as the vice president for global BMW, BMW i and BMW M brand communication. Dreher will report directly to Bernhard Kuhnt, president and CEO of BMW of North America. BMW North America is one of the automakers biggest markets and the hope is that Dreher can build on Hardys momentum, Kuhnt says. advertisement advertisement Hardy led the agency search last year that resulted in Goodby, Silverstein & Partners landing the position of lead creative agency in the U.S., following a competitive review. Besides Goodby, the finalists in the pitch, which was handled by Roth Ryan Hayes, included Droga5, Wieden & Kennedy, Hill Holliday and Anomaly. As BMW continues the largest product offensive in our history, we look forward to working together with Uwe to further sharpen our customer focus and solidify our brand position, Kuhnt states. A 17-year employee of the BMW Group, Dreher has a wide range of marketing expertise with positions both at headquarters in Munich and abroad. by Karlene Lukovitz @KLmarketdaily, May 29, 2019 In the latest development in the ongoing beer corntroversy, a judge has temporarily enjoined Anheuser-Buschs Bud Light from running most of its ads that allude to corn syrup in relation to competitive brands Miller Lite and Coors Lite. U.S. District Judge William Conley in Wisconsins Western District ruled in favor of MillerCoors LLCs motion for a preliminary injunction against the ads, although he excluded Bud Lights Super Bowl ads. One of those, Special Delivery (above), shows Bud Lights medieval king character taking barrels of corn syrup mistakenly delivered to his castle to castles where Miller Lite and Coors Light are brewed. advertisement advertisement MillerCoors sued AB InBev in March, asserting that the $30 million-plus corn syrup campaign intentionally misleads consumers into believing that Coors Light and Miller Lite contain corn syrup, when in fact the ingredient is used only in the brewing process and not present in the final beverage. Some AB InBev beer brands (though not Bud Light) also use corn syrup in the brewing process. The temporary injunction applies to Bud Light ads that mention corn syrup without also mentioning brewed with or made with, affecting two Bud Light ads and some billboards. The judge also denied AB InBevs motion to dismiss the case, citing his opinion that the ads were ultimately likely to be deemed misleading and damaging to MillerCoors. We are pleased with todays ruling that will force Anheuser-Busch to change or remove advertisements that were clearly designed to mislead the American public, MillerCoors CEO Gavin Hattersley said in a statement. As the dominant market leader, Anheuser-Busch should be seeking to grow the beer category, not destroy it through deceptive advertising. In a statement, AB InBev also claimed victory, based on its ability to continue airing the Special Delivery spot. It also said it had already stopped using the billboards at issue. The dispute has thrown a wrench into the beer industrys plan to run a cross-brand marketing campaign to help address the beer categorys ongoing decline in sales. by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, May 29, 2019 Wikipedia publicly called out The North Face after the brand and its advertising agency Leo Burnett Tailor Made used the organization to promote its products. The North Face and its advertising agency Leo Burnett Tailor Made used Wikipedia to drive awareness of the brand in Google Image search results by switching travel destination photos with product placement shots -- a move that is raising eyebrows among some search marketers. Wikipedia is the most visible website in Google search results globally, based on its performance in ten countries, including the U.S., UK, Germany and France, according to data released by Searchmetrics in February. advertisement advertisement "Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation did not collaborate on this stunt, as The North Face falsely claim [in the video], according to a post by Wikimedia Foundation. In fact, what they did was akin to defacing public property, which is a surprising direction from The North Face. Their stated mission, unchanged since 1966, is to support the preservation of the outdoors a public good held in trust for all of us. The promotional video for the campaign posted on YouTube describes how the brand and its agency partner accomplished the task of switching destination images for product placement images. The video begins by acknowledging that most trips begin with a search on Google, and states that the first image typically is from a Wikipedia article about the destination. The brand and agency photographed an actor wearing the brands clothing with a visible logo in several adventurous places, such as Guarita State Park and Farol Do Mampituba in Brazil, and then switched the Wikipedia photos for the travel destinations for ones shot by The North Face and Leo Burnett Tailor Made. We hacked the results to reach one of the most difficult places: the top of the worlds largest search engine, according to the video on YouTube. Lauren Rockwell, associate director of SEO at Cogniscient Media, called the stunt a PR win for the brand. The images were removed quickly, but the brand mentions and external links that will build from this temporary stunt are likely the reason why this campaign exists in the first place, she said. Rockwell believes the brand and agency knew they violated guidelines and that the images would quickly be taken down, and may not result in feeding Google Images for destination queries. Their goal was about the exposure of the stunt vs. the stunt itself, she said. North Face is receiving long term impact of external links from this campaign to the site as well as short-term impact of the imagery and brand mentions on social media. The North Face video also touts how the brand and agency paid absolutely nothing, just by collaborating with Wikipedia. The video states that the brand and agency collaborated with Wikipedia, but no such partnership was made. Mike Dickison, a New Zealand Wikipedian at Large, tweeted in one instance of the photo swap that the agency just photoshopped a North Face product into a nice photo they may not have taken. Who knows? Because they misled Wikipedia volunteers about what they were doing, how can we trust them? Dickison likes the idea of The North Face donating nice photos of its products to Wikipedia, but trying to smuggle them in (violating the terms of service), then boasting about it seems to be the problem. MediaPost reached out to all involved and will update the article with any additional news. At a time when many traditional media are declining or expanding at relatively modest rates, out-of-home ad spending in the U.S. grew 6.0% to $1.78 billion in the first quarter, according to data released today by the Out-of-Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA). The data, which was compiled by Kantar by Steve McClellan @mp_mcclellan, May 29, 2019 Ad agency Sid Lee has appointed Andy Bateman as the shops U.S. CEO. The appointment comes as the agencys parent kyu Collective is redoubling efforts to expand Sid Lees presence in the U.S. As part of that effort sibling shops Digital Kitchen, branding firms Hornall Anderson and Red Peak and content firm Infrared are joining the Sid Lee fold. Bateman was previously national lead partner for innovation strategy at Monitor Deloitte Australia. In the role he advised CEOs, companies and other entities on the impact of new technologies, customer-driven marketing approaches and the application of data to innovation and growth. Before relocating back to Australia nearly a decade ago, Bateman was CEO at Omnicoms Interbrand in New York. He also held roles at McCann, Publicis and J. Walter Thompson. At Sid Lee, hell be based in Los Angeles. Sid Lee has always been a disruptor, said Bertrand Cesvet, CEO of Sid Lee Group. Andys business acumen, combined with his extensive experience in digital, data and consulting, brings new firepower to Sid Lees vision. Thyroid nodules are lumps that can develop on the thyroid gland. These nodules are relatively common and are usually harmless, but there is a very low risk of thyroid cancer. The thyroid is a small gland in the front part of the neck that produces hormones to regulate the bodys metabolism. Nodules can develop on this gland due to the growth of thyroid tissue or a cyst. In this article, we explore what hypoechoic nodules are and whether there is a risk of cancer. We also discuss causes and what happens after a doctor detects a hypoechoic nodule. What is a hypoechoic nodule? Share on Pinterest A doctor may find a hypoechoic thyroid nodule while checking a persons neck. If a thyroid nodule is big enough, it can cause a lump or swelling in the neck that a person might be able to feel. A doctor may also discover thyroid nodules during a routine examination or an imagining test of a persons head and neck. Doctors typically evaluate thyroid nodules using an ultrasound examination, or sonogram. Thyroid nodules have specific characteristics that allow a doctor to assess the potential risk of thyroid cancer. For example, cystic or fluid-filled thyroid nodules are often benign, which means they are noncancerous. The echogenicity refers to the brightness of a thyroid nodule relative to the rest of the thyroid tissue. Hypoechoic nodules are darker than the surrounding thyroid tissue, which suggests that the nodules are solid rather than fluid-filled. Is there a cancer risk? Most thyroid nodules are benign. According to the American Thyroid Association (ATA), about 5% of thyroid nodules develop into thyroid cancer. The ATA also note that solid hypoechoic thyroid nodules have a higher chance of becoming cancerous compared to cystic or fluid-filled lesions. However, other characteristics, such as size, may also indicate the potential risk of a nodule developing into thyroid cancer. Doctors will recommend further testing if necessary. If a doctor suspects that a nodule is cancerous, they may perform a fine-needle biopsy to take a small sample of cells for further analysis. Causes According to the ATA, around 50% of people have a detectable thyroid nodule by the age of 60 years. However, many people do not know that they have a thyroid nodule. Doctors are not exactly sure what causes most thyroid nodules. However, certain conditions can increase the risk of developing thyroid nodules, including: Hashimotos thyroiditis, which is an underlying autoimmune condition and the most common cause of hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid). Iodine deficiency, which can also lead to an enlarged thyroid gland, or goiter. However, iodine deficiency is very uncommon in developed countries, such as the United States. What happens next? If a doctor detects a hypoechoic thyroid nodule on an ultrasound examination, they may recommend that the person undergoes additional testing or surgery. We discuss these options below. Blood testing A doctor may order blood tests to check if the thyroid is functioning normally. Blood tests can measure the levels of thyroid stimulating hormone and thyroxine, which can indicate if a person has hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid). Nuclear thyroid scan Less commonly, a doctor may recommend a nuclear thyroid scan. This test can help evaluate nodules that cause hyperthyroidism. Fine-needle biopsy A fine needle biopsy is a quick procedure that doctors can often perform in their office or clinic. It involves inserting a fine needle through the skin of the persons neck and into the nodule to take a small sample of tissue. The doctor may use ultrasound scanning to help guide the needle. A scientist will then examine the tissue sample under a microscope to check for the presence of cancerous cells. Surgery Share on Pinterest A doctor may recommend surgery to remove potentially cancerous thyroid nodules. If a doctor suspects that a thyroid nodule is cancerous, they will usually recommend a thyroidectomy, which is a surgical procedure to remove part or all of the thyroid gland. Following a total thyroidectomy, people need to take hormone replacement tablets for the rest of their lives to prevent symptoms of hypothyroidism. If thyroid cancer is small and confined to the thyroid gland, then surgery may be enough to cure the cancer without further treatment. However, if the cancer spreads to the lymph nodes or other parts of the body, a person may require additional treatments. Other treatment options can include: radioactive iodine therapy radiation therapy chemotherapy targeted therapies Doctors may also recommend surgery for people with noncancerous thyroid nodules that are causing symptoms such as vocal changes and swallowing or breathing difficulties. Adult-onset asthma is asthma that develops in adulthood. In most cases, people develop asthma during childhood, though it can arise at any age. According to the American Lung Association (ALA), 1 in 12 adults has asthma. Asthma is a chronic lung disease that leads to problems breathing. It causes narrowing and inflammation of the airways and increased mucus production. This article provides an overview of adult-onset asthma, including its possible causes, symptoms, and treatments. Causes Share on Pinterest Catherine McQueen/Getty Images Doctors are not sure why asthma develops in some adults, but certain factors, such as exposure to chemicals or irritants in the workplace, can cause adult-onset asthma. According to the ALA, 1 in 6 cases of adult-onset asthma occurs due to occupational exposures. Substances that cause asthma symptoms are called asthmagens. Another possible cause is allergies. Allergies trigger at least 30% of cases of adult asthma. Various allergens may trigger asthma symptoms in adults. Common allergens include: cigarette smoke some chemicals dust pollen mold Symptoms Similar to asthma that develops in childhood, symptoms of adult-onset asthma may include: wheezing coughing with or without mucus shortness of breath chest tightness or pressure colds that seem to linger Adult vs. childhood asthma Childhood and adult asthma have several similarities, such as symptoms and standard treatment, but there are also differences. The severity of symptoms can vary in both children and adults. Asthma that develops in childhood often involves symptoms that come and go. In adult-onset asthma, symptoms are more likely to be persistent and less well controlled. Adults that develop asthma may have faster lung function decline than children. Adults, especially by middle age, may have stiffening of the chest wall, which can make treating asthma more difficult. Adults are also at a higher risk of death due to asthma than children. In 2019, 3,524 people died from asthma. Almost all of these people were over 18 years old. The reasons why adults have a higher rate of asthma-related death are not clear. It may be because symptoms tend to be less well-controlled than children or because of a delay in diagnosis. Diagnosis It is vital to get an accurate diagnosis of adult-onset asthma in order to develop the most effective treatment plan. In many cases, adult-onset asthma takes longer to diagnose than asthma in childhood. This is partly due to confusion with other conditions that occur in adults but are rare in children. For example, asthma that develops in adulthood is sometimes confused with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Doctors can diagnose adult-onset asthma through a physical exam, medical history, and lung-function tests. A lung-function test involves a series of breathing tests that measure how much air a person can inhale and exhale. Treatment People can treat adult-onset asthma with a combination of lifestyle changes and medications. Everyone has their own treatment plan for asthma. Adults are more likely than children to have other medical conditions as well, which is a consideration when developing an asthma treatment plan. A comprehensive treatment plan often includes: Bronchodilators Treatment for most types of asthma includes bronchodilators. Different types of bronchodilators are available, including long-acting and fast-acting ones. Both types can play a role in the management of asthma. Fast-acting bronchodilators, such as albuterol, work by relaxing the muscles of the airways. As the muscles relax, the airways widen, making breathing easier. People take fast-acting bronchodilators via an inhaler or through a nebulizer. The medications reduce sudden symptoms, such as wheezing and shortness of breath. People can also use long-acting bronchodilators to manage adult-onset asthma. These drugs also relax the airways, but they last longer than fast-acting inhalers. Instead of treating sudden symptoms, they prevent symptoms. Corticosteroids In some instances, people can also use inhalers that contain corticosteroids to treat adult-onset asthma. Steroids decrease airway inflammation. Inhalers that contain corticosteroids do not treat sudden symptoms. Instead, they decrease the frequency of symptoms. In some cases, treatment includes oral steroids. However, oral steroids may increase blood sugar levels and possibly worsen other conditions, such as glaucoma and osteoporosis, which can occur in adulthood. Quitting smoking One of the most important factors that influence the severity of the disease is cigarette smoking. A 2014 study looked at the factors affecting asthma severity in 200 adults with new onset adult asthma. After two years, researchers assessed changes in asthma severity using the Global Initiative for Asthma Score. They noticed the following changes: asthma severity increased in 13.3% of the people severity decreased in 41.4% of people cigarette smoking predicted the worsening of symptoms Day-to-day management Daily prevention of asthma involves taking medications as prescribed. It is also vital to monitor symptoms every day and recognize signs of a flare-up. Treating symptoms as soon as possible helps get asthma exacerbations under control, preventing life-threatening situations. Decreasing exposure to lung irritants and allergens is also part of a daily asthma prevention plan. People may benefit from keeping a daily log of the severity of their symptoms and exposures to different irritants to determine a connection. Reducing exposure to known allergens as much as possible helps decrease symptoms. Risk factors Certain factors may put a person at an increased chance of developing asthma as an adult: having asthma as a child that disappeared in early adulthood having allergies as an adult hormonal fluctuations, such as those occurring in pregnancy and menopause obesity, which can increase the severity of asthma symptoms and risk of hospitalization The rate of asthma and asthma episodes is highest among Black Americans. Black Americans are five times more likely to visit the emergency room because of asthma. Black females have the highest death rates due to asthma. Asthma illness and death are highly connected to city air quality, poverty, indoor allergens, and lack of asthma care and education. Morning wood is a slang term that refers to a person having an erect penis when they wake up in the morning. The medical term is nocturnal penile tumescence. Some call it having a nocturnal erection. Nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT) is not a result of sexual arousal or having a dream relating to sex. Instead, it is a normal function of the male reproductive system. In fact, regular episodes of NPT are a sign that the nerves and blood supply to the penis are healthy. If a male does not have NPT regularly, it can indicate a health issue, such as erectile dysfunction (ED), which involves having trouble getting or keeping an erection. Not having regular NPT can also suggest other problems with the nerves or the blood supply to the male reproductive organs. A hormonal imbalance, such as a decrease in testosterone, can also affect how often a person experiences NPT. A lack of regular NPT can sometimes result from not getting quality sleep. As a person gets older, they can expect to experience NPT less often. This change should happen gradually, as hormone levels shift. Anyone who notices a sudden drop in the number of their NPT episodes should speak with a doctor to rule out any potential health issues. Causes Share on Pinterest NPT is not a typical erection because it is not related to sexual thoughts, dreams, or stimulation. It is simply a result of sleep cycles, combined with healthy nerves and blood flow in the body. NPT tends to happen when a person is in a rapid eye movement (REM) phase of sleep. REM sleep can occur several times during an 8-hour sleep cycle. The erection may go away on its own as a person enters deeper sleep. Thus, a person may have erections several times during the night but may not be aware of them. Often, a person wakes up at the end of a REM sleep cycle, which explains why NPT seems to happen in the morning. In addition, testosterone levels tend to be elevated in the morning. Males have high levels of this hormone, which contributes to sexual function. An erection caused by NPT may be physically different from one caused by arousal. One study found that some men experienced pain when they had NPT, but not when they had typical erections. How often should morning wood occur? Males of various ages, from children to older adults, experience NPT. Usually, younger adults, who have the highest levels of testosterone, will experience nocturnal erections more frequently than children or older people. Young adult males may have NPT every morning and a few times during the night. The peak of sexual maturity generally happens when males are in their late teens to late 30s, and this may correspond with higher testosterone levels. It is normal for people in this age range to experience frequent episodes of NPT. As a person approaches their 40s and 50s, they may notice fewer episodes of NPT. This often occurs because testosterone levels are naturally declining. However, the episodes should decline gradually, not suddenly. A gradual decline in NPT with age is customary. A hormonal imbalance, especially one that affects the penis and testes, can result in few or no episodes of NPT. This is one reason why having regular erections in the morning is an important indicator of healthy male sexual organs. One study found that men with hypogonadism, which prevents the sexual organs from fully functioning, experienced an increase in NPT after they had received testosterone therapy. Some research says that a persons quality of sleep can affect the frequency of NPT. If a person is not getting good sleep and entering the REM cycle, they may not experience nocturnal erections. A study of 61 men with obstructive sleep apnea and ED found that getting better quality sleep resulted in more frequent NPT. The participants who used continuous positive airway pressure devices had more frequent nocturnal erections than those who did not. Other studies have used NPT as an indicator of hormonal or sexual health, especially when treating ED. For instance, if a person has NPT but cannot get or maintain an erection during sexual activity, doctors can rule out issues such as insufficient blood flow or nerve responses in the penis. If this is the case, ED may be a psychological issue, and a health professional can treat it accordingly. However, if a person has no nocturnal erections and has trouble getting or keeping erections related to sex, doctors may determine that there is a physical cause of ED. When to see a doctor Share on Pinterest A person should speak to a doctor if they notice changes in how frequently NPT occurs. Because NPT is an indicator of quality sleep and the health of sexual organs, it is helpful to pay attention to how often NPT happens. If NPT suddenly stops or is happening much less frequently, speak with a doctor. They may wish to discuss possible health conditions, such as sleep disorders, hormonal imbalances, anxiety, and ED. It is important to see a doctor about a lack of NPT, as it can be a symptom of ED. This condition can indicate serious health issues, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, or diabetes, especially in younger males. A health professional can help treat these conditions, including ED. Certain medications, such as antidepressants, can make it more difficult for a person to get or maintain an erection. They may also cause a decrease or sudden stop in NPT. Some of these medications include: high blood pressure medications muscle relaxers hormonal medications seizure medications antidepressants histamine H2 agonists (which can help treat some types of ulcers) chemotherapy drugs medications to treat heart arrhythmias diuretics If a person has recently started a new medication and notices changes in the frequency of NPT, they may wish to speak with their doctor. Sometimes, the doctor can prescribe a different medication to help address this side effect. See a doctor if NPT or erections in general are painful. Seek emergency medical help for an erection that does not go away after 4 hours. If this occurs, it can cause tissue damage in the penis and problems with sexual function. Dr. Brian C. Baumann, a radiation oncologist at the Washington University School of Medicine, in St. Louis, MO, is the lead author of the new study. Dr. Baumann and colleagues will present their findings at the American Society of Clinical Oncologys annual meeting , which will take place in Chicago, IL. New research suggests that proton therapy , also known as proton beam therapy, may have fewer and less severe side effects than X-ray radiation. These can include fatigue , skin irritation, fever , nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea , as well as changes in appetite or difficulty eating and swallowing. X-ray radiation is one of the most common therapies for cancer, whether the disease is in its early stages or whether the tumor has spread. Although effective, radiation therapy has a wide range of side effects . According to estimates from the American Cancer Society, in 2019, doctors will have diagnosed 1,762,450 new cases of cancer , and 606,880 people will have died from the disease. New research finds that while cure rates for X-ray therapy and proton therapy are the same in the treatment of cancer, the risk of severe side effects is much lower with proton therapy. Dr. Baumann and the team examined almost 1,500 people with various forms of cancer, such as cancer of the lung, brain, and head and neck, as well as gastrointestinal and gynecological cancers. The patients were receiving a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, which is a treatment protocol that usually cures cancer that has not yet spread to the rest of the body. The researchers compared the experiences of patients who received proton chemoradiotherapy with those who received photon X-ray chemoradiotherapy. They collected data on the patients side effects and experience of the treatments throughout the study period, adjusting for age and comorbidities. The scientists focused on grade 3 side effects, which are so severe that they require hospitalization. The study found that the relative risk of severe side effects within 90 treatment days was two-thirds lower for people who received proton therapy, compared with those who received X-ray radiation. Specifically, only 45 or 11.5% of the 391 people who received proton therapy had a severe side effect within 90 days of starting the treatment. By comparison, 301 of the 1,092 people who received X-ray therapy or 27.6% had a severe side effect within the same timeframe. Furthermore, the study did not find a statistically relevant difference in the survival rates, meaning that proton therapy was just as effective a treatment as X-ray radiation. Proton therapy was associated with a substantial reduction in the rates of severe, acute side effects those that cause unplanned hospitalizations or trips to the emergency room compared with conventional photon, or X-ray, radiation for patients treated with concurrent radiation and chemotherapy. Dr. Brian Baumann While there have been other studies suggesting that proton therapy may have fewer side effects, we were somewhat surprised by the large magnitude of the benefit, continues the researcher, adding that patients in the proton group were, on average, 5 years older than those in the X-ray group. To the authors knowledge, this is the first large study to ever compare the side effects of X-ray radiation and proton therapy. The researchers also explain why proton therapy is more precise than X-ray therapy and carries less risk of damaging healthy tissue around the tumor. Protons are heavy particles that are positively charged and stop once they reach their target. By contrast, X-ray beams are made of photons, which are particles with no mass. The lightness of photons enables them to travel easily through the body, but also through healthy tissue on their way out, after theyve hit their target. Many of us have a number of 'hidden' talents that do not make their way into the outside world for others to see because of a number of reasons. Either we are too shy, or not too confident or too self-critical to even consider it as a talent that can be let out in public. Well it seems that a Karnataka cop called Chandrakant Hutgi, who is a head constable at the Hubli rural police station, is one such person. He has been named as the 'Pied Piper of the Police Department' after he transformed his lathi into a flute and played such melodious tunes, that IPS officer stationed there was inspired to post the video of Hutgi in action online. Chandrakant Hutgi, Head Constable from Hubli Rural Police station has converted his Deadly Fiber Lathi into a Musical Instrument... we are proud of him... pic.twitter.com/gyZWhk1lkb Bhaskar Rao IPS (@deepolice12) May 28, 2019 IPS officer Bhaskar Rao invited Hutgi to Bangalore and even awarded him with a special cash award. Rao called me to Bengaluru on Monday with the musical lathi to play for him in his office after he heard from his colleagues that I converted it into a flute. He also rewarded me, Hutgi told IANS. Twitter The video has since gained a lot of momentum online and people are thoroughly impressed with head constable Hutgi's talent. As for the man himself, he calls this his hobby. By using simple tools Hutgi made eight holes on his lathi and turned it into a flute on which he loves to play Kannada film songs while he isn't busy working. No wonder he has impressed so many people who cannot stop praising him for his show of unique talent. What innovation we say! The Turkish drillship Fatih remains in the Cypriot EEZ and, according to estimates, it is a matter of time before it carries out its first drilling. How does the Greek side plan to deal with such a development? Not only Greece, but the entire European Union, as well as the US, have explicitly condemned in the most unequivocal manner Turkeys unilateral and blatantly illegal actions in Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone. I remind you that the European Union, through the European Council's decision of March 2018, condemns these illegal actions in the most absolute manner and calls upon Turkey to stop, a statement which was repeated in an even more equivocal manner recently by Federica Mogherini. We had similar statements from the State Department and other major international players. In other words, in the international community, it is completely clear today as to who is right. Also, the fact must not be overlooked that the recent upgrading of our country's position has played a crucial role in these developments. Our country remains in ongoing consultation with the Republic of Cyprus to ensure the most effective coordination of actions. And we have recently gained valuable diplomatic capital which we are now making full use of. Greece is now recognised as a factor of stability, as a responsible power which takes positive initiatives for establishing cooperation and prosperity in the entire region. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Turkey's revisionism and continued unlawful conduct undermines stability in the region instead of strengthening it. In any case, we feel that the presence of Fatih in the Cypriot EEZ is a blatant violation of international law and the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus. Turkeys political message is essentially that international law does not matter, power matters. And through displays of strength, Turkey seeks to create grey zones. In short, we are, in other words, a power that supports international law and chooses to resolve its unresolved issues through dialogue and on the basis of international law - as was demonstrated, I remind you, by the Prespa Agreement - while Turkey is a revisionist power which resorts to these distractions. Through these, it does not achieve its goals of course, since its actions are frowned upon by the entire international community. On the contrary, through these actions, it further accentuates its isolation, something we are not pleased with, because we want a Turkey that is on a European trajectory, which respects international law and the rules of good neighbourliness. The Turkish delegation has been in Athens since Monday, 20 May, in order to hold talks with the Greek side to explore actions in the context of implementing Confidence-Building Measures. At the current stage, do you feel that fertile ground can be found for a solution, during a period that turkey continuously escalates tension in the Aegean; It would be unrealistic to speak of solutions at this time. As indicated by their name, these measures do not aim at achieving solutions, but at building confidence by both sides. At this point, the basic purpose is to implement measures already agreed upon in the past, for the purpose of de-escalating tension, so that an accident does not result, something that neither of the two sides wants. We are talking about measures such as the well-known Papoulias-Yilmaz memorandum, which had established a moratorium on military exercises during the vacation and holiday periods. I remind you that during the Prime Minister's most recent visit to Turkey, the two leaders had agreed for talks between military teams to recommence on confidence-building measures. This intention was reiterated during our recent meeting in Helsinki with my Turkish counterpart. Indeed, even before the meeting to which you are referring, another had preceded, in the context of the regular bilateral consultations between the delegations of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs in Athens, in mid-April. Therefore, the objective at this point is to have a full record, and for both sides to agree as to what has taken place in the past as well as how it is implemented, because this is often challenged by Turkey, even with regard to the existing confidence-building measures. In any case, we do not abandon the effort for political dialogue. And, if not the sole country, we are among the last countries that support Turkey's European prospects. We are not pleased with its isolation. But the framework within which we can hold talks with Turkey is the framework of International Law; and specifically, as regards issues of marine exploitation of our economic resources, the framework is the Law of the Sea. European elections will be held in a few days. What do you believe will be the major issue that will determine the final outcome? In Europe, two completely opposing views on Europe are clashing in the upcoming elections: one of them expresses this paradoxical union between neo-liberalism and the extreme right, while the other expresses the social Europe, open societies, freedoms and rights. Likewise, the stakes and the political fronts in our country are being shaped in much the same, bipolar way. The individual political issues are clearly not the same in every country. But there is a common element in North and South as a result of the policies being implemented in the EU in recent decades. The European social model, a historic acquis, today finds itself being challenged. Inequalities are becoming explosive, both in the interior as well as among countries, as a result of the austerity policies and the incomplete architecture of the Eurosystem. At the same time, the supporting values of European democracy are being challenged, with the major lack being the lack of a political legitimacy which reflects deeper and structural social and democratic shortcomings of European integration. Fundamental gains of the past have been undercut and, as a result, the upcoming elections constitute an existential challenge of historic proportions for Europe. I would like to believe that Europe will come out of this ordeal stronger, especially as regards its social and democratic dimension, to the benefit of the many and its peoples. [] Minister of Foreign Affairs Giorgos Katrougalos is carrying out a visit to Singapore on 29-30 May, where he will be having key political and economic contacts. In this context he will also be received on Thursday, 30 May, by the countrys Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong. On the same day, Giorgos Katrougalos will meet with his counterpart, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan. Talks will be centred around bilateral relations and expanding cooperation, as well as regional and international developments. Subsequently, the two Ministers of Foreign Affairs will sign an Agreement for the Avoidance of Double Taxation between Greece and Singapore and will travel to the offices of the Greek Embassy in Singapore where they will attend the official inaugural ceremony, marking its opening. On the previous day, 29 May, focus will be placed on economic relations, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs will be meeting with the Minister of Trade and Industry, Chan Chun Sing, with whom he will discuss bilateral economic and trade cooperation. In addition, the Minister of Foreign Affairs will deliver a welcome address to the Greek-Singapore Business Forum, which is co-organised by SEV, SEVE and Enterprise Greece, with a goal of expanding business synergies between the two sides and further strengthening the outward-looking nature of Greek entrepreneurship. Finally, the Minister of Foreign Affairs will give a lecture at the Singapore Institute of Foreign Affairs on The Future of Europe. RTHK: Mueller to break silence on Russia probe Long-silent Special Counsel Robert Mueller will deliver his first public statement on the Russia meddling investigation, as he faces pressure to testify in Congress on his explosive findings. Mueller, whose probe implicated US President Donald Trump in acts of obstruction of justice, will make the statement at the Justice Department in Washington at 1am on Thursday Hong Kong time but take no questions, the department said. It was not clear what he intended to say, but the statement comes amid demands for Mueller to testify on Capitol Hill about his findings and tension with Attorney General William Barr over the handling of his report. Mueller's report into Russia meddling in the 2016 election did not find that Russia and the Trump campaign coordinated to sway the presidential election. It also did not reach a conclusion on whether Trump had obstructed justice, with Mueller saying he did not think it would be fair to publicly accuse the president of a crime if he could not charge him. A Justice Department legal opinion says sitting presidents cannot be indicted. Barr has said he was surprised that Mueller did not reach a conclusion, and decided with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein that the evidence did not support an obstruction of justice allegation. Mueller, for his part, privately complained to Barr that a four-page letter the attorney general wrote summarising his main conclusions did not adequately capture the investigation's findings. Barr has called Mueller's letter "snitty." Barr is now in Alaska for work. A senior White House official said "the White House was notified" on Tuesday night that Mueller might make a statement. (AFP/AP) This story has been published on: 2019-05-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 29) Malacanang is denying allegations that Cabinet members were "rewarded" by accompanying President Rodrigo Duterte on his trip to Japan. In a statement Wednesday, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo responded to Philippine Ambassador to Japan Jose Laurel V who said, ""You know, you ask me personally what is this purpose? Itoy pabuya sa nakaraang election [This is a reward for the recent elections.] Why do you bring 21 ah 20 Cabinet members here pati ang [including the] local government or land reform?" Laurel told reporters. "But I think the President is so elated with the results that it of the midterm election, that this is an affirmation of his administration in the last three years." Panelo said, "The good Ambassador may have been either innocently speculating for lack of information or may have been misinformed of the nature of the trip of the Cabinet members. The latters' presence is necessary." Panelo reminded Laurel that Cabinet members were not allowed to campaign for any candidate during the midterm elections, therefore no reward was due them. Being a major trading and development partner of the country, Panelo said the presence of the Cabinet members in Japan was not just a way to pay respect, but also to forge stronger relations by "constant dialogue by our Cabinet members with their counterparts in the Japanese government, who are, in various ways, involved in our country's significant transactions with Japan." Panelo also said Filipinos in Japan were "entitled" to meet with the officials who help their President in "chartering the course of governance that affect their lives, as well as their loved ones, and the rest of the Filipino nation." President Duterte and his delegation flew to Japan Tuesday to attend the NIKKEI Conference on the Future of Asia, which will be held from May 30 to 31. UPPER THUMB -- The Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc. Thumb Chapter 178 will be sending summer mailings out to our military personnel in June. They would love to send a mailing to your loved one. If you would like to share the military address of your loved one, please send it to them by June 5. Addresses can be mailed to Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc., Thumb Chapter MI 178, P.O. Box 64, Bad Axe, MI 48413. You can email addresses to BSMthumb178@hotmail.com. UPPER THUMB -- Visit the Sanilac County Historic Village & Museum for a free family-friendly event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., June 8 and 9, as they welcome back the Lac Ste. Claire Voyageurs for a living history encampment. Learn about and experience the rich history connected with the voyageurs, early settlers, American Indians and military of the Great Lakes Fur Trade period, spanning the years from 1750-1840. This reenactment of the lifestyles and skills of this era will include demonstrations and displays of traditional crafts and skills, trade goods and artifacts, campfire cooking, military life, weaponry and much more. UPPER THUMB Local lawmakers have thrown their support behind a bipartisan agreement on auto insurance reform. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Friday that the agreement would lower costs, and she's expected to sign the bill this week. The Michigan House of Representatives voted 94-15 in favor of the bill. The Senate approved it 34-4. Both chambers passed the bill with Republican majorities, and most Democrats voting for it as well. Local lawmakers Sen. Dan Lauwers, a Republican from Brockway Township, and Rep. Phil Green, a Republican from Millington, both voted for this bill. The deal guarantees rate relief for every Michigan driver; provides a choice in coverage levels; establishes more uniform and structured compensation levels for medical providers; and removes the ability of insurance companies to discriminate based on non-driving factors, Whitmer said in a press release. Todays vote will be a significant victory for the hard-working people of Michigan that will finally fix our broken car insurance system and deliver real, meaningful rate relief for families, seniors and household budgets all over the state, stated Speaker of the House Lee Chatfield and Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey in a statement on Friday. Lauwers told the Tribune on Tuesday that he is happy with it. It will lower insurance rates and provide families with choice, Lauwers said. Lauwers expects Whitmer to sign the bill when she visits Mackinac Island this week. The provisions in this bill would not go into effect until July 2020, which would allow whoever is affected, mainly insurance companies, time to prepare. One provision Whitmer wanted in the bill was changing the rates the medical community could charge for auto insurance, which would take four years to fully implement. Green is reserving his happiness about this bill, nothing that for while, there will be rate relief for premium payers, but this change may have unintended consequences. I think a problem coming from this is a change in funding for health care providers and rehab facilities, Green said, as those premium payments would go toward funding those. The majority dont look at this as a final product, but a good start, Green told the Tribune on Tuesday. Green also expects Whitmer to sign the legislation, as lawmakers held a special session on Friday on the principle that she would sign it. Michigan is the only state to require that drivers buy unlimited personal injury protection, or PIP, benefits with their auto insurance policy. The average auto insurance premium in Michigan is $2,693, and according to insurance comparison website Zebra, it is 83% higher than the national average of $1,470. Whitmer had planned on vetoing prior legislation earlier this month, as she felt there was no guarantee that costs would go down for drivers. BAD AXE The Huron County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing regarding a proposed changes for a cellular tower in Fairhaven Township. The hearing will take place at 7 p.m. June 5 in Room 305 of the Huron County Building. The changes would require a special use permit from the Huron County Planning Commission. The cellular tower is located at 360 N. Unionville Road in Bay Port. It was erected in 2003. Telecom Towers AL LLC, based in Cass City, plans on either modifying the current tower or building a new one, as AT&T requested to use the tower for coverage, but its 190-foot height does not meet the 210 feet requirement for AT&T. Thumb Cellular also provides coverage from the existing tower. Telecom Towers owner Ben Varney said the cost of modifying the current tower, $93,000, is close to the cost of constructing a new tower from scratch, and he would prefer construction of a new tower. The $93,000 modification will only accommodate AT&T and will not allow for future carriers to collocate on the tower without further modification to the existing tower, Varney said in his application to the planning commission. If I cannot structurally accommodate new carriers to collocate on this tower, they will need to erect a new tower in this general vicinity. If a new tower is built, Varney is presenting two options to the commission, both being 220 feet in height and self-supporting. Federal Communications Commission regulations require that any cellular tower over 200 feet in height contain lights on it. The first option will have the towers center be 97 feet away from property lines. This is the preferred option, as it will be easier to get to, build, and be less disruptive for existing carriers on the existing tower. The second option has the towers center 140 feet away from property lines, which would require re-routing of Thumb Cellulars cables and would be harder to construct. Varney said constructing a new tower and demolishing the old one, in that order, would take about four months, once he has the planning commission's approval. AT&T originally wanted the tower to be 310 feet tall before agreeing to 220 feet. Varney also contacted T-Mobile about using the tower and they are evaluating their coverage needs. Following the public hearing, the planning commission will consider whether to grant the special use permit. PIGEON The Pigeon Historical Society is extremely active, providing information and artifacts concerning bygone days in this Huron County farming village. In addition to the well-stocked Depot Museum and educational Woelke Historical Research Center, they manage the Pigeon Farmers Market. Not satisfied with this level of community service, the historical society continues to grow. With the acquisition of the former Lindas Basket Case building, located at 24 Main St., in downtown Pigeon, they have added a gift shop and expanding their museum displays. Called Berne Junction Mercantile, the gift shop/museum will host an official grand opening July 18-21. The gift shop/museum will be open until then. The building became available when the former owners retired. It was donated to the Pigeon Historical Society. When they do that, it becomes the property of the Village, just like the Depot Museum, said Duane Wurst, a member of the Pigeon Historical Society. They are owned by the Village of Pigeon. By village ordinance, they have to be kept as a museum. This building will house Berne Junction Mercantile, and will have to be kept as a gift shop and museum. Wurst is manager of the Pigeon Farmers Market, and will become the manager of Berne Junction Mercantile. The plan for the gift shop/museum is to split the store into two parts. The front section is a gift shop offering handmade, Michigan-made products, the bulk of which will be consignment items supplied by area artists and craftspeople. They are looking for vendors interested in showcasing their work in the gift shop. The plan for the museum is to have historical exhibits lining the walls, with some displays depicting the history of the Pigeon area through slideshows. The center of the museum portion of the building is open, with a table and chairs for visitors to use; and the coffee pot will always be on. The name for the gift shop/museum came from the areas history. Berne was a thriving community, one mile from the present site of downtown Pigeon. When the railroads were being built, they purchased land one mile south of Berne, presumably because they got a good deal on the land. The north/south and east/west railroads crossed at this point. They moved the original Berne depot a mile south, to where it is now, Wurst said. The original building burned down. For awhile there were two depots, and then the government said they would have to have one depot. They called it Berne Junction. The building housing Berne Junction Mercantile was built in 1930. Most of the display tables and shelves are furniture from the original store on that site. When this property came up for sale, after Lindas Basket Case closed, a couple members said they didnt want it to become another office, Wurst said. They wanted it to be an entity on Main Street. We decided it was going to be a gift shop/museum. They wont have any trouble stocking the museum portion; the Depot Museum is overflowing with items of historical significance from the Pigeon area. This museum is going to be in constant flux, Wurst said. If you stop in now, and then next year, the chances are two or three of those displays will be gone. Therell be something else to see. The gift shop portion will be run by volunteers. The money that comes in will be used to run the gift shop, Wurst said, for maintenance, and for the historical society. Plans are to have the gift shop/museum open on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday during the summer. Hours will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information about the Pigeon Historical Society, Depot Museum, Pigeon Farmers Market, Woelke Historical Research Center, or Berne Junction Mercantile, call 989-453-3242 or visit www.pigeonhistoricalsociety.com. NEW MILFORD Gray balloons with handwritten messages of love and support lay on the ground outside the home of 17-year-old Joshua DaSilva, whose body was recovered Wednesday from Candlewood Lake. DaSilva, a New Milford resident and student at Henry Abbott Technical High School in Danbury, had been swimming near Dike Point Recreation Area on Memorial Day when his friends realized he was missing. Crews, including New Milford police and a volunteer search-and-rescue dive team from Newtown, started searching during daylight hours Monday and DaSilvas body was pulled from the water around noon Wednesday. A neighbor remembered DaSilva as smart and polite. I think he was really going to go far in school, in college, said a neighbor, who asked to be anonymous. Loved ones rushed to Gerards Waters Edge Marina, where crews were staged, less than an an hour after he was found and they followed officials to the side of the marina. When they returned to their car, a woman and a girl sobbed and appeared to wipe away tears. In a Facebook post written in Portuguese before he was found, Joshuas mother, Eliane DaSilva, said, Im feeling so much pain that I can barely keep up... my son's body is missing She went on to ask God to give me back his body for one last hug. The message on one of the star-shaped balloons at he house read: Just please give me a sign that youre okay. DaSilva had two younger sisters and enjoyed playing basketball with friends at Youngs Field, said the neighbor, who has lived next door to the family for about six years. He spent a lot of his time taking care of the younger ones when his mom was working, she said. Eliane DaSilva is a single mom who runs a cleaning business, the neighbor said. She works hard, the neighbor said. DaSilva had been celebrating Memorial Day with friends at Dike Point Recreation Area. The teens had been swimming near Rock Island, where the water is 20 to 30 feet deep, police said. No swimming signs are posted throughout the park, which is owned by FirstLight Power Resources. Our hearts go out to the family of the victim, said Len Greene, spokesman for FirstLight Power Resources, which also owns Candlewood Lake. Crews spent hours Monday looking for DaSilva and halted the search after darkness fell. Police said the murky waters might have hindered the search. The search resumed Tuesday and turned into a recovery operation for the boys body, with boats with search dogs scanning the waters and shoreline south of Gerards Waters Edge Marina. I want to thank all of the crews and volunteers in our town for their support in helping to bring some closure to the family so they can begin the grieving process, said New Milford Police Lt. Lawrence Ash. Its been a tough few days for a lot of people, Ash said. We hope the family can move forward. Support has been available for students at Henry Abbott Tech since Tuesday, the school said in a statement. The crisis team has been providing counseling support to students and anyone in the school community who may need it throughout the day with specific attention to the schools trade area of the missing student, the statement said. They will continue to be available throughout the week and will seek additional counseling support from the State Department of Education and other tech schools if necessary. New Milford High Schools principal and guidance staff have been available all week to help and speak with students who grew up with the teen and know him, said Superintendent Stephen Tracy. Our hearts go out to the family, Tracy said. Its a tragedy for all involved. Its a sad day for New Milford. HAMDEN A familiar spot for drinks and music is opening its doors again with a new name. The Cellar on Treadwell, a bar and music venue that formerly housed The Rough Draft and The Space, is expected to open at the end of May under manager and owner Pete Mould. I want to continue what was already happening there and make a few upgrades, Mould said. The establishment at 295 Treadwell St. is on its third owner and third name with Moulds upcoming opening. The building originally was part of Steve Rodgers venue trifecta The Space, The Outer Space and The Space Ballroom. High school teachers Chris Scionti and Karen Robinson opened their concert venue, The Rough Draft, in the building that housed The Space, hoping to keep alive a bit of Rodgers legacy and now Mould is looking to carry it forward with The Cellar on Treadwell. More for you Hamdens Rough Draft closes; Cellar on Treadwell expected to take its place Like the Rough Drafter owners, Mould also worked for Rodgers at the Outer Space and became a partner at the Rough Draft last November. He said one of the reasons he bought the venue from them in April was that he didnt want to see what Rodgers had started go away. Ninety percent of the reason I got involved was I didnt want to see my frineds lose their job when the Outer Space closed, he said. The employees here are like family. Weve known each other for seven to eight years and weve grown very close. Mould said the employees who migrated from The Outer Space to The Rough Draft will also be on board when the Cellar on Treadwell opens. From the beginning, Mould has been adamant about keeping the place a music and bar venue, welcoming back the the same lineup of music. We still want to be a big part of the artist community, he said. Im trying to keep the same vibe. Hes been busy refinishing the bartop, repainting and making other cosmetic changes, but is keeping the place relatively the same, he said. One of the few differences is the entrance, which will be at the opposite end of the building from the former entrance, welcoming patrons straight into the venue. Opening the venue is a second career of sorts for Mould, who worked in construction prior to getting involved in The Rough Draft. Its one that hes getting his sons involved with also. Theyre excited to get involved in the business, he said. They both love music, especially live. Mould said hes waiting to get the liquor permit approval before opening, at which time he hopes the patio also will be ready. The drive to get into this is very personal, he said Its that legacy. Mould said he hasnt seen many other venues with which people have such a close, personal investment. Im hoping well continue with the patrons we already have and theyll continue to come and hopefully well get a lot of new people, he said. Were going to try to continue to do the same thing, keep customers happy and have great food. The Cellar shares the building with El Heffe Records upstairs and Mould said he hopes the recording studios artists will perform on his stage. mdignan@hearstmediact.com A former prison inmate whose writing is included in an upcoming anthology by best-selling author Wally Lamb, is suing Lamb for alleged fraud and emotional distress over the way she was treated during negotiations to include her work in the book. Chandra Bozelko of Orange, a syndicated columnist who participated in Lambs writing class at the York Correctional Center in Niantic, claims that she was promised a contract and payment, but has seen neither while review copies of the anthology have been released throughout the country by a California publisher. HARTFORD Its been a week since Gov. Ned Lamont threatened to veto the Paid Family and Medical Leave bill approved by the Senate, and as of Wednesday morning House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz said the governor has offered no specifics as to how to resolve the conflict and get the bill passed. I dont think were that far off, Aresimowicz said Wednesday during a press conference in his Capitol office. At the same time, he also admitted that he actually doesnt know how far apart the two sides are in reaching an agreement. Were just waiting on specifics for what the governor actually wants. I think its the board make-up and how they allocate the resources out to provide the program, Aresimowicz said. But he doesnt necessarily know. Aresimowicz said theyve been floating different ideas regarding the make-up of the board that would run the quasi-public agency. But why are they having to guess what Lamont actually wants? Aresimowicz said the governor has not given them any language. He said so if he was to veto it the General Assembly would have no clear indication as to why at this point. Theres not even a pre-veto draft of that, Aresimowicz said. At the same time House Majority Leader Matt Ritter maintained that the bill was a priority for the Democratic caucus. How much money you make should not impact your ability to care for your child, Ritter said. How much money you make shouldnt impact your ability to care for loved ones or yourself when youre sick. Ritter said its going to get all of their attention but we need something to work off of right now. Aresimowicz said Lamont is focused on finishing negotiations on the state budget. Maribel La Luz, Lamonts spokeswoman, agreed. She said the governor was focused on the budget. However, she added that with the budget decisions close to complete, the governor will turn his attention to working together with the leadership on getting Paid Family and Medical Leave across the finish line. A bitter, longstanding conflict between state government and Connecticuts hospital industry stood on the brink of a resolution Tuesday afternoon. Gov. Ned Lamont and the Connecticut Hospital Association announced the settlement of a 2015 industry lawsuit contesting a provider tax that has extracted billions of dollars from facilities since 2011. The administration also confirmed last week that it has begun supplemental payments to hospitals to resolve a $200 million-plus dispute involving payments for reatment of uninsured and under-insured patients. The beginning of my administration marked a reset of the relationship between the State of Connecticut and its hospitals, Lamont said. I was clear that this ongoing litigation benefitted neither party, and certainly not the taxpayers of our state. We are grateful for the leadership and support of Governor Lamont, his administration, and the legislative leaders and legislators of both parties, Jennifer Jackson, CEO of the hospital association, said. This agreement represents a path forward for hospitals and the state that recognizes the important role hospitals play in providing patients with quality health care and in strengthening our states economy. Neither side disclosed details of the tentative settlement Tuesday afternoon. Both the administration and the CHA said the deal would have to be approved by the General Assembly, the state attorney generals office and the member hospitals of the association before any provisions could be implemented. The agreement could have ramifications for the next state budget. Thats because hospitals are scheduled, under current law, to receive a provider tax cut starting July 1. But both Lamont and a key legislative panel have said the state cannot afford to provide that relief. Analysts say state finances, unless adjusted, will run more than $3 billion in deficit over the next two fiscal years combined. Both sides came to the table and negotiated a good faith settlement that will provide predictability and stability for both the state and the hospitals, and reduces the losses the state would have incurred in the absence of this agreement, Lamont added. This is a path forward that provides fiscal stability for the hospital industry and marks a new chapter in our states relationships with the hospitals. Lawsuit was centered on 2011 provider tax A frustrated hospital industry sued the state four years ago arguing that Connecticuts budgetary policies violated federal Medicaid rules. At issue was a levy established by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and the 2011 General Assembly, something designed to be a tax in name only. Under that original agreement, the industry would pay $350 million per year to the state, which would redistribute and return every penny back to hospitals plus $50 million more. This back-and-forth arrangement which is common in most states would enable Connecticut to qualify for huge federal reimbursements through the Medicaid program. But things began eroding almost right away. As state government struggled with budget deficits over the next six years, the tax grew while the payments back to the industry shrank despite an increase in the federal reimbursement rate. Hospitals also could not even rely on the shrinking payments they would see in the adopted state budget. Legislatures routinely ordered Malloy to achieve massive savings once the fiscal year was underway often with little guidance as to how those targets were to be met. And, at times, the administration would order emergency reductions to the hospital payments. Malloys budget director, Ben Barnes, angered hospital officials during a 2015 legislative hearing when he defended the growing tax burden placed on hospitals, cementing the animosity between the industry and the administration. Why do you rob banks? Barnes said. Its where the money is. Barnes and Malloy often also noted the high salaries top hospital executives continued to receive, even as tax payments rose. By the 2016-17 fiscal year, hospitals were paying $514 million to the state and getting a collective $78 million in return. Legislators tried to smooth things over when adopting a new taxing arrangement in November 2017. That arrangement dramatically raised the annual hospital tax, from $514 million to $900 million. But it increased even more the funds being sent back to the hospitals, from $78 million to $671 million. In other words, the industry went from losing $436 million per year down to $229 million. Hospitals were supposed to get another tax break next fiscal year, which begins July 1. But Lamont and the legislatures Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee both have said Connecticut cannot afford to provide that relief now. Solving the grouper mess The tax hasnt been the only sticking point between Connecticut and the hospital industry, however. The states Diagnosis Related Grouping system for processing hospital services and corresponding payments commonly called grouper was improperly calibrated, hospital officials charged last fall. The result, the industry says, was that between October and May hospitals were short-changed more than $230 million for care provided to Medicaid patients and to the under-insured. Lamont administration officials pledged shortly after the new governor took office in January to negotiate a resolution. When the governor proposed a budget on Feb. 20 for the 2020 and 2021 fiscal years, he recommended separate payments of $60 million and $62 million to offset a portion of the industrys grouper loss. Lamonts communications director, Maribel La Luz, confirmed late last week that the state also began making payments to the industry earlier this spring to resolve another portion of the loss. Rate increases to account for the restoration are already being reflected in claims payments and we have submitted state plan amendments to CMS (U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) to affect those changes, La Luz said. It was not clear late Tuesday how much already has been paid to hospitals. HARTFORD Democratic leaders on Wednesday acknowledged that lawmakers dont have the will to become the first state legislature in the nation to approve the full legalization of marijuana for adult recreational use and retail sales. The issue, they said, is best-suited for a statewide amendment to the Constitution, which Speaker of the House Joe Aresimowicz and House Majority Leader Matt Ritter envision as a proposal for next years General Assembly session. I wouldnt put the odds very high on us acting on it this year, Aresimowicz said of the bills status with a week left in the legislative session. We are throwing around the idea of putting it up next year for a constitutional amendment. Let the voters vote on that and then well come back and do the regulations afterwards. If approved by a simple majority in the 2020 legislature, then voted again by the subsequent General Assembly after that years election, it could get on the 2022 statewide ballot. To get on the 2020 ballot, 75 percent of the House and Senate would have to approve the measure next year. If approved by statewide voters, it would likely take a year just to enact specific regulations, then possibly another year to create a retail cannabis market. Lacking a 75 percent vote next year, and a delay of five years, with a potential annual tax-revenue stream of $180 million at stake, Connecticut might miss out on $900 million in revenue to legal sales in Massachusetts and the tax-free marijuana underground. While Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, Washington and Washington D.C. have approved adult use of cannabis, only Vermont lawmakers voting on the enacting legislation, which focused solely on allowing residents to grow several plants for personal use. In other states, voter propositions led to the legalization. I think if we did an up or down vote in the House chamber on the legalization of marijuana, I think it would pass overwhelmingly, Aresimowicz said Wednesday morning. Its not the concept of the legalization of marijuana, its how we get the system up and running; what preferences are put into place; should there be the expungements. All those details are whats bogging us down right now. Aresimowicz admitted that the projected revenue stream will become a side effect of the General Assemblys reticence. I thought that this was going to be a pretty simple bill that if we got up and running with a fair structure would allow us to ensure that we are providing a safe product for those that wish to partake and in a way that the state of Connecticut would make some money on it, Aresimowicz said. He described some legislative opponents as lawmakers who, although they only question part of the bill, tell him they do not support it at all. Ritter, who like Aresimowicz spoke to reporters prior to the House session, underscored the vast majority of the states that approved full legalization after statewide propositions or referendums forced the issue onto the ballot for ratification. Ritter, hypothesizing on a 2020 bill, said it would likely pass. Why would anyone vote against putting it to the voters? he said. Its always been bold, Aresimowicz said. Its an economic issue but also a social issue. We struggled with it early. I think we got to the point where I thought we got to the votes on the general consensus of the legalization, and now were struggling with the details. Its a deliberative, slow, body by design. Some of these bigger issues take some time. kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT EAST HAMPTON - Voters will have a second opportunity to vote on the 2019-20 budget on June 18. The Town Council Tuesday adopted a revised budget totaling $46.4 million. The administration is moving quickly to get the revised budget approved. The initial budget of $46.71 million, was rejected by residents last week in a bi-furcated vote. Just two days after that vote, both the education and the general government budgets were trimmed by about $77,000 apiece or $77,500 in the case of the education department. On Tuesday, the council trimmed another $171,000 from the contingency fund. The money, which is contained in the general government budget, was set aside in anticipation that the General Assembly may seek to off-load a portion of the teacher-pension fund onto the cities and towns. In the event the state budget that is ultimately adopted by the General Assembly does shift a portion of the teacher pension burden to the municipalities, the council has said it will be happy to sit down with the Board of Ed to try and find a solution, Town Manager Michael Maniscalco said. In an email Wednesday afternoon, Town Council Chairwoman Melissa H. Engel said, The Board of Finance and the Town Council have done as the voters asked and reduced the budget by about $300,000. It matters not how much or how little the budget failed by. It failed. It was clearly communicated to us by virtue of the ballot questions that both budgets were too high. There is no gray area no room for guessing. Taxpayers wanted the budget cut. We responded appropriately. Voting will take place in the middle school gymnasium from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on June 18. The revised budget now contains $31.176 million for the education operating budget and $15,223,214 for general government, according to figures compiled by Director of Finance Jeffrey M. Jylkka. If the revised budget were approved, it would result in an increase of 1.06 mills in the taxrate, Jylkka said. General government contains the towns operating budget for departments such as police, public safety, public works, the library and all other non-education town functions. It also includes debt service (the money used to pay down the town debt, the capital fund for big tickets items as well as a contingency fund. The capital account also includes funds for the school department. In the non-binding referendum question the so-called Goldilocks question residents were asked if the budgets were too high, too low or just right. Residents voted that both the school and education budgets were too high. Bruce Bird admittedly is not a young man, but even old souls can still burn with passion and determination and yearn for a sense of mission accomplished. Memorial Day found the 76-year-old setting up a display of military artifacts in Cummings Park in Stamford to honor the fallen men and women of the U.S. military and also to raise awareness of the 1.2 million blacks who served in World War II. It is something he, along with Mabel Jorgensen, do at least three times a month at locations around the state and part of a normal routine for a man who has been fixated on the military since he was a young boy of 8 and began collecting military memorabilia. But it was nearly 40 years ago when the military buff recognized the achievements of blacks during WWII largely were absent from history books, and he was determined to bring them to the forefront. And he and Mabel have been on mission since 2011 to establish what they call the Black WWII History Museum here in Connecticut. Their efforts to make this happen are well known in Stamford, where they set up displays which includes uniforms, weaponry, rifles, artillery shells, blueprints, photographs and more outside BevMart at 835 E. Main St. as well as at other locations. While the names of black military groups such as the Tuskegee Airmen are familiar, the names of others who served in WWII are not bell-ringers such as 1st Lt. Vernon J. Baker, who received the Medal of Honor for his heroics, or Harriet M. Waddy, who was one of the two highest-ranking black officers in the Womens Army Corps in WWII. While Bruce did not mention those names, he was like a historian reciting the history of black soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines as he guided me about a month ago around the garage crammed with artifacts at the Stamford home he shares with Mabel. . I am a veteran but I admit, I dont know much about the black soldiers who served in WWII or any other war, for that matter. And as a veteran, I dont separate us into racial categories or identify another veteran by his or her cultural heritage. By accord, we are all veterans who served with one purpose: to defend the United States. But acknowledgment by the government of the accomplishments of black soldiers during that war were a long time coming and, due to that, many are not really associated by much of the public with the war that solidified America as a superpower. I found that out some years ago when I wanted to do a story on the legacy of black soldiers in WWII for Memorial Day and found the only museum dedicated to that history was located in the small town of Pownal in Vermont, population just over 3,500. That was a big surprise to me as I expected the museum to be located in a more urban environment. The only other museum I could find dedicated to black soldiers was the African American Civil War Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., that honors the 209,145 black soldiers in the Civil War along with approximately 20,000 Navy sailors. I was even more surprised to find the same guy who ran the museum was now the guy showing me around the garage where war memorabilia was on display. He was not able to keep the Vermont museum up and running due to lack of traffic and support. But Bruce and Mabel are having a tough time generating the support they need to fund a museum here. They do have willing partners that offer temporary solutions such as allotting space for temporary displays, and volunteers, including Tracy Morris have come aboard to help spread the word through social media. But a permanent space remains elusive and the photos accompanying this column may be the only glimpse the public gets to see of some of the weaponry and other artifacts held by black soldiers during wartime. The rest are in storage. But how much is a legacy worth? Bruce and Mabel estimate they need not only a donated space for a museum, but also about $80,000 annually to run it. That is a challenge and I dont know if Bruce and Mabel will ever reach their goal. But I do know to raise the flag of victory requires unity, sacrifice, belief in the cause and hope for the future from those in formation. The men and women who served did so willingly and while they were in that uniform wherever they served and in whatever function for a period of time, they carried the safety of the U.S. on their shoulders. Bruce said he will never give up his quest but recognizes time is not on his side. I wont be here forever, he said. But what he leaves behind very well could be. Memorial? What price a legacy? Those wishing to donate, can do so by making checks payable to: Museum of Black WWII History and mailing to: Mabel W. Jorgensen, 71 Plymouth Road, Stamford, CT 06906; or call 203-348-6810. James Walker is the New Haven Registers senior editor and a statewide columnist for Hearst Connecticut newspapers. He can be reached at 203-680-9389 or james.walker@hearstmediact.com. @thelieonroars on Twitter Professional anti-cannabis advocates have been attempting to derail the legalization of adult-use marijuana in Connecticut and other states by mischaracterizing its impact in other parts of the country, including my home state of Colorado. Its time to set the record straight, clear the political rhetoric and pass thoughtful legislation in Connecticut to legalize marijuana for adult use. I was once opposed to the adult-use legalization myself. Most of our elected officials and community leaders were convinced it would lead to increased teen use, destroy our economy and hamper the tourism industry. Having seen the effects of legalization firsthand, I can tell you none of this has come true, and my opinion has changed. When Colorado voters passed Amendment 64 in 2012 to authorize marijuana legalization, I was serving as Denver City Attorney. We became the first major city in the United States to implement adult use marijuana. I later served as Chief of Staff to then-Colorado Governor Hickenlooper, where our administration worked hard to improve the states marijuana laws and regulation. Despite our worst fears, the sky didnt fall. Colorado created a proactive regulatory system that assessed and adjusted along the way. The industry has helped elevate Colorado as the nations strongest economy, while fostering greater social equity and public health across its communities. Since going into effect, legal adult-use cannabis has led to massive economic growth. Approximately 23,600 Coloradans are directly employed in the industry. When ancillary jobs are added, that figure rises to nearly 10,000 more jobs statewide. Nor are these menial jobs either, but good jobs providing good wages with openings at all levels of experience. By comparison, there are currently 52,000 coal mining jobs and 69,000 brewery workers across the United States. In 2018, marijuana sales totaled $1.63 billion, which doesnt account for the full economic impact. Further, the open licensing system has allowed a mix of small and large businesses to flourish and ensure a competitive marketplace. Legalization has produced nearly $1 billion in tax revenue since 2014, growing to an annual total of $266 million in 2018 alone. By enacting regulatory controls on adult-use cannabis, Connecticut policymakers can generate funding for schools, infrastructure and recreation, in addition to providing support for communities that have been disproportionately harmed by decades of prohibition and a failed war on drugs. Of critical importance, responsible regulatory controls on adult-use cannabis have also proven key to promoting social equity and public health in Colorado. Connecticuts communities would benefit similarly. From 2012 to 2017, marijuana arrests declined significantly in Denver, including reductions of 64% and 89% in the arrests of Hispanic and black residents, respectively. Together, legalization and expungement policies can accomplish greater social equity than decriminalization alone. There is growing data that demonstrates that legalization has also helped Colorado diminish its reliance on opioids, leading to a decrease in prescriptions for painkillers and opioid-related deaths. A study from University of Georgia found that states with medical marijuana laws had lower rates of opioid use. In Colorado, positive drug tests for Colorados workforce have fallen since 2012. The rate of positive opiates tests in Colorado is now half the national average. Municipalities across Connecticut are struggling to confront the intertwined opioid and heroin crises that have ravaged local communities with hundreds of fatalities statewide in recent years. Health care providers and patients agree that legalization, rather than medical marijuana expansion, is the most effective way to remove bureaucratic obstacles to patient access and combat opioid addiction. Moreover, Colorado has not experienced an increase in marijuana use among young people. In fact, graduation rates have increased since the passage of Amendment 64 while dropout rates have decreased. Of course, no regulatory system is perfect and there is always room to improve public policy. But in the end, we successfully encouraged the growth of many legal businesses and promoted personal freedom through guidelines for possession and personal cultivation. As result, we were able to free many of our citizens from an illicit market that supported cartels and endangered consumers, while fostering greater social equity, public health benefits, and reliable tax revenue. With the rest of the nation watching, Connecticut lawmakers can make the same impact by legalizing adult-use cannabis in the coming months. Connecticut has an opportunity to learn from both our missteps and successes in Colorado, and implement an even stronger regulatory system that moves Connecticut forward economically and equitably. Douglas J. Friednash was Chief of Staff to then-Gov. John Hickenlooper of Colorado. A Marine died in Australia's Northern Territory on Tuesday from injuries suffered when a Humvee rolled off the road this weekend, marking the third vehicle-related death for the service in six weeks. Lance Cpl. Hans Sandoval-Pereyra, a 21-year-old expeditionary airfield systems technician, suffered fatal injuries while riding as a passenger when the Humvee "departed the road and rolled over" on Saturday, according to data from the Naval Safety Center. Sandoval-Pereyra was immediately treated at the scene before being airlifted to the Royal Darwin Hospital where he died three days later. A second Marine was treated and released for minor injuries after the accident. The rollover happened in Mount Bundy, about 60 miles south of Robertson Barracks in Darwin where most of the Marines rotating through Australia are based. Related content: We are saddened by the loss of Lance Cpl. Sandoval-Pereyra, Col. Russ Boyce, Marine Rotational Force-Darwins commanding officer said in a statement. He was a beloved member of our community and our deepest sympathies go out to his family and friends. We are extremely grateful to our Australian partners for their valiant efforts to save this young Marines life, Boyce added. Sandoval-Pereyra, of Fairfax, Virginia, belonged to the rotations aviation combat element. Before deploying to Australia, he was assigned to the Hawaii-based Marine Wing Support Detachment 24. The lance corporal is the third Marine to die as a result of military vehicle rollovers in recent weeks. On May 9, 1st Lt. Hugh McDowell, a 24-year-old platoon commander with 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, died when his light armored vehicle rolled over during a training event at Camp Pendleton in California. And on April 14, Staff Sgt. Joshua Braica, a 29-year-old critical skills operator with 1st Marine Raider Battalion, died from injuries he suffered when his all-terrain vehicle flipped. Both of those accidents remain under investigation. McDowell's father, Michael McDowell, told the Washington Post last week that he wanted to know more about his son's accident and to be sure the Marine Corps was taking steps to prevent future mishaps. "I want to make sure this is fixed, that he didn't die in vain," Michael McDowell said. There are about 2,500 Marines currently deployed to Australia's Northern Territory as part of Marine Rotational Force-Darwin. The deployment is the largest yet for the Marine Corps since it started sending leathernecks Down Under in 2012. The Marines arrived in Australia last month and are scheduled to train there until October. The rotational force includes units from I and III Marine expeditionary forces. -- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins. Rep. Duncan Hunter's claim that he posed for a photo with a dead enemy combatant while serving as a Marine Corps officer will probably not expose him to any charges under military or federal criminal law, three military law specialists said Tuesday. Hunter, a California Republican, left the Marine Corps Reserve in 2017 as a major. "What he's done is all kinds of stupid, but a criminal act? I think not," said Gary Solis, a former Marine Judge Advocate General and now an adjunct professor of military law at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. "For criminal wrongdoing, you've got to have more" than just posing for a photo with a corpse, such as degrading the body, Solis said. "In this case, [Hunter's] assertion of having done so is not necessarily a crime." Related content: "I don't think he's subject to the [Uniform Code of Military Justice]," agreed Eugene Fidell, who teaches military law at Yale University and served on then-Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's defense team. Fidell said it is his opinion that "the conduct [Hunter] has admitted to does not come under" the War Crimes Act, a federal criminal statute, although the behavior described "severely compromised his standing as a commissioned officer." Geoffrey Corn, a professor at the South Texas College of Law in Houston, took a similar view on Hunter's statement, made last Saturday at a town hall meeting, that he took the photo with a dead enemy combatant while serving as a field artillery officer. Hunter made the statement to show support for Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher, who is facing a general court-martial on numerous charges, including that he allegedly stabbed to death a wounded and captured enemy combatant in Iraq in 2017. One of the counts against Gallagher alleges that he took a photo of himself with the corpse. At the town hall, Hunter referenced the Gallagher photo, saying, "A lot of us have done the exact same thing," according to reports by the Times of San Diego and the San Diego Union-Tribune. "Eddie [Gallagher] did one bad thing that I'm guilty of too -- taking a picture of the body and saying something stupid," he said. Hunter, who served two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, said he had taken a photo "just like that when I was overseas," referring to the alleged Gallagher photo. He did not specify whether his photo was taken in Iraq or Afghanistan, but added that he did not text or post the image. In commenting on Hunter's statement, Corn said in an email that the War Crimes Act "provides for federal criminal jurisdiction over certain war crimes but, in my opinion, while this [Hunter's photo] may have breached the customary obligation to treat the dead respectfully, I don't think it could be charged as a war crime under this statute for a number of somewhat complicated legal impediments." A Marine Corps spokesman, Maj. Brian Block, said the service is aware of Hunter's remarks but offered no information on whether there would be a preliminary inquiry. Hunter's California office did not immediately respond to phone calls or emails asking for comment. The lawmaker is already under federal criminal indictment on a range of fraud charges for allegedly diverting campaign funding for personal use, such as vacations in Italy. He faces a court hearing in July and possible trial in the fall. The reactions to Hunter's remarks -- if they can be judged by postings to his Twitter account -- were mostly negative. "Randomly admitting to war crimes while under indictment for stealing campaign funds. That's a great look my guy," said one. Another said, "Thank you for your service." According to the Defense Department's Law of War Manual, "The respectful treatment of the dead is one of the oldest rules in the law of war. Enemy military dead must be protected from disrespectful or degrading acts." It adds, "Posing with bodies for photographs or leaving a 'calling card' on a body are also inconsistent with the respectful treatment of the dead." In an opinion piece for USA Today last week, Hunter wrote that Gallagher, Army Maj. Matt Golsteyn and others charged with war crimes deserved pardons from President Donald Trump. He said the cases were "glaring examples of what happens when military prosecutors become more obsessed with career advancement and sensational headlines than executing the rule of law," adding, "A pardon by Trump is fully warranted." In remarks to reporters at the White House last Friday before leaving on his Japan trip, Trump said, "Some of these soldiers are people that have fought hard and long. We teach them how to be great fighters and then, when they fight, sometimes they get really treated very unfairly. "So we're going to take a look at it," the president said. "It's very possible that I'll let the trials go on, and I'll make my decision after." -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. U.S. Army leaders on Wednesday discussed how using high-tech cell phone apps and 3D printing may help the service's sustainment machine keep up with fast-moving combat units preparing for the future battlefield. Sustaining combat units with fuel, ammunition, spare parts and other necessities is a major concern among leaders as the Army transitions from a counter-insurgency focus to preparing for a major conflict with near-peer competitors such as Russia and China. "Over the last 15 years, our supply system has atrophied," Lt. Gen. Daniel Hokanson, vice chief of the National Guard Bureau, told an audience at an Association of the United States Army sustainment event. The increased demand for M1 tanks, Bradley fighting vehicles and other major combat systems has created a greater need for spare parts that have not been in high demand for many years, Hokanson said. "With a lot of the parts, the demand [was] low and, in some cases, those companies have gone out of business or stopped manufacturing them," he said. The Army has experimented with additive manufacturing using 3D printers that can rapidly produce parts made from metal or plastic. GE Aviation has "bet the farm" on additive technologies to help improve its ability to design and produce improved military engines for AH-64 Apache and UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, said Anthony Mathis, president and CEO for Military Systems at GE Aviation. "We have invested probably on order of $2 billion on additive technologies, and we did that because you can get and make much more complex components that give you increased capability without all the extra costs," he said. There are many types of parts that can be produced on forward operating bases and in depots, he said. But additive manufacturing may not be the solution in all cases. "A little-known fact is, in some cases, we can print a metal part in hours, maybe days, but the post-processing of those parts can take months," he said. "Most people think you just print the part and then you put it on the airplane. Additive is not a cure-all for everything." Lt. Gen. Aundre Piggee, deputy chief of staff for the Army G4, said the service's logistics and sustainment infrastructure needs to do better at keeping up with technology that's available today. "At the tactical level, I constantly raise the need to utilize today's technology today, but the truth of the matter is we're in catch-up mode and we're not even there yet," he said. "We are not even at today. How do we get there?" Piggee said a young captain asked him a few weeks ago why there isn't a phone app for scanning Quick Response (QR) codes on sustainment items. "Think of the improvements to our inventory processes and accountability if we had this capability," Piggee said. "We need this kind of thinking from our future leaders and from our entire Army." -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. How Bad Do You Want to Achieve Your Goal? Heres How to Tell If You Want It Enough to Succeed Do you have a goal in front of you? How badly do you want to achieve that dream? Are you willing to take on the challenge to... The Tigers have signed first baseman Frank Schwindel to a minor league contract, as first reported by Roster Roundup (Twitter link). Schwindel, 26, is no stranger to the American League Central, having spent the first six full seasons of his career in the Royals organization. Schwindel actually broke camp with the Royals in 2019 and made his Major League debut in March, but he was given just 15 plate appearances over the course of six games before being optioned back to Triple-A and ultimately designated for assignment. A career .293/.330/.499 hitter in 1038 Triple-A plate appearances, Schwindel is fresh off a 24-homer campaign in Omaha last season. Hell give the Tigers some depth at what has been a weak point in the organization. Theres no immediate need at the big league level with Miguel Cabrera and John Hicks holding down the position, but Schwindel will presumably head to Triple-A Toledo and receive fairly regular playing time. In the event of an injury to one of Cabrera or Hicks, he could resurface with his former division rivals. Alternatively, given that the Tigers dont have an established designated hitter anymore following Victor Martinezs retirement, Schwindel could earn a look in that role if he impresses in Toledo. JACKSON, MI -- In 1993, five teens were attacked and sexually assaulted behind buildings, between houses and in the woods. Police soon theorized the attacks, all of which occurred in Jackson County, were committed by the same man, but nearly a quarter-century passed without a suspect being identified. On a September night in 2015, that all changed when police pulled over a speeding black Jeep. The driver - Ozzie Worthey, 49, - was later charged with third-degree operating while under the influence of liquor and, by law, swabbed for DNA. Wortheys DNA analysis returned hits for the each of the five 1993 serial rapes. But he likely wont face any time for it. Ozzie Worthy MDOC photo Lapsed Justice," the latest episode of season 2 of the Michigan Crime Stories podcast, shares one victims story and explains why Worthey will likely go free, despite strong evidence linking him to the crimes. Listen to this story as well as past episodes of the Michigan Crime Stories podcast on iTunes and SoundCloud. Tips for Michigan Crime Stories episodes can be sent to hosts Darcie Moran at dmoran@mlive.com or Gus Burns at fburns@mlive.com. UPDATE: Clue in trunk leads to cancellation of auction for not-so-abandoned 1969 Plymouth LEELANAU COUNTY, MI One persons trash is another persons treasure. Especially when its a classic car. Under the Michigan Vehicle Code, section 257.252G, the Leelanau County Sheriffs Office is auctioning a 1969 Plymouth two-door GTX that was abandoned on private property. The classic red muscle car with a white roof and a red and black striped hood is missing a battery and it is unknown if the engine is in running condition. The vehicle appears to have been in storage for several years. This vehicle is sold as is without any warranty of any kind. It will be listed online from June 5 to June 18 and will be sold to the highest bidder, who must pay the Leelanau County treasurer by 4 p.m. by the fifth business day after the close of the auction. Payment must be in cash or cashiers check. Upon payment and presentation of government issued photo identification, Leelanau County Sheriffs Office will issue a written receipt and Bill of Sale. The Plymouth GTX can be viewed in person from 9 a.m. to noon on June 4 at Bingham Towing Yard, 8397 East Bingham Road, in Traverse City. ISLE ROYALE, MI - While there were many factors that played into Isle Royales once-robust wolf pack system collapsing to just two wolves in the space of a decade, a new study shows just how devastating inbreeding was to the big predators who lived on Michigans remote wilderness island. As the wolves genetic pool got smaller, the physical deformities passed on through inbreeding got more noticeable: crooked spines, extra ribs and other genetic anomalies. These details and more are in a new report being released today and being published in the scientific journal Science Advances. This study on what caused the islands old pack system to crash is being announced at a time when the National Park Service is currently in the first year of an ambitious project to bring in more wolves to the Lake Superior island. They are needed to balance out a rapidly-expanding moose population. As of last fall, Isle Royales island-born wolves had dwindled to just two, while there were an estimated 2,000 moose. There are now 14 wolves on Isle Royale. These include the older island-born pair - a father/daughter who researchers say cannot have viable offspring - and 12 other wolves that were trapped in Minnesota and Canada last fall and winter and released on the island. There have been two on-island wolf deaths as part of the project. A Minnesota male wolf was found dead last fall, and an Ontario male wolf was found dead recently, researchers reported today. Knowing what led the old wolves multi-pack system to collapse in recent years is expected to help researchers as they go forward with their three-year plan to repopulate Isle Royale with predators. It turns out, inbreeding was a big factor. It not only caused birth defects and other health issues for the wolves, but it made a tough life on a remote island even harder, researchers concluded. "This new study, including whole-genome analysis of wolves from Isle Royale, directly links specific candidate genes with spinal abnormalities, which became more prevalent as decades progressed and inbreeding became more severe," said Rolf Peterson, research scientist in the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science at Michigan Technological University. The islands first wolves are believed to have walked across an ice bridge to reach it in the 1940s, and the wolf population there hit an all-time high in the 1980s with about 50 wolves forming a handful of distinct packs. The new study is really a genomics mapping project, looking at the last two island-born wolves, as well as studying wolf carcasses collected on the island over the years by Michigan Techs predator-prey team, which has been doing wolf/moose research on the island for more than 60 years. Researchers used genetic samples from 11 Isle Royale wolves that were collected between 1988 and 2012. In that time window, there were up to 30 wolves roaming the island - a slow recovery from a disease that had nearly decimated the packs: In the early 1980s, the Isle Royale population crashed from an all-time high of 50 individuals to just 14 within a span of 2 years due to an outbreak of canine parvovirus. The population remained small until the mid-1990s, when it began to gradually increase. We found an overall trend ... consistent with high levels of inbreeding during this time of stagnant population growth. The gene pool got a big boost in 1997 when a new mainland wolf came over on an ice bridge and got very cozy with some of the islands female wolves. But that diversity was short-lived, the study showed. In 1997, a male wolf naturally immigrated to Isle Royale and became a highly successful breeder. As shown previously, this event led to an immediate decrease in the mean level of inbreeding and an increase in heterozygosity in the population, the study said. However, the migrant was so successful that his genome effectively swamped the population within ~2 generations and the level of inbreeding rapidly rose again. This male wolf was such a successful breeder that within 2.5 generations, every individual in the Isle Royale population was related to him, leading to intense inbreeding among his descendants. Rib and spinal deformities seemed to be prevalent in this study of an inbred pack system. Researchers specifically looked at congenital vertebral anomalies, including the presence of extra vertebrae. One example described in the study: One wolf had three transitional vertebrae and an extra pair of ribs. This wolf was the product of a brother-sister mating and died while giving birth to a litter of pups thought to have been sired by her father. The pedigree-based inbreeding coefficient of this litter, in which all pups showed vertebral changes and all but one had extra ribs, was 0.375 (25). The pups died within hours, and our examination revealed that all eight had extra vertebrae and all but one had extra ribs. The last 2 island-born wolves on Isle Royale. The only two island-born wolves left from Isle Royales old Chippewa Harbor Pack are this father-daughter pair. They had been the only wolves left on the island for several years until the new transplanted wolves began arriving last fall. These two island-born wolves have a family tree whose DNA is too twisted to result in viable pups, researchers have said. They share the same mother, too, so they are also half-siblings. A pup they had in 2014 had a visibly deformed spine and died at about 9 months old, researchers estimate. Still, the male, age 10, and the female, 8, remain tightly bonded and highly territorial, say researchers, who had good opportunity to study their movements in February and early March. In concluding their new study, researchers determined the rapid collapse of genetic fitness within the Isle Royale wolf packs shows the big consequence of inbreeding when dealing with an isolated population. In the absence of recurring immigration, whether managed or not, the fate of a restored population on Isle Royale is grim. Nevertheless, wolf predation is an important top-down influence on Isle Royale, and its absence threatens the stability of the island ecosystem, the study says. "Active management of the population to reduce inbreeding may improve its long-term viability. We also recommend genomic screening of all wolves reintroduced to Isle Royale and their eventual descendants for the purposes of cataloging and monitoring ROH and deleterious alleles over time. The demise of the iconic Isle Royale wolf population provides lessons for its future restoration and guidance for the management of other species or populations to minimize the consequences of inbreeding. This genomics mapping project was led by a team from the University of California, Los Angeles, in collaboration with Michigan Tech, University of California, San Francisco and Swedish Museum of Natural History. Earlier this week, Fiat Chrysler announced its intentions to merge with Renault to create the worlds third-biggest automaker. The merger would create a company 50 percent owned by FCA shareholders and 50 percent by Renault shareholders. No plants would close if the deal were to happen, and the newly formed company would be worth an estimated $40 billion and represent about 8.7 million annual vehicle sales. Frances finance minister has said that the deal will only be allowed if the merger comes with guarantees from the automakers focused on protecting industrial jobs and facilities in the country. The FCA proposal follows initial operational discussions between the two companies to identify products and geographies where they could collaborate, particularly as they develop and commercialize new technologies, the Auburn Hills, Michigan-based automaker writes in its news release announcing the proposal. These discussions made clear that broader collaboration through a combination would substantially improve capital efficiency and the speed of product development. The case for combination is also strengthened by the need to take bold decisions to capture at scale the opportunities created by the transformation of the auto industry in areas like connectivity, electrification and autonomous driving. Related: Google partners with Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi to embed Android in cars by 2021 @fcagroup SUBMITS PROPOSAL FOR A TRANSFORMATIVE MERGER WITH@Groupe_Renault TO CREATE PREEMINENT GLOBAL AUTOMOTIVE GROUPhttps://t.co/4ISN15EvkY pic.twitter.com/VYNd96jOkr FCA Group (@fcagroup) May 27, 2019 In response, Renault released a statement saying it would further examine the potential 50/50 merger. The group called FCAs offer a friendly proposal, and that its Board of Directors will study the offer and release an update in due course. The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance previously said it sold vehicles in 200 countries under ten brands last year, which includes Renault, Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors, Dacia, Renault Samsung Motors, Alpine, Lada, Infiniti, Venucia and Datsun. Reuters reports that Nissan officials told those with Renault it would not be against a potential merger with FCA. Combining the businesses will bring together complementary strengths. The combination would create a brand portfolio that would provide full market coverage with a presence in all key segments from luxury/premium brands, such as Maserati and Alfa Romeo, to the strong access brands of Dacia and Lada, and would include the well-known Fiat, Renault, Jeep and Ram brands as well as commercial vehicles, FCA writes in the release. "Groupe Renault has a strong presence across Europe, Russia, Africa and Middle East, while FCA is uniquely positioned in the high margin segments in North America and is a market leader in Latin America. FCAs evolving capability in autonomous driving, which includes partnerships with Waymo, BMW and Aptiv, is complemented by Groupe Renaults decade of experience in EV technology where it is the highest selling EV OEM in Europe. Related: FCA to invest $4.5B in Michigan, build new assembly plant in Detroit The Associated Press reports that Bruno le Maire, Frances finance minister, said that if the deal goes down the countrys stake in Renault would drop from 15 to 7.5 percent. He added that he hopes to see the merger occur within the existing Renault-Nissan alliance, and that the countrys interests would be properly represented on any board that comes with a new company. As the news organization notes, this represents the biggest move made by FCA CEO Mike Manley who took over the role following Sergio Marchionnes death last year. Before taking over as CEO, Manley had served the automaker as its head of the Jeep Brand dating back to 2009 and its Ram brand since 2015. Related: FCA names Mike Manley new CEO after Marchionne suffers complications after surgery Renaults Board of Directors has decided to study with FCA the potential 50/50 merger. https://t.co/75Ecnflom6 Groupe Renault (@Groupe_Renault) May 27, 2019 The proposed FCA-Renault merger comes at a time when the global auto industry is coming off peak vehicle sales and is on the verge of transformation. Automakers are reckoning with how EVs, AVs and mobility will change how people acquire transportation, Michelle Krebs, executive analyst at Autotrader, said in an emailed statement. "The research and development of these efforts is immensely expensive with no clue as to when or how they will pay dividends. "With that reality as a backdrop, mergers, strategic partnerships, and alliances are likely to become the norm in our industry, as automakers look for ways to find efficiencies and share costs. Related: FCA invests $10.5B into EV, hybrids with plans to phase diesels out in Europe The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reports that the recall connected to 17 sicknesses across eight different states has been expanded to include all five-pound bags of Bakers Corner All Purpose Flour. This comes after the Rhode Island Department of Health discovered E. coli during testing of five-pound bags of the aforementioned flour brand sold at ALDI stores. Affected flour was sold at ALDI stores in Ohio, Connecticut, Delaware, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and West Virginia. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that reported illnesses run from Dec. 11, 2018 to April 18. Consumers should not use or eat flour from 5 lb. bags of Baker's Corner All Purpose Flour packed for ALDI, that includes all lot codes & all Best If Used By Dates distributed in CT, DE, MA, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, VT & WV. U.S. FDA (@US_FDA) May 24, 2019 Three of the 17 to reportedly fall ill to the Shiga-toxin producing E. coli infections required hospitalization, according to the CDC. The food source of the E.coli strain for all cases remains under investigation, but out of an abundance of caution, ADM (ADM Milling Co.) is expanding its previous recall notice of only two specific lots to include all Bakers Corner All Purpose Flour five-pound bags currently in distribution that were manufactured for ALDI at ADMs flour mill in Buffalo, New York, the FDA writes in its update published Tuesday, May 28. ADM Milling is working directly with ALDI, which has already recalled all potentially impacted products from store shelves in the region. ADM Milling is conducting an in-depth investigation to determine the cause of the contamination and is working closely with regulators throughout this process. CDC timeline on reported illnesses Related: CDC says recalled flour sold at ALDI has sickened 17 across 8 states In its original posting, the CDC said that four out of seven people interviewed claimed to have ingested, licked or tasted homemade dough or batter. Two people admitted to eating raw dough or batter made with flour bought from ALDI. The outbreak strain of E. coli O26 was found in an unopened bag of Bakers Corner All Purpose Flour collected at a bakery where an ill person reported eating raw dough," the federal agency reported. Shiga toxin-producing E. coli infections typically set in about three to four days after consuming the germ. The CDC says that common symptoms include diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, stomach cramps and vomiting. Those in possession of the affected product are advised to either dispose of it or to return it at the place of purchase for a refund. For more information, ADM can be contacted at 800-422-1688. While gas prices in Michigan have been trending down in the past couple of weeks, an analyst is warning of an impending jump in prices on Wednesday, May 29. Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, tweeted early Wednesday afternoon that prices appeared to be rising to $2.99 per gallon in Michigan, and $2.95 in Indiana. As of 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, the average cost for a gallon of self-serve unleaded gasoline is going for about $2.84 per gallon in the Great Lakes State. This represents a 5 cent decrease on last weeks prices and about a 2 cent decrease from last months. In addition, prices are down by about 22 cents from this time last year. While the next 90 days may see some bumps in the road here and there, most motorists will be greeted with prices under $3 per gallon for a majority of the summer while the West Coast will see continued relief and prices likely above the $3 mark for most of the summer, but under the $4 levels we saw in the last month, DeHaan writes in a blog post. Overall, the biggest risk factors for rising gas prices this summer: unexpected refinery outages mainly in challenged areas like the Midwest or West Coast, a potential trade deal between the U.S. and China, and any rise in Middle East tensions, mainly between the U.S. and Iran. ALERT: #GasPrices appear to be rising to $2.99/gal today in #Michigan and $2.95/gal in areas of #Indiana. Patrick DeHaan (@GasBuddyGuy) May 29, 2019 GasBuddy reports that the cheapest gas in the state can currently be found for $2.36 at two stations in Shelby Township and one in Utica. After that, there are five gas stations advertising prices at $2.49 per gallon in Ann Arbor, Woodhaven, Inkster, Ypsilanti and Dearborn Heights. Gas prices have declined, on average, by at least a nickel, for the majority of the country since the beginning of May and thats a trend motorists can expect to continue into early June, Jeanette Casselano, AAA spokesperson, said in the auto clubs report. Stable crude oil prices are helping to push prices down at the pump despite tight domestic gasoline supply and robust demand. A bump in demand could push prices higher, but only by a few cents. On a national level, the average cost for a gallon of fuel is going for about $2.81 as of 12:45 p.m. This represents about a 4 cent decline on the week, and a little more than a 7-cent drop in the past month. AAA gas price map May 29 See below for a rundown of gas prices from around the state as of Wednesday afternoon: Michigan may be friendly to weed, but its not ready for marijuana on Main Street. "I don't want a store on every other corner," said Robin Kirby, 56, of Owosso. She smokes marijuana at home -- and has for years -- after long shifts pulling pints of domestic beers at the town's Eagles club. "I don't want it in other people's faces," she said. Despite public support -- 2.4 million people voted to legalize marijuana in November 2018 -- more than a quarter of Michigan communities have banned the very businesses that would facilitate its legal retail sale. Map: More than 400 communities have banned recreational marijuana businesses Communities have the right to ban -- hopefully theyre doing that in line with their voters wishes, said Josh Hovey, spokesman for the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association. Thats not the case in many Michigan towns: officials are overriding the will of their constituents as they pass bans. Local governments want as much control as they can over the new industry. But state law has changed faster than government regulations. Without a clear picture of what cities can expect, theit reactions have been swift. Now four million Michigan residents live in a community where marijuana businesses are prohibited. The result is a patchwork of local approaches -- and intense pressure in the towns where officials do say yes. Drafts of the states rules for the retail recreational marijuana industry are due this June, creating another chain reaction from one community to the next. Downtown Owosso, March 21, 2019. (Tanya Moutzalias | MLive.com) Tanya Moutzalias | MLive.com In rural Shiawassee County, marijuana is no stranger. Privately, people will tell you they're open to the idea of marijuana businesses. Two out of three voters in Owosso -- the county's biggest city at 15,000 people -- chose to legalize marijuana. Publicly, opinions are much different. The Owosso City Commission voted to ban marijuana businesses, at least until state officials write their rules. It's a common tactic many towns have taken: delay until it feels safe enough to dive in. Gary Long, 70, of Perry. (Tanya Moutzalias | MLive.com)Tanya Moutzalias | MLive.com "To me, it's opening up Pandora's box to other issues; enforcement issues," Gary Long, 70, of Perry, said about legal weed. A retiree of the manufacturing industry, Long and his friends hold court every week over Styrofoam cups of coffee and donuts at Bea's Bakery in downtown Owosso. "I think it's a fool's errand to think that the tax revenue is actually going to make money," Long said, as his friends nodded in agreement. "There's costs to enforcement; costs to the ramifications of use of marijuana. Driving under the influence; just different issues -- probably even potentially problems in homes." Michigan could bring in up to $287.9 million in new tax revenue by the time the recreational marijuana market peaks in 2023, according to a projection from the nonpartisan Senate Fiscal Agency. Cities that allow recreational marijuana businesses would receive $26.9 million in tax revenue that year, per the projection, which would be doled out according to the number of businesses they regulate. As cities like Owosso are still grappling over how to regulate a medical marijuana market, they won't see any tax revenue from medical sales: a three percent excise tax municipalities previously collected on medical weed expired once recreational marijuana was legalized. Should the town allow recreational marijuana businesses, it would likely be years before they are operational. That's because for at least the first two years of the recreational weed market in Michigan, most business licenses are limited to those who already have a medical business license per state law. Towns that have already welcomed medical marijuana with open arms will have a leg up in opportunities. Twenty minutes north of Owosso, the 2,300-person town of Chesaning opened its doors to medical marijuana businesses and saw a land rush last year. One of the biggest medical grow facilities in the state is now located there, and a vacant meat packing facility that once employed 300 people was also converted into a new medical marijuana grow house. Across the state in West Michigan -- where Sunday alcohol sales were a controversial idea less than two decades ago -- there isn't much appetite for commercial marijuana businesses either. That's made Grand Rapids a hot spot for the industry. "It's no small thing that the second-largest city in the state is moving forward with this," said Andy Johnston, vice president of government and corporate affairs for the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce. "For better or for worse, we'll be this hub in west Michigan when it comes to marijuana -- so we need to make that work really well for the community." Grand Rapids officials are 420-friendly after residents forced their hand to accept medical marijuana -- or face a ballot drive. Since then, Mayor Rosalynn Bliss -- who is up for re-election this year -- has said shell honor the will of the 67 percent of the citys voters who chose recreational marijuana legalization. City Clerk Joel Hondorp reaches into a raffle drum on Friday, April 26, pulling out a ping pong ball with an address for a potential medical marijuana facility. (Michael Kransz | MLive.com) That's why the Grand Rapids city clerk found himself blindfolded on a recent Friday afternoon, reaching his hand into a raffle drum full of ping pong balls. Taped to each ball was an address of a prospective medical marijuana business. At face value, the event was trivial: the clerk's draw determined the order in which city planners reviewed 89 license applications for medical weed shops. In the battle for control of the Grand Rapids cannabis market, the lottery was huge. It was live-streamed on the citys Facebook page, and more than 4,000 people watched closely. City officials aren't allowing medical weed businesses downtown -- or in certain areas of the city that are too close to schools or churches or other specific zones. That has left a limited number of properties available in the city for prospective businesses, and nearly doubled the rent cost of what is on the market. Businesses can't be too close to each other -- which is why being picked in the lottery sooner was so important to applicants. Any business that is allowed to open in the medical market in Grand Rapids will also get the first crack at the recreational market, should the mayor follow through on her promise. In the city's up-and-coming Bridge Street business district where craft breweries have taken over neighborhood real estate, people are open to new investment from marijuana money. "The state of Michigan has voted that they want legalized marijuana -- and who are we to say that a business can't sell a legal substance in the city?" said Melody Arndt, 65, of Rockford, as she walked past Bridge Street brewpubs and bars. "I think we have to get ready. I mean we can't keep isolated in our own little world and pretend that everyone else is different from us." But in the Burton Heights neighborhood -- where liquor bottles line the sidewalks and vacant storefronts are the norm -- people don't want any more trouble from drugs. Waiting for a bus on a sunny weekday afternoon, Mirian Flake, 62, of Grand Rapids, said there is enough drug crime as it is in her neighborhood. "People are already getting killed and robbed for this product. If they don't use it, they're going to sell it. It's dangerous," Flake said. "I don't feel it's necessary to happen. We don't need it. We like peace. Quiet neighborhood." Mirian Flake, 62, of Grand Rapids. (Tanya Moutzalias | MLive.com)Tanya Moutzalias | MLive.com Residents like Flake worry city officials will be too greedy to put restrictions on the marijuana industry. "I don't think the city is going to do the right thing," Flake said. "They're doing it because of the money. Profit." Grand Rapids officials have invested serious time into adding regulations and zoning considerations for its medical marijuana program, which lays the foundation for an eventual retail adult-use market. Whether that will pay off in capital for the citys coffers remains to be seen. In Oakland County, 59 percent of voters chose to legalize weed. In its poorest city -- Pontiac -- marijuana legalization passed by a much bigger margin with 68 percent of the vote. But the Pontiac City Council chose to ban retail recreational marijuana businesses almost immediately. That's because they were scarred from their experience with medical marijuana, said City Council President Kermit Williams. "Because we didn't take a stand with medical marijuana, we ended up with a citizen initiative for 20 dispensaries," Williams said. "We're making sure recreational doesn't happen the same way." Pontiac voters narrowly supported a citizen-led ballot measure to launch a medical marijuana program in August 2018. It passed by one vote. Officials struggled to launch it for months. Bribes were reportedly offered to the city council to spur the program forward, and the city has been sued for its delays. As of April, the city council had agreed on a zoning ordinance and the program is moving forward. Downtown Pontiac, March 21, 2019. (Tanya Moutzalias | MLive.com)Tanya Moutzalias | MLive.com Up to five medical marijuana businesses are allowed to open up in Pontiac's downtown. The city can't change that until 18 months after they open due to the language in the citizen referendum. City leaders don't want to give up control again to a citizen referendum, and so they moved preemptively to ban recreational marijuana, Williams said. Pontiac likely will be open to recreational marijuana in the future -- just not right away, he said. Business owners in downtown Pontiac are excited for the possibilities that marijuana could bring to the area. "They want to put in more restaurants -- make it like a Royal Oak model," Rev. Doug Stuart, 68, of Orion Township, who serves meals to homeless people in downtown Pontiac at the Cathedral of Valor. Stuart said the city's search of progress has made his organization unpopular in town -- including with their landlord. "It's been open warfare," Stuart said of the battle for downtown Pontiac. "There have been people who have stood up and threatened us because we're holding up progress with liquor licenses and the marijuana. They've fought against us because they don't want us helping the homeless -- they think it's a bad image around here -- and that's a shame because people need help." Pontiac is at a tipping point, Williams said, as some investors see Pontiac as next in line for reinvestment like Detroit. "Hopefully marijuana can spur that interest," Williams said. "Properties are having offers that they haven't had in years. There's a lot of speculation going on." Thirteen miles south of Pontiac on Woodward Ave -- passed the shiny car dealerships in Birmingham and the rolling Bloomfield Hills -- sits Royal Oak: one of the first cities in Michigan to decriminalize marijuana. City leaders in Royal Oak haven't immediately welcomed adult-use marijuana businesses with open arms, despite more than 70 percent of the voters choosing to legalize weed. "It's gonna be, so you might as well just let it go," said Connie Peel, 82, of Royal Oak, about marijuana. "They let smoking- you know cigarettes. They let booze here. Why not that. And I'm old so I'm not supposed to lIke it. (Tanya Moutzalias | MLive.com)Tanya Moutzalias | MLive.com The city hasn't technically said no -- but they are taking their time to study the issue. The Royal Oak City Commission initially passed the first reading of an ordinance to ban marijuana businesses -- which was not received well by residents. The mayor maintains that was a precaution, as state regulators haven't written their rules yet for the adult-use industry. "If the state does something that's not in the best interest for Royal Oak, we can execute something in a matter of days," said Mayor Mike Fournier. "We want that in our back pocket." For now, city officials are studying the issue by surveying residents with a mailer. Most residents assume the city will allow retail cannabis sales eventually. Commerce isnt waiting. Cannabis is already creeping in to downtown Royal Oak, in the form of marijuanas tamer cousin, cannabidiol -- or CBD. Ale Marys tried out a CBD-infused cocktail. It swiftly garnered media attention -- and a cease-and-desist notice from the local health department. Across the street at MiNutrition, the supplement store is testing out CBD products to stock on its shelves. Southwest of Royal Oak, Royal Oak Charter Township now sits as a reminder of what could happen if a local government goes against the will of its residents. Royal Oak Township had banned adult-use marijuana businesses, though the people that live there voted to legalize the practice by 61 percent. A group backed by former state Sen. Virgil Smith, D-Detroit, quickly scrambled to collect signatures to question the measure, placing it on the ballot in a special election May 7. However, the ballot question was written to benefit only a few properties in the small Royal Oak Township: those that are bigger than five acres and are unoccupied. It so happened that clients of Smiths, who now works as a lobbyist, would be among the beneficiaries, according to media reports. Voters turned it down, which means the ban still stands. If communities are voting to ban, and theyre doing it against how their community feels about legalization -- then they risk a voter referendum, Hovey said. Then they risk a local law thats not how city officials would have written it themselves -- far more liberal or relaxed than they would have written. -- Amy Biolchini is the marijuana beat reporter for MLive. Contact her with questions, tips or comments at abiolch1@mlive.com. Read more from MLive about medical and recreational marijuana. MILAN, MI A semitruck driver swerving to avoid an animal on northbound U.S. 23 early Tuesday morning led to the highway being shutdown for six hours, police say. Police and rescue crews were called at about 12:50 a.m. May 28, to northbound U.S. 23 near Plank Road in Milan for a crash involving two semitrucks, Michigan State Police Lt. Darren Green said. Crews arrived to find a jackknifed semitruck in the roadway that had been struck by another semitruck, and both vehicles were blocking the northbound lanes, Green said. The truck driver who was at fault, a 27-year-old Brooklyn man, told troopers he saw an animal crossing the roadway and tried to avoid hitting it, jackknifing the trucks trailer in the process, Green said. A second truck not far behind, driven by a 53-year-old Dover, New Jersey man, was unable to stop in time and slammed into the jackknifed semi, Green said. There were no injuries reported in the crash. The driver of the jackknifed truck was cited for excessive speed during hazardous weather conditions as it was raining at the time of the crash, Green said. For the next six hours, crews were busy clearing the wreckage of both trucks, which needed to be unloaded before being safely towed away, Green said. Northbound U.S. 23 was reopened by 6:40 a.m. ANN ARBOR, MI Brian Mackie will start his 28th year as Washtenaw County prosecutor next year. For the first time since he took office in 1993, he could face a Democratic primary opponent. Hes never really had a serious challenge, said attorney Eli Savit, a 36-year-old Ann Arbor native who has launched a campaign to run for prosecutor in the August 2020 primary. Savit pledges to reform prosecution in Washtenaw County if elected, saying its time to end the era of mass incarceration. Its time to turn the page and establish a progressive prosecutors office, he said. Savit, a 2001 Pioneer High School graduate and 2010 University of Michigan Law School graduate, has clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and since 2016 has served as Detroit Mayor Mike Duggans senior legal counsel. He lives in Ann Arbor and also is a UM Law School adjunct professor. His past experience includes working for federal appellate judges in San Francisco and Washington, D.C., as well as two years at a private firm handling civil litigation in D.C. Though he has no experience as a prosecutor, Savit argues thats a plus to his candidacy because he brings perspective on how the criminal justice system interacts with other parts of society, such as housing, education and workforce development. This is stuff that I deal with in my day job every day in Detroit. I see the criminal justice system really affects everything, he said. It affects our ability to get people back to work. It affects peoples ability to gain housing. Washtenaw County Prosecutor Brian Mackie speaks at a rally near Braun Court to mark the third annual National Gun Violence Awareness Day on Saturday, June 3, 2017.Hunter Dyke | The Ann Arbor News Mackie responded to news of Savits campaign with a statement via email, saying for those with no experience as a prosecutor or defense attorney, it appears much easier than it is in reality. Savit has an impressive background as a judicial clerk and an academician, Mackie said. He is part of a wave of progressive candidates for prosecutor/DA/county attorney offices across the country, he said. At a time when liberal is seen by some as indistinguishable from reactionary, Mackie said, some of those candidates are doing very well. He said the best example is from Philadelphia, where Larry Krasner, the new district attorney, has been a leader of the view that only criminal offenders are victims in the justice system. The argument is familiar: It is not judges or lawmakers who decide what should be a crime and whether there is punishment, prosecutors should make it all go away, Mackie said. Locally, our extremely low prison commitment rate of 16.1% of felons being incarcerated is ignored in favor of the popular shibboleth that every person convicted of any offense, however minor, is incarcerated. Prosecution is a serious job for serious people, Mackie said, arguing ideas should be debated and voters should decide what they want. Savit said he wants a prosecutors office that can serve as a progressive model for the rest of Michigan. Hes running to build a fairer, smarter and more cost-effective justice system that prioritizes rehabilitation over punishment, he said. Aspects of his reform plan include elimination of cash bail, more support for addiction and mental-health treatment programs, and plea-bargaining reform. Cash bail is a system in which, when youre charged with a crime, you have to effectively pay a certain amount of money to gain your freedom pending trial, he said, arguing thats socioeconomically unjust and counterproductive. You see a lot of people that are being held in jail pending trial, theyre separated from their families, they end up losing their job, and again, that just makes them more desperate and makes them more likely to return to crimes of desperation. He thinks it could help address crowding in the county jail if more people were released pending trial, while those deemed a threat to society or a flight risk still could be held. The reforms he wants, Savit argues, arent particularly radical and have been pioneered in other states. You see folks in Philadelphia, Chicago, St. Louis, and theyre using the leverage of the prosecutors office to really move in a more progressive direction, he said. And I think thats really important because the prosecutors office is really the most powerful player in the criminal justice system. They have all the discretion in the world. As an example of where he and Mackie disagree, Savit points to the decision to criminally prosecute state Senate candidate Anuja Rajendra over the wording of her campaign literature last year. The American Civil Liberties Union came to Rajendras defense, calling the charges against the Ann Arbor businesswoman unconstitutional, and convinced a judge to dismiss the case. Mackies office alleged Rajendra violated state law by giving voters the impression she was an incumbent, with campaign mailers containing statements such as, As your State Senator, Im steadfast in my commitment .... Theres a compelling state interest in protecting the integrity of elections, Mackies office argued. Thats a case where I just dont see why the criminal justice system needs to be involved, Savit said. You know, you had grammatical inaccuracies she goes on to lose the primary, and then you wait until October to charge her? What good is that doing? Prosecutors too frequently bring criminal charges against people when there may be another solution, Savit said. In another high-profile case, Mackie drew mixed reactions from the community when he decided criminal charges were not warranted after a white Ann Arbor police officer shot and killed Aura Rosser, a 40-year-old black woman, during a police response to a domestic dispute on Ann Arbors west side in November 2014. Mackie determined Officer David Rieds lethal use of force was justified since Rosser reportedly approached officers with a knife raised in an attack position and ignored commands to drop it. Rossers death inspired Black Lives Matter demonstrations and calls for police reform, leading to Ann Arbors formation of a police oversight commission, as well as more law enforcement training around dealing with people in mental health crises. Savit said he hasnt reviewed all of the evidence in the Rosser case, so he doesnt know whether charges were warranted, but he thinks Mackie should have recused himself and referred the case to the attorney general to be assigned to another county prosecutor. Thats how any officer-involved shooting should be handled since theres a close relationship between the prosecutors office and local police, raising questions about impartiality, Savit argues. After Mackie decided no charges were warranted in Rossers death, DReal Graham, a member of activist group Radical Washtenaw, waged a write-in campaign against Mackie in November 2016, though Mackie prevailed in a landslide victory. Mackies election history: 2016 defeated write-in DReal Graham with 97.4% of vote 2012 defeated Libertarian Justin Altman with 85% of vote 2008 unopposed 2004 defeated Republican John Stanowski with 64% of vote 2000 unopposed 1996 defeated Republican Kirk Tabbey with 65% of vote 1992 defeated Republican Lynwood Noah with 59% of vote after defeating Democrat Terrence OHagan in primary with 64% of vote Mackie argues he has assembled a great prosecutors office with talented, ethical assistants who work well in all areas. The county prosecutor is responsible for handling felonies and misdemeanors charged under state law, juvenile delinquency proceedings, terminations of parental rights for abuse and neglect of children, and mental health commitments. Mackies office also has a special unit devoted to prosecution of domestic violence and criminal sexual conduct, and a civil division that establishes paternity and child support obligations. His offices stated mission and vision is to protect the rights, safety and security of all people in the county through fair enforcement of state laws, setting the standard for firm, fair and progressive prosecution and innovative prevention strategies. Savit argues too much taxpayer money is spent sending people to prison without addressing the root causes of crime. You see the same people involved in the justice system over and over again, he said, adding a lot of them have addiction problems. If we can promote rehabilitation, if we can root out socioeconomic inequalities, we can actually make ourselves both safer and save money, he said, arguing its also the morally right thing to do. I mean, people are struggling. If people make one mistake, it shouldnt derail the rest of their lives, he said. Working in Detroit, Savit said he has led major public-interest lawsuits against the opioid industry, banks and slumlords, as well as civil-rights lawsuits on behalf of Detroit schoolchildren. Im well-versed on the substantive criminal law and I have no doubt Id be able to step in substantively on day one and do a good job, he added. FLINT, MI -- A grand opening date has been set for the new Mott Community College Culinary Arts Institute in downtown Flint -- complete with a special guest. The 36,000 square-foot building at the corner of Second and Saginaw streets is scheduled to open Friday, June 7, with a community open house and tours from 1 to 3 p.m. on the same day. Carla Hall will be on-hand for the grand opening. Hall is a celebrity chef and former co-host of the ABC show The Chew, cookbook author and Culinary Ambassador for Sweet Home Cafe at the Smithsonian National Museum for African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. We are delighted to have Ms. Hall with us as we open this amazing facility, said Beverly Walker-Griffea, president of Mott Community College. The opening of the MCC Culinary Arts Institute represents our commitment to improving the economic and social fabric of the broader Flint, Genesee County and mid-Michigan region. Housed inside the former F.W. Woolworth Building, the facility will allow for the program to expand from 250 to 400 students. The building was constructed in the 1920s an operated as retail space until the 1970s. The institute will include two culinary arts teaching kitchens, two bakery teaching kitchens, a meat-cutting "fabrication teaching laboratory," a fine dining restaurant that will be staffed Monday through Friday during school and meeting space. I think for our students it gives up the opportunity to provide a higher quality education, more space to work in, Amy Fugate, Motts vice president for academic affairs, previously said. There also is a confections laboratory for cake decoration and making chocolate and other candies as well as a chilled garde manger classroom and faculty offices for the department. Part of the reason for the move is growing out of the space provided for the program at Mott's Prahl College Center, 1401 E. Court, that pushed some work off-campus for students. Work is taking place at the new facility with $3.25 million of voter-approved capital bonds from Mott Community College as part of the overall nearly $13 million investment. Some construction delays during the process have pushed back the opening a few months. A $1.5 million grant approved by the Michigan Economic Development Corp. is also being used for the project. The building was donated, along with $4 million in leveraged loan funds, by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. The property will be owned by the Uptown Reinvestment Corp. for eight years and then turned over to MCC, Uptown President Tim Herman previously said. City Council unanimously passed a resolution for the project to receive a property tax exemption under Michigan's Obsolete Property Rehabilitation Act (OPRA). Students can earn associate degrees in baking and pastry arts, culinary arts and food services management through the culinary arts program. A Coffee Beanery located in the front portion of the building will be stocked with baked goods created by students in the program and give them a chance to perform short-order food service. Its essential for them to have the opportunity to learn in both environments, said Fugate. You have the fine dining environment where they are learning front of house work, kitchen, clean-up. The beanery gives them the opportunity to learn about coffee shop management and front-end food management. She hopes the move will make it "a destination program" for those interested in the culinary arts around the region and state while pointing the importance of the building's placement in Flint. It gives Mott Community College a presence right downtown with all the other colleges, Fugate said. UPDATE: UPDATE: LAPEER, MI Barricades were still up in downtown Lapeer around 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 29 after gasoline leaked into the sewer lines, according to law enforcement officials. The Lapeer Police Department asked for a voluntary evacuation of residents and business owners between the intersections of Nepessing and Saginaw streets to Nepessing and Mason streets. The incident began around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 29 when Lapeer police responded to the downtown area for a noise complaint. They discovered gasoline from an unknown source had entered the sewer lines, causing a disruption that led to several manhole covers being dislodged, according to police. As of 11 a.m., Lapeer police Chief Dave Frisch said authorities were actively working the scene with assistance from Lapeer Fire & Rescue and the citys Department of Public Works. Should there be some type of a spark or something of that nature with the fumes concentration that we have there it could be very serious," he said. The entire downtown area was closed to traffic, with barricades erected at Saginaw and Oregon streets, Saginaw and Horton streets, Nepessing and Mason streets, and Nepessing and Saginaw streets along with several other areas. A block south of Nepessing Street, the Lapeer County courthouse building remained open. Gregory Wise, district court administrator, said the courthouse had no plans to evacuate. Normally the decision to evacuate the building would come from the county administrator or chief judge, Wise said, and he hasnt heard from either of them. Mark Capstick, manager of Lynch and Sons Funeral Directors, said he received a call at 6 a.m. Wednesday morning about the leak from an employee who also serves as a volunteer firefighter. He said when I get a chance Ill come down and check your basement, but if you beat me to it, check your basement. We dont think its gone down as far as the funeral home," said Capstick, who purchased the funeral home in 2004 along with wife Katie. Were kind of right at that cutoff line. I just flew in here this morning, and checked it and we are in good shape. No gas smell, no issues ..." Frisch didnt know how long the closure would last as of Wednesday morning. Were still in the control mode, he said We dont know the extent of the amount of spillage. He noted there is a very, very large concentration of gasoline to the south of Nepessing Street in a lift station, also referred to as a pump house. That is where the private contractors are focusing their efforts on, said Frisch. We believe if we get it controlled there, we can stop anymore from getting into the sewer line. When asked about the potential for additional evacuation orders, Frisch said, Theres always that possibility," adding, We feel confident that the evacuations we have in place are meeting the needs of the situation as its presenting itself right now. He thanked homeowners and businesses for their cooperation, as well as asking them to remain diligent and feel free to speak up if they observe anything out of the ordinary. If you smell gasoline in your home, definitely contact us, Frisch said. Officials were looking at diagrams in an effort to assess where the flow of gasoline may go, but Frisch said you never know for sure. Our best source would be that homeowner or that business owner making us aware of it, he said. LAPEER, MI -- A voluntary evacuation for homes and businesses in downtown Lapeer was lifted Wednesday afternoon, police said. Lapeer police Chief Dave Frisch confirmed the evacuation that stretched from the intersection of Saginaw and Nepessing streets west through the 400 block of West Nepessing Street was lifted at 5 p.m. May 29. Partial road closures in the area of Saginaw, East Nepessing, and West Nepessing streets will remain in place as crews continue to work. The evacuation took place following a gasoline leak discovered early Wednesday morning into the sewer lines. Police were first called out around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 29 to the intersection of Saginaw and Nepessing streets for a noise complaint. At some point, gasoline entered sewer lines in the city, causing a disruption that led to several manhole covers being dislodged and an explosion inside a bathroom at a downtown business. " ... (We) are currently testing every sewer manhole in the affected area for levels of gasoline vapors," Frisch previously said. It is anticipated that this testing process will be completed by 4 p.m. (Wednesday). Mitigation efforts assisted by Mersinos are currently underway to contain the believed source of contamination. At this time we do not have any estimations on when the evacuation of the affected area will be lifted. The source of the gas leak is still unknown. Officials are checking local gas stations to try and determine if they may be the source, Frisch said. Lapeer DPW workers are receiving assistance from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy and private contractors who have confirmed the issue was caused by a gasoline leak. Positive pressure is being applied to the system to try and clear out any fumes in the sewer lines. In making the decision to block off the downtown area, Lapeer City Manager Dale Kerbyson said the discussion began early in the morning on what would be best for the citizens. Were trying to take an abundant safety measure in having the voluntary evacuation, he said. We want to make sure the citizens are safe. Kerbyson said the evacuations were not mandatory as some buildings had a gas smell but others did not. All the businesses that police spoke with in the downtown area made the decision to close, Frisch noted. UPDATE: UPDATE: UPDATE: LAPEER, MI -- Residents and business owners are being asked to evacuate following a gasoline leak Wednesday morning that has led to the closure of the entire downtown area in the city of Lapeer. A Wednesday, May 29 statement from the Lapeer Police Department notes the all business owners along Nepessing Street, from the intersection of Saginaw and Nepessing streets west through the 400 block of West Nepessing Street have been asked to leave the area. Crews are on scene and actively working this incident, reads the statement. "The concentrations of the gasoline fumes within the sewer lines has been increasing." The incident began around 4:30 a.m. May 29 when Lapeer police responded to the downtown area for a noise complaint. They discovered gasoline from an unknown source had entered the sewer lines, causing a disruption that led to several manhole covers being dislodged. Lapeer firefighters and Department of Public Works personnel are investigating the incident. The entire downtown area is closed to traffic, with barricades erected at Saginaw and Oregon, Saginaw and Horton, Nepessing and Mason, and Nepessing and Saginaw and with several other areas. No word has been released on when the closure may be lifted. FLINT, MI -- A new electric scooter ride-share company has been awarded $75,000 as it prepares to launch in the city of Flint. Kuhmute is an electric scooter ride-share that features smart-charging hubs with a goal to keep scooter fleets organized and charged. The company was co-founded in November by current Kettering University students Peter Deppe, 23, and Scott Spitler, 22. The pair of entrepreneurs will graduate in June -- Deppe with a degree in electrical and electronics engineering and Spitler with a degree in computer science. They hope to launch the Kuhmute ride-share in Flint within the next three months. The company placed second in the Comeback Capital Bowl competition held on May 17, 2019 in Youngstown, Ohio and was awarded $75,000 to support growth of personal electric vehicles and smart-charging hubs. The prizes were funded by Comeback Capital, Right Side Capital Management and EV Private Investments. This just confirms the belief in our mission to provide affordable, organized transportation for people and municipalities, Deppe said. The prize will allow us to purchase the rest of our electric scooter fleet and help us continue innovating our smart charging hub as we prepare a launch in Flint. The company was also selected for Techtown Detroits DTX Launch Detroit, an accelerator for college students and recent graduates aspiring to launch a technology startup. This just confirms the belief in our mission to provide affordable, organized transportation for people and municipalities, Deppe said. The prize will allow us to purchase the rest of our electric scooter fleet and help us continue innovating our smart-charging hub as we prepare a launch in Flint ... with 20 scooters between both hubs. From there, the company will reach out to the community to assess where people would like to see additional scooters." Kuhmuters will be able to download an Android or iOS app to ride the scooters, Deppe said. Pricing is still being finalized, he said, but the company will offer a monthly subscription and day pass. Were really excited. One could say were scootin closer to launch, Deppe said. The company is based in Flint, working out of offices in the Flint Ferris Wheel. Deppe said starting a business has been challenge for the pair of entrepreneurs. Their days are spent in class and and at work, while their nights are committed to their business startup, he said. We might as well do it while were young and full of energy, he said. Supporters and partners of the company include 100K Ideas, the Ferris Wheel, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Kettering University, Consumers Energy and the Flint Chamber of Commerce. City council member Santino Guerra has been working closely with the startup company to connect it with Consumers Energy and the Department of Public Works as it prepares to launch. The project provides accessible transportation to those who do not live downtown and cuts down on carbon emission, Guerra said. It will allow transportation to the people in downtown Flint and its also good for the environment, he said. GRAND RAPIDS, MI U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, the first Republican in Congress to call for impeachment proceeding against President Donald Trump, touched on a wide-range of topics during a town hall meeting Tuesday at Grand Rapids Christian High School. In a freewheeling question-and-answer session that lasted upwards of two hours, Amash, of Cascade Township, touched on Special Counsel Robert Muellers report on interference in the 2016 election, trade policy, speculation that hes planning a third-party presidential run and more. He also criticized leaders in Congress who seek to come after lawmakers who dont toe the party line. Heres a look at some of the highlights of Tuesdays event: Impeachment Amash kicked off Tuesdays town hall, which drew upwards of 700 people, with an explanation about his recent remarks, made on Twitter, about why impeachment proceedings should be launched against President Donald Trump. The fifth-term congressman said impeachment proceedings are not about charging the president with a crime. Rather, he said, its a finding that someone has violated the public trust and is abusing power. Amash urged the audience to read Muellers report, and said hes confident that those who do so would be appalled at much of the conduct. I was appalled by it, he said.Thats why I stated what I stated. Standing ovations The audience Tuesday was largely supportive of Amash. Those in attendance cheered when Amash criticized members of Congress who simply follow the party line, and several people thanked the congressman for his courage. At one point, the audience gave Amash a standing ovation. I dont know how we tell our children not to lie, that its wrong to lie when its evident throughout the highest levels of government, said one attendee, who thanked Amash for standing up to Trump. There were, however, a few audience members who were critical of congressmans impeachment remarks. Anna Timmer, 33, of Grand Rapids, accused Amash of making baseless claims about obstruction of justice to raise his national profile. Youre looking to launch your star bigger and brighter, said Timmer, who added that she previously supported Amash but now feels he is failing to represent the popular will of your constituents. Amash fired back that his job is to uphold the constitution. Diane Luke, 57, of Grand Rapids, was also critical of Amash. She said she has supported Amash since he first ran for Congress in 2010 but said the congressmans impeachment comments were tantamount to a smear attack against the president and violated the public trust. How can you become a Democrat when we voted for you as a Republican, said Luke, whose exchange with Amash drew jeers and boos from the audience. Tariffs One audience member asked whether Amash, in light of the Mueller reports findings, supports retaliatory tariffs against Russia to punish the country for interfering in the 2016 election. No, Amash said in response, explaining that he does not support tariffs. He said there are other ways to address the issue. There are maybe certain types of targeted sanctions that might be in place, he said. But broad sanctions or tariffs, I think, are not good proposals. Those arent the kind of things I would support. Trumps border wall Another person in attendance asked Amash whether he is doing anything to help those children who have been separated from their parents at the southern border. Amash said the U.S. immigration system is really messed up right now, and that there is a crisis of sorts at the border. We dont want to see people separated at the border, Amash said, drawing applause from the crowd. He went on to say that he has no problem with enhancing fencing and security at the border but that he doesnt think we need to have a wall going all the way across or anything like that. Just as important, if not more important, is that we have a better way to process people who are arriving, he said. Because there are many people who are seeking asylum and not all of them are truly seeking asylum. Amash said he supports having more judges and resources at the border to process asylum claims. Amashs independent streak While Amash is a Republican, hes not afraid to buck the party line, a fact thats earned him criticism from Republican leaders. It happened to Amash most recently in response to his calls for impeachment proceedings against Trump. If you take any big position against what the leaders of your party want, then they are coming after you," he said. "They will make an example of you. That is the biggest abuse of power happening right now in our government. Third-party presidential run Speculation has swirled in recent weeks that Amash is considering a third-party challenge to Trump. Libertarians are reportedly trying to convince him to leave the Republican Party and mount a third-party challenge to President Donald Trump. The congressman on Tuesday said he doesnt rule things out, but added that if he were considering such a challenge, this is not how I would do it. I dont think impeachment is the way to roll out some kind of announcement, he said. But again, I dont rule things out. I think that in life if youre fighting to defend the constitution and you find a way to do it thats different and maybe more effective, then you have to think about that. GRAND RAPIDS, MI U.S. Rep. Justin Amash was greeted by a largely supportive audience Tuesday in Grand Rapids, drawing several standing ovations but also a few heated questions at his first town hall meeting since calling for impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump. Speaking to an overflow crowd at Grand Rapids Christian High School, Amash, R-Cascade Township, outlined his support for impeachment proceedings and dispelled speculation that his criticism of Trump is aimed at boosting his profile for a potential third-party presidential challenge. He also pushed back against the assertion, from one audience member, that hes demonizing Trump and betraying the Republican party. The person that demonized people every day is Donald Trump, Amash said, speaking to an estimated 700 to 800 attendees. Hes the one demonizing people. Hes the one attacking people every day. The fifth-term congressman drew controversy earlier this month when he became the first Republican in Congress to call for impeachment proceedings against Trump in the wake of U.S. Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation into 2016 election interference. The investigation did not establish that Trump or any of his aides coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 election but left open the question of whether Trump obstructed justice. Amashs impeachment comments, made on Twitter, drew scorn from party leaders, and two people State Rep. Jim Lower, R-Greenville, and Tom Norton, a former Sand Lake Village Trustee now say they will challenge Amash in the August 2020 Republican primary. On Tuesday, Amash opened the town hall meeting with a brief statement about his impeachment remarks and then launched into a roughly two-hour question-and-answer session. He said he supports impeachment proceedings against Trump because "Congress has a duty to keep the president in check. I think we owe it to the American people to represent them, to ensure that the people we have in office are doing the right thing, are of good character, arent violating the public trust," Amash said, adding he would have the same stance on impeachment regardless of the presidents political party. While many attendees praised Amash for standing up to Trump several people thanked him for his courage the meeting grew heated at times. One such moment came when Diane Luke, 57, of Grand Rapids, was handed the microphone to ask a question. Wearing a Make America Great Again hat, Luke said she has supported Amash since he first ran for Congress in 2010 but said the congressmans impeachment comments were tantamount to a smear attack against the president and violated the public trust. How can you become a Democrat when we voted for you as a Republican, said Luke, whose exchange with Amash drew jeers and boos from the audience. Amash asked the crowd several of whom told MLive.com they didnt vote for Amash but respect his principled stance against Trump to be respectful to people who disagree with him. He also, in response to Luke, defended his record as a conservative. I have one of the most constitutionally and fiscally conservative voting records in the whole Congress, he said. I have voted to spend less than any member of Congress in either chamber since Ive been in Congress. Amash, a frequent critic of Trump, previously said he called for impeachment proceedings against Trump after carefully reading Muellers report. He said he also based his decision on pertinent statements and testimony, and having discussed this matter with my staff, who thoroughly reviewed materials and provided me with further analysis. Another heated exchange was prompted by a remark from Anna Timmer, 33, of Grand Rapids. Timmer said she volunteered for Amash when he first ran for Congress, but now thinks hes failing to do his job, which is to directly represent the popular will of your constituents. My job is to uphold the constitution, Amash fired back. Earlier in the meeting, Amash said he wasnt concerned about the push back his comments have generated. He said over the past eight years he said hes frequently encountered people who say, Justin if you do this thing or that thing you will get voted out. One of the big differences between me and them is I believe in the people I represent, he said. And I believe the people are smart enough to figure out whats going on. Speculation has swirled in recent weeks that Amash is considering a third-party challenge to Trump. The congressman said he doesnt rule things out, but added that if he were considering such a challenge, this is not how I would do it. I dont think impeachment is the way to roll out some kind of announcement, he said. But again, I dont rule things out. I think that in life if youre fighting to defend the constitution and you find a way to do it thats different and maybe more effective, then you have to think about that. GRAND RAPIDS, MI White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders had some choice words Wednesday for U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, the first Republican in Congress to call for impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump. I dont think Congressman Amash is worth the time of the White House, Sanders told reporters in Washington D.C., after being asked about Amashs view of Special Counsel Robert Muellers report on interference in the 2016 election. .@PressSec: I dont think Congressman Amash is worth the time of the White House. pic.twitter.com/rNlcCuz0Yo CSPAN (@cspan) May 29, 2019 Sanders comment came on the same day Mueller made his first public remarks about his investigation, which did not establish that Trump or any of his aides coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 election but left open the question of whether Trump obstructed justice. The Associated Press reported that Mueller did not use the word impeachment, but said it was the job of Congress not the criminal justice system to hold the president accountable for any wrongdoing. A reporter also asked Sanders whether Trump will throw his support behind one of the candidates who has stepped up to challenge Amash in the August 2020 primary. Ill let the president make that determination, she said. Amash has been in the spotlight since he tweeted on May 18 that Trump had engaged in specific actions and a pattern of behavior that meet the threshold for impeachment. Since then, high-ranking Republicans, including Trump, have fired back at Amash. He held a town hall meeting on Tuesday in Grand Rapids to explain his impeachment comments and answer questions from constituents. Two people State Rep. Jim Lower, R-Greenville, and Tom Norton, a former Sand Lake Village Trustee say they will challenge Amash in the August 2020 Republican primary. Following Muellers comments Wednesday, Amash, in an apparent reference to impeachment, tweeted: The ball is in our court, Congress. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Cathy Garnaat was ready to disavow U.S. Rep. Justin Amash for supporting the idea of impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump. The Alto resident has always voted for Amash and she voted for Trump in 2016. To support impeachment, that was crossing a line. I thought that it would be improper to even talk about impeaching the president when youre in the Republican Party, so I wanted to give him a chance to give his side of the story, Garnaat said. I was ready to not support him anymore. Garnaat said it wasnt just breaking party loyalty that irked her but that she hadnt heard any solid reasons for impeachment. After hearing the Cascade Township Republican speak Tuesday night, she said shes open to voting for him again. Although she does want to see what his Republican challengers have to offer on the issues. Garnaat was one of more than 700 people who packed an auditorium at Grand Rapids Christian High School for Amashs town hall Tuesday, May 28. The town hall was announced over Memorial Day weekend, about a week after he posted a series of Tweets outlining his support and reasons for impeachment proceedings. He later doubled down on those comments in another series of Tweets and, just hours before the town hall, took to Twitter to criticize U.S. Attorney General William Barr on his handling of the Mueller report, saying Barr used his position to sell the presidents false narrative to the American people. Another town hall takeaway for Garnaat: she wants to read U.S. Special Counsel Robert Muellers report on the investigation into 2016 election interference. Having never read it, and feeling Amash left her wanting to know more, she said she wants to see for herself whats in the report. Amash opened the town hall with a brief defense of his support for impeachment and again outlined his rationale before launching into an almost two-hour Q&A with the audience. The crowd was largely in support of Amash, giving him a standing ovation as he walked out and shook the hands of a few audience members. There were sizable pockets, though, of those who remained seated and didnt clap on impeachment talking points. Some called him courageous. Others called his actions an empty attention grab to popularize his name so he could launch an independent 2020 presidential run against Trump -- something Amash has not ruled out. Amash is the sole Republican member of Congress to support impeachment against Trump. He dismissed claims that his impeachment comments were aimed at launching a presidential bid. Cascade Township resident Tom Campbell came to the meeting an Amash supporter thrown off by his impeachment comments. Like Garnaat, he wanted answers from Amash. He left unconvinced the president should be impeached, calling the Mueller report extremely partisan and saying Amash should be more skeptical of it. The town hall did reconfirm his firm support of the congressman, Campbell said. I think he carried himself quite well, Campbell said after the town hall, calling Amash a thoughtful politician who he agrees with on many issues. Whether impeachment support will change his vote at the ballot, should Amash run for his seat again in 2020, thats unclear. I dont know, he said. Im a strong supporter of his, but it would be something to consider. The comments arent enough to make either Garnaat or Campbell vote Democrat, they said, but it will make them consider other Republican challengers. Two such challengers have declared theyre running against Amash in the primary. Some, like Grand Rapids resident Diane Luke, are not so open. Luke was the only apparent member of the audience wearing a red Make America Great Again hat. She sparred with Amash during the Q&A period, mostly over the validity of the Mueller report and that Trump has done no wrong. Asked afterward if shed vote for Amash, she said, Absolutely not. Theresa Plummer of Cannonsburg carried a small sign with her with a message: Recall Amash. After his comments about Trump, she said she regrets ever voting for Amash and did so in the past only because he was a Republican. Has he ever created thousands of jobs? Does he know anything about the economy, she said in praise of Trump. Gerry Bostelaar, a Gaines Township resident, brands himself as an independent voter who leans Democrat. He didnt vote for Trump, but he did vote for Amash. I commend his courage, his integrity, to take a public stand about the Mueller report, the conflict of interest, he said. After Amash received flak for the impeachment Tweets, Bostelaar said he wrote the congressman an email of support. Then, after the DeVos family announced they would no longer financially support Amash, he sent another letter, encouraging Amash. In 2020, should Amash run again for his seat, hes got a voter in Bostelaar. GRAND RAPIDS, MI A man who allegedly threatened another with box cutters surrendered to police early Wednesday, May 29, after a four-hour standoff. Grand Rapids police responded around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday to the 100 block of Stewart Street SE after a 911 caller reported that a man had been assaulted and threatened with a box cutter by a resident of the house. The suspect lived in the basement of the home. The victim had confronted the suspect about unpaid rent before a physical altercation in which the suspect tried to stab him with box cutters, police said. Suspect came out of the home on his own moments ago and was taken into custody. Detectives will take over the scene as the home is searched. Charges will be determined as the investigation evolves. Police resources are beginning to clear out. pic.twitter.com/W9pP3ruox5 Grand Rapids Police (@GrandRapidsPD) May 29, 2019 Police also learned that the suspect was last seen with a firearm in his apartment. Because of the hostile nature of the incident, police set up a perimeter around the home and safely escorted others out of the home. The suspect was uncooperative in the beginning. Police talked to the suspect in both English and Spanish in an attempt to get him to leave the house. After four hours, the suspect, in his 30s, left the home on his own and was arrested. Police used as search warrant to enter the home and gather potential evidence. The suspect was held on a felonious-assault charge but prosecutors will determine final charges after reviewing the case. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Grand Rapids police surrounded a house Tuesday, and report a man wanted for felonious assault is inside. The Grand Rapids Police Department responded around 9 p.m. Tuesday, May 28, on a report of a man wanted for felonious assault hiding inside the home in the 100 block of Stewart Street. Police have surrounded the house, Grand Rapids Police Lt. John Dorer confirmed at 9:30 p.m. The man reportedly threatened someone with a box cutter and is believed to be armed with a firearm, Grand Rapids police said in a tweet. WYOMING, MI -- Police say a 16-year-old boy remains in critical condition two days after a high-speed crash on Chicago Drive that damaged a diner and the two vehicles involved. The Godfrey-Lee student was weaving in and out of traffic on Chicago Drive SW at high speeds in his parents Ford Mustang when he lost control of the vehicle, Wyoming police Capt. James Maguffee said. The Mustang slid into oncoming traffic, striking a minivan. The two people in the van are expected to survive their injuries. Maguffee said the teen has a level 1 license, which means hes not supposed to drive without a licensed parent, guardian or designated licensed adult at least 21 years old in the car. He was the sole occupant of the Mustang. In the collision a tire came off one of the vehicles and crashed through a window at nearby New Beginnings Restaurant, 1506 Chicago Drive SW. Miraculously, Maguffee previously said, no one was injured by the tire nor seriously injured by shards of glass that went flying throughout the diner. The restaurant owner, Doug Kacos, previously told MLive the tire smashed into one of the booths where people had been sitting just minutes before. Some of the glass shards flew with such force that they lodged into a wall about 25 feet away, he said. People were petrified, Kacos said. ABC Motors, which neighbors the diner, provided security footage of the crash to MLive/The Grand Rapids Press. WYOMING, MI Police say a teen driver who was critically injured in a high-speed crash may have been engaged in reckless driving with another vehicle. Police said its possible that the two vehicles were racing. Police released photos of the other car that was caught on surveillance video in hopes that the vehicle and its driver could be identified. A 16-year-old Godfrey-Lee High student was gravely injured in the crash on Sunday, May 26, near New Beginnings Restaurant on Chicago Drive SW. The Ford Mustang he was driving slid into an oncoming lane and hit a minivan, Wyoming police said. A tire went through a window at the diner, with glass shards narrowly missing customers. Security camera footage from ABC Motors, 1444 Chicago Drive SW, captured the crash. The video shows a vehicle going past the crash scene shortly after the collision. Investigators said the second car could be an early 2000 Lexus GS 300 or similar vehicle. Police asked anyone with information to call the Department of Public Safety at 530-7300 or Silent Observer at 774-2345. READING TWP, MI The woman accused of attempted murder in Reading Township has pleaded not guilty to one count each of assault with attempt to murder and felony firearms. Tamra Vanbuskirk, 55 of Camden, was arraigned in 2B District Court in Hillsdale County on Tuesday, May 28. Vanbuskirk allegedly shot Stephen Wertz, 54, in the torso with a handgun around 4:30 a.m. on May 26 in the 2000 block of Balcom Road, the Hillsdale County Sheriffs Office said. Vanbuskirk and Wertz are siblings, court records show. Wertz was taken to Hillsdale Hospital, then transferred to the University of Michigan Hospital. He is listed in critical condition, the hospital said. Vanbuskirk is in jail on a $305,000 bond. There is a probable cause conference scheduled for 10:30 a.m., June 5 in Second District Court. OSHTEMO TOWNSHIP, MI -- Advia Credit Union is expecting to move into a new corporate headquarters in Oshtemo Township in early 2021, and work has already begun on the site where the building will eventually stand. The 150,000-square-foot headquarters will be located at 6404 W. Main St. in Kalamazoo. The credit unions current headquarters is located at 550 S. Riverview Drive in Parchment. The facility will be a three-story building and include a full-service branch for credit union members, an ATM and a deposit box, according to a news release from the Advia Credit Union. On the first floor, the new headquarters building will also include leased retail space and meeting rooms for seminars and events. The new building will house about 240 employees from more than 30 departments. When we were looking at possible locations to build our new headquarters, Oshtemo stood out as the perfect fit, Cheryl DeBoer, president and CEO, said in a statement. It is a thriving area with a strong focus on community. It aligns perfectly with our core values and commitment to community, businesses and family finances. The project broke ground on April 24. Currently, the site is being prepared for construction. Advia is aiming to start construction this summer and finish within two years, said Nancy Loftis, the credit unions vice president of marketing and public relations. The credit union has not yet submitted a building permit application to the Southwest Michigan Building Authority, but Oshtemo Township Planning Director Julie Johnston said she expects it soon. Advia Credit Union has more than 150,000 members in Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois. The credit union will maintain a branch in Parchment after moving out of the original headquarters building and into the new Oshtemo Township facility, the news release said. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- An Atlanta man was convicted by a federal jury last week for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and ecstasy in Michigan. Richard Farmer, Sr., 44, was rounded up with 23 other defendants in a multijurisdictional bust of a methamphetamine ring in August of 2018. So far, 16 have pleaded guilty in the resulting court cases, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office in Grand Rapids. Farmer split his time between Atlanta and and his hometown of Benton Harbor, officials said. A wiretapping investigation found that Farmer was advising the leader of a local drug ring, Raymond Stovall, on how to transport money and drugs, sought to invest money in drug packages and helped look for a missing drug package, the release said. Evidence presented at the trial showed Farmer informed Stovall he was sending ecstasy in Michigan and plotted to help Stovall obtain additional methamphetamine from a source in Benton Harbor, the release said. Farmer allowed Antwan Mims who appeared on Detroit FBIs Most Wanted list for two murders in Benton Harbor to stay with in him Atlanta while police were searching for the murder suspect. An FBI SWAT team found both men in a drug house outside of Atlanta with a pound of methamphetamine, heroin, other drugs, packaging materials and a loaded, stolen firearm. Mims stood trial in St. Joseph in February and was found guilty on all counts. The drug distribution network that spanned from Georgia to Western Michigan will continue to be pursued and prosecuted, U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge said in the release. The jury saw Richard Farmer for the drug dealer the evidence showed he was, Birge said. The lesson here is that if you choose to get into the business of illegally trafficking these dangerous drugs in West Michigan, law enforcement agencies from far and wide will work together to bring you to justice. UPDATE: MSP investigates after crash involving deputy kills boy on pocket bike CALHOUN COUNTY, MI An 11-year-old Battle Creek boy was killed Tuesday, May 28, when he was struck by a sheriffs patrol car while he was riding a motorized bike, police said. The victims name was not immediately released. Police said that a sheriffs deputy was responding to a 9:36 p.m. report of a burglary in progress in Springfield when the patrol car hit the boy, who was riding a compact, motorized two-wheel bike on Michigan Avenue near Lennon Street in Battle Creek. The boy was pronounced dead at Bronson Methodist Hospital. The sheriffs deputy was not hurt. State police are investigating. MUSKEGON, MI One of the most important events of World War II, D-Day, took place 75 years ago and one its relics stationed in Muskegon is going all out to commemorate it. The Great Crusade to end the war began with the invasion of the beaches of Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944. The USS LST 393, now moored near downtown Muskegon, was part of the attack on Omaha Beach on D-Day. Seventy-five years later, the USS LST 393 Veterans Museum,, is pulling out all the stops to commemorate the sacrifices of all those who were part of the longest day, according to a news release. On Friday and Saturday, May 31 and June 1, the museum will hold a community celebration in honor of "D-Day Plus 75. The event at the museum, which is moored at Mart Dock, 560 Mart St., is free and open to the public. The event will be highlighted by a battle reenactment at 1 p.m. on Saturday followed by Air Raid Muskegon with the Hooligans Flight Team at 3:30 p.m. The ship is expected to be well-armed for the occasion after the recent addition of a Bofors 40mm twin-barreled anti-aircraft cannon this year. An opening ceremony is planned for 10 a.m. Saturday with the closing ceremony set for 5:30 p.m. that day. The event is free and open to the public. The event will include historic military vehicles, a National Guard encampment, classic cars, a motorcycle honor ride, food vendors, and a 1940s-era pinup contest. On Friday night, there will be a USO-style swing dance party from 7-11 p.m. Admission for that is $10. Inside the museum, there are new exhibits and veteran tributes, including an expanded tribute to women in the military, a huge Army cargo truck and additions to the Muskegon Connection display. There is also an expanded exhibit dedicated to Americas four-legged heroes, the war dogs who served from World War II until today, including a tribute to Cena, the famous West Michigan Marine war dog, who was euthanized on the ship in 2017. Planned for display alongside the ship this year is a restored Vietnam War-era river patrol boat (PBR). Tours will be available from the bow of the LST 393. In 2018, more than 35,000 visitors toured the ship or attended the numerous ship events, making LST 393 one of the top attractions in Muskegon. LST 393 was built in 1942 to help America defeat the Axis powers in World War II. She was at the Sicily and Italy landings and made 30 round trips to Omaha Beach and France during the invasion of Normandy, delivering weapons of war. Sold as surplus in 1946 to Sand Products Inc., owners of West Michigan Dock and Market -- or Mart Dock -- in Muskegon, she was converted to a cross-lake freighter called Highway 16 and was a fixture on Lake Michigan for three decades. She was retired from service in the 1970s. The ship is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the last tickets sold at 4 p.m. Adults can take a self-guided tour of the ship for an $8 donation; students are $5. BANGOR TOWNSHIP, MI - Surface water samples of the Saginaw River found bacteriological levels that dont meet the state of Michigans water quality standards for full-body contact. Until these levels meet requirements, a health advisory is in effect and Brissette and Wenona beaches are closed. Those beaches are near the mouth of the Saginaw River. The Bay County Health Department issued a press release on Wednesday, May 29, notify of the beach closures. The advisory comes after some recent heavy rainfall in Saginaw and Tuscola counties. This is not the first time Wenona Beach has been temporarily closed because of water quality issues. Surface waters tested as unsafe for full body contact in 2017 and high levels of E. Coli were found in 2016. Democratic presidential hopeful Kamala Harris agrees with the lone Republican in Congress to support impeachment proceedings, saying U.S. Rep. Justin Amash is rightly prioritizing congressional duties over party loyalty. Harris, a Democratic senator from California seeking the partys presidential nomination in 2020, agreed with statements Amash made during a May 28 town hall in Grand Rapids. Amash, R-Cascade Township, held the well-attended event after calling for impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump. Harris joined MSNBCs Lawrence ODonnell for a town hall in South Carolina, and responded to a clip from the event in Grand Rapids. I think its really important that we do our job as a Congress, that we not allow misconduct to go undeterred, that we not just say someone can violate the public trust and that there are no consequences to it, Amash said to applause. Harris said more members of Congress should emulate Amash by putting country before party. Harris said the framers of the Constitution designed a system with three equal branches of government to provide a check on abuses of power. So when we talk about a process of impeachment, it is about the checks and balances that the framers imagined would be in place to be a check against abuses, and that is another reason why I support that process, Harris said. What he is talking about is right." Harris, who visited Southeast Michigan on the campaign trail in early May, said Congress has a duty to hold the president accountable. Amash lit a firestorm after saying Trumps actions meet the threshold for impeachment," in a series of tweets outlining his conclusions from findings in U.S. Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation into 2016 election interference. The 448-page report details a variety of actions Trump took toward the investigation into Russian interference that raised questions" about whether Trump obstructed justice. Amash said Congress duty is clear after Mueller made a rare public statement Wednesday. Mueller said the investigation did not exonerate Trump, but U.S. Department of Justice policy prevents him from indicting a sitting president. It is not possible to bring charges against the president, he said, but the Constitution provides another process to accuse a president of wrongdoing. If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so, Mueller said. We did not however make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime. Amash tweeted the ball is in our court" to start impeachment proceedings after Muellers press conference. The ball is in our court, Congress. https://t.co/idpQo1xItH Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 29, 2019 Amash also received praise from Matthew Dowd, chief political analyst for ABC News, at the Mackinac Policy Conference Wednesday. Dowd said Amash called on Congress to do its job. A recent poll conducted by Vanguard Public Affairs and Denno Research found more than half of Michigan voters, 55%, are opposed to impeachment. However, Trump was down by 10 percentage points to a generic Democratic challenger. Other Democratic presidential candidates have come out in support impeaching the president as the campaign continues. Former Vice President Joe Biden said Mueller made it clear that Congress must act. Biden agreed with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., that no one would relish a divisive impeachment process, but it may be unavoidable if the Trump administration continues to block investigative demands. U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., adjusted his stance on impeachment after the Wednesday press conference. Booker said Congress has a legal and moral obligation to begin impeachment. It wasnt for lack of evidence that criminal charges werent brought against President Trump -- but because of Department of Justice policy, Booker said in a statement. He made clear that it is the role of Congress to evaluate evidence against a sitting President and act accordingly. U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said Mueller clearly expects Congress to begin impeachment hearings. We cannot let this president defy basic accountability measures built into our Constitution, she said. Biden has yet to visit Michigan, but Gillibrand and Booker both made stops in metro Detroit earlier this year. Trumps re-election campaign manager Brad Parscale said Muellers statements dont show any case for obstruction. Parscale said Trump has been fully and completely exonerated," and the focus should be instead placed on the origins of the Russia hoax. U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit, said Muellers statement shows Trump was not cleared of wrongdoing, leaving it up to Congress to investigate the president through impeachment proceedings. Tlaib asked Amash on Twitter to support her resolution to impeach Trump. Amashs Tuesdays town hall drew upwards of 700 people. The audience was largely supportive of Amash, who took time to debate Trump supporters who attended. The fifth-term congressman said impeachment proceedings are not about charging the president with a crime. Rather, he said, its a finding that someone has violated the public trust and is abusing power. Amash said anyone who read Muellers 448-page report would be appalled at much of the conduct. Libertarians are trying to convince Amash to leave the Republican Party and mount a third-party challenge to Trump. The congressman said he doesnt rule things out, but added that if he were considering such a challenge, this is not how I would do it. I dont think impeachment is the way to roll out some kind of announcement, he said. But again, I dont rule things out. I think that in life if youre fighting to defend the constitution and you find a way to do it thats different and maybe more effective, then you have to think about that. Michigan is a perfect microcosm of an American electorate looking for a president to guide them through sweeping technological and cultural changes affecting multiple demographics, national political analysts said on Mackinac Island Wednesday. Matthew Dowd, chief political analyst for ABC News, and Donna Brazile, contributor to Fox News and veteran Democratic political strategist, discussed their expectations for the 2020 presidential election at the Mackinac Policy Conference. Dowd, a Detroit native, said Michigan is at the center of a new industrial revolution that is putting stress on the countrys institutions and perception of itself. Dowd said the 2016 election revealed a large group of people felt used by politicians and left behind by advancements in technology, social changes and the global economy. He said they pinned their hopes on political outsiders like President Donald Trump and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who offered to shake up the political establishment. Sanders won the 2016 primary in Michigan but did not secure the Democratic nomination. Trump went on to win Michigan in the general election, in part by promising to revitalize the states auto industry and bring economic opportunity to rural areas. Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders basically agreed on trade, they basically agreed trade agreements were put together that left out most of America, that they were done on benefit of big business and few people, Dowd said. They were right about the fact that there was a major part of America ... Michigan being one of them, where they were neglected in the midst of that conversation. Trump sees Michigan as a key state for his re-election campaign in 2020. Sanders is running again, joined by roughly two dozen other Democrats seeking the nomination. Dowd said 2020 will be decided based on the candidates fundamental values and their vision for what modern America stands for. Brazile said the candidate with the best shot will be someone who presents a clear vision for the future. We keep having candidates who look in the rear view mirror, afraid to tell us the road we are on is a different road than our parents and grandparents, Brazile said. We have a nation of haves and have-nots. So many of our fellow citizens are living on the outskirts of hope, that they dont know anything about the circle of opportunity. While the Republican Party has largely conformed to Trumps populist and nationalist message, Brazile said the Democratic Party is in the undergoing the some of the biggest growing pains in a generation. The changes are spurred by diverse millennial voters pushing forward new conversations, she said. We are having a conversation about socialism, we are having a conversion about climate change, about reparations, you name it, Brazile said. We need to have this conversation because too many of our people are feeling left behind. If we dont come up with a way to close this gap, you aint seen nothing yet. Dowd said Trump could run a traditional re-election strategy expected of an incumbent at the helm of a strong economy. However, the president could suffer from his divisive nature. Trump hovered around a 53% disapproval rating nationwide during the last month, according to polling averages recorded by Real Clear Politics. In Michigan, a recent poll of 600 voters conducted by Vanguard Public Affairs and Denno Research found Trump losing to a generic Democratic candidate by 10 percentage points. Donald Trump fundamentally isnt going to win based upon what he perceives to be his success, because the country has formed its opinion on him, Dowd said. Brazile said Trumps inability to bring the country together in last two years caused an exodus of suburban white college-educated women from the Republican Party. Its incumbent upon Democrats to seize the moment and expand the electorate in 2020, she said. The analysts did have some good things to say about the president. Brazile said Trump deserves kudos for taking on China, combating the opioid crisis and signing a $867 billion farm bill into law last year. Dowd applauded the president for making reforms to the criminal justice system, giving voice to disaffected voters and being reluctant to go to war. However it turns out, Brazile said 2020 will bring one of the most fascinating elections Americans have ever witnessed. Hundreds of thousands of children in war-torn Afghanistan are in danger of dying from malnutrition, with officials warning that the health crisis is growing day by day. UNICEF says it lacks funds to properly address the issue. Acute malnourishment affects an estimated two million children in Afghanistan. Of those, 600,000 are at risk of dying from severe acute malnutrition, the UN Childrens Fund has reported. Doctors working to combat malnutrition in Afghanistan said that poverty, ongoing war, unsafe drinking water and poor education for mothers and families have exacerbated the problem. Also on rt.com Taliban insurgents want peace, senior leader says at Moscow talks The malnutrition level is spiking day by day in Afghanistan, Muqeem Shah Miakhil, Head of Malnutrition Department of the Nangarhar Regional Hospital, told Ruptly. More than 15,000 women and children in Nangarhar have sought treatment for severe malnutrition so far this year, but less than half have recovered. While the crisis isnt new, malnutrition has become worse in Afghanistan due to a series of devastating droughts, Alison Parker, UNICEFs Chief of Communication, Advocacy & Civic Engagement in Afghanistan, told RT. Nutrition is not just an issue of food, Parker noted, listing safe water, sanitation and especially poverty as driving factors behind the crisis. The government recognizes that it needs a cohesive response, Parker noted. However, funds to combat the malnutrition epidemic are drying up. UNICEF says that it needs an additional $7 million to provide aid to the growing number of malnourished children. Everyone is recognizing that it is a crisis, Parker said, adding that she was hopeful that donors with big pockets would be able to help bridge the budget shortfall. Last year, UNICEF provided assistance to nearly half of the country's most undernourished children. The organization is aiming to reach 60 percent, or 375,000, of those children this year. Like this story? Share it with a friend! The Greek government has set July 7, a week later than expected, as the date for early parliamentary elections. The decision was taken so as not to disrupt students university entry exams, which would have been affected by a June 30 date, the earliest date allowed under Greeces electoral system, government spokesman Dimitris Tzannakopoulos said on Tuesday. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras called the early election after his partys heavy defeat in the weekends European parliamentary polls. Tsipras said after the EU-wide vote on Sunday that he would seek the dissolution of Greece's parliament after the country's second round of regional and municipal elections on June 2, AP reports. Tsipras current four-year term expires in October. His left-wing Syriza party trailed the opposition conservative New Democracy by 9.4 percentage points in the May 26 vote. Greek govt sets July 7 as date for early election Greek govt sets July 7 as date for early election Source : RT - Daily news Pinning the blame on Russia without proper proof has become trendy, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said as a new report debunks allegations that the Russian oligarchs niece stands behind the Austrian government scandal. Moscows top diplomat shared his take on the Austrian government crisis, fuelled by corruption allegations, against the former Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache. The official was forced to resign after German media published a video showing him presumably soliciting a bribe from a woman who supposedly was a niece of a Russian oligarch. However a subsequent report from the Austrian paper Kronen claimed that she was actually a Bosnian student paid to set up the then-vice-chancellor. It is quite revealing that free media in the West which eagerly picked up the version about the womans Russian descent reported very little, if at all, about her Bosnian origins being uncovered. Lavrov also made clear that the media obsession with Russian meddling has become commonplace. Heaping the blame on Russians according to a highly likely principle which [at the time] was introduced by [UK Prime Minister] Theresa May is very trendy, Lavrov said, as he urged the media to be objective. Also on rt.com Russian oligarchs niece was student paid to set up Austrian Vice-Chancellor Strache paper The Austrian government collapsed on Monday as Chancellor Sebastian Kurz was ousted from power in a no-confidence vote. Earlier, five out of thirteen ministers left their positions following Straches resignation. If you like this story, share it with a friend! Washington has unsuccessfully exhausted all of its avenues in trying to provoke conflict with Iran and its capacity to wage a successful war has dried up, the leader of Irans elite Revolutionary Guards has said. Today, we are a great and invincible power because we have experienced and defeated all of the enemys scenarios, Major General Hossein Salami said, according to Iranian broadcaster Press TV. He added that Tehran had resisted US efforts to destabilize Iran with political and economic measures and this had effectively eliminated Washingtons pretext for military conflict. We have been able to shatter enemy psyops and dry up the enemys capacity for war. The commanders comments came as National Security Advisor John Bolton arrived in the UAE late on Tuesday, ahead of meetings with Emirati allies on security in the region. Speaking on Wednesday, Bolton accused Iran of almost certainly being behind recent attacks on oil tankers off the coast of the UAE, however, he has given no evidence to support the accusation. Also on rt.com Bolton says Iran behind oil tanker attack off UAE...'almost certainly' In contrast, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has indicated that talks between Tehran and Washington could be kickstarted if the US lifted its economic sanctions against Iran and stood by its commitments in the 2015 nuclear deal. Rouhani says door not closed if US lifts sanctions, fulfills its commitments, Reuters reported Wednesday, quoting Press TV. Also on rt.com Tehran ready for possibility of war with US, but hopes for dialogue Iran's deputy FM Boltons visit follows a period of US military buildup in the Gulf region. In addition to sending the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, bomber aircraft and an additional Patriot missile system battery to the area, Washington also plans to beef up its presence on the ground with additional troops. The Trump administration has also been accused of using the threat of Iran to push through arms sales to Saudi Arabia, circumventing a US Congress postponement on arms sales to Riyadh over fears they would be used to kill civilians in Yemen. However, Salami said Tehran was not concerned about the increased US presence. We are not worried by enemy intrigues and are in the last phase of the battle against it, he said. We have received so many threats that we are saturated with them. to RT newsletter to get stories the mainstream media wont tell you. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said that every synagogue in Germany should have police protection, as the country tackles a rise in anti-Semitism. Is the problem a specter of the past, or a consequence of mass immigration? We have always had a certain number of anti-Semites among us, Merkel told CNNs Christiane Amanpour in an interview aired on Tuesday. Unfortunately, there is to this day not a single synagogue, not a single day care center for Jewish children, not a single school for Jewish children that does not need to be guarded by German policemen. Also on rt.com Police should guard every synagogue, Jewish school & daycare in Germany Merkel Anti-Semitic incidents rose nearly 20 percent between 2017 and 2018, with the number of physical attacks recorded almost doubling, according to interior ministry figures. Meanwhile, the German governments anti-Semitism commissioner Felix Klein told local media over the weekend that he cant recommend Jews to wear kippahs anywhere at any time in Germany, earning him a rebuke from Israeli President Reuven Rivlin for capitulation to anti-Semitism. Merkel and Klein are overstating the problem, Peter Schulze, professor of International Relations at University of Gottingen, told RT. I dont think there is a safety crisis for Jews in Germany, he said. While Schulze acknowledged a reawakening of prejudices, the professor said rising alarm around the issue is a result of how the population and maybe the policymakers have become more alert and more sensitive to these issues. Still, a rise in attacks has been documented, and more and more Jews in Germany and across Europe feel that nothing is being done to combat anti-Semitism, according to an EU survey carried out last year. Whos responsible? Merkel told Amanpour that her country needs to learn from its Nazi past to overcome anti-Semitism. Schulze too argued that the rise in anti-Jewish hate can be attributed to the growth of patriotic and nationalist sentiment in Germany and across Europe, as well as scapegoating given the widening gap between rich and poor on the continent. However, many observers have blamed Merkel herself for unknowingly stoking the problem, by welcoming more than a million Middle Eastern and North African migrants into the country in 2015. A considerable number of migrants from the Near East or northern Africa, of course a minority, have anti-Semitic feelings, and take part in or initiate, or at least tolerate anti-Semitic actions or communications, Dr. Werner Patzelt, political science head at Dresden University of Technology, told RT. Steeped in a culture of anti-Semitic and anti-Israel thought, more than a few of these migrants brought religious conflict to the streets of Germany, Patzelt claimed. Also on rt.com German Jews demand extra integration classes for Muslim migrants to avoid anti-Semitism attacks A string of incidents since Merkel announced her open door policy revealed the extent of the problem. Last years attacks included a Syrian migrant beating a Jewish man with a belt in Berlin while shouting Jew in Arabic; a group of migrants throwing firecrackers at an Israeli journalist reporting in Hebrew; and a young man brutally beaten in a Berlin park by attackers hurling anti-Semitic slurs. Growing anti-Semitism due to immigration of people from the Muslim world was a side effect of this mass immigration, Patzelt stated. Unseen, unnoticed for a long while, unwelcome, but nevertheless existing, and we have to deal with it. We have a security problem now on our streets, Schulze added, noting that some migrants often bring the baggage of such ideologies with them to Germany. What about the right? German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has blamed the rise in anti-Semitic attacks on right-wing extremists. There is still a layer of more or less latent anti-Semitism in the German population, Patzelt agreed, saying that this rising hatred since the 19th Century eventually led to the Holocaust, a uniquely German phenomenon. Also on rt.com German shock rockers Rammstein spark outrage with Nazi camp video teaser However, the right-wing in Germany today is not the right-wing of the 1930s and 40s, Schulze pointed out. While the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party may harbor some extremists, the professor stated that these extremists have never played a relevant part in German politics, and the AfD is at its core a conservative middle-class party. Moreover, Patzelt claimed that voters who support the AfDs anti-immigration message are not necessarily in majority anti-Semites. Immigration is welcomed in particular by leftist people, whereas right-wing people usually are skeptical of immigration, he said. Anti-Semitic feelings in the traditional way are cultivated among right-wing people. Anti-Israel feelings however are cultivated also among left-wing people. So being against immigration does not automatically mean to be anti-Semitic or anti-Israel. A European problem? Germany is not the only country grappling with a surge in hate crimes against Jews. In France, the government has shut down a number of organizations accused of promoting jihad and anti-Jewish hate, in response to a 74 percent rise in anti-Semitic incidents in 2018 on the previous year. Alongside the jihadist hate, Jewish graveyards and storefronts have been vandalized with Nazi symbols. There, like in Germany, debate has risen over the source of the upsurge. Some commentators have blamed anti-government Yellow Vest protesters, while others have blamed Frances sizable North African population, particularly in marginalized communities on the outskirts of major cities. In France I think because of the enormous wave of immigrants in the 1950s and 60s we have a real problem in the marginal areas around the big cities, Schulze told RT. In Holland and Belgium I think the problem is totally under control. Regardless of the source, a growing number of European Jews are considering emigrating to Israel. Of 13 EU countries, German, French, and Belgian Jews are most likely to pack up and make the move, the EU survey last year revealed. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! Politicians behind recent police raids in the Serb-dominated part of Kosovo ultimately want to wall the Balkans off from Russia and rope the regions states into NATO, Sergey Lavrov has said. Dubbing Tuesdays Kosovan special forces incursion into the Serb-majority northern areas of the breakaway region a provocation the Russian foreign minister also elaborated on the possible roots of the incident. Those provocations are beneficial for those who want to create a buffer zone between the Balkans and Russia. For the sake of dragging all of the states of the region into NATO. Serbia is being compelled to accept that a decision on Kosovos independence is inevitable, Lavrov said, adding that this move will pave the way for Kosovos NATO entrance in the future. Also on rt.com Russian UN employee arrested by Kosovo police released, taken to hospital with heavy head injuries At least 19 people including a Russian UN employee were detained during the Kosovo police raids on Tuesday. The worst skirmishes occurred in the town of Zubin Potok where locals set up barricades and burnt tires while gunfire was reportedly heard. Pristina maintains its special forces targeted an organized crime network. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! German Chancellor Angela Merkel has dismissed a report claiming she has concluded the new leader of her center-right party isnt up to leading the country. Merkel handed over the leadership of her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) to Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer in December and said she wouldnt seek a fifth term as chancellor. In Sundays European Parliament election the Union bloc had its worst result in a nationwide vote since World War II, AP said. On Tuesday, Bloomberg reported, citing its sources, that Merkel has decided Kramp-Karrenbauer isnt up to Germanys top job. However, asked about that late Tuesday, Merkel replied: I can only say that is nonsense. Merkel dismisses report shes given up on new CDU leader Kramp-Karrenbauer Merkel dismisses report shes given up on new CDU leader Kramp-Karrenbauer Source : RT - Daily news Netflix has drawn the ire of Jewish groups for a tasteless show featuring Adolf Hitler roasting Anne Frank. The streaming giant responded that the show should stimulate the debate on history. Hosted by Jewish comedian Jeffrey Ross, Netflix new series Historical Roasts sees a cast of historical figures including Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., and Freddie Mercury insulted and roasted by Ross and their contemporaries. One episode, featuring Anne Frank getting roasted by a Hitler-mustache-wearing Gilbert Gottfried, has some people up in arms. In it, Hitler tells Frank that her famous diary, written while evading Nazi captivity in Amsterdam, is by far the most flammable of WWII. Everyone knows you as a hero and a best-selling author, he continues, But for me you always remain my little number 825060. The typically crass Gottfried played the Hitler role with relish, joking that before he was sent to hell, Hitler hid out in Brazil with infamous Nazi scientist Dr. Josef Mengele, drinking pina coladas and gluing midgets together. The Anne Frank Center in Amsterdam called the episode tasteless satire, while the Information and Documentation Center on Israel, a Dutch anti-Semitism watchdog, also condemned the sketch. The outrage continued on Twitter, where Dutch commenters were furious at seeing their countrys past ridiculed. Ross himself stood by his decision to roast the teenage Holocaust victim. Roasting Anne Frank sounds outlandish, it sounds risky, but to me, the riskier move would be to ignore the most provocative and the most emotional stories, he told the Jewish Journal. I use Anne Frank not just as a hero from World War II but as a cautionary tale of today and anti-Semitism. Outrage aside, some viewers enjoyed the shows dark humor. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! George Galloway has hit out at the recent outpouring of sympathy for former Labour Party spin doctor and war criminal Alastair Campbell who was expelled from the party after admitting he voted against them in the EU elections. The former British MP tweeted on Tuesday that Campbell, who was the press secretary for former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, should be in The Hague for war crimes and not on every television station in the land. Galloway said it was a mark of shame that the political operative hadnt been thrown out of the Labour Party before this week and lashed out at the media for eagerly sympathizing with his plight. The waves of media sympathy for [Campbell] tell you all you need to know about them, he wrote. In a separate tweet on Wednesday, Galloway called Campbell a war criminal and referenced a new documentary which examines what some believe was the suspicious suicide of Dr. David Kelly a top weapons inspector who had revealed to the media that the British governments assessment on Iraq WMDs had been purposely exaggerated and sexed up to suit the pro-war agenda. Campbell was the man responsible for overseeing the Iraq dossier and was accused of being the person who had added the exaggerated claims, including the fabricated claim that Iraq could launch a chemical weapons strike against the UK within 45 minutes. Since his expulsion from the Labour Party, Campbell has been making the rounds on British television channels and vowing to fight the decision. While many have sympathized over his predicament, others have wondered why voting against ones own party in a controversial election seems to be a greater crime than being involved in faking evidence to join a war that killed hundreds of thousands of people. Also on rt.com Not angry, just sad and disappointed: Labour expels former spin doctor Alastair Campbell Like this story? Share it with a friend! Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 29) Six students of the Philippine Science High School (PSHS) have been banned from attending the graduation rites on Wednesday as punishment for sharing lewd photos of their schoolmates. The PSHS said in a statement three of the erring students will get their diplomas, while the rest will only get certificates of completion. "All six students have to comply with additional requirements that are part of the sanctions given them," the PSHS said. Controversy marred the government school's graduation ceremony as students and faculty members heavily criticized the Board of Trustees' earlier decision to allow the boys to graduate even after it was found that they shared naked pictures of their female schoolmates. Senator Bam Aquino, an ex-officio member of the board, said that during a May 17 meeting, only "a few" board members wanted to punish the student offenders with non-graduation, but majority voted to "be more lenient." "We urge everyone to move forwrad from this incident and provide the needed support to the students and the PSHS community," the PSHS said in its statement. The PSHS board is chaired by Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato dela Pena, with Education Secretary Leonor Briones as ex-officio vice chairman. CNN Philippines' Carolyn Bonquin contributed to this report. This is a developing story. Please refresh page for updates. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the apex lobby body of vehicle makers, will meet the government to seek a reduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on automobiles to 18 percent, down from the current 28 percent. Rajan Wadhera, president, SIAM said, "We have sent our recommendations as an industry asking for the GST to be reduced to 18 percent from 28 percent because there have been many regulatory requirements that have come in the last two and half years which have pushed the costs up. This is why demand has come down. The demand for automobiles has remained disappointingly poor since the last six months, which has forced companies including Maruti Suzuki and Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) to take unscheduled production holidays to avoid the piling up of inventory. Auto manufacturers are looking to drive sales with the help of discounts, which have surged to 15 percent on the cost of the vehicle as compared to an average of around 8 percent. While discounts have come down slightly, there is no visible improvement in retail demand. Vehicle makers are thus pitching for a tax cut on automobiles hoping for a revival in consumer sentiment. A 10 percent reduction in GST will give a boost to demand. The price of a hatchback costing Rs 4,50,000, for instance, will come down by around Rs 50,000. Responding to a question from Moneycontrol on whether the government should look at providing a stimulus package to the auto industry Pawan Goenka, managing director, M&M said, "Over the last five years every year the growth of passenger vehicles has come down. SIAM is pretty certain that auto will be on top of the governments agenda." "Automotive is a fairly big component in terms of investment and employment for the country. So I am certain something will happen. One factor is GST that SIAM is talking about," he said. After the start of the financial meltdown in 2008 triggered by the collapse of Lehman Brothers, the UPA government had slashed excise duty by six percent, which helped reduce costs and spur demand. SIAM is likely to put forth ground realities before the government in its presentation advocating a tax cut. The body will likely raise the issue of several dealership shutdowns in the past several months and the likelihood of further shutdowns this year if demand does not revive. Due to poor retail off-take inventories, especially of two-wheelers, surged to three times their usual average of 30 days. As for passenger vehicles such as cars and SUVs, inventory days increased to 55-60 days, up from the usual 25-30 days. The demand for a stimulus from the sector comes at a time when the industry is less than 10 months away from embracing Bharat Stage VI (BS-VI) emission norms, which is when the prices of all vehicles will increase. A few months before that, the mandatory installation of airbags and sensors will make existing cars and SUVs pricier and will restrict the ability of companies to hike prices to offset a hike in material costs. Further M&M said that it has increased its three year capital expenditure (capex) guidance to Rs 18,000 crore from Rs 15,000 crore announced last year. Of this Rs 12,000 crore will be for capex and Rs 6,000 crore will be for investment in subsidiaries and other investments such as acquisition and mergers. M&M is investing in building a pipeline of new products purely for itself as well for its partner Ford Motor Company. The two companies are working on developing new SUVs, electric cars and new mobility technologies. Besides Goenka also mentioned that M&M will expand its Chakan facility 'significantly' even as the company's other plants like Nashik, Haridwar, Zaheerabad and Kandivali, operate at full capacity. A new paint shop and chassis line will come up at Chakan, which is also M&M's biggest and most modern plant. Jet Airways owes banks nearly Rs 8,000 crore. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Etihad Airways may bring in Mubadala Investment Company, Abu Dhabi's sovereign wealth fund, as its strategic partner to invest in Jet Airways. The strategic partner may hold up to 20 percent in the Indian airline. This will be up for discussion at a crucial meeting of Etihad Airways, Hinduja Group and SBI - the lead lender of Jet - in Mumbai on May 29. "Etihad wants to have a stake of 24.9 percent in Jet Airways and the Hindujas want 20 percent," a senior executive from the industry told Moneycontrol. Another executive said that apart from Mubadala, India's sovereign fund NIIF could also come in to buy a minority stake in Jet. The Indian airline had suspended operations on April 17. Founded in 2017, Mubadala Investment Company is the investment vehicle of the Abu Dhabi government and has assets of over $350 billion. Etihad continues to work directly with key stakeholders in India to help find a solution which would ensure Jets return as a viable and competitive Indian airline as it has been doing consistently for the past 15 months. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Air-conditioning industry major Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India is eyeing a 15 percent growth in the AC business in FY20. In an interaction with Moneycontrol, Gurmeet Singh, Chairman and MD, Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India, said that the company is eyeing a growth of 5-7 percent above the market rate of growth. For the March quarter, Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India posted a 6 percent growth in revenue at Rs 665.4 crore. The net profit was up by 4.5 percent at Rs 42.3 crore in Q4FY19. The company is also slowly moving towards having 100 percent inverter-ACs in their portfolio. Singh said that at present, they have a share of 20-80 for commercial and residential. He added that there is a scope for improvement of the commercial segment share. The company has also undergone a brand revamp to cater to young and savvy customers. "The emphasis of our new campaign will be store-led. Customers walking into our partner stores can get a look and feel of our entire product portfolio," he added. The company has 122 models as of now. Going forward, Singh said that the emphasis will be on energy efficiency and ease of access across the different segments. For instance, the company has a product where the internal AC coil has a self-cleaning feature that is triggered whenever the product is switched off. Air-conditioners are among the few products that are taxed at 28 percent under the goods and services tax (GST) regime. Singh said that he is hopeful of the rates coming down once the GST Council meets under the new government. "AC is a residential product but has a penetration of 5-6 percent in India. Its ticket-value is comparable to large to medium sized TVs, refrigerators or washing machines. It continues to be an aspirational product for Tier II and III towns. We have been making several representatives on the reduction of GST in the product. GST reduction will help us," he said. The company manufactures almost 95 percent of their products and components in India. Singh said that the emphasis will be on Make-in-India. Johnson Controls-Hitachi has a large manufacturing facility on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, Gujarat. In terms of pricing, the company is looking to have more thrust on better pricing. "From a brand of few we have become a brand of many. We have also brought the cost of the products down and in line with the competition. The idea is that we shouldnt be 5-7 percent more the market index," added Singh. Anuradha Kaushik, a 37-year-old telecom sector employee, was told that her services would no longer be required from May 2019 onwards. However, her employer ensured that she has a temporary job till she is able to find another job. Further, her health insurance benefits were also not discontinued. To gain an edge in a competitive labour market, more companies are expanding severance packages and offering job placement assistance to separated employees. According to outplacement services firm RiseSmart's Guide to Severance & Workforce Transition 2019 survey, 44 percent of all companies surveyed globally now offer some form of severance benefits to all employees. Joel Paul, RiseSmart's General Manager, India, told Moneycontrol that while outplacement is in a nascent stage in India, more number of companies are offering hand-holding to the retrenched staff. The survey of 1,500 HR professionals said that Indian businesses are adopting employee-friendly policies such as severance benefits, internal transfers and job placement assistance to separated employees. The Guide, an annual survey of 1,500 human resource professionals around the world, provides insights into trends shaping severance and outplacement services. Outplacement refers to placing an employee elsewhere when he/she is retrenched from a job. "Companies want to be more humane and involved with exiting staff. This is to ensure that all the good employees exit the company with a positive perception of the firm and if there is any future opportunity, these ex-employees could be called back," he added. Once a decision is taken to let go of people, Paul said that the first step that is taken is to redeploy them elsewhere. Only if this is not possible in an existing workplace will facilities like outplacement be explored. Severance pay About a third of all companies offer between one and three months of severance, and a fifth of all companies offer between three and six months. Only a little more than a tenth of all firms surveyed offer between six and nine months. In general, the larger company, the more likely itis to offer impacted employees more than one months salary. Compared to earlier, today half the companies that have formal, written severance policies offer outplacement to impacted employees Averse to negative comments The survey also found corporate leaders are increasingly responsive to negative online comments by former employees that could damage their companys reputation. A full two-thirds of HR professionals surveyed said they monitor employee websites like Glassdoor and Indeed for negative reviews \. This is a 10 percent increase from 2017. While 50 percent of companies with severance policies offer outplacement as part of those packages, 68 percent have additional brand protection mechanisms in place. In a world where companies reputations affect their ability to hire and retain talent, organizations have to maintain a competitive edge at every stage of the employee journeyincluding upon separation, said Dan Davenport, president and general manager of RiseSmart. Just under 70 percent of companies monitor employer sites like Glassdoor and Indeed to assess the comments of separated employees. The survey said that 38 percent of employers see an increase in negative reviews on social media following layoffs. Economist and British politician Meghnad Desai is hopeful of data science helping in solving complex economic issues of India. In an interaction with Moneycontrol, Desai, also Chairman of Meghnad Desai Academy of Economics, talks about the new programmes at the institute and expansion plans. Excerpts: Q. What was the idea behind launching a new data sciences course at the academy? A. One of the reasons for launching the new course was due to the rising demand from the students aspiring to become data scientist in the finance and economics domain. Besides this, many firms and companies were also demanding for skilled and talented students with domain expertise in this field. Keeping this in mind, we launched the new programme which is a perfect blend of computer science, analytics and finance. The course will equip students with a diverse set of relevant skills to land preferred jobs in the field. Q. What will be the eligibility criteria? A. Students as well as working professionals with a background in statistics, mathematics and/or computer science, BSc- IT and engineering courses are eligible to apply for the course. Aspiring students should have a minimum score of 60 percent in their graduation course. Q. There is a debate around data collection by the government agencies in India. How do you see this course in this context? A. India is a country with a huge amount of unstructured and structured data with limited knowledge to use it. This in itself calls for a huge demand of data scientist to help organise, manage and analyse the data and get insights that will help the economy grow towards a new direction. There have been various government institutions that have been collecting data in various formats from citizens and companies. This data is being underused to make analysis and informed policy decisions. If India can utilise this data, I am sure we can help in solving various economic issues. Our statistical machinery is also in need of serious repairs. Thus, I believe that the course that has been launched by the institute can definitely help in moving towards resolving the credibility of Indias data collection machinery. Q. How has the response been for the PGD Economics programme? A. The Post Graduate in Diploma (PGD) course in Economics is well received and has gathered a lot of market attention. The feedback that we have received from students is that our curriculum is rigorous, in-depth and has helped students gain skills that are industry relevant and can be utilised across various sectors. Students from MDAE are working in diverse roles in companies like Morgan Stanley, Royal Bank of Scotland, HSBC Bank, Axis Bank, IDFC Institute, Deloitte, Fractal Analytics, Mu Sigma, Decimal Point and Think Analytics among others. Our students have also found success in getting admitted in foreign universities like LSE, Columbia University, Oxford University, Harvard Kennedy School, George Washington University, Georgia State University and Ohio State University to name a few. This validates our track record and the success that the course has received. Shishir Asthana In a move to clarify rules for buying back shares, market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is tweaking buyback norms to make the process more transparent, say media reports. According to these reports, SEBI has proposed to consider consolidated numbers instead of standalone financials to see if a company is eligible to go ahead with buying back of its shares. The entire exercise had to be taken up because of Larsen & Toubros buyback, which was rejected on the ground that its consolidated debt to equity ratio was high more than two times the norm set by SEBI. When a buyback is on the table, the cash level of the parent company assumes significance. The firm does not use the cash of its subsidiary to buy back the shares. So, it is logical to say a company with a high level of debt should not be allowed to buy back equities from the market. Lenders always have the first right to a companys asset, including cash which is used to buy back shares. One may, however, argue that 2:1 debt-equity ratio is too rigid and in some sectors, the norm should be relaxed. In all earlier buybacks in India, subsidiaries were more or less in the same line of business, but in L&T, it was not. In the case of L&T, the company has a subsidiary which is a non-banking finance company (NBFC). Now for an NBFC, the debt-equity ratio cannot have the same guidelines as those of manufacturing or an engineering entity. L&Ts financial arm had a debt-equity ratio of 6:1 which was well above the 2:1 norm set by Sebi. But this is like comparing apples with oranges. Realising this, the Sebi-appointed Primary Market Advisory Committee (PMAC), which was looking into the matter post L&Ts buyback, has recommended that the ratio should be 9:1. Banks and finance companies generally do not announce buybacks in order to maintain their capital adequacy ratio. Hence, by that logic, they should not be included in the calculation of consolidated debt equity. Reports say the PMAC has suggested that consolidated numbers should be considered, but NBFCs should not be part of it. In the case of L&T, the presence of an NBFC subsidiary added a new twist. At the consolidated level, the balance sheet would look skewed because of the extremely high level of leverage. In the profit and loss account, all interest transactions of the NBFC will be at the operational level. This would skew the calculation of debt:equity at the consolidated level. While the PMAC may be right in suggesting that the NBFCs be taken out of the equation to calculate debt-equity ratio, another point needs to be considered here. One has to look at the parent company from the risk level. Running an NBFC is a risky business in India, especially over the last decade. A highly-leveraged NBFC can transfer the risk to its parent firm. Coming back to L&Ts case, there is a case for not taking the NBFCs 6:1 debt-equity ratio. But what if there is a liquidity crisis and slowdown, and the NBFC arm starts bleeding. The heavily-leveraged arm would need the parents support. There has to be a way to account for the risk of an NBFC subsidiary. The PMACs current formula wishes away this risk. If that is the case, there is nothing stopping L&T from announcing a buyback. While the present suggestion of not considering the NBFC in its calculation is logical, the premise will be tested in case the NBFCs health deteriorates. All that the PMAC has done is kick the can down the road. Nifty witnessed selling pressure soon after it surpassed 12,000 and touched a fresh intraday record high of 12,041 last week on May 23. Since then, the momentum has fizzled out and the index has been flirting around 11,800-11,850. On May 28, the index formed a Hanging Man pattern that is a bearish reversal pattern. Formation of this pattern suggests that Nifty could have made an intermediate top around 12,000-12,041 and investors should avoid going long on the index, suggest experts. For investors, it is perfect time to accumulate quality stocks on the decline but for traders, the index is trading in so-called no trade zone. A break out above 12,041 would nullify the negative implication of Hanging Man formed on May 28 while a bearish candle on May 29 could lead to further profit booking and a breakdown below 11,600 could extend selling pressure. Experts suggest Nifty seems to be preparing itself for the next leg down. The risk-reward ratio continues to favour the bears to initiate a short position. On the downside, the Nifty is expected to target 11,615-11,590 in the next few sessions, Gaurav Ratnaparkhi, Senior Technical Analyst, Sharekhan by BNP Paribas told Moneycontrol. On the higher side, the breach of 12,041 on a closing basis shall act as a reversal for the bearish view, he said. On the options front, maximum Put OI is placed at 11,000 followed by 11,700 strikes while maximum Call OI is placed at 12,500 followed by 12,000 strikes. Option band signifies a trading range of 11,700-12,100 for the upcoming expiry on May 30, Thursday. However, it may be difficult for the index to break above 12,000 in a hurry in the absence of any meaningful triggers. Investors should avoid forming any new or fresh long positions on the index. If the said index slips below 11,866 on May 29 then it can come under selling pressure on intraday basis with an initial target of 11,818. Besides, the current up move of last three sessions still looks like an upward corrective reaction to the big reversal candle witnessed from the highs of 12,041 registered on May 23, Mazhar Mohammad, Chief Strategist Technical Research & Trading Advisory, Chartviewindia.in told Moneycontrol. Hence, Nifty appears to be in the process of forming a short-term top around 12,000. For time being, traders are advised to avoid long positions in the index, he said. 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. May 29, 2019 / 08:28 AM IST Here are stocks that are in the news today: Results on May 29: More than 600 companies will declare their March quarter earnings on Wednesday, which include United Spirits, Adani Enterprises, Adani Power, Bharat Electronics, Cadila Healthcare, Havells India, Ipca Labs, NBCC, PFC, Power Grid, Reliance Power, TTK Prestige, Tata Teleservices etc. Sun Pharma Q4: Profit down 52.6 percent at Rs 635.9 crore versus Rs 1,342.5 crore; revenue up 2.7 percent at Rs 7,163.9 crore versus Rs 6,977 crore (YoY). Company absorbed unsold goods worth Rs 716 crore of Aditya Medisales Aurobindo Pharma Q4: Profit up 10.8 percent at Rs 549.1 crore versus Rs 528.5 crore; revenue up 30.7 percent at Rs 5,292.2 crore versus Rs 4,049.1 crore (YoY). Gati Q4: Consolidated profit at Rs 10.6 crore versus loss of Rs 4.7 crore; consolidated revenue up 1 percent at Rs 459.4 crore versus Rs 455.3 crore (YoY). Minda Corp Q4: Profit up 1.1 percent at Rs 39.1 crore versus Rs 38.7 crore; revenue up 7.1 percent at Rs 771.4 crore versus Rs 720.5 crore (YoY). NMDC Q4: Profit up 31.4 percent at Rs 1,453.8 crore versus Rs 1,106 crore; revenue down 6.2 percent at Rs 3,643.3 crore versus Rs 3,883 crore (YoY). Jaiprakash Associates Q4: Loss of Rs 350.2 crore versus loss of Rs 78.7 crore; revenue up 7.1 percent at Rs 1,721.2 crore versus Rs 1,606.6 crore (YoY). Galaxy Surfactants Q4: Profit up 42.8 percent at Rs 57 crore versus Rs 40 crore; revenue up 6 percent at Rs 682 crore versus Rs 643.5 crore (YoY). Centrum Capital Q4: Loss of Rs 149.1 crore versus profit of Rs 42.1 crore; revenue at Rs 3 crore versus Rs 13.7 crore (YoY). Asian Granito Q4: Profit down 84.2 percent at Rs 1.9 crore versus Rs 12.1 crore; revenue down 8.6 percent at Rs 303.1 crore versus Rs 331.5 crore (YoY). Himadri Speciality Q4: Profit up 1.4 percent at Rs 71.2 crore versus Rs 72.2 crore; revenue up 15.9 percent at Rs 583.4 crore versus Rs 550.7 crore (YoY). Gujarat Alkalies Q4: Profit down 23.2 percent at Rs 169.8 crore versus Rs 221.1 crore; revenue up 17.7 percent at Rs 820.6 crore versus Rs 697.3 crore (YoY). Lakshmi Vilas Bank Q4: Loss at Rs 264.4 crore versus loss of Rs 622.2 crore; NII up 16.3 percent at Rs 140.2 crore versus Rs 120.6 crore (YoY); gross NPA at 15.30 percent versus 13.95 percent (QoQ) IRCON International Q4: Profit down 55.8 percent at Rs 95.6 crore versus Rs 216.3 crore; revenue up 2.4 percent at Rs 1,532.8 crore versus Rs 1,497 crore (YoY). Pfizer Q4: Profit up 4.8 percent at Rs 109.5 crore versus Rs 104.5 crore; revenue up 3 percent at Rs 535.7 crore versus Rs 520 crore (YoY). Aegis Logistics Q4: Consolidated profit up 28 percent at Rs 61.7 crore versus Rs 48.2 crore; consolidated revenue up 48 percent at Rs 1,852.6 crore versus Rs 1,251.9 crore (YoY). IRB Infrastructure Q4: Consolidated net profit down 13.2 percent at Rs 208 crore versus Rs 239.7 crore; consolidated revenue up 41 percent at Rs 1,948.3 crore versus Rs 1,382.2 crore (YoY) Opto Circuits Q4: Profit up 4.7 percent at Rs 11.1 crore versus Rs 10.6 crore; revenue down 7.2 percent at Rs 61.6 crore versus Rs 66.4 crore (YoY). 3M India Q4: Consolidated profit down 38.2 percent at Rs 60.3 crore versus Rs 97.6 crore; consolidated revenue up 3 percent at Rs 742.8 crore versus Rs 720.4 crore (YoY). 20 Microns Q4: Profit up 70.6 percent at Rs 5.8 crore versus Rs 3.4 crore; revenue up 15.3 percent at Rs 116.6 crore versus Rs 101 crore (YoY). Teamlease Services Q4: Consolidated profit up 3.2 percent at Rs 26 crore versus Rs 25.2 crore; consolidated revenue down 0.8 percent at Rs 1,163.4 crore versus Rs 1,172.2 crore (QoQ). Tata Steel: Company in talks with China's Hesteel Group, UK's Excalibur Steel, Liberty House for EU operations. Company may look at complete/part sale, can mull JV as well - CNBC-TV18 sources. Karur Vysya Bank: Bank signed a term sheet for a joint venture with Centrum Wealth Management to establish a private joint venture. Great Eastern Shipping: Board meeting to be held on June 1 for considering the proposal of buyback through open market. Jaypee Infratech: Adani Group submits a non-binding offer for company, offers Rs 500 crore payment to workmen, secured & unsecured lenders - CNBC-TV18 sources ICRA has upgraded the long term rating of VRL Logistics from ICRA A to ICRA A+. The outlook on the long term rating is stable. IRB InvIT Fund has received work prders for operation & maintenance (O&M) work of the project SPVs of the trust for further 10 years TCS among America's top 50 companies for diversity Mindtree opens Atlanta delivery center Eros Now: Company announces a partnership with Amazon Prime Music India. Bulk Deals Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May and Belgium's Prime Minister Charles Michel take part in an EU summit following the EU elections, in Brussels, Belgium. (Image: Reuters) Algerian students carry a banner reading "Striking student", top, in Algiers. Protests and pressure from the army brought down Algeria's longtime President Abdelaziz Bouteflika but demonstrators want deeper change. (Image: AP) A home west of Celina, Ohio, has had its roof torn off by a tornado that was part of a storm system that passed through Monday night. After Monday's tornadoes, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine declared a state of emergency in the three counties with the most damage. (Image: AP) Pro-choice activists carry a statue of the Virgin Mary which features a green handkerchief symbolizing the abortion rights movement in Argentina during a rally outside Congress in favor of legalizing abortion in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Lawmakers said they would introduce a bill to legalize abortion for pregnancies up to 14 weeks. (Image: AP) A participant rides a zip line from the second floor of the Eiffel Tower, 115 metres above the ground along an 800-metre long route, as part of the Smash Perrier free event operating until June 2 in Paris, France. (Image: Reuters) People photograph nameplates after Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and COO Sheryl Sandberg failed to appear at the International Grand Committee on Big Data, Privacy and Democracy meeting on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Image: Reuters) European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker arrives for an EU summit in Brussels. European Union leaders are meeting in Brussels to haggle over who should lead the 28-nation bloc's key institutions for the next five years after weekend elections shook up Europe's political landscape. (Image: AP) live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Bankers have received a settlement amount from a Nigerian company belonging to the promoters of Sterling Biotech, a company undergoing bankruptcy proceedings, Moneylife reports. The lenders have received an undisclosed one-time settlement from VELL FLO, a company whose registered address is in Lagos, through SWIFT. The details of the transaction have been sent to the NCLT and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The report cited documents, which said that VELL FLO belongs to Sterling Biotech promoter Nitin Jayantilal Sandesara. Moneycontrol could not independently verify the story. Sterling Biotech's promoters, Nitin Sandsera and Chetan Sandera, are absconding, and a Delhi court has issued an extradition order against them. Earlier this month, the NCLT rejected a plea by Sterling Biotech's lenders to withdraw the insolvency proceedings against the company as they were hoping to accept a one time settlement offer made by Sterling Biotech's absconding promoters. The report noted that the lenders were offered Rs 5,500 crore as an one time settlement by Sterling Biotech's promoters, which is close to 40 percent of their outstanding dues. The report also noted that the promoters made a similar offer to settle dues of Sterling SEZ, another company owned by the promoters a deal which the banks were keen to accept. The consortium of lenders, led by Andhra Bank, are planning to contest the NCLTs decision at the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), the report added. In addition to extradition requests, the Sandsera brothers are also facing multiple charges of fraud and are being investigated by the CBI, the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The Sterling Group owes Rs 15,600 crore to financial and operational creditors. Congress workers gathered outside party chief Rahul Gandhi's residence on Wednesday urging him to withdraw his offer to resign. Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit visited Gandhi's Tughlak Lane residence. After coming out, she remained silent on whether she was able to meet the Gandhi scion. Sources said she could not meet Rahul Gandhi. A close aide of the Delhi Congress chief said Dikshit left a message for the Congress president in which she asked Gandhi to withdraw his offer to resign. "Gandhi is not meeting any party leaders. So, Dikshit left her message urging Gandhi to reconsider his decision in the interest of the party with K Raju, a confidante of the party chief," the close aide added. Boxer Vijender Singh, who had fought the Lok Sabha polls from the South Delhi constituency and ended up at the third spot said workers do not want Rahul Gandhi to resign as he is an "able and hardworking" leader. "He has not resigned. We have come to talk to him. He has made an offer to resign but people do not want him to go. "He has worked hard. If the results are not in our favour, it hurts but we are fighters. Nobody else can work like him. He is a leader who takes everyone together," Singh said. Slogans of 'Rahulji, we are with you' and 'Please do not resign' rang through the air. Several workers were carrying placards with Gandhi's photos urging him not to resign. Some workers were even demanding that elections be held again in a fair manner with ballot papers instead of EVMs since the latter could have been tampered. Congress leader Jagdish Tytler said there are millions of Congress workers who do not want Gandhi to resign. "We had to be here because we do not want him to resign. There are millions of Congress workers who do not want him to resign. We are disappointed with the results but not with the leadership," he said. The crisis in the Congress showed no signs of easing with Gandhi sticking to his decision to resign as party chief after its Lok Sabha poll debacle and staying away from meeting party leaders. On Tuesday, Gandhi had only met his mother and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, besides senior party leader K C Venugopal and the Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his deputy Sachin Pilot went to meet Gandhi at his Tughlaq Lane residence on Tuesday, but they only met Priyanka. Senior Congress leaders have been pressing Gandhi to take back his decision to resign and revamp the party at all levels in these challenging times. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on May 23 registered a resounding victory in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, to retain power. The ruling alliance won over 350 seats while Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) itself won 303 seats. This left the Opposition decimated in most parts of the country, especially in the Hindi heartland. Except for Karnataka, where the BJP pushed the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) alliance to the margin by winning 25 out of the 28 seats, the saffron party was not able to make any significant gains in the South. NDA failed to win a single seat in Kerala and Andhra Pradesh while BJPs ally All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) managed to win one seat in Tamil Nadu. In Telangana, however, the BJP won four Lok Sabha seats, up from what was one in 2014. This improvement came at the cost of the Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Raos Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS). The TRS won nine Lok Sabha seats. This was a climbdown from the 11 seats it won in the previous general election. The party was hoping to win 16 out of the 17 parliamentary constituencies. It was widely expected that All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM)s Asaduddin Owaisi would win the 17th seat Hyderabad. Also read: Data Story | Opposition unity could have stopped BJP sweep in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh The four seats that the BJP won were Adilabad, Karimnagar, Nizamabad and Secunderabad. Interestingly, except for Secunderabad, TRS had won all of these seats in 2014. TRS secured a vote share of 41.3 percent, followed by Congress' 29.5 percent and BJP's 19.5 percent. In 2014, TRSs vote share was 33.9 percent, Congress was 20.5 percent and that of the BJP was 8.5 percent. Two parties Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister-designate YS Jagan Mohan Reddys YSR Congress Party and his rival N Chandrababu Naidus Telugu Desam Party (TDP) did not contest this time. In 2014, the two parties had bagged 2.9 percent and 3.1 percent votes, respectively. The BJP gained more than any other party in the state. Telangana Conceding space Just six months after registering an emphatic victory in the Legislative Assembly election, KCR was seen conceding political space to the BJP and the Congress. In the state election held in December 2018, TRS had won 88 seats while the Congress finished second with 19 seats in the 119-member Assembly. BJP had won just one seat. The saffron party and Congress managed to win four and three Lok Sabha seats in the state both improving its 2014 tally. BJPs win in Nizamabad also meant that KCRs daughter Kalvakuntla Kavitha lost the election. Also read: It's a bumpy road ahead for regional parties Not a kingmaker In the lead-up the general election, KCR had not only tried to forge an anti-BJP, anti-Congress Federal front, but also tried to position himself as a kingmaker. Some opinion surveys conducted prior to polling had suggested that the NDA might fall short of the 272-mark. KCR, like many regional leaders had hoped to make the most out of such a situation. With YSRCPs Jagan Mohan, KCR had hoped to form a bloc that would give him leverage during any potential talks with either the NDA or the UPA. In fact, days ahead of the counting day, multiple reports suggested that KCR was positioning himself for the post of Deputy Prime Minister. That plan did not materialise as NDA won a super majority. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on May 23 registered a massive victory in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, winning over 350 seats to retain power. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) itself won 303 seats -- its highest tally ever. In the process, the BJP swept through many states single-handedly. However, in some states, the seat share was split between multiple parties. In Tamil Nadu, voters elected Members of Parliament (MPs) from seven parties -- the highest in the country. In the southern state, elections were held in 38 out of 39 Lok Sabha constituencies. Election was cancelled in Vellore after a cash haul. Of these 38 seats, MK Stalin-led DMK won 23 seats while the Indian National Congress won eight seats. The Communist Party of India (CPI) and Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) won two seats each, while Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) won one seat each. All of these parties are part of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA). The remaining one seat was won by the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), which is part of the NDA. Tamil Nadu is followed by Kerala, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh who have sent representatives from five parties each. Besides MPs from five parties, Maharashtra will also have an Independent MP. Bihar, Jharkhand, Punjab and Telangana will be represented by MPs belonging to four parties each. File Pic: SAARC Summit, Bhutan 2014. (Image: Reuters) Narendra Modis swearing-in ceremony on May 30 is expected to see the attendance of political biggies from across the world. However, in what seems to be a carefully calibrated step, SAARC nations have been kept out this time, while invitations have been extended to BIMSTEC nations. In 2014, when Narendra Modi was appointed as the Prime Minister for the first time, he had invited the SAARC nations Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka. The then Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif was also there at the ceremony, giving rise to many a speculation that this would give rise to fresh bilateral talks between the two adversaries. This year, the invitation has been extended to leaders of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) nations Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand. This sends a subtle yet strong message to our next-door neighbour that India will continue to isolate Pakistan on global fronts and keep it out of New Delhis engagement with its neighbours. Isolation of Pakistan In the aftermath of the Uri Attack, India had boycotted the SAARC summit, which was being organized in Islamabad in November 2016. This was an attempt to isolate Islamabad after having accused Pakistan-backed terrorists to carry out the attack on the army base. Instead, New Delhi had focused on a giving a renewed push to BIMSTEC nations, some of which has supported Indias boycott of the SAARC summit. In October 2016, PM Modi had hosted an outreach programme in Goa for BIMSTEC nations alongside the BRICS Summit. BIMSTEC rose from the ashes as an alternative to the SAARC. This is interesting as India had long been complaining of the under-utilisation of the vast potential of SAARC, and the BIMSTEC, which has largely been nascent since its formation in 1997. Read Also | BIMSTEC leaders to attend PM Modi's swearing-in; why is Pakistan kept out? In the last three years of his term, PM Modi ensured that New Delhi did not engage with Pakistan on a global forum. This resulted in the playing up of BIMSTEC, which is effectively made of SAARC nations barring Pakistan, Afghanistan and Maldives. Of these, India maintains a healthy relation with Afghanistan, which is practically exasperated with Pakistan proxy war. Besides, Maldives President Ibrahim Solih has already signaled at strengthening ties with India. Which leaves, Pakistan. In the 2018 BIMSTEC Summit held at Kathmandu, PM Modi underlined the need for connectivity and stressed on issues such as blue economy and counter-terrorism. Why the region matters? The region is crucial as over one-fifth of the worlds population lives in the seven counties around the Bay of Bengal. They have a combined GDP of close to $2.7 trillion, Indian Express has reported. In addition, 25 percent of the worlds traded goods cross the Bay of Bengal every year. Hence, connectivity is key, especially for the 300 million people living in the coastal states of West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Increased connectivity will facilitate development as India will be able to connect to Bangladesh, Myanmar and Thailand through the Bay of Bengal. Read Also | Opinion: To strengthen BIMSTEC is to re-imagine India's strategic geography in the Bay of Bengal Even China has renewed its interest in the Bay of Bengal, with President Xi Jinping taking his ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to all BIMSTEC nations, barring India and Bhutan. Besides, the Bay of Bengal is a crucial channel for China to maintain its access route to the Indian Ocean. An increasingly assertive China has increased its activities in the region with increased submarine movement and ship visits in the Indian Ocean. Hence, it is imperative for India to consolidate internal engagement among the BIMSTEC nations. A highest ever 8,000 guests, including VVIPs, will attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his council of ministers on May 30. Rashtrapati Bhavan kitchen's speciality 'Dal Raisina' will be served to foreign delegates in a dinner to be hosted by President Ram Nath Kovind to dignitaries after the function. The swearing-in ceremony will be of about 90 minutes and after that, dinner will be served to around 40 dignitaries, including Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and the prime minister, besides leaders of all BIMSTEC countries, Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson Ashok Malik said on May 29. "This is for the first time that 8,000 guests will be attending the swearing-in ceremony that will be held from 7 pm to 8.30 pm on Thursday," Malik said. About 4,500-5,000 guests have attended such ceremonies earlier. There will be light snacks for the guests attending the swearing-in ceremony like 'Paneer Tikka', the official said. "There will be a dinner which will be hosted by the President for about 40 guests. It will begin at 9 pm," Malik said. One of the key dishes 'Dal Raisina' will be served in the dinner, he told PTI. "Dal Raisina, a speciality of Rashtrapati Bhavan's kitchen, is cooked for about 48 hours. Its main ingredients are brought from Lucknow. "The preparation of Dal Raisina started Tuesday," the spokesperson said. Leaders of all BIMSTEC countries have confirmed their participation in the prime minister's swearing-in ceremony. Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth and Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov have confirmed their participation at the event. President of Bangladesh Abdul Hamid, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, and Prime Minister of Nepal K P Sharma Oli have confirmed their participation at the ceremony. President of Myanmar U Win Myint and Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering have also confirmed their attendance at the event. From Thailand, its Special Envoy Grisada Boonrach will represent the country at the ceremony. RJD supremo Lalu Prasad's elder son Tej Pratap Yadav Tuesday told party men to leave the party if they don't like his younger brother Tejashwi Prasad Yadav's leadership. "Why should he (Tejashwi) resign (as leader of opposition)? If one does not like his leadership, one can leave the RJD or Mahagathbandhan," Tej Pratap Yadav told reporters here. "I am with my younger brother as Krishna and will always stand by him," he said. Tej Pratap lamented that had Lalu Prasad been out of jail, the RJD would not have faced the rout. Tej Pratap, who could not attend the RJD's Tuesday meeting held at former chief minister Rabri Devi's residence to discuss the poll debacle, said he had intimated the party leaders about his inability to attend the meeting. RJD legislator Maheshwar Prasad Yadav had virtually revolted on Monday against the party leadership asking Tejashwi Prasad Yadav to take moral responsibility for the party's rout in the elections and resign from the post of the leader of opposition in the assembly. "As a party MLA, I would request Tejaswhi Yadav to resign from the post of LOP, taking moral responsibility of the poll debacle and appoint any other senior leader of a caste other than Yadavs as the LOP, failing which the party will have to face crushing defeat in 2020 the assembly elections," Mahesh Yadav had told reporters. Tej Pratap Yadav, however, emphasised upon the need to focus on the 2020 assembly elections for which his brother, he said, needed to mobilize the people's support. Asked about his failed request for two Lok Sabha seats for his supporters, he said, "That is a closed chapter. Now we have to focus on the electoral battle for the upcoming assembly elections." He said despite the leader of 'Mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance) unifying at the top, the failure of the workers of five allied parties to mix up at the grassroots level could be one of the reasons of the debacle. File image: Opposition leaders at Mamata Banerjee's rally in Kolkata, West Bengal on January 19, 2019 Sumanth Raman The 2019 BJP electoral juggernaut has steamrolled various regional parties except Naveen Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Jagan Reddy's Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). From north to south and west to east, a bunch of regional satraps have been cut to size. The Left fronts vote share stands reduced to less than even some regional forces. Perhaps the biggest surprise, although it was widely predicted, was the manner in which the BJP cut Mamata Banerjee down to size in Bengal. Even a year ago, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) was considered invincible at least for the near future. Now, the next Assembly election two years away looks distinctly uncertain for Didi. The surge in BJP vote was in no small measure helped by the implosion of the once all powerful Left Front whose vote share is now in single digits. However, TMC sources claimed that the Left informally asked for its votes to be transferred to the BJP to defeat the TMC. If it really did so, then few strategies can be as absurd as this. Vote share once lost is hardly easy to regain and if the Left felt that fighting the BJP would be easier than fighting Mamata, it has another hiding coming its way. The TMC still remains the largest party in Bengal and can still win the next Assembly elections. Another regional satrap cut to size less than 6 months after a landslide win in the Assembly polls is Telangana strongman K Chandrashekar Rao. A few weeks ago, he was even being spoken of as a possible consensus PM candidate of a Third Front which he was trying to cobble together. Some smart and devious work by the Congress and the BJP allegedly did him in. The Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) alleges that the Congress and BJP transferred votes to each other in many constituencies to help defeat TRS and this led to a loss of 8 seats out of 17 in state (BJP won 4 and Congress 3). KCR's daughter Kavita lost the Nizamabad seat to the BJP. Chandrababu Naidu was so busy trying to forge opposition unity that he seems to have forgotten to cover his own base. The Telegu Desam Partys (TDP) rout by Jaganmohan Reddy's YSRCP is a body blow to Naidu. With his son not living up to the expectations of even the TDP cadre, the party faces a mini crisis. Naidu certainly cannot be written off and at 69 years of age still has at least a decade of active politics (by Indian standards) in him to stage a comeback. For the Rashtriya Janata Dal in Bihar, the election was a disaster leaving it with no seats in the new Parliament. Tejashwi Yadav was left to fight a lone battle with father Lalu Prasad in jail, brother Tej Pratap at war with the family, sister Misa Bharti losing her own seat and alliance partner Congress losing relevance. Still, many see him as promising. He has age on his side, too. But the old Yadav-Muslim combo that made the RJD such a potent force is no longer the trump card that it once was. Tejaswi needs to reshape the party to appeal to a larger vote bank. The Bua-Bhatija combo of Mayawati and Akhilesh suffered such a rout in UP that their overconfident selves never saw coming even 2 months ago. Had they sensed the changing winds, they may have been more willing to accommodate the Congress. In the end, even that may have made a difference in only 8-10 seats. More importantly, the Mahagathbandhan lost vote share compared even to its 2017 performance, which in itself was disappointing. While Akhilesh will be able to recoup his losses -- many voters did say they would vote for Modi for Parliament but Akhilesh for the UP Assembly next time -- for Mayawati, the going is likely to be difficult. Going solo is no longer an option and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) will be reduced to being an alliance partner of one side or the other. This, despite the fact that the BSP won 10 seats and the Samajwadi Party (SP) only 5. For Om Prakash Chautalas Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), the elections saw his party reduced to fighting for 4th and 5th place in many constituencies and losing its deposit in areas that were once fiefdoms. With their leader in jail and with Haryana Assembly elections due in October, the only hope for INLD to save itself is a tie-up with the BJP. Whether the BJP will want an alliance after a clean sweep of all 10 seats in Haryana is a moot point. INLD has been out of power for 14 years now and the party also suffered a split with many joining the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), which too was routed in the polls. For the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the delusions of grandeur must have ended with the rude shock that voters gave them in the polls. Reduced to just a solitary seat in Punjab and being pushed to 3rd place behind the Congress in 5 out of the 7 seats in Delhi, the worry for the AAP must be the re-emergence of the Congress in Delhi. Its hope lies in the expectation that the Delhi voter will make a different choice in the Assembly elections due next year. In Tamil Nadu, the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), an alliance partner of the BJP, suffered a big defeat in the Parliament elections at the hands of its rival the DMK, but managed to save its state government by winning 9 out of the 22 assembly seats for which by-elections were held. With Rajinikanth due to launch his party and contest the next assembly elections due in 2021, all bets are off for which way the state will vote then. Is the voter sending out a message to the regional parties? It is difficult to say. Most regional parties are dynastic parties and while many dynastic parties lost, several of them like the BJD, the YSRCP, the DMK won too. The BJP also had a fair share of dynasts winning seats. Caste-based vote banks seem to have taken a hit, but religion-based vote banks seem to have been created. Whether they will endure is uncertain. What appears to be clear is that the Indian voter is not willing to be taken for granted anymore. (Raman is a Chennai-based television anchor and political analyst. Views are personal.) Narendra Modis first reaction to the election results was that a New India has given its verdict. This New India has only two castes: one constituted by poor people and the other standing for people who make contributions to end poverty, he added in the same breath. Modi has not claimed credit for creating a New India. For, it was not his creation. But he deserves credit for comprehending the change. He could get a sense of the evolution of New India, happening right in front of his eyes, and he recognised the reality where others failed miserably. New India has emerged from the failure of the Idea of India that our liberal intelligentsia the so-called Khan Market Ganghas been holding close to heart. But little did it matter to them that the Idea of India was all about posturing and little about doing things. It was playing out in policies of appeasement, pseudo secularism and caste and community-based governance, all of which have now been rejected by the people. The public has also dumped the political parties wedded to the idea. The people have a solid reason for doing what they have done: the governance based on the Idea of India has failed them completely. Otherwise, the poor, the minorities, women and all the underprivileged people would not be in the situation that they are today, which means it is time for a change and they have embraced change. This is the biggest lesson to be learnt from the 2019 elections. The vote bank politics based on caste and communal calculus does not work any longer. The countrys politics has changed although the political parties have failed to fathom this change, except Modis BJP. And more than the party, it is Modis astuteness that made this possible. The BJPs clean sweep in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand, where alliances were forged purely on the basis of caste-based vote banks, proved that Modi has managed to win over the confidence of people beyond caste loyalties. The Bua-Bhatija bonhomie of Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav, in concert with Ajit Singhs Rashtriya Lok Dal, in Uttar Pradesh appeared solid on paper. The only missing link was the Congress, but given the Grand Old Partys surreal existence in the state, that should not have mattered much. But when the results came, the BSP-SP-RLD alliance, which had briefly emerged as a giant killer in the by-elections only a year ago, polled just about 39 percent of votes compared to the BJPs almost 50 percent. As Modi claimed after the elections, arithmetic had been completely undone by chemistry. The results show how economic programmes can bring about social engineering on the sly. Modis programmes such as Swachh Bharat, Ujjwala, Kisan Yojana, Ayushman Bharat and the like had touched the life of the common people and made a difference, cutting across castes and communities. A large number of beneficiaries may have belonged to oppressed castes and communities, but that was incidental as most of them just happened to be from these categories. Otherwise, these programmes had no colour, unlike those under the communist regime and later the Mamata dispensation in Bengal, where welfare came in the hues of red and green, respectively. People in the state have now started seeing things in black and white and the election results are a testimony. Modis schemes may not have brought relief to all the people in need, but they made a beginning. If some households in a neighbourhood found they were left out of the Ujjwala scheme, under which free LPG cylinders were distributed to the poor, they knew that it would come to them, too. The same with the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, which brought permanent housing to the deserving. The Rs 2,000 that farmers received in their bank account under PMs Kisan Yojana was good money that worked for them. The beneficiaries were, of course, happy, but these also brought hope to the others. New India is all about these people. And they are the ones who voted for Modi, cutting across barriers created by politicians and their honchos to chain them down to the shackles of castes, colour, class and creed. Honestly, there was no credible offer from the opposition, except vague promises in the air that never made real sense. Rahul Gandhis much-hyped NYAY, promising a minimum guaranteed income of Rs 6,000 per month to 20 percent of all Indians, was consigned to the cocktail circuit of Lutyens Delhi. It had no use for the poor who had started getting something or the other from the schemes launched by Modi. Modi has hit the nail on its head when he says the so-called political pundits have to let go of their outdated craft, reminiscent of a bygone era, and have completely lost their relevance for a New India. (K Raveendran is a senior journalist. Views are personal.) The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has proposed to formulate a national retail policy to support growth of domestic trade, an official said. This proposal is part of the 100-day action plan prepared by the department, under the commerce and industry ministry, for the new government. "A national retail policy will be formulated to support development of the sector that would benefit 65 million small traders," the official said. In February, the subject of domestic or internal trade was shifted to DPIIT from the consumer affairs ministry, which was earlier the nodal agency for regulating the fast-growing sector. The department is already in the process of formulating guidelines on e-commerce and, hence, it would be appropriate for the ministry to come out with norms for retail trade, the official added. Views of all stakeholders, including state governments, would be taken while framing the policy as retail trade is also governed by the Shops and Establishment Act, which is implemented by states. Domestic traders' body Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has time and again requested the government for the policy. It has said these steps will not only strengthen the domestic trade but also improve export performance of the country. According to CAIT, over 6.5 crore small businesses are engaged in the sector across the country. The demand for the policy from domestic traders came after multi-national retail firms entered the Indian markets and started providing huge discounts of goods. According to the action plan, large-scale programme for capacity building of managers of small businesses would be undertaken to improve productivity. Computex is undoubtedly one of the biggest events in the PC industry with leading manufacturers looking to make a mark on the industry through big unveils and innovative breakthroughs. Computex 2019 is well underway, and here's our list of the best products released so far. Ryzen for the win AMD made the biggest splash on day one with the announcement of the much-anticipated Ryzen 3000 series processors that use the 7nm process node that improves performance and power efficiency. The company also announced the worlds first 12-core, 24-thread processor. Navi came early The Radeon RX5700 built on AMDs Navi architecture debuted to much applaud. According to AMD, the RX5700 will go toe-to-toe with the RTX 2070. The company claims 10 per cent better performance than the RTX 2070. The new RX5700 GPU is also set to offer a significant performance bump over AMDs Vega architecture while delivering far better power efficiency. Intel fights back In trademark Intel fashion, the chipmaker announced a special edition Core i9-9900KS, capable of reaching 5GHz boost speed across all its cores. Intel also displayed the ability of its new laptop processors built on the l0nm processor node and 11th Gen integrated graphics. 5G for all 5G is getting ready to take the tech world by storm and is now moving beyond smartphones. Lenovo took the lid of Project Limitless, a prototype 5G laptop with tons of caveats. For one, the Snapdragon 8cx chipset powering the device is slated to measure battery life in days instead of hours. And, the added battery life isnt going to come at the cost of performance with the chip smashing the 8th Gen Intel Core i5 in PCMark10 benchmark tests. Two 4K displays, One Laptop The Asus ZenBook Pro Duo is set to usher in a new age of multitasking. The notebook is a content creators dream with a primary 4K OLED display and a secondary 4K display just above the function keys. Asus has also equipped the ZenBook Pro Duo with an Intel Core i9-9980HK processor and an Nvidia RTX 2060 graphics card. RTX for Professionals Nvidia is bringing RTX power to its line-up of professional Quadro GPUs for laptops. The mobile Quadro RTX 5000, 4000 and 3000 cards are designed for creative professionals who work with heavy graphics and video editing software. Nvidia confirmed that 17 laptops would initially debut with Quadro RTX graphics under the RTX Studio branding. The chipmaker claims that the new Quadro RTX 5000 will run up to seven times faster than an equivalent MacBook Pro with AMD Pro Vega 20 GPU. The Congress can still be dubbed the only national alternative to the Bharatiya Janata Party, and it is yet not time to brood over its epitaph, believes three-time Congress MP Shashi Tharoor. In a candid discussion about the major setback his party faced during the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, he said the party needed to start introspecting. The Congress should begin with resolving issues within the party, he added. Commenting on gauging the psyche of the voters incorrectly, he said: We were convinced that grave economic concerns such as unemployment, agrarian distress, or demonetization would play a pivotal role in deciding the outcome of the polls. However, this time, the voters did not choose their candidates on the basis of economic self-interest. That is something the Congress needs to study, the Thiruvananthapuram MP said, reported the Hindustan Times. He added, the Congress could have also fared better had it released the election manifesto earlier. He believes the party did not market the NYAY scheme well enough, which could have turned their fate around. Dubbing the scheme revolutionary, he said: The core messaging around NYAY only reached half the electorate, possibly the wrong half, comprised mainly of urban professionals, who would, in fact, be paying for the scheme. It should have reached out to the bottom 20 per cent of the society instead, centred mostly around rural India, who would have actually benefitted of the scheme. Commenting on whether the setback is temporary and if party president Rahul Gandhi can salvage the situation, Tharoor said: It is too early to write an obituary for the party. It is kicking and alive in states such as Kerala and Punjab. Moreover, Congress represents an alternate vision of India one that is inclusive and pluralist. We cannot leave the field uncontested for a distorted, bigoted and narrow-minded version of India. Upholding Rahul Gandhis contribution towards leading and building the party, he said: Rahul has led Congress with energy and commitment from the front and has a lot more to offer. He has also bravely taken full responsibility for the defeat. However, we all have a responsibility to ensure the partys revival. The Congress probably lost because the BJP executed the main messaging better, he said. Tharoor added: They decided early that their product was Mr Modi and they marketed him very well. They built up the most extraordinary personality cult in modern Indian political history, buttressed by larger-than-life imagery, hundreds of thousands of social media warriors, an intimidated mainstream media, ubiquitous cameramen and a piece of slick publicity machinery that was switched on 24/7. Representational image of the Taliban (Image: Flickr) For the first time in all these years, Abdul Ghani Baradar, the co-founder of the Taliban, spoke in public about the importance of a peace deal. Baradar and a handful of Afghan politicians met in Moscow on Tuesday aiming to hold a dialogue that would end the long-drawn war in the land-locked, arid country. Baradar, who is also the head of the Talibans political office, is looking at thawing the tense situation by facilitating peace talks to bring the protracted US-led war to a close. Not to forget, these efforts come in the face of continued deadly attacks perpetrated by the terror group across the country. Referring to the Taliban as the Islamic Emirate, he said they are committed to peace, but that could be ensured only with the removal of obstacles and ending Afghanistans occupation, reported The Washington Post. The extremist group has repeatedly sought full withdrawal of US forces from their land before any peace deal can be embarked on. Notably, the United States has 14,000 troopers still deployed in the country. The meeting in Russia saw the attendance of the countrys Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. That apart, many Afghan power brokers, including several rivals of President Ashraf Ghani, were present. No members of the Afghan government was a part of the round table since the Taliban consider them American puppets. Baradar was believed to be instrumental in regrouping the insurgents after the United States had invaded Afghanistan in 2001 to overthrow their regime. He was released from jail last year on the insistence of the US government because their negotiator thought Baradar could give a positive turn to the peace talks. The 14-member Taliban delegation will hold talks through Thursday. They are discussing peace with former Afghan president Hamid Karzai, members of Afghanistan's High Peace Council, Hanif Atmar the countrys former national security adviser and other top factional leaders. MacKenzie Bezos, soon-to-be ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has promised to donate half her fortune to charity, joining the ranks of the world's ultra-wealthy philanthropists, the Giving Pledge has announced. The charitable organisation, founded in 2010 by Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, listed MacKenzie Bezos, an American, among 19 new signatories of the pledge from China, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates and Britain. She instantly became one of the world's wealthiest individuals in April, gaining a net worth estimated at USD36 billion after finalising the terms of her divorce with Jeff Bezos, the world's richest man. "In addition to whatever assets life has nurtured in me, I have a disproportionate amount of money to share," MacKenzie Bezos said in a letter announcing that she was joining the pledge on Tuesday. "My approach to philanthropy will continue to be thoughtful. It will take time and effort and care. But I won't wait. And I will keep at it until the safe is empty." As part of the couple's pending divorce, MacKenzie Bezos is to retain 25 percent of the Amazon shares the pair had held jointly, equal to about four percent of the company, but will surrender all her voting rights. More than 200 people have taken the Giving Pledge, including Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, investor Bill Ackman, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, and investor Robert F Smith, who made waves earlier this month by announcing he would pay off the student loans of an entire graduating class at the historically black Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. Jeff Bezos, whose fortune is currently estimated at well over USD 100 billion, has not taken the pledge but in September announced a USD 2 billion investment fund intended to support homeless families and education in poor communities. MacKenzie Bezos, born MacKenzie Tuttle, met Jeff Bezos in 1992, before he founded what would become the global online retail, tech and government contracting behemoth Amazon. The company is worth nearly USD 900 billion. The announcement of their divorce in January was followed several weeks later by the publication of personal text messages between Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, a television personality with whom he had an extramarital affair. Forbes has yet to list MacKenzie Bezos on its list of billionaires, pending the finalization of the divorce, which should make her the world's third-richest woman, behind France's Francoise Bettencourt-Meyers, the L'Oreal heiress (USD 49.3 billion), and the American Alice Walton, daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton (USD 44.4 billion). Among eminent foreign dignitaries, Bangladesh Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, will not be in attendance at the oath-taking ceremony. Hasina is on a three-nation visit, and has sent the President of the country, Abdul Hamid, for the occasion. Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is wooing Japan for aid, trade and investment in a visit that highlights cordial relations with the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Hasina, who is beginning a third consecutive five-year term, arrived on May 28 and is set to meet Abe and hold a joint news conference on May 29. A dinner is also being held in her honour. The leaders will discuss the Bay of Bengal development project and strengthening economic and security partnerships, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry. Japan has been weary of the security and economic threat of neighboring China and has been courting other nations in Asia as well as the US and Europe. This week alone, Abe is meeting with leaders of the Philippines, Cambodia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore and Laos in addition to Bangladesh. He just finished playing host to a four-day visit by President Donald Trump, which ended Tuesday. Hasina has visited five times before, as prime minister and opposition leader, but this marks her first visit since taking office in her latest term. Promoting trade between Japan and Bangladesh is important for both sides, with Bangladesh importing mostly steel, autos and machinery from Bangladesh, and Japan importing clothing products and jute. Japanese imports from Bangladesh have quadrupled recently compared to 2009 levels. Japanese companies setting shop in Bangladesh are also growing, mostly in textiles and manufacturing. Japan has long seen Bangladesh as a key partner because Bangladesh has supported Tokyo's wish to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council, as well as backed its position on nuclear weapons. Hasina won an overwhelming victory in the December elections. The opposition alliance is demanding new elections, saying the polls were rigged, an allegation the Election Commission and Hasina have rejected. More than a dozen people were killed in election-related violence on the day of the polls, and the election campaign was undermined by allegations of arrests and the jailing of thousands of Hasina's opponents. Authorities said the arrests and the jailing were not politically motivated. Boeing Co's 737 MAX is unlikely to return to service before August, the head of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said on May 29, adding that the final say on the timing rested with regulators. The 737 MAX was grounded globally in March after a crash in Ethiopia killed all 157 people on board, the model's second deadly crash in five months. "We do not expect something before 10 to 12 weeks in re-entry into service," IATA Director General Alexandre de Juniac told reporters in Seoul. "But it is not our hands. That is in the hands of regulators." IATA plans to organise a summit with airlines, regulators and Boeing in 5 to 7 weeks to discuss what is needed for the 737 MAX to return to service, he said. The airline industry has had a tough six months with fuel, labour and infrastructure costs increasing and trade tensions rising in addition to the 737 MAX grounding, de Juniac said. IATA's December forecast for $35.5 billion in industry profits in 2019 is expected to be lowered in an update at its annual meeting in Seoul on June 2. At an IATA meeting for 737 MAX operators in Montreal last week, airline members said they wanted regulators to cooperate closely on the decision for the plane's re-entry to service, de Juniac said. "We hope that they will align their timeframe," he said of regulators. Boeing Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg on Wednesday reiterated the planemaker was focused on safely returning the MAX aircraft to service. Speaking at a Bernstein conference in New York, Muilenburg said the company continues to expect to ramp up its long-term production rate to 57 a month after cutting monthly output to 42 planes in response to the groundings. "We're making clear and steady progress, and that includes the work that we're doing on the airplane update, the software update, working through the certification process with the FAA," he said. Sources have told Reuters that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) expects to approve the jet's return to service as soon as late June. U.S. operators United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and American Airlines have removed the planes from their flight schedules until early to mid August. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) expects it could take until August before the Boeing Co 737 MAX returns to service, the airline group's head said on May 29, adding that the final say on the timing rested with regulators. The 737 MAX was grounded globally in March after a crash in Ethiopia killed all 157 people on board, the model's second deadly crash in five months. "We do not expect something before 10 to 12 weeks in re-entry into service," IATA Director General Alexandre de Juniac told reporters in Seoul. "But it is not our hands. That is in the hands of regulators." IATA plans to organise a summit with airlines, regulators and Boeing in 5 to 7 weeks to discuss what is needed for the 737 MAX to return to service, he said. The airline industry has had a tough six months with fuel, labour and infrastructure costs increasing and trade tensions rising in addition to the 737 MAX grounding, de Juniac said. IATA's December forecast for $35.5 billion in industry profits in 2019 is expected to be lowered in an update at its annual meeting in Seoul on June 2. At an IATA meeting for 737 MAX operators in Montreal last week, airline members said they wanted regulators to cooperate closely on the decision for the plane's re-entry to service, de Juniac said. "We hope that they will align their timeframe," he said of regulators. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) expects to approve the jet's return to service as soon as late June, representatives of the US air regulator informed members of the United Nations' aviation agency in a private briefing last week, sources told Reuters. US operators United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and American Airlines have removed the planes from their flight schedules until early to mid August. A two-member team of the NIA is in Sri Lanka to hold discussions with authorities about a probe in the Easter Sunday bombings over claims that some terrorists, owning allegiance to ISIS, had travelled to India, including Kashmir, officials said on May 29. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) team is led by Inspector General Alok Mittal, who has probed various ISIS-related cases in South India, including a conspiracy by the terror module to kill prominent leaders. During investigations in the case, the NIA had alerted the island nation that ISIS terrorists were planning to carry out strikes there. India had been regularly sharing intelligence inputs about a possible terror attack in Sri Lanka targeting the Indian High Commission and religious places there. The inputs to Sri Lanka were sent through diplomatic channels after a thorough investigation pertaining to the ISIS case in Coimbatore was carried out by the NIA, which has filed a charge sheet against seven people. The Indian delegation will give a detailed briefing about its probe during which it had stumbled upon videos of National Thowheed Jamaat (NTJ) leader Zahran Hashim, which was indicative of a terror attack on religious places as well as the Indian High Commission in Colombo. Hashim was among the nine suicide bombers, including a woman, who carried out a series of blasts in Sri Lanka in which 253 people were killed on April 21. The videos, seized from the accused in the Coimbatore case, showed Hashim asking youths from Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala to establish an Islamic rule in the region. After the blasts in Sri Lanka, the NIA had arrested 29-year-old Riyas A, also known as Riyas Aboobacker or Abu Dujana, a resident of Palakkad. He is alleged to be in touch with Hashim on social media platforms, the officials said. The accused had disclosed during investigations that he had been following speeches of Hashim for more than a year and has also followed the speeches delivered by controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik. According to inputs with the central agencies, Hashim had spent time in India last year during which he attempted to influence youths in Tamil Nadu and Kerala to join him. Hashim had parted ways from Sri Lankan National Thowheeth Jamaat (NTJ) to form his own outfit Nation of Thowheed Jamaat which is alleged to have carried out the Easter attack in Sri Lanka. The team will also ask about the claims made by Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake, the commander of the Sri Lankan Army, that the suicide bombers had travelled to some cities in India, including Kashmir. "They (the suspects) have gone to India, they've gone to Kashmir, Bangalore, they've travelled to Kerala state. Those are the information available with us," he had said to BBC earlier this month. However, the Jammu and Kashmir police had denied about it and had asked the Sri Lanakan authorities to share more information about it. Some officials of the central security agencies said that about a dozen Sri Lankan nationals had come to Kashmir Valley this year and their credentials have been re-checked after the bombings in three churches and three luxury hotels killed 253 people and injured over 500 others. However, there could be a possibility of the bombers visiting the state using pseudonym, one of the officials said, adding if Sri Lanka hands over some evidence, it can be verified from the ground. The Sri Lankan Army chief had said that some of the suicide bombers, who carried out the country's worst terror attack, visited Kashmir and Kerala for "some sorts of training" or to "make some more links" with other foreign outfits. The government proposes to bring down its holding in state-owned banks by launching an exclusive PSU Banks ETF (Exchange Traded Fund), sometime at the end of the third quarter period of the current financial year, sources said. Official sources said that a proposal to set up PSU bank ETF has found favour with both Department of Financial Services (DFS) and DIPAM, and that a formal plan would be prepared after the new government takes office at the Centre. Government holding in several PSU banks continues to remain at very high levels. It is as high as 75 per cent in Punjab National Bank (PNB) and 65 per cent in Bank of Baroda (BoB). This is despite market regulator SEBI directing higher public holding in listed entities, including banks, and the finance ministry being in favour to bring down government holding in banks to 52%. Finance ministry officials said the long overdue PSU bank ETF will solve the dual purpose of raising resources for the disinvestment department and help it meet the Rs90,000-crore target and also help in paring government's stake in PSU banks post-recapitalisation. It is proposed that initially all the top 10 banks would be part of PSU Bank ETF to help the fund generate interest among the investors. Subsequently smaller banks would be added. But before that, the balancesheet of these banks need to be strong to gain investor confidence. The reduction of government stake in PSU banks to 52% is not only on agenda of the government for the last five years, it is also required to meet the market regulator Sebi's mandate of meeting a minimum 25% public float. With repeated recapitalisation due to the poor capital strength of the banks, the government stakes keep on reaching new highs. With the new government at the Centre, it is expected that they would fulfil their own agenda of bringing down its stake in PSU banks. With market conditions not in the hands of banks, the stake sale of these banks many times perpetually get delayed. The Bank ETF would solve that purpose, said the sources. But at the moment it is not decided if the insurance companies will be part of it. Among the PSU banks, 19 of them are listed. The government shareholding in many state-run banks is currently above 75 per cent. In case of their further recapitalisation, this will go up over 90 per cent in some cases and also touch 99 per cent. The country's largest lender, State Bank of India, has already initiated steps for Rs 20,000 crore share sale through qualified institutional placement (QIP). Post QIP, the government stake will be diluted from the existing 58.53 per cent. Many other banks are planning to raise capital through some means or other, depending on the market conditions. Some state-run lenders such as Syndicate Bank, Union Bank of India, PNB, and Oriental Bank of Commerce, among others, have already issued, or are in the process of announcing Employee Share Purchase Schemes (ESPS). The government shareholding is in PNB 75.41 per cent and in Bank of India it is 89.1 per cent. In the merged enitity of Bank of Baroda-Dena- Vijaya Bank, the government stake is 65.7 per cent on the basis of the share swap ratio. In Canara Bank, the government stake in 72.55 per cent. Post allotment of the equity shares, of the equity shares, the shareholding of the government has gone up to 79.41 percent in the Allhabad Bank. In Corporation Bank, the government stake in 93.5 per cent and in Bank of Maharashtra, it is 87.74 per cent. In Oriental Bank of commerce, the government holds 87.58 per cent by . In Uco Bank, the government stake is 93.29 per cent. In Union Bank, the Finance mInistry holds 74.27 per cent. In United Bank of India, the government stake currently is 96.83 per cent. In Punjab and Sind Bank, the Centre's stake is 85.56 per cent. In state-run IDBI Bank, the promoters hold 97.46 per cent stake, as per BSE shareholding pattern of March 2019. Disclaimer: Information, facts or opinions expressed in this news article are presented as sourced from IANS and do not reflect views of Moneylife and hence Moneylife is not responsible or liable for the same. As a source and news provider, IANS is responsible for accuracy, completeness, suitability and validity of any information in this article. We had mentioned in Tuesdays closing report that bullishness in Nifty, Sensex were continuing. The Indian indices ended lower but off day's low on Wednesday ahead of F&O expiry on May 30. At close, the Sensex was down 247.68 points at 39,502.05, while Nifty was down 67.70 points at 11,861.10. On the NSE, there were 660 advances, 1,082 declines and 359 unchanged. Among the sectors, except IT (information technology), all other indices are trading in the red led by PSU (public sector undertaking) Bank, infra, auto, metal, energy, FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) and pharma. Tata Consultancy Services has signed a new strategic partnership with Scandinavia's leading airline, SAS, the flag-carrier of Sweden, Norway and Denmark. TCS shares closed at Rs2,114.20, up 1.95% on the NSE. TTK Prestige reported that net profit was up 18.4% at Rs43.8 crore versus Rs37 crore and revenue was up 6.8% at Rs444.9 crore versus Rs416.4 crore. Operating profit or EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) was up 10.9% at Rs64.1 crore against Rs57.8 crore and tax expense was at Rs21.3 crore versus Rs18.5 crore, year-on-year. TTK Prestige shares closed at Rs7,230.55, down 0.47% on the NSE. The Q4 consolidated net profit of Adani Enterprises rose 50.5% at Rs283.4 crore against Rs188.3 crore, revenue was up 35.5% at Rs13,236 crore against Rs9,767 crore, year-on-year. One-time loss was at Rs160.5 crore, EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) was up at Rs707 crore and margin at 5.3%. Adani Enterprise shares closed at Rs157.00, down 0.41% on the NSE. Promoter group firm Bharti Telecom reduced their holding to 41.24% and consequently, Bharti Airtel shares closed at Rs338.25, down 2.13% on the NSE. V-Guard reported Q4 net profits at Rs59.2 crore against Rs27.6 crore. Revenue was up 12.3% at Rs742 crore versus Rs661 crore, year-on-year. V-Guard Industries shares closed at Rs226.90, up 1.43% on the NSE. Cadila Healthcare shares rose 4% post-announcement of Q4 results. Consolidated net profit was down 22.1% at Rs460 crore, revenue was up 15.3% at Rs3,771.2 crore. Operating profit or EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) were down 6.4% at Rs800.6 crore, and the margin was at 21.5%. Cadila Healthcare shares closed at Rs263.10, up 1.88% on the NSE. RITES Q4 results were announced and the net profit was up 70.2% at Rs132 crore against Rs77.5 crore, revenue up 31.4% at Rs714.3 crore against Rs543.5 crore, year-on-year. RITES shares closed at Rs279.10, up 2.20% on the NSE. Ipca Labs has doubled its Q4 profit. Net profit has increased to Rs109.5 crore in March quarter in 2019, against Rs51.3 crore in the same period last year and the results were driven by strong operating income. Revenue grew by 6.7% to Rs834 crore. EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) shot up 60.7% to Rs174.7 crore and margin expanded 700 bps to 20.9% year-on-year. IPCA Laboratories shares closed at Rs929.30, down 0.25% on the NSE. Indoco Remedies Q4 results were announced and net profit fell 43.3% to Rs11.6 crore, revenue was down 6.5% at Rs252 crore. Indoco Remedies shares closed at Rs193.75, up 4.50% on the NSE. Ramco Systems has won the Aviation ERP modernization program from Societe Caledonienne de Transports Aeriens. Ramco Systems shares closed at Rs201.60, up 5.27% on the NSE. Havells India Q4 results were announced and net profit was down 8.4% at Rs207 crore, revenue was up 8.6% to Rs2,752 crore. EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) were down 9.7% at Rs323 crore, margin was at 11.7%, year-on-year. Havells India shares closed at Rs734.30, up 1.46% on the NSE. ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company shares gained 2.77% on May 29 after a media report indicated that global private equity player Warburg Pincus has been exploring a stake sale in the company. ICICI Bank shares closed at Rs423.50, down 2.49% on the NSE. Man Industries shares declined 10%. The carbon steel pipes manufacturer reported dismal numbers for the quarter ended March 2019. Man Industries India shares closed at Rs61.00, down 9.16% on the NSE. Shares of Hindustan Copper added more than 3% after the company reported strong earnings in the quarter ended March 2019. Hindustan Copper shares closed at Rs45.80, up 1.22% on the NSE. Prestige Estates Projects shares have hit their 52-week high. CLSA (formerly, Credit Lyonnais Securities Asia) said that its Prestige's Q4 results were strong both operationally and financially, as pre-sales surged to an 18-quarter high and profits more than doubled quarter-on-quarter. Management said that it was in aggressive mode now as it looked to capitalise on a market upturn as well as industry-wide consolidation. Pre-sales could rise 30% and lease income could grow by 20% in FY20, if the upper end of guidance got hit, according to CLSA. Prestige Estates Projects shares closed at Rs308.00, up 7.84% on the NSE. The Indian rupee has recovered a bit from its day's low as its trading lower by 18 paise at 69.87 per dollar versus previous close 69.69. The top gainers and top losers of the major indices are given in the table below: The Reserve Bank of India has decided to extend the usage timings for 'Real Time Gross Settlement' (RTGS) system from June 1. A notification to this effect was issued on Tuesday. RTGS is a financial transaction system, where there is continuous and real-time settlement of fund transfers, individually on a transaction-by-transaction basis. However, the system does not works on a 24-hour basis. The current RTGS service window for customer transactions is available to banks from 8 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. on a working day, for settlement at the RBI's end. "It has been decided to extend the timings for customer transactions (initial cut-off) in RTGS from 4.30 p.m. to 6 p.m. "The time-varying charges for transactions in RTGS from 13:00 hours (1 p.m.) to 18:00 hours (6 p.m.) shall be Rs 5 per outward transaction," it said. Disclaimer: Information, facts or opinions expressed in this news article are presented as sourced from IANS and do not reflect views of Moneylife and hence Moneylife is not responsible or liable for the same. As a source and news provider, IANS is responsible for accuracy, completeness, suitability and validity of any information in this article. While there are little minor differences between each and every party, the main skeleton stays the same. Kids are paired in buddies, and there are parents roaming around the store and making sure the kids are all safe and not being silly. Everyone who has reported organising the party for their kids has said it was a blast and the kids have loved the things they buy. WATCH BELOW: Lana reveals the Kmart secret for discovering the perfect purchase Putnam knew that girls and boys experience college differently and wanted to share her advice from her time at UNC. It is the idea of making sure that students going into college understand the full college experience, she said. With her tenure as student body president, she feels it has given her a insight to how higher education works from the student perspective and the administrative side. I can offer a lot of ideas and support for students coming into school because I understand what resources are available to them and that is especially things I didnt know going into my college experience, Putnam said. Even though the two co-authors were UNC grads, the book is for all future and present college students. There is nothing else like (this), she said. This is quite literally advice from a literal college student as compared to everything else. Helms and Putnam also both have a passion for mentorship, so the partnership in writing the book just made sense. Maintaining independence and editorial freedom is essential to our mission of empowering investor success. We provide a platform for our authors to report on investments fairly, accurately, and from the investors point of view. We also respect individual opinionsthey represent the unvarnished thinking of our people and exacting analysis of our research processes. Our authors can publish views that we may or may not agree with, but they show their work, distinguish facts from opinions, and make sure their analysis is clear and in no way misleading or deceptive. To further protect the integrity of our editorial content, we keep a strict separation between our sales teams and authors to remove any pressure or influence on our analyses and research. Read our editorial policy to learn more about our process. The Bubble Index In early 2017, Bloomberg editor Joe Wiesenthal tweeted, A good ETF would be to take companies/markets that journalists say are in a bubble and then to go long them. A portfolio manager at the investment firm GAM, Paul McNamara, took up the challenge, and created a hypothetical portfolio of oft-derided securities. Among them were Tesla (TSLA) and Netflix (NFLX), a bitcoin fund, long bonds, a Chinese real estate trust, and an exchange-traded note that shorted U.S. stock volatility. The Bubble Portfolio gained 80% for the rest of 2017, dropped 23% the following year (its short-volatility note liquidated after losing more than 90% of its value), and has rebounded to gain 17% so far this year. That makes for a 25%-plus annualized return (I cant state precisely, as I dont have the portfolios official start date), albeit with some significant variability. Home Capital Group Inc. could become a highly likely target for a takeover if the companys stock remains trading below book value, according to M Partners research analyst Andrew Hood. As shares trade at a 35% discount to book, we believe there is limited room for price depreciation, while if operations continue to improve we could see a re-rating closer to book value, Hood wrote in his client note earlier this week, as quoted by BNN Bloomberg. We view Home Capital shares as an investment that provides an exceptional margin of safety, even in downside scenarios for the Canadian housing market. The cost of a benchmark house in Toronto is $873,100, meaning only 10% of income earners (making at least $160,000) can afford itnot as bad as Vancouvers $1,441,000, where only the top 1% of income earners ( who make at least $240,000) can afford that, but definitely prohibitive. My returning clients are looking outside the city, said Toronto-based mortgage broker Daniel Johanis of Rock Capital Investments. If theyre not going to the suburbs, theyre going to secondary markets like Hamilton and Kitchener-Waterloo. Johanis has also seen some of the novel financing ideas Black alluded to. Ive seen enough co-op buys where multiple families live in one home, said Johanis. Its obviously a larger purchase price, but some will do a legal basement so they can rent it out and make some of the money back. Of course, theres also the bank of mom and dad to help with the purchase prices overall affordability. According to Black, Canada doesnt have an overpriced housing market; its merely overheated. The more expensive it becomes, the more desperate people become to get in lest they get priced out in the future. Its also a problem Black says exists in most of the worlds major cities. KrebsOnSecurity confirmed the report. According to Krebs, First Americans website exposed about 885 million files. Many of the exposed files were records of wire transactions that included homebuyers and sellers bank account numbers and other information, according to Krebs. No authentication was required to read the documents, Krebs wrote. The title insurance agency collects all kinds of documents from both the buyer and seller, including Social Security numbers, drivers licenses, account statements, and even internal corporate documents if youre a small business, Ben Shoval, the developer who notified Krebs of the exposure, told Krebs. You give them all kinds of private information and you expect that to stay private. First American patched the leak when Krebs notified the company. First American has learned of a design defect in an application that made possible unauthorized access to customer data, the company said in a statement provided to KrebsOnSecurity. At First American, security, privacy, and confidentiality are of the highest priority and we are committed to protecting our customers information. The company took immediate action to address the situation and shut down external access to the application. We are currently evaluating what effect, if any, this has had on the security of customer information. LGBTQ+ people have to pay more for a typical home in gayborhoods across the US, Zillow reported. Zillow mapped same-sex couple households to calculate the premiums associated with gayborhoods cultural communities for LGBTQ+ people in major markets. "During much of the 1970s and 1980s, people left cities in droves for outlying suburbs, driving down property values in urban centers," Zillow wrote in an article. "Disadvantaged populations, including LGBTQ+ people, moved in for the cheaper rents and a sense of community, becoming what sociologist Sharon Zukin describes as gentrifications vanguard. They started new businesses and created thriving and tolerant neighborhoods that attracted more affluent LGBTQ+ people, who in turn helped the communities prosper further." FREDERICKSBURG For Pam and Joe Holzworth of Pasadena, a stop at the Studebaker Farms peach stand on Highway 290 was the sweet finale to their Hill Country getaway. I have to eat them over a sink theyre so juicy, Pam said as her husband dug out bills for a box of regals. She also was stocking up for favorite summertime treats, such as peach cobbler and frozen peaches blended into fruity cocktails. The couple are in luck this year. Despite a season marked by early and late freezes, rain dumps and heavy spring winds, just about every peach tree in just about every Hill Country orchard is full of ripe or ripening fruit. Weve been skating through with a lot of blessings here, grower Russ Studebaker said, pointing out varieties hed felt for sure would fail. The Studebakers planted their first trees about 25 years ago, picking up 60 acres when land was cheap. Last week, he steered his 1961 Studebaker pickup through rows of newer and older trees. Lucas Mackan, a local college student, loaded peaches directly into boxes, following Studebakers guidelines: pick when the fruit has gone from green to blush and the coloring is either creamy or freckled red. Thats what keeps us in business, Studebaker said. You cant pick a peach green. It wont ripen fully. The best may be yet to come, as later-season varieties such as lorings, dixilands, red globes and ouachita gold (a yellow-skinned variety with a cult following) look to be in abundant supply. Down the road a few miles, Jamey Vogel of Vogel Orchard stopped short of predicting a record crop. But he said this years looks at least as good as the last really good crop in 2015 and has the potential to match the super good crop of 2010. Its been a nice surprise. In early March, we thought we were going to lose the whole crop, he said. We had a late winter blast. We had three mornings that were in the 20s. ReNew HOUSTON: Pick fruits and vegetables that are in season for the best nutrition Hill Country peaches have a big following for a lot of reasons. The soils are said to be rich in flavor-enhancing minerals from deposits left by an ancient sea. The elevation allows for cool nights that provide winter chill hours necessary for buds to break dormancy. The region is on the edge of a Texas arid zone, which makes for a higher sugar content than most other peaches. But Texas weather is notoriously fickle. A warm winter can mean barren trees. Whats blossomed into a hearty crop can be wiped out by an Easter freeze. Growers never know when Mother Nature will pound their orchards with hail. Instant Analysis Text HOUSTON to 77453 to get premium breaking news alerts from HoustonChronicle.com by text | Sign up to receive breaking news alerts delivered to your email here. See More Collapse Vogels theory is that the rains that preceded this years March freeze kept humidity levels high. When you really get the damage in the winter from a late freeze is when you have real low humidity, he said. Like many Hill Country peach orchards, Vogels is family-owned. His parents, George and Nelda, planted their first trees in 1953. They opened a roadside stand in 1972, joining a tourist-driven trade thats taken off over the last 20 years. In his opinion, the exploding Hill Country wine scene the region now ranks second to Californias Napa Valley for wine tourism has boosted business even more. People want to say, Oh, the wine industry is taking over. Its like theyre taking away from us. But its really added to the traffic here, Vogel said. The folks who buy wine also buy peaches. Its all made a destination out of what a few generations ago was an isolated community of German immigrants who mostly grew cotton. Mark Wieser, co-founder of the Fischer & Wieser brand of specialty jams and sauces and owner of Fredericksburgs Das Peach Haus, traces the start of the Fredericksburg peach industry to a post-World War I bust in cotton prices. In 1926, strapped suppliers called about 450 farmers to a meeting at the courthouse, and told them they needed to find a new, money-making crop. Wiesers father, who came from a fruit-growing region on the German-Swiss border, suggested fruit. By 1935, the region had the foundation of its current peach industry. He planted the first peach orchard in 1928. By junior high school, Mark Wieser figured out that sitting out by the side of the road with a sign touting fresh peaches could be lucrative. One day he made about $85, which he said is the equivalent of about $850 today. And there turned out to be plenty of business to go around. RECIPE: Easy Peach Cobbler Don Eckhardt, now 87, said his parents were among the other peach pioneers, starting with about seven acres of Alberta peach trees in the 1930s. Acreage expanded until the family decided it was getting to be too much. The family now has about 50 acres behind their new stand on U.S. Highway 87. It wasnt always easy. The family once went consecutive seven years without a crop. Another year they got wiped out by hail. Something that looks very prosperous in a moments time, we were through, Eckhardt said. He recalled loading a truck with peaches and driving down country roads to be at the San Antonio market by 4 a.m. Now the market comes to them, including the fellow Fredericksburg old-timer who stopped by to fill a bag with peaches and speak for a few minutes in German. We went from wholesaling to retail, Eckhardt said with a smile. And we like it a lot better. lbrezosky@express-news.net The Port of Corpus Christi has started work on a $380 million project to deepen and widen its ship channel to allow for two-way supertanker traffic. The project should be completed in 2022. Port officials and community leaders held a Wednesday morning ceremony where dignitaries pulled on levers to signal the beginning of the ambitious dredging project. Crews with Illinois-based Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co. will begin deepening the Corpus Christi Ship Channel to 54 feet from 47 and widen it to 530 feet from 400. Port of Corpus Christi Chief Executive Sean Strawbridge called the Wednesday morning event a moment more than 20 years in the making. Operators of the South Texas waterway began the federal application and funding process for the project in 1990. "We are building and enhancing infrastructure and collaborating with new partners as we prepare to accommodate major growth in crude oil production," he said in a statement. Exports: First contract awarded to deepen, widen Corpus Christi Ship Channel The Port of Corpus Christi Authority has pledged to provide $100 million of its own money toward the project; the remaining funds will be paid by the federal government over the next few years. Once completed, the channel will be able to support two-way traffic of supertankers capable of carrying up to 2 million barrels of crude oil and refined products per shipment. Fuel Fix: Get daily energy news headlines in your inbox The dredging project comes at a time when supertankers have been successfully tested by various port customers and the Corpus Christi emerges as a top export hub for crude oil and refined products. Capable of holding up to 1 million barrels of crude oil or refined products, Suezmax tankers will be able to be fully loaded in the widened and deepened channel. Very Large Crude Carriers, or VLCC tankers, capable of holding 2 million barrels can be partially loaded at facilities along the channel and then fully loaded in deeper waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 29) The principal authors of the Safe Spaces Act are elated as the bill that penalizes catcalling and other forms of sexual harassment has lapsed into law. Senator Risa Hontiveros, one the principal authors of the proposed Safe Streets, Workplaces and Public Spaces Act, said the measure lapsed into law on April 21 after President Rodrigo Duterte did not act on a bicameral conference committee report ratified in February. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said that since there is no recommendation from Duterte to veto, it may have been signed or it lapsed into law. Hontiveros described this as a massive victory against what she called as the country's "growing bastos culture." "Now, women and LGBTs have a strong policy instrument to protect us from gender-based street harassment. With this law, we will reclaim our streets from sexual harassers and gender bigots and make public spaces safe for all," she said in a statement. Under the final version of the bill agreed upon by the bicameral conference committee, those apprehended for cursing, wolf whistling, catcalling, and saying misogynistic, transphobic, homophobic, and sexist slurs for the first time will be fined 1,000 and will serve 12 hours in community service, which includes attendance in a gender sensitivity seminar. Second-time offenders will be jailed for six to 10 days or fined 3,000, while third-time offenders will be jailed 11 to 30 days and fined 10,000. Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin, the principal author of the law in the House, said, "These penalties are crucial in sending the message: mahal mambastos sa Pilipinas." Hontiveros earlier said any person who feels offended by slurs and actions directed at them can simply report the incident to a police officer or any public safety officer who can immediately issue a violation ticket. The lawmaker also urged the government to ensure that the provisions of the law will be implemented, especially in relation to funding and personnel. CNN Philippines correspondent Anjo Alimario contributed to this report. Midland County has lost its sheriff. For many Midlanders, Gary Painter was the only sheriff they have ever known. This weekend truly was the end of watch for this law enforcement veteran who passed away at the age of 72. We know just as Sheriff Painter is now going home as his Christian faith promises, our community lost a truly impactful individual. He wasnt only the top law enforcement official inside county government; he served as the protector of the county, its sheriffs office and of the men and women he led so capably. It was under his leadership that Midland County jail facilities entered the 21st century. County leaders knew it was because of Painter that this was possible. Instead of just paying for new jail facilities out of excess savings, they went to the people for approval because they knew the community would rally around Painter, one of the communitys most-revered elected officials. More Information Midland County offices and facilities will be closed Thursday to allow employees to attend Painter's funeral. The exception is the Midland County Public Library. Both branches will be open 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. See More Collapse RELATED: Funeral scheduled for Sheriff Painter We also remember the sheriff who held his men and women to the highest accountability. He embraced the idea of his deputies wearing body cameras. And when his deputies failed to live up to the communitys standards, he dealt with them swiftly and left no doubt that embarrassing actions would not be tolerated. That type of accountability seems hard to find these days. It wasnt with Sheriff Painter. We agree with Midland Police Chief Seth Herman, who told the Reporter-Telegram, It is with great sorrow that we acknowledge the passing of a true law enforcement professional. Sheriff Gary Painter served with the utmost distinction throughout his career as both a United States Marine and law enforcement official -- serving as an example to all who wear the badge. He exemplified those traits most desired in our public servants; honor, courage, selflessness. His leadership will be missed, but his indelible legacy shall live on through those he inspired -- myself included. Moving forward, the next sheriff will have big shoes to fill. Painter was a legend. His peers around the state and across the country knew this and appointed him as a leader of prominent associations. Republican governors nominated the conservative Painter to state boards. And his legend also likely will include that those looking to open certain businesses avoided Midland County because they didnt want to mess with Midland Countys sheriff. RELATED: County: Flags to be lowered until day after service The reality was, Painter will be irreplaceable, and he will be missed in our community. Finally, we leave you with this comment from former Midland County District Attorney Teresa Clingman. Sheriff Gary Painter was one of the old-school sheriffs who personified law and order in the community. He didn't pull any punches just to be politically correct. He treated all people the same no matter their station in life. He was kind and thoughtful in times of need, and hard as steel when dealing with true criminals. His word was his bond. It was obvious to anyone that worked with Gary that he lived for the three priorities in his life -- to serve his God, to serve his family and to serve the citizens. The loss of Sheriff Painter is the end of a law enforcement era. Rest in peace, Gary." ALBANY Everyone pretty much agreed on one thing during Wednesdays Senate hearing on possible alternatives for education funding: Property taxes are universally unpopular but they will likely continue as a mainstay of school support in New York. It is consistently the least popular tax, said Thomas Downes, a Tufts University economist who was among the speakers at a hearing led by Senate Education Chairwoman Shelley Mayer, D-Yonkers, and Budget Chairman Brian Benjamin, D-Manhattan. But they are also the most stable over time, since, unlike sales or income taxes, they dont go up and down with the inevitable economic cycles. And since homeowners can ultimately lose their houses if they dont pay, they will forego other expenses to make sure the property taxes are covered. One of the things (homeowners) make sure they are going to pay is their (property) taxes, said Sen. John Brooks, D-Long Island. (Property tax) is a stable and predictable source of funding and it is less subject to economic whims than sales or income tax, said Emily Parker, senior policy analyst at the Education Commission of the States. The trouble is those taxes tend to rise with home values, even if incomes arent keeping pace. Their homes are appreciating greatly over time. The incomes are not, Brooks said of many of his constituents, including some who opt to leave the state or simply walk away from their houses which leads to zombie homes. Moreover, with the states 2 percent property tax cap becoming permanent this year, the states vast education lobby is looking for alternate streams of revenue. Adding to the challenge is the new $10,000 federal limit on local property tax deductions. Homeowners in high tax areas like Westchester County or Long Island feel the impact of that since they used to be able to write off unlimited amounts of their school and county taxes from their income tax filings. Now they hit a ceiling at $10,000. There are plenty of ideas to fix this but none of them would be easy to implement, experts said. Some states are looking at things like soda taxes to help pay for schools, while others such as Michigan, have instituted statewide property taxes on secondary homes such as vacation cottages, to fund education. One thing that lawmakers shouldnt bet on is marijuana tax revenue, should recreational marijuana become legal. Despite all the talk of windfalls, the actual amount that would be generated, even at a 20 percent rate, would be a drop in the bucket of more than $24 billion in state aid for schools, said Daniel Thatcher, program director for the National Council of State Legislatures. Its not enough to really get at the problem, he said. While it wasnt the focus of Wednesdays hearing, a few lawmakers did make note of New Yorks high levels of education spending which according to recent Census data now averages more than $23,000 per pupil, the nations highest. Its not always about what you make. Its about what you spend, said Sen. Bob Antonacci, R-Syracuse. And the economists noted that pension and health care costs for retired teachers and other school employees will continue to consume more and more tax dollars. Thats especially true in upstate rural districts that are losing students and taxpayers -- due to population losses. Were paying more out in retirement than we are for the active teachers. It is a problem, but I dont know how you solve it, said Sen. Betty Little, R-Queensbury. One possible way to shift the burden of property taxes is to bolster the circuit breakers, or income-related discounts or rebates on property taxes, participants said. New York already limits the School Tax Relief or STAR tax break to families with incomes below $500,000. But the breaks could be more progressive that is, tied to a sliding income scale, they said. States such as Vermont have done that, with the result being that peoples property tax bills are more in line with their incomes. Despite the challenges, participants said they believe the lawmakers were right in trying to rethink the dependence on property taxes. Youre doing the right thing by taking a critical look at your property tax system. Its a great first step, said Parker. There needs to be a constant conversation. Added Mayer, We have a lot of work to do. rkarlin@timesunion.com 518-454-5758 @RickKarlinTU The Metropolitan Transit System has launched its Elevate SD public outreach effort, looking for feedback from residents about how to improve the transit system and create a more connected San Diego. As MTS is preparing to put a half-cent sales tax increase on the 2020 ballot, they want public participation on what a better transit system would look like in all communities and Carmel Valley is a stop on their outreach route: an Elevate SD forum will be held on Tuesday, June 11 at 5 p.m. at the Carmel Valley Recreation Center focusing on Carmel Valley and Sorrento Valley areas. Carmel Valley is a unique area for transit and there are a lot of immediate needs for better transportation options, said Sonya Solinsky, who heads up the Carmel Valley Community Planning Boards North West Transit Subcommittee. MTS is looking to provide that. This is a great opportunity for local residents to weigh in on what our priority projects should be. Solinsky said local priorities could include better service to schools, more transit options for seniors, more frequency, improved weekend service, more routes that connect to other communities and connections to Coaster service. With the North West Transit Subcommittee, Solinsky has been making the case to bring transit options to the region over the last several months. More than just Carmel Valley, this effort includes Del Mar, Del Mar Mesa, Torrey Hills, Torrey Pines, Rancho Penasquitos, Torrey Highlands and Black Mountain Ranch. The subcommittee has now received approval from all the planning boards in San Diegos District 1 and Councilmember Barbara Bry has written an official letter to MTS emphasizing the need for transit in the area. Solinsky was recently appointed as a representative to the MTS Elevate SD 2020 Community Advisory Committee. Solinsky and the transit subcommittee team attended the MTS CACs first meeting at the end of April with many other community planning groups, climate activists, economic development groups and other transit-interested coalitions. The meeting was very informative and collaborative to see that everyone is now striving for a common goal of improving transit for San Diego in a timely manner, Solinsky said. When MTS presented its regional map coverage, it actually cut off our communities and only showed the northern area up to Sorrento Valley and Mira Mesa. It was an important moment for us to point out to MTS that we have been ignored for too long. Solinsky said the subcommittee is also closely following SANDAGs new vision for transit in San Diego. SANDAGs plan has faced opposition from the North West areas local representatives on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, Supervisors Kristin Gaspar and Jim Desmond. On April 30, the supervisors voted 3-2 against the plan which proposes taking transportation dollars away from voter-approved highway projects in favor of mass transit. Many active community groups are trying to focus all government agencies on to a common goal for providing effective and efficient alternatives for transportation in San Diego, Solinsky said. Our transit subcommittee follows this lead, that we are not taking away the car, we are just interested in providing other transportation options. Starting back in February, the subcommittee started a transit survey in an effort to show that there is community support for transit for all communities of North West San Diego. The survey has had almost 600 responses with 80 percent positive response to transit. The survey will be up throughout the summer at tinyurl.com/sdtransitsurvey Solinksy encourages those who are interested to join their subcommittee or follow their efforts on Twitter @sd_nw and Facebook at Reinstating Transit to North West San Diego. Contact the group via email at sdtransitsurvey@gmail.com Spanish language instruction will return to the Del Mar Union School District as it plans to begin a pilot program in the 2019-20 school year. In 2020, the district looks to roll out a one-way immersion program where students instruction in nearly every subject would be in Spanish. The district began pursuing a foreign language program last year after hearing feedback that parents wanted children to experience foreign language during the school day. This is near and dear to my heart and Im really excited to see this getting underway, said DMUSD President Erica Halpern. DMUSD Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services Shelley Petersen said the language program will align with the districts goals to prepare all students to be college ready, globally competitive and engaged citizen leaders. The program would also align with the California Department of Educations Global California 2030 which states a goal that by 2030, all K12 students participate in programs leading to proficiency in two or more languages. By 2040, the goal is for three out of four students to be proficient in two or more languages, earning them a State Seal of Biliteracy. Spanish used to be a part of DMUSDs Extended Studies Curriculum (ESC) but the board removed it in 2009. ESC was re-branded to STEAM + in 2015, including the specialty programs in science, technology, art, music and physical education that are partially funded by donations to the Del Mar Schools Education Foundation. Currently, DMUSD has fee-based Spanish and Mandarin programs that are offered after school. Petersen said staff turned to parent outreach as they decided which direction they would go with the new language program. A March parent survey found that 93 percent were interested in the district adding foreign language study and that 1,389 respondents preferred Spanish and 544 respondents were interested in Mandarin instruction. In a second survey seeking input regarding STEAM+ programs, respondents indicated a desire for the inclusion of foreign language instruction as well as continuing with the current STEAM+ content areas. Petersen said the district is looking at offering two Spanish sessions a week for every sixth-grade student in addition to STEAM +, provided by a credentialed teacher. The district will provide a FLES type of language program, which includes an integration of language and culture study, standards-aligned curriculum and varied and appropriate assessment. The district plans to form a second language advisory committee to provide input on a one-way immersion program that would begin in fall 2020. In a one-way immersion program, the target language is used for all instruction with the exception of English language arts. Petersen said a one-way immersion program would likely start at one school and the amount of immersion would be dependent on the interest, starting with one kindergarten cohort and rolling up. Trustee Stephen Cochrane questioned why the district would start with less if there was an interest in one-way immersion program. It takes a great deal of preparation to do it really well, Petersen said of the need to start with a FLES program and take a year to look at the expansion of offerings. We want to do our research, do our homework and be very well prepared to start an outstanding program in fall 2020. Margrethe Vestager the right person for top EU job, politician saysLuis Garicano, vice president of the ALDE, says Margrethe Vestager is the right person for top EU job, EU Commission President. CNBC International TV video above published on May 29, 2019.Danish Prime Minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen has given a strong signal that Denmark would push for EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager to take the EU's top job. Rasmussen, who was previously a political rival of Vestager, described her as "the best candidate" to succeed Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, ahead of an informal summit of EU leaders on Tuesday.Merkel and Macron clash over the EUs future leadershipFinancial Times (ft.com) video above published May 28, 2019: Angela Merkel has made an impassioned defence of Manfred Weber, the German candidate to head the European Commission, shielding him from attacks from French president Emmanuel Macron that exposed divisions over the EUs future leadership. A Los Angeles man who pleaded guilty in a scheme to embezzle $3.1 million from Dallas-based Beck Group was sentenced to six years in federal prison, U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick announced Tuesday. It was the first sentencing in a scam involving several individuals from across the country who submitted fake invoices from the Beck Group, a construction and architecture firm, related to a luxury hotel development project in downtown Houston called Le Meridien. U.S. District Judge Vanessa Gilmore ordered Charles Williams, 43, to prison for 72 months followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay more than $3 million in restitution to Beck. Williams conspired with six people to commit wire fraud and money laundering. The other individuals include: Moses Said, 42, of Houston; Lanamasha Hampton, 42, and Collette Devoe Hines, 49, both of Atlanta; Janell Crosby Quant, 38, of Union City, Ga.; Heather Ashley Sowa, 31, of Denver; and William Lewis Sutton Jr., 48, of Los Angeles. They have all pleaded guilty for their roles in the scheme. Stay Informed Text CHRON to 77453 to get breaking news alerts by text | Sign up to receive breaking news alerts delivered to your email here. See More Collapse Williams was among those who created shell companies to submit false invoices to the Beck Group for payment of construction products that were not provided and construction services that were not performed. Said was in charge of the Le Meridien project from 2016 to 2017 as a construction manager with the Beck Group. He approved and submitted the false invoices, which Beck payed to the shell companies. Some of the fraudulent proceeds were paid to Williams and Said, who transferred the funds to other companies or individuals in an attempt to conceal and disguise them. Williams was allowed to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility on a yet-undetermined date. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 29) Vice President Leni Robredo on Wednesday said the photo scandal involving six male senior students of Philippine Science High School (PSHS) goes beyond the school, urging the public to call out intolerable acts against women, despite the normalization of misogynistic acts. "It is an issue that goes to the heart of how we, as a society, must act when women are disrespected, demeaned, or abused, particularly when this is passed off as boys having harmless fun, and therefore normal and acceptable, she said in a statement. Six senior high students from PSHS, more known as Pisay, were allegedly found to have spread nude photos of their underaged female classmates online. Robredo noted that Pisay students are considered the nation's brightest young minds as the school is the top science high school in the country. But she said it is the toxic culture that breeds and tolerates misogyny. "The problem, after all, is not one of intelligence, but of culture. But if we are to find a way forward, to a society where both women and men can truly have an equal opportunity to be the best we can be, then we must make the conscious, if difficult, choice to change that culture," she said. The Vice President, who has also been the subject of President Rodrigo Duterte's improper advances, urged her fellow women to speak up and act against sexist remarks to change the culture of abuse. "That begins with calling out behavior that is disrespectful and abusive to women, and ensuring that it is appropriately sanctioned. Not making excuses for it, not attempting to justify it, but recognizing it for the injustice it is, and taking the necessary steps to ensure it is not repeated again," she said. Robredo in 2016 described Duterte's remarks as "inappropriate and tasteless" when he oggled at her legs, even pointing it out to his Cabinet secretaries. Related: Robredo says 'tasteless remarks, inappropriate advances' have no place in society The PSHS Board of Trustees banned the six erring students from marching at the graduation ceremony on Wednesday. After its May 7 premiere date, "Texicanas" is halfway through the first season. Tuesday night most of the ladies gathered for an upscale watch party for the fourth episode at Bar 301 near The Dominion. Karen Grace and Sarah Lucero were also at the hot spot broadcasting their live podcast "Mimosas With D," which focuses on increasing ratings for the Bravo reality show. MORE TEXICANA NEWS: San Antonio reality star announces baby 'Texicana' or 'Texicano' on the way "Despite the drama toward the end of the fourth episode between Luz and Myra, all the women were in good spirits and taking lots of group photos," Grace told mySA. The former TV anchors were also having a good time twinning in purple. Attorney Thomas J. Henry made a surprise appearance at the event. The Bravo series has just four episodes left to go with no word on whether the San Antonio-based reality show will be renewed for a second season. Grace says that her and Lucero will be broadcasting from Scuzzi's Italian Grill at Leon Springs for the next watch party. You can watch Tuesday night's live podcast on the One Beauty Bar Facebook page. Candice.Garcia@express-news.net | Twitter @_candicegarcia "Texicana" Lorena Martinez announced on Memorial Day that she and her husband, Ignacio are expecting their third child. The announcement posted on Instagram says: "We are so blessed to share with you that soon we will be a family of 5!! #15weekspreggo don't know the gender yet but whatever God sends us we will be happy." Fellow cast members added their congratulations. Mayra Farret quickly commented "Super bonita (beautiful) Lore." Anayancy Nolasco added a "whoooohoooo!! We are having a baby!!!!" MORE TEXICANA NEWS: San Antonio's 'Texicanas' launch merchandise lines tied to the show Martinez has two children: Sophia, 11, and Ignacio Jr, 16. She says both are very excited for the new addition to their family. "My son is very excited for the baby and my daughter can't wait for the baby to be born," she said. Martinez is due in November and said she couldn't be any more excited to have a newborn again. "Me and my family feel very blessed and excited to be expecting a baby soon." Martinez told MySA via text. I wanted to have a baby since I was 30 but God has his plans and waited 6 years to send us this baby." She says so far the pregnancy has been good to her. "I have been feeling good, just a little bit of headaches, tiredness and some nausea, but nothing severe," she said. Martinez and her husband have been married for 16 years. The pair told the story about how they met at the border in a recent episode of "Texicanas." MORE TEXICANA NEWS: The 'Texicanas' take over New York City, visit 'Watch What Happens Live!' set and meet Andy Cohen While preparing for the new addition to the family, Martinez stays busy with the San Antonio-based reality show and also runs Lorena Martinez Designs, an interior and home decorating business. Martinez also recently launched a line of Texicana merchandise. "Texicanas" airs every Tuesday night at 9 p.m. on Bravo. Candice.Garcia@express-news.net | Twitter @_candicegarcia French pastry chain Le Macaron announced on Tuesday that the franchise will open its first San Antonio location at the Shops at La Cantera. The sweet addition to San Antonio will be the fifth Texas location from the franchise. With more than 50 Le Macaron locations open and operational, the pastry franchise stated on its website that it hopes to add a total of 10 shops in the state within the next five years. A recent tip to the Webb County Sheriff's Office "Report Your Competition" hotline landed one man behind bars, authorities said. The Sheriff's Office said they received information about suspicious activity in the 300 block of Ocean Drive in the Fiesta Subdivision off of Texas 359. Members of Memorial High School's band traveled to Washington D.C. over the weekend to witness the places and events they learn about in textbooks. The trip ended up being an immersive experience that allowed the students to take part in revered annual traditions including the National Memorial Day Parade and the Army Wreath Laying Ceremony at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Steve Montalvo, the high school's band director, told mySA.com 51 students, ranging in grade levels, traveled to Washington, D.C. "We wanted to offer them the opportunity to be part of a memorable event and plant a seed in their minds of what is possible in their futures," Montalvo said. On Saturday, the first day of the trip, four members of the band were able to participate in the Army Wreath Laying Ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. RELATED: San Antonio retired Marine talks life, fitness and inspiration after losing leg in Afghanistan Graduating senior Lawrence Gonzales, junior Eveli Alonzo, sophomore Justin Fakta and freshman Sienna Charles represented the Minuteman Band in the ceremony. Each of the four students have family members who have served or are currently serving in the armed forces, the school said. Montalvo said the group was provided the opportunity by submitting paperwork online through Music Celebrations International. As for the parade participation, Montalvo said the school was nominated by U.S. Rep Joaquin Castro. Video of the wreath-laying was shared across multiple social media platforms associated with the school. "You have no idea how proud this makes me as a veteran, a Minutemen alumni, as a down to the core proud Westsider," Facebook user Aldo Arredondo replied. "These young adults fill me with pride great job!" Madalyn Mendoza is a breaking news reporter and general assignment writer. Read her on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | mmendoza@mysa.com | @MaddySkye Google Maps A man was killed Sunday in a shooting near Cardiff Junior High School in west Harris County, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office. The victim was identified as Marvin Harrison, 19. His 18-year-old brother, Zyquioz Harrison, was also shot but was expected to survive. A former federal agent has been sentenced to 70 months in federal prison on child pornography charges. Senior U.S. District Judge David Ezra sentenced former Homeland Security Investigations agent Richard Nikolai Gratkowski, 40, on Tuesday. Gratkowski filed a notice of appeal Wednesday, records show. The judge also ordered him to pay $35,000 restitution to seven victims, pay a $10,000 assessment under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act and be placed under supervised release for a period of 10 years after completing his prison term. Gratkowski had pleaded guilty in December to receiving child porn and to a separate count of accessing it with intent to view it. On ExpressNews.com: Federal agent plea deal in child porn case is rejected Gratkowski spent 10 years with HSI, a division of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, before his arrest Jan. 4, 2018, as part of an investigation into crime on the dark web. He had been assigned to a squad that investigates gangs in San Antonio. He also had worked in Eagle Pass. All Department of Homeland Security employees are held to the highest standards of behavior and ethics, ICE said in a statement that added that the agency had cooperated with investigators. Gratkowski was arrested after his case was referred to the FBI by his own agencys internal affairs branch and the Internal Revenue Services criminal investigators, FBI special agent Larry Baker testified at a hearing last year. Baker testified that Gratkowskis arrest arose out of an investigation into a child porn website on The Onion Router, or TOR network, which seeks to keep users anonymous by using thousands of relays or servers, much like the layers of an onion. On ExpressNews.com: Federal agent to plead guilty to child porn charges In Gratkowskis case, he used his USAA bank account and his government ID to buy bitcoin, a cryptocurrency, and open an account on the child porn website in April 2016, Baker said. Gratkowski then established a second account that gave him access to the site through much of 2017. Baker said Gratkowski also visited two other child porn websites on the TOR network and used a social media app called Kik to get to another child porn site. Guillermo Contreras covers federal courts in San Antonio and international legal issues. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | gcontreras@express-news.net | Twitter: @gmaninfedland On May 29, 1979, a single shot in an Alamo Heights neighborhood rang through San Antonio and the rest of the nation after U.S. District Judge John H. Wood Jr. was killed at the hands of Charles Harrelson, father of actor Woody Harrelson. The killing marked the first time a federal judge had been assassinated in the U.S. and is "still etched in the city's lore," as San Antonio Express-News archives describe. The federal building on Cesar Chavez Boulevard now bears the judge's name. Before being nominated by President Richard Nixon in October 1970, Wood attended St. Mary's University and the University of Texas Law School, according to the Federal Justice Center. He was known as "Maximum John" for the tough punishments he gave drug traffickers, according to San Antonio Express-News archives. The elder Harrelson was hired for $250,000 by drug lord Jamiel "Jimmy" Chagra, who was well-aware of Wood, the judge who was set to preside over his trial. The contract killer adopted the alias "Bill Bannister" and on the morning of May 29, 1979, Wood was shot and killed by a rifle outside his Alamo Heights home while he was leaving for work. "It was the crime of the century, in San Antonio for sure," local defense lawyer Alan Brown told the San Antonio Express-News in 2017. "It was the first time someone assassinated a sitting federal judge. It was such an iconoclastic case, because it was believed a federal judge could not be touched." Brown represented people who were rounded up as suspects, but ultimately never charged in the case. The investigation into finding the killer took "thousands of man-hours" and became one of the most extensive ones in the FBI's history at that point, costing more than $11 million. Charles Harrelson was eventually convicted in 1982 and sentenced to two consecutive life terms plus 5 years for the slaying. Jimmy Chagra, who hired the hit man, was acquitted of murder and conspiracy of murder when he went to trial in Jacksonville, Florida, according to San Antonio Express-News archives. RELATED: Vintage photos show tragedies, everyday life in San Antonio in 1979 After a attempting to escape a federal prison in Atlanta in 1995, the actor's father was transferred to Supermax in Florence, Colo., the highest-security federal prison where other infamous inmates include Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski, Olympic Park bomber Eric Rudolph and Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh. In 1997, the "Natural Born Killers" and "Kingpin" actor bankrolled his father's unsuccessful appeal and attended the federal proceedings with his brothers in Texas and Colorado. Woody Harrelson opened up about his dad in a 1988 interview with People Magazine. He told the publication his father left his mom in 1968, when he was 8. He then resurfaced in 1981, when Woody Harrelson was in college, after killing the judge. He told People that his father's conviction was a "travesty," but did not feel he was "much" of a parent. "I don't feel he was much a father," Woody Harrelson said in the People interview "He took no valid part in my upbringing." Woody Harrelson added that he and and his father had grown closer since his imprisonment and stood in for him when he got married by proxy. He told People that he was still trying to figure out if he saw his father more as a friend or a parent. Charles Harrelson died in the Colorado prison in 2007, he was 69. According to San Antonio Express-News archives, Charles Harrelson had addressed his own thoughts on death twice before. In the middle of standoff in 1980, before he was arrested, he tossed out papers that said: "Since death is certain, I should only be credited with speeding up a natural process. My marker should read, He did his best for Z.P.G. zero population growth." Another note attributed to Charles Harrelson by an FBI agent was found in a Houston motel room. "God, it's been a tough way I'm sorry Not for me but for the pain I've caused others, both those who've loved me and those who've loved the people I've killed But I've never killed a person who was undeserving of it," it read, according to San Antonio Express-News archives. The notepad also contained another note, but the agent was less sure about the scribbling. "I wish to be cremated with absolutely no religious services," it read, according to the archives. "My ashes should be spread over the John H. Wood Jr. Courthouse in San Antonio." Madalyn Mendoza is a breaking news reporter and general assignment writer. Read her on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | mmendoza@mysa.com | @MaddySkye One male was killed and two others were injured during a drive-by shooting that also targeted nearby police Tuesday afternoon on the East Side. San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said officers were investigating an incident at about 5:40 p.m. at the intersection of Hays and Lockhart when the shooting occurred. The ironic thing about this is we had police officers in line of sight of the shooting, McManus said. They were no more than 45 yards away. Police said between three and four suspects in a black late-model Ford Edge drove up to the intersection and shot at three people standing near a bus stop. One suspect inside the vehicle then pointed the gun toward the officers and fired at least one shot, McManus said. The group an officer and two detectives had been investigating an incident that occurred the night before on Blue Bonnet Street. They had just left an apartment complex on Lockhart and were approaching the intersection when the shots were fired, investigators said. The suspects immediately drove away after firing at police, the chief said. The officer did not return fire because he was not going to risk hitting an innocent bystander, McManus said. Police said one person was pronounced dead by EMS at the intersection. A second male was in very critical condition and take to an area hospital, and the condition of the third person is unknown, McManus said. No officers were injured in the shooting, the chief said. Several people at the scene of the shooting were grieving the three who were shot. Although police did not confirm the age of the dead male, area residents Jose Siller and Keondre Washington said he was a 16-year-old who often played basketball with neighbors. He was a good person, man. I cant believe they did what they did to him, Washington said. Police are still searching for the suspects. Investigators used security camera footage from a VIA bus to obtain images of the vehicle, but they were not released Tuesday afternoon. We believe very strongly that its gang-related, and we have some possibly good information thats been provided to us about the vehicle, McManus said. McManus said police are investigating whether or not this shooting is related to recent incidents that have occurred in the area. During the Tuesday afternoon press conference, McManus said he could not talk about the Blue Bonnet incident. The Bexar County Medical Examiners Office identified the man who died as 18-year-old Jose Gil. Investigators ruled his death a suicide. As police continue to investigate the string of violence in the area, McManus said that the most important thing police need from area residents is cooperation. We need people to talk to us even if its anonymous, McManus said. Jacob Beltran is a reporter covering San Antonio and Bexar County. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | jbeltran@express-news.net | Twitter: @JBfromSA A San Antonio teenager accused of killing a woman and her pregnant daughter will remain in detention, a judge ruled at a hearing Wednesday. Right now this court is not releasing you, Judge Arcelia Trevino told the 14-year-old boy. You are a danger to yourself or another human being. The boy, who is not being identified because he is a juvenile, was charged Tuesday with capital murder-multiple persons in the deaths of Bernadett Jean Quiroz, 18, and her mother, Janette Quiroz, 37. The women were shot around 6:45 p.m. April 9 at the Rosemont at University Park apartments, 102 Emerald Ash, on the South Side. As the teenager entered the courtroom for the hearing, he smiled at three women in the gallery, including his mother, who cried when she saw him. Trevino instructed the teen that the hearing was to determine probable cause and whether he would be released back into the community or remain at the juvenile detention facility. The boy has been at the facility since May 3 on a separate charge of aggravated robbery that is not connected to the killings. Prosecutor Khristina Fielder, who appeared at the hearing with Bexar County District Attorney Joe D. Gonzales, told Trevino that they believed the boy should remain in custody because of the seriousness of the crime. We believe hes a danger to himself and the community, Fielder told the judge. who presides in the 386th Juvenile District Court. The teen was represented by Ninfa Carrillo, an attorney appointed just for the detention hearing. She asked the judge to place a monitoring device on the teen and release him to his mother. Trevino said there was probable cause to keep him detained, so she denied the request. The judge also questioned whether the teen had adequate supervision at home. Based on the complaint and the allegations, the court doesnt feel you are safe being in the community, Trevino said. Police said Janette Quiroz died in the parking lot of the apartment complex. Bernadett Quiroz was taken to San Antonio Military Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. Bernadett Quirozs daughter, Tabitha Quiroz, was delivered after Bernadett was shot but died three days later. Police have not provided a motive for the shootings. After the hearing, Gonzales said his office has 30 days to decide on filing a petition to proceed on the capital murder charges. We will wait until we review everything, he said. We have several options, one of them to certify as an adult. Trevino set another hearing for the teenager at 1:30 p.m. June 12. Elizabeth Zavala covers county and state courts in San Antonio. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863 A second victim died Tuesday at a local hospital following a drive-by shooting on the East Side, police said. The 20-year-old man has not been identified. His death follows that of a 16-year-old boy who was found dead at the scene of the shooting around 5:40 p.m. in the 1500 block of Hays Street. According to a preliminary police report, plain clothes officers were in the area following up on a shooting that had occurred Tuesday morning. During the investigation, an officer witnessed three men in a black SUV open fire on a group of people. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox As the suspects fled, they spotted the officer and tried to shoot him as well. The officer was not struck. "The ironic thing about this is we had police officers in line of sight of the shooting," said San Antonio Police Chief William McManus after the shooting. "They were no more than 45 yards away." Police tried to track down the suspects but were unsuccessful, according to a preliminary police report. RELATED: Gunman fires at police near San Antonio bus stop At the scene of the shooting, authorities found three victims, one of whom was dead. The other two were hospitalized. One of the hospitalized victims was pronounced dead, while the other remains in stable condition. "We believe very strongly that it's gang-related, and we have some possibly good information that's been provided to us about the vehicle," McManus said. Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com Caleb Downs covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County. Read him on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | cdowns@mysa.com | @calebjdowns San Antonio police arrested a man three months after two people were shot on the Northwest Side. Anthony Siebold, 19, was arrested Tuesday on two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. His bail was set at $150,000. Deputies last week arrested a duo after discovering drugs, stolen tools and altered, fully automatic weapons at a Northeast Side home. Nicholas Arik Mata, 26, and Selena Victoria Benites, 24, were charged in the seizure. They now face drug possession charges, as well as state and federal charges related to the firearms. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox According to a statement from the Bexar County Sheriff's Office, deputies executed a search warrant at a home in the 5900 block of Lost Creek on May 22 and discovered the hoard of illicit goods. Included in the seizure were 3 ounces of THC wax, 4 ounces of THC oil, 17 grams of meth, 25 grams of Adderall, eight assault rifles, four pistols that had been altered to fire on full-auto, three firearms without serial numbers, one altered assault rifle, one stolen handgun and one "adapter" to modify any Glock firearm into a fully automatic weapon. Deputies also seized several power tools they suspected had been stolen, then searched a storage facility connected to the duo near Nacogdoches Road and Loop 1604 and found more than $27,000 worth of stolen property. Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com Caleb Downs covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County. Read him on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | cdowns@mysa.com | @calebjdowns A San Antonio man was arrested Monday after he allegedly sexually assaulted a woman he met online, according to police. Juan Angel Perez, 32, was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault, Bexar County Jail records show. READ ALSO: Police release sketch of suspect connected to attempted sexual assault of a jogger at Olmos Park A 20-year-old woman reported the incident to police on April 29, eight days after the alleged assault took place. The two met on a dating website called "Meet Me," according to Perez's arrest affidavit. Perez went by "Blake" on the website and used photos of another person on his profile. They agreed to meet on April 21, and Perez picked her up and took her to a parking lot near Blanco Road and Bitters, the woman told police. Perez allegedly forced himself onto the woman and raped her despite her telling him "no" and "stop," according to the affidavit. After the alleged assault, Perez then drove to a Whataburger with the woman to get milkshakes, police records state. The woman went to the restroom and came out to discover Perez drove away with her purse. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox The woman met Perez again on April 29 to get her belongings back, she told police. There, Perez returned the purse and allegedly told the woman he'd pay her for sex, according to the affidavit. The woman said she declined and then went to the police station to report the sexual assault. Perez's bail was set at $45,000, jail records showed. Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County. Read him on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | fsabawi@mysa.com | @FaresInSA Trinity University has shown a lot of growth since the college first opened its doors 150 years ago. Founded in 1869 by Cumberland Presbyterians in Tehuacana, Texas, the university has moved through three Texas cities and initially opened on what was the Woodlawn Campus in 1942. Currently, the university resides on the "Skyline Campus" on a hilltop that overlooks San Antonio. The disappearance from the public record of a police report alleging family violence filed by the wife of mayoral candidate Greg Brockhouse may go down in history as one of Bexar Countys unsolved mysteries. The report, dated five minutes before Christmas Eve in 2009, was taken by officer D. Gomez, badge number 1487, and given the case number 9063028. The Express-News has a copy but attempts to get an official copy from the San Antonio Police Department in recent weeks has proven fruitless. The report has vanished. How it came to be missing has been fodder for multiple conspiracy theories as the San Antonio mayoral race has heated up. For weeks, Brockhouse has refused to even acknowledge the existence of the report and has gone as far as threatening to walk off stage at a public debate if the issue of family violence was even brought up. Hardly what one would expect from someone seeking to lead the 7th largest city in the country, especially one that had 28 domestic violence-related murders in the last year. San Antonio voters deserve to know what became of police report number 9063028. If it went through legal expunction as many have theorized, Brockhouse needs to own up to it. At a public debate last week he denied he or anyone he knows requested the report be expunged and said, The situation did not happen. A Texas Young Lawyer Association handbook on expunction reads, Once a persons record is expunged, all information is removed from the criminal record and that person can deny the incident ever occurred. Is Brockhouse using that as his playbook? Expunctions are secretive matters and talking about them can bring criminal penalties so no one is going to readily admit there was an expunction. In this case for instance, the family violence allegations in Annalisa Brockhouses report would have likely resulted in a Class C misdemeanor charge if there had been prosecution. However, talking about an expunction can result in a Class B misdemeanor charge for any of the parties associated with that expunction. I get that if Brockhouse were to discuss the expunction of any record connected to him, it could result in his waiving any privilege he gained in seeking the court order. But leaving questions on such an important issue unanswered is going to shadow him the rest of his public life and will only prompt further speculation. A popular conspiracy theory is that the connections he gained as a City Hall insider might have resulted in someone removing the police report from public access as a political favor. If that happened, a criminal investigation is warranted. But the sad reality is we will likely never know what happened. Texas law clearly favors those seeking expunctions and offers no checks and balances if questions should arise. But even if the Brockhouse police report was expunged, the circumstances were unusual. Generally expunctions are sought in cases where there has been an arrest or a citation issued and the charges were later dropped. In this case there is no evidence either of those things happened but there still could have been an expunction issued. Louis D. Martinez, a San Antonio criminal defense lawyer who has done more than 100 expunctions, said granting an expunction without an arrest is done in Bexar County if all the parties sign off on it. Sometimes expunctions are granted in cases without an arrest. That is not the intent of the law but sometimes its done, Martinez said. A judge said a broad interpretation of the term non custodial arrest, which generally refers to a citation, can be applied to just a police report and while unconventional, it is legal. Expunction laws serve a valid purpose. They allow the removal of blemishes that might show up in a criminal background check and cause problems when applying for employment, housing or credit. Their use in a calculated attempt to hide information from voters is troubling. Voters dont like to be played. Former District Attorney Nico LaHood and 150th District Court Judge Monique Diaz each met with considerable negative publicity with their unsuccessful expunction attempts prior to their elections. As much as politicians tout transparency on the campaign trail, they often fail to follow through. Actions speak louder than words. Greg Brockhouse needs to level with the voters about this. If there was no expunction and a police report went missing that means someone has been messing with public records. And tampering with government records is a criminal offense. gpadilla@express-news.net /Carlos Javier Sanchez / Contributor He was the neighborhood drug dealer; she was a single mother of two. They had been living with each other on and off for 19 months. Like many abusers, he was the perfect partner, initially. As time passed, he became more controlling and abusive. The day she came to SAPDs Victims Advocacy program, he had beaten her and threatened to kill her children. The officers and caseworkers in Victims Advocacy did a risk assessment (based on research in violence prediction), developed a safety plan for her that included arranging a stay in a local motel that was working with the program and gave her a cell-phone programmed only to dial 9-1-1. She reluctantly agreed to stay in the motel and leave her home. That night, he broke into her house and set it on fire with himself inside. The police departments Victims Advocacy program saved three lives that day. In the decade between 1994 and 2004, the management of cases like this helped the San Antonio Police Dept. reduce domestic violence related homicides from 10 to 7 percent. Victims Advocacy reduced repeat domestic disturbance calls 45 percent when intervening in domestic disturbance before they escalated to violence. It reduced calls to homes that had the highest number of repeat disturbance and violence calls in the city by 95 percent. It reduced repeat calls and conflicts in high-risk cases in which the relationship was ending by 85 percent. The administrations new immigration policy is merit-based. The policy wants young, educated people to be allowed into this country. What about the Dreamers? They are young, educated and speak English. They dont have to go through any education process to learn our history and laws and, most importantly, they are already here. Why arent they included in this new policy? Richard Caldwell All about politics Re: House OKs cut to abortion providers Metro, May 19: Republicans in the Texas House passed a bill barring local governments from funding or partnering with abortion providers ... . The bill passed 81-65 Friday with only state Rep. Sarah Davis, R-Houston, breaking with her party to vote in opposition. This bill is about politics. It is not about good policy, Davis said. Could we just dwell on what Rep. Davis said? Bobby Riley Constables needed? Re: Revise, detail security rules for pavilions, Metro, May 17: While it might be necessary to revise, detail security rules for pavilions, perhaps the larger issue is the real, true need for constables today. Perhaps job descriptions for constables should be revised and detailed to prevent the abuse of power that Constable Michelle Barrientes Vela used. I doubt thats her only abuse of power. Do we really need constables today? Dianne Dorsett Its tragic: Dreamers, who came to the United States as kids with their families, are educated and assimilated into our society. They develop merit-based skills because of the education and jobs they have here in our country. And we send them back to Mexico. This is a tragic loss for us Mexico is the winner here. Rebecca Baker Brilliant progressives People are critical when the Texas Legislature acts to rein in city government. It is like a parent acting to rein in a foolish child. Councilman Roberto Trevino was a fool to create an issue (Chick-Fil-a at the airport) where none existed. But, Im sure hes smart enough to find ways to replace money the airport will lose. Are not all progressives brilliant? Just ask them! Steve Weakley Democracy declining Re: Editorial Cartoon, Metro, Friday: I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiment of Kirk. Both of my adult children and quite a few of my friends dont read the newspaper, and receive their news via the internet, TV or talk radio. This country was founded on the concept of free speech and a free press. A free press, with libel and slander laws guarding against inaccurate and false reporting, was a forum for public discourse. Today, internet websites, talk radio and cable news networks are not public forums for free speech and public debate, but a mutual admiration society. Where is the medium for a free exchange of ideas and respectful debate that served this country so well? It is dying a slow death as newspapers lose their readership every day. Im afraid our democracy is mirroring the decline of newspapers nationwide. William Schiller Harare West Member of the House of Assembly, Joana Ruvimbo Mamombe (MDC Alliance) has reportedly been arrested and detained at Harare Central Police. The state security authorities have of late effected a series of arrests of human rights activists who were coming from a workshop in the Maldives. They are being charged with plotting violent demonstrations with the intention to illegally unseat the government of President Emmerson Mnangagwa. While the charge or nature of arrest of Mamombe was yet to be ascertained at the time of publishing, Mamombe was arrested a few months back while she was on Parliament business in Nyanga. She was subsequently charged with treason. Her latest arrest was confirmed by journalist Hopewell Chinono who wrote: Harare West MP Joana Mamombe arrested and detained at Harare Central Police. The MDC should not be tempted to react with any action except legal. This failing government wants exactly that. These arrests of opposition and civil society are further exposing the government for what it is! They should allow the system to expose itself more to the outside world whilst the MDC engages the rural folk and educate them about the political and economic realities, Chinono wrote. https://twitter.com/daddyhope/status/1133592036471390208 More to follow Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News A Harare-based lawyer has said MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has repeatedly committed a criminal offence by refusing to recognize the Presidency of Emmerson Mnangagwa and must be arrested. Quoting section 35 of the Zimbabwe Constitution, Charles Mutema writes in the State media that Chamisa and his deputy Tendai Biti, Chief Felix Nhlanhla Ndiweni and others in the MDC-Alliance (the list is long) must also be arrested for calling for sanctions against Zimbabwe. Writes Mutema: The State of Zimbabwe is under siege from these types of people who claim to be its citizens and want to enjoy all the rights to their persons and property, while on the other hand exercising acts of enmity against the country. Mr Biti travelled to the USA where he engaged some members of the US Senate to impose sanctions against Zimbabwe. Mr Biti participated in the crafting of the ZIDERA sanctions law against Zimbabwe. He had no authority from the State of Zimbabwe to act in the manner he did. He proceeds to quote provisions of the Constitution which he says can be used to build a case against those he wants arrested. Section 35 (2) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act 2013 provides that, All Zimbabwean citizens are equally entitled to the rights, privileges and benefits of citizenship and are equally subject to the duties and obligations of citizenship. Section 35 (3) (a) provides that all Zimbabwean citizens are entitled to, among others, the protection of the State wherever they may be. More on ZOOMZimbabwe Gonyeti picked up by detectives Section 35 (4) (a) and (b) make it a duty of all Zimbabweans to be loyal to Zimbabwe, and to observe the Constitution and to respect its ideals and institutions. No one who owes loyalty to his/her State would be expected to propose laws or measures which are injurious to the interests of his or her State, and still wants to claim protection by the laws of that State. Further, every citizen of Zimbabwe who refuses to respect the institution of the President of the State acts unconstitutionally and commits an offence. No citizen of Zimbabwe, who advocates for sanctions or any other restrictive measures which have a negative impact against Zimbabwe, has any legal right to be protected by the laws of Zimbabwe. Biti, Nelson Chamisa, Chief Ndiweni, and others in the MDC-Alliance (the list is long), have all, by virtue of these provisions of the Constitution, violated the duties attached to them as citizens of Zimbabwe from the day they advocated for sanctions against Zimbabwe, or refused to respect the ideals and institutions (the President) of the State. Mutema says in terms of the cited sections of the Constitution, Chamisa has committed an offence of violating the Constitution. He further says Chamisa should not be enjoying the protection of the law of a country for which Mnangagwa is the President. Under such circumstances, the law must be used to prevent such violations to the Constitution. These people must be arrested and prosecuted in our courts because they owe a duty to be loyal to the State and to respect its ideals and institutions. To this end, there is need to make a law that captures such acts as offences. The writer proposes that the State amends the Citizenship of Zimbabwe Act (Chapter 4:01) by the insertion of Section 20 which provides as follows: 20. OFFENCES FOR VIOLATING DUTIES OF CITIZENSHIP TO THE STATE OF ZIMBABWE (1) It shall be an offence for a citizen of Zimbabwe without due authority, to travel to a foreign country and negotiate with any foreign government or its agent an intention to effect measures which negatively affect the economic, political, socio or cultural interests of Zimbabwe. (2) It shall be an offence for a citizen of Zimbabwe, to call on any foreign government or its agent while in the territory of Zimbabwe, to effect economic sanctions against Zimbabwe. (3) Any citizen of Zimbabwe who refuses or fails to respect the ideals and institutions of Zimbabwe commits an offence. For violating each of the subsections (1), (2), and (3), a citizen shall be liable upon conviction, to a term of imprisonment for a minimum of five years without the option of a fine. He argues that there are a lot of citizens who are violating the Constitution as stated with impunity and getting away with it. Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News The U.S. has called on the Zimbabwe Government to respect the Constitution and to allow political parties and civic society organisations to hold peaceful demonstrations without threats of arrests and intimidation. In a statement issued by the US Embassy in Harare, the Donald Trump government has reminded President Emmerson Mnangagwas government that this right was protected under the Constitution and that is actually one of the human rights. The embassy also spoke out against the continued crackdown against human rights campaigners following the arrest of seven (7) activists who have been charged with plotting to overthrow President Emmerson Mnangagwas government. Writing on their social media account, the United States Embassy said: Harassment and targeted arrests of civil society leaders damages Zimbabwes reputation and economic future. We call on the Zimbabwean government to uphold its constitution, respect rule of law and foster an environment where all can contribute to the nations progress. All citizens and their civic leaders, political parties, or civil society organizations have the constitutional right to peaceful assembly and association. All have important roles to play in contributing to Zimbabwes future and must be given the space and freedom to do so. Hand in hand with freedom of speech goes the power to be heard, to share in the decisions of government which shape mens lives. https://twitter.com/usembassyharare/status/1133724218712035328 https://twitter.com/usembassyharare/status/1133693102168973312 In a related matter, the Zimbabwe Republic Police says it is ready to crush anyone who will engage in an unlawful mass uprising that is being called for by some shadowy characters who are using social media. A message that has been circulating on social media has called for Zimbabweans to embark on a violent protest on Thursday in a bid to show the citizens displeasure at the way the Emmerson Mnangagwa government is running the country. ZRP is urging members of the public to disregard a social media post which is calling for the public to engage in acts of violence by burning vehicles, destroying shops, stopping children from going to school and agitating for bloodshed on 30/05/19, police have said. ZRP added that the source of the inciting message is being investigated. Police are on high alert and will arrest anyone who engages in any form of violence, threats or intimidation to the community. The source of this alarming post is now subject of police inquiry. ZOOMZimbabwe Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News A good man, a motivational speaker, a passionate teacher who went the extra mile in assisting learners, are some of the words used to describe a Northern Cape teacher from Zimbabwe stabbed to death by a pupil who was sentenced to 12 years in jail on Monday. Kingston Vhiya was a Zimbabwean national who went to SA to work as he was the sole breadwinner for his family, according to a fellow teacher and friend, Angeline Pahla. Pahla, who is also from Zimbabwe, said she was so shocked to learn of her homeboys brutal death, she had to move out of Manyeding village near Kuruman. I was devastated and scared, I even moved out fearing that I too could be attacked. I now stay very far from the school, she told media. A year and a half after his murder, colleagues and pupils of Northern Cape teacher Kingston Vhiya are still mourning for him. According to police reports, the pupil, who cannot be named due to his age, attacked the teacher at his home after allegedly failing a grade. But the principal, Pitso Leabile, suspects there could be another motive as the pupil had not collected his report. There could be another reason because the learner had not collected his report. Yes, he had failed because he did not write all his exams but we dont know how he found out that he had failed and why he targeted Mr Vhiya specifically Leabile told TimesLIVE on Wednesday. Leabile described the pupil as just like any other learner at the school but he had heard of his unruly attitude in the neighbourhood. He was surprised after the fatal stabbing, saying he would have not thought the pupil was capable of such a crime. The incident left pupils and some teachers traumatised, according to the principal. Speaking about Vhiya, a grade 8 and 9 teacher who taught creative arts and English, Leabile said he was without words. He was just a good, humble man who went to church and did not smoke or drink alcohol, said the principal. Meanwhile, the SA Democratic Teachers Union said it had hoped for a longer sentence. Not so long ago someone was sentenced to life imprisonment for stealing and being in possession of rhino horns, yet this boy who stabbed and killed a professional teacher in cold blood was sentenced to only 12 years? Our justice system has failed us, said Senzo Mpalala, chair of the union in the province. The union said it had been following the case and the pupil had not shown any remorse nor empathy and as a result deserved nothing short of life imprisonment. He deserved nothing short of a life sentence. We had hoped he would receive a harsh sentence that was going to send a loud, unambiguous message that such acts are not allowed, said Mpalala. The boy doesnt show any remorse, you cant sympathise with someone like that, he said. As the country had just elected a new government, Mpalala said the safety of teachers in school needed to be prioritised. We hope that, among other things, the government and the president ensure that safety of teachers and learners is on top of their agenda. The environment in which schooling takes place must be conducive for all but as things stand, it is taken very lightly, he said. While it had been almost a year and a half since the incident occurred, Pahla said it was impossible to forget, given the kind of person Vhiya was. He had big dreams for the future, she said, and had been enrolled at the University of SA (Unisa) to enable these to happen. He was passionate, he gave motivational talks, he would help learners, even after hours, because he wanted to see all of them do well but he was killed just like that. He certainly did not deserve to die like that, she said. TimesLIVE Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News Outspoken comedienne Mai Titi says her social media war with Madam Boss is now a game of elimination. Mai Titi says she would only stop it once she wins it. She made the declaration in the wake of the new cold war with her rival who narrowly escaped an early night attack on Monday at her house in Sunridge. Its now longer about social media wars but a game of elimination, said Mai Titi in an interview with H-Metro. Mai Titi laughed at claims that that she could be the one who masterminded the foiled attack on Monday night. One thing you should know is that Tyra Chikocho is a liar and she is actually the one stalking me using ghost accounts on social media. Tyra wants to appear as a good person when in actual fact she is the one pestering me on social media. For instance, she is now faking an attack to get peoples sympathy, she said. Asked why she visited Madam Boss residence early Monday before the attempted attack later in the evening, Mai Titi said: We stay in the same neighbourhood and I decided to visit her so that we could talk face to face as women and not comedians. I had actually sent her a message that I was coming but when I arrived, they told me she had gone to china and I left. As for the attack, she faked it and I know that for sure; if I wanted to fight her, I could have done it in person. Mai Titi said her followers were also fearing for her life as a result of Madam Boss alleged stunts. I have been receiving calls as early as 3am with fans asking for my security. Some were willing to fight in my corner while others were ready to buy me an air ticket to fly out of Zimbabwe if there was a life-threatening problem. Mai Titi urged Madam Boss to be humble and lead a life that she deserves. As you know, Madam Boss is a school drop-out and both of us are renting. We cant say we (Madam Boss and Mai Titi) have made it in life but we are simply managing to pay our bills to survive. Tyra is a liar and she must learn to be humble and stop stalking me with ghost sounds. Tyra ndiye anondidenha ndakanyarara zvangu but when I respond, its fireworks, she added. HMetro Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News SpaceXs Starlink has a new foe: Astronomers Axios High radiation levels found in giant clams near U.S. nuclear dump in Marshall Islands Los Angeles Times Historic Flooding on the Arkansas River in Oklahoma and Arkansas Weather Underground World Happiness Report 2019 (PDF) John F. Helliwell, Richard Layard and Jeffrey D. Sachs Brexit Conservative leadership hopefuls set to take part in TV debates on BBC and Sky News Independent Yellow Vest Facebook group with 350,000 members frozen on European election day WSWS (JBird4049). French Senate says Notre-Dame must be restored exactly how it was The Local. I dont think the Senate has the last word, though. How SYRIZA lost and New Democracy won MacroPolis China? We dont have a life here: family of Snowden refugees torn apart as Canada considers asylum request South China Morning Post Philippine Supreme Court removes Duterte enemy judge Reuters (PD: This I think hasnt been treated as a high profile story in the world media, but my friends in the pines say this is essentially the start of a Duterte dictatorship the Supreme Court was the last honest bulwark against absolute presidential power. Now its been neutralised.) Bello: Philippines in brave new world of politics under Duterte The Rappler Venezuela New Cold War RussiaGate Impeachment Amash gets standing ovation at first town hall after calling for Trumps impeachment The Hill Trump Transition Democrats in Disarray Health Care Big Brother Is Watching You Watch Imperial Collapse Watch America Adrift Center for American Progress. When asked what the phrase maintaining the liberal international order indicated to them, all but one of the participants in our focus groups drew a blank. Voters across educational lines simply did not understand what any of these phrases and ideas meant or implied. Sounds like a funding pitch. Neera had better get the UAE on the blower. Opinion: Once again, my sh*thead husband will be deployed for the birth of our child Duffel Blog Class Warfare Westside private school gave diplomas to nonstudents for a fee. Then came the college admissions scandal Los Angeles Times. These stories keep happening. Im not sure that the professional classes have focused on the idea that credentials cannot be seen to have been obtained by corrupt means if they are to be of value and their bearers are to have authority (absent a Third World situation where credentials are a result of open clientelism, of course). Facebook plans to launch GlobalCoin currency in 2020 BBC. Bill Black: The best way to rob a bank is to own one. Antidote du jour (Carey): Carey writes from Los Osos, CA: Heron in my side yard yesterday afternoon. I went outside to see better, and he/she let me hang out for twenty or so minutes. I love how they move so slowly, and theyre such graceful fliers, too! See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here. From 27 to 28 May 2019, Deputy Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, Lieutenant General Steven M. Shepro visited Croatia, where he met with the Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Mr. Damir Krsticevic, and the Croatian Chief of Defence, General Mirko Sundov. Lieutenant General Shepro congratulated Croatia on its Armed Forces Day and its 10th Anniversary of NATO membership. The Deputy Chairman noted how Croatias 10th anniversary fell in the same year as NATOs 70th anniversary both anniversaries marking success. He stated: Croatia joined the Alliance for peace and stability, and now it exports those to assure peace and stability across Europe and beyond. Lt Gen Shepros meeting with the Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Mr. Damir Krsticevic, focused on Croatias contribution and commitment to the Alliance. LtGen Shepro stressed how the Alliance values Croatia and how its membership strengthens NATOs collective defence and supports its shared security, Minister Krsticevic and Lieutenant General Shepro also discussed the importance of capabilities and the role that Croatia plays in South Eastern Europe. Lieutenant General Shepro welcomed the countrys increased defence investments and strong commitment to helping the Western Balkans move closer to Europe by playing a leadership role in the region. Speaking with General Mirko Sundov, the Deputy Chairman welcomed Croatias ongoing contribution to NATOs Missions in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kosovo as well as its contribution to the Alliances enhanced forward presence battlegroups. Lt Gen Shepro underlined that Croatia walks the talk when it comes to its contributions. He also took the opportunity to thank the Chief of Defence for his strong leadership and praised the pride and professionalism across the Croatian Armed Forces. Congratulating Croatia on its 10th anniversary as a NATO member, Lieutenant General Shepro highlighted that: Croatia can attest after 10 years that in this increasingly complex world, its good to have friends, notable the 29-nation Alliances circle of almost 1 billion citizens with over half the worlds GDP and defence spending. Moreover, Croatia has proved itself to be a model friend. In 10 years it has become an example of commitment to readiness and interoperability. While in Croatia the Deputy Chairman visited Pleso Air Base where he met with the Croatian Air Force Commander, Brigadier General Mato Mikic, toured the base and met with Croatian Air Force pilots. Lt Gen Shepro also met with Colonel Zeljko Belic, Commander of one of NATO Communication and Information Systems Battalions. He received a briefing on how the Battalion provides support to NATOs ongoing Missions and regional exercises. Finally, Lieutenant General Shepro visited the Croatian Defence Academy where he delivered a lecture on current threats and challenges facing the Alliance and the importance of military education. (Natural News) In just a few days, thousands of Americans who support free speech and the First Amendment will converge in front of Facebooks headquarters in Menlo Park, California, to protest the social media giants mass censorship policies against pretty much any person or group thats not aligned with Leftist ideology. Beginning at 9a.m. on May 30, 2019, patriots will join other patriots at Hotel Nia, located at 200 Independence Drive in Menlo Park, to make as big of a scene as possible during Facebooks annual shareholders meeting the goal being to stand in solidarity with the many whove been censored by Facebook in recent years. In a recent Twitter announcement, California Rising called on its followers to bring whistles, horns, and other noisemaking objects to the rally, which those present will use to make their voices heard by as many passersby as possible. Fight for freedom of speech before they silence YOU! California Rising added about the importance of this event. For related news, be sure to check out Censorship.news. Irony: Facebook censored Michelle Malkin for talking about Facebook censorship One by one over the past several years, conservatives have found themselves getting blacklisted, suspended, and even permanently banned simply for engaging in politically incorrect speech on Facebook, as well as on other similar platforms like Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube. Just recently, Michelle Malkin, a well-known and well-respected conservative voice, had one of her Facebook posts censored and removed for, get this, discussing the fact that Facebook is censoring and removing users posts. I spoke out passionately about de-platforming at CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) and have done what I can to use my voice to speak for the voiceless, Malkin wrote in the now-deleted Facebook post, which was tagged for violating Facebooks Community Standards. Anyone and everyone who refuses to capitulate to the open-borders, sharia-enforcing social justice agenda is DANGEROUS,' she added about Facebooks censorship tactics, which also resulted in both Laura Loomer and Gavin McInnes having their Facebook and Instagram accounts Instagram is now owned by Facebook permanently removed. Major media outlets are losing their social media followings due to Leftist censorship policies Since Donald Trump was elected president back in 2016, Facebook and the rest of the social media cabal have really been ramping up their censorship efforts. Western Journal, for instance, which was launched back in 2008 by conservative author Floyd Brown, has reportedly lost 75 percent of its Facebook traffic since the last presidential election. Klicked Media, a network of more than 60 conservative websites thats owned and operated by Jared Vallorani, similarly lost between 70-80 percent of its traffic, amounting to 400 million lost page views a major killer for online media. If you combine the total number of page-views lost by just these two conservative online publishers you are looking at a loss of over 1.5 billion page-views from Facebook in one year, reports The Gateway Pundit about the impact of all of this. These are numbers from just two of the top conservative publishers in America. This does not include the thousands of other conservative publishers across the country who lost all of their traffic coming from Facebook. Here at The Gateway Pundit our Facebook traffic has been effectively eliminated after we were ranked as the 4th most influential conservative publisher in the 2016 election. In addition to censoring conservatives and Christians, Facebook is also purging the accounts of users who share information about health freedom, natural healing, and other related topics that challenge the status quo. Please plan to make this protest on May 30th, The Gateway Pundit is urging. conservative leaders must take action before it is too late. Sources for this article include: TheGatewayPundit.com RedWhiteAndYou.com Natural.news (Natural News) The concept of judicial activism certainly is not new and predates the Trump administration by at least a few decades, but since Donald Trump ascended to the Oval Office, Leftist judges who have often been accused of such behavior are doubling and tripling down on it. In fact, there have been precious few major policy decisions made by POTUS Trump that have yet to go unchallenged in federal court, where Left-wing groups who have cherry-picked federal courts in search of friendly judges (usually those appointed by Barack Obama or Bill Clinton) they know will side with them, despite what the law or the Constitution says. So bad has the judicial activism become that many legal scholars including the current attorney general of the United States say the time has come to reign in the Judicial Branch, which was envisioned by many of our founders to be the least offensive to liberty. It turns out that the anti-Federalists those founders who preferred the most important powers should be retained by states (States-rights party) were right in fearing that eventually the Judicial Branch would grow in power as the federal government did. The anti-Federalists have been proven right time and again in the modern era especially. In recent days, for instance, federal courts have intervened to block a Mississippi law banning abortions after eight weeks, as well as a decision by POTUS Trump to use $6 billion in Pentagon funding Congress already approved to build additional walls along the U.S.-Mexico border. In both cases, the federal judges were appointed by a very Left-wing president Obama. And in both cases, the judges claim that these state laws violate the Constitution. In the Mississippi case, the court says that because abortion has been deemed a constitutional right, state laws cannot ban the procedure. But the law doesnt do that, it merely redefines a timeframe of when a legal abortion can occur in the state. In the case of the presidents border wall money, the judge ruled that spending $6 billion of Pentagon funding violates Congress wishes though it doesnt because Congress never earmarked the money for a specific Pentagon use. And the president has declared a national emergency, which was also challenged in federal court and initially ruled unconstitutional, so he could free up those funds for wall construction. States may eventually have to ignore activist federal judges Without input and direction Congress, it isnt likely that the federal judiciary is going to change its habits any time soon and relinquish power it has assumed and amassed over the past several decades. (Related: Two Obama judges have sided with House Dems demanding POTUS financial info: Why Trump will ultimately win.) So, whats the solution? As The New American notes, it may just be that states and aggrieved parties will have to ignore rulings by judicial activist judges: Consider: The legislative branchs power to make law is granted by the Constitution. The executive branchs power to enforce law is granted by the Constitution. And the judicial branchs power to strike down law and have its rulings constrain the other two branches of government is granted by what? Its not in the Constitution. This is a concept called judicial supremacy which was declared, of course, by the Judicial Branch itself, in an 1803 Supreme Court case called Marbury v. Madison. The courts gave the courts the courts trump-card power, The New American notes. Interestingly, these judges have become the true faces of fascism and authoritarianism in America. Because Congress for centuries has refused to utilize its Article III authority to limit the scope of the federal judiciary, courts have just assumed more and more authority. And it wont end unless or until Congress gets its fill of the usurpation. Then again, because judges are politically appointed (theyre not really independent like were led to believe) thats not going to happen. Something will have to give, however. At some point, it might just be that states will have to ignore rulings that violate their sovereignty. Read more about the tyranny of the judiciary and how injurious it has become to liberty at Tyranny.news and Liberty.news. Sources include: TheNewAmerican.com TheNationalSentinel.com (Natural News) Theres a worldwide health emergency currently in progress, and it has absolutely nothing to do with global warming, climate change, measles, or anti-vaxxers. Its actually an emergency stemming from the existence of Big Pharma, whose prolific and persistent antibiotic drugs are now being detected at dangerously high levels in rivers, streams, and lakes all across the planet. New research presented at a recent conference in Helsinki, Finland, reveals that many of the worlds major water supplies are teeming with antibiotics, a situation that experts say is majorly contributing to the spread of life-threatening antibiotic resistance. According to Alistair Boxall, an environmental scientist at the University of York and one of the studys co-authors, nearly every variety of antibiotic pharmaceutical currently on the market is now showing up in aquatic ecosystems ranging from random streams in sub-Saharan Africa to the Danube in Austria, and everything in between. And the biggest sources of these polluting drugs include contaminated human and animal waste that gets flushed down peoples toilets, as well as polluting drug manufacturing plants that are irresponsibly leaking them into water supplies 24/7. Its quite scary and depressing, Boxall is quoted as saying about this escalating global pandemic. We could have large parts of the environment that have got antibiotics at levels high enough to affect resistance. For more news about how Big Pharma is destroying both people and planet, be sure to check out BigPharma.Fetch.news. United Nations: Big Pharmas antibiotic pollution could kill as many as 10 million people by 2050 So while the medical and political establishments continue to generate mindless fear and paranoia about things like measles, global warming, and other made-up crises, the real crisis thats right in front of us, and that threatens tens of millions of lives, is Big Pharmas unimpeded chemical pollution. The United Nations (U.N.) recently warned that antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which is largely being driven by Big Pharma pollution and runoff, threatens to kill as many as 10 million people by the year 2050 a figure far greater than the handful of children contracting measles, by the way, an ordinary illness thats basically no different than the chickenpox. From a raw data perspective, at least 65 percent of the worlds rivers and waterways are right this moment contaminated with antibiotics the worst sites being those in lower-income areas where filtration and treatment systems are lacking, or nonexistent. Lower-income countries generally had higher antibiotic concentrations in rivers, with locations in Africa and Asia performing worst, The Guardian reports. They peaked in Bangladesh, where metronidazole, used to treat vaginal infections, was found at more than 300 times the safe level. The residues were detected near a wastewater treatment facility, which in lower-income countries often lack the technology to remove the drugs. Instead of exposing Big Pharma, health officials are instead blaming the victims of chemical violence As to be expected, health officials are trying to gloss over the fact that Big Pharma, and Big Pharma alone, is the culprit here. Theyre instead trying to divert all of the blame on to a lack of health and hygiene services in third-world areas of the world as if its the responsibility of pollution victims to conjure up the money and wherewithal to protect themselves against the threat of Big Pharmas chemical violence. But even in the developed world, antibiotic pollution is rampant and worsening, which begs the question: Will Big Pharma ever be held accountable for its crimes against humanity? Or will the circus just continue as it always has, with fake crises getting all of the attention? Perhaps only time will tell. For more news about how Big Pharma is getting away with chemical genocide, be sure to check out ChemicalViolence.com. Sources for this article include: TheGuardian.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) In mid-May, The National Sentinel published a detailed synopsis of the actions taken by several members of the Obama administration against Donald Trump, first as a private citizen running for president, then as a major party presidential nominee, and, finally, as president of the United States. The news site equated the actions of James Comey, John Brennan, James Clapper, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, and even Hillary Clinton to acts of treason, for they were literally designed to drive him from office after he won the presidency. A coup attempt, in other words, and very clearly so: Treason is not a word that anyone should use lightly, but based on recent revelations regarding the Spygate operation aimed at undermining Donald Trumps presidential campaign and his presidency, it is a term that seems very fitting to describe acts and actions taken by several Obama-era officials, including the former president himself. Over the Memorial Day weekend, a sitting member of Congress GOP Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming also used the word treason to describe those actions, as reported by NewsTarget. We had people that are at the highest levels of our law enforcement saying that they were going to stop a duly-elected president of the United States, Cheney told ABC News. That sounds an awful lot like a coup and it could well be treason. Rep. Liz Cheney: "We had people that are at the highest levels of our law enforcement saying that they were going to stop a duly elected president of the United States." "That sounds an awful lot like a coup and it could well be treason," she adds https://t.co/tzEmm40vCp pic.twitter.com/RhAVMWRfBU ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) May 26, 2019 Now, another learned individual who also happens to be a former U.S. attorney, Joe diGenova long a critic of the Spygate operation against POTUS Trump by the Obama-led Deep State is using the T word as well. In an interview over the Memorial Day weekend, diGenova said there is currently a full-scale war going on within the federal law enforcement and intelligence communities between forces who were responsible for launching and perpetuating the Spygate coup attempt and those attempting to get to the bottom of it and expose the co-conspirators, The Gateway Pundit reported. When Bill Barr become attorney general the president said, See what you can do, see if you can get to the bottom of what happened during the campaign, diGenova began. Bill Barr tried to do that and you will recall from his interview with FOX, he said he now had more questions than he had when he started. Chris Wray the current FBI Director was stonewalling the current Attorney General Bill Barr on disclosure of certain information about FBI conduct. It got very, very heated, so and, Gina Haspel, the current CIA Director, was also resisting disclosure of certain information, he continued. (Related: POTUS goes there: Trump calls Democrats TREASONOUS for their open border mindset.) Things are heating up and getting dangerous for POTUS At that point, diGenova citing sources known to him says the AG got fed up, went to the president, and said, I cant answer your question and heres why.' The president said, Fine. Twenty-four hours later the order [to declassify all documents related to Spygate] came out, diGenova added. This is a full-scale war between the attorney general of the United States and, believe it or not, another FBI director who thinks hes James Comey. DiGenova went on to describe Wrays appointment as another misfire by the president, albeit an unintentional one. Christopher Wray is a disaster, he said. You are watching the quintessential Washington power battle. Heres the problem for the agencies, the FBI and the CIA. They have one distinct disadvantage. They can leak to the [Washington Post] and the [New York Times] but they do not have subpoena power and Bill Barr does, diGenova continued. We are headed for a gigantic, gigantic fight, he predicted. The intelligence community, including the FBI, is in full resistance in disclosing what they did during the presidential campaign. Christopher Wray is now standing in the way of history. Make no mistake about it, Christopher Wray has become an enemy of the people. There is also this. The deep state is powerful, connected, and resourceful. Some say collectively, the deep state is the most powerful entity in the United States, surpassing all branches of government and the president. We truly are living in dangerous times. The president may have to resort to unconventional methods, like empowering the military, in order to bring to justice those who sought to subvert our government with covert and overt acts of treason. Read more about how the deep state war against President Drump is heating up at DeepState.news and Trump.news. Sources include: TheNationalSentinel.com NewsTarget.com TheGatewayPundit.com Delta Air Lines employees are speaking out after they say the companys new uniforms have given some of them rashes and breathing problems. The airline unveiled its new line of uniforms for its employees last May. It didnt take long for the excitement of the uniform launch to turn into concern from some of Deltas 64,000 employees. Three flight attendants spoke with NBC10 Boston on the condition of anonymity for fear of losing their jobs. They said the uniforms have made them sick and the airline has not been responsive in helping them out. "I was experiencing breathing issues," an employee named Alex told NBC10 Boston. "My nose was running all the time. I was coughing and fatigued." Alex said he believes the issues were caused by the new uniform, and he is not alone. "I was tugging at my mock turtleneck at work, trying to get some air, and I just couldnt get any and my hair was falling out," another Delta employee named Jordan said. Some employees are speaking out on an online forum to share information about the rashes and burns they say theyve gotten as a result of the uniforms. One commenter posted a picture of a rash all over their neck and wrote, "I've had my uniform on for exactly 30 minutes..." Another commenter said their face broke out after wearing a sweater set. Delta has responded to the claims and said in a statement that it is working on a solution to the issue. "We want our employees to be able to safely wear the new garments with pride. Although Delta and Lands End conducted in-depth testing during every step of development, a small number of employees have reported skin irritations. While less than one percent of employees in the new uniform program have reported issues, Delta takes this very seriously and is working directly with employees on solutions that meet their individual needs." Some people have been allowed to wear an alternative uniform after they discussed their concerns. Others have not been as fortunate. "At first, they were willing to help. But then after that, they became extremely stubborn with allowing me to get back to work and allowing me to get out of the uniform," a Delta employee named Bobby told NBC10 Boston. Delta admits the company previously had problems with the "Passport Plum" color of the uniform. Some of the dye was rubbing off onto what it came into contact with. Towels, bras undershirts, seatbelts and even chairs were being stained after coming into contact with the clothing. "When outfitting as many as 65,000 employees, issues with how different employees react to a garment can occur for a variety of reasons," said Lands' End, the company that worked with Delta on the new uniforms. "We take each concern seriously and we work closely with Delta to attempt to find a solution that enables the employee to have a uniform that is both comfortable and functional." Bruce Maxwell, an attorney from Jacksonville, Florida, said hes had dozens of Delta employees contact him with their issues with the new uniform. "It's time for the wheels to be in motion to have some accountability," he said. "If Delta wants to have this family image amongst its employees, well, they need to treat them like that. Step up to the plate, do the right thing, acknowledge the problem and try to fix it." Although he hasnt filed a lawsuit himself, Maxwell plans to file workers comp claims for some flight attendants in Atlanta. Two Delta flight attendants have filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against Lands End, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health, part of the CDC, says it is "currently in the beginning stages of collecting information for the health hazard evaluation request by Delta employees." The owners of the Tokyo Fish Market in Berkeley say the people seen in this video above stole $300 worth of pricey Japanese Wagyu beef from their store shelves. Wagyu is the top-tier imported meat from Japan that's almost $100 a pound. Cameras caught the pair running from the store and handing the beef to someone else. According to Berkeley police, a woman requested $250 worth of Wagyu beef steak from the Tokyo Fish Market at 1220 San Pablo Avenue at 5:45 p.m. on May 24. The woman then walked to a secluded part of the store and hid the beef steak in her purse. She then left the store without paying for the beef steak. Another Japanese establishment, this one in San Jose, posted on their Facebook page Monday that their restaurant got broken into at 2:30 a.m. Minato, is a family-owned restaurant in San Jose's Japantown. Anthony Bourdain ate lunch there when he visited San Jose as part of his show "Parts Unknown." The restaurant posted a photo of a broken storefront along with that of the suspect. The California Public Utilities Commission on Tuesday announced a series of public meetings in July to obtain comment on PG&E Co.'s request to charge customers nearly $2 billion more in the next three years to help pay for wildfire safety improvements and other costs. The meetings will be held in San Francisco, Stockton, Chico, Oakland, San Jose, San Luis Obispo, Santa Rosa, Bakersfield and Fresno. Members of the public can also send comments by email to public.advisor@cpuc.ca.gov. The request submitted by PG&E in December would give the utility $1 billion above current rates in 2020, $454 million more in 2021 and $486 million more in 2022. The 2020 increase would raise the monthly gas and electric bill for the typical PG&E residential customer by $10.47, according to the CPUC. PG&E provides natural gas and electricity to 16 million people in northern and central California. The locations and dates of Bay Area meetings are: San Francisco, July 9, 1 p.m., CPUC Auditorium, 505 Van Ness Ave. A webcast will be available at: www.adminmonitor.com/ca/cpuc. Oakland, July 24, 1 p.m. and 6 p.m., Elihu M. Harris State Office Building Auditorium, 1515 Clay St. San Jose, July 25, 1 p.m. and 6 p.m., Alfred E. Alquist State Office Building Auditorium, 100 Paseo de San Antonio. Santa Rosa, July 31, 1 p.m. and 6 p.m., Santa Rosa City Hall Council Chamber, 100 Santa Rosa Ave. A webcast can be viewed on Youtube or on Facebook. Canadian lawmakers voted Tuesday to serve a summons on Facebook executives Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg that would compel them to appear before them the next time either visits Canada. The decision comes after Zuckerberg and Sandberg failed to appear before the international grand committee on big data, privacy and democracy, which is being hosted by Canadas parliament this week, despite being called on to testify. The panel of international politicians is examining the role of tech giants in safeguarding privacy and democratic rights. New Democratic party lawmaker Charlie Angus said Tuesday the Facebook executives were showing disrespect to legislators around the world. Facebook has serious responsibilities in terms of the misuse of the platform that has led to mass killings in Myanmar, the undermining of electoral systems around the world, the attack on private rights and citizen rights, Angus said. Conservative lawmaker Bob Zimmer said if the Facebook executives refuse to appear, they will be held in contempt. It was not clear exactly what consequences that might have. As soon as they step foot either Mr. Zuckerberg or Ms. Sandberg into our country they will be served and expected to appear before our committee, said Zimmer. The committee set up two chairs at a table with the pairs names on cards. The chairs sat empty. Kevin Chan and Neil Potts, two of Facebooks global policy directors, did appear. Potts said they were appearing as subject matter experts for their company. The committee is made up of politicians from Canada, the United Kingdom, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, France, Ireland, Latvia and Singapore. We are grateful to the Committee for the opportunity to answer their questions today and remain committed to working with world leaders, governments, and industry experts to address these complex issues. As we emphasized, we share the Committees desire to keep people safe and to hold companies like ours accountable, Facebook said in an email to The Associated Press. Jim Balsillie, the former chief executive of Research In Motion, which invented the BlackBerry smartphone, testified earlier Tuesday that a toxic social media business model is a threat to democracy. Balsillie, now the chair of the Ontario Centre for International Governance Innovation, also offered a thinly veiled criticism of Zuckerberg and Sandberg for not responding to the committees summons to testify. By displacing the print and broadcast media in influencing public opinion, technology is becoming the new Fourth Estate. In our system of checks and balances, this makes technology co-equal with the executive, the legislative, and the judiciary, he said he said in testimony at the start of the second of three days of meetings in Ottawa. When this new Fourth Estate declines to appear before this committee as Silicon Valley executives are currently doing it is symbolically asserting this aspirational co-equal status ... The work of this international grand committee is a vital first step toward redress of this untenable current situation. In its remaining sessions in Ottawa, the committee is to hear from experts on how best governments can prevent the use of social media to violate individuals privacy, spread fake news, sow dissension and manipulate election outcomes. This weeks meeting the second since last years inaugural gathering in Britain is being hosted by Canadas House of Commons committee on access to information, privacy and ethics. An 11-year-old boy was on a field trip with his class at the city of Antioch-owned water park when he ended face down at the bottom of a pool. The boy, a student a Jack London Elementary School, was airlifted from the Antioch Water Park to Children's Hospital Oakland Tuesday morning, according to fire officials. He was conscious and breathing as he was taken away in the helicopter. Authorities received a call at 11:22 a.m. stating that the boy was receiving CPR, fire officials said. He was transported to UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland. "The child needed to be revived, so our lifeguards provided immediate on deck emergency response," said Nancy Kaiser, the Antioch Parks and Recreation director. The water park is normally closed weekdays until next week but it opened Tuesday for the field trip for kids from the elementary school and two other schools. Kaiser said the facility has trained lifeguards that were ready for rescue, but it wasn't immediately clear how the child ended up in the bottom of the pool, which worries parents. "My son does not go on field trips without me. Especially when it comes to water, pools, anything. Real tricky. Real tricky," said parent Luna Miller-Parker. With train horns blaring at 2 a.m., families in a second San Jose neighborhood are outraged that the noise is waking them up in the middle of the night. Mayor Sam Liccardo is considering legal action to get it to stop. Neighbors living near Oakland and Brokaw roads in San Jose say they've noticed a big increase in the overnight train horns over the past year. Some neighbors wonder if it's because there are many homeless people living near the tracks. A Union Pacific spokesman said as a safety precaution its operators are required to sound horns if they see anyone near the tracks. Train crews are required to blow horns as they approach several crossings. Resident Mina Gali said the noise wakes up her 1-year-old daughter Iris. "Sometimes the horns sound at midnight or two in the morning," Gali said. "It will wake her from her sleep. It's actually really loud." Neighbors near Japantown have already complained about train horns blaring overnight. According to Union Pacific, both locations are on the same line, where there are no established quiet zones. Liccardo said if a quiet zone is established at crossings near residential neighborhoods, the city would end up footing the bill to boost safety to the tune of millions of dollars. He said the city shouldn't have to bear that cost. "Union Pacific chose to burden our downtown residents with nighttime operations to improve their own profits and now conveniently proposes a quiet zone option that will cost San Jose taxpayers millions of dollars in safety infrastructure and yet may impose intolerable risks to human life," the mayor said in a statement. The mayor is holding a community meeting next Wednesday at the Northside Community Center. Union Pacific reps will also be there. Lawyers for a Navy SEAL accused of killing an Islamic State prisoner in Iraq in 2017 want the case thrown out because of alleged prosecutorial misconduct that include withholding evidence and conducting surveillance on the defense. Attorneys for Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher plan to ask a military court in San Diego to dismiss the case or remove the prosecutor and, possibly, have the judge himself step aside. The hearing was pushed to Thursday. "Gallagher's case has been irreparably corrupted by a government campaign of outrageous and illegal conduct," attorney Tim Parlatore said in the opening salvo of his motion to dismiss the charges. "This prosecution threatens to make an unequivocal farce of our justice system." The motion comes with Gallagher's trial less than two weeks away and amid mounting pressure from the defense after lawyers discovered prosecutors planted tracking software in emails sent to the defense team and a journalist that may have violated attorney-client privilege and other constitutional rights. The Navy has said it did nothing wrong and has no plans to remove the prosecutor. A spokesman wouldn't comment on the motions. Among the evidence apparently kept from the defense were results of a polygraph exam Gallagher was given weeks before his arrest on charges that he fatally stabbed an injured young teenage militant and picked off civilians from a sniper's perch. Gallager knew at the time he was under investigation and denied committing any war crimes during the test, Parlatore said in court papers. Gallagher was told he passed the exam. Parlatore said he only knows about the exam because his client told him about it and investigation documents showed efforts to schedule the test. Polygraphs, commonly referred to as lie-detector tests, are not admissible in civilian or military courts because they are "not an indication of truth," said Gary Solis, a former military judge and Marine Corps prosecutor who teaches law at Georgetown University. Passing such a test means the person answered most of the key questions without any indication of lying. It's debatable whether the results would be considered evidence of innocence, and therefore the prosecution would not necessarily have to turn them over to the defense, Solis said. The judge could admonish the defense for revealing polygraph results because it could taint the jury in the case, Solis said. The effort to get the case thrown out comes as President Donald Trump has considered pardoning several service members accused of war crimes, including Gallagher, who has pleaded not guilty. Gallagher's family has lobbied vigorously for his freedom and dozens of Republican lawmakers have rallied to his cause. Prosecutors have said Gallagher stabbed the injured militant and then posed for a photo with his corpse for his re-enlistment ceremony. He sent a text to fellow SEALs later saying, "I got this one with my hunting knife." Parlatore dismissed that as a joke that reflects the dark humor of a warrior. No blood was found on the knife by forensics experts, he added. Parlatore said he's aware of evidence that showed at least one member of Gallagher's squad practiced medical procedures on the militant when he was dead or nearly dead, which might indicate he died from a different cause. He said witnesses would be willing to testify to that, but prosecutors have said they're unaware of anything performed on him that was not medically necessary or any alternative cause of death. Parlatore also claimed that prosecutors can't prove that Gallagher shot a young girl and old man because charges of attempted murder are based only on rumors and inadmissible hearsay. Gallagher faces trial June 10. Special counsel Robert Mueller said Wednesday morning that in any testimony before Congress he would not provide information beyond what is already public about Russian interference into the 2016 presidential election or accusations of obstruction into his investigation by President Donald Trump. But in what could be a roadmap forward for Democrats, he noted that there is another procedure for charging a president of a crime. That procedure is impeachment by Congress. The Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing," he said, without using the word "impeachment." His comment came as part of his explanation about why charging the president with a crime was "not an option we could consider." Mueller repeated what he said in the report, that if the special counsels team had confidence that the president did not commit a crime it would have said so. We did not however make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime, he said. He also reiterated that a decision from the Justice Departments Office of Legal Counsel did not permit him to charge a president with a crime while he is in office, even if the charge were kept under seal and hidden from the public. Still, volume II of his report outlines 10 possible episodes of obstruction. Democrats have been wrestling with whether to initiate an impeachment investigation into whether Trump tried to obstruct Muellers investigation, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urging restraint. At the same she has been goading Trump in her public statements. Last week, she said, We do believe that its important to follow the facts. We believe that no one is above the law, including the president of the United States, and we believe that the president of the United States is engaged in a cover-up. On Wednesday she thanked Mueller for his "patriotic duty to seek the truth" and said that "the Congress holds sacred its constitutional responsibility to investigate and hold the President accountable for his abuse of power." Rep. Jerry Nadler, Democrat of New York, is chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, which has the power to initiate an impeachment inquiry, but after Mueller's statement he also stopped short of calling for one. Given that Special Counsel Mueller was unable to pursue criminal charges against the President, it falls to Congress to respond to the crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump and we will do so," Nadler said. "No one, not even the President of the United States, is above the law." Other Democrats have begun talk about impeachment, among them those running for president in 2020: former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke, Sen. Kamala Harris of California, Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. "Mueller's statement makes clear what those who have read his report know: It is an impeachment referral, and it's up to Congress to act," Warren tweeted. "They should." South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, who has said he would support impeachment proceedings, called Mueller's statement as close as to an impeachment referral as possible under the circumstances "The message really is, 'Over to you, Congress,'" he said. Rep. John Yarmuth of Kentucky, the Democratic chairman of the House Budget Committee, said on MSNBC on Saturday, "I'm one of those who believes that we will inevitably have an impeachment proceeding, and if we don't then we've actually neglected our duty under the Constitution," On the Republican side, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a strong ally of Trump, tweeted: "And as for me, the case is over. Mr. Mueller has decided to move on and let the report speak for itself. Congress should follow his lead." Trump himself tweeted: "There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed!" Authorities are searching for the person or party responsible for vandalizing about half a dozen graves within a 24-hour period at a Massachusetts cemetery. Police said the vandalism took place late Monday or early Tuesday morning at Glenwood Cemetery in Everett, along the Fuller Street side. Pictures from the scene showed a few tombstones knocked to the ground. "That's someone's family member, parent, grandparent, soldier," said Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria. "Why would you want to do something to others?" A description of possible suspects was not immediately available. Ann Petitti says she frequents the cemetery to visit her loved ones. "This is my parents and two sisters and there's never been an issue or any problems at all," Petitti said pointing to the gravestone. "I thought people had a little more respect and I don't understand why anybody would do it. I don't." The vandalism is the latest incident in which a cemetery was targeted. Earlier this month, a Dorchester man was arrested for vandalizing the Dorchester Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Boston. Also earlier this month, some toys were stolen from a child's grave site in Webster. Everett officials said while fencing surrounds the Glenwood Cemetery, there are no surveillance cameras in the area. They might consider adding some. Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call the Everett Police Department at 617-389-2120. A woman said her mothers house in Gary, Indiana, is crumbling before their eyes and the city has not done anything about it, despite their complaints about an increase in heavy truck traffic in front of the property. Joyce Laws said her mother, also named Joyce Laws, has lived in a house off 25th Avenue in Gary for more than thirty years. But she said the homes foundation is being damaged by tractor trailers zipping past their home. It shakes the house. It shakes the lamps, Laws said. There is a slightly sunken pavement around a manhole in the street in front of the house. The family said large trucks often roll over that spot and that is whats causing the house to jolt. One night, my phone was on the dresser, a truck went by and my cell phone light popped on, Laws said. The family said the shakes are causing nails to pop out of the homes interior walls. There is currently road construction at the intersection of Grant Street and west bound I-80/94. As a result, truck traffic is being detoured to 25th Avenue. A spokesperson for the City of Gary said the avenue is designated as a truck route. Laws argues there are nearby road signs that say no trucks and that police have ticketed trucks for years. She also said in recent months that the street in front of her mothers house seems to be more like an interstate. Laws said the city should install visible signs warning truck drivers not to use 25th Avenue near her mothers house. The family said it also wants the pavement around the manhole to be leveled. Our house is going to come crumbling down like a house of cards because you are weakening our foundation with every bump, Laws said. Its gotta be stopped. The city spokesperson said the traffic department has responded to the residents complaint and is assessing the situation. The parents of a 10-month-old boy who died after being found unresponsive during a nap at a suburban daycare have filed suit against the daycare, its owner and staff. According to the lawsuit filed Tuesday, Vincent Tre Clark III was put into a pack and play at the Learn-N-Play All Day Home Childcare in Lansing and left to nap with a blanket around 10:30 a.m. on April 9. The pack and play was located in the basement of the home day care, which is in the 2800 block of 186th Street, and there was no auditory or visual monitoring system, the suit states. Around 12:45 p.m., day care owner Kimberly White and employee Christopher White discovered the infant wasnt breathing, according to the suit. The pair called emergency services for help, but did not attempt to perform CPR or other life-saving measures on the child before they arrived, the lawsuit states, noting that neither Kimberly or Christopher White were certified in such first aid measures. According to the lawsuit, Vincent was without oxygen for more than 20 minutes before emergency responders rushed him to Community Hospital in Munster, Indiana. He was then airlifted to University of Chicago Comer Childrens Hospital where he passed away. This is every parents worst nightmare, the familys attorney Patrick A. Salvi II said in a statement. When you leave your child at a daycare, you trust that they will be kept safe and free from harm. This horrific tragedy was completely avoidable. Had the daycares employees properly watched Tre, the Clarks would not be here today mourning the loss of their first and only child. In their suit, Vincent's parents, Ebony Clark and Vincent Clark II, allege the day care was negligent for failing to supervise, observe and monitor the child. It also claims the child was not properly placed in the pack and play and that staff was not properly trained. The suit seeks an excess of $50,000. Kimberly White and the Learn-N-Play All Day Home Childcare could not immediately be reached for comment. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services confirmed it was investigating an allegation of neglect at the facility and the results of the investigation were pending as of Tuesday. The license renewal at the day care was "pending" when the child was found unresponsive in April, officials said. "He impacted a lot of lives even at only 10 months old," Ebony Clark said. "A lot of people had stories. A lot of people had nice, great, beautiful things to say about our son, which keeps us smiling and keeps us going forward in knowing that we still have a duty to do - and thats to keep our son alive in our hearts." The body of a 17-year-old boy who was reported to have drowned in Candlewood Lake in New Milford on Memorial Day has been located, according to police. Police identified the teen as Joshua DaSilva and said divers recovered his body on Wednesday and it will be brought to the medical examiners office. The search for DaSilva started Monday when emergency crews were called out for the possible drowning. Police said the teen was swimming with at least two friends when he became distressed, disappeared and went under the water as they were swimming from one island to another. Boaters and good Samaritans immediately began searching the water in the area between Dike Point Park and Rock Island. Then police, rescue crews and divers took over until Monday night. "The area where they were is an unattended swimming area. It's not exactly an area where it's monitored by the property owners so you know, it is kind of a swim at your own risk situation and we always encourage people to swim in locations where there are lifeguards available and other resources. And if they do get in trouble, you know, they have that immediately available to them," said New Milford Police Lt. Lawrence Ash. Crews from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Newtown Underwater Search and Rescue and New Milford Rescue assisted with the search. According to authorities, there is no foul play suspected and nothing appears suspicious. The water has chilly, with temperatures around 60 degrees. The Body of the missing swimmer has been found by the NMPD diving team. Please say a prayer for the found swimmer and family, New Milford Mayor Pete Bass posted on his Facebook page Wednesday. Thank you to all the 1st Responders and Volunteers for their efforts in locating the missing swimmer. Another New London Public Schools employee has been charged in connection with an ongoing investigation that began with allegations against an employee at Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School. Melissa Rodriguez, 35, a teacher at Bennie Dover, is charged with failure to report as a mandated reporter. Under Connecticut law, school teachers are mandated reporters, meaning they are required to report any suspected abuse or neglect to the Department of Children and Families or law enforcement. Police said her arrest is connected to an ongoing investigation into New London Public School employees. Capt. Brian Wright said that Rodriguez has resigned from her job. The warrant is sealed and no other details were immediately released. Two other Bennie Dover employees have been arrested as part of an ongoing investigation into New London Public School employees, police said. The first arrest was 35-year-old Corriche Gaskin, 35, who worked at Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School as a behavioral specialist. He was charged with multiple counts of risk of injury to a child, illegal possession of child pornography, second degree sexual assault and voyeurism with malice. He is next scheduled to appear in court on June 5. School district officials previously said four employees from New London Schools were placed on paid administrative leave related to the investigation into Gaskin. On May 23, 25-year-old Jevon Elmore, of New London, was arrested and charged with sexual assault in the second degree. Police said the warrant is sealed and they have disclosed limited information on the allegations. Police said Elmore was hired in the summer of 2018 as a paraprofessional and has worked at Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School and the high school. Elmores case was scheduled for a hearing Tuesday. Investigators have not said how the three cases are connected. NBC Connecticut has reached out to New London Public Schools for comment. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call the New London Police Departments Detective Bureau at 860-447-1481 or submit anonymous information through the New London Tips 411 system by texting NLPDTip plus the information to Tip411 (847411). Two reported bear attacks in Burlington in the last month have residents wondering what they should do. On Tuesday night the town held a forum and invited a Department of Energy and Environmental Protection wildlife biologist to answer questions. Many at the forum told stories of their own bear encounters. Most said their encounters did not lead to conflict, but a few said their animals or pets had been killed. "We woke up on a Sunday morning to five dead animals. It was pretty heartbreaking," said Melissa Haras. Haras owns Grazin Goats Farm in Burlington, and last month a bear killed five of her goats, despite being fenced in and in a shelter overnight. Since then, she's added an electric fence and taken other precautions. She came out to the town forum to see what else can be done. "Hopefully figure out ways to better protect my animals, myself, my kids. What's to stop it from breaking into my garage, my home, anything?" said Haras. "I want to protect myself and the bears. We have a lot of them, and it's becoming a problem." "People should be concerned. Bears have killed people. It's not very frequent, very low probability, but it's a possibility," said DEEP Wildlife Biologist Paul Rego. "Taking the precautions that we recommend, removing food attractions, scaring bears when they can, supervising children when they're outdoors, are all things that can further reduce the chance of an already low-probability event." University of Connecticut researcher Dr. Tracy Rittenhouse explains what her study revealed about where bears live in Connecticut. DEEP says as the bear population increases in the state, the number of conflicts will continue to rise. In about a year there's been nearly 260 reported bear sightings in Burlington, the sixth most in the state. "If people are seeing more bears near where they live, it's because they have a growing population, a population that has a high reproductive rate. And we have good habitat in the state," said Rego. "The bear was behind the tree, the dog came out, she wanted to protect the cubs, she killed the dog," said Gary Duquette. Duquette says last week he wasn't home when his wife went out into their yard with their two dachshunds. He says his wife looked before heading out and didn't see a bear. Their 14-year-old dachshund Rusty went out into the yard and a bear came out from behind a tree and killed Rusty. He says he called the police and asked them to try not to kill the bear, but by the time he got home, the bear was dead. Police say the bear acted aggressively toward an officer and the bear was euthanized. Duquette says no one realized the bear had three cubs up a nearby tree until it was too late. DEEP says the three cubs were taken to a rehabilitator. "We're very cautious. We have no food, no bird feeders, no garbage," said Duquette. DEEP says eliminating food attractants is an important step in reducing encounters with bears but that it won't prevent all of them. "The number of conflicts grows right in step with the growing bear population, so I would predict as the bear population continues to grow, the number of conflicts will grow right in step with that. Education is important and can reduce some bear conflicts, but it also has very limited application," said Rego. "A lot of our towns, residents, are in wooded areas that are very good habitat, so even if people do take all the right measures to prevent conflict, there's still going to be bears mingling amongst populated areas." Many people who spoke at Tuesday night's forum pushed for a regulated bear hunting season. DEEP says Connecticut is the only state in the northeast with an established bear population that doesn't have a hunting season. But others at the forum disagreed with a hunting season and defended the bear behavior, saying people need to leave them alone and take the appropriate steps to keep them away. Some at the forum suggested an ordinance against feeding wild animals. For more do's and don'ts when it comes to bears, you can click here or here. Part of a Southbury plaza is closed after a car crashed into several pillars Tuesday. It happened in front of DiPalma's Restaurant & Pizzeria in Union Square off South Main Street. The roof can be seen sagging significantly. The restaurant was closed at the time of the crash. A restaurant employee told NBC Connecticut that the main entrance of the restaurant is blocked but they are still open. Customers can enter from a secondary entrance. It was not clear if anyone was hurt in the crash. No other details were immediately available. Theres a multi-year, multi-million project underway to fix a bottlenecking nightmare for drivers on I-91 north heading east of Hartford and the construction will about to start really impacting drivers. Exit 28 is shutting down for two years. The closure was scheduled for Wednesday night, but heavy rain pushed it to Thursday. The Connecticut Department of Transportation says they have to close that exit so they can take steps to build a new, two-lane exit ramp to the Charter Oak Bridge at Exit 29, replacing the one lane that is known for traffic. Gov. Lamont on Friday announced a plan to change the traffic pattern on I-91 North in Hartford to alleviate the bottleneck from the exit to the Charter Oak Bridge. So I come from Berlin, so in the morning, I have to leave like 40 minutes, probably 40 minutes, early because it backs up from Rocky Hill, actually into Cromwell sometimes all the way, said Jennifer Parmelee, who commutes to her family produce business in Hartford. I know that its so congested. I know for myself personally, if I have to go up 91 or 84, I take the Berlin Turnpike, said her sister-in-law Lisa Driscoll of Wethersfield. You can look on the highway. Its miles and miles of backup. We have to widen I-91 northbound and in order to do that we have to widen a bridge over (Routes) 5 and 15, said Jim Vincenzo, the CT DOT supervising engineer. Vincenzo says the headache of the closure will be worth it in the long-run. Theres a big payoff at the end. But for now, instead of taking Exit 28, the state is asking drivers to detour off whats already causing the biggest backup, Exit 29. Then, they say you can take Exit 90 to Route 2 westbound and turn right off the first East River Drive exit and right onto southbound Routes 5 and 15. We have heard from some locals that they know of some better detour routes, but CT DOT says they prefer this detour because they believe it will have the least impact. Hopefully theyll finish it on time or even a little bit before, but thats a long time. But something needs to be done if you could ever see the congestion there its backed up at a dead stop its crazy, said Driscoll. To get email notifications about the progress of this project, you can sign up for emails from the state. Fifty-two kids in the U.S. died in 2018 after they were left in hot cars, including kids from Connecticut, a staggering statistic to serve as a reminder as we near summertime. When the temperature climbs, so does the danger for little ones left in car. Some parents leave their purses or even one of their shoes in the backseat as a reminder. Now, some new cars are using sensor technology to try to prevent that from happening. There is also an effort to change federal laws to protect kids. The HOT CARS Act was reintroduced this session by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut). It would require makers of automobiles to include a rear seat reminder. Anything to keep them safe. People are busy nowadays. I dont think they should be too busy for their kids, but anything that can help, said Maureen Ziemba of Stafford. The grandmother of five thinks you can never be too careful. I stayed home with the kids, so I dont think I had that extra pressure of dropping them off at daycare, you know, so I think people are so busy. Shouldnt be too busy for their kids, but things happen. While police we spoke to support the potential legislation, they hope people use common sense in the warm weather and beyond. Last year we had a child rescued from a hot car, two alert women saw a child in this situation, said Vernon Police Department Lt. William Meier Owners of local car dealerships say they are all for the mandated technology and they say manufacturers are on board too. Most of the vehicles that are out there, They are pushing this as well, said Jim Fleming, president of the Connecticut Automotive Retailers Association. The McLeans from Vernon know life gets busy, especially with a toddler. They have made checking the back seat a habit so theyll always remember to get their son out of the car. Even when hes not with me, Ill go around the car and go, Oh wait. Hes not with me right now, said Matt McLean. While the bill works its way through Congress, its worth getting into a routine now. There are apps like WAZE that have options to remind you to check behind you too. Its not every day you get a private performance from a Grammy-nominated platinum recording artist in your school gym. But thats how students at an elementary school in Farmington got to spend their Wednesday after donating thousands of items for a good cause. The students at Noah Wallace Elementary School in Farmington got the special visit from Gavin DeGraw after winning this years Bag It Up for Goodwill challenge by a landslide. They collected nearly 80,000 items for donation. This reminds me what life is all about, said DeGraw after his performance in the gym. This is the most beautiful possible day I couldve had. I knew a couple of his songs before we started doing the contest, but now I definitely know a lot more, said fourth grader Brooke Hacker. Im a huge fan. The proceeds from the 79,862 items they donated to Goodwill will go towards programs and career centers that help people with disabilities across the state. All the students like emptied out their closets and we got clothes toys old books, and everyone participated, Hacker said. We thought about how we could help the community, and that really like helped us get the items and know that we were doing it for a good cause. Its significant not just that they won, but that its the largest number weve ever seen, said Jeremy Mooser from the Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut. Noah Wallace School Principal, Carrie Huber, says proud is an understatement. They worked so hard, she said, Our student council set a goal they achieved it. And todays celebration of their success turned out to be to be inspiring for more than just the students. I want to thank the school, you guys did such a great job, the children were amazing, and it was just this was heaven, DeGraw said. Gov. Ned Lamont is looking to get a vote on tolls before the end of the legislative session next Wednesday, and not looking to a Special Session like he announced last week. Multiple sources with knowledge of the discussions Lamont has held with Democratic leaders in the General Assembly told NBC Connecticut that Lamont believes there will be time, once the state budget is finalized, to get his tolls proposal through the General Assembly. I certainly hope this is not the case, said Sen. Len Fasano, (R North Haven), the top Republican in the Senate. Last week, Lamont announced with the speaker of the House and the president of the Senate, their intention to hold a Special Session devoted to infrastructure planning and spending. One source told NBC Connecticut, with the budget at 98 percent done, the governor feels there will be momentum, but importantly, the time to pass tolls through both the House and Senate. Democrats in both chambers discussed the measure behind closed doors Wednesday. Fasano said if the plan changes to hold a vote on tolls before lawmakers adjourn at midnight next Thursday, then there will be trust issues with the administration. "You only have your word in this building and your word is your bond, Fasano said. That's what you live with in this building and if you break your word, it goes a long way to wreck your relationships in the future so I just hope if he's done this he rethinks this because that would be going back on a promise that he has made to me." Later Wednesday, Lamont's Communication Director Maribel La Luz told NBC Connecticut, "The Governor met with Leaders last week to state that his immediate focus and priority was to pass a budget that was balanced and on time. Now that were close to an agreement the Governor has turned his attention to getting PFML and Transportation across the finish line which he has wanted all along. Once he heard from the minority leader there was no way any Republican would vote to improve our transportation system, he also figured waiting was pointless." New Haven police have arrested a Seymour man accused of shooting and killing another man in the Hill neighborhood of New Haven on May 21 and the suspect has been charged with murder. James Tobin, 32, of Seymour, is accused of shooting 28-year-old Thomas Hart, who was found at Congress Avenue and Redfield Street around 11:30 p.m. on that Tuesday night after police received a ShotSpotter alert and 911 calls. Hart was rushed to Yale-New Haven Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Tobin has been charged with murder, according to New Haven police. According to police, he provided a detailed confession, investigators served a search warrant at Tobin's home and seized a gun believed to be the murder weapon. They said the state lab will conduct more ballistic testing to determine if it is the same gun. This was the second homicide of the year in New Haven and the second shooting on Congress Avenue near Redfield Street in a week. Bond for Tobin was set at $2 million. He was due in court Wednesday. The developers of a new offshore wind farm say their power contract has been approved by Rhode Island regulators. Danish-based Orsted U.S. Offshore Wind and Eversource say the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission approved their 20-year power purchase agreement with National Grid Tuesday. Orsted and Eversource are co-owners of the 400-megawatt wind farm, called Revolution Wind. The plans call for up to 50 turbines in federal waters south of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. The turbines are expected to generate enough energy to power about 270,000 homes, roughly a quarter of the homes in Rhode Island. Local construction could start in Rhode Island in 2020 with commercial operations by 2023. Connecticut separately plans to purchase power from turbines at the same federal lease site. Orsted is planning several more U.S. wind farms. What to Know Hudson Valley man charged with murdering his daughter-in-law in 2012, was added to the FBIs Ten Most Wanted list, authorities announced Eugene Palmer was charged by the Rockland County DAs office with shooting and killing 39-year-old Tammy Pannirello Palmer The FBI says Palmer should be considered armed and dangerous A Hudson Valley man who vanished into a state park after allegedly murdering his daughter-in-law in 2012 has been added to the FBIs 10 Most Wanted list, according to law enforcement authorities. The announcement was made Wednesday during a press conference at the FBI office in Rye, New York. Eugene Palmer was charged by the Rockland County District Attorneys Office with shooting and killing 39-year-old Tammy Pannirello Palmer on Sept. 24, 2012, in the driveway of her Haverstraw property after walking her children to catch the school bus. News 4 had previously reported that Palmers sister said Palmer had been feuding with his daughter-in-law prior to her death. According to authorities, Palmer developed a strained relationship with his daughter-in-law as her marriage to Palmer's son deteriorated. Haverstraw Police Detective Michael Cruger said a judge even issued an order of protection. Palmer, 80, is described by the FBI as an experienced hunter, outdoorsman, and car enthusiast, was last seen entering Harriman State Park. He has eluded capture since. A federal arrest warrant charging Palmer with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution was issued in June 2013. Palmer is described as 510, 220 lbs, balding, with brown eyes and having a deformed left thumb. A reward of $100,000 is being offered for the arrest and conviction of Palmer. The FBI says Palmer should be considered armed and dangerous. President Donald Trump on Wednesday discouraged Alabama Republican Roy Moore from running for U.S. Senate in 2020, saying that Moore cannot win and the "consequences will be devastating" for his party and policies if Democrats retain the seat. Moore lost in the once-reliably red state in a 2017 special election amid the sexual misconduct allegations , which he denied, and is considering a second run in 2020. Asked about the president's tweet, Moore said Wednesday that he blames establishment Republicans he contends are trying to keep him out of the race because they are scared he will win. Trump, who backed Moore in 2017 despite the allegations, tweeted "I have NOTHING against Roy Moore," but warned that "Roy Moore cannot win." "Republicans cannot allow themselves to again lose the Senate seat in the Great State of Alabama," Trump wrote, adding that if Democrats retain the seat in 2020, "many of the incredible gains that we have made during my Presidency may be lost." Moore told The Associated Press in a telephone interview that, "everybody knows I can win and that's what worrying in Washington." "I think the president is coming under pressure from people in Washington, scared that I will run for the Senate, scared I will win and know I can win," Moore said. Moore said he has not made a decision about whether to enter the 2020 race, and that Trump's comments will not be a factor in his decision. He said he will announce a decision in June. Democratic Sen. Doug Jones defeated Moore in 2017 by 22,000 votes out of 1.3 million cast in a special election to fill the seat previously held by Jeff Sessions, who became Trump's attorney general. Republicans control the Senate 53-47 and view defeating Jones as a top priority. Jones, 65, is considered the most endangered Democratic incumbent facing re-election in 2020, a year when several GOP senators are vulnerable and control of the chamber will be at stake. Moore's nomination could have national repercussions. Democrats could accuse the GOP of ignoring the #MeToo movement and coddling a man accused of sexual misconduct. Moore says he expects to announce a decision in mid-June. The head of Texas' beleaguered child welfare system announced on Tuesday he's stepping down, which comes at a time when child abuse deaths statewide reached a six-year high in 2018. Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Commissioner Hank Whitman told the agency's workers in a video that he is planning to retire at the end of June. "It has been a great honor to work with you," Whitman said. "I've had a long career in public service before coming here, but I can honestly say that protecting the unprotected with you has been the most satisfying time of my professional life." Whitman, who had no child welfare experience, took over the post in 2016 after a federal judge ruled Texas' foster care system was unconstitutionally broken . He made regional directors re-apply for their jobs, said he would give nearly 150 special investigators forensic training and made criminal background checks a new priority. But Whitman's early departure comes as the troubled department continues to struggle with high turnover among staff and heavy caseloads. His agency reported that 211 children in Texas died from abuse and neglect last year, up from 172 the year before. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott said in an emailed statement Whitman's "long-standing commitment to putting the needs of children and families first helped create a safer future for Texas." "Hank made fundamental changes to DFPS that resulted in better outcomes for children, and he played an instrumental role in the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services' transition into its own agency," Abbott said. The governor now has until the end of June to name an interim commissioner or find a new person to take the post, said Abbott spokesman John Wittman. Authorities say a ball python slithered out of a toilet and bit a South Florida man on the arm. Coral Springs police spokesman Chris Swinson said the man was treated at the scene after the 4-foot snake bit him when he lifted the toilet seat on Sunday morning. The snake is nonvenomous. Swinson told news outlets the snake didn't belong to the man and it was unclear how it got into the apartment. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports the Coral Springs Humane Society took the snake to a veterinarian's office. It was being treated for a scale infection. Over the years other creatures have found their way into toilets in South Florida, including an iguana freed by Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue in March. The entire shoreline of a Southern California city is closed to swimmers after sewage-contaminated runoff flowed into California from Mexico's Tijuana River. The San Diego Union-Tribune reports the San Diego County Department of Environment Health issued the order Sunday, expanding the closure that has been in place for months for part of the Imperial Beach coast. Officials say more than 110 million gallons of toxic storm water has flowed north from Mexico since April. The closure will be in place until testing shows the water is safe. California and the cities of Imperial Beach and Chula Vista sued the Trump administration last year over the recurring toxic flows from Mexico. The lawsuit seeks to force the U.S. government to upgrade the collection system that diverts flows to a wastewater treatment plant. Two separate shootings occurred on the same street at the same time Monday in South Los Angeles, with teenagers struck by gunfire in both shootings, police said. One shooting took place on the 1300 block of 59th Street at 7:45 p.m., the Los Angeles Police Department said. Two people walked up and opened fire, striking a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old, the LAPD said. "I just thought it was fireworks...until I saw the police and sirens," said neighbor Ashley Rivera. Police set up a perimeter and believe the shooters possibly ran into two separate homes. The condition of the two teenage victims was not immediately known. The other shooting took place near the intersection of 59th Street and Normandie Avenue, which is less than a block away from the location of the first shooting, police said. The second shooting also took place at 7:45 p.m., police said. A 15-year-old walking out of store was approached by an unknown gunman and shot in the foot. The victim ran home and called authorities, police said. Police said one of the suspected shooters had been taken into custody, while a search was ongoing for a second shooter. About a half hour before the aforementioned pair of shootings, a 43-year-old man was fatally shot near the intersection of Vermont Avenue and 95th Street in South Los Angeles at about 7:15 p.m. according to police, City News Service reported. The man was reportedly pronounced dead at the scene of the shooting. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to explore building affordable housing for veterans at Bob Hope Patriotic Hall downtown. Supervisor Hilda Solis recommended a feasibility study on affordable housing in connection with a parking needs assessment already underway. "As homelessness continues to grow, L.A. County is leading the way in identifying innovative solutions to this multifaceted crisis," Solis said. The hall, built in 1925 and located across the Santa Monica (10) Freeway from the Los Angeles Convention Center, is a hub for military and veterans services. It serves more than 30,000 visitors and holds 1,000-plus events annually, but only has 63 parking spaces in an adjacent lot between Lebanon and Flower streets, according to Solis. "The One-Stop Veterans Service Center established at Patriotic Hall is a life-saving resource to veterans who are in need of assistance, but lack of parking at the hall makes access difficult to at-risk veterans who so desperately need these services," said Stephen Peck, president and CEO of U.S. VETS. Peck estimated that 10% of homeless veterans nationwide live on the streets and in shelters within Los Angeles County and hailed Solis' suggestion to build affordable housing along with a parking structure. On a separate motion by Supervisor Janice Hahn, the board backed a bill to streamline conversions of motels into supportive housing units. "Converting motels into supportive housing should be a quick and cost-effective way to address our homelessness crisis -- but stricter regulations often make these conversions more difficult and more expensive than other housing projects," Hahn said. The board voted its support for SB 450 authored by Sen. Thomas Umberg, D-Santa Ana, that would exempt such conversions from the California Environmental Quality Act. Projects qualifying for exemptions under the bill would not increase the number of dwelling units and would make only minor alterations to the interior of the buildings to add cooking facilities and the provision of a hotplate or microwave to individual units. "Our communities need more transitional and supportive housing to come as soon as possible, considering the state's homelessness crisis. Too many families are staying in these motels because they cannot pass a credit check to lease an apartment, and as a result, they end up paying more to reside in a motel," Umberg said. "There is no single solution to tackling homelessness, but this gives local communities a sound option." What to Know The McStay family of Fallbrook was last heard from or seen on Feb. 4, 2010. On Feb. 15, the family was reported missing to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. Homicide investigators search the family's home on Avocado Vista Lane and found no sign of a struggle. Update on 5/30: After five months of testimony, the defense and prosecution have concluded their closing arguments in the McStay family murder trial. The jury will deliberate the fate of Charles Merritt, charged with killing Joseph and Summer McStay along with their 3- and 4-year-old sons, starting Monday, not Thursday as previously reported. Today, a juror who had a work conflict was replaced by an alternate. A kidnapping theory was suggested Wednesday in the 2010 disappearance of a Southern California family that stumped investigators and riveted San Diegans for years until their bodies were discovered in desert graves. Attorneys representing Charles "Chase" Merritt, 62, told jurors there is no evidence connecting their client to four brutal killings. He's accused of killing his former business partner Joseph McStay first. Then, Merritt is accused of using a sledgehammer to kill Joseph's wife, Summer, and their 3- and 4-year old sons. However, in the defense team's closing arguments Wednesday, Merritt's attorney reminded the jury there was no blood evidence at the scene or on his client. "He'd be covered in blood. Impact causes blood spatter, covered in blood. Nobody says anything about him being covered in blood," attorney James McGee said. .large div.leadMediaRegion {border:none} .large .leadMediaRegion.city_module iframe {height:650px;} The McStay family killings have captivated the public since the family was first reported missing nine years ago. Merritt, a former business partner of Joseph McStay, was arrested one year after the family was found buried in shallow graves in the desert near Victorville. Prosecutors told jurors greed motivated the brutal killings and the coverup. Three days before the family vanished, Merritt received an email from Joseph McStay saying Merritt owed thousands of dollars in overpayments. Closing arguments resumed in the McStay family murder trial. NBC 7's Marianne Kushi has more. After that, as of Feb. 4, 2010, there was no phone activity, internet, email, bank, credit card activity from the family. Family members reported the McStays missing on Feb. 15, 2010 and an investigation was launched. McGee said investigators manipulated evidence and even accusing the prosecutor of lying. Defense attorney suggesting McStay family was kidnapped by multiple people on Feb 5, 2010. Had to control 3 peopleProsecution contends they were killed by Merritt on night of Feb 4.) #nbc7 #McStay https://t.co/LNkCt3igwC Artie Ojeda (@ArtieNBCSD) May 29, 2019 The defense attorney told jurors there were two sets of tire tracks at the gravesite and for the first time, we heard a new theory from the defense. Merritt's lawyer claimed - without evidence - the family was kidnapped at their home, by multiple people. San Bernardino Deputy District Attorney Britt Imes plays recordings of a police interview with defendant Charles Chase Merritt who is accused of killing the McStay family of Fallbrook, California. In the interview, Merritt uses the past tense when talking about Joseph McStay, Summer McStay, Joe McStay Jr., and Gianni McStay. The family's disappearance in 2010 perplexed investigators for years with false leads and national television programs recapping the weeks leading up to their disappearance. It wasn't until November 2013 that the family was found dead, buried more than 100 miles away in a remote area of San Bernardino County, along with a 3-pound sledgehammer, child's pants and a diaper. Summer McStay was found with a broken jaw. Joseph and his sons were found with fractured skulls. Prosecutors told jurors there can be a murder case without answering where, when and how someone was killed. Images: The McStay Family Merritt pleaded not guilty to the charges. "This case screams for not guilty. This case screams for Mr. Merritt to be acquitted. Justice demands it," McGee said. Jurors could get the case Thursday. If convicted, Merritt could face the death penalty. Deputy District Attorney Britt Imes talks to jurors as he wraps up the case in closing arguments on Tuesday, May 28, 2019. Joseph, Summer, Joseph, Jr. and Gianni McStay were found buried in a shallow grave in the desert in San Bernardino County. A college student pleaded guilty Tuesday to sneaking into Mar-a-Lago during President Donald Trump's Thanksgiving visit in a manner similar to how a Chinese national gained admission four months later. University of Wisconsin student Mark Lindblom apologized Tuesday and received a year's probation after federal prosecutors agreed he meant no harm when he sneaked into the Palm Beach club. Lindblom, who was charged with entering a restricted area, was visiting his grandparents at a neighboring resort on Nov. 23 when he walked down a beach and got in line with entering Mar-a-Lago members and guests, wanting to see if he could get in. Trump and his family were at the club for the holiday. The Palm Beach Post reports Lindblom walked past signs warning that only authorized people were allowed entry. The 19-year-old business major from Washington, D.C., then went through a metal detector and Secret Service agents let him enter. "I wanted to see how far I could get," Lindblom told Magistrate Judge William Matthewman. He said he did not realize how his actions would affect the Secret Service agents guarding the president. He said after watching online video of the 1981 attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan, he now understands the dangers agents face. "These men and women are dedicated to serve us and protect the president," he said. "I'm so sorry for wasting their time." Assistant U.S. Attorney John McMillan told Matthewman that an investigation showed Lindblom's only goal was to gain entry and take pictures. "We have no reason to believe he had a political, criminal or terroristic purpose," McMillan said. "It was a foolish decision he did on a lark." Matthewman agreed, saying Lindblom committed "a youthful indiscretion more out of misplaced curiosity." McMillan said security at Mar-a-Lago has since been tightened and Lindblom would not have been able to enter now. Agents also let Chinese national Yujing Zhang enter Mar-a-Lago in March after she allegedly told them she was there to use the pool. She is awaiting trial and is facing more serious charges as prosecutors say she lied to agents. She was also found to be carrying cellphones, a computer and other electronic equipment. She has pleaded not guilty. Israel embarked Thursday on an unprecedented snap election campaign the second this year after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a governing coalition and instead dissolved parliament. In what seemed an improbable scenario just days ago, Israel's newly elected Knesset dissolved itself in an early morning 74-45 vote and set a new election date for Sept. 17. The developments were a shocking setback for Netanyahu, who had appeared to secure a comfortable win in last month's election. But he was unable to build a parliamentary majority needed to rule because a traditional ally, Avigdor Lieberman, refused to bring his Yisrael Beiteinu faction into the coalition. Netanyahu, who has led Israel for the past decade, now faces another challenge to his lengthy rule. It comes as he prepares for a pre-indictment hearing before expected criminal charges against him in a series of corruption cases. Assuming they would sweep into power again, Netanyahu's allies in the ruling Likud Party had already begun drafting a contentious bill aimed at granting him immunity from the various corruption charges awaiting him. He was also looking to push legislation limiting the power of Israel's Supreme Court and paving his path to many more years in office. But it was a separate issue that sparked the unprecedented crisis, and for the first time in history thrust Israel into a repeat election before a new government was even formed. Lieberman a veteran nationalist and secular politician demanded that current legislation mandating that young ultra-Orthodox men be drafted into the military run its course. Years of exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men have generated widespread resentment among the rest of Jewish Israelis who serve. The ultra-Orthodox, backed by Netanyahu, refused to bend and the showdown quickly devolved into a full-blown crisis that imploded the perspective government. "The public chose me, and Lieberman, unfortunately, deceived his voters. From the beginning he had no intention to do what he said," Netanyahu said after the vote, accusing Lieberman of aligning with "the left." Lieberman, a former top aide to Netanyahu who has alternated between a close alliance and bitter rivalry with his former boss, retorted that the new election was a result of Netanyahu caving into the ultra-Orthodox. "This is a complete surrender of Likud to the ultra-Orthodox," he said. A new election complicates Netanyahu's efforts to pass the proposed bills to protect himself from prosecution. Even if Netanyahu wins the election, it is unlikely he will be able to form a government and lock down the required political support for an immunity deal before an expected indictment. That would force him to stand trial, and in turn put heavy pressure on him to step aside. No one in Likud has yet challenged him publicly. The political uncertainty could also spell trouble for the White House's Mideast peace efforts. The U.S. has scheduled a conference next month in Bahrain to unveil what it says is the first phase of its peace plan, an initiative aimed at drawing investment into the Palestinian territories. The Trump administration had vowed to unveil its plan after the Israeli election and it's unclear how the current political shakeup will affect that rollout. What to Know Jennifer Dulos, a 50-year-old mother of five, hasn't been seen since Friday, authorities say The Connecticut woman was last spotted in New Canaan driving a 2017 black Chevrolet Suburban Anyone with information about Dulos' disappearance is asked to call at 203-594-3544 Authorities in Connecticut are intensifying their search for a missing mother of five who hasn't been seen in nearly a week, according to police and multiple reports. Jennifer Dulos, 50, was last seen on Friday in New Canaan driving a 2017 black Chevrolet Suburban, police say. Her SUV has since been found near a Connecticut park. State Police are assisting New Canaan authorities in the investigation, officials say, with a drone and K-9 units being deployed to search for Dulos. According to the Stamford Advocate, Dulos was in the midst of a longstanding custody battle with her husband of 13 years, from whom she filed for divorce in 2017. A hearing in the case had been scheduled for Wednesday morning. The Advocate reports Dulos and her husband had a temporary shared custody agreement pending the finalization of their divorce. Their children range in age from 8 to 13, the paper reported. According to court documents obtained by NBC, Dulos said she was "afraid" of her husband. "I know that filing for divorce, and filing this motion will enrage him," she's quoted as saying in a 2017 custody filing. "I know he will retaliate by trying to harm me in some way." Her husband denied all those allegations. On Tuesday, his lawyer filed an emergency order for custody of the children. The children were brought to live with Dulos' family in Manhattan, according to court documents, and attorneys claimed they needed an armed guard for protection. Dulos had planned to move to New York's Pound Ridge with her children while her husband stayed at their home in Farmington, Connecticut, the Advocate said. Dulos had left the Farmington home in 2017 and taken her kids to a rental home in New Canaan, according to the Advocate. Were heartbroken and very concerned, but we are just hoping fervently for her safe return, said family spokesperson Carrie Luft. Police received a missing person report Friday, just shy of 7 p.m., when friends indicated they had not heard from Dulos for about 10 hours and that she missed several appointments during the day. According to police, the last time one of her friends had contact with Dulos was earlier that day after Dulos dropped her children off at school. Police subsequently checked Dulos' residence after she was reported missing. A short time later, police say, Dulos' Chevrolet Suburban was located on Palham Road near Waveny Park, but she was not inside the vehicle. K-9 units checked the surrounding area for Dulos but were unsuccessful, police say, adding that a drone is also being used to assist in the search. According to authorities, the investigation is being treated as a missing person case, but as with any missing person case, a criminal investigation is being conducted concurrently to determine if Dulos was the victim of foul play or intentional harm. Authorities urge anyone who had contact with Dulos or has information regarding her disappearance to call the New Canaan Police Tip Line at 203-594-3544. Special counsel Robert Mueller spoke out about his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election for the first time Wednesday to say that he will not provide more information than what's in the report his office released. Below are his roughly 10-minute remarks as they were prepared for delivery, as released by the Justice Department. Video of the address is at the top of this story: Washington, D.C. Remarks as Prepared for Delivery Two years ago, the Acting Attorney General asked me to serve as Special Counsel, and he created the Special Counsels Office. The appointment order directed the office to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. This included investigating any links or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the Trump campaign. I have not spoken publicly during our investigation. I am speaking today because our investigation is complete. The Attorney General has made the report on our investigation largely public. And we are formally closing the Special Counsels Office. As well, I am resigning from the Department of Justice and returning to private life. Ill make a few remarks about the results of our work. But beyond these few remarks, it is important that the offices written work speak for itself. Let me begin where the appointment order begins: and that is interference in the 2016 presidential election. As alleged by the grand jury in an indictment, Russian intelligence officers who were part of the Russian military launched a concerted attack on our political system. The indictment alleges that they used sophisticated cyber techniques to hack into computers and networks used by the Clinton campaign. They stole private information, and then released that information through fake online identities and through the organization WikiLeaks. The releases were designed and timed to interfere with our election and to damage a presidential candidate. And at the same time, as the grand jury alleged in a separate indictment, a private Russian entity engaged in a social media operation where Russian citizens posed as Americans in order to interfere in the election. These indictments contain allegations. And we are not commenting on the guilt or innocence of any specific defendant. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. The indictments allege, and the other activities in our report describe, efforts to interfere in our political system. They needed to be investigated and understood. That is among the reasons why the Department of Justice established our office. That is also a reason we investigated efforts to obstruct the investigation. The matters we investigated were of paramount importance. It was critical for us to obtain full and accurate information from every person we questioned. When a subject of an investigation obstructs that investigation or lies to investigators, it strikes at the core of the governments effort to find the truth and hold wrongdoers accountable. Let me say a word about the report. The report has two parts addressing the two main issues we were asked to investigate. The first volume of the report details numerous efforts emanating from Russia to influence the election. This volume includes a discussion of the Trump campaigns response to this activity, as well as our conclusion that there was insufficient evidence to charge a broader conspiracy. And in the second volume, the report describes the results and analysis of our obstruction of justice investigation involving the President. The order appointing me Special Counsel authorized us to investigate actions that could obstruct the investigation. We conducted that investigation and we kept the office of the Acting Attorney General apprised of the progress of our work. As set forth in our report, after that investigation, if we had confidence that the President clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said that. We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the President did commit a crime. The introduction to volume two of our report explains that decision. It explains that under long-standing Department policy, a President cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office. That is unconstitutional. Even if the charge is kept under seal and hidden from public viewthat too is prohibited. The Special Counsels Office is part of the Department of Justice and, by regulation, it was bound by that Department policy. Charging the President with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider. The Departments written opinion explaining the policy against charging a President makes several important points that further informed our handling of the obstruction investigation. Those points are summarized in our report. And I will describe two of them: First, the opinion explicitly permits the investigation of a sitting President because it is important to preserve evidence while memories are fresh and documents are available. Among other things, that evidence could be used if there were co-conspirators who could now be charged. And second, the opinion says that the Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting President of wrongdoing. And beyond Department policy, we were guided by principles of fairness. It would be unfair to potentially accuse somebody of a crime when there can be no court resolution of an actual charge. So that was the Justice Department policy and those were the principles under which we operated. From them we concluded that we would not reach a determination one way or the other about whether the President committed a crime. That is the offices final position and we will not comment on any other conclusions or hypotheticals about the President. We conducted an independent criminal investigation and reported the results to the Attorney Generalas required by Department regulations. The Attorney General then concluded that it was appropriate to provide our report to Congress and the American people. At one point in time I requested that certain portions of the report be released. The Attorney General preferred to make the entire report public all at once. We appreciate that the Attorney General made the report largely public. I do not question the Attorney Generals good faith in that decision. I hope and expect this to be the only time that I will speak about this matter. I am making that decision myselfno one has told me whether I can or should testify or speak further about this matter. There has been discussion about an appearance before Congress. Any testimony from this office would not go beyond our report. It contains our findings and analysis, and the reasons for the decisions we made. We chose those words carefully, and the work speaks for itself. The report is my testimony. I would not provide information beyond that which is already public in any appearance before Congress. In addition, access to our underlying work product is being decided in a process that does not involve our office. So beyond what I have said here today and what is contained in our written work, I do not believe it is appropriate for me to speak further about the investigation or to comment on the actions of the Justice Department or Congress. It is for that reason that I will not take questions here today. Before I step away, I want to thank the attorneys, the FBI agents, the analysts, and the professional staff who helped us conduct this investigation in a fair and independent manner. These individuals, who spent nearly two years with the Special Counsels Office, were of the highest integrity. I will close by reiterating the central allegation of our indictmentsthat there were multiple, systematic efforts to interfere in our election. That allegation deserves the attention of every American. Thank you. What to Know The special counsel reiterated the report's findings: he felt Justice Department guidelines barred him from charging President Donald Trump Mueller is stepping down and returning to private life, but did not rule out testifying to Congress Trump reacted on Twitter, saying that "nothing changes" from the report and, "The case is closed!" Special counsel Robert Mueller said Wednesday that charging President Donald Trump with a crime was "not an option" because of federal rules, but he used his first public remarks on the Russia investigation to emphasize that he did not exonerate the president. "If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so," Mueller declared. The special counsel's remarks stood as a pointed rebuttal to Trump's repeated claims that he was cleared and that the two-year inquiry was merely a "witch hunt." They also marked a counter to criticism, including by Attorney General William Barr, that Mueller should have reached a determination on whether the president illegally tried to obstruct the probe by taking actions such as firing his FBI director. Mueller made clear that his team never considered indicting Trump because the Justice Department prohibits the prosecution of a sitting president. "Charging the president with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider," Mueller said during a televised statement . He said he believed such an action would be unconstitutional. Mueller did not use the word 'impeachment," but said it was the job of Congress not the criminal justice system to hold the president accountable for any wrongdoing. The special counsel's statement largely echoed the central points of his 448-page report, which was released last month with some redactions. But his remarks, just under 10 minutes long and delivered from a Justice Department podium, were extraordinary given that he had never before discussed or characterized his findings and had stayed mute during two years of feverish public speculation. Mueller, a former FBI director, said Wednesday that his work was complete and he was resigning to return to private life. His remarks underscored the unsettled resolution, and revelations of behind-the-scenes discontent, that accompanied the end of his investigation. His refusal to reach a conclusion on criminal obstruction opened the door for Barr to clear the president, who in turn has cited the attorney general's finding as proof of his innocence. Trump, given notice Tuesday evening that Mueller would speak the next morning, watched on television. For weeks, he had been nervous about the possibility about the special counsel testifying before Congress, worried about the visual power of such a public appearance. Shortly after Mueller concluded, the president who has repeatedly and falsely claimed that the report cleared him of obstruction of justice, tweeted a subdued yet still somewhat inaccurate reaction: "Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you" While claiming victory, the tone of the president's tweet was a far cry from the refrain of "total exoneration" that has dominated his declarations. Mueller has privately vented to Barr about the attorney general's handling of the report, while Barr has publicly said he was taken aback by the special counsel's decision to neither exonerate nor incriminate the president. Under pressure to testify before Congress, Mueller did not rule it out. But he seemed to warn lawmakers that they would not be pulling more detail out of him. His report is his testimony, he said. "So beyond what I have said here today and what is contained in our written work," Mueller said, "I do not believe it is appropriate for me to speak further about the investigation or to comment on the actions of the Justice Department or Congress." Mueller's comments, one month after the public release of his report on Russian efforts to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton, appeared intended to both justify the legitimacy of his investigation against complaints by the president and to explain his decision to not reach a conclusion on whether Trump had obstructed justice in the probe. He described wide-ranging and criminal Russian efforts to interfere in the election, including by hacking and spreading disinformation interference that Trump has said Putin rejected to his face in an "extremely strong and powerful" denial. And Mueller called the question of later obstruction by Trump and his campaign a matter of "paramount importance." Mueller said the absence of a conclusion on obstruction should not be mistaken for exoneration. A Justice Department legal opinion "says the Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing," Mueller said. That would shift the next move, if any, to Congress, and the Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, which would investigate further or begin any impeachment effort, commented quickly. New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler said it falls to Congress to respond to the "crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump and we will do so." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has so far discouraged members of her caucus from demanding impeachment, believing it would only help Trump win re-election and arguing that Democrats need to follow a methodical, step by step approach to investigating the president. But she hasn't ruled it out. On the Republican side, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said that Mueller "has decided to move on and let the report speak for itself. Congress should follow his lead." Trump has blocked House committees' subpoenas and other efforts to dig into the Trump-Russia issue, insisting Mueller's report has settled everything. The report found no criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia to tip the outcome of the 2016 presidential election in Trump's favor. But it also did not reach a conclusion on whether the president had obstructed justice. Barr has said he was surprised Mueller did not reach a conclusion on obstruction, though Mueller in his report and again in his statement Wednesday said he had no choice. Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decided on their own that the evidence was not sufficient to support a criminal charge. Barr, in Alaska for work and briefed ahead of time on Mueller's statement, did not answer a question about the Mueller probe at the end of a roundtable discussion with Alaska native leaders. He has said he asked Mueller during a March conversation if he would have recommended charging Trump "but for" the Office of Legal Counsel opinion, and that Mueller said "no." "Under longstanding department policy, a president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office," Mueller said. "That is unconstitutional. Even if the charge is kept under seal and hidden from public view that, too, is prohibited." Mueller, for his part, earlier complained privately to Barr that he believed a four-page letter from the attorney general summarizing the report's main conclusions did not adequately represent his findings. Barr has said he considered Mueller's criticism to be a bit "snitty." Donald Trump's national security adviser said Wednesday there was "no reason" for Iran to back out of its nuclear deal with world powers other than to seek atomic weapons, a year after the U.S. president unilaterally withdrew America from the accord. John Bolton, long a hawk on Iran, also claimed without offering evidence that the alleged sabotage of four oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates came from naval mines placed "almost certainly by Iran." Speaking in Abu Dhabi, the Emirati capital, Bolton told journalists that there had been a previously unknown attempt to attack the Saudi oil port of Yanbu as well. However, Bolton stressed that the U.S. has not seen any further Iranian attacks in the time since, something he attributed to military deployments America recently sent an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Persian Gulf. He warned the U.S. would strike back if attacked. "The point is to make it very clear to Iran and its surrogates that these kinds of action risk a very strong response from the United States," Bolton threatened, without elaborating. Saudi officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Bolton's claim on Yanbu, which is the terminus, or end point, of the kingdom's East-West Pipeline. That pipeline was attacked in recent days in a coordinated drone assault launched by Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. In recent weeks, tensions have soared as the U.S. beefed up its military presence in the Persian Gulf in response to a still-unexplained threat from Iran. The U.S. also has accused Iran of being behind a string of incidents, including the alleged sabotage of oil tankers near the UAE coast and a rocket that landed near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, while Yemen's Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels have launched a string of drone attacks targeting Saudi Arabia. Iran, meanwhile, has announced it was backing away from the 2015 nuclear deal, which saw it limits its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. Trump withdrew the U.S. from the accord as he believes it didn't go far enough in limiting the Iranian nuclear program, nor did it address Iran's ballistic missile program. Bolton said that without more nuclear power plants, it made no sense for Iran to stockpile more low-enriched uranium as it now plans to do. But the U.S. also earlier cut off Iran's ability to sell its uranium to Russia in exchange for unprocessed yellow-cake uranium. Iran has set a July 7 deadline for Europe to offer better terms to the unraveling nuclear deal, otherwise it will resume enrichment closer to weapons level. Bolton declined to say what the U.S. would do in response to that but he criticized Iran's actions. "There's no reason for them to do any of that unless that's part of an effort to reduce the breakout time to produce nuclear weapons," Bolton said. "That's a very serious issue if they continue to do that." Iran long has insisted its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes. However, Western powers pushed for the nuclear deal to limit Iran's ability to seek atomic weapons. "This is just more graphic evidence that it hasn't constrained their continuing desire to have nuclear weapons," Bolton added. "It certainly hasn't reduced their terrorist activities in the region that we just discussed or their other malign behavior in their use of conventional forces." Bolton declined to offer any evidence in blaming Iran for the attacks, citing ongoing investigations. "Who else would you think is doing it?" he asked rhetorically at one point. "Somebody from Nepal?" What to Know New York's Legislature could soon repeal a longstanding ban on paid surrogacy contracts New York and Michigan are now the only two states that expressly forbid surrogacy contracts Lawmakers held a hearing on the legislation Wednesday, a critical step before a possible vote New York's Legislature could soon repeal one of the nation's last bans on paid surrogacy contracts, in which a woman is compensated for carrying the child of another person or couple. New York and Michigan are now the only two states that expressly forbid surrogacy contracts, forcing many prospective parents to go to other states to start a family. A measure pending in the Legislature would permit and regulate such contracts and impose rules intended to protect surrogates, future parents and babies. Speaking at a Senate hearing on the bill Wednesday in Albany, Dennis Williams told lawmakers about his struggle to find a surrogate outside of New York. In a twist, he ultimately found one in Kansas, Williams' own birth state. He said he left years ago because as a gay black man, he felt more welcome in New York. "It's more than a little ironic to me that New York has given me some of the best parts of my life and yet could not or would not give me what I wanted most," he said. He and his now five-year-old son live in Brooklyn. Sen. Brad Hoylman, D-Manhattan, is the sponsor of the bill and the father of two daughters born to a surrogate in California. He said New York's law hasn't kept up with medical advances in gestational surrogacy, in which a woman carries a fetus she is not genetically related to. In many cases, prospective parents may find a surrogate in another state with lax regulations, he said. "Let's have the best laws in the country, and regulations, that protect all the parties," he said at Wednesday's hearing. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the legislation is one of his top priorities for the remainder of the legislative session, which is scheduled to end next month. While no vote is scheduled yet, the bill has strong support in the Democrat-led Senate and Assembly. Cuomo said the state's ban on surrogacy contracts hits same-sex couples especially hard, which he said is odd given the state's early approval of same-sex marriage. "And now you're saying, in essence, an infertile couple or a gay couple can't have a child?" he said during a public radio interview Tuesday. "It's absurd to me." The bill contains several safeguards intended to prevent surrogates from being exploited, and to ensure the legal responsibilities for the child rest with the intended parents. They include requirements that surrogates be 21 or older and have independent legal representation, as well as a process allowing the intended parents to obtain a court judgment naming them the parent of the child before their birth. Opponents to the bill include the New York State Catholic Conference. In a memo outlining its concerns, the conference wrote that surrogacy contracts have been used to exploit surrogates around the world. "The international commercial surrogacy trade has been exposed, and several countries such as India, Nepal, Thailand and Cambodia, where brokers found access to impoverished women willing to serve as surrogates, have banned the practice," the conference wrote. A man carrying a knife in each hand and screaming "I will kill you!" attacked a group of schoolgirls near a school bus parked at a bus stop just outside Tokyo on Tuesday, killing two people and injuring at least 17 before killing himself, officials said. Most of the victims were students at a Catholic elementary school who were lined up at the bus stop near Noborito Park in the city of Kawasaki when the man began slashing them with knives. Officials said police captured the attacker but he died at a hospital from a self-inflicted cut in his neck. Witnesses described a hellish scene: children and adults falling to the ground, some with their shirts soaked with blood, dozens of children running and screaming for help, and school bags and books scattered on the ground. "I heard a scream so I stopped and turned around to see what happened. It was not a normal tone of voice," said Yasuko Atsukata. She said she saw one person collapse, and then another. "The color of their white shirts turned red after they collapsed, then I understood they got stabbed." In a nearby parking lot, a frightened-looking boy was in shock with scratches on his face, hands and legs, apparently from falling to the ground as he ran for his life. Police identified the attacker as Ryuichi Iwasaki, a 51-year-old resident of Kawasaki, and said they were still checking his occupation. The attacker's motive wasn't immediately known. Police found two more knives in the man's knapsack in addition to the two he was holding, according to media reports. Iwasaki reportedly lived with his elderly uncle and aunt and was known as a troublemaker. A neighbor said Iwasaki repeatedly rang her doorbell early one the morning about a year ago and yelled at her husband that he had been hit by a tree branch sticking out from their yard, the Sankei newspaper reported. Kawasaki city official Masami Arai said most of the injured were students at Caritas Gakuen, a Catholic school founded by Soeurs de la Charite de Quebec, an organization of Catholic nuns in Quebec City in Canada. Arai said three of the injuries were serious. Kanagawa prefectural police confirmed 17 people were injured and three others had died, including the attacker. Police identified the two other fatalities as 11-year-old Hanako Kuribayashi and Satoshi Oyama, a 39-year-old government employee who was taking his child to the bus stop. Hospital officials said both had been slashed in the neck and the head. Caritas Chairman Tetsuro Saito said at a news conference that he was "struggling to fight back my anger." "My heart is broken with pain when I think of the innocent children and their parents who send their children to our school with love who were victimized by this savage act," he said. School officials said they will step up security measures at the school, including adding more security guards. But the incident raises questions about how schools can ensure the safety of children while commuting. Japanese children often walk to schools in groups. Witnesses said that as the attack unfolded, the bus driver shouted at the attacker, and as he was running away he cut his own neck, collapsing in a pool of blood as police seized him. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he was outraged by the attack. "Many small children were victimized, and I feel strong resentment," Abe said as he was hosting President Donald Trump on a four-day state visit, which ended Tuesday. "I will take all possible measures to protect the safety of children." Although Japan has one of the lowest crime rates in the world, it has had a series of high-profile killings, including in 2016 when a former employee at a home for the disabled allegedly killed 19 people and injured more than 20 others. Also in 2016, a man stabbed four people at a library in northeastern Japan, allegedly for mishandling his questions. No one was killed. In 2008, seven people were killed by a man who slammed a truck into a crowd of people in central Tokyo's Akihabara electronics district and then stabbed passers-by. Associated Press journalist Haruka Nuga contributed to this report. Corporate greed is responsible for an opioid crisis that has cost Oklahoma thousands of lives and will take billions of dollars to repair, the state's attorney general told a judge Tuesday at the start of the nation's first state trial against the companies accused of fueling the problem. Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter's opened the state's case against consumer products giant Johnson & Johnson and several subsidiaries by saying the powerful painkillers have led to the "worst manmade public health crisis" in U.S. history. The state alleges drugmakers extensively marketed highly addictive opioids for years in a way that overstated their effectiveness and underplayed the risk of addiction. "This crisis is devastating Oklahoma," Hunter said, adding that opioid overdoses killed 4,653 people in the state from 2007 to 2017. Lawyers for Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson say the products the company manufactured were not just legal, but were heavily regulated. Janssen attorney Larry Ottaway told the judge that the drugs are important because they can help people manage debilitating pain. "Serious chronic pain is a soul-stealing, life-robbing thief. It leads to depression. It leads to suicide. People can't take care of their own basic functions," Ottaway said. "You will hear from doctors, who practice right here in Oklahoma, some of those stories." The Oklahoma case is significant because it's the first to go to trial and could help shape negotiations to resolve the roughly 1,500 other opioid lawsuits that have been consolidated before a federal judge in Ohio. Two companies, OxyContin-maker Purdue Pharma and Teva Pharmaceuticals , settled with Oklahoma ahead of the trial. The state also contends two other Johnson & Johnson subsidiaries, Noramco and Tasmanian Alkaloids, were the primary suppliers of the active pharmaceutical ingredients provided to a number of opioid manufacturers, including Purdue and Teva. Oklahoma is suing under a public nuisance claim, alleging it will cost more than $13 billion over 20 to 30 years to abate the opioid crisis. Lawyers for the state say they plan to use internal company documents, including call notes between sales representatives and doctors, to show how Janssen used misleading claims to influence physicians and patients to use opioids. The trial could bring to light documents and testimony that show what the companies knew, when they knew it and how they responded. The state's lawyers also intend to call as witnesses family members of those who have died from taking the drugs, including Craig Box , whose son Austin was a 22-year-old standout linebacker for the Oklahoma Sooners when he died of a prescription drug overdose in 2011. Ottaway pushed back at the idea that doctors were unduly influenced by drug company sales representatives about whether to prescribe opioids for pain. "The doctor has an independent obligation," Ottaway said. "It's not a sales rep's decision." He also said that Janssen's fentanyl patch Duragesic represented only a tiny fraction of the opioid market in Oklahoma and was not widely abused or sold on the street like other drugs. "It has low rates of addiction and low rates of diversion," Ottaway said of the Duragesic patches. "When you hear about pill mills, you don't hear about patches." Cleveland County District Judge Thad Balkman, not a jury, will decide the case. He is allowing cameras in the courtroom, which is a rarity in Oklahoma. What to Know Saybie is a micro preemie a baby born before 28 weeks gestation. She was delivered by C-section at 23 weeks, 3 days. At birth, she weighed as much as a large apple The worlds smallest surviving baby has been born in San Diego, according to hospital officials. The baby girl weighed 8.6 ounces when she was delivered in December. She went home this month as a healthy, happy 5-pound infant. Officials with Sharp Mary Birch Hospital announced the successful birth Wednesday. The baby girl was born at 23 weeks and 3 days, delivered by C-section because she was not gaining weight in the womb after the mother developed preeclampsia. Her parents were advised their baby may not survive the first 24 hours. Images: World's Smallest Surviving Baby Born in San Diego That first day turned into two which then turned into a week. The baby girl defied expectations. "At birth, she was roughly the same weight as a large apple or a child's juice box," CEO Trisha Khaleghi said. While the family asked the hospital to respect their privacy, they did agree that the hospital could call the infant "Saybie." Sharp Mary Birch Hospital Neonatologist Paul Wozniak, M.D. said the baby was born with a strong heart rate but needed special equipment including a custom-sized blood pressure cuff and diapers as small as a table napkin. The nurses in the NICU were with the baby and her family every day since birth. "She was a fighter from the get-go," said registered nurse Kim Norby. I immediately fell in love with her and her family, said Devyn Kohl, another registered nurse at the hospital. It was a true honor to be part of her family's journey. Sharp Mary Birch Hospital She is the world's smallest surviving baby according to the tiniest baby registry, maintained by the University of Iowa, Khaleghi said. She officially weighed in at 7 grams less than the previous worlds smallest surviving baby born in Germany in 2015. The hospital, located in central San Diego, helps parents deliver nearly 8,000 babies each year, according to the hospital's website. The worlds tiniest surviving baby was born in San Diego. NBC 7s Danica McAdam has more from the parents who never lost hope. When a South Florida mother lost her Marine son to suicide six years ago, she made it her life's mission to help other veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and in the process, has taken on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Janine Lutz's son, Janos "John" V. Lutz, died by what she calls a "pharmaceutically-induced suicide" after ingesting a handful of Morphine and Klonopin pills given to him by VA doctors. He was 24 years old. Lutz blames John's death on the cocktail of powerful medications he was prescribed to treat his PTSD, specifically Klonopin, the brand name of clonazepam. The medication is a type of benzodiazepine, a class of drugs used to treat anxiety. The drug can trigger suicidal thoughts and tendencies in some patients. "I know my son died of pharmaceutically-induced suicide, it was the drugs that made him suicidal," said Lutz. "It wasn't his will [to die], it was the medication that f----- with his mind." The VA's National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder recommends against the use of benzodiazepines to treat PTSD. However, the VA does not outright ban doctors from prescribing it. The agency told NBC that it did not believe an outright ban would be in the best interest of patients because it could be complicated to discontinue usage in veterans who have developed a physical dependency to the drug. VA spokeswoman Susan Carter said 10.8% of veterans with PTSD had a "benzo" prescription in 2018, the latest year for which data was available. John had served back-to-back tours in Iraq and Afghanistan between 2007 and 2009. In Afghanistan, he fought in Operation Strike of the Sword, a massive U.S.-led offensive in the summer of 2009 to take control of a Taliban stronghold in the country. The operation left more than a dozen U.S. Marines dead and many more injured physically and mentally. "When he came home, he was visibly different, severe PTSD," said Lutz. "As a new mom, receiving a new war fighter, I didn't have any tools. I didn't know the things that I know now." What Lutz didn't know was just how bad John was struggling. After being diagnosed with PTSD by the VA stateside, John was given between 17 to 24 prescriptions at any given time. When some of them were taken together, the side effects included hallucinations, paranoia and suicide. One week after being prescribed Klonopin, John attempted suicide for the first time in 2010. Despite a medical history of mental health problems related to the drug, he would be prescribed Klonopin two more times. John was also taking morphine for combat-related injuries. Lutz said she kept his medications "under lock and key," at his request, and that she doled them out only as needed." "He says, 'I need you to take my pain meds, and when I need them, just give me one,' and I said, 'Ok honey,' and he said, 'Yeah mom, I'm just scared,'" she said. But after a 2013 visit to a VA psychiatrist, who Lutz said John was open with about the fact that his mom locked up his medications and his history with suicidal thoughts, the doctor prescribed him a stronger dosage of Klonopin. That visit was followed by one to an orthopedic doctor who Lutz said gave her son additional morphine pills. Eight days later, John was dead. "I was mad," Lutz said. She believes her son's death was preventable and filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the VA and won in November 2017. While the agency never acknowledged wrongdoing, Lutz received a settlement from the VA. She told the Military Times in 2015 that she doesn't dispute the VA's argument that her son had ample access to medical treatment. But, "she believes his physicians did not thoroughly read his lengthy medical records, did not understand the extent of his injuries and didn't read closely enough to know that some of his medications caused him to contemplate suicide." Lutz turned her grief into action and started the LCpl Janos V. Lutz Live to Tell Foundation, a non-profit that works to reduce veteran suicide by pairing veterans with other veterans and providing them with services and access to local resources, according to its website. Through Live to Tell, Lutz has also launched Lutz Buddy Up, which helps connect veterans through its social clubs for peer support. Her latest venture is Vet-Connect, an app that helps law enforcement and first responders connect veterans to resources in their community. Several South Florida police departments have already adopted the system. Lutz said the Sunrise Police Department and the Broward County Sheriff's Office have also expressed interest in the app. Her goal is to grow the app nationally as a resource for veterans everywhere. "The culture the military creates, especially among combat veterans, where service members take care of each other is re-established locally reducing the barriers of trust, shame, and accountability that organizations typically face when attempting to connect with a veteran in order to provide services to improve their quality of life and mental health," said a description of the program on the foundation's website. According to the VA, veterans are 1.5 times more likely than civilians to die by suicide, with men ages 18 to 34 at higher risks. Lutz said she wants the VA to change its protocols and the overall way it treats veterans with PTSD. "Medication should not be an answer to every single problem, that should be the last resort," Lutz said. "[The] first resort is to build local communities. Lets connect them with other war fighters -- thats who can understand a war fighter, another war fighter." Lutz said, for her, every day is Memorial Day. But, she will continue her fight to save others. "My son is gone, but his death will not be in vain," she said. "Because of his death, others will be saved." Carter said in an emailed statement to NBC that as part of the VA's Psychotropic Drug Safety Initiative program, they will be starting in July "to reduce benzodiazepine prescribing among high risk populations." The target groups include veterans with PTSD, older Veterans, veterans with substance use disorders and veterans who are prescribed both benzodiazepines and opioids. Asked if the agency kept track of the number of veterans who died by suicide who also had a benzodiazepine prescription, Carter said "yes," but did not provide any further details. You can download Vet-Connect on the App Store or Google Play. Veterans experiencing a mental health emergency can contact the Veteran Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 and select option 1 for a VA staffer. Veterans, troops or their families members can also text 838255 or visit VeteransCrisisLine.net for assistance. A decorated U.S. Marine has died in Australia from injuries sustained in a military training accident. A statement from the U.S. Marines said Lance Cpl. Hans Sandoval-Pereyra, 21, from Fairfax, Virginia, died on Wednesday in Royal Darwin Hospital due to injuries suffered on the weekend in a tactical vehicle accident. The accident occurred during a routine training exercise at an Australian military facility near Darwin, in the country's far north, the statement said. Sandoval-Pereyra, an expeditionary airfield systems technician assigned to the Marines' Aviation Combat Element, had received honors including the National Defense Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. One other Marine received minor injuries from the accident and was released from the hospital. The cause of the accident is being investigated. "We are saddened by the loss of Lance Corporal Sandoval-Pereyra," said Colonel Russ Boyce, commanding officer for Marine Rotational Force - Darwin. "He was a beloved member of our community and our deepest sympathies go out to his family and friends," he said. "We are extremely grateful to our Australian partners for their valiant efforts to save this young Marine's life." About 2,500 US Marines are stationed in Darwin as part of an annual rotation program. The accident follows the death of three other U.S. Marines in 2017 when their aircraft crashed into the sea off Queensland state during a training exercise. Earlier this month, a 24-year-old U.S. Marine from Washington, D.C., 1st Lt. Hugh C. McDowell, was killed at Camp Pendleton after a training accident. Democrats won't pick their nominee for another year, but President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden are acting like the 2020 presidential contest is already a two-man race. Almost completely ignoring his 23 Democratic competitors, Biden has been laser-focused on Trump particularly his embrace of racist rhetoric. But it has been Trump's recent focus on Biden that has surprised both his allies and critics, who believe the Republican president may be unintentionally elevating someone whose candidacy is barely a month old. Trump's advisers have privately encouraged him to lay off Biden. He has done the opposite, lobbing more public insults at the former vice president than any other Democrat over the month. Trump's latest attack was perhaps his most brazen: During a state visit to Japan on Monday, he agreed with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's recent description of Biden as a "low-IQ individual." A Biden campaign aide on Tuesday called the comments "beneath the dignity of the office." The campaign said it waited a day to respond out of respect for Memorial Day, a holiday that honors the service of military veterans. "To be on foreign soil, on Memorial Day, and to side repeatedly with a murderous dictator against a fellow American and former vice president speaks for itself," said Biden deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield. Democrats on the ground in key primary states report that the intensifying feud has strengthened Biden's argument that he's best positioned to take down Trump in 2020. For many voters, nothing matters more than electability. And with Trump's help, Biden is dominating that debate. Regardless of the short-term political fallout, it's becoming increasingly clear that Trump and his allies view Biden as their most formidable opponent. And the anti-Biden assault could become more organized and intense should Biden maintain his front-runner status in the coming months. "Trump seems to be obsessed with Biden, which suggests that he's afraid of him," said Gary Pearce, a longtime Democratic operative based in North Carolina. "Clearly, the reason Trump is going after Biden is because he's perceived as the biggest threat," Republican strategist Alice Stewart concurred. "From Biden's standpoint, you couldn't ask for a better situation." Trump's attacks on Biden are not part of an organized strategy, according to three people familiar with the campaign's thinking who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters. They described the situation as Trump tweeting and the campaign and the Republican National Committee working overtime to keep up as evidenced by the delays in both entities in amplifying the president's message. It's consistent with Trump's view of himself as his own political strategist, prioritizing his gut over the advice of aides. In recent weeks, the president has attacked Biden's intelligence, his energy level, his history of unwanted touching, his record on criminal justice reform and his dedication to Pennsylvania. Trump told Pennsylvania voters during a rally last week that Biden "deserted" them. Biden, a native of Scranton, Pennsylvania, left the state as a child when his parents relocated for work. "I've never forgotten where I came from. My family did have to leave Pennsylvania when I was 10 we moved to Delaware where my Dad found a job that could provide for our family," Biden tweeted. "Trump doesn't understand the struggles working folks go through." But Trump went further on Monday when he swiped at the former vice president on foreign soil, choosing Kim's side over Biden's when asked about the North Korean leader's description of the Democrat's intelligence level. "I don't take sides as to who I'm in favor or who I'm not," Trump told reporters in Japan when asked whether he was favoring a violent dictator over the former vice president. "But I can tell you that Joe Biden was a disaster." Trump added: "Kim Jong Un made a statement that Joe Biden is a low-IQ individual. He probably is, based on his record. I think I agree with him on that." On Tuesday, Trump claimed that he "was actually sticking up" for Biden in Japan. He said that Kim had referred to Biden as a "low IQ idiot" and that he had "related the quote of Chairman Kim as a much softer 'low IQ individual.' "Who could possibly be upset with that?" the president tweeted. Trump's swipes against Biden have been the subject of significant internal debate in the halls of the West Wing and his reelection campaign. Several officials, including Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner, have expressed reservations that the president is helping Biden, whom they view as his strongest opponent, according to the three people familiar with the campaign's thinking. Trump may be highlighting Biden's vulnerabilities for progressive voters, especially when it comes to his history on criminal justice issues. But in attacking the former vice president, some aides believe Trump risks turning Biden into a cause celebre for Democratic voters who are most animated by their dislike of Trump. That could prove especially problematic if Biden proves most resistant to the Trump campaign's entrenched strategy to paint all of Trump's opponents as "socialists." Biden's blue-collar appeal in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin poses the deepest threat to the president's path to 270 electoral votes. Others in Trump's orbit are less worried and believe Biden might be the easiest to beat of the Democratic field. "I happen to believe Biden would be the weakest of the general election candidates because he'll be carrying 47 years of baggage and will have many of same vulnerabilities as (Hillary) Clinton," said Trump's 2016 senior communications adviser, Jason Miller. Billionaire Republican donor Doug Deason, who sits on the finance committee for the most powerful pro-Trump super PAC, cheered Trump's approach. "Why is he going after Biden? Biden is leading in the polls. He can beat 'em up," Deason said. "I think he's the only real legitimate contestant in the field. And I think it would be a shame for Democrats to end their race to the left and nominate him." Still, few Biden supporters view the attention from the president as a bad thing. Biden's campaign seized on Trump's attacks in a Tuesday fundraising email titled "Donald Trump is scared." "Over the last week, President Trump has repeatedly insulted Joe Biden even going so far as to side with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. Why? It's simple: Trump's afraid he's going to lose," says the fundraising appeal. It adds: "Let's use this opportunity to show Donald Trump he should be scared of our momentum." A second conservative Republican on Tuesday blocked another attempt to pass a long-overdue $19 billion disaster aid bill, delaying again a top priority for some of President Donald Trump's most loyal allies on Capitol Hill. Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky said that if Democratic leaders like Speaker Nancy Pelosi thought the measure was so important, they should have kept the House in session in Washington late last week to slate an up-or-down roll call vote. "If the speaker of this House thought that this was must-pass legislation, the speaker ... should have called a vote on this bill before sending every member of Congress on recess for 10 days," Massie said as he blocked the measure. "You can't have bills passed in Congress with nobody voting on them," Massie said. "That is the definition of the swamp, and that's what people resent about this place." Massie's move earned swift rebukes from top Democrats. Sanford Bishop of Georgia said that his agricultural district was but one part of the country suffering from hurricane damage and that aid won't arrive until well after the start of planting season. "Many will not be able to plant this year," Bishop said. Hurricane Michael struck Georgia in the middle of last fall's harvest season. Another conservative, Texas freshman GOP Rep. Chip Roy, had blocked an earlier attempt Friday to pass the measure under fast-track rules, but Democrats tried again Tuesday. Bishop flew to Washington from Georgia to request the House pass the popular measure under fast-track procedures that permitted any individual lawmakers to block the bill. Rep. Austin Scott, a Republican from Georgia, criticized his GOP colleagues for holding up the disaster bill, calling them "clowns" in a tweet. Eventual passage of the bill, supported by Trump and top leaders in Congress, is a foregone conclusion. Trying again on Tuesday was a political freebie for Democrats, who went on the attack right after the vote. "I cannot understand why any member would object to giving relief to so many millions of our citizens who have been badly damaged by natural disasters," said No. 2 House Democratic leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland. Hoyer said the bill "will be passed overwhelmingly" when the House returns. One concern of many House Republicans was a move by House Democrats last week to dump overboard Trump's request for $4.5 billion to address the crisis of Central American refugees at the southern border. Trump is a supporter of the measure, which swept through the Senate on Thursday in a rush to exit Washington for Memorial Day. Many Republicans, including southerners facing reelection, are frustrated that the bill has taken so long. After being denied his border money in a fight with House Democrats, Trump still embraced the bill, which directs much of its aid to political strongholds of his such as the Florida Panhandle and rural Georgia and North Carolina. Passing legislation without any objection from anyone is often trickier to do in the House than the Senate, however. "I just think a unanimous consent, voice vote, on the way out the door there's always, out of 535 (members of Congress), there's always a few who think maybe that's not appropriate," said Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., a conservative who presided over a momentslong pro forma session of the Senate on Tuesday. Cramer, who moved over to the Senate this year after spending three terms in the House GOP majority, also pointed out that the final disaster bill "actually took out some of the things that the House conservatives wanted," such as billions of dollars to care for the influx of migrants seeking asylum after crossing the southern border. There are also newer additions to the measure to help Midwestern areas suffering from springtime floods, along with large chunks of money to rebuild military bases such as Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida that were damaged by a string of disasters dating to last fall's hurricane season. The measure ordinarily would have passed months ago, but Trump injected himself into the debate, demanding that funding sought by Puerto Rico's elected officials, Republicans and Democrats both, be kept out. Democrats held firm in demanding that Puerto Rico, a territory whose 3 million people are U.S. citizens, be helped by the measure. Their confidence was clear from the outset, and GOP resolve on Puerto Rico, never particularly strong to begin with, steadily faded as the impasse dragged on. The bill now contains more money for Puerto Rico, about $1.4 billion, than Democrats originally sought. Roy said last week that lawmakers ought to go on record either way on the legislation, which is among the few significant bills to make it through the system despite the intense partisanship dominating Washington. 28 May 2019, Islamabad An international team of experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) has arrived in Pakistan to support the response to an outbreak of HIV in Larkana in Sindh province, Pakistan, at the request of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination. The outbreak was first reported on 25 April 2019, and a major HIV screening programme started on 28 April. It was expanded on 8 May, with additional health workers being deployed. Testing is ongoing. So far more than 600 HIV cases have been identified. The majority are among children and young people: more than half those affected are children under the age of 5. This poses a particular challenge. Prior to this outbreak, there were just over 1200 children diagnosed with HIV and receiving antiretroviral treatment in the whole of Pakistan. On 16 May local authorities established a new antiretroviral treatment clinic for children in Larkana. Key tasks for the WHO-led team will include: ascertaining the source of the outbreak and controlling it; providing technical expertise, particularly in the areas of HIV testing, paediatric HIV treatment and family counselling; and ensuring adequate supplies of rapid diagnostic tests and antiretroviral medicines for both adults and children, as well as single-use needles and syringes. The WHO mission will include experts in emergency response management, epidemiology, HIV clinical care, and infection prevention and control from WHO as well as the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN). The team will work closely with the Ministry and partners, including the Aga Khan University, Pakistans Field Epidemiology & Laboratory Training Program (FELTP), UNAIDS and UNICEF in Larkana. For more information contact: Ms Maryam Yunus Communications Officer WHO Country Office, Pakistan Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Phone: 03008441744 Dr Safdar Kamal Pasha National Programme Officer, HIV/AIDS WHO Country Office, Pakistan Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Phone: 03018551470 Starting in April 2018, a group of anonymous people created fake American social media accounts to pose as journalists, plant letters to newspapers and impersonate Republican candidates for Congress all in an apparent effort to promote Iranian interests, NBC News reported. And it's not completely clear who was behind the campaign, according to reports released Tuesday by Facebook and a leading cybersecurity company, FireEye. Based on a tip from FireEye, Facebook said Tuesday it removed 51 Facebook accounts, 36 pages, seven groups and three Instagram accounts involved in what it called "coordinated inauthentic behavior that originated in Iran." What it shows, the companies say, is that the tech-fueled media environment which makes the U.S. a global beacon for free expression has also opened American consumers to exploitation and manipulation. An 18-year-old man has been arrested for three purse stabbings in Upper Darby after officers found him in a Philadelphia hospital suffering from a stab wound he received in the most recent robbery Tuesday night, police said. The suspect, Kamar Hawkes, initially told nurses and doctors that he suffered a deep cut to his left hand when a dog bit him, Upper Darby Police Chief Michael Chitwood said. "He then initially said he was bitten by a dog but upon further questioning, he admitted to robbing the woman," Chitwood said of a robbery that occurred on Springton Road about 10:30 p.m. He later allegedly admitted to purse snatchings of two other women in Upper Darby earlier this month, Chitwood said. During the robbery Tuesday night, Chitwood said the victim initially pulled a knife, but that Hawkes took it from her during a struggle. Both the woman and the suspect suffered knife wounds. The victim needed six stitches in her forearm, and is recovering, Chitwood said. Upper Darby officers immediately put out a call to the county communications center, which asked all local hospitals if anyone suffering from a stab wound had come into the emergency room, Chitwood said. "Lo and behold at the Mercy Philly Hospital located on 54th Street, they told (Delaware Communications) there was a male in there who claimed he was bitten by a dog," Chitwood said. "But this was a knife wound." Hawkes has also been charged for robberies on May 11 and May 17. In the first purse snatching, Hawkes allegedly ripped off a 94-year-old woman as she walked into a house on Bayard Road. On May 17, he allegedly robbed a woman on Huntley Road. More than a dozen men suspected of entering illegally into the United States on two separate boats from Mexico on Monday have been taken into custody this week, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Wednesday. Just after midnight on Monday, a 23-foot boat with four people on board was spotted by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) near Mission Bay. Officers took the four people into custody and seized the boat. The four people, Mexican citizens ranging from 23 to 57 years old, were transferred into border patrol custody for processing and the boat was seized, DHS said. Three hours later, a panga boat with nine people aboard crossed into U.S. waters from Mexico. The USCG intercepted the boat near the Imperial Beach Pier, DHS said. CBP said the nine passengers, men between the ages of 21 and 54, told agents they were Mexican nationals in the United State illegally. One of the men was charged with human smuggling, border patrol said. No other information was available. Please refresh this page for updates on this story. Details may change as more information becomes available. What to Know The McStay family of Fallbrook were last heard from or seen on Feb. 4, 2010. On Feb. 15, the family was reported missing to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. Homicide investigators search the family's home on Avocado Vista Lane and found no sign of a struggle. With the sound of a sledgehammer whacked onto a courtroom table, the prosecutor in the McStay family murder trial told jurors the killing of the defendant's former business partner and his family was intentional and motivated by greed. It was blow, after blow, after blow to a childs skull. A 3 year old and a 4 year old, San Bernardino County Deputy District Attorney Britt Imes said. Thats an intentional killing. Deputy District Attorney Britt Imes talks to jurors as he wraps up the case in closing arguments on Tuesday, May 28, 2019. Joseph, Summer, Joseph, Jr. and Gianni McStay were found buried in a shallow grave in the desert in San Bernardino County. Jurors are hearing closing arguments in the five-month trial focused on the disappearance and killing of the Fallbrook family. Charles Merritt, now 62, is charged with killing Joseph and Summer McStay along with their 3- and 4-year-old sons. The family's disappearance in 2010 perplexed investigators for years. San Bernardino Deputy District Attorney Britt Imes plays recordings of a police interview with defendant Charles Chase Merritt who is accused of killing the McStay family of Fallbrook, California. In the interview, Merritt uses the past tense when talking about Joseph McStay, Summer McStay, Joe McStay Jr., and Gianni McStay. Joseph McStay was running a water features company that designed waterfalls and other projects that included custom installs performed by the defendant. Merritt was being sidelined in the business before the familys disappearance, prosecutors said. Then, three days before the family vanished, he received an email from Joseph McStay saying he owed the company thousands of dollars. After that, as of Feb. 4, 2010, there was no phone activity, internet, email, bank, credit card activity from the family. Security camera video from a neighbor was entered into evidence. Prosecutors said the video showed a passing vehicle which a prosecution witness used 3D animation to enhance and show that vehicle was Merritt's truck. .large div.leadMediaRegion {border:none} .large .leadMediaRegion.city_module iframe {height:650px;} It wasn't until November 2013 that the family was found dead, buried more than 100 miles away in a remote area of San Bernardino County, along with a 3-pound sledgehammer and a child's pants and diaper. Summer McStay was found with a broken jaw. Joseph and his sons were found with fractured skulls. Merritt was arrested the following year. Imes told jurors there can be a murder case without answering where, when and how someone was killed. Prosecutors also accused Merritt of stealing thousands of dollars by hacking McStay's electronic bank account. The defendant forged and cashed checks after the McStays disappeared and he owed thousands of dollars in overpayments from the company as stated in an email sent just days before the family disappeared, the prosecutor said. "He had a motive to erase the debt," Imes said. Images: The McStay Family Merritt's defense countered with accusations that prosecutors lied in closing arguements. His attorney said Merritt left multiple messages with McStay about their business accounts. The case rattled Southern California residents for years before the family's remains were discovered in shallow graves in the desert. Alerted by relatives of the Fallbrook family, investigators began looking into their whereabouts and discovered the familys SUV had been towed from a parking lot in San Ysidro. Surveillance footage in the area showed who officials believed to be the McStays walking into Mexico. Merritt pleaded not guilty to the charges. Once his defense attorneys finish their closing statements, prosecutors will have a chance to give a rebuttal. If convicted, Merritt could face the death penalty. A thief known as the Pinky Bandit who pleaded guilty in federal court to a robbery spree targeting Metro PCS phone stores across San Diego County was sentenced to nearly a dozen years in prison. The crimes happened between Jan. 25, 2017, and Feb. 21, 2017, when Carlos Pinky Bandit Soto would enter Metro PCS stores holding a weapon, while Justin Caldwell in most of the cases waited outside in a getaway car. According to the Office of the U.S. Attorney Southern District of California Adam L. Braverman, Soto was dubbed the pinky bandit for his distinctive pinky finger, which protruded out from the weapons he held during the string of robberies. Sometimes, his weapon of choice was a machete or Taser. Other times, it was a pellet gun that resembled a handgun. Soto would point his weapon at store clerks and demand cell phones and money. In at least one case, Caldwell also wielding a weapon that looked like a handgun entered a Metro PCS store with Soto. The duo forced an employee into a storage area in the back of the store and made the victim kneel while they loaded a backpack with phones. Then, they demanded the employee open the cash register. The serial robbers were able to hit 10 Metro PCS stores and one Subway restaurant during their nearly month-long spree in communities like Kensington, Egger Highlands, Normal Heights, and Clairemont, College East and San Marcos. The crimes left some clerks feeling on edge. Sometimes, Soto used disguises to cover his face. In all, investigators said the pair stole about $50,000 worth of merchandise. Law enforcement officers across several agencies noticed the pattern of crimes emerging as more and more Metro PCS stores were targeted by the pair. The FBI, San Diego Police Department and San Diego County Sheriffs Department worked together to crack the case. Bravermans office said investigators were able to identify the suspects after one of them registered a cell phone stolen during one of the robberies. Soto and Caldwell were placed under surveillance and, on Feb. 21, 2017, investigators were able to follow them to the final robbery in the series near Grand Avenue in Pacific Beach. Soto was arrested after a foot chase, while Caldwell was arrested inside his parked car. In March 2017, Soto and Caldwell pleaded not guilty to the crimes. Nearly two years after the spree, Soto and Caldwell each entered guilty pleas in federal court. Soto was sentenced Tuesday to 140 months in prison and Caldwell is scheduled to be sentenced June 3 Four U.S. military fighter jets made an unexpected pit stop Wednesday in the Champlain Valley. The military will soon house some of its F-35s in Vermontwith their next-generation sophisticated electronics and stealth capabilitiesto replace a fleet of F-16s. The four F-35s that landed in South Burlington Wednesday were not assigned to the Vermont Air National Guard. Rather, the unscheduled arrivals were from an Air Force base in Utah. In a statement, the Vermont Air Guard said the F-35s were on their way to a mission overseas when they had to divert to the base in South Burlington because of weather issues and the need to refuel. They fuel in the air, explained Gene Richards, the aviation director for the Burlington International Airportwhich is home to both commercial civilian flights and military operations at the Vermont Air National Guard base. Its called air fueling. And they were not able to make their connection with their fueler, so they had to divert to our airport until they are able to make an arrangement for fuel. The sight was a thrill for aviation enthusiast Bruce Bailey of Richmond, who checked out the F-35s from the Burlington International Airport. I welcome them; I think theyre going to be great, Bailey told necn. However, some in the area werent so excited by the surprise guests. Ive always been concerned it was way, way too soon to bring this to a neighborhood, Rosanne Greco of South Burlington said of the F-35. Greco has long opposed the F-35 and its Vermont basing, voicing concerns about reliability and public safety, and calling the fighters too noisy on takeoff for the area. Maybe somebody will come to their senses and realize this is not something for Vermont, Greco said Wednesday. I remain optimistic. Doug Wood is an airport operations foreman who provided cell phone video of the Utah F-35s landing that necn incorporated into its video report. They werent as loud as I expected them to be, Wood said of the visiting F-35s, comparing them in his mind to the F-16s formerly stationed at the Air Guard base. I didnt notice any difference, really. [The F-35 is] a little bit higher-pitched. Vermonts own F-35s are expected to arrive sometime this fall. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 29) Presidential Spokesperson Sal Panelo on Wednesday sided with Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana's claim of seeing no credible ouster plot against President Rodrigo Duterte, weeks after he presented a matrix of people allegedly involved in removing the President from his post. Lorenzana in a Tuesday interview with GMA News said military intelligence operatives have not detected any active ouster plot against the President. He said a credible destabilization plot must be backed by the military, but they have not seen that. "There is no inconsistency on what the DND (Department of National Defense) Secretary said. He said for a plot to oust the President plotter has to get support of military and police. Since there is no showing in the military intelligence that there there is evidence of recruitment then it is not a credible plot," Panelo said in a message to reporters Wednesday. But he clarified this does not automatically mean the ouster plots do not exist. "What he means is the plot is not capable of being successful, but that is not to say that there is no plot to oust him. The President said there was a plot by the personalities and groups identified in the matrix, he did not say that there is support from the military and the police. His exposing it to the public has pre-empted the realisation of the plot," he explained. On May 8, Panelo presented a web of political and media personalities, journalists and news organizations, and private individuals supposedly working together to oust the President in a Palace briefing. Malacanang and the President have yet to clarify where the the information on the matrix came from -- switching from foreign intelligence to Duterte himself in various instances. It's turtle nesting season in New Hampshire, so wildlife biologists are asking drivers to keep an eye out and slow down if they see one crossing a road. Turtle nesting season lasts from late May into early July, reaching its peak in early to mid-June. Biologists say one of the most significant threats to turtle populations is being struck by vehicles on roads. While male turtles may occasionally travel over land to different wetlands, mature female turtles leave their home ponds and wetlands every spring to lay their eggs. Drivers are asked to help a turtle cross a road if it's safe to do so, and not take it home. The Massachusetts man suspected in a hit-and-run crash in Westport earlier this month that resulted in the death of a Fall River woman has turned himself in to police. Westport police said Gerardo Lugo, 54, of Fall River, was accompanied by two family members when he arrived at the police department Wednesday afternoon. He was immediately arrested. "I said to myself, 'How does this guy sleep at night?'" Andrew Motta, who saw the accident take place and ran after the suspect, says this is a big relief to him. "It looked like the guy blew out a tire in front of me. I came upon the car. I'm like, 'Oh my God that's a girl on the side of the road.'" Motta says the driver got out of his car at first. "I said, 'Oh okay. The guy's coming over, and I saw him turn and get in the car. I'm like, 'Go, go, go!'" Motta said he got in his car and chased the suspect, but he was going too fast. "He did not care what he did to get away," Motta said. He ended up chasing the suspect for several miles but lost the driver in traffic. Two weeks after the accident, investigators zeroed in on Lugo when an anonymous tip led them to his BMW, which was parked on Cherry Street in Fall River. Authorities said several additional tips from the public regarding Lugo's whereabouts also helped them in their investigation, including one from a Rhode Island casino. Neighbors say home security cameras show that the BMW had been there for 10 days. "They were all over the car. They were looking on the car, they were trying to see if they could open the car," Lugo's neighbor Roseann Gomes said. After finding the BMW, authorities executed a search warrant at Lugo's apartment, also on Cherry Street. They found the keys to the car and 200 grams of what is believed to be heroin. But there was no sign of Lugo. Authorities then released his photo and name on Tuesday, asking for leads from the public. On Wednesday, Lugo turned himself in. Lugo has been charged with leaving the scene-death resulting, negligent operation of a motor vehicle and driving with a suspended license. He is also facing trafficking heroin charges. Thirty-year-old Stephanie Tripp, of Fall River, was hit by a car on May 7 on Old Bedford Road, according to authorities. Police responded to a call about the crash around 8:15 p.m. and found Tripp lying facedown in the breakdown lane. Tripp was was taken to Rhode Island Hospital in critical condition and died from her injuries about a week later. The district attorney's office said during the execution of a search warrant at Lugo's apartment last week, investigators found the keys to the BMW and a plastic bag containing about 200 grams of suspected heroin. "This arrest can finally bring some closure to the family of Stephanie Tripp," Westport Police said in a statement. Lugo is expected to be arraigned Thursday in Fall River District Court. It's unclear if he has an attorney. Presidential candidate and Massachusetts Congressman Seth Moulton opened up about his struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder after his time in the U.S. Marine Corps while introducing a plan to expand mental healthcare. He said it was a very difficult time in his life and if it wasnt for the treatment he received back then, he wouldnt be where he is today. "I had nightmares and things I couldnt stop thinking about during my time overseas in combat," he said. Moulton revealed he had PTSD after his tours in Iraq and routinely saw a therapist until he got better. This is the first time in the modern era a major party candidate revealed needing mental health treatment. "I hope it serves as an example to others that there are a lot of people who suffer mental health challenges," he said. "These issues are treatable." At the Lynn Museum, he introduced a veteran's mental health care proposal. It includes making mental health check-ups routine for active duty military and veterans, funding for yearly mental health screenings for high schoolers and establishing 511 as a national mental health crisis hotline. "I think its time to completely rethink mental health in America," he said. "And to make it as routinely as physical healthcare." A New Hampshire man is recovering after being bit by a bat that was hiding in his iPad case. Roy Syvertson, 86, of South Hampton, said he went to close up his iPad and the animal was wedged between the back of the device and its cover. "It felt like a little bee sting, and it hurt," he said. The bat bit his finger before Syvertson managed to press the cover down to keep the bat from flying away. "I looked and there was the bat looking out at me, and I could see his wings had the little hooks on them," Syverston said. "It must have been very squished in there." Syverston said he only discovered the bat when he went to close the iPad case. He had been watching the news on it for an hour. "I kept squeezing it so he wouldn't come out, because, as you see, we got a high ceiling in here," he said. Syvertson said he got the bat outside but then later found it dead so he called the New Hampshire Department of Fish and Game for fear the animal might have rabies. Police said the bat tested positive for rabies so Syvertson went to an area hospital for treatment. Syvertson said he never felt sick, but the incident has him a bit on edge. "When I open up the Manchester Union Leader to read now I'm very careful when I open it up," he said. "When I open up the refrigerator I want to make sure there's nothing in the refrigerator, cereal box... what could be lurking in there? So maybe I am getting paranoid, I don't know." A new Maine concert venue hosted its first show Sunday night. It was an opening some living nearby say was a little too loud. "If we're doing concerts now they've got to find a way to manage this now," Westbrook City Administrator Jerre Bryant said. The city police received 237 complaints after Anderson .Paak performed Sunday night at the new 8,000-plus seat Maine Savings Pavillion. "The surprise was not that there were complaints but where they came from," Bryant said. What planners didn't expect was to get complaints from neighborhoods as far as Portland. "I just think the whole thing is a bad idea," Portland resident Phyllis Guevin said. Guevin says a Westbrook official returned her calls after she spoke with NBC10 and police. But she is still not satisfied with their response. She says the noise complaint hotline that was set up by concert organizers was full when she called it. For the next show, which is scheduled for June 15, Westbrook leaders say concert organizers should check affected neighborhoods. "Clearly we didn't have enough monitors out there," Bryant said. They also want the emails and phone calls to keep coming with notes on where the noise is being heard. "I don't need anymore stresors in my life," Guevin said. Officials do not want the venue to cause stress, so they are holding a public noise comment meeting on June 10. Meanwhile, Alex Gray, whose company, Waterfront Concerts, organized Sundays show says noise data is being collected. He said ambient noise tests were also done, but different artists have different PA systems and other variables like weather can affect concert volume. Grays hope is the venue will become a good neighbor after tweaks are made to aspects of each show like changing PA system heights and adjusting control volumes and mix positions. Waterfront Concerts had a similar experience when launching the Darlings Waterfront Pavilion in Bangor, when, according to Gray, his company dealt with hundreds of noise complaints. The residents most affected by the noise hope those changes are made immediately since the Maine Savings Pavilion has more than a dozen shows on its schedule for Summer 2019. Heather Nunn Business Services Ltd Heather Nunn Business Services Ltd Based in Mid-Norfolk, Heather Nunn Business Services Ltd has an experienced, qualified, professional team and offers business services of bookkeeping and payroll to a variety of local sole traders, companies, charitable organisations and churches. The company also offers day to day HR assistance and advice as well as secretarial and other office support services. The founder Heather Nunn has been helping local organisations since 1987, after initially working in London, the wider UK and abroad for a top management consultancy company as an office systems consultant at the forefront of modern office technology. The companys focus continues to be supporting local businesses and charitable organisations in keeping good records; complying with business laws relating to bookkeeping, employment and payroll, and associated support services. "Outsourcing administrative work can help organisations to focus on their main priorities, knowing that they are getting the very best local service", Heather says. "We are currently a strong team of six and we all undergo continual professional development and work hard to be the very best in our field and give a first-rate service to our clients." Heather Nunn Business Services Ltd is supervised by the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers. Heather also works two days a week running the Mid Norfolk CAP Debt Centre from her church, the Fountain of Life Church at Ashill. Heather says, Christians Against Poverty is doing great work to help people out of poverty, supported by the local church, and I am very privileged and delighted to be able to use my skills to help others in this way. What We Offer Financial Bookkeeping and VAT returns to HMRC Budget forecasts and tracking against actuals Cash flow forecasts and monitoring Financial management information and reports CIS and MGD returns to HMRC Liaison with your tax accountant as necessary Charity accounts Payroll Calculation of wages from timesheet records PAYE and payslips Real Time Information (RTI) to HMRC P45s, P60s, P11ds etc Workplace pension administration Employment Support Recruitment and interviewing Employment contracts and policies Disciplinary and grievance procedural documentation Day to day employment support and advice Other Services Secretarial and PA duties Administrative work Presentations, reports etc Project and event management Policy writing Project research Virtual office services as required Data entry Printed and digital mailing Any normal office function that you might need to support your business or charitable venture Contact us Heather Nunn Business Services Ltd Womack House, Swaffham Road, Ashill, Thetford, Norfolk. IP25 7DB Telephone: 01760 440837 07979 264047 Email: heather@hnbusiness.co.uk Website: www.hnbusiness.co.uk Hewlett Packard Enterprise was already the leader in the high-performance computing (HPC) sector before its announced acquisition of supercomputer maker Cray earlier this month. Now it has a commanding lead, but there are still competitors to the giant. The news that HPE would shell out $1.3 billion to buy the company came just as Cray had announced plans to build three of the biggest systems yet all exascale, and all with the same deployment time of 2021. Sales had been slowing for HPC systems, but our government, with its endless supply of money, came to the rescue, throwing hundreds of millions at Cray for systems to be built at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. And HPE sees a big revenue opportunity in HPC, a market that was $2 billion in 1990 and now nearly $30 billion, according to Steve Conway, senior vice president with Hyperion Research, which follows the HPC market. HPE thinks the HPC market will grow to $35 billion by 2021, and it hopes to earn a big chunk of that pie. They were solidly in the lead without Cray. They were already in a significant lead over the No. 2 company, Dell. This adds to their lead and gives them access to very high end of market, especially government supercomputers that sell for $300 million to $600 million each, said Conway. Richard Benyon visits class of cystic fibrosis sufferer following letters from pupils A WEST Berkshire schoolgirl said she is pleased that politicians will consider making a life-changing wonder drug available for her and thousands of others living with cystic fibrosis (CF) in the UK. Tilly Green and her parents Ross and Nikki are fighting to make Orkambi available on the NHS. The 11-year-old is currently taking around 40 tablets a day to manage the condition. Earlier this year, Tillys class at Bradfield Primary School wrote to Newbury MP Richard Benyon asking for him to support their friend and campaign for the drug to be made available in this country. He subsequently raised it in Parliament and encouraged a debate on the matter. Mr Benyon visited Tilly and her schoolmates at Bradfield last Friday, where he was quizzed on his knowledge of Orkambi and about being an MP. The MP said he had become emotionally involved in the campaign and that people would need to have a heart of stone to not be moved by it. He said: Im a dad, I have got five children. I know how worrying it is for parents when you have a child who is not well and how frustrating it is when you know they could be better. I think thats something worth getting involved in. There are one or two things where you can make a difference. Im not saying me personally can make an entire difference on this particular issue, but with you and Tillys mother and everyone else fighting this campaign, I think we will get there and thats a good reason to get up in the morning. CF causes thick, sticky mucus to build up in the lungs, digestive tract and other areas of the body. Those with the condition have an average life expectancy of about 37. Research has shown that Orkambi can slow the decline in lung function, the main cause of death in CF sufferers. Orkambi, which is already available in several countries, including Ireland, Germany and the US, is currently only prescribed to people in the UK with CF on compassionate grounds. The Government is currently embroiled in a financial battle with US drug giant Vertex, which turned down NHS Englands 500m offer last summer. When asked by Tilly whether he had signed the petition, Mr Benyon said he had not. Politicians cant sign petitions, he said. We can, but its a bit silly when you are the one who needs to take it through government. Mr Benyon said he was hopeful of success, but added: Im always not one for raising expectations. I wouldnt want to come here and give you certainty that we can. Its in a better position than other drugs. Parliament is set to debate the Orkambi issue on June 10 and Mr Benyon said that he would definitely attend the debate if he was around. Speaking to the Newbury Weekly News about Mr Benyons support, Tilly said: Im really excited and really pleased that he said that he can. Its nice to know that we can have someone from Parliament supporting us. And on the Orkambi campaign, she said: I think its going really far. Its nice to know that Parliament is focusing a bit on this and theres a lot of support going on. Tillys mother Nikki said: I think its fantastic that he has come out and spent time with the children. I hope that he can continue to support it. Teacher Hannah Dennis said that it was great for the children to see that their writing had made an impact. She said: We talked about asking questions without being forceful or aggressive. He answered all their questions and didnt skirt over everything. Once again, AML failures are shaking up the headlines. If the Danske Bank scandal wasnt enough, at the beginning of March, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project showed how a series of offshore shell companies were used to move billions of dollars of private wealth from Russia to the West. Named the Troika Laundromat, after the Russian investment bank it was allegedly operated by, the scandal rocked the banking world. A few weeks later, Swedbank forced Trokia aside with a scandal of their own. Raided by Swedens Economic Crime Authority, and investigated by financial supervisors in Sweden, Estonia, and the United States, the bank faces allegations that billions of illicit funds have passed through fifty or so accounts. A continued trend for 2019, a new month now means a new scandal as Standard Chartered reappears on the front covers, fined again for sanction violations for allowing somewhere between $400 million to $600 million in illegal transactions to flow through. With four scandals in four months, the problem is serious. It is estimated that there is at least $2 trillion being laundered each year across the world. In an interview with Bloomberg, Danish Business Minister Rasmus Jarlov highlighted that the biggest issue is that confidence in doing business across borders suffers when efforts to police suspicious money flows fall short. But what does this mean for individual businesses? The reality of the sheer volume of illicit money flows in Danske, Troika, Swedbank, and Standard Chartered shows that banks and other financial institutions are at huge risk of reputational damage and in some jurisdictions of course, liable to fines and criminal proceedings, including individual directors. AML compliance just needs to get smarter. But how? Having the right information at the right time is the linchpin. Financial institutions spend an estimated $25.3 billion on AML compliance across the U.S. Technology aside, they are crazy to think that their compliance team is working properly if they do not have data that is up-to-date and can provide a fuller view. Organizations should look towards data providers that update their information in a matter of minutes versus weeks, as well as data providers that curate and consolidate a complete view to facilitate making risks decisions faster. If organizations can nail that, making additional information available like data on Ultimate Beneficial Owners should then be prioritized. Shell accounts passing money through to offshore structures to hide cash is not new, but legislation on sharing information like Ultimate Beneficial Ownership is. At the last G20 Summit, clear desires were made apparent to implement international standards. Organizations should also look towards increasing and or sharing their information between financial institutions. Considered a cornerstone of an effective AML/CFT framework, information sharing is a key component of the recommendations set out by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Early initiatives bringing together the public and private sectors such as the FinCEN Exchange in the United States and the Joint Money Laundering Intelligence Taskforce in the UK have all shown that bridging the gap between different players makes a big difference. Focusing on the obvious, often organizations get stuck using legacy technology. This year we are seeing a large number of firms move to automate their AML practices to scale even faster. The motivating factor is the sheer number of false positives generated by existing data and technology. The adverse effects of which are obvious: the greater the number of false positives, the more difficult it is to onboard customers and process payments, and the higher the operational overheads. Added to that, of course, is the increased likelihood of missing genuine money laundering activities amongst so many false alarms. Finally, if organizations are to safeguard their reputation and increase efficiencies across their compliance department, they should look to empower their compliance team. Often viewed as a box to check rather than a team to build, compliance teams get stuck using stale data and outdated technology while the risk of doing business and effectively managing compliance tasks mount. Their job is on the line, compliance officers should have a seat at the table. There is no silver bullet, but there is certainly a need for smarter data, not just faster tech. Challenger Banks may be speeding up transactions and simplify banking for users, but solving the problem of the stringent AML compliance that governments expect requires the use of developing technology and powerful data to be applied in a more intelligent way. Compliance professionals are trying to hit a moving target while blindfolded. It might not be possible to stop the target moving yet, but it is time to remove the blindfold. _____ Elsa Chan, pictured above, is the Head of Americas at ComplyAdvantage, a Regtech company. She helps companies comply with regulations more intelligently while reducing reputational and financial risks. She co-founded Jetlun, an Internet-of-Things (IoT) management platform, and Asoka USA Corporation, a powerline networking technology company. Elsa earned a B.A. degree in Organizational Communications from San Francisco State University and holds four network technology patents. BRIDGEPORT The penultimate stop of evangelist Rev. Franklin Grahams Decision America Tour rolled through Seaside Park on Tuesday night, and though police prepared for trouble, the event went off without any major flashpoints. A handful of protesters held signs at the parks entrance to greet the crowd that flocked there, which a spokesperson for Graham estimated at 3,600. Police kept a watchful eye, but there were no incidents between protesters and those attending Grahams event, Police Chief Armando Perez said. Graham, son of famed preacher Billy Graham, said in an interview before the event that he stopped in Bridgeport because We just felt that there was a spiritual need here in this city, and there was a venue. We like doing these things outside. Specifically, Graham mentioned crime and drugs as a demonstration of the need for people to embrace Christianity. His Northeast tour began in Portland, Maine, on May 19 and is scheduled to end in Syracuse, N.Y., on Thursday. If you just look at the crime this city has, the problems in the Northeast of drugs are huge, theyre much higher than the national average, he said. I think for a lot of people, theyre just losing hope. I want them to know that God loves them, Gods got a plan for their life, Gods willing to forgive our sins if were willing to put our faith and trust in his son Jesus Christ. Cathy Streit, a Redding resident, attended Tuesdays event after working with Grahams Samaritans Purse charity group to help hurricane victims in North Carolina last year. It was one of the most beautiful experiences in my life, Streit said of the disaster relief work organized by Grahams organization. The foundation of my life is my faith, and always has been. But not all those who went to Seaside Park on Tuesday were there to praise Graham, who has courted controversy in the past with remarks about gay rights and support of President Donald Trump. Among those protesting was Diane Keefe, a Quaker from Norwalk, who stood behind a sign that said Thou shalt not stand idly by. She pointed to Grahams opposition to efforts banning conversion therapy, which she said is harmful to gay people. John Levin, also from Norwalk, agreed. He held up a sign that said Teach tolerance. He also criticized Graham for his past remarks about gays. As if people actually have a choice in their sexual orientation, Levin said. Graham said the protesters were being Christian-phobic. This isnt a political rally, this is just to tell people how to begin a relationship with God, he said. Theyre guilty of what theyre accusing me of. I dont hate homosexuals, Im not afraid of homosexuals, but I dont agree, Graham said. And if I dont agree with them then they call me names. He referenced the Bible to support his views. Keefe pointed to Bible verses that were used in the past by slaveholders to justify their views. Other verses prohibit wearing different fabrics. Graham said such criticisms are nit-picking and dont provide full context. He said the Bible is very clear, in multiple passages, in its condemnations of homosexuality. The Bible says a whole bunch of different things, Levin said. Do we really want to be using a Bronze Age storybook and lifestyle guide as the only directive of how we live our lives today and organize our society and secular government? God, I hope not. Streit said she went to Tuesdays event to hear about hope and about love, because thats what the Christian faith is all about. And people who oppose Christianity, they dont understand that it is all about love, she said. Keefe said that attitude isnt reflected in Grahams past comments. I believe that Christianity needs to be more defined by the message of peace and tolerance and love and that conversion therapy has been shown to hurt people, she said. We need to be focused on cultivating peace in the world instead of telling other people what to do in their bedrooms. AttackIQ, a San Diego, CA-based provider of continuous security validation solutions, raised $17.6m in Series B funding. The round, which brought total funding to approximately $35m, was led by Khosla Ventures with participation from existing investors Index Ventures, Salesforce Ventures and Telstra Ventures. Brian Byun, partner of Khosla Ventures, has joined AttackIQs board of directors. The company will use the funds to continue to develop its continuous security validation platform, increase hiring across all functional areas and further expand field operations. Led by Brett Galloway, CEO, AttackIQ provides a continuous security validation platform that enables red and blue teams to test and measure the effectiveness of their security controls and staff. With an open platform, the system supports the MITRE ATT&CK framework, a curated knowledge base and model for cyber adversary behavior used for planning security improvements and verifying defenses work as expected. The platform is used by companies around the world. FinSMEs 29/05/2019 ANSONIA A woman was taken to the hospital Tuesday afternoon after her car crashed into a wall in front of the Valley YMCA. The accident was reported at 4:17 p.m. at the Y building at 12 State St., across the street from the Ansonia Armory. A unanimous decision to expunge any reference to the Professors World Peace Academy or Unification Church from the University of Bridgeport bylaws was done to set the record straight, according to an architect of the decision. Bottom line, we made official what has been truth for a long time, Robert Berchem, a Milford attorney and chairman of UBs Board of Trustees, said Tuesday. Berchem has been on the board for about a decade and its chairman for the past year. In all that time, and probably longer, he said the university has not seen a dime from the church, which is officially called the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification. In 1992, the PWPA, which was founded by the Unification Church, gave the university an initial $50 million loan that was to be forgiven in eight years. In exchange, the PWPA had the right to approve a majority of UB trustees and have a UB president of its liking. The deal kept the financially broke UB open. It also set off a firestorm of controversy and concern from those who questioned the motives of what many considered a cult. By 2002, the loan had not only turned into a gift, but had grown to $113 million. As of a year ago, only a handful of trustees were still being named by the PWPA, according to Gordon Anderson, U.S.A. Secretary General of the PWPA, and a UB trustee until a year ago. Anderson called UBs decision to officially part ways with the PWPA as a long time in coming. Am I disappointed? Sure, but on the other hand, I am very proud of what we did, Anderson said. We graduated 27,000 students who never would have graduated in Bridgeport and we rebuilt a university. Few, if any, members of the church remain as trustees, Anderson said. He described the PWPA, which was founded by the church, as legally alive. We expended all the resources we had on the university, Anderson said of what was an organization of academics from around the world. Over the weekend, the church also acknowledged the breakup. While Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, commonly referred to as the Unification Church, has no formal relationship with the University of Bridgeport, we are proud that our founders could financially rescue this admirable academic institution in a time of need, said Demian Dunkley, president of the federation, in an email. Many of our youth have proudly graduated from UB and went on to have very successful careers in a multitude of industries. We hope that the University of Bridgeport continues to fulfill its noble calling. Berchem said like any university, UB has its challenges but has shown solid financial performances for some time. It has a small endowment now, where two decades ago it had none. The endowment has helped offset year-to-year shortfalls, Anderson said. Anderson was on the finance committee of the UB Board of Trustees for 25 years. Berchem said every change UB has made since he has been on the board has been to improve the university. He was chairman of the presidential search committee that brought Laura Trombley to campus a year ago. He took over as board chairman with the death last year of Frank Zullo last May. Since Trombley arrived, the university has reorganized academic programs and dropped unprofitable majors. Several members of UB community who would not speak for attribution said on Tuesday the decision was a welcome one. They needed to do something public to explain the church is not here, to inform the greater world that they dont own the university and are not part of it, one staffer said. Attempts to reach Trombley were unsuccessful. To the Editor: The Wheels Program of Greater New Milford, Inc. would like to thank the New Milford community for making our second annual breakfast fundraiser a success. Donations from Nicholas/Tobin Insurance, Mitchell Fuel, Warwick Insurance Agency and the 60-plus guests were matched by The Connecticut Community Foundation. Tickets purchased by Union Savings Bank for their employees helped with our fundraising as well. These local merchants donated items for our drawing baskets: BevMax Liquors, Dagwoods Restaurant, Iron Rail Restaurant, LaNoces Gourmet Market, Levine Automotive, Nutmeg Oils, Roberts Automotive and TheatreWorks of New Milford. Flowers donated by Agriventures Agway were a featured part of the table centerpieces. The Youth Agency did a wonderful job preparing breakfast at The Maxx with help from a donation of bacon from Omaha Beef in Danbury. Wheels will be providing donation-based rides to seniors and citizens with disabilities to their non-emergency medical appointments for a long time to come, thanks to all involved. Thea Gruber Program coordinator Diane V. Grendell was sworn in May 29 to fill the 76th District Ohio House of Representatives seat vacated by Sarah LaTourette. LaTourette, R-Chester Township, stepped down from the position in early May after Gov. Mike DeWine appointed her to serve as executive director of Ohio Family and Children First. Grendell, 74, served as a member of the Ohio House from 1993 to 2000. She then served as an appellate judge on the Eleventh District Court of Appeals from 2000 until her retirement earlier this year. Grendell, R-Chester Township, was sworn in by Ohio Speaker of the House Larry Householder. Householder appointed a panel to interview candidates after LaTourette announced her intention to step down. The swearing-in of Grendell comes only days after the Geauga County Republican Party recommended South Russell Village Councilman Dennis Galicki for the position. On May 23, Geauga GOP central and executive committees met to make a recommendation on LaTourettes replacement. Galicki, former county commissioner Walter Skip Claypool, County Recorder Sharon Gingerich and Russell Township resident Kristina Port submitted letters of interest, resumes, and completed questionnaires a week prior to the meeting for the committees consideration. Grendell was not among those who sought the recommendation. Each candidate present at the meeting was given several minutes to speak, and a question-and-answer session was held prior to the paper ballot vote, according to a Geauga County Republican Party news release. After one round of 54 committee members voting, the 67-year-old Galicki earned a majority vote with 29. Galicki has been a councilman since 2017. The 76th District is comprised of 15 communities in northwest, southwest and southeast Geauga County and 11 communities in northern Portage County. Mission, a Los Angeles, CA-based managed services and consulting company for Amazon Web Services (AWS), closed an additional $15m of equity funding. Great Hill Partners, a growth-oriented private equity firm, made the investment. The company will use this capital to expand its team of expert cloud consultants and solutions architects that now hold nearly 100 AWS certifications, and invest in the technologies, systems, and go-to-market strategies Led by founder and CEO Simon Anderson and CFO Stewart Armstrong, Mission is a managed services provider and consulting partner for businesses using or migrating to Amazon Web Services (AWS). The company serves a customer base of more than 200 businesses from across a particularly wide breadth of industries and use cases. With hubs in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, and New York, the company has teams of AWS solutions architects and sales executives in three major AWS customer geographies: Southern California, Northern California, and the Northeast. Mission is also currently adding a new hub in Chicago to best serve the AWS U.S. Central region. FinSMEs 29/05/2019 Fainting spells especially early in the pregnancy could indicate health problems for the mother and baby later says a new study. Earlier short spells of black outs or syncope were considered to be normal during early pregnancy. The study comes from cardiology researchers led by University of Alberta senior epidemiologist, professor of Medicine and a member of the Women & Children's Health Research Institute, Padma Kaul and University of Calgary cardiology trainee Safia Chatur. The results of the study titled, Incidence of Syncope During Pregnancy: Temporal Trends and Outcomes, were published in the latest issue of the Journal of the American Heart Association. Image Credit: Blue Planet Studio / Shutterstock The team studied antenatal records of the mothers and birth records of 481,930 babies born in Alberta between years 2005 and 2014. For the mothers, the medical records for up to a year after delivery were also analyzed. Each of the participants frequency, time and final outcome of the fainting spells were taken into account. Fainting spells are called syncope and mean there is a brief loss of consciousness that occur either due to lack of adequate oxygen to the brain or due to low blood pressure. Pregnancy and its associated hormonal changes lead to dilatation of the blood vessels and rise in blood supply and heart rate. These may lead to dizziness and fainting due to drop in blood pressure. Results showed that around 1 percent mothers (4667 mothers) experienced fainting spells during their pregnancy. Of these, one in three experienced these spells during the first trimester of their pregnancy (1506). A further 2058 fainting spells were seen in the second trimester and 1103 spells were seen in the final trimester of pregnancy. Around 8 percent or 377 mothers had more than one fainting spell during their pregnancy. When the fainting spells occurred during the first trimester, there was an association with increased rate of premature births among the babies and an increased risk of further fainting spells and heart disease in the mothers. Babies born to mothers who have more of these fainting episodes also were at a greater risk of being born with a low birth weight or with congenital birth defects. Kaul warned that all women who experience fainting episodes need to consult with their doctors. Women and their babies need to be monitored closely in case there are fainting episodes. Kaul added that like other pregnancy associated conditions including high blood pressure, diabetes etc., syncope should also be added to the list of pregnancy associated conditions. She said, Pregnancy is a natural stress test for the womans system. Fainting during pregnancy may identify women who are at higher risk of cardiovascular complications down the road. She explained, Fainting is a relatively rare event and nobody has studied it systematically at a population level. Generally clinicians thought it was fairly benign. So thats what we were expecting to find. She added that these results surprised them initially. She said that there are small studies and case reports that warn about fainting spells and their adverse outcomes for the mothers and babies. This was the first long term large study to look at the association between pregnancy fainting spells and adverse outcomes for the mother and baby. Kaul said, Our study is significant because its truly population-based. In Canada, thanks to universal health care, were counting everyone. As a next step to their study, Kaul along with co-author Roopinder Sandhu, a cardiac electrophysiologist at the same university is on the way to develop a Canadian Syncope Atlas for the Cardiac Arrhythmia Network of Canada. This Atlas will map out the prevalence of fainting around the country and also estimate the health care costs and social impacts associated with the condition. Kaul also hopes that this research would be replicated in other nations to get the world wide picture. Kaul concluded by saying that it is not clear if the underlying conditions lead to the fainting spells or if fainting spells cause the heart problems and other adverse outcomes. That would need further study she said adding, Its a chicken-and-egg problem, so the associations need to be worked out through further study. The authors of the study conclude in their paper, Given the observed higher rates of adverse outcomes among women experiencing syncope in pregnancy, closer monitoring both during pregnancy and in the postpartum period may be necessitated. Data for the study came from the Alberta Ministry of Health (Alberta Health) and the study was funded by Cardiac Arrhythmia Network of Canada. Source: Incidence of Syncope During Pregnancy: Temporal Trends and Outcomes, Safia Chatur, Sunjidatul Islam, Linn E. Moore, Roopinder K. Sandhu, Robert S. Sheldon, and Padma Kaul, Journal of the American Heart Association https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.118.011608. - https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.118.011608 Seven innovative research projects tackling pancreatic cancer have been awarded grants totaling 1.2M by the UK medical research charity, Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund (PCRF). This is the fourth year that the charity has been able to allocate over 1M for research projects and brings its project portfolio spend to over 9M, with an additional 2M committed to the world's first national pancreas tissue bank, created in 2016 to further accelerate research progress. The new projects span early diagnosis, potential new treatments and fundamental research to find out why immunotherapy does not yet work with pancreatic cancer. They include the progression of promising virotherapy research, a unique technology to tag unwanted proteins and trigger their destruction and testing whether machine learning techniques can help identify those at risk from developing the disease. Maggie Blanks, PCRF's founder and Chief Executive, said: Research is the only way we'll find better ways of tackling pancreatic cancer and we need to keep pushing the boundaries of different research approaches. These projects involve new ideas, new technologies and new techniques that excited our Scientific Advisory Panel and we're keen to see what they deliver." The seven awards are: Dr Richard Clarkson, Cardiff University Normal cells are programmed to die if they become damaged or diseased in a process called apoptosis, but pancreatic cancer cells contain a molecule called c-FLIP which stalls this process. Dr Clarkson has shown in laboratory tests that blocking c-FLIP from working 'releases the brakes' on the anti-tumour process. He now wants to see if this works in mice with pancreatic tumours and will test new ways to block c-FLIP. Professor Laura Itzhaki, University of Cambridge Cells stay healthy by tagging faulty proteins with a molecule called ubiquitin that acts like an address label, sending the proteins to be destroyed by the cell's waste-disposal machinery. Prof Itzhaki has developed a technology that mimics this process, forcing ubiquitin to attach to selected proteins and trigger their destruction. This project will test if the technology can eliminate proteins produced by a faulty gene called KRAS, which is found in many pancreatic cancers. Dr Gunnel Hallden, Queen Mary University of London Dr Hallden is progressing her PCRF-funded research which aims to use a flu-like virus, delivered into the bloodstream, to seek out and infect pancreatic cancer cells wherever they are in the body. This project will identify new drugs that improve the ability of the virus to replicate inside the cancer cells and spread within the tumour, which should stimulate the immune system to provide long-term protection from the disease coming back. Dr Naomi Walsh, Dublin City University, Ireland Dr Walsh aims to design chemotherapy drugs that will target and kill types of cancer stem cells within pancreatic tumours that are responsible for drug resistance and relapse. These drugs are designed using new techniques which enable them to be transported directly into the cancer cells. This means that patients could be given smaller doses and experience fewer side effects. It may also allow more patients to benefit from these new treatments. Dr Laura Woods, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Dr Woods's project addresses the challenge of diagnosing pancreatic cancer earlier. She will apply 'machine learning' techniques to an historic, anonymised database of thousands of GP records to examine whether people who later developed pancreatic cancer shared similar early warning signs detectable before diagnosis. This could provide means of identifying a population of patients whom it would be cost-effective to screen, and increase the number of cancers diagnosed at a treatable stage. Professor Maeve Lowery, Trinity College Dublin Some pancreatic cancer patients have faults in genes involved in repairing DNA, such as the BRCA2 gene, which makes the cancer more likely to respond to certain treatments. Professor Lowery will study tumour samples to find changes in different regions of these genes and assess how this affects the response to drugs which target defective DNA repair. She hopes the results will inform a clinical trial where patients are matched with drugs most likely to benefit them. Professor Hemant Kocher, Queen Mary University of London Professor Kocher's project will investigate why immunotherapy - a treatment which harnesses the patient's immune system to kill cancer cells - works with some cancers but not with pancreatic cancer. The team will investigate how immune cells interact with each other and are either triggered or dampened in pancreatic cancer. The aim of this project is to determine the most effective way of combining immunotherapy and chemotherapy in future pancreatic cancer clinical trials. A synthetic, non-intoxicating analogue of cannabidiol (CBD) is effective in treating seizures in rats, according to research by chemists at the University of California, Davis. The synthetic CBD alternative is easier to purify than a plant extract, eliminates the need to use agricultural land for hemp cultivation, and could avoid legal complications with cannabis-related products. The work was recently published in the journal Scientific Reports. It's a much safer drug than CBD, with no abuse potential and doesn't require the cultivation of hemp." Mark Mascal, professor in the UC Davis Department of Chemistry. Mascal's laboratory at UC Davis carried out the work in collaboration with researchers at the University of Reading, U.K. Products containing CBD have recently become popular for their supposed health effects and because the compound does not cause a high. CBD is also being investigated as a pharmaceutical compound for conditions including anxiety, epilepsy, glaucoma and arthritis. But because it comes from extracts of cannabis or hemp plants, CBD poses legal problems in some states and under federal law. It is also possible to chemically convert CBD to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the intoxicating compound in marijuana. 8,9-Dihydrocannabidiol (H2CBD) is a synthetic molecule with a similar structure to CBD. Mascal's laboratory developed a simple method to inexpensively synthesize H2CBD from commercially available chemicals. "Unlike CBD, there is no way to convert H2CBD to intoxicating THC," he said. One important medical use of cannabis and CBD is in treatment of epilepsy. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved an extract of herbal CBD for treating some seizure conditions and there is also strong evidence from animal studies. The researchers tested synthetic H2CBD against herbal CBD in rats with induced seizures. H2CBD and CBD were found to be equally effective for the reduction of both the frequency and severity of seizures. Mascal is working with colleagues at the UC Davis School of Medicine to carry out more studies in animals with a goal of moving into clinical trials soon. UC Davis has applied for a provisional patent on antiseizure use of H2CBD and its analogues, and Mascal has founded a company, Syncanica, to continue development. Source: University of California - Davis Journal reference: Mascal, M. et al. (2019) Synthetic, non-intoxicating 8,9-dihydrocannabidiol for the mitigation of seizures. Scientific Reports. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44056-y. People who drink alcohol while using medications that interact with it are higher risk of harm from overdose, falls, and traffic accidents. In recent years, there has been a documented increase in alcohol-related adverse drug reactions and acute emergency room admissions. One group of medicines, known as central nervous system (CNS) depressants, was implicated in over 40% of alcohol-related adverse drug reactions between 2005 and 2011. CNS depressants include the 'sedativehypnotic' medications (anxiolytics and sleeping medications) as well as prescription opioids such as hydrocodone and oxycodone. To further investigate the interplay of alcohol and prescription medications, researchers at Washington University have assessed the changing prevalence of CNS depressant use among regular drinkers. They analyzed data from over 37,000 adults who participated in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination survey (which is overseen by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) between 1999 and 2014. They found that among participants who reported drinking regularly (once a week or more), the proportion that used sedativehypnotic medications doubled to 6% between 1999 and 2014 with the increase driven by a large rise in prescribed sleep medications. The prevalence of prescribed opioid use among regular drinkers remained relatively high at around 4%, despite the known risks. While regular drinkers were less likely than infrequent or non-drinkers to use anxiolytics or opioid medications, they were just as likely to use sleep medications. The research also showed that people aged 40 plus were up to five times as likely as those in their twenties to use sedativehypnotic medications; rates of binge drinking are also known to have increased in the over 40 age group in recent years. The number of people at risk for adverse alcoholdrug reactions has therefore risen markedly. Exposure to sedativehypnotic medications may still be increasing, whereas prescription opioid use is stable but alarmingly common among regular drinkers. The over forties in particular continue to face an unnecessarily high risk of alcohol-related adverse drug reactions and poor outcomes. New research indicates that older patients who develop delirium- an acute attentional deficit that waxes and wanes, right after surgery are more likely to show signs of postoperative cognitive dysfunction one month later. But the study, published in the Online First edition of Anesthesiology, the peer-reviewed medical journal of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), also found that the number of patients still showing signs of postoperative cognitive dysfunction decreased steadily and significantly at two and six months after surgery. Delirium is a common postoperative complication in older surgical patients and has been associated with cognitive decline, increased risk of dementia, and a host of other negative outcomes. Additionally, delayed or incomplete cognitive recovery can complicate recuperation for older surgical patients. When cognitive impairment following surgery lasts for more than 3 months, it is known as postoperative cognitive dysfunction. The main finding of this study was that delirium significantly increased the risk of postoperative cognitive dysfunction, but primarily in the first postoperative month. For a substantial number of people, 'brain healing' will continue long after hospital discharge. This delayed neurocognitive recovery may represent a normal response to the waning effects of surgery, anesthesia, pain, and medications. Our findings indicate that these effects are short-lived for most older adults." Study lead author Lori Daiello, PharmD, assistant professor of neurology at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island Researchers used data from the Successful Aging after Elective Surgery (SAGES) study, which examined the long-term impact of delirium on postoperative cognitive functioning among 560 older adult surgical patients, over the age of 70. The average age patient was 77 years. SAGES participants were given tests of memory and thinking shortly before and after surgery. They were also tested at follow-up visits one, two, and six months after surgery. Sharon Inouye, M.D., professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, is the overall principal investigator of the SAGES study, which is funded by a grant from the National Institute on Aging. She, along with Richard Jones, M.D., from Brown University, were co-senior authors on this study. Nearly one quarter (24%) of patients developed in-hospital delirium after surgery. One month later, nearly half of patients (47%) had not recovered their pre-surgical cognitive abilities and met the criteria for postoperative cognitive dysfunction. This was the only time at which the authors found a statistically significant association between postoperative delirium and postoperative cognitive dysfunction. Fewer patients qualified as having postoperative cognitive dysfunction at 2 months (23%) and 6 months (16%) after surgery. At each evaluation, postoperative cognitive dysfunction was more common among patients who had not experience postoperative delirium. Dr. Daiello notes that the study findings suggest that postoperative delirium and postoperative cognitive dysfunction may be distinct manifestations of perioperative neurocognitive dysfunction. As the relationship between delirium and postoperative cognitive dysfunction becomes better understood, future research can examine the underlying mechanisms in the hope of developing strategies to prevent these conditions. In an accompanying editorial, Jeff Browndyke, Ph.D., Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, notes that "the study reveals the difficulties inherent in ascertaining what is 'meaningful' postoperative cognitive change and reminds us that often the devil is in the details. The study also suggests that delirium and POCD are distinct clinical entities, for which differential clinical management will be needed to guide anesthesiologists as we move forward to optimize perioperative brain health." California has some of the nation's strongest protections against surprise medical bills. But many Californians still get slammed with huge out-of-network charges. State lawmakers are now trying to close gaps in the law with a bill that would limit how much hospitals outside of a patient's insurance network can charge for emergency care. "We thought the practice of balance billing had been addressed," said state Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco), author of the bill. "Turns out there are major holes in the law potentially impacting millions of Californians with different types of insurance." "Balance billing," better known as surprise billing, occurs when a patient receives care from a doctor or hospital or another provider outside of her insurance plan's network, and then the doctor or hospital bills the patient for the amount insurance didn't cover. These bills can soar into the tens of thousands of dollars. Chiu's proposal would prohibit out-of-network hospitals from sending surprise bills to privately insured emergency patients. Instead, hospitals would have to work directly with health plans on billing, leaving the patients responsible only for their in-network copayments, coinsurance and deductibles. Hospitals are fighting the proposal, calling it a form of rate-setting. "If we are able to move this forward in California, it could be a model and standard for what happens around the country," Chiu said of his measure, which the state Assembly is expected to consider this week. Surprise billing is a scourge for patients around the country. Last year, a Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that two-thirds of Americans are "very worried" or "somewhat worried" about being able to afford a surprise bill for themselves or a family member. (Kaiser Health News, which produces California Healthline, is an editorially independent program of the foundation.) Health policy experts say the problem demands federal action rather than an inconsistent patchwork of state laws. And President Donald Trump has called on Congress to pass legislation this year to put a stop to surprise medical bills. "In one swipe, the federal government can offer a universal approach in protecting consumers," said Kevin Lucia, a research professor with Georgetown University's Health Policy Institute. Lawmakers in both the U.S. Senate and House have introduced bills to end surprise billing. But passing federal legislation promises to be an uphill battle because two influential lobbying groups health insurers and health providers have been unable to agree on a solution. Frustrated by waiting for federal lawmakers to act, states have been trying to solve this issue. As of December 2018, 25 states offered some protection against surprise billing, and the protections in nine of those states were considered "comprehensive," according to the Commonwealth Fund. California, New York, Florida, Illinois and Connecticut are among the nine. New state laws also have been adopted since, including in Nevada, which will limit how much out-of-network providers, including hospitals, can charge patients for emergency care, starting next year. In California, a 2009 state Supreme Court ruling protects some patients against surprise billing for emergency care, and a state law that took effect in 2017 protects some who receive non-emergency care. But millions remain vulnerable, largely because California's protections don't cover all insurance plans. The California Supreme Court ruling applies to people with plans regulated by the state Department of Managed Health Care. That leaves out the roughly 1 million Californians with plans regulated by the state Department of Insurance and the nearly 6 million people with federally regulated plans, most of whom have employer-sponsored insurance. The state law governing non-emergency care also doesn't apply to the millions of residents with health plans regulated by the federal government. Chiu's bill attempts to close those loopholes by targeting hospitals and their billing practices. With this strategy, a patient's health plan and the agency that regulates it would not matter, explained Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access California, a Sacramento-based advocacy group that is sponsoring the legislation. The proposal "extends protections to a broader set of Californians," Wright said. The California Hospital Association opposes the measure, which would limit the amount hospitals could charge insurance plans to a certain rate for each service, varying by region. The association believes that would equate to the state setting prices, which could discourage health plans from entering contracts with hospitals, said Jan Emerson-Shea, a spokeswoman for the association. "We fully support the provision of the bill that protects patients. It is the rate-setting piece that is our concern," she said. Chiu said his bill was prompted by the peculiar billing practices at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital spotlighted by Vox in January. Unlike most large hospitals, San Francisco General does not contract with private insurers. Vox found that the hospital considered patients with private insurance out-of-network, and was slapping many of them with whopping bills. Stefania Kappes-Rocha was one of them. On April 30, 2018, Kappes-Rocha, 23, landed in San Francisco General's emergency room with a fever and intense pain in her lower right back caused by a kidney infection. A student at Hult International Business School at the time, she had a private plan through the college. "I didn't know it at the time, but that was the problem that I did have insurance," Kappes-Rocha said. She was sent home a day later with ibuprofen. About two months later, she was billed $27,767.70. "I couldn't move because of the pain," she said. The last thing on her mind was that she'd be on the hook for the entire cost of her hospital visit. Her insurance eventually agreed to pay about $24,000 of her bill. "I fought back, I pressured them every week," she said. "But some people don't know they should do that." Skewered by media reports, the hospital announced in April that it would no longer balance-bill privately insured patients. This KHN story first published on California Healthline, a service of the California Health Care Foundation. Studying the brain involves measuring the activity of billions of individual brain cells called neurons. Consequently, many brain measurement techniques produce data that is averaged to reflect the activity of large populations of these neurons. If all of the neurons are behaving differently, this will average out. But, when the behaviour of individual neurons is synchronized, it produces clearly visible oscillations. Synchronisation is important to understanding how neurons behave, which is particularly relevant with regard to brain diseases like Alzheimer's, epilepsy and Parkinson's. Now, a group of researchers from the Institute of Computational Physics and Complex Systems at Lanzhou University, China, has used a combination of two computer models to study the ways different kinds of neurons can impact synchronisation. The study is published in the European Physical Journal B. To study the effects on synchronisation, the authors examined neurons called inhibitory neurons - which work to slow down or stop the activity of other neurons. Moreover, they explored the likelihood of these inhibitory neurons firing either spontaneously or not at all within the network. Using computer models, the researchers then constructed an Izhikevich neural network; they also employed a model of neuronal transmission, called the Tsodyks-Uziel-Markram (TUM) model. Their findings indicate that inhibitory neurons can have a two-fold impact on oscillatory patterns. On the one hand, they can delay the firing of the neurons, which prevents synchronisation from happening. On the other, they can facilitate the transition of the oscillatory patterns, which is conducive to synchronisation. The research is important for increasing our understanding of brain diseases, like stroke, Alzheimer's and epilepsy. The authors say: The ever-increasing morbidity of brain diseases makes the investigation on this topic significant in both psychology and medicine." Source: Springer Journal reference: Lin, P. et al. (2019) Two-fold effects of inhibitory neurons on the onset of synchronization in Izhikevich neuronal networks. European Physical Journal B. doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2019-100009-2. Psychologists and philosophers had long suggested that simulation is the mechanism whereby humans understand the minds of others. However, the neural basis of this complex process had not been identified. The amygdala is involved in various functions related to social behavior as well as in autism. However, it was not known whether the amygdala neurons contributed to advanced social knowledge, such as simulating the decisions of other individuals. A recent study identifies a type of neuron that had not previously been described that actively and spontaneously learns from decision-making by other individuals and simulates their mental processes. The dysfunction of these simulation neurons might be involved in the restriction of social knowledge, one of the symptoms of autism and, through hyperactivity, may give an exaggerated version of others and play an important role in social anxiety, the authors speculate. The study, published on 14 April in Cell, one of the journals with the highest impact factor, is the result of research led by Wolfram Schultz, a scientist at the University of Cambridge (UK) involving Gustavo Deco, ICREA research professor with the Department of Information and Communication Technologies (DTIC) and director of the Center for Brain and Cognition (CBC) at UPF. The work suggests that these so-called "simulation neurons", found in the amygdala, a collection of nerve cells in the brain's temporal lobe, allow animals (and potentially also humans) to reconstruct the mental state of their social partners and, therefore, predict their intentions. The simulation of decisions is involved in social learning We started to look for neurons that might be involved in social learning. We were surprised to discover that neurons in the amygdala not only learn the value of the objects of social observation, but they used this information to simulate the decisions of their partner". Fabian Grabenhorst, First Author of the Study and Researcher, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge The simulation of the decisions of others is a sophisticated cognitive process within social learning. "For example, by observing the foraging choices of another individual, we can learn what food is worth choosing. This knowledge is not only to do with our own decisions, but also help us to predict the future decisions of others", says Gustavo Deco, co-author of the study. For the study, the researchers recorded the activity of amygdala neurons in monkeys while participating in observational learning tasks. Positioned in pairs, facing each other, with a touch screen between them, the animals had to take a decision if they wanted to receive the reward (fruit juice). To maximize their reward, the animals had to learn and monitor the likelihood of reward associated with the different images displayed to them on the screen. The study allowed the animals to observe the choices taken by their partner and learn the reward values of each image. The researchers saw that once the images were switched, the observing animal could make use of this knowledge when it was the recorded monkey's turn to choose. Surprisingly, it was seen that when an animal observed its partner, the neurons in the amygdala of the observer seemed to make a decision computation. These neurons were able to make a prediction about the reward value of the partner's choices before taking a decision, which is in line with a simulated decision-making process. It is important to highlight that these patterns of activity occurred spontaneously, long before the partner's choices and options without the need for a decision by the observer. First computational model of the neural circuits of the amygdala Based on the results obtained, the scientists created the first computational model of the neural circuits of the amygdala involved in social cognition. As Gustavo Deco points out, "when observing how the specific types of neurons influence each other, this model suggests that the amygdala contains a "decision circuit" that identifies the animal's own choices and a separate "simulation circuit" that calculates the prediction of the choice of the social partner". Simulation and decision neurons are closely intermingled in the amygdala. The authors have managed to distinguish them and their different functions thanks to the computational model, which would not have been possible only with human brain imaging techniques that measure the average activity of a large number of neurons. Autism and social anxiety, two sides of the same coin The scientists suggest that an alteration in the functionality of simulation neurons may impoverish social cognition. Grabenhorst, first author of the paper explains: "If simulation neurons do not work properly, a person may not interact effectively with the mental states of others. We know very little about how specific types of neurons contribute to social cognition and the social challenges faced by individuals with autism. By identifying the neurons and mechanisms of specific circuits for mental simulation, our study may provide new ideas on these conditions". Source: Universitat Pompeu Fabra - Barcelona Journal reference: Grabenhorst, F. et al. (2019) Primate Amygdala Neurons Simulate Decision Processes of Social Partners. Cell. doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2019.02.042 An international study led by Eurac Research draws up the criteria for correctly assessing the chances of survival. It is difficult for doctors to accurately assess avalanche victims who arrive at hospital suffering cardiac arrest: has the patient effectively suffocated, or is there a realistic prospect of survival if the patient is properly rewarmed? The correct initial assessment is crucial: it ensures that patients with a viable chance of survival are properly rewarmed, while also preventing unnecessary medical intervention in cases where survival is not possible. For this reason, experts in Emergency Medicine from Eurac Research, along with colleagues from Europe and the USA, have now established new benchmarks for core temperature and serum potassium levels, to provide doctors with reliable indicators when assessing the appropriate treatment for patients. This study analysed the data relating to 103 avalanche victims admitted with cardiac arrest to seven major hospitals in Europe, between 1995 and 2016. The hospitals included in the study were Bern, Grenoble, Innsbruck, Krakow, Troms, Lausanne and Sion. Of the 103 victims, 61 were rewarmed, but only 10 per cent survived; in the other cases it was not the hypothermia that caused the cardiac arrest, but suffocation during the avalanche or trauma. Rewarming only results in survival in a small proportion of cases, however, in terms of personnel and technology this process is complex and very costly. For this reason, the principal author of the study, Hermann Brugger, notes, "We need to have strong and clear selection criteria, which can guarantee that only those avalanche victims which will benefit from the process will be rewarmed upon admission to hospital." While doctors had guidelines for the initial triage of avalanche victims at the scene of the accident - the assessment upon which further treatment hinges - these guidelines were based on limited scientific evidence and intended for use at the site of the emergency. However, hospitals require accurate guidelines based on significant evidence to justify extracorporeal rewarming using the heart-lung machine. This is exactly the important issue addressed in the study published in Resuscitation, the official journal of the European Resuscitation Council. The factors that have emerged as decisive in this study are the core temperature and the concentration of serum potassium, the latter is related to cell degeneration. Using both these parameters, doctors can assess which patients have the potential to survive and which do not. In relation to body temperature, the limit is 30 degrees: no avalanche victim suffering from cardiac arrest with a core temperature higher than 30 degrees can survive rewarming. The potassium concentration in the blood should not exceed 7 mmol/litres. Source: Eurac Research Journal reference: Brugger, H. et al. (2019) Cut-off values of serum potassium and core temperature at hospital admission for extracorporeal rewarming of avalanche victims in cardiac arrest: A retrospective multi-centre study. Resuscitation. doi.org/10.1016/j.resuscitation.2019.04.025. Whether you own a business or you just regularly send money internationally to family and friends, looking at a faster option to get your money sent to the supposed receiver is the most practical thing for you to do. Getting that confirmation that the money has already been received can let you breathe a sigh of relief. Nowadays, with the presence of the internet, many companies offer international money transfer services. Two of the biggest names when it comes to international money remittance are OFX and TransferWise. Both are known for their affordable, secure, and fast service in providing money transfer overseas. Both of them deliver a high quality of service in different countries worldwide. The question now is: which one is better? Before you start with the comparison between OFX vs TransferWise, heres a brief history of the two global companies: History TransferWise was founded by friends Kristo Kaarmann and Taavet Hinrikus. It has been growing rapidly since it started in 2011, and operates uniquely by swapping currencies instead of exchanging them. For example, if someone in Australia wants to send money to Canada, and someone in Canada wants to send money to Australia, the currencies are swapped once they are entered in the TransferWise system. Thus, money doesnt technically leave the country. Meanwhile, OFX was previously known as OzForex when Matthew Gilmour founded it in 1998. OzForex operated with an array of specific brands, namely Canadian Forex, USForex, UKForex, NZForex, ClearFX, and Transferz. In 2015, the brands were consolidated into one global name, which is now known as OFX. These are the aspects you can look into to begin your comparison: 1. Security Many people think that the convenience of being able to do things efficiently online may come at a risk, especially when it involves money. Some may be reluctant in putting their bank details out there for fear of theft and fraud. TransferWise and OFX treat security issues with utmost importance. Both companies claim to have been able to maintain bank-level security and commit to doing so continually. TransferWise is regulated by Authorite des Marches Financier, Financial Conduct Authority, Customs and Excise Department (CCE) of Hong Kong, and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. In addition to TransferWises regulatory adherence, they have adopted digital security such as two-step logins and verifications to make sure that only the rightful owners have access to their accounts since the service offers business accessibility online. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission regulate OFX, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada, and Financial Conduct Authority. OFX has also claimed that theyre doing proactive testing on their sites to make sure that there will be no untoward exposure of customers data. 2. Fee and Exchange Rate The cost when you are sending money is influenced by two factors: a transfer fee and the exchange rate. This means that the money you will have to spend depends on the currency pairing and how much you are sending. With TransferWise, there is no fixed amount for their transfer fee. It will be a percentage based on how much money you are sending. Typically, the fees are relatively low depending on your currency pairing, leaving some international transactions costing more than the other. The average percentage they charge for a money transfer is 0.5%. For countries using SWIFT International money payments such as Canada, the fee can bump up a little more. In addition to their small fee for every transfer you make, they also give you a mid-market exchange rate. Also known as the interbank rate, the mid-market rate is the average of a currency pairs buy rate and sell rate. OFX, on the other hand, is straightforward. Their standard fee and applicable fee-free threshold vary from where you reside. An example is that you pay a $5 transfer fee if you send less than $5,000, but it is free of charge if you send no lesser than $5,000. Below is the fee structure with their equivalent threshold: Currency Fee Fee-Free Threshold AED 50 30,000 AUD 15 10,000 CAD 15 10,000 CHF 15 10,000 DKK 20 50,000 EUR 10 5,000 FJD 20 15,000 GBP 7 3,000 HKD 60 50,000 JPY 1,500 1,000,000 NOK 20 50,000 NZD 12 10,000 PLN 15 10,000 SEK 20 50,000 SGD 15 10,000 USD 5 5,000 ZAR 50 50,000 This service can be ideal for big businesses or big transactions involving a significant amount of money. This is subject to change, so it is best to visit their website for an up-to-date version. Unlike TransferWise, OFX does not offer a mid-market rate. But when you become their regular money transfer customer, you can make a call to negotiate your rate with them. Ultimately, you can save a lot of money when you use either of the two compared to banks. But if every cent matters to you, start looking closely at their current rates and fees, and compare them. Not only that, factor in the average amount youre sending. If youre sending big payouts to business partners abroad or a sum of wages to your manager in a different country, then OFXs structure may suit you well. If youre just sending money to a virtual assistant or an allowance to your child whos in a vacation, then TransferWise may be the better option. It is also noteworthy that the money you will be paying will depend on which country you are. Speed of Service Remember those days when it would take a couple of weeks for the money to be transferred from one country to another? This isnt the case anymore with the help of online remittances such as TransferWise and OFX. Their transfer speed may not be as fast as the speed of light, but it can be a lot quicker compared to the bank. With banks, it would often take approximately two weeks to send your money overseas. But with TransferWise and OFX, it would only take 1-2 days to get it done. Sometimes, a transfer can even be completed on the same day you sent it. But keep in my mind that the processing period may also vary depending on the banking system of the receiving end. For instance, the 1-2 days may be stretched into 4-5 days when the banking systems already come into play, like in Australia or the UK. On top of that, bank holidays in the receiving country can also impact the overall transfer service. Customer Support In a not-so-perfect world, there will come a time when your transfer doesnt arrive on your expected day. Money matters are of utmost importance to everyone, whether its personal or business. As someone who just sent your hard-earned money, you would want to be assured that everything is under control. Hence, excellent customer service is put in place by both companies to help you with such pressing matters. TransferWise can be reached via different channels such as email, phone, and through their website. They have offices around the world situated in the UK, Spain, Singapore, Germany, Hungary, the US, Japan, Canada, Austria, Spain, Brazil, France, and Australia. Even their social media platforms are active and ready to take in your concerns. Keep in mind that offices in Singapore, Japan, and Hungary may only be able to offer a callback and not incoming calls. OFX, being an already established company for some time, has account managers ready to take in your calls. They also have physical offices located in Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, USA, New Zealand, the UK, and Canada. Other Services Both TransferWise and OFX have user-friendly iOS and Android apps you can use anytime and anywhere in the world. This means that these two give you the flexibility to send and receive money. OFX provides a regular payment service to its consumers, a feature TransferWise has not offered yet. TransferWise and OFX both let you lock in a rate even before you can upload your money. Both services have an intuitive approach in their wizard-driven steps. This will walk you through the transferring process with ease. TransferWise and OFX also offer coupons and vouchers. They both support all major countries and are still adding more to their list. Conclusion Looking at their customer service, speed of transfer, and security level, it is safe to say that both are providing excellent services. The deal breaker here will depend on the consumers transaction need, whether you are sending a lump sum amount or youre transferring just a small amount. Location is also a significant factor. You can then break down which of the two can give you better savings in terms of service fees and the exchange rate. You may also read reviews from current users to provide you with a better idea about which of these two services suits you best. Either way, both remittance services give you the convenience and ease nonetheless. It's the third deadliest cardiovascular diagnosis, but doctors are still often stumped to explain why 40% of patients experience unprovoked venous thromboembolism (VTE). And after a patient has dealt with these dangerous blood clots once, a second and subsequent events become much more likely. New research from a team of University of Michigan scientists may help solve the mystery of how to detect and deal with higher-than-usual clot risk in patients' veins. The study, done in mice and published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, focuses on clots' relationship to the body's defense and repair system, which causes inflammation. We don't yet understand the molecular triggers which drive the development of life-threatening clots in deep veins. Our work aimed to identify and block a previously unrecognized pathway linking inflammation and thrombosis." Yogen Kanthi, M.D., the study's senior author and a vascular cardiologist at U-M's Frankel Cardiovascular Center Kanthi, also an assistant professor of internal medicine at Michigan Medicine, says VTE is triggered by some combination of coagulation and inflammation. But current treatments come up short, he says, because they only focus on one side of the equation: anticoagulation. After VTE, patients are often prescribed blood thinners for life. Kanthi's lab is instead investigating inflammation's role in the development of deep vein thrombosis. His team's new study found an enzyme called CD39 diffused circulating "danger" signals and inflammatory cytokines in blood during thrombosis. FDA-approved drugs already exist for other conditions that are affected by the same pathway, and in particular, the paradigmatic inflammatory cytokine molecule called interleukin-1 beta. In fact, when the researchers inhibited interleukin-1 signals in their study, they reduced the number and size of venous blood clots the animals formed, Kanthi said. "Here, we focused on potential therapeutics at the intersection of inflammation and thrombosis," Kanthi said. "We showed that blocking interleukin 1 beta, a ubiquitous inflammatory molecule, was a powerful means to stop clot formation." Source: Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan Journal reference: Kanthi, Y. et al. (2019) ENTPD-1 disrupts inflammasome IL-1driven venous thrombosis. Journal of Clinical Investigation. doi.org/10.1172/JCI124804. RUSTBURG An Evington man will spend 50 years in prison for shooting at five police officers in October after they chased down the car he was driving. Tony Allen Kidd, 54, pleaded guilty in February to five counts of attempted capital murder, five counts of using a firearm in a felony, one felony count of eluding police and one count of maliciously injuring a police animal from the Oct. 6 shootout. At a hearing Wednesday in Campbell Circuit Court that lasted around 20 minutes, Kidd was sentenced and appointed attorneys to represent him on a new, separate set of charges, including one count of capital murder. Kidd is accused of assaulting and shooting Dale and Robin Chenault, his neighbors, the morning of Oct. 6. After the couple learned he was beating his girlfriend and Robin Chenault took her and her son to a friends house, Dale Chenault said Kidd came to their house the night of Oct. 5 and said the couple had ruined his life. Kidd left the house that night after the tense encounter with Chenault. The next morning, Chenault said he returned with a sledgehammer and beat him and his wife, at one point grabbing Chenaults gun and shooting both of them. Officers with the Lynchburg Police Department began pursuing the SUV Kidd was driving after a 911 call saying the driver waved a gun at a young child and mother, according to Campbell County Commonwealth's Attorney Paul McAndrews. The SUV was suspected to have been stolen from Robin and Dale Chenault, who law enforcement had found at their Lucinda Drive home the morning of Oct.6. Robin Chenault was dead, with a gunshot wound to the chest and blunt force trauma to her head. Dale Chenault was transported to the hospital with serious injuries. Investigator Brandon Epperson, with the Campbell County Sheriffs Office, said hes listened to calls Kidd made from jail after the incident. In those calls, he said Kidd described hitting the two with a sledgehammer and shooting Robin Chenault, then watching her going down slow. In argument, McAndrews said that between the assault and the shootout with police, true justice requires that he die in prison. There are no reasons not one that he should ever see the outside of a prison, he said. Kidd, who was friends with the Chenaults, apologized when given the chance to speak. I dont mean to do what I done, he said. Defense attorney Kevin Bailey spoke to Kidds remorse, saying after the hearing that if he could take it back, he most certainly would. Bailey and two other qualified attorneys were appointed Wednesday to represent Kidd on his remaining charges. Under Virginia law, indigent capital murder defendants must have two attorneys if theyre requested. Out of the 50-year sentence, 23 years are mandatory minimum years for Kidds five firearm charges. After hes served that time, Bailey said he believes Kidd would be eligible to petition the Virginia Parole Board for geriatric release. That option isnt available to people serving a sentence for capital murder. In addition to prison time, Kidd was ordered not to have any contact with the Chenault family. After the hearing, Bailey said his client wasnt surprised by his sentence and was prepared for one around that length. Kidd has yet to be scheduled for a hearing on the second set of charges reflecting the death of Robin Chenault. Bailey said the facts do not appear to be in dispute and were hopeful that this can be resolved in a timely fashion. The death penalty is still on the table for Kidd but is unacceptable and he would not agree to it, Bailey said. I do think that for the familys sake, I think everybody wants to get this wrapped up, he said. 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. A task force to address the future of education in Lynchburg is set to take shape later this summer. During a Tuesday work session, city council reviewed a proposed charter for the task force and discussed the goals and potential leadership of the group. Deputy City Manager Reid Wodicka told council members the city-schools leadership team which includes Lynchburg City Schools Superintendent Crystal Edwards, school board chair Susan Morrison, school board vice chair James Coleman, Ward I Councilwoman Vice Mayor MaryJane Dolan, At-large Councilwoman Mayor Treney Tweedy, City Manager Bonnie Svrcek and Wodicka identified a need for the task force after conversations between schools and the city over the past year. A strong school system, Wodicka said, contributes to the long-term vitality of the city. Additionally, he said it was important for the objectives and direction of Lynchburg City Schools and the city to be aligned as both move forward. We want to be very intentional about creating a school system that we as a community want, Wodicka said. The mission of the task force, according to its draft charter, is to gather information, engage the public in conversation, conduct thorough analysis, and forward actionable recommendations to the school board with the goal of aligning future educational programming, operational strategies, and capital improvement decisions of the Lynchburg City Schools with the long-term success of the City and community. The task force also will investigate recent trends in declining enrollment in city schools and develop evidence-based recommendations to address future challenges. In response to concerns raised Tuesday by Ward III Councilman Jeff Helgeson about the need for the school system to first investigate and create plans for declining enrollment based on state standards, Ward II Councilman Sterling Wilder said the task force is the perfect opportunity to investigate many questions raised by council members and the community in recent months about the school system. As a community together, we are pooling our resources for our children, for our school system, to make it a better place to live, work and play, where our kids can grow and learn better, he said. A steering committee will guide the task force and five subcommittees enrollment trends and demographics; operations, facilities and consolidation; leading practices in urban education; programming and collaboration opportunities; and finance. The proposed charter suggested 10 members and four steering committee members two from city council and two from the school board but At-large Councilman Randy Nelson suggested adding two additional members who were not currently serving on either board. All steering committee members will be appointed by city council. He said these two additional steering committee members should serve as the chair and vice chair of the committee and cited the importance of having individuals in leadership roles who were free from concerns on whether their decisions would get them re-elected. However, Nelson said it also was critical for steering committee leaders to have some sort of prior leadership experience as well as be representative of the diversity of the city, have institutional knowledge of the school system and the fortitude to deal with pushback from the community. Several council members agreed they would like to see more specific goals and objectives for the task force. The charter proposes a final report from the task force be presented to the school board and city council. This report will contain an analysis of the educational and community strengths and challenges Lynchburg faces and will provide a discussion of the alternatives, including the benefits and detriments of all reasonable courses of action. The tentative schedule identified in the charter recommends the task force convene its subcommittees by July 2019, collect data and input from those subcommittees by late fall or early winter 2019 and generate a final report by next spring. These recommendations are intended to be presented in enough time to include them for consideration in the fiscal year 2022 budget. City council asked staff to update the language in the proposed charter as discussed in Tuesdays meeting and bring it back for discussion and final approval during a special meeting to interview school board candidates June 12. The second meeting was called because not all council members are able to attend the next regular council meeting June 11. If you were to devise a checklist of the things that make a certain region a good place to live or locate a new company in, one of the top requirements, if not the top one, would be a high-quality health care system. Right up there with quality public schools, an outstanding health care system is vital for the continued growth and expansion of any region. In Central Virginia, we are fortunate to have a system as solid as Centra Health. From the flagship Lynchburg General Hospital a level two trauma center to community hospitals in Bedford and Farmville and from the Pearson Cancer Center to primary care practices throughout the region, Centra provides a level of care not many other communities our size enjoy. This is the role Dr. Andy Mueller is coming into as Centras new CEO, replacing E.W. Tibbs, who resigned in October 2018. Its an enormous task with the health of the community both physical and economic riding on his success in the job. Mueller, who assumed his new duties earlier this month, knows he faces challenges. In 2018, Centra had its first fiscal year in the red in 10 years, losing a reported $30 million. Its in the process of implementing a complex, new electronic health records system for all its operations, and the rollout has not been trouble-free. There have been two recent rounds of layoffs at the upper and middle levels of management with more possible. The wholly-owned Piedmont Community Health Plan continues to lose money. But ... . As significant as the challenges facing Centra are, Mueller is taking over the reins of a health system that, for the most part, delivers stellar care to its patients. Just consider these accolades and achievements: Lynchburg General is a top 50 cardiovascular hospital with the highest rating from the Society of Cardiothoracic Surgeons for open heart surgery. Lynchburg General is also the regions only certified national primary stroke center. Forbes magazine rates Lynchburg General as one of its Safest Hospitals in America. Lynchburg General is a Beacon Award for Excellence honoree, in addition to being recognized as Magnet honoree for the quality of its nursing staff. The system that founding CEO George Dawson and his team assembled in 1987 when Lynchburg General and Virginia Baptist hospitals merged is critical to the growth of Central Virginia. Mueller is well aware of the challenges hes up against, but we also think his being the first practicing physician as CEO will bring a critical perspective to the job. Lastly, George Dawsons leadership of Centra should serve as his lodestar: Everything, every job, every decision is about the patient and the community ... everything. The MCU future of the Kingpin may be a mystery, but Marvel Comics has an answer Marvel Comics has already provided the perfect way for Kingpin to keep going in the MCU OpenSesame, a Portland, Oregon-based elearning company providing a comprehensive online catalog of curated employee training courses, raised $28m in growth equity funding. The round was led by FTV Capital with participation from existing investor Altos Ventures. As part of the transaction, FTV partner Chris Winship will join the OpenSesame board of directors. The company intends to use the funds to: continue enhancing its machine learning-driven curation tools, expand its course offerings, and scale its sales and marketing functions to serve businesses worldwide. Led by Don Spear, CEO, OpenSesame provides companies with solutions to develop productive workforces. It operates a comprehensive catalog of over 20,000 elearning courses from hundreds of the worlds top publishers and support companies in ensuring the success of their training programs. The company supports companies in finding courses, mapping them to core competencies, syncing them with a learning management system (LMS) to increase utilization and improve learning & development (L&D) programs. OpenSesame currently serves a wide range of clients, including governments and Global 2000 companies in services, manufacturing, technology, and highly regulated industries such as financial services and health care. FinSMEs 29/05/2019 (Newser) Maine's supreme court has upheld a ruling granting a man sole custody of his dog, denying his ex-girlfriend's bid to take the pet. The Supreme Judicial Court on Tuesday affirmed that pets are property in confirming a district judge's decision that the Lab-boxer mix named Honey belongs to Kelvin Liriano, the man whose name appeared on adoption papers, the AP reports. His former girlfriend, Jessica Sardina, sued for custody, arguing that she had been the dog's sole caregiver and considers it to be family. The ruling was swift, and there was no written opinion. During arguments two weeks ago, Chief Justice Leigh Saufley questioned whether it is a good use of time for judges to analyze pet custody in cases involving unmarried couples. story continues below Gene Sullivan, Sardina's lawyer, says he will ask state lawmakers to consider new standards for dealing with pet custody issues. "Yes, the court process has reached its conclusion, but the legislature is the next logical step," he tells the Portland Press Herald. "On one end of the spectrum, we have custody laws for children. On the other, we have property laws for property. In Maine, it is time to change where along this spectrum companion animals belong. I would argue closer to the middle, on the custody side." Pets are considered property in all 50 states. Only three statesAlaska, Illinois, and Californiahave specific laws that address pet custody when a marriage dissolves. (California's new law allows judges to consider factors including who feeds and walks the pet.) (Newser) Rep. Justin Amash, so far the only sitting Republican to openly state that President Trump has engaged in impeachable conduct, said so again Tuesday at a town hall in the Grand Rapids-area district he has served since 2011. "Clearly, things that violate the public trust are impeachable," the Michigan congressman told the packed audience, to applause. "I think it's really important that we do our job as Congress. That we would not allow misconduct to go undeterred. We have a job to do." He added that if impeachment is not invoked in this case, it might never be, which could harm the office of the president. "We should expect the president to uphold the law," he said. However, as CNN notes, Amash has not signed on to any Democratic impeachment resolutions. story continues below The Detroit Free Press reports that hundreds of Democrats, Republicans, and independents attended the town hall, and many commended Amash, who is facing a primary challenge, for continuing to speak out against Trump. The actions Amash is referring to were detailed in special counsel Robert Mueller's report, and hours before the town hall, Amash issued a string of 25 tweets detailing his reaction to the report, per Politico. He took particular issue with the attorney general, accusing William Barr of having "deliberately misrepresented key aspects of Muellers report and decisions in the investigation, which has helped further the presidents false narrative about the investigation." (Amash could be a huge problem for Trump.) (Newser) A federal court in Washington can release lists of various court actions, such as search warrants, in the Mueller investigation, the Justice Department has agreed. On Tuesday, Chief Judge Beryl Howell of the DC District Court gave the department three weeks to make "a few" redactions connected to cases in progress. CNN had asked the court to make the lists public. The release would provide a broader look at special counsel Robert Mueller's court requests when compiling evidence for his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US election. Complete details on the court filings might not be revealed. In his final report, Mueller said his investigators had received nearly 800 search, seizure, and communications warrants from federal courts in the investigation. (Read more Russia investigation stories.) (Newser) After "Egg Boy" Will Connolly cracked an egg on the head of far-right Australian Sen. Fraser Anning in March, supporters raised almost $100,000 Australian dollars to pay his legal feesand "buy more eggs." The teenager says he isn't keeping a penny. The 17-year-old, who egged Anning the day after the senator blamed immigration for the New Zealand mosque shootings, says he is giving all the money to assist victims, the Age reports. In an Instagram post, Will said that after "a huge amount of red tape," he has donated $99,276, which works out to almost $70,000 US, to the Christchurch Foundation and Victim Support. story continues below After lawyers represented him pro bono, "I decided to donate all monies to help provide some relief to the victims of the massacre," Will wrote. "It wasnt mine to keep." He thanked the GoFundMe donors and added: "To the victims of the Tragedy, I whole heartedly hope that this can bring some relief to you." Lawyer Peter Gordon confirmed that the transfer had been made. "We're all very proud of him," he said. "It's a good ending to a very interesting story." Police gave Will an official caution after the egging but did not charge him, the BBC reports. As for Anning, he failed to win a new term in Australia's May 18 election and will leave office on June 30. (Read more Australia stories.) (Newser) A Canadian man has been fined the equivalent of $11,102 for wildlife smuggling, which works out to around $2.30 for each of the 4,788 leeches he brought in his carry-on luggage on a flight from Russia to Toronto last year. Ippolit Bodounov, the first large-scale leech-smuggler ever busted by Canadian authorities, had the bloodsucking worms in cloth bags inside a large-reusable grocery bag when he was stopped on Oct. 17, the CBC reports. He claimed they were for "personal use," though authorities believe he planned to sell them for medicinal use for up to $20 each. Sebastian Kvist, curator of invertebrate zoology at the Royal Ontario Museum, says "new age" medicine practitioners use them for many purposes, though there is little proof they are effective at anything other than stimulating blood flow in reattached digits. story continues below The leeches, all of which survived, "were identified as Hirudo verbana, one of only two species of medicinal leech that are subject to regulations aimed at controlling wildlife trade," Environment Canada said in a press release. Scientists at the American Museum of Natural History in New York determined that they had been caught in the wild. Bodounov, who pleaded guilty to violating wildlife laws, also had to forfeit the leeches. He has been banned for a year from possessing animals regulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. (Read more leech stories.) (Newser) Huawei is accelerating with its lawsuit against the US government, demanding Washington "halt illegal action" against the world's largest telecommunications company. The Trump administration has banned government agencies from doing business with the Chinese firm, fearing Beijing could use Huawei devices for spying. But Huawei's chief legal officer, Song Liupingwho lays out his case in the Wall Street Journalsays there's "no evidence to show that Huawei is a security threat only speculation." The company therefore filed a motion for summary judgment at a US district court in Texas on Tuesday, arguing that the portion of the National Defense Authorization Act barring government agencies from using technology from Chinese rivals Huawei and ZTE violates the US Constitution as a form of punishment without trial, per CNN. story continues below Huawei's lawsuit was filed in March, though the stakes are higher now that the company finds itself on a trade blacklist, blocking it from buying technology or components from US firms. "Experts say being unable to source US parts and components for too long would be crippling," reports CNN. "They are using every tool they have, including legislative, administrative, and diplomatic channels. They want to put us out of business. This is not normal. Almost never seen in history," Song said at a press conference in Shenzhen on Wednesday, per the South China Morning Post. "We hope that mistakes in the NDAA can be corrected by the court." The New York Times reports the request for summary judgment "could expedite an outcome without the costs and time of a full trial, including avoiding handing over sensitive corporate information." (Read more Huawei stories.) (Newser) June 4 is a day of reckoning for Zarmena Waziri, a 72-year-old refugee from Afghanistan with dementia who's been told that's the day she must report to a Denmark deportation center. The New York Times reports that her last appeal for asylum there, where she lives with her daughter Marzia, has been denied, ending a seven-year quest to stay. Marzia, who once told the Times her mother "wouldn't last a day" in Afghanistan, says Waziri wears a diaper, chokes on her food, and suffers myriad other issues, including diabetes and asthma. "I don't know how many times we've contacted emergency services," Marzia told a local paper in 2017, via the Local. The Danish government says Waziri has been ordered to leave the country several times since 2012. Her family says her plight is a result of Denmark's strict asylum policy: Only three refugees were granted humanitarian asylum in 2017, down from 72 when Waziri started pleading to stay. story continues below A big issue supposedly holding up Waziri's asylum: Denmark's immigration ministry requires a doctor's diagnosis to grant her humanitarian asylum, but because Waziri isn't a citizen, she can't use the country's health services without paying a steep pricein her case, around $13,500, per her daughter. The ministry also says Waziri has a nephew back in Afghanistan who could care for her, but her family says he's a Taliban member and likely wouldn't even want to care for her. Meanwhile, what happens on Tuesday will be driven by what authorities decide to do, because Waziri's daughter says she's not voluntarily giving up her mother to the deportation center. "We're not going there," she said. "They will have to come and get her." She then adds, "It's a bit evil perhaps, but I hope she dies before June 4, because then she can have some peace." (More on Waziri's story here.) (Newser) He faced up to eight years in prison, and that's what he got. Lewis Bennettwho admitted to involuntary manslaughter in the May 2017 death of his wife at sea, three months after their weddingreceived eight years in federal prison at his Tuesday sentencing in Miami, reports ABC News. The 42-year-old is already serving a seven-month sentence for smuggling gold and silver coins. Bennett was found clutching the coins, previously reported stolen from his employer, in a life raft as his vessel was scuttled, per the Guardian. Bennett claimed he'd woken to a loud noise only to find no trace of 41-year-old Isabella Hellmann, who'd been manning the deck. story continues below Though her body was never found, authorities charged Bennett with second-degree murder, citing evidence that the boat had been intentionally sunk en route from Cuba to their home in Florida. After pleading guilty to the lesser charge, Bennetta dual citizen of Australia and the UKrequested a seven-year sentence, hoping to be sooner reunited with his 2-year-old daughter, who's being cared for by his parents in Scotland, reports the BBC. Bennett was ordered to pay $22,910 in restitution to the child at the sentencing hearing, in which he apologized to Hellmann's family. He'll spend three years on supervised release once his term is up. (More on the case here.) (Newser) The man favorited to become Britain's next prime minister must appear in court to face misconduct claims. A judge on Wednesday ordered leading Brexit supporter Boris Johnson to testify over his claim that Britain would pull in an extra 350 million ($443 million) per week after leaving the European Union, reports Reuters. The claim was made ahead of the 2016 Brexit referendumit was even printed on the side of a Leave campaign busand repeated during the UK's 2017 general election, though critics say it was deliberately misleading. "It is a clear misuse of official statistics," the chairman of the UK Statistics Authority wrote in a letter to Johnson in 2017. The Office for National Statistics had by then described Britain's weekly EU contribution as about 190 million ($240 million) as of 2016. story continues below Lawyers for Johnson, who resigned as foreign secretary over Theresa May's divorce deal, say the case only aims to undermine the Brexit referendum results and create "as much public fanfare" as possible, per the BBC. The reason should be clear. Johnson "is well ahead of the other 10 declared candidates in the contest to replace May as leader of [the] Conservative Party and prime minister," per Reuters. Johnson will now face a preliminary hearing at the magistrate's court before a decision is made on whether to send the case to trial, per CNN, which reports the case was lodged by a crowdfunded private prosecutor. His application says Johnson knew he was lying, as he at times used "accurate figures and showed a clear understanding of how to quantify UK spending in respect of the EU." (Read more Boris Johnson stories.) (Newser) The Democratic National Committee is upping the ante for its second round of presidential primary debates, doubling the polling and grassroots fundraising requirements from its initial summer debates. The parameters, announced Wednesday, are likely to help cull a crop of 24 candidates and, in the process, intensify scrutiny on Democratic Chairman Tom Perez and his pledge to give all candidates a chance to be heard. The DNC's outline for its Sept. 12 debate decrees that candidates can participate only by reaching 2% in four approved polls released between June 28 and Aug. 28 while also collecting contributions from a minimum of 130,000 unique donors before Aug. 28. That donor list must include a minimum of 400 individuals in at least 20 states, reports the AP. story continues below The top of the field likely would not be threatened by upping the threshold. That includes Joe Biden; Sens. Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, and Elizabeth Warren; Beto O'Rourke; and Pete Buttigieg. However, the other candidates, including more senators and several governors, remain jumbled at or near the lower thresholds set for the first round of debates, which are June 26-27 in Miami and July 30-31 in Detroit. Entrepreneur Andrew Yang and author Marianne Williamson have attracted significant small-donor fundraising but have yet to hit 2% in most polls. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand has struggled with fundraising and might have trouble clearing 2% consistently in polls. Jay Inslee just hit the 65,000-donor mark but would have to increase his pace to reach 130,000 by the Aug. 28 deadline, and he's also rarely checked in at higher than 1% in polls. (Read more Election 2020 stories.) (Newser) If he's alive, Eugene Palmer is 80. "His age doesnt change the level of violence in this crime," says a special agent with the FBI's New York office. Palmer on Wednesday became the 523rd person added to the FBIs 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list over the Sept. 24, 2012, murder of daughter-in-law Tammy Palmer in Stony Point, New York. Haverstraw Police Detective Michael Cruger says that as Tammy's marriage with Palmer's son began to fall apart, things unraveled between her and the elder Palmer as well. Fox News reports Tammy had secured an order of protection against her husband, and it prevented him from visiting the land on which both Tammy and Palmer lived. Per the Westchester Journal News, authorities think Palmer "became enraged that his son was banned from the family compound." story continues below As the 39-year-old headed up her driveway after accompanying her children to catch the school bus, she was shot at three times and died. Palmer is then believed to have driven into the 45,000-acre Harriman State Park adjacent to the family's property. His vehicle was located located about a quarter-mile in within hours of Tammy's murder. Though he was known as a "mountain man," his family has said they believe he died in that park, citing his diabetes and heart condition. Police disagree, and think he may be living under an alias in upstate New York or Florida. They consider him armed and dangerous and have offered a $100,000 reward for info leading to his capture. He is described as 5-foot-10, largely bald, and with a misshaped left thumb. (Read more Most Wanted stories.) (Newser) Nusrat Jahan Rafi was burned alive after reporting that her school headmaster had groped her. Now, 16 people have been charged in the Bangladesh teen's murder, the BBC reports. That includes the headmaster, Siraj Ud Doula, who police say ordered the hit on Rafi from prison after she refused to drop her allegations against him. Rafi, 19, filed a police complaint on March 27 and Doula was arrested. On April 6, police say she was lured to the roof of her Islamic school, bound and gagged when she once again refused to recant her accusations, doused with kerosene by a group of assailants wearing burkas, and set on fire. She died four days later, but was able to give a statement to police first. story continues below The others charged include students at the school and two local politicians who are in positions of prominence at the school. Police say a dozen of the accused, including Doula, have admitted their involvement, but the politicians have not. Investigators say they will pursue the death penalty, Al Jazeera reports. Rafi's brother says the family is hoping for a quick trial, per the Guardian: "We want all the culprits to be hanged to death." Rafi filed the report after, she said, Doula called her into his office and started touching her inappropriately; she ran out of the office and reported the incident that same day. Rafi's murder shocked the nation, and led to mass protests. (Read more Bangladesh stories.) (Newser) Members of a close-knit church community in central Virginia were in shock Wednesday after four people were killed and seven others were injured in a van crash on their way to a revival at another church, the AP reports. Virginia state police said the van carrying 11 people from Shiloh Baptist Church in Blackstone was slowing down on US Route 460 to make a right turn into the parking lot of Mount Zion Baptist Church in Ford Tuesday night when it was rear-ended by a pickup truck hauling metal. The van rolled over several times before coming to rest on its side off the right side of the road. The pickup truck ran off the left side of the road and hit a guardrail. The four people who died were identified by police as James Farley, 87; Wartena Somerville, 36; Delois Williams, 72; and Constance Wynn, 85. story continues below Michael Somerville, a deacon at Shiloh Baptist Church, told WWBT-TV that his wife, Wartena, was a teacher at Crewe Primary School and sang in the church choir. He said the two have a 9-month-old daughter. The truck driver was identified as Robert Lee Allen, 47, of Norfolk. Sgt. Keeli Hill, a state police spokeswoman, said charges are expected to be filed against Allen after police consult with prosecutors. Seven other passengers remained hospitalized Wednesday. Allen was treated for minor injuries at a hospital and later released. Lafayette Dickens, a deacon at Shiloh Baptist Church, told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that the van was carrying choir members who had been invited to sing at the revival. He said other choir members were traveling in a separate car and witnessed the crash. Dickens said he and other members of his church are in "absolute shock." (They were returning from a church retreat when an accident killed 13.) (Newser) The uncle of a missing 5-year-old Utah girl was charged with murder Wednesday after police said they found her blood on his watch and sweatshirt and his handprint in what appears to be blood on a piece of plastic pipe, the AP reports. Alex Whipple, 21, was charged in the death of Elizabeth "Lizzy" Shelley even though her body has not yet been recovered, Logan Police Chief Gary Jensen said. Whipple has alluded frequently to "how evil the world we live in is" and talked about his struggles as a child, prosecutors said in court documents. He also told police alcohol makes him "black out" and sometimes do "criminal things," the documents state. Whipple was charged with aggravated murder, child kidnapping, obstruction of justice and desecration of a human body, a charge that relates to steps taken to hide the body, Jensen said. story continues below The search for Lizzy began Saturday morning, when her frantic mother reported the girl's bed was empty and the front door was wide open. Also missing was Whipple, who had slept on the couch after a night of drinking with his sister and her boyfriend. Whipple was found several hours later about 10 miles from the family home. His hands were "filthy," he had cuts on his fingers and dark, blood-colored stains on his pants, authorities said. His handprint was discovered on the piece of PVC pipe near a broken knife bearing Lizzy's blood that was taken from her family's kitchen, authorities said. A teal skirt with lace that she was last seen wearing was nearby, the charges state. Whipple's lawyer says his client has told police the girl's body is hidden under trees and brush less than a block from Lizzy's home. He says his client "did a bad thing" but wanted to help the child's parents find closure. (Read more missing child stories.) Sorry! This content is not available in your region Dear Newsie Readers, Newsie has now permanently ceased it's services as of Friday 20th December 2019. Newsie has been an owner-funded operation since day one. Coming up to three years old, while we still firmly believe Newsie has a place in the New Zealand media landscape, the cost in both time and money has become too burdensome for the owners to continue alongside other ventures. With the current government looking to restructure public broadcasting, and seemingly supporting NZME buying a ring-fenced Stuff, the time seems right to call it a day. Should it happen, the combination of NZME and Stuff will ensure New Zealands national media will die a death by a thousand opinion-based articles. Newsie has always tried to stick to balanced news, to inform readers of the facts of a situation, amid being largely ignored by government. Hopefully, one day someone else will take up the challenge to fight the good fight. The good news, however, is that there were no job losses as a result of Newsie closing. Thanks to careful structuring, everyone involved in Newsie will retain their current positions. We hope you all have a happy Christmas and new year. Stay safe, and stay out of the news. The team at Newsie New Delhi: All the three doctors, accused of harassing second-year medical student Dr Payal Tadvi at the BYL Nair Hospital in Mumbai, have been arrested for abetting her of suicide. The third doctor, Ankita Khandelwal, was arrested in the early hours of Wednesday. The other two were arrested by the Agripada police on Tuesday. The arrest of Dr Bhakti Mehare on Tuesday afternoon was followed by the arrest of Dr Hema Ahuja later on the same night. The three accused doctors are likely to be to be produced in court later on Wednesday. Payal, the 23-year-old doctor, committed suicide at the state-run hospital on May 22. She was a resident doctor who was pursuing gynaecology and was found dead in her room at the BYL Nair Hospital. Payals mother had alleged that her seniors used to persistently harass her with casteist remarks and even embarrassed her on a WhatsApp group. The mother, who is suffering cancer, said they had complained to the management but no action was taken against the accused. Preliminary investigation revealed that the junior doctor who hailed from a tribal family in Jalgaon was frequently harassed by three female senior doctors over her caste. Addressing the media on Tuesday, the deceased's husband, Dr Salman Tadvi alleged that his wife may have been 'killed'. Demanding justice for his wife, Dr Salman, a doctor at the RN Cooper Hospital alleged that the hospital did not entertain the family's repeated pleas to change Payal's unit and failed to act even after her mother wrote a letter to the dean on May 13 of this year. Agripada Police later registered a complaint in this regard under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), SC/ST Atrocities Act, Anti-Ragging Act and Information Technology Act, 2000. Protesters belonging to the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi and other Scheduled Caste and tribal organisations held protests outside the BYL Nair Hospital here over Tadvi's death. Abeda said will the government take responsibility for safety of students like her daughter, who are pursuing higher education. She said Payal would have been the first woman MD doctor from their community. "Payal used to tell me about the torture which she was facing by her seniors on petty issues. They threw files on her face in front of patients," she said. "Payal used to tell me not to give a written complaint against her seniors despite being harassed by them. She would say that doing so would advesrely impact their career," Abeda said. Salman, a doctor, said it is possible that Payal was murdered by the three women doctors. Expressing solidarity with the protesters and with Tadvis family, Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad said he would visit Maharashtra if needed to "fight for justice for our younger sister. The Maharashtra State Commission for Women has also taken cognisance of the matter and issued a notice to the hospital authorities demanding a reply within eight days on the action taken to implement the anti-ragging law. The three women doctors at the hospital accused of driving Tadvi to suicide Monday sought a "fair probe" in the case. In a letter to the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD), they said they want the college to conduct a fair investigation in the matter and "give justice" to them. "This is not the way to do an investigation through police force and media pressure, without hearing our side," the three doctors said in the letter. MARD has suspended the three doctors. We have credible inputs that the three doctors made casteist remarks against Dr Payal Tadvi, who allegedly committed suicide. We will cooperate with the police for the further investigation, a senior MARD official said. Tadvi committed suicide on May 22. Her family has alleged that the doctors taunted her for belonging to a Scheduled Tribe. The three doctors have been booked under the Atrocities Act, the Anti-Ragging Act and the IT Act and Section 306 (abetment to suicide) of the IPC. (With agency inputs) For all the Latest Crime News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: What can be termed as another jolt for the Mamata Banerjee led Trinamool Congress (TMC), another senior party legislatorA Manirul Islam on Wednesday joined the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) along with three party leadersA Gadadhar Hazra, Mohd Asif Iqbal and Nimai Das in presence of Kailash Vijayvargiya and Mukul Roy. Islam is the third legislator to desert the ruling party in West Bengal after the reverses in the Lok Sabha polls. The BJP projected the decision of TMC's Muslim MLA to join the party as a vindication of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's slogan of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwash" (together with all, development for all, trust of all). PM Modi gave the slogan in his first address to MP's of BJP-led NDA after the Lok Sabha poll results were declared. He had asked them to win over the trust of minorities with their work. Trinamool Congress MLA Manirul Islam joins Bharatiya Janata Party in Delhi. TMC's Gadadhar Hazra, Mohd Asif Iqbal and Nimai Das also join BJP. pic.twitter.com/Y2rOILuZ2f a ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2019 Earlier there were reports that six legislators of the Trinamool Congress are likely to switch sides in a few days along with a few former MPs of the party.A "Six TMC MLAs are likely to join us soon. Many more councillors of various municipalities are also in line. Just wait and watch," a senior BJP leader said on condition of anonymity. The leader said not just MLAs, a few former MPs of Trinamool Congress, are also in touch with the party and have expressed their desire to join BJP in its "fight against misrule of the TMC". Of the six MLAs, four are from south Bengal and two from north Bengal, he said. Three MLAs, including BJP leader Mukul Roy's son Subhrangshu Roy, and over 50 councillors, most of them from the Trinamool Congress, joined the saffron party on Tuesday as it works to consolidate its position in the state following impressive show in the Lok Sabha polls. In a stunning performance, the BJP won 18 Lok Sabha seats in the state, only four less than TMC's 22. The MLAs who joined the BJP at a press conference are Congress's Tusharkanti Bhattacharya and CPI(M)'s Debendra Nath Roy, besides Roy who was suspended from the TMC for "anti-party" activities after the election results were announced. The Trinamool Congress, however, tried to downplay the development. "One suspended MLA of Trinamool joined BJP yesterday. The others were from Congress and CPI(M). The number of councillors is 6. That too they were forced at gunpoint to do so," the TMC said in a tweet. The Trinamool Congress leadership Tuesday had accused the BJP of indulging in horse-trading, an allegation denied by the BJP. "The allegation is completely baseless. If someone wants to join BJP and fight against TMC's misrule, how can we stop it. And TMC leaders should be the last person to talk about horse trading, when TMC poached on Congress and CPI(M) MLAs in last few years, what was that? Is it not horse trading?" BJP leader Mukul Roy said. New Delhi: With Amit Shah all set to join the Cabinet of the new Narendra Modi government, Union Health Minister JP Nadda is most likely to succeed him as BJP national president, according to reports. According to news agency IANS, Nadda is expected to work closely with Shah even after the latter demits office for the election whirligig simply doesn't end. Nadda will have to oversee the election campaign strategy. Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir may go to assembly polls later this year. Early next year, his battle will Delhi, where the BJP is eyeing to make a comeback. Nadda, 59, is a Brahmin and a Rajya Sabha member and keeps a low profile. He is also the parliamentary board secretary of the BJP. He is known as a master strategist in his party. The party had given him charge of Uttar Pradesh in the recently concluded hustings. The party bagged 62 out of 80 Lok Sabha seats. The Apna Dal bagged two against a caste calculus driven combine of the BSP and the SP. During his first visit to Lucknow after being appointed the BJP's election in-charge for the state, Nadda exuded confidence that the BJP will win 74 Lok Sabha seats out of 80 in Uttar Pradesh and downplayed the SP-BSP alliance in the state for the general elections. Shah was declared elected from Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat by a margin of 5.57 lakh votes against his nearest Congress rival CJ Chavda in the Lok Sabha elections 2019. Shah polled 8.94 lakh votes, while Chavda secured 3.37 lakh votes. In the 2014 general elections, BJP veteran LK Advani, 91, had won the seat. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered Arun Jaitley a minister without portfolio profile after meeting the Finance Minister at his official residence in New Delhi on Tuesday night, sources said. Modi had met Jaitley to reconsider his earlier decision and remain in the government, according to the sources. On Wednesday, Jaitley wrote to Modi saying he did not want to be a minister in his new government due to health reasons. Ending days of speculations over his role in the new government owing to his ill health, he posted on Twitter the letter he wrote to Modi requesting recusal from being a part of the new government on health grounds. Jaitley said soon after BJP won a massive majority in the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections, he informed Modi orally about his intentions of taking time out for treatment of an undisclosed illness. Without disclosing the ailment he is being treated for, Jaitley said he would continue to informally support the government and the party in any form that is required. "I am writing to you to formally request you that I should be allowed a reasonable time for myself, my treatment and my health and therefore, not be a part of any responsibility, for the present, in the new government," Jaitley wrote. Jaitley, 66, was admitted to AIIMS last week to undergo tests and treatment for an undisclosed illness and was discharged on Thursday - the day results of Lok Sabha elections were announced. He however did not attend celebrations at BJP headquarters that evening after the party's emphatic victory. The BJP won a landslide 303 seats, of the 542, in the general elections. In the letter, Jaitley said during the last 18 months, he has had "some serious" health challenges. "My doctors have enabled me to emerge out of most of them. After the campaign had concluded and you were leaving for Kedarnath, I had orally informed you that even though I was able to discharge the responsibilities assigned to me during the campaign, I would in future, for sometime, like to keep away from any responsibility. This will enable me to concentrate on my treatment and health," he wrote. Stating it was a matter of "great honour and learning experience" to have been a part of the Modi government for the last five years, Jaitley said even earlier the party had bestowed responsibility on him in the first NDA government, as also when the BJP was in the opposition. Jaitley was the leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha from 2009 to 2014. "I could not have asked for more," Jaitley wrote. A lawyer by profession, he has been the most important leader in Modi's Cabinet and has often acted as the chief troubleshooter for the government. While as a finance minister he steered through Parliament major economic legislations such as GST-- which had languished for nearly two decades. He has also played key role in getting through several other laws such as the bill to ban the Muslim instant divorce practice known as 'triple talaq' and also articulately defended the Rafale fighter jet deal. One of the most prolific voices in the Modi government and a key strategist, Jaitley did not contest the recent Lok Sabha elections presumably because of his ill health. He lost his first parliamentary election from Amritsar in 2014. Suave and articulate, he has been the party's spokesperson for many years. He entered Parliament at the age of 47 when he was nominated to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat, where Modi was the chief minister. Jaitley was a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government and when Modi swept to power in 2014, he was made the finance minister and also handled briefly the additional charge of defence and information and broadcasting ministries. He underwent a surgery in the US on January 22 for a reported soft tissue cancer in his left leg, an illness that deprived him from presenting the Modi government's sixth and final budget of its current term. Railway and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal was the stand-in finance minister who presented the interim budget for 2019-20. Jaitley returned to India on February 9 after undergoing skin grafting. He is believed to have undergone some kind of medical procedure again when he visited the US last month to attend the IMF-World Bank Group Spring Meetings. Jaitley had a renal transplant on May 14 last year at AIIMS, New Delhi, with Goyal filling in for him at that time too. Jaitley, who had stopped attending office since early April 2018, was back in the finance ministry on August 23, 2018. Earlier in September 2014, he underwent bariatric surgery to correct the weight he had gained because of a long-standing diabetic condition. (With PTI inputs) Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 29) A group of defeated gubernatorial candidates on Wednesday asked the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to nullify poll results in Lanao del Sur, including Marawi City, over alleged fraud. In its petition filed with COMELEC Wednesday, the group, led by former Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Director General Gene Mamondiong, urged the poll body to declare a failure of election in the province. It cited cases of massive vote-buying and fraud including pre-shading of election ballots. Other respondents are fellow gubernatorial bets Hatta Dimaporo, Agakhan Sharief, and Sultan Bob Datimbang. The group has sought to suspend the proclamation of Governor-elect Mamintal Adiong Jr., and to hold special polls in the province. There appears compelling and persuasive reasons to grant the instant petition; annul the results of elections and to declare failure of election in the province of Lanao del Sur including Marawi City, and to schedule/set special election thereat," the group said. The poll body earlier said authorities are already investigating the viral video of the supposed preshaded ballots in Lanao del Sur. The video shows a hooded person shading multiple ballots while being assisted by at least two more unidentified people. The person appears to be shading the same area on the upper part of the ballots, which contains the names of senatorial candidates. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi drove down to Arun Jaitley's residence around 8.45 pm on Thursday and is likely to ask the Finance Minister to reconsider his earlier decision and remain in the government, according to sources. On Wednesday, Jaitley wrote to Modi saying he did not want to be a minister in his new government due to health reasons. Ending days of speculations over his role in the new government owing to his ill health, he posted on Twitter the letter he wrote to Modi requesting recusal from being a part of the new government on health grounds. Jaitley said soon after BJP won a massive majority in the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections, he informed Modi orally about his intentions of taking time out for treatment of an undisclosed illness. Without disclosing the ailment he is being treated for, Jaitley said he would continue to informally support the government and the party in any form that is required. "I am writing to you to formally request you that I should be allowed a reasonable time for myself, my treatment and my health and therefore, not be a part of any responsibility, for the present, in the new government," Jaitley wrote. Jaitley, 66, was admitted to AIIMS last week to undergo tests and treatment for an undisclosed illness and was discharged on Thursday - the day results of Lok Sabha elections were announced. He however did not attend celebrations at BJP headquarters that evening after the party's emphatic victory. The BJP won a landslide 303 seats, of the 542, in the general elections. In the letter, Jaitley said during the last 18 months, he has had "some serious" health challenges. "My doctors have enabled me to emerge out of most of them. After the campaign had concluded and you were leaving for Kedarnath, I had orally informed you that even though I was able to discharge the responsibilities assigned to me during the campaign, I would in future, for sometime, like to keep away from any responsibility. This will enable me to concentrate on my treatment and health," he wrote. Stating it was a matter of "great honour and learning experience" to have been a part of the Modi government for the last five years, Jaitley said even earlier the party had bestowed responsibility on him in the first NDA government, as also when the BJP was in the opposition. Jaitley was the leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha from 2009 to 2014. "I could not have asked for more," Jaitley wrote. A lawyer by profession, he has been the most important leader in Modi's Cabinet and has often acted as the chief troubleshooter for the government. While as a finance minister he steered through Parliament major economic legislations such as GST-- which had languished for nearly two decades. He has also played key role in getting through several other laws such as the bill to ban the Muslim instant divorce practice known as 'triple talaq' and also articulately defended the Rafale fighter jet deal. One of the most prolific voices in the Modi government and a key strategist, Jaitley did not contest the recent Lok Sabha elections presumably because of his ill health. He lost his first parliamentary election from Amritsar in 2014. Suave and articulate, he has been the party's spokesperson for many years. He entered Parliament at the age of 47 when he was nominated to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat, where Modi was the chief minister. Jaitley was a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government and when Modi swept to power in 2014, he was made the finance minister and also handled briefly the additional charge of defence and information and broadcasting ministries. He underwent a surgery in the US on January 22 for a reported soft tissue cancer in his left leg, an illness that deprived him from presenting the Modi government's sixth and final budget of its current term. Railway and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal was the stand-in finance minister who presented the interim budget for 2019-20. Jaitley returned to India on February 9 after undergoing skin grafting. He is believed to have undergone some kind of medical procedure again when he visited the US last month to attend the IMF-World Bank Group Spring Meetings. Jaitley had a renal transplant on May 14 last year at AIIMS, New Delhi, with Goyal filling in for him at that time too. Jaitley, who had stopped attending office since early April 2018, was back in the finance ministry on August 23, 2018. Earlier in September 2014, he underwent bariatric surgery to correct the weight he had gained because of a long-standing diabetic condition. (With PTI inputs) New Delhi: UPA chairperson and senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi will attend the swearing-in ceremony of Narerndra Modi as Prime Minister scheduled to take place on Thursday (May 30), according to a report. Sonia Gandhi will be among a number of Opposition leaders who will attend the event. The report came hours after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday decided not to attend the swearing-in ceremony, citing 'untrue" claims by the BJP that 54 of the party workers were murdered in political violence in Bengal. On Tuesday, Mamata Banerjee and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said they will attend the oath-taking ceremony. I have spoken to other chief ministers also. Since it is a ceremonial programme, we thought of attending it. Yes, I will go, Banerjee had said. "Congratulations, new Prime Minister, Narendra Modiji. It was my plan to accept the "constitutional invitation" and attend the oath taking ceremony. However, in last one year, I am seeing media reports that the BJP are claiming 54 people have been murdered in political violence in Bengal. This is completely untrue. There have been no political murders in Bengal. These deaths may have occurred due to personal enemity, family quarrels and other disputes, nothing related to politics. There is no such record with us," Banerjee said in a tweet on Wednesday. "So I am sorry, Narendra Modi ji, this has compelled me not to attend the ceremony. The ceremony is an august occasion to celebrate democracy, not one that should be devalued by any political party which uses it as an opportunity to score political points. Please excuse me," she wrote on Twitter. The just concluded Lok Sabha polls witnessed a heated verbal duel between Modi and Banerjee who spearheaded the campaigns of their parties in West Bengal. Besides winning 303 Lok Sabha seats on his own (the NDA tally being 352), the BJP came up with a surprising poll show in West Bengal by bagging 18 of the state's 42 seats, only four less than the TMC's 22. The saffron party leapt from two seats in the state in 2014 to 18, while the TMC slided to 22 from 34. An Indian government statement on Monday said the leaders of Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal, and Bhutan - all members, with India, of the little-known Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) - have been invited to Modis swearing-in. This is in line with Governments focus on its Neighbourhood First policy, a government spokesman said. The leaders of Kyrgyzstan and Mauritius have also been invited, but two sources in Indians foreign ministry said Pakistan will not be on the list, without providing further information. For the swearing-in ceremony for Modis first term in 2014, all nations from the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), that includes Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Maldives, were invited.In 2014 Pakistans then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attended the ceremony. India, however, will not invite Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to Thursdays swearing-in ceremony. In 2014 Pakistans then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attended the ceremony. Modi and Khan both claimed their air forces carried out air strikes in enemy territory in March, to the alarm of world powers. Modi, who was widely believed to have benefited politically from the stand-off, won a second term with an increased majority in a general election whose results were declared last week. Khan called Modi on Sunday to congratulate him on his win. Modi could still meet Khan at a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Kyrgyzstan next month, that both leaders may attend. (With PTI inputs) New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi will be attending the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi which is scheduled to be held tomorrow at Rashtrapati Bhawan. Along with Rahul Gandhi, UPA chairperson and senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi will attend the swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister on Thursday. The report came hours after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday decided not to attend the swearing-in ceremony, citing 'untrue" claims by the BJP that 54 of the party workers were murdered in political violence in Bengal. On Tuesday, Mamata Banerjee and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said they will attend the oath-taking ceremony. I have spoken to other chief ministers also. Since it is a ceremonial programme, we thought of attending it. Yes, I will go, Banerjee had said. "Congratulations, new Prime Minister, Narendra Modiji. It was my plan to accept the "constitutional invitation" and attend the oath taking ceremony. However, in last one year, I am seeing media reports that the BJP are claiming 54 people have been murdered in political violence in Bengal. This is completely untrue. There have been no political murders in Bengal. These deaths may have occurred due to personal enemity, family quarrels and other disputes, nothing related to politics. There is no such record with us," Banerjee said in a tweet on Wednesday. "So I am sorry, Narendra Modi ji, this has compelled me not to attend the ceremony. The ceremony is an august occasion to celebrate democracy, not one that should be devalued by any political party which uses it as an opportunity to score political points. Please excuse me," she wrote on Twitter. New Delhi: After Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee, now Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy confirmed that he will attend the swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister on Thursday. HD Kumaraswamy has been invited for the ceremony and he will attend it, as confirmed by the officer on special duty to the chief minister. On Tuesday, Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal said they will attend the oath-taking ceremony. I have spoken to other chief ministers also. Since it is a ceremonial programme, we thought of attending it. Yes, I will go, Banerjee had said. An Indian government statement on Monday said the leaders of Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal, and Bhutan - all members, with India, of the little-known Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) - have been invited to Modis swearing-in. This is in line with Governments focus on its Neighbourhood First policy, a government spokesman said. The leaders of Kyrgyzstan and Mauritius have also been invited, but two sources in Indians foreign ministry said Pakistan will not be on the list, without providing further information. For the swearing-in ceremony for Modis first term in 2014, all nations from the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), that includes Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Maldives, were invited.In 2014 Pakistans then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attended the ceremony. India, however, will not invite Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to Thursdays swearing-in ceremony. In 2014 Pakistans then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attended the ceremony. Modi and Khan both claimed their air forces carried out air strikes in enemy territory in March, to the alarm of world powers. Modi, who was widely believed to have benefited politically from the stand-off, won a second term with an increased majority in a general election whose results were declared last week. Khan called Modi on Sunday to congratulate him on his win. Modi could still meet Khan at a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Kyrgyzstan next month, that both leaders may attend. (With PTI inputs) New Delhi: Day before the grand swearing-in ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah reportedly discussed the final names of the new cabinet in a five-hour-long meeting in New Delhi. According to an NDTV report, the meeting comes amid strong buzz that Shah is likely to join the government at the Centre. However, the BJP has not issued any clarification on the topic. It is said that the top leadership of the BJP is of view that the saffron party minus Shah wont be that strong. Shahs organisational skills are well-known. From mobilising the grassroot workers to strategising on national front, Shah has transformed the BJP. There were also rumours that Arun Jaitley may not get place in the Union Cabinet due to his poor health. The rumours were so strong that the government had to issue a statement. Government spokesperson Sitanshu Kar took to Twitter to clear the air. "Reports in a section of media regarding Union Minister Shri Arun Jaitley's health condition are false and baseless. Media is advised to stay clear of rumour mongering," he had tweeted on May 26. The NDTV report said that there may not be much change in the line-up. Leaders of all BIMSTEC countries on Tuesday confirmed their participation for the May 30 event, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Besides India, BIMSTEC comprises Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan. Those international politicians include Special envoy of Thailand Grisada Boonrach, Myanmar Prez U Win Myint, Kyrgyz President Jeenbekov, Bhutan Prime Minister Lotay Tshering, Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid, Sri Lanka President Sirisena and Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. In 2014, Modi had invited all SAARC leaders including the then Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif for his swearing-in ceremony, in a major initiative to reach out to the neighbouring countries. However, invitation to BIMSTEC leaders for the event on Thursday is seen as an attempt to send a signal to Pakistan that India is not willing to engage with it. New Delhi: Teenage sensation Sara Ali Khan and Kartik Aaryan are not just co-stars any more.A The on-screen couple on there several public apperances are keeping rumours bells ringing that the bond is thick now both on-screen and off-screen .A The new Imtiaz Ali couple was recently snapped by the papparazi at Juhu in gym wear. While Kartik wore blue tshirt and black tights, Sra donned a white crop top and black shorts A Sara and Kartik is quite a hot topic at the tinsel; town now. It was on Koffee with Karan that Sara Ali Khan revealed that she finds Kartik Aaryan cute and would want to go on a date with him. Ever since, the two have been a part of rumours mills.A Later in an interview with Vogue, talking about her comment on having a crush on Kartik, Sara said, ''If you knew all the thoughts I have but don't do anything about, I promise we would get over this Kartik Aaryan thing." A few days back, Sara and Kartik wereA snapped in the back seat of the actressa car. The two were seen holding hands, laughing and cosying up to each other. And then no sooner did the paparazzi spot them, Sara ducked down, trying to hide her face from the camera.A But Sara is not the only actress who has a crush on Kartik, even Student of the Year 2 actress Ananya Panday has expressed her fondness for the actor.A After all the public apperance, it will be interesting to see if the couple can sizzle onscreen as well with Imtiaz Ali upcoming movie. The film is reportedly a sequel to the Deepika Padukone and Saif Ali Khan starrer aLove Aaj Kala. For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Bollywoodas beautiful actress Sonali Bendre was diagnosed with ahigh-grade cancera last year. Both Bollywood fraternity and her fans were stunned after learning about Sonalias illness. However, the actress battled hard with the disease and emerged a winner. She has been an inspiration for all suffering from Cancer. Isnat she? During the treatment in US, Sonali had to go bald. Well. She is now back in India and living her life to the fullest. Recently, she underwent a proper haircut and got her hair coloured too. In an interview with Hindustan Times, the Sarfarosh actress said, aIam so happy that my hair is grown back but more than anything else, all my life, Iave had poker straight hair and now, there is some texture and some curl to it. Iam so excited about that. Iave always wanted volume in my hair and now that itas growing Iam liking it. It was a bit messy when it was growing out and it was time for a haircut. I got some bit of a colour as well because my hair is now grown slightly so we didnat touch the colour to the scalp. We are being a bit careful with that and it just gave me so much joy. When you have long hair, you are really scared to cut it because you always want to hold onto it. But it was time to experiment. Iam going to make the most of it and try as many looks as I can. Iam going to have fun with my hair now.a The actress further went on to talk about the day when she went bald. Sonali said, aWhen I was planning to cut my hair, I didnat really have a choice. I remember going to the salon to get my last blow dry and my friend was shooting and my sister was with me so my hair dresser realised that this wasnat usual. When I went back to him for the big day a the haircut, I was waiting for Ranveer, my son to join me in New York because I didnat want it to be a big shock for him. I remember telling my hair dresser to just shave it all off but he insisted that we could go shorter and then finally, I went bald much later.a A In the end, she said, aThe first time when I cut my hair, I donat think it was heartbreaking. By then, I had switched off. Being alive was more important. Suddenly my perspective on life had changed. I remember my friend telling me that we should collect the hair and make a wig out of it. But I didnat want to keep it and I told her to let it go. Iam not saying I was joyful about it but I wasnat sad either. I had accepted that this was something that had to be done.a For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Indian Air Force is all set to receive its first Rafale combat aircraft in its "Golden Arrows" 17 Squadron which was commanded by Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa during the Kargil war in 1999. "The first unit to receive the Rafale combat aircraft would be the 17 Squadron which was earlier located in Bhatinda in Punjab and will now be shifted to Ambala in Haryana," IAF sources told ANI. The other squadron of the fighter aircraft would be based out of Hashimara in Bengal to tackle the front facing China, sources added. The 17 Squadron used to operate the MiG-21s earlier and is ''number-plated'' at the moment. The first Rafale is expected to be handed over to the Indian Air Force in September 2019 but it would be required to undergo intensive 1,500 hours of testing to validate the India Specific Enhancements on it. So, the first batch of the four planes is likely to arrive at Ambala around May 2020. The other squadron that will receive the fighter aircraft West Bengals Hashimara to guard our border with China, while the one is Ambala will secure north against Pakistan. Earlier, 17 Squadron operated light combat aircraft MiG-21. In September 2016, India signed a deal with the French government and Dassault Aviation to acquire 36 Rafale fighter jets for over Euro 7.8 billion to arrest the fall of combat squadrons and meet urgent requirements on the eastern and western fronts. The plan to deploy one squadron of the planes at the Saraswat air base in Uttar Pradesh did not work out due to land acquisition issues. Ambala base has been housing Jaguar aircraft squadrons mainly looking after the Pakistan front but due to rapid deployment capabilities, the planes can be utilised on both the fronts in case of requirement. When Rafale comes in, it will ensure that the deterrence of our air defence will increase manifold and they (Pakistan) will not come anywhere near our Line of Control or border. That kind of capability we will possess, for which, presently they (Pakistan) dont have an answer, the Air Chief Marshal had said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Welcome to News Nation's LIVE blog with all the news from around the country and across the world. Here are the LIVE updates: 6.30 pm: Andhra Pradesh: YSRCP chief and CM designate YS Jagan Mohan Reddy offered prayers at Kanaka Durga Temple in Vijayawada today. He will be sworn-in as the Chief Minister on Thursday. Andhra Pradesh: YSRCP chief and CM designate YS Jagan Mohan Reddy offered prayers at Kanaka Durga Temple in Vijayawada today. He will be sworn-in as the Chief Minister tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/3nZxAGrgcj ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2019 6.15 pm: #Visuals from Kanpur: Fire breaks out, due to short circuit, in a factory in Dada Nagar area. 2 fire tenders are present at the spot. More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/UcYwsMtaWg ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 29, 2019 6.00 pm: Saradha Chit Fund Scam case: CBI is questioning senior Kolkata police officer Arnab Ghosh. Senior police officer Dilip Hazra did not appear before CBI in Kolkata today. Both, Ghosh and Hazra were summoned by CBI to appear before it today. 5.14 pm: Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit after meeting Rahul Gandhi at his residence: "I have given him the message that he should not resign. We want him to continue on his post, otherwise it will cause us pain. We have conveyed that to him." Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit after meeting Rahul Gandhi at his residence: I have given him the message that he should not resign. We want him to continue on his post, otherwise it will cause us pain. We have conveyed that to him. pic.twitter.com/a6bkHsL3P5 ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2019 4.30 pm: Andhra Pradesh: TDP National President N Chandrababu Naidu not to attend swearing-in ceremony of YS Jaganmohan Reddy on Thursday. A TDP delegation will meet YS Jaganmohan Reddy at his Amaravati residence before the swearing-in ceremony. 4.15 pm: Trinamool Congress MLA Manirul Islam joins Bharatiya Janata Party in Delhi. TMC's Gadadhar Hazra, Mohd Asif Iqbal and Nimai Das also join BJP. Trinamool Congress MLA Manirul Islam joins Bharatiya Janata Party in Delhi. TMC's Gadadhar Hazra, Mohd Asif Iqbal and Nimai Das also join BJP. pic.twitter.com/Y2rOILuZ2f ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2019 4.00 pm: Sunanda Pushkar death case: Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court allows the application of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor seeking to travel abroad from June 1 to July 2. 3.30 pm: Delhi: Jagdish Tytler and other Congress leaders and supporters present outside the residence of Congress President Rahul Gandhi. Delhi: Jagdish Tytler and other Congress leaders and supporters present outside the residence of Congress President Rahul Gandhi. pic.twitter.com/DzX3ITpi2X ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2019 12.14 pm: Armed Forces Tribunal deferred the Indian Navy chief supersede case for 4 weeks. Court orders that Karambir Singh can take charge as a Navy Chief on 31st May. His appointment is subject to outcome of petition filed by the applicant and final decision passed by Tribunal 12 pm: Delhi High court issues notice to the Ministry of Minority Affairs and HRD on a PIL seeking regulation of education in madrasas and gurukuls, clarification on certificates issued by madrasas and mapping of all recognised and unrecognised Madrasas and gurukuls. 11.25 am: Congress workers demonstrate outside party office urging Rahul Gandhi to continue as Congress President. Bengaluru: Congress workers demonstrate outside party office urging @RahulGandhi to continue as Congress President.#Karnataka Y: ANI Follow LIVE updates here:https://t.co/FJ8tXQ2SOL pic.twitter.com/FcuL04i3De News Nation (@NewsNationTV) May 29, 2019 11.15 am: Meeting underway between Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy,Deputy CM G Parameshwara, Congress State Chief Dinesh Gundu Rao, Minister DK Shivakumar, Congress leader KC Venugopal and Former CM Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru. Bengaluru: Meeting underway between Karnataka CM @hd_kumaraswamy, Deputy CM G Parameshwara, Congress State Chief Dinesh Gundu Rao, Minister DK Shivakumar, Congress leader KC Venugopal and Former CM Siddaramaiah Y: ANI Follow LIVE updates:https://t.co/FJ8tXQ2SOL pic.twitter.com/vPt92UbmjW News Nation (@NewsNationTV) May 29, 2019 11.32 am: Delhi High Court issued notice on a PIL seeking direction to Centre for the consideration of implementation of two-child norm as a criterion for government jobs, aids and subsidies to control the rise in population. 11.23 am: Congratulations to Naveen Patnaik ji on taking oath as Odishas Chief Minister. Best wishes to him and his team in fulfilling the peoples aspirations. I assure complete cooperation from the Centre in working for Odishas progress:PM Narendra Modi. 11.21 am: Ranendra Pratap Swain pic 1) and Arun Kumar Sahu take oath as ministers in Odisha government. Bhubaneswar: Ranendra Pratap Swain (pic 1) and Arun Kumar Sahu take oath as ministers in Odisha Government Y: ANI Follow latest news here:https://t.co/FJ8tXQ2SOL pic.twitter.com/SIgR22idjS News Nation (@NewsNationTV) May 29, 2019 11.20 am: Adjudicating authority has confirmed the provisional attachment order issued by Enforcement Directorate wherein Plot No. C-17, Sector 6, Panchkula involved in commission of crime as same was illegally allotted to Associated Journals Limited(AJL) by then Haryana CM BS Hooda: ED. 11.19 am: Delhi Pradesh Congress leaders to meet party President Rahul Gandhi later today. 11.18 am: Supreme Court today decided to hear the Central Government plea seeking a clarification as to under what circumstances the power to arrest would be there under the Central Goods and Service Tax(CGST) law.Matter to be listed before a three judge bench for hearing in the case. 11.17 am: When we frame a policy,one should remember the poorest. I feel Modi did it clearly. In last 5 years 9.15 lakhs toilets have been built. 5 to 6 crores people got gas connection .This is what made him a hero, says AP Abdullakutty, Kerala Congress leader. 11.15 am: She is going only to please and to try and save her nephew, says BJP winning MP candidate from Barrackpore Arjun Singh on West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee to attend PM Modi's swearing in ceremony. 11.13 am: Kin of BJP workers (who were killed in West Bengal in political violence) invited to the swearing-in ceremony of PM Narendra Modi. Son of Late Manu Hansda says,"My father was killed by TMC goons. We are happy that we are going to Delhi. There's peace in our area now." Midnapore: Kin of BJP workers (who were killed in West Bengal in political violence) invited to the swearing-in ceremony of PM Narendra Modi. Son of Late Manu Hansda says,"My father was killed by TMC goons. We are happy that we are going to Delhi. There's peace in our area now." pic.twitter.com/P0uR6bBLXp ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2019 11.10 am: YSRCP Chief and Andhra Pradesh CM designate Jaganmohan Reddy offered prayers at Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati. 11.06 am: RJD MLAs and MLCs to meet later today at Rabri Devi's residence in Patna. Meeting will be chaired by Tejashwi Yadav 11.05 am: Main accused in the Barabanki spurious liquor deaths case, Pappu Jaiswal injured and arrested following an encounter with police, earlier today. 11 am: MEA on media reports on the next Informal Summit between India and China said, "During the first Informal Summit in Wuhan, Chinese President Xi had accepted the invitation of PM Modi to visit India for the next Informal Summit in 2019." 10.50 am: Naveen Patnaik takes oath as the Chief Minister of Odisha for the fifth time. 10.47 am: Supreme Court dismisses a petition of Karti Chidambaram seeking to release Rs 10 Crore he had deposited with registry as a condition to travel abroad, earlier.A Bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi tells Karti Chidambaram 'pay attention to your constituency'. 10.45 am: BJP chief Amit Shah reaches party headquarters in Delhi. He will meet party workers ahead of the PM's swearing-in tomorrow. 9.25 am: I think Vidhan Sabha elections will be held within 6 months to 1 year in West Bengal. The current govt will not be able to continue till 2021. There is lot of dissatisfaction in TMC. The TMC govt is being run by police and CID pressure, says Rahul Sinha, BJP National Secretary. 9.20 am: Congress MLA Dr. Shakeel Ahmed Khan attended Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's iftaar party yesterday in Patna. 9.15 am: Meeting of Janata Dal(United) office bearers to be held at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's residence later today 8.55 am: The Enforcement Directorate has summoned Robert Vadra on Thursday for questioning in connection with the land deal cases of Delhi-NCR, Bikaner and other properties. 8.10 am: Free Balochistan Movement organized a protest in Hannover city of Germany marking anniversary of Pakistans nuclear tests in Balochistan on May 28, 1998. 7.55 am: Huawei Technologies says it will ask a US Court to throw out the legislation which bars federal agencies from buying its products, reports AFP. 7.42 am: All the three accused doctors, Ankita Khandelwal, Bhakti Mehre and Hema Ahuja, have been arrested. Hema Ahuja was arrested last night (in pics) while Bhakti Mehre was arrested from sessions court on Tuesday evening in Payal Tadvi suicide case. 7.02 am: Fire continues to spread in the forests of Tehri in Uttarakhand. Fire fighting operations underway. 7 am: Exchange of fire between terrorists and security forces in Tazipora, Mohammadpora area of Kulgam district. 6.45 am: Putin's alleged lover gives birth to twin boys, according to media reports. 6.42 am: Army detained two suspects near military station in Ratnuchack, Jammu, late last night. 6.35 am: Meghan Markle opts out of meeting with Trumps during their UK state visit. 6.30 am: US vice president Mike Pence calls on US Supreme Court to take up 'selective' abortion. Read here For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed the plea filed by former Union Minister P Chidambarams son Karti Chidambaram for returning his security deposit of a10 crore. Pay attention to your constituency," a vacation bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Aniruddha Bose told Junior Chidambaram. He had deposited the money before traveling abroad. This is a huge setback to Chidambaram junior, who has been embroiled in the INX Media case. Karti Chidambaram has won the Lok Sabha Elections from Tamil Nadu's Sivaganga with a majority number of votes. You can go wherever you want to, you can do whatever you want, but don't play around law. If there is an iota of non-cooperation, will come down heavily, the Chief Justice of India told Karti Chidambaram in pervious hearing. Earlier on January 28, a Delhi court had extended the interim protection from arrest granted to former Union minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti from arrest in the Aircel-Maxis scam till February 18. Special CBI Judge OP Saini extended the relief to Chidambaram noting that he will not be available on February 1 for which the matter was earlier listed. The case relates to alleged irregularities in grant of Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval in the Aircel-Maxis deal. In the previous hearing on January 11, CBI had informed the court that the Centre has granted sanction to prosecute five people, including serving and former bureaucrats, accused in the Aircel-Maxis case including the Chidambarams. The CBI had on November 16 last year informed the court that similar nod was procured for Chidambaram. There are 18 accused in the case. Chidambaram and Karti were named in the chargesheet filed by the CBI in the case on July 19 last year. The CBI is probing how Chidambaram, who was the Union finance minister in 2006, granted FIPB approval to a foreign firm, when only the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) was empowered to do it. The CBI and ED, in their replies to the anticipatory bail pleas of Chidambarams, had recently told the court that custodial interrogation of both the accused was required. The father-son has denied the allegations of both the agencies. The senior Congress leader and his son have come under the scanner of investigating agencies in the Rs 3,500-crore Aircel-Maxis deal and the INX Media case involving Rs 305 crore. In its chargesheet filed earlier in the present case against former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanithi Maran and others, the CBI alleged that P Chidambaram granted FIPB approval in March 2006 to Mauritius-based Global Communication Services Holdings Ltd, a subsidiary of Maxis. Karti Chidambaram has won the Lok Sabha Elections from Tamil Nadu's Sivaganga with a majority number of votes. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The firefighters have finally managed to douse the blaze at Bikaner oil refinery after mega operations that ran for more than five hours. The fire that started at around 2 am in the early morning hours and soon spread to other parts of the refinery. The incident took place in Khara Industrial Area of. The administration jumped into action and evacuated the entire industrial area. All fire tenders in Bikaner were rushed to the spot to douse the blaze. Police and the other officials launched a joint operation to make sure that there was minimum damage. No casualty was reported in the blaze. After an overnight operation that ran for five hours, the firefighters managed to douse the blaze. Last month, a massive fire had broken out at an oil plant in Gujarats Banaskantha. Initial estimate suggested that property worth Rs 25 crore was gutted in the blaze. The blaze brings back the memories of the 2018 incident in Mumbai where over 40 people were injured at Bharat Petroleums refinery. The incident took place at the public sector oil firm's plant on the Mahul Road in Chembur area of East Mumbai around August 9 last year. After preliminary treatment at the BPCL's first aid centre, 22 of them were allowed to go home, while others were shifted to a nearby hospital in Chembur. Nine fire tenders, two foam tenders and two jumbo tankers were pressed into service to douse the blaze. Along with the Fire Brigade, the refinery's own fire-fighting team, HPCL, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, RCF and Mazgaon Dock fire brigades were also engaged, an official of the Disaster Control Room of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said. The blaze also sparked protests by the locals living in the vicinity, shouting slogans and demanding that they be relocated from the area. Hundreds of families displaced for various government projects or due to slum demolitions have been resettled in Mahul village. "Had the boiler exploded near our building, we would have been reduced to ashes," Puja Waghmare, a local resident had said after the blaze. In April 2018, one person was killed after minor leakage in the motor spirit plant led to an explosion in the Numaligarh Refinery. In October last year, a lightning strike had caused a major fire in an oil storage tank on Butcher Island, off Mumbai shore. It took four days to extinguish the fire. The Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) has also witnessed a string of fire incidents in its refineries, especially those located in Odisha and Haryana, A Down To Earth report said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Rahul Gandhis brother-in-law Robert Vadra on Wednesday submitted a written affidavit in a Delhi Court seeking permission to fly abroad. The court has reserved the verdict and will announce the order on June 3. In the affidavit, Vadra said that he was suffering from tumour in intestine and needed to fly abroad for treatment. Appearing in the court on his behalf, lawyer KTS Tulsi said that his client has taken different opinions for two hospitals. Though the doctors have not spoken about need of surgery, however, they have advised Vadra to go to London for further treatment. Tulsi also said that his client is a law-abiding citizen and despite no warrant or summon, he had returned to India on time to join the investigation. However, the Enforcement Directorate has said that the probe is at crucial juncture and custodial investigation is needed. The ED also said that ailment can be treated in India and Vadra should trust the medical facilities in the country. The hearing was going on as the ED issued a fresh summon to Robert Vadra, brother-in-law of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, to appear before it Thursday in connection with a money laundering case linked to purchase of alleged illegal assets abroad, officials said. They said Vadra has been asked to depose before the investigating officer of the case at around 10:30 am at the agencys office here. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) only last week moved a court here seeking cancellation of the anticipatory bail given to Vadra in this case and the Delhi High Court had then issued notice to him seeking his response. The ED, which had grilled Vadra over a dozen times in this case, had told the Delhi HC that it required Vadras custody as he was not cooperating in the investigation and and the trial court had not discussed the gravity of the offence in its order that gave relief to Vadra, husband of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi. The ED case against Vadra relates to allegations of money laundering in the purchase of a London-based property located at 12, Bryanston Square worth 1.9 million GBP (British pounds), which is allegedly owned by him. The agency had told a Delhi court that it has received information about various new properties in London which belong to Vadra. These include two houses, one worth 5 million GBP and the other valued at 4 million GBP, six other flats and more properties. Vadra has denied the allegations of possessing illegal foreign assets and termed them a political witch hunt against him. He said he was being hounded and harassed to subserve political ends. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: In a surprise move on Wednesday and a day after confirming attendance to PM Modi's swearing-in ceremony on May 30, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted that she wouldn't attend the event at the Rashtrapati Bhawan over BJP's allegations of political murders in the state during the elections. She also said that "The oath-taking ceremony is an august occasion to celebrate democracy, not one that should be devalued by any political party." Banerjee said that there have been no political killings in Bengal and all the allegations made by the BJP are untrue. These deaths have occured due to personal enmity, family quarrels or other disputes and were not politically motivated. The oath-taking ceremony is an august occasion to celebrate democracy, not one that should be devalued by any political party pic.twitter.com/Mznq0xN11Q a Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) May 29, 2019 On Tuesday, Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal said they will attend the oath-taking ceremony. aI have spoken to other chief ministers also. Since it is a ceremonial programme, we thought of attending it. Yes, I will go,a Banerjee had said. An Indian government statement on Monday said the leaders of Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal, and Bhutan - all members, with India, of the little-known Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) - have been invited to Modias swearing-in. aThis is in line with Governmentas focus on its aNeighbourhood Firsta policy,a a government spokesman said. The leaders of Kyrgyzstan and Mauritius have also been invited, but two sources in Indianas foreign ministry said Pakistan will not be on the list, without providing further information. For the swearing-in ceremony for Modias first term in 2014, all nations from the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), that includes Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Maldives, were invited.In 2014 Pakistanas then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attended the ceremony. India, however, will not invite Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to Thursdayas swearing-in ceremony. In 2014 Pakistanas then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attended the ceremony. Modi and Khan both claimed their air forces carried out air strikes in enemy territory in March, to the alarm of world powers. Modi, who was widely believed to have benefited politically from the stand-off, won a second term with an increased majority in a general election whose results were declared last week. Khan called Modi on Sunday to congratulate him on his win. Modi could still meet Khan at a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Kyrgyzstan next month, that both leaders may attend. (With PTI inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A terrorist was killed on early Wednesday morning after a gunfight with security forces in Jammu and Kashmirs Kulgam district. Heavy firing exchanges were going on between holed-up terrorists and the security forces since Tuesday evening, reports said. After receiving specific information about the presence of terrorists in Kulgam districts Tazipora village on Tuesday evening, security forces including Rashtriya Rifles (RR), special Operations Group (SOG) of the state police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) carried out a cordon and search operation. The cordon and search operation was started late Tuesday evening. As the security forces came close to the house where the terrorists were hiding, they fired triggering an encounter which is going on, at present, police sources said. Mobile Internet services have been suspended in the Kulgam district. Pakistani spies arrested from Jammu In another incident, the Indian Army detained two suspected spies, who were found videographing and taking pictures near Ratnuchak Military Station in Jammu, and handled over to the police for further interrogation on Tuesday. According to the initial information shared by the army, both were in regular touch with Pakistan and a few hours before their arrest, they had contacted in the neigbouring country. While one of them is from Kathua, the other hails from Doda, the officials said. Officials said an army patrol noticed the two moving suspiciously at Parmandal Morh near Ratnuchak Military Station and kept a close watch on them. They were seen taking pictures and videographing the military station and were immediately taken into custody for questioning, the officials said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Washington: Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who investigated into ties between Russia and the Trump campaign, resigned on Wednesday but made it clear that he did not exonerate President Donald Trump but did not charge him with a crime as it was "not an option" under guidelines of the justice department. Speaking about his 22-month investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election, Mueller during a surprise media appearance said intelligence officers with the Russian military "launched a concerted attack on our political system" in an attempt to "interfere with our election and to damage a presidential candidate." Mueller opened his remarks by announcing that he was formally closing the Special Counsel's office and resigning his post at the Department of Justice. Noting that he has not spoken publicly during the investigation, Mueller said he was "speaking out today because our investigation is complete. The attorney general has made the report on our investigation largely public." He announced he was "formally closing the special counsel's office and, as well, I'm resigning from the department of justice to return to private life." His 448-page report, released with redactions last month, concluded that Russia had interfered in the 2016 presidential election "in sweeping and systematic fashion" but did not find there had been a criminal conspiracy between Moscow and the Trump campaign. "A Special Counsel's Office is part of the Department of Justice, and by regulation, it was bound by that department policy," Mueller said. "Charging the president with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider," the former FBI director said. At the same time, Mueller reiterated that his report into Russian interference in the 2016 election did not exonerate the president. "If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so," Mueller said. "We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime." The remark challenges Trump's repeated public claim that he was exonerated by the Mueller report and that there was no obstruction. President Trump has rejected allegations that his election campaign colluded with the Russians during the 2016 presidential election. "Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you," Trump tweeted soon after Mueller made the statement. He had earlier described Mueller's probe as a "witch hunt." But Mueller in his statement said, "As alleged by the grand jury in an indictment, Russian intelligence officers who are part of the Russian military launched a concerted attack on our political system. "The indictment alleges that they used sophisticated cyber techniques to hack into computers and networks used by the (Hillary) Clinton campaign. They stole private information and then released that information through fake online identities and through the organization Wikileaks. "The releases were designed and timed to interfere with our election and to damage a presidential candidate," Mueller said. He did not rule out giving testimony in Congress but said he would not give any information that was not in his team's report. "The report is my testimony," he said. The investigation, which started in 2017, has led to 35 people being charged, including several who were a part of Trump's campaign and administration. The Justice Department's written opinion explaining the policy against charging a president makes several important points that further informed their handling of the obstruction investigation, Mueller said. "The opinion explicitly permits the investigation of a sitting President because it is important to preserve evidence while memories are fresh and documents are available. Among other things, that evidence could be used if there were co-conspirators who could now be charged," he said. "And second, the opinion says that the Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting President of wrongdoing," Mueller said. "It would be unfair to potentially accuse somebody of a crime when there can be no court resolution of an actual charge, he said. Mueller said that he would not make any further public appearance on this issue. His Congressional testimony, he said, would not go beyond his detailed report on the investigations into the Russian interference in the 2016 presidential elections. In a statement later, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said, "the report was clear -- there was no collusion, no conspiracy -- and the Department of Justice confirmed there was no obstruction." "Special Counsel Mueller also stated that Attorney General [William] Barr acted in good faith in his handling of the report. After two years, the Special Counsel is moving on with his life, and everyone else should do the same," she said. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Gold hit a more than oneweek peak on Monday as trade tensions between the United States and China lifted appetite for assets seen as a haven from risk, while weak U.S. economic data boosted hopes for a rate cut from the Federal Reserve. Spot gold inched up 0.1% to $1,285.60 per ounce by 0940 GMT. The metal touched $1,287.32 earlier in the session, its highest since May 17. US gold futures were 0.2% higher at $1,285.60 an ounce. US President Donald Trump said on Monday he was not yet ready to make a deal with China, hinting that the worlds biggest economies are far from a trade agreement. Among other precious metals, silver was up 0.1% at $14.57 per ounce. Platinum eased 0.1% to $801.50 an ounce and palladium fell 0.3% to $1,331.60. A Vietnamese man has been sentenced to six years in jail for terrorism and weapons possession after he was convicted for smuggling a cache of guns into the country from Cambodia, a court official said yesterday. Terror-related crimes are rare in the one-party communist state, where a hardline administration in charge since 2016 has waged a crackdown on critics, jailing dozens last year alone. Le Quoc Binh was arrested in August ahead of Vietnams national day in central Binh Dinh province carrying seven rifles and 500 bullets that he smuggled in from Cambodia. A court on Monday sentenced him to one year in jail for allegedly planning an attack and another five years for weapons possession, according to a court clerk and state media. Binh used Facebook to share and popularise the use of weapons and violence against the state, according to a report from Bao Ve Phap Luat, the official mouthpiece of the national procuracy office. The report said Binh was disgruntled because his family was relocated from their land in south-central Quy Nhon city and were unfairly compensated. The official Vietnam News Agency said Binh travelled to Cambodia several times between June and August 2018 to procure weapons. It added Binh asked for leniency in court before his sentence was announced. Weapons are not widely available in Vietnam and violent terror-related attacks are extremely rare. Seven people were arrested last year, including three on terrorism charges, for bombing a police station in Ho Chi Minh City just days after widespread economic protests rocked the country. The demonstrators opposed a draft law for special economic zones that some feared would be taken over by Chinese investors, though Beijing was not named in the proposal. Like 70,000 people living close to the broken banks of the Paraguay River, where the water level has risen seven meters (23 feet) in some places, Graciela Acosta has had to pack up her belongings and evacuate. Piled up on a canoe are the 39-year-old housewifes bed, wardrobe, bedside table and her dog Pirulin. Acosta is getting ready to cross the border into Argentina with her daughter to seek refuge in a reception center in the neighboring town of Clorinda. Ive had enough! Its the third time that Ive had to move everything because of the floods, said Acosta. I pray to God that it ends. Every time. It costs a lot of money. However, theres no chance of Acosta leaving her home in Nanawa, a town of just 6,000 people that borders Argentina to the west and faces the capital Asuncion to the east across the Paraguay River, for good. As soon as the water level drops, Ill go home, she said. Greater impact In Nanawa, only around 500 people were able to avoid evacuation, due to living in homes with upper floors above the flood levels. Theyre used to this as the Paraguay River, one of the largest in the Americas, breaks its banks and causes havoc in the poorest Nanawa neighborhoods built on the flood plain. The rivers brown waters rise almost to the height of street signs: in some areas, there is up to one or two meters of water covering roads. Paraguayans have seen worse, though, back in 1983, according to the assistant director of the countrys meteorology and hydrology service, Nelson Perez. Its not the Paraguay Rivers worst flood, but the impact is greater because more people live close to the river, said Perez. These are the worst floods Ive seen, said Ruben Acosta, 55, who peddles his moving services by canoe. Residents of Nanawa, over the river from Paraguays capital Asuncion, have to move around by boat in their home town It rained a lot in March, three times more than usual, and it also rained a lot in April and May, said Perez, who pointed to deforestation as an added problem. Its like being in Venice Wading through water up to his chest, Rigoberto Nunez leaves a cemetery carrying a chandelier, a vase, some crucifixes and family portraits, all plucked from the family vault. I prefer to take them away to be safe, says the 47-year-old traveling salesman. The town is without electricity or police and inhabitants are afraid of looters. Nunez is heading to a reception center provided by Argentine authorities in a Clorinda slum where hes already stashed his furniture. Enrique Cardozos workshop has already been ravaged by the floods. Ive lost my sofa, the cupboard, I had nowhere to put them, said the 51-year-old father of four. The family has moved into the first floor of their house, which is just 15 meters from the river. It rained non-stop for a week. One day, the water rose one meter. It was impressive, we couldnt save everything, said Cardozo. NEW MILFORD Police, fire and EMS responded to a head-on crash with entrapment on Route 7 Wednesday morning. The crash occurred near the intersection of Kent and Cedar Hill roads around 8 a.m. It took firefighters about 15 minutes to extricate a person from a vehicle. By 8:30 a.m., the patient was en route to Danbury Hospital with serious injuries. Route 7 was closed off in the area as emergency personnel responded to and cleaned up the scene. The road was fully reopened to traffic by 9 a.m. Final zoning and wetlands approvals unfolded smoothly for plans to renovate the towns District I sewer plant and improve treatment quality reducing nitrogen and phosphorous released into the Norwalk River as part of the $48 million sewer project approved by voters last fall. Its part of a plan designed to eventually allow wastewater treatment for District II in the Route 7 and 35 area to be piped to the District I plant on South Street, which now serves only the village area, consolidating treatment for both sewer districts into the one upgraded plant. Both the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Inland Wetlands Board granted unanimous final votes Tuesday night, May 28, passing resolutions of approval previously drawn up following a public hearing, discussion and preliminary approval votes on May 14. Thank you, everyone, said Amy Siebert, chairwoman of towns Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA), the agency which oversee the sewer plant and operations there by the towns contractor, Suez. The only adjustment to the resolutions of approval concerned a condition requiring the blue barrels stored behind the plant be removed by the end of the summer. At the suggestion of Wetlands Enforcement Officer Beth Peyser end of the summer was substituted with a specific date date Sept. 21, 2019. Siebert told the commission and wetlands board members that the barrels, which had raised concerns on the site walk, werent an environmental concern. Theres nothing hazardous in them, she said. Its food-grade polymer. At the May 14 hearing, Jon Pearson of AECOM Technical Services, the consulting firm on the project, said the project would expand the District I plants capacity from the current 1 million gallons a day to 1,120,000 gallons per day allowing it to handle the addition of District II plants wastewater. The decision was made its more economical to combine the two facilities, he said. A May 17 bid opening on the plant renovation showed four bids ranging from a total of $37.6 million to $45.5 million. Earlier projections had figured the plant renovation to take in the vicinity of $32 million of the $48 million allocation After renovation of the South Street plant, a force-main sewer line will have to be built to deliver effluent from the District II plant, which will be decommissioned, to the upgraded District I plant. That will be a separate application, but Pearson said the route of the pipeline is expected to be from Route 7 to Haviland Road, to Limekiln Road to Lee Road to Farmingville Road to Ligis Way to South Street. The renovated plant will have an odor control system on three different aspects of the operation. The current plan has no odor control, Pearson said. The renovations on the District I plant will be extensive. Were upgrading almost every building or piece of equipment in the facility, Pearson told the hearing. NEW MILFORD Even as rain rolled through the area Tuesday, divers and first responders continued searching with no success for the missing teen last seen Monday swimming in Candlewood Lake. The diving teams have been unable to locate the missing swimmer, New Milford Mayor Pete Bass posted to Facebook about 5 p.m. Tuesday. State diving team will continue until dark then all diving teams will resume tomorrow morning. Authorities have not released the name of the 17-year-old boy, who apparently drowned in Candlewood Lake. Crews spent hours Monday searching for him below the water off Dike Point Park, where the teen had celebrated Memorial Day with friends. New Milford Police Sgt. Jim Dzamko said detectives have interviewed the missing teens friends. The teens had been swimming near Rock Island, where the water is 20 to 30 feet deep, Dzamko said. Dike Point Park, owned by FirstLight Power Resources, which also owns Candlewood, is a popular swimming area in New Milford. FirstLight implemented rules in 2016, restricting the number of people in the park to 60 and the number of cars to 10. Before that, hundreds of people would be in the park, leading to littering and similar problems. FirstLight did not return a request for comment. More News Search continues for boy who possibly drowned in Candlewood Lake On Tuesday, boats with search dogs scanned the waters and shoreline south of the Gerards Waters Edge Marina, next to Dike Point Park. The murky waters hindered divers ability to find him, Dzamko said. Sonar equipment picked up several hits in the water, but it was unclear what it meant. It could be a body, Dzamko said. It could be a couple of rocks. Crews halted the search after darkness fell Monday and resumed the next day. The search turned into a recovery operation for the boys body on Tuesday. Officials from New Milford Police Department, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and State Police gathered under a tent in the marinas parking lot Tuesday as the rain fell. Newtown Police Departments search and rescue dive teams truck was parked nearby. A New Milford ambulance was also in the parking lot throughout the day. Brookfield polices dive team did not end up getting in the water Monday, said Patrolman Joseph Kyek, who is on the team. The team of six could be called again to help relieve the divers, but as of Tuesday afternoon had not been asked, he said. The Danbury Fire Department sent mutual aid a little after 11:30 a.m. Tuesday to assist New Milford police with light and air at Gerards Marina. The last drowning death on Candlewood Lake was on Oct. 21, 2018. Gary Hayes, 48, of East Hartford, drowned after a boat capsized. Officials received a report around 12:30 p.m. about an overturned vessel with two men on board. The other man was able to swim to shore despite the cold water temperatures and refused medical treatment. Fifteen drowning deaths were recorded between 1998 and 2010, according to state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. The Associated Press contributed to this story. Your previously published letter on Israeli sovereignty is wrong on all accounts. First, respected International legal authorities have stated that the Israeli annexation of the Golan Heights is legal. Second, international law states that land conquered in a defensive war (which the Israelis have undergone six previous times with neighboring Arab armies) can be added to their territory, if the present population is not evicted. That is certainly correct in the disputed territories. Can any educated person say that Jericho is not considered partially Jewish after Joshua fought the battle of Jericho and the walls came tumbling down? Arabs starting arriving in Israel over 100 years ago when the Jewish settlers began buying land, draining swamps, developing an infrastructure, and producing employment, which the early Arab population was happy to accept. During World War II the Palestinian brigade, attached to the British army, was composed of only Jews. The Palestinian Symphony Orchestra of 100 years ago was composed of only Jews. Palestine was the name given to Israel, Judea and Samaria by the Romans, 150 years after the death of Christ, to get rid of those pesky Jews and their King Jesus Christ. In the 1930s there were signs all over Europe stating, Jews, go back to Palestine! It is sad that the two groups cannot agree on a mutually agreeable solution to what appears to be an intractable problem. Joseph Behar Ridgefield Akron, N.Y. Perrys Ice Cream, based outside Buffalo, is making a big push into Ohio. The company is spending $6.3 million in the state this year, including a marketing push and expanded distribution network with 49 new jobs. Perry's has been available in some spots in Ohio since 2015, but the firm is expanding its footprint dramatically this year. Perrys is based in the Buffalo suburb of Akron and employs about 360 people total, according to Columbus Business First. It has 257 workers at its headquarters and manufacturing facility in Akron. The company's ice cream will be available at over 600 locations in Ohio starting this month, up from 125 locations two years ago, Columbus Business First said. The biggest chain carrying Perrys products in Ohio is Speedway, according to ABC 6 in Columbus. The company has also signed a five-year partnership with the minor league Columbus Clippers to sell frozen custard at the teams ballpark. Perrys is the 22nd largest ice cream brand in the country. In addition to New York and Ohio, it has a presence in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey and Massachusetts, according to Columbus Business First. Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-282-8598 Google funded three cold fusion experiments and developed more advanced calorimeters that operate reliably under extreme conditions, and techniques for producing and characterizing highly hydrided metals that could benefit other areas of energy and fusion research. Google revisited Cold Fusion with better funding and a high caliber science teams. They did not confirm cold fusion. They tested three ways to get to cold fusion. Two methods involved palladium and hydrogen, and one involving metallic powders and hydrogen. None found evidence of fusion. The results have been published across 12 papers over the past 2 years: 9 in peer-reviewed journals and 3 on the arXiv preprint server. Googles team was made up of 30 researchers who had no strong opinions on cold fusion. All had access to each others data and apparatus, and could review each others work. Researchers say that both palladium experiments warrant further study. The hypothesized effects in the tritium experiment could be too small to measure with current equipment, they suggest. The team also says that further work could produce stable samples at extremely high deuterium concentrations, where interesting effects might occur. SOURCES Nature, Eurekalert, Google Written By Brian Wang, Nextbigfuture.com BURLINGTON - After a mother bear was shot to death following a fatal attack on a small dog, Burlington officials are looking at ways to curb the bear population in town, according to WFSB. Officials staged a meeting with residents Tuesday to discuss the increase in the bear population in the western part of the state which at times is causing frightening encounters, WFSB said. NEW HAVEN City police are searching for Jeffon Suggs, a New Haven woman who reportedly last was seen in the company of Tamika Jones, who was found dead in Massachusetts this month. Capt. Anthony Duff said Wednesday a missing person case had been opened for Suggs on May 17. He said there was no new information in the case as of Wednesday morning. Any law enforcement agency or agency with access to a national law enforcement database will be alerted to this persons status as a missing person and find relevant contact information, Duff said. News of the search for Suggs has been shared widely across social media, with many area residents offering prayers and thoughts for her family. Family members also have pleaded for her safe return. Julia Worthington, her cousin, said Suggs is an outgoing, loving person. Worthington said she learned they were cousins when she was 20, and theyve been close ever since. She doesnt know where Suggs might have gone, but would like to hear from her. Im scared, said Worthington. Hopefully, she contacts somebody and comes home. Jessica Sullivan, Jeffon Suggs aunt, said she is praying for her niece and oldest sister. I feel empty and lost. Im praying that my niece is found safe and also praying for my sister who is having a tough time dealing with this, she said. Jeffon is loving, a friend to anyone in need of a friend (and) just a great personality. WTNH reported Tuesday that Suggs family said she was last seen with Jones, a New Haven woman who was found dead in a car in Fitchburg, Mass., on May 14. The two were friends, according to the report. Jones death is under investigation by Massachusetts state police. According to news reports, Jones was found dead in a car parked on Drake Road in Fitchburg. Timothy Connolly, director of communications with the Massachusetts district attorneys office, also has said Jones death was being investigated by state police. He has declined to say whether foul play was suspected. Connolly did not return a message seeking comment about Suggs Wednesday. Jones, 40, a mother of three, was born and raised in New Haven, attended New Haven Public Schools and graduated from Wilbur Cross High School, her obituary posted by New Haven-based McClam Funeral Home said. In addition to other managerial positions, Jones open the beauty salon Divine Technics, owned and operated Vivid Imaginations, Mascot Mania & More, and facilitated production of the Bag Chaser Clothing line, the obituary said. Jones brought light to every life she touched and enjoyed doing so; her charismatic and joyful demeanor made her a delight to be around. She shared herself and had a different relationship with everyone. She will truly be missed. We will cherish her memory and hold every encounter close to our hearts, the obituary said. Duff said Suggs age and circumstances as initially reported do not fit the criteria for a silver alert. On April 11, Suggs was charged with two traffic-related offenses, according to court records. She was driving a car owned by Jones at the time. In addition to the April 11 incident, Suggs faces two outstanding cases in Superior Court in New Haven, in which she is charged with misdemeanors. Rearrest orders were issued in both cases on April 4, according to the most recent update in online judicial records. Maureen Murphy, her public defender, declined to offer comment Wednesday. william.lambert@hearstmediact.com This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices. With the changing lifestyles, hectic and busy routines coupled with the wide range of choices offered to shoppers, it has become extremely critical for manufacturers to strategically manage product assortment for effectively selling their products. In this day and age, shoppers merely get to spend 20-25 seconds per shelf, giving manufacturers very limited time to convert this visibility to actual sales. There is a general perception in marketers and shoppers alike that more choice offered to shoppers leads to higher chances of that brands off-take. But is this really true or simply a myth? Imagine entering a store and facing a shelf with 50 different kinds of bread? Sounds fancy? Or just overwhelmingly confusing to look for your regular plain loaf of bread? In order to understand the critical dynamics revolving around product assortment, lets consider the Jam test conducted by Stanford and Columbia University in 2000. In this study, shoppers were exposed to two table sets; one with six different jam flavors while the other one had a variety of 24 flavors along with their samples. The initial results were in line with the conventional perception since 60% of the passersby stopped at the table with more variety compared to 40% who stopped at the other table with lesser options. However, the purchasing patterns told an entirely different story highlighting that 30% of the limited choice passersby actually purchased the product vs. merely 3% of the other table testers. This highlights that the choice overload not only extends the decision-making process before converting it into purchase outcome, but can also become overwhelming and discourage shoppers from actually buying the product. This raises an important question: can marketers even afford to put infinite choices in todays retail space? Since Pakistan is a traditional trade heavy market, an average general store has a shelf area of 216 sq. feet which can contain close to 30 categories within this space. This leaves only 7.2 sq. feet of space per category. A one liter UHT carton has a dimension of ~0.8 sq. feet, which means that it can stock maximum nine packs of one liter in this space. With the manufacturers sales representative visiting this store once a week, either he can stock a range of all four Sales Keeping Units (SKUs) (250ML, 500ML, 1Lt & 1.5Lt) and easily risk being out of stock in one of the most selling SKUs, or just stock 1-2 SKUs in this limited shelf space. This sums up one of the main concerns faced by a salesman in this field. If we apply these insights to the handful of modern stores in Pakistan, where every inch of shelf space is available to players at a cost, we witness certain challenging decision-making dynamics. This is because in such scenarios, the need for the Return on Investment (ROI) is even higher. There are two ways to go about it. A player can either stock multiple kinds of SKUs in one shelf, or can have a cleaner and more appealing shelf space. Consider the example of a consumer visiting a modern trade store such as Hyperstar or Imtiaz for the start-of-the-month bulk purchasing. On one hand, at a cooking oil shelf, the consumer faces a variety of 14 different SKU sizes and on the other hand, the consumer comes across another shelf with a very clean assortment of only 1Lt and 5Lt SKUs. In this regard, its interesting to see that despite the variety the first shelf offers, the SKU at the latter has a chance of being picked up 7 out of 10 times. With the 7/10 probability SKUs being stocked, the latter shelf presents the optimal ROI and the highest chances of consumers attraction (ignoring of course, any consumer preferences). We can also look at multi-country data to see if there is any correlation between the number of SKUs and its market share and quite frankly, there is none. So more is not always the merrier but probably the new phrase in the assortment world could be the the best things come in small packages. A man was arrested Sunday after authorities say he used his pickup truck to ram a motorcycle driver off the road and then run over him. Both men are members of the Pagans outlaw motorcycle club, according to authorities. Noah Frost, 35, of Marshallville, was charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault and assault by auto following the incident in Hamilton Township, Atlantic County. In a statement, the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office said Frost hit a motorcycle in the area of Somers Point-Mays Landing and Babcock roads and then ran over the victim. A criminal complaint filed against Frost identified the victim as Benjamin DiPilla. DiPilla has had several brushes with law enforcement in the past, including a weapons possession charge in 2016 as part of an investigation into local outlaw motorcycle gangs in the Hamilton area. Following the collision with Frost, DiPilla was taken to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City, where he is listed in critical condition. Frost is being held in the Atlantic County jail. Authorities urged anyone with information to contact Hamilton police Detective Christine Armitage at 609-625-2700, ext. 572, or the ACPO Major Crimes Hotline at 609-909-7666. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. A small plane crashed shortly before noon Wednesday off the coast of Cape May and rescuers are searching the ocean near the Cape May Lighthouse, officials said. Cape May City Mayor Chuck Lear confirmed a plane crash has taken place and said emergency crews from the city were supporting Lower Township officials with the crash. FAA officials said a Mooney M20J aircraft crashed in the water approximately 1,200 feet from the Cape May Lighthouse and is submerged in the ocean. There was one person on board the plane, which departed Trenton-Robbinsville Airport in Mercer County at about 8 a.m., the FAA said in a statement. There was no immediate word on injuries. The Coast Guard has sent two boats and a rescue helicopter. We got word at 11:23 from somebody on scene to let us know that a plane had gone down and lifeguards were in the water swimming out to the plane that was sinking," Coast Guard Petty Officer Andy Kendrick said. The plane is currently submerged. Heidi Pontoriero, manager of the Trenton-Robbinsville Airport, said the man flying the plane had rented it from Airmods, the company that provides lessons and rents aircraft at the airport. This is not his first time. Hes used the plane before. Hes licensed and all up to date, Pontoriero said. I have no idea what happened. Its a very sad situation and our prayers go out to the family. She said she spoke with New Jersey State Police about the crash, but declined to give any details about what happened or the fate of the pilot. State Police Lt. Schafer said his agency had two helicopters over the scene as authorities worked to recover the aircraft. He also declined to release any information on the pilot. Melissa Martell, director of Airmods, said the plane was in sound working condition and that the pilot was an avid renter who often flew several times a week. 17 Search and rescue underway after plane crashes in the water off Cape May, New Jersey Witnesses reported seeing the plane flying low over the water before plunging into the ocean between Cape May and Cape May Point. John Achzet, from Elkton, Maryland, said it appeared the plane may have struck the water before it surged up and crashed back into the ocean. My wife and I were sitting here and we saw a plane maybe 75 yards off shore flying very low from Cape May flying low to the water, maybe 3 feet, Achzet said. It hit a little swell in the water, went about 50 yards in the air, went straight down and then it was gone." The crash occurred off an area known as South Cape May Meadows between Cape May Point State Park and an area known as Cove Beach in Cape May. Multiple rescue agencies were responding. Jackie Morroni recorded a video of the plane moments before the crash. Morroni and her sister Jennifer Horton were on the beach in Wildwood Crest when they saw the small plane flying erratically, Morroni said. I saw that it was coming in real low, said Morroni, who lives in the Villas section of Lower Township. Then he went back up and came back down - he nosedived. Horton, who was in the ocean when the plane zoomed past, estimated she was about 15-20 feet from the aircraft. Neither witnessed the plane crash. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Greetings, No doubt, there is a lot to be concerned about this year; however, 2020 has also been quite a year for recorded music. Let u... Newarks attempt to hire an employee with desperately needed skills to oversee the citys finances has resulted in a $10,000 fine, an ongoing battle with states Civil Service Commission and a new federal lawsuit. Fidelia Uzoukwu Odutola is suing Newark and two state agencies alleging the city created the chief of finance and accounts position as a political favor and illegally denied her the job, even though she ranked first on the examination, according to the complaint. City spokesman Frank Baraff declined to comment on the suit but rejected the claim that creating the position was anything but the citys efforts to recruit top talent. The city is also appealing the fine. The bureaucratic tangle began more than three years ago when Newark officials provisionally appointed Charles Kairu as chief of finance and accounts -- a civil service position. Uzoukwu Odutola, who works for the city as an executive assistant, completed the required competitive examination for the job posting and said she ranked first on the eligibility list, yet was never offered the position, her lawsuit states. She alleged back-door bargaining was at play. Uzoukwu Odutola deferred comment to her attorney who could not be reached despite repeated attempts. The Civil Service Commission subsequently ordered Newark stop paying the salary for that position until it made a permanent appointment off the eligibility list. The order, dated July 2017, also required $1,000 in compliance costs from the city. The commission levied a $10,000 fine on Newark in 2018 when the city failed to appoint someone from the eligibility list to the post. A spokesman for the commission told NJ Advance Media the city still has not paid the fine. The matter, the spokesman said, was referred to the Attorney Generals office. The Attorney Generals office declined to comment. Uzoukwu Odutolas lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in March, alleged both the attorney generals office and the civil service commission failed to take action and disregarded its duties. The commission declined to comment on the pending suit. Kecia Daniels, Newarks deputy administrator and former personnel director, said Kairu is one of 190 registered municipal accountants in the state and that allows him to audit the citys financial statements. Hes also a certified public accountant. We were not trying to skirt civil service, Daniels said. He has another level of expertise the city desperately needed. He was able to do things the city had previously contracted out for." Daniels said the process for ranking eligible candidates is very tightly regulated and factors in residency and length of service with the municipality. Those with the highest skill level dont always come out on top, she said. The state rules are so archaic, Daniels said. At the time of the exam, he was not a (Newark) resident ... that could put you at a lower advantage. The chief of finance and accounts position no longer exists. Kairu was now serves as the citys municipal treasurer -- an appointed position. He deferred comment to the citys administration. Karen Yi may be reached at kyi@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @karen_yi or on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. The percentage of New Jersey hospitals delivering babies by cesarean section without medical necessity a practice that can place mothers and their babies at risk of serious complications declined last year but remains higher than the national average, according to a report released Wednesday. The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit group which studies hospital quality and safety, recommends no more than 23.9 percent of babies be delivered surgically. The national rate exceeded the goal, at 26.1 percent last year, but New Jersey was even higher, at 27.84 percent. Only 11 of the 49 hospitals which delivered babies in New Jersey met Leapfrogs standard: Cooper University Hospital in Camden; Capital Health Medical Center - Hopewell; Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck; Inspira Medical Center Elmer; Inspira Medical Center Vineland; Jefferson Washington Township Hospital; Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch; Ocean Medical Center in Brick; Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth; University Hospital in Newark; Virtua Voorhees Hospital. Hudson Regional Hospital in Secaucus recorded the highest c-section rate among any New Jersey at 55 percent. A message left for the hospital was not returned Tuesday. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine warn surgical births occur too frequently without consideration of the risks, the report said. When not medically required, cesarean sections put mothers at risk of infection and blood clots, prolong the recovery process, create chronic pelvic pain and may cause problems in future pregnancies. For infants, c-sections put them at greater risk of developing diabetes and breathing problems, such as asthma. Linda Schwimmer, the president and CEO of the Health Care Quality Institute, a nonprofit research and patient advocacy organization, said despite New Jerseys stubbornly high c-section rates, she was encouraged by the commitment hospitals are making to improving maternal health. All but one of the 49 birthing hospitals, Memorial Hospital of Salem County, participated in the Leapfrog survey, compared to three holdouts from the prior year. Only nine hospitals met Leapfrogs recommended c-section rate in last years report, compared to 11 in the new report. Eight of the 49 hospitals met all three goals Leapfrog set involving reducing the number of risky obstetric procedures: c-sections, early elective deliveries and episiotomies, which involves an incision made in the mothers perineum to ease delivery. These eight hospitals were Cooper University Hospital, which also had the lowest c-section rate; Inspira Medical Centers in Elmer and Vineland; Jefferson Washington Township Hospital; Monmouth Medical Center; Trinitas Regional Medical Center; University Hospital; and Virtua Voorhees Hospital. We want to congratulate these eight hospitals for making the commitment to providing high quality care in their labor and delivery units, Schwimmer said. And we encourage other New Jersey hospitals to continue working to meet these important measures. Weve seen that a focused approach of looking at the data, sharing best practices, and discussing each Cesarean section is leading to better performance. Robin L. Perry, who chairs Coopers Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, attributed its low c-section rates to having obstetricians staffed around the clock, a large Maternal Fetal Medicine division, and a team of doctors who also teach at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University. In these dual roles, they work to safeguard that every (c-section) has a clear evidence-based indication," Perry said. It was only eight years ago, when New Jersey hospitals delivered more than one-third of all babies surgically, a staggering c-section rate of 38.8 percent. But attention to the problem led by the New Jersey Hospital Association, Leapfrog and most recently Gov. Phil Murphy and First Lady Tammy Murphy, have made improving maternal health a top priority. New Jersey ranks 45th for the number of women who die during or after childbirth, according to Americas Health Rankings, a report by the United Health Foundation. On Tuesday, the state Health Department launched a New Jersey Maternal Data Center website, which includes data comparing hospitals track records on safe births. Cesarean births are a major surgery that increases the likelihood of birth complications, such as maternal bleeding, infections and blood clots, state Health Commissioner Shereef Elnahal said. While these procedures can save lives, too many women in our state are experiencing preventable c-sections, which are putting them at unnecessary risk for injury or death. Earlier this month, Murphy signed a law that would prohibit the state Medicaid program from paying for medical unnecessary c-sections. New Jersey has begun turning the corner on its historically high c-section rates," said New Jersey Hospital Association President and CEO Cathleen Bennett. We know that approximately 90 percent of women who have a c-section for their first delivery are likely to deliver by c-section again with any subsequent pregnancies. Thats why this is an important focus area ensuring a safe vaginal delivery without the risks that can be associated with a c-section. Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. The owner of a Bayonne maintenance company is facing allegations of insurance fraud following an investigation by the Hudson County Prosecutors Office. George Tomasik, the owner of Shamrock Maintenance Company, was arrested last week and charged with theft by deception and forgery. Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said Tomasik provided fraudulent insurance documents to various businesses and governmental entities. Tomasik, 62, of Kenilworth, surrendered to members of the HCPOs Integrity/Insurance Fraud Unit on May 22 and was released on his own recognizance. He is set to make his first court appearance on the charges on June 5. As part of an ongoing investigation into possible insurance fraud, Suarez is asking that any business or governmental entity that has used Shamrock Maintenance for janitorial services contact Detective Khalil Hasan from the Insurance Fraud Unit at 201-795-6400. Tomasik could not be reached for comment at two phone numbers listed for Shamrock Maintenance. JERSEY CITY A psychologist testified Wednesday that Jose Morel bottled up his emotions for months while suspecting his wife was cheating on him. Her taunt confirming those suspicions triggered a dissociative state that ended with him stabbing her to death inside their Jersey City home, he said. I think he did not know what he was doing, forensic psychologist Gerald Cooke testified Tuesday. Morel, 61, faces 30 years to life in prison for Oct. 18, 2017 murder of Milagros Rodriguez De Morel, 38, in their Duncan Avenue home. Cooke, who interviewed Morel in May 2018 at the Hudson County jail, said events leading up to the homicide had a cumulative effect and that the defendants rage caused him to enter a dissociative trance," losing normal cognitive ability and consciousness. On the morning before the fatal confrontation, Morel followed his wife to work and saw her hugging and kissing a man on the street near Journal Square. He confronted her when she went into a bank and then left. He took the day off because he was upset and wanted to speak to her, Cooke said Morel told him. Cooke said Morel told him his wife returned home around 2 a.m. on Oct. 18, 2017, hours after her shift should have ended. Morel didnt want to talk then because he feared his wife would yell and bring police to the home, as had happened recently, Cooke testified. Morel told Cooke his wife screamed and taunted him, saying Why dont you talk loud like a man? Cooke said Morel snapped when Rodriguez De Morel told her husband that two weeks earlier when he had asked her where she had been, she said she had sex with a man and then had sex with him less than an hour later. Morel said he didnt remember anything after that until he realized there was a knife in his hand and blood all over. Authorities allege he stabbed more than 70 times. Cooke testified that Morel told him he gave his son a towel to cover the body, told the boy to dial 911 and started washing and dressing so he wouldnt get blood on the police, Cooke testified. Under cross-examination by Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Leo Rinaldi, Cooke admitted that dissociative disorder is very uncommon. The prosecutor worked to show that it was simply Morels jealousy and rage at having his suspicions confirmed that led to the homicide, and not a break with reality. He noted that Morel had been completely in control of his anger until his wife admitted cheating on him, triggering his rage. Closing arguments will be heard tomorrow at the bench trial before Hudson County Superior Court Judge Galis-Menendez in the Hudson County Administration Building. Recent approvals by the Hunterdon County Freeholders, working with the states Green Acres program, the Highlands Council, the Delaware and Raritan Greenway Land Trust and East Amwell Township, have added over 200 additional acres of preserved open space and parkland in Lebanon Township, Delaware Township and East Amwell. The freeholders, at the May 21 meeting, authorized a purchase contract for the 120-acre Denton Property in Lebanon, with the Highlands Council and Green Acres providing the full $976,000 cost. The property is directly adjacent to the countys Point Mountain Preserve, where there is an existing trail network. The county and our partners not only protects from development these important acres that connect with existing preservation areas, but the action is also accomplished at no cost to the county open space trust fund for the purchase," Freeholder Board Director Suzanne Lagay said. :That is a double win for Hunterdon Countys residents. The freeholders, at the May 6 meeting, also approved a $313,000 Open Space Acquisition Grant to D&R Greenway for a preservation project in Delaware Township. The county grant, along with a Green Acres grant in the same amount to Delaware Township, will allow D&R Greenway to add the 60-acre wooded Cisek property to the already preserved 120-acre Plum Brook Preserve, adding protection to the C-1 designated Plum Brook. Two unimproved woodlots totaling 26 acres in East Amwell, adjacent to the countys Sourland Mountain Nature Preserve, will be managed by the countys Division of Parks based on an agreement with East Amwell approved by the freeholders on May 6. The township had acquired the two unimproved woodlots as a result of a tax sale. The Division of Parks endorsed adding these parcels to the county park system because of their connection to the Sourland Preserve, to allow the division to enforce all park rules and regulations on the properties. The countys Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee recommended all three land preservation actions to the freeholders. POSAC and our planning staff continue to find significant open space opportunities in the county, as well as creative methods to stretch open space dollars," Lagay said. They, and our preservation partners, deserve our thanks for their efforts. A coalition opposed to a private pool club on the beach near Asbury Parks north end said it will file an appeal if the citys planning board approves the project during a special meeting on Wednesday night. Were prepared to make an appeal, said Kathleen Mumma, a founder of Save Asburys Waterfont, a coalition of neighbors, environmentalists, advocates for beach access and open space, and members of the citys African-American community still stung by Asbury Parks history of segregation. Regardless of its ultimate outcome, an appeal of the planning board decision could delay the start of the pool club project, which has already secured its other necessary approvals and would take 18 months to complete, according to the developer. The pool club is an amenity permitted under a 2002 waterfront redevelopment plan that proponents say will further enhance the booming resorts attractiveness, but one that others say is not in keeping with the citys spirit of inclusion. Do I think that this is great fit for Asbury Park? I dont, Deputy Mayor Amy Quinn said on Tuesday. However, the 2002 plan calls for it. Quinn reiterated her position that she would not support spending tax dollars on a lawsuit to fight a project permitted under the redevelopment plan, which, despite past amendments, remains in effect to this day, including a provision allowing for the pool club. Im not going to engage in hundreds of thousands of dollars in litigation, that is likely to fail, Quinn said. A special meeting of the planning board is scheduled for 6 p.m., when the board could vote to grant final site plan approval for the members-only club, which will include an open-air pool, cabanas and other features within a walled enclosure on the beach side of Ocean Avenue between 6th and 7th Streets. The developer is Asbury Partners, which includes Manhattan-based development company iStar. A spokesperson for iStar issued a statement Tuesday evening saying the company was tremendously proud of its work in Asbury Park. Our redevelopment projects have added to the unique character of this City and have created lasting value for the entire community through the creation of hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars in property and hotel tax revenue, the statement read. The beach club is an as-of-right project and will be built entirely on private property. It reflects thoughtful and environmentally friendly redevelopment principles and will be a world class amenity on the waterfront. We appreciate the public conversation that has taken place to date, and as a result our design team has already adjusted the final design," the statement added. This one-story club is fully compliant with all local and state requirements. We recognize that some individuals may still oppose this project based on misinformation, or because of the perceived impact it could have on their personal property. Our priority remains the successful redevelopment of the waterfront. IStar said membership fees had not yet been established for the club, though a variety of memberships would be available, which would likely include daily memberships. Parking would not be created specifically for club members. The company encouraged people to visit its website, asburyparkwaterfront.com, for more information. The club would include a 15-foot, ivy-covered facade running 218 feet along Ocean Avenue and 77 feet back. A rebuilt section of boardwalk torn up by iStar last fall would separate the pool club from the beach, where the developer said public access would not be impeded. iStars pool club concept had already been deemed consistent with the waterfront redevelopment plan by the citys technical review committee, and approved by the City Council. So site plan approval by the planning board is the only remaining hurdle for the club before the developers can plant shovels in the ground, or sand. During an information meeting in February, residents held signs reading, Dont build that wall, in reference to the pool clubs long, leafy facade. Following a public outcry over the winter, city officials tried without success to convince iStar to drop its plans for the club. The pool club planning process has been marked by a clash of wills between representatives of the developer who see themselves as bringing employment, economic activity, tax revenues and new amenities to the city and residents fearful of being priced out of their city or made to feel unwelcome on their waterfront. I grew up in an Asbury Park that excluded me and others from beaches, requiring of us a price we could never pay: white skin, said Lorraine Stone, an African-American resident and member of the SAW coalition. This club would require only money, which may seem as impossible to many local families as becoming white. iStar has already put its imprint on Asbury Park. The company developed The Asbury Hotel from a former Salvation Army residence; reopened the Asbury Lanes bowling ally and live music venue; and constructed a luxury apartment tower along the beach known as the Asbury Ocean Club. iStars senior vice president for land development, Brian Cheripka, has tried to assure residents that his company was committed to their city for the long haul. Referring to the pool club during an interview published in January, Cheripka told NJ Advance Media: Our aim is to create an amenity for the residents and the visitors of Asbury Park. I think we have to look at this particular project in the context of the overall waterfront redevelopment, he said. NOTE: This article was updated to include a statement from the pool clubs developer, iStar, and responses to questions regarding membership fees and parking. Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Police on Tuesday said they charged a man with damaging Verizon equipment in a series of incidents that disrupted internet, landline phone and television service for South Jersey customers. David Reidenbaker is accused of damaging Verizon fiber-optic and copper communication lines along with other company equipment, according to Cherry Hill police. He was charged with three cases in Cherry Hill in March and April and similar incidents in Burlington County. Cherry Hill Police Chief William Monaghan said Reidenbaker was selling the material for scrap. The damage to this property resulted in Verizon residential and business customers being without communications for various amounts of time, police said in a statement. In some cases, service was down for as long as 24 hours while the damage could be repaired. Earlier this month, Verizon offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction after at least 10 cases of vandalism that knocked out the companys network. Verizon spokespeople did not immediately return messages. Reidenbaker, 38, was being held at the Burlington County Jail, officials said. He faces charges including substantial interruption or impairment of public communication and theft. Cherry Hill police said more charges were pending in other towns. Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters UPDATE: N.J. weather: More dangerous thunderstorms in forecast with flash flooding, hail, tornado possible Wednesday As the familiar pulses of the emergency alert system sounded on TVs up and down the state and storm notifications flashed across cellphone screens, New Jerseyans braced for the worst as tornado warnings hit multiple counties Tuesday night. Before 10:15 p.m., when the National Weather Service lifted tornado warnings for seven New Jersey counties, residents took to Twitter to post anxious tweets and describe the scenes in their hometowns. Others moved to diffuse the tension with a good dose of humor. Josh Sternberg wondered whether to wake up his kids and bring them downstairs. Texting with friends in town, he tweeted. All with kids. All in their basements. We woke the kids. Josh Sternberg (@joshsternberg) May 29, 2019 We left the basement and now we get to watch out for the flash floods, Sternberg later said. And hope the kids fall back asleep without any issues. Though Im pretty sure a giant clap of thunder scared the sh-- out of our 18-month-old. Literally. Jessica Layton, a reporter with CBS New York, shared this video from near Lenape Valley Regional High School in Stanhope, Sussex County, which will be closed on Wednesday due to storm damage. And this is video from Stanhope, NJ, near where a high school is closed tomorrow due to storm damage @CBSNewYork pic.twitter.com/c4dBrcGaM8 Jessica Layton (@JLaytonTV) May 29, 2019 Possible tornado in Stanhope, NJ hitting high school pic.twitter.com/zfdtEDDnDd Tony Gatto (@gattotony) May 29, 2019 Some, like Luis of Perth Amboy, tweeted videos of the cloudy skies outside their homes illuminated by lightning. Quite the light show here in Morristown. #njwx pic.twitter.com/WYyIXeakom Jeremy Godwin (@jergo) May 29, 2019 Storm chaser Nicholas Isabella captured what he said was an exploding transformer during the storm. Myself and @weathergoingwild captured this photograph of a transformer exploding as a tornado moved across the area of Northern New Jersey around 830 this evening. pic.twitter.com/xL2lYVeF4R Nicholas Isabella (@NycStormChaser) May 29, 2019 But others decided not to venture outside for a video or photos. To the basement they went. Well we just got a tornado. In NJ of all places. I better go chase it down in my car and take pics*.... be back later! *go to the basement Stands (@Stands) May 29, 2019 In Westfield, things got pretty real for Eric once the emergency alert hit his phone. Me watching the tornado in Kansas: Good thing there are no tornados in NJ! NJ: pic.twitter.com/9RDDdbWe7a Eric Storms (@eric__storms) May 29, 2019 Victoria was not expecting this. Dayyyuuumm I wasnt expecting this tornado watches never happen in NJ.. pic.twitter.com/9DIHB7Omgb Victoria (@VictoriaIsAHug1) May 28, 2019 In Newark, Zaynab deployed a classic Wizard of Oz reference. This is my official response to the tornado warning tonight in Newark, NJ pic.twitter.com/CG6v3Kq7qm zaynab (@zaynabhashemi) May 29, 2019 Rich Hennessy wasnt about to be precious about his personal space, not when a possible tornado loomed outside. Havent shared a bathtub with my mom in 28 years. Tonight that may change. #tornadowarning #nj #Tornado Rich Hennessy (@richennessy) May 29, 2019 It turns out the bathtub was a common go-to spot. My parents are simultaneously texting me from NJ- for context, the tub is in the center of our house and where we all go if theres a tornado pic.twitter.com/9ebviDjN4W Jessica Storm (@jesswxstorm) May 28, 2019 You know how they say animals can sense a storm? In Florham Park, Shawn Collins headed downstairs with his dogs because of a tornado warning but had to carry one of them because she doesnt like walking down the stairs in general. I had to pick up this sloth and carry her down to wait it out, he tweeted of his dog alongside a video showing her being hauled down the stairs. We got a tornado warning in NJ and my dog doesn't like walking down stairs so I had to pick up this sloth and carry her down to wait it out. pic.twitter.com/qBO5zi4P80 Shawn Collins (@shawncollins) May 29, 2019 Check out that hail in Denville. Viewer Nick Lindstrom sent us a picture of hail in Denville...#njwx #TornadoWarnings pic.twitter.com/1o41QT98fT Kurt Siegelin (@kurtsiegelin) May 29, 2019 Angela Taylor heeded the tornado warning in Union County but was ready with her own warning ... for the potential tornado, of course. If I get killed by a tornado in NEW JERSEY on my BIRTHDAY, Im haunting somebody for real, she tweeted. If I get killed by a tornado in NEW JERSEY on my BIRTHDAY, Im haunting somebody for real. pic.twitter.com/iolFK6wDo9 Angela Taylor (@angieptaylor) May 29, 2019 Others followed Taylors lead with memes. Got a damn Tornado warning right here in NJ... Me looking out the window.. pic.twitter.com/zDT1QP867v Carp (@robcarpenter81) May 29, 2019 emergency alerts: TORNADO WARNING TAKE SHELTER THIS IS SERIOUS me, a new jersey resident: ...yall hear sumn? pic.twitter.com/X6EIVteZsK lucien (@L_Edme24) May 29, 2019 New Jersey: exists Tornado for no reason: pic.twitter.com/PZoi1r9LoL Kurt Huel (@LilStub206) May 29, 2019 Me watching the clouds as I get freakin "tornado warning" alerts in New Jersey pic.twitter.com/ZGRbGILgMA Marques Brownlee (@MKBHD) May 29, 2019 Have a tip? Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmyKup or on Facebook. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. UPDATE: National Weather Service expands area for enhanced risk of severe thunderstorms Wednesday in latest forecast map Lenape Valley Regional High School in Stanhope remains closed Wednesday after a tornado struck Tuesday night while up to 100 people were inside for a track banquet. The powerful line of thunderstorms swept across portions of New Jersey late Tuesday, and the National Weather Service confirmed the tornado on Wednesday. At and near the high school on Wednesday morning, signs of the damage - from toppled trees to a ripped-apart facade entrance to the school building - were visible. Stanhopes emergency management coordinator, Wayne Anthony, said two people suffered minor injuries after a tree fell on their car, but that both declined medical treatment. We were lucky, and God was with us at this time, Anthony told NJ Advance Media. Scary scene, but all were OK: Stanhope emergency management coordinator Wayne Anthony recounts the rapid response to Lenape Valley Regional H.S. after a now-confirmed tornado strike Tuesday night #NJwx pic.twitter.com/wRuEHPfAIH Rob Jennings (@RobJenningsNJ) May 29, 2019 By noon Wednesday, drivers were still being diverted off Route 605, by Lenape Drive, as utility workers repaired damage at the high school and along the road. Peggy Fiorello, who lives across the street from the high school and was home with her husband Tuesday night, described what she saw and heard when the possible tornado struck. I was sitting the back in the sun room when I heard a pop. It sounded like one of the windows slamming shut, but they were locked and closed," she said Wednesday. Next, it sounded like someone was throwing rocks at her windows, which Fiorello said she soon realized was hail. Fiorello said she looked outside and saw very strong lightning, the type that you dont ordinarily see," and the aftermath of the impact with the power lines. It kind of looked like a fireworks display, she said. Seven trees were down on her property, but none hit her home. One landed on a fence, causing some damage, she said. Her next-door neighbor, Mary Jo Iannotta, recounted her familys close call as she described the whole sky lighting up, sparks and the buzzing from the transformers. Iannotta said that, just before the tornado struck, her 20-year-old son, Cory, had driven into the driveway. Cory ducked into the house - she and her husband were home - to pick up his computer while his girlfriend waited in the car. None had any idea what was about to happen. He was in the house for maybe, max, 5 minutes, and then the storm hit, Iannotta said. A large tree, about 65 feet tall, had crashed in the driveway about 20 yards from the small, Nissan Sentra with his girlfriend, Samantha, inside. Just opening the car door was a struggle, Iannotta said, alluding to the high winds. He got her out, and into the garage as the transformer burst into flames across the street, she added. On Wednesday morning, her husband, Mike Iannotta, and a friend, Tim Bescherer, were clearing the tree from the driveway and front lawn. Parts of two other trees also were down, but she said not a branch landed on their house. Sussex County Sheriff Michael Strada, who was at the high school on Wednesday, said about 6,000 homes, in the Stanhope and Hopatcong area, lost power on Tuesday night. Lt. Richard Kuncken, of the Stanhope-Netcong EMS, said damage at the high school appears to be all exterior in nature. The school administration and insurance are still conducting their assessment, but from what weve found, its mostly what you can see outside here, to the grounds, he said. Another round of dangerous storms is in the forecast for Wednesday. 13 Stanhope storm damage Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@RobJenningsNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters By Akil Roper Later this year, Pennsylvania will be the first state to implement a system of expungement and sealing of criminal records - that will require the court and law enforcement to expunge automatically certain arrest and conviction records without petitioners having to file a formal application. While other jurisdictions in the nation are considering some form of expedited expungement, New Jersey is well-positioned to, and should, embrace this concept to help blaze a trail to a more efficient and just expungement process. For many years, New Jerseys expungement law has been an important source of relief for those who have paid their debt to society, distanced themselves from past involvement in the criminal justice system and demonstrated their rehabilitation. Expungement can help create a path to a well-paying job, a decent apartment and necessary education. To some extent, however, complicated procedural requirements stifle the rights of eligible petitioners. Simplifying and streamlining the process now will make expungement all that more impactful going forward. Given that lawyers can charge thousands of dollars to file an expungement application, many with lesser resources are forced to navigate a confusing, multi-step process unrepresented. Seeking justice in our courts without the assistance of a lawyer carries a much greater risk of failure. Without a lawyer, some may not even be aware that expungement is an option available to them. This reality begs the question: how many of those eligible for expungements do not get the relief that they are entitled because of lack of awareness, procedural barriers, or lack of resources? One national study found that between 30 percent and 40 percent of adults with records were entitled to some form of expungement but have not obtained one. And in California, fewer than 10 percent of people eligible for expungement actually expunged their records. In response, a bill is pending to provide for an automated expungement process. A few years ago, Legal Services of New Jersey created an interactive website Clearing Your Record Online where users on their own can access expungement tools for free, including a program that determines ones eligibility for expungement and, if eligible, helps users create forms that can be filed with the court. Since its launch, the website has increased access to the courts and helped many people who could not afford a lawyer file expungement applications. CYRO, to date, has received over 20,000 hits and facilitated the creation of almost 1,500 completed expungement applications. Yet, Petitioners who use the website must still obtain all of their criminal record information on their own, file and serve their papers, respond to any objections and otherwise defend their applications. Not every eligible petitioner will be able to make use of this online program. New Jersey can and should do more. We believe the future of expungement should be online, automatic in appropriate instances, integrated with and facilitated by the courts. Pennsylvania, as mentioned above, will soon employ a procedure where most dismissed cases and certain other minor conviction records would be sealed without any action required by the individual. To make this happen, the court and state police in Pennsylvania would use computerized search techniques to determine cases eligible for such automatic sealing on a regular basis. Absent any objection from law enforcement, a blanket order of limited disclosure would be issued for those cases. Implementing a system where every individual eligible for expungement has their records expunged without requiring a petition or application will logically place some burden on the state. But the alternative is the status quo, in which thousands or even millions of New Jerseyans who are eligible to expunge, get no relief and continue to face numerous and unnecessary barriers to expungement and employment, housing and education opportunities. Such an outcome is unacceptable. Akil Roper is vice president and assistant general counsel of Legal Services of New Jersey (LSNJ). LSNJ coordinates and supports the statewide network of non-profit civil legal services programs. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion. Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. As Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller made clear in his report, and again today on TV, a sitting president cant be indicted, even if the evidence is overwhelming. Only Congress can hold a president accountable, through impeachment. And as we all know, Mitch McConnells servile Senate will never convict Trump. Add that up, and it means that President Trump doesnt have to obey the law. For him, in this bizarre moment in our history, the law books are strictly advisory. That doesnt sit right. So, I called Rep. Tom Malinowski, D-7th, who recently became the first member of New Jerseys Congressional delegation to call for impeachment hearings, to hear him out. I havent decided yet myself, so this is really his column, not mine. Today, Im just the stenographer. --On Mueller: Hes a great American, a patriot. He plays it fair and by the rules, even coming up against a bunch of people who would never dream of doing either. He agrees it would be unfair for Mueller to say he would indict, if it were not for the Justice Department rule barring it. If the good guys stoop to the level of the bad guys, were done. If he had confidence to clear Trump of the crime he would have said so. Translation: We did not clear him of this crime. If you read the report, there is serious evidence of obstruction. He places the responsibility squarely on the shoulder of Congress. --On the need for impeaching hearings: My thinking has evolved over the last couple of weeks, because the obstruction has continued. . . .Im not trying to lead a bandwagon, but having answered this question nearly every day for the last year, I felt that when my mind changed, I had an obligation to let my constituents know. What changed? Ordering people to defy subpoenas. Using the Department of Justice, continuing to call on them to prosecute his political enemies; now giving a partisan attorney general the power to declassify intelligence secrets to root out patriotic people in the FBI and Justice Department who were just trying to protect the country, and to continue to accuse the FBI of treason. You could argue he (Trump) is trying to goad us into impeachment. Maybe. You could argue hes just testing the boundaries of what he can get away with, knowing that if no one checks him, the boundaries will no longer exist. There has to be some institution in our government that is willing to say this matters; that there are still rules. Some institution has to hold that line. Because if nobody holds that line, there is no line. --On the politics of impeachment: He could shoot a guy on Fifth Avenue and the Senate wouldnt convict him. Thats the dilemma. We are forced to assume this responsibility, knowing the other side wont act responsibly. If we do it and the Senate acquits, where does that leave us? Thats still a strong argument. Its a balance. What causes the most damage the House doing this and the Senate acquitting, or doing nothing? Would it benefit Trump in the end politically? Didnt the Republican impeachment of Clinton help Clinton? The conventional wisdom in 2000 was that the whole thing wound up hurting Gore. Who knows? I dont think theres any precedent. Nobody knows what the political impact will be, and therefore it is a risk. But when in doubt, its probably best to do the right thing. --Odds and ends: On Mueller testifying at impeachment hearings: It would be much harder for him to resist. His sense of duty and his sense of process would lead him to understand the importance of his role in front of such an inquiry. On momentum towards impeachment: The president is the generator of the momentum. Its likely that if youre not there yet, hes going to do something that will persuade you -- next week, next month, or at some point. Hes engaged in a systemic effort to free himself from the boundaries of law and ethics and morality. At some point, everyone is going to reach their limit. . . .I know plenty of people who represent districts similar to mine who agree with me, and they havent said anything publicly. On what hed like to be doing instead: Gateway, health care, gun violence. That is still my first priority, and it has to be. But this other thing is inescapable. Malinowski is a freshman Democrat who defeated Republican Leonard Lance in the 2018 election, when Democrats took over four of the five Republicans seats in New Jersey. He won by five points in a swing district, and is likely to next face state Sen. Tom Kean, R-Union, who announced his candidacy last month. More: Tom Moran columns 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. By Kevin P. Hagan New Jerseys small businesses face constant threats from large national corporations looking to expand within the state. Now our states local liquor stores face such a threat that could destabilize the industry and destroy their livelihoods. Under current state law, a corporate entity is capped at two liquor licenses. Theres been a consistent push over the last decade to expand this limit from two to 10. While proponents of this change often object that our states liquor laws are outdated, many other states have similar license caps in place. Why? Because reasonable liquor license caps keep the industry-led systems guided by small, local, responsible businesses rather than large, out-of-state corporations that are unresponsive to local communities. Advocates for raising the cap reference Massachusetts, which expanded its liquor store license limit from three to nine in 2012. Legislators in the Bay State are now pushing to remove license limits altogether, allowing chain stores to have as many licenses as they please. All the while, local businesses get pushed out. Apply this law to New Jersey, and chains like Walmart would be able to sell alcohol in 10 of their many locations under one entity- but how likely is it that theyd be content with distributing liquor in a small fraction of their stores? Time and again, individual states have opted to loosen their alcohol license laws, and the results have been bad for small businesses. In 2011, Costco spent $22 million to deregulate Washington States liquor license system, which led to a dramatic increase in liquor stores, a surge in prices, a steep drop in available brands, and increased pressure on mom-and-pop liquor shops. Within three years of Washington States expansion of its licensing opportunities, 90 percent of all mom-and-pop stores went under. Similar outcomes could result in New Jersey with such an expansion of our license limit law. Besides their lobbying power, large retail chains can sell all alcoholic beverages as loss leaders. Their entry could result in a significant reduction of product selection based on current availability in all other chain states, including many ethnic brands offered by our states many liquor store owners. New Jersey is not only our nations most densely populated state, but also has the highest number of liquors licenses per capita, which has made us one of the most diverse states for liquor store options in the country. All this could be lost with the expansion of our two-license limit. Furthermore, allowing major corporations to sell alcohol under one corporate umbrella would ensure that profits go back to their home offices, preventing our state from receiving much-needed tax revenues. With the expansion of this critical limit, wed likely witness the failure of many independent, state-based companies that pay New Jersey corporate and payroll taxes. Most importantly, license limit states like New Jersey have among the lowest alcohol-related driving fatality rates in the country. Over the last five years, New Jersey has averaged 1.2 fatalities per 100,000 people, while the 18 states that allow chain liquor sales averaged 4.6 fatalities. By allowing corporate entities to sell alcoholic beverages in every grocery store, convenience store and pharmacy seeking a license, New Jersey could see well over 500 additional DWI/DUI-related deaths each year. This cant be ignored. Large retail chains owning many stores under one corporate structure should remain capped at two licenses. Whenever major corporations get all the licenses they want, as in Washington State, the independent retailers get pushed out, selection suffers, and public safety is put in jeopardy. The fact that large out-of-state corporations are willing to invest in New Jersey is great- however, it should not be at the expense of our states small, independent, local businesses that have dedicated their professional livelihoods to a time-tested system that truly serves our publics best interest. Kevin P. Hagan is the government affairs director for the New Jersey Liquor Store Alliance, a trade organization representing liquor retail establishments throughout the state. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion. Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Brace yourself: The open animosity between Gov. Phil Murphy and Democrats in the Legislature could soon derail efforts to expose the tidal wave of dark money that is giving wealthy special interest groups even more leverage in Trenton, all of it behind closed doors. If youre looking to pick sides, its Murphy who is chiefly to blame. The Legislature worked on a bill to force greater disclosure for months, with public hearings, and Murphy did not engage them. Once they passed a bill, though, he woke up and blocked its enactment with a conditional veto a few weeks ago. None of their objections were ever conveyed to me until the Friday before the veto, says Sen. Troy Singleton, the sponsor. We could have worked through all these issues. Count this wreck as a price we pay for electing a governor with no political experience. At Goldman Sachs, Murphy could issue orders. He doesnt seem to appreciate that in Trenton, he cant. Thats not how a democracy works. Murphy has issued 62 vetoes now, even though the Legislature is controlled by his fellow Democrats. Singletons complaint about the lack of engagement is nearly universal among legislators. And patience is wearing thin. I think we absolutely should do an override, says Senate President Steve Sweeney, D-Gloucester. Agreed. Senate Democrats will make that decision on Thursday. Assembly Democrats have a quorum set for June 6. The real pity is that Murphy could have avoided this collision, and at least two of his objections to the bill are perfectly reasonable. He wants to force wider disclosure by including organizations that arent covered in this bill, like LLCs and 501c6s. And he objects to forcing disclosure of donations to groups that lobby for causes, but do not take sides during elections, like the ACLU of New Jersey, which fears the bill will chill donations. The Brennan Center for Justice, among the most respected voices in the field, agrees with Murphy on both those points. So why didnt the governors people sit down with Singleton and ask to make changes? Im always open to conversation and continued dialogue, Singleton says. The cynical explanation is that Murphy didnt want this bill to pass, that this wreck is not an accident. Remember, his own hands are dirty. Murphys senior advisors, including Essex County Freeholder Brendan Gill, are raising huge sums of dark money to promote the governors agenda, even as the governor bloviates about transparency and clean government. Those aides promised to reveal the names of donors at the end of 2018, but they broke that promise, and Murphy hasnt lifted a finger to force their hands. So, only a fool would trust the governor on this issue. Sweeney is tainted, too. His allies raise dark money from wealthy donors, and he was embarrassed when a clerical error revealed that PSEG donated $55,000 earlier this year, just four months after Sweeney engineered the approval of a shamelessly sloppy measure that allows PSEG to claim $300 million a year to subsidize its nuclear plants -- even though the plants continue to turn a profit. To save this reform, to unveil donations of $10,000 or more, the Legislature has two options. It can do nothing, and the bill will die, forcing Singleton, D-Burlington, and Assemblyman Andrew Zwicker, D-Somerset, the other lead sponsor, to start from scratch. Thats a risky move. Singleton has been working on the bill for three years. And with Trentons bitter divisions growing harder every day, winning approval would be even tougher now. The second option is to override Murphys veto, to bank these important reforms, and then start work on a second bill to address the governors concerns. Many Democrats are reluctant to expose the political weakness of their own partys governor by overriding his veto. But an override would not just protect this reform; it would teach Murphy a valuable lesson about the need to collaborate with legislators in the future. A course correction like that might be this governors best hope. More: Tom Moran columns 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. U.S. Sen. Cory Booker said Wednesday the U.S. House should begin impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump after Special Counsel Robert Mueller declined to clear the president of obstruction of justice in the investigation into Russian involvement in the 2016 election. It is our legal and moral obligation to hold those who have committed crimes accountable, Booker, a New Jersey Democrat and candidate for his partys nomination in the 2020 presidential race. Its clear that the House must begin impeachment proceedings, he added. "No one is above the law. Bookers call came shortly after Mueller spoke publicly about the investigation for the first time since his appointment two years ago. Mueller said he found insufficient evidence to charge Trumps campaign of conspiring with Russia during the 2016 campaign but did not make the same determination regarding obstruction of justice. If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so, Mueller told reporters in Washington, D.C. He also said U.S. Justice Department policy prohibited charging a sitting president with a crime but the Constitution allowed Congress to impeach a president and remove him from office. Booker said that was a call to action for Congress, especially as Trump, a Republican, has resisted all attempts by House committees to investigate his administration. Robert Muellers statement makes it clear: Congress has a legal and moral obligation to begin impeachment proceedings immediately, Booker, a frequent Trump critic, wrote on Twitter after Muellers statement. This Administration has continued to stonewall Congresss oversight. Beginning impeachment proceedings is the only path forward. Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) May 29, 2019 Still, there was no indication the House would begin impeachment proceedings. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said only that Congress holds sacred its constitutional responsibility to investigate and hold the President accountable for his abuse of power. Booker went further than he has in the past with Wednesdays comments. He told NJ Advance Media last week that he supported the ongoing House investigations into Trumps finances and other allegations of wrongdoing. House Democratic leaders so far have resisted calls to begin impeachment proceedings against Trump. The House should be allowed to do their work, Booker said at the time. I think right now the president is not cooperating as he should and I believe hes constitutionally required. I believe were going to have a real crisis emerge if he continues to undermine the ability to continue this investigation, which is absolutely critical. Trump on Wednesday again claimed that Muellers report exonerated him, saying on Twitter that nothing changes and the case is closed. Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2019 Another New Jersey Democrat, U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., reacted to Muellers statement by calling on Congress to impeach U.S. Attorney General William Barr if he does not resign within a week. Barr, who has refused to release the full report, issued a summary saying Mueller cleared Trump of all charges, which the special counsel said he did not. Barr lied to the nation and should no longer occupy his office, sad Pascrell, D-9th Dist. His behavior and actions are a continuing danger to stable democracy. Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. UPDATE: N.J. weather: More dangerous thunderstorms in forecast with flash flooding, hail, tornado possible Wednesday Officials were responding to storm damage in northern New Jersey late Tuesday, including widespread power outages, downed trees and at least one sighting of a possible tornado. A trained weather spotter reported seeing a funnel cloud at the base of a rotating thunderstorm in Mendham, according to preliminary reports released by the National Weather Service. In Sussex County, a weather spotter reported possible tornado damage" at Lenape Valley Regional High School in Stanhope. About 50 to 100 people were attending a track team banquet in the high school cafeteria as the storm hit, according to officials. Two people suffered minor injuries when an object - possibly a tree - fell on a vehicle, but nobody was taken to the hospital, a sheriffs office official said. People attending the event waited out the storm in the gymnasium until emergency crews made sure it was safe to leave, schools Superintendent Paul DiRupo said in an e-mail. The area had significant wires down and trees uprooted," with lesser damage in front of the school, DiRupo wrote. Sheriff Michael Strada said the countys emergency management office was at the scene assessing the damage. An alert on the school website said it would be closed Wednesday. Downed trees and power lines littered the area around the school and a blown transformer less than a mile from the school closed the main road to it for several hours. A DPW truck also went off the side of the road in Stanhope. A National Weather Service representative said the agency had not confirmed a tornado hit the area. The @NBCNewYork S Band radar detected a large debris ball/tornado debris signature near Stanhope, NJ where serious damage has been reported. This radar signature confirms a tornado touched down and debris was lofted. @JaniceHuff4ny @NWS_MountHolly pic.twitter.com/yIEIu6pQDz Ryan Hanrahan (@ryanhanrahan) May 29, 2019 Marie Raffay, her husband Russ and two sons were at the high school for the banquet when the storm hit. Marie said she was chatting with a friend and helping clean up in the schools cafeteria when the windows began to bend. The back windows, they kind of like bowed inwards, the Byram resident said. At that point we kind of stopped and said maybe we shouldnt be in here. Still, it wasnt until she walked into the hallway where her husband and two sons were that she started to realize what happened. They were all screaming oh my God, look at the dugout.' The dugout from the baseball field had flipped over," she said. "There were some tables out there that had umbrellas on them. The umbrellas were gone and the poles were still there, but were all bent. Shortly after, emergency officials began to arrive and ushered everyone to the school gym asking with urgency if anyone was injured. Three of the four entrances were blocked off by fallen trees and power lines, she said. Marie said a tree had fallen on the car of another family who were leaving the event as they drove away, but that they were both unharmed. She said emergency officials handled the situation very well, coordinating a safe evacuation and directing people through a maze of downed trees and power lines and was grateful things were not worse than they were. In the end we got out and were like wow, that could have been horrible, she said. About 14,000 Jersey Central Power & Light customers were without power in the Morris and Sussex county areas, utility company spokesman Dave Newcomb said Tuesday night. There was a line of very severe thunderstorms that moved through the area, he said. We are sending all available crews. And this is video from Stanhope, NJ, near where a high school is closed tomorrow due to storm damage @CBSNewYork pic.twitter.com/c4dBrcGaM8 Jessica Layton (@JLaytonTV) May 29, 2019 In Hopatcong, police asked residents to stay indoors Tuesday night. If you cannot get through keep trying. There are numerous incidents throughout the entire area and your first responders are doing their best to maintain and remedy," the police department said in a Facebook post. The harsh weather brought major delays in the areas airports. At Newark Liberty International Airport, average delays reached nearly three hours. Forecasters previously issued tornado warnings around the region. Earlier on Tuesday, the National Weather Service confirmed a tornado touched down in Berks County, Pennsylvania. A team from the weather agency also planned to survey damage in Sussex County to determine if that area was hit by a twister. We will be conducting storm surveys on Wednesday for the areas near Morgantown in Berks County PA and Hopatcong in Sussex County NJ. The surveys are in relation to the severe thunderstorms that moved through the region on Tuesday evening. #PAwx #NJwx NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) May 29, 2019 In Cumberland County, the crew of a fishing boat captured video of what appeared to be a waterspout off False Egg Island Point in the Delaware Bay. It was something to experience. Once in a lifetime thing," a member of the crew from the Bonanza II said on social media. Mike Rothman, dive team member and captain of the fishing boat Bonanza ll, captured a photo of a waterspout just south of Fortescue in Cumberland County.Photo Courtesy: Mike Rothman Jessica Mazzola and Stephen Stirling contributed to this story. Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters UPDATE (6:10 p.m.): The tornado warning for Burlington, Mercer and Monmouth counties has been lifted. But eight counties across New Jersey remain under a tornado watch until 8 p.m. The National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning for parts of Burlington, Mercer and Monmouth counties in New Jersey, effective from 5:35 p.m. until 6 p.m. Wednesday. Strong thunderstorm cells capable of producing a funnel cloud are moving through those areas at this hour, forecasters said. "Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed, the tornado warning says. Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is likely. The National Weather Service had issued a tornado warning for parts of Hunterdon County in New Jersey and for Bucks County in eastern Pennsylvania that expired at 4:15 p.m. Wednesday. The warnings were issued due to a cluster of strong thunderstorms moving through central and eastern Pennsylvania and pushing into western sections of New Jersey, and forecasters spotted wind rotation near the Delaware River in Lambertville. Residents in Burlington, Mercer and Monmouth were advised to seek cover, because the storm cell moving through was packing strong winds and hail as large as 2 inches in diameter. Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Trenton NJ, Franklin Park NJ, Hamilton Square NJ until 4:45 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/yimTWfAy0D NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) May 29, 2019 Severe thunderstorm warnings The weather service has also issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth and Somerset counties, with wind gusts as strong as 60 mph being generated by storm cells moving through those areas shortly after 4 p.m. The thunderstorm warning is effective through 4:45 p.m. Wednesday. Another severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean counties, effective through 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. And a thunderstorm warning for Hunterdon and Warren counties is active through 5 p.m. Update (5:20 p.m.): A severe thunderstorm warning remains in effect for Hunterdon and Mercer counties until 6 p.m. Update (6:30 p.m.): A severe thunderstorm warning is in effect for Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Ocean counties until 7:30 p.m. Our flood threat is increasing for tonight from heavy rain. NWS has issued Flash Flood Warnings for several NJ counties. Do NOT drive through flooded roadways tonight. Use caution. @DaveCurren @News12NJ https://t.co/2VY6thyYfq pic.twitter.com/CA5J5siJy3 Michele Powers (@MichelePowersWx) May 29, 2019 Flash flood warnings Rain was falling hard in Sussex and Warren counties this afternoon and more heavy rain has been falling this evening, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a flash flood warning for those areas of New Jersey, effective through 7:45 p.m. Wednesday. Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area with rainfall rates over three inches per hour, the flood warning says. Flash flooding is expected to begin shortly in the areas of heaviest rain. Update (5:20 p.m.): A new flash flood warning was issued at 5:15 p.m. for Hunterdon, Morris, Sussex and Warren counties, effective until 9:15 p.m. The weather service said some storm cells affecting those areas are producing rainfall rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour. Update (5:30 p.m.): A flash flood warning now remains in effect until 9:30 p.m. in Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris and Somerset counties. Update (6:10 p.m.): A flash flood warning remains in effect until 10 p.m. in Mercer, Middlesex, Morris and Ocean counties. A flash flood warning means flooding is either imminent or occurring. As of 6:40 p.m. Wednesday, almost 2.6 inches of rain was reported in Hopewell in Mercer County and almost 1.7 inches of rain had fallen in Hamilton, also in Mercer. Tornado safety tips The National Weather Service offers these safety tips for people in areas that are under a tornado warning: If you are at home Go to your basement and hide under something sturdy, like a work bench or a heavy table, or cover yourself with a mattress or sleeping bag. If there is no basement in your home, go to the lowest floor, a small center room like a bathroom or closet, under a stairwell, or in an interior hallway with no windows. Avoid windows. If you are in a mobile home, get out and find a permanent structure until the tornado passes. Here are some tornado safety tips from the National Weather Service.National Weather Service If you are at work or in another building Get away from any windows. Go to an enclosed area in the center of the building and stay as low as possible, away from glass. Crouch down and cover your head. Stay off elevators, because power can be knocked out. If you are driving If a tornado is visible, far away, and traffic is light, you may be able to drive out of its path by moving at right angles to the tornado. Seek shelter in a sturdy building, or underground if possible. If that's not possible, park the car as quickly and safely as possible out of the traffic lanes. Stay in the car with the seat belt on. Put your head down below the windows; cover your head with your hands and a blanket, coat, or other cushion if possible. If you can safely get noticeably lower than the level of the roadway, leave your car and lie in that area, covering your head with your hands. Do not seek shelter under bridges, which can create deadly traffic hazards while offering little protection against flying debris. Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @LensReality or like him on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook. The Boston Red Sox visit the Bronx on Thursday to open a four-game series with the New York Yankees. And the Sox will come to town without their best home run hitter in 2019. No, its not J.D. Martinez. No, its not Mookie Betts. Mitch Moreland leads the Red Sox with 13 home runs this year, and hes been placed on the 10-day injured list with a low back strain. Prior to tonights game, the #RedSox made the following roster moves: 1B Mitch Moreland was placed on the 10-day IL with a low back strain, retroactive to May 26. RHP Travis Lakins was optioned to AAA Pawtucket following last nights game. Boston Red Sox (@RedSox) May 29, 2019 RHP Colten Brewer and LHP Josh Taylor were recalled from Pawtucket. Taylor will wear number 72. Boston Red Sox (@RedSox) May 29, 2019 The Red Sox also wont have second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who is contemplating retirement following almost two years of rehab from knee surgery. But Boston will have ace Chris Sale on the mound Thursday. The last time the Yankees saw Sale, they lit him up on April 16, to the tune of four runs on seven hits over five innings in a 8-0 victory. But since that clunker against the Yankees, Sale has turned things around. He has not given up more than three earned runs in each of his last seven starts. In five of his last seven starts, Sale has struck out at least 10 batters, including a personal best 17 in just seven innings on May 14 vs. the Colorado Rockies. The overall numbers from his last seven starts? A 2.44 ERA and 74 strikeouts. The Yankees will get CC Sabathia back from the 10-day injured list on Sunday for the series finale. Sabathia landed on the injured list last Thursday with right knee inflammation. The move came one day after he gutted out five innings against the Baltimore Orioles in a 7-5 Yankees win at Camden Yards. After this weekend, the Red Sox and Yankees wont meet until the end of June when they head to Europe for their historic two-game series in London. Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @rosenstein73. Find NJ.com on Facebook. For an example of the powerful impact of live theater, get to the Saenger this week for the local premiere of Come From Away. The national touring company of the Tony Award-winning musical was a sleeper hit and unexpected musical based on the widespread effects of the terrorism attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. As all U.S. airspace as shut down after jets crashed into the twin towers of New Yorks World Trade Center, and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., planes were ordered immediately grounded at the nearest possible airports. More than three dozen flights from all over the world landed at a long-forgotten airport in Gander, a small town on the Canadian island of Newfoundland, a place that suddenly found its population increase from 9,000 to 16,000 within hours. Come From Away is a loving tribute to the hospitable heroism shown by the residents of Gander, coming together to aid the plane people, who were stranded for nearly a week away from their intended destinations. No man is an island, but the island makes the man, we hear in the commanding opening number, Welcome to the Rock. Amid the horrors, fears and uncertainties of those several days, the coming together of divergent communities not without some difficulties reveals a shared humanity. With its spirited and energetic production, that theme is carried out as Come From Away shows that in the worst of times, often the very best is brought out in people. The surprise of Come From Away, however, is that it doesnt turn into a schlocky greeting card. With book, music and lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, a spontaneous realism bursts forth as the musical docudrama begins to focus on the individual characters, mostly amalgams of a number of real people. That sense of authenticity is matched by the fine ensemble of a dozen actors who come across as the most ordinary people you could meet as the transition through several roles each. They do so with grace and emotion. The memories stirred by anyone who remembers that fateful morning are just as genuine and deep. While Come From Away will elicit a few tears, the surprise is the degree of humor that fills the show. Director Christopher Ashley never allows it to become overly slick and it certainly doesnt trivialize the tragedy. But even in grief, there can be solace in laughter driven by human folly. The music, performed by a vibrant eight-piece onstage band, drives the show with its pop Celtic/folk-inspired score. There are rousing upbeat numbers, such as Screech In, in which the visitors are initiated as honorary Newfoundlanders. The gentle moments are captured, as well, for example with a stunning hymn, Prayer, and the poignant ballad, Somewhere in the Middle of Nowhere. The musical staging by Kelly Devine invigorates the stage filling it with vivid movement. Theres not anything flashy about the show, with a simple set in which locations are suggested primarily by a few chairs and lighting shifts. Nevertheless, Come From Away draws the audience convincingly into its world with a warm hug, which needs nothing more than the hospitable spirit that it honors. COME FROM AWAY What: The Broadway in New Orleans series presents the local premiere of the musical about a small Canadian town suddenly playing host to 7,000 visitors as planes are diverted to its airport in the wake of 9/11. Book, music and lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein; Christopher Ashley directs. Where: Saenger Theatre, 1111 Canal St., New Orleans. When: Performances at 7:30 Wednesday and Thursday; at 8 Friday and Saturday; and matinees at 2 on Saturday, and at 1 on Sunday. Final performance at 6:30 on Sunday, June 2. Admission: Tickets start at $30. Group discounts are available. For information, call 800.218.7469, or visit the theaters website at http://neworleans.broadway.com. A Texas man has been arrested and a second suspect is being sought in the April theft of 124 tires and rims off of vehicles at a Slidell Chevrolet dealership, authorities announced Wednesday (May 29). Slidell Police Chief Randy Fandal said the pair have been linked to similar thefts along the Interstate 10 corridor and areas in Texas, describing them as members of a professional theft ring responsible for millions of dollars in tire thefts. Eric Summage, 39, of Humble, Texas, was arrested in Texas on a charge of felony theft over $100,000 in the April 27 theft at Matt Bowers Chevrolet in Slidell, police announced. The loss to the dealership was estimated at $120,000, a figure that includes the value of the tires and rims, replacement of damaged rotors, shipping, labor and loss of sales. Riley Richardson, 44, of Houston, is being sought. The pair are also wanted by the Bexar County Sheriffs Office in San Antonio, Texas. Investigators are working to obtain arrest warrants for other suspects in the case, police said. None of the stolen property has been recovered thus far. Because of the hard work of our detectives, we have put a big dent in this elaborate theft ring, Fandal said. One arrest has been made, and there will be several more to follow. Tires, rims stolen off 31 cars at Slidell dealership Thieves struck before dawn on Saturday, April 27, at Matt Bowers Chevrolet, disabling a surveillance camera and manipulating a lighting system so they could work in darkened conditions, authorities have said. Later that morning, a dealership manager discovered the wheels missing from 31 vehicles, including Chevy Tahoes, Malibus, trucks and smaller SUVs, police said. 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 Video showed that shortly before 3 a.m., two people walked across the dealership parking lot and cut the locks to a side entrance, police said. A short time later, a U-Haul truck entered the rear lot. About 40 minutes later, the truck left. Investigators believe the thieves worked for several hours to remove tires from the vehicles before the truck arrived to haul the goods away, Fandal said. The culprits left behind a car jack and some wooden blocks used to prop up the vehicles. A combination of technology and good investigative work led Slidell detectives to Houston, where they spent several days meeting with Houston Police and other neighboring agencies, authorities said. Surveillance videos from multiple locations throughout the Gulf South and Texas helped in identifying the suspects, according to police. We are in contact with multiple law enforcement agencies and sharing information to ensure these individuals are brought to justice and held responsible for every single theft they have committed, Fandal said. Bowers called the police work leading to the arrest very impressive," saying the wheel thefts "happened to many people over multiple states over multiple years. Slidell Police detectives Kyle Taylor and Joel Hoskins are responsible for the investigation. They can be contacted via email at ktaylor@slidellpd.com and jhoskins@slidellpd.com. Chantelle Gary said her daughter, Normandie Alise Cormier, has always been an ambitious kid. At 18, Cormier has already tutored 146 adults, helping them pass exams to obtain their high school equivalency diploma or gain entry into graduate school. Cormier, however, set another ambitious standard this month. After graduating with double honors from both Early College Academy and South Louisiana Community College in Lafayette, Cormier has been accepted into more than 139 colleges and five medical schools, including international institutions in Spain, Italy, Switzerland and South Africa, according to a news release Tuesday (May 28). Cormier also received a collective total of $8.7 million in scholarship offers, including 17 full rides, according to the release. In a statement, Cormier said shes planning to attend Xavier University due to its reputation as the top producer of black doctors nationwide. "It's been a long journey with lots of obstacles but with a positive mindset, everything I put my mind to was within reach," Cormier stated. New Orleans teen accepted into 115 colleges selects Eureka College in Illinois Cormier told The Acadiana Advocate she applied to dozens of schools through the Common Application and the Common Black College Application. She plans to enroll at Xavier in the fall to complete her bachelors degree on a pre-med track, with the goal of becoming a surgeon. Cormier credits her success to her single mother, who homeschooled Cormier along with her brother, according to the release. 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 Cormier not only overcame poverty and bullying, but she was also bedridden in a hospital a few months before graduation. The Advocate reported Cormier developed an immune system disorder at age 2 that led to frequent hospital stays while she was growing up. Cormier has also immersed herself in entrepreneurship since the age of 12, according to the release. In high school, she started three initiatives focused on tutoring and youth mentoring, and she was only 15 when she presented her first business seminar in Las Vegas alongside her mother, according to the release. Cormier received recognitions of academic excellence from U.S. Presidents Barack Obama in 2015 and Donald Trump in 2018, according to the release. This summer she will be honored at a ceremony in California with a GE-Reagan Foundation scholarship and award of $40,000 in memory of former President Ronald Reagan. Cormier will also receive a Community Champion award this July. "It's such a surreal feeling knowing there's light before the end of the tunnel and it starts with being humble and counting every blessing," Cormier stated. Hurricane Katrina survivor approaches milestone in upcoming Yale graduation Wilborn P. Nobles III is an education reporter based in New Orleans. He can be reached at wnobles@nola.com or on Twitter at @WilNobles. The leash strained as TChalla, a 1-year-old pit bull puppy, ran down a wooden wheelchair ramp pulling his owner, Edwick Green, close behind. Green, who is paraplegic, winced with every tug of the leash. He took several deep breaths once the dog had calmed down. When he pulls, almost every time it creates a muscle spasm, he said, leaning forward in his motorized wheelchair to rub his calf muscles which had started to spasm from the exertion. This time the pain subsided quickly, in what Green described as a quick hurt. Some days, the pain is intense enough that it can lock up the lower half of his body for a full day. He calls this a whole hurt. Green was prescribed Oxycodone and a drug called Meritol to control the pain and muscle spasms starting in 2011. But when Louisiana started putting together the framework for a medical marijuana program in 2015, Green, like many others, saw a more natural alternative that could help him manage the debilitating pain in his legs. Like so many other potential medical marijuana patients in Louisiana, Green is still waiting for the program to become reality. Medical marijuana regulation in Louisiana turns into turf war He signed on with one of the first physicians licensed to recommend therapeutic marijuana in Louisiana, Baton Rouge-based physician Dr. Victor Chou, in May 2018. At the time, we were thinking, we will probably have product in like two or three months. Ill get it by August of that year, Green said recently from his home in Baker, outside Baton Rouge. August came. Now its almost August of this year. I dont know. Its frustrating. The program has made slow progress. LSU AgCenter and its partner GB Sciences Louisiana harvested their first crop of marijuana in October. In the months that followed, any progress in getting the extracts from the plant tested and bottled into a liquid tincture form were delayed by regulatory hurdles and testing requirements. Earlier this month, GB Sciences Louisiana said that it would likely have product available in a limited supply in June of this year. Meanwhile, Southern University AgCenters program likely wont develop any product until at least this fall, after its growing partner changed ownership last November to the Pennsylvania-based company Ilera Holistic Healthcare. Its unclear how much product GB Sciences will have available to distribute at the states nine licensed dispensaries or when a second batch of product would be available. A spokesperson for the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry confirmed Friday (May 24) that they still had not received final product, which would need to be tested. However, they added that there should be a quick turnaround when they do receive it. The product, when it does become available, will be sold in a tincture form (liquid) and as a topical cream. A bill sponsored by Baton Rouge Democrat Rep. Ted James allowing patients to inhale marijuana using an inhaler is moving on to the full Senate after it received significant approval by the House earlier this month. The uncertainty about when medical marijuana will become a reality has pushed some Louisianians to explore alternative ways to access it. The first time Katie Mayers travelled out of state to buy medical marijuana was in 2013. A car accident in 2008, when she was 25, left her with a debilitating spinal cord injury. Doctors prescribed pain killers and muscle relaxers to help her manage the pain. 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 I was sick as a dog for years, she said. The prescription drugs made her nauseous and she lost her appetite. She had read that medical marijuana was being used by some people with multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injuries to relive muscle spasms and pain, but wanted to get it safely without breaking the law. So she visited Colorado, which approved recreational marijuana use in 2013. I didnt know the therapeutic value until I tried it, Mayers said. I could eat a meal without throwing up. She went to her surgeon back in Louisiana to ask him about medical marijuana. We live in a red state, it will be years, he told her. At that point Mayers started actively doing patient outreach for the advocacy organization Sensible Marijuana Policy Louisiana (SMPL). Through the work, she learned about dozens of patients playing federal hopscotch across state lines, traveling to places where medical marijuana had been legalized in order to find relief. Mayers is no longer actively involved with SMPL. A second car accident in 2016, resulted in a traumatic brain injury that caused her to lose her vision temporarily and her balance. Her injuries compelled her to travel to Colorado again to buy medical marijuana. Chou, one of the first physicians in Louisiana to get licensed to recommend medical marijuana, said patients who signed on with him a year ago are still patiently waiting for medical marijuana product. Most everyone is understanding that the product delays are out of my control, but they are frustrated by the bureaucracy of it all. Sitting in his living room, Green wondered aloud if hed have to reach out to Chou soon to re-register for the program, since he had already waited a year. Across from where he sat, photos of his twin daughters Erianna and Edon, both now 7, decorated an entire wall. His leg muscles started to spasm lightly. The spasms are always at their worst between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. He has to go pick up his girls from school at 2 p.m. My body seems to know its got to control itself before then, he said. Having access to medical marijuana for Green isnt about entirely stopping having to use prescription drugs to control his muscle spasms in his legs and the resulting pain. Its about having another option, without the side effects. He stopped to think about what he would do if medical marijuana was accessible and helped control the spasms. We go on vacation every year, half of the vacation I have to stay here, he said. Theres just a lot of things that would be a lot easier. (CNN) The Australian teen dubbed "Egg Boy" for smashing an egg on the head of a far-right politician on camera says he will donate 100,000 Australian dollars ($69,000) to the victims of the Christchurch mosque attacks. Will Connolly gained international prominence after egging Australian Sen. Fraser Anning, who had blamed the massacre on immigration policies that "allowed Muslim fanatics to migrate to New Zealand in the first place." Anning's comments sparked widespread outrage and condemnation in Australia, the home nation of Brenton Tarrant, the man charged with murder in connection with the terrorist shootings at two New Zealand mosques that killed 50 people. In footage shot by Connolly that went viral, Anning is left with raw egg dripping down his back and the front of his shirt at a Melbourne news conference. Anning is seen punching the teenager in the face and then taking another swing before the two are separated. Connolly is tackled to the ground. The encounter occurred a day after the massacre. Connolly said two GoFundMe pages were subsequently set up to help him cover his legal expenses and to "buy more eggs." Connolly says he had no legal fees because he was represented pro bono, and no charges were filed against him, so he chose to donate the money to the victims of the attack. "After a huge amount of red tape, $99,922.36 has today been transferred to the Christchurch Foundation and Victims Support," he said in his Instagram post. "To the victims of the Tragedy, I (sic) whole heartedly hope that this can bring some relief to you." This story was first published on CNN.com, "Australia's 'egg boy' donates $70,000 to Christchurch victims fund." Citizens' Committee in Bonn : 250 demonstrators in Bonns council hall Bonn The meeting of the citizens' committee in Bonn on Tuesday evening was accompanied by about 250 demonstrators. Three organizations want to achieve the proclamation of a climate emergency. They received great approval in the citizens' committee. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken The meeting of the citizens' committee in Bonn on Tuesday evening was accompanied by about 250 demonstrators. Three organizations want to achieve the proclamation of a climate emergency. They received great approval in the citizens' committee. This many visitors rarely find their way to the Council Hall in Bonn: on Tuesday evening around 250 spectators came to the Citizens' Committee to confirm the importance of a citizens' application submitted there by the organisations Fridays for Future, Klimawache and Parents for Future. The declared aim is for the Bonn City Council to declare a climate emergency. In the Citizens' Committee they were heard for their request. The local politicians unanimously recommended that the city council approve the proposal. As Luca Samlidis of Fridays for Future told the GA after the meeting, the proclamation, which several cities had already joined, was a rather symbolic but important act. "But we want to achieve more than just lip service and puns". He announced that the movements involved would in future put climate policy within the city of Bonn to the test. In the expansion of local public transport, the cycle path infrastructure and the use of energy, we will take a very close look at where money is being spent sensibly. The 19-year-old Samlidis was pleased with the broad support of the committee members, only one of whom abstained. Before the debate, Luisa Engqvist spoke to the demonstrators and the political representatives: "In the name of reason, I ask you to listen to the scientists and call out the climate crisis. Nils von Delft of the Climate Watch also stressed: "The climate crisis that is approaching us is dangerous - we are all making this clear to the politicians and calling for concrete countermeasures to be taken in Bonn as well". Original text: Philipp Konigs More than 55 years after Raymond and Vera Landry, a longeshoreman and a nurse, allowed their daughter Sheryl Ann to become the only black student to attend an otherwise all-white New Orleans public school, the mother reached out for help tracking down the Sept. 8, 1961, newspaper photo. As Vera Landry explained to me in a February 2017 message, it wasnt a major anniversary year; she was reaching out on Sheryls 62nd birthday. Sheryl had integrated McDonogh No. 11 when she was 6. But the mother was still beating herself up over the decision to send her child into that hostile environment. It breaks my heart, she wrote, to know what I put my child through. This year is a kind of major anniversary year. Sixty-five years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Brown v. Board of Education, declared that Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal, making it possible eventually for Sheryl to go to a school that would have turned away her parents. To the extent that the public thinks of school integration, it thinks of those black people who were first: the Little Rock 9 in Arkansas, Ruby Bridges at William Frantz Elementary; Leona Tate, Tessie Prevost and Gail Etienne at McDonogh 19. And to the extent the public thinks of those integration pioneers, it thinks of them as the heroes in a civil rights fairy tale that ends with black folks and white folks living happily ever after. But Americas schools remain largely segregated. So there was no ever after, and the Landrys, who put themselves in the center of an integration story, have felt mostly anguish since then. As strange as it may seem, those in the second wave of integration pioneers likely have more horrible stories than those who went first if only because the second group didnt get the same amount of attention from the media or law enforcement. The Landrys believe Sheryls 1961 ordeal was tougher than Ruby Bridges ordeal in 1960 because when Ruby entered Frantz, almost every white child withdrew, leaving the 6-year-old in a classroom by herself. The mob of adults gathered outside was, well, a mob, and its no small thing that a 6-year-old had to walk through it daily, but Ruby was shepherded in and out by U.S. marshals. Once inside Frantz, she had a teacher shes described as loving and supportive. The little girls who desegregated New Orleans schools According to The Times-Picayune, in 1961, 175 students appeared at McDonogh No. 11 for the first day of school: 174 white children and one Negro girl. Across the city, 12 black children entered six formerly all-white schools, but according to that report, No U.S. deputy marshals accompanied them this time, as was the case last fall. Im not trying to take anything from (Ruby Bridges). I admire her, Landry said at the New Orleans Public Library where she met a columnist and photographer from NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune in 2017 to go through the librarys microfiche archives. But, I thought (Sheryls story) would be mentioned, especially when the three-story, 19th century school building at Palmyra and South Prieur Streets was moved to make way for University Medical Center. As preservationists fought to save the structure, Landry listened for a mention of Sheryls name but does anybody even know it? Landry tells two stories about her familys decision to have their 6-year-old integrate a school stories that, on their face, seem incompatible. Landry starts by saying her family wasnt trying to make a political statement. They lived four blocks from McDonogh No. 30, where Sheryl attended kindergarten, but only two blocks from McDonogh No. 11. The decision was one of convenience, she said. Sheryl would only need to walk two blocks instead of four blocks. She claims not to have considered the consequences not even after she got a phone call from someone at the Orleans Parish School Board asking if she still wanted go through with it. When the NAACP called and said a cab was being sent to ferry Sheryl to and from school, the mother wondered why a two-block trip required transportation. Though Landry insists her family wasnt trying to become known, it troubles her that nobody knows who Sheryl is or what she did. That doesnt mean, though, that the Landrys really were trying to become famous. Its more likely that after realizing how hard their child had it, they wanted a public acknowledgement of the familys sacrifice. As Landry remembers it, some little children wanted to play with Sheryl, but the older children wouldnt let them. In a class photo where the students were lined up according to height, the mother remembers her child being placed at a far end where she obviously didnt belong so she could be easily cropped out. Landry, who met those journalists at the library days before her 81st birthday and on one of her days off as a nurse, said, Before I go, I want to have some closure especially for Sheryl. I want her to know that what she did wasnt in vain. How could I, her mother, let her be subjected to that? I feel like I traumatized my child. I allowed it to happen. I thought I was doing something good. When the spinning reels of the microfiche machine finally brought up a black-and-white image of a little girl being walked out of McDonogh No. 11 by a cab driver, Landry exclaimed, Oh, my girl! Its Sheryl! Im sorry. Im so sorry. She wept and apologized to that image the way people at funerals do as theyre looking down into a casket. *** I didnt know that she was sorry, Sheryl Sissler said when I reached her by phone in Tennessee. Ive been sorry. Because shed been to kindergarten, Sissler said, she thought she knew what to expect on a first day of school. But when she arrived at McDonogh 11, she said, People started throwing paper and calling me names. I didnt know anything about those names. I just remember (wondering) why these people were being mean and throwing things. The differences between her story and Ruby Bridges story are glaring and profound. Ruby all alone; Sheryl surrounded by children pushing her, hitting her, calling her nigger. Ruby welcomed by her teacher; Sheryls teacher ignoring her raised her hand and questions and then turning angry when Sheryl outperformed everybody else. I would have loved to have had one teacher, just one, Sissler said, who had my back. Remembering something her mother had said about some adults treating Sheryl better than others, I asked Sissler, Did you have any allies? No. But my mother thinks that I did. *** If it isnt clear already, Vera Landry and Sheryl Sissler had spent decades avoiding conversations about Sheryls time at McDonogh 11. I broke the news to Sissler that her mother said they sent her to that all-white school only because it was closer. Youve gotta be kidding!she said, and she immediately fantasized flunking the test shed been given to get into McDonogh 11. Her parents had asked her how she was faring at McDonogh 11. But you know, you think one thing, but say something else. I was like, Dont you know?! But I would never say that. Im an old-school child. When my mother told me to do something, I did it. I still dont talk back to my mom. I dont tell her shes wrong. She didnt tell her even when her mother gave her the chance. Landry and her daughter had recently been out together, Sissler said, when the mother began crying and apologizing for 1961. Sissler said, I didnt tell her how Id been feeling these 56 years. I just told her that was water under the bridge. I didnt want to hurt her feelings. In 2010, from his death bed, her father had apologized. She had used the same words then. Water under the bridge. But she was as stuck in 1961 as her parents were. At one point in our phone conversation, Sissler mentioned crying every night, and I assumed she meant while she was attending McDonogh 11. I said, Back then? She said, No, all these years. Even now. Every night I cry without fail. But during the day, when Im awake, I dont think about it. I try to do all of the things (God) asks me to do. *** She was there till third grade, Landry said. I took her out. Sheryl, who said school officials never intervened when students called her nigger, finally reacted by calling one of her tormenters poor white trash. She got suspended. Her parents transferred her to a mostly white Catholic school. The kids still taunted, but the nuns scolded them. We teach the story of civil rights in a way that leads everybody to believe that they would have been on the right side of things. And in a way that leads people to look down on those people who didnt participate even those who were too scared to participate. But weve paid scant attention to those people who did participate but feel it cost them too much. We never dreamed of the emotional pain, Landry said. And judging by the tears shes shed in her 80s, she hasnt been able to stop dreaming about it. Jarvis DeBerry is a columnist on the Latitude team at NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. Latitude is a place to share opinions about the challenges facing Louisiana. Follow @LatitudeNOLA on Facebook and Twitter. Write Jarvis at jdeberry@nola.com or @jarvisdeberry. As a scientist at LSU, Dr. Catherine O'Neal knew the COVID-19 vaccines had undergone rigorous safety testing before they were made available for children. But when the time came to sign her own kids up for the jab, the mother of three experienced P.E.O. Chapter FK The P.E.O. Chapter FK program for the May 24th meeting was presented by Doug Drummey, CEO and general manager of the Council Bluffs Water Works. Westy Nelson told the members of an opportunity she found and attended: Cotty Vacation College, which was held in Nevada, Missouri. The next meeting will be on June 14. The program will include the delegates report; State Convention Iowa and International P.E.O. projects, and Iowa International P.E.O. project fund. WASHINGTON Congress probably wont do any big health-care things this year. But it might take some smaller action. Around Capitol Hill, pockets of legislators are partnering on incremental measures aimed at making health care more affordable for American consumers. In the past week, House and Senate members have released three separate bipartisan proposals to halt surprise medical bills. A fourth and more sweeping measure, rolled out Thursday by Sens. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Patty Murray, D-Wash., would also make drug prices more transparent and remove barriers to cheaper generic drugs, among numerous other provisions. The steps we are taking on important issues like surprise medical billing, drug prices, maternal mortality and vaccine hesitancy show we can make progress when both sides are at the table ready to put patients and families first, said Murray, the top Democrat on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Coming to the table is next to impossible for legislators on any major health-care proposals measures that could close the countrys uninsured gap or force drugmakers to dramatically lower prices. The politics are just too charged. Republicans are refusing to help shore up the Affordable Care Act. In retribution, Democrats attached Obamacare measures they want passed to bipartisan drug pricing bills in a House vote last week. And as Democrats examine Medicare-for-all proposals, Republicans are working to undermine those ideas at every turn by casting them as socialism or charging that theyd result in rationed, low-quality care. Dissension is also brewing over how far to go on drug prices. Staffers for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., are working on a plan, first reported by Politico, to allow Medicare to directly negotiate lower prices for at least 25 drugs a year, but that idea appears to be a non-starter among Republicans. But Alexander, Murray and others see opportunity on the margins, especially given the publics overwhelming concern about health-care costs consuming ever more household income. Alexander, who chairs the HELP Committee, said his goal is to move the draft legislation through the committee next month and get it to the Senate floor in July. Theres one issue I hear a lot about from Tennesseans, and it is, What are you going to do about the health-care costs I pay for out of my own pocket? Alexander said. Well, weve got an answer. Theres a fifth bipartisan effort in the wings. Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., the leaders of the Senate Finance Committee, say theyre partnering on a health package aimed at lowering drug prices. Grassley has said he wants to have that package ready by June. But its tackling surprise medical bills the unexpected expenses that can arise when a patient gets treated by an out-of-network provider through no fault of their own that is emerging as one of the most energized issues this year. In a speech earlier this month, President Trump called on Congress to pass surprise billing legislation and laid out some principles for how he would like it structured. On Tuesday, the House Ways and Means Health subcommittee held a hearing on the subject. A key question legislators will have to answer is how to determine prices when patients receive unexpected out-of-network care. This can happen either during an in-network hospital stay when theyre seen by an out-of-network specialist or if a patient has to suddenly visit an emergency department outside their plans provider network. Theres broad agreement that patients shouldnt have to bear these extra costs, but the various proposals have suggested somewhat different approaches for how insurers and providers should negotiate such costs. The STOP Surprise Medical Bills Act proposed by Sens. Bill Cassidy, R-La., Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., Michael Bennett, D-Colo, and three others allows for an arbitration method whereby a third party mediates between insurers and doctors to decide on the fairest price. The No Surprises Act, from Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, D-N.J., and ranking Republican Greg Walden of Oregon, would link the payments to the market rate in the geographic area. The Lower Health Care Costs Act of 2019, from Alexander and Murray, offers three options for negotiating prices, including arbitration. The Protecting People from Surprise Medical Bills Act, which is just in outline form, was released Thursday by four House Republicans and four House Democrats. It also proposes an arbitration system. The massive influx of water created by the 2-inch rainfall that hit Council Bluffs about 4:30 a.m. Tuesday left several intersections on the citys west side flooded. There were also numerous reports of basements of homes on the west and south sides of the city that took on water as storm and sanitary sewers were unable to handle the volume of water created by the latest in an ongoing series of severe storms hitting the area. The river needs to go down, said Pat Miller, director of operations for the citys Public Works Department. About 1 inches of that 2-inch rainfall hit in a very short time early this morning, and the pumping stations just could not keep up with the volume of water. Miller said ground water levels on the west side of Council Bluffs are high not only because of the current flooding that began in mid-March but also because the river had remained high virtually all of last winter. Doug Drummey, CEO and general manager of the Council Bluffs Water Works, which draws much of the citys water supply from the Missouri River, said the river level at Omaha had risen to 29.05 feet considered minor flood stage by noon Tuesday. He said the river is forecast to rise 30.7 feet here by Friday and remain at that level through the weekend before beginning to fall. Drummey said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers series of six flood-control reservoirs on the Missouri River are beginning to fill as a result of increasing winter snow melt and, as of noon Tuesday, has only 36% of their maximum flood-control storage capacity remaining. Releases from the Gavins Point Reservoir in South Dakota, the closest of the six reservoirs to southwest Iowa, were increased from 60,000 cubic feet per second to 65,000 cfs at noon Tuesday and were expected to be increased to 70,000 cfs today. Because of the influx of water from Missouri River tributaries north of Council Bluffs, Drummey said the Missouri River flow at Council Bluffs was 120,000 cfs at 2 p.m. Tuesday. Companion caught with drugs : Police arrest wanted thief in Bonn Bonn-Mehlem During a people check on the John-Jay-McCloy-Ufer in Bonn-Mehlem, police arrested a man wanted with a warrant. His companions were caught with small amounts of marijuana and amphetamine. The police filed charges against them. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken On Monday evening, Bonn police caught a man wanted with a warrant and two young men with small amounts of marijuana and amphetamine on the John-Jay-McCloy-shore. Officials searched the three young men, who apparently had arranged to meet there, around 8.30 p.m., police reported on Tuesday. Two of the men (21 and 27 years old) were carrying the drugs. Their 31-year-old companion was wanted for theft with an arrest warrant. The police arrested him temporarily because he could not afford the demanded fine in lieu of the prison sentence. The 21-year-old stated that he kept another small amount of narcotics in his apartment in Konigswinter. Officials searchedthere and seized the narcotic. The police initiated investigations against the 21- and 27-year-old men for drug-related offences. The 31-year-old was taken to the police headquarters, from whence he will be handed over to a correctional facility on Tuesday. A lengthy discussion centered on what to do about Cattle Growers Road and other roads that serve Lincoln County Feed Yard, which is about a mile south of the Lincoln-Logan county line. The shortest route from the feed yard to Highway 83 is about 3 miles. Asphalt is too expensive, to apply to that section, noted Woodruff, and who knows how long that would hold up anyway, on top of the sandy road base. ODell said she will look into options, such as applying a sprayed concrete material. Whatever is done, We need to stabilize that base first. We cant do anything til it dries out, Commissioner Bill Henry said. In the meantime, Theyre expecting 300 semis this week at the feed yard, said Woodruff who, along with ODell and Commissioner Walt Johnson, has been consulting with Steve Scholz, owner of Lincoln County Feed Yard, to find solutions. Noting the wet weather, Hewgley said, This is an unusual year, to which Johnson replied, We hope its unusual. In other business, commissioners: North Platte Mayor Dwight Livingston offered a proclamation to honor individuals in the community affected by Alzheimer's disease on Tuesday at North Platte City Hall. Livingston read the proclamation designating June as Alzheimers and Brain Awareness Month in North Platte. The Nebraska Alzheimers Association estimates that nearly 1,500 North Platte residents are directly affected by Alzheimers or dementia, either as patients or as caregivers. Whereas Alzheimers disease is a progressive, degenerative brain disease, tragically robs individuals of their memories, Livingston said as he made the declaration for Alzheimers awareness and urged all residents to wear purple to help spread awareness. Be it further resolved that Dwight Livingston recognizes June 21, 2019, as the longest day in North Platte, Livingston said, and urges all residents to show their support on that day by wearing purple and engaging in a day of activities, honoring the strength, passion and endurance of people facing Alzheimers disease. On June 21, people all over the world will participate in the Alzheimers Associations The Longest Day event, a day of fundraising and awareness. Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol removed 14 impaired drivers from Nebraska roads during Memorial Day weekend. Memorial Day weekend traditionally marks the start of the summer driving season. It also marks the start of NSPs 100 Days of Summer initiative, designed to encourage safe driving throughout Nebraska. Over Memorial Day weekend, troopers conducted special enforcement operations in many areas across Nebraska. During the three-day weekend, troopers arrested 14 people for driving under the influence. In addition to those arrested for DUI, troopers also issued citations for speeding (315), open container (14), minor in possession of alcohol (2), seat belt violation (12), child restraint violation (5) and no proof of insurance (13). Troopers also assisted 199 motorists in need of help on Nebraska roads. Any motorist who needs assistance while traveling in Nebraska can call *55 to reach the NSP Highway Helpline and speak directly with an NSP dispatcher. As the summer driving season is officially underway, NSP reminds motorists to practice safe driving by always wearing a seat belt, avoiding distractions, following traffic safety laws and never driving impaired. LINCOLN Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts avoided a potential battle with state lawmakers on Monday by signing a two-year, $9.3 billion budget package that bumps up property tax relief. Ricketts chose not to veto any provisions in the various bills that he signed Monday, an uncommon but not unprecedented move for a Nebraska governor. In a statement accompanying his decision to sign the bills, Ricketts touted the tax relief thats being provided, the $2 billion being spent on public schools and restrained spending. The budget sets Nebraska up for expanded relief in years to come, Ricketts said. The budget includes: A $51 million annual increase in the states Property Tax Credit Fund. The increase would provide about $20 more in property tax relief to the owner of a $100,000 home and about $24 more per $100,000 worth of farmland. The additional money brings the total available for property tax relief to $275 million per year. An annual increase in state spending of about 2.9%, less than the 3.1% increase the governor had proposed. The whole skeleton of a baby Mussaurus patagonicus, roughly 1 month old. Image courtesy of ESRF / C Argoud Early Species of Dinosaurs Crawled on All Fours Before They Learned to Walk on Two Legs - Just Like Humans The study was published in the journal Scientific Reports A team of researchers affiliated with institutions in Argentina and the U.K. has found evidence of a dinosaur that walked on all fours when it was young and then switched to walking on two legs as it grew to adulthood. In their paper published in the journal Scientific Reports, the group describes their study of Mussaurus patagonicus, an early sauropod species that lived in what is now Argentina, and what they learned about it.Prior research had found evidence of Mussaurus patagonicus ("Patagonian mouse lizard") living in what is now Patagonia, Argentina. Like other sauropod species, it had a long neck and tail, walked upright, and weighed approximately one metric ton. It was also known to be quite small after hatchingsmall enough to fit in the modern human hand. This piqued the interest of the researchers, who wondered if it might have walked on all fours in its early stages of growth.To learn more about M. patagonicus development, the researchers obtained and studied sample bone fossils from three periods during the life of the dinosaur: just after they were born, at one year, and as adults. They then used computer simulations to fill in the rest of the anatomy of the dinosaur. Next, they calculated the center of gravity for the dinosaur at each stage of its life. For a creature to walk upright, its center of gravity must be over its back legs, rather than farther up its spine, as is the case with animals like cats and dogs.The researchers found that during its early stages, the center of gravity for the dinosaur was farther up the spine, suggesting it walked on all fours. They also found that the center of gravity did not shift until the dinosaur reached adulthood, suggesting that it walked on all fours for most of its young life.Mussaurus is just one branch on the dinosaur family tree that may have switched locomotion modes as the animals aged.Several dinosaurs have been hypothesized to do it, including Maiasaura, Iguanodon, Psittacosaurus, Dryosaurus, and Massospondylus, says Kimi Chapelle, a Ph.D. candidate studying locomotion shifts in dinosaurs at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa.The finding is unique, because other than humans, no other species is known to walk on all fours during early stages of development and transition to bipedalism after growing to adulthood. The finding suggests that other dinosaurs might have done so, as well. PORTER The body of a missing South Bend man was discovered Wednesday morning washed up on the shoreline at Indiana Dunes State Park near where he was last seen nearly two weeks ago setting out on a kayak, according to officials. The body of 23-year-old Jacob Sandy was discovered at 7:15 a.m. by an employee of the park just north of the park's pavilion, which is about a quarter mile east of where he launched at Porter Beach, according to the law enforcement division of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. While the official cause of death is pending, it is believed to be an accidental drowning, the DNR said. The body was discovered without a life jacket, according to Porter County Coroner Cyndi Dykes. The office will be awaiting the results of toxicology tests, she said. Sandy's kayak was discovered May 21 on the shore at New Buffalo, Michigan, which is 18 miles northeast along the shoreline from Porter Beach. CROWN POINT A not guilty plea was entered Wednesday on behalf of a Griffith man accused of shooting his ex-girlfriend's current boyfriend to death, records show. Juan Guerrero, 41, has been charged with murder in the shooting death of 46-year-old Jermaine Salazar on May 14 in Calumet Township. Guerrero was booked without bail at Lake County Jail about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, records show. A magistrate also appointed a public defender to Guerrero during his initial appearance Wednesday, online court records show. His formal appearance is scheduled for June 6. Guerrero's ex-girlfriend told police she had been in a relationship with him for many years, and after it ended the two shared custody of their foster child, according to Lake Criminal Court records. She told police she had been arguing with Guerrero about their foster son at his residence in the 800 block of North Lafayette Street before returning to Salazar's home about 9 p.m. CROWN POINT A judge agreed Monday to delay a trial set for this month until August for a former Gary car lot owner charged with murdering a former business partner last year. Esteban Ocampo, 51, has been in custody since his arrest on allegations he fatally shot Markis D. Square, 30, on April 18, 2018, at Ocampo Auto Sales, 401 W. Ridge Road. Gojko Kasich, Ocampo's defense attorney, said he was still waiting for Lake County prosecutors to turn over evidence linked to a gun and a cellphone. Deputy Prosecutor Keith Anderson said he expected to receive the gun evidence soon but was not sure when an analysis of phone records would be complete. Lake Criminal Court Judge Salvador Vasquez canceled Ocampo's June 17 trial and rescheduled it for Aug. 5. He set a pretrial hearing for July 8. Two Northwest Indiana men must repay the Indiana Department of Workforce Development thousands of dollars in unlawfully obtained unemployment benefits. According to court records, Alejandro Galvan, 48, of Crown Point, fraudulently collected $6,246 in state unemployment payments, while Jason Howard, 37, of Valparaiso, illegally received $2,763.88. In addition to returning the money, Galvan also was sentenced by Lake Superior Judge Diane Ross Boswell to 18 months probation following his guilty plea for welfare fraud, a level 6 felony. Howard pleaded guilty in Porter Superior Court to conversion, a class A misdemeanor, after initially being charged with felony welfare fraud. He was ordered by Judge Jeffrey Clymer to serve one year probation and repay the funds. DWD routinely obtains wage reports and new hire data from Indiana employers that it uses to ensure Hoosiers are not illegally collecting unemployment insurance benefits based on false, misreported or unreported employment records. As Holcomb spoke, freight trains rumbled along a nearby railway in a testament to the parks long co-existence with heavy industry. Flanked by steel mills and bordered to the south by one of the nation's busiest trucking corridors, the land is unique among national parks it is mostly located within a major industrial zone. Much of the current parkland has been federally protected since 1966, when Congress created a national lakeshore to protect the sensitive landscape from encroaching industrial development. But the designation of the land as a national park carries a public significance that advocates have been working for decades to build, according to Speros Batistatos, the president of the nonprofit Dunes National Park Association. There is a cachet involved with a capital P national park, he said. It moves (the park) appropriately to its rightful status. Batistatos said the Indiana Dunes area is something of a hidden gem in the minds of national park enthusiasts, even though its biodiversity rivals that of more exotic locales such as Hawaii. He expects that to change along with the parks new designation. Five days after the city of Hammond abruptly closed a heavily traveled state line crossing, drivers on both sides have yet to hear if the road will be reopened soon, if ever. The Hammond streets department closed 136th Street, known locally as Boy Scout Road, without warning Friday morning. The move forced drivers coming east from Chicago, where the road is named 134th Street, to pull U-turns as they approached the state line. Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. discussed the decision during his WJOB radio appearance that morning, after a caller asked if the street had been permanently closed. He conceded the road was popular with Illinois residents traveling to Hammond, but said the city would take our time to determine if keeping it open is worth repair and flood control costs. I know a lot of Illinois residents use that road to come in and use Hammond services and businesses over there, McDermott told host Kevin Smith. The question is if it costs a million dollars (to fix), is it better off not being open at all? He pleaded guilty Oct. 30, 2018 less than two weeks after being charged with a misdemeanor count of failing to file a tax form with the IRS that he paid $6,000 in 2013 to an independent contractor in connection with Jon Snyders private business, Shoreline Appraisals of Portage. James Snyder has maintained his innocence and plans to appeal his conviction. James Snyder made the government prove its bribery and tax case against him with the testimony of 20 witnesses during a 19-day trial earlier this year. Jurors found him guilty of accepting a $13,000 bribe from former Great Lakes Peterbilt owners Bob and Steve Buha in exchange for some $1.25 million in garbage truck bids. They also found him guilty of a tax obstruction charge in which he was accused of creating a sham company to hide money from the IRS. They acquitted James Snyder of a third charge, alleging he accepted a $12,000 bribe from former co-defendant John Cortina and Samson Towing owner Scott Jurgensen, also an undercover FBI informant, to put the duo on the city's tow list. PORTAGE Part of the wheel tax revenue collected by the city of Portage will be sent back to the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles after state computers overcharged residents living outside city limits. More than $19,000 will be returned to the BMV. From January to about September 2017, the BMV was charging people based on ZIP codes, not whether they actually lived in the city limits. Due to the error, the state allowed residents from places that share Portage ZIP codes, like Ogden Dunes or unincorporated Porter County, to submit a refund request, according to Clerk-Treasurer Chris Stidham. Representatives of the BMV said it was due to errors in self-reporting as there was no software to properly confirm addresses. Stidham added the charging errors has happened across the state. The state sent us a list of people they believed were outside the city municipal limits, but were being charged the wheel tax, he said. They sent out refund request forms to each of those individuals. The onus was on them to request the refund from the BMV. In Pennsylvania, a $500 million bailout stalled in the Senate when lawmakers adjourned earlier this month without a vote. The legislature may take the issue up again in the fall, but that will be too late for one of the states five nuclear power plants. Exelon Corp. has said it will commence shutdown of Three Mile Island outside of Harrisburg on June 1, after warning for two years that it would take such drastic action without financial assistance from the state. Glen Thomas, former chairman of the Pennsylvania Utility Commission, though, said he doesnt see a compelling argument for giving nuclear plants the bailout. The competitive electricity markets in the state have worked well with prices in 2016, for example, the lower in the history of the PJM grid, which operates the 13-state transmission grid of which Pennsylvania is a part. Opening statements in the countrys first trial over whether a pharmaceutical company is liable for the opioid crisis began as a battle between fire and ice: Lawyers for Oklahoma, a state brought to its knees by addiction and overdose deaths, heatedly accused Johnson & Johnson of creating a deadly demand for the drugs, while the company coolly responded that it had acted responsibly and lawfully in its quest to offer relief to chronic pain patients. The trial, heard by a judge without a jury but livestreamed to the public, is being closely watched not only by those affected by prescription opioid addiction, but also by lawyers in almost 1,900 similar federal and state cases nationwide. Two other defendants who manufacture opioids settled with Oklahoma Purdue Pharma will pay $270 million, Teva Pharmaceuticals, $85 million leaving only J & J on trial. The state directly confronted what many legal experts have predicted will be the highest hurdle in the case: connecting one manufacturer of opioids to the cascading harms wrought by the entire industry. J & J pushed back hard, arguing that the state itself looked the other way as its own drug review board and prescription monitoring program for years neglected to swoop down on sources of diverted opioids. In addition, it said, Oklahoma could not tie any death directly to the companys products Duragesic, a fentanyl patch, and Nucynta, an opioid pill it no longer makes. [What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.] After the billionaire Edgar M. Bronfman Sr. told Forbes magazine that the self-help group Nxivm was a cult, some of its members came up with a plan to hack into his computer and spy on his emails, according to one of the people who took part in that effort. A witness in the racketeering and sex trafficking trial of the Nxivms leader, Keith Raniere, described on Tuesday the groups efforts to keep tabs on Mr. Bronfman, who died in 2013. They also monitored other perceived enemies, the witness said. After emails to Mr. Bronfman containing spyware went unopened , his daughter, Clare Bronfman, a high-ranking Nxivm member, installed the program directly on her fathers computer, said the witness whom prosecutors identified only by her first name, Daniela. Soon, Daniela said, she was able to figure out the password to Mr. Bronfmans AOL account. I would read all of his correspondence, Daniela testified. I would methodically check email by email. LONDON Nigel Farage is the British crisis in human form. His party, the unambiguously named Brexit Party, which is hardly a party and didnt exist six months ago, won nearly a third of the British vote in the recent European Parliament elections, putting it in first place and driving the shattered Conservative Party into fifth. Long underestimated, Mr. Farage has done more than any politician in a generation to yank British politics to the hard, nationalist right. He is one of the most effective and dangerous demagogues Britain has ever seen. With his last political vehicle, the U.K. Independence Party, or UKIP, Mr. Farage took an assortment of Tory retirees and a smattering of ex-fascists and other right-wing cranks, and welded them into a devastating political weapon: a significant national party. That weapon tore such chunks out of the Conservatives share of the vote that the party leadership felt compelled to call a referendum on Europe which it then lost. Mr. Farage declared victory and went into semiretirement as a pundit. Now, almost three years after the Brexit vote, hes back. His timing could hardly be better. After a lost decade of declining living standards and flat wage growth, trust in Parliament and the news media is at rock bottom. The Conservatives are disintegrating; Prime Minister Theresa May is on her way out of office, having failed to secure a parliamentary majority for her Brexit deal. She failed because, rather than seeking cross-party consensus, she tried to placate her own hard right and prevent voters from abandoning the party again . Unable to do so, she has simply hardened public opinion. A poll in April found that given a choice between remaining in the European Union, and leaving with no deal, 44 percent of Britons support no deal. The vast majority of these voters previously supported the Conservatives. But since they are the party of business, they cant seriously contemplate leaving without a deal. Nor can Parliament. In Bixby, a Tulsa suburb of 24,000 on the river, where the National Guard is filling sandbags, officials texted an alert Tuesday morning: As soon as residents believe the situation warrants, they are encouraged to evacuate voluntarily. In Tulsa, the states second-largest city, officials continued to monitor the levees, but said the dam and the levees in Tulsa County were so far working as they should. We are planning for and preparing for the flood of record, and we think everybody along the Arkansas River corridor ought to be doing the same, the mayor of Tulsa, G.T. Bynum, told reporters on Tuesday afternoon. While its high risk, there is not an emergency behind the levees right now. Its a high-risk situation when youre talking about infrastructure thats being tested in such a strong way. Braggs is usually a slow-paced town, home to 259, in the hilly country in Muskogee County nearly 100 miles east of Tulsa. Its a place of farmland and giant catfish. Low-flying fireflies flicker in the night sky amid the music of the frogs. In the pitch-black countryside Monday night, a young man on a dirt bike pulled up to the edge of the flooding, unzipped his backpack and started fishing. Something that sounded like a gunshot rang out: Locals figured someone had shot a snake, which have been rampant in the floodwaters. But making do with so little access to the outside world has been difficult. There were not a lot of amenities in town to begin with. There is one gas station (it was out of gas but reopened Tuesday), a couple of restaurants, a convenience store and Donnas Malt Shop but no grocery stores. MacKenzie Bezos has promised to give more than half of her fortune to charity as part of the Giving Pledge, the organization said Tuesday. Ms. Bezos, whose divorce from the Amazon founder and chief executive Jeff Bezos made news earlier this year, was among 19 new signatories announced by the group. I have no doubt that tremendous value comes when people act quickly on the impulse to give. No drive has more positive ripple effects than the desire to be of service, Ms. Bezos, a novelist, wrote in a letter dated Friday. Once the divorce is finalized in July, Ms. Bezos will hold a 4 percent stake in Amazon, with shares worth about $36 billion. Mr. Bezos kept most of the couples shares, or about 12 percent of the company. The value of the company on Tuesday is about $907 billion, meaning that Mr. Bezos, with a $108 billion stake, remains the richest person in the world, just ahead of Bill Gates. Mr. Bezos, who has faced more public pressure to make large philanthropic investments as his wealth and influence have grown, has not joined the list of the wealthy who have committed to the Giving Pledge, started by Warren E. Buffett and Mr. Gates and Melinda E. Gates in 2010. It asks for a commitment by some of the worlds wealthiest people to donate much of their wealth to charity during their lifetimes or in their wills. A former vice president known for My love affair with Amtrak. Back on Amtrak and his famous friend. This also gives the internet one last chance to talk about our bromance. Joe Biden is running for president. Today, I am announcing my candidacy for president of the United States. Hes tried it before. And with the grace of God and the support of the American people, I mean to be that kind of president. Twice. This is not about experience. Its not about change. Its about action. So, why does he think the third times a charm? Biden may be betting that in this politically tumultuous time, voters are looking for a familiar face. He arrived in Washington before C-Span existed and before these members of Congress were born. His credentials are unmatched in the Democratic Party. He served two terms as vice president, 36 years in the Senate and has chaired powerful congressional committees. And hes earned himself a few nicknames along the way. Working-Class Joe. Working-Class Joe Biden. Old Uncle Joe Biden. Crazy Uncle Joe Biden, just being Biden. So, what are Bidens priorities? Hes a moderate Democrat and is likely to focus on: expanding health care, investing in education and rebuilding relationships with allies. The America I see does not wish to turn our back on the world or our allies. We will be back. But his decadeslong record comes with some baggage, including his support for the Iraq war. President Bush is right to be concerned about Saddam Husseins relentless pursuit of weapons of mass destruction. Tough anti-crime policies. First, we have to join together to ensure that drug dealers are punished swiftly, surely and severely. And his role in the Anita Hill hearing. It is appropriate to ask Professor Hill anything any member wishes to ask her to plumb the depths of her credibility. More recently, several women have come forward saying they were uncomfortable with the way Biden touched them. I feel Joe Biden put his hands on my shoulders, get up very close to me from behind, lean in, smell my hair and then plant a slow kiss on the top of my head. Biden responded on Twitter. The boundaries of protected personal space have been reset and I get it. I will be more mindful and respectful of peoples personal space. So, how has Biden taken on President Trump? Theyve had their share of fighting words. If we were in high school, Id take him behind the gym and beat the hell out of him. Trump shot back on Twitter, and said Biden would go down fast and hard, crying all the way. Biden later said he regretted his comments. So, what are Bidens odds? He entered the race as an instant front-runner and hes already leading in early polls. But as a white man in his late 70s, Bidens test will be whether his popularity can outweigh the partys thirst for generational change. Since he first outlined his belief that the special counsels report showed that Mr. Trump engaged in impeachable conduct, Republicans nationally have lined up in opposition to Mr. Amash, a five-term Republican with a reputation for saying no. From his earliest days in Washington, Mr. Amash has been a marginal figure, consistently voting against both political parties, publishing explanations of his latest no on a Facebook page where he proclaims, I defend liberty and explain every vote here. Principled, yes, even critics will concede. A thought leader in the Republican Party? No. But in Mr. Trumps Republican Party, no figure is too marginal to be ignored and even the faintest spark of opposition must be snuffed out, doused, crushed and buried. Since Mr. Amash concluded that the president engaged in impeachable conduct, the billionaire DeVos family, whose money has helped bankroll the Republican Party here for decades, said through a spokesman that it would not financially support the congressman. Two Republicans have announced they will run against him in next years Republican primary race. And the president called him a total lightweight who opposes me and some of our great Republican ideas and policies just for the sake of getting his name out there. Hes isolated and marginalized himself in D.C., said Jim Lower, a state representative who rushed to put forward his primary challenge after Mr. Amashs initial flurry of tweets about the presidents actions. But in Grand Rapids, his political stronghold, Mr. Amashs boldness was still applauded wildly. Political strategists and voters say this congressional district in southwestern Michigan may not only tolerate an unabashed and frequent Republican critic of the president. It might also demand it. Mr. Amashs event on Tuesday served to underscore the voter dynamics that will ultimately dictate his political future representing Michigans third district. HOUSTON President Trump sided again on Tuesday with the government of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in mocking Joseph R. Biden Jr.s intelligence, an extraordinary alignment of a United States president and an authoritarian regime against an American politician and an insult that Mr. Biden pooh-poohed by letting an aide rebut it. During his visit to Japan last weekend, Mr. Trump wrote on Twitter that he had smiled when North Korea described Mr. Biden recently as a fool of low I.Q. The White House spokeswoman, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, also said that Mr. Trump and the Mr. Kims government agree in their assessment of Mr. Biden. American leaders have traditionally avoided partisan sniping while outside of the country. Mr. Biden, who is running for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, did not respond to Mr. Trumps remarks during his one public event on Tuesday, an education speech in Houston, or in response to reporters calling out questions afterward. At a fund-raiser in Houston Tuesday evening, Mr. Biden sought to stay above the fray, reaching for a line he has used to dismiss Mr. Trump in the past. Im not going to get down in the mud wrestling with this fella, Mr. Biden said. Im not going to do it. I dont want to get into it. Everybody already knows who he is. MEXICO CITY The administration of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of Mexico has launched its first major anticorruption prosecution, delivering on a central campaign promise by taking aim at corruption inside the ailing state-owned oil company. Bribery and tax fraud charges have been filed against Emilio Lozoya Austin, the former head of the state-run oil company, Petroleos Mexicanos, or Pemex, who was a top ally of the former president, Enrique Pena Nieto, officials said Tuesday. Mr. Lozoya is accused of receiving bribes in connection with the oil companys purchase of a fertilizer plant, the officials said. The case against Mr. Lozoya stems from a sprawling, hemisphere-wide probe into the Brazilian construction firm Odebrecht and its orchestration of one of the largest corruption scandals in Latin American history. Since the scandal erupted several years ago, Odebrecht has admitted to having paid about $800 million in bribes to leaders in a dozen countries throughout the Americas to secure lucrative contracts. Switzerland has denied a request from the Italian government to hand over an Italian Renaissance portrait that was once attributed to Leonardo da Vinci and offered for sale for more than $100 million. Swiss police impounded the painting, Portrait of Isabella dEste, in a bank vault in Lugano in 2015, at the urging of the Italian government, which said its Italian owner had failed to acquire the necessary export license to take the painting out of Italy. Italys strict laws set forfeiture as the penalty for illegal export of cultural heritage. But the Swiss Supreme Court said on Wednesday that the conditions for a handover are not met, overturning a ruling last year by the countrys federal criminal court. The criminal court had called for the painting to be transferred to Italy on the basis of mutual assistance in criminal matters. The Supreme Court said a request based on international mutual criminal assistance conventions should only be met in the case of activity that is also criminal in the country receiving the request. Early in Deadwood: The Movie, Alma Ellsworth (Molly Parker) lays eyes on Sheriff Seth Bullock (Timothy Olyphant) her former lover, now settled with his wife (Anna Gunn) and children for the first time in a decade. Seeing him again, she says, her voice tremulous, is as a dream might come alive to draw breath. There is indeed something dreamlike, otherworldly, about seeing Deadwood return, after 13 years, with the long-rumored, oft-doubted completion of a story that was cruelly interrupted after three seasons. You want to reach out and palpate its wounds, that you might believe. But believe it. This briefly resurrected wonder, which airs on HBO Friday, looks like Deadwood, if grayer and touched by time. It sounds like Deadwood, the profane poetry and syntactic baroqueness of David Milchs prose preserved as if in 100-proof whiskey. I know they were really cognizant of not wanting to turn to the queer Muslim to be the expert, but knowing that all of my work is deeply informed by a very personal place and very much about identity, its something that I was really excited to bring to the room. What did it mean for you to have a major role in creating this story line? Even as youre asking me that question, it makes me emotional. As out and public as I am about my identity, it was not easy, whether it was with family or with friends. There was no representation of positive straight Muslim characters at the time, much less positive queer Muslim representation. So for me, writing was a way of creating some of that representation. Now you have Tan France on the new Queer Eye; that was not what we were living 10 years ago. The landscape of television, pop culture and basic representation has shifted so much. It just wasnt there. I dont think the job is ever going to be done. This is just the beginning of the work that we have to do. Knowing that the sex scene would be so significant, were there any ways in which you exercised caution or approached it differently? I agonized over it because I knew how important it was for us. Im not a man, Im a cisgender woman, but I wanted to represent our queerness strongly. The scene didnt start as sex. At first, there was a lot of talk about [Daniel being] a grieving widower: Where is he at in his life? I said that I feel like these two men, regardless of the complications, I dont buy that theyre not going to sleep together if theyre alone and they have that like kind of attraction. Grief or no grief, that is real. The other thing that I found really important was, I wanted that to be beautiful. I call it beautiful aggression, that beautiful masculinity that I really love when I see two men together. Theres tenderness, but theres also this rawness. Whats on TV ARCHER 10 p.m. on FXX. While this ribald animated comedy series made a name for itself as a foul-mouthed spy movie riff, the last two seasons have transposed its characters a group of libidinous secret agents turned libidinous private investigators into alternate realities. Season 8 imagined them as characters in a noir mystery in late-40s Los Angeles. Season 9 reinvented them on a mysterious island in the late-30s. Season 10, which carries the title Archer: 1999 and debuts Wednesday night, takes its cues from vintage sci-fi. It belches the characters into the cosmos, where Archer (voiced by H. Jon Benjamin) and Lana (Aisha Tyler) are imagined as a recently divorced couple who command a spacecraft. I, ROBOT (2004) 8 p.m. on AMC. The computing power it took to render Will Smiths digitally augmented performance as the blue genie in Disneys just-released live-action Aladdin would probably make his technophobic character in this movie nervous. But to be fair, for all of its cautionary messages about technology gone awry, this thriller, which is loosely based on short stories by Isaac Asimov, owes a debt to visual effects. Smith plays Del Spooner, a robot-averse Chicago detective looking into the death of a robotics magnate in 2035. THE DANISH GIRL (2015) 9 p.m. on HBO Signature. This drama from Tom Hooper is based on the life of Lili Elbe, a Danish painter who was one of the first people to attempt sex reassignment surgery. Eddie Redmayne stars as Elbe. In his review for The Times, A.O. Scott called the movie a welcome tribute to a heroic forerunner of the current movement for transgender rights. While Scott took issue with the movies conventionality, he noted that its impossible not to be moved by Lilis self-recognition and by her demand to be recognized by those who care most about her. Heres something you should know about me: Im a terrible daughter, Chloe Pierce announces in the first sentence of Kristina Forests debut novel, I WANNA BE WHERE YOU ARE (Roaring Brook, 272 pp., $17.99; ages 12 and up). Its a great opener even though its hardly true Chloe, a 17-year-old black girl living in the middle of nowhere, New Jersey, is a talented dancer who dreams of becoming a professional ballerina; shes the kind of good kid most parents would kvell over. But Chloes dad died when she was 3, and her extra-protective mom has forbidden her from auditioning for a New York City dance company, which she has her heart set on. When her mom leaves for a tropical vacation with her boyfriend, Chloe comes up with a plan: Drive herself to the audition in D.C., try out, and get a spot. After that, her mom has to say yes right? Image A road trip is a satisfying catalyst in itself; the story is further sparked by Chloes irritating neighbor, Eli, who blackmails her into taking him and his dog, Geezer along for the ride, and who has his own complicated emotional situation in the works. Hes also cute, and they have something of a past, creating a highly shippable will-they-wont-they dynamic. But Forests novel offers more than romance. This is a bighearted story about being brave enough to go for what you want, even when the rules tell you something different. In Michelle Ruiz Keils ALL OF US WITH WINGS (Soho Teen, 360 pp., $18.99; ages 16 and up), a 17-year-old named Xochi is adrift in the world. Shes never known her Mexican father, and has led a peripatetic existence with her white mother, Gina, and her mothers abusive ex-boyfriend. But when Gina gets out of town, its Xochis turn to escape the man who has, in her mothers absence, abused her, too. She finds her way to an enchanting, musical, wild and weird San Francisco, where she meets an equally enchanting 12-year-old, the brilliant-beyond-her-years Pallas, the daughter of rock stars who live with a troupe of their polyamorous band members and friends in a Victorian mansion. Xochi gets a job as Pallass governess, and moves in with the family. Image Thats only the beginning. During an after-party at the mansion on the vernal equinox, a night charged with all sorts of energies (and a tongue-piercing), Pallas and Xochi accidentally call up two waterbabies, fey creatures who emerge from a tub on a quest for justice. Theyre after anyone whos hurt, or who is currently hurting, Xochi. Keils ambitious debut is jam-packed with twists and depth and froth and function the world of this novel is real, but magical, too. At times youre even in the perspective of a kind bookstore cat. The lyricism skews heavy at times, and the many side stories and voices make for a slower read, but maybe thats the point: The effect is something of a transcendent journey. Those who keep with it (drug references and sexual trauma as well as a flirtation with an older man make it better for older teenagers or adults) will find a book about embracing everything people, lifestyles, beliefs, experiences and, in so doing, finding your own distinct power. The very first scene in Colleen AF Venables graphic novel KISS NUMBER 8 (First Second, 320 pp., $17.99; ages 13 and up), drawn by Ellen T. Crenshaw, is of a car parked across from a house with a Bush/Cheney 04 campaign sign standing in its front yard. Its an important detail to remember. Venable follows an irrepressible main character called Mads, short for Amanda, a Catholic high school student whos almost as interested in finding out why everyones so obsessed with kissing as she is with hanging out with her beloved dad. That is, until something weird starts happening at home. Her parents are lying to her, and whatever it is, its big. What Mads ultimately finds out is more world-altering than she could have imagined, causing her to question her friendships, her family history, her fathers beliefs and her own sexual orientation. Its not easy, but its a necessary process in becoming the person she truly wants to be. Image A Voyage Long and Strange: On the Trail of Vikings, Conquistadors, Lost Colonists, and Other Adventurers in Early America (2008). Horwitz dons armor as a Conquistador re-enactor and undertakes similar adventures to mimic those of the European explorers who hurled themselves into the Americas after Columbus mistook the Bahamas for the East Indies, and before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620. Image Midnight Rising: John Brown and the Raid That Sparked the Civil War (2011). This biography of the stern and bloody abolitionist John Brown is a departure from Horwitzs whimsical histories and first-person odysseys. In his review, Kevin Boyle wrote, Horwitz has given us a hard-driving narrative of one of Americas most troubling historical figures: the fearsome John Brown, whose blood-soaked raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry, Va., in October 1859 a misguided, wild and apparently insane act, in the abolitionist William Lloyd Garrisons words helped to push the nation into the most devastating war it would ever endure. Image Spying on the South: An Odyssey Across the American Divide (2019). In the middle of the 19th century, Frederick Law Olmsted traveled through the South on assignment for The New York Times, going undercover to understand the division that was tearing the country apart. Horwitz reprises his quest, in search of the same answers. A pub crawl with Fred across the old Confederacy, as he put it. When Horwitz began his reporting in the run-up to the 2016 election, when no one was predicting a Trump presidency, the author was filled with Olmsteds zeal and missionary spirit, believing that there was always room for dialogue, and great value in having it, if only to make it harder for Americans to demonize one another. At the end of his journey, as he walked the length of Central Park the peoples park that was Olmsteds rebuke to the insular South noting the preening supertalls now casting shadows at its southern end, his faith wavered a bit. Then he met a sixth-grader and his younger brother exploring near a bluff above the Harlem Meer. The best part of the park, the boy told him, was that he could get lost in it. Tell Fred he did good, the boy said, leading his brother into the woods. A disconnect on foreign policy President Trump split from his national security adviser, John Bolton, during their Japan trip that ended on Tuesday, saying that, unlike Mr. Bolton, he was not seeking regime change in Iran. Mr. Trump also contradicted Mr. Bolton by asserting that recent North Korean missile tests had not violated United Nations resolutions. Mr. Trumps supporters say the mixed messages are simply a way to keep adversaries off balance. Background: Mr. Trump chose Mr. Bolton, known for his hawkish foreign policy views, last year as his third national security adviser. Mr. Bolton has learned to brief Mr. Trump effectively, but the two have never bonded on a personal level, according to administration officials. Related: Mr. Bolton left Japan for the United Arab Emirates, where today he blamed Iran for reported attacks on oil tankers. Mueller declines to clear Trump In his first public remarks on the two-year-long Russia inquiry, the special counsel, Robert Mueller, declined to clear President Trump of obstruction of justice. If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so, Mr. Mueller said, reiterating a statement that was in his report. He said that his team decided not to charge Mr. Trump because of longstanding Justice Department policies, but noted that the Constitution offers other methods to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing a hint at Congresss impeachment powers. Heres a transcript of his statement. Though Mr. Mueller didnt rule out testifying before Congress, he said he would speak only about the facts in the report and nothing more. And throughout his brief appearance, he remained coy, leaving his intentions and conclusions open to interpretation. SHANGHAI Huawei is ramping up its legal challenge to American limits on purchases of its equipment, in a sign that it is doubling down on its strategy of fighting the Trump administration through the courts and public opinion rather than through quiet negotiations. The Chinese telecommunications giant filed a motion on Tuesday in the United States to accelerate its lawsuit against the White House, which it filed in March in a federal court in Texas. The request for summary judgment could expedite an outcome without the costs and time of a full trial, including avoiding handing over sensitive corporate information during the discovery process. It also could give the company a chance to present its arguments publicly in front of a judge in just a few months rather than wait for a trial to unfold. To announce its filing, Huaweis legal team turned to the American news media twice. Huaweis chief legal officer, Song Liuping, laid out the companys argument for the motion in an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal that appeared on Monday. Then on Wednesday in China, the company hosted a news conference at its headquarters in the city of Shenzhen. The U.S. government has provided no evidence to show that Huawei is a security threat, Mr. Song said. There is no gun, no smoke. Only speculation. TOKYO Nissan and Renault met on Wednesday to discuss the future of their carmaking alliance after a surprise announcement by the French automaker that it was considering a merger with Fiat Chrysler. The merger proposal surprised the industry in general and Nissan in particular; it was not part of the talks and was informed about the negotiations between its partner and Fiat Chrysler shortly before the announcement on Monday. The meeting on Wednesday for members of the Renault Nissan Alliance, which also includes Mitsubishi, took place at Nissans headquarters in Yokohama and ended shortly before noon. The group issued a brief statement that the carmakers had carried out an open and transparent discussion on the merger proposal as well as other matters. Nissan has tried to put a good face on the situation. Heading into the meeting on Wednesday morning, Nissans chief executive, Hiroto Saikawa, said that he was examining how the deal would affect his company, the economic daily Nikkei reported. Now he has come back to writing this time with spell-check in his memoir, Dear Mr. Picasso: An Illustrated Love Affair with Freedom, published by Schilt. In it, he recounts in a self-deprecating manner his privileged childhood in Switzerland and Barbados as the son of a diplomat, as well as his lonely teenage years after his fathers death. He describes academic failure and aimless wandering before he fought in the Korean War and was awarded two Purple Hearts. He returned to school at Armstrong Junior College in Savannah, Ga., as a much more focused student, and then transferred to Columbia. After encountering Picasso, he set out to learn his craft as a photographer. What was magical for me was that a little tiny camera could serve as a passport to the world, as a key to opening every lock and every cupboard of investigation and curiosity, he said. It was also a way of taking me to places and situations that would provide me good stories to tell. To keep the fights fair, the filmmakers created a fiercer, more weaponized Mothra, borrowing design elements from more intimidating members of the insect family (praying mantises, wasps). Even so, the director of the new film, Michael Dougherty, didnt want to change the core elements that have made Mothra one of Tohos most beloved monsters. I really wanted to retain her beauty her vibrant colors, and that very mystical quality that she has, he said. She isnt just a giant moth. Shes a very benevolent character, whereas all the other kaiju are obviously a bit more prone to destruction, he added, using the Japanese term for these movie monsters. Shes the yin to Godzillas yang. The task of tweaking the beast fell to the creature character designer Darnell Isom, whose first pass, ironically enough, resulted in a giant moth. That was not what he wanted, he laughed. I even put the twins in the artwork, but they had modern clothes, and they were in New York, looking at this huge, very realistic-looking moth. For two months, Isom worked to capture that elusive mix of fearsomeness and beauty, moving from really furry (not a hit with the director) to totally hairless and armorlike, to a little more alien. Little by little, he made Mothras blue eyes big and saucerlike, like the original, and added fur to the creatures face. The fur instantly softens things up, he said. Two days after Christmas, Darwin Santana-Gonzalez, a curly-haired 1-year-old, was toddling around a Bronx apartment where, the police said, a potent mixture of heroin and fentanyl was being prepared, stamped and packed for sale. The powerful opioids had been placed in packages, the authorities said, along with a related drug, acetylfentanyl, creating the sort of deadly cocktail that has led to a surge of overdose deaths in the Bronx and beyond. Somehow, some of the mix also ended up in Darwin. By 10 a.m. that morning, the police said, the little boy had stopped breathing and was dead. Darwins parents, who had flagged down the police as they tried to rush him to the hospital, were charged in January with multiple counts of drug possession, but his father fled the country. On Wednesday, the police announced that his mother, Daira Santana-Gonzalez, who was in custody, had been charged with murder in her sons death. Darwins death is a reminder of the pitiless power of fentanyl, a drug that can kill children even through accidental ingestion of very small quantities. It is not known how Darwin ingested the drugs. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, a fan of muscle cars and motorcycles, wanted to legalize scooters at the state level as part of budget negotiations earlier this year, but state lawmakers were not on board. Still, supporters are not giving up. Jessica Ramos, a Democratic state senator from Queens, introduced state legislation to allow scooters, with a public hearing scheduled for June 7. Were trying to have this conversation precisely because were behind so many other big cities across the world, not just in this country, Ms. Ramos said in an interview. We want to be able to offer residents environmentally friendly ways to get around. Although the devices are banned, some people own private scooters and flout the rules. Sarah M. Kaufman, an urban planning professor at New York University, said she often sees electric scooters in Manhattan. She has used a Bird scooter, which the company gave her to try out, without getting in trouble. Ive ridden it past police and they havent said anything, she said. It doesnt seem to be something thats being enforced. Still, city officials are concerned that an influx of scooters could lead to serious crashes. Two people died in the city last year while riding electric scooters, including a 7-year-old boy who was hit by a public bus last May. The boy, Shevon Bethea, was riding a childrens electric Razor scooter, known as the E300 model, which can cost more than $250, according to city officials. A bus driver for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority hit the boy in the Bronx, the police said. Broken pieces of the boys blue scooter were scattered across the street. The driver has not been charged. [What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.] The sun was just setting on Memorial Day when gunshots ripped across St. Andrews Playground on Atlantic Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Three teenagers were wounded in the gunfire, the youngest being 16. It was one of six shootings during the holiday weekend that left 10 wounded and one dead in northern Brooklyn, where police have been wrestling to contain a steep rise in murders and shootings. Over all, murders and shootings have dropped in New York City to levels not seen since the 1950s. Murders so far this year are down 11 percent over the same period last year. But the spike in shootings in North Brooklyn over the first three months of the year, peaking at 22 in March, shows that the police have struggled to contain pockets of violence, often driven by gangs. Monday nights shooting in Bedford-Stuyvesant appears to be part of a wave of tit-for-tat violence in the 79th Precinct between several street gangs, the police said, among them Brisp Nation, Gates Fam, Rich Fam, the Hoolies and the 900 gang. Overlooked is a series of obituaries about remarkable people whose deaths, beginning in 1851, went unreported in The Times. This month were adding the stories of important L.G.B.T.Q. figures. The Angel of the Waters alighted in Central Park with more of a thud than a splash. All had expected something great, something of angelic power and beauty, The New York Times wrote of the unveiling of the Bethesda fountain statue on June 1, 1873, and when a feebly-pretty idealess thing of bronze was revealed the revulsion of feeling was painful. The figure resembles a servant girl executing a polka, the unnamed reviewer added. It was an inauspicious debut for the first public art commission ever awarded to a woman in New York City. But over the decades, as the Angel watched over picnics, parties and wedding proposals, and appeared in movies and television shows as a silent observer of musical numbers and grand romantic moments on the parks Bethesda Terrace, she became all but synonymous with New York. Roger O. Hirson, a prominent writer for live television in the 1950s and 60s who collaborated with the composer Stephen Schwartz on the hit Broadway musical Pippin, died on May 27 at his home in Manhattan. He was 93. His son David, a playwright, confirmed the death. Mr. Schwartz, who also composed musicals like Godspell and Wicked, had developed Pippin while he was a student at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. At the time, 1969, he was looking for someone to write the book when he was introduced to Mr. Hirson. After reading one of his television plays, Journey to the Day, and a stage work, World War 2, a tragicomedy that had been produced in London and Off Broadway, Mr. Schwartz was impressed and decided to work with him. Pippin is set in about A.D. 780 and tells the story of the starry-eyed title character (played in the original production by John Rubinstein), a son and heir to Charles the Great, or Charlemagne, king of the Franks, and his quest to understand lifes mysteries. A troupe of commedia dellarte clowns, headed by the Leading Player (originally Ben Vereen), the charming and manipulative M.C., are the guides to Pippins adventures. And just last year, Mio Sugita, an L.D.P. lawmaker and protegee of Mr. Abes, said that same-sex couples dont produce children, adding, they lack productivity and, therefore, do not contribute to the prosperity of the nation. The Abe governments penchant for historical revisionism for glorifying Japans wartime past, for denying that the Japanese military committed atrocities is well documented. Several photos have emerged showing the L.D.P.s policy chief and two members of Mr. Abes cabinet with neo-Nazis and far-right hate groups. In 2016, the minister in charge of Okinawa affairs refused to denounce a police officers pejorative and racist slurs (natives, Chinamen) against protesters opposing the presence of United States military bases in the prefecture. Again, Mr. Abe did not dismiss any of these ministers . The Abe administration is, in other words, rejecting the rules of the democratic game, denying the legitimacy of its opponents, curtailing the civil liberties of dissenters and tolerating or encouraging some forms of hate speech all precisely the indicators of budding authoritarianism that the political scientists Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt warn about in their 2018 book How Democracies Die. While the book focuses on Mr. Trump, it also touches on other notable cases of elected leaders who have perverted the democratic process , including Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and Viktor Orban of Hungary. Yet it does not mention Mr. Abe, even though he, too, meets the authors criteria. The oversight is common, and it is revealing. As illiberal populism destabilizes the West, Japans allies and partners see Mr. Abe as a guardian of the international liberal order despite his own illiberal record at home. Michael Green, a former staffer on the National Security Council under George W. Bush now at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, has argued that domestic political stability in Japan has allowed Mr. Abe to prioritize his foreign policy agenda and work on shaping regional and global institutions to preserve the rules-based international order. According to the Lowy Institute, a leading think tank in Australia, Japan has become the leader of the liberal order in Asia. Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia has called Mr. Abe the senior figure in the region and said he leaned on Mr. Abes real wisdom. How has Mr. Abe come to seem so benevolent? The simplest answer may be that he is not a populist outsider, but an ultimate establishment insider: the grandson of Nobusuke Kishi, a prime minister (and suspected war criminal). Mr. Abe came to power without needing to ride any highly visible and disruptive movement; his rise didnt call attention. In further support of abortion rights, overwhelming majorities in 2018 supported abortion during the first trimester if the mothers life was endangered (83-15); when the pregnancy was the result of rape or incest (77-21); and by slightly smaller majorities when the child would be born mentally disabled (56-41) or with a life-threatening illness (67-31). On the anti-abortion side, Gallup found that majorities opposed abortion in the second trimester (65-28) and by a larger margin in the third trimester (81-13). The public continued to support abortion in the third trimester when the life of the mother was in danger (72-22), but was much more lukewarm toward third-trimester abortions when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape, supporting the procedure 52-42. In addition, in 2018, the public opposed third-trimester abortions when the child would be born with a mental disability (61-35) and split (48-49) on third-trimester abortions if the child would be born with a life-threatening illness. The states in the process of restricting abortion are either seeking to prohibit it after a set number of weeks, ranging from six to 20 depending on the state; or to prohibit abortion after a heartbeat can be detected (roughly six weeks); or, in the case of Alabama, to ban all abortions except those to save the life of the mother. The abortion debate is a key element in the larger division of opinion in America about the sexual revolution, pitting those who believe that sexual autonomy is crucial to the achievement of gender equality against those who, in the words of the Southern Baptist Convention, honor the rich and valuable contributions of full-time wives and mothers who through their service and self-sacrifice have strengthened their families, enriched our nation and pleased our God by honoring his purposes in their lives each day. Leaders of the anti-abortion movement are explicit in placing blame on the sexual revolution for what they see as the larger corruption of the social order, the demand for womens autonomy and for abortion. The abortion license has helped to erode the moral foundations of the American civic community, wrote 39 prominent opponents of abortion in a famous 1996 declaration, The America We Seek: A Statement of Pro-Life Principle and Concern. How do its opponents believe abortion has undermined the American moral character? According to the statement, The abortion license is inextricably bound up with the mores of the sexual revolution. Promotion of the pro-life cause also requires us to support and work with those who are seeking to re-establish the moral linkage between sexual expression and marriage, and between marriage and procreation. We believe that a renewal of American democracy as a virtuous society requires us to honor and promote an ethic of self-command and mutual responsibility, and to resist the siren song of the false ethic of unbridled self-expression. Liberal proponents of womens rights have, in turn, countered this idea with a set of arguments about the real stakes in the argument over abortion. As Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York formulated it recently: Abortion bans arent just about controlling womens bodies. Theyre about controlling womens sexuality. Owning women. From limiting birth control to banning comprehensive sex ed, U.S. religious fundamentalists are working hard to outlaw sex that falls outside their theology. Robert Kurzban, a co-author of The Hidden Agenda of the Political Mind, argued in an email that abortion opponents want to impose a cost on those having sex without wanting to reproduce. At the risk of losing street cred as a tough-as-nails tech pundit, Ill confess that I couldnt muster much outrage when Facebook declined last week to delete a video doctored to make Nancy Pelosi look like a drunken mess. Sure, theres a good argument that Facebook should have taken down the fake, as YouTube did. But what the company did do label the clip as misinformation and limit its virality so that very few people got to see it struck me as a reasonable effort to quash the lie, especially since I worry about Facebooks overreach. Demanding that Facebook remove posts that cross some hard-to-define line may end up dragooning lots of legitimate political speech into its memory hole. Such a policy would also enrich Mark Zuckerberg with the last thing we should want him to have: more power over what we read, watch, listen to and think about. Mostly, though, I felt indifferent to the debate. Whatever Facebook decides to do with this weird little video is a big meh, because if you were to rank the monsters of misinformation that American society now faces, amateurishly doctored viral videos would clock in as mere houseflies in our midst. Worry about them, sure, but not at the risk of overlooking a more clear and present danger, the million-pound, forked-tongue colossus that dominates our misinformation menagerie: Fox News and the far-flung, cross-platform lie machine that it commands. [Farhad Manjoo will answer your questions about his column on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. Eastern: @fmanjoo] Sometimes I wonder if, as far as the news is concerned, Ive begun to resemble the protagonist in The Princess Bride, who develops an immunity to a poison, iocane powder, simply by ingesting a little bit of it every day. Incredibly, the monstrousness of our age no longer shocks me, not least because I spend part of each day taking it all in. But on Friday, for the first time, I read the newspaper and just collapsed in a chair and wept actual hot tears. My wife and son came over and held me in their arms, fearing, perhaps, that I felt unloved. But thats not why I wept. Ive always felt a ridiculous love for this country, a kind of cheese-ball passion that is almost embarrassing to admit to. Maybe its because my mother was an immigrant, or because my father went from rags to riches, Horatio Alger-style. Maybe its because when I came out as something as unexpected as transgender in midlife, there seemed against all odds to be room for me. I dont know. Maybe its just that I love rock 'n' roll, and Philadelphia hoagies, and the Boston Red Sox, and James Cagney. I am that Yankee Doodle boy or, you know, girl. The story that slew me, of all things, was about a proposed change to the Affordable Care Act, removing its civil rights protections for gender identity. The move wasnt unexpected; after all, the Trump administration has been considering various means of erasing transgender identity since at least last fall. To the Editor: Re Sanders Fuels Debate on Charter Schools and Segregation (news article, May 24): Bernie Sanderss education plan tries to position his platform as a means to dismantle segregation with racial justice as a critical priority. The Diverse Charter Schools Coalition fiercely believes in that priority, but we strongly disagree with Senator Sanderss position that charter schools cause segregation. We are an organization created by diverse by design public charter schools, representing a grass-roots model of integration. Across the country, students, staff members and families are choosing integrated charter schools because they know that its the right thing for them and for our society as a whole. Senator Sanderss proposals would halt that important work. Charter schools must be part of solving the long-running challenges of integrating schools. Working alongside districts, charter schools can provide more seats in integrated learning environments. Plans like Senator Sanderss shut down the opportunity to collaborate and problem-solve, instead enhancing political divisions. We invite Senator Sanders to see the work happening in our member schools. We are part of the solution, not part of the problem. To the Editor: Re Doctors Who Risk Their Lives (editorial, May 26): In your acknowledgment of the 10th anniversary of the murder of Dr. George Tiller, you rightly point to his courage in the face of relentless attacks by his opponents. But there is another element of Dr. Tillers legacy that bears mention. In the close-knit world of the abortion-providing community in the United States, Dr. Tiller was routinely referred to, without irony, as St. George. This was because of his generosity and compassion. Providers from all over the country would routinely refer their most difficult cases to him women who discovered that their pregnancies had gone horribly wrong late in pregnancy, 11-year-old girls who had been raped by a relative and barely understood that they were pregnant. These colleagues knew that these patients would be cared for with the utmost kindness and sensitivity, and often without charge. Carole Joffe Berkeley, Calif. The writer is a professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the University of California, San Francisco. To the Editor: Re On Names, Japans Foreign Minister Says, Western News Outlets Get It Backward (news article, May 23): Americans, and those in all Western societies, have long transliterated Chinese and Korean names into European languages in the order used by the people of those societies; family name first, individual name second. But in the case of Japanese names, we have always reversed the order, using the practice preferred in our own societies. As an American who was raised in both Japanese and Western cultures, I have long been struck by the fact that this is not merely inconsistent, but also unfair. The exception made for Japanese names has a historical basis: In the 1850s, a weak Japan acquiesced in adopting many of the practices of powerful Western countries. But that explanation cannot serve as justification any longer. How would Americans feel if, for 150 years, another powerful country expected us to happily flip the order of our personal names every time we interacted with that society? When the foreign minister of Japan now asks the rest of the world to follow the Japanese practice, as we already do with Korean and Chinese names, its long past time for us to acquiesce. Its also time for The New York Times to apply its own policy to render peoples names the way they prefer to Japanese names as well, and to add its considerable influence to the critical mass that this change will require outside of Japan. To the Editor: Re Mueller, in First Comments on Russia Inquiry, Declines to Clear Trump (nytimes.com, May 29): Robert Mueller, for the first time in over two years, spoke publicly, and it was remarkable what he packed into a brief nine-minute statement. Mr . Mueller made several things absolutely clear . First, he said he was prohibited by Justice Department policy and by the Constitution itself from indicting a sitting president. So he did not and could not do that. Second, he did not say in the report that President Trump did not obstruct justice, nor did he say that there was no collusion (only no provable conspiracy). Mr. Mueller could not have been more explicit: His investigation did not exonerate Mr. Trump. In fact, the between-the-lines implication was that if not for the presidents being unindictable, Mr. Mueller likely would have charged Mr. Trump with obstruction of justice . Third, Mr. Mueller stated quite clearly that the ball is in Congresss court. He made clear that the constitutional remedy for Mr. Trumps potential transgressions is for Congress to determine if high crimes and misdemeanors were committed. This article is part of David Leonhardts newsletter. You can sign up here to receive it each weekday. The 2020 Democratic primary is full of intriguing ideas on climate change, tax policy, voting rights and more. This morning, I want to focus on an issue that three candidates have begun pushing: national service. The basic idea is to encourage people, especially younger adults, to work on projects that advance the countrys interests. Franklin Roosevelt created the first federally funded service corps in the 1930s. Since then, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson and Bill Clinton built on the idea. AmeriCorps todays umbrella program, which receives both federal and private funds has about 75,000 civilian corps members annually. They perform education, antipoverty and other work, in exchange for a modest stipendor tuition reimbursement. The answer depends on what Mr. Trumps primary objective is. If its to sound tough to American voters, he may well have a winning formula. But if its to bring about a substantive change in Chinas negotiating posture toward a bilateral trade agreement, one that might usher in changes in Chinas trade policy, addressing questions of forced technology transfers, intellectual property theft, industrial subsidies, currency manipulation and a phalanx of other non-tariff barriers, Im not so sure. Days after the presidents tweets, China listed three red lines, positions the United States had taken in the trade talks that were unacceptable: First, that it would keep tariffs in place for a period after the proposed trade agreement was signed. Second, that it could impose punitive tariffs if it judged China to be in violation of the agreement, and that China would be forbidden from retaliating with its own tariffs. Third, the ever-inflating expectations of the terms under which Beijing would buy American goods under a proposed bilateral purchasing agreement. These red lines were new. Before that, Chinas negotiating team had a fully flexible remit from the leadership. But not anymore. Now that these three lines are in the public domain, there is no way Chinese leaders can yield on them. The leaks of large parts of the negotiating text to the American news media has added a new level of toxicity, making it virtually impossible to return to the existing text as a basis of negotiations. Together with recent moves against the Chinese telecom company Huawei presumably intended to pressure Beijing further, the possibility of negotiating a revised agreement that is more accommodating to American interests is now very slim. Instead, what I have seen in Beijing over the last few weeks is a country moving in exactly the opposite direction. Congress will soon have access to a treasure trove of information about President Trumps taxes. It just needs to ask New York. A new state law, which sailed through the New York Legislature and now awaits the signature of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, would allow the heads of Congresss tax-writing committees to request a public officials state tax returns to aid the committees in a legitimate task. The law does not single out President Trump, but it will permit the House Ways and Means Committee which has so far been stymied by the Treasury Department in its investigation of Mr. Trumps taxes to obtain evidence of his tax reporting practices and the results of I.R.S. audits. When Mr. Cuomo signs the legislation which he has said he will do Richard Neal, the chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, need only ask Albany for the records. Mr. Neal never should have needed New Yorks help here. A 1924 federal statute provides that the Treasury secretary shall furnish any individuals tax records upon written request from the Ways and Means chairman or his Senate counterpart. Invoking that law last month, Mr. Neal requested six years of Mr. Trumps tax filings to assist his panels inquiry into the I.R.S.s audits of the president. Nevertheless, Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, denied that request as well as a subsequent congressional subpoena for the presidents returns. Following a divorce, and nearing retirement after a 47-year nursing career, Ms. Aponte was ready for a change. So a year and a half ago, she left Westborough, Mass., for the Walnut Beach section of Milford, where her daughter had moved 11 years earlier. She bought a four-bedroom house with a yard big enough to accommodate her nine grandchildren, paying $320,000. The home is a five-minute drive from Walnut Beach, or a 12-minute walk to the three-quarter-mile boardwalk that connects Walnut Beach to Silver Sands State Park. Its a pretty New England town thats just big enough, but not too big, said Ms. Aponte, 68, who attends the free summer concerts and weekly farmers market at Walnut Beach, and participates in programs at Milfords senior center and the local YMCA. She is also happy to be closer to New York City, and makes frequent train trips there, taking advantage of Metro-North Railroads senior discount. Now she is hoping to talk her sons into moving to Milford. If any of my kids in Massachusetts were willing to move, Id tell them to only consider Milford, Ms. Aponte said. What Youll Find Tucked beside the Housatonic River and hugging a long stretch of the Long Island Sound, Milford has a close relationship with the water. The beaches provide much of the citys social fabric during the summer, as do the boat-filled marinas and busy harbor. Added to that are the many ponds, inlets and salt marshes, and a downtown waterfall that offers a picturesque backdrop for City Hall. Image 11 SMITHS POINT ROAD | A three-bedroom, two-bathroom house on the water in a gated community, built in 1998 on 0.14 acres, listed for $898,500. 203-623-9844 Credit... Tony Cenicola/The New York Times Beyond the shoreline, this 23.6-square-mile city extends north, bisected by I-95 and a highly commercial stretch of Boston Post Road, with several distinct neighborhoods and a highly varied housing stock. North of the Post Road are farmlands and two large housing developments built in the past 20 years, while the streets surrounding the downtown are lined with 19th-century homes. Sprinkled throughout the city are the hundreds of Cape Cod-style houses and split-levels built in the 1950s for returning World War II vets, as well as a number of condominium complexes. Image 222 OLD FIELD LANE | A four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom renovated Cape Cod-style house, built in 1951 on 0.21 acres, listed for $649,000. 203-590-0115 Credit... Tony Cenicola/The New York Times Its amazing the different types of houses we have here in Milford. You can get something for $190,000 or $2.2 million, so theres something for everyone, said Ms. Zink, who grew up in a mobile-home park owned by her family that once sat on the Post Road before moving in 2005 to make way for a Walmart. Now called Ryder Woods and under new ownership, the mobile park is home to about 200 families. Seismologists have never had a better understanding of earthquakes. But tragedy after tragedy shows that quakes still surprise and shock people with their mercurial behavior. Precise predictions of when and where quakes will occur, and how deadly they may be, are not yet possible. If, however, researchers could chronicle how quakes grow, they might be able to better forecast how powerful they will become. The mightiest quakes are far from instantaneous. They can last minutes, which makes them less like a single subterranean blast and more like a series of explosions moving outward. A new study, published on Wednesday in Science Advances, explains that the outward journey of these explosions differs depending on the power of the quake. That means that the final magnitude of a quake could be determined in as little as 10 to 15 seconds after it begins, and long before it ends. [Like the Science Times page on Facebook. | Sign up for the Science Times newsletter.] A single-digit leap in earthquake magnitude means that 32 times more energy is being released. Many factors determine the hazard level of a quake, but small increases in magnitude can make the difference between merely damaging and catastrophic. If final earthquake magnitudes could be ascertained early on, it would give rapid, more precise warnings to populations yet to be shaken. This article was originally published in May and has been updated for Julys events. For two days every spring and summer, the sunset lines up with Manhattans street grid, creating a gorgeous celestial spectacle. For a brief moment, the suns golden rays illuminate the citys buildings and traffic with a breathtaking glow. Its the best sunset picture of the year that you will have in this beautiful city, Jackie Faherty, an astrophysicist at the American Museum of Natural History said to The Times in a 2017 interview. Sometimes they call it the Instagram holiday. Manhattanhenges name is a homage to Stonehenge, the monument in England believed to have been constructed by prehistoric people and used in rituals related to the sun. During the summer solstice, the sunrise there is perfectly framed by its stone slabs. Many New Yorkers gathered on Friday at major intersections and gazed to the west as the sun aligned with the grid. It was an improvement over May, when Manhattanhenge was interrupted both nights by heavy rains and cloudy skies. My phone recently buzzed with an alarming notification: Police officers were responding to a shooting about a mile away. A few hours later, another alert popped up, letting me know that two men were fighting in an alleyway nearby. Then my inbox loaded an email with a message that a neighbor had found a man trying to break into his house. The notifications arrived because of two apps I was using: Nextdoor, a social network for neighbors , and Citizen, which delivers alerts on local crimes in progress. Both are among the most downloaded news apps today, according to App Annie, the research firm. They are also part of a crop of apps that focus on keeping people informed about their neighborhoods, a category that is likely to grow. Last year, for instance, Amazon acquired Ring, which makes a doorbell that doubles as a security camera. The retail giant recently posted a job listing for someone to manage a team of news journalists who would write crime alerts for an app. A few summers ago, Rebecca Messina watched her children Zara and Luca, then 6 and 4, squish tomatoes at Casa Carcicera, a picturesque villa in Southeastern Sicily. The vacation scene bordered on cinematic: Their tiny hands maneuvered thin slices of eggplant as a local cooking instructor with the last name Amore supervised encouragingly. Weve always believed that your kids should fit into your life, so we had to make the trip something theyd look forward to, said Ms. Messina, 46, a San Francisco-based tech executive. Sicily is famous for its cooking, and we wanted to include them in that experience. We dont just want them only plopping in front of the pool or the TV. For Ms. Messina and other parents with the wherewithal to travel internationally with children, villas are as practical as they are romantic, with many bedrooms under a single roof, ample communal space, a kitchen, and often a private pool and yard. Yet achieving a family-friendly version of the Under the Tuscan Sun idyll goes beyond having high chairs or play areas. To meet increasing demand, luxury villa companies and travel advisers are stepping in to design culturally immersive activities all for guests who can count their age on one or two hands. Single mothers entry into work in the 1990s was also driven by a thriving economy and low unemployment, in addition to major policy changes. The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, known as welfare reform, required many recipients to work , and set an expiration date on benefits. The Clinton administration also expanded the earned-income tax credit for low earners, which becomes more generous the more people work. The employment rate of single mothers climbed, and the share on public assistance dropped. But work requirements also left a significant number without jobs or federal aid a group researchers describe as disconnected. They tend to have less education and younger children, and are more likely to be facing physical or mental health issues, substance-abuse problems or domestic violence. By 2016, there were roughly 3.3 million jobless single mothers and just 1.3 million families receiving welfare, known as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, the lowest number since welfare reform was enacted, according to LaDonna Pavetti, vice president for family income support policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Even people eligible for TANF have been applying for it at lower rates, largely because of the reputation that it is difficult to obtain, researchers said. The Trump administration has proposed adding similar work requirements for people receiving food and housing assistance and medical coverage. Many safety net programs have been eviscerated, and work requirements have increased, said Carol Burnett, executive director of the Mississippi Low Income Child Care Initiative, a nonprofit that supports working mothers. If more single mothers are working, she said, its for a simple reason: They need the money. At the same time, some states and cities have passed policies that help working families. One example is minimum wage increases. Areas that raised it most saw the largest rise in the rate of single mothers who work, the Times analysis found. (This doesnt prove that the higher wages caused the return to work, though areas with strong economies might have felt more confident raising minimum wages, for example.) With the rise of the #MeToo movement, women have become bolder about using their names in retellings of traumatic sexual experiences and in sexual assault cases. But many still fear the stigma that may come with going public. The legal efforts to unmask women in sexual assault cases come as the federal Education Department is in the final stages of reviewing some 120,000 comments about Secretary Betsy DeVoss proposed new rules under Title IX, the federal law forbidding sex discrimination. The new rules were intended in part to address criticism that those accused of sexual assault were not given due process. Florida A&M has tried through two motions to have S.B.s lawsuit dismissed unless her name is disclosed, and again most recently in an appeal, which is pending. The university said that allowing S.B. to use her initials makes her appear to be a victim who needs protection, even though that has not been proved in court. It argued that it was only fair for S.B. to be publicly identified because she was publicly identifying the university officials who she said had mishandled her case, and the men who she said had raped her. The judge, Mark E. Walker of the Northern District of Florida, did not agree. Outing an alleged rape victim simply because other parties or individuals involved in the lawsuit are not proceeding anonymously serves no legitimate public interest, he said in his decision on one of Florida A&Ms motions. S.B.s lawyer, Michael Dolce, said there was no comparison between the stigma and shame a victim of sexual assault can face and the embarrassment endured by a university official accused of bureaucratic mistakes. The schools efforts, he added, were intended to intimidate the woman into dropping her suit. David Whitley, who served as the Texas secretary of state for about five months and was the face of a failed attempt to review the citizenship status of nearly 100,000 registered voters, resigned from his post Monday. Mr. Whitley was appointed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, in December, but he was never officially confirmed as the secretary of state by the Texas Senate because all 12 Democrats refused to approve him. Absent that confirmation, according to state regulations, the end of the legislative session Monday would have marked the end of his tenure. Mr. Whitley stirred up controversy in January when his office warned county officials that the Texas Department of Public Safety had identified about 95,000 registered voters as potential noncitizens, adding that 58,000 of those had voted in one or more elections in the state. According to the Department of Energy, the next critical export from the United States is made from molecules of U.S. Freedom. You may wonder, what are these molecules? The technical answer is liquefied natural gas. Or, if you are in charge of energy policy for the Trump administration, freedom gas. Let that seep in. On Tuesday, the department announced plans to increase exports of the fuel source from a new liquefaction plant that will be built off the coast of Texas on Quintana Island by Freeport LNG of Houston. That announcement was quickly overshadowed by the colorful terminology in the release. Increasing export capacity from the Freeport LNG project is critical to spreading freedom gas throughout the world by giving Americas allies a diverse and affordable source of clean energy, Mark W. Menezes, the under secretary of energy, said in a news release. On the heels of a spate of anti-abortion legislation passed in recent months across the South, Louisiana lawmakers voted on Wednesday to ban the procedure after the pulsing of what becomes the fetuss heart can be detected. The restriction, backed by the states Democratic governor, could prohibit abortions as early as six weeks into a womans pregnancy. Several other states have passed versions of so-called fetal heartbeat bills this year, and Alabama approved a law about two weeks ago that would forbid nearly all abortions in the state. But the Louisiana measure, coming near the end of a legislative season in which state after state considered bills to either restrict or protect abortion, stood out for the composition of the political coalition that rallied around it. The Republicans who control the Legislature endorsed the measure, but it was written by a Democratic state senator from the Shreveport area, and Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat who is running for re-election this year, pledged his support. God values human life, and so do the people of Louisiana, the state senator, John Milkovich, said this month. We believe this is an important step in dismantling the attack of the abortion cartel on our next generation. Over the last few months, lawmakers have sought not always successfully to use the singular they when introducing nonbinary constituents who have appeared to testify. The elected officials have listened to tutorials on the difference between sexual orientation and gender identity (the former is who you go to bed with, the latter is who you go to bed as); to pleas for compassion from parents who have learned to refer to their children as my kid rather than son or daughter; and to why being called by binary pronouns feels, as Kayden Reff (they/them), 15, of Bethesda, Md., put it in testimony read by their mother, as though ice is being poured down my back. Ive always been a liberal Democrat; its not like these issues are foreign to me, said State Representative Michael Winkler (he/him), 68, of Vernon, Conn., who attended a hearing on gender-neutral identification state documents this spring. But Im still capable of being educated. Some of the antipathy toward nonbinary identities may reflect a generational divide. Over a third of Americans now in their teens and early 20s know someone who uses gender-neutral pronouns, according to a recent survey by Pew Research more than people in their later 20s and 30s, double the number of those in their 40s, and triple the number of those in their 50s and 60s. Sixty percent of the teenagers surveyed told Pew that forms asking about a persons gender should include options other than man and woman. Possibly its an age issue, said Jocelyn Doane (she/her), 39, a longtime advocate for progressive causes in Hawaii who struggled with whether to support the gender-neutral license bill in her state. I want to respect their challenges, but the use of their for a single person is making me crazy. Objections to the bills have also been raised by social conservatives, like State Senator J.B. Jennings (he/him) of Maryland, who made a distinction in public comments between transgender people who transition from male to female or vice versa, and those who identify as nonbinary. Theyre either going one way or the other, theyre not stuck in the middle, he said. Mr. Jennings suggested that the license would be inaccurate if it listed a gender other than male or female. His argument was echoed by the California Family Council when that state became the first to adopt gender-neutral documents as law in 2017: It advances a falsehood that being male or female or no gender at all is a choice each person must make, not a fact to celebrate and accept, said Jonathan Keller, the groups president. Beto ORourke released a broad immigration plan on Wednesday, pledging that as president he would immediately end several Trump administration border policies through executive action, offer protection from deportation to thousands of immigrants whose status in the United States is in limbo, and pass legislation that would create a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million immigrants in the country without permission. In unveiling his proposal, Mr. ORourke, a former Texas congressman who is seeking the Democratic nomination, leaned on his ties to El Paso, interspersing a nine-page policy paper with testimonials from immigrants who hail from that diverse community. The immigration plan is the second major policy proposal issued by Mr. ORourkes presidential campaign he released a $5 trillion plan to combat climate change last month and takes on the issue that President Trump placed at the center of his 2016 bid. [Make sense of the people, issues and ideas shaping American politics with our newsletter.] Coming from a city of immigrants, Ive seen the incredible contributions of immigrants to our communities and local economies, and have been able to experience what happens when we allow everyone to contribute to their full potential, Mr. ORourke said in a statement announcing the plan. Under our administration, we will ensure that we advance a new vision of immigration that fully reflects our countrys values and empowers every individual to contribute to the shared greatness of our country. So far, 19 candidates have qualified to be in the first debate next month, creating a situation where most of them are unlikely to get much airtime. For that debate, the committee agreed to evenly and randomly divide top-tier candidates across two nights in order to maintain viewer interest. The third debate will be shown by ABC News, in partnership with Univision, and will be held on two consecutive nights Sept. 12 and 13. It will be capped at 20 candidates, but it is unlikely that many will qualify. Currently, only about eight candidates consistently reach 2 percent in the polls. Party officials say the additional two months of campaigning, combined with appearances in the heavily promoted summer debates, could lead to more candidates reaching the new threshold. Officials also point out that no Democratic candidate consistently polling under 2 percent has gone on to win primaries and caucuses since President Jimmy Carter in 1975. Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey quickly used the new rules to solicit donations, telling supporters on Wednesday that his campaign has some work to do to hit this number. Senator Kirsten Gillibrands campaign also sent a fund-raising blast to supporters, citing the donor requirement and saying, This is going to be tough but we can do this. Senator Kamala Harris of California, before an event in Greenville, S.C., also expressed some skepticism. Im not in a position to tell the D.N.C. what to do, but I think that there is no question that we need to support a robust process of letting everyone make their case to the American people, she said. At some point it will whittle down, and thats part of what a competition involves. WASHINGTON When it came to filling a Supreme Court vacancy during the 2016 presidential election year, Senator Mitch McConnell had a constant refrain: Let the people decide. But should a high court seat become open in 2020, Mr. McConnell has already decided himself. Oh, wed fill it, Mr. McConnell, the Kentucky Republican and majority leader, gleefully told a friendly Chamber of Commerce audience back home in Paducah on Tuesday. Mr. McConnell regularly celebrates his history-altering 2016 decision to thwart President Barack Obama from filling a vacancy that occurred with 11 months remaining in his term, saying the seat should be kept open until a new president could be elected and inaugurated. But he has been laying the groundwork to change course ever since Donald J. Trump was elected president. Tuesdays remarks were only his most definitive: He would not be bound by the standard he himself set in preventing Judge Merrick B. Garland from being seated on the high court. The comments immediately drew howls of blatant hypocrisy from Democrats and progressive allies. They said it underscored their view that Mr. McConnell was unprincipled and acted out of purely partisan motives in 2016 when he single-handedly decided to blockade Mr. Obamas choice to replace Antonin Scalia after the court icons death that February. Democrats accused Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, of hypocrisy on Tuesday after he said Republicans would confirm a justice to the Supreme Court if a seat opened up amid the election campaign in 2020, even after denying President Barack Obama a similar opportunity in 2016. The senator made the remarks at a Chamber of Commerce event in Paducah, Ky., after an audience member asked what Senate Republicans would do if a Supreme Court justice died next year. Oh, wed fill it, he responded with a grin, prompting laughter from the audience. When Mr. McConnell denied Judge Merrick B. Garland, Mr. Obamas choice to fill a Supreme Court vacancy, a hearing in 2016, the senator cited election-year tradition going back to 1880 in keeping the seat open until a new president could be inaugurated. Mr. McConnells remark on Tuesday made it clear that was not his only consideration. It was the most direct acknowledgment yet that Senate Republicans would treat a judge nominated by a Republican president differently from one nominated by a Democratic president. An 11th candidate, Representative Eric Swalwell of California a member of the House Judiciary Committee, which has the authority to begin such proceedings has said he is preparing for impeachment and called it potentially the only road to save our country. But several leading candidates were more hesitant on Wednesday. A representative for former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. said in a statement that Mr. Biden agrees with Speaker Pelosi that no one would relish what would certainly be a divisive impeachment process, but that it may be unavoidable if this administration continues on its path. As he left a campaign event in Dallas on Wednesday, Mr. Biden did not stop to engage a sizable group of reporters who shouted questions about Mr. Mueller toward him. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, too, avoided an outright endorsement of beginning impeachment proceedings, but tweeted, If the House Judiciary Committee deems it necessary, I will support their decision. The ground has shifted since the Justice Department released its redacted version of Mr. Muellers report. While a few candidates, including Ms. Warren, called for impeachment then, they were in the minority, and officials on other campaigns said there had been little pressure from voters. (Ms. Warren, for her part, said on The View on Thursday that if Mr. Trump were anyone other than president of the United States, he would be in handcuffs and indicted.) [Want to understand impeachment? Read our explainer.] Were beyond talking about this in terms of political implications, Representative Jim McGovern of Massachusetts told WGBH radio in Boston, endorsing an impeachment inquiry. We have to do whats right. Mr. McGovern, the chairman of the powerful Rules Committee, is one of the highest-ranking House Democrats to back the idea, but there were other new supporters, too, pushing the total number of lawmakers in favor of an impeachment inquiry well above 40. Representative Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, said Mr. Trump had egregiously obstructed justice and warranted the inquiry. Representative Chellie Pingree of Maine urged Congress to continue its own investigations in the face of unprecedented obstruction and move toward an impeachment inquiry. Top House leaders, though, continued to be more cautious, arguing that Democrats had not yet built the kind of case that would be necessary to warrant such significant action. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has tried to hold back an impeachment inquiry, said Wednesday that nothing is off the table. But, she continued at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, we do want to make such a compelling case, such an ironclad case, that even the Republican Senate, which at the time seems not to be an objective jury, will be convinced of the path we have to take as a country. She does not believe her colleagues have yet done that. Instead, top Democratic leaders allied with Ms. Pelosi used Mr. Muellers remarks as a chance to reiterate the importance of having the special counsel testify before Congress. The sight of Mr. Mueller describing his findings on live television deepened Democratic convictions that putting him on the witness stand would help convince Americans of the gravity of Russias election interference and Mr. Trumps efforts to thwart the investigation. Good morning, everyone, and thank you for being here. Two years ago, the acting attorney general asked me to serve as special counsel and he created the special counsels office. The appointment order directed the office to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. This included investigating any links or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the Trump campaign. Now, I have not spoken publicly during our investigation. Im speaking out today because our investigation is complete. The attorney general has made the report on our investigation largely public. We are formally closing the special counsels office, and as well Im resigning from the Department of Justice to return to private life. Ill make a few remarks about the results of our work, but beyond these few remarks it is important that the offices written work speak for itself. Let me begin where the appointment order begins, and that is interference in the 2016 presidential election. As alleged by the grand jury in an indictment, Russian intelligence officers who were part of the Russian military launched a concerted attack on our political system. The indictment alleges that they used sophisticated cyber techniques to hack into computers and networks used by the Clinton campaign. They stole private information and then released that information through fake online identities and through the organization WikiLeaks. The releases were designed and timed to interfere with our election, and to damage a presidential candidate. And at the same time, as the grand jury alleged in a separate indictment, a private Russian entity engaged in a social media operation where Russian citizens posed as Americans in order to influence an election. These indictments contain allegations and we are not commenting on the guilt or the innocence of any specific defendant. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The indictments allege, and the other activities in our report describe, efforts to interfere in our political system. They needed to be investigated and understood, and that is among the reasons why the Department of Justice established our office. That is also a reason we investigated efforts to obstruct the investigation. The matters we investigated were of paramount importance. It was critical for us to obtain full and accurate information from every person we questioned. When a subject of an investigation obstructs that investigation or lies to investigators, it strikes at the core of the governments effort to find the truth and hold wrongdoers accountable. Let me say a word about the report. The report has two parts, addressing the two main issues we were asked to investigate. The first volume of the report details numerous efforts emanating from Russia to influence the election. This volume includes a discussion of the Trump campaigns response to this activity, as well as our conclusion that there was insufficient evidence to charge a broader conspiracy. And in the second volume, the report describes the results and analysis of our obstruction of justice investigation involving the president. The order appointing me special counsel authorized us to investigate actions that could obstruct the investigation. We conducted that investigation and we kept the office of the acting attorney general apprised of the progress of our work. And as set forth in the report, after that investigation, if we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so. We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime. The introduction to the Volume 2 of our report explains that decision. It explains that under longstanding department policy, a president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office. That is unconstitutional. Even if the charge is kept under seal and hidden from public view, that too is prohibited. The special counsels office is part of the Department of Justice, and by regulation it was bound by that department policy. Charging the president with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider. The departments written opinion explaining the policy makes several important points that further informed our handling of the obstruction investigation. Those points are summarized in our report, and I will describe two of them for you. First, the opinion explicitly permits the investigation of a sitting president because it is important to preserve evidence while memories are fresh and documents available. Among other things, that evidence could be used if there were co-conspirators who could be charged now. And second, the opinion says that the Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing. And beyond department policy, we were guided by principles of fairness. It would be unfair to potentially it would be unfair to potentially accuse somebody of a crime when there can be no court resolution of the actual charge. So that was Justice Department policy. Those were the principles under which we operated, and from them we concluded that we would not reach a determination one way or the other about whether the president committed a crime. That is the offices that is the offices final position, and we will not comment on any other conclusions or hypotheticals about the president. We conducted an independent criminal investigation and reported the results to the attorney general, as required by department regulations. The attorney general then concluded that it was appropriate to provide our report to Congress, and to the American people. At one point in time, I requested that certain portions of the report be released. The attorney general preferred to make the preferred to make the entire report public all at once. And we appreciate that the attorney general made the report largely public. And I certainly do not question the attorney generals good faith in that decision. Now, I hope and expect this to be the only time that I will speak to you in this manner. I am making that decision myself. No one has told me whether I can or should testify or speak further about this matter. There has been discussion about an appearance before Congress. Any testimony from this office would not go beyond our report. It contains our findings and analysis and the reasons for the decisions we made. We chose those words carefully, and the work speaks for itself. And the report is my testimony. I would not provide information beyond that which is already public in any appearance before Congress. In addition, access to our underlying work product is being decided in a process that does not involve our office. So beyond what Ive said here today, and what is contained in our written work, I do not believe it is appropriate for me to speak further about the investigation or to comment on the actions of the Justice Department or Congress. And its for that reason I will not be taking questions today as well. Now before I step away, I want to thank the attorneys, the F.B.I. agents, the analysts, the professional staff who helped us conduct this investigation in a fair and independent manner. These individuals who spent nearly two years with the special counsels office are of the highest integrity. And I will close by reiterating the central allegation of our indictments: that there were multiple systematic efforts to interfere in our election. And that allegation deserves the attention of every American. Thank you. Thank you for being here today. WASHINGTON The Trump administration believes Russia has restarted very low-yield nuclear tests, officials said on Wednesday in a finding that could be used to renew in earnest the arms race between Moscow and Washington. But the significance of the statements by the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency and a senior National Security Council official was immediately debated by nuclear weapons experts. Some experts said claims of low-yield tests would be nothing new. Intelligence officials and nuclear analysts in Washington have long raised the possibility of such violations going back nearly two decades, to when Russia ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 2000. Other nuclear weapons experts have argued that significant Russian cheating on the treaty is unlikely because the designs of the countrys nuclear warheads tend to be very robust. The small returns, they have said, would make the geopolitical costs of getting caught prohibitively high. The children of Terrill Thomas, who died of dehydration in a Milwaukee jail in 2016 after correctional officers turned off his cells water supply for a week, will receive $6.75 million in a settlement with Milwaukee County and Armor Correctional Health Services, a private company that provided health care at the jail. The settlement, reached in the Eastern District of Wisconsin, ends a federal civil rights lawsuit by Mr. Thomass estate, which includes four minor children, and a separate federal suit filed by one of his children. Erik Heipt, a lawyer for the estate, said it was the largest settlement of its kind in Wisconsin history, and among the largest in the country. The amount of the settlement reflects the callous disregard for Terrill Thomass life and the magnitude of his pain and suffering, he said. Mr. Heipt said he hoped it would send a message to jail operators that if you ignore the Constitution and act with deliberate indifference to the lives of inmates, there will be a price to pay. JOHANNESBURG President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa on Wednesday reappointed a power broker long accused of corruption as his deputy, a fresh blow to hopes for a new cabinet free of the most tainted figures in the governing African National Congress. The fate of the deputy president, David Mabuza, had been regarded as a test of Mr. Ramaphosas ability to clean up his party and the government. The appointment makes Mr. Mabuza second in command in South Africas government and the leading contender to succeed Mr. Ramaphosa as president. Its more of the same, said Ralph Mathekga, a prominent political analyst. Its a compromised cabinet. The strength of this presidency depends on Mabuza. Hes too powerful not to be deputy, said Mr. Mathekga, the author of Ramaphosas Turn: Can Cyril Save South Africa? His family held a memorial on May 27 at a church in Bray, about 25 miles south of Dublin, Irish news outlets reported. The priest told mourners that Mr. Lawless texted his wife to say he had reached the summit and was headed home. He was said to be an experienced climber who had reached the summit before. His expedition leader told The Times of London that Mr. Lawless was the victim of a freak accident after he unclipped himself from his safety ropes. Ravi Thakar, 28 Mr. Thakar, an Indian climber, died on May 17 while in his sleep in his tent on the mountains highest camp site. Thaneswar Gurgai of Seven Summit Treks told The Associated Press that Mr. Thakar successfully reached the summit but began experiencing issues during his descent. Mr. Thakars body was discovered hours later. Donald Cash, 54 Mr. Cash, of Utah, had achieved his goal of climbing the highest mountain on each of the seven continents, collectively known as the seven summits, before he collapsed on May 22. Mount Everest was the last mountain on his agenda. Mr. Cash, a former software salesman, quit his job in December to take on the final two mountains in his goal. After scaling Everest, he initially fainted at the summit, according to Pioneer Adventures, a company that organizes trips on the mountain. He collapsed again while descending near Hillary Step and could not be revived. Image In this photo provided by Donald Cashs family, he is seen training in the Wasatch mountains. Anjali Kulkarni, 54 Ms. Kulkarni , of India, scaled the peak with her husband, Sharad Kulkarni. An expedition organizer told The Times of India that Ms. Kulkarni died from energy loss on her way back to Camp 4. A family friend, Ameet Singh, told the paper that the couple had climbed other mountains together, including Kilimanjaro. Their fitness level was good, Mr. Singh said. Besides, there was no bad weather, no contention on availability of Sherpas. This is a sad turn of events. KATHMANDU, Nepal After human traffic jams at the top of Mount Everest and an aggressive, unruly atmosphere that has been likened to a zoo, Nepalese officials said on Wednesday that they were considering changing the rules about who was allowed up the worlds highest mountain. Its time to review all the old laws, said Yagya Raj Sunuwar, a member of Parliament. Until now, just about anyone could get a permit to climb Mount Everest. But this year has been marred by pileups at the top and a surge of inexperienced climbers. Veteran mountaineers who recently summited described a Lord of the Flies atmosphere with mobs of people in huge down jackets precariously perched at the top, pushing and shoving to take selfies. At least 11 climbers have died on Everest this year, making this season one of the deadliest ever. Many of the deaths were needless, veterans say, and the increasing number of rookie climbers who try to tackle Everest have made it more dangerous for everyone. (CNN) A 100-year-old woman has embarked on a new career in politics after being elected as a councilor in her west German town on Sunday. Centenarian Lisel Heise, part of the grassroots group "Wir fur Kibo," won the most votes of any council candidate in Kirchheimbolanden, a town of 8,000 people. Wir fur Kibo (We for Kirchheimbolanden) campaigns for sustainable development, citizen participation and youth engagement. Klaus Hartmuller, mayor of Kirchheimbolanden, a town in the south-western state of Rhineland-Palatinate, told CNN: "She is mentally and physically strong and fit to do the job.'' "Lise Heise just turned 100 years in April and decided to run for the council only in spring this year. And she got in! Not only that but she advanced from the list of 20 candidates from number 20 to number 1,'' he said. Heise, a former teacher and a passionate swimmer, based part of her election campaign on reopening the local outdoor pool. "Even until her late 90s she used to go swimming a lot in our 'Freibad' -- the outdoor swimming pool that closed in 2011. Swimming and the re-opening of our outdoor swimming pool is her heart's desire,'' added Hartmuller. Heise had tried in the past to draw attention to the plight of the pool. "The microphone was often turned off when I started to speak about the swimming pool, and then of course you stop, there's no point," Heise told Reuters. "But now that I'm 100, I'm in a different position. Now I have the chance to open my mouth and say something." In addition to re-opening the pool, Heise also has set herself another big task: to help get a youth and children's club up and running, Hartmuller told CNN. "The youth has been pushed into second place here," Heise told German news channel n-tv. This story was first published on CNN.com, "100-year-old German woman elected to local council." But in 2017, before the worst of the violence against the Rohingya, Myanmars state body governing Buddhism banned Ashin Wirathu from public preaching for a year, a prohibition that the monk protested by posting pictures of himself online with an X taped over his mouth. The same body also banned Ma Ba Tha, but the group merely changed its name and continued its activities. Even as Ashin Wirathu was punished by the state monastic authority, he continued to roam the country to deliver his anti-Muslim sermons, including in Rakhine State, home to the Rohingya. Soon after the ethnic cleansing campaign began in 2017, he was pictured in the state news media on a tour of Northern Rakhine, the epicenter of the anti-Rohingya violence. In his hate-filled sermons, delivered in a deceptive monotone, Ashin Wirathu has referred to Muslims as crazy dogs that are breeding so fast, stealing our women, raping them and would like to occupy our country. He has instructed Buddhists to make your blood boil to ward off Muslims, whom he accuses of using hyperfertility to inundate Buddhist-majority nations. At a rally last year in Yangon, Myanmars commercial capital, Ashin Wirathu said that the day Myanmar officials were brought before the International Criminal Court, which is conducting a preliminary examination of the Rohingya expulsion, was the day that Wirathu holds a gun. Such militant statements go against the peaceful tenets of Buddhism, but Ashin Wirathu has said that extreme times require extreme measures. Although Ashin Wirathu had a poster of Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi decorating the wall of his wooden monastery in the city of Mandalay, he has accused her political party, the National League for Democracy, of secretly supporting a Muslim agenda. BEIJING Call it the battle of the anchors. With tensions between China and the United States running high, the fight between the two global powers shifted at least for 15 minutes from dry back-room trade negotiations to a buzzier, more high-profile arena: American prime-time television. After days of sparring on Twitter, Trish Regan, an American television host from the Fox Business Network, and Liu Xin, a Chinese host on China Global Television Network, an international arm of Chinas propaganda machine, squared off in a highly-anticipated debate about trade and technology on Wednesday night in the United States (Thursday morning in China). Presenting a Chinese state media personality side-by-side with a Fox Business Network anchor on live television made for an unusual spectacle. Experts said the event provided the Chinese Communist Party with a rare opportunity to present its narrative directly to American audiences. The debate got off to an awkward start when Ms. Regan introduced Ms. Liu, speaking over an unstable satellite link from Beijing, as a member of the Chinese Communist Party. Ms. Liu quickly responded. LONDON Boris Johnson, the front-runner to replace Prime Minister Theresa May of Britain, was ordered on Wednesday to appear in court for a preliminary hearing over allegations that he lied to the public during the 2016 Brexit referendum. A judge ruled that Mr. Johnson, a former foreign secretary under Mrs. May, must appear on a private summons to address three counts of misconduct in public office over several claims, including the suggestion that Britain paid 350 million pounds, or $440 million, every week to the European Union for the countrys membership. The 350 million figure was a central theme of the pro-Brexit campaign, which promised to invest that amount into the nations health service should Britain vote to leave the bloc. The slogan was emblazoned on a Brexit campaign bus: We send the EU 350m a week: lets fund our NHS instead, referring to the National Health Service. But after Britons voted to leave the bloc by 52 percent to 48 percent, many supporters of Brexit abandoned the pledge, saying it had been a mistake. But opponents of Brexit argued that the campaign slogan had been a gross misuse of official statistics to deliberately mislead voters. When things go wrong, those in power often promise to make it right. But do they? In this series, The Times is going back to the scene of major news events to see if those promises were kept. LONDON When fire broke out at Grenfell Tower in London, the flames were whisked through the 24-story structure with astonishing speed, killing 72 people in Britains deadliest housing fire since World War II. Outrage spread quickly when Britons learned the cheap cladding that shrouded the tower had turned it into a death trap. Prime Minister Theresa May vowed to an enraged nation that no stone will be left unturned to make sure the disaster never repeated itself. Nearly two years after the Grenfell fire in June 2017, this is what we found of the governments efforts, which have left tens of thousands of people at risk: About 16,000 private apartments are still wrapped in the kind of exterior cladding that fed the Grenfell fire. Their owners feel trapped in tinderboxes they cannot sell, and some residents have felt compelled to join round-the-clock patrols of their buildings, always on guard for a spark or whiff of smoke. The government did move fairly quickly to strip the dangerous cladding from public housing towers, but people in approximately 8,400 public apartments await a full repair. Many of the business-friendly regulations that allowed Grenfell to be built on the cheap remain in place, despite a promise to rethink them top to bottom. The government has been slow to look at other types of flammable coverings that may be putting at least 340 additional apartment towers in danger . The Problem Dangerous Cladding and Deregulation A year before the fire, contractors re-clad Grenfell Tower with a form of low-cost aluminum paneling . The cladding was banned in the United States and many European countries because if a fire breaks out, it allows the flames to spread quickly. But English building rules were more lenient. As long as the claddings surface the aluminum was nonflammable, it mattered less what was inside. In this case, that meant a middle layer of plastic that amounted to a sheet of solidified fuel. LONDON The speaker of Britains House of Commons, John Bercow, who gained a degree of celebrity by repeatedly challenging Prime Minister Theresa Mays Brexit agenda, has said that he will remain in his post to see the country through the crisis, increasing the likelihood of a constitutional confrontation over the countrys withdrawal from the European Union. In a speech in Washington on Tuesday, Mr. Bercow scoffed at the idea that Parliament would allow 10 Downing Street to chart the countrys course out of the bloc, calling it for the birds. The idea that Parliament is going to be evacuated from the center stage of the debate is unimaginable, is simply unimaginable, he said. He also told the British newspaper The Guardian that he had never committed to leaving this summer, as has been widely reported. I do feel that now is a time in which momentous events are taking place and there are great issues to be resolved, he said. In those circumstances, it doesnt seem to me sensible to vacate the chair. MADRID Across much of Europe, Socialist and Social Democratic parties have suffered the fate of many traditional parties. Their once-solid position has been eroded by populist forces and newer parties. The results this week from European Parliament elections mostly confirmed the trend. But there was one prominent exception: Spain. Pedro Sanchez, the prime minister, has completed a remarkable comeback by leading his Socialists to victory in national elections on April 28. On Sunday, the Socialists consolidated their gains in Spanish local elections that coincided with those for the European Parliament, finishing first. The results have now left Mr. Sanchez as the unlikely standard-bearer for a Socialist movement that has crumbled in countries like France, Italy and most recently Germany. As Mr. Sanchez seeks to form a new Spanish government in coming weeks, his success or failure may become a test of whether Socialism in Europe, outside Scandinavia, has a future after all. LONDON Iran will not negotiate with the United States over its nuclear and missile programs, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday, after President Hassan Rouhani signalled talks with Washington might be possible if sanctions were lifted. Washington withdrew last year from an international nuclear deal signed with Tehran in 2015, and it is ratcheting up sanctions in efforts to shut down Irans economy by ending its international sales of crude oil. President Trump condemned the accord, signed by his predecessor, Barack Obama, as flawed for not being permanent and for not covering Irans ballistic missile program and its role in conflicts around the Middle East. Mr. Trump said on Monday that he was hopeful Iran would come to the negotiating table to reach a new deal. I really believe that Iran would like to make a deal, he said. Iraqs antiterrorism law is a catchall that criminalizes membership in a terrorist organization, so the ISIS cook may face the same penalty as the bomb maker: life imprisonment or death. The laws vagueness means that people are not held accountable for their specific crimes, human rights experts say. So if any of the defendants convicted this week committed murder, torture or rape, the subjects never arose in the trials. Iraq is keenly aware of the spotlight and outfitted a new courtroom for the occasion. A panel of three judges, in black robes with white trim, sat on a platform beneath a flat-screen TV, which featured slick videos of the allegations against each suspect set to rousing music. After Iraqs 10-minute trials of Iraqi ISIS suspects last year, Judge Alis two-hour trials seemed unrushed and deliberate by comparison. He allowed the defendants and their lawyers ample time to present their cases. Sometimes he even stopped the lawyers from asking questions that could harm their clients defense. However, he had no compunction about invoking the death penalty. Iraq ranked in the top five countries that most frequently carried out the death penalty in 2018, according to Amnesty International. Its liberal use of capital punishment appears to violate international covenants, which Iraq has signed, that reserve the death penalty for only the most serious crimes, like murder. Some 514 foreign ISIS suspects were tried in Iraqi courts in 2018 and the first four months of 2019, according to the Supreme Judicial Council. A spokesman said the council did not have records of how many had received the death penalty or how many had been executed. If any of the defendants convicted this week committed murder, torture or rape, the subjects never arose in the trials. John R. Bolton, President Trumps national security adviser, on Wednesday accused Iran of playing a key role in recent attacks on ships off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, the latest instance in which he has articulated a more hawkish view than his boss toward Iran. Ratcheting up his criticism of Tehran, Mr. Bolton tied the attacks this month on four oil vessels at the mouth of the Persian Gulf to naval mines almost certainly from Iran, apparently without presenting evidence. President Trump withdrew last year from the 2015 nuclear accord that world powers struck with Iran and then reimposed broad sanctions, but in his comments to journalists during a visit to the emirates, reported by Reuters and The Associated Press, Mr. Bolton said there was no reason for Iran to breach the nuclear deal unless it were actually seeking atomic weapons. Theres no reason for them to do it unless it is to reduce the breakout time to nuclear weapons, he told journalists in Abu Dhabi, according to The A.P. A former mayor of Tehran who once served as one of Irans vice presidents has been arrested on suspicion of murdering his wife, after she was found dead in her bathtub Tuesday afternoon, shot several times. The former mayor, Mohammad Ali Najafi, 67, was arrested on Tuesday and handed over to prosecutors Wednesday morning, according to the state-run news outlet IRNA. Citing an Iranian prosecutor, the news outlet reported that Mr. Najafi had turned himself over to the police and had confessed to shooting his second wife, Mitra Ostad, 35. Gun crime is rare in Iran, and Mr. Najafis prominent political status has made the crime all the more shocking, raising questions about how the countrys news media covers domestic violence. JERUSALEM Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suffered a stunning defeat on Thursday after he failed to meet a midnight deadline to form a new government, casting a cloud over his future as prime minister and thrusting Israel into the chaos of a new election. Just seven weeks ago, when Mr. Netanyahu basked in a postelection night of tremendous victory, he seemed invincible, confident that he would serve a fourth consecutive term and a fifth overall. Despite a looming indictment on corruption charges, he appeared set to surpass the nations founding leader, David Ben Gurion, as Israels longest-serving prime minister. But after weeks of negotiations, his plans ran aground on a power struggle between two blocs of his potential right-wing coalition the secular ultranationalist and ultra-Orthodox factions who refused to compromise on proposed legislation on military service. [Israel is back in election mode and in uncharted territory.] The dream collapsed in a breathtaking display of political maneuvering in recent days, as Mr. Netanyahu, long nicknamed the magician for the political wizardry that has kept him in office continuously for the past decade, desperately tried to salvage his fortunes. ISTANBUL An American former NASA scientist sentenced in Turkey to over seven years in prison on terrorism charges was suddenly freed Wednesday evening, without explanation, hours after a phone call between the presidents of Turkey and the United States. The scientist, Serkan Golge, 39, is a Turkish-American citizen who was arrested while on vacation visiting his family in southern Turkey in 2016, in the aftermath of a coup attempt that failed to oust President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Mr. Golges wife, Kubra Golge, confirmed by telephone that he had just walked free from prison and was heading back with his parents to their home in the southern city of Hatay. I just talked to him on the phone. He is going back to his family, she said. He was shocked. He said I am very thankful I am out of prison. I am very happy. And I cried, she said. Sure enough, migrant deaths have climbed. While the total number of migrants crossing has dropped, the number of deaths has not followed suit, and the odds of dying on the journey have more than quadrupled. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol data, number of border deaths per apprehended migrant (an approximation for migrant flow). TORONTO, May 28, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bunker Hill Mining Corporation (the Company or Bunker) (CSE:BNKR) announces that effective May 22, 2018 Julio Di Girolomo is succeeded by Mr. Wayne Parsons as the Companys Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Di Girolomo who resigned for personal reasons served the Company since May 3, 2017. The Company wishes to thank Mr. Di Girolomo for his service and to wishes him all the best in his future endeavors. About Bunker Hill Mining Corp. Bunker Hill Mining Corp. has an option to acquire 100% of the Bunker Hill Mine. Information about the Company is available on its website, www.bunkerhillmining.com, or in the SEDAR and EDGAR databases. For additional information contact: John Ryan, Interim Chief Executive Officer (843) 290-8930 Marketing and Communications (416) 477-7777 ext. 205 Info@bunkerhillmining.com Cautionary Statements Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements are within the meaning of that term in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as well as within the meaning of the phrase forward-looking information in the Canadian Securities Administrators National Instrument 51-102 Continuous Disclosure Obligations. The forward looking statements made herein are based on information currently available to the Company and the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations or assumptions with respect to, among other things, the ability of the Company to successfully complete the acquisition of the Bunker Hill Mine Complex on the terms as announced or other satisfactory terms or at all, and fund the initial payments for which the Company does not have funds at this time, the Companys present and future financial condition, the Companys ability to secure financing, and the state of financial markets. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Companys future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as believes, anticipates, expects, estimates, may, could, would, will, or plan, and may include statements regarding, among other things, the terms of the Bunker Hill Mine Complex acquisition and funding of the acquisition. Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results relating to, among other things, results of exploration, project development, and the Companys financial condition and prospects, could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements for many reasons such as: the inability of the Company to successfully acquire the Bunker Hill Mine Complex on the terms as announced or other satisfactory terms or at all, and fund the payments for which the Company does not have funds at this time; the inability of the Company to budget and manage its liquidity in light of the failure to obtain additional financing; the inability of the Company to develop or sustain an active public market for its securities; development of changes in general economic conditions and conditions in the financial markets; changes in demand and prices for precious metals; litigation, legislative, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; operational difficulties encountered in connection with the activities of the Company; and other matters discussed in this news release. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Companys forward-looking statements. These and other factors made in public disclosures and filings by the Company should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on the Companys forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by the Company or on its behalf, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. A Chinese woman recently took to social media to express her surprise at the gift she received from her boyfriend of May 20, one of three annual romantic holidays in China. She apparently received the usage rights to 210 hectares of open ocean. Located off the coast of Shandong province, near Cheniushan Island, the stretch of ocean previously belonged to to a fish farming company and was acquired by the womans boyfriend via online auction. The man, surnamed Zhang, reportedly paid 682,662 yuan (around $99,000) for it and offered it to his girlfriend as a way to make amends for not buying her a gift on May 20. While not the most romantic gesture in history, it definitely gave the woman a chance to boast about her unusual gift on social media. Photo: Shoot N Design/Unsplash Local media in Chinas Shandong province published screenshots from popular social app WeChat that appeared to show the woman telling her friends that her boyfriend had surprised her by buying her part of the sea after she complained to him about forgetting about her May 20 gift. She even shared a screenshot of the auction page that shows both the winning bid price as well as a map location and pictures of the ocean area. While some of the people commenting on the viral social media post seemed amused by the boyfriends romantic gesture, most expressed disbelief and even labeled the whole thing fake. After all, how could someone just buy usage rights to a piece of ocean? Well, apparently they can. Beijing-based lawyer Zhang Xinnian told Chinese publication The Paper that Zhangs bid is legitimate, according to Chinese law. Property law states that territorial waters belong to the country and cannot be sold or bought. However, the country also protects usage rights that are acquired legally, the lawyer said. According to Chinas law on sea area use, organizations and individuals can apply for sea usage rights with the marine affairs administrative department. Furthermore, people who obtain the rights to such areas can transfer, rent or mortgage them at any point during the lease. Its not clear what the woman plans to do with her 210 hectares of ocean, and some claim that her boyfriends gesture isnt very practical. Whats the point of auctioning usage rights for the sea? Is he bidding for a fish farm because his girlfriend likes seafood? one Weibo user commented. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Organic Flower Investments Group Inc. (CSE: SOW)(FWB: 2K6)(OTC: QILFF) ("Organic Flower" or OFIG or the Company) is pleased to announce the Company has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire 80 per cent of Canada Cannabis Therapeutics Company (CCTC). CCTC controls the rights to a proprietary manufacturing process and formulation catalogue for a Nicorette-inspired medicinal cannabinoid product line. Concurrently, Organic Flower has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire 80 per cent of the Colorado Science Company (Colorado Science). Colorado Science holds claim to a robust library of cannabinoid product formulations equipped with patented micro-diffusion technology, resulting in rapid onset effects and cannabinoid uptake. Collectively, the agreements provide the Company increased exposure to an array of downstream assets and unique product formulations including: Nicorette-inspired sublingual cannabinoid product line; Patented micro-diffusion technologies; Diverse product formulation portfolio; Highly scalable proprietary manufacturing; and, Access to ISO-certified laboratories; The aforementioned acquisitions amplify Organic Flowers downstream competencies by way of elevated cultivation, processor and distribution capabilities, solidifying the Companys market leader status as the next phase of cannabis normalization shifts towards consumer-focused product offerings. Organic Flower will leverage its unbridled access to European distribution networks comprised of 80,000 end retail outlets and pharmacies to market and sell its innovative product formulations and Nicorette-inspired sublingual cannabinoid product line. PATENTED CANNABINOID-INFUSED FORMULATIONS LIBRARY Organic Flower has obtained the Canadian exclusive rights to a portfolio of cannabinoid-infused product formulations from a global formulations provider with over three decades of experience working with leading consumer product goods (CPG) brands. Colorado Science has engaged a roster of food engineers, nutritionists and scientists to optimize bioavailability, consistent dosing protocols and flavouring of the Organic Flowers licensed formulations. The Company will continue to leverage its production and processing assets, while further activating its downstream activities by launching cannabinoid-infused beverages, edibles and personal care products; specifically formulated with patented micro-diffusion technologies. Under the terms of the agreement, Organic Flower will incorporate its patented micro-diffusion technologies to develop the following stock keeping units (SKUs): Gum, gummies, chews, mints, hard candy, pressed tablets and capsules; Teas, coffees, protein drinks; Pet-centric products; Skincare lotions; and Bath bombs Organic flower will also collaborate with Colorado Science to scale its manufacturing processes and testing protocols at ISO-certified laboratories. These proprietary formulation and manufacturing processes are specifically adapted to ensuring consistent dose delivery, while maintaining taste and texture integrity. Organic Flowers patented formulations will be adjusted based on variables including: Altitude; Barometric pressures; Production time of day; and Humidity. Joel Dumaresq, Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Organic Flower stated: These tactical acquisitions from proven operators further augment our existing portfolio of cannabinoid-infused food/beverage product formulation and manufacturing assets. Turnkey solutions including ingredient sourcing, manufacturing, testing, analytics to will further crystalize Organic Flowers pole position as a thought leader throughout the next phase of cannabis normalization. With the Canadian market primed to embrace formal regulations regarding cannabis edibles and beverages and legal cannabis in Canada expected to increase at a 44% CAGR to $5.2 billion over the next 5 years1, Organic Flower is set to capture a significant proportion of this lucrative marketplace. NICORETTE-INSPIRED SUBLINGUAL CANNBINOID PRODUCT LINE Organic Flower has also secured the rights to a proprietary manufacturing system enabling the production of cannabinoid-infused therapeutic gum, chewable tablets, and tablet/capsules. The Companys next generation line of medicinal-use cannabis products inspired by popular demand of Nicorettes therapeutic products which boast the following: PROPRIETARY DUAL-DELIVERY TECHNOLOGY: Advanced patented processes reduce surface tensions, increase binding of molecules and enable homogenous mixing; RAPID SUBLINGUAL ACTIVATION: Optimized absorption methodologies facilitates rapid an onset within the first 15 minutes of application; and METABOLISM EFFICACY: Metabolizes in the liver to create a more lasting effect Under the terms of the respective definitive agreements, the Company will issue 5 million common shares in the capital of Organic Flower to the shareholders of CCTC and 5 million common shares in the capital of Organic Flower to the shareholders of Colorado Science (collectively, the Consideration Shares). The Consideration Shares are subject to a 6-month hold period from the date of issuance. OFIGs acquired interest in CCTC and Colorado Science will form part of the asset sale to AgraFlora Organics International Inc. (AgraFlora). As previously announced on May 23, 2019, it is anticipated that the sale price for the sale assets will be comprised of 1.15 shares of Agraflora for each one (1) issued and outstanding share of OFIG at the time of closing of the asset sale. ABOUT ORGANIC FLOWER INVESTMENTS Organic Flower, an investment holding firm, is leveraging strategic relationships, proprietary investments and exclusive partnerships with pre-eminent international cannabis cultivators and formulators for the development of best-in-class products and brands to be marketed and distributed throughout its global footprint. ON BEHALF OF THE ORGANIC FLOWER INVESTMENTS GROUP INC. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Joel Dumaresq Joel Dumaresq CEO, Director +1 (604) 687-2038 info@sowcannabis.ca Learn more about Organic Flower by visiting our website at: https://sowcannabis.ca/ THE CSE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS RELEASE. Notice Regarding Forward Looking Information: This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or information that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. This information is only a prediction. Various assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions or making the projections contained in the forward-looking information throughout this news release. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to: political changes in Canada and internationally, future legislative and regulatory developments involving cannabis in Canada and internationally, the Companys ability to secure distribution channels in international jurisdictions, competition and other risks affecting the Company in particular and the cannabis industry generally. The forward-looking information contained in this release is expressly qualified by the foregoing cautionary statements and is made as of the date of this release. Except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward- looking information to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, or otherwise. ____________ 1 https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/cannabis-research-firm-cuts-estimates-on-canada-pot-market-to-us-5-2b-by-2024-1.1241294 Also on Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers again began stepping up releases from Gavins Point Dam. Releases will be increased to 70,000 cubic feet per second. They were at 55,000 cfs earlier this month, before heavy rains began causing problems. Over the last seven days, rainfall over much of Nebraska, South Dakota and central North Dakota has been 200% to 600% of normal, according to the corps. The rising Missouri River is expected to worsen flooding of the metro areas major parks, including N.P. Dodge, Hanafan, Fontenelle and Haworth. People in some river communities were preparing to evacuate if the situation got worse overnight or in the days ahead. The Plattsmouth Emergency Medical Services Department warned via its Twitter account early in the afternoon that the Platte and Missouri Rivers were rapidly rising in and around Plattsmouth. The department advised: If you are in an area which previously flooded a few months ago, get out NOW. In Mills County, Iowa, mandatory evacuations could be coming for the area south of Gaston Avenue to the Mills/Fremont County line and west of I -29 to the Missouri River. When Mueller's finding that there was "no collusion" was released, Trump's approval rating went down, not up. Also, the fact that Trump enjoys majority approval for his handling of the economy even as his overall disapproval ratings stay high demonstrates that voters don't look only to economic indicators when judging presidents. There is, however, one way in which the Mueller probe may have hurt him: his reaction to it. When impeachment loomed for Clinton, however much he was privately obsessed with it, his public position was to ignore it and at least seem like he was focused on the people's business. Trump went a different way. Normal presidents begin their terms by reaching across the aisle and attempting to at least appear as if they represent the whole country. They try to build on the coalition that elected them. Trump has never made any sustained effort in this regard. From his inaugural address onward, Trump has catered to his biggest fans and most ardent supporters. This is a defining feature of Trump's character. The only people who matter are the ones who love him. And since his election, he has routinely mocked the idea that he should be "presidential," because his fans would find it "boring." It's easy to imagine a world where the Mueller probe never happened. It's harder to imagine one where Trump isn't Trump, which is why 65 percent approval was never in the cards. English French Regulated information Gosselies, Belgium, 29 May 2019, 7am CEST BONE THERAPEUTICS (Euronext Brussels and Paris: BOTHE), the bone cell therapy company addressing high unmet medical needs in orthopaedics and bone diseases, today announces an increase in the total number of voting rights and shares as a result of the issuance of new shares on 8 May 2019 following the conversion of convertible bonds issued on the private placement on 7 March 2018. The following information is published in accordance with Article 15 of the Belgian Law of 2 May 2007 on the publication of major shareholdings in issuers whose shares are admitted to trading on regulated market. Total amount of share capital on 17 April 2019 EUR 13,110,950 Total number of shares with voting rights on 17 April 2019 8,694,280 Total number of new shares issued on 8 May 2019 115,591 Total amount of share capital on 8 May 2019 EUR 13,285,493 Total number of shares with voting rights on 8 May 2019 8,809,871 (a) Total number of voting rights (denominator) on 8 May 2019 8,809,871 Total number of attributed warrants (1) 210,498 Total number of convertible bonds outstanding 197 Total number of bond warrants outstanding 1,470 Total number of shares with voting rights that could be created following the exercise of the bond warrants, the conversion of the convertible bonds and the attributed warrants (2) 1,403,496 (b) Total number of diluted shares with voting rights 10,213,367 (a+b) (1) A net increase of 43,198 attributed warrants as 4,800 warrants became void and 47,998 warrants were granted under the existing warrant plans (2) Based on the conversion price of EUR 3.4933 (92% of the Volume-Weighted-Averaged-Price of Bone Therapeutics on 8 May 2019) About Bone Therapeutics Bone Therapeutics is a leading biotech company focused on the development of innovative products to address high unmet needs in orthopaedics and bone diseases. Based in Gosselies, Belgium, the Company has a broad, diversified portfolio of bone cell therapy and an innovative biological product in later-stage clinical development across a number of disease areas, which target markets with large unmet medical needs and limited innovation. Bone Therapeutics core technology is based on its allogeneic cell therapy platform (ALLOB) which uses a unique, proprietary approach to bone regeneration, which turns undifferentiated stem cells from healthy donors into bone-forming cells. These cells can be administered via a minimally invasive procedure, avoiding the need for invasive surgery, and are produced via a proprietary, cutting-edge manufacturing process. The Companys ALLOB product pipeline includes a cell therapy product candidate that is expected to enter Phase II/III clinical development for the treatment of delayed-union fractures and a Phase II asset in patients undergoing a spinal fusion procedure. In addition, the Company is also developing an enhanced viscosupplement, JTA-004, which is expected to enter Phase III development for the treatment of pain in knee osteoarthritis. Bone Therapeutics cell therapy products are manufactured to the highest GMP standards and are protected by a broad IP portfolio covering nine patent families as well as knowhow. Further information is available at www.bonetherapeutics.com. Contacts Bone Therapeutics SA Thomas Lienard, Chief Executive Officer Jean-Luc Vandebroek, Chief Financial Officer Gunther De Backer, Head of Corporate Communications and Investor Relations Tel: +32 (0) 71 12 10 00 investorrelations@bonetherapeutics.com International Media Enquiries: Consilium Strategic Communications Marieke Vermeersch Tel: +44 (0) 20 3709 5701 bonetherapeutics@consilium-comms.com For French Media and Investor Enquiries: NewCap Investor Relations & Financial Communications Pierre Laurent, Louis-Victor Delouvrier and Nicolas Merigeau Tel: + 33 (0)1 44 71 94 94 bone@newcap.eu Certain statements, beliefs and opinions in this press release are forward-looking, which reflect the Company or, as appropriate, the Company directors` current expectations and projections about future events. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions could adversely affect the outcome and financial effects of the plans and events described herein. A multitude of factors including, but not limited to, changes in demand, competition and technology, can cause actual events, performance or results to differ significantly from any anticipated development. Forward looking statements contained in this press release regarding past trends or activities should not be taken as a representation that such trends or activities will continue in the future. As a result, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any update or revisions to any forward-looking statements in this press release as a result of any change in expectations or any change in events, conditions, assumptions or circumstances on which these forward-looking statements are based. Neither the Company nor its advisers or representatives nor any of its subsidiary undertakings or any such person`s officers or employees guarantees that the assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements are free from errors nor does either accept any responsibility for the future accuracy of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or the actual occurrence of the forecasted developments. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Human rights and health care Bernie Sanders recently stated that health care is a basic human right. Thats not true, because a persons legitimate right does not place a debt, duty or obligation on anyone else and nobody has a right to demand that anyone else give them anything. Twenty-five years ago, during the wrangling over Hillarycare, somebody claimed that quality health care is the most basic of human rights. Of course thats nonsense; air, water, food and shelter are all more basic than health care, and nobody has a right to them. If you think you have such a right, try cleaning out the local supermarket without paying for anything, or dont pay the rent or your water bill. Air is free only because the government hasnt yet figured out a way to tax it. Bob Ackley, Omaha Help for young offenders Kudos to Douglas County Board Chairman Chris Rodgers and his dedicated team proposing the new juvenile justice center location and wrap-around services for the youth and families needing the support in Douglas County with this reformative approach. Wagners farming operation is incorporated as a limited liability corporation (LLC). The poultry operation is set up as a separate corporation called Maple Crest Family Poultry, LLC. I wanted people to understand this is a family business, not some corporation that has taken over this spot, he says. This is our family-run operation on ground we own with poultry barns we own. Wagners grain will feed his chickens, and the chicken litter (manure) will serve as fertilizer for his crops, adding value to his corn and reducing his input costs. His first shipment of birds was scheduled to arrive Tuesday. Wagner said hes impressed with Costcos commitment to quality and animal welfare at every step. The thing that makes Costco really unique is that their reputation and their consumer perception are really, really important to them, he says. They want to be environmental stewards of the area, and they want to also make sure the consumer is satisfied in the way that their animals are raised. As proof, Wagner points to Costco's requirement to obtain environmental permits that go beyond the standard requirements of the State of Nebraska. Lokayukta directs Tashildars to clear encroachment at Kaggadasapura and Abbigere lakes Bengaluru oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa Bengaluru, May 29: Follow up on the complaints submitted to Lokayukta on the encroachment and pollution across 30 lakes in Bengaluru, the hearing for Kaggadasapura and Abbigere lakes came up on Tuesday. The survey report for the Kaggadasapura Lake was submitted and around 1 acre of the lake has been found to be encroached and it was noted that BWSSB has done nothing to stop the inflow of sewage into the lake. About 16 crores were given as financial aid by KSPCB to BWSSB to install STP and plan for building STP is yet to be implemented as the process is yet to be commenced for tendering of the same. The Lokayukta had directed the Tashildars to clear encroachments in these two lakes by 8 weeks. Abbigere lake falls under two talukas and has been assigned two different survey numbers. A part of the lake has been surveyed and it was found that about 1.5 acre of the land has been encroached by BWSSB and about half an acre of land has been encroached by a private builder to build road for their layout. The survey for the other half of the lake will be initiated on 11th June and a detailed report will be submitted by mid-June. This apart, as suo moto, Lokayuktha has asked all district Deputy Commissioners of 30 districts to submit reports on their district lakes respectively. Also The Lokayuktha has allowed United Bengaluru to submit additional complaints on any other lakes that are facing similar issues shortly The Lokayuktha was visibly upset that there has been unnecessary wastage of public money by moving the lake's up keeping from one department to the other. Since few officers did not respond with complete details he said he might call for a separate enquiry on money being spent on rejuvenation of lakes. During the hearing it was brought to the Lokayuktha's notice that 17 lakes have been rejuvenated by BDA however none of them have Silt traps that are installed. The next hearing is scheduled on June 20. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, May 29, 2019, 11:39 [IST] Arun Jaitley opts out of new Cabinet, cites health reasons India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, May 29: Senior Bharatiya Janata Dal (BJP) leader Arun Jaitley has told PM Narendra Modi that he would like to stay away from "any responsibility" in the Modi government's second term in office. Taking to twitter Jaitley wrote "I have today written a letter to the Hon'ble Prime Minister, a copy of which I am releasing," Jaitley said, posting an image of his letter to PM Narendra Modi. I have today written a letter to the Honble Prime Minister, a copy of which I am releasing: pic.twitter.com/8GyVNDcpU7 Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) May 29, 2019 Writing to the Prime Minister, Jaitley cited health reasons for his decision. Jaitley said staying away from any responsibility will help him concentrate on his treatment and health. "After my campaign had concluded and you were leaving for Kedarnath, I had orally informed you that even though I was able to discharge the responsibilities assigned to me during the campaign, I would in near future, for some time, like to keep away from any responsibility. This will enable me to concentrate on my treatment and health," he said. "While has doctors have enabled him to come out of most of his "serious health challenges," I would want some time off. I will, however, be available to undertake any work "informally" to support the government," he further added. The clarification from Jaitley comes amid speculations about his health. A lawyer by profession, Jaitley has been one of the most important leaders in Modi's Cabinet and has often acted as the chief troubleshooter for the government. He had undergone surgery in the US on January 22 for a reported soft tissue cancer in his left leg, an illness that deprived him from presenting the Modi government's sixth and final budget of its current term. Railway and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal was the stand-in finance minister who presented the interim budget for 2019-20. Jaitley had returned to India on February 9 after undergoing skin grafting. He is believed to had undergone some kind of a medical procedure again when he last month visited the US to attend the IMF-World Bank Group Spring Meetings. Jaitley had undergone renal transplant on May 14 last year at AIIMS, New Delhi, with Goyal filling in for him at that time too. Jaitley, who had stopped attending office since early April 2018, was back in the finance ministry on August 23, 2018. Earlier in September 2014, he underwent bariatric surgery to correct the weight he had gained because of a long-standing diabetic condition. Bengaluru doctors successfully separate conjoined twins who shared heart India oi-Madhuri Adnal Bengaluru, May 29: A team of doctors at Narayana Health City in Bangalore performed the World's first thoracopagus separation surgery on Mauritian conjoined twins with a shared heart. Baby Clean Papillon is perhaps the 3rd Miracle baby in the world with a shared heart, to have been successfully saved through Thoracopagus twins separation surgery. Born in Mauritius to an lan Papillon and wife, Baby Clean Papillon was one of the thoracopagus twins who had a shared heart with her sister instead of being joined from the neck to the upper abdomen, as in other similar cases. Hence, they had seven chambers together instead of four in each. Gujarat: Robot-assisted heart surgery performed on patient from 32 kms away As the twins shared a heart and were not in a position to even breathe, they were supported by hand pumps for oxygen through the journey. The complexity of the case made many European and Asian hospitals to turn down the case when reached out by the Mauritian health department. It was then that Narayana Health City stepped in to take the challenge, given their vast experience in handling complex pediatric cases. As soon as they arrived, the multi-disciplinary/ team under the aegis of Dr. Ashley D'Cruz, Director & Sr. Consultant Pediatric Surgeon & Urologist, Dr Sanj'ay Rao, Sr consultant - Paediatric Surgery and Organ Transplant, Dr. Shreesha Shankar Maiya, Consultant - Paediatric Cardiology and electrophysiology, Dr. Riyan Shetty, Consultant Critical Care Services & Head of Extracorporeal Life Support, Dr Ganesh Sambandamoorthy, Consultant - Anaesthesia & Critical Care and Dr. Harini Sreedharan, Consultant Neonatology, did a thorough examination of the babies. With the parents consent the team of doctors started the treatment. The doctors put them on intensive care. The intensive care team under the leadership of Dr. Riyan Shetty and Dr. Ganesh Sambandamoorthy ensured the babies were stabilized faster. Once they were stabilized, PDA stenting was performed to improve the condition of the heart. Elaborating about PDA (Patent Ductus Arteriosus) stenting. Live heart transported 323 kilometres in 94 minutes Further, their heart was fused and the chambers were merged making their case a complex and unsuitable one for any surgical treatment. PDA (Patent Ductus Arteriosus) stenting is an interventional procedure wherein a stent is placed in the PDA and the blood flow from the heart is maintained. Baby Clean Papillon has responded well to the intervention and is in a position to return to her homeland. Equipped with a team of multi disciplinary experts Narayana Health City has become one of the most sought after hospital to treat conjoined twins. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, May 29, 2019, 11:26 [IST] NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN OR THE UNITED STATES DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN OR THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF ANY OF THE SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN. Oslo, 29 May 2019 Reference is made to the stock exchange notice released by Belships ASA (OSE: BEL; "Belships" or the "Company") on 28 May 2019 regarding a contemplated private placement (the "Private Placement") of new shares in the Company. The Company is pleased to announce it has raised NOK 72.6 million (equivalent to approx. USD 8.3 million) through the allocation of 10,372,187 shares (the "Offer Shares") at a subscription price of NOK 7.00 per share. The allocation and completion of the Private Placement has been resolved by the Company's Board of Directors pursuant to an authorisation granted by the Company's general meeting held 23 May 2019. The book was composed of high quality private and institutional investors. Through the completion of the Private Placement, the company has successfully expanded its shareholder base and increased the tradeable free float of the Belships share. "We are pleased to have reached another important milestone for the company. We will continue to execute our growth strategy with the aim of value creation, increasing the liquidity and attractivity of owning our shares" said Belships' CEO, Lars Christian Skarsgard. Danske Bank, Norwegian Branch, DNB Markets, a part of DNB ASA, and Pareto Securities AS (the "Managers") acted as Joint Lead Managers and Bookrunners for the Private Placement. The Offer Shares allocated in the Private Placement will be delivered on or about 3 June 2019 on a DVP (Delivery versus Payment) basis. Subscribers will receive existing and unencumbered shares in the Company already listed on the OSE pursuant to a share lending agreement between the Company, the Managers, and Kontrari AS, and the shares will be tradeable upon allocation. The following primary insiders have been allocated shares in the Private Placement at a price per Offer Share of NOK 7.00: Peter Frlich, Chairman of the Board was allocated 75,000 Offer Shares and holds 75,000 shares after the completion of the Private Placement; Birthe Cecilie Lepse, Board member was allocated 7,500 Offer Shares and holds 7,500 shares after the completion of the Private Placement; Jorunn Seglem, Board member was allocated 35,000 Offer Shares and holds 35,000 shares after the completion of the Private Placement; Lars Christian Skarsgard, CEO, through Torinitamar AS, a company controlled by Skarsgard was allocated 35,000 Offer Shares, and holds 414,900 shares and 5,000,000 options after the completion of the Private Placement; Osvald Fossholm, CFO, through Krino Invest AS, a company controlled by Fossholm, was allocated 35,000 Offer Shares and holds 35,000 shares and 33,000 options after the completion of the Private Placement; and Jan Erik Sivertsen, elected as an observer of the Board and CEO of Kontrari AS and Kontrazi AS, was allocated 50,000 Offer Shares and holds 50,000 shares after the completion of the Private Placement. Following registration of the of the new share capital pertaining to the Private Placement, the company will have 185,490,180 shares outstanding, each with a par value of NOK 2.00. Following completion of the Private Placement, the Company will carry out a subsequent repair offering of up to 1,603,128 new shares (the "Subsequent Offering") directed at its existing shareholders as of close of trading 28 May 2019, as subsequently recorded in the VPS on 31 May 2019, who were not allocated shares in the Private Placement and who are not resident in a jurisdiction where such offering would be unlawful or, for jurisdictions other than Norway, would require any prospectus, filing, registration or similar action. The Company's shares will trade ex. right to participate in the subsequent offering as of 29 May 2019. The price in the Subsequent Offering will be equal to the price in the Private Placement. The Subsequent Offering is expected to be completed within the end of July 2019. For further information, please contact Lars Christian Skarsgard, Belships CEO, phone +47 977 68 061 or e-mail LCS@belships.no. This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5 -12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. Important information: The release is not for publication or distribution, in whole or in part directly or indirectly, in or into Australia, Canada, Japan or the United States (including its territories and possessions, any state of the United States and the District of Columbia). This release is an announcement issued pursuant to legal information obligations, and is subject of the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. It is issued for information purposes only, and does not constitute or form part of any offer or solicitation to purchase or subscribe for securities, in the United States or in any other jurisdiction. The securities mentioned herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "US Securities Act"). The securities may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the US Securities Act. The Company does not intend to register any portion of the offering of the securities in the United States or to conduct a public offering of the securities in the United States. Copies of this announcement are not being made and may not be distributed or sent into Australia, Canada, Japan or the United States. The issue, subscription or purchase of shares in the Company is subject to specific legal or regulatory restrictions in certain jurisdictions. Neither the Company nor the Managers assume any responsibility in the event there is a violation by any person of such restrictions. The distribution of this release may in certain jurisdictions be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession this release comes should inform themselves about and observe any such restrictions. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. The Managers are acting for the Company and no one else in connection with the Private Placement and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company providing the protections afforded to their respective clients or for providing advice in relation to the Private Placement and/or any other matter referred to in this release. Forward-looking statements: This release and any materials distributed in connection with this release may contain certain forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they reflect the Company's current expectations and assumptions as to future events and circumstances that may not prove accurate. A number of material factors could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. ED set to squeeze Zakir Naik of crores of rupees India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, May 29: Tightening the noose further on controversial Islamic preacher, Zakir Naik, the Enforcement Directorate is in the process of identifying those donors who have given over Rs 60 crore to his organisation. Enforcement Directorate sources tell OneIndia that Naik's organisation, Islamic Research Foundation has received crores of Rupees from various persons. There are many who have donated in excess of Rs 50 crore and we are in touch with the banks to identify these donors, the ED official also said. Ready to return to India if not arrested till conviction: Zakir Naik Naik is facing the heat from various agencies including the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for his alleged role in inciting Muslim youth to take up terrorism. Naik's name has cropped up several times since the Dhaka attack and those involved had said that it was his speeches that inspired them to take to terror. Recently Nashidul Hamzafar, a 26 year old management student from Kerala's Wayanad was arrested by the NIA after he became one of the first ISIS recruits to be deported from Afghanistan. During his interrogation, he details the role played by Islamic preachers such as Naik and what sort of an influence they had on him, which ultimately prompted him to join the ISIS. Hamzafar says that he was not attracted to the ISIS ideology for long. I found them to be too brutal and the outfit only scared me, he says. My ambition was to pursue my education and find a good job in Dubai. A lot changed when one of his friends, Shihas sent him an audio clip regarding the Islamic State. My perception towards the outfit changed. Then I began listening to audios of Zakir Naik, Noman Alikhan among others. Their speeches inspired me and my approach towards life changed. Going by his statements, it becomes clear that the likes of Zakir Naik through his Islamic Research Foundation and the Kerala based Peace Educational Foundation have played a huge role in the radicalisation of youth in Kerala. Gehlot should resign, he has no "moral authority" to remain CM: UP deputy CM India pti-PTI Jaipur, May 29: Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma said on Wednesday that Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot should take the responsibility of the Congress debacle in the Lok Sabha election in the state and should resign. The Bharatiya Janata Party leader claimed that Congress' rout in the state reflected that the Gehlot government had lost the people's confidence. "Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot should tender his resignation over the defeat in the Lok Sabha election. He could not make his son (Vaibhav) win (from Jodhpur) and he should take the responsibility," Sharma told reporters here. He added that Gehlot had no "moral authority" to remain on the post. On speculation that the BJP might attempt to destabilise the Gehlot government, Sharma said the BJP was not looking for an opportunity in the "internal crisis" of the Congress. "We do not believe in government formation by defection. However, if the hearts of some of their leaders get changed then what BJP can do in this? he asked. The BJP won 24 of the state's 25 Lok Sabha seats, while alliance partner Rashtriya Loktantrik Party won one seat. Sharma also targeted the Congress government over removing the "Veer" prefix from Savarkar's name. "The Gehlot government has a negative approach, he said. [Will Amit Shah be part of Modi Cabinet? Here is what our sources are saying] Sharma is on a day's visit to the state. He called on Governor Kalyan Singh and also visited Salasar Balaji temple in Churu and Khatushaym temple in Sikar. Sharma also claimed that the country would become a superpower under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PTI "I stand by Tejashwi": 'Krishna' Tej Pratap takes brother's side after Bihar loss India oi-PTI Patna, May 29: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad's elder son Tej Pratap Yadav on Tuesday told party men to leave the party if they don't like his younger brother Tejashwi Prasad Yadav's leadership. "Why should he (Tejashwi) resign (as leader of opposition)? If one does not like his leadership, one can leave the RJD or Mahagathbandhan," Tej Pratap Yadav told reporters here. "I am with my younger brother as Krishna and will always stand by him," he said. Tej Pratap lamented that had Lalu Prasad been out of jail, the RJD would not have faced the rout. Tej Pratap, who could not attend the RJD's Tuesday meeting held at former chief minister Rabri Devi's residence to discuss the poll debacle, said he had intimated the party leaders about his inability to attend the meeting. After election debacle in Bihar, Lalu Yadav skipping lunch due to anxiety RJD legislator Maheshwar Prasad Yadav had virtually revolted on Monday against the party leadership asking Tejashwi Prasad Yadav to take moral responsibility for the party's rout in the elections and resign from the post of the leader of opposition in the assembly. "As a party MLA, I would request Tejaswhi Yadav to resign from the post of LOP, taking moral responsibility of the poll debacle and appoint any other senior leader of a caste other than Yadavs as the LOP, failing which the party will have to face crushing defeat in 2020 the assembly elections," Mahesh Yadav had told reporters. Tej Pratap Yadav, however, emphasised upon the need to focus on the 2020 assembly elections for which his brother, he said, needed to mobilize the people's support. Asked about his failed request for two Lok Sabha seats for his supporters, he said, "That is a closed chapter. Now we have to focus on the electoral battle for the upcoming assembly elections." He said despite the leader of 'Mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance) unifying at the top, the failure of the workers of five allied parties to mix up at the grassroots level could be one of the reasons of the debacle. PTI Kejriwals swearing in ceremony may have more BJP leaders, but none from opposition Kin of BJP workers killed in Bengal violence invited to PM Modi's swearing-in India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, May 29: Each time you think you've figured out BJP moves, it comes with something new. This time BJP has invited the families of over 50 party workers who were killed in different incidents of violence in Bengal, to the swearing-in ceremony of PM Narendra Modi. According to a Times of India report, at least 51 BJP workers were killed in West Bengal in the past six years during panchayat elections and the recently-concluded Lok Sabha elections. Will Amit Shah be part of Modi Cabinet? Here is what our sources are saying One of the invitees, son of late Manu Hansda from Bengal's Midnapore told ANI, "My father was killed by Trinamool goons. We are happy that we are going to Delhi. There's peace in our area now." Hansda will be among the over 7,000 guests who will be attending the swearing-in ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The BJP's "Mission Bengal" gathered pace on Tuesday, with three MLAs from West Bengal joining the party at its headquarters in New Delhi, along with 50 municipal councillors from Kanchrapara, Halishahar and Naihati. Trinamool's tally fell to 22 seats from 34, while that of the BJP went up to 18 from two in the Lok Sabha polls. Extension of lockdown imminent in Karnataka: Final call after report submitted to PM says BSY Kumaraswamy goes the extra mile to save his government India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa Bengaluru, May 29: Ministerial aspirants started lobbying on Tuesday, with chief minister H D Kumaraswamy reportedly planning cabinet expansion or reshuffle in a bid to save the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition government in Karnataka. The development came as Kumaraswamy himself swung into action by personally meeting disgruntled legislators, mainly from the Congress and made attempts to pacify them. Senior Congress legislator, V Muniyappa, who is also political secretary to the chief minister, met Kumaraswamy and is said to have expressed his desire to become minister this time. "I have seniority, I have six terms, I have experience both administrative and political, so why can't I claim?" Muniyappa told reporters in response to a question. Congress rushes top brass to save Karnataka government Claiming that he has not made any demand for ministerial post to the chief minister during the meeting, he said, "I have not spoken to the CM about it, I have come for a discussion about constituency, but I have asked my party about it." Meanwhile, Congress' "troubleshooter" minister D K Shivakumar, who returned from a foreign trip last night, swung into action to save the coalition government and took independent MLA Nagesh, who was reportedly in touch with the BJP, to the chief minister. Nagesh, after meeting the chief minister, made it clear that he was looking for only a ministerial post and not any board or corporation chairman post. "When they have got benefited from us, they should do something for us in return, I have spoken to the CM about it. DK (Shivakumar) has also said injustice has happened to me, he is the one who brought me to the CM," he said, adding that "Congress will come to a decision and will accommodate me." Nagesh, along with KPJP MLA R Shankar, had earlier withdrawn support to the government, siding with the BJP, but subsequently met Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah expressing willingness to become associate members of the Congress. Another Congress MLA and former chief minister Dharam Singh's son Ajay Singh too has thrown his hat into the race to become a minister. Amid reports that Kumaraswamy will reshuffle his cabinet to save the coalition government, the JD(S)-Congress Coordination Committee chief Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said it would only be an expansion to fill three vacant posts. Karnataka JDS-Cong government may go for cabinet expansion to save alliance But, there are also reports quoting top sources in the government that some ministers may be asked to step down to make way for disgruntled legislators, with an aim to keep the government safe. Out of 34 ministers, Congress and JD(S) have shared 22 and 12 berths respectively according to the coalition understanding. Currently, three posts are vacant, two from JD(S) and one from the Congress. Amid simmering discontent within the Congress, the coalition leaders fear that the BJP, spurred by the Lok Sabha poll outcome in which it bagged 25 of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state, may poach some MLAs. Rebel Congress MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi's visit to senior BJP leader S M Krishna's residence here in the presence of party state chief B S Yeddyurappa on Sunday had fuelled the speculation. Jarkiholi, who has been hobnobbing with the BJP for some time, had threatened to resign from the party along with some MLAs after the Lok Sabha polls. The BJP had predicted the collapse of the coalition and increase in its tally in the assembly after the LS poll results, claiming that 20 odd Congress MLAs are unhappy and may take a decision anytime. Coalition partners Congress and JD(S) managed to win just one seat each in the Lok Sabha polls. PM Modi likely to address rally in Punjab on January 5, may share stage with Amarinder PM Modi to release 10th instalment of PM-KISAN on Jan 1: How to check status Modi Cabinet 2.0 Highlights: Portfolios allocated, first meeting held India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa New Delhi, May 31: After a grand swearing-in ceremony on Thursday, portfolios were allocated to ministers in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's new cabinet on Friday. Expectations are high from Modi government after the BJP stormed to power for the second time in a row by winning 303 of the 543 seats in the Lok Sabha elections 2019. Several ministers of the Modi government Friday took charge of their ministries within hours of their portfolios being allocated, with some outlining their plans and speaking about challenges. Later, they got together at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in South Block for the first meeting of the Narendra Modi Cabinet, that took some key decisions like announcing pension to farmers, traders and shopkeepers. The cabinet also decided to convene the first session of the 17th Lok Sabha from June 17 to July 26, with the regular budget to be presented on July 5. Prime Minister Modi also took charge of his office in the morning. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her deputy Anurag Thakur, External Affairs minister S Jaishankar, Railway minister Piyush Goyal, Information and Broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar, Minority Affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan were among the ministers who took charge Friday. Minister of the newly-formed 'Jal Shakti' Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister for Personnel Jitendra Singh, Power and New and Renewable Energy minister R K Singh also assumed charge of their ministries. Full list of Portfolios All the highlights sweating-in to first cabinet meeting here: Click Here to Pick your dream Cabinet Newest First Oldest First Rajnath Singh to visit the National War Memorial in Delhi on Saturday before formally taking charge as the Defence Minister. The Modi 2.0 government in its first Cabinet meeting Friday approved a new scheme, which assures minimum monthly pension of Rs 3,000 to all shopkeepers, retail traders and self employed persons after attaining the age of 60 years, fulfilling its poll promise. The decision taken at the Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here will benefit 3 crore retail traders and shopkeepers. Five crore traders are expected to join the scheme in the next three years, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said while briefing reporters at a press conference. "All shopkeepers and self employed persons as well as retail traders with GST turnover below Rs 1.5 crore and aged between 18-40 years can enrol for the scheme," an official statement said. Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Javadekar said the first two days of the session will be devoted to swearing-in of the newly elected MPs while the Lok Sabha speaker will be elected on June 19. The President's address to the joint sitting of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will take place on June 20, he said. The economic survey will be tabled on July 4 followed by the presentation of the budget on the next day. The session will have a total of 30 sittings. It will be the first budget of the Modi government in its second term and will be presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The interim budget for the year 2019-20 was presented by then Finance Minister Piyush Goyal on February 1. "Cabinet has cleared a special scheme for Control of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Brucellosis. The diseases of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Brucellosis are very common among the livestock cow-bulls, buffaloes, sheep, goats, pigs," says Javadekar. Union Cabinet has cleared pension scheme for traders. Three crore retail traders and shopkeepers will benefit from this decision, says Union Minister Prakash Javadekar. "Cabinet has approved the extension of Pradhan Mantri-Kisan yojana to all farmers. Nearly 14.5 crore farmers will benefit from the scheme," says Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar. Cabinet meeting ends. Parliament session for the budget to be held from 17th June to 26th July. Election for Speaker will be on 19th June, reports ANI quoting sources. Delhi: Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Dharmendra Pradhan and Piyush Goyal leave after #UnionCabinet meeting. pic.twitter.com/2mM2KXHPRo ANI (@ANI) May 31, 2019 Cabinet ends: The Prime Minister has approved the following changes:- *The rates of scholarship have been increased from Rs. 2000 per month to Rs. 2500 per month for boys and from Rs. 2250 per month to Rs. 3000 per month for girls. *The ambit of the Scholarship Scheme is extended to the wards of State Police officials who are/were martyred during terror/naxal attacks. The quota of new scholarships for wards of state police officials will be 500 in a year. The Ministry of Home Affairs will be the nodal Ministry in this regard. The National Defence Fund (NDF) was set up in 1962 to take charge of the voluntary donations in cash and kind received for promotion of the national defence effort, and to decide on their utilisation. Currently the fund is being used for the welfare of the members of the Armed Forces, Para Military forces and Railway Protection Force, and their dependents. The fund is administered by an Executive Committee with the Prime Minister as the Chairperson and the Defence, Finance and Home Ministers as Members. The ambit of the Scholarship Scheme is extended to the wards of State Police officials who are/were martyred during terror/naxal attacks. The quota of new scholarships for wards of state police officials will be 500 in a year. The Ministry of Home Affairs will be the nodal Ministry in this regard. The rates of scholarship have been increased from Rs. 2000 per month to Rs. 2500 per month for boys and from Rs. 2250 per month to Rs. 3000 per month for girls. PMs scholarship scheme goes through major changes. Wards of police personnel who were martyred in terror or Maoist attacks will receive enhanced scholarships. Delhi: At the Prime Ministers Office in South Block, PM Narendra Modi pays tributes to Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel. pic.twitter.com/kYpG8OM1mR ANI (@ANI) May 31, 2019 Modi pays tributes to Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel. In the fist cabinet decision, PM Modi has approved Hiking Scholarship Amount Under National Defence Fund. This will help kins of defence personnel martyred in action. Prime Minister has approved the following changes: Ambit of the Scholarship Scheme is extended to the wards of State Police officials who are/were martyred during terror/naxal attacks. The quota of new scholarships for wards of state police officials will be 500 in a year. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the following changes: Rates of scholarship have been increased from Rs. 2000 per month to Rs. 2500 per month for boys and from Rs. 2250 per month to Rs. 3000 per month for girls. First decision of PM Narendra Modi on assuming his office is approval to a major change in the Prime Ministers Scholarship Scheme under the National Defence Fund, say reports. Rajnath Singh, Smriti Irani and Arvind Sawant have arrived for the Union Cabinet meeting. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and MoS PMO Dr Jitendra Singh have already arrived for the Union Cabinet meeting. First Cabinet Meeting of Narendra Modi's second tenure as PM about to begin at South Block. PM Modi has arrived, other ministers are arriving one by one. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived for the first cabinet meeting. The meeting is expected to begin shortly. Congratulations to @nsitharaman on her new role as Finance Minister. As the first woman to helm this crucial portfolio full time, shes shattered the glass ceiling by all means. Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) May 31, 2019 Former chief minister of J&K Mehbooba Mufti congratulated Nirmala Sitharaman as she took charge as the Finance minister. Australian foreign minister Marise Payne congratulated India's new minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar who took oath in Modi's new cabinet on Thursday. Ram Vilas Paswan takes charge as the Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. Prakash Javadekar takes charge as Minister of Information and Broadcasting. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi takes charge as the Union Minister for Minority Affairs, in New Delhi. Piyush Goyal takes charge as Minister of Railways and Minister of Commerce and Industry. Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar takes charge as Minister of External Affairs. As the portfolios for the new ministers in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet were announced on Friday, Jammu and Kashmir politician Omar Abdullah urged them to update their Twitter handles. The majority in the Upper House will be a big boost for the Narendra Modi-led government as its contentious bills to abolish "triple talaq" and amend the Citizenship Act got stuck in the Rajya Sabha. Many non-NDA, non-UPA parties like the BJD, the TRS and the YSRCP have supported the ruling dispensation on several crucial bills. If the number of seats its allies like the JD(U) in Bihar, the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu and the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra is added, the ruling alliance may cross the majority mark of 124 seats in 2021. As many as 10 Rajya Sabha seats will fall vacant in Uttar Pradesh in 2020 and the BJP's huge majority in the state means it can win nine of those. The saffron party is currently in power in Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand. BJP's floor managers in the Upper House are confident of putting up a good show in the Assembly polls, going by the party's huge victory in the Lok Sabha polls in these states and are confident of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) crossing the majority mark of 124 in the Rajya Sabha. There is speculation rife that BJP President Amit Shah may make the cut. Since the day the results were out on May 23, reports have suggested that Shah may get either the Home of Finance portfolio. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said she will not be attending the swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi as prime minister on May 30 in New Delhi. Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley has told PM Narendra Modi that he would like to stay away from "any responsibility" in the Modi government's second term in office. Earlier in the day, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik was sworn in as Chief Minister of Odisha for the fifth consecutive term in Bhubaneswar. As many as 20 other members of the new Council of Ministers were also sworn in at the ceremony held at the Exhibition Ground. A record number of close to 6,500 guests will attend Prime Minister Modi's swearing in tomorrow, which takes place in Rastrapati Bhawan Forecourt. Arun Jaitley has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking to be relieved from the post of Union Finance Minister ahead of the swearing-in ceremony tomorrow. BJP President Amit Shah, Ravi Shankar Prasad and DMK leader Kanimozhi resign as members of Rajya Sabha ahead of the swearing-in ceremony tomorrow. Ahead of the swearing-in ceremony, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar reached Delhi on Wednesday. A part of the NDA alliance, the JD(U) leader arrived at Amit Shah's residence to meet the BJP president. Also, Senior BJP leader Pema Khandu took oath as the chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh on Wednesday. TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu was unanimously elected as the legislature party leader. He will not be attending the swearing-in ceremony of YSRCP leader Jagan Mohan Reddy. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will not attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's oath taking ceremony on May 30, the CMO said. Those attending this 'mega' oath ceremony includes all prominent Opposition leaders, Chief Ministers of all the states, Governors of all the states, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, members of both the Houses of Parliament and senior BJP functionaries in states. Former prime ministers and presidents have been sent invitations for the event. Several Heads of State including that of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) countries, have also been invited for the swearing-in ceremony. The oath ceremony will take place in the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan and not in the Durbar Hall. This will be the fourth time in Independent Indian history that a Prime Minister will take oath in the forecourt the stately path between the main gates and the main building, which is used for the ceremonial reception of visiting heads of state and heads of government as also for the Change of Guard ceremony. Meanwhile, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will miss PM Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony for the second time as she will be on a three-nation foreign visit. PM-elect Narendra Modi and Amit Shah met for the second day ahead of swearing in. The meeting is said to have lasted for three hours. After the BJP's thumping victory in the Lok Sabha elections, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath held a meeting with the newly elected MPs of the party at his official residence. Among the MPs who attended the meeting were Smriti Irani, who won from Amethi, and Bhojpuri film star Ravi Kishan, who wrested the Gorakhpur seat from the opposition's 'mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance). Notable absentees included Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and actor-politician Hema Malini, who retained her Mathura seat. Sonia Gandhi will attend Narendra Modi's swearing-in, say reports. Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Ghulam Nabi Azad to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's oath ceremony tomorrow. Delhi: BJP President Amit Shah leaves from 7 Lok Kalyan Marg (LKM). pic.twitter.com/r3A7TBej6V ANI (@ANI) May 29, 2019 BJP President Amit Shah. Congress President Rahul Gandhi to also attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's oath ceremony tomorrow, reports ANI. Congress president Rahul Gandhi will attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi tomorrow at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. This news comes after, UPA Sonia Gandhi confirmed her attendance to the ceremony a while back. " have received the invitation for the PM's swearing-in ceremony tomorrow. I will attend it. We need to have a cordial relation with the central govt if Puducherry wants to move forward. This is the first step towards it," says Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy. Modi expected to meet Russian president Putin, Chinas Xi at SCO summit in June India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, May 28: In his first international engagement after assuming the Office of Prime Minister for the second time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be heading to Bishkek for Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit (SCO) from June 13-14. He is expected to meet and hold discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping but no official confirmation has been released over a meeting his Pakistan counterpart. The SCO includes China, Russia, India, and Pakistan and countries of Central Asia including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan who have been focusing on fighting terrorism, separatism, and extremism. India and Pakistan had become full members of the grouping in 2017. Swaraj on 2 day visit to Bishkek for SCO Summit Modi's meet with Xi Jinping will be of great importance since this is the first time premiers of both countries will meet post Beijing lifting its technical hold against branding terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist, by the United Nations Security Council. Azhar was branded as a global terrorist after China, who held veto power, lifted its contentious hold on his nomination in UN's terror list. Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit India for his second informal summit with Modi on October 11, people familiar with development in New Delhi and Beijing said. The meet is expected to take forward the momentum created by the first informal summit at Wuhan in April last year. Also, Modi is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump in September, people familiar with the matter said. Naveen Patnaik takes oath as Odisha CM for 5th term India oi-Deepika S Bhubaneswar, May 29: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) supremo and the Chief Minister-designate Naveen Patnaik took oath as the chief minister of the state for the fifth time in a row today. A 20-member Council of Ministers also swore-in with Patnaik today. The 72-year-old chief minister-designate is one of the longest-serving chief ministers in the country. Minutes after taking oath, the Odisha Chief Minister took a trip down memory lane, sharing a montage of his 19 years in office. Its a nostalgic and personal journey for me to reminiscence the past 19 years. Today while I take oath of office for the 5th term, I humbly accept the responsibility that comes with the faith my 4.5 crore family members have reposed on me, yet again. pic.twitter.com/RSzLQiMaKE Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) May 29, 2019 Patnaik offered prayers at the Shree Jagannath temple in Puri, a day before taking oath. This is the first time that he took oath outside the Raj Bhavan. Several senior leaders, who were ministers in the previous government, are likely to be re-inducted into the council of ministers. They include Ashok Chandra Panda, Pratap Jena, Sushant Singh, Bikram Keshari Arukh, Prafulla Mallick and Niranjan Pujari. What are options before Mamata Banerjee? Sushant Singh, who was Energy Minister in the previous government, confirmed that he received a phone call to take oath as minister on Wednesday. Former ministers Ranendra Pratap Swain and Padmanav Behera are also likely to be in the new team. Tukuni Sahu, Padmini Dian, Sameer Dash, Naba Kishore Das, Dibyashankar Mishra, Jagannath Saraka, Jyotiprakash Mishra, Raghunandan Das and Tusharkanti Behera are likely to be first-time ministers. Sahu said she received a phone call from Patnaik about her induction in the council of ministers. Former minister Surya Narayan Patro will be nominated for the Speaker's post while former minister Pramila Mallick will be appointed as the Government Chief Whip, said sources. Patnaik was chosen as the leader by the newly elected MLAs at a meeting at the party headquarters here. The BJP won 12 out of the total 21 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha. In the Assembly polls, the ruling party secured 112 Vidhan Sabha constituencies out of the total 146 while the BJP could manage only 23. NIA team in Sri Lanka to probe ISIS links with India operatives India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, May 29: A team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is in Sri Lanka to probe possible Indian links to the Easter bombings that took place on April 21 in which over 250 were killed. NIA sources tell OneIndia that a two member team is in Colombo and is looking at possible links with Indian operatives. The NIA is probing an Islamic State related case that was registered in 2015 and 2018. The NIA probe had revealed that ISIS linked operatives had hatched a criminal conspiracy to kill Hindu leaders in Coimbatore. The NIA had rounded up several operatives after it was learnt that they were planning on carrying a series of terror strikes. One of the operatives arrested recently had told the agency that he was planning on replicating the Sri Lankan attacks in South India. Farooq Abdullah likely to fight J&K elections together with PAGD allies to defeat communal forces Pakistani terrorist killed in Kashmir was plotting attacks on civilians India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa Srinagar, May 29: Two Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists, including a Pakistani national, were Tuesday killed in an encounter with security forces in the forests of Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district, police said. Based on specific intelligence inputs, security forces had launched a cordon and search operation in the Kachwan forest area of Kokernag in the south Kashmir district, a police spokesman said. The operation turned into an encounter as the terrorists opened fire at the search party, he said. In the subsequent exchange of fire, two gunmen were killed, the official said. He said one of them was identified as Faisal Nazir Mir, a resident of Anantnag, and incriminating materials recovered at the site of the encounter revealed that the other was a Pakistani citizen. As per the police records, both were affiliated with the JeM, the official said, adding that Mir had joined the outfit recently. J&K: Two terrorists killed in encounter in Anantnag "The Pakistani terrorist, as per the police records, was involved in conspiring and executing a series of terror attacks on security establishments and many other civilian atrocities. He was wanted by the law for his complicity in a series of terror crimes, and several terror crime cases were registered against him," the spokesman said. He said incriminating materials, including arms and ammunition, were recovered from the site of the encounter. Police registered a case and all these materials were taken into the case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other cases, the official said. English German Flexible, energy-efficient, high-bandwidth technology brings hyperscale capacity to South African research and education network Pretoria, South Africa. May 29, 2019. ADVA (FSE: ADV) today announced that the South African National Research Network (SANReN), an initiative of the South African Department of Science and Technology hosted by the Council for Science and Industrial Research (CSIR), has selected its FSP 3000 platform in combination with ADVA ALM fiber monitoring technology to create a robust, high-capacity nationwide research and education (R&E) network. Featuring ADVAs dynamic ROADM technology and QuadFlexTM line cards optimized for maximum flexibility and efficiency, the solution will bring high-bandwidth connectivity to universities and research institutions across South Africa. The new infrastructure will provide students and scientists with vital high-speed services, enabling collaboration with national and global partners and significantly boosting research productivity. When it came to upgrading to a coherent, high-bandwidth network, the ADVA FSP 3000 was the ideal solution. It offers excellent performance and superb levels of efficiency for both space and power. With ROADM flexibility and the ADVA ALM providing complete fiber network visibility, this solution will empower us to meet the needs of researchers, educators and students now and in years to come, said Leon Staphorst, director, SANReN. With this deployment, were empowering scientists and academics across the country to go further than ever before. Such an enormous increase in broadband capacity will enable them to push the boundaries of discovery, utilize advanced applications and collaborate with peers in innovative new ways. Built on the ADVA FSP 3000, one of the most compact and efficient optical transport solutions in the industry, the new network provides a flexible platform, supporting software-defined transmission schemes and scaling for future capacity requirements. Key features include flexgrid with colorless and directionless ROADM technology. SANReNs fiber plant will be monitored in real time by the ADVA ALM for highest network availability and service reliability. SANReN is also leveraging ADVAs network management technology for operational simplicity and complete control of the entire infrastructure. ADVAs Elite partner NEC XON is also playing an instrumental role in the project, ensuring that the technology is successfully tested, implemented and maintained. SANReN chose our technology because of the advantages it offers in terms of capacity, energy efficiency and density of design. Fast, reliable connectivity is an essential tool for todays R&E institutions. Together with our partner NEC XON, were helping to give academics and scientists throughout South Africa access to high-bandwidth applications and enhanced data sharing, creating invaluable opportunities for research teams, said Gunter Landers, sales director, Africa, ADVA. Weve created a solution that meets all of SANReNs demands. Our network management solution greatly simplifies the provisioning, monitoring and reporting of network operations and our ALM fiber assurance technology will be key to providing always-on availability. By working closely with SANReN and the ADVA team, were ensuring that every aspect of this deployment is smooth and straightforward. Our dedicated local team will also provide ongoing support to make sure South Africas R&E centers receive the full value of the new technology, said Ross Templeton, GM, networking, NEC XON. What makes this project special is that its an ecologically sound solution. The small footprint and low energy consumption of the ADVA FSP 3000 coupled with the in-service monitoring of the ADVA ALM ensures that SANReNs increased capacity goes hand in hand with improved sustainability. By reducing truck rolls and tackling carbon footprint, were helping to create value both now and in the future. About ADVA ADVA is a company founded on innovation and focused on helping our customers succeed. Our technology forms the building blocks of a shared digital future and empowers networks across the globe. Were continually developing breakthrough hardware and software that leads the networking industry and creates new business opportunities. Its these open connectivity solutions that enable our customers to deliver the cloud and mobile services that are vital to todays society and for imagining new tomorrows. Together, we're building a truly connected and sustainable future. For more information on how we can help you, please visit us at: www.advaoptical.com . Published by: ADVA Optical Networking SE, Munich, Germany www.advaoptical.com For ADVA press: Gareth Spence t +44 1904 699 358 public-relations(at)advaoptical.com For ADVA investors: Stephan Rettenberger t +49 89 890 665 854 investor-relations(at)advaoptical.com Attachment 'Pay attention to your constituency': SC on Karti Chidambaram's request India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, May 29: The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed the plea of Congress MP and son of former union minister Karti Chidambaram seeking the return of Rs 10 crore which he had deposited with the court's registry for travelling abroad. A vacation bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Aniruddha Bose rejected Karti's plea and said, "Pay attention to your constituency." Karti Chidambaram won a Lok Sabha seat by a margin of over 3 lakh votes in Tamil Nadu's Sivaganga. Karti Chidambaram granted permission to travel abroad, should deposit Rs 10 cr security The bench was hearing Karti's plea in which he had sought return of Rs 10 crore deposited earlier by him in the apex court's registry, claiming he had taken the money on loan and was paying interest on it. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Information (CBI) are probing allegations of irregularities in granting Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval to a firm when P Chidambaram was finance minister in 2006. Payal Tadvi suicide case: All three accused arrested, NCW wants hospital to probe India oi-Madhuri Adnal Mumbai, May 28: Almost a week after a second-year student of Gynaecology and Obstetrics department was found hanging in her hostel room in Mumbai city, all three doctors accused of abetting suicide of a junior colleague were arrested on Tuesday, the ANI reported on Wednesday. The three accused doctors, Hema Ahuja, 28, Bhakti Mehere, 26, and Ankita Khandelwal, 27, had applied for bail plea claiming innocence and not even aware of the victim's caste and had only professional interaction with her. Payal Tadvi suicide case: Head of Gynaecology department suspended Hours after they moved the court, all three were arrested. They have been booked under the Atrocities Act, the Anti-Ragging Act and the IT Act and Section 306 (abetment to suicide) of the IPC. Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women, wrote a letter to BYL Nair hospital authorities demanding investigation and action into the death of Tadvi. The Maharashtra State Commission for Women has also taken cognisance of the matter and issued a notice to the hospital authorities demanding a reply within eight days on the action taken to implement the anti-ragging law. Earlier on Tuesday, the Head of the Gynaecology department, at BYL Nair Hospital, Dr SD Shirodkar was suspended until further notice. The mother of Payal, had said three women doctors had called the 26-year-old "nichle jaati ke log" and said she should not be allowed to study the course. Based on her complaint, the Agripada police have registered a complaint under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), SC/ST Atrocities Act, Anti-Ragging Act and Information Technology Act, 2000. Meanwhile, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had suspended the licences of four doctors - three senior medical students and a department head accused of abetting the incident. Mumbai doctor hangs self after casteist slurs by seniors Payal had started her MD in the Topiwala National Medical College, which is associated with the BYL Nair Hospital, in 2018. The three doctors who allegedly harassed her - Hema Ahuja, Bhakti Mehare and Ankita Khandelwal - were in the third year. Payal is from the Tadvi Bhil community and was married to a doctor, Salman. Her parents Abeda and Salim Tadvi live in Jalgaon, 400km from Mumbai. The three women doctors claimed that they had written to the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) requesting "a fair investigation to give justice", without falling to prey to media or police pressure. Rahul Gandhi adamant on stepping down, Congress leaders across nation urge him not to India oi-Vikas SV New Delhi, May 29: Karnataka Congress became the latest to pass a resolution urging Rahul Gandhi to withdraw his resignation and continue as the party president. The crisis in the Congress deepened with Gandhi sticking to his decision to resign as party chief after its Lok Sabha poll debacle and staying away from meeting party leaders. Earlier in the day, Congress workers gathered outside party chief Rahul Gandhi's residence urging him to withdraw his offer to resign. Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit visited Gandhi's Tughlak Lane residence. After coming out, she remained silent on whether she was able to meet the Gandhi scion. Sources said she could not meet Rahul Gandhi. "We feel that Rahul Gandhi is the only person who can lead the party in this crucial hour & we urge him to withdraw his resignation letter and the CLP has unanimously passed the resolution that he continues as the Congress President," Karnataka state Congress chief Dinesh Gundu Rao told media today. ['Will cause us pain' if he resigns, says Shiela Dikshit as Rahul refuses to meet her] Boxer Vijender Singh, who had fought the Lok Sabha polls from the South Delhi constituency and ended up at the third spot said workers do not want Rahul Gandhi to resign as he is an "able and hardworking" leader. "He has not resigned. We have come to talk to him. He has made an offer to resign but people do not want him to go. "He has worked hard. If the results are not in our favour, it hurts but we are fighters. Nobody else can work like him. He is a leader who takes everyone together," Singh said. The Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) on Wednesday passed a resolution urging Rahul Gandhi to continue as the party president. The HPCC executive committee urged Rahul Gandhi to stay as the Congress chief in the interest of the nation and the party, a Congress leader said. The executive committee also urged him to start rebuilding the party and restore the confidence of the people in it. The resolution was sent to the Congress Working Committee (CWC), which had earlier rejected Rahul Gandhi's offer to quit as the party president following the drubbing in the Lok Sabha elections. Presenting the resolution before the executive committee, HPCC president Kuldeep Singh Rathore said, "There is no need to get demoralised by the defeat in the recent Lok Sabha elections. There was no shortcoming in the electioneering by Rahul Gandhi." The state Congress chief said it was not the time to level allegations but to work unitedly to strengthen the party. [Reshuffling in Congress-ruled states in offing] Former chief minister Virbhadra Singh too supported the resolution. "This is the time to provide strength to our leader Rahul Gandhi. The party and the nation require Rahul Gandhi's leadership," he said. The leader of opposition in the state assembly, Mukesh Agnihotri, said the BJP wanted a Congress-free country due to which it was pursuing a policy of getting Rahul Gandhi removed from the post. "We should not allow the BJP to succeed in its policy," he said The executive committee congratulated the Congress chief on his victory in Wayanad, where he won by a margin of over four lakh votes. It also congratulated UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on her victory from Raibareli. Expressing solidarity with Rahul Gandhi, the executive committee said the BJP diverted people's attention to non-issues in the Lok Sabha elections. The Rajasthan Congress executive committee on Wednesday passed a resolution, saying the party should not accept the resignation of its president Rahul Gandhi over the Lok Sabha debacle. [PM Narendra Modi's Swearing-in Ceremony: Date, Time, Venue, Guests- All You Need you to Know] "The pradesh Congress executive committee accepts all those challenges, failures and shortcomings which led to this mandate,"AICC general secretary in-charge of Rajasthan Avinash Pande told reporters. He said all the members of the executive committee also authorised the Congress president to carry out a "radical organisational changes". "The Congress has lost the elections but our courage, spirit of struggle and commitment towards our principles is stronger than before," he said. The executive committee endorsed the resolution passed on the same lines by the Congress Working Committee (CWC) in New Delhi on May 25. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress president Sachin Pilot were present at the meeting held at the party headquarters. OneIndia News with PTI inputs For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, May 29, 2019, 22:19 [IST] Keep UP Additional Chief Home Secretary Awasthi away from poll process: Cong to EC Reshuffling in Congress-ruled states in offing India oi-Hardeep Singh Bedi New Delhi, May 29: The Congress, India's grand-old party, is going through its toughest phase after it failed to win enough seats in a row to claim the post of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. In 2014, the Congress was reduced to 44 seats and it could add only eight seats in its 2014 tally during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The crisis in Congress has deepened after annoyed party President Rahul Gandhi offered to resign in the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting. Meanwhile, the party has decided to take corrective measures and it will start from the Congress-ruled states. From Rajasthan to Karnataka: Congress on the edge post poll debacle "Many ministers in Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Karnataka will be asked to resign and they would be given the responsibility of the organisation," say sources. The General Secretary in-charges of these states have been asked to prepare an action plan in this regard within 15 days. They have already started reporting to General Secretary- Organisation KC Venugopal and senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel. Since Venugopal is also in-charge of Karnataka, he has almost finalised the names of the ministers who will be asked to go to the organisation. While there is a Congress government in Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh; the party is a partner in the Janata Dal (S)-led coalition government in Karnataka. "New faces will be inducted in the Cabinet of Congress-ruled states to address caste and regional issues. Many disgruntled MLAs will be made ministers," says a party insider. "After Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath has offered to resign from the post of state Congress president, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot are likely to be asked to resign from Pradesh Congress President (PCC) President posts. The party has decided to implement the principle of one man-one post," adds the insider. Congress in a spot of bother as Rahul insists on quitting Though Punjab has performed well but the Congress high command is desirous to strengthen organisation in the state. "The resignation of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) President Sunil Jakhar has not been accepted as the party high command is satisfied with his work as he has the capacity to take along even those leaders and workers who are anti-Amarinder Singh," says the insider. Punjab is the only Congress-ruled state where the Congress won eight seats. The party lost all 25 seats of Rajasthan and won one seat out of 29 in Madhya Pradesh and two out of 11 in Chhattisgarh. PM Modi likely to address rally in Punjab on January 5, may share stage with Amarinder Sonia, Rahul to attend Modi's swearing-in; Who else would be there at the grand ceremony India oi-Vikas SV New Delhi, May 29: Congress President Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi will attend the swearing-in of Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister for the second time after the BJP secured a thumping win in the Lok Sabha elections, said reports. President Ram Nath Kovind will administer the oath of office and secrecy to the prime minister and other members of the Union Council of Ministers at a ceremony on Thursday at 7pm. The two Congress leaders are among those invited by the prime minister to the ceremony. They have accepted the invite, a PTI report said. Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy would also attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's oath ceremony tomorrow. "Congress party will attend the oath taking ceremony for sure. Elections were a matter between 2 ideologies, 2 parties but the oath ceremony is of a Prime Minister. PM is of the entire country. We expect him to treat all people of the country equally," said senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad. [PM Narendra Modi's Swearing-in Ceremony: Date, Time, Venue, Guests- All You Need you to Know] "I have received the invitation for the PM's swearing-in ceremony tomorrow. I will attend it. We need to have a cordial relation with the central govt if Puducherry wants to move forward. This is the first step towards it," said Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy. Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel will not able to attend to ceremony. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot will also not join his party leaders at the event. "I want to congratulate PM Modi. Due to prior commitments, I will not be able to go for his oath ceremony tomorrow. I have sought time from PMO to meet him later," Baghel said. [Kin of BJP workers killed in Bengal violence invited to PM Modi's swearing-in] Odisha Chief Minister Naveen patnaik will also give the ceremony a miss. The BJD leader, who was sworn in on Wednesday, had invited Modi to Bhubaneswar. But the prime minister did not attend the event. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday had said she would be attend the ceremony, citing 'constitutional duty'. But a day later, she withdrew after the BJP invited the family of its workers killed during poll violence in the state. [Arun Jaitley opts out of new Cabinet, cites health reasons] The event will also be attended by leaders of political parties, Ambassadors and diplomats and celebrities from various fields. Apart from Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, senior Anand Sharma, actor Rajinikanth, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister-elect YS Jagan Mohan Reddy are among those who will also be attending the event. Steel magnate L.N. Mittal is also expected to be present. Among those who will skip the ceremony are Mamata Banerjee, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and DMK Chief MK Stalin. Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel and Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot will also not be atteding. The swearing-in-ceremony of Modi and his Council of Ministers is scheduled to take place on Thursday at 7 PM at Rashtrapati Bhavan. A number of heads of states, heads of governments, constitutional authorities, diplomats, senior political leaders, government officials and media persons are scheduled to attend the ceremony. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, May 29, 2019, 23:56 [IST] Militants with bigoted vision wont be allowed to take country hostage: Imran Khan 644 militants of eight banned outfits surrender in Assam along with 177 arms, says police chief J&K: Two militants killed in encounter after abducting police constable in Kulgam Terrorist killed in encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam India oi-Deepika S Srinagar, May 29: A terrorist was killed in a gunfight that broke out between security forces and holed-up militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district on Wednesday. After receiving specific information about the presence of terrosists in Kulgam district's Tazipora village on Tuesday evening, security forces including Rashtriya Rifles (RR), Special Operations Group (SOG) of the state police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) carried out a cordon and search operation. Pakistani terrorist killed in Kashmir was plotting attacks on civilians Meanwhile in Jammu, two suspected Pakistan spies were arrested while they were shooting videos and taking photographs outside an Army camp. The two persons were handed over to the police and being questioned. While one of them is from Kathua, the other hails from Doda, the officials said. What after successful testing of Akash 1S missile? India oi-Vikas SV New Delhi, May 30: The Akash-1S missile which has been designed to take on incoming aerial attacks was successfully tested earlier this week. This variant of Akash has some additional features compared to the original once. Akash-1S missile has an indigenous seeker and can shoot down enemy fighter jets, missiles and drones very effectively and accurately at a range of up to 30 kilometers and at altitudes up to 18 km. According to news agency ANI, this is the second successful test of the missile in the last two days. Akash missile system has already been deployed by IAF at its bases in Gwalior, Hashimara, Tejpur, Jorhat, and Pune since 2013. The missile uses high-energy solid propellant for the booster and ram-rocket propulsion for the sustainer phase. The medium range multi-target engagement capable missile was developed as part of the Integrated Guided-Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) other than Nag, Agni, Trishul, and Prithvi missiles, say reports. Akash NG (Next generation): A next generation Akash missile is said to be under development. The DRDO is said to be working one the development of the highly advanced Akash-NG or Akash-Next Generation. In June 2018, it was reported that the next-generation Akash-NG missile will be ready for user trials in the next two years. Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) Chairman and Managing Director S K Sharma had then said that the upgraded version will have a new radar and seeker. [India's DRDO test fires indigenous Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile] Akash missiles are designed to be launched from static or mobile platforms such as battle tanks and wheeled trucks, providing flexible deployment. It can handle multiple targets and destroy manoeuvring targets, including unmanned aerial vehicles, fighter aircraft, cruise missiles and missiles launched from helicopters. Deployment of Aakash significantly improves defence capabilities from incoming air attacks. According to a report published in Maxima Vigilantie, the Akash-NG missile has a cylindrical body with four cropped delta fins at mid-body and four tail fins. Second stage air-breathing solid ramjet engine has been ditched in favor of lighter dual-pulse solid rocket motor. The new propulsion system will increase the range of the missile to 50km+. Akash-NG has six major components- radome, indigenous active RF seeker, RF/Laser proximity fuse, pre-fragmented warhead, electromechanical actuation, and dual-pulse rocket motor. [All you need to know about Milan anti-tank guided missiles that India is set to procure from France] The Akash missile, which is in service now, is guided by a phased array fire control radar called 'Rajendra' which is termed as Battery Level Radar (BLR) with a tracking range of about 60 km. Akash-NG will feature an AESA Multi-Function Radar (MFR). The Addition of MFR will afford the Akash missile system capabilities it never had before. MFR will combine functions (search, track and fire control) of three different radars in one single unit. This new Akash NG will significantly bolster India's air defence system. India is currently working on a multi layered air defence system to tackle with the incoming aerial attack. India's purchase of S-400 triumf system from Russia was in line with this ongoing endeavour. India is already working on two-tier Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Program and has Aakash Missiles to take on aerial attacks. The S-400 Triumph missile defense system is a significant strategic upgrade in India's military hardware. Will Amit Shah be part of Modi Cabinet? Here is what our sources are saying India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, May 29: Narendra Modi is all set to take oath as the Prime Minister of India for the second time. Even as arrangements are being made for the oath taking ceremony, there is still no clarity on when the council of ministers would be sworn in or who would be part of the Cabinet. There is speculation rife that BJP President Amit Shah may make the cut. Since the day the results were out on May 23, reports have suggested that Shah may get either the Home of Finance portfolio. The Modi Sarkar 2.0 would give a lot of emphasis to MPs who have won from the states of Telangana and West Bengal. The party had made impressive inroads in these two states on its own and hence the MPs would be rewarded, sources tell OneIndia. Modi-Doval 2.0: The agenda on internal security for the next 5 years With regard to Amit Shah, there is still no clarity as yet about his posting. Many within the party are of the view that Shah should stick on as party chief until the elections in Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand are over. Winning big in these states would be crucial for the party taking into consideration its numbers in the Rajya Sabha. BJP's floor managers in the Upper House are confident of putting up a good show in the Assembly polls, going by the party's huge victory in the Lok Sabha polls in these states and are confident of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) crossing the majority mark of 124 in the Rajya Sabha. The saffron party is currently in power in Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand. As many as 10 Rajya Sabha seats will fall vacant in Uttar Pradesh in 2020 and the BJP's huge majority in the state means it can win nine of those. If the number of seats from its allies like the JD(U) in Bihar, the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu and the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra is added, the ruling alliance may cross the majority mark of 124 seats in 2021. Many non-NDA, non-UPA parties like the BJD, the TRS and the YSRCP have supported the ruling dispensation on several crucial bills. The majority in the Upper House will be a big boost for the Narendra Modi-led government as its contentious bills to abolish "triple talaq" and amend the Citizenship Act got stuck in the Rajya Sabha. Modi Cabinet 2019: Who will make the cut Members of the Sangh too are keen that Shah continues as the party chief until the assembly elections are over. There is also trouble in Karnataka for the JD(S)-Congress government and the BJP feels that a spate of resignations are likely to lead to the collapse of the government. In this event, the House strength would come down and the BJP would be in a position to form the government. However, the top brass of the party feels that such a scenario could force another election and that could be held in November. Karnataka is a crucial state for the BJP, where it put up a stellar performance in the Lok Sabha elections. In the event of another election to the assembly, the presence of Shah as the party chief would be extremely crucial. Hence it is unlikely at least for now that he would take up a top post in the Cabinet. Mamata Banerjee upset after not being allowed to speak during PMs meet Will Mamata Banerjee government survive till 2021? No, says BJP leader India oi-Deepika S Kolkata, May 29: A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader has predicted that Mamata Banerjee's government in Bengal will not complete its full term till 2021. "I think Vidhan Sabha elections will be held within six months to one year in West Bengal. The current government will not be able to continue until 2021. There is a lot of dissatisfaction in TMC. The TMC government running with the help of police and CID," BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha said. Sinha's statement comes just a day after three MLAs (two from TMC) and 50-60 Councillors joined BJP in presence of party's National General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya. Kin of BJP workers killed in Bengal violence invited to PM Modi's swearing-in Three West Bengal MLAs, including BJP leader Mukul Roy's son Subhrangshu Roy, and over 50 municipal councillors, most of them from the Trinamool Congress, joined the saffron party Tuesday as it works to consolidate its position in the state following its impressive show there in Lok Sabha polls. The TMC had won 211 of the assembly's 294 seats in 2016. The BJP had won only three seats, but has since emerged as the principal challenger to her. A party needs to win at least 10 per cent of seats to be officially recognised as the main opposition party. With over 50 councillors joining the BJP, the party has got a majority in at least three municipal councils. What are options before Mamata Banerjee? Mukul Roy is seen to be instrumental in engineering the defection of TMC leaders to the BJP and, political watchers believe, he is one of the key architects of the party's best ever Lok Sabha election show in the state, where Banerjee is in power since 2011. In the polls, the TMC's tally fell to 22 seats from 34, while the BJP's zoomed to 18 from two. Supermodels Unlimited Magazine Hosts Miami Fashion Show for Children in Need Celebrity DJ James Kennedy On June 1st Supermodels Unlimited Magazine(SU) is hosting a celebrity runway benefit for the Voices for Children Foundation. The Epic Swim Show will kickoff Swim Week festivities a full month early, to bring more focus and awareness to the charity and their important work in South Florida. Voices for Children improves the lives of children in foster care. In the life of every child, there should be at least one adult that stands as his or her hero. Usually, that hero is their mother or father. Unfortunately, there are over 2,000 children in the Miami-Dade foster care system who have no heroes in their lives, and whose voices often go unheard.Supermodels Unlimited Magazine, in partnership with Queen Beauty USA, has dedicated its swim week showcase to educating the public about this growing issue. The Voices for Children Foundation support enables the Guardian ad Litem (GAL) Program to recruit, train, and support volunteers to serve as the voice for abused, abandoned, and neglected children. This is achieved by advocating for the childrens best interests in dependency court proceedings. This is currently the only organization that provides this type of caring and objective voice in court. Guardians ad Litem make sure children are not lost in an overburdened legal and social service system or languishing in an inappropriate home or shelter. The Foundations financial support also helps fulfill the childrens medical, educational, and social needs.Fostering local support, building communities, and starting a national dialog for women looking to create positive change is what Supermodels Unlimited Magazine is all about. says Kimberly Clark, publisher and editor-in-chief of Supermodels Unlimited Magazine. We are proud to support this amazing foundation, which is working tirelessly every year to make an impact on the lives of children in need. Our publication is all about women standing shoulder-to-shoulder and reaching out a helping hand."The event is hosted by Jordan Kimball from The Bachelorette, and Bachelor in Paradise, along with celebrity DJ James Kennedy from Vanderpump Rules. Walking the SU runway for the swim week kick-off are models including: Jeana Turner from Americas Next Top Model(ANTM), Kasey Cohen from Bravos Below Deck, Bayleigh Dayton from Big Brother 20, Alexia Rae Castillo who is a Guess model and the reigning Queen Beauty USA. Also walking are trans-trailblazer Isis King from Oxygens STRUT, Instagram sensation Danielle Cohn from TikTok, and Nickelodeons Amber Frank, star of The Haunted Hathaways.The show features specialty swimsuits sponsored by Vizcaya Swimwear. Musical performers and celebrity guests include: Brandon Gomes from MTVs Siesta Key, Wesley Stromberg from X Factor, Swaggy C from Big Brother 20, and Estacks. Following the show will be a check presentation to the Voices for Children Foundation. SU will host a cocktail reception following the show, giving guests and media an opportunity to spend time with the participants and discuss the important work being done in Miami and South Florida.About Supermodels Unlimited Magazine:Supermodels Unlimited Magazine is a leading publication on the womens market that is dedicated to inspiring and empowering females. Celebrating its 19th year of publication, SU has taken over the modeling industry as a vital resource for both aspiring and established models and industry professionals. In the spirit of philanthropy, SU works closely with numerous celebrities and causes to promote inclusion and womens rights globally.About Voices for Children Foundation: In the life of every child, there should be at least one adult that stands as his or her hero. Usually, that hero is their mother or father. Unfortunately, there are over 2,000 children in the Miami-Dade foster care system who have no heroes in their lives, and whose voices often go unheard. Voices for Children Foundation support enables the Guardian ad Litem (GAL) Program to recruit, train, and support volunteers to serve as the voice for abused, abandoned, and neglected children. This is achieved by advocating for the childrens best interests in dependency court proceedings. This is currently the only organization that provides this type of caring and objective voice in court. Guardians ad Litem make sure children are not lost in an overburdened legal and social service system or languishing in an inappropriate home or shelter. The Foundations financial support also helps fulfill the childrens medical, educational, and social needs.Richard H. Lowe, IIIRichard Lowe Fashion Group525 West 28th StreetSuite 846New York, NY 10001 VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Chemesis International Inc. (CSE: CSI ) (OTC: CADMF ) (FRA: CWAA ) (the Company or Chemesis), wholly owned subsidiary La Finca Interacviva-Arachna Med SAS (La Finca) announces it has received notification from the Ministry of Justice, that is has received approval for three new cultivation licenses for three additional farms located near Bogota, Colombia. Currently, the Company has 5 acres planted for its pilot spring harvest and has the ability to expand to over 100 acres once the initial harvest is complete. These new acres, to be planted soon, not only will be focused on producing biomass but will also contribute in expediting the expansion of La Finca`s seed stock, a crucial step in guaranteeing acreage growth is in sync with seed availability. The Company has also established a non-profit organization with the sole purpose of promoting cannabis cultivation. The Association for the Promotion of Cannabis Cultivation offers a new agricultural model with focus on the inclusion of farming communities such as indigenous, afro-Colombians, agroindustries and other small farmers with technical advice, seed, and a crop purchasing program. The Association has joined forces with Ricardo Garzon, one of Latin Americas leading experts in the implementation of sustainable projects. Mr. Garzon has worked for several major organizations including the International Development Bank, USAID, The World Bank, the International Finance Corporation and is a recognized expert in the development and structuring of associative models throughout Latin America. The proposed model will be presented to Colombian communities and will allow La Finca to extend its sowing prospects to add an additional 2,000+ farming families and over 10,000 acres within the next three years to its previously announced land package. The Company believes this puts La Finca on the frontline of the transformation of agriculture in Colombia. La Finca has made an incredible amount of progress since joining Chemesis, and the addition of these licenses allows La Finca to further establish our cultivation operations, said CEO of Chemesis, Edgar Montero. Mr. Garzon is a welcomed addition and brings a wealth of experience to Chemesis Latin American team. The Company believes his expertise and relationships will allow Chemesis to expand its operations significantly through the Association for the Promotion of Cannabis Cultivation. Furthermore, with the expected increases of biomass production, La Finca will be moving into its 14,000 ft2 facility by the end of fiscal Q4. The space is strategically located near Bogotas city centre, airport, and near the company's growing operations, which will allow for cost effective transportation. The facility is currently being built out by using GMP compliant protocols for both extraction and finished goods manufacturing. A vital part of Chemesis long term vision is establishing a GMP certified facility in Latin America. The facility provides Chemesis the ability to add profitability with extraction and finished goods manufacturing. As regions in Latin America establish regulations, Chemesis will continue to maintain its first mover advantage in the markets we operate in. Chemesis is also pleased to announce that it has completed three tranches of a private placement (Private Placement) for gross aggregate proceeds of CDN $1,050,000. Chemesis issued a total of 567,567 units (Units) under the Private Placement, with each Unit comprised of one common share at a price of CDN $1.85 per share and one common share purchase warrant (Warrants), and each Warrant exercisable for a period of 60 months at a price of $2.50. No fees were paid on this placement. On Behalf of The Board of Directors Edgar Montero CEO and Director About Chemesis International Inc. Chemesis International Inc. is a vertically integrated U.S. Multi-State operator with International operations in Puerto Rico, and Colombia. Chemesis has been quietly trading on the CSE since July 2018, and has been building cultivation, extraction, distribution, and brands in the markets where the Company operates. The Company focuses on prudent capital allocation to ensure it maintains a first mover advantage as it enters new markets is committed to differentiate itself by deploying resources in markets with major opportunities. Chemesis has facilities in both Puerto Rico and California, and is in the process of constructing a GMP certified facility in Colombia. Chemesis Puerto Rico operations are licensed to operate 100,000 ft2 of cultivation, and 35,000 ft2 of manufacturing floor space. The Company is positioned to win additional licenses in highly competitive merit-based US states, and will expand its footprint to ensure it maintains a first mover advantage. Investor Relations: ir@chemesis.com 1 (604) 398-3378 Social Media: Chemesis Chemesis.facebook Chemesis.twitter Chemesis.instagram DesertZen.instagram Jay&SB.instagram Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including in relation to statements regarding the Acquisition, the Buy-Out Transaction, the anticipated benefits of the Acquisition and the Buy-Out Transaction, respectively, the ability to realize any profits or increase to profits from its production facilities the expected size of the CBD market, the Companys ability to increase production of various cannabidiol products, and generally regarding the business, profitability, products and future of the Companys business, its product offerings and plans for revenue generation, sales and marketing, including upon completion of the Acquisition and Buy-Out Transaction, respectively. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance and developments to differ materially from those contemplated by these statements depending on, among other things, the risks that the Acquisition or Buy-Out Transaction, respectively, will not be completed as proposed or at all, that the anticipated benefits of the Acquisition or Buy-Out Transaction, respectively, will not materialize, that its production facilities will not be profitable or increase profitability as expected, that the CBD market will not expand as anticipated, that the Company will not be able to expand production of CBD products at the rate anticipated upon closing of the Acquisition or Buy-Out Transaction, respectively (or at all), and generally that the Company's products and plan will vary from those stated in this news release and the Company may not be able to carry out its business plans as expected. Except as required by law, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation and does not intend to update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information in this news release. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct and makes no reference to profitability based on sales reported. The statements in this news release are made as of the date of this release. The CSE has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the content of this press release The Tax Benefits of Banking and Investing in Belize Author: Luigi Wewege, Senior Vice President of Caye International Bank Belize has long been popular as a destination. Known for its beautiful beaches, lush tropical landscape, and friendly people, its no small wonder people flock here each year for a little rest and relaxation.What many people might not know about are the tax benefits and asset structures available in Belize that are available to those who choose to retire, invest, or bank here. These tax advantages extend to companies as well.Every jurisdiction has its own taxation rules for foreign investors and bank account holders, but Belize offers some of the biggest savings. Here are a few of the most significant ways you can benefit.Tax Exemptions for IBCsWhile private account holders will benefit from the taxation system in Belize, some of the biggest advantages are for businesses who operate out of Belize. If you have an International Business Company, also known as an IBC, then your company will benefit from a number of tax exemptions.When a company incorporates in Belize as an IBC, virtually all transactions and profits that result from that IBC are exempt from taxes. This comes from the Belize International Business Companies Act, Article 130.More specifically, an IBC operating in Belize wont pay taxes on dividends distributed from the company, capital gains realized, and transactions completed. In short, this makes it very, very appealing to establish an IBC account in Belize.Income Tax Relief for ForeignersIf you bank in Belize, there are many sources from which your assets can come. Most international bank account holders who opt to bank in Belize have some form of income. While the form of income can vary from person to person, it generally includes capital gains, a salary, or a pension.If you are a native resident and citizen of Belize, then your income will be subject to a domestic income tax rate. This is similar to any other nation where citizens are subject to income tax, such as Canada, Hong Kong, Great Britain, and the United States.However, how Belize differs is when it comes to the taxation on foreigners who live or bank in Belize. In most cases, foreigners wont have to pay tax on their earned income. As long as the income is not made in Belize you wont pay any income taxes to the government of Belize.Taxes for Assets Held in a TrustAnother tremendous tax benefit that comes from banking in Belize is when you decide to place some of your assets in a trust in Belize. When your assets are in a trust, they are no longer legally under your direct control. However, you can establish a plan for the trust so that the assets are used as initially outlined. This can be a key part of estate planning, but it is also a smart way to preserve and protect many different kinds of assets.Perhaps even more importantly, assets held in a trust in Belize arent subject to taxation. After all, they are no longer technically your assets, which means that you arent liable for their taxation. At the same time, the intended beneficiaries of the future also arent subject to taxation. That creates a fantastic financial instrument with significant tax advantages.Tax Exemptions for EstatesWhen you pass your estate on to your heirs or other beneficiaries, you want them to receive the full amount. In many countries, estates are taxed heavily, which means that your hard-earned assets are reduced before passing on to the next generation.Whatever the value of your estate, you will want to preserve and protect it as much as possible to prevent erosion over time. As part of a Belize International Trust, estates enjoy exemption from taxes as they relate to gifting, inheritance, and succession.This means you can safeguard more of your assets for those you care about most.Absence of Tax Treaties with Foreign GovernmentsEven when youre banking offshore, you may be subject to multiple tax regulations and rules. Unfortunately, avoiding taxes in one country might mean that youre subject to more taxes in another. This is especially true if youre banking overseas in a jurisdiction that has a reciprocal tax treaty with other governments. This means that if you bank in one country, you could still be subject to the taxation laws of your home country.Belize, however, doesnt have these reciprocal tax treaties with foreign governments. Instead, they protect their investors and those who choose to bank within their country. Although banks in Belize are still subject to reporting laws like FATCA, as an account holder you will have a level of protection that isnt readily available in many other banking destinations.What Belize Stands to Gain by Being a Tax HavenClearly, banking, living, and investing in Belize can lead to a number of substantial tax benefits. The Belizean government has worked many years to create a tax haven for foreign account holders and investors. Doing so has led to better job creation and increased revenue for the country.Tourism has soared bringing in additional revenue as well contributing to the increase in interest of investing in one of the tax shelters that can be found here. This leads in more contributions to the economy and infrastructure.Take Advantage of Tax Benefits by Banking in BelizeTo take full advantage of these tax benefits, you should establish a bank account in Belize. Fortunately, getting started it is easier than you might expect.Caye International Bank, located on the beautiful island of Ambergris Caye in Belize, can help you reap the tax benefits of banking and investing within the country. Let one of our experts help you make the most of the tax benefits available to you in Belize.Contact us today!This article is copyright 2019Tags: Ambergris Caye, benefits of offshore banking, Caye International Bank, Central America, Diversification, FATCA, Island, Luigi Wewege, offshore banking in Belize, offshore investing tax benefits, Private Offshore Banking, San Pedro, Senior Vice President, Tax Benefits in Belize, Wealth ManagementAbout Caye International Bank:Caye is the only International Bank headquartered on the beautiful island of Ambergris Caye in Belize, Central America. The bank offers a full range of traditional and non-traditional financial services and accounts in multiple currencies. An application for account opening is a simple process and can be facilitated online from anywhere in the world.About author - Luigi Wewege:Luigi is the Senior Vice President of Caye International Bank in Belize, published author of The Digital Banking Revolution, has co-authored economic research which was presented before the U.S. Congress and currently serves as an Instructor at the FinTech School as well as a Speaker at the Silicon Valley Innovation Centre. He holds an Italian MBA with a major in International Business, as well as a BSBA with a triple major in Finance, International Business, and Management - cum laude from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.P.O. Box 105, Coconut DriveSan Pedro Town, Ambergris CayeBelize, Central Americanotify@cayebank.bz PLC Market To Have A Promising Future Ahead! | Key Companies are Bosch Rexroth, ABB, Eaton, Fuji Electric, KEYENCE, Koyo Electronics, IDEC, Panasonic, Yokogawa, Toshiba, OMRON, Schneider Electric, and Siemens PLC Market https://www.gminsights.com/request-toc/upcoming/2470 https://www.gminsights.com/roc/2470 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/programmable-logic-controller-plc-market The PLC Market report research highlights key dynamics of the global sector. The potential of the industry has been investigated along with the key challenges. The current market scenario and prospects of the sector has also been studied.In addition to the industrial use of these components, the PLC market is projected to gain momentum over the forecast time span owing to increased applications in commercial applications such as elevators, traffic controls, and washing machines. Growing consumer trend toward the adoption of intelligent machines has encouraged the vendors of commercial products, such as washing machines, to implement these components in the devices, aiding the PLC market growth.Request for an in-depth table of contents for this report @The PLC market growth is expected to accelerate owing to the increasing demand from the oil & gas industry. These components address the challenges regarding monitoring leaks and spillage in industries and during the transportation of oil & gas. Furthermore, these types of industries are spread over vast stretches of land and PLC helps in coordinating the activities performed in different segments of the facility.The PLC market is characterized by the size of components including integrated or compact, modular, small, large, and mid-sized. The integrated/compact PLC industry is expanding rapidly owing to the increasing focus on the miniaturization of electronic products and machinery. The rapidly growing trend of miniaturization of electronics has helped in the penetration of integrated or compact components across industries, particularly the consumer electronics industry, where product design plays a vital role.Request for customization @China PLC market is expected to grow rapidly over the forecast time span owing to the increasing focus of industries in the region on automation. Recovering economy and increasing government stimulus toward the automation in industries are propelling the increasing demand for these components in China. Increasing electronics manufacturing in the Asia Pacific region is expected to positively impact the PLC industry growth in China. The manufacturers in the country own intellectual property rights to gain competitive advantage. This has enabled the companies to develop customized products for the customers.Prominent vendors in the PLC market include Bosch Rexroth, ABB, Eaton, Fuji Electric, KEYENCE, Koyo Electronics, IDEC, Panasonic, Yokogawa, Toshiba, Mitsubishi Electric, Rockwell Automation, OMRON, Schneider Electric, and Siemens. The vendors are increasingly investing in the technology to provide customized solutions to the customers.Browse Complete Report Summary @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 biotechnologyContact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.com Nanocellulose Market Analysis & Industry Forecast over 2019 2024, Key Players: Sappi, Stora Enso, American Process Inc, FPInnovations, Kruger Inc. Nanocellulose Market https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/2423 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/nanocellulose-market https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/2423 www.gminsights.com Global Nanocellulose Market report focuses on the Product and Applications for the key players. The market forecast report also provides analysis of the market share, segmentation, revenue forecasts and geographic regions of the market. The research report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of global Industry.In an era where adoption of renewable, sustainable, and biodegradable energy sources is perpetually promulgated, nanocellulose market stands as a major beneficiary, given that the substance is obtained from plant & wood fibers. Nanocellulose materials are gaining exceptional traction from biomedical engineering and material science owing to its renewable nature, excellent mechanical properties, anisotropic shape, tailorable surface chemistry, and biocompatibility.Request for a sample copy of this report @Global environmental concerns pertaining to reduction of carbon footprints has been one of the most pivotal factors uplifting nanocellulose demand from packaging sector. Imposition of stringent regulations via regulatory bodies to rule out the usage of non-biodegradable packaging materials especially in the food & beverages industry has been the significant driving force behind nanocellulose industry expansion.On this note, it is prudent to mention that nanocellulose, as a food packaging material in this growing sector exerts lucrative investment opportunities, given the materials ability to extend shelf life & preserve food. Incorporation of nanocellulose into polymer films is in fact, attracting much attention within the F&B industry, chiefly on the cusp of increasing consumer demand for preservative-free and minimally processed products. Taking into consideration these facts, it goes without saying that nanocellulose has emerged as a viable alternative that can improve environmental footprint of several industries by replacing petrochemical-based or synthetic materials.Nanocellulose Market, Product By Application Nanofibrillated Cellulose Nanocrystalline Cellulose Bacterial NanocelluloseNanocellulose Industry, By Application Composites Paper Processing Food & Beverages Paints & Coatings Oil & Gas Personal Care OthersBrowse Report Summery @A study conducted by the Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions states that around 10.5% of the environmental pollution is due to fossil fuel retrieval, processing and distribution, while over 18.5% is due to industrial processes. Owing to these environmental concerns, the benefits of nanocellulose-based packaging materials have been considered at a wider scale. Allegedly, the long-term use of such materials for packaging could, in turn, help combat the costs, unsustainability, and disposing challenges that the industry usually faces.Nanocellulose demand from the food industry is not only witnessed across the packaging sector but also as an important ingredient that is used as low-calorie substitute for carbohydrates additives, thickener, flavor carrier, and suspension stabilizer in food products.In fact, estimates claim that nanocellulose market accounted over USD 7.5 million from the food applications in 2016 and is further anticipated to garner hefty proceeds in the coming years. Apart from food industry, composites, cement, automobile, hygiene and textile are also some sectors that are poised to hold high adoption potential down the line.Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @Quite unsurprisingly, based on its incredible properties and environment quotient, the nanocellulose market players are increasingly emphasizing on expanding its end-use spectrum and product platform. According to reliable reports, nanocellulose market has already witnessed remarkable application in ultra-absorbent aerogels, ultimate body armor, future filters, super-flexible screens, bendable batteries, incredibly fuel-efficient cars and biofuel.With these prominent applications taking shape rather swiftly in the recent years, the global nanocellulose industry is deemed to experience a profound commercialization portfolio. A presumption validating the same is of Global Market Insights, Inc., that claims the global nanocellulose market to surpass a billion-dollar frontier by 2024, with an estimated CAGR of 33.9% over 2017-2024.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:Contact Person: Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone:1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb: IVD Reagents Market Size, Share, Development by 2024 Top Key players like Roche,Abbott,Danaher,Inc. https://www.marketresearchreportstore.com/reports/853807/global-ivd-reagents-market-insights https://www.marketresearchreportstore.com/reports/853807/global-ivd-reagents-market-insights https://www.marketresearchreportstore.com Market Research Report Store offers a latest published report on IVD Reagents Market Analysis and Forecast 2019-2025 delivering key insights and providing a competitive advantage to clients through a detailed report. The report contains 91 pages which highly exhibit on current market analysis scenario, upcoming as well as future opportunities, revenue growth, pricing and profitability.Click to view the full report TOC, figure and tables:In vitro diagnostics are tests that can detect diseases, conditions, or infections. Some tests are used in laboratory or other health professional settings and other tests are for consumers to use at home.In Vitro Diagnostic (IVD) tests are a subset of medical devices. In vitro diagnostic tests are used for in vitro examination of specimens derived from the human body to provide information for screening, diagnosis, or treatment monitoring purposes.In Vitro Diagnostic (IVD) Reagent is chemical, biological or immunological components, solutions or preparations intended by the tester to be used as IVD Medical Devices.The global IVD Reagents market is valued at xx million US$ in 2018 and will reach xx million US$ by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of xx% during 2019-2025. The objectives of this study are to define, segment, and project the size of the IVD Reagents market based on company, product type, end user and key regions.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversRocheAbbottDanaherSiemens HealthineersThermo Fisher ScientificSysmexBiomerieuxOrtho Clinical DiagnosticsBecton DickinsonBio-Rad LaboratoriesHologicJohnson and JohnsonQiagenMyriad GeneticsWondfoKHBDAAN GeneLeadman BiochemistryMindrayBioSinoMarket Segment by Type, coversImmuno DiagnosticsChemistry DiagnosticsMolecular DiagnosticsPOCTOtherMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoHospitalsLaboratoryOtherFor More Information On This Report, Please Visit @Related Information:North America IVD Reagents Market Growth 2019-2024United States IVD Reagents Market Growth 2019-2024Asia-Pacific IVD Reagents Market Growth 2019-2024Europe IVD Reagents Market Growth 2019-2024EMEA IVD Reagents Market Growth 2019-2024Global IVD Reagents Market Growth 2019-2024China IVD Reagents Market Growth 2019-2024Customization Service of the Report :Market Research Report Store provides 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 Us:Market Research Report Store (MRRS) is a professional organization related to market research reports in all directions .To provide customers with a variety of market research reports, MRRS cooperates with a large of famous market report publishers all over the world. Owing to our good service and the professional market reports in the wide range, MRRS enjoys a good reputation in the market. In pace with the development of MRRS, more and more customers and market report publishers choose to cooperate with us. As a specialized platform, MRRS upholds the supremacy of customers and aims to provide customers with better service and richer select.Contact USMarket Research Report StoreE-mail: info@marketresearchreportstore.comTel: +86-15521064060 00852-58197708(HK)Add: 17890 Castleton Street Suite 218 City of Industry CA 91748 United StatesWebsite: Smart Insulin Pens Market: Pipeline Expansion and Burgeoning Competition to Keep Growth Potential Agile https://www.marketresearchhub.com/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=2334951 https://www.marketresearchhub.com/report/smart-insulin-pens-market-global-industry-analysis-size-share-growth-trends-and-forecast-2019-2027-report.html On the back of surged incidences of diabetes which has emerged as a potential global threat triggered by massive lifestyle alterations and food consumption patterns, besides impressive spike in geriatric population worldwide, smart insulin pens market is estimated to remain essentially lucrative in subsequent times. A new business intelligence report under the title, Smart Insulin Pens Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 2019 - 2027 collated in the burgeoning online data archive of Market Research Hub (MRH) gauges recent market advances and their reciprocal implications on holistic growth trajectory of smart insulin pens market.Get Sample Copy of this Report@Novo Nordisk Diversifies its Smart Insulin Pens Portfolio with Novel Additions, NovoPen 6 NovoPen Echo PlusPronounced changes in diabetes therapeutics, adequately supplemented by technological novelties are likely to steer novel growth opportunities. Additionally, ample participation by drug makers seeking global market penetration and sophistication in product portfolio and pipeline expansion are accounted to retain onward growth ascent in smart insulin pens market.Portfolio diversification continues to remain the most preferred organic growth strategy embraced by lead players in smart insulin pens space. With technological excellence soaring high and competition picking momentum with inclusion of novel market participants, drug makers are investing in product launches. To cite an instance, leading market player Novo Nordisk has recently upgraded its smart insulin pens portfolio with the addition of NovoPen 6 and NovoPen Echo Plus that are designed to enlighten users with latest drug administration history for effective diabetes management. Developments as such are likely to escalate rampant growth impetus in smart insulins pens market.Adaptors for Conventional Pens Segment to Incur Magnanimous Adoption TractionThis elaborate research report on smart insulin market discusses intricate details on market developments and trends, highlighting market dynamics such as drivers, restraints, trends, threats and opportunities that shape growth trajectory in smart insulin pens market. The report in its subsequent sections also divulges core understanding on entry point barriers as well as untapped market opportunities on the basis of which new as well as aspiring players in smart insulin pens market can effectively deliver profitable business discretion.Request TOC of the Report @Technological Excellence in North America to Bode Well with its Sustainable Leading PositionBy segmentation smart insulin market is classified into product, connectivity type, application, and distribution channel. By product the market is classified into smart insulin pens and adaptors for conventional pens. Bluetooth and USB comprise core connectivity types. Based on application type 1 and type 2 diabetes consist of major application areas. On the basis of distribution channel, insulin pens market is stratified into online sales, hospital and retail pharmacy, and diabetes clinics. In the subsequent sections, the report also includes details on regional diversification on the basis of which Europe, North and Latin America, APAC, and MEA are demarcated as core regional belts.In its subsequent sections, this elaborate research report on smart insulin pens market include veritable details on forerunners in smart insulin pens market, complete with a detailed analysis of company and product portfolios, besides a brief on winning marketing strategies implemented by lead players to ensure sustainable revenue pools amidst staggering competition in smart insulin pens market.About Market Research HubMarket Research Hub (MRH) is a next-generation reseller of research reports of different sector like Pharmaceuticals market research and analysis. MRHs expansive collection of industry reports has been carefully curated to help key personnel and decision makers across industry verticals to clearly visualize their operating environment and take strategic steps.MRH functions as an integrated platform for the following products and services: Objective and sound market forecasts, qualitative and quantitative analysis, incisive insight into defining industry trends, and market share estimates. Our reputation lies in delivering value and world-class capabilities to our clients.Contact Us90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United StatesToll Free: 800-998-4852 (US-Canada)Email: press@marketresearchhub.com Global Business Intelligence and Analytics Market Expected to Witness a Sustainable Growth over 2024 Top Key players like Top Key players like Tibco Software,SAP AG,Oracle Corporation,Inc. https://www.marketresearchreportstore.com/reports/853470/global-business-intelligence-analytics-market-size https://www.marketresearchreportstore.com/reports/853470/global-business-intelligence-analytics-market-size https://www.marketresearchreportstore.com Market Research Report Store offers a latest published report on Business Intelligence and Analytics Market Analysis and Forecast 2019-2025 delivering key insights and providing a competitive advantage to clients through a detailed report. The report contains 91 pages which highly exhibit on current market analysis scenario, upcoming as well as future opportunities, revenue growth, pricing and profitability.Click to view the full report TOC, figure and tables:The business intelligence and analytics software are the tools which helps to analyze the structure and unstructured data helps managers, executive, and other corporate end users to understand the market trend.In 2018, the global Business Intelligence and Analytics market size was 18200 million US$ and it is expected to reach 37400 million US$ by the end of 2025, with a CAGR of 9.4% during 2019-2025.This report focuses on the global Business Intelligence and Analytics status, future forecast, growth opportunity, key market and key players. The study objectives are to present the Business Intelligence and Analytics development in United States, Europe and China.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversTibco SoftwareTableau SoftwareIncSAS InstituteIncSAP AGQlik TechnologiesIncOracle CorporationMicrostrategyIncMicrosoft CorporationInformation BuildersIBM CorporationMarket Segment by Type, coversCloudOn-PremisesMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoSmall and Medium EnterprisesLarge EnterprisesFor More Information On This Report, Please Visit @Related Information:North America Business Intelligence and Analytics Market Growth 2019-2024United States Business Intelligence and Analytics Market Growth 2019-2024Asia-Pacific Business Intelligence and Analytics Market Growth 2019-2024Europe Business Intelligence and Analytics Market Growth 2019-2024EMEA Business Intelligence and Analytics Market Growth 2019-2024Global Business Intelligence and Analytics Market Growth 2019-2024China Business Intelligence and Analytics Market Growth 2019-2024Customization Service of the Report :Market Research Report Store provides 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 Us:Market Research Report Store (MRRS) is a professional organization related to market research reports in all directions .To provide customers with a variety of market research reports, MRRS cooperates with a large of famous market report publishers all over the world. Owing to our good service and the professional market reports in the wide range, MRRS enjoys a good reputation in the market. In pace with the development of MRRS, more and more customers and market report publishers choose to cooperate with us. As a specialized platform, MRRS upholds the supremacy of customers and aims to provide customers with better service and richer select.Contact USMarket Research Report StoreE-mail: info@marketresearchreportstore.comTel: +86-15521064060 00852-58197708(HK)Add: 17890 Castleton Street Suite 218 City of Industry CA 91748 United StatesWebsite: Massive Growth of Dental X-ray Systems in Healthcare Market 2026 with Key Players Such as Owandy Radiology, Carestream Dental, Dentsply Sirona https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/6738 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/toc/6738 http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ The Research Report Dental X-ray Systems Market - Global Industry, Analysis, Size, Growth, Trends, and Forecasts 2018 - 2026 provides information on pricing, analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - ResearchReports.bizThe global dental X-ray systems market is anticipated to see an increase their requirement, owing to the advancement in medical image technology. Cone-beam computed topography or CBCT systems and dental X-ray systems are devised to nurse oral problems. Major factors contributing to the growth of the dental x-ray systems market are the growing geriatric population and their increase in age-old problems, one of them being dental issues, and technological advancements. There are a number of dental disorders registered on a regular basis and this keeps increasing by the day, thus increasing the chances of dental x-ray systems in order to treat it. Furthermore, digital systems nowadays have the ability to reduce time of diagnosis and also to improve the quality of image, captured in the X-ray machines, thus boosting the overall market growth in the long run.There are different variations in the dental x-ray systems like intraoral and extraoral x-ray systems. Extraoral systems use the x-ray film outside the buccal cavity and are basically used to inspect facial bones. While intraoral x-ray systems place the x-ray film inside the buccal cavity in order to allow dentists to check the state of the yet to develop teeth and detect possible cavity. It also allows dentists t check tooth surrounding bony region and observe the roots of the teeth.The intraoral and extraoral x-ray systems further categorize panoramic x-ray systems, cephalometric projections systems, hand-held intraoral x-ray systems, and floor mounted intraoral x-ray systems. Cephalometric projections systems and panoramic x-ray systems fall under the category of extraoral X-ray systems while intraoral x-ray systems include hand-held intraoral x-ray systems and floor mounted intraoral x-ray systems.The report presented here is a complete evaluation of global dental x-ray systems market with large focus on market dynamics that also includes the market drivers, restraints, and trends and opportunities. It also offers geographical and other segmentation studies of the market.Get Sample Copy of this report @Global Dental X-ray Systems Market: Trends and OpportunitiesA major factor contributing to the growth of the dental x-ray systems market globally is the rising number of incidences of oral cancer that is followed by a list of dental procedures. Moreover, there is also an increase in demand for dental x-ray systems that have been modified with advanced technology. This will treat oral problems better and will also increase demand for x-ray in dental clinics and hospitals. Besides, socio-economic factors like rising number of dental disorders are also presumed to uplift the growth of the market in upcoming years.The government is also taking initiatives and decreasing the overall cost and expenditure of the dental surgeries and other dental treatments so that it can be easily accessible for middle and low income families to adopt these treatment procedures for its cost efficiency.Global Dental X-ray Systems Market: Regional AnalysisThe global dental x-ray systems market may be classified into the regions of Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific, North America, and Middle East and Africa. North America is prophesied to be the dominant region contributing large shares into the overall market. Europe is also seen to be catching up soon and may be the second most dominating region in the dental x-ray systems market.Apart from that, Asia Pacific is anticipated to be the feasted growing region because of the developing nations of Japan, India, Australia and New Zealand where oral problems are increasing, and so is the need to treat such problems, especially among the geriatric population.Global Dental X-ray Systems Market: Companies MentionedMajor companies in the dental x-ray systems market are Owandy Radiology, Carestream Dental, LLC., Dentsply Sirona, J. MORITA CORP., and PLANMECA OY.MRR.BIZ has been compiled in-depth market research data in the report after exhaustive primary and secondary research. Our team of able, experienced in-house analysts has collated the information through personal interviews and study of industry databases, journals, and reputable paid sources.Request For TOC Report @The report provides the following information:-Tailwinds and headwinds molding the markets trajectory-Market segments based on products, technology, and applications-Prospects of each segment-Overall current and possible future size of the market-Growth pace of the market-Competitive landscape and key players strategiesThe main aim of the report is to:-Enable key stakeholders in the market bet right on it-Understand the opportunities and pitfalls awaiting them-Assess the overall growth scope in the near term-Strategize effectively with respect to production and distributionMRR.BIZ is a leading provider of strategic market research. Our vast repository consists research reports, data books, company profiles, and regional market data sheets. We regularly update the data and analysis of a wide-ranging products and services around the world. As readers, you will have access to the latest information on almost 300 industries and their sub-segments. Both large Fortune 500 companies and SMEs have found those useful. This is because we customize our offerings keeping in mind the specific requirements of our clients.About usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.ContactMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Interventional Radiology Market Demand, Sales and Consumption Status and Growth Opportunities - P&S Intelligence interventional radiology https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/interventional-radiology-market https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/interventional-radiology-market/report-sample https://www.psmarketresearch.com/send-enquiry?enquiry-url=interventional-radiology-market https://www.psmarketresearch.com The market is predominantly driven by growing prevalence of chronic diseases, increasing aging population, technological advancements, and rising reimbursement rate for interventional radiology procedures.Different types of products available in the interventional radiology market are ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), angiography systems and others. The market for ultrasound systems is expected to grow substantially, witnessing a CAGR of 6.2% during the forecast period. Rising number of chronic diseases and birth disorders are some key factors leading to the high demand of ultrasound systems globally.Access Detailed Report Summary:Geographically, North America holds the largest share in the interventional radiology market, with an estimated contribution of around 36% share to the global interventional radiology market in 2018 and is projected to generate $9.3 billion revenue by 2024. Advanced healthcare facilities, and increased healthcare spending are some of the key factors driving the growth of this region.Request to Get the Sample Pages at:Moreover, the increasing healthcare expenditure in developing economies, such as China and India, for the improvement of healthcare infrastructure, is creating huge revenue generation opportunities for companies to invest in the region. According to the World Bank, the healthcare expenditure of China was 4.3% of its total gross domestic product (GDP) in 2005, which increased to 5.3% in 2015.Globally, the interventional radiology market is witnessing rapid evolution with substantial number of new products being launched by prominent players in the market. For instance, in January 2019, Canon Medical Systems Corporation introduced illumination rendering technology within its Vitrea platform. This technology will enable physicians to interact in real-time with photorealistic images and visualize patient anatomy in all dimensions. Around the same time, the company also launched Aquilion Start CT system in Dubai.Make Enquiry Before Buying the Report:The acquisitions and collaborations among prominent players are key strategies noted in the global interventional radiology market. For instance, in January 2019, Koninklijke Philips N.V. collaborated with MIM Software Inc., aim to streamline approach for the treatment by using advanced radiation therapy treatment techniques. Moreover, in July 2018, Hologic Inc. announced the acquisition of Faxitron Bioptics, a privately-held company, dealing in digital specimen radiography, in $85 million cash. This acquisition was aimed to expand Hologic Inc.s breast health product portfolio.The global interventional radiology market is marked with the presence of key players such as Siemens AG, Koninklijke Philips N.V., General Electric Company, Canon Medical Systems Corporation, Hitachi Ltd. and Samsung Healthcare. Some other players include Carestream Health Inc., Esaote S.p.A, Hologic Inc., and Shimadzu Corporation.About P&S IntelligenceP&S Intelligence is a provider of market research and consulting services catering to the market information needs of burgeoning industries across the world. Providing the plinth of market intelligence, P&S as an enterprising research and consulting company, believes in providing thorough landscape analyses on the ever-changing market scenario, to empower companies to make informed decisions and base their business strategies with astuteness.Contact:P&S IntelligenceToll-free: +1-888-778-7886 (USA/Canada)International: +1-347-960-6455Email: enquiry@psmarketresearch.comWeb: What's the next big thing in the Organoids Market?Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Becton Dickinson and Company, Corning Incorporated, and Sigma-Aldrich Corporation., 3D Biomatrix, Inc., 3D Biotek LLC, Reinnervate Ltd https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-8106 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/checkout/8106 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-8106 Organoids is one of the in-vitro derived 3D cell culture models derived majorly from stem cell or tissue proficient of self-regeneration and simultaneously exhibit organ functionality. Organoids are used in the research of multiple organs and tissue additionally, Organoids derived from self-unifying stem cells which can recapitulate the in-vivo functionally, architecture and genetic markup of original tissue. The application of Organoids in the fields of exploring organogenesis, stem cell biology and human pathologies have further advanced the research and development in the 3D cell culture fields. Some disease causing bacteria are rationally difficult to cultivate in the laboratory, limiting the study potential. For example C. difficile bacteria requires anaerobic conditions, but can survive in an intestine Organoids. Organoids derive from biopsies are allowing scientist to differentiate between the cancer development in various individuals. The presented advancement in market, Organoids an exhilarating new tool for scantiest and researchers. Evidently the prime focus is on the intestine and stomach, nevertheless the procedure is rapidly expanding to other tissue such as brain, breast, liver and gastrointestinal. The advancement in Organoids is anticipated to transform the traditional methods of conducting research, starting from basic understanding to drug discovery and personalized treatmentsExamples of some of the key participants in the Organoids market are Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Becton Dickinson and Company, Corning Incorporated, and Sigma-Aldrich Corporation., 3D Biomatrix, Inc., 3D Biotek LLC, Reinnervate Ltd, InSphero AG, Global Cell Solutions, Inc., and Lonza Group among others.Request For Report Sample @Organoids Market: Drivers and RestraintsSimultaneous research on 3D cell culture and Organoids following with increasing research activity in application of Organoids. Is anticipated to fuel the market. Additionally increasing investment from the major firms and research organization and funding, is symbolizing the growth of the Organoids market. The upsurge in the demand for organ transplantation is categorized as the driving factor for growth of the Organoids market owning to the advancement in the stem cell research. Which is estimated to perform as a significant factor backing the demand for Organoids. The utilization of livestock in research and clinical trials is always been a subject of criticism and holds against the animal cruelty policy, nevertheless Organoids tends to hold the prospective to replace an animals utilized in clinical trials and research. The probable advantage of Organoids over lifestock is estimated to play a vital role in impelling the demand for Organoids market. Growing adaptations in biotechnology and laboratories for 3D cell culture technique is directly affecting the growth of the Organoids market. However, high cost associated with development of Organoids culture and requirements of numerous favorable factors is anticipate the restraint the growth of the Organoids market.Organoids Market: SegmentationBased on product type, the Organoids market is segmented into:Gut OrganoidHepatic OrganoidNeural OrganoidPulmonary OrganoidBased on application, the Organoids market is segmented into:Drug DesigningBio-bankingDevelopmental Biology and Toxicology TestingDisease PathologyOthersBased on components, the Organoids market is segmented into:MediaReagentsPlatformGet Full Report Now @Organoids Market: OverviewThe manufacturers in the Organoids market are primarily focused on extensive research of new treatment regiments involving the utilization of Organoids. The global Organoids market is witnessing a concrete growth reasoning to rising awareness among the researches for the application of Organoids and high attention towards 3D cell culture research. The upsurge in demand of Organoids is primarily rising from developed regions such as North America and Europe due to intensive research on cell cultures and government aids for the research programs. The manufacturers in the Organoids is focused on potential tie us and mergers coupled with growth in development new application for the Organoids. The advantage of Organoids in targeted stem cell research is estimated to offer manufactures a prime advantage to grip on the market competition.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC):Organoids Market: Region-Wise OverviewThe global Organoids market is segmented into the following regions - North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific Excluding China & Japan, China, Japan and the Middle East & Africa. North America is the leading regional market for Organoids due to growing research on the various cell culture Medias with Organoids in the region. In North America, the U.S. is the dominating Organoids market owing to increasing number healthcare research and bulging research budgets of manufacturers in the country. Europe Organoids market is anticipated to grow considerably owing to inclination towards research associated with organ regeneration. Japan and China is a growing at fast pace due to increasing investment from the manufacturers and availability of resources for the Organoids research. Growth in the Latin America and the Middle East and Africa is considerably low due to lack of research initiatives and technological parity in terms of fundings.About UsFuture Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centres in the U.S. and India.FMIs research and consulting services help businesses around the globe navigate the challenges in a rapidly evolving marketplace with confidence and clarity. Our customised and syndicated market research reports deliver actionable insights that drive sustainable growth. We continuously track emerging trends and events in a broad range of end industries to ensure our clients prepare for the evolving needs of their consumers.Future market insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United States Booming Growth in Smart Airports Market Analysis 2019 and Forecast to 2023 | Top Leading Players - Amadeus IT Group, Honeywell International, IBM, Siemens, GE, Cisco System, DSG Systems Smart Airports Market https://www.businessindustryreports.com/sample-request/159471 https://www.businessindustryreports.com/check-discount/159471 This report provides in depth study of Smart Airports Market using SWOT analysis i.e. Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threat to the organization. The Smart Airports Market report also provides an in-depth survey of key players in the market organization.Global Smart Airports Market Synopsis:The Global Smart Airports Market research 2019 highlights the major details and provides in-depth analysis of the market along with the future growth, prospects and Industry demands analysis explores with the help of complete report with 90 Pages, figures, graphs and table of contents to analyze the situations of global Smart Airports Market and Assessment to 2023.Get Exclusive Sample Study Papers of Global Smart Airports Market @This report studies the Global Smart Airports Market over the forecast period of 2019 to 2023. The Global Smart Airports Market is expected to grow at an impressive Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) from 2019 to 2023.A smart airports system comprises solutions, devices and components, and services that automates and optimizes the usage of airways infrastructure to carry out advanced functions. It has several components like passenger reservation and information systems, freight operations information systems, air traffic management, operations and baggage and check in management, IP-based security monitoring, communications, ticketing, and airways analytics.According to Market Study, Rising IT spending on airports is anticipated to propel the markets expansion as these solutions ease the burden on airport infrastructure and workforce. Moreover, the rising penetration of smartphones and tablets is playing a key role in changing the outlook of global smart airports.According to the Report, The global smart airport market is expected to witness high growth, as the key players in the market are investing heavily in research and development activities. Leading players in the market are focusing on enhancing the services to their customers. They are also using advanced technologies to enhance user experience. The rising competition in the airline sector is also pushing airports to become more responsive toward the rapidly changing needs of airline passengers.Dubai Airports will use Siemens Building Technologies data analytics and smart building technology to guarantee annual energy savings of almost 20 percent per year at Dubai Airports' facilities, by implementing energy efficiency measures at Terminal 1, Terminal 2, Terminal 3 and Concourse B at Dubai International (DXB). Focusing on air and water systems, the seven-year project is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 25,000 tons, with annual electricity savings of approximately 50 gigawatt hours (GWH), and water savings of around 21 million gallons. The initiative is part of Dubai Airports' comprehensive energy-saving strategy and program designed to limit the environmental footprint at both of its airports.Smart Airports Market Covers the Table of Contents With Segments, Key Players And Region. Based on Technology, Smart Airports Market is sub segmented into S Security Systems, Communication Systems, Passenger, Cargo & Baggage Handling Control, Air/Ground Traffic Control, Endpoint Devices, Other Technologies. On the Basis of Airside, Market is sub segmented into Air Traffic Management, Resource Management, Aircraft Parking, Aircraft Maintenance, Others. On the Basis of Application, Market is sub segmented into Military and Civilianis.Request a Discount on standard prices of this premium report @Major Players profiled in the Smart Airports Market report incorporate: Amadeus IT Group, Honeywell International, IBM, Siemens, GE, Cisco System, DSG Systems, Thales, SITA, EGate Solutions, QinetiQ, Raytheon Company, Sabre, AiritRegion segment: This report is segmented into several key regions, with sales, revenue, market share (%) and growth Rate (%) of Smart Airports in these regions, from 2014 to 2023 (forecast), covering: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa and South America.The report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators and governing factors along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies.Significant points in table of contents: Market Definition, Market Overview, Business Introduction, Segmentation (Region Level), Segmentation (Type Level), Segmentation (Industry Level), Segmentation (Channel Level), Market Forecast Year, Segmentation Type, Segmentation Industry, Market Cost Analysis, and Conclusion.Report contents include1 Analysis of the Smart Airports Market including revenues, future growth, market outlook2 Historical data and forecast3 Regional analysis including growth estimates4 Analyzes the end user markets including growth estimates.5 Profiles on Smart Airports including products, sales/revenues, and market position6 Market structure, market drivers and restraints.About usBusinessindustryReports.com is digital database of comprehensive market reports for global industries. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well-defined we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Media ContactBusiness Industry ReportsPune Indiasales@businessindustryreports.com+19376349940 LONDON and SAN FRANCISCO, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StaffConnect , the leading provider of mobile employee engagement solutions for the deskless workforce , announced today its upcoming live webinar series lineup for Spring and Summer 2019, as follows: StaffConnect Product Demo Date/Time: Wednesday, June 5, 11:00 11:30 a.m. ET / 4:00 4:30 p.m. BST Why Attend: Join this live webinar for an in-depth demonstration of the StaffConnect mobile employee engagement platform. See an overview of the modules that make up the app and hear about examples of how StaffConnect customers are getting the most from this 'out of the box' solution, as StaffConnect enables them to communicate and engage with their entire workforce. The webinar will demonstrate how StaffConnect delivers a powerful mobile employee engagement platform that transforms the employee experience by enabling large enterprises to connect, communicate and engage with every employee - not forgetting the deskless employees that make up 80% of todays personnel. The customer-branded mobile app gives employees a voice, with access to company and user-generated content to increase loyalty and productivity. The cloud-hosted platform empowers employers to target content, with analytics, to deepen engagement with everyone. Learn more and register here: http://www.staffconnectapp.com/product-webinar The Hallmarks of Great Internal Communications (IC) with Gatehouse, Gallagher Communication and Ciara OKeeffe Date: Wednesday, July 3, 11:00 11:30 a.m. ET / 4:00 4:30 p.m. BST Why Attend: Fresh from the IABC World Conference, Lee Smith, Director at Gatehouse and Matt Frost, Director at Gallagher Communication , will be sharing insights from the conference and discussing the hallmarks of great internal communication with internal communications expert, Ciara O'Keeffe , StaffConnect. Building on the learnings from 11 years of producing the global State of the Sector research report, Smith and Frost will explore what makes a truly great internal communication team - from corporate narrative and channel innovation, through to two-way engagement, leadership capability and impact measurement. Learn more and register here: https://www.staffconnectapp.com/gatehouse-webinar/ Tweet this: .@StaffConnectApp Announces Upcoming Live Webinar Series Lineup https://www.staffconnectapp.com/latest/press-releases/ #InternalComms #IC #Mobile #EmployeeEngagement #DesklessWorkforce #EmployeeExperience #HR About StaffConnect StaffConnect is the leading provider of mobile employee engagement solutions for the deskless workforce . The StaffConnect platform transforms the employee experience by enabling enterprises to connect, communicate and engage their entire workforce, especially remote, deskless employees. The customer-branded mobile app gives employees a voice - with access to company and user-generated content to increase loyalty and productivity. The cloud-hosted platform empowers employers to target that content, with analytics, to deepen engagement with everyone. From offices in London and San Francisco, StaffConnects platform and domain expertise are supporting large businesses around the world to inspire their workforces to deliver better performance, improved customer experiences and greater shareholder value. For further information, please visit: www.staffconnectapp.com . Media Resources (logos, screenshots, etc.): https://www.staffconnectapp.com/press-resources/ Foodservice Market in Peru May See Stellar Market Growth? Identify Hidden Opportunity Evolving in the Market | Norkys, Pizza Hut, Grupo Rokys Foodservice Market https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/1881538-peru-the-future-of-foodservice-to-2022 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1881538-peru-the-future-of-foodservice-to-2022 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=1881538 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/1881538-peru-the-future-of-foodservice-to-2022 https://www.linkedin.com/company/13388569/ https://www.facebook.com/htfmarketintelligence/ https://twitter.com/htfmarketreport https://plus.google.com/u/0/+NidhiBhawsar-SEO_Expert?rel=author HTF Market Intelligence released a new research report of 154 pages on title 'Peru - The Future of Foodservice to 2022' with detailed analysis, forecast and strategies. The study covers important players such as Norkys Grupo, Pizza Hut, Yum! Brands Inc., Grupo Rokys, Brinker International, Las CanastasRequest a sample report @"Peru - The Future of Foodservice to 2022", published by HTF MI provides extensive insight and analysis of the Peruvian Foodservice market over the next five years (2016-2021) and acts as a vital point of reference for operators or suppliers.Perus economic growth in 2017 was impacted by the environmental and political disturbances which led to decline in the per capita economic growth in 2017. However, the economy recovered in 2018, supported by strong domestic demand, robust investment in both private and public sectors, and increased household consumption. The growing spending power led to the growth for foodservice operators with consumers making increasingly frequent visits to the foodservice market, especially in urban areas. The Peruvian foodservice profit sector saw sales value rise at a CAGR of 3.2% from 2016-2018, to reach PEN34.3 billion in 2018. The FSR and QSR channels dominate the Peruvian foodservice profit sector, accounting for 41.3% and 34.3% of total profit sector sales, respectively, in 2018. Although majority of sales across channels is attributable to independent operators, chain operators are forecast to see higher growth to 2022.Get Customization in the Report, Enquire Now @The report includes -- Overview of Peru's macro-economic landscape: Detailed analysis of current macro-economic factors and their impact on Peru's foodservice market including GDP per capita, consumer price index, population growth and annual household income distribution.- Growth dynamics: In-depth data and forecasts of key channels (QSR, FSR, Coffee & Tea Shops, Pubs, Clubs and Bars) within Peru's foodservice market, including the value of the market, number of transactions, number of outlets and average transaction price.- Customer segmentation: identify the most important demographic groups, buying habits and motivations that drive out-of-home meal occasions among segments of the Peruvian population.- Key players: Overview of market leaders within the four major channels including business descriptions and number of outlets.- Case Studies: Learn from examples of recent successes and failures within the Peruvian foodservice market.Scope- Growth in the Peruvian QSR channel was primarily driven by growth in transactions than outlets, a trend which is expected to sustain to 2022.- FSR is expected to experience growth albeit at a slower CAGR of 2.5% by 2022 from 3.7% in 2016-2018. Consumers becoming increasingly eager to trade-up and enjoy a higher quality of food, will benefit all FSR operators with 69% of Peruvians preferring casual dining. This will bring greater competition to the channel, especially from the nearby US where large casual dining operators rule.- Whilst the coffe and tea shop channel may appear attractive to potential operators, it remains uncertain whether there is currently sufficient demand to justify entering the market. Out-of-home coffee consumption does not yet have mass appeal and is primarily enjoyed by a small segment of high purchasing power consumers and tourists.Reasons to buy- Specific forecasts of the foodservice market over the next five years (2017-2022) will give readers the ability to make informed business decisions through identifying emerging/declining markets.- Consumer segmentation detailing the desires of known consumers among all major foodservice channels (QSR, FSR, Coffee & Tea shops, Pubs, Clubs and Bars) will allow readers understand the wants and needs of their target demographics.- Relevant case studies will allow readers to learn from and apply lessons discovered by emerging and major players within Peru's foodservice market.Companies Mentioned in the ReportNorkys GrupoPizza HutYum! Brands Inc.Grupo RokysBrinker Internationaland Las CanastasBuy this report @Table of ContentsIntroductionReport GuideExecutive SummaryMacroeconomic ContextGDP and Consumer Price IndexPopulation and demographic highlightsAnnual household income distributionIntroducing the Consumer SegmentsConsumer segment profiles and key identification metrics....ContinuedView Detailed Table of Content @Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.About Author:HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Contact US :Craig Francis (PR & Marketing Manager)HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJNew Jersey USA 08837Phone: +1 (206) 317 1218sales@htfmarketreport.comConnect with us at Molecular Diagnostic Market for Group A Streptococcus (GAS) Nucleic Acid (NA) Test Products || Key Players are Alere Inc., F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Hologic Inc., Meridian Bioscience Inc., Nanosphere Inc. https://www.mrrse.com/sample/1702 https://www.mrrse.com/europe-molecular-diagnostic-market An extensive study offering forecast assessment on Molecular Diagnostic Market has been broadcasted to the mega-repository of Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE). This all-inclusive and holistic research examines Molecular Diagnostic Market in detail, providing an exhaustive analysis of key factors impacting present as well as future growth prospects of the market. In addition, the report provides key statistics on the current state of the industry and other methodical data to understand the market in a precise manner. A sub-category level analysis has been elaborated in the study, by which readers and investors of the report will able to know that where the market stands to gain.Nucleic acid tests are used for rapid and accurate identification of microbes. This report on molecular diagnostic market for group A streptococcus (GAS) nucleic acid (NA) test products in Europe analyses the current and future prospects of the market. The report comprises an elaborate executive summary, including a market snapshot that provides overall information of various segments and sub-segments. This section also provides the overall information and data analysis of the nucleic acid test products market in Europe with respect to the leading market segments based on type of test techniques, end-user, and geography.To Get Sample Copy of Report, Click here @The market overview section of the report includes qualitative analysis of the nucleic acid test product market in Europe including the factors determining the market dynamics such as drivers, restraints, and opportunities, along with Porters Five Forces Analysis. In addition, various analyses such as market attractiveness analysis by geography and competitive landscape by key players have been provided. The market attractiveness analysis explains the intensity of competition in the market in different geographies. The competitive scenario between market players is evaluated through market share analysis. These factors would help the market players to take strategic decisions in order to strengthen their positions and expand their shares in the European market.The nucleic acid test product market in Europe has been segmented based on type of test technique, end-user, and geography. Based on type of test technique, the nucleic acid test market has been categorized into three major segments: polymerase chain reaction, non-amplified tests, and isothermal nucleic acid amplification technology. Based on end-user, the nucleic acid test product market in Europe has been segmented into five types: Hospitals, public health laboratories, and others. Market revenue in terms of US$ Mn for the period between 2013 and 2023 along with the compound annual growth rate (CAGR %) from 2015 to 2023 is provided for all the segments, considering 2014 as the base year.Geographically, the nucleic acid test product market in Europe has been categorized into five regions: Western Europe, Northern Europe, Southern Europe, Eastern Europe, and Rest of Europe. Western Europe comprises France, Germany, Austria, and Rest of Western Europe. Northern Europe includes Ireland, Norway, Sweden, the U.K. and Northern Ireland, and Rest of Central Europe. Southern Europe comprises Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Rest of Southern Europe. Eastern Europe comprises Poland, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, Russian Federation, and Rest of Eastern Europe. The recommendations section included in the report would assist existing players to expand their market share and new companies to establish their presence in the market. The report also profiles major players in the nucleic acid test product market in Europe based on various attributes such as company overview, financial overview, business strategies, product portfolio, and recent developments. Major players profiled in this report include Alere, Inc., F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Hologic, Inc., Meridian Bioscience, Inc., Nanosphere, Inc., and Quidel Corporation.Outlook Complete Research Report with TOC @About Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE)Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of Market Research Reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.Contact UsState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.com E-Commerce Logistics Market Global Analysis and Forecasts to 2025 by key Players - Aramex International, FedEx Corporation, S.F. Express, Gati Limited, Amazon, Kenco Group, Inc., Ceva Holdings LLC Premium Market Insights - E-Commerce Logistics Market https://www.premiummarketinsights.com/sample/TIP00001539 https://www.premiummarketinsights.com/buy/TIP00001539 E-Commerce Logistics is a set of communication computing and collaborative technologies that helps to transform logistical processes to be consumer centric by sharing data, knowledge and information with supply chain partners. The ultimate aim of e-commerce logistic is to deliver right product in right quantities at right place and to the right customer.Increase of cross-border e-commerce activities and rise in the internet penetration are the major drivers which help in surging the growth of e-commerce logistics market whereas infrastructural challenges restrict the service of last-mile connectivity which act as a restraining factor for this market. Large amount of logistic from abroad and value-added services such as innovative tracking of parcel and route optimization will add new opportunities for this market in the coming years.Get Sample Copy @The reports cover key developments in the E-Commerce Logistics market as organic and inorganic growth strategies. Various companies are focusing on organic growth strategies such as product launches, product approvals and others such as patents and events. Inorganic growth strategies activities witnessed in the market were acquisitions, and partnership & collaborations. These activities have paved way for expansion of business and customer base of market players. The market payers from E-Commerce Logistics market are anticipated to lucrative growth opportunities in the future with the rising demand for E-Commerce Logistics in the global market. Below mentioned is the list of few companies engaged in the E-Commerce Logistics market.The report also includes the profiles of key E-Commerce Logistics companies along with their SWOT analysis and market strategies. In addition, the report focuses on leading industry players with information such as company profiles, components and services offered, financial information of last 3 years, key development in past five years.The List of Companies1. DHL International GmbH2. FedEx Corporation3. SF Express Co., Ltd.4. Amazon.com, Inc.5. United Parcel Service, Inc.6. Clipper Logistics Plc.7. CEVA Logistics8. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc.9. Kerry Logistics Network Limited.10. Nippon Express Co., Ltd.The report provides a detailed overview of the industry including both qualitative and quantitative information. It provides overview and forecast of the global e-commerce logistics market based on service type, operational area and end-user. It also provides market size and forecast till 2025 for overall e-commerce logistics market with respect to five major regions, namely; North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and South America (SAM). The market by each region is later sub-segmented by respective countries and segments. The report covers analysis and forecast of 16 counties globally along with current trend and opportunities prevailing in the region.Besides this, the report analyzes factors affecting market from both demand and supply side and further evaluates market dynamics effecting the market during the forecast period i.e., drivers, restraints, opportunities, and future trend. The report also provides exhaustive PEST analysis for all five regions namely; North America, Europe, APAC, MEA and South America after evaluating political, economic, social and technological factors effecting the market in these regions.We also can offer customized report to fulfill special requirements of our clients.Place Direct Purchase order for complete Report atAbout Premium Market Insights:Premium Market Insights is a one-stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers.Contact Info:Name: Sameer JoshiEmail: sales@premiummarketinsights.comOrganization: Premium Market InsightsPhone: +1-646-491-9876 Metabolomics Market 2024 - Recent Study Including Growth Factors, Regional Analysis and Key Players (Agilent Technologies, Inc., Danaher Corporation, Waters Corporation, Shimadzu Corporation, Bruker Corporation, Metabolon, Inc.) https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/metabolomics-market/report-sample https://www.psmarketresearch.com/send-enquiry?enquiry-url=metabolomics-market https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/metabolomics-market https://www.psmarketresearch.com The global metabolomics market is projected to achieve a lucrative growth rate during the forecast period due to the increased government and private funding in research and development, and rise in metabolic application in personalized medication. The market is led by instruments, in terms of size, majorly attributable to the fact that metabolomics instrument is extensively used while following the various steps of the experimental protocol. Metabolomics bioinformatics tools and services are expected to witness the faster growth in future, as it facilitates simpler analysis and data interpretation of widely available biological data.Browse free report sample at:Metabolomics has wide application in various field, these include biomarker discovery, drug discovery, toxicology testing, nutrigenomics, functional genomics, personalized medicine, and others. The biomarker discovery was the largest application area of metabolomics in 2016, due to to the rise in prevalence of chronic diseases on the global level. Additionally, the extensive oncological research with inclination towards study of new biomarkers and its cancer application drives the larger contribution of biomarker discovery in the market.North America is the largest market for metabolomics products and services, mainly due to the factors such as presence of large number of funding from government and private bodies, and availability to technologically advanced products, with the dominance of some of the key players in the region. Asia-Pacific is expected to witness the fastest growth for the metabolomics market during forecast period. The major factors driving its growth are increasing healthcare and R&D expenditure, rise in adoption of technology for clinical applications, and the growing focus of major players to explore the untapped market.Pre-Purchase Inquiry at:The metabolomics industry provides immense opportunities to key players to explore the untapped market in the developing economies. Additionally, the wide array of upcoming research in the field of biomarkers development also provides immense opportunities for the growth of the global metabolomics market.The key players have been focused in the enhancement of their product portfolio, by forming partnerships. to increase metabolomics market share.For instance, in June 2017, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (Thermo Fisher) and Biocrates Life Sciences AG announce the launch of a ready-to-use kit for accurate metabolic phenotyping on high resolution mass spectrometry instruments. Under the co-marketing agreement, both the companies will jointly promote and market the combined use of the kit and Thermo Fisher's Q Exactive high-resolution, accurate-mass (HRAM) platform of mass spectrometers.Browse full report at:Some of the other key players in the global market include Agilent Technologies, Inc., Danaher Corporation, Waters Corporation, Shimadzu Corporation, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Bruker Corporation, Human Metabolome Technologies Inc., Metabolon, Inc.About P&S IntelligenceP&S Intelligence is a provider of market research and consulting services catering to the market information needs of burgeoning industries across the world. Providing the plinth of market intelligence, P&S as an enterprising research and consulting company, believes in providing thorough landscape analyses on the ever-changing market scenario, to empower companies to make informed decisions and base their business strategies with astuteness.Contact:P&S IntelligenceToll-free: +1-888-778-7886 (USA/Canada)International: +1-347-960-6455Email: enquiry@psmarketresearch.comWeb: The Baby Food Sector in Vietnam, 2018 Key Trends and Opportunities By Vietnam Dairy Products Joint Stock Company Vinamilk, Abbott Nutrition Vietnam, Nestle Vietnam Ltd., Danone Vietnam Company Ltd Baby Food Sector https://www.industryresearch.biz/enquiry/request-sample/13855272 https://www.industryresearch.biz/enquiry/pre-order-enquiry/13855272 https://www.industryresearch.biz/purchase/13855272 "The Baby Food Sector in Vietnam, 2018", is an analytical report by GlobalData which provides extensive and highly detailed current and future market trends in the Vietnamese market.Vietnamese mothers have prepared fresh food for their babies but, as the economy has developed and more women have been drawn into the urban workplace, these mothers have increasingly found they have less time to spend preparing food and to spend with their young children. This, coupled with the greater availability of prepared baby food in modern retail outlets, has fueled strong growth in the baby food sector. Vietnamese consumers are concerned about nutrition, food safety, and food quality, particularly in the wake of a number of food scares in recent years.Get Sample Copy of this Report@Scope :- Vietnam has no unified food law, but it does have a large number of food quality laws, labeling laws, and safety and hygiene laws, as well as additional quality standards which apply to infant formula.- The baby food market includes plain cereals (wheat, oat based, and rice, including red rice), cereals with fruit, and dried savory dishes, which consist mainly of cereals with added pork, chicken, or fish plus vegetables. Baby cereals were packed in boxes, and in cans.- The price of baby drinks makes them a luxury most mothers cannot afford. Both juices and teas are available, but only in a limited number of urban outlets.- The majority of baby meals continue to be sold in jars, although a few pouches were found for the first time in 2018.- Finger foods are mainly presented in boxes, although a few products are available in bags, tubs, and, most recently, in stand-up pouches.Key Players:Vietnam Dairy Products Joint Stock Company - VinamilkAbbott Nutrition VietnamFrieslandCampina Dutch Lady VietnamMead Johnson Vietnam Company LtdNestle Vietnam Ltd.HippDanone Vietnam Company LtdBibicaDFB Hanco NutritionHeinzLactalis InternationalNutifoodSaigon Food and TUV CorInquire more or share questions if any before the purchase on this report@Reasons to buy :- Evaluate important changes in consumer behavior and identify profitable markets and areas for product innovation.- Analyse current and forecast behavior trends in each category to identify the best opportunities to exploit.- Detailed understanding of consumption by individual product categories in order to align your sales and marketing efforts with the latest trends in the market.- Investigates which categories are performing the best and how this is changing market dynamics.What else does this report offer?- Consumption data based upon a unique combination of industry research, fieldwork, market sizing work and our in-house expertise to offer extensive data about the trends and dynamics affecting the industry.- Detailed profile of the companies operating and new companies considering entry in the industry along with their key focus product sectors.- Market profile of the various product sectors with the key features & developments, segmentation, per capita trends and the various manufacturers & brands.- Overview of baby food retailing with a mention of the major retailers in the country along with the distribution channel.- Future projections considering various trends which are likely to affect the industry.Order a copy of Payments Landscape in Russia Market Report 2019@ hTable of Contents :IntroductionExecutive SummaryDefinitionsBackgroundBirthThe ConsumerSocio-Demographic TrendsWorking WomenBreastfeeding TrendsRegulationsOverviewOverviewManufacturers SharesCategory AnalysisBaby MilksBaby Cereals & Dry MealsBaby Wet Meals & OthersProduction and tradeProductionImportsExportsCompany profilesVietnam Dairy Products Joint Stock Company - VinamilkAbbott Nutrition VietnamFrieslandCampina Dutch Lady VietnamMead Johnson Vietnam Company Ltd.About Us:Market is changing rapidly with the ongoing expansion of the industry. Advancement in the technology has provided todays businesses with multifaceted advantages resulting in daily economic shifts. Thus, it is very important for a company to comprehend the patterns of the market movements in order to strategize better. An efficient strategy offers the companies with a head start in planning and an edge over the competitors. Industry Research is the credible source for gaining the market reports that will provide you with the lead your business needs.Contact Us:Name: Mr. Ajay MoreE-mail : sales@industryresearch.bizPhone: US +14242530807 / UK +442032398187 Algae Market Market 2018 : By Key Players Cyanotech Corporation, Dic Corporation, Corbion N.V, Valagro Spa, Far East Microalgae Industries Co. Ltd., Beijing Gingko Group, Heliae Development Llc, Pond Technologies Holdings Inc. Algae https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/818 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-customization/818 Algae are photosynthetic eukaryotic organisms that grow in aquatic climates and use light and carbon dioxide (CO2) in order to create biomass. The market demand is continuously growing for macro algae and micro algae food, owing to the functional benefits beyond the traditional considerations of health and nutrition. Furthermore, algae has the ability to offer higher oil yield as compared to biofuel feedstock containing sorghum, corn Stover, beet, and corn. Thus, creating immense opportunities for growth of the global algae market. Growing research and development activities among manufacturers is expected to fuel the market growth.Request Sample of Global Consumer Floriculture Market Study 2018-2026 @The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) encourages the production of fuels to blend stocks derived from biomass. This feed stock is applied in fundamental research that advances biomass conversion, production, and sustainability. For instance, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) investigates economic production of these fuels, which includes technologies such as algal biomass systems and terrestrial biomass.The global algae market was valued at US$ 3,769.6 million in 2018, and is expected to register a CAGR of 5.3% in terms of revenue over the forecast period (2019 2027), to reach US$ 5,978.4 million by 2027.North America accounted for the largest market share in the global algae market in 2018. This is owing to the increasing use of algae in feed additives. Furthermore, Asia Pacific is predicted to record the fastest growth over the forecast period, attributing to rising spending of the populace on cosmetics and skincare products in the region.Major players operating in the global algae market include Cyanotech Corporation, Dic Corporation, Corbion N.V, Valagro Spa, Far East Microalgae Industries Co. Ltd., Beijing Gingko Group, Heliae Development Llc, Pond Technologies Holdings Inc., Algaetech International Sdn Bhd, Fuqing King Dnarmsa Spirulina Co. Ltd., Sun Chlorella Corporation, and Ecoduna Ag.Enquire for customization in Report @About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.com Europe Garbage Bag Market : Growth Dynamics| by key vendors Novolasta, s.r.o Senkvice, Extrapack OOD, Pack-It BV, Achaika Plastic S.A., DAGOPLAST AS, Terdex GmbH etc https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-eu-3034 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-eu-3034 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/checkout/3034 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ The competitive landscape of the market for garbage bag market is a mildly fragmented one marked with the presence of quite a few large players, according to a report published by Future Market Insights (FMI). The key players in the European garbage bag market are Novolasta, s.r.o Senkvice, Extrapack OOD, Pack-It BV, Achaika Plastic S.A., DAGOPLAST AS, Terdex GmbH, International Plastics, MirPack TM, Plasta.It, Primax D.o.o. The key players are now focusing on research and development of garbage bags in a bid to stay ahead in the competition. These market players are also trying to expand their geographical reach through collaborations with local players.So far as geography is considered, the market for European garbage bag has been segmented into Germany, France, Italy, Spain, U.K., Russia, and BENELUX. Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg comprise BENELUX.Owing to the high demand of garbage bags across Europe, the market is anticipated to soar registering a good CAGR during the forecast period of 2016-2026.Request to Sample of Report @Demand for Biodegradable Garbage Bags to Bolster GrowthThe market has been segmented into five categories, so far as material is considered. The segments are, namely Low-density polyethylene (LDPE), Liner low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), High-density polyethylene (HDPE), Polypropylene (PP) and others.High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is characterized with high performance and extreme tensile strength and with these qualities, HDPE is forecasted to spearhead the European market for garbage bags. This segment accounted for 30% of the total revenue of the European market in 2016. During the forecast period of 2016-2026, the segment of HDPE is expected to expand at a CAGR of 5.5%.These garbage bags have the ability to contain substantial amount of weight and are cost effective as well. Such characteristics are expected to propel the market for high-density polyethylene garbage bags. Furthermore, high-density polyethylene or HDPE bags come with biodegradable versions. Biodegradable HDPE bags are made of domestic biomass material thereby diminishing oil dependency. They are also easy to recycle and are frequently used.Developed economies of countries like the U.K. and Germany are expected to fuel the demand for premium garbage bags. These premium garbage bags come with qualities like odour control and ability to stretch and people from the developed countries are willing to pay the extra bucks for these premium quality garbage bags. As such, the opportunity for such premium quality garbage bags are increasing.Stringent Government Policies to Restrain the Growth of the MarketGovernments of several European countries are implementing strict measure to contain the usage of plastic bags. They are imposing regulations wherein the sales of lightweight bags are getting restricted. Countries like Italy, France are applying a complete ban on HDPE plastics bags that are meant for single use. Such bans, though restraining the growth of the market for HDPE garbage bags, help to diminish the harmful effects of plastic bags on the environment, specifically the oceans, lakes, rivers, and the wildlife that inhabit in those water bodies. This is one of the major restraining factors of the European market for garbage bag.In addition, imposition of extra charges and increased taxation by the governments of various European countries on the use of plastic garbage bags are dampening the spirit of the market players. Customers are charged extra for plastic garbage bags at various convenience and retail stores. Such government initiatives play a major role in the diminishing the usage of plastic garbage bags in Europe.This review is as per the findings of a new report by Future Market Insights (FMI) titled, Garbage Bag Market: Europe Industry Analysis & Opportunity Assessment, 2016-2026.Request to Report Methodology @Europe Garbage Bag Market Reports - Table of Contents1.Executive Summary2.Europe Garbage Bag Market Introduction2.1.Garbage Bag Market Definition2.2.Europe Garbage Bag Market Taxonomy2.3.Europe Bag Market Overview3.Garbage Bag Market Overview3.1.Introduction3.2.Total Addressable Market (TAM) and Segment Addressable Market (SAM) Analysis3.2.1.Packaging/Bag Material Suppliers3.2.2.Packaging Converters3.2.3.Other Industry Stakeholders3.3.Industry Trends and Recent Developments3.3.1.Design Level Trends and Market Developments3.3.2.Technology Level Trends and Market Developments3.3.3.Business Level Trends and Market Developments3.3.4.Case Studies3.4.Garbage Bag Market and Y-o-Y Growth3.5.Garbage Bag Market (US$ Mn) & Volume (Tonnes) Forecast3.6.Absolute $ Opportunity4.Europe Garbage Bag Market Analysis4.1.Europe Garbage Bag Market Volume (Tonnes) Analysis4.1.1.Installed Base By Country4.1.2.Replacement Rate and Lifecycle Analysis4.2.Pricing Analysis4.2.1.Pricing Assumptions4.2.2.Price Projections Per Region4.3.Europe Garbage Bag Market Size (US$ Mn) and Forecast4.3.1.Europe Garbage Bag Market Size and Y-o-Y Growth4.3.2.Absolute $ Opportunity4.4.Europe Garbage Bag Market Overview4.4.1.Value Chain4.4.2.Profitability Margins4.4.3.List of Active Participants4.4.3.1.Raw Material Suppliers4.4.3.2.Converters4.4.3.3.Distributors / Retailers4.5.Product - Cost Teardown Analysis5.Europe Garbage Bag Market Dynamics5.1.Macro-economic Factors5.2.Drivers5.2.1.Supply Side5.2.2.Demand Side5.3.Restraints5.4.Opportunity5.5.Forecast Factors Relevance and Impact6.Europe Garbage Bag Market Analysis and Forecast, By End User6.1.Introduction6.1.1.Basis Point Share (BPS) Analysis By End User6.1.2.Y-o-Y Growth Projections By End User6.2.Europe Garbage Bag Market Size (US$ Mn) and Volume (Tonnes) Forecast By End User6.2.1.Retail & Consumer6.2.2.Institutional6.2.3.Industrial6.3.Europe Garbage Bag Market Attractiveness Analysis By End User6.4.Prominent Trends7.Europe Garbage Bag Market Analysis and Forecast, By Material7.1.Introduction7.1.1.Basis Point Share (BPS) Analysis By Material7.1.2.Y-o-Y Growth Projections By Material7.1.3.Material Roadmap7.1.4.Comparative Analysis By Material7.2.Europe Garbage Bag Market Size (US$ Mn) and Volume (Tonnes) Forecast By Material7.2.1.Low-density polyethylene (LDPE)7.2.2.Linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE)7.2.3.High-density polyethylene (HDPE)7.2.4.Polypropylene (PP)7.2.5.Others7.3.Europe Garbage Bag Market Attractiveness Analysis By Material7.4.Prominent Trends .....moreGet full report now @For the study, the market has been segmented as follows:Global Garbage bag Market: By Material TypeLow-density polyethyleneLiner low density polyethyleneHigh-density polyethylenePolypropyleneOthersGlobal Garbage bag Market: By End UserRetail and ConsumerInstitutionalIndustrialGlobal Garbage bag Market: By Size7-16 gallons20-30 gallons32-35 gallons40-48 gallons+55 gallonsGlobal Garbage bag Market: By GeographyEuropeGermanyFranceU.K.ItalySpainRussiaBENELUXTo get more insights and information on the global garbage bag market, contact our analysts at press@futuremarketinsights.comAbout UsFuture Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centres in the U.S. and India.FMIs research and consulting services help businesses around the globe navigate the challenges in a rapidly evolving marketplace with confidence and clarity. Our customised and syndicated market research reports deliver actionable insights that drive sustainable growth. We continuously track emerging trends and events in a broad range of end industries to ensure our clients prepare for the evolving needs of their consumers.Contact Us616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: What's the next big thing in the Virology Market? GlaxoSmithKline plc, Abbott Laboratories, Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation, Merck and Co. Inc., Novartis International AG https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1150 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-1150 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/checkout/1150 Virology, the study of viruses, is an unparalleled branch of life sciences. With immensely high prevalence of diseases such as flu, hepatitis, AIDS, and STDs, the importance of virology is repeatedly highlighted. The global virology market is expected to grow over 2015-2025.FMIs research identifies growing infectious diseases as a key force driving the market throughout the forecast period.Key Players in the Global Virology MarketThe notable players identified in the global virology market include GlaxoSmithKline plc, Abbott Laboratories, Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation, Merck and Co. Inc., Novartis International AG, Siemens, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca AB, and Roche.Merck and Co. Inc. has several drug candidates in phase 2, including cancer, diabetes, cardiac arrest, and hepatitis C, and some candidates in phase 3, including breast cancer, atherosclerosis, Alzeimer's, ebola, and HIV. The company also has many other candidates, which are currently under review.Abivax, a high profile biotech company in Paris, France, has already successfully produced candidates against dengue and chikungunya viruses. The company has a few more candidates against HIV and ebola, currently under development.Request Sample Copy of Report @Key Drivers: Virology MarketEarly in 2016, the WHO officially issued a warning about the possible spread of zika virus to each Western Hemispheric region, as the disease vector Aedes aegypti was found to thrive strong in tropical and sub-tropical climatic conditions. This has been a key driver of market growth throughout 2016.The virology market is constantly catering to the prevention and cure needs put forth by the healthcare sector; however, several diseases continue to demand R&D of novel applications, driving the growth of virology market. Various treatments and diagnostic processes also employ virology applications, further fuelling the market growth.Burgeoning applications of virology research in gene therapy, phage therapy, formulation of vaccines, and synthetic biology is another factor fostering the overall growth of the virology market.Moreover, the field of virology is extending in various forms, including molecular virology, paediatric virology, computational virology, and many more, prompting at increasing research findings throughout the forecast period. Research prospects are high and FMI indicates a continuing need for trained virologists in the near future.Public awareness programmes conducted worldwide on flu, zika virus, STDs, AIDS, and Ebola virus are also a key factor increasing public awareness and eventually influencing the market.Key Restraints to Market GrowthMaintaining the quality and safety standards of viral a controlling therapy has been a longstanding challenge, which is anticipated to hamper the market in the forecast period as well. Moreover, stringent approval processes for antiviral drugs is also foreseen to be a restraint to market growth. Another factor identified for affecting the market growth includes resistance toward and side effects of antiviral drugs for new treatment options.Request to View TOC @Current Trends in the Virology FieldIn 2015, the virology industry was predominantly influenced by ebola, MERS, and hepatitis C viruses. In 2016, zika virus is dominating the research, with better prospects in the near future.Virologists are persistently investigating novel applications for viruses. Currently, an ongoing research is experimenting on the exploitation of viruses for plant production, aiming at the efficient production of high quality, eco-friendly food.Global Virology Market: Competitive LandscapeBy 2017 end, a few important patents are approaching expiry, including Tamiflu, Sustiva, Tenofovir, Combivir, Relenza, and Telbivudine. Following expiry of these blockbuster drugs, the market is estimated to discover a dynamic competitive landscape. The generic competition in the virology market will be at a high pace 2017 onward.Apart from expiring drugs, the market also has some late stage pipeline drugs, including Inavir, Elvitegravir, Vicriviroc, Rilpivirine, and Rapiacta. These drugs are set to enter the global market, fostering the competition globally.Virology Market: SegmentationFMI's research on the global virology market provides a 10-year forecast, segmenting the market on the basis of product type, application, end-use, and region.Based on product type, the global virology market is segmented intoDiagnosing TestDNA VirusesRNA VirusesPrions Diagnostic TestOther Viral TestsViral Infection Controlling MethodsImmunoprophylaxisActive Prophylaxis (Vaccines)Passive ProphylaxisAntiviral ChemotherapyVirucidal AgentsAntiviral AgentsImmunomodulatorsInterferonsCytokinesBased on application, the global virology market is segmented intoSkin and Soft Tissue InfectionsRespiratory Tract InfectionsGI Tract InfectionsUrinary Tract InfectionsEye InfectionsCNS InfectionsSexually Transmitted DiseasesPerinatal InfectionsAccording to the end-user, the market is segmented intoHospitalsClinicsLaboratoriesDiagnostic CentresBlood BanksPharmaciesRegional Outlook: Global Virology MarketNorth America is the largest virology market led by the U.S., owing to technological advancements such as rapid, portable diagnostics. N. America is expected to retain the top market position over the forecast period as well.Europe is projected to maintain the position as the second largest market globally. During the forecast period, Europe is anticipated to record the highest CAGR, attributed by enhanced healthcare infrastructure, facilitated access to diagnostics, and growing affordability of diagnostic tests for viral diseases.Japan is currently a growing virology market, which is estimated to grow at a remarkable CAGR through to 2025. However, APEJ and Africa are expected to witness the most promising growth opportunities during the forecast period. While China will be a leading APEJ market, India will contribute a considerable revenue share to the APEJ virology market.Get full Report Now@Segment-wise Market ForecastImmunoprophylaxis therapy and antiviral drugs are the fastest-growing market segments in the estimated forecast period.STDs, urinary tract infections, and respiratory tract infections are currently dominating compared to other application types in the global virology market.On the basis of diagnosis tests, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV, human papillomavirus (HPV), and other tests (influenza, ebola, and dengue) are estimated to attract the largest market shares globally.Hospitals and laboratories projected to continue the most dominating end-use segments, accounting for almost 50% market share globally.About Us Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989, United States Upcoming Software Security Market Outlook By Industry Size, Share, Revenue, Regions And Top Key Players Analysis From 2017-2023 https://www.kennethresearch.com/sample-request-10084805 https://www.kennethresearch.com/customization-request-10084805 Kenneth Research has recently added a market research study on Upcoming Software Security Market Market 2022 which provides a complete comprehensive analysis including the data by Segmentations, by Geography and as well as the competitive landscape of the top 10 Vendors in this marketThe Upcoming Software Security Market is likely to obtain substantial incremental $ opportunity between 2016 and 2022 as per the recent market study conducted by Kenneth Research. This Upcoming Software Security Market market strategic report has been produced emphasizing upon various growth factors contributing towards the growth of this market. This market study speaks about the relation between in-dependent variable such as the market and as well as the dependent variables which include the core macro-economic indicators such as population, GDP, personal disposable income and others. The business intelligence report also covers the challenges which may impact the growth of this market in the long-run. Several prevailing trends have been analysed in this report which have strengthened the growth of the market all across the globe.Get Exclusive Sample Copy Of this Strategic Report:Security software comprises a group of security products. The scope primarily includes several areas like data protection, compliance, architecture, e-mail security, web security, governance, data loss prevention, security information and event management, and identity and access. In addition, the security software solution provides various features that include encryption, endpoint monitoring, identity and access management, intrusion detection, vulnerability scanning, and application and messaging security. Security software are gaining more traction among large enterprises because they help protect business-critical information from unauthorized access and data theft. Security software enable organizations to keep their computer systems protected from various threats such as malware, worms, and other potential threats.With the increasing demand for the integrated security group, the market is witnessing high growth rate during the forecast period. End-users primarily prefer those vendors that provide integrated and converged security suites, as against opting for different security suites that may lead to integration issues. Therefore, there is a high adoption of solutions with better integration.Market Analysis:According to Research, the Global Upcoming Software Security Market is expected to reach 35.85 billion by 2023, growing at a CAGR of around 32.48% during the forecast period. The ubiquity of the Internet and the constant need for employees to be online are contributing to the increased vulnerability to cyberattacks, as is the fact that ever-more physical items are connected to IoT. Another factor driving the demand for AI-based security solutions is the shortage of cybersecurity professionals. In the US, there is a shortage of more than 200,000 cybersecurity professionals. In addition, with an increase in rapid technology changes and the high adoption rate of BYOD has fueled the growth of the market during the forecast period.Market Segmentation Analysis:The report provides a wide-ranging evaluation of the market. It provides in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and supportable projections and assumptions about the market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions based on the vendors portfolio, blogs, whitepapers, and vendors presentations. Thus, the research report serves every side of the market and is segmented based on regional markets, type, applications, and end-users.Countries and Vertical Analysis:The report contains an in-depth analysis of the vendor profiles, which include financial health, business units, key business priorities, SWOT, strategy, and views; and competitive landscape. The key and the prominent vendors covered in the report include Cisco Systems, CA Technologies, Check Point Software Technologies, IBM, Microsoft, and Salesforce.com. Most of the major players are in the American region. The vendors have been identified based on the portfolio, geographical presence, marketing & distribution channels, revenue generation, and significant investments in R&D.The counties covered in report are the US, Canada, Mexico, the UK, France, Germany, India, China, and, Japan. Among these, Japan, the US, and China are expected to grow at a high rate during the forecast period (2017-2023) owing to an increase in the penetration rate of connected devices and growing mobile software security segment.Competitive AnalysisThe report covers and analyses the Global Upcoming Software Security Market. Various strategies, such as joint ventures, partnerships, collaborations, and contracts, have been considered. In addition, as customers are in search for better solutions, there is expected to be a rising number of partnerships. There is likely to be an increase in the number of mergers, acquisitions, and strategic partnership during the forecast period.The report includes the complete insight of the industry, and aims to provide an opportunity for the emerging and established players to understand the market trends, current scenario, initiatives taken by the government, and the latest technologies related to the market. In addition, it helps the venture capitalists in understanding the companies better and take informed decisions.In 2017, the worldwide GDP stood at USD 84,740.3 Billion as compared to the GDP of USD 80,144.5 Billion in 2017, marked a growth of 5.73% in 2017 over previous year according to the data quoted by International Monetary Fund. This is likely to impel the growth of Upcoming Software Security Market market over the period 2019-2026.The Upcoming Software Security Market market report also focuses on the analysis on the basis of geography which includes North America (U.S. and Canada), Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Rest of Latin America), Europe (Germany, UK, France, Spain, Italy, NORDIC, BENELUX, Poland, Russia, Hungary, Rest of Europe), Asia Pacific (China, Japan, India, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Rest of Asia Pacific) and Middle East and Africa (GCC, North Africa, South Africa and Rest of Middle East and Africa).In U.S., the GDP per capita was valued at USD 62,606 in 2017 as compared to USD 59,895 marked in 2017, observed a growth of 4.53% in 2017 over previous year. Rise in GDP per capita has intensified the growth of this market in the country.The key offerings in the report: Evaluating the market size of the global Upcoming Software Security Market market as well as the market forecast. Analysing various market segmentations as well as forecasting the market on the basis of geography which includes North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle East and Africa Highlighting the factors impacting the growth of the market which includes growth drivers, challenges, opportunities as well as trends Examining competitive landscape of the leading companies on the basis of overview of the company, business strategy, product overview, risk analysis, recent developments and SWOT analysis.Various statistical methods such as Covariance, Correlation, Regression and Coefficient of Determination (R square) analysis have been utilized to assess the market performance and analyse the future outlook of the market.This market study is definitely going to be useful and can be utilized as a valuable source of assistance for the investors, manufacturers related to the product, suppliers, distributors, investment banks, management consulting companies, regulatory and government bodies, research organizations, and forums.Don't miss out on the business potential of Upcoming Software Security MarketYou can also ask for region wise of this Strategic Report:About Kenneth Research:Kenneth Research provides market research reports to different individuals, industries, associations and organizations with an aim of helping them to take prominent decisions. Our research library comprises of more than 10,000 research reports provided by more than 15 market research publishers across different industries. Our collection of market research solutions covers both macro level as well as micro level categories with relevant and suitable market research titles. As a global market research reselling firm, Kenneth Research provides significant analysis on various markets with pure business intelligence and consulting services on different industries across the globe. In addition to that, our internal research team always keep a track on the international and domestic market for any economic changes impacting the products demand, growth and opportunities for new and existing players.Contact UsName: Kenneth ResearchEmail : Sales@kennethresearch.comPhone: +1 313 462 0609 (CNN) Erica Alfaro says she never forgot the advice her mom gave her when the two worked long hours together in California's Central Valley tomato fields. "One day, I was very tired and told my mom and she said to me, 'This is how life is going to be from now on. The only people who don't have to go through this get an education.' Those words stuck with me," Alfaro, 29, told CNN on Saturday. Those wise words inspired Alfaro, who dropped out of high school when she got pregnant at 15, to dive back into education. On May 19, Alfaro graduated from San Diego State University with a master's degree in education, with a concentration in counseling. She decided to honor her parents in her graduation photos, standing in her cap and gown with her parents, in work clothes, in the middle of the fruit fields where her mother still works. "With love I dedicate my master's to my parents. Their sacrifice to come to this country to give us a better future was well worth it," Alfaro said when she shared her graduation photos on her Facebook and Instagram accounts this month. Growing up, Alfaro crossed the US-Mexico border for school Alfaro said her parents are farmers who were never able to go to school. Her mother, Teresa Herrera, 51, and father, Claudio Alfaro, 50, are from Oaxaca, Mexico, and speak Mixtec, an indigenous language of Mexico. Both migrated to the United States separately and met later. Erica Alfaro was born in Fresno, California, but raised in Tijuana as her parents moved back to Mexico in order for her mother to obtain a US residency. During her time in Tijuana, Alfaro would cross the border every day to go to school. When she turned 13, the family moved to Oceanside, California, with another family and 11 people shared a one-bedroom apartment. Alfaro said she, her brother and sister used to work with her parents in the fruit fields during their summer vacations. Alfaro overcame obstacles to earn her two degrees When she got pregnant at 15, she moved in with her boyfriend, who she says made her sleep outside with the baby months after giving birth. She moved back in with her parents. Alfaro credits her mother's advice on education as her inspiration for going back to school. At 17, she enrolled in a homeschool program in Fresno. She was accepted at California State University San Marcos, but during her first semester, in 2012, her son was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Alfaro's grades suffered, but she kept going, determined to give her and her son a better life -- the life her parents worked hard to give her. "It took me almost six years to get my bachelor's degree," Alfaro said. Alfaro earned her degree in psychology from the university in 2017. She was selected to be the commencement speaker at the graduation ceremony. "The reason I share my story is because I want to encourage undocumented single mothers, and people who suffer from domestic violence, to get an education and achieve their goals," Alfaro said. She said she hopes posting her graduation photos in the fruit fields will inspire others in the Latino community who are facing similar struggles. "These photos represent many of us," she said. "Our parents came to this country to give us a better life and we wouldn't be here without them." Alfaro said her main goal now is to be a school counselor. She said she hopes to encourage underrepresented students to continue their education. She also wants to work with domestic violence victims and teenage mothers. SAN FRANCISCO, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Roger.ai , an accounting automation tool that can cut time businesses spend on day-to-day financial processes by as much as 80%, today announced it has raised a $7.35 million Series A led by QED Investors, with participation from 9Yards Capital, Silicon Valley Bank, Financial Venture Studio, BootstrapLabs, and Dan Wernikoff, former GM of QuickBooks and TurboTax, along with other angel investors. More information can be found at www.roger.ai/us. Roger works on top of existing accounting software to automate financial processes like bill pay, approvals, receipt scanning, compliance and bookkeeping with simple workflows anyone can set up and manage. Customers range from small to mid-sized businesses from virtually any industry to bookkeeping and major accounting firms. This investment will allow us to become the industry leader that helps every business avoid spending time in their accounting software, and enables accountants to spend their time advising and crunching the numbers instead of doing manual work, said Cathrine Andersen, Roger co-founder and CEO. We have built a great foundation, and this investment means we can give every customer a world-class experience even as we are growing very rapidly, says Christian Rasmussen, co-founder and CTO. Were excited to have such a tremendous group of investors and advisors behind us as we grow. Matt Risley, partner at QED Investors, said, Roger is by far the most sophisticated product weve seen for SMB Accounts Payable. In a very short period of time, this team has built an international product and global customer base with superior technology compared to legacy fintechs -- were excited about whats to come from this company. Since going to market with its accounts payable automation tool for small businesses in early 2018, Roger has quickly grown to thousands of paying customers, including more than 100 accounting partners. Most businesses remain poorly served by technology tools, said Ryan Falvey, Managing Partner at Financial Venture Studio. Rogers innovative technology empowers accountants to improve the accounting and payments experience, making payments easier and faster, while protecting against fraud. Were thrilled to continue to support this incredible business and team. About Roger Roger was founded by Cathrine Andersen and Christian Rasmussen, a team which previously founded Assemblage in 2011 and sold that business to Cisco Systems in 2014 . After 3 years in Ciscos collaboration business, working on Cisco Spark and Ciscos next-gen collaboration portfolio, Andersen and Rasmussen began building Roger. The company previously raised a seed round of $2M from investors Financial Venture Studio , BootstrapLabs and multiple angel investors. About QED Investors QED Investors is a leading boutique venture capital firm based in Alexandria, VA. They are focused on investing in early stage, disruptive financial services companies in the U.S., U.K. and Latin America. QED is dedicated to building great businesses and uses a unique, hands-on approach that leverages their partners' and principals' decades of entrepreneurial and operational experience, helping their companies achieve breakthrough growth. Notable investments include Credit Karma, ClearScore, SoFi, Avant, Remitly, GreenSky, Red Ventures, and AvidXchange. For more information, visit www.qedinvestors.com . Corn Powder Market 2019 | Global Forecast 2025 | Top Key Players Cargill, General Mills, Archer Daniels Midland, Gruma, etc. Corn Powder Market https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/requested_sample/71999 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/enquiry_before_buying/71999 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/request_for_discount/71999 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/requested_sample/71999 www.upmarketresearch.com Up Market Research has added the latest research report on Corn Powder Market Forecast to 2025 to its huge pool of market research reports database. The most up to date report comprises the latest trends that influence the market competition in the forecast period.The Corn Powder Market Report 2025 provides a regional analysis of the market. The regional analysis focuses on manufacturers, suppliers, segmentation according to the application, major players, customers, and furthermore. The competitive data type analysis includes capacity, market share, profit margin, market growth, consumer consumption, imports, exports, revenue, and etc. Marketing strategies, manufacturing processes, policies, industry chain that are changing the wave of the market are also catered in the report.Get FREE Sample Copy Of this Report @The market research reports also include detailed information about the major players. The information provides gross profit, revenue, business distribution, the share of the market, and etc. Along with the major players, the development of the market in the focused region is also tailored in the report.The whole detailed report includes:1) Basic overview of the market2) Corn Powder Market by Type3) Corn Powder Market by Application4) Corn Powder Market by Major playersMajor Players included: Cargill General Mills Archer Daniels Midland Gruma Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods Bunge Grupo Bimbo Associated British Foods C.H. Guenther & Son Ingredion LifeLine Foods SEMO MillingMarket Segmentation:By Type: Yellow Corn Powder White Corn PowderBy Application: Industrial Retail Food Services OthersThe Corn Powder Market is a competitive market. This report will help to resolve all the market-related doubts and assist the business to grow in the competitive sphere. All the data represented in the reports are validated by the prominent professionals and analysts of the market.Enquire More About This Report at:In addition to this, the report outlook will give the guidance to Tier1, Tier 2, and Tier 3s CEOs and CMOs to expand their roots in the industry and get ready for the future. It will also interest the individual readers around the world to know the inside-out of the industry. The tailoring of the market report involves a proper research methodology that includes primary research, interviews with the leading executives of the industry, and data analysis by the research analyst at the company.Going forward to the developments of the market, vendors landscape will provide a key development to the market worldwide. The market report will also provide the companies that are bombarding the market with unrelated products, companies with the same products but different geographical location, and popularity of the application according to the regions. During the study of the report, you will get to know about the segments that will act as a driver and restraints for the market growth.The Global Corn Powder Market is necessary to understand the major players competition related to the products. It is witnessed that the new competitors in the market are the former executives or managers of the major players in the market. Therefore, the report will help to have deep insights and discover the new and existing opportunities of the market.The Global Corn Powder Market was valued at $XX Million. It is anticipated that the market will throttle at a CAGR of XX.X% between 2019 and 2025.Avail Discount On This Report @This report includes CAGR, Cost Structure, Competitive analysis, Sales analysis, Top Players, and future growth insights.If you have any special requirement related to the report, the dedicated team will tailor the report as you wantThe value marked as XX is the confidential values of the market. To know about the values or any queries related to the report, fill in your information and our business development executive will get in touch with you.Major Topics Covered in this Report: Chapter 1 Study Coverage Chapter 2 Executive Summary Chapter 3 Market Size by Manufacturers Chapter 4 Production by Regions Chapter 5 Consumption by Regions Chapter 6 Market Size by Type Chapter 7 Market Size by Application Chapter 8 Manufacturers Profiles Chapter 9 Production Forecasts Chapter 10 Consumption Forecast Chapter 11 Upstream, Industry Chain and Downstream Customers Analysis Chapter 12 Opportunities & Challenges, Threat and Affecting Factors Chapter 13 Key Findings Chapter 14 AppendixGet FREE Sample Copy Of this Report @About Up Market Research:The 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. What's driving the Biosensors market Growth? Key Players: Bio-Rad Laboratories, Biosensors International Group, Ltd, Innovative Biosensors, Inc., Molecular Devices https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/747 https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/747 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/biosensors-market Global Biosensors Market is set to exceed USD 29 billion by 2024; according to a new research report by Global Market Insights. Technological upgradations in the biosensing devices has positively influenced adoption rate of biosensors that are being used in medical field. Increasing applications in diagnosis of various diseases will stimulate growth of biosensors industry significantly. The newly developed biosensors are applicable in detection of blood sugar levels, pulse rate and body temperature that show highest accuracy. The industry growth is also driven by increasing prevalence of chronic diseases in the geriatric population, increasing preference for point of care testing provided by the biosensors.High preference for portable miniature biosensor devices will escalate the industry growth. These portable biosensor devices are highly preferred by the geriatric population which is susceptible to suffer from chronic diseases and require continuous critical monitoring. Moreover, rising prevalence of diabetes due to sedentary lifestyle in urban and metropolitan areas have increased the demand for portable biosensors that help in sustaining the health of individuals. However, high costs associated with the biosensors may restrict the industry growth.Request for a sample of this research report @Wearable biosensors accounted for over 55% of the industry revenue in 2017 due to growing prevalence of chronic diseases such as diabetes and other hormonal diseases that are related to obesity. Increasing awareness in the adult population for maintaining health have increased the adoption rates of wearable biosensors that has stimulated the overall biosensors market growth. Thermal biosensors market size was more than USD 1.4 billion in 2017 and expected to witness steady growth owing to their high accuracy and efficiency. Thermal biosensors have many clinical applications that enhance the demand and stimulate the business growth. Increasing use of thermal biosensors in drug discovery process will boost the segment growth significantly.Blood glucose testing segment accounted for over 70% of the industry share and anticipated to witness more than 8% growth till 2024. Increasing prevalence of diabetes will drive the segment growth. According to WHO, around 422 million in the world suffer from diabetes. Increasing incidences of the disease has increased the demand for portable glucose testing biosensors. Major key players are trying to implement technological innovations in these glucometers to help in improving patients health by maintaining optimal blood glucose levels.Company profiled in this report based on Business overview, Financial data, Product landscape, Strategic outlook & SWOT analysis: Kalila Medical Bio-Rad Laboratories Biosensors International Group, Ltd Innovative Biosensors, Inc. Molecular Devices Pinnacle Technology Group, Inc Roche Diagnostics Middle East SDIX LLC - An OriGene Company Thermo Fisher ScientificThe use of biosensors in laboratories will increase due to rising prevalence of chronic diseases that requires accurate diagnosis; thus, growing demand for biosensors in such research laboratories will accelerate the segment growth considerably over the forecast timeframe. Nearly 45% of Americans suffer at least from one chronic diseases that enhances the business growth.U.S. biosensors market will witness over 6.5% growth owing to increasing geriatric population suffering from chronic disorders such as diabetes and hypertension. Also, high preference for portable biosensors that provide easy and quick detection to patients suffering from such chronic diseases will influence industry growth. Germany biosensors market was valued over USD 1.3 billion in 2017 and is anticipated to witness significant growth over the coming years due to continuous integration of advanced technology in the biosensors devices. Moreover, growing preference for biosensors that are utilized in point of care services, especially in the hospitals for rapid detection have escalated biosensors industry growth.Some of the key industry players operating biosensors market are Abbott Laboratories, Bio-Rad International, Biosensors International, DuPont Biosensors Materials, Ercon, Gwent Group, Innovative Biosensors, Johnson & Johnson, Molecular Devices Corp, Pinnacle Technology, QTL Biosystems, Roche Diagnostics, SDIX, LLC, Siemens Healthcare, TE Connectivity Corporation, Thermo-Fisher Scientific.Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @Major industry players have been undertaking strategic decisions such as collaborations and acquisitions that have enabled them to maintain their brand value. In January 2018, Abbott laboratories developed new hematology testing system that enables examining blood on various parameters. Such new product development strategies enhance companys product portfolio thereby generating revenue for the company.Biosensors Market, by Type1 Wearable2 Non-wearableBiosensors Market, by Technology1 Electrochemical2 Optical3 Thermal4 PiezoelectricBiosensors Market, by Medical Application1 Blood glucose testing2 Cholesterol testing3 Blood gas analysis4 Pregnancy testing5 Drug discovery6 Infectious disease testingChapter 1. Methodology1.1. Methodology1.2. Market definitions1.3. Forecast parameters1.4. Data sources1.4.1. Secondary1.4.1.1. Paid sources1.4.1.2. Unpaid sources1.4.2. PrimaryChapter 2. Executive Summary2.1. Biosensors industry 3600 synopsis, 2013 - 20242.1.1. Business trends2.1.2. Types trends2.1.3. Technology trends2.1.4. Medical application trends2.1.5. End-use trends2.1.6. Regional trendsChapter 3. Biosensors Industry Insights3.1. Industry segmentation3.2. Industry landscape, 2013 - 20243.3. Industry impact forces3.3.1. Growth drivers3.3.1.1. Extended applications in field of medical in U.S.3.3.1.2. Rising prevalence of diabetes globally3.3.1.3. High demand for portable biosensors in Europe and Asia Pacific3.3.1.4. Rapid technological changes in U.S.3.3.2. Industry pitfalls and challenges3.3.2.1. Regulations on technology3.3.2.2. High cost of product development3.3.2.3. Availability of product substitutes3.3.2.4. Low physician-to-patient ratioChapter 5. Biosensors Market, By Technology5.1. Key segment trends5.2. Electrochemical5.2.1. Market size, by region, 2014-2025 (USD Million)5.3. Optical5.3.1. Market size, by region, 2014-2025 (USD Million)5.4. Thermal5.4.1. Market size, by region, 2014-2025 (USD Million)5.5. Piezoelectric5.5.1. Market size, by region, 2014-2025 (USD Million)Browse Full Report Details @Data TablesTABLE 1. Biosensors industry 3600 synopsis, 2014 2025TABLE 2. Global biosensors market, 2014 2018 (USD Million)TABLE 3. Global biosensors market, 2019 2025 (USD Million)TABLE 4. Global biosensors market, by type, 2014 - 2018 (USD Million)TABLE 5. Global biosensors market, by type, 2019 - 2025 (USD Million)TABLE 6. Global biosensors market, by technology, 2014 - 2018 (USD Million)TABLE 7. Global biosensors market, by technology, 2019 - 2025 (USD Million)TABLE 8. Global biosensors market, by medical application, 2014 - 2018 (USD Million)TABLE 9. Global biosensors market, by medical application, 2019 - 2025 (USD Million)TABLE 10. Global biosensors market, by end-use, 2014 - 2018 (USD Million)Global Market Insights Inc. is a global market research and management consulting company catering to leading corporations, non-profit organizations, universities and government institutions. Our main goal is to assist and partner organizations to make lasting strategic improvements and realize growth targets. Our industry research reports are designed to provide granular quantitative information, combined with key industry insights, aimed at assisting sustainable organizational development.Global Market Insights, Inc.4 North Main StreetSelbyville, Delaware 19975 USAPhone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email:sales@gminsights.com Crawler Crane Market 2019 2024 Detailed Analysis by Regional Manufacturers: Liebherr Group, The Manitowoc Company, SANY Group, Kobelco Construction Machinery USA, Inc. Crawler Crane Market https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/2960 https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/2960 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/crawler-crane-market https://www.gminsights.com/ Crawler crane market in Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness growth owing to the emerging construction and rental sectors in countries including China and India. The growth of equipment rental providers in the region will lead to a high machinery demand. Global companies are expanding their business operations in the region by collaborating with local manufacturers due to increased commercial and residential construction activities in the region, thereby supporting the industry demand.Increasing demand for fuel-efficient machines creates an awareness to improvise the crane manufacturing processes. Manufacturers in the crawler crane market are enhancing the production process to offer machines with increased fuel capabilities. Additionally, the need of controlling harmful emissions from high-intensity activities in the energy & power sector, eco-friendly initiatives across various sectors, the market is witnessing the production of low fuel consuming machines.Request for a sample copy of this report @Crawler Crane Market is expected to exceed USD 3 billion by 2024. The rising demand for high capacity lifting solutions coupled with the flourishing construction sector across the globe is anticipated to drive the market growth. Heavy lifting and material handling requirements at the construction and mining sites result in huge deployments of these machines. Government initiatives and support to develop the public & private infrastructure in countries including India and Canada drive the industry growth. For instance, in May 2018, Canada's Federal Government announced the financial support of USD 9.08 billion for various infrastructure projects in Ontario.The implementation of innovative control technologies in these machines required to control the heavy lifting operation drives the crawler crane market growth. Intelligent control systems in modern crawler cranes include the combination of hardware and software components to facilitate lifting operations. The functions include display and control instructions for the crane operator, monitoring of all control sensors, and the overload protection.Manufacturers offer increased user-friendliness and operator safety benefits by deploying these control technologies, further developing the market. For instance, The Liebherr Group offers its 300 tons crawler cranes implemented with intelligent control systems, which provide several operator control functions such as vertical line finder, user-friendly display, and precise load transport.The 250 to 450 capacity machines in the crawler crane market are expected to witness a considerable demand due to their utilization in building construction, nuclear power generation, and water conservancy operations. These machines offer powerful lifting capacities and improved traveling traction while carrying heavy loads at the energy generation sites. Additionally, the increasing focus of various governments worldwide on providing enhanced public infrastructure is creating demand for these machines in the market. For instance, SANY Group announced the deployment of its machine SCC500 in the Noida Crossroad Project in India by the Delhi Metro Railway Company.Make an Inquiry for Purchasing this Report @In the crawler crane market, the energy sector is expected to witness a substantial growth due to the essential operations in wind power generation. These cranes are used in the transportation and assembly of wind turbines, mixing plant operations, and lifting works. The high-capacity cranes also perform the erection of wind turbines and provide increased operator safety during these operations. Precision control and high flexibility are the major factors that increase the deployment of these machines in the production of oil & gas, wind energy, and power. For instance, in November 2017, Demag, a Terex Corporation brand, announced the deployment of four crawler cranes in the Beatrice Offshore Windfarm project in Germany.Key players operating in the crawler crane market include: Terex Cranes The Liebherr Group Komatsu Ltd. Kobelco Construction Machinery USA, Inc. Tadano Ltd. SANY Group The Escorts Hyundai Construction Equipment The Manitowoc Company ACEThese companies have developed application-specific and high lifting capacity machines that support eco-friendly development initiatives. Furthermore, the major players in the crawler crane market focus on developing long-term supplier and dealer partnerships to address various regional requirements.Browse Report Summery @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: Heterogeneous Network Market to Witness Huge Growth by 2025 | Leading Key Players| Nokia Networks, Samsung Electronics, Texas Instruments, NEC Heterogeneous Network https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1518906-global-heterogeneous-network-market https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/1518906-global-heterogeneous-network-market https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=1518906 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/1518906-global-heterogeneous-network-market Global Heterogeneous Network Market Size, Status and Forecast 2019-2025 is latest research study released by HTF MI evaluating the market, highlighting opportunities, risk side analysis, and leveraged with strategic and tactical decision-making support. The study provides information on market trends and development, drivers, capacities, technologies, and on the changing capital structure of the Global Heterogeneous Network Market. Some of the key players profiled in the study are Airhop Communications Inc, Nokia Networks, Samsung Electronics, Texas Instruments, NEC Corporation, Ruckus Wireless, IP access Limited, Ceragon Networks Ltd, TE Connectivity & CommScope Inc.The factors that drive the growth of heterogeneous network market is the increased number of mobile broadband data subscribers and limited resources. The mobile data operators comply with the challenge of limited resources by increasing the capacity of radio spectrum, adding different multi-level antenna techniques and implementing more efficient and coding techniques. Another factor that dominates the growth of heterogeneous network market is the growth of data over the cellular networks increasing significantly as mobile users download more video, transfer more data and majorly use smartphones as their main device for mobile communications. A major benefit of wireless heterogeneous network in small cells is to provide the basic requirement to increase the capacity of spectrum in high demand areas and also in the areas where the macro network is not able to provide coverage. Also, these improve network performance by off-loading some of the traffic from the macro networks.The North America accounts for the larger share of the market. This is due to advancements in the mobile communication technology that are accounting for the growth of cloud services. Asia Pacific follows the market leader due to the increased usage of mobile communications and internet penetration from mobile devices for data downloading such as audio and video files increasing the mobile broadband traffic.In 2018, the global Heterogeneous Network market size was xx million US$ and it is expected to reach xx million US$ by the end of 2025, with a CAGR of xx% during 2019-2025.This report focuses on the global Heterogeneous Network status, future forecast, growth opportunity, key market and key players. The study objectives are to present the Heterogeneous Network development in United States, Europe and China.Heterogeneous Network Market Overview:If you are involved in the Heterogeneous Network industry or intend to be, then this study will provide you comprehensive outlook. Its vital you keep your market knowledge up to date segmented by Telecommunication, Commercial, Residential, Transportation, Government & Others, , Macro Base Station, Small Cells, Distributed Antenna System & Wi-Fi Access Point and major players. If you have a different set of players/manufacturers according to geography or needs regional or country segmented reports we can provide customization according to your requirement.Enquire for customization in Report @Heterogeneous Network Market: Demand Analysis & Opportunity Outlook 2023Research study is to define market sizes of various segments & countries in previous years and to forecast the values to the next 5-8 years. The report is designed to comprise each qualitative and quantitative elements of the industry facts including: market share, market size (value and volume 2012-17, and forecast to 2023) with admire to each of the areas and countries concerned inside the examination. Furthermore, the report additionally caters the detailed statistics about the vital elements which includes drivers & restraining factors which will define the future growth of the market.Furthermore, the years considered for the study are as follows:Historical year 2013-2017Base year 2018Forecast period** 2018 to 2023 [** unless otherwise stated]Moreover, it will also include the opportunities available in micro markets for stakeholders to invest, detailed analysis of competitive landscape and product services of key players.The designated segments and sub-section of the market are explained below:The Study is segmented by following Product Type: Macro Base Station, Small Cells, Distributed Antenna System & Wi-Fi Access PointMajor applications/end-users industry are as follows: Telecommunication, Commercial, Residential, Transportation, Government & OthersSome of the key Manufacturers Involved in the Market are Airhop Communications Inc, Nokia Networks, Samsung Electronics, Texas Instruments, NEC Corporation, Ruckus Wireless, IP access Limited, Ceragon Networks Ltd, TE Connectivity & CommScope IncYou can get free access to samples from the report here:For each region, market size and end users are analyzed as well as segment markets by types, applications and companies. If opting for the Global version of Heterogeneous Network Market analysis is provided for major regions as follows: North America (USA, Canada and Mexico) Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia) South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.) Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Buy this research report @Key Answers Captured in Study areWhich geography would have better demand for product/services?What are the strategies adopted by big players in the regional market?Which country would see the steep rise in CAGR & year-on-year (Y-O-Y) growth?What is the current & expected market size in next five years?What is the market feasibility for long term investment?What opportunity the country would offer for existing and new players in the Heterogeneous Network market?What is risk involved for suppliers in the geography?What factors would drive the demand for the product/service in near future?What is the impact analysis of various factors in the Global Heterogeneous Network market growth?What are the recent trends in the regional market and how successful they are?Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @There are 15 Chapters to display the Global Heterogeneous Network market.Chapter 1, About Executive Summary to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of Global Heterogeneous Network market, Applications [Telecommunication, Commercial, Residential, Transportation, Government & Others], Market Segment by Regions United States, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India & Central & South America;Chapter 2, objective of the study.Chapter 3, to display Research methodology and techniques.Chapter 4 and 5, to show the Overall Market Analysis, segmentation analysis, characteristics;Chapter 6 and 7, to show the Market size, share and forecast; Five forces analysis (bargaining Power of buyers/suppliers), Threats to new entrants and market condition;Chapter 8 and 9, to show analysis by regional segmentation[United States, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India & Central & South America ], comparison, leading countries and opportunities; Regional Marketing Type Analysis, Supply Chain AnalysisChapter 10, focus on identifying the key industry influencers, overview of decision framework accumulated through Industry experts and strategic decision makers;Chapter 11 and 12, Market Trend Analysis, Drivers, Challenges by consumer behaviour, Marketing Channels and demand & supply.Chapter 13 and 14, describe about the vendor landscape (classification and Market Positioning)Chapter 15, deals with Global Heterogeneous Network Market sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source.Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia or Oceania [Australia and New Zealand].HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Craig Francis (PR & Marketing Manager)HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJNew Jersey USA 08837Phone: +1 (206) 317 1218sales@htfmarketreport.com Quest CE, premier provider of insurance continuing education and FINRA firm element training, is excited to announce the promotion of Aaron Thompson to Vice President of Finance. Thompson will continue to oversee not only Quest CEs finances and organizational practices, but will be responsible for the budget, spending expenditures, and the integrity of funds, securities, and valuable records and information. Before representing some of the top financial companies in the The Boss was a son-of-a-bitch, and I will not deny it. He was a son-of-a-bitch of purest ray serene. I will not deny it, for I do not wish to rob his name of any of its luster. From an early draft of All the Kings Men John Wayne was furious. The screenplay based on Robert Penn Warrens novel All the Kings Men degrades all relationships and smears the machinery of government for no reason, the actor wrote in a letter to his agent Charles Feldman. He complained that it featured an endless parade of drunken mothers; conniving fathers; double-crossing sweethearts; bad, bad rich people; and bad, bad poor people if they want to get ahead. He told Feldman to shove [the script] up Robert Rossens derriere. Rossen was the veteran writer whose screenplay had so enraged the iconic movie star. He planned to direct All the Kings Men as well -- his first big-time effort behind the camera. Needless to say, Wayne did not appear in the film, which reached theaters 70 years ago. B-movie actor Broderick Crawford took the lead role of autocratic Southern politician Willie Stark. But even without Wayne, All the Kings Men quickly became a Hollywood classic, admired for its cynical yet clear-eyed portrait of American political ambition. The National Film Preservation Board selected it for conservation in 2001. Fifteen years later, both the movie and its source material, Warrens Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, received renewed attention as a means of understanding Donald Trumps political rise. Trumps arrival in the White House probably would not have surprised Rossen, who died in 1966. The filming of All the Kings Men unnerved the filmmaker, convincing him that a demagogue could easily succeed in the U.S. using political wiles and tricks and promises. He saw it with his own eyes. Broderick Crawford, Rossen pointed out shortly after the movies release in 1949, was not a well-known actor when the films production set up shop in Stockton, California. People just didnt turn in the street and either ah, oh or swoon in his wake, Rossen wrote. They did not, that is, until we began putting into work the machinery for the gubernatorial campaign of Willie Stark. Even though Stockton residents knew a movie was being filmed in town, many began to believe in Willie Stark. They heard Crawfords voice, in character, blaring out of loudspeakers. They read Willie Starks campaign slogan -- The Law of the People is My Law -- on banners and posters. They saw schoolchildren, extras for the film, wearing buttons that declared, Win With Willie. Rossen insisted that it took only a week of this before the personality of the mythical Willie Stark penetrated into the consciousness of the townspeople. They wanted Stark, this gruff, insistent man of the people, to lead them. Earl Warren (no relation to the author of All the Kings Men) was Californias popular governor at the time, but during the filming at least one sober-minded Stockton citizen thought the real politician couldnt compete with the fake one in his little burg. If Willie Stark were to run against Warren this week, the man said, hed win hands down here. Robert Penn Warren loosely based Willie Stark on the life and career of Depression-era Louisiana leader Huey Long, who the author said was the embodiment of the kind of doom that democracy may invite upon itself. Long, who the New York Times had called the de facto dictator of Louisiana, was shot down in the State Capitol in 1935 when he was just 42 years old. At the time of Longs death, Warren was a young literature professor at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. He specialized in teaching Shakespeares tragedy Julius Caesar, and so it was assumed by those who knew the play that he was a Long opponent. There you are, Warren later said. Teaching Shakespeare in Louisiana in 1935, you couldnt avoid this speculation. The speculation wasnt necessarily wrong. Warren watched Long brutally wield power in Louisiana and didnt like what he saw. All the Kings Men started as the simplest kind of idea, the author said. A man who has the gift for power gets his means and his ends mixed up, and gets some power, and theres a backlash on him. But the novel isnt only about Willie Stark, the fictional stand-in for Long. Its also about Starks right-hand man, hardboiled former reporter Jack Burden. The story revolves around Jacks struggles with the choices hes made, with his past and with history itself. Rossen, best known up to this point as the screenwriter for the Edward G. Robinson vehicle The Sea Wolf and the Humphrey Bogart-Bette Davis starrer Marked Woman, loved Warrens book -- every page, every sentence. That would turn out to be a problem. The epic scale of the novel, its various and complex themes -- from idealism to nostalgic love to the consequences of history -- almost torpedoed the movie version. *** Robert Penn Warren in 1946. (AP Photo)ASSOCIATED PRESS It might have been all different, Jack. You got to believe that. Willie Stark Robert Penn Warren had worked on All the Kings Men for years, struggling with the inherent contradictions between Americas founding values and the reality on the ground in his beloved American South. In 1939, having secured a Guggenheim Fellowship and needing a change of scenery, Warren decided he would write in Italy. The timing could have been better. By the time the ship carrying Warren and his wife Emma Brescia docked at Genoa on Aug. 16, 1939, the American consul was ordering U.S. citizens out of the country. On Sept. 1, the Nazis invaded Poland, and two days later, France and Great Britain joined the war against Germany, with fascist Italy expected at any time to get into the fight on Germanys side. Warren worried hed made a terrible mistake with the trip, even though it allowed him to witness a scene that would help him bring Willie Stark alive: During a stopover in Rome, he watched Italian dictator Benito Mussolini harangue a cheering crowd at Piazza Venezia. The Warrens settled into a small house they had rented on the shore of idyllic Lake Garda. For two or three weeks we had a very bad time, Warren wrote to a friend. Everybody was running like rabbits into Switzerland. We just sat quietly, and listened to the radio broadcasts, and occasionally had a moral collapse. Finally, when they began to hear artillery practice resound across the lake for hours every day, Warren and Emma made their way to Milan, showed up at the U.S. consul, and asked how to get out. The response: We dont know. There arent any boats. The couple ended up in a rundown apartment in Rome, where Warren tried unsuccessfully to pull together the various strands of his novels plot. As his frustrations grew, the author was hit with a series of illnesses, including the flu and malaria, that may have saved him from abandoning All the Kings Men. In a delirium one night my problem was suddenly solved, he wrote later. I had the most vivid dreams during this fever and went through the whole story. In May 1940, less than a month before Mussolini launched Italy into the European war, the Warrens managed to book passage for home, pushing through a mob scene at the Genoa dock as hundreds of foreigners tried to escape the country. We got out by the barest, Warren admitted. When All the Kings Men was published to immediate acclaim in 1946, the comparisons to the late Huey Long came fast and thick. But Warren wanted his novel to stand on its own as a work of the imagination, as a fictional story and not Longs real one. Warren went so far as to insist that the book wasnt really about political ambition or demagoguery. Politics merely provided the framework story in which deeper concerns, whatever their final significance, might work themselves out, he said. The deepest concern of all was corruption in its various forms. One of the key moments in the novel comes when Willie Stark instructs Jack Burden to dig up dirt on a judge whos well-known for his upstanding character. There might not be anything on the judge, Jack tells his boss, but Stark dismisses the notion. Man is conceived in sin and born in corruption and he passeth from the stink of the didie to the stench of the shroud, he tells Jack. Theres always something. Stark turns out to be right, and Jack is never the same. Robert Rossen read All the Kings Men shortly after it hit bookstore shelves in 1946 and immediately knew that he wanted to make a movie of it. Though he had approached John Wayne about taking the role of Willie Stark, he wasnt concerned when, ultimately, he didnt have a major star in it. He thinks he could have made the picture with marionettes, he liked [the material] that well, a Hollywood film correspondent wrote in February 1949 as Rossen was finishing post-production. But as the studios deadline for the picture rose into view that spring, Rossen found himself paralyzed. He had a 250-minute original cut and no idea how to pare it down to size. He liked almost everything he had shot, thought all of it was necessary to tell the story. In this undated photo Huey P. Long stands among a large group of men. The filmmaker finally made a desperate decision. I want you to go through the whole picture," Rossen told editor Robert Parrish. Select what you consider to be the center of each scene, put the film in the synch machine and wind down a hundred feet before and a hundred feet after, and chop it off, regardless of whats going on. Cut through dialogue, music, anything. Then, when youre finished, well run the picture and see what weve got. The result was accidentally innovative -- a 109-minute movie that moved and jolted like a roller coaster. It was a strange, and strangely thrilling, cinematic experience, rather than a straightforward political melodrama. It all made sense in an exciting, slightly confusing, montage-y sort of way, Parrish recalled years later. The edit was supposed to be an interim step, a spur to Rossen and Parrishs creativity, but they decided to leave it essentially as it was. After a preview audience reacted enthusiastically, Parrish wrote, we cut the negative with all the imperfections, the mismatched cuts, and the jumps in the soundtrack. John Wayne surely felt justified in rejecting All the Kings Men. After telling Rossen to shove it, Wayne chose to top the bill for the World War II picture Sands of Iwo Jima. His war movie showcased America as he liked to view it, and the picture was a hit. To top it off, Wayne was nominated for an Academy Award for the very first time. But he didnt win the coveted industry prize. Instead Broderick Crawford took home the best-actor Oscar for his powerful portrayal of Willie Stark, the role Wayne could have had. Rossens film -- hailed by the New York Times for its tremendous visualization of the sprawling growth of a fascist incubus right here in our own country -- also won best picture. The people of Stockton may have expected Crawford to triumph over the better-known Wayne. After all, Rossen pointed out, Crawford had arrived in the small California city as a virtual unknown, and within days, with his image on posters and his voice booming from loudspeakers, he was hailed everywhere he went in town, cheered, slapped on the back, made way for. He had become a star. Or, to be more precise, Willie Stark had. -- Douglas Perry @douglasmperry Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. Plaid Pantry has fired a clerk in Clackamas County who pulled a gun on a would-be thief carrying a hatchet because he violated the stores no-weapons policy, a company official said. The company trains its employees not to confront robbers, Plaid Pantry CEO Jonathan Polonsky said in a statement after police last week released surveillance video of the robbery attempt. In the event a robbery does occur, the focus shifts entirely to non-resistance, cooperation, and violence avoidance for the safety of our employees and customers, Polonsky said. On April 28, a man was caught on surveillance video in an Oak Grove-area Plaid Pantry wearing a mask and walking into the store. The man got to the counter and pulled a hatchet from his pants. The store clerk pulled out a gun and called 911 while holding the man at gunpoint. The man then apologized, put down the hatchet and ran from the store, leaving the hatchet behind. Police said the clerk had a valid concealed handgun permit. The Clackamas County Sheriffs Office asked the public to help them identify the suspect, estimated to be in his early 20s and about 5-foot-5. He was wearing a dark-colored jacket with a hood, a dark green or olive ski mask, khaki pants and dark sneakers with white soles. A police dog searched for the suspect in the area near the store, but did not find him. Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanOR Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. A man who led police on a chase through two counties was arrested Tuesday afternoon after he crashed his van into a tree in Beaverton, deputies said. Columbia City police and Oregon State police pursued Robert Townsends speeding red Dodge Caravan down Northwest Logie Trail Road from U.S. 30 before giving up as the van headed toward Hillsboro and more densely populated areas, the Washington County Sheriffs Office said. Washington County deputies picked up the chase and tried to stop the van twice using spike strips but the van continued onto U.S. 26 east toward Portland before getting off at the Northwest Bethany Boulevard Exit and heading into Beaverton, deputies said. As deputies tried to box him in, Townsend missed a curve and crashed into a tree near Southwest Kattegat Drive. He was taken to a hospital with minor injuries, the Sheriffs Office said in a news release. Townsend, 56, rammed a Columbia City police vehicle several times and also a Washington County sheriffs vehicle during the chase, said Washington County Deputy Brian van Kleef. Townsend was arrested on suspicion of attempted assault on a peace officer, attempt to elude and criminal mischief. The Oregon State Police initially tried to stop Townsend after he made an illegal turn onto U.S. 30, according to the state police. It doesnt appear Townsend was wanted before the alleged illegal turn. Van Kleef had described Townsend as a wanted suspect from Columbia County, but declined to say why he was wanted. Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanOR Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. Chizu, the pint-sized, sushi-style cheese counter from Cheese Bar owner Steve Jones, will close its downtown Portland doors for good on Sunday, June 2, the shop announced on Facebook last week. The omakase-style (name-your-price) cheese counter opened in 2014 in a 450-square-foot-space next door to the Multnomah Whiskey Library, with cheeses and drinks hand-picked by Jones and his capable crew. It was part of a mini expansion for Jones, a noted cheese expert who also briefly operated a cheese window at the since-closed Commons brewery. The Chizu concept will live on as a pop-up. According to the Chizu post, the space will soon be home to the first permanent home of 1927 Smores. Portland Monthly reports that the fancy smores cart and caterers new shop will open in July with 8-10 flavors plus hot cocoa. It should be the first-ever smores-specific shop in the Pacific Northwest. As for Chizu, heres what I wrote after a particularly mood-altering visit in 2015: "Chizu, the Japanese loan word for cheese, sits inside a former lingerie shop next to Multnomah Whiskey Librarys entrance, dealing today in a different sort of aphrodisiac. Sit down at the L-shaped counter and youll be handed a library pencil and a thin paper menu listing about thirty cheeses, some gooey and moist, others firm and smoky, most displayed under glass cases on top of the wood bar. Using the pencil, you can tick off cheese a la carte, similar to a sushi bar, or fill in a dollar figure for a chefs choice flight, or omakase. For two people, $25-$30 should be more than enough cheese, with perhaps six or seven wedges arranged around dried fruit, candied nuts, sweet pear preserves and small crostini. Add some salumi ($4) or smoked duck breast ($14 with a fan of duck salami) for a meaty palate cleanser. Chizus mongers will pick a few favorites, describe each selection -- sample tasting notes include nutty, roasted cauliflower, tonkotsu ramen -- and advise you on a beer, wine or cider pairing. If youre lucky, the cheeses will progress from tasty but tame to louche and (potentially) life-altering. The most exciting moment at Chizu is revisiting each selection a second time, after theyve sat for 10 minutes, warming on their walnut slab, their flavors changing irrevocably. Thats when a hard cheese described as fruity reveals itself to be pineapple disguised in cheese form. When the aged goats milk washed in Black Butte Porter from Oregons Briar Rose creamery shakes off its dusty cloak and shines. When the buttery German Chiriboga blue slaps cheese-making tradition across its smug mouth. You have until Sunday, June 2 to visit Chizu in its brick-and-mortar location at 1126 S.W. Alder St. Or visit Jones headquarters, Cheese Bar, at 6031 S.E. Belmont St. -- Michael Russell @tdmrussell Former Oregon defensive lineman Tui Talia was killed in an auto accident early Sunday outside Stockton, California. Talia, 25, was a passenger in a single-vehicle crash that occurred at approximately 4 a.m. Sunday on California Highway 12 east of the Mokelumne River Bridge between Lodi and Rio Vista, according to The Record (Stockton, Calif.). The Concord, Calif. native was among two passengers ejected from the backseat of a 2012 Chevrolet when it hit a lamp post, according to California Highway Patrol, who reported Talia was not wearing a seat belt. The driver, Ainise Haisini Taimani, 19, was arrested on charges of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and two other alcohol-related felonies. Taimani is being held at San Joaquin County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday afternoon. Talia played for Oregon in 2014-15, making 52 career tackles in 28 career games, including 34 tackles with six for loss and two sacks as a senior. WALTHAM, Mass., May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IT solutions leader Winslow Technology Group announced today that it has been ranked #45 on Boston Business Journals 2019 Fast 50 Awards List of the 50 Fastest-Growing Private Companies in Massachusetts. This is the third time that WTG has placed on the top 50. The Fast 50 winners were selected and ranked based on a formula that counts revenue growth in the preceding three years. WTGs revenue from 2015 to 2018 saw an increase of 100.6% Winslow Technology Group is honored, once again, to be ranked as one of the fastest growing private companies in Massachusetts, said Scott Winslow, President and Founder. We are proud to be recognized by the Boston Business Journal for our continued growth over the past three years. This award is a testament to the dedication of our employees, and our focus on delivering cost effective, industry leading IT solutions for our customers. Methodology The Fast 50 winners were selected and ranked based on a formula that counts revenue growth from 2015 to 2018. The numbers were crunched and analyzed by the Business Journals research department and CPA firm Withum, a Fast 50 partner. About Winslow Winslow Technology Group, LLC (WTG) is a leading provider of IT Solutions and Consulting Services dedicated to providing better IT solutions for our customers since 2003. WTG enables our clients to innovate and transform their business by realizing the benefits of hyperconverged, software defined, and hybrid cloud infrastructure frameworks. WTG serves the IT needs of clients ranging from medium sized organizations to Fortune 100 companies that operate in a variety of industries including finance, healthcare, education, manufacturing, technology, legal, and more. Contact Lori Wilkins Winslow Technology Group 781-697-0603 lori@winslowtg.com The Portland school board on Tuesday approved the districts 2019-20 budget, which includes a $694 million general fund and a few key tweaks to Superintendent Guadalupe Guerreros original proposal. Chief Financial Officer Cynthia Le told the board an increase in projected state funding and the closure of a charter school, among other things, bolstered the general fund from the $687 million originally proposed. The budget resolution passed 6-1, with board member Paul Anthony the lone vote against it. His contention was that the final budget lacked literacy supports for struggling students. I couldnt agree to that, especially if were going to be a data-driven district, Anthony said after the meeting adjourned. We know perfectly well that if kids arent learning to read, kids are going into high school not being able to master core material. We have to address that. The budget was approved with little pushback from the school board, save for a lengthy debate on whether to pull back district officials initial proposal to create 19 blended fourth-fifth grade classes or further boost elective offerings for sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders at needier schools. Here are five takeaways from the districts adopted budget for the coming school year: The district has $7.4 million more to spend next year than originally estimated When Guerrero submitted his initial budget proposal in late April, the states largest school district was anticipating what officials said was a $17 million shortfall. Instead, Portland Public Schools will have $7.4 million more in its coffers for the coming year due in part to an increase in state education spending for the coming year that will provide Portland Public Schools with about $1 million and a separate $3 million State School Funds reconciliation from last year. The closure of a charter school will contribute another $600,000 to that windfall, according to district budget documents. The districts original projection for the 2019-20 beginning fund balance was also off by $1 million, which adds that much to the general fund. About $3 million in needed spending which includes $1.5 million in facility maintenance left the board to consider how to spend the other $4.6 million. Fewer fourth and fifth grade classes will be blended than proposed The largest point of contention among board members Tuesday arose during conversations about how to allocate 24 teaching positions spared by that windfall. Board member Julia Brim-Edwards pushed for an expansion of electives in middle school grades at some of the districts historically underserved K-8 schools including Lent and Creston. District officials initially pledged to add five positions for that reason. Brim-Edwards wanted to raise that number. We have schools, effectively, where kids dont have electives, she said. Board member Amy Kohnstamm advocated for reducing the number of blended fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms district officials had proposed 19 such blends in late April as a cost-saving measure and staff to reduce class sizes. In the end, board members struck a compromise. The district will only create four new fourth-fifth blends next year and will add four full-time teaching positions dedicated to reducing class sizes. The district will add another two teaching positions to expand electives in some K-8s, putting that total at seven. There are definitely some sacrifices here but we are calling out that we need more equitable offerings in our middle school grades and we are acting on it, Kohnstamm said. Students will finally have a climate change curriculum, four years after it was promised Back in 2016, the Portland school board approved a resolution directing district officials to develop social justice and science curriculum addressing climate change. It never materialized. Dozens of students flooded a school board meeting in mid-May, demanding the district follow through on its promise. Chief Academic Officer Luis Valentino has recommended setting aside $200,000 to begin work on the curriculum. Of that, $130,000 will be dedicated to the hiring of a student success program manager overseeing the initiative. Another $40,000 will go toward training the districts teachers with smaller sums funding materials and substitute teaching plans. Clevelands, Wilsons and Jeffersons wireless networks are older than the iPhone 4 Three of the districts high schools Roosevelt, Franklin and Grant have been modernized in the last few years. Another two Benson and Lincoln are in line for renovations while Madison goes under the knife this summer. But the three high schools so far left out of those efforts are outfitted with internet technology so old it would cost $1.5 million to update. The wireless networking technology at Cleveland, Wilson and Jefferson is 10 years old built around the time Apple launched the iPhone 3GS and is already far beyond end of useful life, according to budget documents. Upgrades to those systems didnt make the cut in the districts adopted budget, spokesman Harry Esteve said. The district is setting aside $150,000 to manage foundation money and chase private donations Next month is the last that local nonprofit All Hands Raised will manage the money raised by the districts 42 school foundations. Instead, Chief Engagement Officer Jonathan Garcia will oversee a new nonprofit that will manage those funds and chase private donations. The district will hire a school resources associate, which comes with an $80,000 salary. Garcia in a funding proposal writes that New Seasons is contributing $55,000 toward the position. The remaining $70,000 will be split between funding community engagement efforts, hosting student engagement events and other expenses. Want to add a little Oregon movie history to your summertime road trips? Consider the Historic Oregon Film Trail, which has been highlighting Oregon locations where popular movies were filmed. On May 22, Brownsville was in the spotlight, with the unveiling of three signs commemorating the Oregon towns role as a location in Stand By Me, the 1986 classic starring Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman, Jerry OConnell and the late River Phoenix. Stand By Me is based Stephen Kings novella, The Body. The film takes place in 1959, and is set in and around the fictional town of Castle Rock, Oregon (Kings tale is set in Castle Rock, Maine, a fictional location the author has used in other works). Brownsville City Hall, where a sign honoring the Oregon location filming of the movie, "Stand By Me" is placed. (Photo: Barbara Andersen/Linn County Historical Museum) According to the Oregon Film office, Historic Oregon Film Trail signs placed in Brownsville include one outside Brownsville City Hall, where six different locations used in the film can be seen. Another is placed on the wall of the Linn County Historical Museum, which wasnt a filming location, but is a frequent stop for tourists curious about the movie. The Linn County Museum Friends, Inc., also sponsors the annual Stand By Me day on July 23, which draws hundreds of visitors. A "Stand By Me" sign has been placed on the wall of the Linn County Historical Museum, as part of the Historic Oregon Film Trail. (Photo: Barbara Andersen/Linn County Historical Museum) A third sign stands at Brownsville Pioneer Park, the location where the movies blueberry pie-eating contest happens. A "Stand By Me" sign, in Brownsville Pioneer Park, is part of the Historic Oregon Film Trail. (Photo: Tim Williams/Courtesy Oregon Film) The Historic Oregon Film Trail was created as a partnership between Oregon Film and the Oregon Made Creative Foundation, to position signs at various points around the state where memorable movies were filmed. Other locations where Historic Oregon Film Trail signs have been installed include Gleneden Beach (Sometimes a Great Notion), and Astoria (The Goonies, Short Circuit, Kindergarten Cop). For more information on the Historic Oregon Film Trail, go to https://www.historicoregonfilmtrail.com/ -- Kristi Turnquist kturnquist@oregonian.com 503-221-8227 @Kristiturnquist Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. Everybody knows Smokey Bear and his famous saying, Only you can prevent forest fires. The Oregon state fire marshal has decided his office can do even better. Smokey has a lot of ground to cover for the U.S. Forest Service, so Oregon is offering the bear help in the Pacific Northwest. Oregon Fire Marshal Jim Walker has recruited an even bigger celebrity who happens to be a local resident for his own fire-safety-awareness campaign: Bigfoot. Fire prevention has never been more important, thanks to climate change and urbanization. Climate and fire experts have warned of a new normal in the Northwest: persistent, destructive wildfires and smoky conditions throughout the hot months and even beyond. Wildfires can easily be ignited by backyard burning; an unattended campfire; a hot car on tall, dry grass; or from dragging tow chains -- and they spread fast, Walker said in a statement. We hope our Bigfoot campaign will draw attention and create a bigger footprint of wildfire prevention efforts around the state. Get it? A bigger footprint. The state campaigns taglines play on both the large, unusual footprints in the forest that have been attributed to the furry beast and Sasquatchs mythical status. ... Leave only footprints, says one poster for the campaign, showing Bigfoot hiking with some human friends in Oregons majestic wilds. BELIEVE in fire safety, offers another, perhaps a nod to The X-Files motto: I want to believe. The poster shows a silhouette of Bigfoot carrying a shovel and a sloshing bucket of water. Bigfoot campaign (Oregon State Fire Marshal) Bigfoot campaign (Oregon State Fire Marshal) The office will be using the hashtag #BelieveInFireSafety on social media. Bigfoot has been a pop-culture icon in the Northwest for decades. In the 1960s and 70s, sightings were frequent, and hikers could call a hotline to report seeing the notoriously shy animal. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at the time wrote in its Northwest environmental atlas that Sasquatchs existence was hotly disputed. All these years later, fascination with the creature lives on. Bigfoot campaign (Oregon State Fire Marshal) Investigators tend to fall within three main groups, believing Sasquatches are either: (a) animals, (b) spirits, or (c) extraterrestrials, John Zada writes in the new book In the Valleys of the Noble Beyond. Some people, Zada adds, believe Bigfoot is an offshoot of an enormous prehistoric species of Asian gorilla ... known to science as Gigantopithecus blacki. The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization maintains a Bigfoot-sightings database, and OregonLive recently broke it down by Oregon county. -- Douglas Perry @douglasmperry Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. In March, Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek gave it to the world straight. He had stage 4 pancreatic cancer, and in a classically underplayed way, Trebek said it was typically not very encouraging to learn his outlook - a 9 percent chance of survival after five years - was grim. But he would still fight to stay alive, he assured his legions of fans. Promising news came soon afterward. Trebek, 78, said his cancer indicators were lessening earlier this month. Now, Trebek said his body has responded well to aggressive chemotherapy in a "mind-boggling" development. "The doctors said they hadn't seen this kind of positive result in their memory," he told People magazine for their upcoming cover story. "Some of the tumors have already shrunk by more than 50 percent," he said, adding that doctors have described it as "near remission." Trebek's promising news has not come without a cost. The long rounds of chemotherapy treatments have struck him with bouts of "deep, deep sadness" as he navigates a lonely road. Pancreatic cancer has the highest mortality rate of all major cancers. The National Cancer Institute tracked patients' survival rates from the time of diagnosis and found that by the five-year mark, only 9 percent of pancreatic cancer patients remained alive, The Post previously reported. Trebek, who has hosted "Jeopardy!" for 35 years, told People the outpouring of support from fans appeared to have an impact. "I've got a couple million people out there who have expressed their good thoughts, their positive energy directed towards me and their prayers," he said. "I told the doctors, 'This has to be more than just the chemo,' and they agreed it could very well be an important part of this." He added: Ive got a lot of love out there headed in my direction and a lot of prayer, and I will never ever minimize the value of that. Nearly three dozen members of the U.S. House of Representatives, including numerous Pacific Northwest lawmakers, have signed a letter of support for the Trump administrations plan to strip gray wolves of Endangered Species Act protections. The letter, first reported by the Associated Press, was signed by a group of 35 bipartisan legislators, including Reps. Greg Walden of Oregon, Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher of Idaho, Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington and Greg Gianforte of Montana. On Tuesday, the Center for Biological Diversity, an environmental advocacy group, released a poll it commissioned that found the public stands in stark opposition to their elected representatives. The poll found 54 percent oppose removing protections for wolves. Nearly 30 percent supported the administrations plan, and 17 percent were undecided. The poll, conducted by Public Policy Polling, surveyed 555 registered voters in early May. In Oregon, wolves enjoy a patchwork of protections. In the eastern part of the state, past highways 395/78/95, wolves are managed under Phase III of the states current wolf management plan, which allows for killing wolves that attack livestock repeatedly, under certain situations. Wolves, for now at least, are under federal endangered species protections in the western half of the state. After a series of contentious, yearslong negotiations, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife released a proposed revision to the states wolf management plan, which was met by condemnation from environmental groups and support from industry groups representing ranchers. The states wildlife commission is set to vote on the revised wolf management plan next week in Salem. -- Kale Williams kwilliams@oregonian.com 503-294-4048 @sfkale Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. A dispute over a set of missing engagement and wedding rings came to a swift but unsatisfying end this week when an insurance adjuster for Providence Portland Medical Center agreed to pay a widower $10,000 for the disappearance of his late wifes rings. John Granlund said hed still like to know how the rings vanished from his 82-year-old wifes hand within hours of her April 27 death from heart failure at the Northeast Portland hospital, but acknowledged that he probably will never find out. Granlund had one of the rings made using a diamond he won by chance at a fair. His wife had worn it throughout their 64 years of marriage. Family members said theyve heard multiple explanations from hospital officials of what might have happened: The rings might have accidentally fallen behind a cabinet, been misplaced with another patients belongings or been stolen by someone who momentarily stepped into the room after the ring had been removed and a nurse was looking the other way. Granlund and his family pressed the hospital for answers, but felt stonewalled. It got to the point they wouldnt even return my calls, he said. He hired an attorney, who filed a lawsuit last week. The Oregonian/OregonLive contacted Providence on Tuesday seeking comment. Five hours later, the case settled. The hospitals insurance company agreed to pay Granlund the full $10,000 the lawsuit sought, said Portland attorney Michael Fuller. Fuller said the rings werent of great monetary value, but they held great sentimental significance. The original purpose of the lawsuit, he said, had been to force Providence to provide answers by requiring its employees to answer questions from him in depositions. Providence representatives told The Oregonian/OregonLive on Wednesday that the hospitals investigation into what happened to the rings will go on. First, we are so sorry for the Granlund familys loss, and we apologize for the additional burden we have placed on them, Krista Farnham, chief executive of the medical center, said in a statement. We do have processes and procedures in place to ensure the safe return of valuables to patients and their families, Farnham continued. We deeply regret any instance when we fall short. In addition to the review of our actions, we are looking at our processes to see if changes need to be made to strengthen those. Providence spokesman Gary Walker added: We will get back to the family and let them know what we find. Granlund -- who lives in Ocean Park, Washington, about 2 hours away from the medical center -- said he remembers the lucky day he won a diamond in a drawing at a fair in Minnesota. It was in the 1950s, and he and Cherril were on a date. He must have been about 18, and she was probably 17. It was just one of those deals where they picked a number and I won, Granlund said. Wed been going together maybe a year. Granlund said he bought the gold to have the rings made. He proposed, and the two were married the following year. Granlund stressed two points about the mystery of the lost rings. The reason he believes they are gone? It was the carelessness of someone there, Granlund said. And what does he think of the settlement? Id rather have the rings, he said. Granlunds 25-year-old granddaughter, Kaylie Granlund, said the rings were with her grandparents as they adopted and raised five children and as they moved from Minnesota to Montana, Arizona, Oregon and then Washington. In her grandmothers final years, she battled Alzheimers, Kaylie Granlund said. Through sickness and health, she said. My grandfather has beat cancer seven times. She was by his side 100 percent. And when she got sick, he was by her side 100 percent. She said she and her sister, who live in the Tigard area, had tried to help their grandfather by calling the hospital for answers because they knew of the rings importance. Kaylie Granlund said her grandfather is devastated over her grandmothers death and this loss of symbolism of 64 years has only added to his pain. -- Aimee Green agreen@oregonian.com o_aimee Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. By James Comey Special to The Washington Post OPINION Comey is a former director of the FBI and a former deputy attorney general. It is tempting for normal people to ignore our president when he starts ranting about treason and corruption at the FBI. I understand the temptation. I'm the object of many of his rants, and even I try to ignore him. But we shouldn't, because millions of good people believe what a president of the United States says. In normal times, that's healthy. But not now, when the president is a liar who doesn't care what damage he does to vital institutions. We must call out his lies that the FBI was corrupt and committed treason, that we spied on the Trump campaign, and tried to defeat Donald Trump. We must constantly return to the stubborn facts. Russia engaged in a massive effort to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. Near as I can tell, there is only one U.S. leader who still denies that fact. The FBI saw the attack starting in mid-June 2016, with the first dumping of stolen emails. In late July, when we were hard at work trying to understand the scope of the effort, we learned that one of Trump's foreign policy advisers knew about the Russian effort seven weeks before we did. In April 2016, that adviser talked to a Russian agent in London, learned that the Russians had obtained "dirt" on Hillary Clinton in the form of thousands of emails, and that the Russians could assist the Trump campaign through the anonymous release of information damaging to Clinton. Of course, nobody from the Trump campaign told us this (or about later Russian approaches); we had to learn it, months after the fact, from an allied ambassador. But when we finally learned of it in late July, what should the FBI have done? Let it go? Go tell the Trump campaign? Tell the press? No. Investigate, to see what the facts were. We didn't know what was true. Maybe there was nothing to it, or maybe Americans were actively conspiring with the Russians. To find out, the FBI would live up to its name and investigate. As director, I was determined that the work would be done carefully, professionally and discretely. We were just starting. If there was nothing to it, we didn't want to smear Americans. If there was something to it, we didn't want to let corrupt Americans know we were on to them. So, we kept it secret. That's how the FBI approaches all counterintelligence cases. And there's the first problem with Trump's whole "treason" narrative. If we were "deep state" Clinton loyalists bent on stopping him, why would we keep it secret? Why wouldn't the much-maligned FBI supervisor Peter Strzok - the alleged kingpin of the "treasonous" plot to stop Trump - tell anyone? He was one of the very few people who knew what we were investigating. We investigated. We didn't gather information about the campaign's strategy. We didn't "spy" on anyone's campaign. We investigated to see whether it was true that Americans associated with the campaign had taken the Russians up on any offer of help. By late October, the investigators thought they had probable cause to get a federal court order to conduct electronic surveillance of a former Trump campaign adviser named Carter Page. Page was no longer with the campaign, but there was reason to believe he was acting as an agent of the Russian government. We asked a federal judge for permission to surveil him and then we did it, all without revealing our work, despite the fact that it was late October and a leak would have been very harmful to candidate Trump. Worst deep-state conspiracy ever. But wait, the conspiracy idea gets dumber. On Oct. 28, after agonizing deliberation over two terrible options, I concluded I had no choice but to inform Congress that we had reopened the Clinton email investigation. I judged that hiding that fact - after having told Congress repeatedly and under oath that the case was finished - would be worse than telling Congress the truth. It was a decision William Barr praised and Hillary Clinton blamed for her loss 11 days later. Strzok, alleged architect of the treasonous plot to stop Trump, drafted the letter I sent Congress. And there's still more to the dumbness of the conspiracy allegation. At the center of the alleged FBI "corruption" we hear so much about was the conclusion that Deputy Director Andrew McCabe lied to internal investigators about a disclosure to the press in late October 2016. McCabe was fired over it. And what was that disclosure? Some stop-Trump election-eve screed? No. McCabe authorized a disclosure that revealed the FBI was actively investigating the Clinton Foundation, a disclosure that was harmful to Clinton. There is a reason the non-fringe media doesn't spend much time on this "treason" and "corruption" business. The conspiracy theory makes no sense. The FBI wasn't out to get Donald Trump. It also wasn't out to get Hillary Clinton. It was out to do its best to investigate serious matters while walking through a vicious political minefield. But go ahead, investigate the investigators, if you must. When those investigations are over, they will find the work was done appropriately and focused only on discerning the truth of very serious allegations. There was no corruption. There was no treason. There was no attempted coup. Those are lies, and dumb lies at that. There were just good people trying to figure out what was true, under unprecedented circumstances. The current administration has sent troops, an aircraft carrier and bomber task force to the Iran area. Next step: Rename the Persian Gulf as the Gulf of Tonkin. Yes, satire. Yes, fearing the events may play out as they did in 1964. In 2019, theres nothing like a good little war to unite the voters behind you 18 months before the 2020 election. For those who are too young to know the Gulf of Tonkin reference, the formula goes like this: Send warships close to an enemy shore as a show of force. Hope the enemy commits a provocative act or make one up. Use the act as an excuse to bomb in retaliation. Fire up the American people. Ive seen the movie and had a bit part in it. It was called the Vietnam War. The sequel is likely to be coming to a theater near you. Oh, and pay no attention to the postwar costs. We never do. Larry Slessler, Medford After Special Counsel Robert Muellers Wednesday morning remarks, several members of Oregons congressional delegation joined a growing chorus on Capitol Hill calling for impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, who first called for impeachment action a week ago, joined Wednesdays tweet storm early, writing Special Counsel Mueller made it clear that he could not charge President Trump with a crime because of DOJ policy not because there wasnt evidence of wrongdoing. That responsibility falls to Congress, which is why I have called for the start of an impeachment inquiry. Special Counsel Mueller made it clear that he could not charge President Trump with a crime because of DOJ policy not because there wasnt evidence of wrongdoing. That responsibility falls to Congress, which is why I have called for the start of an impeachment inquiry. https://t.co/fqx7jXNnyN Suzanne Bonamici (@RepBonamici) May 29, 2019 Mueller, whod surprised legislative leaders in his move to make a statement, refused to answer questions during his short press conference, adding that hed prefer not to comment further because the special counsel report speaks for itself. He added that it is up to Congress to decide what to do with his findings. Mueller also said that in his role hed been bound by Justice Department policy, meaning that charging a sitting president with a crime was not an option." Mueller also stressed that he could not exonerate Trump. Instead, he said, the Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system. Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley seized on that point with a single morning tweet, writing Charging the President with a crime was not an option Mueller could consider, but it is one Congress can consider. Charging the President with a crime was not an option Mueller could consider, but it is one Congress can consider. Senator Jeff Merkley (@SenJeffMerkley) May 29, 2019 However, top Democratic leaders -- with almost no support from Republicans have shied from going it alone an impeachment inquiry, which House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says would be divisive for the nation. Instead, shes encouraged Democrats to continue investigating Trump and building a case, as she often says, wherever it leads. Yet her party isnt exactly falling in line. As Oregon Rep. Earl Blumenauer tweeted Wednesday, I just checked, and Im still only 1 of 10 members to sign onto @RashidaTlaib impeachment inquiry resolution. Hopefully, after Muellers press conference this morning, that will soon change. I just checked, and I'm still only 1 of 10 members to sign onto @RashidaTlaib impeachment inquiry resolution. Hopefully, after Mueller's press conference this morning, that will soon change. #ImpeachmentInquiryNow Earl Blumenauer (@repblumenauer) May 29, 2019 He continued, quoting from Muellers morning remarks, If we had confidence the President did not commit a crime, we would have said so, adding the hashtag #ImpeachmentInquiryNow. Muellers investigators examined nearly a dozen episodes involving the president for potential obstruction of justice but ultimately reached no conclusion on whether Trump had illegally tried to stymie the probe. Muellers report did not establish a criminal conspiracy between Russia and the Trump campaign to sway the outcome of the 2016 presidential election in Trump's favor. Yet the special counsel was adamant in voicing his concerns about Russias involvement and the need for an investigation. Bonamici echoed and built on those concerns. She wrote, As Mueller said when closing his statement, there were multiple systematic efforts to interfere with our election. And that deserves the attention of every American." We must hold everyone who was involved, she added in the tweet, -- including the president accountable." Oregons other congressional leaders, Sen. Ron Wyden, Rep. Kurt Schrader, and Rep. Peter DeFazio, and the states sole Republican, Rep. Greg Walden, did not join in the online conversation. On Thursday, however, Schrader told The Oregonian/OregonLive he wasnt sure impeachment was best for the country right now, though he did believe there had been obstruction of justice. I dont know if impeachment is the probably right thing to do at this particular time. Im concerned about the message it sends the country, he said after a Portland gathering of business leaders, noting people want Congress to focus on things that directly affect their lives. If theres not bipartisan interest in impeachment, he added, Im not sure thats good for the country. WASHINGTON Special counsel Robert Muellers first and possibly last public statement on the Russia investigation is fueling fresh calls on Capitol Hill to begin impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump, a step that Democratic leaders have so far resisted. Surprising Washington with brief remarks Wednesday, Mueller indicated it's up to Congress to decide what to do with his findings. The special counsel reiterated that, bound by Justice Department policy, charging a sitting president with a crime "was not an option." But he also stressed he could not exonerate Trump. Instead, he said, "the Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system." With Mueller closing his office and no further comments expected, it all amounted, for some, to an open invitation for Congress to launch impeachment proceedings. "He's asking us to do what he wasn't allowed to hold the president accountable," said Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., a member of the House Judiciary Committee, the panel with impeachment power. "We have one remaining path to ensure justice is served," said Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, a Democratic candidate for president. "It's clear that the House must begin impeachment proceedings. No one is above the law." But top Democrats, with almost no support from Republicans, are hesitant to go it alone on an impeachment inquiry that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has warned would be divisive for the nation. Steered by Pelosi, they prefer to continue the work of investigating the president and building a case, as she often says, wherever it leads. Staying the course, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, at a news conference in New York stopped short of calling for an impeachment inquiry. "All options are on the table and nothing should be ruled out," Nadler said Wednesday. Nadler's committee is among several conducting dozens of probes in the Democratic-controlled House into subjects such as Trump's tax returns, the handling of the Russia probe and the running of government. The chairman vowed to continue investigating, even as some on his panel say opening a formal impeachment proceeding would strengthen their hand in the legal battles over documents and testimony. "Given that special counsel Mueller was unable to pursue criminal charges against the President, it falls to Congress to respond to the crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump - and we will do so," Nadler said in a written statement issued immediately after Mueller's remarks. Before Mueller's unexpected appearance, Democratic leaders had tamped down increasingly vocal voices calling for an impeachment inquiry. Pelosi sent lawmakers home for a weeklong recess brushing back the pro-impeachment faction, urging her caucus to stick with the step-by-step approach of investigations. They hoped to hear directly from Mueller in a high-profile hearing that could help focus public attention. But now that Mueller has made clear the work ahead won't likely include him announcing the special counsel's office is closing and he's resigning his position it's igniting new urgency on Capitol Hill to pick up where the special counsel left off. Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, another Democratic presidential hopeful, said, "Mueller did his job. Now it's time to do ours. Impeachment hearings should begin tomorrow." While some Democrats want to focus on investigating Trump, building the case in the public, as happened during the Watergate era under Richard Nixon, others, including some new voices Wednesday, say Mueller has all but punted the issue to Congress. Even the speaker is showing signs of impatience. During a Tuesday commencement address at San Francisco State University, Pelosi quoted Martin Luther King Jr. in warning against "gradualism." She said, "We must recognize the urgency of our times now and the need for boldness and courage to save and strengthen America." Pelosi said Wednesday that Mueller made clear that he did not exonerate the president when he stated, "If we had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so." "The Congress will continue to investigate and legislate to protect our elections and secure our democracy," Pelosi said. "The American people must have the truth." Mueller's report did not establish a criminal conspiracy between Russia and the Trump campaign to sway the outcome of the 2016 presidential election in Trump's favor. Investigators examined nearly a dozen episodes involving the president for potential obstruction of justice but ultimately reached no conclusion on whether Trump had illegally tried to stymie the probe. Mueller made clear his desire to avoid testimony, declaring the report his final word on the matter. He said it wouldn't be "appropriate" for him "to speak further about the investigation." Nadler would not say whether he would compel Mueller to testify, as he has threatened to do. But he hinted that he may not pursue an aggressive approach against the special counsel, saying, "Mr. Mueller told us a lot of what we need to hear today." Republicans, as they have done since Mueller's report was released, called for Congress to move on. The GOP chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, said that Mueller "has decided to move on and let the report speak for itself. Congress should follow his lead." Graham has said his committee doesn't need Mueller to testify. Georgia Rep. Doug Collins, the top Republican on the House Judiciary panel, had supported Democratic requests for Mueller's House testimony but appeared to be satisfied by the special counsel's comments Wednesday. "While I had hoped he would come before the committee and answer questions from lawmakers, Robert Mueller has led an extraordinary life of public service and is entitled to his life as a private citizen once again," Collins said. But at least one Republican isn't ready to move on: Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan, who has become the sole GOP voice in Congress urging impeachment proceedings. "The ball is in our court, Congress," Amash tweeted. ___ Associated Press writer Elana Schor in Washington contributed to this report. RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Americas first technological research university, has found increased efficiencies in multiple critical areas after performing a complete digital transformation utilizing JAGGAERs advanced Enterprise Reagent Manager (ERM). JAGGAER is the worlds largest independent spend management company. RPI has nearly 600 wet labs and is responsible for managing over 200,000 chemicals and had been relying on an inefficient process that includes the procurement, distribution, storage, tracking, and disposal of all chemicals. JAGGAER enabled RPI to transform from a time intensive manual procurement process that had to meet the stringent tracking regulations of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Drug Enforcement Agency, to a state-of-the-art digital chemical management solution that brought advanced automation into the process. RPI literally became the first university in the United States to institute this type of system. Implementation of JAGGAERs ERM system was successful because it was intentionally designed to make inventory management easier for our researchers. This gives them more time to focus on their research, and ultimately supports our core mission as a research institution, says Ron Moraski, Director of Procurement Services, RPI. System benefits: Centralization: Rensselaer established a centralized chemical receiving office within the Division of Human Resources Environ- mental Health & Safety Department (EH&S). Increased Safety: The chemical receiving office enters information about any chemical special handling requirements into the universitys online learning management system. This enables Human Resources and EH&S to provide training to the appropriate employees. In the event that a lab is using hazardous chemicals, a signage program has been implemented for increased safety. Time Savings: Researchers can now search for a chemical by name, CAS number, or structure, making it easier than ever to find what they are looking for. Researchers also benefit by having their lab inventory automatically updated when orders are delivered, as well as subtracted when they follow the disposal process. Training: Researchers on campus are using the same tool that is currently utilized by many successful pharmaceutical companies, supporting Rensselaers goal of training students in the standards and practices used by the leading commercial research labs. Supplier Consolidation: Rensselaer has gone from using more than 200 suppliers down to about 25, with 90 percent of chemical purchases now coming from its top five preferred suppliers including VWR, among others. JAGGAERs ERM solution manages the complete chemical life cycle, from sourcing to receipt to tracking and disposal and is in use by nine global pharmaceutical companies. The solution provides Rensselaer with the ability to track all chemicals on site and properly manage access, meeting compliance and safety requirements. In addition, Integrating JAGGAERs ERM system provides users with up-to-date Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and detailed material hazard profiles for reporting. The RPI implementation is a model that every university with a wet lab should study. Their process and utilization of our solution has already yielded immediate and impactful value across the organization, says Robert Bonavito, CEO, JAGGAER. JAGGAERs REV2019 happens October 1-3, 2019 at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina in San Diego, CA. REV2019s central theme is Educate Innovate Accelerate, and is an expression of the companys vision of enabling customers to achieve their business goals through effective application of tools designed to simplify procurement for any enterprise. For more information on REV2019 JAGGAER is the worlds largest independent spend management company , with over 2000 customers connected to a network of 3.7 million suppliers in 70 countries, served by offices located in the Americas, APAC, Asia and EMEA. JAGGAER offers complete SaaS-based Source to Pay eProcurement solutions with advanced Spend Analytics, Sourcing, Supplier Management, Contract Lifecycle Management, Savings Tracking, and intelligent workflow capabilities all on a single platform, JAGGAER ONE. JAGGAER has pioneered spend solutions for over two decades and continues to lead the innovation curve by listening to customers and stakeholders in all industry sectors, public services and academia. Additionally, JAGGAER holds 37 patentsmore than any other spend management company. Visit our media center for more press on JAGGAER or join the conversation on Twitter @JaggaerPro . MEDIA CONTACT: Steve Lundin Stevenjlundin@bigfrontier.com 312-602-2434 About JAGGAER: Global Spend Management Solutions JAGGAER is the worlds largest independent spend management company, with over 2,000 customers connected to a network of 3.7 million suppliers in 70 countries, served by offices located in North America, Latin America, throughout Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia, Asia and the Middle East. JAGGAERONE offers complete SaaS-based Source to Pay eProcurement solutions with advanced Spend Analytics, Sourcing, Supplier Management, Contract Lifecycle Management, Savings Tracking and intelligent workflow capabilities. JAGGAER has pioneered spend solutions for over two decades and continues to lead the innovation curve by listening to customers and analyzing the market. Our solution suites are trusted by the worlds largest manufacturing, education, health care, retail, consumer package goods, logistics, construction, utilities companies and public service organizations. Additionally, JAGGAER holds 38 patentsmore than any other spend management company. www.JAGGAER.com About Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Founded in 1824, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is Americas first technological research university. Rensselaer encompasses five schools, 32 research centers, more than 145 academic programs, and a dynamic community made up of more than 7,900 students and over 100,000 living alumni. Rensselaer faculty and alumni include more than 145 National Academy members, six members of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, six National Medal of Technology winners, five National Medal of Science winners, and a Nobel Prize winner in Physics. With nearly 200 years of experience advancing scientific and technological knowledge, Rensselaer remains focused on addressing global challenges with a spirit of ingenuity and collaboration. To learn more, please visit www.rpi.edu . To join the conversation, please visit our blog at https://JAGGAER.com/blog/ or follow us on Twitter @JaggaerPro Jackie Winters, a well-regarded Oregon state senator and the only African-American Republican ever elected to the Legislature, died on Wednesday at 82. Winters was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives in 1999 and the state Senate in 2003. Her legislative district included south Salem, Monmouth and rural portions of Marion County. She rose through the Senate ranks to become vice chairwoman of the powerful appropriation committee and in 2017 was named the Republican Caucus leader the first black person to hold that post. Business was Winters calling before politics. She founded a small chain of barbecue restaurants called Jackies Ribs that garnered success in the Salem area during the 1980s and 90s. Winters had suffered from failing health in recent years. She had a heart attack that sidelined her for the entire 2016 legislative session and in 2017 announced she was undergoing treatment for lung cancer. A spokeswoman for Winters said in a statement that the senator died after a courageous battle with cancer. House Speaker Rep. Tina Kotek, D-Portland, announced Winters death from the House of Representatives dais and described the senator as a true champion for justice and fairness in many ways. After the announcement, representatives appeared shaken and immediately went into recess. They returned a few minutes later and listened to an impromptu performance of Amazing Grace, as sung by Rep. Mark Meek, D-Gladstone. Bev Clarno, the secretary of state and Oregons highest-ranking Republican, said Winters was a true giant. Winters was the epitome of working with all and a master of bipartisanship. Sen. Herman Baertschiger Jr., the current Senate Republican leader, said in a statement that Winters was an icon and leaves a legacy for all Republicans. Her life is a great example that with hard work and a strong character the American Dream is possible, he said. Rep. Carl Wilson, the House Republican leader, said Winters was a true pioneer, stateswoman and valiant leader who embodied the spirit of Oregon, overcoming obstacles, setting a course for others to following and bridging divides. One of Winters key causes was criminal justice reform, and her final vote came on April 18 when she shepherded a significant juvenile justice reform bill to passage in the Senate. The bill, which awaits the governors signature, would roll back mandatory minimum sentences for teenagers charged with violent crimes. Winters office said the bill represents her crowning legislative achievement. Gov. Kate Brown called Winters a bastion of integrity, justice, and common sense in the Oregon Legislature. Her commitment to service knew no bounds. It shone through in every project she took on and every issue she tackled. I feel lucky to have had the privilege to call her my friend as well as my colleague for so many years," Brown said. She, too, noted her important role on the juvenile justice bill, Senate Bill 1008. I will always remember her courage in moving forward on Senate Bill 1008 just this session," Brown said. "Her legacy will live on through her family and in her community through the legislation she spearheaded to improve the lives of all Oregonians. -- Gordon R. Friedman; gfriedman@oregonian.com -- Chris Lehman; clehman@oregonian.com SALEM The reading clerk in the Oregon House got a chance to rest her vocal chords Wednesday. Thats because for the first time in weeks, lawmakers agreed to waive a requirement that all bills be read aloud in their entirety before a vote can be taken. The provision is part of the Oregon Constitution, as is the routine motion typically employed by lawmakers to waive it. Up until a few weeks ago, House Republicans made that motion each day. But when Democrats pushed forward a controversial $2 billion tax and education bill in early May, the GOP stopped agreeing to waive the requirement. The stalemate led to a backlog of more than 100 bills, which would have taken hours to read through. Already the House has slogged through three weeks with almost every bill read from start to finish. And the chambers leaders had scheduled multiple floor sessions each day this week, including a possible rare Saturday session. But shortly after the Wednesday morning session began, Rep. David Gomberg, D-Otis, stood and moved that the reading requirement be waived for the remainder of the day. That was unexpected. As recently as last week, a spokesman for House Speaker Rep. Tina Kotek, D-Portland, told The Oregonian/OregonLive that Democrats did not plan to make such a motion on their own. Traditionally that right is given to the minority party, said Danny Moran. The intention is to maintain respect and decorum on the floor. To take effect, a motion to waive the full-bill reading requirement needs approval by at least two-thirds of the House, so Democrats could not do it on their own. On Wednesday, three Republicans crossed the aisle to vote in favor of speeding up the floor session. The three were Rep. Bill Post, R-Keizer, Rep. Mike Nearman, R-Independence, and Rep. Greg Smith, R-Heppner. In a statement, Post explained his vote. I think were all ready to vote and go home, he said. Its time to move on and face the music of a supermajority. The move drew immediate praise from one Democratic lawmaker on Twitter. I'd like to thank my colleagues for putting the business of the people first, said Rep. Marty Wilde, D-Eugene. We have a huge number of non-controversial bills today. This will give us more time to work on building consensus on the more contentious issues before us. But there were signs that the apparent kumbaya could be a ruse. Republicans spent the morning asking questions and making lengthy floor speeches about bills that ended up passing almost unanimously. A statement issued by House Republican leader Rep. Carl Wilson, R-Grants Pass, shed little light on the topic. We have negotiated in good faith with Speaker Kotek and continue to seek a reasonable, commonsense resolution that will improve bills that in present form would hurt Oregons working families, he said. SALEM Oregons child welfare regulators relied too much on assurances from a for-profit program in Utah that it was a safe and therapeutic place to send foster children, a top official told lawmakers on Tuesday. We were not as knowledgeable about what was going on, Deputy Child Welfare Director Jana McLellan said. I think we were taking the word that was given to us and sharing that. McLellan was responding to a question from Sen. Sara Gelser, D-Corvallis, about the discrepancy between Oregon officials generally positive report about Red Rock Canyon School in St. George, Utah earlier this month, and a letter Utah regulators sent around the same time threatening to revoke the programs license unless it improved. How is that the same place (Oregon Department of Human Services) described to us here, on the record, after having visited? Gelser asked. Utah officials cited a long list of violations, including that staff put a youth in a chokehold and he subsequently lost consciousness. OPB reported on the contrast between Oregon and Utah officials descriptions earlier this month. Oregon child welfare staff have been scrutinizing the program amid concerns over the number of foster children sent out of state, and state employees happened to visit the program immediately after a riot last month in which more than 20 teenagers were injured. McLellan said on Tuesday that employees from various Oregon programs have been onsite at Red Rock Canyon School on 11 out of the last 14 days, to make sure the remaining 22 Oregon foster children there are safe. Well continue to visit the site, McLellan said. Child welfare staff have also filed public records requests for additional information about this and other out-of-state programs where Oregon foster children live, including incidents reported to local police. Gelser already obtained local police reports on Red Rock Canyon School that she said showed methamphetamine (was) brought onto the property by staff. According to a summary of the police reports Gelser posted on the Legislatures website, a staff member consumed the drug while at work on May 14. But the common theme in the police reports were frequent physical altercations between staff and teenagers in the program. Examples included a 250-pound staffer physically assaulting two boys, ages 15 and 16, in January by putting them in headlocks and chokeholds. One of the boys was described as weighing 150 pounds, and the staffer was ultimately charged with assault, according to the documents that Gelser described. Also in January, a staffer allegedly grabbed a student and threw the teenager against a wall, slapped him and then threw a chair across the room at the youth. Although law enforcement did not charge the staffer with a crime, the person was fired. In February, a staffer used an unauthorized jiu-jitsu choke hold on a teenager in the program. The child eventually broke free by stabbing the staffer, who was later fired, with a pen. It was not the first time the staffer had used that particular hold to restrain the teen. Gelser wrote that there were multiple police reports in the spring of teenagers at the program physical assaulting other youths, including an incident in which two Oregonians were charged with assault. The violence peaked on April 28, when 49 police officers were called to the campus to respond to the riot. Gelser said it started with a fistfight between boys. According to Gelsers police report summary, staff had also threatened and demeaned girls in the program with sexual remarks including referring to them as thirsty whores and horny little girls, and referred to both boys and girls as little bitches. Gelser wrote that one or more staffers allegedly punched girls in the face with a closed fist and pulled girls across the floor by (their) hair. Another staffer pushed, taunted and hit a youth in the program. Teenage boys jointed in the fight, with some defending the girls and others attacking the girls on behalf of staff. Seven children were treated at the hospital for their injuries. One girl, who used a toilet lid to defend herself, was later charged with felony assault. Gelser said the program staff involved did not seek medical attention. McLellan said Oregon is continuing to transition foster children out of the Red Rock Canyon School, although caseworkers have yet to find new placements for around a dozen teenagers. Some of the children are going to other out-of-state programs including some operated by Sequel Youth and Family Services, the company that runs Red Rock Canyon School Gelser said one reason teenagers at Red Rock Canyon School might be reluctant to disclose problems to regulators is that youth entering Sequel programs are told that if they complain, they will get sent back to square one and have to start your program all over again. Gelser said she learned that information in a conversation over the weekend with young people who recently spent time in Sequel facilities. State officials said there are currently 73 Oregon foster children in out-of-state programs, but they have not sent any new children to such treatment facilities recently. They also gave a brief presentation on treatment programs operated by Oregon county juvenile departments, which the state has sent more than 300 foster children in the last two years. As The Oregonian/OregonLive reported earlier this year, the state has increasingly relied on the county programs and other institutional facilities to care for foster children at the same time it was trying to reduce its reliance on hotels to house certain children. Sara Fox, manager of the states child welfares treatment program, said only one county juvenile department that operates treatment programs for foster children Douglas County used physical restraints. Fox said the restraints used are evidence-based and county staff have restrained 10 children a total of 13 times over the last year, but she did not provide any further details on how staff restrain the foster children. Gelser said child welfare officials are fielding tough questions from lawmakers and reporters and she appreciates their efforts to respond. The hearings and press coverage has created a sense of urgency that is making a difference, Gelser said. Hillary Borrud | hborrud@oregonian.com | 503-294-4034 | @hborrud Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. WASHINGTON Special counsel Robert Mueller said Wednesday he believed he was constitutionally barred from charging President Donald Trump with a crime but pointedly emphasized that his Russia report did not exonerate the president. "If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so," Mueller said. "We did not however make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime." He cautioned lawmakers who have been negotiating for his public testimony that he would not go beyond his report in the event he appears before Congress. But he also signaled that Congress was the proper venue, not the criminal justice system, for deciding whether action should be taken against the president in connection with allegations that Trump and aides obstructed the investigation of Russian interference to help the Republican in the 2016 election campaign. Trump, who has repeatedly and falsely claimed that Mueller's report cleared him of obstruction of justice, modified that contention somewhat shortly after the special counsel's remarks. He tweeted, "There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed!" Mueller's comments were his first public statements since his appointment as special counsel two years ago. His remarks, one month after the public release of his report on Russian efforts to help Trump win the presidency, appeared intended to both justify the legitimacy of his investigation against complaints by the president and to explain his decision to not reach a conclusion on whether Trump had obstructed justice. Indicting Trump, he said firmly, was "not an option" in light of a Justice Department legal opinion that says a sitting president cannot be charged. But, he said, the absence of a conclusion should not be mistaken for an exoneration of the president. "The opinion says the Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing," Mueller said, referring to the Justice Department legal opinion. That would shift the next move, if any, to Congress, and the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, which would investigate further or begin any impeachment effort, commented quickly. It falls to Congress to respond to the "crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump - and we will do so," said New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler. Trump has blocked the committee's subpoenas and other efforts to dig into the Trump-Russia issue, insisting Mueller's report has settled everything. Mueller's statement came amid demands for him to testify on Capitol Hill about his findings and tension with Attorney General William Barr over the handling of Mueller's report. That report found no criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia to tip the outcome of the 2016 presidential election in Trump's favor over Democrat Hillary Clinton. But it also did not reach a conclusion on whether the president had obstructed justice. Barr has said he was surprised Mueller did not reach a conclusion on whether the president had criminally obstructed justice, though Mueller in his report and again in his public statement Wednesday said that he had no choice. Barr decided on his own that the evidence was not sufficient to support an obstruction charge against Trump. "Under longstanding department policy, a president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office," Mueller said. "That is unconstitutional. Even if the charge is kept under seal and hidden from public view that, too, is prohibited." Mueller, for his part, complained privately to Barr that he believed a four-page letter from the attorney general summarizing his main conclusions did not adequately represent his findings. Mueller also appeared to put Congress on notice that he would not break new ground in the event he testifies on Capitol Hill. "I do not believe it is appropriate for me to speak further about the investigation or to comment on the actions of the Justice Department before Congress." ____ Associated Press writers Chad Day, Mary Clare Jalonick and Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report. Special Counsel Robert Mueller will make a public statement at 8 a.m. Pacific. The former FBI director is expected to make a lengthy and substantial statement, a Justice Department official told The New York Times. He likely will not take questions. In April, Mueller submitted his report about Russian interference into the 2016 U.S. election. Politicians and pundits have been arguing over and interpreting it ever since. Democrats in Congress have been negotiating with Mueller for public testimony, which he reportedly has been resisting. Views on Muellers report mostly fall along partisan lines, with Democrats saying it clearly lays out obstruction-of-justice offenses against President Donald Trump and Republicans insisting it exonerates him. Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan last week became the sole Republican in Congress to say the Mueller Report shows that Trump obstructed justice and should be impeached. Im confident that if you read volume two [of the report], you will be appalled at much of the conduct, Amash said Tuesday at a town-hall event in his district. And I was appalled by it. And thats why I stated what I stated. Thats why I came to that conclusion. We cant let conduct like that go unchecked. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California has said Amash is nothing more than an attention-seeker and that his views are out of step with America. Amash responded that McCarthy hasnt read the special counsels report. Democrats in Congress are increasingly calling for impeachment hearings to be launched. -- Douglas Perry @douglasmperry Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. Twistlock, an online security startup that moved its headquarters to Portland just last summer, sold Wednesday for $410 million in cash. Its among the biggest deals ever for a young Portland tech company. Founded in 2015 and previously based in San Francisco, Twistlocks software is designed to provide online security in cloud computing. The buyer is cybersecurity company Palo Alto Networks. Twistlock had raised $63 million, including a $33 million investment in August. At the time it had 80 employees, including 30 at its new headquarters on the North Park Blocks. Twistlocks workforce included multiple alumni from Portland-based online automation company Puppet. But Twistlock doesnt have deep Portland roots and relatively little of Wednesdays $410 million purchase price is likely to land here. Twistlocks financial backers are elsewhere and the companys chief executive, Ben Bernstein, works in New York. He will join Palo Alto Networks in the deal. Still, Wednesdays sale underscores that Oregon remains a fertile incubator for new technologies. Portland is relatively inexpensive compared to the tech hubs in Seattle and the Bay Area and has a deepening pool of expertise in many new technologies, including online security. Thats made the Silicon Forest fruitful hunting grounds for investors and larger companies looking to expand. Last month, for example, Beaverton-based Nvoicepay completed its sale to a Georgia company, Fleetcor, as part of $255 million in acquisitions. And earlier this month Portland cloud computing startup Cloudability sold to a Washington company called Apptio for an unspecified sum. Based in Silicon Valley, Palo Alto Networks employed 5,300 as of last summer. Its sales totaled $2.1 billion through the first nine months of its fiscal year, according to financial results issued Wednesday. The company lost $61.1 million during that period. Neither Twistlock nor Palo Alto Networks indicated whether the company will retain a Portland operation. -- Mike Rogoway | twitter: @rogoway | 503-294-7699 Goose Creek, SC (29445) Today Plenty of sunshine. High 79F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Some clouds. Low 63F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Dublin, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Microprinting Market Size, Market Share, Application Analysis, Regional Outlook, Growth Trends, Key Players, Competitive Strategies and Forecasts, 2018-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Microprinting market was valued US$ 490.17 million in 2017 and estimated to grow with a CAGR of 4.8% during the forecast period from 2018 to 2026. Market Insights Microprinting is used across several applications such as currencies, stamps, official documents, and bank drafts & cheques in order to assure the authenticity of such high-value documents. Besides these documents, consumer products, white goods, and packaging & logistics also use microprinting on a considerable scale in order to facilitate and organize the storage and distribution structure. Furthermore, the significance of microprinting in defense application and access control cards is also growing consistently. Incorporation of novice technology such as UV & infrared inks, magnetic inks, and other special inks in order to fortify the authenticity of microprinting. The overall microprinting market is expected to grow multifold along with the growth in the aforementioned applications. Counterfeiting is one of the biggest problems faced by modern human civilization, and it is not only costing governments and brands across the globe but also affecting millions of jobs worldwide. In a recent report published by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), more than 5.4 million people across the globe are expected to lose their jobs owing to piracy and counterfeiting cases. Several methods are undertaken by governments and global brands to fight forgery and microprinting is one of the better ways to overcome such illicit act to a greater extent. Owing to the aforementioned factor, microprinting market and associated business are gaining momentum. Competitive Insights: Global microprinting market is characterized by a number of small as well as global players and hence are highly fragmented. Microprinting is associated with critical and classified documents and hence the companies involved in microprinting market needs to build their creditability. Acquire long term government contracts is one of the prime business strategies adopted by major microprinting companies. Several other business strategies are discussed in detail in the research study. Key Topics Covered: 1. Preface 1.1. Report Description 1.2. Research Scope 1.3. Research Methodology 1.4. Market Segmentation 2. Executive Summary 2.1. Global Microprinting Market Snapshot 2.2. Global Microprinting Market, by Ink & Technology 2.3. Global Microprinting Market, by Application 2.4. Global Microprinting Market, by Geography 3. Global Microprinting Market Analysis 3.1. Global Microprinting Market Overview 3.2. Market Dynamics 3.2.1. Market Drivers 3.2.2. Market Challenges 3.3. See-Saw Analysis 3.3.1. Impact Analysis 3.4. Attractive Investment Proposition 3.5. Competitive Landscape 3.5.1. Market Positioning of Key Industry Participants 3.5.2. Major Strategies Adopted by Key Industry Participants 4. Global Microprinting Market Value, by Ink & Technology, 2016-2026 (US$ Mn) 4.1. Overview 4.1.1. Global Microprinting Market Value Share, by Ink & Technology, 2017 & 2026 (Value %) 4.1.2. Global Microprinting Market Value, by Ink & Technology, 2016-2026 (US$ Mn) 4.2. Micro-embossing 4.3. Magnetic Ink 4.4. UV & Infrared Ink 4.5. Special Inks 5. Global Microprinting Market Value, by Application, 2016-2026 (US$ Mn) 5.1. Overview 5.1.1. Global Microprinting Market Value Share, by Application, 2017 & 2026 (Value %) 5.1.2. Global Microprinting Market Value, by Application, 2016-2026 (US$ Mn) 5.2. Currency 5.3. Stamp 5.4. Bank Cheques & Drafts 5.5. ID & Access Cards 5.6. Consumer Electronics 5.7. Packing & Logistics 5.8. Defense Application 6. North America Microprinting Market Analysis, 2016-2026 (US$ Mn) 7. Europe Microprinting Market Analysis, 2016-2026 (US$ Mn) 8. Asia Pacific Microprinting Market Analysis, 2016-2026 (US$ Mn) 9. Rest of World (RoW) Microprinting Market Analysis, 2016-2026 (US$ Mn) 10. Company Profiles Hewlett-Packard Company Huber Group Diagramm Halbach GmbH & Co. KG Gallas Label & Decal Printegra Team NiSCA Xerox Corporation Micro Format Inc. Brady Inc. Saueressig GmbH Co KG. Videojet Technologies, Inc. HP Inc. Ricoh Company Ltd. Canon Finetech Nisca Inc. Zebra Technologies Corporation For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ria23l Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. I pointed my trusty little automobile south of Midland this week, and headed over to a place that has lives both in the snow and the warmer weather, for a quick bite to eat. Little did I know that bite would lead me to a head smacking moment of "Why didn't I eat here earlier?" The site of my latest nosh is what I think can be a bit tricky to explain, so bear with me a moment. I ended up at the Mountain View restaurant, located at 4519 N. River Road in Freeland. This beautiful little restaurant shares the building with a legendary eatery in the area, Kathleen's, and both of these wonderful places are part of the Apple Mountain organization. I hope that makes sense, because if you were like me and knew of one place and not the other, you (and I) have really been missing out on something special. Although I have been to Kathleen's many times for dinner, both public and private, and more than a few wedding receptions (never my own), I had never set foot in the left side of the building, which is the location of Mountain View. The interior is simply beautiful. High, vaulted ceilings give a very nice sense of space with somehow still maintaining a casual and cozy spot, with a million dollar view of the ski hill. Mountain View would be a great place to enjoy a meal all by yourself, or share a booth with some cool people. I know restaurants are all about the food, but an interior that doesn't take away from the experience is on my must have lists when I go out to eat. I showed a friend some of the pictures I had taken of my meal, and they dared ask me, "Why so much bread?" Don't worry, I am currently re-evaluating the terms of that friendship. Why would anyone ask such a silly question? And I call this person a friend? I tell you, some people's kids. First of all, it was wonderful of my delightful server to bring me those two, beautiful little loaves, and I hope she would have done so no matter what entree I chose. Second thing, it was bread, and that's enough to say right there. Third point, the loaves or rolls, whatever you choose to call them, were amazing. Crunchy where it needed to be with nice, soft and chewy interiors, the bread was as delicious as the rest of the meal. On to my main, which was the Gourmet Grilled Cheese sandwich. I never know if my photos will be in moody black and white or explosive Technicolor, although I do prefer my mugshot to be as small and unnoticeable as possible, but that cheese must be seen (and tasted) to be believed. I've said once and I will say it again, grilled cheese sandwiches just don't get enough respect in the culinary world. Like a lot of my favorite dishes that happen to be relegated to the kiddies table, the sturdy and always ready to rumble grilled cheese sandwich can put a smile on my face any day of the week. As we get more enlightened as diners, I think it is easy to turn our backs and bellies on dishes that are simple, and simply delicious. So when I saw a grilled cheese on the Mountain View menu, the choice was already made for me. Let's break this sandwich down. First off, the bread was perfectly toasted, keeping that crunch we expect in a proper grilled cheese sandwich. The bread was also very thick, something that I think should be a requirement in this type of sandwich, or anything that requires toasting. I wish I could manage this level of mastery when I make grilled cheese sandwiches at home. Yup, I do cook at home on occasion, believe it or not. Now what I think elevates the Mountain View Gourmet Grilled Cheese sandwich to something miles beyond the quick, brown and flip type I make at home is the selection of cheeses that come to the party. Provolone, Muenster and American cheese all seemed to play really nice as a group between the slices of that delicious bread. What was great about the sandwich is that it was taken off the heat at just the right moment, because any longer and those flavors would have blended together in to an unintelligible mess. The mix balanced the sharp bite of the Muenster cheese with mellowness of the provolone and familiarity of the American cheese. That right there is a proper melting pot of cheese goodness for yours truly. Rounding out the meal was a hearty cup of tomato bisque. Heavy on flavor but not too thick, I like this spin on the classic grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup combo. The bisque had a nice thickness to it, and I am not too proud to say that after the sandwich and mini loaves took their respective dips in to that red delight, I happily drank the rest. I loved it and think I might have to bump the good old canned tomato soup to the back of the pantry to make room for a bisque alternative. If a nice and gooey grilled cheese sandwich happens to not be your thing, and it really should be, the Mountain View menu has got you covered with so many more mouth-watering options. A tenderloin melt sandwich, along with a BLT, a Philly cheese and a club sandwich are just some of the options on the menu for bread-delivered meals. If a knife and fork fits the bill for your visit, your options expand in to steaks, chicken and seafood entrees as well as a nice stack of several different salads. The appetizer menu looks like it would really be up my alley, specifically with their Dip Trio plate, which comes with either a white queso, olive oil or jalapeno dip to bathe either soft pretzels, tortilla chips or baguettes in. One dip and one side serve eight people according to the verbiage, but I think I might be able to tackle that dish all on my lonesome. So if you would like to enjoy an affordable and high quality meal from an excellent varied menu while looking outside into whatever weather Michigan happens to throw at us during your visit, the Mountain View restaurant is the place to be. I know I'll be back, probably devouring something very cheesy and, heck, I don't even know how to ski. See you at the table. Matthew Woods writes about his favorite lunch finds. His column, Out to Lunch, will appear here on a regular basis. You can write him at seeyouatthetable@gmail.com For the first time ever, this year's Matrix:Midland festival will feature a series of events specifically for Midland residents interested in drones and other areas of the robotic field. A free event, the Matrix Midland Drone & Robotics Festival will take place from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 8, at Barstow Airport. According to the festival's website, the event will feature drone demonstrations, screenings of films about the applications of drones in daily life and rescue operations, live drone races and activities for children. "Fans of drones and robotics are going to be blown away by the Drone & Robotics Festival premiering in Midland," said Courtney Jerome, who represents the event. "One of the biggest draws of the Drone & Robotics Festival is the appearance of the MultiGP -- the largest drone-racing league in the world." MultiGP currently has more than 20,000 registered pilots and 500 active chapters around the world, Kelara Ehfad of MultiGP said in a press release. "MultiGp nurtures its chapters by providing tools, guidance and community support," Ehfad said. "Due to this structure, drone racing is fun, organized and rewarding for pilots, spectators and chapter organizers." Participants will be able to use computer simulators to test-fly drones and sign up to have a photo of their house taken by a drone, with donations benefitting FIRST Robotics, an international high school robotics competition that aims to give students real-world engineering experience. Representatives from DJI, one of the world's leading producers of camera drones, will also be at the event to talk about the latest advancements in drone technology. Members of the Dow High School Robotics Team will also showcase and demonstrate their creations at the event. "It has been a great experience partnering with the Midland Center for the Arts, drone and robotics organizations and with our local communities to bring together a really fun event for the public," Marco Ten Bruggencate, event planning team lead and global strategy director for Dow Polyurethanes, said in the press release. "Dow is excited to sponsor this first-ever Drone & Robotics Festival, which aligns perfectly with our mission of advancing career opportunites in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) through the appeal of aviation." A variety of drones and robotic devices will be for sale at the event, and free drones will be given away. The 14th annual Stroll, Roll and 5K Run/Walk, hosted by The Arc of Midland, is just around the corner, to take place on Saturday, June 8, this year. The first wave of participants begins at 9 a.m. at the Chippewa Nature Center, 400 S. Badour Road. The annual fundraiser is a way to bring different kinds of community members together for one, enjoyable cause, said Jan Lampman, executive director of The Arc. "It's the kind of event that everybody can have fun and it brings all different kinds of people together," she said. In addition, the accessible, flat walkways at the nature center make it easy for those who use wheelchairs or other devices to participate. The Arc of Midland, which is a non-profit organization that promotes the general welfare of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, chooses honorary chairs for the event each year. This year, the chairs are husband and wife Sara Eastman and Chris Rishko and their four children -- Alora, Kalia, Will and Danny. The Eastman/Rishko family was chosen for their more than 20 years of commitment to promoting and supporting The Arc of Midland. "Sara's family in particular has just been a big champion of The Arc for decades," Lampman said. Growing up in Midland, Eastman said she was surrounded by friends with disabilities and her father, John D. Eastman, had several friends who had children with disabilities. He was very involved in supporting The Arc. "We kind of grew up as it being part of our world as a younger person," she said. "So, it was a natural transition to participate in things like Special Olympics, because that's what had been our norm." Having moved away to join the U.S Air Force JAG Corp and serving as a magistrate judge in the Alaska Court System, Eastman returned to Midland in 2012. Shortly after, she became involved with The Arc in a new way, by taking an administrative role on the board. "It's been a nice journey," Eastman said. "The Arc is just such an all-inclusive program too -- I think that's what would be the standout thing for me and why it's such an easy program to support, because they really do collaborate with a wide variety of organizations and that's why it's so easy to plug-in, because there's so many people you can bring along." Eastman currently works as an attorney with Warner, Norcross & Judd in Midland and serves on several boards. She said her involvement with The Arc has made her a better attorney and mother. "The Arc has been nothing but a blessing in my life," Eastman said. Rishko, said his story is much different than his wife's. He grew up in Pennsylvania and while he knew family members who were touched by disability in some form or another, he saw them struggle without support like The Arc provides here. "I saw it on the other end -- how difficult it was for them without the support system," he said. Rishko, who is the Chief Executive Officer at the Great Lakes Bay Michigan Works!, served 16 years as an officer in the Air Force. He said he was "lucky enough" to meet Sara in the military and was then exposed to her family and their support of The Arc. "I wanted to do what I could to be part of it and this is it," he said. "And so when I was offered this opportunity, we jumped on it," Rishko said. He said he was shocked they were chosen as chairs, and Eastman said they are incredibly honored. For Eastman, who said she already promotes The Arc every chance she gets, being a chair of the event provides a natural segue for her to further promote the organization, she said. "It's just a great honor to be able to put The Arc forward in a more productive way," she said. Together, Eastman and Rishko raise their children to understand the importance of advocacy and inclusion, just as the Eastman family has done for the past 25 years. Eastman said the next generation is key to supporting those with disabilities and their opportunities as their current caretakers and loved ones get older. "The biggest fear I hear with clients is 'what's going to happen for my child with a disability,' for example, or 'what's going to happen to my brother with a disability.' And it's all of our responsibility to support their opportunity, their lives," Eastman said. So, they teach their children to pay it forward. "If we don't teach it now, we can't make real, cultural change later on," Rishko said. "So, we start with our kids now so that later on it'll be engrained in them." All six members of the Eastman/Rishko family will be participating in The Arc's 5K event on June 8. Eastman said it's a great opportunity to show their kids that while their friends with disabilities might be a little different, they can all accomplish the same goals together. Those interested can register for The Arc of Midland's Stroll, Roll and 5K Run/Walk online before the deadline this Friday. Participants can sign up for the various categories, which include a competitive walk, a competitive run and a fun walk. Pre-registration prices range from $15-30, based on category, but on-site registration costs $35. For more information about The Arc's 5K event, call 989-631-4439, ext. 109, or email baker@thearcofmidland.org. If there were a human "Energizer Bunny," World War II veteran Richard Roehrs, 93, might be that person, according to some Gladwin County residents, who believe he is the oldest, active veteran. "What would Beaverton be without him?" asked Vietnam veteran Bob Frei and member of the Gladwin County American Legion Post 171. Frei said privacy issues prevent the post from confirming if Roehrs is the oldest, but the consensus is that the 93-year-old holds the title. "He just keeps going," Frei said. "He's the Energizer Bunny." Frei said Roehrs keeps going despite some limitations. "He finds ways to get around them," Frei said. Roehrs said being the oldest serving veteran wasn't a title he aimed for, but it's the way the world worked. Many veterans and non-veterans have positive words about Roehrs. "He's a great guy," said non-veteran Ken Govitz of Roehrs. "I've known him since I was (waist) high." Becky Shiller said she didn't know Roehrs was a veteran, but it didn't make a difference. She knows him as a "stand-up guy." "He helped me with my car in a blizzard about 25 years ago and then wouldn't take a penny for the help," Shiller said. "He is the kind of man you would want in your corner." Roehrs served in World War II 1944-1945. He said he was inspired to going into the Army Air Forces after his father, Carl, served in World War I. Roehrs was a tail gunner on B-24s and B-29s during his time in World War II. Roehrs said his planes were never shot down. Roehrs said he stayed flying when back in the United States, stationed in Texas and Florida. "I was in the air the night they dropped the second atomic bomb on Nagasaki," he remembered. Roehrs said he caught pneumonia twice during basic training, and had to start over each time. He credits those delays with him sitting at the parade Monday, saying he got lucky. "Those sitting here today are all very lucky," said Korea veteran George Graveldinger, who was sharing military memories with Roehrs on Monday at Ross Lake Park as the Memorial Day Parade procession marched in. "I didn't have to go to Korea," Roehrs said. "If you served in World War II, you didn't have to serve in Korea." "I always believed in a strong military," said Roehrs, a Central Michigan University graduate in business administration. Roehrs, who's many friends can attest, believes in honesty. "If everybody was honest, we wouldn't be in the pickle we are in now," Roehrs said of the nation's issues. "He was an inspiration in this effort" said Ed Rachwitz, of Post 171. Yet, while Roehrs was a spark in the renovation and re-dedication of the World War II "The Survivor" Monument and is highly involved in veterans' affairs in the county -- that isn't his only claim to fame in the community, according to Frei. Frei said Roehrs, who used to work at and then own a car dealership in Beaverton, set roots in the community. Thus, according to Frei, the man became a staple and a strong influence. During the Beaverton celebration Rep. Jason Wentworth laid the Remembrance Wreath and Sen. Jim Stamas talked about the sacrifices of veterans. "Today is about those who gave their all," Stamas said. Beaverton Mayor Ray Nau, also a veteran, said he was touched by Stamas' message and about having a community that Roehrs calls home. DURHAM, N.C., May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Prescient, a digital design-build company industrializing multi-unit housing construction, today announced that its Renaissance Downtown Lofts project has been recognized as a finalist for Urban Land Institutes (ULI) 2019 Global Awards for Excellence and is a PCBC Gold Nugget 2019 Award of Merit Winner. Renaissance Downtown Lofts, an apartment complex located in Denver, CO that serves as a home to 100 residents, was developed by Colorado Coalition for the Homeless to meet the needs of Denvers homeless population. Prescient worked alongside both FCI Constructors and Christopher Carvell Architects to complete the project, which boasts 67,000 square feet of Prescient Project Area. The six-story apartment building, offering Denvers homeless population a chance at stability, has social services for residents including mental health services, addiction treatment and job programs. The city of Denver estimates the Lofts will save $2.9 million per year by providing supportive housing and proactive services and avoiding incarceration and emergency hospitalization costs. The building provides a visual feeling of security, yet with open arms to the city, easing what can be a crippling sense of isolation that can afflict homelessness. It also makes visible, through its strong architectural form and layered transparency a community with dignity, thus diminishing societys prejudice for not in my backyard. Renaissance Downtown Lofts purpose is not immediately apparent based on its exterior. It looks like many of the other apartment complexes going up in downtown Denver what appears to be the perfect spot for millennial renters, which is the difference in this project and what makes it unique and of special value not only to its residents, but to the City of Denver as well. This will act as a blueprint for other cities across the country that face similar challenges with homelessness, said Denvers Mayor Michael Hancock, referring to the projects impact. We are thrilled that Renaissance Downtown Lofts has been recognized by both ULI and Gold Nugget, which offers global visibility for a project with such an important mission, said Satyen Patel, Executive Chairman of Prescient. The Lofts were designed with the idea to improve the local Denver community and we are confident the building will continue to boast a long-lasting impact for the people it houses. The Lofts are a perfect example of how the cost effectiveness of the Prescient solution and high quality of our buildings contribute to our vision of providing attainable housing for all. We are honored to be selected among other notable global projects for our work providing the highest standard of excellence in design and construction in the real estate industry and we look forward to working on similar projects in the future. ULI Global Awards for Excellence Renaissance Downtown Lofts was selected along with 18 other highly respective developments from around the globe as a ULI Global Awards for Excellence finalist. This awards competition, widely recognized as one of the real estate industrys most prestigious awards program, selected its finalists from a jury made up of ULI members representing a multitude of real estate development expertise. Winners of the competition will be recognized at the 2019 ULI Fall Meeting in Washington, DC this September. The complete write-up by ULI can be found here . PCBC Gold Nugget 2019 Award of Merit Winner The Gold Nugget Awards are presented to the top innovators in design, planning and development. Renaissance Downtown Lofts was selected among hundreds of other entries by a panel of industry experts and was chosen among other winners who were voted as a top recipient in their respective category the Lofts were chosen for the Best Supportive / Transitional Housing category. The Lofts is a finalist for The Grand Award which will be announced on May 31 at a ceremony in San Francisco. The full list of award winners can be found here . About Prescient Prescients digital design-build approach is revolutionizing the building environment. Designed for advanced professionals who plan, design and build multi-family housing and hospitality structures that are up to 180-feet, the companys digital design-build system harnesses the power of technology. Linking standardized architectural design and products, automated structural engineering, precise manufacturing and rapid on-site assembly along a single digital thread, the system creates holistic project teams with greater potential for achievement than found within constructions habitually siloed parts. In response to widespread industry labor and talent shortages, shrinking margins, and cumbersome project management and approval processes, Prescients digital design-build system is increasing ROI across the entire development, construction and operating value chain. Founded in 2012, Prescient is headquartered in Mebane, North Carolina, has manufacturing and engineering facilities in Mebane, NC, Arvada, Colorado and a technical center in Poland. With a staff of over 400 professionals skilled in multiple disciplines including architectural design, engineering and manufacturing, Prescient has successfully built over 5.9 million square feet in multi-unit housing and hospitality. For more information, visit the company website , Twitter feed or Facebook page . Media Contact Blair Hennessy or JP Letourneau, Abernathy MacGregor 212-371-5999 bth@abmac.com; jpl@abmac.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fa3cd558-ac04-4b39-aeab-01361f40b3eb BOSTON, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Anaqua, the leading provider of innovation and intellectual property management solutions, today announced that Canon Inc, the global imaging solutions company, has selected the ANAQUA platform to manage its global patent portfolio. Headquartered in Tokyo, Canon is a pioneer in the provision of innovative consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions worldwide. The companys businesses include the development and manufacture of such imaging and optical products as digital cameras, camcorders, multifunction office devices, printers, semiconductor lithography equipment and medical equipment. Canon will use ANAQUA software to ensure the efficient management and prosecution of the companys valuable intellectual property assets. The company will also utilize Anaquas AcclaimIP patent search and analysis tool. Canon is a true industry pioneer and innovator, which is reflected in the companys substantial patent portfolio, said Bob Romeo, CEO of Anaqua. We are honored to have been selected by Canon to assist them in managing and protecting these valuable IP assets, and are delighted to welcome another of the worlds most innovative companies to our client community. About Anaqua Anaqua is a premium provider of integrated, end-to-end innovation and intellectual property (IP) management solutions, serving more than 50% of the top 25 U.S. patent filers, more than 50% of the top 25 global brands, and a growing number of the most prestigious, forward-looking law firms. The companys global operations are headquartered in Boston, with offices across Europe and Asia. Anaquas IP platform is used by nearly one million IP executives, attorneys, paralegals, administrators, and innovators globally. Its solution suite merges best practice workflows with big data analytics and tech-enabled services to create one intelligent environment designed to inform IP strategy, enable IP decision-making, and streamline IP operations. For additional information, please visit anaqua.com. About Canon To find out more about Canon, please visit global.canon Abuja, Nigeria (PANA) Local authorities have confirmed that at least 23 people have been killed in retaliatory attacks by bandits on Kabaje and Tunga communities in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State, northwest Nigeria Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (PANA) - As part of their civil-military actions, the National Armed Forces will on Thursday hand over seeds, fertilizers and livestock feed to the Governors of the North Central, North and Sahel, it was learned on Wednesday from a security source Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) - Kenyas Treasury has reached out to the World Bank for a US$750 million loan to support its budget as well as other development programmes under the governments agenda Niamey, Niger (PANA) - The Niger Minister of Water and Sanitation, Professor Garba Katambe, on Tuesday urged development partners, civil society and non-governmental organizations to work to meet the challenge of effectively integrating menstrual hygiene management at all levels of the society Tunis, Tunisia (PANA) - Nine MPs of the parliamentary bloc of the opposition Popular Front, including its President, Ahmed Seddik, have resigned, sources close to the bloc told PANA on Tuesday Tunis, Tunisia (PANA) - The UN Security Council has frozen the assets of 26 Tunisians "involved in terrorism cases", local media sources told PANA here Tuesday SPRINGFIELD State public health officials say they've confirmed Illinois' first mosquitoes testing positive for West Nile virus this season. The Illinois Department of Public Health said Friday that DuPage County Health Department staff collected the positive mosquitoes Tuesday in the village of Wayne. No human cases have been reported so far in 2019. The first mosquitoes that tested positive for the virus last season were collected on May 25, four days later than this year. Health department records show 74 Illinois counties reported West Nile virus positive mosquitoes or birds or a human case in 2018. There were 176 human cases last year, including 17 deaths. The virus is transmitted through mosquito bites. Symptoms include fever, nausea, headaches and muscle aches, however most people won't show symptoms. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 BLOOMINGTON The Bloomington City Council has postponed four appointments to two city boards after Alderman Jamie Mathy asked for clarification about the city's appointment process. "I just think that right now there is a lot of confusion around the appointment process," said Mathy of Ward 1. "Who can be appointed? Who does the appointing? Who approves the appointments? I think we could remove that ambiguity by having a conversation about it." The council voted 7-2 Tuesday to table the appointments of Louis Goseland to the property maintenance review board and Edward Breitweiser, John Corey, and Guadalupe Diaz III to the transportation commission until after the council discusses the appointment process at its June 17 work session. Council members Jenn Carrillo of Ward 6 and Jeff Crabill of Ward 8 cast the dissenting votes. Although the appointments were not to the Connect Transit board, who should serve on that board has been an issue recently. Prior to the council's vote on Mathy's motion, eight people, speaking during public comments, urged Mayor Tari Renner to change his mind about putting forward two possible Connect Transit appointees and instead fill open positions with people who rely on or regularly use public transit system buses. Mathy said his motion was not specifically prompted by the recent public discussion about the Connect Transit board. Mathy said comments he's received led him to think there is lack of understanding about the citys process for filling not only Connect Transit board seats, but those on other city boards, too. The appointments have to be an "executive function (of the mayor), otherwise it would be pure pandemonium in that there are nearly 300 appointments to make," said Renner. "I am happy to listen, but I am not necessarily going to agree in advance ... to a legislature (council) telling the mayor what a mayor should do," said Renner. "Usually the council's role is to make sure the person is qualified ... and things of that nature." Mathy said he was not interested in taking away the mayor's executive privilege to appoint people to city commissions and boards. "The mayor can appoint anybody he wants and I can vote 'no' to anybody I want. That's the way it works," said Mathy after the meeting. "But if we set expectations of what we expect those boards and commissions to do, then the mayor can make better appointments that we can all agree with." Ward 5 Alderwoman Joni Painter said she was in favor of delaying the four appointments because she has a problem with a one of them. Painter said she wanted to discuss that appointment with Renner prior to the meeting, but he did return her phone calls. "When we have a public conversation about appointments like this and people come out in opposition of someone the mayor wants to appoint, it is very embarrassing for that person," said Painter. "I would like to put off (the appointments) because I don't want to embarrass anybody. I would like to talk to you (Renner) about it." Renner said he did not receive any calls from Painter, but that he was open to talking with her about her concerns. Citizens to Ensure Fair Transit along with supporters throughout the community met with Renner at his regularly scheduled open house Friday at City Hall. "While Mayor Renner heard our concerns and recognized that appointing riders is the right thing to do, he would not waver in his insistence that the next two appointees to the Connect Transit board be two of his political allies ... that, like the rest of the Connect Transit board, (are) financially well-resourced, able-bodied, and are not transit reliant," said CEFT in a Facebook post about the mayor's open house. Contact Maria Nagle at (309) 820-3244. Follow her on Twitter: @Pg_Nagle Love 2 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 BLOOMINGTON School is out for most students during the summer but that doesn't mean that children who count on school lunches should go hungry. The Summer Food Service Program, which provides nutritious meals to children and is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered by the Illinois State Board of Education, will be available in Bloomington District 87 and McLean County Unit 5 again this summer. Meals will be available without charge to anyone 18 and under. Adults will be charged a nominal fee. In District 87, lunches will be served 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. weekdays, June 3 through Aug. 9 (with the exception of July 4), at Bent Elementary School, 904 N. Roosevelt Ave.; Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal, 1615 W. Illinois St. (June 3 through July 26); Irving Elementary, 602 W. Jackson St.; Sheridan Elementary, 1403 W. Walnut St.; Stevenson Elementary, 2106 Arrowhead Drive; and Bloomington Public Library, 205 E. Olive St. Adults can buy lunch for $3. In addition, grab-and-go meals will be available on those days at the following times and Bloomington locations: 11 to 11:20 a.m. at Holton Homes, 1404 W. Market St.; 11:30 to 11:45 a.m. at Evergreen Homes, 1202 W. Seminary St.; 11:55 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. at Second Presbyterian Church, 313 N. East St.; and 12:15 to 12:35 p.m. at Wood Hill Family Homes, 103 E. MacArthur St. In Unit 5, breakfast will be served 8:15 to 9 a.m. Mondays through Thursdays, June 17 through July 11 (except for July 4), at Parkside Junior High School, 101 N. Parkside Road, Normal. Adults may buy breakfast for $2.55. Lunch will be served 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. weekdays, June 3 through June 28 and July 8 through July 26, at Unity Community Center, 632 Orlando Ave., Normal. Adults may buy lunch for $2.65. Among other school districts participating in the program is Lincoln Elementary School District 27, Lincoln. Lunch will be served 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, June 5 through Aug. 1, at Lincoln Junior High and Washington-Monroe Elementary. Adults may buy lunch for $2. The Lincoln program will kick off 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 4 at Lincoln Junior High with lunch and games. To find other Summer Food Service Program sites, call 800-359-2163, text FoodIL to 877877 or visit www.summerfeedingillinois.org. Contact Paul Swiech at (309) 820-3275. Follow him on Twitter: @pg_swiech Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. GREELEY, Colo., May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- JBS USA, a leading U.S.-based, global food company, today announced a $95 million expansion project at its Grand Island, Neb., beef production facility. The project includes new, improved animal handling facilities, a state-of-the-art, temperature-controlled harvest floor and facility reconfiguration designed to improve team member experience, food safety and product quality. The 107,000 square-foot expansion and facility enhancements will better position the company to sustainably meet evolving customer and consumer expectations for high-quality, great-tasting U.S. beef products. This expansion project has already begun and is anticipated to be completed in early 2021. Operations at Grand Island will continue uninterrupted throughout project execution. "Todays announced expansion is an important strategic investment to secure Grand Island as an unquestioned leader in food quality, animal care and beef innovation for years to come, said Tim Schellpeper, JBS USA Fed Beef President. Around the world, from North and South America to Asia and Africa, consumers crave the superior taste and quality of American beef. Partnering with leading Nebraska and other area beef producers, we are proud to invest in a vibrant future for U.S. beef. Located in the heart of American cattle country in central Nebraska, JBS Grand Island partners with more than 670 local producers to export U.S. beef to more than 30 countries around the world, including Canada, Chile, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Mexico and Singapore, under signature brands such as 1855 Black Angus, Swift and Swift Black Angus. The expansion project will allow the company to strategically capitalize on increased international demand forecasts for high-quality U.S. beef and value-added beef products. JBS Grand Island has been a standard-bearer for American beef for over half a century, said Zack Ireland, Grand Island Plant Manager. Our team sends the best U.S. beef products the country has to offer to customers both domestically and globally. Todays announcement strengthens our long-standing commitment to local farmers and ranchers, our team members, key customers and the community of Grand Island, whose support has been critical to our ongoing success. Originally built in 1965 by Swift & Company, the Grand Island beef facility joined the JBS USA family in 2007 and produces nearly 1 billion pounds of quality beef and beef products each year. JBS Grand Island is an active participant in the community, donating time and money to support local efforts including the Hall County United Way, Hall County Hero Flight, the Salvation Army, Goodwill, Relay for Life and the Nebraska State Fair. About JBS USA JBS USA is a leading global provider of diversified, high-quality food products, including a portfolio of well-recognized brands and innovative, value-added premium products. We are a leading processor of beef, pork and prepared foods in the U.S.; a leading processor of beef and prepared foods in Canada; and a leading processor of beef, lamb, pork and prepared foods in Australia. We are also the majority shareholder of Pilgrims Pride Corporation (Pilgrims), with operations in the U.S. and Mexico and the owner of Moy Park, a leading poultry and prepared foods company in the U.K. and Europe. As a global food company, we process, prepare, package and deliver fresh, further-processed and value-added premium meat and poultry products for sale to customers in approximately 100 countries on six continents. Media Contact: Nikki Richardson JBS USA Corporate Communications nikki.richardson@jbssa.com 970.506.8028 SPRINGFIELD Vaping products, including electronic cigarettes, could not be used in indoor public settings under a bill approved by an Illinois Senate committee Tuesday. Under Senate Bill 1864, the devices would be treated the same as tobacco products when it comes to using them indoors in public areas. Sen. Terry Link, D-Waukegan, said he wants to combat the increasing use of e-cigarettes by school age children. "We are at a stage where we need to pass this. We need to put it in Smoke Free Illinois," Link said. "We have an epidemic of problems in schools today that need to be rectified. I do not want this to linger around for another year." Jake Butcher of the Smoke Free Alternatives Coalition of Illinois said his organization tried to work out a compromise where e-cigarettes could be used indoors at the shops that sell them so customers would have a chance to try the product. However, Link said anti-smoking proponents were against the idea and he was unable to work out a compromise. He said, though, that he was willing to work over the summer on a follow-up bill that could address the issue. Craig Kitson of 9-1-1 Vapor said e-cigarettes are unfairly linked with heavy metals in the vapor. "The damage done by this fear-induced media craze has most certainly caused many to forever be against vapor products," he said. "The Smoke Free Act is about protecting others from the dangers of combustible tobacco. Vapor products do not contain smoke." However, Kathy Drea of the American Lung Association of the Upper Midwest said the Food and Drug Administration has classified e-cigarettes as tobacco products. Asked if there is tobacco in the products, Drea said, "nicotine is derived from tobacco." Link said that e-cigarettes "get you off of smoking, but it doesn't get you off of nicotine. We've got a crisis in schools and we need to do something. Kids start with these and move on to other things." Drea also said that unlike tobacco stores that are heavily regulated, there are no regulations in place for the e-cigarette businesses. The proposal was approved by the Senate Public Health Committee, but only after Sen. Patricia Van Pelt, D-Chicago, changed her vote to get the issue to the Senate floor. She did not pledge to support it during a floor vote, though. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SPRINGFIELD A pair of measures aimed at addressing high property taxes in the state passed committee Tuesday, one day after being touted by Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker upon passage of a graduated income tax constitutional amendment. Those measures will create a property tax relief fund (Senate Bill 39 Amendment 1), and a property tax task force (Senate Bill 1932 Amendment 2). "Today, I'm proud to announce a bipartisan and bicameral property tax task force that will review the entirety of our property tax system, study best practices in other states, and make short- and long-term recommendations by the end of the year, Pritzker said in a news conference Monday after the graduated income tax amendment passed the House. The creation of this task force will be included in our fair tax package, and will have the full support of my office." Republicans in the House Revenue and Finance Committee, however, were skeptical that any real property tax relief would result from the task force sponsored by Rep. Jonathan Carroll, a Northbrook Democrat, which passed committee unanimously. Ive been here five years, and I have absolutely no confidence that anything whatsoever will change other than the folks that like the status quo the way it is will destroy your hopes as they have everyone elses. Good luck, Rep. Margo McDermed, a Mokena Republican, said. Carroll, who was initially opposed to the graduated income tax amendment but credited the governor for his switch to supporting the measure, said he wasnt looking to the past, but the future. I would hope that youd be a part of the solution and not necessarily continue naysaying on it, he said. Carroll said the task force would make tough decisions, address across-the-board property tax drivers and would not be without teeth. Were going to look at every aspect of property taxes. Were going to look at ways we could reduce local property tax burdens across the board and these ideas will be taken seriously, he said. Members of the task force would be uncompensated and appointed by the governor, Senate and House leaders, and would include lawmakers and other local officials and community members, Carroll said. They plan to meet over the summer to bring recommendations forward next year. While the Republicans voted unanimously to pass the task force bill, all of them voted against the creation of the property tax relief fund. Rep. Rita Mayfield, a Waukegan Democrat, said there would be no new state revenues needed to sustain the fund, and it would be up to future state Legislatures to determine whether appropriations would be provided for the fund. McDermed, who serves on a capital infrastructure task force, said spare funds are not easy to come by in Illinois budget. I am not aware, and believe me, our group has scoured under every rock in the state of Illinois for a penny, so where exactly are you going to find this money? she asked. Rep. Daniel Didech, a Buffalo Grove Democrat and the bills sponsor, said determining funding would be a function of the task force. If the result of the task force is that we dont have the resources for this, then so be it, he said. But I think this is an important enough issue that it deserves close attention and we should do our due diligence to find out if there are the resources to provide property tax relief. According to the bill, moneys in the fund shall be used by the state comptroller to pay rebates to residential property taxpayers in the state. The state does not levy or collect property taxes in Illinois; only local taxing bodies such as school boards, municipal governments and counties have that authority. The largest contributor to most local tax bills are K-12 schools, which for years have faced funding shortfalls and proration from insufficient revenues provided by the state. McDermed questioned if it was a good idea to provide state tax relief without addressing local taxing bodies ability to raise their levies every year. I think that this idea that were going to subsidize local taxing bodies without reforming local taxing bodies or the way they tax is going to double down on the toxic taxing system that we have right now in the state of Illinois and this is not a well-taken proposition in any way shape or form, she said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Daily Dose is your daily source for the song you absolutely, positively need to hear every day. Curated by the Paste Music Team. White Reaper, the raucous garage-punk band from Louisville, Ky., are back with an equally vivacious new single, Might Be Right. The Kentucky rockers have also announced that they are now signed to Elektra Records. Vocalist/guitarist Tony Esposito recalls in a statement, I remember seeing the big Elektra E on the back of so many of my favorite Cars, Doors, Queen and Metallica records. I still cant believe it. Drummer Nick Wilkerson adds, Its awesome to be a part of a label with such rich history. In White Reapers new track, Espositos amplified vocals coincide with Nick Wilkersons turbulent beats, Sam Wilkersons pounding bass lines, Ryan Haters lively keyboard chords and Hunter Thompsons dynamic electric guitar shreds. Elements of nu-disco and pop intermingle with the bands signature garage-punk sound. A post shared by white reaper (@whitereaperusa) on May 27, 2019 at 9:52am PDT The official music video depicts each member performing with their respective instrument, Fender guitars, a C&C drum kit and Korg keyboard. A neon sign glistens, showcasing the White Reaper logo as rotating spotlights swirl around the band. Primary-colored backdrops and various split screen visuals are utilized throughout the videos almost four minutes. White Reapers latest single is their first new music release in two years. The groups most recent LP, 2017s The Worlds Best American Band, reached critical acclaim, including a spot on Pastes list of that years best albums, and featured highly streamed tracks like Judy French, Daisies, Eagle Beach and its title track. 2015s White Reaper Does It Again spawned fan-favorites like Make Me Wanna Die and Sheila, as they crafted their now well-renowned sound. White Reaper recently opened for alternative giants The Killers, and are soon to embark on an extensive North American tour, adding more dates in the fall. Their You Deserve Love tour will begin in St. Louis at the Firebird on Oct. 3 and continue until Nov. 10 at the A&R Music Bar in Columbus, Ohio. Until then, White Reaper will headline their own U.S. shows in June. They will also play at notable festivals such as the Ohana Festival on the same day as The Strokes, and the U.K.s Reading & Leeds when Foo Fighters are set to headline. Later, they will perform at Bourbon & Beyond and Louder Than Life, both taking place in their hometown of Louisville in September. Watch White Reapers Might Be Right video (dir. Daniel Ryan) below and find their tour itinerary further down. White Reaper Tour Dates: June 13 Toledo, Ohio @ Ottawa Tavern Inc + 14 Lansing, Mich. @ The Loft + 15 Lakewood, Ohio @ Mahalls + 16 Buffalo, N.Y. @ Rec Room + 18 Lancaster, Pa. @ Kaleidoscope + 19 Asbury Park, N.J. @ Wonder Bar + 21 Amityville, N.Y. @ Amityville Music Hall + 22 Philadelphia, Pa. @ Goose Island Takeover @ 23 Baltimore, Md. @ Ottobar + 25 Raleigh, N.C. @ Kings + 26 Asheville, N.C. @ Mothlight Club + 29 Louisville, Ky. @ Headliners Music Hall + August 09 Sedalia, Mo. @ Missouri State Fair % 23 Leeds, U.K. @ Leeds Music Festival 25 Reading, U.K. @ Reading Music Festival September 13-15 Chicago, Ill. @ Riot Fest 22 Louisville, Ky. @ Bourbon & Beyond Festival 27 Dana Point, Calif. @ Ohana Music Festival 29 Louisville, Ky. @ Louder than Life Festival October 03 St. Louis, Mo. @The Firebird ~* 04 Des Moines, Iowa @ Vaudeville Mews ~* 05 St. Paul, Minn. @ Amsterdam Bar & Grill ~* 07 Denver, Colo. @ Larimer Lounge ~ 10 Seattle, Wash. @ The Crocodile ~ 11 Vancouver, B.C. @ The Biltmore Ballroom ~ 13 Portland, Ore. @ Doug Fir Lounge ~* 15 Sacramento, Calif. @ Holy Diver ~^ 16 Berkeley, Calif. @ Cornerstone Berkeley ~^ 17 Felton, Calif. @ Felton Music Hall ~^ 20 Phoenix, Ariz. @ Valley Bar ^ 22 Austin, Texas @ Barracuda ^ 23 Dallas, Texas @ Deep Ellum Art Co ^ 25 Huntsville, Ala. @ Mercantile &# 26 Gainesville, Fla. @ High Dive &# 27 Atlanta, Ga. @ Masquerade (Hell) &# 28 Charlotte, N.C. @ Amos Southend &# 29 Chattanooga, Tenn. @ Songbirds South # 31 Washington, D.C. @ U Street # November 02 Cambridge, Mass. @ The Sinclair &# 03 Hamden, Conn. @ The Space &# 05 New York, N.Y. @ Bowery Ballroom &# 07 Albany, N.Y. @ The Hollow # 08 Toronto, Ont. @ Horseshoe Tavern &# 09 Detroit, Mich. @ El Club &# 10 Columbus, Ohio @ A&R Music Bar &# (+ Twen) (@ Sheer Mag & Thin Lips) (% The Struts) (~ The Dirty Nil) (& The Nude Party) (* The Paranoyds) (^ Criminal Hygiene) (# Wombo) Patently Apple posted a report back on March 13th titled "Spotify has filed a Formal Complaint against Apple with the European Commission about its Unfair Apple Store." Days later Apple addressed Spotify's Claims in-depth. On May 6th we posted our first follow-up report titled "The EU Antitrust Commission will reportedly begin a Formal Investigation into Apple that started with a Spotify Complaint." On May 13th we reported that the U.S. Supreme Court had ruled 5-4 to allow the Class Action against Apple's App Store to Proceed. Our second follow-up report posted on May 17th presented a video of the EU Commissioner that all but confirming that her office would be investigating the matter related to the 'App Store.' And lastly on May 24th we posted a legal report titled "A California Resident Rides the Trend of Claiming that Apple's 'App Store' is an Unlawful Monopoly and Files a Class Action." With Apple under the spotlight and in the hot seat, they've struck back a second time to clarify key points about the App Store to dissuade the European Union from proceeding with an investigation. Apple Message Highlights We created the App Store with two goals in mind: that it be a safe and trusted place for customers to discover and download apps, and a great business opportunity for all developers. Its our store. And we take responsibility for it. We review every app and every update. We give developers a platform. And flexibility. 84% of apps are free, and developers pay nothing to Apple. While this is unlikely to stop the EU Antitrust Commission from opening yet another formal investigation against Apple, Apple We invest in our developers success. A store that welcomes competition. Under the last header, Apple states: "We believe competition makes everything better and results in the best apps for our customers. We also care about quality over quantity, and trust over transactions. Thats why, even though other stores have more users and more app downloads, the App Store earns more money for developers. Our users trust Apple and that trust is critical to how we operate a fair, competitive store for developer app distribution. To review Apple's full App Store Message go to the App Store webpage covering Principles and Practices here. The discovery of this page update was first reported on by 9to5Mac. About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Those using abusive language or negative behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus. Patna: The Patna district administration gave more reasons to doubt the sincerity of all the talks of the Patna becoming a 'smart city' when the Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation (BUIDCO) on Thursday announced its decision to terminate the contract with a Mumbai-based company that was earlier roped-in to handle the solid waste management in the state capital. The decision to end the business relationship with Sunil HiTech Engineers Limited (SHEL) was taken at a meeting of the BUIDCO officials who, after carefully reviewing the performance of the company, found it to be far from being satisfactory. The agreement between the said firm, the BUIDCO, and the Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) was reached after much deliberation in 2014. Talking to the reporters, Bihar Urban Development Minister Suresh Kumar Sharma said that SHEL failed to perform despite several warnings to it. "Patna produces anywhere between 700 and 1000 metric tons of trash each day. SHEL failed to manage them effectively as a result of which we have terminated its contract with us," he said. The BUIDCO is now in talks with an US-based company to keep Patna clean and to develop a strong solid waste management system. "We are about three months away from reaching an agreement with the US-based AG Dauters Waste Processing Private Limited. Initially, they will only be responsible for keeping Patna and Muzaffarpur clean and if the performance is deemed satisfactory, we will expand their role in other cities in Bihar," Sharma said. This is not the first time such plan by the PMC has gone awry as similar agreements had been reached in the past with many companies entrusted to keep Patna clean while developing a strong solid waste management system at the outskirts of the city only to cancel the deal after the third-party companies failed to live up to their contractual agreement costing crores of rupees to the tax-payers. Heavy earth-moving equipment purchased at exorbitant cost to keep the state capital squeaky clean and to introduce door-to-door garbage pickup have all failed to produce result despite tall promises by the administration. KREAMER Gov. Tom on Saturday spoke with owners of the shuttered Wood-Mode Inc. cabinet manufacturing plant Saturday and urged them to do whatever is possible to sell the business and get the plant back in operation, said an attorney representing the employees Sunbury attorney Joel Wiest, who is representing 938 employees of the Snyder County cabinet manufacture, said thats what he was told when he, several employees and some state officials met with Wolf. The governors top priority, said his spokesman, is taking care of the affected workers. Last week the administrations Rapid Response Team met with more than 700 impacted workers to provide them with available resources and services. After that Wolf spokesman J.J. Abbott said the administration will continue to work closely with local representatives to market both the workforce and the facility. State Sen. John Gordner, R-Columbia, said his office has received an inquiry from a New Jersey company interested in keeping the operation local. Also interested is a group of investors led by Maurice Brubaker, owner of the Brubaker Group in Lewisburg. Brubakers plan is for employees to become owners by buying stock and taking some positions on the board of directors. Silence by the Gronlund family that owns Wood-Mode is concerning and has resulted in a lot of unknowns, Gordner said. Calls to the owners since the plant closed May 13 have not been returned. The state attorney generals office has confirmed it has accepted a referral from the Snyder County district attorney but would not say if it is a criminal or civil complaint. The state has pledged to keep the workers informed as it assists them in obtaining unemployment compensation benefits, re-employment services and information related to health insurance and retirement issues, Wiest said. Employees have not been allowed back into the plant to obtain personal belongings and they have experienced issues accessing their 401Ks, he said. Wiest said he has not filed a civil suit on behalf of employees because he doesnt want to undermine the efforts to find a buyer for the plant. Such a suit could force the current owners to file for bankruptcy, he said. Three employees have filed separate suits in U.S. Middle District Court accusing the owners of violating the law requiring a 60-day notice before a plant shut down. If successful in their legal action, employees would receive pay and benefits for a 60-day period. TORONTO, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WeedMD Inc. (TSX-V:WMD) (OTCQX:WDDMF) (FSE:4WE) (WeedMD or the Company), a federally-licensed producer and distributor of medical-grade cannabis, is pleased to announce that it is converting its fully-licensed 26,000 sq. ft. Aylmer, Ontario facility to a large-scale cannabis extraction and processing operation. WeedMD is optimizing its two licensed facilities to allow each to focus on a core vertical and to streamline our operations. We are transitioning the Aylmer site to produce a wide range of extracts and concentrates, said Keith Merker, CEO of WeedMD. All cultivation has been consolidated to our greenhouse and outdoor Strathroy facility, which is delivering consistently improving yields at increasingly competitive costs. About the Aylmer Extraction Facility WeedMD is retrofitting its Aylmer operation into a purpose-built cannabis oil extraction facility that will be operational by summer 2019. Additional details: WeedMD is building on its experience in extract production, having processed oils onsite at Aylmer since June 2017 The site is fully licensed for cannabis oil production and sale The Company will have four extraction lines in operation with the ability to process over 200,000 kgs of biomass annually WeedMD will utilize various extraction methods in order to meet the demands of the market The Company will provide formulation capabilities for wholesale and white label manufacturing The facility is being built to GxP* standards to support compliance for both domestic and international markets The existing fully-licensed 26,000 sq. ft. facility is located on an expandable four-acre site wholly-owned by WeedMD WeedMD will supply a large quantity of input material for cannabis extraction from the greenhouse and outdoor production from its Strathroy site *GxP encompasses a broad range of compliance-related activities such as Good Laboratory Practices, Good Clinical Practices and Good Manufacturing Practices. As recently announced, WeedMDs Strathroy cultivation facility is expected to yield more than 150,000 kgs of dried flower per year in 2020. Outdoor grow video here. For more information, access WeedMDs investor presentation here and recently updated corporate video here . About WeedMD Inc. WeedMD Inc. is the publicly-traded parent company of WeedMD Rx Inc., a federally-licensed producer and distributor of cannabis products for both the medical and adult-use markets. The Company owns and operates two facilities: a 26,000 sq. ft. indoor facility in Aylmer, Ontario and a 158-acre state-of-the-art greenhouse and outdoor facility located in Strathroy, Ontario. The Company currently has 136,000 square feet of licensed production space across its facilities and is expected to have a total footprint of more than 550,000 square feet of indoor and greenhouse production in addition to more than 25 acres of outdoor cultivation space online in the first half of 2019. WeedMD has a multi-channeled distribution strategy that includes selling directly to medical patients, strategic relationships across the seniors market and supply agreements with Shoppers Drug Mart as well as six provincial distribution agencies. Follow WeedMD On: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/weedmd/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/weedmd/?originalSubdomain=fr Twitter: https://twitter.com/WeedMD Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weedmd/ For further information, please contact: WeedMD Inc. Keith Merker, Chief Executive Officer Tel: 519-765-2440 Ext. 201 Email: investor@weedmd.com To learn more, visit us at www.weedmd.com For Media Inquiries: Marianella delaBarrera VP, Communications & Corporate Affairs Tel: 416-897-6644 Email: marianella@weedmd.com Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation which are based upon WeedMD's current internal expectations, estimates, projections, assumptions and beliefs and views of future events. Forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "expect", "likely", "may", "will", "should", "intend", "anticipate", "potential", "proposed", "estimate" and other similar words, including negative and grammatical variations thereof, or statements that certain events or conditions "may", "would" or "will" happen, or by discussions of strategy. The forward-looking information in this news release is based upon the expectations, estimates, projections, assumptions and views of future events which management believes to be reasonable in the circumstances. Forward-looking information includes estimates, plans, expectations, opinions, forecasts, projections, targets, guidance or other statements that are not statements of fact. Forward-looking information in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to internal expectations, expectations with respect to actual production volumes, expectations for future growing capacity and the completion of any capital project or expansions. Forward-looking information necessarily involve known and unknown risks, including, without limitation, risks associated with general economic conditions; adverse industry events; loss of markets; future legislative and regulatory developments; inability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favourable terms; the cannabis industry in Canada generally; the ability of WeedMD to implement its business strategies; competition; crop failure; and other risks. Any forward-looking information speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and, except as required by law, WeedMD does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for WeedMD to predict all such factors. When considering this forward-looking information, readers should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements in WeedMD's Annual Information Form dated December 13, 2017 (the "AIF") and other disclosure documents of WeedMD filed with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities on SEDAR at www.sedar.com . The risk factors and other factors noted in the AIF and other disclosure documents could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those described in any forward-looking information. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE A Pa. boys first day as a school safety patrol member proved to be a matter of life or death. Arnez Logan, a 10-year-old student at Duquesne Elementary School, simply allowed his instincts to take over when a kindergarten student sprinted down the sidewalk and past him and an oncoming car wasnt about to stop. So as WTAE-TV and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette report, Arnez swung into action on that fateful day of Aug. 28, 2018: With the kindergarten child running into the street and into the path of an oncoming car, Arnez swiftly grabbed the boy and pulled him to safety -- just as the car sped past. This according to school officer Lonzo Boyce, who spoke to the Post-Gazette. I thought I wasnt going to be able to do it, but I did, Arnez said Tuesday during a national award ceremony honoring his life-saving actions as a AAA School Safety Patrol member. Arnez was one of just four students nationwide to receive the AAA School Safety Patrol Lifesaving Medal this year. A school-wide assembly was held Tuesday to honor the quick-thinking fourth-grader. A mother in western Pennsylvania will collect her daughters high school diploma this week after a senseless prom night shooting took the twin girls life. Someone came up from behind and started shooting and my baby got shot, the mother, Angie Krimm, 41, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. It happened in the wee hours after prom night for the McKeesport Area High School. Morgan Dunston, 18, skipped the prom that her twin sister attended last Thursday, but she did attend some post-prom parties with friends, the Post-Gazette reported. Thats when tragedy struck: Shots rang out in a parking lot at the Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community Center at South 27th and Jane streets in Pittsburghs South Side Flats around 3 a.m. Friday. Morgans friends rushed her to a hospital. But she had been shot in the head, the Post-Gazette writes, and she died. A week later, Morgans twin, Jordyn Dunston will collect her own diploma at graduation. But it will be Morgans mom who walks up to collect her dead daughters graduation parchment. The following day on Friday, the family will conduct a funeral for Morgan. On Saturday, theyll hold a graduation party for Jordyn and a celebration of life for Morgan, the Post-Gazette reports. Talk about gut-wrenching. But it gets worse: Decades before, Krimm lost her own sister to violence as the body of 14-year-old Kimberlie Krimm was found in McKeesport in 1998, the Post-Gazette notes. Now a mother knows the survivors guilt her own daughter feels: She feels like, If I go on and live my life, I am leaving my sister behind, Krimm told the Post-Gazette. And I said, Jordyn, you have to do it for her. Because thats what she would want you to do. (Story continues below) Angie Krimm will accept her daughters diploma on Thursday -- and hold her funeral on Friday -- after she was fatally shot mere days before she was due to receive her diploma from McKeesport Area High School. https://t.co/Hm067LDkp8 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (@PittsburghPG) May 28, 2019 No arrests have been made in either killing. But Krimm urged anyone with information about Morgans killer to come forward and give that information to police. The investigation continues as one family prepares for the highs and lows of a high school graduation like no other this week. The time is almost here, hoople-heads: Deadwood is coming back for one last hurrah. The acclaimed HBO series ran for three seasons from 2004 to 2006, and told a fictionalized story featuring actual historic figures from the 1880s who made their home in the frontier town established in the Dakota Territory. A movie to wrap up the story was discussed as far back as 2006, and rumors continued until it was finally confirmed last year. And now the movie is finally on the way to a screen near you - it will finally air on May 31 at 8 p.m. on HBO. To watch, youll need access to HBO. If HBO is part of your television package, you can watch live as it airs on the channel, or stream through your computer, tablet or mobile device via the HBO website or the HBO Now app. The HBO Now app is available for $15 a month and is a standalone streaming package that offers the same content as HBO Go, but without the required television cable or satellite package. The timing for this HBO movie is working out fairly well for the premium cable network: their massively popular fantasy series Game of Thrones recently came to an end, so it never hurts to have another popular project ready to go. Its also a great time for Harrisburg Deadwood fans in particular, as local actor William Sanderson (who plays E.B. Farnum on the series) recently released his autobiography with a book signing event in Harrisburg. You can check out our story on Sandersons book signing and Q&A with fans at the Midtown Scholar Bookstore by taking a look at the link below: Sandersons autobiography, Yes, Im That Guy: The Rough-and-Tumble Life of a Character Actor," includes stories about his time shooting the Deadwood series as well as information about his four-decade career in Hollywood and personal life. Pennsylvania may not be Westeros from Game of Thrones or even castle-rich Wales, but there are castles spread across the Keystone State. And, you can visit any one of these 13 castles. Mercer Museum Henry Chapman Mercer, an archaeologist and tile-maker, knew the discards of Americans as they moved into the Industrial Age in the late 1800s and early 1900s could be a lasting map into everyday life in the modernizing country. To that end, Mercer gathered together more than 40,000 pieces of the average-life minutia everything from hand tools to cigar store statues to wagons to boats to medicinal bottles and built a castle in Doylestown to showcase the objects. With a full castle to work with, Mercer came up with a range of unique display methods, including a full whaling boat and a carriage hung from the towering ceiling, entire stores and apothecaries in some of the 55 rooms on the 7 levels of the castle, a room filled with saws and all the needs of a lumber camp, and much more. More about Mercer Museum. Fonthill Castle Mercer built a second castle Fonthill in Doylestown. Although he had little experience in building, the eccentric, millionaire archeologist/tile maker designed the castle himself. He started with the basement and worked his way up. His "Castle for the New World" went up from 1908-1912. Its a little haphazard on the inside. Doorways don't fit normal doors, so the offending portals have been shaved off to exists in the space. Staircases wander their own path rather than conform to regimented standards and the ceilings are a bit all over the place. It's concrete from top to bottom and decorated with Mercer's own tiles which you can find on the floors, in the walls, adorning fireplaces and high above in the ceilings. Boasting more than 200 windows, 44 rooms, 32 staircases and 18 fireplaces, the 7-story Fonthill is massive. It has a maze-like quality and is easy to get lost in. More about Fonthill Castle. Nemacolin Castle in Brownsville Nemacolin Castle Also known as Bowmans Castle, Nemacolin Castle in Brownsville began at Jacob Bowmans home and trading post. It was expanded throughout the 1800s into the 22-room mansion it is today. It is owned by Fayette County and managed by the Brownsville Historical Society as an historical site and museum. More about Nemacolin Castle. Stokesay Castle in Reading Stokesay Castle Today Stokesay Castle at Reading is a fine-dining restaurant, banquet hall and setting for fairy-tail weddings. But, when it was built on 10 wooded acres in 1931, inspired by a 13th century English castle by the same name, it was the vacation home of the Hiester family. The castle was used by the family until 1956 and then purchased by a group that converted it into a restaurant, which operated until 2997. It was purchased in 2009 by Jack Gulati, refurbished and reopened in its current state. More about Stokesay Castle. Castle monument on Little Round Top on Gettysburg Civil War Battlefield Little Round Top A 44-foot-tall, 12-foot-square castle stands atop Little Round Top on the Gettysburg Civil War Battlefield. Its a memorial to the 44th New York and 2 companies of the 12th New York Infantry Regiment, which defended the critical high ground against multiple Confederate assaults during the battle. The castle is the largest regimental monument on the battlefield. Designed by Daniel Butterfield, the original colonial of the 12th New York, and was dedicated in 1893. The tower, which is not open to public, is topped by the Maltese Cross symbol of the Fifth Army Corps. Information about the regiments is engraved in bronze tablets inside and outside the monument. More about the monument. Glencairn Museum in Bryn Athyn Glencairn Museum The Glencairn Museum in Bryn Athyn houses more than 10,000 historical religious objects in what once was the castle-like home of the Raymond and Mildred Pitcairn. Built in the late 1930s, Glencairn was the family home, but also housed Pitcairns collection of medieval objects, which were bought previously as inspirational models for the artists who worked on Bryn Athyn Cathedral. More about the Glencairn Museum. Fisher Fine Arts Museum in Philadelphia. Fisher Fine Arts Library Architect Frank Furness designed the University of Pennsylvanias original library at the heart of the Philadelphia campus, consulting with library authorities Melvil Dewey and Justin Winsor to produce a technologically advanced and utilitarian facility. The building was dedicated in 1891, complete with engraved window mottoes and other inscriptions throughout the building were chosen by Furness older brother Horace Howard Furness, a Shakespearean scholar and prominent member of Penn's faculty in the late 19th century. It was designed to accommodate decades of collection expansion, as projected in the 1880s, but already was becoming crowded by the start of the 20th century. After numerous expansions and alterations, a new library was built and the collections were moved there in 1962. The former library, renamed the Furness Building after its architect, was home to the Fine Arts Library and various architectural studios. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and declared a National Historic Landmark in 1985. After major restoration work, in 1992 it was rededicated as the Anne and Jerome Fisher Fine Arts Library. More about the Fisher Fine Arts Library. Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia Eastern State Penitentiary The design of a medieval castle was chosen for the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia to provide imagery that would deter crime. When it became operational in 1829, it was the largest building in the U.S. Its vaulted, sky-lit cells held approximately 80,000 men and women were incarcerated in the penitentiarys vaulted, sky-lit cells during its 142 years of operation, including bank robber "Slick Willie" Sutton and Scarface Al Capone. Today the Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site interprets the legacy of American criminal justice reform, from the nations founding to the present day, within the long-abandoned cellblocks of the nations most historic prison. The penitentiary also is the site of a popular Halloween attraction, Terror Behind the Walls. More about the Eastern State Penitentiary. Hawley Silk Mill in Hawley Hawley Silk Mill Hawley Silk Mill, a 19th-century mill with a castle facade in Hawley, has been remade into multipurpose space for everything from art and clothing to a cigar shop and furniture store to a coffee shop and bakery. The massive stone structure rests on the bank of Wallenpaupack Creek. More about Hawley Silk Mill. Carnegie Library in Braddock Carnegie Library in Braddock Pittsburghs Andrew Carnegie paid for the construction of 2,509 libraries worldwide from 1883-1929. Many of them were imposing structures, but the library built in 1888 in Braddock was full-on medieval castle architecture. It was the Carnegie library built in the U.S. Like other early Carnegie libraries, the building housed various recreational facilities for its users, including billiard tables on the first floor. A bathhouse in the basement, originally accessed by a tunnel under the front entrance, provided Carnegies mill workers with a place to shower before using the facilities. The library was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, named a National Historic Landmark in 2012, and is on the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundations List of Historic Landmarks. More about the Carnegie Library in Braddock Woodmont Manor House in Philadelphia Woodmont Manor House Woodmont Manor House was designed in 1891 by Quaker architect William Lightfoot Price in the French Gothic style for Alan Wood Jr., a steel magnate and former U.S. Congressman. It overlooks the Schuylkill River and Conshohocken, offering views of 5-20 miles. Modeled on the George W. Vanderbilt mansion, Biltmore, in Asheville, North Carolina, Woodmont original stood on more than 400 acres, including a working dairy farm. After occupying the palatial estate for less than a decade, Wood sold it to his nephew, Richard G. Wood, who lived there for 28 years, but began subdividing in 1929. It is a National Historic Landmark operated by the International Peace Mission Movement of the Rev. M. J. Divine. More about Woodmont Manor House. Grey Towers in Milford Grey Towers Originally the summer estate of the James Pinchot family and later the primary home of Gifford Pinchot, Americas first forester and founder of the U.S. Forest Service, Grey Towers in Milford was built in 1886. Recognizing the reckless destruction of natural resources that was overtaking the nation in the 19th century, James encouraged his eldest son Gifford to consider a career in forestry, thus introducing the idea of conservation to America. Gifford Pinchot went on to establish and serve as the first chief of the US Forest Service, and he was twice elected Governor of Pennsylvania. In 1963 the Pinchot family donated Grey Towers and its surrounding 102 acres to the US Forest Service. More about Grey Towers. Buhl Mansion in Sharon Buhl Mansion Continuing a tradition of buying and restoring massive rundown properties in western Pennsylvania, Jim and Donna Winner bought the Buhl Mansion in Sharon in 1996. After a multi-million-dollar restoration of the building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Winners opened it as a guesthouse of 10 luxury rooms and a full-service spa. The mansion was built by steel magnate, Frank Buhl, who founded Sharon Steel Corporation, as a gift to his wife. It was built from 1890-96 at a cost of $60,000. More about the Buhl Mansion. Deadwood, Newhart and Blade Runner fans converged on Midtown Scholar bookstore in Harrisburg to meet actor William Sanderson on May 28, 2019. Sanderson, who lives in Harrisburg, was signing copies of his memoir Yes, Im That Guy: The Rough-and-Tumble Life of a Character Actor. More than a hundred people came out for the event, leading Midtown Scholar to sell out of all its copies of the book. When asked about how he felt about seeing so many people come out for his book, Sanderson replied: I didnt count them, but they ran out of books so it made me feel great. Im not surprised -- its Harrisburg and people [here] are real. Randy Manning of Lemoyne has been a Sanderson fan since watching the actor portray Larry in Newhart. Hes had Sandersons book signing on his calendar since it was first announced. Ive just been a great appreciator of his work, Manning said. I think the characters -- theyre so real, theyre so believable. I think he does a great job. Joanne Murphy of Linglestown was another Newhart fan, having grown up with the show. Its not often we have celebrities come here to Harrisburg, so I thought itd be interesting to hear his stories, she said, waiting in line to have her book signed. Its a book shes looking forward to reading. I want to know his story behind him moving to Harrisburg I think that would be interesting, Murphy said. And I want to hear the stories he shares from the set and about the people hes gotten to know over the years. For Jon Kline of Linglestown, Sanderson will always be E.B. Farnum, the self-appointed town mayor on Deadwood. Kline is a self-proclaimed huge fan of Deadwood and he admitted was a little starstruck meeting Sanderson in person and shaking his hand. Seconds after he was still beaming. I only found out a couple years ago that he lives in this area, Kline said, noting that Sanderson seemed really down-to-earth. He obviously loves his fans, he added. Sanderson himself got emotional several times in the evening, especially during a pre-signing interview with Open Stage artistic director Stuart Landon. He repeatedly swapped his glasses for sunglasses, in case he got teary-eyed while discussing his love for his wife, the importance of past roles and the struggles of his career. But even when emotion threatened to overcome him, Sanderson could easily shift the mood with a lighthearted joke. He had a quip, it appeared, for nearly every occasion. That included when he was asked why he wrote a memoir. His answer? Oh, vanity. Yes, Im That Guy: The Rough-and-Tumble Life of a Character Actor by William Sanderson is $19.95 at Midtown Scholar. Itll be back in stock sometime between June 4 or 11. Sandersons talk will be available in podcast form on Midtown Scholars website (midtownscholar.com/author-talks) and on Itunes around noon on June 4. Sanderson is far from the first author to have a book signing at Midtown Scholar. The Harrisburg bookstore regularly holds free literary events, including a June 8 signing by David Epstein of his book Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World at 6 p.m. and a June 18 signing by Casey Cep of her book The Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Lost Trial of Harper-Lee at 7 p.m. Learn more at midtownscholar.com/events. Julia Hatmaker may be reached at jhatmaker@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter @JuliaHatmaker. Start your day in the know by signing up for our newsletter, Good Morning, Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania was ranked No. 20 state when it comes to reported cases of fraud, according to a study that was released earlier this month by Security.org. The study examined the 10 most common forms of identify theft, fraud and financial scams in every state to determine the rankings. The website used information from the Federal Trade Commission Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book, which covers reports made in 2018 as well as data from the Pew Research Center, which polled adult Americans on their attitudes toward cybersecurity. Nationally, the top three categories reported were imposter scams, debt collection fraud and identity theft, according to the study. Here is a breakdown of the 10 Most Common Types of Fraud in Pennsylvania: 10. Internet Services - There were 2,034 reports of fraud that included internet services in Pennsylvania in 2018. Internet services scams accounted for more than 60,000 people throughout the country in 2018. 9. Auto related - There were 3,448 reports of fraud that were auto related in Pennsylvania in 2018. There were 100,000 cases reported in the country in 2018. 8. Credit reports, information furnishers and report users - There were 4,359 reports of fraud that included credit bureaus, information furnishers and report users in Pennsylvania in 2018. Scams related to credit reports and other personal financial data accounted for about 136,000 cases in the country in 2018. 7. Prizes, sweepstakes, and lotteries - There were 4,551 reports of fraud that included prizes, sweepstakes, and lotteries in Pennsylvania in 2018. This type of fraud affected more than 130,000 Americans in the country in 2018. 6. Shop-at-home and catalog sales - There were 4,605 reports of fraud that included shop-at-home and catalog sales in Pennsylvania in 2018. These schemes impacted more than 140,000 people in the country in 2018. credit cards 5. Banks and lenders - There were 4,976 reports of fraud that included banks and lenders in Pennsylvania in 2018. There were 138,000 cases reported nationally in 2018. 4. Telephone and Mobile Services - There were 5,155 reports of fraud that included telephone and mobile services in Pennsylvania in 2018. Telephone and mobile services scams impact more than 100,000 people in the country in 2018. 3. Identity Theft - There were 13,725 reports of fraud that included identity theft in Pennsylvania in 2018. Identity theft accounted for about 15 percent of all reports, with the agency receiving more than 440,000 reports during 2018. Cyber Security 2. Imposter Thefts - There were 14,221 reports of fraud that included imposter scams in Pennsylvania in 2018. Accounting for 17.9 percent of all incidents reported by the FTC, imposter scams are the most common single type of financial fraud or theft in the United States. 1. Debt collection - There were 14,839 reports of fraud that included debt collection in Pennsylvania in 2018. Debt collection cases accounted for nearly 16 percent of the national mix, with more than 475,000 cases reported to the FTC. READ MORE: A Georgia businessman is seeking the return of millions of dollars in seized money and property after a federal jury in Harrisburg acquitted him of charges that he had participated in a $5.7 million scam against Rite Aid Corp. U.S. Middle District Judge John E. Jones III entered the judgment of acquittal for Vance Taylor on Wednesday, five days after the jurors returned their verdict. Taylor and business partner Larry Nuckols, owners of Atlanta-based Nuvision Graphics, were accused of participating in a scheme with former Rite Aid Vice President James W. Pilsner to rip off the drug store giant. FBI and IRS investigators said Pilsner engaged in a kickback scheme in which he demanded payments from Nuvision, which provided preprint advertising services to West Shore-based Rite Aid. In return, Pilsner arranged for bogus invoices from Nuvision to be paid, prosecutors said. Investigators said the scheme was conducted between 1995 and 2017, the year Pilsner was fired. The federal charges against Pilsner, Nuckols and Taylor were lodged last year. Taylor was the only one of the three men charged in the case who decided to go to trial. Pilsner pleaded guilty to kick-back and tax evasion charges this past October with the understanding that he owes the IRS hundreds of thousands of dollars in back taxes. Nuckols pleaded guilty the following month to a tax evasion charge and immediately forfeited nearly $2 million, his share of a $1.3 million yacht and nine properties in the southern U.S. and Costa Rica to the federal government. Nuckols and Pilsner both are awaiting sentencing. Meanwhile, Jones is considering a motion filed by defense attorney Steve Sadow filed seeking the release of bank accounts and property government agents seized when Taylor was arrested. Sadow noted in the motion that he asked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Douglas Daniel to back the release request but he has declined to do so. Jones has given prosecutors until 5 p.m. Thursday to file an answer to Sadows motion. When Taylor was charged, the feds filed notice they intended to seize more than $1.2 million in cash, numerous bank and investment accounts, a boat, and 71 parcels of real estate, most of it in Georgia. The parents of a 15-year-old Harrisburg boy who was killed when the stolen car he was driving crashed into a tree during a chase by city police has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city. Waleska Santiago and Jaime Winston claim the pursuit that killed their son Kobe Santiago in November was reckless, dangerous and unreasonable and should not even have been initiated by an officer. By doing so, the police violated Kobes constitutional rights against unlawful search and seizure and deprived him of due process of law and ensured he suffered a painful death, the parents contend in the U.S. Middle District Court complaint. An attempt to obtain comment on the suit from city Solicitor Neil Grover was not immediately successful Wednesday morning. Kobe was one of three teens in the stolen car when it crashed at 25th and Brookwood streets on Nov. 25. Jayquan Barber, 16, was critically injured and a third boy, 17, suffered less severe injuries. Police have said the officer involved in the chase ended the pursuit about a block and a half before the fatal crash occurred. They said the stolen car hit a dip in the road and went airborne before slamming into the tree. Kobe Santiago The pursuit began after the owner of the car, which was stolen on Thanksgiving Day, spotted it and called police. An officer tried to pull the car over, but Kobe refused to stop, police said. City Police Commissioner Thomas Carter said soon after the incident that the pursuit was mostly low speed, covered about a mile, and lasted roughly four minutes. In their suit, Kobes parents claim the pursuit violated a clandestine city police policy that bars officers from engaging in chases in cases that dont involve forcible felonies, such as robberies and assaults. Through sources, PennLive confirmed such a policy exists. The parents, represented by Harrisburg attorney Leticia C. Chavez-Freed, claim police had no reason to believe the teens in the stolen car had committed a violent crime. Police identified Kobe as the driver. The decision by police to initiate the pursuit constituted deliberate indifference to the safety of Kobe and the other teens in the car, the parents contend. It is widely recognized that vehicular pursuits carry a substantial risk of injury and/or death, the suit states. The police, it adds, were not acting in a highly pressurized situation because there was no cause to believe (Kobe) either committed or attempted to commit a violent felony or that he was in possession of a deadly weapon. The parents seek unspecified financial damages on claims including negligence, failure to properly train officers and civil rights violations. For years, Pennsylvania failed to meet federal mandates to clean up the waterways that feed into the Chesapeake Bay and also serve as sources of local drinking water and recreation. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other watchdogs have issued failing grades, threatening letters and even withheld millions of dollars in federal grants to spur the state to action. This week, the nonprofit Chesapeake Bay Foundation minced no words in releasing its report on a multi-state pact to control pollution running into the estuary. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and that is also true for the partnership working to restore water quality across the region, President William C. Baker said. Today, unfortunately, Pennsylvanias link is not only weak, it is broken. Read the TAPPED OUT special investigation of drinking water. In its the report, the nonprofit that tracks pollution into the bay argued that Pennsylvania has lagged Maryland and Virginia in addressing agricultural and stormwater runoff. It also criticized Pennsylvanias new plan to reduce pollution by 2025. The state Department of Environmental Protection admitted in its own draft plan that it didnt have the money to follow through with a 67 percent reduction of nitrogen flowing into local waterways. Total investment needed to achieve the 2025 goals is estimated to be $485 million per year an annual gap of $257 million, the DEP report read. According to that report, the DEP currently has about 32 staff members involved in programs that curb runoff into the vast estuary that drains into the Chesapeake Bay. It would need to increase that number to 80 in order to meet the goals of the plan. This is hardly a new problem for the state agency tasked with protecting the environment and public health. A succession of budget cuts over more than a decade left the DEP short staffed everywhere. PennLive has reported extensively on shortcomings in the agencys drinking water and oil and gas programs. Last year, the agency turned to fee increases on drinking water utilities in an effort to boost staffing of inspectors. A similar proposal that would help it hire additional biologists to tackle water pollution faced recent opposition in the Legislature. DEP spokeswoman Elizabeth Rementer said Wednesday the agency does not believe the report accurately describes the states plans with regard to the Chesapeake Bay program. While Pennsylvania only quantified practices that achieve 67 [percent] of the nitrogen required, that is not the entirety of the reductions described in the plan, she said, in a written statement. Our plan is grounded in reality and was developed with unprecedented stakeholder engagement and buy-in. Rementer did not respond to questions about funding the draft plan but said the DEP will continue those efforts despite the lack of support from the Foundation or the federal government. Earlier this month, state Environmental Secretary Patrick McDonnell joined 19 attorneys general from across the country in signing a letter urging Congressional leaders to increase funding for the EPA, which in turn passes funding down to the states. Congress proposed budget, the letter argued, would cut the EPAs budget by $2.8 billion 31 percent and undermine environmental and health protections in the process. That includes $1.4 billion in funding for states and Native American tribes across the country. The DEPs Chesapeake Bay plan emphasizes the need for additional federal funding and cooperation to achieve its pollution reduction goals. I know all about Pennsylvanias budget woes and the difficulty in putting forth funds but its a matter of choice, said Bill Chain, the CBFs agricultural program manager in Pennsylvania. Chain pointed to Virginias cost-share program, which helps farmers pay for conservation measures to curb runoff of manure and other pollutants, as one example of a successful state-run program Pennsylvania could emulate. We have to reckon with the importance of our environment, he said. Farmers arent going to be able to do this all on their own. Its a public good. Pennsylvanias DEP may be feeling the pinch stuck between federal budget cuts and regulation-averse state politicians but Chain said thats when it needs to get creative. That could involve tax incentives or public-private partnerships, he said. Chain said the state has laid out a plan to reduce pollution but it stopped short of explaining how itll get there with the current funding gap. Wed be happy to sit down around the table to help the state figure out how to do that, he said. You can read the DEPs draft plan here. You can comment on the plan through June 7. For more information about water contamination, read PennLives Tapped Out investigation of drinking water oversight in Pennsylvania. Wallace McKelvey may be reached at wmckelvey@pennlive.com. Follow him on Twitter @wjmckelvey. Find PennLive on Facebook. Pennsylvanias neighbors to the north and east were seemingly hot on the trail of legalizing marijuana and it didnt go unnoticed by Gov. Tom Wolf. The strong interest in legalizing recreational cannabis coming out of New York and New Jersey was cited as a reason why Wolf sent Lt. Gov. John Fetterman on a statewide listening tour to hear what Pennsylvanians thought of the idea. Fetterman, a legalization proponent, completed his tour on May 19. That coincidentally was right around the time reports were coming out that New York lawmakers enthusiasm about legalization had waned and in New Jersey, immediate efforts for pursuing it had changed course. Lawmakers in New Jersey now are pushing ahead with expansion of its medical marijuana program and making plans for a binding referendum on recreational uses of pot to go on the ballot in November 2020. Fetterman is expected to release a preliminary report on what he learned from his tour of Pennsylvanias 67 counties within the next week or two, said Christina Kauffman, his spokeswoman. His final report on the feedback he gathered about various issues related to legalization and current law wont be ready for a few months. But in the end, Wolf spokesman J.J. Abbott said, the listening tour reflects Governor Wolfs belief that this process should be driven by the people of Pennsylvania and what direction that they want the state to proceed. That has not changed. So despite what the neighboring states decided to do with this issue, Abbott said the governor believes that Pennsylvania still needs to explore the issue seriously. The reality is that these states could still legalize marijuana or expand access significantly, which would impact Pennsylvania communities on these borders, Abbott said. Meanwhile, key Pennsylvania lawmakers on both sides of the issue say what does or doesnt happen in New York and New Jersey with legalization issue doesnt affect their thinking on what should happen here. I never thought this was something we would take up this year anyway, said Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, R-Centre County. This just reinforces that. Legalizing federally prohibited drugs is not a top priority for the House either, said Mike Straub, a spokesman for House Majority Leader Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster County. Despite the Republican legislative leaders lack of interest and the loss of momentum in the neighboring states for legalization, it hasnt deterred some of Pennsylvanias strongest cannabis champions. Sen. Sharif Street, D-Philadelphia, said he and Sen. Daylin Leach, D-Montgomery County are taking a less aggressive approach to legalization than the rush job that New York and New Jersey seemingly tried to pull off. We have had more of a sustained drawn-out process to bring stakeholders in. So I think when we get to the point where were ready to move forward were likely not to have some of the challenges that they have, Street said. We tend to be a little more deliberative in our process but I like to think in the end, were pretty good at getting it right. He cited the states incremental entrance into legalized gambling arena as similar to the path he envisions the state will likely take when it comes to this issue, giving Pennsylvanians time to psychologically adjust to it. I think as Pennsylvanians sort of become more familiar with cannabis and get a greater understanding of just how we would envision a Pennsylvania program rollout, the likelihood of us moving to full legalization of adult use becomes greater, he said. In the House, Rep. Jake Wheatley, D-Allegheny County, who introduced his cannabis legalization bill on Jan. 3, said he too is unfazed by what is happening on the legalization front in the other states. He is more concerned about the discussion surrounding the issue happening at the federal level. If Pennsylvania waits for the national government to do this then well be forced kind of to respond to whatever framework they decide on for this new industry, Wheatley said. People he has spoken with believe its inevitable that the federal government will declassify marijuana as a controlled substance or at least make it so states that have passed legalization for adult use can be protected from federal intervention. If we all believe its coming then its just a matter of time, he said. So its my belief that Pennsylvania should begin the conversation. Corman, however, believes the best course of action for Pennsylvania is to monitor the experience of states that have already made the leap. There certainly are mixed results from those states so Im not surprised [New York and New Jersey] ran into roadblocks that they couldnt get past, he said. I think Pennsylvania ought to sit back and allow the medical marijuana industry to begin to take hold and focus our attention on that. Thats where the House Republican leaders are on this issue as well. Straub said, We remain committed to successfully and safely expanding the states medical marijuana program. Time will tell if and when that view changes, Corman said. Different policy makers over the years will make different decisions," he said. "But I certainly think given the experience of New York and New Jersey, its certainly nowhere around the corner for us in Pennsylvania and shouldnt be for the distant future. Jan Murphy may be reached at jmurphy@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JanMurphy. Breaking news before daybreak. Sign up for Good Morning, Pennsylvania. Dublin, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Sound Reinforcement Market in Europe - Industry Outlook and Forecast 2019-2024" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Europe sound reinforcement market is likely to reach around $2.24 billion by 2024, growing at a CAGR of approximately 3% during 2018-2024. The emergence of networked audio technology, the rise in strategic partnership with artists, the increased demand from corporates, government offices, educational institutes, and the increasing number of sporting events and tourism are helping the Europe sound reinforcement market to grow significantly. Futuristic inventions in wireless digital technology and the growth in complementary digital technologies are likely to boost investors' confidence in the Europe sound reinforcement market. The market is expected to witness an increase in the VC (venture capital) funding during the forecast period. Also, several vendors are constantly trying to upgrade their existing systems. Many startups are likely to enter the market with innovative solutions and advanced features while existing vendors will continue to enhance their product portfolio through upgrades. Hence, the introduction of upgrades is expected to drive market growth during the forecast period. The Europe sound reinforcement market is witnessing enhancements due to the increased demand for audio and video equipment, especially from corporates, government offices, and institutional workplaces. With the intensifying competition, the corporate sector and institutional workplaces are increasingly adopting equipment such as microphones and speakers to ease and smooth workflow processes and activities. Further, the development of innovative tools and technologies to promote e-learning in classrooms is expected to fuel the growth of the Europe sound reinforcement market in coming years. Europe Sound Reinforcement Market: Segmentation The market research report includes detailed market segmentation by products, distribution channels, formats, and end-user. The Europe sound reinforcement market by product can be segmented into microphones, pro speakers, audio/sound mixers, audio signal processors, power amplifiers, others. In 2018, the microphones segment led the market and is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 2.23% during the forecast period. Vendors are exploring ways to implement IoT (internet of things) and AV (audio-visual) technology in microphones, which will facilitate the user to operate from remote locations as well. Further, the increasing proliferation of IoT in the education sector is paving the way for vendors to explore sales opportunities in university campuses. Hence, digital enhancements in the microphone industry are expected to boost the Europe sound reinforcement market during the forecast period. Pro speakers are another significant segment, and the Europe sound reinforcement market is witnessing the increased adoption of pro speakers. This can be attributed to the growing music industry, the increasing demand for PA systems, and the need to efficiently distribute sound in large venues such as worship places or stadiums. Further, vendors are investing for R&D to introduce wireless pro-speakers in the Europe sound reinforcement market. Sound mixers, audio signal processors, and audio power amplifiers segments are gaining momentum due to the growth in the music industry. The Europe sound reinforcement market by format can be segmented into digital and analog segments. The digital segment captured more than half of the market in 2018. The analog segment, on the other hand, is expected to grow at a CAGR of about 1% during the forecast period. The digital segment is expected to witness increased market growth in the coming year due to the rise in internet users and the growth in the number of connected devices. The Europe sound reinforcement market by distribution can be segmented into online and retail segments. In 2018, the retail segment contributed to the highest market revenue. Several traditional pro AV equipment vendors have modified their product line to increase the visibility of multiple sound reinforcement systems in retail stores. HARMAN, Yamaha, Sennheiser, Shure, Audio-Technica, Sony, Bose, and MUSIC Group have established retail stores across Europe. Further, the trend of selling sound reinforcement products through online and OEM stores is increasing. The Europe sound reinforcement market by end-user can be segmented into large venues and events, corporates, educational institutes, government and military, and others. The corporate sector is expected to remain the largest end-user segment in the sound reinforcement market and captured one-third of the market in 2018. The geographic expansion of companies, the growing number of offices, and the integration of IoT in business workflow processes are the major factors contributed to the segment growth. Restaurants, hotels, nightclubs, casinos, and cruise ships are other sectors that are increasingly incorporating modern-day pro AV systems to enhance the consumer experience. Key Topics Covered: 1 Research Methodology 2 Research Objectives 3 Research Process 4 Scope & Coverage 4.1 Market Definition 4.2 Base Year 4.3 Scope of the study 4.4 Market Segments 5 Report Assumptions & Caveats 5.1 Key Caveats 5.2 Currency Conversion 5.3 Market Derivation 6 Market At A Glance 7 Introduction 7.1 Overview 7.1.1 Pro AV Solutions 7.1.2 Sound Reinforcement 8 Market Dynamics 8.1 Market Opportunities & Trends 8.1.1 Growing Convergence of Pro AV and IoT 8.1.2 Emergence of Networked Audio Technology 8.1.3 Strategic Partnerships with Artists 8.1.4 Growing Adoption in Educational Institutions 8.2 Market Growth Restraints 8.2.1 Acoustical Challenges Related to Pro Speakers 8.2.2 Technical Difficulties Hampering Adoption of Wireless Microphones 8.2.3 Volatility in Raw Material Prices Affecting Vendor Margins 8.3 Market Growth Enabler 8.3.1 Increased Demand from Corporate, Government, and Institutions 8.3.2 Growing Live Performance and Music Industry 8.3.3 Increasing Number of Sporting Events and Tournaments 8.3.4 Growing Music Production and Recording Industry 9 Value Chain Analysis 9.1 Overview 9.2 Value Chain Analysis 9.2.1 Technology Suppliers 9.2.2 OEMs 9.2.3 AV Consultants or Integrators 9.2.4 System Dealers and Distributors 9.2.5 System End-users 10 Market Landscape 10.1 Historic Data 20152017 10.2 Market Size & Forecast 10.3 Five Forces Analysis 11 By Product 11.1 Market Snapshot & Growth Engine 11.2 Market Overview 12 Pro Microphone Market 12.1 Market Snapshot & Growth Engine 12.2 Market Size & Forecast 12.3 Market by product type - Wired & Wireless 12.4 Wireless Microphone Market by Sub-product 12.4.1 Handheld Microphones - Market Size & Forecast 12.4.2 Clip-on Microphones - Market Size & Forecast 12.4.3 Other Microphones - Market Size & Forecast 13 Pro Speaker Market 13.1 Market snapshot & Growth Engine 13.2 Market Size & Forecast 13.3 Market by product type 13.3.1 Point Source Speaker Systems - Market Size & Forecast 13.3.2 Line Array Speaker Systems - Market Size & Forecast 13.3.3 Subwoofers - Market Size & Forecast 13.3.4 Other Pro Speaker Systems - Market Size & Forecast 13.4 Market by Amplification method 13.4.1 Market Size & Forecast - Passive Systems and Powered Systems 14 Audio/Sound Mixer Market 14.1 Market snapshot & Growth Engine 14.2 Market Size & Forecast 14.3 Market by Product Type 14.3.1 Market Size & Forecast - Powered & Passive 15 Audio Signal Processor Market 15.1 Market Snapshot & Growth Engine 15.2 Market Size & Forecast 15.3 Market by Product Type 15.3.1 Market Size & Forecast - Digital & Analog 16 Audio Power Amplifier Market 16.1 Market Snapshot & Growth Engine 16.2 Market Size & Forecast 16.3 Market Product Type 16.3.1 Market Size & Forecast - Digital & Analog 17 Other Sound Reinforcement Solutions 17.1 Market Snapshot & Growth Engine 17.2 Market Size & Forecast 17.3 Market by Product Type 17.3.1 Market Size & Forecast - Cables, Audio Networking Solutions, & Others 18 By End-Users 18.1 Market Snapshot & Growth Engine 18.2 Market Overviews 18.3 Corporates 18.4 Large Venues & Events 18.5 Educational Institutions 18.6 Government & Military 18.7 Studio & Broadcasting 18.8 Hospitality 18.9 Other Sectors 19 By Format 19.1 Market snapshot & Growth Engine 19.2 Market Overview 19.3 Market Size & Forecast 19.3.1 Digital & Analog Systems (Revenue & Unit Shipment) 20 By Distribution Channels 20.1 Market Overview 20.2 Manufacturing, Production, & Distribution 20.3 Distribution through retail stores 20.4 Distribution through Online Websites 21 Key Countries Competitive Landscape Prominent Vendors Audio-Technica Business Overview Product Offerings Key Strengths Key Strategies Key Opportunities Bose HARMAN International MUSIC Group (Music Tribe) Sennheiser Electronic Shure Sony Yamaha Other Prominent Vendors ADK Microphones Business Overview AEB Industriale (DB TECHNOLOGIES) Alcons Audio Amadeus Ansr Audio Apex Audio Audioprof Audio Engineering Associates Audix microphones Beijing 797 Audio Belden Beyerdynamic Blue Microphones Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) BOYA CAD Audio Carlson Audio Systems CeltoAcoustique Coda Audio CORDIAL Dynaudio d&baudiotechnik/system Electro-Voice (EV) Extron Electronics GTD Audio HEDD - Heinz Electrodynamic Designs Hz Sound Systems inMusic Klipsch Audio Technologies K-Array Lectrosonics Legrand Lewitt Liberty AV LOUD Audio MIPRO Electronics MXL by Marshall Electronics Nady Systems OUTLINE Pan Acoustics Powersoft Audio PROEL Pyle Pro Samson Technologies sE Electronics Southwire Company Stewart Audio Vivolink Zaxcom For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/354qdf Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. A Maryland woman faces more than a half dozen felony charges after police said she admitted to forcing her way into an Adams County home while armed with a meat cleaver. Beth Sattizahn, who is now incarcerated in a Maryland prison on unrelated charges, said she invaded the Littlestown home with her husband, Dale, according local police Chief Charles G. Kellar. In a Tuesday news release, Kellar also announced that Dale Sattizahn was killed in a January crash on Route 140 in Maryland, where he was struck by a vehicle. The crash has no connection with the Adams County home invasion, police said. The charges against Beth Sattizahn of Westminster, Md. stem from a Nov. 11 home invasion on West King Street in Littlestown. Shortly before midnight, police were called to the home to find that a woman and a man had broken inside, according to the release. The man and woman were Dale and Beth Sattizahn, police said, citing Beth Sattizahns reported confession. At the time of the home invasion, the couple were armed with a meat cleaver, a wooden club and a can of Pepper spray, which they used to assault and threaten a man and woman inside of the home, police said. The couple then destroyed items inside of the home, including a fish tank, a television and furniture, before fleeing the area in a silver Ford Escape, police said. A portion of the attack was recorded by a surveillance camera, and on April 26, that video led to an anonymous tip from a person who identified Dale and Beth Sattizahn, police said. Beth Sattizahn eventually was arrested in North Carolina and extradited to Maryland, where she was wanted for robbery, police said. Beth Sattizahn was interviewed last week, and that is when she confessed to the Littlestown home invasion, according to the release. Police said Beth Sattizahn claimed that she and her husband invaded the home because someone owed them money in exchange for drugs. Neither of the people who were assaulted and threatened during the home invasion were the person who owed the money, police said, citing Beth Sattizahns reported confession. Online court documents show that Beth Sattizahn faces felony charges of aggravated assault (two counts), conspiracy (two counts), burglary, criminal trespass and criminal mischief. Thats in addition to misdemeanor charges of terroristic threats and simple assault. Beth Sattizahn is to be extradited to Adams County. MIDDLETOWN - Resuming, and maybe ending, a debate that had been put on hold since a zoning citation resulted in a lawsuit last year, Middletown Borough Council and Mayor James Curry signalled satisfaction with rental housing ordinances here as they stand. The council refused at a workshop meeting Tuesday night to show enough support to list a proposal from Councilman Robert Reid to permit landlords with properties in medium-density residential zones to rent to up to four unrelated adults at once on its future agenda. The boards action, taken after a strong vote of support for the existing law from Mayor James Curry that caps live-in companions at two unrelated persons, may end - for now - a debate pressed on this Dauphin County borough by years of steady growth at nearby Penn State Harrisburg. With council set to address the issue for the first time since a local landlord dropped her challenge of the existing ordinance earlier this spring, Curry said that growth is Penn States problem to solve. If Penn State wants to grow Penn State, do it, Curry said. But you should figure out a way to house your students... You cant expect a town to just fold and become a (de facto) campus because Penn State didnt plan ahead. The Reid proposal died after Council President Angela Lloyd and members Jenny Miller, Dawn Knull and Ian Reddinger all refused to ask for its listing on the agenda. Curry had also promised a veto, meaning any three members votes would be enough to block a loosening of the current rules. The issue had its roots in a February 2018 citation issued to former councilwoman Diana McGlone for renting a recently rehabilitated home in the 200 block of West Water Street to four Penn State Harrisburg students. McGlone and her father appealed the original determination, arguing in part that the Middletown ordinance as it stands requires her and other landlords to ask questions of their prospective tenants that are barred by federal and state law. Council was ready to revisit the issue at its first public session since the McGlones dropped their challenge. Curry and council members articulated several reasons why they believe its in the communitys best interests to stick with the ordinance - which already permits larger groups of students to live together in specificallly-designed student housing developments in other zoning districts. First, they noted that Middletown residents are suffering from a water deal that exposes residents to a surcharge if the borough doesnt buy enough water from the municipal systems private owner. Setting the stage for an increase in the number of rental units throughout the town doesnt help, Curry and Lloyd noted, since those residences are mostly occupied for only nine months out of the year. Surcharges, meanwhile, will be passed onto to all borough residents. I can not do that (raise the likelihood of additional surcharges) Lloyd said. I cant agree to that. Others noted that the same effect would quite possibly contribute to a cut in the revenue Middletown makes from power sales, eroding a key revenue stream for the boroughs general fund. Riley Cagle, president of the Penn State Harrisburg Student Government Association, urged council to keep considering changes to the existing ordinance, arguing that students are regular people who are humans, with rights, and who bring a lot of vitality to the community. Cagle has said his research suggests that many Penn State Harrisburg residential students can find cheaper housing off-campus in the borough that they can through campus-controlled properties. Curry, however, said the students need to take up those issues with the university. Penn State Harrisburg is said to be one of the fastest-growing of Penn State's 19 undergraduate branch campuses. According to data supplied to trustees last year, PSU Harrisburgs total enrollment increased from 4,441 to 5,077, or 14%, between 2013 and 2017. The incoming freshman class for 2018-19 was over 1,050 students - a 28% increase from five years ago. In addition, the university notes the profile of first-year students has changed significantly, with out-of-state and international students now comprising 50% of first-year enrollments. Of the remaining first-years, approximately 28% are Pennsylvania residents from outside the Harrisburg area. Both Curry and Lloyd stressed that they in no way want to be unwelcoming to students, and they do value Penn State Harrisburg as a civic neighbor and partner. But with its existing student housing zoning in place, Curry said, he believes Middletown has done enough. To me its settled. Its black and white. And I dont think that we need to spend additional money re-writing ordinances to cater to someone who has created an emotional issue for their own benefit," Curry said, referring to the McGlones. With a bowed head, Harrisburg police Officer Chad McGowan stood Wednesday before U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, who reached up and placed a medal around the officers neck. It was the Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery, and McGowan, dubbed an American hero, was one of only a few to receive the honor for his actions to save fellow police officers in 2017. The fact is, Officer Chad McGowan is an American hero, Toomey told those in the crowd. McGowan was awarded the badge for his actions on Dec. 22, 2017, when gunman Ahmed El-Mofty fired several shots at a Capitol police cruiser near the Capitol. El-Mofty, a 51-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen from Egypt, nearly shot an officer inside of the vehicle, and a few blocks away, he also fired shots at a state trooper, grazing her head. El-Mofty then traveled to the area of 17th and Mulberry streets, where he was spotted by McGowan, who was driving an unmarked car carrying a county probation officer, as well as rookie police officers. McGowan, who was not supposed to be working at the time, ultimately exchanged gunfire with El-Mofty, killing him in the shootout. On Tuesday, Toomey recounted the events of that day before calling McGowan a hero. His bravery and his response saved lives that day, Toomey said. U.S. Attorney David Freed of the Middle District of Pennsylvania remembered watching the events of that day unfold from his office window in Harrisburg. Chad McGowan went toward the danger and stayed until the job was done, Freed said. He did his duty and we are grateful. At a Tuesday news conference, McGowan, who joined the Harrisburg Police Department in 2013, spoke about the shootout, explaining that it was his goal to protect the city. However, he was unwilling to take full credit, calling the response a team effort. I was kind of in big brother mode that day, doing my best to take care of the younger officers and my probation partner that evening, McGowan said Tuesday. It was really a dual mindset at that point: Protect the citizens of Harrisburg and protect my partners. For his actions, McGowan was awarded the Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery, becoming one of only 18 people to receive the honor for the year of 2017. On Wednesday, McGowan spoke after receiving the honor. I am so humbled by this experience, and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart, he said. The honor is given to those who show exceptional acts of bravery in the line of duty," Toomey said. Harrisburg police Commissioner Thomas Carter nominated McGowan for the honor, Toomey said. There is no doubt that Commissioner Carter made the right recommendation in Officer McGowan, Toomey said. And Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse, reading from a citation, agreed. Officer Chad McGowans quick identification of the suspects vehicle and his decisive action to confront the suspect saved other officers that day, Papenfuse said. His action demonstrated extraordinary bravery. NORFOLK, Va. A nonprofit that tracks pollution in the Chesapeake Bay lambasted Pennsylvania on Tuesday, saying that the state is failing to protect the nations largest estuary from farm manure and dirty stormwater. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation released a report saying Pennsylvania's plan to reduce pollution from farms and cities is "woefully inadequate" and underfunded by about $250 million a year. The foundation also warned that the Environmental Protection Agency has failed to keep Pennsylvania on track. It's one of six states, along with the District of Columbia, federally required to significantly reduce bay pollution by 2025. "If EPA does not hold Pennsylvania accountable, CBF and others must consider legal action," foundation President William C. Baker warned in a news release. Pennsylvania officials said the foundation's assessment is inaccurate and failed to account for all of the state's efforts. The EPA said in its own statement that Pennsylvania has made "significant" progress. The foundation's report is the latest note of caution about the Chesapeake Bay's health, which appears to be improving after decades of unbridled pollution. In recent years, the story of the 200-mile-long (325-kilometer-long) bay has mostly been about signs of recovery. Underwater grasses are spreading. Oxygen dead zones are shrinking. The latest survey of blue crabs showed the highest estimates in seven years. But environmentalists say more work is needed and threats like climate change still loom. Last year, a punishing cycle of downpours led to increased pollution in the bay, according to a recent report from the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. The EPA has been requiring watershed states to cut phosphorous, nitrogen and sediment pollution, which comes from sewage treatment plants and runoff from farms and cities. The pollutants have led to oxygen dead zones that curtail animal and plant life. The EPA said in a statement Tuesday that it's reviewing each state's proposed plan to reduce pollution in the years leading up to 2025. Final plans are expected to be submitted in August. The foundation's report assessed plans from the states that cause the most pollution: Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia. It said Virginia is on track provided it "accelerates" its efforts. Maryland is also on track but relies on "less cost effective" methods that may not be sustainable, the foundation said. The harshest criticism was for Pennsylvania. The state's boundaries do not reach the bay, but some of its waterways, like the Susquehanna River, flow into the Chesapeake through Maryland. The foundation said Pennsylvania needs to do more to make sure local stormwater systems are updated and farms are effectively handling manure. The state's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources as well as its Department of Environmental Protection pushed back against the report, noting that Pennsylvania has 33,000 farms and more than 350 municipalities in the watershed. Farmers are voluntarily making efforts to reduce runoff while best management practices are being implemented, the agencies said in a joint statement. "We will continue those efforts despite the lack of support from the Foundation or the federal government," the statement said. The other states in the Chesapeake Bay watershed are Delaware, New York and West Virginia. Attorneys for Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro formally opened their appeal Wednesday of federal judges recent decision to overturn former Penn State President Graham Spaniers child endangerment conviction. Shapiro announced the move Wednesday via this Tweet: #BREAKING My Office just filed an appeal on Graham Spanier's overturned conviction for endangering the welfare of children. Spanier was made aware of children being abused & chose to cover it up. For that, my Office will stand up + enforce the #RuleOfLaw. No one is above it. AG Josh Shapiro (@PAAttorneyGen) May 29, 2019 U.S. Magistrate Judge Karoline Mehalchick ruled in late April - one day before Spanier was scheduled to start serving a two-month county prison sentence - that Spaniers rights were violated when state courts held his conduct in 2001 to the terms of a child endangerment statute that werent enacted until 2007. Mehalchicks order vacated the conviction and sentence, and ordered a new trial. Shapiros current appeal is to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Now that the formal notice of appeal has been filed and case records are transferred, the case will be assigned to three of the appeals courts judges and - assuming there are no intervening motions - the two parties will be asked to make their cases in legal briefs over a roughly three-month period. If one of the judges wants to hear further argument, the case will proceed to oral arguments, before a decision is rendered. Forty Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency employees were told on Wednesday morning that the agency plans to outsource their state government jobs over the next 30 days. The agency, which services federal student loans for the U.S. Department of Education and recently launched its own private loan program, is in the process of transferring the work those employees perform to Wipro, an India-based global digital technology company, and subcontractor Ensono, a Chicago area-based mainframe service provider. This privatization move is anticipated will achieve nearly $9 million in cost savings over the next two years for PHEAA. The savings is derived from not renewing software and services contracts with IBM and Computer Associates and eliminating the 40 agency positions. It is the third time in a little over a year that PHEAA, which currently employs 2,858 people, has outsourced portions of its operation. The employees affected by this latest privatization move will be offered comparable positions with Ensono allowing them to continue working in Harrisburg to support PHEAAs mainframe platform until the agency moves to a cloud-based framework, according to PHEAA spokesman Keith New. In future years, these employees will have additional opportunities as Ensono employees in support of their many mainframe customers throughout the nation, he said. However, that means the affected employees who accept positions with Ensono will no longer be adding to their service credits in the state pension system and will lose their other state government-provided benefits. The individuals who are being laid off hold positions including mainframe technology manager, mainframe technology database administrator, programmer analyst and information technology associate. Their length of service at PHEAA ranges from 1.5 years to nearly 35 years, New said. Their salaries range from $36,524 up through $117,412. About a quarter of the positions are represented by the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Council 13. An attempt to get a comment from AFSCME 13 executive director Dave Fillman was unsuccessful on Wednesday morning. The timing of the outsourcing is spurred by the expiration of its IBM and Computer Associates contracts happening over the next 46 days. New called this outsourcing the next step in our transformation journey toward making the agency more profitable to support the states student aid programs. Wipro and its subcontractor Ensono were the winners of a bid competition to take over the day-to-day management of PHEAAs data center, New said. Details of implementing the contracts with those companies are still being worked out but are expected to be completed by or near June 30. This move will allow us to leverage industry-leading expertise to achieve greater operational efficiency and scalability, while realizing cost savings of nearly $9 million over the next two years, he said. This action will also help us to compete more successfully as a loan servicer and software-as-service provider, generating additional earnings needed to support our public service mission, which includes providing millions to support the state grant program. This planned outsourcing follows one that occurred in the fall when it cut its in-house staff by 67 positions by hiring El Paso, Texas-based Datamark to take over the responsibility of handling the incoming paper and electronic mail and scanning document. Prior to that, another happened last spring when the agency outsourced 270 of its entry-level call center positions in a separate contract with Wipro and its Illinois-based subsidiary Opus Capital Markets Consultants LLC. As the agency continues to find ways to trim its operating costs under the leadership of president and CEO James Steeley, New said the agency plans to vacate the space it uses for a call center in Westport Business Center in nearby Lower Allen Township when that lease expires in January. Some of the employees who work in that call center already have begun moving over to PHEAAs Seventh Street headquarters in Harrisburg. In December 2004, Sallie Mae, a for-profit student loan provider, offered to pay $1 billion to take over PHEAA. The board rejected the offer outright. At the time, it said Sallie Maes profit-making motive was inconsistent with the agencys public service mission. It also objected to Sallie Maes outsourcing of jobs to foreign countries. Jan Murphy may be reached at jmurphy@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JanMurphy. All the news you need to start your day. Sign up for Good Morning, Pennsylvania. More than 142,000 gallons of raw sewage and stormwater spilled into Lake Erie Tuesday night around 8 p.m. as a result of the severe weather, according to the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District. Tuesdays heavy rains led to an estimated 142,6000 gallons of a combination of the sewage and stormwater to discharge into the lake in just 15 minutes, the press release said. Visitors to Lake Eries Edgewater Beach in Ohio especially children, the elderly and those in ill health are advised to avoid contact with the water and debris. The water quality is rated as poor on Wednesday. Our region has experienced many strong storms in recent years, an ongoing trend that we will see more of in the future, Director of Watershed Programs Frank Greenland said in the press release. CSOs, along with flooding and streambank erosion, all impact water quality throughout our region Fortunately, the Sewer District is developing a regional solution to manage these sizeable issues and protect our regions greatest natural resource: Lake Erie. CHARLESTON, W.Va. West Virginias only Roman Catholic diocese has released the names of two more priests who it says have been credibly accused of child sexual abuse in the state. The priests are accused of committing the abuse while working at the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. Both are deceased. One of them, the Rev. Raymond Waldruff, previously was accused of abuse in the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, Pennsylvania, in the 1960s. Complaints of decades-old abuse were made against him in March in the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston and in April in the Diocese of Owensboro, Kentucky. Waldruff served at two churches in north-central West Virginia in the 1970s. The other priest, the Rev. Andrew F. Lukas, was accusing of abusing a minor in the 1960s. The allegation was reported to the diocese in January. Eight other priests added to the latest list had claims against them in other regions or dioceses but not in West Virginia. None are in active ministry. The Intelligencer and Wheeling News-Register first reported on the updated list, which brings to 40 the number of accused priests or deacons who served in West Virginia. The diocese posted the list on its website last week. The original list was posted in November. Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston spokesman Tim Bishop said in a statement Tuesday that the updated list shows "the Diocese's commitment to transparency and accountability." West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey filed a lawsuit in March accusing the diocese and former Bishop Michael Bransfield of knowingly employing pedophiles and failing to conduct adequate background checks on camp and school workers. Morrisey said in a statement that the diocese quietly updated the original listing without immediately trumpeting its release. "If the Diocese truly sought closure and healing for victims, it would make good on its obligation to announce updates to its findings so those victimized would feel empowered to seek counseling and know they are not alone," Morrisey said. Instead, the Diocese appears fixated upon its goal of minimizing this scandal with limited publicity about wrongdoing and maximum publicity of its public relations campaign to protect the Church. John Raby of The Associated Press wrote this story. It was the middle of Wednesday and I had 30 minutes30 minutes and a choice. I could either eat my lunch in peace after a hectic morning of work, or I could use that half hour to fill out scholarship applications for my son, Myles. It was a no-brainer, and Ill tell you why. We live in Steelton with my other two children, Myles older brother and sister. I grew up here and attended Steel High. But not Myles. In fact, none of my kids have attended our local school district. I know my kids better than anyone else, and I knew the district school would not be able to meet their needs. Myles has an eye condition called Nystagmus, which causes his eyes to stay in a constant motion. It takes him longer than usual to adjust his depth perception as his field of view changes. After sustained periods of reading Myles gets eye fatigue and has trouble concentrating. So, I chose to send him to St. Stephens Episcopal School for K-8, then to Bishop McDevitt High School. It was my choice, and Im grateful for it. But it hasnt been easy. After scratching and scraping to put my older two through private school, and now college, there wasnt much left for Myles. I was faced with a cold, hard reality: I couldnt afford to keep Myles at Bishop McDevitt. But I knew it was the environment he needed to succeed. I had to do something. Our lifeline turned out to be a scholarship through Pennsylvanias Educational Improvement Tax Credit program. The program allows businesses to donate to scholarship funds in return for a smaller tax credit. These privately funded scholarships enable low- to middle-income families to afford a private school that would otherwise be out of their reach. The scholarships Id applied for that Wednesday afternoon, amounting to $2,000, came throughmaking tuition manageable. Now, Myles is thriving at Bishop McDevitt. Hes on the honor roll and loves to participate in extra-curricular activities. Hes also heavily involved in Gentlemen and Scholarsa mentoring program for young men who may be lacking a positive male role model in their life. Our state representative, Patty Kim, has been very supportive of the program, and were thankful to her. The more senior members, like Myles, mentor the newcomers, teaching them critical life skills like etiquette, how to dress professionally, and how to operate a business. Myles plans on attending medical school at Penn State University with the hope of opening his own practice as a psychiatrist. He developed an itch for psychiatry from reading my old college textbooks. Yes, he reads my old textbooks in his spare time! But this almost didnt happen. If Myles hadnt received that tax credit scholarship, I would not have been able to send him to the school that has set him up so well for success. In a different school, Myles would be on a different path. If providing a high-quality education for my children is this hard for mea single mom with a Masters degree whos gainfully employed in my fieldhow difficult must it be for other moms who arent blessed with the same education and work experience? Tax credit scholarships can help. But caps on these programs mean more applications are turned down than are awarded. Myles was one of the lucky ones. As a mother of African American children, especially males, I know they need to be ready to compete in this world. They already have enough targets on their backs, and its my job to remove as many barriers as I can. Thats why Im supporting legislation to expand these programs. Every student should have the same opportunity Myles has been blessed with. Every mother striving to provide the best education for her kids should be able to find the help I did. Lawmakers can stand up for students by raising the limits on tax credit scholarships. It should be a no-brainer. Jocelyn Maddox is a Steelton resident and the mother of three children. DANBURY, Conn., May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Westchester Publishing Services announced today that it has reached an agreement with ASCE (The American Society of Civil Engineers), the leading membership organization for civil engineering professionals. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, it is the oldest national engineering society in the United States. Under the agreement, Westchester will be providing US-based editorial services and offshore composition (typesetting) services for several of ASCEs leading engineering journals. Westchester's market-leading U.S. editorial project management staff and network of U.S. copyeditors, as well as its offshore composition typesetting operation that handles complex content including LaTeX journal production, were critical factors for ASCE in selecting Westchester to handle its pre-press production work. Westchester has supported ASCE on its book program since 2017, and its steps to support ASCEs journals program allow Westchester to expand its resources devoted to supporting ASCE and other engineering publishers. ASCE was founded in 1852 and publishes over 3,900 journal articles and 60-70 books each year. "We are excited to partner with Westchester for journal services. Our authors and editors value high-quality copyediting and service. The Westchester Client Portal, an online platform giving us real-time access to check on the status of manuscripts and review author correspondence, is critical for us to provide the service our authors expect, commented Angela Cochran, Managing Director and Publisher. "Westchester is proud to have been selected by ASCE to handle pre-press production for a number of their prestigious journals, in addition to the work weve done to support their book program in recent years," commented Paul J. Crecca, President & CEO at Westchester. Chief Revenue Officer, Tyler M. Carey, added, "The relationship with ASCE has been a very collaborative one, with our and their staff extensively exploring workflows specific to each journal, customizations to Westchesters cloud-based Client Portal, and calibrations to ensure top quality editorial services specific to ASCEs journal style guide. Westchester's staff feel the resulting work is the product of a true partnership that is allowing us to both grow our capabilities. We look forward to continued work with ASCE for years to come." About Westchester Publishing Services: Founded in 1969, Westchester Publishing Services is the only US employee-owned company concentrating in editorial, composition, design, and digital conversion services. Westchester Publishing Services has been a trusted partner to the US publishing industry for decades with clients including Macmillan, Harvard University Press, W.W. Norton, The MIT Press, Bloomsbury, and UCL Press. In 2014, Westchester Publishing Services became a 100% employee-owned company through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). In 2017, Westchester Publishing Services launched a new division, Westchester K-12 Publishing Services, based in Dayton, Ohio, to serve the needs of educational publishers. In 2018, Westchester Publishing Services launched Westchester Publishing Services UK, based in Stratford upon Avon, to provide added services for publishers in the UK, and Europe. For information about our expanded offerings, please contact: Nicole Tomassi, Marketing and Conference Manager, Westchester Publishing Services, at: 203-658-7135 or Nicole.Tomassi@westchesterpubsvcs.com. Further information is also available at: www.westchesterpublishingservices.com. About ASCE: The American Society of Civil Engineers represents more than 150,000 members of the civil engineering profession in 177 countries. Founded in 1852, ASCE is the nations oldest engineering society. ASCE stands at the forefront of a profession that plans, designs, constructs, and operates societys economic and social engine the built environment while protecting and restoring the natural environment. Through the expertise of its active membership, ASCE is a leading provider of technical and professional conferences and continuing education, the worlds largest publisher of civil engineering content, and an authoritative source for codes and standards that protect the public. www.asce.org Northern Michigan communities wary of short term rental bill As originally introduced, the bill would bar local governments in Michigan from enacting prohibitions on short term rentals. Noah Bank is headquartered in Elkins Park at the intersection of Rte. 611 and Cheltenham Avenue, just over the Philadelphia city line. Its CEO, Edward Shin, was charged with self-dealing and bribery on May 29, 2019. Read more The CEO of Elkins Park-based Noah Bank was arrested Wednesday and charged with secret self-dealing and taking bribes in exchange for issuing loans. Edward Shin, 56, allegedly siphoned off commissions on loans guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration. One of the loans, $950,000 issued to a New York company in which Shin held a 50 percent ownership stake, went into default, resulting in a $611,500 loss to the SBA, according to court papers. Shin allegedly directed an employee to deposit a check for $113,300 into one of his companys accounts. The employee then told investigators that she provided a signed check worth $50,000 against that account and that Shin attempted to sign it over to a Las Vegas casino. The casino refused to honor the check when it could not determine if Shin had a connection to the company. Also known as Eungsoo Shin, the executive previously headed Royal Asian Bank which became Noah Bank in 2011. Noah Bank primarily serves the Korean American community. In addition to allegedly exploiting his position as a bank officer to illegal issue SBA loans to entities in which he had a financial interest, Shin allegedly took kickbacks on commissions for those loans from a third party broker who did not legitimate work in the loan process, said U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman of the Southern District of New York. Shin, of Ambler, was charged by the U.S. Attorneys office Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit with single counts of conspiracy to commit bank bribery, bank bribery, theft of funds by a bank officer, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. If convicted, Shin faces up to 30 years in prison. Stock art of employees interacting in a typical office. Given the shortage of workers, are non-compete agreements a good idea, especially for small businesses? Read more Youve worked hard to build up your customer base. Youve invested a lot of time and resources into creating your intellectual property. You may have paid a lot of money to acquire another business owners assets and customers. You want to safeguard these things, which is why you probably want a non-compete agreement or at the very least a non-compete clause thats included as part of an employment or purchase contract. That can potentially protect what you have built. But not everyone agrees. In fact, theres a growing backlash against non-compete agreements, particularly when it comes to employees, across the country because some believe that these types of agreements limit the opportunities for lower skilled workers. Several states Washington, New Hampshire, Hawaii are looking at legislation that makes such contracts unenforceable for certain workers. A bill in Harrisburg the Freedom to Work Act would bar most non-compete agreements, except those ancillary to the sale of a business or dissolution of a partnership. New Jersey legislators have also introduced a similar bill, but it gives employers much more latitude to enforce non-compete agreements that are ancillary to employment. Pennsylvania courts tend much more to view non-competes as a troubling restraint that prevents ex-employees from earning a living, said Claude Schoenberg, a Bala Cynwyd-based lawyer who specializes in employment law. New Jersey courts, by contrast, generally accept that non-compete agreements serve a useful purpose as long as such agreements are reasonable, especially to protect trade secrets, confidential business information and customer relationships. Whatever their future, non-compete agreements are still an important part of most business contracts that involve the hiring of employees or the acquisition of another company. But how to make sure yours is strong? You can hire a lawyer to help you craft your next non-compete agreement or clause or you can take advantage of the resources at legal sites such as Nolo, BizFilings and LegalZoom. Regardless, you'll want to always make sure you're including these key elements. Compensation: If theres a dispute, most courts will look to whether there was consideration given in return for the non-compete commitment. That can come in the form of a separate payment made to a seller of a business or specific mention that the non-compete is part of an employees overall compensation or that the employee is receiving additional payment, benefits, title or status at your company. Absent this, it may be determined that the non-compete clause had no value and therefore theres no real basis to support it. Duration: As tempting as it may be, you cant restrict an employee who leaves your firm from working for a competitor or in the industry for the rest of his or her life. The terms of these deals arent written in stone, but I think a general rule of thumb is three years. It really depends on the industry and your negotiations with the other party. The length of the agreement is often the most heavily negotiated item, says Michael Lefkowitz, the founder and managing partner of Benjamin Ross Group, a business brokerage firm with offices in Southampton, Radnor and Princeton. Many courts will not accept over-long terms or too broad geographic areas. Like me, Lefkowitz also sees two or three years as common, but its not unusual for some buyers or employers to seek longer terms. A term which arises from a business acquisition is usually longer than that from an employment relationship only, he says. Territory: Telling a former employee or the seller of a business that its not allowed to provide services, work for or sell products to similar companies anywhere in the world when most of your business is in the U.S. would be considered very unreasonable. Youll need to look at your main markets and protect yourself there. Use a geographic radius 50 or 500 miles - from your companys place of business and consider naming certain competitors or cities if you deem them important. Finally, consider the future. What if you want to assign the non-compete to someone else because youre selling your business? What legal jurisdiction would be most convenient to you if theres ever a dispute? What if youd like to update this non-compete provision in the future because youre entering a new market or the general dynamics of your business changes? Make sure youve thought through these questions and included them in your agreement. And, as Schoenberg advises, make sure youre keeping an eye on potential legislation, as well. Its all well and good, but in the end and considering the growing backlash, are non-competes still worth it? For a business acquisition, the answer is yes. But for an employee contract, itll come down to one thing: Does it make financial sense? Ive seen many frustrated clients of mine lose an employee, only to find that person selling competing products to their customers. Sometimes they go after that employee. But in most cases they wind up letting it pass. Why? Because the cost of going after that person just isnt worth it. Fighting a non-compete dispute, like any legal battle, can take time and be expensive, and like any other expense, a good business person will evaluate the return on investment of pursuing it. Gene Marks is a certified public accountant and the owner of Marks Group, a technology and financial management consulting firm in Bala Cynwyd. Henderson, NV, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- READEN HOLDING CORP (RHCO.PK) announces that Readen Real Estate, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Readen Holding Corp., has finalised the sale of the Castle Estate Altembrouck in S. Gravenvoeren, Belgium, including the hotel operation. READEN REAL ESTATE the property has been sold in two separate transactions. The first transaction being 44 acres of land has been sold to VERENIGING VOOR NATUURBEHEER NZW and the second part consisting of 60.000 sq. ft. property of Altembrouck has been sold to BRAVA HOLDING B.V. The proceeds of these transactions will be utilised by Readen Real Estate in order to pay back the mortgage loan to Triodos Bank thereby lowering down the interest expenses as well as in addition the funds will be utilised to expand and strengthen the retail divisions of both Neckermann webshop and D5avenue.com. Kok Wai Lee, the President of the company, quote: The decision to sell Altembrouck is a part of the companys future strategy to concentrate on its core business of online retail, consumer products distribution (food and non-food) and our agriculture division. This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including but not limited to statements regarding Readen Holding Corporation and its plans, products and related market potential. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of the words "anticipates", "expects", "intends", "plans", "should", "could", "would", "may", "will", "believes", "estimates", "potential" or "continue" including both variations or similar expressions. These statements are based upon the current expectations and beliefs of management but are subject to certain risks as well as uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to those discussed in Readen Holding Corporation's postings on the OTC Markets Disclosure & News Service and any future filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, where factors are incorporated herein by reference. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements. Readen Holding Corporation undertakes no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect actual outcomes. Contacts: Readen Holding Corp. Kok Wai Lee +31 3562 99970 info@readenholdingcorp.com Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta speaks as the Fund Our Facilities Coalition unveils a School Emergency Repair Program, at Richard Wright Elementary School, on Wednesday, May 29. Read more Driven by health, safety, and facility repairs urgently needed for Philadelphia district schools, labor leaders, and state and local lawmakers on Wednesday announced proposed legislation that would provide about $125 million to repair and improve schools locally and statewide. What happened State Sen. Vincent Hughes (D., Phila.) said he will sponsor two bills in an attempt to establish a program that would direct $85 million to the School District of Philadelphia nearly half the estimated funding needed to clean up schools; $30 million to 134 poverty-stricken school districts throughout the state dealing with similar building concerns; and $10 million for other needed repairs. On too many occasions, on too many days, we send our kids to schools that are toxic, Hughes said as he stood below a mural at Richard Wright Elementary in Strawberry Mansion during a news conference called by the Fund Our Facilities Coalition . Theyre filled with lead, theyre filled with asbestos, rodent infestations, all kinds of things like that, and we send our children to schools in that kind of condition." The Fund Our Facilities Coalition, a group made of union leaders and state and local lawmakers, estimated in March that it would cost about $170 million to make district schools safe, clean, and healthy. The proposed money would be used to alleviate lead and asbestos problems illuminated by The Inquirers reporting on toxic schools, replace leaky windows and roofs, install new heating systems, upgrade bathrooms, upgrade electrical service, pay for more exterminators, and address other issues that plague many city schools. The Democratic-led coalitions proposal, announced as legislators in Harrisburg enter the home stretch in their annual budget negotiations, faces an uphill battle in the GOP-controlled House and Senate. READ MORE: The Inquirers Toxic City Investigation Philadelphia Federation of Teachers president Jerry Jordan said he knows getting the legislation passed will not be easy, but said: "We have a plan for giving our children, educators, the schools they deserve, and we wont rest until this is reality. Hughes said he will present two separate bill options: Senate Bill 555, which would establish a $125 million program funded from several commonwealth special funds; and S.B. 556, which would establish a $125 million program funded from the current state budget surplus. Hughes said there were several options to fund the bill, including transferring dollars from existing state programs or tapping into the states budget surplus, which he said is expected to exceed $850 million by June 30. State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, also a Philadelphia Democrat, said she will also introduce companion legislation in the House to ensure that schools statewide are safe, clean, and healthy buildings for our students. In schools across the state children are suffering in toxic schools facing many of the same conditions our kids in Philly face, Fiedler said. Read More: Price tag for fixing all urgent Philly school building problems? $170M, union, lawmakers say Read More: How the Toxic City investigation has protected Philadelphia children from environmental perils Impact on the regions schools, and the passing possibility Hughes said despite the challenge of winning support in the Republican-controlled legislature, We have a governor [Democrat Tom Wolf] who has expressed a willingness to want to address this issue, and I think a growing number of legislators are seeing that this is a real problem in their respective communities, in their respective districts. Jennifer Kocher, spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman (R., Centre) said there are already significant supplemental budget requests to consider from the administration. Both House and Senate Republicans as well as the governor also have called for money to be dedicated to the Rainy Day Fund, which underscores a governing philosophy where we dont need to go on a spending spree just because we have some uncommitted funds, Kocher wrote in an email. A spokesperson for House Majority Leader Bryan Cutler (R., Lancaster) said GOP members wont be able to comment or vocalize support until we see the final proposal and the exact details that are in it. A former banquet server at the exclusive Pyramid Club claims in a federal lawsuit that the then-chef sexually harassed her and had engaged in sexual relations with other servers in a storage closet and that management did nothing contending that it needed someone to run the kitchen. The Pyramid Club alone is named as the defendant in the suit filed on behalf of Munirah Lowery of Philadelphia. Representatives of the club had not returned calls Wednesday morning. The former chef, Nicholas Cassidy, who last summer left the private club on the 52nd floor of the BNY Mellon Center, in a brief phone interview declined to comment about the allegations contained in the complaint filed last week by Christopher Macey of Bell & Bell. Lowery was hired in March 2017 and terminated in March 2019, several weeks after the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission affirmed her right to sue. She had filed a complaint with the EEOC and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission in July 2018. In the suit, Lowery claims that Cassidy, her supervisor, used the phrase, Are you ready? to some female banquet servers to indicate that it was time to go to the storage closet and have sexual relations. Lowery claims that Cassidy had made inappropriate comments regarding her appearance. In April 2018, the suit says, he asked Lowery, Are you ready? When she said she did not understand the question, she says, Cassidy made the point clear. She rejected the proposition and then feared reprisal. Shortly after, Lowery says Cassidy asked her for help with boxes in a back room. When her back was turned, she claims, the chef "pressed his body against hers, slid his hands from the outside of her hips to the outside of her thighs, and pushed his erect penis against [her] buttocks, the complaint says. She says she quickly left the room. She says she did not feel comfortable reporting the incident to the then-general manager, Richard Winland, as it was known that Winland and Cassidy were "close friends. Winland, who now works in another role at Pyramid parent company ClubCorp, of Dallas, did not return a message for comment left with the current general manager. Lowery says she reported the alleged incident to the night supervisor, Hassan Brown. He told service director Laura Maenak, who then reported it to Winland. Her suit says Winland and Cassidy went to a bar that evening to discuss it, and Cassidy denied the allegation. It was unclear Wednesday whether Brown was still with the company. Maenak left last fall. Human resources had told Lowery that the complaint would be investigated, Lowerys complaint says, adding that she also was told that Cassidy had admitted to sexual contact with other servers and would be terminated. But Cassidy remained. When Lowery asked Maenak why Cassidy was still employed by the club, Lowery claims Maenak replied, We need someone to run the kitchen. In a phone conversation Wednesday, Maenak denied having said that. This story has been updated. Joseph and Patrician Finio are both glaucoma patients at Wills Eye Hospital. He doesn't drive any more. She does. Read more Jonathan Myers, chief of the Wills Eye Hospital glaucoma service, said his patients often wonder how the eye disease will affect driving. "Patients ask us whether they are legal to drive, which is often different than whether they are safe to drive," Myers said. He was part of a research team that explored that distinction and found that patients with moderate glaucoma were much more likely than other older adults to be involved in accidents. He is confident that the vast majority of patients in the study group met legal guidelines for driving, although data are still being analyzed. The study, he said, has implications for how eye doctors talk with patients and lawmakers about the risks associated with glaucoma. The study, which has not been published, was presented earlier this month at a meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology. One to two percent of adults have glaucoma, Myers said. African Americans and Hispanics are at higher risk than whites for reasons that are not clear. People are at much higher risk if a close relative has had glaucoma. Glaucoma is a collection of diseases that involve high pressure within the eye and damage to the optic nerve. If untreated, it can cause vision loss and blindness. Although it can affect people of any age, Myers said, it is most often diagnosed when people are in their early to mid-60s. It usually progresses slowly, although it moves fast in a small percentage of patients. One to five years can really make a tremendous difference sometimes, Myers said. It is one of the reasons eye exams are important. By the time patients realize they have vision problems, damage can be extensive, and it is irreversible. Treatment, however, can slow progression. The driving analysis was part of a larger study of quality of life among glaucoma patients funded by Merck. The goal is to learn more about how the disease affects day-to-day functioning. Myers said the team included questions about accidents because previous research had shown increased risk among glaucoma patients. The study followed 161 patients for four years. Their ages ranged from 29 to 83, with an average of 64, an age that Myers said was representative of most in the group. At the beginning, 137 were driving. That number had fallen to 101 at the end of the study. Each year, they were asked whether they had been in an automobile accident. Six to 11 percent of them said they had. Fourteen people reported more than one accident. None was killed or seriously injured. Meanwhile, the overall accident rate for drivers aged 61 to 65 was 1.1 percent, according to 2017 Pennsylvania Crash Facts. That is a narrower age range than the glaucoma group, but Myers said he thought the trend was clear. The risk for being in an accident correlated best with the quality of peripheral vision in the worst eye. That could have led to blind spots while driving, Myers said. These patients in general arent patients where I would have brought up the issue of driving with them, he said. "It sensitized me to the fact that I need to counsel my patients that there's greater risk earlier in the disease." Joseph and Patricia Finio, who live in Philadelphia, both have glaucoma. During a visit last week to their doctor at Wills Eye Hospital, they joked that theyre the glaucoma twins. Joseph Finio, 88, who also has problems with his corneas and has had five cornea transplants, quit driving about 20 years ago. I finally thought that I should get off the highway, he said. It became difficult at night. I realized I couldnt see well and I shouldnt be driving. I didnt want to kill anyone or kill myself. Patricia Finio, 80, said she has mild, well-controlled glaucoma. Her vision isnt what it used to be, she said, but it isnt bad. Shes had no accidents, but decided on her own to stop driving at night because oncoming lights bother her. I dont want to feel uncomfortable driving, she explained. And theres Uber. More research will be needed to determine whether glaucoma patients drive differently and have fewer wrecks when they know they are at higher risk. Myers said they might have fewer problems if they restricted themselves to shorter daytime trips in good weather. He said it might also be time to consider changing legal guidelines. I would love to see the people who make public policy reach out to the medical community on issues like this, he said. The beach in Ocean City May 27, 2019. Airbnb said it had the most rentals ever in Ocean City over Memorial Day weeekend. Read more Memorial Day weekend opened peak season at the Jersey Shore its first since a new tax on short-term rentals took effect. And the results? For the popular home-sharing website Airbnb, at least, there were a record number of rentals at the Shore despite the tax. The company released figures this week, as New Jersey lawmakers consider tweaking the new tax in response to complaints from homeowners that the levy would hurt tourism at the Shore. The New Jersey Assembly unanimously passed a bill last week that would exempt owners from paying taxes on rentals if they deal directly with clients instead of using a marketplace, such as Airbnb or VRBO. An identical bill in the Senate was approved by the Community and Urban Affairs Committee this month. The proposal still needs to be reconciled and signed by Gov. Phil Murphy. More than 6,300 Shore visitors over Memorial Day weekend rented through Airbnb, an increase from 4,800 guests for Memorial Day last year, according to company spokesperson Liz DeBold Fusco. Ocean City was the top Airbnb rental destination at the Shore for the weekend, followed by Atlantic City. Saturday night set a record for Airbnb rentals in Ocean City, with 4,700 visitors, the company said. (Not all of those Ocean City rentals are included in the overall number of rentals at the Shore, DeBold Fusco said, because Airbnb narrowly defined Shore rentals as those that are close to the beach.) Airbnb rentals at the Shore had an average rate of $141 a night, the company said, and hosts together made more than $1 million over the weekend. Airbnb objects to the latest attempts by lawmakers to tweak the rental tax, which took effect in October and applies the 6.625 percent state sales tax and 5 percent occupancy fee to short-term rentals. State officials expect it will raise $8 million by the end of the fiscal year in June. A group of Shore homeowners, meanwhile, has hired a lobbyist to push for changes to the tax. One homeowner testified before a Senate committee this month that he is having a hard time finding renters for his Long Beach Island home. Shore rentals facilitated by licensed real estate brokers are already exempted from the tax, but the levy affects owners who do not use real estate companies. Democratic Assembly members who sponsored the bill exempting some rentals from the tax said in a statement last week after the full Assembly vote that it is important to protect summer tourism at the Shore. The tax, which was aimed at Airbnb and other companies that facilitate home sharing, was never intended to hurt private homeowners, the lawmakers said. The legislation approved [Thursday] will help property owners who rely on word of mouth, signs, social media, and long-standing customers to keep their rentals booked through the summer, the statement said. It will help Shore businesses keep customers flocking to their doors. And it will help tourists afford to have the vacation of their dreams right here at the Jersey Shore. Airbnb has not yet added up how much tax money it collected over the holiday weekend, DeBold Fusco said, but we can safely assume its significant. Columbine High School shooting survivor Austin Eubanks was found dead earlier this May in his Colorado home. Read more Austin Eubanks voice held steady as he recalled his memories of a spring morning long ago, and the moment an innocuous visit to his high school library became something different a scene in a national tragedy that he would replay for the rest of his life. Just minutes later, I was playing dead underneath a table, next to a pool of blood, Eubanks said during a TEDx talk in 2017. He was one of 21 people who survived being shot by a pair of heavily armed students at Columbine High School in 1999; 13 others died. Doctors prescribed powerful painkillers to treat his hand and knee wounds, but he quickly discovered that the drugs were even better at smothering his emotional pain. I was addicted, he said, before I even knew what was happening. On May 18, Eubanks, 37, was found dead in his house by his father. In a statement, Eubanks family said he lost the battle with the very disease he fought so hard to help others face. His death served as a grim reminder of the trauma that gun violence survivors carry with them, long after theyre discharged from a hospital. Mental-health and emotional needs are among the wide array of issues that U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans proposed studying in legislation they introduced earlier this month to create a federal Advisory Council to Support Victims of Gun Violence. The bill was drafted in response to an Inquirer investigation last year into the crushing financial burdens that gun violence survivors and their families shoulder, forcing many to hunt for government resources to help meet their basic needs. Post-traumatic stress and anxiety can be even more overwhelming. Earlier this year, two survivors of the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Florida committed suicide, as did Jeremy Richman, whose 6-year-old daughter was fatally shot at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in 2012. Eubanks, meanwhile, sank deep into addiction, getting arrested multiple times and divorced before completing a dramatic turnaround in recent years that saw him become a motivational speaker and a chief operational officer at a Colorado drug-treatment center. Cathy Plush, the executive director of Springs Recovery Connection in Colorado Springs, watched Eubanks speak about his demons at a 2016 rally her nonprofit hosted for several hundred people. There wasnt a dry eye in the place, she said. Eubanks struggle is likely familiar to many Philadelphians. About 1,400 people were shot here last year; on average, gun violence victims face an average of $46,632 in medical costs. Some, such as Jalil Frazier, who was shot and paralyzed while protecting three children during a barbershop robbery in January 2018, turned to social media to commiserate with other gun violence victims. Stories such as Fraziers and Eubanks will be shared at the Philadelphia Museum of Art at 5 p.m. on Wednesday during a rally, Fill the Steps Against Gun Violence, thats been organized for a fourth year by Inquirer columnist Helen Ubinas. >>READ MORE: Shot and Forgotten: Shooting victims face lifelong disabilities, financial burdens The federal courthouse on the 600 block of Market Street in Philadelphia, where the Bucks County case was heard, is shown in a file photo. Read more A federal jury on Tuesday ruled against Bucks County in a class-action lawsuit, finding that county officials had acted with reckless disregard or indifference in disseminating protected criminal-history information on about 67,000 people in an online inmate-lookup tool. The eight-member jury in Philadelphia awarded $1,000 to each of the roughly 67,000 members in the class the approximate number of people who had been booked into the county jail from 1938 to 2013 meaning that Bucks County could have to pay out about $67 million. U.S. District Judge Wendy Beetlestone already had ruled in March 2016 that Bucks County violated the states Criminal History Record Information Act by making protected criminal-history information publicly available on its online Inmate Lookup Tool. At issue before the jury this month was whether the county had willfully violated the states criminal-records act by making such information available online, and if so, how much to award each class member. The act mandates an amount from $1,000 to $10,000. Beetlestone on Tuesday told jurors that a willful violation meant that county officials acted with a reckless disregard or indifference. She said it did not mean that officials intended to violate the act. The claim stemmed from a 2013 lawsuit brought against the county by Daryoush Taha, of Sicklerville, N.J. Taha had been arrested by Bensalem Police in September 1998 and charged with harassment, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest. He was locked up in the Bucks County Correctional Facility and released the next day. After Taha completed a one-year probationary program for nonviolent first-time offenders, a Bucks County judge ordered that his arrest record be expunged. But in 2011, Taha discovered that his incarceration information, including his photograph, personal details, and charges, was available on the online Inmate Lookup Tool. As a result, Taha suffered emotional distress and the invasion of his privacy, he alleged in his lawsuit. After the suit was filed, the county removed all inmate mugshots and most arrest information from the online tool. Beetlestone agreed to give the lawsuit class-action status. Theodore Schaer, one of the plaintiffs lawyers, told jurors in his closing argument Tuesday that this is an important case about privacy that affects everyone in Pennsylvania. Residents have the right to expect local governments to follow the law, he said, adding: Your decision today is far-reaching and important and maybe even precedential. Taha had testified during the one-week trial, but was not in court Tuesday. Schaer, who represented the plaintiffs with lawyers Jonathan Shub and Alan Denenberg, said after the verdict that the jury was sending all municipalities in the state a clear message that privacy and data security have to be taken seriously. Frank Chernak, a lawyer for Bucks County, said in his closing that Bucks officials did not realize that the Inmate Lookup Tool violated the act. From our knowledge, nobody reported it as a problem, he said. Schaer, Shub, Denenberg, and Chernak are all Center City lawyers. Chernak declined to comment afterward. Larry King, a Bucks County spokesperson, said by email: The Bucks County commissioners are just learning of the decision and will have no comment on it this evening. The county may have more to say on this matter [Wednesday]. For Brenda Hernandez, keeping her 5-month-old son, Kenneth, in diapers has been a scramble. Lots of moms who dont have the means are struggling to get diapers, said Hernandez, 34, who is separated from her husband and lives in Hunting Park. Theyll wait to change the diaper until its saturated to conserve, and it leads to infections." Kenneth is one of the lucky ones, dry-bottomed and rash-free. Thats because Hernandez, who has worked as a home health-care aide and a dental assistant, among other jobs, gets donated diapers from Casa del Carmen, an agency thats part of Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. That generosity helps sustain my child and other children, Hernandez said. I dont have to debate myself over whether Ill pay only half the electric bill because I need diapers. While Americans are aware that people in poverty must apply for food stamps, stand in line at food pantries, and generally fight and fret to stay clothed, housed, and insured, many dont realize how big a problem the lack of diapers poses. 19 diapers short One in three U.S. families experience diaper need, according to the National Diaper Bank Network in New Haven, Conn., which supplies diapers to agencies throughout the nation. It reported that the average household in need falls 19 diapers short each month. Infants go through 10 to 12 diapers each a day, while toddlers need six to eight, the network figures. That costs $70 to $80 per family per month, according to the network, which added that diapers can consume 6 percent of the salary of a parent working full time and making minimum wage. Diaper need is a window into poverty in America, said Joanne Goldblum, Network CEO. Anyone whos struggling to survive, Goldblum said, is having a hard time getting enough diapers. Goldblum said that her organization, which has distributed more than 220 million diapers donated by diaper manufacturers as well as by individuals to 200 diaper-bank programs throughout America since 2011, isnt getting to everyone in need. We may meet the need of just 25 percent of those who need diapers, she said. Waiting lists In Philadelphia, as throughout America, there are long waiting lists of parents awaiting donated diapers, said Pat Kennedy, founder and president of the Greater Philadelphia Diaper Bank in Kensington. She said her organization distributed 734,000 diapers last year. And the need is increasing, she said, adding that undocumented immigrants require diapers but are loath to apply for them, fearing deportation. The diaper bank, along with Mitzvah Circle Foundation in Harleysville, Montgomery County, and Cradles to Crayons, in Nicetown, are part of the National Diaper Bank Network, Kennedy said. Children whose parents dont have enough diapers will often keep kids in wet and soiled disposable diapers for a long time possibly even rinsing then reusing them, Goldblum said. Along with the rashes and urinary-tract infections that kids suffer, there are other consequences. Uncomfortable children will fuss, and that, in turn, can incite child abuse from demoralized parents, Goldblum said. A Yale University School of Medicine study in 2017 found that low-income mothers with diaper need have been known to develop depression. Parents become frustrated and exasperated, said Hernandez, the mom from Hunting Park. "They have a tendency to take it out on the child himself, as if its his fault hes in that predicament. The diaper is a stress relief for the mom. No diapers, no child care Most child-care centers require parents to lay in a supply of disposable diapers for their kids. If parents cant afford diapers, they cant drop off their children, which can affect whether parents can work or go to school, experts have said. Unlike food and housing, there isnt a safety-net program for purchasing diapers, said Kathleen Bevenour, assistant director of community-based services for Catholic Social Services. People are just stretched, she said. Congress is trying to address diaper need, with Sen. Bob Casey (D., Pa.) cosponsoring a bill to help families. Hes a huge supporter," Goldblum said, although the bill, as well as a similar one in the House of Representatives, has not progressed. Some say low-income people should switch to cloth diapers, used in an estimated 10 percent of U.S. homes, according to experts. But such diapers must be cleaned, and many people who live in poverty dont have washing machines. Making things even harder, public laundries frequently prohibit customers from cleaning diapers, Goldblum added. People criticize poor women for not using cloth, she said. "But youd be asking women to bring dirty diapers, plus their kids, onto buses as they travel to laundries that may not even allow diapers. "We seem to expect so much more of poor women than we do of middle- and upper-class women. Its not fair. Philadelphia Media Network is one of 21 news organizations producing Broke in Philly, a collaborative reporting project on solutions to poverty and the citys push toward economic justice. See all of our reporting at brokeinphilly.org. Margaret Werstler, holds a portrait of her daughter, Jenny, outside of the federal courthouse in Philadelphia on Wednesday after the sentencing of Emma Semler, one of Jenny's friends who was using heroin with her the night Jenny Werstler suffered a fatal overdose. Read more Jenny Werstler died of a heroin overdose after 20 years of life, abandoned on a KFCs bathroom floor in West Philadelphia. On Wednesday, the friend who used the drug with her and left her that night was sentenced to at least as many years for causing her death. Emma Semler, 24, of Collegeville, sat in a federal courtroom in Philadelphia, kneading a tissue with her fingers, as a judge announced she would spend the next 21 years in prison. I have extreme remorse, she said through tears. If I could go back and change anything, I would. Jennifer Rose Werstlers death on her 20th birthday in 2014 and Semlers subsequent prosecution are another tragic tale among the many that have emerged from the opioid epidemic that has killed more than 3,000 people in Philadelphia in the last three years. The two women met in rehab in Delaware County. Both relapsed. One died. The other lived, finally got sober, and survived to pay the price. Addiction recovery advocates, many of whom packed the courtroom Wednesday, have rallied around Semlers case as an example of an increasingly common prosecution strategy that has left addicted drug users facing significant prison terms under laws originally designed to punish dealers. But if Semlers emotionally charged sentencing hearing showed anything, it was that the decisions behind those cases are often fraught with competing interests. >>READ MORE: Two friends shared heroin in a KFC bathroom. One died, one went to prison. Their families are picking up the pieces. U.S. District Judge Gene E.K. Pratter interrupted Semler as she stood before the court, recounting her path to sobriety and her devotion since then to helping others get clean. The judge noted that despite her regret and reform, Semler had not yet apologized to Werstlers family. In response, she turned toward the gallery, tears streaming down her face, and mouthed a quiet Im sorry. Werstlers mother, Margaret, clutching a framed photo of her daughter in her hands, called out: Youre only sorry for yourself. Her hands clasped together, Semler pleaded: I should be dead as well. I dont know why Im still here and not Jenny. When it was her turn to address the court, Margaret Werstler challenged Semler again. For almost five years, I have been asking myself and God, Why? Why my baby? Why did my only child die? she asked, her voice choking with grief. Why did you leave my child alone during the most important time in her life, when she needed help the most? Why didnt you help save her life? In an effort to stem the tide of deaths like Werstlers, counties across Pennsylvania have turned to the states Drug Delivery Resulting in Death law to prosecute not only those who sold drugs that led to fatal overdoses but also fellow users who might have shared narcotics that led to a deadly outcome. Prosecutors have cited them as an effective deterrent, while critics have questioned whether they unintentionally push drug users into more risky behavior, such as using drugs alone or failing to call authorities for help out of fear of harsher punishments. Yet unlike those state cases, in which sentences can range from months to 40 years, Semler was charged and convicted in December under a similar federal statute that carries a 20-year mandatory minimum. Pratter acknowledged Wednesday that her sentencing decision was bound in part by that congressional mandate. But even then, she said, Semler did little to help her case. The judge accused her of not taking the proceedings seriously until she was convicted and of flouting the conditions of her bail by posting photos of herself to Facebook lounging by a pool with friends and on a Black Friday trip to the King of Prussia Mall when she was supposed to be under house arrest. Teachers dont give grades, and judges dont give sentences, Pratter said. In almost every case, the sentence is what the person has earned. Prosecutors and a jury also concluded that Semler ultimately was to blame for causing Werstlers death. She had lent Werstler the money to buy heroin on May 9, 2014. She knew the drug dealer and carried out the transaction. She also provided the needle and directed Werstler to the KFC at 61st Street and Lancaster Avenue, where the women and Semlers younger sister, Sarah, shot up together. And when Werstler began to overdose, Semler cleaned up the scene and left without a word. This defendant acted with complete disregard for another human life, the life of a supposed friend, said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams. Still, her lawyer, S. Philip Steinberg, said, that is only part of Semlers story. Like Werstler, of East Goshen Township, Chester County, Semler became addicted to heroin as an early teen and at the height of her addiction was using as many as eight to 10 bags of heroin a day. But since achieving sobriety a year after her friends death, Semler has committed herself to helping others kick their addictions. Until she was taken into custody after her conviction last year, Semler served as a sponsor to several other young women and was working in the marketing department of a private drug rehab center in New Jersey. Ive seen a change in Emma before this case began, said Anne McCarty, Semlers Narcotics Anonymous sponsor. At first she was angry, and it was, How dare there be blame [for Werstlers death]? But within two or three conversations it became, I cant believe I was there, and now I cant say sorry to Jennifer. Ultimately, said Semlers aunt Susan Layton, the case has left loss and grief all around. A permanent loss for the Werstlers, she said, and a temporary loss for the Semler family, who one day will see Emma again. For her own part, Semler sat with her eyes cast downward throughout much of the hearing a posture that prompted the judge to question the extent of her remorse. In addition to her prison term, Semler was ordered to pay a $2,500 fine and serve six years probation upon her release. As Semler was led from the courtroom in handcuffs, Werstlers mother said that five years after her daughters death, she felt a sense of release. Still, she added, this was no victory for Jenny. There is no winning family. [Semlers] family is going to be devastated, she said. But they can at least visit her. Google employees fill Harry Bridges Plaza in front of the Ferry Building in November 2018 during a walkout in San Francisco. Workers protested the company's sexual harassment policy, as well as its treatment of temp workers. Read more When a front page New York Times article this week described Googles reliance on an underclass of temp labor, it opened a window into a growing hunger for protections among white-collar workers in industries not historically known for activism and organizing. In a six-month campaign starting in November, 20,000 Google workers walked off the job, demanding, among other things, that their employer "end pay and opportunity inequity for all Google workers, including temps, vendors, and contractors (TVCs). Then, in April, after the company unexpectedly shortened the contract of a group of contractors, 900 Google employees signed a letter decrying the companys treatment of TVCs. Google subsequently said it would instate benefits for these workers: eight paid sick days, health insurance, a $15 minimum wage. (As of March, the Times reported, Google was working with 121,000 TVCs, a class of workers whose tasks range from content moderation to software testing, compared with its 102,000 full-time employees.) >> READ MORE: Are temp workers in danger? A Philly study says yes The ongoing attention on Googles temp workers is notable because it complicates a narrative of the gig economy that experts say can be short-sighted: When it comes to on-demand gig work, many think of rideshare drivers and food delivery couriers, ignoring, for example, woman-dominated fields like nannies or house cleaners, said Julia Ticona and Alexandra Mateescu in a 2018 report on care work. In the same vein, temp work is often associated with low-wage work and with good reason, as in Pennsylvania, 58 percent of temp workers are low-wage workers, according to a 2017 report from Temple Laws Sheller Center for Social Justice. Still, as the Google fight highlights, low-wage workers arent the only groups susceptible to the insecurity of temp work. But the campaign is also a window into unrest among American workers, even among those thought to have the cushiest perks and salaries: The moment you say you work for Google, people think you are rich, a contractor who was cut from Google in April told the Guardian. They dont know that I dont even have insurance. While some argue that white-collar workers feel empowered to organize and speak up because they feel secure and confident their skills are in demand, others say its the opposite: White-collar workers arent organizing because they feel secure, but because they have more in common with precarious blue-collar workers than ever, wrote the Nations Alex Press last year. Wireds Nitasha Tiku made the same case when she dubbed 2018 The Year Tech Workers Realized They Were Workers," looking at the parallels and the differences between Googles walkout and the concurrent Marriott strike of service workers, which lasted almost two months. If techs moment of reckoning has taught us that Silicon Valley is the same old capitalism, then perhaps Googlers are not a new kind of worker, and maybe some traditional labor rules apply: like the need for collective action in order to make structural change, Tiku wrote. >> READ MORE: The difference between the SEPTA police strike and the recent teachers strikes and why it matters Googles employees arent the only tech workers who are agitating and with a similar spirit of social justice unionism, a trend in worker activism that focuses on raising standards for everyone not just the group of workers who are speaking up: This spring alone, 3,500 Amazon workers signed a letter pressuring CEO Jeff Bezos to create a climate-change plan for the company, and Microsoft employees started sharing stories of sexual harassment in the workplace on an email chain that has forced the company to take note. Amazons white-collar workers, too, have expressed concern about working conditions for Amazon warehouse workers. Harold Wilson was convicted of a triple murder in a Philadelphia crack house in 1989, and sentenced to die three times. Instead, he fought for his life. Wilson became the sixth person exonerated from Pennsylvanias death row, and spent his later years a staunch and outspoken death-penalty abolitionist. He died May 18 of complications from a stroke. He was 61. Despite 17 years in solitary confinement, he told a Democracy Now! interviewer in 2005, I never gave them that opportunity to dehumanize me. He grew up on 18th Street in South Philadelphia, in a house spilling over with his five brothers and a sister, according to Avis Savage, a friend of 40 years. An entrepreneur, he had two children and a couple businesses before he was charged and convicted in the 1988 hatchet slaying of Dorothy Sewell, 64, her nephew Tyrone Mason, 33, and Masons girlfriend, Cynthia Goines Mills, 40. He was in shock for a long period of time. He didnt understand how they were going to kill him three times, Savage said. At a time when capital cases were handled by notoriously underfunded and underprepared defense lawyers, Mr. Wilsons attorney conducted little investigation into the case, according to Robert Dunham, who won him a stay of execution in 1996. His death sentence in 1989 was near the peak of death sentencing in Philadelphia, said Dunham. In the 90s, nearly 10 people were sentenced to death each year in part, Dunham alleged, because prosecutors routinely overcharged the death penalty in order to get the strategic advantage of a death qualified jury. Later, Mr. Wilson became the first person to challenge his conviction based on the now-infamous training tape featuring Jack McMahon, who was the prosecutor on his case, advising how race should play into jury selection. At an evidentiary hearing, Dunham said, lawyers presented an analysis of jury selection in that case, as well as decades of Philadelphia trials, that found stark racial disparities in jury composition and in outcomes for defendants: In eligible cases, the odds of imposing the death sentence increased 3.1 times if the defendant was black, and among cases that went to trial, black defendants were 9.3 times more likely than white counterparts to be sentenced to death. The DAs office retried the case twice: the second trial resulted in a mistrial, the third in acquittal. By then, DNA evidence showed a jacket covered in the victims blood that Mr. Wilson had argued was not his and was far too small for his 6-foot-4 frame also contained blood from a different person. He was on death row when the internet came to be and when cell phones came to be so he had a lot to learn when he came out. The world was a very, very different place," Dunham said. He wasnt able to work full time because of the PTSD he had developed as a result of his time on death row. But he spoke about the death penalty all over the country. Mr. Wilson became involved with Witness to Innocence, a group of death-row-exonerees-turned-advocates. Kirk Bloodsworth, the executive director of the organization, said Mr. Wilson spoke to church groups, legislators, students and communities around the country, and returned each year to the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court to tell his story at an annual demonstration. He was a mountain of a man, not just in stature," Bloodsworth said. "That was his heart. The way hed speak and the passion he had in his heart made him twice the size he was. The criminal justice system has a lot of problems, and Harold knew that and knew there were many others left behind. McMahon, who is now a defense lawyer, said he has never stopped believing that Mr. Wilson was guilty, and he denies that he made racist jury strikes. It was a black-on-black crime and there was no racial component to the case, he said. But he was found not guilty so, it is what it is. Obviously, 12 people thought he was guilty back then, and 12 people thought he was not guilty later on. According to the National Registry of Exonerations, he received a $500,000 settlement from the city in 2016. Wilson spent his final years in Accomac, Va., on the Eastern Shore, where he worked at a Walmart and a processing plant before he became disabled, according to Savage. He lived a quiet life, spending time in nature and with his family. He was clean to the point of fastidiousness; friends came to refer to him as Monk for his minimalist impulses. But every chance he got, he gave interviews and spoke about his experience, alongside groups including the ACLU, Amnesty International, and Virginians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. He emphasized the conditions of confinement, which he likened to Abu Ghraib, and described receiving frequent discipline for covering the vents of his cell to block freezing air he believed was piped in as a subtle form of torture. He wasnt bitter, said Savage, but he was very determined to let others know what the criminal justice system was like. The funeral service is scheduled for 11 a.m., Wednesday, May 29, at Mitchum-Wilson Funeral Home, 1410 S. 20th St., Philadelphia. The interment will be at Eden Cemetery in Collingdale. SHENZHEN, China, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Taoping Inc. (TAOP), a leading provider of internet-based advertisement distribution and display terminal sharing systems and online retail platform, today announced that twenty-two companies have joined the Taoping Alliance at the Taoping New Media Promotion Conference held in Taizhou city, Jiangsu Province, China on May 26, 2019. Taoping Alliance is a nationwide advertising resource sharing platform jointly founded by TAOP and Shenzhen Taoping New-Media Limited. Since its establishment in May 2017, the number of Taoping Alliance members has increased to one hundred and fifty-three with the coverage of twenty-six provinces out of thirty-four provincial level administrative units in China and three members overseas (Toronto, Asia, and Singapore). The twenty-two new members are Yancheng Taoping, Kunshan Taoping, Yangzhong Taoping, Jurong Taoping, and Jinhu Taoping, in Jiangsu Province, Yuxi Taoping, and Nujiang Taoping in Yunnan Province, Liupanshui Taoping, Qiandongnan Taoping, Kaili Taoping, Xifeng Taoping, and Kaiyang Taoping, in Guizhou Province, Dingtao Taoping, Zhangqiu Taoping, Rongcheng Taoping, Yanggu Taoping, and Dongping Taoping, in Shandong Province, Zhangping Taoping, and Minhou Taoping, in Fujian Province, Lin'an Taoping in Zhejiang Province, Zhuzhou Taoping in Hunan Province, and Ding'an Taoping in Hainan Province. The twenty-two companies are purchasing smart display screens from TAOP and are responsible for new media operations at Yancheng city, Kunshan city, Yangzhong city, Jurong city, Jinhu county, Yuxi city, Nujiang prefecture, Liupanshui city, Qiandongnan prefecture, Kaili city, Xifeng county, Kaiyang county, Dingtao district, Zhangqiu district, Rongcheng county, Yanggu county, Dongping county, Zhangping city, Minhou county, Lin'an district, Zhuzhou city and Ding'an county respectively. With the Smart IoT Terminal Network- Taoping App - Taoping Go (e-Store) media ecosystem that has been fully developed, advertisers (individuals and business owners) are able to use Taoping App to distribute real-time ads on any designated cloud-based ad display terminals in residential and office buildings in the Alliances IoT Terminal network for targeted advertising. Interested consumers may scan QR codes or participate in activities with their cell phones and visit Taoping e-Stores we provide to advertisers, for consumer interactions and transactions. As such, our new media ecosystem not only builds up brands for advertisers, but also bring them direct consumer interactions and transactions, and thus more efficiently converts brand impressions to real consumptions. We are very honored to welcome the twenty-two new members. The fast growth in number of Taoping Alliance members reflects our competitive advantage in the Out-of-Home advertising industry and demonstrates the attractive value-add we provide to Taoping Alliance members. said Mr. Jianghuai Lin, Chairman and CEO of TAOP. With accelerated market penetration, we expect that by the end of 2019, the number of cities that Taoping Alliance covers will reach 300 nationwide, the number of Taoping App business users (advertisers) to reach at least 30,000, and the number of Taoping Go (e-Store) consumer users to reach at least 3 million, which is expected to significantly drive our revenue growth in the coming years. About Taoping Inc. Taoping Inc. (formerly known as China Information Technology, Inc.) (TAOP), is a leading provider of smart display terminals for targeted advertising and online retails. The Company provides the integrated end-to-end digital advertising solutions enabling customers to distribute and manage ads on cloud-based ad display terminals. Connecting terminal owners, advertisers and consumers, it builds up a resource sharing "Smart IoT Screen Network- Taoping App - Taoping Go (e-Store)" media ecosystem to ultimately achieve the mission "our technology makes advertising and branding affordable and effective for everyone." To learn more, please visit http://www.taop.com/. Safe Harbor Statement This press release may contain certain "forward-looking statements" relating to the business of Taoping Inc., and its subsidiaries and other consolidated entities. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included herein, are "forward-looking statements" in nature within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements, often identified by the use of forward-looking terminologies such as "believes", "expects" or similar expressions, involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they do involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties, and these expectations may prove to be incorrect. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those discussed in the Company's periodic reports that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on its website (http://www.sec.gov). All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company and its subsidiaries and other consolidated entities or persons acting on their behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Other than as required under the securities laws, the Company does not assume a duty to update these forward-looking statements. For further information, please contact: Taoping Inc. Chang Qiu Email: chang_qiu@taoping.cn or Dragon Gate Investment Partners LLC Tel: +1 (646)-801-2803 Email: taop@dgipl.com Artist's rendering of Iovance Biotherapeutics cancer-treatment facility planned at the Navy Yard in South Philadelphia. Read more Cancer-therapy firm Iovance Biotherapeutics Inc. plans to open a sprawling office and laboratory complex in South Philadelphias Navy Yard, adding to the citys growing clout as a biotechnology research-and-development hub. Iovance, which specializes in the development and commercialization of cancer immunotherapies using cells known as tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, will occupy a three-story, 136,000-square-foot building that will span about a block of the Navy Yards core business and research park. The San Carlos, Calif.-based firm joins current Navy Yard occupants Adaptimmune Therapeutics PLC and WuXi AppTec Co., as well as Spark Therapeutics Inc. in University City, in selecting Philadelphia to develop and manufacture high-tech therapies for what have been mostly irremediable conditions. Iovance president and chief executive Maria Fardis said in an interview ahead of Wednesdays announcement that Philadelphia was chosen for the project in part because of its deep talent pool, fed by institutions such as the University of Pennsylvania. "We know there are certainly trained employees in the region who have worked in cell therapy and have deep roots in cell therapy," she said. Work on the roughly $125 million facility at 300 Rouse Blvd., just south of the Navy Yards Central Green landscaped recreational space, is expected to begin as soon as next month and is scheduled to last about two years. Some of a planned $75 million investment at the site by Iovance will go toward those construction costs. The project is the first to be undertaken by Gattuso Development Partners, a new firm spearheaded by John Gattuso, who had led work on most of the Navy Yard Corporate Centers existing office and lab buildings as regional director of Wayne-based developer Liberty Property Trust. The project is a really great way to kick off our new venture and also continues the momentum at the Navy Yard and continues to reaffirm Philadelphia as a major center for this new, very important industry, Gattuso said. Iovance plans to use the new facility to manufacture its tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte-based treatments, which use patients own cancer-inflicted cells to produce personalized therapies. Clinical trials involving patients with advanced melanoma are ongoing, putting the company on a path to begin marketing the therapy in about a year and a half, Fardis said. It is also conducting trials for an advanced cervical cancer treatment while devising therapies for other cancers. The firm plans to employ several hundred at the Navy Yard facility, producing treatments for thousands of patients around the world, Fardis said. The Navy Yard was seen as a prime location for its production labs because of its highway access and proximity to Philadelphia International Airport, allowing afflicted cells to quickly reach the facility and treatments to be speedily sent to patients, she said. This product, being a cell therapy, it really is very personalized: Every patient is a separate batch, she said. The logistics of the facility were important. The Navy Yard was also chosen because of the tax advantages that come from being within a Keystone Opportunity Zone, which can qualify companies for city and state tax breaks, as well as other financial incentives. Philadelphia Industrial Development Corp. (PIDC) president John Grady said Iovance is receiving a $1 million loan from the city that is to be forgiven if job-creation goals are met after five years and a $3 million low-interest loan to finance capital investments. The Navy Yard Corporate Center section is home to such companies as pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline PLC and investment bank FS Investment Solutions LLC, as well as Adaptimmune and WuXi AppTec. WuXi produces cancer treatments as a contractor for Iovance and will continue to do so until its own Navy Yard facility is up and running, Fardis said. Liberty Property Trust announced last year that it was getting out of the office-building business to focus on industrial projects, but continues to hold development rights to an approximately 100-acre section of the Navy Yard that includes the Corporate Center through a deal with PIDC, which manages the publicly owned property on the citys behalf. PIDC has approved the Iovance sites transfer from Liberty to Gattuso as a one-off project, but plans to soon begin seeking a new master developer for the remaining Navy Yard acreage that Liberty will be relinquishing as part of its pivot to industrial properties, Grady said. Gattuso said his deal with Liberty for the Iovance site includes reimbursing the property trust for its past expenditures preparing it for development. Gattusos new venture also includes former Liberty vice president Anne Cummins, who joins the firm as chief operating officer. The Iovance project is being completed with landscape architecture and infrastructure firm Synterra Ltd., which had partnered with Liberty on previous Navy Yard projects, and Phoenix-based developer Ensemble Investments LLC, which built the Navy Yards Courtyard by Marriott hotel. We are thrilled that the Gattuso firm, which includes several of our friends and former colleagues, will be developing this important new facility, Liberty chairman and chief executive William P. Hankowsky said in a statement. We wish the Gattuso team continued success moving forward. Mark Whitaker, 49, has no car, no job, no home of his own, and lately hes had anxiety attacks. But he was smiling the other day as he sat at his mothers living room table in North Philadelphia, savoring something he hasnt had for 17 years freedom. On May 6, a Philadelphia Common Pleas Court jury acquitted him of taking part in a 1999 robbery turned murder inside a Fishtown strip club. Whitaker had been tried once before, in 2003, and found guilty even though no physical evidence linked him to the crime scene, and even though the main eyewitness against him picked his photo from a lineup 3 years after the slaying. That witness, facing robbery charges, changed a key element of his story from what he had told detectives on the fatal night. Whitaker, who always maintained his innocence and never stopped investigating the crime that sent him to prison for life without parole, persuaded a federal judge last June to throw out his conviction and grant him a new trial because the trial prosecutor had improperly referred to a police statement from a codefendant whom Whitaker was never allowed to question. Before this months retrial, Whitaker rejected a plea deal offered by the District Attorneys Office, which would have allowed him to go free but remain on probation for 17 years and be a convicted murderer for life, his lawyer said. His mother, Virginia Whitaker, 78, said she regrets initially telling him to take the deal. I mentioned it, but then I was so embarrassed, I took it back, she said. I said, Im going to stand with him in the fight. There are no words to describe the relief that I felt, to go into that again and not take none of the deals that were offered to me, Whitaker said. To finally have justice done is amazing. Whitakers jury returned its verdict the same afternoon that another jury in the same building acquitted Hassan Bennett, who represented himself in his fourth trial for a 2006 murder. The two men join a growing nationwide community of former prisoners convicted of slayings whove been freed after successfully challenging their convictions, often with newly found evidence. Exonerations becoming more common Since 1989, according to the National Registry of Exonerations, more than 934 people in the United States have been exonerated of murder, including 30 from Philadelphia. Whitakers case has not yet been listed. Such reversals are becoming more common due to the proliferation of nonprofit innocence organizations often run by law schools and conviction integrity units set up by local prosecutors, including Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, according to registry editor Barbara OBrien, a law professor at Michigan State University. If you think about how many convictions there are every year, its extremely unusual to be exonerated once youre convicted, which isnt necessarily a bad thing if the conviction is proper, she said. The concerning question is: How many innocent people have been convicted, and what portion of them are being exonerated? We have absolutely no way to know, because the only time we know if someone has been wrongly convicted is if they are exonerated. The road to exoneration is difficult, she noted, because its often hard for convicts to find lawyers who believe in them and who will take their cases, while lost and destroyed evidence dashes the chances for freedom for others. Theres a lot of luck involved in getting exonerated, which shouldnt be the case, she said. Kenneth Mirsky, Whitakers lawyer in both trials, said this is the first time in his 45-year career that he has won an exoneration in a murder trial. This is a very unusual situation, he said. It was a good outcome to be released after all this time. Hes not a young man anymore, but he still has a number of years ahead of him to get his life back together. Shooting at the Happy Days Bar The Jan. 26, 1999, armed robbery and slaying that upended Whitakers life took place inside the Happy Days Bar, a strip club at Front Street and Girard Avenue in Fishtown thats long gone. Whitaker said hed never been in the place and knew nothing of the crime that left bartender Mario Lim, 36, dead of a gunshot wound to the head, and customer Thomas Zingani, 42, shot in the back and chest and paralyzed. But somehow, 3 years later, in April 2002, Whitaker was whisked to an interrogation room with bloodstained walls at Police Headquarters, he recalled. Thomas Ceneviva, a bar customer who was dating a bartender who was Zinganis sister, had chosen Whitakers picture from a lineup as the third suspect responsible for the bloodletting. In four previous statements, Ceneviva said there were only two robbers, and he never identified Whitaker, whose photo was in police files due to prior arrests. Whitaker said he recalled a detective asking where he had been at 7 p.m. Jan. 26, 1999. I said, Youre kidding? You got to be kidding. He said that I was involved in a robbery and murder, and they had fingerprints of me all over the place, said Whitaker, who later learned that the detective was lying about the fingerprints. I knew right then and there that this was going to be bad. I knew I had never been in the Happy Days Bar, period, at any time, for any reason. Anxiety attacks Whitaker has enjoyed reconnecting with friends and family, including his daughter, Cache, 28. But he hasnt done much celebrating. He spent Memorial Day at his mothers home, where hes been living since his release. He has not started job-hunting, he said. I have anxiety attacks. My heart starts racing, and it feels like Im boxed in. Other than that, Im just not ready to be out and take a chance on going too far. I try to stay close, said Whitaker, who at the time of his arrest had a job moving patients around Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. Whitaker said he still finds it hard to believe that he was sent to prison for a crime he did not commit and that he is finally free. I was working, he said. I lost my job, my family, I lost everything. You just came in and snatched my life. You kidnapped me. So Im always a little bit in fear. Im glad that nowadays they have cameras and phones to be able to track down things. The Rev. David Smith, interim pastor of Wayland Temple Baptist Church at 25th Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue, recalled inviting Whitaker to participate in a mentoring program for ex-inmates and asking him to text his mailing address. And he was like, I wasnt around with this texting thing. Right there, that says exactly what we need. We have to help people who have been out of standard culture to acclimate, Smith said. Whitakers greatest resentment is reserved for Ceneviva, a career criminal with 21 arrests in Florida and in Montgomery and Bucks Counties and Philadelphia, who testified against him in both trials. He was facing two DUI charges when he testified at this months trial. The prosecutions case rested heavily on Cenevivas testimony, and this time the jury did not believe him. Whitakers mother said her sons ordeal led her to begin working to change the criminal justice system. Ive been volunteering ever since hes been in there, visiting prisons, writing letters to inmates, trying to encourage them, she said. Ive been to Harrisburg lobbying to change the laws. Thats something I never did before. I wouldnt wish this on anybody. Tim Jones, Sr. wipes his eyes while answering questions during the trail of his son in Lexington, S.C. Timothy Jones, Jr., is accused of killing his five children in 2014. Jones, who faces the death penalty, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. (Tracy Glantz/The State via AP, Pool) Read more COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) A South Carolina man who confessed to killing his five children was both a doting father and a demanding disciplinarian who beat them with a belt once during a trip to Disney World several babysitters testified at his death penalty trial Wednesday. The babysitters were among two dozen witnesses called by Timothy Jones Jr.'s defense as they argue he is not guilty by reason of insanity in the deaths of his children. Prosecutors said Jones strangled and beat his children, ages 1, 2, 6, 7 and 8, in their Lexington home in August 2014 after snapping over the middle child breaking an electrical outlet. For much of his defense, Jones' lawyers called doctors and other experts to discuss a brain injury he suffered in a car crash as a teen and whether Jones, 37, had schizophrenia which would have prevented him from knowing right from wrong as he killed his kids. But on Wednesday, testimony shifted to the babysitters and Jones' father, who said on the witness stand that his son wasn't worthy to raise children because of his overly religious beliefs. Joy Lorick was a babysitter who accompanied the Jones family to Disney and on a beach vacation in the months before their deaths. She cried as she remembered how much fun the children had on those trips and as defense lawyers showed pictures of the beaming children with Cinderella and with mouse ears on. She also cried when she told a prosecutor she called social workers in August 2014 after seeing Jones whip 6-year-old Nahtahn and 2-year-old Gabriel with a belt. That investigation was open when the kids were killed. Lorick also remembered Jones getting furious when he found someone had painted 8-year-old Mera's fingernails because he said women were supposed to wear long skirts and not have flashy accessories. And she recalled how Jones made the 2-year-old eat alone when he wouldn't close his mouth to chew. "They loved their daddy. And I know they loved their daddy," Lorick said. "But they just knew when they did something you could tell they were going to get in trouble a lot." Chrystal Ballentine testified she started babysitting for Jones just after turning 17 and quickly became his live-in girlfriend. She said he became "over-angry" about small things and didn't try to calm himself before disciplining the children. She said she could hear him beat his children through the walls of their home. Ballentine said her relationship with Jones started to sour when he started controlling what she wore. She said the last straw was when Jones looked like he was going to spank her daughter, who was not quite 1, when she knocked over a drink while grabbing a table to try to walk. "He knew what was right and wrong. He knew about God. He knew about what you should do in life. He was pretty sure about himself. He was pretty sure about everything," Ballentine testified. If the jury finds Jones guilty, then the trial moves into a penalty phase to decide if he is sentenced to life without parole or death. The defense appeared to be questioning witnesses in part with that possibility in mind as they tried to elicit sympathy for Jones. They portrayed him as a single father with five children who had a rough upbringing but pulled himself together to get an $80,000 computer engineer job before slowly losing control after he left his wife because she was unfaithful. Wednesday afternoon, the defense called Jones' father, Timothy Jones Sr., to the stand to try to hammer home those points. The father testified that Jones saw his grandparents physically fight with each other and other people and there was drug and alcohol use although "no LSD or (expletive) like that," he said. Jones Sr. cursed so casually and so often on the stand that Judge Eugene Griffith admonished him about an hour into his testimony that his language was "too salty." Jones Sr. said the son he saw on trial was the man he was always scared he was going to see after his mother was sent to a mental institution for decades for schizophrenia. "It's unfortunate. It's just bad DNA, I guess. He's just a sick man," the father said. Jones Sr. said he was proud of his son for making it through college and getting a nice computer job, but he didn't think he had the right stuff to be a father, especially to five children. When his son told him his wife was cheating, Jones Sr. said he first cracked a joke about who she could possibly have found, and then gave him some advice. "Let her take the kids. Pay your child support. Be the hero every two weeks," Jones Sr. said. The trial is being livestreamed from the Lexington County courthouse. ___ Follow Jeffrey Collins on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JSCollinsAP TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) Gov. Ron DeSantis and his Cabinet met in Israel on Wednesday, waving away complaints that the session violated Florida's open-government laws because it was held outside the state. They presented a proclamation of support for Israel and heard from Israelis on several issues important to Florida. The Republican governor then signed a bill that prohibits anti-Semitism in Florida's public schools and universities. The new law defines anti-Semitism as including "drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis," ''blaming Israel for all interreligious or political tensions," or "requiring behavior of Israel that is not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation." DeSantis called the meeting historic, but the open-government watchdog organization First Amendment Foundation and several news outlets sued in an effort to stop it, claiming it violated a state law that requires government meetings to be accessible to the public. DeSantis didn't acknowledge the lawsuit during the meeting, but quipped, "Since we're in Jerusalem, we may actually get some interest in our Cabinet meetings for a change, which would be great." At an earlier briefing, he called the lawsuit "frivolous" and said the event was being livestreamed, "so it's not being done in secret." A judge was asked Tuesday to stop the meeting, but the emergency motion was denied because lawyers for DeSantis and the three independently elected Cabinet members could not be served with court papers. First Amendment Foundation President Barbara Petersen said after the Cabinet meeting that she will still ask the judge to rule the meeting was a violation of law and ask for an order saying future meetings can't be held out of state. "Just don't do this, that's the point. Don't do it," Petersen said. "The issue is holding a Cabinet meeting somewhere other than Florida." The Cabinet is made up of Attorney General Ashley Moody, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis and Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried. The meeting was part of a four-day trade mission to Israel. They heard from Israelis on issues also important to Florida, including maintaining a stable water supply, preparing emergency responses and terrorism. The meeting was live-streamed by The FLORIDA Channel, a state-funded television station based in the Florida Capitol. It was broadcast in the Cabinet's usual meeting room and accommodations were made in the event members of the public wanted to comment on the proceedings. But the Cabinet room was largely empty beyond staff and reporters, and technical glitches hampered the broadcast. The meeting opened with a prayer given by administrative law Judge Bob Cohen, who was in the Tallahassee meeting room. But the conference call dropped the connection in the middle of the prayer. As staff tried to reconnect, they repeatedly punched in the wrong code number. DeSantis and the Cabinet sat waiting for a reconnection as an automated voice said over and over, in Tallahassee and Jerusalem, "I'm sorry, I did not recognize that conference code. Please try again." DeSantis then asked Patronis to say the prayer instead. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu walks in the Knesset, Israel's parliament, in Jerusalem, Wednesday, May 29, 2019. Read more JERUSALEM Israels parliament voted to dissolve itself early Thursday, sending the country to an unprecedented second snap election this year as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a governing coalition before a midnight deadline. The dramatic vote, less than two months after parliamentary elections, marked a dramatic downturn for Netanyahu and sent the longtime leader's future into turmoil. Netanyahu, who has led Israel for the last decade, had appeared to capture a fourth consecutive term in Aprils election. But infighting among his allies, and disagreements over proposed bills that would protect Netanyahu from prosecution stymied his efforts to put together a majority coalition. Rather than concede that task to one of his rivals, Netanyahu's Likud party advanced a bill to dissolve parliament and send the country to the polls for a second time this year. Had the deadline passed, Israel's president would have given another lawmaker, most likely opposition leader Benny Gantz, an opportunity to put together a coalition. After the vote, Gantz angrily accused Netanyahu of choosing self-preservation over allowing the country's political process to run its course. Gantz said that instead of following procedure, Netanyahu opted for "three crazy months" of a new campaign and millions of wasted dollars over new elections because he is "legally incapacitated" by looming indictments. "There is no other reason," Gantz said. Netanyahu's Likud party won 35 seats in the April 9 election, and his religious and nationalist allies won another 30, appearing to give him a solid majority in the 120-seat parliament. But discord between his ultra-Orthodox allies and former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman's secular nationalist Yisrael Beitenu party resulted in a deadlock. After the vote, Netanyahu angrily accused Lieberman of making unrealistic demands and forcing an unnecessary election. "He is dragging the entire country for another half a year of elections," he said. Wednesdays vote sends the country into uncharted political waters, no less because Netanyahu, the interim prime minister, still faces a likely indictment for a battery of corruption charges just around the time of the election. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, right, takes the Oath of Office at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, South Africa, Saturday, May 25, 2019. Ramaphosa has vowed to crack down on the corruption that contributed to the ruling ANC' s weakest election showing in a quarter-century. (Yeshiel Panchia/Pool Photo via AP) Read more JOHANNESBURG (AP) South Africa's president on Wednesday named a trimmed-down Cabinet that is 50% women, making the country's one of few in the world to be "gender-balanced." President Cyril Ramaphosa's announcement followed similar moves by Ethiopia and Rwanda last year. Ramaphosa cut the Cabinet from 36 ministers to 28 as he seeks to reduce the bloating under predecessor Jacob Zuma, who stepped down last year under pressure amid corruption allegations. Fighting the corruption and mismanagement that has consumed billions of rand is the major issue facing the ruling African National Congress, whose election win this month was the weakest in its 25 years in power amid public frustration. The ANC leadership still contains some Zuma allies, complicating Ramaphosa's efforts at reforms aimed at restoring investor confidence in the economy, the most developed in sub-Saharan Africa. Creating jobs is another immense challenge in a country where unemployment is over 25%, and where a growing youth population that never knew the harsh racial system of apartheid that ended in 1994 is restless for a better future. "The people who I am appointing today must realize that the expectations of the South African people have never been greater and that they will shoulder a great responsibility," Ramaphosa said in a national address that stressed the need for an "ethical" government. South Africa's new Cabinet retains Deputy President David Mabuza, who also has faced graft allegations but has denied wrongdoing. Also remaining are Finance Minister Tito Mboweni and public enterprises minster and former finance minister Pravin Gordhan. Both have been well-regarded. The main opposition Democratic Alliance criticized the president for keeping Mabuza in what it called the first real test of Ramaphosa's tough stance on corruption. "Unfortunately, Ramaphosa placed the internal factional interests of the ANC ahead of the interests of the people of South Africa," the DA said in a statement. Ramaphosa also included younger leaders in his Cabinet, notably former ANC Youth League deputy president Ronald Lamola as the minister of justice and correctional services. Another youth leader, Njabulo Nzuza, was appointed as deputy minister of home affairs. One notable appointee in a Cabinet that Ramaphosa said was meant to reflect diversity was that of Patricia De Lille, a leader of the recently created opposition party GOOD, who will be public works and infrastructure minister. It was a rare instance of an opposition figure appointed as minister in South Africa. A notable exclusion from the new Cabinet was former women's minister Bathabile Dlamini, seen as a strong ally of former president Zuma. On the sensitive issue of land reform to help address long-standing inequality , Ramaphosa grouped departments dealing with land and agriculture under one ministry to be led by respected former parliamentary chairwoman Thoko Didiza. ___ Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa National Security Adviser John Bolton arrives to speak at the commencement for the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn., Wednesday, May 22, 2019. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill) Read more ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) President Donald Trump's national security adviser warned Iran on Wednesday that any attacks in the Persian Gulf will draw a "very strong response" from the U.S., taking a hard-line approach with Tehran after his boss only two days earlier said America wasn't "looking to hurt Iran at all." John Bolton's comments are the latest amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran that have been playing out in the Middle East. Bolton spoke to journalists in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, which only days earlier saw former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis warn there that "unilateralism will not work" in confronting the Islamic Republic. The dueling approaches highlight the divide over Iran within American politics. The U.S. has accused Tehran of being behind a string of incidents this month, including the alleged sabotage of oil tankers off the Emirati coast, a rocket strike near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and a coordinated drone attack on Saudi Arabia by Yemen's Iran-allied Houthi rebels. On Wednesday, Bolton told journalists that there had been a previously unknown attempt to attack the Saudi oil port of Yanbu as well, which he also blamed on Iran. He described Tehran's decision to back away from its 2015 atomic deal with world powers as evidence it sought nuclear weapons, even though it came a year after America unilaterally withdrew from the unraveling agreement. Bolton stressed the U.S. had not seen any further Iranian attacks in the time since, something he attributed to the recent military deployments America recently sent an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Persian Gulf. But he warned the U.S. would strike back if again attacked. "The point is to make it very clear to Iran and its surrogates that these kinds of action risk a very strong response from the United States," Bolton threatened, without elaborating. Bolton spoke before talks with Abu Dhabi's powerful crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He declined to have his remarks recorded by journalists. A longtime Iran hawk, Bolton blamed Tehran for the recent incidents, at one point saying it was "almost certainly" Iran that planted explosives on the four oil tankers off the UAE coast. He declined to offer any evidence for his claims. "Who else would you think is doing it?" Bolton asked at one point when pressed. "Somebody from Nepal?" Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has repeatedly criticized Bolton as a warmonger. Abbas Mousavi, a spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry, said later Wednesday Bolton's remarks were a "ridiculous accusation." Separately in Tehran, President Hassan Rouhani said that the "road is not closed" when it comes to talks with the U.S. if America returns to the nuclear deal. However, the relatively moderate Rouhani faces increasing criticism from hard-liners and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei over the collapsing accord. Meanwhile, acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said some 900 troops coming to the Mideast over the perceived Iran threat to reinforce the tens of thousands already in the region would be placed in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Another 600 attached to a Patriot missile battery have had their deployment in the region extended. "The Iranian threat to our forces in the region remains," Shanahan said. Speaking in Abu Dhabi, Bolton linked the rocket fire in Baghdad, the alleged sabotage of the ships and the drone attack by Yemen's rebels, describing them as a response from Iran and its proxies. "I think it's important that the leadership in Iran to know that we know," Bolton said. He then brought up what he said could be a considered a fourth, previously unknown attack. "There also had been an attack, an unsuccessful attack, on the Saudi port of Yanbu a couple of days before the attack on the tankers," he said, without elaborating. Saudi officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Bolton's claim on Yanbu, which is the terminus, or end point, of the kingdom's East-West Pipeline. The Houthis have already targeted two pumping stations on that pipeline during a coordinated drone assault. Bolton also said the U.S. would boost American military installations and those of its allies in the region. The White House said Wednesday that Bolton will meet with his counterparts from Israel and Russia next month in Jerusalem to discuss regional security issues. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders did not disclose further details about Bolton's planned meeting with Israeli national security adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat and Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of the Russian security council. Earlier this month, on the first anniversary of Trump's withdrawal from the nuclear deal, Tehran announced it would begin to back away from the agreement. The accord saw Iran limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. Trump pulled out of the accord as he said it didn't go far enough in limiting the Iranian nuclear program, nor did it address Iran's ballistic missile program. Bolton said that without more nuclear power plants, it made no sense for Iran to stockpile more low-enriched uranium as it now plans to do. But the U.S. also earlier cut off Iran's ability to sell its uranium to Russia in exchange for unprocessed yellow-cake uranium. Iran has set a July 7 deadline for Europe to offer better terms to the unraveling nuclear deal, otherwise it will resume enrichment closer to weapons level. Bolton declined to say what the U.S. would do in response to that. "There's no reason for them to do any of that unless that's part of an effort to reduce the breakout time to produce nuclear weapons," Bolton said. "That's a very serious issue if they continue to do that." Bolton's trip to the UAE comes just days after Trump in Tokyo appeared to welcome negotiations with Iran. "We're not looking for regime change I just want to make that clear," Trump said. "We're looking for no nuclear weapons." But Bolton himself, for years before becoming national security adviser, called for overthrowing Iran's government in interviews and in paid speaking engagement before an Iranian exile group. "I don't back away from any of it. Those are positions I took as a private citizen," Bolton said when asked about his prior remarks. "Right now I'm a government official. I advise the president. I'm the national security adviser, not the nation security decision-maker. It's up to him to make those decisions." He also dismissed reports that he faced criticism from Trump over his hard-line stance with what he described as an old proverb: "The dogs bark and the caravan moves on." ___ Associated Press writers Nasser Karimi and Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report. WinnDevelopment is buying three historic but rundown affordable housing properties in Atlantic City and rehabbing them for the people who live there, including Len DaSilva. Read more ATLANTIC CITY One building was the old Liberty Hotel, built on Baltic Avenue in 1924 and listed in a 1950s Green Book of places welcoming to black travelers, one of 27 in Atlantic City. Another was the old Illinois Avenue School, built in 1906. The third was once the celebrated Northside YMCA on Arctic Avenue, built in 1927, a community gathering place that knit together the citys historically thriving black neighborhood. All three buildings later became affordable housing and, more recently, severely rundown properties described Wednesday by Mayor Frank Gilliam as dismal, deplorable, subpar. Living in squalor is not something any municipality should have to deal with, Gilliam said. But local and state officials announced Wednesday that WinnDevelopment would acquire all three properties as part of an opportunity zone investment, substantially rehabilitating the properties, and keeping them affordable housing for the required 30 years and, vice president Brett Meringoff said, beyond. Its about time! shouted a man who stuck his head out of a third-story window at Liberty, 1519 Baltic Ave., when asked about the plans. Gentrification, a mixed blessing in places like Jersey City and Hoboken, would not be the definition of success in Atlantic City, said Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, who has authority over city government under a state takeover and attended the announcement. Were not going to worry about gentrification in Atlantic City, because we are doing this right, Oliver said. We are building up the Atlantic City community from the ground up. We are not subscribing to a top-down policy of development in Atlantic City. We are all concerned about the generations of families who have lived here, or even workers in the city who want to live here, she said. She said supporting the community in Atlantic City has been neglected since casino gambling was legalized in 1976. For too long and for too many decades, the peoples voice has not been heard in terms of the community the residents would like to see. Given the citys small population (39,000), Oliver said, she believes that affordable housing could be upgraded for people already living here, nearly 40 percent of them in poverty. Earlier this month, the citys Housing Authority announced it would redevelop two public housing developments in Atlantic City, the 82-year-old Stanley Holmes Village and the 66-year-old Buzby Villages. This is a very doable thing, she said. Atlantic City does not have 200,000 residents. ... We can do a lot to improve the quality of life for people. In all, 153 units of income-restricted family affordable housing scattered among the three properties will be upgraded through a variety of funding, including developer loans, private investment, and state and local resources. The company said it will negotiate a payment in lieu of taxes. The purchase price was $17.3 million, the company said. Meringoff said the company expected its tax-exempt bonds to be approved this week by the New Jersey Housing Mortgage Finance Agency. In addition, the company has commitments from CitiBank, with more than $20 million. He said he expected work to begin late summer or early fall. Asked by Sal DaSilva, a resident of Liberty Apartments, about rent increases, he said the rent would continue to be calculated as 30 percent of a residents income, in keeping with federal guidelines. And he assured another resident, Christina Diaz, 33, who attended the news conference at St. Augustine Episcopal Church, that maintenance and property management would improve under Winns ownership. Diaz said the building was suffering from neglect, and apartments were moldy and long overdue for new appliances and general repairs. She said the previous owners were not responsive to complaints and requests for improvements. The apartment buildings, yes, they are in bad shape, she said. They could attend to the tenants more. Dont sweep us under the rug. Overall, they have a lot of things to do. City Councilman Kaleem Shabazz said the city could strike a balance between encouraging new residents and development that might bring in second-home owners and young professionals while also shoring up housing for the citys longtime residents. He cited the success of new market-rate, amenity-filled rental housing that has opened at 600 Atlantic Ave., known as 600Nobe. We can do both, he said. WinnDevelopment is part of WinnCompanies, which owns more than 100 multifamily housing properties in 11 states and Washington, D.C., totaling more than 13,000 apartments, according to its release. WinnCompanies spokesperson Ed Cafasso said the company did not expect residents to be displaced during the rehabilitation, but said they might be asked to leave their units for a day or so for other units in the building in what is known as an occupied rehabilitation. WinnCompanies local counsel is Tim Cunningham, former head of the states Division of Local Services, who was previously appointed to directly oversee Atlantic City under the state takeover. He is now in private practice. Pictured above is Teresa Miller, secretary of Pennsylvania's Department of Human Services, along with Gov. Wolf. Miller was at a press conference in the Capitol on May 29, 2019 to announce the creation of a suicide prevention task force. Read more HARRISBURG Gov. Tom Wolfs administration on Wednesday announced that it was creating a suicide prevention task force, citing an epidemic increase in suicide in the last 20 years. The task force, which will begin meeting next month, will aim to create a long-term suicide prevention plan that will build awareness of mental-health resources and reduce the stigma around suicide and mental-health conditions. Last year alone, 2,030 people committed suicide in Pennsylvania among them 11 National Guard members. According to a 2018 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Pennsylvanias suicide rate rose 34 percent between 1999 and 2016. The nationwide increase was 25 percent. I am someone who, at the darkest point in my life, thought suicide might be an option, Rep. Mike Schlossberg (D., Lehigh), who will serve on the task force, said at a Capitol news conference with lawmakers and administration officials. One death by suicide is too high, and 2,030 is near criminal. The rise in suicides and mental-health issues is a public-health crisis. The CDC report recommended that each state address factors that lead to suicide, like substance abuse, loss of housing, criminal legal issues, and financial insecurity. Pennsylvanias task force is made up of representatives from departments including Aging, Education, Health, Drug and Alcohol Programs, and Military and Veterans Affairs; the Pennsylvania State Police, and Prevent Suicide PA, as well as Schlossberg and Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (D., Phila.). Funding for recommendations made by the task force will come partially from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration. Other funding will be determined as a plan is written, officials said. Were here today because we need to do more, said Human Services Secretary Teresa Miller. She added: If were going to reverse the growing prevalence of suicide as a leading cause of death, we must expand our perspective and strengthen our approach. Carla Kirksey is one of five women who have accused Albert Ross a former Chester police officer, of sexually assaulting them while on duty. A federal judge recently ruled that the civil suit can move forward. Read more Carla Kirksey doesnt trust elevators anymore. Any confined space, really. Not since August 2015, when she says she was assaulted by a man who was sworn to protect her, inside what arguably should be the safest place in Chester. I felt like the city needed to know that we hired this cop that was doing things against the code, Kirksey said in a recent interview outside her home in Delaware Countys lone city. I was scared, but I dug deep. This needed to be told. Four years ago, Kirksey said, she encountered Chester Police Officer Albert Dion Ross inside the building that houses Chesters district courts and police station. On her way back from paying a traffic fine, she rode an elevator down with Ross, who was wearing a polo shirt that identified him as Officer Ross." When everyone else exited, and as she was making her way out, she said, Ross grabbed her by her shorts and pulled her back inside. He pushed aside her clothing, groped her, and kissed her, all against her will, she said, and then walked away as if nothing happened. In my head I was freaking out, but I couldnt act out because of my priors, said Kirksey, 50. And knowing that I had a record, he couldve used that against me. He couldve done anything he wanted to do in that elevator, killed me, if I retaliated. Kirksey is one of five women who have brought a federal civil rights lawsuit against Ross, 48, who they say assaulted them in their homes or on city property while on-duty as a police officer. The women fault Chester for hiring Ross, a man who came to the citys employ trailing accusations of sexual assault from two other law enforcement agencies. And as the suit winds its way through the courts its scheduled for trial early next year former city leaders are speaking out. They support the suits contention that their colleagues and successors ignored multiple warnings about Ross behavior. They say he was kept on the force, supported by members of Chesters City Council, despite attempts to remove him and efforts to keep him off the streets, assigned to desk duty. Had those warnings been heeded, the women say in their lawsuit, the harm that befell them could have been avoided. Ross was eventually stripped of his badge in 2017 and convicted a year later of indecent assault and harassment in connection with his actions toward three of the women, including Kirksey. A county judge ordered him to register as a sex offender for 15 years. City officials, for their part, vehemently deny any wrongdoing, saying in court filings that the council members who voted to hire Ross in 2013 were largely unaware of his employment history, and took action once he was criminally charged. Ross did not respond to requests for comment. His attorney, Joseph J. Santarone Jr., declined to comment, citing the pending lawsuit. But in his response to the civil complaint, Santarone wrote that Ross denies all of the assaults, including the ones he pleaded guilty to, and disputes assertions that he had been fired from his previous positions for sexual harassment. Representatives for the city similarly declined to be interviewed, including Aigner Cleveland, a spokesperson for Mayor Thaddeus Kirkland, and Kenneth Schuster, the city solicitor. Former city officials were more forthcoming. Joseph Bail, who served as Chesters police commissioner when Ross applied for job with the department, said he recommended against his hiring. I just to this day cannot rationalize how in the Lords name they determined this was a good hire, Bail said of Ross. You had a lot of smoke. You have to know theres fire somewhere." Ross began the interview process in early 2013, according to Bail. During initial meetings with him and members of City Council, Ross disclosed that he had previously served as a correctional officer at George W. Hill Correctional Facility, the county jail, and as a part-time police officer for the Chester Housing Authority. In both positions, Bail said, Ross admitted he had come under investigation for sexual harassment. Years later, Ross repeated that to a county detective investigating the sexual assaults, according to the affidavit of probable cause for his arrest. A red flag came up in my head. Now we had a pattern, Bail said. I told the council I didnt want to hire him, but they wanted to, so we put him through the process. Bail recalled that at the time, City Councilwoman Portia West vouched for Ross, saying she knew his mother and believed he deserved a second chance." West did not respond to multiple requests for comment, but court documents the city filed in the civil case indicate that she knew Ross and his mother from growing up in Chester. During the next round of the selection process, members of the Police Department investigated Ross background more thoroughly, Bail said. A report compiled by then-Deputy Commissioner Otis Blair, reviewed by The Inquirer, showed that, when contacted, none of Ross former employers said they would consider him for rehiring. This wasnt a flash in the pan, this was a series of smoking guns, Bail said. The decision wasnt personal; it had absolutely nothing to do with race or anything else. Blair based his conclusion in part on an incident report from the Chester Housing Authority, where, in 2011, a resident reported that Ross had kissed her against her will while responding to a fire-alarm activation in her unit, according to documents reviewed by The Inquirer. A spokesperson for the housing authority declined to comment, saying only that Ross resigned in April 2013, a month before he was hired by the city. And a decade before the incident with the housing authority, the lawsuit alleges, Ross was the subject of an internal investigation by staff at George W. Hill. A lieutenant at the prison wrote that Ross had sexually harassed his subordinates, and used his position to present a nonverbal illusion of fear" to prevent women from filing reports against him, the suit said. Law enforcement sources in the county confirmed that the lieutenants report was compiled and that its reproduction in the civil case is accurate. Despite that, Chesters City Council voted to hire Ross, according to John Linder, the mayor at the time. It was very, very frustrating and scary, said Linder, who was unseated by Kirkland in 2016. In this position you have to be objective. You cant let your personal feelings get involved, especially when its giving someone a gun and badge. The citys attorney, Suzanne McDonough, wrote in her response to the lawsuit that the Chester Council was only aware of Ross firing from the jail for policy violations, and said that the background investigation did not reveal what is alleged ... and did not disqualify the officer from being hired. McDonough declined to comment for this article. Linder said the problems didnt end there. Ross was the subject of several reports of insubordination in the first few months on the job, he said, including ignoring an order not to return to the home of a woman with whom hed been involved in a domestic dispute. Ross, in court filings, denied that. The former mayor said he tried to fire Ross but faced opposition from Council and the local police union. So, Ross remained, but Bail kept him off the street, refusing to sign the required state accreditation paperwork for active patrolmen. The Council had multiple opportunities to intervene, Linder said. Even if you made a bad decision and you did hire him, you had a chance to say, Bad decision, but we gave him a chance.' But no, they fought with me about keeping him. While on desk duty, Ross encountered Kirksey, as well as another woman who reported a similar assault in the same elevator, according to the civil suit. The remaining allegations came in 2016 and 2017, after Linder and Bail had left their positions and Ross was again patrolling the city. In one case, a woman said, Ross responded to a call about a domestic dispute and stuck a flashlight down her shirt, exposing her breasts while she protested. In another, he chatted up a woman he had known for six years, and groped her after asking for a hug, according to the affidavit of probable cause for his eventual arrest on indecent-assault and harassment charges. Ross pleaded guilty in September and was sentenced to four years probation. That news only increased Linders frustration. Council needs to reflect on its behavior," he said. "It wasnt just bad for the public, but it was bad for him. What do you tell the women who say they were victimized by him? Pune, India, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global spirometry market is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 10.03% over the forecast period from 2018 to 2023, according to the latest research report published by Market Research Future (MRFR). The global spirometry market is mainly driven by the growing prevalence of lung conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which has driven awareness about these diseases, leading to a growing demand from the spirometry market. Spirometry is a test conducted through spirometers to check the lung capacity and function of an individual. The growing government support to regular medical checkups and the growing government funding for obtaining instruments such as spirometers is likely to be a major driver for the global spirometry market over the forecast period. The growing government support for educating people about conducting home spirometry tests to gauge and monitor their own lung function is likely to be a major driver for the global spirometry market over the forecast period. Request Free Sample @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/6539 The growing air pollution levels in urban centers around the world have become a major health hazard in recent years, with the increasing vehicle ownership and increasing urban population driving the air pollution figures way past anything that can be considered a healthy environment to live in. Rising vehicle ownership and the lax attitude of government bodies towards environmental testing, especially in underdeveloped regions around the world, has led to a growth in air pollution levels over the last few decades. This has driven the global prevalence of asthma and COPD, among other pulmonary and respiratory diseases, at a steady rate over the last few years. The growing prevalence of asthma and COPD in developed regions such as North America and Europe is likely to be a major driver for the global spirometry market over the forecast period. The growing medical devices industry is also likely to be a major driver for the global spirometry market over the forecast period, as this is likely to drive consistent product innovation in global spirometry market over the forecast period. Rapid growth in the demand for more precise, more advanced medical devices has been a significant driver for the global medical devices industry over the last few years, leading to steady funding towards the development of product advancements and innovations. This is likely to lead to steady growth of the global spirometry market over the forecast period, as the development of more precise and comprehensive diagnostical tools is likely to drive the demand for spirometry operations in developed regions. Competitive Analysis: Leading players in the market include Smiths Medical Inc., Vitalograph, Midmark Corporation, CareFusion Corporation, Schiller AG, NDD Medical Technologies Inc., Nihon Kohden Corporation, MGC Diagnostics Corporation, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Hill-Rom Holdings Inc., and COSMED srl. Segmentation: The global market is segmented by product, technology, application, end user, and region. Products in the global spirometry market include table-top spirometry, hand-held spirometry, and desktop (PC) spirometry. Table-top spirometry is likely to account for the largest share in the global spirometry market over the forecast period, having accounted for a dominant market share of 49.9% in 2017. Based on technology, the global spirometry market is segmented into volume measurement spirometry, peak flow meters (PFM), and flow measurement spirometry. Flow measurement spirometry dominates the global spirometry market and accounted for 50.3% of the global spirometry market in 2017. By application, the spirometry market is segmented into diagnostic and treatment monitoring. By end-use, the global Spirometry Market is segmented into research & academic institutes, diagnostic centers, hospitals & clinics, and home care. Hospitals are likely to remain the leading end users in the global spirometry market over the forecast period, with the segment expected to exhibit a strong 9.52% CAGR over the forecast period. However, the research and academic institutions segment is likely to exhibit the highest CAGR, with the segment expected to grow at a 10.35% CAGR over the forecast period. Browse the market data and information spread across 120 pages with 178 data tables and 18 figures of the report Spirometry Market- Forecast 2018-2023 in-depth alongside table of content (TOC) at: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/spirometry-market-6539 Regional Analysis: The Americas dominates the global spirometry market, mainly on the back of the dominant share of the U.S. and Canada in the global spirometry market. The growing geriatric population in the U.S. and Canada and the growing availability of high-end medical devices and diagnostic systems in North America are likely to drive the spirometry market in the Americas region over the forecast period. The Americas market is expected to reach a valuation of USD 445 million by 2023, exhibiting a strong 10.25% CAGR over the forecast period. Europe is likely to reach a valuation of USD 322.33 million over the forecast period due to the steady growth in the prevalence of lung diseases in the region. Asia Pacific is expected to exhibit the highest CAGR of 10.64% over the forecast period. Make an Enquiry Before Buying this Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/6539 About Market Research Future: At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), & Consulting Services. MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions. In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members. Tim Conheeney, a bike courier, waits in line at the First Judicial District's Civil Filing Center in Room 296 of Philadelphia City Hall on Wednesday. He has been here more frequently since the city court's eFiling system has been down. Read more A shutdown of Philadelphia court computers was in its second week Wednesday with no answers as to why it happened, when it will be fixed, or how much it will cost. Officials said the websites and computer programs were shut down May 21 as a precaution after a virus was found on a limited number of computers, but they have not linked the shutdown to cyberattacks that reportedly have hit municipal computer systems in other U.S. cities. The First Judicial District continues to work closely with City OIT [Office of Innovation and Technology] to ensure the safety of our systems after being alerted of potential malware, according to a statement by courts spokesperson Gabe Roberts. As a precautionary measure the FJD website, employee email accounts, and electronic filing (e-file) have been temporarily suspended. While there is no definitive timetable for when systems will be fully operational, IT professionals are working diligently to restore services, the statement said, noting that all of the citys courts remain open as scheduled. The statement did not explain what type of malicious software may have been found. To safeguard other systems, the city court system and the Office of Innovation and Technology shut down certain court IT functions to fully review and clean the operating systems, a city spokesperson said last week. This is a necessary step to contain the virus. The shutdown has had a greater impact on civil cases than criminal ones. Online criminal dockets, which are on a statewide portal system, are still accessible. But the online civil docket search is not functioning and law firms that handle civil cases have had to send employees or bike couriers to City Hall to file motions and other documents with regularity this week and last. Outside Room 296 in City Hall, where filings are done in civil Trial Division cases, Tevin Heilig, a mail room clerk at a Center City law firm, said Wednesday that things were calmer than Tuesday. It was hectic, Heilig said, describing a line that stretched out the door and had people complaining. Amber Iannuzzi, a paralegal at another Center City law firm, hurried out of the City Hall filing room Wednesday after trying to attach a legal document to a pretrial motion she filed Tuesday. But they cant find the original motion, she said, apparently because it was in a pile among other hand-delivered documents. The stacks are ridiculous, she said. Its affected everything, she said of the computer shutdown. We have a trial beginning Monday. Roberts said it was not known whether what is affecting Philadelphias court computer systems might be related to what has been happening in other cities. In Baltimore, the New York Times reported, a cyberattack has frozen thousands of computers and disrupted citywide services. The Baltimore attack, on May 7, was a classic ransomware assault, the Times wrote. A key component of the malware used by the cyberattackers on Baltimore came from a cyber tool developed by the National Security Agency, which was stolen in 2017 and has been used by hackers around the world, the newspaper said. Hackers seem to have found a sweet spot in Baltimore, Allentown, Pa., San Antonio, and other local American governments, where public employees oversee tangled networks that often use out-of-date software, the Times reported. According to the First Judicial District, Trial Division civil filings are being accepted in person in Room 296 of City Hall; Municipal Court civil filings at the Widener Building, 1339 Chestnut St., 10th floor; Family Court filings at 1501 Arch St., eighth and 11th floors; and criminal filings in the Stout Center for Criminal Justice, second floor. Even hardened Philly locals now have a sweet reason to visit Independence Visitor Center: Hersheys first stand-alone cafe. Hersheys Kitchens, which opened Wednesday at the visitor center at Sixth and Market Streets, serves smores made of full-size Hershey bars, custom marshmallows with hints of smoke and vanilla, and 4-by-4-inch graham crackers. Those are all smooshed together and put through a conveyor belt oven so the marshmallows melt evenly. Market East and Old City, meet your new I-had-a-bad-day, I-deserve-all-the-things lunch. Aside from smores, the cafe also serves Hersheys milkshakes, warm baked goods drizzled with even more gooey goodness, and La Colombe coffee. Grab-and-go salads and sandwiches are also available. Plenty of souvenirs that blend Hershey products with Philly and U.S. history are also available. Its a bit bittersweet to see Ben Franklin munching on a chocolate bar that didnt exist in his day, but this is the man who said, Wish not so much to live long as to live well" and living well does mean eating a lot of chocolate. Theres also a sweet land of liberty shirt on which the Liberty Bell is portrayed as a piece of chocolate under a thin gold foil wrapper. We see the plot for National Treasure 3 taking shape. Suzanne Jones, vice president of the Hershey Experience (yes, thats her actual awesome job title), said Hershey has wanted to open a cafe for some time. Because Hershey is located in Pennsylvania and Milton Hershey started his first business in Philadelphia, the company thought setting up shop at the visitor center, which sees 2.5 million visitors a year, was a perfect marriage. Although Hershey has tiny versions of the cafe concept at Hershey Park and in its New York City store, this is Hersheys first stand-alone cafe, Jones said. James Cuorato, president and chief executive office of the visitor center, said the centers old cafe, which debuted when the building opened in 2001, was sorely in need of an upgrade. Hersheys Kitchens was brought in as part of a recent $15 million renovation to the center. "This is a Hershey experience thats unique to Philly, Cuorato said. Event Network, which operates cultural attraction stores across the United States and runs the souvenir store at the visitor center, helped connect the folks at Hershey with the people at the visitor center. We now have the coolest cafe in the city, the coolest gift shop, and we made the 10 best bathrooms list, too! Cuorato said. So we have everything covered. Auctioneer Cindy Stephenson holds one of the items available for auction as she prepares for the event at the former location of the Shrine of Saint Katharine Drexel in Bensalem, PA on May 28, 2019. Read more The rooms where the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament forged a ministry devoted to underserved communities are now a backdrop for an auction that will offer pieces of the nuns history for sale. Sculpture from Haiti, Native American sand paintings, and dolls and record albums on African American history fill tables inside parlors where the sisters once met. Religious art leans against the walls of their formal dining room. A grand piano sits in a room where an auctioneer will likely ask, What are my bids? The auction scheduled for Friday is yet another step in the religious communitys years-long farewell to the place that was once a Catholic shrine housing the body of St. Katharine Drexel, the Philadelphia heiress who founded the community. The nuns are selling the 44-acre estate that has been their headquarters since 1892. Nearly 200 items will be sold in an in-person and online auction that starts at 11 a.m. at the property at 1663 Bristol Pike. A preview will begin at 9. The auction, which is being administered by Stephensons Auctioneers & Appraisers of Southampton, is expected to continue to about 2 p.m. The sale will feature antique bookcases, stained glass windows, rugs, cabinets, dishes, pedestals, musical instruments, and other items that had become part of the religious communitys life since St. Katharine founded the order in 1891. >> READ MORE: St. Katharine Drexel shrine estate under contract to developer Aquinas with senior housing plan "We have mixed emotions, said Sister Donna Breslin, the orders president. Its difficult. Most of the items hold a lot of history for us, but we also realize that this is a time of transition. The religious order has an agreement of sale with Bucks County-based Aquinas Realty Partners, which plans to build a 605-unit residential community that includes luxury town and carriage homes and a senior living community. The nuns, who have suffered a severe decline in membership, decided to sell the property several years ago because they were unable to maintain it. >> READ MORE: Remains of St. Katharine Drexel to be moved to the Cathedral this summer The parcels 10 buildings include a chapel, the former shrine, classroom buildings for the religious training, two convents, and a barn where the sisters raised animals. Fridays auction is the third featuring items belonging to the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, but the first to be held on the communitys grounds. The order earlier donated many liturgical items to other religious communities. In 2017, Freemans auction house in Center City sold a collection of Native America pottery, beadwork, weavings, and basketry largely by Hopi, Navajo and Pueblo artisans. Last year, Material Culture in East Falls sold wall hangings, sculpture and pottery. Each auction sold about 50 items. The Freemans auction items sold for a total hammer price of $68,800, including $4,000 for a Navajo belt made of silver and leather, according to Freemans website. Material Cultures items sold for $8,200, according to Invaluable.com. The totals do not include the auction houses buyers premium. Proceeds from the sales will be used to continue the communitys ministry, fund charitable initiatives, and care for the orders aging nuns. The community has about 80 sisters, ranging in age from the early 50s to nearly 100. Most live at Pauls Run, a continuing care community in Northeast Philadelphia. St. Katharine founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament after giving up a $7 million fortune to dedicate her life to the Catholic faith and to serve minority communities. She entered a Pittsburgh convent in 1889 and founded the order two years later, and then established its headquarters in Bucks County. On the walls of a first-floor hallway are three framed charts listing the nuns who have lived and died in the community, beginning with Sister Mary Patrick Flaherty, who died in 1891, and ending with Sister Rita Gillen, who died in April. St. Katharines name is prominently displayed on the first chart. She died in 1955 and her remains were entombed at the Bucks County headquarters, which became a national shrine, attracting pilgrims from all over the world. St. Katharine was canonized in 2000. >> READ MORE: St. Katharine Drexels tomb unveiled at Cathedral Last year, her body was moved to the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul in Center City, which was later declared a shrine of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament plan to keep their headquarters in the area once the propertys sale is finalized. They remain optimistic about what lies ahead. We are now moving into the future, Breslin said. We have still have great hope and trust that our congregation will continue. Chalk shaped as donuts are photographed inside Twee, Inc. studio in South Philadelphia on Thursday, May 16, 2019. Twee, Inc. makes kids' chalk shaped like donuts, sushi, planets, and unicorn horns and is now sold in 350 stores in the USA and overseas. Read more Art teacher Kate Leibrand never could have predicted that her colorful homemade chalk created for her preschoolers and molded into whimsical shapes like doughnuts and sushi, sized for childrens hands would become an international sales phenomena. But her miniature delicacies are now sold in Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Barneys, and 350 other U.S. stores, as well as in the United Arab Emirates, Australia, Bermuda, Ukraine, and Canada. And shes been in business less than two years. Leibrand, 29, who teaches at Moonstone Preschool in Bella Vista, wanted her students to learn how to make chalk in late 2016 when she mixed her first batch in the kitchen of her one-bedroom apartment in Fairmount. Both she and her students found the mixture too runny when they tried it. For the next three months, Leibrand perfected the recipe by using biodegradable materials, nontoxic substances, and mineral compounds. If kids are playing outside, and the chalk washes down the drains, I didnt want it to harm sea creatures, says Leibrand, an arts graduate of Elizabethtown College who has her masters from Moore College of Art. For fun, she molded the chalk into doughnut shapes, which made for easier handling by the kids. MORE UPSIDE STORIES: These teenagers want to open their own convenience store. Heres why. Moonstone parents loved it and their kids clamored for more colors and shapes. So Leibrand added bright gems, sushi, and unicorn horns to her product line. When she decided to sell her wares on Etsy, the artsy e-commerce site, she wondered what to name her fledgling company. She recalled the time in grad school when a Moore professor derisively referred to one of Leibrands artworks as twee, a British-ism for too cute. At the time, she was offended that her piece was not being taken seriously. Now, though? As Leibrand looked at her line of chalk, she embraced its cuteness. And thus was born TWEE: Handmade, Small Batch Sidewalk Chalk. After selling the chalk for eight months on Etsy, Leibrand had 40 wholesale accounts and TWEE had outgrown her apartment. Thats when Moonstone parent Margaux Del Collo invited her to move operations into her garage near the Italian Market. Del Collo, 41, a marketing whiz who had promoted New York City Fashion Week for seven years, persuaded Leibrand to partner with her so she could market Twee. Over the next 10 months, Leibrand expanded the line, adding numbers and ABCs. Meanwhile, Del Collo developed the company website tweemade.com and a marketing strategy. The latter targeted all the stylish cities, including Philadelphia, New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and San Francisco. She researched premier stores and boutiques in each and reached out to their buyers. She also pitched TWEE to the holiday gift guide in Rachael Ray Every Day magazine and to the Wall Street Journal, which both featured TWEE in their publications last year. It didnt take long to get momentum going, says Del Collo. Phillys Born Yesterday and Momos Treehouse boutiques came on board right away. The speed of growth astounded Leibrand. It was surprising and exciting, she says. I just started it as a side hustle to make a little money, but from the first year to the second, the business grew 1,000 percent. Then, it started taking off. (When asked about annual sales, she says coyly, Were not at a billion dollars yet.) MORE UPSIDE STORIES: An original Rosie the Riveter from Bucks vies for Congressional Medal, remembering how she helped save the world By May 2018, chalks were being sold on TWEEs website and shipped to 150 companies, from small, independent retailers to Nordstrom and other high-end stores. And TWEE once again needed more space. Fortuitously, a parent named David Krupnick had just visited Moonstone to check out the preschool for his little boy. He left his business card, which indicated that he ran 1241 Carpenter St., a converted 19th century factory that houses artist studios and businesses. So Del Collo and Leibrands boyfriend, Michael Galanek, dropped by to meet Krupnick and his father, Steven, the owner of 1241. David Krupnick apologetically shared the companys business policy: We only rent to people we know. Del Collo looked so crestfallen, that the elder Krupnick turned to his son and said, I like the looks of them. Lets just show them the space. It was bigger than we had hoped for, recalled Del Collo. I said Well take it. Can I leave a deposit? Do you have a dollar? asked David Krupnick. Ill take a dollar. TWEE moved in and by January needed to both expand into additional space at 1241 and increase its paid staff from two to nine: three full-time, five part-time and one intern. Were doing all the things that large retailers do, said Del Collo. To what does Leibrand credit the repeated expansion? Brand warriors. A lot of helpful people who dont ask for a lot in return and just believe in the business, she said. The warriors include Brigid Squilla, director of TWEE operations, who oversees shipping, which includes Leibrands parents, Lisa and Bob Leibrand; her boyfriend, Michael Galanek; and Del Collos husband, Josh Gilman. All are unpaid. Now, the company adds two new products twice a year. This spring, chalk cupcakes and miniature planets joined the current product list of unicorn horns, narwhal tusks, pizza, sushi, gems, and doughnuts. Pint-size TWEE consumers offer product ideas regularly. They show up after school at TWEEs studio, watch Leibrand work, and make suggestions. Del Collos son, Max, 5, wants his little yellow stuffed duck to be immortalized in chalk. They come for snacks, and stay for critiques, says Del Collo. They are quick to tell us what they think, like, Its a stupid idea. " Wisely, Leibrand who still works part-time at Moonstone, where it all began listens to her customers. Charlene Pryor, 55, stands by the vacant lot once owned by her late mother, Evelyn, at 1617-21 Susquehanna St. on May 17, 2019. A thief forged the signature of Evelyn, and is trying to sell them for $300,000. Read more Now that was a storm. While last nights weather brought mainly thunderstorms and a delayed Phillies game to Philadelphia, areas outside the city saw wind gusts, quarter-sized hail, and reports of a tornado touching down in southern Berks County. And keep your umbrellas handy, Philly the rainy weather looks like its sticking around. Moving on to todays news: a Philly entrepreneur has quietly made $1 million off forged deeds, dubious land deals, and the signatures of dead homeowners, while Councilman Kenyatta Johnson is pushing for a ban on bay windows and balconies in his district. And, bring out the cake (skip the candles, please, were flammable), its our birthday this week. Take a look back at 190 years of history on the Inquirers front pages here and check newsstands today for a special commemorative issue. Oona Goodin-Smith (@oonagoodinsmith, morningnewsletter@philly.com) Youre invited: Thousands of young people will graduate from Philadelphia schools this spring. Come hear from some of the best and the brightest on Tuesday, June 4. Inquirer education reporter Kristen Graham will speak with students from a variety of schools, including Mastery Charter-Shoemaker and Strawberry Mansion about their hopes, dreams, and experiences in city schools. Register for free at philly.com/inquiringminds. Reading this online? Sign up here to get this newsletter delivered to your inbox every morning. Regarded as a success story among fellow entrepreneurs, Orin Clybourn has quietly made $1 million, buying rundown Philly properties and flipping them for a profit. But his acquisitions have repeatedly been built on a foundation of forgeries. An Inquirer investigation found Clybourn has pleaded poverty to dodge legal fees while making sizable profits, forged signatures on deeds and, in at least seven deals, forged the names of the dead. His long run of deals expose the weak official oversight over property transfers in Philadelphia, where blatantly suspicious documents fail to trigger alarms, let alone questions, writes reporter Craig McCoy. Could bay windows and balconies be of buildings bygone in Point Breeze and Grays Ferry? Perhaps, if Councilman Kenyatta Johnson gets his way. Amid rapid gentrification of his district, Johnson introduced a Council bill which would ban the architectural features across large portions of the neighborhoods and regulate them in others. For some, balconies and bump-out bay windows offer two things that a traditional rowhouse cant: additional space and light. But others see them as a defining symbol of gentrification bringing with it anxieties about cost-of-living increases and displacement. After the deadliest start to a year in Philadelphia since 2012, police say that nearly 90 percent of the killings in the city since January have been committed with guns, a proportion that Commissioner Richard Ross said Tuesday is alarming. The announcement came less than a day after a North Philadelphia teen playing video games in his bedroom was shot in the leg as a bullet ripped through the wall of his home, and less than a week after three people were shot two fatally in separate incidents within a span of two hours. Today, Philadelphians impacted by gun violence will take to the steps of the Art Museum to share their stories and put a call to action. What you need to know today Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly Great eye, @catherinedkerr. Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and well pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout out! Thats Interesting Opinions Lets face it: Whether we live in this state or we opt to spend our vacation dollars here (thanks again for that), we are all of us choosing the Jersey Shore. And that alone bonds us together as brothers and sisters in what is perhaps the luckiest, most misunderstood and derided of clubs this side of the Ben Franklin Bridge. When it comes down to it, theyre not all that different, your camp and mine. We all eat our Chipwiches one bite at a time. - Cape May journalist Diane Stopyra on the Shoobie/local divide at the Shore. The lies of omission that our teachers committed in school regarding race in America after the Civil War mattered then and now its just as critical that todays Americans finally learn the real history, writes columnist Will Bunch. As the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots approaches, the Inquirers Opinion Department would like to include a variety of LGBTQ+ voices about the significance of the anniversary and about the work that remains undone to achieve equality. Share your thoughts here. What were reading In Delaware, the number of child abuse and neglect cases has doubled over the past decade, but the number of social workers tasked with investigating the claims hasnt. WHYY examines the caseloads of Delaware child abuse investigators, which are often double the legal limit. What better way to enjoy the eventual return of sunnier days than by eating a sandwich or a hot dog (or is a hot dog a sandwich) in the great outdoors? Curbed Philly lists some of the best places to picnic or barbecue outside in the city. Will Wawa overtake 7-Eleven in Philadelphia? In Center City, its closing in, Billy Penn reports. A Daily Dose of | Royal flush This summer, you can (finally) explore Philadelphia unencumbered by an active bladder. Reporter Anna Orso shares the citys greatest semi-public restrooms, including perhaps one of the greatest post-potty views. Helen Oakes, 94, of Overbrook, an expert on Philadelphias public schools who through her probing monthly newsletter and seven-year service on the Board of Education pushed to make the schools better, died Tuesday, May 21, at the Hearth at Drexel in Bala Cynwyd. In the last half of the 20th century, there wasnt a single citizen, officeholder or not, who cared more or did more for the Philadelphia public schools, said former Mayor William J. Green III, who appointed her to the school board in 1982. She seemed to be a very deserving candidate. From 1970 to 1989, Mrs. Oakes set herself the task of writing and publishing the Oakes Newsletter. Each issue of the monthly publication was devoted to one topic and expressed a point of view. Its aim, she wrote in her resume, was to help restore to health the city school system, which was being roiled by teacher strikes and budget cuts. She wrote hundreds of newsletters and did it for decades, Green said. She was in a class by herself. Born in Rochester, N.Y., Mrs. Oakes graduated from the Harley School there. She graduated in 1945 with a bachelors degree in physics from Smith College. In 1960, she moved with husband Earle to Overbrook, where the couple had four children, all of whom graduated from Overbrook High School. That same year, Mrs. Oakes began studying the Philadelphia schools. She was chair of the Education Committee of the League of Women Voters in 1965 and a member of the board of the watchdog Citizens Committee on Public Education from 1971 to 1980, and was on the Philadelphia School Districts task forces on desegregation and teacher selection. She told the journal Education Week in March 1989 that the issues of greatest concern to her over the years were the importance of developing a love of reading and a love of learning and fostering a school environment in which children understand that they are cared about as individuals. Rhonda Lauer, her friend and the former principal of the Andrew Jackson School at 12th and Federal Streets, said Mrs. Oakes belief in public education formed the keystone of her research and fueled her civic activism. What really drove her early on was the funding disparities she saw for schools between rich and poor communities, Lauer said. She studied them on her own because she was passionate about equality. She believed that the only way to lift kids out of poverty was education. That passion just drove her, and she also recognized the opportunity gap in some neighborhoods, Lauer said. When, as a board member, Mrs. Oakes scrutinized Lauers Jackson School in the 1980s, the process was sometimes painful. But she didnt leave you hanging, Lauer said. She looked at your data. She helped you analyze it. She helped you use the data to drive instruction. She really forced you to take a truthful, honest look at your practices, whether you were a leader or teacher. She was always willing to help you make things better for all the kids. Because her stance was so critical, Mrs. Oakes made enemies. When her term on the school board expired in 1989, she had hoped to be reappointed by Mayor W. Wilson Goode Sr., but that didnt happen. She accused school superintendent Constance E. Clayton of blocking her reappointment because of her outspokenness. But Clayton was complimentary at Mrs. Oakes final board meeting. Weve learned from her in a variety of ways, Clayton was quoted as saying in a December 1989 Inquirer story. Weve been appreciative of her candor, her hard, tough questions. We look forward to seeing her continue her interest in public education. In addition to her newsletter, Mrs. Oakes compiled and published a School-by-School Statistical Analysis of the citys public schools from 1975 through 1981. The study included data on enrollment, average class size, absenteeism rates for staff and pupils, and reading test scores. After leaving the school board, Mrs. Oakes served as an education consultant for foundations, businesses, or individuals interested in funding aspects of the public schools such as after-school programs. Her contributions were recognized with the 1986 Chapel of Four Chaplains Humanitarian Award; the 1979 John N. Patterson Award from the Citizens Committee on Public Education; and the 1976 Philadelphia Association of School Administrators Award for perceptive reporting on education. Her husband died in 2011. A son, David, died in 2016. She is survived by sons Dennis and Jeffrey; daughter Peggy Shorr; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Services were private. In recognition of her advocacy, Mrs. Oakess family has created the Helen Oakes Literacy Institute. Its goal is to improve literacy rates by honing the skills of Philadelphia public-school teachers. The institute will be run by the nonprofit Foundations, Inc. Donations may be made via https://secure.qgiv.com/for/holi/. In times of crisis, Morris Schwartz, the father of Philadelphia TV weather broadcaster Glenn Hurricane Schwartz, could always be counted on to remain calm and composed, the unwavering voice that held his family together. As Mr. Schwartz neared death at the Birches in Bucks County, though, the voice of calm reassurance passed unbidden from father to son. While warning his NBC10 viewers of approaching storms, meteorologist Schwartz also got through to his semi-conscious father. Witnesses said he was agitated, but when he heard my voice on TV, he grew calm, Glenn Schwartz said. It moved everyone that he could listen to his son and have a little smile. Mr. Schwartz, 95, of Glenside and Ventnor, N.J., an architect and family man, died Tuesday, May 28, of congestive heart failure. His son cut short his TV duties to be there. He was not in pain, he was peaceful, and he enjoyed his last six months at the Birches, his son said. Born in South Philadelphia, Mr. Schwartz graduated from South Philadelphia High School and then Drexel University in 1950. He enlisted in the Army at the end of World War II, and was assigned to a base in New Mexico, his son said. By happenstance, he was too sick for a training mission in 1945. The plane carrying his crew crashed, killing all aboard. This was the story that he told calmly many years ago, his son said. Its just the way he was. For more than 20 years, ending with his retirement in the early 1990s, Mr. Schwartz was head of engineering and construction at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. He coordinated with architectural and construction firms to expand Jeffersons campus in Center City. Before joining Jefferson, he worked for several private architectural firms. He was involved in designing Independence Mall and buildings on the campus of Millersville University. Mr. Schwartz married Miriam Kirson in 1947, and the couple had two children. His wife died in 2012, one month short of the couples 65th wedding anniversary. In 1996, the family faced a daunting tragedy when Mr. Schwartzs daughter, Debbie Cohen, a young mother of two, woke up during the night in terrible pain. He was called, Glenn Schwartz said. He saw her on a Sunday with the kids, 2 and 4. Two days later, she was in a coma. Cohen died of meningitis, which no one knew she had. He was the only one who had composure at a time like that. He helped all of us get through it, his son said. When his son posted word of Mr. Schwartzs death on social media, hundreds of friends, family, and TV viewers responded. They said, Your father was such a wonderful person, we just loved your father, Glenn Schwartz said. For a relatively quiet person, he was larger than life. In addition to his son, Mr. Schwartz is survived by two grandchildren. Funeral services on Thursday, May 30, will be limited to family, friends, and his former co-workers. Burial on Thursday will be private. Contributions in his memory may be made to AMVETS, 4647 Forbes Blvd., Lanham, Md. 20706. The origins of the United States are grounded in the prodigy of political debate. It has been a core tenet of our countrys democratic principles since 1776. Both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, our countrys two founding documents, are the result of sophisticated debate that occurred in this very city. Yet, after his victory in the Democrat mayoral primary last Tuesday, Mayor Jim Kenney has stated he will likely forego this principle of our democracy and not debate his Republican challenger ahead of the November election. This would be a great disservice to the citizens of Philadelphia. In a masterful speech given at Independence Hall on September 17, 1787, the last day of the Constitutional Convention, Ben Franklin famously said, Most men think themselves in possession of all truth, and that wherever others differ from them it is so far error. Kenneys refusal to debate echoes this type of hubris. Furthermore, in a city where his approval rating sits beneath 50%, a homicide rate that has climbed during his term, and a poverty rate that, while it has plateaued during his term, remains among the highest in the country, Kenney owes it to Philadelphians to debate his opponent. Kenneys reasoning behind his unwillingness to debate his Republican challenger, Billy Ciancaglini, is based on a claim that Democrats launch too casually upon Republicans: white supremacy. Its hard when the person associates themselves with white supremacists and neo-Nazis to give that person a platform, so probably not, Kenney said of debating Ciancaglini. This claim is solely based on unnamed sources speaking to a small website known as Unicorn Riot, where they claimed to be white supremacists who met with the Republican challenger. These claims, which Ciancaglini denies, havent been verified elsewhere and run counter to his claimed history of pro bono work as a lawyer with black and Latino clients. If Kenney is serious about probing his opponents alleged prejudice, he should use his bully pulpit to challenge Ciancaglini in a public forum where Philadelphians can judge for themselves. Granted, Kenney has little to gain politically from any debate. Democrats in Philadelphia enjoy an overwhelming edge in registration. The city has not had a Republican mayor since the Truman presidential administration. Kenney had over 10 times as many votes in the primary compared to Ciancaglini. Politically, there is little incentive for him to participate. Yet, given all the challenges Philadelphians face, as an incumbent mayor, he should not be suppressing political opposition. Ironically, as Kenney champions himself as the bastion of equality, he has engaged in racial stereotyping himself. In a Philadelphia Magazine profile published this January, Kenney said he is confronted angrily on the street by white men, whom he tells: Youre white, you got a house, a house at the Shore, you got two cars, wife is working, nobody is shooting your kids, what are you so angry about? You should be the happiest guy in the world." However, Kenneys stereotyping shows a mayor out of touch with reality. The U.S. Census Bureaus American Community Survey Five-Year Estimate released in December 2018 reveals that white poverty throughout Philadelphia drastically increased between 2013 and 2017. The survey showed that while poverty among minority groups stalled or decreased, poverty among white people in Philadelphia increased from 14.8 percent to 19.4 percent between 2016 and 2017," with rates jumping in 22 majority-white neighborhoods. Imagine being a resident in any of these neighborhoods and reading the mayors comments. To misrepresent an ethnic groups economic concerns solely based on the color of their skin is the textbook definition of prejudice, the same thing Kenney stated he opposed. Kenneys attack on one of our democracys most relished traditions should not be taken lightly. Philadelphias ranking as the countrys poorest big city, homicides, economic stagnation, the opioid epidemic, and schools are grave concerns that impact all Philadelphians. Refusal to engage in discourse with political opponents is a right reserved for tyrants, not mayors of American cities. And, especially not the mayor of the city that is our countrys cradle of liberty. Christopher Tremoglie is in his fourth year at the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in political science and Russian and Eastern European studies. He is chairman of the Penn Political Unions Conservative Caucus and vice president of the UPenn Statesman. christopher.tremoglie@gmail.com Justice is blind, but not color-blind. No matter our profession, we all are shaped by our life experiences. Some years ago Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor was criticized for saying that a wise Latina woman, given the richness of her experiences, would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasnt lived that life. She was not admitting bias or lack of objectivity on the bench, but rather acknowledging that her experiences, rooted in ethnicity and gender, composed the lens through which she viewed the world. This is why we champion diversity. Diversity makes our schools, workplaces, and judiciary better. And it is why the May 21 Philadelphia primary in which no African American candidate was elected for either Common Pleas Court judge or Municipal Court judge is so disheartening. The loss touched a nerve, since I recently returned from Detroit for the funeral of the countrys longest-serving African American Judge. Damon J. Keith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, authored some of the countrys most important civil rights and civil liberties opinions, challenging segregation, voting-rights suppression, and government overreach. After 9/11, in response to secret deportation hearings, he famously wrote democracies die behind closed doors." At age 96, Judge Keith was still hearing cases when he passed peacefully in his sleep on April 28. At the start of my legal career, I clerked for the judge and it remains the highlight of my professional life. The fact that so many of his former clerks, spanning 50 years, were at his funeral speaks to the love and respect we had for him. In addition to being a lifelong defender of the Constitution, Judge Keith opened doors of opportunity for hundreds of aspiring lawyers of color who otherwise might not have had the opportunity for a coveted judicial clerkship. While some of his clerks, including the former governor and secretary of state of Michigan were white, the vast majority of the judges clerks were African American. They have gone on to distinguished careers as judges, partners in law firms, and corporate and nonprofit CEOs. Law professor Lani Guinier, who taught at the University of Pennsylvania Law School before becoming Harvard Law Schools first tenured African American female professor, was one of Judge Keiths clerks. Judge Keith recognized that if the nation was to live up to its promise, it was important that those interpreting the law reflect this countrys diversity. Nowhere is this more relevant than in our state courts. According to the American Constitution Society, 90 percent of Americas judicial business is conducted at the state court level. Pennsylvania is one of only a handful of states that holds partisan elections for judge. How could Philadelphia, a city that is overwhelmingly Democratic and black, fail to elect a single judge of color? Certainly there is blame to share. The local Democratic Party should have done more to bring awareness to candidates whose resumes showed they were eminently qualified, the media could have done more stories on why judgeships matter, and our schools are sorely lacking in curriculums that teach how a democracy lives or dies by its civic participation. But ultimately, we in the African American community must shoulder the blame for not learning about the candidates or taking time to vote. Some believe that in a democracy, people get the government they deserve. I believe Philadelphians deserve better and can do better. Renee Chenault Fattah is a former TV news broadcaster, board member of the Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity, and is making a film about Alzheimers and other dementias in communities of color. In recent months, I have given at least half a dozen talks about the dangers of fake news and how best to distinguish misinformation from factual news. Inevitably, during the question and answer sessions that follow these talks, Ill be asked what the public can do to separate the facts from the avalanche of misleading information that blankets our political campaigns. I often answer with the mantra that all of us should read broadly, read deeply, and read skeptically. What that means in practical terms is that if you read an editorial in The Inquirer or the Washington Post, applauding Republican Rep. Justin Amashs statement that Special Counsel Robert Muellers report made it clear that President Trump had engaged in acts that meet all the elements of obstruction of justice, then its also important to read a piece from the more conservative Wall Street Journal taking the opposite point of view. In that way, readers have the benefit of absorbing the full spectrum of opinion and can form their own, informed conclusions. It is equally important, I believe, to take the time to investigate improbable stories or social media posts from websites like Facebook and Twitter by using a respected fact-checking site like FactCheck.org or Snopes.com, which examines in depth dubious news stories, political charges and countercharges, and many other issues. Last but definitely not least, I always emphasize the importance of education education at home and education in our schools beginning in elementary school. We need a commitment to education that instills in our youngest generation the virtues and obligations of being a citizen in a democracy, the importance of taking an active interest in public affairs and participating in debate over issues of public importance. For me, this began in fifth grade in October 1957 with the distribution of My Weekly Reader in Miss Suzanne Loders class at Brookline Elementary School in Haverford Township. The edition that I recall most vividly, emblazoned with blue headlines, heralded the launch of the Sputnik satellite by the Soviet Union and prompted a spirited and concerned class discussion about whether Russia was eclipsing the U.S. in science and technology. Why, I asked in many of my talks this year, couldnt we revive a My Weekly Reader-type news digest online and use it as a catalyst for having students dissect and detect misinformation. So I was surprised and inspired last week to read about a national initiative in Finland now in its third year to focus sharply on how to detect the false information that has permeated political campaigns here in the United States and in Europe. Finlands efforts, recounted in an excellent piece produced by CNN, began with the nations president, Sauli Niinisto, declaring in 2015 that it was the duty of all Finns to combat the rising tide of misinformation. Finland, which shares 832 miles of its border with Russia, has for decades had a wary yet compatible relationship with Russia, but the Finns are acutely aware of allegations that Russian troll operations have influenced elections throughout Europe and the U.S. A year after President Niinisto's call to action, CNN reported, Finland revamped its critical thinking curriculum in its public schools to show students how to detect false information. Given the Finns affinity for reading Finlands 5.5 million people borrow almost 68 million books a year from their libraries the nation clearly has a population that would be receptive to courses that help debunk fake news and destructive propaganda. Taken together, the revised curriculum combines critical thinking, working with fact-checking organizations and classes that emphasize voter literacy. Theres also abundant evidence that Finlands approach is having a positive effect: Other nations throughout the European Union and as far flung as Singapore have visited Finland to observe firsthand how their educational program is working. In my opinion, its an opportune time for American educators to travel to Finland and import the best of the program to the United States, where those skills are desperately needed. Bill Marimow, who received two Pulitzer Prizes as a reporter at The Inquirer, was the editor of The Inquirer for eight years. He is now the vice president of corporate strategy for The Inquirers parent company. NEW YORK, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Greystone Development , a New York-based real estate development company, has launched sales for its full floor residences at Tribeca Rogue in the heart of New York Citys Tribeca neighborhood. Greystone Development has exclusively engaged Ryan Serhant and Ivy Kramp at Nest Seekers International to head the sales effort. Located at 146 Church Street, the new 10-story, mixed-use residential building offers eight one- to three-bedroom full floor condominiums, with direct, keyed elevator access opening up into each homes private grand entryway gallery. Each of the Woods Bagot-designed units offers gracious living space in a light, classic palette, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows and airy ceiling heights. Easily accessed by seven subway lines, Tribeca Rogue offers landscaped terraces on the seventh and penthouse floors in addition to a private rooftop exclusively for the penthouse. Condominium prices start at $2,950,000. Tribeca Rogue is a true standout in one of Manhattans most iconic and vibrant neighborhoods, with plenty of renowned restaurants, nightlife, boutiques and parks just steps away, said Thomas Ryan, head of Greystone Development. Its close proximity to transit options means residents have convenient access to all of New York City right outside their front door. Formerly known as 108 Chambers Street while in development, the property includes 3,451 square feet of ground-floor retail, including a Vitamin Shoppe location. For more information, visit http://TribecaRogue.com or call (646) 675-5186 or email sales@tribecarogue.com . About Greystone Development Greystone Development is a full-service real estate developer. Since 1992, Greystone has acquired, repositioned and developed over $2 billion in properties nationwide spanning approximately 3.5 million square feet. Our portfolio is diverse, comprised of condominium, rental, office, retail, mixed use and healthcare properties. For more information, visit www.greystonedevelopment.com. Greystone Development is a part of the Greystone group of companies, active in real estate lending, investment and advisory. For more info, visit www.greyco.com . PRESS CONTACT: Karen Marotta Greystone 212-896-9149 Karen.Marotta@greyco.com Surrounded by supporters, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf holds up his signed veto of Senate Bill 3, legislation that would ban abortion after 20 weeks gestation. Read more State legislatures all over the country are testing the limits of Roe v. Wade the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision that prevents states from banning abortion. Emboldened by the new conservative majority on the Supreme Court, Republican-controlled states have been passing and signing into law abortion bans most notably, Alabamas new law that make conducting an abortion a crime punished by 99 years of imprisonment unless the womans life is at risk. In most cases, courts blocked extreme laws from taking effect. That is exactly the goal of the legislation: giving the Supreme Court a case that would allow it to overturn or dramatically weaken Roe v. Wade. In Pennsylvania, with a Republican-controlled General Assembly and a Democrat governor, those who want to ban abortion had to take an approach that is more limited in scope. Earlier this month, the states House of Representatives passed a bill banning abortion based on Down syndrome. The bill is now in the state Senate. A similar bill passed during the last session of the General Assembly. Then it never got a vote in the Senate and Gov. Tom Wolf indicated that he would veto the bill were it to pass. In 2017, Wolf vetoed a 20-week abortion ban. The only thing protecting a womans right to choose in Pennsylvania is Gov. Wolfs pen. All of these battles provide a critical reminder of the importance of state-level elections. The path to ensuring reproductive rights and womens health in Pennsylvania goes through the ballot box. A pro-choice majority in one or both chambers of the General Assembly would likely be the only thing standing in the way of major limitations on abortion, and maybe a complete ban, especially if something dramatic happens like the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade. Unfortunately, voters dont get a real choice in state elections. In 2018, all 203 House seats were up for grabs and so were 25 Senate seats half of all seats in the chamber. But in the May primary, between 80 and 90 percent of voters saw either a single candidate or no candidate from their party for Senate and or House on the ballot. In the November general election, close to 40 percent of House seats and 25 percent of the Senate had only one candidate from the two major parties on the ballot. Conversations about engagement in politics often focus on voter turnout. But when candidate turnout is so low, we shouldnt expect much from voters. Running for office is a major sacrifice personal, financial, professional but the more people who rise to the occasion and decide to run, the more likely voters in the Commonwealth are to get the representation that they want. A recurring takeaway from first-time candidates in the recent Philadelphia primary was that starting campaigning early is one of the best advantages a candidate can have. The 2020 primary is less than a year away, but it is not too late to think about running. The best way to insure a womans right to choose is to make sure voters have a choice in the voting booth. Concept art of Harriet Tubman from the group Women on 20s, which had pushed for the change. Read more Harriet Tubman didnt take no for an answer. When an enslaved runaway would get scared during an escape attempt, the 19th century abolitionist would whip out her pistol and explain that there was no turning back. We shouldnt turn back either. Nor should we allow efforts by the Trump administration to slow walk the redesign of the $20 bill to include an image of Tubmans face. But thats whats happening, judging by Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchins testimony last week before a House financial services committee, in which he claimed the project had been pushed back to 2028 because of security concerns and other priorities. Under the Obama administration, the plan had been to time the release of the redesign of the $20 bill in 2020 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote. But Trump has been clear about what he thinks of moving Andrew Jackson to the back of the $20 bill and adding Tubman to the front. He calls it pure political correctness. I call it putting history in context. Jackson was a white supremacist who not only owned hundreds of slaves, but his record on Native Americans also was abysmal. While serving as this nations seventh president, he signed the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which led to the forced relocation of thousands of Native Americans from their land in the Southeast to make room for white settlers. Tubman had been enslaved on a plantation in Maryland before risking her life to escape bondage. Once she was free, Tubman returned to the South multiple times to guide other enslaved Africans to freedom along the Underground Railroad. I find this a direct affront, not only to Afro-Americans but to women, said State Rep. Rosita Youngblood (D., Phila.) on Tuesday. What really bothered me is nobody has spoken out and been outraged about this situation. Some folks arent waiting. Dano Wall is making Harriet Tubman stamps and selling them on Etsy.com for $20. Consumers can use them to ink Tubmans face onto $20 bills themselves. There are currently 12,000 people on a wait list for the product and Wall told me that hes making more as fast as he can. And no, its not illegal to stamp U.S. currency as long as its not for advertising and the denomination isnt obscured. People can get in touch with their congressional delegation, especially the Black Caucus, and let them know how outraged they are about this, Youngblood pointed out. I dont know if that will change Donald Trumps mind-set, but itll let him know that this now has the attention of the people in this nation. If I had not been watching MSNBC, I wouldnt have known. If I didnt know, the everyday person isnt aware of this, she said of Mnuchins testimony. I thanked her for reaching out to me about this issue. Its something I had been watching and had been quietly seething about. In light of everything else thats going on, modernizing the $20 bill may seem like a small thing. But its another example of how the Trump administration signals to his base where his priorities and allegiances lie. Our job is to agitate. We need to sign petitions. Alert our representatives. Write letters and make sure the Trump administration knows that were paying attention and we see the inaction on this issue for what it is. And when we get tired of doing all of that and feel hopeless, we need to stop and ask ourselves: What would Tubman do? That should be motivation enough to keep going. If nothing else, we should be buying that Tubman stamp and updating our $20 bills ourselves instead of waiting for the Treasury Department to get around to it. If Tubman were alive, I guarantee you thats what she would do. Neighbors watch as police begin to evict people living at the Kensington Avenue encampment, one of two of Kensington's heroin camps, in Philadelphia, PA on May 30, 2018. Read more As I walked toward Kensington Avenue to meet with several community members, I passed a dozen or more people brazenly shooting heroin on nearby Shelbourne Street, and a man smoking crack at a bus stop as a group of women watched him warily. This is a normal day for Kensington in the throes of an opioid crisis, just days after Philadelphias primary election. Mayor Jim Kenney, who will likely earn a second term, based on his primary win in this largely Democratic city, says he wants one or more supervised injection sites to deal with the more than 1,100 overdoses that took place in Philadelphia last year. A nonprofit called Safehouse has proposed placing such a site in this community, and the push for that site has begun in earnest, now that Kenney has all but won re-election. But Kensingtons neighborhood leaders, along with many longtime residents and business owners, adamantly oppose placing such a site in their community, and theyve sworn to fight it until the bitter end. They say they feel ignored disrespected even as people who dont live in their neighborhood try to decide the communitys fate. Shannon Farrell, president of the Harrowgate Civic Association, met me on Kensington Avenue and walked me to Hilton Street. These are the houses that dont exist, she said wryly, pointing to row homes at the end of the 1800 block of Hilton Street. It was a reference to the contention by supervised injection site proponents that 1851 E. Hilton Street, where Safehouse could reportedly open its first supervised injection site, is a non-residential area. This neighborhood has borne the brunt of the opioid crisis, with addicted people periodically living in tents under bridges and shooting up boldly in public. Farrell said she believes the city allowed it to get that bad so that officials could bolster their argument for an injection site. Kenney and others have argued that Philadelphia must take a different approach from what was done during the crack epidemic of the 1990s, when the drug crisis led to mass arrests. As Farrell pointed to the needles on the ground, we stopped next to a gate maybe 50 feet from the back of a daycare center where a group of people leaned against the rear wall. One of them had a needle in his leg. Others had needles in their arms. We have more shootings in our neighborhood. We never had shootings," she said. "We never had children shot in our neighborhood. Now weve had them killed and shot. Kids were able to just come out on Ontario Street and walk right down the street to go to Webster [Elementary School]. Now they have to zigzag through the neighborhood to avoid drug dealers to get to school where they feel safe. As Farrell spoke, three police officers on bicycles rode by, just a few feet from where the group was openly shooting drugs. Farrell said she was told the police have been instructed not to make arrests. Contacted to clarify the policy, police spokesperson Tanya Little said: We enforce the law. The law is you cant use open-air drugs. However, its a sad situation. Our goal is to get them help and to stop the ones who are selling the drugs, which is the bigger problem. Standing there on Hilton Street, however, I didnt see the police stopping anyone. As we crossed the street, dodging piles of human excrement near the Hispanic Community Counseling Services, a group of workers came outside and looked disapprovingly at those shooting drugs. Look at these people over here, said Rosa Santiago, one of the employees. Theyre over here having a blast. They go between our cars, they break in our cars, they slash our tires. I dont think that should be right. We trying to make money, so we can live right and we have all this going on and people just want to make it worse for us. It shouldnt be like that. Asked whether the supervised injection site should be on Hilton Street, Santiago said: No, it shouldnt be. Its too many of them. And even if it was on this block, I dont think they would use it, because they have too much pride. They would rather be in the street than go in the building and do their injections. I asked what she thought could be done to solve the problem. Get help, Santiago said. Help them get help, help them clean up, and help them get out of here and let them know, hey, yall dont want to get any help, but were going to clean up, so you dont belong in this block. Farrell put it more succinctly. You wouldnt hold an AA meeting in a bar, she said, referring to the fact that recovery centers in Kensington are often challenged by drug dealers who wait to sell to people exiting the facilities. I believe Farrell is right. Solomon Jones is the author of 10 books. Listen to him weekdays 7 to 10 a.m. on 900 AM/ 96.1 FM WURD. Email him at sj@solomonjones.com. On Twitter at @solomonjones1 A Chester City police officer has been charged with having nonconsensual sexual contact with at least two women while on duty, authorities announced Thursday. Albert Dion Ross, 47, surrendered Wednesday to face two counts each of indecent assault, official oppression, and harassment, according to the Delaware County District Attorney's Office. "Officer Ross used his position of authority to coerce and intimidate these women into acts for his own sexual gratification," District Attorney John J. Whelan said in a statement. "His behavior is extremely offensive." The woman told police that during the call, Ross put his flashlight down her tank top, between her breasts, saying "let me see," according to the authorities. Police also found that in a separate incident this one in an elevator at the Chester Police Department building in August 2015 Ross put his hands down the pants of another 46-year-old woman, kissed her, pulled down her tank top, and grabbed her breasts, authorities said. Ross was dismissed from a previous job as a corrections officer at George W. Hill Correctional Facility in Glen Mills for sexual harassment and "improper conversation with a subordinate," according to authorities. Ross also has worked at the Chester Housing Authority Police Department. A female resident there filed a complaint about Ross, alleging he kissed her without consent, according to authorities. Ross was arraigned Wednesday on $250,000 unsecured bail, with his preliminary hearing scheduled for Sept. 13. No attorney for Ross was listed on court documents, and a call to his home Thursday went unanswered. Delaware County authorities ask anyone with additional information to contact Detective Robert Lythgoe at 610-891-4243. Staff writer Joseph A. Gambardello contributed to this article. Chester Police Officer Albert Dion Ross, 47, of the 1400 block of W. Seventh Street in Chester. Read more A Chester City police officer was arrested again this week after a third woman came forward and told police she was preyed upon by him. The officer, 47-year-old Albert Dion Ross, was charged two weeks ago with assaulting two women in two separate incidents in August 2015 and May 2017. After learning of these charges, another woman contacted police and said Ross had groped her while he was on duty, according to court documents. Ross' attorney Enrique Latoison called all the charges against his client "baseless" and "unbelievable." "Albert has no idea why these charges have been filed against him," Latoison said. The latest charges stem from an incident about a year ago. The woman told police she had noticed Ross and his police car in her neighborhood several times around 6 a.m., the time she usually waters her flowers. Since she had known Ross for years, the woman would talk briefly with him about their children and grandchildren, according to the documents. On this particular day, the woman told police she was talking to Ross outside her home. In uniform, Ross asked the woman if he could give her a hug. After the woman reluctantly agreed, Ross approached and grabbed both her breasts, an act to which she had not consented, according to the documents. On Thursday afternoon, Ross was arraigned and charged with stalking, indecent assault, and official oppression. He was released on $250,000 unsecured bail. Ross also faces two counts each of indecent assault, official oppression, and harassment in relation to the previously reported assaults. A 46-year-old woman told police that in August 2015 Ross put his fingers down her pants, kissed her, pulled down her tank top, and grabbed her breasts in an elevator at a Chester City Police Department building. Another 46-year-old woman said Ross put his flashlight down her tank top and between her breasts, saying "let me see," during a call for service at her home in May of this year. Latoison maintained that all accusations against his client were false. While Ross has no previous criminal record in Pennsylvania, he did face allegations at prior jobs. Ross was fired several years ago from his job as a corrections officer at Glen Mills' George W. Hill Correctional Facility for sexual harassment and "improper conversation with a subordinate," authorities say. And while he was later employed by the Chester Housing Authority Police Department, a female resident filed a complaint that Ross kissed her without consent, according to authorities. "The only reason [authorities] know he was fired from a previous job was because he told them," Latoison said. "My client was being forthright." Latoison said he would not classify what occurred at George W. Hill as sexual harassment but would not elaborate. Calls made to the prison over the last two weeks had not been returned as of Friday. Officials at the Chester County Housing Authority said Ross worked part-time there until April 23, 2013, but they would not release additional information about his tenure without a written release from Ross. They did not respond to a request for Ross' start date. Latoison said he could not comment on Ross' time at the Housing Authority. Chester City police did not respond to multiple calls Friday requesting Ross' status with the department. Ross awaits a preliminary hearing scheduled for Sept. 26. In this May 13, 2019, photo, former vice president and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden interacts with a supporter during a campaign stop at the Community Oven restaurant in Hampton, N.H. Read more Former Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday unveiled his first major policy plan as a 2020 presidential candidate, an education proposal that would help teachers tackle debt, triple funding for districts with a high proportion of low-income students, and boost the number of psychologists and other health professionals in schools. The proposal came as Biden addressed a town hall in Houston hosted by the American Federation of Teachers, the second-largest teachers union in the country, which is staging a series of town hall meetings with Democratic contenders vying for the unions endorsement. Bidens pitch was as much that of a union booster as of a would-be education president. He offered a robust plan for new federal spending and vowed to fight for new gun restrictions that he hopes would halt the string of mass shootings in schools. The campaign did not say how much total new spending Biden was proposing, but it would amount to a significant increase. "Don't tell me what you value. Show me your budget, and I'll show you what you value," he said. Also notable was what Biden did not propose. He said nothing in his plan about the teacher or school accountability ideas that animated both the Bush and Obama administrations but irritated teacher unions. During the town hall, Biden voiced skepticism about charter schools, which won significant support under President Barack Obama. The former vice president said some charters work, but he said he does not support federal money to back for-profit versions. "The bottom line is it siphons off money for our public schools, which are already in enough trouble," he said. In a statement, Biden's campaign said: "Educators deserve a partner in the White House With President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, they'll get two. Dr. Biden has worked as an educator for more than 30 years. She and Joe understand that, for educators, their profession isn't just what they do; it is who they are." Most recently, Jill Biden taught English at Northern Virginia Community College both during and after her husband's time in the Obama administration. AFT has held town halls around the country for its members to question presidential candidates in person. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) headlined one such event in Philadelphia, where she pledged that if elected president, her secretary of education would be a former public schoolteacher. Biden is leading early polls for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. Some of his competitors, including Warren, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) and Sen. Kamala Harris (D., Calif.), have embraced sweeping policy plans such as Medicare-for-all or comprehensive gun control legislation favored by the partys liberal base. By contrast, Biden chose an area where the federal government plays a relatively minimal role for his first policy proposal. In the plan, the former vice president pledged to triple Title I funding, which goes toward school districts with a high proportion of children from low-income backgrounds. He also promised to reform the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program to help public school teachers pay off their student loan debt. He called for doubling the number of school psychologists, guidance counselors, nurses, and other health professionals; ensuring federal funding for children with disabilities; and banning assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines. And he threw his support behind universal prekindergarten for 3- and 4-year-olds. As Biden was rolling out his proposal, Harris, who has promised to allocate federal funding to raise teacher salaries, on Tuesday became the latest candidate to release a plan to protect reproductive rights. According to a campaign aide, Harris planned to back new legislation that would require states and local jurisdictions to pre-clear any abortion-related laws with the Department of Justice before implementing them, much like the Voting Rights Act's requirement that such entities do the same with voting and election-related laws. Such a law would target jurisdictions that Harris argues have a history of violating the Roe v. Wade ruling over the last 25 years. Under a similar system, the Voting Rights Act blocked nearly 100 proposed election changes between 1998 and 2013. The Washington Posts Chelsea Janes, Laura Meckler and Annie Linskey contributed to this article. When President Barack Obama nominated Judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court in 2016, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., refused to consider him, blocking the nominee until after the year's presidential election. But with his party in the White House, McConnell said Tuesday he'd try to push through any nomination that President Donald Trump might make to the high court - even if it comes during an election year. Some saw that stance, which McConnell has signaled before, as disingenuous. He held up Garland's nomination in 2016, saying then that "the American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice." The tactic cost Garland his spot on the court. McConnell responded to the hypothetical question at a Chamber of Commerce luncheon in Paducah, a city in Southwest Kentucky. Should a Supreme Court justice die next year, what will your position be on filling that spot? an attendee asked, setting up a scenario that would mirror 2016, when Justice Antonin Scalia died suddenly. "Uh, we'd fill it," McConnell said with a wry, tight-lipped smile. It's his most direct comment yet about what would happen if a surprise retirement or death presented McConnell with a 2016 redux, something liberals began to worry over in earnest when Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg missed work after being diagnosed with lung cancer. (She had surgery and returned to the court in February.) At the event, which the local news channel WPSD recorded, McConnell said that confirming judges is the best way to have "a long-lasting positive impact on the country. "Everything else changes," he said, before adding that, "What can't be undone is a lifetime appointment to a young man or woman who believes in the quaint notion that the job of the judge is to follow the law. That's the most important thing we've done in the country, which cannot be undone." After his comments circulated Tuesday evening, McConnell's critics said it was another example of his backhanded partisan gamesmanship. "History will record McConnell as the true villain of some of the ugliest moments in this period of US history," said Susan Hennessey, the executive editor of the Lawfare blog, in a tweet. Matthew Yglesias, the co-founder of Vox.com, argued that McConnell's tactics were blatantly opportunistic, but hardly unique. "At times, political leaders stake out positions on process issues that seem hypocritical or opportunistic," he wrote on Twitter. "Mitch McConnell stands out from the pack somewhat in how open and unembarrassed he is about this, though the basic pattern is far from unique." But David Popp, McConnell's spokesman, said there was nothing new in the majority leader's remarks, pointing to October 2018 interviews where McConnell left open the possibility that he would help advance a Trump nominee in 2020. "What the leader did today is emphasize what he has said since October," Popp told The Washington Post. In October, McConnell said at a news conference that his decision to block Garland's appointment was based on a tradition that opposition parties in control of the Senate do not confirm Supreme Court nominees during presidential election years. He claimed the precedent only applies when different parties control the Senate and the White House - which was the case in 2016, but would not be in 2020. "The tradition going back to the 1880s has been if a vacancy occurs in a presidential election year, and there is a different party in control of the Senate than the presidency, it is not filled," McConnell told reporters then. "Look, it's practical," he added. "Think about it. There's no chance that an opposition party in control of the Senate is going to fill a Supreme Court vacancy occurring in the middle of a presidential election year, and that's why it hasn't happened since the 1880s." But McConnell's comments this week have a new resonance since former vice president Joe Biden's entry into the race for the Democratic nomination. During a recent campaign stop, Biden touted his bipartisan credentials and claimed the public would witness "an epiphany occur among many of my Republican friends." GOP lawmakers, Biden predicted, would be willing to work with him once Trump left office. McConnell and Biden do indeed have a history of working with one another, like in 2013, when together they pulled the country back from the fiscal cliff. But much has changed since then, and many saw Biden's comments as naive, especially since he made no mention of McConnell's role in keeping Garland off the court. Ironically, in doing so, McConnell cited the so-called "Biden rule," a reference to a 1992 speech in which Biden argued that President Bush should delay the hypothetical confirmation of a Supreme Court justice, should an opening occur before that November's election. But later in his Tuesday talk, McConnell hinted that he, too, misses the days when Democrats and Republicans got along better. Although lawmakers maintain interparty friendships, McConnell mused, things have pretty gotten ugly outside the Capitol walls. Outside the chamber, he said, theres been a serious decline in civility. U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton (D., MA), talks with a social sciences class about public service at Central Academy. Read more LYNN, Mass. Democratic presidential candidate Seth Moulton is highlighting his plan to improve mental health care in the United States, particularly for veterans, by revealing his own struggles with posttraumatic stress. Moulton, a Massachusetts congressman and Iraq War veteran, said Tuesday at a town hall in Lynn that he started seeing a therapist after returning home from the war. He said one memory that has stayed with him is driving past an injured Iraqi boy lying in the middle of the road without stopping to help him. He said stopping to take care of the child would have endangered the lives of his entire platoon. The image of that boy, he said, is "something that haunted me every single day when I came home. Frankly, every single day that I was there." Moulton said he can't put into words how much therapy has helped him. "I'll be haunted by the image of that boy until the day that I die. But now I control what I think of," he said. "I don't think about it every single day. I can choose moments like this to bring it up." Moultons mental health plan would require annual mental health checkups for active-duty military and veterans, fund yearly mental health screenings for every high school student, and establish a national mental health crisis hotline. Moulton said he would also double the number of Defense Department mental health professionals and boost the mental health budget by $500 million. Even as we recognize and celebrate the talents and achievements of military veterans, we must also acknowledge that we have asked them to shoulder an enormous burden on our behalf, he said in a written statement. Lufthansa sued a passenger who was ticketed to fly from Seattle to Oslo but skipped a leg of the trip and instead traveled from Frankfurt to Berlin. Read more Travel hackers are thought to be some of the worlds smartest travelers. But they may not be as smart as they think. Consider what happened to the Lufthansa passenger who tried one of the oldest travel tricks in the book, a strategy called "hidden city" ticketing. The passenger, booked to fly from Seattle to Oslo, skipped the last leg of the trip and instead traveled to Berlin from Frankfurt on a separate Lufthansa ticket instead, which reportedly saved him $2,385. Lufthansa sued the unnamed passenger in Berlin, part of an industrywide crackdown on hidden city hackers. A lower court dismissed the case, and the airline has appealed. Hidden city ticketing, where you get off the plane at a stopover instead of flying to your designated final destination, takes advantage of a quirk in airline ticket pricing. Sometimes, counterintuitively, it costs more to fly to the stopover city than to the final destination. Iffy travel advice can ruin a summer vacation, leaving you with no airline seat or hotel room, and maybe even landing you in court. And some of the most questionable advice you can receive is about creatively booking airline tickets, collecting loyalty points, and choosing destinations. One of the best-known travel hacks is the one the Lufthansa passenger used. Sites like Skiplagged, which advertise "ridiculous" travel deals, allow users to plan itineraries that openly rely on "missing" the last leg of the flight. But getting sued isnt your only worry when you try to use hidden city ticketing, says Sean Messier, an analyst with Credit Card Insider, a website that encourages the responsible, strategic use of credit cards. Passengers who use this tactic with affinity credit cards linked to their airline loyalty programs could also run the risk of having their accounts terminated, he says. Another favorite travel hack: manipulating airline loyalty programs to score "free" flights or upgrades. Some travel experts encourage you to purchase points or miles in violation of your programs terms. Buying points through a travel company is fine, though not usually a good deal. Purchasing them on the dark web or through a broker? Not fine. For example, Delta Air Lines SkyMiles terms clearly state that Delta reserves the right to terminate the account of anyone "who sells or barters Mileage Upgrade Awards, or who sells or barters mileage credit, vouchers, Award certificates or Award Tickets." Other ways to run up a mileage balance are so problematic I wont even mention them in this column. When a points purchase goes south, "it is horrid for both the seller and buyer," says Randi Winter, a Virtuoso travel agent for Passionate Travel in Vancouver, B.C. "You can lose your payment if the points are confiscated by the airline or hotel. There is no insurance for illegal activities." Winters advice for would-be mileage hackers? Find a credit card that fits your lifestyle, spend normally, and reap the benefits. Legitimate travel experts avoid tricks meant to boost your mileage balance, such as transferring large balances or manufacturing spending or using cards in ways that were not intended. Eventually, the credit card companies will catch on, closing loopholes, and maybe even canceling your account. Playing the mileage game also requires that you turn a blind eye to an unavoidable truth: Loyalty programs always benefit the company more than the customer. No matter how well you play, the house always wins. A less dangerous kind of travel hack is peddled by a broader cross section of travel experts, from travel bloggers to, ahem, travel columnists. It falls under the category of mindless contrarianism, by which I mean running in the opposite direction from the crowd without considering the consequences. This may include booking a flight to a less popular airport without considering the inconvenience and the added cost of getting to your final destination. Or the old "book a hotel outside the city" hack. "Its true that hotels farther from the city center or the airport are often less expensive than hotels closer to the action," says Calvin Iverson, a travel expert at the travel-deal website TravelPirates. But before you book one of those hotels for the low price, Iverson recommends researching transportation options, which may add to the expense of your trip. "Sometimes public transportation isnt easy or inexpensive, and you end up paying more than you would have paid for a stay at a more conveniently located hotel," Iverson says. Hes right. Even the smartest travel hacking advice can have a downside. Cheap hotel rooms are in the worst part of the building. (You know, the broom closet next to the elevator and above the disco.) Bargain hotels can be miles from civilization. And no matter what a travel blogger tries to tell you, theres no such thing as a free airline seat or upgrade. You will pay eventually directly or indirectly for the amenity. The hackers make a valid point, though. Whether its the terms of your loyalty program or the complex tariffs governing your airline ticket, the travel industrys rules are complex and ever-changing. The rules also unfairly favor the travel company. But you dont fix them by breaking them. Christopher Elliott is a consumer advocate, journalist and co-founder of the advocacy group Travelers United. Contact him at elliott.org. For 12 consecutive days, the governments Storm Prediction Center has logged reports of at least eight tornadoes daily, a destructive and impressive streak that constitutes a record for now. The fact that its been persistent is unusual, said Bill Bunting, chief of the forecast operations branch at the storm center, in Norman, Okla., "but not unprecedented. Whats unique about this year is that we have had day after day of severe storms in the same areas. Yes, that includes parts of the Philadelphia region. And youre going to have another one Wednesday. He said a stubborn pattern in the upper atmosphere has been particularly conducive to setting off the severe storms that spawn tornadoes. On Monday, 77 were reported. A tornado touched down Tuesday evening near the Chester-Berks Counties border, bringing to 17 the number of confirmed twisters in Pennsylvania this year; the annual average is eight. As for the U.S. 12-day record, Bunting cautioned that the data are preliminary and that it would take a few months to verify the sightings. He said some of the reports might be multiple sightings of the same tornado. In addition, it is difficult to compare the volume of tornado reports today with those of the past. He said the closest comparable period would have been an 11-day streak of 10 or more tornadoes in 1980. The tornado streak of all streaks 70 consecutive days of at least one tornado touching down somewhere in the country ended on July 1, 1991. Tornado numbers generally have increased, said Bunting, but the levels of radar sophistication, human development, social media, and pervasiveness of image-recording equipment continue to undergo quantum changes. As for the hand of worldwide warming, tornado specialists point out that tornadoes are idiosyncratic storms that get their ferocious spin from a complicated matrix of conditions. Its not a cop-out, said Bunting. We just dont know. Georgetown, Delaware, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Friday, May 17, members of the Schell Brothers team gathered at Mulligans Pointe in Georgetown for the 27th Annual Regal Awards Ceremony hosted by the Home Builders Association of Delaware. The Regal Awards assign well-deserved accolades to builders across the state of Delaware by recognizing their outstanding achievements in the home building industry. Each submission is scored by a panel of experts who focus on the areas of design, craftmanship or sales. The Schell team anxiously awaited this years results while enjoying delicious hors d oeuvres and cocktails at Mulligans Pointe on that Friday evening. And they sure were happily surprised to take home an impressive list of awards after a year of tireless effort and working with amazing homeowners in 2018. Schell won several awards across a range of categories and is particularly proud of a few that represent great successes in the last year. The Orchid model at Truitt Homestead in Rehoboth Beach now boasts the title of Best Active Adult Community Home, which is also a win for the companys newest series of homes. The favored Orchid floorplan is part of the Coastal Series, single-family homes perfect for the family wanting to downsize or leave a smaller footprint. The Coastal Series homes all aim to maximize every inch of space and embrace the concept of form follows function; they are available in several Schell communities in addition to Truitt Homestead. Also part of the Coastal Series is the Bluebell at Solitude on White Creek, a floorplan that quickly won over Schell employees and customers alike. The Bluebell model home won Regal Awards for Best Interior Merchandising and Best Outdoor Design by a Designer for its courtyard. This beautiful home is a must-see if you have not yet visited the Solitude community in Ocean View, DE! And in fact, the Orchid and Bluebell models snagged Gold and Silver awards, respectively, on a national level in the past year as well. If you are a local, you probably couldnt help but notice Schell Brothers cheery and attention-grabbing Christmas billboards lining Route One this past holiday season. The in-house Marketing team was excited to receive the Best Billboard Award for the Christmas Countdown billboard located next to The Crab House in Rehoboth with changing digital numbers as part of a countdown to December 25. Another proud moment for the Marketing team, and truly the entire company as this was a whole-team effort, came when Schell won the Regal Award for Best Event/Promotion for the Homeowner Appreciation Party they threw for all of their homeowners in September 2018. The Schell Sales team did a phenomenal job at this years Regal Awards, with 19 individual Community Sales Managers earning awards for outstanding sales performance in the new home building industry. Top performer Adam Pettengell, current Community Sales Manager at Governors and formerly at Coastal Club, had the Highest Number of Units Sold and the Highest Sales Volume in 2018. He and his sales partner Natalie Sweeney have contributed immensely to the instant, and long-lasting, success of the Governors community on Gills Neck Road in Lewes, DE. You can see a full list of the Regal Awards won by Schell Brothers below. Schell would like to congratulate all of their team members for the hard work and dedication they put in each day that won them these awards! Schell Brothers won the following Home Building awards: Best Multifamily Community Home: The Bristol at Coastal Club Best Active Adult Community Home: The Orchid at Truitt Homestead Best Interior Merchandising: The Bluebell at Solitude Best Luxury Community Home Over $400,000: The Whimbrel at Solitude Schell Brothers won the following Marketing awards: Best Print Ad: Vitamin Sea Best Informational Brochure or Booklet: The Look Book Best Logo: Governors Best Image Campaign: Governors Best Billboard: Christmas Countdown Best Social Media Campaign: Give Kudos to Your Home Best Email: Monthly Newsletter Best Video or Commercial: Unmatched Customer Service Best Event/Promotion: Homeowner Appreciation Party Creative Courtyards, an affiliate company of Schell Brothers, won the following awards: Best Outdoor Design Designer: The Bluebell at Solitude Courtyard Best Email Blast Best Print Ad Best Image Campaign Members of the Schell Brothers team won the following individual Sales awards: Diamond Natalie Sweeney Adam Pettengell Frank Ryan Nikki Southard Josh Hay Vicki Wilkins Platinum Josh Stone Jeff Klabe Andrew Rogan Grace Reardon John Gross Mollie Stevenson Alli Perry Joe Wobeter Gold Tyler Brock Austin Oswinkle Melissa O'Neill Jay Hauck Silver Kathryn Hanlon Highest # of Units Sold: Adam Pettengell Highest Sales Volume: Adam Pettengell Attachments The violent outbursts come from patients and patients families. And for years, it has been considered part of the job. (Dreamstime) Read more Across the country, many doctors, nurses and other health-care workers have remained silent about what is being called an epidemic of violence against them. The violent outbursts come from patients and patients families. And for years, it has been considered part of the job. When you visit the Cleveland Clinic emergency department whether as a patient, family member or friend a large sign directs you toward a metal detector. An officer inspects all bags and then instructs you to walk through the metal detector. In some cases, a metal wand is used even on patients who come in on stretchers. Cleveland Clinic officials say they confiscate thousands of weapons such as knives, pepper spray, and guns each year. The metal detectors were installed in response to what CEO Tom Mihaljevic calls an epidemic. There is a very fundamental problem in U.S. health care that very few people speak about, he said, and thats the violence against health-care workers. Daily literally, daily we are exposed to violent outbursts, in particular in emergency rooms. Many health-care workers say the physical and verbal abuse come primarily from patients, some of whom are disoriented because of illness or from medication. Sometimes, nurses and doctors are abused by family members who are on edge because their loved one is so ill. Cleveland Clinic has introduced other safety measures such as wireless panic buttons incorporated into ID badges and more safety cameras and plainclothes officers in ERs. But these incidents arent limited to emergency rooms. Allysha Shin works as a registered nurse in neuroscience intensive care at the University of Southern Californias Keck Hospital in Los Angeles. One of the most violent incidents she has experienced happened when she was caring for a patient who was bleeding inside her brain. The woman had already lashed out at other staff, so she had been tied to the bed, Shin said. She broke free of the restraints and then kicked and punched Shin in the chest before throwing a punch at her face. There was this one point where she swung, and she had just glanced off the side of my chin. If I hadnt dodged that punch, she could have knocked me out, Shin said. And she very well could have killed me. The encounter left Shin shaken and anxious when she returned to work days later. She still has flashbacks. She used to be afraid to speak about these types of attacks, she said, because of what she calls a culture of accepting violence in most hospitals. It is expected that you are going to get beaten up from time to time, Shin said. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, incidents of serious workplace violence are four times more common in health care than in private industry. And a poll conducted by the American College of Emergency Physicians in August found nearly half of emergency physician respondents reported having been physically assaulted. More than 60 percent of them said the assault occurred within the previous year. Groups representing doctors and nurses say that, although the voluntary safety improvements that some hospitals have enacted are a good first step, more needs to be done. There is still a code of silence in health care, said Michelle Mahon, a representative of the labor group National Nurses United. What happens if they do report it? she said. In some cases, unfortunately, they are treated as if they are the ones who dont know how to do their job. Or that its their fault that this happened. Theres a lot of focus on de-escalation techniques, Mahon added. Those are helpful tools, but oftentimes they are used to blame workers. In California, the nurses labor union pushed for a law giving OSHA more authority to monitor hospital safety. The group is now backing a national effort to do the same thing. The standard that we are recommending federally holds the employer responsible, Mahon said. It mandates reporting of incidents and transparency. The Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, introduced last fall in Congress, would require hospitals to implement plans to prevent violence. And any hospital could face fines for not reporting incidents to OSHA, Mahon said. The goal of the legislation and of the union is to hold administrators more accountable for acts of violence in their hospitals. - Kaiser Health News (KHN) is a national health policy news service. It is an editorially independent program of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente. This article is part of a partnership that includes Ideastream, NPR and Kaiser Health News. This has been a tough year. Just when we thought we had almost conquered COVID-19 and were beginning to reopen with enthusiasm, exuberance even, we first discovered the Delta and then the Omicron variant. As we learn the Greek alphabet... Norway grants 2009 - 2014 Presentation of the Programme CZ14 - Schengen Cooperation - Norway Grants 2009 2014 in the following areas: Schengen Cooperation and Combatting Cross-Borerd and Organised Crime, including Trafficking and Itinerant Criminal Goups. Programme CZ14 - Presentation of the Programme CZ14 - Schengen Cooperation - Norway Grants 2009 2014 in the following areas: Schengen Cooperation and Combatting Cross-Borerd and Organised Crime, including Trafficking and Itinerant Criminal Goups. Donor states, Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland provided financial means via EHP and Norwegian funds in order to decrease economic and social diffferences in the European economic area and to strenghten the co-operation with fifteen states in the Central Europe. The Czech Republic received from the Norwegian funds in the frame of the CZ 14 Programme: Co-operation within Schengen and combat the border and organised crime including illicit trafficking of people and migration of criminal groups, more than 6 millions EUR. This CZ 14 Programme was authorised on December 19, 2013. Source of funding Norway grants Programme allocation 6 274 183 (pres 155 mil. CZK) Priority programme area Justice and internal affairs Co-operation within Schengen in combat the border and organised crime including illicit human trafficking and migration of criminal groups. Global objective of programme Increasing of inhabitants security by means of the improvement of the effectiveness of the co-operation among law enforcement authorities in Schengen countries in the fight against organised crime including human trafficking. Results and outputs of programme Increasing of competence of police officers according to Schengen regulations and the use of the accessible technical equipment for cross-border police co-operation, improvement of planning and time of the police reaction, increase of the effectiveness and safety during the border controls at the international airports, analysis of previous and current problems in the area of the police work with Roma communities and their improvement and last but not least also strenghtening of knowledge, how to improve relations between the police and Roma communities. Intermidiary of programme The Ministry of Finance of the Czech Republic The intermediary is responsible for the preparation and realisation of the Programme. Partner programme The Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic The partner of the Programme provides the professional capacity and it is actively involved in the preparation and the realisation of the Programme. January 5, 2015 Mgr. Pavlina Bulinova publicity coordinator press and prevention department Police Presidium of the Czech Republic vytisknout e-mailem 1.1k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard By Timothy Gardner WASHINGTON (Reuters) Politically appointed U.S. environmental officials last year overruled concerns of career scientists about air pollution in a Wisconsin county where U.S. President Donald Trump has pushed for a factory to be built by Foxconn Technology Co, newly released internal emails show. Trump has been a supporter of the Taiwanese technology giant Foxconn building a flat screen factory in Racine County Wisconsin, a project the company said could create up to 13,000 jobs. He announced the project at a ceremony in 2017 and has claimed it is proof of his ability to revive U.S. manufacturing. Former Wisconsin governor Scott Walker, a Republican, helped secure about $4 billion in tax breaks for the project. But Racine County has suffered some of the states worst cases of smog, also known as ozone, pollution that causes premature deaths from lung and heart complications. The emails obtained by the Sierra Club and Clean Wisconsin under a freedom of information request show Trump administration officials, including then-administrator Scott Pruitt, overruled career EPA scientists to exempt Racine County from a list of counties that break smog standards. That has freed Foxconn from having to make millions of dollars in pollution control devices, if the project is eventually built. The Racine County case is latest example of the administration overlooking concerns flagged by agency scientists over other issues such as climate change or hazardous chemicals. My background is in air pollution health effects and more specifically on acute exposures, so for me personally this is hard to digest and support, Lars Perlmutt, an EPA scientist, wrote to colleagues in an April email last year about pressure to make the exemption, one of the emails shows. Jenny Liljegren, a scientist in the air and radiation division in EPAs Midwest region, said she was in disbelief about the pressure from officials to make the exemptions. I do not see a sound technical basis for the areas we are being directed to finalize in Wisconsin. In an exchange of emails with Liljegren, another EPA scientist, Eric Svingen, complained that Wisconsin cherry picked air quality data over wider areas of the state to suggest that emissions that form smog were not ultimately doing so within the Wisconsin borders. These emails show is that the political leadership appeared to be injecting itself in this process in a way thats contrary to having fact-based decisions, said Janet McCabe, head of air quality at the EPA under former President Barack Obama. Foxconn did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In April the company, an Apple Inc supplier, said it was committed to its contract to build the flat screen plant and research facilities in Wisconsin. EPA spokesman Michael Abboud referred questions about the emails to a brief the agency filed May 10 in the case. The brief said that EPA considers a wide range of information in deciding which areas are in compliance with air pollution rules and that each designation is intensely fact-driven. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Illinois, which neighbors Wisconsin and could see greater levels of pollution, sued the EPA last year over the exemption in Racine County and the agency is also under pressure from lawsuits from environmental groups. In the May 10 brief, the EPA asked a federal appeals court to take another look at the smog exemption decisions under Pruitt, but until the court makes any ruling companies do not have to purchase the pollution equipment. (additional reporting by Valerie Volcovici in Washington; Editing by David Gregorio) 5.9k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Republican Rep. Justin Amash the only GOP lawmaker calling for Donald Trump to be impeached may have gotten a standing ovation during a town hall event on Tuesday, but he was also confronted by a few angry MAGA supporters. At one point during the event, a Trump loyalist in the crowd told Amash that he has spent the last two years failing to do [his] job and attacked the GOP congressman for supporting impeachment. Amashs response to the criticism he has faced from some Trump supporters and even GOP leadership in Congress essentially boiled down to this: Call me when you actually read the Mueller report. If you read volume two, you will be appalled at much of the conduct, and I was appalled, the Republican lawmaker said. To me, the conduct was impeachable. Amash also went directly after GOP leader Kevin McCarthy, accusing him of not even reading the Mueller report. I read the Mueller report, Im sure [McCarthy] did not read it. I stated what it actually says, and he just resorted to ad-hominem attacks and other various attacks that have nothing to do with the Mueller report, Amash said. This is the kind of leadership in quotes that we now have in Congress. Video: GOP Rep. Justin Amash didnt hold back on his Trump-supporting critics during a town hall event on Tuesday. #ctl #p2 pic.twitter.com/bgOlsUnIm4 PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) May 29, 2019 Amash said: Im confident that if you read volume two, you will be appalled at much of the conduct, and I was appalled. To me, the conduct was obviously impeachable, so then the question is, do you then move forward with impeachment proceedings? In the Mueller report, he asked the White House counsel to create a false record. Things like that, to basically mislead people about a statement he made, things like that to me reflect incredible dishonesty and really harm the office of the presidency. You see countries around the world where people do not respect the rule of law and they dont care about the character of their leaders. They dont care about the ethics of their leaders. And in these countries, all that matters is your person is in power and as long as your person is in power, that person is allowed to do whatever they want. You saw what happened to me from our so-called leader, Kevin McCarthy. I read the Mueller report, Im sure he did not read it. I stated what it actually says and he just resorted to ad-hominem attacks and other various attacks that have nothing to do with the Mueller report. This is the kind of leadership in quotes that we now have in Congress. More Republican lawmakers must follow Amashs lead Rep. Amash is not some moderate Republican lawmaker. Quite the contrary, in fact: He is one of the founding members of the House Freedom Caucus, a far-right group of conservatives in Congress whose sole purpose is basically to protect Donald Trump. If Amash is capable of putting his ideology aside and standing up to a lawless president of the United States, despite the fierce opposition of his own extremist House Freedom Caucus, then so should the more moderate members of the GOP. Regardless of whether it helps their reelection campaign, the country would be better for it. Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter DENVER and TORONTO, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MJardin Group, Inc. (MJardin or the Company) (CSE: MJAR) (OTCQX: MJARF), a leader in premium cannabis production, announced today that the Company has agreed with its senior lender to amend certain terms associated with its borrowing obligations (the Agreement). The Agreement provides for a revised maturity of MJardins senior debt to April 2021 and removes the callable nature of the loan. In addition, the senior lender has agreed to provide up to CAD$20MM in additional borrowings. Our senior lender remains a supportive partner, committed to MJardins long-term growth, commented Adrian Montgomery, Chairman and Interim CEO. This amendment represents a significant improvement to our balance sheet and puts MJardin on a clear path to achieve our plans in the coming years. This transaction bolsters our ability to execute predictable results in the markets we presently serve, and will help us to deliver enhanced growth in new markets and verticals. As a result of the amendment, the Companys management and board reaffirms its confidence in executing the previously disclosed 2019 and 2020 business plans. About MJardin Group MJardin is a cannabis management platform with extensive experience in cultivation, processing, distribution and retail. For over 10 years, MJardin has refined cultivation methodologies, developed state of the art facilities and implemented vertical integration for and on behalf of license owners. MJardin is based in Denver, Colorado and Toronto, Canada. For more information, please visit www.mjardin.com The CSE has not in any way passed upon the merits of and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act) or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking information based on current expectations. Statements about, among other things, future developments and the business and operations of MJardin, our production capacity, our production results, trading of MJardins shares on the OTCQX Best Market, the closing of the Transaction, the receipt of any pending regulatory approvals or licenses, the growth of our global footprint and our intentions to leverage our scale for continued organic growth and to pursue strategic investments are all forward-looking information. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: our ability to identify and pursue growth, financing and other strategic objectives, and the regulatory and economic environments in the jurisdictions we operate or intend to operate or invest in. Although such statements are based on managements reasonable assumptions at the date such statements are made, there can be no assurance that the proposed acquisition will occur and that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking information. MJardin assumes no responsibility to update or revise forward-looking information to reflect new events or circumstances unless required by applicable law. 3.3k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard The audience at Rep. Justin Amashs first town hall after coming out in support of Trump impeachment thanked him and gave him a standing ovation. Here was the scene: A constituent just stood up and thanked Amash for his courage.. and a number of audience members gave him a standing ovation. Melanie Zanona (@MZanona) May 28, 2019 NBC News reported, I do want to set the scene here. Of course, this is his first town hall since he came out with the statements regarding impeachment and setting the scene, theres a crowd of about 750 people filled up this auditorium. And when he walked in wearing casual clothes, he got a standing ovation. The crowd clapped and rose to their feet. However, I do want to say, talking to some of these voters, some of his constituents before this town hall, there are some Democrats who came who said they wanted to support the congressman. Theyre proud of what he said. And then there are some Republicans who want to hear him out. Video: If Trump has eyes on primarying and beating Justin Amash in 2020, he may be disappointed. Rep. Amash has beaten back primary challenges before, and what should worry the White House is the reception that Amash received from a district that is Republican and conservative. Amash might be a unique case in that he may be so personally popular in the district that it might not matter if Trump tries to oust him, but the larger point is that when Justin Amash stood before the voters in his district after making the case for impeaching the Republican president, he wasnt run out of town on a rail, as Trump had hoped. Justin Amash is being applauded for his courage, while Donald Trump is hiding out on Twitter obsessing over impeachment. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 5.3k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Sen. Kamala Harris said during a town hall that she supports prosecuting Donald Trump and members of his administration after they leave office. Kamala Harris Supports Prosecuting Trump After He Leaves Office Harris was asked during an MSNBC town hall if she supported prosecuting Trump and members of his administration after they left office. The Democratic presidential candidate answered: You know, Ive read the Mueller report and they outline in that report, and it was a team of some of the best career people in the department of justice who were a part of that, career people who had been in the department of justice. There are at least ten separate instances of obstruction of justice. I am also clear from reading what he wrote in that report that the only reason they did not return an indictment against this president on obstruction of justice is because of an opinion from the department of justice that suggests that you cannot indict a sitting president. But there is no question that the evidence supports a prosecution of that case. So taking it to the point of your next question, absolutely. Listen, I believe that there needs to be transparency, there needs to be accountability. There is a clear track record of this president and members of his administration obstructing justice. Not to mention what we have seen from the current attorney general of the United States, who I questioned in connection with the judiciary committee, who clearly thinks his job is to represent the president and his peculiar interests as opposed to representing the people of the country in which we live. So there is a lot of work to do and I plan on seeing it through. Video: Kamala Harris supports prosecuting Trump after he leaves office. #KamalaTownHall pic.twitter.com/a2MRhwg2a2 PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) May 29, 2019 The phrase upholding the rule of law is used by those who support impeachment, but there is no better way to uphold the law than to prosecute criminals once they are no longer protected by the office that they hold. A prosecution of Trump in 2021 for obstruction of justice would send the message to any future president who thinks that they can hide behind the presidency that they are not above the law, and they will face prosecution. Trump better hope that Kamala Harris isnt in the White House in 2021, because if she is, he is going to be in a world of legal hurt. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 1.3k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Author Michael Wolff writes in his new book that the Mueller team drew up an obstruction of justice indictment against Trump but shelved it. Muellers Team Drew Up An Obstruction of Justice Indictment Against Trump The Guardian reported: A new book from Fire and Fury author Michael Wolff says special counsel Robert Mueller drew up a three-count obstruction of justice indictment against Donald Trump before deciding to shelve it an explosive claim which a spokesman for Mueller flatly denied. . According to a document seen by the Guardian, the first count, under Title 18, United States code, Section 1505, charged the president with corruptly or by threats of force or threatening communication influencing, obstructing or impeding a pending proceeding before a department or agency of the United States. The second count, under section 1512, charged the president with tampering with a witness, victim or informant. The third count, under section 1513, charged the president with retaliating against a witness, victim or informant. There was a lot of smoke during the Mueller investigation surrounding the obstruction of justice investigation. It is possible that members of Muellers team were ready to indict Trump, but their boss pulled back on it because of the DOJ opinion that a sitting president cant be indicted. Why The Trump Indictment Story Likely Isnt True Michael Wolff has been caught in factual inconsistencies before. A bigger problem is the logic of the story. Robert Mueller is a by the book investigator. He is not the sort who would challenge the DOJ opinion that a sitting president cant be indicted. The odds are that Mueller fully intended for Congress to decide Trumps fate on obstruction of justice. It is an interesting story being told by Wolff but until more third-party evidence comes forward to support it, the idea of Mueller wanting to indict Trump, but pulling back should be taken with a grain of salt. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 9.6k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Mitch McConnell admitted that his reason for blocking Merrick Garland was a lie and that he would fill a Supreme Court vacancy for Trump in 2020. CNN reported: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday if a Supreme Court vacancy occurs during next years presidential election, he would work to confirm a nominee appointed by President Donald Trump. .. Speaking at a Paducah Chamber of Commerce luncheon in Kentucky, McConnell was asked by an attendee, Should a Supreme Court justice die next year, what will your position be on filling that spot? The leader took a long sip of what appeared to be iced tea before announcing with a smile, Oh, wed fill it, triggering loud laughter from the audience. Mitch McConnell laughs as he spits on the Constitution and abuses his power as Senate Majority Leader. There is a lesson in McConnells statement for those who are eager for impeachment. If House Democrats impeach Donald Trump, the American people should expect Mitch McConnell squash the charges while allowing the Senate to do the bare minimum to fulfill its constitutional duty. Trump is the fruit that came from undermining American democracy for Republicans, but it is Mitch McConnell who has been the greatest force for undermining both the legislative process and the constitutional norms of governance. Donald Trump is a problem, but Mitch McConnell is a plague on democracy. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 4.9k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard If weve learned anything over the past four years that Donald Trump has been in the political arena, its that his petty attacks on his opponents always say more about him than anyone else. His latest attacks on former vice president Joe Biden attacks he made on foreign soil and continued at home on Tuesday are just the latest example of this dynamic. As New York Times columnist Bret Stevens said during a discussion on MSNBC on Tuesday, Trumps attacks on Biden seem to indicate that the president is worried about his own intellect, so he is projecting. When you fear that you are yourself a low IQ individual, you claim it of your enemy or your opponent, Stevens said. Video: Trumps attacks on Biden are just the latest example of the president projecting, says NY Times columnist Bret Stevens. #ctl #p2 pic.twitter.com/jfXUxVPdjJ PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) May 29, 2019 Stevens said: I think the psychological term of art, Chris, is projection. When you fear that you are yourself a low IQ individual, you claim it of your enemy or your opponent. I would say its unprecedented in American history. I was thinking over presidents in the 19th century going back to the 18th. And the idea that an American president would openly side with a psychotic or certainly murderous dictator against an honorable opponent, whatever else you say of Joe Biden and a fellow American, is absolutely astonishing. Trump is the projector-in-chief Throughout the 2016 campaign, Donald Trump frequently hit Hillary Clinton with attacks and criticisms that would more appropriately describe his presidency. He attacked her for using a personal email account, while he and his family have used unsecured cell phones and private emails since taking power. Trump claimed a Clinton presidency would be filled with scandal and investigation, and now the American people are living through the most scandalous and corrupt administration in history. He frequently attacked Clinton for not having the stamina or energy to be commander-in-chief, but Trump spends more time watching TV and tweeting than he does actually working. Time and again, Donald Trump attacks his opponents using language and criticism that would apply to his own shortcomings as a president and a human being. In this case, the real low IQ idiot isnt Joe Biden, who has served his country honorably for decades. Its Donald Trump, a man who seems proud of how intellectually bankrupt he is. Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter 716 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard The DOJ did not give the chairs of House Democratic committees a heads up that Robert Mueller would be making a statement. NBC Newss Kelly ODonnell reported, I have been working sources, and so far of the key committees, I heard back from democratic aides who say they were not given a heads up beyond the notification from the justice department that went out publicly. Because, of course, the administration is Republican and the Department of Justice is run by Republicans, Im waiting to hear from Republican members to see if they got a heads up. So, it is interesting. This might be something that is just within the executive branch in terms of the notification. Doj, to the White House and that members of Congress are sort of watching this like the rest of one aide described it that way. Video: Mueller is still working for DOJ It is being reported that Mueller will make a substantial statement. Since he is still working for the DOJ, and he is appearing at a DOJ press conference, it is unlikely that he is going to say anything that would be off script or not Barr approved. It wont be surprising if this is about Mueller explaining why he doesnt want to testify publicly. Democrats not knowing in advance about Mueller speaking at DOJ is an ominous sign for what the special counsel is about to tell the entire country. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 433 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Former vice president Joe Biden continues to ride high and maintain his lead, while the presence of Sen. Elizabeth Warren is adding to the struggles of Sen. Bernie Sanders. The latest Morning Consult Political Intelligence: The State Of The Democratic Primary survey found Joe Biden leading at 38% followed by Sanders at 20%. Elizabeth Warren is third at 9%. Kamala Harris and Pete Buttigieg are tied for fourth at 7%. Beto ORourke is fifth at 4%, and Cory Booker is sixth at 3%. In the early voting states, Biden leads 42%-20% over Sanders. Buttigieg and Warren are tied for third (7%) Kamala Harris is fourth (5%). Beto ORourke and Cory Booker are tied for fifth (3%). Joe Biden is the top second choice of all of the significant Democratic candidates, with the exception of Elizabeth Warren, whose supporters favor Sanders. As a second choice, Warren supporters favor Bernie Sanders (22%), Kamala Harris (21%), and then Joe Biden (17%). A sizable chunk of the progressive voters who went to Bernie Sanders by default in 2016 are supporting Elizabeth Warren in 2020. The support for Warren and Sanders combined still isnt enough to catch Joe Biden. There is a ceiling on Bernie Sanders support in 2020 that is being caused by the popularity of Biden, and presence of Elizabeth Warren in the race. The rest of the field is static. With Democrats imposing stricter criteria for the third primary debate in September, the candidates listed above are likely to be on the stage in the fall. Joe Biden is keeping a light schedule, but his momentum remains strong. Bernie Sanders has both a Biden and an Elizabeth Warren problem, and the rest of the candidates outside of Harris and Buttigieg are just trying to break through and hit double-digit support. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 2.1k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg said that Muellers press conference was as close to an impeachment referral as you can get. Buttigieg told NBC News, The message really is over to you, Congress. Look, a lot of people were waiting to see if Mueller would charge the president. What he reminded everyone, he is part of the doj that says you cant. So his option wasnt charge or dont charge. It was clear or are dont clear the president. And he made a decision to not clear the president based on the evidence he gathered. He made clear that the procedures in the DOJ wont be enough to establish accountability, but procedures do exist for a sitting president to be held accountable. And if the justice department cant charge a sitting president with an actual crime, then it goes over to Congress to decide whether on charge the president with a high crime. This is as close to impeachment referral as you could get under the circumstances. Video: Buttigieg was right. Mueller laid out his rationale for why he couldnt indict Trump, and why he didnt clear Trump. Robert Mueller essentially told Congress that everything that they need to follow the impeachment path is already in his report. Mueller laid it out. Trump wasnt exonerated on collusion and obstruction of justice, and now it is up to Congress to do what he couldnt and pursue justice against Donald Trump. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 5.8k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard The Republican response to Robert Mueller blowing Trumps claims of exoneration to bits was to ignore reality and scream no collusion no obstruction. Republicans lose it after Mueller press conference After Mueller destroyed Trumps claims of no collusion no obstruction, Republicans took another swig of Trump Kool-Aid and repeated their lie. Here is the statement from Republican Judiciary Committee ranking member Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA): Top Republican on House Judiciary @RepDougCollins statement: time to move on pic.twitter.com/k633vgPnok Kelly O'Donnell (@KellyO) May 29, 2019 White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders responded to Mueller in a statement provided to PoliticusUSA, The Special Counsel has completed the investigation, closed his office, and has closed the case. Mr. Mueller explicitly said that he has nothing to add beyond the report, and therefore, does not plan to testify before Congress. The report was clearthere was no collusion, no conspiracyand the Department of Justice confirmed there was no obstruction. Special Counsel Mueller also stated that Attorney General Barr acted in good faith in his handling of the report. After two years, the Special Counsel is moving on with his life, and everyone else should do the same. Sarah Sanders What Republicans are saying is not what Robert Mueller said. It is what they want to believe. Mueller said that he legally could not charge Trump with a crime, which doesnt mean no obstruction. Republicans are sinking, and they are hanging on to no collusion no obstruction like their lives depend on it. The Republican response to Muellers press conference is proof that there is no amount of evidence of Trumps guilt that will change their minds. Republicans wont vote to convict Trump in the Senate if he is impeached in the House. The Republican Party is a lost cause that will always place America behind protecting their corrupt president. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 8.8k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Robert Mueller announced that he is stepping down as special counsel while destroying Trumps claims of no collusion and no obstruction. Mueller said, The report has two parts, addressing the two main issues we were asked to investigate. The first volume details numerous efforts emanating from Russia to influence the election. This volume includes a discussion of the Trump campaigns response to this activity, as well as our conclusion that there was insufficient evidence to charge a broader conspiracy. And in a second volume, the report describes the results and analysis of our obstruction of justice investigation involving the president. The order appointing the special counsel authorized us to investigate actions that could obstruct the investigation. And we conducted that investigation, and we kept the office of the acting attorney general apprised of the progress of our work. And as set forth in the report after that investigation, if we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so. We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime. Video: Mueller makes it clear that no collusion no obstruction is not accurate A claim not having sufficient evidence to prove a broader conspiracy is not the same as no collusion. Mueller admitted that he couldnt by DOJ opinion indict Trump so that his intention was to turn over the obstruction of justice case to Congress. Mueller was still a DOJ employee who was speaking at a DOJ event, so he was not going to drop any bombs, but what he did say was very damaging to Trump, William Barr, and their lie-filled efforts to spin his report. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook Vienna, Virginia, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Tinnitus Association (ATA) has released a Conversations in Tinnitus CBT to Reclaim Your Life, podcast with Bruce Hubbard, PhD, to help those who experience tinnitus better manage how they react to their reality. The podcast is free on www.ATA.org and is an important resource for millions of tinnitus patients, who are told to get used to tinnitus without guidance on available treatments and self-help strategies, according to Torryn Brazell, ATAs chief executive officer. Tinnitus, which is more commonly known as ringing in your ears, affects millions of Americans, says Torryn Brazell, chief executive officer of the non-profit based in Vienna, VA. Many people are able to ignore it, but millions of others find themselves overwhelmed, as they struggle to sleep, socialize, and concentrate both at work and at home. Its a condition that can lead to depression, anxiety, and a sense of hopelessness, which is why this podcast is so important. Tinnitus patients typically see a General Practitioner and/or an Otolaryngologist when they are bothered by tinnitus. Once tinnitus has been confirmed, many patients find that their doctors are unfamiliar with available treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Currently, CBT is the only research-based tinnitus treatment recommended in the American Academy of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery Foundations Clinical Practice Guideline: Tinnitus, which is the medical standard for evaluating evidenced-based treatment options. The podcast features Dr. Hubbard, one of the leading CBT for tinnitus practitioners in the United States For more than 20 years, Hubbard has helped people improve their lives using CBT, mindfulness, and relational therapy strategies. In the 27-minute podcast, Dr. Hubbard explains clinical audiologists trained in tinnitus management, how CBT, acceptance commitment therapy (ACT), and mindfulness are applied to treatment of tinnitus and what patients should expect. As someone who also experiences tinnitus, he offers a unique perspective on the challenges and process of habituation to tinnitus, as well as the importance of early intervention on behalf of the patient. Dr. Hubbard explains to hosts John Coverstone, AuD, and Dean Flyger, AuD, how he utilized CBT strategies to modify his negative thinking and unproductive behaviors and work toward habituation and acceptance of tinnitus. During the interview, he outlines what patients should expect when working with a CBT therapist and emphasizes that the process entails learning strategies to use on ones own. The skills can be applied to anxiety and stress management, which are critical for regaining a sense of control over the intrusive nature of tinnitus. Most of us have heard of CBT, but dont really understand what it is within a therapy setting, says Brazell, Bruce does a wonderful job of demystifying it, which I hope encourages people to try it. Too many people are struggling alone and blaming themselves for not being able to manage it. CBT works, according to extensive research, and often is effective within a short period of time. The ATA works daily trying to improve awareness of tinnitus and its treatment within the medical community and the public at large, Brazell continued. Tinnitus is much more than a benign sound for millions of people, which is why we hope this podcast will be heard by friends, family, and anyone else who knows someone struggling with tinnitus. _________________________ Bruce Hubbard, PhD, ABPP, is Associate Clinical Professor at the Icahn School of Medicine, president of the New York City Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Association, and founder of CBT for Tinnitus, LLC. He is Board Certified in Cognitive Behavioral Psychology. For more information, visit www.cbtfortinnitus.com. To listen to the podcast, click here, or visit our website at www.ata.org. Conversations in Tinnitus podcasts are hosted by audiologists John A. Coverstone, AuD, who has a private audiology practice in Minnesota, and Dean Flyger, AuD, a private practice audiologist in Texas. Each podcast focuses on current issues, research, and treatment methods for people living with tinnitus. For more information on the ATA, see www.ata.org 3.4k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Senate Democratic Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) blasted Mitch McConnell for ignoring Robert Mueller and blocking an election security bill in the Senate. Schumer blasts McConnell for ignoring Mueller Schumer said in a statement provided to PoliticusUSA: Mr. Mueller made clear today that the Russians interfered in our elections, the wellspring of our democracy. If President Trump and Congress dont do anything, it will be worse in 2020, and yet, inexplicably, Senator McConnell and the Republicans in the Senate are blocking bipartisan election security legislation, despite Democrats repeated calls to protect our democracy from interferenceby Russia or any other foreign adversary. Mr. Muellers statement also makes clear that Congress has a rightwe believe an obligationto continue our constitutionally mandated oversight without interference or stonewalling and follow the facts wherever they may lead. Mitch McConnell is leaving the door open for Russia to attack America Mitch McConnell has refused to bring any bill that would secure US elections to the Senate floor for a vote. During his press conference, Robert Mueller said, I will close by reiterating the central allegation of our indictments that there were multiple, systematic efforts to interference in our election. That allegation deserves the attention of every American. Mitch McConnell is helping the Russians interfere in the 2020 election. McConnell knows that Republicans and Trump cant win without outside assistance, so he is doing everything in his power to ignore Robert Mueller and undermine democracy. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 419 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Robert Mueller made it clear during his press conference that the only reason that he didnt indict Trump was that he couldnt. Mueller said: The special counsels office is part of the department of justice, and by regulation, it was bound by that department policy. Charging the president with a crime was, therefore, not an option we could consider. The departments written opinion explaining the policy makes several important points that further informed our handling of the obstruction investigation. Those points are summarized in our report and I will describe two of them for you. First, the opinion explicitly permits the investigation of a sitting president, because it is important to preserve evidence while memories are fresh and documents available. Among other things, that evidence could be used if there were co-conspirators who could be charged now. And second, the opinion says that the constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing. And beyond department policy, we were guided by principles of fairness. It would be unfair to potentially it would be unfair to potentially accuse somebody of a crime when there can be no court resolution of the actual charge. So that was justice department policy. Those were the principles under which we operated and from them we concluded that we would not reach a determination one way or the other about whether the president committed a crime. That is the offices that is the offices final position, and we will not comment on any other conclusions or hypotheticals about the president. Mueller found enough evidence to indict Trump but was not legally allowed to do so. https://t.co/XGCR5b2uhV pic.twitter.com/1wX2NY4Q5T Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) May 29, 2019 It isnt that Mueller didnt find evidence that Trump committed a crime. Its that he was prohibited from charging Trump with a crime. Mueller was a special counsel, not an independent counsel. He was governed by DOJ policy. Mueller found evidence of criminal activity by this president, which is why the House must consider impeachment. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 5.4k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Trump has gone on a tweeting frenzy since the Mueller report, but data shows that interactions with his Twitter account have plunged. Americans Are Tuning Out Trumps Tweets On MSNBCs Morning Joe, Steve Rattner built on reporting by Axios to show that Trumps tweeting has accelerated, but his impact is diminishing: First of all, we know he has been our tweeter-in-chief. What maybe not everyone appreciates is the extent which tweeting his increased. Hes gone from six tweets a day during his first six months in office to 13 tweets a day in the most recent six months in office. Just in this last month here, he hit an all-time high of 642 tweets and re-tweets. . The evidence shows that the interactions with his tweets; in other words, the number of times someone re-tweets a tweet or likes a tweet, has been dropping. Back here at the beginning of his administration, it was about 55 times out of 1,000, people would do this. Doesnt sound like a lot, but it is a lot. You can see the trend all the way down here. Hes gone from 55 times a thousand down to 16 times a thousand most recently. His tweets are having a bit less impact. The other fun fact that we should take a look at is what happened since the Mueller report. That accounts for a lot of whats going on. If you look before the Mueller report, you can see that he tweeted 61 times, no collusion. Then he went to 56 times. Then he went to 61 times, no collusion, in the two months before. For 12 months, 56 times, no collusion. For two months, 61 times, no collusion. On obstruction, it is even more dramatic. Hed only tweeted no obstruction 11 times during the previous year. Since the Mueller report, he went to 34 times. Once every other day, no obstruction. Every day for 60 days, no collusion. Every other day for 60 days, no obstruction. Video: Trumps Tweets Are Constant Political Background Noise Trump doesnt understand the concept of scarcity. His constant and endless drumbeat of tweets is political noise pollution. They are always there, rarely newsworthy from a policy point of view, and endless. It doesnt stop. Trump went from blaming censorship and Twitter for his audience dropping to tweeting frantically every single day in a bid to get attention. It is not a coincidence that once the press stopped treating Trumps tweets as newsworthy, interest in his account dropped. Why Trump Tweets The drop in his Twitter account impact would be bad news for Trump if he were tweeting as part of a coherent political strategy. Trumps tweets are pathological. He cant stop himself. Trump doesnt tweet for political gain. He tweets because he has no impulse control and has to let his feelings out. Trumps Twitter account isnt a political platform. Its a dear diary, where the president goes to cry into his pillow about everything that upsets him. Trumps tweets are worth monitoring as a way of tracking his emotional decline as president. Trump has lost his steam on Twitter, but his account is real-time documentation of the mental state of a corrupt president who senses that time is running out. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook Solomon Nunes Carvalho, a Jewish resident of Charleston, is the subject of a documentary to be screened as part of Piccolo Spoleto Festival. NEW YORK, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bernstein Liebhard LLP announced today that only five days remain to file a motion for lead plaintiff in a class action lawsuit pending against Care.com, Inc. (Care.com or the Company) in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts on behalf of all persons or entities (the Class) who purchased the common stock of Care.com, Inc. (Care.com or the Company) (NYSE: CRCM) during the period between March 27, 2015 and April 1, 2019 (the Class Period). The complaint alleges that defendants violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. If you wish to file a motion for lead plaintiff in the Care.com class action , you must move the Court no later than June 3, 2019. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. Your ability to share in any recovery does not require that you serve as lead plaintiff. If you choose to take no action, you may remain an absent class member. Care.com purports to be the worlds largest online family care platform. The Company claims to help families make informed hiring decisions about caregivers. The complaint alleges that defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Companys vetting procedures for care providers. Specifically, plaintiffs allege that defendants misleadingly touted the Companys proactive screening procedures. On March 8, 2019, a Wall Street Journal article revealed Care.coms ineffective screening procedures, reporting that care providers listed on the website had police recordsand later were accused of committing crimes while caring for customers children or elderly relatives. Care.coms stock dropped 13% after these revelations. On March 31, 2019, a follow-up Wall Street Journal article stated that hundreds of day-care centers listed as state licensed on the Care.com website did not appear to be, and that tens of thousands of unverified day-care center listings were scrubbed from the Care.com website just before the March 8, 2019 Wall Street Journal article was published. Care.coms stock dropped another 7% after these disclosures. If you purchased Care.com common stock, and/or would like to discuss your legal rights and options, please visit https://www.bernlieb.com/cases/care-crcm-lawsuit-class-action-fraud-stock-123/ or contact Matthew E. Guarnero toll free at (877) 779-1414 or MGuarnero@bernlieb.com . Bernstein Liebhard LLP has pursued hundreds of securities, consumer, and shareholder rights cases and recovered over $3.5 billion for its clients. The Firm has been named to The National Law Journals Plaintiffs Hot List thirteen times and been listed in The Legal 500 for ten consecutive years. You can obtain a copy of the complaint by contacting the clerk of the court for the United District Court for the District of Massachusetts. ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. 2019 Bernstein Liebhard LLP. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Bernstein Liebhard LLP, 10 East 40th Street, New York, New York 10016, (212) 779-1414. The lawyer responsible for this advertisement in the State of Connecticut is Michael S. Bigin. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. Mary Katherine, who also goes by MK, covers health care for The Post and Courier. She is also pursuing a master's degree in data science. She grew up in upstate New York and enjoys playing cards, kayaking and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Editorials represent the institutional view of the newspaper. They are written and edited by the editorial staff, which operates separately from the news department. Editorial writers are not involved in newsroom operations. Political Editor Schuyler Kropf is The Post and Courier political editor. He has covered every major political race in South Carolina dating to 1988, including for U.S. Senate, governorship, the Statehouse and Republican and Democratic presidential primaries. "Pay No Attention to the Girl" is a play developed by Target Margin Theater and director David Herskovits that runs through June 1 at the Woolfe Street Playhouse. For the first time, the federal government is shining a spotlight on the quality of rehabilitation care at nursing homes services used by nearly 2 million older adults each year. Medicares Nursing Home Compare website now includes a "star rating" (a composite measure of quality) for rehab services skilled nursing care and physical, occupational or speech therapy for people recovering from a hospitalization. The site also breaks out 13 measures of the quality of rehab care, offering a more robust view of facilities performance. Independent experts and industry representatives welcomed the changes, saying they could help seniors make better decisions about where to seek care after a hospital stay. This matters because high-quality care can help older adults regain the ability to live independently, while low-quality care can compromise seniors recovery. "Its a very positive move," said David Grabowski, a professor of health care policy at Harvard Medical School. He noted that previous ratings havent distinguished between two groups in nursing homes with different characteristics and needs temporary residents getting short-term rehabilitation and permanent residents too ill or frail to live independently. Temporary residents are trying to regain the ability to care for themselves and return home as soon as possible, he noted. By contrast, permanent residents arent expecting improvements: Their goal is to maintain the best quality of life. ADVERTISEMENT Three ratings Three separate ratings for the quality of residents care now appear on the Nursing Home Compare website: one for overall quality (a composite measure); another one for "short-stay" patients (people who reside in facilities for 100 days or less, getting skilled nursing services and physical, occupational or speech therapy) and a third for "long-stay" patients (people who reside in facilities for more than 100 days). Ratings for short-stay patients available for 13,799 nursing homes vary considerably, according to a Kaiser Health News analysis of data published by the government in late April. Nationally, 30 percent of nursing homes with a rating received five stars, the highest possible. Another 21 percent got a four-star rating, signifying above-average care. Twenty percent got three stars, an average performance. Seventeen percent got two stars, a worse-than-average score. And 13 percent got one star, a bottom-of-the-barrel score. (Altogether, 1,764 nursing homes did not receive ratings for short-stay patients.) Heres information about how to find and use the new Nursing Home Compare data, as well as insights from Kaiser Health News analysis: Finding data about rehabilitation. Enter your geographic location on Nursing Home Compares home page, and a list of facilities will come up. You can select three at a time to review. Once youve done so, hit the "compare now" button at the top of the list. (To see more facilities, youll need to repeat the process.) A new page will appear with several tabs. Click on the one marked "quality of resident care." The three star ratings described above will appear for the facilities youve selected. Below this information, two options are listed on the left side: "short-stay residents" and "long-stay residents." Click on "short-stay residents." Now youll see 13 measures with actual numbers included (most but not all of the time), as well as state and national averages. ADVERTISEMENT Understanding the star rating Six measures are used to calculate star ratings for the quality of rehab care for short-stay patients. Two of them concern emergency room visits and rehospitalizations, potential indicators of problematic care. Another two examine how well pain was controlled and bedsores were managed. One measure looks at how many patients became better able to move around on their own, an important element of recovery. Yet another examines the rate at which antipsychotic medications were newly prescribed. (These drugs can have significant side effects and are not recommended for older adults with dementia.) One measure of great interest to seniors is the percentage of residents who return successfully home after a short nursing home stay. But actual numbers arent available on the Nursing Home Compare website this time around: Instead, facilities are listed as below average, average or above average. The national average, reported in April, was 48.6%, indicating room for improvement. Tracking variations in performance Some facilities outperform others by large margins on measures of quality of care for short-stay residents. And some facilities have high scores in some areas, but not in others. For instance, the nursing home at Westminster Village, a high-end continuing care retirement community in Scottsdale, Ariz., had the highest score for rehospitalizations 39.9 percent out of 68 facilities in and around Phoenix. (By contrast, the lowest score in the Phoenix area was 15.4 percent and the state average was 23.5 percent.) It also had the highest rate of helping residents improve their ability to move around on their own 88.6 percent. (The lowest score was 37.6 percent and the state average was 63.6 percent.) In an email, Lesley Midkiff, marketing director at Westminster Village, said that the facilitys staff is vigilant about sending residents back to the hospital if health issues arise. At the same time, she said, staffers "push the residents just enough to regain independence and recover quickly from their short term stays." Both priorities have the "residents best interest" in mind, she said. If a facility has an average or low quality score, Dr. David Gifford, a senior vice president at the American Health Care Association, a nursing home industry group, recommended that people look closely at various measures and try to figure out where the institution fell short. Call the facility and ask them to explain, he said. Also, review Nursing Home Compares information about staffing and health inspections, Gifford suggested, and visit the facility if possible. ADVERTISEMENT Variations within nursing homes The newly published Nursing Home Compare data also shows that institutions arent always equally adept at caring for short-stay and long-stay residents. Disparities in facilities ratings for short- and long-stay patients are common. Of 13,351 nursing homes that received both ratings, 32 percent received the same star ratings for the quality of care received by short-stay and long-stay residents. Another 32 percent of facilities received higher star ratings for short-stay residents, while 36 percent got higher ratings for long-stay residents. About one-third of the time, these rating categories were one star apart, but in another third of cases, they varied by two or more stars a significant discrepancy. (This analysis does not include 2,212 nursing homes for which data was missing.) In Phoenix, Desert Terrace Healthcare Center, which bills itself on its website as the citys "premier location for short-term rehabilitation and long-term care," is one such facility. Its quality-of-care rating for short-term residents was two stars, while its rating for long-term residents was five stars. Notably, hospital admissions and ER visits for short-stay patients were higher than the state average, while the portion of short-stay residents whose mobility improved was lower than average. In an email, Jeremy Bowen, the facilitys administrator, wrote that the facility had a good record of managing pain and bedsores and limiting antipsychotic prescriptions for short-stay patients. Factors such as hospital readmissions depend on community resources and patients understanding of their health needs, which are difficult to control, he noted. Sierra Winds, part of a continuing care community in Peoria, Ariz., has a similar split in quality ratings (two stars for short-stay residents, five stars for long-stay residents). On four of six measures used to calculate star ratings for short-stay residents, it performed worse than the state average. "Sierra Winds remains committed to providing the highest quality care and services to its residents," wrote Shannon Brown, the facilitys executive director, in an email. "We are proud of our 4-star rating with CMS [the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services]." Thats the facilitys overall rating (this includes data about staffing and health inspections). But it doesnt address the split in scores for short-stay and long-stay patients, which raises a red flag and should certainly cause seniors and their families to ask follow-up questions. "If Im a patient looking for a place for a short-term rehab stay, I really want to know how patients who look like me did," said Dr. Rachel Werner, executive director of the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics at the University of Pennsylvania and a quality-measurement expert. In a blink of an eye, a new beauty boutique is gearing up to open on Rochesters Broadway. Owner Kayla Fjelstedhopes to open the doors of Swoon Lash + Beauty Loungeat 328 S. Broadway by mid-June or earlier. Thats where the Yoga Tribestudio was based until it moved north on Broadway to the Castle Communityin April. Swoon offers eyelash extensions and eyebrow care. This will be her second Swoon studio, with the original based in Edina. However, this new sister shop represents a homecoming for Fjelsted, who grew up in Rochester. "I have some clientele from Rochester who drive to Edina every two weeks, so this will make it easier for them," she said. "Rochester has a special place in my heart, and I want to add to it." ADVERTISEMENT Fjelsted will work part time in the Broadway shop with two other employees. She plans to have a launch party/open house to introduce Swoon to Rochester from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday. Bucky Beeman of Rochesters Realty Growth Inc. handled the leasing deal for Swoon. On the new Broadway location, Fjelsted said she chose it because, "Its an easily accessible spot Its nice to be in the heart of Rochester." A national report on waste incinerators labels Olmsted Countys waste-to-energy facility one of the "dirty dozen" when it comes to particulate matter emissions, even as the facility continues to beat state expectations. "The dirty dozen lists illustrate the incinerators, among the 73 in the country, that emit the largest amounts of air pollutants," states the report produced by the Tishman Environment and Design Center at The New School in New York City. But Tony Hill, the countys director of environmental resources, said the five-year-old data used to compile the report fails to reflect efforts aimed at continual improvement at the site and the rates that remain below allowable levels set by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Measured in milligrams per cubic meter for emission tests, the largest particles must fall under 70 for the facilitys two original incinerators and below 24 for the larger incinerator added in 2010. In the most recent tests, the amounts measured 2.01 and 5.65 in the oldest burners and 4.25 in the newer unit, according to information provided by the facilitys regulatory compliance coordinator, Mike Cook. Annual rates, measured in pounds, saw Olmsted County reduce the numbers by approximately half, from 31,578 pounds of the finest matter in 2014 to 14,479 to 2017, according to MPCA data. ADVERTISEMENT Larger particles were reduced from 34,562 pounds in 2014 to 17,593 in 2017. Darin Broton, the MPCAs senior adviser and director of communications, said the air-pollution measures reported by waste-to-energy facilities are typically below levels reported by other energy-generating facilities throughout the state. When it comes to other air pollutants mercury, lead, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide Olmsted Countys facility wasnt listed among the dirty dozen in the Tishman report. Hill said those measures remain well below MPCA guidelines. "We go above and beyond what is expected of us," he said. Matt Anderson, the facilitys plant manager, said the new burner has twice the capacity, but is permitted with stricter allowable levels than the older, smaller incinerators. He said meeting those expectations is the result of continued effort toward improvement. "We have a very good track record for putting the necessary dollars into maintaining that high integrity," he said. ADVERTISEMENT Hill said the consistent upgrades counter a claim made with the release of the Tishman report. "These aging facilities are too expensive to maintain, too risky to finance, and too costly to upgrade," Ana Baptista, associate director of the Tishman Environment & Design Center at the New School said in a statement as the report was released last week. "Incinerators in the U.S. are operating under increasingly volatile economic and regulatory conditions that threaten their major sources of revenue, tipping fees and energy sales." The report notes many facilities have a 30-year lifespan. While the Olmsted County facility has passed the 30-year mark, the addition of a third incinerator and regular schedule of upgrades has lengthened its potential lifespan. John Helmers, the countys former director of environmental resources, who is now the executive director of the Minnesota Solid Waste Administrators Association, said the work has been done with specific intent. "Its not like they are sitting there with 30-year-old equipment and making it run," he said. Olmsted County Board Chairman Jim Bier said he expects commissioners will continue to support efforts to keep the facility running with continued improvement in mind. "If there is something that we could do to reduce those particulate numbers the board would look at it and would decide probably to do it," he said. "We spend a lot of money out there, but its the right thing to do." ADVERTISEMENT Local Sierra Chapter Organizing Representative Rick Morris said the impact needs more study, especially in the wake of disastrous results in other parts of the state and nation, as well as ongoing potential for other air pollutants. "One of our big concerns is that there is no air-quality monitors downtown to measure how this incinerator and buses and traffic might impact the health of the visitors and workers in downtown Rochester," he said, noting a study of the citys air quality underway. Morris said the citys only air-quality monitor is at Franklin Elementary School, 1801 9th Ave SE, which is approximately three miles from the waste-to-energy plant. He said results from the monitor indicate air-quality improvements have occurred in the past decade. "We hope that represents the true data for our air quality throughout the city, but we know we cant simply trust that without more study," he said, noting some variances have already been found in other parts of the city. Anderson said county staff is interested in any results that could point toward paths of improvement, noting the Tishman report has already spurred discussions of ways to address fluctuations seen in particulate matter reports in recent years. At the same time, he said simply closing the plant wouldnt necessarily be the most environmentally friendly option. "We would have had to expand our landfill three times over if we had not been combusting the waste we are," he said of waste that has been converted to energy at the plant. CANNON FALLS No injuries were reported Tuesday afternoon after a school bus collided with a John Deere tractor on Minnesota Highway 56. Troopers with the Minnesota State Patrol were called shortly after 2 p.m. to a report of a two-vehicle crash on Highway 56 near its junction with Minnesota Highway 19 in Stanton Township, according to the state patrols crash report. A John Deere tractor was southbound on Highway 56, approaching the south junction with Highway 19 when a southbound school bus behind the trailer attempted to pass the tractor as it was making a left turn onto 330th Street. The front right side of the bus struck the left side of the tractor. The bus had multiple adult and juvenile passengers, and a few suffered minor injuries. "All persons were checked and released by Cannon Falls Ambulance," according to the report. "None of the passengers needed to be transported." EYOTA An explosive device found on the side of Olmsted County Road 7 Southeast in Eyota Tuesday afternoon was "capable of causing bodily harm" and possibly even death, according to the Olmsted County Sheriffs Office. A portion of Olmsted County Road 7 Southeast was closed after county highway employees found a potentially explosive device on the side of the road, near a natural gas relay station. "At 10:04 a.m. (Tuesday), the sheriffs office was notified of a suspicious device on County Road 7, just to the north of the City of Eyota and Highway 14 East," Capt. Scott Behrns said. The device was found by county highway employees who were doing road work. The 20-ounce plastic bottle had a fuse sticking out of it and bore the words "caution, explosive," Behrns said. The highway employees called emergency responders and did not touch the item. A portion of County Road 7 Southeast was closed as emergency responders from the Eyota and Dover fire departments as well as the Olmsted County Sheriffs Office arrived. Northern Natural Gas was also contacted due to the proximity of the bottle to a gas relay station, Behrns said. ADVERTISEMENT "The risk of a secondary explosion is extremely minimal from the natural gas station, nonetheless, there is one, so we have to do what we have to do in these cases. We dont want anybody hurt," Behrns said. Law enforcement has received no indication there is a threat, Behrns said, adding that it was unclear if the apparently homemade item was placed there, dumped there or bounced out of the back of a vehicle. The St. Paul Police Department bomb squad was called to respond. "At approximately 1:30 p.m., the St. Paul Bomb Squad arrived at the scene and made a determination to safely destroy the suspicious device at the scene," Behrns wrote in a news release. This morning, Behrns said the St. Paul Police Department bomb squad had determined the device was actually explosive and capable of causing great bodily harm or even death. The St. Paul Police Department is the closest agency with a bomb squad. This is the second time this month that the bomb squad has been called down from St. Paul. When asked if it was time that Rochester and Olmsted County have a bomb squad of their own, Behrns said the idea has been brought up numerous times and is a matter of funding. "It would be nice," Behrns said. "We believe that Rochester and Olmsted County have enough of these incidents throughout the year and we have the population size that could support a team with the help of the state of Minnesota and the federal government. However, it just never seems to take off and get there." ADVERTISEMENT Anyone with information about the bottle can report tips through Crime Stoppers of Rochester and Olmsted County at 1-800-222-8477. "I dont know if somebody is trying to do something nefarious or if they are just horsing around, but whatever they are doing, its stupid. They know who they are. If somebody wants to let us know, give us a call ... drop us an anonymous tip and well look into it," Behrns said. NEW YORK, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bernstein Liebhard LLP announced that less than two weeks remain to make a motion for lead plaintiff in a class action pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on behalf of all persons or entities (the Class) who purchased the securities of Boeing, Inc. (Boeing or the Company) (NYSE: BA) during the period of January 8, 2019 through March 21, 2019 (the Class Period). The complaint alleges that Defendants violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff in the Boeing class action , you must move the court no later than June 10, 2019. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. Your ability to share in any recovery does not require that you serve as lead plaintiff. If you take no action, you may remain an absent class member. Boeing designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, and missiles worldwide. On October 29, 2018, a Boeing 737 Max 8 jet operated by the Indonesian airline Lion Air crashed shortly after takeoff, killing all passengers and crew. On November 12, 2018, the Wall Street Journal published an article reporting that Boeing withheld information about potential hazards associated with a new flight-control feature suspected of playing a role in last months fatal Lion Air jet crash[.] Plaintiffs allege that Defendants made misrepresentations about the safety of the Companys 737 Max airplanes during the Class Period. Specifically, Defendants allegedly concealed that (1) the 737 Max airplanes lacked safety features which Boeing sold as optional add-ons; (2) most airlines did not purchase these safety options; and (3) the Federal Aviation Administration handed oversight and certification of one of Boeings safety systems to Boeing, which had a clear conflict of interest as it was rushing the 737 Max to market. On March 10, 2019, 157 people perished after an Ethiopian Airlines-operated Boeing 737 Max 8 jet crashed in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia shortly after takeoff. In the wake of the crash, regulators in China and several other countries grounded all Boeing 737 Max 8 jets. On March 11, 2019, Boeings stock price fell $22.53, or over 5%, to close at $400.01 per share. On March 21, 2019, The New York Times reported that Boeing had concealed from pilots and passengers that Boeing created two new safety features that it sold as extras or optional features to keep cost down. This news drove the price of Boeing shares down $10.53, or about 3%, on March 22, 2019. If you purchased Boeing securities, and/or would like to discuss your legal rights and options, please visit https://www.bernlieb.com/cases/boeing-ba-lawsuit-class-action-fraud-stock-124/ or contact Matthew E. Guarnero toll free at (877) 779-1414 or via email at mguarnero@bernlieb.com . Bernstein Liebhard LLP has pursued hundreds of securities, consumer, and shareholders rights cases and recovered over $3.5 billion for its clients. The Firm has been named to The National Law Journals Plaintiffs Hot List thirteen times and been listed in The Legal 500 for ten consecutive years. You can obtain a copy of the complaint from the clerk of the court for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. 2019 Bernstein Liebhard LLP. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Bernstein Liebhard LLP, 10 East 40th Street, New York, New York 10016, (212) 779-1414. The lawyer responsible for this advertisement in the State of Connecticut is Michael S. Bigin. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. Contact Information Matthew E. Guarnero Bernstein Liebhard LLP http://www.bernlieb.com (877) 779-1414 Mguarnero@bernlieb.com SOURCE Bernstein Liebhard LLP Related Links A woman was injured this morning when she was stabbed multiple times by an assailant in a cafeteria at Mayo Clinic Hospital-Saint Marys. Rochester police were called around 7 a.m. on a report of a man with a knife in an employee cafeteria attempting to stab people, Police Lt. Mike Sadauskis said. Preliminary reports indicate that a 57-year-old man stabbed a woman four times, Sadauskis said. The womans injuries were described as non-life threatening. The man was taken into custody by hospital security and then turned over to the Rochester Police Department. Police said the assault appeared to be domestic-related. The knife used in the assault was recovered. A statement about the assault was posted this morning on the Mayo Clinic website. ADVERTISEMENT "This morning, a food service employee was stabbed in the Mayo Clinic Hospital-Rochester, Saint Marys Campus employee cafeteria by another employee and has been taken to Saint Marys emergency department for treatment. The two employees are believed to have a relationship and this event is considered to be an isolated event," the statement read. More information on the assault was not available by press time today, although updates were expected from police later in the day. Writings on the Wall As we move forward into the new year, we have a lot to be thankful for. One key advantage of the pandemic is that it has made us focus on our Read more VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rio2 Limited (Rio2 or the Company) (TSXV: RIO; OTCQX: RIOFF; BVL: RIO) announces the results of voting at its Annual and Special General Meeting of Shareholders (ASGM) held Tuesday, May 28, 2019. A total of 49,229,337 common shares were voted, representing 41.64% of 118,239,464 shares issued and outstanding as at the record date of the meeting. Shareholders voted in favour of all items put forward by the Board of Directors and management. All seven of the individuals nominated for the board of directors were elected as set out below: VOTES FOR % VOTES FOR VOTES WITHHELD % VOTES WITHHELD Klaus Zeitler 44,584,465 97.14% 1,311,188 2.86% Alex Black 45,851,197 99.90% 44,456 0.10% Ram Ramachandran 44,558,668 97.09% 1,336,985 2.91% Albrecht Schneider 45,843,798 99.89% 51,855 0.11% Sidney Robinson 45,825,398 99.85% 70,255 0.15% Drago Kisic 45,844,597 99.89% 51,056 0.11% David Thomas 44,584,467 97.14% 1,311,186 2.86% The Company is pleased to welcome Mr. Drago Kisic to its Board of Directors. Mr. Kisic is a founding member and shareholder of Macro Group in Peru (Macroconsult, Macroinvest, Macrocapitales Safi, Macro Assets Management and Macro Wealth), and President of the Board of Macrocapitales SAFI, Banco Pichincha Peru S.A., Bodega San Nicolas, Inmobiliarias Cerro Lindo SAC and Alto Las Vinas SAC. From 1975 to 1981 he worked as Senior Economist for the Banco Central de Reserva del Peru and was Chairman of the Board of the Comision Nacional Supervisora de Empresas y Valores (CONASEV) between 1981 and 1982. Between 1982 and 1985 he acted as Advisor to the Executive Director of the World Bank in Washington DC, USA. In 1998 he was a member of the Advisory Committee of the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and President of the commission of border integration in the peace negotiations between Peru and Ecuador. Mr. Kisic was a director of Rio Alto Mining Limited (TSX) (between 2010 and 2015) and Tahoe Resources Limited (from August 2015 to February 2019). Drago Kisic holds a B.S. from Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru and a Masters degree (B-Phil) from Oxford University. Mr. Daniel Kenney did not stand for re-election at the ASGM. Mr. Kenney served on Rio2s Board since 2016, during which time he provided valuable legal advice to the Board of Directors. The Company thanks Mr. Kenney for his years of service as a director. Alex Black, President and Chief Executive Officer of Rio2 Limited, stated, I would like to personally thank Dan for his valuable contribution as a founding director of Rio2 and look forward to working with him going forward as the Companys legal counsel. I also would like to warmly welcome to the Rio2 team, Drago Kisic, who I worked closely with at Rio Alto Mining Limited where he made a solid and important contribution to our business activities in Peru during the development, construction and operation of the La Arena and Shahuindo Gold Mines. At the ASGM, shareholders also voted in favour of (i) reappointing Grant Thornton LLP as auditors of the Company for the ensuing year and authorizing directors to fix their remuneration; and (ii) approving and ratifying the 2018 Rio2s Stock Option Plan. To learn more about Rio2 Limited, please visit: www.rio2.com or Rio2's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com . ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF RIO2 LIMITED Alex Black President, CEO & Director Tel: +1 (604) 260-2696 Email: info@rio2.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. On Sunday, the London Times published an explosive story about records of FBI surveillance of Martin Luther King, Jr., that have hitherto been kept secret. They were discovered by David Garrow, a socialist historian whose biography of King titled Bearing the Cross won a Pulitzer prize in 1987. So far, the London Times story has not been picked up by many American news outlets. The New York Times, for example, doesnt seem to have covered it, nor, as far as I can see, has the Associated Press. The facts, as related by Garrow, are brutal: A huge archive of documents recently released from Federal Bureau of Investigation files exposes in detail Kings extramarital sexual activities with dozens of women as he travelled the country campaigning against racial inequality. To some extent, this is not a surprise. I heard about Kings sexual escapadesgroup sex and the likedecades ago. But it gets worse. In another incident said to have been recorded by FBI agents, King is alleged to have looked on, laughed and offered advice while a friend who was also a Baptist minister raped a woman described as one of his parishioners. Details of the assault are believed to have been captured on tapes that are currently being held in a vault under court seal at the US National Archives. I assume the tapes are under court seal because they are raw FBI investigation data, not because of any political desire to protect King. In an article to be published in the June edition of Standpoint, a British monthly magazine, Garrow writes that the FBI planted miniature transmitters in each of two lamps in rooms booked by King in January 1964 at the Willard hotel, close to the White House in Washington. Eavesdropping agents with radio receivers and tape recorders were installed in nearby rooms. The FBI has long been criticized for its surveillance of King, but it is interesting that the Bureau never used the explosive incidents that allegedly were captured on tape to undermine him. In general, the U.S. government preferred, appropriately, to build up King at the expense of more radical black leaders like Malcolm X. King was accompanied by a friend, Logan Kearse, the pastor of Baltimores Cornerstone Baptist church, who had arrived in Washington with what an FBI summary describes as several women parishioners of his church. Kearse invited King to meet the women in his room, where they discussed which women among the parishioners would be suitable for natural and unnatural sex acts. The FBI document adds: When one of the women protested that she did not approve, the Baptist minister immediately and forcibly raped her as King watched. At the same hotel the following evening, King and a dozen other individuals participated in a sex orgy including what one FBI official described as acts of degeneracy and depravity . . . When one of the women shied away from engaging in an unnatural act, King and several of the men discussed how she was to be taught and initiated in this respect. King told her that to perform such an act would help your soul. More: One white prostitute told the FBI she had been drawn into a threesome with King and a black woman. Visiting Las Vegas in April 1964, King allegedly took the two women to his room at the Sands hotel, then phoned one of his associates and told him to get your damned ass down here because I have a beautiful white broad here. The trio had sex before the friend showed up and took his turn while King watched the action from a close-by position, according to the FBI account. Then the prostitute said she was getting scared as they were pretty drunk and using filthy language. She told an FBI interviewer it was the worst orgy Ive ever gone through. King reportedly had an illegitimate daughter: Another FBI summary identifies a long-term Los Angeles-based girlfriend of King who was said to have given birth to a baby girl. The child resembles King to a great degree and King contributes to the support of this child, the summary says. Both mother and child are still alive but declined to speak to Garrow. None of this is particularly surprising in view of what already was known, but King obviously could not survive a me too retrospective. On the whole, this is probably for the best. Leftists are determined to show that all of our other heroes had feet of clay, so Kingthe closest person we have to a secular saintmay as well join them. For what it is worth, however, I think that American heroes like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses Grant and Ronald Reagan were of far higher moral character than King. It is worth noting that Kings sexual offenses were not his only major character flaw. He plagiarized his Ph D dissertation, as was officially acknowledged in 1991. How many people know that Dr. King obtained his Ph D by copying the work of another Boston University graduate student, more or less word for word, as a comparison I saw years ago showed? Very few, I suspect. Kings plagiarism must have been obvious to the professors who oversaw his work and granted his Ph D. I assume they said nothing because King had a famous and influential father. Are we now going to rename all of the streets, elementary schools and so on that are named after Martin Luther King, Jr.? Of course not. But lets not rename the ones that are named for George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Robert E. Lee, etc., either. History records the deeds of many great men and women. None of them was perfect; all had faults. Most had grievous faults, and all were creatures of their times. The stupidest thing we can do is to use contemporary assumptions and attitudes to relentlessly trash the pastwhile, of course, remaining oblivious to our own generations deficiencies, which will be so obvious to those who follow us. I would draw a more universal lesson from these revelations about King: no one should idealize someone whom he or she does not know. It doesnt matter whether it is Gandhione of historys most overrated men, in my opinion, largely responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands at a minimumor Karl Marx, a deeply disgusting human being apart from having been wrong about everything, who contributed to 100 million deaths, orat an infinitely more benign levelTiger Woods or Mickey Mantle. We all have faults, and larger-than-life personalities tend to have larger-than-life faults. If you are going to revere anyone, let it be someone you know: the father who gets up and trudges off to work every day, the mother who cares for you when you are sick, the boss who gave you an opportunity when others werent willing to take a chance on you. Meanwhile, we have to name streets and elementary schools after someone, and we will continue to erect statues and monuments. That doesnt mean we need to be oblivious to the fact that all men and women who do great deeds are flawed, and many, like Martin Luther King, Jr., fall far below average in important respects. Yesterday afternoon Seth Leibsohn invited me to discuss the peculiar dishonesty of the New York Times on intelligence and national security issues at the top of hour 2 of his AM 960 The Patriot show in Phoenix. Seth was up to speed on everything Ive written about this branch of the poisonous Times tree over the past 15 years. Most recently, I returned to the subject in The Assange indictment (May 25), in Tears of the Times (May 27), and in The Times wants to know and The Times wants to know, contd (both May 28). I discussed the law bearing on the issues in the 2006 Weekly Standard column Exposure, which Seth had clearly reread. Ive embedded the podcast version of Seths two segments with me for readers who might be interested. Roger Kimball captured the gist of the discussion in fewer than 280 characters on Twitter. Feeling sentimental? @scottwjohnson at @powerlineUS peeks in on the touching concern of @nytimes for national security in Trump's impending move to declassify docs embarrassing to Dems. What disgusting, hypocritical partisan hacks the Times reporters are. https://t.co/gdq4vBP0l9 Roger Kimball (@rogerkimball) May 28, 2019 NOTE: You may want to scroll through the audio clips of Seths recent shows posted at the link on Seths name above. Hour 2 of Seths May 17 show, for example, includes Seths discussion with Bill McClay about his new history of the United States. The show is also accessible in podcasts posted here, the page from which I lifted the podcast above. The Supreme Courts decision constitutionalizing the alleged right to abortion in Roe v. Wade (1973) was about as bad as it gets. Expressing the Courts sheer will to power, it is one of the worst decisions in the history of the Supreme Court. The principled liberal law professor John Hart Ely called out the Court in the classic Yale Law Journal comment The Wages of Crying Wolf. Professor Ely condemned Roe as a very bad decision. Not because it will perceptibly weaken the Court-it wont; and not because it conflicts with either my idea of progress or what the evidence suggests is societys-it doesnt. It is bad because it is bad constitutional law, or rather because it is not constitutional law and gives almost no sense of an obligation to try to be' (footnote omitted). Yet Roe lives on. Indeed, the Court continued in this mode seizing from state legislatures the power that properly belongs to them as long as Justice Kennedy was around to develop his jurisprudence a la Walt Whitman and Song of Myself: I and this mystery here we stand. If the Supreme Court is ever to climb down from this particular ledge, it is sure to do so in some incremental fashion. Yesterday the Supreme Court issued a per curiam (i.e., unsigned) opinion in Box v. Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky. The opinion ruled on Indianas petition for the Court to hear the case addressing two new provisions of Indiana law: the first relating to the disposition of fetal remains by abortion providers and the second barring the knowing provision of sex-selective, race-selective, or disability-selective abortions by abortion providers. The Court summarily reversed the Seventh Circuit decision striking down the fetal remains provision and denied the request to take up the Seventh Circuit decision striking down the second provision, thus leaving the Sevenths Circuits invalidation of that provision of Indiana law in place without ruling on the merits. The per curiam opinion is worth reading for Justice Thomass concurrence. Given the potential for abortion to become a tool of eugenic manipulation, he anticipates the Courts need to confront the constitutionality of laws like Indianas some time soon. In a footnote that is not to be missed Justice Thomas addresses the dissent by the lefts sainted Justice Ginsburg from the Courts summary reversal of the Seventh Circuit on the fetal remains provision (internal citations omitted): JUSTICE GINSBURGs dissent from this holding makes little sense. JUSTICE GINSBURG does not even attempt to argue that the decision below was correct. Instead, she adopts [Seventh Circuit] Chief Judge Woods alternative suggestion that regulating the disposition of an aborted childs body might impose an undue burden on the mothers right to abort that (already aborted) child. This argument is difficult to understand, to say the leastwhich may explain why even respondent Planned Parenthood did not make it. You can see why the left hates Justice Thomas. Yesterday, President Trump tweeted: Anyone associated with the 1994 Crime Bill will not have a chance of being elected. In particular, African Americans will not be able to vote for you. I, on the other hand, was responsible for Criminal Justice Reform, which had tremendous support, & helped fix the bad 1994 Bill! By anyone, Trump means Joe Biden. In fact, he also tweeted: Super Predator was the term associated with the 1994 Crime Bill that Sleepy Joe Biden was so heavily involved in passing. That was a dark period in American History, but has Sleepy Joe apologized? No! These are deeply cynical tweets. They remind me a little bit of Trumps false claim that he opposed President George W. Bushs decision to go to war with Iraq. The latest tweets arent quite that bad. I dont know that Trump ever went on record supporting the 1994 Crime Bill. Im pretty sure, however, that he never went on record against it. And its difficult to believe that the man who, as president, thought the death penalty was appropriate punishment for some drug dealers was opposed, in 1994, to the tough measures of a crime bill that was needed to help stem the tide of drug-related criminality. How sad that Trump seeks to score political points by attacking what Daniel Horowitz correctly describes as one of the few bipartisan successes of our lifetime, which led to a huge decline in the homicide rate. What Trumps tweets show, I think, is that Trump didnt support the leniency legislation he signed last year because he believes in redemption or evidence-based rehabilitation programs or any nonsense like that. Hes too intelligent and too grounded in reality. Trump supported leniency legislation because he wants black votes. If that means more crime and given recidivism rates, it inevitably means that so be it. Daniel Horowitz objects to Trumps lurch to the left on crime He cites Trump tweets from 2013 in which he said that the primary victims of violent crimes are in the African American and Hispanic communities. Trump added, These people want LAW AND ORDER now! Trump must now think that African Americans prioritize less incarceration of Blacks over keeping criminals off the street. He may well be right, at least until the violent crime rate skyrockets. But thats not a good excuse for supporting bad policies that pander to this preference. PR-Inside.com: 2019-05-29 16:06:13 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 557 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 This press release replaces the press release disseminated May 28, 2019 at 5:05PM ET. The press release contained an error in the headline.DALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE / May 29, 2019 / Some of today's thriving US cities are getting to the top through not only supporting large global corporations but also through their growing network of small businesses. A recent ranking by online resource Biz2Credit highlights this fact as they comprised their annual report for uncovering the best cities in the nation for small businesses in 2019. On the list were those cities familiar to widespread economic success including California's San Diego and Los Angeles as well as NYC and Boston.In order to calculate the ranking, the online analyst used its tool BizAnalyzer to uncover the factors behind sustaining a successful business climate that supports and fosters growth. Touching on a collective view of the business environment in each city location, a key category analyzed focused on the cost of doing business. Things like taxes, property costs, permits, etc. all impact the cost of starting and running a business and helped to organize how each location ranked among affordability when compared to other cities in the running.This baseline information was then analyzed against the overall annual revenues for each location's small business network in which the report used a combined pool of 30K organizations for running the comparison. These companies were all those that fit into what the SBA defines as small businesses; which in the report's case narrowed it down to those organizations with 250 or less employees making no more than $10 million in annual revenue that have been operating for at least a year.Weighing the averages across these companies in both affordability and revenue, the report also looked at the rate of which small business creation was growing in each metro area along with the local talent pool and its ability to sustain growth. With nearly 59 million people or 48% of the nation's private workforce employed by small businesses - understanding the health of each area's employee network is a critical factor keeping the United States' metros growing and fueling small businesses.The report's top 10 cities included:MiamiSan Jose, CASan FranciscoNew YorkSan DiegoLos AngelesBostonSacramento, CABaltimoreWashington, DC"Understanding the role of the nation's small business network is critical to understanding our nation's history and future economic success and independence. Starting as a small business myself, the opportunities available in each metro are different so it is up to business owners to evaluate where they can setup and successfully run their company as location will likely be a continuing factor in either enabling or hindering success." shares Texas-based entrepreneur and business owner Marcus Hiles.By seeing Miami top the charts this year followed by both those well-established city economies like San Francisco along with up and coming areas like Baltimore, it is apparent small businesses are thriving across a diverse group of locations. Whether an area is the best place to start and own a business or not, there are opportunities nationwide for the next generation of business owners.To learn more about business and development news visit marcushiles-news.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwrLIhyaB0p_0F1gWg4R7cA/videos Houzz: https://www.houzz.com/pro/marcushiles/marcus-hiles Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcus.hiles/ SOURCE: Marcus Hiles PR-Inside.com: 2019-05-29 15:15:42 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 546 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 LOSANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / May 29, 2019 / Dunnedin Ventures Inc. (the"Company" or "Dunnedin") (TSX-V: DVI) today announced that it will bepresenting at the 9th annual LD Micro Invitational in Los Angeles on Wednesday,June 5 at 9:20 AM PST / 12:20 PM EST. Claudia Tornquist, Presidentand CEO will be presenting and meeting with investors."We are pleased to be participatingin our first LD Micro conference as we have recently closed the acquisition of ourfirst asset in the USA, the Mohave copper-molybdenum-silver porphyry project inYavapai County, Arizona," said Tornquist. "This project is in the same terrain as Freeport McMoran's world classBagdad copper mine and complements our other copper porphyry assets in BritishColumbia, Trapper and MPD, also in two prolific copper producing belts." "This year's Invitational willshowcase some of the most unique names in the financial world, from early-stagestart-ups to well-established names on the national exchanges" stated ChrisLahiji, while waiting in the longest TSA line in history. "Even though LD hasemerged as one of the largest and most influential organizations in the space,our focus has never deviated from showcasing some of the more interestingbusinesses in the world to our ever-growing community." The LD Micro Invitational will takeplace June 4th and 5th in Los Angeles, at the Luxe Sunset Bel Air Hotel, willfeature 230 companies, and will be attended by over 1,000 individuals.Onbehalf of the Board of DirectorsDunnedin Ventures Inc.Claudia TornquistPresident & CEOView Dunnedin's profile here: https://www.ldmicro.com/profile/DVI.V Profiles powered by LDMicro - NewsCompliments of AccesswireAbout DunnedinVentures Inc.Dunnedin Ventures is advancingcopper porphyry projects in Canada and the USA; and the Kahuna diamond projectin Nunavut, Canada. Dunnedin's porphyry assets all present known mineraldiscoveries with the potential to hold large-scale deposits. They include theTrapper copper-gold porphyry project in the northern Golden Triangle region ofBritish Columbia, the MPD copper-gold porphyry project in the prolific QuesnelTrough in south-central British Columbia and the Mohavecopper-molybdenum-silver porphyry project near the world-class Bagdad mine inArizona.The advanced-stage Kahuna diamondproject in Nunavut hosts a high-grade, near surface inferred diamond resourceand numerous kimberlite pipe targets. Dunnedin holds diamond interests in 1,664 km2 of mineral tenure located26 kilometres from Rankin Inlet and adjacent to Agnico Eagle's Meliadine goldmine.Dunnedin's exploration is aimed atthe discovery of diamondiferous kimberlite pipes, working with its advisor andlargest shareholder Dr. Chuck Fipke.Based in Vancouver, Dunnedin isbacked by a world-renowned team of exploration experts with decades of combinedexploration experience and significant capital market strength. Dunnedin ispart of the Discovery Group of companies led by John Robins, one of the mostsuccessful mining entrepreneurs in Canada.About LD MicroLD Micro was founded in 2006 withthe sole purpose of being an independent resource in the microcap space.What started out as a newsletterhighlighting unique companies has transformed into several influential eventsannually (Invitational, Summit, and Main Event).In 2015, LDM launched the firstpure microcap index (the LDMi) to exclusively provide intraday information onthe entire sector. LD will continue to provide valuable tools for the benefitof everyone in the small and micro-cap universe.For those interested inattending, please contact David Scher at david@ ldmicro.com or visit www.ldmicro.com for moreinformation.Contact:Name: Knox HendersonPhone: 604-551-2360Address: 800 West Pender St., Suite 1020, Vancouver, BC, Canada,V6C 2V6Email: khenderson@ dunnedinventures.com SOURCE: DunnedinVentures RTHK: Boris Johnson to face court over Brexit 'lies' Boris Johnson, considered the frontrunner to become Britain's next prime minister, must appear in court over allegations that he knowingly lied during the Brexit referendum campaign, a judge ruled on Wednesday. Johnson, the former foreign secretary, will be summoned to appear over allegations of misconduct in public office, judge Margot Coleman said in a written decision, without specifying the date. The case concerns Johnson's claim that Britain sends 350 million (HK$3.5 billion) a week to the European Union. While this was Britain's gross contribution, the net figure accounts for a budget rebate from the EU as well as payments to Britain's public sector from the EU budget, and is substantially less. Businessman Marcus Ball has crowd-funded a private initiative to bring Johnson to court. "The allegations which have been made are unproven accusations and I do not make any findings of fact," the judge said. "Having considered all the relevant factors I am satisfied that this is a proper case to issue the summons as requested," she wrote. Referring to Johnson as the "proposed defendant", Coleman said he would be required to attend a preliminary hearing that could then result in a trial. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2019-05-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Dublin, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Diabetes Care Intelligence Center 2012-2023" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Diabetes Care Intelligence Center (IC) is a global intelligence database on diabetes drugs & devices, which offers data on 25 major countries. It covers 13 years of comparable data, including 5-year forecasts incorporating value, volume sales, and price and price per-capita expenditure. The Intelligence Centre enhances your understanding of the diabetes drugs industry, along with economic factors impacting diabetes drug usage, such as diabetes population, Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetic population, and obesity, which provide you with actionable business insights. Market Scope Diabetes drugs & devices market data, volume and value analytics with growth trends (2012-2023) Branded & generic drugs and devices' sales data from 2012-2023 Segment, sub-segment & company devices' sales data from 2012-2023 Additional information includes - diabetic population levels, diabetes prevalence, Diabetes Type 1 population, Diabetes Type 2 population, and per-capita expenditure. The Diabetes Care Intelligence Center provides exhaustive coverage (countries covered account for more than 80% of the overall spending on diabetes). Covering and tracking of over 18,000 data points of the diabetes drugs industry, which covers various categories, segments, Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), and brands. It also covers more than 8,000 data points of the diabetes care device market, which encompass various categories, segments, sub-segments and company share analysis. Market Overview The global diabetes care market is expected to grow because of the growing diabetes population levels and increasing diabetes expenditure in established, as well as pharm emerging countries. Global Rise in Diabetic Population There has been a tremendous increase in the global diabetic population levels over the past decade. Several reports and surveys documented a drastic increase in the diabetic population levels, based on the changing lifestyles and habits. Extensive urbanization in various parts of the globe is considered to be the primary cause of obesity, health deterioration, physical inactivity, etc. Owing to these factors the prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has increased significantly. It is estimated that out of the total 415 million people suffering from diabetes worldwide, 46% of this demographic is those with undiagnosed diabetes. The growing diabetic population levels act as a driver for insulin monitoring devices, such as glucometers, CGMs, etc. In developed countries, close to 90% of Type 1 Diabetic patients use glucometers. It is expected that during the forecast period close to 50% of Type 2 Diabetic patients will use a glucometer. The United States Leads the Diabetes Drugs & Devices Market In 2017, the US diabetes drugs market held the largest market share in North America, due to the presence of a high-quality healthcare system and increasing prevalence of diabetes in the region. In the Asia-Pacific region, China and India have been identified as potential emerging markets, due to the rising diabetic population levels. Reasons to Purchase this Dashboard More Granular: Covers more categories, segments and brands' information at country- and global-levels compared to other market intelligence providers Analyzing the outlook of the market with recent market data, historical data and market forecast Ease of Comparability: Analytics are based on a standardized definition across the globe to facilitate better comparability of market data View the market in different ways among categories and geography to understand where actual opportunities lie Market segmentation including quantitative research, incorporating the impact of economic and non-economic aspects Regional- and country-level data integrating the demand and supply forces which are influencing the growth of the market Market value (in USD million) and volume data for each segment and sub-segment Understanding of the market based on value and volume changes, intra category competition. Dedicated analyst support for research queries and training Continuous yearly amendment of the database with significant changes updated based on scenarios Customization of the Dashboard This dashboard can be customized to meet your requirements by adding the country of your choice and qualitative trends on request. Please connect with our Customer Service team, who will assist to get a dashboard that suits your needs. Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction 1.1 Key Deliverables of the Study 1.2 Market Definition 2. Research Approach and Methodology 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Research Designs 2.3 Study Phases 2.3.1 Internal Sources Evaluation 2.3.2 Research Process 2.3.3 Modeling & Triangulation 2.3.4 Data Finalization 2.3.5 Expert Validation 3. Market Segmentation 3.1 By Drug 3.1.1 Oral Anti-diabetic drugs 3.1.1.1 Biguanide 3.1.1.1.1 Metformin 3.1.1.2 Alpha - Glucosidase Inhibitors 3.1.1.2.1 Alpha - Glucosidase Inhibitors 3.1.1.3 Dopamine -D2 Receptor Agonist 3.1.1.3.1 Bromocriptin (Cycloset) 3.1.1.4 Sodium - Glucose Cotransport - 2 (SGLT-2) Inhibitor 3.1.1.4.1 Invokana (Canagliflozin) 3.1.1.4.2 Jardiance (Empagliflozin) 3.1.1.4.3 Farxiga/Forxiga (Dapagliflozin) 3.1.1.4.4 Suglat (Ipragliflozin) 3.1.1.5 Dipeptidyl peptidase - 4 (DPP-4) inhibitors 3.1.1.5.1 Januvia (Sitagliptin) 3.1.1.5.2 Onglyza (Saxagliptin) 3.1.1.5.3 Tradjenta (Linagliptin) 3.1.1.5.4 Vipidia/Nesina (Alogliptin) 3.1.1.5.5 Galvus (Vildagliptin) 3.1.1.6 Sulfonylureas 3.1.1.6.1 Sulfonylureas 3.1.1.7 Meglitinide 3.1.1.7.1 Meglitinide 3.1.2 Insulin 3.1.2.1 Basal or Long-acting Insulins 3.1.2.1.1 Lantus (Insulin Glargine) 3.1.2.1.2 Levemir (Insulin Detemir) 3.1.2.1.3 Toujeo (Insulin Glargine) 3.1.2.1.4 Tresiba (Insulin Degludec) 3.1.2.1.5 Basaglar (Insulin Glargine) 3.1.2.2 Bolus or Fast Acting Insulins 3.1.2.2.1 NovoRapid/Novolog (Insulin Aspart) 3.1.2.2.2 Humalog (Insulin Lispro) 3.1.2.2.3 Apidra (Insulin Glulisine) 3.1.2.3 Traditional Human Insulins 3.1.2.3.1 Novolin/Actrapid/Insulatard 3.1.2.3.2 Humilin 3.1.2.3.3 Insuman 3.1.2.4 Biosimilar Insulins 3.1.2.4.1 Insulin Glargine Biosimilars 3.1.2.4.2 Human Insulin Biosimilars 3.1.3 Non-Insulin Injectable Drugs 3.1.3.1 GLP1 Receptor Agonists 3.1.3.1.1 Victoza (Liraglutide) 3.1.3.1.2 Byetta (Exenatide) 3.1.3.1.3 Bydureon (Exenatide) 3.1.3.1.4 Trulicity (Dulaglutide) 3.1.3.1.5 Lyxumia (Lixisenatide) 3.1.3.2 Amylin Analogue 3.1.3.2.1 Symlin (Pramlintide) 3.1.4 Combination Drugs 3.1.4.1 Insulin Combinations 3.1.4.1.1 NovoMix (Biphasic Insulin Aspart) 3.1.4.1.2 Ryzodeg (Insulin Degludec and Insulin Aspart) 3.1.4.1.3 Xultophy (Insulin Degludec and Liraglutide) 3.1.4.2 Oral Combination 3.1.4.2.1 Janumet (Sitagliptin and Metformin HCl) 3.2 By Device 3.2.1 Monitoring Devices 3.2.1.1 Self-monitoring Blood Glucose Devices 3.2.1.1.1 By Component 3.2.1.1.1.1 Glucometer Devices 3.2.1.1.1.2 Test Strips 3.2.1.1.1.3 Lancets 3.2.1.1.2 By End User 3.2.1.1.2.1 Hospital 3.2.1.1.2.1.1 Glucometer Devices 3.2.1.1.2.1.2 Test Strips 3.2.1.1.2.1.3 Lancets 3.2.1.1.2.2 Personal 3.2.1.1.2.2.1 Glucometer Devices 3.2.1.1.2.2.2 Test Strips 3.2.1.1.2.2.3 Lancets 3.2.1.2 Continuous Blood Glucose Monitoring 3.2.1.2.1 By Component 3.2.1.2.1.1 Sensors 3.2.1.2.1.2 Receivers 3.2.2 Management Devices 3.2.2.1 Insulin Pump 3.2.2.1.1 Insulin Pump Device 3.2.2.1.2 Insulin Pump Reservoir 3.2.2.1.3 Infusion Set 3.2.2.2 Insulin Syringes 3.2.2.3 Insulin Cartridges 3.2.2.4 Disposable Pens 3.2.2.5 Jet Injectors 3.3 Geography 4. Market Indicators 4.1 Type-1 Diabetes Population (2012-2023) 4.2 Type-2 Diabetes Population (2012-2023) 5. Company Share Analysis Abbott Diabetes Care Acon Agamatrix Inc. Arkray Ascensia Diabetes Care Astellas AstraZeneca Bionime Corporation Boehringer Ingelheim Bristol Myers Squibb Dexcom Eli Lilly Janssen Pharmaceuticals Johnson & Johnson Medisana Medtronic Merck and Co. Novartis Novo Nordisk Pfizer Roche Rossmax Sanofi Takeda Trivida For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/fewa7q Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Glass Door Merchandiser Market: Hypermarkets Considered to be Major Endorsing Sites for Glass Door Merchandisers Driving the Market to a Significant Extent: Global Industry Analysis 2013-2017 & Opportunity Assessment 2018-2028 Glass Door Merchandiser Market PR-Inside.com: 2019-05-29 15:23:05 Press Information Published by Abhishek Budholiya +1-347-918-3531 e-mail http://www.futuremarketinsights.com # 1166 Words Abhishek Budholiya+1-347-918-3531 Glass door merchandiser equipment are special type display cases which are widely used in retail outlets, commercial complexes, commercial kitchens, airport and stations and in many more applications for displaying food and beverage products and to attract customers. Glass door merchandiser equipment are mostly used for freezing different food and beverage products. Glass door merchandiser refrigerators and freezers are similar to normal refrigerators. However, the only difference is that glass door merchandiser refrigerators are made up of glass and glass door merchandiser refrigerators are mostly used in the retail industry for displaying and storing different types of food and beverage products. Based on design, glass door merchandisers are available in two types: hinged door type and sliding door type.Hinged door type glass door merchandisers can further be segregated into two types: single door type and multi door type. Based configuration, glass door merchandisers can further be divided into two types: endless self-contained glass door refrigerators and remote control glass door refrigerators. Based on storage capacity, glass door merchandiser products are available in 50-200 liters, 200-650 liters, 650-1500 liters and 1500-2000 liters. The demand for 200-650 liter and 650-1500 liter storage capacity is more as compared to other types of storage capacity.Request to Sample of Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-7420 Glass door merchandisers are used in a wide range of applications. Major applications of glass door merchandisers include retail outlets, commercial complexes and commercial kitchens. In retail outlets, glass door merchandisers are mostly used in hyper markets, provision stores, bakery and cafeterias. In commercial complexes, glass door merchandisers are widely used in shopping malls, multiplexes, etc. Glass door merchandiser are witnessing higher demand from the retail industry as compared to others. Among end users, the retail segment accounted for the largest share in the glass door merchandiser market and is also projected to grow at high CAGR during the forecast period.The global glass door merchandiser market is estimated to be valued at US$ 6.6 Bn by 2018 end and is expected to reach US$ 13.5 Bn by the end of 2028 while expanding at a CAGR of 7.3% over the forecast period. The global glass door merchandiser market is anticipated to represent incremental opportunity of over US$ 6871 Mn between 2018 and 2028.Global glass door merchandiser market is expected to grow at a significant rate over the forecast period from 2018-2028Glass door merchandisers are mostly used in applications, such as retail, commercial complexes, commercial kitchens, display applications, etc. Thus, the retail industry will hold a dominant share in the demand for glass door merchandisers. As per the FMI analysis, the demand from retail segment is estimated to grow in tandem with the growing population, urbanization and infrastructural developments in developing economies, such as China, India and other parts of the Asia Pacific. The global retail industry is anticipated to register a high growth rate of over 9.2% due to increasing population, urbanization, increased standard of living, infrastructural developments and growing economies of developing countries. Moreover, increasing penetration of glass door merchandisers in developing markets is anticipated to provide impetus to the growth of the glass door merchandiser market during the forecast period.Asia Pacific Region (China, India, SEAP) is expected to dominate the global glass door merchandiser market during the forecast periodFrom a regional perspective, the glass door merchandiser market is dominated by the Asia Pacific region owing to the growing demand from consumers of glass door merchandiser. Asia pacific is projected to be the fastest growing region during the forecast period. This can be attributed to the presence of emerging economies, such as China, India and other SEAP countries. Moreover, almost half of the global population resides in China and India. Fast-paced infrastructural developments, urbanization and growing economies in this region are anticipated to help the Asia Pacific region remain dominant in the global glass door merchandiser market during the forecast period. The retail segment is anticipated to have a higher impact in the Asia Pacific region on the growth of global glass door merchandiser market. After Asia Pacific region, the demand for global glass door merchandiser market is expected to grow in the MEA and Latin America. The growth of global glass door merchandiser market has been steady in North America and Europe.Top tier manufacturers hold significant share in the global glass door merchandiser marketThe global glass door merchandiser market is consolidated due to the presence of only a few local manufacturers. Despite this, prominent manufacturers in the market have been reported to hold around a quarter of the global glass door merchandiser market share. The regional glass door merchandiser markets show variations in terms of supply of glass door merchandiser products. While significant number of glass door merchandiser equipment produced in Asia Pacific are consumed within the region and the rest of the equipment are exported to other parts of the world, glass door merchandiser equipment produced in Europe are exported to the MEA and other regions. Numerous manufacturers are engaged in the production and sale of glass door merchandiser products to meet the demand from end users. These manufacturers are all listed under the Tier 3 category of the global glass door merchandiser market. The prominent manufacturers holding a vital share in the glass door merchandiser market are listed under the Tier 1 category of the global glass door merchandiser market. The remaining manufacturers are listed under the Tier 2 category.Global glass door merchandiser market key trendsThe supply and demand of glass door merchandiser products in different regions depends upon the macro-economic factors affecting the glass door merchandiser market. Most of the major players are entering into acquisitions and mergers to increase their production and selling capacity. Big players in the market are trying to grab market share by acquiring smaller players. Acquisition strategy has accounted for more than 35% of the total developments in the market in the last few years. Glass door merchandise equipment manufacturers are also trying to penetrate the untapped market through joint ventures and partnerships. A number of capacity expansions have also been observed in the market which depicts growing demand for glass door merchandiser products. High growth markets, such as India and China, are the centers for the growth of the glass door merchandiser market. Hence, to cater to the demand for glass door merchandisers, prominent players have been expanding their capacities of production. For instance, Dover Corporation recently announced the acquisition of Anthony, Inc. to enhance Dovers product breadth and expand markets in refrigeration and food equipment. Also, Anthony, Inc. is joining the Refrigeration and Industrial platform of Dovers Engineered Systems segment and Panasonic Corporation recently announced the acquisition of Hussmann Corporation to expand its refrigerator business in USA.Need more information about Report Methodology @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-7420 Top key participantsSome of the top key participants in the global glass door merchandiser market included in this study are Traulsen, Tuobo Air Inc, Arneg Group, Everest, Liebherr, UAB Feror LT, True Manufacturing Co.Inc , Migali industries, Anthony Inc and Hussmann Corporation. PR-Inside.com: 2019-05-29 15:31:42 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 883 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / May 29, 2019 / Intellipharmaceutics International Inc. (OTCQB: IPCIF and TSX: IPCI) ("Intellipharmaceutics" or the "Company"), a pharmaceutical company specializing in the research, development and manufacture of novel and generic controlled-release and targeted-release oral solid dosage drugs, announced today that it will be presenting at the 9th annual LD Micro Invitational on Tuesday June 4th, 2019 at 2:20pm PST. Executive Greg Powell, CFO will be presenting and meeting with investors.About IntellipharmaceuticsIntellipharmaceutics International Inc. is a pharmaceutical company specializing in the research, development and manufacture of novel and generic controlled-release and targeted-release oral solid dosage drugs. The Company's patented Hypermatrix technology is a multidimensional controlled-release drug delivery platform that can be applied to a wide range of existing and new pharmaceuticals. Intellipharmaceutics has developed several drug delivery systems based on this technology platform, with a pipeline of products (some of which have received FDA approval) in various stages of development. The Company has ANDA and NDA 505(b)(2) drug product candidates in its development pipeline. These include the Company's abuse-deterrent oxycodone hydrochloride extended release formulation ("Oxycodone ER") based on its proprietary nPODDDS novel Point Of Divergence Drug Delivery System (for which an NDA has been filed with the FDA), and Regabatin XR (pregabalin extended-release capsules).About LD MicroLD Micro was founded in 2006 with the sole purpose of being an independent resource in the microcap space. What started out as a newsletter highlighting unique companies has transformed into several influential events annually (Invitational, Summit, and Main Event).In 2015, LDM launched the first pure microcap index (the LDMi) to exclusively provide intraday information on the entire sector. LD will continue to provide valuable tools for the benefit of everyone in the small and micro-cap universe."This year's Invitational will showcase some of the most unique names in the financial world, from early-stage start-ups to well-established names on the national exchanges" stated Chris Lahiji, while waiting in the longest TSA line in history. "Even though LD has emerged as one of the largest and most influential organizations in the space, our focus has never deviated from showcasing some of the more interesting businesses in the world to our ever-growing community." For those interested in attending, please contact David Scher at david@ ldmicro.com or visit www.ldmicro.com for more information.Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking InformationCertain statements in this document constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and/or "forward-looking information" under the Securities Act (Ontario). These statements include, without limitation, statements expressed or implied regarding our expectations regarding our plans, goals and milestones, status of developments or expenditures relating to our business, plans to fund our current activities, and statements concerning our partnering activities, health regulatory submissions, strategy, future operations, future financial position, future sales, revenues and profitability, projected costs and market penetration and risks or uncertainties related to our ability to comply with OTCQB and TSX requirements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "appear", "unlikely", "target", "may", "will", "should", "expects", "plans", "plans to", "anticipates", "believes", "estimates", "predicts", "confident", "prospects", "potential", "continue", "intends", "look forward", "could", "would", "projected", "goals", "set to", "seeking" or the negative of such terms or other comparable terminology. We made a number of assumptions in the preparation of our forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements, which are subject to a multitude of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, future circumstances or events to differ materially from those stated in or implied by the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties relating to us and our business can be found in the "Risk Factors" section of our latest annual information form, our latest Form 20-F, and our latest Form F-1 and Form F-3 registration statements (including any documents forming a part thereof or incorporated by reference therein), as amended, as well as in our reports, public disclosure documents and other filings with the securities commissions and other regulatory bodies in Canada and the U.S., which are available on www.sedar.com and www.sec.gov . The forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are based on what we believe are reasonable assumptions as of the date of this document and we disclaim any intention and have no obligation or responsibility, except as required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.Trademarks used herein are the property of their respective holders.Unless the context otherwise requires, all references to "we," "us," "our," "Intellipharmaceutics," and the "Company" refer to Intellipharmaceutics International Inc. and its subsidiaries.CONTACT INFORMATIONCompany Contact:Intellipharmaceutics International Inc.Greg PowellChief Financial Officer416.798.3001 ext. 106investors@ intellipharmaceutics.com Investor Contact:PCG AdvisoryKirin Smith646.863.6519ksmith@ pcgadvisory.com SOURCE: Intellipharmaceutics International Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2019-05-29 20:46:53 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 1018 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 29, 2019 / DeepRock Minerals Limited (the "Company") (CSE Symbol: "DEEP"), is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Patrick D. O'Brien, ICD.D, MIoD to its Board of Directors, and to the position of Chief Executive Officer.Mr. O'Brien is a widely recognized and respected leader in the Canadian junior mining sector and considered a specialist on the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral projects in the provinces of Quebec and Ontario, Canada. Mr. O'Brien, brings more than 30 years of Senior Management leadership and Board experience to DeepRock's team, as well as an extensive global network of mining and finance contacts.Currently, Mr. O'Brien is CEO and Chairperson of Junior Mining Incorporated, Executive Editor/Chairperson juniormining.com , CEO/Founder of RockStar Capital Corporation, and CEO/Chairperson of Paymaster Mining Corporation. Mr. O'Brien is a Certified Corporate Director (ICD.D designation) and Member of the Institute of Corporate Directors; and a full member of the Institute of Directors (MIoD designation), Pall Mall, England. He is currently a member of the Mining Association of Canada (MAC).He is acknowledged as a brilliant strategic planner and dynamic tactical leader who thrives on challenge. Employees, associates and peers alike speak highly of his mentoring and mentoring talents, which allowed many to thrive and mature under his thoughtful and insightful leadership style. Pat is a tenacious, high energy individual who is not afraid to tackle difficult business situations. He is able to quickly identify and assess opportunities and implement strategies to meet the required objectives. For a non-geologist, Pat understands exploration and mining concepts very well and can assess situations and opportunities quickly and with clarity. He has the ability to couple the right business ideals with prime projects, and the best people. Mr. O'Brien can with ease, and confidence, attract and assemble equally talented teams of individuals around him.Patrick has championed the successful roll-outs of IPOs on the TSX Venture Exchange, one of which achieved and maintained Tier 1 Status for more than 21 years, was appointed to the inaugural junior market index, and qualified for trading on the United States OTCQX platform.Mr. O'Brien served 21 years as the CEO of what is currently known as VanadiumCorp Resource Inc. (previously PacificOre/Apella Resources/Novawest Resources) and during his tenure acquired a substantial 865 sq. km. mineral claim/permit assemblage in the heart of the Raglan Nickel-Copper-PGM camp in northern Quebec. His ambitious activities in the area led to an extensive staking rush, tens of millions of dollars of exploration in the region, and a new nickel mine being opened and acquired by a Chinese conglomerate for several hundred million dollars. Under his leadership, Mr. O'Brien's company was able to divest its Raglan Assemblage into a deal involving a $120 million transaction to a Chinese mining giant and then shift the company's sights onto the Chibougamau, Quebec mining camp.Following the divestiture, Mr. O'Brien continued as CEO/Chairperson of VanadiumCorp. and solidly established its presence within the Canadian Vanadium industry with the surprise staking of more than 800 sq. kms of key mineral claims in the heart of the Chibougamau, Quebec gold-copper mining camp. Like the Raglan, with Mr. O'Brien and his key geologists' presence, the Chibougamau camp came alive and again a staking rush ensued. O'Brien's ambitious first-mover staking program in Chibougamau led to his company owning many coveted exploration vanadium, gold and copper assets of merit.Mr. O'Brien then followed up the aggressive Chibougamau expansion with what many thought was impossible. His research led him to conclude the highly coveted 21 "K-claims" as they are known, hosting what is recognized as the world-renown Lac Dore Vanadium Deposit, were about to come open. The Lac Dore was discovered by the Quebec government and was a crown asset for approximately 50 years. Mr. O'Brien along with consulting geologist Robert Stewart successfully led to what is VanadiumCorp today gaining title to the Lac Dore "K Claims. Mr. O'Brien is also the individual, along with geologist Dr. Christian Derosier, who in the same year negotiated and concluded the acquisition of the Quebec based Iron-T Vanadium deposit and managed the large staking campaign to extend the Iron-T some 20-fold.In 2009 Mr. O'Brien requested that his lead geologist, who had also spearheaded the ground staking at the Lac Dore and Lac Dore North Magnetite Projects in 2007 for what is VanadiumCorp today, proceed to research and scope out the nearby Mont Sorcier deposit. At the recommendation of the geologist, O'Brien and the Board proceeded to stake a significant portion of the 270 million tonne Mont Sorcier Vanadium-Iron Deposit. The entire Mont Sorcier deposit is now the key asset of TSX.V listed Vanadium One Energy Corp ("VONE"). Following a series of drill programs Vanadium One recently released its resource estimate for Mount Sorcier at 113.5m tonnes indicated and 520.5m tonnes inferred. As a result of his earlier due diligence, Mr. O'Brien has garnered extensive knowledge of the Mont Sorcier Vanadium Project and the regional geology. Mr. O'Brien served as a Director of Vanadium One from June 2017 through December 2019 and is currently on the company's technical Advisory Committee.The Board of DeepRock comments: "Pat O'Brien is a well-recognized leader in the junior mining world and we look forward to drawing on his expertise as the Company moves towards differentiating DeepRock Minerals and positioning of the Company to investors and all stakeholders." DeepRock Minerals wishes to thank Mr. Matt Reams for his dedicated service to the company during his tenure as Chief Executive Officer. Matt will continue to contribute to DeepRock Minerals in his position as a Director of the company.About DeepRock Minerals Limited:DeepRock Minerals is a mineral exploration company located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Our primary focus is to acquire and develop prime North American exploration mining projects and existing producers and processors. DeepRock Minerals is managed by an experienced team of mining professionals with extensive operating and financial experience.ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF DEEPROCK MINERALS LIMITEDRichard ShattoDirectorRichard@ deeprockmining.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:Neither the Canadian Stock Exchange Exchange nor its PR-Inside.com: 2019-05-29 15:16:59 Press Information Future Market Insights 616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,, Abhishek Budholiya Manager 3479183531 email https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ Published by Abhishek Budholiya +1-347-918-3531 e-mail http://www.futuremarketinsights.com # 618 Words 616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,,Manager3479183531Abhishek Budholiya+1-347-918-3531 The US$ 98.4 Mn global tracks for defense and security market will cross US$ 100 Mn by 2020 end and move up to US$ 144.5 Mn by the end of 2027. The market is estimated to witness gradual over the assessment period 2017-2027 at a CAGR of 3.9%, in terms of value. Rubber pricing volatility has been spotted as a primary factor restricting the growth of market since the recent past.While rubber pin tracks will dominate by product type, APC is expected to lead by vehicle type, followed by tanks. A majority of companies are observed to focus on heavy-load vehicles, as adoption of rubber tracks has been higher by heavy-load vehicle manufacturers. By region, EMEA and North America are identified to be the key rubber tracks markets for security and defense sectors. China and SEAP will sustain steady growth over the next decade.Request For Report Sample @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-6470 IFV/AIFV to Register Highest Growth by Vehicle Type due to Growing Adoption by ArmiesTanks are predominantly considered as the key components of modern armies, which are supported by ground attack or surveillance aircrafts. This US$ 32, 609 thousand segment is anticipated to thrive at a declining CAGR of 3.8% through to 2027, whereas APC segment that was valuated at US$ 38,912.7 thousand in 2017 will reportedly expand at a 3.9% CAGR over 2017-2027. APC is one of the many types of armored fighting vehicle and is specifically designed for the transportation of infantry to the actual battlefield. Currently, APC segment holds the maximum revenue share of the market i.e. over 39%, followed by tanks segment that has over 33% share of the market value.The IFV rapidly gained popularity worldwide on account of rapid adoption by armies owing to rise in demand for vehicles with high firepower that are less expensive and easier to maintain than tanks. Attributed to low maintenance and economic pricing, this segment is foreseen to witness a relatively higher CAGR value of 4.4% over the forecast period, reaching from US$ US$ 20,675.1 thousand attained in 2017 to over US$ 31,000 thousand by 2027 end in terms of value. Recons are small vehicles with lesser payload, the other vehicle types segment includes engineering vehicle, amphibious vehicle, and self-propelled artillery and utility vehicle. Both of these segments are presumed to experience negligible growth over the next decade.Key Players to Focus on Heavy-load VehiclesA few of the companies leading the global market for rubber tracks include Soucy International Inc., Ocean Rubber Factory LLC, COECA SA, William Cook Holding Limited (Cook Defense Systems), LS Mtron Ltd., and GMT Rubber and Metal Technic Ltd. While key players are currently competing on the basis of improved efficiency, enhanced lifespan, reduced operational costs, and curtailed weight, some of them are concentrating on signing long-term contracts with end-use industries. In order to maintain a competitive edge, several companies are adopting product innovation strategies. Moreover, some of the players are providing advanced training to their workmen so as to operate and maintain better and more efficiently.Request For Report Methodology : https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-6470 Decent expansion of defense sector is likely to prove beneficial in terms of low maintenance costs. One of the manufacturers indicates the role of governments in the growth of rubber tracks market. Increasing investments by governments in military and defense sector will possibly provide a thrust to demand for military vehicles such as APC, tanks, and IFV eventually supporting the growth of rubber tracks market. Soucy International Inc. seems to capture the maximum revenue share of the global market for rubber tracks, whereas Camso, which is one of its competitors, is striving to enter the military vehicle market for rubber band. Many companies are also providing free rubber band tracks to OEMs for promotion through demonstration. PR-Inside.com: 2019-05-29 07:18:52 Press Information Future Market Insights U.S. Office 616 Corporate Way,, Suite 2-9018, Vall Abhishek Budholiya Manager 3479183531 email hhttps://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ Published by Abhishek Budholiya +1-347-918-3531 e-mail http://www.futuremarketinsights.com # 661 Words U.S. Office 616 Corporate Way,, Suite 2-9018, VallManager3479183531Abhishek Budholiya+1-347-918-3531 The US$ 822.0 Mn solar pumps market is presumed to attain revenues of over US$ 2,000.0 Mn during the 10-year assessment period. In terms of volume, the consumption of solar pumps is anticipated to reach beyond 490 thousand units by the end of 2027. Over the forecast period 2017-2027, the global market for solar pumps is expected to foster at a stellar CAGR of 11.7% in terms of value.India all set to outpace MEA and China in terms of growth rateGeographical assessment of the global solar pumps market reveals in-depth scenario of each regional market. India will turn out to be the most lucrative market for solar pump manufacturers over the forecast period. Despite being the third largest regional market for solar pumps after MEA and China, India is anticipated to witness fostered adoption compared to others. As a result, India is expected to be the fastest growing region with an estimated CAGR of over 15% during 2017-2027. China, the second largest region with over 17% revenue share registered in 2017, will see healthy growth in the next decade at a CAGR value almost similar to that of Japan and Eastern Europe. While MEA will remain the top market for solar pumps, it is foreseen to follow India in terms of CAGR. Western Europe and North America will follow steady growth at a single-digit CAGR, whereas Eastern Europe will exhibit robust growth at a CAGR of over 11%. SEAP is identified to be emerging as a highly lucrative market for solar pumps with a projected CAGR of more than 12%.Request For Report Sample @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-520 Governmental policies to underpin robust market growth in IndiaHigh upfront capital costs and relatively lower awareness among farmer communities have been the major barriers impacting the market performance over the years. However, since the recent past, agricultural sector has become a key consumer of solar pumps, attributed to attractive government schemes proposed for farmers and growing affordability of solar pumps. Favorable government initiatives are identified to provide a thrust to pronounced adoption of solar pumps across developing Asian countries, including India. Bolstering demand from water-intensive industries will remain one of the key factors positively influencing the market growth in this region. In addition, tax and subsidy benefits as a result of growing support from the government to renewable energy projects is expected to be a significant factor in shaping the future of solar pumps sales in India. To be more specific, South India will experience a larger share, followed by North India and West India.Irrigation to remain top consumer of solar pumps globally and in IndiaIn terms of application, irrigation has been the top application generating substantial demand for solar pumps on a global level. Irrigation is projected to remain a dominant application throughout the forecast period. While adoption of solar pumps for irrigation purpose will continue at a rapid pace all over the globe, a large number of farmer communities in India are also expected to embrace deployment of solar powered pumps for irrigation. Advancing agricultural technologies and increasing efforts for water conservation at ground level will collectively fuel the opportunities for solar powered pumps used for irrigation application across India. While the government is providing direct subsidies for promoting deployment of solar pumps, several NGOs such as The Sehgal Foundation, through combined investment of farmers, have preferred to pilot solar pump initiatives in different parts of India. In a bid to support and encourage large-scale deployment of solar pumps in near future, the government is providing farmers with an interest-subsidy along with reduced capital-subsidy.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC): https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-520 Jain Irrigation, Shakti Pump, CRI Pumps, Tata Power Solar, and Kirloaskar Brothers are a few of the key players participating in the Indian as well as global solar pumps market. Recently, Denmark-based Grundfos Group has announced the launch of its new plant in Gujrat so as to expand in India and amplify the global market footprint. Telecom Mounting Hardware Market Telecom Mounting Hardware Market PR-Inside.com: 2019-05-29 08:30:06 Press Information Published by Abhishek Budholiya +1-347-918-3531 e-mail http://www.futuremarketinsights.com # 656 Words Abhishek Budholiya+1-347-918-3531 Telecom Mounting Hardware: IntroductionThe hardware required to hold an antenna, or a telecommunication tower, and its components that are required to complete the telecom network, such as cables, cabinets, and routers, in position fall under the telecom mounting hardware category. Some of these antenna mounting hardware include handrails for low profile platforms, RRU mounts, and large pole backing kits, among others. Manufacturers offer telecom mounting hardware that is capable of mounting concrete, wood and steel poles. As per the customers specifications, manufacturers offer telecom mounting hardware made of aluminum, and stainless or carbon steel materials.Telecom Mounting Hardware Market: Drivers & ChallengesThe migration from 3G to Long-term Evolution (LTE), and with the emerging 5th generation, the demand for tower mounting, small cell mounting and mounting of other network-enabling devices is projected to increase, which is expected to in turn increase the adoption of telecom mounting hardware globally. Also, the ever-increasing usage of Internet of Things (IoT) is estimated to drive the growth of the global telecom mounting hardware market. Factors, such as business value and end-to-end visibility of telecom mounting hardware, are also estimated to affect the overall growth of the market positively. Advancements in enterprise related telecommunication hardware include improvised utilization of concealed data center infrastructure by incorporating virtualization techniques in order to bring out a competitive advantage is also expected to propel the growth of the global telecom mounting hardware market. Availability of Direct-to-Home (DTH) technology is expected to play a prime role in propelling the growth of the global telecom mounting hardware market during the forecast period, owing to the ever-rising adoption of the technology.However , the profit margins and revenue generation flooding away from telecommunication operators due to the rising presence of Over-the-Top (OTT) service providers is estimated to restrict the growth of the telecom mounting hardware market on a global scale.Download Sample of Report with important Figures @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-8334Telecom Mounting Hardware Market: Segmentation On the basis of mounting application, telecom mounting hardware market can be segmented into the following,On-wall MountingIn-ceiling MountingPole MountingTower MountingOther Platform-specific MountingPole mounting applications of telecom mounting hardware hold the large market share of the global telecom mounting hardware market. The tower mounting applications of telecom mounting hardware are estimated to register the high growth rate among all the applications in the global telecom mounting hardware market during the forecast period. This growth may be attributed to the high demands generated by municipal corporations and governments, across the globe, as they maintain the strong telecom mounting hardware adoption rate for the purpose of urban utility development.Telecom Mounting Hardware Market: Regional OutlookOwing to the ever-rising number of smartphone users and the high adoption rate of the fourth generation long-term evolution technology, the telecom mounting hardware market in North America, especially the U.S., is expected to hold large share of the global telecom mounting hardware market. The formation of efficient city planning committees in Asia Pacific economies, such as India and China, is anticipated to provide a platform for the growth of telecom mounting hardware equipment market in the APAC region. This factor, along with the ever-increasing smartphone and network-connected users in Asia Pacific is expected to enable the regional market to register the high growth rate in the global telecom mounting hardware market. The advancements in 5G and the progressive growth in the 4G/LTE technology are expected to play a major role in driving the telecom mounting hardware markets in Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa regions.Download the Report Methodology @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-8334Telecom Mounting Hardware Market: Key PlayersSome of the major players operating in the telecom mounting hardware market include Sabre Industries, Inc.; Trylon; Kenwood Telecom Corp; Malico; Talley Inc.; Infinite Electronics International, Inc.; LEAX Arkivator Telecom AB; Kendall Howard LLC; Legrand North America, LLC; and RackmountIT, among others. Sabre Industries and Kenwood Telecom Corp lead the global telecom mounting hardware market. PR-Inside.com: 2019-05-29 08:03:03 Volta Finance Limited (VTA/VTAS) Dividend Declaration NOT FOR RELEASE, DISTRIBUTION OR PUBLICATION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES Guernsey, 29 May 2019 Volta Finance Limited (the Company) announces that it has declared a quarterly interim dividend of 0.15 per share payable in June 2019, amounting to approximately 5.5 million. The ex-dividend date is 6 June 2019 with a record date of 7 June 2019 and a payment date of 27 June 2019. The Company has arranged for its shareholders to be able to elect to receive their dividends in either Euros or Pounds Sterling. Shareholders will, by default, receive their dividends in Euros, unless they have instructed the Companys Registrar, Computershare Investor Services (Guernsey) Limited (Computershare), to pay dividends in Pounds Sterling. Such instructions may be given to Computershare either electronically via CREST or by using the Currency Election Form which will be posted to shareholders and a copy of which is also available on the website www.voltafinance.com within the Investors Other Documents section. The deadline for receipt of currency elections is 12:00 (midday) on 10 June 2019. As previously announced, the Company targets the payment of stable annual dividends payable on a quarterly basis, which it expects to pay towards the end of each March, June, September and December. For further information, please contact: Company Secretary and Administrator BNP Paribas Securities Services S.C.A, Guernsey Branch guernsey.bp2s.volta.cosec@bnpparibas.com +44 (0) 1481 750 853 Corporate Broker Cenkos Securities plc Sapna Shah Andrew Worne +44 (0) 20 7397 8900 For the Investment Manager AXA Investment Managers Paris Serge Demay serge.demay@axa-im.com +33 (0) 1 44 45 84 47 ***** ABOUT VOLTA FINANCE LIMITED Volta Finance Limited is incorporated in Guernsey under The Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008 (as amended) and listed on Euronext Amsterdam and the London Stock Exchange's Main Market for listed securities. Voltas home member state for the purposes of the EU Transparency Directive is the Netherlands. As such, Volta is subject to regulation and supervision by the AFM, being the regulator for financial markets in the Netherlands. Voltas investment objectives are to preserve capital across the credit cycle and to provide a stable stream of income to its shareholders through dividends. Volta seeks to attain its investment objectives predominantly through diversified investments in structured finance assets. The assets that the Company may invest in either directly or indirectly include, but are not limited to: corporate credits; sovereign and quasi-sovereign debt; residential mortgage loans; and, automobile loans. The Companys approach to investment is through vehicles and arrangements that essentially provide leveraged exposure to portfolios of such underlying assets. The Company has appointed AXA Investment Managers Paris an investment management company with a division specialised in structured credit, for the investment management of all its assets. ***** ABOUT AXA INVESTMENT MANAGERS AXA Investment Managers (AXA IM) is a multi-expert asset management company within the AXA Group, a global leader in financial protection and wealth management. AXA IM is one of the largest European-based asset managers with 759 billion in assets under management as of the end of June 2018. AXA IM employs approximately 2,420 people around the world. ***** This press release is for information only and does not constitute an invitation or inducement to acquire shares in Volta Finance. Its circulation may be prohibited in certain jurisdictions and no recipient may circulate copies of this document in breach of such limitations or restrictions. This document is not an offer for sale of the securities referred to herein in the United States or to persons who are "U.S. persons" for purposes of Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or otherwise in circumstances where such offer would be restricted by applicable law. Such securities may not be sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration from the Securities Act. The company does not intend to register any portion of the offer of such securities in the United States or to conduct a public offering of such securities in the United States. ***** This communication is only being distributed to and is only directed at (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom or (ii) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order") or (iii) high net worth companies, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). The securities referred to herein are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents. Past performance cannot be relied on as a guide to future performance. ***** Attachment Veteran Yoruba actor, Babatunde Omidina, popularly known as Baba Suwe, has returned to Nigeria after completing his treatment in the United States. His colleague, Yomi Fabiyi, revealed this in a statement on Wednesday. Baba Suwe Survived! He made it and near 100% recovery, Fabiyi, wrote in a statement which he sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday. His statement read, Without going into individual details, on behalf of Baba Suwe and his family, I want to thank everyone for playing a vital role. Hopefully, his health restores to full capacity in no distance time, so as to enable him to return to the screen. With tears of joy and gratitude, he sends his sincere heartfelt appreciation to you all. This update should be the near-final public information I will be supplying on this matter. I must thank you all (Nollywood Artists, fans and well-wishers especially) for trusting me to give you required updates on this, much valued. I shall lose no time to supply any further or additional vital information if and when needed in the future. The 60-year-old actor, who was accompanied by his son Sola, arrived in the U.S. to complete his medical treatment at an unnamed hospital in Rhode Island on April 22. Fabiyi had earlier revealed that a reverend, Esther Ajayi, footed the actors air tickets and that of his son. The donor, who is the founder of the Love of Christ Generation Church, C & S (Iya Adura), London, had earlier given the ailing actor N10 million ahead of the trip. The comic actor, who sank into the background eight years ago, after enjoying the patronage and limelight for decades battled diabetic complications among other ailments before he travelled to the U.S. for comprehensive treatment. Baba Suwes ordeal began in 2011 after he was arrested at the Murtala Mohammed Airport on the suspicion that he ingested cocaine wraps. During the encounter, the popular comedian was detained for three weeks by the agency, but no drugs were found. A Lagos High Court subsequently ordered NDLEA to pay the veteran actor N25 million for unlawfully detaining him and to also tender a public apology to him; a ruling the drugs agency appealed. President Muhammadu Buhari, who is ending his first term in office, has failed to constitute the National Council on Public Procurement, in violation of a federal law. The Public Procurement Act 2007 places a duty on the president to constitute the NCPP, which, as the law stipulates, is responsible for government procurement matters, including approval of contracts. It also acts as a control board for the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP). However, Mr Buhari, despite repeated promises to the contrary, has continued to lead the Federal Executive Council to usurp the powers of the NCPP. Mr Buharis disregard for the law follows the paths set by his predecessors late President Umaru YarAdua and former President Goodluck Jonathan. The Public Procurement Act was signed into law by Mr YarAdua on June 4, 2007, to allow transparency and ensure public participation in government procurement. Activists say not complying with the terms of the law with regards to the NCPP as well as continuing to lead the FEC to approve contracts mocks Mr Buharis much vaunted anti-corruption commitment. Repeated promises In the campaigns ahead of the 2015 presidential poll, Mr Buhari, through his campaign, promised Nigerians he would constitute the NCPP if elected. The promise was contained in a document titled, My covenant with Nigerians. In that campaign material, the then candidate said he was going to inaugurate the National Council on Procurement as stipulated in the Procurement Act so that the Federal Executive Council, which has been turned to a weekly session of contract bazaar, will concentrate on its principal function of policymaking. Although the president, after assuming office disowned the document containing other promises such as full disclosure of assets and liabilities, a PREMIUM TIMES fact-check showed the ruling All Progressives Congress did authorise it. The document was authored by the policy and research directorate of the APC presidential campaign, headed by the governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, when the party was trying to convince Nigerians to abandon the then ruling PDP. Then, following a PREMIUM TIMES report of December 2017 drawing public attention to Mr Buharis lawless handling of public procurement, the Presidency restated the promise to constitute the council as soon as possible. Reacting at the time, presidential spokesperson Garba Shehu said: I just read your story on Premium Times, lumping the Buhari Administration along with the others as violating the law by failing to inaugurate the National Council on Procurement. It is true you have followed up with us on the issue for several weeks, but it is equally true that your interest in the issue has given us the impetus to follow up relentlessly with our bosses. This issue came up at the last meeting of the Federal Executive Council, and a decision was taken that the Council be inaugurated as soon as possible. Nearly 18 months after that promise was restated, Mr Buhari has not ceased to disregard the procurement law. Implication The membership of the NCPP, according to the Act, should comprise 12 members to be appointed by the president. While six of the members are government officials, the other six are drawn from relevant professional organisations. Those from the government side, considered permanent members, include the Minister of Finance, who serves as chairman, and the Director-General of the BPP as secretary. Others are the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Head of Service, and the Economic Adviser to the President. Those representing professional bodies are drawn from the Nigerian Bar Association, the Nigerian Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management, the Nigeria Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mines and Agriculture, the Nigeria Society of Engineers, a representative of civil society organisations and that of the media. The FEC comprises the president, the vice president, all the ministers and some presidential advisers, meaning the president and his political appointees who are all less likely to question his decisions. Thus, the inability of the president to set up the NCPP has meant the FEC alone approves contracts to be executed by its members through their various offices and ministries. The refusal of Mr Buhari to inaugurate the NCPP is a reflection of the poor governance history of many African countries, commented former minister Obiageli Ezekwesili, speaking with PREMIUM TIMES for our December 2017 report on the disregard for the procurement law. It has to do with the prioritisation; I mean the priority that the political class gives to transactions above vision, strategy and policy. Advertisements Mrs Ezekwesili, who is the pioneer head of the Budget Monitoring and Price Intelligence Unit under the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, had said: Transactions provide the opportunity for corruption, so they will like to have much more control over that than give it up to some institutional mechanisms like the council. In his reaction, the Executive Director of Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC, Awwal Rafsanjani, said it is unfortunate that the APC administration that came on the hope of fighting corruption and saving the country from total collapse has also joined the bandwagon in violating the law. Mr Rafsanjani said the Public Procurement Act 2007 is one of the sunshine laws established under the recommendation of the World Bank in 2001 to help in achieving transparency in the procurement process. Central to fighting corruption is the establishment of part one, section one of the Act, which is the establishment of the National Council on Public Procurement. This council has the responsibility, among others to translate efforts to sanitise the public sector by applying the content of the law in full. Former President Goodluck Jonathan was of course not interested in terms of ensuring that the council is inaugurated and that is how he ended up his tenure without getting that council inaugurated. The current government came with all sorts of motivation and encouragement that they want to fight corruption, but from what we are seeing, it is unfortunate that the government appears to have forgotten that one of the major things that they need to do to fight corruption is through public procurement. You can see the scandal now and then because of lack of compliance and adherence to the implementation of the Public Procurement Law in Nigeria, he said. Presidential spokespersons, Femi Adesina and Mr Shehu, could not be reached to comment on this report. Mr Adesina did not answer repeated calls to his phone, while Mr Shehus line was not available on Tuesday night. A former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, on Tuesday told an Abuja Division of the Federal High Court how he disbursed the N400 millions he received from the Goodluck Jonathan administration. Mr Metuh is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which says he should have known the money was illicitly sourced. According to a statement sent by the commissions spokesperson, Tony Orilade, Mr Metuh provided details of his expenditure during the continuation of his trial on Tuesday. According to the agency, Mr Metuh said he rented an office through the late Tony Anenih which amounted to N25 million. He said the late Mr Anenih, a former PDP leader, requested for a cash payment, and over N21 million was given via a cheque in his name and delivered to him. The office was fully furnished with state -of the- art -computers, internet facility, two brand new generators, and staff had 24-hours access to the office daily, he said. The former PDP spokesperson also said N37 million was used for media engagements and meetings with editors in Nigeria. He added that funds were spent on analysts, content developers, core staff and support staff hired for the assignment, which amounted to N13 million, while CNC Connects, one of the consulting firms, collected N7 million. According to the statement, Mr Metuh also said workshops and perception management campaign cost N23 million and that N10 million was spent on new media, while the production of materials, appearances on radio and other media services gulped N15 million. He added that the cost of security, transportation, hotel allowances, amongst others amounted to N47 million. He said that the total amount spent in the South-south zone was N55 million, while the northern zone, handled by the late Tony Anenih amounted to N97 million with an additional N1.4 million used for procurement of public address systems. Mr Metuh also told the court that the amount spent in the South-east region amounted to N40.4 million, while honorarium for different recruited persons cost N200,000 each adding that there were 57 of them. Court Session Mr Metuh accused the EFCC of engaging in media frenzy since his arrest in 2015. He added that he refused to provide a list which contains names of those he gave monies while executing the national assignment given to him by the former President Jonathan. The whole issue borders on the investigation activities of EFCC. They requested that I provide the names of those I disbursed the monies to. I refused to discuss that with them because I knew it was going to be a subject of media frenzy, he said. According to him, the story attracted several malicious newspaper headlines, with headlines portraying him to be the one who embezzled the alleged N400 million security funds. Also in the statement, Mr Metuh denied making any payment through one Nneka Ararume (staff of ARM Pension) to Kabiru Ibrahim, a Bureau De Change operator. This was in response to the allegation that he gave $1 million to the BDC operator for investment. Both had testified as prosecution witnesses before Tuesdays trial. I did not make any payment of $1 million to Kabiru Ibrahim through Nneka Ararume. Ararume has never acted as my agent in this transaction or any other; she is a staff of ARM, he said. Mr Metuh further informed the court that this was not his first time of executing a national assignment for a president. He said he was also able to execute a national assignment for former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Justice Abang subsequently adjourned the matter to June 10 and 11, for cross-examination of the witness. Background Mr Metuh is facing trial for alleged diversion of the public funds received from the office of the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki. Advertisements He allegedly received N400 million from Mr Dasukis office in 2014 to run advocacy campaign for former President Jonathan ahead of the 2015 general elections. Dublin, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Blood Glucose Monitor Intelligence Center 2012-2023" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global blood glucose monitoring devices market is expected to register a CAGR of 11.88% during the forecast period (2018-2023), and it was valued at USD 11.4 billion in 2018. The Blood Glucose Monitor Intelligence Center 2012-2023 is a global intelligence database platform, which provides data covering five regions with in-depth analysis across 25 countries and five-year forecast, including value, volume sales, price, and price per-capita expenditure. The IC enhances your understanding of the blood glucose monitoring devices market. The market is also assessed considering the economic factors that impact the BGM devices market, such as Type-1 diabetic population levels, Type-2 diabetic population levels, and obesity, which provide you with actionable business insights. Market Scope: There are two main types of BGM devices included in this study, namely, self-monitoring blood glucose (SMBG) devices and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices. The devices are further categorized by components, i.e. the SMBG devices are segmented into glucometer devices, test strips, and lancets (which are further studied by their usage in hospitals and homes individually), and CGM devices are segmented into their component sensors and receivers. The BGM devices market data is segmented into types and categories, and volume and value analytics with growth trends (2012-2023). Market indicators - diabetic population, diabetes disease prevalence, Diabetes Type-1 population, Diabetes Type-2 population, and per-capita expenditure. The BGM IC provides an exhaustive coverage (countries covered account for more than 80% of the overall spending on diabetes), covering two categories, three segments, and sub-segments based on end users. The market tracked covers more than 5,000 data points of the industry. Market Overview Blood glucose monitoring devices are used for effective diabetes diagnosis and treatment. The rise in diabetic population levels drives the market by increasing the use of blood glucose monitoring devices. Obesity is also considered as one of the major factors contributing to the disease, primarily Type-2 diabetes. Additionally, other factors, such as technological innovations and advancements, give much convenience in measuring the blood glucose levels. One such advancement in monitoring the blood glucose levels is established with continuous glucose monitoring devices. These devices help in the early detection of hypo and hyperglycemic conditions, which tend to drive the market for glucose monitoring. The glucometer consumables segment (test strips and lancets) occupies the highest share in the BGM devices market. Although CGM is an advanced way for the people suffering from diabetes to check glucose readings in real-time, SMBG device is the most preferred, due to its economic affordability and simplicity in usage, when compared to CGM devices. SMBG devices occupy more than 87% of the share in the blood glucose monitoring devices market. In further segmentation, the disposable consumables, i.e. test strips and lancets, occupy the larger market share, when compared to the glucometer devices. However, the CAGR for glucometer devices is high. Though the CGM devices provide real-time data of blood glucose levels for patients, they have low adaptability in the emerging markets. However, the adaptability of CGM devices is high in the developed markets. The cost factor is a major concern for the low growth of CGM devices in the emerging markets. Reasons to Purchase this Dashboard More granular: Covers more categories, segments, and brands at country- and global-levels compared to other market intelligence providers Analyzing the outlook of the market with the recent market data, historical data, and market forecast Ease of comparability: Our analytics is based on the standardized definition across the world, in order to facilitate better comparability of market data View the market in different ways among categories and geography to understand where the actual opportunity lies Market segmentation, including quantitative research, incorporating the impact of economic and non-economic aspects Regional- and country- level data integrating the demand and supply forces that are influencing the growth of the market Market value (in USD million) and volume (in unit million) data for each segment and sub-segment Understanding of the market, due to value and volume changes, and intra-category competition. Dedicated analyst support for research queries and training Continuous amendment of the yearly database with significant changes that are updated based on scenarios Customization of the dashboard This dashboard can be customized to meet your requirements, by adding the country of your choice and qualitative trends on request. Please connect with our customer service team, who will ensure that you get a dashboard that suits your needs. Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction 1.1 Key Deliverables of the Study 1.2 Market Definition 2. Research Approach and Methodology 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Research Designs 2.3 Study Phases 2.3.1 Internal sources evaluation 2.3.2 Research Process 2.3.3 Modelling & triangulation 2.3.4 Data finalization 2.3.5 Expert Validation 3. Market Segmentation 3.1 By Device 3.1.1 Monitoring Devices 3.1.1.1 Self-Monitoring Blood Glucose Devices 3.1.1.1.1 Component 3.1.1.1.1.1 Glucometer Devices 3.1.1.1.1.2 Test Strips 3.1.1.1.1.3 Lancets 3.1.1.1.2 End User 3.1.1.1.2.1 Hospital 3.1.1.1.2.1.1 Glucometer Devices 3.1.1.1.2.1.2 Test Strips 3.1.1.1.2.1.3 Lancets 3.1.1.1.2.2 Personal 3.1.1.1.2.2.1 Glucometer Devices 3.1.1.1.2.2.2 Test Strips 3.1.1.1.2.2.3 Lancets 3.1.1.2 Continuous Blood Glucose Monitoring 3.1.1.2.1 Component 3.1.1.2.1.1 Sensors 3.1.1.2.1.2 Receivers 3.2 By Geography 4. Market Indicators 4.1 Type-1 Diabetes population (2012-2023) 4.2 Type-2 Diabetes population (2012-2023) 5. Company Analysis Companies Mentioned Abbott Diabetes Care Acon Agamatrix Inc. Arkray Ascensia Diabetes Care Bionime Corporation Dexcom Johnson & Johnson Medisana Medtronic Roche Rossmax Trivida For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/xyuhnl Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Two former Nigerian presidents who opposed the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari were conspicuously absent at Wednesdays inauguration ceremony. Ex-presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, both of whom are believed to have supported Atiku Abubakar for the February presidential election, were absent at the Eagle Square, Abuja, venue of the inauguration. No reason has been given for their absence, although the federal government had announced that the inauguration would be low-key. Major events that would have been part of the inauguration have been scheduled for June 12 which has now been declared Nigerias Democracy Day. Mr Buhari was sworn-in at the Eagle Square, Abuja for a second term in office as Nigerias president. He defeated Mr Abubakar and dozens of other presidential candidates in the election, according to the electoral commission, INEC. According to INEC, Mr Buhari polled 55.6 per cent of the votes (15,191,847) to defeat Mr Abubakar who polled 41.2 per cent (11,262,978). Mr Abubakar and his party, PDP, are challenging the result of the election in court. While Messrs Obasanjo and Jonathan were absent, a former military head of state, Yakubu Gowon; Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara were among those present at the event. Messrs Saraki and Dogara defected from Mr Buharis party, APC, to the opposition PDP in the build-up to the 2019 elections. While Mr Saraki lost his re-election to the Senate in his home Kwara State, Mr Dogara won his re-election to the House of Representatives from Bauchi State. Others present at the inauguration include APC national chairman Adams Oshiomhole, ex-Lagos governor Bola Tinubu and ex-Osun State governor Bisi Akande were also at the inauguration. Babagana Umara, a professor, was today, administered with the oath of office as the 7th democratically elected governor of Borno State. He was sworn in alongside his deputy, Umar Kadafur, by the Chief Judge of Borno State, Kashim Zanna. The inauguration, however, had to be cut short after Mr Umara coughed persistently while reading his speech. The new governor takes over from Kashim Shettima, whose eight-year tenure winds up today. While delivering his inaugural speech, Mr Umara said his administration will hit the ground running with a 10-point agenda for speedy development of the state. He thanked the former governor, Mr Shettima, for not only assisting him to become governor but also for laying a solid foundation of development upon which he would build upon. He said his government will work with the newly established North East Development Commission (NEDC), UN system and other development partners towards the rebuilding of Borno State. Reeling out his 10-point agenda, Mr Umara said his government will focus on security; education, job creation, and good governance. He also said there would be the replacement of political thuggery with job creation. He said this will be carried out under a proposed Entrepreneurship Development Skills centre. The era of political thuggery, known as ECOMOG, has constituted a nuisance in the state for over two decades. Mr Umara said the restoration of security will be the number one cardinal agenda of his government. He said he will support the Nigerian security agencies to ensure that Borno State is made safe again. The governor said he would support the Nigerian security in the area of acquiring and deploying modern security technologies for more effective tackling of insecurity in the state. The professor of irrigation engineering said his government will invest massively in the area of agriculture, especially by establishing buffer zones in locations that are secured by the military in order to return Borno as the food production hub of northern Nigeria. My focus is on improving the security of the state as insecurity is the major impediment that affected peoples lives for a decade. I will ensure the return of our displaced people to their farmlands to ensure national food security. I will also fight unemployment and poverty among youths and embark on the massive reconstruction of destroyed communities. This will enable the people to return to their ancestral homes, while we seek more support from humanitarian donor agencies across the globe. He also promised to run an all-inclusive government where all policies and programmes of government shall have the support and inputs of all stakeholders. This administration will be devoid of personal/group interests, politics, religion or ethnicity among the various communities in Borno, he said. Shettima thanks Borno Earlier, the former governor, Mr Shettima, in his farewell speech, thanked the people of Borno for giving him the opportunity to lead them as their governor. In the last eight years, I have been to all parts of Borno State. In these movements, you never showed anything other than a sense of belief that we are a people of destiny. Thank you so much. He said the last eight years was a journey full of trials and travail. Advertisements Together with all of you, we passed through many a storm, but you did not waver. You have soldiered with me when many died on the streets and in the bushes. During these years, some who were rich became poor. Some who had shelters turned homeless. Some who had villages became refugees, some who had food became beggars. Farmers witnessed famine, some who slept at night woke at dawn to nightmares as they or their families were slaughtered. The insurgents took many steps to take us backwards. As we rebuilt communities, they destroyed them. As we upgraded schools, the insurgents destroyed them. They destroyed hospitals after we had equipped and commissioned them. For every step we took, the insurgents took us back by two or more steps. In addition to rebuilding communities, schools and hospitals, we were also faced with a severe humanitarian crisis which arose from massive displacement of people. We constructed 1,711 classrooms and other school buildings in 256 primary and junior secondary schools. We established 16 new secondary schools, renovated more than half of our over 80 secondary schools and built 44 Mega primary schools of world-class infrastructure. These schools are to cater for more than 50,000 orphans whose parents were killed by Boko Haram. We deliberately located half of the schools in Maiduguri so that a sitting Governor can personally ensure the welfare of these orphans, many of whom have neither mothers nor relatives. Majority of them have no one at all. Together, we have been able to establish Bornos first state university since our state was created in 1976. Worthy Successor The former governor said he was leaving the stage with the confidence that his successor will not disappoint. My good people of Borno State, the job of rebuilding our state and our people has only just begun. I have done my modest part, and I am bowing out. I am happy that the stage is shifting to a great and worthy son of Borno. The stage is shifting to a man who made himself out of a low estate. A man who drove a taxi and sold firewood to pay his school fees, a man with an uncommon touch, a dynamo of a worker. Babagana Umara is very well prepared for the task ahead. He showed it expertly as a commissioner. InshaAllah, he will excel as the chief shepherd of the state. He is very energetic and very brilliant. My prayer is for Professor Babagana Umara Zulum to surpass my achievements by a wide margin. New governor ends speech abruptly While Mr Umara was midway into reading his speech, he suddenly began to cough as though he was chocking. As he struggled to read his speech, the coughing became persistent that his security aides had to ask him to pause for a while. He was asked to return to his seat. Having paused for about five minutes, the governor stood up to continue his speech. But the coughing resumed. People around the podium began to complain about a police officer who mistakenly released a tear gas near the area where the governor was reading his speech. Mr Umara had to sit down again as the former and present deputy governors climbed up the podium to check if he was okay. He was not offered water because he was fasting. The situation became a bit disturbing, especially as the crowd began to show concern, asking if all was okay. After assessing the situation, the security chief at the arena advised that the rest of the ceremony be put on hold. They call on the police band to chant the national anthem. From the podium, the governor stood for the National Anthem after which he stepped down and waved at the large crowd which thundered with cheers before he left the arena for the airport with the former governor, Kashim Shettima. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has narrated his experience while on board an Ethiopian Airline flight that nearly crashed on Wednesday at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. The airplane, Boeing 777-300, narrowly avoided an accident while trying to land with nearly 400 people on board. In an exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Obasanjo said he remained calm and read papers while the scary situation occurred. While it all happened, I was reading my papers, said Mr Obasanjo. One man, who was next to me, said, Oga you no worry? I said, If I worry, what will I do? If you are on a plane and you have a situation like this, why should you worry? I left everything in the hands of God. Mr Obasanjo was returning from a stakeholders dialogue on continental trade and implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AFCFTA) which ended on Tuesday in Addis Ababa. The plane, with 394 persons on board, had a false landing due to strong winds and a heavy downpour and was about to overshoot its runway before it returned to the air. It later landed safely at the airport after spending about 10 minutes in the air. Close shave I was on Ethiopian Airline. Rain just came down heavily, Mr Obasanjo recalled. The pilot thought he could land. And he landed. He touched down. But I think he took a swift decision that he had to take off again. So he took off. If he did not, I think he probably would have overrun the runway. He then apologised and said he would try to land again. He tried again, and we landed safely. And we all clapped. The ex-military head of state said the pilot first landed the plane at about 12:20 p.m. before the incident, but finally landed safely on return at 12:30 p.m. He touched the ground. Then he took off and apologised and landed again at about 12.30. We spent just about 10 minutes in the air before we landed again, he said. Ethiopian Airlines recently suffered a crash of its flight ET302 flying its B-737 MAX 800 aircraft in March which killed all 157 persons on board. The aircraft en route Nairobi from Addis Ababa, crashed six minutes after takeoff around Bishoftu, 40 miles South-east of the Ethiopian capital. Two Nigerians died in the crash. The increasing number of out-of-school children in the country will continue to be a burden and a source of insecurity to Nigeria, the Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, explained on Tuesday. He raised a point of order during plenary where he said Nigerian children are not being given the kind of treatment they deserve. According to him, education is compulsory for every Nigerian child and the government must do its best to see that this is accomplished. A study by UNICEF shows that Nigeria has an estimated 13.2 million out-of-school children, the highest in the world. About 69 per cent of the countrys out-of-school children are in the northern part of Nigeria. Statistics from the study also showed that about 13 per cent of these children are in the FCT. Of the 13.2 million children, 60 per cent of them are girls, many of who enroll in school but drop out along the line. PREMIUM TIMES reported the high number of out-of-school children in some communities in the Federal Capital Territory. Plenary Speaking at the plenary, Mr Lawan urged his colleagues as well as the federal government to address the problem of children going to school. We have the challenge of giving our children the kind of treatment that they deserve. Today we have over 14 million children out of school and 42 per cent of our population is between 0-17 years. And with the kind of treatment that we give to our children, this population will continue to be a burden and a source of insecurity to us. The major source of insecurity is the neglected section of our society particularly children out of school. Our children of ages 14-18 have been found to be involved in insurgency and all manners of criminal activities including drug abuse. Mr President, we legislated on the health sector by giving one per cent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund and today we are celebrating resources to develop our health sector. I believe that the time has also come to give something significant to basic education and that captures right from kindergarten to junior secondary school education, he said. The lawmaker referred to the Universal Basic Education (UBEC) Act 2014 which provides for compulsory, free universal basic education for all children of primary and junior secondary school age in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He said it is time to walk the talk in the UBEC Act. He urged the next assembly to commit itself to ensuring that the basic education that is supposed to be free, is implemented to the latter. The time has come for us in those states where the Almajiri system has been established for years, to consider and see how we can work out a system that will make the Almajiri system does not continue in the way that it is today. We must be able to provide a conducive learning environment for them, he added. In his remark, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, said Nigeria celebrated Childrens Day in a society where a large percentage of her children are still out of school. He said the government is responsible for, not only ensuring that children are in school, but also to make it mandatory for parents to let kids go to school. We have passed some bills to improve the funds for UBEC to reduce the percentage of contribution by states so that it is possible to access funds from UBEC. A lot of work has to be done with the new governors coming, no matter what we do or say at the national level. We owe it a duty that in this area, there is a great improvement because unless we address the issues in the education sector, we would not prepare our children for the challenges ahead of them in the world. Education is the greatest asset of any nation and that of our children. As we celebrate, we should remember our responsibilities as representatives of the people. We would do our best to make the future better for our children, he said. The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Wednesday witnessed low activities as a result of the inauguration of new administrations at federal and state governments levels. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the airport witnessed a decreased movement of passengers and aircraft at the domestic and international wings. The Station Manager, Max Air, Kehinde Ogunyale, told NAN that air traffic was very low even though there was no restriction of flight of operations at the airport. Mr Ogunyale said traffic at the airport was unusually scanty, adding that all the airlines counters were very quiet. There is no traffic at all, it is very low because of the inauguration. Everywhere Is quiet because we are not doing normal flights today since there are no passengers, he said. Similarly, an official of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) who pleaded anonymity, told NAN that passenger movement was normal at the international wing. He said that some foreign airlines had arrived while Ethiopian airlines was expected to land at about 11:30. He said that many international passengers were being checked in to board their flights. At the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) where charter operations take place, he said that few private jets had landed with few dignitaries making their way to the city. According to him, only a few domestic airlines have arrived and departed this morning because there is no much traffic. (NAN) The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to make every day of his second tenure in office a Rule of Law day. SERAPs Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday. He said the group had sent an open letter to the president ahead of the May 29 inauguration. Mr Oluwadare said the groups message was centered on ensuring that every segment of Buharis administration daily operations is lawful and rule-of-law compliant. SERAP express serious concerns that the results of the rule of law MOT in the past four years are uniquely damaging to your governments fight against corruption and to the country. Making a public commitment to dedicate every day of your second term as a Rule of Law day will help to ensure that decisions of our courts are fully obeyed, refocus, improve and reinforce the anti-corruption agenda. It will also serve as a reminder that no one has immunity from the law, not even the government, he said. Mr Oluwadare said the deficits in the Rule of Law in the country have been particularly notable in three areas- failure to obey decisions of Nigerian courts, failure to push for transparency in asset declarations by high-ranking public officials. There is also failure to push for unexplained wealth orders against former presidents and former governors and other senior public officials suspected of living on proceeds of corruption and dirty money, he said. He urged Mr Buhari to use his second term in office to implement his oft-expressed commitment to the Rule of Law by immediately obeying decisions of Nigerian courts. Mr Oluwadare also urged the president to promote transparency in asset declarations by publishing widely, details of his assets declaration as well as encourage the Vice-President and all ministers to publish their asset declarations. He said SERAP also want Mr Buhari to immediately instruct his next Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to pursue unexplained wealth court orders against all former presidents. He said the order should also include former governors, former Presidents of the Senate and former Speakers of the House of Representatives. He said the action would force those suspected to be living on proceeds of corruption and dirty money to reveal sources of their fortune or risk forfeiting it. Nigerias democracy ought to have as its foundation respect for human rights and the Rule of Law. Treating the decisions of Nigerian courts as not binding is antithetical to any contemporary notion of the Rule of Law and democracy, and clearly counter-productive to the fight against corruption. Ignoring or refusing to obey decisions of our courts is implicitly rendering the judiciary powerless to enforce constitutional and legal rights, violating separation of powers, undermining the rule of law, and raising questions on the governments commitment to fight grand corruption, he said. Mr Oluwadare said persistent disobedience of decisions of the courts by government had opened the way for many state governors to do the same within their states including using anti-media laws to suppress the civic space. He said government had refused to obey court orders including at least two high-profile judgments obtained by SERAP. He said the first is the judgment by Justice Hadiza Rabiu Shagari ordering government to tell Nigerians about the stolen asset it allegedly recovered, with details of the amounts recovered. He said the second judgment is by Justice Mohammed Idris, ordering government to publish details on the spending of stolen funds recovered by successive governments since the return to democracy in 1999. Mr Oluwadare said another court order which is yet to be complied with was the order for the release of Islamic Movement of Nigeria leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenah. (NAN) Advertisements The Nigeria High Commission in Singapore has expressed pleasure over the acquittal and release of a Nigerian, Adili Chibuike Ejike, sentenced to death for drug trafficking in the country. The Nigeria Head of Mission in Singapore, High Commissioner Akinremi Bolaji, said this in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja. Mr Ejike, sentenced to death for importing nearly two-kilogramme of methamphetamine, was on Monday granted an acquittal by Singapores Supreme Court and released with no outstanding charges. He was arrested in November 2011 and has since been behind bars till May 20, 2019, when he was discharged and acquitted. Ejikes freedom from death by hanging by the court made history as the first time such a decision was made in a case involving a Nigerian. The acquittal of Mr Ejike has been termed locally as a miracle of God and I am elated that his freedom from death happened under my watch here as the Head of Mission, he said. The envoy said that Mr Ejikes issue called for serious awareness campaign for Nigerians travelling abroad not to accept to travel with any bag or container that they have not personally packed by themselves for the journey. He said the prosecution had failed to establish that Ejike knew that the drug bundles in his suitcase were in his possession. In other words, Ejike was not guilty of wilful blindness or deliberately shutting his eyes to the truth if his possession of the drugs. The trial focused on his knowledge of the substance; while the defence claimed he had no knowledge of the substance, the prosecutor claimed he knew about it. However, both the prosecutor and the defence agreed that he was in possession of the drugs, which was sufficient to convict him and affirm the death sentence earlier passed on him by both the lower and appellate courts. He said Mr Ejike had also said his childhood friend in Nigeria gave him the bag that contained the drugs to be delivered to an unspecified person in Singapore. Mr Bolaji said Mr Ejikes claim raised an important issue about how drug peddlers are using unsuspecting people as conduits to transport their consignments, at the risk of the lives of the possessors of such substances. He therefore called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to join in the awareness campaign for Nigerians travelling abroad not to accept to travel with any bags or container that they have not personally packed by themselves for the journey. There is the need for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to join hands with other Ministries, Departments and Agencies, especially the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the Nigerian Immigration Service to develop a framework to rehabilitate such Nigerians returning from abroad into the society. The Immigration Services of Singapore would release Ejike to travel to Nigeria on Wednesday, May 29, on board of Ethiopian Airlines and should be arriving in Lagos to join his family in Anambra, afterwards. Now, Mr Ejike is a free person and will travel to Nigeria unaccompanied, hoping he has learnt his lessons. That he would be wise enough not to subject himself in future to such circumstance that has kept him behind the bars for nearly eight years from Nov. 13, 2011, to May 27, 2019, he said. The envoy said the mission celebrated the release of Ejike on the eve of the swearing-in of President Muhammadu Buhari for the second term. The mission congratulated the president and wished him successful tenure, he said. (NAN) Every day, many across the globe struggle to feed themselves and their children. According to the World Food Programme, in a world where enough food is produced to feed everyone, 821 million people one in nine of the world population still go to bed on an empty stomach each night. Even more one in three suffer from some form of malnutrition. World Hunger day is celebrated on May 28 every year. It was launched by The Hunger Project in 2011. It is aimed to inspire people all over the world to show their solidarity and support for the women, men and children who are ending their hunger and poverty. In a bid to mark this day, PREMIUM TIMES spoke with some farmers on how they can support the need for more food to be available for the hungry. Many of the farmers interviewed advised President Muhammadu Buhari to assist the agricultural sector through funding and sound policies. Voices A farmer, Mary Isiaya, said the Nigerian government has failed to invest substantially in the small scale farmers who provide food for the nation. She accused the government of investing in the established farmers who export their produce to other countries. Ms Isiaya also said farmers in Nigeria are faced with the challenge of inadequate information from the government. We did not hear of climate change; we did not know the rains will come early and leave early. Most farmers have cultivated and will end up losing their produce, she said. She said the produce from the small scale farmers is very little because they lack inputs from the government. They sell at cost price and are left with little or nothing for the next farming season, she said. The Managing Director, A&D Integrated Farms, Abdullahi Bello, also urged President Buhari to give more priority to agriculture to ensure the eradication of poverty and hunger in the country. He said that federal, states and local governments need to put in more funds into agriculture for local consumption and exportation. We know that this administration has been supporting the sector from the beginning of the tenure, and we are happy that they are continuing, which will make them build more on what they have done. They should also look out for where there are loopholes so that they can make necessary adjustments where needed. We are all hungry in this country because many things they have been saying about agriculture have not been done. We need to be self-sufficient by feeding ourselves comfortably and export for foreign exchange, he said. Mr Bello said that some commodities were given more priority than others because of the political and personal interest of some people. He said all the commodities produced locally should be given the needed priority. The small-holder farmers that produce more than 70 per cent of what we consume in this country need to be supported as well. They need support in terms of land, inputs, fertilisers, assess to loan and capacity building to make them perform and remain in the sector. Another farmer, Donald Akule, said hunger is the root cause of poverty. Advertisements He said agriculture should be enhanced so that youth, women and retirees can participate fully. Agribusiness has become interesting to the populace, he said. Mr Akule called for sensitisation of Nigerians on the need to contribute to the fight against hunger. Global Blight According to the National Research Council, world hunger refers to hunger aggregated to the global level. Related terms include food insecurity and malnutrition. Food insecurity refers to limited or unreliable access to foods that are safe and nutritionally adequate. Malnutrition, which is an offshoot, is a condition resulting from insufficient intake of biologically necessary nutrients. Although malnutrition includes both overnutrition and undernutrition, the focus for global hunger is undernutrition. The vast majority of hungry people live in lower-middle-income regions, which saw a 42 per cent reduction in the prevalence of undernourished people between 199092 and 201214. Children and Hunger Children are the most visible victims of undernutrition. The World Health Organisation estimates that undernutrition is a cause of 31 million child deaths annually or 45 per cent of all child deaths in 2011. Undernutrition magnifies the effect of every disease, including measles and malaria. The estimated proportions of deaths in which undernutrition is an underlying cause are roughly similar for diarrhoea (61 per cent), malaria (57 per cent), pneumonia (52 per cent), and measles (45 per cent). Undernutrition can also be caused by diseases, such as those that cause diarrhoea, by reducing the bodys ability to convert food into usable nutrients. For now, nations such as Nigeria will have to continue churning out relevant policies and strengthening those in place to reduce the number of persons who go hungry daily. Nigerian tobacco control advocates have described Tuesdays approval of the Draft National Tobacco Control Regulations by the Senate and House of Representatives as the most befitting health legacy of the eighth National Assembly. The Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA) and the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), in a joint statement issued in Abuja, said the approval of the regulations less than a week to the end of the current session of the National Assembly is a parting gift that would fully make the National Tobacco Control Act 2015 operational. The groups also stated that the regulations would safeguard current and future generation of Nigerians from tobacco harms. This is a giant leap forward in the quest to reduce tobacco harms and getting the tobacco corporations accountable for their lethal products, said Akinbode Oluwafemi, ERA/FoEN Deputy Executive Director. We commend the National Assembly for this health legacy. Nigerias tobacco control legislation came into existence in 2015, signed into law by former President Goodluck Jonathan after years of delay. But its implementation has been stalled due to a controversial clause within which says the law requires parliamentary approval of regulations which cover about 70 percent of implementation needs of the Act before enforcement. Over the past weeks, tobacco control advocates had mounted pressure on the eighth National Assembly to approve regulations before the expiration of their tenure. Last week, the activists raised an alarm over attempts by the tobacco industry to stall the approval of the draft regulations. Tuesdays approval comes less than a week after the regulations were deliberated upon at the Senate, and Senate President Bukola Saraki alerted on some observed discrepancies which informed his setting up of a Conference Committee to harmonise the Senate and House of Representatives positions. Although some of the provisions in the regulations are not as strong as tobacco control groups would have wanted, Mr Oluwafemi said the approval was still a bold step that has elevated Nigeria in the group of nations that have ratified the World Health Organisation- Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC). The regulations address the licensing of tobacco products, duration of the license, and the sizes of pictographs and graphic health warnings on tobacco packs, among others. Oluseun Esan, NTCA Alliance Coordinator, said, The tobacco control community hail this much-awaited approval of the regulations which will rollback the tobacco industry onslaught on Nigerians, particularly kids that are wooed by the industry to replace a dying older generation of smokers. The groups said it was worthy of mention that Mr Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, stood with Nigerians at the most decisive hour of their tenure, hence their names and those of the various committee members who made the approval of the regulations possible will be written in gold. They also asked that the process of gazetting the regulations and commencement of enforcement by the relevant agencies of government should not be delayed. The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has said funds recovered by his ministry stood at N270 billion from N19.5 billion in 2015. Mr Malami said this during a valedictory session to mark the end of his tenure as the ministrys helmsman in Abuja on Tuesday. According to a report by the Vanguard newspaper, Mr Malami also said the government was already trying to ensure the return of asset worth $500million from France, the United States and the Island of Jersey. He recounted the efforts which resulted in the refund of the Abacha loot from Switzerland, adding that the sum recovered was N322.5 million. The fund has since been repatriated back to Nigeria and is now being managed by the National Social Investment Office under the supervision of the World Bank. It is aimed to support households who are living below the poverty line across the country, the paper quoted Mr Malami. Mr Malami explained that N19.5 billion had previously been recovered by the ministry before the commencement of the outgoing administration. It may interest you to know that as at 29th May 2015, the balance in the recovery account of the Federal Government of Nigeria stood at N19. 5billion. The balance has geometrically increased to N279 billion as at 22nd November 2017 and counting. Mr Malami also recounted the drafting of the presidential executive order six and eight as efforts initiated by the justice ministry. He said they were both created to safeguard public wealth. These instruments have uniquely revolutionised the War against corruption in Nigeria. Mr Malami listed the achievements of the justice ministry in its implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015. Mr Malami became Nigerias justice minister in November 2015, succeeding Mohammed Adoke. The justice ministry under his tenure had worked with other sectors in the war against corruption to ensure the prosecution of politically exposed persons, most prominent of whom is the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki. Mr Malamis administration was involved in a number of controversies, especially his obvious support for the continued detention of Dasuki, despite several court orders for his release. With his recent decision, the ministrys permanent secretary and Solicitor General of the Federation, Dayo Apata, will lead the ministry till a new minister is appointed in the second tenure of the current administration. BOSTON, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Risk Strategies , a privately held, rapidly growing national insurance brokerage and risk management firm, today announced it has acquired MainStreet Consulting Group , a north Houston-based brokerage. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Established in 2003 and headquartered just outside of Houston in Conroe, TX, MainStreet Consulting Group is primarily focused on placing a wide variety of coverage types for commercial clients. In its commercial business, MainStreet services clients in a variety of industries, from manufacturing to construction. While many are well-represented in Risk Strategies current client base, a number represent new fields for the company, including the energy industry, a major business in Texas. MainStreet is a great fit for our company as we build out our presence in Texas, said John Vaglica, Risk Strategies Chief Financial Officer. Were particularly excited that this acquisition will provide Risk Strategies entry into the energy space for the first time and do so with a highly qualified team. In addition to commercial property & casualty, MainStreet does substantial business helping commercial clients develop alternatively funded employee benefits programs. The company also has an active practice providing personal lines clients with insurance placement and risk management advisory services. Joining up and becoming part of Risk Strategies was a winning idea as we sought ways to expand our business and provide deeper expertise for clients in todays rapidly changing business world, said MainStreet Consulting Group President and CEO, Dee VanSchoick, Jr. Risk Strategies entered the state of Texas in 2016 when it acquired McLaughlin-Brunson , a specialty brokerage focused on professional liability and other risk issues for architectural, engineering and design firms. That acquisition was followed in 2017 with the purchase of Terrell Insurance Services, Inc. , a private lines specialty agency. In 2018, Risk Strategies acquired Select Insurance Markets, LLP (SIM) and Preferred Personal Insurance Agency, LLP (PPIA). The SIM-PPIA acquisition added new resources and capabilities to Risk Strategies national private client practice in both the wholesale and retail capacities. To learn more about Risk Strategies, click here . In commemoration of the 2019 Democracy Day, Senate President Bukola Saraki has urged newly sworn-in leaders to work for the development of Nigeria. Mr Saraki also congratulated Nigerians on the countrys attainment of 20 years of uninterrupted democracy and urged the people to use democracy to institutionalise peace and genuine development. In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, the Senate President described the commemoration of 20 years of democracy as a thing of joy in view of the many positive developments the country has witnessed since May 29, 1999. He advised Nigerians to fully take ownership of democracy and its institutions and use them to entrench peace, welfare and improved standard of living for all our people. He said democracy is about the people and the people should use democracy to achieve social justice, equity, inclusiveness and economic self-reliance. While urging the followers to hold their leaders accountable and ensure they always act in the best interest of the people and country, he also urged the people to be good followers and be law abiding at all times. We should avoid conflicts and bloodletting as no country can develop in the midst of chaos. We should all steer clear of issues, comments, and situations that emphasise our fault lines. He called on all newly-elected leaders who were being sworn in on Wednesday to work for the development of the country and the continued preservation of the nations democracy. He noted that the benefits of a constitutional democracy far outweigh the challenges that have confronted the country since the return of democracy. He said, It is a thing of absolute joy and national pride that we are today celebrating two decades of sustained democratic governance in the country. It is my hope that every Nigerian will look back at how far we have come in the last 20 years and resolve to continue to preserve our democracy not minding the observed lapses in the operation of the system. We should continue to strive to preserve the present form of democratic governance because democracy still remains the best system of government. We have a duty to translate this dream into measurable realities in terms of the security and welfare of the people as well as the socio-economic and political advancement of the country. I believe that all our newly sworn-in leaders are fully abreast of the present realities and therefore would spare no effort in working to turn the country around for the better, Mr Saraki stated. Mr Saraki will not be returning when the 9th Senate reconvenes in June as he lost re-election in his Kwara Central Senatorial District. Nigerians are happy and thrilled about President Muhammadu Buharis leadership style and personality, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, has said. The top official said Mr Buharis popularity is evident from the votes the president garnered during the presidential election in February. Mr Buhari was, earlier on Wednesday, sworn in for a second term of four years in office, following his victory at the polls. He was declared the winner with 15,191,847 votes to defeat his closest rival, Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, who polled 11,262,978 votes. Mr Abubakar is challenging the result in court. In an interview on Monday, Mr Mustapha described Mr Buharis victory as hard-earned. He said it was a reflection of the satisfaction the people have with the president. We worked very hard for it. In 2015 I was his director of contacts and mobilisation so I know the amount of work that was put in it. The SGF said the presidents men envisaged Mr Buharis victory but did not give their candidate as much clear victory. We had certain assurances because of how well he has done in the three and a half years leading to the general elections that held in February. We were confident that he was going to win. I was pleasantly surprised that he won with a much larger margin this time than even in 2015. He said the electoral victory was a testimony that the people of this country are quite happy and thrilled about his leadership style, his integrity and his sincerity of purpose. Mr Mustapha described Mr Buhari as a man that has no other agenda but the pursuit of the good of the people of Nigeria. Scorecard The SGF said the Buhari administration has acquitted itself creditably by delivering on its 2015 campaign promises. He listed the areas of progress to include the governments anti-corruption campaign, containing security challenges, and diversification of the economy. On fighting corruption, the governments administrative head said no government in the history of Nigeria has made as much recovery of proceeds of crime as the Buhari administration. The government, he said, has also implemented measures to block leakages of government revenue, including through the Treasury Single Account (TSA). Security, he said, has improved from the situation in 2015 with the terror group, Boko Haram, routed from territories it hitherto held. Today I got a new figure that shocked me. The governor of Borno state said at a meeting that in 2015 22 out of 27 local governments in the state were under the occupation of Boko Haram. Even in Maiduguri metropolitan, they had a major presence. Today I can report to you, not a single local government is under the control of Boko Haram. Mr Mustapha also cited relative peace in the oil-rich Niger Delta region as another achievement of the Buhari administration in the area of security. He said the government was doing its best to best to tackle other security challenges bedevilling the country, especially rural banditry and rising kidnapping in the North West region. Despite Mr Mustaphas commendations, many Nigerians have criticised President Buhari for the current insecurity across Nigeria. Hundreds of people have been killed or kidnapped by criminals in different parts of the country in the past few months. President Muhammadu Buhari will depart Abuja on Thursday to attend the summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The 14th session of the Summit Conference of the OIC, scheduled to hold on Friday, May 31, will be hosted by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and attended by Heads of State and Governments of Member States, a statement from the presidency said, on Wednesday. According to the OIC secretariat, the summit to be convened under the theme, Makkah al-Mukarramah Summit: Hand in Hand toward the Future, seeks to develop a unified stance on events in the Islamic world. President Buhari is expected to address the forum and underscore the need for member countries to unite and work together to combat common challenges such as terrorism and violent extremism. The president will also push forward themes that have been at the forefront of his domestic and international priorities, including reviving the Lake Chad Basin, investing in Nigeria to create jobs and financing for development. On the margins of the summit, the Nigerian leader will hold bilateral meetings with world leaders to promote increased cooperation and collaboration on issues of mutual concern. President Buhari, who is expected to return to the country on June 2, will be accompanied by Governors Mohammed Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State, Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State and Abubakar Bello of Niger State. Also on the delegation are the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mustapha Suleiman; Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Abubakar; Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Isa Pantami; and the Chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Abdullahi Mukthar. Ahead of the Summit, was a preparatory meeting in Jeddah meant to adopt the draft agenda and work programme for the Summit. On the agenda were the question of Palestine and the Arab-Israeli conflict; combating terrorism and violent extremism; the humanitarian situation in the Muslim world; promotion of scientific cooperation, among others. President Buhari becomes the third Nigerian leader to attend the OIC conference in person, after the late Umaru YarAdua and Goodluck Jonathan. Babagana Zulum was sworn in as the governor of Borno State on Wednesday, amid fanfare. The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) reports that Mr Zulum took the oath of office alongside his deputy, Umar Kadafur. The oath of office was administered by the states Chief Judge, Kashim Zanna, in a ceremony attended by thousands of jubilant residents of Maiduguri, community leaders and other top government officials. The outgoing governor, Kashim Shettima, said he was delighted to hand over the mantle of leadership to an outstanding and competent personality who possessed the qualities to move the state forward. Mr Shettima said Mr Zulum had the understanding of the development nexus to fast track rehabilitation, reconstruction and resettlement process of the state. He expressed optimism that the new governor would initiate viable programmes to address the devastation caused by Boko Haram insurgency and move the state forward. Mr Shettima called on people of the state to support the new administration to enable it to serve the people better. He lauded President Muhammad Buhari, people of the state, community and religious leaders for their support to his administration in the past eight years. The former governor commended the military, police and security agencies over the successes recorded in the counterinsurgency campaign. In his maiden address, Mr Zulum promised to implement a 10-point agenda to fast track rapid social and economic development of the state. Mr Zulum said his administration would accord priority attention to the security of lives and property as well as food security programme. Mr Zulum said he would establish a ministry of science and technology to facilitate the application of modern technologies in intelligent information gathering and sharing. He disclosed that his administration would also adopt practical measures to address youth restiveness, thuggery and idleness among the youth and women. Mr Zulum also pledged to reinvigorate agriculture, health and education sector of the state. The governor promised to promote unity and work with all stakeholders for the development of the state. NAN reports that the ceremony was attended by former governors of the state, Maina Maji and Alsheikh Jarma and Nigerias Ambassador to China, Baba Jiddah. Others were Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Garbai Elkanemi, members of national and state house of assembly, community and religious leaders as well as heads of military, police and other security agencies. (NAN) Grace Ucha, the mother of Terkaa Ucha, a member of the Benue State House of Assembly, has been kidnapped, the police in Benue have confirmed. According to the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Catherine Anene, the incident was reported on Tuesday. We got the report on Tuesday and have started investigating the matter, Ms Anene told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Makurdi. NAN reports that Mr Ucha represents Tiev Constituency in Vandeikya Local Government, and is believed to be one of the leading candidates seeking to be Speaker. Mr Ucha is expected to slug it out with the incumbent Speaker, Titus Uba, who represents Kyaan constituency, also in Vandekiya. Mr Ucha contested the seat in 2015 but lost to Terkimbi Ikyange. NAN gathered that Mrs Grace was kidnapped in the early hours of Tuesday at her country home in Tse-Ucha Tordima, Mbayongo in Vandeikya. (NAN) Internally displaced persons (IDPs) residing at the Kuchingoro camp in Abuja have decried the poor condition of the camp, blaming the situation on governments neglect of the camp. Philemon Emmanuel, the leader of the IDPs, said they have lived on humanitarian services by non-government agents. Mr Emmanuel said this when the Kings College Old Boys Association (KCOBA), paid a visit to the IDP camp on Wednesday. The Kuchingoro camp was established in 2014 by the federal government. The residents were relocated from Goza Local Government Area of Borno State after Boko-Haram insurgents attacked their communities. Although the government had asked residents of the camp to return to their original communities in the North-east, many of them have remained in Kuchingoro, where they said they feel safe. Mr Emmanuel said the condition of the displaced persons has continued to grow worse since they fled their communities for safety in Abuja. He said apart from various organisations who have been providing them with basic amenities, there is nothing donated by government in this place. There are two schools in the camp, a clinic, solar panels for an electricity-powered borehole, and a skill acquisition centre. We have a skill centre and my office from the High Commissioner of South Africa. We have boreholes, which come from churches and NGOs. It is only one borehole that was drilled by former FCT ministers wife, Bala Mohammed, he said. The camps woman leader, Ladi Mathias, said she survives by frying bean cakes (akara) and also farming. She said her farm is located in Nasarawa state where she cultivates beans and maize. I spend about N4,000 every trip to my farm. I leave my children in the care of my husband whenever I am away, she said. Borehole the IDPs use for water. Houses of the IDPs. She explained how she sells her farm produce at the beans market in Nasarawa. KCOBA Chairman, Emmanuel Mogbolu, explained the purpose of their visit to the camp. We took it up as one of our social responsibilities as Kings College Old Boys Abuja to identify with the lower end of society, to see how we can support displaced persons in our society, he said. He said the association carries out such activities once in a year. He said it was the first time the association was visiting the IDP camp in Abuja. The vice president of KCOBA, Sini Kwabi, said they hoped to provide the communities with books to enhance their childrens education. If the opportunity comes, because I learnt they have some graduates, if we can be able to assist in our own way and we have the opportunity to employ some of them, we will try. They presented bags of rice, cartons of noodles, packs of water and clothes as gifts to the IDPs in the camp. Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has re-appointed the Secretary to the State Government, Usman Alhaji and State Accountant General, Shehu Muazu, to work with him in his second term in office. This is contained in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Abba Anwar and made available to journalists on Wednesday in Kano. Mr Ganduje commended the duo for working with him in his first tenure which ended on Wednesday. The governor made the announcement immediately after his official inauguration for the second term in office, it stated. Mr Ganduje urged them to work hard to ensure that the new administration be more fruitful as he had promised the people during the second term in office. All political appointments were terminated with the exception of tenure-based appointments, which government said would be determine by the laws governing the operations of affected agencies and departments. (NAN) Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has declared free education from primary to tertiary levels for people with disability in Kano State. Mr Ganduje also approved subsidiary tuition fee for indigenes in all state-owned tertiary institutions. He stated this in his speech shortly after he took the oath of office, on Wednesday. Today, our government declares basic and post-basic education free, he said at the ceremony. We also mandate tuition at public tertiary institutions to be highly subsidised. Education for physically challenged persons from basic to tertiary level shall remain free. The governor also announced the approval of N2.4billion for the construction of a cancer treatment centre in Kano. He said the cancer centre will ease the challenge cancer patients face in Northern Nigeria. Mr Ganduje said his administration has secured $500 million from the Islamic Development Bank to reinvigorate agriculture, especially to execute irrigation projects. He extended the olive branch to the opposition party and pledged to run an inclusive government to move Kano to the next level. Elections are over. It is now time to move Kano forward. Our government will be all-inclusive and we shall not leave anyone behind no matter party inclinations. He said he has a clear vision of the legacy he wants to live at the end of his second term, especially in the area of education, health, agric, and infrastructure. Meanwhile, the rift between Mr Ganduje and Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, continued as the emir was conspicuously absent at the inauguration of the governor. Mr Ganduje created four new emirates, a development many believed was targeted at reducing Mr Sanusis influence in Kano. The seat of the emir was left vacant for several minutes until it was occupied by the secretary to the state government, Alhaji Alhaji. In their colourful atires, the newly appointed Emirs of Bichi and Aminu Ado-Bayero, and Abubakar Tafida-Ila of Rano joined prominent government functionaries and captain of industries to grace the occasion. EARLY APPOINTMENT Meanwhile, Mr Ganduje has re-appointed the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Alhaji, and the Accountant-General, Shehu Muazu. He commended them for working with him in his first term. A statement by Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Abba Anwar, said Mr Ganduje announced the appointment immediately after his official inauguration for a second term in office. It could be recalled that all political appointments were terminated with the exception of tenure-based appointments, which government said that would be determined by the laws governing the operations of affected agencies and departments. Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State on Wednesday in Port Harcourt and his deputy, Dr Ipalibo Banigo, took oath of office for a second term. Rivers Chief Judge, Justice Adama Iyaye-Laminkara, administered the oath of office on Wike and his deputy at a ceremony held at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium. Mr Wike, in his inauguration speech, restated his resolve to always place the state first in all his actions. He said: For us, in all things, it is Rivers State first; Rivers State is the measure; Rivers State before others. This is the essence of the political mandate and burden that we will bear for the next four years and we will not disappoint you. We will continue to stand up for Rivers State and defend her interest, no matter the challenges or what comes at us. The governor, who said his administration was not opposed to the federal government, called for a partnership to move the state as well as Nigeria forward. He said since the people of Rivers were not a conquered people they would never surrender their respective freedoms to anybody or entity, whether internal or external. We will, therefore, not accept to be subjugated to a headmaster and pupil power relationship; neither will we abandon the collective interest of Rivers State for the sake of political expediency. We are for the rule of law, democracy and mutual respect as autonomous state entities and co-building blocks of the Nigerian federation, he said Mr Wike also commended the people of the state, especially the voters, for their trust and support that gave him the mandate to serve Rivers for another four-year-term. For us, everyone counts. We must not allow ourselves to be divided between upland and riverine considerations, but strive for common grounds, solidarity and work together towards achieving our common goals and aspirations. Our refrain at this time, and especially in the face of the social and economic uncertainties in our nation, should be: `ask what you can do for Rivers instead of what Rivers State can do for you. The future of our state depends on us. It is up to us to renew, re-energise and advance the Rivers dream, to fight for what belongs to us, and to defend our right to exist in freedom, security and peace in our own nation. And if we do cooperate, think and act among ourselves with tenacity and unity of strength, purpose and commitment, then there is no mountain we cannot level; no river we cannot cross, and no goal we set for ourselves that we cannot achieve. He assured that his administration would, in the next four years, consolidate on his first term achievements to make Rivers the greatest state in Nigeria. Our economy is great, but it should be greater and made more beneficial to all. And so we will continue to grow our economy, expand our tax base, provide a friendly business environment and attract foreign and local investments to create more jobs and empower our people. We will continue on the economic trajectory of fiscal discipline, prudence, prioritisation of capital projects over recurrent and giving value for money spent in the delivery of services. Wike also promised to partner relevant national and international agencies and expertise to initiate and implement a 25-year Marshall Plan for economic transformation and development of the state. (NAN) The Governor of Akwa Ibom, Udom Emmanuel, has asked the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to join him in building the state. Mr Emmanuel made the appeal during his inauguration for a second term in office, Wednesday. He was helped to become governor against all the odds in 2015 by his predecessor, Godswill Akpabio. But, both politicians later fell apart due to political differences. Mr Akpabio, who became a senator, later defected from his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and tried unsuccessfully to stop Mr Emmanuel from winning re-election. He also lost his re-election bid to the Senate, surprisingly. Mr Emmanuel, in his inauguration speech, said the fleeting passion of politics should not be allowed to break the cords of our brotherhood. The governor, in an apparent reference to the senator and other leaders of the APC in the state, said, As I said in my victory speech, I extend again my hands of fellowship and bond of friendship to my brothers and sisters on the opposite side of the political divide. I call on them to join me in building a State that we all, irrespective of political affiliations will be proud to call our home. We went to the polls as brothers and sisters and as the 6th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, said in his second inaugural speech on March 4th 1865, We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. Mr Emmanuel said he and other politicians remain the proud sons and daughters of Akwa Abasi Ibom State. The governor said the political atmosphere in the state during the just concluded general election was poisoned by the manufactured instrument of division, where political power was defined as a matter of life and death, where certain tactics and approaches employed by the other side, challenged and called to question the foundational core of what we are known for: a peaceful and hospitable people. Mr Emmanuel said the elections have come and gone, and that the people have made their choices known on whom to govern and represent them. He said the time has come for the healing of our land. The governor, who mentioned his administrations achievement to include the establishment of a state-owned airline, Ibom Air, promised he would not fail the people of the state. We are the first state in the whole of Nigeria and indeed Africa to have a commercial airline business. The Ibom Air today stands as a testament to visionary leadership and an acute determination to prove that what was once thought to be impossible can be made possible. This airline will prove the cynics wrong and show the world that a viable commercial airline can be achieved, he said. PHOENIX, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Central Admixture Pharmacy Services, Inc. (CAPS), a B. Braun company and the nations largest network of outsourcing admixture pharmacies, held a ribbon cutting ceremony today for its new sterile compounding outsourcing facility in Phoenix, AZ, bringing nearly 400 jobs to the area. U.S. Representative Ruben Gallego, from Arizonas 7th Congressional District, was on hand to cut the ribbon and make remarks. I want to welcome CAPS to Arizonas 7th district. Their investment in our community will not only bring new jobs and training opportunities for Arizonans, but they will also help distribute necessary medicines to improve health outcomes for patients in our state and across the country, said Gallego, Businesses like CAPS are helping each day to make our community a better place to live, work, and raise a family. CAPS continued growth and investment in this new facility serves as the next milestone towards expanding the capacity of the sterile compounding industry across the U.S. The new 250,000 square foot facility positions Phoenix as a hub for 503B compounding, tripling CAPS capacity and enhancing the ability for CAPS customers all over the country to provide high-quality, safe and readily-available products to patients who need it most. U.S. Senator Martha McSally said in a statement, It is welcome news that CAPS has decided to bring its operations to Arizona. Their investment in Arizona will bring more than 400 new jobs to the Phoenix area and millions of dollars to further economic development in our state. I appreciate CAPS choosing Arizona as their new home and will continue my work in the U.S. Senate to ensure Arizona stays open for business. The new facility embraces the most innovative technology and automation capabilities to deliver the highest quality products for its customers. With a focus on safety and quality, CAPS continues to provide products at the scale demanded by health systems that enable them to solve the challenges associated with regulations, recalls and drug shortages. As we continue to grow, our commitment to providing compounded sterile preparations of the highest quality that add value to our pharmacy service partners remains at the forefront of our company, said Tom Wilverding, President at CAPS. The investment in the new Phoenix facility furthers the track record of unprecedented quality and success that CAPS has always delivered to our 503B customers. CAPS has grown into a network of 22 503A regional pharmacies by constantly staying ahead of the high standards required to compound sterile preparations. The new Phoenix facility will serve as the third CAPS 503B Outsourcing Facility registered with the FDA, further demonstrating the companys devotion to innovation and being a pioneer in the industry. When fully operational, it will bring job opportunities to Phoenix and surrounding areas for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, chemists, microbiologists, and other support personnel. About CAPS CAPS is the nations largest network of outsourcing admixture pharmacies. A pioneer in the outsourcing of CSPs, CAPS was founded in 1991 and delivers high quality, same-day admixture services and solutions to hospitals and outpatient facilities across the nation. CAPS has three 503B FDA registered facilities which provide outsourcing facility services and 22 state licensed 503A regional pharmacies that dispense labeled, patient specific prescriptions including parenteral nutrition and chemotherapy. To learn more about CAPS visit www.CAPSPharmacy.com . A former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, has responded to a statement by the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, that Igbos, by voting against President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling All Progressives, APC, have already lost the opportunity to bid for 2023 presidential seat. Mr Obi, the vice presidential candidate of Nigerias main opposition party (PDP), said Mr Amaechi is not from the Southeast and, therefore, in no position to write the region off from the next presidential election. Mr Amaechi, a former governor of River State in a recent interview with Sun Newspaper said the Igbos have nothing to bring in negotiating for 2023 presidency. I dont know what they will do now for voting against the APC. For refusing to support the APC, they cannot come to the table to demand the presidency slot. For people like us in the APC, if the Igbos had come and voted Buhari, they would boldly tell Mr President and the National Chairman of the party that the presidency should go the Southeast since the South-south; South-west and North-west have produced a president. What argument would the Southeast come up with now to convince anybody that they deserve the slot for 2023 president? Responding, Mr Obi said he (Amaechi) is not in any position to make such statements because even he that is in APC; he did not contribute anything to the success of that election, the Nation Newspaper reported. He did not even achieve anything in his own state. Those of us from the Southeast who are from the PDP contributed to the success of our party. A former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi [Photo: Concise News] The PDP in my state got 95 per cent. They (APC) didnt even get 25 per cent in Rivers State. So he is not competent to speak on the Presidency in 2023. The Conundrum of 2023 Presidency Though the Igbos are one of the three major tribes in Nigeria, nobody from that region has become president since the countrys return to democracy in 1999. This has been the gripe of many Igbos and it appears to be pacified by the unwritten zoning formula which allows the two divides (North and South) produce a president in an election cycle. The formula, which is not cast on stone and has been truncated at least twice, is expected to zone the presidency to the South-east in 2023. Ahead of this years general elections, the APC though its leaders shared divergent views ultimately asked south easterners to vote for Mr Buhari and the party in exchange for a presidential slot in 2023. According to the Cable, Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the Federation (SGF), said the chances of Igbos to a presidential ticket would only depend on their vote in favour of Mr Buhari. But, the position of Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola on the matter was at variance with that of Mr Mustapha; many APC leaders and; even Mr Amaechi as at then. The former Lagos governor said 2023 presidential ticket of the ruling party would be zoned to the South-West, while urging the region to vote for APC. Meanwhile, the South-east voted very little for the APC. As they have done in previous elections, they voted significantly for the PDP. In the interview, Mr Amaechi said Igbos are completely out of the national politics. To commemorate this years International Menstrual Hygiene Day, the Centre for Childrens Health Education, Orientation and Protection (CEE-HOPE), in collaboration with Girls On A Mission (GOAM), Australia, on Tuesday organised a sensitisation programme for school girls in Lagos. The programme, which was held in Ifako on Tuesday and had over 200 female teenagers in attendance, focused on poor menstrual hygiene and the dangers associated with it. The International Menstrual Hygiene Day, first celebrated on May 28, 2014, is a day set aside to create awareness on menstrual hygiene and also break taboos surrounding menstruation. Betty Abah, the executive director of CEE-HOPE foundation, said although women have a natural instinct to take care of themselves during menstruation, the access to sanitary products remains a problem, especially for girls and women in low-income countries such as Nigeria. How are women able to access sanitary products, especially women in difficult situations, women in IDP camps, women with mental health issues, women running from communal attacks and on the mountains for days, how do they access sanitary products? Mrs Abah asked. She said her organisation hopes to bring such issues to the front burner, noting that sanitary poverty can be alleviated when sanitary products are affordable or free for women and girls. A keynote speaker at the event, Adeolu Olusogo, lectured the adolescent girls in attendance on menstrual hygiene and the importance of knowing what a menstrual cycle entails. Once a woman knows she is menstruating and she cannot hold it together, it results in low self-esteem and cuts the person off from a lot of things, such as going out, said Mr Olusogo, a medical doctor. Also, because it is blood, blood is a good substrate for germs to grow, so if a woman has no way of curtailing the spread, or flow, it can lead to spread of infection. He said the infection could spread to the womans reproductive parts and result in infertility. It is a process, if the blood is not well curtailed, germs can grow which will lead to infection. infection that is not quickly treated can that damage the reproductive organ. Mrs Abah said many girls go through contractual sex so that they could afford sanitary products. In that situation, they are vulnerable and even get infected, she said. If they can provide free condoms, why not sanitary products? Sex is a choice, but menstrual period is not. She advocated for the removal of taxes on sanitary products and also make the products free or affordable for all women and adolescent girls. The House of Representatives member-elect for Apapa Federal Constituency, Mufutau Egberongbe, has urged Governor Babatunde Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State to concentrate on governance and eschew politicking. Mr Egberongbe gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos. Mr Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, took the oaths of office on Wednesday at a well-attended ceremony. According to Mr Egberongbe, Mr Sanwo-Olu has been an integral part of the vision for a greater Lagos since the time on former governor Bola Tinubu. My advice for him Sanwo-Olu is that he should concentrate on governance and less of politicking because politics itself has a way of disrupting focus, the lawmaker-elect said. He should remain focused, be more focused on governance and let the leaders of the party continue their politicking. It is only until recent times that we attempt to match politics and governance, whereas they are two different things. Your job will speak for you and it will endear you to the minds of the populace. He should continue on his job in tandem with the policies of the party and respect the party leaders. He urged the new governor to do his best and leave the rest. Sanwo-Olu has been part of the dream, the concept and the idea of a new Lagos. I dont expect less from him than to hit the ground running. I know hes going to do well, he said. The Rep-elect said that the governor had enough tutelage from the Tinubu school for ideas, policies, principles and the road maps. Mr Egberongbe also advised President Muhammadu Buhari to use his second tenure to work on security, education, job creation, electricity and infrastructural development. There is a lot to be done as far as the security of this nation is concerned. The primary responsibility of government as entrenched in the constitution remains welfare and security of lives and properties. No economy thrives in an unsecured atmosphere will lead to political and economic stability. We cannot discuss the economy in isolation of security. I think more measures in terms of stiffer penalties should be put in place to assuage this issue of kidnapping that is seriously thriving in our nation. It is high time we began to use technology, street lights with CCTVs to monitor movements of people and nib in the bud such nefarious activities, he said. He urged the president to encourage cottage industry to tackle unemployment, saying we need to do more on infrastructure, electricity, roads, housing to jump-start the economy. I am thinking also that we should begin to look at our school curriculum too. Our curriculum should be such that would be in tandem with our society needs. Enough of literal certificates. Lets do more on professional and technical education, he said. (NAN) CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE Authorities have released a sketch of a suspect in a sexual assault that occurred last week in North Wildwood. The assault occurred before 6:30 p.m. May 21 in the 500 block of Anglesea Drive, according to the Cape May County Prosecutors Office and North Wildwood police. Suspect sought in North Wildwood sex assault NORTH WILDWOOD Authorities are looking for a man accused of sexually assaulting a woman Tu The suspect is described as a white man, about 5-foot-10, in his 50s with short brown hair and clean shaven, police said. He wore a light gray crew sweatshirt, dark blue jeans and black sneakers at the time of the incident. Anyone who may have seen this man or may have information regarding the investigation can call the Cape May County Prosecutors Special Victims Unit at 609-465-1135 or North Wildwood police at 609-522-2411. Information also can be reported anonymously through the Cape May County Sheriffs Tip Line at cmcsheriff.net, or through Cape May County Crime Stoppers at 609-465-2800. 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. PLEASE BE ADVISED: Soon we will no longer integrate with Facebook for story comments. The commenting option is not going away, however, readers will need to register for a FREE site account to continue sharing their thoughts and feedback on stories. If you already have an account (i.e. current subscribers, posting in obituary guestbooks, for submitting community events), you may use that login, otherwise, you will be prompted to create a new account. Possession of a weapon while committing, attempting to commit or conspiring to commit the crime of distributing or possessing with the intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, specifically a .357 magnum-caliber Luger revolver Possession of a weapon by a previously convicted person Collazo, 37, was found guilty of: Possession with intent to distribute cocaine or heroin in an amount of one-half ounce or more Possession with intent to distribute marijuana in an amount of one ounce or more Possession of cocaine or heroin Possession of marijuana in an amount of 50 grams or more Possession of a weapon while committing or attempting to commit the crime of distributing or possessing with the intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, specifically a .357 magnum-caliber Luger revolver Both are scheduled to be sentenced July 5, Webb-McRae said. The arrests followed the search of a home in the 700 block of Wood Street in Vineland on Feb. 5, 2016, Webb-McRae said. CAPE MAY POINT Standing with his wife, Dot, Wednesday morning on Cove Beach, Walt Meany saw a plane flying so low he could have touched it with the six-foot stick he was carrying. It seemed like it was out of control. Flying very low and close to the beach, said Walt Meany, 82. It was flying along the beach, and when it got to the curve (between the Cove and Cape May Point), it hit the water. A Mooney M20J crashed into the waters off Cape May Point, about 1,200 feet from the lighthouse, after taking off from Trenton-Robbinsville Airport in Mercer County about 8 a.m., according to a Federal Aviation Administration statement. Dot Meany said she saw the plane fly straight up, a black trail of smoke behind it. She then heard a loud boom, and the plane crashed into the water. A bystander called in a report after 11:30 a.m., said Coast Guard Petty Officer Andy Kendrick. Heidi Pontoriero, general manager of Trenton-Robbinsville Airport, said she was familiar with the pilot but couldnt provide a name until State Police provided her with more details. New York, NY, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Furnished Quarters, the largest independently owned and operated provider of global temporary housing, has received an Expatriate Management and Mobility Award (EMMA) in the category of Best Vendor Partnership for its work with GE. The award, presented by the Forum for Expatriate Management (FEM) Americas at its recent summit in Dallas, TX, is the premier global mobility award for the Americas region. EMMAs entries are rigorously judged by a team of impartial, highly experienced, senior figures in the industry drawn from a range of disciplines across the Americas region. The judging panel called Furnished Quarters entry [a] great example of creating and expanding the market to serve the client and taking deliberate and proactive steps to elevate the guest experience. GE approached Furnished Quarters to find a better way to manage its corporate housing program consisting of 200+ auditors traveling between a dozen core cities with the intent of reducing costs and enhancing the program overall. By consolidating vendors and choosing just one strategic partner to manage the entire housing program, GE was able to accomplish these goals and improve satisfaction rates among participants. As part of the program, GE requested a technology solution for administrators and guests a need that Furnished Quarters met by developing a groundbreaking application, GE Live. The straightforward, simple and easy-to-use application enables GE staff to view real-time apartment availability and book live, instantly. It also offers all necessary reporting and tracking, providing senior management with high-level visibility into the program. Im continually impressed by the Furnished Quarters team and service, said Jonathan Baksh, Corporate Audit Staff Operations Leader at GE. Since signing on with Furnished Quarters, the program has exceeded our expectations both in the positive feedback of the employees staying in the apartments, as well as the cost savings to the organization. We welcomed the opportunity and challenge to come up with a creative solution for GEs unique needs. It was a true testament to our penchant for listening to the client's pain points, partnering with the organization to meet business goals and improving the overall guest experience, said Steve Brown, CEO of Furnished Quarters. In the end, everyone wins. About Furnished Quarters Furnished Quarters is the largest independently owned and operated supplier of global temporary housing, offering over 100,000 fully furnished apartments in more than 800 cities around the world. The company, established in 1998 in New York City by brothers Steven and Gary Brown, currently serves more than 5,500 clients, ranging from top Fortune 500 corporations to small businesses. To learn more about Furnished Quarters, visit www.furnishedquarters.com. Connect with us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/furnishedquarters Connect with us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/furnished-quarters Connect with us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/furnishedq Connect with us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/furnishedquarters Attachment ATLANTIC CITY Now that WinnDevelopment has purchased three historic buildings long used for low-income housing, the company will begin renovating 153 rental units with residents on site. And that has many of them excited if a bit cautious after living with what officials call sub-par conditions for years. It sounds like good news, but the proof is in the pudding, said Sal DaSilva, 49, who has lived at the Liberty Apartments at 1519 Baltic Ave. for seven years. He said his air conditioning doesnt work, and there is no ventilation in his windowless bathroom. The kitchen and bathroom have decades-old cabinets, floors and appliances. And the old carpet aggravates his allergies. +3 WinnDevelopment to announce housing rehab plans ATLANTIC CITY WinnDevelopment will announce plans for the future of the historic Sencit Li Housing quality has been identified as a particular problem in Atlantic City. The Jim Johnson report on improving the city in preparation for returning it to local control made boosting home ownership for first-time buyers a key objective. While the renovation project will be for renters, not buyers, it will improve the quality of life for lower-income residents, something Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver said is vital to Atlantic Citys success, at a news conference Wednesday at St. Augustines Episcopal Church. Oliver, city officials and Casino Reinvestment Development Authority Executive Director Matt Doherty were there to celebrate the companys closing on the purchase and the project moving ahead. The buildings are the 66-unit Schoolhouse Apartments at 61 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., which was the Illinois Avenue School and the Boys Vocational School in the early 1900s; the 20-unit Disston Apartments at 1711 Arctic Ave., a YMCA widely used by the black community in the early 20th century; and the 67-unit Liberty Apartments at 1519 Baltic Ave., in the former Liberty Hotel that catered to the black community in the early 20th century. CRDA increases airshow funding for longer event, more performers ATLANTIC CITY The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority will give about $100,000 more Before moving to the Liberty, DaSilva a native of Brooklyn and the Bronx, New York spent about five months homeless, he said. He got a one-bedroom apartment at the Liberty through a homelessness prevention program. Under the housing choice voucher program, formerly called Section 8, he pays 30 percent of his income toward rent, and the federal governments Department of Housing and Urban Development pays the remainder. DaSilva is a houseman at Tropicana Atlantic City, he said. WinnDevelopment Senior Vice President Brett Meringoff said the company is on track to begin renovations in late summer or early fall. DaSilva got a letter stating the companys inspectors will be on site the last two days of May and asking people to give them access to the inside of units. The $17.3 million purchase from JJJ LLC was financed by BlueHub Capital, using funds from the U.S. Department of Treasury; and by Citi Community Capital, according to WinnDevelopment. The CRDA is also loaning $4.45 million to WinnDevelopment. Christina Diaz, 33, said she has lived at the Disston for 12 years and grew up in the Schoolhouse Apartments. +4 Atlantic City affordable housing rehab plan gets public airing ATLANTIC CITY A WinnDevelopment vice president explained how his company can renovate 153 Its a nice place quiet, Diaz said of the Disston. But the maintenance is horrible. She said problems are never fixed in a timely manner and kitchen cabinets are horrible and old. The bathroom is horrible, she said. Diaz asked Meringoff whether maintenance would improve under the new owners. Maintenance is really important, said Meringoff. When we take over, (housing projects) have often been sub-par in operations, management and in living environment. We get back to basics. He said the company will run a 24-hour maintenance hotline. Our reputation is everything, said Meringoff. He also said the company will invest in a better security camera system, and is investigating how to integrate it into the police surveillance system, for extra security. WinnDevelopment is the development arm of WinnCompanies, a national multifamily property developer and manager. WinnCompanies owns more than 100 multifamily housing properties in 11 states and Washington, D.C., with more than 13,000 apartments, the company said. In New Jersey, it owns Bridgeton Villas, a 156-unit community in Bridgeton; and City Crossing, a 131-unit scattered site in Jersey City. Both have been extensively renovated in the past three years, according to the company. Company spokesman Ed Cafasso said its too early to say exactly what the renovation will involve, but what we typically do involves all new kitchens, baths, carpeting or flooring, creation of handicapped units and exterior improvements. Sometimes work needs to be done on systems like plumbing, electrical, heating and air conditioning, and roofing, he said. Well know precisely in about three months, said Cafasso. 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. 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. THIS NEWS RELEASE IS INTENDED FOR DISTRIBUTION IN CANADA ONLY AND IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TORONTO, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MediPharm Labs Corp. (TSXV: LABS) (OTCQX: MEDIF) (FSE:MLZ) (MediPharm Labs or the Company), a leader in specialized, research-driven cannabis extraction and cannabinoid isolation, is pleased to announce that, due to strong demand, it has entered into a revised agreement with syndicate of underwriters led by Scotiabank, GMP Securities L.P. and BMO Capital Markets (collectively the Underwriters), to increase the size of its previously announced $60,023,250 bought deal offering. Pursuant to the upsized deal terms, the Underwriters have agreed to purchase, on a bought deal basis, an additional 2,699,000 common shares of the Company (Common Shares) at the same issue price of $5.55 per Common Share (the Offering Price) for aggregate gross proceeds of $75,002,700 (the Offering). The Company has also granted the Underwriters an over-allotment option to purchase up to an additional 2,027,100 Common Shares at the Offering Price, exercisable in whole or in part at any time for a period ending 30 days from the closing of the Offering. In the event the over-allotment option is exercised in full, the aggregate gross proceeds of the Offering will be $86,253,105. The Common Shares will be offered in all provinces of Canada, except Quebec, pursuant to a short form prospectus to be filed by MediPharm Labs, as well as in the United States under applicable registration statement exemptions and such other jurisdictions as may be agreed to by MediPharm Labs and the Underwriters on a private placement basis. The Company plans to use the net proceeds from the Offering to fund the Companys ongoing capital expenditures at its Canadian and Australian facilities, for domestic and international expansions, research and development and general corporate purposes. The Offering is expected to close on or about June 17, 2019, and is subject to the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, including, but not limited to, the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange and the securities regulatory authorities, and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in the United States. The Common Shares have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. About MediPharm Labs Corp. Founded in 2015, MediPharm Labs has the distinction of being the first company in Canada to become a licensed producer for cannabis oil production under the ACMPR without first receiving a cannabis cultivation license. This expert focus on cannabis concentrates from being built to cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practices) and ISO standard-built clean rooms and critical environments laboratory, allows MediPharm Labs to produce purified, pharmaceutical-like cannabis oil and concentrates for advanced derivative products. MediPharm Labs has invested in an expert, research-driven team, state-of-the-art technology, downstream extraction methodologies and purpose-built facilities to deliver pure, safe and precisely-dosed cannabis products to patients and consumers. MediPharm Labs private label program is a high margin business for the company, whereby it opportunistically procures dry cannabis flower and trim from its numerous product supply partners, to produce cannabis oil concentrate products for resale globally on a private label basis For further information, please contact: Laura Lepore, VP, Investor Relations Telephone: 705-719-7425 ext 216 Email: investors@medipharmlabs.com Website: www.medipharmlabs.com NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSXV) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: This news release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (collectively, forward-looking statements) within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as expects, or does not expect, is expected, anticipates or does not anticipate, plans, budget, scheduled, forecasts, estimates, believes or intends or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results may or could, would, might or will be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, statements regarding the terms and closing date of the Offering and the Companys expected use of proceeds from the Offering. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; the inability of MediPharm Labs to obtain adequate financing; the delay or failure to receive regulatory approvals: and other factors discussed in the Companys filings, available on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. Except as required by law, MediPharm Labs assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change. In an early proof-of-concept study, the test, called DELFI (DNA evaluation of fragments for early interception), accurately detected the presence of cancer DNA in 57% to more than 99% of blood samples from 208 patients with various stages of breast, colorectal, lung, ovarian, pancreatic, gastric, or bile duct cancers in the U.S., Denmark and the Netherlands. DELFI also performed well in tests of blood samples from 215 healthy individuals, falsely identifying cancer in just four cases. The test uses machine learning, a type of artificial intelligence, to identify abnormal patterns of DNA fragments in the blood of patients with cancer. By studying these patterns, the investigators identified the cancers' tissue of origin in up to 75% of cases. A report on the research published in the journal Nature. Blood tests, or so-called "liquid biopsies" for cancer detection typically look for mutations, or changes in the DNA sequence within a cancer cell, or for methylation, a chemical reaction in which a methyl group is added to DNA, says senior study author Victor E. Velculescu, M.D., Ph.D., professor of oncology and co-director of the Cancer Biology Program at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center. But not all cancer patients have changes that are detectable using these methods and there is a great need for improved methods for early detection of cancer's genetic markers. DELFI, he says, takes a different approach, studying the way DNA is packaged inside the nucleus of a cancer cell. It does so by looking in the blood at the size and amount of DNA from different regions across the genome for clues to that packaging. Alessandro Leal, M.D., a Ph.D. candidate at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, explains that the nuclei of healthy cells package DNA like a well-organized suitcase in which similar items are loaded together in separate sections. By contrast, the nuclei of cancer cells are more like disorganized suitcases, with items from across the genome thrown in haphazardly. "For various reasons, a cancer genome is disorganized in the way it's packaged, which means that when cancer cells die they release their DNA in a chaotic manner into the bloodstream," says Jillian Phallen, Ph.D., a Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center postdoctoral fellow. By examining this cell-free DNA (cfDNA), the DELFI test helps identify the presence of cancer by detecting abnormalities in the size and amount of DNA in different regions of the genome based on how it is packaged." The researchers caution that the test's potential must be further validated in additional studies, but if that happens it could be used to screen for cancer by taking a tube of blood from an individual, extracting the cfDNA, studying its genetic sequences, and determining the fragmentation profile of the cfDNA. The genome-wide fragmentation pattern from an individual can then be compared to "reference populations" with known cancer types to determine if the pattern is likely healthy or derived from cancer. Robert B. Scharpf, Ph.D., associate professor of oncology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, says that because the genome-wide profile may reveal differences associated with specific tissues, these patterns, if found to be derived from cancer, can also indicate the source of the cancer, such as from the pancreas, breast, etc. DELFI simultaneously analyzes millions of sequences from hundreds to thousands of regions in the genome, identifying tumor-specific abnormalities from minute cfDNA amounts, says Scharpf. Using the DELFI test, investigators found that genome-wide cfDNA fragmentation profiles are different between cancer patients and healthy individuals. In cancer patients, fragmentation patterns in cfDNA appear to result from mixtures of DNA released from both blood and tumor cells, and show multiple distinct genomic differences with increases and decreases in fragment sizes at different regions. DELFI detected cancer in 73% of cancer patients overall, while misclassifying four of 215 healthy individuals (98% specificity). The test also was found to be 61%-75% accurate in identifying the tissue of origin of the cfDNA, compared to current mutation-based cfDNA analyses. When both of these approaches were combined, investigators said they could accurately detect 91% of cancer patients. The team is in the process of scaling up their analyses to study DELFI's ability in thousands of samples. "We're extremely encouraged about the potential of DELFI because it looks at a completely independent set of cancer DNA characteristics from those that have posed difficulties over the years," Velculescu says. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/893662/DELFI_picture.jpg SOURCE Johns Hopkins Medicine WASHINGTON, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Afiniti, a multinational advanced analytics company, has partnered with G6 Hospitality LLC, the parent company of Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands in the United States and Canada, to implement AI solutions in customer service contact centers across North America. Just a few months after deployment, G6 Hospitality is already seeing significant gains in profitability. As part of its ongoing commitment to meet and exceed guest expectations, G6 Hospitality engaged Afiniti to intelligently route callers making or modifying hotel reservations. By analyzing call histories and other CRM data, the Afiniti Enterprise Behavioral Pairing algorithm predicts patterns of interpersonal behavior and matches guests with G6 Hospitality team members best equipped to serve them. "The hospitality industry is evolving rapidly, but the need to provide excellent customer service will never change," said Jessie Burgess, Chief Information Officer, G6 Hospitality. "Afiniti's solution is intuitive, seamless and measurable key components of our broader technology strategy. It's one of many ways we're creating consistently positive experiences for our guests and driving ROI for the business." The new partnership has already generated 4,700 incremental bookings for G6 Hospitality and is expected to deliver gains across revenue, cost reduction and guest experience metrics over time. Alex Abji, Vice President of Client Services at Afiniti, remarked, "We are thrilled to kick off this partnership with such an iconic hospitality brand. G6 Hospitality is leading the way in guest experience, as demonstrated by its investment in innovative technologies such as Afiniti." About G6 Hospitality G6 Hospitality LLC owns, operates and franchises more than 1,400 economy lodging locations under the Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands in the United States and Canada and the Hotel 6 brand in India. Having opened its 1,000th franchise location in 2018, G6 also has plans to franchise the Hotel 6 and Estudio 6 brands in Central America. Headquartered in Dallas (Carrollton), Texas, G6 Hospitality recently placed 73rd in Entrepreneur Magazine's 40th Annual Franchising 500. The company has also been named a "Best for Vets" employer by Military Times and in 2018 was inducted into the Military Spouses Employment Partnership sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense. For more information, please visit www.g6hospitality.com. About Afiniti Afiniti Enterprise Behavioral Pairing uses artificial intelligence to identify subtle and valuable patterns of human interaction in order to pair individuals on the basis of behavior, leading to more successful interactions and measurable increases in enterprise profitability. Afiniti operates throughout the world and has measurably driven billions of dollars in incremental value to its clients. Afiniti has over 150 deployments in major enterprises across a range of sectors, including telecommunications, insurance, financial services, hospitality and healthcare, and has optimized more than 600,000 agents and 700 million customers. Afiniti's technology continually learns and improves, analyzing 1.3 million interactions every day to refine its pairings. For more information, please visit http://www.afiniti.com. Media Contact: [email protected] SOURCE Afiniti Related Links http://www.afiniti.com "We are very pleased to announce this pivotal development," said Amish Shah president of ALTR Created Diamonds. "Our CoVentures alliance will exponentially enhance our penetration of markets all over the world, but most significantly in the Eurozone and the Asia Pacific regions. We will be able to leverage some significant synergies," he added "they are experts in converting earth mined rough diamonds into new categories of desirable jewelry, we are doing the same with ALTR Created Diamonds." UNROUND, UNBORING, UNPRECEDENTED And this is not just any diamantaire, H. Dipak established itself as a powerhouse in the 1990s by becoming the main force behind the princess cut diamond phenomenon, just as the princess cut became the most popular fancy shaped diamond ever used for engagement rings. H. Dipak then coined the ground breaking concept of "Unrounds" and became the world-leading specialist in fancy shaped diamonds overall. H Dipak employs over 3,500 employees and operates out of a 50,000 square foot corporate head office in Mumbai. Recent success stories include strategic partnership with "Divine Solitaires" and exciting new brands with retail stores "Unsaid Library" and "Her Story". UPCOMING, UPSCALE, UPSTART ALTR Created Diamonds, led by Amish Shah, a third-generation diamond and jewelry entrepreneur, has captured the imagination of the modern consumer like never before with its bigger and more brilliant Type IIA created diamonds. The pioneering brand caters to the discerning modern consumer with exceptional quality and innovation, transforming aspirational luxury into attainable luxury. Headquartered in New York, ALTR Created Diamonds has offices in Hong Kong and Mumbai as well as satellite offices in South Korea and Australia to support its rapidly growing distribution in those regions. H. Dipak sponsored CoVentures serves as an incubator for disruptive young brands in the fields of design, technology and retail. ALTR may well be its first poster child. Hitesh Mehta, Chairman, CoVentures, states, "We are thrilled to align with ALTR Created Diamonds. ALTR is the leading player in the lab-grown diamond sector, and at the forefront of driving a new wave of consumer desire towards the diamond jewelry category. We see great opportunities for ALTR to open up new markets and capture enormous global interest we have witnessed for their product." H. Dipak will continue to run independently as a leading natural diamond business, the company's significant experience and expertise will help augment the alliance between CoVentures and ALTR Created Diamonds. "This alliance is an important step in our mission to provide unique product offerings and cement our position as a dynamic leader in the created diamond category. CoVentures is the best possible partner for us, given its modern, innovative and dynamic approach," says Amish Shah, President, ALTR Created Diamonds. About ALTR Created Diamonds ALTR Created Diamonds, produced exclusively by R.A. Riam Group, offers unparalleled quality, innovative technology, and the most brilliant created diamonds and created diamond jewelry. The ownership of the parent company RIAM Group has 85 years of experience in the diamond and fine jewelry industry. R.A. Riam Group has the knowledge and expertise to bring vertical and integrated manufacturing of created diamonds and created diamond jewelry to an international market. As a division of this company and the only vertically-integrated diamond enterprise that provides a true end-to-end product, ALTR creates the purest form of diamonds (Type IIA diamonds) known to man. For more information on ALTR Created Diamonds, please visit ALTR.NYC. SOURCE ALTR Created Diamonds Related Links http://www.altr.nyc SCHAUMBURG, Ill., May 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Ahead of the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season, Zurich Insurance is launching a new Continuing Education (CE)-accredited training program on building resilience to severe weather events. The two-hour program, The Post Event Review Capability (PERC) Program and Insurance: Analyzing Resilience and Insurance Protection, is available in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina and satisfies requirements for two insurance CE credits. The program will educate insurance distributors and Zurich customers on Zurich's award-winning PERC methodology, a comprehensive, robust analytical tool designed to help all community stakeholders learn from past disasters to make their communities more resilient. The program will also share lessons learned from conducting 14 post-event reviews of disasters and explain the types of insurance offerings and resilience measures available to businesses and communities. "This training program is premised on the clear understanding that our customers don't conduct business in a vacuum," said Zurich North America Chief Claims Officer Paul Lavelle. "We are all part of communities where we live, work and do business. At Zurich, we see it as our responsibility to share what we've learned from studying disasters with the hope of making our communities we serve safer and more resilient." Insurance distributors and Zurich customers who attend the training program will gain the following knowledge: Understand the history and background of the PERC methodology; Learn how the methodology helps communities develop a systematic, disciplined approach to preparing for a disaster before, during and after it occurs; Identify the characteristics that resilient communities exhibit that enables them to effectively plan for, endure and recover quickly from a disaster; Understand the elements of the PERC framework and how it is utilized to conduct a post-event analysis of a community's response to a disaster and how that analysis is used to frame "lessons learned" and areas in which the community can enhance its resilience; Understand how insurance relates to effective PERC planning, what obstacles stand in the way of securing adequate coverage, the role the industry needs to play throughout the pre- and post-disaster cycle and the range of coverages needed; and Review key findings from recent post-event reviews conducted in the United States . This new training program is based on extensive research conducted by Zurich on disasters around the world and implications for developing and building resilience, including effective insurance programming. It also aligns with the Sustainable Cities and Communities and Climate Action goals that are part of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. Plans are underway to make the training available in additional states. For more information about the training program, fill out the "Contact Us" form on https://www.zurichna.com/en/brokers/broker-academy. About Zurich North America For more information about Zurich, go to https://www.zurichna.com/zna/services/about-zurich SOURCE Zurich North America Related Links https://www.zurichna.com/en Mr. Newlin stated recently, "Between concert tickets and parking costs, the cost of taking your girlfriend, wife, or family to a concert is simply not affordable to many families. I remember when I was a teenager I really wanted to see Lionel Richie in concert. My father, a steelworker, told me that it was just too expensive. Later that year, REO Speedwagon came to town for a local festival and played for free. It was intense, and it was free. I was first in line with my dad, and we had a great time and, today, it is a lasting memory. I am really excited, knowing that so many families and fans of Global Superstar Pitbull, Nacho, and DJ Vice will be able to enjoy a fabulous night of live music for free. What better way to give back in honor of Orlando Police Officer Kevin Valencia." Adding an Additional Element of Community to the Concert This year Attorney Dan Newlin is producing the concert in honor of Officer Kevin Valencia of the Orlando Police Department. Officer Valencia was born in Cali, Colombia but raised in Florida by his parents. He later went on to serve in the U.S Army National Guard and later joined the Orlando Police Department where he served as a patrol officer. On June 10th, Officer Valencia was dispatched to an emergency call involving a domestic disturbance. While trying to make contact with the residents at the home, Officer Valencia was ambushed and shot in the face. Officer Valencia sustained a serious brain injury as a result of this shooting and has undergone multiple surgeries and remains in a coma today. Mr. Newlin said, "When this shooting first happened, we were asked to help with a small donation, of course, we helped. There was a lot of news coverage for months, but things slowly dropped off, and you did not hear much about Officer Valencia any longer. Then, one day a few months ago, I was reading the paper online, and there was a small article maybe a few sentences with the title: Officer Comes Home. The article was on page six of the paper and said that Officer Valencia was moved to a new medical facility near Orlando." Attorney Newlin continued, "I thought 'How can this be? How can this man a hero still in a coma, be a back-page news story? That is so wrong.' That is when it hit me to reach out to Orange County Sheriff Mina, Orlando Police Chief Colon, and Mrs. Valencia to see if we could turn this back-page story into a front-page story again for life. When I met with Mrs. Valencia, I knew instantly we had to do something spectacular to help keep Officer Valencia's story front and center forever. Awareness brings support and hope. I also knew that I had to work behind the scenes to help raise money, so Mrs. Valencia could have the additional monetary resources to best care for her husband." Newlin said he did not want people attending the concert to give any money but only bring their love and support. According to Mr. Newlin, he and his law firm have personally knocked down doors raising money to help the Valencia family, which will be given to the Valencia family the night of the concert. Attorney Dan Newlin said, "My goal was to do great for Mrs. Valencia and her family, and I am going to do just that, better then great, no one deserves it more!" Finally, Newlin reminds all to arrive at the Central Florida Fairgrounds early on June 1st. "Bring the family, bring your friends, bring your neighbors, and enjoy what will be an amazing spectacular free night of Grammy-winning artists and live music. I'll see all of you at the concert," says Attorney Dan Newlin. Read more about Officer Valencia's story here: www.officervalencia.com More information about the free concert can be found here: www.newlinlaw.com/free-concert-with-pitbull Dan Newlin Injury Attorneys is a nationally recognized and highly accomplished personal injury law firm, serving the state of Florida. Our attorneys are experts in the area of personal injury law and are dedicated to helping clients who have sustained an injury at no fault of their own. Dan Newlin Injury Attorneys currently consists of a team of 75 highly experienced lawyers and over 150 support staff; priding themselves on providing personal, professional legal representation to all of our clients while always striving to get the best result possible. SOURCE Dan Newlin Injury Attorneys Related Links http://newlinlaw.com Finnish English REPURCHASE OF OWN SHARES The Board of Directors of Afarak Group Oyj (Company) resolved on May 29, 2019, based on the authorization granted by the Companys General Meeting held on November 12, 2018 (Authorization), that the Company repurchases its own shares ("Shares") by means of a voluntary public tender offer made to all shareholders ("Offer"). The Board of Directors of the Company decided to limit the maximum amount of the Offer to be less than the maximum amount set out in the Authorization. This is due to the fact that the Company has received an interpretation from the Finnish Financial Supervisory Authority, that the completion of the Offer with the maximum amount allowed by the Authorization would result in the Company's shareholder LNS Resources Ltd being obliged to make a public tender for all of the Company's shares. The offer period of the Offer commences on June 10, 2019 at 9.30. a.m. (Finnish time) and expires on July 1, 2019 at 4.00 p.m. (Finnish time), unless the Company's Board of Directors decides to extend the offer period in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Offer or unless the terms and conditions stipulate otherwise. The key terms and conditions of the Offer are as follows: The Offer is made for a maximum of 26,000,000 Company's Shares. The Offer shall be executed only for the part of the consideration payable for the Shares amounting up to EUR 26,390,000 in the aggregate; If the number of offered Shares exceeds the maximum number of Shares in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Offer, the Offer shall be accepted for each shareholder having accepted the Offer in proportion of the Shares offered by such shareholders in the Offer, rounded down per book-entry account to the previous whole Share per each book-entry account; A shareholder can accept the Offer for all the Shares owned by him/her or for a number of Shares of his/her choosing per book-entry account; The offer price is EUR 1.015 per Share; The offer price for a Share shall be paid in cash for each Share validly tendered in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Offer; The sale and purchase of the Shares validly tendered and not properly withdrawn in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Offer will be executed no later than on the fifth (5.) Finnish banking day following the expiry of the offer period, or if the offer period has been extended or discontinued, the expiry of the extended or discontinued offer period, and the settlement of trades as well as the payment of the offer prices of the Shares will be effected on or about the second (2.) Finnish banking day following the above-mentioned completion trades; In the event of a subsequent offer period, the Company shall in connection with the announcement thereof announce the terms of payment and settlement for the Shares tendered during the subsequent offer period; Only the invested unrestricted equity fund evidenced by the Company's financial statements dated December 31, 2017 shall be used for the repurchase of Shares; The Shares to be repurchased will become null and void as a part of the execution of the Offer in a way that the Shares to be repurchased will not become in the Company's possession at any stage; The Offer is subject to the conditions that no material adverse change defined in the terms and conditions of the Offer has occurred after the meeting of Board of Directors on May 29, 2019. The exact terms of the Offer will be published after the Finnish Financial Supervisory Authority has approved the offer document regarding the Offer, on or about June 7, 2019. In accordance with chapter 11, section 4, of the Finnish Securities Markets Act, the recommendation for procedures to be complied with in public tender offers referred to in chapter 11, section 28, of the said act is not applicable in the Offer, because the Offer concerns the acquisition of own shares by the means of public tender offer. UB Securities Oy is acting as the arranger of the Offer. More information about the Offer is available in the offer document concerning the Offer to be published later. Since 1976, The Center on Colfax has played a pivotal role in giving voice to Colorado's LGBTQ community, furthering and driving statewide initiatives to reduce harassment and discrimination. The organization has grown to become the largest LGBTQ community center in the region, hosting a number of programs and providing critical resources for both youth and adults. The Center and their cause are passion points for the Bobo's family as they continue to encourage everyone to snack with purpose, and seek to bring a sense of home, love and family through each of their hand baked bars. "Bobo's message of 'love wins' goes beyond just loving those around you. It's about embracing and celebrating everyone for who they are," says TJ McIntyre, CEO. "We believe strongly in equality and ensuring that all people feel welcome and accepted, and are proud to align our brand with an organization who brings that mission to life." Debra Pollock, CEO at The Center on Colfax, added, "We are very grateful to Bobo's for their wonderful support of The Center and Denver PrideFest. Bobo's provides our community with a delicious, healthy snack while also giving back. It is extraordinary that Bobo's has established itself as a leader in charitable giving and community inclusion." The limited-edition Pride Bar is available online through Bobo's and The Center on Colfax's websites through the remainder of the year. The bars can be purchased in six-bar boxes that will retail for $14.95. For every box sold, Bobo's will donate $5.00 to The Center on Colfax. ABOUT BOBO'S: Bobo's has been making people everywhere feel like family with fresh-baked, wholesome and handmade snacks and handmade oat bars since 2003 when Bobo and her mother decided to do some baking in their Boulder, CO kitchen. Years later, every love-filled Bobo's treat is still made the old-fashioned way; in the same small batches and the same pans. With 16 delicious flavors of Bobo's 3oz bars, six flavors of 1.3 ounce oat bites, four 2.5 oz. nut-butter filled bars, and four 2.5 oz toaster pastries; every healthy Bobo's treat is still 100% gluten free, vegan, kosher, and non-GMO certified. Bobo's can be found in natural and conventional grocers around the country or learn more about how we bake like you are family at eatbobos.com. ABOUT THE CENTER ON COLFAX: The Center on Colfax opened in 1976 has grown to become the largest LGBTQ community center in the Rocky Mountain region, giving voice to Colorado's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community and playing a pivotal role in statewide initiatives to reduce harassment and discrimination. Today we are focused on fulfilling our mission by ensuring that every member of the LGBTQ community has access to the programs and resources they need to live happy, healthy, and productive lives. SOURCE Bobo's Related Links http://www.eatbobos.com LONDON, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- CNA Hardy's 2019 Global Risk & Confidence Survey published today [https://bit.ly/2I7PN0m] finds that as global, interconnected risk becomes a reality, reputational risk is rising and business confidence is on the slide. Research for the latest edition of the report highlights a clear East-West divide in terms of confidence. While optimism has fallen among executives leading European, UK and North American businesses, it continues to rise in Asia Pacific. Percentage of business leaders that are confident in the ability of their business to grow and prosper Percentage of firms globally planning to proceed with investment in business fundamentals Percentage of firms that believe the risk environment to be moderate to high Percentage of business leaders who think reputation risk will increase now and in 12 months time Business Division on Managing Reputation Risk CNA logo. (PRNewsFoto/CNA Financial Corporation) Ongoing discussions regarding how the UK is to exit Europe are having a markedly negative impact on business confidence on both sides of the Channel. In the UK only 36% of leaders are confident in the ability of their firm to grow and prosper a far cry from May '17 when 71% of business leaders were confident. In Europe only 50% are confident - a fall of almost one third in the past six months. In North America, confidence fell back 8% to 59% over the past six months as here too improving economic fundamentals continued to take a battering from economic and policy shocks. Asia Pacific is the only region where confidence has risen (up 23% to 65%) in the past six months, and where executives globally believe there is the greatest capacity to drive growth. Investment in business fundamentals on the slide Against this backdrop, the rate of investment in business fundamentals has fallen dramatically in the six months to May '19, with investment in talent and research & development (R&D) among the hardest hit areas. Dave Brosnan comments: "Uncertainty is a key driver of high levels of caution about investment in business fundamentals. Companies are simply not prepared to put capital at risk in an environment where unpredictability reigns. The inevitable, but extremely damaging consequence is that fewer companies are maintaining investment in technology, R&D and talent to support the top line." The reality of global interconnected risk hits home Underpinning changes in business confidence is companies' constant reassessment of the shifting risk environment. Globally, the percentage of business leaders who feel they operate in a moderate to high risk environment held broadly steady at 81%, with European business leaders the least risk averse (65%) and North American the most (87%). Dave Brosnan comments: "The data shows a strong consensus among global business leaders on the direction of travel in terms of risk overall. This alignment of risk perceptions over time and across the regions demonstrates very clearly the reality of interconnected risk. From connected devices and international supply chains, to the global financial system, the potential for small problems to trigger unexpected cascading failures, is now all around us." Globally, economic risk is the biggest concern both now and in 12 months' time, followed by cyber then tech risk. Economic risk though remaining the most mentioned risk overall - is set to decline as political and reputational risk gain momentum. Reputation risk rising fast As business leaders look ahead to May '20, we see that reputation risk is growing faster than any other up 29% globally, a third (33%) in Europe and doubling in Asia Pacific between May '19 and May '20. Dave Brosnan, CEO, CNA Hardy said: "In an increasingly complex, tech-led, interconnected global economy, business leaders are being tested like never before. The result is that confidence has dipped, investment in business fundamentals is down across the board and reputation risk has emerged as the new threat that stalks the corridors of power." Businesses are divided on how to manage reputation risk Businesses we spoke to were divided regarding the most significant challenges they face when dealing with brand or reputation risk. Managing the logistical challenges securing board buy-in and implementing a timely plan of action were two of the highest ranked priorities. But maintaining brand value was narrowly the top concern globally, with sentiment particularly marked in Asia Pacific and North America. Strong appetite for innovative insurance response CNA Hardy is finding significant appetite among its broker network and insureds for deeper discussion and insight around the drivers of boardroom risk and strategies for risk prevention and mitigation. Dave Brosnan, CEO, CNA Hardy said: "Reputation cover will become mainstream as boardroom risk is re-evaluated. In the same way the market has found a way to model the cost of non-physical damage business interruption claims as part of terror and political violence cover, we believe there is scope to model and mitigate the cost of managing reputation risk and the consequential damage to brand value caused by specific triggers." REGIONAL DATA North America: cautious but hopeful May '19 is a pinch point of low confidence and high risk; but the picture resolves as we look ahead to the end of the year and into '20. Only 59% of executives in North America are confident in the ability of their business to grow and prosper today, compared with six months ago when 64% were confident. By November 2019 , the decline is expected to reverse, with 69% predicting business confidence by May '20. are confident in the ability of their business to grow and prosper today, compared with six months ago when 64% were confident. By , the decline is expected to reverse, with 69% predicting business confidence by May '20. Underpinning the improving sentiment, economic (20%) and cyber risk (19%) have both been downgraded in the six months since November '18, although they still top the league of risk concerns both now and in 12 months' time. Supply chain risk is at an historic high in May '19 - a push-back on globalisation coupled with a rise in protectionism are likely drivers here. Reputation risk is also set to rise, although the trend is less marked than in other regions. North American executives are divided on how to manage reputation risk. In the US the biggest concern is securing board buy-in. In Canada concerns focus on the difficulty of managing the adverse impacts of negative publicity. concerns focus on the difficulty of managing the adverse impacts of negative publicity. Business leaders remain invested in Asia Pacific , where 24% of firms expect to see growth by May '20. Kathleen Ellis, Senior Vice President, CNA International Solutions comments: "Managing supply chain complexity is relevant and a growing issue of importance, even for mid-size businesses. Although large firms have more at stake, smaller and mid-sized firms still must efficiently manage how and where they produce, assemble and distribute product. Due to the smaller or mid-size scale, they are vulnerable if they 'guess' wrong on shifting global politics and policy. These and other factors, such as natural catastrophe, contribute to this cautionary mood. Nick Creatura, President and CEO, CNA Canada comments: "Management liability risk is also rising. This is partly attributable to the increasing pervasiveness of social media. The need to be the 'first to know' drives a heightened sense of urgency to report on events, but that reporting is often overly aggressive and misinformed. The market reacts very quickly and it never likes surprises. So companies take significant hits in reputation and market value when they experience negative events. The manner in which these situations are handled is extremely important in mitigating the impact of such events." Asia-Pacific: the tiger roars again Confidence among business leaders in Asia Pacific has soared in the past six months from 53% to 65% with the region now leading the world in terms of its buoyant outlook. The mood suggests the region's leaders believed they can weather the worst of the Chinese-US trade war and have faith in the growing economic dominance of the region as a whole. has soared in the past six months from 53% to 65% with the region now leading the world in terms of its buoyant outlook. The mood suggests the region's leaders believed they can weather the worst of the Chinese-US trade war and have faith in the growing economic dominance of the region as a whole. Supporting rising confidence, Asia Pacific's perceptions of risk have grown only modestly in the last six months, with 85% of business leaders now believing they operate in a moderate to high risk environment, compared to 82% in November '18. perceptions of risk have grown only modestly in the last six months, with 85% of business leaders now believing they operate in a moderate to high risk environment, compared to 82% in November '18. The key external risks concerning business leaders are economic (24% of business leaders) and cyber risk at 18%, although supply chain is rising in importance, now ranking fourth for the first time. By May '20, over a fifth of global business leaders predict that Asia will be the region that has the greatest capacity to drive their growth, putting it well ahead of the global pack. Carl Day, Vice President, Property, Marine & Energy, CNA Hardy, comments: "The growth in confidence in Asia-Pacific is great news for corporates in this part of the world and marks a significant shift in sentiment from just six months ago. As President Xi's signature Belt & Road initiative rebuilds the region's ancient silk routes with nearly a US$ 1 trillion earmarked for infrastructure investments to around 1000 projects, domestic and foreign enterprises alike will want to ensure that their supply chains are optimised to capitalise on the Asian growth story." Brexit batters confidence in UK and Europe Ongoing discussions regarding how the UK is to exit Europe are having a markedly negative impact on business confidence on both sides of the Channel. are having a markedly negative impact on business confidence on both sides of the Channel. For business confidence, the UK remains bottom across all surveyed regions. Europe , which led the world in terms of confidence six months ago, is now the least confident region globally after the UK. , which led the world in terms of confidence six months ago, is now the least confident region globally after the UK. The UK sees its biggest issue as economic (18%) above political, technology and cyber (all at 14%). In Europe , economic risk also leads (16%), but shares the stage more evenly with cyber and technology (both at 13%). For the first time, however regulatory and compliance risk rises into the top three in Europe and is ranked fourth in the UK. This strong showing reflects growing anxiety about the timing and manner of Brexit which raises significant questions about how cross-border trade is to be administered. , economic risk also leads (16%), but shares the stage more evenly with cyber and technology (both at 13%). For the first time, however regulatory and compliance risk rises into the top three in and is ranked fourth in the UK. This strong showing reflects growing anxiety about the timing and manner of Brexit which raises significant questions about how cross-border trade is to be administered. Beyond domestic boundaries, business leaders in Europe see Asia Pacific as their biggest foreign growth market. UK executives continue to believe that Europe has greatest scope, even though that faith has declined rapidly in recent years. "It is inevitable that the combination of political and economic volatility with regulatory uncertainty will drive reputational risk," said Carl Day, Vice President, Property, Marine and Energy CNA Hardy. "Business leaders are at a point where forecasting is problematic, investment in business fundamentals is going on hold, and the risk of strategic missteps is rising. Interconnected risk is a feature of modern business life, and here we see it played out through the lens of a shifting UK-Europe relationship." About CNA Hardy CNA Hardy, acting in the UK through Hardy (Underwriting Agencies) Limited and CNA Insurance Company Limited, and in Europe through CNA Insurance Company (Europe) S.A., is a leading specialist commercial insurance provider for clients within both the Lloyd's and company markets. For more information, please visit CNA Hardy at www.cnahardy.com. CNA is one of the largest U.S. commercial property and casualty insurance companies. CNA provides a broad range of standard and specialized property and casualty insurance products and services for businesses and professionals in the U.S., Canada and Europe, backed by 120 years of experience and approximately $45 billion of assets. For more information, please visit CNA at www.cna.com. Follow CNA Hardy on: LinkedIn | Twitter Follow CNA on: Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | YouTube CNA Insurance Company Limited (company registration number 950) and Hardy (Underwriting Agencies) Limited (company registration number 1264271) are authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (firm reference number 202777 and 204843 respectively). CNA Services (UK) Limited (registered number 8836589). 'CNAHardy' is a trading name of CNA Insurance Company Limited and Hardy Underwriting Group PLC (which includes Hardy (Underwriting Agencies) Limited and Hardy Underwriting Asia PTE). VAT registration number 667557779. The above companies are all registered in England with their registered office at 20 Fenchurch Street, London, EC3M 3BY. Switchboard: +44 (0)20 7743 6800 Facsimile: +44 (0)20 7743 6801 CONTACTS: Europe & Asia: Georgina Peters-Venzano I +442076454968 / +447739448121 [email protected] USA: Allyson Marcus: 001 2679949052 - [email protected] Canada: Lynn Lafortune I 001 4165427399 [email protected] SOURCE CNA Hardy Related Links http://www.cnahardy.com Alejandra was deported in August 2018, torn from her two U.S. citizen daughters and husband, an Iraq War veteran and proud Marine. Although Alejandra has no criminal record, ICE alerted her of the deportation after a traffic stop in 2013. Alejandra entered the U.S. without inspection over 20 years ago for a better life. She fell in love, raised a family, and was protected from deportation under orders of supervision; regularly checking in with USCIS to ensure she had no criminal record. This all changed when Donald Trump took the Oath of Office. His immigration policies separated her family and brought resentment to her marriage. Her husband voted for Trump, and continues to support him. "We have had a lot of marital issues because of that," Alejandra said. "He is in a lot of pain." Alejandra's oldest daughter, 17-year-old Pamela Juarez, also weighed in on the situation. Pamela expressed her anguish over her mother's deportation, and her confusion over her father's support of Trump. "I'm not sure," Pamela said of her father voting for Trump. "I ask him about it. I don't get a clear answer. Just the fact that he [Trump] deported my mom, I want nothing to do with him [Trump]." "Everything he was saying about all the illegal immigrants needing to get out, and he kept saying horrible things about Mexicans - I started to get worried. He could be the reason my mother gets deported," she recalled of Trump's campaign rhetoric. The family's reunification depends upon Congress passing a pending private bill, introduced by Representative Darren Soto. The bill would bring back Alejandra, and help over 11,800 military at-risk of deportation families nationwide. Catch the full interview on YouTube and Facebook with host Brad Bernstein! Brad Show Live is a 2019 Webby Honoree that airs Monday-Friday at 5:30 p.m. ET! https://www.youtube.com/user/sparandbernstein/featured https://www.facebook.com/SparBernstein/ Contact: Jill Gould, [email protected] SOURCE Brad Show Live The announcement marks the first opening of a physical North American location for the global FinTech brand. DBM Cloud Systems , Flagstar Bank , Franklin Templeton , Fujitsu Laboratories of America and Principal Financial Group are welcomed as initial founding corporate partners, in advance of SFB's June opening. Furthermore, Greg La Blanc, faculty director of the Berkeley Fintech Institute and distinguished teaching fellow at the University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business, was welcomed as an independent director of SFB's advisory board. FinTech Consortium is expanding its model, after success across Asia and the Middle East and North Africa region, emanating from Singapore FinTech Bay and Bahrain FinTech Bay, respectively. "Silicon FinTech Bay's global partnership network allows startup residents to thrive," said Rick Frisbie, CEO of Silicon FinTech Bay. "Our world-class ecosystem provides corporate partners with an ideal environment to deliver upon key innovation initiatives." The state-of-the-art SFB, located in the heart of Silicon Valley at 2125 Broadway Street, Redwood City, overlooks the pedestrian promenade and houses communal ideation spaces, hot and permanent desks and offices. A short walk from/to the Redwood City Caltrain Station, it is an ideal location for corporate innovation labs and fintech startups. FinTech Consortium USA has been appointed as the ecosystem builder and operator of Silicon FinTech Bay. FTC will apply digital solutions and physical resources to manage the hub, as well as integrate SFB into its numerous global platforms, including blockchain (BlockOn), insurance technology (InsurByte) and regulatory technology (RegFact). SFB opens as part of FTC's global network of locations across Bahrain, Detroit, Singapore and now Silicon Valley. Maissan Almaskati, chief executive officer of FTC's U.S. operations, and Singapore-based Gerben Visser, the founder of FinTech Consortium, have helped lead the launch of the group's first FinTech Bay in the U.S. market. Mr. Almaskati expressed, "We are excited to leverage the success of our global footprint. SFB represents a natural and strategic stage in the growth of our capabilities." Mr. Visser added, "Our partnership networks and platforms are uniquely positioned to advance and contribute to the future-proofing of the financial industry. We have achieved our success by being dedicated to fintech, and are thrilled to open our next Bay in the very heart of Silicon Valley." For more information about Silicon Valley FinTech Bay please visit: https://www.siliconfintechbay.com/ MEDIA CONTACT Adela Piper Siren PR for FinTech Consortium 586.212.4792, [email protected] ADDITIONAL CONTACT Jolyn Goh, FinTech Consortium Email: [email protected] ABOUT SILICON FINTECH BAY Silicon FinTech Bay ("SFB") is a FinTech platform to incubate insightful, scalable and impactful FinTech initiatives and innovations and a foothold into the North American FinTech ecosystem in a resurgent and fast-changing part of the Bay Area. Silicon FinTech Bay will further the relationships of FinTech Consortium, with governmental bodies, financial institutions, corporates, consultancy firms, universities, associations, media agencies, venture capital and FinTech startups to bring the full spectrum of financial market participants and stakeholders together. We believe in partnership and collaboration to drive forward Silicon Valley's FinTech ecosystem. https://www.siliconfintechbay.com ABOUT FINTECH CONSORTIUM The FinTech Consortium is a FinTech Incubator and venture & ecosystem builder that aims to further the development, interaction and acceleration of the global FinTech landscape. We foster synergies among market players, including government bodies, financial institutions, corporates, investors and innovators, who believe that technology can bring added value to the financial industry. We facilitate corporate incubation and venture acceleration as well as access to analytical tools and FinTech related resources. http://www.fintech-consortium.com SOURCE FinTech Consortium Related Links http://www.fintech-consortium.com NEW YORK, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- HSA administration company, Clarity Benefit Solutions, offers tips for brokers to help employers see the value of HSAs. Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are a win-win benefit that helps employees set aside pre-tax funds for health-related expenses. However, many employers don't realize that is beneficial for them as well. A number of misconceptions and fears have kept HSAs from being widely adopted. But with the proper information and guidance, employers can truly see the value in implementing HSAs in their employee benefit programs. One valuable benefit of HSAs is the reduction in healthcare costs. There is a one-time reduction in base premiums when switching over from non-HSA qualified plans. There is also a slower year-to-year premium savings that grows over time. If employers are smart, they can reinvest their premium savings into their employees' HSA accounts, which increases employee engagement within the program. Additionally, HSAs allow employees to take control of their health-care decisions, which is extremely valuable to employers. These plans are often High Deductible Health Plans (HDHP) which means employees are responsible for more medical costs up to a certain point. In turn, they tend to make more cost-effective healthcare decisions; for example, they may go to an urgent care center rather than an emergency room in a certain situation. They will also be more likely to choose options that are HSA eligible, since they won't have out-of-pocket costs. Both of these scenarios lower the employee's healthcare costs, as well as the employer's. Finally, HSAs are the only triple tax-advanced account in existence. Funds are contributed tax-free, grow without tax, and are not taxed when withdrawn. This is a unique edge that employers should be taking advantage of. Their payroll taxes decrease significantly when employees contribute to an HSA. Employees can also use the HSA as an effective way to invest money for the future. Ultimately, getting employers to see the value of HSAs depends on a broker's ability to show the employer that HSAs are simple and mutually beneficial. About Clarity Benefit Solutions: Clarity Benefit Solutions provides technology that makes the health insurance plan selection process fast, easy, and straightforward. For over two decades, we have provided clients with industry-leading technology, compliance, and exceptional customer service. Our offering is designed to save time and lower the costs of managing benefits while also promoting employee self-service and automated ACA compliance. SOURCE Clarity Benefit Solutions CHICAGO, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Patients grappling with long-term depression are demanding alternatives to benzodiazepine drugs which often only partially address, or temporarily address, their symptoms. Ketamine, a drug that has been used as a safe and effective anesthetic since the 1960s, is emerging as a depression treatment that a rapidly growing number of patients are pursuing as they aim to improve their quality of life and better manage their depression. Innovative Express Care, a trusted primary care practice in Lincoln Park, has been offering Ketamine infusions for depression and chronic pain patients since early 2018 with great success. To meet patient demand, the medical practice has opened a dedicated Ketamine clinic, Innovative Ketamine, at 3221 N. Sheffield Avenue in Chicago. "Patients suffering from long-term depression report having a dark cloud hovering over them, with unnecessary weight on their shoulders, that plagues their daily activities," said Rahul Khare, MD, president and founder of Innovative Express Care. "The impact to their quality of life is significant, often resulting in challenges with employers and personal relationships. Ketamine has emerged as a remarkable treatment to control these symptoms." The off-label use of Ketamine for the treatment of depression involves a series of six infusions in the first two weeks, followed by maintenance infusions, most commonly administered every six weeks. An estimated 75 percent of patients who try Ketamine are able to achieve symptom relief, but the innovative treatment option is not widely available at this time. Khare was one of the first physicians in Chicago to offer Ketamine infusions for depression and he is pleased to be expanding his practice to allow more patients to be treated. "It's important that we as physicians look past the pharmaceuticals that we have become accustomed to prescribing, and seek alternatives that can achieve results with fewer side-effects. Ketamine shows great promise in this area," said Khare. Ketamine infusions have the potential to help patients suffering from a variety of conditions, including PTSD, severe depression, anxiety and chronic pain. Since Innovative Express Care began offering Ketamine infusions in early 2018, demand for the service has more than tripled. Patients say it's a game changer and experts agree. Ketamine provides fast relief for patients and has the potential to help lower the suicide rate in the United States. Unlike pharmaceuticals that must build in the system for weeks to months before they become fully effective, Ketamine works almost instantly. Many patients experience some relief after just one treatment, but a series of six is the standard protocol for depression. Patients interested in Ketamine injections must first be evaluated by a physician. Insurance is accepted for this appointment, as well as the physician visit portion of subsequent appointments. Because Ketamine is not yet FDA approved for the treatment of depression and chronic pain, the infusion itself is not covered by insurance. Patients are closely monitored during Ketamine infusions so clinicians can address any rare, but possible side effects such as visual disturbances or elevated blood pressure. Following the infusion series, most patients will feel well for one to two months, but some may experience relief for up to six months. Single booster injections are offered to achieve symptom relief once the series has worn off. A Ketamine nasal spray can also extend the length of time between infusions. For more information visit Innovative Ketamine online. SOURCE Innovative Express Care Related Links https://innovativeketamine.com SUZHOU, China, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- OCTAVE Institute, a holistic health and wellbeing retreat located in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Suzhou, China, has forged a long-term collaboration with Skift Inc., the largest travel industry intelligence and marketing platform. Following Skift Forum Asia's opening remarks by Mr. Rafat Ali, CEO and Founder of Skift, Mr. Frederick Chavalit Tsao, Founder and Chairman of OCTAVE Institute, began Skift Forum Asia with an OCTAVE Ritual conducted by Dani Van de Velde, to empower the 450 attendees to be expansive, focused and mindful for the Forum's enlightening, informative and inspiring content. During the Forum's afternoon session, Mr. Tsao addressed the attendees on his journey from a fourth-generation family shipping business to a global supply chain enterprise and, ultimately, committing his life to achieving Quantum Wellbeing through Quantum Leadership by taking control of and aligning every aspect of one's physical and spiritual life in order to achieve clarity, harmony and a new level of consciousness and perspective. "To understand wellness travel and business, we first need to understand that travel is no longer about escaping, it's about engaging," said Mr. Tsao. "The future of wellness travel is experiencing an immersive retreat that aligns your internal being with your external reality, for you cannot be well unless all aspects of your life are well, aligned and in harmony; external and internal, body and mind, personal and professional, physical and spiritual, for only then can you achieve Quantum Wellbeing. The only way to sustain Quantum Wellbeing is by taking absolute control of your life by practicing Quantum Leadership, the process of leading life to create a better tomorrow for all." In collaboration with Skift, OCTAVE Institute will have a major presence at the Skift Global Forum in New York City in September 2019, the Skift Forum Europe in London in April 2020 and at the next Skift Forum Asia in Singapore in May 2020. In addition, OCTAVE Institute has also become a partner in the Skift Wellness Newsletter and the annual Skift Wellness Megatrends Report. "Skift is excited about its multi-year collaboration with OCTAVE Institute, which launched with great success at Skift Forum Asia," said Mr. Ali. Twenty-five years ago, Mr. Tsao embarked upon a journey that has taken him all over the world in search of transcendent life sciences, medical approaches, philosophies and practices spanning both traditional and non-traditional cultures, customs, faiths and societies. Mr. Tsao's odyssey led to the development of a holistic, integrative methodology to achieve transformational health and Quantum Wellness. His philosophy materialized into the creation of the OCTAVE Institute, which is comprised of the luxurious SANGHA Retreat, the state-of-the-art AT ONE Clinic, AT ONE Healing Spa, AITIA, THE LIVING ROOM and annual AT ONE International Festival. Mr. Tsao's book, Quantum Leadership: New Consciousness in Business, is set to be published in July 2019 by the Stanford University Press and will explore how to achieve creativity and collaboration at all levels of entrepreneurial activity in order to produce positive outcomes for businesses and the communities they serve. For more information, please visit OctaveInstitute.com and SanghaRetreat.com. About Frederick Chavalit Tsao Frederick Chavalit Tsao is the Chairman of IMC Pan Asia Alliance Group and founder of OCTAVE Institute. Fred is the fourth-generation steward of a successful Singapore-based family business whose roots are from Shanghai. In 1995, at the age of 37, Fred took over as Chairman of the IMC Group. Under his leadership, the traditional shipping company transformed into a multi-national conglomerate with diverse business interests. Fred's own inward journey of conscious awakening led him to create opportunities for societal healing, with the intention of fostering harmonious communities. As someone who is passionate about human well-being, Fred is deeply interested in the connection between Western science and traditional Chinese philosophy. About OCTAVE Institute OCTAVE Institute is a platform to help people find clarity, harmony and a new level of consciousness and freedom. Founded by an international business leader, Frederick Chavalit Tsao, following numerous years of research and contemplation, OCTAVE Institute enables individuals to discover, learn, grow and evolve relationships with their inner self, others and nature. OCTAVE Institute is comprised of SANGHA Retreat, AITIA, THE LIVING ROOM and the annual AT ONE International Festival. SOURCE OCTAVE Institute NEW YORK, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) today announced that CEO Cromwell Coulson, CFO, Bea Ordonez and General Counsel, Dan Zinn, will attend the Sandler O'Neill Global Exchange and Brokerage Conference in New York on Wednesday, June 5 and Thursday, June 6 and be available to meet with investors, analysts and others interested in one-on-one meetings. Those interested in arranging a one-on-one meeting at the event should contact [email protected]. To access the program agenda and for more information about the conference, please visit http://www.sandleroneill.com/conferences-overview.htm. About OTC Markets Group Inc. OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates the OTCQX Best Market, the OTCQB Venture Market and the Pink Open Market for 10,000 U.S. and global securities. Through OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN, we connect a diverse network of broker-dealers that provide liquidity and execution services. We enable investors to easily trade through the broker of their choice and empower companies to improve the quality of information available for investors. To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com . OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN are SEC regulated ATSs, operated by OTC Link LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed Investor Contact: Bea Ordonez Chief Financial Officer Phone: 212-220-2215 Email: [email protected] Media Contact: OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, [email protected] SOURCE OTC Markets Group Inc. Related Links http://www.otcmarkets.com CHICAGO, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Servier Group and Servier Pharmaceuticals, the U.S. subsidiary of the global French pharmaceutical company, today announced that data from multiple studies will be presented at the 55th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago May 31-June 4, 2019. This is the company's first ASCO since establishing their presence in the U.S. during late 2018. On Saturday, June 1st at 6:00pm CT, Servier Pharmaceuticals is sponsoring "Navigating the 'Mount Everests' of the Cancer Landscape*," an event featuring biotech journalist, author and mountaineer Luke Timmerman. At the event, Timmerman will apply leadership and teamwork lessons learned from his climb to the summit of Mount Everest in 2018 to conquering the "Everests" encountered every day in cancer research and development. Sponsorship donations are dedicated to Climb to Fight Cancer, benefiting the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. ASCO attendees are encouraged to register here to attend. "Servier Pharmaceuticals is proud to exemplify our strengthened presence and dedication to growth in the U.S. by debuting with such a robust presence at ASCO 2019," said David K. Lee, Chief Executive Officer of Servier Pharmaceuticals. "In addition to the science, we are also thrilled to be working with Luke Timmerman, whose focus on innovations in oncology and passion for charitable giving align with our values as an organization." Servier officially opened its American headquarters earlier this month with an immediate focus on oncology treatment and care. Oncology is a strategic priority for Servier, as demonstrated by the company's acquisition of Shire's oncology business in 2018 and by a growing number of research programs in oncology. Today, 700 Servier employees in 50 countries are working to develop innovative solutions for people with cancer. In the coming two years, oncology will account for 50 percent of the company's R&D budget. Currently, five treatments are available on the market and Servier Group is developing 12 new therapeutic options. Servier has forged 21 partnerships with academic institutions as well as with industrial partners and/or biotechnology companies. With this broad range of worldwide partners dedicated to innovation for the treatment of cancer, Servier's research in oncology is focused on therapies aimed at restoring programmed cell death (apoptosis) in cancer cells and on mobilizing the immune system against cancer cells (immuno-oncology). "The depth and breadth of the Servier Oncology pipeline is evidenced by our robust showing at ASCO 2019," said Claude Bertrand, Executive Vice President of Research and Development, Servier Group. "Servier is committed to partnering to ensure access to the best talent and the best science so we can make a difference in patients' lives." The following abstracts will be presented at this year's conference. Attendees are also invited to visit Servier at Booth #4155 in the Exhibition Hall: Friday, May 31, 2:45 PM - 5:45 PM; S504 Efficacy and toxicity of pegaspargase and calaspargase pegol in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma: Results of DFCI 11-001. Vrooman et al. (sponsored by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute) Abstract 10006, Oral Presentation Sunday, June 2, 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM; Hall A RESILIENT: Study of irinotecan liposome injection (nal-IRI) in patients with small cell lung cancer Preliminary findings from part 1 dose-defining study. Paz-Ares et al. Poster presentation. (sponsored by Ipsen) Abstract 8562, Poster 318 Monday, June 3, 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM; Hall A A multi-center phase Ib/II study of nal-irinotecan, 5-fluouracil and leucovorin in combination with nivolumab as second-line therapy for patients with advanced unresectable biliary tract cancer. Sahai et al. (investigator sponsored) Abstract TPS4154, Poster 252b About Servier in the U.S. Servier Pharmaceuticals LLC., is a commercial-stage pharmaceuticals company with a passion for innovation and improving the lives of patients and their families and caregivers. With 12 additional oncology projects currently in clinical development, Servier is the partner of choice for leading academic institutions and a growing number of pharmaceutical companies. Servier BioInnovation is a joint initiative between Servier Group R&D and Global Business Development for external innovation. The initiative is focused on identifying new early-stage R&D opportunities and expediting business development and licensing activities in the U.S. Learn more at https://www.servier.us/ About Servier Group 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 4.2 billion euros in 2018, Servier employs 22,000 people worldwide. Entirely independent, the Group reinvests 25% of its turnover (excluding generics) 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 neurodegenerative diseases, oncology and diabetes, as well as by its activities in high-quality generic drugs. Servier also offers eHealth solutions beyond drug development. Servier U.S. Contact: Servier Group Contact: Kelly Schlemm Sonia Marques [email protected] [email protected] *"Navigating the Mount Everests of the Cancer Landscape" is not an official event of the 2019 ASCO Annual Meeting. Not sponsored, endorsed, or accredited by ASCO, CancerLinQ, or Conquer Cancer. Not CME-accredited. SOURCE Servier Pharmaceuticals Related Links https://www.servier.us French English PRESS RELEASE May 29th 2019 Augustin de Romanet is reappointed as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer On May 29th, Augustin de Romanet, Chairman was appointed Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Aeroports de Paris SA-Groupe ADP, by a decree of the President of the French Republic. Augustin de Romanet had been reappointed as board member by the General Meeting of Shareholders on May 20th and the meeting of the board of directors on May 20th President of the French Republic to reappoint him as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Following the hearing of Mr. de Romanet, on May 22nd, by the Sustainable development and Territorial planning committees of the National Assembly and the Senate, in accordance with article 13 of the French Constitution. Each of the committee approved the appointment proposal made by the President of the French republic to reappoint Mr. de Romanet as Head of Aeroports de Paris SA-Groupe ADP. Augustin de Romanet Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Aeroports de Paris SA-Groupe ADP stated: "I thank the President of the French Republic and the government for their renewed trust. Our priority will be to continue our efforts to welcome the passengers in the best conditions of security and quality of service. We will pursue the development of the Groupe ADP in France and abroad, in close cooperation with the neighboring territories of our platforms." Groupe ADP main projects undertaken between 2014 and 2019: Traffic growth and strengthening hub connectivity: Between 2014 and 2018, the Parisian airports welcomed nearly 12.7 million additional passengers and in 2017, crossed the symbolic threshold of 100 passengers per year. This growth is largely the result of a Route Development policy to attract traffic to Paris, which led last year to the record opening of 68 new routes. European leader in international traffic, the Paris hub also offers the best connections with China. Achievement of the CDG Express rail link project: During the last three years, the CDG Express project has reached several key milestones and has now entered an operational phase. The legal framework and the financial scheme of the project have been clarified and defined. The concession contract between the State and the infrastructure manager was signed in February 2019. Improvements of hospitality and quality of service for passengers: Such as the deployment of the PARAFE (Rapid Automated Crossing of External Borders) security locking doors for automated border passport control or the redesign of the international commercial areas, major efforts have been made to improve customer hospitality and quality of services at the Paris Airports. Paris-Charles de Gaulle had the strongest growth in the Skytrax worldwide rankings from the 94th to the 30th place in 2019. Launch of two new brands with "Groupe ADP" and "Paris Aeroport": The company has deeply transformed, but its brand architecture didn't change since 2005. If the corporate name remains "Aeroports de Paris SA", a new brands universe emerged in 2016 with, on the one hand, "Groupe ADP", an institutional brand which is exportable worldwide, and, on the other hand, "Paris Aeroport", a general public brand deployed over the Parisian airports to talk to the passengers. Transfer of the headquarters at the heart of the Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport: To be closer to its customers, airlines and passengers, the group moved its headquarters from Paris city center to the Roissypole area, located at the heart the Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport platform since 29 March 2017. International deployment and building of a global group: International activities were reorganized in 2017 with the creation of ADP International and of a network of regional offices. Groupe ADP also carried out structuring operations by taking "controlling" shares in TAV Airports and AIG, the concessionary firm of Amman Airport in Jordan, two companies that are now fully consolidated. In 2018, Groupe ADP became world leader in airport management with 281.4 million passenger1 and 25 airports worldwide. Compliance with the Connect 2020 plan and preparation of the next Economic Regulation Agreement: In 2016, Groupe ADP implemented a strategic plan called Connect 2020 which involves an unprecedented capital expenditures program to optimize the Parisian aeronautical infrastructures while ensuring increased pricing moderation for airlines, thanks to financial discipline and control of charges. As of today, the Connect 2020 plan has been respected and major facilities have been commissioned on time, such as Orly 3 (junction building of the former southern and western terminals), which embodies the revival of Paris-Orly airport. Other new facilities will follow by the end of 2020 (connection of 2B-2D terminals and terminal 1 satellites fusion at Paris-Charles de Gaulle). In April 2019, the Groupe ADP also released the Public Consultation Document, This document translates. Groupe ADPs ambition for the Parisian platforms and the conviction that the quality of the investments it is making to benefit passengers, partners and airlines is the basis for the competitiveness of the Paris area airports. Short Bio Born on 2 April 1961, graduated of the Institut d'Etudes Politiques in Paris and former student at the National School of Public Administration, Augustin de Romanet was Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Aeroports de Paris SA-Groupe ADP since November 28th 2012. He has been Managing Director of the "Caisse des Depots et Consignations" from March 2007 to March 2012. Previously, he was Deputy Secretary General to the Presidency of the Republic from June 2005 to October 2006 and held senior positions in various ministries. Between 2002 and 2005, he was Chief of Staff to the Minister of State in charge of the budget, Alain Lambert; Deputy Chief of Staff to Francis Mer, Minister for the Economy, Finances and Industry; Chief of Staff to Jean-Louis Borloo, the Minister of Employment, Labor and Social Cohesion and Deputy Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin. Press contact: Lola Bourget, Head of Medias and Reputation Department +33 1 74 25 23 23 Investor Relations: Audrey Arnoux, Head of Investor Relations +33 1 74 25 70 64 - invest@adp.fr Groupe ADP develops and manages airports, including Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Paris-Orly and Paris-Le Bourget. In 2018, the group handled through its brand Paris Aeroport more than 105 million passengers and 2.3 million metric tonnes of freight and mail at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Paris-Orly, and more than 176 million passengers in airports abroad through its subsidiary ADP International. Boasting an exceptional geographic location and a major catchment area, the Group is pursuing its strategy of adapting and modernizing its terminal facilities and upgrading quality of services; the group also intends to develop its retail and real estate businesses. In 2018, group revenue stood at 4,478 million and net income at 610 million. Registered office: 1, rue de France, 93 290 Tremblay-en-France. Aeroports de Paris is a public limited company (Societe Anonyme) with share capital of 296,881,806. Registered in the Bobigny Trade and Company Register under no. 552 016 628. groupeadp.fr 1 see the financial release issued the February 14th 2019 Attachment NEW BRITAIN, Conn., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Stanley Black & Decker (NYSE: SWK) invites investors and the general public to listen to a webcast of a presentation by Don Allan, Executive Vice President and CFO, at Deutsche Bank's 10th Annual Global Industrials & Materials Summit in Chicago, IL on Wednesday, June 5, 2019 at 2:05 PM CDT. The live webcast will be available in the "Investors" section of the company's website at www.stanleyblackanddecker.com. A replay of the webcast will be provided on the website and will be available for 90 days. Stanley Black & Decker, an S&P 500 company, is a diversified global provider of hand tools, power tools and related accessories, electronic security solutions, healthcare solutions, engineered fastening systems, and more. Learn more at www.stanleyblackanddecker.com. Stanley Black & Decker Investor Contacts Dennis Lange Vice President, Investor Relations (860) 827-3833 [email protected] Cort Kaufman Director, Investor Relations (860) 515-2741 [email protected] SOURCE Stanley Black & Decker Related Links http://www.stanleyblackanddecker.com SAN RAMON, Calif., May 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2019 EB-5 Innovation Summit, hosted by Behring Co., will be held on June 15, 2019 from 2pm to 5pm at Bishop Ranch in San Ramon, California. There is no cost to attend, but there is a max capacity of 300 seats for the event. With over 73 seats reserved in first 3-hours of announcement, this event is expected to sell out. Behring Companies is assembling 9 of EB-5's top experts including immigration attorneys, EB-5 economists and even a former USCIS adjudicator to host a "first-of-its-kind" private special EB-5 investor event to discuss what's happening to the market. In addition to introducing EB-5, we will host an advanced discussion about the evolution of the EB-5 market, what investors need to know, and how an investor can "Future Proof" their EB-5 Investment. The 2019 EB-5 Innovation Summit When: 2pm 5 pm, June 15, 2019 5 pm, Where: Roundhouse Bishop Ranch - Roundhouse Market & Conference Center - Tahoe Auditorium , 2600 Camino Ramon, San Ramon, CA 94583 Roundhouse Bishop Ranch - Roundhouse Market & Conference Center - , 2600 Camino Ramon, 94583 Why : Get Updated on Why U.S. Immigration Investments are Changing Forever : Get Updated on Why U.S. Immigration Investments are Changing Forever Who : Behring Companies : Behring Companies Register Here: behringco.com/2019summit What You Will Learn EB-5 program requirements and process EB-5's current "market reality" Compare risk and return metrics of traditional investment versus EB-5 In-depth discussion of EB-5 innovations, advanced strategies and "Future Proofing" your EB-5 investment Introducing the EB-5 Legacy Fund by Behring and its 3 Different Strategies Live Question & Answer Session with Experts Who Should Attend? Existing EB-5 Investors, EB-5 Beginners; H-1B Visa holders, F-1 Student Visa Holders, International Investors, Developers and Institutional Investors More About the Event: According to IIUSA.org, the EB-5 investment visa program has contributed over $37 Billion to U.S. GDP since 2008. EB-5 is also credited with creating over 270,000 jobs for U.S. workers. However, as the program became mainstream and the volume of investors and EB-5 Regional Centers proliferated, the EB-5 program has become a victim of its own success. Quota restrictions create a waiting list or backlog for major countries such as China, Vietnam, India and potentially a few others. Waiting times to get a green card through the EB-5 program went from potentially 18 months to as much as 15 years. With the proposed legislation and backlog considerations, the EB-5 investors have an entirely new set of considerations they need to learn about. "The current EB-5 market is changing quickly," says Colin Behring, the CEO at Behring Companies. "The problem is that the investments have not changed. Historically, innovation has been lacking in the EB-5 market. EB-5 investments must evolve to better serve the needs of their investors according to today's market conditions." According to Aaron Hammon, Vice President at Behring Companies, "Our office has fielded hundreds of phone calls from people across the world that have been misinformed about EB-5 fundamentals and what is possible. With the incredible group of speakers assembled for this summit, we will clear all of that up." About Behring Companies Behring Companies is a vertically integrated real estate private equity fund manager, developer and EB-5 regional center serving the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley region. Behring is specialized in transit-oriented residential and mixed-use developments. Behring owns and operates the Behring Regional Center, a USCIS accredited EB-5 regional center with 100% investor approval history that has been operating since 2013. All investment opportunities are limited to accredited investors only. For more information, visit www.behringco.com. Press Contacts: Colin Behring Chief Executive Officer Behring Companies +1(925) 575-9619 [email protected] SOURCE Behring Companies Related Links https://www.behringcompanies.com/ "In 2018, iRobot brought robot memory and automatic bin emptying to the Roomba robot vacuum, ushering in a level of hands-free cleaning automation not previously realized in consumer robots," said Colin Angle, chairman and CEO of iRobot. "With the launch of the Roomba s9+ and Braava jet m6, iRobot has achieved another automation milestone for home robots. Not only can customers forget about vacuuming for weeks at a time, but their robot vacuum and mop can now work together automatically vacuuming then mopping without any effort from the user." Angle will be a keynote speaker at re:MARS, Amazon's AI and robotics event taking place from June 4 7, 2019 in Las Vegas, NV, where he will present his vision for robotic automation in the home. The Roomba s9+ and Braava jet m6 robots, as well as the forthcoming Terra robot mower, will be on display at re:MARS in the Alexa & iRobot Smart Home. "The Roomba s9+ robot vacuum and Braava jet m6 robot mop are the most advanced robots that iRobot has ever built and the best home cleaning robots in the market today," said Christian Cerda, COO of iRobot. "Customers who demand high-performance, detailed cleaning will appreciate the superior suction of the Roomba s9+ and its ability to vacuum deep into corners where dirt hides. The mapping and navigation intelligence of the Braava jet m6, along with its advanced cleaning features, provide customers with a robot that can mop their whole home." Roomba s9+ hugs edges, gets into corners The Roomba s9+ robot vacuum with Clean Base Automatic Dirt Disposal offers customers the deepest clean yet1 with an advanced 3D sensor, a powerful new cleaning system and PerfectEdge Technology, which encompasses 30 percent wider Dual Rubber Brushes2 and a specially designed Corner Brush. Each Rubber Brush has rubber treads that stay in constant contact with different floor surfaces from hard floors to carpets adjusting and flexing as needed to get everything from small particles, like dust and dirt, to hair and large debris. A specially designed Corner Brush uses five angled arms to grab dirt and debris from deep in corners and along walls, directing it into the robot's path to be vacuumed up. The Roomba s9+ boasts a powerful new cleaning system with up to 40X the suction3 over previous generation Roomba vacuums. When the Roomba s9+ detects carpets or rugs, the robot employs its Power Boost technology to automatically increase suction to pull in dirt and debris from deep within carpet fibers. iRobot's patented iAdapt 3.0 Navigation with vSLAM technology helps the Roomba s9+ seamlessly and efficiently navigate the home by keeping track of where it's been and where it has yet to clean. A new advanced 3D sensor on the Roomba s9+ constantly scans what's immediately ahead of the robot at a rate of 25 times per second to help the s9+ get deep into corners and clean large areas efficiently. Using iRobot's Imprint Smart Mapping technology, the Roomba s9+ gets to know the home's floor plan, giving customers total control to choose which rooms are cleaned and when. The robot can be scheduled to clean via the iRobot HOME App or by pressing the CLEAN button. Users can also initiate a cleaning with voice control when the robot is paired with Alexa enabled devices or the Google Assistant. The Roomba s9+ robot features the first and only Anti-Allergen System for robots that traps and locks pollen and mold allergens, keeping them from escaping the robot or its Clean Base Charging Station. The Roomba s9+ robot includes a High-Efficiency Filter that captures 99 percent of mold, pollen, and dust mite allergens. Once the Roomba s9+ robot is finished cleaning, it returns to the Clean Base Charging Station to automatically empty its contents into a disposable bag, trapping dirt and dust. The Clean Base Charging Station holds 30 bins of debris, allowing customers to forget about vacuuming for weeks at a time. Braava jet m6 mops multiple rooms, large spaces The Braava jet m6 robot mop delivers fresh, clean floors throughout the entire home. Users simply attach their preferred cleaning pad Wet Mopping or Dry Sweeping and the robot takes it from there. Like the Roomba s9+ robot, the Braava jet m6 robot uses iAdapt 3.0 Navigation with vSLAM technology and Imprint Smart Mapping to get to know the home's floor plan, giving users total control to choose which rooms are cleaned and when. The robot can be scheduled to clean via the iRobot HOME App or by pressing the CLEAN button. Users can also initiate cleaning via voice control when the robot is paired with Alexa enabled devices or the Google Assistant. Ideal for hard floor surfaces, such as hardwood, tile, and stone, the Braava jet m6 robot features a Maximized-Edge design that helps the robot get into corners and along edges. Using advanced navigation, the robot cleans in an efficient pattern while navigating around furniture, rugs, and other obstacles. If the robot runs low on battery before its cleaning job is finished, it will automatically recharge and resume cleaning until the job is complete. In Wet Mopping mode, the Precision Jet Spray and Wet Mopping pad tackle sticky messes, grime4, and kitchen grease. Users can add Braava jet Hard Floor Cleaning Solution for a long-lasting, fresh scent. In Dry Sweeping mode, the Dry Sweeping pad uses electrostatic force to capture dirt, dust and pet hair. When the Braava jet robot mop is finished cleaning, users don't have to worry about touching the dirty cleaning pads. Simply place the robot over a waste basket and hit the 'eject' button to drop the pad into the trash. Users can view Clean Map reports in the app to see where the Braava jet m6 cleaned and view other stats about the cleaning job. Reusable washable wet and dry cleaning pads are available for purchase separately. Dynamic duo: Roomba vacuums then Braava jet mops With the introduction of the Roomba s9+ and Braava jet m6 robots, iRobot is also ushering in the next generation of connected home automation with Imprint Link Technology, which enables robots to intelligently communicate with each other working in sequence to get the job done. With Imprint Link Technology, the Roomba s9+ and Braava jet m6 robots work together to deliver an extra level of clean by automatically vacuuming then mopping, without any effort from the user. Users can initiate a Linked clean in the iRobot HOME app, where they have the option to choose specific rooms for the robots to clean or an entire level of their home. To start, the Roomba s9+ will go out and vacuum the selected area. Once the Roomba robot docks, the Braava jet m6 robot will leave its dock and begin mopping. Users will receive notifications when vacuuming and mopping are complete. Imprint Link Technology will also work with the Roomba i7+ robot vacuum. Pricing and Availability: North America: The Roomba s9+ robot vacuum with Clean Base Automatic Dirt Disposal is available for purchase immediately in the U.S. and Canada starting at $1,299 USD on www.irobot.com. The Roomba s9+ will be available at select retailers beginning on June 9, 2019. The Roomba s9 robot vacuum can also be purchased without the Clean Base starting at $999 USD on www.irobot.com. The Clean Base with Automatic Dirt Disposal for Roomba s9 is sold separately for $349 USD. Additional Dirt Disposal Bags can be purchased for $16.99 for a pack of three bags. The Braava jet m6 robot mop is available for purchase immediately in the U.S. and Canada starting at $499 USD on www.irobot.com and in major retail stores on June 9, 2019. Braava jet m6 Cleaning Pads retail for $7.99 USD for a box of seven cleaning pads and can be purchased on www.irobot.com or wherever the Braava jet m6 is sold. Washable wet or dry cleaning pads retail for $24.99 USD for a box of two pads and are also available on www.irobot.com. EMEA: The Roomba s9+ robot vacuum with Clean Base Automatic Dirt Disposal will be available for purchase beginning July 12, 2019 in select European countries starting at 1,499. The Braava jet m6 robot mop will also be available for purchase beginning July 12, 2019 in select European countries starting at 699. For more information: Roomba s9+ robot vacuum and Braava jet m6 robot mop photos, videos and information can be found at: http://media.irobot.com/media-kits. Please join iRobot on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. 1Compared to Roomba 980, e5 and i7 robots 2Compared to Roomba 600 Series 3Compared to Roomba 600 Series AeroVac System 4Tested in spot clean mode About iRobot Corp. iRobot, the leading global consumer robot company, designs and builds robots that empower people to do more both inside and outside of the home. iRobot created the home robot cleaning category with the introduction of its Roomba Robot Vacuum in 2002. Today, iRobot is a global enterprise that has sold more than 25 million robots worldwide. iRobot's product line, including Roomba vacuuming robots and the Braava family of mopping robots, feature proprietary technologies and advanced concepts in cleaning, mapping and navigation. iRobot engineers are building an ecosystem of robots and technologies to enable the smart home. For more information about iRobot, please visit www.irobot.com. For iRobot Investors Certain statements made in this press release that are not based on historical information are forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This press release contains express or implied forward-looking statements relating to iRobot Corporation's expectations concerning management's plans, objectives and strategies. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. iRobot undertakes no obligation to update or revise the information contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise. For additional disclosure regarding these and other risks faced by iRobot, see the disclosure contained in our public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including, without limitation, our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. SOURCE iRobot Corp. Related Links http://www.irobot.com NEW YORK, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Market Overview The market for North America biosolids is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.63% during the forecast period of 2019-2024. Major factors driving the market are replacing hazardous chemical fertilizers and stringent government emission laws. However, lack of awareness about biosolids and low rate of adoption are likely to hinder the growth of the market studied. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5778213/?utm_source=PRN Class A EQ (exceptional quality) type of biosolids dominated the market in 2017 and with increasing horticulture and farming, uses of biosolids are projected to drive the usage of Class A EQ biosolids. Technology advancements in biosolids are anticipated to provide various opportunities over the forecast period. United States dominated the market with the largest consumption and is also projected to register the highest CAGR through the forecast period. Key Market Trends Agriculture Land Application to Dominate the Market Agriculture land applications account for the largest share of biosolids, in terms of consumption. Consistent population growth across North America is expected to augment the need for agriculture yields, which may positively affect the consumption of biosolids in the sector. However, the overall cropland area in the United States has been fluctuating over the past five years, witnessing a considerable decline in 2016-17. Scientists and farmers are looking for new technologies to increase the productivity of crops, in order to meet the food demand, arising out of disproportionate population growth. Biosolids have long been used as fertilizers or soil conditioners and are gaining increasing attraction throughout the region. Biosolids can be effectively used as fertilizer/soil conditioners for human crop production. These are usually incorporated into the soil with conventional farm equipment. They are also used as fertilizers for animal crop production. With the increasing crop protection, the consumption of biosolids is likely to increase across the region. United States to Dominate the Market United States has the highest share, accounting for almost 87% of the market, in 2017. The US EPA adopted the name 'biosolids', in order to differentiate high-quality treated sewage sludge from raw sewage sludge, containing large amount of pollutants. The current options for managing wastewater biosolids in the country include both non-reuse options (like landfilling) and beneficial reuse technologies (such as landfilling with biogas and energy recoveries). Biosolids are generated during wastewater treatment processes, and are extensively used to suffice the US EPA 40 CFR part 503 regulations. Support from the government and public for environment-friendly technologies are among the few factors that are primarily driving the biosolids market in the current scenario. Competitive Landscape The North American biosolids market was majorly dominated by the top 10 players in 2017. All the companies mentioned in the report have their presence in only some states/provinces. Synagro Technologies is the leader in the North American biosolids market, followed by DC Water, Casella Waste Systems, Merrell Bros, and BCR Environmental. Other prominent players in the market include NEFCO Biosolids, Walker Industries, and GeoEnvironment Technologies, among others. Reasons to Purchase this report: - The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format - Report customization as per the client's requirements - 3 months of analyst support Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5778213/?utm_source=PRN About Reportbuyer Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers For more information: Sarah Smith Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com Email: [email protected] Tel: +1 (718) 213 4904 Website: www.reportbuyer.com SOURCE ReportBuyer Related Links http://www.reportbuyer.com BOSTON, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- TheAnswerPage.com has launched a newly redesigned website, powered by Scitent, and a Comprehensive Medical Marijuana Curriculum which features new CME/CE accredited content focused on the endocannabinoid system and medical marijuana. The Comprehensive Medical Marijuana Curriculum introduces the reader to the endocannabinoid system and its interaction with the components of the cannabis plant, and addresses administration, therapeutic use, drug metabolism, physiologic and cognitive effects, potential risks, and drug interactions. The use of marijuana in obstetric patients, pediatric patients, adolescent patients and elderly patients is discussed in detail. In addition, the health effects of marijuana and cannabinoids in epilepsy are reviewed. Important considerations for patients with ischemic heart disease, hepatic disease, psychotic illness, and those with a history of drug dependence are provided. This curriculum also informs the reader about the legal and medical considerations in the recommendation of medical marijuana. Content provides Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and American Psychological Association (APA) credits. Subscribers can complete the curriculum, and refer back to the content at any point during their 12-month subscription period. Professor Raphael Mechoulam, Faculty of Medicine at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Member of the Israel Academy of Science says, "TheAnswerPage is the resource that I recommend for accredited education on the endocannabinoid system, medical cannabis, opioid prescribing and pain medicine." TheAnswerPage creates tailored medical cannabis educational programs for Departments of Public Health, state medical societies, hospitals, and medical, pharmacy and nursing schools. TheAnswerPage provides online medical cannabis education for both individuals and groups. Bulk pricing is available for groups seeking training for an entire team, department, or institution. For additional information please visit the website or contact [email protected] at or by phone at 800 801 2239. For full accreditation information, please visit www.TheAnswerPage.com About The Answer Page, Inc. TheAnswerPage.com is a medical education resource that has been providing the highest quality accredited education to the healthcare community for over two decades. Awarded in the United States and internationally, TheAnswerPage is now a recognized leader for providing comprehensive education on the endocannabinoid system and medical marijuana, pain medicine and opioid prescribing practices. About Scitent Based in Charlottesville, Va., Scitent helps nonprofits, associations, healthcare organizations, and for-profit organizations foster and grow their eLearning business with in-house expertise in sales and marketing, course distribution, instructional design/courseware development, PROPEL distribution and LMS technology and services, eCommerce and customer support. Find out more at www.Scitent.com. SOURCE Scitent Related Links https://www.scitent.com/ CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Medical Cannabis Institute ( TMCIGlobal ) has released the Ohio State Healthcare Provider Education: Medical Use of Marijuana online continuing medical education (CME), designed for certifying providers and other medical professionals interested in learning more about the clinical uses of cannabis. Per the medical board rules outlined in OAC 4731-32, applicants planning to apply to the State Medical Board of Ohio for a Certificate to Recommend (CTR) cannabis to their patients must complete at least two hours of continuing medical education, annually, in a course or courses certified by the Ohio State Medical Association. TMCIGlobal's Ohio State Healthcare Provider Education: Medical Use of Marijuana course is certified by the Ohio State Medical Association (OSMA) to meet the educational requirements set forth by the State Medical Board of Ohio, and will give Ohio State healthcare providers access to approved, science-based educational content enabling providers to have a conversation with their patients. The Ohio State Healthcare Provider Education: Medical Use of Marijuana course provides up to 2 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits for physicians, 2 ACPE contact hours for pharmacists, 2 ANCC contact hours for nurses, and 2 contact hours of pharmacotherapy credit for nurse practitioners. Learners have 12 months access to this mobile-friendly course. The Ohio course covers the following required topic areas: the endocannabinoid system, the pharmacology of cannabis, methods of administration, dosing best practices, Ohio qualifying patient conditions and cannabis use disorders and precautions. Special pricing is available for groups seeking training for a team, department, or institution. Learn more about group pricing or contact us for any additional information by visiting the website , contacting [email protected] or calling 844.490.2569. About TMCIGlobal TMCIGlobal provides online medical education for healthcare professionals who want to learn more about medical cannabis and its potential clinical application through science-based, accredited courses to help professionals deliver quality care and address patient questions. SOURCE TMCI Global Related Links https://themedicalcannabisinstitute.org SAN JOSE, Calif., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Tortuga Logic, a cybersecurity company specializing in hardware threat detection and prevention, today announced the launch of Radix-M, the industry's first platform capable of performing security validation of firmware on complex system-on-chip (SoCs) designs. Built with funding support from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Radix-M identifies and prevents unknown firmware vulnerabilities. It also automates previously manual processes firmware engineers and SoC security teams conduct using the existing hardware- and cloud-based Cadence Palladium Z1 Enterprise Emulation Platform for seamless hardware and software execution. "Engineering teams spend tremendous time and effort validating their firmware and chip designs, yet the methods can sometimes pose challenges when it comes to detecting security vulnerabilities," said Paul Cunningham, Corporate VP and GM of the Systems and Verification Group at Cadence Design Systems. "Cadence collaborated with Tortuga Logic on the development and use of Tortuga Logic's Radix-M with our Palladium Z1 emulation platform by targeting firmware vulnerabilities in modern SoCs and reducing the risk of security exploits from reaching the field." The First Security Validation System at the Intersection of Firmware and Chip Designs SoC design teams run emulation to ensure their firmware is operating correctly. Firmware sets hardware configuration parameters to ensure correct functionality. Traditionally, the only way to assess firmware security has been through a tedious, manual process that does not adequately identify vulnerabilities directly associated with the hardware, where the majority of exploits occur. In addition, product engineers largely rely on parameters set by security architects to secure their configurations, often resulting in a disconnect between the two teams that allows vulnerabilities to go unnoticed. Radix-M addresses this critical market void by offering the first automated way to execute thorough security validation procedures for firmware and chip designs. When integrated with commercial emulation systems, such as the Cadence Palladium Z1 platform, Radix-M analyzes an entire software stack on the hardware, ensuring security simultaneously on both parts of the system. "Systems can't be secured unless you can identify vulnerabilities at the intersection of the firmware and hardware," said Jason Oberg, CEO of Tortuga Logic. "Development teams often run 'normal' emulation to ensure their firmware operates correctly, for example making sure their chip boots. Radix-M is a huge value add that simultaneously supports firmware security during the actual execution of the real hardware. Security validation at this part of the process prevents firmware misconfigurations that leave SoCs vulnerable to security breaches." Availability Available now, Radix-M represents the second product in Tortuga Logic's industry-leading series of hardware-based security solutions, including Radix-S , that address the broader need for complete firmware validation. For sales inquiries, contact [email protected] . Tortuga Logic will demonstrate the Radix series June 3-5 at the 2019 Design Automation Conference (DAC), booth #827 in Las Vegas. To schedule a meeting at DAC, contact [email protected] . About Tortuga Logic Founded in 2014, Tortuga Logic is a cybersecurity company that provides industry-leading solutions to address security vulnerabilities overlooked in today's systems. Tortuga Logic's innovative hardware security verification platforms, Radix-S and Radix-M, enable system-on-chip (SoC) design and security teams to detect and prevent system-wide exploits that are otherwise undetectable using current methods of security review. To learn more, visit www.tortugalogic.com or contact [email protected] . Connect with Tortuga Logic LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/tortuga-logic Twitter: @TortugaLogicInc SOURCE Tortuga Logic Related Links http://www.tortugalogic.com NEW YORK, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- As an author of over 50 guidebooks on European travel and host of a popular travel series on public television, Rick Steves has introduced Europe and its myriad fascinations to travelers across America. As a traveler, he has seen the effects of climate change around the world, and he is passionate about doing what he can to slow those changes down. Steves is deeply concerned about this issue, so he is taking direct and decisive action to repay the toll that travelers have on the environmentbacked by a million-dollar annual investment. Steves' tour company, Rick Steves' Europe, is proud to announce its Climate Smart Commitment: an innovative, forward- thinking, and pragmatic program to offset the carbon emitted by its tour members. Starting in spring 2019, Steves' company will donate $1 million annually to fund climate-smart agriculture, agroforestry, and conservation projects in underdeveloped countries. A portion of this money will also support advocacy organizations in the US whose work is crucial to sustaining climate-smart efforts around the world. Typically, private businesses that adopt an environmentally friendly policy purchase "carbon offset credits." These credits are managed by brokers to help fund clean energy projects, such as solar and wind technologies, often based in North America and Europe. Rejecting this conventional approach and the administrative fees attached, Rick Steves' Europe has chosen to work with organizations that directly address the problem in developing countriesemphasizing projects that empower women to take leadership roles, protect their environment, and strengthen their communities. Based on figures from scientists and development experts, it takes roughly $30 of careful investment in environmental initiatives in the developing world to mitigate the carbon emissions created by a single traveler on a Rick Steves tour. Each year, Rick Steves' Europe takes about 30,000 travelers on its tours. Doing the math and then rounding it up, Steves estimates that $1 million annually is what his company "owes" to the environment. Drawn from the tour company's profitsnot passed along to the customer via higher pricesSteves' investment in the environment is strongly linked to the company's core value of demonstrating good global citizenship. "We don't see this program as particularly heroic," says Steves. "It's simply ethical. We believe every business should bear the cost to the environment of their activities. That's just honest accounting. We hope this program will inspire everyone who buys or sells tours to practice the same environmental ethic. This way, long after we are gone, our children will be able to enjoy the same happy travels we have." For 2019, Rick Steves' Europe has announced the first three recipients of the grant funding: Project Concern International Works in developing countries to empower women and promote climate-smart agriculture. Works in developing countries to empower women and promote climate-smart agriculture. Bread for the World Lobbies our government to adopt climate-smart policies. Lobbies our government to adopt climate-smart policies. ELCA World Hunger Works in developing countries to help small family farms be climate smart. Additional partners will be announced later in the year. "Many of our projects will have nuanced goals," says Craig Davidson, Chief Operating Officer of Rick Steves' Europe. "We like to think of it as creating a diversified mutual fund of climate-smart projects where the primary investment is in people and the future." To sustain the long-term impact of this initiative, the company will revisit its portfolio every year to ensure that the most effective organizations are getting the support they need to make a difference. That means its 30,000 annual tour members can be proud to travel with a company committed to positive change. RICK STEVES is the author of Travel as a Political Act (Avalon Travel, February 2018), as well as 50 guidebooks on European travel. He took his first trip to Europe at age 14, visiting piano factories with his father, a piano importer; at 18, he began traveling on his own, funding his trips by teaching piano lessons. In addition to running his successful tour program, he hosts a popular travel series on public television, Rick Steves' Europe, and a weekly national public radio show, Travel with Rick Steves. To learn more, visit www.ricksteves.com/climate SOURCE Rick Steves Europe DUBLIN, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "United States Navy Nuclear-Powered Submarines and Aircraft Carriers: Resurgent Markets, New Technologies and Monopsony Competitors: 2019-2024 Analysis and Forecasts" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Today, and for the last 78 years, the United States has ruled the waves and thereby ruled the world. And a major reason for its dominance, is the U.S. Navy's fleet of nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers. Since 9/11, U.S. military operations have been focused on the Middle East. However, resurging threats from peer and near-peer countries like Russia and China, as well as missile threats from Iran and North Korea, are shifting U.S. priorities towards higher-end capabilities. After years of under-investment, the U.S. Navy is focusing on rebuilding their aging fleet and procuring ships including submarines and aircraft carriers. The U.S. Navy currently has 283 deployable ships compared to a 355-ship goal. After numerous up and down cycles, the U.S. Navy today is resurgent, thanks to the Trump Administration's large increases in defense spending. In fact, the U.S. Navy is in the early stages of the strongest procurement cycle since the Reagan administration. This report provides an in-depth look at how the nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers markets will be impacted by the double-digit growth in U.S. Navy spending on these vessels over the next five to 30 years. For background, there is a discussion of U.S. strategic nuclear forces and naval nuclear propulsion. A review of the operations, capabilities and strategy of the modern U.S Navy is given, followed by an analysis of the markets for nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers. A more detailed analysis of nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers technologies is provided. Finally, profiles of General Dynamics, Huntington Ingalls and BWX Technologies are given. These companies will be the primary beneficiaries of the U.S. Navy's 30-year shipbuilding plan, especially for submarines and aircraft carriers. For readers not familiar with nuclear power and how nuclear reactors work, an appendix explains these technologies. Key Topics Covered: 1. INTRODUCTION 2. UNITED STATES STRATEGIC NUCLEAR FORCES Strategic Triad Force Structure and Size During Cold War Force Structure and Size After the Cold War Current and Future Force Structure and Size Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles Modernization Plans and Programs Ohio Replacement Program Navy Force Posture Current Force Structure 3. NAVAL NUCLEAR PROPULSION Definition Applications Development History Naval vs. Land Power Plants Nuclear-Propulsion Advantages Naval Power Plants Naval Special Requirements Reactor Compartment Radiation Nuclear Fuel Decommissioning and Defueling U.S. Naval Reactors Naval Reactors Contractors Reactor Designations Aircraft Carrier Reactors A4W Reactor A1B Reactor Submarine Reactors S6G Reactor S6W Reactor S8G Reactor S9G Reactor S1B Reactor Naval Reactors Budget FY2020 Budget Future Priorities Naval Reactors Operations and Infrastructure Naval Reactors Development Advanced Test Reactor Cobalt-60 S8G Prototype Refueling Columbia-Class Reactor Systems Development BWX Technologies 4. RESURGENT UNITED STATES NAVY Key Facts Navy Role in U.S. Defense Strategy Aircraft Carrier as a National Force High Seas Carrier Strike Group Expeditionary Strike Group Carrier Strike Group vs. Expeditionary Strike Group CSG as an Independent Combat System ESG Projects Land-Based Power Naval Vessels' Role in U.S. Strategy 1960's to 1980's 1990's 2000's Finite Lives Multiyear Procurement Smaller Operating Groups Reduced Manning Outsourcing 355-Ship Goal Submarines: Largest Part Navy Spending Next Tranche of Virginia-Class Submarines 12 Carriers Goal Nuclear-Powered Submarines and Aircraft Carriers U.S. Navy Largest in World Major U.S. Navy Ship Types U.S. Navy Coding System U.S. Naval Shipyards Rebuilding Aging Fleet Evolution to 355-Ship Force Shipbuilding Plan Aggressive Growth Scenario Efficient and Agile Industrial Base Individual Ship Procurement by Class Aircraft Carriers Strategic Ballistic Missile Submarines Attack Submarines Digital Shipbuilding Shipbuilding 4.0 Digital Twin Model-Based Enterprise Modular Construction Programs Submarines 1-3-8 Next Steps 5. U.S. NAVY SHIPBUILDING MARKET 30-Year Overview FYDP Shipbuilding Plan Long-Range Naval Vessel Inventory Aggressive Growth Opportunity Defense Industrial Base Commercial Industrial Base Annual Funding for Ship Construction Navy Shipbuilding Market Value Nuclear Propulsion Equipment Market Sustainment Costs Business Model as a Monopsony 6. NUCLEAR-POWERED SUBMARINES U.S. Navy Nuclear Submarines Types SSNs Designations Missions Ohio-Class SSBNs Submarine Construction Industrial Base Columbia-Class Program Program Name Columbia Class Technology Efforts Planned Procurement Quantity Planned Procurement Schedule Key Columbia-Class Design Features Operation and Support Cost Submarine Unified Build Strategy Milestone B Approval Columbia-Class Program Funding GAO Review Columbia Class Critical Technologies Columbia Design and Construction Approach Aggressive Build Schedule Use of Advance Construction Critical Technologies Challenges Integrated Power System Common Missile Compartment Integrated Power System and Nuclear Reactor Labor Hours Cost Uncertainties Schedule and Technical Risks Nuclear Reactor Plant Impact on Other Navy Shipbuilding Programs Block Buy and Multiyear Procurement Contracting U.S. Attack Submarine Force Level Goals Los Angeles - and Seawolf-Class Boats - and Seawolf-Class Boats Virginia-Class Program Three Boats Requested Block V Boats Joint Production Arrangement Schedule and Cost Performance Virginia Payload Module Virginia-Class Costs Acoustic and Other Improvements Projected SSN Force Levels Industrial-Base Challenges Stealth Issues SQUIDs 7. AIRCRAFT CARRIERS Background Current Navy Aircraft Carrier Force Not Less Than 11 Carriers Nine Carrier Air Wings 12 Carriers Goal Dates for Achieving 12-Carrier Force Aircraft Carrier Industrial Base Gerald R. Ford Class Program CVN-78 ( Gerald R. Ford ) ) CVN-79 ( John F. Kennedy ) ) Block Buy Contract CVN-80 (Enterprise) CVN-81 (Not Yet Named) CVN-79, CVN-80, CVN-81 Costs Smaller Aircraft Carriers Nuclear Powerplant Problems Transformers Shock Testing 8. COMPANY PROFILES BWX Technologies, Inc. (Overview, Financials, Nuclear Operations Group, Nuclear Power Group, Medical Isotopes Business, BWXT Nuclear Energy Canada, Competition, Joint Ventures, Customers, Submarines and Aircraft Carriers, Nuclear Cores Revenue, New Contracts) General Dynamics Corporation (Overview, Marine Systems, Electric Boat, Virginia-Class Submarines, Industrial Base, Columbia-Class Submarines, CapEx, MRO) Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (Overview, Segments, Ingalls, Newport News, Aircraft Carriers, RCOH, Decommissioning, Nuclear-Powered Submarines, Virginia-Class Submarines, Columbia-Class Submarines, Fleet Support Services, Technical Solutions, Nuclear and Environmental Services, Employees, Customers, Two Aircraft Carriers at Once, Margins, Shipbuilding Modernization, Modular Building, Digital Shipbuilding, 3-D Mapping, Reality Capture and Laser Scanning, Visual Build Management, Augmented Reality) 9. APPENDIX 10. NUCLEAR REACTORS Definition Principles of Operation Chain Reaction and Criticality Reactor Control Fissile and Fertile Materials Heat Removal Shielding Critical Concentration and Size Thermal, Intermediate and Fast Reactors Reactor Design and Components Core Fuel Types Coolants and Moderators Reflectors Reactor Control Elements Structural Components Coolant System Containment System Types of Reactors Power Reactors Light-Water Reactors PWRs and BWRs Advantages and Disadvantages Fueling and Refueling LWRs CANDU Reactors Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactor Other Power Reactors Research Reactors Production Reactors Space Reactors Ship-Propulsion Reactors Companies Mentioned BWX Technologies, Inc. General Dynamics Corporation Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/yhsm3b Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com MIDDLEBURY, Ind., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- GRAND DESIGN RECREATIONAL VEHICLE COMPANY proudly welcomed United States Senator Mike Braun to Grand Design RV in Middlebury, Indiana on Wednesday. The Indiana Senator visited to learn more about Grand Design RV and the manufacturing process of the RV Industry. Indiana U.S. Senator Mike Braun Visits RV Grand Design "You've got a thing called baby boomers and I'm right in the middle of that," Senator Braun explained. "Most of them really emphasize trying to retire as early as they can and maybe grab a Solitude or something else and live that part of life. The products I see from when I first got acquainted to the RV industry to now makes me want to buy a Solitude one day." Solitude is Grand Design's flagship brand. Grand Design RV CEO and President Don Clark led Senator Braun and his team around the Grand Design campus, highlighted by a factory tour of Solitude. "Whenever you have someone as busy as the Senator and doing as much for not only the state but the country, it's an honor not only for me and the company but all the Grand Design people," Clark explained. "The fact that he cares about not only our company but our industry to get more involved and learn more about it, it's fantastic." In addition to the factory tour, Senator Braun was also able to get inside several Grand Design RVs that were setup outside the Solitude plant. "Unbelievable," Senator Braun said of Grand Design's RVs. "It's excellent value and I think it would make someone want to hit the road in one of them." Co-founded by Clark, Grand Design RV has seen incredible growth since its inception six years ago to become an industry leader in towable recreational vehicles. GDRV has gone from 35 employees on January 1, 2013 to now more than 1,700 employees. Grand Design's 100,000th RV is set to come off the line later this summer. About Grand Design RV Grand Design RV, headquartered in Middlebury, Indiana, manufactures the market leading Reflection Fifth Wheel and Travel Trailer, flagship Solitude Extended Stay Fifth Wheel, luxury Momentum Toy Hauler, lightweight Imagine Travel Trailer, and introductory level Transcend Travel Trailer product lines. Since its founding in 2013, Grand Design RV has become one of the fastest growing RV companies in history and rated among the highest quality RV manufacturers. Grand Design RV is a wholly owned subsidiary of Winnebago Industries (NYSE: WGO), a 61-year old manufacturer of outdoor lifestyle products. SOURCE Grand Design RV Related Links www.granddesignrv.com TORONTO, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- North American Palladium Ltd. ("NAP" or the "Company") (TSX:PDL) (OTC PINK:PALDF) today provides an update on underground exploration at its Lac des Iles Mine (LDI), located 90 km north of Thunder Bay, Ontario. Highlights Additional drilling results for the newly-discovered C Zone suggest that a large area of palladium mineralization is present in the immediate footwall to the Offset Zone. Results include: 19.4m with 4.18 g/t Pd (hole 18-514) 25.0m with 3.06 g/t Pd (hole 19-511) 74.9 m with 2.93 g/t Pd, including 19.2m with 6.38 g/t Pd and 5.0m with 9.00 g/t Pd (hole 19-520) 19.4m with 4.18 g/t Pd (hole 18-514) 25.0m with 3.06 g/t Pd (hole 19-511) 74.9 m with 2.93 g/t Pd, including 19.2m with 6.38 g/t Pd and 5.0m with 9.00 g/t Pd (hole 19-520) A new exploration drift is partially complete and will be put into service next month with an initial focus on the Camp Lake exploration target. Based on the large and growing number of underground exploration targets, we are increasing our 2019 exploration and definition drilling budget by $5.7M. The additional funding will allow us to accelerate drilling on most of our underground exploration targets, including Camp Lake, Offset Zone satellites and the recently-discovered C Zone, said Jim Gallagher, President and CEO of North American Palladium. The discovery of the C Zone is testimony to the effectiveness of our modeling of the critical structures that control the distribution of the known palladium resources at LDI, said Dr. Dave Peck, North American Palladiums Vice-President, Exploration. With our recently expanded target bank and a larger drilling budget, we are increasingly optimistic about the prospects for significant additions to our palladium mineral inventory at LDI, added Dr. Peck. The C Zone has become a major focus for underground exploration because of the encouraging drilling results, the modeled size of the target area and its location relative to existing infrastructure. The C Zones close proximity to the existing Offset Zone mining areas means that it would be a low capital cost development opportunity if new resources are defined within it. Exploration Targets Recent underground drilling results have confirmed the presence of several discrete exploration targets adjacent to the known mineral reserves in the Offset Zone. The position of these targets relative to known ore zones and existing and planned mining development is illustrated in a series of plan-view and sectional images (Figures 1 to 3). Some of these targets represent lateral or down plunge extensions to the current ore shells. Other targets occur in the hanging wall and footwall to the Offset Zone. Several targets appear to represent pipe-shaped satellite bodies similar to the B2 Zone. Others are tabular and more continuous in form and follow major geological contacts or faults. The recognition of the critical role of structures in controlling the distribution of palladium mineralization at LDI has directly contributed to the growth in exploration targets. Figure 1 is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ef5af177-1762-4ab0-9957-2084767643bf C Zone The Company recently announced the discovery of the C Zone (see Company news release dated February 11, 2019 ), which is in the footwall of the Offset Zone in close proximity to the existing mine ramp and the sub-level shrinkage mining areas. Modelling of recent drilling and chip sampling results suggest that the C Zone has the potential for a large strike length (several hundred metres) as well as a significant vertical extent (in excess of 800 metres). For these reasons it became a priority drill target over the last several months. Recent drilling highlights are reported below. True thicknesses are not known at this time. Target Hole ID From To Length Pd Pt Au 3E Cu Ni (m) (m) (m) (g/t) (g/t) (g/t) (g/t) (%) (%) C Zone 18-514 30.8 46.0 15.2 5.16 0.40 0.50 6.07 0.23 0.18 C Zone incl. 209.0 223.0 14.0 1.97 0.15 0.13 2.24 0.10 0.10 C Zone 19-511 167.5 226.0 58.5 2.11 0.20 0.05 2.36 0.08 0.09 incl. 187.0 212.0 25.0 3.06 0.26 0.05 3.38 0.09 0.12 C Zone 19-513 14.2 71.0 56.8 2.37 0.25 0.29 2.91 0.10 0.11 incl. 50.0 71.0 21.0 3.06 0.33 0.34 3.73 0.11 0.12 C Zone 19-517 0.0 12.0 12.0 3.36 0.25 0.23 3.84 0.14 0.11 C Zone 19-520 128.8 183.0 54.2 3.81 0.28 0.31 4.40 0.20 0.15 incl. 128.8 148.0 19.2 6.38 0.46 0.46 7.29 0.36 0.24 with 142.0 147.0 5.0 9.00 0.60 0.59 10.19 0.46 0.32 *3E = combined Pd + Pt + Au The analyses reported in this news release were performed by ALS Global in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Companys rigorous internal quality control and quality assurance protocols are described in detail in the current Technical Report for its LDI (October 2018 available on SEDAR). Recent exploration and definition drilling on the C Zone target has shown that it consists of two mineralized trends (Figure 1) including a north-south trend parallel to the central Offset Zone and a southwest-striking trend that generally follows the western contact between the intrusion and the basement rocks and the southeastern domain of the Offset Zone. Palladium mineralization in the C Zone is hosted within geological units that are compositionally distinctive from those that host the Offset Zone resources. Despite this difference, the C Zone palladium mineralization shows similar precious and base metal grades to those observed in the main ore zones at LDI. Camp Lake Target The Camp Lake Target is the largest area of prospective geology near the existing underground mine. It is the modelled extension of the Offset Zone south of the Camp Lake fault. The geology of the target remains poorly defined due to the lack of exploration holes that have passed through the Camp Lake fault. As previously reported, Offset Zone-style palladium mineralization has been encountered on widely spaced exploration holes south of the Camp Lake fault. A preliminary exploration target has been developed using recent drilling results and applying approximately the same sense of movement that has been estimated for the sub-parallel Offset fault. Under this assumption the Camp Lake Block is expected to have moved up and west relative to the Offset Block. Figure 2 is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fce8ba3a-e19d-4bd1-9d9c-5952d6eaff3b Mystery Zone The Company recently began exploration drilling targeting a modeled extension of the Mystery Zone, which hosts a small inferred mineral resource described in the Companys most recent Technical Report for LDI . Results obtained from this program will be reported by the Company in future exploration updates. Figure 3 is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b6fcc007-9b72-4a99-abe1-89e17afc3fe9 B Series Targets The B2 Zone is the first of several pipe-shaped bodies of higher-grade palladium mineralization that have been identified within or in close proximity to the current mineralization wireframe for the Offset Zone. Most of these bodies demonstrate significant vertical extent up to 1 km in the case of the B2 Zone and its modelled extension. They also share a common steep southerly plunge. Other examples of pipe-shaped bodies in the Offset Block include the B1 and B3 Zones that are described in the current Technical Report for LDI and in recent exploration news releases. Two additional pipe-shaped targets were recognized earlier this year. Most of these bodies remain exploration targets and will be tested by new underground drill holes planned for later in the year. Program Expansion The additional $5.7M in funding will support the completion of approximately 25,000 metres of underground exploration drilling and 75,000 metres of resource definition drilling this year. Drilling will focus on delineating additional resources both east and west of the known Offset Zone reserves and beneath the current bottom of the shaft (Figure 2). Next month, the Company plans to position a drill in the new exploration drift located at the deepest level of the mine (1065 metre level). This drill will begin exploration drilling on the Camp Lake Target. A second underground exploration drill will continue to test for major extensions to the known B Zone targets (see Figures). Qualified Person The technical content of this news release was reviewed and approved by the Companys Vice-President, Exploration, Dr. Dave Peck. Dr. Peck is a Qualified Person within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 and a registered Professional Geoscientist with the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario, Engineers and Geoscientists BC, and Engineers Geoscientists Manitoba. Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information Certain information contained in this news release constitutes 'forward-looking statements' and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. The words 'target,' 'plan,' 'should,' 'could,' 'estimate,' 'guidance,' and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, without limitation: information pertaining to the Companys proposed dividend; information pertaining to the Company's strategy, strategic process, plans or future financial or operating performance, such as statements with respect to, long term fundamentals for the business, operating performance expectations, project timelines, tailings management plan, mining method change, production forecasts, operating and capital cost estimates, expected mining and milling rates, cash balances, projected grades, mill recoveries, metal price and foreign exchange rates and other statements that express management's expectations or estimates of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risk factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks include, but are not limited to: the possibility that metal prices and foreign exchange rates may fluctuate, the risk that the Lac des Iles mine may not perform as planned, that the Company may not be able to meet production forecasts, the possibility that the Company may not be able to generate sufficient cash to pay a dividend and/or to service its indebtedness and may be forced to take other actions, inherent risks associated with development, exploration, mining and processing including environmental risks and risks to tailings capacity, employment disruptions, including in connection with collective agreements between the Company and unions and the risks associated with obtaining necessary licenses and permits. For more details on these and other risk factors see the Company's most recent managements discussion and analysis and the Companys annual information form on file with Canadian securities regulatory authorities on SEDAR at www.sedar.com under the heading Risk Factors. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of factors and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. The factors and assumptions contained in this news release, which may prove to be incorrect, include, but are not limited to: that the Company will be able to continue normal business operations at its Lac des Iles mine, that metal prices and exchange rates between the Canadian and United States dollar will be consistent with the Company's expectations, that there will be no significant disruptions affecting operations, and that prices for key mining and construction supplies, including labour, will remain consistent with the Company's expectations. The forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. The Company disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, events or otherwise, except as expressly required by law. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. About North American Palladium Ltd. North American Palladium (TSX: PDL) (OTC PINK: PALDF) is a Canadian company with 25 years of production at the Lac des Iles Mine in a low-risk jurisdiction northwest of Thunder Bay, Ontario. North American Palladium is the worlds only pure play palladium producer. With over 600 employees, the Lac des Iles Mine features a unique, world-class ore body and modern infrastructure, including both an underground mine and surface operations. For further information, please contact: North American Palladium Investor Relations at 416-360-7374 or ir@nap.com DUBLIN, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Western Europe Pay TV Forecasts" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Reflecting the rising importance of the telcos, IPTV is gaining subscribers in Western Europe at the expense of the other pay TV platforms. IPTV overtook satellite TV in 2015 and will be approaching cable by 2024. IPTV will add 5.5 million subscribers between 2018 and 2024. Simon Murray a Principal Analyst said: IPTV operations are owned by telcos. Some telcos also have assets on other platforms. If all of the current proposed deals receive regulatory approval, then telcos will have 18.61 million non-IPTV subscribers by 2024. Adding the 38.72 million IPTV subscribers, telcos will control 56% of Western Europe's pay TV subscribers by 2024. Murray continued: This marks a sea change for Western Europe's pay TV sector. Pay TV is not the priority for telcos - broadband and mobile provision are at the forefront. Western Europe will have 101.59 million pay TV subscribers by 2024. Germany will contribute a quarter of the total, followed by the UK (15%) and France (14%). Half of the 18 countries covered in the Western Europe Pay TV Forecasts report will lose pay TV subscribers between 2018 and 2024. Italy will decline the most (down by 728,000 subs) from the 1,229,000 overall losses, followed by the UK (down by 621,000). Key Topics Covered: Outlook: Forecasts for 18 countries in a 55-page PowerPoint document full of charts, graphs and bullet points; Excel workbook covering each year from 2010 to 2024 for 18 countries by household penetration, by pay TV subscribers, by pay TV revenues and by major operator. As well as summary tables by country and by platform; Insight: Detailed country-by-country analysis in an 86-page PDF document. Companies Mentioned Bouygues Boxer BT Canal Digital CanalSat Com Hem DNA DT/T-Home eir Elisa Eltrona Euskatel Free Freenet Get Go HD Austria HD+ KPN/Digitenne Liwest Mediaset Melita Meo/PT NOS Nowo Ono Orange Proximus Riks TV SFR Siminn Sky Stofa Sunrise Swisscom TalkTalk TDC Tele 2 Tele des P&T Telecable Telecolumbus Telecom Italia Telefonica/Movistar Telekom Austria Telenet Telenor Telesat/TV Vlaanderen Telia TNT Unitymedia UPC Viasat Virgin Vodafone VOO You See Ziggo For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/tv7qnu Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com ACI will install Symmetry Access Control, Symmetry CompleteView 20/20 video management, Symmetry GUEST visitor management and Symmetry CONNECT identity managementthis is a unified system that mitigates risk and ensures compliance. ACI chose Security Equipment Inc. (SEi), a full-service security company specializing in access control and video surveillance as well as other integrated services, to deploy the Symmetry system. "Deploying the Symmetry Security Management System will enhance the office experience for both our employees and our customers while keeping ACI secure and in compliance," said Jeff Chubb, director, global physical security operations, ACI Worldwide. ACI Worldwide powers electronic payments for more than 5,100 organizations around the world. With over 4,000 employees worldwide, ACI approaches every decision with an "everyone is our customer" frame of reference. Becoming fully automated by implementing new technologies drove the decision to deploy Symmetry. For example, Symmetry GUEST visitor management will streamline lobby traffic flow, eliminate non-trackable paper sign-in logs, and the automation will keep ACI in compliance. ACI selected AMAG Technology for its forward-thinking strategy, superior technology solutions and customer-partnership approach to business. SEi simplified the selection process and provided excellent customer service. For more information about AMAG Technology or its Symmetry platform, visit www.amag.com , call 310-518-2380 or contact a Regional Sales Manager. For more information about SEi, visit https://seisecurity.com/ or call (402) 333-3233. About AMAG Technology AMAG Technology's Symmetry Security Management Solutions are deployed across a wide variety of market segments from commercial to government, education, healthcare, banking, transportation, utilities, plus many more. AMAG manufactures open solutions that include access control, visitor management, identity management, command and control, video management, intrusion management, and incident and case management. Headquartered in Torrance, California with sales and support located throughout the Americas, EMEA, APAC and LATAM, AMAG provides customers with industry leading unified security solutions. AMAG Technology is part of G4S plc, the world's leading global integrated security company which has operations on six continents and 540,000 employees. As the industry leader, AMAG focuses on delivering the latest technology to meet market needs. About SEi Security Equipment Inc. is a full service security firm offering all types of residential and commercial fire and intrusion alarm systems, video surveillance, access control, UL listed Monitoring Center plus much more. SEi is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska with branches in Des Moines, Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, Kansas City, Missouri and Lincoln, Nebraska. SEi was founded in 1969, and over the last 50 years, SEi's personal connection to the people who depend on us for life safety protection has not changed. We are big enough to take care of all your needs but small enough to care. SOURCE AMAG Technology Related Links https://www.amag.com MT. PLEASANT, S.C., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Brazilian Law Firm Advocacia Garcez is working with United Kingdom human rights law firm Leigh Day and Motley Rice LLC, one of the largest plaintiffs' law firms in the United States, in litigation related to the collapse of Vale's Corrego de Feijao dam in Brumadinho on January 25, 2019. Leigh Day and Motley Rice will assist as consultants dealing with issues outside of Brazil regarding environmental and personal injury class action litigation. Advocacia Garcez and layers for the Unions Siticop MG and the Brumadinho Workers Union filed a class action against Vale in the Labour Court of Betim, Minas Gerais in Brazil on April 9, 2019 on behalf of families of deceased workers and workers. Advocacia Garcez is also investigating environmental claims against Vale for individuals and businesses related to damage to land and property caused by the Brumadinho dam collapse. Leigh Day and Motley Rice have successfully represented claimants in landmark environmental tort litigation. Examples of their work include Leigh Day's representation of victims of oil pollution claims against Royal Dutch Shell for 15,000 Nigerian fisherman and toxic waste dumping claims against Trafigura for 30,000 residents of Cote D'Ivoire. In March 2019, Leigh Day succeeded in persuading the UK Supreme Court to allow a case for Zambian communities alleging contamination from a copper mine to proceed against Vedanta plc. Motley Rice represented victims of the Deepwater Horizon disaster which killed 11 oil rig workers and spilled close to five million gallons of crude oil into U.S. Gulf Coast waters. Motley Rice co-founder Joseph F. Rice was one of the lead negotiators of settlements with BP and Haliburton, one of which is the largest civil class action settlement in U.S. history. Motley Rice has also litigated lead pigment poisoning cases on behalf of government entities against the lead pigment industry, including 10 cities and counties in California. This California-based litigation resulted in a verdict of hundreds of millions of dollars for the lead abatement of homes in the jurisdictions that were constructed prior to 1951. Both Leigh Day and Motley Rice were engaged as consultants to counsel in South Africa who represented miners and their dependents who developed silicosis while working in the gold mines. It has resulted in a historic settlement, an important mediation and the first class action of its kind in the county, providing unprecedented relief to tens of thousands of miners and their dependents. Richard Meeran, head of the International Department at Leigh Day, said: "Leigh Day is delighted to be asked to assist Advocacia Garcez in seeking to hold Vale legally accountable for the tragedy we believe it has caused." "Motley Rice is ready to lend our experience in complex civil litigation to Advocacia Garcez, in order that his clients may obtain justice and accountability for this preventable catastrophic disaster in Brazil," says Motley Rice member attorney Michael Elsner. For more information about Motley Rice, visit www.motleyrice.com. For more information about Leigh Day, visit www.leighday.co.uk. For inquiries, please contact Michael Elsner. Motley Rice LLC is headquartered at 28 Bridgeside Blvd., Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464. SOURCE Motley Rice LLC Related Links http://www.motleyrice.com MIAMI, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- American Jewish Committee (AJC) welcomes the Florida state bill on combating anti-Semitism in schools, passed unanimously by Florida's House and Senate, and signed into law today by Governor Ron DeSantis. The bill sends a strong signal that Florida will not tolerate anti-Semitism, a cancer that continues to grow and threaten the fabric of society well beyond the Jewish community. Using the U.S. State Department definition of anti-Semitism, the legislation mandates that discrimination against Jewish people be viewed the same as other acts of racial bias in Florida's public education institutions. The legislation defines as anti-Semitism calls for violence against Jews, advancing conspiracy theories about Jewish control, and Holocaust denial. The legislation recognizes that there may be cases where the fullest possible application of its terms may have an impact on freedom of speech. AJC is confident that the authorities and the courts will be alert to such possibilities and take steps to protect that freedom. But those few and borderline cases should not obscure the overarching significance of this legislation. AJC, the leading global Jewish advocacy organization, maintains 22 regional offices across the United States, including three in Florida Miami, Palm Beach, and Sarasota. https://www.ajc.org/news/ajc-welcomes-florida-governors-signing-of-anti-semitism-legislation SOURCE American Jewish Committee Related Links http://www.ajc.org SAN FRANCISCO, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Akero Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company developing transformational treatments for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and other serious metabolic diseases, today announced that it has screened the first patient for its Phase 2a clinical trial evaluating AKR-001, the company's lead product candidate for the treatment of NASH. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared the company's Investigational New Drug application on May 24, 2019. "The commencement of our Phase 2 clinical program is an important milestone for Akero," said Andrew Cheng, M.D., Ph.D., President and CEO of Akero Therapeutics. "We believe AKR-001 has the potential to become a cornerstone therapy for the treatment of NASH by addressing its underlying metabolic drivers and the liver inflammation and fibrosis these drivers cause, and by improving risk factors for cardiovascular disease, which is the leading cause of mortality for these patients." The Phase 2a clinical trial is designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of AKR-001. The trial is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging trial in biopsy-confirmed patients with NASH, and is expected to enroll up to 80 patients for randomization to receive subcutaneous dosing of AKR-001 or placebo for 16 weeks. The primary endpoint for the trial is absolute change from baseline in hepatic fat fraction as measured by Magnetic Resonance Imaging Proton Density Fat Fraction (MRI-PDFF) at Week 12. About AKR-001 AKR-001 is an Fc-FGF21 fusion protein that has been engineered to mimic the biological activity profile of native FGF21, an endogenous hormone that regulates lipid and energy metabolism, and is secreted throughout the body to alleviate cellular stress. Observations from clinical trials of AKR-001 and other FGF analogs suggest AKR-001's potential to reduce liver fat, cellular stress, inflammation and fibrosis in people with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), as well as to improve risk factors of cardiovascular disease, a major cause of death among NASH patients. About NASH Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a serious, life-threatening disease that is rapidly emerging as the leading cause of liver failure in the world. An estimated 17.3 million Americans had NASH in 2016, a number that is expected to increase to 27.0 million by 2030. NASH is a severe form of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) characterized by hepatocyte injury, liver inflammation, and fibrosis that can progress to scarring (cirrhosis), liver failure, cancer and death. There are currently no approved therapies for the disease. About Akero Therapeutics Akero Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of transformative treatments for patients with serious metabolic disease with high unmet medical need by restoring metabolic balance. Akero's lead program, AKR-001, an engineered Fc-FGF21 fusion protein, is being evaluated in clinical trials as a potential fibroblast growth factor analog for treatment of NASH, a disease without any approved therapies. SOURCE Akero Therapeutics, Inc. NORTH EAST, Pa., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Roar on the Shore staff and board of directors are pleased to announce Allstate as the title sponsor of the 2019 Roar on the Shore Bike Week that will take place July 17-21 at Lake Erie Speedway in North East, Pennsylvania. "We are passionate about putting our time, energy, and support towards events that are inclusive and bring people together to build a sense of community," said Michael Halpin, marketing director at Allstate. "Roar on the Shore has a history of doing the same. We recognize the event's impact well beyond the local area and we wanted to expand our involvement." Allstate has had a presence at Roar on the Shore for many years as a well-known vendor, displaying the tie-dye-painted custom choppers built by legendary bike builder Rick Fairless. Fairless often attends Roar and will be at this year's event as part of Allstate's sponsorship. Established in 2007, the Manufacturer & Business Association created the Roar on the Shore Bike Week to raise funds for worthy charities. This annual event combines a music festival and motorcycle rally that features nine scenic rides throughout the region. Now entering its 13th year, the rally has seen unprecedented growth, drawing tens of thousands of people from across the country. "Allstate has a stellar record of supporting the communities in which it serves," said Ralph J. Pontillo, Roar on the Shore's executive director. "It has been part of Roar for several years and we couldn't be more pleased it is now our title sponsor. Allstate's support and commitment to the charitable aspect of Roar on the Shore demonstrates its longstanding commitment to give back locally." Pontillo explained sponsorships are a critical component of Roar on the Shore's success. Together, sponsors have helped raise more than $900,000 for charitable organizations, including: the John Kanzius Cancer Research Fund; Shriners Hospitals for Children Erie; local Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom veterans; SafeNet, Flight 93 National Memorial Campaign; Boys & Girls Club of Erie; St. Patrick's Haven; Erie Homes for Children and Adults; St. Martin Center; Mercy Center for Women; and the Sarah A. Reed Children's Center. For more information, visit www.roarontheshore.com. Proceeds from this year's event will benefit the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Erie County's (NAMI) Homefront program. To be launched next year in Erie, NAMI Homefront is a free, educational program for families, caregivers and friends of military service members and veterans with mental health conditions. SOURCE Allstate Related Links https://roarontheshore.com/ WASHINGTON, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Corsicana Mattress Company, Elite Comfort Solutions, Future Foam Inc., FXI, Inc., Innocor, Inc., Kolcraft Enterprises Inc., Leggett & Platt, Incorporated, Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC, and Tempur Sealy International, Inc. (collectively, the "Mattress Petitioners") applaud today's US Department of Commerce ("Commerce") announcement finding dumping by the largest Chinese mattress producers. Commerce announced dumping margins of 38.56 to 84.64 percent for the two mandatory respondents (Healthcare Co., Ltd. and Zinus (Xiamen) Inc.) and applied dumping margins of 74.65 percent to the 33 separate rate companies that demonstrated independence from the Chinese government and 1,731.75 percent to all other Chinese producers, which are referred to collectively as the China-Wide entity. The dumping margin is the difference between the Chinese producers' US prices and a normal value calculated under US trade law. "We are thrilled that Commerce has confirmed that Chinese producers are relying on significant dumping margins to unfairly compete in the US market with margins as high as 1,731.75 percent," said Yohai Baisburd, lead counsel to the Mattress Petitioners. The preliminary determination will be published in the Federal Register within a week or so at which time US Customs and Border Protection ("CBP") will commence collecting cash deposits of dumping duties based on these margins. These dumping duties are in addition to the 25 percent "Section 301" duties the United States has imposed on a variety of Chinese goods, including mattresses. "Today's announcement and the collection of dumping duties are necessary steps to allow us and the whole US mattress industry to compete on a level playing field with Chinese producers," said Christos Chrisafides, President of Elite Comfort Solutions. Commerce also found "critical circumstances" with respect to the separate rate companies and the China-wide entity because of a surge in imports after this case was filed on September 18, 2018. CBP will be instructed to collect the cash deposits of dumping duties retroactively for 90 days from importers of mattresses covered by the critical circumstances finding. The Mattress Petitioners believe this action is essential to ensure that the US mattress industry can compete on a level playing field and to allow for future reinvestment and growth for the entire US industry. For additional information please contact the Mattress Petitioners lead counsel, Yohai Baisburd of Cassidy Levy Kent (USA) LLP, at 202-567-2319. SOURCE The Mattress Petitioners BOULDER, Colo., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- ArcherDX, Inc., a molecular technology company dedicated to developing breakthrough solutions that advance the application of personalized genomic medicine, today announced the appointment of Steven J. Kafka, Ph.D. as Executive Chairman of the ArcherDX Board of Directors. "Since joining our board last year, Steve has had a tremendous impact on our organization. We look forward to working with him in this expanded capacity," said Jason Myers, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of ArcherDX. Dr. Kafka is a Partner at Third Rock Ventures, a leading healthcare venture capital firm that invests in disruptive areas of science and medicine to discover, launch and build companies that make a difference in the lives of patients. Prior to Third Rock Ventures, Dr. Kafka served as President and Chief Operating Officer at Foundation Medicine, Inc. During his tenure with Foundation Medicine, Dr. Kafka played a key role in the company's initial public offering in 2013 and to the strategic investment and collaboration that ultimately led to the company's sale to Roche in 2018. Previously, Dr. Kafka held executive roles at both public and private oncology drug discovery and development companies. Dr. Kafka replaces Kyle Lefkoff, Founder and General Partner of Boulder Ventures, who has been ArcherDX's Chairman for the past year. Mr. Lefkoff will remain on the board of ArcherDX. "With his deep experience in oncology molecular diagnostics and therapeutics, Steve is ideally suited to lead ArcherDX's board and to help guide the company through its next phase of growth," said Kyle Lefkoff. "Following the successful closing of our Series B financing, Steve's track record of securing strategic partnerships, scaling complex organizations and creating value for employees and investors will be invaluable as ArcherDX continues to expand into new markets and execute its strategic plans." "I'm delighted to help Jason and his team deliver best in class NGS-based genomic analysis to cancer researchers and patients around the world," said Steve Kafka. "ArcherDX's AMP technology is the best platform to power the democratization of personalized medicine, a mission about which we're all passionate." About ArcherDX ArcherDX is advancing molecular pathology with a robust technology platform for genetic mutation detection by next-generation sequencing. By combining patented Anchored Multiplexed PCR (AMP) chemistry in an easy-to-use, lyophilized format and powerful bioinformatics software, the Archer platform dramatically enhances genetic mutation identification and discovery. ArcherDX provides oncology-focused research products and is pursuing regulatory approval for multiple companion diagnostic assays to enable therapy selection and response as well as surveillance of disease recurrence. Learn more at archerdx.com. ArcherDX is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado. Media Contact: Matt Franklin, Chief Business Officer [email protected] SOURCE ArcherDX Related Links http://www.archerdx.com BOSTON, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Aspera, the leading provider of solutions and services for Software Asset Management (SAM), today announced that a global financial services company (The "Customer") has signed a $750k strategic agreement to use Aspera license management services and the Aspera SmartTrack license management platform. The Customer will use Aspera solutions to facilitate an automated license management strategy that ensures compliance for major software vendors such as Microsoft, Adobe, Oracle, and IBM. The Aspera SmartTrack platform accurately calculates complex metrics for servers, cloud, clients, and mobile and enables license optimization that can deliver up to 30% savings for large enterprises. The Customer, a US-based financial services provider with an annual revenue of over $12b, required an ITSLM partner to provide a SAM solution that automates compliance of its major software vendors. Following a competitive bid and solution evaluation process, Aspera's license management and optimization tools were selected as the best technical solution to meet their needs. "This agreement demonstrates that the Aspera solutions are winning over the world's largest companies in the most complex environments," stated Mel Passarelli, Aspera's President and CEO. "We look forward to delivering powerful SAM solutions to new enterprises while strengthening our partnership with existing customers and valued partners." Aspera has offices in the USA, Canada, Europe, and Japan, and operates worldwide across a growing partner sales network. The Aspera product portfolio provides insights into all major software vendors and SaaS applications. Aspera solutions support companies throughout their SAM journey, providing active control of license costs, cloud transition, and data center optimization. About Aspera At Aspera, we simplify the complexity of your software licenses. For two decades, we have helped hundreds of enterprises and over 50 Fortune 500s to assess cost and risk within their IT environments. Our solutions for Software Asset Management track all the big vendors, such as IBM, Microsoft, Oracle and SAP to cover every environment from servers and desktops to cloud and mobile. With the largest in-house consultant and service team in the industry, we provide the best strategy for data discovery, easy system integration, and a cost-effective way to purchase, use and optimize licenses. For more information, visit http://www.aspera.com. Contact Nicole Panas Marketing Director [email protected] SOURCE Aspera Related Links http://www.aspera.com WASHINGTON, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 2019 Next Gen TV Broadcast Conference Public Media Group (PMG) launched today to transform broadcast technology infrastructure and ensure broadcasters are able to leverage the full power and revenue opportunities of next generation broadcasting standards (Next Gen TV). As broadcast standards advance and the industry moves towards ATSC 3.0 implementation, PMG is singularly focused on building and operating a nationwide network of Next Gen TV, data centers, and software platforms that advance the capacity and opportunities of the broadcasting industry to engage audiences, serve communities, and develop new content and data-driven business models. Additionally, PMG intends to work to bring new sources of revenue built on this platform to its partners. PMG made todays announcement at the 2019 Next Gen TV Broadcast Conference in Washington, DC. PMG was started in partnership with Public Media Venture Group (PMVG) a coalition of public television stations committed to working together and investing collaboratively in Next Gen TV and Osborn Engineering, a 125 year-old engineering firm with deep ties to the broadcast industry. At launch, Public Media Venture Groups 31 coalition broadcasting entities, which represent 117 stations reaching more than 230 million Americans, will leverage PMGs infrastructure and technology offerings in order to diversify the ways in which they serve their audiences and generate new revenue. To find out more about how to partner with PMG, go to www.publicmediagroup.com. The industry is changing at break-neck speed as our clients face an increasingly competitive and shifting environment, from uncertainties around new broadcasting standards to rapidly evolving consumer viewing preferences, said Joe Chinnici, PMG CEO. By partnering with us, commercial and public broadcasters will be uniquely positioned to compete for audience and new revenues in a rapidly shifting media environment, while maximizing the value of their spectrum. A public benefit corporation (PBC) committed to transparency and integrity, PMGs executive and engineering teams are comprised of seasoned innovators from the broadcasting, infrastructure and technology industries. PMG CEO Joe Chinnici was previously President and COO of BioStar Infrastructure, a full-service developer for the Energy and Digital Technology marketplace. Prior to that he was a partner at Four Pines Ventures, an investment firm with interests in mission critical assets such as communications and internet infrastructure, enterprise class data centers, renewable energy, and venture capital. Erik Langner joins PMG as President. He was formerly President of Public Media Company, a nonprofit strategic consulting firm serving the public media industry. Eric Dausman, previously Chief Technology Officer of Osborn Infrastructure and Chief Operating Officer of Sutro Tower, joins PMG as SVP, RF Technology. Next Gen TV is an exciting opportunity for broadcasters, audiences, businesses and governmental entities alike. From IP-compatibility and targeted and addressable content delivery to improved audio and video quality, audiences will be able to enjoy a better television experience free over-the-air. Additionally, the IP-based technology allows for the development of data-based services utilizing broadcast spectrum that support rural education, first responders, and large industries such as agriculture or automotive as well as data and content delivery for technology and other companies. One of the most powerful benefits of the new standards is achieved through the deployment of Single Frequency Networks (SFN), a technology solution to broadcast the same channel from multiple tower sites within a market without causing interference. Benefits of SFNs include robust data distribution to mobile devices, enhanced use cases and value, and geotargeting capabilities. SFNs also provide the infrastructure needed to address a broad range of public sector needs. PMG is 100% committed to technological and market neutrality, which sets us squarely apart from the pack, continued Chinnici. Our mandate is to design and build to optimize signal pattern, manage costs and expand access not to maximize pre-existing infrastructure and market investments. About Public Media Group Public Media Group, PBC (PMG) is a technology infrastructure company focused on advancing the interests and opportunities of its stakeholders, which include the entire broadcast industry. In partnership with broadcasters, PMG will build and operate a national, high-speed content and data distribution system accessible to the entire country, connecting everyone, everywhere. With the requisite capital and engineering expertise to design, build, own and operate a national network of Next Gen TV infrastructure, including Single Frequency Networks, PMG will enable its broadcast stakeholders to fully leverage the benefits of ATSC 3.0. To find out how PMG can manage Next Gen TV infrastructure so broadcasters can focus on content and revenues, visit www.publicmediagroup.com . Media Contact: Lori Lefevre CALGARY, Alberta, May 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Blackhawk Resource Corp. (the "Corporation" or "Blackhawk") (CSE: BLR), is pleased to announced that it has closed the non-brokered financing for gross proceeds of $998,250. Blackhawk issued 19,965,000 common shares at a price of $0.05 per share. Commissions totalling $30,800 were paid to certain finders in relation to the financing. The proceeds of the financing are expected to be used for strategic growth initiatives, working capital and general corporate purposes. All securities to be issued in connection with the financing are subject to a four-month-and-one-day statutory hold period in accordance with applicable securities laws. With the closing of the financing, Blackhawk has 81,161,374 common shares outstanding. In connection with the completion of the financing, Transcend Capital Inc. ("Transcend") has participated in the financing and acquired ownership and control of 3,000,000 common shares of Blackhawk, representing approximately 3.7 % of the outstanding common shares. Following acquisition of the shares, and when combined with its existing holdings in Blackhawk, Transcend now holds 14,261,000 common shares of Blackhawk, representing approximately 17.6% of the outstanding common shares. Transcend has acquired the shares of Blackhawk for investment purposes, and although it has no present intention to acquire additional shares of Blackhawk, it may do so as market conditions warrant. A copy of the early warning report filed by Transcend in accordance with applicable securities laws is available under the profile for Blackhawk on SEDAR. NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR THROUGH U.S. NEWSWIRES Reader Advisory Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulatory Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Certain information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements or information ("forward-looking statements"), including details about the proposed transaction with AcquisitionCo. By their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond the Corporation's control, including the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, volatility of commodity prices, currency fluctuations, environmental risks, operational risks, competition from other industry participants, stock market volatility, the risks that the parties will not proceed with the acquisition of AcquisitionCo, that the ultimate terms of the acquisition will differ from those that currently are contemplated and the ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources. Although the Corporation believes that the expectations in its forward-looking statements are reasonable, its forward-looking statements have been based on factors and assumptions concerning future events which may prove to be inaccurate. Those factors and assumptions are based upon currently available information. Such statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could influence actual results or events and cause actual results or events to differ materially from those stated, anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, as no assurance can be provided as to future results, levels of activity or achievements. Risks, uncertainties, material assumptions and other factors that could affect actual results are discussed in our public disclosure documents available at www.sedar.com. Furthermore, the forward-looking statements contained in this document are made as of the date of this document and, except as required by applicable law, the Corporation does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking statements contained in this document are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. This news release is not an offer of securities for sale in the United States. Securities may not be offered or sold in the United States or to or for the account or benefit of U.S. persons (as such terms are defined in Regulation S under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act")), absent registration or an exemption from registration. The securities offered have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act or any state securities laws and, therefore, may not be offered for sale in the United States, except in transactions exempt from registration under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. For further information on please contact: Dave Antony Blackhawk -Chief Executive Officer +1(403) 531-1710 [email protected] SOURCE Blackhawk Resource Corp. "Leo Burnett is committed to delivering creative product that pushes boundaries, crosses borders and effects change in culture," said Swinand. "And we're equally committed to bringing on leaders like Bob, who share our passion for the product. Bob has both the creative savvy and leadership skills necessary to drive our business forward." "The General Motors business is an integral part of Publicis Groupe and our 'Power of One' approach, and it requires tremendous creative talent from the top, down," said Law. "Bob's reputation precedes him and I know that together, we'll build a creative offering and creative work that will be the envy of the industry." In his new role, Winter will oversee all General Motors business for Leo Burnett Group agencies in the U.S. Under GM, Leo Burnett works with Buick, GMC and customer care/aftersales, while Rokkan works with Cadillac. One of his marquee projects in 2019 is to build a new team for the Cadillac account, which Publicis Groupe has managed since 2015. "Leo Burnett Group has great ambitions for this year, and for the future," said Winter. "There has never been a more exciting time to build a team and lead creative for this group of agencies and their clients, and I'm honored to have this opportunity." Winter is a highly awarded creative and creator of the Bud Light "Real Men of Genius" campaign. Most recently, he spent five years at VSA Partners as partner/executive creative director, driving integrated creative for the agency's clients. His track record also boasts creative leadership positions at CP+B in Miami, Y&R Chicago, Leo Burnett and Goodby Silverstein & Partners. About Leo Burnett Worldwide Leo Burnett Worldwide is a creative solutions agency network, and part of Publicis Communications. Leo Burnett has 96 offices in 85 countries and more than 8,500 employees around the globe. The agency works on behalf of some of the world's most valued brands including Coca-Cola, Kellogg's, Kraft, McDonald's, Nintendo and Samsung, among others. To learn more about Leo Burnett and its rich, 83-year history, visit LeoBurnett.com. Follow on Facebook and via @leoburnett. Contact: Gina Ribaudo 312-261-0237 SOURCE Leo Burnett Related Links http://leoburnett.com PROVO, Utah, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- BYU Law School today announced it will host the Fifth Biennial Emerging Immigration Scholars Conference June 7-8, 2019. The conference provides a forum for emerging immigration law scholars to connect with colleagues from across the country to discuss a broad spectrum of immigration issues and scholarship relevant to the early stages of a career as an immigration law scholar and teacher. "Immigration is an important part of BYU Law's emphasis on law and social change, which is why we are so pleased to have been selected to host this conference," said conference host D. Carolina Nunez, associate dean of research and academic affairs and immigration law professor at BYU Law. "My research and scholarship in immigration law has benefitted immensely from attending this conference over the last 10 years, and I am excited to bring emerging immigration scholars to BYU to meet each other, exchange ideas and learn from one another." Roughly 50 faculty and staff from law schools across the country are expected to participate in this conference, which is especially geared toward immigration law professors who have fewer than 10 years of experience in legal academia or who are pre-tenured. In addition to networking with colleagues, participants will attend panel discussions focused on teaching, scholarship and other issues relevant to the early stages of a career as an immigration law scholar and teacher. They will also participate in workshop settings where they will receive and provide constructive feedback on works-in-progress and incubator ideas, and discuss litigation and advocacy projects. Professor Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia, an immigration expert from Penn State Law, will deliver the keynote titled "Keeping Up with Current Litigation" and host an interactive discussion about hot button immigration litigation issues. Panel discussion topics include "Teaching and Learning Innovations in Immigration Law," moderated by Pooja Dadhania, assistant professor of law at California Western School of Law; "Arc of Career for Immigration Law Teachers and Scholars," moderated by Sabrina Balgamwalla, assistant professor and the director of the Asylum and Immigration Law Clinic at Wayne State; and "New Frontiers in Immigration Law Scholarship," moderated by Shalini Ray, an immigration law scholar from Culverhouse Law at University of Alabama. A part of the law school's focus on law and social change, immigration is a key area of emphasis at BYU Law. The school regularly sends faculty and students to the South Texas Family Detention Center to help women and children with their asylum claims. The BYU Law Community Legal Clinic, which recently marked its one-year anniversary, provides free legal services to vulnerable populations, with special emphasis on immigration and housing. Unlike many legal clinics staffed by students, this clinic provides direct representation throughout the legal process. The Emerging Immigration Scholars Conference will be held from the morning of Friday, June 7 through Saturday afternoon, June 8 on campus at BYU Law in Provo, Utah. For more information, visit the conference website: http://eisc.byu.edu/2019-conference/. About BYU Law School Founded in 1971, the J. Reuben Clark Law School (BYU Law) has grown into one of the nation's leading law schools recognized for innovative research and teaching in social change, transactional design, entrepreneurship, corpus linguistics, criminal justice, and religious freedom. The Law School has more than 6,000 alumni serving in communities around the world. In its most recent rankings, SoFi ranked BYU Law as the #1 best-value U.S. law school in their 2017 Return on Education Law School Ranking. For more information, visit http://www.law.byu.edu/ . SOURCE BYU Law Related Links http://www.law.byu.edu/ WASHINGTON, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today announced the filing of a Motion for a Permanent Injunction to end the federal government's practice of interrogating select Muslim travelers about their religious beliefs and practices. SEE: COPY OF COURT FILING https://tinyurl.com/BorderQuestioningFiling STATEMENT OF FACTS https://tinyurl.com/StatementofFacts The filing is a continuation of CAIR's seven-year-old lawsuit, Cherri v. Wray, which challenges the federal government's authority to interrogate Muslim citizens about their faith. It is brought on behalf of American Muslims who FBI and border agents have asked questions about how often they pray, whether they are Sunni or Shia, who their imam (religious leader) is, whether they consider themselves religious, and even whether they pray the morning prayer at a mosque. The lawsuit is pending before Judge Avern Cohn of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. "For more than a decade, official U.S. Government policy has targeted religion -- specifically Islam -- as a threat," CAIR's summary judgment filing explains. CAIR emphasized evidence obtained in discovery that, as of today, federal agents "determine threat levels by looking at how Muslim women wear their hijab." CAIR's brief urges the federal court to end these practices. In its filing, CAIR describes how the federal government has illegally used the religiosity of Muslim travelers as a proxy for the threat they pose to the United States. This has imposed harrowing experiences on Muslim travelers, during which they are detained and interrogated about their faith as they have moved across the U.S. border by land and air. SEE: Muslim Americans Interrogated at the Border https://theintercept.com/2017/01/14/complaints-describes-border-agents-interrogating-muslim-americans-asking-for-social-media-accounts/ In 2017, this policy affected Muhammad Ali Jr, who was questioned about his religious beliefs by customs agents during a border detention. SEE: Muhammad Ali Jr. stands by claim he was asked 'What religion are you?' while detained by customs https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/2017/02/27/muhammad-ali-jr-stands-claim-he-asked-what-religion-you-while-detained-customs/98473244/ "The FBI and CBP should not be interrogating Americans about their religious beliefs and practices," said CAIR National Litigation Director Lena Masri. "The Constitution makes these senseless inquiries into a person's faith illegal." "The federal government's faith-based targeting of Muslim travelers serves no legitimate legal purpose and should offend all Americans," said CAIR-MI staff attorney Amy Doukoure. "The profiling, detention and religious interrogations of Muslims crossing the border must come to an immediate end." CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims. La mision de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprension del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos. CONTACT: CAIR National Litigation Director Lena Masri, [email protected] , 202-742-6420; CAIR Senior Litigation Attorney Gadeir Abbas, [email protected] , 720-251-0425; CAIR Trial Attorney Carolyn Homer, [email protected] , 202-516-4724 SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Related Links http://www.cair.com Why: The 6th Annual Cannabis World Congress & Business Exposition in New York (CWCBExpo) is the leading event on the East Coast for the medical marijuana, legalized cannabis and hemp industries. For three days, all under one roof, CWCBExpo NY features education, influencers, information and products for navigating and prospering in this high growth industry that will change the business, political, and healthcare landscape in the years ahead. As the next American economic boom, the cannabis industry is projected to reach more than $80 billion by 2030, and CWCBExpo NY is the "go to source" for entrepreneurs, investors, established cannabis business owners, mainstream businesses, and the medical community to learn how to succeed. Highlights of CWCBExpo NY include: -Standout Keynote Address by Steve White, CEO, Harvest Health & Recreation, a vertically integrated cannabis company with one of the largest and deepest footprints in the U.S. (May 30) -CNBC's Aditi Roy In Conversation with Bruce Linton, Chairman and CEO, of Canopy Growth (May 31) -Industry Update with Gerald Pascarelli, Vice President, Beverages, Tobacco & Cannabis, Cowen, Inc.; and Cannabis 2030: Back To The Future with Sumit Mehta, MAZAKALI and Rafael de la Cruz, Universal Brand Ventures -Timely sessions relevant to the tri-state, national and global cannabis industry including: CBD: Past, Present & Future; The "Legalization" of Cannabis & Future Business Opportunities in NY and NJ with Axel Bernabe, New York's Assistant Counsel to the Governor for Health and Jeff Brown, Assistant Commissioner, Medical Marijuana, New Jersey Department of Health; Dispensary Owner/Operator Panel: Trials, Tribulations and Triumphs; Key Trends Shaping the Global Cannabis Market; Big Data Powers Big Cannabis; and A Brand New Cannabis World -Insightful and candid sessions on Warrior Wellness: The Transition Epidemic Facing Veterans with special operatives from the U.S. Army and Navy sharing their authentic stories including Congressman Max Rose; Breaking Boundaries Without Permission: Women Making Business and Social Impact; A New Approach to Startup Due Diligence in the Cannabis Industry; and Cannabis and Hemp Academia Town Hall with NY Senator Diane Savino and Ivy League professors and students. -Hemp workshop and conference track on Hemp: The Dawning of a New Day in the USA with Greg Ibach, Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, U.S. Department of Agriculture; Hemp Processing: From Start to Finish and a Hemp Pavilion featuring hemp clothing, automotive and construction parts, health foods, organic body care, nutraceuticals and more. -New products and services for the cannabis industry from top companies exhibiting on the sold-out exhibit floor including the latest payment processors, cannabis DNA testing, CBD & hemp oils, grow lights, vaping systems, extractors, security systems, lab testing, climate control systems, greenhouse tours, and more. -"In Conversation with Bruce Linton," sponsor Anewsha, through its revolutionary patented and trademarked technology platform "Renewsha," will announce it has signed a letter of intent with SPI Pharma to develop and license a precision dosing, tasteless, fast-acting formulation for all-natural API (active phytocannabinoid ingredients). -Cannabis Week, anchored by CWCBExpo, designed to bring all sectors and communities of the industry together including welcome parties, networking events, Grass is Greener film screening with Fab 5 Freddy, NORML FORML, and Yoga. Billions can be made in the cannabis industry in every sector of business from manufacturing and logistics to legal and financial services. Savvy entrepreneurs, service providers, and investors from across the country and around the world are registering for CWCBExpo NY to find out how to succeed in the cannabis industry. Go to www.cwcbexpo.com for more information. @CWCBExpo #CannabisMeansBusiness #CannabisWeek CWCBExpo Contacts: Fred Polsinelli, [email protected], 646-306-7413; Annie Scully, [email protected], 201-310-9252 SOURCE CWCBExpo The inaugural program aimed to empower groups within the university, as well as local organizations that have limited resources, by helping them stay up-to-speed with the latest design trends and printing techniques. This knowledge will help enable them to be self-sufficient, avoid the need to outsource their printing needs, and obtain the greatest value from their budgets. From jobs that require a robust print environment to techniques that can be used on an office copier or printer, Print Camp provided participants a wide range of options to create dynamic printed pieces. "The overall focus of Print Camp 2019 was based on my many happy years interacting with friends, colleagues, and customers who need all manner of printed material," said Tom McLeod, Printing Services Director, The University of Alabama. "Our commitment is to help participants deliver printed media with confidence and appeal, even if they don't have access to a print service provider. Print Camp 2019 allows them to make the most out of their budgets regardless of where or how the printed material is produced." "Print Camp was such a worthwhile and thought provoking experience for me," said Kelly Marshall, Communications Director, Alabama Rivers Alliance. "Working for a non-profit organization, you find yourself wearing all sorts of different hats throughout a typical day. Print Camp allowed me the opportunity to slow down and thoughtfully consider the materials we present to our audience, how they are received, and what I can do on the front end to ensure the most effective piece for my organization. I look forward to putting some of the things I learned into action soon!" Each session was led by one or more subject matter experts, who were available for Q&A during and after the sessions. Participants actively engaged in discussions and hands-on activities that reinforced the concepts and techniques shared by the print professionals. Additionally, written materials were provided for the students to take back to their teams, including the latest edition of Canon Solutions America's Designer's Guide to Inkjet book. "We are so proud to support The University of Alabama on this great initiative," said Peter Kowalczuk, President, Canon Solutions America. "Print offers many possibilities to all types of organizations and we were excited to have the opportunity to educate people on how they can best leverage their printed material for the success of their business. We thank The University of Alabama for inviting us to participate, and we look forward to seeing this program grow." About Canon Solutions America, Inc. Canon Solutions America provides industry leading enterprise, production, and large format printing solutions, supported by exceptional professional service offerings. With the technology offerings of the Canon and Oce brands, Canon Solutions America helps companies of all sizes find ways to: improve sustainability, increase efficiency, and control costs in conjunction with high volume, continuous feed, digital and traditional printing, and document management solutions. A wholly owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A., Inc., Canon Solutions America is headquartered in Melville, N.Y. and has sales and service locations across the U.S. For more information on Canon Solutions America, please visit csa.canon.com. Editorial Contact: Canon Solutions America, Inc. Website: Tara Vetro http://csa.canon.com 631-330-2681 For sales info/customer support: [email protected] 1-844-443-INFO (4636) Canon is a registered trademark of Canon Inc. in the United States and elsewhere. Oce is a registered trademark of Oce-Technologies B.V. in the United States and elsewhere. All other referenced product names and marks are trademarks of their respective owners and are hereby acknowledged. 2019 Canon Solutions America, Inc. All rights reserved. SOURCE Canon Solutions America, Inc. Related Links https://csa.canon.com LOS ANGELES, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Capital Square 1031, a leading real estate investment and management firm specializing in Delaware statutory trust (DST) offerings, announced today the sale of a 37,500-square-foot facility in greater Los Angeles that is 100 percent occupied by 24 Hour Fitness. The property was owned by a group of DST investors who realized a 149.49 percent total return on equity, or 12.12 percent annualized return, from their 1031 exchange investment. Total return included the average annual cash distribution rate of 6.46 percent received by investors during their four-year holding period. The property, which was originally purchased for $16.2 million in May 2015, sold for $20.725 million. "With the sale of this 24 Hour Fitness facility, Capital Square has taken four DST offerings full-cycle in the last 10 months," said Louis Rogers, founder and chief executive officer of Capital Square 1031. "Investors realized a handsome return from both the cash flow and capital appreciation. This sale is a prime example of Capital Square's ability to acquire, manage and sell high-quality real estate for investors seeking tax-advantaged investments." "We are gratified by the results," said Rogers. "Most of the DST investors are re-investing with Capital Square in a new DST to continue the tax deferral under Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code." Located at 1530 W. Covina Parkway in West Covina, approximately 19 miles from downtown Los Angeles in the eastern San Gabriel Valley, the property includes a three-level, free-standing parking garage and is situated on 1.6 acres of land. Club amenities include cardio equipment, circuit training a kid's club, sauna, steam room and lap pool, among others. Mike Waddell, president of Capital Square 1031, added, "Taking advantage of strong market conditions, we were able to maximize the outcome for investors through a sale of the property that took the DST offering full cycle earlier than planned. With this sale, Capital Square's transaction volume has increased to $1.3 billion since our founding in late 2012." Since inception, Capital Square has acquired 82 properties for approximately 1,600 investors seeking quality replacement properties that qualify for tax deferral under Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code. About Capital Square 1031 Capital Square 1031 is a national real estate investment and management company that sponsors investment-grade real estate exchange programs that qualify for tax deferral under Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code. The company acquires multifamily properties for substantial growth possibility, necessary medical properties for the potential for stable income, and other real estate investments that have the potential to provide exceptional risk-adjusted returns. Capital Square provides a range of services, including due diligence, acquisition, loan sourcing, property management/asset management, and disposition, for a growing number of high net-worth investors, private equity firms, family offices and institutional investors. Since inception, the firm has sponsored 58 DST programs and has completed approximately $1.3 billion in transaction volume. To learn more, visit www.CapitalSquare1031.com. Disclaimer: Investing in real estate involves significant risk and is suitable only for investors who have adequate financial means, desire a relatively long-term investment, who will not need immediate liquidity from their investment and can afford to lose their entire investment. There are various risks associated with owning, financing, operating, and leasing commercial properties. If the tenant does not renew or extend the lease, or terminates or defaults on the lease, the operating results of the Property could be adversely affected by the loss of revenue and Beneficial Owners could lose the benefits of Section 1031. Other risks include potential environmental conditions at the property, changes in economic conditions, changes in the investment climate for real estate investments, new competition, changes in the demand from competing properties, changes in local market conditions, changes in lease-up periods, changes in real estate tax rates and other operating expenses. There can be material tax consequences and prospective investors should consult their own tax advisors to evaluate the tax consequences of a DST interest. This is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy a DST interest. Offers are made solely pursuant to the Confidential Private Placement Memorandum. Securities offered through WealthForge Securities, LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC. Capital Square 1031 and WealthForge Securities are not affiliated. *The ROE ("return on equity") represents the ratio of total sales proceeds and distributions through the life of the asset over the total initial equity invested. The ROE represents a return to an individual investor. No representation is made that any investment will or is likely to achieve profits or losses similar to those achieves in the past or that losses will not be incurred. Contact: Lauren Burgos Spotlight Marketing Communications 949.427.1399 [email protected] SOURCE Capital Square 1031 Related Links http://www.capitalsquare1031.com CLEARWATER, Fla., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- (ISC) the world's largest nonprofit membership association of certified cybersecurity professionals today announced the election of two new additions to the Board of Trustees for its charitable foundation, the Center for Cyber Safety and Education. Matt Loeb, CGEIT, CAE, ASAE, and James McQuiggan, CISSP, join four existing trustees in advising on the mission to bring online safety learning opportunities to families across the globe. The Center impacts communities worldwide through various programs with a goal of enabling every person in every community to learn how to keep themselves safe while enjoying the benefits of being globally connected. Trustees have a fiduciary responsibility to ensure that the educational, research and scholarship programs offered by the Center are available throughout the 170 countries in which (ISC) members maintain a presence. The Center is based in the U.S. as a 501(c)(3) charitable trust and its trustees are challenged to grow the global scope of the Center's mission. "As we continue to extend the Center's reach to more children, parents and senior citizens in more geographies, the addition of two such experienced cybersecurity industry leaders as Matt Loeb and James McQuiggan provides us with an even stronger advisory team to guide us through this period of rapid growth," said Patrick Craven, director of the Center for Cyber Safety and Education. "We're thankful to all of our trustees for donating their valuable time and expertise to such a worthy cause." Matt Loeb is currently Principal of Optimal Performance Seekers, LLC and formerly served as the CEO of ISACA. Prior to joining ISACA, he was Staff Executive for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Executive Director (CEO) of the IEEE Foundation. Loeb is on the Excelsior College (NY) Board of Trustees and the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Board of Directors. He also serves on the Board of Advisors for Knimbus, Pvt. Ltd. in the publishing sector and Lionrock Recovery in the healthcare sector. He previously served as non-executive Chair of the CMMI Institute, on the ISACA Board of Directors and on two education foundations in Montgomery Township, NJ and Tustin, CA. Loeb is a Board Leadership Fellow of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD), which also recognized him in 2016 as one of the top 100 Directors in the US. He is a Fellow of ASAE and a Certified Association Executive (CAE). James McQuiggan serves as the Product & Solution Security Officer for Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy in the Service Americas division. In addition to his work at SGRE, McQuiggan is also a part time professor at Valencia College in the Engineering, Computer Programming & Technology Division. He has been an (ISC) member since 2008 and a volunteer for the Center for Cyber Safety and Education since 2011. McQuiggan has taught the Center's Safe & Secure Online education and awareness programs to over 7,000 students, parents, teachers and senior citizens. McQuiggan is also a member of the (ISC) North American Advisory Council and the President of the (ISC) Central Florida Chapter. In 2016, he received the (ISC) Presidents Award and in 2017 he was honored with the first ever Julie Peeler Franz "Do it for the Children Award" as Volunteer of the Year for his work with the Center. About The Center for Cyber Safety and Education The Center for Cyber Safety and Education is a nonprofit charitable trust committed to making the cyber world a safer place for everyone. The Center works to ensure that people across the globe have a positive and safe experience online through their educational programs, scholarships, and research. They hold the exclusive global rights to use Garfied the Cat to teach younger children how to be safe and secure online. Visit www.IAmCyberSafe.org for more information. About (ISC) Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, (ISC) is an international nonprofit membership association focused on inspiring a safe and secure cyber world. Best known for the acclaimed Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification, (ISC) offers a portfolio of credentials that are part of a holistic, pragmatic approach to security. Our membership, more than 140,000 strong, is made up of certified cyber, information, software and infrastructure security professionals who are making a difference and helping to advance the industry. Our vision is supported by our commitment to educate and reach the general public through our charitable foundation The Center for Cyber Safety and Education. For more information on (ISC), visit www.isc2.org, follow us on Twitter or connect with us on Facebook and LinkedIn. 2019, (ISC) Inc., (ISC), CISSP, SSCP, CCSP, CAP, CSSLP, HCISPP, CCFP, CISSP-ISSAP, CISSP-ISSEP, CISSP-ISSMP and CBK are registered marks, of (ISC), Inc. Media Contact: Brian Alberti Corporate Public Relations Manager (ISC) [email protected] (617) 510-1540 SOURCE (ISC)2 Related Links http://www.isc2.org SUNNYVALE, Calif., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Cepheid announced today that it has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance for testing throat and rectal specimens with its Xpert CT/NG test. The test provides fast and accurate molecular detection of chlamydia and gonorrhea, making same-day consultation and treatment possible. Xpert CT/NG test is an automated in vitro diagnostic test for qualitative detection and differentiation of DNA from Chlamydia trachomatis and/or Neisseria gonorrhoeae. In addition to the new extragenital specimens, Xpert CT/NG is indicated for use with urine, vaginal, and endocervical specimens from symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. "Xpert CT/NG is the most sophisticated test in its class, yet it can be performed on-demand by virtually any laboratory to maximize the medical impact of the results. Adding throat and rectal sample types addresses a critical unmet need allowing for more complete patient screening," said David H. Persing, M.D., Ph.D., Cepheid's Chief Medical and Technology Officer. "Considering the increasing rates of chlamydial and gonorrheal infection, this is particularly important for public health screening programs, to capture patients who previously would have gone undiagnosed if only genital specimens were tested.1,2 It is not uncommon for patients to have an infection only in their throat or rectum, which may be asymptomatic. Same day consultation and treatment is critical for patient management so patients are not lost to follow up." Detection of patients with extragenital gonorrheal and chlamydial infections is critical for optimal treatment of disease and can prevent development of antibiotic resistance in strains due to inadequate treatment regimens that do not cover extragenital sites.3,4 This is particularly important for men who have sex with men, where disease may be limited to the pharynx or rectum. Such infections will go undetected if only genital sites are tested.5 Extragenital disease has also been reported in women.6 The clinical study used to validate the new claims was led by Drs. Jeffrey Klausner of University of California Los Angeles and Sarah Doernberg of University of California, San Francisco, and coordinated by the Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group (ARLG), which is funded and supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number UM1AI104681.* "Over the last decade, cases of chlamydia and gonorrhea have continued to increase sharply both in the Unites States and abroad necessitating better diagnostics and treatment regimens," said Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, professor of medicine and public health at the University of California, Los Angeles, and lead researcher on the study. "Screening for both genital and extragenital disease with fast turn-around times is critical for optimizing therapy for both male and female populations to reduce the spread of infection." The Xpert CT/NG test is performed on the Cepheid GeneXpert Systems. The test's capability to detect DNA from organisms in both genital and extragenital specimens allows for improved screening and detection in patients to ensure infections can be treated in the same day. For more information on Cepheid's GeneXpert Systems or the complete menu of Xpert tests, visit www.cepheid.com. For more information on Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group, visit https://arlg.org/. About Cepheid Based in Sunnyvale, Calif., Cepheid is a leading molecular diagnostics company that is dedicated to improving healthcare by developing, manufacturing, and marketing accurate yet easy-to-use molecular systems and tests. By automating highly complex and time-consuming manual procedures, the company's solutions deliver a better way for institutions of any size to perform sophisticated genetic testing for organisms and genetic-based diseases. Through its strong molecular biology capabilities, the company is focusing on those applications where accurate, rapid, and actionable test results are needed most, such as managing infectious diseases and cancer. For more information, visit www.cepheid.com. *The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. References: CDC. Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance 2017. Accessed Mar 2019 . https://www.cdc.gov/std/stats17/infographic.htm Patton ME, et al. Extragenital gonorrhea and chlamydia testing and infection among men who have sex with men STD Surveillance Network, United States , 2010-2012. Clin Infect Dis. 2014 Jun;58(11):1564-70. Deguchi T, Yasuda M, Ito S. 2012. Management of pharyngeal gonorrhea is crucial to prevent the emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 56: 4039-4040. Dukers-Muijrers NHTM, Schachter J, van Liere GAFS, et al. 2015. What is needed to guide testing for anorectal and pharyngeal Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in women and men? Evidence and opinion. BMC Infectious Diseases. 15;533:1-13. Tao G, Hoover KW, Nye MB, et. al. 2016. Rectal infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis in men in the United States. Clin Infect Dis. 63(10):1325-1331. Cosentino LA, Danby CS, Rabe LK, et.al. 2017. Use of nucleic acid amplification testing for diagnosis of extragenital sexually transmitted infections. J Clin Microbiol. 55(9):2801-2807. For Cepheid Media Inquiries: Darwa Peterson [email protected] SOURCE Cepheid Related Links http://www.cepheid.com French English Press release Results of the Combined General Meeting and decisions of the Board of Directors meeting of 29 May 2019 Approval of the distribution of premium of 0.11 per share in cash in respect of 2018 financial year Removal of the double voting right attached to MRM shares Approval of all resolutions relating to the ratification and renewal of Board members' terms of office Mr Jacques Blanchard is reappointed as Chief Executive Officer Paris, 29 May 2019: MRM (Euronext code ISIN FR0000060196), a real estate investment company specialising in retail property, announced the results of the Combined General Meeting and the decisions of the Board of Directors both held today under the chairmanship of Mr Francois de Varenne. For the Ordinary part of the General Meeting, MRM's shareholders approved by a very large majority all resolutions, including: The distribution of premium of 0.11 per share in respect of the 2018 financial year: the coupon date has been set as 5 June 2019 and the distribution will be paid on 7 June 2019; The renewal of Mr. Jacques Blanchard as a Board member, the ratification of the provisional appointment of Mrs. Valerie Ohannessian and her renewal as a Board member as well as the ratification of the provisional appointment of Mr. Gilles Castiel as a Board member. For the Extraordinary part of the General Meeting, MRM's shareholders approved by a very large majority the 13th, 14th, 16th, 17th and 18th resolutions. MRM's shareholders notably approved the amendment of MRM's Articles of Association in view to remove the double voting rights attached to MRM shares for which there is proof of registry in the name of the same shareholder for at least two years: it is specified that the submission of this resolution to the vote of the Combined General Meeting was made possible thanks to the approval of the removal of double voting rights by the Special Meeting of holders of shares carrying double voting rights held in advance. Shareholders rejected the 15th resolution, which was presented in order to satisfy a legal requirement. It is specified that, in its report on the text of resolutions dated 4 April 2019, the Board of Directors, considering its approval to be inopportune, asked the General Meeting to reject the draft resolution. At its meeting held today following the Combined General Meeting of shareholders, MRM's Board of Directors took note of the results of the latter's votes and subsequently proceeded to: The reappointment of Mr Jacques Blanchard, Board member, as Chief Executive Officer; The amendment of the company's Articles of Association, which now specify that no double voting rights are conferred on MRM's shares. Members of the Board of Directors at 29 May : Francois de Varenne, Director and Chairman of the Board of MRM, Chairman of the Management Board of SCOR Investment Partners Jacques Blanchard, Director and Chief Executive Officer of MRM Brigitte Gauthier-Darcet, independent Director Valerie Ohannessian, independent Director Gilles Castiel, Director, Head of Real Estate at SCOR SCOR SE, Director, represented by Karina Lelievre, Deputy General Secretary of SCOR Detailed results of the votes on the resolutions submitted to the Special Meeting of holders of shares carrying double voting right, and on those submitted to the Combined General Meeting are available on the company's website: www.mrminvest.com. Calendar Revenues for the second quarter and 2019 half-year results are due on 26 July 2019 before market opening and will be presented during an information meeting to be held on the same day. About MRM MRM is a listed real estate investment company that owns and manages a portfolio of retail properties across several regions of France. Its majority shareholder is SCOR SE, which owns 59.9% of share capital. MRM is listed in Compartment C of Euronext Paris (ISIN: FR0000060196 - Bloomberg code: MRM:FP - Reuters code: MRM.PA). MRM opted for SIIC status on 1 January 2008. For more information: MRM 5, avenue Kleber 75795 Paris Cedex 16 France T +33 (0)1 58 44 70 00 relation_finances@mrminvest.com Isabelle Laurent, OPRG Financial T +33 (0)1 53 32 61 51 M +33 (0)6 42 37 54 17 isabelle.laurent@oprgfinancial.fr Website: www.mrminvest.com BOULDER, CO, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - Charlotte's Web Holdings, Inc. ("Charlotte's Web" or the "Company") (CSE:CWEB,OTCQX:CWBHF), the market leader in hemp CBD extract products, is pleased to announce that it has received conditional approval for the listing of the Company's common shares (the "Common Shares") on the Toronto Stock Exchange (the "TSX"). It is anticipated that the Common Shares of Charlotte's Web will commence trading on the TSX effective as of market open on Friday, May 31, 2019. Upon listing on the TSX, the Common Shares will continue to trade under the symbol "CWEB". In conjunction with listing on the TSX, the Common Shares will be voluntarily delisted from the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE") as at the close of trading on Thursday, May 30, 2019. The Company believes that the TSX listing will increase the Company's exposure to a wider capital markets audience, increase trading liquidity, and expand access to international institutional investors and capital. The move from the CSE to the TSX comes just nine months after the Company's successful IPO on August 30, 2018 and is a reflection of both the Company's continued growth and the improving regulatory environment for hemp in Canada and the United States. While Charlotte's Web previously met operational, governance and capital requirements for a TSX listing at the time of its IPO, uncertainties regarding the federal legality of hemp in the United States at the time were not clear enough to satisfy TSX listing policies. With the passing of the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (also known as the 2018 Farm Bill) in December of 2018, hemp and hemp products were permanently removed from the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and out of the jurisdiction of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Hemp became an agricultural commodity governed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). "As the market leader in hemp CBD extract products, we are very proud to be the first US-based hemp company to receive a senior listing on a major exchange such as the TSX," said Joel Stanley, Chairman and Co-Founder of Charlotte's Web. "The TSX is Canada's most senior exchange and a tremendous validator of our company's corporate governance and evolution. Moreover, it represents a milestone for the overall industry from a legal and regulatory perspective. We are grateful for the support that we have received from the Canadian capital markets and equally grateful to our hardworking team in Colorado and across the country." To celebrate this corporate milestone, the founding family of Charlotte's Web, the Stanley Brothers, will host employees and guests to remotely open trading on the TSX on Monday, June 3, 2019 from Boulder, Colorado. The market opening ceremony can be watched in real-time at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdFNcyzPoKA and on BNN television. An archive of the ceremony will also be made available at http://www.tsx.com/news/market-opens. Listing of the Common Shares is subject to the Company receiving all necessary regulatory approvals, including final approval from the TSX. About Charlotte's Web Holdings, Inc. Charlotte's Web Holdings, Inc. is the market leader in the production and distribution of innovative hemp-derived cannabidiol ("CBD") wellness products. Founded by the Stanley Brothers, the Company's premium quality products start with proprietary hemp genetics that are responsibly manufactured into hemp-derived CBD extracts naturally containing a full spectrum of phytocannabinoids, including CBD, terpenes, flavonoids and other beneficial hemp compounds. Industrial hemp products are non-intoxicating. Charlotte's Web product categories include CBD Oil tinctures (liquid products), CBD capsules, CBD topicals, as well as CBD pet products. Charlotte's Web hemp-derived CBD extracts are sold through select distributors, brick and mortar retailers, and online through the Company's website at www.CharlottesWeb.com. The rate the Company pays for agricultural products reflects a fair and sustainable rate driving higher quality yield, encouraging good farming practices, and supporting U.S. farming communities. Charlotte's Web is a socially conscious company and is committed to using business as a force for good and a catalyst for innovation. The Company weighs sound business decisions with consideration for how its efforts affect its employees, customers, the environment, and the communities where its employees live and where it does business, while maximizing profits and strengthening its brands. The Company's management believes that socially oriented actions have a positive impact on the Company, its employees and its shareholders. Charlotte's Web donates a portion of its pre-tax earnings to charitable organizations. Shares of Charlotte's Web trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) under the symbol "CWEB" and are quoted in U.S. Dollars in the United States on the OTCQX under the symbol "CWBHF". As at May 24, 2019 Charlotte's Web had 39,772,154 Common Shares outstanding and 138,332.38 Proportionate Voting Shares convertible at 400:1, for an effective equivalent of 95,105,106 Common Shares outstanding. Forward-Looking Information Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking information. In some cases, but not necessarily in all cases, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "targets", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "an opportunity exists", "is positioned", "estimates", "intends", "assumes", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate" or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances contain forward-looking information. Statements containing forward-looking information are not historical facts but instead represent management's expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events. Forward-looking information is necessarily based on a number of opinions, assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the date of this news release, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to the factors described in greater detail in the public documents of the Company available at www.sedar.com. These factors are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors that could affect the Company; however, these factors should be considered carefully. There can be no assurance that such estimates and assumptions will prove to be correct. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter statements containing any forward-looking information, or the factors or assumptions underlying them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. SOURCE Charlotte's Web Holdings, Inc. DUBLIN, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "China Pharmaceutical Packaging Industry Report, 2019-2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. In China, the high-end pharmaceutical packaging market is currently carved up by multinational corporations, typically BD, Gerresheimer, SCHOTT, Nipro and Amcor; Chinese companies just focus on low- and mid-end markets, but they tend to move toward the high-end by lavishing more on research and development as pharmaceutical packaging standards grow stricter. A total of over 1,500 Chinese pharmaceutical packaging companies fall into three kinds: a handful of pharmaceutical giants that concentrate on independent production, like Sichuan Kelun Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; players which not only work on pharmaceutical packaging but have offerings for food, healthcare products and consumer goods packaging, such as Shandong Linuo Technical Glass Co., Ltd., Heilongjiang Tongyu Pharmaceutical Packaging Co., Ltd. and Shanghai Haishun New Pharmaceutical Packaging Co., Ltd.; and those committing themselves to the R&D, production and sales of pharmaceutical packaging materials, for instance, Shandong Pharmaceutical Glass Co., Ltd., Guizhou Chienyeh Pharmaceutical Packaging Co., Ltd., Shanxi Hongguang Medicine Packaging Co., Ltd. and Hebei First Rubber Medical Technology Co., Ltd.. In the lowly concentrated pharmaceutical packaging market of China, even the pharmaceutical glass bellwether Shandong Pharmaceutical Glass Co., Ltd. takes a tiny share of 2.4% in 2018. China's pharmaceutical packaging industry holds the following trends: New types of pharmaceutical packaging materials emerge. China has built a standard system for the pharmaceutical industry over the years. The country pays more and more attention to the stability of pharmaceutical packaging materials during the drug storage period, and safety when used. Under this background, new types of green, degradable and easy-to-use pharmaceutical packaging materials and vessels are in the palmy days. The industry is becoming more concentrated. Mergers and acquisitions among pharmaceutical packaging companies occurred frequently in recent years, thanks to favorable policies like the Guidance on Accelerating the Merger and Reorganization of Enterprises in Key Industries. For instance, Shandong Pharmaceutical Glass Co., Ltd. acquired Sichuan Mianzhu Chengxin Pharmaceutical Glass Co. Ltd.; Anhui BBCA Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. acquired Chengdu PUSH Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; China Jianyin Investment Ltd. (JIC) acquired SGD Pharma; and Guizhou Chienyeh Pharmaceutical Packaging Co., Ltd. acquired Nanchong Sanying Medicinal Packaging Material Co., Ltd., Accordingly, Chinese pharmaceutical packaging market is increasingly concentrated. Neutral borosilicate products substitute for low borosilicate products. As people lead a better life, they require better quality of pharmaceutical packaging materials. A growing number of companies have applied international standard-based neutral borosilicate glass. Several companies including Shandong Pharmaceutical Glass Co., Ltd., Chongqing Zhengchuan Glass Co., Ltd., Cangzhou Four Stars Glass Co., Ltd., Anhui Huaxin Medicinal Glass Products Co., Ltd., Baoji Tongli Pharmaceutical Glass Co., Ltd. and Ningbo Zhengli Pharmaceutical Packing Co., Ltd. have been approved to roll out their neutral borosilicate glass products. Driven by companies that have passed consistency evaluation, neutral borosilicate products will become an alternative to low borosilicate products in China. The injection packaging materials field alone will see RMB3 billion to RMB9 billion be replaced. China Pharmaceutical Packaging Industry Report, 2019-2025 highlights the following: China pharmaceutical packaging industry (development status, market size, competitive pattern, import & export, market segments, downstream demand, and development trend) pharmaceutical packaging industry (development status, market size, competitive pattern, import & export, market segments, downstream demand, and development trend) 4 foreign companies (operation, pharmaceutical packaging business, and development in China ) ) 16 Chinese companies (operation, pharmaceutical packaging business, and forecast). Key Topics Covered: 1 Overview 1.1 Definition 1.2 Classification 1.3 Industry Chain 2 Chinese Pharmaceutical Packaging Industry 2.1 Status Quo 2.2 Market Size 2.3 Competitive Landscape 2.3.1 Foreign Companies 2.3.2 Chinese Companies 2.4 Import & Export 2.4.1 Import 2.4.2 Export 2.4.3 Comparison between Unit Prices of Imports and Exports 2.5 Market Segments 2.5.1 Medicinal Glass Packaging 2.5.2 Medicinal Plastic Packaging 2.5.3 Medicinal Rubber Packaging 2.5.4 Composite Packaging Materials 2.6 Downstream Demand 2.6.1 Vaccine 2.6.2 Blood Product 2.6.3 Insulin 2.6.4 Heparin 2.7 Development Trends 2.7.1 Population Aging and Two-child Policy Conduce to the Development of Pharmaceutical Industry 2.7.2 Favorable Policies Promote the Development of Pharmaceutical Packaging Industry 2.7.3 Rapid Development of Biological Agents is in Favor of Pharmaceutical Packaging Industry 2.7.4 Neutral Borosilicate Pharmaceutical Glass Tube Will Substitute for Low Borosilicate Products Gradually 2.7.5 New Pharmaceutical Packaging Materials Grow Up 2.7.6 Pharmaceutical Packaging Industry Concentration Gets Improved Further 2.7.7 Injection Packaging Materials Tend to be Neutral Borosilicate 3 Foreign Companies 3.1 Becton, Dickinson and Company 3.1.1 Profile 3.1.2 Operation 3.1.3 Revenue Structure 3.1.4 Pharmaceutical Packaging Business 3.1.5 Development in China 3.2 Gerresheimer AG 3.3 SCHOTT AG 3.4 Nipro Medical Corporation 4 Chinese Companies 4.1 Shandong Pharmaceutical Glass Co, Ltd. 4.1.1 Profile 4.1.2 Operation 4.1.3 Revenue Structure 4.1.4 Gross Margin 4.1.5 R&D and Investment 4.1.6 Development Strategy 4.2 Sichuan Kelun Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd. 4.3 Guizhou Chienyeh Pharmaceutical Packaging Co, Ltd. 4.4 Shandong Weigao Group Medical Polymer Co, Ltd (WEGO) 4.5 Hongguang Medicine Packaging Company 4.6 Tongyu Pharmaceutical Packaging Co, Ltd. 4.7 Linuo Glassworks Group 4.8 Shanghai Haishun New Pharmaceutical Packaging Co, Ltd. 4.9 Chongqing Zhengchuan Glass Co, Ltd 4.10 Hebei First Rubber Medical Technology Co, ltd 4.11 J.S. Yunkang Officinal Package Co, Ltd 4.12 Shanghai Jiatian Pharmaceutical Packaging Co, Ltd 4.13 Cangzhou four stars glass co, ltd. 4.14 Lindu yao yong bao zhuang 4.15 Global Printing 4.16 Jiangsu Hualan New Pharmaceutical Material Co, Ltd. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/1dekis Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Gaea Global Technologies, Inc., a leader in supply chain management solutions and business process improvement, announced the immediate availability of Cloud Label Service, cloud subscription software that gives organizations the freedom and flexibility to easily manage the label lifecycle. Cloud Label Service (CLS) is a cloud-based label management solution enabling collaboration across the supply chain. CLS ensures all stakeholders have current versions of labels, reducing costs and improving compliance. CLS also makes reverse logistics easy for customers and warehouse personnel. Misprinted Labels Hurt Business Companies have largely taken a build-your-own-infrastructure approach resulting in many disparate and incompatible standalone labeling systems. With inadequate label template control, different label versions can exist concurrently across the supply chain. Collaboration across the supply chain has been difficult, creating inefficiencies and potentially costing companies millions of dollars in errors and recalls. When label errors cause companies to violate industry regulations, expensive recalls and even more expensive product liability claims may occur. Additional costs can be incurred by failing to comply with customer service-level agreements and the need to process product returns back through the supply chain. Any of these errors could quickly generate customer dissatisfaction and erode hard-earned loyalty. Cloud Label Service rectifies these issues. "There are a lot of label tools in the marketplace, but most focus on authoring and design and not as much on collaboration. We felt it was time to rethink how enterprise labeling is managed. The end result is Cloud Label Service, an easy-to-use solution that allows users to collaborate seamlessly with other internal users, suppliers, and customers, and to automate the printing process," said Amin Sikander, president, Gaea Global Technologies, Inc. Cloud Label Service Collaboration Improves Efficiency Cloud Label Service enables true collaboration across the entire supply chain. Internal users and external suppliers have the latest label templates immediately available with the right data from supply chain management systems. CLS easily brings data, labels, and people together, providing a cost-efficient, centralized solution allowing users to publish their labels and seamlessly integrate with host systems. Cloud Label Service provides the following functionality: Centralized label template management with seeded industry templates; Easy publishing and sharing of labels with internal users and suppliers; Automated label printing based on business events including wave release, receipts, and shipping confirmations; Automated reverse logistics flow and return label delivery, and; Seamless integration with, and data utilization from, any source system. Cloud Label Service Technology, Connectors, and Label Printing Cloud Label Service is a multi-tenant application built on the latest technology stack utilizing best-in-class functionality to collaborate across the supplier base, and support multiple modes of label printing including cloud and on-premise. CLS includes an open-integration platform that allows connection with any data source. Stringent authorization and access controls are built into CLS to manage a secure cross-enterprise labeling platform. Learn More See demonstrations and learn more about Cloud Label Service at https://cloudlabelservice.com/pr1 About Gaea Global Technologies Cloud Label Service was created by Gaea Global Technologies, Inc. Gaea has provided world-class inventory and warehouse management solutions to Fortune 100 organizations for the last 12 years resulting in successful management of more than one-billion dollars in inventory for our clients. Gaea's team has successfully advised on, implemented, and rolled out supply chain, labeling, and inventory solutions in numerous industries worldwide. Our business-process and information-technology experts provide innovative and cost-effective solutions that improve the operations of some of the largest, most complex firms in the world. Gaea's high-value services and omni-channel capabilities deliver managed risks, actionable insights, agility, scalability, and profitability. Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, Gaea has offices in Toronto, London, Dubai, Chennai, and Bangalore to support its global clientele. Learn more about Gaea at gaeaglobal.com . Gaea Global Technologies and Cloud Label Service are trademarks of Gaea Global Technologies, Inc. Other names are trademarks of their respective owners. Gaea Media Relations: Kimberly McDonald Baker [email protected] +1 734 234 8577 SOURCE Gaea Global Technologies Related Links http://www.gaeaglobal.com WILMINGTON, Del., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- James C. Collins, Jr., Chief Executive Officer-elect of Corteva Agriscience, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont (NYSE: DWDP), will present at Bernstein's 35th Annual Strategic Decisions Conference in New York, NY at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, on Thursday, May 30. Collins will discuss the strategy for long-term shareholder value creation and growth, highlighting recent strategic achievements and progress toward the intended separation from DowDuPont. In his presentation, Collins will also provide a detailed view of the dynamic U.S. market situation. Remarks will include an update on planting progress in the U.S. At this time, as a result of uncertainty in U.S. planting, the Agriculture Division cannot update full-year guidance for Corteva on a standalone basis. Presentation remarks will be followed by a moderated Q&A session. DowDuPont invites investors to join a live webcast of the presentation through the DowDuPont website. A replay of this presentation and presentation materials will also be available on the website following the webcast. About Corteva Agriscience, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont Corteva Agriscience, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont (NYSE: DWDP), is intended to become an independent, publicly traded company when the previously announced spinoff is complete by June 2019. The division combines the strengths of DuPont Pioneer, DuPont Crop Protection and Dow AgroSciences. Corteva Agriscience provides growers around the world with the most complete portfolio in the industry including some of the most recognized brands in agriculture: Pioneer, Granular, the newly launched Brevant seeds, as well as award-winning Crop Protection products while bringing new products to market through our solid pipeline of active chemistry and technologies. More information can be found at www.corteva.com. Follow Corteva Agriscience on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube. About DowDuPont DowDuPont (NYSE: DWDP) is a holding company comprised of The Dow Chemical Company and DuPont with the intent to form strong, independent, publicly traded companies in agriculture, materials science and specialty products sectors that will lead their respective industries through productive, science-based innovation to meet the needs of customers and help solve global challenges. For more information, please visit us at www.dow-dupont.com. All products, unless otherwise noted, denoted with , or are trademarks or registered trademarks of DowDuPont. SOURCE DowDuPont Related Links http://www.dow-dupont.com PHOENIX, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Cove Communities ('Cove') is pleased to announce and welcome Jeff Schwartz as Vice President of Acquisitions. Jeff will source acquisitions for Cove Communities in North America and develop and maintain meaningful industry relationships. Jeff is a well-known figure in real estate development and sales. Over his 30-year career, Jeff played key roles in over $1 billion of real estate transactions, including the development of single-family and multifamily parcels, and sales of thousands of housing units across the U.S. He has a track record of facilitating long term business relationships with private owners, governmental agencies, and community groups. "The addition of Jeff to the Cove Acquisitions Team supports Cove's focus on aggressively acquiring high-quality MH communities and RV resorts in prime destinations in the U.S. and Canada," commented Dave Napp. "Jeff's business acumen and approach align well with Cove's values, which guide our organization and the way we work with interested sellers." "Cove has two long-term institutional capital partners providing attractively priced capital, putting the company in a position to pay market prices for well-located high-quality communities," says Schwartz. Cove's Chairman Dave Napp and CEO Colleen Edwards have 23-year track records of fair and professional dealings with sellers and reputations as buyers of choice in the MH and RV industry. Napp and Edwards previously founded both Encore Communities and Carefree Communities, purchasing over 185 communities with over 55,000 sites during their ownership, establishing themselves among the most active owner/operators in the business. If you would like more information about Cove Communities or are an interested owner/seller of a single community or multi-property portfolio, please call 480-423-5700 and ask for Jeff Schwartz, Vice President Acquisitions or email [email protected]. Cove Communities, a real estate investment trust (REIT) founded in 2017, currently owns and operates 21 communities (18 manufactured home communities and 3 RV resorts), with 6,626 developed sites in Florida, Maine, and Canada. SOURCE Cove Communities Related Links https://www.covecommunities.com SAN DIEGO, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Cubic Corporation (NYSE: CUB) today announced its Cubic Global Defense (CGD) business division will showcase a range of its state-of-the-art live, virtual and constructive (LVC) training solutions at CANSEC 2019, Canada's largest global defense and security trade show taking place May 29-30 in Ottawa. Produced annually by the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI), CANSEC showcases leading-edge technology, products and services for land-based, naval, aerospace and joint forces military units. "We are pleased to have a presence at CANSEC to highlight our industry-leading training capabilities that accelerate learning, increase knowledge retention and provide end-to-end assessments for the warfighter," said Mike Knowles, president of Cubic Global Defense. "We've had a strong partnership with both the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force for a number of years and we look forward to advancing the training experience and standard for our customers." Cubic will exhibit the following advanced training solutions at booth #709 at the EY Centre: Urban Operations Training System (UOTS): the evolutionary advancement of Cubic's Area Weapon Effects System (AWES) for simulation training in an urban village setting. UOTS fully engages four senses (sight, sound, touch and smell) to bring urban training realism. This state-of-the-art system will track actions and events in a high-fidelity, low latency system. The system collects and processes training exercise data and controls a suite of urban training devices to immerse the soldier in urban training. In addition, it will provide exercise control staff with the capability to evaluate the results of training exercises against objective Battle Task Standards, providing trainees with timely after-action reviews specific to urban environments. the evolutionary advancement of Cubic's Area Weapon Effects System (AWES) for simulation training in an urban village setting. UOTS fully engages four senses (sight, sound, touch and smell) to bring urban training realism. This state-of-the-art system will track actions and events in a high-fidelity, low latency system. The system collects and processes training exercise data and controls a suite of urban training devices to immerse the soldier in urban training. In addition, it will provide exercise control staff with the capability to evaluate the results of training exercises against objective Battle Task Standards, providing trainees with timely after-action reviews specific to urban environments. Multi-Code Instrumented Harness Kit (IHK): the new multi-code instrumented harness kit is an enhanced laser engagement simulation system designed to decode and encode various laser code types. The multi-code harness kit provides interoperability with MILES and UCATT standards as well as being backwards compatible with existing Canadian Army training kit. The IHK will improve the overall live simulation experience in performance-based training and is designed to meet the Canadian Armed Forces' operational readiness standards. the new multi-code instrumented harness kit is an enhanced laser engagement simulation system designed to decode and encode various laser code types. The multi-code harness kit provides interoperability with MILES and UCATT standards as well as being backwards compatible with existing Canadian Army training kit. The IHK will improve the overall live simulation experience in performance-based training and is designed to meet the Canadian Armed Forces' operational readiness standards. Weapon Effects Simulation for the Tactical Armored Patrol Vehicle (WES-TAPV): provides a new armored patrol capability for the Canadian Army which engages both laser and non-laser solutions. Cubic's solution enables the WES-TAPV to play an integral part in force-on-force training for all units at all levels, allowing the TAPV to operate realistically in a force-on-force environment. provides a new armored patrol capability for the Canadian Army which engages both laser and non-laser solutions. Cubic's solution enables the WES-TAPV to play an integral part in force-on-force training for all units at all levels, allowing the TAPV to operate realistically in a force-on-force environment. Secure LVC Advanced Training Environment Demonstration: as the industry's leading integrator for the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Secure LVC Advanced Training Environment (SLATE) Advanced Technology Demonstration (ATD), our cutting-edge technology has demonstrated a fully capable TRL 7 LVC solution for both the F-15 and F/A18 aircraft. For more information follow Cubic Global Defense at @CubicDefense on Twitter. Join the social conversation with #CANSEC2019. About Cubic Corporation Cubic is a technology-driven, market-leading provider of integrated solutions that increase situational understanding for transportation, defense C4ISR and training customers worldwide to decrease urban congestion and improve the militaries' effectiveness and operational readiness. Our teams innovate to make a positive difference in people's lives. We simplify their daily journeys. We promote mission success and safety for those who serve their nation. For more information about Cubic, please visit www.cubic.com or on Twitter @CubicCorp . SOURCE Cubic Corporation Related Links http://www.cubic.com The company is led by Austin JM Podowski, CEO and accomplished Dallas Healthcare Business Tech executives Mike McDonald, President and Paul Herchman, Advisory Board Member. Well known Plastic Surgeon and photographer Dr. Barry DiBernardo of New Jersey Plastic Surgery leads the companies Medical Advisory Board and will continue to work to enhance upon the application. The company offers a connected holographic media platform to story map the patient journey to brand and product education. Through the research and development of Aestheia's Medical Advisory Group, the company will offer holographic before and afters to patients so they can see pre-operative and post-operative procedure outcomes in true 3D, not previously available in the space. "We are dedicated to providing novel and ground breaking product innovation for the entire Aesthetic Community," comments McDonald. The company today offers a fully-automated and comprehensive holographic playlist for physician waiting rooms tethered to a cloud-based solution developed by the management team. "We are changing the way medical companies and physicians communicate with their customers and patients. The ALEXA of Aesthetics is now in the room," states Podowski. The team has also designed a customer facing iPad Pro application that allows a physician to remote control the device offering an in-app camera for patient photos. Mr. Podowski later comments, "The response received at ASAPS The Aesthetic Meeting affirms that our vision and product meet a need and resuscitate a lost connection with the consumer." The management team is dedicated to further pioneering advancements in hologram, AI, and AR in the evolving medical practice of the 21st century. The company is finalizing a third-round capital raise and will begin placement of their technology throughout Plastic Surgery Offices in North America in July 2019. The technology will also be on display in direct to consumer retail kiosks throughout the United States later this year. To get a sneak peak of Aestheia, follow the team's development, or learn more about the technology, follow @aestheiaimaging or visit www.aestheiaimaging.com. SOURCE Aestheia Imaging Related Links http://www.aestheiaimaging.com DALLAS, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- This week Danielle DiMartino Booth, CEO & Director of Intelligence at Quill Intelligence (QI) celebrates the one-year anniversary of launching Quill Intelligence's Daily Feather and the four-year anniversary of the Weekly Quill. After retiring from the Federal Reserve in 2015, DiMartino Booth launched the Weekly Quill and is proud to commemorate its continual publication. DiMartino Booth and her team set out to launch a #ResearchRevolution, redefining how markets intelligence is conceived and delivered to subscribers from the C-Suite to the trading floors to investment managers. The goal was to not only inform Wall Street, but to educate Main Street. Results are about insights into the future. DiMartino Booth and the Quill Intelligence team deliver those insights every trading day. Financial decision makers know driving results means more than reading today's headlines and yesterday's statistics even as those trends hit inflection points and dictate directions. QI brings together a core team of two investing veterans with more than 50 years of investing experience, economic acumen and financial markets expertise to analyze the trends and provide critical analysis on what is driving the markets both in the United States and globally. Since inception, commentary and data from The Daily Feather have appeared in other financial sources such as Zero Hedge, Bloomberg, CNBC, Fox Business, Institutional Investor, Yahoo Finance, The Wall Street Journal, MarketWatch, Seeking Alpha, TD Ameritrade, TheStreet.com, and more. To celebrate our first year, QI is offering a full month of The Daily Feather at a 50% discount for only $25. Danielle DiMartino Booth is a global thought leader on monetary policy, economics and finance. She is also the author of FED UP: An Insider's Take on Why the Federal Reserve is Bad for America (Portfolio, Feb 2017). DiMartino Booth founded Quill Intelligence in 2018. DiMartino Booth is also a full-time columnist for Bloomberg Opinion, a business speaker, and a commentator frequently featured on CNBC, Bloomberg, Fox News, Fox Business News, BNN Bloomberg and other major media outlets. Prior to Quill, DiMartino Booth spent nine years at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas where she served as Advisor to President Richard W. Fisher until his retirement in March 2015. SOURCE Danielle DiMartino Booth NEW YORK, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- DHI Group, Inc. (NYSE: DHX) today announced that it has been invited to present at the following investor conferences in June 2019: LD Micro Invitational Conference Tuesday, June 4 th at 2:40 p.m. PT at Luxe Sunset Bel-Air Hotel, Los Angeles, CA East Coast IDEAS Conference Wednesday, June 12 th at 1:00 p.m. ET at Westin Boston Waterfront, Boston, MA Luc Gregoire, Chief Financial Officer of DHI Group, will present at the conferences and hold one-on-one and small group meetings with institutional investors at these conferences. The presentations will be webcast live and available for replay via the investor relations section of the company's website at www.dhigroupinc.com. To schedule a one-on-one meeting with Mr. Gregoire, please contact the firm hosting each conference or MKR Investor Relations, DHI's investor relations firm, at [email protected]. Investor Contact MKR Investor Relations Inc. Todd Kehrli 310-625-4462 [email protected] Media Contact Rachel Ceccarelli Director of Corporate Communications 212-448-8288 [email protected] About DHI Group, Inc. DHI Group, Inc. is a leading provider of data, insights and employment connections through our specialized services for technology professionals and other select online communities. Our mission is to empower tech professionals and organizations to compete and win through expert insights and relevant employment connections. Employers and recruiters use our websites and services to source, hire and connect with the most qualified and highly-skilled tech professionals, while professionals use our websites and services to find ideal employment opportunities, relevant job advice and tailored career-related data. For over 25 years, we have built our Company on providing employers and professionals with career connections, news, tools and information. Today, we serve multiple markets located throughout North America, Europe, the Middle East and the Asia Pacific region. SOURCE DHI Group, Inc. Related Links https://www.dhigroupinc.com ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Hurricane season begins June 1, but Duke Energy prepares for massive storms year-round and urges customers to be prepared, too. "Early preparation is a key element of keeping you and your family safe during and after a hurricane," said Catherine Stempien, Duke Energy Florida state president. "Skip the long lines, refine your emergency plans, and give yourself plenty of time to do important repairs to fortify your home. We prepare for storms throughout the year and encourage you to do the same to be able to react quickly when a storm threatens your neighborhood." Since 2004, the company has invested more than $2 billion in maintaining and strengthening its power delivery systems in Florida. An additional $3.4 billion of investments planned for over the next 10 years will go even further to modernize the grid, making it more resistant to power outages and more secure against threats and disruptions. For customers, that means when a storm hits, the threat of costly and disruptive outages is minimized or even avoided. To discuss its storm preparedness and information on how customers can prepare for severe weather, the company will provide media opportunities on May 31: May 31, 9:30-11:00 a.m. Tampa Bay area Duke Energy Distribution Control Center in St. Petersburg Contact Peveeta Persaud for address: 352-216-0150 May 31 , 10 a.m. - noon Orlando area 1845 S Orange Blossom Trail, Apopka, FL 32703 Contact Ana Gibbs for information: 813-928-7263 Grid Modernization In addition to trimming trees and inspecting and replacing wood poles, the company has invested in grid automation and smart grid technologies, which improve service reliability and reduce the length and number of outages. Duke Energy is building a smart-thinking grid that will increase reliability for all customers by anticipating outages and intelligently rerouting power to speed restoration or avoid outages altogether. Currently, 34% of customers in Florida receive smart-thinking grid technology and the goal is to be at 80% in 10 years. The technology helped avoid more than 200,000 customer interruptions in 2018. The company is also using data to strategically identify the most outage-prone power lines and move them underground. This can significantly reduce power outages and momentary service interruptions, and it can reduce costs and quicken restoration time after a major event for all customers. As this year's hurricane season approaches, Duke Energy's meteorologist predicts slightly above-average storm activity. Experts are warning residents to pay more attention to predictions about storm surge and flooding than about wind strength. Read more in the illumination story. The following tips can help you and your family stay safe if severe weather strikes and the power goes out: Safety around power lines Consider all downed power lines and anything touching them energized and HAZARDOUS. Do not go near them and report the problem to Duke Energy by calling 800.228.8485. Report all power line hazards to Duke Energy at 800.228.8485, or contact your local emergency services department or agency. Stay away from downed or sagging power lines, and do not touch anything that is on or near a power line (i.e., trees or tree limbs, cars, ladders). Keep children and family pets away from areas where lines may have fallen (backyards, fields, school yards, etc.). If a power line falls across a car that you're in, stay in the car. If you MUST get out of the car due to a fire or other immediate life-threatening situation, do your best to jump clear of the car and land on both feet. Be sure that no part of your body is touching the car when your feet touch the ground. Generator safety Please watch for utility crews and turn the generator off when crews are in your area. The electrical load on the power lines can be hazardous for crews making repairs. Operate your generator outside. Never operate it inside a building or garage. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions to ensure safe and proper operation. Always have a licensed electrician install stationary or standby emergency generators. To avoid electrocution, plug individual appliances into the generator using heavy-duty, outdoor rated cords with a wire gauge adequate for the appliance load. This is the safest way to use a generator. Duke Energy does not recommend connecting a generator directly to a breaker panel, fuse box or meter box because of the hazard it can create for utility lineworkers. Obey all local, state and national electrical and fire codes. Store gasoline in approved fuel containers and out of children's reach. Keep children away from generators. Have a fully charged, properly rated fire extinguisher (i.e., rated for electrical and gas fires) ready at all times. Never replenish fuel in a generator when it is running. Call an electrician to repair a generator. Never attempt to repair it yourself. Flooding and electrical safety If rising water threatens your home or if you evacuate your home turn off your power at the circuit breaker panel or fuse box. Electric current passes easily through water, so stay away from downed power lines and electrical wires. Don't drive over and don't stand near downed power lines. Never replace a fuse or touch a circuit breaker with wet hands or while standing on a wet or damp surface. If your home or business is flooded, Duke Energy cannot reconnect power until the electrical system has been inspected by a licensed electrician. If there is damage, an electrician will need to make necessary repairs and obtain certification from your local building inspection authority before power can be restored. Duke Energy can provide a free, no-obligation referral to a local reputable electrician at 888.999.8856. Outage reporting Customers can report power outages in three easy ways: Online at duke-energy.com/outages Text OUT to 57801 (standard text and data charges may apply) Call the automated outage-reporting system at 800.228.8485 For more information on how to prepare for storm season, and how Duke Energy can help, please visit duke-energy.com/StormTips. For storm or power restoration updates, follow Duke Energy on Twitter (@DukeEnergy) and Facebook (Duke Energy). Duke Energy Florida Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns a diverse generation mix of natural gas, coal and renewables, providing about 10,200 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 1.8 million customers in a 13,000-square-mile service area. Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of the largest energy holding companies in the U.S. It employs 30,000 people and has an electric generating capacity of 51,000 megawatts through its regulated utilities, and 3,000 megawatts through its nonregulated Duke Energy Renewables unit. Duke Energy is transforming its customers' experience, modernizing the energy grid, generating cleaner energy and expanding natural gas infrastructure to create a smarter energy future for the people and communities it serves. The Electric Utilities and Infrastructure unit's regulated utilities serve approximately 7.7 million retail electric customers in six states North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. The Gas Utilities and Infrastructure unit distributes natural gas to more than 1.6 million customers in five states North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The Duke Energy Renewables unit operates wind and solar generation facilities across the U.S., as well as energy storage and microgrid projects. Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2019 "World's Most Admired Companies" list, and Forbes' 2019 "America's Best Employers" list. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos, videos and other materials. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook Contact: Peveeta Persaud Office: 727.820.5592 | 24-Hour: 800.559.3853 Twitter: @DE_PeveetaP SOURCE Duke Energy Related Links http://www.duke-energy.com LIVERMORE, Calif., May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UNCLE Credit Union, serving four counties in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Central Valley, re-elected Chung Bothwell as Board Chairman for the 2019-2020 term. Now commencing her twelfth term in this critical role, Bothwell has served in varied capacities on UNCLE Credit Unions Board of Directors for more than two decades. She has been highly instrumental in guiding the credit union on a course of sustainable growth while safeguarding its long-term financial health. In 2018, Bothwell helped lead an expansion of the financial institutions retail network with two successful mergers in San Joaquin County. Through the combined efforts of our management team, board, supervisory committee and staff, we continue to pursue strategic growth supported by a strong financial foundation, said Bothwell. This not only enables us to deliver premium value to our members, but also helps to ensure that UNCLE Credit Union remains a valuable community resource for years to come. Employed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Bothwell has a wealth of experience in financial management, strategic planning and budgeting. Her education includes a Juris Doctor (JD) and a Master of Laws (LLM) degree, as well as a Master of Business Administration (MBA). Throughout Bothwells time with UNCLE, she has worked diligently with Congress to advocate on behalf of credit union members, and has helped initiate impactful financial literacy programs in communities the credit union serves. Bothwell is a 2017 recipient of the California and Nevada Credit Union Leagues' J. Alvin George Outstanding Volunteer Award. Also retaining their respective leadership positions for the 2019-2020 term were Vice Chairman John Stein, Ph.D. and Treasurer Lee Neely. In addition, veteran board directors John Freeman, Hugh Bussell and Bob Corey were re-elected to a three-year term. Corey also stepped up as Board Secretary, succeeding Mila Shapovalov, who remains an integral member of the board as a director along with Ellen Raber and Clay Smith. About UNCLE Credit Union Established in 1957, UNCLE Credit Union is an over $455 million, full-service financial institution serving approximately 27,000 members. The organization offers the benefits of credit union membership and a full array of financial services to anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties. UNCLE has seven financial centers located in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Central Valley, along with an additional 5,000 branches and nearly 30,000 ATMs available through participation in the CO-OP Shared Branching Network. Members can also access a full array of online and mobile banking services. UNCLE Credit Union is renowned for its community involvement, professional and personalized service and unwavering commitment to helping members achieve their financial goals. To learn more, visit www.unclecu.org . CONTACT: Jennifer Hall 408.406.6251 jh@stonemediaconsulting.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4f54fa5e-1863-4e16-b7f1-143cbb5638d9 LAS VEGAS, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - Australis Capital Inc. (CSE: AUSA OTC: AUSAF) ("Australis"), with an address at Suite 900, 510 Seymour Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6B 1V5 has acquired (the "Acquisition"), through the exercise of 12,793,840 warrants (the "Warrants") of Body and Mind Inc. (the "Company"), ownership of 12,793,840 common shares (the "Common Shares") in the capital of the Company. The Common Shares were acquired pursuant to the exercise of the Warrants acquired on a private placement basis on November 5, 2018. The head office of the Company is located at 750 1095 West Pender Street, Vancouver BC V6E 2M6. Prior to the Acquisition, Australis held 22,079,788 Common Shares, 12,793,840 Warrants and debentures in the principal amount of $1,600,000 (the "Debentures") convertible into Common Shares at $0.55 per common share. After the Acquisition, Australis holds 34,873,628 Common Shares and Debentures in the principal amount of $1,600,000. Assuming the conversion of all Debentures, Australis would hold 37,782,719 common shares, which on a partially diluted basis is equal to approximately 37.7% of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company. Australis paid CAD $6,396,920 to exercise the Warrants at a price of $0.50 per share resulting in 12,793,840 Common Shares. Australis acquired the Common Shares for investment purposes. In pursuing such purposes, Australis takes a long-term view of its investment. It reserves the right to formulate other plans or make other proposals, and take such actions with respect to its investment in the Company. Depending on market conditions and other factors, Australis may acquire additional securities of the Company as Australis may deem appropriate, whether in open market purchases, privately negotiated transactions or otherwise. Australis may dispose of some or all of such securities. Australis may also reconsider and change its plans or proposals relating to the foregoing. This press release is issued pursuant to early warning requirements of National Instrument 62-104 and National Instrument 62-103, which also requires a report to be filed with regulatory authorities in each of the jurisdictions containing additional information with respect to the foregoing matters (the "Early Warning Report"). A copy of the Early Warning Report will be available under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. About Australis Capital Inc. A spin-out of Aurora Cannabis (NYSE: ACB TSX: ACB) in September 2018, Australis identifies and invests in the cannabis industry predominantly in the United States, a highly-regulated, fragmented, rapidly-expanding and evolving industry. Investments may include but are not limited to equity, debt or other securities of both public and private companies, financings in exchange for royalties or other distribution streams, and control stake acquisitions. Australis adheres to stringent investment criteria and focuses on significant near and mid-term high-quality opportunities with strong return potentials while maintaining a steadfast commitment to governance and community. Australis' Board and management team have material experience with, and knowledge of, the cannabis space in the U.S., extensive backgrounds in highly-regulated industries, adherence to stringent regulatory compliance, public company, and operational expertise. In addition to the Company's expertise and strong execution on strategic M&A, which to date includes Rthm Technologies Inc., Body and Mind Inc., Quality Green Inc., Folium Biosciences, Mr. Natural Inc., and Green Therapeutics, LLC, Australis has developed strategic partnerships with companies such as Wagner Dimas. Australis' Common shares trade on the CSE under the symbol "AUSA" and on the OTCQB under the symbol "AUSAF". For further information about Australis, please visit the website at ausacap.com or contact the Company by e-mail at [email protected]. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS "Scott Dowty" ________________________________ Scott Dowty Chief Executive Officer SOURCE Australis Capital Inc. JACKSON, Miss., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- EastGroup Properties, Inc. (NYSE: EGP) announced today that it is scheduled to present at the Nareit REITweek: 2019 Investor Conference. EastGroup's presentation is scheduled for Tuesday, June 4, 2019 at 3:45 p.m., EDT. EastGroup Properties, Inc. is a self-administered equity real estate investment trust focused on the development, acquisition and operation of industrial properties in major Sunbelt markets throughout the United States with an emphasis in the states of Florida, Texas, Arizona, California and North Carolina. The Company's goal is to maximize shareholder value by being a leading provider in its markets of functional, flexible and quality business distribution space for location sensitive customers (primarily in the 15,000 to 70,000 square foot range). The Company's strategy for growth is based on ownership of premier distribution facilities generally clustered near major transportation features in supply-constrained submarkets. EastGroup's portfolio, including development projects and value-add acquisitions in lease-up and under construction, currently includes approximately 43 million square feet. EastGroup Properties, Inc. press releases are available at www.eastgroup.net. SOURCE EastGroup Properties Related Links http://www.eastgroup.net ST. LOUIS, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Energizer Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ENR) ("Energizer") announced today that it reached an agreement to sell the Europe-based Varta consumer battery business, including manufacturing and distribution facilities in Germany (the "Varta Business"). The divestiture was made in accordance with the order imposed by the European Commission ("EC") in connection with the Company's acquisition of the battery and portable lighting business from Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. ("Spectrum") in January 2019. Energizer and VARTA AG (XFRA), a German company active in the microbatteries and power & energy, have entered into a definitive agreement for the sale of the Varta Business, for 180 million, subject to purchase price adjustments. Pursuant to the terms of the acquisition agreement with Spectrum for Spectrum's global battery and lighting business, Spectrum will be contributing an additional US $200 million to Energizer in connection with the divestiture of the Varta Business. Anticipated net proceeds from the divestiture of the Varta Business are consistent with the assumptions we incorporated in our previously disclosed outlook for our leverage ratio at the end of Fiscal 2019. As a result of the transaction, Energizer expects to record a loss related to the divestiture in discontinued operations during the third fiscal quarter. Energizer expects to close the transaction shortly after customary closing conditions are met and upon receipt of the EC's final regulatory approval. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements . This press release contains both historical and forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including without limitation, statements about anticipated proceeds. These statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. Forward-looking statements often use words such as "anticipates," "targets," "expects," "hopes," "estimates," "intends," "plans," "goals," "believes," "continue" and other similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as "will," "may," "might," "should," "would" and "could." Any statements that are not statements of historical fact should be considered to be forward-looking statements. Any such forward looking statements are made based on information currently known and are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Risks and uncertainties to which these forward-looking statements are subject include, without limitation: (1) the proposed transaction may not be completed on the anticipated terms or at all, (2) required regulatory approvals, including antitrust approvals, are not obtained, or that in order to obtain such regulatory approvals, conditions are imposed that adversely affect the anticipated benefits from the proposed transactions or cause the parties to abandon the proposed transaction, (3) a condition to closing of the proposed transaction may not be satisfied, (4) potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships resulting from the announcement or completion of the transactions, (5) risks associated with third party contracts containing consent and/or other provisions that may be triggered by the proposed transactions, (6) potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships resulting from the announcement or completion of the transaction, (7) negative effects of the announcement or the consummation of the transaction on the market price of Energizer's common stock, (8) the potential impact of unforeseen liabilities, future capital expenditures, revenues, expenses, earnings, synergies, economic performance, indebtedness, financial condition and losses on the future prospects, business and management strategies for the management, expansion and growth of Energizer's operations after the consummation of the transaction and on the other conditions to the completion of the proposed transaction, (9) the risk that disruptions from the proposed transactions will harm Energizer's business, including current plans and operations, (10) unexpected costs, charges or expenses resulting from the transaction, (11) impact of any potential litigation related to the transaction, (12) risks related to changes and developments in external competitive market factors, such as introduction of new product features or technological developments, development of new competitors or competitive brands or competitive promotional activity or spending, (13) the ability of Energizer to retain and hire key personnel, (14) adverse legal and regulatory developments or determinations or adverse changes in, or interpretations of, U.S. or other foreign laws, rules or regulations, including tax laws, rules and regulations, that could delay or prevent completion of the proposed transactions or cause the terms of the proposed transaction to be modified, and (15) management's response to any of the aforementioned factors. For additional information concerning factors that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those projected herein, please refer to Energizer's most recent 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K reports and other publicly available filings. Energizer does not assume any obligation to publicly provide revisions or updates to any forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, should circumstances change, except as otherwise required by securities and other applicable laws. About Energizer Holdings, Inc. Energizer Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ENR), headquartered in St. Louis, MO, is one of the world's largest manufacturers of primary batteries and portable lighting products and is anchored by its globally recognized brands Energizer, Eveready, Rayovac and Varta. Energizer is also one of the world's largest manufacturers of automotive appearance, performance, and fragrance products from recognized brands such as Armor All, STP, A/C Pro, Refresh Your Car!, California Scents, Driven, Bahama & Co., LEXOL, Eagle One, Nu Finish, Scratch Doctor, and Tuff Stuff. As a global branded distributor of consumer products, our mission is to lead the charge to deliver value to our customers and consumers better than anyone else. Visit www.energizerholdings.com for more details. SOURCE Energizer Holdings, Inc. Related Links http://www.energizer.com LAKEWOOD, CO, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU; TSX: EFR) ("Energy Fuels" or the "Company"), a leading uranium and vanadium producer in the U.S., announces the results of the election of directors and other matters at its annual meeting of shareholders (the "Meeting") held on May 29, 2019 in Lakewood, Colorado. Meeting Results The seven (7) nominees proposed by management for election as directors were elected by the shareholders of the Company, on a show of hands, as follows: Nominee Votes For % For Votes Withheld % Withheld J. Birks Bovaird 26,109,529 97.64% 630,294 2.36% Mark S. Chalmers 26,452,886 98.93% 286,937 1.07% Benjamin Eshleman III 26,098,733 97.60% 641,090 2.40% Barbara A. Filas 26,459,053 98.95% 280,770 1.05% Bruce D. Hansen 24,644,956 92.17% 2,094,867 7.83% Dennis L. Higgs 26,405,748 98.75% 334,075 1.25% Robert W. Kirkwood 26,223,412 98.07% 516,411 1.93% At the Meeting, on a show of hands, the shareholders also voted to approve the appointment of KPMG LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as the auditors of the Company. Details of each of these matters are set out in the Management Information Circular of the Company dated April 9, 2019. A report of voting results for each resolution presented at the Meeting prepared in accordance with National Instrument 51-102 has been filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. About Energy Fuels : Energy Fuels is a leading US-based uranium mining company, supplying U 3 O 8 to major nuclear utilities. The Company also produces vanadium from certain of its projects, as market conditions warrant. Its corporate offices are near Denver, Colorado, and all of its assets and employees are in the United States. Energy Fuels holds three of America's key uranium production centers, the White Mesa Mill in Utah, the Nichols Ranch in-situ recovery ("ISR") Project in Wyoming, and the Alta Mesa ISR Project in Texas. The White Mesa Mill is the only conventional uranium mill operating in the U.S. today, has a licensed capacity of over 8 million pounds of U 3 O 8 per year, and has the ability to produce vanadium when market conditions warrant. The Nichols Ranch ISR Project is in operation and has a licensed capacity of 2 million pounds of U 3 O 8 per year. The Alta Mesa ISR Project is currently on standby. In addition to the above production facilities, Energy Fuels also has one of the largest NI 43-101 compliant uranium resource portfolios in the U.S., and several uranium and uranium/vanadium mining projects on standby and in various stages of permitting and development. The primary trading market for Energy Fuels' common shares is the NYSE American under the trading symbol "UUUU", and the Company's common shares are also listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol "EFR." Energy Fuels' website is www.energyfuels.com . SOURCE Energy Fuels Inc. Related Links http://www.energyfuels.com NEW YORK, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Though not consumed as a staple food, rice possesses sociocultural significance and ecological importance in several Mediterranean countries of Europe. Around two-thirds of the regional demand is fulfilled by domestic production wherein a majority of rice varieties cultivated belong to the japonica group. Local special varieties are highly regarded in the region due to their local origin and the environment-friendly specification of the cropping practices. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5778152/?utm_source=PRN The rice crop is grown in around 27 countries of the European region in about 450,000 ha of land. The region produces around 70% of the total rice consumed and the average annual production stands at 3.1 million tons. Per capita annual consumption is read at 3.5-5 kg in non-rice growing countries and 6-18 kg in Southern Europe. Italy and Spain are the major rice growing countries, accounting for 80% of the total EU production. Other rice growing areas are Greece, Portugal, France, Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, and Hungary. The region depends on import for specialty long grain indica rice such as basmati and jasmine from India and Pakistan. Europe imported around 0.66 million tons in 2015-16 from Cambodia (24%), India (23%), Thailand (18%), Guyana (11%), and Pakistan (10%). France, Italy, Netherlands, Denmark and the United Kingdom are the major rice trading countries in the region. A small quantity of japonica rice is also exported from the region, mainly from Italy. The rice demand in the European Union is growing at a steady pace, and the annual demand is expected to be stable at around 3.2 million tons during the next five years. Production is set to stabilize around 1.7-1.8 million tons per annum. With the stable market sentiment, the import demand is set to rise exponentially to fulfill consumer demand. On the price front, there have been strong increments in the EU rice market over the last year, with prices hovering at above average levels. As a whole, the sentiment for the rice market is moderate in terms of market demand and production for the next five years. The Europe rice crop market report covers the following information - - Crop production - Europe consumption - Europe trade (export-import) scenario and statistics - Major enterprises and traders operating in the market - Price trend and seasonality of the crop - Future outlook of the crop market Stakeholders who would benefit - - Crop growers - Enterprises providing agricultural inputs - Traders and companies operating in the segment - Crop processing companies - Crop importers and exporters - Investors/research institutions interested in the crop market Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5778152/?utm_source=PRN About Reportbuyer Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers For more information: Sarah Smith Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com Email: [email protected] Tel: +1 (718) 213 4904 Website: www.reportbuyer.com SOURCE ReportBuyer Related Links http://www.reportbuyer.com BOSTON and HEMEL HEMPSTED, England, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- EUSA Pharma (EUSA), a global biopharmaceutical company focused on oncology and rare disease, today announces that the Principal Investigators from two studies of QARZIBA (dinutuximab beta)1,2 in the treatment of high-risk neuroblastoma will present new data at the 2019 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting to be held May 31 through June 4, 2019 in Chicago, IL. Professor Ruth Ladenstein, St Anna Children's Hospital and Department of Pediatrics, Medical University Vienna, Austria, and Principal Investigator of the HR-NBL1/SIOPEN trial, said, "The data to be presented at ASCO, which are based on extensive collaboration between the SIOPEN network, Apeiron Biologics and EUSA Pharma, support the use of dinutuximab beta as standard-of-care immunotherapy for high-risk neuroblastoma patients without the addition of subcutaneous interleukin-2." Professor Holger Lode, Chair of Pediatrics and Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medicine Griefswald, Germany, and Principal Investigator of the SIOPEN LTI trial, added, "These new results from the SIOPEN study further support the role of dinutuximab beta in treating children with high-risk relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma, a deadly disease and ultra-orphan indication." Lee Morley, EUSA Pharma's Chief Executive Officer, said, "We are delighted these new data supporting the efficacy and tolerability of QARZIBA (dinutuximab beta) in both the maintenance phase of first-line treatment of high-risk neuroblastoma as well as relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma will be presented at the prestigious ASCO Annual Meeting. With the recent appointment of Darrel Cohen MD PhD as EUSA's Head of Clinical Development, we are exploring further development of dinutuximab beta in neuroblastoma, and other GD2-expressing oncology indications with high unmet clinical need, as part of our commitment to ensuring patient access to this important medicine globally." ASCO 2019 Presentations The presentations by Professor Ladenstein and Professor Lode will be held in the Paediatric Oncology Oral Abstract Session on Sunday, June 2, 8:00-11:00am. Randomization of dose-reduced subcutaneous interleukin-2 (scIL2) in maintenance immunotherapy (IT) with anti-GD2 antibody dinutuximab beta (DB) long-term infusion (LTI) in frontline high-risk neuroblastoma patients: Early results from the HR-NBL1/SIOPEN trial. Abstract 10013. Randomized use of anti-GD2 antibody dinutuximab beta (DB) long-term infusion with and without subcutaneous interleukin-2 (scIL-2) in high-risk neuroblastoma patients with relapsed and refractory disease: Results from the SIOPEN LTI-trial. Abstract 10014. About QARZIBA (dinutuximab beta) Dinutuximab beta is a chimeric monoclonal IgG1 antibody that is specifically directed against the carbohydrate moiety of disialoganglioside 2 (GD2), which is overexpressed on neuroblastoma cells. The efficacy of dinutuximab beta has been evaluated in a randomised controlled trial comparing the administration of dinutuximab beta with or without IL-2 in the first-line treatment of patients with high-risk neuroblastoma and in two single-arm studies in the relapsed/refractory setting. Dinutuximab beta was approved by the European Commission on 8 May 2017 and is indicated for the treatment of high-risk neuroblastoma in patients aged 12 months and above, who have previously received induction chemotherapy and achieved at least a partial response, followed by myeloablative therapy and stem cell transplantation, as well as patients with history of relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma, with or without residual disease. Prior to the treatment of relapsed neuroblastoma, any actively progressing disease should be stabilised by other suitable measures. In patients with a history of relapsed/refractory disease and in patients who have not achieved a complete response after first line therapy, dinutuximab beta should be combined with interleukin-2 (IL-2). For full prescribing information please see the Summary of Product Characteristics3. About EUSA Pharma Founded in March 2015, EUSA Pharma is a world-class biopharmaceutical company focused on oncology and rare disease. The company has extensive commercial operations in the United States and Europe, alongside a direct presence in select other markets across the globe. EUSA Pharma is led by an experienced management team with a strong record of building successful pharmaceutical companies, and is supported by significant funding raised from leading life science investor EW Healthcare Partners. For more information please visit www.eusapharma.com. 1J Clin Oncol 37, 2019 (suppl; abstr 10013) 2J Clin Oncol 37, 2019 (suppl; abstr 10014) 3 https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/qarziba-epar-product-information_en.pdf (Accessed 23.05.19) Contacts Lee Morley Rob Budge Chief Executive RJB Communications EUSA Pharma Tel: +44 (0)1865 760969 Tel: +44 (0)330 5001140 Mobile: +44 (0)7710 741241 SOURCE EUSA Pharma Related Links http://www.eusapharma.com SAN FRANCISCO, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Postmates, the leader in enabling anyone to have anything delivered on-demand and Jamba Juice, leading lifestyle brand whose mission is to inspire and simplify healthy living announced they have partnered to bring everyone's favorite freshly blended whole fruit and vegetable smoothies, bowls, juices, cold-pressed shots, boosts and snacks directly to the customer's door. To celebrate, Postmates is exclusively delivering the popular secret off-the-menu White Gummi Smoothie for free, through Sunday, June 2. "We are thrilled to partner with such an iconic brand as Jamba Juice to bring everyone's favorite smoothies directly to their door," said Dan Mosher, SVP, Merchant Lead, Postmates. "As the leader in on-demand with our strong footprint in Southern California, we are confident that we will do an incredible job serving Jamba and its franchisees, while also helping to grow their business." "Partnering with Postmates allows us to bring delicious Jamba Juice smoothies, juices and bowls to our customers, making it easier to refuel whether they're at home or on the go," said Shivram Vaideeswaran, Chief Marketing Officer, Jamba Juice. "To kick off summer and our partnership, we're making our most requested secret menu item, the White Gummi Smoothie, available for the first time exclusively on Postmates." Postmates is the leader in offering the most choices in on-demand delivery from more than 500,000 restaurants, grocery and convenience stores, as well as traditional retailers. The company now operates in about 3,500 cities and has added some of the most sought-after local and national restaurants, serving 70 of the top 100 restaurant companies in the US. To order from participating Jamba Juice stores, visit Postmates.com or download Postmates on iOS or Android . Customers can always get free delivery when they subscribe to Postmates' subscription service, Postmates Unlimited, at only $7.99 per month, when paid annually. To get more information about being a merchant on the Postmates platform, please visit https://postmates.com/partner . ABOUT POSTMATES Postmates helps people unlock the best of their cities and their lives, with the leading on-demand "anything" network. Launched in 2011, Postmates led the on-demand delivery movement in the U.S. by offering delivery from restaurants and stores previously only available offline. The company now operates in nearly 3,500 cities across the U.S. and Mexico, provides access to over 500,000 merchants and has recently launched innovative new products including Postmates Party . Postmates is headquartered in San Francisco and has more than 800 employees. Learn more: www.postmates.com . About Jamba Juice Jamba Juice, a global lifestyle brand that serves freshly blended fruit and vegetable smoothies, bowls, juices, cold-pressed shots, boosts and snacks. Jamba Juice, through its subsidiaries, is the franchisor of more than 850 locations operating in 36 U.S. states, as well as the Philippines, Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia. For more information and to stay connected, follow @JambaJuice on Twitter and Instagram or visit jambajuice.com. SOURCE Postmates Related Links http://www.postmates.com NEW YORK, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Extreme Reach (ER) today announced four honors for creative excellence from two awarding organizations, the Hermes Creative Awards and Muse Creative Awards. The accolades were given to ER and its shots.net digital magazine that was acquired in 2018 by ER's Source Creative division. In the Hermes Creative Awards, which honor inspirational work from creators and messengers of traditional and emerging media, ER's awards in the Electronic/Interactive Media category included: Platinum for Web Element, Report : ER's Quarterly Video Benchmarks Reports highlight evolving media consumption trends based on metrics from its proprietary video ad server. The value of the reports is enhanced by an interactive design that simplifies complex metrics into easily accessible charts with beautiful images that effectively convey the key takeaways of the data at a glance. : ER's Quarterly Video Benchmarks Reports highlight evolving media consumption trends based on metrics from its proprietary video ad server. The value of the reports is enhanced by an interactive design that simplifies complex metrics into easily accessible charts with beautiful images that effectively convey the key takeaways of the data at a glance. Platinum for Web Element, Blog Overall : ER's Blog, which features compelling content about the shifting terrain of linear and digital advertising, takes a journalistic approach, drawing from a range of respected, objective industry sources including top trade publications, consultancy group research and commentary from today's leading marketers. The editorial is greatly enhanced by a highly appealing design and surprising images that draws in readers and keeps them engaged with the contentand the brand. : ER's Blog, which features compelling content about the shifting terrain of linear and digital advertising, takes a journalistic approach, drawing from a range of respected, objective industry sources including top trade publications, consultancy group research and commentary from today's leading marketers. The editorial is greatly enhanced by a highly appealing design and surprising images that draws in readers and keeps them engaged with the contentand the brand. Platinum for Website Overall, Informational : shots.net, the global platform for curated news and insights on advertising creative and the people behind, it has a new sleek and modern look. The refreshed layout gives readers an immediate sense for the broad range of content created on a daily basis and a bold mix of photos and images set off the regular features. In the Muse Creative Awards that recognize the creative achievements of design and advertising companies, shots.net received Gold in the Website, Magazine category. "We're honored to be recognized by the Hermes Creative Awards for both our editorial content and quarterly benchmarks reports," said Tim Conley, Extreme Reach CEO. "Since its founding, ER has been laser-focused on creating the tools, services and information that help connect creative with media across an ever-expanding and fragmented landscape. Our benchmarks reports and blog content aim to provide the key insights, data and news that allow brands and agencies to identify emerging ad performance trends so they can make their campaigns more strategic and effective. We're proud to see how valuable our content has become in an industry where growing complexity is becoming the new normal." "Launching a new website for shots gave our editors the opportunity to refresh both the design and the navigation of the site while increasing access to our content," added James Straker, Managing Director, Source Creative. "Taking down our paywall and expanding our coverage of the global creative community keeps us true to our mission of championing the inspiring people behind the world's most influential creative. These are the people that inspire our team and without them we wouldn't be recipients of these terrific awards. Our team is honored by the recognition from both the Hermes Creative Awards and Muse Creative Awards." The Hermes Creative Awards, bestowed by the Association of Marketing Communications Professionals (AMCP), is one of the largest programs evaluating creative work in the world. Since inception in 1994, the organization has reviewed over 200,000 entries. The list of 2019 award winners is available at https://hermesawards.com/ . The Muse Creative Awards program is administered by International Awards Associates (IAA) and judged by an elite panel of internationally-recognized creative professionals. The full list of this year's winners is available at https://museaward.com//winner . Media Contact: Michelle O'Rourke 1.646.934.6924 [email protected] SOURCE Extreme Reach WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Farmers Insurance has deployed catastrophe claims teams, its Mobile Claims Center (MCC) and other resources to help customers impacted by the recent storms that have swept through the Midwest and central parts of the country. "We are working to proactively reach out to customers in impacted areas," said Jim Taylor, head of claims customer experience for Farmers Insurance. "As we continue to monitor the storm areas closely, providing resources to help our customers quickly and easily file a claim is a high priority." Customers can file a claim and receive in-person assistance at the Wright State University Nutter Center, 3640 Colonel Glenn Highway #430, Fairborn, OH 45324, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Customers can also file a claim by: Visiting Farmers.com or Foremost.com . or . Calling their agent. Using the Farmers Mobile App through their smartphone or tablet. Mobile App through their smartphone or tablet. Texting REPORTCLAIM to 29141. Or by calling the 24-hour claims center: Farmers Claims Contact Center number: 1-800-435-7764. Foremost customers can also use the 1-800-435-7764 number for immediate assistance. Bristol West customers can call 1-800-274-7865 for immediate assistance. Spanish-language claims assistance is available to Farmers customers by calling: 877-RECLAMO (877-732-5266). Updates on the Mobile Claims Center's location can be found by visiting https://www.farmers.com/catastrophe/. Consider the following actions when safe: Walk around the home inside and out to identify potential damage, including landscaping. Take photographs of any damage noted to the property. If possible, make or arrange for emergency repairs or temporary emergency repairs as needed to prevent further damage.* Talk to your Farmers agent if you have questions regarding damage and the claims process. * Check with your insurance company to see what items they will pay for when used in protecting property after a storm. About Farmers Insurance "Farmers Insurance" and "Farmers" are tradenames for a group of affiliated insurers providing insurance for automobiles, homes and small businesses and a wide range of other insurance and financial services and products. Farmers Insurance is proud to serve more than 5 million households with over 15 million individual policies nationally, through the efforts of more than 45,000 exclusive and independent agents and approximately 20,000 employees. Farmers Insurance Exchange, the largest of the three primary insurers that make up Farmers Insurance, is recognized as one of the largest U.S. companies on the 2018 Fortune 500 list. For more information about Farmers Insurance, visit Farmers.com, Twitter and Instagram, @WeAreFarmers, or Facebook.com/FarmersInsurance. Contact: Farmers Insurance Reporter Hotline 818-965-0007 [email protected] SOURCE Farmers Insurance Related Links https://www.farmers.com WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., May 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Farmers Insurance is providing support to customers impacted by the recent storms that have swept through the Midwest and central parts of the country. Affected customers are urged to file a claim by: Visiting Farmers.com or Foremost.com . or . Calling their agent. Using the Farmers Mobile App through their smartphone or tablet. Mobile App through their smartphone or tablet. Texting REPORTCLAIM to 29141. Or by calling the 24-hour claims center: Farmers Claims Contact Center number: 1-800-435-7764. Foremost customers can also use the 1-800-435-7764 number for immediate assistance. Bristol West customers can call 1-800-274-7865 for immediate assistance. Spanish-language claims assistance is available to Farmers customers by calling: 877-RECLAMO (877-732-5266). Farmers Insurance recommends the following actions when safe: Walk around the home inside and out to identify potential damage, including landscaping. Take photographs of any damage noted to the property. Make emergency repairs or temporary emergency repairs as needed to prevent further damage, if you are unable to do so yourself, you may want to consider hiring a professional. Talk to your Farmers agent if you have questions regarding damage and the claims process. About Farmers Insurance "Farmers Insurance" and "Farmers" are tradenames for a group of affiliated insurers providing insurance for automobiles, homes and small businesses and a wide range of other insurance and financial services and products. Farmers Insurance is proud to serve more than 5 million households with over 15 million individual policies nationally, through the efforts of more than 45,000 exclusive and independent agents and approximately 20,000 employees. Farmers Insurance Exchange, the largest of the three primary insurers that make up Farmers Insurance, is recognized as one of the largest U.S. companies on the 2018 Fortune 500 list. For more information about Farmers Insurance, visit Farmers.com, Twitter and Instagram, @WeAreFarmers, or Facebook.com/FarmersInsurance. Contact: Farmers Insurance Reporter Hotline 818-965-0007 [email protected] SOURCE Farmers Insurance Related Links http://www.farmersinsurance.com DELRAY BEACH, Fla., May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Exactus Inc. (OTCQB: EXDI) (the Company), a healthcare company pursuing opportunities in Hemp derived Cannabidiol (CBD) products, today announced that it will be presenting at the 9th Annual LD Micro Invitational on June 4th, 2019 at 10 AM PST / 1PM EST at the Luxe Sunset Bel Air Hotel in Los Angeles, California. Phil Young, CEO of Exactus, Inc. will be presenting and meeting with investors throughout the day. EVENT DETAILS DATE: 9th Annual LD Micro Invitational - June 4th & 5th, 2019 LOCATION: Luxe Sunset Blvd. Hotel - 11461 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90049 IN ATTENDANCE: 230 companies and over 1,000 individuals We are pleased to present the Exactus story to the investment community at the upcoming LD Micro Invitational on June 4th, states Phil Young, CEO of Exactus, Inc. The CBD market is estimated to grow to over $22 billion in consumer sales by 2022 and Exactus is well-positioned to take its place as a leader in the market. Over the last few months the Company has built a tremendous foundation that includes raising over $4 million through friends and family, retired all Company debt, simplified the balance sheet and expanded our Board of Directors and we are now ready to share our story with investors across the globe. In addition to the impressive accomplishments above, the Company recently placed a $1 million order of products for inventory, began planting seedlings on the Companys approximately 200-acre hemp farm in Southwest Oregon, and received an independent fairness opinion on the farming operation showcasing an estimated enterprise value of between approximately $55 million and $74 million. Interested in learning more about the Company, Phil Young and the Exactus, Inc. team will be meeting with investors across the country during the month of June. Investors interested in meeting with the team should contact Andrew Johnson for more information on availability at ajohnson@exactusinc.com or by phone at (509) 999-9695. To learn more about Exactus, Inc. visit the website at www.exactusinc.com . About Exactus: Exactus Inc., is pursuing opportunities in hemp derived Cannabidiol, which is more commonly referred to as CBD. Industrial hemp is a type of cannabis plant containing less than 0.3% THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which is the psychoactive component of the cannabis plant. Industrial hemp is cultivated for the plants seed, fiber, and extracts. After 40 years of prohibition, the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, known as the 2018 Farm Bill, legalized hemp on the federal level. Hemp production will be regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the states. As a result, Hemp has generally been removed from the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). A potential risk of growing hemp in the United States is that the entire crop must be destroyed if it tests at a THC percentage greater than 0.3%. For more information about Exactus: www.exactusinc.com . About LD Micro: LD Micro was founded in 2006 with the sole purpose of being an independent resource in the microcap space. What started out as a newsletter highlighting unique companies has transformed into several influential events annually (Invitational, Summit, and Main Event). In 2015, LDM launched the first pure microcap index (the LDMi) to exclusively provide intraday information on the entire sector. LD will continue to provide valuable tools for the benefit of everyone in the small and micro-cap universe. For those interested in attending, please contact David Scher at david@ldmicro.com or visit www.ldmicro.com for more information. Investor Notice Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider the risks, uncertainties and forward-looking statements described under "Risk Factors" in Item 1A of our most recent Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on March 29, 2019 and under the heading Risk Factors in our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 14, 2019, and in other periodic and current reports we file with the SEC. If any of these risks were to occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations would likely suffer. In that event, the value of our securities could decline, and you could lose part or all of your investment. The risks and uncertainties we describe are not the only ones facing us. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business operations. In addition, our past financial performance may not be a reliable indicator of future performance, and historical trends should not be used to anticipate results in the future. See "Safe Harbor" below. Safe Harbor - Forward-Looking Statements The information provided in this press release may include forward-looking statements relating to future events or the future financial performance of the Company. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Words such as "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "intends," "will," "potential," "hope" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon current expectations of the Company and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties. Detailed information regarding factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by statements in this press release relating to the Company may be found in the Company's periodic and current filings with the SEC, including the factors described in the sections entitled "Risk Factors", copies of which may be obtained from the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made, and the Company does not intend to correct or update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Company Contact: Andrew Johnson Chief Strategy Officer Exactus Inc. 509-999-9695 ir@exactusinc.com TAMPA, Fla., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Floyd's 99 Barbershop (Floyd's 99) is strengthening its roots in the Southeastern United States. Known for its edgy style, fun environment and authentic vibe, Floyd's 99 is one of the first to market a barber-style concept catering to both men and women. With a solid presence in Central Florida, the brand is expanding its footprint to the Tampa area, signing a five-unit franchise agreement with local business partners Eric Peerless and Judah Rubin. The South Tampa residents will be developing the new shops over the next 48 months in Hillsborough County and are targeting South Tampa for their first locations. A long-time customer of the Denver Floyd's 99 shops, Peerless knows the Tampa market is ripe for Floyd's 99. He says, "When it comes to local hair salon & barbershop options, there's really no middle ground you either have high-end salons or low-cost options with a high-risk of a bad haircut. Floyd's 99 is the brand that's missing. No matter which Floyd's 99 location you visit, you know you're going to enjoy your experience and get a great haircut, every time." Floyd's 99 has thrived over the past two decades while carving out its niche in the $64 billion hair industry and serving more than 1 million clients along the way. All told, the franchise expects to add more than 40 new shops in the next five years across the Southeast region, including the Tampa development and continued expansion in Central Florida, where the brand already has six locations. The company also identified Collier and Miami-Dade counties in Florida, as well as select markets in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Washington, D.C., as key growth markets for the 118-unit brand. This Southeastern expansion is an integral piece of the brand's national franchise efforts. Floyd's 99 is seeking partnerships with eight multi-unit franchisees this year who are looking to diversify or break into a different space. The Denver-based franchisor is primarily considering those who have owned or operated a service, retail or restaurant franchise, and is also open to candidates from the corporate world who are a minimum Director or VP-level employee with multiple direct reports and preferably in a marketing or sales role. To learn more about Floyd's 99 Barbershop franchise opportunities, visit floydsbarbershop.com/FRANCHISE or contact Scott Nichols at [email protected]. About Floyd's 99 Barbershop: Floyd's 99 Barbershop (Floyd's 99) offers an alternative twist on an old school classic. Established in 1999 by brothers Paul, Rob and Bill O'Brien, the hair grooming franchise was founded on the principle that a good haircut should not come at a high cost. Floyd's 99 stylists & barbers offer a wide range of services for men & women, from classic techniques to latest trends -- including color services, deep conditioning treatments, facial waxing, blow outs, beard trims, precision detailing and straight-razor shaves. Each salon is designed to have a fun, engaging neighborhood hangout vibe with great music, high energy, lively convos and smiling stylists & barbers who know customers by name. Headquartered in Denver, Floyd's 99 has more than 115 shops in 13 U.S. states and seeks multi-unit franchise partners to enhance continued national expansion. For store images and executive headshots, download via DropBox. Media Contact: Jayne Levy, Pink Tree Creative at [email protected] SOURCE Floyd's 99 Barbershop Related Links www.floydsbarbershops.com FORT MYERS, Fla., May 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- 21st Century Oncology is pleased to announce that Gabriel de Paz, Chief Information Officer recently became a CHIME Certified Healthcare CIO. Launched in 2008 by the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME), the CHCIO program is the only certification designed exclusively for leaders in health information technology. It represents one of the highest professional achievements in the industry. Currently, more than 500 healthcare CIOs in 23 countries have earned the designation. "Healthcare is undergoing a massive transformation," said CHIME President and CEO Russell Branzell, CHCIO. "We are shifting to a value-based environment, improving coordination across the continuum and striving to reduce costs. Health IT is critical to achieving these goals. The CHCIO designation is a recognition that a CIO has the skills necessary to be a strategic leader in the organization." To achieve CHCIO status, candidates must have at least three years of experience in the position, participate in programs and events that continue their education as an IT leader and pass a rigorous examination. These qualifications ensure that the CIO is truly dedicated to ongoing education, an important characteristic in an industry where patients pay the price for becoming stagnant. "We are very proud that Gabriel is part of our leadership team here at 21st Century Oncology," said Kim Commins-Tzoumakas, CEO of 21st Century Oncology. "With his more than 24 years of experience in information technology within the healthcare industry, Gabriel plays a key role in our Information Technology operations, taking our performance to the next level. We congratulate him on this achievement." 21st Century Oncology: Contact: Jami Schlicher (973) 850-7309 Direct [email protected] About 21st Century Oncology 21st Century Oncology is the world's largest provider of Integrated Cancer Care services. Operating as one dream team in the crusade against cancer, the company carries out its mission with the mindset of "fighting for patients like an army and caring for them like a family." 21st Century Oncology employs or is affiliated with nearly 1000 physicians globally to deliver the most advanced, integrated and compassionate cancer care in personal and convenient settings. Headquartered in Fort Myers, FL, 21st Century Oncology has 347 locations in 15 U.S. states and 36 international centers. For more information, please visit https://www.21co.com. CHIME: Contact: 734.665-0000 [email protected] About CHIME The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) is an executive organization dedicated to serving chief information officers (CIOs), chief medical information offices (CMIOs), chief nursing information officers (CNIOs) and other senior healthcare IT leaders. With nearly 2,800 members in 50 countries and over 150 healthcare IT vendors and professional services firms, CHIME provides a highly interactive, trusted environment enabling senior professional and industry leaders to collaborate; exchange best practices; address professional development needs; and advocate the effective use of information management to improve the health and healthcare in the communities they serve. For more information, please visit chimecentral.org. SOURCE 21st Century Oncology Related Links http://www.21co.com ATLANTA, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Genuine Parts Company (NYSE: GPC) announced today that the Company will host an Investor Day on June 4, 2019 at its Headquarters in Atlanta, GA. Hosting the event will be Paul Donahue, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and Carol Yancey, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, along with other members of the Company's management team. The Company will present updates from across its business segments, provide details on key strategic initiatives, and give attendees the opportunity to interact with its global leaders from the automotive, industrial and business products segments. This event will be webcast and in-person attendance is by invitation only. Webcast Details The Investor Day presentations will be webcast live beginning at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. The live audio webcast will be available in the "Investors" tab on the Company's website at www.genpt.com. To listen to the live broadcast, access the site at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time in order to register. An online replay of the webcast will be available on the website for one year from the webcast date. About Genuine Parts Company Genuine Parts Company is a distributor of automotive replacement parts in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Australasia, France, the U.K., Germany and Poland. The Company also distributes industrial replacement parts and electrical specialty materials in the U.S., Canada and Mexico through its Industrial Products Group. S.P. Richards Company, the Business Products Group, distributes a variety of business products in the U.S. and Canada. Genuine Parts Company had 2018 revenues of $18.7 billion. Further information is available at www.genpt.com. SOURCE Genuine Parts Company Related Links http://www.genpt.com DUBLIN, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "The Global Market for Quantum Dots" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global quantum dots (QD) based products market will be potentially valued at more than $35 billion by 2030. The optoelectronics market represents the vast majority of this figure, chiefly High Definition TVs-QLED-TVs. Quantum Dots (QDs) are THE nanotechnology success story to date. The author has been tracking the global market for quantum dots for over a decade and watched as they have moved from basic research to a multi-billion dollar component market. Since their synthesis over 30 years ago, QDs have featured in a range of optoelectronic devices, including TVs and displays, light-emitting devices (LEDs), solar cells, photodiodes, thermoelectrics, photoconductors and field-effect transistors, while QD solutions have been used in a number of in vivo and in vitro imaging, sensing and labelling techniques. TV displays still dominate the end user segment for QD-based products with a fast growing market for QD monitors. The use of QDs in solar conversion windows is also being heavily backed this year with a number of companies developing prototypes and funding multi-million dollar investments. The price of large QD-TVs is also falling. The market is moving towards more advanced application of quantum dots in TVs with major producers, especially Samsung developing technologies beyond Quantum Dot Enhancement Film (QDEF) such as: QD Glass on LGP. Quantum dot colour filters (QDCF) for microLEDS and displays. Active Matrix Quantum-dot Light Emitting Diode (AMQLED). Perovskite QDs. Inkjet printed QDs. Other notable growth markets include solar windows, lighting, sensors and anti-counterfeiting. This 236 page analysis report on the quantum dots market is now in its 13th edition (First edition 2009). Contents include: QD types, properties and production methods. Changing market dynamics in the quantum dots market. New market areas including QD Colour Filters and Solar Window Coatings. In-depth market segmentation and analysis. Quantum dots application roadmap. Regional analysis. Historical, current and projected market size in terms of volume and value. Revenue estimates for quantum dots market to 2030. Recent industry trends and developments. Competitive landscape. Regulatory issues. Strategies of key players and products offered. Market revenues forecasts to 2030 and historical figures from 2013. Markets covered: TV displays and smartphone displays, solar cells, security tags, security inks, sensors, quantum dot lasers, quantum dot transistors, photonic crystals, bio-imaging, quantum dot solar windows, biomarkers, solid-material-based memory, thermoelectric materials, quantum dot computers, artificial photosynthesis and light emitting diodes (LEDs). Market assessment in QLED TVs and displays, including market drivers, commercialization, market revenues to 2030, manufacturing and product development. Market assessment in LED lighting, including market drivers, commercialization, market revenues to 2030, manufacturing and product development. Market assessment in biotechnology and medicine, including market drivers, commercialization, market revenues to 2030, manufacturing and product development. Market assessment in security and anti-counterfeiting, including market drivers, commercialization, market revenues to 2030, manufacturing and product development. Market assessment in sensors, including market drivers, commercialization, market revenues to 2030, manufacturing and product development. 81 company profiles. Additions from previous editions include: Expanded regional analysis, especially for Asia . . New sections covering Micro-LEDs, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), composites. New sections covering QD colour filter replacement, non-Cd ELQD devices, inkjet printing and perovskite QDs. Latest developments in QD-OLED screens. Expanded company profiles. 18 additional company profiles. Recent developments in quantum dot production by large chemical companies. Key Topics Covered: 1 Research scope and methodology 2 Executive summary 2.1 Growth in high definition TV demand 2.1.1 QD advantages and definition of QLED 2.1.1.1 QLEDs/QD-OLEDs 2.2 Market growth since 2013 2.3 QD-TVs market 2.4 The Quantum Dot market in 2019 2.5 Cadmium vs. cadmium free 2.5.1 Cadmium QDs 2.5.2 Cadmium-free QDs 2.5.3 European commission ban use of cadmium in TVs and displays 2.5.4 Perovskite quantum dots 2.5.5 Graphene quantum dots 2.6 Quantum Dot Revenues 2015-2030 2.7 Market drivers and trends 2.8 Market challenges 3 Quantum dots 3.1 Properties 3.2 Synthesis 3.3 Types 3.3.1 Cadmium Selenide, Cadmium Sulfide and other materials 3.3.2 Cadmium free quantum dots 3.3.3 Graphene quantum dots 3.3.3.1 Synthesis 3.3.3.2 Applications 3.3.3.3 Pricing 3.3.3.4 Investment 3.3.4 Carbon quantum dots (CQds) 3.3.4.1 Properties 3.3.4.2 Applications 3.3.5 Quantum rods 3.3.5.1 Properties 3.3.5.2 Applications 4 Technology readiness level (TRL) 5 Quantum dots industry analysis 5.1 Key players 5.2 Licensing, collaborations and partnerships 5.3 Supply chain 6 Quantum dots regulations 6.1 Europe 6.1.1 Cadmium exemption in TVs and lighting 6.1.2 August 2017 ruling 6.2 United States 6.2.1 Low Volume Exemption (LVE) 6.2.2 New Chemicals Program 6.3 Asia 7 Markets for quantum dots 7.1 Revenues 2013-2030 7.2 Production and prices 7.3 Market for quantum dots, by region 7.3.1 North America 7.3.2 Europe 7.3.3 Asia-Pacific 8 Quantum dots in TVs/displays 8.1 Market drivers and trends 8.2 Display performance progress 8.2.1 Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) 8.2.2 Cd-based QLEDs 8.2.3 Cd-free QLEDs 8.2.4 OLEDs 8.2.4.1 Fluorescent OLEDs 8.2.4.2 Thermally activated delayed fluorescent (TADF) OLEDs 8.2.4.3 Phosphorescent OLEDs (PhOLEDs) 8.2.4.4 Soluble OLEDs 8.2.5 TFT 8.3 Applications 8.3.1 LCDS vs. OLEDs vs. QD-LCDs/QLEDs 8.3.2 QD-LCD TVs/QLEDs 8.3.3 Micro-LEDs 8.3.4 QD colour filter replacement 8.3.5 Non-Cd ELQD 8.3.5.1 CdSe ELQD devices 8.3.5.2 InP-based ELQD devices 8.3.5.3 Combination with other nanomaterials 8.3.6 Inkjet printing 8.3.7 Perovskite QDs 8.4 Synthesis and manufacturing 8.4.1 Integration into LCDs 8.4.2 Types of QD displays and materials used 8.4.2.1 On-edge (edge optic) 8.4.2.2 On-surface (film) 8.4.2.3 QD colour filter (QDF) 8.4.2.4 On-chip 8.4.2.5 Active Matrix Quantum-dot Light Emitting Diode (AMQLED) 8.4.2.6 QD Glass LGP 8.4.2.7 Quantum dot/OLED hybrid 8.4.2.8 Quantum rods 8.4.2.9 Quantum converters with red phosphors 8.4.2.10 Electroluminescent (EL)QD displays 8.4.3 Flexible displays 8.4.3.1 Inkjet printed QD displays 8.4.3.2 Flexible LCDs 8.4.3.3 Flexible OLEDs (FOLED) 8.4.3.4 Flexible AMOLED 8.4.3.5 Flexible electrophoretic displays 8.4.3.6 Flexible QLEDs 8.5 QD-LCD products 8.5.1 Commercialization timeline for quantum dot display product 8.6 Industry and research developments 2013-2019 8.7 Global market for quantum dots in TVs and displays 8.7.1 OLED market 8.7.2 QD-TV unit sales 2016-2030 8.7.3 QD Monitor Unit sales 2015-2030 8.8 Quantum dot TV and display companies 9 Quantum dots in photovoltaics 9.1 Market drivers and trends 9.2 Applications 9.2.1 Nanomaterials in solar cells 9.2.2 Advantages of quantum dots in photovoltaics 9.2.3 Types of quantum dot solar cells 9.2.3.1 Metalsemiconductor/ Schottky QD junction solar cell 9.2.3.2 Silicon/QD Film Hydrid Solar Cells 9.2.3.3 Silicon/Graphene QD Film Hydrid Solar Cells 9.2.3.4 Depleted-heterojunction QD solar cell 9.2.3.5 QD-sensitized solar cells (QDSSC) 9.2.3.6 Quantum dot solar windows 9.3 Market challenges 9.4 Industry and research developments 2013-2019 9.5 Global market for quantum dots in photovoltaics 9.6 Quantum dot photovoltaics companies 10 Quantum dots in LED lighting 10.1 Market drivers and trends 10.2 Applications 10.2.1 LED lighting 10.2.2 Horticultural lighting 10.3 Market challenges 10.4 Industry and research developments 2013-2019 10.5 Global market for quantum dots in LED lighting 10.6 Quantum dot lighting companies 11 Quantum dots in biotechnology and medicine 11.1 Market drivers and trends 11.2 Applications 11.2.1 Imaging and diagnostics 11.2.1.1 Biomarkers 11.2.1.2 Photodynamic therapy 11.2.1.3 Point-of-care 11.2.2 Drug delivery 11.3 Market challenges 11.4 Global market for quantum dots in biotechnology and medicine 11.4.1 Imaging and diagnostics 11.4.2 Drug delivery 11.5 Quantum dot biotechnology and medicine companies 12 Quantum dots in security and anti-counterfeiting 12.1 Market drivers and trends 12.2 Applications 12.3 Global market size for quantum dots in security and anti-counterfeiting 12.4 Quantum dot security and anti-counterfeiting Companies 13 Quantum dots in sensors 13.1 Market drivers and trends 13.2 Applications 13.2.1 Food sensors 13.2.2 Chemical and gas sensors 13.2.3 Biosensors 13.2.4 Image sensors 13.3 Global market size for quantum dots in sensors 13.4 Market challenges 13.5 Quantum dot sensor companies 14 Other markets 14.1 Batteries 14.1.1 Properties 14.1.2 Companies 14.2 Thermoelectrics 14.2.1 Properties 14.2.2 Companies 14.3 QD Lasers 14.3.1 Companies 14.4 Photocatalysts 14.5 Spectrometers 14.6 Electronics 14.7 Hydrogen production 14.8 Autonomous vehicles 15 Quantum dot company profiles Quantum dot producers Advano American Dye Source, inc Antibodies Incorporated Applied Quantum Materials Inc Attonuclei Avantama AG CAN GmbH China Beijing Beida Jubang Science & Technology Co., Ltd Creative Diagnostics CrystalPlex Corporation Cytodiagnostics Dow Chemical Company Dotz Nano Ltd Dupont Emfutur Technologies Evident Thermoelectrics Fuji Pigment Co., Ltd Green Science Alliance Co., Ltd Hansol Chemical Co., Ltd IQDEMY Quantum Technology SA KRI, Inc Merck KGaA/EMD Performance Materials Mesolight Lab21 Limited Najing Tech Nano Elements Source, LLC Nano Chem Tech, Inc Nanoco Group Plc Nanooptical Materials, Inc NanoPhotonica, Inc Nanosquare, Inc Nanosys, Inc Navillum Nanotechnologies, LLC Nexdot SAS Nippon Chemical Industrial Co., Ltd NN-Labs, LLC Ocean Nanotech LLC Particle Works PhosphorTech Corporation Quantum Materials Quantum Solutions Shanghai Simbatt Energy Technology Co., Ltd Shoei Chemical, Inc Sigma-Aldrich Sinon Therapeutics Solvay SA StoreDot Ltd Thermo Fisher Scientific Tianjin Zhonghuan Electronic Lighting Technology Co UbiQD, LLC Unique Materials Wah Hong Industrial Corporation Wuhan Jiayuan Quantum Dots Co., Ltd XF Nano Zhonghuan Quantum Quantum dot product developers Acer, Inc AUO Optronics BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd Efun Technology Co., Ltd HiSense Innolux Corporation LG Display Co., Ltd LMS Co., Ltd Lumileds Luminit ML System S.A Zaczernie Nano-Lit Technologies Natcore Technology, Inc NS Materials, Inc Osram Opto Semiconductors QD Laser, Inc QD Solar QMAT, Inc Quantag Ranovus Raytheon Company Revolution Lighting Technologies Samsung TCL Corporation Tianma Microelectronics Co., Ltd TPV-Vision For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/q1993 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com DENVER, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- 2019 marks the 160th anniversary of the Colorado Gold Rush, and while settlers originally came west to strike it rich in the mines, travelers today head to the state to strike it rich with adventures during Colorado's golden season, autumn. Visit www.colorado.com. COLORADO LEAF PEEPING ADVENTURES: 4-Wheel Among the Aspens on the Alpine Loop Scenic & Historic Byway: Travelers equipped with four-wheel drive can head to the Alpine Loop Scenic and Historic Byway, connecting the mountain towns of Ouray, Silverton and Lake City. Search for Gold on Breckenridge's Singletrack: The French Gulch Road area offers a number of singletrack options, several that pass by old mining remains and groves of changing aspens, that make for a beautiful autumn ride or hike. Take a Historic OHV Tour in Buena Vista: Riders will experience four days of self-guided tours through the awe-inspiring backcountry of the Collegiate Peaks range. Soak in the Colors at Glenwood Hot Springs: The 130-year-old Glenwood Hot Springs Resort, the world's largest hot springs pool, is unveiling a major renovation this year. Take A Colorful Road Trip Along the Grand Mesa Scenic Byway: The 63-mile Grand Mesa Scenic Byway leads travelers to the top of Grand Mesa, the largest flat-top mountain in the world, and into the fall-color-saturated Grand Mesa National Forest. Round-Up the Herd at Latigo Ranch: Latigo Ranch near Kremmling invites visitors to participate in its annual fall cattle roundup in September. Hop Aboard the Fall Color Train in Leadville: Train enthusiasts can ride up into the colorful San Isabel National Forest aboard the Leadville Colorado & Southern Railroad. Climb to Colorful "Heights" at the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park: The Royal Gorge Bridge in Canon City, the highest suspension bridge in America, marks its 90th anniversary in 2019, and to celebrate has opened a new Via Ferrata climbing experience. Take A Wild Hike in State Forest State Park: State Forest State Park is considered the moose-viewing capital of Colorado, and fall is prime moose viewing season. Soar Above the Trees in Steamboat: For travelers who have a hot-air balloon ride on their bucket list, Steamboat is the place and fall is the time to do it. COLORADO'S NOT-TO-MISS FALL EVENTS: Fall Tarantula Migration, La Junta, Sept.-Oct.: Each fall, thousands of tarantulas migrate through the area during their mating season. ArtoCade, Trinidad, Sept. 13-14: Trinidad's quirky ArtoCade is a parade of "artfully enhanced" cars, motorcycles, bikes and more. Pedal the Plains, Sept. 13-15: Pedal the Plains is more than a bicycle tour; it's a traveling party packed with live music, beer, locally sourced food and more. Snowmass Wine Festival, Snowmass, Sept. 14: A fall tradition, the Snowmass Wine Festival features a weekend of wine tasting and pairing dinners. FORToberfest, Fort Collins, Sept. 21: Fortoberfest features a full day of live music, seasonal craft beer and wine and German cuisine. Mountain Harvest Festival, Paonia, Sept. 26-29: Head to Paonia to celebrate this everything-local harvest. Elk Fest, Estes Park, Sept. 2930: At Elk Fest, visitors can learn about elk behavior, observe them in their natural habitat, participate in a bugling contest and more. La Veta Oktoberfest, La Veta, Oct. 5: Beer, music and fall foliage all converge during La Veta's Oktoberfest. Old West Fest, Ridgway, Oct. 11-13: Festivities will highlight the 50th anniversary of True Grit filmed in Ridgway, the area's ranching and railroad heritage and Western arts and culture. Dairy Block Fall Flannel Festival, Denver, Oct. 20: This free event will feature a festive line-up of events for all ages including live music, games, an urban pumpkin patch and more. Emma Crawford Coffin Races, Manitou Springs, Oct. 26: The Emma Crawford Coffin Races and Parade is a quirky annual event held just days before Halloween. SOURCE Colorado Tourism Office Related Links https://www.colorado.com NEW YORK, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- In an increasingly complex and turbulent world, nearly four in 10 American employees (38 percent) report that they have spoken up to support or criticize their employers' actions over a controversial issue that affects society. These are Employee Activists. Millennials are the generation most likely to be Employee Activists (48 percent), a rate significantly higher than that of Gen Xers (33 percent) and Boomers (27 percent). These findings come from Employee Activism in the Age of Purpose: Employees (UP)Rising, a survey commissioned by global communications and marketing solutions firm Weber Shandwick, in partnership with United Minds and KRC Research. Have ever spoken up to support or criticize employer's actions over a controversial issue that affects society Total U.S. Employees Millennials Gen Xers Boomers % % % % Yes 38 48* 33 27 No 59 49 64* 70* Prefer not to respond 3 3 3 3 *indicates significantly higher than other generations "Weber Shandwick has been taking the pulse of CEO and corporate activism for several years now. As societal issues mount and political rhetoric stirs up emotions in the workplace, a new generation of Millennial employees may feel compelled to speak out more often in the hopes of making a difference or impacting their employer's point of view or policies," said Leslie Gaines-Ross, chief reputation strategist at Weber Shandwick. "We wanted to help companies better understand the risks and rewards of this new workplace dynamic to ensure that corporate reputations do not find themselves on shaky ground if no one is taking the employee feedback seriously." When asked to describe in their own words what they supported or criticized their employers for, topics varied and answers reflected both support and criticism. Some employees mentioned social issues pertaining to areas such as LGBTQ rights, gender equality, the environment, sexual harassment and discrimination. Other employees mentioned work-related issues such as pay, work environment, treatment of workers and business policies. Employees See Justification in Employee Activism The vast majority of U.S. employees surveyed believe employees are right to speak up about their employers, whether they are in support of the employers (84 percent) or against (75 percent). The belief that employees have a right to speak up in support of their employers is consistent across generations (85 percent of Millennials, 84 percent of Gen Xers and 84 percent of Boomers). Millennials are the only generation that think employees are just as right to speak out against their employers (82 percent) as they are to support. Support for employees speaking up against their employers declines with age. Seventy-six percent of Gen Xers and 65 percent of Boomers believe employees are right to speak up against their employers. Right of Employees to Speak Up Total U.S. Employees Millennials Gen Xers Boomers % % % % In support of their employer 84 85 84 84 Against their employer 75 82* 76 65 *indicates significantly higher than other generations Employees may think employees are right to speak up because of the impact they can have. Eight in 10 Employee Activists (79 percent) those with experience in speaking up agree that employees can make a difference by speaking out on controversial issues that affect society. A similar rate (75 percent) agree that employees can make an even greater impact on our world than the leaders who run organizations. "The propensity of Millennial employees to feel that employees have a right to speak out against their employers' actions on societal or workplace issues requires leaders to manage their work force differently," said Kate Bullinger, president of United Minds, a change management consultancy within Weber Shandwick. "Because of the ubiquity of social media and the 24/7 news cycle, the wide variety of topics that can activate employees to speak out must be considered on a nearly daily basis today." Employee Activists Seek to Influence Employees and Senior Management Among recent Employee Activists, the most common targets of their attention were inside their organizations: other employees (46 percent) and top leaders at the organization (43 percent). However, approximately one-third of those who took action were also hoping to get the attention of the general public (35 percent). They were less likely to want the attention of financial investors (12 percent) and the news media (11 percent). Employee Activists were primarily seeking to influence their employer's positions, policies and actions (54 percent). Many were also hoping to influence public opinion generally and their employer's reputation (46 percent). Employee Activism is Not Without Risk While employees are in favor of activism, there is a perceived risk that accompanies it. Approximately eight in 10 employees (79 percent) agree that those who speak up on a controversial topic against their employers are risking their jobs. This view is consistent across generation (78 percent of Millennials, 79 percent of Gen Xers and 78 percent of Boomers). Even Employee Activists think doing so can put one's job at risk (80 percent). There is also a perception among some employees that those who publicly criticize their employer are usually just trying to cause trouble (36 percent). Guidelines for Navigating the New Wave of Employee Activism Weber Shandwick recommends that organizations consider the following guidelines: Embrace employee activism as a positive force to propel your reputation and your business as an open and transparent organization. Employers need to align with the next generation of employees and their concerns about society and the workplace. The fact that many publicly speak out about their employers' views and actions, whether it is to support or criticize, is an opportunity to build common ground. Ensure your corporate purpose and culture are known from the point of applicant interview and onboarding through employee tenure. Two-thirds of employees (65 percent) say that if they were considering a new job, they would take into account an employer's stance on societal issues. Employee expectations must be aligned with the organizational culture from the outset. Employee activism can quickly become a reputation builder or destroyer in an era where employees have the motivation and means to raise issues if they become disillusioned and trust is not built from day one. Be mindful of what is on employees' minds. Leaders should regularly gauge what is happening in the workplace or how the broader environment is likely to impact employees' attitudes toward company actions and point of view. An employee culture audit and open forums where employees can safely speak their minds or debate current issues are beneficial. Cultivate a listening culture. Since the majority of employees believe that they are taking a risk when they speak up to support or criticize their employer, leaders should think about how they can motivate employees to share their opinions internally first. Better collaboration and easy-to-use communications tools will encourage employees to share their opinions internally before going elsewhere. Establish a response protocol. Employees who reach out to leaders to voice their opinions on a controversial or sensitive issue expect an acknowledgement or response. Setting up a process for responding, including who will respond and how to respond, will help build a culture of receptiveness and potentially deter future problems. Clearly articulate and communicate your company's values. Employees expect employers to do business and take action in line with their corporate values. These values will provide the company with a compass to determine when to speak out. Make your company's values part of the solution. Defining the returns you bring to shareholders, customers and employees is no longer enough. In this environment of political gridlock and disruption, companies are expected to contribute to addressing society's complex challenges, whether they exist internally in the workplace or externally in broader society. Companies must be part of the solution or run the risk of being perceived as part of the problem. Please click here for the report. About the Research Weber Shandwick and United Minds partnered with KRC Research to conduct an online survey in March 2019 among 1,000 employed adult Americans. Employees work full-time and in organizations with at least 500 employees in a variety of industries and at different job levels. The survey described employee activism to respondents as follows: "Some companies and other organizations have recently experienced something called 'employee activism.' Employee Activists are people who speak out for or against their employers on controversial issues that affect society. Here are some recent examples of employee activists: 1) A large company's employees walked off their jobs in offices around the world to protest the company paying a large severance package to an executive fired for alleged sexual misconduct. 2) A large group of employees at a company posted an open letter to protest the company's work with a government agency over the current border crisis. 3) An employee of a major media company tweeted concerns with his management's decision to spend a large sum of money on a TV ad supporting journalists' freedom of speech, rather than on employee benefits. 4) Employees of a large retail chain posted comments on their own social media pages that they were proud that their employer removed a certain category of unhealthy products from their shelves." About Weber Shandwick Weber Shandwick is a leading global communications and marketing solutions firm in 79 cities with a network extending to 129 cities around the world. The firm's diverse team of strategists, analysts, producers, designers, developers and campaign activators has won the most prestigious awards in the world for innovative, creative approaches and impactful work. Weber Shandwick was the only public relations agency included on the Advertising Age Agency A-list in 2014 and 2015 and the only PR firm designated an A-List Agency Standout in 2017 and 2018. Weber Shandwick was honored as PRWeek's Global Agency of the Year in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, The Holmes Report's Global Agency of the Year in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2017, and The Holmes Report's Global Digital Agency of the Year in 2016. The firm deploys deep expertise across sectors and specialty areas, including consumer marketing, corporate reputation, healthcare, technology, public affairs, financial services, employee engagement, social impact, financial communications and crisis management, using proprietary social, digital and analytics methodologies. Weber Shandwick is part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG). For more information, visit http://www.webershandwick.com About United Minds United Minds is a management consultancy that specializes in transformation. Leveraging a deep bench of specialists, the company helps organizations deliver positive, lasting change by combining data-fueled strategy and creative communications solutions, engaging stakeholders in every part of the process. United Minds is part of Weber Shandwick, one of the world's leading communications and marketing solutions firms. For more information, visit www.unitedmindsglobal.com About KRC Research KRC Research is a global full-service nonpartisan opinion research and strategy firm. A unit of the Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE: IPG), KRC Research offers the quality and custom service of a small firm with the reach of a global organization. For over 30 years, KRC Research has worked on behalf of corporations, governments, not-for-profits and the communications firms that represent them. Staffed with multidisciplinary research professionals, KRC combines sophisticated research tools with real-world communications experience. For more information, visit www.krcresearch.com Contact: Leslie Gaines-Ross Company: Weber Shandwick Phone: 212-445-8302 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Weber Shandwick Related Links https://www.webershandwick.com SAN DIEGO, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Covered California announced Friday it intends to partner with Health Quality Partners of Southern California, a non-profit subsidiary of Health Center Partners of Southern California, to educate consumers about their health care options, offer in-person enrollment and renewal assistance, and provide ongoing support with getting the best value from their health plan. "We know it is important for consumers in San Diego, Riverside and Imperial counties to get confidential, one-on-one help in their communities," said Covered California Executive Director Peter V. Lee. "Community-based organizations like Health Quality Partners are important to their communities and instrumental in helping Californians sign up for the plan that works best for them." Covered California issued an intent to award funding to Health Quality Partners of Southern California (HQP) for the next grant cycle period 2019-2022 with $500,000 for the fiscal year 2019-2020. HQP will provide services to three southern California counties ( San Diego , Riverside and Imperial ) with a targeted outreach to four ethnic population groups (Caucasian, African-American, Hispanic/Latino and Pacific Islander), and three targeted languages (Arabic, English and Spanish). counties ( , and ) with a targeted outreach to four ethnic population groups (Caucasian, African-American, Hispanic/Latino and Pacific Islander), and three targeted languages (Arabic, English and Spanish). Since the launch of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Health Quality Partners has helped more than 16,500 consumers enroll in coverage. HQP has partnered with Covered California since 2013 as an outreach and education grantee to conduct outreach, education, and enrollment support for consumers enrolling in health care coverage. "For many people, there is nothing better than being able to sit down with someone in their community who can explain their options and help them make the best choice. Health Quality Partners of Southern California has always been committed to improving the lives of those working and living in San Diego, Riverside and Imperial counties. We all benefit from stronger communities when everyone has access to quality health care coverage," Nicole Howard, Executive Vice President of Health Quality Partners noted. The Navigator grants are part of Covered California's ongoing commitment to work with trusted organizations throughout the state to help hard-to-reach groups understand this new era of health care. The Navigator program is funded by revenue generated by Covered California. Organizations were selected through a competitive grant application process. Click here for the full list of grant awards. About Health Quality Partners of Southern California Health Quality Partners of Southern California (HQP), a nonprofit subsidiary of Health Center Partners of Southern California, helps improve health outcomes by implementing progressive and collaborative programs to support community health centers in caring for the safety-net population. HQP staff implement programs through the successful administration of grant-funded programs, which improve access to care, health outcomes and operational efficiencies. About Covered California Covered California is the state's health insurance marketplace, where Californians can find affordable, high-quality insurance from top insurance companies. Covered California is the only place where individuals who qualify can get financial assistance on a sliding scale to reduce premium costs. Consumers can then compare health insurance plans and choose the plan that works best for their health needs and budget. Depending on their income, some consumers may qualify for the low-cost or no-cost Medi-Cal program. Media Contact: Nicole Howard [email protected] 619.542.4342 SOURCE Health Quality Partners of Southern California Related Links http://www.hqpsocal.org NEW YORK, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- High Falls Extracts is proud to announce a brand refresh. Introducing the new HIGH FALLS HEMP | NY. The re-imagined brand will be showcased at New York's Cannabis World Congress and Business Expo (CWCBExpo) May 30 - June 1 at Booth 427. In the highly competitive CBD industry, where hundreds of CBD brands are vying for the attention of eager, curious consumers, HIGH FALLS HEMP | NY is uniquely positioned to provide New Yorkers with locally grown and produced CBD-infused products as a New York State licensed hemp grower. During 2017, retired Wall Street executive Rick Weissman was vetting investments in the legal cannabis space and discovered the incredible wellness benefits of hemp-derived CBD. Both Rick and his wife Tricia began to use CBD to treat various issues. They experienced relief from knee, back and hip pain, additionally they started sleeping better, and were able to exercise more often. Together they founded the company and secured the NY State hemp growers license for the 2018 growing season. High Falls base of farming operations is in High Falls New York, with marketing offices in New York City. "We are excited for the launch of our new CBD brand, which will allow consumers to unlock the healing benefits of the hemp plant," said President Rick Weissman. "High Falls products give customers a trusted local source for hemp-derived CBD, allowing them to get as close to these healing plants as possible." As High Falls Hemp NY is being launched, the firm has entered into relationships with strategic partners who will help guide the venture to the next level: Jeffrey Hill is a consumer products branding expert who is now focused on the CBD wellness industry. He is also host of a new radio show: NYCBD with Jeffrey Hill on WOR Radio, the #1 talk radio station in NYC, syndicated on iHeart Radio in their podcast library. Jeff is instrumental in the brand repositioning for High Falls consumer products, as well as strategic business planning overall. Matt Brewer runs the firm Global Hemp Agronomy and consults with hemp and cannabis operators around the world. He has clients in Columbia, Spain, Australia and in the US. Matt is assisting High Falls in all phases of agriculture operations. Chris Weidling is president of Weid Capital. Chris is driving the current capital raise of $2mm and is advising on various strategic aspects of the High Falls business. The soul of the new brand originates from their family-owned farm in Upstate New York. Their mission is to grow and produce the highest quality hemp for CBD-infused supplements, tinctures and topical care products. High Falls is crafting their products with a "seed to soul" philosophy, all in the great state of New York. The heartbeat of HIGH FALLS HEMP | NY is its iconic Hemperythe cabin turned state-of-the-art greenhouse and laboratory where hemp plants are nurtured for the healing CBD compound. CBD has the power to impact the lives of people by improving their health and wellness - feeding their spirit, strength and soul. About High Falls Hemp | NY Like our seedlings, High Falls Extracts has grown. We're now High Falls Hemp | NY a name that's even more reflective of our New York roots, one that defines who we are and what we love doing: leading the wellness revolution. Our distinct "seed to soul" philosophy originates from our family-owned farm in Upstate New York and is driven by our mission to craft the purest hemp-derived CBD-infused supplements, tinctures, and topical care products to promote your health and wellness. We are licensed to grow hemp for high CBD content by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. To learn more visit HighFallsHempNY.com. Contact: Valentina Osorio at [email protected], or 609-214-4993. Online Press Room: http://cwcbexpo.vporoom.com/HighFallsHempNY SOURCE High Falls Hemp NY LOS ANGELES, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --Highland 2, the Mac writing app from The Quote-Unquote Company, led by acclaimed screenwriter and novelist John August, comes loaded with features ready to make a bold statement: You no longer need any other app for your writing needs. Coming one year after the launch of Highland 2, this update has fulfilled its promises to be not only the best screenwriting app, but the best writing app, period. "When we first announced Highland in 2012, we billed it as a screenplay utility for converting between formats," says August, whose screenwriting credits include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Big Fish and Aladdin. "But it quickly grew way beyond that. Within the first month, it became my main screenwriting app. It's fast and flexible. You never have to tell it how to format something. With Highland 2, we took the tools we'd developed for screenplays and applied them to all kinds of documents, from school reports to novels. With 2.5, we're adding the professional features that let you stay in Highland all the way through production." Highland has always been ahead of the curve. In 2018, Highland 2 launched Gender Analysis, a revolutionary tool that calculates the percentage of dialogue spoken by male and female characters in a script, letting writers get a real-time view of their script's dynamics and balance. Highland 2 was the first app to introduce this tool and won praise from the tech world and Hollywood. August writes exclusively in Highland, from features to television to the three Arlo Finch novels. "I use Highland every day for actual paid work. I rely on it, so major and minor annoyances get addressed. We've also grown a strong community of writers and we take their feedback seriously. Highland 2 is just a better way to write, because it was built by writers for writers." For more info about the new update visit www.highland2.app For press inquiries or to request an invitation to the Highland 2.5 launch event, contact Alejandro Victorero at [email protected]. Media Contact: Alejandro Victorero 786 470 0966 [email protected] SOURCE The Quote-Unquote Company TODAQ is a global fintech company with offices in Seoul and Toronto and operates across Asia, Middle East and Europe providing decentralised supply chain and customer solutions to global corporations, banks and governments. TODAQ's platform is built on the decentralised TODA Protocol, which will be open sourced in the near future. Hdac and TODAQ pledged organic cooperation for the development of innovative decentralised technology through this agreement. In order to innovate blockchain technology, both companies will actively pursue joint projects and research and development based on the technological capabilities of each company. The TODA Protocol will be used to strengthen existing Hdac blockchain technology. In addition, the two companies will make multifaceted efforts to establish close partnership between the two companies' global business development; join with TODAQ's other corporate partners on a global series of developer labs and hackathon competitions across Korea, North America, Europe, etc; and collaborate on building real economy usage cases for digital assets, including the HDAC token and the soon to be released TDN ('TODA Note'). "Based on our innovative technology, we will continue to carry out various projects for the development of blockchain technology with TODAQ. We will continue to strengthen cooperation with leading domestic and foreign innovation companies to provide more value to our customers." said BuYoung Yun, Hdac CEO. "We expect this agreement Hdac will bring both companies greater competitiveness in the development of decentralised business solutions and global expansion." said Hassan Khan, TODAQ CEO and Co-founder. Both companies also look forward to leveraging their respective markets and partners to mutual benefit. This year, TODAQ is concurrently launching retail, energy, education and pharmaceutical commercial projects across Asia, the Middle East and Europe. On the other hand, Hdac signed a MOU with Hyundai BS&C and GC Green Cross Healthcare in March for cooperation in the blockchain-based healthcare business, and is actively working on developing blockchain technology and expanding business by signing a partnership with India's first blockchain project "Eleven01" in April to develop blockchain technology. For further information: [email protected] SOURCE TODAQ Financial Inc. TURIN, Italy and PARIS, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Panini, a world leader in cheque processing technology, is pleased to announce the signing of an exclusive distribution partnership with Orone France, a digital processing software solution provider, for the Panini EverneXt, a new generation cheque scanner with on-board intelligence providing banks with a new tool for cheque processing. Orone and Panini have worked together to design a solution tailored to the evolving requirements of the French market, resulting from changes in processing models and a new role for banks branch networks. This strategic partnership will enable Orone to offer new organizational models, radically innovate the legacy model of branch-based cheque digitization, and create new exciting opportunities for remote deposit capture. The Panini EverneXt is an OS-agnostic and intelligent cheque scanning platform which can be leveraged with different configurations in a variety of processing scenarios. Interfaced via Ethernet, USB, Wi-Fi, or even 4G, the EverneXt can fully control all digitization settings in stand-alone mode. EverneXt allows banks to: simplify the IT infrastructure in each branch significantly reduce processing time ensure the centralized management of a cheque scanner fleet. Arnaud Dubois, Sales Manager at Orone, states, Our partnership with Panini enables us to offer a disruptive solution to adequately respond to market challenges. EverneXt is a technological revolution that opens up new possibilities for digitization in bank branches and for cheques processing in business customers premises. We are thrilled to be working with Orone to transform the way banks process cheques in France, adds Gabriella Scannadinari, Regional Sales Manager, Panini. They share our commitment to innovation, and we look forward to working with them for many years to come. Panini and Orone will be visiting a number of French cities in the coming weeks as part of a special roadshow to introduce this new, ground-breaking solution to regional banks. About Panini Founded in Turin, Italy, Panini has enabled clients to capitalize on shifts in the global payments processing market for over seventy years. Panini has a rich history of technology innovation, leveraging the companys expertise in research & development. Paninis market leading solutions are based on state-of-the-art engineering resources and ISO 9001 quality certified production. Panini boasts the worlds largest deployed base of check imaging systems and offers an expanding range of branch transformation solutions including intelligent capture, instant issuance, and secure identity options for reliable and user-friendly customer authentication. The company operates on a global scale and has direct subsidiaries in the United States covering North America and in Brazil covering Latin American markets. For more information visit www.panini.com. About Orone France A committed player in Normandy French Tech, Orone assists its customers with digital processing, offering them reliable and innovative comprehensive solutions for managing, expediting, and upgrading their multi-channel information flow. A digitization software solution provider for subscription data and paperless payment methods, Orone develops and offers new major disruptive approaches which underscore innovation as the key to its growth. Visit www.orone.com and www.wecheck.io for more information. Jessica Back, Communications jess.back@panini.com +1 937.291.2195 ELKINS PARK, Pa., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Earlier today, the United States Attorney's Office issued a press release announcing the arrest of Noah Bank's CEO, Edward Shin, for allegedly taking bribes in connection with the Bank's issuance of loans and causing the Bank to issue loans to companies in which he had a secret interest. The alleged acts took place between 2009 and 2012. Noah Bank is neither a defendant nor a suspect in relation to any of the alleged charges. The safety and soundness of the Bank is not at issue. The Bank will remain open and will conduct business as usual. The Bank's deposits are insured by the FDIC up to the maximum extent allowed. In accordance with the Bank's succession plan, Mr. Hyunjun An, the Bank's Chief Financial Officer, has been named acting President of the Bank. The Bank does not expect the matters to have any material impact to its financial statements and the Bank is cooperating fully in the investigation. About Noah Bank With its legal headquarters in Elkins Park, PA, Noah Bank is a Pennsylvania-chartered bank that was launched in 2004. At that time, Noah was named "Royal Asian Bank, a Noah Bank", and changed its name to "Noah Bank" in 2011. Operational headquarters are in Fort Lee, New Jersey. Noah Bank provides banking products and services to businesses and consumers primarily in the Asian-American communities of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Northern New Jersey, Manhattan, New York and Flushing, New York. More information is available at www.noahbank.com. Forward-Looking Statements The foregoing material may contain forward-looking statements. Noah Bank cautions readers not to place undue reliance on these statements. Noah Bank's business and operations are subject to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors. Consequently, actual results and experience may materially differ from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results and experience to differ from those projected include, but are not limited to, the following: difficult conditions in the capital markets and the economy generally, regulatory requirements or other actions mandated by Noah Bank's regulators, recent and ongoing changes to the state and federal regulatory schemes under which Noah Bank and other financial services companies operate (including the Dodd-Frank Act and regulations adopted or to be adopted to implement that Act), any changes in SBA loan programs and our ability to comply with SBA policies and procedures, the effect of credit risk exposure, the ability to strategically manage our capital position and to raise capital, allowance for loan losses may prove inadequate, variations in interest rates, the geographic concentration of Noah Bank's operations, declines in the value of Noah Bank's assets and the effect of any resulting impairment charges, competition for personnel from other financial institutions, interruptions or breaches of Noah Bank's security systems, the development and maintenance of Noah Bank's information technology, potential dilution of Noah Bank's shareholders, the ability of Noah Bank and its subsidiaries to pay dividends, severe weather and natural disasters, and the nature and frequency of litigation and other similar proceedings to which Noah Bank may be a party. Noah Bank makes no commitment to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances occurring or existing after the date any forward-looking statement is made. SOURCE Noah Bank Related Links http://www.noahbank.com CHICAGO, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Industrial Wastewater Treatment Service Market by Service Type (Design, Installation, Operations, Maintenance), Treatment Method (Filtration, Disinfection, Desalination), End User (Power, Oil & Gas, Pulp & Paper), Region - Global Forecast To 2024", published by MarketsandMarkets, the market is projected to reach USD 28.0 billion by 2024 from an estimated USD 20.8 billion in 2019, at a CAGR of 6.1% during the forecast period. This growth can be attributed to factors such as growth in water intensive industries such as pulp & paper and textile in the developing regions. The dyeing process in the textile industry is a major water intensive process, and it has a massive water requirement. Similarly, the requirement for treating the wastewater generated is expected to rise massively with the stringent environmental regulations across several nations. The power generation segment is expected to be the largest Industrial Wastewater Treatment Service Market, by end-user, during the forecast period. The power generation segment is estimated to dominate the Industrial Wastewater Treatment Service Market in 2019 and is projected to be the largest market during the forecast period. This is mainly because of a significant increase in the requirement of power generation, especially in developing regions such as Asia Pacific. For instance, countries such as China, India, Japan, and South Korea are ensuring that the power requirement of the people is addressed adequately through various schemes. The growing demand is causing an increase in the number of power generation units to cater to this demand, resulting in a rise in wastewater generation. Thus, there is a rising need for treating the wastewater generated from these power generation units. Browse in-depth TOC on "Industrial Wastewater Treatment Service Market" 46 Tables 35 Figures 168 Pages Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=87586650 The filtration segment is expected to be the fastest growing Industrial Wastewater Treatment Service Market, by treatment method, during the forecast period. The treatment method segment deals with the treatment methods and processes of the Industrial Wastewater Treatment Service Market. Filtration is usually needed before sanitation treatments, to remove particles that can distribute sediment, pathogens, and algae. The filtration segment is expected to hold the largest market share during the forecast period. The major types of filtration processes include chlorine filtration, Ultraviolet (UV) filtration, and Ozone filtration. Among these processes, UV filtration is a hugely cost intensive process, followed by the Ozone filtration process. These processes' overall cost is more than that of processes such as disinfection and desalination. Thus, the filtration process is expected to dominate this segment due to the aforementioned factors. Asia Pacific: The leading Industrial Wastewater Treatment Service Market. In this report, the Industrial Wastewater Treatment Service Market has been analyzed with respect to 5 regions, namely, North America, South America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific is estimated to dominate the global Industrial Wastewater Treatment Service Market in 2019, owing to the growth in the industrial, manufacturing, textile, pulp & paper, and power generation industries in countries such as China, India, and Japan. These are rigorous water intensive industries and simultaneously eject a lot of industrial wastewater. Thus, a major scope of industrial wastewater exists in these regions. Speak to Analyst: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalystNew.asp?id=87586650 To enable an in-depth understanding of the competitive landscape, the report includes the profiles of some of the top players in the Industrial Wastewater Treatment Service Market. Some of the key players are Veolia (France), SUEZ (France), Xylem (US), Thermax Group (India), Ecolab (US), Pentair (UK), Evoqua Water Technologies (US), WOG Group (US), SWA Water Holdings (Australia), Aries Chemical (US), Terrapure Environmental (Canada), and Golder Associates (Canada). The leading players are adopting various strategies to increase their share in the Industrial Wastewater Treatment Service Market. Browse Adjacent Markets: Energy and Power Market Research Reports & Consulting About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Shelly Singh MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/industrial-wastewater-treatment-service-market.asp Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com SOURCE MarketsandMarkets DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Insurance Care Direct (ICD), one of the nation's largest health and life insurance agencies, today announced it has expanded its leadership team with two new appointments to position the Company for significant growth and enhance the oversight of its legal, compliance, regulatory, and operational infrastructure. The Company named Christa Rapoport as General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, and promoted John D. Doak to Chief Operations Officer. These two executive leadership hires are in addition to ICD announcing that former United States Senator and Governor of Nebraska E. Benjamin "Ben" Nelson has been named Chief Executive Officer of the Company. "Our culture of compliance is founded on the principal of continuous improvement and diligence across the Company," commented Seth Cohen, Co-Chair of ICD. "We continue to invest in talent, technology, and our risk and compliance management infrastructure to protect consumers and ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements. The hiring of Christa as well as Ben, and promoting John, demonstrates our commitment to operating our business at the highest possible legal, ethical, and operational standards to help us remain best-in-class in our industry." Christa Rapoport is an attorney with more than 20 years of legal and regulatory experience, with global insurance groups, insurance licensees, and technology clients. Ms. Rapoport has joined ICD as the Company's first General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer. She will lead the Company's legal and compliance functions and oversee all legal matters, in addition to strategically expanding and strengthening the Company's compliance program. Ms. Rapoport was formerly a regulatory affairs and compliance consultant at Nelson, Taplin, Goldwater Consultants LLC (NTG). John D. Doak, former Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner, has been promoted to Chief Operations Officer. Previously, he held the position of Executive Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Business Development. Mr. Doak brings significant private and public sector experience to his new position. In his role, he will be responsible for the day-to-day alignment of the Company's operations across the enterprise, and work closely with Senator Nelson to execute the Company's business strategy. Mr. Doak will continue to serve on the Advisory Board of ICD. Mr. Doak has officially resigned from the Advisory Board of the consulting firm NTG. Mr. Doak succeeded Brad Cohen, who was Chief Operations Officer since 2001. Mr. Cohen, one of the founders of ICD, will remain with the Company as Co-Chair. "Strengthening our legal, compliance, regulatory, and operational leadership has been a top objective for ICD and is critical to our future success," added Senator Nelson, CEO of ICD. "Christa and John have a deep understanding of our industry, outstanding reputations and track records, and extensive experience with the many complex regulatory and legal requirements of our business. We are excited to have them join our leadership team to continue to build on our culture of compliance and long-term success." Christa Rapoport, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer Christa Rapoport, Esq. is a regulatory attorney who started her career as an operating room registered nurse in Philadelphia. Christa holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Rutgers University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law. Today Christa has regulatory affairs experience in over 23 states. She has provided legal and regulatory services for the insurance industry for over 20 years. Ms. Rapoport has managed both U.S. and Japanese legal and compliance departments of property and casualty insurance groups, and life and health clients. Christa understands internal corporate operations and has expertise in Product Approvals, Financial Exam Management, Market Conduct Examinations and Investigations, Financial Reporting, Underwriting, Claims, Agent and Broker Issues. John D. Doak, Chief Operations Officer John D. Doak graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1988 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. John later began working at the executive level in the insurance industry. He has served in corporate positions at Marsh, Aon Risk Services, HNI Risk Services, and Ascension Insurance, where he was Senior Vice President of Acquisitions. Mr. Doak was later elected as the 12th Insurance Commissioner of Oklahoma in 2010 and served from 2011 to 2019. John also served two years as chair of the National Association of Insurance Commissioner's (NAIC) Antifraud Task Force and served on the Executive Committee of the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud. Mr. Doak's visionary efforts include hosting the National Tornado Summit, an annual disaster preparedness conference for insurance professionals, emergency managers, and meteorologists with more than 5,000 attendees over six years. It is the nation's premier event for catastrophe response. His focus on disaster resiliency also earned him a trip to the White House to share best practices with experts from around the country. Mr. Doak shaped important national insurance policy issues as a member of the Government Relations Leadership Council and international issues as a member of the International Insurance Relations Leadership Group, and also served as a member of the FEMA National Advisory Council. Mr. Doak has been involved in the initial formation of the NAIC Task Force on Innovation and has been a regulator interested in assisting startup companies. Innovation is happening daily in the insurance sector and Mr. Doak has been on the forefront of insurance innovation. Mr. Doak was also part of a group supporting Tulsa University to push forward the concept of a Cyber Security Institute. He formerly served on the Board of Directors of the consulting firm Nelson, Taplin, Goldwater. About Insurance Care Direct Founded in 2001, Insurance Care Direct has grown into one of the largest health and life insurance agencies in the country. The Company offers a wide array of competitive products along with comprehensive software to aid insurance professionals in their sales, marketing, and lead management. Headquartered in Deerfield Beach, Florida, Insurance Care Direct is a family owned business and is heavily involved in the local Florida community. SOURCE Insurance Care Direct DALLAS, May 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Invitation Homes Inc. (NYSE: INVH) ("Invitation Homes" or the "Company") announced today the pricing of a secondary offering of 40,000,000 shares of Invitation Homes common stock by certain selling stockholders affiliated with Blackstone at $25.30 per share. The offering is expected to close on June 3, 2019, subject to customary closing conditions. Invitation Homes is not offering any shares of common stock in the offering and will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares in this offering. In addition, none of Invitation Homes' officers or directors are selling any shares of common stock beneficially owned by them in the offering. Citigroup, BofA Merrill Lynch and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC are serving as the underwriters for the offering. The offering of these securities is being made pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement. The offering will be made only by means of a prospectus and prospectus supplement. A copy of the prospectus and prospectus supplement relating to these securities may be obtained, when available, from the website of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") at http://www.sec.gov or from: Citigroup, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717 (Tel: 800-831-9146); BofA Merrill Lynch, NC1-004-03-43, 200 North College Street, 3rd floor, Charlotte, NC 28255-0001, Attn: Prospectus Department, Email: [email protected]; or Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Prospectus Department, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282, telephone: 1-866-471-2526, facsimile: 212-902-9316 or by emailing [email protected]. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. About Invitation Homes Invitation Homes is a leading owner and operator of single-family rental homes, offering residents high-quality homes across America. With over 80,000 homes for lease in 17 markets across the country, Invitation Homes is meeting changing lifestyle demands by providing residents access to updated homes with features they value, such as close proximity to jobs and access to good schools. The Company's mission statement, "Together with you, we make a house a home," reflects its commitment to high-touch service that continuously enhances residents' living experiences and provides homes where individuals and families can thrive. Investor Relations Contact: Greg Van Winkle Phone: 844.456.INVH (4684) Email: [email protected] Media Relations Contact: Kristi DesJarlais Phone: 972.421.3587 Email: [email protected] Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which include, but are not limited to, statements related to the Company's expectations regarding the anticipated benefits of the merger with Starwood Waypoint Homes, the performance of the Company's business, its financial results, its liquidity and capital resources, and other non-historical statements. In some cases, you can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "outlook," "believes," "expects," "potential," "continues," "may," "will," "should," "could," "seeks," "projects," "predicts," "intends," "plans," "estimates," "anticipates" or the negative version of these words or other comparable words. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including, among others, risks associated with achieving expected revenue synergies or cost savings from the merger, risks inherent to the single-family rental industry sector and the Company's business model, macroeconomic factors beyond the Company's control, competition in identifying and acquiring the Company's properties, competition in the leasing market for quality residents, increasing property taxes, homeowners' association fees and insurance costs, the Company's dependence on third parties for key services, risks related to evaluation of properties, poor resident selection and defaults and non-renewals by the Company's residents, performance of the Company's information technology systems, and risks related to the Company's indebtedness. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. The Company believes these factors include, but are not limited to, those described under the section entitled "Part I. Item 1A. Risk Factors," of the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), as such factors may be updated from time to time in the Company's periodic filings with the SEC, which are accessible on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in this release and in the Company's filings with the SEC. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and we expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except to the extent otherwise required by law. SOURCE Invitation Homes Related Links http://www.invitationhomes.com MINNEAPOLIS, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- IRET (NYSE: IRET) announced today that the Company will participate in Nareit's REITweek: 2019 Investor Conference in New York from June 4, 2019 through June 6, 2019. The Company's management team will present at the conference on Wednesday, June 5, 2019, at 8:45 AM Eastern Time. To listen to the live presentation, please visit the webcast link on the Investors section of the Company's website at www.iretapartments.com. An archive of the webcast will be available for three months following the event. A copy of the Company's conference presentation will also be available on the Investors section of the Company's website. About IRET IRET is a real estate company focused on the ownership, management, acquisition, redevelopment, and development of apartment communities. As of March 31, 2019, we owned interests in 88 apartment communities consisting of 13,975 apartment homes. IRET's common shares and Series C preferred shares are publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE symbols: "IRET" and "IRET PRC," respectively). IRET's press releases and supplemental information are available on its website at www.iretapartments.com or by calling Investor Relations at 701-837-7104. Contact Information Jonathan Bishop Vice President Finance Phone: 701-837-7104 E-mail: [email protected] SOURCE IRET Related Links https://www.iretapartments.com TUCSON, Ariz., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- There is a nationwide push to legalize recreational marijuana, partly fueled by states' fears of losing tax revenues to neighboring states where cannabis is legal, according to the Doctors for Preparedness Newsletter. The New York City Comptroller's Office estimated that legalizing marijuana for persons over age 21 could yield $1.3 billion annually at State and local levels. Advocates of legalization have long declared that marijuana is safer than tobacco and alcohol, but this is likely not true, states Physicians for Civil Defense president Jane Orient, M.D. "The most alarming possibility is birth defects. Could this be the new thalidomide?" Many dispensaries that provide legal medical marijuana suggest its use for morning sickness. Thalidomide was once widely used for thatuntil babies started to be born without limbs. Many organs have receptors for components of marijuana, and exposure of the fetus has been associated with cardiac defects (such as holes in the heart), gastrointestinal defects (such as gastroschisis, in which the baby's intestines extend outside the body), and brain damage. Affected children may have microcephaly or small headsalso an effect of Zika virus. Effects may also mimic autism. Marijuana components persist in the body for months, so fetal damage can occur even if the mother stops using when she finds out that she is pregnant. The father's use may be even more important, states Dr. Albert Reece, professor of medicine at Edith Cowan University in Australia. The developing adolescent brain is very vulnerable. Users likely suffer IQ loss and memory defects that persist in later life. Regular teenage users have a three times higher risk of serious mental illness such as schizophrenia. And despite its reputation for having a calming effect, marijuana greatly increases the risk that psychotic persons may become violent. Other risks include impaired driving and increased risk of heart failure, sudden death, stroke, lung disease, and testicular cancer. "People must be warned," Dr. Orient stated. "Because marijuana is illegal, research is limited. We must not delay, as the AMA did with tobacco while it awaited more definitive studies." Physicians for Civil Defense distributes information to help to save lives in the event of war or other disaster. Contact: Jane M. Orient, M.D., (520) 323-3110, [email protected] SOURCE Physicians for Civil Defense Related Links http://www.physiciansforcivildefense.org DALLAS, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Jacobs (NYSE:JEC) has been awarded a four-year framework agreement by Dounreay Site Restoration Limited (DSRL) to provide decommissioning services. Located in Caithness County, Scotland, the Dounreay site is one of the most complex nuclear decommissioning programs in Europe, with extensive remediation activities underway to return the former nuclear energy testing site to as near its original condition as possible. The construction of a size reduction facility, shaft and silo decommissioning and demolition of historic active laboratories are just some of the major projects expected to be delivered as part of the decommissioning services framework, which DSRL estimates is worth up to $500 million (400M). The framework, spanning four years with potential extensions of up to three years, has been awarded to six organisations. It enables DSRL to take the site into a new phase of decommissioning when historic wastes from the shaft, silo and low-level waste pits are due to be retrieved, repackaged and consigned to modern waste facilities. "This is a complex and significant program of work which is central to our shared vision with DSRL to make the site and surrounding area safe and clean for future generations," said Jacobs Aerospace, Technology and Nuclear International Senior Vice President and General Manager Pete Lutwyche. "Harnessing our 24 years' experience providing full life-cycle nuclear decommissioning and program management solutions at Dounreay, we continue to work closely with the local community to draw on their expertise." The Dounreay site was the U.K.'s center of fast reactor research and development of nuclear energy from 1955 until 1994 and is now Scotland's largest nuclear clean-up and demolition project. The experimental nature of many of its redundant facilities means the clean-up and demolition requires innovative techniques and solutions as well as great care to achieve decommissioning as safely and efficiently as possible. DSRL is responsible for managing the chemical and radiological hazards at Dounreay in a way that protects people and the environment, investing a great deal of effort in its systems and practices to ensure operations are conducted safely. Jacobs leads the global professional services sector delivering solutions for a more connected, sustainable world. With approximately $12 billion in revenue and a talent force of more than 50,000, Jacobs provides a full spectrum of services including scientific, technical, professional and construction- and program-management for business, industrial, commercial, government and infrastructure sectors. For more information, visit www.jacobs.com, and connect with Jacobs on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking statements as such term is defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and such statements are intended to be covered by the safe harbor provided by the same. Statements made in this release that are not based on historical fact are forward-looking statements. We base these forward-looking statements on management's current estimates and expectations as well as currently available competitive, financial and economic data. Forward-looking statements, however, are inherently uncertain. There are a variety of factors that could cause business results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements. For a description of some additional factors that may occur that could cause actual results to differ from our forward-looking statements see our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 28, 2018, and in particular the discussions contained under Item 1 - Business; Item 1A - Risk Factors; Item 3 - Legal Proceedings; and Item 7 - Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 29, 2019, and in particular the discussions contained under Part I, Item 2 - Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations; Part II, Item 1 - Legal Proceedings; and Part II, Item 1A - Risk Factors, as well as the Company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company is not under any duty to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this press release to conform to actual results, except as required by applicable law. For press/media inquiries: Kerrie Sparks 214.583.8433 Brian Morandi 720.286.0719 SOURCE Jacobs Related Links http://www.jacobs.com MORRISTOWN, N.J., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) has named three new external affairs consultants to serve as liaisons with elected officials and to support local community involvement activities. Carol Bianchi will work out of JCP&L's Summit facility, serving all or parts of Essex, Morris, Somerset and Union counties; Robert "Bob" Flynn will work out of the company's Boonton facility and serve all or parts of Essex, Morris, Passaic and Somerset counties; and Frank Luna will work out of Long Branch, serving much of Monmouth County. "These new employees are well established in creating and maintaining successful relationships with municipal, county and state officials," said James V. Fakult, president of Jersey Central Power & Light. "Their knowledge, experience and deep interest and involvement in their communities will benefit the customers and communities served by JCP&L." Bianchi is completing her final term on the Bernards Township Committee and currently serves as Mayor. She also is co-chair of the Somerset County Employers Legislative Committee and was president of the Somerset County Governing Officials Association. Bianchi received a bachelor's degree from Rutgers University and a Juris Doctor from Seton Hall School of Law. Flynn most recently served as district manager for ADP in Florham Park, New Jersey. He previously worked as the Director of the Advance Department and special events for the governor of New Jersey after having worked for the Republican National Committee and in Congressman Frelinghuysen's district office in Morristown. Flynn received a bachelor's degree from the University of Scranton in International Relations. Luna was district chief of staff for Congressman Tom MacArthur and served as his campaign manager in 2014. Prior to that, he worked at The Anchor's Bend in Asbury Park, the New Jersey Republican State Committee, and as director of constituency outreach in the office of Governor Chris Christie. Luna, who lives in Bradley Beach, graduated with a bachelor's degree in Political Science from The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. JCP&L is a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE). JCP&L serves 1.1 million New Jersey customers in the counties of Burlington, Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren. Follow JCP&L on Twitter @JCP_L, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JCPandL, or online at www.jcp-l.com. Editor's Note: Photos of the new external affairs managers are available for download on Flickr. SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp. Related Links http://www.firstenergycorp.com JEFFERSON CITY, Mo., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Jefferson City Public Schools is providing notice of a recent event impacting the security of personal information relating to certain current and former students. JCPS recently determined an employee with greater access privileges to the network due to the requirements of their position transferred district files containing student information into their personal Gmail account. This action was a violation of JCPS policy relating to the unauthorized transfer of student information. As such, the employee's ability to connect to the JCPS network was terminated and the employee was placed on administrative leave. JCPS, with the support of computer forensics investigators, immediately launched an investigation to determine the nature and scope of the event. As part of the ongoing investigation, the employee was asked to return the files to JCPS. To date, the files copied without authorization have not been returned. "Jefferson City Public Schools is committed to ensuring the privacy and security of data entrusted to us, and we take this incident very seriously," said JCPS Director of Communications Ryan Burns. "We want to reassure those impacted that at this time we've received no reports of misuse of information. We will continue to cooperate with law enforcement's ongoing criminal investigation into the incident." Individuals potentially impacted by this event include several thousand current and former JCPS students. Beginning May 29, 2019, JCPS is providing notice of this event to parent/guardians of those individuals whose personal information was contained in the information transferred by the employee. Information transferred without authorization includes a combination of one or more of the following: name, address, medical information, and/or Missouri Student Identification System number. Additional information can be obtained by visiting www.jcschools.us or calling 866-775-4209, Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Central Time. While JCPS has no evidence of identity theft occurring as a result of this incident, JCPS encourages potentially impacted individuals to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud by reviewing their accounts, explanations of benefits, and credit reports for suspicious activity, and to report any suspicious activity to the affiliated institutions immediately. SOURCE Jefferson City Public Schools Related Links http://www.jcschools.us BOSTON, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Jenzabar Inc., a leading technology innovator in higher education serving the new student, today announced that the Jenzabar Internship Program is sponsoring 43 interns for the summer of 2019. The program provides students from colleges and universities that use Jenzabar solutions the opportunity to gain hands-on, real-world experience working in higher education while earning a competitive wage throughout their internship. Jenzabar Internship Program 2019 attracted applications from partner schools around the world. The highly competitive program selects students based on their positivity, diligence, enthusiasm for learning, and communication skills all attributes that drive the Jenzabar mission. As part of the Jenzabar Internship Program, interns will participate in JAM, Jenzabar's Annual Meeting and annual gathering for Jenzabar customers held May 29-June 1, 2019 in San Diego, California. At JAM, interns will get involved in product training, networking events, and informative sessions and gain invaluable professional experience. Since the Internship Program's inception in 2017, Jenzabar has awarded approximately 200 students with paid internships to total over $1 million. Similar to the company's approach to servicing its partner institutions, the internship experience is tailored by each campus to each student awarded. Participating schools have ownership over the internship curriculum, allowing the program to fit the needs and schedules of all involved. Students have interned in roles within Admissions, Financial Aid, Development, Information Technology, and other departments across campus. "Jenzabar is committed to creating a better experience for students and making it easier for students to reach their highest potential," said Ling Chai, President and CEO of Jenzabar. "We are pleased to support these exceptional interns with their talent, enthusiasm, and drive as they work to make a difference at their institutions." About Jenzabar Created out of a passion for education and a vision for technology, Jenzabar offers disruptive, innovative software solutions and services that empower student's success and helps higher education institutions meet the demands of the modern student. Over 1,350 higher educational campuses harness Jenzabar solutions for improved performance across campus and a more personalized and connected experience for the student. For further information, please visit www.jenzabar.com or on Twitter @Jenzabar or LinkedIn. SOURCE Jenzabar Related Links https://www.jenzabar.com Press Release Luxembourg, 29 May 2019 CPI FIM SA Annual General Meeting of Shareholders The annual general meeting of the shareholders of CPI FIM SA (the "Company") was held on 29 May 2019 in Luxembourg (the Annual Meeting"), with approximately 97.5% of the voting rights present or represented. The Annual Meeting approved the statutory annual accounts and consolidated annual accounts for the financial year ending 31 December 2018, as well as the allocation of financial results for the financial year ending 31 December 2018. The Annual Meeting further granted a discharge to the members of the Company's Board of Directors as well as to the auditors for the performance of their duties during the financial year ending 31 December 2018. The Annual Meeting also resolved to appoint the following persons as members of the Company's Board of Directors until the annual general meeting of 2020: Anita Dubost, David Greenbaum, Edward Hughes, and Markus Kreuter. David Greenbaum was also elected Managing Director (administrateur delegue) of the Company. The Company started a process to tender the auditor. Consequently, the Annual Meeting did not approve KPMG as auditor for the year 2019. KPMG has served as auditor of the Company since 2013. Going forward, the Company may consider rotating auditors on a more frequent basis. If you need further assistance or information, please contact: CPI FIM SA, 40, rue de la Vallee, L-2661 Luxembourg, Tel: + 352 26 47 67 1; Fax: + 352 26 47 67 67; email: generalmeetings@orcogroup.com Attachment SALT LAKE CITY, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- JMH Premium (http://www.jmhpremium.com), welcomes Kelley Andrus Postma as its newest Sr. Account Executive serving industrial, institutional and food service customers in North America. Kelley joins JMH Premium with over 30 years of experience in the food industry. Ms. Postma's experience Includes product and solution development and consultancy for clients in both Ingredients and National Chain channels. She has a long track record of delivering award-winning product placements with the institutional, Food Service and Industrial food market segments. "We welcome Kelley to the JMH team and look forward to drawing on her expertise to deliver custom flavor solutions to our customers that address their formulation needs," says Kevin Dulin , President and CEO. Kelley Andrus Postma Joins The Team at JMH Premium as Sr. Account Manager Serving Industrial and Food Service Customers In North America. Ms. Postma will work as the primary liaison between customers and JMH Premium's Research & Development ("R&D") team, resulting in rapid speed-scratch solution development. JMH Premium has recently expanded its Culinary Design Studio ("CDS"), featuring a 2,200 square foot development kitchen and pilot plant which will enable JMH Premium's world-class R&D team to more efficiently and effectively serve its customers. The new CDS includes enhanced work stations, high-powered, restaurant-grade cooktops, griddle and wok stations, large capacity swept surface kettles, and increased dry and wet blending capabilities. Kelley will guide customers through the development process starting from concept to benchtop to application to scale up, all in one space; substantially reducing the time required for commercialization. "We are excited to have Kelley on our team, and know that she will guide our customers in utilizing our development services to reduce customer development time from months, to weeks or even days," says Nicole DeBloois, Director of R&D. JMH Premium has an impressive reputation with its customers of being able to meet stringent regulatory requirements, using the highest quality ingredients, utilizing state-of-the-art manufacturing practices, all within industry leading timelines. "I am excited to be part of the JMH Premium team, and I look forward to working with this amazing company. I know that our customers will enjoy coming to Salt Lake City and working on the bench with us," shared Ms. Postma. "The strength and efficiency of our decomplexification process, which we call Speed-Scratch, helps our customers get products to market rapidly. We are solving problems like flavor and texture consistency, reducing labor costs, and even improving existing recipes when needed," added Ms.DeBloois. About JMH Premium JMH Premium provides Flavor Solutions created by Chefs, Culinary Experts and our Food Scientists to Food Service, Industrial Manufacturers and Casinos throughout North America. Our products are selected by Chefs, Restaurants, Hotels, Casinos, Hospitals and Food Manufacturers to meet their Flavor needs. We support our customers in every phase of development from ideation, recipe development, ingredient sourcing, production of samples and tastings, and providing finished products that create great cuisine. Learn more at www.jmhpremium.com. Media Contact: Laura Guthrie [email protected] 801-326-8492 SOURCE JMH Premium Related Links http://www.jmhpremium.com Su will oversee government investigations and class and collective action litigation involving alleged violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act, Davis Bacon Act, and other federal and state wage-and-hour laws. He joins the firm from FordHarrison LLP, where he was the managing partner of its New York office and co-chair of its Construction Practice Group. "Eric is a distinguished New York labor and employment lawyer," said Philip T. Inglima, chair of Crowell & Moring. "He is a strong complement to our world class ability to offer sophisticated solutions to clients, particularly with respect to litigation matters, and he will be a fantastic asset to our robust and growing presence in New York City." Su handles investigations by federal and state labor departments, law enforcement, and municipal agencies concerning wage-and-hour issues, including compliance with the Davis-Bacon Act, Service Contract Act, and state "little Davis Bacon" and other similar laws such as the New York Real Property Tax Law 421-a, and the New York Wage Parity Act. He counsels clients in all facets of workplace issues, including compliance with wage-and-hour and EEO requirements, employment and separation agreements, and day-to-day personnel matters. He is a Certified Fraud Examiner and is one of the most senior Mandarin-speaking management-side labor and employment litigators in the country. "Eric handles a wide range of employment matters for companies in the hospitality, construction, retail, security services, and healthcare industries, and he has a substantial practice representing private equity funds and their portfolio companies," said Kris D. Meade, chair of Crowell & Moring's Labor & Employment Group. "He adds value to our regulatory and litigation teams, which have always been strong. His unique profile and background opens doors to the growing Chinese business community in the U.S. as well as more cross-border work in Asia. We look forward to his many contributions." Su is the latest of a spate of strategic hires in the New York office within the last 18 months. Cybersecurity and data privacy partner Jarno Vanto and advertising litigation partner Holly Melton joined the office following the launch of the New York Health Care practice, which included the arrival of a nine lawyer team led by partners Paul Mourning, Stephanie Marcantonio, Kathy Hirata Chin, and Brian McGovern. Other recent laterals include Brian Paul Gearing, Ph.D., partner in the Intellectual Property Group; Paul Freeman, senior counsel in the Environment and Natural Resources and Government Contracts groups; and former federal prosecutor and First Assistant Attorney General of New Jersey, Rebecca Ricigliano, partner in the White Collar & Regulatory Enforcement group. Su frequently participates in industry and regulatory-agency speaking engagements alongside federal and state labor department investigators, where he advises business owners and their accountants on how to navigate the requirements of labor and employment laws and regulations and handling and resolving government investigations. "Our strategy in New York is to double down on the firm's regulatory and litigation strengths and foster top-tier practices in traditional New York specialties like insurance, M&A, real estate, employment, tax, and bankruptcy," said Glen G. McGorty, managing partner of Crowell & Moring's New York office. "Eric is an exceptionally talented lawyer who lands right in our wheelhouse. We know he will be a great fit culturally considerate, collaborative, and genuine. We are delighted to welcome him to the office." Born in Taiwan, Su earned his bachelor's degree in history and international relations at Johns Hopkins University, his master's degree in international relations at The London School of Economics and Political Science, and his law degree at Vanderbilt University Law School. "I was attracted to Crowell & Moring because of its growing international presence and the opportunity to work with the firm's preeminent Labor & Employment and Government Contracts groups," said Su. "I've followed the firm's expanding presence in New York with great interest, and I am excited to contribute to its further growth and success." About Crowell & Moring LLP Crowell & Moring LLP is an international law firm with approximately 550 lawyers representing clients in litigation and arbitration, regulatory, and transactional matters. The firm is internationally recognized for its representation of Fortune 500 companies in high-stakes litigation, as well as its ongoing commitment to pro bono service and diversity. The firm has offices in Washington, D.C., New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orange County, London, and Brussels. Media Contact: An Pham Manager, Media PR & Communications +1 202.508.8740 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Crowell & Moring LLP Related Links http://www.crowell.com LOS ANGELES, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Labor Commissioner's Office has issued citations totaling $597,933 in unpaid wages and penalties to Universal Structural Building Corp. of Chatsworth after 62 construction workers were never paid for weeks of work on two projects in Hollywood and Ventura. J.H McCormick Inc., a general contractor for one project, was named jointly and severally responsible for $68,657 of the citations pursuant to a section of the labor code added last year by Assembly Bill 1701 that holds general contractors liable for their subcontractor's wage theft violations. "Up-the-chain general contractors are now responsible for wage theft committed by their subcontractors on all construction projects in the state," said California Labor Secretary Julie A. Su. "General contractors who choose subcontractors that do not pay wages owed will pay a hefty price. The Labor Commissioner's Office will use all the tools at its disposal to return these stolen wages including the placement of liens on these properties which will have a hold until the labor these workers poured into these projects is paid for in full." Universal Structural Building is a subcontractor that provides concrete building services for residential and mixed-use developments at jobsites in Los Angeles and Ventura. J.H McCormick and Universal signed a contract in February 2018 for a residential and commercial project, the Essex Hollywood. A large group of Universal's employees came to the Labor Commissioner's Office last November after working five to six days a week for eight to 14 hours a day without pay for the final weeks of that project. Investigators filed a mechanic's lien in December to secure $110,000 for 39 of the 42 workers affected by the wage theft on this project. Investigators also received reports of wage theft at the Portside Ventura Harbor project when another group of Universal's workers came to the Labor Commissioner's Office in January. Workers said when they asked for their final pay they were told the company had no money, and the general contractor was supposed to pay them. The Labor Commissioner's Office filed another mechanic's lien against Universal to secure $26,464 in wages for the 20 workers. The project's general contractor could not be held liable in the citations as the contract began prior to January 1, 2018. The investigation into both projects determined that Universal Structural Building employees are owed $477,533 in unpaid wages and penalties, with an additional $49,220 for contract wages due. The citations issued include: $62,207 in unpaid minimum wages and $64,131 in liquidated damages for 62 employees $4,900 in unpaid overtime for 37 employees $15,950 for wage statement violations owed to 62 employees $330,345 in waiting time penalties owed to 62 employees $120,400 in civil penalties, including $15,000 for misclassifying a foreman as an exempt employee The Labor Commissioner's Office has filed a civil action with the Los Angeles Superior Court against J.H McCormick to help secure funds to pay back wages. The mechanic's lien is an important collection tool for construction laborers who have suffered wage theft. California's Constitution has guaranteed the right of construction workers since 1879 to obtain a court-ordered sale of property that they have worked on in order to recover unpaid wages, even if hired by a subcontractor. Workers should exercise their mechanic's lien rights within 90 days of the work being completed or they may lose their right to file. When workers are paid less than minimum wage, they are entitled to liquidated damages that equal the amount of underpaid wages plus interest. Waiting time penalties are imposed when the employer intentionally fails to pay all wages due to the employee at the time of separation. This penalty is calculated by taking the employee's daily rate of pay and multiplying it by the number of days the employee was not paid, up to a maximum of 30 days. Enforcement investigations typically include a payroll audit of the previous three years to determine minimum wage, overtime and other labor law violations, and calculate payments owed and penalties due. Civil penalties collected are transferred to the State's General Fund as required by law. The Department of Industrial Relations' Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, or the California Labor Commissioner's Office, combats wage theft and conducts on-site inspections to investigate and enforce compliance with minimum wage and other California labor laws. Its wide-ranging responsibilities include retaliation complaint investigations, public works enforcement, licensing and registration, as well as multilingual labor law education and outreach for workers and employers. In 2014, the Labor Commissioner's Office under Julie A. Su's leadership launched the Wage Theft is a Crime multilingual public awareness campaign. The campaign defines wage theft and informs workers of their rights and the resources available to them to recover unpaid wages or report other labor law violations. Employees with work-related questions or complaints may contact DIR's Call Center in English or Spanish at 844-LABOR-DIR (844-522-6734). Members of the press may contact Erika Monterroza or Frank Polizzi at (510) 286-1161, and are encouraged to subscribe to get email alerts on DIR's press releases or other departmental updates. The California Department of Industrial Relations , established in 1927, protects and improves the health, safety, and economic well-being of over 18 million wage earners, and helps their employers comply with state labor laws. DIR is housed within the Labor & Workforce Development Agency . For general inquiries, contact DIR's Call Center at 844-LABOR-DIR (844-522-6734) for help in locating the appropriate division or program in our department. https://www.facebook.com/CaliforniaDIR https://twitter.com/CA_DIR http://www.youtube.com/CaliforniaDIR http://www.dir.ca.gov/email/listsub.asp?choice=1 SOURCE California Department of Industrial Relations; California Labor Commissioners Office Related Links https://www.dir.ca.gov MIAMI BEACH, Fla., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The latest medical innovations for use by both parents and medical professionals will be on display at the Florida International Medical Expo (FIME) at the Miami Beach Convention Center on June 26-28, 2019. Among them, NitEx, a lice-exterminating in-home handheld medical device by Sphinx Smarthead Technologies, just in time for South Florida's warmest months when lice tend to be most prevalent. "Current treatments for head lice are a nightmare for parents and kids, and are ineffective on Super Lice which are growing in numbers," said Sphinx Smarthead Technologies Co-Founder Yechiel Kurz. "NitEx is the easy, effective, and natural way to instantly exterminate the lice and nits affecting 12 million children in the U.S. each year, and more than 50 million worldwide." Another in-home medical device that is being showcased at FIME is LifeSense's Carin, a noninvasive wearable solution for urinary incontinence, a problem 1 in 3 women experience after childbirth or menopause. The washable undergarment's sensor alerts users through an app which also guides users through pelvic exercises to restore bladder control. These medical innovations join the Realvision 3D three-dimensional medical monitors, SmartWard's wireless patient monitoring system, the IntelliSense auto-stop bone drill, and many others technological advances at FIME, the largest medical trade show of the Americas. Among the South Florida-based exhibitors are OrthoNow, Southeast Computer Solutions, and Fujifilm Medical Systems. "The 29th annual Florida International Medical Expo will have some of the most groundbreaking medical technology on display," said Gil Alejo, FIME Exhibition Manager. "In some cases, this will be the first time the public sees and interacts with many of these innovative devices." This year, FIME will also host healthcare conferences and seminars with a focus on innovation in healthcare, supply chain management and procurement of medical devices. In catering to the Latin America market, some of the seminars will be delivered in Spanish. FIME's 29th annual trade fair is returning to its original home in Miami Beach after having moved to Orlando for several years. The event will feature more than 1,200 exhibitors and speakers from more than 40 countries, the largest collection of healthcare product manufacturers and service providers under one roof. To register for the free event or learn more, visit www.fimeshow.com. About Informa Markets | Healthcare Serving the entire spectrum of professionals in the healthcare, pharmaceutical and medical device industries with globally-based events that enable them to learn, debate, connect and conduct business on latest innovations and best practices. This sector is the critical link in a global chain connecting motivated buyers with industry-leading suppliers and the latest innovations in healthcare product manufacturing. Our events and conferences such as Arab Health, Florida International Medical Expo (FIME), CPhI and Pharmapack Europe provide access to different elements of the entire value chain. With events in Europe, North America, Japan, Korea, India, South East Asia, the Middle East and China, our healthcare and pharmaceutical brands connect more than 100,000 leading suppliers, buyers and experts. SOURCE Florida International Medical Expo (FIME) Related Links http://www.fimeshow.com HICKSVILLE, N.Y., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Louis Frank Chisari is recognized by Continental Who's Who as a Pinnacle Lifetime Achiever in the field of Law in recognition of his role as an Attorney at Marcote & Associates P.C. Dedicated to providing their clients with the quality legal services that they deserve, Marcote & Associates P.C. is a full service law firm with extensive experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants. A frontrunner in the legal industry, the firm offers a wide range of services to their clients including offering representation with regards to real estate law, wills, trusts, and estates, workers compensation, matrimonial and family law, no fault recovery, state liquor authority and more. With twenty years of experience in the field of Law, Louis Frank Chisari is revered for his outstanding contributions to the legal profession. Throughout his career, Mr. Chisari has held several prestigious positions at the Office of the County Attorney, County of Nassau (Deputy County Attorney) from 1998-2003, GEICO (Staff Counsel) 2003-2006, and Nicolini, Paradise, Ferretti & Sabella (Associate) from 2006-2007. Throughout his illustrious career, Mr. Chisari has attained extensive experience in the areas of criminal and family law. In addition, Mr. Chisari has become well versed in the areas of No-Fault collection litigation and arbitration on behalf of health care providers. Additionally, Mr. Chisari is equipped in handling legal matters with regards to criminal defense, family law and real estate transactions. To further enhance his professional development, Mr. Chisari is an esteemed member of several elite organizations including the American Bar Association, Nassau County Bar, New York State Bar, and Bronx County Bar Association. While pursuing his educational endeavors, Mr. Chisari attended Hofstra University School of Law where he obtained his Juris Doctor degree in 1998. In his previous years, Mr. Chisari attended Adelphi University where he earned his Master of Business Administration degree in 1995 and attended St. John's University where he obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in 1993. For more information, please visit http://marcoteandassociates.com/ Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, [email protected] SOURCE Continental Who's Who Related Links http://www.continentalwhoswho.com Lupus LA fights to shift each patient's story from pain to promise by providing patient services and programs, supporting medical research and sparking national advocacy. The new public service announcement declares community as a step forward in finding the solution, because Lupus LA believes lupus is a fight that can be won together. As May's National Lupus Awareness Month comes to a close, the organization's new campaign efforts will also allow lupus patients to share stories, build community and foster relationships through free regional support groups. "Lupus LA has always been on the forefront of raising awareness for this challenging autoimmune disease, but this campaign will allow us to expand that reach and share this important message in a new way," says Adam Selkowitz, Chairman of Lupus LA. "Telling lupus stories is critical to the overall effort to shed light on the seriousness of this disease and to assist us in finding the cause of and hopefully one day, a cure for lupus." Lupus is an incurable autoimmune disease that is widespread in the U.S., affecting more than 1 million Americans. However, research shows that nearly two-thirds of the public knows little or nothing about the disease. In fact, more Americans have lupus than AIDS, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, sickle cell anemia and cystic fibrosis, making it one of the country's most prevalent medical problems. In Los Angeles County alone, there are more than 60,000 people suffering from lupus. Lupus LA relies on the generosity of donors to ensure the longevity of its mission to find the cure for lupus while supporting the needs of people with lupus and their families. Since the year 2000, the organization has raised over $13,000,000 for the cause, primarily through special events. Visit lupusla.org for more information on giving, and to stay plugged into their upcoming events. Watch the public service announcement here. About Lupus LA Lupus LA, a non-profit health organization, is dedicated to finding the causes of and a cure for lupus while providing support, services and hope to all who suffer from the autoimmune disease. Lupus LA raises funds for three core values: supporting medical research, providing patient services, and promoting awareness and advocacy. Lupus LA has raised over $13,000,000 for the cause, primarily through special events the Orange Ball, MBJAM featuring Lupus LA Ambassador Michel B. Jordan, and the Hollywood Bag Ladies Luncheon, along with support from the community through their GO Team volunteer program. About Lupus While lupus is widespread, awareness and accurate knowledge about it are lacking. Research shows that although 1 million people in the U.S. have lupus, nearly two-thirds of the public knows little or nothing about the disease. In fact, more Americans have lupus than AIDS, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, sickle-cell anemia and cystic fibrosis, making it one of this country's most prevalent medical problems. In Los Angeles County alone, there are over 60,000 people suffering from lupus. SOURCE Lupus LA Related Links http://www.lupusla.org ATLANTA, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Matcha , the performance blogging platform for small, direct-to-consumer businesses, today announced content-powered popups to help ecommerce websites convert more blog visitors into leads. The lead conversion feature adds to Matcha's capabilities that allow online businesses to effortlessly publish compelling blog content, distribute articles to the right people, and optimize results with an analytics dashboard. Early users have seen an average 10 to 20x increase in lead conversion rates while cutting cost per lead by 50 to 75%. One beta customer, Everly , an ecommerce business that sells a natural, sugar-free drink mix, has seen their conversion rate increase nearly 20-fold, growing from less than 1% to 19%. Paid Facebook promotion has resulted in a cost per lead as low as $2.43 and they've slashed the cost of building their email list by 71%. "Matcha has made it incredibly easy for us to create a high-performing blog. It's helped me better understand my target customer, increase traffic to my site, and build awareness with my audience," says Ryan Gaines, CEO of Everly. "Now, content-powered popups are helping to turn cost-efficient traffic into more leads and build a very engaged email list." There is a growing consensus that blogging is critical for ecommerce websites to drive growth. In fact, Shopify, the leading ecommerce platform, calls content the "holy grail of growth" in the 2019 article, What Is the Future of Ecommerce? 10 Insights on the Evolution of an Industry . Coming on the heels of Matcha's integration with Shopify, content-powered popups is Matcha's latest innovation to help small businesses automate their blog and use it to drive business growth. Currently in beta, there is a waitlist for content-powered popups. Interested business owners and marketers can learn more and sign up here . About Matcha Matcha is the only performance blogging platform for small and growing ecommerce businesses. Matcha makes it easy to publish professionally produced articles, distribute blog content to acquire traffic and leads from new audiences, and optimize results using content and conversion analytics. In 2018 alone, Matcha helped customers publish 10,000 articles and attract 8.9 million readers to their blogs across the fitness & wellness, beauty & fashion, home & family, outdoor & travel, and food & beverage sectors. For more information, visit getmatcha.com . Contact: Thomas Shields 202-557-8345 [email protected] SOURCE Matcha Inc. Related Links http://getmatcha.com PUNE, India, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The study is titled "Medical Devices Market: Global Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2018-2025," and is currently available for sale on the official website. The report forecasts the global Medical Devices Market to exhibit a CAGR of 5.3% between 2018 and 2025. At this pace, it is expected to reach US$ 602.1 Bn by the end of 2025, as against US$ 397.5 Bn valued in 2017. Medical Devices Market Size, Share and Global Industry Trend Forecast till 2025 "Strategic initiatives by several market players will help them to contribute towards the growth of the Medical Devices Market," says a lead analyst at FBI. Some of the recent innovations by leading players, which are likely to boost the Medical Devices Market are: In 2017, DePuy Synthes launched Purevue, a high definition visualization system to capture HD images. The system is also used to perform minimally invasive endoscopic surgeries. In 2018, Siemens Healthineers launched a next generation ultrasound system called Acuson Juniper to use it across different clinical segments. Sample PDF Brochure: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/medical-devices-market-100085 Rising Geriatric Population to Increase Adoption of Medical Devices Fortune Business Insights projects the demand for medical devices to increase in the coming years owing to the rise in geriatric population. As per the National Institute of Health (NIH), the U.S. listed around 617 million people aged 65 years and above in 2015. The figure is forecast to rise further in the coming years, thus enabling growth in the Medical Devices Market. Several other factors spelling growth for the medical devices industry are: Rising prevalence of chronic diseases such as cancer, coupled with growth in surgical procedures across the world, boosts the market. Governments across regions are investing in the new generation medical devices, thus creating a growth space for the Medical Devices Market. Technological advancements and rising demand for innovative therapies to overcome unmet needs in the healthcare sector are supporting growth of the medical device market. This has further led to the advent of new medical device designs, which will drive the Medical Devices Market during the forecast period. In terms of end user, the hospitals & ambulatory surgical centers segment dominated the global Medical Devices Market in 2017. Developing healthcare infrastructure, rising healthcare expenditures, increasing emphasis on better patient outcomes, and lucrative reimbursement policies are expected to drive the hospitals & ambulatory surgical centers segment during the forecast period. Fortune Business Insights expects the demand from hospitals to shoot up during the forecast period. Rapid Adoption of Novel Medical Technologies Boosts Medical Devices Market in Asia Pacific The global Medical Devices Market in North America was valued at US$159.0 Bn in the year 2017. The region is likely to hold a considerable share in the global Medical Devices Market during the forecast period. This is ascribed to the high adoption rate of advanced treatments and large target patient population. Besides North America, Asia Pacific is forecast to offer lucrative growth opportunities to the Medical Devices Market. The region exhibits high growth potential owing to rising disposable income among consumers and improving healthcare infrastructure. However, the Medical Devices Market in Europe is anticipated to expand at a relatively lower growth rate during 2018-2025, attributed to a relatively mature market and the smaller patient pool. Companies operating in the global medical device market is likely to leverage product innovations to establish a strong foothold. Manufacturers are likely to continue focusing on modifying medical devices to gain competitive strength. The presence of several players at global as well as regional levels, has rendered the global Medical Devices Market highly fragmented. Speak to Analyst: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/speak-to-analyst/medical-devices-market-100085 Among these, Medtronic held the highest share in the global Medical Devices Market in the year 2017. The company is likely to show positive growth in the coming years owing to its diverse product portfolio and innovative strategies. In addition to this, the company has a strong and an established brand presence. This, coupled with the robust R&D focus, will enable the company to maintain a stronghold in the global Medical Devices Market. Fortune Business Insights in a new study attributes such factors to catapult Medtronic to the fore of the global Medical Devices Market. Key companies covered in the report Medtronic DePuy Synthes Fresenius Medical care Philips Healthcare GE Healthcare Ethicon LLC. Siemens Healthineers Cardinal Health Stryker BD Baxter International Inc. Other players Browse Complete Report Details Enabled with Complete Tables and Figures: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/industry-reports/medical-devices-market-100085 The global Medical Devices Market can be segmented into the following categories: Global Medical Devices Market, by Type Orthopedic Devices Cardiovascular Devices Diagnostic Imaging IVD MIS Wound Management Diabetes Care Ophthalmic Devices Dental Nephrology Others Global Medical Devices Market, by End User Hospitals & Ambulatory Surgical Centers Clinics Others Global Medical Devices Market, by Region North America Europe Asia Pacific Latin America Middle East & Africa Request for Customization: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/customization/medical-devices-market-100085 Browse Related Reports: Medical Imaging Equipment Market Size, Share and Global Trend by Type (Magnetic Resonance Imaging Equipment, Computed Tomography Equipment, X-ray Equipment, Ultrasound Equipment Molecular Imaging Equipment), By Application (Cardiology, Neurology, Orthopedics, Gynecology, Oncology), By End User (Hospitals, Specialty Clinics, Diagnostic Imaging Centers, Others) and Geography Forecast till 2026 Medical Robots Market Size, Share and Global Trend By Product (Robotic Systems (Surgical Robots, Telepresence Robots, Rehabilitation Robots, Pharmacy and Hospital Automation Robots, Medical Transportation Robots, Others), Instruments & Accessories), By End User (Hospitals & Ambulatory Surgery Centers, Pharmacies, Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Industries, Others) and Geography Forecast till 2026 Digital Radiography Market Size, Share and Global Trend By Product Type (Computed Radiography, Direct Digital Radiography), Application (General, Radiography Dentistry, Oncology, Orthopedic) End User (Hospital, Clinics, Diagnostic Centers) and Geography Forecast till 2026 About us: Fortune Business Insights offers expert corporate analysis and accurate data, helping organizations of all sizes make timely decisions. We tailor innovative solutions for our clients, assisting them address challenges distinct to their businesses. Our goal is to empower our clients with holistic market intelligence, giving a granular overview of the market they are operating in. Our reports contain a unique mix of tangible insights and qualitative analysis to help companies achieve sustainable growth. Our team of experienced analysts and consultants use industry-leading research tools and techniques to compile comprehensive market studies, interspersed with relevant data. At Fortune Business Insights we aim at highlighting the most lucrative growth opportunities for our clients. We therefore offer recommendations, making it easier for them to navigate through technological and market-related changes. Our consulting services are designed to help organizations identify hidden opportunities and understand prevailing competitive challenges. Contact us: Fortune Business Insights Pvt. Ltd. 308, Supreme Headquarters, Survey No. 36, Baner, Pune-Bangalore Highway, Pune - 411045, Maharashtra, India. US :+1-424-253-0390 UK :+44-2071-939123 APAC :+91-744-740-1245 Email: [email protected] Website: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com SOURCE Fortune Business Insights Mr. Carter, Vice President of MERACH North America, said that the reason why the global launch event was held in the United States was because MERACH was accelerating its globalization strategy. Through this press conference, hopefully that it will become a more globally competitive product, reinforce the communication with American consumers, let American users know about MERACH products, and recognize the brand and ideas of MERACH. The biggest competitive edge of MERACH products in the United States is innovation. The brand mission of MERACH is not only to explore new possibilities, but also to break through the tradition in product design and experience, and what display in this global release, is full of such innovative products. MERACH Diamond is the world's first folding light business treadmill, which is the work of the current lightweight running mechanism. It integrates innovative technologies such as aerospace grade all-aluminum alloy solderless technology, four-point suspension damping, hydraulic semi-automatic folding, and it is also the first uber-luxurious home treadmill product. The ultra-thin 5CM treadmill Blade is the world's thinnest 520cm wide running belt treadmill. Behind the ultra-thin aluminum alloy body, is a new generation of ultra-fine manufacturing techniques and a redesign of the internal structure for the treadmill. With 520cm super-wide running area, users will enjoy this product. Future magnetoresistive spinning Silver Moon is the first product designed by MERACH in collaboration with top European teams, Inspired by the design concepts of Apple, which creates the stunning future concept spinning worldwide. Professional class luxury home spinning, Obsidian Knight, is the highest end of commercial spinning product, focusing on electronic control reluctance system and MRC professional motion matrix, its top performance configuration and luxurious and noble appearance design are perfect for successful people. At the conference, MERACH also announced that the new MERACH fascia gun would launch a global new product crowdfunding campaign on the US crowdfunding website IGG. SOURCE MERACH The approval follows a comprehensive evaluation completed by the CSA that included oven conditioning to 136C, resistance to deterioration from fluids and -40C low temperature testing. Additionally, the material used for MGXR stacks and tanks successfully completed a 60-day immersion test, 90-day temperature test and flammability testing. Testing by the CSA related to pump housings is also nearing completion. MGXR has also staffed a member on the Standards Technical Panel for UL 9540 and UL 9540A to contribute to development of energy storage safety standards. MGXR is also contributing to the development of NFPA 855, Standard for the installation of Energy Storage Systems and IEC energy storage standards. Most competing battery technologies have the risk of a thermal runaway and the new safety standards account for this risk by placing constraints on the installation. MGXR's technology has been designed without the risk of thermal runaway and as a result it is not subject to all these constraints. MGXR Energy Storage System The MGXR ESS is a modular Energy Storage System designed to deliver power in the range 20kW - 50MW and energy storage in the range of 120kWh - 1GWh over extended periods of time. With the advantage of rechargeable zinc-air flow battery technology, the system can be configured to support a wide range of discharge power, recharge power and duty cycle requirements. Since the energy storage capacity of the system is determined only by the size of the zinc storage tank, a very cost-effective and scalable solution now exists as an alternative to the fixed power/energy ratio of the lithium ion battery. Li-ion versus Zinc-Air The fundamental limitation of Li-ion is a fixed power to energy ratio severely limiting flexibility and significantly increasing cost of energy storage when limited output power is required. This gives an overwhelming advantage to MGXR's zinc-air flow battery technology in high capacity, long duration commercial and industrial as well as grid-scale applications. In addition to containing no expensive commodities such as lithium or cobalt, the zinc-air flow battery has a much lower cost of storage reflecting a paradigm shift essentially eliminating the traditional fixed power / energy ratio and allowing for scalable power with highly flexible energy storage capacity at essentially any ratio, limited only by the physical parameters of the fluidized zinc storage tank(s). The zinc-air flow battery has completely decoupled power and energy storage subsystems with ratios of 1:5 up to 1:20 and conceptually 1:100, giving significant advantage in any scenario requiring more than a few hours of storage. This fills the need in both renewables storage as well as industry and grid-scale opportunities in power acquisition and distribution along with the inherent benefits of clean steady power; with the potential to acquire power not just overnight and discharge on demand during the day but to take advantage of much larger swings in power demand and supply such as weekly, monthly, and potentially seasonal fluctuation. Recharging is also flexible and can be scaled to match supply markets and timeframe of power availability whether long or short windows for power acquisition. This creates large-scale arbitrage and cost savings opportunities as well as a policy level opportunity to enhance localized power infrastructure without the need to build new power plants or transmission lines. Technology The MGXR ESS is based upon unique patented zinc-air flow battery technology. Energy is stored in the form of zinc particles, similar in size to grains of sand. When the system is delivering power, the zinc particles are combined with oxygen drawn from the surrounding air. When the system is recharging, zinc particles are regenerated, and oxygen is returned to the surrounding air. Applications The flexibility of the MGXR ESS enables it to service a wide range of applications. Typical examples include: Storage and smoothing current from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar Commercial, industrial backup replacing diesel generators Industrial scale, on-demand power for peak shaving or standby Grid scale energy storage for energy trading and arbitrage Architecture The MGXR ESS is designed according to a modular architecture that enables a wide variety of system configurations to be created from a small number of common subsystems. Each subsystem implements a single element of the technology: The Zinc Regeneration Subsystem (ZRS) provides the recharging function The Fuel Storage Subsystem (FSS) provides the energy storage function The Power Generation Subsystem (PGS) provides the discharging function About MGX Renewables MGX Renewables has developed a patented zinc-air flow battery that efficiently stores energy in the form of zinc particles and contains none of the traditional high cost battery commodities such as lithium, vanadium or cobalt. The technology allows for low cost mass storage of energy and can be deployed into a wide range of scalable energy storage applications. The zinc-air flow-battery is differentiated from other battery technologies by its ability to decouple the relationship between energy (kWh) and power (kW), by the very low cost of its zinc energy storage medium, and by the inherent safety of its chemistry. Unlike conventional batteries such as lithium-ion, which have a fixed energy/power ratio, the technology uses a fuel tank system that offers flexible energy storage to power ratios and scalability. The storage capacity is directly tied to the size of the fuel tank and the quantity of recharged zinc fuel, making low cost scalability a major advantage of the flow battery system. In addition, a further major advantage of the zinc-air flow battery is the ability to charge and discharge simultaneously and at different maximum charge or discharge rates since each of the charge and discharge circuits is separate and independent. Other types of standard and flow batteries are limited to a maximum charge and discharge by the total number of cells as there is no separation of the charge, discharge and storage components. For more information visit www.mgxrenewables.com. About MGX Minerals MGX Minerals is a diversified Canadian resource and technology company with interests in global advanced material, energy, and water assets. Learn more at www.mgxminerals.com . Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking information or forward-looking statements (collectively "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information is typically identified by words such as: "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "estimate", "potentially" and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking information provided by the Company is not a guarantee of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking information as a result of various factors. The reader is referred to the Company's public filings for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects which may be accessed through the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. SOURCE MGX Minerals Inc. Related Links mgxminerals.com BILOXI, Miss., May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a move to protect Louisiana consumers from the health risks associated chemicals and residues in imported seafood, the Louisiana Senate unanimously passed House Bill 335 (34-0) requiring restaurants to disclose whether they serve imported shrimp or crawfish. The bill, authored by Rep. Jerry Truck Gisclair (D) Larose, previously passed the Louisiana House unanimously. It now heads to Governor Jon Bel Edwards for signature. The bill, which was strongly supported by the American Shrimp Processors Association (ASPA) on behalf of the entire wild-caught domestic shrimp industry, is a major victory for consumer transparency. The U.S. Government does not regulate seafood disclosures at the restaurant level, and Louisiana is taking the lead with this law requiring seafood origin information. Any foodservice establishment serving imported crawfish or shrimp must now display on their menu, or with a paper clip addition to the menu, that the crawfish or shrimp are foreign. Those who do not use a menu will have to display a prominent sign with the same information near the entrance. The Louisiana Department of Health will enforce the provisions of the bill through its foodservice health inspection programs. The U.S. has very limited capacity to inspect the billions of pounds of imported shrimp entering our borders each year. In 2015, only .1% of imported shrimp were inspected for the presence of illegal veterinary drugs used in most foreign aquaculture, said Dr. David Veal, executive director of the American Shrimp Processors Association. At the same time, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing public health problem impacted by persistent exposure to these drugs. ASPA sincerely thanks Representative Gisclair and Senator Chabert for their efforts and congratulates our friends and colleagues at the Louisiana Shrimp Association and Louisiana Shrimp Task Force for their tireless work supporting this legislation, Veal added. More information on the efforts of ASPA and its members can be accessed via www.americanshrimp.com . About the American Shrimp Processors Association: The American Shrimp Processors Association (ASPA), based in Biloxi, Mississippi, was formed in 1964 to represent and promote the interests of the domestic, U.S. wild-caught, warm water shrimp processing industry along the Gulf and South Atlantic with members from Texas to North Carolina. We are the collective voice of the industry, and our focus is to promote the interests of shrimp processors, other segments of the U.S. domestic wild-caught warm water shrimp industry and the general public. More information is available at http://www.americanshrimp.com Media Contacts: David Veal, Executive Director director@americanshrimp.com (228) 806-9600 Edward Hayes, Legal Counsel ehayes@leakeandersson.com (504) 717-9787 This quickly brought them back to the reason they were all there. In 2018, after a terrible drought, Cape Town almost reached Day Zero, a day when all the city's water taps would be shut off. Even now, the residents had to let the mountain fires persist, as the lack of rain left them without enough water to fight or contain it. MultiVu Creative was here to capture a story on behalf of its client, Kimberly-Clark, one of the world's largest manufacturers of essential consumer products. Clean water is a key input to Kimberly-Clark's tissue-making operations, and several of its mills are located in watersheds at high risk for water scarcity, including its facility in Cape Town. The company recognizes that these water-stressed communities have important social needs as well, and the video was an opportunity to help various external stakeholders to see the factors driving water risk and explore sustainable stewardship strategies. The three-day production included filming the content of a water workshop, hosted at Kimberly-Clark's facility in Cape Town, where the company invited residents, NGOs, academics, and government officials to discuss meaningful ways to solve the water crisis and aid the people of Cape Town. To help illustrate the issue, the team was able to film the mill's manufacturing process and follow several members of the workshop to the government's new water hub and dam. With just three weeks until World Water Day, the post-production schedule was tight. By combining 3D graphics, the pristine footage captured in South Africa, and some great storytellers, this mini-documentary met an aggressive deadline with an important mission. "Kimberly-Clark: A Water Story" ultimately won a Platinum Hermes Award, the organization's highest honor for video production. Kimberly-Clark, in partnership with Netherlands-based research firm Deltares, continues to replicate the collaborative water workshops in other water-stressed areas. Credits: Filmed on Arri Amira cameras and Arri Ultra Prime lenses Graphics created in Cinema 4D and Arnold Render Client: Kimberly-Clark Corp. Senior Producer: Jillian Breslin DP: Robert Kolodny, House of Nod 2nd DP: Freddie Reed Editor and VFX Artist: BB Enriquez Motion Graphics Artist: Meredith Bugel Motion Graphics Artist: Ryan Coutu Graphic Design: Nate Garrido Color: Adrian Seery, Harbor Picture About MultiVu MultiVu is the content creation, distribution, and media strategy arm of Cision. We partner with clients to help them achieve key business outcomes using proven and customizable multimedia strategies. MultiVu is comprised of an award-winning team of producers, editors, media experts and planners with decades of experience. Together, we create results. SOURCE MultiVu WASHINGTON, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- NAFSA: Association of International Educators released a new report outlining the dangers of declining enrollment of international students and scholars and calling on Congress to take action to stop this national threat. According to the experts and data outlined in the report, "Losing Talent: An Economic and National Security Risk America Can't Ignore," harmful policies and anti-immigrant rhetoric have created a chilling effect on enrollment, as the United States is increasingly viewed as unwelcoming to international students and scholars. The report, which lays out a compelling case for why the United States needs to reverse this negative perception in order to compete for the global talent, features research such as NAFSA's economic value data and studies by the National Foundation for American Policy and the Niskanen Center. "Losing Talent" explains the economic cost of international students avoiding the United States while exploring the policy changes driving the declines. Higher education, national security, and business leaders including Business Roundtable CEOs Tim Cook of Apple, Chuck Robbins of Cisco Systems, and Indra K. Nooyi, formerly of PepsiCo are featured as a reminder to readers for their on the record statements which explain the importance of international education. Examples of former international students and their innovative accomplishments in the sciences, business, and healthcare are also included, which encapsulate the real-world value these individuals bring to their communities. The report also includes case studies of competitor countries including Canada, India and China that are benefiting from more welcoming policies and intentional recruitment strategies. The double-digit enrollment increases in these and other countries run counter to the U.S. decline and demonstrate how the United States is losing market share of the world's talent. "After more than a decade of enrollment growth, the United States' two years of declining new international student enrollment for the first time since 2003, is of grave concern to foreign policy experts and economists alike," said Esther D. Brimmer, NAFSA Executive Director and CEO. "This downward trend must stop in order for the United States to remain competitive in today's global market. International students and scholars create jobs, drive innovation, enrich our classrooms, strengthen national security, and become America's greatest foreign policy assets. International students and scholars are truly great for America." The "Losing Talent" report is available at www.nafsa.org/losingtalent. Learn more about the value of international students and scholars and find policy recommendations to boost enrollment at www.nafsa.org/welcometosucceed. Sample Tweet: NAFSA releases new "Losing Talent" report explaining the benefits of #IntlEd and how the U.S. is falling behind other countries that prioritize attracting and retaining #IntlStudents #WelcomeToSucceed www.nafsa.org/losingtalent About NAFSA: With more than 10,000 members, NAFSA: Association of International Educators is the world's largest nonprofit association dedicated to international education. Visit us at www.nafsa.org/press. To learn more about our advocacy efforts on behalf of international education, visit www.ConnectingOurWorld.org and @ConnectOurWorld on Twitter. SOURCE NAFSA: Association of International Educators Related Links http://www.nafsa.org/ MIAMI, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Newly released data demonstrates which industries immigrants are most likely to come to the United States and invest in restaurants, business consulting and retail shops. There are also notable immigrant populations who focus on technology firms and automotive and manufacturing areas. Hottest Sectors for Immigrant Business The data comes from an aggregated list of companies from Joorney, a company that helps immigrants come to the United States by creating business plans for E2, L1 and EB5 visa applications. It has compiled the data over the past four years from thousands of immigrant entrepreneurs across more than 30 countries, such as China, Venezuela and France. "Immigration has experienced broad trends over the past several years," said Benjamin Jarmon, the CEO and founder of Joorney. "Most importantly, we're seeing an increase in the number of immigrants moving to the United States to make a business investment." Joorney primarily helps immigrants and immigration attorneys with their E2, L1 and EB5 visa applications, which allows immigrants to enter and work inside of the United States based on an investment he or she will be controlling. Often these are CEOs, founders or other business investors who launch significant investments in the U.S. "We see millions of dollars coming into the United States from a variety of locations," said Jarmon. "Many are still enticed by the promise of the American Dream." Jarmon, an immigrant himself, started Joorney in 2013 following a career in commodities trading. About Joorney Joorney started in 2013 to help immigrants make investments in the United States. Over the years, the company has expanded to offer financial modeling, pitch deck preparation, market research and business plan creation. Joorney has helped startups receive millions of dollars in funding and small and large companies open across the country. It is one of the fastest growing private companies in the U.S., making the Inc. 5000 list in 2018. You can learn more at www.joorney.com Media contact: Bob Spoerl (773) 453-2444 [email protected] SOURCE Joorney Related Links http://www.joorney.com DENVER, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Freight finance and accounting decision-makers can now achieve competitive back office insight with a new online business tool from DDC FPO, the No. 1 preferred business process outsourcing (BPO) partner of today's top transportation companies. The Price-Per-Bill of Lading (BOL) Calculator allows for leaders of every carrier and 3PL - regardless of size and structure - to determine how much of their operational costs are paying for in-house BOL processing. To compute the estimated cost per freight bill processed internally, the calculator captures key data points about each company, such as headquarters location, annual bill volume, full-time billing team headcount, compensation and turnover rate. To fill in the gaps, the tool also incorporates industry averages of paid taxes, personal and sick time, paid vacation, medical insurance and turnover expenses. "This tool is for transportation service providers looking to get ahead of their competition by pinpointing areas of opportunity within their administrative operation to drive value," said Chad Crotty, Vice President of Sales for DDC. "Once they discover the price being paid for a task such as processing freight bills, they can make smarter planning decisions for the future." The Price-Per-BOL Calculator is complementary to DDC's machine-learning data capture solution, DDC Intelligence. A truly cognitive accounts receivables program, DDC Intelligence allows for carriers and 3PLs to immediately save on the cost and time spent processing BOLs in-house by reducing manual entry by up to 80% and guaranteeing higher data accuracy with progressive quality metrics. To learn more about DDC Intelligence, visit: https://www.ddcfpo.com/freight-billing#ddc-intel . To learn how much your company is paying for in-house freight bill processing, take advantage of the free, quick and easy-to-use Price-Per-BOL Calculator here: https://www.ddcfpo.com/bol-bill-of-lading-calculator . Once your results are in, connect with a DDC billing program expert to learn how to reduce that cost and grow your profit margins. About DDC FPO LLC With 30 years of business process outsourcing (BPO) experience, DDC FPO currently processes 30% of all LTL bills in North America and has delivered more successful freight back office solutions than any other company, including Freight Billing, Rate Auditing, POD Processing, Track & Trace, Carrier Onboarding and more. As the freight-focused division of The DDC Group a worldwide network of business process outsourcing experts we are powered by a global staff of over 7,000+ professionals to service our clients in over 40 languages. Our hybrid approach leverages innovative technology, proprietary workflows and subject matter expertise in a customizable framework to equip you with long-term cost containment and uncapped revenue potential. To learn more, visit: www.ddcfpo.com . Like DDC on Facebook Tweet @DDC_FPO Follow DDC on LinkedIn SOURCE The DDC Group Related Links http://www.ddcfpo.com BOCA RATON, Fla., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Nikita Hair, one of Europe's leading salon chains, announced today it is gearing up for expansion by exhibiting at this year's International Franchise Expo (IFE). Brand executives will head to the Big Apple to meet face-to-face with prospective franchise candidates at the world's largest franchising event at the Javits Center from May 30 June 1. Entrepreneurs are encouraged to meet Nikita Hair brand executives and staff at the show at booth #1124 to immerse themselves in the brand and learn first-hand from the brand's founder, Inger Ellen Nicolaisen, about Nikita's winning culture and lucrative franchise model. Nikita Hair, an internationally successful hair salon with 34+ years in business with more than 150 salons and 1,000 employees, is gearing up to open its first salon in Ohio during Q4 of this year as well as expanding its Florida presence with the opening of its West Boca salon in Boca Raton Q1 2020. The brand is now gearing up for continued rapid U.S. growth. With ample opportunities for development and growth in nearly every market, Nikita Hair welcomes all franchisees to explore the Nikita Hair franchise opportunity at this year's expo. "The $62 billion-dollar beauty industry is at an all-time high with consumer trends largely focusing on self-care and self-improvement," said Inger Ellen Nicolaisen, Founder of Nikita Hair. "At Nikita Hair, we foresee limitless growth potential within the industry and are thrilled at the opportunity to meet with aspiring entrepreneurs to share our unique, lucrative franchise model and help them to be in business for themselves, but not by themselves with the support of our experienced leadership team and sound business model." At the show, Nikita Hair Creative Team Stylist, Karen Bessesen, from the Norwegian Design Team will be on-site demonstrating live hair styling so attendees can see the premium styles and services in action. All franchise prospects who sign a Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) with Nikita Hair by 12/31/19 will receive a trip to Norway, where the brand is headquartered, to experience the brand's roots first-hand. Those with genuine interest in the franchise opportunity will also receive complimentary samples from the brand's exclusive line of hair and skin care products, Eleni and Chris, made with the purest ingredients sourced from Scandinavia. Nikita Hair is currently seeking inspired franchise partners with management experience, communication skills, and a positive, enthusiastic attitude. The company would like to work with driven individuals to expand the brand through single and multi-unit franchise agreements. Prior experience in the hair salon industry is not a requirement. As the brand continues U.S. franchise expansion plans, it aims to have 130 salons open and operating by 2022. For more information about Nikita Hair and the franchise opportunity, please visit https://nikitahair.com/nikita-hair-franchise/ or call (305)-592-9229. About Nikita Hair Nikita Hair is a leading international, modern hair salon delivering a variety of high-quality hair and scalp services, and a salon signature collection, Eleni and Chris, with treatments and products, made from ingredients sourced from Scandinavia. With 150+ locations throughout Europe, Nikita Hair recently announced expansion plans throughout the United States, with corporate U.S. headquarters in Boca Raton, FL. Every Nikita Hair salon offers a wide array of services and personalized appointments to keep clients looking and feeling their best, authentic self. For more information on the Nikita Hair franchise opportunity, visit https://nikitahair.com/nikita-hair-franchise/ or call (305)-592-9229. Media Contact: Kelly McNamara, Fishman Public Relations, 847-945-1300, [email protected] SOURCE Nikita Hair Related Links https://nikitahair.com TOLEDO, Ohio, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Ohio Living Home Health and Hospice has achieved a 7.5% all-cause hospital readmission rate using remote patient monitoring and telehealth software from Health Recovery Solutions (HRS). In the first quarter of 2019, Ohio Living's all-cause readmission rate of 7.5% was nearly half of Ohio's Medicare average of 14.9%. In recent months, Ohio Living expanded its telehealth program, partnering with Northwest Ohio Accountable Care Organization. Through the partnership, patients can continue to receive telehealth care and remote monitoring services after being discharged from home health, extending both Ohio Living and Northwest Ohio's chronic care programs. The expansion of Ohio Living's telehealth program is a testament to the strong patient adherence and program satisfaction they've achieved. Patients placed on Ohio Living's telehealth program are provided a 4G tablet pre-loaded with the HRS software, along with Bluetooth peripheral devices for patients to record their blood pressure, weight, heart rate, and other biometrics. Patient information is seamlessly uploaded to the clinician's dashboard enabling them to monitor patient vitals remotely, respond to alerts when a patient's health status changes, and communicate with patients through video, phone, and text messaging platforms. Ohio Living partnered with HRS in 2017 and has since seen a marked increase in patients' adherence to their care plan. Patient adherence is measured, among other metrics, by the consistency with which patients record their vitals and answer daily surveys. Ohio Living has consistently achieved patient adherence above 80% among patients enrolled in the telehealth program. Additionally, 80% of patients enrolled would recommend the telehealth program to a family member or friend, and over 75% of patients enrolled agree the program has enabled them to be more involved in their care. Ohio Living's impressive hospital readmission rate and patient engagement can be attributed to their telehealth staff's dedication to patient education and interaction. In recent months, Ohio Living has increased their disease-specific education and use of virtual visits utilizing HRS video conferencing platform. "The interactive nature of face-to-face video conferencing promotes patient engagement and increases socialization for isolated patients," said Wendy Kiser, Executive Director at Ohio Living. "Patient engagement is critical to the management of chronic conditions. The face-to-face video conferencing allows our nurses to build relationships with patients and continually engage with them and educate them." "Ohio Living has built a truly outstanding telehealth program. Their prioritization of patient education and engagement stands as a model for telehealth programs," adds HRS Client Success Manager, William Ashton. About Ohio Living Home Health & Hospice: To learn more about Ohio Living Home Health & Hospice, visit www.ohioliving.org or call (419) 865-1499. About Health Recovery Solutions (HRS): To learn more about Health Recovery Solutions, visit www.healthrecoverysolutions.com or call (347) 699-6477. SOURCE Health Recovery Solutions Related Links http://www.healthrecoverysolutions.com SAN FRANCISCO, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- OmniSci, the pioneer in GPU-accelerated analytics, today announced it will be showcasing its strong and expanding federal market presence at the GEOINT 2019 Symposium, June 2-5 in San Antonio. In addition to exhibiting at the GEOINT Expo and a talk by OmniSci CEO Todd Mostak on June 3, OmniSci will highlight its successes in geospatial intelligence with a growing list of Defense, Intelligence and Homeland Security customers. Since expanding its exposure to the federal market late last year, numerous government agencies have deployed the OmniSci platform. OmniSci has been widely approved for procurement after receiving its General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule award, its Air Force approved listing, and its DOD Certificate to Field (CTF). Its proof of concept is currently demonstrating across the government network; moreover, the company recently doubled its federal service team. "The OmniSci platform is gaining traction in scores of government applications due to its ability to query and visualize massive, multi-billion row datasets in milliseconds," said Ray Falcione, vice president of federal business, OmniSci. "From real-time situational awareness, to geospatial intelligence at large scale, to disaster management, our solution is not only redefining the limits of scale but also accelerating time-to-insightperhaps the greatest need faced by federal users." "As an early investor in OmniSci, we understood and invested in the company's capability to enable GPU-powered data visualization at a scale and speed that was previously unachievable," said George Hoyem, managing partner, In-Q-Tel. Hoyem further stated that "OmniSci's GPU-powered solution allows for billions of time series data elements to be explored and graphically rendered in real-time, without down-sampling, which is a huge win to open up new analytic use cases for our intelligence community partners." On Monday, June 3, Mostak will participate in the symposium's Lightning Talks, presenting on "Accelerating Geospatial Intelligence with GPU-accelerated Analytics" during the 3:20-4:10 p.m. session at The Innovation Corner, Booth 1943 in the exhibit hall. For more information, visit the OmniSci booth #1526 at GEOINT 2019 Symposium. About OmniSci OmniSci (formerly MapD) is the pioneer in GPU-accelerated analytics. The OmniSci platform is used in business and government to find insights in data beyond the limits of mainstream analytics tools. Harnessing the massive parallel computing power of GPUs, the platform is available in the cloud (OmniSci Cloud and leading public cloud providers) and on-premise (OmniSci Core and Enterprise Edition). OmniSci originated from research at Harvard and MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL). OmniSci is funded by GV, In-Q-Tel, New Enterprise Associates (NEA), NVIDIA, Tiger Global Management, Vanedge Capital and Verizon Ventures. The company is headquartered in San Francisco. Learn more about OmniSci at www.omnisci.com. MEDIA CONTACT: Rachel Wille SSPR 507/403-9347 [email protected] SOURCE OmniSci Related Links http://www.omnisci.com Brands are now able to purchase the new inventory, which will consist of static displays located at bike share stations across Philadelphia's busiest neighborhoods, including the City Center area. "Bicycle Transit prides itself on the quality of the programs we run," said Alison Cohen, CEO of Bicycle Transit Systems. "We strive to make bike share an integral part of the cities we serve, and we're thrilled to be partnered with OUTFRONT Media. They share our commitment to quality and investment in the places where people want to be." Now more than ever, people are paying attention to the way in which their lifestyle choices impact their local community and environment. According to a 2019 CBS News poll 59 percent of Americans think humanity can do something to either stop or slow down climate change. This has fueled a wave of environmentally conscious products and services, including bike share systems. With this new partnership OUTFRONT Media is enabling companies to associate their brand with a green initiative. "At OUTFRONT, we aim to become part of the community by showcasing advertising that is both interesting and relevant to local residents in that area," said Jodi Senese, Chief Marketing Officer at OUTFRONT Media. "With this new addition to our advertising inventory, we are able to help health, fitness and environmentally-focused brands reach like-minded consumers throughout Philadelphia." OUTFRONT Media is the nation's leading advertising company for bike share systems with partnerships in several other prominent markets, including Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and Boston. To find out more about OUTFRONT Media's bike share inventory visit outfrontmedia.com. About OUTFRONT Media Inc. OUTFRONT leverages the power of technology, location and creativity to connect brands with consumers outside of their homes through one of the largest and most diverse sets of billboard, transit, and mobile assets in North America. Through its ON Smart Media platform, OUTFRONT is implementing digital technology that will fundamentally change the ways advertisers engage audiences on-the-go. About Bicycle Transit Systems Bicycle Transit Systems is a bike share operations company whose mission is to make communities cleaner, greener, healthier and more connected by operating bike share systems. Bike Transit operates Philadelphia's Indego, Los Angeles' Metro Bike Share, Las Vegas' RTC Bike Share and Oklahoma City's Spokies Bike Share. Bike Transit is based in Philadelphia, PA. SOURCE OUTFRONT Media Inc. Related Links http://www.outfrontmedia.com The Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, JDRF and The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust today announced a collaborative research initiative to better understand this phenomenon and to identify the causes of T1D. The three nonprofits are jointly funding $10 million in autoimmunity research over a three-year period. "The clinical success of immune checkpoint inhibitors such as ipilimumab, nivolumab and pembrolizumab has changed the face of cancer therapy, extending lives of patients who previously had few choices. In rare cases, these patients develop insulin-dependent diabetes, and nobody truly understands how or why," said Parker Institute CEO and President Jeffrey Bluestone, Ph.D., also the A.W. and Mary Margaret Clausen Distinguished Professor of Metabolism and Endocrinology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). "In putting together this research initiative, we hope to answer key questions that will help us predict and prevent autoimmunity following immunotherapy treatment in the future," said Bluestone. "This is of increasing importance as more patients are being treated with checkpoint inhibitors and other immunotherapies." There is hope that this autoimmunity research collaboration could also shed light on the causes of T1D in the broader population. About 1.25 million people in the United States have T1D, an autoimmune disorder that develops when the insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells are mistakenly destroyed by the body's immune system. As a result, a person's pancreas stops producing insulin, the hormone that controls blood-sugar levels. "We know little about the causes of type 1 diabetes in otherwise healthy children and adults," said Ben Williams, Ph.D., Helmsley Charitable Trust T1D program officer. "We believe that this research may reveal profound discoveries relevant to all forms of type 1 diabetes, potentially leading to new biomarkers for detection and treatment. This partnership aligns with Helmsley's desire to seek out and fund promising, high-risk research that could have a massive impact." The initiative is a collaboration between leading cancer immunotherapy and diabetes research organizations, coming together for the first time to explore the intersection between these two types of chronic diseases. "This collaboration combines leading experts in diabetes and cancer immunology to accomplish a feat that has never been achieved: permanently turning off an autoimmune response in humans," said Aaron J. Kowalski, Ph.D., JDRF President and CEO. "Investing in this research will help us better understand, in real time, how type 1 diabetes develops and potentially disable the immune system so that disease progression never happens." Investigators participating in the initiative include Kevan Herold, M.D., professor of immunobiology and medicine at Yale School of Medicine in Connecticut; Mark Anderson, M.D., Ph.D., professor at the UCSF Diabetes Center in San Francisco; Jane Buckner, M.D., president and director of translational research at the Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason in Seattle; and medical oncologist Osama Rahma, M.D., of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. The work also dovetails with additional autoimmunity research projects at the Parker Institute and JDRF's immunology research to stop autoimmune attacks that target insulin-producing beta cells. About Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy The Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI) is radically changing the way cancer research is done. Founded in 2016 through a $250 million gift from Silicon Valley entrepreneur and philanthropist Sean Parker, the San Francisco-based nonprofit is an unprecedented collaboration between the country's leading immunotherapy researchers and cancer centers, including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Stanford Medicine, the University of California, Los Angeles, the University of California, San Francisco, the University of Pennsylvania and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The institute also supports top researchers at other institutions, including City of Hope, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. By forging alliances with academic, industry and nonprofit partners, PICI makes big bets on bold research to fulfill its mission: to accelerate the development of breakthrough immune therapies capable of turning all cancers into curable diseases. Find out more at www.parkerici.org. Follow us on Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram About JDRF JDRF is the leading international nonprofit fighting to cure type 1 diabetes (T1D) while also helping those with T1D live healthy lives today. Supported by hundreds of thousands of donors, JDRF raises, invests and drives more funds to T1D research than any organization in the world. As a result, JDRF has played a key role in major T1D advances drug, device, cell research that have improved lives and brought us closer to our ultimate goal of a cure. JDRF is mission-driven and serves as an aggressive advocate and educational support for the T1D community. JDRF has staff and volunteers across the United States, has five international affiliates, funds research in more than 20 countries and supports insulin-aid efforts in the U.S. and around the world. Visit jdrf.org to learn more. About the Helmsley Charitable Trust The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust aspires to improve lives by supporting exceptional efforts in the U.S. and around the world in health and select place-based initiatives. Since beginning its active grantmaking in 2008, Helmsley has committed more than $2 billion for a wide range of charitable purposes. For more information, please visit helmsleytrust.org. SOURCE Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, JDRF and The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust Related Links http://www.parkerici.org ALAMEDA, Calif., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Penumbra, Inc. (NYSE: PEN) today announced that its management team is scheduled to present at the Goldman Sachs 40th Annual Global Healthcare Conference in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA on Tuesday, June 11, 2019. Event: Goldman Sachs 40th Annual Global Healthcare Conference Date: Tuesday, June 11, 2019 Time: 5:00pm ET / 2:00pm PT A webcast of the presentation will be available by visiting the investors section of the company's website at www.penumbrainc.com. The webcast will be available on the company's website for at least two weeks following the event. About Penumbra Penumbra, Inc., headquartered in Alameda, California, is a global healthcare company focused on innovative therapies. Penumbra designs, develops, manufactures and markets innovative products and has a broad portfolio that addresses challenging medical conditions and significant clinical needs across two major markets, neuro and vascular. Penumbra sells its products to hospitals primarily through its direct sales organization in the United States, most of Europe, Canada and Australia, and through distributors in select international markets. The Penumbra logo is a trademark of Penumbra, Inc. For more information, visit www.penumbrainc.com. Investor Relations Penumbra, Inc. 510-995-2461 [email protected] SOURCE Penumbra, Inc. Related Links http://www.penumbrainc.com WISeKey Invites International Community to Cooperate for the Deployment of a Universal Decentralized Digital Identification for Good during the UN ITU AI for Good Global Summit #AI4Good GENEVA, Switzerland WISeKey International Holding Ltd (WISeKey, SIX: WIHN), a leading cybersecurity and IoT company, today announced that its Founder and CEO, Carlos Moreira, participated in the Good Digital Identity panel organized by the World Economic Forum, during the AI for Good Global Summit (AI4G), scheduled from May 28-31, 2019 at the United Nations (UN) International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. During his speech, Mr. Moreira alerted participants of the event on the risks associated with the large-scale deployment of the AI for Good initiatives without solving the underline issue related to unsecured digital identities. Currently over 4 billion people around the world dont have a digital identity or it is not under their control ( https://oiste.org/genevatalks/ ). The UN ITU is the oldest UN specialized agency, and for more than 150 years, it has facilitated setting global standards in technology. The UN ITU is the founding host of the AI for Good Global Summit and global meme AI for Good transforming the application of AI into solving humanities' grandest challenges. WISeKey is an ITU-D Sector Member. Last year, WISeKey, a pioneer in Digital Identification and Blockchain, unveiled its plan to create Digital Identity Blockchain Platform CertifyID, which is in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals to provide every person on the planet with a Legal Digital Identity by 2030. Mr. Moreira noted, For years, we have used digital identities to allow people to vote electronically, secure their financial transactions, access their health records and now we are moving towards a universal use of Digital Identities as more than 1.2 billion people in the world are unable to prove their identity and therefore lack access to vital services including healthcare, social protection, education and finance. The majority of people without a digital identity live in Africa and Asia and more than a third are children who are unregistered. To fully reap the benefits of AI for Good and related digitalization technology, all humans must have control of their digital identities and with them be able to quality access to connectivity. Governments shall be committed to the expansion of next-generation smart infrastructure, and establish principles of technological neutrality, through a simplified, market-oriented, and transparent regulatory environment, and through incentives to invest in less profitable areas, as well as by fostering investments for skill and capacity building. Securing the privacy of every human being is paramount to realizing the full potential of our future. Therefore, Digital Identities and personal data conveyed over the Internet or stored in devices connected to the Internet is owned and solely governed by the individual. It is paramount to protect all citizens in the all-digital age. AI systems should use tools, including anonymized data, de-identification, or aggregation to protect personally identifiable information whenever possible. Respecting the authority and autonomy of every human being is paramount to realizing the full potential of our future. Therefore, personal digital data will not be used as research, rationale, enticement or commodity by any entity or individual, except with the explicit, well-informed, revocable consent of the individual owner of the data. Advocating and innovating the greatest good for all humanity is paramount to realizing the full potential of our future. Therefore, technology, no matter how advanced, will never supersede the spiritual purposes or the moral rights and responsibilities of any human being anywhere. Technology will serve humanitys needs. WISeKey is pioneering the way Blockchain and Digital Identity disrupt industries and decentralized Trust. At the heart of this industrial platform is the OISTE-WISeKey Cryptographic RoT which has been actively used since 1999 by over 4 billion desktops, browsers, mobile devices, SSL certificates and IoT devices sharing a universal ledger. The OISTE WISeKey Cryptographic RoT is ubiquitous and universal, and a pioneer in the creation of Digital Identities, concluded Mr. Moreira. Blockchain-based solutions aim to override the need for a central authority by distributing information previously held in a centralized repository across a network of participating nodes. While Blockchain is not owned by one individual or organization, anyone with an internet connection (and access, in the case of private Blockchains) can make use of it, help maintain and verify it. When a transaction is made on a Blockchain, it is added to a group of transactions, known as blocks. Each block of transactions is added to the database in a chronological, immutable chain. Each block is stamped with a unique cryptographic code, which ensures that records are not counterfeited or changed. The Blockchain approach lacks legal validity in most jurisdictions, which only recognize the digital signatures as equally valid that manuscript signatures when generated using traditional PKI technology. The AI for Good Global Summit is the only AI summit bringing together governments, industry, academia, media, and all 37 United Agencies, ACM and XPRIZE (leader in global challenge prizes) as partners. From its inception in 2017 and now in its 3rd iteration, its the most successful interdisciplinary AI summit with 70+ speakers in 2017, 150+ in 2018 and more than 300 in 2019. The media reach growing from 30 million in 2017 to more than 2 billion in 2019 and influencing the entire worlds population. For 2019, there are more than 150 use cases on how AI can be used for Good, including for all UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals. About WISeKey WISeKey (SIX Swiss Exchange: WIHN) is a leading global cybersecurity company currently deploying large scale digital identity ecosystems for people and objects using Blockchain, AI and IoT respecting the Human as the Fulcrum of the Internet. WISeKey Microprocessors Secures the pervasive computing shaping todays Internet of Everything. WISeKey IoT has an install base of over 1.5 billion microchips in virtually all IoT sectors (connected cars, smart cities, drones, agricultural sensors, anti-counterfeiting, smart lighting, servers, computers, mobile phones, crypto tokens etc.). WISeKey is uniquely positioned to be at the edge of IoT as our semiconductors produce a huge amount of Big Data that, when analyzed with Artificial Intelligence (AI), can help industrial applications to predict the failure of their equipment before it happens. Our technology is Trusted by the OISTE/WISeKeys Swiss based cryptographic Root of Trust (RoT) provides secure authentication and identification, in both physical and virtual environments, for the Internet of Things, Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence. The WISeKey RoT serves as a common trust anchor to ensure the integrity of online transactions among objects and between objects and people. For more information, visit www.wisekey.com. Press contacts: WISeKey International Holding Ltd Company Contact: Carlos Moreira Chairman & CEO Tel: +41 22 594 3000 info@wisekey.com WISeKey Investor Relations (US) Contact: Lena Cati The Equity Group Inc. Tel: +1 212 836-9611 lcati@equityny.com Disclaimer: This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning WISeKey International Holding Ltd and its business. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of WISeKey International Holding Ltd to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. WISeKey International Holding Ltd is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, and it does not constitute an offering prospectus within the meaning of article 652a or article 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or a listing prospectus within the meaning of the listing rules of the SIX Swiss Exchange. Investors must rely on their own evaluation of WISeKey and its securities, including the merits and risks involved. Nothing contained herein is, or shall be relied on as, a promise or representation as to the future performance of WISeKey. BOSTON, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Pillo Health, a Boston-based technology company improving longevity and quality of life for patients managing their health at home, today announced that is has secured $11 million in funding from leading venture investors to complete its Series-A round. The capital will be used to drive growth and innovation as Pillo Health builds out its voice-enabled medication and care management platform for the home. Six in ten Americans live with at least one chronic condition, a leading driver of healthcare costs across the country. Medication non-adherence amounts up to $289 billion in wasted costs annually and leads to a higher mortality rate in the United States. Pillo Health offers partner organizations an engaging in-home interface and HIPAA-compliant technology platform to create customized voice-first health and wellness experiences; empowering them to deliver better care into the home, enhancing patient connections to their care teams, and aligning with the growing trend of voice-enabled technologies in the healthcare industry. This round of funding was led by Stanley Black & Decker's corporate venture capital arm with significant participation from Samsung Ventures. Existing investors, including BioAdvance, Hikma Ventures the corporate venture capital arm of Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC (LSE:HIK) Hackensack Meridien Health System's Innovation Center Fund and Civilization Ventures, also participated. Pillo Health will use the funds to continue development of its HIPAA-compliant technology platform and to develop additional voice-first experiences for partners to deliver digital health solutions into the home. The company is also currently hiring in its Boston, MA and Genoa, Italy offices. "We look forward to the continued evolution of the Pillo Health platform as we work with organizations addressing the management of chronic conditions for patients at home," said Emanuele Musini, Co-founder and CEO of Pillo Health. "Stanley Black & Decker and Samsung have made a strong commitment to the health and wellness of millions of Americans looking to remain independent longer, with a focus on tailoring voice-first technologies for their customers and revolutionizing the way healthcare is delivered into the home." Pillo Health and Stanley Black & Decker are also jointly launching Pria by BLACK+DECKER in the U.S. later this year. Pria is powered by the Pillo Health platform and will be available for consumers to purchase in late summer online, with additional distribution channels to follow. Larry Harper, Vice President of Stanley Ventures, stated that "Pillo and Pria represent an important and growing strategic focus for our organization as we continue to find ways to help seniors age in place at home and enjoy their later years in familiar surroundings. The partnership between Pillo Health and Stanley Black & Decker is strong, and together we expect to have a large impact on the senior healthcare market with more innovations on the horizon." To learn more about Pillo Health, visit www.pillohealth.com. About Pillo Health Pillo Health is a mission-based healthcare solutions provider that empowers organizations to deliver better care into the home with an engaging, HIPAA-compliant, voice-first technology platform dedicated to improving health outcomes. Based in Boston, MA, Pillo Health, developer of both Pillo and Pria by BLACK+DECKER, supports connections between health organizations, patients and their care teams in order to improve the longevity and quality of life for those managing their health and independence at home. Learn more at https://www.pillohealth.com/. SOURCE Pillo Health WASHINGTON, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Healthcare Ready today released a new national survey of 1,245 adults, which found that most Americans (54%) are aware they or their family could be impacted by a disaster in the next five years, yet more than half (51%) do not have an emergency plan in place. Identification of a natural disaster (37%) as the type of disaster they're most concerned will affect their community exceeds worry about terrorist attacks (16%), commonly occurring disease outbreaks (7%) or cyber-attacks (5%), among others. The poll was conducted by YouGov, an international polling service, for Healthcare Ready, a Washington D.C.-based national nonprofit public-private partnership focused on meeting the needs of patients and communities amid disaster. "More Americans expect that a major disaster will impact them or their family than in previous years, but we've not seen an increase in household emergency planning alongside this awareness," said Nicolette Louissaint, Ph.D., executive director of Healthcare Ready. "For the fourth year in a row, this poll reveals a gap in preparedness at an individual level and emphasizes the need to improve readiness to ensure residents are prepared for the disasters that will inevitably come." The potential impact of this gap in individual preparedness is compounded by the fact that over three in ten Americans (31%) feel their state and local government are well-resourced and prepared to support them during an emergency, while nearly four in ten (38%) say the same of their local community organizations. Since this may not always be true, and all disasters are local, these findings shed light on the need to develop tailored, local preparedness efforts and consider community vulnerabilities in planning. The survey was conducted (May 10 - 13, 2019) and included the following key insights: Thirty-seven percent of Americans can go a week or less without their medications or medical devices before facing a medical crisis. of Americans can go without their medications or medical devices before facing a medical crisis. Only 40% of Americans could list all their prescription details, including dosage and prescribing doctor, if they had to evacuate their homes without their medications or medical supplies, up from 2018 (35%). could list all their prescription details, including dosage and prescribing doctor, if they had to evacuate their homes without their medications or medical supplies, up from 2018 (35%). Thirty-eight percent of Americans feel the federal government lacks appropriate funding for disaster response and recovery, an increase from 31% in May 2017 . "In the past two years, we've experienced unprecedented disasters, including wildfires, floods and hurricanes, which severely impacted communities across the country," continued Dr. Louissaint. "As the harsh realities of disaster become clearer and more frequent than ever before, we must use these learnings to pinpoint the most pressing needs within our communities ahead of time. The data shows how little time most Americans have before they face a medical crisis. This critical time should be spent implementing effective response and recovery protocols that can address dire medical needs we will see during a crisis." Below are additional tips to help ensure more communities can prioritize preparedness: Bookmark resources to know the status of pharmacies and other healthcare resources during a crisis. Healthcare Ready's Rx Open tool can help patents find open, nearby pharmacies at https://www.healthcareready.org/rxopen or https://www.rxopen.org. Discuss evacuation plans, meeting points and support for family members and neighbors, especially the medically fragile, who may need help. Talk to your healthcare provider about specific preparedness actions you should take to manage health conditions (including chronic conditions) during a disaster. Keep a written list of prescriptions, including dosage information, in a safe space. Healthcare Ready has a free printable card at www.healthcareready.org/rx-on-the-run. Prepare an emergency kit with food, water, flashlights, batteries, blankets, clothing and medical supplies for either sheltering-in-place, or if you must evacuate. Now in its fourth year, Healthcare Ready's survey provides useful insights and benchmarks about Americans' concerns and priorities regarding disaster preparedness. As the convener for both the public and private sectors, Healthcare Ready is poised to tackle systematic challenges that exist within the preparedness space to improve community resilience. For more information on the survey and to view the full results please visit https://www.healthcareready.org/programs/community-resilience. About Healthcare Ready Healthcare Ready is a nonprofit organization that serves as a public-private partnership to mitigate community and patient disruptions amid crisis. By forging partnerships and increasing communication between the healthcare supply chain and government (federal, state, local), Healthcare Ready minimizes the impact of disruptions on community health and wellbeing year-round. The organization supports private sector stakeholders within the U.S. healthcare supply chain and government agencies to sustain the flow of lifesaving products and resources to patients during a crisis. About the YouGov survey All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1,245 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 10th 13th May 2019. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all US adults (aged 18+). SOURCE Healthcare Ready Related Links http://www.healthcareready.org IRVINE, Calif., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Being first-to-market is paying off for AKT a dance-based cardio concept offering a unique combination of four modalities: DANCE, BANDS, CIRCUIT AND TONE as the brand announced today the signing of its 50th franchise agreement. This accomplishment puts AKT right in line to achieve its overarching growth plans to open 500 new locations by 2021. The recently signed agreements will bring AKT studios to states such as Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Washington, Nebraska and Texas, where 10 new studios are planned. These deals will propel AKT into a nationwide brand with studios on the East Coast, Midwest and West Coast. Developed in New York City by international fitness expert and celebrity-trainer, Anna Kaiser, AKT's groundbreaking fitness technique strengthens the body and mind through a hybrid program that combines dance with functional training. "When we launched our franchise opportunity in September 2018, we knew that we were offering something very unique to potential investors and we have been extremely pleased with how well our brand has been received," said Melissa Chordock, president of AKT. "AKT is quickly gaining popularity across the U.S., and we are excited for even more communities to experience our results-driven, life-changing fitness experience." AKT is touted amongst some of the "fittest" influencers like Kelly Ripa and Shakira and gives members the chance to dance, sweat and get stronger while surrounded by a strong sense of community, motivation and electric energy. The concept is tailored to all fitness levels and the perfect combination between interval training and dance-based cardio. With a vibrant studio atmosphere, limitless On Demand digital presence and highly engaged social following, AKT is both a community-first brand and a best-in-class fitness experience. Headquartered in Irvine, California, AKT is backed by Xponential Fitness, the curator of the nation's leading boutique fitness brands. The AKT franchise opportunity offers potential franchisees the opportunity to capitalize on an emerging fitness market across all 50 states. With a total investment range to open an AKT franchise is $332,500-499,500, AKT provides sound business opportunity along with a wealth of support, infrastructure and knowledge from the Xponential Fitness team. For more information about AKT, visit www.theakt.com. About AKT AKT is a dance-based cardio concept, offering a unique combination of four modalities: DANCE, BANDS, CIRCUIT AND TONE. With new original programming created every three weeks by celebrity trainer Anna Kaiser and the belief that movement has a powerful, lasting impact, AKT is for all body types and fitness levels. Headquartered in Irvine, California, AKT is backed by Xponential Fitness, the largest curator of the nation's leading boutique fitness brands. To learn more about AKT, visit www.theakt.com. Media Contact: Julianne Stevenson, Fishman Public Relations, 847-945-1300 or [email protected] SOURCE AKT Related Links http://www.theakt.com CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- On Wednesday, May 29, 2019, the Port of Corpus Christi celebrated the commencement of the Port of Corpus Christi Ship Channel Improvement Project, marking a historic milestone in the United States' progress to becoming the net exporter of the nation's energy production. At a special ceremony that included area dignitaries and community partners, the Port of Corpus Christi spotlighted the first dredgers in the Gulf, as Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company kicked off the highly anticipated Channel Improvement Project, an undertaking that will deepen and widen the Corpus Christi Ship Channel from 47 to 54 feet and widen it from 400 to 530 feet. "This moment has been 20 years in the making, and our team at the Port of Corpus Christi is not only excited, but we are humbled and deeply honored to play a role in the American energy renaissance," said Sean Strawbridge, Chief Executive Officer for the Port of Corpus Christi. "We are building and enhancing infrastructure and collaborating with new partners as we prepare to accommodate major growth in crude oil production." Following the famed 40-year ban on crude oil exports, the Port of Corpus Christi handled the first shipment of U.S. crude oil abroad on December 31, 2015. Its location on the Gulf of Mexico and proximity to the West Texas oil and gas boom drove demand and traffic for the Port of Corpus Christi. Three years later, in 2018, the Port of Corpus Christi exported $10.8 billion worth of crude oil to U.S. trading partners contributing to the offset of the United States trade deficit. The Port of Corpus Christi currently is the 4th largest port in the United States in total tonnage, and the expectation is that the Port's crude oil exports will triple, and perhaps quadruple, as production continues to increase. "Our port has been working toward this moment since 1990. This achievement reinforces our position as 'The Energy Port of the Americas.' In the Port of Corpus Christi chronology, today, we made history," said Charles W. Zahn, Jr., Port of Corpus Christi Authority Commission Chairman. About Port Corpus Christi As a leader in U.S. Crude Oil export ports and a major economic engine of Texas and the nation, Port Corpus Christi is the 4th largest port in the United States in total tonnage. Strategically located on the western Gulf of Mexico with a 36-mile, 47 foot (MLLW) deep channel, Port Corpus Christi is a major gateway to international and domestic maritime commerce. The Port has excellent railroad and highway network connectivity via three North American Class-1 railroads and two major interstate highways. With an outstanding staff overseen by its seven-member commission, Port Corpus Christi is "Moving America's Energy." http://www.portcorpuschristi.com/ Join the Energy Port of the Americas on Social Media https://www.facebook.com/PortCorpusChristi https://twitter.com/PoccaPort http://www.linkedin.com/company/port-of-corpus-christi https://plus.google.com/106599695956748334520/posts https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6xQ7OS-gffuDtS1xZX-WWw?feature=watch For More Information Contact: LISA HINOJOSA Communications Dir. Line: 361.885.6165 [email protected] SOURCE Port of Corpus Christi Related Links http://www.portcorpuschristi.com FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- In an official message to the Coptic Orthodox community around the world, President Donald Trump, joined by First Lady Melania Trump, extend their best wishes for the upcoming Global Coptic Day on June 1, 2019. The statement, dated June 1, 2019 and issued on White House stationery, reads in full as follows: His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, His Grace Bishop Youssef and Nader Anise "I send my warmest greeting to the Coptic Orthodox community as they celebrate the inaugural Global Coptic Day. For centuries, the Coptic Orthodox Church has been an integral part of the faith community. As June 1, 2019, marks the first Global Coptic Day, it is my hope that today provides a renewed sense of purpose for the millions of Coptic Christians in the Middle East and around the world. Earlier this year, the Cathedral of the Nativity in Cairo, the largest church in the Middle East, opened its doors to those seeking God's love and mercy. As we commemorate this important milestone for members of the Coptic Orthodox Church, we also honor those who have been lost due to religious persecution and violence. My Administration will always defend religious liberties and work to ensure that people of all faiths are free to live and worship according to their conscience and faith. Melania joins me in wishing all Coptic Orthodox Christians a momentous celebration filled with joy. May God bless you." (Signed Donald J. Trump) "We are extremely grateful to President Trump and the First Lady for their touching words of celebration," says Nader Anise, Global Coptic Day Co-Founder. "Despite his extremely busy schedule, the President found the time to recognize this special day, as well as the Coptic Orthodox Church, one of the world's oldest Christian churches. We are elated and deeply thankful to you, Mr. President and First Lady Melania Trump. We also thank every member of the Administration who helped move this statement through the necessary channels." Prior to commencing the Global Coptic Day initiative, receiving the blessing of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II was an imperative and necessary step. Anise states, "If His Holiness hadn't given his blessing, there would be no Global Coptic Day. However, when I met with His Holiness on November 20, 2018, in the St. Bishoy Monastery, in the Egyptian desert, His Holiness was engaged and enthusiastic about the day and said the idea was a very good one and encouraged us to continue doing what we were doing. The love and generosity His Holiness Pope Tawadros has shown us is beyond words. Pope Tawadros truly is a father who always wants what's best for his children." Spearheading, directing and providing counsel every step of the way for Global Coptic Day (and continues to do so) is His Grace Bishop Youssef, Bishop of the Southern United States. His Grace was instrumental in all aspects of the architecture of Global Coptic Day. Truly, without His Grace Bishop Youssef, Global Coptic Day would never have gone beyond the idea stage. We cannot thank His Grace enough for the love, support and leadership he constantly provides. Additionally, Bishop Youssef wisely added "Global" to the words Coptic Day and was the one who chose June 1st to coincide with the Feast of the Entry of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Family into Egypt. We would also like to offer a heartfelt thanks to George A. Sorial, who worked tirelessly to bring Global Coptic Day to the attention of the Trump Administration and to facilitate our efforts. The countless hours he spent were indeed worth it. CONTACT Nader Anise Tel . (954) 392-8824 [email protected] SOURCE Nader Anise NEW YORK, May 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Report Scope: This report has been prepared in a simple, easy-to-understand format.Numerous tables and figures are included to illustrate current and future market scenarios. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05777317/?utm_source=PRN The report includes a detailed study of global and regional markets for various products and equipment involved in radiation monitoring and shielding, as well as the various applications for these products and equipment in different fields and industries, with reasons given for variations in the growth of the industry in certain regions. Report Includes: - 69 tables - Detailed overview of the global markets for various products and equipment involved in radiation monitoring and shielding and the various applications for these products and equipment in different fields and industries - Analyses of the global market trends with data from 2017 and 2018, estimates for 2019, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2024 - Quantitative analysis of the global and regional markets for radiation shielding and monitoring products and equipment by various end user segments such as forms of ionizing radiation, methods of radiation detection, radiation protection equipment and their sub-types, and applications of radiation detection - Information on various types of radiation shielding materials, including their properties, uses and the future market outlook - Discussion of technological, regulatory, and economic trends that are affecting the market - Patent review and new developments in radiation monitoring and shielding products and equipment industry - Company profiles of major manufacturers of radiation shielding and monitoring equipment, including Ametek Inc., Rapiscan Systems, S.E. International Inc., Scionix Holland B.V., IBA Dosimetry GmbH, Smiths Detection Inc., and Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. Summary The increased use of ionization radiation in industry and medicine presents a health hazard, as it can cause microscopic damage to living tissue, resulting in skin burns and radiation sickness at high exposures.The advances in computed tomography, as well as the high radiation doses delivered by interventional procedures, have raised serious safety and health concerns for both patients and medical staff, requiring the establishment of a radiation protection culture (RPC) in every radiology department. The term "culture" in RPC describes the combination of attitudes, beliefs, practices and rules among the professionals, staff and patients regarding radiation protection. The establishment of such a culture requires continuing education of the staff and professionals, effective communication at all levels and implementation of quality assurance programs. This culture must be brought about from the highest level of leadership. The establishment of an RPC enables the reduction of the radiation dose, enhances radiation risk awareness, minimizes unsafe practices and improves the quality of a radiation protection program. The major factors affecting the growth of market for radiation monitoring and shielding devices can be summarized as growing security threats, increasing global prevalence of cancer, increasing safety awareness among people working in radiation-prone environments and growing safety concerns after recently nuclear disasters. The market for radiation monitoring and shielding has been divided into two segments - - Radiation detection, measurement and monitoring equipment. - Radiation shielding, safety and protection equipment. The following summary table and figure illustrate the market for various radiation safety and protection and shielding applications, which have been divided into five segments - - Personal protection applications. - Homeland security and military applications. - Radiation shielding applications. - Medical and laboratory applications. - Industrial and nuclear power applications. The total market for radiation safety and protection and shielding applications was worth more than REDACTED in 2017. This market is expected to reach nearly REDACTED by the end of 2024, with an expected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of REDACTED. The Summary Table shows that personal protection applications dominate the market, with REDACTED in 2017, increasing to nearly REDACTED in 2024, with a CAGR of REDACTED. The Homeland security and military applications segment was worth REDACTED in 2017, and it is expected to reach REDACTED by 2024, with a CAGR of REDA CTED. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05777317/?utm_source=PRN About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Contact Clare: [email protected] US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 SOURCE Reportlinker Related Links http://www.reportlinker.com TEMPE, Ariz., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of his outstanding achievements in original research, Regents' Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Marketing Robert Cialdini has been elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences, one of the most distinguished scientific organizations in the country. Cialdini was hired by Arizona State University's Department of Psychology in 1971 but in the mid-1980s was asked by ASU's W. P. Carey School of Business to apply his research to consumer behavior and the science of influence. His books, including "Influence: Science & Practice," are the result of decades of peer-reviewed research on why people comply with requests. "Influence" has sold over 3 million copies in more than 30 languages and is a New York Times Bestseller. Cialdini's latest book, "Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade," published by Simon & Schuster, quickly became a Wall Street Journal and a New York Times Bestseller. Because of the world-wide recognition of Cialdini's cutting-edge scientific research and his ethical business and policy applications, he is frequently regarded as the "Godfather of influence." "There's a combination of feelings in that I'm deeply gratified and, secondly, thrilled by it," said Cialdini, whose research in developing and testing theories of consumer behavior is considered groundbreaking by his peers. That research is also the reason why the W. P. Carey School of Business Department of Marketing opened the Robert B. Cialdini Behavioral Research Lab, which has conducted over 10,000 hours of research and more than 200 separate behavioral experiments. He received his doctorate from the University of North Carolina and postdoctoral training from Columbia University. He has held visiting scholar appointments at Ohio State University, the University of California, the Annenberg School of Communications, and the Graduate School of Business of Stanford University. Cialdini is CEO and President of Influence at Work, focusing on ethical influence training, corporate keynote programs, and the CMCT (Cialdini Method Certified Trainer) program. His clients include such organizations as Google, Microsoft, Cisco Systems, Bayer, Coca-Cola, KPMG, AstraZeneca, Ericsson, Kodak, Merrill Lynch, Nationwide Insurance, Pfizer, AAA, Northern Trust, IBM, Prudential, Mayo Clinic, GlaxoSmithKline, Kimberly-Clark, Harvard University Kennedy School, The Weather Channel, the United States Department of Justice, and NATO. Established in 1863, the National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit institution that, along with the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Medicine, provides science, engineering, and health policy advice to the federal government and other organizations. Cialdini is among 100 new members and 25 foreign associates added to the society this year, including two other Arizona State University professors. About the W. P. Carey School of Business The W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University is one of the top-ranked business schools in the United States. The school is internationally regarded for its research productivity and its distinguished faculty members, including a Nobel Prize winner. Students come from more than 100 countries and W. P. Carey is represented by alumni in over 160 countries. Visit wpcarey.asu.edu. Contact: Shay Moser [email protected] 480-965-3963 SOURCE W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University Related Links https://wpcarey.asu.edu WASHINGTON, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Leapfrog Group, a national watchdog organization of employers and other purchasers focused on health care safety and quality, today released its 2019 Maternity Care Report. The report is based on results of the 2018 Leapfrog Hospital Survey, with data voluntarily submitted by more than 2,000 U.S. hospitals. It provides an in-depth look at how participating hospitals perform against best practices across three areas of maternity care: cesarean sections, early elective delivery and episiotomy rates. While some hospitals have made strides in maternity quality, only 20% of all hospitals are fully meeting Leapfrog's standards on all three of these measures. The report aggregates and analyzes The Leapfrog Group's reporting by hospital on maternity care and other important indicators of quality. These results and the Maternity Care Report are available for free at www.leapfroggroup.org/compare. Leapfrog is the only source for this unique maternity care data. Because maternity care varies from hospital to hospital, even within the same city, expectant families may access data on hospitals individually when considering a hospital. The main findings among responding hospitals in the past year compared to when Leapfrog first began collecting data and publicly reporting on these metrics are below: Overall, the average rate of early elective deliveries has decreased to 1.5% in 2018, the lowest rate since a 17% starting point in 2010 and well under Leapfrog's target for hospitals of 5% or less. Episiotomy rates have declined from 7.8% in 2017 to 6.9% in 2018, though still above Leapfrog's target for hospitals of 5% or less. The average rate of NTSV cesarean births has remained virtually stagnant since being at 26.4% in 2015, most recently hovering at 26.3% in 2017 and 26.1% in 2018. This is above Leapfrog's target for hospitals of 23.9%. "Our report finds good and bad news for expectant mothers," said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. "But the best news is that more hospitals than ever are transparent about their maternity care qualitysomething expectant families have sought for a long time. The data suggest that we have a ways to go before hospitals achieve the results the evidence suggests is best for women and babies. Most specifically, the hospitals that families and employers should be most concerned about are those that decline to report their maternity quality. Patients have a right to expect that information, reported through an independent source like Leapfrog, not a hospital press release." Studies suggest early elective deliveries, defined as births performed via cesarean section or medical induction prior to 39 completed weeks' gestation without medical necessity, can pose risks to both mothers and babies. Episiotomy has been associated with perineal tears, loss of bladder or bowel control, and pelvic floor defects that may cause infection, slow recovery and even persist into lifelong discomfort. Cesarean sections can carry serious risks of infection or blood clots, as well as cause some women to experience longer recoveries and chronic pelvic pain. Further research finds babies born by C-section are at increased risk of developing chronic childhood diseases like asthma and diabetes. "Perhaps the most encouraging finding from our report is that hospitals fully meeting standards across all three measures were more than likely to maintain success in the following year, suggesting that once best practices are prioritized, they become standard operating procedure," said Binder. "It is this continued success year after year that will have the farthest-reaching impact in giving mothers and children a healthy start." She pointed out that over 90% of hospitals that achieved Leapfrog standards for early elective deliveries and episiotomy rates repeated that achievement in the following year, and 70% of hospitals that met standards on C-section rates did so again in the following year. About The Leapfrog Group Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps forward in the quality and safety of American health care. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey collects and transparently reports hospital performance, empowering purchasers to find the highest-value care and giving consumers the lifesaving information, they need to make informed decisions. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, Leapfrog's other main initiative, assigns letter grades to hospitals based on their record of patient safety, helping consumers protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents and infections. SOURCE The Leapfrog Group Related Links http://www.leapfroggroup.org "Study after study has demonstrated that women are not equally compensated or represented at any level of business," Kaplowitz said. "We are really excited about the prospect of combining the talent of our alumni, faculty and students to remove barriers and empower women to lead a continuously evolving workforce." Rutgers University alumni interested in getting involved in the Rutgers Business School Women's Initiative may contact Lisa Kaplowitz at [email protected] Kaplowitz and Rao formed the initiative after finding "pockets of programming at RBS" that lacked the comprehensiveness or inclusiveness of a whole group of women. They quickly received support from Laurie Platek, who sits on the Rutgers University Foundation's Leadership Circle, and Loubna Erraji, director of the Rutgers Executive MBA Career Management and Alumni Relations. Even at the student level, the Women in Business clubs and the Women BUILD (Business Undergraduates in Leadership Development) program are touching only a fraction of the female students within Rutgers Business School. And across Rutgers, there are nine institutes and centers under the Institute for Women's Leadership, all of which address different aspects of women's issues. Rutgers Business School is not part of the consortium. "We looked at this as an opportunity," Kaplowitz said. They created a vision and a mission statement, and to give the initiative a meaningful structure, the women designed a thought leadership loop, encompassing alumni, corporations, faculty and students. "We are partnering together to use the experience in business to fuel research and professional development in order to create improvements in corporations," Kaplowitz said. "At the same time, we are bringing all of this, including our alumni's professional expertise, back to our students to create a broader and deeper pipeline of talent as well as a continuous feedback loop for all of us." The initiative will build on existing efforts and organizations at Rutgers Business School and Rutgers University to empower more women, both students and alumnae, in bigger and bolder ways with mentoring, workshops, scholarships, case competitions and conferences. Rao, who took charge of Women BUILD five years ago, said she has seen the transformative power of a program that builds confidence and skills in young women who support and empower each other and are cultivated by a larger community of professional women. "We hope to build on the program's success and extend its reach beyond high-achieving undergraduates," Rao said. "We also hope to fuel research and professional development programs by working to address larger problems, including the gender wage gap." The women who created the initiative are asking Rutgers alumni to fill seats on an advisory board that will direct the initiative's efforts. One of the first projects will be a women's conference in 2020. During the event in New York City, Rutgers Business School Dean Lei Lei cited some numbers to show why nurturing young women to be confident in their leadership ability is necessary. Women make up nearly half of the workforce, Lei said, but only 5 percent of them occupy the corner office in a company. "The business world needs you," she said. While the statistics resonated with the crowd, the most powerful endorsement of the initiative and its mission came from two new graduates, both of whom said the Women BUILD organization was a pivotal point in their college careers. They also offered proof of why such work deserves to be expanded. Simi Sharma, a new graduate who will begin working full time at Blackstone this summer, said she never realized the importance or the power of a women's network before her involvement in Women BUILD. Sharma described the experience of being empowered by older members who "pushed" her to network, to interview, to realize her potential. Women BUILD, she said, takes sophomores and shows them that "there's a world out there where they can excel." Diana Cohn, a 2018 graduate of Rutgers Business School who is working at Goldman Sachs, provided more inspiration to a crowd audibly moved by her words. An immigrant from Colombia who came to the U.S. at 13, Cohn said there is nothing more humbling than looking at who you are and where you've come from. "I didn't get to Goldman Sachs because of my family," she said. "I got there because of the tools I gained at Rutgers Business School and the people around me who helped me to reach my full potential." Both Cohn and Sharma said preserving their networks and helping young women behind them are important as they begin their own careers. "We need programs like this to show that women are capable of succeeding and shaping the world," Sharma said. SOURCE Rutgers Business School Related Links http://www.business.rutgers.edu BEIJING, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- RYB Education, Inc. ("RYB" or the "Company") (NYSE: RYB), a leading early childhood education service provider in China, announced today that it has appointed Mr. Hao Gu as its Chief Financial Officer, effective June 1, 2019. Mr. Gu will succeed Ms. Ping Wei, who has decided to retire from the role of Chief Financial Officer which she took in 2017. Ms. Wei will continue to serve RYB as a senior advisor. Ms. Yanlai Shi, Chief Executive Officer, Co-founder and Executive Director, said, "On behalf of the Board of Directors and management team, I would like to thank Ping for her contributions and tireless work at RYB. We look forward to continuing to work with Ping in her new advisory role with the Company. I would also like to warmly welcome Hao to the Company. He brings to us over a decade of leadership experience in investment banking, corporate finance, capital markets and mergers and acquisitions. I am confident his leadership and deep financial background will make him an invaluable addition to the RYB team as together we execute on our numerous growth initiatives." "I am both honored and excited to join RYB as its Chief Financial Officer," said Mr. Gu. "I have tremendous respect for the Company's senior management and the pioneering path they have blazed in the early childhood education industry in China. The mission to provide individualized, age-appropriate high quality education to children is important to me. I am looking forward to help leading the Company as we continue to capture growth opportunities in this exciting market space." Prior to joining RYB, Mr. Gu worked as an executive director of the Asia Pacific Telecom, Media and Technology team in UBS AG's Investment Banking Division in Hong Kong. Prior to that, Mr. Gu was part of the Asia Pacific Telecom, Media and Technology Investment Banking team at Credit Suisse, where he worked on various important capital markets and M&A transactions. Mr. Gu received an MBA from Cornell University and a bachelor's degree from the Beijing Foreign Studies University. About RYB Education, Inc. Founded on the core values of ''Care'' and ''Responsibility,'' "Inspire" and "Innovate," RYB Education, Inc. is a leading early childhood education service provider in China. Since opening its first play-and-learn center in 1998, the Company has grown and flourished with the mission to provide high-quality, individualized and age-appropriate care and education to nurture and inspire each child for his or her betterment in life. During its nearly two decades of operating history, the Company has built "RYB" into a well-recognized education brand and helped bring about many new educational practices in China's early childhood education industry. RYB's comprehensive early childhood education solutions meet the needs of children from infancy to 6 years old through structured courses at kindergartens and play-and-learn centers, as well as at-home educational products and services. For more information, please visit http://ir.rybbaby.com Safe Harbor Statement This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "confident" and similar statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: the Company's brand recognition and market reputation; student enrollment in the Company's teaching facilities; the Company's growth strategies; its future business development, results of operations and financial condition; trends and competition in China's early childhood education market; changes in its revenues and certain cost or expense items; the expected growth of the Chinese early education market; Chinese governmental policies relating to the Company's industry and general economic conditions in China. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company's filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. For investor and media inquiries, please contact: In China: RYB Education, Inc. Investor Relations Tel: 86-10-8767-5752 E-mail: [email protected] The Piacente Group, Inc. Ross Warner Tel: +86 (10) 5730-6200 E-mail: [email protected] In the United States: The Piacente Group, Inc. Brandi Piacente Tel: +1-212-481-2050 E-mail: [email protected] SOURCE RYB Education, Inc. Related Links www.rybbaby.com MIAMI, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bhang Corporation, a trusted cannabis house of brands with an extensive, award-winning portfolio of over 100 cannabis, hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) and terpene products, today announced the appointment of Tom Stein as President. Tom will have responsibility for the Company's day-to-day operations with a focus on the continued development of Bhangs strategic relationships with internal clients, external partners and regulatory groups. Tom will report to CEO & Chairman Scott Van Rixel. Prior to joining Bhang, Tom served as Vice President of Edrington (brands including The Macallan, The Famous Grouse, Highland Park and The Glenrothes). Prior to that, he was Director of Sales at Palm Bay, a family owned wine producer and Distributor Manager at Diageo. The Company has also added two top executives to support an overall push to increase Bhangs footprint as cannabis markets expand across the globe. Samantha Ford Collins has been named Chief Marketing Officer, and Jeremy Applen has been appointed as Bhangs Chief Science Officer and Procedures Officer. Since our launch in 2010, Bhang has seen tremendous growth as consumer acceptance and attitudes towards CBD and cannabis-derived products have progressed. As we move toward the next phase of our mission to further establish our globally-recognized cannabis house of brands, we believe Tom is the perfect leader to accelerate that expansion, said Scott Van Rixel, CEO & Chairman of Bhang. Tom brings a wealth of expertise from his time as an executive in the adult beverage industry and we are thrilled to add his critical knowledge as a leader in execution, distribution, finance and M&A to our top-flight management team. The U.S. cannabis market is predicted to hit $22.7 billion by 2023, according to a new report from Brightfield Group. In addition, a report by Bank of America Merrill Lynch credits CBD spending as one of the largest sources of global growth, with $6.6 billion in global spending on CBD growing to $39.2 billion by 2032. Tom Stein will continue to leverage the strength of Bhangs brand recognition to generate cross-branding opportunities with both mainstream and cannabis industry brands. In addition, Tom Stein will be responsible for the continued development and expansion of the Companys distribution channels that have already grown exponentially based on the trust and reputation Bhang has engendered in nearly a decade of doing business. On joining Bhang, Tom said, I am thrilled to have joined the Bhang team during this exciting juncture as the Company looks to significantly expand its operations and navigate a rapidly growing and evolving industry. I am focused on executing our strategic plan with an extremely talented executive team. In recent years, Bhang has grown from a regional brand to a global cannabis and CBD player, winning dozens of awards for its edible products while amassing a wide-reaching loyal following. Since 2010, Bhang has continually developed best-in-class artisanal edible cannabis and CBD products, mastering the art of harnessing mutually-beneficial partnerships to bring safe, consistent and delicious products to the world. Executive Team Expansion The announcement builds on Bhangs effort to assemble a world-class team as it continues its global expansion. As Chief Marketing Officer, Samantha Ford Collins will lead all consumer and product marketing programs and Bhangs global brand strategy, brand positioning, innovation and expansion. Samantha also plans to execute an industry-leading, digital engagement platform that amplifies Bhangs ethos and speaks to the millions of loyal cannabis consumers. Samantha is an award-winning brand marketer who previously held senior leadership positions at Treasury Wine Estates and Diageo North America. Most recently she served as Vice President of Brand Marketing for Treasury where she led strategy for such brands as Beaulieu Vineyard, Stags Leap Winery and Penfolds and served as Global Director for 19 Crimes as it grew to over a million cases and launched the Living Wine Labels App. Samanthas work has been awarded a Super Reggie for 19 Crimes, a Gold Reggie for Penfolds and numerous other industry accolades. In addition, the Company hired trusted scientist Jeremy Applen as its Chief Science and Procedures Officer, responsible for establishing and maintaining quality management and cannabis system implementation to support brand integrity. Jeremy has served on advisory panels to Association of Public Health Laboratories and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He also founded New Mexicos first state-approved medical cannabis laboratory and worked closely with government regulators and numerous cannabis organizations both nationally and internationally to identify and resolve significant issues related to regulation, product quality and product safety. Jeremy is the Vice Chairman of ASTM Committee D37 which is writing the laws for cannabis quality and safety. We are thrilled to further capture this explosive new international consumer market with the selection of Samantha and Jeremy on our innovative and dedicated team, said Van Rixel. Samanthas track record of success growing global brands and Jeremys commitment to our standards of quality control and consistency across markets will allow us to further establish ourselves as the trusted thought leaders of the cannabis industry. About Bhang Bhang is committed to delivering exceptional sensory experiences to consumers at every point in their cannabis journey through its award-winning portfolio of brands. Bhang is a trusted global cannabis house of brands with an extensive portfolio of over 100 cannabis, hemp-derived CBD and terpene products, including chocolates, pre-rolls, vapes, gums, beverages, gummies and mouth sprays, among others. Since 2010, Bhang has mastered the art of harnessing mutually-beneficial partnerships to bring safe, consistent and delicious products to the world. Learn more at bhangnation.com For further information please contact: Media: Tim Gray / Nick Opich KCSA Strategic Communications 212-896-1251 / 212-896-1206 tgray@kcsa.com / nopich@kcsa.com Lighthouse Bank is a full-service community bank headquartered in Santa Cruz with a branch in Cupertino. As of March 31, 2019, Lighthouse Bank had approximately $314 million in total assets and a return on average assets of 1.73% for the first quarter of 2019. At closing, four directors from Lighthouse Bank, John Burroughs, Stephen Pahl, James Weisenstein and Craig French, will join the Santa Cruz County Bank Board of Directors. Jon Sisk, President of Lighthouse Bank, will join Santa Cruz County Bank as a Regional President. After a very successful twelve years, Lane Lawson, CEO, Director, and one of the original executive level employees at the inception of Lighthouse Bank, will retire at closing. Under the terms of the Agreement, shareholders of Lighthouse Bank will receive a fixed exchange ratio of 0.5204 shares of Santa Cruz County Bank common stock in exchange for each share of Lighthouse Bank common stock. The exchange ratio is fixed, and the value of the merger consideration will fluctuate based on Santa Cruz County Bank's stock price. On a pro forma basis, the holders of Lighthouse Bank common shares will own approximately 36.0% of the issued and outstanding Santa Cruz County Bank common stock. "We are excited to welcome Lighthouse Bank to our company. This merger creates tremendous opportunity for shareholders, employees and customers of both banks, all of whom stand to benefit greatly. The merger offers all shareholders both immediate value and the opportunity to participate in potential upside as the bank generates momentous growth from its market-focused community banking strategy. Planning for the integration of these two banks is in progress and we expect to expeditiously realize the full value of the cost synergies we have identified," said William Hansen, Chairman of Santa Cruz County Bank. David Heald, Santa Cruz County Bank President and CEO added, "We are very pleased to welcome Lighthouse Bank's board members, executives and employees to our team and look forward to their contributions to our combined premier performing institution. Together, we will achieve even greater milestones. We have all worked together in our community for many years and have tremendous mutual respect. Individuals who choose to bank with community driven institutions over the major banks recognize our shared values of community reinvestment, high-touch customer service, and local decision-making. These fundamentals will not change." "Lighthouse has long regarded Santa Cruz County Bank and shares similar values, celebrating community and a commitment to excellent customer service and shareholder returns," remarked John Burroughs, Chairman of Lighthouse Bank. "We have tremendous respect for the leadership at Santa Cruz County Bank, many of whom are former colleagues," said Jon Sisk, President of Lighthouse Bank. "We're thrilled to come together with their team, and to expand the breadth and depth of service and resources for our customers. The blending of two of the nation's top-performing banks, each of them founded and headquartered in Santa Cruz, will deliver a premier banking experience for our community." The boards of Santa Cruz County Bank and Lighthouse Bank have unanimously approved the transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions, including the approvals of state and federal bank regulatory agencies and the shareholders of both Lighthouse and Santa Cruz and other conditions specified in the Agreement. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2019. FIG Partners acted as financial advisor to Santa Cruz County Bank in the transaction. Gary Steven Findley & Associates is legal counsel to Santa Cruz County Bank. Sandler O'Neill + Partners, L.P. acted as financial advisor to Lighthouse Bank. Stuart | Moore | Staub is legal counsel to Lighthouse Bank. As of March 31, 2019, on a pro forma consolidated basis, the combined company of Santa Cruz County Bank and Lighthouse Bank would have approximately $982 million in total assets, $706 million in total loans, and $854 million in total deposits. About Santa Cruz County Bank Santa Cruz County Bank, founded in 2004, is a top rated, locally owned and operated full-service community bank headquartered in Santa Cruz, California. The bank operates five branches located in Aptos, Capitola, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley and Watsonville. The bank offers a variety of competitive deposit and lending solutions for businesses and individuals; including business loans, lines of credit, commercial real estate financing, agricultural loans, SBA and USDA government guaranteed loans, credit cards, merchant services, remote deposit capture, mobile and online banking, bill payment, and cash management. The bank's SBA Department has been recognized as a top SBA lender in Santa Cruz County and in the Silicon Valley. Santa Cruz County Bank is a top USDA lender in the state of California. Santa Cruz County Bank stock is publicly traded on the OTC marketplace under the stock symbol SCZC. Stock purchase orders may be placed through a brokerage firm or one of the Market Makers listed in the Investor Relations section of Santa Cruz County Bank's website. For more information about Santa Cruz County Bank, visit www.sccountybank.com. About Lighthouse Bank Lighthouse Bank, founded in 2007, is a highly rated locally owned and operated full-service community bank with offices in Santa Cruz and Silicon Valley. The Bank's dedication to providing personalized relationship-based service and easy access to decision makers give its customers a refreshing alternative to "big banking". Lighthouse Bank further supports this commitment by offering unique services such as worldwide surcharge free ATM/Debit Cards, remote deposit capture, and complimentary business courier service throughout Santa Cruz County. Lighthouse is also focused on supporting the community and actively participates and donates to local non-profits, including a match of employees' donations to non-profits of their choice. Lighthouse offers a variety of competitive deposit and lending solutions for businesses and individuals; including loans, lines of credit, construction and commercial real estate financing, SBA government guaranteed loans, credit cards, merchant services, mobile banking, remote deposit capture, and online banking bill payment and cash management. Lighthouse Bank stock is actively traded under the symbol LGHT. For more information about Lighthouse Bank, visit www.lighthousebank.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking information about Santa Cruz County Bank ("Santa Cruz"), Lighthouse Bank ("Lighthouse"), and the combined company after the close of the merger and is intended to be covered by the safe harbor for "forward-looking statements" provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Such statements involve inherent risks, uncertainties, and contingencies, many of which are difficult to predict and are generally beyond the control of Santa Cruz, Lighthouse and the combined company. Santa Cruz and Lighthouse caution readers that a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, such forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties for each institution and the combined institution include, but are not limited to the ability of the parties to complete the merger; government approval may not be obtained or adverse regulatory conditions may be imposed in connection with governmental approvals of the merger; approval by the shareholders of Santa Cruz and Lighthouse may not be obtained; the successful integration of Lighthouse, or achieving expected beneficial synergies and/or operating efficiencies, in each case might not be obtained within expected time-frames or at all; and the possibility that personnel changes/retention will not proceed as planned. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are based on information available at the time of the communication. Pro forma, projected and estimated numbers are used for illustrative purposes only and are not forecasts, and actual results may differ materially. We are under no obligation to (and expressly disclaim any such obligation to) update or alter our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise except as required by law. SOURCE Santa Cruz County Bank Related Links http://www.sccountybank.com AUSTIN, Texas, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Sante Ventures, a healthcare and life sciences investment firm specializing in early-stage companies developing innovative new medical technologies, biotechnologies, digital health technologies, and healthcare services, announced today the final close of its oversubscribed Fund III. Almost twice as large as its predecessor, Fund III secured capital commitments from over 30 limited partners, including the previously announced new investor, Pennsylvania Public School Employees' Retirement System ("PSERS"). Investors in previous funds accounted for approximately one-half of the total capital. "We are grateful for the trust and confidence investors have placed in us with their capital. We are also pleased to have broadened our base of institutional limited partners with the addition of sovereign wealth funds, investors from Europe and Asia, and several new preeminent healthcare delivery systems," said Kevin Lalande, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Sante Ventures. "Over the last decade we have proven and continued to refine our unique portfolio strategy, which is designed to engineer the luck out of fund-level venture capital returns. Our multi-disciplinary investment team partners with exceptional entrepreneurs to build innovative companies with the potential to deliver better health outcomes at lower total cost, without relying on exits at unicorn valuations to generate attractive returns for our investors." Following its close, the Fund will build a portfolio of 20-25 investments. Sante Ventures typically makes its first investment in a new portfolio company at the Seed through Series B round and either leads or co-leads all but follow-on investment rounds. To date, Fund III has committed nearly 6.5% of capital into several investments, including Cryosa for the treatment of sleep apnea, DyaMX for the treatment of Type II Diabetes and Geneos Therapeutics, a neoantigen-based personalized cancer therapy. About Sante Ventures Founded in 2006, Sante Ventures is a specialized healthcare and life sciences investment firm with over a half-billion dollars in capital under management. The firm invests in early-stage companies developing innovative new medical technologies, biotechnologies and digitally-enabled healthcare services. Since inception, the Firm has screened over 5,000 opportunities to make 33 portfolio investments, including Claret Medical (Boston Scientific), TVA Medical (Becton Dickinson), Millipede Medical (Boston Scientific), Molecular Templates (MTEM), AbVitro (Celgene) and Explorys (IBM Corp). Sante invests nationally and is headquartered in Austin, Texas, with additional offices in Houston. For more information, please visit www.santeventures.com Media Contacts Sante Ventures Press and Community Relations [email protected] 512.721.1200 Trevor Gibbons, Prosek Partners [email protected] 646.818.9238 SOURCE Sante Ventures Related Links http://www.santeventures.com NEW YORK, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The most natural sleep begins when honest, ethically sourced materials are combined at the highest quality. The Signature Sleep Honest Collection offers good natural sleep that is 100% inspired by nature. The daily choices for a healthier tomorrow start today and wisely selecting materials has never been so important. Mattresses are no different. Choosing a mattress that sustainably supports sleep is critical for a healthy lifestyle. Designed with nature in mind, the Signature Sleep Honest Collection includes a natural line of mattresses for both adult and baby. Handcrafted in California, the Honest Collection embraces natural elements and is made from nature-inspired components. These mattresses contain a variation of three simple ingredients: wool, coconut and cotton. Known for their moisture wicking properties, these key ingredients help regulate body temperature, provide superior pressure relief and optimal comfort. The Blossom Crib and Toddler Mattress has a unique construction, which contains coconut coir as the core to provide a firm surface for babies. The additional layers are of chemical-free natural wool and organic cotton, which act as a natural fire barrier and provide an inhospitable environment for dust mites. This mattress optimizes comfort and support and comes with an organic cotton mattress cover that is waterproof and machine washable. The Elements Adult Mattress combines chemical free natural wool and organic cotton with a layer of micro-coils for superior pressure relief, optimal support and reduced motion transfer. A bonus mattress protector infused with Aloe Vera fibers helps to nourish the skin and accelerate the regeneration process giving you a little boost every day. Actions for the future: One tree will be planted for every Signature Sleep Honest Mattress sold thanks to our partnership with One Tree Planted. The Elements Adult Mattress, with USDA certified organic cotton and OEKO-TEX certified chemical free natural wool, is available in Twin, Full, Queen and King; retailing between $557.99 and $741.99. The Blossom Crib and Toddler Mattress, with GOTS certified organic cotton, OEKO-TEX certified chemical free natural wool and OEKO-TEX certified natural coconut coir, retails for $292.99. The Signature Sleep Honest mattress line will be sold on Amazon and at major retailers. For additional information on the Signature Sleep Honest Mattress, please contact: Tyler Williams | Director US Operations [email protected] | 919.744.0324 ABOUT SIGNATURE SLEEP Signature Sleep is part of the Dorel Home Products (DHP) Industries Inc group, a global organization under the home products umbrella. With over fifty years of experience in the sleep industry, Signature Sleep offers customers comfort without compromise providing excellent quality mattresses which are durable yet affordable. The company offers various mattress styles offering something for everyone. SOURCE Signature Sleep ST. PAUL, Minn., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Squarex, a privately held clinical stage pharmaceutical company developing a topical formulation for the prevention of recurrent cold sores and other infections caused by Herpes Simplex Viruses, announced today that it will present at the 2019 BIO International Convention, which will be held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Hugh MacTavish, Chief Executive Officer of Squarex, will provide an update on the company's business and will be available to meet with investors and other companies registered to attend the conference. Details of the presentation: Date: Thursday, June 6, 2019 Time: 11:15 a.m. 11:30 a.m. Location: Theater 4, Level 200 Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia, PA About Squarex Squarex is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing a topical formulation of the immunomodulator squaric acid dibutyl ester (SADBE) for the prevention of recurrent cold sores (herpes labialis) and other infections caused by Herpes Simplex Viruses. Its Phase 1/2 placebo-controlled clinical trial showed the drug was safe and effective in preventing cold sore outbreaks, tripling the time to next cold sore outbreak from 40 days to more than 120. Upon FDA approval, SQX770 would be the first and only drug on the market to prevent cold sore outbreaks in the more than 2% of the U.S. population with greater than six outbreaks per year. CONTACT INFORMATION Tiberend Strategic Advisors, Inc. Sharen Tilman (Investors) 646-604-5149 [email protected] Johanna Bennett (Media) 212-375-2686 [email protected] SOURCE Squarex Related Links http://squarex-pharma.com SYRACUSE, N.Y., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- SRC, Inc., has been named the sole awardee on an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract, with a potential value of $100M over five years, to continue performing chemical hazard assessments for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics. Under this contract, SRC will support EPA evaluations of environmental and health hazards for new and existing chemicals. Specific activities include evaluating new chemicals entering the marketplace, developing computerized tools to predict environmental fate and adverse toxicological effects, investigating new methodologies to identify safer products, and developing strategies and guidance to assess human health risks from chemical exposure. "We are proud of the crucial work our environmental health analysis team is doing to protect both our environment and people around the world," said Paul G. Tremont, CEO of SRC. "We look forward to continuing to provide innovative solutions and analysis to support the EPA as we work together to build a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable future." "SRC has proven time and time again that it can provide superior services and products to the United States government, so it's no surprise that the EPA picked them for this important work," said U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer. "I will continue to work with SRC to bring more federal work and more jobs to Central New York through partnerships like these." This work is a continuation of work that SRC has been performing for the EPA since the early 1990s, but the amount of work performed is expected to increase significantly due to the requirements of the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act. SRC is growing and has opportunities with more than 300 positions to fill over the next year. The company anticipates adding up to 25 chemists, biologists, and toxicologists, primarily at its Syracuse, NY and Arlington, VA offices. Details on employment opportunities can be found at www.srcinc.com/careers. To view this press release in your browser visit: https://www.srcinc.com/news-and-events/press/2019/20190529-src-wins-epa-contract-to-assess-chemical-hazards.html About SRC SRC, Inc. (@SRCDefense), a not-for-profit research and development company, combines information, science, technology and ingenuity to solve "impossible" problems in the areas of defense, environment and intelligence. Across a family of companies, SRC applies bright minds, fresh thinking and relentless determination to deliver innovative products and services that are redefining possible for the challenges faced by America and its allies. Since 1957, SRC's commitment to the customer and the best solution not the bottom line has remained a core value that guides its efforts. This passion for quality carries through to the technologies the company invents and manufactures, the laboratories and facilities it builds, the people they hire, and communities where they work. Today, more than 1,400 engineers, scientists and professionals work together at SRC to protect people, the environment and our way of life. SOURCE SRC, Inc. Related Links http://www.srcinc.com The full-day, festival-style event will be held in Cleveland's booming Flats East Bank neighborhood. Over the course of the day, more than 50 different workshops, panels, sessions and networking events will occur in 13 different spaces throughout the area. New features for 2019 include sessions focused specifically on the experiences of Latinx entrepreneurs, an emerging track for students and founders who are just getting started in their entrepreneurial journey and a "Pick Your Panel" session, where event attendees select who they want to see on stage from a group of 10 finalists. "Our city, region and state are working harder and more closely than ever before to create a welcoming climate where all entrepreneurs have the support they need to grow their businesses," said JumpStart CEO Ray Leach. "Startup Scaleup is a place where these entrepreneurs can connect directly with the many people and organizations dedicated to helping them succeed while gaining insights from industry experts and meeting others who are on a similar entrepreneurial journey." "The connectivity piece of this event is what really makes it special," added JumpStart President Cathy Belk. "It goes beyond conversations and information sharing and actively works to create spaces where entrepreneurs can form new and meaningful relationships with potential advisors, investors, customers, employees and each other." In addition to the traditionally strong lineup of local entrepreneurs, small business owners, investors and support organizations, this year's event will also feature several guest speakers from outside Northeast Ohio. Highlighted sessions include: Tesla Talks: A Poolside Chat Tiara Thurston , Tesla's General Manager for the Central US, and Rick Stockburger from the Tech Belt Energy Innovation Center talk electric vehicles, solar panels, storage batteries and other innovations poised to transform our daily lives. , Tesla's General Manager for the Central US, and from the Tech Belt Energy Innovation Center talk electric vehicles, solar panels, storage batteries and other innovations poised to transform our daily lives. BLK hack Cleveland Presents: The Bigger Picture! Harlem Capital Venture Partner John Henry and Radio One Cleveland's Rohnesha Horne talk about the hard work of creating change while raising and deploying capital to an underrepresented group that gets less than 2% of all venture capital investment. Harlem Capital Venture Partner John Henry and Radio One Cleveland's Rohnesha Horne talk about the hard work of creating change while raising and deploying capital to an underrepresented group that gets less than 2% of all venture capital investment. Crazy Ideas with "Loonshots" Author Safi Bahcall Physicist, entrepreneur and popular author Safi Bahcall examines environments that nurture innovation while reminding us how many ideas we take for granted today were once written off as "crazy." Physicist, entrepreneur and popular author examines environments that nurture innovation while reminding us how many ideas we take for granted today were once written off as "crazy." Meet the Investors: Tips for Tech Companies Experienced venture capital investors discuss their approach to funding companies and how stage, sector and other factors inform not only how a company raises capital, but who they raise their capital from. Experienced venture capital investors discuss their approach to funding companies and how stage, sector and other factors inform not only how a company raises capital, but who they raise their capital from. Hometown Luxury: Building a High-End Brand in Cleveland A panel of successful women entrepreneurs ( Jackie Watcher from Fount, Valerie Mayen from Yellowcake, Anne Harrill from Oceanne, Nicole Dzurko from Revival Body Care and Mimi May from Maeve's all Natural) lead a conversation about building globally relevant fashion, jewelry and body care brands from right here in Northeast Ohio . A panel of successful women entrepreneurs ( from Fount, from Yellowcake, from Oceanne, from Revival Body Care and from Maeve's all Natural) lead a conversation about building globally relevant fashion, jewelry and body care brands from right here in . Women Talk Tech Lauren Washington , co-founder of Black Women Talk Tech and JumpStart President, Cathy Belk discuss how the entrepreneurial journey is different for women. , co-founder of Black Women Talk Tech and JumpStart President, discuss how the entrepreneurial journey is different for women. Finding the Front Door Meet the Northeast Ohio Startup Network, a collaborative group of people and organizations who work together to help tech startups succeed. Learn how they all work together to get tech entrepreneurs the help they need. Meet the Northeast Ohio Startup Network, a collaborative group of people and organizations who work together to help tech startups succeed. Learn how they all work together to get tech entrepreneurs the help they need. Hidden Gems: Five Community Orgs Ready to Help You Explore Your Great Idea Meet several great organizations whose valuable resources for all small business owners sometimes fly under the radar. Learn how they can help turn great ideas into great companies. Meet several great organizations whose valuable resources for all small business owners sometimes fly under the radar. Learn how they can help turn great ideas into great companies. Brand the Land Hear from the people who helped shape the modern image of Cleveland and the local businesses who have weaved this image into the branding of their products and services. Tickets for the June 19 event are $20 and include a $15 lunch voucher, as well as a $5 snack voucher redeemable at various local food spots in the Flats East Bank. To register and learn more, visit www.startupscaleup.org. Startup Scaleup's title sponsors are KeyBank and The Ohio Third Frontier. Platinum-level sponsors include Burton D. Morgan Foundation and Thompson Hine. Gold-level sponsors: 1848 Ventures backed by Westfield, PNC Bank. Silver-level sponsor: Vantage Financial Group. Bronze-level sponsors: Adam Kaufman, Taft, Rock the House. Pewter-level sponsors: Calfee, Dominion Energy, Skoda Minotti Emerging Companies Practice. About JumpStart Inc. JumpStart is a nationally recognized investing, entrepreneurial support and economic development organization dedicated to unlocking the full potential of diverse and ambitious entrepreneurs to economically transform entire communities. For more information, visit www.jumpstartinc.org and follow @JumpStartInc on Twitter. SOURCE JumpStart Inc. Related Links https://www.jumpstartinc.org BOSTON, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Connected2Fiber, the Industry Cloud for Connectivity, announces today that StrataNet has signed an agreement to implement The Connected World solution. StrataNet, a leading provider of high-capacity, submarine cable capacity throughout Asia and across the Pacific, recently rolled out new terrestrial routes throughout South East Asia targeting Carriers and Service Providers. The supplemental terrestrial product set across Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos & Vietnam was developed to assist carrier clients expand their footprint and reach more customers. Connected2Fiber's platform will organize and communicate StrataNet's submarine cable routes and terrestrial connectivity to these customers more efficiently and effectively. According to Chris de Josselin, CEO of StrataNet, "StrataNet's pan-Asian network is perfect to connect data centers and Enterprise locations throughout Asia. As our footprint continually grows, Connected2Fiber provides an easy way to format and distribute data to all of our Carrier customers seamlessly." "We welcome StrataNet to our platform and look forward to helping them drive sales in the market" states Ben Edmond, CEO and Founder of Connected2Fiber. "Every time a network such as StrataNet builds a new route or increases infrastructure, they add tremendous value to the ecosystem. Our platform ensures these changes are effectively communicated to all of their carriers and partners." About Connected2Fiber Connected2Fiber is the Industry Cloud for Connectivity, providing authoritative, location-based insight & applications to network sellers, buyers, and users. The Connected World platform details and displays deep, trusted location-based insight and empowers user to leverage that insight to automate go-to-market processes around deal participation, account targeting, and product pricing. Visit Connected2Fiber on the web at www.connected2fiber.com or follow us on Twitter @connected2fiber. Media Inquiries Connected2Fiber, Inc. Antoinette Poirier Tel.: 1.508.202.1808 Email: [email protected] About StrataNet StrataNet owns and operates a pan Asia network spanning over 120,000kms of subsea fiber optic cable that connects more than 50 locations, in 12 countries across Asia, and the USA. With each country having at least two landing points, StrataNet ensures absolute location and cable-system diversity into each country. To the capacity buying market, StrataNet provides access to over 15TBPs of capacity on key cable-systems across Asia under a single sales, service and operations model. For more information about StrataNet, visit www.stratanetgroup.com or email [email protected]. SOURCE Connected2Fiber Related Links http://www.connected2fiber.com WALTHAM, Mass., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Aqueduct Technologies, Inc., New England's leading IT solutions provider, continues to gain national recognition as they exceed industry expectations and uphold commitments to their customers, employees, and community. For more information about Aqueduct Technologies, please visit www.aqueducttech.com. Aqueduct recently announced they've been named to Inc. Magazine's 2019 Best Workplaces listing, an honor that more than 2,000 companies battled for nationally. This award is one of many this year for Aqueduct, as they have garnered attention for their inclusive and rewarding work environment, industry expertise, and expanding solutions portfolio. In February, Aqueduct was recognized by the Boston Business Journal as one of the Largest IT Consulting Firms in Massachusetts and then in March as one of the Largest Minority-owned Businesses in the state. With their burgeoning success, they were then recognized in April as one of the Largest Private Companies and Fastest Growing Private Companies in Massachusetts by the Boston Business Journal. "Our growth has not been the goal, but rather the byproduct of people entrusting us to help them further their success," says Manak Ahluwalia, President and CEO of Aqueduct Technologies. The Channel Company (CRN) has also identified Aqueduct for their exemplary performance as a technology reseller, ranking them as a top Managed Service Provider in North America and naming them to their Tech Elite 250 list, which comprises of solution providers who have earned the highest number of advanced technical certifications from leading technology suppliers. "Its a real honor to receive these types of recognition," says Ahluwalia. "When a regional company continues to get national recognition, you know we have something special going on here. We've worked hard to build a talented team, and as we continue to focus on doing the right thing for our customers, employees, and community, good things happen." Following their success in New England, Aqueduct announced news of opening a new office in Rhode Island earlier this year to support customers in Southern New England. About Aqueduct Technologies, Inc. Aqueduct Technologies is a New England based IT solutions provider completely vested in and devoted to the success of our customers. The combination of our industry experience, responsive local team, and executive commitment is so powerful and unique that we can confidently provide our customers the "Aqueduct 100% Services Guarantee." SOURCE Aqueduct Technologies, Inc. Related Links https://www.aqueducttech.com NEW YORK, May 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Market Overview The market for global organic polymer electronics is expected to register a CAGR of 22.3% during the forecast period (2019-2024). The demand for flexible electronic goods is required in healthcare, and government sectors. For instance, medical industry is embracing organic polymer while suggesting health and fitness tracking bands to patients for measuring heart rates, blood pressure, glucose levels and pulse. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5778472/?utm_source=PRN - With advancements in wearable technology, proliferating wearable devices are being programmed to interact with the bodies and collect data, for instance, Dog Collars for pets acting as a GPS Tracker. The flexible displays make sure that wearables are thin, light, robust, and comfortable for the user. - OLED microdisplays are being adopted in augmented and virtual devices, where users can experience much more realistic and lively images with faster response time, richer color, and higher contrast ratio, as compared to other microdisplays. - However, non-compatibility with conventional electronic goods, lack of robustness due to small life and possible degradation under environmental influences are the major reasons that hinder the growth of the market. Scope of the Report Organic electronic devices are likely to become a low-cost alternative to the traditional inorganic electronic applications, due to low material utilization (use of materials that are synthesized, rather than mined from the earth) and simple processing. They find their uses in applications like aerospace, display manufacturing, lighting due to expanding functionality and accessibility of electronics, which traditional silicon-based electronics cannot do. Key Market Trends Head Mounted Displays to Witness Huge Demand - Head-Mounted Displays used for augmented and virtual reality have organic light emitting diodes as a crucial part. - Training of all types is the most important potential use of AR/VR. Navy researchers are integrating AR technology into head mounted displays (HMD) to effectively provide ground deployed troops with the technology utilized by pilots. - In June 2018, Spex, a division of Toronto-based wearable medical device developer eSight, released a new hardware and software platform intended to combine the best current augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) features in a head-mounted device that can be worn all day. - HMDs are not only used in virtual reality gaming, but they've also been utilized in military, medical and engineering contexts to name a few. In March 2019, Valve launched a teaser site featuring a brand-new virtual reality headset, called the Valve Index. It has inside-out tracking to allow players to move around a room without worrying about placing base stations or external tracking cameras. North America to Witness the Highest Growth in Organic Polymer Electronics Market - High technology exposure and easy availability of devices have created a strong market for smart devices in North America. Most of the companies advancing in this technology are based in the United States. Leading players, like Microsoft and Magic Leap, are actively working on this technology, using the United States as their base. - When it comes to augmented reality (AR) & mixed reality (MR), US is expected to be one of the fastest-growing markets in the world. For instance, Microsoft Hololenes 2 was released in Mobile World Congress in February 2019. - In May 2018, at SharePoint Conference North America, Microsoft launched SharePoint Spaces, a feature that allows companies to create immersive worlds for viewing data and documents within SharePoint. Competitive Landscape The Organic Polymer Electronics Market is fairly concentrated due to high entry barriers and huge initial investments. Some of the recent developments in the market are - - May 2019 - Merck KGaA acquired Intermolecular, Inc. for USD 1.20 per share in an all-cash transaction. Intermolecular's capabilities in rapid material screening, in combination with the R&D pipeline of Merck KGaA is expected to foster materials innovation. - December 2018 - The GoSafe S810 by Papago has been announced as one of the best dash camera released in 2018 on G-Style Magazine. - April 2018 - FlexEnable Ltd. received USD 3 million in equity funding from Novares Group as part of a venture into sensors and automotive applications. Reasons to Purchase this report: - The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format - Report customization as per the client's requirements - 3 months of analyst support Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5778472/?utm_source=PRN About Reportbuyer Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers For more information: Sarah Smith Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com Email: [email protected] Tel: +1 (718) 213 4904 Website: www.reportbuyer.com SOURCE ReportBuyer Related Links http://www.reportbuyer.com MARTINSBURG, W.Va., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- (OTC: PTBS) - The Board of Directors of the Mountain State Apple Harvest Festival gathered today for a special announcement that will give a major boost to the annual festival in their 40th year. "Today marks a momentous occasion in the history of the Mountain State Apple Harvest Festival," according to festival board president, Susan Snowden. "For the first time ever, a patron has stepped forward and formalized their financial commitment to join this organization in promoting our rich agricultural history by becoming our presenting sponsor. BCT's roots are tied to orchardists in the eastern panhandle as far back as 1871. The Mountain State Apple Harvest Festival celebrates the role that apple orchards play in our past, present and future. Combining these two powerful groups whose genesis is similar can only mean success." Snowden continued by explaining the new partnership, "Because of BCT's commitment, The Mountain State Apple Harvest Festival will highlight their contribution by recognizing them as the 'Presenting Sponsor' of our entire festival." Joining Snowden was BCT President & CEO Alice Frazier who expressed how thrilled she was with this new opportunity to increase the bank's involvement with an event that has such rich heritage and celebrates the very heart of their organization. "A few short years after the end of the Civil War, a group comprised of 38 far-sighted Jefferson County, West Virginia farmers, orchardists, and business leaders saw the need for a bank to serve as a principal stabilizing influence on Jefferson County. They pooled some of their financial resources and started Bank of Charles Town. Today, 148 years later, BCT has grown to nearly $500 million in assets and employs over 120 associates in the tri-state region. Stepping up and contributing not only our financial resources but our 'people' resources by becoming entrenched in all aspects of the festival was a perfect fit for us." Snowden said that the festival is blessed to not only have BCT as the Presenting Sponsor this year but many other businesses and individuals in the community who have been Major Event Sponsors for the festival weekend. "Without their continued support, the festival would not have continued this long-standing tradition in our community all of these years. The board looks forward to celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the festival this Fall." Maid Elect McKayla Dodson, daughter of Roy and Barbara Dodson of Charles Town, who will be crowned as Queen Pomona XL in the Fall was at the event today as well. Dodson will reign over the annual Mountain State Apple Harvest Festival October 17-20, 2019. Board members of both BCT and the Mountain State Apple Harvest Festival were also in attendance for the announcement. SOURCE BCT - Bank of Charles Town Washington, DC, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The newly re-introduced Medical Debt Relief Act will shield millions of patients nationwide from unfair credit-reporting practices, according to the National Patient Advocate Foundation (NPAF), a national nonprofit organization amplifying patient voices in support of access to affordable, equitable health care. The Medical Debt Relief Act of 2019, introduced by Senator Jeff Merkley, prohibits credit bureaus from including medical collections on reports for an entire year, starting from the first time a patient is notified of the debt. While some credit agencies place a 180-day embargo before citing past due medical bills on credit reports, there is no current governance and the practice is not uniformly followed. An appeals process can take a long time, and unfortunately for many patients, they could still be in that process before even a 180 day deadline, said Rebecca Kirch, NPAF executive vice president for health care quality and value. Enforcing and extending a prohibition on reports is the only way to realistically approach this problem. Along with the extended prohibition on credit reporting, the bill requires agencies to promptly remove settled medical debts from credit reports. Additionally, the bill improves consumers ability to correct credit report errors by establishing a new appeal process for initial reviews of disputed items and reduces the amount of time that adverse credit information stays on reports. These provisions are critical steps in allowing patients and their families the time they need to evaluate the validity of medical bills, contest those that are in error and resolve coverage or billing disputes without being unfairly penalized. These protections are also important to help families avoid household material hardships and support patient and family quality of life, enabling affected individuals to focus on treatment and recovery rather than distressing financial hardship caused by illness, wrote Kirch in a letter of support to Senator Merkley. One in six Americans have a past-due medical bill on their credit report. These bills will stay on a report for seven years. Still, despite its ubiquity, studies have shown that medical debt is less predictive than other types of consumer debt for evaluating credit-worthiness. Credit reports that include medical debt, then, are ultimately less reliable than those which do not. Not only is medical billing already a system rife with abuse, said Kirch, referring to statistics that cite errors in medical bills ranging from anywhere from 20 percent to 80 percent of all bills, but we are working within a population that is already disadvantaged and potentially living with a serious illness. The Medical Debt Relief Act is sorely needed as a safeguard for patients, caregivers and their families. Senator Jeff Merkley introduced the Medical Debt Relief Act last week. Current cosponsors include Senators Richard Blumenthal, Elizabeth Warren, Bob Menendez and Dick Durbin. About National Patient Advocate Foundation: National Patient Advocate Foundation, the advocacy affiliate of the Patient Advocate Foundation, amplifies the patient voice in support of access to affordable, equitable care. Our staff and volunteers work at the local, regional and national level to provide education, share their stories and promote policy solutions. CARLSBAD, Calif., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader in serving science, today announced a collaboration with Scinogy, specialists in closed, automated manufacturing systems for cell therapies, to develop and commercialize fit-for-purpose instrumentation and reagent systems aimed at improving productivity and scalability of cell and gene therapy manufacturing. The manual processes commonly used in development and clinical trials are not cost-effective, transferable, or commercially viable. Alternative methods using more integrated systems often lack flexibility and generally suffer from poor capacity utilization. To realize the promise of cell therapy, the industry requires a novel approach. Thermo Fisher's collaboration with Scinogy will provide closed, modular, automated systems designed to enable scalable, cost-effective cell and gene therapy development and manufacturing. "The cell therapy industry is expanding steadily, and Thermo Fisher Scientific is committed to empowering developers to accelerate the time between R&D to full-scale manufacturing and commercialization," said Amy Butler, vice president and general manager of cell biology at Thermo Fisher Scientific. "The team at Scinogy has an impressive track record of developing manufacturing systems that deliver high-quality, affordable cell and gene therapies, ultimately helping increase access to life-saving therapies around the world." As an initial result of the collaboration, Thermo Fisher will unveil the new Gibco CTS Rotea Counterflow Centrifugation System at the International Society for Cellular Therapy meeting in Melbourne from May 29-June 1. The Rotea counterflow centrifuge is a highly reproducible, closed cell processing system designed for separation, washing and concentration of both autologous and small-scale allogeneic cell therapy samples. The system features: Patented technology that can continuously process up to 20L of starting volume and deliver the concentrate in as little as 5mL output containing up to 200M cells/mL. cells/mL. Intuitive, user-programmable software and an embedded camera enable flexibility to create and optimize a broad range of protocols. A gentle fluidized bed to support high-throughput and low-shear processing with up to 97 percent cell recovery (cell type and process dependent). "The Rotea counterflow centrifuge is the first in a family of manufacturing technologies being developed to suit the specific challenges and needs of the cell and gene therapy industry," said Bryan Poltilove, general manager of cell and gene therapy at Thermo Fisher Scientific. "The compact size, process flexibility and single-use kit allow the system to seamlessly scale from research through commercial manufacturing." For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com/rotea. About Thermo Fisher Scientific Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with revenues of more than $24 billion and approximately 70,000 employees globally. Our mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. We help our customers accelerate life sciences research, solve complex analytical challenges, improve patient diagnostics, deliver medicines to market and increase laboratory productivity. Through our premier brands Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific and Unity Lab Services we offer an unmatched combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and comprehensive support. For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com. Ken DiCienzo Greenough Brand Storytellers +1 617 275 6550 [email protected] SOURCE Thermo Fisher Scientific Related Links http://www.thermofisher.com SAN JOSE, Calif., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Niagara Networks, a premier provider for security and visibility layer, announced today a partnership agreement with Uila Inc., the Monitoring and Analytics company for Hybrid Enterprises. Together, the two companies will provide seamless full-stack visibility solution for faster and deeper analysis into data that moves laterally within the virtualized environment, including Data Center and Cloud deployments, bridging the gap between infrastructure, virtualization, application and security monitoring. Data center architecture has evolved dramatically in recent years, enabling it to effectively run large-scale, distributed, secured, multi-tier applications across public, private and hybrid cloud environments. To support and ultimately ensure delivery of business-critical applications and services, a distinct architecture has emerged that involves resource sharing between network, physical infrastructure, and virtualization technologies. A majority of the traffic within any virtualized deployment moves laterally (east-west), which could mean that once a malware is inside of the Data Center it could become unstoppable. This makes monitoring of that virtualized east-west traffic very critical for any IT team in addition to the traditional north-south monitoring. The partnership will provide a highly scalable solution architecture with the ease of having a distributed deployment of Uila's Virtual Smart Taps across private cloud and multi-clouds environment for monitoring the east-west traffic. With Niagara Networks' robust Network Packet Broker, traffic can be tunneled from the virtualized networks using Uila to specific network service, monitoring devices, performance management and security appliances. The unique joint solution allows customers to not only monitor applications, networks and infrastructure, but also identify known, suspicious, and unknown traffic passing through the combined physical, virtual and cloud network. The rollout of the Uila-Niagara integration requires no agents for traffic capture like other Application Performance Monitoring solutions, so the IT teams can monitor any host or application without special approvals from the application owners. With this integration, enterprise organizations will have complete visibility into Network Virtualization deployments like VMware NSX and be able to build their network micro-segmentation plans. Users also have the option to upgrade to enable the full performance and security analysis and troubleshooting for applications and networks using Uila as an overlay monitoring solution. "We are excited to partner with Niagara Networks to bring this powerful integration to our joint enterprise customers and push the future of application-centric performance and security monitoring for Hybrid Enterprises," says Chia-chee Kuan, CEO and Founder for Uila. "Today's announcement is another solid step in our strategic focus on our Deep Packet Inspection capabilities and the packets being the single source of truth with the recording and analysis of east-west network traffic communication patterns for performance and security monitoring." "Today, we are thrilled to announce this partnership with Uila. It enables us to extend our advanced security and monitoring visibility layer for the private and public cloud," said Ben Askarinam, CEO of Niagara Networks. "This means data-center operations will be better served, and better performance delivered for our enterprise customers." About Uila Uila provides Monitoring & Analytics in a single pane of glass for the Hybrid Enterprise. With Uila, IT Operations and Cloud IT teams can visualize application workload dependencies across cloud platforms, rightsized resources and investments for their workloads and plan workload migration strategies for Hybrid and Multi-Cloud deployments. IT teams can also identify performance bottlenecks for business-critical services using full-stack correlation with 1-click root cause analysis and a patented Deep Packet Inspection technology that understands over 3,000 application protocols for transactional metadata analysis. Businesses use Uila to align themselves with their IT teams and cut time to resolution from days to minutes, keep their application at peak performance at all time and ensure end-user satisfaction to the fullest across cloud boundaries. About Niagara Networks Niagara Networks provides high performance network visibility solutions to allow seamless administration of security solutions, performance management and network monitoring. Niagara Networks products provide advantages in terms of network operation expenses, downtime, and total cost of ownership. A former division of Interface Masters, Niagara Networks provides all the building blocks for an advanced Visibility Adaptation Layer at all data rates up to 100Gb, including taps, bypass elements, packet brokers and a unified management layer. Thanks to its integrated in-house capabilities and tailor-made development cycle, Niagara Networks are agile in responding to market trends and in meeting the customized needs of service providers, enterprise, data centers, and government agencies. SOURCE Niagara Networks Inc Related Links https://www.niagaranetworks.com/ ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- This year, Unilever is sponsoring 2019 WorldPride in New York City, which marks the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising and WorldPride, to celebrate the progress made by the LGBTQIA+ community. However, a number of issues still affect the community at large including the representation of trans people and people of color in media, youth homelessness, healthcare and counseling services, victimization and life expectancy. The statistics are staggering: 36% of trans people reported that media representations of trans people had precipitated negative reactions from their family or friends. 1 The average life expectancy of a trans woman of color is 35. 2 1 in 4 pre-teen suicides may be LGBTQIA+ youth. 3 As reported by the LGBT Homeless Youth Provider Survey, 68% indicate family rejection as a major factor contributing to LGBTQIA+ youth homelessness. According to the American Journal of Public Health, each episode of LGBTQIA+ victimization such as physical or verbal harassment or abuse, increases the likelihood of self-harming behavior 2.5 times. As a corporate ally to the LGBTQIA+ community, Unilever remains committed to championing equality, unity, fairness and respect within and beyond its business. Today, the company is launching "United We Stand," a Pride campaign that turns over the reins of its WorldPride sponsorship to six New York based organizations and six people at the forefront of communicating LGBTQIA+ culture to highlight the issues that merit decisive action. "It is our privilege to provide a platform to the organizations that are on the front line of assisting with these important issues. The six allies we are partnering with for the United We Stand campaign work tirelessly to bring about equality and well-being to the LGBTQIA+ community," said Mita Mallick, Head of Diversity and Cross-Cultural Marketing at Unilever North America. "Acceptance and inclusion of the uniqueness of every individual is at the heart of our business. Through our partnership this Pride, we hope to galvanize a new wave of support for each of these organizations to continue in their important work of advocacy, support and education within the LGBTQIA+ community and beyond." About the 'United We Stand' Campaign Dove is working with Aaron Philip to bring awareness to individuals underrepresented in media and advertising and show the world that beauty isn't binary. Aaron and Dove have partnered with the Audre Lorde Project - a New York based organization which focuses on supporting organizing campaigns that work on healing justice, trans justice, community building and volunteering - to make the fashion and beauty industries more diverse, inclusive, and accessible. Said Aaron, "It's been great to partner with Dove to celebrate the amazing work Audre Lorde Project in serving LGBTQIA+ communities of color. My journey proves that beauty isn't binary, and I hope that by sharing my story it gives others in our community strength to follow their dreams." is working with to bring awareness to individuals underrepresented in media and advertising and show the world that beauty isn't binary. Aaron and Dove have partnered with the - a based organization which focuses on supporting organizing campaigns that work on healing justice, trans justice, community building and volunteering - to make the fashion and beauty industries more diverse, inclusive, and accessible. Said Aaron, "It's been great to partner with Dove to celebrate the amazing work Audre Lorde Project in serving LGBTQIA+ communities of color. My journey proves that beauty isn't binary, and I hope that by sharing my story it gives others in our community strength to follow their dreams." Schmidt's Naturals is teaming up with Lachlan Watson and the Trans Justice Funding Project - a community-led funding initiative supporting grassroots trans justice groups run by and for trans people - to elevate the critical role that self-care, community, and wellness play in the trans and non-binary community. Together, they are raising awareness of the important role that small actions of self-care can have on your mental health and wellness. "Change starts at the frontline and that's why, on this Pride 2019, I'm proud to partner with Schmidt's to bring awareness to the work of the Trans Justice Funding Project," said Lachlan. "It's easy to get caught up in the feeling of being unable to change the big picture, which is why it's so important that we fund and support real, trans-lead organizations like the Trans Justice Funding Project who are truly embodying that change." is teaming up with and the a community-led funding initiative supporting grassroots trans justice groups run by and for trans people - to elevate the critical role that self-care, community, and wellness play in the trans and non-binary community. Together, they are raising awareness of the important role that small actions of self-care can have on your mental health and wellness. "Change starts at the frontline and that's why, on this Pride 2019, I'm proud to partner with Schmidt's to bring awareness to the work of the Trans Justice Funding Project," said Lachlan. "It's easy to get caught up in the feeling of being unable to change the big picture, which is why it's so important that we fund and support real, trans-lead organizations like the Trans Justice Funding Project who are truly embodying that change." Shea Moisture , a brand that believes that economic empowerment is essential for people to thrive, is partnering with Big Freedia to support the work of Destination Tomorrow - a grassroots South Bronx agency servicing the LGBTQIA+ community that offers young people a space to learn and flourish by providing them with comprehensive programs and services - in building economic empowerment for LGBTQIA+ communities in the Bronx. Said Big Freedia , "My whole message is about economic empowerment as an essential part of helping communities to thrive especially within LGBTQIA+ peoples of color who face so many barriers. It's a pleasure to partner with Shea Moisture for Pride 2019 to hero the work of Destination Tomorrow in supporting our communities in the Bronx ." , a brand that believes that economic empowerment is essential for people to thrive, is partnering with to support the work of a grassroots agency servicing the LGBTQIA+ community that offers young people a space to learn and flourish by providing them with comprehensive programs and services - in building economic empowerment for LGBTQIA+ communities in the Bronx. , "My whole message is about economic empowerment as an essential part of helping communities to thrive especially within LGBTQIA+ peoples of color who face so many barriers. It's a pleasure to partner with Shea Moisture for Pride 2019 to hero the work of Destination Tomorrow in supporting our communities in the ." Axe, a brand that aims to tackle toxic behaviors associated with traditional masculinity, is working with Tommy Dorfman and the Anti-Violence Project - a leading New York based charity founded to offer on the ground support and counseling services to LGBTQIA+ peoples who experience hate crimes and/or violence - to create world where LGBTQIA+ people are safe, respected, and live free from violence. Said Tommy, "The work of the Anti-Violence Project is vital. As I share in my film, there were moments in my life when a helpline to talk to queer people who understand some of the hate I received as I explored gender would have been really beneficial. I hope partnering with Axe to support the work of AVP will make you also get involved and support their work." a brand that aims to tackle toxic behaviors associated with traditional masculinity, is working with and the a leading based charity founded to offer on the ground support and counseling services to LGBTQIA+ peoples who experience hate crimes and/or violence - to create world where LGBTQIA+ people are safe, respected, and live free from violence. Said Tommy, "The work of the Anti-Violence Project is vital. As I share in my film, there were moments in my life when a helpline to talk to queer people who understand some of the hate I received as I explored gender would have been really beneficial. I hope partnering with Axe to support the work of AVP will make you also get involved and support their work." Vaseline , a brand that believes in the power of healing both physically and emotionally, is teaming up with Titus Burgess and New Alternatives - an organization dedicated to the care and well-being of young people in the LGBTQIA+ community - to underscore the need for a place that helps LGBTQIA+ youth feel accepted and empowered on their road to self-sufficiency. "I have a personal connection to New Alternatives and am happy to be working with Vaseline to support their vital work in NYC with homeless LGBTQIA+ youth. It's important to support grassroots organizations alongside the bigger known organizations and bring healing to our community." , a brand that believes in the power of healing both physically and emotionally, is teaming up with and an organization dedicated to the care and well-being of young people in the LGBTQIA+ community - to underscore the need for a place that helps LGBTQIA+ youth feel accepted and empowered on their road to self-sufficiency. "I have a personal connection to New Alternatives and am happy to be working with Vaseline to support their vital work in with homeless LGBTQIA+ youth. It's important to support grassroots organizations alongside the bigger known organizations and bring healing to our community." Suave, a brand that has valued the importance of family for over 80 years, is teaming up with Amiyah Scott and PFLAG - an organization with a mission of support, education and advocacy for the LGBTQIA+ community that is committed to advancing equality - to create awareness around the importance of family support and acceptance within the LGBTQIA+ community. Said Amiyah, "I have a personal connection to PFLAG and they are a part of my journey that I share with my father. It was great to have the opportunity to partner with Suave to share this, and I hope the film will help touch not just LGBTQIA+ people but also the families of all types that surround them." Unilever partnered with breakthrough director Tourmaline, director of "Happy Birthday, Marsha," a film about iconic transgender artist and activist, Marsha "Pay It No Mind" Johnson and her life in the hours before she ignited the 1969 Stonewall Riots in New York City. Tourmaline and Unilever worked to capture creative content that shines a light on the important organizations in the LGBTQIA+ world. A passionate advocate for the trans community, Tourmaline is committed to shifting the conversation around the gender binary of society and unearthing histories of trans women of color. Follow #UnitedWeStand on social media to follow the campaign, watch videos that introduce the inspiring people sparking important dialogue within the community and show your support for the six organizations that are making meaningful contributions to help future generations of LGBTQIA+ prosper. United We Stand supports the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan, the company's blueprint for decoupling its growth from its environmental footprint while increasing positive social impact. One of the three big goals of the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan is to enhance livelihoods for millions of people by 2020, which includes creating an inclusive business and society. About Unilever United States, Inc. Unilever is one of the world's leading suppliers of Beauty & Personal Care, Home Care, and Foods & Refreshment products with sales in over 190 countries and reaching 2.5 billion consumers a day. In the United States, the portfolio includes brand icons such as Axe, Ben & Jerry's, Breyers, Caress, Degree, Dollar Shave Club, Dove, Good Humor, Hellmann's, Klondike, Knorr, Lever 2000, Lipton, Love Beauty and Planet, Magnum, Nexxus, Noxzema, Pond's, Popsicle, Pure Leaf, Q-tips, Schmidt's Naturals, Seventh Generation, Simple, Sir Kensington's, St. Ives, Suave, Sundial Brands, Talenti Gelato & Sorbetto, TAZO, TIGI, TONI&GUY, TRESemme and Vaseline. All of the preceding brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies. Unilever's Sustainable Living Plan underpins the company's strategy and commits to: Helping more than a billion people take action to improve their health and well-being by 2020. Halving the environmental impact of our products by 2030. Enhancing the livelihoods of millions of people by 2020. For more information on Unilever U.S., its brands, and the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan visit: www.unileverusa.com. Contact: Sarah Menon / Edelman 212.704.8253 [email protected] 1 How Transgender People Experience the Media (2010) 2 Silvia Riviera Law Project (2019) 3 Journal of Adolescent Health (2018) SOURCE Unilever Related Links http://www.unileverusa.com HAMPTON, Va., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA is hosting the 3rd annual RASC-AL Special Edition: Moon to Mars Ice and Prospecting Challenge at the agency's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. Nine university teams will face the challenge of extracting water from ice buried beneath simulated Martian dirt/regolith as NASA explores how to effectively and efficiently use resources on the Moon and Mars. News media are invited to cover the event June 5 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Students, faculty and NASA subject matter experts will be available for interviews. Media should contact Kristyn Damadeo at 757-864-1090 or [email protected] for access to Langley. After landing humans on the Moon in 2024, NASA will establish a sustained human presence four years later. The Artemis program will require new capabilities, including technology to collect and purify water on the surface as well as extract oxygen from the lunar soil. Many of these technologies will have direct application to human missions to Mars. The technologies needed are so new that the student competitors have an opportunity to make meaningful contributions to NASA's plans for extracting water on the Moon and Mars. The nine teams participating in this challenge will work at simulated lunar/Martian ice stations set up in Langley's research aircraft hangar. Each station will consist of layers of material and solid blocks of ice that students will drill into using equipment they designed and built. The teams are from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh; Colorado School of Mines in Golden; Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge; Northeastern University in Boston; Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey; University of Houston; University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia; and West Virginia University in Morgantown. The event, a partnership between NASA and the National Institute of Aerospace in Hampton, Virginia, is called the RASC-AL (Revolutionary Aerospace Systems Concepts Academic Linkages) Special Edition: Mars Ice Challenge. For information about the challenge, go to: http://specialedition.rascal.nianet.org/ For more information about NASA's Moon to Mars exploration plans, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/moontomars SOURCE NASA Related Links http://www.nasa.gov PALO ALTO, Calif., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Varian (NYSE: VAR) today announced it will be showcasing its Noona patient management system and its 360 Oncology care management platform, May 31-June 4 in Chicago, Illinois at the 2019 ASCO Annual Meeting, booth 18117. Additional Varian software solutions being demonstrated at ASCO include: ARIA : A comprehensive electronic medical record and image management system that aggregates patient data into an organized, oncology-specific medical chart with functional components for managing clinical, administrative and financial operations for medical, radiation and surgical oncology. : A comprehensive electronic medical record and image management system that aggregates patient data into an organized, oncology-specific medical chart with functional components for managing clinical, administrative and financial operations for medical, radiation and surgical oncology. Varian Mobile: Allows clinicians to access and edit their ARIA clinical data anywhere in real time. Velocity : Aggregates unstructured treatment and imaging data from diverse systems to show a comprehensive view of a patient's diagnostic imaging and treatment history. : Aggregates unstructured treatment and imaging data from diverse systems to show a comprehensive view of a patient's diagnostic imaging and treatment history. OncoPeer : An exclusive online community where Varian customers can publish knowledge, share data, exchange treatment techniques and discuss best practicesall while broadening their professional oncology network. : An exclusive online community where Varian customers can publish knowledge, share data, exchange treatment techniques and discuss best practicesall while broadening their professional oncology network. FullScale: Varian's FullScale solutions take advantage of virtualization or cloud technologies to deploy Varian softwareboth the ARIA oncology information system and Eclipse treatment planning. When: ASCO is May 31 Jun 4, 2019. The exhibition is open from 9am-5pm starting June 1st Where: McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois, South Building, Level 3 About Varian Varian is a leader in developing and delivering cancer care solutions and is focused on creating a world without fear of cancer. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, Varian employs approximately 7,000 people around the world. For more information, visit http://www.varian.com and follow @VarianMedSys on Twitter. Press Contact Mark Plungy Director, Global Public Relations +1 (650) 424-5630 [email protected] Investor Relations Contact J. Michael Bruff Senior Vice President, Investor Relations +1 (650) 424-5163 [email protected] SOURCE Varian Related Links http://www.varian.com NEW YORK, May 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- A recent report titled "Vegan Baking Ingredients Market Forecast, Trend Analysis and Competition Tracking Global Market Insights 2018 to 2027" provides detailed insights into the vegan baking ingredients market. A comprehensive assessment of all the factors influencing the vegan baking ingredients market has been propounded in the report. Both qualitative and quantitative assessment of the identified factors has been propounded in the report. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05778096/?utm_source=PRN About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Contact Clare: [email protected] US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 SOURCE Reportlinker Related Links http://www.reportlinker.com LONDON, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Pulmonary/ Respiratory Drug Delivery Market by Formulation (Type (Suspension Aerosols, Solution Aerosols and Dry Powder Formulations) and Device Type (Metered Dose Inhalers (MDIS), Dry Powder Inhalers (DPIS) and Nebulizers)), by Canister Type (Plain and Coated Canister), by Application (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Asthma, Cystic Fibrosis and Other Applications), by End User (Hospitals & Clinics and Home Care Settings), Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast Market Definition: Pulmonary respiratory or drug delivery devices are used since decades for the delivery of drugs required for treating respiratory diseases. Pulmonary drug delivery pathway is one of the most effective means of drug delivery in respiratory diseases. This is because the lungs give a huge surface area of alveoli having a higher capillary network, which offers an excellent absorbing surface for administration of drugs. Innovation in device technology have led to the expansion of more proficient delivery systems, which is capable of providing micro particles and large doses into the lung. Depending upon the formulation type the pulmonary respiratory or drug delivery devices is based on device type and formulation type. Technological advancements in the field have further propelled the market growth to the greater extent. Market Overview and Trends Asthma, which is the leading chronic disease in children, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are anticipated to become the third leading cause of death in the word by 2030. This is the prime factor contributing for the increasing demand for respiratory drug delivery. The technology of Pulmonary/ Respiratory Drug Delivery is consistently budding with an aim to introduce advanced innovative healthcare sector. This is further contributing for the significant demand for Pulmonary/ Respiratory Drug Delivery worldwide. In the recent trend observed, there has been a positive momentum in the area of research specific to pulmonary or respiratory drug delivery systems. Subsequently, there is a list of products that are under clinical trial for various therapeutic applications that include cystic fibrosis, asthma/COPD, diabetes, cancer and pain management. The upgradation of technology is another factor that stimulate the pulmonary drug delivery systems market. This is owing to the advantages such as ease of administration, low quantity of drug required in comparison to oral dosages. Additionally, fewer side effects of this technology as the drugs directly reach the lungs, while remaining gets neutralized from the rest of the body. Download samples here: https://www.visiongain.com/report/global-pulmonary-respiratory-drug-delivery-market-2019-2029/#download_sampe_div Market Dynamics: Factors Influencing the Market Growth: Increasing incidence of pulmonary or respiratory diseases such as asthma, COPD and cystic fibrosis globally. Increasing healthcare expenditure in the developing economies. Rise in preference for Pulmonary Drug Delivery as an Alternate Route of Drug Delivery Technological advancements and development of digital and smart inhalers. Increasing government initiative for basic and clinical research on diseases such as allergy, asthma and clinical immunology drives the market growth. The development of drug delivery system has increased in the recent past due to its quality, efficacy, and safety and the increasing awareness about the device has further augmented the market growth. Factors Restraining the Market Growth: Compliances for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and other regulatory framework Costly devices and unclear reimbursement policies. To find out more about this report please contact Sara Peerun at [email protected] or refer to our website: https://www.visiongain.com/report/global-pulmonary-respiratory-drug-delivery-market-2019-2029 Market Segmentation 2019-2029: Formulation Type Suspension Aerosols Market, 2019-2029 Solution Aerosols Market, 2019-2029 Dry Powder Formulations Market, 2019-2029 Device Type Metered Dose Inhalers (MDIS) Market, 2019-2029 Dry Powder Inhalers (DPIS) Market, 2019-2029 Nebulizers Jet Nebulizers Market, 2019-2029 Ultrasonic Nebulizers Market, 2019-2029 Soft Mist Nebulizers Market, 2019-2029 Canister Type Plain Canisters Market, 2019-2029 Coated Canister Market, 2019-2029 Application Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Market, 2019-2029 Asthma Market, 2019-2029 Cystic Fibrosis Market, 2019-2029 Other Applications Market, 2019-2029 End User Hospitals & Clinics Market, 2019-2029 Homecare Settings Market, 2019-2029 Geographic breakdown Focused regional forecasts and analysis explore the future opportunities: North America Market, 2019-2029 U.S. Market, 2019-2029 Canada Market, 2019-2029 Mexico Market, 2019-2029 Rest of North America Market, 2019-2029 Europe Market, 2019-2029 Germany Market, 2019-2029 UK Market, 2019-2029 France Market, 2019-2029 Spain Market, 2019-2029 Italy Market, 2019-2029 Rest of Europe Market, 2019-2029 Asia-Pacific Market, 2019-2029 China Market, 2019-2029 Japan Market, 2019-2029 India Market, 2019-2029 Australia Market, 2019-2029 Malaysia Market, 2019-2029 Rest of Asia Pacific Market, 2019-2029 LAMEA Market, 2019-2029 Brazil Market, 2019-2029 Argentina Market, 2019-2029 Turkey Market, 2019-2029 South Africa Market, 2019-2029 Rest of LAMEA Market, 2019-2029 Competitive Analysis: The global pulmonary/respiratory drug delivery market is highly fragmented and the key players have employed various strategies such as agreements, partnerships, expansions new product launches, joint ventures, acquisitions, and others to intensify their footprints in this market. Companies are strategically expanding their global presence and offering improved products across various sectors. Major Market Players: GlaxoSmithKline PLC, Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, 3M, AstraZeneca plc, Merck & Co., Inc., Novartis AG, Omron Corporation, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Cipla Inc. and Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. Did you know that we also offer a report add-on service? Email [email protected] to discuss any customized research needs you may have. Companies covered in the report include: 3M Abbott Laboratories Airssential Alkermes Allied Healthcare Products Aphios Corporation AptarGroup, Inc. AptarGroup, Inc. ASTA AstraZeneca plc Aventis BeyonDevices Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH Briggs Healthcare Britania Cambridge Consultant CareFusion Catalent, Inc. Chiesi Cipla Inc. Clement Clarke International DeVilbiss Healthcare Dura F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. Fexicare Fisons Pharmaceuticals GF Health Products Inc. GlaxoSmithKline plc Harris Pharmaceuticals Hovione Inniveta Biomed Koninklijke Philips N.V. Lab Pharma Merck & Co., Inc. MiatSpA Norton Healthcare Novartis AG Omron Corporation OMRON Corporation Otsuka Pharmaceuticals PARI Pfizer Pharmachemie Progressive Trade Media Limited Respirics Schering-Plough SkyPharma Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. TTP plc Vectura To discuss this report please e-mail Sara Peerun on [email protected] SOURCE Visiongain NEW YORK, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- With thousands of WordPress plugins to add to your website, it's important to know which plugins will enhance your site's functionality and bring it to the next level. Website plugins are offered for everything from SEO to site security, but there are only a few superstar plugins that will exceed your expectations and make your WordPress site successful. In order to help you find the best stand-out add-on for your site, Huemor, a Web Development Company in NYC , has compiled a list of the 5 most essential WordPress plugins your site should have. Check them out below. Yoast SEO: SEO is crucial for a website's success, and there's no better WordPress plugin to optimize your SEO than Yoast SEO. Accessible directly on your WordPress dashboard, Yoast will let you know how tailored content pieces are for SEO based on keyword frequency and readability. Plus, it gives some great SEO recommendations for any content that's not up to par. Monster Insights: Google Analytics is a valuable tool for understanding who your website's audience is and where they're coming from. Monster Insights incorporates Google Analytics into your WordPress dashboard. It's 100% free and allows you to continuously monitor various essential statistics regarding your website. Wordfence Security: Keeping your website safe and secure is an essential piece of being a website owner. Wordfence security is a crucial security plugin that protects your site against hackers, with features like firewall protection, malware scanning, and login security. Having a protected website will keep malware and malicious users at bay, keeping your data and hard work safe. Woocommerce: Are you selling products on your website? If yes, then Woocommerce is the best plugin for your ecommerce site. Woocommerce creates a seamless checkout experience for your customers, equipped with the ability to offer various shipping and payment options based on your business decisions. Jetpack: If you're going to install any plugin from this list, it should be the all-in-one tool, Jetpack. With several essential features for any WordPress site, it covers website security, performance, image optimization, traffic growth, and even more after that. Jetpack truly takes your website to the next level. Installing these plugins on your WordPress website is sure to bring your website to the next level, helping to improve its functionality, website analytics, security, and more. About Huemor: Web Design and Development Agency, Huemor, helps ecommerce, beauty, SaaS, B2B, and nonprofit businesses create best-in-class website experiences to drive their online growth and improve their overall bottom line. Huemor's team of designers and developers work to create memorable websites that tell your brand's story, improve your key metrics, and display your brand with pride. Balancing memorable brand experiences with user-centric design, Huemor has amassed an impressive portfolio of case studies with successful clients, helping companies build memorable digital experiences for their brand across various industries. SOURCE Huemor Related Links http://huemor.rocks SAN FRANCISCO, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- With the diverse needs of today's homebuyers, building industry professionals are counting on the Whirlpool Corporation brand portfolio to offer solutions that fit consumers' ever-changing preferences. The world's leading manufacturer of major home appliances* will showcase a diverse selection of innovative kitchen and laundry appliances from its strategically differentiated brand portfolio at the 2019 Pacific Coast Builders Conference (PCBC) in San Francisco, May 30-31. "Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, Whirlpool Corporation has a purposeful and consumer-centric approach to each of its brands and offerings," noted Kelly Safis, General Manager, Builder Sales at Whirlpool Corporation. "With our five-brand portfolio Whirlpool, KitchenAid, JennAir, Maytag and Amana we're able to meet the particular needs and wants of today's homebuyers, from Millennials and Gen Z to Boomers and Gen X." The Whirlpool Corporation displays at Booth #927 and #1126 will feature its robust product innovation pipeline from Whirlpool, KitchenAid and JennAir. Each brand has been thoughtfully designed to suit a specific customer and home type, giving building industry professionals the depth and breadth of appliance options to suit virtually any project. Featured products on display at PCBC include: Whirlpool Smart All-In-One Washer & Dryer: The smart laundry unit completes a load of laundry in the same machine, allowing for one load to be completely washed and dried without transferring. The Whirlpool Smart All-In-One Washer & Dryer comes with innovative features including the Load & Go Dispenser, which allows consumers to skip adding detergent to every load, and coming soon, voice control with a compatible voice-enabled device**. The smart laundry unit completes a load of laundry in the same machine, allowing for one load to be completely washed and dried without transferring. The Whirlpool Smart All-In-One Washer & Dryer comes with innovative features including the Load & Go Dispenser, which allows consumers to skip adding detergent to every load, and coming soon, voice control with a compatible voice-enabled device**. KitchenAid Smart Oven+ with Powered Attachments: Created from the same founding principles as the iconic KitchenAid Stand Mixer, the Smart Oven+ features the first-ever collection of oven-powered grill, baking stone and steamer attachments, designed to deliver the best in smart cooking performance, while expanding capabilities in the kitchen. Created from the same founding principles as the iconic KitchenAid Stand Mixer, the Smart Oven+ features the first-ever collection of oven-powered grill, baking stone and steamer attachments, designed to deliver the best in smart cooking performance, while expanding capabilities in the kitchen. JennAir RISE Design Expression Column Refrigerators: With hundreds of customizable combinations, the new JennAir Column Refrigerators redefine luxury refrigeration. The column refrigerators feature a daring Obsidian interior and 650 LED lights to frame and fill each column. "When working with Whirlpool Corporation, you get access to not only our strategic portfolio of brands, but also the individuals and resources to help you match the right appliances to your project and your customers," Safis continued. "Building industry professionals can count on us to deliver the expertise, tools and insights they need to sell more in-demand homes and satisfy their customers." For details on other Whirlpool Corporation products displayed at PCBC, visit WhirlpoolPro.com/PCBC-2019 . For more information about Whirlpool Corporation, its portfolio of brands and other offerings for industry professionals, visit WhirlpoolPro.com . *Based on most recently available publicly reported annual revenues. ** U.S. only. Appliance must be set to Remote Enable. WiFi & App Required. Features subject to change. Details and privacy info at whirlpool.com/connect . About Whirlpool Corporation Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) is the world's leading major home appliance company*, with approximately $21 billion in annual sales, 92,000 employees and 65 manufacturing and technology research centers in 2018. The company markets Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, Consul, Brastemp, Amana, Bauknecht, JennAir, Indesit and other major brand names in nearly every country throughout the world. Additional information about the company can be found at WhirlpoolCorp.com, or find us on Twitter at @WhirlpoolCorp. SOURCE Whirlpool Corporation Related Links http://www.whirlpool.com NEW YORK, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- With big data algorithms and predictive analytics now driving college admission and merit aid decisions, myKlovr announced today that they have partnered with Social Assurity to incorporate social media training into the myKlovr college counseling platform. Acknowledging that 75% of colleges routinely monitor an applicant's social media presence, online social media training will now be available to myKlovr users as an additional membership benefit. Social Assurity provides students with online social media training, teaching students how to utilize popular social media platforms to curate a digital self-portrait that showcases their interests and achievements, all while building a lifelong network. MyKlovr's CEO and Founder, Gustavo Dolfino said: "Social media is a valuable mechanism to convey information about an applicant. College admission offices, scholarship committees, alumni interviewers, and financial aid offices routinely evaluate a student's social media interactions and online presence as a way to make better decisions about qualified applicants. MyKlovr is committed to positioning students for college success and social media plays a critical role in college admissions." Social Assurity's founder, Alan Katzman added: "We are thrilled to be working with the myKlovr network of parents, students, and companies, and look forward to showing students how to use social media to distinguish themselves and to leverage enrollment management algorithms for the college admissions process." The strategic alliance between both leaders was put together over many months; it is a logical progression of a shifting paradigm in the college admissions world, where a one stop shop solution was badly needed. By agreeing to cooperate and leverage each other's platforms for the benefit of students and parents, myKlovr and Social Assurity have filled the void which had never been successfully addressed before. About myKlovr MyKlovr is a media division of Student Global, LLC, established in New York in 2016. MyKlovr is the first-of-its-kind virtual college counseling platform that utilizes predictive data analytics and artificial intelligence to increase every high school student's chances of college admission. For more information, please visit https://myklovr.com. About Social Assurity Social Assurity is the leading online social media training provider for students, parents, and schools. Social Assurity empowers high school and college students to harness and leverage the power of social media to create informative and persuasive social media profiles that reflect their interests, unique qualities, and character traits. For more information, please visit https://socialassurity.com. SOURCE myKlovr Related Links https://myklovr.com AUSTIN, Texas, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BitAngels (http://bitangels.io/), an investor network for the blockchain industry, today announced the launch of its Austin chapter. BitAngels Austin joins a growing network of investor groups helping to expand the blockchain ecosystem through community events and company spotlights. The first BitAngels Austin event will take place on Thursday, May 30 from 8 am - 10 pm at 421 West 3rd Street, Austin, TX 78701. Events will be held monthly. The BitAngels Austin chapter is led by Matt McKibbin, Founder and Chief Decentralization Officer at Decentranet, a full-service blockchain consulting firm, and Irina Litchfield, Founder and CEO of BlockchainCubed, a blockchain solutions provider. Were excited to expand BitAngels to Austin, a city with an incredible startup scene and growing blockchain community, said Michael Terpin, Founder of BitAngels. Our new chapter in Austin is part of a larger scale expansion to several new cities nationally and internationally in 2019. The brainchild of industry leader Michael Terpin, BitAngels launched in 2013 as the worlds first angel network for digital currency startups. Each BitAngels event features networking and short pitches by startup founders to an audience of investors, business leaders, and the local blockchain community. These events provide investors the unique chance to learn about new cryptocurrency investment opportunities in person, including security token offerings and initial exchange offerings. Other BitAngels chapters currently operate in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City, with additional chapters launching soon. To present at an upcoming BitAngels event or to launch a chapter in your city, please contact Mariana Danilovic, Managing Director at Mariana@transformgroup.com or visit http://bitangels.io/. About BitAngels BitAngels (http://bitangels.io/) is an investor network for the blockchain industry. BitAngels (http://bitangels.io/) is a group of cryptocurrency investors helping to grow the blockchain ecosystem through community events and company spotlights. The brainchild of industry leader Michael Terpin, BitAngels launched in 2013 as the world's first angel network for digital currency startups. United Nations, May 29 : The UN General Assembly has declared August 22 as the International Day for Victims of Religious Violence to combat hate crimes and persecution on the basis of beliefs. Recalling the wave of attacks that targeted a mosque in New Zealand, and churches in Sri Lanka during Easter Sunday services, Poland's Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz, who introduced the resolution on Tuesday, said that the international day will honour the victims and survivors of religious violence who are often forgotten. "We hope that it will help combat hate crimes and acts of violence related to religion or belief, and will further strengthen inter-religious dialogue," he said. The resolution is not focused on victims of any particular religion or belief and seeks to raise respect for religious diversity, Czaputowicz said. Pakistan, along with the US, was one of the nine sponsors of the resolution. During the discussion of the resolution, the US and China clashed over Washington's criticism of Beijing's treatment of its Muslim minority. The Acting US Representative to the UN Economic and Social Council, Austin Smith, said that in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region "more than one million Uighurs, ethnic Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and other members of Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang have been arbitrarily detained in camps since April 2017. There are disturbing reports of forced labour, torture, and deaths in these camps." "Chinese authorities are restricting religious freedom by labelling peaceful religious practices as manifestations of 'religious extremism and terrorism'," he added. He asked UN members to ask China to close its camps and respect the rights of Muslims, Christians, Tibetan Buddhists, and Falun Gong practitioners. China's delegate called the US allegations unfounded and said that what were described as camps were, in fact, vocational and educational training centres to help minorities learn skills that can help them fight poverty. He, in turn, hurled a counter-accusation against the US asserting that at the recent Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues many speakers had accused the US government of killing its own indigenous peoples, extinguishing their languages and oppressing their voices. (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter @arulouis) London, May 29 : Dubai-based firm Abraaj Group founder Arif Naqvi has been released on bail after paying A15 million -- the largest-ever security -- in the UK's judicial history. Naqvi, the Pakistani man behind the world's largest private equity insolvency case, was arrested on April 10 at London's Heathrow Airport on behalf of the US authorities for defrauding US investors, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. "He has been released from Wandsworth Prison after A15 million in cash was deposited with the court - which took over three weeks to raise since the decision granting him bail in early May," reported Geo News on Wednesday. Naqvi's bail application was also supported by three sureties, the report said. Two of Naqvi's associates -- senior Abraaj executives Mustafa Abdel-Wadood in Manhattan and Sev Vettivetpillai in London -- are already out on bail, the report said. Founded in 2002, Abraaj Group grew over the next decade to become the Middle East's biggest private equity fund and one of the world's most influential emerging-market investors, with stakes in health care, clean energy, lending and real estate across Africa, Asia, Latin America and Turkey. However, last year Naqvi surrendered control of the firm after it was revealed that its main revenues hadn't covered operating costs for years. Abraaj, which managed almost $14 billion, was forced into liquidation in June after several investors, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, commissioned an audit to investigate the alleged mismanagement of money in its healthcare fund. Naqvi and Abdel-Wadood were charged with inflating the value of the firm's holdings and stealing hundreds of millions of dollars. Canberra, May 29 : An Australian teenager, who broke an egg on a controversial far-right senator's head for blaming Muslims for the Christchurch attack, has donated $69,000 to survivors of the New Zealand mosque attacks. Will Connolly, 17, egged Fraser Anning in March, prompting people online to dub him the "Egg Boy" and flooded him with donations to pay his legal expenses, the BBC reported. Anning had caused fury after the March 15 attack when he said Muslim migration was to blame for the Christchurch shootings that killed 51 people. The lawmaker was formally censured by Australia's Senate in April for his "appalling" remarks, made on the day of the shootings. Connolly had confronted the senator from behind as he gave a press conference in Melbourne on March 16. Footage of the clash went viral. It showed Anning physically retaliating before his supporters tackled the teenager to the ground. Online fundraising campaigns were set up for Connolly to "buy more eggs" and to cover potential legal fees. Police chose not to press any charges instead gave the teenager an "official caution", the BBC report said. On Tuesday, Connolly announced that he had transferred "all monies" to New Zealand charities in charge of official fundraising efforts. "To the victims of the tragedy, I whole heartedly hope that this can bring some relief to you," he said. Though his actions drew praise, they also sparked a conversation in Australia about forms of political protest. Los Angeles, May 29 : Actor Kit Harington has checked into a "wellness retreat" after shooting the finale of the popular series "Game of Thrones". "Kit has decided to utilise this break in his schedule as an opportunity to spend some time at a wellness retreat to work on some personal issues," variety.com on Tuesday quoted his publicist as saying. Publication Page Six had first reported that the actor, who played Jon Snow in the "Game of Thrones" for the past eight seasons, is being treated for stress and alcohol use at a luxury health retreat in Connecticut. Harington reportedly arrived at the centre just weeks before the show's finale was broadcast on May 19. A recent "Game of Thrones" documentary, "Last Watch" hinted at some of the stress Harington was facing as the fantasy epic came to a close, with one scene showing the actor breaking down in tears when finding out his character would kill his lover Daenerys, played by Emilia Clarke, in the final episode. Talking about that moment on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon", Harington said: "I was very shocked and surprised at certain events and then I blubbed my eyes out. I cried." Later in an interview he told variety.com that he sought therapy after finding out the fate of his character. "That was a time when I started therapy and started talking to people. I had felt very unsafe, and I wasn't talking to anyone," he said. The 32-year-old, who catapulted to fame with "Game of Thrones" wild success, opened up about his mental and emotional state while on the series, admitting that his "darkest" moments came when Jon Snow was the show's focus. New Delhi, May 29 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed a plea by former Union Minister P. Chidambaram's son Karti for immediate refund of his deposit of Rs 10 crore, while telling the newly-elected Lok Sabha member to "pay attention" to his constituency. Karti Chidambaram is facing proceedings in cases linked to Aircel-Maxis and money laundering. One of the cases includes the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media for Rs 305 crore of foreign funds, when his father was the Finance Minister. "Everytime you go abroad you deposit Rs 10crore. Ok..we will refund Rs 10 crore but next time you go we will say deposit Rs 20 correct," a Vacation Bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi told Karti. Karti's lawyer had approached the bench saying since he is back in India, the money deposited with the apex court registry should be refunded. The court asked, "Why are you after Rs 10 crore deposited in the court?" Karti Chidambaram had moved the apex court seeking release of Rs 10 crore, deposited with the court's registry regarding his overseas travel. He claimed he raised loans to deposit Rs 10 crore and was paying interest on it. His plea was mentioned before the Vacation Bench, comprising Justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna. Karti's counsel also informed the court that his client had returned to India. The bench refused to grant him any relief and instead asked his counsel to mention the matter before the bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi. His counsel contended that the court's registry had asked to produce a formal court order regarding the return of the money. "You mention it before the regular Bench," the Vacation Bench said. Earlier, the bench headed by the CJI allowed Karti to travel to the UK, the US, France, Germany and Spain in May and June this year on condition that he deposit Rs 10 crore with the Secretary General of the apex court. The court had said it would be returned to him upon his return. A similar order was passed by the court in January regarding Karti's overseas travel. The court had said it would "come down heavily", if it comes across that he was not cooperating. Karti is being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The ED had opposed Karti's travel request. The court had earlier asked Karti to file an undertaking that upon his return, he will fully cooperate with the investigating agencies. Karti had been out of India for 51 days in the last six months; the probe agency informed the top court. May 29 : The 2019 year seems to be a very lucky year for the BJP queen- Smriti Irani. No doubt that this powerful woman did prove her bit at the Indian Elections 2019 and won her seat in an undisputed style. Her victory along with the massive win of Narendra Modi was celebrated and accepted on a nation wide basis. Smriti Irani often delights her followers on social media with smart shot snaps on her family. Just like she hit the top end of her political career line with her fabulous win at Amethi, she does also prove that she is wonderful family person through these lovable pictures. This power lady is a true mama who makes sure to keep an eye on her babies and the love of her life- her husband, Recently, her Instagram beamed with her and her family smiling away at her blissful political victory. It was captioned as: The smiles that light up my life @iamzfi@shanelleirani and my Zoe. As you can it is a threesome picture with her husband and her two girls: Zoe and Shanelle Irani. The next one is a sweeter picture with Smriti Irani with her three lovely children. This post was captioned as: My love, my life, my babies This pciture includes all three children: Zoe and Shanelle Irani and her boy Zohr Irani. Earlier when the 12 th and 10 th grade marks were out, she announced the success of her children proudly. Today, she is a proud mother and also a responsible politician who works for the betterment of the nation. Kolkata/New Delhi, May 29 : At least 70 family members of slain Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists in West Bengal will attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony on Thursday, a state BJP leader said on Wednesday. The members will be taken to New Delhi by Rajdhani Express on Wednesday. "The party has decided to take the family members of our activists, who were killed in widespread political violence unleashed by the Trinamool Congress, to attend Modiji's oath-taking ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. We have shortlisted 70 family members so far," BJP state Secretary Tushar Kanti Ghosh told IANS. "One or two family members of each of the deceased activists have been shortlisted. Relatives of approximately 50 of our deceased activists are going. They are scheduled to come back on May 31," he said. Relatives of all three BJP activists -- Sishupal Sahish, Trilochan Mahato and Dulal Kumar -- who were killed and hanged from tress in Bengal's Purulia district are among those going to Delhi. The invitation to these families is being seen as a message to West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee ahead of Assembly elections scheduled in 2021. Among the special guests at the event will be leaders from BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) countries and a host of celebrities and politicians. During the Lok Sabha election campaign, Modi and BJP President Amit Shah repeatedly highlighted the issue of violence directed at the party in West Bengal. The BJP won 303 seats on its own in the Lok Sabha elections, and in West Bengal it took its tally to 18 from two in 2014. Leaders from BIMSTEC countries as well as Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov and Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth have confirmed their participation at Thursday's event. Srinagar, May 29 : More than 50 civilian protesters were injured on Wednesday in clashes with security forces near the site of a gunfight with militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district. As soon as the firing exchanges started between the security forces and the holed-up militants in Tazipora (Mohammadpora) village, dozens of protesters pelted stones at the security personnel, said police sources. "Over 50 protesters were injured in the clashes as the security forces used tear smoke and pellet gunshots to disperse the unruly mob," an official said. Reports said the militants managed to escape while the security forces were dealing with the protesters. Six of the injured people had sustained grievous injuries and four of them were referred to Srinagar, said a doctor at the Kulgam Hospital. A cowshed and an adjoining structure were destroyed during the gunfight. Security forces including the Rashtriya Rifles (RR), Special Operations Group (SOG) of state police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) had surrounded the village following information that militants were hiding there. The militants fired at the security forces, triggering the encounter. New Delhi, May 29 : The Telecom Ministry is in the process of drafting the notice inviting applications (NIA), or the bidding document, which could be issued in September for the spectrum auction to be held in November, according to official sources here. The sources said the NIA is being concurrently prepared alongside other key programmes of the ministry, including the allotment of 5G trial spectrum. As per the ministry's timeline, the NIA is to be issued in September for the auctions in November. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) had recommended auction of about 8,644 MHz of telecom frequencies at an estimated total base price of Rs 5 lakh crore, which includes radio waves for 5G services. India wants 5G services to be rolled out in 2020 along with the global launch of the high speed service by telcom companies. Asked if there will be any revision in 5G spectrum prices as sought by industry citing foreign examples like South Korea, the sources noted that as in the way telcos are undertaking public and rights issues to fund expansion, upgrading their networks and competing among themselves, they will similarly have to budget for 5G spectrum auction funds. The industry has expressed its inability to buy airwaves at such high costs. For the 5G spectrum in the 3300-3600 mega hertz (Mhz) band, Trai has recommended a reserve price of Rs 492 crore per Mhz for a minimum pan-India block of 20 Mhz, for which an operators will have to shell out Rs 9,840 crore that they consider as being quite steep. The government had earlier asked Trai to look at reducing the price of 700 Mhz spectrum, following which Trai had cut its base price by 43 per cent from Rs 11.485 crore per mega hertz. If government offers all the 8,366 Mhz of spectrum in the auction then the next auction could generate about Rs 5,06,110 crore for the government if all the spectrum is successfully sold at the base price. In the 2016 auction, the government could manage only Rs 65,789 crore as the revenue projections were built on the 700 Mhz plank which went unsold due to high price. This could be India's largest auction in terms of the quantum of airwaves on offer. Airwaves across the 4G bands of 700 Mhz, 800 Mhz, 900 Mhz, 1,800 Mhz, 2,100 Mhz, 2,300 Mhz and 2,500 Mhz, besides 5G spectrum in the 3,300-3600 Mhz bands, will be offered to Vodafone Idea, Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio. Except Jio, and Airtel at a much lesser extent, no other telcom company is currently making profit. Besides reduced 5G airwave prices, the telcos also want reduction in licence fees and spectrum charges. The industry has a debt of over Rs 7 lakh crore, which it attributres primarily to the historically high spectrum prices. As per the sources, it is unlikely that so many of the industry's conditions will be met at one go. (Anjana Das can be contacted at anjana.d@ians.in) New Delhi, May 29 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that High Courts across the country should keep in mind that a person can be arrested for evasion of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) by the competent authority. The apex court had earlier upheld a Telangana High Court verdict which declined to entertain a plea against the provision of arrest. A vacation bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi observed that High Courts have not taken a consistent view on granting anticipatory bail to individuals accused for GST evasion. The court also said that the matter be placed before a three-judge bench to decide on the scope of law regarding the power of arrest. The court issued notice on a petition by the Centre seeking clarification on the powers of concerned officials under the GST Act to arrest an individual without registering an FIR. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. VERO BEACH, Fla., May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bimini Capital Management, Inc. (OTCQB: BMNM) (Bimini Capital) today announced that it commenced a modified Dutch auction tender offer to purchase up to $2.2 million in value of shares of its Class A common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the Class A Common Stock), or such lesser number of shares of its Class A Common Stock as are properly tendered and not properly withdrawn, at a price not greater than $2.20 nor less than $2.00 per share of Class A Common Stock (in increments of $0.05 per share), net to the seller in cash, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest (the Offer). The Offer is not conditioned upon any minimum number of shares of Class A Common Stock being tendered. The Offer is made upon the terms and subject to the conditions described in the Offer to Purchase and in the related Letter of Transmittal that are being filed by Bimini Capital with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on May 29, 2019, and are being sent to holders of Class A Common Stock or designated brokers or other nominees, as applicable. The closing price of Bimini Capitals Class A Common Stock on the OTCQB marketplace on May 28, 2019, the last full trading day before commencement of the Offer, was $1.53 per share. The Offer is scheduled to expire at 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on July 1, 2019, unless the Offer is extended. Stockholders must tender their shares of Class A Common Stock prior to the expiration of the Offer and may withdraw any tendered shares at any time prior to the expiration of the Offer. Broadridge Corporate Issuer Solutions, Inc. (Broadridge) is serving as the information agent and depositary for the Offer. There is no dealer manager for the Offer. Any questions or requests for assistance in tendering shares of Class A Common Stock in the Offer should be directed to Broadridge at (855) 793-5068. Bimini Capitals board of directors has authorized the Offer. However, none of Bimini Capital, any member of its board of directors, the dealer manager, the information agent or the depositary makes any recommendation as to whether any stockholder should tender or refrain from tendering shares of Class A Common Stock in the Offer or as to the price or prices at which the stockholders may choose to tender their shares in the Offer. Stockholders must make their own decision as to whether to tender their shares and, if so, how many shares to tender and the price or prices at which their shares should be tendered. In doing so, stockholders should consult their financial and tax advisors and read carefully and evaluate the information in the Offer to Purchase and the Letter of Transmittal (as they may be amended or supplemented), including the reasons for the Offer. This press release is for informational purposes only and is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell any shares of Class A Common Stock. The Offer will be made pursuant to the Offer to Purchase and the related Letter of Transmittal that Bimini Capital will file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and that Bimini Capital will distribute to holders of its Class A Common Stock, as may be amended or supplemented. Holders of Class A Common Stock may obtain a free copy of the Offer to Purchase and related Letter of Transmittal from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission website at www.sec.gov. These documents contain important information about the Offer. Holders of Class A Common Stock are urged to read them carefully. About Bimini Capital Management, Inc. Bimini Capital Management, Inc. invests primarily in, but is not limited to investing in, residential mortgage-related securities issued by the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) and the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae). Its objective is to earn returns on the spread between the yield on its assets and its costs, including the interest expense on the funds it borrows. In addition, Bimini Capital generates a significant portion of its revenue serving as the manager of Orchid Island Capital, Inc. Forward Looking Statements Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as may, will, should, expects, plans, anticipates, could, intends, target, projects, contemplates, believes, estimates, predicts, potential or continue or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions. These statements are based on Bimini Capitals current expectations or beliefs, and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by the statements herein. Additional information about the factors that may affect Bimini Capitals operations is set forth in Bimini Capitals current and periodic reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including Bimini Capitals current reports on Form 8-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and annual reports on Form 10-K, particularly the discussion under the caption Item 1A. RISK FACTORS in Bimini Capitals Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, which was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on March 20, 2019. The forward-looking statements in this communication are based on information available to Bimini Capital as of the date hereof. Except as required by law, Bimini Capital undertakes no obligation to update or revise the information contained in this press release or any other forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For more information, contact: Broadridge Corporate Issuer Solutions, Inc. Toll Free: (855) 793-5068 Patna, May 29 : After the Rashtriya Janata Dal's (RJD) no-show in Bihar in the Lok Sabha elections, the clamour is growing in the Congress to drop out of its Grand Alliance with the RJD and other parties and go it alone in the Assembly elections next year. Congress candidate Mohammed Javed won the Kishanganj seat in Bihar, saving the Grand Alliance from drawing a blank. Party leaders feel that in the Grand Alliance, the Congress is painted with the same brush as the RJD, whose President Lalu Prasad is serving a jail term at a Ranchi hospital in the fodder scam cases. Supporting the demand, veteran party leader Nikhil Kumar said: "The Grand Alliance was lacking in its seat-sharing arrangement, ticket distribution and even campaigning." Leaving the coalition would allow the voters in Bihar to think differently about the Congress, thus helping it gather new supporters ahead of the Assembly polls. The former state Congress chief said: "I have been saying it since 1998, that in Bihar, the Congress is capable of performing well on its own." Senior Congress leader in the Assembly Sadanand Singh said: "The party must get off the crutches it has used for the past three decades. It must work to strengthen it own cadre and support base." Yet another Congress leader was of the opinion that the Grand Alliance members had nothing in common. "Congress suffered in the elections for aligning with the RJD, which is against reservation for economically weak upper castes. However, political analysts feel the decision to leave the RJD might not be easy for the party. "It won't be easy for the Congress to regain its traditional voter and strengthen its organisation at the grassroots after having depended on the RJD for so long," said veteran journalist Manoj Chaurasia. Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath with Union Minister J.P. Nadda, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and UP BJP President Mahendra Nath Pandey during a meeting with the newly elected MPs of the BJP from the state including Image Source: IANS News Lucknow: Newly elected BJP MP from Amethi, Smriti Irani during a meeting of the newly elected party MPs from Uttar Pradesh called by state Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at the partyAAAs state headquarters in Lucknow on May 29, 2019. (Photo: Image Source: IANS News Lucknow, May 29 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday hosted a lunch for all newly elected MPs of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from the state. The lunch was followed by a meeting at the party's state headquarters. Addressing the newly elected MPs, Adityanath said that the policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the "master management" of BJP President Amit Shah and the dedication of party workers was collectively responsible for the BJP's victory in the Lok Sabha elections. He assured the MPs all possible help in undertaking development work in their constituencies and asked them to work in close coordination with party workers since Assembly elections were due in 2022. "We must continue working in the right spirit. We cannot sit back and relax after this victory," he said. State BJP President Mahendra Nath Pandey, also a newly elected MP, and Organizing Secretary Sunil Bansal were present at the meeting. The Chief Minister also asked the MPs to focus on their constituencies, especially in view of the upcoming by-elections in 11 Assembly constituencies. Smriti Irani, Ravi Kishan and Sanjiv Baliyan were among the MPs who attended the lunch. Wellington, May 29 : Ahead of its much speculated "well-being budget" scheduled on Thursday, hackers stole crucial information from New Zealand's Treasury website. Someone made more than 2,000 unauthorised attempts that appeared to be directed at Budget-related information, nzherald.co.nz reported on Wednesday, adding that Treasury Secretary Gabriel Makhlouf confirmed the hack. While it was not clear whether the hack had come from within New Zealand or outside, Makhlouf said that would form part of the police investigation. According to a report in the BBC, New Zealand's main opposition party, which leaked details of the budget two days ahead of schedule on Tuesday, has denied hacking into the government's computer systems. The National Party said it got the information legitimately. National Party leader Simon Bridges accused Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's government of conducting a "witch-hunt" to cover up its embarrassment, said the report. "There has been no hacking under any definition of that word," Bridges was quoted as saying. Dubbed the "well-being" budget, the upcoming budget is expected to focus the country's spending on areas beyond economic growth and to prioritise issues like mental health, child poverty and domestic abuse. The National Party, which released partial details on Tuesday, derided it as having "no substance". New Delhi, May 29 : US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is likely to visit India in the third week of June to lay the ground for a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Japan. US State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus told reporters on Tuesday that Pompeo was looking forward to have a "robust discussion" with his Indian counterpart on a wide range of issues. The US official may visit New Delhi on his way to Osaka to attend the G-20 summit on June 28-29. Pompeo is expected to sort out several important issues with Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj including the logjam over a trade package, Washington's sanction threats over Russian military hardware and its demand that India end oil imports from Iran and Venezuela. The US and Indian officials will also set the course for the India-US 2+2 talks of Foreign and Defence Ministers expected later. Ortagus called India a "great ally" and "partner" of the US and said the Trump administration will work closely with Modi in his second term on a range of issues. Trump had earlier said that he sees "great things" for India-US relations after Modi led his ruling coalition to a sweeping victory in parliamentary elections. "We, of course, will work closely with Modi, as we have many times," Ortagus told reporters in response to a question. "India is a great ally and partner of the United States." San Francisco, May 29 : MacKenzie Bezos, ex-wife of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has decided to donate half of her $37 billion worth alimony to investor Warren Buffett's philanthropic campaign -- the "Giving Pledge." The "Giving Pledge", founded in 2010 by Buffet along with Bill and Melinda Gates, has drawn 204 billionaire pledgers, including WhatsApp Co-founder Brian Acton, Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, CBS News reported on Tuesday. "My approach to philanthropy will continue to be thoughtful. It will take time and effort and care. But I won't wait. And I will keep at it until the safe is empty," 48- year-old MacKenzie wrote in an open letter recently. The Bezos couple finalised their divorce in April in what was reported as the biggest divorce settlement in history entitling MacKenzie Bezos to Amazon stocks worth around $36 billion to $37 billion. Bezos also gave her ex-husband all of her interests in the Washington Post and Blue Origin, and 75 per cent of their collective Amazon stock along with the voting control of her shares to support his continued contributions to the teams. Applauding his ex-wife on her donation decision, 55-year-old Jeff Bezos wrote, "MacKenzie is going to be amazing and thoughtful and effective at philanthropy, and I'm proud of her. Her letter is so beautiful. Go get 'em MacKenzie," on Twitter. The former couple announced their split in January after 25 years or marriage. According to Forbes, Jeff Bezos is the richest man in the world with an estimated fortune of $110 billion, ahead of Microsoft Co-founder Bill Gates and Berkshire Hathaway chairman Warren Buffett, the report added. Kolkata, May 29 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday announced that she will not attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in on Thursday, alleging the BJP was using the ceremony "to score political points". "The oath-taking ceremony is an august occasion to celebrate democracy, not one that should be devalued by any political party which uses it as an opportunity to score political points," Banerjee said in a social media post. The Trinamool Congress chief's reaction came after media reports said at least 70 family members of slain Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists in West Bengal had been invited to the ceremony as "special guests". This is being seen as a message to Banerjee ahead of Assembly elections scheduled in 2021. The Chief Minister took exception to the BJP's claim that 54 people had been "murdered in political violence" in her state. Congratulating Modi for taking over as the Prime Minister again, Banerjee said she did plan "to accept the constitutional invitation" and attend the oath-taking ceremony. "However, in the past one hour, I am seeing media reports with the BJP claiming that 54 people have been murdered in political violence in Bengal," she said. Calling the claim "completely untrue", she said: "There have been no political murders in Bengal." Banerjee said the deaths may have occurred due to "personal enmity, family quarrels and other disputes, nothing related to politics". "There is no such record with us," she added. Earlier, BJP state Secretary Tushar Kanti Ghosh told IANS: "The special guests -- including the kin of Sishupal Sahish, Trilochan Mahato and Dulal Kumar, who were killed and hanged from trees in Bengal's Purulia district -- will be taken to New Delhi by Rajdhani Express." He said they were scheduled to return on Friday. During the Lok Sabha election campaign, Modi and BJP President Amit Shah repeatedly highlighted the issue of violence directed at their party in West Bengal. New Delhi, May 29 : The Sonipat-based Jindal Global Business School (JGBS) was a favoured choice for over 70 top recruiters in 2019, with international placements and top salary packages for their fresh graduates touching Rs 30 lakh per annum. The recruiters ranged from MNCs to start-ups and included Amazon, Adani Gas, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, ITC Hotels, M&C Saatchi, BYJU's, OYO and Swiggy, the B-School said. It added: "ICICI Prudential was the biggest recruiter with 9 offers. International placements to countries like UAE, Mauritius, and Canada continued this year as well." "The success at JGBS reflects the relevant and global nature of our business education as well as the mettle of the promising youngsters who join JGU. I am confident this trend will continue and strengthen in the years to come," Professor C. Raj Kumar, the Founding Vice Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University said. The B-School also prides itself on creating a learning ecosystem where students pursue their calling instead of taking familiar career paths. Almost one in every four of their graduates is taking the leap into family business and entrepreneurship, it said. "A myopic approach to careers focussed solely on job placements, tends to ignore the value of holistic professional growth of the students and provision of a broad horizon of professional opportunities to them," Professor Kumar explained. Professor Rajesh Chakrabarti, Dean of JGBS, said, "Business today is inherently global in nature. We have tried to capture that in our curricular content, faculty experiences and backgrounds, and partnerships with other leading institutions around the world." The Jindal B-School students can also pursue double degree programmes, student exchange programmes and other study abroad programmes, as the institution has partnerships with over 30 international universities and B-Schools. These include the University of Texas at Dallas, European Business School, Carleton University, Queen Mary University of London, University of New South Wales and Macquarie University. The University hopes to maintain and grow the impressive placement trend. Hong Kong, May 29 : The Australian Navy's helicopters were targeted with lasers and its ships trailed during a passage through the hotly contested South China Sea earlier this month, according to an analyst who was aboard the warship from which the aircraft were operating. The HMAS Canberra and the HMAS Parramatta were on their way to a joint military exercise earlier this year when a Chinese warship followed them, Euan Graham of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute wrote in a blog. Graham told CNN he didn't witness the incidents, but Australian pilots told him they were targeted multiple times by commercial lasers during South China Sea missions. According to ABC News, defence sources said the helicopters were targeted during night flights, forcing pilots to temporarily return to their ship for medical check-ups. "Some helicopter pilots had lasers pointed at them from passing fishing vessels, temporarily grounding them for precautionary medical reasons," Graham said, adding none of the Australian ships passed through any sensitive area or feature occupied by Chinese military. Australian military officials believe the laser attacks on the Navy helicopters came from fishing boats, but it has not yet been formally confirmed if the vessels were Chinese flagged, the report said. Graham was aboard the HMAS Canberra, a helicopter landing dock and flagship of the Royal Australian Navy, as it operated in the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean on a three-month mission that ended this week. Australian military officials told CNN they were looking into Graham's report. Beijing maintains a robust maritime militia in the South China Sea, composed of fishing vessels equipped to carry out missions just short of combat. At sea, fishermen are known to use lasers to warn off other vessels that may be getting too close to them. "That makes sense for collision of vessels, but obviously there is no direct threat from aircraft to vessels in the South China Sea," Graham said. "The maritime militia is, I think, not beyond argument as a tactic that is employed deliberately." Beijing, May 29 : Former Chinese envoy to India Luo Zhaohui is China's new Vice Foreign Minister, replacing Kong Xuanyou who has been dispatched as the Ambassador to Japan. Luo's appointment was announced by China's Human Resource Ministry on Wednesday. Luo, an old India hand who has also served as Chinese envoy to Pakistan, might focus on South Asia where China is increasing its footprint. He was also the Director General of the Asia Department in the Foreign Ministry. The former Ambassador to New Delhi was stationed in Delhi from October 2016 until his appointment as China's Deputy Foreign Minister. The diplomat has seen ups and downs in Sino-Indian ties ranging from military stand-off in Doklam to the icebreaking summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Wuhan last year. Fluent in Hindi, Luo holds a major in Indian history from Peking University. He is also known for playing a pivotal role in the release of Chinese workers held hostage at a massage parlour Islamabad. The incident was known as "Lal Masjid Siege". Luo has also served as China's envoy in Canada. Yangon, May 29 : The Myanmar police have issued an arrest warrant against Wirathu, an ultra-nationalist Buddhist monk known for his anti-Muslim stance. The warrant was issued on Tuesday under Article 124(a) of the legal code, which forbid incitement of hatred or contempt against the government and carried a three-year jail sentence, the police said. The monk, dubbed by Time magazine as "The Face of Buddhist Terror", is accused of making defamatory remarks against Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The police are yet to locate Wirathu, who, according to reports, was not at the Masoeyein Monastery in central Myanmar on Tuesday as he was due to appear before the governing body of the Buddhist clergy in Yangon, a day later. The monk is known for his tirades against Muslims, including comments that sparked a wave of sectarian violence against the community in central Myanmar in 2013 and for supporting the military operation that led to over 700,000 Rohingya fleeing to neighbouring Bangladesh in 2017. Wirathu was the most visible face of the 969 movement -- a Buddhist group that opposed expansion of Islam in Myanmar, and the now defunct Patriotic Association of Myanmar, whose anti-Muslim position led the government to pass several laws considered discriminatory against Muslims. His controversial comments, which also include calling for a boycott of Muslim businesses and hailing the assassination of a Muslim lawyer close to Suu Kyi, prompted Facebook to close his account and led the Thai authorities to ban his entry into the country, where he was scheduled to deliver a sermon. CENTENNIAL, Colo., May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NioCorp Developments Ltd. ("NioCorp" or the "Company") (TSX: NB; OTCQX: NIOBF) is pleased to announce that it has filed a Technical Report (the "Report") prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") regarding its 2019 Feasibility Study (2019 FS) completed for the Companys Elk Creek Superalloy Materials Project (the Project). The 2019 FS shows that the Project is expected to deliver higher Net Present Value (NPV), stronger financial returns, accelerated cash flows, a longer mine life, higher production of all of NioCorps planned products in the first 10 years of operation, and a further reduction in execution risk and environmental impacts as compared to the previous project Feasibility Study, which was completed in 2017 (2017 FS). The 596-page report supports the Companys April 16, 2019 news release that provided results of the 2019 FS, and can be seen on SEDAR and on the Companys website at http://www.niocorp.com . Key Findings Key findings of the Report, as compared to the previous 2017 FS, include the following: Stronger Financial Returns Pre-tax NPV (8% discount rate) of $2.57 billion is 12.0% higher, and the Projects pre-tax Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 27.3% is 12.4% higher. After tax NPV of $2.1 billion represents an increase of 25.9%, and after-tax IRR of 25.8% is 18.9% higher. Gross Life of Mine revenue of $20.8 billion is 16.2% higher. Accelerated Cash Flows Cumulative revenue of $2.9 billion over the first 5 years of operation is 17.0% higher, and cumulative 10-year revenue of $5.8 billion is 9.2% higher. Cumulative operating cash flow 1 over the first 5 years of operation of $1.83 billion is higher by 23.6% and increases over the first 10 years of operation to $3.46 billion, a 12.9% increase. over the first 5 years of operation of $1.83 billion is higher by 23.6% and increases over the first 10 years of operation to $3.46 billion, a 12.9% increase. Cumulative EBITDA1 over the first 5 years of operation of $1.9 billion is 16.5% higher, and cumulative EBITDA1 over 10 years of $3.8 billion is 6.4% higher. Longer Mine Life Mine life has increased from 32 years to 36 years. The after-tax payback period from the onset of production has been reduced to 2.86 years from 3.68 years, a reduction of 22.4%. Further Reduction in Environmental Impacts Environmental impacts and associated permitting risks are reduced further from the 2017 FS, including the utilization of artificial ground freezing technologies for mine shaft sinking, onsite water treatment that eliminates process water discharge, and the elimination of previous plans to discharge excess water into the Missouri River. Increased tonnage in the Probable Mineral Reserve and Indicated Mineral Resources categories Probable Mineral Reserve tonnage is expanded by 14.7%. Tonnage in the Indicated Mineral Resources category is higher by 101.5%. Contained Niobium, Scandium and Titanium in the Indicated Mineral Resources category are higher by 63.9%, 67,4%, and 67.6%, respectively. The Project mine design, 2019 FS, and an update to the Projects Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve were completed by the Nordmin Group of Companies , with technical inputs from other experts. A lot of painstaking work went into the 2019 Elk Creek Feasibility Study, and I am pleased to see this very detailed technical report filed as we complete this process, said NioCorp Executive Chair and CEO Mark A. Smith. The even-stronger financial performance demonstrated by this Feasibility Study strongly complements the increased environmental performance that we expect from this groundbreaking project. All of these advances further strengthen the attractiveness of this Project to long-term, strategic investors. They also underscore my view that this is the single most de-risked critical and strategic materials Project that I have seen in my more than 38 years in this business. Technical Review The technical information in this news release and in the referenced Report has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Chris Dougherty, P.Eng, Consulting Specialist and Chairman (Nordmin Group of Companies), Mr. Gregory Menard, P.Eng., CET, PMP, Senior Mechanical Engineer (Nordmin Engineering Ltd.), Mr. Glen Kuntz, P.Geo., Consulting Specialist - Geology/Mining (Nordmin Engineering Ltd.), Mr. Joshua Sames, B.S., PE, Senior Consultant (SRK Consulting), and Mr. David Winters, PE, SE, MBA, Senior Consultant (TetraTech), each of whom is a "qualified person" under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI-43-101"). The Mineral Resource and Reserve Estimates were completed by Mr. Glen Kuntz, P. Geo, Consulting Specialist - Geology/Mining (Nordmin Engineering Ltd.) and Mr. Jean-Francois St-Onge, P.Eng, Associate Consulting Specialist - Mining and Vice President (Optimize Group Inc.). Both are independent Qualified Persons in accordance with the requirements of National Instrument (NI) 43-101 and they have approved the disclosure herein. All other technical information in this news release has been approved by the following Qualified Professionals: Mr. Adrian Brown, PE, Consultant (Adrian Brown Consultants); Mr. Joshua Sames, B.S., PE, Senior Consultant (SRK Consulting); Mr. John Tinucci, PhD, PE, Principal Geotechnical Engineer (SRK Consulting); Mr. Mark Willow, M.Sc, C.E.M., SME-RM, Principal Environmental Scientist (SRK Consulting); Mr. Chris Dougherty, P.Eng, Consulting Specialist and Chairman (Nordmin Group of Companies); Mr. Gregory Menard, P.Eng., CET, PMP, Senior Mechanical Engineer (Nordmin Engineering Ltd.); Mr. Eric Larochelle, B.Eng., President (Specialty Metals & Hydrometallurgy); Mr. David Winters, PE, SE, MBA, Senior Consultant (TetraTech); Mr. Sylvain Harton, P.Eng., President (Metallurgy Concept Solutions); and Mr. Orest Romaniuk, P.Eng, Senior Engineer (Zachry Engineering Corporation). The relevant qualified persons have reviewed and verified the data disclosed, including sampling, analytical and test data underlying the information contained in the disclosure. End Notes Non-GAAP Financial Measures: This news release includes certain forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures, including EBITDA. These non-GAAP financial measures are included in this news release because these statistics are key performance measures that management uses to monitor performance, to assess how the Company is performing, to plan and to assess the overall effectiveness and efficiency of operations. These performance measures do not have a standard meaning within GAAP and, therefore, amounts presented may not be comparable to similar data presented by other mining companies. These performance measures should not be considered in isolation as a substitute for measures of performance in accordance with GAAP. Reconciliations of these forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures are not provided because the Company is unable to provide such reconciliations without unreasonable effort, due to the uncertainty and inherent difficulty of predicting the occurrence and the financial impact of such items impacting comparability and the periods in which such items may be recognized. For the same reasons, the Company is unable to address the probable significance of the unavailable information, which could be material to future results. SEC Standards Regarding Mineral Resources and Reserves. Estimates of mineralization and other technical information included or referenced in this news release have been prepared in accordance with NI 43-101. The definitions of proven and probable mineral reserves used in NI 43-101 differ from the definitions in SEC Industry Guide 7. Under SEC Industry Guide 7 standards, a "final" or "bankable" feasibility study is required to report reserves, the three-year historical average price is used in any reserve or cash flow analysis to designate reserves and the primary environmental analysis or report must be filed with the appropriate governmental authority. As a result, the reserves reported by the Company in accordance with NI 43-101 may not qualify as "reserves" under SEC standards. In addition, the terms "mineral resource", "measured mineral resource", "indicated mineral resource" and "inferred mineral resource" are defined in and required to be disclosed by NI 43-101; however, these terms are not defined terms under SEC Industry Guide 7 and normally are not permitted to be used in reports and registration statements filed with the SEC. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of the mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into reserves. "Inferred mineral resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian securities laws, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies, except in rare cases. Additionally, the disclosure of "contained pounds" in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian securities laws; however, the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute "reserves" by SEC standards as in place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measurements. Accordingly, information contained or referenced in this news release containing descriptions of the Company's mineral deposits may not be comparable to similar information made public by U.S. companies subject to the reporting and disclosure requirements of United States federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. @NioCorp $NB $NIOBF #Niobium #Scandium #ElkCreek #Nordmin For More Information Contact Jim Sims, VP of External Affairs, NioCorp Developments Ltd., 720-639-4650, jim.sims@niocorp.com About NioCorp NioCorp is developing a superalloy materials project in Southeast Nebraska that will produce Niobium, Scandium, and Titanium. Niobium is used to produce superalloys as well as High Strength, Low Alloy ("HSLA") steel, which is a lighter, stronger steel used in automotive, structural, and pipeline applications. Scandium is a superalloy material that can be combined with Aluminum to make alloys with increased strength and improved corrosion resistance. Scandium also is a critical component of advanced solid oxide fuel cells. Titanium is used in various superalloys and is a key component of pigments used in paper, paint and plastics and is also used for aerospace applications, armor and medical implants. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Neither TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this document. Certain statements contained in this document may constitute forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the results of the feasibility study, including, but not limited to, metal price and exchange rate assumptions, cash flow forecasts, projected capital and operating costs, metal or mineral recoveries, mine life and production rates; the Companys potential plans and operating performance; the estimation of the tonnage, grades and content of deposits, and the extent of the resource and reserves estimates; potential production from and viability of the Project; the future ability to obtain permits and the nature of the permits required; estimates of future production and operating costs; improvements in environmental performance and the reduction in environmental impacts; estimates of permitting submissions and timing; the timing and receipt of necessary permits and project approvals for future operations; access to project funding, and exploration results. Such forward-looking statements are based upon NioCorps reasonable expectations and business plan at the date hereof, which are subject to change depending on economic, political and competitive circumstances and contingencies. Readers are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause a change in such assumptions and the actual outcomes and estimates to be materially different from those estimated or anticipated future results, achievements or position expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements. Risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause NioCorps plans or prospects to change include risks related to the Company's ability to operate as a going concern; risks related to the Company's requirement of significant additional capital; changes in demand for and price of commodities (such as fuel and electricity) and currencies; changes in economic valuations of the Project, such as Net Present Value calculations, changes or disruptions in the securities markets; legislative, political or economic developments; the need to obtain permits and comply with laws and regulations and other regulatory requirements; the possibility that actual results of work may differ from projections/expectations or may not realize the perceived potential of NioCorps projects; risks of accidents, equipment breakdowns and labor disputes or other unanticipated difficulties or interruptions; the possibility of cost overruns or unanticipated expenses in development programs; operating or technical difficulties in connection with exploration, mining or development activities; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, including the risks of diminishing quantities of grades of reserves and resources; and the risks involved in the exploration, development and mining business and the risks set forth in the Companys filings with Canadian securities regulators at www.sedar.com and the SEC at www.sec.gov. NioCorp disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. ____________________________ 1 See endnotes for discussion of the use of non-GAAP financial measures. New Delhi, May 29 : The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday opposed a plea by Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's brother-in-law Robert Vadra, who is facing a money laundering case, seeking to go abroad for a medical check-up as a tumour in his large intestine has been detected. Vadra submitted a medical certificate from Gangaram Hospital here informing a court here that a tumour in large intestine has been detected. Vadra told Special Judge Arvind Kumar that his doctor has advised him to get a second opinion and therefore he wants to go to London to seek a second opinion. Representing the ED, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that the doctor has not essentially asked Vadra to take a second opinion in London but only mentioned he can take it "if he wishes so." He also said that the investigation in the case is at a crucial stage and there are chances Vadra may not return. The ED also apprehended that Vadra might tamper with the evidence if he is allowed to go to London. The ED also said there are treatment facilities available in India. Countering the ED's submission, Vadra's counsel and Senior Advocate K.T.S. Tulsi said Vadra will not go to those places where the agency has objections. The defence counsel said Vadra's medical condition can worsen with the passing of time. Tulsi contended that it cannot be said that Vadra will flee the investigation. Reserving the order on Vadra's plea, the court said it will decide on June 3 on his plea. The case against Vadra relates to alleged ownership of overseas assets worth 1.9 million pounds. The charges against him pertain to undisclosed foreign assets and entities to evade tax. Vadra was granted anticipatory bail on April 1 on the condition that he would not leave the country without permission and join the probe whenever required. New Delhi, May 29 : Art Heritage, an art gallery hosting a multi-disciplinary exhibition on Mahatma Gandhi, opens with a peculiar image: a Gandhi 'impersonator' standing in an Indian school as stunned children look on. The message? 'Performing' Gandhi's physical presence to reinforce his thoughts. The image is from the exhibition titled "Mahatma: Self or Nation?", which displays photographs, paintings, woodcuts, sculptures and videos. The show, which closes on Friday before reopening for the whole of July, analyses Gandhi's legacy and philosophy as India enters a new chapter in her long and diverse history. It is currently open at the Triveni Kala Sangam here. Image Source: IANS News In his 'Being Gandhi' photo series, photographer Cop Shiva captures Bagadehalli Basavaraju, a small town schoolteacher and a staunch believer in Gandhian ideals as the latter 'replicates' Gandhi, as we have seen him. Seen smeared in silver paint and donning appropriate costumes and props, Basavaraju's effort is at 'performing' Gandhi as a physical presence. "Walking through the town, he halts at street corners and local schools where crowds gather to listen to him imparting Gandhi's teachings," the Gallery said. It added: Basavaraju feels it is important to reinforce Gandhi's ideals not only through repeating his words but recognising that the sheer power of physical presence is an effective means of communicating Gandhi's philosophy to his fellow people. Image Source: IANS News Artist Jagadeesh Tammineni's "The Birth of a Nation" woodcut series depicts Gandhi as a master craftsman working to assemble together a nation as he works to perfect India's most recognisable symbols -- the cow, the tiger and the peacock. As seen in the tiger woodcut, the inner workings of India are complex and interconnected, just like in real life. Ronney Sen also captures the Satyagraha spirit of Gandhi in his photographs of a Jadavpur University protest. Another wall dedicated to photographs, 'Studio Suhag' shows a more aspirational India where Suresh Punjabi has shown common people flocking to photography studios to take images. Image Source: IANS News In addition to the artworks, visitors can see episodes of TV mini-series 'Raj Se Swaraj', directed by gallery head Amal Allana, that aired on Doordarshan in the mid-1980s. The episodes show the Gandhi-Broomfield trial of mid-1920s. Latest updates on Gandhi Jayanti 2019 New Delhi, May 29 : The Delhi government is planning to set up a creche at the Delhi Secretariat to help working parents. In a letter, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia directed the Secretary, Women and Child Development, to explore the possibility and feasibility of a creche at the Secretariat, after it was brought to his notice that a creche is needed for the children of parents working at the Secretariat. He said that all employers must help employees to balance their professional and personal life. "It is a matter of great pride that a large number of workforce in the Delhi government constitutes of women. However, work-life balance for working women, especially working mothers, is not easy and it is the responsibility of employer organisations to improve working conditions of women," Sisodia said in the letter. He ordered that a plan be submitted by June 15. New Delhi, May 29 : Riding sales of Galaxy A and online-only Galaxy M series, Samsung is on track to beat Xiaomi as the No. 1 smartphone seller in India this year, according to a top executive of the South Korean tech giant. "We are aiming to double online market share in the country this year. Overall, we are expecting a healthy double-digit growth in revenue in the India smartphone business," Asim Warsi, Senior Vice-President, Mobile Business, Samsung India, told IANS, here on Wednesday. The company "should be" the biggest smartphone seller in the country by the end of this year, he added. Samsung has sold within 3 months two million M series smartphones, in addition to over 5 million Galaxy A phones in 70 days. With 48.6 per cent share of the online channel, Xiaomi maintained its leadership position in the India smartphone market in the first quarter of 2019, according to International Data Corporation (IDC). Online sales reached 40.2 per cent of the India smartphone market in the same period. Samsung increased its online share to 13.5 per cent in the same quarter. But with the launch of its India-first Galaxy M series phones, the company is "pushing the envelope" to increase its share of the online channel. "Our business in online has taken a vertical take off, thanks to the three M series models," Warsi said, adding its phones in other series were also available online. The three M series models that Samsung has launched are -- Galaxy M10, M20, and M30 -- in the Rs 8,000 to Rs 18,000 price range. Its fourth phone in the series will be M40, scheduled for launch on June 11. "We are planning to launch the Galaxy M40 at around Rs 20,000," Warsi said. "The Galaxy M40, to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 processor, will have the screen sound technology. The sound is created through the vibration of the screen," Warsi said. The phone will also have the "Hole-in-Display", a technology currently available in its flagship S10 series. (Gokul Bhagabati can be contacted at gokul.b@ians.in) New Delhi, May 29 : With Congress President Rahul Gandhi adamant that he will not withdraw his resignation, he remains, in parallel, furious with the old guard - Ashok Gehlot, Kamal Nath and P. Chidambaram (Gehlot's son Vaibhav lost while Kamal Nath's son Nakul and Chidambaram's son Karti won) - who were busy pushing their children in the recently-concluded hustings and "not working for the party per se". However, better counsel is now prevailing where he has accepted that he will lead the Congress party in the Lok Sabha where its strength from a paltry 44 has gone up to 52, an increase of a mere eight MPs. Sonia Gandhi will remain UPA Chairperson and the family/dynasty will distance itself from day-to-day affairs of the party. All three Gandhi family members - Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka - will not be involved in the daily functioning of the party. An interim Working President with two or more working Vice Presidents in a loosely-formed presidium will run the party operations and plan for elections and campaigns. K.C. Venugopal may emerge as interim President while Prithviraj Chauhan could be one of the Vice Presidents. Given that the Congress has 23 MPs from the south, it appears that a south Indian will helm the party for the time being. Or alternatively, cut the umbilical cord with the past and appoint Jyotiraditya Scindia as the Working President and have the youth brigade of Sachin Pilot, Milind Deora and others under him to turn the party's fortunes around. The recent rout which has seen the Congress draw a blank in 17 states and Union Territories and as many as eight Chief Ministers and the leader of the party in the Lok Sabha losing is its darkest chapter yet. In the ensuing vacuum, Treasurer Ahmed Patel, once Political Secretary to Sonia Gandhi, is back to hold the reins. Congress had fielded 421 candidates across the country but only 52 of them got elected, marking the second dismal performance by the party in the second successive general elections. The Congress won the maximum number of 15 seats in Kerala followed by eight each in Punjab and Tamil Nadu. Among the party leaders who lost were four members of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the highest decision-making body of the party. But the Young Turks are determined to dislodge the old guard. Pilot and Scindia are in the forefront to back Gandhi in his "clean-up" attempt. Sources said that in his outburst at the CWC meeting after the Lok Sabha defeat, Gandhi had selectively targeted the old guard. The Young Turks, all of whom had tasted defeat, were spared. In fact, Pilot and Scindia, being seen as the faces that may replace Rahul Gandhi, did not perform upto expectations. The Congress lost all the seats in Rajasthan for the second time in row, and in Madhya Pradesh, Scindia lost his own election from Guna. But the Young Turks feel that this is the time to take control of the party. Mumbai, May 29 : A Mumbai Special Court on Wednesday remanded till May 31 three women doctors arrested in connection with suicide of medico Payal Tadvi, a law official said. Bhakti Meher, Hema Ahuja and Ankita Khandelwal were arrested on Tuesday and Wednesday, said Nitin Satpute, lawyer for the Tadvi family, Nitin Satpute. Arguing for the remand, Satpute told Additional Sessions Judge R.M. Sadrani there was a possibility of the case being one of murder since some injury marks were found on the victim's body, including her neck and private parts, as per the preliminary autopsy report. He said the alleged "ligature" marks, as mentioned in the autopsy report, pointed to Tadvi being killed and accordingly all the accused should be booked for murder. The police also sought custodial interrogation of the three to know whether there was any suicide note left by Tadvi and if it was misplaced or hidden by them. The prosecution said the police had seized the mobile phones of the accused and they needed more time to recover their WhatsApp chat messages with the victim, among other things. However, Aabad Ponda and Sandeep Bali, appearing for the three doctors, argued that the (accused) medicos were unaware of the deceased's caste and she was only pulled up for her performance without any intentions to harm her. Moreover, they said the room in which Tadvi was found hanging on May 22 was locked from inside and nobody had access to it. And hence some family issue could have led to her suicide, they argued. The Indian Medical Association (Maharashtra State) expressed its condolences on Tadvi's unnatural death, according to IMA President Hozie Kapadia and Secretary Suhas Pingle. "IMA condemns this incident and demands a detailed inquiry, and justice for late Payal Tadvi," they said, adding her death was an "irrecoverable loss for the society". A second year Post-Graduate student of Gynaecology, Tadvi, 26, allegedly hanged herself in her hostel room on May 22 at the government-run BYL Nair Hospital. Her family claimed she was driven to suicide by casteist remarks on her Muslim tribal background and other forms of personal and professional harassment. Soon after the suicide, the three main accused -- Meher, Ahuja and Khandelwal -- absconded. Suspended by the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors earlier this week, they were later suspended by the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation, which runs the hospital. The BMC has suspended their as well as the Head of Department Yi Ching Ling's medical licences for alleged abetment of Tadvi's suicide. Chennai, May 29 : City-based non-banking finance company (NBFC) Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company Ltd on Wednesday said it has entered into an agreement to raise $222 million debt from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and others. According to Cholamandalam Investment, the company will raise $222 million debt funds in the form of US dollar bonds from IFC ($92 million), First Abu Dhabi Bank ($50 million), MUFG Bank Ltd ($50 million), National Bank of Ras Al-Khaimah PJSC ($20 million), and CTBC Bank Co Ltd ($10 million). The debt raising is being anchored by IFC, which is the private financing arm of the World Bank. By bringing in foreign banks as investors, IFC is helping Cholamandalam Finance diversify its funding sources. This is the company's first US dollar-syndicated deal since January 2019, when the Reserve Bank of India permitted NBFCs to tap into the offshore credit market. "Supporting productive asset financing NBFCs is part of our financial inclusion strategy because it offers income opportunities and an escape from poverty to low-income households," said Jun Zhang, IFC Country Head, India. "Cholamandalam's wide reach amongst small road transport operators and MSMEs makes it the right partner for us to reach these underserved segments," he added. Cholamandalam Investment's core business is in providing commercial vehicle finance and loan against properties. The company has recently forayed into affordable housing loans for low-income customers. Shimla, May 29 : The Himachal Pradesh Congress on Wednesday urged party President Rahul Gandhi not to resign following the party's debacle in the Lok Sabha elections in the country. State Congress President Kuldeep Rathore, who chaired a meeting of the state unit, unanimously passed a resolution in this regard and sent it to the Congress Working Committee for perusal. The resolution urged Gandhi to take back his resignation for the sake of the party and the country. At the meeting, six-time Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said that at this crucial moment, there was a need to strengthen the hands of Rahul Gandhi. "The country and the party needs his leadership." Leader of Opposition Mukesh Agnihotri said the main agenda of the BJP was to make a Congress-free India. "For this reason, they are trying to dislodge Rahul Gandhi from the post of presidentship." "Our foremost priority is to persuade Rahulji to change his mind as he is only one who can provide the best leadership to the party," Rathore told reporters. He admitted that "the party needs to do an introspection to look into reasons for its defeat and this needs to be done once Rahulji re-assumes charge". The Congress lost all four Lok Sabha seats to the BJP in Himachal Pradesh. New Delhi, May 29 : The sequel to the 2016 animation film "The Secret Life of Pets" is slated for release in English and Hindi in India on June 14. The film by Universal Pictures International India and Illumination explores the emotional lives of our pets, the deep bond between them and the families that love them, and answers the question that has long intrigued every pet owner: What are your pets really doing when you're not at home? "When you start to craft a sequel, the goal is to tell a story that brings the audience back together with the characters that they love, but then have discovery within that film for new story lines, new character development and new characters," Illumination CEO, Chris Meledandri, said in a statement. "Audiences, when they come to this film, can't wait to see these characters that they love again, and they can't wait to see what these characters are up to when no one's around. "That core premise has such strength, and we embraced that, but we also wanted to create a story that would become a step forward in the lives of these characters and one that would be compelling to all audiences, even those who hadn't seen the first movie," Meledandri said. "The Secret Life of Pets 2" is directed by Chris Renaud, who also helmed Illumination's "Despicable Me" series. Jaipur, May 29 : The Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (RPCC), here on Wednesday, passed a resolution urging Rahul Gandhi to stay as the party President, said Rajasthan Congress in-charge Avinash Pandey. The RPCC's meeting was also attended by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot. The resolution was proposed by Pandey and seconded by Gehlot and Pilot. In the resolution, the RPCC said it accepted all challenges, failures and shortcomings which led to such a mandate. All the state executive committee members, by making self-reflection, authorise the Congress President to restructure the party's organisational structure. Gandhi, after the party's defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, had offered to quit on May 25 at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, which unanimously rejected his offer and authorised him to overhaul and restructure the party at all levels. TORONTO, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- STORAGEVAULT CANADA INC. (StorageVault) (SVI-TSX-V) is pleased to announce that, further to its May 14, 2019 news release, it has completed the acquisition of the British Columbia store (the Acquisition). SVI paid $27.25 million to an arms length vendor for the real property and paid $1.25 million to Access Self Storage Inc. (Access) to buy out their long term lease, for an aggregate purchase price of $28.5 million. The purchase price for the Acquisition in the amount of $28,500,000, subject to customary adjustments, was paid by the issuance of an aggregate of 2,500,000 common shares of StorageVault (Payment Shares) at a deemed aggregate price of $7,000,000 or $2.80 per common share, a promissory note in the principal amount of $5,000,000, with the remainder being paid with funds on hand and mortgage financing. The Payment Shares and the promissory note are subject to a hold period that expires on September 28, 2019. Issuance of Options StorageVault has granted, subject to regulatory approval, a total of 6,000,000 options to purchase common shares of StorageVault to directors, officers, employees and consultants of StorageVault. The options were issued with an exercise price of $2.90 per common share and an expiry date of May 27, 2029. After this option issuance, StorageVault has 18,547,450 options issued and outstanding. In the future, StorageVault intends to use DSUs, RSUs and stock options as part of its equity incentive compensation program. Exemption from MI 61-101 and TSXV Policy 5.9; and Early Warning As Access is a non-arms length party to StorageVault, the Acquisition is considered a related party transaction under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (MI 61-101) and TSX Venture Exchange Policy 5.9. StorageVault is relying on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority approval requirements of MI 61-101 and TSX Venture Exchange Policy 5.9, in respect of the Acquisition and the issuance of the Payment Shares, pursuant to Section 5.5(b) (Issuer Not Listed on Specified Markets) and Section 5.7(a) (Fair Market Value Not More Than 25% of Market Capitalization) of MI 61-101, respectively. Of the options granted above, 4,510,000 options were granted to directors and officers of StorageVault. StorageVault is relying on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority approval requirements of MI 61-101 and TSX Venture Exchange Policy 5.9, for the issuance of these options, pursuant to Section 5.5(b) (Issuer Not Listed on Specified Markets) and Section 5.7(a) (Fair Market Value Not More Than 25% of Market Capitalization) of MI 61-101, respectively. 446,429 Payment Shares at a deemed price of $2.80 per share, having an aggregate value of $1,250,000, were issued to Access in connection with the Acquisition, representing 0.12% of the issued and outstanding common shares of StorageVault. Prior to the closing of the Acquisition, Access owned or controlled 127,936,757 common shares, representing 35.54% of the issued and outstanding common shares of StorageVault. Access now owns or controls 128,383,186 common shares or approximately 35.41% of the total issued and outstanding common shares of StorageVault. Access may increase or decrease its investment in StorageVault depending on market conditions or any other relevant factors. The head office address for both StorageVault and Access is 100 Canadian Road, Toronto, Ontario M1R 4Z5. About StorageVault Canada Inc. StorageVault owns and operates 199 storage locations in the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia. StorageVault owns 149 of these locations plus over 4,600 portable storage units representing over 8 million rentable square feet. For further information, or to obtain a copy of the Early Warning Report of Access, contact Mr. Steven Scott or Mr. Iqbal Khan: Tel: 1-877-622-0205 ir@storagevaultcanada.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking information. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information in relation to the issuance of DSUs, RSUs and stock options as part of StorageVaults equity incentive compensation program. This forward-looking information reflects StorageVaults current beliefs and is based on information currently available to StorageVault and on assumptions StorageVault believes are reasonable. These assumptions include, but are not limited to: market acceptance StorageVaults equity incentive compensation program; and market trends in respect of equity incentive compensation; and board and compensation committee recommendations and approvals of future grants of DSUs, RSUs and stock options. Forward looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of StorageVault to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; general capital market conditions and market prices for securities; delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals; the actual results of future operations; competition; changes in legislation, including environmental legislation, affecting StorageVault; the timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; conclusions of economic evaluations and appraisals; and lack of qualified, skilled labour or loss of key individuals. A description of additional risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in StorageVaults disclosure documents on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. Although StorageVault has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of StorageVault as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. However, StorageVault expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities law. Male, May 29 : The Maldives Parliament has unanimously passed a resolution to invite Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the House during his expected visit to the atoll nation on June 7-8. "Maldives Parliament has unanimously passed a resolution to invite PM @narendramodi to address a sitting of the House during his upcoming visit to the Maldives," Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid tweeted on Wednesday. This will be Modi's first bilateral visit after assuming office for a second term on Thursday. Former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed, who was earlier appointed the Speaker of Parliament, said on Tuesday that President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih invited Modi to deliver an address in the Maldivian Parliament, the Edition newspaper reported. The Indian Prime Minister had earlier visited the Maldives in November 2018 to attend the swearing-in ceremony of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, after he defeated Abdulla Yameen in the presidential polls. This was followed by Solih's visit to India in December. Solih had telephoned Modi after he led the NDA to a resounding electoral victory in the Lok Sabha elections. New Delhi, May 29 : A total of 864 civilians and 29 personnel of security forces were killed in 47 terror attacks witnessed from 2004 till last year in the country, excluding Jammu and Kashmir and North East, as also the incidents of Left Wing extremism. At least 3,202 civilians and 44 security personnel were injured in these incidents, according to the Union Home Ministry figures. The details show that the maximum number of 9 terror incidents took place in the year 2008 in which 306 civilians and 18 security forces personnel were killed and 833 civilians were injured. Though the breakup of these incidents was not provided, the incidents and casualties included the November 26, 2008 multiple terror attacks in Mumbai in which 166 civilians and security personnel were killed and over 300 were wounded. The attack was carried out by 10 Pakistani terrorists who arrived in Mumbai from Karachi via the Arabian Sea. The terror strike went on for 60 hours before nine of the attackers were killed and one captured alive. The targets of the attack were the iconic places like Taj Hotel and Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station besides the Trident Hotel, Leopold CafA and Nariman House jewish centre. The year in which the second highest number of casualties took place was 2006, with 238 civilians being killed and 1266 being wounded in 4 terror attacks, according to the details made available by the Home Ministry in reply to an RTI application. The biggest such strike in that year was carried out on July 11, when seven bombs exploded within minutes on suburban trains of Mumbai. Over 200 civilians were killed and more than 700 were injured in these coordinated bombings. At least 141 civilians were killed and 236 injured in the year 2007 when 6 terror attacks were carried out in the Indian hinterland, the figures show. In the year 2005, five terror attacks were carried out in which 67 civilians were killed and 244 injured. At least 42 civilians were killed and 210 were injured in four terror attacks in the year 2011. Four terror attacks were carried out in 2013, in which 23 civilians were killed and 230 were injured. The Indian hinterland saw five terror incidents in 2010, in which 19 civilians were killed and 106 were injured. In 2004, 17 civilians were killed and 22 were injured in two terror incidents, the figures show. The year 2014 saw three terror attacks in which four civilians were killed and 18 injured. In 2015, three civilians and four security personnel were killed and 10 civilians and seven security personnel were injured in one terror attack. The ministry did not elaborate but the reference was clearly to an attack by three terrorists on a bus and then on a police station in Gurdaspur district of Punjab on July 27, 2015. A Superintendent of Police was among those killed in the attack which lasted for almost 12 hours before all the three terrorists were neutralized. In 2016, seven security personnel and a civilian were killed and 37 security men and one civilian were injured in a single terror attack. The reference was to the suicide attack by terrorists on Air Base in Punjab's Pathankot on January 1. The year 2018 saw one terror attack in which three civilians were killed and 23 injured. In 2012, two terror incidents took place in which three civilians were injured. The years 2009 and 2017 were terror incident free, like the current year till now, according to the data available. New Delhi: Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Monirul Islam joins BJP in the presence of party General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya and senior leader Mukul Roy at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi on May 29, 2019. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: PK New Delhi/Kolkata, May 29 : West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress on Wednesday suffered another jolt as one of its prominent Muslim faces, MLA Monirul Islam, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Islam, elected from Labpur constituency, and several office bearers of the Trinamool Congress in Birbhum district joined the saffron camp at the BJP headquarters in Delhi in the presence of its General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya and senior leader Mukul Roy. They include Gadadhar Hazra, a former Trinamool MLA, Asif Iqbal and Nimai Das. Iqbal and Das are district office bearers of the party. A state minister, however, played down the defection, saying it was "not a matter of concern". After their formal induction, Vijayvargiya accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of practising politics of "terror" in the state and claimed she had lost the faith of the people as well party cadres. "People of West Bengal now have faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and they feel he can do all-round development of the state," he said. Alleging that Trinamool's Birbhum district chief Anubrata Mondal earned Rs 20 crore a month by extortion, Islam said his defection to the BJP was a protest against Mondal's illegal activities. People rejected Mondal in the Lok Sabha polls as Trinamool lost in five Assembly segments in the district, he said, even though West Bengal's ruling party won both Lok Sabha seats in Birbhum. Islam, a controversial leader, had in 2015 publicly threatened to behead a Congress functionary from Birbhum and went on to claim how he had "squashed" three people under his feet for committing atrocities against women. On Tuesday, three MLAs -- two of the Trinamool and one from the CPI-M -- besides over 60 Trinamool councillors, joined the BJP in the wake of the Trinamool's poor showing in the Lok Sabha election. The Trinamool, however, claimed it would prove its mass support in next year's civic polls and the Assembly polls scheduled in 2021. "Some leaders, who are either associated with general or economic offences or are apprehensive of any action from the Centre, are joining the BJP. It is not a concern for the party. We are not worried about how they will poach our leaders. We will prove that people of Bengal are with Trinamool in 2020 civil polls and 2021 Assembly elections," said Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Tapas Roy. But state BJP chief and Medinipur MP Dilip Ghosh said no one has been forced to join the BJP. "Many Trinamool leaders did not want to be associated with their party. They do not accept the dictatorial rule of (West Bengal Chief Minister) Mamata Banerjee. In a bid to restrain them from joining the BJP, many Trinamool party leaders were threatened that police cases would be slapped against them," he said. Ghosh also alleged that a large number of Trinamool leaders have been "fed up with the functioning of their party and orders coming from the dictator". New York, May 29 : As Narendra Modi gets into his second innings as Prime Minister, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is likely to visit India in June to discuss the path ahead for India-US relations. State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said on Tuesday that "Pompeo will have a very robust discussion on a range of issues" with Indian leaders but did not say when. According to sources in New Delhi, Pompeo was likely to visit India ahead of the June 28-29 G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan, when US President Donald Trump and Modi are scheduled to meet. Pompeo would lay the groundwork for their meeting. "India is a great ally and partner of the US," Ortagus told reporters in Washington. The US "will work closely with Modi, as we have many times". After Modi led his ruling coalition to a sweeping election victory, Trump had said that he sees "great things" for India-US relations. During his phone call to congratulate Modi, the two leaders agreed to meet on the sidelines of the Osaka summit. Despite the ties that have grown closer during Modi's and Trump's first terms mainly centred on the Indo-Pacific region and the subject of fighting terrorism, there are several issues on which the two differ. One of them is Iran, which cropped up during Ortagus' media briefing. Asked about reports that India and Iran are negotiating ways of bypassing US sanctions on oil trade, she said that Pompeo had been very clear about completely stopping it. There would be no new exemptions after the earlier ones ended on May 2 and "the US position there remains quite firm", she said. India's Ambassador in Washington, Harshvardhan Shringla, said India had completely stopped importing Iranian oil. India's planned purchase of the Russian S-400 anti-missile defence system is another point of difference. The US has strongly opposed Turkey's planned purchase of the system, leading to Ankara delaying the system's delivery. Washington has not so far openly turned up the heat on India over the S-400 as it has on Iran oil. Trade remains the major area of difference between the two countries, caught in the trap of Trump's campaign to bring down the US trade deficits and his "America First" campaign. There may be a preview of the efforts in the trade area when Pompeo is expected to address the US-India Business Council in June ahead of his likely visit to India. Commercial opportunities could also open up as a result of the US-China trade war that India could exploit by deftly working out a compromise on trade issues. Pompeo visited New Delhi last September for the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue. The high-level meeting of India's Ministers of Defence Nirmala Sitharaman and External Affairs Sushma Swaraj with him and then Defence Secretary Jim Mattis chartered the course of strategic ties between India and the US. An area of cooperation where there has been a marked success is in fighting terrorism. The US pressured China to drop its opposition to include Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist leader Masood Azhar in the UN list of international terrorists. He was put under UN sanctions list in May when he lost Beijing's decade-long protection. The US stood by India during the Pulwama terror attack claimed by the JeM, and also when India launched a retalitory air attack on terrorist bases in Balakot, Pakistan. Washington is also trying to build a bulwark of democracies against China's aggressive quest for dominance in the Indo-Pacific region. Trump sees India as a potential key player in this strategy alongside Japan, Australia and other regional democracies. (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter @arulouis) Bhopal, May 29 : After all clamour for discipline, the BJP seems to have decided to soft-pedal action against Pragya Thakur over her remarks about Godses patriotism. Even before the issue was put to rest, another Thakur has raised her voice in favour of Godse. The party MLA from Mhow in Indore, Usha Thakur, reiterated at a press conference on Wednesday what Pragya had said nearly two weeks ago. The message is clear: the partys threat to act against the offenders was just eyewash. "Godse was a patriot, quite concerned about the nation," said Usha Thakur. We need to look at the circumstances prevailing in that period to ascertain what drove him to kill Mahatma Gandhi. The party has obviously decided to look the other way. Usha Thakur had hit the headlines three years ago by calling for a ban on Muslim youth participating in Garba during Navaratri. Like Pragya, the mobike-riding Usha has a penchant to dip words in venom before shooting them. On May 16 the Pragya had incurred the leadership's wrath by calling Godse a patriot. BJP president Amit Shah had ordered show-cause notices to be served on her and three others, Karnataka's Anant Kumar Hegde and Nalin Kateel and Madhya Pradesh media cell in charge Anil Saumitra who eulogised Godse or demeaned Gandhi. They were asked to explain their conduct in ten days and the matter was referred to a disciplinary committee. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had gone to the extent of saying he would never be able to forgive Pragya. Modi was shown ignoring Pragya when she greeted him durig a meeting of new members of Lok Sabha. The whole sequence came to nought as Modi decided to forget her offence. There seems to be no further action after BJP suspended Saumitra from the primary membership of the party. With the election heat on, the matter was referred to the disciplinary committee and the offenders were asked to explain their conduct in ten days. Despite her apology, the party was unhappy with Pragya Thakur. During the heat of the campaigning party president Amit Shah called the remarks on Mahatma Gandhi's assassin "not in line with the party's ideology" and party's disciplinary committee had given them 10 days to explain their comments. The leaders have apparently not bothered to reply to the notice, nor has the disciplinary committee received any formal communication from the party president. Guwahati: Md. Sana Ullah, a resident of Guwahati, was detained from his house in Satgaon by the police on Tuesday after the Tribunal at Boko passed the order declaring him as a foreigner and sent him to detention camp; on May 29, 2019. "Md. Sona Ulla Image Source: IANS News Guwahati: Md. Sana Ullah, a resident of Guwahati, was detained from his house in Satgaon by the police on Tuesday after the Tribunal at Boko passed the order declaring him as a foreigner and sent him to detention camp; on May 29, 2019. "Md. Sona Ulla Image Source: IANS News Guwahati, May 29 : A retired Army officer in Assam has been detained and sent to a detention camp after a Foreigners' Tribunal declared him a foreign national. Md. Sana Ullah, a resident of Guwahati, was detained from his house in Satgaon by the police on Tuesday after the Tribunal at Boko passed the order declaring him as a foreigner and sent him to detention camp. Ullah's advocate and family members, however, said that he was a genuine Indian citizen who had served in the Indian Army for 30 years and upon retirement as Honorary Captain in 2017 took up a job with the Assam Police as a Sub Inspector in the Border Branch. "Md. Sona Ullah was born in July 30, 1967 to one Mohammed Ali, a resident of Kalahiklash village under Boko area in Assam's Kamrup district. As per the records he joined the Indian Army in 1987 and worked in different capacities. He also received a President's Certificate in 2014 for his promotion to the rank of Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) with effect from 2012," said Ullah's counsel Sahidul Islam. "Post retirement, he joined the Assam Police. However, there was a Foreigners Tribunal case against him suspecting his citizenship credentials. On Tuesday, the Foreigners' Tribunal ruled against him though we submitted all documents to prove his Indian identity and declared him as a foreign national," Islam said. He added that they would appeal in the higher court against the Tribunal's verdict. Earlier in 2017, the Foreigners' Tribunal had served a notice against retired Junior Commissioned Officer Azmal Haque, a resident of Chaygaon area in Kamrup district. The Congress on Wednesday urged Chief Minister Sarbanaanda Sonowal to take note of reports of harassment of genuine Indian citizens in the name of updating the NRC. "A total of 44 people have so far committed suicide in Assam after not finding their names in the draft NRC published by the Assam government last year," Congress leader Apurba Kumar Bhattacharyya said. New Delhi, May 29 : Post his swearing-in on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a tight schedule from June till August as he will be on foreign tours holding bilaterals back to back beginning Maldives, Bishkek and Osaka and in between even finding time for Budget deliberations in New Delhi. In his first bilateral visit post assuming office for the second term, Modi is expected to travel to the Maldives on June 7-8, reports say. The Prime Minister had visited Maldives in November 2018 to attend the swearing-in ceremony of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, after he defeated Abdulla Yameen in the presidential polls. This was followed by Solih's v and statistical methodologies," the institute said. The study used a two-step approach to calculate the economic value generated by the tobacco sector in India. First, the total annual value generated by the tobacco sector in 2016-17 was computed. This was then extended to estimating the total cumulative value generated by the sector over the years to assess the overall contribution of the sector. New Delhi, May 29 : Arun Jaitley's exit from the race for a cabinet berth due to health issues has made appointment to the finance portfolio one of the most keenly observed events of new Modi government. While the name the name of Piyush Goyal, the coal and Railway minister in the erstwhile NDA cabinet, is doing the rounds in the North Block, sources said BJP president Amit Shah may also take over the reigns of the finance ministry. Shah is likely to move to an active role in the Modi 2.0, one that he missed out last time due to his important role in the party organisation. The BJP president is also being considered for cabinet berth in the Defence Ministry, but sources said that finance may be a likely choice as it needs a mass leader who has grassroots insight into how businesses are run. North Block mandarins, meanwhile, are hopeful for Goyal's return due to his experience in handling this portfolio twice earlier. He not only presented the last interim Budget and but has also stepped in as FM once earlier in the absence of Jaitley. With the Budget round the corner and an economic slowdown hurting the government and an economic survey due as well, Modi may not go for a brand new face, sources said. Though there has been no official confirmation on the ministerial appointments as the team for the new government is currently in the process of being worked out, some names have emerged having a clear shot at a cabinet berth. Along with ministers, a few ministries may also see changes in their composition and structure to strengthen governance. Accordingly, sources said that ministry of communications telecom and the ministry of electronics and information technology may be merged. It would be handed by an experienced hand, most likely, Ravi Shankar Prasad who in the previous government held the porfolio of minister of law and IT. The former communications minister Manoj Sinha is unlikely to return due to adverse poll results in the recently concluded elections. Mumbai, May 29 : Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray will attend the swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister for a second consecutive time, accompanied by his wife Rashmi and son Aditya, party sources indicated here on Wedneday. The Shiv Sena is now the second largest constituent of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), having a total of 18 MPs in the Lok Sabha and another three in Rajya Sabha. Besides, in Maharashtra, they have been allies uninterrupted - barring a brief parting in 2014 - for nearly 30 years, and is ruling the state for the second time. Before the the current government, the earlier tenure was from 1995-1999. Despite sharp bickering for over four years, the two parties sewed up a formidable alliance last February for the May 2019 Lok Sabha polls which has paid off handsomely for a total of 41 seats. Of the total 48 Lok Sabha seats - the second largest in the country after Uttar Pradesh - four went to the opposition Nationalist Congress Party, and one each to the Congress, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen and the opposition-supported Yuva Swabhiman Party. Since the renewal of bonds, Thackeray has been in a cosy relationship with BJP President Amit Shah and Modi, besides enjoying an excellent personal rapport with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Soon after the results were announced on May 23, Fadnavis made it a point to visit Thackeray at his 'Matoshri' residence in Bandra carrying sweets. On May 21, Thackeray attended a pre-results meeting of the NDA in New Delhi. Later, on May 25, he was given a position on the dais in Parliament Hall when Modi was elected leader of the BJP-NDA parliamentary party. In April, Thackeray was present in Varanasi along with other NDA leaders, when Modi filed his nomination papers for the seat. Given the sheer warmth of their relationship, there is speculation the BJP may give up two, or possibly three, ministerial berths to the Shiv Sena, compared to only one in the previous NDA regime. This would pay rich dividends for both partners in the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections due in October, when Thackeray junior is also expected to test the electoral waters. New Delhi, May 29 : Delhi Police arrested three persons of a Punjab-based family for duping 17 people by providing them fake work visa for the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a police officer said on Wednesday. Rakesh Kumar, 38, Prem Kumar, 35, and Gagandeep Singh, 31, who are from Ludhiana and Jalalabad, were arrested on May 22 after a year-long investigation after a Delhi Police team raided their hideout in Chandigarh on a tip off. "Rakesh Kumar, Prem Kumar and Gagandeep Singh are cousin brothers and were involved in duping 17 innocent persons. They advertised in newspapers in Rajasthan, offering people work visas for the UAE," Deputy Commissioner of Police Sanjay Bhatia told IANS. "During interrogation, the accused disclosed that they impersonated themselves with fake names while meeting the victims so as to conceal their real identities. "They took hefty amounts from innocent people on the pretext of providing genuine work visas," the officer said. "The fraud was reported after the immigration officials filed a complaint on May 27 last year in which 10 passengers intending to go to Dubai on work visa were loitering at the Indira Gandhi International Airport," the officer said. During scrutiny, the Protector of Emigrants (POE) sticker and departure stamp affixed in each passport were found fake and forged. The men had been cheated of Rs 50,000 each by the accused, the officer added. But the court intervened and got the victims their money back. TORONTO, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Eve & Co Incorporated (the Company or Eve & Co) (TSXV: EVE; OTCQB: EEVVF) is pleased to announce that its wholly-owned subsidiary Natural MedCo Ltd. has entered into a second binding non-exclusive supply agreement for the sale of dried cannabis to a German importer and distributor. The supply agreement is for an initial term of three years and is automatically renewable for two subsequent two-year terms unless otherwise terminated by the parties at the end of the initial or renewal term. The German distributor has agreed to purchase 500 kilograms of dried cannabis per month for the first two months and a minimum of 1,000 kilograms and a maximum of 5,000 kilograms per month for the next 22 months. The Company expects to commence shipments subsequent to the anticipated Q2 2019 completion of its 780,000 square foot greenhouse expansion, and the anticipated subsequent approval thereof by Health Canada. This is a very significant supply agreement for Eve & Co. as it provides another inroad to the German market. The timing fits well with our anticipated expansion facilities coming online and the related ramp up of production," said Melinda Rombouts, President and Chief Executive Officer of Eve & Co. The purchase and sale of dried cannabis under the supply agreement are subject to various conditions precedent, including receipt of all requisite regulatory approvals, including applicable Canadian and Germany export and import authorizations. Eve & Co is also pleased to announce that the German importer and distributor with respect to Eve & Cos initial German supply agreement, as announced on January 30, 2019, has now received the necessary import permit from the German government. Eve & Co is now in the process of seeking the necessary export permit from Health Canada and anticipates that is will commence shipping product pursuant to this supply agreement by Q3 2019. ABOUT EVE & CO INCORPORATED Eve & Co, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Natural MedCo Ltd., holds cultivation and processing licenses under the Cannabis Act (Canada) for the production and sale of various cannabis products, including dried cannabis, cannabis plants and cannabis oil. Natural MedCo Ltd. was Canadas first female founded licensed producer of medicinal marijuana and received its cultivation license from Health Canada in 2016. Eve & Co is led by a team of agricultural experts and has a licenced 220,000 sq. ft. scalable greenhouse production facility located in Middlesex County, Ontario with 32 acres of adjacent land for future expansion. Eve & Co is constructing an additional 780,000 sq. ft. expansion, bringing Eve & Cos total anticipated greenhouse capacity to 1,000,000 sq. ft. The Companys website can be visited at www.evecannabis.ca . Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking information. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including, without limitation, those regarding the Companys expansion and construction plans and the expected timing of completion, opportunities for growth, future, strategy, plans, objectives, goals and targets, ability to execute on its export sales and any statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words believe, expect, aim, intend, plan, continue, will, may, would, anticipate, estimate, forecast, predict, project, seek, should or similar expressions or the negative thereof, are forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts but instead represent only the Companys expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict, including those described in the Companys managements discussion and analysis for the two and fourteen months ended December 31, 2018 which is available on the Companys SEDAR profile. Therefore, actual results may differ materially from what is expressed, implied or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release the Company does not undertake an obligation to publicly update such forward-looking information or forward-looking information to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise unless required by applicable securities law. For further information, please contact: Thiruvananthapuram, May 29 : Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday came down on the UDF, accusing the congress-led coalition of hobnobbing with extremist groups such as the jamaat-e-islami and SDPI for electoral gains. Speaking on the floor of the assembly, the chief minister said that the UDF should introspect whether it was right to join hands with such extremist elements. On the UDFs near-sweep of lok sabha seats in the state, Mr. Vijayan warned the coalition against celebrating too much, saying that the CPI(M)-led LDFs setback at the hustings was only transient. Saying that some people tried to whip up communal passions in the run up to the elections, the chief minister said that a section of the public voted for the UDF out of fear for the BJP. Mr. Vijayan was alluding to the CPI(M) secretariats conclusion that votes of minorities consolidated in favor of the UDF. The CPI(M)s campaign on the dangers of BJP returning to power proved effective but the beneficiaries turned out to be the UDF since the minorities were led to believe that the congress-led coalition stood a better of chance defeating the BJP, the CPI(M) had concluded. Even though there are reports that a section of leaders within the CPI(M) is of the view that the left has lost the votes of its traditional supporters belonging to the majority community owing to the Sabarimala controversy, the statement issued by the CPI(M) secretariat was conspicuous by the absence of any mention of Sabarimala. On the Sabarimala issue, the chief minister reiterated that the state government was duty-bound to implement the supreme court verdict lifting curbs on womens entry into the hill shrine. Whoever was the chief minister would have taken a similar stand, he said. He again clarified that the state government did not go out of its way to bring women to Sabarimala, asking how the state government could block women coming to the hill shrine of their own accord. The Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)made an epic comeback to a user of its official ticket booking application who complained of obscene advertisements on the app. Image Source: IANS News The Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)made an epic comeback to a user of its official ticket booking application who complained of obscene advertisements on the app. Image Source: IANS News New Delhi, May 29 : The Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)made an epic comeback to a user of its official ticket booking application who complained of obscene advertisements on the app. The IRCTC app user, named Anand Kumar, tweeted to IRCTC's official account, tagging Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, that he was seeing obscene ads on the IRCTC app and even attached screenshots of the advertisements visible on his mobile screen. "Obscene and vulgar ads are very frequently appearing on the IRCTC ticket booking app. This is very embarrassing and irritating @RailMinIndia @IRCTCofficial @PiyushGoyalOffc kindly look into it," he tweeted. The IRCTC's official customer support account, Indian Railways Seva, advised Kumar to first clear his own browsing history. "IRCTC uses Googles ad serving tool ADX for serving ads.These ads uses cookies to target the user. Based on user history and browsing behaviour ads are shown. Pl clean and delete all browser cookies and history to avoid such ads. - IRCTC Official." As soon as the IRCTC responded on the micro-blogging site, social media was flooded with hilarious memes and people quickly trolled the troller. Twitter user named Amit Gadre wrote, "IRCTC at its best reply.... Most polite punch. Thanks." Megha Kaveri wrote: "When IRCTC burns you like there is no tomorrow." However, web developer named Gagandeep S. Luthra said that the IRCTC's HTML code shows Javascript loaded from a push notification platform, which is not strictly monitored and one can send any link. "A look at the irctc html code shows Javascript Loaded from http://izooto.com, which is a Push Notification Platform. Push Notifications are not strictly monitored and one can send any vulgar link endlessly using that. I was surprised to see its use on irctc," Luthra tweeted, attaching the screenshot of the HTML codes. Kolkata, May 29 : In a veiled criticism of West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress, former party MP and noted historian Sugata Bose on Wednesday stressed the need for giving space to the opposition in a democracy, and said seeking "monopoly of power" in spite of having political dominance was "foolish". "In a democracy, the efforts to marginalise opposition parties or wipe them out of opposition space should not be encouraged. Opposition parties must be allowed (to act) in a democratic system. When there is dominance, seeking monopoly of power is foolish," said Bose, a grand nephew of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Hoping that a true democracy would be established, he said every citizen must be allowed to exercise his or her democratic right. The Trinamool and its supremo Mamata Banerjee have time and again during recent elections called upon party workers and the people to make the state "opposition less". There were widespread allegations of rampant rigging and use of muscle power against the Trinamool to prevent opposition candidates from filing nominations in last year's panchayat polls. Bose, a Harvard University Professor who had earned much praise for his speeches during his first stint in parliament, opted out of the contest in this election as he did not get permission from his university. "Any political party which comes to power is affected by some malady. There is an urgent need to get rid of this malady. A right step can be decided after considering the message sent by Bengal's people," he said. Of the state's 42 Lok Sabha seats, the BJP won an unprecedented 18, up from two five years back. The Trinamool won 22 seats, 12 less from its tally in the 2014 general elections Asked about the rise of the BJP in the state, he said: "The communists have been decimated and there was virtually no opposition. Politics does not like this vacancy. Apart from this, the BJP, in this election, was successful to some extent through its tactics of communal polarisation. We have to review all aspects and introduce an initiative for a new politics and societal movement." Bose was hopeful that progress can be made through a renewed thrust after "taking lessons from the election results". Bose, however, did not subscribe to the much-talked argument that people voted against the Trinammol more than in favour of the BJP. "I do not think this is entirely true. Trinamool's votes increased in this election. What really happened was a majority of anti-Trinamool votes got consolidated. But, one cannot ignore the rise of Hindu fundamentalists. This type of aggression can ruin the structure of the society in Bengal. So Bengal would make mistake if it chooses this path," he said. Asked about the dismal show of the Trinamool in the Lok Sabha elections, he said, "I think we need to face a larger question setting aside the thoughts for the political party, political rivalry and votes. What sort of India and Bengal do we want to see in future?" Vijayawada, May 29 : The stage is set for swearing-in of Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy as the new Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh on Thursday. Elaborate arrangements have been made at the Indira Gandhi Municipal Stadium in Vijayawada, where Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan will administer oath of office and secrecy to Jagan Reddy at 12.23 p.m. Narasimhan, who is the Governor of both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, reached Vijayawada on Wednesday. Jagan Reddy called on him at a hotel and informed him of the arrangements made for the swearing-in. Jagan Reddy, who led his YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) to power with a landslide victory, alone will take oath at the public ceremony. Jagan, as the 46-year-old is popularly known, is expected to constitute the cabinet on June 7. After taking oath as the Chief Minister, Jagan is likely to address the gathering and make some key announcements about 'Navaratnalu' or the nine key welfare schemes promised by him during the poll campaign. Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao, DMK leader M. K. Stalin and leaders of various political parties will participate in the swearing-in ceremony. Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N. Chandrababu Naidu has turned down Jagan's invite. He decided to send a delegation of party leaders to Jagan's residence with a congratulatory message. Authorities have made elaborate arrangements for the event at the stadium, which has a capacity of 30,000 people. Vijayawada Police Commissioner Dwarka Tirumala Rao and senior officials reviewed the security arrangements. On the eve of taking oath as the second Chief Minister of the new state of Andhra Pradesh, Jagan on Wednesday visited various places of worship and also visited the grave of his father and late Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy. The YSRCP chief offered prayers at Tirupati temple. He later visited Amin Peer dargah in Kadapa district and offered a 'chadar'. Jagan also paid obeisance at the grave of his father in home town of Idupulapaya in Kadapa disrtrict. He along with family members participated in prayers at the CSI church. On his return to Vijayawada, Jagan offered prayers at famous Indrakeeladri temple. The YSRCP stormed to power in the state last Thursday, bagging 151 seats in 175-member Assembly. Kolkata, May 29 : Amidst the violent clashes and political slugfest between West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP, the CPI-M has reclaimed and reopened around 200 party offices which were allegedly captured by the Trinamool after coming to power in 2011. The CPI-M-led Left Front, which ruled the state for 34 years at a stretch from 1977, were also unable to reopen a large number of party offices which have been under lock and key following alleged "threats and intimidation" from Trinamool. "Now that the Trinamool has weakened, and in many areas its local leadership as also the toughs who terrorised people all these years have fled after losing various constituencies, our people have gone ahead and reopened around 200 party offices in various districts," said a Communist Party of India-Marxist leader. The Marxists have around 300 offices in the state. However, the leader could not give the exact number of offices which were "captured" or "forcefully locked" by the Trinamool. The reclamation and reopening of the offices have happened in districts like West Midnapore, Bankura, Purulia, Coochbehar, Burdwan, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas and Howrah. "In most of the places, the Trinamool did not or could not resist as its workers are morally shattered after the poor performance," the leader said. Enthusiastic CPI-M cadres wrote the party's name, drew its sickle, hammer and star symbol and raised the red flag in the offices. However, at some places like Mahishda in Keshpur assembly segment of Ghatal, the Trinamool recaptured the offices. "In Mahishda, Trinamool minister Suvendu Adhikari organised the recapture. Our people did not resist, as we cannot fight the anti-socials in the Trinamool camp," the leader said. The CPI-M, however, seems to be now downplaying its success in reopening the offices, some of which were closed for eight years. "Yes, we have opened some of our offices. But it is not happening the way or to the extent it is being projected on the social media. The offices that we have opened are those which were captured by the Trinamool, but now the ruling party's workers have fled the area," CPI-M Politburo member Mohammad Salim told IANS. New Delhi, May 29 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit 'Sadaiv Atal' and Rajghat, the 'samadhis' of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Mahatma Gandhi, ahead of his swearing-in on Thursday. Modi will also visit the National War Museum, according to BJP sources. They said Modi, during his visits to Rajghat and Sadaiv Atal will be accompanied by all the 303 newly-elected BJP Members of Parliament to pay homage to Gandhi and Vajpayee. The Prime Minister will later visit the National War Museum where senior BJP leaders will accompany him. Modi along with his council of ministers will be administered the oath of office and secrecy at 7 p.m. on Thursday at Rashtrapati Bhawan. New Delhi, May 30 : Ahead of swearing in of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, senior BJP leaders, who are likely to be re-inducted in the Narendra Modi government, met BJP chief Amit Shah at his residence. These leaders included Rajnath Singh, Piyush Goyal, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Prakash Javadekar, Smriti Irani, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore. Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Nripendra Misra and Additional Principal Secretary P.K. Mishra also visited Shah's residence. Rajnath Singh also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Meanwhile, Modi visited Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley at his residence, hours after he opted out of the Union Cabinet citing health conditions. The meeting came against the backdrop of the letter written by Jaitley to Modi earlier in the day asking him not to include him in the new cabinet, citing health issues. Modi inquired about Jaitley's health during the meeting. Jaitley has been a key leader of the government, one of its most articulate faces and a key trouble shooter. In his letter, Jaitley had said: "During the last 18 months, I have had some serious health challenges. My doctors have enabled me to emerge out of most of them." "I am writing to you formally to request you that I should be allowed a reasonable time to myself, my treatment and my health and therefore not be a part of any responsibility, for the present in the new government," he said. Jaitley, who said he had already communicated his request to Modi before he left for Kedarnath, held that even though he was able to discharge the responsibilities assigned to him during the Lok Sabha election campaign, "I would in future, for some time, like to keep away from any responsibility. This will enable me to concentrate on my treatment and health." Modi had submitted resignation of his council of ministers last week after the results of Lok Sabha elections. President Ram Nath Kovind had accepted the resignations and asked the Prime Minister to continue till the new government assumes office. More than 20 leaders are likely to take oath along with Modi on Thursday. Rome, May 30 : Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini on Wednesday called on the populist government to take a "tough stance" against criticism of Italy by the United Nations over a planned decree formalising the closure of the country's ports to charities that save migrants in the Mediterranean. Writing to Premier Giuseppe Conte and Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi, Salvini slammed the "baselessness" of a recent letter from UN investigators which stated that his proposed decree violated human rights law enshrined in UN conventions. The "irrelevant" remarks in the letter "were all the more reprehensible" ahead of the (May 22-26) European elections and given that the decree had not yet been approved by the Italian cabinet, Salvini wrote. "It is unwarranted interference in our government's political programme, spawned by ideological preconceptions shared by those who oppose the new direction in our national migration policy," he added. Salvini's letter said it was "unacceptable" to accuse Italy of violating migrants' human rights when it had "strongly and concretely" supported the work of the various UN agencies in Libya. "The government must take a tough stance and hit back at the UN special rapporteurs," the missive underlined, demanding clarification on the value of Italy's budget contributions to the world body. Salvini, a populist, had proposed the new security decree ahead of the European Parliament elections last week, where nationalist, anti-migrant parties were predicted - but failed - to make strong gains across the bloc. Italy is obliged to rescue migrants in distress and cannot impede others from doing so according to the letter from six UN experts earlier this month. Nor can migrants be sent back to countries like war-torn Libya where they are in danger, it states. Salvini's decree appears to be "yet another political attempt to criminalise search and rescue operations" that "further intensifies the climate of hostility and xenophobia against migrants," the letter stated. The letter urged the Italian government to "halt" its approval of the decree, which would fine NGO-run ships that rescue migrants at sea and take them to Italian territory. Boats that save migrants also risk losing their licenses under the decree's provisions. The UN experts, who urged officials to reply to their letter, asked for the withdrawal of two previous directives denying access to Italian ports to ships operated by NGOs that have rescued migrants off Libya's coasts. It is not the first time Italy has come under fire from the UN since Salvini - who is also Deputy Premier - became Interior Minister in the populist government that took office last June. In November, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights had harshly criticised several aspects of an earlier security decree designed by Salvini that abolished "humanitarian protection" for migrants who could not be considered refugees under the current rules. And last September, the UN's new High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said teams of inspectors would be sent to Italy to "assess the reported sharp increase in acts of violence and racism against migrants, persons of African descent and Roma", sparking a furious reaction from Salvini. Bengaluru, May 30 : Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy would attend the swearing-in of Narendra Modi as Prime Minster in New Delhi on Thursday evening, an official said on Wednesday. "The Chief Minister is flying to Delhi on Thursday to watch the oath-taking ceremony of Modi and members of the BJP and NDA allies as ministers at Rashtrapathi Bhavan in the national capital from 7:00 pm onwards," an official of the Chief Minister's office told IANS here. As a record 25 members of the BJP won from the southern state, the people are agog to know how many from Karnataka will be inducted in the NDA government. The ruling allies - Congress and Janata Dal-(JD-s), faced rout, winning only one seat each in the elections held in two phases on April 18 and April 23 across the state and votes were counted on May 23. Modi has also invited JD-S supremo and former Prime Minister (1996-97) H.D. Deve Gowda for the ceremony. BJP's state unit chief B.S. Yeddyurappa is among the select invitees from Karnataka going to Delhi for the grand swearing-in function. New Delhi, May 30 : The prime accused in the sensational murder case of Tik Tok celebrity Mohit Mor has been arrested, the Delhi Police said on Wednesday. The accused identified as Sandeep Pehalwan alias Kala had assigned three of his gang members the task to kill Mor due to a property dispute with him, the police said. He was arrested on Monday after the police received a tip-off that he was hiding in his house in Najafgarh area. "After the information was received we raided the residence of the accused, from where he was arrested," said Anto Alphonse, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka). Pehalwan is also an accused in five different cases of murder, attempt to murder and extortion, and he had jumped parole in one such case and was on the run. The officer informed that Pehalwan had instructed three of his gang members to kill Mor, however, two of them, identified as juveniles have already been arrested. "The juvenile and Vikas and Rohit, were part of a gang led by one Sandeep Pehalwan. A month back, the juvenile met Pehalwan and expressed his urge to join his gang following a personal enmity with someone. Pehalwan took him in on the condition that he would kill Mor," a senior officer told IANS. TORONTO, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CF Energy Corp., (TSX-V: CFY) (CF Energy or the Company, together with its subsidiaries, the Group), an energy provider in the Peoples Republic of China (the PRC), announces that the Company has filed its unaudited condensed interim consolidated financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2019 (Q1 2019). Revenue from continuing operations for Q1 2019 was RMB107.8 million (approx. CAD21.2 million), an increase of RMB3.7 million (approx. CAD0.5 million), or 4%, from RMB104.1 million (approx. CAD20.7 million) for the first quarter ended March 31, 2018 (Q1 2018). Gross profit was RMB38.7 million (approx. CAD 7.6 million), a decrease of RMB9.2 million (approx. CAD1.9 million), or 19%, as compared to RMB47.9 million (approx. CAD9.5 million) for Q1 2018. Gross profit margin was 36.0%, a decrease of 10.0% from 46.0% in Q1 2018. Profit for the period from continuing operations was RMB4.8 million (approx. CAD1.0 million), a decrease of RMB9.1 million (approx. CAD1.8 million), or 65%, as compared to RMB14.0 million (approx. CAD2.8 million) for Q1 2018. EBITDA from continuing operations for Q1 2019 was RMB17.9 million (approx. CAD3.5 million), a decrease of RMB10.4 million (approx. CAD2.1 million), or 37%, from RMB28.3 million (approx. CAD5.6 million) for Q1 2018. The significant drop in profit for the period from continuing operations was mainly attributable to the drop in overall gross profit margin for Q1 2019 as compared with Q1 2018. The drop was primarily due to the decrease in gross profit margin of the gas supply companies of the Group, which contributed 89.6% (Q1 2018: 100%) of total gas sales and 57.4% (Q1 2018: 61.4%) of total revenue in Q1 2019, which is expected to be temporary. The Company would like to emphasize that this temporary drop in gross profit margin of gas supply companies of the Group in Q1 2019 will not affect our Company's operations going forward and, therefore, will not be comparable with previous periods. It is a normal practice of our Company to spread the usage of our annual supply of cheaper piped gas from CNOOC over the first three quarters of the year and when the supply of piped gas is used up, LNG at a higher cost will be consumed as a substitute. In Q1 2019, due to the depletion of the old gas field (Yacheng 13-1 gas field), the overall supply of piped gas has been reduced, hence the amount of piped gas spread for the quarter has been reduced accordingly, resulting in more expensive LNG gas being used which significantly affected the gross profit and gross profit margin for the quarter. However, piped gas from the new gas field (Dongfang 13-2 gas field) of CNOOC, which is expected to be operational later in 2019, will be supplying piped gas to Hainan Province's enterprises through the original pipelines of the old gas field. The agreement of gas supply contract with CNOOC for the supply of piped gas to the Company is currently under negotiation. Once the contract is signed and the new gas field becomes operational, the Company's gross profit margin will expect to return to the normal level as before. The unaudited condensed interim consolidated financial results and Managements Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) can be downloaded from www.SEDAR.com or from the Company's website at www.cfenergy.com . About CF Energy Corp. (Formerly Changfeng Energy Inc.) CF Energy Corp. is a Canadian public company currently traded on the Toronto Venture Exchange (TSX-V) under the stock symbol CFY. It is an integrated energy provider and natural gas distribution company (or natural gas utility) in the PRC. CF Energy strives to combine leading clean energy technology with natural gas usage to provide sustainable energy to its customer base in the PRC. In 2009, CF Energy was recognized as being one of Chinas the Top Ten Most Influential Brands in the Natural Gas Industry and in 2019, ranked amongst the 2019 TSX Venture 50 top performers on the TSXV for the 2018 year. TELE-CONFERENCE A tele-conference will be held following the release of this press release and the results of the Group, details of which will be provided by way of a separate press release in due course. CONTACT INFORMATION Corporate Investment Relations Investor.relations@changfengenergy.cn Charles Wang Executive Assistant to CEO & Chair of the Board Zhaoyu.wang@changfengenergy.cn Frederick Wong Director of the Board fred.wong@changfengenergy.cn Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, Forward-Looking Statements). All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included or incorporated by reference in this document are Forward-Looking Statements, including statements regarding activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates may occur in the future. These Forward-Looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as will, expect, intend, plan, estimate, anticipate, believe or continue or similar words or the negative thereof. No assurance can be given that the plans, intentions or expectations or assumptions upon which these Forward-Looking Statements are based will prove to be correct and such Forward-Looking Statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. Although management believes that the expectations represented in such Forward-Looking Statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Such Forward-Looking Statements are not a guarantee of performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements or developments expressed or implied by such Forward-Looking Statements. These factors include, without limitation, no significant and continuing adverse changes in general economic conditions or conditions in the financial markets. Readers are cautioned that all Forward-Looking Statements involve risks and uncertainties, including those risks and uncertainties detailed in the Corporations filings with applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities, copies of which are available at www.sedar.com. The Company urges readers to carefully consider those factors. The Forward-Looking Statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this document and the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any Forward-Looking Statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities legislation. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Ankara, May 30 : Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his US counterpart Donald Trump held a phone conversation and agreed to meet on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Japan in June, Turkish Presidency's Communications Director Fahrettin Altun said. During the phone call on Wednesday, Erdogan reiterated Turkey's offer to set up a joint working group to address US concerns about Ankara's purchase of Russian S-400 missile defence systems, Xinhua quoted Altun as saying. Erdogan also welcomed the US decision to lift additional tariffs on Turkish steel, noting that it will help reach the goal of 75 billion US dollars in bilateral trade. The conversation came amid tensions between the two NATO allies over Turkey's planned purchase of the advanced Russian missile system. Washington threatens to suspend the delivery of the F-35 fighter jets to Ankara and slap additional sanctions if Turkey continues ahead with the purchase of the S-400s. Turkey has insisted that it is not going to give up its 2.5-billion-dollar contract with Russia. The first batch of S-400s is expected to be delivered to Turkey in July. The petrol station market is set to see 186 projects completed in 2019, despite continued headwinds about electric vehicles entering the mainstream private car market. A new CBRE market review found Queensland would lead the way with 58 new petrol stations followed by Victoria with 43 and New South Wales with 38. CBREs petrol station specialist Joseph Du Rieu acknowledged that an increase in supply of this magnitude would typically result in reduced pressure on prices, however, given these developments were being staggered, pricing had either remained steady or slightly in favour of vendors. The number of new projects coming online reflects the confidence major companies have in the sector, where they typically look to enter into 15-year leases resonating with the investor market, explained Mr Du Rieu. CBREs recent transaction of a new 7-Eleven service station in Werribee (top), which sold for $5.93 million to a private Melbourne based investor on a yield of 5.04%, further highlights this trend. The newly built service station, which features a 15-year net lease with fixed annual increases, attracted both domestic and international buyers. Du Rieu noted that CBRE was continuing to field strong demand from both private and institutional investors for petrol station assets. Given the growth, security and prominence of these landholdings, and the modern technology around the environmental aspect, as investors look to the future of the market they are recognising the alternative retail and commercial value of these sites, Mr Du Rieu said. Private cars continue to be the most popular means of transport in Australia, with 66.1% of Australians either driving to work or being a passenger in a private car an increase from 65% in 2011. While the proportion of electric vehicles in production in Australia is expected to reach 50% by the 2030s, translating to less than 14% of cars being electric, there will be a continued need for petrol filling stations into the future. However, the increase in electric vehicle production has been enough to see a shift in the way major energy companies are operating, with Shell being one of the first to make a move. In the past 12-months, Shell has installed fast charging terminals at 80 Shell petrol stations across the UK, Netherlands and China, offering a Shell Recharge service that charges an electric vehicle in just 30 minutes. With potential for the implementation of fast charging services in future Australian petrol stations, it is likely that operators will continue to grow their retail offering and build on the services they provide customers while they charge their cars. Close to $40 million of petrol station investments sold across Australia in Q1, with tier one tenancies like Coles Express and 7-Eleven resulting in strong yields of less than 6% for assets in strong inner metropolitan locations with attractive underlying land components. Conditions remain bleak across the WA housing market, with Perths five year price correction re-acclerating in 2018 and buyer sentiment still not gaining traction, according to Westpac. Its Housing Pulse May 2019 did suggest there are positives as the pace of monthly price declines is moderating, the glut in rental markets looks to have disappeared, and mining regions have seen a lift. However, with the economy still looking soft, mortgage arrears rising and the clear threat of negative equity problems highlighted in our last report, downside risks are likely to persist. Curtin University school of economics, finance and property associate professor Steven Rowley recently noted the bottom of the market had been called for three years now. Perth valuer Gavin Hegney believes that the bottom has yet to come. If you are looking for the bottom out in the overall median price, you are not going to see that until the end of the year, he told Domain. And you are not going to see that until rents rise and the tenants of today become the purchasers of tomorrow on the basis they can get money, and that will seem to balance and lessen the rental pressure and see purchasing pressure and recovery in the lower end of the market Thats the reality but within the market there are always things on the move, and while outer areas and the lower end are seeing properties sell for well below replacement price, some of the upper end of the market not the ultimate prestige but what they call the upper end mortgage market if you like, is doing quite well. Click here to enlarge: Prices across the Perth market are down 8.7% annually, the fastest pace of decline since the GFC. R.L. Schreiber Production Headquarters Investing in our people, process, and future Family Owned Flavor Company honors 50th Anniversary with revitalized brand mark and package design being distributed nationwide. R.L. Schreiber, Inc. is a leading food manufacturer crafting over 1,000 premium flavor products. The company marks its 50th Anniversary by its founder and original Purveyor Raymond Leo Schreiber. The family owned and operated company is proudly three generations strong. It is enjoying sustained success in the food service industry by providing fine flavors and service excellence. In celebration of its 50th Anniversary, R.L. Schreiber revealed its new brand mark and refreshed package design. The new packaging reinforces R.L. Schreiber as the premier Purveyors of Fine Flavors, a brand reputation earned since the companys inception. Over fifty years later, R.L. Schreiber still passionately crafts and personally delivers its products to thousands of customers across the United States. Our heritage is rooted in a labor of love. R.L. Schreiber is an American success story that began with one man our original Purveyor, Raymond Leo Schreiber. Raymond moved his family to Southeast Florida in 1968 with a vision. As a natural born salesman and entrepreneur, he dreamed of starting his own food base company. Pretty soon, R.L. Schreiber, Inc. was born. The business flourished with Raymonds persuasive personality, premium quality products, and passionate customer service. Raymond established an independent purveyor network to provide personalized customer service and delivery. This set the company apart then, and still does today. Tom Schreiber Sr., R.L. Schreiber Chairman of the Board, recalls, When my father, Raymond, founded our company over 50 years ago, it was truly a labor of love. He started with his favorite food and soup base recipes that he prepared each morning. In the afternoons, he would personally deliver his homemade food & soup bases to local restaurants and food service establishments. The business steadily grew until he decided to engage several people to become exclusive purveyors for him. It was the beginning of R.L. Schreibers unique distribution model that emphasized passionately crafted flavor offerings, with personalized service. Weve experienced rapid growth and a tripled sales force. R.L. Schreiber celebrates a history of success, having grown from one employee (its founder) 50 years ago to a national brand today. The company employs 130 people and has over 100 independent purveyors nationwide. R.L. Schreiber values its manager, employee, purveyor, and customer relationships. Investing in its people as well as technology is important to the company. As a result, it has enjoyed 17% sales growth over the past two years. It also tripled the size of its sales force to support its growing independent purveyor network. This growth led to headquarter expansions and new product developments. Investing in our people, process, and future. R.L. Schreiber believes in fostering a corporate culture with family values and professional integrity. When hiring new employees or independent purveyors, the company looks for people who would embrace its brand qualities including safety, quality, unity, integrity, and service. In 2011, R.L. Schreiber moved its spice manufacturing to its new 125,000 square foot state-of-the-art production facility in Lebanon, KY. Four years later, it moved its food base manufacturing. This allowed R.L. Schreiber to expand its geographic footprint for providing superlative quality and service it is renowned for. As part of the move, the company invested in a new employee and independent purveyor training center. It also created new programs that drive performance. The company has made strategic investments in state-of-the-art production equipment, food safety protocol, and enhanced computer software. This helps facilitate the companys continued quality and growth. While honoring our roots, we spread our wings. R.L. Schreiber is excited to announce the recent purchase of its new corporate office building in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. The move accommodates the companys comprehensive needs. Ronald Frump, R.L. Schreiber Inc. Chief Executive Officer, commented on the recent move, by explaining, As a family-owned and operated company, we had outgrown our existing space in our old Pompano Beach facility. With our growth in the past two years, we needed a corporate office that could house our growing corporate staff, all under one roof. Our recent move will facilitate this. It also had smart technology conference room facilities as well as a large corporate kitchen. The timing for this move coincides with our 50th Anniversary, which makes it that much more special. The new corporate headquarters is located at 2745 W. Cypress Creek Road, in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. About R.L. Schreiber, Inc. R.L. Schreiber, Inc. manufactures and distributes over 1,000 premium flavor items for the food service industry. Its extensive product line includes food & soup flavor bases, herbs & spices, seasoning blends, instant concentrated stocks, and custom blends. The company passionately crafts premium batches of its superb culinary products. The products are personally delivered to customers by over 100 R.L. Schreiber independent purveyors nationwide. The Purveyor/Chef relationships are highly revered by customers. Purveyors provide regular visits with personalized service, delivery, flavor advice, free product sampling, and inventory checks. R.L. Schreiber continues the legacy as the premier Purveyors of Fine Flavors. In doing so, superlative quality is paramount in everything the company does. The highest standards of excellence apply to its product quality, food safety programs, innovative R&D, continuous operational improvement, and dedicated customer service. This level of commitment is the reason its customers have remained loyal for 50 years. R.L. Schreiber is the proud title sponsor of the American Culinary Federation (ACF) Student Team Award and Competition. R.L. Schreiber has had a long standing relationship with the ACF. The ACF is the largest professional chefs organization in North America with over 22,000 members in 230 chapters across the United States. For more information on our companys history, products, recipes, promotions or to discover the R.L. Schreiber Advantage please visit http://www.RLSchreiber.com. For information contact: Media Relations Jason Massengale (800-624-8777) or jason@rlsinc.com Garrett Mehrguth presenting at the Digital Summit conference in Salt Lake City. "Talented, effective, and flexible are the first words that come to mind when I think of Garrett." - Digital Summits Content and Product Strategist Leah Harris. Garrett Mehrguth, the CEO and co-founder of the B2B and enterprise search marketing agency, Directive, recently was selected to speak at 13 stops of the Digital Summit tour. Digital Summit, the largest conference series in the digital marketing industry, has invited Mehrguth to share his unique presentation, "5 Data-Validated Tactics to Increase the Experienced Marketers Qualified Lead Volume (...and 3 Tactics That Are Guaranteed to Fail)" with their audiences across the nation. Mehrguth will continue to discuss how B2B and enterprise marketers can advance their digital discoverability and take control of their residency on search engine results pages. This approach has catalyzed Directives growth by 300 percent year-over-year. It also is the foundation that the firms strategies are built on, which is utilized across their portfolio of over 75 clients. I've had the pleasure of working with Garrett over the past year, as he has proven to be a stand-out speaker in our Digital Summit Series, said Leah Harris, content and product strategist for Digital Summit. We curate 20 marketing conferences with over 1,000 speakers in total, and Garrett consistently engages the crowd with his expertise and surveys in the top 20 percent of speakers. The Digital Summit Series aims to serve as the definitive community for digital marketers across the U.S. In 2019, they will curate their live conferences with numerous first-rate speakers, workshops, webinars, videos, white papers, and additional resources to provide continuing education opportunities to the marketing communities. Throughout the rest of the year, the 27-year-old will speak at the following Digital Summit marketing events. Salt Lake City - March 5-6 Portland - June 11-12 Denver - June 26-27 Philadelphia - July 24-25 Minneapolis - August 14-15 Chicago - August 28-29 DC - September 4-5 Tampa - September 11-12 Detroit -September 25-26 Charlotte - October 2-3 Boston - October 22-23 Raleigh - November 13-14 Dallas - December 4-5 Im humbled and thankful to the Digital Summit team for allowing me to share my search marketing insight with so many experienced marketers in the U.S., said Mehrguth. My goal is to help experienced marketers avoid getting caught up in growth hacks and fads and focus on what the data shows will move the needle, he continued. As a thought leader, Mehrguth has been published by Marketo, Salesforce, Marketing Land, Moz, Search Engine Land, Ahrefs, Convince & Convert, Search Engine Journal, and more. He also speaks at State of Search, General Assembly, MozCon, etc. Additionally, he has been a guest speaker on the following podcasts: The B2B Growth Show, Salesforces Cloudcast Marketing Podcast, Sisenses Radical Transparency Podcast, The Actionable Marketing Podcast, The Growth TL;DR, Edge of the Web, and more. For more information about Garrett or to book him for a speaking opportunity/event, please email ameisner@directiveconsulting.com. About Directive: Directive is the leading B2B and enterprise search marketing agency that companies trust to scale their business. Directive is a leader in SEO, PPC, CRO, content marketing, social media, and digital PR. These services are driven by a dedicated team of specialists who utilize data to drive strategy with Directives powerful analytics hub. This technology delivers unparalleled transparency and insight into marketing efforts. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Irvine, California, Directive has expanded to Los Angeles; New York City; Austin, Texas; and London. To learn more about how Directive empowers companies to exceed their search marketing and sales goals, visit: https://directiveconsulting.com/ or on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. For more information, please contact: Ashton Meisner, Media Relations and Marketing Manager Email: ameisner@directiveconsulting.com For more information about Digital Summit conferences, please visit https://digitalsummit.com/conferences/. AdventHealth Ocala and its partners at Radiology Associates of Ocala are the first in Marion County to offer women with small breast cancer tumors a new, more comfortable and convenient surgical option called the SCOUT Wire-Free Radar Breast Localization System. This advanced technology works by placing a tiny device about the size of a grain of rice, called a reflector, into the tumor at the patients convenience before the day of surgery. This allows physicians to precisely locate and remove cancerous tissue during a lumpectomy or surgical biopsy procedure. The SCOUT technology replaces the traditional process which requires marking extremely small tumors with a hooked wire inserted into the breast. Because the end of the wire sticks out from the breast, it is typically placed on the morning of surgery and patients must restrict their movements, so the wire is not accidentally moved or dislodged. We know men and women who receive this diagnosis can be anxious and scared, and we want to make the process as easy as we can during what can be one of the most trying times of someones life, said Dr. David M McFaddin, Breast and General Surgery, Chair of AdventHealth Ocala's Breast Care Leadership Committee. This kind of leading-edge technology, which provides an enormous benefit to those who are diagnosed with breast cancer, is an important part of how were elevating health care in Marion County. During lumpectomy surgery, SCOUT uses safe, non-radioactive radar waves to accurately detect the location of the reflector and the tumor to within 1mm of accuracy, allowing the surgeon to precisely locate and remove both the tumor and the reflector without the need for uncomfortable wires. The SCOUT system has been proven in over 60,000 procedures. It has been shown to decrease patient discomfort and improve patient satisfaction. AdventHealth, formerly Florida Hospital, is committed to being on the forefront of innovation and technology and providing our unique brand of compassionate whole-person care. About AdventHealth West Florida Division (Formerly Florida Hospital) The West Florida Division of AdventHealth has some of the nations brightest medical minds making lifesaving breakthroughs with surgical pioneers, scientists and researchers using leading edge technology and innovation to deliver our brand of whole-person care. Our network of care includes AdventHealth Carrollwood, AdventHealth Connerton, AdventHealth Dade City, AdventHealth Lake Placid, AdventHealth North Pinellas, AdventHealth Ocala, AdventHealth Sebring, AdventHealth Tampa, AdventHealth Wauchula, AdventHealth Wesley Chapel and AdventHealth Zephyrhills, as well as three freestanding offsite Emergency Rooms including AdventHealth Central Pasco ER, AdventHealth Palm Harbor ER and AdventHealth TimberRidge ER. We are more than hospitals, as we have a robust system of care including specialty acute care, over 200 primary care and specialty employed physicians, Express Care at Walgreens clinics, urgent care centers, wound care, physical therapy and home health care. AdventHealth is a faith-based not-for-profit health care system with a mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ. AdventHealth has hundreds of care sites and nearly 50 hospitals across the United States. For more information about AdventHealth, visit AdventHealth.com, or Facebook.com/AdventHealth. We look forward to meeting the attendees at Global Pouch Forum to demonstrate first-hand this exclusive consumer-friendly format and discuss the many possibilities it has to offer." - Matthew Grimaldi, CEO of AJG Packaging AJG will be exhibiting in conjunction with Fimtech AS, at Booth #22, June 11-13, at the Hyatt Regency OHare, Rosemont, IL. Push & Dose is the only patented flexible pouch concept in the world with a perforated membrane and built-in controlled product dispensing. It was originally introduced a few years ago, with much attention and great interest at Scanpack, Scandinavias largest packaging event. The ingenious delivery system will be seen for the first time in North America at Global Pouch Forum. Push & Dose transforms an ordinary pouch into a totally unique delivery system. This easy-to-open, controlled dispensing mechanism and self-closing membrane keeps products fresh while delivering the desired amount. Push & Dose is developed to fulfill FDA and European Food Safety requirements and has passed migration tests executed by Eurofins. The revolutionary dosing invention for the consumer market delivers a perfect sprinkling of powdery and granulated products. Fimtech is the inventor of the Push & Dose concept and is the manufacturer of the machines that produce the Push & Dose dispensing unit in roll form. Push & Dose pouches will be produced on horizontal pouch filling machines, either as pouches from rollstock material (HFFS) or as single, premade pouches (HFS). Both machine types can easily be upgraded to accommodate the Push & Dose infeed and applicator equipment. AJG Packaging is now the exclusive North American contract packager representative. Were excited to be participating at Global Pouch Forum with long-time collaborator Fimtech and making the announcement of this game-changing packaging technology, states Matthew Grimaldi, CEO of AJG Packaging. Much like our organization, Fimtech is also built on a culture of vision and innovation, and Push & Dose is the latest example in a long line of success stories. The Push & Dose pouch is easily opened by removing a strip of packaging material from across the top portion and then gently applying pressure against the outside edges of the package to activate a controlled dosing. An inventive closure mechanism preserves freshness to extend the product life cycle. A selection of customizable shapes and decorating options are available, making Push & Dose ideal for dry powder products, including powder-to-water supplements, sprinkles and seasoning, and personal care products like dry shampoos. At present, several global brands in the health and beauty, and food industries have expressed animated interest in this unique delivery system. Initial industry reaction to Push & Dose has been extremely positive, adds Grimaldi. We look forward to meeting the attendees at Global Pouch Forum to demonstrate first-hand this exclusive consumer-friendly format and discuss the many possibilities it has to offer. ABOUT AJG PACKAGING AJG Packaging is a family-owned company providing a full range of packaging solutions for projects of all sizes in a variety of industry sectors that include pharmaceutical, personal care, health and beauty, food, beverage, household and others. Headquartered in Flemington, New Jersey, AJG Packaging serves a long list of clients both domestic and international with innovative, patented and sustainable packaging and manufacturing services. For more information, please visit http://www.ajgpackaging.com. For additional press information, please contact: Ed Delia, Delia Associates E: edelia(at)delianet.com T: 908-534-9044 Georg List, Vice President of Corporate Strategy, AVL We are very excited to have AVL take such a leading role in the Alliance. - John Tintinalli, SAEs Director of Innovation and IAMTSs Secretariat AVL List GmbH has joined the International Alliance for Mobility Testing & Standardization (IAMTS) as a Strategic Member on its Technical Leadership Committee. AVL joins SAE International, TUV SUD and CATARC at this key commitment level to develop and implement AV testing best practices and replicable procedures, and to provide manufacturers and mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) companies with a comprehensive portfolio of physical and virtual test environments and audited capabilities. We are very excited to have AVL take such a leading role in the Alliance, says John Tintinalli, SAEs Director of Innovation and IAMTSs Secretariat. Given AVLs long-standing history as an innovation driven partner in passenger and commercial vehicle engineering, their participation is extremely important. Building up a diverse, influential, global community of expert organizations is essential to our mission, and we welcome the inclusion of additional members to help tackle all the great and necessary work that needs to be done. From AVLs perspective, explains Georg List, Vice President of Corporate Strategy at AVL, there are compelling reasons to join IAMTS: We see great value in joining an initiative where US, Europe and China represented by such important standardization partners as SAE, TUV Sud and CATARC commit to tackle such a complex issue as testing of automated vehicles and advanced mobility together with industry partners. It is an ambitious mission which AVL is keen to contribute to and we hope that other regions and many more automotive industry partners will join. AVLs joining coincides with the first IAMTS workshop, which was held in Munich on May 20 with more than 15 stakeholders in advanced mobility testing from Europe, China and the United States. IAMTS addressable domains include physical and virtual testing related to automated vehicles, connected vehicles, dynamic wireless charging, and other smart mobility systems, services and environments. For more information about IAMTS, please visit: http://iamts.org or contact info@iamts.org. About IAMTS The IAMTS is an SAE ITC (Industry Technologies Consortia) program (http://www.sae-itc.com). The SAE ITC team specializes in establishing and managing consortia by providing proven processes, tools and resources. ITC enables public, private, academic and government organizations to connect and collaborate in neutral, pre-competitive forums thus empowering the setting and implementation of strategic business improvements in highly engineered industries globally. About AVL AVL is the world's largest independent company for development, simulation and testing technology of powertrains (hybrid, combustion engines, transmission, electric drive, batteries and software) for passenger cars, trucks and large engines and their integration into the vehicle. The company has over 10,400 employees worldwide and achieved a turnover of 1,75 Billion Euro in 2018. The bear cubs rescued one year ago thrive in their new home at Bearizona. We are so grateful to be able to provide a safe and loving home for orphaned bears thanks, in large part, to our no-breeding program. Bearizona, a popular wildlife park near the Grand Canyon devoted to providing homes to wild animals in need, is celebrating the one-year anniversary of its adoption of four black bear cubs with a $5 donation per car entering the park on Saturday, June 1 to the nonprofit Appalachian Bear Rescue. The celebration coincides with National Black Bear Day, annually recognized on the first Saturday in June. Bearizona hopes to use the day to not only educate the public about the most common bear in North America, but also to dispel myths about the black bear and raise funds for rescue efforts. In 2018, Bearizona adopted four orphaned black bear cubs after their mothers were euthanized for being too habituated to humans and entering civilized neighborhoods. The first two rescues were 5-month-old male cubs from Pinetop-Lakeside who made national news when they were discovered hiding at the top of a 75-foot tree one day after their mother was taken by the Arizona Game and Fish Department from a residential neighborhood. A local resident had been feeding the bear daily and this was the second time the Arizona Game and Fish Department had attempted to relocate this bear from a residential area back into the wilderness, which meant she ultimately had to be put down. Unfortunately, the mother was euthanized before the department discovered she had two helpless 15-pound cubs that were unfit to survive in the wilderness without her. Bearizona rescued two more five-month-old black bear cubs the same month, in June 2018, when their mom was euthanized by White Mountain Apache Tribe Game and Fish after entering multiple campgrounds. Today, the bears, named Bjorn, Ole, Naki and Dala, are doing well and thriving in their new home. We are so grateful to be able to provide a safe and loving home for orphaned bears thanks, in large part, to our no-breeding program, said Bearizona Owner Sean Casey. Although the circumstances behind rescues are often unfortunate, we are grateful to be able to provide a safe and loving home for orphaned cubs. Located outside of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Townsend, Tenn., the Appalachian Bear Rescue is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to care for orphaned and injured black bear cubs for the return to their natural habitat. The organization also focuses on increasing public awareness about coexisting with black bears and research to support all aspects of returning cubs to the wild. Voted number four and number three, respectively, in the 2019 and 2018 USA TODAY Readers Choice Awards for Best Safari Park, Bearizonas mission is to rescue wild animals in need of new homes and promote conservation by fostering memorable and educational encounters with North American wildlife in natural environments. For more information, call (928) 635-2289 or visit http://www.bearizona.com. About Bearizona Bearizona is a drive- and walk-through wildlife park south of the Grand Canyon in Williams, AZ, near the intersection of Historic Route 66, Interstate 40 and Highway 64. The parks mission is to rescue wild animals in need of new homes and promote conservation by fostering memorable and educational encounters with North American wildlife in natural environments. Bearizona invites guests to take a scenic, three-mile drive through packs and herds of wild animals followed by a leisurely stroll through Fort Bearizona, where additional animals can be seen beneath the towering ponderosa pines of Coconino National Forest. Media Contact: April White april(at)bearizona.com 928-890-7729 Students at Cardinal Charter Academy prepared care baskets for sick children staying at Ronald McDonald House. "When I painted a Buddy Bench, I felt good in the inside because I am helping not me, but other people to get new friends. I also loved painting the benches because we got messy and I love messy stuff." Not all learning happens in the classroom. According to Cardinal Charter Academys school counselor, Sara Penna, community service projects and becoming involved in helping the world can be a powerful teacher. During the current school year, Penna proposed two service projects, one in the fall and one in the spring. The premise was to have everyone in the school contribute in some way to benefit the entire school community and the community at-large. The plan was to have every student in every grade participate in the project to make a difference. The results were felt not only by those who benefited, but those who gave of themselves as well. In the fall, students participated mainly in campus-focused service. One of the most unique was the creation of the Buddy Bench. Students painted a bench designed to be an inviting space for friendships to evolve. Students who may feel lonely or like they need a friend, sit on the bench while other students who notice they are on the bench come and join them. The bench has inspired new friendships and has fostered a renewed sense of companionship among students of all grades. "When I painted a Buddy Bench, I felt good in the inside because I am helping not me, but other people to get new friends. I also loved painting the benches because we got messy and I love messy stuff." (Sadhana - 3rd Grade) In addition to the Buddy Bench, some environmentally-focused projects included raking and picking up leaves around campus and creating eco-friendly bird feeders. Some students participated in picking up garbage off campus and created the hashtag - #trashtag where they could post how much garbage their group picked up. There was also a cross-grade project where eighth graders went to first grade classes to read to them. The projects were not only focused on the campus though. Fifth graders collected more than 1,000 cans of food through a competition for the Durham Rescue Mission. "Helping out with the can drive made me feel helpful to others. I knew what we were doing was making a difference and that the things we were donating were going to a good cause" (Sam - 5th grade) The springtime service events were focused more on the community outside of the campus. Each homeroom was tasked with developing an idea and plan to implement it. Some homerooms decided to work with the Ronald McDonald House by conducting a pop-top drive, listening to speakers talk about the services provided, collecting donations and toiletries for families using the services and preparing goody-bags with coloring books, puzzles, toys and cards for all children who stayed at the house. Several grades prepared projects to help feed the hungry. Seventh graders held a food drive for Christ Family Church and eighth graders participated in the Interfaith Food Shuttle a meals on wheels type of program. Another group worked with the not-for-profit organization, A Note in the Pocket, which provides clothing for underprivileged children. Third graders embarked on a penny war and raised more than $300 for an animal shelter and fourth graders made videos of themselves reading childrens books on a Youtube channel so that younger children could be read to whenever they went to the channel. Weve seen a lot of enthusiasm in students during these service learning days, said Penna. The younger students found joy in writing cards for people, older students expressed that they were able to do something that actually helped people. It was great for them to see a direct result of their actions. Teachers and students alike embraced the service days. Second grade teacher Susan Kearns provided a great opportunity for older and younger students to interact when she requested big helpers to work with the littles to make felt toys for the animal shelter. "Our second graders were excited to spoil dogs and cats with our class-made chew toys. We also had some older kids from our middle school who came to help. Watching the older and younger students working together was wonderful, and I think that everyone learned from the experience, said Kearns. This project has opened up so many opportunities for our students and teachers to gain a new perspective about how big the global community is. Even though we are just a small school in Cary, we can make a big difference, added Penna. Students also engaged in a writing portion of the projects explaining how his or her actions influenced someone else. Students in one classroom wrote about what service meant to them and created a bulletin board so that everyone could see their accomplishments and thoughts. The community service project is in its infancy and is expected to grow throughout the years. Weve learned a lot over this first year and will implement some of what we learned into future projects. Students learned how they can impact their community and teachers learned how creative and generous their students can be. It was truly a win-win for our entire community, said Rebecca Draper, principal of Cardinal Charter Academy. RELEVANT LINKS: Cardinal Charter - https://www.cardinalcharter.org/ Buddy Bench - http://www.thebenchfactory.com/buddy-bench-benefits Durham Rescue Mission - https://www.durhamrescuemission.org/ Ronald McDonald House - https://www.rmhc.org/ Interfaith Food Shuttle - https://www.foodshuttle.org/ Contact: Colleen Reynolds, APR (239) 849-6400 NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN UNITED STATES CALGARY, Alberta, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pieridae Energy Limited (Pieridae or the Company) (PEA - TSXV) has filed its first quarter (Q1) unaudited condensed interim financial statements and related managements discussion and analysis (MD&A) for the first three months of 2019. Pieridae's unaudited condensed interim financial statements and MD&A are available on our website at www.pieridaeenergy.com and are filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Highlights of the Quarter: On February 4, 2019 Pieridae signed a benefits agreement with the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mikmaq Chiefs. The agreement means the Mikmaq will benefit economically as the Goldboro LNG facility is developed, built and begins operations. On February 28, 2019, Pieridae completed a brokered and non-brokered private placement of the Companys common shares at a price of $2.00 per share. After giving effect to both the brokered and non-brokered tranches of the private placement, the Company issued 9,550,000 commons shares for gross proceeds of $19.1 million. On April 1, 2019, the Company announced that it had engaged Kellogg Brown & Root Limited ("KBR") to perform a review of an amended version of the previously prepared front-end engineering and design study for its proposed Goldboro LNG Facility. KBR will also conduct an open book estimate necessary for entering into a lumpsum engineering, procurement and construction contract. The total cost for this contract is expected to be approximately $13.0 million. The proposed activities are expected to occur over the next nine months. I was pleased we started the year off by signing a benefits agreement with the Nova Scotia Mikmaq, building on the respectful relationship we have worked to build with them for a number of years, said Pieridae Energy CEO Alfred Sorensen. The milestones this quarter dovetailed into work that continues to finalize an agreement with a contractor to build the Goldboro LNG facility, and also our ongoing efforts to secure the natural gas supply needed to supply the first facility or train at Goldboro. Consolidated Performance Highlights: For the three months ended ($000s, except where otherwise stated) March 31, 2019 March 31, 2018 Revenue (net of royalties) $ 22,982 $ 16 Net loss $ 12,996 $ 2,959 Net loss per common share - basic and diluted ($/share) $ (0.17) $ (0.06) Cash flow from operating activities $ (17,084) $ (2,148) Project expenditures (1) $ 1,061 $ 1,132 Net working capital deficit (1) $ (66,192) $ (84,061) Shareholders equity $ 98,340 $ 57,746 Operating Daily production Crude Oil and NGLs (bbl/d) 200 - Natural gas (Mcf/d) 102,221 - Barrels of oil equivalent (boe/d) (2) 17,236 - (1) Non-IFRS measure. See page 18 of the Companys MD&A. (2) Excludes sulphur production. This was supplemented by an additional 20,172 tonnes of sulphur. Pieridaes financial results for the first quarter of 2019 reflect the fact the Company has evolved into an upstream exploration and production company, as well as a development company focused on the construction of its proposed LNG facility. The Company operations are now dominated by the assets and activities associated with its acquisition of Ikkuma in late 2018. Management hopes to leverage off of these assets, and grow its upstream business, as it looks to fulfill its goal of becoming a fully integrated LNG company. 2019 Guidance: Management reaffirms guidance issued in April including average daily production for 2019 expected to be in the range of 16,000 to 18,000 boe/d. Production guidance excludes potential acquisitions. Pieridaes 2019 upstream capital program will focus on necessary maintenance, equipping, tie-in and low cost, high-return optimization initiatives at a cost of approximately $8 to 10 million. Depending on funding initiatives, Pieridae would expect to incur up to $45 million in Goldboro development activities. About Pieridae Founded in 2011, Pieridae, a majority Canadian owned corporation based in Calgary, is focused on the development of integrated energy-related activities, from the exploration and extraction of natural gas to the development, construction and operation of the Goldboro LNG facility and the production of LNG for sale to Europe and other markets. Pieridae is on the leading edge of the re-integration of the LNG value chain in North America. Pieridae has 84,121,990 common shares issued and outstanding which trade on the TSX Venture Exchange (PEA). For further information please contact: Alfred Sorensen, Chief Executive Officer Melanie Litoski, Chief Financial Officer Telephone: (403) 261-5900 Telephone: (403) 261-5900 James Millar, Director, External Relations Telephone: (403) 261-5900 Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained herein may constitute "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively "forward-looking statements"). Words such as "may", "will", "should", "could", "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "intend", "plan", "potential", "continue", "shall", "estimate", "expect", "propose", "might", "project", "predict", "forecast" and similar expressions may be used to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve significant risk and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, risks associated with the Goldboro project, risks associated with the open book estimate, the ability to obtain a lump sum turnkey contract, the ability to meet project completion timelines, expectations of market prices in future years, targets for of job creation, expectations for impact on local and international economies, benefits to be derived from the project, and other risks and uncertainties described elsewhere herein or in Pieridaes other filings with Canadian securities regulatory authorities. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of factors and assumptions which have been used to develop such forward-looking statements, but which may prove to be incorrect. Although it is believed that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements because no assurance can be given that such expectations will prove to be correct. Additional information on factors that could affect operations and financial results are included in reports of Pieridae on file with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and may be accessed through the SEDAR website (www.sedar.com), and at Pieridae's website (www.pieridaeenergy.com). Although the forward-looking statements contained herein are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, management cannot assure that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date hereof and Pieridae has no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Carl Black Nashville offers affordable vehicle maintenance and service deals in Nashville. Local residents who find their vehicles in need of summer maintenance are encouraged to contact the dealership. No matter how well taken care of, there comes a point in a vehicles life where it simply needs to go into the shop. This local dealership has a variety of vehicle services available including maintenance to keep vehicles in the best condition possible. From something as easy as an oil change to more complicated procedures, the efficient team at Carl Black Nashville is ready to tackle any maintenance issue. Now, shoppers can enjoy a great price to go along with the quality work. Find a variety of coupons on the Carl Black Nashville website. These coupons include items such as deals on tire rotations, brake repair, battery replacement and 50 to 60 dollars off an oil change. However, these deals will not last long, so any shopper interested in utilizing these service coupons are encouraged to contact the dealership soon. It is important to take care of any vehicle issues that crop up as soon as possible. This ensures that the problem doesnt worsen over time and cost even more to fix. At the very least drivers should ensure their vehicle has its oil changed and tires rotated on a regular basis. Thankfully it is easy to schedule vehicle services with Carl Black Nashville right on its website at http://www.carlblackchevy.com. The dealerships service department can also be reached by calling 888-498-9760. Catch The Beat commits to doubling the size of 10,000 small businesses by 2020. Catch the Beat, announced today that they have joined forces with Austin, TX based company DigitalMarketer and committed to doubling the size of 10,000 small businesses by 2020 as a DigitalMarketer Certified Partner. We chose to partner with DigitalMarketer because we absolutely believe in the vision and can add massive value to all our client. Daphne Thomson We are delighted to have Catch the Beat as a DigitalMarketer Certified Partner, said Ryan Deiss, CEO of DigitalMarketer. With skilled and dedicated partners like Catch the Beat we are confident that well achieve our goal of doubling the size of 10,000 businesses ahead of schedule. As a DigitalMarketer Certified Partner Catch the Beat has been trained, tested and certified on DigitalMarketers globally praised Customer Value Optimization process. This coupled with the businesses already impressive list of specialties enables Catch the Beat to lower customer acquisition costs while increasing immediate customer value for their clients. Ive seen first hand how the CVO process can double a business almost over night and were excited have 7 members of the Catch the Beat team trained and certified to deliver this amazing process to new and existing clients, said Daphne Thomson, Catch the Beat, Founder For more on Catch the Beat or to find out if they can help your business grow using the Customer Value Optimization process, visit: http://www.catchthebeat.co.za About Catch the Beat: Catch the Beat is a company that renders a full turnkey online marketing service that includes the use of social media management, digital marketing strategies, as well as search engine optimization, also known as SEO. Marketing your brand to the upmost respect and quality is what we base our integrity on, making sure that your brand reaches all possible platforms. The world of online marketing is truly an endless adventure. Let us stir you towards your success. About DigitalMarketer DigitalMarketer is a marketing research and training company based in Austin, TX with a mission of doubling the size of 10,000 small businesses by the end of 2020. With over 400,000 subscribers from across the globe, brands and businesses, both large and small, rely on DigitalMarketer to stay on the leading edge of whats actually working in modern marketing and business growth. Our standard for a quality sales candidate comes with a proven track record of tremendous success. ProSearch operates like a retained search firm at a contingent fee, says Abby Prince, Managing Director, CSS ProSearch CSS ProSearch proudly announces the promotion of employees Stephanie Staiano and Brian Bogle. CSS ProSearch is recognized for nationally placing top sales and marketing talent for clients, which directly affect their clients growth. The team has grown by 15% year after year and continuously looks for opportunities to improve daily operations and advance the development of each employee. Since 2013, Stephanie Staiano has been a National Account Executive and has successfully brought in new business, which has, in turn, converted to numerous, excellent client and candidate testimonials. Stephanie was promoted to National Sales Director in early April. Her new role not only includes continuing to manage her clients and drive sales, it also includes managing a team of recruiters and sales representatives who will help to support many future successful searches. Since 2015, Brian has demonstrated all the operational core competencies of the ProSearch team. Brian was promoted from Senior Search Consultant to Recruiting Manager at the beginning of January. This promotion has come with managing and advising a team of Sourcers / Recruiters to support the continued growth of CSS ProSearch. These promotions are evidence of the growth of CSS ProSearch and the strong skillsets of both Stephanie and Brian. The team is committed to the training and development of all its employees so they can specialize in the placement of phenomenal sales candidates within the Healthcare, Technology, and Consulting industries. CSS ProSearch continues to exceed expectations: as of last quarter, they reached their highest quarterly revenue to date. Due to their success, ProSearch is not only promoting top employees, but looking to hire great talent to join the team and help drive success. CSS ProSearch has achieved their success by upholding their high standards: Our standard for a quality sales candidate comes with a proven track record of tremendous success. You will receive a regular update giving you business intelligence from the field. ProSearch operates like a retained search firm at a contingent fee, says Abby Prince, Managing Director, CSS ProSearch, a Contemporary Staffing Solutions Company. ProSearch doesnt want you to just take their wordtheir clients can attest to the level of professionalism and business knowledge of the ProSearch team: I would not only recommend CSS ProSearch as a top-notch recruiting agency to help find candidates for open positions, but I would also recommend them to anyone I know who is actively pursuing a position. They take the time to listen to me and the qualifications that I am looking for in candidates to fill a specific position. My company is alwayswant[s] sales leaders that are high achievers, goal oriented, strong closers and winners, not always the easiest people to find but somehow CSS ProSearch gets it done, says the Regional Sales Director of a Biotech client. About CSS ProSearch: CSS ProSearch focuses on boosting clients organizational performance, sales effectiveness, and growth by transforming the culture of our clients from the one they have to the one they want. They do this through identifying professional sales candidates with the right motivations, core competencies, proven leadership skills, and cultural fit to achieve an organizations strategic goals. If you hire your next President Club winners and encourage peer-to-peer example setting of forecasting and closing new business, then the bar for performance will raise itself. CSS ProSearch contributes to building diverse teams, creating an inclusive culture, promoting creativity, increasing employee engagement, and not only attracting, but retaining, the right talent. When the time came to select a vendor that would be able to implement within our aggressive timeline, Eka was the solution that gave us the most confidence based on their history of fast, successful implementations. Eka Software (Eka), the leading provider of software solutions for commodities, has announced a record number of fast implementations for its customers, consolidating its platforms superiority compared to legacy CTRM/ETRM systems. One of the primary reasons companies choose Eka is the exceptionally short implementation times of its enterprise grade apps for ETRM and CTRM. Eka enables them to scale faster and on-demand, allowing businesses to remain competitive by moving at the speed of markets. Ekas unique Quick-Start implementation process enabled 25 new clients across large and medium sized enterprises to go live in 2019, which is an industry record. Ekas out-of-the-box apps come with pre-built connectors for trading, so customers can go live in weeks instead of months. For example, Singapore based coal trading company Pine Energy went live with plug-n-play trading and risk management apps on Ekas platform in just 12 weeks, whereas traditional CTRM systems require six months or longer to implement. Commenting on the implementation, Wallace Leong, Risk Manager, Pine Energy said, As a young, rapidly growing company, we knew we needed a commodity management solution that could support our current trading operations and scale with us as we grew. We evaluated a couple of vendors and determined that Eka's platform was best suited for us in terms of short onboarding time, cost competitiveness and scalability in future. We went live with Ekas digital platform in just 12 weeks. The best thing about the platform is that it is hosted on cloud, and it allows us to seamlessly add new functionalities without worrying about timelines or implementation failures. The system allows our traders to manage their operations end-to-end in one place. They simply log in and the platform provides all the information they need at the click of a button, Leong further added. Commenting on the fast implementations, Manav Garg, CEO and Founder of Eka, said: As an underserved market, the commodity sector has typically lacked modern solutions that help them meet their business goals and respond to market opportunities on time. We are happy that Eka is enabling our customers to finally meet their current requirements with plug-n-play enterprise apps and future proof their growth with the ability to scale at will." Brendan Marusa, Vice President Operations from World Energy commented on World Energys rapid go-live: When the time came to select a vendor that would be able to implement within our aggressive timeline, Eka was the solution that gave us the most confidence based on their history of fast, successful implementations. Garg further added: Our unrivalled implementation speed is available across all of our apps as well as the CTRM and ETRM suite, enabling customers to shift focus from spending time on transactional and time-consuming tasks to focusing on their businesses, faster decision making and data analysis. Depending on the apps that businesses choose, Ekas platform allows companies to go live between 6 and 12 weeks, reducing implementation time by over 50% in comparison to the best-possible speed achieved with other systems. Ekas solutions allow businesses to solve complex problems quickly and easily. Its comprehensive suite of applications addresses the needs of large and medium sized enterprises and provides the ability to start with apps that businesses need immediately and then add more, as and when necessary. On top of this, its easy integrations and flexible configurations help customers connect to critical data in disparate enterprise systems quickly and seamlessly. Ekas CTRM platform enables faster decision making because analytics and trade information are fed into the platform in seconds instead of days or weeks. The software provides a nimble, connected workflow and allows users to go live in weeks with any custom additions possible, growing the technological ability alongside business growth. About Eka Eka is a global leader in providing digital commodity management solutions driven by Cloud, Blockchain, Machine Learning and Analytics. The companys best-of-breed solutions serve the entire trading value chain across agriculture, energy, metals and mining and manufacturing markets. Eka is reimagining commodity management with a new age architecture that breaks monolithic ETRM and CTRM systems into bite-sized chunks of powerful, enterprise-grade apps, thereby enabling faster implementation, adoption and decision making. Ekas mobile-first, enterprise apps are embedded with commodity-specific algorithms that empower businesses to stay on top of volatile markets by letting them scale at will, go live faster, and achieve better value for their investments. Eka has offices across the Americas, Asia, Australia, and EMEA serving 100+ customers globally across multiple commodity segments. Experlogix, Inc., a global leader in Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) solutions, announced today that Experlogix CPQ is now a preferred solution for Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Sales and Customer Engagement. Experlogix has been a Dynamics 365 solution partner since 2005, providing a seamless user experience and integration across the entire Dynamics 365 product line for hundreds of Dynamics 365 customers. The solution is available on Microsoft AppSource, an online cloud marketplace providing tailored line-of-business applications, making it easy for Dynamics 365 customers to discover and add Experlogix to their Dynamics 365 deployment. The combination of Experlogix CPQ and Dynamics 365 empowers sales reps to quickly configure complex product and service proposals with ease. Using Experlogix visualization capabilities, reps can see product configuration changes on the fly to identify the right selection of options to fit customer requests. Margin calculations, discount approvals and bill-of-materials are streamlined to accelerate quote-to-manufacture applications. Dynamics 365 combined with a seamless Experlogix CPQ user experience provides: Best in class CPQ capabilities as an industry leading CPQ solution provider. Support for the Dynamics 365 Sales Hub app and other Unified Client apps. Support for reading and writing product catalog and configuration data to and from Dynamics 365. A single Omni-channel CPQ solution that can be leveraged by all users in Dynamics 365 for Sales and Customer Engagement, Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, Dynamics 365 Business Central, Dynamics 365 web portal or a Dynamics 365 mobile device interface. Were proud to offer Experlogix CPQ to Microsoft Dynamics 365 customers, said Christian Stepien, Experlogix President. "Our entire organization has continued to dedicate itself to providing the level of sales, customer service and product innovation necessary to achieve this partner distinction. Experlogix is built on a 100% Microsoft technology stack, and together we continuously push the co-evolution of our products to deliver an unsurpassed customer experience." Ariel Katz, General Manager, Dynamics 365 for Sales at Microsoft said, "Experlogix is a valued leader in their industry with capabilities that meet the needs of our joint customers. We are pleased to continue our work with Experlogix on this exciting journey. About Experlogix Experlogix offers award winning CPQ solutions for Microsoft Dynamics providing a complete quote-to-order-to-manufacture experience across the enterprise. Experlogix empowers reps to deliver complex proposals consisting of thousands of potential product and pricing rules with the option to automate multi-level production orders when the business is won. Experlogix is recognized worldwide as a global leader in Configure, Price, Quote technology with hundreds of customers in a variety of industries, including Allegion, Analogic, Assa Abloy Hospitality, Hitachi Construction Machinery Australia, Husky Injection Molding Systems, Jayco, Inc., Malibu Boats, Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift, Nikon Instruments UK, Okuma America Corporation, Otis Elevator, and Thermo Fisher Scientific. For more information, visit experlogix.com. WIND CD COVER Jazz is continuously growing within me, for my influences come from my worldwide travels. I get inspiration from people, language, landscapes, soil, air, food, whatever comes naturally. I combine those impressions, and create through my Japanese culture my musical art, and through my memories "RALYZZDIG" is mixed original word of "RAY, LYRIC, JAZZ and DIG It means "to dig into Jazz that sends out a hot ray and touches the heart with lyrics. Yuichiro Tokuda RALYZZDIG musicians are, Yuichiro Tokuda: alto/sopranino sax, vocal, composition, Naoto Suzuki: guitar, Shunichi Yanagi: piano, Tomoya Ohgaki: bass, and Yuto Maseki on drums. After studying at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, Yuichiro returned to Japan forming his own band "Yuichiro Tokuda RALYZZDIG. His first album was acclaimed as "the cutting edge of the present progressive form of jazz" in Jazz Life magazine. Jazz is continuously growing within me, for my influences come from my worldwide travels. I get inspiration from people, language, landscapes, soil, air, food, whatever comes naturally to me. I combine those impressions, and create through my Japanese culture my musical art, and through my memories in my life says Tokuda. Having received an award, as the first time ever for a jazz artist, the New Face of the Year in Art & Culture from the Chiba-City Government. He and his band have performed more than 50 stages all over the world. His original songs received "Finalist" & "Honorable Mention Award in International Songwriting Competition 2010, 2012 & 2013 Jazz Category. Innovatively progressive, contemporary jazz feel of presentation is what I hear. Jazz being an international language, there is no question as to why Yuichiro Tokuda looks to plant musical seeds in American soil. As a graduate of Berklee College of Music, he became equipped for the call for the music that was beating in his heart and soul says Jaijai Jackson of The Jazz Network Worldwide. Having performed many international jazz festivals as well as prestigious international awards of achievement, Yuichiro Tukados new CD entitled Wind, Crossing Colors and All-Time Best 2006-2018 is the latest offering of his musicianship. Tokuda founded/owns and operates his own record label GoodNessPlus Records since he was 25. GoodNessPlus Records has released10 artists/bands and 20 albums to worldwide audiences, both (CD & digital music). Two more upcoming artist projects to be released in July and August. Early in May, Yuichiros band performed at the World Youth Jazz Festival in Malaysia on International Jazz Day and then traveled on to Japan and Malaysia to continue their current tour schedule. Some of his goals are to perform at the Monterey Jazz Festival and Newport Jazz Festival as well as events that are open to booking artists from across the world and integrating it into todays cultural musical presentations. To purchase and learn more go http://www.yuichirotokudaus.com/ and stop by http://thejazznetworkworldwide.com to check out his featured spot. Other links to connect to Yuichiro Tokuda: Facebook Link: http://www.facebook.com/Yuichirotokuda Twitter: https://twitter.com/YuichiroTokuda Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yuichirotokuda/ https://store.cdbaby.com/Artist/YuichiroTokudaRalyzzdig https://music.amazon.co.jp/albums/B07RL8FM6D?ref=dm_sh_a20c-76d0-dmcp-ff01-5a5dd&musicTerritory=JP&marketplaceId=A1VC38T7YXB528 https://open.spotify.com/album/2R88NlbnPusnPZdVlWidMU ForwardLine Financial, a leading direct lender of small business loans, announced today it has secured a new $100 million senior credit facility with Credit Suisse AG, Cayman Islands Branch, and Neuberger Berman private equity funds. Sector Financial Inc., an affiliate of Credit Suisse, provided access to the Credit Suisse debt facility. As part of this announcement, the company also shared that it is pleased to continue its strong eight-year relationship with East West Bank. The new $100 million of funding capacity will be used to support ForwardLines industry leading growth. Building on its record-breaking performance in 2018, the company increased year-over-year total originations by over 300% in the first quarter of 2019. The company is continuing to invest in data, technology, and talent to deliver an outstanding customer experience and further execute on its aggressive growth plan. The organization is focused on growth initiatives that will help it achieve its overall mission of improving the financial health of Americas small businesses. ForwardLines CEO, Steve Carlson, shared, We are passionate about helping Americas small businesses obtain the capital they need to thrive. As part of this effort, we are excited to further diversify our capital structure with a group of top-tier investors and look forward to working with Sector Financial, Credit Suisse, Neuberger Berman, and East West Bank during this next chapter of ForwardLines growth. The facility will be used to provide affordable working capital to Americas small businesses. Since 2003, ForwardLine has provided more than a half-billion dollars in funding to over 15,000 companies. ForwardLine uses a proprietary algorithm that leverages real-time customer data to optimize credit decisions. The result is a data-driven, customer-centric funding model that gives businesses an opportunity to access much needed growth capital. We are thrilled to bring on capital partners that will be able to join us in supporting the aggressive growth plan of ForwardLine shared Martin Nesbitt, ForwardLines Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer at the Vistria Group. We are excited to continue partnering with ForwardLines management team as they continue to build on their success and deliver value for both shareholders and their customers. About ForwardLine ForwardLine Financial, a nationwide non-bank lender, has been successfully providing small businesses with fast, convenient financing alternatives to traditional business loans since 2003. ForwardLine combines technology, non-traditional credit algorithms, and a direct sales model to offer attractive pricing and address a market not captured by traditional banks. In addition to loans, the company offers payment processing services to its borrowers in order to further encourage customer loyalty. For more information, please contact ForwardLines marketing department at 866.623.4900, email marketing(at)forwardline(dot)com or visit the ForwardLine website at https://www.forwardline.com/. Gilbane Building Company Celebrates Groundbreaking of Four New Elementary Schools for Fremont City School District Officials from Fremont City School District, Gilbane Building Company, SSOE/Munger & Munger, Ohio Facilities Construction Commission and students came together on Wednesday, May 22 to celebrate the official groundbreaking of four new elementary facilities that will provide a modern learning environment for future generations of students. Gilbane is serving as construction manager at-risk for the construction of four new elementary schools. Each elementary school will be 56,000 SF and will house PK-5 students. The project includes abatement and demolition of the seven existing elementary schools, and each new school will be constructed on an existing site. The program is set to be completed by the start of the 2021 school year. The Gilbane team is excited for the opportunity to work with Fremont City School District on the construction of their new school facilities. We look forward to bringing the expertise and lessons learned weve amassed as one of the top builders of education facilities. Chad Stevers, Gilbane Building Company Senior Project Executive In addition to the elementary schools, Gilbane is also providing construction manager services for the new high school. The school will be a 192,000 SF facility and includes 8,000 SF of space for a career technology center and a new performing arts center. Construction of all five schools will be completed in 2021. About Gilbane Building Company Gilbane provides a full slate of construction and facilities-related services from pre-construction planning and integrated consulting capabilities to comprehensive construction management, general contracting, design-build and facility management services for clients across various markets. Founded in 1873 and still a privately held, family-owned company, Gilbane has more than 45 office locations worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.gilbaneco.com. Gilbane is one of the most experienced builders in the Central/Midwest market and is currently one of the largest construction managers in the Columbus market. Our established relationships with area subcontractors/suppliers, local and state authorities, M/WBE contractors and top design and engineering professionals have resulted in satisfied clients and repeat business throughout the state. With more than 60 years of success in the highly competitive construction market, Gilbane is committed to continuing the strong tradition of excellence in the Ohio construction industry. iGotcha Media, a digital interactive studio specialized in building memorable screen-based customer experiences, today proudly welcomed two new senior vice presidents to its management team. Marcos Terenzio is now iGotcha Medias Vice President, Creative and Strategy, and Kim Zakaib is Vice President, Operations. Each brings 20+ years of experience and expertise in the design of public and retail spaces with deep understandings of how to create memorable customer experiences. Marcos Terenzio will lead iGotcha Medias Toronto office and drive the companys creative and strategic initiatives to help clients deliver integrated brand experiences. He is a highly-experienced strategist with more than 25 years of international experience with Fortune 500 clients including Nike, Apple, Coca-Cola, TD, Bell, Wal-Mart, BMW, Kraft and Burger King. Prior to joining iGotcha Media, Marcos created and led the Digital Experience division of Shikatani Lacroix Design (SLD), one of Canada's leading branding and retail design agencies. Earlier in his career, he helped launch a digital agency for St. Joseph Communications (SJC) one of Canadas largest privately-owned communications companies. Kim Zakaib will direct iGotcha Media's corporate operations while establishing the best practices required for the company to succeed at the highest levels. After 21 years she recently departed Aedifica, a full service architecture and design firm headquartered in Montreal. As Vice President, Retail, Kim oversaw a team of 40 architects, designers, project managers and technicians in the execution of construction projects with individual budgets up to $40 million USD. In a period of about eight years, Kim nearly doubled her departments annual revenues. During her time at Aedifica, she worked with numerous leading retailers and brands including Zara, Club Monaco, Birks, Desjardins, Bose, Swarovski and Aldo Group. Kim holds and EMBA from McGill/HEC Montreal and a B.A.Sc. in Industrial Design from Carleton University. We are delighted to welcome Kim and Marcos two executives with exceptional talent and a wealth of experience, says Greg Adelstein, President, iGotcha Media. In recognition of iGotcha Medias growth and development, we felt that the time was right to expand our presence in Toronto and recruit some very senior managers with the unique skillsets required to help us grow to the next level of success. I am confident that Kim and Marcos are the right people in the right jobs. On behalf of the entire team, I would like to welcome them to iGotcha Media. Together we will accomplish great things and I look forward to our shared success. About iGotcha Media iGotcha Media is a digital interactive studio specialized in building memorable screen-based customer experiences. Solutions include screens, interactive kiosks, video walls, RFID technology, audience-measurement technology, wayfinding and payment solutions and in-store audio. We help our clients creatively communicate their value propositions. With offices in Montreal and Toronto, iGotcha Media's clients include Birks, Browns Shoes, Cirque du Soleil, Groupe Touchette, Loto-Quebec, National Bank of Canada, Nissan Canada, Reebok, Rona, Toronto Congress Centre and VIA Rail Canada. For more information, please visit http://www.igotchamedia.com. Media Contact: Mark Lowe, PRagmatic Communications, for iGotcha Media mark.lowe(at)pragcom.com / (514) 576-2519 HMG Strategy, the worlds largest independent provider of executive networking events and thought leadership, annually recognizes technology leaders who have demonstrated unparalleled leadership in areas such as innovation, business transformation, courageous leadership, and digital disruption. Nearly two decades of incisive business strategy, deep technology expertise, and extensive operations knowledge has made Naveen a trusted advisor to global IT leaders. He is quoted in financial and national publications, and is a frequent speaker at conferences across North America. We honor those technology leaders who have demonstrated courageous leadership in working closely with CEOs and boards to identify and execute on business strategies, said Hunter Muller, President and Chief Executive Officer, HMG Strategy, These individuals drive innovation, strengthen relationships with customers, and deliver a competitive edge. It is my honor to extend this recognition to Naveen as he is a technology executive who embodies these characteristics. Naveen built his knowledge of business and technology working in multinational organizations such as Citigroup, IBM, JP Morgan, and KPMG, and developed Info-Tech Research Groups consulting team to compete successfully on a global scale. What Ive learned above all is that business transformation is driven by our ability to transform the people at its core, including leaders and teams, clients and suppliers, internal and external networks, said Naveen Kumar, Vice President, consulting services, Info-Tech Research Group. If we can create trust, transparency, and respect among people, shared understanding of business objectives follows more easily. Deploying technology to achieve those objectives then supports everyones mission, and I am passionate about building these relationships and solving problems together. HMG Strategy enables such relationships to form, essentially creating trust and success all around. I am deeply honored and humbled to receive this recognition from such an industry leader. Naveen will receive the award at HMG Strategys Toronto 2019 CIO Executive Leadership Summit on June 4, 2019. About Info-Tech Research Group Info-Tech Research Group is the fastest growing full-service research and analyst firm in North America, serving more than 30,000 IT professionals. With offices in London, Canada, Toronto, Canada, Las Vegas, U.S., and Sydney, Australia, Info-Tech Research Group has grown quickly by offering pragmatic analyst insights and actionable tools. Info-Tech Research Groups divisions include McLean & Company and SoftwareReviews. Contact Indrani Ray-Ghosal Vice President, Communications & Brand Info-Tech Research Group & SoftwareReviews irayghosal(at)infotech(dot)com +1 647.574.9559 (cell) HAMILTON, Bermuda, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Teekay Tankers Ltd. (Teekay Tankers or the Company) (NYSE:TNK) today announced changes to the Companys Board of Directors (the Board). Effective May 29, 2019, Mr. Sai W. Chu will be joining the Board to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Mr. Richard Paterson. Mr. Richard Paterson, an independent director of Teekay Tankers, has stepped down from the Board to accept an invitation to join the board of Teekay GP L.L.C, the general partner of Teekay LNG Partners L.P. Mr. Chu, who is an independent director, will also serve as the Chair of the Companys Audit Committee and as a member of the Boards Conflicts Committee and Governance Committee. Sai brings a wealth of financial and shipping expertise to Teekay Tankers, commented Arthur Bensler, Chair of the Board. We are very pleased that he has agreed to join our Board, and we look forward to his contribution as we continue to execute on our strategy in the years to come. Mr. Bensler continued, Richard has made an invaluable contribution during his tenure. On behalf of the Company, we are grateful for his service and dedication to TNK and look forward to continuing to work with Richard on the TGP board. Mr. Chu brings extensive financial experience to the Company with over 30 years of finance, operations and strategy experience primarily with public companies in shipping, specialty finance, utilities and technology. From 2007 to 2015, he was Chief Financial Officer of Seaspan Corporation (NYSE:SSW), a containership lessor, and from 2004 to 2007 he served in various financial roles within its related companies. From 1995 to 2004 he held financial roles with other companies, including BC Gas Inc. Since 2017, he has been Chief Financial Officer of UrtheCast Corporation, a TSX-listed company involved in data, geo-analytics and engineering services with global operations. Mr. Chu is a member of the Institute of Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada. About Teekay Tankers Teekay Tankers currently owns a fleet of 56 double-hull tankers, including 30 Suezmax tankers, 17 Aframax tankers, nine Long Range 2 (LR2) product tankers, and three ship-to-ship support vessels, and has eight contracted time charter-in vessels. Teekay Tankers vessels are typically employed through a mix of short- or medium-term fixed-rate time charter contracts and spot tanker market trading. The Company also owns a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) through a 50 percent-owned joint venture. In addition, Teekay Tankers owns a ship-to-ship transfer business. Teekay Tankers was formed in December 2007 by Teekay Corporation as part of its strategy to expand its conventional oil tanker business. Teekay Tankers common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TNK. For Investor Relations enquiries contact: Ryan Hamilton Tel: +1 (604) 609-2963 Website: www.teekay.com Interjet A320 aircraft landing at Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport Qatar Airways is a significant interline agreement for Interjet Airlines Interjet Airlines announced today, an interline agreement with Qatar Airways providing Qatar customers greater connectivity when traveling between Mexico and Qatars more than 160 worldwide destinations. The agreement is effective immediately. Customers from Qatar can now travel with the convenience of purchasing a single ticket for flights on either airline and easy connections at the airports served by both carriers. Passengers traveling between Mexico and these destinations will be able to reach these destinations via flying Interjet through Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Houstons George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), Miami International Airport (MIA), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), New Yorks John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), and Chicago OHare International Airport (ORD), among others. "This is a significant interline agreement for Interjet Airlines, said William Shaw, Interjet's Chief Executive Officer. "Our commitment has been to offer business and leisure travelers everywhere we fly, our unique brand of lower prices with free checked bags on select fares, more legroom between seats and great service that differentiates us from our peer competitors. We look forward to offering Qatar Airways passengers, the same level of quality service and in-flight comfort they enjoy flying with Qatar Airways, he added. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: Qatar Airways is pleased to welcome Interjet as an interline partner. This exciting and strategic agreement broadens both of our airlines reach to diverse markets, providing passengers with increased convenience and access to more business and leisure destinations all on a single ticket. We are delighted to offer our customers enhanced choice and connectivity when traveling to points in Mexico. For more information regarding Interjets new interline agreement with Qatar Airways or to make a reservation, visit http://www.interjet.com or in the U.S. call (866) 285-9525 About Interjet Airlines Interjet is an international airline based in Mexico City carrying more than 13 million passengers annually within Mexico and between Mexico, the United States, Canada, Central, and South America. In all, it provides air service to 53 destinations in nine countries offering its passengers greater connections and travel options through agreements with major airlines such as Air Canada, All Nippon Airways (ANA), American Airlines, British Airways, Emirates, EVA Air, Hainan Airlines, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LATAM Group, Lufthansa and Qatar Airways. Interjet was recently honored with Skytraxs World Airline Award as the Best Low-Cost Airline in Mexico and Best Cabin Crew in Mexico. In 2017, Interjet was awarded the Travelers' Choice Trip Advisor Award as the best Mexico airline. About Qatar Airways Qatar Airways currently operates a modern fleet of more than 250 aircraft via its hub, Hamad International Airport (HIA) to more than 160 destinations worldwide. HIA has recently been ranked as the fourth best airport in the world at the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2019. Additionally, the airport has been ranked as a five-star Airport and was honored with the title of Best Airport in the Middle East for the fifth year in a row and Best Staff Service in the Middle East for the fourth year in a row. Media Contact Julieta Pena Flores Tel. +52 (55) 9178 5500 x5833 Email: julieta.pena@interjet.com.mx Pim Tuyls, Chief Executive Officer, Intrinsic ID Chief Executive Officer Pim Tuyls will make two speaking appearances during the 56th Design Automation Conference in Las Vegas. Intrinsic ID, the worlds leading provider of digital authentication technology for Internet of Things security, today announced Chief Executive Officer Pim Tuyls will make two speaking appearances during the 56th Design Automation Conference, in Las Vegas June 2-6. On June 4 Tuyls will participate in an IP track entitled IP to Secure Devices in a Hostile World and present IoT Security: It Starts with the Silicon. June 4, 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. PDT Location: Room N264, Las Vegas Convention Center Summary: Today's Internet of Things requires an unprecedented level of security, one that exposes the shortcomings of traditional approaches. Today's threats -- interception of data, attacks to a device's integrity, theft of private keys -- reflect a level of sophistication never before seen. Historical methods of combatting them, which rely on various approaches to inserting secrets into computing systems, all have an Achilles heel that creates vulnerability, and accompanying business concerns, for IoT product providers and the companies that supply their chips. The physics of silicon offers a security solution that addresses these security and business concerns, and at the same time allows for future improvement. SRAM PUF (Physical Unclonable Function) technology utilizes the unique differences created in each fragment of silicon to derive a device identity that is not only impossible to clone or duplicate, but also allows for deployment of, or upgrades to, security for already-deployed devices. This IP's agnosticism to fab and technology node selection improves time to market and design/TCO efficiency. SRAM PUF's unique capabilities make it particularly suited to scaling the IoT in an economically viable way. On June 5 he will participate in the special session Co-designing Hardware and Software for Secure Next Generation Platforms and present Untrusted Endpoints are Not an Option. June 5, 10:30 a.m. to noon PDT Location: Room N259, Las Vegas Convention Center Summary: Growth in the Internet of Things continues to accelerate. Unfortunately, so does growth in the number of threats. IoT security has not kept pace with the increased opportunity from IoT growth. Securing endpoints in a reliable and robust method to achieve trust in the IoT can come at a significant cost. Strong device authentication is pivotal to scaling confidently and profitably. This presentation will describe how strong security, achieved via Unclonable Identities, can be established in an industrial setting and an economically viable manner. Pim Tuyls is CEO of Intrinsic ID, a company specializing in IoT security technology. He initiated the original work on Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs) that forms the basis of Intrinsic IDs silicon fingerprinting technology while at Philips Research, where Pim was Principal Scientist and managed the cryptography cluster. In 2008 he founded Intrinsic ID and has headed the company since 2010. He holds a Ph.D. in mathematical physics from Leuven University, holds 50+ patents and is widely recognized for his work in the field of SRAM PUFs and security for embedded applications. He has written significantly in the field of security, including his co-written book Security with Noisy Data, a survey into the theory and practice of new technologies in the field of security based on noisy data, which describes applications in the fields of biometrics, secure key storage and anti-counterfeiting. The 56th annual Design Automation Conference will be conducted June 2-6 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev., in North Halls 3 and 4. For more information on the conference visit the DAC website. About Intrinsic ID Intrinsic ID is the worlds leading digital authentication company, providing the Internet of Things with hardware-based root-of-trust security via unclonable identities for any IoT-connected device. Based on Intrinsic IDs patented SRAM PUF technology, the companys security solutions can be implemented in hardware or software. Intrinsic ID security, which can be deployed at any stage of a products lifecycle, is used to validate payment systems, secure connectivity, authenticate sensors, and protect sensitive government and military systems. Intrinsic ID technology has been deployed in more than 125 million devices. Award recognition includes the Cyber Defense Magazine InfoSec Award, the IoT Breakthrough Award, the IoT Security Excellence Award, the Frost & Sullivan Technology Leadership Award and the EU Innovation Radar Prize. Intrinsic ID security has been proven in millions of devices certified by Common Criteria, EMVCo, Visa and multiple governments. Intrinsic IDs mission: Authenticate EverythingTM. Visit Intrinsic ID online at http://www.Intrinsic-ID.com. Intrinsic ID, the Intrinsic ID logo and Authenticate Everything are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intrinsic ID, Inc., and are protected by trademark laws of the United States and other jurisdictions. All other product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Jan Cerna, local manager of The Maids of Ft. Lauderdale, was awarded Manager of the Year at The Maids Internationals annual Growth Summit in Omaha, Neb. "He is in a unique position, having worked in every position in the business, to relate to all employees. He is a great leader and knows how to care for customers." Jan Cerna was rewarded for his seven years of diligent work at The Maids in Ft. Lauderdale, by being named Manager of the Year at The Maids Internationals annual Growth Summit in Omaha, Neb. The Manager of the Year award recognizes a franchise manager who has gone above and beyond his or her job duties and stands out from the other managers of more than 170 franchise locations. Every year The Maids franchise owners from across the U.S. and Canada attend the national Growth Summit to participate in business sessions, share ideas with other franchisees, and recognize outstanding employees and franchise owners. Cerna was nominated by franchisee Al Madore, owner of The Maids in Ft. Lauderdale. Cerna said he was extremely happy when he got the call he was being honored as Manager of the Year. It was awesome. Ive been with Al so many years and I work hard every day. I felt like my work was appreciated, and working hard pays off, said Cerna. Cerna understands the critical impacts employee relationships have on customer retention. Al and Jan have created an incredible office culture which is apparent with staff turnover well below the industry average. He has a quiet demeanor and leadership style, and is known for his courteous, respectful, fair, and professional manner. He fosters relationships at every opportunity with employees, as he knows they are key to customer satisfaction. My main goal is to make every customer happy. I work with the staff to make them feel good because if they feel good, it helps make customers happy. The franchise is owned by Al Madore, who is grateful to have Cerna on his team. "Jan is someone who I know I can always trust to do a great job," Madore said. "He is in a unique position, having worked in every position in the business, to relate to all employees. He is a great leader and knows how to care for customers." For more information about The Maids in Ft. Lauderdale, call the franchise at 954-796-7600 or visit http://www.maids.com. About The Maids: The only residential cleaning service endorsed by Mr. Clean, The Maids, the most trusted name in home cleaning and provides superior customer service with a premium clean for every customer. Using professional supplies and state-of-the-art equipment with a proprietary cleaning process, The Maids is the residential cleaning service of choice. Visit http://www.maids.com or call 1-800-The Maids (843-6243) to learn more. Shane R. Kadlec Given our growing practice, having a bigger office thats along the Katy Freeway gives us a better place to interact with our clients and address their needs. Plus, all the new developments in the West Houston area offer great places to eat and shop. Given our growing practice, having a bigger office thats along the Katy Freeway gives us a better place to interact with our clients and address their needs. Plus, all the new developments in the West Houston area offer great places to eat and shop, said attorney Shane R. Kadlec, founder of the Law Office of Shane R. Kadlec. Kadlec has 24 years of experience practicing personal injury law in the Houston area. He has also been certified three times by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in personal injury trial law and has successfully represented hundreds of clients throughout Texas. Kadlecs staff includes Rose Medina, who has worked with the firm for 14 years. She started as the office receptionist, then legal assistant, then litigation paralegal and now manages the office. Another member of the team is Kendall Salinas, who joined the practice a year ago after working at a busy personal injury firm as a case manager. Ms. Salinas works with new client inquiries and pre-litigation cases. Newest to the practice is Brittany Schuchmann, a law clerk with the firm, and just this month completed law school and obtained her Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law. Upon passing the bar exam, Schuchmann wants to be a litigation attorney with the firm and work towards becoming board-certified. Furthermore, the Law Office of Shane R. Kadlecs website was recently revised. It now features even more valuable information for people looking for legal representation. The site includes detailed information about the firms practice areas, client resources and a link to its blog, which includes numerous articles about personal injury matters. To speak with Mr. Kadlec about personal injury matters and other legal issues, or to set up a free appointment, call (281) 643-2000. Concluded client Staci, He settles your case before it has to be prolonged with going to court. I have always come out on top with Mr. Kadlecs representation. About the Law Office of Shane R. Kadlec Shane R. Kadlec is one of only 10 percent of Texas personal injury lawyers to be board-certified. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas and U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas. Practice areas include motor vehicle accidents, catastrophic accidents, premises liability, work injury, civil litigation and accidental gunshots. The Law Office of Shane R. Kadlec boasts more than 6,500 successful cases. For more information, please call (281) 643-2000, or visit http://www.InjuryLawyerHouston.com. For media inquiries, please call the NALA at 805.650.6121, ext. 361. We are excited to be the first approved provider of online electrical continuing education in Massachusetts, said Amy Bonilla, VP of JADE Learning. JADE Learning, a nationally trusted electrical continuing education provider, is now approved by the Massachusetts Board of Examiners of Electricians to provide online MCE courses for Type A & B electrical licensees. The MCE course is required for Massachusetts electrical licensees to meet their 21-hour continuing education requirement for the July 31, 2019 electrical license renewal deadline. JADE Learning's online courses are taught by experienced instructors who are NEC code experts with decades of experience. JADE Learning is committed to assisting electricians in completing CE hours required to renew their electrical licenses on time. Massachusetts electrical licenses expire on 7/31/2019. Licensees are required to complete a total of 21 electrical continuing education hours. 15 of those hours must be dedicated to an MCE update while the remaining hours can be professional development. JADE Learning offers both types of courses online as well as a 21-hour package that includes 15 Hour Code Update: 2017 NEC Changes and Residential Wiring (2017 NEC). We are excited to be the first approved provider of online electrical continuing education in Massachusetts, Provider #444. Online courses give busy electricians the opportunity to complete their hours on their own time without having to give up an entire weekend for a class, said Amy Bonilla, VP of JADE Learning. Online Electrical License Renewal System: This renewal cycle the Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians is moving to an online ePLACE renewal system. This means all licensees will be required to register an account, link their license number, and complete their renewal payment online. Licensees can then expect to receive their new license in the mail a few weeks after theyve completed all requirements and renewed. To assist with this transition towards online renewals, the Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians is holding a series of information sessions. The next scheduled dates are: -June 6th, 2pm-6pm: MECA Offices in Dedham -June 12th, 10am-2pm: IAEI Paul Revere Chapter meeting, Winthrop Elks -June 24th, 10am: BSEE board meeting held at Blackstone Regional Valley High school in Upton For more information about these events, contact the Board. Electrical Continuing Education: Online MCE and professional development courses are available any time at jadelearning.com/ma . JADE Learning is an approved provider by the Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Electricians since 2017, and the very first approved provider of online electrical continuing education in the state. Trusted provider #444. Register for courses and contact JADE Learning about continuing education at jadelearning.com/ma or call 1-800-443-5233. Milgard Windows Awarded Best in Western US Remodeling Milgard strives to be the best window and door manufacturer in the industry, said Jeremiah Noneman, senior marketing director at Milgard Windows & Doors. We are honored to receive this recognition from remodeling professionals. Milgard Windows & Doors has been awarded the Most Used and Most Recognized window brand in the Western US for its vinyl, wood and fiberglass windows by Remodeling Magazine, a leading publication in the home improvement industry. Milgard strives to be the best window and door manufacturer in the industry, said Jeremiah Noneman, senior marketing director at Milgard Windows & Doors. We are honored to receive this recognition from remodeling professionals. Milgard engineers are known for their award-winning windows and patio doors, as well as industry-leading designs using patented technologies, including the award-winning SmartTouch lock. Designed for comfort and durability, Milgard develops each component from extensive testing and attention to detail. They manufacture their own lineals and fabricate each custom-made window and patio door to order, providing a high level of quality control. The REMODELING Brand Use Study is conducted every 2 years and surveys remodeling pros to learn the brand names they recognize and use the most across 54 product categories. Learn more about Milgard windows: https://www.milgard.com/windows. About Milgard Windows & Doors Milgard Windows & Doors, a Masco company based in Tacoma, Washington, offers a full line of vinyl, wood, fiberglass and aluminum windows and patio doors for builders, dealers and homeowners, backed by a Full Lifetime Warranty, including parts and labor. The company has been recognized as Builders Choice for vinyl and fiberglass windows in the Western United States, in a yearly survey sponsored by Hanley-Wood Inc., publishers of BUILDER Magazine. Milgard is the highest online rated window and patio door brand, as measured by the 2018 NRS consumer sentiment study conducted by MetrixLab and commissioned by Masco. Milgard has approximately 3,300 points of sale nationwide. For more information, visit milgard.com or call 1.800.MILGARD. About Masco Corporation Masco Corporation (NYSE: MAS), parent company of Milgard Windows & Doors, is a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of branded home improvement and building products. Our portfolio of industry-leading brands includes Behr paint; Delta and Hansgrohe faucets, bath and shower fixtures; KraftMaid and Merillat cabinets; Milgard windows and doors; Kichler decorative and outdoor lighting; and Hot Spring spas. We leverage our powerful brands across product categories, sales channels and geographies to create value for our customers and shareholders. For more information about Masco Corporation, visit Masco.com. About Hanley Wood Hanley Wood is the premier company serving the information, media, and marketing needs of the residential, commercial design and construction industry. Utilizing the largest analytics and editorially driven Construction Industry Database, the company provides business intelligence and data-driven services. The company produces award-winning media, high-profile executive events, and strategic marketing solutions. About REMODELING REMODELING, published by Hanley Wood, is the leading publication in the home improvement industry. REMODELING has and continues to be the indispensable tool that remodelers cannot do withoutdelivering the business know-how, product and technical information that home improvement pros need to help make smart decisions that will shape their project success. To learn more, visit remodelingmag.com. I'm very excited to represent Mojo Marketing at such a prestigious global conference," said Angela. "I'm passionate about sharing my experiences both as a woman and an experienced marketer in the technology sector and this is a great forum in which to do that. Mojo Marketing, the first and only full-service telecom, IT, and cloud marketing agency, announced today that its founder and CEO, Angela Leavitt, will be joining two panels of speakers at the Datacloud Global Congress. Datacloud Global Congress, held this year on June 4-6 in Monaco, France, is the premier leadership summit for critical IT infrastructure. The conference plays a crucial role as an international networking and deal-making opportunity for key players in the industry. "I'm very excited to represent Mojo Marketing at such a prestigious global conference," said Angela. "I'm passionate about sharing my experiences both as a woman and an experienced marketer in the technology sector and this is a great forum in which to do that." Angela will be speaking in a panel discussion titled "Women in Tech Are We Missing 50% of the Workforce?" on June 5th at 3:20pm. She'll be joining five other speakers to discuss what can be done to ensure greater gender diversity in the tech industry workforce. Her second panel discussion, "Defining a Digital Brand for the Data Centre and Cloud," occurs on June 6th at 11:50am. She'll be joined by two other speakers to discuss the evolving nature of service sourcing and how it impacts the manner in which the technology sector markets itself. About Mojo Marketing Mojo Marketing is the first and only full-service digital telecom marketing agency. With a robust network of key relationships -- including carriers, master agents, telecom agents, VARs, and media contacts -- Mojo keeps its fingers on the pulse of marketing and PR trends relevant to this industry. Mojo Marketing develops and delivers high quality marketing strategy and tactics that drive tangible results for its clients. Through values including responsiveness, integrity, creativity, and enthusiasm, Mojo is committed to helping telecom, cloud, and IT companies reach their targeted customers with the right message through the right mediums. In 2018, Mojo was named one of San Diego's Top 100 Fastest Growing Privately Held Companies by the San Diego Business Journal. About Datacloud Global Congress Over the past 15 years, this event has evolved as a recognized beacon of high quality content offering thought leadership across the entire IT infrastructure ecosystem. With a powerful agenda covering cloud challenges, edge evolution and data center infrastructure, the conference attracts investors, financiers, business leaders and their customers who use this annual meeting to do deals that influence outcomes for the next 12 months and beyond. The Northwest Chapter of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD), the advocate for the profession of directorship, today announced the election of Stephen Babson, director, Columbia Sportswear Company; Cheryl Larabee, director, ZAGG Inc.; Mark Finkelstein, director, Columbia Banking System Inc.; and Paul Street, director, Idaho Pacific Lumber Company. Stephen, Cheryl, Mark, and Paul are outstanding additions to the chapter board. They are experienced board members and seasoned business executives who will contribute significantly to our mission of providing directors in the Northwest with quality educational and knowledge-sharing events in Seattle, Portland, and Boise, said Bob Carlile, NACD Northwest chairman. Babson currently serves on the board of Columbia Sportswear Company and chairs the Compensation Committee. He serves on a number of boards of privately held companies, such as ESCO Corp., Genesis Financial Solutions Inc., Good Food Holdings LLC, Zoom Management, Inc., and Pendleton Woolen Mills. Larabee currently serves as chair of the board of ZAGG Inc. and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. She also serves on the board of Norco Inc. Finkelstein is currently on the Board of Directors of Columbia Banking System, Inc., where he is a member of the Compensation, Corporate Governance and Nominating, and M&A Committees. He is also a member of the Audit and Compliance Committee of the Board of Trustees of Seattle Childrens Hospital. Street currently serves on the Board of Directors of Idaho Pacific Lumber Company and is a member of the Board of Trustees of the College of Idaho. To learn about upcoming NACD Northwest Chapter programs, visit northwest.NACDonline.org About NACD Northwest NACD Northwest provides a forum for NACD members to exchange knowledge and discuss leading boardroom practices in the Seattle, Portland, and Boise area. NACD's 21 chapters enhance the value of NACD membership by providing directors with a local forum to address governance challenges in order to elevate their board's performance. Members enjoy peer-to-peer dialogue about critical boardroom issues such as cyber risk, CEO succession planning, activism, and leadership. To learn more about NACD Northwest, please visit northwest.NACDonline.org About NACD NACD empowers more than 20,000 directors to lead with confidence in the boardroom. As the recognized authority on leading boardroom practices, NACD helps boards strengthen investor trust and public confidence by ensuring that today's directors are well prepared for tomorrow's challenges. World-class boards join NACD to elevate performance, gain foresight, and instill confidence. Fostering collaboration among directors, investors, and governance stakeholders, NACD has been setting the standard for responsible board leadership for more than 40 years. To learn more about NACD, visit NACDonline.org. To become an NACD member, please contact us at Join@NACDonline.org or 571-367-3708. If you are already a member, contact your NACD Membership Advisor at MembershipAdvisor@NACDonline.org to ensure that you are receiving the best value from your membership. Antonio Buiza (L) NRG Systems' Business Development Manager for Wind and Solar Solutions EMEA and Mario Lopez (R) NRG Systems' Senior Territory Manager - EMEA. I believe NRG Systems' value to EMEAs renewable energy industry is stronger than ever and I look forward to being part of its continued growth. NRG Systems, Inc. has appointed Antonio Buiza as Business Development Manager for Wind and Solar Solutions EMEA. A member of the global sales team, Buizas office will be strategically located in Spain in order to grow and manage the companys customer base in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. I am pleased to be joining the NRG team at such an exciting and challenging time where solar is leading the market growth in EMEA and other regions, said Buiza. NRG has put a lot of time and consideration into growing the diversity of its products and services through strategic partnerships and acquisitions in recent years. I believe the companys value to EMEAs renewable energy industry is stronger than ever and I look forward to being part of its continued growth. Together with the immense capabilities of NRGs professionals and the companys many years of experience in wind and solar resource assessment and monitoring, I look forward to putting all of my efforts and skills to work for NRG to succeed in new projects, new technologies, and new markets. Over the last 15 years, Buiza has served in different technical, sales, and management roles in both the IT and energy sectors. Prior to joining NRG Systems, he was the Business Development Manager for Cloud solutions at Tier1 in Seville, Spain, and until 2017, he was the Country Manager for North America at Isotrol, a Spanish engineering company specializing in SCADA systems for renewable energy plants. Buiza holds a Masters Degree in Telecommunications Engineering from The University of Sevilla, and a Masters Degree in Sales Management from the ESIC Business School. Gregory Erdmann, NRG Systems Vice President, Global Sales, said, I am delighted to have Antonio, a veteran solar professional, join our EMEA team. By increasing our personal exposure in this market, we can help our customers and dealers more efficiently by having more interactions to help them understand NRGs new product offerings and how these products can improve their operations in both wind and solar. About NRG Systems, Inc. NRG Systems, Inc., a subsidiary of ESCO Technologies Inc. (NYSE: ESE), revolutionized the way wind resource assessment was done more than 36 years ago. Today, this heritage of innovation drives everything they do. The company is dedicated to designing and manufacturing smart technologies for a more sustainable planet that means more renewable energy, cleaner air, and a safer environment for all. Their measurement systems, turbine control sensors, and Lidar remote sensors can be found in more than 170 countries. For more information, visit nrgsystems.com. Release no. 17/2019 With reference to release no. 14/2019 of 28 May 2019, changes in Columbus A/S Articles of Association as a consequence of the board resolution regarding issue of warrants in pursuance of the authorization in Section 5.1 in the Articles of Association, have today been registered in the Danish Business Authority. Ib Kune Chairman Columbus A/S Thomas Honore CEO & President Columbus A/S For further information, please contact: CEO Thomas Honore, T: +45 70 20 50 00. At the same time the new Articles of Association for the company are hereby published. Attachments My goal was to add my media industry experience with a company that has been and will continue to lead the market in recruitment... acknowledged Tricia Etienne, I found that company with PandoLogic. PandoLogic, a leader in programmatic recruitment advertising, is pleased to announce its recent hire Tricia Etienne, who joins the company as the new Director of Media Sales. In this role, she manages business relationships with our media partners and works with new and existing partners to grow their employment category business. My goal was to add my media industry experience with a company that has been and will continue to lead the market in recruitment as the industry moves from duration-based products to programmatic and pay-for-performance solutions, acknowledged Tricia Etienne, I found that company with PandoLogic. Etienne is a veteran of the media space with 10+ years experience most recently as a Relationship Manager at Monster.com. She has also held senior positions at NOLA Media Group and Digital First Media in the advertising verticals. She has vast experience and expertise in strategically driving revenue and building employment strategy for clients. This along with her proven ability to establish and maintain relationships with partners has helped Etienne to make an easy transition into her current role at PandoLogic. Having someone of Tricias caliber on our team further expands our already best in class media organization that is helping media clients navigate through the current recruitment advertising paradigm shifts the industry is experiencing, said Angelo Deflippis, VP of Media Operations. Etiennes tenure in the media space brings a wealth of knowledge to the PandoLogic team and our media partners and reaffirms our commitment to the media industry. We are excited to have her on-board to continue to drive revenue and growth for our partners employment business. About PandoLogic PandoLogic enables employers, staffing firms and RPOs to source quality applicants faster and more efficiently and get the most from their job advertising spend through the use of big data, artificial intelligence, and proprietary campaign algorithms that fully-automate and optimize the job advertising process. Since 2007, over 125,000 employers and more than 700 digital publishers have benefited from PandoLogics programmatic solutions resulting in over 5.4 billion programmatic job campaigns based on more than 199 billion historical job performance data points. To learn more visit http://www.pandologic.com. Guests watch and listen to the massive ice with the option of standing on the topside viewing deck or staying inside the fully enclosed, heated cabin. I love being out on the lake. It is absolutely stunning every day, rain or shine. Every day feels and looks different than the last, Roemmich said. Day cruise operator Portage Glacier Cruises is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2019. Located on Portage Lake in Chugach National Forest near Anchorage, the cruise runs five trips daily to the iconic Portage Glacier from May to Sept. Each trip is narrated by an onboard U.S. Forest Service representative. Portage Glaciers accessible location makes it one of Alaskas most popular attractions. However, the receded glacier is no longer visible from Portage Glacier Road. Just an hour drive south from Anchorage, visitors can board a Portage Glacier Cruises trip, the easiest way to see the face of the active glacier, and watch as it calves into the lake. Last season alone, more than 30,000 passengers cruised to Portage Glacier on the day trip. The Portage Glacier Cruises vessel, the mv Ptarmigan, is the only boat operating on Portage Lake. It takes travelers within 300 yards of the glacier, which still spills all the way to the waters edge. On the one-hour cruise, guests spend about 20 minutes idling slowly from side to side on the lake, watching and listening to the massive ice with the option of standing on the topside viewing deck or staying inside the fully enclosed, heated cabin. In addition to glacier views, a trip across Portage Lake can result in other exciting sightings for visitors, such as a variety of Alaska wildlife and waterfalls. Black bears and mountain goats roam the sides of the surrounding mountains in the spring and summer. Portage Glacier Cruises always ensures a few pairs of binoculars are onboard for guests to share. Travelers can also spot birds like black-legged kittiwakes, surf scoters and even bald eagles. Additionally, hundreds of small waterfalls can be seen in and around the surrounding mountains and the mv Ptarmigan always makes sure to slow down as it approaches some of the larger falls that offer good photo opportunities. Marcelle Roemmich has been captaining the mv Ptarmigan for the past five years. I love being out on the lake. It is absolutely stunning every day, rain or shine. Every day feels and looks different than the last, Roemmich said. Our crew is an absolute joy to work with and almost all of them have been coming back year after year, making them very knowledgeable and passionate about the area. To celebrate its 30th year of making Portage Glacier accessible to travelers, the crew of the mv Ptarmigan is planning a celebration on June 30. Former employees will join current crewmembers on the 4:30 p.m. cruise for a toast in front of the glacier. This celebratory cruise is open to the public as well. To learn more about Portage Glacier Cruises or to book a trip for the 30th anniversary season, visit http://portageglaciercruises.com. About Portage Glacier Cruises Alaska-based Portage Glacier Cruises offers five cruises per day, seven days a week, from May Sept. The one-hour cruise takes visitors within 300 yards of Portage Glacier on the mv Ptarmigan, the only boat operating on Portage Lake. Portage Glacier Cruises began operation in June 1989 and is owned and operated by Holland America Group. Learn more about Portage Glacier Cruises at http://portageglaciercruises.com/. Media contact: Stacy Mohr, Holland America Group smohr(at)hagroup.com, 206-336-5837 Ally Day, Thompson & Co. PR ally(at)thompsonpr.com, (907) 830-3389 From left to right: Margaret Rose, Regional Director, Site Selection; Luanna Persaud, Country Director, Qualfon; and Damie Sinanan from Caribbean Export. Qualfon is honored to receive these awards, said Christina Morris, Group President, Qualfon. We have believed in Guyana and the Guyanese people for a very long time. It is truly a very special place. We are delighted to continue our growth in Guyana. Qualfon was named BPO Investor of the Year by Caribbean Export during a special ceremony earlier this month at the Outsource to the Caribbean Conference 2019 (OCC). This prestigious award distinguishes organizations for remarkable achievements that foster expansion and investments in the Caribbean. Continued Investment: Qualfon was recognized for its investments in the South American country of Guyana. Qualfon continues to invest in Guyana due to its native-English-speaking population and competitively priced services, which are vital to the global outsourcing market. Long Term Commitment: For the last 14 years, Qualfon has been an established BPO provider in Guyana and is the most-tenured and largest private employer in the country. Congratulations to Qualfon for these honorable awards, said Margaret Rose, Regional Director of Site Selection Magazine and expert panel judge. We were particularly pleased with the submission by Qualfon. The company has been in Guyana since 2005, demonstrating its long-term investment in partnering with the people of Guyana as a key contributor to growth, job creation, and stability. Qualfon is honored to receive these awards, said Christina Morris, Group President, Qualfon. We have believed in Guyana and the Guyanese people for a very long time. It is truly a very special place. We are delighted to continue our growth in Guyana. The Qualfon Guyana campus is one of the largest contact center campuses in the world, delivering greater scalability for both new programs and existing client growth, all while providing additional job opportunities to the people of Guyana. About Qualfon: Qualfon is a full-service business process outsourcing (BPO) company offering full customer lifecycle management: lead generation, end-to-end integrated marketing, multi-channel customer engagement, and fulfillment. With experienced BPO leadership and a strong track record of business growth, Qualfon helps companies reduce costs and deliver superior customer experiences. Today, Qualfon has approximately 13,000 employees serving international brands across many industries, and our intelligent outsourcing locations span the United States, the Philippines, Guyana, Mexico, and Costa Rica. Qualfons mission to Be the Best BPO, Make Peoples Lives Better means we invest in our people and, in return, they take better care of you and your customers. Qualfons employee retention regularly exceeds the industry average, which creates a people-driven value chain: our employees stay longer, providing higher quality service at a lower price. http://www.qualfon.com About Caribbean Export: Caribbean Export is the only regional trade and investment promotion agency in the African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) group. Established in 1996 by an Inter-Governmental Agreement as the regional trade and investment promotion agency, we serve the 15 States of the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM), including Guyana. Our mission is to enhance the competitiveness and value of Caribbean brands through the delivery of transformative and targeted interventions in export development and investment promotion. http://www.carib-export.com Suscription CTA on RawStory.com Admiral is leading the way with multi-site subscriptions, which allows us to deliver exclusive content via a wide array of customizable settings, all with a single-tag install and ease of use" John Byrne, Founder, CEO The Raw Story Partnering with a Pulitzer Prize-winning former New York Times reporter, popular political news site RawStory.com has launched a first-of-its-kind multi-site subscription bundle. In response to the increasing challenges of monetizing traffic via advertising dollars alone, more and more digital publishers are taking a horizontal approach towards revenue management by activating new revenue streams, including paid subscriptions. To implement, RawStory.com chose Admirals Visitor Relationship Management (VRM) platform as its subscription, engagement and paywall engine. Raw Story sees its future in original, reader-supported journalism, powered by reader subscriptions, said Raw Story founder and CEO John Byrne. We already have a fantastic working relationship with Admiral in using their platform to recover thousands in revenue losses from adblocking, and Admirals subscription platform and powerful API allowed us to bring something unique to the market quickly. Admiral is leading the way with multi-site subscriptions, which allows us to deliver exclusive content via a wide array of customizable settings, all with a single-tag install and ease of use, Byrne added. The subscription offer includes seamless ad-free access across a bundle of political news sites including RawStory.com, AlterNet.org and DCReport.org. Users who sign up via one of the sites can receive the same benefits when visiting other participating sites by paying for a single subscription. Subscribers are given exclusive access to premium investigative reporting in partnership with DCreport.orgs Pulitzer Prize-winning former New York Times reporter David Cay Johnston. Through Admirals highly configurable Transact subscription module, RawStory.com offers various pricing models and price points including introductory trial, monthly, and annual subscriptions. Publishers today face a growing list of challenges, from adblocking to privacy compliance that affect their ability to drive profitability with ads alone, explained Dan Rua, Admirals CEO. By enabling clients to activate new revenue streams like paid subscriptions, Admiral helps publishers expand and maximize visitor revenue through stronger, multi-touch visitor relationships. We live in an age where consumers recognize the need for a value exchange between themselves and content creators, and theyre demonstrating their approval with their wallets, Rua added. In Raw Storys case, theyve set the bar for what a visitor-first subscription package should be by offering custom, exclusive content, ad-free experiences, and multi-site benefits. Were thrilled to be able to provide the subscription engine for such a forward-thinking publisher. Raw Story says theyre using Admirals subscription platform to reinvest in original journalism. We cannot sit still and watch publishers abandon their watchdog roles, Byrne said. Advertising alone wont pay the costs of beat reporting, but thats not an excuse for publishers to sit on their hands. A theme at this years AdMonsters Ops 2019 is how visitor relationships drive revenue. Admiral is a Platinum sponsor of the conference that takes place on June 3rd and 4th in NYC. Admiral CEO Dan Rua, RawStory.com CEO, John Byrne, and others will take part in a special Thought Leaders panel: Visitor Relationship Management (VRM): How Top Publishers Turn Relationships Into Revenue at 4:00PM ET on Tuesday 6/4. All attendees are invited to reach out and connect with Admiral at the conference. ABOUT ADMIRAL Admiral is the industrys leading Visitor Relationship Management (VRM) platform, serving over 15,000 sites worldwide. Our product empowers publishers to engage their audiences to drive and optimize revenue streams from paid subscriptions to adblock recovery. Admirals platform includes the free Measure analytics module, and a suite of engagement, privacy compliance, subscription, and revenue growth tools including Engage, Recover, Transact, and GDPR/CCPA Consent modules. Interested publishers and partners are encouraged to learn more at GetAdmiral.com. There is an exploding global demand for solutions to help companies harness the power of their data. Our strategic partnership with some of the most respected and knowledgeable tech investors in Europe will accelerate our growth in this critical market. -- Nir Livneh, CEO, Equalum Equalum (https://equalum.io), the leading Data Beaming technology provider enabling enterprises to seamlessly transport data throughout the enterprise, is excited to announce $18 million in Series B funding. The round was led by Planven and joined by United Ventures and other European investors, with the participation of existing investors, Innovation Endeavors and GE Ventures. The Series B investment brings the companys total funding raised to date to $25 million. There is an exploding global demand for solutions to help companies harness the power of their data to make faster, better decisions, said Equalum CEO Nir Livneh. Our strategic partnership with some of the most respected and knowledgeable tech investors in Europe will accelerate our growth in this critical market. Equalum enables data-rich enterprises to easily consolidate data from disparate systems into central stores like warehouses and data lakes to power real-time analytics. The technology harnesses the power of open source big data frameworks like Spark and Kafka in a fully-managed solution that requires no manual configuration, coding, or maintenance. Many companies still rely on traditional extract-transform-load (ETL) technologies to centralize operational data for analysis. Relative to these solutions, Equalums technology has been proven to drive performance gains of up to 15x and total cost savings of up to 10x in Fortune 100 companies. The need for access to real-time insights across industries including manufacturing, finance, healthcare, retail, and media has never been greater, said Giovanni Canetta Roeder, Managing Partner at Planven. Equalum brings a visionary and battle-tested approach to solving this problem. Equalums portfolio includes a global footprint across four continents and multiple Fortune 100 companies. The company previously reported 7x year-over-year growth. The Series B funding will enable Equalum to power the next phase of its growth strategy, which consists of both geographic expansion within Europe as well as the establishment of a robust channel and technology partner network. With a very limited investment in sales and marketing, Equalum has proven the value of its solution on the enterprise stage, said Paolo Gesess, Managing Partner at United Ventures. The next step is to build an ecosystem to power global distribution. About Equalum Equalum (https://equalum.io) is the first Data Beaming platform, capable of instantly teleporting operational data from any source to real-time analytics environments. Built for scalability and ease of use, Equalum harnesses the power of Spark in an enterprise-grade environment helping organizations accelerate past traditional ETL or open-source implementations. Headquartered in Silicon Valley and Tel Aviv, Equalum is proud to work with some of the worlds top industrial, financial, and media enterprises. About Planven Planven invests globally in high-tech businesses with proven and distinctive technologies, providing capital and real active business development support leveraging its deep network of European corporates. About United Ventures United Ventures SGR is an Italian independent early-stage Venture Capital firm investing in innovative companies, focused on software and digital technologies Founded in 2013 by Massimiliano Magrini and Paolo Gesess, United Ventures has 150 million Euro of assets under management over two funds raised from Italian and international institutional investors. The firm supports new and serial entrepreneurs in developing technology companies that have the ambition to grow at international level, radically innovating high-growth potential sectors. We target our solutions to exceed the increasingly more stringent standards that the Army requires, and we are honored to be a part of this prestigious program. Revisionthe world leader in protective eyewear solutionsannounces the selection of two new eyewear lines for inclusion on the Authorized Protective Eyewear List (APEL), as determined by the U.S. Armys Program Executive Office (PEO) Soldier. After comprehensive laboratory testing and user trials, the Product Manager, Soldier Protective Equipment (PM SPE), selected Revisions ShadowStrike Ballistic Sunglasses and SnowHawk Cold Weather Goggle System for inclusion on the APEL. The ShadowStrike Sunglasses are the first dual lens, ballistic sunglasses to offer OcuMax Anti-Fog performance, and the SnowHawk goggle system is the first Cold Weather Goggle System to offer a magnetically integrated balaclava for extreme protection in cold weather environments (balaclava procured separately). Revision has been a leading provider of protective eyewear on the APEL program since it was created in 2006, said Jonathan Blanshay, CEO, Revision. This is an achievement we are very proud of, and represents our continued commitment to adapting to the changing environments and threats soldiers are facing around the globe today. Over the years, as we have evolved our products and developed new eyewear solutions, weve submitted our cutting-edge eyewear for inclusion in the APEL program. Our presence on the APEL is a major factor in our global standing as an industry-leading protective eyewear designer and manufacturer. We target our solutions to exceed the increasingly more stringent standards that the Army requires, and we are honored to be a part of this prestigious program. Manufacturers and products listed on APEL have had their products examined and tested in accordance with the Armys guidelines, meeting Army standards for ballistic protection (assessed against the Military Combat Eye Protection performance specification MIL-PRF-32432A). This years qualification process is especially noteworthy because the Army has instituted several updates to their standards, including more stringent ballistic standardsan increase in ballistic testing velocities (goggle testing velocities with a 0.22cal projectile increased from 550560 ft/s to 580590 ft/s and spectacle testing velocities with a 0.15cal projectile increased from 640660 ft/s to 700725 ft/s)as well as the creation of a new category for extreme cold weather (for which SnowHawk was selected). The U.S. Army recently released the 2019 APEL list, which includes ShadowStrike sunglasses (black frames with smoke and clear lenses) and SnowHawk goggles (black or tan frames with smoke and clear lenses)alongside Revisions Sawfly spectacles, StingerHawk spectacles, and Desert Locust goggles. The following products are all compatible with the Universal Prescription Lens Carrier (UPLC) Sawfly and StingerHawk spectacles, and Desert Locust and SnowHawk goggles. All products have been assigned National Stock Numbers (NSN) and are available for purchase through supply channels. About Revision Revision develops and delivers purpose-built protective soldier equipment for military use worldwide. The company, which began with eyewear, has expanded to face, head, and torso protection, as well as energy storage and power management products. Revision continues to develop innovative capabilities for integrated, performance-enhancing soldier systems. To that end, Revision brings together the most advanced expertise, state-of-the-art facilities, and finest technical minds. Privately owned and ISO 9001:2015 certified, Revisions operational headquarters is located in Essex Junction, Vermont, USA, with additional offices in Portsmouth, New Hampshire; Southborough, Massachusetts; Montreal and Ottawa, Canada; and the UK. For more information, visit http://www.revisionmilitary.com, write media(at)revisionmilitary.com, or call +1 802-879-7002. ICSW President Allan Hoffman and RMU President Mablene Krueger "We are expanding our mutual paths for students with the desire to serve others in the noble field of social work." --Mablene Krueger, president, Robert Morris University Illinois At a gathering in its State Street Gallery in downtown Chicago, Robert Morris University Illinois (RMU) and the Institute for Clinical Social Work (ICSW) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which is designed to create a mutually beneficial degree pathway for students earning degrees in psychology and advanced study in Clinical Counseling and Psychotherapy. Through this partnership, RMU Baccalaureate in Psychology students will simultaneously enter the ICSW Masters degree in Clinical Counseling and Psychotherapy program. Known as the Robert Morris University, Institute for Clinical Social Work Scholars Program, this post-graduate dual degree program of study will build upon RMUs psychology degree undergraduate foundation, allowing students to save time and tuition dollars toward completing a masters degree with eligibility to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). RMU students enter the program as juniors with an associate degree, complete their bachelors degree in psychology and then transition to the graduate program at ICSW. They will receive an ICSW Scholarship and tuition will be fixed for the duration of their studies at ICSW. This partnership allows for a convenient, direct path to an advanced degree in social work for our psychology students, said RMU President Mablene Krueger. We have shared the building at 401 S. State with ICSW for several years. Completing the connection through our students post graduate work is a perfect example of fulfilling the need to make higher education more accessible to more students in the Chicago area. ICSW President Allan Hoffman observed that the program will help to address the growing need for an increased emphasis on mental health. The RMU/ICSW Scholars program brings together the energy of a vibrant community of scholars and innovators and focuses on helping students succeed. This partnership fulfills a local, Chicago, state and national need for mental health professionals. Students benefit and so does our community. Ive always held the relationship our University has had with ICSW in high regard, continued President Krueger. We have been great neighbors and now we will continue as partners in education. We are expanding our mutual paths for students with the desire to serve others in the noble field of social work. The Scholars Program will take effect immediately, enabling current students to begin with advanced studies during the next quarter, which begins in July. Robert Morris University Illinois is a not-for-profit, accredited baccalaureate and graduate degree granting institution, serving students interested in getting an education in business, graphic arts, nursing and health care, culinary and computer studies at its main campus in Chicago, as well as at locations in Arlington Heights, DuPage, Elgin, Orland Park, Peoria, and Lake County. For more information, call 800-762-5960 or visit the web site at http://www.robertmorris.edu The Institute for Clinical Social Work Focuses on Psychodynamic Graduate Studies. Fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), we offer a Ph.D. in Clinical Social Work and a Masters in Clinical Counseling & Psychotherapy. Our clinically based programs offer a contemporary psychodynamic perspective, meaning equal attention is placed on conscious and unconscious motivations that create barriers to living a richer fuller life. This allows the psychotherapist to assist clients in exploring underlying issues that may be causing difficulties in their lives and not just focusing on symptom reduction. Sunday Times WorldFirst SME Export Track 100 SaleCycle has been ranked at No 84 on the 5th annual Sunday Times WorldFirst SME Export Track 100. The Sunday Times SME Export Track 100 ranks the UK's small and medium-sized (SME) companies with the fastest-growing international sales over two years. This is the third time SaleCycle has been included in the league table. Founded in 2011 by CEO Dominic Edmunds, SaleCycle helps online retailers to increase conversion rates, recover abandoned sales, gain visitor insights and drive customer loyalty through a sophisticated software platform and email remarketing service. Clients include Curry's, Carphone Warehouse, Dyson and BT. The company has offices in the UK, Paris, Singapore and New York, with plans to expand after securing a 11.5m investment from BGF in 2018. SaleCycle CEO Dominic Edmunds responded to the news: "Im absolutely delighted that SaleCycles export success has been recognised again and it reflects the hard work and dedication that our workforce has shown. This gives us a tremendous platform from which we can drive future growth and success." Esteemed Periodontist in Torrance, CA, Dr. Arta Farahmand, Provides New Patients with Life-Changing Dental Implants Restoring the function and aesthetics of a healthy smile, dental implants are now the tooth loss treatment preferred by patients and clinicians alike. Experienced periodontist, Dr. Arta Farahmand, welcomes patients interested in learning more about the gold standard in tooth replacement solutions and restoring a seamless smile. Dr. Farahmand encourages those with missing teeth to consider placement of dental implants in Torrance, CA as a long-term solution. Restoring the function and aesthetics of a healthy smile, dental implants are now the tooth loss treatment preferred by patients and clinicians alike. Millions of Americans smile confidently with dental implants. Once placed by a skilled periodontist, dental implants can last 10 years or longer with proper at-home and in-office dental care. Dental implants are the only restorative solution that mimics both the crown and root portion of a missing tooth. Unlike other solutions, dental implants are placed directly into the jawbone. Replacing the role of a natural tooth root, each implant post helps stimulate healthy bone growth. Without it, the jawbone will begin to deteriorate, lose bone volume and can eventually even change facial shape. Bone loss can also cause surrounding teeth to shift and become loose, which can lead to changes in the bite and additional tooth loss. Anyone with missing teeth is welcome to receive a non-invasive consultation for dental implants, however, some patients may need bone grafting in order to become a qualified candidate for treatment. Dr. Farahmand offers customized bone grafting treatments as well as tooth extractions before implant surgery to help each patient receive the functional, healthy and complete smile they need. Dr. Farahmand shares her passion for implant dentistry by attending and leading study clubs dedicated to advancing implantology such as the Advanced Aesthetic and Implant Treatment Study Club of Torrance. Also an active member of numerous organizations, including the American Academy of Periodontology, Dr. Farahmand applies over 29 years of experience and training placing dental implants to each smile she restores. Patients who wish to talk with an implant specialist about their candidacy for dental implants in Torrance, CA, may contact Dr. Farahmands office at 424-488-7500. About the Periodontist Dr. Arta Farahmand is an experienced periodontist serving the Torrance, CA area. With knowledge, skill, and dedication, Dr. Farahmand has made it her lifes goal to help people look and feel better. Completing her Bachelors and Doctorate of Dental Surgery degrees from Northwestern University, she later completed her specialty certificate in periodontics from Emory University School of Postgraduate Dentistry. An active member of American Academy of Periodontology, past president of the Western Los Angeles Dental Society and California Society of Periodontics among other organizations, Dr. Farahmand understands just how critical continuing education is in offering high-quality periodontal care. Dr. Farahmand offers the latest techniques for dental implants, laser gum disease therapy, gum recession treatment and a variety of other periodontal services at her state-of-the-art office. To learn more about Dr. Farahmand or her services, visit http://www.periodentalimplants.com or call 424-488-7500 for a personalized consultation. Jason Pollard, Southwire's VP of Talent Acquisition and Communications By coming together to highlight and collectively showcase our thoughts, ideas and best practices, we are strengthening the impact that manufacturing can have in Georgia and around the world," said Jason Pollard, VP of Talent Acquisition and Communications for Southwire. The Georgia Manufacturing Alliance (GMA) is proud to announce that Southwire will sponsor the People of Manufacturing Awards, held in conjunction with the Georgia Manufacturing Summit, on October 9 at the Cobb Galleria. These prestigious awards bring exposure and recognition to the top employees in Georgias manufacturing community and honor the people that have gone above and beyond to better their organizations manufacturing operations. Nominations are being accepted through August 1 for the 2019 awards. Categories include Front Line Leadership, Plant Manager, Team Safety and Team Operational Excellence. Nominations can be made at https://www.georgiamanufacturingalliance.com/awards We have been fortunate to be a part of GMA since 2016, and during that time, have truly seen the value of this great organization, said Jason Pollard, vice president of talent acquisition and communications for Southwire. By coming together to highlight and collectively showcase our thoughts, ideas and best practices, we are strengthening the impact that manufacturing can have in the state of Georgia and around the world. Founded in Carrollton, GA in 1950, Southwire Company, LLC is one of North Americas largest wire and cable producers. Southwire and its subsidiaries manufacture building wire and cable, metal-clad cable, utility cable, portable and electronic cord products, OEM wire products and engineered products. In addition, Southwire supplies assembled products, contractor equipment and hand tools. The company operates 34 manufacturing plants, 10 distribution facilities, and multiple sales and support offices across the globe. In Georgia, Southwire operates in Carrollton, Douglas, and Villa Rica. With a common dedication to the education and development of Georgia manufacturers, we are honored that Southwire is sponsoring our People of Manufacturing Awards, said Jason Moss, CEO of the Georgia Manufacturing Alliance. They are a leader in technology, products and innovation and we are excited about their community involvement and their vision for a sustainable future. The Georgia Manufacturing Summit will attract over 1,000 industry professionals who will gather to discuss the issues most important to Georgia manufacturers. Top manufacturing leaders can network with their peers, learn best business practices, see innovative products, and share insights on the Manufacturing Trends to Track for 2020. To learn more, visit https://www.georgiamanufacturingalliance.com/annual-summit ABOUT GMA: The Georgia Manufacturing Alliance (GMA) is a membership-based industry organization founded in 2008 to support Georgias manufacturing community. GMA provides monthly plant tours, educational sessions, tradeshows, and unique networking opportunities designed to help make profitable business connections for its members. The Georgia Manufacturing Directory, Georgia Manufacturing Summit, Georgia Manufacturing Calendar, and Buy From Georgia website are additional resources provided by GMA. To learn more about the organization, membership, and upcoming events, please call 770-338-0051 or visit their website https://www.georgiamanufacturingalliance.com/ VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IONIC BRANDS Corp., formerly Zara Resources Inc. (CSE: IONC; FRA: IB3; OTC: ZRRRF) (IONIC BRANDS or the Company) announces that it has entered into a Letter of Intent (LOI) to acquire British heritage brand Astleys of London HK Limited (Astleys of London or Astleys). Astleys of London was founded in 1862 as a luxury tobacco pipe purveyor on Londons Jermyn Street. A distinguishing mark of craftsmanship and pedigree, Astleys is one of the most revered British luxury tobacco pipe brands and is the epitome of sophistication and luxury. The Astleys brand has been revitalized and relaunched by its current management team as a contemporary cannabis vape brand. Astleys will instill the glamour, status and elegance of yesteryear and deliver it with a sensitivity and intelligence befitting the modern age. Astleys of London will elevate Ionics existing brands through a strategic collaboration that will see high-quality Ionic cannabis oil used in Astleys three vaporizer devices. As part of the acquisition, IONIC BRANDS will purchase Astleys portfolio of international intellectual properties and retain the brands principal management team. Joe Batchelor, Astleys CEO commented that: This is a unique opportunity for Astleys of London to join forces with a leading premium cannabis brand. IONIC BRANDS has a great vision for the future of cannabis and cannabis-related products. Astleys of London will be an ideal vehicle for the drive towards true luxury within the cannabis sphere." IONIC BRANDS is taking aim at the ultra-high-end luxury cannabis market with the launch of the Astleys of London brand, delivering a high quality and exclusive cannabis vape experience befitting the luxury consumer. IONIC BRANDS Chairman and CEO John Gorst states that: While the Astleys of London brand is highly strategic to our overall position in the cannabis industry, we must also consider the deep economic benefits realized by the higher gross margins related to the Astleys luxury brand. We also expect a margin lift for Ionics current premium product lines from the increase exposure of the Astleys historic brand. Subject to definitive documentation, the purchase price will be US$7.8 million (Initial Purchase Price), payable in cash and shares of the Company, and a further US$10 million to be earned out (Earn-Out) subject to achieving specific milestones as agreed upon in the definitive agreement, for a total purchase price of US$17.8 million. The payment of the Initial Purchase Price is based on a cash payment of US$1 million on closing of the transaction (Closing Date) and issuance common shares of the Company equal to US$6.8 million value (Initial Stock Issuance). 10% of the common shares pursuant to the Initial Stock Issuance will be released on Closing Date; 30% of the common shares to be issued four months from the Closing Date; 30% of the common shares to be issued eight months from the Closing Date; and 30% of the common shares to be issued twelve months from the Closing Date. The Initial Stock Issuance price is valued at US$0.59 (CA$0.79) per common share of the Company, subject to approval of the Companys Board of Directors and the CSE. At the option of the vendors of Astleys, the vendors will have a one-time option to reset the price of the common shares of the Initial Stock Issuance any time after four months from the Closing Date (Initial Stock Issuance Price Trigger). Upon the Initial Stock Issuance Price Trigger, the price per common share shall be determined based on the daily volume weighted average trading price of the Companys shares ten trading days prior to the date on which the shares are released. All shares issued pursuant to the Initial Stock Issuance shall be issued for the updated price thereafter. The US$10 million Earn-Out is payable in two phases over time. Upon achieving certain milestones to be agreed upon in definitive documentation, the Company will pay US$1 million in cash within 15 days of confirmation such conditions are achieved; and issue US$4 million common shares of the Company (Initial Earn-Out Issuance). Upon achieving certain milestones to be agreed upon in definitive documentation, the Company will pay US$1 million in cash within 15 days of confirmation such conditions are achieved; and issue US$4 million common shares of the Company (Secondary Earn-Out Issuance). The Initial and Secondary Earn-Out Issuance price is valued at US$0.59 (CA$0.79). All share issuances are subject to approval by the Board of Directors and the CSE. Further information on Astleys can be found on the website https://www.astleysoflondon.com/ About IONIC Brands Corp IONIC BRANDS is a national cannabis holdings company based in Washington, led by a team of successful entrepreneurs. The company is focused on building a multi-state consumer-focused cannabis concentrate brand portfolio focusing on the premium and luxury segments. The cornerstone brand of the portfolio, Ionic, is an accomplished #1 vaporizer brand in Washington State has aggressively expanded throughout the west coast of the United States and is currently operating in Washington, Oregon and California. IONIC BRANDS strategy is to be the leader of the highest-value segments of the cannabis market and expand nationally. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS John Gorst John Gorst Chairman and CEO For further information, please contact John Gorst, Chairman & CEO E: info@ionicbrands.com | W: www.ionicbrands.com | P: 253-248-7927. The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The risks are without limitations: the price for cannabis and related products will remain consistent and the consumer demand remains strong; availability of financing to the Company to develop the retail locations; retention of key employees and management; changes in State and/or municipal regulations of retail operations and changes in government regulations generally. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Companys expectations are disclosed in the Companys documents filed from time to time with the Canadian Securities Exchange, the British Columbia Securities Commission, the Ontario Securities Commission and the Alberta Securities Commission. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1dbe97a5-f47c-4d4c-bcc2-de00a433ba52 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/470363b5-662b-4ccb-ad0c-7d7bae34acdb https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/68a676bc-acdd-46d8-9017-2e74d3226230 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/23b2a622-d44e-4144-be97-243f27848cc2 The Software Report is pleased to announce the Top 25 Women Leaders in Tech Services and Consulting of 2019. These exceptional women have developed deep expertise in the technology field, some with distinct specialties, and have progressed rapidly to senior most levels within their organizations. Thousands of women were evaluated resulting in a select set being eligible for this years process. In tandem, we received hundreds of nominations and performed a more detailed review of each nominee based on a series of questions on the candidate's professional capabilities. The Software Report also conducted candidate evaluation based on research of qualified information sources and publicly available information. We looked for demonstrated technology expertise, longevity in the industry, career progression and current position among other factors. It gives us great pleasure to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of these deserving women. Topping this years list are Tamara Alairys, Principal at Ernst and Young, Karalee Close, Global Leader of the Technology Advantage practice at Boston Consulting Group, and Shally Stanley, Managing Director at Acumen Solutions. Notably, Shally began her career at McKinsey and transitioned to founding and building NetGain, which she sold to Greenwich Technology Partners. In her current role with Acumen Solutions, Shally advises prominent corporations on innovative information technologies and practices. A few highly accomplished women warrant special mention. They include Heather Combs, the Chief Revenue Officer of 3Pillar Global, Elaina Shekhter, the CMO and Head of Strategy for EPAM, and Jo Masters, the CEO of Tquila ANZ. At 3Pillar, Heather created revenue acceleration strategies which led to sustained double digit growth for the company. For EPAM, Elaina has been instrumental to her organizations additional specialization in artificial intelligence and blockchain. And with Tquila ANZ, Jo Masters was the key driver to the company's tremendous growth in the last three years. We congratulate each of this year's awardees. https://www.thesoftwarereport.com/top-25-women-leaders-in-tech-services-and-consulting-of-2019/. About The Software Report The Software Report is a comprehensive source for market research and insights, business news, investment activity and corporate actions related to the software sector. Based in New York City, the firm is run by a seasoned team of editors, writers and media professionals highly knowledgeable on software and the various companies, executives and investors that make up the sector. http://www.thesoftwarereport.com. Poolside Poptails at Cavalry Court, College Station, TX We hope to bring out the inner kid in our guests this summer with our new poptail menus, which offer a spirited spin on a childhood favorite. -Amy Trench, Valencia Groups Corporate Director of Marketing & Public Relations Summer just got sweeter at Valencia Hotel Group. The acclaimed portfolio of properties, including Hotel Valencia Riverwalk in San Antonio, TX, Hotel Valencia Santana Row in San Jose, CA, Hotel Sorella CITYCENTRE in Houston, TX, Lone Star Court in Austin, TX, Cavalry Court and The George in College Station, TX, Hotel Alessandra in Houston, TX, and the newly opened Texican Court in Irving, TX are rolling out this years poptail program with patio and poolside parties around the country. Each hotel has put their own special twist on a seasonal menu of treats that combine premium spirits and popsicles. According to Amy Trench, Valencia Groups Corporate Director of Marketing & Public Relations, We hope to bring out the inner kid in our guests this summer with our new poptail menus, which offer a spirited spin on a childhood favorite. Each of the Valencia Group hotels are also offering overnight packages featuring delicious accommodations alongside a pop-tail welcome to enjoy patio or poolside. Planning a summer break in any of the exceptional locations is a fun and unique way to indulge in the ultimate adult confection. For more information about these special offers, click here. Bring the party home with these Valencia Hotel Group Poptail Recipes: Mexican Candy Poptail-courtesy of Texican Court 1.75 oz Silver Tequila .5 oz Watermelon Liquor 3 dashes of Texican Hot Sauce 2 oz Splash of Sprite Add Tequila, Watermelon Liquor and Sprite into Cocktail Shaker with Ice. Shake and strain into Tajin rimed glass with ice top with (3) dashes of Texican Hot Sauce. Add Popsicle and Lime Wedge Garnish. Cherry Mint Freeze-courtesy of Lone Star Court 1.5 oz Vodka .25 oz Lime Juice 3 oz Sprite .25 oz Grenadine Mint Cherry Popsicle Combine Vodka, lime juice, and Grenadine and shake ingredients and strain into glass. Top with Sprite, add fresh mint and Cherry popsicle and serve. Strawberry Greyhound Poptail- courtesy of Hotel Alessandra 5 oz. Absolut Grapefruit 8 oz Real Strawberry Infused Syrup 8 oz Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice 8 oz water Combine all ingredients into a bucket and mix well. Pour as needed into a popsicle form or single serve bags. (makes approximately 20 popsicles) Monnalisa-courtesy of Hotel Sorella CITYCENTRE Blackberry infused vodka martini. 1.5oz Vodka .25oz triple sec .5oz razzmatazz liquor .5oz cranberry .25oz lime juice Shake and pour into rocks glass and serve with poptail Poptail ingredients .5oz Lime juice .5oz Simple syrup .75oz Blackberry juice .75oz Cranberry juice .75oz Raspberry juice For the poptail, blend the ingredients, freeze in popsicle molds for 2 hours and serve with Monnalisa drink. Mango Chile Margarita courtesy of Hotel Valencia Santana Row 1.25 oz. Sauza Silver Tequila 0.5 oz. Triple Sec 0.5 oz. fresh lime juice 0.5 oz. agave nectar Rim glass with spicy salt (equal parts margarita salt and chili powder or tajin). Garnish with sliced jalapeno or milder pepper if preferred. Shake ingredients and strain into glass. Serve with a mango popsicle. Valencia Dream-courtesy of Hotel Valencia Riverwalk 40 oz. Orange Juice 10 oz Vanilla Schnapps 10 oz. water 6 oz cherry juice Mix all ingredients and transfer into popsicle molds filled . This popsicle is served in a coupe glass filled with prosecco. (makes gallon) Red, White & Boozy -courtesy of Cavalry Court 1.5 Oz Rum Haven Coconut Rum 1.5 Oz White Cranberry Juice Prepare as a martini, in a shaker tin and add ingredients. Shake till tin freezes over. Strain into chilled martini glass rimmed with blue sour sugar. Sink .25 oz grenadine and dress with a cherry and a Bomb-Pop popsicle. About Valencia Hotel Group Houston-based Valencia Hotel Group is a fully integrated hospitality company that provides management, development, branding and repositioning services for independent, full-service hotels owned by the company, in addition to third parties. Exceptional service, style and location have become brand trademarks. Earning both national and international recognition for their distinctive designs, amenities and settings, Valencia Hotel Group properties are destinations and gathering places within their respective communities, some further benefitting from and enriching their space within the cultural heart of a city. The company continues to forge a niche with hotels that anchor and add value to urban, mixed-use environments, which further support or enhance the guest experience with superior residential, restaurant, retail and office components. The Valencia Hotel Group portfolio currently includes the Valencia brands: Hotel Valencia Santana Row in San Jose, CA and Hotel Valencia Riverwalk in San Antonio, TX. The Sorella brand includes Hotel Sorella CITYCENTRE in Houston, TX by developer Midway. Other brands include Midway and Valencia Groups The George in College Station, TX and Hotel Alessandra in Houston, TX. The Court concept brands include Lone Star Court in Austin, TX, Cavalry Court in College Station, TX and Texican Court in Irving, TX. For more information, please visit http://www.valenciahotelgroup.com. Wikitude, the largest independent augmented reality platform, today announced support for all leading wearable technologies and has expanded its offering from standalone devices like Hololens to a new spectrum of smart glasses that plug into compatible smartphones, such as the Epson Moverio BT-35E. Epson is now the first AR device manufacturer to partner with Wikitude to deliver the new optimized AR experience to users with tethered devices. Our partnership is jump-starting the next generation of immersive AR computing, enabling users to experience realistic and highly engaging AR content with Head Mounted Displays (HMDs) connected to 5G smartphones, said Martin Herdina, CEO of Wikitude. Wikitude is pleased to partner with Epson, a market leader in designing these fashionable, robust devices for real-world solutions. AR-glasses powered by smartphones are the future Smart glasses that are plugged into phones are game changers in the market. The heavy computing is now managed by smartphones instead of the HMD. This makes smart glasses slick and lightweight, almost like sunglasses, they become much more affordable and can be used outside of Wi-Fi coverage. Wikitude was one of the first AR platforms to offer a Moverio-optimized experience. They continue to evolve and improve their solution to support the next generation Moverio products, said Eric Mizufuka, product manager, augmented reality, Epson America, Inc. The BT-35E is a great example of a device that combines phone-centric, USB-C connectivity1, light-weight design, and sub-$1,000 pricing that AR use-cases demand today. Wikitude SDK optimized for Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Mobile Platform Another new and powerful converged effort is between Wikitude and Qualcomm Technologies to bring hyper-immersive AR-experiences to the next level. The Wikitude AR platform is now optimized for Snapdragon 855 Mobile2 Platform, which means consumers and enterprise professionals with devices powered by Snapdragon have the ability to experience AR as realistic as it can get with real-life environments seamlessly blended into the virtual world. Qualcomm Technologies continues to drive leadership and scale in XR by offering a compelling experience to XR viewers tethered to Snapdragon-powered devices, said Hiren Bhinde, director, product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. The Wikitude platform opens new opportunities for developers to create immersive experiences with features like plane detection, image, object, and scene tracking, all seamlessly integrated and fully optimized for standalone HMDs and the next generation of AR devices. The markets first 'one-suits-all' AR SDK The Wikitude platform is the only technology that offers comprehensive compatibility for developers and brings a unique feature set with plane detection, image, object, and scene tracking, all seamlessly integrated and fully optimized for the next generation of AR devices. This opens new opportunities to build more compelling, lightweight apps for gaming, industry, and enterprise experiences than ever before. The Wikitude solution is the only one of its kind that runs across all operating systems (iOS, Android, and UWP) and devices, so AR developers can port them easily from smartphone AR to new headsets, said Philipp Nagele, CTO of Wikitude. Developers will particularly enjoy working with our optimized AR SDK that brings reliability and a proven platform for building consumer and enterprise level solutions. A demonstration of the technology will be held at the upcoming AWE USA conference in Santa Clara, May 29th-31, 2019, at the Wikitude booth (#419). About Wikitude Wikitude is the leading independent augmented reality platform for phones, tablets, and smart glasses with more than 100,000 registered developers, 25,000 published apps, and 1 billion app installs. Wikitude enables developers, agencies, and enterprises to create AR experiences that delight, amaze, and provide tangible return on investment. Learn more at http://www.wikitude.com Press Contacts: In the U.S., Traci Massaro, traci.massaro@wikitude.com, 617-877-1293 In Europe, Aleksandra Nagele, media@wikitude.com or +436763084148 Download presskit and pictures URL : https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/wikitude-web-hosting/pr/wikitude-awe2019/pr.zip 1 Epson Moverio BT-35E is compatible with Android mobile devices supporting DisplayPort Alt Mode over USB Type-C. See epson.com/moverio for a list of compatible Android devices. EPSON and Moverio are registered trademarks of Seiko Epson Corporation. All other product and brand names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Epson disclaims any and all rights in these marks. 2 Qualcomm and Snapdragon are trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated, registered in the United States and other countries. Qualcomm Snapdragon is a product of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Worldpay Community Service Event in the Bahamas We are honored to deliver on one of the Worldpays core values of doing the right thing to address hunger in the Bahamas. Next Level Performance and its client partner Worldpay collaborated on an impactful community service event in the Bahamas. With a shared philosophy of corporate social responsibility, both companies were proud to deliver this important event. Worldpay and Next Level worked with local partners to identify two organizations in need, resulting in a food and fundraising drive to benefit Hands for Hunger and Ridgeland Primary School. Students from the elementary school were invited to attend a fun, competitive event where Worldpay associates created sculptures of sea creatures using only donated canned foods. Later, Worldpays team participated in a fundraising raffle, with matching funds donated by the Executive Team. The event raised $14,400 for Hands for Hunger and Ridgeland Primary School, in addition to two truckloads of canned foods which will go directly to address food insecurity in the Bahamas. Hands for Hunger Executive Director Zelecka Yeraswork Knowles said, Thanks to the generosity of Worldpay and its staff, Hands for Hunger received the largest canned food donation in our organization's history 15,000 cans will now go towards stocking our agency pantries in advance of the 2019 hurricane season. Worldpay Senior Vice President and Global Executive Corporate and Customer Events Strategist, Lynn M. Rhoads said, We are honored to deliver on one of the Worldpays core values of doing the right thing to address hunger in the Bahamas. President of Next Level Performance President, Dave Dittman said, Service is a core value at Next Level Performance, and we are proud to partner with Worldpay on this important customer service initiative that will have a positive impact on the lives of so many Bahamians. About Worldpay Worldpay is a leading payments technology company with unique capability to power global omnicommerce. With an integrated technology platform, Worldpay offers a comprehensive suite of products and services, delivered globally through a single provider. Worldpay processes over 40 billion transactions annually, supporting more than 300 payment types across 146 countries and 126 currencies. Worldpay is focused on expanding into high-growth markets and customer segments, including global eCommerce, integrated payments and B2B. For more information visit https://www.worldpay.com. About Next Level Performance, a Dittman Company For over 40 years, Next Level Performance, a Dittman Company has been an award-winning leader in providing incentives, recognition, and rewards programs to help companies realize immediate ROI in motivating sales people, employees, channel partners, customers, and consumers. Their signature products and services include: Applaudit a social recognition and rewards online software solution (SaaS) and Deluxe Group Incentive Travel. For more information visit http://www.nxlperformance.com. After writing and illustrating numerous fictional stories for young readers, Chris Gall will publish a first nonfiction booka look at the 1969 moon landingin time for the forthcoming 50th anniversary. Go for the Moon interweaves scientific and technical explanations with memories and emotion from the authors own childhood experiences in the late 60s, creating a uniquely personal lens through which to view the historic event. Gall spoke with PW about the importance of the moon landing, developing a format through which to merge this books concurrent plots, and adapting his process over time. How did your writing about the moon landing come about? Did you plan to write a book to coincide with the 50th anniversary or were you approached by someone? I had planned on it. It was one of those situations where I was trying to think of what to do next. Id always wanted to do a book about the moon and the moon landing, so I felt it was the time to do that. So, the anniversary did have an impact, but it was always on my list [of books to write]. Go for the Moon is rooted in personal experience and your lifelong interest in space. Can you speak about the personal experience(s) that informed the book? When I was a kid in the late 60s, everyone had moon fever. It was the biggest event that had ever happened in science or space flight. I loved space, and astronomy was my first real interest. The first picture I remember entering into an art contest, in second grade, was of a lunar module on the surface of the moon. I wish I still had it. I remember it vividly. I found it all amazing and fascinating, so that part of the book was very personal. I still go back and watch the footage of the landing over and over again. It always makes me tear up. Its so amazing to me that it even happened. Why do you consider it important that the story of the moon landing is shared with young readers? I was doing a school visit recently and it was the first time I was presenting Go for the Moon. The presentation was for fourth, fifth, and sixth graders, but they knew so little about it. I know it happened a long time ago, but I still think its the most amazing thing Ive ever seen happen. I want to remind kids about this wonderful thing and how monumental of an achievement it was. I want them to discover that. After all the research and the writing, the takeaway for me has been how incredibly dangerous it all was. Especially the very first landing that almost had to be aborted because of computer failure. They took some very, very real risks and people died along the way. That part of it, realizing that it wasnt as simple as it looks on television and in movies, really struck me. There are two stories happening concurrently in Go for the Moon: your childhood experience of watching the shuttle launch and moon landing and reenacting it at home, and the science and process involved in the real launch. How did you come to embrace this dual format for the book? There have been other books about the moon landingsome with more science and some with very little scienceand I didnt want to just repeat that. That story has been told. I was looking for a more personal angle that would make it more identifiable for a young reader, so that they could put themselves in that place of wonder. Structurally, putting the stories together was one of the biggest challenges. Being able to tell the stories simultaneously without confusing them or losing track of one or the other was necessary. I decided to illustrate it in a way that shows my mission mimicking the NASA mission. This brings it back to what a child can conceive of in their own bedroom. This was the most challenging book Ive ever worked on. I cant remember how many drafts I did before we finalized the copy. There were probably six months of development. I would work on the artwork, then change my mind about something Id written because it didnt feel right or didnt work with the art. The story wasnt copyedited until everything was completed. Did you know from the start that you wanted to tie in your experiences and memories of childhood, too? That came later. In early drafts, there was no story of me, but I kept wondering how I would tell the story in a different way. I think an editor suggested my being in the book. Then I went back and incorporated those elements. What type of research did you conduct while writing this book? I really underestimated how much research I was going to have to do. [In Go for the Moon], Im explaining scientific principles, like thrust, and the guidance computer, and you really have to understand a great deal before you can distill it into something a third grader will understand. I had a giant stack of technical books and schematics and flight plans to reference. I had a couple of great expert sources, too. David Woods, who is the worlds foremost authority on the Apollo missions, proofread the book at the end, which was helpful because I wanted to make sure nothing small was missing or out of sync. I didnt rely very much on sources found on the internet, aside from actual NASA documents. Pictures and movies are also very unreliable as visual resources. There were differences in all the rockets on the Apollo missions, so I really had to be careful. You use cutaways and shifts in point-of-view to present the technical details of the NASA mission. How did you decide on this style and technique to communicate the more technical aspects of the story? Every book I do is sort of a different style. I choose the style based on the subject matter and, because I knew this book would have a lot of technical and mechanical information, I wanted it to be representational without being photorealistic. Its kind of an adaptation of a book I did called The Littlest Train, which was simpler but included the mechanics of trains. Do you find that your writing process varies depending on whether youre writing fiction or nonfiction? Yes, definitely. This was my first nonfiction book and its a whole different thing. Youve got the research aspect of it and have to figure out how to tell a story in an interesting way with just the right amount of science. When youre doing fiction, you can make whatever you want up; its freer in a way. When starting a new illustrated project, where do you normally begin? I always do a dummy bookor two or three or four, depending on how many versions my editor wants. Just the sketches and how the illustrations work with the words. Almost always, when Im pitching a project, I do a mock cover first. With type and everything, just as if it were on the shelf at the store. And, for whatever reason, that seems to really help me. I do this magical cover and it helps me think about the story inside. Do you have a go-to medium or must-have tools? Im 100% digital these days, ever since Dog vs. Cat, which was the first book I did with no physical sketches. Go for the Moon was completely done in Photoshop. Originally, my art was all black and white wood-cut engravings on board. I would scan them, then add color in a variety of different programs. As time went by, my hands couldnt do engravings anymore, so I found ways to simulate the linework. I adapted. What advice do you have for artists interested in creating picture books? Thats a question I get a lot. My go-to advice is always to do your research. Before you write stories about your dog or whatever it is, do your research about how the industry works so you know the protocols. Ive known a lot of people who followed those rules and became great published authors. Also, decide why you want to do it. Do you want a career? Just to have a few published books? Do you still do much commission or for-hire illustrating? Most of those are older. Ninety percent of my work centers around books. I still really enjoy doing illustration work as a commissioned illustrator, but those jobs are far and few these days; I just hold on to them emotionally. Is commission work how you broke into the book industry? Yes, thats correct. It was always something I wanted to do, but I was so busy with other work. Then, I thought about what my first project would be and who Id give it to. I was one of those people who was totally ignorant of the industry and was just lucky. I had this idea after 9/11 about re-doing America the Beautiful. Im related to Kathy Lee Bates, who wrote the words to America the Beautiful, and I felt it was serendipitous. So, I put together a proposal and, long story short, it got into the right persons hands at a literary agency. They said, Yes, we can sell this, and I thought, Wow, its this easy? Thats how it all started. I was lucky! Whats on your to-do list for the next year? Right now, Im working on another nonfiction book. Its tentatively titled Jumbo. Its the story of the worlds first wide-bodied jet, known as the jumbo jet. People ask which one that isits the giant one with the big hump on the top. It changed air travel forever. Before the jumbo jet, the average ticket cost to travel across the Atlantic, adjusted for inflation, was $10,000, so very few people could afford air travel to visit faraway places. The jumbo jet changed all of that. Im getting all excited because its one of my favorite planes! Go for the Moon by Chris Gall. Roaring Brook, $19.99 June 11 ISBN 978-1-2501-5579-5 When Robert Jordan died in 2007, his wife and longtime editor, Harriet McDougal, wanted to shepherd his multivolume Wheel of Time series to completion, with Brandon Sanderson co-writing the final three books. Twelve years later, McDougal has cast her attention back to the beginning of Jordans career, and is set to publish his first book, a standalone novel, Warrior of the Altaii (Tor, Oct.), which was written more than 40 years ago. The book follows a character who, McDougal says, has performed all the things that his culture says a candidate for manhood needs to do, living what he thinks is the proper life of a man, and the whole world is changing around him. Hes having to figure out what to do. The title was first acquired by Tom Doherty in 1979, but not published at that time. Then, when Jordans second book, The Fallon Blood, was published the following year (under the name of Reagon ONeal), the two books appeared to be so different in style and content that the publisher held it. Jordans career took off, and the book was never published. Life was going too fast, says McDougal. After the Fallon books, he was writing the Conan books. He agreed to do one and wrote seven because he really enjoyed it. Then things just happened. His talent was so immense that things kept blooming. In the meantime, rights for Warrior of the Altaii were sold to Berkley, where the manuscript continued to languish. Jordan asked his editor to revert the rights, saying, as McDougal recalls, This manuscript is resting on a high shelf in your office and not doing anyone any good. So I wonder if I can have the rights back. The editor said, Sure. Fans of the Wheel of Time will find hints of the epic saga in Jordans first book, including the name of the mountain range, called the Backbone of the World in Warrior of the Altaii and the Spine of the World in the Wheel of Time series. McDougal says Warrior also offers a deeper glimpse of formative ideas that developed throughout Jordans career, including his approach to writing about gender. There are a lot of echoes about the relations between men and women, says McDougal. He was fooling with those questions and comments long before general American society was, and he continued that in the Wheel of Time. McDougal says two earlier, rough, unpublished manuscripts of Jordans writings remain to be explored. Shes uncertain whether they will ever be published, but knows the first line of one of thema westernby heart, and calls it quintessential Jordan: I never meant to leave Texas, but I never meant to be a known man either. For more than a decade, the United Arab Emirate of Sharjah (booth 507) has focused energy and resources on fostering literacy and encouraging book publishing throughout the region. This led to the establishment of the Emirates Publishers Association and the Kalimat Group, an Arabic-language publishing house, as well as Sharjah Publishing City, a 200,000-sq.-ft. facility that offers administrative and logistical support for those looking to publish, print, and distribute. In addition, each family in Sharjah has been supplied with an in-home library as part of the Knowledge Without Borders program. Sheika Bodour Al Qasimi, founder of the Kalimat Group and the daughter of Sharjahs ruler, Sheikh Dr. Sultan Muhammad Al Qasimi, is serving as v-p of the International Publishers Association, where she has worked to promote publishing in Africa and other underserved international communities. These efforts culminated last month with Sharjah being named UNESCO World Book Capital, a title it will hold until April 2020. The theme for this years celebrations is Open Books, Open Minds. At the opening ceremony, Sharjahs ruler said, I stand before you and I am almost certain that I am visualizing our great forefathersscientists and thinkersfilling libraries of the world with knowledge.... It is a great honor to follow in their footsteps. To embrace books and knowledge as a tool to build, not destroy... a tool to nurture love, brotherhood, and tolerance. The sheik continued, The production of knowledge never stops, and the development of life continues.... Sharjah is prepared to continue on this journey, and God willing, our devoted sons and daughters will continue our march to make Sharjah a true beacon of science and knowledge and a destination for everyone thirsty for culture, for thought, and the sciences. Plans for the year of literary festivities include mobile beach libraries, book fairs, storytelling, theater, and programming for children. The goal is to unify communities by reaching out to the marginalized, while fostering inclusion and support for refugees, the disabled, and the visually impaired, among others. To mark the occasion, the Emirate also erected the 2019 Sharjah World Book Capital Monument, a sculpture designed by artist Gerry Judah. And the Emirate is building the House of Wisdom, a library and cultural center designed by the famous architectural firm of Foster + Partners. Last month the London Book Fair named the United Arab Emirate of Sharjah as the Market Focus of the 2020 fair. The Sharjah Book Authority and the fair will collaborate on a program, with the support of the British Council and the U.K. Publishers Association, which will highlight Emirati authors and books. A concurrent professional program will focus on fostering further business relationships. The second annual New York Rights Fair, the international adult and childrens content and licensing marketplace, is colocated and running concurrently with BookExpo this year, and is presented in partnership with BolognaFiere, Publishers Weekly, and Combined Book Exhibit. It was held offsite in 2018. It is super exciting to have the New York Rights Fair under the same roof as BookExpo, says Jennifer Martin, event manager of BookExpo. Admittedly, we have seen the international attendees fade at BookExpo over the past few years, in part because it wasnt as compelling to travel for just a two-day event. Now that it has been right-sized to a three-day show and with the addition of the New York Rights Fair, we anticipate a much larger international participation. This years New York Rights Fair, she adds, features representatives from 14 countries, including a large number of exhibitors from France and Italy, as well as representatives from as far away as Uzbekistan. More than 30 rights tables will be occupied by literary and rights agencies, including Trident Media Group, Sandra Dijkstra, and Maria Campbell & Associates. The Quarto Group, Quirk Books, Candlewick, Sourcebooks, and Simon & Schuster are among the publishers exhibiting. As to whether the New York Rights Fair will be competing with exhibitors on the BookExpo show floor, Martin notes that BookExpo booths are primarily focused on servicing retail and library clients. All too often in the past, she says, the rights portion of the show got edged off to the side. Now editors have a compelling reason to leave their offices and come to BookExpo, because they will have their own dedicated space for doing business. She also points to the Rights Fairs active schedule of panels and educational sessions, structured around the international landscape, page to screen, and genres. Literary agent Marleen Seegers, owner of the 2 Seas Agency in Ojai, Calif., and a panelist at todays International Blockbusters session, is back for a second year. Although Seegers travels to both the Frankfurt and London Book Fairs each year to sell rights, she says that she welcomes a rights-focused event in the U.S. Breaking into the U.S. market is something most international publishers aspire to. It is absolutely essential that there is an opportunity for them to meet with agents and editors in New York, she says, adding, It also must be said that many of the U.S. publishers who publish translated fiction are not based in [New York]. Publishers like Graywolf, Open Letter, and Deep Vellum are all somewhere else, but many of them will be at the New York Rights Fair and exhibiting at BookExpo. BookExpos Martin points out that the New York Rights Fair is designed to give people an opportunity to interact face-to-face. The goal for me is to turn it into the [Consumer Electronics Show] of books. We want to hear about great deals that come out of the fair, from new television series to independent films. We want everyone to know that the New York Rights Fair and BookExpo are a hotbed of great stories. The New York Rights Fair program. An Inside Look: Reese Witherspoons Hello Sunshine Today, 1212:45 p.m. Driven by a singular mission to change the narrative for women, Reese Witherspoons company initially made a name for itself in literary circles as a production company dedicated to female authorship and storytelling. Now, with one of the most vibrant book clubs around and forays into everything from scripted and unscripted television, premium cable, streaming shows, and feature films to podcasts and audio storytelling, Hello Sunshine is much more than a production company. In this session, two Hello Sunshine executives will address the media brands vision, how it works with various forms of literary content, and how it would like to work with a variety of players in the book space, from publishers to booksellers. Jason Boog (moderator), West Coast correspondent, Publishers Weekly; Charlotte Koh, head of digital media and unscripted, Hello Sunshine; Lauren Neustadter, head of film and television, Hello Sunshine. International Blockbusters Today, 1:152 p.m. The number of books in translation published in the U.S. is alarmingly low, languishing for years at a mere 3%. Theres a perception that translations dont sell. Why? This panel looks at four books written in languages other than English that have become global bestsellers: Viola Ardones The Childrens Train, Fredrik Backmans A Man Called Ove, Antonio Scuratis M: The Son of the XX Century, and Un-su Kims The Plotters. What sets them apart? How did they gain momentum in the market, first with industry professionals and then with readers? And what can U.S. publishers take away from the success of these books in order to publish more works in translation in the States? Gabriella Page-Fort (moderator), editorial director, Amazon Crossing; Peter Borland, v-p, editor-in-chief, Atria Books; Claire Sabatie-Garat, literary agent, the Italian Literary Agency; Marleen Seegers, owner and foreign rights agent, 2 Seas Agency; Barbara Zitwer, owner, president, Barbara J. Zitwer Agency. Inside the World of Foreign Rights Sales and Scouting Today, 2:153 p.m. Foreign rights sales account for a significant portion of the revenue that publishers and authors make on their books. But how are these rights sold? And what makes one American title more appealing to a foreign house than another? This discussion will offer the inside scoop on how foreign rights are sold from professionals who specialize in this aspect of the business, scouts and those working for both publishers and literary agencies. Kelly Farber (moderator), owner and scout, KF Literary Scouting LLC; Denise Cronin, senior v-p, director, subsidiary rights, Random House Group, PRH; Rebecca Gardner, v-p, rights director, the Gernert Company; Marleen Reimer, senior scout, Maria B. Campbell Associates; Stefanie Diaz, director, international rights, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. Market Focus: Brexit and the U.K. Book BizWhat Does It Mean? Today, 3:154 p.m. Although U.K. voters cast their ballot to leave the E.U. more than two years ago, the details of Brexit remain fuzzy. Will the Commonwealth face whats known as a hard Brexit and leave behind all of the trade agreements membership in the bloc brought? Will politicians be able to work out another deal? Will another leave vote be put to the public? Robert Powell will speak on what Brexit might look like and how it could affect various industries in the U.K. His talk will then segue into a discussion with U.K. publishing professionals about their biggest concerns regarding how Brexit may affect the U.K. book business. Liz Thomson (moderator), journalist, founder and executive producer of the Village Trip festival; Richard Charkin, founder, Mensch Publishing; Isobel Dixon, head of books and a director, Blake Friedmann Literary Agency. International Literature: Promoting and Finding Audiences Today, 4:155 p.m. Over the past decade, there has been much focus on the very low percentage of books published in the U.S. that are translations from a language other than English, and on the production of more works in translation. But simply increasing the number of published works of international literature is not enough. For an interest in international literature to continue to expand among English readers, the industry needs to focus on developing larger audiences for these works. To identify ways to get translated literature into the hands of more readers, this panel will explore a variety of initiatives, from the new National Book Award for Translation to the impact of the Man Booker International Prize and the Booksellers Without Borders program. Chad Post (moderator), founder, Open Letter Books; Nick Buzanski, general manager and buyer, Book Culture, in New York City; Jennifer Croft, writer and translator, New York Public Library; Lisa Lucas, executive director, National Book Foundation; Michael Reynolds, editor-in-chief, Europa Editions. 2019 Best Translated Book Award Winners Announcement and Reception Today, 55:30 p.m. The awards will be presented by Chad Post. Open to all New York Rights Fair attendees. Almost exactly 10 years ago, in May 2009, Amazon expanded from selling books to publishing them as well with the launch of Amazon Encore, a publishing program for promising self-published books and out-of-print works from major houses. Since then, Amazon Publishing has grown. It now consists of 16 imprints and has between 200 and 300 employees. According to Mikyla Bruder, Amazon Publishings publisher, Amazon typically publishes about 1,000 books a year, though that number can be higher in years when the company experiments in new areas. The company, which now has a backlist of over 10,000 titles, has largely grown organically and has bought just three properties, the most important of which is Brilliance Publishing, which not only serves as Amazon Publishings audiobook arm but also handles physical distribution of its print books. Although many bricks-and-mortar booksellers have refused to carry Amazon titles, including books by local authors self-published through Amazon, Amazon Publishing continues to attract authors, among them a number of big-name writers. We are very transparent with our authors about our model, which may not be for everyone, Bruder acknowledges. We want a stable of happy authors. Going After Big-Name Authors Earlier this month, the companys Montlake imprint signed bestselling author Sylvia Day to a seven-figure advance for Butterfly in Frost, a 203-page novella to be published in August. Bruder says that the deal reflects her ability to spend the money on authors she believes will fit into the programs ecosystem. I have no problem going after big authors, Bruder adds, noting that late in 2018 Patricia Cornwell signed a two-book deal with the companys Thomas & Mercer imprint for world English rights to two new thrillers, beginning with Quantum, which is set to publish at the beginning of October. Bruder believes Amazons ability to reach millions of readers online offsets the loss of physical retail opportunities (though she did point out that there are now 19 Amazon Books outlets). By tapping into Amazons various divisions, more than 40 authors have reached over a million readers, a figure that includes print, audio, and digital sales, as well as borrows through Kindle Unlimited. Another step in the evolution of Amazon Publishing came in February, when the publishing group, in conjunction with Amazon Studios, signed a deal with Michelle Miller for world book, audiobook, and all global media rights for a series of short stories titled The Fairer Sex. The Miller signing was the first joint deal between the two Amazon divisions, and while the two dont have a formal first-look agreement, Bruder says the publishing group will work closely with the studio when signing new authors. She regards the Day, Cornwell, and Miller deals as reflecting the operating principle that was established at the creation of Amazon Publishing: to work in synergy with other Amazon properties to create new and different types of opportunities for authors. Expanding Horizons Bruder says that she believes authors appreciate what Amazon can offer both domestically and overseas. As part of the Day deal, Butterfly in Frost will be published by Amazon Publishings translation imprint, Amazon Crossing, which will publish the book in France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. (Of the publishers 10 offices, six are overseas.) Amazon Crossing has become one of Amazon Publishings biggest success stories and now publishes more titles in translation in the U.S. than any other publisher. The company will add to that number with the July launch of Amazon Crossing Kids, which will publish childrens picture books in translation. It is important that children are exposed to different cultural perspectives, Bruder says. Childrens books, which are published in Amazon Publishings Skyscape and Two Lions imprints, is a relatively small part of its overall business. So, too, is adult nonfiction, which Bruder estimates represents about 10% of the companys total output. Were just getting started here, she says. The company has had some noteworthy nonfiction successes, however; The Tenth Island by Pulitzer Prizewinning author Diana Marcum, for instance, has reached 380,000 readers since it was released last July by Amazons literary imprint, Little A. However, adult fiction is by far the publishers strength, and its three largest imprints are Lake Union (book club fiction), Thomas & Mercer (mystery, thriller, and true crime), and Montlake Romance. Amazon Publishing will broaden its program next year when it releases the first titles from Topple Books, an imprint overseen by Jill Soloway, creator of the Emmy-winning television series Transparent, which was produced by Amazon Studios. The imprint will focus on publishing voices of women of color, along with gender-nonconforming, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer writers. Its first title, Raising Them by Kyl Myers, is set for release in June 2020. Though Bruder wouldnt disclose revenue for the publisher, she says Amazon Publishing is a strong and profitable business that continues to invest in new authors. She adds that one way she measures success is growing the audience for our authors book by book. Tomorrow, 11:30 a.m.12:30 p.m. Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke will sign galleys of The Two Lila Bennetts (Lake Union) at Table 10. Friday, 12 p.m. Catherine McKenzie will sign copies of Ill Never Tell (Lake Union) at Table 5. CALGARY, Alberta, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GRANITE OIL CORP. (Granite or the Company) (TSX:GXO; OTCQX:GXOCF) is pleased to announce the results from its 2019 annual general and special meeting of shareholders held on May 29, 2019 in Calgary, Alberta (the Meeting). Each of the matters voted upon at the Meeting is discussed in detail in the Company's Management Information Circular dated April 24, 2019, a copy of which is available on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. The voting results for each of the matters voted on by the shareholders at the Meeting are provided below. 1. Fixing the Number of Directors The shareholders passed a resolution fixing the number of directors to be elected at the Meeting at five. The vote in respect of this matter was carried out by ballot. The detailed results of voting are as follows. # Votes For % Votes For # Votes Against % Votes Against 12,959,834 96.83 424,402 3.17 2. Election of Directors All of the nominees named in the Companys Management Information Circular were elected as directors of the Company. The vote in respect of this matter was carried out by ballot. The detailed results of voting are as follows. Nominee # Votes For % Votes For # Votes Withheld % Votes Withheld Kevin Andrus 12,811,893 95.65 582,856 4.35 Brendan Carrigy 12,670,542 94.59 724,207 5.41 Martin Cheyne 12,449,900 92.95 944,849 7.05 Michael Kabanuk 12,670,604 94.59 724,145 5.41 Bradley Porter 12,822,242 95.73 572,507 4.27 3. Reappointment of Auditor The shareholders approved the reappointment of KPMG LLP, Chartered Accountants, as the auditors of the Company to hold office until the close of the next annual meeting of shareholders of the Company, at a remuneration to be fixed by the directors. The vote in respect of this matter was carried out by ballot. The detailed results of voting are as follows. # Votes For % Votes For # Votes Withheld % Votes Withheld 13,579,519 97.15 398,222 2.85 4. Approval of Stock Option Plan The shareholders approved and adopted the stock option plan of the Company, a copy of which is included as Appendix A to the Management Information Circular prepared for the purposes of the Meeting. The vote in respect of this matter was carried out by ballot. The detailed results of voting are as follows. # Votes For % Votes For # Votes Withheld % Votes Withheld 12,289,864 91.56 1,133,385 8.44 Contact Information For further information, please contact Michael Kabanuk, President & CEO, by telephone at (587) 349-9123. Digital book piracy isnt going anywhere, legal enforcement on the issue is getting worse and worse, and if publishers and authors don't band together and force compliance, they'll be playing e-book buccaneering Whack-a-Mole forever. These were the takeaways from Wednesdays Changing Tides: Novel Approaches to Combating Piracy panel. Moderator Mary Rasenberger, Authors Guild director, was decidedly gloomy on the subject of e-book piracy, even as its panelists remained dedicated to fighting itand hopeful that the rest of the industry will eventually rally to their cause. That hope, however, seems hard to maintain. Following Rasenbergers postulation that publishing probably lost significantly more money this year to e-book piracy than the $300 million it lost two years ago when a survey last crunched those numbers, romance author Sarina Bowen kicked off the panel by noting that half of my colleagues in independently published romance don't look at piracy because it's so depressing." Later, Macmillan Publishers anti-piracy manager Catherine Bogins kept it light with a quip cribbing the myth of Sisyphus. "You roll the rock up the hill and watch it roll back down, she said. It's something of an endless game." Umair Kazi, staff attorney at Authors Guild, wasnt much more positive. "If you find out the site is in the U.S., you're well-advised not to send a takedown notice, he said. They'll just take the content elsewhere" where there are no legal recourses. The good news there is that piracy websites, by and large, arent based in the U.S. The bad news for publishers, the panel contended, is that such sites are typically based in countries with lax laws on copyright compliance and piracy, with Kazi noting that Cyprus seems to be a big hub and other panelists nodding to Denmark as a culprit as well. Theyre still trying to get the Megaupload guy into the U.S., Bogin noted, referring to Kim Dotcom, whose Hong Kongbased piracy site was shut down in 2012 by the U.S. Department of Justice after nearly seven years in operation. Dotcom, who lives in New Zealand, launched a new file-sharing service, Mega, in Auckland shortly after. It is still in service. The problem is not that Google, Amazon, and other big tech players arent complying with takedown notices when they are served, Rasenberger said. The problem is, instead, that for every singular pirated copy taken down, another pops up in its place nearly immediately after. It doesnt help, Bowen added, that many authors dont even know what theyre up against. "The biggest obstacle to fighting e-book piracy isn't technology, she said. It's education. There are steps to be taken. Bowen pays an assistant to send cease-and-desists daily, though not all self-published authors could afford to do the same. She also names image files on her website in ways that are meant to fool search engines and their users. For instance, images on her site pertaining to her book Overnight Sensation might bear the file name overnight-sensation-read-free.pdf to drive readers eager for a free e-book to a site her own space. Bogin said they work with vendors to create web crawlers to help automatically ferret out pirated titles, from both lesser known sites and heavy hitters like ebook.bike and epub.pub. Ultimately, though, Bowen noted, theres really only one solution: a partnership between authors and publishers and everyone in the book publishing community. This is something, she added, that we need to fight together. Welcome to Railway Gazette. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. By continuing to browse this site you are agreeing to our use of these cookies. You can learn more about the cookies we use here. OK BAFTA award-winner RED Production Company has optioned the critically acclaimed book, Everywoman: One Womans Truth About Speaking the Truth, by UK politician Jess Phillips, to develop it into a TV drama. Phillips was elected to Parliament in May 2015 as the Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley and has been making the headlines ever since for doing what women are simply not supposed to do: speak up. Whether that is talking about her own sexual assault, reading out the names of one hundred and twenty women and girls who were murdered, the unnecessary VAT on sanitary products. Phillips hasnt been afraid to stand up and tell the truth.The Labour MPs much talked-about book is a collection of stories from her own life, told with characteristic honesty. In Everywoman: One Womans Truths About Speaking the Truth, Phillips encourages all women to follow her lead and to stand up and speak up, even when it seems that the world is against them, to dare to alter that world and maybe make history.The book was shortlisted for the Parliamentary Book Awards in 2017 and has received rave reviews, winning her fans across the UK for her honest and outspoken views. The Manchester-based production company has become renowned for producing boundary-pushing drama for over 20 years, including Happy Valley, Butterfly, Safe, Cucumber, Clocking Off, Queer As Folk, Scott & Bailey and the recent hit Years and Years, which is currently airing on BBC One. The new drama will be a co-production, and co-developed, between Red and executive producer Lucy Dyke, whose credits include Abi Morgans The Split, Black Mirror and Ripper Street.I'm utterly thrilled to be working with Red, Phillips remarked. It makes the kind of television that truly represents people and events as they are and that was deeply important to me. The story of women in politics is complex and nuanced and intriguing, and it's a story that needs telling.RED Production Company executive producer and chief executive Nicola Shindler added: Jess is an inspirational woman who fights for what she believes in and isnt afraid to be honest and outspoken. Using her book as a source were excited to create a drama that explores how an engaged woman can make a difference in todays very complicated world. Ivory Coasts public broadcasting company, the Societe Ivoirienne de Telediffusion (SIDT), has selected satellite operator SES as its digital partner in a major move to meet the countrys 2020 deadline for switching over from analogue to digital broadcasting. Under the multi-year agreement, 60 analogue-turned-digital channels will be broadcast with brighter, sharper picture and better sound, via the SES-4 satellite at 22 degrees West. SES will be using the comprehensive coverage of SES-4 to ensure high service availability of bandwidth and to broadcast all channels via the digital terrestrial television (DTT) infrastructure across Ivory Coast. These digital channels will then be made available to all Ivorian TV viewers who have a digital set-top box or an integrated digital TV with a built-in DTT decoder.In addition to using SES-4 to accelerate the digital switchover, the capacity leased on SES-4 for digital broadcasting will also be used to broadcast Radiodiffusion Television Ivoirienne (RTI), the state's public TV network.SES has provided us with an innovative solution to ensure deployment of digital TV, noted SIDT general manager Yeo Adama. This is an important milestone as we are now one step closer to ending analogue service. We are excited to work with SES, which has both the technical capabilities and the practical experience required to support our ambitious projects, including the implementation of new broadcasting standards.Clint Brown, vice-president of sales and market development for SES Video in Africa, added: The move from analogue to digital broadcasting can be complex, and we are fully committed to making this as hassle-free as possible for SIDT in Ivory Coast. Our satellite will provide the reliability to broadcast high-picture-quality TV services to Ivorians, while our teams are well-positioned to deliver the technical services and innovative solutions required to facilitate a successful digital migration for Ivory Coast. Styrenic Block Copolymers Market size is estimated to reach the market value around USD 11 billion by 2026 with CAGR of 6.5 % over forecast period 2019-2026. LOS ANGELES, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Acumen Research and Consulting, a global provider of market research studies, in a recently published report titled Styrenic Block Copolymers Market (By Product: Styrene-Isoprene-Styrene (SIS), Styrene-Butadiene Styrene (SBS), Hydrogenated Styrenic Block Copolymer (HSBC); By Application: SBS [Paving & Roofing, Footwear, Adhesives & Sealants, Polymer Modification, Wires & Cables, Others], HSBC [Adhesives & Sealants, Polymer Modification, Medical Devices, Others], SIS [Polymer Modification, Paving & Roofing, Adhesives & Sealants, Others) - Global Industry Analysis, Market Size, Opportunities and Forecast, 2019 - 2026. Free Download Sample Report Pages for Better understanding@ https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/request-sample/1412 A key factor promoting the utilization of modified polymer bitumen and high-performance plastics is the growing demand for advanced materials in construction & construction to meet structural requirements. Structuring applications requiring strength and lightweight materials consist of copolymers in comparison to traditional metals as reinforcements. Moreover, the demand for SBCs is likely to increase with regulations from a number of governments that promote sustainable construction practices for energy utilization and reduce building waste. In 2018, the application for paving & roofing accounted for 34.0% of the total volume. The change in the trend towards alternative routes for production using bio-based commodities has an impact on the dynamics of the industry because it is recyclable and reusable, allowing PVC, rubber and other conventional materials to be substituted. With its main applications from pavings & toovers to adhesives & dyes Styrene Butadiene Styrene (SBS) was the most commonly used. In 2018, the segment was worth USD 4.94 billion. In 2018 the total volume of SBS was nearly 57 percent of footwear, polymer modifications and adhesive applications. Increasing demand for SBS for polymers such as high impact polystyrene, ABS, EVOH, polyolefine and mass moulding compounds will contribute to future growth of the segment in terms of impact strength, durability and flexibility. View Detail Information with Complete TOC@ https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/styrenic-block-copolymers-market In asphalt (bitumen) modification, use of SBC has been increasing. The product is for polymer bitumen (PBB) binders for road building, waterproofing and mastic materials. The improved compatibility of the components of the PBBs has a qualitative impact on the properties and the ultimate properties of road floors. A further important factor in the application of polymer modified bitumen and high-performance plastics is the increased use of advanced construction materials that meet structural requirements such as lightweight and strength. China is the largest consumer and SBC manufacturer in the world. The United States (imports) and Taiwan (exports) are its major trading nations. Over the last few years, US imports from South Korea (mainly SBS), and Taiwan's exports to China have increased significantly. The Chinese Ministry of Transport has launched a new policy requiring the use of paving-modifying materials to build province's highways. Moreover, the adoption in China of "One Belt, One Road" by domestic infrastructure policy also promotes the use of SBC in asphalt changes. Market Snapshots The market demand on the global styrene block of copolymers was 2.22 kilotonnes in 2018, with an estimated 3.08 kilotonnes, which will record a CAGR of more than 4.5% between 2019 and 2026. Browse all official Market Research Reports Press Releases@ https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/press-releases Explore Our Market Blog@ https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/blogs Asia-Pacific was the main consumer and represented more than 45% of the total volume in 2018. The region has good prospects for end-use industries. The region's strong growth is driven by the demand for adhesives, dressers, wires and high-performance plastic products, thus boosting the demand for products. The market is also strongly represented by integrated companies which are also active in the production of raw materials. Key Players & Strategies The global market is highly competitive and consolidated, with few companies representing the world's largest share of production. In order to innovate product and processing technology, most of the top companies make huge R&D investments. SINOPEC, Zeon Corporation, LG Chemicals, BASF SE, Eastman Chemical Company, Chevron Phillips, Elastomers Dynasol, LCY Group, Polyone and Versalis are all key industry participants. Momentive Specialty Chemicals, Kraton Performance Polymers, are another important players., Asahi Kasei, JSR Corp., Kraton Performance Polymers, Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (DENKA) and TSRC, Denki Kagaku Kaisha (DENKA). INQUIRY BEFORE BUYING@ https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/inquiry-before-buying/1412 The report is readily available and can be dispatched immediately after payment confirmation. Buy this premium research report - https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/buy-now/0/1412 Would like to place an order or any question, please feel free to contact at sales@acumenresearchandconsulting.com | +1 407 915 4157 For Latest Update Follow Us: https://twitter.com/AcumenRC https://www.facebook.com/acumenresearchandconsulting https://www.linkedin.com/company/acumen-research-and-consulting/ Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale Buy real estate. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale in US and Canada. Search Real Estate , We're sorry, this article is not currently available Inhoud 2 The district court ruled that the Hells Angels organisation poses a threat to public policy. The Hells Angels regard themselves as a 1% club, a club of outlaws. It is a club in which a culture of lawlessness prevails and government authority is excluded. There are various patches that are awarded to members who perpetrate violence (including serious violence). Funds are also available for members who are imprisoned or prosecuted. The Hells Angels promote themselves as the biggest, most powerful motorcycle club. They believe that other clubs should listen to them, resulting in long-lasting conflicts. Throughout the world this has been accompanied by a series of serious incidents, such as a fire in a cafe in Kerkrade which endangered human lives and a mass fighting and shooting incident at a hotel in Rotterdam. The picture presented by these incidents is one of serious violence perpetrated by and against the Hells Angels. 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High 48F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low 41F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. More than 117 million people from Texas to New York under threat of severe weather WASHINGTON, D.C., MAY 29, 2019 The American Red Cross continues to help thousands of people affected by the ongoing tornadoes and flooding plaguing the Midwest as millions of people from Texas to New York face another day of threats of severe weather in their communities. As many as 485 people spent Tuesday night in 31 Red Cross and community shelters across the affected region. This includes 131 people in 6 shelters in Ohio, 196 in 10 shelters in Oklahoma and 129 in 7 shelters in the Missouri-Arkansas area. More than 500 trained Red Cross disaster workers are working across eight states, opening shelters and providing food, relief supplies, health services, emotional comfort, helping to assess the damage and working with people to plan their next steps. The National Weather Service (NWS) reports there have been preliminary reports of more than 740 tornadoes in the United States in April and May. Overnight a massive tornado touched down near Lawrence, Kansas, damaging homes and businesses. Red Cross workers opened a shelter in Lawrence where people affected can also find meals and help with finding services in their community. Flooding also continues to force people from their homes in the region as waters continue to rise. More than 30 locations are at major flood stage on the Mississippi and Arkansas rivers. Today almost 117 million people from the Plains to the East face the threat of severe weather. These storms may produce hail, strong winds, heavy rain and tornadoes from St. Louis to Dallas and in major cities such as Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York City and Washington, D.C. The Red Cross is monitoring these situations and prepared to respond if necessary. IF YOU NEED TO FIND A SHELTER Call 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767), visit redcross.org or download the free Red Cross Emergency App. You can also check with your local officials for information on where to find a shelter. The Emergency App also provides emergency alerts and information about what to do in case of emergencies such as tornadoes and flooding. Users can find it in smartphone app stores by searching for the American Red Cross or going to redcross.org/apps. The Red Cross encourages people impacted to list yourself as safe and well on the free Safe and Well website. Family and friends may then search for the name of anyone they are trying to locate. The site is always available and available in Spanish. HOW YOU CAN HELP You can help people affected by disasters like storms and countless other crises by making a gift to American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. Call, click, or text to give: visit redcross.org, call 1-800 RED CROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. To donate by check or to a specific cause, please complete this donation form by printing and mailing to your local Red Cross chapter. CORPORATIONS HELP The generous donations from members of the Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program (ADGP) and the Disaster Responder Program enable the American Red Cross to prepare communities for disasters big and small, respond whenever and wherever disasters occur and help families during the recovery process. ADGP $1 Million members are: American Airlines; Anheuser-Busch Foundation; Anthem Foundation; Bank of America; Caterpillar Foundation; The Clorox Company; Costco Wholesale; Delta Air Lines; Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation; FedEx; The Home Depot Foundation; LDS Charities; Lilly Endowment Inc.; Lowe's Companies, Inc.; Mazda North American Operations; Microsoft Corp.; Nationwide Foundation; PepsiCo Foundation; State Farm; Verizon; VSP Global; Walmart and the Walmart Foundation; and The Walt Disney Company. ADGP $500,000 members are: 21st Century Fox; Altria Group; AmazonSmile; Aon; BMW of North America; Capital One; Cisco Foundation; Citi Foundation; Darden Foundation; Delta Dental Community Care Foundation; Discover; Energy Transfer/Sunoco Foundation; Ford Motor Company; General Motors; Grainger; Humble Bundle; IBM Corporation; International Paper; Johnson Controls Foundation; LHC Group; Merck Foundation; Mondelez International Foundation; New Balance Foundation; Nissan; Procter & Gamble Company; PwC Charitable Foundation; Sands Cares; Southwest Airlines; Target; TD Ameritrade; The TJX Companies, Inc.; United Airlines; UPS; The USAA Foundation; The Wawa Foundation; and Wells Fargo. Disaster Responder Program members are: 7-Eleven Cares Foundation; Adobe; AdvoCare International L.P.; Alliance Data; American Express; Assurant; AstraZeneca; AT&T; AvalonBay Communities, Inc.; Avangrid Foundation; AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company; The Ball Foundation; Barclays; CarMax; Choice Hotels International; Cox Enterprises; DICKS Sporting Goods; Duke Energy; Edison International; Entergy Corporation; GE Foundation; Harbor Freight Tools Foundation, LLC; Hewlett Packard Enterprise Foundation; HP Foundation; Ingersoll Rand Foundation; The J.M. Smucker Company; John Deere Foundation; The Kraft Heinz Company Foundation; Land OLakes, Inc.; Mastercard; Medtronic Foundation; Neiman Marcus Group; Northrop Grumman Corporation; Northwestern Mutual and the Northwestern Mutual Foundation; Old Dominion Freight Line; Prudential Financial; Rodan + Fields Prescription for Change Foundation; Ryder System, Inc.; SC Johnson; Security Finances Lending Hand Foundation; Southeastern Grocers Home of BI-LO Harveys Winn Dixie; The Starbucks Foundation; Tata Consultancy Services; Toyota; U-Haul International; United Technologies Corporation; U.S. Bank; and Visa. It's possible to curb tax evasion using high-end technology. But it requires an honest intention to make use of the treasure trove of data that is captured, points out Harsh Roongta. Photograph: Mukesh Gupta/Reuters Tax evasion will soon be history in India - this was the headline of a WhatsApp message that I received recently. The message recounted how the tax department had built a big data application called Project Insight that has been developed over the past decade at an expense of Rs 1,000 crore. It will also keep a tab on social media posts to track your foreign travel, luxury spends, and correlate it to your declared income, and sound an alert where needed. Project Insight will feature an integrated information management system, which will harness machine learning to help take the right step at the right time. A quick search on the web informed that Project Insight is supposed to have been launched since 2015. My mind turned to whether a project such as this can be used to curb tax evasion. The answer is an unequivocal yes. But it requires active usage with an honest intention to be able to make use of the treasure trove of data that Project Insight throws up. A bright young Indian Revenue Service officer in the tax department revealed that while he did get a lot of raw data (say, spending on jewellery by one of the taxpayers), he was expected to do all the cross-checking himself. Given the workload that he has, he finds it virtually impossible to make use of the data. Take a simple example. I have two namesakes in my immediate family. One of them is about my age, and another nephew is in the same broad profession. Imagine the confusion that will be caused by collating our social media feeds together. If the information leads to a negative inference (say a large amount spent on a foreign trip by one of my namesakes) which I have obviously not reported (since I did not undertake it), the assessing officer will simply take the most adverse view possible and make suitable additions to my income. 'You can get it reversed in appeal' is the constant refrain that one hears. Meanwhile, I would be expected to pay up 20% of the inflated tax on the 'unexplained expenditure' that I should not have paid in the first place. This is the issue. Even though the technology is capable of being put to great use, its usage in the hands of officials is unlikely to yield results. Project Insight, as and when it is officially unveiled, can have a significant impact on tax evasion. But it will require the income-tax officials to be well trained to use the data. Also, the right motivation needs to be provided to them, rather than just a super high target that leads to harassment of taxpayers. If only they can be motivated to use the data in such a way that 'tax evaders' not only agree to the additions, but also pay up the taxes without disputing it in appeal, then, and only then, can we say that 'tax evasion will soon be history in India'. Harsh Roongta is a SEBI-registered investment advisor. To take the Rs 49,000 crore ITC to the top slot in the highly competitive FMCG business will require some aggression. In 2011, just after getting another five-year term as chairman of ITC, Yogesh Chandra Deveshwar (excluding cigarettes) elaborated his broad vision for the tobacco-to-Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) company in a free-wheeling interview with Business Standard. One, he wanted ITC to become the countrys largest FMCG company (excluding cigarettes) overtaking its key rivals like Hindustan Unilever and Nestle in the next 10 to 15 years. Two, he envisioned that half of the groups profits would come from non-tobacco business within the same time period. Three, he was open to spinning off the FMCG business into a separate company maybe when it has revenues over Rs 15,000 crore. A few years later, he added a fourth target: Revenues of Rs 1 trillion for the FMCG business by 2030. These ambitious plans will now be the responsibility of Sanjiv Puri who last week was appointed chairman, a man whom Deveshwar, who died earlier this month, had handpicked for the job. To say that achieving the targets his mentor set will be challenging would be an understatement. To take the Rs 49,000 crore ITC to the top slot in the highly competitive FMCG business will require some aggression. Hindustan Levers revenues continues to be over three times those of ITCs FMCG (non-cigarette) revenues, and the gap is not really getting smaller. In FY2019, the gap between ITCs non-cigarette FMCG revenues and Hindustan Levers sales was over Rs 25,000 crore, compared with Rs 21,000 crore in FY2015. Indeed, Deveshwars ambition to garner a larger share of profit from ITCs non-tobacco business still looks a tall ask. In FY19 tobacco accounted for around 80 per cent of ITCs profit before tax (PBT), even though the bulk of the capital outlay was invested in the non-tobacco businesses. FMCGs contribution is a mere 1.7 per cent to PBT. To be fair, Deveshwar had succeeded in garnering sufficient volumes from the FMCG business; it accounts for 25 per cent of companys gross revenues from sales. It also has been in the black for the past six years. But Deveshwars revenue target for 2030 for FMCG simply means that this business has to grow over eightfold in the next 11 years to reach that magic number. To offer an idea of the challenge: in FY2019, Deveshwars last full year as chairman, ITCs non-cigarette FMCG revenues grew only 10 per cent. Puri is well placed to understand the multiple challenges involved in ITCs transformation, having worked through various divisions from tobacco to consumer goods. Old ITC hands also say hell likely have an easier time organisationally. Thanks to the management changes, which saw many senior and older executives leave or retire, Deveshwar has ensured that Puri has a free hand in running the show. That is very different from when Deveshwar was appointed as chairman, which saw the old guard and contenders challenge him and split the board. "He has ensured that his successor does not have to face the same challenge, says a former top executive of ITC who worked closely with Deveshwar. But Puris challenge is no longer just to ensure that the share of non- tobacco revenues grows year on year. He has to go to the next stage to ensure that the share of ITCs profits from the non-tobacco business grows exponentially to meet Deveshwars target - from FMCG, hotels, paper boards, agri business amongst others. The cornerstone of that strategy has to be the FMCG business where there is huge potential for volume expansion in new categories, deepening of distribution, as well as increasing the brand portfolio. That is why Puri is pushing the FMCG business into dairy, coffee, frozen and fresh vegetables as well as chocolates. But crowding the shop shelves is one thing; catching the consumers attention is another. As an analyst pointed out, In tobacco, ITC dominated the market and there was hardly any credible challenger. "Those who came either failed to enter or closed operations (Japan Tobacco, Rothmans and so on) or made no dent due to regulatory and foreign direct investment restrictions and the ban on manufacturing. FMCG, however, is another ballgame. ITC does not enjoy protection from competition here, and faces not just global giants but even domestic biggies like Patanjali and Dabur. Each segment of the FMCG market has entrenched players where ITC is just a new challenger - for instance, in juices it faces PepsiCo as well as Dabur, an analyst who has tracked the FMCG space points out. Still, concentrating on the non-tobacco business is imperative for ITCs long-term survival: Cigarette sales are slowing, margins are being squeezed with the government increasing duties by over 200 per cent and the anti-tobacco lobby is pushing in for more restrictions. That is yet another area that Puri has to handle: Managing the environment, whether it is with the government, which has relentlessly increased duties or when it periodically reviews FDI policy in tobacco. He also has to engage with tobacco farmers in Andhra and Karnataka always looking for better price or take a stand against anti-tobacco lobbies, such as those that recently went to court challenging Life Insurance Corporations equity in tobacco companies. Its an area that Deveshwar and his small team handled effectively, with his frequent and long visits in Delhi and continuous engagement with key stakeholders as well as political networking. Puri also has to manage a somewhat contentious relationship that the top management has historically had with its largest single shareholder, BAT, with 29.5 per cent equity. In Deveshwars time, the UK tobacco giant had clashed with the Indian management over its plans to up its stake in the company. This time round, BAT has endorsed Puris elevation and said it does not want to increase its shareholding. But only last year it defeated a special resolution for the issuance of stock options to ITC employees saying it would dilute their shareholding. And with on-again, off-again news that SUUTI (Specified Undertaking Of The Unit Trust Of India, an administrator for a rump government-owned mutual fund), which holds 7.96 stake in ITC wanting to sell it off, Puri has to keep a close watch on how existing shareholders respond to such a sale. Puri has to keep BAT at bay even while engaging with them and getting their support for entering non-tobacco areas, an old ITC hand said. In other words, hell have to walk the tightrope even as he focuses on turning Deveshwars grand plan into a reality. Photograph: Courtesy, Business Standard Official estimates put the size of the Indian logistics market at $100-125 billion and growing at about 5% annually In a bid to bring all regulatory powers over the logistics sector under its wing, the commerce and industry ministry has pushed for the creation of a separate department for logistics. Submitted to the Cabinet, the proposal is part of the ministrys 100-day agenda, and has the support of the Prime Ministers Office (PMO), sources said. However, the move may find opposition from other ministries such as road transport and shipping, if they feel their marquee schemes are being handed over to another ministry. Case in point, the series of logistics parks envisaged under the broader Bharatmala scheme of the road transport ministry may now be implemented by Udyog Bhavan, which has championed the plan to reduce high logistics costs (estimated 14 per cent of gross domestic product) to less than 10 per cent by 2022, and is also finalising a dedicated policy for the sector. Official estimates put the size of the Indian logistics market at $100-125 billion and growing at about 5 per cent annually. According to the government, logistics services and infrastructure remain highly concentrated in just 15 states and Union Territories, which account for 90 per cent of the total exports by value. To spread services, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has prepared the detailed project reports (DPRs) for these warehousing and storage hubs, to give fillip to the logistics industry, in Guwahati (Assam), Surat (Gujarat), Dabaspet (Karnataka), Indore (Madhya Pradesh), and Mumbai. According to a senior official, The NHAI is ready with the DPRs, but the states have to come on board in terms of providing land for these projects. "Once that is done, the execution agency for these hubs will be decided. However, it is learnt that the commerce and industry ministry is also in discussion with other government agencies for the implementation of these projects. Last year, the PMO had picked up on the idea to create a single entity for streamlining the logistics sector, reduce wait time at ports and cut costs. Subsequently, a separate division under the commerce department was created in July 2017 under a special secretary-ranked officer. The division is currently putting finishing touches to a logistics portal set to boost logistics infrastructure, optimise processes, and aid in monitoring and tracing. The data tool will combine data from a wide range of sectors, mapping industrial clusters and infrastructure like highways, railway lines, and waterways. It will also collect trade data from major ports and compute the logistics flow of major commodities such as coal, steel, and cement. Photograph: Reuters Hudco had in 2006 given a loan of Rs 62.38 crore to Bakshis private venture, Ascot Hotels and Resorts, for a commercial project in Noida. The loan, however, turned NPA in 2011. An appellate tribunal had earlier said that they would not allow the Bakshi-McDonald's India deal unless Hudcos dues were paid. The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) on Tuesday gave Vikram Bakshi time of four weeks as one last chance to settle his Rs 190 crore dues with state-owned Housing and Development Corporation (Hudco), failing which his out-of-court deal with McDonald's India Private Limited will stand cancelled, the appellate tribunal observed. A two member bench led by Justice S J Mukhopadhaya on Tuesday observed that Bakshi should pay at least half of the Rs 190 crore dues being claimed by Hudco. The two parties, the two member bench said, could negotiate on the rest of the amount to be paid. Of the Rs 190 crore due to Hudco, Bakshi had already paid Rs 66 crore and was ready to pay another Rs 70 crore, his counsel senior advocate Amit Sibal informed the NCLAT. Apart from these, 4.65 acres of unencumbered property worth nearly Rs 300 crore is also in the possession of Hudco, Sibal told the tribunal. The case will be next heard on July 10. The appellate tribunal had earlier on May 16 said that they would not allow the Bakshi-McDonald's India deal unless Hudcos dues were paid. We cannot annul a tribunal's order. If the settlement is contrary to law, then we cannot allow it. You settle it with Hudco, the two member Bench had then said. Bakshi and McDonald's India had, on May 7, informed the NCLAT that the two parties were working on an out-of-court- settlement to settle their six-year-old dispute. The NCLAT had then allowed both parties to go ahead with settlement talks and keep the appellate tribunal apprised of the developments in talks. According to the terms of the settlement, McDonalds India has bought over the 50 per cent stake held by Bakshi and his wife in CPRL for an undisclosed amount. In 1995, Bakshi had inked a deal with McDonalds to open outlets in India. The partnership, a 50:50 joint venture between McDonalds India and Bakshis CPRL, was inked in a way such that Bakshis CPRL would be responsible for opening and managing McDonald's outlets in north and east India. Following the announcement of the deal, Hudco had moved an intervention application seeking to be heard before the out of court settlement was given a nod. Hudco had moved the NCLAT with a plea that they had first right over the money that came to Bakshi as they had an order in their favour from the Delhi bench of the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT). The DRT has asked Bakshi not to transfer nearly 3,100 shares of CPRL and share details of the rates of the shares. Both Bakshi and McDonalds India had also been asked by the DRT to appear and deposit the proceeds of their proposed settlement. Hudco had in 2006 given a loan of Rs 62.38 crore to Bakshis private venture, Ascot Hotels and Resorts, for a commercial project in Noida for which he had given a guarantee. The loan however, turned non-performing asset (NPA) in 2011, following which Hudco moved the DRT. In August 2015, the DRT ruled in favour of Hudco and asked it to recover the amount along with 14 per cent interest from Ascot Hotels, Vikram Bakshi, Madhurima Bakshi and Vikram Bakshi & Co. Bakshi and other respondents were also asked to disclose the details of their movable and immovable assets. Photograph: PTI Photo 'When Sachin Tendulkar bats, no one in India cares if he is from Mumbai or if he is a Hindu or a Brahmin or whatever.' 'We just want him to win it for India.' 'The same is with Modi and the people voted across caste and regional lines for him.' 'We want him to win it for India,' says Madhu A K. 'For once and for all it is clear that majority of Hindus did not vote for development, but their hate for minorities! Weep my country, weep!' This was a comment on a social media post on the national elections vote count. This comment from a left-leaning liberal explains the reason why political commentators and observers on the left of centre fail to grasp the Modi phenomenon. By collapsing the entire group of Narendra Damodardas Modi supporters into one narrow definition under the word 'bhakt', they did a great disservice to their own parties and to their own strategy. 'Bhakt', as defined by folks on the left or left of centre is a person who supports Modi and believes in the following; Hyper-nationalism, minority hatred, orthodox Hinduism, sexism, racism, casteism and fascism. While it is true that shades of the extreme are there among 'bhakts', it is also true of every party, every ideology and every religion. The reason why the idea that this definition of bhakts and their expression in the form of their vote has propelled Modi to power is wrong, is because the math just does not work. The National Democratic Alliance received a massive mandate, with the BJP alone getting more than 300 seats. It is impossible to get such a mandate unless somehow overnight the BJP and Modi have converted a majority of Indians into bhakts as per the narrow definition of that word given above. I do not, cannot, buy the idea that more than 50% of the voting population has become minority-hating Hindu extremists. It just cannot happen in India with its massive diversity. Let me try to explain my reasoning behind the Modi phenomenon through my own lens and as a person who considers himself a true liberal. I am an atheist, an anti hyper-national for I hate the idea of playing the national anthem in movie theatres, anti-jingoism for I place an armyman and a clerk in the same rank when it comes to service to the nation, I believe that citizenship is basically a social contract between the citizen and society which gives him a passport, and patriotism is a positive emotion when it is restricted to a simple admiration for a nation and what it stands for and what it has achieved for its people. I will try to address the Modi phenomenon using the same terms and issues that the anti-Modi folks try to brand us with, but from the perspective of the vast middle which in fact was responsible for the prime minister's massive mandate. Religious Extremism Secularism is a sacrosanct word and is a sacred principle in any modern democracy. The separation of Church and State is an aim every country and society should strive for. It means building a society with modern principles and ideas as the bedrock of its laws. This establishment of a modern society is NOT only the responsibility of the majority, but a responsibility of every member, including the minorities. This sadly is NOT the case with Indian secularism. Successive Congress governments have used secularism to create a youngest kid syndrome in our society when it came to minorities. The youngest kid syndrome is where the parents endlessly coddle the youngest kid without ratcheting up slowly the responsibility they need to attach as the youngest kid grows up. The eldest kid meanwhile is held to a far higher standard and attached far greater responsibility and is censured every time the eldest kid complains about the wayward ways of the youngest kid. The youngest kid is defended despite the apparent transgressions. The Hindu majority, over the last 20 years, especially after the bad handling of the Shah Bano case, started to realise this about Indian secularism. This created a sort of resentment in educated, right-thinking Hindus over why should Hindus alone bear the responsibility of creating a modern secular democratic society while no responsibility for such a creation is attached to the minorities. The non-implementation of the uniform civil code is seen by many Hindus as a clear appeasement policy where the minorities can live as per the laws of a much older time while demanding that their personal laws, however archaic, be respected. This created an intellectual friction between liberal right-leaning Hindus and liberal leftists. When the liberal centre-right Hindu questioned this appeasement, we were immediately branded communal. This created a resentment which has grown ever since. In Modi, a big section of us -- liberal, right-leaning Hindus -- see a chance where the wrong can be corrected through the implementation of the uniform civil code, a harbinger of which we experienced with the implementation of the anti-instant triple talaq bill. While we are secular in nature, liberal in spirit, we also demand an equal sharing of the responsibility to create a modern India. It just cannot be the responsibility of the majority only. Hyper-nationalism Growing up in 1980s India, I experienced first hand an utter lack of pride in anything Indian. We assumed that anything and everything West was superior. It might be attributed to many years of foreign rule. It can also be attributed to the historians raised on a steady Marxist feed that did not tell us much about our illustrious past. For instance, I never learnt in school that India contributed the maximum to the world's GDP in the 1800s. I was not told about yoga or the glory of the Cholas or the loftiness of the Upanishads. Our history books dedicated more chapters to events from 1200 AD than events before. There was some kind of shame in admitting that something about India is good. We were raised to respect more a person who speaks flawless English than the chilli trader who stands in the heat and dust and does business but cannot speak English well. There was a time, just a few decades back when if someone had said that turmeric is a great antiseptic, it would have been dismissed by the convent-educated liberal as rubbish and a baseless belief. But now scientists in the West have discovered the medicinal properties of turmeric. Yoga was never a big thing till the West created the yoga revolution. Nothing traditionally Indian was considered good unless there was a Western stamp across it with absolute Western approval. We saw how a company attempted to patent basmati rice and someone else claimed specific yoga poses as their own invention. After the opening up of the Indian economy in 1991, Indians started experiencing a more vigorous and positive idea about themselves and their place in the world. We started to realise that we had a great past through our own learning about India pre 1200. We saw how the world accepted yoga and how secular was the general character of our religion. We realised our contribution to math and science. While there are extremists who believe that we had jet fighters and space shuttles and nuclear weapons, a lot of us dismiss such fantasies but otherwise strongly believe in our scientific heritage and social consciousness. In Modi, we believe that there will be a restoration of India's pride. We believe that Marxist-controlled history would see a change and Indian kids will learn more about their country than what we did when growing up. We also believe that there will be a sort of better recognition of a lot of great characters in Indian history than the usual suspects we were asked to respect more than the others. This is not hyper-nationalism. This is pure, simple pride in our country's illustrious past and its future potential. Security and foreign relations Successive Congress governments definitely improved India's defence capabilities. But for many reasons, including a more aggressive and pro-active approach to external threats to a more practical and focused approach to India's internal security threats, we feel the Modi government is better equipped and has a better policy in place. Security, external as well as internal, has nothing to do with religious bias but everything to do about a practical understanding of the threats and nipping them in their bud and we felt the Congress government was not capable of effectively controlling it. So on this point also, we overwhelmingly gave our approval for Modi's policies. Security also benefits greatly from gaining a big moral advantage on the international scene where the only remaining superpower does not penalise us for taking a proactive action against an enemy country which continues to wage a proxy war. In this regard, Modi's massive mandate by the world's largest democracy not only bestowed a lot of respect on the office of the Indian prime minister but his own personal quest to meet and talk to every leader in the world and engaging with them at a social, political and economic level ensured that the world sees India as a very important partner, realises our potential and supports us across all aspects of nation to nation relationships. We voted for Modi because he distinctly elevated India's status among the comity of world nations. Economy Demonetisation was a failure. We admit it, either openly or secretly. But we do not question the intent. There was nothing sinister in the intent. In fact, despite the many misses in our economic policy, we only feel that while the intent was there, the implementation went bad. We feel that intent is more important and so we hope that Modi will pick another, more capable one to lead some of the most prestigious and important ministries and avoid such missteps in the second term. We did not want to punish him for his right intent, we wanted to give him a huge mandate so that he gets a chance to correct his course of action. Strong central leadership While we know that democracy within the party as well as outside of it is all about consensus, consensus-driven decisions slow down development, especially in a diverse country like India. We need one strong voice with absolute decisive power to push forward. There will be misses but we hope there will be a lot of hits. But in a consensus only driven approach with no strong decisive leader at the Centre, every reform -- be it social or economic -- will be pushed out into the future which will delay our push for a place in the world's elite. Even P V Narasimha Rao had an emergency on hand which compelled him to push forward the economic reforms. We want a strong leader who will not wait for such an emergency. We see that strong leader in Modi and unfortunately or fortunately there is no alternative. The main Opposition leader has zero administrative experience even though we believe he has a ,strong>kind heart. We need strong, proven leadership at this stage of our development and this mandate was overwhelmingly for that core leadership strength and administrative and political experience to navigate through rough waters. The vast middle that comprises of individuals like me want strong leadership, right intent, decisiveness, a zeal to increase India's pride in itself and its great past, strong integrity and the ability to seal internal differences like caste and region and make us root for an individual who we see can deliver all of the above. Think of it like this. When Sachin Tendulkar bats, no one in India cares if he is from Mumbai or if he is a Hindu or a Brahmin or whatever, we just want him to win it for India. The same is with Modi and the people who voted across caste and regional lines for him. We want him to win it for India. Madhu AK is an ISB grad and a proud Modi bhakt. He has left no one in any doubt about his ability to take bold, even out-of-the-box, decisions, to gauge the feelings and aspirations of the common people at the grassroots and to ensure that policies and schemes do not remain on paper but are implemented, says B S Raghavan, the distinguished civil servant. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi speaks after the Bharatiya Janata Party's victory in the 2019 Lok Sabha election at the BJP office in New Delhi on Thursday, May 23, 2019. Photograph: Atul Yadav/PTI Photo As at the time of writing, the National Democratic Alliance has not entered upon its second term and the composition of the council of ministers is not known. But even at this stage some general observations can be made, without going into specific policy recommendations. People expect a government to govern, not pussyfoot. People respect a government that governs and does not pussyfoot. Governing means exercising the powers under the law wisely but also effectively, not for one's own, or a political party or cabal's aggrandisement, but in the supreme interest of the nation. Narendra Damodardas Modi, in his first term, has shown his capacity to govern and exercise power effectively in the nation's interest. He has left no one in any doubt about his ability to take bold, even out-of-the-box, decisions, to gauge the feelings and aspirations of the common people at the grassroots and to ensure that polices and schemes do not remain on paper but are implemented. The pace of execution of infrastructural projects has increased beyond all belief in his first term. Now that he has received a massive endorsement from the world's largest electorate and his Bharatiya Janata Party has a sizeable majority in the Lok Sabha in its own right, and the NDA may soon have a commanding position in the Rajya Sabha as well, Modi has everything going for him. All this gives him and his party and the alliance he heads a political weight which will readily evoke deference and acquiescence facilitating early adoption and determined execution of courageous, forward looking policies. The complexion of the 17th Lok Sabha may assist in the process. It is a youthful House, with 54 years as the average age of an MP. As many as 51 per cent of the MPs are between 25 and 55 years of age, with only 5 percent being above 70 years. The educational profile also is impressive: 43 per cent are graduates, 25 per cent are post-graduates and four percent have doctorates. First-time MPs number 300 and they can be expected to be full of zeal and idealism, eager to make their mark in the service of the people. Of course, on the flip side, 40 per cent (233) of MPs are facing criminal proceedings, of whom 116 belong to the BJP and 29 to the Indian National Congress, which also holds a record of sorts with Dean Kuriakose from Idukki facing 204 criminal cases. The Association for Democratic Reforms, which has computed these figures from the affidavits of candidates, says the number of lawmakers facing grave criminal cases (including 11 for murder, 30 for manslaughter and three for rape) has more than doubled in the last decade. And they will be making laws which the people would be called upon to obey. One can only hope that Modi who has been emphatically vowing to root out corruption will not be giving ministerial berths to any MP who faces criminal cases or who belongs to an ill-reputed party. We, the People, whose principal servant Modi has often, and rightly, proclaimed himself to be, owe it to him and to ourselves to be equally watchful that the government does not stray from the path of accountability, transparency and integrity. The paramount duty of a democratically elected government is to be sensitive and responsive to the sentiments, needs and aspirations of the people. The careerist mindset and hierarchical rigidities of permanent bureaucracy, which continue almost unchanged from the British days, keep them insulated and isolated from often harsh ground realities. Long stretches of immersion in the desiccated, dehydrated and dehumanised vaults of secretariats have robbed them, maybe for no fault of theirs, of creative thinking and a passion for innovation. The bureaucracy in India has no qualification and credentials to be considered a partner of elected governments in policy making. It can at best be entrusted with the execution of policies and schemes formulated by the government by strictly adhering to the cost estimates and time schedules laid down. The prime minister should set up a Policy Research Bureau, serviced by a small group of not more than four or five eminent scholars, experts and professionals giving them total freedom to come up with whatever new policies or revamp of existing policies would suit the present requirements and interests of the country and its people in line with the promises made to the people. The success of any democratic government is contingent on the existence of the right political culture. An impressive feature of the political culture of mature and genuine democracies is that once a ruling dispensation demits office, the political predecessors let the successors have the right to carry out the political mandate they have secured at the hustings in the manner they think best, enabling the representative bodies to function smoothly and purposefully. Political parties in genuine and mature democracies do not take to the streets and go on a rampage causing loss of life and destruction of property every time they differ from the policies of the parties in power. In India, the passing of the generation of the heroes of the freedom struggle was the signal for a rapid erosion in political culture, both within the sacred precincts of state and national legislatures and outside in the day-to-day relations among political parties and political leaders. In recent weeks, the concerted campaign of personal vilification unleashed against the prime minister and the Goebbelsian tactics adopted to pull down the government at the Centre have become unprecedentedly venomous. Political parties have indulged in brazen instigation of the defence forces to overthrow the Government and staged deliberate and wilful civil war like chaos. In my 92-year long life I have not seen politics sink to such abysmal depths as I am seeing these days. The Opposition parties may have their differences in regard to policies pursued by an incumbent government, but those differences are to be resolved within the nation's Constitutional system and within limits imposed by public order, and not by resort to behaviour akin to that of the beasts of the jungle. In resorting to such behaviour, the politicians seem totally oblivious to the vicious example they thereby set to future generations who will grow up in a decadent and degenerate society from which all values and standards would have been wiped out. What is most perturbing and causes unbearable anguish is the absence of any effort on the part of the educated and thinking sections of the people, especially those who have held leadership positions in public life to set things right. Evil flourishes not because of evil doers, but because of the silence and inaction, tantamount to submission, on the part of good persons. It is necessary for the prime minister to put to use his undoubted mastery of communicating skill to make a direct address the nation, both in English and Hindi, followed by translations in other Indian languages, by way of making the people and the nation aware of the devastating prospects confronting the nation if the present trends are allowed to continue. His address should include a reference to the media which is giving space to the pernicious trends. The readership and viewership of the print and electronic media has a multiplier effect and should not be ignored. Apart from the prime minister's address to the nation, the council of ministers at the Centre, or even both Houses of Parliament, at a special meeting, could take out a resolution aimed at pulling the nation back from the brink of disaster to which it will head if values and norms are not adhered to in public discourse and public life. B S Raghavan held leadership positions in the state and central governments, including charge of the political and security policy planning division at the Union ministry of home affairs. 'The ceremony on May 30 is all about Modi and there is the great risk that Imran Khan, who is a rockstar among Indians, might end up stealing the show,' says Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar. IMAGE: Imran Khan with Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi in New Delhi, December 2015. Photograph: @MEAIndia/Twitter It is no big secret that the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a damp squib. The impression becomes unavoidable that the decision to invite the little-known BIMSTEC leaders to Narendra Modi's inaugural ceremony on May 30 is prompted by the genuine urge to give a 'regional' colouring to the Indian mega event while also giving it a historicity -- but, in reality, to somehow exclude Pakistan from the guest list. In an ideal setting, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation could and should have been the authentic geopolitical union of regional States in South Asia to embellish such a historic occasion, but, clearly, that is too much to expect when Modi government is, on the other hand, holding even the group's annual summit hostage to the India-Pakistan tensions. However, there is also a greater logic in the Indian decision. First, the ceremony on May 30 is all about Modi and there is the great risk that Imran Khan, who is a rockstar among Indians, might end up stealing the show -- that is, if he were to accept an Indian invitation and travel to Delhi at such short notice (of which there is no absolute certainty, of course.) So far, Imran Khan has avoided excessive globe-trotting and has travelled abroad very purposively with clear-cut result-oriented agenda in mind -- the Persian Gulf, Malaysia and Turkey, apart from two visits to China. But this charismatic international celebrity is not to be underestimated for his panache for grandstanding and might find irresistible to pose as a conquering hero in the backdrop of the old Mughal capital. Second, on a serious note, an invite to Imran Khan would have meant an overnight jettisoning of all the diatribes against Pakistan that provided the ammunition for Modi's fiery election speeches up until last week. That U-turn would have been a bit too much to expect, as it could expose Modi to ridicule for having hoodwinked the Indian public and manipulated their sense of patriotism for extracting votes out of them. Third, most importantly, Modi is also wiser today about international diplomacy. The impulsive actions vis-a-vis Pakistan in his first tenure as PM -- the invitation to the then Pakistani PM to attend the inaugural in May 2014 (but only to scuttle under the flimsiest of excuses soon thereafter any form of dialogue with Pakistan at any level) and the stunning quasi-official trip to Nawaz Sharief's home in Lahore in December 2015 (which probably triggered the terrorist attack on the IAF base at Pathankot) are even today often cited as acts of monumental folly. Suffice to say, Modi 2.0 would engage with Pakistan, but in good time and with the ground prepared in advance. Meanwhile, why such tearing hurry? An opportunity is coming up anyway within the coming fortnight for Modi to interact with Imran Khan on the sidelines of the summit meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Bishkek on June 13-14. However, the big question remains: Where is it that India-Pakistan relations are headed? To be sure, at some point in the future, the incoming Modi government will engage with Pakistan. But the question is, of what avail? To be sure, Pakistan is willing to look away from the anti-Muslim attitudes of the Indian ruling elite or the violence and discrimination directed against Indian Muslims, which is almost a daily occurrence. But then, in the prevailing milieu, rational give-and-take in diplomacy at the official level becomes unsustainable. It is practically impossible for the new Modi government to overlook the mandate it received from the Indian electorate for pursuing a hardline policy toward Pakistan -- including the use of the nuclear option, if necessary. That is to say, the burden will be on Pakistan to work for amity with India by making concessions and reconciling with the status of a junior partner apropos of the range of issues that affect the relationship, starting from the Kashmir problem. The recent Indian rejoinder to the latest report by the Geneva-based Human Rights Council alleging violations and torture in militancy-hit Jammu and Kashmir, which rejects the highly critical report and virtually tells the office of the UN commissioner of human rights to go hell --'India does not intend to further engage with these mandate-holders or any other mandate-holders on the issue.' -- makes no bones about Delhi's current haughty mindset. Simply put, iron entered into India's soul and it will no longer accept the UN or Pakistan or anyone under the sun as an interlocutor on the Kashmir issue where the only unresolved question concerns the vacation of illegal occupation by Pakistan. Indeed, the Modi government's thinking bears striking similarity with the Israeli approach to the annexation of the Palestinian territories. In fact, considering the massive mandate received by Modi to lead the new government, it is entirely conceivable that the abolition of Article 370 of the Constitution granting special status to J&K may be entering the realm of possibility during the coming 5-year period. Islamabad must be quite aware of the consequent uncertainties that lie ahead in normalising relations with the incoming Indian government. Clearly, the two overblown myths -- that normalisation of India-Pakistan relations goes down well with the Indian public at large and/or that a right-wing government in Delhi makes an ideal partner for the Pakistani establishment -- have fallen by the wayside. The matrix has changed. The fact of the matter is that a tough, muscular policy toward Pakistan has brought rich electoral dividends to the BJP and to Modi's leadership, in particular, by far exceeding anyone's expectations. And this tested trajectory has far from exhausted itself. Quite possibly, it has vast untapped potential still remaining for the making of 'New India'. Pakistan never before figured in an Indian election in such a manner as happened in recent months. And so long as a government that is based on the Hindutva ideology is in power in Delhi, India's domestic politics and the government's Pakistan policies will be living a conjoined life -- inseparable. The New India expects Pakistan's obedience. There can be no comprises on this score. The decision to exclude Imran Khan from the ceremony in Delhi on May 30, which Indian dailies have reported as a deliberate 'snub', is consistent with this overall approach. Mass Logging Negative on Climate Change, Huge Revenue Lost in Yei River State Mass logging of natural forest reservesis threatening the wellbeing of Fauna and Flora (Animals and human life)in various villages of Liwolo and Kangapo counties of Yei River. Local officials said. A tipper Lorry transporting processed timbers. [Photo Credit: Ochan Hannington | CBN] BY Daniel Friday Martin YEI (May 26, 2019) GURTONG Speaking to Gurtong in an exclusive interview, Kangapo County commissioner Wani Jackson Mule said 7 there registered logging companies both local and foreign have been granted permission by SPLA-IO officials to clear off the natural mahogany and other rear tourist attraction forest species that existed in the villages for centuries. It is true that large scale logging is taking place in Liwolo County and for the last three years, there was massive logging of natural trees in Kirwa, Adjio Kala and Pore villages along the common borders of South Sudan in Uganda and this logging is carried out by the SPLA-IO simply because those areas are under the control of the SPLA-IO he said. Wani there are 67 trees cut on the ground to be transported by heavy tracks from out of Liwo to Uganda for international marketing. I got some documents of seven companies from authorities in Koboko district and the document the companies said they 67 heavy tracks seeking for clearance to transport their logs from my county and you can see with these heavy tracks to load these logs in the area and in a day over 10 tracks can cross from Uganda to Liwolo county on daily basis to transport logs meaning the whole forest reserves have been cleared Wani stressed. Earlier, SPLA-IO military spokesman Colonel Lam Paul Gabriel denied any illegal forest logging in the area. He said the logging companies have been allowed to conduct forest logging businesses with agreement and permission from the local community leaders. For us as soldiers, we have nothing to do with forest businesses, the forest logging is being done by the civilian business men with approvals from the community leaders. Our role as soldiers is to ensure protection of the civil population under our control he lamented when asked on the rampant forest logging around areas of greater Kajo-Keji counties. Meanwhile River State minister for agriculture and forestry Evans Kijore confirmed the ongoing rampant forest logging around Kajo-Keji areas. Kijore said his ministry is working day and night to ensure that the county commissioners enforce the directives issued by the state governor Emmanuel Adil Another. He said his office lacked forest rangers and officers in the remote villages of greater Kajo-Keji counties to monitor and report on the level of forest logging in the area due to fear of insecurity. We dont have forest officers on the ground to feed us on what is going wrong on the natural forest reserves. We also finding it difficult to implement orders issued by the ministry or the governor but we are working very hard to inform the SPLA-IO authorities to ensure that our environment and the forest are protected from destructionKijore briefly told Gurtong. -Community outcry on the forest logging and looting- Several residents in Kajo-Keji County said despite Gods blessings on the community with natural trees in the area, none of them benefited from the ongoing forest logging. Chaplain Doga, a villager in Kajo-Keji County said We benefited nothing apart from only watching our big tree species being cut down, we only feel sounds of saw mill machines and seeing tracks coming to load forest logs deep in the villages he explained. Our youth and elders have been deceived and paid little amount in either dollars or Ugandan shillings, our forest have been looted by our own sons and foreigners from the neighboring counties and we are left without standing trees in the forest anymore Doga outlined. He said dealers in the forest reserves were mostly men in military uniforms and some individual businessmen. This war has caused a huge loss and destruction on our natural forest plantations; we hoped that we would benefit in form of new constructed community schools, health facilities, bore holes, markets or bore holes but no any single structure is seen on the ground he added. Rose Amudo another community member blamed lack of strong leaders and advocates to speak against the ongoing looting and logging of the community natural resources. We dont have a voice, we are powerless, here its only people holding guns whose voices are respected. We are so sorry because we are left with empty forest reserves, the few remaining trees are still being cut down without our say. If the Government or the opposition relay cares about the needs of the community, we would have been subjected into this suffering where our own forest is being looted by some individuals from Uganda. She said Rose is appealing to the countrys leaders to implement the revitalized peace deal so the remaining trees can be reserved and the going ones grow up in peace to help the next generation. We are already old and we did not enjoy anything from our trees which our ground fathers use their roots and leaves as medical herbs to treat patients in the villages. We want to see peace so that our displaced children can one day harvest the small growing trees to develop our own villages She emphasized. -Local orders issued by the Yei River state governor- There was an order issued by the Governor of Yei River State instructing all the county commissioners in the forest reserve including greater Kajo-Keji counties stopping forest harvesting within the state. I can can not do anything as the commissioner of Kangapo County because Liwolo is divided into two areas, one side controlled by the Government under my control and the other side under the SPLA-IO controlled by the SPLA-IO and if we crossed over with our forces to control the forest logging, it will result into fighting and this will be violation of the revitalized peace agreementHe said. Wani is appealing to the SPLA-IO administration to ensure protection of the natural resources and ensure that forest logging is brought to an end. The SPLA-IO have a governor, ministers and commissioners and in fact a complete parallel government and my call to them is that destroying our own forest will lead to a negative climate change which will affect all of us he added. Kajo-Keji county commissioner Amos Longa Modi told Gurtong in another separate interview that although neighboring Liwolo and Kangapo counties are experiencing massive deforestation and looting of forest reserves, he has issued a local order banning illegal and official forest logging in the area. I have instructed the security organs under my control to ensure that no body enters the natural forest fields to cut trees for commercial or local construction on the ground. I am implementing the orders issued by our governor and also as local government, we want to ensure that our environment is not tempered with because we know how important trees are to our health and our environment he remarked. -Climate changes around Kajo-Keji counties- Wani said with the rampant and rapid deforestation in the area, several villages in Kangapo County are undergoing serious draught affecting the livelihood of the returning internally displaced persons and returnee population in the area. With the huge devastation, the major effect is on the climate change. Right from January this year, there is no single rain in Mijale, Keriwa, Sokare, Bori and many others have been affected and we are expecting looming hunger this year because our trees that survived for over 200-500 years of have been cut down. He explained. -Recent cross border meeting on climate change in Uganda- Some two months ago, Authorities in the neighboring counties of Yei River State and Ugandas west Nile region held met and resolved to end deforestation and improve security along its common borders in an effort to fight against the effects of climate change in the area. Authorities from both sides also agreed to conduct regular meetings from either side to evaluate progress and challenges affecting climate changes around its common borders. -Relations between the SSPDF and SPLA-IO forces after the revitalized peace agreement- The commissioners of Kangapo, Kajo-Keji, and Liwolo and Kupera counties of Yei River State confirmed to Gurtong that since the signing of the revitalized peace agreement in September last year, the relationship between the SSPDF and theSPLA-IO has significantly improved evidenced by free movement of civilians, reduced human rights violations and joint security meetings. Our working relationship as a government with our SSPDF and the SPLA-IO forces is good. We have been having joint security meetings, share funerals, community events and conduct joint visits and have open communication together without any challenge Said Kajo-Keji county commissioner Amos Longa. -Precautionary measures to control illegal or official forest lumbering and logging in greater Kajo-Keji counties- Kangapo County Commissioner Henry Kala Sabuni said illegal forest dealers have changed its smuggling activities transporting forest harvest at night hours without the concern of the local government. Henry said the state and national governments are losing millions of South Sudanese pounds and hard currency to some individual looters and thieves without any benefit to the local community. The stealing and transportation is done at night these days. Foreigners are looting our resources and we are losing millions of cash that does not even come to the hands of the Government. These untapped revenue is going to some individuals and others who claimed to be land lords Henry said. Mr. Kala is appealing to the state and national governments in the area to deploy trained police and military forces to restore rule of law and order at the South Sudan-Uganda border areas. We dont have competent police in the area, I am calling on the state and national government to send police here so that there is rule of law and we also need to see that our revenue sources are properly tapped to help in the renovation and development of health facilities, schools, provision of clean water and improved road infrastructure He concluded. Clara Hayad Oliver, an environmental activist working for the organization for socio-economic transformation (OSET) South Sudan is warning authorities against rampant forest depletion in the areas without setting re-afforestation plans and polices. Clara said as the state is experiencing wide spread lumbering, Yei River State is forest likely to lose its most valuable tree species and exposed to negative climate change in the next few years to come. We are so concerned about the ongoing destruction on our forest plantation. To make matters worse, there are no protective policies such as cut one and plant five put in place, if stake holders are not serious about environmental management plans, lets expect short of rains, prolonged shortage of rain and desertification among communities Mrs. Clara stressed. Clara said her organization is advocating of adoptive policies to be presented to the council of ministers and the parliament towards environmental protection and the eco-system. Clara further appealed to the senior heads of state authorities either in the government or the SPLA-IO to issue strong orders and laws that prohibits forest exploitation in Yei River State. Chapter four of the revitalized peace agreement stipulated for proper, controlled, transparent and accountable usage of the countrys natural resources including forest for the benefit of the community, the people and the government. IMAGE: Former TMC MLA Manirul Islam joins the BJP in presence of party leaders Kailash Vijayvargiya and Mukul Roy, in New Delhi, on Wednesday. Photograph: Atul Yadav/PTI Photo In another blow for the Trinamool Congress, its MLA Monirul Islam on Wednesday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, the third legislator to desert the ruling party in West Bengal after the reverses in the Lok Sabha polls. Two TMC legislators and over 50 councillors had joined the BJP on Tuesday. The BJP projected the decision of TMC's Muslim MLA to join the party as a vindication of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's slogan of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas' (together with all, development for all, trust of all). Modi gave the slogan in his first address to MP's of BJP-led National Democratic Alliance after the Lok Sabha poll results were declared. He had asked them to win over the trust of minorities with their work. Several other TMC workers also joined the saffron party in New Delhi in the presence of BJP leaders Mukul Roy and Kailash Vijaywargiya. 'Doesn't matter if some opportunist MLAs join BJP' The Trinamool Congress leadership, meanwhile, shrugged off party MLAs joining the BJP, saying it 'doesn't matter' if some 'opportunist' legislators switch loyalties. The TMC also claimed that some among those who had joined the saffron party had been threatened to do so. "It doesn't matter if one or two opportunist MLAs switchover to the BJP. Some are opportunist and some are being forced to join by using threat and intimidation," senior TMC leader Tapas Roy said. Earlier on Wednesday, the Mamata Banerjee-led party had claimed in a tweet that its MLAs and councillors were forced at gunpoint to join the BJP, which, in a stunning result, won 18 Lok Sabha seats in the state, only four less than the TMC's 22. 'One suspended MLA of Trinamool joined BJP yesterday. The others were from Congress and CPI(M). The number of councillors is 6. That too they were forced at gunpoint to do so,' the TMC said. The Congress MP said the party may have underestimated the impact of national security as an electoral topic on the psyche of the voter in North India where the BJP had great success in trying to convert the election into a "khaki' referendum". Asserting that people did not vote for their economic self-interest in the Lok Sabha polls, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor says the Bharatiya Janata Party decided early that its "product" was Prime Minister Narendra Modi and marketed him very well by building the most "extraordinary personality cult". He also said the Congress may have underestimated the impact of national security as an electoral topic on the psyche of the voter in North India where the BJP had great success in trying to convert the election into a "khaki' referendum". In Tharoor's view, had the Congress's idea of NYAY, a minimum income guarantee scheme, been unrolled even six months earlier, it might have won over many voters. "I think the results make it clear that there certainly seem to be some fundamental issues that we got wrong. It will undoubtedly take us some strong introspection and a comprehensive assessment to correctly identify exactly what these issues were," Tharoor said. He said the Congress was convinced that grave economic concerns such as unemployment levels hitting a 45-year high, significant agrarian distress and the disastrous impact of other measures like demonetisation would play a pivotal role in deciding the fate of the election. "After all, there is a well-recognised wisdom in believing that voters would cast their votes according to their economic self-interest. But this time the Indian voter did not do that, and we need to understand why," the MP from Thiruvananthapuram said. Tharoor said one reason is perhaps the BJP executing crucial messaging better. "They decided early that their 'product' was Mr Modi and they marketed him very well. "They built up the most extraordinary personality cult in modern Indian political history, buttressed by larger-than-life imagery, hundreds of thousands of social media warriors, an intimidated 'mainstream' media, ubiquitous cameramen and a slick publicity machinery that was switched on 24/7, all lubricated by Rs 5,600 crore of taxpayer funds relentlessly promoting his every move," he said. The former Union minister also said the BJP had great success in marketing and creating a hype around many of its government's flagship schemes. "Perhaps we could have done better to make the reality of the flawed delivery of such schemes more apparent," he conceded. "Another issue is that we may have underestimated the impact of national security as an electoral topic, in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack and Balakot strike, on the psyche of the voter," Tharoor said. He asserted that this is perhaps more true in the North than in South, where according to his personal experience, the issue did not gain much traction. However, in the North, the BJP had "great success" in trying to convert the election into a khaki' referendum, the 63-year-old leader said. Tharoor also pointed out that the party would have done better by releasing its party manifesto earlier and consequently giving itself more time to market ideas like NYAY, which he said by design and in terms of likely impact was nothing short of revolutionary. The Congress had promised that if it comes to power it will give an annual income support of Rs 72,000 to poor families under the minimum income guarantee scheme. "It appears that the core messaging around NYAY may have only reached around half the electorate and perhaps even the wrong half -- mainly centred in urban areas and among professional classes, who would be paying for the scheme, rather than the bottom 20 per cent, mainly in rural India, who would become beneficiaries of it," he said. "Now all of this is based on 20-20 hindsight. But we really do need a comprehensive and systematic assessment of where and what we got wrong and I have no doubt that in the coming weeks the party will seek to do exactly that," the former diplomat added. Many party stalwarts bit the dust in the Lok Sabha polls, but Tharoor scored an electoral hat-trick by winning from the Thiruvanathapuram seat by a margin of about one lakh votes. The Congress faces an existential crisis with party president Rahul Gandhi adamant on his decision to quit after the poll debacle -- winning just 52 Lok Sabha seats -- and its state governments facing an uncertain future. IMAGE: CLP leader and Coordination Committee chief Siddaramaiah, AICC general secretary KC Venugopal, deputy chief Minister G Parameshwara and KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao, during the Karnataka Congress Legislature Party meeting in Bengaluru, on Wednesday. Photograph: Shailendra Bhojak/PTI Photo As the Lok Sabha election debacle pushed the ruling coalition in Karnataka into a greater turmoil, the Congress on Wednesday went into an overdrive to avert a potential existential crisis to the one-year-old H D Kumaraswamy ministry. Rushed to Bengaluru by the party high command on a damage control mission, Congress general secretary K C Venugopal met Kumaraswamy, senior party leaders and ministers and attended a legislature party meeting to save the coalition from an intensified Bharatiya Janata Party onslaught. Congress Legislature Party leader and Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) coordination committee chief Siddaramaiah said no one would leave the Congress and there was no disgruntlement either. "All of us are together.This government is strong and will survive. If BJP tries to destabilise the government, they will be biggest fools," he told reporters after the CLP meeting, attended by 72 Congress MLAs, with two rebels Ramesh Jarkiholi and R Roshan Baig giving it a miss. Two other missing lawmakers -- Ramalinga Reddy and Byrati Basavaraj -- had obtained permission not to attend the meet, he said. Ramesh Jarkiholi has been hobnobbing with the BJP leaders indicating that he may jump the ship, while Baig has been ridiculing the party leadership and praising prime minister Narendra Modi, leaving the Congress red-faced. Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president Dinesh Gundu Rao said senior leaders and ministers would meet on Thursday to discuss cabinet expansion, a solution that has been proposed to quell snowballing dissent. A joint legislature party meeting of the Congress and JD-S would be held soon, he added. The CLP also revoked the suspension of MLA Kampli Ganesh, who had faced the action after an alleged brawl with a party colleague at a resort in January. Coalition worries have multiplied after BJP's spectacular win with 25 of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in its pocket, leaving a mere one seat each to Congress and JD-S, which, despite a joint fight, were swept away by the Modi wave. Buoyed by the landslide win in the LS polls, the BJP, which emerged as the single-largest party in the 224-member assembly in the May polls last year, is reportedly eyeing to capture power amid reports of a rift between Congress and JD-S. The BJP had won 104 seats and added one more to its tally in the bypolls held along with Lok Sabha elections. The Congress had won the Kundgol bypoll. The ruling combine has 117 members -- 78 of the Congress, 37 of the JD-S, one of the Bahujan Samaj Party and one Independent. In the meetings earlier, plans for cabinet expansion or reshuffle were discussed by Venugopal with Kumaraswamy, Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara and Rao, Congress sources said. Venugopal also met several Congress ministers in the coalition government. During the meeting with leaders, the electoral debacle and alleged threat to the coalition from the BJP were discussed, Congress sources said. Sources said the leaders were unable to reach consensus on whether to go in for cabinet expansion by filling three vacant posts or reshuffle by asking a few ministers to step down and make way for the disgruntled lawmakers. A section of party leaders including Siddaramaiah are said to be of the opinion that cabinet expansion may be suitable, as any attempt for reshuffle may further worsen the situation. Several senior ministers not willing to give up their posts berths now will make the cabinet reshuffle a hardball, sources said. Leaders are now expected to take a call on this after wider consultation with MLAs and the Congress high command. Of the total 34 ministerial positions in Karnataka, Congress and JD-S have shared 22 and 12 respectively. Currently, three posts are vacant, two from JD-S and one from Congress. Even as the coalition leaders were struggling to save the government, ministerial aspirants started lobbying, with a few of them even meeting Venugopal on Wednesday with a request. Many Congress legislators have expressed strong reservation against priority being given to disgruntled MLAs, while sidelining the loyalists. With growing number of aspirants and a fewer posts in hand, the proposed reshuffle has become more complicated. Dinesh Gundu Rao, without divulging much, said the discussions were centred on election results and the way ahead. Amid simmering discontent within the Congress, the coalition leaders fear that the BJP, spurred by the Lok Sabha poll outcome, may poach some MLAs. Meanwhile, reports and pictures of Independent MLA Nagesh and Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janatha Party MLA R Shankar meeting Jarkiholi on Wednesday has added to the coalition's worry. The BJP had predicted the collapse of the coalition after the LS poll results, claiming that 20 odd Congress MLAs were unhappy and may take 'a decision' anytime. Over the last two days, Kumaraswamy himself met several disgruntled legislators, including Jarkiholi's confidant and Athani MLA Mahesh Kumathalli, and is said to have promised to look into their issues. He is also said to have given an assurance about including Jarkiholi in the cabinet. IMAGE: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister-designate Y S Jaganmohan Reddy pays floral tributes at YSR samadhi in Idupulapaya, Kadapa district on Wednesday. Photograph: PTI Photo Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress chief Yeduguri Sandinti Jaganmohan Reddy will be sworn in on Thursday as the second chief minister of Andhra Pradesh post its bifurcation. Governor E S L Narasimhan will administer the oath of office and secrecy at 12.23 pm in a grand public function at the IGMC Stadium in nearby Vijayawada, to the 46-year-old leader who led his party to a resounding victory in the recent assembly and Lok Sabha elections. The YSR Congress bagged 151 of the 175 seats in the state assembly, decimating the Telugu Desam Party headed by N Chandrababu Naidu, who became the first chief minister of the state after it was bifurcated to carve out Telangana five years ago. YSRC won 22 of the 25 Lok Sabha seats. Governor Narasimhan arrived in Vijayawada from Hyderabad on Wednesday afternoon. Reddy alone will take oath on Thursday while his Council of Ministers is likely to be constituted on June 7, party sources said. For the first time, special arrangements have been made at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan in New Delhi for live streaming of the swearing-in ceremony. Ambassadors of various countries, representatives from unilateral and multi-lateral agencies, international donor agencies, industry associations, multinational corporations and international media have been invited to witness the event at the AP Bhavan, according to Resident Commissioner Praveen Prakash. After taking oath, Reddy is expected to specially address the invited dignitaries through the video link and present his vision and mission for building a new Andhra Pradesh. He is also likely to make some key announcements for the people of the state, mainly related to YSRC's Navaratnalu, the nine major electoral promises, party sources said. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M K Stalin are among the dignitaries who will attend the swearing-in ceremony. Reddy had also invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he met him Sunday. Chandrababu Naidu, who was invited by Reddy over phone, has decided to stay away. However, a three-member delegation of TDP MLAs, deputed by him, would meet Reddy and extend greetings ahead of the swearing-in, party sources said. Reddy has also invited Jana Sena president Pawan Kalyan, Telugu film star K Chiranjeevi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for the swearing-in. Communist Party of India and Communist Party of India-Marxist national general secretaries Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy and Sitaram Yechuri respectively, state Bharatiya Janata Party president Kanna Lakshminarayana and a host of other leaders are among the invitees. On the eve of his swearing-in, the YSRC chief visited the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara in Tirumala Wednesday morning and offered prayers. He then went to Kadapa town and offered prayers at the famous Amin Peer (Pedda) Dargah and presented a chadar. The chief minister-designate and his family members later took part in the prayer service at the CSI Church in his hometown Pulivendula. He drove down to the YS family estate in Idupulapaya and paid obeisance at the grave of his late father and former chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy. On his return to Vijayawada, he went to Indrakeeladri and worshipped Goddess Kanaka Durga, the presiding deity of the city. Elaborate security arrangements, with about 5,000 police personnel in deployment, have been made in Vijayawada city for the swearing-in ceremony, according to the Commissioner of Police Ch Dwaraka Tirumala Rao. While the stadium could hold about 30,000 people, LED screens were being arranged across the city for people to witness the event, he said. IMAGE: Sri Lankan army soldiers patrol on a road during a special cordon and search operation in Colombo and suburbs, in Mattegoda, last week. Photograph: Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters A two-member team of the National Investigation Agency is in Sri Lanka to hold discussions with authorities about a probe in the Easter Sunday bombings over claims that some terrorists, owning allegiance to ISIS, had travelled to India, including Kashmir, officials said Wednesday. The NIA team is led by Inspector General Alok Mittal, who has probed various Islamic State-related cases in South India, including a conspiracy by the terror module to kill prominent leaders. During investigations in the case, the NIA had alerted the island nation that ISIS terrorists were planning to carry out strikes there. India had been regularly sharing intelligence inputs about a possible terror attack in Sri Lanka targeting the Indian High Commission and religious places there. The inputs to Sri Lanka were sent through diplomatic channels after a thorough investigation pertaining to the ISIS case in Coimbatore was carried out by the NIA, which has filed a charge sheet against seven people. The Indian delegation will give a detailed briefing about its probe during which it had stumbled upon videos of National Thowheed Jamaat (NTJ) leader Zahran Hashim, which was indicative of a terror attack on religious places as well as the Indian High Commission in Colombo. Hashim was among the nine suicide bombers, including a woman, who carried out a series of blasts in Sri Lanka in which 253 people were killed on April 21. The videos, seized from the accused in the Coimbatore case, showed Hashim asking youths from Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala to establish an Islamic rule in the region. After the blasts in Sri Lanka, the NIA had arrested 29-year-old Riyas A, also known as Riyas Aboobacker or Abu Dujana, a resident of Palakkad. He is alleged to be in touch with Hashim on social media platforms, the officials said. The accused had disclosed during investigations that he had been following speeches of Hashim for more than a year and has also followed the speeches delivered by controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik. According to inputs with the central agencies, Hashim had spent time in India last year during which he attempted to influence youths in Tamil Nadu and Kerala to join him. Hashim had parted ways from Sri Lankan National Thowheeth Jamaat (NTJ) to form his own outfit Nation of Thowheed Jamaat which is alleged to have carried out the Easter attack in Sri Lanka. The team will also ask about the claims made by Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake, the commander of the Sri Lankan Army, that the suicide bombers had travelled to some cities in India, including Kashmir. "They (the suspects) have gone to India, they've gone to Kashmir, Bangalore, they've travelled to Kerala state. Those are the information available with us," he had said to BBC earlier this month. However, the Jammu and Kashmir police had denied about it and had asked the Sri Lanakan authorities to share more information about it. Some officials of the central security agencies said that about a dozen Sri Lankan nationals had come to Kashmir Valley this year and their credentials have been re-checked after the bombings in three churches and three luxury hotels killed 253 people and injured over 500 others. However, there could be a possibility of the bombers visiting the state using pseudonym, one of the officials said, adding if Sri Lanka hands over some evidence, it can be verified from the ground. The Sri Lankan Army chief had said that some of the suicide bombers, who carried out the country's worst terror attack, visited Kashmir and Kerala for 'some sorts of training' or to 'make some more links' with other foreign outfits. IMAGE: The three doctors accused in Payal Tadvi suicide case arrive at session court, in Mumbai, on Wednesday. Photograph: Shashank Parade/PTI Photo Two more doctors at a state-run hospital in Mumbai were arrested for allegedly abetting the suicide of a junior colleague by passing casteist slurs at her, police said on Wednesday. An accused doctor was arrested Tuesday in connection with the suicide. All the three accused were produced in a court here which remanded them in police custody till May 31. The court accepted the argument by police that the custody of the three accused -- Bhakti Mehere, Hema Ahuja and Ankita Khandelwal -- was required to ascertain if the victim left a suicide note and if the accused destroyed or misplaced it. The police told the court that while the mobile phones of the accused were seized, more time was required to recover their WhatsApp chats with the victim. The police claimed that the victim's body had a few injury marks which needed to be probed further. The postmortem report was awaited, they said. While Mehere was arrested after initial interrogation, Hema Ahuja and Ankita Khandelwal were nabbed in the early hours on Wednesday, a police officer said. "The two were arrested from Pune and Mumbai," Deputy Commissioner of Police (zone III) Avinash Kumar told PTI. The three doctors were booked after their 26-year-old junior colleague Payal Tadvi at the Mumbai civic body-run BYL Nair Hospital allegedly hanged herself at her hostel room last Wednesday, a senior police official said. Her family alleged that the doctors taunted her by ragging and hurling casteist abuses as she belonged to a Scheduled Tribe. The accused were booked under the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, Anti-Ragging Act, IT Act and section 306 (abetment to suicide) of the Indian Penal Code. Advocate Nitin Satpute, appearing for the victim's family, claimed that the injury marks revealed Tadvi was killed and demanded that the three accused should be booked under Indian Penal Code Section 302 (murder). However, the accused's lawyer, Aabad Ponda, argued that the three doctors were not even aware of Tadvi's caste. He said, "Abetment of suicide is when someone intentionally wants to harm the person, but the accused had only pulled her up for work and there was no mens rea (the intention or knowledge of wrongdoing) to harm her." If the victim found no other option, she could have walked out of her job or lodged a complaint with the higher authorities (of the hospital), which she did not, he said. Relying on a WhatsApp chat, Ponda said Tadvi had told her mother that no one in the hospital knew which caste she belonged to. He said the police was merely relying on the complaint of the victim's mother who did not attribute any specific role of the three accused in connection with the incident. Another lawyer of the accused, Sanjeev Bahl, told the court that the victim was married to a doctor, but instead of staying with him, she was residing at a hostel. "There might be a family issue that could have led her to take the extreme step," he said. The defence lawyers also said that the room where Tadvi was allegedly found hanging was locked from inside, so there was no possibility of someone else being there. The accused persons did not have access to Tadvi's room and it was the police who broke open the door and found the body, they said. The three accused told the court that after the alleged incident last Wednesday, they went to the hospital dean's office where they waited for about two to three hours to record their statements. On Tuesday, Tadvi's parents protested at the hospital in Mumbai where she worked. Other protesters also joined her mother Abeda and husband Salman, demanding stringent action against the three seniors. The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi and other Dalit and tribal organisations also held protests outside the hospital. Tadvi's mother said she used to tell her about the 'torture' she was facing by her seniors on petty issues. Congress workers gathered outside party chief Rahul Gandhi's residence on Wednesday urging him to withdraw his offer to resign. IMAGE: Congress party supporters seen outside the residence of party President Rahul Gandhi, in New Delhi, on Wednesday. Photograph: Arun Sharma/PTI Photo Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit visited Gandhi's Tughlak Lane residence. After coming out, she remained silent on whether she was able to meet the Gandhi scion. Sources said she could not meet Rahul Gandhi. A close aide of the Delhi Congress chief said Dikshit left a message for the Congress president in which she asked Gandhi to withdraw his offer to resign. "Gandhi is not meeting any party leaders. So, Dikshit left her message urging Gandhi to reconsider his decision in the interest of the party with K Raju, a confidante of the party chief," the close aide added. Boxer Vijender Singh, who had fought the Lok Sabha polls from the South Delhi constituency and ended up at the third spot said workers do not want Rahul Gandhi to resign as he is an 'able and hardworking' leader. IMAGE: Members of Tamil Nadu Congress Committee led by K S Azhagiri participate in a rally to urge Rahul to take back his resignation, in Chennai, on Wednesday. Photograph: PTI Photo "He has not resigned. We have come to talk to him. He has made an offer to resign but people do not want him to go. "He has worked hard. If the results are not in our favour, it hurts but we are fighters. Nobody else can work like him. He is a leader who takes everyone together," Singh said. Slogans of 'Rahul ji, we are with you' and 'Please do not resign' rang through the air. Several workers were carrying placards with Gandhi's photos urging him not to resign. Some workers were even demanding that elections be held again in a fair manner with ballot papers instead of EVMs since the latter could have been tampered. Congress leader Jagdish Tytler said there are millions of Congress workers who do not want Gandhi to resign. IMAGE: Senior Congress leader Sheila Dixit after a meeting with party President Rahul Gandhi, at the latter's residence, in New Delhi, on Wednesday. Photograph: Arun Sharma/PTI Photo "We had to be here because we do not want him to resign. There are millions of Congress workers who do not want him to resign. We are disappointed with the results but not with the leadership," he said. The crisis in the Congress showed no signs of easing with Gandhi sticking to his decision to resign as party chief after its Lok Sabha poll debacle and staying away from meeting party leaders. On Tuesday, Gandhi had only met his mother and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi and sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, besides senior party leader K C Venugopal and the Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his deputy Sachin Pilot went to meet Gandhi at his Tughlaq Lane residence on Tuesday, but they only met Priyanka. IMAGE: Congress leader Jagdish Tytler addresses the media outside Gandhi's residence on Wednesday. Photograph: Arun Sharma/PTI Photo Senior Congress leaders have been pressing Gandhi to take back his decision to resign and revamp the party at all levels in these challenging times. ***** Cong will analyse reasons behind people electing BJP in Rajasthan: Pilot Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee president Sachin Pilot said on Wednesday that the party will analyse the reasons behind people electing the Bharatiya Janata Party in the Lok Sabha election just a few months after the Congress formed a government in the state. He said Congress president Rahul Gandhi himself has humbly accepted the people's mandate but the state leadership will analyse the reasons for the defeat to see where the changes have to be made and what action needs to be taken. Pilot has asked party leaders and workers to start a mass contact programme across the state to connect with the people after the massive drubbing it received in the polls. "We have accepted the people's mandate humbly. Even the Congress president has accepted it. But we will analyse and study the reasons behind people electing the BJP, four to five months after the Congress formed a government in Rajasthan," he told reporters after the party's executive meeting in Jaipur. "Congress will definitely introspect it to see where changes and action are required. It will be our effort that Congress gain further strength," he said. Pilot said the Congress accepted defeat in the general elections but it was not the first or the last election. "I have asked the PCC members to start a mass contact programme in cities, towns, villages and hamlets across the state with immediate effect for connecting people with the Congress party," he said. "This was not the first and the last election. We will again go among the masses and win people's heart. Congress is ruling the state and our government will fulfil all the expectations of people," the deputy chief minister said in Jaipur. Meanwhile, the Rajasthan Congress executive committee endorsed the resolution passed by Congress Working Committee (CWC) on May 25, requesting the Congress president to continue extending his effective leadership. "We all have requested the party president to continue leading us. He is authorised to do whatever changes he wants to do in the organisation," Pilot said. It was the first meeting of the party's state unit after the defeat in the Lok Sabha polls in which the party could not win even a single seat out of the total 25 seats in the state. The BJP won 24 and its alliance partner won one seat in the state. ***** Will request Rahul to continue: Kumaraswamy Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said on Wednesday he would request Rahul Gandhi to continue as Congress president during his visit to New Delhi to attend Narendra Modi's swearing-in as prime minister. Kumaraswamy joins the bandwagon of other leaders, including M K Stalin (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) and Lalu Prasad (Rashtriya Janata Dal), who have urged Gandhi to not quit. "I will request him (Rahul) to continue. Tomorrow I will be meeting him," Kumaraswamy told reporters when asked about Gandhi's decision to resign as Congress president after the Lok Sabha poll washout. According to the chief minister's schedule for Thursday, Kumaraswamy will participate in the swearing-in ceremony of the prime minister and the council of ministers at the Rashtrapati Bhavan at 7 pm. However, his return has been kept open. The ongoing political developments in the state after the ruling Congress-JD(S) rout in the Lok Sabha polls and efforts to save the government are likely to figure during the talks with Gandhi. The state Congress unit, too, has urged Gandhi to lead the party. 'I urge Sri @RahulGandhi to withdraw your offer to resign. You lead (sic) from the front, fought a clean battle, spoke about peoples issues and highlighted the failures of the Modi govt,' state Congress chief Dinesh Gundu Rao tweeted. "We may have lost but we believe in your leadership. India needs you." Congress president Rahul Gandhi and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi, besides former prime minister Manmohan Singh will attend the swearing-in of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday evening at Rashtrapati Bhavan, party sources said. The Congress leaders are among those invited by the prime minister to the ceremony. They have accepted the invite, the sources said. A number of opposition leaders have been invited to the oath-taking ceremony and many of them are attending. It will be the first time that the leaders will be together after an acrimonious Lok Sabha election campaign. But West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee has cancelled her plan to attend the ceremony after the Bharatiya Janata Party invited to the event the kin of 54 party workers it claimed were murdered in political violence in West Bengal. A day after she told reporters that she has accepted the invite as a matter of 'constitutional courtesy', Banerjee termed as untrue BJP's allegation of political murders in her state and said she is 'compelled' not to attend the ceremony. As many as 8,000 guests, including VVIPs, will attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Modi and his council of ministers on Thursday. This is the highest number of guests attending such a function, the sources said. The ceremony will be of about 90 minutes and after that dinner will be served to around 40 dignitaries, including Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and the prime minister, besides leaders of all BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) countries, Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson Ashok Malik said on Wednesday. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi's husband Robert Vadra is expected to appear before the Enforcement Directorate on Thursday in a case related to land grand in Delhi-NCR, Bikaner in Rajasthan and purchase of properties in foreign countries. The ED had last week issued a summon to Vadra, the son-in-law of United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi, to appear before it for questioning on Thursday. On May 24, the agency had requested the Delhi high court for custodial interrogation of Vadra for questioning him about the source of funds used for the purchase of a London-based property worth 1.9 million and ascertain the role of certain other people, who allegedly helped him launder money. On Monday, the high court issued a notice to Vadra and his close aide Manoj Arora on a plea filed by the ED seeking cancellation of the trial court order granting them anticipatory bail in a money laundering case. The court has sought the reply of Vadra and Arora on the plea and posted the matter for hearing to July 17. The EC had claimed that Arora was aware of Vadra's overseas undeclared assets and was instrumental in arranging funds for buying the flat. Vadra is enjoying protection from arrest with the condition that he cannot leave India without permission of a special Central Bureau of Investigation court. Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com lists 11 Modi flagship schemes that may have been gamechangers in the Lok Sabha election. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi with Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Anilchandra Shah in Ahmedabad on May 26, 2019. Photograph: PTI Photo Many political pundits believe Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi won a second term only because of hardline Hindutva politics. Author Pankaj Mishra wrote in The New York Times of how Modi 'seduced India with envy and hate'. The Pradhan Sevak himself attributed his triumph to his government's focus on 'last-mile delivery'. So what is this 'last-mile delivery' that Modi was talking about? The short answer is ensuing all direct subsidies reached the poor man. There are scores of schemes which the Modi government launched for the poor. Here are the 11 top schemes which have benefited the have-nots. (Kindly note: These are official figures provided on government Web sites.) Swachh Bharat Mission Purpose: Making India a clean country by October 2, 2019. The focus of the strategy is to move towards a 'Swachh Bharat' or 'Clean India' by providing flexibility to state governments, as sanitation is a state subject, to decide on their implementation policy, use of funds and mechanisms, taking into account state-specific requirements. The scheme is divided into the Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin, which comes under the ministry of drinking water and sanitation; and the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban, which comes under the ministry of urban affairs. Beneficiaries of Swachh Bharat-Gramin since October 2, 2014 Number of Household Toilets Built: 9,27,15,463 Open Defecation Free Villages: 560,612 Beneficiaries of Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban since October 2, 2014 Numbers of Household Toilets Built: 54,64,727 individual toilets Number of community and public toilets: 464,250 public toilets Number of cities open defecation free: 3,574 Source: https://swachhbharatmission.gov.in/sbmcms/index.htm/http://164.100.228.143/sbm/home/#/SBM Jan Dhan Yojana Purpose: To ensure that more and more people availed of banking services. The scheme ensures access to a range of financial services like availability of basic savings bank account, access to need-based credit, remittances facility, insurance and pension. Beneficiaries as on May 15, 2019 Total number of beneficiaries: 35.65 crores/356.5 million. Total deposits in Jan Dhan accounts: Rs 98,414.55 crores/Rs 984 billion. Total staff: 1.26 lakh bank mitras delivering branchless banking services in sub-service areas. Approximately: Rs 98,378.9 in each account. (Note: This figure varies from account to account). Source: https://pmjdy.gov.in/account Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana Purpose: To provide insurance cover for crops including commercial crops. Post-harvest losses are also covered. Under the scheme, farmers will pay a uniform premium of 2% for all kharif crops and 1.5% for all rabi crops. All farmers including sharecroppers and tenant farmers growing notified crops in notified areas are eligible for PMFBY coverage. Kharif beneficiaries as of 2017: 1,37,93,975 farmers. Rabi beneficiaries as of 2016-2017: 35,81,247 farmers. Claim paid by government for Kharif crop: Rs 17,209.94 crore/Rs 172 billion. Claim paid by Modi government for Rabi crop: Rs 5,681.38 crore/Rs 56.81 billion. Source:https://pmfby.gov.in/stateWiseDataPage Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana Purpose: To provide financial support to entrepreneurs for the growth of the micro enterprises sector. It provides loans up to Rs 10 lakh to non-corporate, non-farm small/micro enterprises. MUDRA stands for the Micro-Units Development and Refinance Agency. MUDRA loans are of three kinds: Shishu (loans up to Rs 50,000), Kishore (loans between Rs 50,000 and Rs 5 lakh) and Tarun (loans between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 10 lakh). Beneficiaries as of 2017-2018 Total number of Loan Accounts: 4,81,30,593. Total sanctioned amount: Rs 253,677.11 crores/Rs 2.53 trillion. Source: https://www.mudra.org.in/Default/DownloadFile/Annual_Report_Of_Mudra_2017-18.pdf Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana Purpose: PMSBY offers a renewable one-year accidental death cum disability cover of Rs 2 lakh to all bank account holders in the age group of 18 to 70 years for a premium of Rs 12 per annum per subscriber. Beneficiaries as on April 4, 2018 Gross enrolment reported by banks subject to verification of eligibility, etc: 13.5 crores/135 million. Total number of claims received: 22,294. Total number of claims disbursed: 16,644. Source:http://www.jansuraksha.gov.in/Performance.aspx Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana Purpose: PMJJBY offers a renewable one year term life cover of Rs 2 lakh to all subscribing bank account holders in the age group of 18 to 50 years, covering death due' to any reason, for a premium of Rs 330 per annum per subscriber. Beneficiaries as on April 23, 2018 Gross enrolment reported by banks subject to verification of eligibility, etc: Rs 5.3382 crore/Rs 53 million. Total number of claims received: 1,00,881. Total No. of claims disbursed: 92,089. Source: http://www.jansuraksha.gov.in/Performance.aspx Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana Purpose: To provide skill development training to youth and enable them to get jobs. PMKVY will enhance skills of youth in line with the industrial standards and help them get suitable employment. Beneficiaries as on May 13, 2019 Training centres: 25,507. Training partners: 145. Job roles: 633. Enrolled candidates: 20,13,029. Ongoing training: 63,804. Trained candidates: 19,49,225. Assessed candidates: 15,17,003. Passed candidates: 14,055,92 Source: http://pmkvyofficial.org/Dashboard.aspx Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana: PMAY Urban and PMAY Gramin Purpose: To ensure 'housing for all' by 2022. PM Awas Yojana is categorised into two sub-schemes: PMAY-Urban (PMAY-U) and PMAY-Rural/PMAY Gramin. Under PMAY, the government aims to provide about 50 million affordable homes to Indians belonging to economically weaker sections, lower income groups, middle income groups, higher income groups by 2022. PMAY-U beneficiaries in 2018-2019 Total number of beneficiaries: 62,946. Central Assistance Released: Rs 1,424.59 crore/Rs 14.24 billion. PMAY-G beneficiaries in 2018-2019 Total houses completed in 2017-2019: 88,42,185. Note: The Website says additional 92.64 lakh completed rural houses, as informed by the states/UTs, could not be uploaded due to various reasons including the coming into effect of the Model Code of Conduct. Source: https://data.gov.in/keywords/pmay and bsp;https://rhreporting.nic.in/netiay/PhysicalProgressReport/YearWiseHouseCompletionReport.aspx Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana Purpose: The scheme aims to safeguard the health of women and children by providing them with clean cooking fuel, LPG, so that they do not have to compromise their health in smoky kitchens or wander in unsafe areas collecting firewood. Beneficiaries as on May 22, 2019 Total number of connections released: 7,19,12,113. Districts covered across the country: 714. Source: http://www.pmujjwalayojana.com Saubhagya Scheme: Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana Purpose: To provide electricity to each and every household in the country. Under the Saubhagya scheme, the Government of India provides metered electricity connections to all households who have still not received electricity even after 70 years of Independence. Beneficiaries as on February 1, 2019 Total number of households electrified: 2,62,84,350. Total number of households pending to be electrified: 18,734. Source: https://saubhagya.gov.in Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (Ayushman Bharat Scheme) Purpose: Cashless treatment up to Rs 5 lakh to poor people in government/private hospitals. Around 1,350 medical packages covering surgery, medical and daycare treatment, cost of medicines and diagnostics are included in PMJAY health insurance scheme. Beneficiaries as on April 3, 2019 Number of Hospitals Empanelled: 15,291. Number of Beneficiaries Admitted: 18,35,227. Number of Ecards Issued: 2,89,63,698. Source : https://www.pmjay.gov.in/ Modi and Shah's next focus will be South India, and the Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly elections. Shah is unlikely to abdicate control over the party even after he joins the government. Modi and Shah both know only too well that the party makes the government, and not the other way round. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi with Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Anilchandra Shah, May 23, 2019. Photograph: PTI Photo There is no debate whatsoever about who should get maximum credit for the Election 2019 Verdict. Narendra Damodardas Modi. Right? If you agree, then please remember September 17, 2025. This date will be the turning point for India and Modi. He turns 75 on that day. He will, most likely, retire on that day. It is most unlikely that he will remain in power for one day more. He has set the tradition for Bharatiya Janata Party leaders to retire at 75. He is likely to obey his own diktat. In other words, he arrives at his second term in prime ministerial office with a shelf life of around 1,826 days -- if he successfully completes it, which is likely. If he wins a third consecutive term, then he has on hand around 2,300 days in which he has to build the India of his dreams. During his election campaign, while asking voters for a second term, Modi repeatedly said, 'Abhi to Congress ke chode hue khadde bhare hai, Imarat banana baki hai.' (Loosely translated, it means 'I was clearing the Congress created mess, I will build a new India in the second term.') In his second term Modi will be a man in a hurry. He will be in the fast lane of governance and politics as he doesn't have much time left for his ideas of 'nation building'. He has with him July 2019 to September 2025, even if he wins a third term. Ask then prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh how swiftly the ten years between 2004 and 2014 flew away. In India where lakhs of school rooms, lakhs of hospital beds, crores of toilets, thousands of kilometres of pipelines for drinking water and digital connections and hundreds other things are yet to be provided to the people and where even Rs 50 lakh crores are not enough to build roads in cities and villages and homes for some 200 million plus families, Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Anilchandra Shah are acutely aware that to administer and run a country of 1.3 billion people with limited resources, money and technology is a miracle and to create new assets in just seven years alongside governing a quite ungovernable country remains the planet's most difficult task. Modi and Shah will work like men possessed to achieve this result, but political actions will not take a back seat. The government and party will sculpt such an image of Modi that it won't be surprising if his bhakts start calling him Sant Modi by 2024. By the end of this second term in office, Modi hopes to transcend his image beyond politics and appeal to Cultural India. IMAGE: President Ram Nath Kovind invites National Democratic Alliance leader Narendra Damodardas Modi to form the government, May 25, 2019. Photograph: Rashtrapati Bhavan No less important in the unfolding events is the making of the Modi-Shah jugalbandi. In the last five years Modi and Shah have avoided appearing frequently on common platforms and even speaking in measured tones about each other in public. But the 2019 victory appears to have elevated Shah to a different plane. Modi appears to be making up his mind about helping Shah build the foundation stone of his national career on Raisina Hill in the coming decades. In the last five years, the media -- soft or critical of the government -- has been unable to report a well-informed story explaining the Modi- Shah dynamic. The internal functioning of their relationship has been the best kept secret of the last five years. Both men have been working together for many years, but very few know how the tremendous power of Delhi has influenced their internal dynamic. Both men have completely eliminated intermediaries between them. Every day, more than once, Modi and Shah speak to each other, keep each other informed, keep each other in the loop about the political games they play. This has made it difficult for anyone to play on the ego of either of them to get things done. Certainly, their synergy and unfailing coordination is the untold story of Modi's first term. How the lakshman rekha between the government and the party has blurred, how Modi and Shah have made electoral politics the vehicle to achieve their goals will upset the Opposition. Their synchronised political movements have contributed to the success of both, the party and government. Until 2019, Amit Shah was Modi's deputy. After the 2019 triumph, Shah is Modi's supplementary force. Shah is trying harder than anyone to expand the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's appeal and his party's permanent structures. He has understood and absorbed the politics of -- ironically -- Indira Gandhi. Many BJP-RSS leaders revere Indira Gandhi as they believe she was a staunch Hindu and a genuine nationalist. Many observers find elements of Indira Gandhi in Modi's decisions. Shah, like Modi, has also worked hard to understand how the legend of Ram Manohar Lohia was created, how Kanshi Ram created the Bahujan Samaj Party. Since 1952, the Jan Sangh -- the BJP's political parent -- and later BJP leaders never understood that a radical election campaign, which could unite Hindus, can bring sizable Hindu votes to the BJP and limit the sway of Muslim-supported parties in UP. This one political assertion -- of taking collective Muslim voting power head on -- has brought the Modi-Shah combine twice to power. Modi-Shah's politics in Uttar Pradesh signifies that BJP leaders like Lal Kishenchand Advani were wary about asserting a Hindu identity and letting Muslim-backed parties like the Samajwadi Party know that its potent minority card was unacceptable in a nation with a Hindu majority. This one reason is why the BJP has emerged as the strongest ever in its history. In the election battleground of UP, parties like the SP, BSP and Congress were unable to brandish the Muslim card because it was made a liability by Modi's campaign style. As soon as Muslims aligned with the SP, BSP and Congress, the BJP portrayed Hindus as victims and garnered votes. IMAGE: Congress national President Rahul Gandhi, centre, flanked by Sonia Gandhi, the Congress MP from Rae Bareli, left, and former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh at the Congress Working Committee meeting, May 25, 2019. Modi and Shah plan to expand the BJP's frontiers with the help of their three decade-long study of the caste metrics in Indian politics. Both men have studied caste leaders who flourished in India after Jawaharlal Nehru. Modi and Shah's next focus will be South India, and the Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly elections. Shah is unlikely to abdicate control over the party even after he joins the government. Modi and Shah both know only too well that the party makes the government, and not the other way round. In the coming five years, the Jammu and Kashmir issue will see a decisive turn, with a break from the status quo. To achieve this, Modi will keep global powers in the loop. Modi's success in this round of the democratic process is so enormous that it will take time to count how many forces, people and issues have fallen by the wayside or been demolished completely. Rahul Gandhi's dream world has been dismantled so completely that not one member of his durbar has offered advice on how he can prevent the Congress from falling apart. Nor has any Congress leader publicly requested him to not resign as party president. Subramanian Swamy has lost steam overnight too. His alternate movement from within the BJP is finished. The same fate awaits Baba Ramdev. He 'lent' his 50 million support base of yoga fans in Modi and Shah's service, but they don't need them now. Unless a Constitutional amendment comes before Parliament, the DMK's spectacular victory in Tamil Nadu has no potency. Shah and Modi proved that Mayawati's fabled strength to transfer her Dalit votes to an ally can't be taken for granted. The BSP supremo has lost her legendary bargaining power. The BJP thinks the Congress took away 'Sabrimala votes' in Kerala. Hindu voters -- upset by the Left Front government's handling of the issue after the Supreme Court verdict -- believed the BJP could not defeat the Marxists in the state, so they voted for Congress candidates. Mamta Banerjee has been most wounded by the 2019 outcome. And the Trinamool Congress supremo's woes have just begun. After the results in West Bengal, at least for sometime, staunch Modi critics won't say with cynicism that 'Gujarat is not India'. Shah has taken up the challenge to prove West Bengal is Gujarat. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi with Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Anilchandra Shah, May 23, 2019. Photograph: PTI Photo In 2014, what was true of the Modi government and the BJP is and will be true in the years to come. There will never be a compromise on nationalism. There will be no compromise on allowing Muslims to exert disproportionate strategic power to change the fate of electoral results in any constituency. There will be efforts to exploit the next phase of the goods and service tax. Giving housing to the poor will be one of the Modi government's top-most priorities in the coming three years. Notwithstanding their communal politics, the nation will seek an answer to promises made and both Modi and Shah are acutely aware of it. Hindutva and development can go together is their favourite line. Now Narendra Damodardas Modi and Amit Anilchandra Shah will need to prove it. Contributed photo TORRINGTON The Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital and Hartford HealthCare at Home are offering a free talk called Navigating the What Ifs During Your Golden Years, June 20, 12-1 p.m., at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, 780 Litchfield St., Torrington. There are so many options in homecare - independent housing or assisted living, medical care facilities - that it can be confusing for people how to start the search, said Jennifer Labrie, BA, HS-BCP, CDP, resource coordinator with the Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging at Charlotte Hungerford, in a statement. HARTFORD Diane Lewis has spent about $250 a month in phone calls for more than a decade to stay in contact with her 33-year-old incarcerated son. Although her son will be released soon, she said she was speaking for the thousands of mothers behind her when she stood in support of HB 6714 which would make phone calls from state prisons free during a press conference Tuesday. There are mothers who havent talked to their sons in years due to the cost of the calls, Lewis said. I always pay the phone bill first, even if it means paying the cable bill late. The bill was approved 29-19 by the Appropriations Committee Tuesday despite some confusion over what the bill would mean for the state. Rep. Josh Elliott, D-Hamden, who sponsored the free inmate call legislation, is now concerned that Republicans will stall its passage in the House by refusing to set a time limit on the debate. If we were to spend eight or 10 hours on the bill, we wouldnt have time for other bills that need to get done, Elliott said. Some Republicans on the Appropriations Committee spoke against the bill Tuesday - just hours after Lewis and about two dozen others expressed their support for the legislation. The proposed legislation, which would go into effect two years from now, would prohibit the state from making a commission on the calls a factor that is driving up the cost for the families of inmates, supporters of the bill said. The state makes a 68 percent commission on all in-state calls totaling about $7.7 million a year. Securus Technologies, the vendor who manages the states inmate phone system, makes about $5.5 million a year including $2 million that is the states portion of the commission on out of state calls. The Texas-based company claimed in a letter to the state Department of Administrative Services in 2014 that it cant turn over the commission on out-of-state calls due to a Federal Communications Commission ruling. An FCC spokesman said in early May that the agency has never prohibited prison telecommunications companies from providing a commission on out-of-state inmate calls. The company has been keeping about $2 million a year generated by the 68 percent profit since 2014, according to DAS officials. Of the $7.7 million annually the state receives, about $5.5 million goes to the Judicial Branch to pay for probation officers, another $2 million goes to the states Criminal Justice Information System and $350,000 goes to the state Department of Correction for inmate programming. The calls cost $3.50 to $4.87 for 15 minutes. The DOC has the right to cut off the call at any time - but the person paying for the call still incurs the entire fee, said Rep. Robyn Porter, D-New Haven who supports the bill. Securus renegotiated its contract with the state in early March after the company learned about the proposal for free phone calls, said Elliott, who was flanked Tuesday by supporters from several non-profit agencies who deal with individuals who are incarcerated and their families. Elliott told the group gathered at the Legislative Office building that Securus threatened to pull the phone system out as the bill gained traction and is now trying to re-negotiate with the state to make calls more affordable. Connecticut ranks 49th in the country in terms of affordability of inmate phone calls, according to Worth Rises, a New York-based nonprofit that supports inmates and their families. The organization has been heavily involved in the push to make inmate calls free in Connecticut. If the bill becomes law Connecticut would be the first state in the nation to provide free phone service to inmates, supporters said. But many members of the Appropriations Committee, both Democrats and Republicans, seemed confused during a debate about the states portion of the commission and what the bill would do. Some Republicans agreed that the charges were excessive. I think its reprehensible that the state is profiting 68 percent on phone calls for incarcerated individuals, Rep. Mitch Bolinsky, R-Newtown, said. This should not be a revenue stream for the state, Im offended to even look at this, he added. But Bolinsky was under the impression that the proposed law would continue the state commission. Appropriations Committee Co-Chair Toni Walker, D-New Haven, was unclear about where the state commission went. She wanted the issue brought front and center to rectify the problem, she said. But Walker also conceded that the committee hadnt had a chance to review what the company was charging. This conversation has to be continued, Walker said. Plus its important we have a chance to look at the charges this company has been able to levy on the prisoners in our correction system. The proposal has drawn national attention from political commentators such as Van Jones who sent a representative to the press conference. Presidential candidate and Massachusetts U. S. Senator Elizabeth Warren tweeted her support of the bill over the weekend. Lewis pointed out to supporters that she wants to hear from her son in the same way a mother wants to hear from a child who has left for college or who is in the military. We love and worry about our children too, Lewis said. My kid made a mistake, does that make me less of a mother? The bill will now move on to the House calendar - but it is unclear when, or if, it will come up for discussion. The session ends at midnight June 5. GERMANY - Angela Merkel decides her chosen successor isn't up to the job. 585 words, by Arne Delfs and Patrick Donahue (Bloomberg). One photo. Angela Merkel has given up hope on her heir apparent and is hunkering down in office in the face of growing turmoil in Germany's ruling party. Since taking over as leader of the Christian Democratic Union in December, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer slid in opinion polls, roiled the party with a failed effort to accelerate Merkel's exit, and on Sunday oversaw the CDU's worst ever result in a national election. All that has persuaded Merkel that Kramp-Karrenbauer may not be up to the job, according to two officials with knowledge of her thinking. As a result, the chancellor is more determined than ever to stay in power until her term ends in 2021, the officials said. Kramp-Karrenbauer's failure to grasp the baton leaves Germany's governing party flailing as the leadership prepares to meet June 2 and 3 to pore over the losses in the European Union election. It's likely to be an awkward encounter between the chancellor and her one-time protegee: AKK, as Kramp-Karrenbauer is known, convened the session without warning Merkel and the officials say it was designed to put pressure on the chancellor to move aside. AKK has also alienated the chancellor by reaching out to her conservative enemies within the CDU. Merkel has resolved to spend no more political capital helping AKK, the officials said. But her ability to change the party's direction is limited now that she has handed over control of the machinery. The chancellor is expecting to come under more pressure to step aside as AKK's political problems mount, they added. The direction of the party is completely open again, one official said, and what happens after 2021 is entirely uncertain. With AKK's chances of claiming the chancellorship fading, the contest to select the CDU's candidate for 2021 becomes a rerun of last year's succession battle. Merkel's moderate faction thought they had won when AKK claimed the party leadership in December but the chancellor's ability to influence that process will be much reduced second time around. That could open the door to the conservative Friedrich Merz or the liberal Armin Laschet. AKK's approval rating slipped three points to 36 perfect in the latest poll by public broadcaster ARD released May 2. That's the lowest since she became party leader and almost 20 points behind Merkel. AKK was supposed to provide fresh leadership and an electoral bounce for the CDU after 18 years of Merkel's leadership. Instead, support for the party and its Bavarian sister the CSU fell seven percentage points in the EU election, to below 30 percent. Many voters defected to the Greens, which doubled their backing to more than 20 percent. AKK has proved prone to stumbles. An off-color joke about transsexuals at a local festival put moderates on alert. Her latest mistake came in the aftermath of Sunday's election. When a YouTube video attacking the CDU became a viral sensation, AKK accused the 70 web activists who endorsed the clip of wielding undue influence and was forced onto the defensive following a wave of criticism. She tweeted on Monday that it was "absurd to accuse me of wanting to regulate statements of opinion." If nothing else, the episode highlighted the CDU's desperate attempts to reach younger voters with its own forays into the digital realm. As of Tuesday, the video by a blue-haired moderator known as Rezo has been viewed more than 12 million times since it hit the web May 18. --- Bloomberg's Raymond Colitt contributed to this story. Photo courtesy of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection web site. NEW HARTFORD Town officials are urging residents to Be Bear Aware. This comes as bear sightings are quickly becoming the number one concern for residents in New Hartford and area towns, town officials said in a release. Related: CT town looks for ways to reduce rising bear population Related: Bear spotted in Torrington The town release notes that the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection established a 24 hour hotline to report aggressive bears. Residents should call 860-424-3333 to report an aggressive bear. DEEP notes: Black bears are becoming increasingly common in Connecticut as the population continues to grow and expand. Reports of bear sightings, even in heavily populated residential areas, have been on the rise. The Wildlife Division has also seen an increase in the number of reported problems with black bears. In 2018, approximately 9,200 bear sightings from 153 of Connecticuts 169 towns were reported to the DEEP Wildlife Division. To lean more about bears, visit the DEEP website here. Read more Authorities in Cambodias Pursat province have taken two activist supporters of the banned opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) into custody, prompting the wife of one of the men to call the arrests politically motivated and demand their immediate release. Chan Sophal and his colleague Tuon Sam Ath were arrested in Pursats Veal Veng district on the evening of May 28 for alleged engagement in illegal logging and are being held at the provincial prison, Chan Sophals wife Pen Savorn told RFAs Khmer Service on Wednesday. The two men have yet to obtain legal counsel. RFA was unable to reach provincial court spokesmen Heng Doning or Long Sitha to discuss the arrest of the activists, while Veal Veng district police chief Theang Leng refused to comment Wednesday. Keo Kim Srong, provincial coordinator for local rights group Licadho, confirmed that the two men had been arrested for encroaching on state forest land. He said that while he is still investigating the details of their case, he believes the arrests could be connected to an earlier order from Prime Minister Hun Sen for authorities in the province to keep their eyes on activists connected to the CNRP. Since Hun Sen made the comment, CNRP activists in Pursat are living in fear, even if they havent done anything, he said. Cambodias Supreme Court issued a ruling in November 2017 banning the CNRP for its role in an alleged plot to topple the government, paving the way for Hun Sens ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) to steamroll a general election in July last year widely seen as unfree and unfair. Most of the CNRPs top leadership have since fled into exile to avoid what they say are politically motivated convictions and remain active outside of the country. But in recent weeks, authorities have summoned dozens of former CNRP officials and supporters in Battambang and Kampong Thom provinces for questioning for allegedly violating the Supreme Court decision after they were seen in public eating noodles together or had expressed support in social media posts for the partys leaders. Chan Sophals wife Pen Savorn on Wednesday denied that her husband had encroached on state forest land, saying he had simply rented an existing plantation to farm because they dont own any property. She called on the government to release Chan Sophal, saying she fears he will end up dead in prison like CNRP activist Tith Rorn, who died under mysterious circumstances while in police custody in Kampong Cham province last month. The 37-year-old activist died on April 18 in what police described as a fall in a jail restroom as the result of being addicted to alcohol, though his body bore multiple bruises, raising fears he had been killed by jail guards. Even though people can [illegally] obtain land by encroaching on state forest land, my husband always refused to do that, Pen Savorn said, calling Chan Sophals arrest politically motivated. Investigation underway Meanwhile, Cambodias Ministry of the Interior on Wednesday released a preliminary report backing up police claims that Tith Rorns death in prison was the result of an accident, and dismissing allegations by the activists father that he was murdered by authorities. The ministry had launched a probe into Tith Rorns death after the U.S. State Department issued a statement saying Washington was deeply troubled by the incident and calling for an immediate independent investigation. Speaking to RFA on Wednesday, Kampong Cham Provincial Governor Kuoch Chamroeun said the Ministry of Interiors investigative committee had questioned prisoners, prison guards and the victims family members to reach its conclusions. The results of this investigations report are no different from those of the first one, he said. But Am Sam Ath, head of investigations for Licadho, said his organization had rejected the findings of the new investigation. Tith Rorn did not die as the result of an accident, he told RFA, adding that the wounds on the victims body suggest he may have been tortured to death. Tith Rorns death is still unsolved because of the [kinds of] bruises on his body. The incident is very suspicious. Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. Top judges and lawyers have added their voices to a growing chorus of opposition to plans by the Hong Kong government to allow the rendition of alleged criminal suspects to face trial in mainland China. Three senior Hong Kong judges and 12 leading commercial and criminal lawyers say that under Hong Kongs common law system, extraditions are based on the presumption of a fair trial and humane punishment in the receiving country, Reuters reported. Such a level of trust has yet to be earned by a justice system that is currently controlled by the ruling Chinese Communist Party, the judges and lawyers said. These amendments ignore the importance of that trust--and in the case of the mainland, it simply doesnt exist, Reuters quoted an anonymous judge as saying. Many of us see this as unworkable, and we are deeply disturbed, the judge said. Some judges said there are fears that they could face criticism and political pressure from Beijing, should they rule against any rendition of criminal suspects to mainland China. Meanwhile, judges who allow such renditions to go ahead could be viewed as caving in to the ruling party's political demands, compromising their independence in the public eye. Hong Kong second-in-command Matthew Cheung and the citys Chief Justice Geoffrey Ma called on judges not to comment on political issues, but declined to address the criticisms voiced in in the Reuters report. Opposition groups are reportedly planning a demonstration against the proposed amendments to Hong Kongs Fugitive Offenders Ordinance on. Motion of no confidence A Democratic Party lawmaker meanwhile tabled a motion of no confidence in the citys chief executive Carrie Lam on , over the proposed changes. However, the motion was overturned by 40 votes to 23 after six hours of debate in the citys Legislative Council (LegCo). Opposition groups set up banners in Hong Kongs Tin Shui Wai district on , in a bid to rally public opposition to the plans. Protester Kwok Man-ho said the activists are hoping to get through to pro-Beijing communities known as deep red in Hong Kong, who have close professional, business and family ties to mainland China. "Because they usually work in mainland China, they know that the laws of the mainland are different from those of Hong Kong, and that the mainland will be able to extradite dissidents from Hong Kong using different standards, Kwok said. Kwok said many grass-roots activists in Hong Kong worry that the amendments, if passed, could have a chilling effect on working class activism in the city, including the labor movement. He said the separation of legal jurisdictions under the one country, two systems framework governing the 1997 handover to China had worked until now to protect the human rights of Hong Kong residents. "Under one country, two systems, dissidents have enjoyed legal protection of their human rights in Hong Kong, Kwok said. Why do they worry that Hong Kong will become just another mainland Chinese city? Because their freedom will be curtailed." Elite high school alumni petitions Diplomats from several countries have reportedly expressed fears that their nationals could run afoul of the legal changes, and be transferred to mainland China where there would be scant protection for their human rights. Last month, thousands of people took to the streets in protest at the planned amendment to existing laws, which will allow the Hong Kong government to grant extradition requests on a case-by-case basis with no meaningful judicial oversight, to countries with which it lacks an extradition treaty. The most likely jurisdiction to use the proposed provision is mainland China, which currently has no formal extradition treaty with Hong Kong. Several hundred students, teachers and alumni of Hong Kongs elite high schools including Lams alma mater signed petitions calling on the government to withdraw the planned legal changes on . Several hundred people signed a petition started on by alumni of St Francis' Canossian College, where Lam was educated. We are standing up because this has crossed a line for us, and we wanted to express our anger and opposition, alumnus Ho Chi-kwan, who signed the petition, told RFA. We are opposed to this amendment which is using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. We want the whole world to know that we will resist this, he said. [Lam] is a fellow alumnus, so we hope she wont end up going down in history as being guilty for a thousand years. Lawmaker Ip Kin-yuen, who represents the education sector in LegCo, said many people are opposing the amendments, because of the potentially serious consequences for anyone in Hong Kong. I think we have to find a way to stop this from happening, Ip said. One of the most obvious is the big demonstration on . I think a lot of people are going to turn out for that. Reported by Tam Siu-yin for RFAs Cantonese Service, and by Gao Feng for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. A new United Nations report says that North Koreans who now work in an emerging market economy following the collapse of a state-sponsored system for the distribution of basic goods are now at the mercy of authorities who can extort practically any citizen for engaging in illegal activities. The report, from the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) says that North Koreas shift to a market economy has exposed citizens to rights violation on top of economic uncertainty. People in the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) are trapped in a vicious cycle, in which the failure of the state to provide for lifes basic necessities forces them to turn to rudimentary markets where they face a host of human rights violations in an uncertain legal environment, the U.N. office said in a news release. The report, titled The Price is Rights: The violation of the right to an adequate standard of living in the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, presents 214 first-hand accounts of people who have escaped North Korea and are currently living in South Korea. The accounts describe rights violations as being extremely commonplace, due to corruption and mismanagement in the economy. The rights to food, health, shelter, work, freedom of movement and liberty are universal and inalienable, but in North Korea they depend primarily on the ability of individuals to bribe State officials, said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet. Following a years-long famine and economic collapse in the 1990s, centralized planning and economic distribution--which rations out food, clothes and assigns jobs--has completely failed, meaning the average North Korean must now find other ways to make a living. If you just follow instructions coming from the State, you starve to death, said one of the interviewees in the report. But once they engage in market activities, they must bribe officials. If they dont pay bribes, they could face detention, which they can only get out of by bribing officials. The report says that the current economy is set up in a way so that the officials can extract bribes at every turn, and bribery has become a way of life in North Korea. I felt it unfair that one could bribe ones way out of [detention], when another suffers much more as a result of being unable to bribe. Bribery is effective in North Korea. One cannot lead a life in North Korea if he or she does not bribe his or her way, said another interviewee in the report. The report also highlighted how women are especially vulnerable under this system, as they run the risk of further abuse or trafficking by third parties. The report paints a dire picture of living conditions within the country, saying that in 2019 10.9 million people (more than 43 percent of the population) do not have access to enough food. In addition 10 million have no access to clean water. Sanitation is also a problem in the country, so disease and malnutrition spread easily. These are extraordinary and appalling figures, said Bachelet. You rarely find this level of deprivation even in countries wracked by conflict. I am concerned that the constant focus on the nuclear issue continues to divert attention from the terrible state of human rights for many millions of North Koreans. Not just civil and political rights, but also social, cultural and economic rights which are just as important, she said. The report recommends that North Korea undergo comprehensive reforms, such as a review of the criminal codes and other laws so that North Koreans can participate in lawful market activities. In addition the report said that North Koreans should be allowed to travel anywhere in the country and even across the countrys borders, a right that is restricted to only the privileged. To accomplish this, the report says, the country must establish rule of law with due process and fair trial rights. People must not be arrested, detained, prosecuted or subjected to extortion simply for trying to acquire an adequate standard of living, Bachelet said. Addressing these issues could open a path to tackling the wider range of human rights concerns that exist in the DPRK today. A significant set of reforms would be in everybodys interests, including those of the Government and of the international community. At a press conference in Seoul where the report was released, Daniel Collinge of the OHCHRs local office said the report shows how North Korea maintains a so-called legal gray area where it can arbitrarily arrest, detain, execute and imprison its citizens associated with business activities, rather than guarantee them to do business in a safe and stable environment. North Korean defector Lee Han Byeol, the director of Improving North Korean Human Rights Center (INKHR) said, Since the North Korean famine (in the mid-1990s), North Korean residents can only survive by committing illegal acts. As an increasing number of people commit crimes for a living, the nation as a whole, including police and soldiers, is beginning to see an increase in corruption that exploits people who are less powerful than themselves. Every class of society is involved in corruption, and everyone living in North Korean society can only survive by doing illegal activities, said Lee. Additional reporting by Jaeduk Seo for RFAs Korean Service. A Chinese-backed firm is growing bananas on land promised by the government of Laos as compensation to survivors of a 2018 dam collapse that that has been described as the countrys worst flooding in decades, RFAs Lao Service has learned. The disaster occurred last July, when a saddle dam at the Xe Pian Xe Namnoy (PNPC) hydropower project collapsed following heavy rains, inundating 12 villages and killing at least 40 people in Laos southern Champassak and Attapeu provinces, and leaving many more missing. The 2,000 hectare plot of compensatory land near Pindong village, Sanamxay district, Attapeu province was cleared by authorities three months ago on the understanding that the victims of the disaster would be able to grow crops there during this years rainy season, but the authorities recently allowed a Chinese investor to plant bananas there. In an interview with RFAs Lao Service Tuesday, Attapeu province Governor Leth Xayaphone said the Chinese firm is using the land to help the survivors. The provincial and central government cleared the land for the victims, but the victims dont have the financial resources required to grow their crops because they have been suffering from great losses [because of the flood], he said. The province doesnt have the ability to provide them with financial assistance, but we gave the land to the victims, the land belongs to the victims, but the [Chinese] company is stepping in to help the victims with capital and the benefit will be shared, he added. The governor did not elaborate on how the company would share benefits or what form the benefits would take, but he insisted that the authorities did not give the land to the investor. He said they allowed the company to help the villagers grow bananas and to create jobs for survivors of the flood. When asked about the concern by many of the survivors about the use of harmful chemicals, a common problem that has made banana plantations unpopular in Laos, Xayaphone said that the province would increase inspections and monitor chemical use on the new banana plantation. Weve learned our lesson by [observing] the impact of Chinese banana plantations on [the environment] in the northern provinces. Weve signed a memorandum and the company has agreed to abide by strict rules and regulations on chemical use, he said. Banana ban ignored The revelation that bananas are being grown on land set aside for flood victims came just two weeks after the Lao government vowed to enforce a ban on the granting of land for new banana plantations and punish local officials who violate it, amid a controversy over the illegal overuse of pesticides that residents say are causing pollution and destroying their livelihoods. Concerns over chemical run-off from heavily polluting Chinese-owned banana plantations led in January 2017 to government orders forbidding new banana concessions, though many farms still operate under contracts valid for several more years. But local officials have granted a number of firms land for new banana plantations in recent months, despite the government ban, in provinces that include Xayabury, Oudomxay, Borikhamxay, and Savannakhet, while other companies are negotiating for new farms elsewhere in the country, such as Vientiane province, sources told RFA. Survivors of the Xe Pian Xe Namnoy disaster are concerned that the land they were promised is going to a Chinese developer without their having any say in the matter. At first, the authorities cleared the land for us, the victims here living in these two villages, said a resident of Pindong village, a survivor of the dam disaster. But after having cleared it, they just gave it to the Chinese, who have already hired some of us to plant bananas for them, he added. Another survivor said, The villagers are all opposed to the Chinese plantation. We fit into two groups. The first are the [original residents] of this village who are concerned about the use of chemicals and how it will affect their health. The second group is the 150 families that are victims of the dam collapse who now live here in the village, and we wonder if the authorities gave that land to the Chinese, do we have land to farm [for ourselves?] Meanwhile a resident of Attapeu province told RFA that a Chinese investor in league with a Vietnamese company are working to expand a 3,000 hectare banana plantation in Samakkhixay district to 10,000 hectares. To do so they will need to cut down rubber trees planted years ago by the Vietnamese firm in the 7,000 hectare plot adjacent to the banana plantation. With rubber prices lower than expected, they hope that switching to bananas will help to cover their losses. Currently about 100 Laotians work on the Chinese plantation. Reported and translated by RFAs Lao Service. Written in English by Eugene Whong. Myanmar soldiers march in formation during a parade to mark the country's 74th Armed Forces Day in Naypyidaw, March 27, 2019. The Myanmar military has committed war crimes and other human rights violations against civilians in western Myanmars violence-ridden Rakhine state since early January when the government ordered its troops to crush a rebel ethnic armed group in the region, Amnesty International said in a new report released Wednesday. The London-based rights groups new report titled No One Can Protect Us: War Crimes and Abuses in Myanmars Rakhine State presents new evidence of abuses based on more than 100 interviews with villagers from various ethnic and religious groups in Rakhine and in conflict-affected areas. Amnesty also reviewed satellite images and videos and interviews with human rights officials and rights activists. Clashes between Myanmar forces and the Arakan Army (AA), which seeks greater autonomy in Rakhine state, intensified earlier this year when rebel soldiers conducted deadly attacks on police outposts in the region. Amid the fighting, government forces have killed and injured civilians during indiscriminate attacks and carried out arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and torture, Amnesty said, raising the possibility that additional crimes are being committed in Rakhine. The region saw a brutal military-led crackdown on Rohingya Muslims in 2017 that left thousands dead and prompted more than 740,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh. Less than two years since the world outrage over the mass atrocities committed against the Rohingya population, the Myanmar military is again committing horrific abuses against ethnic groups in Rakhine state, said Nicholas Bequelin, Amnestys regional director for East and Southeast Asia, in a statement. The new operations in Rakhine state show an unrepentant, unreformed, and unaccountable military terrorizing civilians and committing widespread violations as a deliberate tactic, he said. Amnestys report documents reckless firing by Myanmar soldiers that damaged ancient temple complexes in the historic town of Mrauk-U, cases of the arbitrary arrest of Rakhine civilians suspected of having ties to the AA, physical abuse during interrogations, and deaths of villagers while they were in military custody. The evidence points to abuses committed by soldiers implicated in past atrocities, including ones from specific divisions and battalions under the Western Regional Command responsible for Rakhine state, with newly deployed units from the 22nd and 55th Light Infantry Divisions responsible for many of the recent violations, Amnesty said. The abuses associated with the fighting have occurred mainly in ethnic Rakhine communities, though members of other ethnic groups have suffered from the violence as well, Amnesty said. In early April, a Myanmar military helicopter fired on a group of Rohingya laborers cutting bamboo, killing six and wounding more than a dozen others. The government army later said it was trying to prevent armed Arakan separatists from launching offensives, and claimed that the six were working with the AA. The AA, estimated to have up to 7,000 troops in Rakhine state, also has placed civilians in harms way during its operations and has threatened village administrators and local businesspeople not to interfere in its activities, Amnesty said. The rights group called on the United Nations Security Council to take action on the full range of atrocity crimes committed by government forces in Rakhine and in northern Myanmars Kachin and Shan states, where the military has been fighting other ethnic armies and has allegedly committed abuses against civilians, by referring the situation to the International Criminal Court and imposing a comprehensive arms embargo. Baseless allegation Myanmar Military spokesman Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun rejected Amnestys findings in the report. Its a baseless allegation without evidence, he told RFAs Myanmar Service. We made arrests with due process. Some detainees have been released, but some remain [in custody], and some have been charged. He went on to say that the military has charged some of them in accordance with Myanmars existing laws, and that troops have not committed any illegal acts. Operations in Rakhine are anti-insurgency operations, Zaw Min Tun said. We also regard the [AA's actions] as political crimes because of its armed insurgency against the state. AA spokesman Khine Thukha said Arakan fighters have not committed any war crimes, but acknowledged that they have arrested and interrogated suspected Myanmar Army supporters. He denied earlier reports that the AA in February abducted ethnic Khumi villagers in Chin states Paletwa township which abuts Rakhine state, and took them to a border area, though a couple of escapees have said the villagers were forced to work and given little food. The AA didnt arrest Khumi and Rakhine ethnics in Paletwa township, he said. You can find them at the Bangladeshi border, and we would greatly appreciate it if someone could feed them and keep them in safe place. We have to provide them with food when they face shortages, and its a burden for us. Pe Than, a lower house lawmaker from the hard-line Buddhist Arakan National Party (ANP) who represents Rakhines Myebon township constituency, denied that rights violations and genocide have occurred in the western state. Such crimes and genocide do not exist in our region, he told RFA. There may be some controversy when there is a need to defend sovereignty depending on circumstances in the region, so it would be better if they [Amnesty] could provide evidence. In response to Amnestys report, Myo Nyunt, spokesman for Myanmars ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party, said, We are doing our best to be able to do things that we cannot do at the moment. AA ambushes boats Meanwhile, spokesmen for both the Myanmar military and the AA said that clashes between the two sides in Paletwa township on May 26 left a pair of Myanmar Army officers and at least one Arakan soldier dead. The deadly assault occurred when the AA ambushed four boats carrying Myanmar military troops who were traveling along the Kaladan River between Maung Hnama and Ngadat villages, Zaw Min Tun said. Two officers were killed in the incident [at a] location in an area north of Paletwa, he said. They were shot while they were crossing the river. A battle ensued on the ground afterwards. We have learned that there were deaths on both sides, he said. I cannot confirm the names of the fallen officers, but I can confirm that two officers have been killed. AA troops clashed with soldiers from Myanmars Light Infantry Battalion No. 218 around 8:15 a.m. on May 26 after Arakan forces ambushed them, said Khine Thukha. They traveled upstream on four vessels, and our troops ambushed them, he said. We crushed two of their motorboats. Several clashes ensued intermittently throughout the day until 8 p.m. A soldier from our side was killed, and some others were injured. The two armies engaged in sporadic hostilities on Wednesday, said Khine Thukha, though he added that he did not have any details. According to RFAs latest tally, 49 civilians have been killed and 85 others wounded in clashes in Rakhine and northern Chin states since the beginning of the year. Neither the Myanmar military nor the AA has issued accurate death tolls. Reported by Thant Zin Oo for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. Authorities in Tibetan-populated regions of western Chinese provinces have launched a new push against possession of photos of exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, traveling to remote areas that had previously escaped police attention, Tibetan sources say. The campaign, which began at the end of April, has targeted Serthar county in Sichuans Kardze (in Chinese, Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, but is also being enforced in other areas of the eastern Tibetan region historically known as Kham, a Tibetan living in Switzerland said. Chinese officials have banned the display of Dalai Lama photos in every family home of my native place in Serthar, former political prisoner Golog Jigme said, citing sources in the county. If the Chinese authorities discover the banned photos in any family home, not only will that family be fined, but the land of the village heads will be confiscated, Jigme said, adding that one Tibetan living in Serthar was recently fined for posting a photo of the Dalai Lama on the popular social media platform WeChat. The cell phone photo was taken of a portrait of the Dalai Lama kept on the familys shrine, Jigme said. Though possession and display of photos of the Dalai Lama, widely reviled by Chinese leaders as a separatist, have long been restricted in the Tibet Autonomous Region and in western Chinese provinces, officials are now traveling even to hard-to-reach nomadic areas to enforce the ban, Jigme said. Given the difficulty of reaching certain remote areas where there are no motorable roads, Chinese officials have had little influence until now, and the Tibetans have been left to themselves to worship and practice [their religion] as they like. However, beginning at the end of April this year, no parts of Serthar, even nomadic areas with inaccessible roads and little development, have been spared by the Chinese drive to ban the photos of the Dalai Lama, Jigme said. Chinese officials from government bureaus monitoring religious practice are also visiting Tibetan schools and warning teachers and students not to keep or display the photos, Jigme said, adding that local Tibetans have also been urged to tell high-ranking Chinese visitors of the big improvements in their living conditions owing to government subsidies. The Dalai Lama, who turned 83 on July 6, 2018, , fled Tibet into exile in India in the midst of a failed 1959 national uprising against Chinese rule, and displays by Tibetans of the Dalai Lamas photo or public celebrations of his birthday have been harshly punished in the past. Reported by Sonam Lhamo for RFAs Tibetan Service. Translated by Dorjee Damdul. Written in English by Richard Finney. KABUL -- Afghanistan's election authorities say they have postponed two local elections that were scheduled to be held in September. The September presidential election was due to be held simultaneously with provincial and district council elections, as well as a previously postponed parliamentary vote in Ghazni Province. But the head of the Afghanistan Independent Election Commission (IEC), Hawa Alam Nuristani, said on May 29 that time and budget constraints and security issues were among the reasons for the decision to delay the provincial, district, and Ghazni elections. However, the presidential election remains scheduled for September 28. "Holding three elections together was very difficult for us," Nuristani told reporters in Kabul. Nursitani did not announce a new date for the postponed polls. Meanwhile, the Election Support Group of Ambassadors, which is comprised of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), NATO, and key donor countries, said in a statement that the IEC's decision to prioritize the holding of the presidential election "is essential given the very tight timeline and the practical challenges." The presidential election has been delayed twice due to delays in registration and technical issues. The IEC is trying to avoid a repeat of the widespread technical and logistical problems during the October parliamentary vote. The 2014 presidential election was marred by allegations of widespread fraud. With reporting by dpa Belgium has extradited to Moscow a Russian citizen suspected of joining the extremist group Islamic State (IS). The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said on May 29 that Immampasha Akhmadov was extradited a day earlier and jailed at a pretrial detention center in Moscow. According to the FSB, Akhmadov travelled in 2014 to Syria, where he joined IS and fought against government forces. Some Islamic militants in Russia's North Caucasus regions have posted videos online in which they have sworn allegiance to IS, which is outlawed as a terrorist group in Russia and many other countries. Russian authorities have estimated that some 2,000 Russian citizens have fought alongside IS militants in Syria and Iraq, where the the extremist group seized large swaths of territory in 2014 but has now lost it. Based on reporting by TASS and Interfax KYIV -- Mikheil Saakashvili returned to Ukraine on May 29, arriving amid a political transition a day after new President Volodymyr Zelenskiy reinstated the former Georgian leader's citizenship in a country he told RFE/RL he considers his homeland. Saakashvili, the reformist former Georgian president who had a short second career as governor of Ukraine's Odesa region before he was fired and stripped of his citizenship, arrived at Kyiv's Boryspil airport in the early evening on a flight from Poland. Speaking to reporters and supporters, Saakashvili said he does not plan to take part in Ukraines upcoming snap parliamentary elections but wants to join in efforts to reshape the political landscape and bring new faces to power. "Personally, I will not be going to any election," he said. "But, of course, I will facilitate and assist in every way in changing politicians in Ukraine, purging [the country] of swindlers and people who have plundered Ukraine. "I haven't come here for revenge, punishment, [or] to destroy someone," he said, adding: "I want to participate in building a new Ukraine jointly with millions of Ukrainians after a historic chance, with a new president, with a new team." At the airport, Saakashvili was welcomed by a group of supporters who were holding flags from his Movement of New Forces party. There was also a banner adorned with the Ukrainian and Georgian flags that read: We are friends. Eduard Gospadyan, dressed in a traditional embroidered shirt and draped in a yellow-and-blue Ukrainian flag, said he hoped the man he called a "strong leader" and a "real reformer" would jump back into Ukrainian politics. "We hope that with his help Ukraine will become a true European country in the near future," Gospadyan told RFE/RL. In a Skype interview with RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service on May 28, Saakashvili hinted that he wanted to play a substantial role in public life but did not specify what it might be. He said he considered both Georgia and Ukraine to be his homeland. "So I'm returning home. And then we'll see -- I'll consult, I'll be talking to people," Saakashvili said, emphasizing his gratitude to Zelenskiy for restoring his citizenship -- annulled by Zelenskiy's predecessor, Petro Poroshenko -- so quickly. "I want to emphasize again that I have no personal professional ambitions," he said, asserting that what was of "utmost importance" to him is that "Ukraine be successful." Saakashvili's arrival comes less than 10 days after Zelenskiy, a comedian and political novice who easily defeated Poroshenko in a runoff vote, was sworn in and announced he was dissolving parliament and scheduling new elections for July 21. "We cannot let this third chance pass us by," Saakashvili said in the interview, suggesting that Ukraine had a chance to thrive after the Orange Revolution in 2004 and a second chance after the Maidan protests that pushed Moscow-friendly President Viktor Yanukovych from power in 2014. "And now [it has] a third [chance] -- a peaceful electoral revolution." Saakashvili lavishly praised Zelenskiy for restoring his citizenship, calling it a "courageous step by a courageous and worthy president." There has been speculation that Saakashvili might be handed a high post by Zelenskiy or side with him in the elections, but neither of them has commented publicly on that notion. Saakashvili, 51, swept to power in Georgia after helping lead the peaceful Rose Revolution protests that cast out the old guard there in 2003, when he was mayor of Tbilisi. He was president of Georgia from January 2004 until 2013, a year after his party was dislodged by an opposition force in parliamentary elections. Saakashvili was granted Ukrainian citizenship and appointed to the Odesa governor's post in 2015 by Poroshenko, an acquaintance from their student days in the Soviet era in Kyiv. Authorities in Tbilisi stripped Saakashvili of his Georgian citizenship in December 2015 on the grounds that Georgia does not allow dual citizenship. Then, when relations between Poroshenko and Saakashvili had soured over reform efforts and the fight against corruption, Poroshenko in November 2016 dismissed Saakashvili from the Odesa governor's post. In July 2017, after Saakashvili created the opposition Movement of New Forces party, Poroshenko issued a decree that stripped Saakashvili of his Ukrainian citizenship. Zelenskiy restored his Ukrainian citizenship by decree on May 28. One of the leaders of the Movement of New Forces, former Ukrainian Deputy Prosecutor-General David Sakvarelizde, said on May 29 that the party planned to run in the July 21 elections. "Our party's participation in the elections...is not just our intention, it is our duty to our voters, who are awaiting some consequential steps from us," he said in an interview with the Apostrof news agency that was posted on YouTube. Zelenskiy was elected to a five-year term in Ukraine, a country of 44 million that faces deep-seated corruption, economic challenges, and a simmering war against Russia-backed separatists who hold parts of two provinces in the east. Relations with Russia are in tatters because of Moscow's occupation and seizure of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and the war in the east, which has killed some 13,000 people since the same year. With reporting by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service and Current Time BRUSSELS -- The European Commission has recommended the launch of EU accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania as soon as possible, saying the two Balkan countries have "delivered on reforms." The May 29 recommendation was part of an annual report by the EU's executive on the progress of six membership hopefuls, including Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Serbia, and Turkey, toward meeting EU requirements. Speaking in Brussels, Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn praised North Macedonia for changing its name earlier this year. The move ended a decades-long dispute with Greece that had blocked the Balkan state's path to NATO and the EU. Hahn also hailed Albania's reforms of its justice system. The commissioner said that EU states should open accession negotiations "now" with both countries. "To remain credible, the EU must stick to its commitments and respond clearly and positively when countries fulfil theirs," he added. EU foreign ministers are due to discuss the matter in Luxembourg on June 18, but diplomatic sources told RFE/RL on the condition of anonymity that member states were deeply divided on the issue. France and the Netherlands are said to remain reluctant to give the green light to accession talks by the end of the year, but could potentially allow negotiations with North Macedonia to go ahead. However, Italy strictly opposes such an option. EU foreign-policy chief Federica Mogherini warned the bloc's member states that "failure to recognize and respond to objective progress would damage the European Union's credibility" and could "undermine stability and seriously discourage further reforms." In its report, the European Commission refrained from recommending that Bosnia get the status as an EU candidate country. The EU's member states "will now need to decide on the next steps for the country. In this regard, it will be key that governments are formed at all levels in Bosnia and Herzegovina without any further delay," Hahn said. The commissioner said that Montenegro and Serbia, which have started EU accession negotiations, "are yet to act with greater determination and substantially increased efforts in crucial areas." "The countries urgently need to implement reforms in the rule-of-law area more strongly and credibly," Hahn said. The commission urged Kosovo, a potential candidate country whose independence remains unrecognized by five EU members, to revoke tariffs it imposed on Serbian and Bosnian goods late last year. It also called on Kosovar leaders to "put the political focus back on advancing on its European path." Hahn reiterated that accession talks with Turkey were at a standstill, saying the country "continued to move further away from the European Union with continued serious backsliding in the areas of rule of law and fundamental rights." With reporting by AP NUR-SULTAN -- Former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev has awarded the presidents of Russia, Kyrgyzstan, and Belarus a medal named after the longtime authoritarian leader during a summit of a grouping of ex-Soviet republics in the Kazakh capital, Nur-Sultan, which is also named after him. Nazarbaev presented the Order Of The First President Of The Republic Of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbaev separately to Vladimir Putin, Sooronbai Jeenbekov, and Alyaksandr Lukashenka at a May 29 summit of the Eurasian Economic Union (EES), a trade grouping that comprises Kazakhstan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, and Armenia. The medal features a likeness of Nazarbaev's face in profile. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, interim Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev, and president Igor Dodon of Moldova, which has observer status in the EES, also attended the meeting. Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, whose country is not a EES member, took part as a guest. The awards came less than two weeks before a June 9 snap presidential election that seems certain to confirm Toqaev as president of tightly controlled Kazakhstan, whose energy riches make it one of the powerhouses of the EES along with Russia. His election would be a key stage in a political transition that appears to have been closely choreographed by Nazarbaev, who resigned in March after 30 years in power but preserved levers of influence by remaining lifetime chairman of the country's Security Council and chairman of the ruling Nur-Otan party. He also enjoys full immunity from prosecution due to his status as "elbasy," or leader of the nation. The Kazakh capital, Astana, was renamed Nur-Sultan days after Nazarbaev resigned. Opponents, critics, and rights groups say Nazarbaev, who came to power before the Soviet collapse of 1991, denied many citizens basic rights and prolonged his time in office by silencing dissent and manipulating the democratic process. The only registered political party that casts itself as an opponent of the government has said that it will boycott the presidential election, suggesting that participating would make it a puppet of the state. An announcement at the summit's opening said the gathering was meant to mark the 25th anniversary of Nazarbaev's public call for the creation of the EES and the fifth anniversary of the treaty that established it. Putin proposed naming Nazarbaev the honorary chairman of the EES Economic Commission and the other leaders supported the idea. The EES was established on the basis of the Customs Union under a treaty that was signed by Putin, Nazarbaev, and Lukashenka and came into force on January 1, 2015. Observers say Putin seeks to use the EES to bolster Moscow's influence in the former Soviet Union and counter the European Union. Trade disputes seen as power plays have caused tension within the EES, and Kazakhstan and Belarus have bristled at Russian efforts to make it more of a political alliance. Russia tried to interest Ukraine in joining the Customs Union rather than sign an Association Agreement with the EU. But Ukraine's then-President Viktor Yanukovych, who spurned the deal with the EU in favor of closer ties with Moscow, was chased from power in February 2014 following months of protests. Russia then seized Ukraines Crimean Peninsula and stirred separatist movements in Ukraine's east, where some 13,000 people have been killed in the ongoing conflict between Russia-backed separatists and Ukrainian armed forces. KYIV -- Candidate Volodymyr Zelenskiy crowdsourced his winning presidential campaign platform and potential cabinet picks on social media. Then, on May 27, the freshly inaugurated president's Servant of the People party announced an online contest for spots on its party ticket in snap parliamentary elections set for July 21. Now, sticking with his unorthodox and digital-focused style, Zelenskiy's administration has launched a public call for project ideas and applications for positions on the team through a new online platform. Called Lift, organizers describe it as a way of utilizing the knowledge and skills of the public to help solve some of Ukraine's most pressing problems. At the very least, it is his fledgling administration's attempt to further cement Zelenskiy's outsider image and allay average Ukrainians' bitter distrust of politicians after decades of cronyism and abortive reform. "We need a lot of people at every level," Svyatoslav Yurash, a 23-year-old Zelenskiy campaign adviser who is expected to appear on the Servant of the People's party list in July, told RFE/RL. He said the outreach effort was "genuine" and "necessary" in order to find people untainted by old politics and corruption. Crowdsourcing is rare in the world of Ukrainian politics, an almost impenetrable bunker controlled for decades by well-connected insiders wary of new ideas or outsiders. But coming off Zelenskiy's landslide April election win -- by the biggest margin of victory in Ukraine's post-Soviet history -- there are signs that crowdsourcing and online recruiting could become a more common method of building political teams going forward. At least one other politically aspiring outsider appears to think so. Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, a Western-educated rock star whom some describe as Ukraine's answer to Bono, announced the creation of his aptly named Holos (Voice) party this month and has promised to launch a related crowdsourcing initiative. Borrowing From U.S. Political Playbook In recruiting members of civil society online, Ukrainian politicians appear to be borrowing a page from the playbook of American progressives, whose own online recruiting efforts after 2016 helped spur youth and minority participation in congressional races in 2018. Groups like Run for Something, She Should Run, and Launch Progress PAC, which provided resources to prepare young people for a run for office, saw some of their candidates win down-ballot races. Zelenskiy's administration and party members said they weren't modeling Lift on those platforms but acknowledged similarities. Yurash, who claimed to have people interested in joining the Zelenskiy team reaching out to him informally "every day," said the Lift launch was about "structuring outreach to the public and finding qualified people." The Lift website describes the platform as one that "brings together skilled specialists and innovations. It is aimed at positive changes in the country and its comprehensive socioeconomic and cultural development." A presidential adviser and digital director, Mykhaylo Fedorov, wrote on Facebook that the administration had received 573 resumes and 834 suggestions for projects or solutions within one day of Lift's unveiling. A poll conducted this month by the "Rating" Sociological Group found that 43.8 percent of Ukrainian voters support the Servant of the People party -- not enough for a parliamentary majority but close -- despite the fact that its party list remains unfilled or at least secret. Offsetting Controversial Appointments But some experts see the crowdsourcing for fresh faces as an attempt to mask others. They suggest Zelenskiy's allies may be trying to neutralize criticism surrounding some of the administration's more controversial picks. Oleksiy Haran, a professor of political science at Kyiv's Mohyla Academy and head of research at the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation, a think tank, told RFE/RL that Zelenskiy's appointment of Andriy Bohdan as his chief of staff was particularly worrying. "The appointment of Bohdan is a very bad sign" not only because of his connections to a controversial oligarch, Haran said, "but because it is a clear violation of the law." Bohdan, a lawyer for tycoon Ihor Kolomoyskiy who worked as legal counsel to Zelenskiy during the campaign and claimed to have planted the seed in his mind to run for the presidency, once held a government position during ousted President Viktor Yanukovych's administration. A 2014 law bars senior Yanukovych-era officials from posts in future Ukrainian governments. The Justice Ministry has ruled that Bohdan falls under the law and the Public Lustration Committee, a nongovernment organization created to watchdog the law, has filed a lawsuit over Bohdan's recent appointment. Bohdan has argued that the law does not apply to him because, under another law, the presidential chief of staff is not considered to be a civil servant. Zelenskiy himself is linked to Kolomoyskiy through the oligarch's ownership of Ukrainian TV station 1+1, which hosts Zelenskiy's comedy programs and hit sitcom, Servant Of The People, which shares the name of his political party, as well as through advisers and other resources. But Zelenskiy has insisted he is not beholden to the oligarch, a bitter enemy of defeated presidential rival Petro Poroshenko's who returned to Ukraine shortly before Zelenskiy's inauguration for the first time in two years. Haran said not all of Zelenskiy's appointments were bad ones and that it was expected that the president would "rely on people whom he knows." "I think the guys he appointed to the [presidential administration] are creative, they are smart, they are kind of spin doctors," Haran said. "But the question is how professional they are, whether they will be able to promote the president's priorities." A New 'Voice' In The Crowdsourcing Arena Challenging Zelenskiy's party in parliamentary elections -- seemingly through similar tactics -- will be the Voice party of Vakarchuk, who introduced the party and his candidacy by saying he hoped "to destroy the old way of doing politics and create a new way of doing politics." Looking to capitalize on the antiestablishment sentiment in Ukrainian society that helped sweep Zelenskiy into office, it is also reaching out to civil society for new people and ideas. A message on the party's website reads, "Welcome to the team of real changes! Our team is open to anyone who is ready to join." Yarema Dukh, head of Voice's press service, told RFE/RL that the party had received more than 8,000 inquiries from people interested in joining it. This week, the party plans to officially launch an online application system "for anyone who agrees...and supports" the party's manifesto. "The main thing is we are trying to change the old way of politics to a new one," Dukh said. "One cornerstone is bringing in new people." But current lawmakers need not apply. "They had their chance already," Dukh said. MOSCOW -- Three times per week, residents of a residential estate outside Moscow whip out a portable kitchen and cook lunch outside their homes. They're not lured out by the unexpected May heatwave, but by the four-hour electricity cutoffs that begin at noon. Fridges thaw, food spoils, elevators grind to a halt, and the hot water turns cold. "We chip in 50 or 100 rubles each to feed the kids when they return from school," Irakly Pachulia, one of the residents, told Current Time as he stirred a pot of buckwheat in the courtyard. Local energy provider Mosenergysbyt says residents of the Edelweiss Comfort housing estate in Balashikha have racked up arrears exceeding 35 million rubles ($537,000). But the truth may be more complex. In November 2018, inside a row of garages below a driveway that runs alongside the five housing blocks, residents discovered a huge bitcoin farm. Rows of computers hummed and churned out electricity as they solved cryptographic puzzles to generate the lucrative digital currency. When residents provided police with photo evidence of the "mining" operation, law enforcement conducted a raid on the premises that was broadcast on Russian state TV. Federal channels laid the blame on Konstantin Zolotukhin, a businessman whose construction company built Edelweiss Comfort and who later declared himself head of its homeowners association. Zolotukhin has bounced back from a precipitous fall from grace in the mid-2000s. In 2005, the year after he was named Person of the Year at a Kremlin awards ceremony for achievements in business, he was placed on an Interior Ministry wanted list as part of a high-profile fraud investigation. Zolotukhin portrayed those charges as part of a campaign by his competitors in Moscow's lucrative construction industry, and continued to do business. In a March 2019 interview with Kommersant, he boasted of 40 separate companies under his name. He blamed debts racked up by Edelweiss Comfort on its residents. "They don't want to pay for utility services," he said. And so far, the dispute over Edelweiss Comfort's debt appears to have left him unscathed. It was only on May 21, over six months after video of their raid was broadcast to the nation, that the authorities publicly announced an investigation into the estate's utility arrears. In the meantime, residents say accounts tied to the homeowners association have been frozen. According to Anton Zhuravkin, money they're paying for utility bills is instead being used to settle a payout the energy provider has won in court. It never reaches the companies that are supposed to supply the estate with water and arrange trash disposal, so the debt only grows. "We're paying for light, for water, for elevator maintenance," Pachulia, one of the residents, said. "But we can't use any of it." Written by Matthew Luxmoore in Moscow, with reporting by Current Time A California-based cybersecurity firm says a network of fake social media accounts impersonated U.S. political candidates and journalists to spread messages in support of Iran and against U.S. President Donald Trump around the 2018 congressional elections. The firm, called FireEye, said in a report that it has documented the evolving methods of disinformation being used across social media platforms to promote Iranian interests online. The researchers said the findings show how unidentified groups, possibly backed by the Iranian government, can manipulate social media platforms to promote stories and other content that can influence the opinions of American voters. FireEye said the campaign was organized through a series of fake personas that created social media accounts, including accounts on Twitter and Facebook. Most of the accounts were created in 2018 and have since been taken down, the FireEye report said. Twitter and Facebook on May 28 confirmed FireEye's finding that the fake accounts were created on their platforms. Facebook said that it took down 51 Facebook pages, seven Facebook groups and three Instagram accounts that were all involved in "coordinated inauthentic behavior" that originated geographically from Iran. It said its actions resulted partly from FireEyes investigation as well as its own analyses and behavioral tracking. In recent months, Facebook also has taken down numerous other Iran-linked fake accounts that it has identified as dubious. Based on reporting by Reuters and Wired Mikheil Saakashvili, the former Georgian president who served as governor of Ukraines Odesa region in 2015-16, has welcomed the restoration of his Ukrainian citizenship by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy as a "courageous step by a courageous and worthy president." Saakashvili made the remark in an interview with RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service on May 28 after Zelenskiy signed a decree that annulled a decree by his predecessor, Petro Poroshenko, which deprived Saakashvili of his citizenship. Speaking via Skype from Poland, Saakaashvili told RFE/RL that Poroshenkos decision to strip him of Ukrainian citizenship was a "cowardly step by an unworthy president." He said he was grateful to Ukrainians who have supported him, and that he was "certain there are many people in Ukraine who would not like to see me [back] in Ukraine." He said Zelenskiy's decision to "very quickly" restore his Ukrainian citizenship shows "his character." Saakashvili's spokeswoman Tanya Bahranovska told RFE/RL that he plans to return to Kyiv on the afternoon of May 29 on a flight from Warsaw. Saakashvili was granted Ukrainian citizenship and appointed to the Odesa governor's post in 2015 by Poroshenko, an acquaintance from their student days. Authorities in Tbilisi stripped Saakashvili of his Georgian citizenship in December 2015 on grounds that Georgia does not allow dual citizenship. Then, when relations between Poroshenko and Saakashvili had soured over corruption allegations and reform efforts, the then-president fired Saakashvili from the Odesa governor's post in November 2016. Poroshenko issued the decree that stripped Saakashvili of his Ukrainian citizenship In July 2017 after Saakashvili created an opposition party called the Movement of New Forces. 'No Professional Ambitions' In February 2018, Saakashvili was detained in Kyiv, taken to the airport, and flown to Poland. Days later, Ukraine's border service banned Saakashvili from entering Ukraine until February 13, 2021. I want to emphasize again that I have no personal professional ambitions, Saakashvili told RFE/RL on May 28, adding that what was of "utmost importance" to him is that "Ukraine be successful." "So, Im returning home [to Kyiv] and then well see," he said. "Ill consult. Ill be talking to people." "We cannot let this third chance pass us by," Saakashvili said, explaining that Ukraine had a chance to carry out successful reforms after its Orange Revolution in 2004 and again after the Maidan protests that pushed Ukraines pro-Russia President Viktor Yanukovych from power in 2014. He described Ukraines "third chance" as "a peaceful electoral revolution." However, he did not clarify whether an "electoral revolution" referred to Zelenskiys presidential election victory in April, early parliamentary elections scheduled in July following Zelenskiys May 21 decree that dissolved parliament, or both. In Georgia, Saakashvili was swept into power after helping lead the peaceful Rose Revolution protests there in 2003, when he was mayor of Tbilisi. But his party was dislodged from power by an opposition force in 2012 parliamentary elections and his term as president expired in 2013. With reporting by RFE/RL correspondent Christopher Miller in Kyiv NUR-SULTAN -- Kazakhstan's interim President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev has skipped a televised debate between candidates in the country's June 9 snap presidential election, representatives said. Instead of Toqaev, his campaign chief, Maulen Ashimbaev, took part in the televised debate on May 29. The decision to avoid the debate is likely to fuel further criticism of the election, which government opponents say will not be free and fair and will inevitably hand Toqaev a five-year term. Hours before the evening debate, Toqaev aide Erlan Karin and the ruling Nur-Otan party, which nominated him for the presidency, said Toqaev could not make it because he was participating in a summit of the Eurasian Economic Union (EES) that brought the heads of state of EES members Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, and Armenia to the capital, Nur-Sultan, as well as others. Critics questioned the timing of the debate, voicing suspicion that it was arranged to give Toqaev a reason not to take part. The candidate nominated by the Aq Zhol (Bright Path) party, Dania Espaeva, also did not take part in the debate, but was represented by Aq Zhol Chairman Azat Peruashev. Five other candidates have said they would participate. The snap election is a key stage in a political transition that appears to have been closely choreographed by Nursultan Nazarbaev, who resigned as president in March after 30 years in power but preserved levers of influence by remaining lifetime chairman of the country's Security Council and chairman of Nur-Otan. No election held under Nazarbaev, 78, has been deemed by international observers to meet democratic standards.The only registered political party that casts itself as an opponent of the government has said that it will boycott the snap vote, suggesting that participating would make it a puppet of the state. The U.S. special envoy on Ukraine has called Russian activity in eastern Ukraine an "occupation" and has called on Moscow to start implementing its obligations under the 2015 Minsk accords -- the international agreement aimed at ending the conflict in eastern Ukraine between Ukrainian government forces and Russia-backed separatists. U.S. State Department Special Representative Kurt Volker made the remarks on May 28 while speaking to journalists about the prospects for Ukraine's future under newly elected President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. "Russia has a lot that it needs to do to implement the Minsk agreements," Volker told journalists via a video link from Washington. "Ukraine also has its responsibilities." The U.S. envoy said the United States now needs to see "where we stand and whether we can make progress" in talks with Russia following the April 21 Ukrainian presidential runoff vote that brought Zelenskiy to power. "So far in contacts we had earlier this year, the Russians made clear that they did not see an opportunity for productive discussions during the course of the presidential campaign" in Ukraine, Volker said. With Ukraine now preparing for early parliamentary elections in July, Volker said it remains unclear whether progress can be made yet in talks with Russia. "We will have to see how it stands now, during the course of this parliamentary campaign, and when an appropriate time would be to meet [with Russian officials] and follow up," Volker said. "We want to make sure that we are putting on the table all of the issues about Minsk implementation, starting with a cease-fire, withdrawal of foreign forces, the disarming of illegal armed groups, and creating a situation of security in Donbas so that additional political steps that are also part of Minsk can be taken," he added. "These include amnesty for people who have committed crimes as part of the conflict, implementing a special status for the region under Ukraines constitution, holding elections, and -- of course, eventually -- the peaceful reintegration of this territory with the rest of Ukraine," Volker said. "Those are the topics to discuss." 'Provocative Step' Volker criticized a decree issued in April by Russian President Vladimir Putin that aims to simplify the procedure to obtain Russian citizenship for people living in parts of eastern Ukraine held by Russia-backed separatists. "That is a very provocative step for Russia to take to go forward and say: 'We will give Russian passports to the citizens of another country,'" Volker said. "That being said, I dont think Ukrainians are going to be rushing to take up these passports," he added. "They are suffering a lot under Russia's occupation in Donbas as it is. And we also will be looking at whether we are in a position to identify and not recognize those passports -- as we do in the case of passports issued in Crimea already." Volker has previously called Russias takeover of Ukraines Crimean Peninsula "an illegal occupation" and "an illegal seizure of territory," saying Washington stands behind Ukraine "in insisting that its territorial integrity be restored." Volker also criticized Moscows defiance of a UN maritime court ruling that Russia must immediately release 24 Ukrainian sailors who were seized by Russia's military in November near the Kerch Strait bridge that connects Russia to Ukraine's Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula. Sailors 'Attacked Illegally' He rejected Russia's claim that the Ukrainian Navy ships were in Russian territorial waters when Russian forces attacked them off the coast of Crimea and detained the Ukrainian sailors. "There is no legal reason for Russia to continue to hold these sailors," Volker said. "They were attacked illegally in international waters. They were taken illegally to Russia. They should be treated as members of a foreign government's military forces. There is no basis to hold them inside Russia." "We do urge their immediate release," he said. "The courts have also ruled in that direction. Russia has made clear it has no intention of doing that." "That being said, there is no force that is going to be applied to Russia to make them follow the rule of law and make them follow this court decision," Volker said. "But it is our very clear position that they need to release these sailors." A top U.S. military official has said that U.S. intelligence agencies believe Russia is likely conducting low-yield nuclear testing that may be violation of a major international treaty. Lieutenant General Robert Ashley said in a speech on May 29 that Russia could be doing tests that go "beyond what is believed necessary, beyond zero yield." The problem, he said, was that Russia "has not been willing to affirm" they are adhering to the 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. "The United States believes that Russia probably is not adhering to its nuclear testing moratorium in a manner consistent with the 'zero-yield' standard," said Ashley, who is director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Defense Department's main in-house intelligence organization. "Zero-yield" refers to a nuclear test where there is no explosive chain reaction of the sort caused by an atomic bomb nuclear warhead. Asked specifically whether U.S. intelligence agencies had concluded Russia was conducting such tests in violation of the treaty, Ashley said, "They've not affirmed the language of zero yield." "We believe they have the capability to do it, the way that they're set up," Ashley said during an appearance at the Hudson Institute, a Washington, D.C., think tank. The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty bans all nuclear explosions, either military or civilian, in any type of situation. Its been signed and ratified by Russia, and signed by the United States, but not ratified. There was no immediate comment by the Kremlin or the Russian Defense Ministry about the conclusions, which were first reported on May 29 by The Wall Street Journal. But Vladimir Shamanov, chairman of the defense committee in Russia's lower house of parliament, called Ashley's statement "irresponsible." "It would be impossible to make a more irresponsible statement," Interfax quoted Shamanov as saying. "These kinds of statements reveal that the professionalism of the military is systemically falling in America," said Shamanov, a retired colonel general and a former commander of Russia's Airborne Troops. "These words from a U.S. intelligence chief indicate that he is only an accidental person in this profession and he is in the wrong job." The U.S. assertion comes with several major arms-control treaties under strain, largely due to the toxic state of relations between Washington and Moscow. Earlier this year, President Donald Trump's administration announced it was pulling out of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, an agreement that eliminated an entire class of missiles. Another treaty, New START, is due to expire in 2021 unless the United States and Russia agree to extend it for five years. The Arms Control Association, a Washington-based research and advocacy group, called for U.S. administration officials to release more evidence to back up the assertion, and for the Senate to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. "If the U.S. has credible evidence that Russia is violating its CTBT commitments, it should propose...mutual confidence-building visits to the respective U.S. and Russian test sites by technical experts to address concerns about compliance," the group said. U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller has said that charging President Donald Trump with a crime "was not an option" as he spoke for the first time since the conclusion of his two-year investigation into Russian election interference. Speaking at the Justice Department on May 29, Mueller said that if he was called to speak before Congress, he would not provide any information beyond what is contained in his report, which was published last month. Mueller's comments come amid multiple ongoing investigations by congressional Democrats into aspects of Mueller's findings, as well as Trump's business and financial dealings. It also comes with mounting calls among Democrats to begin impeachment hearings against Trump. In his comments, Mueller reiterated one of the core conclusions of his report -- that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election campaign. "There were multiple, systematic efforts to interfere in our election and that allegation deserves the attention of every American," he said. Mueller's report also addressed the question about whether Trump or others sought to obstruct Mueller's inquiry -- which would potentially be a federal crime. In a tweet, Trump, who has wrongly claimed that Mueller's conclusions completely exonerated him, again said he was innocent. "Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed," he wrote. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders also released a statement that focused on the Russian interference findings of the report, but omitted mention of the report's other, more ambiguous findings about whether Trump or associates tried to obstruct Mueller's probe. "Mr. Mueller explicitly said that he has nothing to add beyond the report, and therefore, does not plan to testify before Congress. The report was clear --there was no collusion, no conspiracy -- and the Department of Justice confirmed there was no obstruction," she said. "After two years, the special counsel is moving on with his life, and everyone else should do the same," Sanders said. In his remarks, Mueller repeated Justice Department guidelines, which say that a sitting U.S. president cannot be charged with a crime. Charging Trump "was not an option we could have considered," he said. But Mueller also repeated the report's second core finding: if he and his investigators had had confidence that Trump clearly did not commit a crime, they would have stated that in the report. "If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so," Mueller said. "We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime." Many Trump critics have seized on that finding, as reason to begin impeachment hearings. Representative Jerrold Nadler, the Democratic chairman of one of the main House committees investigating aspects of the Mueller investigation, has been in talks with Mueller to have him appear before the committee. Following Mueller's remarks, he said it was now up to Congress to "respond to the crimes, lies, and other wrongdoing" by Trump. "Given that Special Counsel Mueller was unable to pursue criminal charges against the President, it falls to Congress to respond to the crimes, lies, and other wrongdoing of President Trump -- and we will do so. No one, not even the President of the United States, is above the law," Nadler said in a statement. Mueller addressed the possibility of his appearing before Congress. "Any testimony from this office would not go beyond our report," he said. "It contains our findings, an analysis and the reasons for the decisions we made. We chose those words carefully and the work speaks for itself. And the report is my testimony. I would not provide information beyond that which is already public in any appearance before Congress." The current speaker of the House, Democrat Nancy Pelosi, has resisted calls to approve the beginning of impeachment hearings, citing, among other things, the fact that Trump will be seeking a second term in office in the 2020 election. Some Democrats fear that moving to impeach Trump will only make him more popular among Republicans. Chuck Schumer, the top Democrat in the Republican-controlled Senate, called for U.S. lawmakers to do more to prevent future Russian interference in U.S. elections. "It is clear as a bell -- whatever side you are on politically -- that Russia interfered. It is also clear as a bell, if we sit here and do nothing, it is going to be worse in 2020. Faith in democracy will erode and that is very bad for America," Schumer said. "This report is a wake-up call. We must get right on the horse and do everything we can to stop Russia from interfering in the 2020 election," he said. American Airlines is planning to add three daily nonstop round-trip flights between Richmond International Airport and New Yorks John F. Kennedy International Airport starting in late November, opening up more access to European markets for travelers. American doesnt serve JFK now from Richmond. Only Delta Air Lines operates three daily nonstop round-trip flights between the two airports. American operates up to five nonstop flights daily to New Yorks LaGuardia Airport from Richmond. It began that service in April 2014. The new Richmond to JFK service starts Nov. 21. Jon E. Mathiasen, the airports president and CEO, said the additional service to JFK provides more options for travelers here. For instance, if a passenger wants to fly on an international flight on American now, that person has to fly to LaGuardia and then take a bus or taxi to catch a flight from JFK. New York is a high-demand destination for Virginias Capital Region and JFK access with American not only gives us more ways to fly to New York, but it also opens up additional access to the West Coast and several top-tier European markets, Mathiasen said in a statement. A new LGBTQ-themed film series will run every Monday from June 3 to July 1 at 7 p.m. at the Byrd Theatre called MonGays. June is Pride month, the month chosen to highlight a positive stance lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. With the Virginia Pride festival is held in September, Virginia Pride has been looking for an opportunity to engage our community during the month of June, James Millner, the president of Virginia Pride, said. Each Monday night, the Byrd will screen a different LGBTQ-themed film, sponsored by a local organization with connections to the theme. Here is the schedule: June 3: Rafiki June 10: Tangerine June 17: Saturday Church June 24: Paris Is Burning July 1: Pariah The movies focus on themes of forbidden love and resilience, youth, the trans community, the drag/ballroom community and the black LGBTQ experience. There will be opportunities for discussion following each film. Another Richmond-area food truck has opened a brick and mortar store front. Manchu restaurant opened the last week of May at 2914 North Ave. on Richmond's North Side. Manchu launched in Richmond in 2017 as a food truck specializing in chicken wings, po boys and Vietnamese food as an off-shoot of its namesake restaurant and grocer in New Orleans. Other offerings include gumbo, banh mi sandwiches, fried seafood, egg rolls and french fries - with most offerings well under $10. The restaurant is take-out. 8. 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It was a place you could go and always see a friend. I always felt safe there. The Rev. Rosyln Clark Thomas is the niece of the Rev. Hugo Austin, the Baptist minister who was a driving force behind getting the Forest Service to begin construction on Green Pastures. They named the park Green Pastures, which is biblical, from Psalm 23 the Lord gave us a place to rest. The park is still in our hearts, and I would love to see it restored to its glory days, Thomas said. In 1964, the park was renamed Longdale Recreation Area by the National Forest Service, in an effort to remove the memory of segregation. Those who used the park during and shortly after the segregation era want the original name to be restored. When you change a name, you lose an identity. Id love to see it reopened under the name Green Pastures and be a park for all the people. It wont be Disney World, but itll be somewhere to go for people to enjoy the quietness, the beauty of it, said retired teacher Ettrula Moore. Dry law in effect this weekend for Cancun, Riviera Maya Cancun, Q.R. Due to the upcoming elections, the government of Mexico has announced the implementation of the dry law, which will be in effect this weekend. The dry law will affect all establishments except tourist areas that serve food. La Secretaria de Finanzas y Planeacion says that as of midnight Saturday June 1, a prohibition for the sale of alcohol will be in effect due to the June 2 political elections. The dry law is based on article 310 of the Law on Electoral Institutions and Procedures and Article 10 of the Law on the Sale and Consumption of Alcoholic Beverages. The Mexican Electoral Law establishes that during electoral days, authorities of each state may establish measures to limit the hours of service in which alcohol is served and/or sold. Authorities say they will be monitoring businesses that sell alcohol to ensure everyone complies with the rules. Sargassum plant set to open in Cancun Cancun, Q.R. A sargassum treatment plant is set to open in Cancun this year. The company, Dianco Mexico, already has one plant in Mexico City and plans to open several more along sargasso-infested regions of the Caribbean, starting with Cancun. During a press conference, Dianco Mexico CEO Hector Romero Morales said There is already a solution, to take advantage of all the sargassum that invades the coasts of Quintana Roo and the Caribbean islands. In addition, there is now a place to deposit all the collected sargassum, to take full advantage of it in an ecological way and without waste. The company specializes in the scientific study of algae, he explained, saying that they have a patented solution for the sargassum. Romero Morales explained that the new Cancun plant will have the capacity to process up to 600 tons of seaweed daily in three shifts. In our first plant, we can receive 600 tons a day to take 100 percent advantage of the sargassum without generating waste. The issue is not what to do with the algae, it is about proposing solutions, he added. All the sargassum, the stuff that accumulates on the coasts, is used to do three things: cellulose, organic fertilizer and biodegradable plastic (bioplastic). We are a Mexican company made up of entrepreneurs, environmentalists and scientists who have been working on this for close to five years, he explained. He says that the company will help alleviate the government and hotel expense of sargassum harvesting and provide a positive use for the seaweed by turning it into things like organic fertilizers. In 35 minutes, we can process the sargasso that arrives on a truck into the final product to produce organic fertilizer. This organic fertilizer will be equal to, or much cheaper than chemical fertilizers, and with greater benefits adding that 10 percent of the sargassum is turned into cellulose. The company intends to open its first pilot plant in Cancun by the end of 2019. The plant is already under construction. Seized criminal vehicles turned into state police units Leon, Guanajuato After a criminal raid that led authorities to seize 27 luxury vehicles, the government of Guanajuato says it has transformed some into police cars. Earlier this week, Mexicos Attorney Generals Office announced the raid of 11 homes in the city of Leon. The homes were investigated after police recieved a tip that those inside were involved in electronic fraud. When police raided the 11 homes, they found and seized luxury vehicles, drugs, firearms, computer and telephone equipment, cash, and arrested 8 people, six men and two women. The attorney general explained that from that raid, they seized 27 luxury cars and seven motorcycles, as well as safes containing cash. They reported that the seized cars include a Lamborghini, Ferrari, BMW, Mercedes Benz, and McLaren and added that those arrested have been palced under the custody of the Federal Public Prosecutor for organized crime. Photo: Gobernador Constitucional del Estado de Guanajuato They also announced that 10 of the seized vehicles will be used as police cars. State governor Diego Sinhue Rodriguez Vallejo has reported that of the vehicles seized, six camaros, one corvette, one mustang and two cadillacs will be transformed to serve and protect the state of Guanajuato. If you type the word exercise into the Google search window, you get about 1.72 billion results. The available info covers everything from A to Z: Arthritis and Exercise (a good thing for sure) and (we quote) Fatigue, exercise, intolerance and weakness: lessons on herding Zebras. No wonder its hard to figure out just what exercises to do. Well, recent studies reveal that you dont need to worry so much about whose exercise mantra you adopt or whether you take the stairs at work, swim, walk to the store, bicycle, jog or take a yoga class. If youre one of the 77% of Americans who dont get even the minimal recommended amount of general physical activity or structured and planned exercise (at least 150 to 300 minutes weekly of moderate-intensity, or 75 to 150 minutes weekly of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination), have we got news for you. The largest study ever of cardiovascular fitness in healthy folks (more than 300,000 of them) was presented recently at EuroPrevent 2019. It found that moving more however you do it is linked to living longer, regardless of age, sex or starting fitness level. Even the least fit participants in the study who began to move more saw benefits in longevity. It was related to each milliliter increase in their maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max). So theres futzing around in the house and lawn, walking, climbing stairs, tending to daily tasks and turning off the TV and getting out of that chair and then theres a purposeful workout routine at home, the gym or outside. You need them both. What it boils down to is Move, Breathe, Live. n Try to limit sitting to 30 to 60 minutes at a stretch, then do jumps, climb stairs or walk for at least five minutes. Set a reminder on your phone to get you up regularly. n In addition, try to be active for at least two hours a day. That might be walking in the mall, taking the stairs at work, mowing the lawn, cooking dinner, etc. Use the stopwatch on your smartphone to keep track of how much moving around you do. n Get at least 30 minutes of planned aerobic exercise a day, too. Thats one key. The other key to fitness and longevity turns out to be muscle POWER, not muscle strength. Researchers from Brazil presenting at the same European Society of Cardiology conference explained that power depends on the ability to generate force and velocity, and to coordinate movement. Climbing stairs requires power: The faster you climb, the more power you need. According to study author professor Claudio Gil Araujo: Rising from a chair in old age and kicking a ball depend more on muscle power than muscle strength, yet most weight-bearing exercise focuses on strength. Our study shows for the first time that people with more muscle power tend to live longer. So how do you achieve more power in your muscles? The researchers say that at any age you should do multiple exercises for upper and lower body muscles and muscle groups. Try this two or three times a week for 20-30 minutes: n Choose a weight (using hand weights, stretchy bands or weight machines) thats a bit of a challenge but not so heavy you can barely lift it. n Do one to three sets of six to eight repetitions moving the weight as fast as possible while you contract your muscles and use a slower, natural speed as you return to your initial position. If you cannot do the repetitions or sets comfortably, dial it back with less weight and fewer reps. No injuries, please. Build power over time. n Rest for 20 seconds between each set to sufficiently replenish the energy stores in your muscles. Theres the simple one-two-three formula for a longer, healthier life and a younger RealAge: Move It + Move It More + Move It Quickly = Longevity. The You Docs column runs in Wednesdays Extra. After staying up in the trees for nearly nine months, blockers of the Mountain Valley Pipeline are facing an attempt to bring them down. Lawyers for the company said in a recent court filing that it needs to have two tree-sitters removed by Friday so workers can finish clearing a path for the massive natural gas pipeline. On Sept. 5, 2018, two protesters took up residence in a white pine and a chestnut oak that stand in a construction easement for the pipeline in eastern Montgomery County. While the tree stands have switched occupants a number of times, they remain standing in what is now the longest active blockade of a pipeline on the East Coast, according to Appalachians Against Pipelines. In December, lawyers for Mountain Valley asked federal Judge Elizabeth Dillon to issue a preliminary injunction against the tree-sitters, which would allow their removal by U.S. Marshals. Dillon had yet to rule on the request by 6 p.m. Wednesday. Mountain Valley said in mid-May it would like to have the tree-sitters removed by the end of the month in order to avoid additional costs. Lawyers for the company filed a notice in U.S. District Court in Roanoke, including an affidavit from Jeffrey Klinefelter, director of construction engineering for Mountain Valley. Klinefelter said that later in the month, Mountain Valley would have a crew of tree-cutters near the protest off Yellow Finch Lane in the Elliston area. The company asked that the two occupied trees be cleared of protesters so they could then be timbered from an efficiency standpoint, Klinefelter said. If Mountain Valley is forced to wait, it would cost an additional $22,000, he said. In a post to its Facebook page Wednesday, Appalachians Against Pipelines said the protesters have been protecting the hillside in the path of the pipeline for 267 days. The group urged supporters to visit the protest. Everyone on site is safer when there are more people there, it said. Since work on the 303-mile buried pipeline began last year, more than two dozen demonstrators have sat in trees or chained themselves to construction equipment along its route through West Virginia and Southwest Virginia. With the exception of the Yellow Finch tree-sitters, all of them have come down voluntarily or been removed by police. A Mountain Valley spokeswoman has blamed obstructionists for trying to delay work that has received all the state and federal permits needed to compete a project that will deliver needed natural gas to the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the country. But two key sets of permits one for the pipeline to cross more than 1,000 streams and wetlands and the other for it to pass through the Jefferson National Forest have been suspended due to legal challenges. Critics say the work is contaminating nearby streams. In December, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality filed a lawsuit that accused Mountain Valley of violating erosion and sediment-control measures more than 300 times. The case is still pending. Located on a steep slope not far from where the pipeline will cross the Roanoke River, the Yellow Finch tree-sit has played out more quietly than other demonstrations. Two protesters are camped out in tree stands about 50 feet off the ground, while supporters on the ground send up food, water and other supplies in plastic buckets suspended by ropes. The current tree-sitters are maintaining their anonymity. Others have shared their names and stories, including a recent Virginia Tech graduate, a 69-year-old grandfather and rock climber from Albemarle County, and a working-class mother. Early Wednesday morning, a Mountain Valley crew showed up at the site. One of the workers claimed he was assaulted by the protesters, and Montgomery County sheriffs deputies and Virginia State Police troopers were called to the scene. The worker later obtained charges against two protesters from the county magistrates office, according to Capt. Brian Wright of the sheriffs office. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A Memorial Day police chase that began in Bedford County ended in Roanoke County with charges against three juveniles, Virginia State Police said. Police tried to stop a Dodge Minivan for speeding on Hardy Road about 9:30 a.m. Monday, Sgt. Rick Garletts announced Tuesday. The vehicle fled and turned onto a public boat landing, where two juveniles got out. The minivan then broke through a cable in the parking lot and headed toward Roanoke County, where police used tire deflation tools to bring the car to a halt, Garletts said. The juvenile driver and two passengers face a lot of charges, said Garletts, when asked what exact charges they face. State police said they also seized a handgun and $8,700 in cash in the incident. Because the suspects are juveniles, Garletts said, state police will not release their names. 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. Schools in the Roanoke region and New River Valley earned awards for advanced student learning and achievement, Gov. Ralph Northam and the Virginia Board of Education announced Wednesday. The 2019 Virginia Index of Performance recognizes schools and school divisions that exceed state and federal accountability standards and other performance indicators. This year, 270 schools and nine school divisions across the state won awards. The top honor in the program, the Governors Award for Educational Excellence, went to five schools in Northern Virginia. Ninety schools won the Board of Education Excellence awards, the second-highest honor. To receive the award, the schools met all accountability benchmarks and made significant progress toward goals for increased student achievement and expanded educational opportunities set by the board, according to a news release. The following area schools earned a board excellence award. Crystal Spring Elementary and Grandin Court Elementary schools, Roanoke. Penn Forest Elementary School, Roanoke County. Gilbert Linkous Elementary School, Montgomery County. Several area schools and divisions were also among a select group to receive the 2019 Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Awards. Each met all accountability benchmarks and made progress toward the goals of the governor and the Board of Education. School divisions in Lexington and Roanoke County earned the award. The following schools in the region also achieved the distinction. Forest Elementary, Bedford County. James River High, Botetourt County. Lylburn Downing Middle, Lexington. Blacksburg High, Montgomery County. Snowville Elementary, Pulaski County. Back Creek Elementary, Bonsack Elementary, Cave Spring Elementary, Cave Spring High, Clearbrook Elementary, Glenvar High, Green Valley Elementary, Hidden Valley High and William Byrd High in Roanoke County. South Salem Elementary, Salem. The state index of performance awards were established 12 years ago. In the spring of 2018, the board of education approved criteria for a new recognition program to replace the awards. The new program will include honors for high achievement, continuous improvement and innovative practices. State Superintendent of Public Instruction James Lane said the new program will highlight the great work taking place in schools that may have not been recognized under the [Virginia Index of Performance] program. State officials will announce the first awards under the new system this summer. Elks award scholarships The Roanoke Elks Lodge No. 197 held a dinner May 16 for more than 100 local scholarship winners, and valedictorians from 17 local schools. Six local students each received $1,000 scholarships and three other students received also received scholarship funds. Youth Activities Committee Chairman David Ross arranged the dinner and presented the scholarships. Roanoke Regional Partnership Executive Director Beth Doughty served as the keynote speaker. Cave Spring Masons honor educator The Cave Spring Masonic Lodge 230 honored Cave Spring Middle School English teacher Hillary Ruddell with the Don Garlock Educators Award and a $500 prize. Lodge Master James John said the award is named for a 70-year member, and will be presented annually to a young teacher focused on shaping the path of the next generation of students. The lodge asked Cave Spring administrators to help nominate candidates, John said. The inaugural award was presented last fall. A first-time political candidate and a man making his third try for elected office are seeking General Assembly seats representing Southside and Southwest Virginia. Starla Kiser, a physician from Wise County, has secured the Democratic nomination to compete in the November election to represent Dickenson County and portions of Russell, Washington and Wise counties in the House of Delegates. The seat is open because the 4th House Districts current representative, Del. Todd Pillion, R-Washington, is seeking a state Senate seat. Kiser, 34, is a native of Dickenson County, where she was raised on a farm. She attended East Tennessee University and then earned a medical degree and masters degree in public administration from Harvard. She is board-certified in both internal medicine and pediatrics. She completed her residency at Boston Childrens Hospital as well as Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston. From there, she worked in Africa, India and other countries to improve health care delivery systems. Kiser said she was always interested in the delivery of health care to people in underserved areas, so she moved back to Southwest Virginia. She runs her own clinic in Clintwood. When I moved back, I was thinking we dont need to depend on politicians, we just need people to move back to our area and attract businesses and people, Kiser said. Ive realized how important it is to have good leadership. I believe in the area, and I want it to thrive. Our biggest asset is our people and we need to provide opportunities for people to live here. Kiser will face off against the Republican who wins in the June 11 state-run primary. The two Republican candidates are David Eaton, a member of the Russell County Board of Supervisors, and William Wampler III, whose father was a state senator and whose grandfather served in the U.S. House of Representatives. All 140 seats in the General Assembly are up for reelection Nov. 5, and Democrats are fighting to take over the majority in both chambers. The 4th House District votes solidly Republican. Kiser acknowledged it will be uphill battle, but shes eager to accept the challenge. I didnt move here with an intent to run for office, she said. I want to be a new and different voice. Im not an ideologue, Im just a pragmatic thinker. Pillion is running for the 40th Senate District seat, which includes the city of Bristol and Lee, Scott, Grayson and Washington counties, as well as parts of Smyth, Wise and Wythe counties. Sen. Bill Carrico, R-Grayson, is not seeking reelection. Pillion is the Republican nominee, and as of now only faces independent Ken Heath, the town of Marions director of community and economic development. In another General Assembly race, on Saturday the Democrats will nominate a candidate for the 20th Senate District, which covers Henry and Patrick counties, Galax and Martinsville as well as parts of Danville and Carroll, Franklin, Halifax and Pittsylvania counties. Sen. Bill Stanley, R-Franklin, represents the district and will appear on the ballot in November. Democrats are using a caucus as the nomination method, which is happening at noon at New College Institute. Sherman Witcher, of Franklin County, is the only person who is seeking the party nomination. This is Witchers third time seeking a spot in the General Assembly. He ran for state Senate in 2007 as an independent against Republican Robert Hurt, receiving 24% of the vote. Again as an independent candidate, he tried to unseat Del. Charles Poindexter, R-Franklin, in 2009, but lost with 21% of the vote. 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. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called the release of self-admitted American Taliban member John Walker Lindh unexplainable and unconscionable. Lindh, who was paroled last Thursday from a federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana, served 17 years of a 20-year sentence for illegally aiding Taliban forces. Lindh had joined the terrorist organization before September 11, 2001. He was in Afghanistan at the time and was also there when a group of Taliban prisoners murdered CIA officer Johnny Micheal Spann. Spanns daughter, who was 9 when her father died, called Lindhs early release a slap in the face to everyone who died on 9-11. After his capture and return to the U.S., Lindh struck a plea bargain, admitting to illegally providing help to the Taliban, but denying any role in Spanns death. Lindh is barred from traveling and using a cellphone or the internet. He could still borrow a phone and possibly use someone elses computer and sign-in information, so it is difficult to see how those limitations will be enforced. Lindh stated he would not have joined the Taliban if he had known what it was about, but that doesnt stand up given his statements after he was sent to prison. Foreignpolicy.com, a site that focuses on global affairs, current events and domestic and international policy, obtained a report from the National Counterterrorism Center that stated in early 2017 that Lindh continued to advocate for global jihad and to write and translate violent extremist texts. The document cites Federal Bureau of Prisons intelligence summaries, which claim that in March 2016, Lindh told a television news producer that he would continue to spread violent extremist Islam upon his release. The document does not identify the news reporter and Foreign Policy says there is no public record of Lindh participating in media interviews. That doesnt mean it didnt happen, but if the interview exists now would be a good time to see it. Homegrown violent extremists have long been considered the most difficult to detect and monitor. Lindhs release is likely to give aid and comfort to potential terrorists already in the country and others seeking to enter the U.S. There is no indication Lindh has repented of his actions, much less changed his ideology, or brand of Islamic extremism. Treason is a word that should be used only in cases where an American citizen betrays his country and goes over to the enemys side. Lindh fits that description. In past American wars, some of those found guilty of treason have been executed. Lindh is a traitor and should have received the death penalty, but because of the plea deal he is now free and is likely to return to his old ways. He will be able to associate with people of his persuasion and encourage their radical beliefs and extreme behavior. Government officials say he will be closely monitored by parole officers and others during the three years remaining of his sentence. What happens after that? Suppose he engages in actions that directly or indirectly result in the deaths of more Americans? Sure, he can be returned to prison and possibly even executed, but the blood of future victims will be on the heads of those who let him out. An ideology driven by extreme religious views is difficult to combat, much less reverse. Given the ancient history of Islam and the radical behavior of those claiming to conduct terrorist activities in its name, it is not a stretch to say once one has become a terrorist, it is likely he will remain one. Thomas is a columnist for the Tribune Content Agency. When Confederate forces attacked and captured Fort Sumter in April 1861, the Civil War began; thus, those U.S. citizens had committed a treasonous act against the United States. Shortly thereafter, now storied men like Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson discarded their U.S. Army blue uniforms and replaced them with Confederate grey and in doing so, committed treason against the United States. The U.S. Constitutions definition of treason is pretty cut and dry, yet too many in our nation herald these traitors as heroes. How the Civil War is taught in our schools does not help. For instance, using the phrase, the War of Northern Aggression, instead of Civil War fails to highlight the fact that the Confederate States were the aggressors, for they instigated the war. Our schools teach us that the Confederacy was fighting for states rights, but in truth, they were fighting for the exact opposite. The slave holding states wanted the federal government to enforce their right to capture their runaway slaves via the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. The non-slave holding states were against the act, but it served as a compromise to postpone an inevitable civil war. However, when the Republican Party later announced its anti-slavery expansionist platform, the slave holding states feared that they would lose their right to recapture their slaves in the non-slave holding states and territoriesand so they chose to secede. In May 2017, Alabamas state legislature passed a bill preventing the removal of historic monuments erected more than 40 years ago of traitors from the Civil War. Some time after, Birminghams elected officials, who represent a 70 percent Black populace, attempted to remove a Confederate monument. Because of the state law, they were unable to do so; therefore, they obscured the monument with a 52-foot box. Fast forward to January 2019, Jefferson County Circuit Judge Michael Graffeo overturned a bill saying that the state cannot commandeer the citys property for the states preferred message on the people and that a city has a right to select the views that it wants to express. Judge Graffeo also stated that the bill violated the Fourteenth Amendment. Of course, the state has filed an appeal, demonstrating that, just like the original Confederates, Alabama wants to use the Constitution to defend acts of terror and oppression. After all, what else is a monument heralding Confederates to a people whom those Confederates attempted to keep in bondage? When the Founding Fathers led the rebellion against Great Britain, their major concern was that if they were to lose, their fate was execution for being traitors to the crown. Fortunately, they won, and thus are heralded and praised as the founders of our country. Schools, roads, airports, even a state, are named in honor of George Washington, but, nowhere in Great Britain will you find anything memorializing him. There are no British soldiers training on British military installations named in honor of George Washington or any of the Founders because, rightfully so, none exist. Meanwhile, ten U.S. military installations are named after Confederate officers and, purposely, all located in former Confederate slave-holding states. My home state of Virginia has 242 monuments memorializing Confederate traitors, the most in our country. We are the only nation in history that honors the worst of its traitors those leaders who led the insurrection. People who defend and praise the secessionist traitors use terms like honor and strong values to define these men; yet, there is no honor in rebelling against your country when the purpose is to keep human beings in bondage. Whatever honor they may have had prior to joining the Confederacy was negated the moment they joined. When someone says that they support the Confederacy or that they hold Robert E. Lee in high esteem, what they are actually saying is that they wish that the Confederacy had won the American Civil War and that the institution of slavery should have spread throughout North America and unravelled the United States as we know it. Though the Civil War began because of slavery, the issue at hand is that We the People should not be celebrating those who attempted to overthrow our country. There are so many great Americans who remained true to our nation throughout the entirety of their lives whom we can herald that we do not need to waste time, energy, or taxpayer dollars heralding men whose greatest contribution to history was the attempted overthrow of these United States of America. UPDATE 7:45 PM: The threat of severe storms has ended for the Roanoke and New River valleys, with the severe thunderstorm watch continuing just a little longer to the east. There were several reports of trees blown down and some sporadic power outages this afternoon and early evening. Sunshine is expected to return Thursday, with a possibility of Roanoke's record-tying ninth 90-degree day of May, but once again, there will be afternoon and evening storm chances, with somewhat cooler temperatures arriving by the weekend. END UPDATE ---- After a 91-degree high at Roanoke on this Wednesday for the eighth 90-degree day of May, the dome of high pressure that has brought us the very hot weather relative to late May norms is beginning to break down. The first sign of that will be a line of storms now moving out of West Virginia into Southwest Virginia. A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued ahead of this line of storms, with the threat of locally damaging outflow winds the primary severe storm threat. Heavy rain, frequent lightning and some hail are also possible as this line advances eastward into the early evening. It is unclear whether this line will hang together east of the Blue Ridge, but it should make it intact through the New River and Ronaoke valleys over the next 2-3 hours. Additional showers and storms have been popping up ahead of the line. Locally gusty winds and heavy rain are also possible in some of these cells. The high pressure system that has parked over the Southeast for several days is being flattened over the next few days by a series of upper-level disturbances moving to our northwest in faster upper level winds. By the weekend, the high will be suppressed much farther south and east, and near-normal temperatures with 70s-80s highs and 50s-60s lows will return, with periods of showers and storms possible. We may get one more 90-degree day on Thursday in Roanoke before the pattern changes. If that occurs, it will tie the record for most 90+ days in May at 9, originally set in 1941. Contact Kevin Myatt at kevin.myatt@roanoke.com. Follow him on Twitter @kevinmyattwx. Local Weather Get the daily forecast and severe weather alerts in 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. Kelsey Osbourne AN EAST Dene man has been locked up for two years after admitting multiple child sex offences. Kelsey Osbourne (31), of Doncaster Road, was jailed at Sheffield Crown Court last Thursday after pleading guilty to eight offences including indecent exposure and attempting sexual activity with a child. He also pleaded guilty to three counts of attempting to cause a child to watch sexual activity and three counts of attempting to send a sexual communication to a child. Osbourne was jailed for two years and was put on the sex offenders register for life. He was given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order. Registration for the 2019 congress of CIBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation, which will take place in Manama, the Kingdom of Bahrain, from November 18 to November 20, with pre-congress meetings beginning on November 16, is now open.This year the even is being organised by DANAT, the Bahrain Institute for Pearls and Gemstones, and will be held is the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay.CIBJO Congresses serve as the gathering place for the World Jewellery Confederations Assembly of Delegates, and also are the venue for the annual meetings of CIBJOs sectoral commissions, where amendments can be introduced to the organisations definitive directories of international industry standards for diamonds, coloured stones, pearls, gem labs, precious metals coral and responsible sourcing, known as the Blue Books.The CIBJO Congress is also where the programme of World Jewellery Confederation Education Foundation (WJCEF), relating to responsible and sustainable activities in the industry, and its ongoing cooperation with the United Nations is reported upon.The dedicated website includes the congress programme, the various congress venues, important travel information, background information about Bahrain, news and photo galleries. An online registration form for the congress is available at http://www.cibjo.org/congress2019 Lucapa Diamond, which received $5.6 million from its 40%-owned Sociedade Mineira Do Lulo (SML)s 2017 earnings, has defended its decision to repatriate $2.1 million to Australia and allocated $3.5 million to kimberlite exploration, in Angola.The companys 6000 shareholders were reportedly not happy with this funding arrangement.Others were of the view that Lucapa sticks to its two high-value diamond mines and reconsider the kimberlite exploration.However, Lucapa chairperson Miles Kennedy said he was firmly of the belief that the company should continue its kimberlite exploration for the duration of the licence it had been granted.Indeed, some shareholders are of the view that despite spending many years and many millions of dollars on our kimberlite exploration programme, we are no closer to finding the mother lode at Lulo, he said.while kimberlite exploration can by nature be painstakingly slow, I am equally of the view that we are closer than ever to finding the mother lode at Lulo.He also said it was important for Lucapa to continue with the kimberlite exploration as it had confirmed the existence of more than 70 kimberlites in its 2018 drilling programme alone.The company was also aware that kimberlites at Lulo are diamond-bearing and had already identified several diamondiferous kimberlites.There are no silver bullets in the kimberlite exploration game either. But the patient and methodical approach adopted by our exploration team is narrowing down and confining the search areas of our quest, said Kennedy.It may take us another couple of years, but I am more confident than ever that we can indeed find the diamond source at Lulo We can certainly look at funding alternatives for this program, but now is not the time to deviate from that path or to give up. The country last year became the worlds main destination for plastic waste after China banned its import. Nine shipping containers at Port Klang, west of Kuala Lumpur, on Tuesday were found to contain mislabeled plastic and non-recyclable waste, including a mixture of household and e-waste. the plastic was shipped from the US, the UK, Australia, Japan, China, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, the Netherlands and Singapore. On April 24, Malaysia launched a joint task force to crack down on the growing problem of illegal plastic waste imports. We urge the developed countries to review their management of plastic waste and stop shipping garbage to developing countries, Yeo Bee Yin, minister of energy, science, technology, environment and climate change, said. Last year the governments of 187 countries, including Malaysia, agreed to add plastic to the Basel Convention, a treaty that regulates the movement of hazardous materials from one country to another. One company in the U.K. , as an example, was responsible for more than 50,000 tons of plastic imported to Malaysia over just two years. 60 total containers will be sent back to their country of origin. Some of the items included cables from the United Kingdom, contaminated milk cartons from Australia and compact discs from Bangladesh, as well as bales of electronic and household waste from the U.S., Canada, Japan, Saudi Arabia and China. The United Arab Emirates energy minister said Sunday he does not think oil producing nations should relax the production cuts currently in place. Suhail al-Mazrouei spoke to reporters on the sidelines of a meeting in Saudi Arabia of the worlds major oil producers. His comments suggested theres support within the OPEC oil cartel to extend the 1.2 million barrels a day cut in place since January. I dont think, as the UAE, that today from the market conditions that we are seeing that relaxing the cut is the right measure, he said. He added that there have not been major oil shortages in the market from U.S. sanctions on Iranian and Venezuelan oil exports. Advertisement As part of the six-month deal reached in December, OPEC countries, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, were expected to cut production by 800,000 barrels a day while non-OPEC countries, including Russia, trim 400,000. The meeting Sunday in the Saudi Red Sea city of Jiddah was aimed at monitoring and reporting conformity levels of countries to that agreement. The group, known as OPEC+, is expected to decide at a meeting in late June, based on further data points, whether to rollover the current cuts to the second half of the year. The cuts in place were aimed at propping up oil prices after a sharp fall last year. Oil is now trading above $70 a barrel and closer to whats needed to balance state budgets among Gulf Arab producers. President Donald Trump, however, has called on major Mideast oil producers to keep oil prices from rising. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. A woman suspected of stealing two $10,000 vintage guitars from an Orange store has been charged with four felonies, the Orange County district attorneys office said Wednesday. Los Angeles County sheriffs deputies arrested Anna Gabriela Reyes, 22, in San Pedro last week after the Orange Police Department identified her as a suspect in the theft. She has been charged with two counts of grand theft, one count of second-degree burglary and one count of receiving stolen property. The two guitars she is accused of stealing a red 1955 Gretsch Firebird and a 1968 Gibson Johnny Smith have been returned to the store, Imperial Vintage Guitars, police said. Reyes was identified with the help of surveillance video, the stores social media followers and witnesses, the Orange Police Department said. Last month, Reyes faced two misdemeanor charges of possessing methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, according to court records. Advertisement Earlier this month, surveillance video from Imperial Vintage Guitars showed a woman bolting out of the music store with two high-end guitars. Orange police said that before the theft, another woman entered the store, at 864 N. Main St., and asked for help finding a guitar for her boyfriend. While the woman and a store employee went upstairs to look at merchandise, a second woman later identified as Reyes browsed the store before selecting two guitars and running out the front door with them, Sgt. Phil McMullin said. A store employee can be seen in surveillance video running down the stairs and chasing after the thief, who jumped into a waiting car that was driven away. She took him to another side of the store, away from the first girl that came in, and the first girl took the advantage and grabbed two of my most expensive guitars and bolted out, Shai Ashkenazi, the stores owner, said in an interview with KCBS-TV Channel 2. Ashkenazi said his employee jumped on the getaway car, driven by another person, but was not able to stop them. Orange police have not identified the other woman who may have been distracting the store employee or the person driving the car. alejandra.reyesvelarde@latimes.com Twitter: @r_valejandra When Ashton Kutcher went to pick up Ashley Ellerin for a first date on the night of the Grammy Awards in 2001 and she didnt answer the door, he figured hed screwed up. He was late, and she hadnt been answering his calls. I knocked on the door. There was no answer. Knocked again. And once again, no answer, the actor testified Wednesday. At this point I pretty well assumed she had left for the night, and that I was late, and she was upset. But before he left, he peeked through a window. All the lights were on. It was messy inside, and it looked like red wine had spilled on the carpet. None of that was alarming, though. Kutcher said he had just been at a housewarming party at her home about a week prior and people had been drinking. Advertisement I didnt really think anything of it, he said. Kutcher delivered this testimony in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom during the capital murder trial of Michael Gargiulo, whom prosecutors have calleda serial sexual-thrill killer who derived pleasure from slaughtering beautiful women. When Kutcher found out the next day that Ellerin had been killed, he spoke with police. I was freaking out, he said during cross-examination, noting that his fingerprints were on the door. Dont worry, youre not a suspect, Gargiulos attorney Daniel Nardoni told him. Thank you, Kutcher replied. Gargiulo watched Kutcher intently, sometimes sitting forward with his eyebrows raised, as several jurors took notes. He faces two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder in attacks in the Los Angeles area between 2001 and 2008. He has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors said Gargiulos alleged series of attacks began in the Chicago area in 1993. One night in August of that year, Tricia Pacaccio, 18, was celebrating her high school graduation with friends before they each headed off to college. She dropped a friend off about 1 a.m. before heading home. She walked up to her door carrying her house key, but never made it inside. Her father found her on the doorstep later that morning with numerous stab wounds to her chest, shoulder and neck. Just 17 at the time, Gargiulo was a friend of Pacaccios younger brother. It wasnt until a decade later that investigators discovered that the DNA collected from her fingernails was his. By then, prosecutors say, Gargiulo had moved to the Los Angeles area and killed Ellerin. Gargiulo first met Ellerin, a 22-year-old fashion student, when he walked up and offered to help her change a flat tire. Later, he offered to help fix a problem with her heater, and from then on hed show up uninvited and unannounced to her apartment. Some reported seeing him park in front of her home at all hours, staring at her residence for long periods of time. Her roommate thought he was a stalker. Prosecutors allege he entered Ellerins Hollywood home one night in February 2001 and stabbed her 47 times, slashing her throat so severely that he almost decapitated her. Gargiulo later moved to the El Monte area, into the same apartment complex as Maria Bruno, 32. In 2005, prosecutors allege, Gargiulo attacked her as she slept and quite literally butchered her, slashing her throat and slicing off her breasts. His last alleged attack, in April 2008, was unlike the others. Michelle Murphy survived. Gargiulo and Murphy lived across from each other, sharing an alley in Santa Monica. In the months leading up to the attack, Gargiulo would greet her outside her apartment. One night, prosecutors say, she woke up to him stabbing her arms and chest. She kicked him off, causing him to cut his wrist and flee. Investigators found his blood on her bedspread and in the alley. After his arrest less than two months later in connection with the Santa Monica attack, detectives linked him to the killings of Ellerin and Bruno. Gargiulo wasnt charged in Illinois with Pacaccios slaying until 2011. He is to be extradited after the Los Angeles trial concludes. alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com Twitter: @AleneTchek From the street, it looked like an old-school drug raid. A half-dozen police and city vehicles sat near the entrance of the White Castle cannabis dispensary near the Los Angeles Harbor, where a sign bearing a giant green cross faced Pacific Coast Highway. But the cops didnt seize any marijuana from the illegal shop. No one was arrested, just detained briefly while utility workers moved to shut off power. The officers had been there before and would likely be back. One detective guessed the business would be up and running again in a week. Amid growing complaints from lawmakers and cannabis lobbyists about the citys teeming marketplace for unregulated weed, Los Angeles in recent months has ramped up enforcement against illegal pot dispensaries. But with so much money on the line, many violators are choosing to stay open even after the city has cut off their power or threatened them with arrests or fines. Advertisement The states marijuana market got off to a sluggish start in 2018, with revenue from the first year of legal sales falling $160 million short of what was projected in former Gov. Jerry Browns final budget. High taxes and the refusal of many cities to allow legal cannabis sales have been blamed, while those restrictions have allowed a resilient black market to thrive. Nowhere is that problem more glaring than in Los Angeles, where the number of illegal storefronts rivals legal dispensaries. In what should be the states most lucrative pot market, many legitimate business operators say they cant compete with the hundreds of stores that are able to sell at a lower price by skirting taxes. More than 200 illegal marijuana dispensaries operate in L.A., according to police estimates and a Times review of city records and listings on Weedmaps, a popular online directory for marijuana businesses. To identify potential scofflaws, The Times compared all storefronts on Weedmaps with a list of businesses granted temporary approval to operate by Los Angeles Department of Cannabis Regulation. Only 182 marijuana dispensaries have permission to sell weed in the city, records show. The review, conducted earlier this month, found 365 dispensaries advertised on Weedmaps inside city limits. Of those, more than 220 60% of the total were operating at addresses not on the citys list of legal retailers. The numbers provide only an estimate of the problem. Listings on Weedmaps change frequently. Some shops targeted by city enforcement efforts may have shut down since The Times last reviewed the websites listings. But shops that are closed often open under new names, and not every illegal dispensary in the city advertises on the website. Unregistered dispensaries were running in nearly every corner of Los Angeles, with the highest concentrations downtown and south of the 10 Freeway, The Times analysis found. Twelve can be found on a stretch of Florence Avenue between Crenshaw and Avalon boulevards. Pot dispensaries in Los Angeles (Ben Welsh and Jon Schleuss / Los Angeles Times) By mapping the legal and illegal storefronts in the city, The Times found large swaths of downtown and South L.A. are dominated by unlisted dispensaries. Legitimate shops, which can only sell cannabis at locations that meet specific requirements, such as being a certain distance away from a school, are more prevalent in the San Fernando Valley. Exact statistics on the issue are difficult to find. A representative for the state Bureau of Cannabis Control said the agency did not have readily available data about illegal operators in California, and Los Angeles officials have never made public an exact number of illegal storefronts. The L.A. Police Department, however, has estimated the number of unregistered shops to be less than 300. Marijuana advocates say Los Angeles struggle to curtail illegal activity is more severe than other cities in California, a result of years of allowing marijuana businesses to operate in a quasi-legal status in which they received limited immunity from prosecution. This is really a Los Angeles phenomenon I cant tell you where there would be an unlicensed dispensary operating in Oakland or San Francisco, said Dale Gieringer, director of Californias branch of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. Indeed, authorities tasked with overseeing the marijuana industry in San Francisco and Long Beach, said the number of unregulated dispensaries in those cities does not exceed the number of licensed operators. Owners of legal stores in Los Angeles say illegal shops have a massive competitive advantage, as they offer lower prices by skirting the states 15% cannabis sales tax as well as the citys 10% rate. The frustration for us is twofold, said Carlos de la Torre, who founded the Cornerstone Research Collective in Eagle Rock. Our businesses are suffering tremendously now because were having to compete in an unfair playing field, and weve spent all this time and energy and resources crafting something that should be really cut and dry, and it feels like [the city is] not really holding their end of the bargain up. Opinion: Californias cannabis marketplace is a mess. Heres how to fix it The proliferation of illegal stores affects marijuana customers, legal owners and government coffers. Aside from undercutting legal operators and curbing tax revenues, city officials are concerned about the health risks posed by stores whose wares are not tested by state regulators. Some owners contend that many customers dont know the difference between legal and illegal marijuana businesses, and fear they are losing out by complying with state and city tax codes. The only bad reviews I get are Oh, youre trying to rip us off, these prices are too expensive, said Jerrod Kiloh, owner of the Higher Path dispensary in Sherman Oaks and president of the United Cannabis Business Assn. I think a lot of them dont understand that the cost of doing business has gone up quite a bit. Many legal owners say the problem is exacerbated by Weedmaps, a Yelp-like service for marijuana businesses. Without the voice that Weedmaps gives, 80% of them would disappear, De La Torre said. Weedmaps did not respond to a request for comment. Despite business owners frustrations, the website is something of a double-edged sword: Officials with both the LAPD and the city attorneys office have said they use the online platform to identify targets for enforcement. Still, council members and legal operators have criticized those agencies in recent months, arguing that a lack of stringent enforcement has allowed unlawful shops to flourish. After recreational sales became legal in January 2018, obtaining funding and resources for enforcement has become a tougher sell within the LAPD, said Det. Lou Turriaga, a director with the Los Angeles Police Protective League. Until recently, Turriaga said, the departments cannabis support unit was operating on a bare-bones budget. Local narcotics investigators are unlikely to prioritize enforcement against illicit dispensaries over other kinds of drug crime or violence in their divisions, he said. The city has signaled it will take cannabis enforcement more seriously this year. Funding has been earmarked for cannabis regulation and a public awareness campaign to help customers learn to spot illegal sellers. Mayor Eric Garcettis 2019 budget pushes $10 million toward the LAPD for cannabis enforcement. And an ordinance introduced by Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez also could result in illegal dispensary owners, and those they rent property from, having to cover the costs of any enforcement efforts enacted at their business. Despite the large number of illegal businesses still operating in the city, officials contend they have aggressively pursued the issue. Since early 2018, City Atty. Mike Feuer said, his office has brought charges against more than 850 defendants and shut down 114 storefronts with many more on the way. Feuer acknowledged the difficulty in permanently shutting down illegal operators. He said many of the stores his office has pursued have returned under different names, sometimes at the same location. Recently, the agency has begun to target property owners and more aggressively impose financial penalties, in the hopes that massive fines will act as deterrents. Last month Feuer sued a South L.A. dispensary for selling cannabis that had been treated with a fungicide, which could result in millions in damages against the business. This is not just a question of supply, its also a question of demand, he said. I want very much for the message to be clear to potential buyers of recreational marijuana that its just not worth the risk to go to an unpermitted location because they dont test their product and God knows whats in their product. In March, the City Council passed an ordinance allowing the Department of Water & Power to shut off utilities at prohibited dispensaries. Shutoffs have been conducted at approximately 90 storefronts in the last two months, according to Det. Vito Ceccia of the LAPDs Gang and Narcotics Division. Most of the early efforts were concentrated in the Valley, though recently the department has begun focusing on outlaw operators in South L.A. Investigators believe the utility shutoffs are more efficient than serving search warrants in pursuit of criminal prosecutions that will probably result only in misdemeanor charges. On a recent afternoon, utility workers and detectives from the LAPDs Harbor Division cut the power at four illegal shops in less than three hours. Ceccia said they would have been able to execute only one search warrant in the same time frame. We see an uptick in these businesses opening up because its so profitable, especially if theyre not paying the taxes theyre supposed to be paying, he said. A majority of them have reopened and thats why were looking at our partners like DWP to find other resources beyond law enforcement and traditional methods in order to shut these places down. Legal weed can raise the roof on home prices Police can still seize marijuana and cash from an illegal business if they execute a search warrant in a criminal investigation. But with all criminal penalties for illegal sale or cultivation of marijuana reduced to misdemeanors under Proposition 64, city officials believe civil fines and utility shutdowns are more effective and less labor intensive. In Los Angeles, Feuer said his office can push for a $2,500-per-day unfair competition penalty against illegal sellers. Under the voter initiative that established Los Angeles marijuana market, the city can also seek a $20,000 daily penalty against illegal operators, though Feuer has rarely used this tactic and said it had yet to be tested in court. Many involved in the cannabis industry also have expressed frustration that regulators have been slow to approve dispensary permits especially those that would fall under a social equity program meant to allow members of communities most affected by criminal marijuana enforcement to get into the legal market. The city is expected to issue another 250 storefront licenses, which would more than double the number of legal dispensaries in the city, but that process will not begin until September at the earliest, said Sylvia Robledo, public information director for the Department of Cannabis Regulation. The agency expects to be able to issue approximately 400 licenses before it buts up against the citys restrictions against having too many dispensaries concentrated in any particular neighborhood. The long-term effect of the citys enforcement strategies is unclear. Although the utility shutdowns have disrupted some operations, many businesses have also simply reopened after obtaining an external generator. The detective who guessed the White Castle dispensary near Wilmington would be back in business in a week was almost right. An employee confirmed the shop was open when a Times reporter called 10 days later. Times staff writer Emily Alpert Reyes contributed to this report. The computer code that generated this analysis is available as open-source software. james.queally@latimes.com Benjamin.welsh@latimes.com Follow @JamesQueallyLAT for crime and police news in California. Follow @palewire for more from the Los Angeles Times data desk. A Council of Europe report on Wednesday called for an independent public inquiry into the car bomb assassination of a leading Maltese investigative journalist, criticizing the glacial pace of the investigation into the case so far. Three Maltese men are believed to have triggered the powerful car bomb that killed 53-year-old Daphne Caruana Galizia on a road close to her rural home on Oct. 16, 2017. They were ordered two months later to stand trial for murder but the trial has not yet begun and they could soon be released. Nobody has been arrested for ordering the assassination of Caruana Galizia, who became one of Maltas best-known journalists for her regular reporting on widespread allegations of corruption on the Mediterranean island thats a member of the European Union and uses the shared euro currency. In his report for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Dutch lawmaker Pieter Omtzigt listed a litany of corruption scandals in Malta, shortcomings in the nations legal and judicial system and holdups in the Caruana Galizia investigation. Advertisement The police investigation was delayed by the authorities refusal to remove an officer with a conflict of interest. The police failed to obtain information from Ms. Caruana Galizias laptop when it was offered to them, he wrote, adding that police also have failed to investigate the prominent public figures that Caruana Galizia wrote about. I can fully understand why the Caruana Galizia family has no confidence in the ability of the Maltese authorities to investigate the murder effectively, Omtzigt wrote. There is now a clear need for an independent inquiry. The Maltese government slammed the report as riddled with inaccurate and gratuitous statements exposing a very biased agenda which is not based on the true picture of the matter. In a written statement, the government said Omtzigts report represents the very biased views of a small fraction of Maltese Opposition politicians. The report was discussed Wednesday by the legal affairs and human rights committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Paris. They issued a draft resolution calling for an inquiry that will be sent to a full meeting of the assembly next month in Strasbourg. That draft resolution is likely to be adopted. It is non-binding, but would pressure the Maltese government to address its concerns. The 47-nation Council of Europe, which calls itself Europes leading human rights organization, has issued similar resolutions in the past aimed at protecting journalists, notably targeting the governments of Turkey and Russia. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III said Wednesday that he does not intend to testify to Congress about his investigation into Russian election interference and whether President Trump obstructed justice. I do not believe it is appropriate for me to speak further, Mueller said, adding that his report on the investigation should speak for itself. But in brief remarks at the Justice Department, Mueller pointedly repeated a key section of the report, saying that if we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so. The report did not reach a conclusion one way or the other about whether Trump obstructed justice. Mueller noted that charging the president with a crime was not an option we could consider because of Justice Department policy that a sitting president cannot be indicted. Advertisement The remarks were the first from Mueller, who studiously avoided public comments during his two years overseeing the investigation. Mueller conducted his investigation in silence apart from a single-sentence written statement accepting the job. He never appeared publicly to announce indictments, and he did not speak to the media when he filed his report of his findings on March 22 or when the Justice Department released a redacted version of it on April 18. According to the report, the investigation did not establish a criminal conspiracy between Trumps campaign and Moscow, but it showed how the presidents team welcomed Russias interference and expected to benefit from it. Moscow conducted a two-pronged covert effort during the 2016 campaign, including spreading divisive misinformation on social media and hacking and releasing Democratic Party emails. Mueller did not reach a conclusion on whether Trump broke the law by obstructing justice. The special counsels report outlined various ways the president tried to influence the outcome of the investigation, such as directing his White House lawyer to remove Mueller from his post. The report also said Trump tried to limit the probe to prevent further investigative scrutiny of the Presidents and his campaigns conduct. When Mueller filed his report, Barr released a letter saying the evidence did not show that Trump had committed a crime by obstructing justice. Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller and supervised the investigation, agreed with that assessment. Other outside legal experts, and many Democratic members of Congress, have said that some of Trumps actions could be considered obstruction. The House Judiciary Committee has been seeking Muellers public testimony about the investigation, but negotiations over when he might speak to the panel appear to have stalled. Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) said recently that Mueller wants to testify in private. Mueller doesnt want to participate in anything that he might regard as a political spectacle, Nadler said during an interview on MSNBC. Times staff writer Del Quentin Wilber contributed to this report. In his first and perhaps last public comments on the Russia investigation, outgoing special counsel Robert S. Mueller III pointedly refused Wednesday to clear President Trump of a possible crime, while urging Americans to confront foreign interference in U.S. elections. Appearing at the Justice Department, Mueller sought to put a capstone on his nearly two-year investigation, reading a statement but taking no questions from reporters. He did not definitively rule out testifying to Congress, but said he would not provide any information not contained in the redacted 448-page report released six weeks ago. He stopped far short of Trumps claims, and those of Atty. Gen. William Barr, that the investigation found no obstruction of justice by the president and no collusion between Trumps campaign and Russian operatives. Mueller said Justice Department guidelines prevent indicting a sitting president, a remark that suggested it was the rules, not the lack of evidence, which spared Trump from criminal charges. Advertisement If we had confidence that the president did not commit a crime, we would have said so, Mueller declared in a raspy baritone that hasnt been heard publicly since he was appointed special counsel in May 2017. As for Russias intervention in the 2016 campaign, he cited insufficient evidence to charge a broader conspiracy beyond the indictments of 25 Russian military intelligence operatives and others for stealing Democratic Party emails and sowing disinformation on social media. He urged Americans and implicitly Congress and the Trump administration to take the threat of foreign meddling more seriously to preserve the integrity of future U.S. elections. There were multiple, systematic efforts to interfere in our [2016] election, Mueller said. And that allegation deserves the attention of every American. Mueller, 74, announced that hes resigning as special counsel and will return to private life, an expected outcome now that his investigation is over. A former FBI director, he was in private practice before he was appointed special counsel. Trump responded in a tweet shortly after Mueller finished his statement. Nothing changes from the Mueller Report, he tweeted. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, the New York Democrat who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, by contrast highlighted Muellers refusal to clear Trump. It falls to Congress to respond to the crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump, Nadler said. We will do so. Nadler did not indicate that hes ready to begin impeachment proceedings, and he appeared less adamant about requiring Mueller to testify on Capitol Hill. Mr. Mueller told us a lot of what we need to hear today, Nadler said. Mueller made clear he hopes congressional testimony wont be necessary. The report is my testimony, Mueller said. I would not provide information beyond that which is already public in any appearance before Congress. He added, I do not believe it would be appropriate for me to speak further about the investigation or to comment on the actions of the Justice Department or Congress. After reading his statement, Mueller departed the podium with a staccato wave of his left hand as reporters shouted questions in vain. Although he barely strayed from the text of his report, his appearance abruptly announced 90 minutes earlier proved dramatic after spending nearly two years studiously avoiding any public comments. Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III departs after reading a public statement at Justice Department headquarters on Wednesday. (Olivier Douliery / TNS) He never appeared publicly to announce indictments, and he did not speak to the media when he filed his final report on March 22 or when the Justice Department released a redacted version of it April 18. The report documented how the presidents campaign team welcomed Russias offers of help and expected to benefit from it. Moscow conducted a two-pronged covert effort during the 2016 campaign. The Internet Research Agency, a so-called troll farm allegedly funded by an oligarch close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, spread divisive and false content on social media. And military intelligence officers hacked Democratic Party emails and released them through WikiLeaks at key moments during the campaign. Mueller did not reach a conclusion on whether Trump broke the law by obstructing justice. The special counsels report outlined various ways the president tried to influence the outcome of the investigation, such as directing his White House lawyer to remove Mueller from his post. The report also said Trump tried to limit the probe to prevent further investigative scrutiny of the presidents and his campaigns conduct. After Mueller filed his report, Barr released a letter saying the evidence did not show that Trump had committed a crime by obstructing justice. Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller and supervised the investigation, agreed with that assessment. Rosenstein has since resigned. Outside legal experts, and many Democratic members of Congress, argued that some of Trumps actions would be prosecuted if he were not president, however. Mueller had previously complained privately that Barr did not fully capture the context, nature and substance of this offices work and conclusions, but little of that tension was on display Wednesday. Instead, Mueller thanked Barr for making much of the report public and said he did not question the attorney generals good faith in the redaction process. However, the special counsels comments contrasted with Barrs own description of the investigation. For example, when Barr held a news conference last month, he said there is substantial evidence to show that the president was frustrated and angered by a sincere belief that the investigation was undermining his presidency, a perspective that cast Trumps actions in a more innocent light. Mueller expressed a more hard-line view Wednesday. When a subject of an investigation obstructs that investigation or lies to investigators, it strikes at the core of the governments effort to strike at the truth and hold wrongdoers accountable, he said. He also emphasized the role of Justice Department rules in his decision not to determine whether Trump committed a crime and hinted that it was up to lawmakers, not prosecutors, to sanction the president if they believe he broke the law two aspects of his report that Barr had downplayed. Charging the president with a crime was not an option we could consider, he said. The Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing, he added. Full coverage: The Mueller report Muellers statement came while Congress was on Memorial Day recess, when very few members are in Washington, dampening the chance of immediate fireworks from Capitol Hill. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who weeks ago declared case closed, was on stage at an event in Kentucky as the former special counsel spoke, according to a spokesman. But Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.), the only House Republican who has called for impeachment proceedings against the president to begin, tweeted soon after that the ball is in our court, Congress. Even though Mueller did not significantly expand on the text of his report in his comments, some Democratic presidential candidates responded by calling for impeachment. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York both tweeted that it was time to begin impeachment proceedings. Other Democratic candidates, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Sen. Kamala Harris of California, have already called for impeachment. Times staff writers Del Quentin Wilber, Sarah Wire and Janet Hook contributed to this report. 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. The Long Run: Allen Stokes University employees with more than 4 decades under their belts reflect on their careers They arrived in the 1970s, some after serving in Vietnam, some fresh out of high school or college. More than 40 years later, they still come to work at the University of South Carolina some after officially retiring. This is such a great place to work, people dont want to leave, says Caroline Agardy, vice president for Human Resources. Theyre proud to work for the University of South Carolina and dedicated to making higher education their lifes work. The workers who have committed their careers to the university agree. They stay because they like learning something new every day, helping young students find their way in an increasingly complicated world and interacting with co-workers who feel like family. TIMES spoke with a few of these long-term employees to see what keeps them coming back to work on campus, long after they could have settled into that place in the mountains or that home by the sea. The Paper Chase Allen Stokes, library specialist, South Caroliniana Library Allen Stokes came to South Carolina as a graduate student in history. He earned his masters in 1967 and worked processing manuscripts for the South Caroliniana Library. He took a 20-month hiatus to serve in Vietnam, returning to South Carolina and University Libraries in 1972, when he succeeded Clara Mae Jacobs as manuscripts librarian. When I first came here, everything was done on a typewriter with Wite-Out, he says. We didnt have a photocopy machine here in the library, we had a photostat machine. I had to go to another building to find a Xerox machine. He earned his doctorate in history in 1977 and, in 1982, compiled A Guide to the Manuscript Collection of the South Caroliniana Library the librarys first published guide to manuscript holdings, In 1983, Stokes was named director of the South Caroliniana Library and served in that position for 20 years before taking a break to return to manuscript processing. Two years later, he was back at the helm and served as director for another eight years. He retired in 2013. In the 1980s and early 90s, we had researchers from other universities, some would come and spend entire summers here, he says. One researcher who would come back year after year was Drew Faust, recently retired president of Harvard. Also during his tenure, Stokes served on the editorial board of the South Carolina Historical Magazine and co-edited Twilight on the South Carolina Rice Fields: Letters of the Heyward Family, 1862-1871. Stokes says he is most proud of all the collections and materials the library has made available for researchers over the years. Ive always enjoyed my work, he says. If I ever reach the time when I dont look forward to coming to work, then thats when its time to leave. Share this Story! Let friends in your social network know what you are reading about A new analysis of global fishing data has found the world's fishing fleet doubled in size over the 65-years to 2015 but for the amount of effort expended the catch fell more than 80 per cent. Published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study by researchers from the University of Tasmania and CSIRO found the global fishing fleet grew from 1.7 million vessels in 1950 to 3.7 million in 2015. However, despite better technology and increased motorisation, modern fishing vessels take only one fifth of the catch per unit of effort (CPUE) that the 1950s fishing fleet achieved. IMAS and CMS PhD student Yannick Rousseau, who led the study, said the findings reflect growing pressure on marine resources and a fall in the abundance of fish. "What we have seen over the last 65 years is more and more fishing vessels chasing fewer fish," Mr Rousseau said. "Since 1950 a dramatic increase in the size of the fishing fleet in Asia has more than off-setting small declines in North America and Western Europe. advertisement "Most of the increase in vessel numbers has been in motorised fishing boats, a change from the unpowered 'artisanal' fishing vessels that once characterised Asian and African fishing fleets. "But, despite its advanced technology and increased numbers, the modern motorised fleet is having to work much harder to catch fewer fish," he said. Mr Rousseau said fisheries scientists use a measure of catch per unit of effort (CPUE) to assess fisheries management and the well-being of fish stocks. "CPUE reflects how many fish are caught for the amount of effort expended, such as during a day's fishing, and this measure paints a dark picture of the state of the ocean's resources. "In recent years a sharp drop in CPUE in Southeast Asia, Latin America and the Southern Mediterranean indicates their fisheries expanded at a much faster rate than fish stocks could support." The study found that in developed countries such as Australia more effective fisheries management and a sharp fall in the size of the fishing fleet over the last decade has led to a recent stabilisation of CPUE. advertisement "However, on current worldwide trends we can expect to see a further one-million vessels on the water by mid-century and the average engine power of the global fleet continues to increase," Mr Rousseau said. "These changes will further challenge the sustainable use of fisheries resources in coming years. "This is a particular concern for populations in regions such as Southeast Asia, where a high proportion of people rely on fish for sustenance. "Our findings suggest that additional management measures are urgently warranted to ensure the future sustainability of global marine resources," Mr Rousseau said. A global study shows people born very preterm or with very low birthweight have a high risk of lung disease and are not reaching their full airway capacity by early adulthood. The research found those born before 32 weeks of pregnancy or with a birthweight of less than 1501g are four times more likely to have airflow in worrying clinical ranges in early adulthood than those born on time. The international study, published in the latest edition of The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, was led by the Murdoch Children's Research Institute, the Royal Woman's Hospital and the University of Melbourne, with collaborators from Norway, Finland, the UK, and The Netherlands. The research sourced data from 11 studies involving 935 participants who were born very preterm or with very low birthweight and 722 who were born at full term. All were aged between 16 and 33. Lead researcher Professor Lex Doyle said many people born very preterm or with very low birthweight will develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which blocks airflow and makes it difficult to breathe. Professor Doyle said the likelihood was even higher if they had bronchopulmonary dysplasia -- a form of lung injury that affects newborn babies, -- or were exposed to tobacco smoke or other pollutants. advertisement "The reductions in their airflow capacity in adolescence and early adulthood were substantial and a significantly higher proportion had expiratory flow rates (exhaling speed) in concerning clinical ranges compared with those born on time," he said. Professor Doyle said babies born very preterm or with very low birthweight often required help with breathing problems after birth, such as assisted ventilation or oxygen treatment, and many would develop bronchopulmonary dysplasia. "They go onto have reduced airflow through childhood compared with children born on time or of normal birthweight," he said. However, it wasn't clear until now whether they were reaching the expected peak of lung growth in their early 20s. "As they are now surviving in large numbers with modern obstetric and neonatal care, it's important to study their breathing ability in adulthood." Professor Doyle said general practitioners or specialist physicians should be aware that their adult patients born very preterm or with very low birthweight, particularly those who had bronchopulmonary dysplasia, were more likely to present with respiratory problems than those born at term. "Physicians should obtain a perinatal history, including gestational age at birth, birthweight, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia, when assessing adults with airway disease," he said. What kind of potato chip would you create, and what would you name it, if you wanted to sell the product exclusively to pregnant women? This was the task that marketing professors Kelly Herd (University of Connecticut) and Ravi Mehta (University of Illinois) presented to more than 200 adults, in a study of how emotion impacts creativity. Half of the group was simply given the assignment in an objective way. The other participants were told to take a few minutes, before beginning the task, to envision how the customer would feel while eating the snack. The amateur 'product designers' came up with vastly different potato chip ideas and descriptions, but the most creative (as judged by a panel of mothers-to-be) were: Pickles-and-Ice Cream chips; Sushi chips; and 'Margarita-for-Mom' chips. The most creative ideas came from the group that had thought about how the consumer would feel before starting the task."I think it is fascinating to see that eliciting empathy has inherent value in maximizing creativity," Herd says. "This is one of those areas of psychology that hasn't been clearly disentangled yet for marketers: how does explicitly thinking of others' feelings affect those who are creating new work?" "We've shown that empathy can change the way in which you think," she says. "We've looked at it in a somewhat narrow context of product design, but it appears that subtle things, such as imagining how someone else would feel, can have a huge impact on creativity in general." Separate Experiments Yield Consistent Results The research, titled, "Head vs. Heart: the Effect of Objective versus Feelings-Based Mental Imagery on New Product Creativity," will appear in the June issue of the Journal of Consumer Research. Herd and Mehta conducted five separate experiments, including asking participants to design a child's toy, select ingredients for a new kids' cereal, and redesign a grocery cart for the elderly. Each time, the group that produced the most original products was the one instructed to imagine the target consumers' feelings before beginning the task. advertisement The product judges were experts in the subject area -- for instance, the toys were judged by adults who work with children in the relevant age group. None of the judges were aware of the differences in the team assignments, and were asked simply to use their knowledge to identify which designs were the most creative. The findings reconcile previous studies that had produced inconclusive arguments on imagery and outcome. Emotional Connection Leads to Cognitive Flexibility The researchers believe the initial focus on others' feelings creates 'cognitive flexibility' -- the ability to simultaneously consider issues from diverse perspectives. The ability to "shift avenues of thought" while perceiving and processing information is a benefit to creativity. But it was important to determine that the proposals were not only creative, but feasible, Herd says. "We wanted to make sure the proposals weren't outlandish and that empathy didn't negatively impact practicality." The recommendation of eliciting an emotion before beginning a creative project offers product developers an inexpensive and simple way to boost their generation of ideas, she says. advertisement Companies are Tapping Consumer Brainstormers An interesting trend in marketing now is for large companies to develop new ideas for products and services from their customers' suggestions, says Herd. LEGO, Starbucks, Frito-Lay Co., and even the U.S. Army all offer opportunities for consumers to make recommendations for their corporate product line. This year alone, more than half of consumer goods manufacturers say they will get 75% of their innovation and research and development capabilities from crowdsourcing. Starbucks has fielded more than 150,000 customer ideas since it began implementing its crowdsourcing program in 2008. Their input has led to the creation of Frappuccino Happy Hour, mobile payment drive-throughs, free birthday treats, and the creation of cake pops. In an ultra-competitive marketplace, few companies will survive for long without innovation and new products, Herd says. In fact, a 2016 study published in Business News Daily found that 82% of company executives interviewed believe there is a strong connection between creativity and business results. Until now, mental imagery and other strategies impacting creativity haven't been well researched, she notes. The researchers were able to present new evidence demonstrating the effects of mental imagery on creativity, document the importance of different types of mental imagery, and identify cognitive flexibility as the underlying process. "We were trying to brainstorm context where people could design for others," says Herd. "Our participants spent a lot of time thinking these projects through, in some cases much more time than they needed to. One of the things we love about testing creativity is that it is engaging, and people say it is a fun task. Through these simple experiments, we've shown that consideration of an end-user's feelings is a potent tool for developing innovative new products and solving problems that exist in the marketplace." Tiny channels between nerve cells are involved in a newly discovered mechanism of how Parkinson's disease can spread throughout the brain. Researchers from LiU demonstrate that harmful protein aggregates can "hitch a lift" with channel-forming proteins, and in this way spread to healthy cells. Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's disease, affect different regions of the human brain. Despite these regional differences, research has shown that the processes inside cells affected by these diseases have a lot in common. One characteristic of these diseases is that specific proteins start to form aggregates, or deposits, that damage and eventually kill the cell. In Parkinson's disease, it is misfolded forms of a protein known as -synuclein that are involved. These aggregates can recruit normal forms of -synuclein, causing the formation of more protein aggregates. "During the past few decades, we have realised that the protein deposits in the brain can spread between cells, acting as seeds that start a new aggregation cycle in the next cell. The disease in this way spreads in the brain in a manner similar to an infection. We want to understand how the protein spreads, and use this knowledge in the long term to inhibit the spread of disease in the brain," says Martin Hallbeck, associate professor in the Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine at Linkoping University and consultant in surgical pathology at Linkoping University Hospital. It has long been known that cells that lie close to each other can create small channels (known as gap junction channels) between them. These small channels are built from members of a family of proteins known as connexins. Studies by other scientists have suggested that connexins play a role in other types of disease, such as HIV/AIDS. This led the researchers at Linkoping University to wonder whether connexins can play a similar role in the spread of Parkinson's disease in the brain. "It turned out that the harmful protein aggregates in Parkinson's disease can bind to connexin-32, Cx32, and be absorbed by a cell. We are the first to demonstrate that connexins play a role in the uptake and transfer of disease-related proteins from one cell to another in Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy, a related disorder," says Juan Reyes, senior postdoc in Martin Hallbeck's research group and primary author of the article that has been published in Acta Neuropathologica. Protein aggregates hitch a lift The brain contains more than 10 connexins, but the study suggests that the protein deposits in Parkinson's disease interact with only one of them, Cx32. Details of the process by which the harmful proteins transfer from one cell to a neighbouring cell with the aid of the channel-forming protein remain unclear. The scientists do know that the channel created by connexin is too narrow for the protein aggregates to pass through. They have shown that the aggregates bind to the channel-forming protein Cx32 and sneak into the cell together with it. When the researchers inhibited the formation of channels in cells in culture, absorption of -synuclein was prevented. In experiments using brain tissue from four deceased patients diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, the scientists observed a direct binding between synuclein and connexin in two of the cases, which suggests that they interact with each other also in the Parkinsonian brain but not in normal brains. "We hope that connexin-32 can be used in the future as a target for drug treatment," says Martin Hallbeck. Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, after Alzheimer's disease. The condition is characterised by tremors, stiff muscles and difficulties is starting physical activity, which becomes slow. Cognitive symptoms are also common in later stages of the disease. When symptoms become apparent, a relatively large fraction of the nerve cells in the region of the brain affected have already died. No treatment is currently available to inhibit disease progression. The study has received financial support from, among others, the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Brain Foundation, the Swedish Alzheimer's Foundation and the Ostergotland Research Foundation for Parkinson's Disease. The continuation of the study has also been awarded funding from the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. Unregulated cell division is a hallmark of cancer, and one of the key proteins involved in controlling cell division is called FoxM1. Abnormal activation of FoxM1 is a common feature of cancer cells and is correlated with poor prognosis, metastasis, and resistance to chemotherapy. Now researchers at UC Santa Cruz have determined the structure of this protein -- a kind of "master switch" for cell division -- in its inactive or "off" conformation. This new understanding of the structure of FoxM1 could ultimately be used to design new drugs that stabilize the protein in its inactive state and thereby stop the uncontrolled proliferation of cancer cells. Seth Rubin, professor of chemistry and biochemistry at UC Santa Cruz, explained that FoxM1 is a "transcription factor," a protein that controls the activity of specific genes. "When a cell is going to divide, there are a bunch of proteins that need to be made, and FoxM1 controls all the genes for those proteins," Rubin said. "Because cancer cells are proliferating and dividing all the time, they need to activate FoxM1, so it has long been a target for drug development." The new study involved a close collaboration between Rubin's lab and that of Nikolaos Sgourakis, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry. After determining the structure of the protein in the "off" state, the team then figured out how it switches from the inhibited conformation to the activated or "on" state. The researchers published their findings May 28 in the journal eLife. The study revealed that two separate domains of the FoxM1 protein interact and bind together in the inhibited conformation. The study also showed that the two domains separate and lose their structure when the protein is activated. Most proteins fold into an orderly three-dimensional structure that is key to their function, but some proteins function as disordered linear molecules with no particular 3D structure. "One thing a disordered state is good at is interacting with other proteins," Rubin said. "With FoxM1, the inactive state is all folded up on itself. When it gets activated it becomes disordered, and then it can recruit the other proteins needed to turn on gene expression. That's something that hasn't been seen before, and it may be a general mechanism for how transcription factors switch from the off state to the active state." It was known from previous studies that FoxM1 is activated by kinase enzymes, which add phosphoryl groups to specific sites on the protein. Rubin's team found that phosphorylation of FoxM1 at one particular site causes the dissociation of the two domains and that both domains then become structurally disordered. "Knowing the structure of the inhibited state of the protein really opens up a pathway to search for compounds that can stabilize it," Rubin said. "And beyond drug development, in terms of the understanding of how transcription factors work, the discovery of this transition from an ordered to a disordered state is an important advance." The determination of the structure was not easy, he said. The researchers used a technique called NMR spectroscopy, taking advantage of a powerful new instrument at the UC Santa Cruz NMR Facility. Rubin's initial work on FoxM1 was funded by a grant from the Santa Cruz Cancer Benefit Group. The new study was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the American Cancer Society, and Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. A new study published in Nature Climate Change finds coral reefs are under threat from ocean acidification. The study was led by researchers from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies (Coral CoE). Their results suggest some corals and coralline algae -- the 'glue' that holds reefs together -- cannot survive the expected more acidic oceans caused by climate change. "The results validate previous research on ocean acidification threats to coral reefs," said lead author Dr Steeve Comeau, who is now based at the Sorbonne Universite CNRS Laboratoire d'Oceanographie de Villefranche sur Mer in France. Co-author Prof Malcolm McCulloch, from Coral CoE at the University of Western Australia, said the researchers examined the calcifying fluid of four species of coral and two types of coralline algae under a year-long simulation. "The effects on the calcifying fluid were rapid and persisted for the whole year," Prof McCulloch said. Co-author Dr Chris Cornwall, now at the Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, explained coralline algae cements reefs together by acting as a foundation species and breeding ground for many species from the poles to the tropics. "Declines in coralline algae could lead to the loss of important marine species that use the algae as a nursery," he explained. "The results also confirm that ocean acidification could have repercussions on the competition between species. This can affect the ecological function of reefs," Dr Comeau added. He said the team did find two coral species were resistant to ocean acidification. However, these are corals that were resistant from the start. "This indicates they already had an in-built mechanism that made them resistant," he explained, "whereas sensitive corals were affected from the start and were not actually able to acclimatise." The study suggests the composition and function of future reefs -- if they can survive climate change -- will be very different to what we see today. MCBEE, S.C. Mayor John Campolong was awarded the Order of the Palmetto by Gov. Henry McMaster at his Statehouse Office on May 1. In attendance, in addition to the governor and Mayor Campolong, were House Speaker Jay Lucas (R-Hartsville) and the entire McBee Town Council, Charlie Sutton, Kemp McLeod and Bea Bolton, as well as more than 30 McBee residents and Campolong family members. The Order of the Palmetto was established in 1971 to recognize lifetime achievement and service to South Carolina. It is the highest civilian honor awarded by the governor. McMaster recognized Mayor Campolongs contributions to job creation since he arrived in South Carolina from Pennsylvania in 1947, personally creating over 300 textile industry jobs. Campolong also served South Carolina as an adviser to the South Carolina Development Board and he volunteered through local bank and hospital boards, as well as community organizations and church growth committees. (Reuters) Hedge funds liquidated more of their bullish petroleum positions as concerns about the health of the global economy and oil usage outweighed European and Middle Eastern supply disruptions. To read this article: The National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) on Tuesday reported that the adoption of the act which, for example, introduced stronger beverages to the shelves of grocery shops appears to have brought about a slight increase in alcohol consumption, reversing its long-term downward trend. NO MAJOR CHANGES have been observed in alcohol consumption following the adoption of a new alcohol act in Finland in April 2018. Pricing is probably the most significant reason for the smaller-than-estimated change, commented Pia Makela, a research professor at THL. Taloustutkimus and the Finnish Grocery Trade Association predicted that the prices of ciders and long drinks would fall by 40 per cent. Also THL estimated that the discount pricing of these products would make them competitively priced compared to low-cost beer. We fell well short of this at least in the first year, which is excellent news for public health, she added. In evaluating the effects of the legislative change, THL took into account a number of factors that have been shown to affect alcohol consumption, including summer weather, tax increases, and the storage and economic situation. It concluded that the legislative change alone has led to a 1.9 per cent rise in alcohol consumption, but added that the estimate is not statistically relevant as it falls within the range of statistical fluctuation. The Finnish government was initially proposing that the effects of the legislative amendment be evaluated three years after its implementation. Even three years may sometimes be too short a time for an assessment: the sales of ciders and long drinks started in grocery shops in 1995, and at the time consumer behaviour did not change until five years after the law had come into effect. We modelled the changes now due to high demand for a short-term intermediate assessment of changes, explained Makela. She underlined that final conclusions about the impact of the amendment cannot be drawn for several years. It will be also necessary to monitor whether the average strength of mild alcoholic beverages continues to increase: the average strength of alcoholic beverages sold at grocery shops rose from 4.5 to 4.7 per cent in 2018, added Makela. THL on Tuesday reminded that alcohol consumption decreased by 20 per cent and alcohol-related deaths by 33 per cent in Finland between 2007 and 2017. Roughly 70 per cent of the drop in consumption, it said, can be attributed to pricing and economy-related changes, such as tax increases. Aleksi Teivainen HT Source: Uusi Suomi On May 22, 2019, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged Fallcatcher, a purported biometric device and software startup company, and its founder, Henry Ford, with defrauding over fifty investors in the Philadelphia area of at least $5 million. The SEC secured an emergency asset freeze to preserve investor funds. According to the SEC's complaint, Ford, of Port St. Lucie, Florida, falsely told investors that well-known insurers and state governments had expressed interest in Fallcatcher's technology. Ford allegedly told investors that this technology tracked patients receiving opioid addiction treatment to prevent medical billing fraud. The SEC further alleges that Ford showed investors a fabricated letter of interest from a prominent insurance company expressing an interest in starting a pilot program using Fallcatcher's technology. In reality, however, the SEC's complaint alleges that no insurers or state governments had ever expressed any interest in either Fallcatcher or its technology. The SEC's complaint, filed in federal court in Philadelphia, charges Fallcatcher and Ford with violations of the antifraud provisions of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. The complaint seeks permanent injunctions, disgorgement plus prejudgment interest, and penalties. The SEC's investigation, which is continuing, has been conducted by Megan R. Genet, James Flynn, Kimberly Yuhas, Preethi Krishnamurthy and Steven G. Rawlings. The litigation will be led by Ms. Krishnamurthy, Karen E. Willenken and Ms. Genet under the supervision of Lara Shalov Mehraban. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. On May 29, 2019, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged George Slowinski with perpetrating a more than $20 million offering fraud involving real estate in the South Side of Chicago, Illinois impacting more than 600 investors. As alleged in the SEC's complaint, Slowinski, a Texas resident, was a principal and owner of Rebuilding America, LLC, which purportedly offered real estate investments. Slowinski and Rebuilding America allegedly told investors that Rebuilding America would pool investor proceeds to acquire, refurbish, and sell for profit residential real estate primarily located in the South Side of Chicago. Slowinski and Rebuilding America allegedly lured investors by touting Rebuilding America as a successful real estate program, and falsely promising to pay investors 38% returns in only two years. They allegedly raised more than $20 million from over 600 investors with assistance from London-based Project Kudos Group Limited and Singapore-based Infinity Treasures Private Limited. According to the complaint, while Slowinski touted Rebuilding America's profitability, he hid from investors that between 34% and 42% of every investment dollar would be diverted, upfront, to Slowinski and other Rebuilding America principals in the form of undisclosed fees and commissions. Slowinski allegedly quickly realized that Rebuilding America's business model was untenable, and would not be able to repay investors as promised. Yet, Slowinski allegedly continued to solicit investors and accept the hidden fees. The SEC further alleges that Slowinski diverted more than $2.8 million of investor funds, which had been earmarked for construction on specific Rebuilding America projects, to improperly pay for his companies' payroll, overhead, and cost overruns on other projects. The SEC's complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, alleges that Slowinski violated the antifraud provisions of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, and aided and abetted Rebuilding America's violations of the antifraud provisions of Sections 17(a) and 10(b), and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. The complaint seeks injunctive relief, disgorgement of ill-gotten gains, and civil penalties. The investigation of this matter was conducted by Timothy Stockwell and Ann Tushaus of the SEC's Chicago Regional Office. The investigation was supervised by C.J. Kerstetter and the litigation will be led by Ben Hanauer. Theres currently no row or disagreement over the issue in the chairpersons table thatd require any kind of a solution, he stated to a reporter in the House of the Estates in Helsinki on Tuesday. THE BIOPRODUCT MILL planned by Metsa Group in Kemi, Western Lapland, has not caused any disputes between the five chairpersons involved in the coalition formation negotiations, tells Antti Rinne, the chairperson of the Social Democrats. Metsa Group in April announced it will make a final decision on the approximately 1.5-billion-euro investment in 2020. The bioproduct mill has been estimated to necessitate an increase of 4.5 million cubic metres in logging volumes, an issue that has caused friction particularly between the Centre and Green League. The Green League has demanded that logging volumes be reduced from the current levels. Both the Centre and Social Democrats have contrastively voiced their vehement support for the large-scale project. Rinne on Tuesday also revealed that none of the roughly a dozen issues still on the table are related to employment or the economy. The plan, he said, is to resolve the issues today in order to enable the chairpersons to finalise the government programme and proceed to talks about the distribution of ministerial portfolios. The government could then take office at the end of next week, according to him. Pekka Haavisto, the chairperson of the Green League, commented on the negotiations in a different tone, saying an agreement has yet been found on a fair number of budget-related questions and certain finance and legislation-related objectives. The squabble over these issues has been intense between the groups, he pointed out. Haavisto also confirmed that the five chairpersons have reached an agreement on the scope and funding of the budget, as well as the scope of railway and other infrastructure investments. Aleksi Teivainen HT Source: Uusi Suomi More than 1,300 San Francisco nurses have signed on to a no-confidence letter they intend to send to leaders at the Department of Public Health on Thursday to protest what theyve long claimed is a chronic understaffing of nurses throughout the citys health care system. Despite playing critical roles on the front lines of the citys mounting homelessness, mental health and drug addiction crises, nurses say theyre running on fumes, with conditions forcing them to take on more patients, skip breaks and work overtime. The city, they claim, has consistently refused to address the issue by hiring more nurses. About 2,100 nurses are currently negotiating their contract with the city, but bargaining ended Friday with no resolution over the staffing issue, according to Nato Green, who is leading negotiations on behalf of the nurses union. Their current contract expires June 30 and a strike could come on July 1 if a deal isnt reached by then. By not staffing hospitals appropriately, were harming all of our patients, said psychiatric nurse Jennifer Esteen. It is time to appropriately staff the hospitals so our patients can be served. We shouldnt be depending on overtime to staff any of our facilities. Esteen was one of more than 100 nurses who flooded a Health Commission meeting Tuesday to take their demands directly to Health Department officials. The meeting ended not long after their arrival, she said. Green said the union is asking for a budget boost of between $8 million and $10 million to address the staffing shortfalls. The union said there are 76 nurse vacancies, and claims that 40% of nursing hours are worked by temporary per diem nurses who dont have access to the citys pension program and other benefits. The nurses frustration is with the departments long-term inability or unwillingness to address chronic understaffing that puts patients and nurses at risk, Green said. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. In a letter sent to Health Department officials Monday, Roland Pickens, director of the San Francisco Health Network, said the city has offered base wage increases of 11% over three years along with other improvements totaling more than $45 million investment in nurses. The citys offer is a demonstration of our commitment to nurses. We also have made commitments to nurse staffing increases and differential pay for difficult assignments, and are discussing the concerns that nurses have, as we work toward completing the contract negotiations, Pickens wrote. Dominic Fracassa is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dfracassa@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dominicfracassa Bay Area officials say a critical upgrade to increase BARTs passenger capacity is being held up needlessly in Washington, where a $1.25 billion federal grant application has languished for 18 months. The issue picked up momentum this month as Californias U.S. senators sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation secretary urging immediate action on the grant application. On Wednesday, BART officials upped the pressure, saying that a fatal crash on the Bay Bridge, which jammed traffic into the city for hours and brought 10,000 additional passengers to the train system, illustrated the need for improvements. Standing still for us is not an option its not an option for the regions economy, and its not an option for BART, General Manager Grace Crunican told a throng of reporters at the West Oakland Station, as trains rumbled overhead. Its essential that the federal government step up to the plate, she added. BART is seeking the grant to buy a new train-control system, new rail cars, a set of storage tracks for its Hayward yard and traction power substations to carry more people through its Transbay Tube. About 27,000 passengers currently move through the tube every hour on 23 trains of varying lengths. The improvements would boost that number to 39,000 people by allowing BART to run 30 10-car trains each hour. But officials at the Federal Transit Administration let the grant application sit for a year and a half, preventing it from moving to the next phase. A spokeswoman for the administration did not respond immediately on Wednesday. Were running at the limit of what our current train-control system can handle, said Duncan Watry, project manager for core capacity at BART. He and other transit officials hope to get the application approved by the end of the year so they can award a new train-control contract. The entire project will cost $3.5 billion, but two-thirds of that money will come from state and local funds, including voter-approved Measure RR. On Wednesday morning, when a box truck collided with a Golden Gate Transit bus on the Bay Bridge, killing one person and causing gridlock throughout the Bay Area, BART officials saw an opening. At a news conference that afternoon they tried to rally support for the federal funds, saying the bridge wreck shows how essential BART is to the region: While traffic crawled for miles along Interstate 80 and spread into residential neighborhoods, the agency boosted service by adding train cars and operators. Paul Chinn / The Chronicle If the Transbay Corridor Core Capacity Program grant is postponed into next year, BART will lose money. The agency estimates its costs will rise $10 million for every month that awarding the train-control-system contract is delayed beyond December. And the cost of new rail cars could also escalate, Watry said. Weve been jumping through more and more and more hoops, said board President Bevan Dufty. Earlier this month, several Bay Area congressional leaders, including Sens. Kamala Harris and Dianne Feinstein, sent a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, urging her to review and advance the grant application. BARTs project is a shining example of the type of infrastructure investment that the Core Capacity program was designed to support, the letter said. It noted that federal authorities gave the core capacity project application the highest possible technical grade, although they left it stuck in administrative limbo since December 2017. Some observers in the transportation world speculate that BART is being stymied by politics. BARTs coming to the federal government with one of the best single projects that youre going to see, said Randy Rentschler, legislative director of the Bay Area Metropolitan Transportation Commission. Yet the transit agency is hitting the headwind of a presidential administration that generally dismisses public transit, Rentschler said. And its hitting the tide of partisan politics: BART is a vital link for one of the bluest, most Democrat-leaning areas in the country. The transit administrations budget for next year disburses $1.5 billion among mass-transit projects with grant applications approved by the Obama administration, such as Los Angeles extension of the Purple Line and the electrification of Caltrain. Most of them lie in blue states. But the budget also proposed cutting funding for new projects down to $500 million, enough for zero new projects, ever, said the D.C.-based transportation industry newsletter, Eno Transportation Weekly. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. By contrast, data from the U.S. Department of Transportation show the administration is shifting funds to highways and bridges. The majority of last years discretionary transportation grant awards went to rural areas, and the urban grant awards were largely in red states clustered in the South, the Southeast and the Midwest. One example is a $9 million grant for the Nenana Bridge Project in Nenana, Alaska. It would improve economic competitiveness and quality of life by providing year-round access to approximately 650,000 acres of developable energy resources, according to the grant description. Petroleum companies have long eyed the Nenana basin for oil drilling. So, while the Trump administration is spending money to build bridges in the wilderness, its taken an aggressive stance toward stopping public transit, which could explain why BARTs plans got stuck, Rentschler said. To MTC Commissioner Nick Josefowitz, the BART grant delay harks back to President Trumps decision this month to cancel $1 billion in funds for high-speed rail in California. But whereas bullet trains are still an abstract, far-in-the-future idea, BARTs project is immediate and vital, Josefowitz said. Its going to move way more people than high-speed rail, Josefowitz said. And its an essential link for one of the most economically productive regions in the country and a large tax base to support the federal government. As the Bay Areas economy and population boom, demands are piling up on its already-stressed rail system. A new MTC study predicts that San Francisco would add 300,000 jobs by 2040, creating an impossible haul for BART. At that rate, the Transbay Tube would reach capacity by 2027. Officials are looking at design concepts to start building a second tube within the next decade, but they havent identified funding. With such daunting challenges ahead, transit officials hope to stretch their existing infrastructure as far as it will go. But they cant grind along forever on equipment and technology that dates to 1972. Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan Two people are in critical condition after their vehicle flipped over and caught fire in an industrial part of San Franciscos Hunters Point neighborhood, authorities said. Officers responded at 2:48 a.m. Monday to the area of Cargo Way and Mendell Street to a report of a traffic accident with serious injuries. The Oakland City Councils public safety committee approved a resolution Tuesday to decriminalize certain natural psychedelics, including mushrooms, paving the way for Oakland to become the second city in the country to do so. The resolution, introduced by committee chairman Noel Gallo, instructs law enforcement to stop investigating and prosecuting people using the drugs. It applies to psychedelics that come from plants or fungi, not synthetic drugs like LSD or MDMA, also known as ecstasy. The measure next heads to the City Council for deliberation. It was approved by three committee members. One committee member, Loren Taylor, abstained. Though there are rarely any arrests in Oakland over the use of psychedelic plants, Gallo said the resolution is a step toward legitimizing use of the plants for medicinal purposes. We want to be able to tell our police department we have other priorities that are more serious, lets focus on that and leave our community alone when it comes to trying to take care of our medical needs through native plants, said Gallo. Many of us are using the natural plants to help us not only with our mental needs, but our physical needs and so Im here to support that. The Oakland measure would decriminalize mushrooms containing psilocybin, as well as the psychedelic plants ayahuasca, cacti and iboga. The measure is part of a wave of decriminalization efforts nationwide that some proponents call a psychedelic renaissance. A ballot measure in Denver to decriminalize hallucinogenic mushrooms was approved earlier this month. Other statewide initiatives are brewing in California and Oakland. More than 100 people filled the Oakland City Council chambers. One person held a cardboard sign that read Nature Is Not A Crime. Another person clutched a cactus and wore a shirt that read, Im just here for the Fungi. Oakland should decriminalize on one fact and one fact alone, Gary Kono said to the four-person committee. It never should have been criminalized in the first place. Many speakers said decriminalization is the first step in pushing the effort to use the plants to treat depression. When committee member Rebecca Kaplan thanked Gallo for introducing the resolution, dozens of people stood up from their seats and cheered. Kaplan expressed her support for the resolution. Richard Nixon launched a war that we all know is stupid, racist, wasteful and expensive, Kaplan said. And its long past time for us to continue fighting Nixons war for him. Taylor expressed concerns on how to manage the use of the plants that wouldnt put people in danger. It is something that could be taken advantage of, Taylor said. I want to make sure we are thinking through all the implications of how we are rolling it out. I think there is potential and value. My tendency is to make sure that we are really being deliberate in how we go about it and not just sort of opening it up carte blanche. 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. Gallo said the discussion at the committee meeting is just the first step in pursuing decriminalization. He said he supported the resolution after being approached by Decriminalize Nature Oakland, a community group promoting natural psychedelics for mental health and overall well-being. The group made him see the positive impacts the use of natural psychedelics could have on people suffering from depression and mental health issues, he said. These plants have been in use for thousands of years, not only spiritually, but also health wise, Gallo said. (My grandmother) was a curandero (healer) in Mexico and she didnt go to Walgreens to get her medication, they grew it in their backyards and that is how we healed each other for thousands of years. Oaklands decriminalization efforts are particularly important because the city is a microcosm of the rest of the country, said Carlos Plazola, the director of Decriminalize Nature Oakland. This is about all of our connections to the natural world and to healing plants and fungi that have existed and co-evolved with humans for centuries, Plazola said. A growing interest in using natural psychedelics has re-emerged over the past few years, including from mainstream research institutions that had long avoided study of hallucinogens since the 1960s and 70s. Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani At 29, Jirayut New Latthivongskorn boasts an enviable resume. Hes a UC Berkeley and Harvard University alumnus. A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. Founder of an immigration advocacy organization. And, most recently, Latthivongskorn became the first undocumented student to graduate from the UCSF School of Medicine in its 155-year history. Latthivongskorn completed the program in Medical Education for the Urban Underserved, a five-year track for students focused on serving marginalized communities. Hell start his residency training in family and community medicine at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital in June, through a UCSF program. At one point, none of this seemed possible for Latthivongskorn, whose parents brought him to the U.S. illegally from Thailand at age 9 with two older siblings. He goes by New, a nickname given to him at birth, as is tradition in Thai culture. The family settled quietly in Northern California, careful not to attract any attention for fear it would bring immigration authorities to their door. I really channeled a lot of these pressures and uncertainty into school, hoping that that would change things, said Latthivongskorn, a recipient of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which offers temporary deportation relief to young people brought to the country illegally as children. I think the reality of being undocumented is, thats not enough. Thats not going to be what changes things and opens doors. Latthivongskorns parents originally immigrated to Fremont. But after a school official asked his mother for documentation when she went to enroll New in elementary school, the family frightened of being outed moved to Milpitas. Unable to speak English or comprehend American cultural norms, Latthivongskorn struggled in school for the first few years. But with time he thrived, challenging himself in middle school to read, write and learn as much as he could. Courtesy New Latthivongskorn His parents worked restaurant jobs to make ends meet, and, in 2004, they moved to Sacramento, where Latthivongskorn attended Inderkum High School. Exposure to health and science in college led Latthivongskorn to pursue medicine, though he didnt foresee the challenges ahead. Undocumented students often struggle to overcome the personal and professional hurdles they encounter on the path to higher education. Those obstacles are magnified in the medical world, where undocumented students are in the vast minority and are often denied opportunities because of their immigration status, according to advocates and educators. DACA has opened new doors for many of these students, though there are limits. More than 75 medical schools across the U.S. consider DACA recipients for admission, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges, which noted an uptick in these types of applications. The Trump administration rescinded the program in 2017, but a series of court appeals have kept it in place, allowing current DACA recipients to renew their status. The program isnt open to new applicants. Supreme Court justices didnt take up the issue this year, making it likely that the program will stand until at least 2020. Photos by Jessica Christian / The Chronicle Latthivongskorns status was ever present in his personal and educational life, at times forcing him to navigate roadblocks. School advisers didnt always know how to help him, and when it came time to log volunteer hours at hospitals, it was difficult to find places that didnt require Social Security numbers and background checks, he said. All of this kept him underground, reluctant to share his status with anyone. But it was a scholarship from Immigrants Rising, and discovery of ASPIRE, a group in San Francisco for undocumented youths, that sparked his coming-out journey, putting him on a road to advocacy and policy work. For me that was the first gateway to meeting other undocumented folks, he said. It was much more of a longer transformation, but I think both of these groups were really a way for me to continue to, over the course of a few years, come to terms with what it means to be undocumented. Katharine Gin, co-founder and executive director of Immigrants Rising, remembers meeting Latthivongskorn as a fearful and vulnerable teen in 2010 and watching him slowly come out of the shadows. I remember the halting voice and the real fear and hearing him for the first time articulate out loud what it meant to be undocumented, she said. I feel like hes someone who has been able to artfully combine his own personal achievements with raising visibility within the broader community he represents. In 2012, Latthivongskorn and two undocumented colleagues, Denisse Rojas and Angel Ku, founded Pre-Health Dreamers, a national organization that provides resources and advocates for undocumented students pursuing careers in health and science. Jessica Christian / The Chronicle Feeling stuck and overwhelmed by their immigration status, Latthivongskorn and Rojas made a spreadsheet titled Were going to med school to map out a game plan and keep themselves motivated. It seemed like a wall that we couldnt break through, said Rojas, 29. People thought we were crazy, but I knew we had each other and we believed in the same thing and that kept me going. 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. That encouraged them to share their insights with other undocumented students facing similar struggles, whether it was inability to access financial aid or lack of representation on campus. Rojas of Fremont, who also is a DACA recipient, is the first undocumented student to attend the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. Rojas and Latthivongskorn estimate there are at least 120 undocumented medical school students across the country. Latthivongskorn worked part-time jobs and earned private scholarships to get through UC Berkeley, where he got a bachelors degree in molecular and cellular biology. In 2017, he paused his studies at UCSF for one year to earn a masters degree in public health from Harvard. New has been an incredible citizen in our UCSF community, said Dr. Catherine Lucey, executive vice dean and vice dean for education at the UCSF School of Medicine, in a statement. In addition to excelling in his studies, he has consistently given his time to advocate for the type of society that welcomes and celebrates the contributions of immigrants, ensures that all have access to high quality healthcare, education, homes and jobs, and builds communities in which all thrive. UCSF is a better school because New was a student. During his commencement May 22, Latthivongskorn was recognized with the UCSF Gold-Headed Cane award, given to three students from each graduating class who exemplify the qualities of a true physician. It was a huge honor for me to get that, he said. I think Im still processing it. ... By me being as authentic and vulnerable as possible in my immigration journey, that I can have this much of an impact is really cool and really reaffirming. Tatiana Sanchez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tatiana.sanchez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TatianaYSanchez The Assembly on Wednesday passed gig work legislation that could send seismic changes across Californias employment landscape if passed by the Senate and signed by the governor. Hundreds of thousands of independent contractors, ranging from Uber and Lyft drivers to manicurists, could become employees under AB5, which codifies a groundbreaking California Supreme Court decision known as Dynamex. The court decision and the bill both apply three-part criteria, called the ABC test, to determine whether a worker is an employee. To be a true independent contractor, it says, a worker must be free from a companys control, doing work not central to the companys business, and have an independent business in that trade. The bills author, Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, said that companies often classify workers as independent contractors to duck laws governing minimum wage, overtime, workers comp, disability and other benefits. Many experts say reclassifying workers as employees can add 30% to a companys labor expenses. AB5 will give certainty to the businesses of California, give certainty to the workers, certainty to the taxpayers, Gonzalez said on the Assembly floor. This is a monumental victory for Californias working people, said Steve Smith, a spokesman for the California Labor Federation. Organized labor strongly backed the bill, which has the potential to create new classes of employees who could become union members. This sets a standard that allows California workers to succeed and to enjoy the basic protections all workers should have. But many businesses large and small said the bill would devastate them, and some independent contractors said they feared loss of the flexibility that is key to their lives. Small businesses rely heavily on third-party providers because they dont have the wherewithal in many cases to hire employees for some tasks, said Jack Frost, president of Pro-Small Biz California. Independent contractors help create efficiencies and a profitable bottom line. The bill passed 53-11. But even many of its supporters said they felt it needed revisions before going through the Senate, notably exempting more professions and industries, as well as small businesses, from its provisions. So far, the bill exempts doctors, dentists, lawyers, architects, accountants, engineers, insurance agents, investment advisers, direct sellers, real estate agents, hairstylists and barbers who rent booths at salons, as well as marketers and human-resources professionals with advanced degrees. But the California Chamber of Commerce and the Im Independent Coalition of businesses seek a lengthy list of further exemptions, including ones for short-term projects, business-to-business contracts, and people who like to control their own schedules, such as Uber/Lyft drivers, newspaper distributors, taxi drivers, truck drivers, consultants, travel agents, caterers, freelance writers, graphic designers and more. What makes a worker an employee? The California Supreme Court set out a three-part standard, called the ABC test, that says a worker is an independent contractor only if all of these apply: A. Control: The company hiring the worker does not direct how the work is performed. B. Scope: The work is in a field different from the hiring company's business. C. Independence: The worker runs a business doing the same kind of work performed for the hiring company. To see the ruling: bit.ly/2WBvnn6 To see the text of AB5: leginfo.legislature.ca.gov See More Collapse Language translators would be hit particularly hard, said Naomi Bowman, president of DS-Interpretation, a South San Francisco firm that provides interpreters for conferences and other events. Such workers are not mere side-gig workers in a new economy but true, professional, highly-skilled independent contractors who operate independent businesses with dozens or hundreds of clients, she said in an email. They want to and should be allowed to remain independent contractors. Otherwise, she said, language interpreting will be outsourced to other states or countries. Although at least 2 million Californians work as independent contractors, much attention has focused on Uber/Lyft drivers. Many drivers and their companies say they fear losing flexibility. Lyft drivers overwhelmingly prefer the freedom of working where, when, and how much they want, Lyft said in a statement. Many are moms, students, seniors or veterans and 75 percent of them drive less than 10 hours a week. While Lyft said AB5 would force ridesharing drivers into shift work, eliminating the control drivers currently have over their own schedules, backers of the legislation disagreed. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes There is nothing in the law or the bill that says they cannot provide the exact same flexibility they do now, said Smith from the California Labor Federation. Drivers could still go on the app and decide when to drive. Nothing would preclude Uber (or Lyft) from allowing that to happen. Edward Escobar, a San Francisco Lyft/Uber driver who also works with the Alliance for Independent Workers, an organizing movement for drivers and others, said he and many other drivers are fine remaining contractors as long as they truly are independent. An electrician or plumber sets their own rates, terms and conditions, he said. Thats what we want. Uber and Lyft have done a bait and switch; they are undermining what it means to be an independent contractor. The bills economic impact is still under debate. On one hand, Gonzalez said, California loses upwards of $8 billion a year because of lost wages, lost taxes and expenses as a state when companies misclassify workers, noting that taxpayers subsidize social-safety net assistance for misclassified workers. On the other hand, businesses said theyd be forced to pass along higher costs to customers. Thats the argument they use for any worker protection, whether minimum wage or sick days, Smith said. In practice, this has potential to have a really positive economic impact on both consumer spending and public services. Theres a clear benefit to increasing the buying power of workers by ensuring they get paid a fair wage. Also up in the air is how reclassification might actually occur if the bill becomes law. Many gig workers have agreed to handle disputes through arbitration, which precludes them from filing class-action lawsuits. A California agency such as the Labor Commissioners Office might need to step in. Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaid Fiat Chryslers proposal to merge with French rival Renault has industry executives, analysts and union leaders rushing to figure out how it would reshape the automotive sector worldwide. A deal would create the third-largest automaker with annual sales of 8.7 million vehicles, behind Volkswagen and Toyota. It would be a bold step in the industry consolidation that many see as necessary in the capital-hungry sector, which Fiat Chrysler Automobiles says would create $5.6 billion in savings. Yet, while Renault has indicated it is open to talks, the plan faces hurdles and questions, including where savings and perhaps even job cuts will come from. Fiat Chrysler made its plan public Monday, and is awaiting a response from Renault. The Renault board met to discuss what they termed a friendly offer. The French government holds a 15% stake in Renault, and will have a say in the outcome. Renaults board will meet early next week to decide on whether to say yes or no to the proposal. A yes would open the way for a nonbinding memorandum of understanding to open exclusive merger negotiations with Fiat Chrysler. The ensuing process would involve consultations with unions, the government, antitrust authorities in all relevant jurisdictions, as well as other regulators. It would take about a year. One particular impact a deal could have is on Renaults existing alliance with Japanese partners Nissan and Mitsubishi. Questions over the future of that alliance have grown since the criminal investigation into the former head of Renault and Nissan, Carlos Ghosn, who denies wrongdoing. Ghosn intended to merge the two, but industry analyst Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer says the deal had little appeal for the Japanese. He noted that Renaults sales represented just 36% of alliance sales and the Japanese didnt want to see the French carmaker drive a merger with those numbers. It is unclear whether they would be amenable to a bigger tie-up, adding Fiat Chrysler to the mix. Renault Chairman Jean-Dominique Senard is in Tokyo on Wednesday for a monthly meeting of Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi management, where he will discuss the merger proposal with his Japanese partners. The French union CGT has warned that the biggest risk of the proposed merger between Renault and Fiat Chrysler is to declare war on Nissan-Mitsubishi, due to their apparent resistance to full mergers. The deal makes a lot of sense strategically: Renault is strong in Europe, Fiat Chrysler in North America; Renaults focus is passenger cars and Fiat Chryslers is SUVs and big trucks, while it works to boost its Italian luxury brands Maserati and Alfa Romeo. Renault, critically, has electric and hybrid technology that Fiat Chrysler lacks. Through Nissan-Mitsubishi, a foothold in Asia, where Fiat has struggled, would give an expanded alliance even stronger appeal for Fiat. And both automakers need to make serious investments to develop new driving technologies, like autonomous driving. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes Fiat Chrysler can flaunt the fact that it has done well merging its Italian and American sides over the past decade. Fiats late CEO Sergio Marchionne, a master deal maker, sealed an agreement with U.S. officials in 2009 to take over bankrupt Chrysler in exchange for small-car technology and managerial expertise. The deal secured Fiats survival, with Chrysler now the carmakers big cash machine on the strength of Jeep SUVs and Ram trucks. Marchionne died last July, and his successor, CEO Mike Manley, who worked alongside Marchionne for years, has taken up the deal-making mantle along with Chairman John Elkann, heir to the Fiat-founding Agnelli family. Jobs could present one of the biggest hurdles the proposed merger. The French government says that any deal needs to protect all French jobs and factories, and preserve Renaults alliance with Nissan and Mitsubishi. Italy does not hold the same sway over Fiat Chrysler, but Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini likewise says any deal must preserve Italian jobs. Fiat Chrysler says 90% of savings would come from reduced spending on parts, and combining research and development, manufacturing and tooling. Colleen Barry and Angela Charlton are Associated Press writers. Santa Clara software company MapR Technologies is shutting down and firing 122 employees following financial troubles. Even CEO John Schroeders job is being eliminated, along with other senior executives and dozens of engineers, according to a letter sent by the company to Californias Employment Development Department and Santa Clara city officials. The WARN Act notice comes after the company was unsuccessful in securing funding to continue operations. MapR Technologies, founded in 2009, had raised $280 million from investors, with the latest infusion coming in 2017, according to Crunchbase, a database of startup information. In the letter, Schroeder wrote that the company did not give the notice required by the state for mass layoffs at businesses of its size because it was trying to secure financing. MapR had a realistic opportunity to obtain the financing sought, Schroeder wrote. The company reasonably and in good faith believed that sending the 60-day notice at the time the 60-day notice would have otherwise been required precluded the company from obtaining the financing it was actively seeking, Schroeder wrote. Layoffs will be completed by June 14, Schroeder wrote, but the company would likely fire nonessential employees sooner. MapR is still trying to keep its doors open, the company said, having cut some sales positions and is now seeking a buyer. MapR is actively pursuing a strategic transaction that might allow it to complete this transition and avoid closing its Santa Clara site, the company said. In fact, MapR received more than one letter of intent from interested parties, and today is engaging in the due diligence process in a transaction which, if consummated, may eliminate the need to close the Santa Clara site. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes The company said it filed the WARN notice as a precaution because of the uncertainty of the situation. MapR concluded that the most prudent course of action was to provide Santa Clara employees with the notice required under applicable law (WARN) while it continues to pursue a transaction that, if successful, may permit it to keep the Santa Clara site open and retain many of the employees that might have otherwise been affected. MapRs customers included Cisco, Cision, HP and TransUnion, according to its website. The company competes with cloud software companies like Palo Altos Cloudera, and had a valuation of more than $1 billion after a round of funding in 2016, according to TechCrunch. Sophia Kunthara is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sophia.kunthara@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SophiaKunthara One listing says a soup kitchen opens at 5 p.m., but people who eat there say you have to line up an hour earlier to make sure you get in. Another listing says a shelter is for seniors but doesnt say whether pets are allowed. Such details can be critical to people on the streets seeking a lifeline. But maintaining the patchwork of databases and printed directories that track social services is time-consuming and tedious and each agency that makes referrals usually does its own updating, so theres a lot of duplicated effort. Benetech, a Palo Alto nonprofit that harnesses software for social good, is seeking to address that issue with a program called Benetech Service Net. Its almost halfway through a six-month pilot with six Bay Area social-service agencies to collaborate on maintaining their crucial databases of local resources through an open-standards data exchange. At a time when anyone can use Yelp to find nearby places serving gluten-free pizza, Benetech wants to extend that same speed, reach and relevance to social services. Service Nets ecosystem is about better referrals, said Betsy Beaumon, Benetech CEO. To do that, its working to build better plumbing to connect the disparate databases of nonprofits so that if one agency updates a listing, they all get the fresh information. The problem of keeping data accurate weighs down cash-strapped agencies. More than 20 Bay Area groups offer significant data on social services; most make phone calls to update their own lists, often dedicating several people to the task, Beaumon said. We want to be more responsive and better serve people in need, said Kelly Batson, senior vice president for community impact at United Way of the Bay Area, which operates 211 in San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Marin, Napa and Solano counties. The free helpline, which handles 40,000 calls a year, provides information and referrals to connect people in need with community services, including crisis support, food and shelter, health care and finding work. Jana Asenbrennerova / Special to The Chronicle Her goals in participating in Service Net mirror those of the pilot itself: improve the overall system, share the data United Way collects, stop duplicating efforts and make it easier for service providers to enter information. Why are we all updating the same resources? Batson said. The platform Benetech is creating lets us look at each others data, and see when a change has been made so were not all trying to update the same records. Collaboration will also ensure that records are more comprehensive. For example, four of the agencies in the pilot had a listing for a San Francisco shelter for youths age 18 to 24. But each of the records had different descriptions of the application process and only one explained about its curfew and waiting list policy. Two of the agencies didnt explain that it also offered career counseling and mentoring, while one didnt have its website address. Other important information that not all records now cover for shelters is whether they accept personal belongings, only accept women and children (not allowing sons over age 18), are wheelchair accessible, have upper bunks requiring the ability to climb a ladder, or require state photo ID. Despite the benefits of working together, some agencies may be leery of sharing their hard-earned data. Its blood, sweat, tears and some of their crown jewels, Beaumon said. Theres a trust factor to work through before we get to the point where (data) would be fully shared. We say, Its your data but we will provide a way to connect it to others data. Issues around governance are still to be thrashed out. After the pilot concludes in four months, Benetech hopes to bring Service Net to the whole Bay Area and expand farther. This is a ubiquitous problem, she said. Health care providers such as Kaiser and Dignity Health, both among the pilots funders, are particularly interested as they need accurate information on resources for their patients. For instance, Californias SB 1152, which took effect this year, requires hospitals to make post-care arrangements for homeless patients, discharging them to a residence or social services provider. San Franciscos ShelterTech, another pilot participant, created a portal called AskDarcel.org, funded by the San Francisco Mayors Office of Housing and Community Development, to identify all local services available for homeless people. It seeks to continuously vet and update its data, which previously was available through a biannual print resource guide. It sponsors frequent datathons at which volunteers from tech companies work alongside paid community representatives people who are currently or recently homeless on verifying the information. Theres the street knowledge aspect that can only be provided by people who have experienced homelessness, said Bill Soward, executive director. That makes it far more relevant. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes Service Net meshes well with his agencys open-source approach. This is not a time to be proprietary, he said. Working across a number of different organizations to share data and updates, and identify where there are mismatches in information, will help improve quality and reduce redundant work across organizations. The other Service Net pilot participants are Eden I&R (which runs 211 for Alameda County), Health Leads, Legal Aid Association of California and San Mateo County Human Services. Founded in 2000, the 80-employee Benetech has experience with complex projects. It created and maintains the worlds largest library of accessible books with more than 700,000 titles in Braille, audio and e-book formats. It adds about 5,000 books a month from 850 publishers that release books to it electronically the same day that Amazon gets them. Called Bookshare and largely funded by the U.S. Department of Education, that initiative brings in $9 million a year, a big chunk of Benetechs annual $14 million revenue. The rest is from donations and grants from individuals, corporations and foundations. Benetech is building on Bookshare to develop better ways for people who are blind, dyslexic or have other disabilities to interact with mathematical and scientific information. Its creating a tool called Mathshare to allow students who cant work with a pencil and paper to use a keyboard or audio interface as they solve complex problems. We try to be a bridge between Silicon Valley and the social sector, said Beaumon. Having one foot in each camp helps us build credibility and gives us real-world knowledge about where some of the issues are. Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaid Michael Short / Special to The Chronicle 2017 A marijuana dispensary that delivers to customers in the East Bay and on the San Francisco Peninsula has laid off 136 workers, the company told a state agency. Green Coast Management does not sell cannabis out of a physical storefront, but instead hires drivers to deliver weed orders placed via the Eaze app. The layoffs affected 115 people working as delivery drivers, according to a filing last week with the states Employment Development Department. The other positions terminated include case packer, fleet operations specialist and depot supervisor. State insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara is seeking help from the industry he regulates for survivors of the Wine Country wildfires who are still struggling to rebuild their homes. After meeting in Santa Rosa on Tuesday night with city officials and block captains from neighborhoods ravaged by the Tubbs Fire, Lara announced he had requested that insurers continue paying living expenses for policyholders without inhabitable homes for an additional year. He also asked insurers to cover the full replacement cost for new homes instead of subtracting the land value. The notices, sent to residential insurance companies on Tuesday, would aid thousands of 2017 wildfire survivors who are still trying to rebuild their homes and are struggling with shortages of contractors and building supplies and delays in demolishing burned homes and hauling away debris. Following the 2017 fires in the North Bay, state lawmakers in 2018 extended living expense coverage from 24 to 36 months, but the new laws do not apply retroactively to survivors of the 2017 fires that destroyed 5,300 homes and caused more than $12 billion in losses across five counties. Now many of those survivors face the loss of insurance benefits within months. Homeowner policies typically cover additional living expenses such as food and housing costs, furniture rental, moving and storage and transportation expenses while a home is uninhabitable. With labor shortages and other outside factors delaying the rebuilding process, time is running out for many who lost their homes in the 2017 fires, Lara said in a statement. I urge insurers to show good faith with their policyholders by extending living expense payments to those who have endured so many delays beyond their control. Lara also issued a second request asking insurers not to subtract the value of the land beneath destroyed homes when calculating their replacement costs, should fire survivors choose to buy a replacement home instead of rebuilding. Weve been pushing hard to ensure policyholders get the full value when they replace their home by buying, said Amy Bach, executive director of United Policyholders, a nonprofit advocacy group that represents insurance purchasers. Fire Tracker Follow wildfires across the state Latest updates on wildfires burning across Northern and Southern California Nicole Mahrt-Ganley, a spokeswoman for the American Property Casualty Insurance Association, which represents about 60% of home insurance companies, did not comment on the specifics of Laras proposal but said insurers understand the fires were a large-scale disaster and that there have been delays caused by material and labor shortages. The law allows for flexibility, she said. While insurers cannot increase the amount of coverage under a policy, they can, as the commissioner requested, work with policyholders to provide more time for rebuilding. Policyholders should always have a conversation with their insurer to find solutions. Chronicle staff writer J.D. Morris contributed to this report. San Francisco police executed seven search warrants as they tried to find out who leaked a police report to a freelance journalist, including searches of officers and one of the journalists phone records, police officials and an attorney in the case said. The search of phone records preceded the now-notorious May 10 raids on journalist Bryan Carmodys home and office. Controversy over the case has centered on whether police violated Californias shield law that protects journalists from being compelled to identify confidential sources. Last week, Police Chief Bill Scott changed course and apologized for the departments handling of the searches, admitting the raids were wrong while calling for an independent probe of the case. Revelations that police served additional warrants show that the investigation into the leaked report on the February death of Public Defender Jeff Adachi an influential police critic was broader than previously known as national outrage around the case swelled. The new information raises questions about whether Carmodys phone records provided evidence that police used to justify the later warrants, and about whether police had identified suspects in the leak case. In an interview with The Chronicle on Friday, Scott acknowledged the existence of the previously undisclosed warrants. He conceded that at least one search was likely illegal. We served warrants on officers and a number of warrants on Mr. Carmody, including a warrant on a very specific time for his phones, and one of the issues that I saw in this is in the initial warrants, Scott said. As this investigation transpired, theres one thats particularly troubling or concerning. Asked Tuesday to comment on the warrants, a police spokesman directed The Chronicle to a statement the department released Saturday saying that Scott has made it abundantly clear that transparency and accountability are paramount in this criminal investigation. That is why SFPD is seeking an independent, impartial third party to take over the original criminal case. Little is known about the search warrants, which were filed under seal. Its unclear when the warrant for Carmodys phone records was obtained, which phone provider it targeted and which San Francisco Superior Court judge signed it. The warrants for Carmodys home and office were signed by judges Victor Hwang and Gail Dekreon, but the police affidavits justifying the searches have not been publicly released. While Carmody was aware of the searches of his home and office, his attorneys said Tuesday they had no idea police had searched his phone records. Under California law, police can limit such disclosure in some cases. It would be deeply troubling to learn that the SFPD not only obtained an illegal search warrant for Mr. Carmodys home and office, but that they also illegally obtained a search warrant for his phone records, said the attorney, Ben Berkowitz. If that is true, not only is it illegal, but it clearly violated the First Amendment and the California shield law and they need to be held accountable for it. Carmodys civil attorney, Thomas Burke, has filed a motion to quash the warrants on his clients home and office. He said he was unaware about any other warrants. That is news to me, and if that occurred, that would be very, very troubling, said Burke, who has represented The Chronicle and its parent company, Hearst Corp., in other cases. The First Amendment Coalition, a nonprofit group that fights for free speech and government accountability, and other free-press groups have sued to have the search warrants unsealed. These groups, too, said they were unaware of additional warrants. Before calling for an outside investigation, Scott defended the police raid for a week and a half, saying the department suspected Carmody took part in a criminal conspiracy, and investigators went through the appropriate legal process. Under Scotts plan, which came at the request of Mayor London Breed, both the criminal and administrative investigations into the leaked report will be handled outside his department. The citys Department of Police Accountability, meanwhile, will examine how the case has been handled on all levels. Tony Montoya, the president of the union representing rank-and-file officers in San Francisco, called for Scotts resignation after the chief apologized, saying the chief was personally involved with every part of the investigation before changing his position. Chief Scott not only followed every twist and turn of the investigation, but he knew every element of the investigation, directed the investigation and has clearly either come down with the most debilitating case of amnesia or is flat out not telling the truth about his direct involvement and the horribly flawed direction he gave to find the leak of the police report, he wrote. Montoyas scathing statement comes as tensions between the chief and union have long simmered since Scott was brought in from the Los Angeles Police Department to lead San Franciscos reform efforts following several controversial officer-involved shootings. 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 unions move prompted the president and vice president of the city Police Commission and the local president of the NAACP to defend the chief. Breed has not responded to the unions statement or called for Scotts resignation. Scott said he reviewed the entire case over 48 hours last week after defending the departments actions as outrage from First Amendment groups grew and put the case in the national spotlight. His review of the records revealed issues in the clarity of a warrant on Carmodys phone records and the description of his role as journalist. There should have been more clarity there, he said. According to attorney Michael Rains, who is representing a police sergeant who wrote several of the warrants, the search that targeted Carmodys phone records was done before police showed up at the journalists home, handcuffing him and seizing computers, phones and other devices. Police have since returned most of Carmodys property and said they will not use any of the seized evidence or turn it over to outside investigators. Rains client, Sgt. Joseph Obidi, wrote warrants under the direction of his superiors in the command staff, who didnt believe Carmody was protected by the shield law, the lawyer said. Obidi has not been accused of any crimes or administrative violations. This was not a one-man show, Rains said. This was a high enough priority investigation that every step was being reviewed. He was being constantly asked for his progress and there were meetings going on all the time that were at the highest level of the department. The judges who signed the warrants for Carmodys home and office have not commented. Questions remain about whether they considered Carmodys role as a freelance journalist when signing the warrants. Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon launched a website Wednesday that provides data on prosecutions, caseloads and trial outcomes a first-of-its-kind effort by a local prosecuting agency in California. The new website, DA Stat, follows a growing trend among reform-minded law enforcement agencies around the country to increase accountability by releasing raw data and statistics. I think its important to have a certain level of transparency about our work, Gascon said in an interview last week. It was obvious to me that here we have a multimillion-dollar public law firm using government and taxpayer resources without people really understanding where the money was being invested. The new site has three digital dashboards where users can explore data on arrests presented by law enforcement, incoming cases and trials. Numbers are updated monthly and the office hopes to eventually add more statistics like data on race, gender and age as they relate to cases. Gascon called the site a work in progress and said he hopes his successor builds on it when he leaves office at the end of the year. Agencies across California in recent years have built complex online data portals, such as the state attorney generals OpenJustice initiative, which provides statewide crime statistics going back decades. The San Francisco district attorneys office, by comparison, will provide relatively limited statistics dating to 2011, when Gascon was appointed by Mayor Gavin Newsom. Unlike other law enforcement data sites, the district attorneys office focused internally to provide statistics on how many cases prosecutors file, what kinds of crimes theyre prioritizing and how attorneys perform in trials. The data can be interpreted in many different ways, Gascon said. If you want to make an argument that were not locking up enough drug addicts then you will use that data and say, Here, I told you so. The data show the district attorneys office has made the prosecution of drug crimes less of a priority in the past eight years. In 2011, 20% of the offices cases were drug crimes. By 2016, that rate dropped to 11.4%, while drug crimes this year make up just over 13% of cases. Gascon has long sought to relax penalties for drug crimes and was a sponsor of Proposition 47 in 2014, which reduced some crimes involving drugs from felonies to misdemeanors. This is part of putting out some numbers to engage the public in an honest debate, Gascon said. Some people might believe we should continue to lock up people with substance dependence. I felt that should be looked at through a public health lens. 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 process of getting data online has been a five-year project. When Gascon became district attorney, no comprehensive way to track statistics existed in the office. Some prosecutors kept personal spreadsheets or tracked their case outcomes on butcher paper, Gascon said. When I came to the DAs office, what really shocked me in the early days was the lack of the scope of what the work was, he said. Gascon a former assistant chief at the Los Angeles Police Department and San Franciscos former police chief said he was a student in using data for public safety and knew the district attorneys office needed a similar approach. In the coming years, he said, the offices new internal record management system will be able to feed data into the online portal, expanding the scope and detail of information available online. Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky A former Army infantryman who shot and killed three staff members last year at a veterans center in Yountville before killing himself was upset about his treatment and talked about shooting employees several times before the killings, according to records released Friday. Napa County Sheriffs Office records show that 36-year-old Albert Wong was very angry at the Pathway Homes counselors. Two weeks before the shooting, Wong was removed from the Pathway Home program, where he resided, for threatening counselors, according to interviews with an employee and a resident who knew him. Another Pathway resident told investigators Wong felt misunderstood by his counselors, but the man, who described himself as a friend, believed his threats were just venting about the program, authorities said. The records, which were released under SB1421, a new police transparency law, redact the names of Wong and responding deputies and other interview subjects. (Redacted) said he should have seen the signs that (redacted) was going to kill someone but thought it was just guy talk and (redacted) didnt really mean it, the records state. Wong entered the Pathway Home at the Veterans Home of California in March 2018 with a shotgun, semiautomatic rifle and ammunition. He burst into a going-away party for an employee and ordered veterans and most staffers to leave the room. Investigators later found a rifle bag next to the door of a boiler room Wong is believed to have used to enter the building. The veterans home had at least one security officer, according to sheriffs records. A spokesman for Pathway Home said the guards are unarmed and roam the facility, and there were surveillance cameras at the front door and in the hallways. Wong took psychologist Jennifer Gonzales Shushereba, then seven months pregnant, hostage along with Clinical Director Jennifer Golick and Executive Director Christine Loeber. After exchanging gunfire with a Napa County sheriffs deputy, Wong fatally shot all three women before killing himself, officials said. The sheriffs records released Friday show that Wong felt only one Pathway Home staff member was trying to help him as he grappled with post-traumatic stress disorder, and met with that person up to four times a week, the fellow Pathway resident said. That staff member, whose name was redacted in the report, assigned him to a new clinician after becoming more involved in the centers administration. Wong soon developed depression and felt his new clinician didnt understand him, officials said. The other resident told of an incident during which the shooter just wanted to feel like someone cared, according to the documents. That led Wong to request an unnamed female staffer, whose name is redacted in the report, to handwrite I Care on a note. The person refused to write the note and instead typed a different response, which was redacted from the documents. (Redacted) became upset and threatened to kill (redacted) and (redacted), which was why he was eventually removed from the program, the records state. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. When the friend ate dinner with the shooter the night before the massacre, he told Wong not much had changed, enraging him. However, Wong didnt indicate that he planned on visiting Yountville or committing the killings. Wong was in active service in the Army from May 2010 to August 2013, and spent almost a year on a tour of duty in Afghanistan, according to military records. He was issued a security guard license and open carry permit in 2008, but both were canceled in October 2017. The Pathway Home closed after the shootings, and the program was shut down. Earlier this year, attorneys for the Shushereba and Loeber families filed wrongful death lawsuits against the state, which manages the veterans center where Pathway Home was located. Both declined to comment on Tuesday. An attorney representing the Golick family did not respond to a request for comment. A lawyer and a former spokesman for Pathway Home also declined to comment on the records or pending litigation. Gwendolyn Wu is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: gwendolyn.wu@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @gwendolynawu Spud Hilton / The Chronicle San Franciscos gourmet sandwich spot and bar Naked Lunch (504 Broadway) will close next month after 10 years as a fixture on North Beachs lunch scene. Its also the latest change on the stretch of Broadway that was once a culinary hub but is now dominated by bars and clubs. The last day of business will be June 15, according to a note posted by the restaurant on its Instagram account: Thank you so much to everyone who has made Naked Lunch an SF staple, and we hope to see you soon. The Trump administrations plan to allow medical staff to deny treatment to lesbians, gays, transgender patients and others because of religious or moral objections drew a new legal challenge Tuesday from doctors groups and patients advocates, who said it would drive LGBTQ patients into the closet and weaken health care for vulnerable populations. The rule, scheduled to take effect July 22, is part of the administrations aggressive effort to expand enforcement of religious-objection laws at the expense of patients, said the suit, filed in federal court in San Francisco. It said the plan violates numerous federal laws and the constitutional separation of church and state. The Department of Health and Human Services rule would allow any health care staff member doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers or receptionists to refuse services on religious or moral grounds, without advance notice to patients or employers. In addition to care for LGBTQ patients, it focuses on abortion, sterilization and physician aid in dying. Under the rule, said Roger Severino, director of the departments Office for Civil Rights, individuals wont be bullied out of the health care field because they decline to participate in actions that violate their conscience, including the taking of human life. The plan has been met by a series of lawsuits by the city of San Francisco and the state of California, both filed in San Francisco, and by 19 states and three cities, filed in New York that cite their duty to provide bias-free health care and the potential loss of billions of dollars in federal funds for refusing to comply. Plaintiffs in Tuesdays suit include Santa Clara County, whose health systems receive hundreds of millions of dollars from the federal government each year. The new element in the suit, said attorney Jamie Gliksberg of the gay-rights group Lambda Legal, is a new set of plaintiffs: groups of health care organizations and medical students from across the nation, some specializing in LGBTQ and reproductive care, and doctors suing on behalf of their patients. These are providers of last resort, and some will have to close their doors if the new rule takes effect, Gliksberg said. She said allowing health care providers to withhold services because of personal objections to gay, lesbian or transgender patients encourages them to remain in the closet when seeking health care. U.S. law allows federally funded health care providers to refuse to perform abortions or sterilizations, and allows doctors to withhold other services that violate their religious or moral convictions. The Trump administrations proposal is a binding regulation that would apply to all staff members and would cut off funding to non-compliant state and local governments. 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. Under the new rule, the lawsuit said, health providers could not ask prospective employees if they objected to providing any services and would not have to be notified if an employee was withholding care. The rule also applies to pharmacists and thus might make medication unavailable, the suit said. The rule threatens patients ability to obtain needed and even emergency care ... particularly with respect to contraception, abortion, end-of-life care, and gender-affirming health care for transgender patients, the suit said. It encourages and in some instances may even require the imposition of the beliefs of a single employee on an entire institution and its patients. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko Sign spotted by Donna Maruta in the window of One-Half on Polk Street: Free Yoga Classes. Start by bending over, picking up your dog s and depositing it into a trash bin. This is called the Downward Dog position. Bertrand Pellegrin reports that he walked by 555 Golden Gate Ave., the site of the old Stars restaurant, once a hub of social activity of the glitterati/culturati, and saw nothing but a huge hole and bulldozers. Pellegrin remembers the very famous, long bar studded with brass plates with the names of the notable patrons who quenched their thirsts there. It is currently scheduled to become the site of whats described as an 11-story, mixed-use development. As for me, I feel nothing of the same wistfulness yet when I stroll past the Divisadero Street Shell station that (with the Touchless Car Wash) is the site of the proposed 400 Divisadero residential development. The Planning Commission, to have decided on the project on Thursday, May 23, canceled that meeting, putting off such consideration until a hearing on June 13. Meanwhile, the station is still pumping gas and, although we are all equal under the sun shaded by the gas stations canopy, maybe a few of its patrons are notable. She parked her car for only a moment or two, says Suzy Locke, so she could run into her Oakland office and get her mail. When she emerged, an officer was writing out a parking citation. He asked why I did not put money in the meter that was right by my car. My answer, Officer, I am cheap, and it was only going to be 5 minutes. He was so astounded at my honesty, he voided the ticket. BART announcement heard by Joseph Amster of Emperor Norton Tours: If your cell phone was stolen, please call BART headquarters. How are you going to call, asks Adda Dada, when there are no working phones in a station? In other communications developments, Siri so annoyed Randall Elwood the other day by interrupting him and offering him help that he finally burst forth, Shut up! She responded, That wasnt very nice. Strange de Jim, not averse to making use of a publicity opportunity, posed for JRs The Chronicles of San Francisco carrying his photo book, San Franciscos Castro, standing next to Cleve Jones. While paying a visit to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art to check out his image who doesnt want to check out his own image? he says the third-floor security people were most amused by his comment, The Living Wall is wonderful, but is it really the best revenge? In the East Bay, restaurateur/food maven Narsai David and activist lawyer Tom Miller through the nonprofit Green Cities Fund are organizing a West Coast chefs food and solidarity trip to Puerto Rico, in support of its nascent sustainable food movement. The trip, intended to be part of hurricane relief efforts, will be patterned on one a similar group made to Cuba in 2012. Along on that trip was Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat author Samin Nosrat, who Miller is hoping joins this trip too, along with about 20 other food-loving people he hopes will sign up. Miller may be reached at his Oakland legal office. 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. She was probably best-known around here in the 1970s and 1980s, when she was a San Francisco supervisor, but Carol Ruth Silver was an activist way before that. In 1961, she went to Mississippi as a Freedom Rider. After being arrested in Jackson, she served 40 days in the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman. It was there that she used what she had on hand soft white bread, saliva and blood to build a chess set, so that she could play with her cellmate. That set is displayed in Jackson nowadays at the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum. And in early May, accompanied by a fellow Freedom Rider and a law school classmate, Silver donated a 3-D printed copy of the set she had made to the World Chess Hall of Fame in St. Louis. The website for the Hall of Fame includes that institutions assertion, Chess, with its two opposing sides and iconic pieces, lends itself well to telling stories about good and evil. PUBLIC EAVESDROPPING First woman: Im learning how to up-level my inner download and get a better life. Second woman: At least in New York we dont talk like this. Conversation overheard at Whole Foods Market on California Street by Tosha Silver Leah Garchik is open for business in San Francisco, 415-777-8426. Email: lgarchik@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @leahgarchik WASHINGTON The Supreme Court on Tuesday sidestepped part of a case that could have tested the constitutional right to abortion established in Roe v. Wade, turning down an appeal to reinstate a strict Indiana abortion law. But the court, in an apparent compromise, upheld part of the same law regulating the disposal of fetal remains. The first part of the law banned abortions sought solely because of fetal characteristics like sex or disability. The laws second provision required abortion providers to bury or cremate fetal remains. The courts decision, issued without briefing on the merits or oral arguments, was unsigned and just three pages long. It stressed that its decision upholding the fetal-remains provision does not implicate our cases applying the undue burden test to abortion regulations. Indiana, the court said, has a legitimate interest in proper disposal of fetal remains, quoting an earlier decision. Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor said they would have denied review of both issues in the case. The case, Box v. Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky, No. 18-483, had been closely watched because it could have given the Supreme Court its first chance to consider the constitutionality of a state law restricting abortion since Justice Brett Kavanaugh replaced Justice Anthony Kennedy last year. Kennedy had been a cautious supporter of abortion rights, while Kavanaughs limited record on the subject as an appeals court judge suggested some skepticism. The modest move Tuesday left for another day the consideration of state laws limiting abortion that were enacted, at least partly, to challenge the courts decision in 1973 in Roe v. Wade. The Indiana law was enacted in 2016 and signed by Gov. Mike Pence, now the vice president. It prohibited all abortions, at any time during a pregnancy, solely sought based on the fetuss sex, or because it had been diagnosed with Down syndrome or another disability, or because of characteristics like race or national origin. The state law also imposed limits on the disposal of fetal remains, though it allowed mass cremations and did not impose any restrictions on women who disposed of the remains themselves. A statement issued by Pences office Tuesday said he commends the Supreme Court for upholding a portion of Indiana law that safeguards the sanctity of human life by requiring that remains of aborted babies be treated with respect and dignity. We remain hopeful, the statement said, that at a later date the Supreme Court will review one of numerous state laws across the U.S. that bar abortion based on sex, race or disability. Also Tuesday, Planned Parenthood officials said Missouris only abortion clinic could be closed by the end of the week. The officials said in a teleconference that the current license for the St. Louis facility expires Friday. If not renewed, the organization said Missouri would become the first state without a functioning abortion clinic since the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision. Missouri is among half a dozen states that have passed sweeping antiabortion measures. Republican Gov. Mike Parson signed a bill Friday banning abortions on or beyond the eighth week of pregnancy, with no exceptions for rape or incest. Associated Press contributed to this report. Adam Liptak is a New York Times writer. WASHINGTON Robert Mueller finally broke his silence. In his first public comments in the nearly two-year Russia investigation, the special counsel gave some new insight into what he believed were the key parts of his 22-month probe of Russian election interference and President Trumps campaign. The former FBI director also said he was resigning to return to private life. A few takeaways from Muellers public statement: Charging Trump not an option: From the start, he couldnt bring charges even in secret against Trump, or any sitting president. Thats what a Justice Department legal opinion says, and Mueller said he had to adhere to it. Charging the president with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider. But dont mistake that for exoneration. If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so, Mueller said. No new info to Congress: To Mueller, his report is his testimony and hed like to leave it at that. The special counsel acknowledged that his office has been in discussions with Congress about testifying. But he drew a line, saying he wouldnt discuss anything outside what was in his report. Moving the needle on impeachment: Muellers comments renewed calls for impeachment hearings from Democrats and one House Republican, Justin Amash of Michigan. Muellers remarks also nudged two Democratic presidential candidates, Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, to push for the start of the impeachment process after they declined to do so in the past. As of now, nine of the 23 major candidates seeking the Democratic presidential nomination have called for an impeachment inquiry. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is not among those supporting impeachment. A fair investigation, not a witch hunt: For two years, Mueller has weathered Trump casting his team as angry Democrats out to get him at all costs. But Mueller undercut that narrative. In fact, he said his team was guided by the principles of fairness to the president. Under Justice Department policy, Trump could be investigated, Mueller said, because it is important to preserve evidence while memories are fresh and documents are available. But since he couldnt be charged, Mueller said his team wouldnt go further because it would be unfair to potentially accuse somebody of a crime when there can be no court resolution of an actual charge. Chad Day is an Associated Press writer. Senate Bill 50 argued cities cant adequately manage local zoning for housing. Many voters disagreed, yet housing affordability still consistently polls with voters as a top-priority problem. How is this possible? Bay Area voters understand the root of our housing crisis is not local officials the political narrative but enormous tech demand for housing. The region has generated vast wealth, but hasnt invested enough of it in the housing and transportation needed to support its expansion. Instead, those costs have fallen on communities. SB50 continues that, and communities know it. Voters also know SB50 departed from its elevator pitch of housing near transit nearly all of Silicon Valley is jobs-rich, with relatively little near transit and tilted rigidly to the left about local control and zoning for single-family homes. Thats nutty. It surely says something about a bill when you have to buy its political support by handing out exemptions, as was done for Marin. Wisdom prevailed in Sacramento and the bill was shelved. Now lets refocus on the problem. It should be staggeringly obvious by now that well never fix this until we explicitly balance future housing growth and job growth. Until then, well lose ground every day, no matter who owns zoning. When in a hole, first stop digging. Thats do-able. Cities dont build housing, but we do approve commercial developments. We can condition these on including adequate housing. Physical housing, not rezone-and-hope for housing. Add a job, add a bed or fund one. That may sound fanciful, but cities are starting to actually do it: Mountain View in its North Bayshore district, and Santa Clara County as a condition for Stanfords expansion. Palo Altos office caps, plus upzoning including a few SB50 elements do it, too (if clunkily). Of course, this ultimately lays the cost of new housing on developers and tech companies not everybody likes that. Cities can be reluctant, too; its tempting to green-light lucrative commercial projects, but export the housing costs elsewhere. Yet as long as cities approve projects that add 25,000 jobs but only 1,680 dwellings like one in South Bay that breaks ground next month regional homeless rolls will swell. Thats what Sacramento should regulate: Not give us your zoning, but stop exporting housing deficits onto your neighbors. The second elephant in the room is housing mix. Affordable housing simply cant be built without subsidies. SB50 et al. skirt this, and so serves only high earners. Our problem in Palo Alto isnt attracting high earners; its keeping low and mid-wage earners. Everybody in town knows only 10% of our teachers and 7% of our city staff live here. Since 2015, weve spent $28 million on affordable housing, with strong resident support. Its not enough. We analyzed it: Each square foot of new commercial space here creates demand for $264 of affordable housing. Yet Silicon Valley commercial development linkage fees to fund affordable housing, including ours, run $15 to $35 a square foot, far below need. Raising these fees (as Santa Clara County has, to $68 a square foot) makes sense, as do new business taxes. Every Silicon Valley city watched Mountain View and East Palo Alto pass 2018 tech taxes for housing and transportation. Thus a coherent policy alternative to Sacramentos 200-bill scrum: Balance job and housing growth via commercial approvals, and raise linkage fees to fund affordability. I hope Sacramento will work with cities, instead of against them. Most of us would welcome state incentives and maybe even disincentives around the former, and co-funding around the latter. Theres been an awful lot of ideology on this issue, and not enough problem solving. Too much of the dialogue has fallen into the unproductive if you disagree with me, you must be a venal person mentality that pervades so much of American political culture. Thats not helpful. We have an opportunity to sit down and focus on the problem, instead of the divisive and ill-considered distraction that was SB50. We should take it. Eric Filseth is the mayor of Palo Alto. SACRAMENTO After a year of protest and contentious negotiations, the state Assembly approved legislation Wednesday to tighten the rules for when police officers can open fire on suspects in California. The unanimous vote to pass AB392 came after a deal last week between law enforcement groups and civil liberties advocates that cleared the way for the state to adopt one of the tightest use-of-force standards in the country. The bill now goes to the Senate. It would direct police to use deadly force only when necessary in defense of human life and, when possible, to use techniques to de-escalate the situation before shooting. It does not explicitly define what would be considered necessary, though courts could consider the actions of both the officer and the suspect when determining whether the force was justified. Current law on police use of force, established by a pair of U.S. Supreme Court cases, considers whether a reasonable officer in similar circumstances would have acted the same way. Democratic Assemblywoman Shirley Weber of San Diego, the American Civil Liberties Union of California and activists whose family members were killed by law enforcement began pushing for changes last year, following the fatal shooting by Sacramento police of Stephon Clark in March 2018. The unarmed 22-year-old, holding only a cell phone, was killed in his grandmothers backyard in south Sacramento, generating national outrage. The Sacramento County district attorney declined to charge the officers. Police officers should never take a human life when there is an alternative, Weber said Thursday. She dedicated the vote to her two grandsons, ages 7 and 5, telling colleagues that she never wanted to have a conversation with them about how they needed to be careful around law enforcement. This is a 400-year challenge to an African American in this country, because of the definition of our lives and the vulnerability of African Americans, whether it was dealing with law enforcement, whether it was dealing with lynch mobs, Weber said. Our lives were always precarious and could easily be taken without any justice or anyone fighting back. The measure originally faced intense opposition from law enforcement organizations, which argued that the necessary standard would put officers in danger by causing them to second-guess their actions. But those groups dropped their objections last week when Weber scaled back some of the language, including a requirement that officers exhaust all alternatives before opening fire. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who held a private meeting with law enforcement representatives, and legislative leaders helped guide the two sides to a compromise. AB392 now reflects the shared experiences, perspectives and expertise from everyone at the table, from families and communities to the officers who have sworn to serve and protect them, Ron Lawrence, president of the California Police Chiefs Association, said in a statement. A second bill, SB230, backed by law enforcement to increase training for officers and strengthen the requirements for what departments must include in their use-of-force policy, passed unanimously in the Senate on Tuesday and now goes to the Assembly. Lawmakers debated AB392 for nearly an hour and a half Wednesday before the vote, where it passed 67-0. Two members who had voted against the bill on the floor later changed their position to not voting. Assemblyman Tom Lackey, a Palmdale (Los Angeles County) Republican and former California Highway Patrol officer, said through tears that in my entire elected experience, never has a bill consumed my thinking as this has. He expressed his concern that changing the use-of-force standard could make law enforcement unnecessary victims, but ultimately voted for AB392. Lackey shared the story of a colleague who was shot on duty and was never the same individual. Deadly force is rarely called upon, but when it is, it is the most critical thing that can happen in ones life, he said. We are not predators, folks. Alexei Koseff is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: alexei.koseff@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @akoseff Pharmacies throughout California could soon dispense an HIV-prevention drug without a doctors prescription a move a San Francisco state senator says is necessary to remove barriers to peoples access to medication that could end new infections. Democratic Sen. Scott Wiener has proposed a bill that would allow people to receive their first 30 days of PrEP, an oblong blue pill sold under the trade name Truvada, over the counter if they first receive counseling and an HIV test. He said the proposal, SB159, would help prevent infections by expanding patient access to the drug, particularly among gay and bisexual men of color, who use it less commonly than whites. But the bill faces opposition from the California Medical Association, which represents doctors, and major insurance companies. They say Truvada has potential side effects, including impaired kidney function, and that people who take it need to be closely monitored by doctors. SB159 passed the Senate last week with nearly unanimous support, and now moves to the Assembly. Michael Macor / The Chronicle 2018 PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, dramatically reduces the chance that an HIV-negative person who has sex with a positive partner will contract the virus, if the drug is taken daily. Clinical studies show Truvada is 99% effective, according to the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. Wiener and HIV-prevention advocates said many people who want PrEP cant get prescriptions easily and could become infected as a result. There are still way too many barriers for people trying to obtain PrEP, Wiener said. Proponents of easier PrEP access say many people at risk of HIV infection dont take the drug because they face long waits to see a doctor who can prescribe it. Thats especially true for Medi-Cal patients and people in rural areas where there are few physicians, they say. Another hurdle is a stigma against PrEP or anti-LGBTQ bias among some doctors who deny patient requests for the drug, proponents say. Its not easy to navigate the system, said Dr. Stephanie Cohen, medical director of the San Francisco Department of Public Healths City Clinic. This is something that really needs to be low-barrier access for folks. But its just not that way across the whole state. PrEP has helped San Francisco reduce its HIV infection rate to record lows, particularly among white gay and bisexual men. SB159 has been endorsed by the San Francisco Department of Public Health, the AIDS Foundation, Equality California and the California Pharmacists Association. However, the bill also faces powerful opposition. Gilead Sciences Sen. Brian Jones, R-Santee (San Diego County), who cast the lone dissenting vote when the Senate passed the bill, said hes concerned that PrEP can be very hard on ones kidney and liver and therefore should be prescribed by a doctor who can do proper blood tests. Those objections are similar to concerns raised by the California Medical Association, the states largest physicians lobbying group. In a letter to lawmakers, the association said providing PrEP without a doctors prescription would be irresponsible. The association argues that a physicians oversight is necessary from the get-go to ensure patients are properly tested and fully informed about PrEPs potential risks. Physicians do not provide a prescription for any drug simply because that patient has asked for it, the group said. Wiener pointed out that his bill would require pharmacists to counsel patients and order lab tests to screen their kidney function. If a problem is detected, the bill would require pharmacists to contact the patient. SB159 also would require pharmacists to refer PrEP patients to a primary care doctor so they can continue care after their first 30-day supply of Truvada runs out. Wiener said patients should be trusted to make informed decisions about their own health. People know their own lives best, he said. People know when they are at risk. The bill would prohibit insurance companies from requiring patients who want PrEP to receive preauthorization from the insurer, a review process to determine if the drug is medically necessary. That can delay their access to the drug. In 2014, Wiener made national headlines when he announced he took PrEP daily. Wiener, then a San Francisco supervisor, was the first elected official in the country to make such a declaration. At the time, PrEP had been on the market for only about two years, and many doctors wouldnt prescribe it because they were unfamiliar with the medication. Since then, the drug has become mainstream in the LGBTQ community. San Francisco has led the nation in reducing infection rates, but inequities in PrEP access have become pronounced. The lowest uptake has been among populations of color, said Courtney Mulhern-Pearson, senior director of policy and strategy for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. Stigma is obviously a huge barrier. PrEP use varies significantly among racial groups, according to 2017 data from the Department of Public Healths City Clinic. While about half of eligible white, Asian American and Latino male patients who have sex with men were taking the pill, only a third of black men were. Proponents said that while access has gradually improved in San Francisco, they still find lower use among Latino men who have sex with men and transgender women, especially outside the city. Pharmacist Maria Lopez said community pharmacies could be a critical tool to address that disparity. Her store, Mission Wellness Pharmacy near 20th and Mission streets, began offering PrEP directly to patients about a year ago. The program is the first of its kind in California, a new partnership with the Department of Public Health. Lopez said her team has filled the void for several patients who otherwise faced a two- to three-month wait to see a doctor for a basic PrEP prescription. We can play an important role in the community by increasing PrEP access and educating the public, she said. We know of patients who were unable to see a doctor, and thats why they came to see us. But even if Wieners bill becomes law, advocates say another potential barrier to PrEP access remains: Truvadas hefty price tag. The retail cost for a patient without insurance typically exceeds $1,800 per month, and Truvada manufacturer Gilead Sciences Inc. has effectively cornered the market. Most insurers and Medi-Cal cover the drug. But other patients with high insurance deductibles and cost-sharing plans can face large out-of-pocket costs. Gilead offers a co-pay card to help patients cover the cost and recently increased its per-patient-assistance limit to $7,200 per year. But Cohen said some people who could take the drug dont because they dont know about the program. Dustin Gardiner is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dustin.gardiner@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dustingardiner. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi slammed Facebook on Wednesday, saying the social media giants refusal to take down a video altered to make her look bad raised questions about how concerned the company was about Russian disinformation that was posted on the site during the 2016 presidential campaign. By leaving up a slowed-down video designed to make Pelosi appear halting or even drunk, the company was saying, I know this is false and its a lie, but were running it anyway, Pelosi said in an appearance at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco. The video was posted after Pelosi, D-San Francisco, spoke at the Center for American Progress in Washington, D.C., on May 22, the day she accused President Trump of a cover-up for refusing to cooperate with congressional investigations into his administration. The video was slowed down to make it appear Pelosi was slurring her words and was posted to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. YouTube took it down, but it remains up on Twitter and Facebook a week later. Monika Bickert, Facebooks vice president for product policy and communications, told CNN on Friday that the company left the video up because we think its important for people to make their own informed choice for what to believe. ... Our job is to make sure we are getting them accurate information. The company did not respond to a request for comment on Pelosis remarks. Pelosi said Wednesday that in the past, she has given Facebook the benefit of a doubt when the company protested it was unaware of disinformation posts by Russians during the 2016 campaign that were designed to boost Trumps candidacy and tear down that of Democrat Hillary Clinton. But the companys inaction in response to last weeks video has prompted her to change her mind, she said. Before the Commonwealth Club appearance, Pelosi told KQED News, We have said all along, Poor Facebook, they were unwittingly exploited by the Russians. I think wittingly, because right now they are putting up something that they know is false. I think its wrong. I can take it, Pelosi said. But (Facebook is) lying to the public. She added, I think they have proven by not taking down something they know is false that they were willing enablers of the Russian interference in our election. In her Commonwealth Club appearance, Pelosi pushed back against growing Democratic calls for Trumps impeachment, saying that any evidence for removing the president from office has to be clear to the Senate as well. The Senate, which unlike the House is controlled by Republicans, is unlikely to convict Trump. Pelosi argued that only a few House Democrats are openly in favor of launching impeachment proceedings, but that the media is more interested in those 28 than in the other 200. Wednesdays statement by former Special Counsel Robert Mueller that if we had had confidence that the president had clearly not committed a crime, we would have said so, prompted Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York to join other 2020 Democratic presidential candidates in calling for impeachment proceedings. That didnt change Pelosis stance. Most of the candidates dont have a vote in the House of Representatives, she said. Pelosi has been trying to balance the concerns of Democrats anxious to take action against Trump and those worried that an impeachment effort, with no chance of a conviction in the Senate, would be a political disaster that could help Trump get re-elected. House Democrats are working to force Trump to reveal more information on his finances and to dig deeper into what he has been doing as president, Pelosi said. Where it leads, we shall see, the speaker said. Nothing is off the table. Pelosi said she still wants to have Mueller testify about his report before a congressional committee, despite his statement Wednesday that the work speaks for itself and he had nothing to add. It would be useful for him to testify before Congress, she said. Answering questions from lawmakers could provide clarification and confirmation about information in his report. Pelosi was quick to praise Mueller as a patriot who did his best to provide a nonpartisan look at Russian intervention in the election and whether Trump obstructed justice in relation to the report. But she was far less kind to Attorney General William Barr and the way he portrayed Muellers report as a vindication of the president. I have total contempt for the attorney general for speaking untruths to the Congress of the United States, Pelosi said. He did a disservice to the truth and a disservice to the country. Pelosi has been in San Francisco for the past few days making the rounds of her district. On Monday, she spoke at the Presidios Memorial Day observance and was the featured speaker at San Francisco States graduation ceremonies Tuesday night. In that address, she reminded the students of the founders vision for America. They disagreed, we disagree. But they said, E pluribus unum from many, one, Pelosi said. They couldnt imagine how many we would be or how different we would be from each other, but they knew that we had to remember that we are one as country. Pelosi came back to that theme Wednesday at the Commonwealth Club, arguing that its important to seek consensus even on a topic as divisive as impeachment because its the results that count. We seek not to divide, but to unite, she said. Were not out there to pick fights. John Wildermuth is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jfwildermuth Sixty-four strangers sit silently, faces buried in 64 smartphones as Caltrain No. 319 labors up the Peninsula corridor. "Morning, everybody. Tickets and passes. Thank you all for riding." Lee Guillory doesn't just say that, he effuses it as those same 64 strangers reach into pockets, wallets, and bags, for tickets, Caltrain apps, and Clipper cards. And then Guillory, his shiny bald head, his thick bifocal glasses, and his Christmas-morning smile begin. *Beep* "Thank you, sir. 'Preciate you." *Beep* "Thank you, ma'am. 'Preciate you, too." *Beep* "Sorry to bother you. Thank you so much; I appreciate you so much." *Beep* "Have a beautiful day today. Good to see you again." It takes the 58-year-old Guillory 15 minutes to do a job checking tickets in a single car that should really only take five. "When I interact with people, I try to look at people face to face and engage them," Guillory says, as he looks at me, face to face, fully engaged. "I'm looking at you, this is your time 'good morning, ma'am; good morning, sir' I look at them 'have a blessed day' I give them their due. They paid, they deserve that. That's what I think; not everybody does that. I'm not advocating that everybody does that, but that's what I do." Actually, hardly anyone does that. Especially not during that sacred time of day when commuters are either already on a laptop putting in extra hours they won't get paid for, or wishing they weren't about to endure the hours they will. And that's what makes Guillory sort of special. He's the one man who can make 64 strangers on 64 smartphones look up. A dozen passengers linger on Guillory as he passes through the car some smile, some offer back "no, thank you," some shoot smartphone video of Guillory as he treats a 5-year-old girl to the rare combination of his voice a full three octaves higher, and a high-five. "You see families grow up, see kids in junior high, then they're graduating, going to school. You see ladies go out on maternity come back 'hey, what did you have, boy or girl?' It's really a personal service out here. Letting people know they matter to me," Guillory says. "It's kind of like you're family out here, we see each other every day. "I just want to make it a brighter day for them." Grant Marek/SFGate MORE TRANSIT: What if BART could take you straight to every In-N-Out? Guillory has been a railroad man for three decades. He started on a steel gang in 1989, laying railroad tracks for Southern Pacific across the country, then was a dispatch operator, a train master, and the manager of train operations for Amtrak. He worked in the maintenance yard for Caltrain for six years, and then for the past two years, he has been a conductor six days a week on the morning commute up and down the Peninsula. And he looks like he has all 30 years worth of railroad experience stuffed into his Caltrain conductor vest. There's his notice of violation handheld, his radio, a flip-phone, 20 pens, his ID on a lanyard, a beanie, Band-Aids, gloves, timetables, a Leatherman, two water bottles, bike tags, train paperwork (bulletins, track work restrictions, his conductor train report), a tiny bottle of bathroom air freshener, and a bag of apple slices all quite literally spilling out of his vest. Oh, and he has two watches, one on each wrist. Just in case. "I try to come prepared," he says. Because, as Guillory grants, this is a 365-days-a-year operation something is always going to happen. On this Friday morning in May, it's a host of malfunctioning doors. Guillory can run pretty well, and when the doors don't open, run he does. He tears through train car after train car, swinging open hidden wall panels, cranking levers, resetting switches, before finally the familiar *ding ding* sounds and the doors fly open. And he does all of this while apologizing to literally everyone in his path. "I'm so sorry. We'll get them working again folks." Sweat is fully pooled on his brow by the time we reach San Jose, but the doors are all finally working. "You got doctors, lawyers, judges, police officers, firemen, cafeteria workers, maintenance people, laborers you've got people from all walks of life out here," he says. "When the system breaks down like this, and they're late for work, I take it personal. These guys have got somewhere to go; they've got mothers and fathers, kids going to school, adults going to school ... they've got somewhere to be. I try to do my best, do my part, to make this a reliable service for everyone." Grant Marek/SFGate EVEN MORE TRANSIT: Here's why Muni arrival time predictions can be totally off base A veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, Guillory credits his service and his upbringing in a small Louisiana town just outside of Texas for his relentless desire to help. Whether you've got a ticket or not. "Thank you for telling me how to deal with this," a woman says after he writes her a citation and explains how to get it taken care of. "They didn't explain it to me last time I got a ticket. Thank you so much." "It's gonna be a good Friday for you anyway, it's gonna be a good weekend," Guillory says at a near whisper, not wanting to draw attention to the offender. "Just get that ticket paid in the next 21 days and you'll be fine." It's not the kind of thing you say to a stranger. But then, by the time he's done making his way through his train, there aren't usually many of those left. Grant Marek is SFGATE's Editorial Director. Email: grant.marek@sfgate.com | Twitter: @grant_marek NEW YORK Democrats wont pick their nominee for another year, but President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden are acting like the 2020 presidential contest is already a two-man race. Almost completely ignoring his 23 Democratic competitors, Biden has been laser-focused on Trump particularly his embrace of racist rhetoric. But it has been Trumps recent focus on Biden that has surprised both his allies and critics, who believe the Republican president may be unintentionally elevating someone whose candidacy is barely a month old. Trumps advisers have privately encouraged him to lay off Biden. He has done the opposite, lobbing more public insults at the former vice president than any other Democrat over the month. Trumps latest attack was perhaps his most brazen: During a state visit to Japan on Monday, he agreed with North Korean leader Kim Jong Uns recent description of Biden as a low-IQ individual. A Biden campaign aide on Tuesday called the comments beneath the dignity of the office. To be on foreign soil, on Memorial Day, and to side repeatedly with a murderous dictator against a fellow American and former vice president speaks for itself, said Biden deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield. Democrats on the ground in key primary states report that the intensifying feud has strengthened Bidens argument that hes best positioned to take down Trump in 2020. For many voters, nothing matters more than electability. And with Trumps help, Biden is dominating that debate. Clearly, the reason Trump is going after Biden is because hes perceived as the biggest threat, Republican strategist Alice Stewart concurred. From Bidens standpoint, you couldnt ask for a better situation. Trumps attacks on Biden are not part of an organized strategy, according to three people familiar with the campaigns thinking who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters. Its consistent with Trumps view of himself as his own political strategist, prioritizing his gut over the advice of aides. In recent weeks, the president has attacked Bidens intelligence, his energy level, his history of unwanted touching, his record on criminal justice reform and his dedication to Pennsylvania. Trump told Pennsylvania voters during a rally last week that Biden deserted them. Biden, a native of Scranton, Pa., left the state as a child when his parents relocated for work. Few Biden supporters view the attention from the president as a bad thing. Bidens campaign seized on Trumps attacks in a Tuesday fundraising email titled Donald Trump is scared. Steve Peoples and Zeke Miller are Associated Press writers. Members of the Opposition bloc at the Opposition Conference Room yesterday afternoon after consulting with their legal counsel. Antoinette gazes at you with shining golden eyes, silently pleading, Pick me! Pick me! The gorgeous eight-year-old Staffordshire Terrier has lived at Friends of the Alameda Animal Shelter (FAAS) for way too long and dreams of a forever home with you. Shes very quiet, and well behaved, so shes often overlooked by visitors walking through the shelter, said Carla Thornton, FAAS marketing, communications and development coordinator. This gentle giant loves slow walks, belly rubs and taking naps with you. Shes very sweet and loves people. She would like to be your only pet. The shelter receives about 1,000 homeless pets a year, and has a placement success rate of more than 99%, thanks to volunteers and public donations. Celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, FAAS got its start when a group of concerned Alamedans organized to raise money for the citys shelter animals. They were so successful that four years later, FAAS formally took over the citys operations, and will open its first satellite adoption store in the South Shore Center shopping mall later this spring. A new shelter will be built on Bay Farm Island in the next two years, as well. The shelter is a shining example of community pulling together in a delightful Glenda the Good Witch effort. But its just one of the many nonprofit organizations that work with Alameda residents two and four-legged to make the city even more welcoming to all. Parking meters to help the homeless In an innovative new program, the city will soon place 20 new bright orange parking meters across town for collecting funds to support homeless programs. The meters will draw attention to the issue of homelessness, and to allow community members to make donations of spare change or credit card transactions toward homeless programs in the city, said City of Alameda Community Development Analyst, Ana Bagtas. Details Friends of the Alameda Animal Shelter: www.alamedaanimalshelter.org Parking Meters to Help the Homeless: www.alamedaca. gov/residents/Homelessness-Initiatives-and-Efforts All Good Living: www.allgoodliving.com Girls Inc.: www.girlsinc-alameda.org See More Collapse Local businesses can get involved, too, by sponsoring a meter. All Good Living Entrepreneur Chris Tam took an eco-friendly approach when he launched his All Good Living clothing business, utilizing ethical labor practices, 100% organic cotton and low-impact dyes. Yet that didnt feel like enough, Tam said, so last spring, he founded the All Good Living Foundation, a nonprofit serving homeless and underprivileged children in the Bay Area. Already, hundreds of children have been helped, receiving clothing, toys, shoes, bikes and basic living necessities. To make it happen, local businesses donate supplies, money, gift cards and time to the program, and the foundation distributes the products to at-risk children and families through the Alameda Unified School District. Rotary Club of Alameda and Alameda Kiwanis Each year, the community hosts a speech contest for middle and high schoolers, sponsored by Alameda Collaborative for Children, Youth, and their Families, which includes the Alameda Unified School District, Supervisor Wilma Chans Office and the City of Alameda. This year, the Rotary Club of Alameda and the Alameda Kiwanis provided funding for the cash awards. This years speech, held on March 16 in City Hall, captured the theme of Envisioning Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.s beloved community in Alameda. All participants received a certificate of excellence, while the first place winner in middle school received $150 and the first place winner in high school received $250. Girls Inc. The goal is simple: create opportunities for success, by supporting girls at every stage of their development. The success is clear: 100% of Girls Inc. seniors enroll in college, and 97% are the first in their families to do so. But making it happen takes lots of hard work, as the Girls Inc. assists nearly 600 children and families annually through mental health therapy, equipping girls to defy limitations and stereotypes, break the poverty cycle and develop as leaders. An 18-year-old Monterey woman has been sentenced to four years in prison for the DUI vehicular manslaughter of her 16-year-old passenger last July. Margot McNally, a Carmel resident, was driving home with Annabelle Vandenbrouke after a day of drinking at swimming basin "The Bucket" in Carmel Valley on July 12, 2018, when she crossed over into oncoming traffic on Carmel Valley Road, according to prosecutors. McNally hit another vehicle head-on, and caused the 69-year-old driver numerous serious injuries. Vandenbrouke was hospitalized and died from her injuries six days later, and McNally suffered a broken tailbone after her vehicle caught fire. California Highway Patrol officers determined during their investigation that McNally was intoxicated, and registered a blood-alcohol content of .11 three hours after the collision. That indicated that her BAC could have been as high as .17, more than two times the legal limit, at the time of the crash. McNally pleaded guilty to one count of DUI vehicular manslaughter and one count of driving under the influence causing injury in April, and was sentenced by Judge Carrie Panetta. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. OAKLAND (BCN) Jeremy Orr of Richmond was sentenced Tuesday to 30 months in prison for wire fraud connected with filing more than 200 fraudulent income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service. Orr, 36, pleaded guilty to the charge on March 12, admitting in his plea agreement to devising "a scheme to defraud the IRS of hundreds of thousands of dollars by filing false federal income tax returns," according to a news release from United States Attorney David L. Anderson. Orr electronically filed more than 200 returns in 2011 in the names of numerous people around the Bay Area after obtaining their personal identification information, claiming false wages and education expenses that resulted in tax refunds of more than $335,000. A federal grand jury indicted Orr in January 2015, charging him with four counts of wire fraud and four counts of aggravated identity theft. Orr pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and the remaining charges were dismissed. Orr will also serve a three-year period of supervised release under the sentence by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. SAN JOSE (BCN) Santa Clara County and a coalition of medical and civil rights groups sued the administration of President Donald Trump in federal court in San Jose Tuesday, challenging a new rule that allows health care institutions and workers to deny services on religious grounds. The rule by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is due to go into effect on July 1. It would deny federal health program funding to state and local agencies that don't comply. The city of San Francisco and state of California filed similar lawsuits in U.S. District Court in San Francisco earlier this month and New York and 18 other states sued in federal court in Manhattan. Like the other lawsuits, the Santa Clara County case claims the new rule is overly broad, goes beyond religious protections previously authorized by Congress, and could be used to violate the rights of women seeking abortions and contraception and of LGBTQ people The planned rule "creates a wholly new regime that elevates religious objections over all other interests and values," the lawsuit alleges. Santa Clara County Counsel James Williams said in a statement, "This rule encourages discrimination against vulnerable patients already facing barriers to care." In response to the previous lawsuits, Roger Severino, director of the Health and Human Services Department's Office for Civil Rights, said last week, "We will defend the rule vigorously." Severino stated, "The rule gives life and enforcement tools to conscience protection laws that have been on the books for decades." Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. ANTIOCH (BCN) A 10-year-old boy was taken to a hospital by helicopter Tuesday morning after lifeguards at the Antioch Water Park found him at the bottom of the pool. Police and firefighters responded to a report of a possible drowning at the water park, 4701 Lone Tree Way, at 11:22 a.m. Lifeguards gave the boy CPR, and he was conscious and breathing at 11:55 a.m. when loaded onto the helicopter. The child was transported to UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland. Police said that as of Tuesday afternoon the victim was awake and alert, but being held at the hospital for medical observation. He is believed to have been underwater for just a few minutes. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) Police have identified a suspect arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a man, killed as he sat in his vehicle Saturday in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood. According to police, 46-year-old Marion Robinson of Martinez was arrested Saturday on suspicion of murder and evading an officer. Robinson has been accused of fatally shooting 43-year-old Leonardo Lundy as Lundy sat in his car near Golden Gate Avenue and Hyde Street around 12:45 p.m. Responding officers found Lundy suffering from gunshot wounds in his car. He was taken to a hospital, where he died a short while later, police said. That same day, officers were able to identify Robinson as a suspect in the shooting. Officers then chased Robinson from San Francisco to West Oakland via the Bay Bridge. At some point during the pursuit, Robinson crashed his vehicle and officers were able to arrest him, police said. Robinson is being held without bail, according to jail records. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. BART officials said they will run more 10-car trains during the Wednesday evening commute to accommodate the estimated 10,000 extra passengers who rode the transit system in the morning to avoid a traffic nightmare caused by a fatal collision on the Bay Bridge. Speaking at a news conference at the West Oakland BART station, spokeswoman Alicia Trost said the agency will follow its normal plan for the evening commute but will run as many full-length trains as possible. Trost also suggested that passengers who want to avoid the expected crush of people at San Francisco stations consider leaving work either early or late, when trains might be less crowded. CHP spokesman Officer Bert Diaz said that at about 4:30 a.m., officers received a call about a collision between a box truck and a Golden Gate Transit bus just east of Treasure Island in the westbound lanes of the Bay Bridge. One of the passengers in the truck died at the scene and two others were taken to a hospital with serious injuries. Authorities haven't yet released the name of the passenger who died. The Oakland City Council will soon make a decision about whether it wants to decriminalize the possession and use of certain plants that have psychoactive properties. The proposal to direct Oakland police to regard the adult use of so-called entheogenic plants and fungi as being among the department's lowest priorities cleared a key hurdle Tuesday when the city's public safety committee voted to send it to the full Council for consideration. In a hearing room packed with the proposal's supporters, committee members praised the effort to decriminalize the plants, including "magic" mushrooms, citing their potential clinical and public health benefits. The proposal still needs approval of the full City Council, which will take up the matter at its June 4 meeting. A 40-year-old man who was scheduled for release from Santa Rita Jail in Dublin died in custody early Wednesday morning, according to an Alameda County sheriff's spokesman The inmate told deputies working in the release area around 1 a.m. that he would prefer to be released at a later time. Deputies spoke with him again just before 4 a.m., and he informed them he was not feeling well. Medical staff said he was conscious, but appeared to be in medical distress, and then he became unresponsive while medical staff and jailhouse deputies were present. The inmate was transported to a hospital and was pronounced dead around 5:35 a.m. The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office has identified a man who was found dead near a motorcycle on Lakeville Highway in Petaluma Tuesday morning as Jason Roseveare, 40, of El Dorado. Caltrans workers who were cutting high grass along Lakeville Highway at the South McDowell Boulevard Extension found Roseveare's body and reported it to the California Highway Patrol. The CHP then notified Petaluma police around 8:40 a.m., police Lt. Brian Miller said. Petaluma police said it appears the motorcycle struck a fence along the road much earlier than when Roseveare was found. It appears Roseveare was the victim of a solo vehicle crash, and police have not received any information about when it happened, Miller said. The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office is trying to identify a woman who was found dead in a mostly dry creek bed in April. Deputies responded around 1 p.m. on April 20 to a creek near Chalk Hill and Leslie roads east of Windsor in unincorporated Sonoma County after a construction worker reported finding skeletal remains, sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Crum said. The woman wore a faded hospital wristband and had medical monitoring leads on her body, and the sheriff's office is working with local hospitals to try to identify the woman, who may have left a hospital prematurely, Crum said. It's possible the woman was homeless and was swept away during the flooding in February, Crum said. An autopsy did not disclose any signs of foul play. A 63-year-old San Ramon man killed Monday in a car crash on northbound Interstate Highway 680 in Walnut Creek has been identified as Richard Adeokun, according to the Contra Costa County coroner's office. Adeokun's 1974 Porsche collided with a Jeep just north of the North Main Street off-ramp just before noon. He was unresponsive and transported to John Muir Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. There were two people in Jeep who suffered minor injuries but neither was hospitalized, according to the California Highway Patrol. Information about the cause of the collision was not immediately available Wednesday morning, but the CHP previously said drugs and alcohol were not thought to be factors. An investigator with the federal bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives testified Wednesday that the large amount of flammable materials at the Ghost Ship warehouse in Oakland made the deadly fire spread quickly there in December 2016. On the witness stand in the fifth week of the trial of Ghost Ship master tenant Derick Almena, 49, and creative director Max Harris, 29, ATF agent Barbara Maxwell said, "There was an enormous amount of debris in the building" in the 1300 block of 31st Avenue, where 36 people died in a blaze during a music party on the night of Dec. 2, 2016. Maxwell was referring to the campers, recreational vehicles, artwork, tapestries, rugs, statues, and dozens of pianos and organs that filled the building, which was used an artists' collective. She said a high fire load makes a blaze burn more quickly and creates smoke that travels through a building quickly, adding that smoke is more lethal than flames. Prosecutors say that all 36 victims died of smoke inhalation. Almena and Harris face 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter, one for each of the victims. Rags, brushes and rollers used for wood staining are suspected of causing a fire Tuesday night at a winery near Windsor, a Sonoma County Fire District spokeswoman said. The fire was reported around 8:40 p.m. at 10810 Hillview Road, fire investigator and prevention officer Cyndi Foreman said. The site was part of the Notre Vue Estate & Winery, Foreman said. Staining materials used Tuesday afternoon were left in open plastic buckets outside the 11,000-square-foot warehouse where the fire started, she said. Fire and heat caused heavy damage to the tasting room area and moderate damage to the rest of the building. The fire was extinguished in about 90 minutes and overhaul took three hours, according to Foreman. A fire damaged a two-story home in Los Altos early Wednesday morning but no injuries were reported, according to the Santa Clara County Fire Department. Firefighters responded at 3:33 a.m. to the fire reported at a home in the 1800 block of Austin Avenue and saw smoke coming from the second floor, fire officials said. Crews learned that the two occupants of the home had gotten out safely. The fire was extinguished within 20 minutes and was isolated to a second-story bedroom, according to the fire department. County fire officials said crews had initial trouble accessing the bedroom because of a "significant accumulation of household items," and they are reminding residents to keep routes of entry and exit clear in homes. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Two La Honda men were arrested last week when deputies found a large amount of illegal rifles, ammunition, high-capacity magazines, body armor, an active pipe bomb, and equipment for manufacturing firearms in the residence they shared, San Mateo County sheriff's officials said Tuesday. Deputies had come to the home in the 800 block of Portola State Park Road at 6 p.m. last Thursday to conduct a parole search of 33-year-old Sean Collins. During the search, they found numerous items believed to be used in manufacturing weapons in a common room, according to the sheriff's office. The occupants of the house were detained and a search warrant was obtained so investigators could search the rest of the house. The cache of weapons and a pipe bomb were found in the room of Karl Waltenbaugh, 40, who had his 1-year-old child in the room with him. Waltenbaugh was arrested and booked into jail on suspicion of felony possession of an assault rifle and a destructive device, and child endangerment. Collins was arrested for parole violation and a $15,000 warrant. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Premier Li Keqiang converses with Vanuatus Prime Minister Charlot Salwai as they witness the signing of several bilateral cooperation agreements on Monday in Beijing. Wang Zhuangfei/China Daily Caroline Massa, senior planner with the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, explains the city's hazard planning to the City Council on Tuesday night. North Adams Planning Process Integrating Hazard Mitigation The City Council worked through a lengthy meeting that stretched past 10 p.m. on Tuesday night. NORTH ADAMS, Mass. There have been 49 declared natural disasters in Massachusetts since 1953, and 20 of those in the Berkshires. And climate change and an aging infrastructure are exacerbating current hazards and creating future challenges for communities. "This could be our new normal, going forward, and we need to prepare and adapt to it," said Caroline Massa, senior planner with the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, told the City Council on Tuesday night. The state is encouraging communities to work on Hazard Mitigation and Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness, integrate the connections between climate change and natural hazards into the planning process and to identify vulnerabilities related to infrastructure, societal, assets and environmental factors. The state is providing grant funding for hazard mitigation to aid communities in developing and implementing plans and resources. The city received a grant to work with BRPC to develop its plan. The council was presented with a preliminary planning document on Tuesday that outlined natural challenges and looked at areas of concern realized through feedback from residents and a workshop with various stakeholders last month. "We want to explore nature-based solutions, what the state is really pushing for," she said. "In this process, we can come up with nature-based solutions that they will be funding through action grants ... and identify opportunities for us to integrate this into the rest of our planning process." Massa provided data from state and federal agencies that showed rising temperatures over the past 50 or so years. Warming trends have been raised concerns of sea level rise, but the effect inland in the Berkshires means longer growing seasons that are also increasing the number of insects and more precipitation. Warming temperatures mean the rain evaporates at a higher rate, strengthening the energy for more severe storms. Flooding, severe rain and thunderstorms, snow and ice and hurricanes are potential disasters, along with ticks and other insects that pose health and environmental problems. The city is built mostly in the floodplain because it offered better soils for farming and access to water for power and transportation. "Now we need to realize that with climate change and flooding patterns, we need to do better," Massa said, adding "we want to avoid pushing the water away from us, we want to live with the water better." Color-coded flood maps show the number of residential and commercial areas in danger of flooding, crowded along the flood control chutes. Massa said the maps are about 40 years old at this point but the central point remains the same. "We also want to touch on the importance of community networks," she said. "There's been studies that show that communities that know what's happening, network, are able to bounce back from disaster much faster." The major hazards identified by residents was flooding, wind and snow, and in relation to those elements, the city's aging dams and the railroad. While the rail line is not a natural hazard, they raised concerns about how a natural disaster would affect the line and perhaps more importantly what the train might be carrying. Administrative Officer Michael Canales said the city's public safety and first-responders have paying attention to the potential for a train disaster, whether caused by nature or not. And, he said, there are a number of older dams that are sitting above the city, including the city's two reservoirs and Windsor Lake. A Phase 2 study on their condition has recently been completed. "There are upgrades and upkeep we have to think about," Canales said. "These are things we need to be aware with increased water issues and the rest." Developing the plan will open opportunities for the city to apply for state and federal grants toward mitigation and solutions like stepped riverbanks that contain flooding but also act as parks, "hazard mitigation in disguise," Massa called it. While there are number of grant programs that can apply to hazard mitigation, the MVP program is relatively new, she said. "They're still figuring it out. And so that's why it's really great that you're on the forefront of becoming a new key community because you can shape the program," Massa said. "Then you submit a really interesting application that really captures what they're going for. You have a better chance of getting funded because they want to be kind of a model." Canales said he expected the final plan to be ready in January or February next year. In other business, Bryan Sapienza was reappointed to the Public Arts Commission for a term to expire May 1, 2024, and Rosemari Dickinson was reappointed to the License Board for a term to expire June 1, 2025. A change in the Cemetery Commission ordinances increasing the commission from three members to five on the recommendation of the Commissioner of Public Services Timothy Lescarbeau was passed to publication and a second reading. Councilor Jason LaForest and Rebbecca Cohen voted against; LaForest did not feel the explanation for the change lack of quorum, desire for the commission to do more clarified the need and objected to the cost of publishing. The council approved an increase in the scale rate at the transfer station to 6.33 cents per pound, or $126.59 per ton (up $10), and the bags by 25 cents to $1.25 for small and $2.50 for large, on the The council approved an increase in the scale rate at the transfer station to 6.33 cents per pound, or $126.59 per ton (up $10), and the bags by 25 cents to $1.25 for small and $2.50 for large, on the recommendation of the Public Services Committee . The council also voted to transfer $42,942.00 from the transfer station service account to buy six new large bins for bagged solid waste, recycled paper and recycled plastic. State law was adopted by the city to authorize it to establish speed limits of 25 mph in "thickly settled or business district" and "safety zones" of 20 mph and passed to a second reading and publication. A secondhand license was renewed for Timothy Randall to operate Sanford & Kid on Houghton Street. BAGHDAD Seven French citizens accused of supporting the Islamic State came before an Iraqi judge in a Baghdad courtroom this week. They stated their occupations: tax collector, Arabic teacher, military trainer, chicken seller, medical aide. Two said they were fighters. Each admitted having joined the Islamic State, but no evidence was presented that any had committed a violent crime. Most had not seen a lawyer until moments before they were escorted into the courtroom. One said he had been tortured. None of that made any difference. In seven trials over four days, Judge Ahmed Mohamed Ali delivered seven identical sentences: death by hanging. The penalty is the death sentence whether they fought or not, he said after court adjourned Monday. About 3,000 foreigners suspected of having ties to the Islamic State are being held in Syria and at least 1,000 in Iraq, posing an international dilemma. Most of their home countries dont want them back. The trials this week were the first of French citizens captured in Syria and transferred to Iraq by U.S.-backed Kurdish forces, and were held with the assent of France. They have drawn world attention as a test of whether Iraqi courts can meet international standards for a fair trial and provide a just solution to one of the most vexing problems left in the aftermath of the battle against the Islamic State: what to do with its legions of followers. France, a country that prides itself as a champion of human rights and opponent of the death penalty, essentially outsourced the judicial process to Iraq. Alissa J. Rubin is a New York Times writer. Richard Drew / Associated Press 2012 JERUSALEM Seven weeks after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a night of tremendous victory in Israels election, his failure to form a government by midnight Wednesday has turned into a stunning debacle for him and thrust Israel into a new election. Israelis will return to the ballot box in about three months, the first time in the countrys history that it has been forced to hold a new national election because of a failure to form a government after the previous one. PARMA, Italy The police huddled for hours each day, headphones on, eavesdropping on the doctor. Theyd tapped his cell phone, bugged his office, planted a camera in a trattoria. They heard him boast about his power to help Big Pharma make millions pushing painkillers, and about all the money they say he was paid in exchange. Now Dr. Guido Fanelli is at the center of a sprawling corruption case alleging he took kickbacks from an alliance of pharmaceutical executives he nicknamed The Pain League. Its members, police say, included managers with Mundipharma the international arm of Purdue Pharma, which is facing some 2,000 lawsuits in the United States over its role in the opioid crisis that has claimed 400,000 lives in two decades. This is the first known case outside the U.S. where employees of the pharmaceutical empire owned by the Sackler family have been criminally implicated, more than a decade after Purdue executives were convicted over misleading the American public about the addictiveness of OxyContin. Hundreds of pages of investigative files obtained by The Associated Press detail how Fanelli helped executives from Mundipharmas Italian branch and other companies promote painkillers by writing papers, organizing conferences and working to counter government warnings that opioid consumption was spiking and that physicians should be cautious. The message trumpeted, the AP found, was that there is an epidemic of chronic pain, addiction fears are exaggerated and not prescribing opioids can amount to neglecting the suffering of patients. Those are the same practices, experts say, that the pharmaceutical industry employed in the U.S. beginning in the 1990s that helped pave the road to disaster. What Italian police overheard on their wiretaps offers a look at how pharmaceutical executives still pushed opioids abroad even after the cause and consequence of the American epidemic had become apparent. As the U.S. market contracts, opioid consumption is climbing overseas. Canada and Australia are already following Americas catastrophic course, with rising rates of addiction and death. Others may be on the cusp of crisis: Researchers in Brazil report that prescription opioid sales have skyrocketed 465% in six years. Overdose deaths are going up in Sweden, Norway, Ireland and England, fueled by prescription painkillers and the illicit drug trade. Opioid consumption has increased in Italy, too, though authorities say widespread addiction has not taken root in this country with historically strict regulations. Claire Galofaro and Frances DEmilio are Associated Press writers. This is the emotional moment a boyfriend proposes to his partner during the feast of the Black Nazarene procession in front of Quiapo Church in Manila City, the Philippines. Black Nazarene devotee Christian Genese asked the help of his friends to prepare the surprise for his girlfriend Khristine Orpiano on January 9. Friend Remie Joy Estacio said: "We only knew about his plans on the day of the feast. We were surprised too. I am so happy for them." Girlfriend Khristine said: "I told him before that if he will propose to me, I want other people to see. I didn't expect think that he'd take it to heart and propose to me in front of that many people. Now I know why he insisted so bad that I come with him on the day of the procession." Christian and Khristine live in Saskatchewan, Canada and have been together for six years already. They went home to the Philippines to attend the procession. A man attacked a bus driver in northern China with a watermelon after he tried to stop the vehicle but was ignored accidentally. The terrifying moment, captured in Lvliang City in Shanxi Province on May 19, shows a man named Ma running onto the bus and smashing a watermelon held in his hands onto the driver Han's head. Then Ma can be seen continuously slapping Han, the bus driver, and swearing at him. According to reports, Ma tried to stop the bus but Han did not see him and kept driving forward. Ma took a taxi to catch up and overtake the bus, stopped in front of it and got onto it to attack the bus driver. Ma has been detained for 15 days and Han is still being treated in hospital, according to reports. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. This includes cookies from third party social media websites and ad networks. Such third party cookies may track your use on Sharedots sites for better rendering. Our partners use cookies to ensure we show you advertising that is relevant to you. If you continue without changing your settings, we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on Sharedots website. However, you can change your cookie settings at any time. Learn more Letter: Why We Should Not Name Holidays After Real People To the Editor: In January of 2018, in a column that was not to be published, I wrote: "The Pittsfield School Committee has renamed 'Columbus Day' 'Indigenous Peoples Day.' Frankly, I think we should do away with the practice of having holidays for any individual. There are three people that have federal holidays named after them: Martin Luther King Junior, George Washington, and Columbus. All three were great in their own respects, but all had faults too egregious to actually give a holiday to them." I had argued, "'Martin Luther King Day' should be 'Civil Rights Day.' 'Washington's Birthday' should be 'Democracy Day.' 'Columbus Day' should be 'Discovery Day.'" It is a foresight few were willing to make, and frankly was too controversial for publication not so much for its criticism of Washington, but for the criticism of Dr. King. Perhaps this is too self-congratulatory, but it amazes me how my once seemingly controversial statements, over the course of time, come back as indubitable truth. I had wrote, when writing of Columbus Day: "The hard reality is that the other two men who have federal holidays had egregious faults. The evidence is particularly clear that Martin Luther King engaged in widespread plagiarism in his doctoral dissertation and in other papers. He not only was a minister who cheated on his wife, he seems to have done it over and over again with different women, and not just a single mistress. Moreover, I think the evidence suggest it is more likely than not though by no means close to certain that King has used monies of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference for prostitutes. It is beyond peradventure that a tape of him in sexual congress was sent to his wife. With respect to changing the name of the holiday, the Civil Rights Movement was not about any one man, but a movement of the people." While pseudo-scholars were lambasting Columbus for admittedly evil deeds when serious academics were giving staid consideration to arguments that the evils that were perpetrated upon indigenous peoples were actually done by people other than Columbus, ("sources" were often rivals who had reason to malign), these same phonies on YouTube were largely ignoring facts about Martin Luther King and Washington. Let me lay waste to Washington swiftly with my past words: "whatever debate there may be about the role of Columbus in Spanish misdeeds, it is a sad, indisputable fact that Washington owned about 317 human beings. It is claimed that by law Washington was not free to emancipate his slaves, but if such were the case, the honorable thing to have done was to not follow the law." Rinaldo Del Gallo III Pittsfield, Mass. The author is a local attorney whose columns have been printed in newspapers across the country. This is the incredible moment a hero biker saved the life of a young girl having an epileptic fit - by rushing her to the hospital while her family were stuck in a traffic jam. The girl's father Sorachat Sadudee, 51, was driving home after picking up his two daughters from school in Phitsanulok, central Thailand on Thursday (May 23) evening. His youngest daughter Kaimook, eight, told him that she felt sick and very tired, so he tried to make his way home as quickly as he could. But the girl had a potentially deadly tonic seizure and started to foam at the mouth before she eventually passed out on the passenger seat while they stuck at a junction. The father was trying to drive the child to the nearest hospital but he was blocked in by the heavy traffic. So, he opened the window beeping and shouting for help. Speaking after, Sorachat said: At that moment, she was in a very terrible condition. Her hands were jerking, her mouth had turned green, and her body was so pale with a high temperature too. Passing biker Itthiphon Petchphibunpong, 28, noticed the panic-stricken family inside the black sedan frantically trying to wake the girl up. Helmet camera footage shows the quick-thinking motorcyclist parked his bike and asked what was happening, before immediately offering to take the girl to the hospital. Itthiphon moved forward knocking on the car windows asking for them to move out of the way so the family could park their car at the roadside. The father then carried his sick daughter and jumped onto the back of the big motorbike. They were heard asking several drivers to make a path and beeping at cars in order to get through Thailand's notoriously bad rush hour traffic. Footage shows the motorcycle ride weaving through rows of stationary cars waiting at junctions. Kaimook finally arrived at the emergency ward within four minutes - far quicker than her father would have been able to have arrived if he had stayed in the traffic jam. She was saved and later transferred to another hospital. Sorachat said: I couldnt thank him enough for his kindness. He saved my daughters life. As soon as she is fully recovered, Ill take her to meet him and thank him again in person. Speaking after the incident, Itthiphon said that it was an unexpected moment but he was very happy to help the child with his big bike. The heroic biker said: ''At first, I was also surprised to see her having a seizure. I didnt know how to treat her but I knew that I could take her to the hospital with my motorcycle. ''As I am also a father, I know what it feels like to see our children collapsed and in pain in front of us. So, I didnt even hesitate to help her.'' Page Content On May 1, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador enacted a labor law reform that overhauls individual employment agreements, labor and collective relationships, and individual litigation. The law reform took effect May 2. Individual Employment Agreements Individual employment agreements (i.e., agreements between a worker and the employer) now must include the appointment of the worker's beneficiaries for payment of accrued salary and benefits in case of the employee's death or disappearance due to a criminal act. New provisions expanded the benefits-eligibility criteria for workers' beneficiaries in case of the worker's death or disappearance. Those eligible for benefits who will not need to demonstrate economic dependency include not only the surviving spouse, but also children under age 18, children 18 or older who have a disability, and children up to age 25 who are studying in Mexico. Internet-based tax certificates ("comprobantes fiscales digitales por Internet," or CFDI, the abbreviation in Spanish) can substitute printed salary receipts. The Tax Administration Service (Servicio de Administracion Tributaria) website can be used to verify their validity. Using the Internet-based tax certificates would not relieve employers of the requirement to issue printed salary receipts upon the worker's request. Such printed salary receipts will require a worker's actual, written signature. Each company must implement, in agreement with its workers, an internal protocol to prevent discrimination, address violence and sexual-harassment cases, and eradicate forced labor and child labor. Labor and Collective Relationships The reform established an open and transparent model of union elections that requires workers' input during the negotiations of collective bargaining agreements (CBAs). Representation certificates will be required to prove that a union represents at least 30 percent of the workers of a company. With limited exceptions, employers will be required to enter a CBA with only one union. Should more than one union require a representation certificate, the Federal Conciliation Center and Labor Registry (Centro Federal de Conciliacion y Registro Laboral, or CFCRL, its Spanish abbreviation) will organize secret-ballot elections to identify which union will represent the workers. In case a union argues that the union that holds the representation certificate has lost the support of the majority of employees, the labor courtand not the CFCRLwill organize secret-ballot elections to identify if the union has lost the workers' representation. Employers cannot intervene during the elections. Employers also are prohibited from carrying out any conduct intended to control or influence the union. Once the employer and the union agree on the terms of the CBA, its contents shall be disclosed to the workers for majority approval before being filed with the CFCRL. Likewise, the employer may not participate during this process, and the agreement may take effect only after CFCRL approval. Employers must deliver to every worker a copy of the CBA, as well as post and disseminate information and relevant documents required for the representation certificate. CBAs in place when the reform was enacted must be revised at least once within the next four years under penalty of termination of the CBA. If a CBA is terminated under this provision, workers will keep receiving the benefits set forth in that CBA. In the event of a strike, the union must show the corresponding representation certificate to demonstrate that it entered into a CBA with the employer. Before a strike may begin, a court will summon the parties to hold conciliatory talks and may extend the prestrike period if: The union requests an extension. The majority of workers did not approve the CBA. Both parties settle. [SHRM members-only toolkit: Introduction to the Global Human Resources Discipline] Individual Litigation The Conciliation and Arbitration Boards (CAB) will be phased out, and labor courts will stand in their place. Matters arising after the reform takes effect will continue to be resolved by the CAB until the labor courts begin operating. Within a period of three to four years from enactment of the new law, conciliation centers will start conducting prejudicial conciliation proceedings. This process must be exhausted prior to filing a lawsuit in the courts, except in the following cases, which are exempt from the conciliatory process: Discrimination in employment and occupation due to pregnancy. Designation of beneficiaries due to the death of the employee. Collection of social security benefits for occupational risks, maternity or disability. Protection of fundamental rights and public freedoms of an employment nature (e.g., freedom of association and freedom from labor trafficking, forced labor and child labor). Actions to challenge the administration of a CBA or the bylaws of the unions or their modification. The reform requires the employer to meet its burden of proof at every stage of the litigation. Monica Schiaffino is an attorney with Littler in Mexico City. Page Content The United Kingdom (U.K.) may soon strengthen laws that protect women and men from layoffs before and after maternity leave and after adopting a child. The U.K. government's Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy recently finished gathering feedback and advice on regulations to prevent discrimination related to pregnancy and maternity. The process, called a consultation, ended April 5. "The government will be looking at the evidence from the consultation and deciding where to go from there," said David Webb, guidance writer for Acas (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service), a U.K. organization that provides free legal advice to employers and employees. "As yet, there is no indication when a decision will be announced." The U.K. parliament's Women and Equalities Committee recently promoted these steps to address discrimination: Require large employers to report retention rates for women who give birth. Extend the layoff protection period to six months after the end of maternity leave. Currently, it ends when the employee returns to work. Expand the layoff protections to apply to employees who took shared parental leavetime off for new spouses or partners when mothers end their maternity leave earlyor adoption leave. Consider lengthening the time limit for making discrimination claims to six months. Currently, it is three months. "Our inquiry heard shocking stories of workplace discrimination and of the emotional, physical and financial impact on women," said Maria Miller, chair of the committee and a member of parliament for Basingstoke, England. "At present, the burden of enforcement rests too heavily with the individual experiencing discrimination, so there must be a new mechanism to increase compliance by employers if women's lives are to be improved." She noted that there has been little improvement since the committee released a report on the topic in 2016. Legal Overview In the U.K., the Equality Act protects women from discrimination related to pregnancy and maternity. The legal protection starts when she becomes pregnant and ends when she returns to work. Treatment that negatively impacts an employee because of her pregnancy or maternity may be discriminatory, even if other workers are treated the same way. Many employers have an attendance policy that states employees may face warnings, disciplinary measures or termination if they miss too many work days. An employer cannot include absences because of pregnancy or pregnancy-related illness when counting the number of days absent. Negative comments and warnings about absences because of pregnancy or pregnancy-related illness are considered discriminatory. An employer also cannot reduce a woman's pay or ask her to make up missed time at work for going to a prenatal medical appointment. Employers should have a written policy on pregnancy and maternity and train supervisors on how to properly manage pregnancy and maternity leave without discriminating. The company policy and training should take into consideration health and safety risks for pregnant women and breast-feeding mothers. For health and safety reasons, businesses may need to adjust work hours, change work conditions or provide alternative work. Employers must provide a suitable place for pregnant employees to rest. Because each person has a different medical history and health status, managers should understand that pregnancy can impact individuals differently. An employer must not pressure an employee to work during maternity leave or return to work sooner than she wants. [SHRM members-only toolkit: Introduction to the Global Human Resources Discipline] Promotions and Layoffs If job openings or promotion opportunities occur while an employee is on maternity leave, her supervisor should tell her about it. Employers should not discourage someone from applying for a job or reject her application because she is pregnant or on maternity leave, according to the report. Decisions about performance appraisals, probation periods, promotions and firings should not be influenced by a woman's pregnancy or maternity leave. An employee can be disciplined, laid off or fired while pregnant or on maternity leave, so long as the reason for the action is genuine, fair and unrelated to her pregnancy or maternity, the report noted. Before any company reorganization or layoffs, inform employees who are absent due to pregnancy or maternity leave. Failure to do so could put them at a disadvantage and be discriminatory. In such cases, before laying off an employee who is on maternity leave, an employer must offer hernot just invite her to apply fora suitable alternative job, if one is available, according to the report. Make sure employees who are absent due to pregnancy or maternity leave learn about upcoming tests or requirements for alternative roles that will be available. If an employee wins a discrimination case, a tribunal may require the employer to pay compensation, make changes to reduce the adverse effects of discrimination, or reinstate someone who has been laid off. Webb said the compensation "would usually be calculated based on the employee's loss of earnings and job benefits, both in terms in what they have suffered because of the discrimination and the impact on them going forward, and possibly include compensation for injury to feelings." There are other practical, economic reasons for employers to be flexible with pregnant employees and new mothers. Recruiting and developing staff come with significant costs, so "it makes sound business sense to protect this investment by focusing on retaining your female talent after they have taken time out for family reasons," said Sybille Raphael, head of legal services for Working Families, a U.K. organization that provides legal advice and advocates on behalf of working parents. "Enhanced maternity provision leads to being seen as an employer of choice." In addition, Raphael said, women returning to work after pregnancy "often come back with fresh enthusiasm and a new perspective, especially if they feel they have been well-supported" and kept informed of key developments while they have been on leave. "This diversity of thought and approach can benefit your business." Leah Shepherd is a freelance writer in Columbia, Md. The Friend of Israels Military The Fellowship | May 29, 2019 Orde Wingate February 26, 1903 March 24, 1944 Why you should know him: While many of the advocates and allies of the Jewish people we feature helped European Jews during the Holocaust, this particular friend of Israel did much of his work in the Holy Land. A strong Christian, Orde Wingate believed that Israel was the biblical and historical homeland of the Jewish people, and did his part to help make modern Israel a reality. Born in 1903 in India, Orde Charles Wingate was the son of a British army officer. Following in his fathers footsteps, Orde served in India and Sudan, learning Arabic and Semitics, and developing a love and knowledge of the Middle East. By 1936, Wingate had reached the rank of captain, and was transferred to British-mandate Palestine. During this time, Palestinian guerillas carried out constant attacks against both the British and the Jews. Working with the Haganah (the precursor to the IDF), Wingate developed and trained Special Night Squads. These groups successfully defended against the enemy attacks. By working with the Jewish people in the Holy Land, and by gaining a better understanding of their language and history, Wingate became a staunch Zionist. By helping the Jewish people, by supporting their need for a military, and by planning to lead said military when the opportunity arose, Orde Wingate became known as ha yedid, or the friend. However, Palestinian pressure on the British led to Wingate being transferred away from the Holy Land. During World War II, he first helped lead the Ethiopians in their successful fight for independence from fascist Italy. Then he organized and led a special Burmese jungle unit that fought behind Japanese lines. It was on his way to Burma that Orde Wingate died when the B-25 bomber he was riding in crashed over India. He was later buried at Arlington National Cemetery in the United States. But it was Orde Wingates friendship to the Jewish people, and his assistance in training, leading, and supporting them, that makes him a true advocate and ally. Be a friend of Israel by supporting the brave men and women who protect her from harm. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Known for its trendy denim, American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. -- and the companys lingerie line, Aerie -- will open in Empire Outlets on Thursday, May 30. The 11,031 square-foot store is located on level 3, adjacent to the Crown Courtyard;" it encompasses both of the retailers brands - American Eagle and Aerie. The outlets opened to the public on May 16, attracting more than 165,000 visitors in its first weekend of operation, according to an Empire Outlets spokesman. The opening of American Eagle and Aerie is exciting news for Empire Outlets, and represents the next step in a wave of activations that will continue throughout the spring and summer, attracting countless New Yorkers and tourists from around the globe to Staten Islands North Shore, said Travis Noyes, Empire Outlets senior vice president. Located adjacent to the St. George Ferry Terminal, Empire Outlets, when finished, will feature more than 100 designer outlet retailers and a 1,250-space parking garage. The Advance previously reported that Empire Outlets will be opening in phases, with stores launching between May and August. OTHER STORES OPEN Other stores open at Empire Outlets include: Banana Republic Factory Store, U.S. Polo Assn, Samsonite, Lids, Walgreens, Brooks Brothers Factory Store, Columbia Factory Store, Old Navy, Gap Factory Store, Jockey, Francescas, Starbucks, Wetzels Pretzels and GNC. Other stores set to open include: Nordstrom Rack, Levis, True Religion, Converse, Dennis Basso, iOptics,Royal Jewelers, Crocs, American Eagle Outfitters, Aerie, True Religion, Lucky Brand, Parfum Europa, and Verizon Wireless. Right now there is a robust food truck presence until the MRKTPL -- a 12,723-square-foot artisanal food hall with a 3,000-square-foot outdoor dining space -- opens in the summer, Outlets officials said. MORE STORIES ABOUT EMPIRE OUTLETS OPENING FOLLOW TRACEY PORPORA ON FACEBOOK and TWITTER STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The resurgence of a once-eradicated disease has made its way to Staten Island, according to city officials. The city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) announced Wednesday that seven measles cases have been reported in Staten Island since the beginning of the outbreak in October. Six of those cases occurred in March, but were only recently reported to DOHMH, because the sick residents of Willowbrook only went to see a health care provider after their illnesses had been resolved, according to a media release from the department. The seventh sick person lives in Port Richmond, according to DOHMH. The seven Staten Island cases, and an eighth in Manhattan have not been linked to any additional transmissions, according to DOHMH. The six initial Staten Island individuals reportedly contracted the measles in Rockland County, and the seventh person came into contact with the disease in Sunset Park, according to the media release. Both those areas have had documented measles activity, according to DOHMH Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot. 'URGENT NEED TO GET VACCINATED" These cases prove the urgent need to get vaccinated, especially if you spend time in areas that are experiencing an outbreak, he said. This message cannot be overstated -- if you live, work or attend school in these sections of the city, get vaccinated if you are able. As of Tuesday, the city has documented 550 cases of the disease since October -- the majority of which have occurred in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn. Of those cases, 42 resulted in hospitalization, and 12 resulted in admissions to intensive care units. On April 9, the city issued an order requiring people who reside or work in the neighborhoods ZIP codes to be vaccinated with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. DOHMH also announced it would be scaling up its community outreach in the Sunset Park community this week and launching engagement drives in Spanish and Chinese to raise awareness. The department has also focused its efforts on the citys Orthodox Jewish community, where many of the cases have been found. It has distributed educational materials, including approximately 29,000 pro-vaccine pamphlets in both English and Yiddish. As of Wednesday, more than 100 individuals have received summonses for being non-compliant with the citys vaccination order. If a hearing upholds the summons, a $1,000 penalty will be imposed. Failing to appear at the hearing or respond to the summons will result in a $2,000 fine, according to DOHMH. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A group of New Yorkers made it clear Wednesday that New York is behind federal legislation that would guarantee victims of 9/11 get the help they need. City officials and community leaders gathered across from the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in lower Manhattan to call on the Congress to pass legislation that would provide funding for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) through 2090. The rally, organized by Manhattan Councilwoman Margaret Chin and Queens Councilman I. Daneek Miller. was attended by advocates and other members of the City Council, including South Shore Councilman Joseph Borelli. When the hundreds of members of Congress, who arent sponsoring this bill look at the statistics, and see eligible participants, they just see dollar signs, Borelli said. I see my friends and my neighbors -- and many of them have lost parents and relatives and brothers, and theyre sick with cancer. Members of the City Council at Wednesdays rally also announced a resolution to support the passage of the Never Forget the Heroes Act, which would guarantee the funding. The notion that the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund could one day cease to exist is unimaginable, Miller said. The escalating crisis of sick and injured seeking help through the VCF to address their health needs have grown beyond the programs capacity and must be resolved quickly and definitively. On Feb. 15, the government official in charge of the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) announced that the funding remaining in the VCF would be insufficient to pay all pending and projected claims. That meant the Justice Department would have to cut awards of the cases that are pending by 50 percent and new claims that will be filed by 70 percent, WHAT THE VCF PROVIDES The VCF is meant for individuals and family members of individuals who suffered physical harm or were killed as a result of the terrorist attacks. If the bill securing the extension isnt passed, victims will have until Dec. 18, 2020 to file their claims. The version of the legislation that would fund the VCF in the House of Representatives currently has 297 cosponsors, which means it will be guaranteed a vote in that chamber of Congress. The Senate version of the bill is co-sponsored by 26 Democratic, eight Republican and two independent senators. Rep. Max Rose has been a vocal supporter of the bill, and worked to secure the support of his fellow freshman Democrats in the House. The message were sending is loud and clear: we must permanently renew and fully fund the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, he said in a statement. An initial version of the VCF existed from 2001-04, but as 9/11-related illnesses became an issue, a new version of the fund was put in place by the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act in 2011. That act was named for a police officer who died at the age of 34 as a result of a respiratory disease after spending time at Ground Zero during the cleanup efforts. VOICES OF SUPPORT In a recent opinion piece for the Advance, former Borough President James Molinaro and attorney Matthew Baione voiced their support for the bill extending the VCF, and those affected by their time near the site of the attacks. They didnt want to be victimized by terrorists; they didnt want to receive false information from the Environmental Protection Agency; they didnt want to breathe unsafe air; and they didnt want to be inflicted with cancer or other illnesses, they wrote in the piece published May 18. Unfortunately, they got everything they didnt want...now they are about to lose what they need. Michael Mulgrew, the president of the United Federation of Teachers, pointed out at Wednesdays rally that first responders werent the only people affected by the EPAs false determination. Office workers, teachers, and even students who spent time in the area have felt the effects of the toxins they encountered following 9/11. Something is terribly wrong with Washington to make survivors of 9/11 scrounge for help, he said. Congress and the White House need to hear the voices of those who are suffering and do whats right -- time is running out. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.-- Emergency crews are at the scene of a two-vehicle crash Wednesday in New Springville. The FDNY responded at about 2:30 p.m. to Richmond Hill Road, near Norden Street, for a report of an overturned vehicle, according to an FDNY spokesman. EMTs were assessing those involved for possible injuries, as of about 3 p.m., the spokesman said. However, according to emergency radio transmissions, no life-threatening injuries were sustained. Traffic is heavy in both directions for about 10 blocks along Richmond Hill Road as a result of the crash, according to Google Maps. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A powerful thunderstorm slammed Staten Island Tuesday night, pounding the borough with large hail, heavy rain and the threat of a tornado. Amid a warning from the National Weather Service to seek shelter, many borough residents headed down to their basements. While at this time there is no confirmation a twister touched down on the Island, residents took to social media to share photos of golfball-sized hail. Here is a look at how the storm unfolded: 11:48 p.m A photo of the storm heading out to sea -- lightning still visible over New Jersey. Lighting over New Jersey after a storm system made its way through Staten Island. (Staten Island Advance/ Paul Liotta) 11:30 p.m. Heres how the hail sounded: 11:26 p.m. Nearly 300 Con Ed customers are without power, according to the utilitys outage map. The website places estimated restoration at approximately midnight. 10:57 p.m. Officials were responding to storm damage in northern New Jersey late Tuesday, including widespread power outages, downed trees and at least one sighting of a possible tornado, says our sister site, NJ.com. Click here for more. 10:44 p.m. Facebook users checking in from around Staten Island are breathing out now that the tornado warning has passed. Tammy: West Brighton all seems ok here, thank God! That storm just ripped through our area. Heavy rain, wind, hail, thunder and lots of lightning! A few years ago a tornado went straight down our street. It took down EVERY telephone pole! The sky went pitch black and our solid brick house should, like a freight train was plowing through it. Even my attic windows were shaking! That was super scary! Michele: Sounded like a hurricane more than a thunderstorm! Nathalie: Sounded weird. Felt house shaking and the outside sounded like a roaring rumble. hail was about an inch thick. All done in westerleigh Louis: 17 ppl on my block having a cigarette now 10:30 p.m. From the National Weather Service: As of 10:30 p.m. the threat of a tornado has passed in the Staten Island area. Expect residual thunderstorms. 10:24 p.m. Facebook users are reporting that the storm has begun to pass. Nan says: Im sitting in the middle of my house with trees all around the yard ..geez ..nervous..havent seen it this bad in 39 years! Whats it like in your neighborhood? Share photos and video with us at tips@siadvance.com on message us on Facebook. 10:21 p.m. The tornado warning on Staten Island has expired, though strong rain and some hail is still being reported in parts of the borough. 10:17 p.m. While the storm seems to be quieting in some areas, hail is still being reported in Westerleigh and Travis. Shocked online posters are sharing the experience in their neighborhood. Michael: Geez my neighbors roof was just ripped off... Wow!!! Tracy: I thought my windows were breaking thats how hard the ice was hitting my windows. Mike: Close to golf ball size ice falling. James: was raining so hard my security cameras couldnt see more than 6 inches, NSpVille TORNADO WARNING: Skies lighting up across Staten Island Posted by Staten Island Advance on Tuesday, May 28, 2019 10:10 p.m. SILive.com followers report a hail storm like big rocks on the sites Facebook page. People are reporting in about hail from Great Kills to Westerleigh to Rosebank. 10:08 p.m. -- Large hail is falling in the borough. Update: The latest warning from NWS extended the timetable for the storm to 10:15 p.m. 9:14 p.m. A federal agency issued a tornado warning for most of Staten Island Tuesday night. Borough residents received a tornado warning from the National Weather Service around 9 p.m. that will be in effect until 9:30 p.m. According to the alert, a severe thunderstorm with the capability of creating a tornado will start in central New Jersey and travel east. Tornado warnings for Bayonne, New Jersey and the area around Todt Hill are in effect until around 9:25 p.m., while warning for areas of the borough from Tompkinsville to Oakwood are in effect until around 9:30 p.m., according to the weather service. NWS warns of possible tornados that could cause flying debris putting people outside in danger, along with quarter-sized hail. Staten Islanders are advised to immediately take cover until the warning has expired. Take cover now, NWS stated in its warning. Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris. The storm also has the potential to bring large-sized hail and torrential rainfall. Borough residents are advised to stay off the roads. Tornado Warning including Staten Island NY, Elizabeth NJ, Plainfield NJ until 10:15 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/d1bZLlMXna NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) May 29, 2019 Were a tornado to touch down in Staten Island Tuesday night, it wouldnt be the first time the borough experienced the devastating weather events. According the Tornado Project, four tornadoes have occurred here since 1990. None had occurred here before that year. The most recent tornado to touch Staten Island happened on Aug. 8, 2007. At a rating of F2, this was also the strongest local tornado. It caused nine injuries. Earlier tornadoes occurred on Aug. 10, 1990, Oct. 28, 1995, and Oct. 27, 2003. Tuesdays storm system affecting the local area is the latest in a string of severe weather incidents including severe heat across the Southeast, and tornadoes in the Midwest. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Investors in the ill-fated New York Wheel project are trying to partner with a large corporation to build a smaller version of the 630-foot observation wheel, the Advance has learned. The NY Wheel reached its demise on Oct. 23, 2018, when its principals announced it would not follow through with the construction of the tourist attraction, whose cost had snowballed from an original estimate of $250 million to close to $1 billion. The project was seven years in the making. And now a smaller version of the NY Wheel may come to fruition. Sources told the Advance that there were several meetings over the last few weeks with the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), which oversees the site. In those meetings, some of the NY Wheel investors proposed building a smaller wheel, noting that they would obtain additional financing by partnering with a large company, sources said. Both the NYCEDC and a spokeswoman for the NY Wheel declined to comment about the plan. NY WHEEL DEMISE While the project was being built on city-owned land, it had been fully funded by private investors and through CanAms Eb-5 program, which allows foreign investors to fund a project in exchange for help facilitating their green cards. In the end, the Wheel didnt have the capital to get the project built. In a last-ditch effort, it pleaded with the city to issue tax-exempt bonds to pay the cost overrun. Mayor Bill de Blasio refused, because he didnt see the project as being viable. PARTS AUCTION An auction of the Wheel parts was held in January in the Wilmington, Delaware-based law offices of Richards, Layton & Finger, where there were multiple bidders vying for the pieces, according to court documents filed in Delaware Bankruptcy Court. Among the parts said to be auctioned off in court documents were Wheel legs, maintenance elevator parts, A-Frame braces, capsule parts and spoke cable assemblies. However, on the site sits a shell of a terminal building, which was to include a pre-ride experience, and the four pedestals, which are essentially the base for the Wheel legs. LEASE NOT TERMINATED The NY Wheel has yet to terminate its lease agreement with the city and is incurring financial penalties, the Advance reported in April. In December, the Advance reported that the New York Wheel is on the hook for the cost of restoring the city-owned St. George site where the observation wheel was supposed to be built. The NYCEDC told the Advance in April that the NY Wheel hasnt yet terminated its lease agreement and is still obligated to pay deferred rent on the property. In addition, there are continued financial penalties if the project never comes to fruition. According to the lease agreement, the rent is $1 million annually, plus interest, and its deferred until Nov. 21, 2021. Since the lease is still active, the NY Wheel continues to be accountable for the deferred rent, according to the agreement. Those payments already amount to more than $2.3 million, plus interest. LEASE AGREEMENT According to its lease agreement with NYCEDC, the Wheel also signed away its rights to any parts or structures installed on the site since the project began in 2015. Materials to be incorporated in the Off-Premises Improvements and the Buildings shall, effective upon their purchase and all times thereafter but, in all events, subject to this Lease, constitute the property of Landlord, and upon the incorporation of such materials therein, title thereto shall vest in Landlord, reads the lease agreement. Through a request per the Freedom of Information Act, the Advance obtained the 236-page lease agreement and two subsequent amendments that outline the parameters of the project. WHEEL HISTORY On Sept. 7, the embattled Wheel filed a motion for an order approving an amendment in Delaware Bankruptcy Court that -- among other things -- gave the developer a final standstill deadline of Jan. 7, 2019. The amendment stated that no party would be allowed to seek additional extensions beyond that January deadline. In exchange for the new standstill deadline, the amendment provided, among other things, that if the NY Wheel had not terminated the agreement by Oct. 23, the developer would relinquish rights to the Wheel parts. MORE RECENT STORIES ABOUT THE NY WHEEL: FOLLOW TRACEY PORPORA ON FACEBOOK and TWITTER STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Andy Wang, a Staten Island Technical High School senior who has already delved into the world of genetic research on the collegiate level, has been named a recipient of the prestigious Milken Scholarship. "Im definitely very honored,'' said Wang, who will use the $10,000 scholarship to attend Boston University in the fall. "Im really excited to be a part of the Milken Scholars Program.'' Wang, who is a middle distance runner and captain of his schools track and cross country teams, has gotten a head start on his STEM career. He performed experiments and observations as part of a project studying gene expression, focusing his research on DNA sequences that regulate protein production during cellular stress, and presented his findings at the ARISE Colloquium. He also participated in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)s Online Science Technology and Engineering Community (MOSTEC), exploring scientific writing, science and engineering online and at a conference at MIT. Wang is one of six students from New York City-area schools selected to receive the Milken Scholarship, founded by Mike and Lori Milken to assist young people as they transition from high school to college and from college to graduate school or their careers. It comes with a lifelong mentor/support system and a fund to assist with post-undergraduate study or career goals. Wang is also a QuestBridge National College Match Finalist and College Prep Scholar, National Merit Semifinalist, AP Scholar with Distinction and member of the National Honor Society. An experienced filmmaker, he has recorded and directed school events and student performances with the SITHS Studio Crew, produced videos and still images for small business clients at Tailwind International Corporation and edited videos for business improvement districts with Fifth Borough Media. Wang, of the Dyker Heights section of Brooklyn, is the only child of Mei Lin Wang and Shi Wang. His parents, who emigrated from China, didnt have the opportunity to attend college, he said, which makes him even more appreciative. "I realize just how lucky I am,'' he said. "Were all definitely very happy and very grateful.'' He has a passion for environmental issues and plans to study environmental science at Boston University in the fall, though says he is keeping his study options open. "If Ive learned anything, its that things are unpredictable, so Ill definitely keep an open mind and explore a bit,'' he said. Upcoming events for Wang and the other recipients include a scholars orientation program in Manhattan, and a trip to Los Angeles this summer to meet the other Milken Scholars. In the meantime, Wang says hes looking forward to a bit of a break. "Im just enjoying the ride,'' he said, noting that things are less stressful in his final weeks of high school, now that his college decision has been made. He also said hes looking forward to the independence that college life will bring. "College will be a good experience for me to grow and handle things on my own a little, and a great opportunity to meet people from across the country,'' he said. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Staten Island commuters should prepare for wet, windy and wild weather that could strike during the height of the Wednesday evening rush hour. However, the worst of this storm likely will wreak havoc west and south of our Island. While thunderstorms are anticipated to soak our borough, there is potential -- but no guarantee -- of strong or damaging wind gusts, hail or even an isolated tornado, said David Dombek, senior meteorologist for AccuWeather.com. Dombek predicted that there could be a four-hour window from late afternoon into evening when the storm blasts our borough. While rain could start as early as school-dismissal time, the storm probably will begin closer to 5 p.m. and depart our Island around 9 p.m. The chances of having really violent" weather on our Island are small, but not zero, with this storm, Dombek cautioned. A more likely scenario is showers and thunderstorms, with heavy rain at times in the form of downpours, whipped by gusty winds. Were almost certain to hear thunder and see lightning, although the severity could range from rumbles to a display that echoes through the skies. Strong thunderstorms could produce hail, which happened on Tuesday night, but frozen rain pellets are not unusual for this time of year. Conditions in May into June are ripe for producing hail, Dombek said. Dombek said there is a better chance of a really nasty thunderstorm occurring in central to western New Jersey back to the Delaware River and Pennsylvania. 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! Over 1,000 Holocaust Victims Buried After Mass Grave Discovered The Fellowship | May 29, 2019 Embed from Getty Images While the more than 100,000 survivors of the Holocaust who are still alive remind us each and every day of the evils of anti-Semitism and hatred, those who perished during this dark chapter in history also alert us to what can happen if we do not stand for what is right. Such was the case last week, NPRs Sasha Ingber tells us, when the remains of more than 1,000 Jews from Belarus were discovered and then given the proper burial they did not receive after they were murdered during the Holocaust: More than 1,000 victims of the Holocaust were buried Wednesday in Belarus, some 70 years after they were killed in the genocide. Their bones were unearthed this winter by construction workers as they began to build luxury apartments in the southwestern city of Brest, near Poland. Soldiers brought in to excavate found undisputed evidence of a mass grave: skulls with bullet holes, shoes and tattered clothing worn on the last day of peoples lives. Because the newly uncovered mass grave was on the site of a wartime ghetto, the victims were believed to be Jews slaughtered by Nazis. Many Jewish people had been forced to live behind barbed wires in the Brest ghetto before they were executed. On Wednesday, their remains were placed into 120 coffins decorated with the Star of David, according to The Associated Press. A burial and ceremony was held at a cemetery outside of the city. I think its very late, but better late than never, Marcel Drimer, an 85-year-old Holocaust survivor from Poland, told NPR Australian shares dropped as local investors took their lead from Wall Street and exited equity positions in favour of bonds. The S&P/ASX 200 Index fell 44.8 points, or 0.7 per cent, to 6440 while the broader All Ordinaries lost 43.8points, or 0.7 per cent, to close at 6536.6. Investors in the US returned from a long weekend break on Tuesday and immediately exited their positions in favour of fixed income investments, dragging all three major Wall Street benchmarks lower. Investors deserted equities in favour of bonds on Wednesday. Credit:Peter Braig "A scramble for capital stability is driving global investor behaviour," said CMC Markets chief market strategist Michael McCarthy. President Donald Trump should intensify his trade battle with China by barring Chinese businesses from US capital markets and technology, his former White House chief strategist, Steve Bannon, said. Steve Bannon is credited with being the architect of Donald Trump's 'America First' campaign. Credit:AP 'He has to go all the way; it's not a trade war, it's an economic war they've been running against the West,' Bannon said in an interview Friday in the central Asian state of Kazakhstan. 'You cut off the access to the capital markets and you cut off the access to technology, they fold immediately.' Amid escalating confrontation between the world's two largest economies, Trump raised tariffs on $US250 billion ($361 billion) of Chinese exports this month and blacklisted Huawei Technologies as well as scores of its affiliates. Talks on a trade deal have stalled and Trump warned Monday that tariffs on Chinese goods 'could go up very, very substantially.' China accused Washington of seeking an 'unequal trade deal' and said tariffs would have a limited impact on its economy while also hurting the US 'I don't think Trump backs off for a second' because the conflict 'is about fundamentally changing the Chinese economy so they can work with the free market economies of the West,' said Bannon. 'You have two systems right now that are incompatible.' A 45-year-old man has been charged after he allegedly rammed a 12-and-a-half tonne grader into a car, following a drunken late night argument. Police rushed to an address in Gungahlin, on Canberra's northern outskirts, just before 1am (AEDT) Sunday following reports that a grader was being driven "recklessly". "Police were called to Flemington Road in response to a male allegedly driving the grader recklessly near persons and other parked cars," ACT Police said in a statement. "The male drove the grader into a stationary silver-coloured Honda sedan, causing damage and narrowly missing persons who were attempting to stop him." Officers forcibly arrested the man after he refused to stop the grader and get out, police said. How the Palestinian Authority Spends Its Money Stand for Israel | May 29, 2019 It is no surprise that the Palestinian Authority continues to spend money given to it for humanitarian purposes for much more nefarious reasons. But, as Ynet News Elisha Ben Kimon reports, when the widow of an Israeli man who was gunned down in the West Bank by the very terrorists that the P.A. pays speaks out, perhaps the rest of the world will listen to the cold, hard truth: The widow of a rabbi murdered in the West Bank earlier this year on Tuesday warned French lawmakers that money given by Paris to the Palestinian Authority could be used to pay stipends for terrorists. France gave the Palestinians Authority 16 million in 2016. Check how your money is spent. Demand it does not pay for murder, French-born Yael Shevah, whose 35-year-old husband Raziel was killed in a drive-by shooting in January 2018, told a Paris conference on Israel I was born in Paris 33 years ago, Shevah told conference goers. When I was eight years old, my family moved to Israel which is where I met my beloved husband Raziel. We were married 12 years ago and have six sweet children. A beautiful, happy family with no outstanding issues. Eighteen months ago, my husband was murdered while on his way home. His killer told the judge that my husband was chosen for his Jewish appearance. Shevah said that her way of life was under threat both from those seeking to delegitimize the Jewish state and those seeking to kill Jews. We live under constant threat of terror and BDS, she said, referring to the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement. Europe thinks we should not be living where we do, while on the other hand, Islamic terrorism, which has already struck Europe a number of times, is trying to target us. The Palestinian Authority regards these terrorists as heroes and pays them for their murderous acts. It gives them salaries for committing murder Justin Hemmes' former construction boss has admitted to fleecing Merivale of $230,000 but has applied to have the matter dealt with on mental health grounds. Joel Cheeseman, 30, faced Downing Centre Local Court deputy registrar Nicole Hoffmann on Wednesday morning, pleading guilty to a charge of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage or causing disadvantage by deception. Joel Cheeseman entering the Downing Centre on Wednesday. Credit:Nine Media Police allege that between August 2017 and October 2018 he authorised fake invoices totalling almost $230,000 to be paid by Merivale into his bank account on five separate occasions. His lawyer, Jason Hanna, asked for the matter to be adjourned to August 21 so that a mental health assessment of his client could be undertaken. Almost $2 million worth of stolen luxury cars, jewellery and cash have been recovered in Brisbane after police arrested five people they believed to be involved. Detectives arrested a 32-year-old Mount Gravatt East man, allegedly armed with a gun and a break-in toolkit, in a Logan car park on Monday. Detectives investigating the theft of about $1.7 million worth of cars across the south-east have arrested a 32-year-old Brisbane man on Monday. Credit:Police The alleged ringleader has been accused of stealing 47 luxury cars and motorcycles and possessing $14,000 worth of drugs. South Brisbane District Inspector Mark Thompson alleged the man had stolen Holden utes, BMWs and Audis from Brisbanes north to the Gold Coast, including Norman Park, New Farm, Hamilton, Albion, Coorparoo, Eight Mile Plains and Southport. At least 50 immigrants paid a south-east Queensland man more than $100,000 in many cases for fake companies to sponsor them in their attempts to gain skilled worker visas. Some of the evidence uncovered during the raids on the homes in Daisy Hill and Logan Village. Credit:Australian Border Force Raids on two homes earlier this month in Logan, south of Brisbane, allegedly uncovered evidence, including visa application documents and electronic devices, supporting the allegations. A man was expected to front Brisbane Magistrates Court on June 7 on seven charges of submitting false information to the Department of Home Affairs following the joint Australian Border Force and Australia Federal Police operation. It will be alleged at least 50 potential applicants were charged significant amounts, in many cases well over $100,000, in exchange for visa sponsorship. Almost 500 students crammed into every seat and aisle at the University of Queenland's under-threat Schonell Theatre to vote 'No' to the private humanities degree being offered to the university by the conservative Ramsay Centre. They also voted loudly for students to retain ownership and management of the replacement theatre if the Schonell Theatre is demolished. UQ students vote against the proposed private degree course offered to the University of Queensland by the Ramsay Centre. Credit:Lachlan Hurse The UQ Senate last year proposed to demolish the theatre, build a new student union hub and add the Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation degree to the university's program. The two votes were taken at Wednesday night's general meeting of students, the first since the 1971 student protests against the touring Springboks rugby union team. A police officer who was forced to shoot a Perth man when breaking up a domestic violence incident was left no other choice, the state coroner has found. Mr Adwent's wife said she was worried for her life. Credit:Justin Rake An investigation into the death of Daniel Adwent, 44, was ordered after he was shot and killed by police during an incident at a Hamilton Hill home in March 2015. Coroner Rosalinda Fogliani said in her findings Mr Adwent had an extensive history of family violence when he had left his home and driven to his mothers house about 8.15pm on March 20 following an argument with his wife. Mr Adwent's mother said he appeared to be drunk when he arrived at her house and despite trying to get him to stay the night and avoid another argument with his partner, he was insistent he should return home. Three people charged with the murder of Perth woman Kym Taylor whose body was found in Bedfordale bushland last year have pleaded not guilty. Kym Taylor. William Joseph Wright, 46, his daughter Stacey Lea Wright, 27, and Daniel Paul Ogilvie, 39, have all been charged with Ms Taylor's murder. All three pleaded not guilty in the Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court on Wednesday and will reappear in the Supreme Court on August 12. Ms Taylors remains were found by a member of the public in bushland off Canning Dam Road on November 18. An Australian navy vessel brought 20 Sri Lankan asylum seekers to the Christmas Island detention centre where they were held for a number of days before being sent home on Wednesday, according to a report. It marks the first time in five years that asylum seekers attempting to reach Australia by boat have been taken by sea to Christmas Island, which lies 1500 kilometres north west of the mainland. Prime Minister Scott Morrison visits the detention facilities on Christmas Island after reopening the centre. Credit:AAP The Department of Home Affairs confirmed authorities had returned 20 asylum seekers to Sri Lanka after intercepting a people smuggling voyage. "Australian authorities recently intercepted an attempted illegal people smuggling venture from Sri Lanka," a spokesman said. "Twenty people aboard the vessel have been returned to Sri Lanka after attempting the dangerous and illegal voyage." Why is everyone pretending this is OK? Australia's chief ally, the United States, on the direction of Donald Trump, will investigate whether Australia helped kickstart what Trump has called a coup attempt against his administration - the perfectly appropriate FBI and Robert Mueller inquiry into his campaign's links to Russia. US President Donald Trump has ordered his Attorney-General William Barr to investigation the investigation into the Trump campaign's Russia links. Credit:AP The Australian government's pushback has been underwhelming. Prime Minister Scott Morrison, asked whether Australia was part of a conspiracy to launch the probe, refused to dismiss the suggestion, saying he wouldn't comment on ongoing investigations - as if this were even a legitimate subject of inquiry. Foreign Minister Marise Payne said if Australia were asked to co-operate with the new investigation, it "would, of course, consider such a request". Anthony Albanese has asserted his authority as Labor's new leader and demanded Kristina Keneally be included in his shadow ministry, forcing the talented up-and-coming frontbencher Ed Husic to give up his position to make way for the ambitious former premier. Senator Keneally, who was parachuted into the upper house last year, had been touted as Labor's deputy leader in the Senate but failed to win the support of her own faction with the right instead endorsing the South Australian powerbroker Don Farrell to remain in the position. "I'm making it very clear, as the leader of the Labor Party, that I want the best team and the best team includes Kristina Keneally," Mr Albanese said in Canberra on the eve of his first caucus meeting as Labor leader. Senator Kristina Keneally is set to be elevated to Labor's frontbench. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen A short time later Mr Husic, who represents the western Sydney seat of Chifley and is considered by many to be a future leadership contender, volunteered to sacrifice his frontbench position for Senator Keneally. Apple's former head of App Store approvals said he's worried about competition between the company and developers, and even recalled board member Al Gore asking about a controversial app approval. Phillip Shoemaker, who ran app reviews from 2009 to 2016, made the comments in the latest episode of Bloomberg's Decrypted podcast ahead of Apple's annual developers conference in early June. He also opened up about the personal toll of being the App Store's "regulator." In the beginning, Apple had three reviewers looking at every app. Before a developer can sell an app on the App Store, it must be approved by Apple's app review team. There are more than 2 million apps on the store, but many have been rejected since it opened in 2008. "You are what's stopping an app from getting on the store and potentially making money for this developer to put food on the table and send their kids to school," Shoemaker said. "It broke my heart every time I had to make those calls." Dhaka: Bangladesh is to charge 16 people over the murder of a teenager burned to death last month, police said on Tuesday, in the latest case to highlight the treatment of women in the country. Nusrat Jahan Rafi was 18 when her killers poured kerosene over her and set her on fire on the roof of her school after she refused to withdraw a sexual harassment complaint against the head teacher. Nusrat Jahan Rafi, 18, was burnt alive after accusing her headmaster of sexual assault. She died in hospital five days later, sparking public outrage and mass demonstrations calling for her killers to face punishment. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina met Rafi's family to assure them the killers would not be spared. The head of the Police Bureau of Investigation said the men and women arrested in connection with her murder would all be charged on Wednesday, with prosecutors seeking the death penalty for all 16. Budapest: At least seven people have been killed and 19 are missing after a pleasure boat carrying South Korean tourists capsized on the flooding Danube in the Hungarian capital of Budapest. The boat reportedly collided with another tourist vessel near the Hungarian Parliament building on Wednesday night, Budapest time, before turning over on the river, which has been swollen by heavy rains. The hull has been found on the riverbed just a few hundred metres from its usual mooring point, but missing passengers and crew may have been carried by currents further away. Responders sit in a rubber dinghy preparing for the search for victims. Credit:AP In Seoul, the Foreign Ministry said the South Koreans aboard the vessel when it sank were 30 tourists and three tour guides, in addition to the crew of two Hungarians. Loading It alleges that Johnson repeatedly lied and misled the British public by claiming that the cost to the UK of EU membership was 350 million ($638 million) a week. Critically, he did so while acting as a public officer using the platforms and opportunities available as MP and mayor. And, it is alleged, he knew the comments were wrong: not least because on other occasions he had used accurate figures. Lying on a national and international platform undermines public confidence in politics, undermines the integrity of public referendums and brings both public offices held by [Johnson] into disrepute, the prosecutor claimed. The maximum sentence for such a crime is life imprisonment. The man who brought the prosecution, entrepreneur Marcus Ball from Norfolk, has worked on the case full-time since June 2016 and raised more than 250,000 in crowdfunding pledges to pay for his Brexit Justice campaign. Johnsons lawyer Adrian Darbishire QC said the application had been brought for political purposes the product of a campaign to undermine the result of the Brexit referendum. The Brexit justice which is ultimately sought is no Brexit. The application is a political stunt. Loading Darbishire told the District Court it was an attempt, for the first time in English legal history, to employ the criminal law to regulate the content and quality of political debate. That is self-evidently not the function of the criminal law. But Coleman, while not making any findings of fact, agreed with Balls barrister Lewis Power QC that the offence was known to law and that the essential ingredients of the offence are prima facie present. Misconduct in public office occurs when a public officer, acting as such, wilfully neglects to perform his duty to such a degree as to amount to an abuse of the publics trust. As MP Johnson was a highly prominent campaigner for Brexit, and he allegedly signed off several letters expressing his views on Brexit as London mayor. Indeed his mayoral chief of staff allegedly instructed his staff that supporting Brexit was official mayoral policy. The prosecution claimed Johnson had broken both his mayoral oath and parliamentary code of conduct by lying and misusing statistics, and that there will be seldom a more serious misconduct allegation against a Member of Parliament or Mayor than to lie repeatedly to the voting public on a national and international platform, in order to win your desired outcome. Attorney-General Geoffrey Cox. Credit:Bloomberg Coleman accepted there was an arguable case that Johnson had abused the publics trust. The public offices held by Mr Johnson provide status but with that status comes influence and authority, she said. The implications are huge. And there has already been a big backlash. Barrister Jo Maugham asked where do cases like this lead? To the State deciding when to bring prosecutions against politicians for bad campaigning? Is that really what we want? British historian Robert Saunders said the prosecution was a dangerous step. It's happening because the mechanisms by which we hold politicians to account are breaking down, he said. But the remedy lies in the ballot box, not in court. Politics, unlike other professions, is meant to be regulated by the electorate we should avoid the temptation to expect the law to fix the problems inherent in democratic politics. If we go down this road, the effect will be to drag the courts into political controversy and turbo-charge campaigns by the populist right to nobble them. Johnson could yet be saved. The Attorney-General has a long-standing power, via the Director of Public Prosecutions, to take over a private prosecution and discontinue it. Washington: The United States believes Russia may be conducting low-level nuclear testing in violation of a moratorium on such tests, the head of the Defence Intelligence Agency said on Wednesday. Zero-yield nuclear tests don't cause mushroom clouds like the one pictured. Credit:Reuters "The United States believes that Russia probably is not adhering to its nuclear testing moratorium in a manner consistent with the zero-yield standard," Lieutenant General Robert P. Ashley said at an arms control forum at the Hudson Institute. "Zero-yield" tests don't cause the explosive chain reaction triggered in an atomic bomb nuclear warhead. Negotiated in the 1990s, the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) enjoys wide global support but must be ratified by eight more nuclear technology states among them Israel, Iran, Egypt and the United States to come into force. "We remain engaged with a wide range of international partners to ensure that these foreign terrorist fighters never threaten anyone again." Eight men convicted for their role in IS - from Belgium, France, Germany, Australia, Egypt and Morocco - were interviewed by Reuters during their appearances in Iraqi courts. The sub-contraction of trials ... to an ill-resourced, under-funded, ill-equipped criminal justice system [is] ... an abrogation of responsibility. Fionnuala Ni Aolain, UN special rapporteur for human rights while countering terrorism They said that after being captured in Syria by US-backed SDF forces they were interrogated about their roles in Islamic State by the SDF and US forces. They said they were then held, mostly in solitary confinement, at US military bases in Iraq's Kurdistan Region or in Jordan before being handed into Iraqi custody. The SDF declined to comment on the question of prisoner transfers, referring Reuters to Iraqi authorities. The SDF has said it wants to get rid of foreign fighters because it is not in a position to put them on trial. Human rights US President Donald Trump is pressing European nations to take back their nationals from among more than 2000 suspected foreign fighters captured during the final battles to destroy the group's self-declared caliphate in Syria earlier this year. An Islamic State militant flag lies in a tent encampment after US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces fighters took control of Baghouz, Syria, in March. Credit:AP The US and European allies have held talks with Baghdad on a possible bulk transfer of prisoners from Syria to be prosecuted in Iraq since the start of the year, Western diplomats, Iraqi and US officials say. There is no common European policy on how to handle detained foreign fighters from Europe. But Iraq has shown it is willing to prosecute. Prisoner transfers are not prohibited under international law if they come with human rights guarantees, but that applies to transfers between states - not a non-state actor such as the SDF. "The sub-contraction of trials ... to an ill-resourced, under-funded, ill-equipped criminal justice system in Iraq can only be described as an abrogation of responsibility," said Fionnuala Ni Aolain, UN special rapporteur for human rights while countering terrorism. Iraqi judicial officials did not respond to requests for comment. But some prisoners have already been sent to Iraq. An Iraqi military intelligence source said foreign IS detainees had been handed over by the SDF to US forces in 2017 and 2018 inside Syrian territory, and were transported by air to Iraq. Among them is Belgian Bilal al-Marchohi, 23, who was sentenced to death on March 18. A spokesman for Belgium's prime minister declined to comment on his case, but a consular official was present at his trial. Suspected Islamic State militants wait their turn for sentencing at the counterterrorism court in Baghdad, Iraq. Credit:AP Marchohi said he was shuttled between multiple facilities in Syria before being taken to Iraq. He was held by the SDF in a house and a former school, then moved to a facility "where there were only Americans" and next flown - blindfolded and bound by helicopter to another site. Marchohi said he was kept in solitary confinement, under constant bright lights with few toilet breaks. "The Americans threatened me, my wife and kids," he said. "They said, 'we can put a bullet between your two eyes.'" He said he signed a blank confession, which was later filled out by Iraqi authorities to detail his activities in Syria. It appeared to have been changed later to show he was arrested in Iraq, according to his court file, seen by Reuters. In the court file, there is also a reference to his detention by the US military for two months at base in Iraq. The other seven suspected fighters who spoke to Reuters in Iraq said they were also arrested by the SDF, or by the SDF and US forces, in Syria and then held in US detention. Foreign militants like Marchohi - who served in the IS religious police, according to court documents - held elite status within IS ranks. At their trials, judges described the men as battle-tested fighters. German Levent Ozgurt, 24, said he was detained near Aleppo in Syria by the SDF in November 2017 and also flown by helicopter to a US base in northern Iraq, where he was held in solitary confinement. The German foreign ministry said it had no evidence of his transfer from Syria to Iraq. Marchohi and Ozgurt said they were told by US forces that they would be repatriated when their interrogations ended. Instead, they were handed to Iraq's Counter Terrorism Service, which they said beat them, held them in stress positions and gave them electric shocks via cattleprods to their genitals. Loading Marchohi showed Reuters scarring he said was from beatings and electric shocks. Ozgurt showed Reuters similar marks on his back at a court appearance where he was sentenced to death on December 4. Germany's ambassador to Baghdad was present at the trial. The eight detainees also told Reuters confessions used to prosecute them were falsified. Six said they were coerced into thumb printing the typewritten confessions through torture. Iraqi authorities denied the claims. Counter Terrorism Service spokesperson Sabah al-Naaman said any claims that detainees were transferred to their custody from Syria in 2017 and 2018 were untrue, and denied they had been tortured. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size I've been chasing storms for about 20 years, and this is my sixth chase in the US. But I've never seen a pattern of severe weather like this. People are saying it's the biggest event since the 1980s. The sheer amount of moisture and explosive development that's occurred across Tornado Alley and the midwest, it's caused massive flooding in Oklahoma, Kansas and the Texas panhandle, and Illinois and Ohio and Missouri as well. A Supercell with rain wrapped tornado near Memphis, Texas on Saturday. Credit:Nick Moir Yesterday was the highlight of my storm-chasing career. It was astounding. First of all we were chasing a violent tornadic super cell across north-east Colorado, and we got into a position just to the north of the tornado and could see hints of it through the 5cm hail and 160km/h winds. Then the road turned towards the tornado. In 2013 an event like that killed four storm chasers in Colorado. It will just pick up your car and throw it a kilometre. We just let it go past, then left it. Advertisement Then we dropped south to the town called Imperial, in Nebraska. And there we saw what is called a mothership. A super cell. Now it's being called the Imperial Mothership. A lot of chasers are calling this storm the most beautiful cell of the decade. A tornado they are calling the Imperial Mothership in Imperial, Nebraska. Credit:Nick Moir The atmosphere to the mid level of the atmosphere rotates around the storm, and it did it so cleanly and so well organised, that's how you get those amazing lines. It was awe inspiring. It's like looking at a God. When clouds, the atmosphere becomes so organised ... it's no wonder people thought these things were deities. I took a lot of shots, but I also just stood and watched it. It's rotating in real time, this thing that's 30 to 50km across. It's like the spaceship from Independence Day. Later on, when we were very close to the tornado, that's scary because you can't see what's in there, and there's a point where you have to pull out. Advertisement And the road network might not work for you, and there are other people in the car with you. A tornado developing in eastern Colorado on Sunday. Credit:Nick Moir Because of the enormous amount of moisture, it's been difficult. There are so many storms that they have interfered with each other, and so much moisture that it's foggy. Loading Some tornadoes become rain-wraps. It doesn't look like on the Wizard of Oz. It's a wedge tornado wrapped in a curtain of rain, and it's a really dangerous event. You can drive along and just drive into a tornado. They tend to be ones that kill a lot of people. What's amazing from this event is that so few lives have been lost. That's been a bit of luck but also a lot of warnings, tornado warnings. There's a lot of weather information here. Damaged homes and debris marking the path of a tornado in Celina, Ohio. Credit:The Daily Standard Advertisement I grew up in the Blue Mountains and I used to see the storms billowing up there, and I started taking photographs of storms building up around Sydney in the late 1990s, educating myself. I chased a lot with Australian chasers back then, and you really had to read the skies. That's actually a big advantage in the field, because the instruments can sometimes fail. Yesterday were were in a position where it happened across the region: GPS stopped working and data networks were being hammered by so many chasers. A shelf cloud off Sydney in 2015. Credit:Nick Moir There are literally thousands of chasers out here from universities, people taking video or photographers like myself. I'm with four people, one other Australian, two Americans. It's the most difficult trip I've had, without a doubt. The lack of visibility on those storms makes it so dangerous. It's so easy to put yourself in danger. And I've been operating on three or four hours of sleep. I'm here for another week. New York: Robert Mueller said almost nothing new when he addressed the American people for the first time about his investigation into Russian election interference. But it was an electric moment. The prospect of Donald Trump becoming just the third president in US history to be impeached is now more likely than it was a day ago. It wasn't what Mueller said on Wednesday, local time, but the fact he was talking at all. The special counsel hadn't spoken publicly since he was appointed in May 2017. More than just silent, he's been virtually invisible. Slate wrote last year about how the enigmatic investigator was "ruining photo editors' lives" because he hadn't been seen for eight months. San Diego: Wildlife officers have killed a mountain lion at a California nature reserve and will try to determine if it was the animal that injured a four-year-old boy during a group hike a few hours earlier. The boy was hospitalised following the attack on Monday, US time, and treated for head injuries that were not life-threatening, California Department of Fish and Wildlife Lieutenant Scott Bringman said. A mountain lion, or cougar, spotted in California earlier this year. Credit:AP/File The boy was part of a group of six adults and five children in Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve, a 1500-hectare strip of nature meandering through neighbourhoods about 30 kilometres north of downtown San Diego. He was in the middle of the group, which scattered at the time of the attack, Bringman said. Wellington: More than half of New Zealand's public schools are closed on Wednesday as teachers take to the streets for a "mega-strike" over a pay dispute with the government, a day before the national budget is released. About 50,000 primary and secondary educators across the country walked off the job, marching through the streets of major centres and leaving the parents of nearly 800,000 affected students scrambling. Teachers and students take to the streets of Wellington for a "mega-strike" over a long-running pay dispute with the NZ government. Credit:AAP Both of New Zealand's major teachers unions have been deadlocked in negotiations with authorities over pay rises and workloads, and have for the first time joined forces in demonstrations. "The offers we have received from the government have not addressed the issues our profession is facing," NZEI union President Lynda Stuart said. PHILIPSBURG:--- On Sunday, May 26th 2019, at around 7:15 am, a call came in to the central dispatch regarding a boat that was stranded on the Mullet Bay beach and that an unknown number of persons (men and women) were seen leaving the boat and walking towards the main road leading through Mullet bay. A police patrol was dispatched to Mullet Bay to investigate the call. At the beach, they found a sailboat that was unmanned. A search of the area was done and several bags containing personal were found and confiscated. The central dispatch was informed of their findings and requested the assistance of the Coast guard. The Coastguard came and inspected the boat which resulted in several other bags/luggage been found. The sailboat along with its contents was confiscated for further investigation. The sailboat was towed headquarters of Coast in Simpson Bay for safe keeping. None of the persons arriving on the sailboat were located by the patrols. In connection with this case the Human Trafficking/smuggling unit was called to conduct an investigation. The investigating team is requesting anyone who has seen what took place on Sunday morning or have any other information that can help to bring some clarity to this case the call the police department. The Human smuggling team can be reached at 54-22222 ext. 604/ 605/ 608/ 614, you can send us a private message to the Police Force Facebook Page or you can call the Emergency line 911. Your assistance will be highly appreciated. KPSM Press Release. PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten The House of Parliament will sit in an Urgent Plenary Public session on Wednesday, May 29, 2019. The Public meeting is scheduled for 16.00 hrs. in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg. The Deputy Prime Minister replacing the Minister of Justice will be present. The agenda points are: 1. The management structure of the detention facilities on St. Maarten 2. The status and significance of Progress Committee report recommendations (IS/1059/2018-2019 dated May 24, 2019) (This meeting was requested by MP T.E. Leonard, MP S.M. Bijlani and MP J.C. James) Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations. The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg. The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 115, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the internet www.sxmparliament.org, www.pearlfmradio.sx and Parliaments Facebook page: Parliament of Sint Maarten CAYHILL:--- The St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) Emergency Room (ER) recently received a donation from students of the American University of the Caribbean (AUC). Heather Langner, representing her graduating class, contacted the hospital with hopes of making a monetary contribution towards the purchase of equipment for the ER, as a token of appreciation. Heather states: The September 2017 Class at the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine is honored to present SMMC Emergency Department with this donation. SMMC has been an amazing part of our education, providing doctors for our clinical medicine courses, nurses for our CPR course, and a hospital setting for us to learn to be doctors. Thank you for being such a crucial part of our medical education. The donation was used towards the purchase of a new mobile patient monitor for the ER department. Donations are always appreciated by SMMC and if you (or your company/organization) would like to contribute, donations can be made via the SMMC website. Visit www.smmc.sx/Family-Visitors/Donate for more information about SMMCs donations program. ~ Did the current Prison Director manage a landfill and now appointed a director of Pointe Blanche Prison? PHILIPSBURG:--- Members of Parliament supporting the coalition in parliament called a public meeting or Parliament to discuss the condition of the Pointe Blanche Prison but those who requested the meeting did not use the opportunity to speak except for MP Jules James as the meeting opened. James asked several questions about the statements made by the team leader of the TBO Jeroen Kuipers. MP Rolando Brison challenged his colleagues MPs that are supporting the Government to put their money where their mouth is. Brison said that the MPS that have concerns about the prison should not vote for the 2019 budget whenever its presented to parliament. The prison needs money for function books and other things but there is no money, so I challenge you not to support the budget. Brison further asked the Ministers that appeared in parliament for Minister of Justice Cornelius de Weever to provide answers to parliament despite their thoughts and feelings. He said that he needs more information on the Landsbesluits issued to the person that is managing the prison. Brison even cautioned the Deputy Prime Minister Wycliffe Smith who is replacing de Weever that one of the persons he is asking about ran on the DP slate and not a USP slate. Brison waved the questionable LBs saying he needs clarity, he then said he wants to know more about the current director especially his educational background he said it is rumored the person managed a landfill in Curacao. If the director managed a landfill and is now director of the prison on St. Maarten, I want you to know that this does not bode well with me. I also want to know if the Minister could not find anyone within the Justice Ministry to fill that position. I want you to know that the people of Curacao and Aruba would have combed their island for someone to fill the vacancy with their own people. MP William Marlin also questioned the background of the director and how exactly he was recruited. Marlin said it is his understanding that the prison director used to be the Deputy Director of the Curacao prison, and he does believe the Minister has to provide parliament with proper information and put the rumors and or concerns of the people and parliament to rest. Marlin further questioned how many LBs are existing he said he wants to know if the former Director Edward Rohan was dismissed. He also asked about the LBs that were issued to the two interim directors namely Steven Carty and Reginald Williamsburg. MP Tamara Leonard who is supporting the government did not mix words and threatened to do what she has to do since she is not getting answers from the Minister of Justice Cornelius de Weever. I will have to do what I have to do and ask what has to be asked because I am a team player, I was elected by the people and I am getting pressure from those out there regarding the prison. I have been having asking questions for a long time and never got the answer so I do not want anyone to say I am now asking questions because my leader was there. As for the director, Leonard said she wants to know exactly what position this person holds and how many persons are being paid as director and interim director. MP Leonard said she heard the director and or change manager does not even have a Service Level Agreement (SLA) in place, therefore she wants to know what would this person change. Furthermore, she said she heard that the director has been taking the maintenance man to meetings as his advisor while the exhaust for the kitchen needs to be fixed. Leonard asked about the publication of the vacancy she said she wants to know if the vacancy was published locally or overseas. I want to know exactly what was advertised and for how long, I also want to know if the Secretary-General and others in the Ministers Cabinet are part of a fraternity? Leonard said she wants to know if the two interim directors were demoted under the detention head and if they are then re-promoted to interim director in the absence of the director. I need to know more about the change manager or director because I heard that this person does not have an SLA yet he is making changes. I saw a letter where this person issued a warning letter, issued threats of demotion and more in one letter. Leonard who obviously lost her decorum during her presentation when addressing the numerous issues affecting the prison asked if another firearm was found in the prison recently, she also asked about what was done about the killing that took place there. MP Emmanuel rattled the members of the Council of Ministers especially the Prime Minister for lying to parliament. Emmanuel said he has proof that the Prime Minister lied to parliament when she was asked about the World Bank money and how it is being spent. Emmanuel also highlighted the fact that the Minister of Justice lied to Parliament when he was asked if he knew suspended MP Theodore Heyliger was being transported to Bonaire. I want to know how come everyone including the cleaners of the prison knew but the Minister of Justice told Parliament he did not know. I also heard that a former detainee offered the Prison a donation of 15 washing machines and dryers and the Minister of Justice turned down the offer. I also want to know if the Minister gave the Director instructions to limit the visitations of suspended MP Theodore Heyliger while he was incarcerated." Emmanuel said that the Minister hired a garbage man to run the prison but he believes that its the employers fault and not the garbage man. The NA MP said since its the Ministers fault in several ways and is clearly anti-St. Maarten he is waiting for the motions of no confidence. MP Jurendy Doran said he is convinced that the Romeo-Marlin 2 cabinet is busy victimizing the people that did not support them in the last election. He said he is convinced of that because the Ministers are busy employing foreigners for top positions while St. Maarteners are left behind. He lauded MP Tamara Leonard who made several references about the way the Minister of Justice handled the affairs of the justice ministry. While the MPs supporting the coalition acted up and asked key questions they did not take actions against their Ministers, instead, the replacement Minister Wycliffe Smith asked for two weeks to provide the answers to the questions posed by parliament and the meeting was adjourned until further notice. The commotion from the MPs supporting the coalition caught the Chairlady Sarah Wescot Williams by surprise thus she left the house of Parliament as the meeting was taking place. Independent networks increase full-fibre coverage by 30%, reaching nearly 1.3 million premises New INCA and Point Topic survey finds industry expects this to rise ? but INCA CEO says there is still more to be done to meet Government targets London, UK, May 29, 2019: A new report has today revealed that the UK?s independent network providers (altnets) increased full-fibre coverage by 30% in 2018, reaching almost 1.3 million premises. Compiled for the Independent Networks Co-operative Association (INCA) by Point Topic, using data from independent network operators, the report ? ?Metrics for the UK independent network sector? ? puts the total number of premises passed or addressed by altnets at nearly 3.32 million premises. This includes more than two million premises which are estimated to be covered by Fixed Wireless Access (FWA). As the industry works to meet Government targets for 2025 and 2033, the report states that independent network operators are aiming to reach 3.38 million premises with full fibre at the end of 2020 and 15.96 million premises by 2025. INCA CEO Malcolm Corbett said achieving this would depend on a number of important factors, some of which were also highlighted in the report. ?These latest figures are very promising,? said Malcolm Corbett, CEO at INCA. ?The scale of investment in the UK?s independent network sector over the past year has reached an impressive level, with ?3.36bn of private funding being committed. This has contributed to the flourishing independent sector in the UK and the great work that is being done to connect homes, schools and businesses across the country. ?It is crucial, however, that we stay mindful of the challenges identified in the report. For the government?s ambitious targets to be met, our main concerns remain ? planning and street work costs, delivery times from Openreach, access to ducts and poles, and overbuild. Access to a pool of labour with suitable skills in a post-Brexit era is an additional concern which needs to be addressed.? In its assessment of 2018, the report gathered evidence suggesting that the UK?s independent network operators passed or addressed more than 1.29 million homes with fixed superfast or ultrafast broadband, with the majority of these using ultrafast Fibre-to-the-Premises or home (FTTP/H) and Fibre-to-the-Building (FTTB) technology. Independent full-fibre providers have just under 300,000 live connections, up 43% during 2018. FWA operators have around 110,000 connections which is an increase of 9% since 2017. ?It is super to see the independent network operator sector so vibrant and ambitious,? said Annelise Berendt, Principal Associate at Point Topic. ?Independent operators have a significant role to play in promoting a healthy, well-functioning broadband sector as the UK looks to deliver on its ultrafast targets. This report highlights they are stepping up to this role, playing their part both now and for the future.? INCA?s next event in its Rural Gigabit Future series will take place in Cambridgeshire on Wednesday, 29 May. In partnership with national and local government and the private sector, the series of workshops around the country share and develop the latest thinking on how to deliver full-fibre and high-speed wireless connectivity to the hardest to reach locations. For more information, please visit: https://www.inca.coop/events. These events precede its Annual Conference and Awards ceremony which take place on October 16 and 17, 2019. The full INCA/Point Topic report can be viewed at https://www.inca.coop/news/altnet-full-fibre-growth Maple Gold releases initial drill results from the Porphyry Zone Posted by Publisher Internet Maple Gold Mines Ltd. (?Maple Gold? or the ?Company?) (TSX-V: MGM, OTCQB: MGMLF; Frankfurt: M3G https://www.commodity-tv.net/c/search_adv/?v=298248 ) is pleased to report initial results from the Porphyry Zone, where the Company has now received assays for three complete drill-holes. The highlighted intercepts below are from two drill-holes within the central portion of the Porphyry Zone, collared approximately 540m apart (see Fig. 1 and Table 1). DO-19-256 demonstrated the presence of higher-grade mineralisation near-surface, cutting 16m averaging 1.57 g/t Au from 77m downhole (67m estimate vertical depth), plus an additional 11m averaging 1.00 g/t Au further up-hole. This shallow mineralisation remains open to the north. DO-19-258 intersected multiple higher grade zones, with a best of 19.0m averaging 2.46 g/t Au, including 6m averaging 5.11 g/t Au, which also includes 26.7 g/t Au over 1m (see Table 1). These intercepts are within a broader 41m interval (including lower grade material) averaging 1.41 g/t Au (all uncapped) from 274 downhole (225m estimated vertical depth), which supports the down-dip continuity of mineralisation and remains open to depth downhole). The primary objective of the drilling in the central part of the Porphyry Zone was to demonstrate continuity of higher grade mineralisation, both near surface and at moderate depths; results from the highlighted holes support this concept in both regards. DO-19-256, meant to demonstrate the presence of near-surface mineralisation, was drilled entirely in intrusive rocks, including strongly altered and mineralised syenite (Fig. 2) closer to surface, with mineralisation cut off in the lower half of the hole by a fracture/fault zone and post-mineralization alkaline gabbros and fluorite-rich carbonatite dykes. DO-19-258 was drilled to test the down-dip continuity of a significant intercept from 2012 (DO-12-95) collared on the same section (see Fig. 3). Results support the down-dip continuity of this mineralised zone, with comparable intercepts in each case. Both 2019 and previous drill results outline a much broader mineralised envelope (includes lower grade material), as shown in Fig. 3; the broader lower-grade halo in DO-19-258 extends for more than 175 metres downhole. This hole ended at 342m downhole in geologically similar rocks as the highlighted intercept, including 1.17 g/t Au from 338-339m, leaving this mineralised zone open both down-dip and downhole.? ? Maple Gold?s VP Exploration, Fred Speidel, commented: ?Initial drilling results from Porphyry Zone lend support to the concept of a near-surface higher-grade zone, as well as for the down-dip continuity of higher grade mineralisation at modest depths. Additional drilling is required to better define the ultimate down-dip continuity for this area, consistent with our current focus on not only optimizing the near-surface resource, but also assessing the potential significance of deeper mineralisation at Douay.? Qualified Person The scientific and technical data contained in this press release was reviewed and prepared under the supervision of Fred Speidel, M. Sc, P. Geo., Vice-President Exploration, of Maple Gold.?Mr. Speidel is a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.?Mr. Speidel has verified the data related to the exploration information disclosed in this news release through his direct participation in the work. Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) Maple Gold implements strict Quality Assurance (?QA?) and Quality Control (?QC?) protocols at Douay covering the planning and placing of drill holes in the field; drilling and retrieving the NQ-sized drill core; drill-hole surveying; core transport to the Douay Camp; core logging by qualified personnel; sampling and bagging of core for analysis; transport of core from site to ALS laboratory; sample preparation for assaying; and analysis, recording and final statistical vetting of results. For a complete description of protocols, please visit the Company?s QA/QC page on the website at: http://maplegoldmines.com/index.php/en/projects/qa-qc-qp-statement About Maple Gold Maple Gold is an advanced gold exploration and development company focused on defining a district-scale gold project in one of the world?s premier mining jurisdictions. The Company?s ~355 km? Douay Gold Project is located along the Casa Berardi Deformation Zone (55 km of strike) within the prolific Abitibi Greenstone Belt in northern Quebec, Canada. The Project benefits from excellent infrastructure and has an established gold resource3 that remains open in multiple directions. For more information please visit www.maplegoldmines.com. ON BEHALF OF MAPLE GOLD MINES LTD. ?Matthew Hornor? 1. Matthew Hornor, President & CEO For Further Information Please Contact: Mr. Joness Lang VP, Corporate Development Cell: 778.686.6836 Email: jlang@maplegoldmines.com In Europe: Swiss Resource Capital AG Jochen Staiger info@resource-capital.ch www.resource-capital.ch NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS PRESS RELEASE. Forward Looking Statements: This news release contains ?forward-looking information\ and ?forward-looking statements? (collectively referred to as ?forward-looking statements?) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation in Canada, including statements about the prospective? mineral potential of the Porphyry Zone, the potential for significant mineralisation from other drilling in the referenced drill program and the completion of the drill program. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions, uncertainties and management?s best estimate of future events. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company?s expectations and projections. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding timing and completion of the private placement. When used herein, words such as ?anticipate?, ?will?, ?intend? and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on certain estimates, expectations, analysis and opinions that management believed reasonable at the time they were made or in certain cases, on third party expert opinions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, and uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual events, results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future events, results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. For a more detailed discussion of such risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, refer to Maple Gold Mines Ltd.?s filings with Canadian securities regulators available on www.sedar.com or the Company?s website at www.maplegoldmines.com. The Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Aurora Cannabis Exercises License Option with EnWave for South America Posted by Publisher Internet EnWave Corporation (TSX-V:ENW | FSE:E4U) (?EnWave?, or the \Company\ https://www.commodity-tv.net/c/search_adv/?v=299137 ) reports today that, following its April 26, 2019 joint news release with Aurora Cannabis Inc. (?Aurora?) (TSX: ACB) (NYSE: ACB), a global leader in the cannabis industry, that Aurora has exercised its option and that the companies signed an exclusive, royalty-bearing commercial license agreement with sub-licensing rights (the ?Agreement?) for the use by Aurora of EnWave?s proprietary Radiant Energy Vacuum (?REV??) dehydration technology for the drying of cannabis in South America (excluding Peru). ?Aurora will hold the exclusive master license for the drying of cannabis using REV? in the South American license territory and will work with EnWave to pursue additional sub-licensing opportunities. ?Aurora will receive an undisclosed share of royalties derived from any cannabis product dried with REV? technology by sub-licensees in the South American license territory.? This is the third such agreement signed by Aurora and EnWave. Equipment Purchase Agreement Signed Aurora has also signed an equipment purchase agreement for a large-scale 60kW commercial REV? machine for its operations in South America. The REV? dehydration machines purchased will be used to increase throughput of THC and CBD extraction for the manufacture of derivative cannabis products. On April 26, 2019, EnWave and Aurora announced that the companies had entered into a royalty-bearing commercial license agreement with sub-licensing rights, providing Aurora with the exclusive rights to EnWave?s patented REV? drying technology for the production of cannabis materials in the European Union, excluding Portugal (the ?European License?). Aurora announced its intention to purchase an additional 120kW REV? machine for its European operations.? Additionally, Aurora secured a non-exclusive sub-license to use REV? technology in Canada, signed an intellectual property agreement with the Company and made a $10 million strategic investment into EnWave. Aurora?s exercise of its South American license option reflects Aurora?s global footprint and its intention to pursue widespread adoption of the REV? technology throughout its global derivative manufacturing operations. ?Aurora continues to hold an exclusive option to license REV? technology for cannabis in Australia. Benefits of REV? Technology in the Cannabis Industry EnWave?s patented REV? technology is a rapid, low temperature, continuous drying method that maintains the optimal terpene profile, flavour, as well as other product attributes during the drying process. The company?s vacuum-microwave technology enables uniform drying with flexible moisture content, unattainable with freeze drying or air drying. In the cannabis industry, REV? technology provides for capital expenditure savings on drying space (smaller footprint) and related HVAC investments, as well as the ability to free up space, which can be repurposed to increase the economic output of each facility. ?Furthermore, EnWave?s REV? technology reduces drying time from 5-7 days to less than two hours, resulting in significant working capital savings and speed to market of product. The technology has certain additional benefits, including the support of industrial scale flow-though, accelerating the ability for large-scale processing of cannabis and CBD-rich biomass into intermediate or finished product. About EnWave EnWave Corporation, a Vancouver-based advanced technology company, has developed Radiant Energy Vacuum (?REV??) ? an innovative, proprietary method for the precise dehydration of organic materials. EnWave has further developed patent-pending methods for uniformly drying and decontaminating cannabis through the use of REV? technology, shortening the time from harvest to marketable cannabis products.? REV? technology?s commercial viability has been demonstrated and is growing rapidly across several market verticals in the food, and pharmaceutical sectors including legal cannabis. EnWave?s strategy is to sign royalty-bearing commercial licenses with industry leaders in multiple verticals for the use of REV? technology. The company has signed over twenty royalty-bearing licenses to date, opening up nine distinct market sectors for commercialization of new and innovative products. In addition to these licenses, EnWave has formed a Limited Liability Corporation, NutraDried Food Company, LLC, to develop, manufacture, market and sell all-natural cheese snack products in the United States under the Moon Cheese? brand.? EnWave has introduced REV? as the new dehydration standard in the food and biological material sectors: faster and cheaper than freeze drying, with better end product quality than air drying or spray drying. EnWave currently has three commercial REV? platforms: nutraREV? which is used in the food industry to dry food products quickly and at low-cost, while maintaining high levels of nutrition, taste, texture and colour; powderREV? which is used for the bulk dehydration of food cultures, probiotics and fine biochemicals such as enzymes below the freezing point, and quantaREV? which is used for continuous, high-volume low-temperature drying. An additional platform, freezeREV?, is being developed as a new method to stabilize and dehydrate biopharmaceuticals such as vaccines and antibodies. More information about EnWave is available at www.enwave.net. EnWave Corporation Mr. Brent Charleton, CFA President and CEO For further information: Brent Charleton, CFA , President and CEO at +1 (778) 378-9616 E-mail: bcharleton@enwave.net ????? Dan Henriques, CPA, CA, Chief Financial Officer at +1 (604) 835-5212 E-mail: dhenriques@enwave.net ? Deborah Honig, Corporate Development at + 1 (647) 203-8793 E-mail: dhonig@enwave.net In Europe: Swiss Resource Capital AG Jochen Staiger info@resource-capital.ch www.resource-capital.ch? Safe Harbour for Forward-Looking Information Statements: This press release may contain forward-looking information based on management\-\-s expectations, estimates and projections. All statements that address expectations or projections about the future, including statements about the Company\-\-s strategy for growth, product development, market position, expected expenditures, and the expected synergies following the closing are forward-looking statements. All third party claims referred to in this release are not guaranteed to be accurate. All third party references to market information in this release are not guaranteed to be accurate as the Company did not conduct the original primary research. These statements are not a guarantee of future performance and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. No statement in this press release should be construed as a waiver of any party?s rights, and all such rights are reserved. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. EnWave Announces 2019 Second Quarter Consolidated Interim Financial Results Posted by Publisher Internet EnWave Corporation (TSX-V:ENW | FSE:E4U) (?EnWave?, or the \Company\ https://www.commodity-tv.net/c/search_adv/?v=299137) today reported the Company?s consolidated interim financial results for the second quarter ended March 31, 2019. EnWave?s interim condensed consolidated financial statements and MD&A are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Company?s website www.enwave.net. Key Financial Highlights for Q2 (expressed in ?000s): Reported record quarterly revenue for the Company in Q2 2019 of $8,773, an increase of $4,601 when compared to $4,172 for Q2 of 2018. Revenue growth was driven by increased sales and distribution of the Company?s Moon Cheese? product as well as an increase in REVTM equipment sales into the cannabis sector. More than doubled gross profit, improving to $3,120 for Q2 2019 compared to $1,295 for Q2 2018, an increase of $1,825 or 141%. Gross margin as a percentage of revenue was 36% for Q2 2019 compared to 31% for Q2 2018. Increased cash profitability with Adjusted EBITDA(*) of $1,002 for Q2 2019 compared to $4 for Q2 2018, an increase of $998. Q2 YTD Adjusted EBITDA(*) for the Company was $2,165, compared to $319 for Q2 YTD 2018. The growth in positive EBITDA represents the Company?s continued ability to generate cash from its operations. Reduced the consolidated net loss for the period after taxes to $224 for Q2 2019 compared to a net loss of $519 for Q2 2018, an improvement of $295. With sales of Moon Cheese? and REVTM equipment increasing the Company is making robust progress towards consolidated profitability. Increased G&A expenses to $1,049 for Q2 2019 compared to $606 for Q2 2018, an increase of $443. The Company added several talented new personnel to the team, including a new CEO for NutraDried, as well as invested in a scalable infrastructure to facilitate growth in machine sales and Moon Cheese?. Invested in top-line growth with S&M expenses of $1,084 for Q2 2019 compared to $683 for Q2 2018, an increase of $401. S&M expenses increased as part of the Company?s strategy to invest in the Moon Cheese? brand as well as more traditional selling activity to promote REVTM technology across the food and cannabis sectors. Reported cash on the balance sheet of $12,200 at the end of the second quarter and subsequently completed a strategic investment with Aurora Cannabis Inc. (?Aurora?) in the Company for gross proceeds of $10,087. The Company is positioned with a debt-free balance sheet and cash in excess of $20 million paired with a positive cash flow profile. Significant Accomplishments: Signed a royalty-bearing commercial sub-license agreement with Aurora granting Aurora non-exclusive rights to use EnWave?s technology for processing cannabis in Canada. Aurora purchased two 120kW REVTM machines and a 10kW machine for installation in Canada. Entered into a royalty-bearing commercial license agreement with Aurora granting Aurora exclusive rights, with the rights to grant sub-licenses, for processing cannabis in the European Union (excluding Portugal). Aurora must purchase a 120kW REVTM machine for installation in the European Union before June 25, 2019 to retain the exclusive rights. Partnered with Aurora to develop new innovations and intellectual property related to REVTM and its applications in the cannabis sector by signing an intellectual property agreement and initiating new joint development projects. Entered into a royalty-bearing commercial sub-license agreement with The Green Organic Dutchman (?TGOD?) granting TGOD non-exclusive rights to use EnWave?s technology for processing legalized cannabis in Canada. TGOD purchased four large-scale REVTM machines for installation in Canada including a 60kW REVTM machine and three 120kW REVTM machines, all with automated robotic tray handling systems. Shipped the first 60kW machine to Tilray Inc. (?Tilray?) and began the installation and commissioning processes on the first large-scale continuous cannabis processing line. Signed a royalty-bearing commercial license agreement with Calbee Inc. (?Calbee?) and received a purchase order for a 10kW machine. Calbee, a major Japanese snacking company, plans to conduct intense product development in 2019 and to launch several new products through market testing efforts in 2020. Converted Fresh Business Consulting S.L. (?Fresh Business) from a technology evaluation agreement into a royalty-bearing commercial license agreement and granted Fresh Business exclusive rights to produce a variety of premium food products in Peru. Fresh Business initially purchased a 10kW machine and must commit to purchasing a 100kW or larger machine before July 31, 2019 to retain exclusivity in Peru. Advanced the development of nutrient rich field rations with the U.S. Army and announced the purchase of a second small-scale REVTM machine by the U.S. Army as part of the ongoing project. The Company is collaborating with the U.S. Army and its approved supplier network as part of the strategy to commercialize REVTM for high quality field rations with superior taste and nutrients. Signed a royalty-bearing commercial license agreement with Royal FrieslandCampina N.V. (?Friesland Campina?), one of Europe?s largest dairy companies. Friesland Campina will deploy REVTM technology to develop new products that fit evolving consumer needs and taste preferences. Friesland Campina purchased a 10kW REVTM unit to initiate production. Selected as a 2019 Venture 50TM company in the Clean Technology & Life Sciences category. Appointed Mr. Stephen Sanford as a new independent member on the Company?s Board of Directors. Mr. Sanford is Managing General Counsel at Fluor Corporation and has significant experience structuring major commercial transactions in a variety of legal frameworks on a global basis. Continued to expand the sales and distribution of Moon Cheese? throughout the United States in the club and retail grocery channels. NutraDried hired Mr. Joe Spinazola as the new Senior Vice President of Sales in April 2019 to further advance this effort and Mr. Spinazola will work closely with NutraDried?s CEO to grow distribution of its all-natural snack product, Moon Cheese?, and to launch new products and flavours. Investor Relations Agreement: The Company retained Mr. Jochen Staiger of Swiss Resource Capital (?SRC?) to provide investor relations services for the Company in the European capital markets.? SRC will broaden awareness of EnWave?s investment case in Europe with retail and institutional investors. SRC will be remunerated CHF 5,000 per month (CAD $6,650) for the twelve-month term of the contract starting on June 1, 2019. The Company previously announced on September 11, 2018 that 50,000 incentive stock options were granted to Mr. Staiger; no additional incentive stock options have been granted as part of SRC?s compensation. (*) Non-IFRS Financial Measures: Adjusted EBITDA is not a measure of financial performance under IFRS. We define Adjusted EBITDA as earnings before deducting amortization and depreciation, stock based compensation, foreign exchange gain or loss, finance expense or income, income tax expense and non-recurring impairment charges. This measure is not necessarily comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies and should not be construed as an alternative to net income or cash flow from operating activities as determined in accordance with IFRS. Please refer to the discussion included in the Company?s interim MD&A for March 31, 2019 and annual MD&A for the year ended September 30, 2018. About EnWave: EnWave Corporation, a Vancouver-based advanced technology company, has developed Radiant Energy Vacuum (?REV??) ? an innovative, proprietary method for the precise dehydration of organic materials. EnWave has further developed patent-pending methods for uniformly drying and decontaminating cannabis through the use of REV? technology, shortening the time from harvest to marketable cannabis products.? REV? technology?s commercial viability has been demonstrated and is growing rapidly across several market verticals in the food, and pharmaceutical sectors including legal cannabis. EnWave?s strategy is to sign royalty-bearing commercial licenses with industry leaders in multiple verticals for the use of REV? technology. The company has signed over twenty royalty-bearing licenses to date, opening up nine distinct market sectors for commercialization of new and innovative products. In addition to these licenses, EnWave has formed a Limited Liability Corporation, NutraDried Food Company, LLC, to develop, manufacture, market and sell all-natural cheese snack products in the United States under the Moon Cheese? brand.? EnWave has introduced REV? as the new dehydration standard in the food and biological material sectors: faster and cheaper than freeze drying, with better end product quality than air drying or spray drying. EnWave currently has three commercial REV? platforms: nutraREV? which is used in the food industry to dry food products quickly and at low-cost, while maintaining high levels of nutrition, taste, texture and colour; powderREV? which is used for the bulk dehydration of food cultures, probiotics and fine biochemicals such as enzymes below the freezing point, and quantaREV? which is used for continuous, high-volume low-temperature drying. An additional platform, freezeREV?, is being developed as a new method to stabilize and dehydrate biopharmaceuticals such as vaccines and antibodies. More information about EnWave is available at www.enwave.net. EnWave Corporation Brent Charleton, CFA President and CEO In Europe: Swiss Resource Capital AG www.resource-capital.ch? Safe Harbour for Forward-Looking Information Statements: This press release may contain forward-looking information based on management\-\-s expectations, estimates and projections. All statements that address expectations or projections about the future, including statements about the Company\-\-s strategy for growth, product development, market position, expected expenditures, and the expected synergies following the closing are forward-looking statements. All third party claims referred to in this release are not guaranteed to be accurate. All third party references to market information in this release are not guaranteed to be accurate as the Company did not conduct the original primary research. These statements are not a guarantee of future performance and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Bluestone Drills More High-grade Intercepts including 5.4 meters of 11.9 g/t Au and 84.5 g/t Ag Posted by Publisher Internet Bluestone Resources Inc. (TSXV:BSR | OTCQB:BBSRF) (\Bluestone\ or the \Company\ ? https://www.commodity-tv.net/c/search_adv/?v=299040 ) ?is pleased to announce further high-grade intercepts drilled as part of the infill resource conversion program at its Cerro Blanco Gold project. The primary focus of the program is to upgrade a portion of the Inferred Resources identified during the previous drill program completed in 2018. The Cerro Blanco Feasibility Study (see press release January 29th, 2019) highlighted some 357,000 ounces of Inferred Resources (1.4 Mt grading 8.1 g/t Au) that could be potentially converted to Measured and Indicated Resources through infill drilling. Additionally, the program is also designed to define new resources along known veins in the mine plan that extend outside of the current resource envelope. All holes cited in this press release were drilled from various platforms located in the North Ramp of the Cerro Blanco underground workings with the exception of hole UGCB19-134 which was drilled from the South Ramp. ?The majority of holes were drilled at sub-horizonal to positive angles (upwards) and designed to target Inferred Resources within the upper parts of the resource, with targeted veins successfully intercepted. ?Of note, hole UGCB19-136 was drilled at +22 degrees into the upper part of the deposit, intercepted a wider than expected zone of 11.9 g/t Au and 84.5 g/t Ag over 5.4 meters due to the coalescing of several structures. The south-eastern part of the South Ramp orebody is host to a swarm of vertically extensive sub-vertical quartz veins with limited drilling and excellent potential to define additional ounces. Hole UGCB19-134 intersected six corresponding veins all of which are outside the current resource, including 3.9 meters grading 11.8 g/t Au and 83 g/t Ag. A plan view showing drill hole locations, sections and core photos can be accessed by clicking HERE. Results for a total of 39 holes have now been released to date as part of the Infill resource conversion program. Drilling is ongoing and further results will be reported in due course. Precious metal mineralization at Cerro Blanco is associated with classic low sulphidation adularia-sericite epithermal quartz veins and vein swarms hosted in altered sequence of volcanoclastic and sedimentary rocks. Higher grades (>20 g/t Au and >60 g/t Ag) are normally associated with visible gold and silver sulphides in ginguro-style colloform-banded veins. Quality Analysis and Quality Control Assay results listed within this release were performed by Inspectorate Laboratories (?Inspectorate?), a division of Bureau Veritas, which are ISO 17025 accredited laboratories.? Logging and sampling are undertaken on site at Cerro Blanco by Company personnel under a QA/QC protocol developed by Bluestone. Samples are transported in security-sealed bags to Inspectorate, Guatemala City, Guatemala, for sample preparation.? Sample pulps are shipped to Inspectorate Laboratories in Vancouver, BC, Canada or Reno, NV, USA, and assayed using industry-standard assay techniques for gold and silver. Gold and silver were analyzed by a 30-gram charge with atomic absorption and/or gravimetric finish for values exceeding 5 g/t Au and 100 g/t Ag. Analytical accuracy and precision are monitored by the analysis of reagent blanks, reference material, and replicate samples. Quality control is further assured by Bluestone?s QA/QC program, which involves the insertion of blind certified reference materials (standards) and field duplicates into the sample stream to independently assess analytical precision and accuracy of each batch of samples as they are received from the laboratory.? A selection of samples is submitted to ALS Chemex Laboratories in Vancouver for check analysis and additional quality control. Qualified Person David Cass, P.Geo., Vice President Exploration, is the designated Qualified Person for this news release within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and verified that the technical information set out above in this news release is accurate and therefore approves this written disclosure of the technical information. About Bluestone Resources Bluestone Resources is a mineral exploration and development company that is focused on advancing its 100%-owned Cerro Blanco Gold and Mita Geothermal projects located in Guatemala. A Feasibility Study on Cerro Blanco returned robust economics with a quick pay back. The average annual production is projected to be 146,000 ounces per year over the first three years of production with all-in sustaining costs of $579/oz (as defined per World Gold Council guidelines, less corporate general and administration costs). The Company trades under the symbol ?BSR? on the TSX Venture Exchange and ?BBSRF? on the OTCQB. On Behalf of Bluestone Resources Inc. \Darren Klinck\ Darren Klinck | President, Chief Executive Officer & Director Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains ?forward-looking information? within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation and ?forward-looking statements? within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively, ?forward-looking statements?).? All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that Bluestone Resources Inc. (?Bluestone? or the ?Company?) believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future including, without limitation: the conversion of the inferred mineral resources; increasing the amount of measured mineral and indicated mineral resources; the proposed timeline and benefits of further drilling; the proposed timeline and benefits of the Feasibility Study; statements about the Company?s plans for its mineral properties; Bluestone?s business strategy, plans and outlook; the future financial or operating performance of Bluestone; capital expenditures, corporate general and administration expenses and exploration and development expenses; expected working capital requirements; the future financial estimates of the Cerro Blanco Project economics, including estimates of capital costs of constructing mine facilities and bringing a mine into production and of sustaining capital costs, estimates of operating costs and total costs, net present value and economic returns; proposed production timelines and rates; funding availability; resource estimates; and future exploration and operating plans are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect the current expectations or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to Bluestone and often use words such as ?expects?, ?plans?, ?anticipates?, ?estimates?, ?intends?, ?may? or variations thereof or the negative of any of these terms. All forward-looking statements are made based on the Company?s current beliefs as well as various assumptions made by them and information currently available to them.? Generally, these assumptions include, among others: the ability of Bluestone to carry on exploration and development activities; the price of gold, silver and other metals; there being no material variations in the current tax and regulatory environment; the exchange rates among the Canadian dollar, Guatemalan quetzal and the United States dollar remaining consistent with current levels; the presence of and continuity of metals at the Cerro Blanco Project at estimated grades; the availability of personnel, machinery and equipment at estimated prices and within estimated delivery times; metals sales prices and exchange rates assumed; appropriate discount rates applied to the cash flows in economic analyses; tax rates and royalty rates applicable to the proposed mining operation; the availability of acceptable financing; anticipated mining losses and dilution; success in realizing proposed operations; anticipated timelines for community consultations and the impact of those consultations on the regulatory approval process. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements and, even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, Bluestone. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things: risks relating to variations in the mineral content within the mineral identified as mineral resources from that predicted; risks and uncertainties related to expected production rates, timing and amount of production and total costs of production; risks and uncertainties related to ability to obtain or maintain necessary licenses, permits, or surface rights; risks associated with technical difficulties in connection with mining development activities; risks and uncertainties related to the accuracy of mineral resource estimates and estimates of future production, future cash flow, total costs of production and diminishing quantities or grades of mineral resources; risks associated with geopolitical uncertainty and political and economic instability in Guatemala; risks and uncertainties related to interruptions in production; the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company?s expectations; uncertain political and economic environments and relationships with local communities; variations in rates of recovery and extraction; developments in world metals markets; risks related to fluctuations in currency exchange rates; as well as those factors discussed under ?Risk Factors? in the Company?s Amended and Restated Annual Information Form. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it was made, and except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Bluestone disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although Bluestone believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to their inherent uncertainty.? There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Non-IFRS Financial Performance Measures The Company has included certain non-International Financial Reporting Standards (?IFRS?) measures in this new release. The Company believes that these measures, in addition to measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, provide investors an improved ability to evaluate the underlying performance of the Company and to compare it to information reported by other companies. The non-IFRS measures are intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. These measures do not have any standardized meaning prescribed under IFRS, and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. All-in sustaining costs The Company believes that all-in sustaining costs (?AISC?) more fully defines the total costs associated with producing gold. The Company calculates AISC as the sum of refining costs, third party royalties, site operating costs, sustaining capital costs and closure capital costs all divided by the gold ounces sold to arrive at a per ounce amount. Other companies may calculate this measure differently as a result of differences in underlying principles and policies applied. Differences may also arise due to a different definition of sustaining versus non-sustaining capital. Total cash costs Total cash costs is a common financial performance measure in the gold mining industry but has no standard meaning. The Company reports total cash costs on a gold ounce sold basis. The Company believes that, in addition to measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, such as revenue, certain investors can use this information to evaluate the Company?s performance and ability to generate operating earnings and cash flow from its mining operations. Management uses this metric as an important tool to monitor operating cost performance. Total cash costs include (cost of sales such as mining, processing, maintenance and site administration, royalties, selling costs and by-product credits) to arrive at total cash costs per ounce of gold sold. Other companies may calculate this measure differently. AISC and total cash costs reconciliation ASIC and total cash costs are calculated based on the definitions published by the World Gold Council (?WGC?) (a market development organization for the gold industry comprised of and funded by 18 gold mining companies from around the world). The WGC is not a regulatory organization. Founders of Vanuatu First from left to right: Russel Nari (President), Anatol Hymak, Jimmy Andeng and Jean Paul Virelala (Vice President) The Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA) announced t it has closed on a $175,000 loan to an affiliate of a.m. Rodriguez, Inc., allowing this developer to buy out the limited partnership shares of two affordable housing developments located in the South Side Flats to ensure the 99 units remain affordable. Rodriguez invested an equal amount of its own funds for this purpose. Carson Retirement Residence is a 69-unit affordable senior apartment building at 2850 East Carson Street, and Sarah Street Townhomes is a 30-unit affordable development at 2825 Sarah Street in the South Side Flats. Both projects were completed in 2000 and were financed through the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program with subordinate, gap financing provided by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) and the URA. The challenge of preserving affordable housing, particularly in a neighborhood like the South Side, requires a team effort. I want to thank the URA and a.m. Rodriguez for their work to preserve this senior and family-friendly housing, Mayor William Peduto said. The limited partners were intending to eventually convert the developments to market-rate housing once the existing affordability covenants expired. Because of their location, these properties are very marketable and vulnerable to this type of threat. The URA provided this loan in exchange for an agreement by a.m. Rodriguez to extend the existing affordability covenants for an additional 30 years. a.m. Rodriguez is grateful to have the support from the URA and PHFA to preserve the affordability of these apartments for seniors and families who live in Pittsburghs South Side. Our combined efforts will protect the unique diversity of this neighborhood for future generations, said Victor Rodriguez, president of a.m. Rodriguez. The URA Board of Directors approved the loan at their December 2018 meeting. The closing date was May 15, 2019. 2021s most popular expert panel roundtable discussions Topics that dominated our websites Expert Panel Roundtable articles in 2021 included the effects of COVID-19, the benefits of mobile access, the upcoming potential of deep learning, and the future of access control cards. Our websites Expert Panel Roundtable discussions in 2021 reflected some of the most timely and important topics in the industry. The very most clicked-on Expert Panel Roundtable discussion in 2021 considered the positive and negative effects of COVID-19. The second most popular was trends in perimeter security technology. Smart video solutions Here is a roundup of the Top 10 Expert Panel Roundtable discussions posted in 2021, along with a sound bite from each discussion and links back to the full articles. Thanks to everyone who contributed to Expert Panel Roundtable in 2021 (including the quotable panelists named and linked below). The pandemic has impacted security in many ways, some we are just now realising" What are the positive and negative effects of COVID-19 to security? The pandemic has impacted security in many ways, some we are just now realising. On the negative side, integrators were limited in their ability to access customer locations, posing significant challenges to supporting customers. Innovation was also halted in many sectors such as AI and edge computing in healthcare. However, the pandemic increased awareness regarding the need for smart solutions that can aid in these types of crises. Smart video solutions have been identified repeatedly in the media as a potential pathway to better customer experience and increased safety. Alexander Harlass. Reducing false alarms What are the latest trends in perimeter security technology? Whats really important in perimeter security is the minimisation of false alarms, not simply the potential detection of what might be an unauthorised person or object. In light of that, many systems now include alarm validation that can confirm an alarm event using a camera. The utilisation of AI-based technologies can further validate the accuracy of the alarm, making it as accurate and precise as possible. I anticipate seeing more cross-technological integrations to reduce false alarms, so that personnel in an alarm center spend as little time as possible in validating an alarm. Leo Levit. What will be the biggest security trends in 2021? 2021 will see artificial intelligence (AI) become more mainstream. There will be increased deployment in edge devices, including cameras, thermographic cameras, radar and LIDAR sensors, entry point readers, etc. Additional algorithms will be developed, greatly expanding the use and function as video surveillance transitions from a forensic tool to real-time analytics. This increases the value of these systems and helps create ROI cases for their deployment. Tim Brooks. Access control solutions Investments in tools and platforms to drive digital interactions have accelerated" What will be the security industrys biggest challenge in 2021? The security industry is traditional in the sense that it relies heavily on face-to-face interaction to do business with customers and partners alike. COVID-19 has put a hold on in-person meetings, trade shows, etc., and this trend is likely to extend throughout 2021. Virtually recreating these personal touchpoints, while cultivating and strengthening internal and external relationships, will continue to be both a challenge and opportunity for the security industry. Investments in tools and platforms to drive digital interactions have accelerated. Robert Moore. What are the challenges and benefits of mobile access control? Mobile access control solutions are an exciting innovation in a market where the day-to-day user experience hasnt changed much in the last 20 years. One area that has clear benefits and challenges is in improving the user experience. On one hand, physical credentials are expensive and a hassle to administer; however, they work reliably, quickly, and predictably. Mobile credentials are convenient in that everyone already has a smartphone, and you dont have to admin or carry cards; however, when youre actually standing at the door they need to work as well or better than physical credentials, or the benefits are lost. Brian Lohse. Attacking critical infrastructure What are the security challenges of protecting critical infrastructure? It seems so often we hear about a new threat or cyber-attack in the news. Because of the rapid growth in technology over the last few years, cybercriminals are getting bolder and discovering new ways to attack critical infrastructure. One of the biggest challenges boils down to the capabilities of the operating security system and whether the organisation is aware of the current risks they face. Because there are so many points of entry for cybercriminals to target within critical infrastructure, it is vital that the security solution be prepared for attacks at every level. Charles (Chuck) OLeary. They are more aware when they make physical contact with doors and interfaces" Which security technologies will be useful in a post-pandemic world? People have become more sensitised to crowds and personal space. They are more aware when they make physical contact with doors and interfaces. As the pandemic subsides, these habits will likely remain for a majority of people." "Utilising AI-based cameras to accurately monitor the number of people in a room or in a queue will enable staff to take action to improve the customer experience. For example, AI-based analytics can quickly notify security or operations when people are waiting at a door and initiate 2-way audio for touchless access. Aaron Saks. Central monitoring station What is the potential of deep learning in physical security and surveillance? Deep learning, a subset of artificial intelligence, enables networks to train themselves to perform speech, voice, and image recognition tasks." In video surveillance, these networks learn to make predictions through highly repetitive exposure" "In video surveillance, these networks learn to make predictions through highly repetitive exposure to images of humans and vehicles from a camera feed. That ability is ideal for use with drones patrolling perimeters seeking anomalies or in software that significantly reduces the number of false alarms reported to central monitoring station operators. Through use, the software continues improving its accuracy. Brian Baker. Valuable audit trail How soon will access control cards become extinct and why? Access control cards will go the way of the dinosaur, but they still have some life left in them. For the short term, they have plenty of utility in minimum security use cases and leave a valuable audit trail. But for companies that are more technology-centric, particularly those with high value assets, were seeing demand for next-generation access control, which includes increased integration with video surveillance systems and professional monitoring services. Sean Foley. Which security markets are embracing touchless and contactless systems? Touchless technology is not a new trend, but contactless systems and transactions have surged since the COVID-19 pandemic. Even after the pandemic is over, it is likely public perception of what is hygienic and acceptable in public spaces will have changed. [We are] seeing an uptick in touchless access control systems in the education and flexible office space markets. Brooke Grigsby. New Delhi, May 29 (IBNS): Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi will attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi on Thursday, media reports quoting sources said. For the second innings of the NDA government, a grand and elaborate arrangement has been made at the presidential palace Rashtrapati Bhavan where Modi and his ministers will take oath in the presence of world leaders. Rahul and Sonia are supposed to attend the occasion despite Modi's severe attack on former Prime Minister, the late Rajiv Gandhi, Rahul's father and Sonia's husband, during the election campaign. Modi had attacked Rahul Gandhi and said his father was 'Bhrashtachari No 1' (corrupt number 1). "Your father was termed 'Mr Clean' by his courtiers, but his life ended as 'Bhrashtachari No 1' (corrupt number 1)," Modi had said at a rally in Uttar Pradesh. Modi's comment was linked to the corruption allegations against former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi related to another defence deal - the purchase of Bofors guns in the 1980s. However, Rajiv Gandhi, who was assassinated in 1991 by Sri Lankan rebels, had got a clean chit from the court in the Bofors case. BIMSTEC leaders to attend Modi's swearing-in ceremony: The Indian government has invited leaders of the BIMSTEC member states for the swearing-in ceremony. BIMSTEC stands for Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation. Its member states are: Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal, Bhutan and India. "Government of India has invited the leaders of the BIMSTEC member states for the swearing-in ceremony. This is in line with the government's focus on its 'Neighbourhood First' policy. The President of the Kyrgyz Republic, who is the current chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the Prime Minister of Mauritius, who was the chief guest at this year's Pravasi Bhartiya Divas, have also been invited," a government spokesperson said. The ceremony will take place at 7pm on Thursday. The NDA this time has a strength of 353 MPs in the 543-member Lok Sabha. The BJP alone has 303 MPs. When it comes to producing commemorative items for the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing, Case has a distinctive edge. Like other companies that supplied NASA with equipment to fly aboard the Apollo 11 spacecraft, Case was inspired by the half-century milestone to highlight its own unique contribution to the space program. But the knife manufacturer's Apollo 11 50th anniversary offering may prove that the (space) pen is not mightier than the (moon) sword. "To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, Case is proud to reintroduce the Case Astronaut M-1, which was originally made for NASA's Apollo and Gemini missions," the company announced on its website. Related: NASA's 17 Apollo Missions in Pictures A machete on the moon As Buzz Aldrin famously remarked on July 20, 1969, the moon is a "magnificent desolation." The lunar surface is, of course, devoid of any overgrown plant life needing to be cleared and, as the first and only humans to arrive on the lunar surface that day, Aldrin and Neil Armstrong had no use for a weapon. So why did Aldrin, Armstrong and their crewmate in lunar orbit, Michael Collins, require a broad, heavy knife? "The original Case Astronaut Knife M-1's traveled to the moon and back nine times as part of a survival pack on board the spacecraft used in every Gemini and Apollo space mission led by NASA," the company explained. Related: Apollo Quiz: Test Your Moon Landing Memory Among the supplies flown aboard the Apollo 11 command module "Columbia" was the equipment needed for the crew to survive for two days after an off-course landing on Earth. In addition to water containers, a radio beacon, three pairs of sunglasses and two bottles of sunscreen was one W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co. machete. "When other military knives did not meet NASA's criteria for the start of the Apollo program, the organization commissioned Case to create a knife to [its] exact specifications. The Case Astronaut Knife M-1 was designed to be lightweight and featured a sharp cutting edge partnered with saw teeth on the back side," Case stated in a release. A slice of history The survival kit that flew on the Apollo 11 moon landing included a W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company machete, as pictured here in the National Air and Space Museum's collection. (Image credit: Smithsonian) Case crafted its new reproduction of the Astronaut Knife M-1 to be as close to its 1966 original as possible. The commemorative machete features an 11.75-inch-long (30-centimeter) taper ground, high-carbon stainless steel blade and a smooth white synthetic handle. "The [1966] handle was made of an ultra-lightweight synthetic which was found to withstand a hard impact without shattering. It also exuded no fumes, a feature that was critical to maintaining the purity of the air quality within the spacecraft," described Case. "NASA replaced the white synthetic handle for a gray aluminum grip with a crosshatched surface." Overall, the replica knife measures 17 inches (43 centimeters) and weighs 10.8 ounces (306 grams). Each Astronaut M-1 is individually serialized on its blade. A 250-piece limited production, 50th anniversary commemorative version has an embellished blade inscribed with "First Steps on the Moon" artwork and is mounted with a Case medallion in a wooden shadow box display for $399.99. (The limited edition is sold out on Case's website but may still be available from the company's authorized dealers.) The open edition machete comes in a two-piece presentation box for $232.99. "The Case M-1 belongs in a class by itself," stated Case. "The famous names of all the brave astronauts who flew with it through the 'Sea of Tranquility' are forever connected to the Case M-1 story." Click through to collectSPACE for more photos of the Case Astronaut Knife M-1 for the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11. Britain hopes its spacefaring dreams won't be slowed down by the country's expected departure from the European Union (EU), although the move is likely to have a negative impact on the economy. Despite the ongoing political turmoil, the income of the UK's space sector has grown from 13.7 billion to 14.8 billion pounds sterling ($17.4 billion to $18.8 billion) since 2016, the year of the Brexit referendum , according to the UK Space Agency. A recent industry report predicts the positive trend will continue regardless of the yet uncertain outcome of the Brexit negotiations. Income, employment and exports are all expected to continue growing. "EU-funded programs represent only 2.5% of the total income for the UK space sector," a UK Space Agency spokesperson told Space.com. "Beyond Europe, we are promoting international cooperation through agreements and joint projects." Related: Britain's Quitting the EU, But Will It Be Forced Out of EU Space Programs? The spokesperson said that regardless of the terms on which the UK leaves the EU, the country would continue being a member of the European Space Agency (ESA), which is independent of the EU. "The UK's membership of ESA will not be affected by the UK leaving the EU," the spokesperson said. "We continue to invest around 300 million ($389 million) every year in ESA research and development programs with a focus on commercialization and growth opportunities." This investment makes the UK one of the top contributors to ESA's budget; through its membership in ESA, the country might see UK astronaut Tim Peake fly to the International Space Station once again and represent Europe, despite Brexit. The country will also continue to participate in pioneering projects undertaken under the ESA banner. Europe's leading aerospace manufacturer, Airbus , which has facilities in several European countries, however, has concerns about the ongoing Brexit impasse. The departure deal negotiated by soon-to-be-former Prime Minister Theresa May failed to win support in the parliament. In the two months since the original Brexit date, little progress has been made and it is unclear what trade arrangements will be in place between the UK and the EU after Brexit. While in the EU, the UK benefited from access to the single market of the European Economic Area. "At the moment, we continue to plan for 'no deal' as that is the only way any responsible business can plan," Airbus UK spokesman Jeremy Close told Space.com. "We continue to work with suppliers and partners to stockpile parts, prepare our customs and regulatory systems and mitigate impacts where possible." Airbus employs about 3,500 people in its UK space division, which has built hardware for some of the most high-profile ESA missions, including comet-chaser Rosetta, the ExoMars rover which is set for launch next year and the Mercury explorer BepiColombo . The biggest point of contention between the EU and the UK in the space domain has been the post-Brexit participation of the UK in Galileo , Europe's navigation satellite system that went live in 2016. The network is operated and built under the guidance of ESA, but is owned and funded by the EU, which has banned UK companies from further Galileo development work due to security concerns. The UK last December withdrew from negotiations around its future access to the encrypted, high-security component of Galileo's service, which is meant to be reserved for EU member states, their government agencies, armed forces and emergency services. The UK participated heavily in the development of Galileo. For example, satellite payloads for the constellation were manufactured in the UK by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. The country now plans to build its own navigation constellation, forgoing its 1.2 billion ($1.5 billion) investment into Galileo. "The terms the European Commission is prepared to offer for UK participation in Galileo fall well short of the minimum we would consider acceptable," said the UK Space Agency spokesperson. "The government has already committed 92 million [$117 million] to develop options for a UK global navigation satellite system and this work is progressing well." Details of the new system have not yet been revealed. The spokesperson said that the UK expects to continue its participation in Europe's Copernicus Earth observation program, which provides data about the state of the planet to scientists as well as government and private users. The UK has an ambitious vision for its space sector. Government representatives have said that, ideally, by 2030 the nation will control 10% of the global space economy, and that in early 2020s, it expects to see micro-launchers delivering small satellites into orbit from UK soil, serving mostly European small satellite manufacturers. Negative photo of the 1919 solar eclipse taken from Principe Island. The position of the stars that were examined in the historic test of Einstein's theory of gravity are marked in this photo. One hundred years ago today, in the wake of the first World War, a British astronomer watched a solar eclipse for signs that a German physicist may have been right about warps in the universe. The bold new theoretical ideas belonged to Albert Einstein , whose last name is synonymous with genius. But his name didn't always produce that feeling: People doubted that his theories described reality, and it took a special experiment during a solar eclipse to cement Einstein as a physics legend. Solar eclipses are just as miraculous as they might feel: Every few years, Earth's moon is able to completely and precisely blot out the body of the sun as viewed from our planet. As pictures taken by NASA's Curiosity rover in March 2019 point out, planets like Mars don't have the same luck, even with two moons to work with. The position and size of Earth's moon happens to exactly coincide with the position and size of the sun. Related: In Photos: Testing General Relativity with 1919 Solar Eclipse NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars spotted the moon Phobos passing in front of the sun on March 26, 2019. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS) In addition to being a spectacle, solar eclipses provide opportunities to do different kinds of research, like studying the solar corona the sun's outer atmosphere or nature's responses to the dimming light. In 1919, Arthur Eddington and his research team set out to look for signs that the gravity of massive objects could bend light, proving Einstein right and positively developing theoretical physics beyond the classical mechanics of Isaac Newton. If starlight traveling past could be diverted by the sun's massive bulk, the stars would appear in slightly different positions when viewed from Earth after passing the sun. But when the sun is in the sky, it's too bright to see nearby stars except for during an eclipse . On May 29, 1919, Eddington observed a lengthy solar eclipse from Principe, an island off of the coast of West Africa. Simultaneously, astronomers took observations from the Brazilian town of Sobral. The team used transportable instruments to record where the stars of the Hyades cluster which form the bull's face in the constellation Taurus appeared to be in the sky and compared these observations with Eddington's earlier notes about where the stars normally are when seen in the nighttime sky. At their most pronounced, the findings would show a maximum shift in starlight "equivalent to the angle subtended by a quarter viewed from two miles away," author Ron Cowen writes in his new book, "Gravity's Century" (Harvard University Press, 2019). Howard Russell Butler's painting depicts the solar eclipse of 1918 as seen from Oregon. Eddington got creative with his instrumentation for the special experiment. "The expedition used coelostats, which are mirrors designed specifically for observing the sun, responsible for reflecting light into the telescope lens," Cowen told Space.com in an email. "The mirrors were needed because the telescopes, to simplify travel, had no mechanical devices to drive/rotate the steel tubes containing the lenses. Normally, there would be such a mechanical device to keep the telescopes aligned on a target as the Earth rotated. If a telescope can't rotate, the stars move during a photographic exposure and streaks appear instead of a sharp image." Learn about relativity with this Space.com infographic. (Image credit: By Karl Tate, Infographics Artist) Instead of having to move the whole telescope to keep the instrument fixed on the Hyades and the solar eclipse, a small clockwork device moved the mirrors to correct for Earth's rotation, Cowen added. Related: Solar Eclipse Paintings on View in New Princeton Exhibit (Photos) When the results came in, the scientists calculated that the Hyades' starlight had indeed shifted when passing by the sun on a path towards Earth. Einstein thought up this possibility that the gravity of an object with enough mass could bend light when combining mathematical equations and thought experiments (those carried out in the imagination) to determine that light will appear to travel at the same speed to any set of observers that are travelling at a consistent velocity. That's the Theory of Special Relativity . But when Einstein began to ponder how light would appear when an observer is accelerating, he realized that space and time are woven into a single continuum, and that gravity is a part of this fabric; gravity is like the dip in a trampoline's surface (space-time) where a ball (massive object) rolls across it. As the ball travels in a straight line, the dip alters its path. Eddington's pacifism drew criticism when he declined to fight in World War I, and some have argued that the scientist held a bias as he supported Einstein, a German scientist whom he saw as opposing past nationalist feuds and embracing humanism. Cowen argues that Eddington's religious beliefs he was a Quaker complemented his support for Einstein's bold scientific progress.On the other hand, author and physicist Daniel Kennefick argues that Eddington's world views came secondary to the science that he thought was valid. "It was no longer clear how to interpret variables in Newton's law of gravity in light of the discoveries of special relativity," Kennefick told Space.com in an email. He added that the mass of the sun is important for the light deflection test, and according to Newton, knowing the sun's speed through the galaxy was necessary to determine its mass. But Einstein's 1915 Theory of General Relativity offered a simpler view: "the sun's motion through the galaxy doesn't matter because we are moving along with the sun in that motion," Kennefick said. This allowed experimentation, like the light-bending observations Eddington ultimately did take, to hold merit. Cowen's book " Gravity's Century: From Einstein's Eclipse to Images of Black Holes " was published May 6. Kennefick's book " No Shadow of a Doubt: The 1919 Eclipse That Confirmed Einstein's Theory of Relativity " was also published this year. NASA has spent years working on two potential missions to crack the secrets of Jupiter's icy moon Europa and both of those projects are in trouble, according to an internal investigation released today (May 29). Europa Clipper is currently scheduled to launch in 2023 to orbit the moon for more than three years, studying its icy shell and suspected internal ocean, among other features. Europa Lander would follow in its wake and touch down on the ice in order to better investigate the possibility of life. But according to a nine-month investigation conducted by the NASA Office of Inspector General, both missions are facing a host of serious issues as their teams attempt to balance the needs of NASA and Congress. "Our audit found that despite robust early-stage funding, NASA's aggressive development schedule, a stringent conflict of interest process during instrument selection, an insufficient evaluation of cost and schedule estimates, and technical workforce shortages have increased instrument integration challenges and development risks for the Clipper mission," John Schulz, a management analyst at the Office of Inspector General, said in a video released with the report. Related: Photos: Europa, Mysterious Icy Moon of Jupiter Artist's concept of the Europa Clipper mission concept, which would send a probe to do multiple flybys of the ocean-harboring Jupiter moon. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech) The report highlighted that since 2013, Congress has provided more than $2 billion for the pair of Europa missions. The Clipper mission alone is expected to cost at least $2.8 billion, according to the report. Every year of that period, the missions' funding has exceeded NASA's budget request. But with all that money has come a lot of strings. First, Congress has ordered NASA to launch both missions on the agency's SLS rocket , which is still in development. Congress also set specific launch targets currently 2023 for Europa Clipper and 2025 for Europa Lander. Those two directives may be contradictory. Experts were already worried about the rocket's development; these concerns aren't just a problem for Europa, they also could affect projects like NASA's plans to land astronauts on the moon by 2024. But for Europa specifically, the first flight version of the SLS definitely won't be able to do the job for Europa Lander , and it's not clear yet whether it can successfully launch Europa Clipper, the investigation found. Clipper may need, and Lander will definitely need, a more advanced version of the rocket aiming to fly in 2024 but also predicted to slip. NASA also has not yet ordered a vital part of the SLS that the investigation found requires 52 months to produce which it should have done in September to be ready in time for a summer 2023 launch. Because of these SLS problems, NASA's budget request released earlier this year also raises the possibility of launching on a commercial vehicle. The Clipper team has attempted to work around this problem by still considering the possibility that they'll be switched to ULA's Delta IV Heavy rocket or SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket, both of which are already flying. But the continuing uncertainty "creates added risks and uncertainties for an already challenging project," the investigation found. Another challenge the investigation found is that the Clipper mission is struggling to manage its staffing. The mission is run out of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California. But as of December, about 10% of Clipper's JPL staff roles were vacant, the investigation found, in part because the center is running four other key NASA projects, including Mars 2020, and keeps having to shuffle staff members between the neediest missions. The investigation also found that Clipper suffered from an instrument-selection process that tried to be too wary of conflicts of interest. Clipper team members with perceived conflicts of interest but also vital knowledge about the mission were either cut out of the instrument-selection process or given insufficient time to review insufficient information, according to the investigation. (In March, NASA announced that it was eliminating a planned instrument called ICEMAG , which was designed to measure the magnetic field around the moon, replacing it with a simpler version. The investigation did not explicitly link that decision to the instrument-selection issues it identified.) The report found similar issues plaguing the Europa Lander mission as well, although that project is in a more preliminary stage and NASA has not yet formally committed to launching it. The investigation also raised concerns that by scheduling the Lander to launch so soon after Clipper, it won't be able to fully integrate its predecessor's discoveries into its mission plan. The investigation team concluded with 10 recommendations it believes can help NASA get the Europa projects back on track and avoid similar issues in the future. Those recommendations include evaluating JPL's overall staffing, rescheduling mission milestones more realistically and making sure mission-related estimates reflect the risks associated with the SLS. NEW YORK A dancer gliding across a stage was so well synced with the projection around him that the performer appeared to trigger ripples coursing through the fabric of space-time. This was one of the many scenes from the May 22 production of "Light Falls: Space, Time, and an Obsession of Einstein" that illuminated the nimble imagination of Albert Einstein . Movement specialist Drew Dollaz was joined by actors Michael Winther (who played Einstein), Francesca Faridany, Brian Avers and violinist Joanna Kaczorowska to dramatize host Brian Greene's narration in a Manhattan theater as part of the opening celebrations of the 2019 World Science Festival . Movement specialist Drew Dollaz performs a choreographed dance in sync with a graphic of ripples moving through a mesh that represents the fabric of space-time. This scene was featured in the 2019 production of "Light Falls: Space, Time, and an Obsession of Einstein" in New York City on May 22. (Image credit: World Science Festival/Greg Kessler) The show will be broadcast on PBS at 10 p.m. EDT Wednesday (May 29), the 100th anniversary of the solar eclipse experiment that proved an object as massive as the sun could warp the fabric of space-time around it, bending starlight that passed near the sun on its way to Earth. These observations cemented Einstein as a world-renowned genius. Related: Relativity: The Thought Experiments Behind Einstein's Theory Actor Michael Winther is Albert Einstein in "Light Falls: Space, Time, and an Obsession of Einstein." (Image credit: World Science Festival/Greg Kessler) Greene wears several hats: He is a theoretical physicist, television host and Columbia University professor. And alongside his wife, journalist Tracy Day, Greene co-founded the World Science Festival 11 years ago. Day was the first to speak on the Jazz at Lincoln Center stage Wednesday night, sharing that the ensemble cast would be speaking lines from historical records. Violinist Joanna Kaczorowska plays music on stage for a moment in the May 22 production of "Light Falls: Space, Time, and an Obsession of Einstein" in New York City. (Image credit: World Science Festival/Greg Kessler) The performance was a television educational program come to life. In much the way that science documentaries feature actors that add faces to important moments, Faridany and Avers play the mathematicians and physicists that Einstein communicated with during the years leading up to his solidification of both the Theory of Special Relativity and the Theory of General Relativity . Winther's monologues to the Prussian Academy of Sciences are especially interesting, because the dark projection of the academy's auditorium and the actor's calm, almost unassuming performance makes Einstein appear like a vulnerable ancient Greek orator on the cusp of greatness. Scientists have finally captured some exotic solar activity on camera. A new study gives photographic proof that a substance called plasma on the sun sends out radio light in pulses, much like a lighthouse flashing its beam on Earth. Plasma , which makes up most of the sun, is often called the "fourth state of matter," coming after the more familiar forms of solid, liquid and gas. Plasma is an electrically conductive gas that occurs when negatively charged electrons are stripped from the gas in a process known as ionization. While plasma is common in space, it's found rarely on Earth, which makes it extremely hard to study. Some laboratories can re-create the cold environment of space for plasma research, but by studying the sun, researchers can see how plasma behaves in the more extreme temperature and pressure conditions found in a star, researchers said in a statement about the new work. Related: The Sun's Wrath: Worst Solar Storms in History "The solar atmosphere is a hotbed of extreme activity," Eoin Carley, a postdoctoral researcher at Trinity College Dublin and the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies and lead researcher on the new work, said in a statement. In the solar atmosphere, Carley said, plasma temperatures can exceed 1.8 million degrees Fahrenheit (1 million degrees Celsius). "The light-speed particles shine bright at radio wavelengths, so we're able to monitor exactly how plasmas behave with [the use of] large radio telescopes," he added. To image the lighthouse-like pulses that plasma emits, which scientists have known about for decades, the researchers combined radio telescope observations from the Nancay Radio Observatory, located 2 hours from Paris, with space-based ultraviolet cameras mounted on NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory . Through this collaboration of space and ground equipment, scientists captured the radio pulses' behavior, including "how plasmas become unstable in the solar atmosphere," Carley said. Studying plasma behavior has practical implications as well. The team said that learning about solar plasma could help engineers build nuclear-fusion plants, which have been billed as a potentially more efficient form of energy if we could get the process to work for a long time. "Nuclear fusion is a different type of nuclear energy generation that fuses plasma atoms together, as opposed to breaking them apart like fission does," Peter Gallagher, a senior professor at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies who collaborated on the research, said in the statement. "Fusion is more stable and safer, and it doesn't require highly radioactive fuel. In fact, much of the waste material from fusion is inert helium. "The only problem," he added, "is that nuclear fusion plasmas are highly unstable. As soon as the plasma starts generating energy, some natural process switches off the reaction. While this switch-off behavior is like an inherent safety switch fusion reactors cannot form runaway reactions it also means the plasma is difficult to maintain in a stable state for energy generation. By studying how plasmas become unstable on the sun, we can learn about how to control them on Earth." A paper based on the research was published May 23 in the journal Nature Communications. As human ancestors went from swinging through trees to walking on two legs, they may have received a boost from an unlikely source: ancient supernovas. These powerful stellar explosions may have showered Earth with enough energy to shift the planet's climate, bathing Earth in electrons and sparking powerful, lightning-filled storms, according to a new hypothesis. Lightning then could have kindled raging wildfires that scorched African landscapes. As savanna replaced the forest habitat, early humans that lived there may have been pushed to walk on two legs, the new study suggests. [Top 10 Mysteries of the First Humans] However, don't go jumping to conclusions just yet. Many factors likely contributed to the evolution of bipedalism, a process that began many millions of years before these stellar explosions took place, one expert told Live Science. Clues to the ancient supernovas were found in traces of iron-60 in Earth's crust. This radioactive isotope, or version of iron, originates in stars nearing the ends of their lives; it's thought to have arrived on Earth after the violent explosion of supernovas in our cosmic neighborhood millions of years ago, scientists wrote in the new study. Prior studies described traces of iron-60 preserved on Earth from stars that blew up, beginning around 8 million years ago. That explosive activity peaked with a supernova (or series of supernovas) that occurred about 123 light-years away from Earth about 2.6 million years ago, the scientists reported. Around that time, the dawn of the Pleistocene epoch, forests in eastern Africa began to give way to open grasslands. High-energy emissions from the supernovas may have been strong enough to penetrate the troposphere, ionizing Earth's atmosphere and affecting the planet's weather, lead study author Adrian Melott, a professor emeritus with the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Kansas, told Live Science. The researchers estimated that energy infusions from supernovas could have increased atmospheric ionization by a factor of 50; this would have greatly increased the likelihood of cloud-to-ground lightning, which in turn could have sparked more wildfires, Melott said. While the scientists could not calculate precisely how many additional lightning events would result from a 50-fold boost in ionization, "the potential is there for a large increase," they wrote in the study. Today, most wildfires are caused by human actions; before that, "lightning was the single biggest cause of wildfires," Melott explained. Forests scorched by wildfires would give way to grasslands; more open savanna meant more walking from tree to tree, which would then put evolutionary pressure on human relatives to spend more time on two legs. Yet hominins were already becoming upright walkers long before the supernova activity peaked, William Harcourt-Smith, an assistant professor of paleoanthropology with Lehman College at The City University of New York, told Live Science in an email. The first evidence for bipedalism in ancient humans dates to approximately 7 million years ago, and the transition to full bipedalism was well underway by around 4.4 million years ago, said Harcourt-Smith, who was not involved in the study. "By 3.6 million years ago, we have proficient bipeds, like 'Lucy,' and by 1.6 million years ago, [we have] obligate bipeds very similar to us," he explained. Bipedalism was energy efficient, freed up hands for carrying, and offered improved visibility of faraway predators or resources. The shift to fully upright walking "most certainly relates to the opening up of grassland habitats and adapting to this kind of environment," Harcourt-Smith said. Yet the study does not provide compelling geologic evidence of wildfires as the main cause for those dramatic changes in Africa's ancient habitats, he said. What's more, the destructive power and scope of those hypothetical wildfires hinges on a significant increase in lightning as a result of the supernovas, a variable that the researchers were "unable to estimate," they wrote in the study. The findings were published online today (May 28) in The Journal of Geology. Originally published on Live Science. www.paristopittsburgh.com The Climate Change Action Group at The Unitarian Church in Westport is hosting a screening of the film Paris to Pittsburgh on Saturday, June 1. The film brings highlights the efforts of individuals who are battling what they perceive as the most severe threats of climate change in their own backyards, according to a news release. Set against the national debate over the United States energy future and the Trump administrations decision to exit the Paris Climate Agreement the film captures whats at stake for communities around the country and the inspiring ways Americans are responding, the group said. New Delhi, May 29 (UNI): Stage is set for the second innings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the political saga has come a full circle with most opposition leaders deciding yet again to stay away from the glitzy swearing-in ceremony to be held at the Rashtrapati Bhawan premises on Thursday evening. In a quick turn of events, the maverick West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reversed her earlier announcement and said she will not be attending the swearing-in ceremony to protest the political violence in her state. Banerjee, who was locked into a bitter one-on-one confrontation with Modi during elections, congratulated the Prime Minister. However, in a tweet, she wrote: "It was my plan to accept the Constitutional invitation and attend the oath-taking ceremony. However, in the last one hour, I am seeing media reports that the BJP are claiming 54 people have been murdered in political violence in Bengal. This is completely untrue. There have been no political murders in Bengal." Reports said Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of CPI-M and Congress-ruled states may also give it a miss. In 2014 too, Banerjee and chief ministers of Opposition-ruled states had skipped the customary oath-taking ceremony held on May 26. The Congress veteran from Mizoram and the then Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla had attended Modis crowning session and also had said, AICC had asked me not to attend. All the state Chief Ministers being invited to the swearing-in of Prime Minister was unprecedented. And I am happy a former CM is now a PM (about Modi)." Ironically, not only Lal Thanhawla - Congress has no chief minister in the North-east region now. A galaxy of international leaders and nation heads of BIMSTEC nations and who's who including film stars like Rajnikanth are expected to attend the function while regional satraps K Chandrasekhar Rao and Jaganmohan Reddy are likely to attend the ceremony. President of Bangladesh Md Abdul Hamid, his Sri Lankan counterpart Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Ministers of Mauritius and Nepal Pravind Kumar Jugnauth and KP Sharma Oli respectively will grace the function. According to an MEA spokesman, Sooronbay Jeenbekov, President of the Kyrgyz Republic, U Win Myint, President of Myanmar, Dr Lotay Tshering, Prime Minister of Bhutan; and Grisada Boonrach, Special Envoy of Thailand have also confirmed their participation during the special occasion. The Prime Minister held a series of meetings in past two days with party president Amit Shah while senior leader Arun Jaitley opted out of the new government citing health reasons. JD-U president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar held a closed-door meeting with the BJP president at Shah's residence where discussions on ministry allocations figured. Allies like Shiv Sena and LJP are eyeing greater role in the NDA regime and may get important portfolios. In 2014, the then Pakistan Prime Ministers Nawaz Sharif was one of the major invitees to have graced the occasion. In fact, Sharif was the first Pakistani Head of the government to witness the formal takeover of his Indian counterpart. STAMFORD The Board of Education made several large decisions regarding facilities management, school funding, and new pilot programs at the boards Tuesday night meeting. The board solidified over $3 million in cuts in order to stay within the $283 million 2019-20 schools budget approved by the Board of Representatives. The bulk of staffing cuts, namely the elimination of 21 technology professional development leaders, was avoided, but charter schools Stamford Academy and Trailblazers Academy, both run by the nonprofit Domus, suffered a $50,000 cut each. Superintendent Tamu Lucero announced the district will not renew the contract for the schools facilities management company, ABM Industries. The mold crisis in many of the districts facilities prompted the formation of the Mold Task Force in the fall. Under the new facilities management model, the task force will become an asset management group that will bring care of school facilities in-house. The board will hire five people to oversee about five schools each employing city union labor. In a close 5-4 vote, the board voted down $50,000 for a two-principal pilot program aimed at aiding the districts struggling Roxbury Elementary School. Both Nicola Tarzia and Mike Altamura were among the members who voted against the proposal and said they would like to fund the program, but cannot do so in good conscious amidst the districts financial constraints and other substantial cuts. By the opposite vote margin, the board approved a $150,000 appropriation for the Springboard Reading Program, a new collaborative for closing the literacy gap set to be based at Westover Magnet Elementary School over the summer. My children are too old to benefit from this program, but I believe programs like Springboard are necessary for all the children, , said Stamford resident Apolinar Sanchez. I dont want children to fall behind, like my children did. We all want our children to succeed. My goal is to make sure that other families with limited resources dont experience what my family went through. svaughan@hearstmediact.com; 203-964-2265; @SophieCVaughan1 New Hampshire helped make Bernie Sanders a force to be reckoned with in Democratic presidential politics. Now as his 2020 campaign rolls across the state, he's facing fiercer competition and great expectations that could prove tough to fulfill. Sanders is counting on a repeat of his dominating victory in the 2016 New Hampshire primary to propel him through the rest of the contests leading to the party's nomination to challenge President Donald Trump next year. Yet he's running a distant second in most recent polls and facing a vastly bigger field of competitors, all of whom are staking a claim to be best equipped to defeat Trump - one of the main attributes voters are looking for. That raises the stakes for Sanders, making anything less than a victory in the 2020 contest in the Granite State a serious blow to his second bid for the party's nomination. "It would be devastating," said Neil Levesque, executive director at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire. "He won last time and those expectations are there that he has to really win it again." The 2016 race was much on Sanders' mind at several stops he made during a two-day swing through New Hampshire this week. "You made the whole country wake up," he told about 550 people at an ice cream social Monday in Warner, a small town in the south central part of the state. He reminded his audiences that the state's Democratic voters embraced his agenda and helped make ideas once dismissed as radical so mainstream that they are embraced by most of his competitors for the nomination. That includes, he said, turning Medicare from a program that chiefly serves the elderly into a national health insurance system; taking more aggressive action on climate change; increasing the minimum wage; and lowering prescription drug prices. "It was a great victory that we won in the 2016 Democratic primary," the Vermont senator said in Laconia. "The victory in New Hampshire was the first victory to be followed by 21 other victories, which was to be followed by some 13 million votes, it was to be followed by over 1,700 delegates at the Democratic National Convention." Still, that wasn't enough to defeat Hillary Clinton in the nomination race, and in 2020 Sanders has more competition. Several of his rivals, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren of neighboring Massachusetts, are pitching the sort of progressive policies that helped Sanders make a strong challenge to Clinton. Other candidates, such as Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and former Texas representative Beto O'Rourke, are making appeals to young voters who were a crucial constituency for Sanders. Then there's Joe Biden, who's attempting to win over voters across the Democratic Party's ideological spectrum on the argument he has the best chance of getting the support of some Trump voters and ousting the president in the general election. A University of New Hampshire poll in early April had Sanders at the head of the pack and leading Biden by 12 points, but polls taken since Biden's April 25 entry into the race have the former vice president as the clear leader among nearly two dozen contenders. More than two-thirds of primary voters surveyed in a May 2-7 Monmouth University poll said choosing a nominee who can defeat Trump is more important to them than agreement on the issues. "I'm looking for electability, someone who can reach the independents and not just the Bernie supporters from 2016," said Carol Schapira, a 70-year-old from Hopkinton, said at the ice cream social. She backed Clinton in 2016 but hasn't decided on a 2020 candidate. "The most important thing is to expand the base." At a town hall Tuesday in Concord, Sanders addressed the question of who has the best chance against Trump. He told a crowd of about 250 people that when weighing whether to make a second presidential run, he concluded he could mount "the strongest campaign to defeat the worst president in the history of the United States." The state's first-in-the-nation primary is still nine months away and Sanders said in an interview that he's sure he'll be victorious in New Hampshire again. He discounted polls in the state that "are up and down" so far this year. He insisted some didn't fully capture the edge he has with younger voters. "I think we're doing very well in New Hampshire," he said. "We've got a good organization. I feel very confident that we're going to win it." The New Hampshire primary is known for unexpected endings. At this point in the race four years ago, Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush led for the Democratic and Republican primaries that ultimately were won by Sanders and Trump. So far in the 2020 contest, Sanders has visited the Granite State three other times, with a March event in Concord one of his campaign's first stops. Warren, who is a top potential lure for Sanders' past backers, has been intensely focused on New Hampshire, with 14 visits to the state so far. That's more than any of the other Democratic hopefuls. Daniel Delcaro, who lives in Warner, said he backed Sanders in 2016 and thinks he can win the New Hampshire primary again in 2020. "I think the people who truly follow his track record will continue to support him. It will bring them along,'' Delcaro, 63, said at the Sanders event in Warner. "I don't have a second choice, to be frank, even though Elizabeth Warren is tempting because she's so close to Bernie." Sanders has put more emphasis on Iowa and South Carolina, two other early voting states that he lost to Clinton in 2016. He's visited Iowa eight times and has paid the Palmetto State seven visits. He will follow his New Hampshire trip with a campaign swing through Nevada late next week for his second trip there, and unlike most of his rivals has pushed through a series of later primary states including Indiana, Georgia and Alabama. He's also campaigned in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania -- all states that Trump narrowly won in 2016 that will be crucial again in 2020 Sanders insisted that he has a good chance to win Iowa and New Hampshire in 2020 and said he is "stronger" in South Carolina than in 2016 and "quite strong" in Nevada. "If we do well in all of those states, we have a direct path toward victory." In New Hampshire on Monday and Tuesday, Sanders largely stuck to small events rather than crowded rallies. New Hampshire has about half the population of Iowa, which will kick off the election season with its Feb. 3 caucuses, and much smaller in size. That means Granite State voters, who cast their ballots the following week, are accustomed to direct encounters with the candidates. Sanders is already a familiar face. "New Hampshire is the king of retail politics," said Jesse Ferguson, a Democratic strategist who worked for Clinton in 2016 but isn't affiliated with any current candidates. "You win or lose New Hampshire not with the best TV ad buy or with the biggest rally, but with the best sales pitch at the table of every diner in the state." - - - Bloomberg's Misyrlena Egkolfopoulou contributed. May 28, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - Science strives for predictability, questing for certainty it doubts exists. The frontiers of physical research probe realms of paradox currently far beyond human reason. Seismologists and volcanologists study temblors and eruptions avidly but cant forecast events in real time. There is no science to predict devastating earthquakes in societies, though the symptoms that produce them are established and, in America, beyond dispute. A general outline would include the fact that a few men own half our wealth and a majority have nothing; that U.S. economic hegemony is based on killing people and the biosphere by weapons and debt; that our political system, the toy of financial criminals, is inaccessible to citizens. This butchers list of engineered malignity should have crashed a polity so viciously corrupted but, since it hasnt, the explanation must be in the nature of its victims. The appalling capability of Americans to live simultaneously as abject slaves and complicit criminals in our putrefying Empire is baldly clear in three stunning recent examples. The Empire has, by queer contortions, bullied its way into possible war with North Korea, Iran and Venezuela at the same time. This idiocy is supported by Americans--as are ongoing murderous fund-raisers for the War Machine in Yemen, Syria and Ukraine--despite their being on different continents, hemispheres and thousands of miles apart. The Alabama government has decided, in its Snopesian coma, to elevate embryos to the status of personhood while canceling that of women. This indicates either the general imbecility of a populace steeped in hillbilly, Elmer Gantry hysteric cultery, or worshiping the dictatorship of a confederacy of misogynistic, patristic dunces. Or both... Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter The MSM, while stonewalling the malevolent, Constitution-shattering attack on a free press by U.S. lust to extradite and entomb Julian Assange for publishing truth about our rogue assassin state, has ballyhooed a ludicrous, a historic tv junk fable as high art, demonstrating how vacuous and addicted to bonehead trash Americans have become. Separately or together, these burlesques of policy show the moral torpidity and pathetic inanimacy of a public that has been relentlessly lied to, cozened, infantilized, made stupid, and shorn of pride in itself by a Capitalist System that savages them with the same contempt it does all life. Theyve internalized it and now act as their own abusers. The naive cry out for answers to our absurd paralysis, but there are none. Cassius said the fault is not in our stars but in ourselves that we are underlings. History is a tale of failed societies that lacked the will to save themselves, so our impotence is not unique. Perhaps then, given the vast catalogue of our self-inflicted disasters, the question is not how we can be saved but whether we should be. Paul Edwards is a writer and film-maker in Montana. He can be reached at: hgmnude@bresnan.net The original source of this article is Information Clearing House The following editorial appears on Bloomberg Opinion: It's now nearly two years since a coalition of Arab countries imposed a misguided economic blockade on Qatar. The group - Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates - said it was punishing the gas-rich emirate for its ties with Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood, but the embargo is widely perceived as part of a larger competition for preeminence in Arab affairs. Ending it should be a priority for President Donald Trump. Of the Arab world's many divisions, sectarian and political, none is more damaging to American interests than this one. The Saudi-led group's objectives haven't been met. On the contrary, denied food supplies from - and air routes over - the blockading states, Qatar has only grown more dependent on Iran, while its economy has weathered the blockade with ease. Meanwhile, the dispute is putting U.S. allies Kuwait and Oman in an awkward position. Both countries have strong relationships with Qatar and maintain wary ties with Iran, which is close enough to menace their security. But neither can afford to antagonize Saudi Arabia, the region's most powerful nation. More important for Trump, the impasse is now obstructing his broader Middle East policy, in particular his maximum-pressure campaign against Iran. Effectively confronting Iran and its proxies would require the Arab states to unify behind the U.S. Instead, America finds itself in the middle of an internecine Arab conflict: While Saudi Arabia is its most important ally in the region, Qatar hosts the giant Al Udeid Air Base, forward headquarters of U.S. Central Command, which is essential to keeping pressure on Iran. The rift has also handicapped Trump's efforts to create an "Arab NATO" to guard against Iran's mischief-making. Resolving the quarrel is therefore imperative, and the U.S. - which both sides depend on for protection - would be the natural mediator. Unfortunately, after some early, desultory passes, the Trump administration has largely abandoned its efforts to intervene. Anthony Zinni, the special envoy assigned the role, stepped down early this year, having failed to get much traction in Doha and Tehran, or much support in Washington. He hasn't been replaced. Trump should now redouble the effort. For starters, he should state - if necessary, directly to the Qatari emir and the Saudi king - that ending the rift is a priority. He should appoint a new envoy to take Zinni's place, ideally someone of significant political stature. And he should prevail on the blockading nations to drop the maximalist and deliberately offensive list of demands that they've made of Qatar. The Qataris, for their part, need to offer convincing reassurances that they won't allow relations with Iran to threaten their neighbors. Arab unity and resolve is crucial to constraining Iran's malign activities, which the Trump administration has rightly identified as the most pressing concern in the Middle East. The threat Iran poses - manifested in recent attacks against Saudi shipping and oil infrastructure - has prompted King Salman to call an emergency meeting of Arab states in Mecca on May 30. There can hardly be a better moment for the U.S. to press for an end to lesser squabbles. Last week, the Islamic Republic of Iran reached a new low in its suppression of the press - and almost no one noticed. It's already widely known that Iran is home to one of the most closed media landscapes on Earth. As the regime faces mounting domestic and foreign challenges, however, it's becoming more cavalier than ever in its attempts to control how news gets covered. In recent months, more domestic news outlets are closing from a lack of funds. Others have shut down because they have lost their permission to publish. As a result, Twitter and other social media are increasingly where the most critical news-gathering is happening in the country. So when Masoud Kazemi, an experienced reporter charged with propaganda against the state for tweeting about government corruption, went to court on Wednesday, he didn't expect anything good. But the reality surpassed even his pessimistic expectations. Mohammad Moghiseh, the judge in the case, sent Kazemi to Evin Prison, with bail set at more than $70,000 - what it would take him to make as a journalist in 42 years. But then Moghiseh decided to send a message to the defendant and all other journalists in Iran. According to a tweet from Kazemi's lawyer, Ali Mojtahedzade, during the court appearance Moghiseh declared his disdain for journalists such as Kazemi. Mojtahedzade wrote that Moghiseh is known to insult defendants and that in addressing Kazemi he said, "may God damn you. Your mouths should be filled with gunpowder, your tongues should be cut out." To the shrinking community of critical journalists in Iran, the message is clear: Those in power will do whatever it takes to silence you. As this regime has done so often in the past when facing serious threats, it's lashing out at Iranian civil society. For years, the front line of that group included the community of human rights activists and lawyers. Most of them, though, are now in prison or living in exile. That left the local press, a dedicated group that has always faced harsh odds when it comes to making its findings public. Yet journalists continue to do this work out of a need to inform - even though their numbers are dwindling, too, as the space in which they can operate is quickly shrinking around them. Just the day before the verdict against Kazemi, the head of the judiciary, Ebrahim Raisi - a cleric who ran as the supreme leader's preferred presidential candidate in the 2017 election and nonetheless lost resoundingly to incumbent President Hassan Rouhani - delivered a speech that clearly outlined how Iran's officialdom views the role that media should play in Iranian society. Spoiler alert: It sounded like a bad imitation of George Orwell. "Media is responsible for monitoring the enemy as it prepares its attacks on us, and journalists must be careful not to publish or spread any ideas or signals that would make the enemy happy," Raisi told a gathering of regime-supported newsroom executives. "You in the media should explain the actions and the views of the government and the establishment, but also must avert efforts by the enemy to create despair and instead create hope in the society. We should publish content that restores the public's trust in the system." Yet Rouhani and his allies are contributing to the problem despite their continued promises to cultivate freer expression. According to sources in Iran, they have begun to try to rein in reform-minded journalists, encouraging them to be less critical in their reporting - ostensibly as a way to keep them out of trouble. Raisi's speech can be interpreted as a message from the entire political order to journalists. "We believe that you should work in a way that the red lines set by law to preserve freedom are observed, because preserving the freedom of media and newspaper requires maintaining those red lines," Raisi said, without a hint of irony. Journalists working in Tehran tell me that the state, supported by Rouhani and his administration, is planning to impose even tighter control on the media by mandating that all journalists have to be licensed before they can enter the field. Permission is already required to work in media, but this would go above and beyond and would be sure to prevent those with critical views from even getting a start. Such a move would bring the already absurd Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance - which oversees all media activity, acting as censor when needed - even closer in line with Orwell's vision of the Ministry of Truth. B osses on Wednesday welcomed a pledge from Tory leadership hopeful Matt Hancock to change the business rates system if he replaces Theresa May. Hancock told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he would "absolutely" change the current system, but did not give details on how it would be achieved. "It is something I would definitely look at," he added. A number of chief executives broadly welcomed the news of potential reforms to rates that have crippled a number of businesses. The taxes are linked to property values, which companies that have physical stores believe puts them at a disadvantage to online rivals. Helen Brocklebank, boss of luxury goods trade body Walpole, told the Evening Standard: Business rates reform is a hugely important issue for high end retailers. She added: Weve long said business rates need urgent reform, not just for the world-famous brands, but because new and exciting smaller British luxury brands are being priced out of the retail market and that means less choice for customers. Michael Wainwright at diamond jewellery retailer Boodles said: I think Matt Hancock would definitely win over business if he abolished rates and substituted them with something which was fairer." Restaurant firm Carluccio's Mark Jones said: Business rates needs a fundamental review to help save embattled high streets and I am pleased that a business friendly agenda is being debated in this leadership race. Federation of Small Businesses national chairman Mike Cherry said: It is pleasing to see attention turning to the current business rates system which is archaic and broken. It has not kept up with the rapid development of big online companies, favouring them over bricks and mortar businesses particularly those on the High Street. Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: We would welcome a commitment by any politician to address Britains broken business rates system. Retail accounts for 5% of the economy, yet pays 10% of all business taxes and 25% of all business rates. Melanie Leech at the British Property Federation said: The next Prime Minister needs to bring strong leadership, not only to find a way forward on Brexit but also on domestic issues including the need to address the business rates burden that is crippling our High Streets. Ed Cooke of retail property organisation Revo said: Reform is absolutely vital to the future of the High Street and we expect all the leadership candidates to take this issue seriously." I voted to leave the European Union, not for a f**king woman Prime Minister. That was the kind of high-brow political comment that floated around Lloyds of London in the two years I worked there. So I wasnt too surprised at reports in the spring documenting sexual harassment in the worlds most famous insurance market. For centuries, it has been a secretive, almost mythological unknown entity. But with the worlds of politics and film being forced to air its dirty #MeToo laundry in public, Lloyds is finally being publicly unravelled. For those who dont know how Lloyds world works, the average day in the life is like this. Brokers who sell insurance and underwriters, who take on the risks, convene in the Lloyds building at 11am. Its an odd-looking place: the architect, Richard Rogers, designed it inside-out, with the pipes scaling the walls outside for all to see from the street. Lifts too are on the outside rumours would swirl about the sexual acts people could commit while the glass box moved quickly up the building. Inside are oak desks, a big bell from the 1800s and a whole room lifted from Buckingham Palace. Business is done in an antiquated way too: underwriters sit at desks known as boxes placed in grids. Between these, brokers weave, carrying reams of paper policies known as slips from box to box in the hope of getting underwriters to sign up. Then at 1 oclock its time for lunch when, back in my day, most brokers and underwriters would disappear for two hours for a long, boozy meal. One underwriter I knew would write the risks he took in the afternoon in a red pen, so he knew to check them when he was sober in the morning. Come the evening, brokers and underwriters would leave the market to return to their companys offices before convening in a nearby pub. It is great fun for many. It has no class issues: cheeky chappies from Essex happily mix with swift-talking public school women. As one underwriter puts it: You can hear the barrows and signet rings clashing in the lifts. But the Seventies attitude to women of too many in the market is a serious problem. On my first day as an underwriter, aged just 19, I was told in no uncertain terms that heels, a dress, and plenty of make-up were pretty much compulsory if I was going to be a success. I remember once how a senior broker came to our box and declared: All you women are good for is spending our money. I quipped back: And writing your policies. I was rather pleased at my speedy response, until my manager pulled me to one side for a rollicking: If you dont like that kind of joke, Lloyds isnt for you. And that was from one of my few female bosses. When Dame Inga Beale was appointed as chief executive, I hoped sexist behaviour would be stamped out. It wasnt but she was, replaced by, surprise, surprise, a man. Not only was she a woman, but she was bisexual and vocal about LGBT issues. How did the boys like that? Not much. She was soon dubbed Muffmuncher and held in disdain. Lloyds is now trying to behave itself by cracking down on alcohol. The execs, you see, think booze is the prime reason for the old-school attitude to women. But puritanical rules such as one-hour lunch breaks and booze bans will not save the women from an afternoon of lewd remarks. Alcohol may not help the behaviour, but its the underlying attitude of a good many men there that is the problem; the men who still find it acceptable to assess a woman by the tightness of her dress, or tease a man for taking paternity leave (What do you need that for? You didnt push the baby out!) A friend still working there tells me the puritanical new drinking laws are sucking the life and soul out of the market which it used to have in abundance. But the sexism is still rife. She tells me of a senior broker who recently sent pictures around to his friends of himself with a box girl (an assistant training to be an underwriter) in a low top. He was boasting how she wore it especially for him. Closing down the bar under Lloyds was just a publicity stunt, she adds. There are two pubs right next to it. The markets organisers, known as the Corporation of Lloyds, are aware that it has a problem and seem serious about trying to tackle it. But theres a disjoint between the Corporation and the firms who employ the brokers and underwriters themselves. I left my stint in insurance for a career in the news business. But friends who stuck it out continued to find it tough, with some leaving under a cloud and non-disclosure agreements because of harassment. Ive learned since leaving Lloyds that its not normal to call someone a lesbian if they bring in a packed lunch; to do a Masonic handshake to get a job; to instruct HR to hire based on looks. T he trade war between China and the US escalated dramatically on Wednesday when Beijing threatened to cut exports of rare metals that are vital to the American technology, car and defence industries. That would come in revenge for President Donald Trump blacklisting phones giant Huawei and cutting off the supply of the computer chips that it needs to make its products. Markets took fright on the news, with traders fearing that the trade war is spinning out of control. Shares tumbled across Europe. In London, the FTSE 100 fell more than 1%, losing 94.90 points at 7174.05. Londons listed mining companies suffered in particular. China provides around 80% of the USs rare earth supplies such as cobalt, which is needed to make jet engines. There are 17 rare earth chemical elements used in everything from electronics to military equipment to magnets. Fiona Cincotta at City Index said: The potential tightening of Chinas exports would not only cause the cost of specialty metals in the US to spike but could actively impede certain production activity. From an investment point of view though, this has the potential to boost the share price of non-Chinese rare earth producers. Economists are worried that the trade war between the two largest economies will hit growth across the globe. An editorial in the Peoples Daily, the official paper of Chinas ruling Communist Party, was headlined: United States, dont underestimate Chinas ability to strike back. The piece said: Will rare earths become a counter-weapon for China to hit back against the pressure the United States has put on for no reason at all? The answer is no mystery. Undoubtedly, the US side wants to use the products made by Chinas exported rare earths to counter and suppress Chinas development. The Chinese people will never accept this! the newspaper added. Huawei said today that the move to put it on a trade black list sets a dangerous precedent that will harm billions of consumers. It has launched a legal challenge against the ban. Huaweis lawyer Song Liuping said: The US government has provided no evidence to show that Huawei is a security threat. There is no gun, no smoke. Only speculation. T he movement led by Jeremy Corbyn is no longer the Labour Party. Not really. Yes, it boasts more than half a million members, a strong Left-wing ideology and a commitment to overturn most of the Conservative policies of the past nine years. But it is drifting feebly and ignominiously away from reality, and from a sense of the deepest values that have held the party together for more than a century. The expulsion from Labour of Alastair Campbell, which became public yesterday, has been hailed by some on the Left as the long-overdue purge of a figure intimately connected with what they regard as the pariah regime of Tony Blair. Having announced that he voted Liberal Democrat in last weeks European elections, the arch-Remainer was summarily kicked out of the party to which he has devoted much of his adult life. Good riddance to bad rubbish such, at least, was the response of many Corbynites. To grasp the full significance of Campbells expulsion, one has to recall his role in the recovery and electoral triumphs of the Labour Party in the mid-Nineties and thereafter. Officially, he was Blairs director of communications and strategy, the rebarbative spin doctor caricatured as Malcolm Tucker in The Thick of It. Yet this scarcely captures his centrality to the New Labour project a political enterprise that kept the Conservatives out of office for 13 years and (more importantly) changed the terms of political trade. Under Blair, Campbell was not quite deputy prime minister but he was certainly a lot more than a communications chief (full disclosure: he and I both write for GQ magazine). Here is a man who was intimately associated with three thumping general election victories for Labour, who advised both Blair and his arch-rival Gordon Brown, and who fought night and day to ensure that the party he loved (and loves) maintained discipline and was treated as fairly as possible by the media. The grand irony of Campbells expulsion is that he was Labour long before he was New Labour. Blairs instincts were never tribal: he believed that what counts is what works. But his consigliere regarded the modernising project as a means to an end, a strategy to get Labour back into office and (crucially) to keep it there for more than one term. Matthew d'Ancona To take an example: in 1996, when Harriet Harman was shadow health secretary, she decided to send her son to a grammar school and Campbell a fierce believer in the state comprehensive system refused to brief on her behalf. Though his loyalty to Blair was formidable, his loyalty to Labour values was greater. And lets be frank: there is an irony, as pathetic as it is embarrassing, in Corbyn, who voted 428 times against the last Labour government (on seven occasions with the majority of Conservative MPs), now insisting upon absolute personal loyalty. Indeed, it is far from clear that the partys rules have been fairly applied. Yesterday, Labours former director of governance and legal, Mike Creighton, tweeted that announcing after the polls had closed that you had voted for another party as Campbell had was not a breach of Labour regulations. Alastair Campbell: Senior figures in Corbyn's office backed voting against Labour What a contrast, too, between the speed with which Campbells case was handled by Labour officials and the snail-like pace at which the party machine has processed allegations of anti-Semitism against its members. On the very day that his expulsion became public, the Equality and Human Rights Commission announced that it was placing Labour the very party that established it in 2006 under formal investigation , to establish whether the party has committed unlawful acts of discrimination. Even as Corbyns more infantile supporters celebrate the purge of Campbell, they ignore the shameful position in which Labour now finds itself: the subject of an official inquiry into institutional racism against Jews. Yet it is typical of the magical thinking that now dominates the apex of Corbyns party that all this is dismissed as yet another smear constructed by the wicked neoliberal press to obscure Jeremys unblemished marvellousness. The better question to ask is: what does it take to make a person of Campbells diehard tribalism vote for another party? How bad have things got? One thing is for sure: he is not a Liberal Democrat. He voted as he did as many thousands of natural Labour supporters did because he is dismayed by Corbyns fence-sitting on Brexit; an issue he correctly identifies as the defining challenge of our times, and on which he, rather than the party leader, is closely aligned with the vast majority of Labour members and traditional voters. Although it is true that the partys terrible performance on Thursday knocked into third place by the Lib Dems has forced it a little nearer to embracing a fresh referendum, its position is still unclear: does the promised public vote mean an election or a referendum, or both? As the October 31 Brexit deadline draws closer, and the Conservatives elect a successor to Theresa May, clarity on this matter is more urgently required than ever. By Craig Murray May 28, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - If you want to understand what is really happening in the world today, a mid-ranking official named Ian Henderson is vastly more important to you than Theresa May. You will not, however, find anything about Henderson in the vast majority of corporate and state media outlets. You may recall that, one month after the Skripal incident, there was allegedly a "chemical weapons attack" in the jihadist enclave of Douma, which led to air strikes against the Syrian government in support of the jihadist forces by US, British and French bombers and missiles. At the time, I argued that the Douma jihadist enclave was on the brink of falling (as indeed it proved) and there was no military advantage - and a massive international downside - for the Syrian Army in using chemical weapons. Such evidence for the attack that existed came from the jihadist allied and NATO funded White Helmets and related sources; and the veteran and extremely respected journalist Robert Fisk, first westerner to arrive on the scene, reported that no chemical attack had taken place. The "Douma chemical weapon attack" was linked to the "Skripal chemical weapon attack" by the western media as evidence of Russian evil. Robert Fisk was subjected to massive media abuse and I was demonised by countless mainstream media journalists on social media, of which this is just one example of a great many. George Monbiot/Twitter In both the Skripal and the Douma case, it fell to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to provide the technical analysis. The OPCW is a multilateral body established by treaty, and has 193 member states. The only major chemical weapons owning powers which are not members and refuse the inspections regime are the pariah rogue states Israel and North Korea. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter The World: What is Really Happening An OPCW fact finding mission visited Douma on April 21 and 25 2018 and was able to visit the sites, collect samples and interview witnesses. No weaponised chemicals were detected but traces of chlorine were found. Chlorine is not an uncommon chemical, so molecular traces of chlorine at a bombing site are not improbable. The interim report of the OPCW following the Fact Finding Mission was markedly sober and non-committal: The results show that no organophosphorous nerve agents or their degradation products were detected in the environmental samples or in the plasma samples taken from alleged casualties. Along with explosive residues, various chlorinated organic chemicals were found in samples from two sites, for which there is full chain of custody. The fact finding mission then returned to OPCW HQ, at which time the heavily politicised process took over within the secretariat and influenced by national delegations. 9 months later the Regarding the alleged use of toxic chemicals as a weapon on 7 April 2018 in Douma, the Syrian Arab Republic, the evaluation and analysis of all the information gathered by the FFM-witnesses' testimonies, environmental and biomedical samples analysis results, toxicological and ballistic analyses from experts, additional digital information from witnesses-provide reasonable grounds that the use of a toxic chemical as a weapon took place. This toxic chemical contained reactive chlorine. The toxic chemical was likely molecular chlorine. However the report noted it was unable to determine who had used the chlorine as a weapon. Attempts to spin this as a consequence of OPCW's remit are nonsense - the OPCW exists precisely to police chemical weapons violations, and has never operated on the basis of violator anonymity. Needless to say, NATO funded propaganda site Bellingcat had been from the start gives a fuller idea of the remarkable lack of damage to one gas cylinder which had smashed through the reinforced concrete roof and landed gently on the bed. The fact finding mission then returned to OPCW HQ, at which time the heavily politicised process took over within the secretariat and influenced by national delegations. 9 months later the final report was expressed in language of greater certainty, yet backed by no better objective evidence:However the report noted it was unable to determine who had used the chlorine as a weapon. Attempts to spin this as a consequence of OPCW's remit are nonsense - the OPCW exists precisely to police chemical weapons violations, and has never operated on the basis of violator anonymity.Needless to say, NATO funded propaganda site Bellingcat had been from the start in the lead in proclaiming to the world the "evidence" that this was a chemical weapons attack by the Assad government, dropping simple chlorine cylinders as bombs. The original longer video footage of one of the videos on the Bellingcat site # . # 50 #___ pic.twitter.com/OgXDA6z2eL (@1BilalAbuSalah) April 8, 2018 "missile carrying chemicals did not explode, but it releases chemical gases to the moment. The rocket landed inside a civilian house in the city of # yesterday, where more than 50 civilian victims of chemical weapons and dozens of martyrs fell as a result of the shelling of the city with various types of weaponry." [I am sorry that I do not know how to extract that longer video from its tweet. You need to click on the above link then click on the link in the first tweet that warns you it is sensitive material - in fact there is nothing sensitive there, so don't worry.] Now we come to the essential Mr Ian Henderson. Mr Henderson was in charge of the engineering sub-group of the OPCW Fact Finding Mission. The engineers assessed that the story of the cylinders being dropped from the sky was improbable, and it was much more probable that they had simply been placed there manually. There are two major reasons they came to this conclusion. At least one of the crater holes showed damage that indicated it had been caused by an explosive, not by the alleged blunt impact. The cylinders simply did not show enough damage to have come through the reinforced concrete slabs and particularly the damage which would have been caused by the rebar. Rebar is actually thicker steel than a gas cylinder and would have caused major deformation. Yet and this is why Ian Henderson is more important to your understanding of the world than Theresa May the OPCW Fact Finding Mission reflected in their final report none of the findings of their own sub-group of university based engineers from two European universities, but instead produced something that is very close to the amateur propaganda analysis put out by Bellingcat. The implications of this fraud are mind-blowing. The genuine experts findings were completely suppressed until they were leaked last week. And still then, this leak which has the most profound ramifications has in itself been almost completely suppressed by the mainstream media, except for those marginalised outliers who still manage to get a platform, Robert Fisk and Peter Hitchens (a tiny platform in the case of Fisk). Consider what this tells us. A fake chemical attack incident was used to justify military aggression against Syria by the USA, UK and France. The entire western mainstream media promoted the anti-Syrian and anti-Russian narrative to justify that attack. The supposedly neutral international watchdog, the OPCW, was manipulated by the NATO powers to produce a highly biased report that omits the findings of its own engineers. Which can only call into doubt the neutrality and reliability of the OPCW in its findings on the Skripals too. There has been virtually no media reporting of the scandalous cover-up. This really does tell you a very great deal more about how the Western world works than the vicissitudes of the ludicrously over-promoted Theresa May and her tears of self pity. Still more revealing is the reaction from the OPCW which rather than acknowledge there is a major problem with the conclusions of its Douma report, has started a witch hunt for the whistleblower who leaked the Henderson report. The Russian government claimed to have intelligence that indicated it was MI6 behind the faking of the Douma chemical attack. I have no means of knowing the truth of that, and am always sceptical of claims by all governments on intelligence matters, after a career observing government disinformation techniques from the inside. But the MI6 claim is consistent with the involvement of the MI6 originated White Helmets in this scam. and MI6 can always depend on their house journal The Guardian to push their narrative, as Guardian Middle East editor Brian Whitaker does here in an article justifying the omission of the Henderson report by the OPCW. Whitaker argues that Hendersons engineers had a minority view. Interestingly Whitakers article is not from the Guardian itself, which prefers to keep all news of the Henderson report from the public. But Whitakers thesis cannot stand. On one level, of course we know that Hendersons expert opinion did not prevail at the OPCW. Henderson and the truth lost out in the politicking. But at the very least, it would be essential for the OPCW report to reflect and note the strong contrary view among its experts, and the suppression of this essential information cannot possibly be justified. Whitakers attempt to do so is a disgrace. Which leads me on to the Skripals. I have noted before the news management technique of the security services, leaking out key facts in a managed way over long periods so as not to shock what public belief there is in the official Skripal story. Thus nine months passed before it was admitted that the first person who coincidentally came across the ill Skripals on the park bench, just happened to be the Chief Nurse of the British Army. The inquest into the unfortunate Dawn Sturgess has now been postponed four times. The security services have now admitted once again through the Guardian that even if Boshirov and Petrov poisoned the Skripals, they cannot have been also responsible for the poisoning of Dawn Sturgess. This because the charity bin in which the perfume bottle was allegedly found is emptied regularly so the bottle could not have lain there for 16 weeks undiscovered, and because the package was sealed so could not have been used on the Skripals doorknob. This Guardian article is bylined by the security services pet outlet, Luke Harding, and one other. The admissions are packaged in a bombastic sandwich about Russian GRU agents. Every single one of these points that Boshirov and Petrov have never been charged with the manslaughter of Sturgess, that the bottle was sealed so could not have been used at the Skripals house, and that it cannot have been in the charity bin that long are points that I have repeatedly made, and for which I have suffered massive abuse, including indeed primarily from dozens of mainstream media journalists. Making precisely these points has seen me labelled as a mentally ill conspiracy theorist or paid Russian agent. Just like the Douma fabrication, it turns out there was indeed every reason to doubt, and now, beneath a veneer of anti-Russian nonsense, these facts are quietly admitted by anonymous sources to Harding. No wonder poor Dawn Sturgess keeps not getting an inquest. Which brings us back full circle to the OPCW. In neither its report on the Salisbury poisoning nor its report on the Amesbury poisoning did the OPCW ever use the word Novichok. As an FCO source explained to me, the expert scientists in OPCW were desperate to signal that the Salisbury sample had not been for days on a doorknob collecting atmospheric dust, rain and material from hands and gloves, but all the politics of the OPCW leadership would allow them to slip in was the phrase almost complete absence of impurities as a clue which the British government then spun as meaning military grade when it actually meant not from a doorknob. Now we have seen irrefutable evidence of poor Ian Henderson in exactly the same position with the OPCW of having the actual scientific analysis blocked out of the official findings. That is extremely strong added evidence that my source was indeed telling the truth about the earlier suppression of the scientific evidence in the Skripal case. Even the biased OPCW could not give any evidence of the Amesbury and Salisbury poisons being linked, concluding: Due to the unknown storage conditions of the small bottle found in the house of Mr Rowley and the fact that the environmental samples analysed in relation to the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal and Mr Nicholas Bailey were exposed to the environment and moisture, the impurity profiles of the samples available to the OPCW do not make it possible to draw conclusions as to whether the samples are from the same synthesis batch" Which is strange, as the first sample had an almost complete absence of impurities and the second was straight out of the bottle. In fact beneath the doublespeak the OPCW are saying there is no evidence the two attacks were from the same source. Full stop. I suppose I should now have reached the stage where nothing will shock me, but as a textbook example of the big lie technique, this BBC article is the BBCs take on the report I just quoted which remember does not even use the word Novichok. When it comes to government narrative and the mainstream media, mass purveyor of fake news, scepticism is your friend. Remembering that is much more important to your life than the question of which Tory frontman is in No. 10. For an analysis of the Henderson Report fiasco written to the highest academic standards, where you can find all the important links to original source material, read this superb work by the Working Group on Syria, Propaganda and Media. Craig Murray is an author, broadcaster and human rights activist. He was British Ambassador to Uzbekistan from August 2002 to October 2004 and Rector of the University of Dundee from 2007 to 2010. https://www.craigmurray.org.uk Subscriptions to keep Craig's blog going are gratefully received. 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Privacy Statement The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. I n a week when arguably the worst Prime Minister in living memory finally resigned and the Tories suffered the most feeble election results in their 185-year history, its extraordinary that Labour managed to lose so much support, from the Left, Right and Centre. We lost votes to the Brexit Party , but far more to pro-Remain parties. The leaderships efforts to ride two Brexit horses at once turned into a grotesque political freak show. I guess Jeremy Corbyn achieved his desire to unite Leavers and Remainers except it was against him. Brexit is the new fault line in British politics for the foreseeable future. There is now no space for faffing about in the middle and misleading both sides. Its time for Labour to make a strong choice. This is about core values liberal tolerance versus nativism. This is now a full-blown culture war and it should be a no-brainer which side Labour is on. Yet all we hear about is northern Labour heartlands. I get the nostalgia but what about other important areas such as here in London or Scotland, which backed Remain? Theres also this lazy assumption that all Northerners are Leavers, which is just not true. Yorkshire and Humber have just elected an anti-Brexit, black Muslim refugee, Magid Magid, for the Green Party. St Helens, near Liverpool, saw pro-Remain parties treble their vote share. And lets get real many Labour Leave votes, and not just in the North, are long gone. Because of Brexit and because many simply dont like Corbyn, rightly or wrongly, because of who he is and his stance on the IRA, defence and foreign policy. But there are other cultural issues such as immigration and race that are bigger than him, and pretty unpleasant and incompatible with progressive values. Ive experienced it myself. I recall being in a former miners club in a Labour Leave area where someone asked me about my background. He had been berating me about why we had to leave the EU. We ended up having a good chat until he asked me where I came from. When I revealed that I was Indian, he replied: Thank God, I cant stand them P*k*s. Of course I had to suck it up and not make a scene but what are we meant to do with that? Corbyn has shown real leadership on big, difficult issues such as opposing austerity but on Brexit he and his advisers have got it wrong. Just as theyve grossly mishandled anti-Semitism in the party. I was part of establishing the Equality and Human Rights Commission when I worked for Harriet Harman. Never in a million years did I think one day it would investigate Labour for its treatment of Jewish people. The Tories also face allegations over Islamophobia but Labour has a proud history of fighting discrimination. We were meant to be better. In a divided country with more polarised politics, its your values, stupid. Bring on Nessa for the post #MeToo age Finally, something to look forward to other than crashing out of Europe without a deal and fighting fellow citizens for loo roll, because the BBC hit Gavin and Stacey will be back on our screens for a one-off Christmas Special. Ruth Jones and James Corden, who play lead roles in the comedy, have joined forces again to write the hour-long episode which will take us back to Essex and Barry Island. It remains one of my favourite shows, not just because of its brilliant humour and witty one-liners but because it captured the warmth and absurdity of the extended family that many of us can relate to. The weird but well-meaning uncles and in-laws. The show was a massive hit, and even though Corden got the limelight and headed off to LA to become a global name, to me Joness character Nessa, pictured, was the real star. She was such a strong, independent, fun-loving woman and I cant wait to see where she is now in a post-#MeToo era. My favourite moment was when one of her old flames pops up and it was a cameo appearance by former deputy prime minister John Prescott. And you can kind of believe it... Family is a great theme of the British comedy sitcom, from Carla Lanes Bread to Caroline Ahernes The Royal Family and the current BBC hit Mum. Heres to Gavin and Stacey healing our divided country. All this healthy living makes me ill After around five weeks of abstinence Im talking sugar, wheat, gluten, carbs, dairy, coffee and alcohol I can report that I have never felt in worse shape in my entire life. I have terrible back pain and I am permanently in a grump. I cant even look forward to a drink or blame the hangover. Yes, Ive been going to bed early but only because Im too bored to stay up. I understand that maybe Im detoxing but maybe its time to retox? Lighter living makes for a darker mind, plus its such a minute by minute struggle. Gucci made a political statement with its Cruise 2020 fashion show in Rome. The Italian label's newest collection by Alessandro Michele had one clear message: pro-choice. Following the backlash and controversy of the new restrictive abortion laws passed in Alabama, which ban abortion in almost all cases, Michele's latest collection couldn't have come at a more fitting time. A statement purple blazer emblazoned with the 70s feminist slogan: "My Body, My Choice" was one of the first indicators of the political undertones. "This piece echoes the Creative Directors continuing vision of freedom, equality and self-expression," Gucci explained in a statement on Instagram. The jacket was followed by a bright yellow t-short adorned with the Chime For Change logo, a global campaign which was founded by Gucci, Salma Hayek and Beyonce in 2013 to strengthen gender equality. "Gucci has a longstanding commitment to women and girls by funding projects around the world to support sexual and reproductive rights, maternal health, and the freedom of individual choice," the brand explained underneath a Cruise 2020 catwalk image on Instagram. The organisation, to date, has raised more than $15 million to support projects globally, helping more than 570,000 girls and women. Chime For Change t-shirt on Gucci's 2020 Cruise catwalk (Dan Lecca ) / Dan Lecca Speaking of the inspiration behind the collection, Michele told WWD: "It was a historical moment when women finally rejected all the constraints that were imposed in the previous centuries and they became free. Thats why I am paying homage to the Italian law regarding abortion, the law number 194. Its unbelievable that around the world there are still people who believe that they can control a womans body, a womans choice. I will always stand behind the freedom of being, always." A uterus is embroidered on a pleated gown at Gucci (Dan Lecca ) / Dan Lecca The catwalk was also graced with a sweeping pleated gown embroidered with a uterus, as well as a look with '22.05.1978' in bold red typography - the date referring to the Italian statue 194, which allowed women the right to abortion. T echnology is constantly changing the way we see the world, and nowhere is that more obvious than in the workplace Jobs that were not heard of a few years ago are now commonplace while workers will turn to the internet to solve a problem over a battered old reference book. Which is why it probably comes as no surprise to learn that demand for IT engineers outstripped that of every other role over the last year, according to job site Indeed. Researchers found that vacancies for IT engineers grew by more than a third since April 2018, making the role the fastest growing in the jobs market. Bosses at the website said demand has "mushroomed" because a growing number of companies need "people who can install, service and protect" IT infrastructures. Elsewhere in the tech sector, mobile developers saw job opportunities jump by nearly 30%, putting it comfortably into the top 10 fastest growing roles - unsurprising given the reliance most companies have on technology. Bill Richards, UK Managing Director of Indeed, said: "The UKs fastest growing jobs range from entry level roles to highly specialist positions, showing that employers generally demand a wide range of experience and skills. "Virtually all organisations - not to mention the country as a whole - rely on IT infrastructure, and as a result the need for people who can install, service and protect it has mushroomed. "Likewise the surging demand for mobile developers and those with advanced manufacturing skills like CNC machinists. "While the tightness of the labour market means employers in many sectors are having to reconsider how they attract talent, all this competition is great news for jobseekers. "Its striking that the roles seeing the greatest growth in demand often reward highly skilled people with high salaries, even at entry level. For jobseekers the message is clear - no matter where you are in your career path, opportunity is there if you feel like a change." The 15 fastest growing jobs in the UK In the last ten years the future King of England has married, settled down and become a father of three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. But for actor Rob Lowe, there's one major difference between Prince William then and now - his hair. Can we talk about William? Rob Lowe asked in an interview with The Telegraph. I mean the future king of your country let himself lose his own hair! He continued, Honestly, one of the great traumatic experiences of my life was watching Prince William lose his hair. Prince William earlier this year / PA Perhaps the reason why Lowe feels the loss of Williams hair so keenly is because, like the Prince, he too was once a teen heartthrob. Asked if he considered himself more or less vain than British men, Lowe claimed it was a low bar", citing Prince William as an example. He said, Hes going to be the f***ing king of England! And...theres a pill! Prince William on his graduation day in 2005 / Getty Images Unlike Prince William, the 55 year old actor has a thick thatch of hair that hes worked hard to maintain. He said, The first glimmer that a single hair of mine was going to fall out, I was having stuff mainlined into my f***ing veins. And thats what I did for the next 30 years. Andy Kropa/Invision/AP A few royalists online didn't take kindly to Lowe's jokes. Though there was one sneaky Twitter user who wanted a piece of Lowes self-care regimen. It might seem like the members of the royal family lead glamorous lifestyles, but Prince Harry proved he's just like the rest of us when he was snapped flying commercial. Of course, Prince Harry was leaving an elegant event. The royal had been in Rome for the Sentebale Polo Cup charity game, which was held on Friday afternoon. It was his first night away from his new baby son, Archie Harrison. As a new dad, it's not surprising that he was snapped leaving Rome looking "very tired." A Royal fan saw "a guy who looks like Prince Harry" on her British Airways flight and then realized that it was Prince Harry. The photos snapped of him leaving the plane quickly went viral. The amateur sleuth reported that he was flying first class and made sure to thank both the crew and pilot before deplaning. Luckily, there are no reports of him clapping when the plane landed. Getty Images This certainly isn't the first time members of the Royal family have flown commercial. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been spotted on commercial flights before. Of course, they have also been spotted disembarking private jets in style in the past - though it seems unlikely that you'll spot them on a Ryanair flight anytime soon. Their airline of choice tends to be British Airways, although Prince Harry once opted for a Virgin Atlantic flight to a wedding. Their choice to fly a commercial airline or in a private jet isnt a spur of the moment decision however. In fact, it's all based on the reason why they're traveling and whether it's for business or pleasure. Getty Images According to The Telegraph, theres a Royal Household policy that members of the Royal family should not combine their personal trips with official government business. In 2004, the Royal Household issued a statement that read, "Members of the Royal family are entitled to grant-in-aid for official travel, as are their staff and, where capacity permits, other officials. They meet their own costs, however, for private travel. In order to avoid confusion, combining private and public engagements in the same trip is actively discouraged." They do have a travel budget funded by British taxpayers, but there is a limit - so it's not going to be luxury jets every single time they take to the skies. Next time you're flying (first class, of course) keep your eyes peeled. You might just catch the glimmer of a tiara on your flight. T esco is the latest supermarket to indulge our halloumi obsession as the supermarket chain announces it is adding halloumi fries to its permanent range. Previously only available at Christmas, the fries will be available in the fridge snack section and are described as halloumi pieces coated in a golden breadcrumb for a crisp finish. A spokesperson for Tesco said: "Following the initial release as part of the Tesco Christmas food products, the Tesco Halloumi Fries are now available all year round in store and online. They are priced at 3.00." Last year, Aldi became the first supermarket in the UK to add the cheesy fries to its permanent range with boxes of the good stuff available to buy in the freezer section for 1.99 a box. Yet, in July, Aldi announced it was limiting shoppers to two boxes each after a surge in popularity and the price was upped by 30p to 2.29. While Tescos halloumi fries are available in stores, they are currently sold out online. Tesco may have to follow Aldis lead and limit the amount of fries sold as halloumi cheese is currently facing a worldwide shortage. Data analysed by The Grocer found the average price of halloumi is up by 12 per cent from last year and the UK consumes around 12,000 tonnes of halloumi each year. S cores of moped delivery drivers rode through London last night in protest at the murder of a colleague beaten to death by thugs trying to steal his bike. Iderval da Silva, 46, was attacked by teenagers on bicycles as they attempted to steal his scooter in a Tesco car park in Battersea on Saturday afternoon. Mr da Silva, who had a 26-year-old son, was punched and beaten over the head with a hammer. He died from his injuries in hospital yesterday. Last night, about 200 drivers rode through Westminster to the Houses of Parliament before kneeling in a circle on the green. One from the Stolen Motorcycle Recovery group said: People were were riding in support of the victim and to protest over the levels of crime suffered by delivery riders. Many are Brazilian and feel because they are foreign no-one really cares about them. Iderval da Silva, 46, was attacked by teenagers on bicycles as they attempted to steal his scooter in a Tesco car park in Battersea Friends of Mr da Silva, who is Brazilian with Portugese citizenship, said he arrived in London three months ago and had been working for Uber Eats. He was from Sao Paulo and had served in the Brazilian army and taught capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art. His friend Silva Rodge, 41, told the Standard: He was the friendliest man Ive ever met. He helped people and asked for nothing back. He would always have his hands open for anyone that needed help. He was alone and came to London to be close to his friends. He studied martial arts for 27 years and back home he used to teach it for free to young children. He loved riding a bike and it was a way for him to earn money and save for his dreams. He wanted to have his own studio and teach martial arts to young boys as a way to keep them off the streets. Mr da Silva was attacked outside a Brazilian restaurant in Charlotte Despard Avenue the street where former boxer Ian Tomlin, 46, was killed after confronting drug dealers last October. Mr Rodge, who helped organise the ride-out, said: Theyve taken someones life. We want justice because this is not only for the community of riders, its for all of us. The purpose is to let people know were not going to let it be swept under the carpet. Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cranwell, leading the murder investigation, said: I am certain several people probably local to the area will know what happened and who was responsible for this attack on the victim and on their own community. I need them to come forward and share information with me. The appeal came as four men were injured during a street fight in Eastern Avenue, Romford last night. Two were stabbed but none were seriously hurt. The death of Mr da Silva was the third murder over the Bank Holiday weekend. Police are questioning four men in connection with the murder of Alimuz Zaman, 23, who was stabbed after trying to break up an argument between two groups of men in Mile End on Sunday. A 33-year-old man was also stabbed to death in Forest Gate in the early hours of Tuesday. Last night, forensic officers combed the scene of the attack in Warwick Road as mourners laid flowers. P olice have released CCTV of a man suspected of trying to kidnap a nine-year-old schoolgirl in south west London. Scotland Yard said the youngster was on her way home from school when she was approached by an unknown man, who promised her sweets if she came home with him. When she refused, he chased her down the road towards her home and grabbed her by the hair, police said. The girl managed to get inside her house and stop him from entering. The man started the conversation with the girl after she encountered him at a bus stop on Dover Park Drive, Wandsworth. In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said: He started a conversation and tried to convince her to come home with him, promising her sweets if she did so. She refused and ran away but was chased down the road by the man until she reached her address. As she neared the building, the suspect grabbed her by the hair but she managed to get inside and close the door behind her, stopping him from entering. Officers said the incident happened at 4.45pm on November 2, 2018. Detectives from the Mets South West CID said: While incidents like this are rare we are very keen to trace this man and would urge anyone who can identify him to come forward. Anyone with information should call 101 with CAD reference 5937/02NOV. Police have released an image of a man they are trying to trace as part of their investigation. A n Isis fighter and member of the terror gang known as The Beatles has confessed to helping arrange a plot to kill soldiers and police officers in drive-by shootings in London. Alexanda Kotey, who has been detained by Kurdish forces for the past 16 months, has for the first time spoken about his involvement in the 2014 plot. British terrorists Tarik Hassane and Suhaib Majeed were handed life sentences over for concocting the terror plot while in secret communication with terrorists in Syria. Kotey, speaking to ITV News, has now admitted helping to organise the plan and that Hassane was following his orders and even helped to buy the gun which was to be used. Isis 'Beatles' members: Alexanda Kotey and Shafee Elsheikh / REUTERS He told the broadcaster: I was the one who talked to him and I was the one who arranged for him to have a gun with a silencer. The plot involved killing soldiers and police officers in drive-by shootings at Shepherd's Bush police station and the Parachute Regiment Territorial Army Barracks at White City in London. In the same interview, Kotey recalled his time as a hostage-keeper while part of the terror gang known as "The Beatles". Kotey, who was raised in the UK, said he discussed Islam and politics with western hostages held in Syria. He was captured by Kurdish forces in Syria in January last year alongside El Shafee Elsheikh. He listed the names of some of the hostages, including US citizen James Foley, who was beheaded in 2014. He told the broadcaster: "There was no dialogue specifically... detail, generally speak about Islam, speak about politics if there was ever... opportunity to speak." Kotey claimed he joined IS "as a regular fighter, then it was indirectly introduced to us that there was prisoners within the Islamic State, they have taken western prisoners". He said he was told to get email addresses from the hostages to "open communication" with their relatives. He said: "Any responses would come back sometimes like proof of life questions, questions that only the prisoner himself would be able to answer." Kotey and Elsheikh have been stripped of their British citizenship and the Crown Prosecution Service decided there was "insufficient evidence" to prosecute them in the UK. The pair are accused of belonging to a cell which also included Mohammed Emwazi - known as "Jihadi John" - who was killed in a US air strike in 2015, and Aine Davis, who has been jailed in Turkey. The group is suspected of involvement in the beheading of 27 people, including British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning and US citizens Mr Foley, Steven Sotloff and Peter Kassig. T he owner of three London properties worth 80 million may be forced to explain the source of their wealth under so-called McMafia laws being used by investigators. A probe has been launched by the National Crime Agency (NCA) to discover whether the prime-location properties, held by offshore companies, were paid for using "dirty money". Unexplained wealth orders, dubbed McMafia laws, have been put in place to stop them being sold, transferred or dissipated while the inquiry takes place. Under the orders, investigators can look into the source of wealth of politically exposed persons (PEPs). PEPs are people from outside the European Economic Area in a position of power that makes them liable to bribery or corruption, or those with suspected links to serious or organised crime, who are unable explain the source of their wealth. Graeme Biggar, director general of the National Economic Crime Centre, which is part of the NCA, said: "The purchase of prime property in London is a tactic used to launder money and we will use all the powers available to us to target those who try to do this. "A priority for the NECC is to ensure we explore every opportunity to deny assets linked to illicit finance. Our aim is to prevent misuse of the UK's financial structures which undermines the integrity of the UK's economy and institutions." This is the second case in which the NCA has used unexplained wealth orders. The first was against Zamira Hajiyeva, the wife of jailed Azerbaijani banker Jahangir Hajiyev, who spent 16 million at Harrods, including 600,000 in one day. Andy Lewis, head of asset denial at the NCA, said: "This is the second time the NCA has successfully secured UWOs since the new legislation was enacted. "They are a powerful tool in being able to investigate illicit finance flowing into the UK and discourage it happening in the first place. "The individuals behind these offshore companies now have to explain how the three properties were obtained. "The NCA will not shy away from complex and detailed investigations against high-profile individuals and professional enablers." The action is likely to be welcomed by anti-corruption campaigners who have claimed that London property worth hundreds of millions of pounds has been bought with dirty money in recent decades. The evidence we were never meant to see about the Douma gas attack The OPCW has opened the door to ridicule, when the simple truth would have been enough By Robert Fisk May 28, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - We like to take the Big Boys on trust. No longer do we believe in our meretricious little leaders with their easy lies and twitters: the Trumps and Mays and now all the nationalists of Europe. We certainly dont put any credit in Arab dictators. But when, despite all its bureaucracy and corruption, the UN tells us that the world faces climate change, we largely believe what it says. If the International Red Cross warns us of a humanitarian catastrophe in Africa, we tend to take their word for it. And when the Organisation for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) which represents 193 member states throughout the world reports on chlorine attacks in Syria, we assume we are hearing the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Until now. For in the last few days, there has emerged disturbing evidence that in its final report on the alleged use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime in the city of Douma last year, the OPCW deliberately concealed from both the public and the press the existence of a dissenting 15-page assessment of two cylinders which had supposedly contained molecular chlorine perhaps the most damning evidence against the Assad regime in the entire report. The OPCW officially maintains that these canisters were probably dropped by an aircraft probably a helicopter, presumably Syrian over Douma on 7 April 2018. But the dissenting assessment, which the OPCW made no reference to in its published conclusions, finds there is a higher probability that both cylinders were manually placed at those two locations rather than being delivered from aircraft. It is difficult to underestimate the seriousness of this manipulative act by the OPCW. In a response to the conservative author Peter Hitchens, who also writes for the Mail on Sunday he is of course the brother of the late Christopher Hitchens the OPCW admits that its so-called technical secretariat is conducting an internal investigation about the unauthorised [sic] release of the document. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Then it adds: At this time, there is no further public information on this matter and the OPCW is unable to accommodate [sic] requests for interviews. Its a tactic that until now seems to have worked: not a single news media which reported the OPCWs official conclusions has followed up the story of the report which the OPCW suppressed. And you bet the OPCW is not going to accommodate interviews. For here is an institution investigating a war crime in a conflict which has cost hundreds of thousands of lives yet its only response to an enquiry about the engineers secret assessment is to concentrate on its own witch-hunt for the source of the document it wished to keep secret from the world. If this is not lamentable enough, the OPCW whose final report came to more than a hundred pages and which even issued an easy-to-read precis version for journalists now slams shut its steel doors in the hope of preventing even more information reaching the press. Far more dangerous is that its act of censorship has provided an ocean of propaganda for the wests opponents, for the Syrian regime and for the Russians. Russia Today has been regaling its viewers with tales of how Nato powers politically control the OPCW. American websites pro-peace but also, alas, pro-conspiracy are having a field day with the engineers conflicting report. And as for the gullible, viewing, reading public us this outrageous deceit by this supposedly authoritative body of international scientists can lead to only one conclusion: that we must resort once more to the Assanges and the Chelsea Mannings traitors who harm western security in the in the eyes of their enemies and the revelations of groups like Wikileaks, if we want to know the truth of what happens in our world and the real story behind the official reports. Institutional and journalistic memory is such that we should perhaps take a trip down memory lane to remind ourselves of the importance of the 2018 Douma attack. As Syrian government troops closed in on Islamist-held Douma in the early spring of last year besieging several square miles of apartment blocks, slums and narrow streets on the eastern edge of Damascus videos transmitted from the scene showed harrowing footage of civilians foaming at the mouth and apparently choking to death after inhaling gas. The Damascus government denied the claim. So did the Russians. But on the basis that sufficient evidence of a gas attack had been provided, the US, Britain and France launched bombing raids into Syria. At a press conference in London, Theresa May conducted a blistering condemnation of the Assad dictatorship for using gas against women and children. There had been many reports of chemical attacks by the regime in Syria before the Douma episode, but the worlds response to the video evidence from the ward of a makeshift hospital there turned the event into a major international crisis. Among the American cruise missile targets was a scientific centre in Damascus which the OPCW had itself cleared of any involvement in chemical warfare in the autumn of 2018. But within two weeks after delays imposed by the Syrians for security reasons international scientists from the OPCW, who had already interviewed doctors from the Douma hospital, arrived in the streets where the chemical attack allegedly took place. In their final official report in March this year, the OPCW say that although no organophosphorous nerve agents sarin gas, to you and me were found in Douma and that those recorded as dying in the attack had already been buried, their team, which it says included mechanical engineering experts, concluded that the canisters found in two specific locations had passed through concrete and a ceiling to impact on the floor of buildings. It is possible, the OPCW said, that the cylinders were the sources of the substances containing reactive chlorine. Testimony, environmental and biomedical samples and toxicological and ballistic analyses, provide reasonable grounds that the use of toxic chemical as a weapon took place. In other words, the canisters had fallen from the sky. The then-unrevealed document titled Unclassified OPCW Sensitive, Do Not Circulate Engineering Assessment of the Two Cylinders Observed at the Douma Incident Executive Summary and dated 27 February this year, is authored by an engineer whose name is all over the internet but which we shall not repeat here. It draws diametrically opposite conclusions to the published report, stating that the engineering sub-team cannot be certain that the cylinders at either location arrived there as a result of being dropped from an aircraft. And why not? The dimensions, characteristics and appearance of the cylinders and the surrounding scene of the incidents were inconsistent with what would have been expected in the case of either cylinder having been delivered from an aircraft ... In summary, observations at the scene of the two locations together with subsequent analysis suggest that there is a higher probability that both cylinders were manually placed at those two locations rather than being delivered by aircraft. Put bluntly, the paper is suggesting that the location of the cylinders was a set-up, that someone inside Douma immediately after the bombings of 7 April 2018 and no one, not even the Syrians or Russians, deny there was conventional bombing and shelling that night placed the cylinders in the locations in which they were subsequently examined by the OPCW. Since the first images of the cylinders in these locations were shown on footage before the Syrians and Russians entered Douma, the obvious corollary is that forces opposed to the Assad regime may have put them there. In all cases of this kind, it is necessary to understand that the search for evidence of gas attacks is notoriously difficult. It is necessarily an inexact science. Unlike shell fragments, shrapnel, mortar base plates, rocket computer codings or arms manuals, gas carries no convenient label which might betray the owners or manufacturers. Chemicals contain no computer parts. And thus both the OPCWs official report and the suppressed engineers assessment are very scientific documents perhaps arcane to the uninitiated but they are worth reading in their entirety, perhaps with a science dictionary to hand. Readers can find both the full report and, after a little detective work, the leaked engineers report on the internet. The OPCW might have saved itself much embarrassment and ridicule by the Russians if it had simply told the whole truth: that while a majority of its scientists came to the conclusion that the gas cylinders came through the roof (ie, from an aircraft), a minority report believed that they did not. This would have been no more than the practice of a public enquiry which includes a dissenting minority point of view. But that was obviously not what the OPCW wanted. Hence its own slightly odd final conclusion that there were reasonable grounds to believe that toxic chemicals had been used in Douma: reasonable grounds might be an acceptable response to evidence at the scene of a domestic crime but hardly sufficient to retrospectively justify a Nato air raid on Syria. I was myself much vexed by the scenes I encountered in Douma when I arrived a few days after the attack. I did not dismiss the possibility that gas had been used, but eyewitnesses and the head of the field hospital where the victims had been treated insisted they knew nothing of gas. The doctor, who was at his home near the hospital at the time, insisted that the patients were suffering from hypoxia from dust and dirt inhalation from the air bombings, and that someone whom he identified as a White Helmet NGO worker shouted Gas! and started a panic among the victims. The official OPCW report records precisely the same events, along with the doctors memory of the man who shouted Gas!. But interestingly the OPCW did not identify the man as a White Helmet. But my own report in The Independent and the condemnation visited upon it later by critics is utterly trivial in comparison to the implications of the OPCWs decision to suppress the report of its own engineers. Perhaps they will discover the source of the leak. Perhaps they will claim that part of it is fabricated, though this is highly unlikely since they have already referred to the unauthorised release of the document. But two words of warning. Just because the OPCW took the extraordinary decision to cover up some of its evidence in Douma does not mean that gas has not been used in Syria by the government or even by the Russians or by Isis and its fellow Islamists. Undoubtedly it has. All stand guilty of war crimes in the Syrian conflict. The OPCWs dishonesty for that is what it amounts to does not let war criminals off the hook. Theres another red light. We all remember how, after falsely claiming that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, we invaded Iraq on these false pretences and within a few years claimed that Iran was making weapons of mass destruction, and then threatened Iran with war, something we continue to the present day. What if we are now told that yet once more Syria is using gas against its enemies? Strangely, amid the revelations of the OPCWs hidden report, the US State Department just two days ago announced that we continue to see signs that the Assad regime may be renewing its use of chemical weapons, including an alleged chlorine attack in northwest Syria on the morning of 19 May 2019 So here we go again. - This article was originally published by " The Independent 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 A military contractor accused of sexually assaulting a woman by slapping her on the bottom at a Royal Navy charity fundraiser dismissed the incident as banter, a court heard. Mark Forsyth, 58, laughed after the alleged attack at Admiralty House in Whitehall, telling police he often gave female friends a slap on the bottom. Southwark crown court heard that Forsyth, who runs his own consultancy, was admonished by a friend when he was seen groping a waitress earlier in the evening. When confronted again for slapping the alleged victims bottom, he said: Its fine, shes ex-Forces. Its banter, jurors heard. Prosecutor Paul Casey said: It seems he did something similar earlier on when he touched the backside of a waitress and his friend told him he couldnt behave like that. He did something foolish in drink once and went and did it again. Forsyth is not facing a charge over the incident with the waitress. The court heard he had been drinking beer and wine at the fundraiser on February 18 last year, for the National Museum of the Royal Navy, and approached the alleged victim near the entrance of Admiralty House. I felt a large hit on my left buttock, the woman said. I turned and looked at him in shock and said: What are you doing? His business friend said: What the f*** are you doing? You cant keep doing this. Mr Forsyth laughed and lit up a cigarette outside and then tried to come back in, but his friend took him away. The woman said Forsyth had approached her earlier and asked about her former career in the Navy, and said he was friendly and not aggressive, and made a couple of jokes. The fact I was ex-Forces is invalid, she added. (The slap) was such a force and it did sting afterwards, he had no right to touch me. After the alleged attack, Forsyth, who used to be a Conservative councillor, told police: I normally greet my female friends with a kiss and a hug and when leaving them I probably give them a slap on the bottom. A man was left fighting for his life in hospital after two people were stabbed and three others were injured in east London. Five men, all aged in their 20s, were injured in Eastern Avenue, Romford, on Tuesday night. Police and paramedics were scrambled to the scene shortly after 9.45pm and all of those hurt were rushed to hospital. One of the two men who was stabbed was in a potentially life-threatening condition, Scotland Yard said. It was later confirmed he is now stable. Police described the injuries of the second man who was knifed as minor. It was first believed that four people had been stabbed in the attack, but it was later confirmed only two suffered stab wounds. Three other victims suffered minor injuries but were not stabbed. Scotland Yard said a number of arrests have been made but did not say how many. The attack unfolded near the Collier Row end of the busy road. P olice are investigating links between parcel bombs found in London and Glasgow and packages sent to British Army Recruitment Centres in 2014. Detectives from the UK's Counter Terrorism Policing unit are appealing for information from postal workers who may have come into contact with the devices, which were sent between in March, Scotland Yard said. On March 5, three packages containing small incendiary devices were delivered to Waterloo rail station, London City Airports headquarters and Heathrow Airport. A fourth parcel bomb was discovered the next day at the University of Glasgow. On March 22, a fifth package was recovered, having been returned to a postal depot in Limerick, Ireland. This has since been examined and is being treated as part of the same series. Police officers investigate a suspicious package at University of Glasgow / EPA A group calling itself the IRA, known to police as the New IRA, claimed responsibility for the earlier packages and said a fifth had also been sent. Police said today that it was linking the investigation to packages sent to various British Army Recruitment Centres in 2014, due to similarities between the devices and methodology. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dean Haydon, senior national coordinator for the UK's Counter Terrorism Policing, said: "Our enquiries continue, but clearly a key element of the investigation now is the link between the devices previously sent in 2014, and the five sent earlier this year. "As with any investigation, we will be led by the evidence, but at this stage, our principal line of inquiry is that the devices were sent by a violent dissident republican group. "The devices that were sent not only put their intended recipients in danger, but also endangered the lives of all those who handled and processed the parcels both in the Republic of Ireland as well as the UK. "This was an extremely dangerous and reckless act and I would urge anyone who may have information about those responsible to contact police." IEDs found at London transport hubs 1 /14 IEDs found at London transport hubs Police officers, including one wearing a forensic suit, in a cordoned off area at Waterloo station REUTERS A police officer stands guard outside the cordon at Waterloo AFP/Getty Images Police officers investigate after an explosive device was sent to Waterloo station REUTERS Police officers secure the scene where an IED was found near Waterloo station REUTERS Police officers, including one wearing a forensic suit, in a cordoned off area at Waterloo station REUTERS Police officers secure a cordoned off area at Waterloo station REUTERS A British Transport Police vehicle at Waterloo station PA A British Transport Police vehicle at Waterloo PA Police at Waterloo after three explosive devices were found by police at three different locations across London EPA Police at Waterloo after three explosive devices were found by police at three different locations across London EPA Police at Waterloo after three explosive devices were found by police at three different locations across London EPA He added: "We are looking to identify any postal workers who may remember handling any of the packages between March 1 and March 22. "We have recovered forensic evidence following examination of the devices. "You may have information that could help us with our investigation and it would also help with our forensic enquiries to be able to eliminate anyone who may have innocently come into contact with any of the five parcels after they were posted." A joint police investigation into the packages involves the Metropolitan Police Service Counter Terrorism Command, Police Scotland, the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Garda in Ireland. A planned redevelopment of Notting Hill Gate has been called in by the Government, reigniting a war of words between the council and City Hall. Kensington & Chelsea said it was pleased by the move to take the final decision on the proposed scheme out of the hands of Mayor Sadiq Khan. The local authority initially turned down the application for the development on the Newcombe House site after receiving 750 objections from residents. However, the council was overruled by the Mayor in September following revisions from Brockton Capital to increase the number of affordable homes from nine to 23. But the councils planning committee is expected to agree tomorrow to continue to oppose the project at a planning inquiry ordered by Communities Secretary James Brokenshire for November, on the grounds that the tower would not be of high-design quality and would cause substantial harm to nearby listed buildings. A council spokesman said: Maybe residents concerns can now be heard. A leading London independent girls school's plans to expand on the Barbican Estate have been denounced by local residents as a major threat to the architectural heritage of the estate. The Barbican Association, which represents around 60 per cent of residents on the grade-II listed brutalist landmark, made the claim after City of London School for Girls released proposals to expand its prep school buildings this week. The designs would see the construction of a new dining hall and kitchens in the space beneath Mountjoy House, a 64-home block, as well as a new building by the lake. The Barbican Association, however, said the proposals would remove the grade-II open views beneath Mountjoy House...contravening the Citys own listed management guidelines. The association has now launched a working group to campaign against the expansion. The proposals also provoked a strong response from local councillors. Its ridiculous, one told The Londoner. Who needs a bigger school compromising a world-famous piece of architecture? The association also warned of a potential conflict of interest as the local authority, the City of London Corporation, also owns the school: The City should not allow its commercial interests to take priority over both residential interests and Barbican architectural heritage. The fee-paying school, which charges 19,000 a year and counts actor Romola Garai, far left, and TV presenter Claudia Winkleman, left, among its alumni, has attempted expansion before. In public consultation documents the school claims its thinking was refined after reviewing feedback from previous plans to build underneath the Thomas More car park and insisted that the new plans were developed with heritage consultants to respect the heritage of the Barbican. A spokesperson told The Londoner this morning: The City of London School for Girls values its place at the heart of the Barbican and looks forward to continued collaboration with the community. Sorry's an obscenity for the hard Left Momentum supporters have hit out at the absolutely obscene apparent request by their HQ that a local branch member write an apology to them for some critical tweets Id done. Beth Redmond claims she was indirectly asked to make the apology or risk our local group losing access to data. Hamish Reid, another Leftist, called the request absolutely obscene and offered his solidarity. A Momentum spokesperson said, If this happened, it shouldn't have, and we'll be looking into it." The revolution eats its children. --- Actor Noomi Rapace once broke up with a boyfriend who had just brought her a luxury edible present. He started crying, Rapace tells Jessie Wares podcast, but still offered the gift. Rapace took it, went to a friends house and, holding the half-kilo jar, announced: I just broke up with him, we can have a caviar party. --- Shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer has an admirer: author Dolly Alderton. Dolly says on Instagram that she met my beloved MP Keir at the Hay Festival over the weekend, and told him she and her friend are so obsessed with him that sometimes we put his name into Eventbrite to see if he has any gigs coming up, like groupies. Angels, demons and giant lizards - just a normal night in the West End Mike Marsland/WireImage There was a strong showing of beards at the premiere of Amazon TV drama Good Omens last night. Actors Michael Sheen and Jon Hamm wore theirs wild and hirsute, while Scottish actor David Tennant revealed a more manicured version. The series is based on the 1990 novel Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. Sheen plays the angel Aziraphale, and Tennant is Crowley, a demon. Miranda Richardson, Adria Arjona and Josie Lawrence joined them on the green carpet rolled out for the occasion. There were more monsters a stones throw away, at Cineworld Leicester Square, which was hosting a special screening of Godzilla II: King of the Monsters, attended by Stranger Things actor Millie Bobby Brown and writer Chidera Eggerue. SW1A Paul Masterton, Tory MP for East Renfrewshire, has issued an ultimatum to those of his colleagues jostling for the party leadership. I will vote, he says, for whoever gets furthest round the Ninja Warrior course. Quick as a flash, Matt Hancock, below, whose video of himself leaping a small wall in slo-mo (almost) went viral last year, cheers: Knew my parkour training would come in handy one day. --- Speaker John Bercow's refusal to budge is clearly riling his detractors. A source complains: He doesnt have an obvious place to go. In between perverting the rules of the Commons and getting on the front page of The New York Times, hes enjoying hanging on. --- The Tory leadership race is getting positively weird. The Londoner has stumbled on two of the more esoteric leadership fan campaigns on Twitter: Avid for Javid and, more regrettably, Hard for Hancock. When will this contest end? Queen of the screen meets the real deal Dave Benett/Getty Images Olivia Colman, who plays the Queen in the new series of The Crown, recalls a flustered meeting with the actual monarch. I met her at a British Film Institute reception, she told the Sydney Telegraph. I thought it would just be film people but there was the Queen and Prince Phillip. I went: Oh shit! Then this man with epaulettes came up to me and said, Dont overdo it. Just a little bow and then go quickly. I did it all wrong. It wasnt a meeting so much as a shaking of the hand and a bugger off'. Quote of the day 'Dear Labour, that was quick. Yours, a Jew' B osses today issued an unprecedented warning to the Conservatives not to trash their reputation as the party for business by catapulting Britain out of the EU without a Brexit deal. They stressed that the UK is not ready for a shock severing of ties at the end of October, with more than a dozen big, real-world questions on future trading yet to be properly unanswered. Businesses are deeply reluctant to be dragged into politics and particularly into a party leadership contest. However, there is growing alarm in boardrooms over the threat of no deal which is forcing company chiefs to burn money on preparations. John Dickie, director of strategy and policy at London First, which represents more than 200 major firms in the capital, told the Standard: Crashing out of the EU without a deal would hit jobs and growth hard, trashing the Conservative Partys reputation as the party of business in the process. Businesses were braced for a bumpy few weeks during the Tory leadership contest, he said, adding: Once the election is over, we need to see robust leadership in the national interest. Josh Hardie, CBI deputy director-general, said: There is no question that a damaging no-deal scenario feels more likely than ever, with October nudging closer. Right now firms are burning money on no-deal preparations, stockpiling and relocating that could be better spent on improving the UKs poor productivity performance. Dr Adam Marshall, director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce, also warned against a messy and disorderly exit from the EU. Neither government, its agencies nor many businesses are ready for an abrupt exit. We still have over a dozen big, real-world questions on future trading conditions that remain unanswered, with major consequences for firms right across the UK as well as their customers and suppliers, he added. At least four contenders for the leadership, Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab, Andrea Leadsom and Esther McVey are ready to hurtle the UK out of the EU on October 31, with or without a deal. But Health Secretary Matt Hancock today accused them of making a promise they could not deliver as MPs have previously voted overwhelmingly to block a no-deal exit. We have to have a Brexit policy thats based on reality, he told the BBCs Today programme. Matt Hancock issued a reminder that MPs have previously voted overwhelmingly to block a no-deal exit / AFP/Getty Images The European election results made clear that the Tories face a hammering if a general election is called before Brexit is delivered. Mr Hancock, 40, the youngest candidate in the race so far, also doubted Parliament would lie down and ignore its ability to have influence on the issue. He added: It just shows we need to deliver Brexit on a deal that can get through this Parliament, that is the only way to leave on 31st October which is very much what I want to do. Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt was hit with a backlash from Brexiteers after warning that pursuing a no-deal exit would be political suicide as it risked a general election which could put Jeremy Corbyn into No 10. Mr Hunt appeared to place more hope on being able to renegotiate the Withdrawal Agreement something Brussels has repeatedly said will not happen than Mr Hancock, who seemed to focus on future trade talks and resolving the Northern Ireland border backstop row with technology. The Health Secretary also took a swipe at former foreign secretary Mr Johnson who once reportedly said f*** business in response to bosses warning about dangers of a hard Brexit. Mr Hancock told the Financial Times: To the people who say f*** business, I say f*** f*** business. He unveiled a 5 billion two-year tax-cutting stimulus plan and proposed a review of taxation to redress the balance between large business rates paid by high street stores and online firms. Speaker John Bercow has made clear he will not allow Parliament to be sidelined on Brexit. He announced he wants to stay in his role during the deadlock, adding: The idea that Parliament is going to be evacuated from the centre-stage of the debate is unimaginable. Brexit minister James Cleverly, the 11th candidate to enter the Tory contest, argued that while no deal could be delivered there were risks of pursuing it. Calling himself Brexit tooth and claw, he said: I have always said we need to be pragmatic, we need to be sensible, we need to leave with a deal. B ritain's Brexit paralysis served as a "vaccine" against the Eurosceptic vote in the EU parliamentary elections, said European Council President Donald Tusk. Eurosceptic parties gained in the bloc-wide election last week, but less than expected and pro-EU liberal and green parties have also gained at the expense of the fragmenting centre, according to the latest preliminary results. Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, Mr Tusk said he had "no doubt" that the continent voted for a pro-European majority because of Brexit. Pro-EU parties will still have a majority in the new EU assembly and the bloc told London on Tuesday it would not renegotiate the UK withdrawal agreement. European Council President Donald Tusk addresses media representatives after a European Union Summit (Getty Images) / AFP/Getty Images Outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May had agreed with the EU but after failing to get support of Parliament the EU said they would not re-open talks. "I have no doubt that one of the reasons why people on the continent voted for a pro-European majority is also Brexit," Tusk said after chairing a summit of all 28 EU leaders to pick five names for the bloc's top jobs that are up for grabs after the bloc-wide election. "As European see what Brexit means in practice, they also draw conclusions. Brexit has been a vaccine against anti-EU propaganda and fake news." Britain's political crisis and social divisions around Brexit have only deepened since Britons voted to leave the EU nearly three years ago. How, when and even whether Britain would leave the bloc is uncertain, a political conundrum that has eclipsed Mrs May, who is due step down next month. A new Conservative prime minister might want a much more decisive break with the EU. F urious Labour members have dared the party to kick them out after Alastair Campbell was expelled for voting for the Liberal Democrats in the European elections. Scores of party members who have backed Labour for decades showed their support to Tony Blairs former spin doctor by sharing anecdotes of voting for other parties. Using the hashtag #expelmetoo, they posted pictures of the ballot papers from Thursday's elections, showing how they had voted. The hashtag, which began trending on Twitter, came after Mr Campbell announced on Twitter that he had been excluded from the party after admitting live on the BBC that he had voted for the Liberal Democrats. Replying to his tweet, Liz Gratton wrote: We should start a new hashtag #expelmetoo like many Labour party members I also voted LibDem on Thursday. Unlike Alastair Campbell, I declared my intentions to do so ahead of Thursday. The hashtag, which appears to be based on the #metoo hashtag, quickly picked up traction, with many declaring they had also voted for the Liberal Democrats. Sarah Hill tweeted: Longstanding Labour Party member. I voted Lib Dem last week because I want to remain and its the right thing for our country so #expelmetoo. Ellen Clarke tweeted: Voted Lib Dem in the Euro elections because I had no idea what a Labour vote meant. If UK Labour would like to #expelmetoo then Ill live with it, but Id suggest maybe paying attention to the views of members before you get too trigger happy with the expulsion cannon. Another voter shared an image of a ballot paper, with a vote for the Liberal Democrats cast. Karl Hardie wrote: Heres my postal ballot voting for the Lib Dems #expelmetoo. Many also said they chose to vote for the Green Party this year. Thomas Day wrote: I voted Greens. I am strongly pro-remain and I wanted my vote to be counted as a pro-remain vote. Unfortunately, the party I am a member of dont have this as their policy #expelmetoo. Former Labour home secretary Charles Clarke, a senior figures in the New Labour government, also admitted on Tuesday that he had voted for the Liberal Democrats as a "one-off decision" and called on the party to reinstate Mr Campbell's membership. He added: "I have consistently argued against those who, often in understandable despair at the Labour leadership's abandonment of Labour's fundamental values, have either resigned from the Labour Party or joined another party." Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson also said it was "spiteful" to expel people from the party and called for an "amnesty" for members who did not support the party at the European elections. He said: "It is very clear that many thousands of Labour Party members voted for other parties last week. They were disappointed with the position on Brexit that a small number of people on the NEC inserted into our manifesto. They were sending the NEC a message that our position lacked clarity and they were right. "It is spiteful to resort to expulsions when the NEC should be listening to members. The politics of intolerance holds no future for the Labour Party. A broad church party requires pluralism and tolerance to survive. "There should be an amnesty for members who voted a different way last week. We should be listening to members rather than punishing them." Mr Campbell announced the news of his expulsion on Twitter on Tuesday. He wrote: "Sad and disappointed to receive email expelling me from @uklabour - particularly on a day leadership finally seems to be moving to the right place on Brexit, not least thanks to tactical voting by party members, including MPs, councillors and peers who back @peoplesvote-uk." Alastair Campbell speaks to the media outside his home in north London after he was expelled from the Labour Party. / PA Speaking outside his north London home, he said: I think that there are people in Jeremy Corbyn's office, senior positions in Jeremy Corbyn's office, who have recommended voting against the Labour Party. "You can interpret the rules in all sorts of different ways, but one thing I know is I'm not going to leave the party just because some random email comes in telling me that I've been expelled. "So I will definitely appeal against it and we will see where that goes." He described his rapid expulsion as "strange" and added: "I think people will inevitably draw the contrast with the lack of rapidity in dealing with cases involving anti-Semitism." J eremy Corbyn was hit by a revolt led by his deputy today over the expulsion of Labour members who voted for rival parties in the European elections. Tom Watson called for an amnesty on members who did not back Labour last week, branding such a purge spiteful. It came after Alastair Campbell, Tony Blairs former communications chief, was expelled for saying on television that he had voted for the Liberal Democrats. The rebellion spiralled on social media today with the hashtag #expelmetoo trending on Twitter as users claiming to be party members dared the party to force them out. Mr Campbells expulsion came as it was announced that the Equality and Human Rights Commission was formally investigating Labour over allegations of anti-Semitism. Tom Watson has called for an "amnesty" for Labour members who did not vote for the party / PA Mr Watson said today: It is very clear that many thousands of Labour Party members voted for other parties last week. They were disappointed with the position on Brexit that a small number of people on the National Executive Committee inserted into our manifesto. They were sending the NEC a message that our position lacked clarity and they were right. It is spiteful to resort to expulsions when the NEC should be listening to members. He added: There should be an amnesty for members who voted a different way last week. We should be listening to members rather than punishing them. Mr Campbells partner, journalist Fiona Millar, a former adviser to Cherie Blair, put out a call to party members on social media to alert them if they had also got an expulsion letter from the partys central command. Former Labour home secretary Charles Clarke also said he had voted Lib Dem, as did former defence secretary Bob Ainsworth and former Labour MP Fiona Mactaggart. Liz Gratton, who set up the #expelmetoo hashtag, said she too voted Lib Dem. Other people claiming to be Labour Party members tweeted in response, such as Clive Norris, who wrote: Please expel me too and refund my membership. Sarah Higgins tweeted: I am a Labour Party member who supported the Lib Dems at the European Elections 2019 because Labour just wont get off the fence & support a peoples vote. A Labour Party spokesman said: To be absolutely clear, the way Labour Party members vote is a private matter. But publicly declaring or encouraging support for another candidate or party is against the rules and is incompatible with party membership. Labour said Mr Campbell publicly and repeatedly said he voted for another party. J eremy Corbyn could announce Labours backing for a second referendum within days after the party suffered huge losses in the European elections. The leader has been under pressure to get behind a peoples vote after Labour lost 10 MEPs on Thursday. Labours preference is for a general election but many MPs and members have been pushing for support for a second referendum. A senior Shadow Cabinet minister told the Daily Mirror: We need to be more definitive quickly and youll see that in the next couple of days, to give our membership confidence again that they can get back on the doorstep, because they couldnt this time round. Shadow cabinet minister Emily Thornberry backs a People's Vote / Sky News Mr Corbyn said on Monday that any Brexit deal must be put to a public vote after sustained criticism that the partys attempt to appeal to both remain and leave backing members had failed. Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry said Labour should call for a second referendum and Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said going back to the people was now the only option. Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott added: Were supporting a peoples vote strongly now because its the right thing to do and its democratic. There is no inherent contradiction between respecting the result of the referendum and having a peoples vote, not least because its still not sure how a peoples vote would pan out. File photo: Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott said a People's Vote was "democratic" / Ian Forsyth/Getty Images Labour came third in the European elections, with ten seats and 14 per cent of the vote a drop of 11 per cent and halving their number of MEPs. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair urged Labour to set out its position on Europe if it ever hoped to win an election. He said Mr Corbyn had to come to a clear position on the EU, adding: Both parties have made the same mistake of sitting on the fence on Europe and thinking you can appeal to both sides. What the European elections show you is that isn't possible." Mr Blair also said he voted Labour without any great enthusiasm and believes the party should stop equivocating on Brexit. He added that he thought it was more likely the country will vote to stay in the EU if there is another referendum, but it is an era of unpredictability. His comments come as Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott said Labour was moving towards a clearer line on Brexit. The MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington said there was "no inherent contradiction" between respecting the result of the 2016 referendum and having another poll, as calls for the party to fully throw its weight behind a so-called People's Vote intensified. May 28, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - The historic home, one on a row of old, venerable houses on Main Street, appears quaint to a passersby. Main Street doubles as a state highway, so there is no lack of admirers. Yet look a little closer, maybe take a stroll in front of the house or step inside, and the rustic charm soon dissipates. The front door, the siding, the white picket fence, are all covered in soot from the passing vehicles. That same traffic is audible, at all hours of the day and night, from every bedroom in the house. Its an apt metaphor, the owner of the house told me, for what its like to live in a scenic country townattractive at first glance, but dirty and noisome when more carefully examined. The owner, who recently contacted me to tell his story, moved to this rural town several years ago to take one of a limited number of white-collar jobs there. It wasnt just the rural settingwith its lower housing prices and less expensive cost of livingthat attracted a young married man with several children and no little amount of debt. As devout, well-read Christians, he and his wife yearned for the kind of small, tight-knit community described in Rod Drehers The Benedict Option. So the two purchased that historic home and he began his career in earnest. Yet all has not been well in this country community. Im not sure whether the incomplete happiness of this life is enough to explain the dissatisfaction I feel or whether the modern way of living really does make it all that much more unbearable, he writes. These are strange words to read from a man who would seem to be fairly resilient. He grew up in a military family and previously worked in the fishing and agricultural industries. All our troubles here seem reducible to the road that runs through our front yard, he explains. It was off that highway that a young mentally disabled man approached his wife while she was outside with her kids. He warned her that bad people were in the town kidnapping and raping children. The man admitted that he had himself previously been abused by these people. Not long after, a male stranger in a car asked one of her sons to open the gate. The child refused. At the time, several locals assured her, that kind of thing doesnt happen here. Since then, neighbors have acknowledged that their children, too, were approached by strangers in parked cars, including one who asked a child: Do you want some candy? Another was threatened with physical violence. Then a few months ago, a four-year-old girl from a nearby town was abducted in the middle of the night from her home by a man who slept next to her and masturbated. She was later found taped up in a box. There is a real and definite threat locally, and I am not sure if its related to human trafficking, rage, boredom, or something else. I am having nightmares and other health issues associated with this problem, said the mans wife. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Their town, though somewhat isolated, is only a few miles from an artery of a multi-state sex trafficking route. Highway rest stops, bus stations, and truck stops have become hubs for this activity. According to a 2013 non-profit report, the problem is spreading beyond the grasp of police, prosecutors, and social work agencies. This crisis is a national onethere are an estimated 100,000 to 150,000 underaged child sex workers in the United States, and another 250,000 youths are at risk of being drawn or forced into this underworld. The average age of those being trafficked is 13. There is big money to made in sex trafficking. One estimate places the number at approximately $9.5 billion a year in the United States alone. This is not the only crisis confronting the community. Families are collapsing. The husband explains: When older denizens of town describe golden days full of Christian schools, neighborhood grocers, and social groups, I wonder what world they are fromnot this one. Do they even know that families of the town, ancient ones, are in their heirs falling apart? As is well catalogued in J.D. Vances memoir Hillbilly Elegy and Timothy Carneys Alienated America, the working-class, blue-collar family is no longer in decline. It has suffered catastrophic destruction. The familial crisis is compounded by abuse of opioids and other narcotics. The drug problem is a rather open secret among the under 35 crowd, the man observes. All of this has taken its toll on the couple. She increasingly suffers from sleep deprivation and anxiety. He is more melancholic and is fighting off depression. They would willingly consider counseling, but they cannot afford such a luxury: their family relies entirely on his salary to pay the bills. The husband barely has enough expendable income to afford regular haircuts, and the family has been forced to eat rice and beans several days a week. The couple still lauds many of the blessings of their new community: they know their neighbors well, receive much-appreciated help from members of their church, and enjoy a slower pace of life that is great for kids. All the same, the husband laments, the social fabric is too threadbare to hold my confidence regarding watching out for one another. Despite these hardships, Id wager that they will almost certainly survive, and likely still thrive, in spite of their circumstances. They are a deeply devout family whose religious faith remains the center of their identity and a source of comfort and spiritual and emotional renewal. The husband and wife are both intelligent and resourceful, with degrees and professional experience to prove it. Both come from intact, financially stable extended families that can provide all manner of necessary support. Their parents are themselves professionals. If things were to really deteriorate, they could probably move back in with those retired parents, or rely on the charity of other friends and family. Little if any of this, however, is true for many who grow up in such communities. Millennials in these towns (like this couple) will likely have to look back a generation or two to find examples of stable, cohesive families on firm financial grounding that might serve as exemplars of a realized American dream. Economic opportunities in these communities are sparse. The school systems are subpar if not terrible, and few people have the motivation or familial guidance to achieve educational success. The pull to engage in substance abuse is strong. So is the tendency to conceive children out of wedlock to partners one has little long-term commitment to, thus proliferating this impoverished paradigm to the next generation. Such persons have little if any of the support network enjoyed by the couple. Should we then be surprised that so many of them are failing? There are many like this family who want a coherent vision of the good life, of strong Christian families living down the street from one another, supporting one another and building lasting communities that our children would be proud of. This Benedict Option-style arrangement is flourishing in places like Hyattsville, Maryland and Front Royal, Virginia, among others. Yet for those considering smaller, rural communities, they will likely have to consider the kinds of threatsabduction, sexual abuse, drug addictiondescribed by the above couple. That makes the decision between a town in the Rust Belt or Appalachia and our current soulless, atomized suburban existence a bit more challenging. This couple still yearns for the small-town Middle America of our grandparents generation, and even, to a lesser degree, of our parents generation. Yet that kind of community, defined by economic stability, vibrant local civic institutions, and strong churches has disintegrated and may never return. They have come up against the cold, hard reality of a globalist economy that benefits the coastal elites at the expense of flyover country, a digital era that atomizes Americans and undermines local community relationships, and a libertarian ethos that shrugs its shoulders at addiction, be it from substances, pornography, or anything else. J.D. Vance in a recent speech demanded a conservative agenda that addresses and overcomes all of these trends and rescues American communities like the one this couple now lives in. Certainly such an agenda would not only help those living in such places, but incentivize others with welcome capital and professional skills to more seriously contemplate living in such communities. Based on what this family is experiencing, that lifeline had better come soon. For others, it might already be too late. Casey Chalk is a student at the Notre Dame Graduate School of Theology at Christendom College. He covers religion and other issues for The American Conservative. The American Conservative - Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here ==See Also== American Farmers Confront a Mental Health Crisis: 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 T he Tory Party risks being captured by the "narrow nationalism, phobia-filled and poisonous politics of Nigel Farage", Lord Heseltine has warned. In a speech to mark his appointment as the president of the pro-EU pressure group European Movement, the former deputy Prime Minister called on Tory leadership candidates to reject no deal as an option. He said: "Such a decision, which would deny either Parliament or the people a say on a No Deal outcome that neither wants, would be nothing short of a democratic and constitutional outrage. "If successful, the consequences for businesses, for young people and for the integrity of the United Kingdom itself would rightly be hung around the neck of the Conservative Party for a generation to come." Lord Heseltine admitted he voted Liberal Democrat at the recent European Parliament elections and had the Tory whip removed beforehand after he stated his intention to do so. The peer said: "What is it you want me to do? To betray everything I've believed all my adult life? To explain why every Conservative PM except the last one was wrong? "Am I to tell the young generation 'go hang' or is it that I should stay silent? "To wait for Conservative Central Office to send me a little blue book, thumb through the index under Europe and read out the party line? "I can think of a party that does believe that. And it does begin with a C. But it is not the Conservative party I know and to which I have devoted my life." He added: "Turn yourselves into branch offices of Brexit if you wish. But if you do so, you are on your own. Those upon whom you depend to win power in a general election will not come back. Good luck. Goodbye. "Indeed, the prospect of a new Prime Minister being chosen by perhaps little more than 100,000 Conservative Party members in the current circumstances fills me with dread. There will be an arms race in which candidates vie against each other for who can be the most Faragiste." Lord Heseltine said it is not too late for the Conservative Party to change direction on Brexit and to back a second referendum. He added: "If we've learnt anything over the past year it must be that we now know that we cannot enjoy all the rights of being a member of the EU with none on the responsibilities that necessarily go with it. "The heady, if intellectually incoherent, claim that we can have our cake and eat it has ended up choking the mother of Parliament itself. "Today, I want to appeal to every sensible Conservative MP, to potential leadership candidates, even to the Labour leader, not to force Brexit upon us now. "I ask them to stand up, to speak out for our democratic right to have our say on Brexit. "Whether you want to leave the EU or to stay in, the only way to unlock the Brexit process in Parliament, the only way to secure a stable majority in Parliament, the only way to legitimise the outcome so we can build a lasting settlement in the country is to give the people the final say." J unior Brexit minister James Cleverly has become the 11th candidate hoping to replace Theresa May as Tory leader as the race continued to escalate into open warfare. The former deputy chairman of the party and undersecretary of state in the Department for Exiting the European Union said the Conservatives need to look new and sound different. As he joined the race, which includes the likes of Tory heavyweights Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and Jeremy Hunt, Mr Cleverly said the party needs a complete refresh. "We need a change and I believe I am the right person to deliver that change," he added. Theresa May announced she will be stepping down, triggering a Tory leadership race / AFP/Getty Images In a letter to constituents, the Braintree MP wrote: Once Brexit is delivered, we then need to think about how we can make the Conservatives look new and sound different. "From the politics we have seen in the last two years, it is clear it needs a complete refresh. We need a change and I believe I am the right person to deliver that change." The race is now entering open warfare, with leadership candidate Matt Hancock blasting rival Boris Johnson over his pro-business credentials. The Health Secretary referred to a remark attributed to Mr Johnson last year where he said "f*** business" following concerns from some in industry that a hard Brexit would damage the economy. In an interview with the Financial Times, Mr Hancock said: "To the people who say 'f*** business', I say 'f***, f*** business."' Open warfare: Boris Johnson was under fire from a leadership rival / EPA/Swiss Economic Forum Mr Johnson, a former foreign secretary, refused to deny making the comment. Three Cabinet ministers have also hit out at Brexiteers ready to crash Britain out of the EU within months. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, International Development Secretary Rory Stewart and Justice Secretary David Gauke tore into the hardline approach being pursued by Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab, Andrea Leadsom and Esther McVey for the UK to leave on October 31, with or without a deal. In an interview with the Evening Standard, Tory leadership hopeful Mr Stewart attacked no-deal Brexiteers for Wizard of Oz thinking and vowed to vote against such a move without hesitation. He also warned on no deal: You would end up with Jeremy Corbyn. Mr Hunt stressed that pursuing no deal risked triggering a general election because it would be torpedoed in Parliament, and that the resulting verdict from voters would be absolutely catastrophic for the Tories. Tory leadership race: Rory Stewart In his announcement, Mr Cleverly said a no-deal Brexit was "not his preferred choice", while Mr Hancock told the FT he did not believe no deal would be an option for the next Prime Minister. He said he believed Commons Speaker John Bercow would block any attempts to impose no-deal without the backing of MPs. Mr Hancock said: "I think the Speaker would facilitate a majority in the House of Commons who are opposed to no deal in exactly the same way as he did in the run-up to the 29 March." He added: "The brutal reality is, no deal is not a policy choice available to the next Prime Minister." Elsewhere, Mr Bercow knocked back suggestions he would step down from the speakership this summer. Speaking to the Guardian, Mr Bercow said it was not "sensible to vacate the chair" while Brexit was unresolved. He said: "I've never said anything about going in July of this year. Secondly, I do feel that now is a time in which momentous events are taking place and there are great issues to be resolved and in those circumstances, it doesn't seem to me sensible to vacate the chair." A doctor who climbed Everest has claimed the summit of the mountain was like a zoo and he had to step around a dead body to reach the top. Ed Dohring, a doctor from Arizona, said he was shocked when he reached the peak of the worlds tallest mountain and found it heaving with other people. Climbers were jostling to take selfies, and the flat area of the summit - which he said was no larger than two ping-pong tables - was packed with 15 or 20 people, he told The New York Times. Dr Dohring said he had to queue for hours pressed against other climbers on an icy ridge surrounded by a several-thousand foot drop just to reach the top. He claimed he even had to step around the body of a woman who had just died. Ed Dohring, a doctor from Arizona, said he was shocked when he reached the peak of the worlds tallest mountain and found it heaving with other people / ABC News It was scary, he said by telephone from Kathmandu, Nepal, where he was resting in a hotel room. It was like a zoo. It comes after eleven people died on the mountain in ten days, during one of its most deadly climbing seasons to date. The most recent fatality was Christopher John Kulish, 61, from Colarado, who died after reaching the summit on Monday. Excessive numbers, inexperienced climbers, and the commercialisation of the mountain have all been blamed for the recent mayhem on the worlds most famous peak. Christopher Kulish, who died on Monday after reaching the summit of Mount Everest / AP Sherpas and mountaineers have blamed some of this years deaths on the long queues in the notorious final stretch of the climb, known as the Death Zone. They have warned that the last 1,000 feet can be the most treacherous, with a number of victims succumbing to oxygen deficiency, after not being able to get up and down fast enough to replenish their oxygen supplies. Others were simply not fit enough to be on the mountain in the first place, they have said. Fatima Deryan, an experienced Lebanese mountaineer, told The New York Times she was making her way to the summit when less experienced climbers started collapsing in front of her. Temperatures were dropping to -30C, oxygen tanks were running low, and roughly 150 people were clipped to the same safety line, she explained. A lot of people were panicking, worrying about themselves and nobody thinks about those who are collapsing, said Ms Deryan. British man Robin Fisher, 44, also died on his descent after reaching the summit / PA It is a question of ethics. We are all on oxygen you figure out that if you help, you are going to die. Ms Deryan said she offered to help some of the sick people, but then realised she was beginning to endanger herself. She carried on to the summit, then had to fight her way back through the crowds on her way back down. It was terrible, she said. American climber Christopher Kulish becomes the latest person to die on Mount Everest Another climber and filmmaker from Canada revealed a shocking photo which he said showed people queueing past a dead body at the peak of the mountain, supporting Mr Dohring's claims. Elia Saikaly, from Ottawa, who shared the image on Instagram, said he deeply apologised for the sensitivity of the image but added that he wanted to inform people of the seriousness of taking on such a challenging task. He wrote: The early morning light had revealed the gateway to the summit of Everest and in parallel a human being who had lost his life. Here we all were, chasing a dream and beneath our very feet there was a lifeless soul. Is this what Everest has become? As I documented the team climbing the iconic step, my mind raced and empathized with every person who struggled to stay alive while undoubtedly questioning their own humanity, ethics and integrity. P utting Huawei on a trade blacklist sets a dangerous precedent and will harm billions of customers, according to the companys top legal officer. Song Liuping said the decision threatens to harm our customers in over 170 countries, including more than three billion customers who use Huawei products and services around the world. He also said the trade ban would also "directly harm" American companies and affect jobs. The Chinese tech giant filed a motion in US court on Wednesday challenging the constitutionality of a law that limits its sales of telecom equipment, the latest action in an ongoing clash with the government. A man uses his smartphone outside of a shop selling Huawei products at a shopping mall in Beijing / AP Mr Song said Huawei had filed a motion for summary judgment asking the court to rule on whether it is constitutional for the US to implement a military spending provision that bars the government and its contractors from using Huawei equipment. He said the "state-sanctioned campaign" against the company will not improve cybersecurity. Mr Song added: "Politicians in the U.S. are using the strength of an entire nation to come after a private company. This is not normal." The US and China are embroiled in a trade dispute and tariff war that began last July following complaints from President Donald Trump that China steals from or pressures foreign companies to hand over technology while unfairly subsidizing Chinese businesses. The most recent round of negotiations earlier this month ended with no agreement, after Trump more than doubled duties on $200 billion in Chinese imports. China responded by raising tariffs of 5 per cent to 25 per cent on $60 billion worth of American goods. Soon afterward, the US Commerce Department placed Huawei on its "Entity List," effectively barring American firms from selling its technology without government approval. Huawei relies heavily on US components, including computer chips, and about one-third of its suppliers are American. The move has already affected the company's US partnerships. Google said it would continue to support existing Huawei smartphones, but future devices won't carry its flagship apps and services, including maps, Gmail and search - a change that will likely make Huawei phones less appealing. Song said the U.S. has not provided any evidence to show that Huawei is a security threat. He said: "There is no gun, no smoke, only speculation. I sraeli lawmakers have voted to dissolve parliament and send the country to an unprecedented second snap election this year. It comes after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a governing coalition following last months poll. The Knesset, which came into office less than two months ago, voted 74-45 on Wednesday to disperse and call new elections. Mr Netanyahu had appeared to cruise to victory in April 9 elections. His Likud Party won 35 of the Knesset's 120 seats but he could not reach a deal with former Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman, whose support became vital. Infighting among ultra-Orthodox and secular ultra-nationalist allies, and disagreement over proposed bills to protect Mr Netanyahu from prosecution crushed his efforts to form a coalition. Rather than concede that task to one of his rivals, Mr Netanyahu's Likud party advanced a bill to dissolve parliament and send the country to the polls for a second time this year. Wednesday night's vote marked a dramatic downturn for Mr Netanyahu and sent the long-time leader's future into turmoil. Had the midnight deadline on the vote passed, Israel's president would have given another politician, most likely opposition leader Benny Gantz, an opportunity to put together a coalition. After the vote, Mr Gantz angrily accused Mr Netanyahu of choosing self-preservation over allowing the country's political process to run its course. Mr Gantz said that instead of following procedure, Mr Netanyahu opted for "three crazy months" of a new campaign and millions of wasted dollars over new elections because he is "legally incapacitated" by looming indictments. The vote sends the country into uncharted political waters, no less because Mr Netanyahu, the interim prime minister, still faces a likely indictment for a series of corruption charges just around the time of the election. S pecial counsel Robert Mueller today broke his two-year silence on his investigation into allegations of Russian meddling in the US presidential elections, saying: "If we had confidence that the President did not commit a crime we would have said so." But Mr Mueller said charging President Trump with a crime was "not an option" because of Department of Justice guidelines. As he broke a two-year silence over the report, he resigned as special counsel, saying he planned to "return to public life." The special counsel's report on Russia's interference in the 2016 election raised the possibility that Republican candidate Donald Trump's campaign cooperated with the Russians in efforts to help him win. Responding to Mr Mueller's statement, Mr Trump tweeted: "Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you." Special Counsel Robert Mueller. / Getty Images In his press conference, Mr Mueller reaffirmed the key findings of his investigation, which included: Russia carried out "systemic" election meddling but the Trump campaign did not cooperate. Mr Mueller investigated 11 episodes of potential obstruction by the President. Mr Trump attempted to fire Mr Mueller. Mr Mueller said Trump's written answers were "inadequate" but decided not to subpoena him. Mr Mueller said charging a president with a crime "was not an option" and "it would be unfair" to potentially accuse someone of a crime when the person could not stand trial to defend himself. "We were guided by principles of fairness. It would be unfair to potentially accuse someone of a crime when there can be no court resolution of the actual charge," he said. "We concluded that we would not reach a determination one way or another on whether the president committed a crime. That is the office's final position and we will not comment on any other conclusions or hypothetical about the president." US Special Counsel Robert Mueller quit his post as he delivered a statement on his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election / REUTERS He told reporters that he and the special counsel team chose their words carefully in the report and "the words speaks for itself." He added that the report is his "testimony" and that he "would not provide information beyond that which is already public in any appearance before Congress." He said: "I hope and expect this to be the only time I will speak to you in this manner. No one has told me whether I can or should testify or speak further about this matter. President Donald Trump has previously called the investigation a "witch hunt". / AP "I do not feel it is appropriate for me to speak further about the investigation or to comment on the actions of the Justice Department or Congress." He ended his remarks by re-stating his reports findings that there were multiple systematic efforts to interfere in our election and that allegation deserves the attention of every American. The statement came amid demands for Mr Mueller to give evidence on Capitol Hill about his findings and tension with attorney general William Barr. His two-year investigation into Russian election interference and obstruction of justice found there was no evidence that Mr Trump's campaign colluded or conspired with Russia. But a report released at the end of the investigation detailed many contacts between Russia and the campaign. N ew York has overtaken London to become the worlds top financial centre, in a shift largely blamed on Brexit chaos. A survey of 180 financial executives found that more than half of respondents now see New York as the worlds top financial centre, up 10% from 2018. While 36% see London as the leader, down 17% from last year. Last year, Brexit cast a shadow of uncertainty over the United Kingdoms economy; it has now escalated to a full-blown crisis, said a spokesperson for US consultancy firm Duff & Phelps, which conducted the study. Looking ahead, however, globalisations diffusion of influence begins to be apparent: 12% of respondents expect Hong Kong to be the worlds pre-eminent financial centre five years from now. The 'Fearless Girl' and 'Charging Bull' statues on New York's Wall Street. / Getty Images Duff & Phelps said its annual Global Regulatory Outlook survey contacted executives in asset management, private equity, hedge funds, banking and brokerage to ask their views on the worlds leading financial cities. More than 60% of responses named Britain and the United States as the top spots for finance, with the rest mainly pointing to Ireland, Singapore, Luxembourg and Hong Kong. The surveyors said Dublin, Frankfurt and Luxembourg had fared better in experts estimations this year, as the EUs financial industry continues to search for a new hub. Britains departure from the EU has already been delayed twice, with the next deadline set for October 31. Uncertainty over future bilateral trade relations has driven banks, asset managers and insurers to set up operations in the bloc to maintain links with customers. Britains International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said the UKs financial services would emerge from Brexit fitter, stronger and more dynamic than ever", as he addressed an international finance forum in London on May 21. International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said the UK financial sector would emerge stronger from Brexit. / AFP/Getty Images Dr Fox stressed that the City of London remained home to the worlds highest number of banks and the largest commercial insurance market. He also insisted that since the EU referendum three years ago, the UK had not only maintained but even strengthened its position as a leading global financial centre. However, other experts have been less flattering, with the Confederation of British Industrys director general Carolyn Fairburn calling the continuing political chaos surrounding Brexit a crushing disaster for business. T he grieving widow and son of racing legend Niki Lauda placed his Formula 1 helmet on his coffin as hundreds of mourners gathered for his funeral in Vienna. Family, friends and fans bid a final farewell to the three-time world champion at St Stephens Cathedral on Wednesday after the Austrian race driver died last week aged 70. His coffin was decorated with his red racing helmet, placed there by his widow Birgit and son Lukas, and surrounded by candles and rose wreaths in front of two large portraits. Lauda, who won two of his F1 titles after a horrific crash in which he suffered serious burns, later became a prominent figure in the aviation industry and served as a non-executive chairman of the Mercedes F1 team. Son Lukas places his father's F1 helmet on his coffin / REUTERS Hundreds of mourners waited in line in the rain before paying their respects as they solemnly walked by Laudas coffin on Wednesday. Ahead of the service, the priest who was to give Laudas sermon, Toni Faber, told APA: "He was an unpretentious, humble, shining star among the racing drivers. He had a sense of humour, was true-to-life, target-oriented and no-nonsense." Niki Lauda Funeral - In pictures 1 /18 Niki Lauda Funeral - In pictures Birgit Lauda, center, widow of the former formular Formula One driver Niki Lauda, attends a funeral service for Lauda in Vienna, Austria AFP/Getty Images The helmet of Niki Lauda is on display on his coffin during his memorial service at Saint Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, Austria, EPA People queue to pay their respects in front of the coffin of Austrian three-time Formula One world champion Niki Lauda at the Stephansdom (St Stephen's Cathedral) in Vienna during his funeral ceremony AFP/Getty Images Lukas Lauda places his father's race helmet on his coffin at the start of a funeral service for late former Austrian three-time Formula One world champion Niki Lauda at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna AFP/Getty Images Mourners wait outside to pay their respects REUTERS A mourner holds a letter of condolence during Niki Lauda's funeral at St Stephen's cathedral in Vienna, Austria REUTERS Birgit Lauda, center, widow of the former formular Formula One driver Niki Lauda, attends a funeral service for Lauda in Vienna, Austria AFP/Getty Images The helmet of Niki Lauda is on display on his coffin during his memorial service at Saint Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, Austria, EPA The coffin of Niki Lauda during a memorial service for Lauda at Saint Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, Austria, 29 May 2019. Austrian Formula One legend Niki Lauda died on 20 May 2019 at the age of 70. Lauda won the Formula One championship in 1975, 1977, and 1984 and founded three airlines. EPA/MICHAEL GRUBER EPA A portrait of Niki Lauda is on display during a memorial service for Lauda at Saint Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, Austria EPA Niki Lauda's widow Birgit and sons Mathias and Lukas attend his funeral at St Stephen's cathedral in Vienna, Austria REUTERS Birgit Lauda, center, widow of the former formular Formula One driver Niki Lauda, attends a funeral service for Lauda in Vienna, Austria AP The helmet of Niki Lauda is on display on his coffin during his memorial service at Saint Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna EPA People queue to pay their respects in front of the coffin of Austrian three-time Formula One world champion Niki Lauda in St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna before the funeral service AFP/Getty Images Lauda won the F1 title in 1975 and 1977 with Ferrari and again in 1984 with McLaren. In 1976, he was badly burned when he crashed during the German Grand Prix, but he made an astonishingly fast return to racing only six weeks later. Niki Lauda's funeral is being held in Vienna / REUTERS Lauda remained closely involved with the F1 circuit after retiring as a driver in 1985. The 70-year-old, who died on May 20, passed away less than a year after undergoing a lung transplant. Family, friends and fans attend Lauda's service / AFP/Getty Images Several Formula One stars were expected to attend the service in St Stephen's Cathedral. A n elderly man has died and at least 130 more have been injured as a series of tornadoes continues to rip through the US. The vicious storms have hit several different parts of the country, damaging homes, downing trees and power lines in its wake. The storm hit Kansas City in the latest barrage of severe weather that saw tornado warnings as far east as New York City. Parts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey were also under tornado warnings hours after a swarm of tightly-packed twisters swept through Indiana and Ohio, smashing homes and blowing out windows. US Tornadoes - In pictures 1 /38 US Tornadoes - In pictures Repair efforts AP Homes sit severely damaged Getty Images A youngster walks on the trunk of a fallen tree AP ommunity members work on their damaged roof in Dayton, Ohio AFP/Getty Images Dan Creel of Armstrong's Glass and Mirror removes a broken window AP Rescue workers rest under a bus in Trotwood, Ohio AFP/Getty Images Workers dismantle the damaged roof on a section of a home, AP Repair and cleaning efforts begin on a neighborhood AP Storms have blighted the US for the last two weeks AP A residents cleans up AP Local volunteers AP Joe Armison looks over damage to his home AP An American flag flys in front of a damaged school area in Dayton, Ohio AFP/Getty Images The huge tornado struck Jefferson City and caused damage in other towns in Missouri AP Corinthian Baptist Church members help tornado victims in Dayton, Ohio AFP/Getty Images A crumpled home lies in Ohio AP Rain obscures the view of a tornado in Lawrence, Kansas Getty Images Aerial photo shows flooded homes along the Arkansas River in Sand Spring, Oklahoma AP A man reacts near damaged property after a tornado in Lawrence, Kansas Reuters A man and woman inspect the damage to their home and classic cars in Kansas AP A tornado spins during stormy weather in Mangum, Oklahoma Lorraine Matti via Reuters A tornado toppled a tree onto a semi truck in Linwood, Kansas Getty Images A man passes off a bundle of blue jeans as he tries to collect clothing for his family after being hit by a tornado AP A storm cloud is seen in Shawnee, Kansas Reuters Aerial photo shows flooded homes along the Arkansas River in Sand Spring, Oklahoma AP AP Sue Taulbee, 71, watches as her family works to collect memorabilia from her damaged house after a tornado touched down overnight in Brookville, near Dayton, Ohio Reuters Stavion Byrd works with the help of friends to move debris from her third floor apartment after a tornado touched down overnight in city of Trotwood near Dayton, Ohio Reuters Debris is strewn about the front sidewalks of destroyed homes at the River's Edge apartment complex in Dayton, Ohi AP In Celina, Ohio, Melvin Dale Hanna, 83, was killed when a parked car was blown into his home, Mayor Jeffrey Hale said. Describing the aftermath of the deadly storm, Mr Hale said: Theres areas that truly look like a war zone. The damage is said to be so severe in Ohio that authorities reportedly used snow plough trucks to clear away the mountains of debris. A total of 130 people have also been injured across the country as a result of the storms. US President Donald Trump, who is currently in Japan, said he was told about the destruction and told those affected "we are with you". Mr Trump tweeted: "Storms overnight across Ohio and many other states were very dangerous and damaging. "My team continues to update me with reports from emergency managers in the states affected. Listen to your local officials and be resiliant. "We are with you!" A crumpled home lies in Ohio / AP Forecasters said the storms were among 55 twisters that may have touched down on Monday across eight states, stretching eastward from Idaho and Colorado. The past couple of weeks have seen unusually high tornado activity in the US, with no immediate end to the pattern in sight. A man reacts near damaged property after a tornado in Lawrence, Kansas (REUTERS) / Reuters It continued on Tuesday, as a large and dangerous tornado hit the western edge of Kansas City, Kansas, late in the day, the National Weather Service office reported. A spokeswoman at Lawrence Memorial Hospital confirmed 12 people had been treated for storm-related injuries, but none of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening. Kansas City International Airport temporarily suspended flights and forced travellers and employees to take shelter in parking garage tunnels for about an hour. Corinthian Baptist Church members help tornado victims in Dayton, Ohio / AFP/Getty Images A powerful twister also touched down in the nearby township of Pleasant Grove, Kansas, seriously damaging homes. Some of the heaviest damage was reported just outside Dayton, Ohio. Joe Armison looks over damage to his home after a tornado struck the outskirts of Eudora, Kansas / AP Francis Dutmers said he heard a very lour roar on Monday night. He said: I just got down on all fours and covered my head with my hands. The winds blew out windows around his house, filled rooms with debris and took down most of his trees. Monday marked the record-tying 11th straight day with at least eight tornadoes in the US, said Patrick Marsh, a Storm Prediction Centre meteorologist. The last such stretch was in 1980. Outbreaks of 50 or more tornadoes are not uncommon, having happened 63 times in US history, with three instances of more than 100 twisters, Mr Marsh said. But Monday's swarm was unusual because it happened over a particularly wide geographic area and came amid an especially active stretch, he said. As for why it's happening, Mr Marsh said high pressure over the south-east and an unusually cold trough over the Rockies were forcing warm, moist air into the central US, triggering repeated severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. P ope Francis has said he is willing to confront Donald Trump about some of his cruel policies and would tell him to his face that it is wrong to build border walls. The Pontiff, who has previously been vocal in his criticism for the US President, mainly over migration issues, discussed the situation at the US-Mexican border during a TV interview with Mexico's Televisa. Speaking to veteran Vatican reporter Valentina Alazraki, who is Mexican, he said: I don't know what's happening with this new culture of defending territories by building walls. "We already knew one, that (one) in Berlin, which brought so many headaches and so much suffering. He also appeared to warn the President not to resume a policy of separating families, adding: "Separating children from their parents goes against natural law, and those Christians ... you can't do it. It is cruel. It is among the greatest of cruelties. "And to defend what? Territory, or the economy of a country or who knows what," he said. AFP/Getty Images Asked if he would tell Mr Trump the same thing to his face if the president were sitting opposite him, Francis said: "The same. The same because I say it publicly ... I have even said that those who build walls end up being prisoners of the walls they build." Donald Trump meets Pope Francis in Rome 1 /13 Donald Trump meets Pope Francis in Rome U.S. President Donald Trump and his wife Melania arrive at Fiumicino's Leonardo Da Vinci International airport AP U.S. President Donald Trump and his wife Melania arrive at Fiumicino's Leonardo Da Vinci International airport AP U.S. President Donald Trump and his wife Melania arrive at Fiumicino's Leonardo Da Vinci International airport AP U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania meet Pope Francis during a private audience at the Vatican Reuters The prefect of the papal household Georg Gaenswein gestures as Pope Francis stands with U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump during a private audience at the Vatica AFP/Getty Images U.S. President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and daughter Ivanka Trump meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican AP AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis walks past U.S. First Lady Melania Trump and Ivanka Trump at the end of a private audience at the Vatican AFP/Getty Images AP REUTERS Last year, Pope Francis criticised the Trump administration policy of separating children from parents who had illegally crossed the US-Mexico border, a policy Mr Trump later reversed after a widespread outcry. Mr Trump last month denied media reports that his administration was considering reinstating the policy. Trump, who met the pope at the Vatican in 2017, has said the wall is needed to address a crisis of drugs and crime flowing across the border into the United States and has clashed with the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives and some judges on how to fund it. By Finian Cunningham May 28, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - When history of the present US-Iran stand-off in the Persian Gulf is written, future scholars may note how it was Tehran that saved the day from full-scale war by its responsible diplomatic outreach to regional neighbors. This weekend saw the usual feckless American vacillations resulting in even more military power being deployed in the Middle East where US troops already number some 70,000. President Donald Trump has dispatched more squadrons of fighter jets, warships and missiles which he says are for protection against alleged Iranian threats. He also signed off $7 billion in arms sales to Saudi Arabia citing an emergency. Tehran condemned the latest US force escalation as highly dangerous. At the same time, by contrast, Iranian diplomats engaged in a regional tour calling on all countries to cooperate on maintaining mutual security. Irans foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif while visiting Iraq urged all Persian Gulf countries to form a non-aggression pact. Earlier, Zarif also took his message to Pakistan. Meanwhile, Irans Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is visiting Kuwait, Oman and Qatar this week proffering the same entente. The diplomatic overtures from Iran could be a watershed development. Can nations that have previously seen bilateral relations with Iran distorted by Sunni-Shia religious tensions put aside sectarian divisions and work together to preserve peace in the region? If they can rise to the occasion, the resulting solidarity would be a blow to Washingtons dominance in the Middle East, where the Americans have sought to isolate Iran from its neighbors with repeated and usually unfounded claims of aggression by Iran and Shia proxies. Essentially, divide-and-rule tactics. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter A sign of the potential new regional cooperation was seen during Zarifs visit to Iraq at the weekend. The Iraqi prime minister Adel Abdul Mahdi pointedly said that Iraq stood with Iran in the face of American military intimidation. Baghdad last week warned it would not allow US forces to use its territory for any attack on Iran. The Iraqi leadership also stressed that Washingtons sanctions against Iran have damaged Iraqs economy. It was further pointed out that economic development between the two neighboring countries is inevitable and cannot be stopped by US pressure on Baghdad to isolate Tehran. Iraq shares close ties with Iran through its popular following of Shia Islam. But the cultural and political ties are much bigger than religion. Iran as far back as 2014 helped Iraq quell a threat to its national security from Al Qaeda-linked terror groups. Iran achieved this through support for various Shia militia groups. These popular militias have become an indispensable part of Iraqs relatively restored security situation. Other regional countries have taken note of how Iran salvaged Iraq from chaos chaos which the US invasion and a decade occupation of the country from 2003 largely unleashed. Iran shares millennia of historical ties with other neighboring countries. The Sunni-Shia theological divide goes back to the earliest days of Islam in the 7th century. But it was only until relatively recently that the divide became a toxic sectarian schism often with internecine violence. For many Muslims, the sectarian dichotomy is lamentable and should be deplored, viewing all members of Islam as brothers and sisters, regardless of the formal Sunni or Shia identity. Middle East observers point out that the toxic sectarianism escalated following the Iranian revolution in 1979 when US forces were kicked out of Iran along with Washingtons puppet dictator, the Shah. As a way to roll back the Iranian revolution, it was Washington and its hardline Sunni client regime in Saudi Arabia that fomented the tensions and antipathies towards Shia Islam. The Wahhabi version of Islam held by Saudi rulers is distinct from other Sunni branches in that it vilifies the Shia as infidels who should be put to death. Thats partly why the American propaganda war against Iran found such a useful instrument with the Saudi autocrats. However, despite the constant US-led propaganda to demonize Iran as a terror sponsor, regional relations have not been irreparably poisoned. Iran has, for example, maintained fairly good relations with Kuwait, Oman and Qatar. Iranian business and family ties have long meshed the societies in the Persian Gulf, with the notable exception of Saudi Arabia whose fundamentalist rulers and their Wahhabi cult-like beliefs view Iran as a nemesis. The blockade by Saudi-led Gulf nations against Qatar that was launched in 2017 and is ongoing albeit waning from ineffectiveness was due to claims by the Saudi monarchs that Doha was being too close to Iran. The Trump administration at first fully backed the Saudi-led hostility towards Qatar in its knee-jerk mentality of confronting Iran. Though, the White House has since quietly advocated the Gulf nations to normalize relations, realizing that the economic impact of the Saudi-led blockade on Qatar has caused much disruption and is counterproductive. That is a classic case of how American and Saudi obsession with Iran has only served to hamper regional economies and relations which is not in the actual interests of the region. The Middle East region with its ancient historical knowledge must realize that centuries of common Islamic heritage transcend recent decades of sectarian conflict based on a contrived Sunni-Shia divide that has been inflamed for selfish geopolitical reasons. The countries of the region must surely realize by now that the destabilizing imposter is not Iran which has bestowed millennia of benign influence but rather it is Washington. The devastation and trauma that Washington has inflicted on the Middle East is there for everyone to see. From its illegal wars and invasions, to inflaming of sectarian tensions and sponsoring of terrorist cults to act as cats paws for regime change. Not to mention the despicable suppression of Palestinian national rights by backing an illegally occupying Israeli regime with decades of massive military support and duplicitous political kowtowing. Syria a nation of multi-faiths and cultures was almost destroyed by the US and its colluding sectarian client regimes. It was Iran, along with Russia, which intervened to salvage Syria from impending doom. Iran achieved a similar mission in Iraq. Thats why Irans calls now for regional cooperation and solidarity between all nations regardless of Sunni or Shia labels may be the saving initiative in the present dangerous stand-off with the US. If enough countries join the Iraq-Iran anti-war axis that emerged this week, then American ambitions for inciting conflict may be decisively checked. Iraq and Iran two countries which went to war in the 1980s largely incited by American intrigues to vanquish the Iranian revolution are now demonstrating a potential new reality of solidarity in the Middle East. Furthermore, a newfound regional solidarity based not on partisan religious affiliation, but rather on shared neighborly interests could be a positive departure from pernicious American interference that has long marred the Middle East. Finian Cunningham has written extensively on international affairs, with articles published in several languages. He is a Masters graduate in Agricultural Chemistry and worked as a scientific editor for the Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, England, before pursuing a career in newspaper journalism. He is also a musician and songwriter. For nearly 20 years, he worked as an editor and writer in major news media organisations, including The Mirror, Irish Times and Independent. This article was originally published by "RT" - The countrys Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) said the men and women arrested in connection with the death of Nusrat Jahan Rafi would be charged on Wednesday, with prosecutors seeking the death penalty for all 16. Ms Rafi was allegedly doused with kerosene and set on fire at her school in the town of Feni, after she refused to withdraw a sexual harassment complaint against her head teacher. She died in hospital five days later, on April 10, sparking public outcry and mass demonstrations calling for her killers to face punishment. Bangladeshi demand justice for Nusrat Jahan Rafi at a protest in Dhaka, following her violent murder in April. / AFP/Getty Images Top government officials, including Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, pledged justice for Ms Rafi and promised her family the killers would not be spared. The case has dominated the countrys media as a harrowing example of the treatment of women in Bangladesh. A study conducted by womens rights organisation Bangladeshi Mahila Parishad found that around 950 women were raped in the South Asian country last year. "Justice has to be ensured," the group's general secretary Maleka Banu told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. But just ensuring that the Nusrat case is taken care of is not enough. We need to do a lot more to make the situation better for Bangladeshi women, she added. Two weeks before her death, Ms Rafi issued a statement at her local police station, accusing the headmaster of her madrasa an Islamic school of calling her into his office and touching her inappropriately. Officers allegedly belittled her complaint at the time, telling her it was no big deal. Eleven days after the alleged assault, the teenager went to school to sit her final exams. It is said that she was lured to the buildings rooftop where a group of around five people allegedly surrounded her and demanded she withdraw her case against the headmaster. When she refused, they allegedly set her on fire. Ms Rafi died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital four days later, having suffered burns on 80 per cent of her body. In the ambulance on her way to the hospital, fearing she might not survive, she recorded a statement on her brother's mobile phone saying: The teacher touched me, I will fight this crime till my last breath. Multiple arrests were made following the incident, with 16 now facing the countrys harshest punishment for their involvement, which includes planning, executing, and aiding and abetting the murder. All the suspects are now behind bars and 12 of them have made confessional statements detailing the roles played by the 16, according to Bangladeshi newspaper the Daily Star. E very morning, Jacquelline Fuller wakes up at sunrise, wondering how to save the world. I cant help it, I get up with the dawn pretty much wherever I am, says Fuller, 50, the President of Google.org, Googles charitable philanthropy arm. I try to exercise, to get some fresh air hiking, yoga and come to work pretty early. Sometimes Im the first person here, wandering around saying, Hey, where is everybody? Each hour counts when your goal is to end poverty, fight inequality and stop climate change, which, in a nutshell, is Fullers brief. Google.org pumps more than $200 million of Google parent company Alphabets annual profits into non-profit organisations using technology to make the world a better place: $1.3 million has gone to an incubator using artificial intelligence and smartphones to track the spread of antibiotic-resistant superbugs; $1.7 million to a start-up using AI and satellite imagery to monitor carbon emissions of every power plant in the world; $1.3 million to a computer science department in Uganda seeking to forecast air pollution by strapping monitors to bikes. Fuller, who is based in San Francisco, is the power broker behind Googles good-cause division but, even with a $200 million magic wand, she can feel overwhelmed. These goals can seem so ambitious, and these challenges so big, she says, sitting in a glass meeting room at Googles Soho office. I do cry pretty much weekly when Im reading about some of the harms that are going on. Has she cried today? Oh, goodness, theres that photo Im going to cry now on the internet about the girl in Venezuela ... she says. Its a picture of an emaciated two-year-old, her ribcage visible. Theyre already saying this is one of the worst humanitarian crises, and these tend to hit the most vulnerable populations of children the hardest. Her current European tour has taken in six weeks of tech conferences and altruistic causes (shes been flying, yes, but says all Google employees have their carbon footprints offset by the companys investment in renewable energy). In Paris, the Tech for Good conference focused on problems in Googles own backyard. When the March terrorist attack at a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, was livestreamed to internet platforms, internet giants such as Google and Facebook failed to stop the video of the murders being shared. We need to be humble here, to say our responsibility is to make sure were doing everything we can do, and we need to listen. We need to engage and we need to recognise were not going to solve this alone, says Fuller. Google recently hired 10,000 people tasked with removing harmful content on YouTube but 98 per cent of the filter work is still done by algorithms. Its provided AI research grants to UK fact-checking site Fullfact, helping it develop an automated service using machine learning. But its a Sisyphean struggle. She fears that deepfakes synthetic videos created by AI where it appears that a celebrity or political leader is saying something inflammatory could lead to real chasms in society and misinformation. Fuller doesnt profess a political inclination but she does decry closed borders and walls, insisting that by investing in the structures of the web we can maintain free and open platforms where people can learn, disagree, argue, and present their solution. In the UK, Google.org has been working with film director Richard Curtiss Project Everyone, putting pressure on world leaders to follow the UNs Global Goals for Sustainable Development (zero hunger, climate action, education equality) and investing $3 million in them. Google Digital Garage, which is a partner of the Evening Standards Future London Skills project, is offering free digital training in Sunderland. How worried is she about AI being used for evil? As a Google vice-president, shes a non-technologist on the companys AI ethics committee; at Google.org, the Google AI Impact Challenge invests $25 million into social projects which use AI. Its interesting listening to Demis [Hassabis] from Googles DeepMind speak about this, she says. He says you hear voices from two ends of the spectrum when it comes to thinking about AI and the potential for society: those who are super-optimistic and those who are very pessimistic, and he says hes sort of a moderate view. Im there as well. She maintains that we have to be cogniscent of what harms AI could be used for, whether its surveillance or weapons. Google has just blocked Chinese phone company Huawei from using its Android software amid accusations of snooping by the US government. Surely Google.orgs philanthropy work in South-East Asia is going to be affected by Americas political relations with Huawei? At Google.org, one of the ways were going to have a particular ability to make an impact is when we empower the people who are doing the best job of opening up creative dialogue. Fuller is uniquely qualified to do the maths on saving the planet. She was a globally minded child whose father was a US diplomat: her family moved 17 times across military bases in Europe. My father specialised in the Soviet Union so we spent time in Russia before the wall came down in the Eighties, she says. In her twenties, she studied for a year at the Institute of Political Studies in Grenoble, which had one of the two most advanced arms control simulations in the world. But when I thought about other issues challenging humanity inclusion of women and goals, or poverty I didnt see the same level of participation. So she returned to California and changed her major to urban poverty and public policy. She volunteered in Watts, at the time the poorest and most dangerous census tract in America, then fell in love with and married John Fuller, a public school teacher there. She has two daughters, Hosanna, 25, and Sophie, 23, a sophomore engineer and a health researcher at UCS Technologies. You know the stats in technology: we havent had many women traditionally, says Fuller. Weve gone from 20 per cent to 26 cent women in leadership positions at Google. Thats a good sign but youre part of only 26 per cent in the room. Her first email to a colleague on the day I meet her was at 5.26am, embedding a link to another article on the growing anti-Semitism in Germany, a topic we have talked about as far as weve talked about online safety, and hate speech, and bullying. Did he reply immediately? He got up at a normal hour. My team knows youll get weird things from Jacquelline at weird times but because you get an email from me at a certain time doesnt mean you have to respond. C hinese tech company Huawei was riding high on explosive smartphone sales and the rollout of its 5G technology until US president Donald Trump brought it all to a standstill. Last week, Trump signed an executive order which means Huawei needs government approval in order to buy US-made components and software for its device. The order is thought to be an attempt to curb Huaweis tech prowess because the US government is worried about the companys links to the Chinese government. Google was the first to pull the brakes on working with Huawei, pausing the companys Android license, with other firms following suit. Here are all the companies that have paused working with Huawei so far and what it means for the Chinese tech company. Google: For Android OS Google started a chain reaction for Huawei last week by announcing it was going to block the company from using Android apps on its devices. At the moment, Google has said the Google Play Store and the security features which come with Android will continue to function on existing Huawei devices. Updates will also be available for three months, until August at least, if no agreement is made before then. After that, Huawei devices can still feature the Android OS but it will be the open-source version, meaning any improvements and security updates will take a while to roll out. Huawei says it has been developing its own OS in this eventuality, but future customers will miss out on the simplicity of Googles technology. Where this is having an impact is on the re-sale value of Huawei phones. According to Compare and Recycle, resale prices of Huawei devices have fallen 70 per cent since Google pulled its Android license. ARM and Qualcomm: For chip designs Chip designers ARM and Qualcomm have both dropped Huawei over the US order. Losing ARM will particularly affect the company, as Huaweis phone processors, essentially the brain inside a smartphone, are based on chip designs developed by the Cambridge-based firm. If Huawei were to develop its own chips from scratch, this process would take years, according to Wired. Despite ARM having its headquarters in the UK, it is still subject to the wills of the US government as its designs contain US-origin technology, according to a company memo seen by the BBC. SD Association: For memory cards A way for device makers to boost the memory storage is often through using SD memory cards and MicroSD cards. However, the SD Association, the trade group responsible for standardising the tiny cards, has barred Huawei from being a member. This means Huawei will no longer be able to offer products using the official SD branding and will be excluded from being involved in setting standards going forward. Recently Huawei has been moving away from SD and MicroSD cards, choosing to develop its own Nano Memory Cards, so this shouldnt cause too much concern. Google blocks Huawei from using apps on its phones Wi-Fi Alliance: For Wi-Fi certification Like the SD Association, the Wi-Fi alliance has revoked Huaweis official membership. According to a statement, the Alliance said it had temporarily restricted Huaweis membership in order to comply with the recent US government order. This means Huawei future devices will still use Wi-Fi technology, however it wont be certified by the Alliance to do so. The companys devices wont be affected. EE and Vodafone: For 5G sales Following the uncertainty around Huaweis relationship with Google, both EE and Vodafone pulled the companys upcoming 5G phone, the Mate 20 X 5G, from their sales line-ups. A nother blow has been delivered to the Chinese tech giant Huawei as US officials urge the UK government not to use the company's tech in its 5G network. Last year, President Trump's administration accused Huawei of stealing trade secrets, fraud and violating US sanctions against Iran. The US banned the company's equipment from US networks in a bid to protect national security over fears Huawei would be ordered to put in backdoors that would allow the Chinese government to spy on the US. This week, the US has handed over a dossier of information raising concerns over Huawei in an attempt to persuade the UK not to use its equipment off the back of the security risks. The Guardian reported officials from the US stating that involvement from Huawei in the UK's burgeoning 5G network would be "nothing short of madness". Here's everything that's happened so far with the Huawei US trade ban and what it means for Huawei smartphone owners in the UK. What is the Google Huawei ban about? In the past, the Chinese tech giant has been accused by President Trumps administration of stealing trade secrets, fraud and violating US sanctions against Iran, claims which have led the US president to ban Huaweis equipment from US networks in an effort to protect national security. As a result, Google was forced to pull Huawei's Android license back in May 2019. This is the operating system that powers the majority of the world's phones, aside from the Apple iPhone. Other companies are affected by the executive order, including the SD card trade association and chip designer Qualcomm. In July, Qualcomm said its sales fell in the previous quarter partly as a result of not being allowed to sell to the Chinese firm. What about Huawei in the UK? There were concerns about whether or not Huawei's 5G technology would be allowed to build the country's new 5G infrastructure. The tech firm is already involved in building 5G networks in six of the seven cities in the UK where Vodafone has gone live. It is also assisting in developing 5G sites for EE and Three. In July, the UKs Science and Technology Committee said there were no technical grounds to exclude Huawei from the UKs 5G, but did suggest that the government needs to consider the impact of using Huaweis tech on its relationship with major allies, such as the US. Norman Lamb, Chair of the Parliamentary Science and Technology Committee, said: We have found no evidence from our work to suggest that the complete exclusion of Huawei from the UKs telecommunications networks, would, from a technical point of view, constitute a proportionate response to the potential threat posed by foreign suppliers. He added: The conclusion is restricted to technical considerations. There may well be geopolitical or ethical grounds for the Government to decide to enact a ban on Huaweis equipment. The Huawei Mate 20 X 5G has a 7.2-inch screen and four camera lenses across the device / Huawei In response to the report, Victor Zhang, President of Global Affairs at Huawei, said: We note the key conclusion from the Science and Technology committee letter, which states There are no technical grounds for excluding Huawei entirely from the UKs 5G or other telecommunication networks.' And it also says we have found no evidence from our work to suggest that the complete exclusion of Huawei from the UKs telecommunications networks would, from a technical point of view, constitute a proportionate response.' We are assured that the UK, unlike others, is taking an evidence-based approach to network security. Huawei complies with the laws and regulations in all the markets where we operate. However, the recent reports of meetings between US and UK officials has seen the US government try to change this. Mr Johnson's spokesman, speaking ahead of the meeting, said: "The security and resilience of the UK's telecoms network is of paramount importance. "We have strict controls for how Huawei equipment is currently deployed in the UK. "The government is undertaking a comprehensive review to ensure the security and resilience of 5G and fibre in the UK." What does the Google Huawei ban mean for Huawei phone users? Huawei devices could no longer receive updates or be able to access software from Google / Getty The ban hasn't affected current Huawei smartphones and devices. Google has said the Google Play Store, the Android app store through which Android device owners get their links to the outside world, and the security features which come with Android, will continue to be available on existing Huawei devices. That means anything from the Huawei P30 range release, the Huawei Mate 20 X 5G, and previous devices are all fine. Following news of the block, Huawei said many of its devices would be able to access Android 10 the next version of Googles phone software due to launch later this year and would continue to receive other updates without interruption. It reiterated this position at its recent Developer Conference in China. Unfortunately, the Mate 30 Pro smartphone was not so lucky. Announced in September, this is Huawei's most powerful phone yet, featuring the company's Kirin 990 chipset, four lenses on the back of the phone and a beautiful curved screen. However, as the device doesn't feature Android, it's unlikely the phone will get a UK or Europe release date. The upcoming P40 range is probably not going to come to Europe either. Huawei phones not affected by the Google ban Huawei P30: P30 Pro, P30, P30 Lite Huawei P Smart Huawei Mate 20: Mate 20 Pro, Mate 20, Mate 20 Lite, Mate 20 X Huawei P20: P20 Pro, P20, P20 Lite Huawei Mate 10: Mate 10 Pro, Mate 10, Mate 10 Lite Huawei P10: P10 Plus, P10, P10 Lite The company is getting creative with ways around this. For instance, at this year's IFA in Berlin, Huawei announced an updated P30 Pro smartphone which will ship with Android 10, the latest Android software, because that device was already licensed to use Android. Why is Huawei suing the US government? President Trump has said he does not want to do business with Huawei / AFP/Getty Images Huawei has always said that the security concerns are unfounded and that its equipment has never been used for spying. In November, the Federal Communications Commission banned Huawei from a federal subsidies programme which will make its equipment more expensive for US telecoms carriers. As a result, Huawei fired back with a lawsuit, calling the order was unlawful. Glen Nager, a US lawyer who represents the company, said the order was based on "unsound, reliable and inadmissible accusations and innuendo, not evidence. The designation is simply shameful prejudgment of the worst kind," said Nager. This is the second lawsuit Huawei has launched against the US. It is also currently challenging the constitutionality of the federal law that bans US agencies from buying its equipment. It looks like this fight is going to go on for a long time. US trade ban took its toll on Huawei When news of a ban was first announced, it began to have serious effects on Huaweis sales in the UK. According to data by Kantar, Huawei's smartphone sales fell by two per cent between the first quarter and second quarter of 2019. By comparison, the company had a market share of 9.8 per cent in the second quarter of 2018, growing to 15.7 per cent in early 2019, so whilst the new figures are still higher than last year, it demonstrates that the Huawei surge is slowing down. In addition, Huawei's sub-brand Honor appears to be falling too, from 3.9 per cent market share of sales in the second quarter of last year down to 2.3 per cent now. Huawei's head of consumer Richard Yu with the latest Huawei P30 Pro phones / ERIC PIERMONT / Contributor When Huaweis 5G device, the Mate 20 X 5G launched in the UK last July, network operators initially pulled the smartphone from their lineups. One of the first 5G devices to be announced, the Mate 20 X 5G was removed from the 5G offerings from the likes of EE following the trade ban. However, the Huawei 5G phone was restored following leniency in the trade ban, and is available to buy from Three, Sky Mobile and the Carphone Warehouse. How could another Android ban affect the future of smartphones? Huawei is championed as one of the most innovative smartphone brands, often showcasing its design and technical prowess at various keynote events around the world. This is how the company has managed to go from a largely obscure Chinese brand to one of the biggest phone makers in the world, selling 59.1 million phones in the first quarter of 2019. With the development of its own OS, its likely that regardless of whether Huawei is banned from doing business with the US, the company will strike out on its own. Nonetheless, a potential ban could have implications for the future of things like smartphone design. Take, for instance, the Huawei Mate X, the companys folding phone. Google worked with both Huawei and Samsung to create the next version of Android that works well on folding phones. Future versions of Huawei's folding phone may not be able to support Android / EPA By ending this close relationship, future smartphone design will certainly be affected. However, Huawei is doing what it can to temper any future issues that may arise. At the companys annual developer conference in China recently, Huawei officially unveiled its Android alternative: HarmonyOS.The operating system has been in the works for a few years but Huawei reportedly stepped up development in order to replace its reliance on the Google-owned Android. 16 years later, Ogden City Councilman Doug Stephens retires with no regrets OGDEN Lifelong Ogden resident Doug Stephens is bidding adieu to the City Council after 16 years in office representing Municipal Ward 3. He wanted to leave Ogden better than it was when he started, and he believes he has. If you are thinking of retirement, you should probably go ahead and do it, Stephens said. After much reflection, Stephens decided not to run for another term in office. He said while he still wants to be involved with the city, there is a time when those in city government should step down to allow others a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Stephens said ... President Trump loves to blame China for the job losses that have devastated American workers under globalization. But the truth is that Trump is blaming the wrong party. Trumps reckless trade war against China is misguided and amounts to a colossal charade that will not solve the actual problem. Yes, it is true that numerous American manufacturing jobs have been shipped overseas to China, thereby leaving American workers jobless and suffering. But China did not steal these jobs. No. These jobs were given to China. It was all legal and legitimate. China merely accepted the gift. What would anyone expect China to do? Accepting these jobs was a perfectly rational course of action. China was an underdeveloped nation with a large population of poor people willing to work for a fraction of the hourly wages of American workers. And then corporations came along and presented China with an attractive offer: We would like to build manufacturing plants in China and hire droves of your unemployed people to work there. What was China supposed to do? Naturally, China said yes. This is hardly stealing. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter It is true that these new jobs in China were intended to displace American workers. But does that concern belong to China? Does China have the responsibility to care for the well-being of American workers? Is China supposed to prioritize American workers over its own workers? Of course not. China is supposed to look out for itself and for its own workers, not for American workers. Thus it was perfectly proper for China to allow the manufacturing plants to be built in China and employ Chinese workers. China did not steal these jobs. So if China is not at fault, then who is to blame for the devastation caused to American workers? The answer is plain to see, and it lies within our own shores. The fault belongs squarely with corporate America. It was corporate America that made these decisions. Corporate America decided to close their American plants and open new plants in China. Corporate America decided to lay off multitudes of American workers and ruin entire American communities. And who profited from the destruction to American workers? It was the wealthy executives and shareholders of American corporations. They earned millions of dollars for themselves by cutting the costs of their workforce. This is part of the larger trend of economic inequality that is eroding the entire middle class in America. Wealth is being shifted away from the workers down below and transferred up into the hands of the wealthy executives and shareholders at the top. Trump blaming China is nonsense. China is not at fault. To be sure, China is hardly an angel and indeed engages in improper trade practices. But even if China agreed to whatever bone-headed demands Trump is seeking, the problem still would not be solved. The truth is that America cannot possibly compete against China on labor costs. The standard of living is much lower in China and thus Chinese workers are willing to accept wages far below living wages in America. So corporate America will continue to transfer more and more jobs to China and elsewhere. If we do not address this fundamental economic reality, then we will never solve the problem. Trump blaming China has an insidious aspect to it as well. Focusing all the ire upon China is a grand misdirection that conceals the true culprit, namely, the super-rich corporate executives and shareholders in America. This is part of Trumps standard playbook. Trump falsely proclaims to be fighting for blue-collar workers, when in truth, Trump acts entirely in favor of the rich at the top. Surprisingly, this seems to work. Some of the hard-working Americans who are being crushed by Trumps idiotic trade war and who should be denouncing Trump, nonetheless praise him for standing up to China, believing that Trump is fighting for blue-collar jobs. It is painful to witness such good people falling victim to Trumps despicable con job. In order to actually save the middle class, we need to focus on the true cause of the problem. We must direct our great powers of reform where they belong upon the wealthy executives and shareholders of corporate America who caused this problem in the first place. The nature of the problem is that corporate America has no incentive to protect American workers. In fact, corporate America has every incentive to harm American workers by shifting their jobs overseas. So the financial incentives must be reconfigured. If corporate America is going to ship American jobs overseas, it must not be permitted to pocket all the profits themselves and leave their displaced workers with nothing. Instead, corporations that send jobs offshore must be required to sufficiently compensate their displaced American workers. Executives and shareholders must not be permitted to enrich themselves unless and until their workers are financially secure. Our society must favor people over profits, not profits over people. - 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 Milverton, ON, (Wednesday May 29, 2019): The first oval track event on the NASCAR Pintys Series 2019 schedule takes place this weekend at Jukasa Motor Speedway. The APC200 will be 200 laps of action-packed racing on Saturday June 1st at the newly renovated and repaved 5/8th mile facility. Donald Theetge driver of the #24 Mercedes-Benz St. Nicolas/Circuit Acura entry looks to get back in the winners circle after notching his first win in the NASCAR Pintys Series in 2018 at Wyant Group Raceway. With two 2nd place finishes and leading 171 laps here, Theetge is looking to move up to the top step of the podium this year. Marc-Antoine Camirand will again pilot the #22 GM Paille Chevrolet in his first oval start of the 2019 season. Camirand who is known as a road racer showed everyone that he is a force to be reckoned with on the ovals as well when he posted his first NASCAR Pintys Series win in 2018 at Autodrome St. Eustache. In his second full season of full-time competition in the series with 22 Racing, Camirand is also looking to be in the winners circle again in 2019. In two previous starts here he has finished 4th and 7th. Alex Tagliani driving the #18 Rona/EpiPen entry will make his fourth start at new Jukasa Motor Speedway this weekend. In his previous starts here Tagliani has shown results of 3rd and 6th. He posted two wins in 2018 both coming on road courses at Grand Prix de Trois Rivieres and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in the August event. He is looking to get back into the win column on the ovals this year starting with Jukasa this weekend. The NASCAR Pintys Series practice session takes place at 1:30 p.m. followed by group qualifying at 4:40. The on-track autograph session takes place at 6:45 and the green flag waves for the start of the APC 200 at 8 p.m. Follow Race Central on the www.nascarpintysseries.com website for lap by lap coverage of practice, qualifying and the race. For more information on tickets and camping for the event visit www.jukasamotorspeedway.com Follow the 22 Racing team on social media for behind the scenes updates on; Twitter @22RacingTeam, Facebook Fan Page 22racingteam and Instagram 22racingteam About 22 Racing: 22 Racing is owned by Four-Time NASCAR Pintys Series Champion and Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame Inductee Scott Steckly. 22 Racing provides highly competitive race cars built in their world-class 7,500 square foot Milverton-based facility and maintained by a team of highly experienced crew members. 22 Racing offer turnkey solutions that range from research and development, construction, testing, logistics to marketing support. In 2019 they will field three full-time teams in the NASCAR Pintys Series with drivers Alex Tagliani, Marc-Antoine Camirand and Donald Theetge. Visit 22racing.ca for additional details and a list of previous notable drivers the team has prepared cars for. The 22 Racing Team is supported by the following sponsors: Erb Group of Companies, AW Millwrights, Castrol, Wendell Motors, Auto Glym, Mechanix Wear, Great Dane Glasvan, Safety Kleen, Wilride Transport, Lincoln Electric, Dickies, Rustoleum, Dayco, Trico Products, Fram, Autolite and Mathias Sports. For more information please contact: Linda Jones 22 Racing (705) 730-4044 ljones@drivenmi.ca A year after announcing plans to transform the red caboose at the Depot into a mini-museum, Culpeper Renaissance, Inc. is moving the project forward. The Town Council Planning & Community Development Committee gave its endorsement Tuesday for the estimated $10,000 project, to be funded by the local Virginia Main Street Community program. Put out of service in 1993, Caboose X543 survived the scrap pile when it was donated to the town and has been on display in front of the Depot since. CRI wants to give the end-car new life through the project, slated for completion by the spring of 2020, according to Executive Director Jessica Jenkins. The scope of the work will include installing two plaques outside of the caboose facing Commerce Street outlining the history of the railroad, its impact on Culpeper, the impact of the railroad on Civil War Culpeper and importance of the caboose over time. Remodeling of the interior of the caboose will involve placement of display cases, caboose-related items and other train memorabilia and painting of the walls and floor. Two exterior commercial-grade steel-grated stairs will be put in place for access to the caboose museum that visitors will access through a keyless code entry door managed remotely by CRI. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} In her essay for the scholarship, Miller stated, The fine arts will be a key factor in my future as an educator because I will use them to inspire students, to excite them, and to expose them to all the different perceptions of beauty and emotion that there are in our world. The foundations scholarship fund was organized to honor Dorothy Skelton and Millie Lane. Skelton was a local artist and educator who was a founder of Windmore who died in 1999. In 1944 Skelton became a senior research analyst for the Military Intelligence Division of the War Department at the Pentagon, and volunteered in 1947 with the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives program in Wiesbaden, Germany. After a long career in art education, Skelton devoted her later years to fostering the arts in Culpeper County, including continuing to produce works of art herself. Bob Johnston has participated in the Sugar Valley Rally 30 years and will again be the navigator for his son, JJ Johnston as they travel in their 1919 Model T. The car is featured on the rallys promotional information along with the Scotts Bluff National Monument as both the car and monument celebrate centennials. GERING Paul Von Behren with the group Tax Relief Unites Everyone (TRUE) emphasized the importance of providing real property tax relief this year. He warned that if a proposed state constitutional amendment doesnt get on the ballot in 2020, it might be the states last opportunity to lower property taxes. The next U.S. Census comes up in 2020 and rural Nebraska could lose up to two state senators as the population has been shifting to urban areas for years. That loss of political clout could mean the end for property tax reform, Von Behren said. Were a bunch of people who are just upset with our current property tax situation, Von Behren said during a Tuesday meeting at the Gering Civic Center. Nebraska is ranked about seventh highest in the nation when it comes to property taxation. Von Behren said many politicians admit property taxes are the most steady, reliable income stream they have because they can be regulated. Property taxes act as a buffer in case income and sales taxes go down. Nebraska has between 2,600 and 3,000 units of government that levy property taxes. They include natural resource districts, fire and cemetery districts and many others. A sport utility vehicle crashed into a utility pole on Hartness Road Wednesday afternoon. Shortly after 3 p.m. a Honda CR-V hit the pole in front of the National Guard Armory. About two dozen first responders, including three fire trucks, three EMS vehicles and police officers, responded to the scene. Police were redirecting traffic at the intersection of Brevard Street and Hartness Road. Witnesses said the driver got out of the car under their own power. The driver was transported to a local hospital, but there were no serious injuries, officials said. The pole was fractured in two places- along the bottom and near the top. The majority of the pole dangled toward the road, while the transformers were hanging over the sidewalk, held by power lines. The right front passenger side of the Honda was stripped of metal from the bumper to the car door. Debris from the crash littered the street. Courtney Thomas lived in a house a few hundred feet away from the crash. She mentioned she didnt see the crash, but heard the transformers popping, saw her power flicker and decided to come outside. It is ridiculous that the city of Statesville should worry themselves sick over an oversize flag of this great nation of ours. And waste taxpayers money on a legal action. Shame on all involved in suing Gander RV for having a beautiful flag flying for all to see as we all drive on I-77 for locals and visitors to enjoy. I say keep it up and city officials worry about more important issues at hand than a flag that represents this wonderful nation of ours. I ask that the judge throw this out of court and have a sense of greatness for that flag flying over head. This weekend, I drove through Statesville and saw the large American flag flying off I-77 at the outdoor recreation dealership. Yes, it's huge. But having seen the large flag featured in TV ads as of late, its clearly a public relations stunt masquerading as patriotism. But thats where it stops. Patriotism is not just flying an American flag. Patriotism is also believing in the values behind that flag, one of which is our history self-governance. When we disagree with the rules that our elected leaders make, we dont disregard them; we come together and peacefully protest changing those rules. Some might call the management at this dealership Patriots for flying an over-sized American flag in defiance of the city. But I believe otherwise. If they were real Patriots, they would follow the rules and ask the elected city council in Statesville to change the rules. And if the city council says no, the dealerships managers can exercise their patriotism by supporting candidates sympathetic to their viewpoint in advance of the next city election. That is, of course, unless this is just one giant stunt to get some free press. 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In question no. 1, 988,295 electors said "No," and in question no. 2, 943,391 electors said "No." As many as 7,913,195 electors voted in the Sunday referendum. In the referendum, the citizens were called to answer "Yes" or "No" to the following questions: 1. "Do you agree with banning amnesty and pardon for corruption offences?" 2. "Do you agree with banning the Government from the adoption of emergency ordinances in criminal offences, punishments and judicial organisation, plus the extension of the right to challenge such ordinances directly with the Constitutional Court?" Under Law 3/2000, in order for a national referendum to be valid, at least 30 percent of the persons on the permanent electoral rolls have to show up at the polls and at least 25 percent of the votes to be valid. AGERPRES At a plenary session on Wednesday, the Chamber of Deputies passed draft decisions to vacate the positions so far held by Liviu Dragnea, including the Chamber's speakership. The decisions were unanimously adopted. The Judiciary Committee of the Chamber of Deputies passed the two draft resolutions on Tuesday. The parliamentary groups made recommendations for the post of speaker of the Chamber of Deputies. The opposition National Liberal Party (PNL), Save Romania Union (USR) and People's Movement Party (PMP) said they will endorse PNL's Raluca Turcan for the office. PSD's pick for the office is Marcel Ciolacu, as announced by the interim PSD national chair Viorica Dancila. The Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR) group picked its national leader Kelemen Hunor to take over the position. At the same time, Pro Romania's MPs will decide whether or not to endorse their own candidate. Liviu Dragnea, the former speaker, was finally convicted on Monday for corruption and imprisoned at the Rahova Penitentiary. AGERPRES The expansion of the Campia Turzii and Mihail Kogalniceanu military bases was among the subjects discussed at the meeting this Wednesday of the Interministerial Committee on the Implementation of the Romania - US Agreement regarding the activities of US forces stationed on Romanian territory, the Ministry of National Defence informed in a release. The Department for Defence policy, Planning and International Relations organized the meeting of the Interministerial Committee on the Implementation of the Romania - US Agreement regarding the activities of US forces stationed on Romanian territory and of the Agreement between the United States of America and Romania on the deployment of the US ballistic missile defense system in Romania, as well as of the Interministerial Commission on liaison with foreign armed forces; attending the event were Secretaries of State and representatives of the ministries and public institutions responsible for implementing the provisions of the regulatory acts under the two interministerial agreements. According to the cited source, the meeting was chaired by Nicolae Nasta, Secretary of State for Defence policy, Planning and International Relations and president of the two bodies, who, in opening remarks, praised the efforts and the support the other ministries offered the Ministry of National Defence for solving the various practical aspects encountered last year during the military exercises conducted in Romania, or those generated by investments in the military infrastructure or the enforcement of the procedures agreed upon in relation with the foreign armed forces in Romania. "The agenda of the debates covered subjects of interest to the present ministries and government agencies, with focus on the need for mutual inter-institutional support regarding the sites and the scale of the military exercises that will take place in our country, the expansion of the Campia Turzii and Mihail Kogalniceanu military bases, infrastructure projects developed by the US Army in Romania, military mobility, the support of the host nation and the stage of the national project for building a bridge over the Olt river, at Voila," the release said. At the end of the meeting the members of the Interministerial Committee and of the Interministerial Commission adopted a set of decisions on the subjects approached, aimed at facilitating inter-institutional support towards the observance of Romania's commitments to the US forces and foreign armed forces in Romania. The Social Democratic Party (PSD, main at rule, ed. n.) has got a drastic sanction on the Romanians' behalf by losing (the European, ed. n.) election, said on Wednesday President Klaus Iohannis, stressing that the referendum and the EU election vote "brought Romania back to normalcy, to the European origins". "This vote has done something sensational, something many did not believe could be accomplished - it brought Romania back to normalcy, to its European origins, it replaced Romania on a normal, democratic, European path, and it is a sensational outcome. (...) I'm very happy and impressed with the way they (the Romanians, ed. n.) have voted and the fact that we had a 49+ percent turnout at the European election is a 50 percent increase against the previous European election of 2014 and the turnout at the referendum vote is over 40 percent, which practically brought ridicule on those who had doubted, many even boycotted, some of whom openly, a truly foolish attitude, I'd say. I don't know why they did it, I don't know what they imagined, but the Romanians imagined what I thought and hoped would happen, they voted an answer to this unfit PSD ruling and they did well. (...) The Euro-skeptic discourse received the toughest vote possible in a democracy, the party that has promoted this Euro-critical or Euro-phobic rather than Euro-skeptic discourse received a clear answer from the Romanians who said: 'No!' The PSD lost the election. It is a drastic sanction on the electorate's behalf, but this sanction allowed Romania to return to its European origins," Iohannis said at the launch of his "EU.RO. An open dialogue for Europe" book at the Bookfest International Book Fair. He presented his last volume and announced he is working on a political concept regarding the European Union. Managers and IT staff are the employees who are most interested in the evolution of salaries for the positions they occupy, according to a survey conducted by eJobs Romania. "The employment market is very dynamic nowadays, and the demand is higher than the offer, which is why wage ceilings are changing quite often, especially for positions where there is a cutthroat competition for candidate. That is why these two categories always want to keep up with the salary developments and to know how to position themselves in the negotiations," says Bogdan Badea, eJobs Romania CEO. According to Paylab data, the wage comparison tool launched by eJobs Romania, salary is one of the most important criteria according to which Romanians choose their job and the employees who are most interested in the evolution of salaries for the positions they occupy are managers and IT staff. The next most curious employees as regards wage dynamics and the comparison of their wages with the market average are those in accounting, financial and audit, trade, construction, transport and logistics. Last in this ranking are employees from the public administration, the auto industry and the banking sector. The same research shows that, in the opinion of HR managers, salary is the factor that most contributes to increasing the level of employee satisfaction. Employers further say that also important for the employees are the team, the organizational culture, the financial bonuses, the professional development opportunities, the additional days of leave, or the medical and gym memberships. In IT, the net average salary at national level is 5,731 lei per month. The second place belongs to the employees in the legal field, with a monthly income of 4,571, followed by banking (4,226 lei) and human resources (4,048 lei). These are the only areas where the net average salary exceeds the 4,000 lei threshold. Below this level, but not very far behind, are Finance and Accounting (3,930 lei), Quality Control (3,646 lei), Insurance (3,565 lei), Construction and Real Estate (3,234 lei), Public Administration (3,197 lei) and Mechanical Engineering (3,077 lei). On the other hand, the lowest net average salaries were registered in the textile industry (1,987 lei), in wood processing industry (2,239 lei), in services (2,281 lei) and in guard and protection (2,335 lei). The Lower House plenary elected on May 29 Social Democrat Ion-Marcel Ciolacu to Speaker of this legislative body. Ion-Marcel Ciolacu was born November 28, 1967 in Buzau. He earned a law degree at the Ecological University of Bucharest (1991 - 1995) and then completed a master's degree in Public Finance Management at the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA) (2010 - 2012). He pursued postgraduate studies in local development economy, the management of local public relations, administrative law, public finances at the Ecological University in Bucharest (2003 - 2004), as well as in security and national defence, "Security and good governance", at the National Defence College in Bucharest (2008 - 2009), informs the website of the Chamber of Deputies, www.cdep.ro. A member of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) since 1990, Ciolacu has successively served at local and national level as deputy chair of the PSD Buzau Youth Organization (1996 - 2000), vice-chairman of the PSD Buzau Municipal Organization (2000 - 2010); vice-chairman of the PSD Buzau County Organization (2000 - 2010); chairman of the PSD Buzau Municipal Organization (2010 - 2015); member of the PSD National Council, coordinator of the Department of Economy, Investments and Jobs (as of May 2015). He is the president of the PSD Buzau County Organization (elected in 2015), and member of the PSD Executive Committee, according to the cited source. Ciolacu was interim Buzau County prefect (November - December 2005); legal advisor at ALCOM SRL (2004 - 2005, 2006 - May 2007); executive director at URBIS SERV SRL (May 2007 - July 2008). He served as Buzau deputy mayor between 2008 and 2012. In the December 2012 elections Ion-Marcel Ciolacu won a seat of deputy running on the PSD list in the Buzau County constituency No. 10 - No. 7 uninominal college. He held the position of secretary of the Chamber of Deputies, member of the Standing Bureau, as of February 2015. At the general election of December 11, 2016 he won a seat of deputy in Buzau County constituency No. 10 (validated on December 21, 2016). He was PSD floor leader in the Chamber of Deputies (February - June 2017). Quaestor of the Chamber of Deputies' Standing Bureau (as of February 2018) and president of the joint select Committee on the drafting of the administrative code (as of April 2018). Ion-Marcel Ciolacu was Deputy PM without portfolio in the Mihai Tudose government (June 29, 2017 - January 29, 2018) and also served as acting Defence Minister (September 6 - 12, 2017). Marcel Ciolacu, proposed by the PSD (Social Democratic Party) to head the Deputies' Chamber, stated that the MPs from the Pro Romania party will be acknowledged as a parliamentary group. "I promised this and the first thing that I want to do, alongside Mrs PM, is to acknowledge some things that are obvious. As I already accepted, and Mrs PM and interim leader of the party accepted the vote of the people, we are now trying to see what happened, and most definitely the Deputies' Chamber will also acknowledge the Pro Romania group too, as it exists," MP Marcel Ciolacu told Parliament on Wednesday. He added that he spoke of "what is normal and not of alliances," when asked if PSD considers a possible alliance with Pro Romania, and he added: "And we are also not hoping to get any votes." PM Viorica Dancila, who stood by Marcel Ciolacu's side in Parliament, specified: "Let's not try to make things even more complicated, we don't have an alliance with Pro Romania." AGERPRES A couple of months after the release of Apple News+, Apple has now officially shut down Texture. Apple had acquired Texture in 2018 and used it as a base to launch Apple News+ subscription service earlier this year. Apple had shut down Texture soon after its acquisition in early 2018. It then later announced that the service would completely stop working at the end of May 2019. Opening the Texture website now points one to subscribe to Apple News+. The website now highlights how Apple News+ offers a subscription to over 200 magazines and newspapers like The Wall Street Journal and L.A. Times for a monthly fee of only $9.99/month. Theres also a button to highlight that the first month of Apple News+ subscription is completely free. Apple News+ has not really met with the same level of success as many publishers and perhaps even Apple had hoped for. Apple did say that it is working on further improving the Apple News+ experience as evident from the small changes it introduced with the iOS 12.3 update. We Want to Hear From You How are you liking Apple News+? Did you use Texture previously? If yes, how do you find Apple News+ compared to it? Prime Minister Viorica Dancila on Wednesday sent President Klaus Iohannis the nominations for the new ministers for Justice, European Funds and Romanians Abroad, along the nomination for Deputy Prime Minister for the implementation of the strategic partnerships, says a release by the gov't. Titus Corlatean, a career diplomat is the Prime Minister's nomination as Deputy Prime Minister for the implementation of Romania's strategic partnerships. Ana Birchall, an in-depth specialist in the legal field is the PM's nomination for the Justice Ministry, while Roxana Manzatu, with 15 years of experience in European businesses and funds, is Viorica Dancila's nomination for the European Funds Ministry. Natalia Intotero, previously holder of the same portfolio, was nominated for the Ministry of Romanians Abroad. Intotero left the ministry to run in the EP election. Prime Minister Viorica Dancila on Wednesday had a meeting with the World Bank's CEO, Kristalina Georgieva, the two high officials addressing topics related to gender equality and cooperation between Romania and the WB, says a release from the gov't sent to AGERPRES. The WB's Chief Executive Officer is on a visit to Romania where she will attend at the Prime Minister's invitation, the high level conference on the role and status of women in the modern society, organised under the aegis of Romania's Presidency of the Council of the European Union, due Wednesday and Thursday at the Parliament Palace. "Prime Minister Viorica Dancila thanked the WB's CEO for the latter's participation in the Bucharest Conference and stressed that the promotion of gender equality and the reduction of disparities between women and men are priorities of the Romanian Presidency mandate at the EU Council. Moreover, she added, that the steps taken in this direction have a direct impact in combating poverty and ensuring a durable economic growth, this being similar to the World Bank's goals," the said release reads. At the same time, the Premier appreciated the excellent quality of the collaboration between the Romanian state's bodies and the World Bank, saying that this has actually contributed to our country's modernisation and economic development in the last decades. "The gov't head has emphasised the outcome of the assistance programmes the WB has carried out so far in Romania in several fields: health care, social assistance, taxation, judicial, secondary and high school tuition," the release adds. Moreover, Viorica Dancila underlined the importance of further developing the bilateral collaboration relations on common interest topics, such as the digital agenda, connectivity, economic convergence, cooperation for development, consolidation of resilience to natural disasters, the Western Balkans. "At the same time, Dancila mentioned that Romania will continue to advocate actively the policies of the World Bank and encourage the diversification of the WB's financial tools, with an accent on tailoring them to each country's specific and ensuring complementarity with other available financing sources," the gov't release adds. Prime Minister Viorica Dancila on Wednesday reiterated the firm commitment of the Romanian Executive to further extend and strengthen cooperation between Romania and the US, on the occasion of a meeting she had at the Victoria Palace with the US Ambassador in Bucharest, Hans Klemm. At the meeting, the two officials approached such aspects as the most recent developments on the domestic political scene, as well as aspects related to bilateral cooperation, reads a press release sent to AGERPRES by the Government. "PM Viorica Dancila reiterated the Romanian Executive's firm commitment to further extend and strengthen Romania-US cooperation. The high Romanian dignitary also underscored the firm support granted by our country to a solid transatlantic relation, as an essential premise for ensuring security and prosperity," reads the same release. AGERPRES Cybersecurity is at the heart of the concerns in the European Union's Digital Agenda under the Romanian presidency of the Council of the European Union, and one of the files Romania is managing in this area is the establishment of a European Cybersecurity Competence Centre, Romania's Minister of Communications and Information Society Alexandru Petrescu told AGERPRES on Wednesday while attending the official opening of the CyberDrill 2019 event at the Polytechnic University of Bucharest. "I do not think there was a better place than the Polytechnic University of Bucharest to have such a five-day event with an important academic participation, and also with the participation of the European institutions, the business sector from over 17 countries. This is an event included in the portfolio of events under the aegis of the Romanian presidency of the Council of the European Union. Cybersecurity is at the heart of the European Union's concerns with the Digital Agenda, as reflected by Romania during this period not only in this event, where we want to raise awareness, but also in the concern to have more citizens, more SMEs understand the importance of cybersecurity mitigation measures. In the end, the EU member states are strong against cybersecurity threats, but also vulnerable at the same time. So, we must equally prioritise everything regarding cybersecurity measures, because we live in a world where these incidents are on an upward trend, no doubt about it. There are examples of good administrative practice in other countries, and I mean Israel, which was and is a source of inspiration for assembling an administrative configuration that would serve today's risks in the area of cybersecurity," Petrescu said. He added that Romania is managing two very important cybersecurity cases while holding the six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union: the Digital Europe Programme and the establishment of the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre. "During its tenure, Romania is managing two very important cybersecurity-focused files, one of which is the Digital Europe Program, which is effectively a 9.2 billion euro funding program, of which two billion are focused on cybersecurity. There is a second file that we have taken up from a start-up stage and that is already shaping up in the final lines: the establishment of the European Cybersecuirty Competence Centre. A centre that once will be the expression of the European Union's transition from a diagnostic cybersecurity policy approach to a proactive, research-development-centered prophylactic approach that can be immediately transferred to the first line of cybersecurity battles. We have divided this file into two components: first, in order to avoid disputes between member states, we agreed on the administrative capacity of the centre, and in the immediate future we will consider its location, the opportune time to set it up, and all the other elements that make up the actual establishment of this centre. We, Romania, will deliver at the end of the six months of our presidency of the Council of the European Union well-defined files from all points of view, with a discussion on location that has already begun," the minister said. Romania's Ministry of Communications and Information Society (MCSI) organises the Bucharest CyberDrill event May 27 - 31 in partnership with the Polytechnic University of Bucharest (UPB) and under the aegis of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, at UPB. Organised within the framework of the ITU Regional Initiative for Europe on enhancing trust and confidence in the use of ICTs, Bucharest CyberDrill is an ample event that includes cybersecurity training and for companies, a conference with international participation from over 17 countries and a presentation of various scenarios involving the most common types of cyberattacks. Cyber Drill is an exercise of regional significance in the area of cyber security attended by international experts that test, develop and implement skill to protect against cyberattacks. The Senate's Judiciary Committee decided on Wednesday to send a report to the Standing Bureau for the approval of the commencement of criminal prosecution in the case of Senate Chairman Calin Popescu-Tariceanu. The proposal will be put up for a plenary vote, according to the committee's chairman, Robert Cazanciuc. "I put up for a vote the criminal prosecution of the Senate chairman as a result of a request from the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA). We have a neutral vote, three for, two abstentions and one against. That means we, the Judiciary Committee, will suggest to the plenary session of the Senate the criminal prosecution of Mr Tariceanu. The plenary session will decide accordingly," Cazanciuc said. He added that the decider of action is the plenum of the Senate and not the Judiciary Committee or the Standing Bureau, where the report of the Judiciary Committee will be submitted first. "Based on the report of the Judiciary Committee, which will contain the arguments of the Prosecutor's Office, the defence recorded at the hearings and the documents filed as part of the proceedings before the Judiciary Committe, based on all of that we will draw up a report to the Standing Bureau, which will be sent to the Senate plenum. Our proposal will be in favour of the criminal prosecution," said Cazanciuc. Cazanciuc also explained why the report will be filed earlier, after Tuesday the Standing Bureau issued a two-week term. "We have a deadline of two weeks set yesterday by the Standing Bureau for filing the report; it will probably be earlier. There were two pleadings and several papers were filed by the lawyer. During the hearings and later, I think two or three times, documents were filed in defense," said Cazanciuc. Since December 2018, the Standing Bureau of the Senate has decided on several occasions to extend the deadline for drafting a report on the DNA request to allow senators to study the case. The Senate's Standing Bureau set April 2 as the final deadline for the Judiciary Committee to come up with the report, but several committee meetings were suspended due to a lack of quorum. Tariceanu said on April 4 that he asked the senators in the Judiciary Committee to fast-track the drafting of the opinion regarding the request of the DNA to start criminal prosecution in his case, mentioning that he is willing at any moment to present his point of view to the plenum. On April 16, the solution of a representative of the General Prosecutor's Office being invited to the Judiciary Committee of the Senate was advanced by the Social Democratic senators in relation to the Calin Popescu-Tariceanu's case. No decision was made in this regard. On November 7, 2018, the National Anti-Corruption Directorate requested the Senate to authorise the commencement of criminal prosecution of Calin Popescu-Tariceanu. Prosecutors argue that in 2007-2008, during the time he was prime minister, he indirectly received 800,000 US dollars' worth of material gains from an Austrian firm. AGERPRES Are you curious about how to make a living online? But you cant spend the time to become a YouTuber or to start your own online business? There are many other ways to generate passive income online. Right from your iPhone. If you spend an hour or two on social media each day, divert that time to doing something more productive on your iPhone. Youll end up making a few bucks every day. Heres how to make money right from your iPhone. How to Make Money (Passive Income) On iPhone There are a couple of ways you can go ahead with this. Weve in fact written an entire ebook about the subject. Surveys and data information apps have the best hourly rate. But you can also make money by selling your iPhone photos or go on gigs and even survey offline locations to make money. Here are five easy ways to make money on your iPhone. 1. SB Answer SB Answer is the specialized app for surveys and polls from the app makers of the popular Swagbucks app. Answering surveys, daily polls and giving feedback of your local shopping experiences earns you points called SB in this app. SB, short for Swag Bucks, are redeemable for $3-$25 gift cards for Amazon, PayPal, Target, Walmart, and Starbucks in Rewards Store. Surveys are the best part of the SB Answer app and they are one of the highest paying in the industry. Each survey takes about 10-20 minutes to complete, and it pays around 75 SB. You can also share personal details and participate in daily polls to make more SB points. The value of SB in terms of the currency depends on what Gift Card you are choosing. Considering Steam Gift Card, for instance, 500 SB = US$5. Surveys can pay anywhere from $0.75 to $25. Download: SB Answer 2. Foap If you love using your iPhone to take photos, you should download Foap. Foap helps you sell photos to businesses and websites who are always on the lookout for new and interesting stock photos. They need stock photos that look authentic and not staged. Thats where you come in. Just use your iPhone to take high-quality photos of subjects or things and upload them to Foap after a bit of editing in Snapseed. In order to reach the marketplace, the images will need to be rated by other users so as to ensure that it is worthy of it. Each image sold is sold on the marketplace for $10, and Foap takes an equal cut out of it (so you end up with $5 for each sell). But the upside is that your photos can sell for an unlimited number of times and theres no cap for how many photos you can upload either. Earnings are transferable via PayPal. If you get a highly rated photo on Foap, you can end up making a couple of hundred dollars easily. Download: Foap 3. Field Agent As the name suggests, the app puts you out in the world to do fieldwork. As a field agent, your job is to go around town completing tasks like clicking photos of retail locations or certain products. Youll also be asked to rate the quality of certain establishments around town. Once you accept the job, you only have 2 hours to complete the job. So dont accept jobs that are too far from you. You can make anywhere between $3 to $8 for a gig. Which is pretty good if youre already out and about in the town. Once youve got $20 in the kitty, you can request a payout. Theyll pay instantly to your PayPal account. Field Agent app is live in the US, UK, and Australia. Download: Field Agent 4. Shopkick Shopkick is the epitome of passive income. You dont have to do anything other than a shop as you normally do. You spend hundreds of dollars every month ordering groceries and products online. Or you go out to have food. When youre out for shopping at popular stores (like Walmart, Target or Best Buy) you earn points called kicks when you walk into stores, scan barcodes of select products, purchase with the linked card or purchase and submit a receipt. Kicks are given for each of these tasks individually, and so, you need not perform each and every one of them. The kicks earned on the app varies by store visit, and there is a little restriction on how many Kicks you can accumulate. Just entering a store can earn you 30-100 kicks. Linking your payment card gets you 200 kicks. Kicks can be earned by shopping at Shopkicks selected online partners, including major ones like Amazon and Walmart. For example, shopping at Best Buy could earn you a kick for every $1 spent. Download: Shopkick 5. Mobee Mobee adds a bit of fun to your shopping experience. On opening the app, youre shown available missions around your location, and this place could be a retail outlet or even a restaurant. Choose your preferred mission on the map (the place you wish to shop or eat) and start the mission. Right before selecting the mission, youre shown how many Honey Points will it fetch you on completion. What you get paid for, is a short survey of 5-10 questions about your experience at the place. Once youve completed your mission at the Mobee store, Mobees team manually checks your work within 24 hours and credits you the promised points. You can earn $1.5 and above for every mission. Download: Mobee 20 More Ways to Make Money on iPhone Are you intrigued by the possibility of passive income from your iPhone? There are actually many more apps that let you make money directly from your iPhone. You can use an app to create merchandise from your photos or artwork, you can complete missions around town for money as well. You can even earn cryptocurrency simply by walking 10,000 steps every day. How? By buying our in-depth ebook on the subject. Weve spent a lot of time researching the best (and not-so-good) passive income iPhone apps and weve outlined the best apps in our ebook. We talk in-depth about how to make money using the app and what the total earning potential is. So if youre curious, use this link to buy our ebook: How to Make Money on Your iPhone for just $2.99 ebook link. We also have an Android version. It would be a great way to support iPhoneHacks. How do you use your iPhone to generate passive or active income? Share your tips and tricks in the comments below. Nissan, which has rebuffed overtures by Renault for a merger despite a 20-year alliance, was blindsided by the talks, sources have told Reuters, stoking concerns that a deal with FCA could weaken Nissan's relations with its French partner. But Mitsubishi Chairman Osamu Masuko said the Japanese partners had not been left in the dark - even as he acknowledged that he was only directly told by Renault for the first time on Wednesday, two days after the deal was announced. The tie-up also poses an additional challenge for Nissan's Saikawa, who is grappling with poor financial performance and an uneasy relationship with Renault after Nissan led the ousting last year of long-standing alliance chairman Carlos Ghosn. There have long been tensions over the imbalance of power in their alliance with Nissan, the bigger company, holding a 15% non-voting stake in Renault. Credit ratings agency Moody's said it was vital for Nissan to stabilize its partnership with Renault to expand operational synergies and improve margins. UNIVERSITY CITY A new agreement enabling a $190 million Costco-anchored development that would transform the intersection of Olive Boulevard and Interstate 170 could receive final approval from the city council here June 10. University City Manager Gregory Rose has recommended approval for the latest version of an agreement with Webster Groves-based Novus Development, which was introduced to the council Tuesday. Though the development has been discussed for more than a year, a consultant's error that substantially overestimated the amount of expected tax revenue forced the city and Novus back to the bargaining table in February. Novus is banking on about $70 million in future taxes generated by the development, captured through tax increment financing, to help finance the development. University City officials say the new center will protect the suburb's revenue if Chesterfield leaves the St. Louis County sales tax pool, which divvies up revenue among dozens of municipalities, including University City. They also say the agreement will capture $15 million in new tax revenue to be used exclusively on programs in University City's poorer Third Ward. Three residents spoke against the agreement. Five residents spoke in favor. UPDATED at 7:30 a.m. with details on recovery of man's body A dive team recovered the body of a 20-year-old man Tuesday on the Cuivre River, where he died after two boats carrying groups of friends collided on Memorial Day. Police haven't yet released the name of the man who died. Authorities also arrested a 24-year-old man for boating while intoxicated. The boats crashed about 7 p.m. Monday near Old Monroe, about 40 miles north of St. Louis. The crash site was in St. Charles County, near the Lincoln County line. Trooper Dallas Thompson of the Missouri Highway Patrol said the patrol's dive team recovered the man's body about 12:20 p.m. Tuesday. The river there was about 25 feet deep, swollen from recent flooding, he said. Thompson said search crews used sonar equipment. The water was murky and strewn with debris, Thompson said. Thompson said five people were in one boat. Two people, including the man who died, were in the other boat. They were all friends, Thompson said. "They were playing around and the boats got too close and collided," Thompson said. In a rare and perhaps illegal move for Missouri courts, the presiding circuit court judge in Lincoln County has removed the elected circuit clerk from office and appointed her replacement amid a monthslong dispute. Presiding Judge Patrick Flynn entered the office of Circuit Clerk Karla Allsberry at 4:13 p.m. Tuesday, accompanied by at least two armed, uniformed deputies, according to a statement from Allsberry emailed Wednesday to the Post-Dispatch. She has also been barred from returning to the building, the statement said. Flynn and Allsberry have been feuding since January over Allsberrys authority to hire and fire staff and submit a budget. And while feuds between circuit clerks and judges arent rare, a judges removal of an elected circuit clerk is nearly unheard of. Critics on Wednesday questioned the legality and propriety of Flynns decision. It just amazes me that this happened, said Sue Brown, Allsberrys mentor and the circuit clerk in Phelps County. As an elected official I cannot believe that the presiding judge can go in and take the circuit clerk out of office. EUREKA The Rev. Joe Kempf wants to keep the claw marks the bear carved in the wall of his parish school. Theyre a reminder of the awe Gods creation can inspire, Kempf said Tuesday evening just after officials safely removed a young black bear from a bathroom at Most Sacred Heart grade school. We look upon it as one more of Gods creatures drawn here, Kempf said. We got to see a little bit of creation up close. The fuzzy brown omnivore was first spotted early Tuesday in a Eureka subdivision, then again rummaging through trash cans downtown. It may have been looking for food, and it may have been displaced by flooding in the forests along the nearby Meramec River. But by midday, it found God. A handful of staff at the parish school near Interstate 44 and Highway 109 were cleaning out classrooms for the summer and had propped open a back door at about 11:30 a.m. Kempf said it wasnt open for more than two minutes. But it was long enough for the bear. According to the briefing paper, the interior plaster, paint and flooring of the mansion need to be repaired at an estimated cost of $500,000. This is a necessary project as the interior plaster on the first floor is flaking and falling, the document says. In addition, the existing paint is lead-based and would require a hazardous remediation project. While this work would be occurring, it would be necessary for the family to not be in the residence. The three-story brick building was first occupied by Gov. Benjamin Gratz Brown in 1872. The first floor includes a 17-foot-high Great Hall, two parlors, a library and a divided dining room. It has 13 bedrooms on the second and third floors. Parsons move to a temporary home is similar to what former Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner did in 2015 when the mansion in Springfield was shuttered for $15 million in renovations and upgrades. Rauner and his wife, Diana, lived in a house on the Illinois State Fairgrounds when they were in the capital city. ST. LOUIS A city committee is behind schedule in its analysis of whether to seek private operators for St. Louis Lambert International Airport. Officials had projected that the Airport Advisory Working Group would decide on issuing a request for qualifications or RFQ from potential bidding companies by the first quarter of this year, or by March 31. But that has yet to happen and the groups chairman, City Budget Director Paul Payne, declined this week to speculate on when that decision will be made. There are a number of processes we need to go through, Payne said. The committee, he said, will take whatever time is necessary to complete that. Mayor Lyda Krewson said she understands that the decision on an RFQ could be made by the end of June or sometime in July. After the committee decides which companies are deemed qualified, it then will seek proposals from the rival firms. Were still in conversations with the airlines, the mayor said in an interview Tuesday.Theres some fluidity. JACKSON, Miss. A white manager of a Mississippi campground has been fired after video showed her holding a gun while telling an African American couple to leave because they did not have a reservation. Kampgrounds of America spokesman Mike Gast said Tuesday that the unidentified manager had been fired from the KOA in Starkville. A video posted Sunday to a Facebook page apparently belonging to Macon, Mississippi, resident Jessica Richardson shows a woman in a KOA shirt holding a gun as Richardson and her husband tell her they didnt know they needed a reservation. Richardson did not immediately respond to messages an Associated Press reporter left through Facebook and at the nail salon where she works. Gast says KOA does not condone the use of a firearm in any manner on its properties or franchises. Franklin Richardson, who is married to Jessica Richardson, told WCBI he had recently returned from a nine-month National Guard deployment in the Middle East. We can't hold our beans realistically into two years, Alpers said. We will have to have room for this crop, so we'll have to market our beans eventually before the fall harvest. So far, the dispute has resulted in lower prices and higher supplies for U.S. farmers, but Alpers sees a silver lining: While they wait for an agreement with China, farmers are enticing densely-populated countries like Malaysia to purchase U.S. soybeans. Theyre trying to create new markets. We're entrepreneurs in this country and we're not sitting back, Alpers said. The companies that buy our beans, they're not just sitting there telling their buyers: Go home, eat pie and ice cream. They're telling them to go out there and find other markets. So, we've developed some smaller markets. It's a great time for everybody to kind of dip their feet into our soybeans and see what they are and what the quality is. Some Midwestern farmers have also found a solution in shifting more of this seasons acreage to corn. Patrick Westhoff, director of the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute at the University of Missouri, said this could minimize potential losses on soybean production. But why would Kim chuck his nuclear arsenal, sacrificing his only leverage for relevance in exchange for the removal of a few sanctions? So what if his people are starving? Kim has suffered no more distress over the misery of his people than he did over the execution of his uncle, per his command. How reassuring that the president of the United States finds solace in Kims company, wisdom in his commentary and faith in his promises. Trumps reelection strategy, meanwhile, is abundantly clear and annoyingly consistent. He seeks to shock the conscience, as Democratic candidate Pete Buttigieg so aptly put it. With a simple branding label Sleepy Joe Biden Trump essentially choreographs a 24-hour news cycle of condemnation. But the damage has been done. The brand sticks, he gets air time, and precious few notice that hes furthering his alliances with dictators for personal gain. Since 2015 Russia has been using eastern Ukraine and Syria for testing new EW (Electronic Warfare) equipment. New gear is tested under combat conditions to discover weaknesses and promote export sales as combat proven. Equipment still in development is also tested. A recent example of that is the truck mounted Tirada-2 orbital jamming system that recently showed up in eastern Ukraine. Tirada-2 was seeking to hack the control signals and video feeds from American RQ-4B Global Hawk UAVs that regularly operate over eastern Ukraine. This would provide a look at what these UAVs see when they monitor Russian activity. Some RQ-4Bs are equipped with space satellite quality electronic sensors and the Russians are hoping to get an opportunity to monitor and perhaps hack those systems. Ukrainian and Western intelligence was aware of the existence of Tirada-2 if only because a less capable export model was being offered for sale. But now the more capable non-export Tirada-2 appears to have shown up in Eastern Ukraine (Donbas) but, as one would expect, no one is providing any details of who has been able to do what to whom. Hacking and jamming satellites is nothing new. Even Islamic terrorists are active in this area. For example in early 2015 a major French TV network (TV5) was hijacked by hackers working for ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant). Calling themselves the CyberCaliphate, this group had apparently spent weeks getting past the formidable network security and did some major damage. TV5 satellite feeds sends programming to over 250 million customers (households and businesses) worldwide. All eleven TV5 channels were dark for three hours before a temporary data feed was established to put something on customer TV screens. It took over a week to clean the network of all the hacker malware and begin work on improving security. Other French media companies were informed of the threat and joint efforts were underway to improve security. Whatever enthusiasm there was for better security will probably not last because this was not the first time something like this has happened. Its not that the threat was ignored or underestimated. Officially the hacker threat is taken very seriously by media companies, especially those who broadcast via satellite. Starting in the late 1990s, growing reliance on data networks and satellite distribution of programming resulted in more and more attacks on these networks by groups seeking to get some attention by briefly seizing control of or shutting down these systems. These attacks reached something of a crescendo in 2007 when a Chinese satellite television channel was taken over by hackers. For about 90 minutes, the government had no control over the feed, which was replaced by anti-government material. The Chinese government tried to keep details of how this happened out of the news but because over 130 million Chinese then had access to the Internet and even more had cell phones it was impossible to completely black out details of what happened. Senior officials were quite upset, especially because since 2002 there had been over a dozen incidents worldwide of hijacking satellite television signals. Several of these took place in China, but until 2007 the government assured everyone that the "problem" was fixed. After 2000 the increasing number of incidents of space satellites being "hacked" was believed to be largely the result of an increase in the number of satellites up there, and the number of ground stations broadcasting information up into the sky. Many of these early "hacks" turned out to be satellite signals interfering with one another. Same with cases where people believe their GPS or satellite communications signals were being jammed. On further investigation, the real reasons tend to be less interesting and a lot more technical. All this usually had a large element of human error mixed in. But some of the disruptions were deliberate. The 2007 China incident clearly indicated a security problem. If you have the proper passwords and security information, you can send commands to the satellite and do whatever you want. The Chinese had a security problem and to Chinese rulers that was more frightening than, well, just about anything. China has since greatly improved its satellite security but as TV5 discovered that is not always enough. Russian EW developers watched all this with great interest and considered the possibility of improving and weaponizing these hacking capabilities. All of the accidental jammings demonstrated to hackers how easy it was to do it on purpose. There were a growing number of examples of that. In response, the U.S. Air Force has long (decades) been developing electronic tools for attacking and defending satellite communications, and the satellites operators themselves were already training people to attack and defend space satellites. This effort involved figuring out new or improved ways to jam satellites. Then you keep that stuff secret, in case potential enemies have not figured this out themselves. Next, you work on ways to defeat the weapons developed. Most of this is playing around with the signals. You can unjam a jamming signal with another signal. However, a lot of trial and error is required, and you want to get that done way in advance of any actual war. When you do have to use this stuff for real, you have to expect that the enemy may well have come up with some angle you missed. Thus there will be some rapid improvisation, and you will have more time and resources for this if you have worked out, ahead of time, the details of disasters you have already anticipated. No one releases much information about this, for obvious reasons. There isn't much discussion from any government unless there is a terrorist attack using these techniques. Now that has happened in a very public fashion, and it was done using clever and determined hacking of the ground-based networks that control the programming and the satellites. Some satellite hacking problems have been solved. For example, it has been shown that if there is government jamming that could be identified as such. This was demonstrated back in 2003 when satellite broadcasters transmitting television shows to Iran found their signals being jammed. The source of the jamming was quickly traced to Cuba. A satellite signal is very difficult to jam as it comes down from the satellite. But if you are close to the ground station that beams the signal up to the satellite, you can more easily interfere with that. At first, it was thought that the Cuban government, using an old Soviet era electronic eavesdropping facility outside Havana, was doing the jamming as a favor to Iran (which buys Cuban support with supplies of cut-rate oil.) Back then the Chinese had already paid Cuba a lot of money to take over and revive the old Soviet facility electronic monitoring. The Cuban government denied it had anything to do with the jamming and said it would find out where the jamming was coming from, and they did. Soon the Cuban government reported that they had traced the jamming signal to a suburban compound owned by the Iranian embassy. The Cubans ordered the jamming to stop, and it did. There have been few additional efforts like this, mainly because it was obvious that you could not easily hide a jammer. Satellite broadcasters also took measures to make such jamming much more difficult to do. There were also efforts to improve defense against hackers, but for TV5 the defenses were not robust enough. Russia quietly worked on ways to not only hack satellite control and data signals but to easily eavesdrop and monitor them. Encrypted signals can be decrypted and if you can do that you do not talk about it. But now the Russian satellite signal monitoring and hacking equipment is coming out of the development shadows and practicing on American equipment. President Duterte won another election, even if he was not on the ballot. The final results of the May 13 national elections are in and, as expected pro- Duterte candidates replaced a lot of anti-Duterte legislators. Pro-Duterte politicians now have majorities in the House of Representatives and the Senate. Many Duterte critics are gone. Duterte continues to have high opinion poll ratings because he promised economic growth and less crime. He has delivered on both counts and is also making visible progress in reducing corruption. President Duterte was elected in 2016 because his previous experience as a big city mayor showed that he might actually be able to carry out his campaign promises to reduce corruption and drug-related crime nationwide. According to recent polls, Duterte still has the highest approval and trust ratings of any Filipino president, especially this late in his term of office. Many other Filipino presidents got elected on the basis of promises they could not or would not keep. After two or three years such failure to perform was reflected in approval polls. Duterte used vigilante tactics to reduce the ability of drug gangs to terrorize the areas where they operated and openly bribed police and other officials to cooperate. This is what most Filipinos disliked most about the illegal drugs, in addition to children or kin turning themselves into anti-social addicts. After three years most Filipinos still rate Duterte as effective and able to deliver on campaign promises. This was particularly true with the other campaign promise; to reduce corruption. The high levels of corruption make it easier for drug gangs to operate and Duterte went after anyone found to be corrupt for whatever reason. This included longtime friends and political allies as well as senior police commanders. The success of these tactics showed up in the latest international corruption surveys. In Southeast Asia, the Philippines has the most problems with corruption and Duterte demonstrated that the Filipino situation was not hopeless. Grinding Down The Islamic Terrorists Ground, air and naval forces are making life more difficult for the Islamic terrorists still operating in the south (especially Sulu and Basilan provinces). Over the last three years, these operations have reduced the number of Islamic terrorists down there and with that the amount of violence. Abu Sayyaf has been unable to pull off any pirate attacks in 2019 and the army is searching for the last few hostages held for ransom. While Abu Sayyaf has been unable to carry out pirate attacks they are still able to smuggle people in and out of Indonesia and Malaysia via the Sulu Sea. This has enabled Abu Sayyaf to bring in ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) veterans to reinforce the depleted local supply of Islamic terrorists. The Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia cooperate in counter-terrorism matters, including coordinating naval and air patrols in the Sulu Sea. The BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) was approved by voting earlier in 2019 and the interim leader, Al Haj Murad Ebrahim, was sworn in. Ebrahim will be in charge until elections are held in 2022. Since February, armed members of MILF (which negotiated the BARMM deal) have been responsible for local security although the Filipino armed forces still handle most of the counter-terrorism operations, especially against ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant), Abu Sayyaf and BIFF. Ebrahim has 80 members of the BTA (Bangsamoro Transition Authority) to assist in running BARMM until the first elected officials are sworn in. BARMM consists of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi provinces, as well as the cities of Marawi, Lamitan, Cotabato and 63 villages of North Cotabato province. The city of Cotabato will be the capital. Most of the remaining Islamic terrorists down south are hostile to BARMM and the feeling is mutual. The Islamic terrorists want a BARMM that is an independent country run as a religious dictatorship. Most BARMM residents prefer democracy and are willing to fight, or at least inform on, Islamic terrorists to help make BARMM work. BARMM residents also want the counter-terror forces gone but accept that this will not happen until Islamic terrorist numbers are reduced to such a small number (perhaps under a hundred) that BARMM security forces can realistically handle the problem. BARMM police will continue working with the military (which BARMM will not have) to monitor Islamic terrorist activity in nearby Moslem nations like Malaysia and Indonesia. At the moment BARMM is still considered something of a refuge for foreign Islamic terrorists. That has to change because if it doesnt the people of BARMM will suffer the most from Islamic terrorist violence. May 25, 2019: In the south (Sula province), a large (about 30 gunmen) group of Abu Sayyaf attacked soldiers helping local villagers. The attack was repulsed but not before eight were killed and 14 wounded. Abu Sayyaf lost six dead and seven wounded before they withdrew. The 30-minute firefight killed an infant and a 12 year old child. Five soldiers and two civilians were wounded. May 23, 2019: In South Korea, the first of two new Filipino frigates was launched. In late 2016 the Philippines ordered two 2,600 ton frigates for $169 million each. These two ships will be smaller versions of the South Korean FFX (Incheon class) frigate. The first Filipino one should be in service by 2020. May 21, 2019: Final election results of the May 13 national elections are in and president Duterte, as predicted in the opinion surveys, won even though he was not on the ballot. May 20, 2019: In the South China Sea, an American destroyer conducted a FONOP (freedom of navigation operation) near Scarborough Shoal, which is 220 kilometers from one of the main Filipino islands (Palawan) and 650 kilometers from Chinese territory (Hainan Island) and according to international law (and a recent international court decision) is Filipino. This is the second South China Sea FONOP for the Americans this month. In both cases, China issued warnings and accused the Americans of troublemaking. In addition to FONOPs, American, Filipino, Japanese, Australian, Indian and South Korean naval forces held training exercises in the South China Sea recently. There has been a lot more such troublemaking in 2019. There were only five American South China Sea FONOPs in 2018. Since 2015, when Chinese South China Sea claims became a major issue, the Americans have carried out 18 FONOPS there. By early 2019 China had moved more radars and EW (Electronic Warfare) equipment and guided missiles to the Paracel islands. China also declared once more that the Paracels were part of China and China would control its territorial waters. That last 2018 FONOP was near several of the Chinese occupied islands in the Paracels. These islands had long belonged to (and been occupied) by Vietnamese. China took the Paracels by force in the 1970s. In 2012 one of the Paracel islands (Woody Island) was declared the center of Sansha, a new Chinese municipality (city). Sansha/Woody Island is the largest of the Paracels with the being dozens of smaller bits of land (some of them shoals that are underwater all the time). The Spratly Islands to the south are similar. The new Chinese "city" lays claim to two million square kilometers of open sea (57 percent of the South China Sea). China continues its policy of not interfering with FONOPS but does sent warships to follow the foreign ships. There are two ways China can enforce its sovereignty exert control over its territorial waters. The traditional response is to attack intruders with gunfire or missiles. Then there is the preferred Chinese method of swarming around the intruder with commercial, coast guard and even navy warships and combat aircraft. This has included causing collisions (often just bumping). China does not want a war with the United States, mainly because of the economic risks which could lead to more unrest inside China. Interference with seaborne trade and trading relationships in general would disrupt the Chinese economy and threaten CCP control. What China has demonstrated is a willingness to do everything short of war, especially if they can remain able to claim victim status. May 19, 2019: The national police revealed that of the 47 politicians under investigation for drug-related activity, 37 ran in the current national elections and 27 won. President Duterte revealed his narcolist earlier this year and it consisted of politicians suspected of drug-related activity. Duterte ordered investigations, which are still underway. Things like this are what makes Duterte so popular. For decades politicians with suspected (and sometimes very obvious) criminal connections seemed immune to investigation and prosecution. Duterte had a history of prosecuting dirty politicians before he ran for president and said he would take that program national. These investigations were one of the things that led to lower violence during elections. Politicians with criminal connections tend to hire gangs to help them win elections by disrupting or intimidating opponents. Even so, there were at least twenty deaths and many more injuries in over 40 violent incidents related to the current elections. May 14, 2019: In the South China Sea, American and Filipino warships trained together near Scarborough Shoal but not close enough to qualify as a FONOP. The joint exercise did annoy the Chinese but recent Chinese attempts to regulate fishing throughout the South China Sea more than annoyed the Philippines and other nations whose territorial waters are now claimed by China. May 6, 2019: The U.S. Navy conducted its third 2019 FONOP in the South China Sea. This one took two American destroyers within the claimed territorial (closer than 22 kilometers) of some of the Spratly Islands. The stark realities of Cambodias rural communities, and the difference a Kiwi charity is making to young lives there, has been captured in a collection of photographs on display at the New Zealand Portrait Gallery from May 31. Cambodia Rising: A blueprint for generational change is a raw and stunning collection of images by Auckland photographer Stacey Simpkin that sensitively documents more than a decade of progress by New Zealand charity Cambodia Charitable Trust in breaking the cycle of poverty in Cambodia through education. Scars of the brutal Khmer Rouge regime of the 1970s are still fresh for many in the country. Almost one third of Cambodias people were killed by genocide, including a whole generation of artists, intellectuals and teachers. Four decades on, many families still live in desperate poverty. After a visit to Cambodia in 2007 Tauranga lawyer Denise Arnold established the Cambodia Charitable Trust to attempt to piece back together the countrys broken education system by providing support and training for teachers and schools. The work offers education and support to girls and boys for whom the alternative is often a life of poverty, or worse, sex trafficking and slavery. The exhibition marks the Trusts 11th anniversary and Denise says being able to show donors what their money has achieved is a real bonus. The impact a small amount of money has in Cambodia is hard for people in New Zealand to comprehend, but you can literally change a childs life and transform a school for what we would consider to be a small amount of money. "I am very proud of what we as New Zealanders have achieved. It is amazing that a New Zealand- based organisation has become a key development partner of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport in Cambodia. The Trust hosted the Minister of Education, Youth and Sport at its supported schools in March. These schools are in rural areas so seeing them in the front of the decision-makers minds is a big step forward, says Denise. Auckland photographer Stacey Simpkin says it has been an extraordinary experience, and privilege, photographing the work of the Cambodia Charitable Trust in one of the worlds poorest nations. Meeting and photographing the children and families helped by the Trust and seeing the improvement in education over my last six trips with the team has moved me beyond belief. Cambodian children have a genuine desire to learn and Cambodia Charitable Trust has the programmes and people in place to facilitate this. Cambodia Rising: A blueprint for generational change is on at the New Zealand Portrait Gallery in Wellington from May 31 to June 16 from 10.30am to 4.30pm each day. Admission free. For more information about the Cambodia Charitable Trust visit https://cctnz.org.nz/ The Sals NBL is coming to Tauranga on Sunday, June 2 when the Auckland 2 Cheap Cars Supercity Rangers take on the Tasmanian based Southern Huskies team at the Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre. With Tauranga not having a team in the NBL competition, the Supercity Rangers are playing one of their home games in Tauranga. Tauranga City Basketball general manager Mark Rogers says it is great to have an NBL game played in Tauranga, despite the region not being represented in the competition. There is no team in our region at the moment, so thats being debated, whether there will be a team from here, perhaps in this year or so. Although there is no Tauranga NBL team, Mark says a number of Tauranga players are part of other teams in the competition. Reuben Fitzgerald is playing for the Supercity Rangers, who went to Aquinas College here in Tauranga, there are also Tauranga grown players playing for Manawatu, Wellington and Taranaki as well. The match on Sunday is bound to be an exciting spectacle, with the Southern Huskies playing in their first NBL season. Apparently its the first time ever an Australian team has been playing in a New Zealand sports competition, rather than the other way around, which is pretty cool, says Mark. Mark is encouraging the community to get down to the Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre on Sunday evening to be part of the exciting spectacle for Taurangas only NBL match of the season. Its very entertaining even if you dont understand basketball, seeing seven foot guys running around, its pretty cool. There is also a lot of off court entertainment, with King Kapisi who is going to be the MC, so there is lots happening. Mark says the Supercity Rangers have two American imports and one Australian import who are their best players. The Tasmanian team has a player who has been in the Australian Boomers squad, and he plays Aussie NBL as well. Its great for New Zealanders to put themselves up against those guys to test how good they actually are. Tickets for the NBL match between the Supercity Rangers and the Southern Huskies are $10 for an adult and $5 for a students, and they can be purchased through Tauranga City Basketball, or if there are additional tickets left they will be sold at the door on Sunday. UPDATED: Flames and smoke can been seen billowing from a large building fire in Rotorua. Photos sent to Rotorua Now, show the timber mill on Vaughn Road engulfed in flames. A Rotorua resident says the road is closed off and multiple appliances are in attendance. EARLIER: Firefighters are currently at the scene of a large building fire in the Owhata area, Rotorua this evening. A message to Rotorua Now says the fire is at a property on Vaughan Road off State Highway 30. It appears to be a commercial building that has caught fire. Rotorua Now is working on getting more information and will update the story once it become available. ABINGDON, Va. Now, this is going to be serious, I said to Jason Berry, the county administrator for Washington County. Real serious, I added. OK, Berry returned. If there really is a chance that the county courthouse moves to the old Kmart building, would that mean that you could get a Blue Light Special? I asked. Would you get a Blue Light Special for a get-out-of-jail free card? Or would the cops give you a Blue Light Special for running a red light? Berry started laughing on the other end of the telephone. And would the employees have to wear red uniforms like the employees did at the Kmart? I continued. Berry chuckled some more. And then we got serious. Real serious. The beloved Washington County Courthouse, Berry told me, is too small for modern functions of the courts and has virtually no parking little more than 75 spaces, which are mostly used by employees, leaving visitors to search for spots around town. Which brings us to the Kmart. Lets start with this premise: In 2019 America, there should be no children going hungry because their families cant afford to feed them. Now heres the reality: Hunger is still a problem, even here in Southwest Virginia, despite how prosperous our society is, how low unemployment is and how abundant our food supply is. Its particularly a problem in our area and just about everywhere else, for that matter when kids are out of school for the summer. Thats because free and reduced-price breakfast and lunch programs operate in our schools when theyre in session, helping keep hunger at bay for children and teens, who can get at least one or two nutritious meals on most school days. When school is out, those meals arent available. Many children are fed breakfast and lunch throughout the school year, and when summer comes, they may not receive nutritious meals at all, Valerie Cupp, director of child nutrition for Washington County Public Schools, said in a recent story by Carolyn R. Wilson in the Washington County News. In a nation that throws away a considerable amount of food (30-40% by some estimates), many still struggle with food insecurity. Portion sizes grow at restaurants, with enough food plated to provide at least two full meals at one ever-growing price (to meet profit margins, after all). The harsh reality is such luxuries are far out of reach for many, either due to costs or lack of transportation even to the closest grocery store or corner market. Years ago, I came across the term food desert. Media often depicts a food desert located in an urban community, requiring a transit system to reach the corner store. At that rate, the breadwinner of the family can only purchase what she can carry and afford. Food deserts exist in Appalachia, too. School is now officially out for summer in Washington and Smyth counties and beyond. Schools and communities address food insecurity for kids many of whom receive free and reduced meals while in school. Backpack programs are partnerships between churches, communities and local schools, for which volunteers pack backpacks full of food so that kids can carry home shelf-stable food to get them through weekends. Summers and long breaks present real problems for our children. Yes, I mean our children. At one time, Hermann says he worked as many as 90 hours a week here, when the restaurant served lunch and dinner day after day. Its a tough business, Hermann said. You have to dedicate your life to the restaurant if you want it to succeed. Eventually, Hermann decided to discard the lunch offerings. He shut the doors on Sundays. And he tried to relax a little. On May 1, Hermann sold the restaurant business to his longtime manager, 30-year-old Josh Fuller, who grew up in Abingdon and attended Patrick Henry High School in Glade Spring, Virginia. Fuller remembered coming to The Tavern for his first time at a high school prom in 2005. Years later, Fullers wife, Celia, a server at the restaurant, helped him get a job at The Tavern. That was in 2012. For the first six months, Fuller bused tables. But he soon moved into a management position, ultimately taking the top spot as The Taverns general manager. Were honored that Tommy thought enough of us that he entrusted us to work with Southwest Virginia Community Health Systems to establish a program that is very much needed in this area, said Jim Wallace, chairman of Meadowview First. Funds will be used as seed money to start up the operation, purchase equipment and hire staff and a director of the facility. Efforts are underway to locate staff members for the facility. Two offices in the Meadowview Health Clinic have been designated for the specialty center, where patients also will have access to care from two medical doctors, a family nurse practitioner and behavioral health staff members. The center will be unique to the region, offering sliding-scale fees to qualifying patients, some of whom may not have insurance. Meadowview Health Clinic is not a free clinic, but patients are not required to have insurance. We offer sliding-scale fees, allowing many of the patients to pay as little as $20 per visit, said Yates. Also, anyone can receive medical treatment at the Meadowview Health Clinic. You dont have to be low-income, and you dont have to be a Virginia resident. OWEGO, N.Y. -- A 26-year-old Johnson City woman was stopped by New York State Police for having 12 people in her car, including seven kids and seven without seat belts, while also driving unlicensed, police say. Haylery L. Rodriguez, 26, of Johnson City, was given a ticket for unlicensed operator and seven more for each person without a seat belt, police said. State police were dispatched in Owego to a 911 complaint of several children inside a car without car seats, police said. The caller told the operator that the car left the Tioga Downs parking lot and drove away, according to New York State Police. A trooper saw the 2004 Acura MDX driving on State Route 17 and stopped it, police said. The trooper found 12 people in the car, including at least seven kids between 3 and 11 years old who were not in child seats, booster seats or even belted, police said. Rodriguez only had a learners permit and didnt have a license, police said. The trooper stayed on scene for more than two and a half hours until each person in the car was picked up by a licensed driver with proper safety equipment, police said. Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard staff writer Sarah Moses Buckshot contributed to this report. DEERFIELD, N.Y. -- Two people who were fatally shot by a homeowner in Oneida County while attempting to burglarize his home were unarmed, according to police and the Oneida County District Attorney. Patricia Anne Talerico, 57, and Nicholas A. Talerico, 27, both of Utica, were trying to burglarize Ronald Stolarczyks house at 6110 Walker Road in Deerfield Tuesday afternoon when he shot them, according to New York State Police. Patricia Talerico died at the scene, police said. Nicholas Talerico died at a hospital, police said. Nicholas Talerico was the nephew of Patricia Talerico, said DA Scott McNamara. Stolarczyk, 64, has been arrested and charged with criminal possession of a firearm, a Class E felony, police said. State police said Stolarczyk shot the two in his garage. He then called 911 to report that hed shot two people and met officers at the end of the driveway, said Trooper Jack Keller, a spokesman for the New York State Police. Stolarcyzk has been cooperative with investigators and gave a statement, the DA said. Police will compare his statement with the forensic evidence to determine if it matches, he said. They are looking for cameras from nearby homes in the area to see if anyone has video, he said. Stolarczyk told investigators he didnt know the two people he encountered in his home, the DA said. Technicians collect forensic evidence at the Deerfield home where police say a homeowner shot and killed two people who were trying to burglarize his house. (Photo by Samantha House) McNamara said investigators are trying to determine the burglars motive. They are in the process of securing search warrants, he said. "There is no indication the homeowner had money or drugs,'' McNamara said. It appears they were in the house to steal. What they wanted to steal is still being determined, he said. The handgun used was unregistered, and if its loaded and in the home with the homeowner present its a lower-level felony, McNamara said. Stolarcyzk told authorities the gun was his fathers, and when his father died he forgot to register it, the DA said. Patricia Talerico was currently on parole for a weapons charge. She was sentenced to 1 1/2 years to 3 years in prison for third-degree attempted criminal possession of a weapon in 2016, according to the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision records. She was released in June 2018. She also served time in state prison for grand larceny in 2010; she was released in 2011, state records show. After being shot, Nicholas Talerico ran to a neighbor for help, Keller said. The neighbor drove him to the hospital, police said. Today, yellow tape could be seen stretched across the driveway, where a trooper stood watch and waved on passing cars. Two troopers in white suits were seen walking out of the house. Stolarczyk was to be arraigned in Utica City Court today. ITHACA, N.Y. -- An Ithaca auctioneer has been ordered to pay more than $1 million in restitution for defrauding customers, according to state Attorney General Letitia James. David Hall, the owner of Bid Club, Inc., fraudulently convinced consumers to deliver their property to his businesses to be sold at auctions, but failed to pay consumers after their property was sold, James said in a news release Wednesday. Bid Club does business as National Book Auctions, Worth Auctions, LLC and JLF Holdings, LLC. The auction businesses solicit and accept personal property from consumers and then sells those items through physical and online auctions to the general public. They charge consumers a commission of between five percent and 35 percent of the auction price and typically charge transportation fees for picking up consigned items. They induce consumers to turn over property with promises to pay the proceeds within 30 days of completing the auction sales. Since about December 2015, Hall failed to pay the proceeds of sold items to at least 115 customers, totaling $1,041.542.74. He continued to take in property for auctions knowing that he would not be paying the proceeds over to consumers, James said. The judgment requires Hall and his businesses to pay $1,041,542.74 for consumer restitution and $52,000 in civil penalties and costs. The judgment also requires Hall to hire an independent trustee to handle all money from future auctions to ensure that proceeds go to consigning consumers and to victims who were cheated out of their funds. Consumers doing business with David Hall trusted that he would uphold his end of their transactions, but instead, he routinely cheated them out of payment that they rightfully deserved, James said in the news release. After paying consignors for their items that were sold, the trustee will pay at least 30 percent of the remaining funds to the Attorney Generals Office for restitution to the past victims. Additionally, all proceeds from the sale of any property personally owned by Hall and his businesses must be paid over to the trustee, who will pay no less than 80 percent of those funds to the Attorney Generals Office for consumer restitution. After Hall has paid back all restitution, civil penalties, and costs, he must continue to retain a trustee to handle auction proceeds unless he posts a $500,000 bond to ensure that he complies with the judgment, James said. Any additional consumers who believe that they may have been damaged by Hall and his businesses may file a complaint with the Attorney Generals Binghamton Regional Office seeking restitution by Aug. 18, 2019. To file a complaint, call (607) 251-2770. DEERFIELD, NY - Ronald Stolarczyk was in his kitchen when he heard people talking from what seemed to be inside his attached garage, Stolarcyks lawyer told Syracuse.com | The Post Standard Wednesday. At first, the 64-year-old Oneida County man remained quiet to see if they would go away, said his lawyer, Mark Wolber. But then the homeowner heard them climbing up the stairs from the garage to his kitchen, the lawyer said. Stolarczyk went around the door to the garage and yelled at them to stop, but one of the two - he thinks the female - kept coming at him, Wolber said. "He said he was scared to death and thought he was going to die,'' Wolber said. Yesterday he was minding his own business in his kitchen, and today hes in jail. Stolarczyks home had been broken into some time ago, and hed also read about a case where a homeowner was killed by intruders in Appalachia, Wolber said. On Tuesday, Stolarczyk picked up the handgun that was on the kitchen counter and fired three to four shots at the intruders, Wolber said. The two fell down the stairs to the bottom, he said. Stolarczyk went down the stairs and saw one lying on the ground, and the other person had run out, Wolber said. He then called 911, he said. The two intruders he shot and killed have been identified as Patricia Anne Talerico, 57, and Nicholas A. Talerico, 27, of Utica, according to New York State Police. The aunt and nephew were burglarizing the home at 6110 Walker Road in Deerfield when they were shot by the homeowner, police said. Oneida County District Attorney Scott McNamara has said it appears the two intruders were unarmed. Wolber said his client didnt know that they were unarmed or didnt have time to notice. Police and the DA have said they dont know why the two people targeted the home. Stolarczyk had a cell phone that had no regular service but was able to call 911, his lawyer said. He then went down to the driveway, Wolber said. A police officer responding to the call found Stolarczyk at the end of the driveway, according to a felony complaint filed in Utica City Court. The officer said he told the man to put down the gun, the complaint said. The weapon was a 38-caliber Rossi revolver, according to the court papers. Wolber said his client didnt know the two intruders, or know what they were after in his house, or if they thought it was abandoned. Stolarczyk lived in the home with his parents, but they have both died, Wolber said. His dad owned the handgun, and Stolarczyk said he recently discovered it in the home and never registered it himself, he said. Stolarczyk, 64, has been charged with criminal possession of a firearm, a Class E felony, police said. In court in Utica, Stolarczyk was arraigned and his bail was set at $15,000, but he doesnt have the money, Wolber said. Since his home is still cordoned off as a crime scene with technicians gathering evidence, he told Wolber he had nowhere to go and might as well remain in jail for now, Wolber said. Wolber said he fully believes Stolarczyk was justified in shooting and killing the two intruders and doesnt expect any more charges. He plans to ask the district attorney to dismiss the gun charge as well in the interest of justice. He said there also is a statement from a person who drove the two people to the house. Patricia Talerico was currently on parole for a weapons charge. She was sentenced to 1 1/2 years to 3 years in prison for third-degree attempted criminal possession of a weapon in 2016, according to the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision records. She was released in June 2018. She also served time in state prison for grand larceny in 2010; she was released in 2011, state records show. DEERFIELD, N.Y. -- An Oneida County man shot and killed two would-be burglars with an illegally owned handgun Tuesday, according to New York State Police. Ronald Stolarczyk, 64, of 6110 Walker Road, has been arrested and charged with criminal possession of a firearm, a felony, police said. Patricia Anne Talerico, 57, and Nicholas A. Talerico, 27, both of Utica, were trying to burglarize Stolarczyks house when he shot them, according to police. A State Police investigation suggests that Stolarczyk interrupted a burglary at about 2:40 p.m., police said. He shot the two suspects with an illegally owned gun. Patricia Anne Talerico, of 901 John St., was pronounced dead at the scene. Nicholas Talerico, of 110 Grove Place, was taken by private vehicle to St. Elizabeths Hospital and pronounced dead there. Stolarczyk was taken to the Oneida County Jail and is awaiting centralized arraignment. The Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse, New York, is currently celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of its iconic, I.M. Pei-designed building. As part of a comprehensive effort to revitalize Peis masterpiece, the Everson Museum has partnered with Syracuse Architecture to host an international competition to design a museum cafe. The cafe will also serve as a venue to showcase and put into use The Rosenfield Collection, a newly acquired 3,000+ piece functional ceramic art collection assembled by Dallas-based couple Louise and David Rosenfield. After an internal review of invited submissions from architecture offices located in Canada, China, Greece, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the United States, four finalists have been selected: FreelandBuck (Los Angeles/ New York), MILLINS (Los Angeles), NATURALBUILD (Shanghai), and Norman Kelley (Chicago/New Orleans). Each finalist will travel to Syracuse in September to participate in a public symposium and present a developed proposal to a jury of professionals in architecture, ceramics, and the culinary arts. The jury will select one firm to receive a commission to complete the new cafe. This competition provides a tremendous opportunity for some of the worlds most talented emerging architects to propose an intervention in what is undoubtedly one of the late I.M. Peis greatest works, states Kyle Miller, Syracuse Architecture assistant professor. Miller and Syracuse Architecture Dean Michael Speaks are organizing the competition in collaboration with the Everson Museum. This unique project proposes new ways of thinking about the integration of art and architecture, which is a critical component of Peis original design, says Everson Director & CEO Elizabeth Dunbar. This cafe will be unlike any other in the world. In addition to hosting the design competition, the Everson is currently working with students from Le Moyne College to conduct a marketing study an d VIP Structures sister company, IPD Engineering to assess engineering needs. The projected date of completion for the cafe is summer 2020. The Everson is one of the first museums in the United States to actively collect and exhibit ceramics. With comprehensive collections and archival holdings central to the history of American studio ceramics, the Everson is focused on becoming the countrys leading center for ceramics exhibition and research. The Rosenfield Collection , was assembled by Everson Honorary Trustee Louise Rosenfield over two decades and is the preeminent collection of contemporary functional pottery in the United States.Everson Museum of Art The Rosenfield Collection was assembled by Everson Honorary Trustee Louise Rosenfield over two decades and is the preeminent collection of contemporary functional pottery in the United States. Every piece in The Rosenfield Collection is museum worthy. It is incredible that Louise wants the pieces to be used, honoring the spirit in which they were made, said Garth Johnson, the Everson Paul Phillips & Sharon Sullivan Curator of Ceramics. The collection is international in scope and represents both emerging talents and established masters. This project is part of a strategic initiative to restore and enhance the Eversons building with the aim of positioning the historic structure as a source of civic pride, while simultaneously creating a dynamic and innovative museum for a 21st-century audience. Recently completed facility improvements include the Danial Family Education Center, a state-of-the-art auditorium renovation, and the Paul Phillips and Sharon Sullivan Ceramics Center. These projects were made possible by generous contributions through the The Everson. First and Forever comprehensive campaign. About the Finalists FreelandBuck is a Los Angeles and New York City-based architecture office founded and led by Brennan Buck and David Freeland. Recipients of numerous awards, including the 2019 Emerging Voices award from The Architectural League of New York, FreelandBuck has recently completed several notable residential projects in Los Angeles, including the Stack House, which received the AIAs highest award for design distinction. MILLINS is a Los Angeles-based experimental architecture practice founded by John May and Zeina Koreitem. Named among the top 50 global interior architects in 2019 by The Architects Newspaper, MILLINS work, including their acclaimed design for the Jack Erwin Flagship store in New York City, has received numerous design awards and citations. NATURALBUILD is a multi-disciplinary design studio based in Shanghai. Led by Yanfei Shui and Yichi Su, NATURALBUILD is among the most highly regarded emerging offices in China. Their work has received numerous design awards and has been featured in the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale, the Shanghai West Bund Biennale, and in publications such as Wallpaper, a+u, Time and Architecture and Dezeen. Among their most notable completed projects are Waima Road Warehouse Renovation, Yushan Island Hotel, J House and the Soft Matter Pavilion. Norman Kelley was founded by Carrie Norman and Thomas Kelley and is operated jointly between New Orleans and Chicago. Recipients of the 2014 Architectural League of New York Young Architects Prize, the office has exhibited at the 2014 Venice Architecture Biennale and the 2015 Chicago Architecture Biennale. Their award-winning projects have been published in Domus, Dezeen, Wallpaper, Frame and Design Milk. Among their most notable projects is their design for retailer Aesop in Chicago, completed in 2016, and the recently completed design for the Notre clothing shop in the Fulton-Randolph Market Historical District in Chicago. About the Everson Museum of Art The Everson Museum of Art, whose roots extend to 1897, is internationally recognized for its extensive and significant collection of ceramics, its pioneering art video collection and its distinctive structural design by the noted architect I.M. Pei. The operation of the Everson Museum of Art is made possible with funding from the Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation, the County of Onondaga administered by CNY Arts, The Trust for Cultural Resources of Onondaga County, the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency, the Everson Board of Trustees and Everson Members Council. About Syracuse Architecture Syracuse University School of Architecture (Syracuse Architecture) offers bachelors and masters degrees in architecture that are accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). Both undergraduate and graduate programs rank among the best in the country. Syracuse Architecture, established in 1873, is the fourth oldest architecture program in the country. Faculty come from a broad range of professional backgroundspracticing architects, architectural historians, theorists, professional artists, and engineers, and are deeply committed to student progress. Syracuse Architecture is part of a prestigious university, offering students access to a wide variety of courses and a vibrant campus community culture. By Cara Luddy, Communications Assistant at Central Library On June 28, 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn, a refuge for the marginalized LGBTQ community in New York City. This act would cause chaos in the surrounding neighborhood for the next five days. 50 years later, the Stonewall Riots are remembered as a critical event in the history of liberation for LGBTQ people, a moment when enough was enough, and people refused to submit to discrimination based on their sexual and gender expressions. Learn more about the Stonewall Riots by checking out titles from your local Onondaga County Public Library, or visit www.onlib.org to search the catalog. The Stonewall Reader edited by the New York Public Library The Stonewall Reader edited by the New York Public Library With a foreword from the novelist Edmund White, this collection of firsthand accounts, diaries, and articles from the NYPLs archives builds a picture of the cultural environment before and after the Stonewall Riots. This brand new anthology provides a fresh look at the people behind the movement, highlighting the diversity of voices that contributed to this monumental moment. Love and Resistance edited by Jason Baumann Love and Resistance edited by Jason Baumann More gems are uncovered from the NYPLs archive, this time in the form of photographs by Kay Tobin Lahusen and Diana Davies. Photos are organized into four sections: Visibility, Love, Pride, and Protest; each showcasing the landscape of the Stonewall Riots. A celebration of resilience and proof that gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer people have always existed, and they will continue to exist. Stonewall Uprising presented by American Experience Films Stonewall Uprising presented by American Experience Films Witness the protests and street demonstrations that resulted from the police raid on the Stonewall Inn. This PBS special chronicles how the local LGBTQ community erupted into anger after repeatedly being targeted. Unified by their marginalized identities, they chose to stand together and fight back against discrimination. Syracuse, N.Y. -- John F.X. Mannion was a political force -- friends with Hillary Clinton and Gov. Mario Cuomo. He was on more boards than most people could recall, retired from running an insurance company he built, and rubbed elbows with people from every corner of Syracuse and beyond. But if you sat across from him you would not hear about any of that. Thats because Mannion, known as Jack, would be listening, not talking. He had a magnificent ability to make people feel important, said Mannions son, Patrick. It doesnt matter if you are the only person, or there are 1,000, you always felt like you were the only one in the room. Mannion died Saturday afternoon following a fall down the basement steps of his home, his eldest son said. He was 86. Mannion was a power behind the scenes in Syracuse and on the frontlines. He built up Unity Mutual Insurance. And he wove a social network of friends and influence that ranged from new immigrants to old money. He loved his family first and politics second. He helped others quietly and often, usually without ever being asked. Wherever he was, he was a presence, said longtime friend Neil Falcone, a union leader. Like many, Falcone met Mannion through politics. They worked together on Bill Bradleys campaign for president in 2000. Jack Mannion in a portrait shot before painting the green line for the St. Patrick's Day Parade. He was the parade grand marshal in 1996. Mannion came to Syracuse to take over Unity in the 1970s, lifting the struggling company into a success. He and his first wife, Adrienne Kay Mannion, raised five children. The eldest, Patrick, took over the company in 1998, when Jack Mannion retired. In 2006, Jack Mannion married Stephanie Miner and became first gentleman of Syracuse when Miner served two terms as mayor. The two became friends also working on Bradleys campaign in 2000, friends said. Politics was the thread that ran through many of Mannions friendships. He was a powerhouse in Democratic party, both in Syracuse and nationally. Mannion grew up in the Bronx, the son of two Irish immigrants. His father owned a collection of bars and restaurants. Hed go to work at 5 a.m., come home at 5 p.m. for dinner, and then go back to work. When Mannion began work in the insurance industry, he followed his fathers work ethic, his son said. He had a kind of tireless hope and enthusiasm for even the most down-trodden. He was always willing to help. That he learned from his mother, Patrick Mannion said. Ellen Mannion brought relatives and friends over from Ireland. She paid for their travel, found them places to live and taught them to drive in the Bronx. Mannion, too, helped new immigrants to the U.S., sharing with them his uncommon love for the power of the English language. If you were to use the subjunctive case, youd better use it correctly. And if you misplaced a comma, he wouldnt hesitate to tell you. But mostly, he taught the joy of words. His classroom at the Newland Center for Adult Learning and Literacy in Syracuse, where he taught for several years, was always full, executive director Linda Smith said. He was an intentional teacher, making certain the students understood him and enjoyed his class enough to return. Their laughter would often filter out into the rest of the building. And when Mannion ran into students out in the city, he beamed as he proudly introduced them to his friends. The audience bows their head in prayer, at center is the Mayor's husband Jack Mannion. Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner delivers her 2017 State of the City Address at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown, January 12, 2017. Michael Greenlar | mgreenlar@syracuse.com SYRSYR Jack was someone who collected experiences, his son said. He pursued every adventure possible. Often that meant following curiosity down any path. Chris Wiles, a Syracuse attorney, was one of Mannions closest friends. Politics brought them together the two worked on Hugh Careys campaign for governor. They became close on Bradleys campaign. Wiles recalled a time a few years back when Mannion called him to say they should go to a reading of James Joyces Ulysses at a bar on Syracuses Near West Side. Neither man had been to the bar or the event. Well just go find the place, Mannion told his friend. They stayed awhile and got some commemorative T-shirts. Then he said maybe we should go to the airshow at the airport, Wiles said. I didnt even know there was an airshow. Then there was a trip to bird watch in Oswego County in a spot where migratory birds convene only when the wind is just right. And a ride in an airplane to see all nature conservancy projects in Central New York. Mannion brought his curiosity to the public in a local television show during the 1980s where hed discuss the issues of the day with guests and take questions from viewers who would call in. He just thrived on whatever hed never known, Wiles said. Mannion worked to instill that sense of adventure and risk-taking in others. Wiles said that when his daughter started a business in New York City helping poor students get into college, Mannion offered help and encouragement without ever being asked. Where other people might advise caution, Mannion gave out hope. Everyone said, Its too hard. But not Jack, Wiles said. He said give it a shot. Keep going. Stephanie Miner's husband Jack Mannion mingles during his wife, Stephanie Miner's Inaugural Ball, Saturday at Hancock International Airport Scott Schild | sschild@syracuse.com Scott Schild | sschild@syracuse.Scott Schild | sschild@syracuse. Joe Fahey met Mannion through politics, too. Fahey, now a retired Onondaga County Court judge, worked with Mannion on Democratic campaigns when Mannion first came to town. He performed Mannions wedding to Miner at the couples Syracuse home in 2006. And he has stayed close friends with both. The thing I loved about Jack was it was never about him talking about himself. It was always him wanting to know about how you were doing, Fahey said. The two were part of a lunch group that met once a month. Mannion would always ask Fahey about current cases and the law. And theyd talk politics. Wed handicap political races like horse races, Fahey said. Mannion began in politics in his own bid for office. He ran for mayor of North Plainfield, N.J., in 1968. He lost that election, but never left politics. Mannion was always behind the scenes, especially in the Democratic Party. He was a leader for Hillary Clintons presidential campaign in Upstate New York and a friend of both Hillary and Bill Clinton. Mannion also backed Bill Bradleys presidential bid. He was an adviser and friend to former Gov. Mario Cuomo and former comptroller H. Carl McCall. He backed McCall in his 2002 bid for governor. Mannion was an early supporter of Judge Rosemary Pooler, who sits on the U.S. Court of Appeals in the Second Circuit. And Mannion was a loyal supporter of ex-Mayor Lee Alexander. After Alexander was arrested and pleaded guilty following a kickback scandal, Mannion remained a friend. He spoke at Alexanders memorial service. Mannions interest in government extended past politics to public service for the people bureaucracy often left behind. Andrew Lunetta met Mannion when he was volunteering at the Brady Faith Center. Mannion was on the board of the outreach organization, which meant Mannion was often there, helping and offering advice. When Lunetta decided to start his own homeless housing organization, A Tiny Home For Good, the recent college grad decided to ask Mannion to be on his board. He was certain Mannion would say no; he was on too many boards already. But Mannion agreed. He became a dream boss, Lunetta said. Thats not because Mannion was easy on him. It was the opposite. The older businessman asked difficult questions with important answers. He believed in me, but that didnt stop him from asking questions, Lunetta said. Kevin Frank, executive director of Brady Faith Center, said he counted on Mannion to tell him what he needed to know. A few years ago, the organization sent out a survey to find out what people thought of its annual fundraiser. Mannions was the only one that came back with pointed, specific suggestions. He was always pushing you to get better, Frank said. Right now hes giving some directions to God. And Im sure God would agree with most of them. Marnie Eisenstadt is a reporter who writes about people and public affairs in Central New York. Have an idea or question? Contact her anytime: email | twitter| Facebook | 315-470-2246 Editors note: This story has been updated to clarify that Sydney Sullivan has not been hired to replace meteorologist Molly Matott. Matott is leaving CNY Central at the end of May and Sullivan will join the team as its fifth meteorologist. More changes have been announced at CNY Central, including a new meteorologist as Molly Matott departs. Sydney Sullivan, a Georgia native, has been hired as a weather forecaster for CBS 5 (WTVH). Sullivan most recently worked as a weather intern for WESH 2 News in Orlando; she received her meteorology degree from the Florida Institute of Technology earlier this month and a media studies degree from Kennesaw State University in 2016. This Georgia girl is headed North! I am beyond excited to start my weather career in Syracuse at @CNYcentral, Sullivan wrote on Twitter. I felt it in my gut from the start & now I can officially follow my dreams! Im so ready & so grateful for this opportunity & amazing team! Matott, a Liverpool High School and SUNY Oswego grad who joined CNY Central as a meteorologist four years ago, announced earlier this month that she was leaving the television broadcasting business to pursue a job as a teacher. CNY Central said its meteorologist Michael Brookins will be moving to the CBS5 Morning and Noon broadcasts after Matotts depature. Thrilled for Weather Authority Meteorologist @MikeBrookins as he moves to a new role on CBS5 This Morning. New hours will make way for the people he loves the most - his wife and young daughters. Ill miss his steady hand at night, but my happiness for him outweighs that. pic.twitter.com/rZdweOUPzP Michael Benny (@MichaelBenny) May 29, 2019 Allison Bybee, meanwhile, announced Wednesday that shes also leaving the TV station after four years. Friday will be my last day on CBS 5, Bybee said on the morning news broadcast. After 15 years in the business and four years here on CBS 5 This Morning, I will be hanging up my news hat... It is bittersweet to say goodbye to a career I have loved, but I am excited for what is to come. I am staying in the area and will keep everyone posted. As for you, the viewer, thank you for watching. It has really been my pleasure to come into your home..." Bybee did not say what she plans to do next. It's so hard to say goodbye! Today I announced I am leaving @CNYCentral #CBS5 on Friday. I love you all and thank you for allowing me into your home each day! pic.twitter.com/bSIFb6EUrY Allison Bybee (@BroadcastBybee) May 29, 2019 According to the Syracuse Press Club, more lineup changes have also been announced this month at CNY Central. Frankie Jupiter will join Lisa Spitz and meteorologist Peter Hall as a co-anchor on NBC 3 Today in Central New York," replacing former NBC 3 (WSTM) morning anchor Jeremy Miller. Jupiter previously worked as a reporter and anchor at FOX 19 (WXIX) in Cincinnati and at WDBJ in Roanoke, Virginia. And Chicago reporter Melanie Johnson joined CNY Central as a reporter last month, joining the TV station after recently working at Spectrum News Rochester. CNY Central, which includes NBC 3 (WSTM), CW 6 (WSTQ) and CBS 5 (WTVH) in Syracuse, is operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group. We would like to welcome Sydney Sullivan to the area as the new meteorologist for CNYCentral.com. The Georgia native... Posted by Syracuse Press Club on Tuesday, May 28, 2019 To the Editor: On Saturday, June 1, the Catholic Church of Syracuse celebrates the joyful occasion of the ordination of Nathan Brooks to the priesthood. We join in congratulating Rev. Brooks, rejoicing with him, his family and friends, and celebrating, with the whole church, his vocation and his self-gift to the priesthood of Christ Jesus. We pray that his ministry is joyous and fruitful for him and for the people of God in the Church of Syracuse! Even as we witness, in a spirit of joy, the sacrament of ordination taking place inside the cathedral on Saturday, numbers of local Catholics also bring to this day awareness that our Church has thus far not chosen to recognize that women are also given the grace of this vocation of service in the priesthood. It is for this reason that we will hold a prayer vigil outside of the cathedral with the intention of both respectfully raising consciousness about the call of women to ordained ministry. Though this year marks the 25th anniversary of the release by Pope (now Saint) John Paul II of his apostolic letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis in which in the words of current Pope Francis: With regards to the ordination of women (the) door is closed -- we concur with the Scripture that says, in Christ Jesus, there is neither male nor female and that all may be called to a life of witness and service regardless of sex or gender. This has long been recognized by the Catholic Biblical Association that in 1979 published its research concluding that there was no scriptural reason for excluding women from this ministry. Indeed, we believe that the church and the ministry are only enriched by a priesthood that is open to both genders to manifest the fullness of the loving and sacrificial presence of Christ. We draw public attention to this on the occasion of this ordination, not to diminish or protest this joyful event in any way, but to encourage our hierarchy and all the Body of Christ to realize that there are not seven sacraments possible for men and only six for women, but that the Holy Spirit may touch the soul of anyone with a call to this ministry. Especially at this time when our Church continues to struggle in the wake of the clerical sex abuse and cover-up crisis, we would only be enriched and better served by being receptive to this divine movement. Additionally, as Jamie Manson, M.A., columnist for The National Catholic Reporter, points out: The struggle over womens ordination isnt simply about making women priests. Its about helping church leaders recognize that if they were to include women in their leadership as their equals, they could truly be a powerful force of economic and social justice for women and children throughout our world. Again, we congratulate Rev. Brooks as we continue to pray and work toward the day when the mysteries of faith may be celebrated with a priest either man or woman, demonstrating to this needy world the power of God that transcends race, ethnicity, culture, and yes sex and gender, in the manifestation of the Divine Spirit acting in our world. Meg Ksander DeWitt For the All Saints Parish Womens Taskforce and Upstate NY Call To Action Syracuse.com has updated its searchable database of the latest residential and commercial real estate sales in Cayuga, Madison, Onondaga and Oswego counties. Search real estate sales from 2016 to 2019 This weeks update includes the sale of the former Sears, Roebuck and Company store in Shoppingtown Mall in DeWitt. It was sold to a limited liability company called Transform Saleco LLC for $3.9 million, records show. Sears closed the store in Shoppingtown Mall in September after 23 years. The closing was part of an overall plan by Sears Holding Corp. to close dozens of Sears and Kmart stores nationwide. Transform Saleco is owned by former Sears Holdings Chairman Eddie Lampert, according to a story in the Daytona Beach News-Journal about a similar purchase in the Volusia Mall. Lamperts hedge fund acquired Sears in bankruptcy. Readers can search Syracuse.coms real estate database by place, price, school district or the names of the buyers and sellers for the last 3 years. The search is updated each week. The records come from the New York State Office of Real Property Tax Services. If you have a news tip about a sale, email reporter Michelle Breidenbach at mbreidenbach@syracuse.com. South Africa: New Ministry to focus on job creation Government has yet again showed its commitment to job creation, with the composition of a new Ministry of Employment and Labour which will focus on addressing the challenge of unemployment in the country. Addressing the nation on the composition of the National Executive at the Union Buildings in Tshwane on Wednesday evening, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that he had reduced his Cabinet from 36 to 28 ministries. He said following the elections, the administration was given a clear mandate which needed a capable and efficient Cabinet. If we are to make effective progress in building the South Africa that we all want, it is important that we deploy into positions of responsibility people who are committed, capable and hard-working, and who have integrity. In appointing a new national executive, I have taken a number of considerations into account, including experience, continuity, competence, generational mix and demographic and regional diversity, the President said. He said the people he appointed must realise that the expectations of the South African people have never been greater and that they will shoulder a great responsibility. President Ramaphosa warned the incoming Ministers and Deputy Ministers that their performance individually and collectively will be closely monitored against specific outcomes. Where implementation is unsatisfactory, action will be taken. He said the men and women who have been appointed to the executive have been drawn from all corners of the country. The President said for the first time in the history of the country, half of all Ministers were women. We have also included a significant number of young people. This is in fulfillment of our commitment to giving young people roles of responsibility in all sectors of society. He said this is part of a generational transition in which government is creating a pipeline of leaders to take the country further into the future. The President named David Mabuza as his Deputy President. President Ramaphosa made the following appointments to the National Executive: The Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development is Thoko Didiza. The Deputy Ministers are Sdumo Dlamini and Mcebisi Skwatsha. The Minister of Basic Education is Angie Motshekga. The Deputy Minister is Dr Regina Mhaule. The Minister of Communications is Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams. The Deputy Minister is Pinky Kekana. The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs is Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. The Deputy Ministers are Parks Tau and Obed Bapela. The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans is Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula. The Deputy Minister is Thabang Makwetla. The Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheriesis Barbara Creecy. The Deputy Minister is Maggie Sotyu. The Minister of Employment and Labour is Thulas Nxesi. The Deputy Minister is Boitumelo Moloi. The Minister of Finance is Tito Mboweni. The Deputy Minister is Dr David Masondo. The Minister of Health is Dr Zwelini Mkhize. The Deputy Minister is Dr Joe Phaahla. The Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology is Dr Blade Nzimande. The Deputy Minister is Buti Manamela. The Minister of Home Affairs is Dr Aaron Motsoaledi. The Deputy Minister is Njabulo Nzuza. The Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation is Lindiwe Sisulu. The Deputy Ministers are Pam Tshwete and David Mahlobo. The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation is Dr Naledi Pandor. The Deputy Ministers are Alvin Botes and Candith Mashego-Dlamini. The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services is Ronald Lamola. The Deputy Ministers are John Jeffery and Inkosi Phathekile Holomisa. The Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy is Gwede Mantashe. The Deputy Minister is Bavelile Hlongwa. The Minister of Police is General Bheki Cele. The Deputy Minister is Cassel Mathale. The Minister in the Presidency is Jackson Mthembu. The Deputy Minister in the Presidency is Thembi Siweya. The Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities is Maite Nkoana-Mashabane. The Deputy Minister is Prof Hlengiwe Mkhize. The Minister of Public Enterprises is Pravin Gordhan. The Deputy Minister is Phumulo Masualle. The Minister of Public Service and Administration is Senzo Mchunu. The Deputy Minister is Sindy Chikunga. The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure is Patricia De Lille. The Deputy Minister is Noxolo Kiviet. The Minister of Small Business Development is Khumbudzo Ntshavheni. The Deputy Minister is Rosemary Capa. The Minister of Social Development is Lindiwe Zulu. The Deputy Minister is Henrietta Bogopane-Zulu. The Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture is Nathi Mthethwa. The Deputy Minister is Nocawe Mafu. The Minister of State Security is Ayanda Dlodlo. The Deputy Minister is Zizi Kodwa. The Minister of Tourism is Nkhensani Kubayi-Ngubane. The Deputy Minister is Fish Mahlalela. The Minister of Trade and Industry is Ebrahim Patel. The Deputy Ministers are Fikile Majola and Nomalungelo Gina. The Minister of Transport is Fikile Mbalula. The Deputy Minister is Dikeledi Magadzi. The President expressed his appreciation to all those outgoing members of the Executive who served the country so ably in the Fifth Administration. We continue to value their experience, skills and contribution, and will give them suitable responsibilities where they will be able to serve the nation. Allow me to express my gratitude to all the Members of the incoming Executive for making themselves available to serve the nation, and I wish them all the best in the execution of their responsibilities. We have all been called upon to serve the people of this country, and we will do so to the utmost of our ability, President Ramaphosa said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2019-05-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Nacogdoches, TX (75965) Today Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms mainly during the morning. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High 77F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 58F. Winds light and variable. Public Sector Organization Islamabad Jobs 2019 Latest Public Sector Organization Management Posts Islamabad 2021 Public Sector Organization Islamabad, Government of Pakistan are requires applications from experienced individuals for the posts of Deputy Project Director, Civil Engineer, Site Engineer, Electrical Engineer, Project Assistant. How to Apply on Public Sector Organization Job Advertisement Apply as per details in job advertisement. In some cases, you may apply online at vacancies after registering at https://www.jobz.pk online. Note: Beware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities. If an employer asks to pay money for any purpose, do not pay at all and report us at contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs may not be applied online here. Human typing error is possible. Error & omissions excepted. For those with spotty internet connections, SpaceX's upcoming "Starlink" satellite-based broadband system probably seems pretty appealing. The company has been making steady progress toward launching a wide array of internet-beaming satellites into Earth's orbit, and it seems like the team is on track to roll the service out to users sometime in 2020. Unfortunately, while Starlink might be a fantastic boon for consumers, it's much less desirable from the point of view of an astronomer -- and these individuals have made their concerns clear on social media. Particularly, astronomers fear that the reflectivity of SpaceX's satellite may make it hard to see some parts of space with a telescope. Though SpaceX has only launched about 60 test Starlink satellites for now, that number is supposed to reach 12,000 some day; at which point the satellites will form a "megaconstellation" around the earth. For the average person, this may not be much of an issue. But for the previously-mentioned astronomers, that's an awful lot of extra space junk to contend with as they examine the stars. Fortunately, the issue -- though it will indeed exist -- may not be as bad as some fear. Astronomer Jonathan McDowell notes that Starlink's satellites, when properly oriented (with their solar panels facing the sun), are "significantly" fainter. So the good news: it seems that once the Starlink sats point their solar panels at the Sun properly they are significantly fainter (more like mag 5 than mag 2). That is still brighter than we had expected and still a problem, but somewhat less of a sky-is-on-fire problem. Jonathan McDowell (@planet4589) May 26, 2019 McDowell says their brightness is closer to "mag 5" (referring to "apparent magnitude," a brightness classification system used by astronomers) than mag 2. "That is still brighter than we had expected and still a problem, but somewhat less of a sky-is-on-fire problem," he added. As for SpaceX CEO Elon Musk's take on the subject, he feels that while Starlink's overall mission would be worthwhile even if it caused some issues for astronomers and scientists, the company will "make sure" the service has "no material effect" on space discoveries moving forward. "We care a great deal about science," Musk said on Twitter. Why it matters: Microsoft's inability to deliver solid updates as of late has led to an eroded faith in the operating system -- especially when the updates break security features. Many Windows 10 users are beginning to avoid updating at all to protect both their PCs and their sanity, which is precisely the opposite effect cumulative updates are supposed to have. One of Microsoft's more anticipated features coming to Windows 10 with the May 2019 (1903) update was the Windows Sandbox. Unfortunately, Microsoft admitted the recent update has left the new security feature unable to launch for many users. If that wasn't enough, Windows Defender Application Guard is also down. Windows Sandbox was announced last year as a feature for Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise users, and would allow them to run a virtualized, sandboxed environment. This virtualization is designed to run less like a virtual machine, and more like a separate application. There's no need to install any third party VM software, as is the case with setting up a traditional virtual machine. Windows Defender Application Guard is an enterprise-specific feature, allowing untrusted sites to be opened in a Windows Hyper-V container. This is designed to protect enterprise machines and data while employees use the network and internet. However, Microsoft has acknowledged that both features are failing to launch with the latest KB4497936 update. In support documents, Microsoft explains a potential workaround by creating new registry keys using admin credentials, then restarting the host. Outside of that, Microsoft is working on a more permanent resolution, estimated to be available in late June. The update also provided some protections against the newest speculative execution side-channel vulnerabilities, known collectively as MDS. It's also important to note that the KB4497936 update was only delivered to the preview rings of the Windows Insider program. That said, Microsoft hasn't exactly hit the mark with previous updates. Hopefully Microsoft can iron out the kinks, or this will be another in a long string of problematic updates. What just happened? Huaweis battle with Donald Trumps administration isnt abating. As well as dealing with its recent addition to the Entity List, which bans American organizations from doing business with the Chinese firm, the company has filed a motion for a summary judgment against the US government as it looks to declare part of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) unconstitutional. Back in August last year, President Trump signed the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which bans US government agencies and contractors from using certain tech from ZTE, Huawei, and other Chinese firms over security concerns. Responding to the ban, Huawei filed a lawsuit against the US government in March. It alleged that section 889 of the Act is unconstitutional as it specifically targets a person or group without a fair trial. Huawei hopes a summary judgement will speed up the process of stopping illegal action against the company. The US Congress has repeatedly failed to produce any evidence to support its restrictions on Huawei products. We are compelled to take this legal action as a proper and last resort, said Guo Ping, Huaweis rotating chairman. Huawei says the Act disrupts existing contracts, stigmatizes the company and its employees as tools of the Chinese government, and threatens its ability to do business in the U.S. They are using every tool they have, including legislative, administrative, and diplomatic channels. They want to put us out of business. This is not normal. Almost never seen in history, said Huaweis chief legal officer, Song Liuping, in a press conference in Shenzhen. The fact is, the US government has provided no evidence to show that Huawei is a security threat. There is no gun, no smoke. Only speculation. The judicial system is the last line of defense for justice. Huawei has confidence in the independence and integrity of the US judicial system. We hope that mistakes in the NDAA can be corrected by the court, Song added. Huaweis recent inclusion on an Entity List that prevents it from doing business with US companies without a license could spell disaster. Google, Microsoft, Qualcomm, Intel, Broadcom, the Wi-Fi Alliance, and others have been cutting ties with the firm in the wake of the decision. This sets a dangerous precedent. Today its telecoms and Huawei. Tomorrow it could be your industry, your company, your consumers, said Song. Huawei claims blacklisting the firm will harm 1,200 US companies and could put tens of thousands of Americans out of a job. The big picture: Uber said it only expects a small number of riders to be impacted by ratings-based deactivations, adding that its the right thing to do. In other words, if you dont know how to behave like a civilized adult, Uber doesnt want your business. Uber drivers have long been expected to maintain a minimum rating threshold or face expulsion from the platform. Now, riders are being held to similar standards. As part of Ubers updated community guidelines, the company now reserves the right to ban riders from using the service if they develop a significantly below average rating. Kate Parker, head of safety, brand and initiatives, said riders will be given several opportunities to improve their rating prior to losing access and even receive tips on how to improve their ratings. Examples mentioned include avoiding leaving trash in a vehicle, encouraging polite behavior and not requesting that your driver exceed the speed limit you know, common sense stuff. Uber didnt say what level a riders rating must fall to in order to be deactivated. According to a leaked document from 2015, drivers face deactivation if their rating drops below 4.6. Uber has long maintained customer ratings but this is the first time they're being put to use as part of a public-facing feature with actionable consequences. Image credit: tax driver having argument with passenger by Snapic_PhotoProduction Each genuine question or comment will have link to your Jobz.pk profile, hence more chances to get dream job or freelance work. Register Now to make your freelance profile online Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, who have been monitoring air samples since 1983, has noticed an alarming spike in methane levels. The amount of greenhouse gases, including methane, has been steadily rising since the Industrial Revolution. By the turn of the millennium, levels of atmospheric methane were high but mostly flattened out. However, in 2007, it started to rapidly increase. Then, in 2014, it rose even faster. Scientists did not know why. Atmospheric Methane Levels Rising Rapidly According to the most recent measurements, the current level of methane in the atmosphere is about 1,867 parts per billion. Humans are responsible for about 60 percent of the global methane emissions. "The really fascinating thing about methane is the fact that almost everything we humans do has an effect on the methane budget, from producing food to producing fuel to disposing of waste," said Lori Bruhwiler, a research scientist, in a conversation with Undark. However, a recently published study revealed that the levels of methane from natural sources suddenly increased. This, scientists said, explains the uptick of the potent greenhouse gas that cannot be attributed to human activity. The problem is, finding what is driving the sudden growth will not be easy. The researchers added that figuring out what is causing the increase is necessary in the fight against climate change. "We need to have process representation to understand these mechanisms," explained Eric Kort, an atmospheric scientist from the University of Michigan, "so we can say, for example, with certain changes to temperature and the hydrological cycle, we'd expect methane emissions to increase by X amount." Natural Methane Emissions Scientists suspected that microbial sources such as wetlands might be responsible for the sharp increase of methane emissions to the atmosphere. Wetlands are the biggest contributor of natural methane, and they can be very unpredictable. They are able to change production of methane from year to year. Pep Canadell, the executive director of the Global Carbon Project, added that wetlands are "the ultimate potential carbon climate feedback" that scientists still do not fully understand. The emission from microbes in wetlands is a response to the shifts in climate. They produce methane, for example, when there is increased precipitation, or when the temperature is unusually warm. If this is the case, the authors noted that the only way to decrease levels of atmospheric methane is to decrease human-caused emissions "which we can control." Decreasing the amount of the potent greenhouse gas, which is more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, would prevent further warming around the world. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. At Computex, Qualcomm fully unveiled its collab effort with Lenovo called Project Limitless, which it coins as the world's first Snapdragon-powered, 5G-capable PC. The device, purpose-built for PCs that offers 5G connectivity, says the two companies, runs on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8cx Compute Platform, which supports both 4G and 5G connectivity, pairs a Qualcomm Adreno 680 GPU with the Qualcomm Kryo 495 chip. It's got a battery life that can last for several days on a single charge, adds Qualcomm. Project Limitless The laptop should perhaps come as little surprise, as it was teased back earlier this year during the Mobile World Congress. What makes this different from other Snapdragon-powered laptops released previously is the aforementioned 8cx platform, which is supposed to offer "ultra-low latency, remarkable performance, battery life and 5G connectivity that will revolutionize the way we work and play," according Johnson Jia, SVP of Lenovo's PC Business Group. Qualcomm says Project Limitless will pave the way for "new, transformative user experiences for both consumers and enterprise." That gives a rough idea on who Qualcomm is positioning this device toward regular users and those in business. Project Limitless 5G While 5G is still largely an "on the cards" type of innovation, its arrival is becoming more and more imminent. Which is why Qualcomm aims to future-proof Project Limitless by making it compatible with potential 5G implementations that might come in the future. In one of its examples, Qualcomm says Project Limitless could use its built-in artificial intelligence and combine that with 5G connectivity to translate foreign languages in real time. Why would one need 5G on a PC, exactly? Well, one of the most crucial facets of 5G is speed, of course, and if properly implemented, bandwidth-heavy tasks could become more seamless, including downloading large files or sending them to colleagues. Project partners, for instance, can collaborate online while editing video footage and then upload the finished film almost instantly. Downloading a full-length film might take just a few minutes, as is downloading an entire season of one's favorite show on Netflix. "The Snapdragon 8cx's ultra-low latency, extreme performance, and extreme connectivity work together to make this possible," says Qualcomm. Project Limitless Price And Release Date Neither Qualcomm nor Lenovo has hinted at a possible release date or pricing, however. More information will come in early 2020, as XDA Developers reports. Make sure to check back with Tech Times as we learn more. If you have any thoughts about Project Limitless, feel free to sound them off in the comments section below! 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. More than half a million pigs were culled in the past two weeks in Vietnam, bringing the total killed so far to 1.7 million. African swine fever is spreading across the country, with threats of reaching commercial farms next. The number of pigs culled is equivalent to 5 percent of the country's herd population. There has been no available vaccine and medicine for treating the contagious disease in animals. Highly Contagious African Swine Fever Virus According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, the African swine fever is a fatal animal disease affecting pigs and wild boars of all ages with up to 100 percent mortality. It is a highly contagious, generalized disease of pigs caused by an Iridovirus of family Asfarviridae. The agent can remain viable for long periods in blood, feces, and tissues of infected animals. The disease commonly manifests in the acute form as hemorrhagic fever and can also multiply in its vectors. "The control of ASF is dependent on stamping out policy and strict quarantine enforcement," the FAO said in an update. The virus persists in three distinct cycles: the sylvatic cycle, the tick-pig cycle, and the domestic or pig to pig cycle. ASF Outbreak In Vietnam And Other Asian Countries As of May 23, the countries affected with ASF are China, Vietnam, Mongolia, and Cambodia. The ASF virus that was first detected in Vietnam in February, has spread to 42 out of its 63 provinces. Outbreaks may even occur in locations where there have been no new cases for at least a month, according to officials. Rains and flooding in the southwestern region of the Mekong Delta have worsened the spread of the disease and affected the burial of culled pigs. "The African swine fever outbreak is the most dangerous and costly of its kind in the husbandry industry of Vietnam," said Nguyen Xuan Cuong, agriculture minister of Vietnam. The official further said it is difficult to contain the outbreak because the virus remains dormant in the environment for a long time and can spread through complex and various ways. Actions Taken By Vietnam Vietnam has implemented movement control of pigs and pig products from affected communes. ASF positive farms have been depopulated according to the government's Action Plan for Emergency Response. In Vietnam's "pig capital" Dong Nai province, authorities will prosecute farmers who will fight against the culling of their sickened pigs. Slaughtering of infected pigs for meat is still occurring in the province. The government will also mobilize military and police forces to help combat the outbreak. Authorities are encouraging the rearing of poultry, cattle, and other livestock to make up for the possible shortage of pork. Most of Vietnam's 30 million farm-raised pigs are consumed domestically. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Wildlife officials in Malaysia announced that Tam, the last remaining male Sumatran rhinoceros in the country, has died after suffering from kidney and liver problems. Augustine Tuuga, director of the Sabah Wildlife Department, told local reporters that Tam's condition had been declining since last month. The animal had seemingly lost his appetite and his alertness was not as sharp as before. Urine tests later revealed that the Sumatran rhino's kidneys were in bad shape. His other organs were also showing signs of failure. While officials have yet to determine what exactly caused Tam's health to deteriorate rapidly, it is believed that it might have been because of the animal's old age. Tuuga said Tam may have already been in his thirties, and Sumatran rhinos typically only have 35 to 40 years of life expectancy. Animal conservationists are saddened by Tam's passing, especially after Sumatran rhinos were declared a critically endangered species. In fact, the animals are already extinct in Malaysia's wilderness. Iman, Tam's supposed mating partner, is the only one left of their kind in the country. Most of the remaining Sumatran rhinos in Southeast Asia can be found in Indonesia. "Tam's death underscores how critically important the collaborative efforts driving the Sumatran Rhino Rescue project are," said Margaret Kinnaird, wildlife practice leader for the World Wildlife Fund. "We've got to capture those remaining, isolated rhinos in Kalimantan and Sumatra and do our best to encourage them to make babies." The Last Male Sumatran Rhino In Malaysia Before his passing, Tam had been living at the Tabin Wildlife Reserve in the state of Sabah. He was brought there after he was rescued from an oil palm plantation in 2008. With Sumatran rhinos facing near-extinction in the wild, animals experts tried to have Tam mate with two females-Puntung and Iman-to produce new rhinos. However, both attempts at producing an offspring failed. "We hung so much hope on Tam to produce offspring in captivity, but that hope was dashed when the remaining two females at Tabin were unable to carry fetuses," Kinnaird noted. Tam may not have been able to produce new Sumatran rhinos, but his presence even in captivity helped researchers learn more about the endangered species. Susie Ellis, executive director of Texas-based International Rhino Foundation, noted how the Borneo Rhino Alliance helped advance understanding regarding the Sumatran rhinos' biology through the group's work on reproductive techniques. She stressed that people need to understand how precarious the animals' survival is, adding that Tam's death represents nearly 1 percent of the total population of the species in the world. Efforts To Save Sumatran Rhinos Kinnaird said Tam's death should serve as a wake-up call to find more Sumatran rhinos in the wild. The WWF has been coordinating with other conservation groups to help save the animals, as part of the Sumatran Rhino Rescue coalition. In 2018, the coalition successfully rescued a new female rhino, which was later named Pahu. She was taken to a breeding facility in the Indonesian town of Kelian Lestari. Researchers said Pahu appears to be in good health to reproduce. The animal is reportedly thriving in her new habitat and may soon have company at the facility. Kinnaird believes they may be able to find more rhinos in the wilderness of Kalimantan in Indonesia, given the positive results of their recent surveys in the area. Meanwhile, Ellis said they need to focus on saving the remaining 80 Sumatran rhinos left in the wild by conducting intensive protection and captive breeding. They also plan to work with locals to help protect the animals. She described their conservation effort as a battle that they cannot afford to lose. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Dogs are not only man's best friend. They could also be lifesavers for war and army veterans battling post-traumatic stress disorder. Many veterans with PTSD say service dogs save their lives. However, it is hard to show quantifiable research to prove this claim. To answer this dilemma, researchers from the Purdue University of Indiana are studying veterans and their service dogs Studying War Vets And Service Dogs The researchers studied about 100 veterans and their service dogs to know if there is a chemical reaction ignited by service dogs in their owners and vice versa. Maggie O'Haire, associate professor of human-animal interaction in Purdue's College of Veterinary Medicine, is leading the research. O'Haire has devoted years probing how service dogs might offer both physiological and behavioral benefits to veterans with PTSD. In 2014, O'Haire started researching about service dogs and veterans. Her pilot study in 2015 to 2016 showed that overall symptoms of PTSD were lower among war veterans with service dogs. A study published last year used physiological markers to define the biobehavioral effects of service dogs on veterans with PTSD. "Our long-term research goal is to quantify how service dogs may affect the health and well-being of military members and veterans with PTSD," said O'Haire. At present, she is leading a large-scale National Institutes of Health clinical trial on veterans with and without service dogs over an extended period of time. Rising Need For Service Dogs The need for service dogs trained to assist people with PTSD or reduced mobility has expanded as veterans started returning from multiple tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. Sully, the Labrador service dog of the late President George H.W. Bush, is doing well as a part of a team of rehabilitation dogs serving veterans at the Walter Reed Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. To address the surging demand for specially trained dogs to detect security threats and assist veterans, the State University of New York at Cobleskill will offer a four-year program in "canine training and management" starting this fall. "I do believe this is the first of its kind of this caliber of degree," said Nick Hof, chairman of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, referring to the program being offered at a major university. Students who will enroll in the program may also take many science courses to learn about dog health, nutrition, and genetics. Vets Involved In Canine Training Program Another program in Chittenango, New York offers a canine program as an alternative form of therapy for veterans diagnosed with PTSD. The year-long dog training initiated by Clear Path for Veterans is meant to relieve some of the symptoms of the illness. Some 30 to 40 veterans and their dogs in the program can participate in the six-month training for companion animals and a more intense service animal training. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Early humans may have learned how to walk on two legs as a result of a massive supernova that happened millions of years ago. While early apes were able to walk on all fours, the ancestors of humans somehow developed the ability to walk upright. This gave these ancient people an advantage over their quadrupedal contemporaries. However, it was unclear what exactly spurred humans to learn bipedal movement. In a study featured in the Journal of Geology, researchers from the University of Kansas explored the possibility of a cosmic event influencing how prehistoric humans were able to move about. Prof. Adrian Melott and his team focused on a supernova that occurred about 7 million years ago. Cosmic Rays From An Ancient Supernova The Kansas researchers point to an explosion of stars in the Milky Way that scattered cosmic rays throughout the galaxy for several million years. The radiation from this event eventually reached the Earth about 2.6 million years ago. The cosmic rays caused the ions in the Earth's atmosphere to go haywire, making the planet's covering more conductive. The increased occurrence of lightning strikes led to massive wildfires that ravaged African forests and turned them into grasslands. With only a few trees left, early humans were forced to adapt to their new environment. This is what might have caused them to learn how to walk upright, according to the researchers. Early Humans Walking On Two Legs The ability to walk on two legs were first seen in an ancestor of humans known as Sahelanthropus. This 6-million-year-old human species had physical features that bore some resemblance to those of apes and humans. Fossils of this ancient being were recovered from a site in the African country of Chad. A popular theory among scientists is that early humans may have picked up the ability to walk upright as a result of climate change transforming their environment. The forests where these people once lived were later turned into savannahs. Melott said prehistoric humans were already trying to learn how to stand upright even before the supernova occurred. However, he and his colleagues believe the cosmic event may have played a role in spurring these people to pick up the skill faster. "Bipedalism had already gotten started, but we think this may have given it a strong shot in the arm," the professor noted. Lightning has been known to cause of fires even before humans came along. The fires that were triggered throughout the years may have led to the destruction of many habitats, according to Melott. The burned forests eventually gave way to the creation of grasslands, which were more advantageous to creatures that were able to walk upright. Melott explained that the new environment allowed early people to simply walk from tree to tree and look over tall grass for potential predators. The study's findings suggest that supernovae may affect the frequency of lightning strikes on Earth. If this proves true, then future cosmic events may lead to more wildfires occurring across the planet. However, scientists do not expect any supernova happening any time soon. The nearest star to the Earth that is expected to explode is the Betelgeuse, located some 642 light-years away. It will not become a supernova for at least a few billion years. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Russia is heading to the moon. Roscosmos, Russia's state space corporation, is aiming to send cosmonauts to the lunar surface by 2030s. On Thursday, May 23, Dmitry Rogozin spoke to students at the Moscow University about future plans, including a manned mission to the moon. Ars Technica was able to obtain the copy of the slide deck used during the presentation. Russia's Lunar Ambitions The plan includes developing a new "Super Heavy" booster that can carry up to 103 metric tons of cargo to the low-orbit and 27 metric tons to the lunar pole orbit. A "Federation" spacecraft should also be completed by 2022, with a maiden flight set to launch to the International Space Station by 2023. A crewed flight to the lunar orbit is scheduled to take place in 2029 along with testing of a lunar lander and an inflatable lunar base module. Cosmonauts will officially take their first step on the surface of the moon in 2030. Rogozin, however, stated that the timeline could still change. The space corporation wants to arrive on the lunar surface as soon as possible. For comparison, NASA's Artemis Program is already currently underway. The U.S. space agency recently announced that the private space tech firm Maxar has been awarded the contract to build the lunar Gateway platform. The Gateway will orbit the moon and serve as a jumping-off point for astronauts who want to explore Earth's natural satellite. NASA is also fast-tracking plans to send American astronauts to the lunar surface under the directive of the White House. Based on current plans, the United States is set to send a crewed mission to the moon as soon as 2024 over 50 years since the last manned lunar landing mission. Ars Technica, however, noted that unlike the United States, Russia does not see the potential for industrial utilization of the celestial body. Instead, Rogozin stated that the role of a lunar station should be as a defense against comets and asteroids. The construction of a Russian lunar base is set to begin in 2034. The New Space Race The next decade will be an exciting time with both Russia and the United States aiming to send humans to the moon. China, too, has previously expressed plans to launch a manned mission to the lunar surface in the near future. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Heres some good news: The first day of summer is June 21. Thats still just about three weeks away. Ah, spring. Other good news: Summer will then be over within three months come Sept. 23. In the meantime, well just breeze through the dog days as we await the coming of a cool, comfy fall. The bad news: Yeah, right. So, with this in mind, I return my attention to my sometime neighbors from Wisconsin, Rick Krumwiede and Becky Martini Krumwiede. I introduced the retired couple recently in a column about connections made with old friends through new ones bound by their love and appreciation of the Cajun and Creole cultures. For five years now, Rick and Becky have come to the Deep south in February when the tundra is frozen and remain until spring nearly beckons. This year they missed the bomb cyclone Wesley, basically a hurricane in the middle of winter in the middle of our country, on their return home. Their first exposure to our homegrown sounds was zydeco on a Putamayo compilation CD from Beckys sister, who, as a traveling nurse, worked in Abbeville and then New Orleans. And we knew we liked that, so probably the first Cajun music we heard was in Oshkosh, said Rick. They used to have a Sawdust Days Festival with a Cajun and zydeco stage with bands from Louisiana. They dont recall who they heard. We didnt didnt know enough about it, said Rick. Yeah, said Becky. We just liked it. However, the couple did dance. We actually did. At some point, we tried it, Rick said. We didnt know what we were doing, but we gave it a try. They know what theyre doing now by a long shot. You should see them; the two take to the dance floor like Fred and Ginger, with calm aplomb and giddy eyes. They didnt take lessons; just practiced. For Cajun dance, the couple took a cue from instructional DVDs and practiced in our basement and played it over 14,000 times, Becky said with a wink in her voice. They also watched Greg Benusas DVDs teach zydeco dance. The zydeco is kind of California style, said Rick. When we got to Louisiana, it didnt look anything like what people were doing. But Cajun, there are a couple of really old Cajun DVDs and I can't even remember them. I remember the guys with the yellow shirts but also the one by the Courvilles. Theyre still around. We still see them at Randols with tour groups. Rick and Becky first visited the area in the fall of 2013 and, no, it wasnt for Festivals Acadiens et Creoles. No, actually it was right after I retired, we decided to take a 10-day trip," he said. "So we flew down to Lafayette and stayed in four different places. We just wanted to check out the area because we knew we liked the music and weve been to a couple of Cajun dances up here. That wouldve been the Cajun Strangers, a Madison Cajun band. Then they came to see the firsthand the original purveyors of Cajun and zydeco music. So, we went down there in the fall, said Rick. And, man, we went everywhere in that 10-day period and decided we liked it so much, that wed come down for at least a month in the wintertime. Yep, Becky said. So thats morphed into six weeks now. Id like it to be longer. In those six weeks, the dancing duo hit all the action, from the Cajun jams at the Blue Moon and in the homes of locals, to whoevers playing at Randols, La Poussiere, Artmosphere, Feed n Seed, Pont Breauxs, Buck & Johnnys and Taunt Maries (formerly Joie de Vivre). Keeping with a healthy lifestyle, the couple also pedal around Breaux Bridge during the day, and indulge in Off Road Cro K, a sport in which Rick quickly shed his Rookie from McCookie status with inexplicable victories on day one. But when the couple arent here, they get their Cajun dance fix by going to monthly dances in Madison, and, We listen to KRVS (88.7 FM) a lot, Rick said. They start their Saturday mornings with Zydeco Est Pas Sale with JB and MC - theyre a hoot, said Becky. Oh, yeah, said Rick. Weve been listen to Herman (Fuselier/Zydeco Stomp) for years. Rick and Becky have connected to the culture and the people here and are looking at extending their visits and possibly even buying. Wed love to have a place so that we could come down more often," Rick said. "I dont know that wed want to live there year round. The summers are actually nice up here. Copy that. We also have nice summers. Nice and hot and humid. And not calendar specific, either. Dr. Natalie Harder, Chancellor of South Louisiana Community College from Discover Lafayette on Vimeo. The low educational attainment rate in Louisiana is holding the state back, SLCC chancellor Natalie Harder told Jan Swift of the Discover Lafayette podcast recently. Harder talked more about education in the state and other topics. You can listen to their conversation here. Adult education is now a key focus for SLCC and Harder, who became chancellor in 2012. She was the first in her family to attend college, and she earned a doctorate in community college leadership from Old Dominion University in Norfolk VA. Inside info on doing business in Acadiana We'll keep you posted on the Acadiana economy. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up She oversaw the merger of SLCC and Acadiana Technical College in her first year and the merger of Young Memorial Campus of South Central Louisiana Technical College in 2018. Both moves enable SLCC to serve an area stretching from Houma to Ville Platte. The average age of an SLCC student is 26-27, she said, and many are working while attending classes and typically not eligible for financial aid through programs such as PELL grants. Sixty percent its students graduate without debt, and for those with debt, it is typically under $7,500. SLCC offers certification courses are commercial truck driving, nursing, health care related fields, accounting and IT/application software techs. The Ascension Parish president announced his decision Tuesday to veto a series of recent amendments passed by the Parish Council to address the impacts of potential future floods, including additional restrictions on the amount of fill developers could use to elevate buildings. Parish Council members passed the changes amid public pressure to mitigate the effects of flooding after homes across the parish were devastated in August 2016. The council approved new limits on elevating homes in the parish's lowest areas while simultaneously increasing the elevation requirement for new construction. Parish President Kenny Matassa announced his veto decision in a letter sent to council members Tuesday. His letter cites potential challenges arising from implementation and enforcement, including that the increased elevation requirement would "be onerous on an individual property owner" and present a "cost to benefit ratio" that would "not accrue to the parish in a significant way." +2 After months of delay, Ascension takes 'big step' expanding limits on dirt use in parish's lowest areas GONZALES Facing public pressure to address the effects of the August 2016 flood, the Ascension Parish Council will expand limits on the use For many years, developers used dirt without limit to raise homes to meet parish elevation rules in large-scale commercial and residential projects but had to build retention ponds to counteract the water displacement caused by all that fill. Even before the 2016 flood, but especially afterward, the practice of "fill mitigation" drew the ire of longtime residents who were skeptical about whether the retention ponds would actually divert water from their properties. They argued mounding up dirt is like dropping one more ice cube in an already full glass: There's no place for the water to go but into someone else's house. The recent changes sought to replace unlimited use of fill with other methods of elevating structures, such as building houses on stilts or raised foundations. The changes also specified that new homes and businesses must be elevated one foot higher than the current requirement, a change supporters said would reduce flood insurance rates for new homes and gear parish development for the long term. But builders voiced strong opposition to the amendments in the weeks leading up to the council's vote, saying alternative methods of elevated construction would be too expensive and unreasonable. They showed up in force at recent meetings to oppose the plans as a wrongheaded, blanket change without factual support that would have unintended consequences and still not prevent another flood of the same magnitude. Matassa included in his letter a potential compromise, which would allow no fill in areas designated as "coastal zones" under the state's 2017 Coastal Master Plan and to adopt a "zero net fill" policy outside that area. Matassa noted that his veto will be placed on the agenda of the June 6 Parish Council meeting, at which point council members could override the veto with a two-thirds vote. A new arrest warrant signed Monday provides additional details about alleged events leading up to the bizarre security breach at the Governor's Mansion last month. Reynard Green, 34, was arrested April 17 after authorities found him sleeping on a couch inside the Governor's Mansion. He was released on bond a few weeks later, court records show. Now he's wanted on additional counts after a woman who lives near the Governor's Mansion said Green tried to enter her house earlier that same night. +2 In Governor's Mansion security breach, man trespasses then falls asleep on couch, police say The Louisiana State Police on Monday revealed a security breach at the Governor's Mansion, saying they had arrested a man last week who trespa The woman called police immediately and initially reported that a man and woman were knocking on her door, according to the warrant. Police responded to her address and found the man had left but the other woman was still there. She told officers she and her boyfriend had gotten lost looking for a hospital. Police wrote in the warrant that the boyfriend had walked away from the scene and was never located. 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 resident contacted police again about a month later and said she hadn't been able to sleep since the incident out of fear, according to the warrant. She then provided additional details about the night, including that she heard her doorbell ring and saw a woman trying to turn her doorknob. The resident then turned and saw a man pulling on her back door and "pushing it with his body attempting to get inside." She also said she saw Green's photo on TV and in the newspaper and "knew it was the same person trying to get into her residence hours earlier." In the Governor's Mansion case, Green was booked on simple burglary, criminal trespass and criminal damage to property, possession of a Schedule I narcotic and two counts of battery of a police officer. His criminal record includes minor arrests but no prior convictions in East Baton Rouge, court records show. Gov. John Bel Edwards has declined to comment on whether he or his family were in the mansion at the time. MORGAN CITY Lee Dragna was born in 1973, the first time the Army Corps of Engineers opened the Morganza Spillway control structure to alleviate flooding on the Mississippi River. That's when the late Morgan City Mayor C.R. "Doc" Brownell first sank a barge in Bayou Chene to stop the swollen Atchafalaya River from pushing flood water north and inundating parts of St. Mary, lower St. Martin, Assumption, Lafourche, Terrebonne and Iberville parishes. +13 Morganza Spillway to be opened next week amid 'historic and unprecedented' flood fight Upstream floodwaters flowing toward a swollen Mississippi River will require the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to open its rarely used Morganza This week, as in 2011, Dragna is overseeing the sinking of another barge across Bayou Chene as the Corps of Engineers prepares to open the Morganza Spillway structure for the third time in its history, sending more water down an already-high Atchafalaya River. Dragna was on Front Street in Morgan City on Tuesday morning. The chairman of the St. Mary Parish Gravity Drainage District board, Dragna was instructing workers on how to plug a leak in the heavy iron flood wall gate that keeps the swollen Atchafalaya River at bay. Without the flood wall, former Mayor Tim Matte said, right now there would be 6 feet of water in Elliott subdivision, a middle-class neighborhood of brick homes between the river and Lake Palourde that includes Central Catholic and Morgan City high schools. Repairing the broken seal in the gate is a proactive move, Dragna said Tuesday, as water poured through the gap and into a drain in the street. The real problem will be when the Morganza Spillway is opened and additional water presses against the flood wall. "It's going to shoot out of there," Dragna said. "It may not look like much water, but that's about 400 gallons of water a minute now." Can't see video below? Click here. Despite the leak, Dragna isn't concerned about the flood wall or levees surrounding Morgan City failing. "Morgan City's not worried about it," he said of the rising water. "It can come up all it wants. We've got to worry about all our neighbors, though." That's where the barge on Bayou Chene comes into play. At the former McDermott fabrication yard on Bayou Boeuf in Assumption Parish, workers from Dragna's company, LAD Services, prepared the Marmac 400 barge for its role in the flood fight, while others drilled steel pilings each 100 feet long and 105,000 pounds into Bayou Chene. Wednesday, six tugboats will tow the barge to Bayou Chene and position it against the pilings, Dragna explained. +4 As Morganza Spillway opening looms, conservationists and scientists worry about wildlife survival As local officials, agricultural producers and residents prepare for the potential opening of the Morganza Spillway in June, conservationists Four workers will descend into the barge and manually turn each valve 100 times, he said, sending 6-7 million gallons of water flooding into various tanks inside the barge. The process is choreographed and diagrammed to ensure the barge sinks properly without flipping. 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 "Sinking stuff is what we do," Dragna said, calling the process "a controlled descent." The sinking will take about eight hours, then sheet metal will be pounded 35-40 feet into the bottom of the bayou. About two feet of the 22-foot-tall barge will protrude from the water. Wing walls built in 2011 stretching from either side of the bayou bank remain and will be used again, Matte said. The final closure involves dumping tons of rock at each corner of the barge. When the threat from flooding has passed, the barge will be recovered. Matte, who was Morgan City's mayor the last time the Corps opened the Morganza Spillway structure in 2011, today is executive director of the St. Mary Parish Levee District. While the barge gets all the attention, he said, it's the sheet metal that's the star. The barge supports the sheet metal, which is actually what blocks the channel. While it's too late for this flood fight, the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority has pledged $80 million to build a permanent floodgate across Bayou Chene. The money is from federal offshore oil and gas revenues returned to Gulf Coast states. The structure is expected to include a 400-foot gate that can be swung into place and be sunk during high water periods. Connie Arcemont said her family isn't taking any chances on the sunken barge preventing additional flooding in the lower St. Martin Parish community of Stephensville. Even though her daughter Hannah's house is surrounded by sand bags and water-filled tubes, they plan to leave before the Morganza is opened, just like they left when it was opened in 2011. "We'll evacuate probably June 1," she said, "because they're opening it June 2. We're definitely not going to be around." Jerry Turner, 77, and his wife did what they could to stop water from entering their Stephensville home about a week ago, but it flooded for the first time in 39 years. "We were just devastated when we saw it coming in and we couldn't stop it," he said. They got it cleaned up and surrounded the house with 300 sand bags and water-filled tubes, but Turner said the battle is taking its toll on him mentally and physically. Matte was a teenager in 1973, the year of the big flood, the one before a taller flood wall was built along the Morgan City river front, the one where school was dismissed weeks early for summer because of the danger, the one where the Mississippi River almost won its battle to change course down the Atchafalaya River when part of the Old River Control Structure that keeps the Mississippi River on course nearly failed. In 1973, Matte said, the Atchafalaya reached 10.53 feet at Morgan City. Since then, a taller flood wall was built along the river and levees around the city were strengthened and heightened. In 2011, the river was predicted to reach a record 12 to 13 feet at Morgan City, "which we've never seen," Matte said. But a series of events, including dry ground that absorbed much of the water released into the spillway, led to only a 10.35-foot crest. This year, the prediction is a 10-foot crest June 18, the third-highest the city will have seen, he said. Like Dragna, Matte said he isn't worried. The city has seen this before. Officials are prepared and can make adjustments as need. But with storms continuing north of Louisiana, that's more water that'll be heading down the Mississippi River and into its distributaries, including the Atchafalaya, he said. "Mother Nature is going to determine how much water we get," Matte said. WASHINGTON Special counsel Robert Mueller said Wednesday he was barred from charging President Donald Trump with a crime but pointedly emphasized that his Russia report did not exonerate the president. If he could have cleared Trump of obstruction of justice he "would have said so," Mueller declared. The special counsel's remarks, his first in public since being tasked two years ago with investigating Russian interference to help Trump win the 2016 presidential election, stood as a strong rebuttal to Trump's repeated claims that he was exonerated and that the inquiry was merely a "witch hunt." They also marked a clear counter to criticism, including by Attorney General William Barr, that he should have reached a determination on whether the president illegally tried to obstruct the probe by taking actions such as firing his FBI director. Mueller made clear he believed he was restrained from indicting a sitting president such an action was "not an option" because of a Justice Department legal opinion. He did not use the word 'impeachment" but said it was Congress' job to hold the president accountable for any wrongdoing. "If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so," Mueller said. "We did not however make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime." Mueller's statement largely echoed the central points of his 448-page report released last month with some redactions. But his remarks, just under 10 minutes long and delivered from a Justice Department podium, were nonetheless extraordinary given that he had never before discussed or characterized his findings and had stayed mute during two years of feverish public speculation. Mueller, a former FBI director, said his work was complete and he was resigning to return to private life. For his rare appearance, he wore a black suit, crisp white shirt and blue tie, walking briskly onto the stage gripping a folder containing prepared remarks that he largely adhered to. His remarks underscored the unsettled resolution, and revelations of behind-the-scenes discontent, that accompanied the end of his investigation. Mueller's refusal to reach a conclusion on criminal obstruction opened the door for Barr to clear the president, who in turn has cited the attorney general's finding as proof of his innocence. Republican members of Louisiana's congressional delegation also have backed Barr's position that Trump was exonerated in the probe and urged Democrats to move on. U.S. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, stood by that position in a statement shortly after Mueller's public address. "It is well past time for Democrats to move on from this madness. Speaker Pelosi and her caucus need to accept the results of the 2016 election, admit there was no collusion, and recognize that Russias election meddling happened under President Obamas watch," Scalise said. "Republicans are committed to improving the lives of the American people. I invite Democrats to join us and focus on the issues their constituents sent them to Congress to address. U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, R-Madisonville, also said Wednesday that Mueller's report "speaks for itself." "Most Americans who wanted to read the report have read it, and they have drawn their own conclusions," he said. "Congress needs to move on and accept Muellers findings once and for all. Now its time for Congress to do its job serving the American people. U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond, the lone Democrat in the Louisiana delegation, has had a much different response. Richmond, of New Orleans, is assistant to the House majority whip and a member of the Nadler-chaired Judiciary Committee, where the chamber's new Democrat majority has been investigating the Trump administration on its own. In a lengthy statement after Mueller's remarks, Richmond said the special counsel made it clear "that it is up to Congress to take further action." "It is the responsibility of Congress to respond to the numerous cases of misconduct described in the Mueller report and to ensure that no one is above the rule of law," Richmond said. "The American people and international community deserve to know the truth. Mueller has privately vented to Barr about his handling of the report, while Barr has publicly said he was taken aback by the special counsel's decision to neither exonerate nor incriminate the president. 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 Under pressure to testify before Congress, Mueller did not rule it out. But he seemed to warn lawmakers that they would not be pulling more detail out of him. His report is "my testimony," he said, and he won't go beyond what is written in it. "So beyond what I have said here today and what is contained in our written work," Mueller said, "I do not believe it is appropriate for me to speak further about the investigation or to comment on the actions of the Justice Department or Congress." Trump, who has repeatedly and falsely claimed that Mueller's report cleared him of obstruction of justice, modified that contention somewhat shortly after the special counsel's remarks. He tweeted, "There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed!" His personal attorney, Jay Sekulow, said that Mueller's announcement "puts a period on a two-year investigation that produced no findings of collusion or obstruction by the president." Mueller's comments, one month after the public release of his report on Russian efforts to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton, appeared intended to both justify the legitimacy of his investigation against complaints by the president and to explain his decision to not reach a conclusion on whether Trump had obstructed justice. Indicting Trump, he said firmly, was "not an option" in light of a Justice Department legal opinion that says a sitting president cannot be charged. But, he said, the absence of a conclusion should not be mistaken for exoneration. "The opinion says the Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing," Mueller said, referring to the Justice Department legal opinion. That would shift the next move, if any, to Congress, and the Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, which would investigate further or begin any impeachment effort, commented quickly. New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler said it falls to Congress to respond to the "crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump - and we will do so." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has so far discouraged members of her caucus from calling for impeachment, arguing that Democrats need to follow a methodical, step by step approach to investigating the president. But she hasn't ruled it out. On the other hand, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, the Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said that Mueller "has decided to move on and let the report speak for itself. Congress should follow his lead." Trump has blocked House committees' subpoenas and other efforts to dig into the Trump-Russia issue, insisting Mueller's report has settled everything. That report found no criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia to tip the outcome of the 2016 presidential election in Trump's favor. But it also did not reach a conclusion on whether the president had obstructed justice. Barr has said he was surprised Mueller did not reach a conclusion on whether the president had criminally obstructed justice, though Mueller in his report and again in his public statement Wednesday said that he had no choice. Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decided on their own that the evidence was not sufficient to support an obstruction charge against Trump. Barr, who is currently in Alaska for work and was briefed ahead of time on Mueller's statement, has said he asked Mueller if he would have recommended charging Trump "but for" the legal opinion from the Office of Legal Counsel, and that Mueller said "no." Louisiana Reps. Richmond, Johnson illustrate partisan divide in committee's party-line vote on Barr contempt WASHINGTON Members of the House Judiciary Committee voted along party lines Wednesday to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of C "Under longstanding department policy, a president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office," Mueller said. "That is unconstitutional. Even if the charge is kept under seal and hidden from public view that, too, is prohibited." Mueller, for his part, complained privately to Barr that he believed a four-page letter from the attorney general summarizing the report's main conclusions did not adequately represent his findings. Barr has said he considered Mueller's criticism to be a bit "snitty." Advocate Washington correspondent Elizabeth Crisp contributed to this report. The key details of a teacher pay raise remained unresolved Tuesday with nine days left in the session, sparking questions on whether a controversial end to the debate could spark a walkout or other job action by teachers. Education leaders and some lawmakers say that, if the pay raises are for one year only, action by already restive public school teachers is all but certain. "If it doesn't happen the way it needs to will teachers even come back to school?" asked Shane Riddle, legislative and political director of the Louisiana Association of Educators, one of the state's two teacher unions. Debbie Meaux, president of the LAE, said the only question would be whether the job action took place at the start or end of the 2019-20 school year. Louisiana public school aid battle sparking new rift between Gov. John Bel Edwards, Senate vs. House In a repeat of budget battles, Gov. John Bel Edwards and the state Senate are lining up against the Louisiana House on whether public schools Larry Carter, president of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, said teachers would initiate a job action when they return to school in August if the raises are for one year. The session ends on June 6 at 6 p.m. prompting about 50 teachers and other school personnel to visit the State Capitol on Tuesday to press their case. The chief dispute, and one of the largest left in the session, is whether the teacher pay raises should become part of the salary schedule or be a onetime event. Can't see video below? Click here. Gov. John Bel Edwards, the state Senate and the state Board of Elementary Secondary Education, favor permanent increases of $1,000 for teachers, $500 for support workers and a $39 million increase for public schools another House-Senate sticking point. The House has approved what critics call onetime raises of $1,200 for teachers and $600 for support workers, and no boost for public schools. But the fact they would not be certain to be recurring, and the modest size of any increase, are seen by teacher groups and their allies as a potential major failing of the two-month session. House committee approves revamped plan that'd give teachers $1,200 raises, not $1,000 In a new twist, public school teachers would get pay raises of $1,200 this year, rather than $1,000, and pay for support workers would rise by The House Education Committee is set to meet on Thursday and take up the Senate-passed resolution that would authorize $1,000 teacher salary increases that the panel earlier rejected. 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 That measure would direct the money be put in the state's education funding method called the Minimum Foundation Program and be part of future state aid. House Education Committee Chairwoman Nancy Landry, R-Lafayette, said whether that plan is now feasible Senate Concurrent Resolution 3 is a budget question. "It is not really an education issue anymore," she said. On Monday night the Senate Finance Committee added the $1,000 and $500 pay raises and a $39 million boost for public schools to the Senate's version of Louisiana's $30 billion operating budget a sharp contrast to the House version. The full Senate is expected to approve that measure, with legislative leaders then hammering out differences during the final days of the session. Landry disputed arguments that the House-backed pay raises would be for one year only, or that its enactment should spark a job action by teachers. "I can't imagine somebody getting a raise and walking out because of it," she said. "I don't imagine there would be a lot of public support for any group getting a raise and walking out." Louisiana Senate's plan to boost public school funding would use this program to fund $39M hike Setting up a clash with the state House, the Louisiana Senate approved a $39 million increase for public schools Wednesday in a plan that also Last year a survey by the Louisiana Federation of Teachers said 61 percent of those who responded said they would support a teacher walkout if they conclude state and local officials are not doing enough to address education shortcomings. Teacher pay has been a flashpoint in other states, including walkouts in red states like Oklahoma, Arizona and West Virginia. Jennifer Molina, who teaches Spanish at Warren Easton High School in New Orleans, said a onetime pay boost would have a devastating impact. "Those teachers are going to simply leave the classroom," said Molina, who was at the State Capitol on Tuesday. Dina Esquinance, who taught at Ponchatoula Junior High School for 26 years, said the $1,000 proposed raises were seen as a start. "We get the stipend for one year and there is no guarantee that will ever come back," said Esquinance, who is president of the Tangipahoa Federation of Teachers, a branch of the LFT. State Rep. J. Rogers Pope, R-Denham Springs, said Tuesday the House may try to force the Senate-passed resolution out of Landry's committee, and onto the House floor, if the issue is not debated by the House Education Committee. Pope addressed the House last week and said the version backed by the governor, Senate and BESE deserves attention. "We need to have an up or down vote on it," he said. The lawmaker, who was superintendent of the Livingston Parish School District for 14 years, said he has never been in favor of a job action by teachers. But he said if teachers land a one-year only pay boost he would not be surprised if some school districts do not start classes on time in the fall. +9 'Fetal heartbeat' abortion bill sent to Louisiana governor, who will sign it; court must uphold it Louisiana lawmakers have passed a bill that would ban abortions at about six weeks of pregnancy if upheld by the courts, sending it to the gov State lawmakers are slated to vote this week, possibly Wednesday, on a high-profile abortion bill that would ban the procedure at about six weeks, a move that would put Louisiana in line with a group of conservative states in passing some of the nations most restrictive abortion laws. The so-called fetal heartbeat measure, brought by state Sen. John Milkovich, D-Shreveport, is slated on the House's Wednesday agenda. If lawmakers approve his Senate Bill 184 without making changes, it will go to the desk of Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat who has said he will sign it. The measure is written to only go into effect if the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upholds a similar Mississippi law. The measure is part of a broader effort by anti-abortion groups and lawmakers to try to get the newly-reshaped U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the landmark abortion rights decision, Roe v. Wade. +5 Louisiana almost certain to pass anti-abortion measures this week, but it 'all depends on the courts' Long a bastion of anti-abortion sentiments, Louisiana is part of a wave of red states passing some of the most restrictive abortion laws in years. The Louisiana Legislature has repeatedly passed abortion restrictions, finding support from the GOP majority along with many Democrats and the governor. The fetal heartbeat bill is also expected to pass. It was scheduled for a vote in the House Tuesday but was delayed by at least a day. Denham Springs Republican Rep. Valarie Hodges, who is handling the bill for Milkovich in the House, said in a text Monday the speaker wanted it to get a vote Wednesday with other abortion measures. But the House is also set to debate whether to add an exception to the bill for victims of rape and incest a provision that abortion rights advocates have called for in recent weeks as the bill has made it through the State Capitol. 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 State Rep. Ted James, D-Baton Rouge, is proposing an amendment to SB184 to exclude rape and incest victims from the abortion ban. Abortion rights advocates have called the lack of such an exception cruel and deplorable. Lawmakers on a Senate Committee earlier this month briefly added an amendment to do so, but backtracked and stripped the change a few minutes later after Benjamin Clapper, head of the anti-abortion group Louisiana Right to Life, voiced objection. James said it is a foregone conclusion the bill will pass. But he also said abortion decisions for rape and incest victims should not be made in the State Capitol. I have a daughter, James said. If something happens to her I think thats a discussion between me, her and her mom, not the Legislature. If were going to continue going down this road I think we have to protect women who are victims of rape and incest. Its personal to me. Louisiana lawmakers are also set to ask voters whether to add a line to the state constitution saying it does not approve of abortion or provide funding for it. Several other bills would more strictly regulate abortion providers. None of the bills are expected to significantly curtail access to abortion immediately, though clinics say the restrictions are piling up and making it more difficult to operate. The U.S. Supreme Court would need to change how it has ruled on abortion rights issues to allow states to restrict access to the procedure as they have tried to. Alabama recently signed a law that would ban most all abortions in the state. Ohio and Georgia have also passed fetal heartbeat legislation. Mississippis law is already tied up in the courts, and several other states will almost certainly face legal challenges that will block the laws from going into effect in the near term. Gov. Edwards said recently on his call-in radio show he expects to sign the bill. Edwards has signed several abortion restrictions since becoming governor, including a 15-week ban last year that is also tied to a Mississippi law that is tied up in the courts. Road construction funding: State Rep. Steve Carter, R-Baton Rouge, is the lone sponsor of a bill facing steep odds that would gradually increase the state gasoline tax by $480 million per year. More: Baton Rouge lawmaker lone sponsor of bill to increase gas tax by $480 million per year A federal Mississippi judge temporarily blocked today a law the state passed in March banning abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected around six weeks meaning the ban will not go into effect July 1 as scheduled, the Associated Press reports. Louisiana is likely to pass its own so-called fetal heartbeat bill that will only go into effect if courts uphold the Mississippi law. U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves who struck down Mississippis 15-week ban last year on the basis that it banned abortions before viability of a fetus has signaled he plans to do the same this time around. Here we go again, he wrote in his ruling Friday. Mississippi has passed another law banning abortions prior to viability. Louisiana Senate overwhelmingly passes two anti-abortion measures The Louisiana Senate passed a bill 31-4 today that would let residents vote on adding language to the state constitution explicitly stating it Louisiana also passed a 15-week ban last year, again contingent upon Mississippis law to save the state litigation costs. Neither have gone into effect but both states have spent an estimated total of more than a million dollars defending abortion restrictions in court, money that some anti-abortion lawmakers say is well-spent. I cannot think of a better expenditure of money that Louisiana could make than to protect the life of the unborn, said State Sen. John Milkovich, D-Shreveport last year. Milkovich authored both the 6-week and 15-week bans. Doesnt it boil down to: Six is less than 15? Reeves said earlier this week of the ban, according to an Associated Press report. It sure smacks of defiance to this court. The bans are part of a national strategy to overturn Roe v. Wade the U.S. Supreme Court ruling stating that a woman has the right to an abortion prior to viability invigorated by the appointment of conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. [The Louisiana legislature] has passed all these bills, and they've never repealed any of them, State Sen. JP Morrell, D-New Orleans, said. Logistically, the day after Roe v. Wade gets repealed, they all go into effect. When you see these pro-choice advocates frothing at the mouth and being so upset its because they understand what's going to happen, he added. Mississippi is in the process of appealing Reeves ruling on the 15-week ban, the Clarion Ledger reports, and the Louisiana House is scheduled to vote on the heartbeat bill Tuesday. Louisiana's welcome signs along Interstate 10 could soon celebrate the New Orleans Saints. Lawmakers agreed I-10 welcome signs at the Texas and Mississippi state lines should declare people have entered the "Home of the Who Dat Nation," referencing the nickname for Saints fans. A 35-0 Senate vote Tuesday gave final passage to the bill by New Orleans Sen. Wesley Bishop. It also calls for the Saints appreciation language to be included on the Superdome exit sign on I-10 in downtown New Orleans. The plan's original legislation would have designated I-10 "Who Dat Nation Highway" from the Mississippi state line to the Texas border. The bid was shelved in favor of the more modest tribute after Bishop told the Senate Transportation Committee panel he had since learned learned that the federal government in 1965 designated I-10 from Florida to California as Blue Star Highway in tribute to the nation's veterans. "I did not want to affect that whatsoever," Bishop said. The House added an extra provision to the bill, designating Hwy. 90 from Lafayette to Raceland as the "Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco Highway," in honor of Louisiana's former governor. Blanco, 76, is gravely ill with incurable melanoma. She was diagnosed and treated for a rare eye cancer in 2011. It returned and spread to her liver in 2017. She has been undergoing chemotherapy at various times in recent years but is doing well enough now that she is no longer receiving hospice care at her Lafayette home, as had been reported a month ago. The signs must be paid with local or private dollars to be installed. One of three teenagers charged in the killing of a church pastor's wife during a botched carjacking in Gentilly last year pleaded guilty to lesser counts Wednesday in New Orleans Juvenile Court. Boavanti Robinson, 15, entered a guilty plea on charges of obstruction of justice and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle in connection with the killing. Prosecutors dismissed a charge of manslaughter. As part of a deal with prosecutors that Judge Candice Bates-Anderson approved, Robinson was sentenced to six additional months in a youth detention center. Bates-Anderson also ordered him to complete 50 hours of community service and work toward obtaining his high school diploma during an 18-month parole period following his release from the detention center. The daughter of victim Jeannot Plessy said afterward that she and her family would have preferred for Robinson to be handed a harsher punishment. But Nadia Sanchez said the family endorsed the deal because Robinson was accused of a secondary role in Plessy's killing, and the evidence against him was relatively light, compared to his co-defendants. "I hope this is the worst mistake you make in your life," Sanchez, 31, said to Robinson during Wednesday's hearing. "You're still a child. You have so much time to make different decisions." Robinsons older brother, 17-year-old Johntrell Robinson, and their friend, 19-year-old Edwin Cottrell, are awaiting trial on various charges including murder in adult court. Their cases remain pending as city leaders seek to address why juvenile arrests have gone up even as violent crimes, such as homicides, dipped last year. On Wednesday, the Juvenile Court judges announced that they have voted to detain all minors arrested in cases that could "pose a risk to the public" until they appear before a judge. Previously, minors arrested for serious crimes could be released after being evaluated by social workers using a risk-assessment tool. Officials have pointed to Plessy's killing to illustrate how car thefts frequently blamed on youths can turn lethal. According to authorities, on the night of Nov. 27, the 49-year-old Plessy had arrived at Sanchez's home in the 2400 block of Prentiss Avenue to pick up her two preteen children. Plessy had been on a dinner date with her husband, local church pastor David Plessy. Nadia Sanchez and her husband, 34-year-old Kristian Sanchez, were babysitting the young children. 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 However, as Plessy prepared to get out of her car, she was yanked to the ground, authorities said. Her attacker had climbed into the drivers seat of her car when Kristian Sanchez hearing Plessy's screams came out to help her. The carjacker put the car in reverse and pressed the gas pedal, hitting both Plessy and Kristian Sanchez. She was mortally wounded. Sanchez survived despite suffering serious injuries. Investigators gathered surveillance video from a number of places which showed a white Toyota Sienna van trailing Plessys car after she was killed. The Sienna had been reported stolen minutes before Plessy was attacked, and investigators recovered the van abandoned at Metropolitan and Chickasaw streets in the Desire neighborhood. A DNA sample collected from the van was matched to Cottrell, who was 18 at the time. Police then found him in the company of the Robinsons at a home in the 7th Ward. Detectives said Johntrell Robinson confessed under questioning to stealing Plessys car as well as backing over her. He added that Boavanti Robinson and Cottrell used the stolen minivan to bring him to the scene of the deadly carjacking and to help him ditch Plessy's car in New Orleans East. Authorities arrested the teens on counts of second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder. Cottrell and Johntrell Robinson were also charged with obstruction of justice, conspiracy to obstruct justice, simple robbery, plotting to commit simple robbery and unauthorized use of a movable. Prosecutors at one point had charged all three as adults in Criminal District Court, but Boavanti Robinson's case was shifted to the juvenile system. Plessy's sisters, Shalom Franco-Kruger and Yma Franco-Lechler, also spoke to Robinson on Wednesday, fighting back tears as they read a statement which recounted how the victim frequently donated food and household items to people in need. They expressed dismay that Robinson's mother, who was in court, apparently did not know her son's whereabouts on the night Plessy was fatally attacked. "How would you feel if someone followed your sister or mother, carjacked her and killed her?" one of the sisters said to Robinson, who said little throughout the hearing. "Our family has been fractured forever and will never be made whole again." Cottrell would face mandatory life imprisonment if convicted of murdering Plessy. Johntrell Robinson would also face a life sentence but with the possibility of being eligible for parole after 25 years because he was younger than 18 when the crime was committed. Court documents made public in London this week reveal that a woman, suspected by British authorities of having ill-gotten wealth, spent 600,000 ($1.1 million) in one day at upmarket department store Harrods and once forked out 30,000 ($58,825) on chocolates. Zamira Hajiyeva is the first person subject to an Unexplained Wealth Order, which allows British authorities to seize assets from people suspected of corruption or links to organised crime until the owners account for how they were acquired. London's Harrods Department Store may have just lost its best customer. Credit:SBS Britain's National Crime Agency wants to know where Hajiyeva, whose banker husband is in jail in Azerbaijan, got the money to fund her spending and buy two British properties worth 22 million - including a house just around the corner from Harrods. Investigators say Hajiyeva spent 16 million at Harrods between 2006 and 2016, using 35 credit cards issued by a bank led by her husband. On Tuesday the market watched in awe as the iron ore price was elevated to eye watering levels of $US108. By Wednesday, fresh speculation over marginal additions to supply caused the Chinese iron ore futures to wobble - the price dropped 2.3 per cent. When a commodity has soared to a five-year high in a matter of months, wild swings are not surprising. But make no mistake 2019 will go down in history as a vintage year for iron ore. The rally that analysts find hard to predict. Even if the price dropped significantly in the second half of this calendar year to the $US80 levels it traded at towards the end of last year, the high prices for the first five months of this year would have already bolstered the profitability of the major Australian producers and the coffers of the federal and West Australian governments. Tony Horwitz, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and best-selling author known for embedding himself in the worlds he wrote about, died on Monday in Washington. He was 60. His wife, Geraldine Brooks, a Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, said he had collapsed while walking in Chevy Chase, Maryland, and was declared dead at George Washington University Hospital. The cause has not yet been determined, she said. Journalist and author Tony Horwitz was awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 1995. Credit:Courtesy of tonyhorwitz.com Horwitz was on the staff of The Wall Street Journal when he won the 1995 Pulitzer for national reporting for his vivid accounts of grim working conditions in low-wage jobs, including those at garbage recycling and poultry processing plants. He later wrote for The New Yorker on the Middle East before amplifying his brand of participatory journalism in nonfiction books. His immersion in the subculture of battlefield re-enactors led in 1998 to Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches From the Unfinished Civil War, which was a New York Times best seller. Series creators Steve Conrad and Bruce Terris adroitly wrong-foot viewers throughout this week's first episode, suddenly changing their perceptions of characters in surreal ways without ever coming off as tricksy. In the case of Simpson's character this happens in a scene with a 15-year-old boy (Dash Williams) who has to manage a pawn shop for his alcoholic father and has to wear its inventory to stay warm. Australian actress Jacki Weaver stars alongside Ben Kingsley in Perpetual Grace, LTD. Credit:Stan If Conrad's name rings a bell it might be because he wrote the screenplays for The Pursuit of Happyness and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. But Perpetual Grace, LTD feels much more akin to Conrad's previous series, Patriot (Amazon Prime Video), which took the espionage genre, turned it 45 degrees or so and steeped it in surreality but which kept proceedings sufficiently dark and melancholy to prevent them from being labelled "comedy-drama". Carry-overs from that series include cinematographer Jim Whitaker, who directs four of these 10 episodes (Conrad directs six), and Terry O'Quinn, who plays a Texas Ranger determined to get his hands on Herriman's character. The whole thing is already shaping as appointment viewing. What/If Netflix What would it take for you to let Renee Zellweger spend a night with your husband? An indecent proposal for the modern age: Renee Zellweger stars in Netflix's What/If. Credit:Adam Rose/Netflix What if Zellweger was a rich investor and you were a poor scientist (Suburgatory's Jane Levy) facing the prospect of your childhood-cancer-fighting start-up going belly-up and taking your parents' money with it? Perhaps then you'd consider such an indecent proposal. Series creator Mike Kelley, who also created Revenge, broadens the scope beyond that of the '90s movie to which his characters refer, but it doesn't immediately grab. The Gospel According to Andre DocPlay Some people know Andre Leon Talley as one of Andy Warhol's old crowd. Some know him as that kaftan-wearing judge from America's Next Top Model. Some even know him for his decades as a writer and editor at some of the world's biggest and most influential magazines. Andre Leon Talley takes centre stage in a Docplay documentary about his life. Credit:AP Photo/Evan Agostini The most interesting aspect of this slightly over-long documentary has Talley and numerous old friends recall him growing up in the segregated South before embarking on a most unlikely career in New York. Well worth checking out. Aggretsuko Netflix Retsuko is an adorable Japanese red panda frustrated to incandescent rage by her corporate accounting job. When the overwork and the insults from her misogynistic pig of a boss get too much she retreats to the bathroom to vent her spleen in death-metal karaoke. Aggretsuko is a thoughtful reflection of the cruelties of sexist workplace culture, says our reviewer. The screen becomes a fiery red hellscape, Retsuko screams for lightning to strike down her tormentors, and so on. It might sound like a one-joke series, but Aggretsuko is a thoughtful reflection of the cruelties of sexist workplace culture. Location Scouts northernterritory.com/promotions/top-end-wedding Location Scouts is a fictional documentary series about the making of a very real Australian movie Top End Wedding, which stars Miranda Tapsell. The warning at the start of the first short episode explains what's in store: "strong language, baby-boomer grumpiness and millennial entitlement". Good fun it is, too. Steve and Morgan take viewers through the fictional joys of location scouting for the very real Aussie film, Top End Wedding. Loading Our heroes are appealing odd-couple location scouts Steve (Doug Bowles) and Morgan (Tamala Shelton). Steve is a grizzled veteran who'd rather sleep in a swag than in a hotel bed. Morgan is a distracted millennial who took the job because it fell in her lap and she "needed a break from ... whatever". Writer-directors Christiaan and Connor Van Vuuren pack the script with plenty of gags, and Steve's wardrobe is a hoot. Tapsell turns up with Top End Wedding co-star Gwilym Lee and director Wayne Blair, and the series certainly does its job of showcasing the Northern Territory's stunning natural beauty. Take note, though, that the Katherine Gorge is a "ball-ache" of a film location because you can't park loads of trucks right up the top. Filmmaker and comedian Kevin Smith's real-life pals buy and sell comic books in Comic Book Men. Credit:AP Comic Book Men Amazon Prime Video When, like movie director Kevin Smith, you're a comic-book nerd who's made it in the real world there's nothing stopping you from making a TV series following your real-life pals as they buy and sell comic books and pop-culture tat at your very own comic-book store in Red Bank, New Jersey. Sheen is well-known for exhaustively researching his roles. But for this he had a head start: he's friends with Gaiman and had read the book when it came out, when he was still at drama school. "I remember loving that book, so it's funny to think that all these years later here we are," he says. "It was apocalyptic, a serious subject that would normally be treated in a doom-y, earnest way. But it was very funny. "I just thought it worked as a story [and] as a very British comedy." Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) and Crowley (David Tennant) have spent too long away from the moral absolutes of their ethereal homes, and developed a taste for the good life. Credit:Amazon Prime Sheen an extraordinarily versatile actor who has found success in arthouse dramas and big-screen vampire flicks is glad that some of the "terrible snobbishness" over fantasy stories is disappearing, partly thanks to their success on what used to be called TV. Michael Sheen and David Tennant Credit:Ramona Rosales/Amazon Prime "[Arts writers] were hardly able to sit down in a room with us, he says. "They were like, 'How can you lower yourself to this?' Nonsense. Some of the greatest writing in the 20th and 21st century has been in science fiction and fantasy." Sheen found his way into the Aziraphale character partly through clothes: hints about a bowtie and a love of plaid, an immortal who hangs on to old fashions too long. But mainly he got there through thinking, quite seriously, about what an angel would be like. "I always have an issue with people who say 'it's much more fun to play [someone] bad'," he says. "Is it? I think we've failed as a species if good is boring. If we made good boring then we are doing something wrong. Goodness is about sharing, joy and being generous and connecting, and that's the best thing we have in the world. That's what makes life living. So if you can't make that interesting or fun, you might as well pack up and go home." He decided it was an angel's nature to love other characters including his demon friend. "There's a lazy way of playing goodness and I didn't want to do that. I'm always trying to look for moments that will allow an audience to feel for what he's doing in a way that is authentic, that connects." It was "lovely" working with Tennant, he says. "He's a fantastic actor. I'm as much a fan as anyone else. You have to be careful in scenes, so you don't just go 'oh thats really good'." Tennant too admits to being a bit starstruck but not by Sheen, by American actor Michael McKean (Spinal Tap, Better Call Saul) who plays the world's last witchfinder. "It's not very helpful being starstruck," he says. "I was very starstruck by Billy Connolly a few years ago and it takes you a couple of days to relax. Really, it's not helpful because you don't do your best work when you're slightly in awe of the people around you." Tennant says he plays Crowley with "lots of camping around and lots of cackling", but his character, like Aziraphale, goes beyond the stereotype. "Its really good fun," he says, playing this louche, rock'n'roll demon who's in love with the material world just a bit too much to do his job properly. Jon Hamm (centre) in a scene from Good Omens. Credit:Amazon Prime He adds the whole production is fun because "it's quite extreme". "Every day on this has been bananas. Like, today we blew up a car and then [actors] Miranda Richardson and Michael McKean joined us. Jon Hamm is still to show up. "Every day that sort of extraordinary people come in to play and we're in mad places. It never seems to be the same thing twice. "I guess it's the free association of Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's brains, and luckily we seem to have the budget to exploit that. We're very much enjoying spending Amazon's money." Unlike Sheen, Tennant had never heard of the book, though hed heard of its authors. But he was aware how big its following was around the world. "That's why I'm delighted that Neil is so hands-on, because you know his fans are rightly passionate and feel a great ownership of his work, so at least if they don't agree with what we've done you can say 'well, Neil said it was fine'." Gaiman says that's why he demanded to be showrunner to make sure his book's characters and themes survived in the final production. "As a writer you're a long way down the hierarchy. The moment you hand it over the art department suddenly go 'we thought itd be a good idea if everybody was green' and somebody else goes 'oh that scene looks a bit expensive with the bathtub' and you get the thing back and everybody's green and the bathtub's gone and you're saying 'well it made sense when I gave it to you'. From left: Showrunner Neil Gaiman, Michael Sheen and David Tennant participate in the Amazon Good Omens panel at the Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour earlier this year Credit:CHRIS PIZZELLO "Theres nothing that hurts worse for a writer than turning around and watching perfectly legitimate criticisms of an episode that you had written and just wanting to post every single person grumbling on Twitter your original script." The biggest responsibility he feels, he says, is to Pratchett who he still "misses as if it was a heart pang". "I actually wind up guarding his [bits of the book] much more than I guard mine." The farming lobby has reacted angrily to a court decision reinforcing local councils' powers over land clearing in Queensland, calling it a "power play" and claiming it has nothing to do with environmental protection. It came as the state government stood by the judgment, adding to growing tensions over environmental protection in the state. Landholders have been warned they face fines of almost $600,000 if they have cleared without seeking a council permit. Credit:Wilderness Society The Queensland Court of Appeal ruled this month that so-called "Category X" land, which covers 20 per cent of Queensland - an area the size of Malaysia - and is exempt from requirements under the state's vegetation management laws, is also subject to local councils' planning schemes, where the two types of area overlap. Many councils have designated land as having high environmental significance where state maps show it as being Category X, but some landholders and developers have gone ahead and cleared the land anyway on the basis the state rules allowed it. If Labor's vote in the federal election is replicated when the state goes to the polls in 2021, Premier Mark McGowan's landslide majority would be wiped out, returning the party to the number of seats it held before winning office in 2017. A preliminary analysis of how Western Australians voted on May 18 has spooked a number of first-time Labor MPs who watched massive swings against the party. An analysis of how Western Australians voted at the federal election reveals Labor would be in big trouble if the result is replicated at the next state election. Credit:Chris Hopkins When federal booth results are overlaid onto state boundaries, Labor would lose 21 seats and face swings of up to 25 per cent in some of its safest seats. But an elections expert who has seen the analysis has counselled caution about reading too much into transposing federal election results onto state districts and vice versa. Australian pharmacies are running out of the flu vaccine amid unprecedented numbers of people getting immunised against the infection. The federal and state-funded free flu vaccines are still available from GPs for the most at-risk groups (including young children, pregnant women and the elderly) and their supply is secure, health authorities confirmed on Wednesday. Australian pharmacies are running out of, or running low on, their commercial supply of flu vaccines. Credit:ninevms But pharmacies across Australia have run out - or are running very low - on flu vaccines for the rest of the population. Customers at several pharmacies have been told that there are no more flu vaccines left in Australia, or to hurry in and pick up one of their few remaining doses. "I thought that we were just hooking up on vacation, having a summer fling, skinny-dipping-and-drinking-spritz kind of thing. I didn't find out that to him we were 'dating' until about a month into our relationship," she said, "after sort of stumbling into the conversation where I was interested in putting a definition on it." Loading At first she was surprised by his commitment. "It was far from what I was used to, and I was delighted by it. I found it to be a very ... 'swept off my feet romance,' which knows no borders or boundaries." Like me and several American women I've met, Clark was used to dating American men who were skittish about labeling anything until a few month have elapsed. Hooking up seldom meant you were suddenly in a relationship. But to her current boyfriend, it meant they were official. For the first six months of our relationship, David and I had several fights over the phone about exactly this. I didn't necessarily want to sleep with anyone else, but he was in France and I was in Spain, so it seemed impractical to have an exclusive long-distance relationship with someone I'd only spent four days with. Plus, my history of trysts or one-night stands in America was much like Clark's - they never led to anything serious. David just couldn't comprehend why being exclusive was such a big deal, or why this American girl he loved was obsessed with the notion of freedom. It took me six months to finally agree to be exclusive, and that's only because another woman was trying to move in on him. Like me, Clark did a year of long distance before moving to France. She and her beau talked every day on FaceTime and frequently traveled to see each other. "It was an intense experience," she said, "which I have trouble imagining an American guy doing." Loading Nine years later, they are still going strong. Cathline Fermet-Quinet, a French psychologist and sexologist in Lyon, confirmed that, yes, dating in France is different. "We don't have this causal dating period when it's OK to date several people at the same time and keep your options open," she said. "Things end up going faster because we're all in. It's pretty common to go on three or four dates a week with someone you just met." Meeting friends usually happens after a few dates, she said, and meeting the parents within one to three months. Caroline Conner, an American who runs wine tastings in Lyon, has had similar experiences. "American men will do anything to avoid calling you their girlfriend. For some reason that's terrifying to them," she joked. "But French men seem to want girlfriends. If you have sex once or even just make out - Bam! You're together!" The only exception, she said, seems to be if you meet on a dating app and discuss being "sex friends." This all-in approach isn't always smart, Fermet-Quinet said. "Signing a contract too early and under the influence of love hormones is a little risky." She said she believes couples who dive right in don't stop and ask themselves whether they share the same vision of love or whether they are even compatible. Emily Chavez, an American law student here, said the accelerated approach the French take to dating hasn't always ended well for her. One man admitted the morning after they hooked up that his recent breakup was not actually a breakup. Others have pretended to be OK with a relationship - or at least not contradicted her when she said that's what she was looking for - only to admit a few weeks later, when things were really starting to get heavy, that they didn't want anything serious. "Now that I've dated a few, I have decided that the easiest thing is just for me to go with the flow until things go sour," Chavez said. According to Fermet-Quinet, one-night stands aren't as common in France, or they don't seem like one-night stands because people are too polite to cut off contact without a discussion. Unless you've discussed being "sex friends," not calling or texting someone back after a night together is disrespectful, even if you don't want to go any further. They cook you dinner, show you pics of their mum, cuddle on the couch, listen when you speak and ask you thoughtful questions. As much as I like being treated with respect and care, it can be quite confusing. Nina Coates, a British yoga instructor in Lyon, agreed. "They treat you with too much respect for someone who just wants to shag," Coates said. Like me, she's open to relationships or "sex friends," but we never know what we're getting ourselves into. The last two men Coates tried dating both disappeared after going "full boyfriend." "They text you every day: Before they go to sleep, as soon as they wake up, when they get home from work, when they're out with friends. It's constant," she said. Both guys corrected her French homework, and one even helped her find a used bicycle online, making all the calls in French for her. "They cook you dinner, show you pics of their mum, cuddle on the couch, listen when you speak and ask you thoughtful questions. They're good guys ... but they don't know how to not be too boyfriend," she said. Dating in the country known for love may be exciting and romantic, but it can make you even more cynical ... about dating than back home. Although we both enjoy the romantic gestures and being treated like cherished human beings, it stings much more when they disappear. Neither of us has a clue who wants to date and who is just grooming us for a sexual friendship because they act the same regardless. Even the ones who do want relationships can backtrack abruptly. David and I ended things right before I moved to France. Even though I was the one to drag my feet on the girlfriend label, he was the one who wasn't truly ready to be a boyfriend. The ALP has engineered a smooth and speedy transition of its leadership from Bill Shorten to Anthony Albanese, but the danger is that this appearance of caucus harmony will sweep under the rug a much-needed debate on the partys unexpectedly poor performance in the federal election. This is not to criticise the choice of Mr Albanese, who was the obvious candidate to lead the party. He is a proven tactician in Parliament, a good media performer and popular among the ALPs rank and file. Mr Albanese is also the first NSW politician to lead the party since Paul Keating, which could help build support in his home state and perhaps in Queensland, where they also speak rugby league. Yet because Mr Albanese was elected unopposed, he has not had to explain publicly what he stands for. That outcome for Labor here is in contrast to other countries, such as the US and Britain, where centre-left parties in opposition are tearing themselves apart over whether they should lurch left to a green New Deal or tack to the small-target centre. Bruce and Taylor were among the dancers who helped transform Rambert into a contemporary company from the mid-1960s. They worked with innovative choreographers Glen Tetley, Anna Sokolow and Norman Morrice as well as creating their own works. Taylors first dance piece Diversities in 1965 was followed by 'Tis Goodly Sport in 1970 and the comedic Listen to the Music in 1972. Ballet Ramberts contemporary repertoire was physically punishing. Taylor recalled roles that left him vomiting with exhaustion and, in one horrific onstage moment, unable to get up. He often referred to his Glen Tetley back later in life. The company toured 20 weeks of the year across England with as little as 24 hours at home between tours. While he cherished them no less, Ariette raised their three children largely alone in that period: Ingmar (1965), Juliet (1966) and Rebe (1971). Maggie Wilson and Ronald van den Burgh in Taylor's 1980 work Transfigured Night. Credit:Jeff Busby Taylor began his freelance choreographic career in 1973 to great success, choreographing the hit musical The Good Companions starring Judi Dench and John Mills. He gained commissions from BBC television and Nederlands Dans Theatre, but it was working for Ballet Victoria that led to the next transformation in Taylors career. His 1975 work Stars End caught the attention of a burgeoning Australian arts community and Taylor was asked to re-establish the Australian Dance Theatre (ADT) in Adelaide, later co-funded by the State of Victoria where it also toured. Migrating to Adelaide in 1976 had a profound effect on Taylors family and on dance in Australia. With Joe Scoglio and Julia Blaikie, principal dancers at Ballet Rambert whom he had insisted also be employed, Taylor created a world-class repertory company. In 1980 alone, the ADT gave 200 performances, made an ABC/BBC film and took a six-week overseas tour that included opening the Edinburgh Festival to great acclaim. The success was followed by an invitation to Londons Sadlers Wells in 1982. These were, as Taylor put it, his "halcyon days". Taylor choreographed 16 works for the ADT, a number of them of them full-length: among them the whimsical and much-loved Flibbertigibbet; the neo-classical masterpiece Transfigured Night; and the pulsating commercial successes High Flyers and Wildstars. Taylors dancers loved the challenges he set mostly. Jonathan Taylor (far left) in the Australian Dance Theatre studios with dancers Glen Murray, Don Secomb, John Salisbury and Robert Canning c1985. Credit:Jeff Busby Quicksilver, created in honour of Dame Marie Rambert, gave the ADT women the spectacular jumps they complained were usually reserved for men. Their opening-night card to Taylor read: "A great work dont do it again". Taylors love for his new country was explored in the sophisticated Incident at Bull Creek, while his international connections meant that new works by Morrice, Bruce and Tetley were included in the ADTs repertoire. He also strongly encouraged new Australian choreographers, including a number of the ADT dancers. Taylors ADT was evidently prolific and innovative. So it was a shock when the companys board sacked him in 1985. There was no misconduct or lack of performance; Taylor was an able and affable artistic director who had achieved great success. They cited a desire for a new creative direction, more homegrown and commercially viable. Considering Taylors record this was ironic. Taylor was committed to the ADT and to Adelaide where his children had grown up. To leave was heartbreaking and disruptive. After a several years of uncertainty and travel, Taylor was pleased to resettle in Melbourne in 1988 when he succeeded Anne Woolliams as dean of dance at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA). Taylor relished and excelled in the world of education. His experience as a practising artist gave him the knowledge to turn young students into internationally competitive professional dancers. He continued to choreograph, including Hamlet for the Royal New Zealand Ballet, and he was honoured when his professional contribution was recognised by his academic peers. The boy who left school the day he turned 15 earned the title of associate professor. But it came with challenges. Its conferral was possible due to an amalgamation with The University of Melbourne created under the Dawkins-era reforms. Taylor found himself justifying the unique needs of dance students and their high contact hours to academics as he struggled to maintain the essential rigour of their training. Last year, at the 40th celebration of the VCA, Taylor spoke his mind: the introduction of the Melbourne Model in 2006 meant that such rigour was no longer possible. Taylor never really retired. He assisted Ariettes drama productions and directed the RMIT fashion graduation events. Most rewarding was teaching and choreographing at the VCA Secondary School where he created some fine new works for students such as Steele and Opus 47. Taylor was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2017, although hed been unwell for some years. The disease causes slow and irreparable reduction in lung capacity. The cause was never known, although one specialist speculated that its genesis may have been toxins inhaled as a child in industrial Manchester. Even unwell, Taylor continued to work. His last creative piece was a beautiful solo commissioned by the Cecchetti society for Coco Wood. Taylor also taught his grandson, hoping to pass on his craft; he cried when Hugo was accepted into VCASS. Taylor was still teaching at the school weeks before he died. "To see young people become fine dancers," he reflected, "that was the best." Even as he found it so hard to walk, talk and breathe, Taylor gave what energy he had to dance. As he reflected to dance journalist Michelle Potter last year, Ive never done anything else but dance. Dance was Taylors life. What a life that was. Taylor is survived by his wife, Ariette, his children Ingmar, Juliet and Rebe and five grandchildren. Rebe Taylor, Juliet Taylor and Ingmar Taylor Its disappointing to see women emerging as Labors first casualties in defeat. We all know the Coalition has a woman problem a woeful representation of just 24 per cent women MPs. Its leadership team PM, Deputy and Treasurer are all blokes. And while boasting yesterday that it had installed the highest number of women in the history of federal cabinets, the best the Coalition could do was a measly seven positions out of 23 one better than the previous high of six in Kevin Rudds second ministry six years ago. Clockwise: Kristina Keneally, Linda Burney, Tanya Plibersek, Terri Butler, Clare ONeil, Ged Kearney. Now the parliamentary Labor caucus is expected to do no better than the Morrison boys' club by producing an all-male leadership team of its own, with reports that its leader, deputy and shadow treasurer positions will all go to men. Only Penny Wong will occupy a senior leadership role as leader of government business in the Senate, with rumours former NSW premier Kristina Keneally is expected to be rolled by Don Farrell for deputy. This is a devastating blow for Labor women, who are already reeling from the loss of important policies for women in early childhood, the gender pay gap and reproductive health, not to mention Tanya Pliberseks decision to not contest the leadership ballot for family reasons. Last week I watched a story about the illegal trade of Aboriginal bones in the 19th century. It was incredibly confronting. Forensic autopsies on skeletons returned to Australia by a German museum revealed head wounds and malnutrition. It was a shocking insight into the brutality and cruel conditions endured by Aboriginal people who worked for the West Australian pearling industry more than 120 years ago. Members of the Yawuru and Karajarri people suffered anguish as they travelled many thousands of kilometres to retrieve the bones of their ancestors. BHP CEO Andrew Mackenzie with Professor Megan Davis, pro vice-chancellor Indigenous at UNSW, and the Uluru Statement from the Heart. Credit:Trevor Collens Many others are still waiting for their ancestors remains to be returned. Their grief had been passed on from generations before them. This story reminds me that we cannot afford to ignore the realities of the past even as we seek to create a better future together. Alleged killer Bhanu Kirkman is set to argue his innocence over the bashing murder of Bellambi mother-of-one Kristie Powell on the grounds of mental illness, a court has heard. Lawyers for Mr Kirkman made the submission in Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday during a mental health hearing on charges of fraud committed before Ms Powell's death in October 2018. A court has heard Bhanu Kirkman will argue his innocence in the bashing death of Kristie Powell on mental illness grounds. "He's on remand in relation to a charge of murder and he has a clear defence in relation to mental illness in relation to that matter," defence lawyer Michael Betts said, as his client appeared in court via video link from the hospital at Long Bay jail and was committed to stand trial. "We anticipate he will be made a forensic patient." Mongols bikie Nick Forbes has been granted bail after a Brisbane court appearance over a multi-million dollar cold call investment scam on the Gold Coast. Police allege the scam involved more than 30 businesses fraudulently trading on the Gold Coast between 2012 and 2013. A Mongols bikie allegedly involved in a fraud ring has been granted bail. The scam is alleged to have pulled in millions of dollars and allegedly involved former police officer Michael Featherstone. Police flew to Adelaide to arrest Forbes, 49, over the weekend as he was released from prison in South Australia, Brisbane Magistrates Court was told on Wednesday. All six youths suspected of a violent two-night home invasion and car theft crime spree across Melbourne have been arrested. Police on Thursday morning confirmed they were not looking for anyone else after a mob of youths allegedly smashed into homes with knives and poles, assaulted families, terrified elderly residents and carjacked a young mother and her baby. In a rare move, police earlier released the names and photos of two 17-year-olds after the Children's Court gave approval to identify them to help the manhunt. The court order was revoked on Thursday morning when the teenagers were arrested. A stolen Honda HRV station wagon has also been found. Multiple patients have been unfairly billed more than $500 by Ambulance Victoria despite receiving minimal treatment and not being taken to hospital, the Ombudsman has found. Patients were being charged $519 for treatment as simple as being given "reassurance", having their vital signs taken and general observations made when an ambulance was called out to a scene, the Ombudsman said in a report handed down on Wednesday. Multiple patients treated at one scene were each being billed the fee. On Thursday, Ambulance Victoria announced it accepted the Ombudsman's recommendations. Credit:Paul Rovere After finding "multiple cases of questionable practices", the Ombudsman recommended changes to ambulance billing, which have been immediately accepted by Ambulance Victoria. The changes mean multiple patients will no longer be billed separately when treated at one scene and patients will not be billed for on-the-spot treatment when the ambulance has been called by a third party without the patient knowing. Loading "She loved traditional stuff, she liked to sing and dance." Her nephew Jacques Dhieu said her death had left the entire community heartbroken. "As a role model as a mother, as a woman, as an important figure in the South Sudanese community, Mama Abiol Atem acted with compassion, honesty, intelligence and love. Her legacy will live on through me, through her family and through the entire South Sudanese community," he said. "The innovation and cultural experience she created for the community was nothing short of remarkable. She celebrated the diverse uniqueness of people in a manner and style that no one could replicate. "She reminded us of the importance of preserving our identity in a constantly changing and challenging world ... her legacy will inspire the next generation of young south Sudanese to continue to carry the torch for the culture no matter what." 'Mama' Abiol, left, pictured with Tina Mayom. Peter Anyang Thiak, who knew Ms Manyang for over a decade and worked with her at the South Sudanese Australian Traditional Wrestling Association, said she was hard-working and lovely to everyone. "We have one thing in common - she likes culture and I like culture," he said. "We do cultural activities to help our young kids learn... We try and help them because kids grow up in different countries and they don't know our culture. She was an icon in trying to help us, with her style of dancing. We learnt from her." He said she had been volunteering for more than a decade in community groups without being paid because she was so passionate about passing on her knowledge. He had given her the name "Mama" because she was a "mother to everyone". "She was an example, a legend to young kids ... she won't be replaced." The 50-year-old came to Australia in 2003 from South Sudan. Tina Mayom, 23, said she had known Ms Manyang since she was five and had grown up under her positive influence. She was one of the last people to speak to her before she died. The pair had organised to shop for costumes for one of the cultural community groups on Tuesday, however, Ms Manyang was found dead early that morning. "It's pretty devastating," Ms Mayom said. "Growing up she's been a mentor and a mother and mainly a best friend... she's done so much for the youth, the church and the community and particularly young women. "She worked with different youths, different tribes and backgrounds and honestly, she had inspired a lot of us. I would not have grown to the woman I am right now if not for her. She believed I was capable and was pushing me and supporting me in so many ways.... she saw so much in us. We listened to her. "She knew it was her duty to bring them up to see a future of their own. We are shocked, we are broken." She has been remembered as a loving mother and strong community advocate. Community leader Richard Deng said she had "given her life to the community for the last few years". "She will be missed. She was a person that was loved by everyone in the community and gave her time to help young women and young people in particular so she is going to be a great loss to our community. "These are the people we need in our current situation. I hope that she will be remembered as someone that has contributed so much." Former foreign minister Alexander Downer has ridiculed the idea he was sent to spy on a junior Donald Trump campaign aide as part of an international conspiracy to kickstart the FBI's Russia probe. The US President has effectively embraced the wider conspiracy theory, asking his Attorney-General William Barr to investigate how the Russia probe got started and told reporters that "I hope he looks at Australia" as well as Britain and Ukraine for their involvement. Donald Trump asked his Attorney-General to investigate how the Russia probe got started and told reporters "I hope he looks at Australia". Credit:AP Mr Downer called it "a complete beat-up" and said the US President likely called an investigation into the origins of the Russia probe because he saw suggestions of a conspiracy in American media. Mr Downer famously met with Trump campaign staffer George Papadopoulos at a London wine bar in 2016, when Mr Papadopoulos said Russia had indicated to the campaign that it could help by releasing thousands of stolen emails that were damaging to rival Hillary Clinton. Conservative Coalition MPs emboldened by strong support from religious voters at the election are pushing the Morrison government for more radical and far-reaching religious freedom provisions in forthcoming laws. Former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce wants laws to exempt religious beliefs from employment contracts - in effect giving legal protection to views such as those expressed on social media by rugby star Israel Folau that gay people and fornicators will go to hell. Liberal senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells and former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce want bolder changes. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen "You can't bring people's faith beliefs into a contract," Mr Joyce said. "Your own views on who god is, where god is or whether there's a god should remain your own personal views and not part of any contractual obligation." Attorney-General Christian Porter is expected to present a Religious Discrimination Act to the Parliament as soon as July, acting on a pre-election commitment to boost protections for people of faith against discrimination and vilification. The Morrison government has refused to address claims of an ongoing and unprecedented self-harm crisis among refugees and asylum seekers on Manus Island following the election, amid reports of a further six attempts of self harm or suicide in 24 hours. Refugees on the island and advocates in Australia say between 23 and 26 people have self-harmed in a serious manner since the Coalition was re-elected on May 18, overwhelming the local hospital in Lorengau where the men reside. Buildings at the East Lorengau Refugee Transit Centre and West Lorengau Haus on Manus Island. Refugee Action Coalition spokesman Ian Rintoul said one Iraqi asylum seeker attempted to hang himself early on Wednesday morning but was a local guard intervened. He said six men were taken to hospital in the 24 hours to Wednesday morning but turned away. "The hospital has been overwhelmed, they're turning people away. So they're taking people back to the [Pacific International Hospital] clinic," he said. Indigenous Australians Minister Ken Wyatt has warned of a setback to reconciliation that could last decades if the nation rushes towards a referendum without a consensus on constitutional reform. Mr Wyatt urged a cautious approach to constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people out of concern at the risk of a devastating defeat that would set the cause back a generation. Indigenous Australians Minister Ken Wyatt: "We need to ensure that we don't go forward and fail." Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Indigenous leader Noel Pearson also changed tack on his referendum push on Wednesday, conceding the model should be fleshed out before being put to the Australian people, a shift from previous arguments the vote could take place first. After being sworn in on Wednesday as Australia's first Indigenous member of a federal cabinet, Mr Wyatt likened a potential defeat to the setback for republicans in the failure of the 1999 referendum on an Australian head of state. Rank-and-file union members are demanding that the CFMMEU's Victorian secretary John Setka be sacked after he indicated he would plead guilty to harassing a woman, while criticising the case's handling by union and Labor party leadership. A female community activist who had spent more than 20 years in the Victorian union movement told The Age and Sydney Morning Herald that it harboured a culture of silence that was damaging efforts to achieve equality in the workplace. Union members have called for John Setka to be sacked. Credit:Paul Jeffers "There is a propensity for the union movement to close ranks and anyone deemed to be 'airing dirty laundry' is castigated," said the activist, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals. "The idea that blaming women in this instance for airing the dirty laundry rather than focusing on the men who create the mess is a significant problem for unions trying to legitimately address violence against women." Mr Kelly, whose 18-year-old son Thomas died in 2012, said a review was the right thing to do. "I do think we need these reviews": Ralph Kelly, whose son Thomas died after a one-punch attack. Credit:Nic Walker The controversial laws are set to be wound back after Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced a cross-party committee would investigate the lockouts and report to Parliament by the end of September. Ralph Kelly, whose son Thomas died after a drunken one-punch attack in Kings Cross, has said he would not be opposed to Sydney's lockout laws being relaxed or even repealed if the city remained safe. Mr Kelly said he received a call on Tuesday morning from the Premier to forewarn him that she was about to announce a review of lockout laws. "I do think we need these reviews because if it stands at the end of three months that there is enough evidence that the link between alcohol and violence has decreased, and that we are now deemed to be a city which is safer for everyone to enjoy the amenities of its nightlife, then I guess it is 101 that we should relax or completely pull out lockout laws," Mr Kelly said. He said that if the repeal of the laws meant that "we are going to go back to what it was like back in 2012 and before, then obviously they should be kept. "We don't want to see violence back on our streets. It's not good for us as a city, as a community, nobody wants that." Mr Kelly said he believed events like Vivid, which started on Friday, made Sydney a safer place. Two of the biggest right-wing unions have swung their support behind Chris Minns for the NSW Labor leadership, in what senior Labor sources say is a "huge coup" that undermines the party's powerful head office. The Health Services Union (HSU) and the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees' Association (SDA) will back Mr Minns for the leadership over his contender Jodi McKay, believing he has the best chance of winning an election. Kogarah MP Chris Minns has secured the support of two of the state's biggest unions in his party leadership bid. Credit:John Veage The move is seen as significant within the party's senior ranks, as Ms McKay is the preferred candidate of the party's Sussex Street head office, led by general secretary Kaila Murnain. One senior Labor source said: "It's a huge coup that the HSU has broken ranks." Organizers of Tuesdays homelessness simulator at the downtown Kelowna branch of the Okanagan Regional Library were, from left, Sarah MacKinnon of the Okanagan Boys and Girls Club, Karley Glaskmeyer of the City of Kelowna, Jude Brunt of the United Way and Dawn Himer of the John Howard Society. Berlin: Police in western Germany say divine intervention saved a speeding driver from getting a ticket, after a pigeon photobombed a traffic enforcement camera at just the right moment. Pigeon in front of the windscreen of a car in Germany. Credit:AP Perhaps inspired by this week's Ascension Day national Christian holiday, police in Viersen, Germany said "the Holy Ghost must have had a plan" to help the driver. Just as the radar clocked the driver at 54 km/h in a 30km/h zone and the camera flashed, the pigeon flew in front of the car, obscuring the face of the driver with its spread wings and thereby concealing the necessary evidence of who was at the wheel. Police say "thanks to the feathered guardian angel," the driver was spared a 105 euro ($169) fine but should take it as "a sign from above" to slow down. Washington: It is tempting for normal people to ignore our President when he starts ranting about treason and corruption at the FBI. I understand the temptation. I'm the object of many of his rants, and even I try to ignore him. But we shouldn't, because millions of good people believe what a president of the United States says. In normal times, that's healthy. But not now, when the President is a liar who doesn't care what damage he does to vital institutions. We must call out his lies that the FBI was corrupt and committed treason, that we spied on the Trump campaign, and tried to defeat Donald Trump. We must constantly return to the stubborn facts. US President Donald Trump and former FBI boss James Comey have traded insults over what Trump perceived to be bias. Credit:AP Russia engaged in a massive effort to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. Near as I can tell, there is only one US leader who still denies that fact. The FBI saw the attack starting in mid-June 2016, with the first dumping of stolen emails. In late July, when we were hard at work trying to understand the scope of the effort, we learnt that one of Trump's foreign policy advisers knew about the Russian effort seven weeks before we did. In April 2016, that adviser talked to a Russian agent in London, learnt that the Russians had obtained "dirt" on Hillary Clinton in the form of thousands of emails, and that the Russians could assist the Trump campaign through the anonymous release of information damaging to Clinton. Of course, nobody from the Trump campaign told us this (nor about later Russian approaches); we had to learn it, months after the fact, from an allied ambassador. HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA SELECTS RANDY PARKER AS VICE PRESIDENT OF NATIONAL SALES FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., May 28, 2019 Hyundai Motor America has named automotive industry veteran Randy Parker vice president of National Sales. Mr. Parker will be responsible for all aspects of sales and distribution of Hyundai vehicles in the U.S., including sales strategies, fleet and certified pre-owned operations, dealer relations, market representation, and other related activities with the mission to grow Hyundai sales and market share. Mr. Parker will also oversee Hyundais seven sales regions. He starts on May 30 and will report to Brian Smith, chief operating officer, Hyundai Motor America. Randy has built a career on leading teams, working collaboratively with retailers and implementing sales strategies that deliver profitable growth, said Brian Smith, COO, Hyundai Motor America. Hyundais product lineup is as compelling as its ever been, with sedans, SUVs and alternative powered vehicles that meet and satisfy virtually any customer need. Im looking forward to Randy joining Hyundai as part of our leadership team, guiding our sales and regional teams and building on the momentum weve made so far this year. Mr. Parker comes to Hyundai with more than three decades of automotive industry experience and leadership roles at both Nissan and General Motors. He most recently served as division vice president, Global Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) Sales and Marketing, at Nissan Motor Company where he was responsible for the automakers LCV business unit based in Yokohama, Japan. At Nissan, he was also vice president of Infiniti North America, where he was in charge of the brands overall performance in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, and previous to that the regional vice president of Nissan USAs western region. Prior to Nissan, Mr. Parker spent nearly 25 years at General Motors working in a variety of sales, marketing and finance roles. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas Christian University and attended executive management programs at Penn State University and Harvard Business School. Hyundai Motor America Hyundai Motor America is focused on delivering an outstanding customer experience grounded in design leadership, engineering excellence and exceptional value in every vehicle we sell. Hyundais technology-rich product lineup of cars, SUVs and alternative-powered electric and fuel cell vehicles is backed by Hyundai Assuranceour promise to deliver peace of mind to our customers. Hyundai vehicles are sold and serviced through more than 830 dealerships nationwide and the majority sold in the U.S. are built at U.S. manufacturing facilities, including Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. Hyundai Motor America is headquartered in Fountain Valley, California, and is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea. AMG Mercedes-Benz GT c wins SAMA's 9th Annual "Topless in Miami" +VIDEO Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster wins top honors at annual convertible competition KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. (May 23) Sporting a 550-horsepower biturbo V8 engine and a top that opens or closes at speeds up to 31 mph, the 2019 Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadsterearned top honors Thursday at the annual Topless in Miami Presented by Haartz convertible competition conducted by the Southern Automotive Media Association (SAMA). It is the third time in nine years that a Mercedes-Benz model has earned top honors in the annual competition, joining the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster (2012) and Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG (2016). The AMG GT C was one of six class winners in the event headquartered at the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne Resort. It also was recognized as the winner in the Luxury Class. Other class wins went to the 2019 Porsche 718 Boxster GTS (Sporty), 2019 Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge (Exotic) and 2019 Mazda MX-5RF (Compact). The competition also included vehicles that offer occupants an open air driving and riding experience via the new, popular sun- and moonroof found on many cars, SUVs, and crossovers on the market, with the 2019 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio selected as the top Panoramic Utility Vehicle and the 2019 Genesis G70 the No. 1 Panoramic Car. Jeeps new 2020 Gladiator Rubicon 4X4 was recognized the Pickup Truck Class winner. Over 40 members spent the day behind the wheel of 19 vehicles to determine the best ofthe best convertibles on the market today, SAMA President Paul Borden said. Vehicleswere scored on their overall styling, performance, and top and general appeal to the South Florida community. The Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster carries a base MSRP of $158,850 with standard features such as an AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed automatic transmission, a carbon-fiber composite driveshaft, AMG Adaptive Sport suspension, AMG High-Performance Compound braking system, AMG Performance exhaust, AMG Dynamic Select with RaceMode, AMG Performance seats and Performance steering wheel, power-retractable soft top, and numerous safety features that include Driver Attention Assist and Adaptive Brake Technology. Other vehicles in the competition were the Maserati Grand Turmismo convertible, BMW 850i convertible, Ford Mustang GT convertible, the Mini Cooper Florida Edition convertible, Volkswagen Beetle Final Edition convertible, Acura RDX, Honda Pilot Elite, Hyundai Kona, Kia Telluride, Nissan Murano, Nissan Maxima, and the Volkswagen Jetta GLI. The 2019 Topless in Miami was another great display of the variety of open-air models in the industry, said Doug Haartz, international sales manager at the Haartz Corporation.The array of materials topping these vehicles is a true showcase of our product offering. This is a great event year after year that we are proud to support. Convertibles from the competition will be featured in a special exhibit at the annual Miami International Auto Show Nov. 1-10 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. The Haartz Corporation (Haartz) is a world leader in highly engineered and uniquely designed convertible toppings and interior surface materials. The companys world headquarters and North American manufacturing operations are located in Acton, Massachusetts, with additional manufacturing in Mannheim, Germany and Pune, India. Beyond these manufacturing locations, Haartz maintains offices in Detroit, Munich, Tokyo, Irapuato, Mexico, Shanghai and Chongqing, China. Employing over 400 people worldwide, Haartz has been a trusted automotive supplier since 1907, and continues to beprivately owned and operated by the Haartz family. For more information, visit www.haartz.com . Join the conversation on Twitter, @Haartz. SAMA is an organization of automotive journalists, representatives of media organizations, corporate communications specialists, marketing and advertising representatives, and auto manufacturers related to South Floridas dynamic automotive industry. Based in Miami, it was formed in March 2007 and has grown to include more than 140 members from around the South and country. For more information, visit its website www.samamiami.com By Len Ingrassia Automotive columnist This year's Topless in Miami event included a dressed to the nines gala dinner and awards banquet and, coincidentally, was all about 19 cars hitting the pavement at 9 a.m. with temps in the 90s to mark our 9th annual competition to select winners. Topless attendees were welcomed by President Paul Borden during a pre-event briefing with remarks by Doug Haartz, International Sales Manager for Topless title sponsor Haartz Corporation. In operation for more than a century, Haartz is the leading global supplier of automotive topping fabrics with a wide range of constructions and designs. It has grown to serve widening market needs with manufacturing facilities in Mexico, Germany, India, China and Japan with corporate headquarters and manufacturing in Acton, MA. Their outreach extends to automotive interior trim, Cure In Place Pipe (CIPP) rehabilitation, soft-sided luggage and handbag applications as well as rubber coated fabrics for applications as diverse as machine gear belts and non-destructive pipeline testing. This is the fifth year they have been the title sponsor for Topless. Judging rules were tweaked this year to aid in scoring categories including Styling, Performance, Top (convertibles) and Panoramic. Following a continental breakfast, journalists, bloggers, videographers and social media experts got underway with test drives around the picturesque village of Key Biscayne, home to two large tropical parks and fashionable boutiques. It turned out to be a race for the participants too reviewing the assembled carsin the time allotted. Seven hours later the mission was accomplished and judges began the tallying process. The Prestige team carried out the logistics of moving cars through the makeshift pit area keeping wheels turning throughout the event. Preparation for the days' events started well before dawn with Prestige and DriveShop personnel readying their respective auto lineups for the day. The association and its members owe a big thank you to fleet personnel and staff for making Topless a big success again. Kudos to Nissan, breakfast sponsor; Mazda, lunch underwriter; Genesis, cocktail reception and Jeep, Alfa Romeo (FCA) and Hyundai as dinner sponsors. On Friday, the Burleson County Sheriffs Office issued a written public statement: The Burleson County Sheriffs Office is dedicated to doing what is right, legal and ethical, wrote Sheriff Thomas Norsworthy. Mr. Chester Jackson and his family have our full sympathy. Since our first contact with Mr. Jackson in 2013, we have held Mr. Jacksons safety and well-being in highest regard as we would for any member of the community. The Burleson County Sheriffs Office is committed to conducting a full and complete investigation into the actions and circumstances that have resulted in the current condition of Mr. Jackson, and to keeping Mr. Jacksons family informed. At the conclusion of this investigation, all of our information will be made available to Mr. Jacksons family and the community as appropriate. According to Lewis, who says no information about the arrest has been provided to her or Jacksons family, an officer in the video is a Caldwell police officer. Caldwell police Chief Charles Barnes said he could not answer detailed questions but released the following statement: This week, on the evening of May 20, 2019, I was notified that there are allegations against the Caldwell Police Department with regard to possible officer misconduct against Mr. Jackson. On Tuesday, May 21, 2019, I immediately initiated an Internal Affairs investigation into the matter and placed the officer on administrative leave pending the investigation. I have also notified the Texas Rangers who are conducting a criminal investigation into this matter. I and the Caldwell Police Department take these allegations and complaints very seriously and will conduct a thorough and complete investigation into this matter. Skip joined the Texas A&M University faculty in 1971in the College of Architecture where he became an Associate Professor. He mentored many students, and served on both master's and Ph.D. graduate committees during his 39 years at Texas A&M. Skip's commitment to students and his teaching prowess were recognized by the construction industry, his students and the University. He received the Faculty Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching given by the Association of Former Students as well as the Dean's Award for Teaching Excellence. Skip was twice selected as Educator of the Year by graduating students in the Department of Construction Science. In 1995, the Student Chapters of the Associated Building Contractors, the Associated Building Contractors and the National Association of Home Builders voted Skip the Outstanding Teacher. Author of many articles on issues of structural engineering in academic and professional journals, and he was a member of the American Institute of Steel Construction, the American Concrete Institute, and an Associate Member of the American Institute of Architects Widely recognized by his peers for his professionalism, expertise and contributions to engineering education, the honors he received include the Texas Educator of the Year Award from the Dallas Chapter of the Associated General Contractors; the Arie Huizer Award from the Canadian Masonry Association; and the National Outstanding Education Award from the Associated Schools of Construction. December 1, 1986 - May 25, 2019 Susan Marie (Bender) Vajdak passed away May 25, 2019, at the age of 32. Susan was born December 1, 1986 in Houston to Terry and Judy Bender. She was close to her sister Laura and brother Brian, and had many friends. As a child, Susan loved to read and ride horses. She also loved Disney movies, which continued throughout her life - she was a huge Harry Potter fan. She loved music, participating in band and choir in school, as well as being in the color guard. She graduated as valedictorian of Barbers Hill High School in 2005 before attending Texas A&M. Susan received her Bachelor of Science in Animal Science and Biomedical Science in 2009 and then graduated in 2013 with her DVM. She was proud to have achieved her lifelong dream of becoming a doctor of veterinary medicine. While attending Texas A&M, Susan met her husband Keith Vajdak at the Snook rodeo. After a night of dancing and talking, they went on their first date the next day. After a great first date of hauling hay, Susan and Keith were always together. They were married on March 11, 2012. Their daughter April Marie Vajdak was born the following year. Under Irans penal code, for example, a man found guilty of adultery shall be buried in a ditch up to near his waist and a woman up to near her chest, and then they are stoned to death. Its hard to imagine a death more primitive and brutal. The laws language is complicated, subjective and often capricious. For example, a man who escapes from the ditch goes free if his conviction was based on his own confession. But if he was convicted based on the testimony of others, he is forced back into the ditch and is stoned. Further, Irans penal code is extremely specific about what constitutes a sex act Ill spare you the details but vague about what represents a proper stone for use in the execution, which shall not be too large to kill the convict by one or two throws and at the same time shall not be too small to be called a stone. Stoning is a savage business that has no place in a civilized culture. But I said that I was going to say something positive about it. Here is a quirk of stoning that might be instructive for our nation: Talk about tone deaf. If the Democrats go ahead with impeachment proceedings, they face a real danger that voters will see Democrats investigating at the expense of governing. In the Harvard-Harris poll, an overwhelming 80% of Americans say they want their congressional representatives working more on infrastructure, health care, and immigration [than] investigations of President Trump. Right now, thats not what is happening. Five months into their newly attained majority, Democrats have accomplished almost nothing little or no progress on health reform, drug prices or public works projects. Every day that Democrats choose to make news on impeachment and investigations is another day when voters see no action on a positive agenda for the American people. As the president made clear in his fiery news conference on Wednesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, cant accuse him of engaging in a coverup in the morning and expect him to negotiate with her on a $2 trillion infrastructure package in the afternoon. It is simply not going to happen. There are so many reasons to be concerned about America Some reasons to be concerned: It appears that a local gymnastics/sports business believed it good for business to have "Give your kids what they want" painted on its van. This should cost it business. Disdain for the law by the public and our governments largely goes uncontested. The pseudo-relationships resulting from smart phone use moves people away from reality and positive relationships. Unrestricted smart phone use is imperiling the relationship health of family units and the effectiveness of learning in our schools. Religious belief is falling and will move many away from healthy, morally based personal and public decisions. There is heavy bias in our media reporting which contributes to our divisiveness. 14-Year-Old Boy Charged With Murder Accused of Fatally Shooting Pregnant Teen, Her Mother A 14-year-old boy has been charged in relation to the fatal shooting of a teen, her unborn baby, and the teens mother in San Antonio, Texas, according to police. The boy, who has not been identified due to his age, was arrested on May 27 for the shooting that occurred on April 9 at Rosemont at University Park Apartments in the 100 block of Emerald Ash, reported KSAT, citing San Antonio Police. The victims have been identified as Janette Quiroz, 37, and Quirozs pregnant 18-year-old daughter, Bernadette Quiroz. They were shot while standing next to their SUV at the apartments, KSAT reported previously. First responders pronounced Quiroz dead at the scene, while they rushed Bernadette to the hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries. But doctors were able to deliver her child by c-section despite not being able to save her. The infant, a girl named Tabitha Quiroz, was only able to survive three days before she also died. BREAKING NEWS: A 14-year-old has been charged with capital murder in connection with the deaths of 2 women and an infant. https://t.co/MqghVrcjBm KSAT 12 (@ksatnews) May 28, 2019 Quirozs mother and Bernadettes grandmother, Malinda Quiroz, told the news station back in April that she had to make the difficult decision to turn off the life support for the newborn. Even though I would have liked for her to be here with us, but unfortunately, I didnt want her to suffer, Malinda Quiroz said. So I made that decision. And all I can say is she went with her mom because she was dead by the time they got her to the hospital, too. She was brain dead. So Im saying she died with her mommy. And the only thing that consoles me is that OK, well this happened. So I have to return her back to her mommy. The 14-year-old suspect was already being held at a juvenile detention center on an unrelated aggravated robbery charge at the time he was charged with capital murder, reported mySA, according to police. Police have not released further details about the case or the arrests. Boy, 14, charged with capital murder in deaths of pregnant teen, mother https://t.co/AaP7TY0dtB News 4 San Antonio (@News4SA) May 28, 2019 The victims family members told KSAT back in April that they hope the gunman will face the death penalty. I feel like, were in Texas. So I want them to get the full punishment. I dont care how old you are, or how young you are, you deserve the death punishment, said Damian Quiroz, who is Bernadettes older brother. 9-Year-Old Charged with Moms Murder In another case, a 9-year-old boy was charged with murder after allegedly shooting his mother dead with a rifle, reported 24 Hour News 8. Pauline Randol, 51, was shot dead on May 6 at a home in Fawn River Township in Michigan. Her young son, who has not been named due to his age, was charged with murder the following day. He is currently undergoing a psychiatric evaluation at a state-run juvenile facility, according to the news outlet. Randols grieving daughter, Harley Martin, said her brother, who was adopted from Indiana about two years ago, came from a troubled situation where his biological mother was using drugs during her pregnancy. She added that the boy has a history of mental health problems and that her mother was worried that he would start hurting people. She had told her doctor one time she was so scared she was raising the next serial killer, Martin told the news website. But nobody expected the boy to hurt Randol. Martin said although she has revealed her mothers concerns, she wants people to know her brother is not a bad kid. He loved his mom. I dont want people to think he did not love his mom, Martin said. She added that her brother is still confused about what is happening, even asking where his mother is. He doesnt know what he did. He doesnt understand whats going on right now at all, she added. He doesnt understand why he cant come home or anything. The boys attorney, T.J. Reed, told 24 Hour News 8 in a statement that they would not comment on the specifics of the care but warned people to not pre-judge this child based on partial or unknown facts. Based on the severity of the charges and the age of the accused it is important to keep focused of the future and long term impact these proceedings and charges may have on a child of this age, the statement read. 24-Year-Old Chicago Woman Shot and Killed While Holding Her 1-Year-Old Baby: Reports A 24-year-old Chicago woman was shot and killed while she reportedly tried to shield her 1-year-old child from the gunfire, it was reported. The woman, identified as Brittney Hill in reports, was holding her infant girl when she spoke to someone around the 1200 Block of North Mason Avenue on the morning May 28. At around 8:50 a.m., two men emerged from a silver Chevy Impala and fired shots at the group of people, hitting Hill. The first shot struck Hill in the upper body, said police in a WGN-TV report. She went to hide behind a car with the baby. She moved towards the rear of a parked vehicle and fell to the ground and laid over her child to shield her, said Chicago Police Department spokeswoman Michelle Tannehill. When Brittany was shot, she shielded her baby, was hit and fell protecting her. She survived and will have to grow up without her mother.. what is life Chicago? #Tired #Hurt #RIHBritBrat pic.twitter.com/NqeEgNchpZ JaMal Green (@JaymalGreen) May 28, 2019 A group of people took her to West Suburban Hospital, and she was then pronounced dead, the spokeswoman added. JaMal Green, a local activist, said Hill loved her children and was a mother of two. Chicago Police said that they dont suspect Hill was the intended target of the shooting, but the shooting likely wasnt random. My childhood friend Brittany was just killed with her child in her hand this morning. Just talked to her and shes a big supporter of mines! Im sick and shocked and cant believe it.. we must step up and stop this violence, we HAVE too! Wow chicago.. JaMal Green (@JaymalGreen) May 28, 2019 This is not a random act of violence, unfortunately, police are investigatingit could be possibly have been a targeted incident due to gang conflicts and retaliations in the area, Tannehill noted. No suspects have been named in the case, and no one has been taken into custody. The investigation into the shooting is ongoing as Chicago detectives work view surveillance footage in the area. When Brittany was shot, she shielded her baby, was hit and fell protecting her, Green said on Twitter. The baby survived and will have to grow up without her mother, he said. Im sick and shocked and cant believe it, he said. We must step up and stop this violence. Its really hard to understand that her kids are gonna have to grow up without her. This is our reality, he added to ABC News. Were living this every single day it is very unfortunate that kids in this city have to grow up either without their parents or grow up in survival mode, trying to just live to be an adult. Green said that to curb the violence in Chicago, we need real innovative ideas that can really shake these communities. In May, 46 people have been murdered in Chicago so far, according to HeyJackass, a website that has long tracked murders in the city. About 900 people have been shot this year. Over Memorial Day weekend, about 38 people were shot and five were killed, ABC7 reported. A Chinese Coast Guard ship is seen while American and Philippine coast guards conduct joint search and rescue and capability-building exercises off South China Sea west of the Philippines on May 14, 2019. (Philippine Coast Guard Via AP) Australian Navy Pilots Struck by Lasers in South China Sea, Experts Suspect China Attack BEIJINGAustralian navy helicopter pilots were hit by lasers while exercising in the South China Sea, forcing them to land as a precaution, a witness said, describing the latest incident in the disputed waters where China has stepped up the defense of its sweeping territorial claims. Scholar Euan Graham, who was onboard the Royal Australian Navy flagship HMAS Canberra on a voyage from Vietnam to Singapore, said that the lasers had been pointed from passing fishing vessels while the Canberra was being trailed by a Chinese warship. China maintains a robust maritime militia in the South China Sea composed of fishing vessels equipped to carry out missions just short of combat. China claims the strategic waterway virtually in its entirety and is sensitive to all foreign naval action in the area, especially by the United States and allies such as Australia. Was this startled fishermen reacting to the unexpected? Or was it the sort of coordinated harassment more suggestive of Chinas maritime militia? Its hard to say for sure, but similar incidents have occurred in the western Pacific, Euan Graham wrote on the website The Strategist run by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, an independent, non-partisan think tank based in Canberra. The account of the incident appeared on May 28. Similar incidents involving lasers and the Chinese military have also been reported as far away as Djibouti, where the United States and China have bases. Last year, the United States complained to China after lasers were directed at aircraft in the Horn of Africa nation that resulted in minor injuries to two American pilots. Graham said that while bridge-to-bridge communications with the Chinese during the voyage were courteous, the Chinese requested the Australian warships notify them in advance of any corrections to their course. That was something the Australian navy was not about to concede while exercising its high-seas freedoms, Graham wrote. He wrote that the constant presence of Chinese vessels shadowing foreign ships appeared to indicate that the Chinese fleet had grown large enough to allow it to have vessels lying in wait for just such orders. He said their trailing actions also appeared to show that Chinas over-the-horizon surveillance capability was also maturing, supported by technology based at points such as Fiery Cross Reef in the contested Spratly island group where China has built military installations and an airstrip atop coral reefs. Graham, who is executive director of La Trobe Asia at La Trobe University in Australia, was one of several academics invited to observe Australias engagement exercise Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2019. The United States and its allies insist on the right to sail and fly anywhere in the area is permitted under international law, despite Chinas differing interpretation of such guidelines. The Chinese regime claims that it has historical ownership over nearly the entire region, which gives it the right to manufacture islands, declare defensive perimeters around its artificial islands, and to chase ships from other nations out of the South China Sea. However, on July 12, 2016, an arbitration court in The Hague found the Chinese regimes claims to be false. In the U.N. tribunals ruling, Chinas claims to virtually the entirety of the South China Sea were dismissed by the 5-member tribunal as having no historical basis. It was also determined that the multiple artificial islands that have been built by and used as bases by the Chinese military do not constitute territory entitled to zones of economic exclusivity. Rather, they were found to be in violation of the sovereignty of the Philippines. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) immediately rejected the tribunals decision. A statement from its Foreign Ministry said it viewed the decision as null and void and has no binding force. It would neither accept nor participate in the arbitration unilaterally initiated by the Philippines. The true impact is uncertain given the tribunal has no power of enforcement, The Associated Press reported on July 12, 2016. Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam have competing claims to the waterway, through which passes about a third of global seaborne trade. The Epoch Times contributed to this report. Baby Dies in Ambulance Fire in Turkey After Oxygen Tanks Explode A 3-month-old infant has died in an ambulance fire on a Turkish highway. The vehicle caught fire after an oxygen tank exploded in the back, while it was on the Trans-European Motorway in Istanbul, Turkey, the Mirror reported. The baby girl was in an incubator in the ambulance when tragedy struck. The Mirror reported she was likely left behind in the confusion as her mother and the paramedics fled from the fire. Photographs and video taken by passersby and shared on social media show a thick plume of black smoke pouring out of the burning ambulance. Baby in incubator dies after oxygen tank explodes in back of ambulance https://t.co/ja4zfblewF pic.twitter.com/1tz5216BrH Daily Mirror (@DailyMirror) May 29, 2019 According to local media via the Mirror, the grief-stricken mother had to be sedated after discovering her child was not rescued from the flames. She was cited in the report as saying that rather than save her baby, the paramedics fled for their own lives. Paramedics got out and I also jumped out of the ambulance, the woman said in a statement via the Mirror. The paramedics could not get in to save my baby and ran away. There were three people in there with my daughter, but when the fire started there was no one. The report said the police would investigate. Mother and 11-year-old Daughter Killed in Head-On Crash In related news, North Carolina deputies said a woman and her 11-year-old daughter were killed when their vehicle collided head-on with a tractor-trailer. North Carolina State Patrol officials were cited by WTVD as saying that 46-year-old Venita Greene Vandergriff was tragically killed when her SUV crossed the center line on U.S. 421 North in Harnett County and struck the semi. The deadly collision took place in the early morning hours of Tuesday, May 21. Vandergriff and her 11-year-old were pronounced dead on the scene, WNCN reported, while the little girls twin sister, who was also in the car at the time of the accident, was taken to hospital with undisclosed injuries. WRAL reported the surviving twin was taken to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center in serious condition. Mom, 11-year-old daughter dead after SUV, tractor-trailer collide head-on in Harnett County https://t.co/c8gtR6ex3Z ABC11 EyewitnessNews (@ABC11_WTVD) May 22, 2019 According to WNCN, all three occupants of the 2005 Dodge were wearing seat belts. The child that was killed was sitting directly behind her mother; the girl that survived was sitting in the backseat on the passenger side. A witness told WTVD that the twin that survived had to be cut out of the wreckage. A young girl and a woman are dead after a head on crash in Harnett County on US-421. Another young girl was rushed to the hospital in serious condition. Ill have live updates all morning on @ABC11_WTVD pic.twitter.com/IP9yAVVl91 Ana Rivera (@AnaRiveraABC11) May 21, 2019 Deputies cited by WRAL said the cause of the accident is not known but that they dont suspect alcohol or drugs were a factor. The tractor-trailer driver, identified as 24-year-old Paul Lanex, suffered minor injuries. According to CBS17, the driver was treated and released. Troopers continue to investigate the circumstances of the crash. Crash Deaths in the United States Tens of thousands of people are killed and millions injured each year from motor vehicle crashes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC says these deaths cost more than $380 million in direct medical costs. The major risk factors for crash deaths in the US are: not using seat belts, car seats, and booster seats (factors in over 9,500 crash deaths); drunk driving (a factor in more than 10,000 crash deaths); and speeding (contributing to more than 9,500 crash deaths). According to 2017 data from the CDC, the 10 leading causes of death in the United States were: heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries, chronic lower respiratory diseases, stroke, Alzheimer disease, diabetes, influenza and pneumonia, kidney disease, and suicide. These further break down as follows: the most common are unintentional poisoning deaths (58,335), followed by motor vehicle traffic deaths (40,327), and unintentional fall deaths in third place (34,673). The total number of emergency department visits for unintentional injuries in the United States in 2017 was 30.8 million, according to the CDC. The 10 leading causes accounted for 74 percent of all deaths in the United States in 2017. Baby Goes Viral After Being Born With Totally White Hair A Mississippi baby left doctors and her mother in awe after she was born with totally white hair. Devina Smith was born with the snow-colored hair, and photos of the baby have gone viral over the years. According to the Daily Mail, doctors diagnosed her with partial albinism, which is a rare inherited condition. Her mother, 27-year-old Jessica Smith, uploaded the photos of the girl that have been viewed thousands of times on social media, with some people claiming they photos were photoshopped. Smith and her doctors said that the photos, in fact, werent digitally altered. The girls condition is inherited and is caused by a lack of pigment in her eyes, hair, skin. MS soldier died just weeks after his daughter was born >>https://t.co/rVoPaphsK3 #wmc5 pic.twitter.com/LZpHRZImLw WMC Action News 5 (@WMCActionNews5) May 31, 2017 Many people claimed the child bore a resemblance to Game of Thrones character Daenerys, played by Emilia Clarke, due to her pure white hair. The rare condition affects about five people in 100,000 in the United States and Europe, the Mail noted. According to WMC Action News, a tragic story accompanies the child: her father was a U.S. Army soldier, Sgt. Kyle Clayton Thomas, who died during a training exercise. I hadnt seen a baby like that beforeothers were blond, but not white, her mother said. I think it makes her extra special. Smith said that a doctor informed her that she had a lot of hair during delivery but it was a shock when I saw her for the first time, she had so much hair, it was crazy, the Mail reported. The mother added that shes so tiny, we havent taken her out much but when we took her for a hospital visit, a little girl said she looked like a baby doll Elaborating further, Smith said that after posting the pictures online, they were being viewed thousands of times. I couldnt believe how much attention the photos was getting. People thought it had been photoshopped, she continued. My oldest is nine and he was so happy, and couldnt get over her hair either. According to the National Library of Medicine, Piebaldism is a rare autosomal dominant trait characterized by the congenital absence of melanocytes in affected areas of the skin and hair. A white forelock of hair, often triangular in shape, may be the only manifestation, or both the hair and the underlying forehead may be involved. The eyebrows and eyelashes may be affected. Irregularly shaped white patches may be observed on the face, trunk, and extremities, usually in a symmetrical distribution. Typically, islands of hyperpigmentation are present within and at the border of depigmented areas. Japanese Baby Born with Full Head of Hair Another baby born with a significant amount of hair, who also went viral, landed a modeling job for a shampoo company. Baby Chanco became a hair model at age 1 after mother Mami Kano started posting pictures of the childs hair on Instagram last May, leaving many flabbergasted by her looks. The social media account, called baby Chancos hair diary, got more than 300,000 followers in a few months. Im so surprised with the reaction, but also very proud of the praise from many countries, Kano told People magazine on Jan. 8, adding that her girl has a lighthearted smile and luxurious head of hair [that] doesnt match her age. People magazine asked her about how she cares for the girls hair, and she replied: Brushing and just let her live as she is. And on Jan. 7, she appeared in Pantenes new advertisement next to Japanese television announcer Sato Kondo, the report stated. According to Popsugar, Chanco was born Dec. 23 Japan and came out of the womb with a full head of hair. Bulldozer scoops soil containing various rare earth to be loaded on to a ship at a port in Lianyungang, China, on Sept. 5, 2010. STR/AFP/Getty Images Blocking Rare-Earth Exports Is Self-Destructive Option for China News Analysis WASHINGTONChina may take the drastic step of restricting exports of rare-earth elements to strike back at the United States, as the trade war between the worlds two biggest economies continues to intensify. However, Beijings use of these strategic metals as a policy weapon against Washington has devastating consequences and may backfire, according to experts. While Beijing has so far not explicitly said it would limit rare-earth exports to the United States, state-owned Chinese newspapers have warned that Beijing would seriously consider the option. Rare earths are a group of 17 elements used in the production of critical components of key technologies, such as electric vehicles, smartphones, wind turbines, satellites, missiles, and semiconductor chips. The metals are also crucial for the defense sector as they are used in precision-guided weapons, communications equipment, jet engines, batteries, and other defense electronics. The United States was the largest producer of rare-earth elements until the 1980s. However, many plants were closed during the past few decades because of costs and environmental concerns, as well as competition from China. Currently, the United States is fully dependent on imports of rare earths, and the vast majority comes from China. Speculation that China could use its dominance in rare-earth metals is a huge threat to the United States, according to Richard Trzupek, an analyst at the Heartland Institute, a Chicago-based think tank. The politicians and policymakers have largely had deaf ears about it, he said. If China decides to cut off rare earths, it would have a devastating effect on both sides, according to Trzupek. And a total embargo would throw down the gauntlet to the entire industrialized world, he argued. Its hard for me to believe that they would be mad enough to take that big step, he said, adding that it would have a negative effect on the Chinese economy. In the past few days, Chinas state media outlets, including the Global Times and Peoples Daily, have strongly implied that China could use rare earths as a policy weapon in the trade war with Washington. Will rare earths become a counter-weapon for China to hit back against the pressure the United States has put on for no reason at all? The answer is no mystery, Peoples Daily stated in a commentary. Based on what I know, China is seriously considering restricting rare-earth exports to the United States. China may also take other countermeasures in the future, Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of the Chinese tabloid Global Times, wrote on his Twitter account on May 28. Veiled Threat Speculation began when Chinese leader Xi Jinping on May 20 visited a Chinese rare-earth mining company in Ganzhou City, which is known for its rich deposits of rare-earth minerals. Xis visit has been considered a veiled threat aimed at the United States. Beijing has used rare earths as a retaliatory tactic before, but ended up shooting itself in the foot. In 2010, Beijing cut off rare-earth exports after a Chinese fishing boat collided with two Japan Coast Guard ships in the East China Sea. The export ban sent the prices for raw materials through the roof. The huge price spike worked against Beijing, as it encouraged a surge of illegal production in China; it also motivated new production in countries such as Australia and destroyed demand for Chinese rare-earth metals. In 2012, Japan, the United States, and the European Union complained to the World Trade Organization (WTO) about Chinas restrictions on rare-earth exports. Two years later, the WTO ruled against China. It is a potential friction point in our bilateral relationship, said Jeffrey Schott, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, a Washington-based think tank. The depth of mistrust is growing. So, its something that should be closely monitored, he added. But he doesnt expect the Chinese regime would institute harsh export controls a second time, after losing the case at the WTO a few years ago. The U.S. Defense Department submitted on May 29 a report to Congress on rare-earth minerals, according to Reuters. The Pentagon didnt explain details of the report but it said the document was tied to a federal program designed to boost domestic production capabilities through economic incentives. In December 2017, President Donald Trump issued an executive order to executive departments and agencies to develop a strategy to ensure secure and reliable supplies of critical minerals. The United States lost its ability to produce rare-earth metals during the past few decades, mainly because of increased environmental opposition to mining, Trzupek said, adding that it would take years to rebuild that capability. The permitting process in the United States is so complex and so open to obstructions, he said. If you are mining rare earths and you want to change your process a little bit, then you have to apply for a permit, and environmental groups who oppose to any kind of mining will break their back to oppose that, he explained. So it gets more expensive because youre using older technology. So eventually, economically it makes no sense for a mine operator or a refiner to continue to do business in this country. They just cant compete anymore, he said. Body of Missing 5-Year-Old Elizabeth Shelley Found as Uncle Is Charged in Case A body was discovered in the search for missing 5-year-old Utah girl Elizabeth Shelley, according to reports on May 29. The girl disappeared from her home over Memorial Day weekend, triggering a five-day-long search. Searchers found her body at 2 p.m. local time on May 29, ABC4 reported, saying that the attorney of her uncle, Alex Whipple, revealed his client had disclosed where they could find her. He knows hes involved in a very, very serious matter, said Shannon Demler, the defense attorney for the suspect, reported People magazine. After I met with him for a few hours, he decided it would be best for everyone involved if he told the authorities the location of the body. Demler didnt elaborate on how Whipple, 21, would plead in the case. Missing Utah Girl, 5, Believed Hurt and DNA Allegedly Connects Uncle to Her Disappearance https://t.co/NkwgqTtsMs People (@people) May 29, 2019 Weve been negotiating with the county attorneys office to resolve the matter, the lawyer stated. We havent made a decision on how its all going to proceed at this point. Charges were announced against Whipple at a news conference on the same day she was found, but it was before her body was located, People reported. Whipple faces charges of aggravated murder, child kidnapping, obstruction of justice, and desecration of a body, police said. There is evidence to believe Alexander has committed the aggravated murder of Elizabeth Shelley even though her body has not yet been located at this time, charging documents said before the girls body was discovered, reported Utahs KSL.com. Authorities have located the body of a 5-year-old girl who had been missing since Saturday morning, according to the attorney for her uncle, who was charged in connection with the case. https://t.co/onVpUAWcsi KSL (@KSLcom) May 29, 2019 Logan Police Chief Gary Jensen, in a news conference, got emotional when he read the charges. To hear a charge of aggravated murder brings with it a notion of finality, and its very difficult for their family, I can imagine, he told reporters. Demler, meanwhile, spoke with Whipple for a few hours, saying he was very emotional, confused, and very broken down. Hes struggling as anyone would be in this situation, he told KSL.com. He understands its a very serious thing he cant take back. He understands the gravity of it. Demler stated that he negotiated with the Cache County Attorneys Office before the clients body was revealed. Heavy police activity in Logan near the home where 5-year-old Elizabeth Shelley. We have Chopper 5 in the air live at the scene right now: https://t.co/ctDDucXs1Y #ksltv pic.twitter.com/5Y4XSp0MEY KSL 5 TV (@KSL5TV) May 29, 2019 Today is a difficult day, the Cache County Attorneys Office also said in a statement. Our thoughts continue to be with Lizzys family. This tragic event has shaken our community, according to the statement. The Cache County Attorneys Office is committed to fighting for justice. Justice for Lizzy, her family, and our community. Whipple was located by police hours after she disappeared, and he gave investigators conflicting accounts of what had happened, CNN reported. He eventually admitted being at the girls home. During the police interview, he began talking about evil in the world, adding that he had struggles as a child and how his family has treated him horribly throughout his life. Five-year-old Utah girls body found. Authorities have charged Elizabeth Shelleys uncle Alex Whipple (shown below) with aggravated murder. abuse or desecration of a human body and other crimes. Read more: https://t.co/ZSw8mVjhpr pic.twitter.com/JX3efhokar KFDM News (@kfdmnews) May 29, 2019 Later, he said that alcohol makes him black out and sometimes does criminal things when he blacks out, court documents stated. Investigators searching for the girl said they discovered a blood-stained knife from the girls mothers kitchen along with a PVC pipe with a bloodied palm print, which was later found to belong to the suspect. The family released a statement about the matter. As a family we are overwhelmed, scared and sad at the recent tragic events that have touched our lives, the statement said, CNN reported. Mya Vizcarrondo, a 16-year-old 9th grade student at Harry S. Truman High School, committed suicide on Feb. 28, 2018 after being subjected to repeated bullying, her parents allege in a lawsuit. (GoFundMe) Bullied and Sexually Assaulted Bronx Teen Killed Herself After School Ignored Cries for Help, Parents Lawsuit Alleges A high school student from the Bronx who leapt to her death had been bullied continuously for months and sexually assaulted on school grounds the day she died, alleges a lawsuit by her parents. The body of ninth-grader Mya Vizcarrondo-Rios, 16, was discovered after she jumped from the rooftop of her 34-story apartment building during school hours on Feb. 28, 2018. She was still wearing her backpack when her body was discovered on the sidewalk just after 2 p.m local time, reported the New York Daily News. Bronx high school student killed herself after bullies tormented her and school officials turned their backs: lawsuit https://t.co/p9Te5MJEdi philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) May 29, 2019 In the lawsuit filed against the city, the Education Department, school administrators, and one of the alleged bullies, the teens parents said she took her own life after being subjected to five months of bullying at Harry S. Truman High School. Since she enrolled in September 2017, their daughter was allegedly body shamed, physically abused, and forced by two boys to perform oral sex at school, then teased about it. Mya had allegedly reported the bullying to counselors, but her parents claim in their lawsuit that her complaints were not handled properly, and they are furious school administrators failed to inform them of her concerns, reported the New York Daily News. The morning before Mya passed away, her father, Heriberto Rios, said she had seemed excited before going to school. He later found out she had been forced to perform the sex act at the back of an unsupervised auditorium at the school, where students had earlier given a performance. The lawsuit alleges the principal of Harry S. Truman High School, Keri Alfano, and a guidance counselor, had been aware of the malicious bullying, but did nothing about her absence the day she took her own life. Parents sue city, DOE after Bronx teen bullied into sex jumps off building https://t.co/lUmK3Cl7Dh pic.twitter.com/Pk01wb0bOA New York Post (@nypost) May 28, 2019 While Mya never told her parents about her mistreatment, she admitted to her father she was having difficulty in some of her classes. I asked what was going on. She said she was having trouble, but she didnt tell me she was being bullied, Rios told the New York Daily News. She didnt tell me about this. I found out after she passed. The school never told me about the cutting (classes). Before the bullying, Mya had near perfect attendance, reported the New York Daily News. Parents sue NYC after teen bullied into sex acts with boys jumped off building https://t.co/LxBSdJbWhW Tamara Walker (@nyprdiva) May 29, 2019 After her body was found, Mya was rushed immediately Jacobi Medical Center where she was pronounced dead. She was an honor roll student, her father said. She had so many plans. She wanted to go to college. While Rios and Myas mother, Nelly Vizcarrondo, had previously been told about their daughters absences, they were never made aware of the torment she endured throughout the five months of bullying. The lawsuit alleges Mya was sent back to class when she told the counselor about the bullying, and that a promised investigation never took place. Girl, 16, who was relentlessly bullied for months jumped to her death hours after she was sexually assaulted at school and officials ignored her cries for help, parents lawsuit claims https://t.co/VRUQOmzsPJ Dolly Loretta Russo (@dolly19631966) May 29, 2019 Now, her parents are hitting out against the way Myas situation was handled. (Mya) was ignored and simply sent back to class without any intervention by the school, the lawsuit said. Myas friend had also alerted the counselor about the problems she was facing the day before she died, the lawsuit alleges. The counselor then reportedly signed a review card saying she would ask her parents to be wary of signs of emotional distressbut this allegedly never happened. A copy of the lawsuit obtained by the New York Post alleges, The employees of Harry S. Truman had actual notice of the intimidation but failed to intervene. The guidance counselor saw and willfully ignored the signs that M.A. V-R was suffering severe emotional pain and depression as a result of the bullying she was receiving at school, the lawsuit states. According to the lawsuit, the guidance counselor was fired and the single-named bully in the lawsuit was transferred out of the school. This was a tragic loss, and students deserve safe and supportive school environments, Education Department spokesman Doug Cohen said in a statement. We recognize the deep impact bullying can have, and schools are required to immediately investigate and address any allegation. Well continue to invest in anti-bullying and safe schools initiatives. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump return to the White House on May 28, 2019 in Washington, DC. Trump spent the last 4 days on a state visit to Japan.(Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) Case is Closed, Trump Says in Response to Muellers Announcement President Donald Trump responded to special counsel Robert Muellers announcement on May 29 that the special counsels office is formally closed and that the Russia investigation is completed. Nothing changes from the Mueller Report, Trump wrote on Twitter. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you. Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2019 In a televised announcement, Mueller said he will not comment again on the findings of the investigation and directed all inquiries about the probe the text of his final report. The special counsel repeated the reports finding that there is not enough evidence to establish that Trump or anyone in the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to influence the 2016 election. Mueller also clarified why the special counsels office did not decide whether to bring an obstruction of justice charge against the president. The decision was influenced by a DOJ policy which prohibits charging a sitting president with a federal crime, Mueller said. He added that the special counsel refrained from making a determination out of a desire to be fair to the president. And beyond department policy, we were guided by the principle of fairness. It would be unfair to potentially accuse somebody of a crime when there can be no court resolution of the actual charge, Mueller said. Charging the president with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider, he added. That is the offices final position and we will not comment on any other conclusions or hypotheticals about the president. Muellers announcement ends the hopes of Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee that the former FBI director will testify about his final report on the Russia investigation. Mueller concluded his 22-month investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election in March. Attorney General William Barr released a redacted version of Muellers 400-plus-page report on April 18. After Barr released the report, the Democrat-led House Judiciary Committee issued a subpoena for a fully unredacted version of the document and requested that Mueller appear to testify about the report. The negotiations for the testimony stalled after the White House asserted executive privilege over the Mueller report in response to a Democrat-led effort to initiate contempt proceedings against Barr. Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), the chair of the House Judiciary Committee, interpreted Muellers statement to mean that Congress should act to impeach Trump. Given that Special Counsel Mueller was unable to pursue criminal charges against the President, it falls to Congress to respond to the crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trumpand we will do so. No one, not even the President of the United States, is above the law, Nadler wrote on Twitter. Mueller also confirmed three central points: he did not exonerate the President of obstruction, obstruction of justice is a serious crime that strikes at the core of our justice system, and the Constitution points to Congress to take action to hold the President accountable. https://t.co/w61a8rRQeK (((Rep. Nadler))) (@RepJerryNadler) May 29, 2019 Rep. Doug Collins, the top Republican on Nadlers committee, did not agree with his interpretation. Special Counsel Mueller confirmed today what we knew months ago when his report was released: There was no collusion and no obstruction. Relitigating the 2016 election and reinvestigating the special counsels findings will only further divide our country, Collins wrote on Twitter. Special Counsel Mueller confirmed today what we knew months ago when his report was released: There was no collusion and no obstruction. Relitigating the 2016 election and reinvestigating the special counsels findings will only further divide our country. Full statement pic.twitter.com/q86hQpnODw Rep. Doug Collins (@RepDougCollins) May 29, 2019 Trish Regan poses during the Resident Magazine May 2013 Cover Shoot at the Bloomberg Foundation Building on April 1, 2013 in New York City. (Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images) Chinese Regime Cancels Plans to Air Live Debate Between State TV Anchor and Fox Business Host It was to be television gold: a U.S. cable news host and a Chinese state television host would duke it out in a live televised debate on the U.S.-China trade war. The Chinese regime was all set on broadcasting the debate on Chinese airwaves and online, cheering on Liu Xin, the Chinese TV anchor for CGTN, the international arm of Chinas state-run broadcaster, CCTV. But just hours before the debate was set to air on May 29 evening, Chinese authorities suddenly changed their minds. CGTN claimed that it had to cancel its planned live broadcasting due to copyright issues. At the same time, Chinese censors have started to delete related online posts, banned comments about the scheduled debate. Canceled Live Broadcasting Last week, Liu and Trish Regan exchanged barbs on Twitter, after which Regan invited Liu to appear on her show to debate in person. Responding on Twitter, Liu agreed to a head-to-head live televised debate about the ongoing U.S.-China trade dispute. Chinese media reported the news actively. The debate had been set for Wednesday at 8 p.m. New York time. On the same day in Beijing, Lu Kang, spokesperson for Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed at a press conference held at 3 p.m. that CGTN would broadcast the live debate on its television channel, while the Chinese Communist Partys mouthpiece Peoples Daily will live-broadcast it on its website. But a mere two hours later, CGTN announced on its Weibo account, a popular Twitter-like platform that due to copyright issues, CGTN cant live broadcast the dialogue between Liu Xin and Fox Business Network host Trish Regan. The announcement used the word dialogue instead of debate, noting that Liu was attending the event as a guest. Soon after this post, related content about the earlier press conference could not be found on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. At the same time, Weibo, popular news app Toutiao, and other social media banned comments on the scheduled debate. Chinese Scholars and Netizens Complaints Chinese netizens complained about the change and urged for the right to watch the live debate. Others doubted CGTNs claim that it was unable to obtain the copyright to broadcast. Yu Guoming, executive dean of Journalism and Communication School at Beijing Normal University, commented on Weibo on May 28: Applying for a copyright license is that difficult? It must be an excuse. Yu explained in another post also on May 28: The content in the debate cant be predetermined. The Fox Business anchor could get emotional and say something that [the Chinese regime believes] shouldnt be said. Of course, this cant be live broadcast. The recorded video will probably have to pass censorship before publishing. Netizen Xingchui DSW commented on Weibo: How come Xinhua [another state-run media] doesnt have the money to pay for the copyright? This post was soon deleted. Frank Qin, a U.S.-based commentator on the Chinese economy, tweeted on May 28: The real reason for the cancellation is that [CGTN] doesnt want Chinese people to know the facts of the Chinese regime violating its commitment to the WTO [World Trade Organization], how it went back on its words during the U.S.-China trade talks, and so on. U.S. officials have claimed that Chinese negotiators reneged on commitments made in previous talks. Party Propaganda After Liu and Regan agreed to the debate, CGTN commented in a TV segment that the event was the first time in history, and that Liu is a queen since 23 years ago when she won an international English debate competition in London. State-run media like Peoples Daily and Global Times reported on the debate with a strong nationalist tone, hyping Liu to win. Yuan Zeng, lecturer at the Media and Communication School at the University of Leeds in the U.K., believed the event was a ploy by Beijing to spread its propaganda to American audiences. You will see the situation clearly if you think about how many Americans will watch CGTN, versus how many Americans will watch Fox [and witness the debate], Yuan told the Chinese-language Epoch Times in a May 29 interview. CGTN is in fact a registered agent of a foreign government under U.S. law. Last fall, the U.S. Department of Justice compelled it and several other Chinese state-run media that operate in the United States to register with the U.S. government. FOX Business Network will livestream the interview this evening. Additionally, the network will be posting the segment on FOXBusiness.com following the interview. Migrants rush past riot police at the foot of a bridge leading from the migrant camp to the El Chaparral pedestrian entrance at the San Ysidro border crossing in Tijuana, Mexico, on Nov. 25, 2018. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Communism Expert on Whats Behind the Push for Open Borders An interview with Trevor Loudon, author of "The Enemies Within: Communists, Socialists, and Progressives in the U.S. Congress" WASHINGTONAs Congress holds hearing after hearing without any substantive fixes to immigration law, tens of thousands of illegal aliens cross the southwest border every week. Most families dont bother claiming credible fear to Border Patrol anymore, knowing theyll be released anyway if they have a child with them. The Epoch Times sat down with Trevor Loudon, a communism expert and contributor to The Epoch Times, to discuss the effects of congressional inaction and the possible reasons behind it. The Epoch Times: What is really going on? Trevor Loudon: This is an orchestrated, communist assault on America, to destroy Americas borders, to create confusion in America, to overwhelm the system politically. Because America is [the communists] main enemy, and if you cant bring it down through nuclear weapons, you bring it down through illegal immigration, which is maybe just as effective in the long run. You can see what 15, 16, 20, 25 million new Democratic voters is going to do to this country. You will lose Texas, youll lose Florida, you will lose Georgia, Arizona, North Carolina. There will never be, ever, another Republican or conservative president in our lifetimes. You will have a one-party state in America. And that is the plan. That is why they are doing this. This is Marxist. This is Leninist. And this goes back to American politicians cooperating with hostile foreign powers in the destruction of America. And their No. 1 weapon is illegal immigration and overwhelming the border. Thats what theyre doing. If thats not a national emergency, I cannot comprehend what is. What could be more pressing and more dangerous than this? The Democrats, 25 years ago, were the party leading the charge against illegal immigration. They were the party. You look up on C-Span and see speeches by Harry Reid and Bill Clinton condemning illegal immigration in the harshest terms: This is a national security threat. This is taking the jobs of American workers. This is destroying their livelihood. We must end this. They sounded like Tea Party guys. And now, theyre completely in favor of it, because they have so destroyed their own base among the sort of Pennsylvania union guys, the middle class in this country. Theyve so destroyed their own base, they have to import new voters. And where are they going to come from? Well, theres a very easy source for that. Epoch Times: How would border security look under a Democrat president in 2020? Mr. Loudon: The borders would be dissolved, effectively. Thered be no effective border security. And all the Democrat candidates are united on thisall of them. Not one of them has made a stand against what is happening on the border. Theyre all for amnesty, theyre all for welcoming illegals over the border. So you would see the end of America as we know it, because we would get so many million people coming over. They would be given citizenship and voting rights, and they would vote for the party that let them in. And so, ultimately, these guys, they want power. These Democrat leaders, theyre going to live in gated communities. Theyre going to be living high off the fat of the land. All the rest of us will be living in poverty and destitution. But thats okay. Every communist dictator lives in prosperity. Every communist dictator has all the luxuries they want. They dont care what happens to us. Were just expendable to them. And so, they have the same mentality. They want power at any cost. And they know illegal immigration is hurting American workers. They know its taking jobs from young black kids and black communities. They know its bringing disease and public-health dangers. They know the open borders are killing 60,000 Americans a year through the importation of fentanyl from China, and cocaine and heroin from South America. They know all that. But theyre still willing to go along with it, because power comes first. And this is the road to absolute power for them. Epoch Times: What is the impact of illegal aliens and non-citizens voting? Mr. Loudon: MIT says theres 22 million illegals in the country now. Some people said theres 40 million, but MIT is a reputable organizationwell go with their figure. And we all know, on present patterns, they will vote 80 percent Democrat, at least. Well, that gives the Democrats 15 or 16 million votes just straight off the top. And when you consider that Mitt Romney lost his election by 2.5 million votes and Donald Trump won by 200,000, thanks to the electoral college, and actually lost the popular vote by 3 million. The end of the Electoral College would make mob rule even more endemic. It would remove one of our very last protections against mob rule. And make it clear, America was never a democracy. Its a constitutional republic, where the will of the majority is tempered by things like the Electoral College, to make sure big population centers dont dominate small population centers. So the left wants to get rid of that. They want to flood the system with illegals. They want to basically undermine the electoral system so that they rule forever. And as Stalin famously said, Its not who votes that counts, its who counts the votes that counts. So if they are in control of the voting process, theyre in control of counting the votes and apportioning out electoral districts, they get rid of the national popular vote. No matter how unpopular they become, no matter how cruel they are, how corrupt they are, and how much the economy crashes, they can never be voted out of power. They will have a permanent blank check on power in this country. And even a die-hard Democrat should be terrified of that situation. You know, to give one party a monopoly on this countryI dont care if its the best political party in the worldif you give them a complete monopoly on power for all time, its a recipe for corruption and tyranny. Because power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. I dont care if you had Saint Peter leading the party. It wouldnt matter. You have a monopoly on power, you become corrupt. And everybody in this country should be terrified of that prospect. Epoch Times: Why arent Americans more concerned? Mr. Loudon: Well, because these people believe they will be the elite. So youve got a whole voting base who has no comprehension of the consequences of what theyre doing. They still think theyre voting for Harry Truman and JFK. They dont see that this is an either/or situationthat the Democrats are on the verge of an unbeatable, permanent majority. This is a race against time. Whats it going to be, a million this year? One and a half, 2 million next year? Because it will increase as the election, especially if it looks like Trumps going to win again. You know, it will increase, because people want to get across the border while they still can. So, yeah, youve got a major crisis on the border. We saw a million Muslims driven into Germany recently, with all of the social consequences that that entailed. Well, the pool of potential refugees from Latin America is way bigger than the people who come out of Syria. How many people live below the border? Youre talking a couple hundred million in Latin America. You could have 3, 4, 5 million people trying to get in. I think President Donald Trump is hoping itll slow down, but if it doesnt, I think hes going to have to be tough on Mexico. Until he can get control of the U.S. House again, I dont see how hes going to stop this. But he has to. If I was the president, I would be saying to the president of Mexico: If you do not stop this flow (and the president of Mexico is a Marxist, AMLO [Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador], we will shut down trade. We will shut down everything. Because this is an act of war. See, President Trumps trying to keep the borders [open], hes trying to keep the Texas economy going, because Texas is going to be so important in the election. But it may come to the point where he just has to bite the bullet, and say, The border is sealed. But even thats not going to stop the problem entirely because people will still claim refugee status under existing law. I think the answer must be to put huge pressure on Mexico to stop the problem internally, because they could do it if they wanted to. And by not doing it, theyre basically declaring war on the United Statesand that needs some tough measures. Epoch Times: Border Patrol is expecting to apprehend 1 million illegal aliens this year. Everything is overwhelmed. Does this relate to the Cloward-Piven strategy? Mr. Loudon: Yes. The Cloward-Piven strategy was originated by two members of Democratic Socialists of AmericaFrances Fox Piven and her husband. And they came up with the idea in the 60s: How do we get socialism? Well, we overwhelm the systems. We overwhelm the welfare system. And they went out anddeliberately, in New Yorksigned up as many people for welfare as they could, to basically break New Yorks budget. Because, they reasoned, well, when it all comes crumbling down, the only alternative is socialism. Well, this strategy was extended to the voting-rights movement. But I think, ultimately, its even deeper than that, you know. This whole move for illegal immigrationamnesty, dissolving the bordergoes right back to the Soviet days when the Communist Party USA was working on the border to bring people across, to train up the sort of amnesty movement people. Im talking, back in the 70s, or even before that. And so, with people like Bert Corona, the famous Communist Party member from California who was heavily involved in this. He had a whole network across the southern border states of Communist Party members and radicals who were fostering this movement because it was designedtheres two aspects of it: One was to fill the southern states with Mexicans and Latin Americans to eventually wrest southern states back [to] Mexico. And also to increase the Democratic Party rolls. And so, Corona was working with people Ive got a letter from the 70s asking for Corona and Cesar Chavez and others in this network to find promising young Chicano activists to send to Moscow to train at the Patrice Lumumba School, the big training school for foreign communists, to teach them about revolution through promoting Atzlanthe return of the southern states to Mexico. So this is old and now, its being supported by [Pueblo] Sin Fronteras out of Chicago, which is run by the Lozano family. Theyre running a lot of the support networks for the people jumping the border. And theyre a Communist Party familya pro-Soviet Communist Party familysince a long time back. And then youve got Acorn working down in Honduras. The famous Acorn, which is an extension of the Cloward-Piven strategy, it basically developed out of that. And they worked on voter registration all over the states. But now they are, I believe, also driving the caravans up. And then, Ive been told stories about this, but nothing I can prove, that the Cubans are also involved in this, and left-wing forces in Honduras as well. This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Nov. 9, 2017. (Nicolas Asfouri/AFP/Getty Images) Does USChina Rift Mean a New Cold Waror Worse? A new era is emergingis the world ready for it? Since the beginning of the Trump presidency, weve been witnessing a new era emerging in the world. This new era is most easily defined by the rising trade conflict between the United States and China. Though true, it tells only part of the new realities. The context is much broader and deeper than that. Of course, over the past several decades, the world has gotten used to leveraging Chinas low-wage, high-output labor force. It has led to massive profits for thousands of companies, cheaper goods for billions of people, and an explosion of wealth for China. Those days are over. The New Realities A few have recognized this fact, but many in Congress, the media, and academia have yet to accept the new reality: Trump is forcing nations of the world to decide with which nation they want to do business. More and more, nations are seeing that their long-term interests lie in expanding their relationships with the United States rather than China. Whats more, China understands the changes that Trump is bringing about. Thats why China is doing all it can to shape the worlds opinion toward its grand One Belt, One Road (OBOR, also known as Belt and Road) initiative and away from the reality of its failing economy. Remarkably, as reported in the South China Morning Post , Renmin University Vice President Wu Xiaoqiu insists that Chinas economy is healthy and the U.S. economy is the one in danger. But the facts dont support that assertion. The U.S. economy enjoys record performance in most of the key indicators. The United States is enjoying high employment levels and rising wages, a lofty stock market, a booming real estate market, as well as a resurgent manufacturing sector. Tariffs may change that picture a bit, or they may not. Meanwhile, Chinas economy is suffering from a very deep malaise. For instance, from January through March, the Peoples Bank of China (PBOC) injected about $164 billion in new debt into the economy. Thats four times the debt it issued in the same time period in 2018. Chinas Economy in Meltdown And yet, that debt has failed to stimulate the economy. In fact, its having a deleterious effect rather than a reparative one. A real estate bubble remains a serious risk for the Chinese economy, as does a stock market collapse. Plus, both massive public and private debt levels that have led to overproduce goods that many of Chinas consumers neither want nor no longer can afford. Thats a key indicator. Consumer confidence and spending have been negative for a few years and that trend is continuing, which will deepen Chinas economic woes. Consumer belief in the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) leadership is fractured, if not shattered. The essential fact is that the CCP has sucked the value out of its economy. For decades, it has been exchanging debt for value and then moving the value into bona fide offshore investments. The middle class, desperate and afraid, is trying to do the same. In short, the CCP is losing its self-described legitimacy by failing on its promise to deliver economic prosperity. Falling Out of Love With China Whats more, much of the world is falling out of love with China. Its not just Trumps America that is hammering it. Australia has led the way to banning Huawei, Chinas huge but insidious telecom maker that allows it to steal and sabotage highly classified technical and government data. The European Union will likely follow Australia and the United States lead on banning it and other subsidiary Chinese telecom providers. But its not just the United States, Australia, and Europe pulling back from China. Japan realizes that it must choose between working with the open and liberal United States or a dictatorial and vengeful China (World War II remains in Chinas historical memory, as do the Opium Wars of the West). Even smaller nations in Chinas backyard, such as Malaysia , are backing out of multibillion-dollar development deals, citing unfair and economically destructive terms from China. Trumps Energy Squeeze on China Adding the United States tight sanctions restricting Iranian and Venezuelan oil exports puts the squeeze on Chinas energy supply. Saudi Arabian production may make up the difference, but for how long? Its likely that Trump is trying to make arrangements with the Saudis to prevent that. The presidents short- and long-term goal is to put enormous and continuous pressure on China to force a reorganization of their economic, and perhaps even political, system. The aggregate negative impact of these factors means that the geopolitical aspect must not be taken lightly. Its worth recalling that in 1941, the United States blocked Japans access to much-needed oil. The attack on Pearl Harbor soon followed. How will China react if put in a similar corner? Choosing Sides Trump is convincing consequential nations in Europe and Asia to adopt more and new trade positions in favor of the United States and against China. Meanwhile, Chinas most reliable geopolitical relationships are with nations that are economic basket cases: Russia, Iran, and Pakistan. Turkey, another nation whose economy is in meltdown, may join these three nations and tilt toward China sooner than later. Essentially, sides are being chosen. On the one hand, were seeing an axis of brutal, dictatorial regimes seeking to hold onto power and influence in the world, or gain more of it. On the other, the traditional powers of the United States, Europe, the United Kingdom, and Australia more or less align their trade policies when it comes to China, Huawei, and IP security. Some warn of a new cold war between the United States and China. That would be unfortunate, but definitely preferable when one recalls what came before it. James Gorrie is a writer based in Texas. He is the author of The China Crisis. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. The Iranian and U.S. flags are seen during the Iran nuclear talks at the Vienna International Center in Vienna, Austria, on July 14, 2015. (Carlos Barria/Reuters) Fake Social Media Accounts Spread Pro-Iran Messages During US Midterms: FireEye A network of fake social media accounts impersonated political candidates and journalists to spread messages in support of Iran and against U.S. President Donald Trump around the 2018 congressional elections, cybersecurity firm FireEye said on Tuesday. The findings show how unidentified, possibly government-backed, groups could manipulate social media platforms to promote stories and other content that can influence the opinions of American voters, the researchers said. This particular operation was largely focused on promoting anti-Saudi, anti-Israeli, and pro-Palestinian themes, according to the report by FireEye. The campaign was organized through a series of fake personas that created various social media accounts, including on Twitter and Facebook. Most of these accounts were created last year and have since been taken down, the report said. Facebook and Twitter say they have suspended or removed accounts linked to Iran and Russia over inauthentic or manipulating behaviour. https://t.co/vLabjxNgMR pic.twitter.com/TZI0LVZ23R Andrew Stroehlein (@astroehlein) August 22, 2018 Spokespersons for Twitter and Facebook confirmed FireEyes finding that the fake accounts were created on their platforms. Lee Foster, a researcher with FireEye, said he found some of the fake personasoften masquerading as American journalistshad successfully convinced several U.S. news outlets to publish letters to the editor, guest columns, and blog posts. Our information operations intel analysis team found more inauthentic accounts with possible ties to Iran. Among other things, they were impersonating congressional candidates and submitting letters to the editor to US and Israeli print news media. https://t.co/DkRoESLPf9 John Hultquist (@JohnHultquist) May 28, 2019 These writings displayed both progressive and conservative views, the report said, covering topics including the Trump administrations designation of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. Were assessing with low confidence that this network was organized to support Iranian political interests, said Foster. However, were not at the point where we can say who was doing it or where its coming from. The investigation is ongoing. Before the 2018 midterm elections, the nameless group created Twitter accounts that also impersonated both Republican and Democratic congressional candidates. It is unclear if the fake accounts had any effect on their campaigns. The imposter Twitter accounts often plagiarized messages from the politicians legitimate accounts, but also mixed in posts voicing support for policies believed to be favorable to Tehran. Affected politicians included Jineea Butler, a Republican candidate for New Yorks 13th District, and Marla Livengood, a Republican candidate for Californias 9th District. Both Livengood and Butler lost their bids in the election. Livengoods campaign called the situation clearly an attempt by bad actors to hurt her campaign, and noted that Livengood was a strident opponent of nuclear weapons in Iran. Butler could not be immediately reached for comment. Twitter said in a statement that it had removed this network of 2,800 inauthentic accounts originating in Iran at the beginning of May, adding that its investigation was ongoing. Earlier this month, we removed more than 2,800 inauthentic accounts originating in Iran. These are the accounts that FireEye, a private security firm, reported on today. We were not provided with this report or its findings. Yoel Roth (@yoyoel) May 28, 2019 Facebook said it had removed 51 Facebook accounts, 36 Pages, seven Groups and three Instagram accounts connected to the influence operation. Instagram is owned by Facebook. The activity on Facebook was less expansive than that on Twitter and it appeared to be more narrowly focused, said Facebook head of cybersecurity policy Nathaniel Gleicher. The inauthentic Facebook accounts instead often privately messaged high profile figures, including journalists, policy-makers, and Iranian dissidents, to promote certain issues. Facebook also concluded the activity had originated in Iran. By Christopher Bing A California family was killed in a car crash on May 26, 2019. (Funeral services for Alondra, Samuel, and children/GoFundMe) Family of 4, Including 2 Children, Killed in Horrific Memorial Day Holiday Crash A family of four, including two children aged 2 and 7, and a pregnant woman, were killed in a car crash in Merced County near Los Banos, California, over the Memorial Day weekend, authorities said. They were identified by a relative as Samuel Soto, 40, his girlfriend Alondra Lara, 22, their two children Nicholas and Diego Soto, 9 and 2 respectively, and Laras unborn child. She was six months pregnant, KABC reported. California Highway Patrol (CHP) Public Information Officer Shannon Stiers said the fatal single-vehicle crash happened at around 9 p.m. local time on May 26, reported The Fresno Bee. Man, pregnant woman, 2 children killed in crash near Los Banos https://t.co/ysJfqCcb6R Monica Camacho (@monicasfitness) May 28, 2019 According to a family friend, who set up a GoFundMe fundraiser, Laras parents and siblings were in another car behind the vehicle and witnessed the crash. This tragic and traumatic event has affected multiple families in a devastating way, the friend wrote. The drivera 40-year-old manreportedly lost control of his 2017 Nissan Altima while driving east, which caused him to cross into the westbound lane and onto a dirt shoulder before crashing into a tree. The entire family of four died at the scene. Three of the passengers were reportedly wearing seat belts and the 2-year-old was strapped in his car seat. The pregnant woman was not wearing her seat belt at the time of the crash, according to a press release from the CHP. The scene was scattered with fragments of the wreckage, including broken glass, a taillight, and a car seat latch. The cause of the crash is still unknown, as there were no signs pointing to alcohol or drug impairment, and the weather has not been considered to be a factor, the CHP said. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. It might have been a little windy, the road might have been wet from a little rain early on, but nobody was having issues, Stiers told KFSN. It appears speed wasnt that big of a deal because witnesses were saying 65 maybe 75 miles an hour, she said. According to witnesses, the impact of the crash was so severe, the vehicle was sliced in half as it slammed into the tree. Four people killed, including two children ages 2 and 9 in Merced County crash https://t.co/fJdExVs9t5 Fresno Bee (@FresnoBee) May 27, 2019 Just before the crash, witnesses told the CHP they saw the vehicle weaving slightly as it traveled eastbound on State Route 152. The car then veered off the road and crossed into the westbound lane before colliding with the tree. All four members of the family, who were from Pomona, Southern California, died instantly, ABC30 reported. A family member who witnessed the horrific crash from another vehicle hung a rosary on the tree. The family had reportedly been traveling home after a trip to the Bay Area. Deadly Memorial Day Weekend According to the CHP, over the holiday weekend this year, more than a dozen people have been killed in crashes. Three family members including a 4-year-old girl were all killed when their vehicle was T-boned by a drunk drive while on a Memorial Day weekend trip to Niagara falls, authorities say. https://t.co/3ubYxl3jK4 NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) May 28, 2019 Within the first six hours of the Memorial Day weekend, eight people had died in a crash, the agency said, with an additional 10 deaths confirmed by Sunday afternoon. Of those killed, more than half were not wearing seat belts at the time, according to officials. Youre more likely to die in a fatal crash Memorial Day weekend than any other holiday https://t.co/N44BltbtYZ NEWS10 ABC (@WTEN) May 24, 2019 The news comes as Memorial Day was named last week as the holiday weekend with the highest number of fatal car crashes, according to a report by ValuePenguin, which examined data between 2011 and 2015 from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System. The woman killed along in a wrong-way crash on M-14 on Saturday grew up in Detroit and was on her way to visit her mother with her family for Memorial Day weekendhttps://t.co/YXP2D6GoP8 The Detroit News (@detroitnews) May 27, 2019 NTD staff member Zachary Stieber contributed to this report. Leeches squirm in a dish at the International Medical Leech Centre in Udelnaya, Russia, on Oct. 28, 2009. (Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP/Getty Images) Flight Passenger Fined $15,000 for Carrying Thousands of Leeches in Carry-On Luggage A man from Niagara Falls, Canada is paying a hefty price after trying to import thousands of leeches by air in his carry-on luggage. The Ontario Court of Justice fined Ippolit Bodounov C$15,000 (US$11,120) on May 24 after he was caught trying to wheel 5,000 live leeches from Russia into Torontos Pearson International Airport back in October 2018. Smuggler hid 5,000 live, blood-sucking leeches in his carry-on, Canadian officials say https://t.co/1NdasImf2B Miami Herald (@MiamiHerald) May 28, 2019 Bodounov pleaded guilty to violating the Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act, which enforces the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Canada. CITES is an international treaty that regulates the international trade of endangered and threatened species of animals and plants. More than 180 countries, including Canada, have signed the Convention. Leech smuggling: Canada fines man after 4,700 carried on plane https://t.co/yhxdnd0MK4 BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) May 28, 2019 Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) confirmed Royal Ontario Museum Curator of Invertebrate Zoology Dr. Sebastian Kvist helped identify a small quantity of the leeches as hirudo verbana, one of two species subject to regulations to control the wildlife trade. DNA sequencing of the gut contents of approximately 240 leech specimens was carried out by the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Results suggested that, of those tested, all of the leeches originated in the wild, ECCC said in a public statement. These species are regulated because over-harvesting of medicinal leeches from the wild is a major threat to the species. Leech smuggling: Canada fines man after 4,700 carried on plane https://t.co/bgiyQLo6Pr pic.twitter.com/W9qBJTLxTt GlobalCSN (@GlobalCSNews) May 28, 2019 Medicinal leeches were some of the first species subject to conservation protection through export limits since as far back as the year 1823. Leech saliva, which contains anti-coagulative or blood-thinning properties, helped achieve the first positive results of human dialysis treatments. Bodounov was charged with unlawfully importing a regulated species, and since he did not have a permit to import medicinal leeches, he was ordered to surrender them. He will also be prohibited from importing, exporting, and possessing any CITES-regulated animals for the next 12 months. ECCC reported the money will be used towards the Government of Canadas Environmental Damages Fund, which helps pay for priority projects that benefit the natural environment. It also estimates illegal trade in wildlife, which threatens many of the worlds most treasured wildlife species, could be worth up to US$20 billion a year. Canada does not tolerate the exploitation of threatened species for profit, ECCC said. ECCCs enforcement officers strive to ensure that businesses and individuals comply with federal environmental laws and regulations that protect regulated species. Anyone can report wildlife crimes anonymously by phoning Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Rewards of up to $2,000 are offered. This is our first large-scale illegal leech import, he said. https://t.co/3bGn53BY8z Jana G. Pruden (@jana_pruden) May 28, 2019 Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos (R) and then-wife MacKenzie Bezos at the annual Allen and Co. conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, on July 12, 2013. (Rick Wilking/Reuters) Former Wife of Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos Will Give Away $18 Billion MacKenzie Bezos, the former partner of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has pledged to give away half of her $36 billion fortune on May 28. The American novelist, 49, will donate $18 billion of her wealth to charity organizations. The ex-wife of Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos made the announcement to support the Giving Pledge campaign, which was founded by fellow billionaires Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates in 2010. The campaign encourages super-rich people to give away more than half their fortune during their lifetimes or in their wills to support charitable causes. In addition to whatever assets life has nurtured in me, I have a disproportionate amount of money to share, Bezos said on the Giving Pledge website. My approach to philanthropy will continue to be thoughtful. It will take time and effort and care but I wont wait and I will keep at it until the safe is empty. MacKenzie Bezos, former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, pledges to give half of her $36 billion Amazon fortune to charity https://t.co/CcCEbVWta9 via @ReutersTV pic.twitter.com/MAI4IL2Eia Reuters Top News (@Reuters) May 28, 2019 After previously funding cancer research and championing anti-bullying organization Bystander Revolution, Bezos is now encouraging the ultra-wealthy to dig deep for the campaign. There are lots of resources each of us can pull from our safes to share with others, she said. Bezos became the worlds third-richest woman after acquiring a 4 percent stake in Amazon worth about $36 billion when she and her former husband announced their divorce settlement on April 4, according to Forbes. Forbes estimates her former husbands net worth was $131 billion in 2019 and he was quick to support his ex-wifes new philanthropic pursuit. MacKenzie is going to be amazing and thoughtful and effective at philanthropy, and Im proud of her, he said on Twitter. Her letter is so beautiful. Go get em MacKenzie. MacKenzie is going to be amazing and thoughtful and effective at philanthropy, and Im proud of her. Her letter is so beautiful. Go get em MacKenzie. https://t.co/S2gLLBQyRQ Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) May 28, 2019 The couple announced their divorce in January after being married for 25 years. Just one month later Jeff accused the National Enquirer of trying to blackmail him with intimate photos showing him with his alleged mistress, Lauren Sanchez, who was reportedly having an affair with the Amazon CEO. On April 4, MacKenzie promised to give Jeff 75 percent of her Amazon stock as part of their divorce agreement. Grateful to have finished the process of dissolving my marriage with Jeff with support from each other and everyone who reached out to us in kindness, she wrote on Twitter. Happy to be giving him all of my interests in the Washington Post and Blue Origin, and 75 percent of our Amazon stock plus voting control of my shares to support his continued contributions with the teams of these incredible companies. Jeff said he looked forward to maintaining a friendship with Mackenzie years after the pair were wed in 1993 and had four children. MacKenzie most of all. Im grateful for her support and for her kindness in this process and am very much looking forward to our new relationship as friends and co-parents, he said on Twitter. Im so grateful to all my friends and family for reaching out with encouragement and love. It means more than you know. Some of the high-profile people listed as donors on the not-for-profit organizations website include former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Virgin Group Founder Sir Richard Branson, former Chase Manhattan Corporation Chairman and Chief Executive David Rockefeller, and fashion entrepreneur Sara Blakely. The generosity of this group is a reflection of the inspiration we take from the many millions of people who work quietly and effectively to create a better world for others, often at great personal sacrifice, Warren Buffett said in a statement. Jeff Bezos has not yet indicated whether he would join the 204 people from 23 countries around the world who have already made a Giving Pledge. Other Forbes top 10 billionaires who are being encouraged to join the Giving Pledge include French luxury goods conglomerate LVMH Chairman and Chief Executive Bernard Arnault, Mexican telecommunications magnate Carlos Slim, fashion retail mogul Amancio Ortega, and Google co-founder and Alphabet CEO Larry Page. The pledge that signatories make is a moral commitment to give, not a legal contract, according to the campaign website. Judges take part in a ceremony to mark the beginning of the legal year in Hong Kong, China on Jan. 14, 2019. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) Hong Kong Judges See Risks in Proposed Extradition Changes HONG KONGSome Hong Kong judges fear they are being put on a collision course with Beijing as the special administrative regions government pushes for sweeping legal changes that would for the first time allow fugitives captured in Hong Kong to be sent to mainland China for trial. Three senior judges and 12 leading commercial and criminal lawyers say the changes, called the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance amendment bill, mark one of the starkest challenges to Hong Kongs legal system and are increasingly troubling its business, political and diplomatic communities. It is the first time judges who by convention dont comment on political or legislative mattershave discussed the issue publicly. The citys independent legal system was guaranteed under the laws governing Hong Kongs return from British to Chinese rule 22 years ago and is seen by the financial hubs business and diplomatic communities as its strongest remaining asset amid encroachments from Beijing. Hong Kongs extensive autonomy is guaranteed until 2047. The judges and lawyers say that under Hong Kongs British-based common law system, extraditions are based on the presumption of a fair trial and humane punishment in the receiving countrya core trust they say Chinas Communist Partycontrolled legal system has not earned. These amendments ignore the importance of that trust and in the case of the mainland, it simply doesnt exist, one highly experienced judge told Reuters on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. Many of us see this as unworkable, the judge said. And we are deeply disturbed. Safeguards Led by Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam, local officials have limited public consultation on the amendments and are pushing hard for the citys legislative body to pass the changes before it breaks for summer in July, saying long-standing loopholes need to be plugged. Lams office declined to comment directly, referring questions to the security bureau. On Tuesday, she told reporters that the government would consider calls for more safeguards. Hong Kongs Security Bureau said in a response to Reuters that only after all human rights and procedural safeguards had been satisfied, and the requesting jurisdiction has pledged to those safeguards, would any extradition case be put to the courts. The proposed changes provide for case-by-case extraditions to countries, including mainland China, beyond the 20 states with which Hong Kong already has treaties. The amendments allow for the chief executive to both seek the arrest of a fugitive and sign off on their extradition once approved by the courts, including any appeals and judicial reviews. But they also eliminate the oversight roles of the chief executives cabinet and the citys legislative body, which can currently step in to evaluate extradition arrangements. Lam and her administration have repeatedly stressed that there are provisions to stop people from being persecuted for political crimes, religious beliefs or being put at risk of torture. They have highlighted the role of Hong Kongs judiciary as gatekeepers and guardians. However, some judges say Chinas increasingly close relationship with Hong Kong and the limited scope of extradition hearings would leave them little room to maneuver. They worry that if they tried to stop high-profile suspects from being sent across the border, they would be exposed to criticism and political pressure from Beijing. Conversely, they say, if they approve contentious extradition requests, local critics may accuse the judges of merely doing Beijings bidding, denting perceptions of independence. Chinas Justice Ministry declined to comment. The Hong Kong Bar Association, business groups such as the American Chamber of Commerce, and several foreign governments, including the United States, have voiced concerns about the changes undermining Hong Kongs rule of law. Chilling Effect In extradition cases, judges in Hong Kong have little role beyond establishing, through documentary evidence, that the requesting country has a legitimate case. They cannot establish guilt and do not routinely weigh the evidence or cross-examine the foreign prosecutors. Those features will not change under the proposed amendments. But a statement from 12 current and former chairs of the citys barristers association warns that the governments oft-repeated assertion that the judges will be gatekeepers is misleading. It is not, and never has been, the function of the Courts to consider the legal system and procedure of the foreign jurisdiction, it said. The proposed new legislation does not give the Court power to review such matters and the Court would be in no such position to do so. Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor wrote a joint letter to Lam in March warning that Chinas justice system had a record of arbitrary detention, torture, and violations of rights to a fair trial. Rights lawyer Michael Vidler spoke of a deepening concern across the legal community. Its going to have a dramatic chilling effect, Vidler said. The damage to Hong Kongs reputation as a free and safe place where the rule of law is upheld is incalculable. Change Coming If the amendments are passed, any person in Hong Kong, whether a local resident or a foreign passport holder, can be extradited. The 37 extraditable offenses include murder, sexual offenses, kidnapping, corruption, money laundering, fraud and smuggling. Chinas laws allow it to charge Chinese nationals with crimes committed outside the country, meaning they could be arrested in Hong Kong for actions committed internationally. For all offenses, the punishment threshold is at least three years, and no extradition involving the death penalty would be allowed. Under Hong Kong law, the crime for which someone is being extradited must be a crime in Hong Kong as well as the requesting country. Geoffrey Ma, the Chief Justice of Hong Kong, declined to comment about the proposed amendments. Some judges, leading lawyers and diplomats acknowledge the need for extraditions to the mainland in the long term, but say improvements to the Chinese system and a negotiated treaty with broad consultation and tougher safeguards would be needed. Professor Simon Young of the University of Hong Kongs law school said Hong Kongs separate legal system needed to be better defined ahead of the 2047 deadline. It therefore makes sense to implement a clear and robust extradition arrangement with the mainland, he said. For instance, he said, the existing provisions for the Legislative Council to review extradition requests should be included. If done properly, it could help Hong Kong maintain its distinct system the key will be having adequate safeguards in place, Young said. That doesnt seem to be case now, and more consultation is needed. By Greg Torode & James Pomfret Huawei Asks for Swift Judgment in Case Seeking to Overturn US Defense Law Chinese tech giant Huawei said May 29 that it asked a judge to quickly decide in its favor in the companys legal case challenging a U.S. law that restricts its business, on the grounds that it violates the U.S. constitution. Huawei, in a statement, said it filed a motion in a Texas federal court seeking summary judgment, that is, judgment without a full trial, in a bid to speed up the legal case it filed in March against the U.S. government. The worlds largest maker of telecommunications gear is suing the federal government over section 889 of the National Defense Authorization Act passed last August, which bans federal agencies and their contractors from purchasing Huawei equipment. Lawmakers had added that provision due to national security risks associated with Huawei products. The company is arguing that the ban is an unconstitutional bill of attainderthat is, that the law illegally singled out the company for punishment without trial. Huaweis chief legal officer Song Liuping said at a press conference in Shenzhen City, China on May 29 that the U.S. government has not provided evidence to show that the company poses a national security threat. Concerns over Huawei have heightened in Washington since a 2012 congressional report concluded that, based on classified and unclassified evidence, the companys products could pose a security threat. Since then, a growing list of U.S. lawmakers, officials, and experts have sounded the alarm on Huaweis equipment, stating that they could be used by Beijing as a conduit for spying and to disrupt communication networks, given the companys close ties to the Chinese regimes military and security apparatus. They further point to the fact that Huawei is compelled by Chinese security laws to cooperate with authorities and grant access to data when asked. A hearing on the motion is set for Sept. 19, the Wall Street Journal reported. Legal experts previously interviewed by Reuters said Huawei is highly unlikely to win this case because ruling in its favor would require the court to second-guess national security determinations made by Congresssomething the courts are generally reluctant to do. Given this, commentators have suggested the case is the Chinese companys effort to drum up public opinion in its favor. The firm has ramped up a public relations campaign to allay criticisms since its chief financial officer (CFO) was arrested in Canada last December over charges relating to violations of U.S. sanctions against Iran. Earlier this month, the U.S. administration placed Huawei on a blacklist, effectively banning Huawei from doing business with American suppliers. Since then, a raft of U.S. companies, including Google, Microsoft, Qualcomm, and Intel, have suspended its business with the company. Foreign companies, including UK-based chip designer ARM and German chipmaker Infineon Technologies, have also followed suit. The Chinese tech firm is indicted in two separate U.S. prosecutions. In the first indictment, the Justice Department (DOJ) accuses the company and its CFO Meng Wanzhou of violating U.S. sanctions against Iran by lying to banks about its relationship with a Hong Kong firm Skycomwhich prosecutors say was an unofficial subsidiary of Huawei that conducted its business in Iran. Meng is currently in Canada fighting extradition to the United States. In the second case, the DOJ charged two units of the company with conspiring to steal trade secrets from U.S. mobile carrier T-Mobile relating to a phone-testing robot named Tappy. The company has pleaded not guilty in both cases. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) at the Capitol in Washington on Jan. 10, 2019. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) Ilhan Omar Faces Backlash for Now-Deleted Tweet About Merit-Based Immigration Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) has sparked widespread backlash for recently suggesting that Latinos would not be able to compete in a merit-based immigration system. President Donald Trump unveiled a proposal for a major overhaul of the immigration system on May 16 that would prioritize migration based on skill and merit. The new measure would shift away from the random visa lottery and instead introduce a new points-based system that ranks candidates based on age, level of education, and technical skills. Omar took to Twitter to pan Trumps proposal in a tweet on May 28. A merit based immigration policy is fueled by racism towards the Latinx community. Our immigration policies shouldnt be based on discrimination, fear, or bigotry. We should welcome immigrants to our country and offer a simple way to citizenship, the freshman congresswoman wrote. Many commentators, pundits, and politicians called out Omar for her troubling comments. Among them was Sen. Ted Cruz who said. As the son of a Cuban immigrant whose Dad came to get a math degree & become a computer programmer, Im troubled that Dems seem to believe Hispanic immigrants cant qualify for skills-based legal immigration. Bringing in more scientists, engineers & doctors is good for US jobs, he added. As the son of a Cuban immigrant whose Dad came to get a math degree & become a computer programmer, Im troubled that Dems seem to believe Hispanic immigrants cant qualify for skills-based legal immigration. Bringing in more scientists, engineers & doctors is good for US jobs. https://t.co/iugniZgJtL Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 29, 2019 Omar has since deleted the tweet. Journalist Ryan Saavedra noted the deletion while making the same observation. Democrat Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN) just deleted this tweet where she appeared to suggest that Latinos cant measure up in a merit-based immigration system, he said. Democrat Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN) just deleted this tweet where she appeared to suggest that Latinos cant measure up in a merit-based immigration system. pic.twitter.com/ak9EKVdN0i Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) May 29, 2019 Meanwhile, conservative political commentator Michelle Malkin said, So Ms. Smarty Pants @ilhanmn deleted her tweet, cuz she finally realized that in accusing the President of raaaaaaaaaaacism, she was sounding mighty raaaaaaaaaacist herself. So Ms. Smarty Pants @ilhanmn deleted her tweet, cuz she finally realized that in accusing the President of raaaaaaaaaaacism, she was sounding mighty raaaaaaaaaacist herself. pic.twitter.com/10ojMOpHl2 Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) May 29, 2019 Plenty of others on social media also weighed in on Omars comments. Omar said in a recent interview that she thinks the U.S. foreign policy should have a Green New Deal-style overhaul, claiming that she can help by bringing the perspective of a foreigner. When I think about foreign policy, we need something equivalent to the Green New Deal, Omar told Minneapolis Star-Tribune, referring to the radical climate change plan introduced by socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) that would have cost as much as $9.3 trillion per year. Omar, who currently holds a seat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, continued: Its important for me to think about what an overhaul of our foreign policy should look like from the standpoint of really thinking how it impacts those around the world, and where our values intersect with whats happening. Meanwhile, Omar has repeatedly been criticized for her own anti-Semitic rhetoric, questionable comments related to other foreign policy issues such as with socialist Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, and what some have called an anti-America attitude, including Vice President Mike Pence. Look, Ilhan Omar has made statements, antisemitic comments, statements against our most cherished ally, Israel, that ought to be rejected by every American, Pence said during an interview with Fox and Friends. And frankly the fact that very recently she has been trying to blame the United States of America for the deprivation and poverty brought on by the dictatorship in Venezuela. Ilhan Omar Says US Foreign Policy Should Be Overhauled From the Perspective of a Foreigner Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) said in a recent interview that she thinks the U.S. foreign policy should have a Green New Deal-style overhaul, claiming that she can help by bringing the perspective of a foreigner. When I think about foreign policy, we need something equivalent to the Green New Deal, Omar told Minneapolis Star-Tribune, referring to the radical climate change plan introduced by socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) that would have cost as much as $9.3 trillion per year. Omar, who currently holds a seat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, continued by saying, Its important for me to think about what an overhaul of our foreign policy should look like from the standpoint of really thinking how it impacts those around the world, and where our values intersect with whats happening. We spend a lot of money in engaging unwinnable wars, and I dont think it matches with the values of trying to create prosperity in the United States, she added. Omar, who came to the United States as a refugee from Somali and became naturalized, did not explain what she meant by saying she has the perspective of a foreigner. But according to the Star-Tribune, shed like to see a vastly downscaled U.S. military presence around the world, and much less direct intervention in the domestic politics of other countries. The freshman congresswoman has repeatedly received widespread condemnation for her anti-semitic rhetoric, comments related to other foreign policy issues like Venezuela, and what some call a blame-America attitude. In one instance, Omar argued that U.S. sanctions are the reason for the collapse of Venezuela under illegitimate dictator Nicolas Maduro. Omar said during an interview with left-leaning Democracy Now! program that a lot of the policies that we have put in place has kind of helped lead the devastation in Venezuela. This particular bullying and the use of sanctions to eventually intervene and make regime change really does not help the people of countries like Venezuela, and it certainly does not help and is not in the interest of the United States, she added. The congresswoman was also under fire for sharing anti-Semitic tropes on Twitter, where she implied that a prominent pro-Israel lobby group, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), paid off lawmakers for their support of Israel. She later sparked more outrage when she accused some politicians in Washington who supported Israel as having dual loyalty. The freshman congresswoman has since apologized for her comments. More recently, Omar criticized the intelligence of American voters who do not agree with her politics, claiming ignorance really is pervasive in many parts of this country. She attracted extensive backlash for her various remarks, including from Vice President Mike Pence who said on May 10 that Omar has no place on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and has also called on the Democratic leadership to oust her. Look, Ilhan Omar has made statements, antisemitic comments, statements against our most cherished ally, Israel, that ought to be rejected by every American, Pence said during an interview with Fox and Friends. And frankly the fact that very recently she has been trying to blame the United States of America for the deprivation and poverty brought on by the dictatorship in Venezuela. Omars Ties to Radical Anti-US Group The Epoch Times previously reported that Omars links with the far-left group Witness for Peace had raised some questions about her suitability to serve on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. It was revealed in February this year that she had traveled with the group to Honduras in 2017 while she was serving in the Minnesota state legislature. The Witness for Peace group was formed during the Reagan administration to oppose U.S. policies aimed at stopping the spread of communism, and it also supports Cuban and Venezuelan socialism. Omar tweeted about the trip in 2017, saying after traveling to Honduras as part of the Witness for Peace delegation, Ive returned home with a heavy heart and deep concern for the electoral process and human rights crisis the people of Honduras are enduring. Shortly afterward, she began urging Congress to end all military and security aid to Honduras. Trevor Loudon, an expert on Marxist groups and the radical left who is a contributor to The Epoch Times, said in a previous interview that the group has been supporting revolutionary movements in Latin America since the Reagan era. Witness for Peace was there trying to help the revolutionary groups that the American government was trying to suppress. They were working directly to help foreign enemies of America against this country, he said. [They were] sort of an alliance of the religious left, the hard Marxist left, Latin Americas revolutionary movements who are militantly opposed to America. He said it was concerning that Omar attended the travel delegation not long before she was elected to Congress and while she was serving in the Minnesota state legislature. Ilhan Omar is connected to many socialist groups in Minnesota, but this one is international in scope and very well connected to active revolutionary movements who are working to cause trouble in America, he said. Basically, she has put her loyalty to the revolutionary groups in Latin America over her loyalty to the United States. So how can she be trusted with secrets? How can she be trusted to not promote their policies? Democratic presidential candidate and former vice president Joe Biden speaks during a campaign event at Big Grove Brewery and Taproom in Iowa City, Iowa, on May 1, 2019. (Scott Olson/Getty Images) Joe Biden Sparks Social Media Ire After Touching 10-Year-Old Girl At Rally Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden sparked ire on social media after he touched a young girl at a campaign rally despite vowing last month to be more mindful about respecting womens personal space. The incident occurred during the American Federation of Teachers town hall on Tuesday, May 28, in Houston, Texas. Biden used the event to promote a new education plan, the first major policy announcement of his campaign. The New York Times reported that the interaction between Biden and the 10-year-old girl happened after she asked him a question about political division in the country. Im going to write you a longer answer and tell you the exact things I would do, okay? Promise, Biden told the girl, according to video from the event. Ill bet youre as bright as you are good-looking. Whats your favorite subject? Journalism, replied the child or parent. Journalism, woah! Biden replied jokingly. I better be more circumspect in my answers. Biden then brought the child to the back of the room where journalists had assembled and put his hands on her shoulders. The Times reported that the moment raised some eyebrows among online commentators. In the weeks leading up to his entrance into the race, a number of women said Mr. Biden had made them uncomfortable by touching them, leading to a reckoning around the physical way he has often interacted with women in public. Washington Post national political reporter Felicia Sonmez commented on the incident in a statement on Twitter: In a somewhat odd moment at tonights AFT town hall, Biden tells a 10-year-old girl, Ill bet youre as bright as you are good-looking. He takes her over to the assembled reporters, then stands behind her and puts his hands on her shoulders while hes talking. Recall that Biden filmed a video last month in which he vowed to respect womens personal space, Sonmez added. Seems he hasnt quite gotten the message. In a somewhat odd moment at tonights AFT town hall, Biden tells a 10-year-old girl, Ill bet youre as bright as you are good-looking. He takes her over to the assembled reporters, then stands behind her and puts his hands on her shoulders while hes talking. Felicia Sonmez (@feliciasonmez) May 28, 2019 Biden received condemnation on social media from both conservatives and progressives. Conservative blogger Jim Hanson wrote on Twitter: This is not odd for him. He does it all the time. It is a sickness. This is not odd for him He does it all the time It is a sickness https://t.co/IgZVDDHLMP Jim Hanson (@Uncle_Jimbo) May 28, 2019 Leftist activist Sean King wrote in a tweet: What the hell? Please escort this man out of politics. He doesnt get it. This is so damn creepy. This may be a tipping point, honestly. What the hell? Please escort this man out of politics. He doesnt get it. This is so damn creepy. This may be a tipping point, honestly. https://t.co/QG4UzGqGzm Shaun King (@shaunking) May 29, 2019 Rosie ODonnell tweeted: just #creepy Gizmodo editor Tim Marchman wrote on Twitter: I would prefer Joe Biden was not running for president. Ive been thinking about how to articulate this without getting into father of a daughter nonsense but my woke seven year old hears how pretty she is from a lot of weird old people and her mother and I have a lot of conversations with her about how to deal with it. Marchman added: In all I think it would be good if weird old people who think its okay to train young girls theyve never met to think of themselves in terms of their attractiveness would gently remove themselves from national politics. Joe Biden Responds to Earlier Accusations With Video Biden responded with a two-minute video on April 3 to allegations he inappropriately touched a number of women, most recently stemming from two accusers who came forward. Biden, in an attempt to stem the growing criticism against him, noted in the video that he would pay more attention to not invading peoples personal space. He also defended himself, describing it as just who I am, while stating that the times have changed. Social norms are changing, Biden said in a Twitter post accompanying the video. I understand that, and Ive heard what these women are saying. Politics to me has always been about making connections, but I will be more mindful about respecting personal space in the future. Thats my responsibility and I will meet it, he added. Social norms are changing. I understand that, and Ive heard what these women are saying. Politics to me has always been about making connections, but I will be more mindful about respecting personal space in the future. Thats my responsibility and I will meet it. pic.twitter.com/Ya2mf5ODts Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) April 3, 2019 Biden did not specifically apologize in the video. So far, four women have come out alleging that Bidens public displays of affection made them feel uncomfortable. In the video, Biden made the case that politics for him was always about making connections with people. Ive found that scores, if not hundreds, of people have come up to me and reached out for solace or comfort, something, anything that might help them get through the tragedy theyre going through, and so its just who I am, Biden said. And Ive never thought of politics as cold or antiseptic, Ive always thought about it as connecting with people, shaking hands, a hand on the shoulder, a hug, encouragement. Bowen Xiao contributed to this report. A man pays respects at a makeshift memorial for the victims of a knife attack in Kawasaki, just outside Tokyo on May 28, 2019. (Jae C. Hong/Photo via AP) Attacker Identified as Japan Mourns Mass Stabbing Victims KAWASAKI, JapanA man carrying a knife in each hand and screaming I will kill you! attacked a group of schoolgirls near a school bus parked at a bus stop just outside Tokyo on Tuesday, killing two people and injuring at least 17 before killing himself, officials said. Most of the victims were students at a Catholic elementary school who were lined up at the bus stop near Noborito Park in the city of Kawasaki when the man began slashing them with knives. Officials said police captured the attacker but he died at a hospital from a self-inflicted cut in his neck. Witnesses described a hellish scene: children and adults falling to the ground, some with their shirts soaked with blood, dozens of children running and screaming for help, and school bags and books scattered on the ground. I heard a scream so I stopped and turned around to see what happened. It was not a normal tone of voice, said Yasuko Atsukata. She said she saw one person collapse, and then another. The color of their white shirts turned red after they collapsed, then I understood they got stabbed. In a nearby parking lot, a frightened-looking boy was in shock with scratches on his face, hands and legs, apparently from falling to the ground as he ran for his life. Police identified the attacker as Ryuichi Iwasaki, a 51-year-old resident of Kawasaki, and said they were still checking his occupation. The attackers motive wasnt immediately known. Police found two more knives in the mans knapsack in addition to the two he was holding, according to media reports. Iwasaki reportedly lived with his elderly uncle and aunt and was known as a troublemaker. A neighbor said Iwasaki repeatedly rang her doorbell early one morning about a year ago and yelled at her husband that he had been hit by a tree branch sticking out from their yard, the Sankei newspaper reported. Kawasaki city official Masami Arai said most of the injured were students at Caritas Gakuen, a Catholic school founded by Soeurs de la Charite de Quebec, an organization of Catholic nuns in Quebec City in Canada. Arai said three of the injuries were serious. Kanagawa prefectural police confirmed 17 people were injured and three others had died, including the attacker. Police identified the two other fatalities as 11-year-old Hanako Kuribayashi and Satoshi Oyama, a 39-year-old government employee who was taking his child to the bus stop. Hospital officials said both had been slashed in the neck and the head. Caritas Chairman Tetsuro Saito said at a news conference that he was struggling to fight back my anger. My heart is broken with pain when I think of the innocent children and their parents who send their children to our school with love who were victimized by this savage act, he said. School officials said they will step up security measures at the school, including adding more security guards. But the incident raises questions about how schools can ensure the safety of children while commuting. Japanese children often walk to schools in groups. Witnesses said that as the attack unfolded, the bus driver shouted at the attacker, and as he was running away he cut his own neck, collapsing in a pool of blood as police seized him. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he was outraged by the attack. Many small children were victimized, and I feel strong resentment, Abe said as he was hosting President Donald Trump on a four-day state visit, which ended Tuesday. I will take all possible measures to protect the safety of children. Although Japan has one of the lowest crime rates in the world, it has had a series of high-profile killings, including in 2016 when a former employee at a home for the disabled allegedly killed 19 people and injured more than 20 others. Also in 2016, a man stabbed four people at a library in northeastern Japan, allegedly for mishandling his questions. No one was killed. In 2008, seven people were killed by a man who slammed a truck into a crowd of people in central Tokyos Akihabara electronics district and then stabbed passers-by. By Mari Yamaguchi and Jae Hong Little Girl Potentially Scarred for Life After Black Henna Tattoo Erupted in Blisters The content is not available due to expiration. McConnell: Senate Would Work With Trump to Fill Hypothetical Supreme Court Vacancy in 2020 Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said that if President Donald Trump would get the opportunity to nominate a Supreme Court justice in 2020, an election year, the Senate would assist Trump in filling the vacancy. Oh, wed fill it, he said with a smile, to laughs from the audience at a Chamber of Commerce event in Paducah, Kentucky, after an audience member asked what McConnells position would be on filling a vacancy in case a Supreme Court justice died next year. The question has to do with a longstanding dispute over the handling of Supreme Court nominations. Prominent lawmakers of both parties have at different times made the argument that a president shouldnt fill Supreme Court vacancies during an election season and that the Senate shouldnt let a nominee through the confirmation process. Having presented various justifications for the stance, both parties have shown a willingness to soften it when politically convenient. It would be our pragmatic conclusion that once the political season is underway, and it is, action on a Supreme Court nomination must be put off until after the election campaign is over, then-Sen. Joe Biden said in 1992, when he chaired the Judiciary Committee. That is what is fair to the nominee and is central to the process. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) expressed in July 2007 that not only should the Senate refuse to confirm another justice potentially nominated in the last 18 months of the presidency of George W. Bush except in extraordinary circumstances, but the Senate should continue such practice indefinitely if there is another Republican elected with the same selection criteria. These and other examples were then used in 2016 by McConnell to block the nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court by then-President Barack Obama. He said it was a matter of principle, calling it the Biden rule. Its clear that concern over confirming Supreme Court nominations made near the end of a presidential term is not new, McConnell said in a Feb. 22, 2016, statement. Given that we are in the midst of the presidential election process, the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and I believe that it is today the American people who are best-positioned to help make this important decisionrather than a lame-duck president whose priorities and policies they just rejected in the most-recent national election. Indeed, Obama was at the end of his second term and the 2014 midterms were seen by the Republican Party as a rebuke of his policies, gaining Republicans nine seats in the Senate and 14 in the House of Representatives. Trump, on the other hand, is in his first term, and his first midterm performancelosing the House, but expanding the Senate majoritywas generally better than that of several of his predecessors. In recent months, McConnell appears to have withdrawn emphasis from his argument that the American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice and instead is focusing on the fact that its been rare for a Senate controlled by a different party from the president to confirm a Supreme Court justice to a vacancy created in the middle of a presidential election, as he told CBS News in October 2018. Memorial Day Tribute: 2X Purple Heart Recipient Doug Greenlaw Recounts Soldiers Heroic Stories Today we sit down with two-time Purple Heart recipient Doug Greenlaw, a decorated Vietnam veteran who is commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart. Its an organization exclusively made up of Purple Heart recipients that supports veterans and their families across America. We explore Dougs personal story, how he got his Purple Hearts, the history of the Purple Heart medal, stories of valor, the realities of war, the draft, and post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD. Jan Jekielek: Its particularly appropriate that youre here. Its actually our Memorial Day show today. And you are the commander of the Military Order of the Purple Hearts. Doug Greenlaw: Thats correct. Mr. Jekielek: And thats a large number of people in this country that are members, right? Mr. Greenlaw: Well, there are 500,000 combat wounded Purple Heart recipients in America. We have about 10 percent in the actual order itself. So itd be about 50,000. But we were the lead advocate for everybody, for all of the combat wounded veterans. I didnt want to mislead you to think that we had a 500,000 base. We dont, its 50 [thousand], but we are the lead advocate. Mr. Jekielek: So tell me a little bit more about the Purple Heart. Thats basically anyone whos been combat wounded by the enemy receives a Purple Heart. Mr. Greenlaw: Yes. It has to be proven. Theres a release form when you leave the military called the DD Form 214every soldier has one. Every veteran has one. And if you can prove that you have a Purple Heart, you can join. So were 100 percent full of Purple Heart combat wounded veterans. And the Purple Heart medal itself, which this is my actual Purple Hearts Mr. Jekielek: Im going to have to ask you about how you got that at one point, but please continue. Mr. Greenlaw: Id be happy to share that with you. We encourage combat vets to talk about it. Its cathartic, and its good for them to get it out. This is a Purple Heart medal. I have a gold leaf cluster on it which means twoone, two. So Ive got two of them. I was wounded twice in the Vietnam War in 1967, 1968. And the medal itself is the oldest medal in U.S. history, and I think is one of the most beautiful. Its a beautiful medal. People comment on it even if they dont know what it is. So it was founded by and created by General George Washington in the Revolutionary War. Thats how far back it goes. It started out for heroism in combat, and its evolved over the years to be a killed or combat wounded. So nobody aspires to get a Purple Heart. You dont get up in the morning and say: Boy, I hope I get a Purple Heart today because you could be killed and get one too. And so its a very serious, honorable medal and beautiful medal. No one wants one and I hope we never give out another one in our countrys history. But history follows, you know, so we probably will, unfortunately. Mr. Jekielek: So you came to my attention, actually, you were here for Fleet Week last week. And can you tell me a little bit about why you were here? Mr. Greenlaw: Yeah, Fleet Week We have a nonprofit here called the Dolphin Fund. And they had the idea of supporting the military order, the Purple Heart by having this event. It was actually yesterday as the ships turn into New York Harborthe parade of shipsI expected a parade of ships, you know, like the elephants, one right after another. I didnt realize these big ships need one mile between themselves just to give them room for maneuvering or whatever they have to do. So we were down there yesterday morning at the Battery Point at a venue where the ships passed us by and we had executives from the banks around the city and individuals and Purple Heart recipients there. It was quite an event, especially if youre a navy veteran. They really loved it, and we did too. And now, tonight, I guess Jimmy Fallon is going to have the whole audience packed on The Tonight Show with sailors in white. So itll be quite an event. Mr. Jekielek: Fantastic. And so I was reading that the Dolphin Fund is part of the Wealth and Values Initiative? Mr. Greenlaw: Wealth and Values Initiative is a money management companybasically manages high net worth individuals and high net worth families to do something, to take their fortunes, pivot and do something good with it. And its a very, very solid organization, and Im very happy to be associated with them. The Dolphin Fund is one of their nonprofit companies where they do these nonprofit fundraisers or speaking for the nonprofit world for the families. Mr. Jekielek: Well, fantastic. Im glad they were able to bring you here to New York to have this conversation. Mr. Greenlaw: Im happy to be here. Mr. Jekielek: So tell me how did you get the Purple Heart? What happened? Its been a few years. Mr. Greenlaw: It has, it has, but you know, our wars never end in our heads. Theres a thing called PTSD. And I think every combat wounded veteran ever since the cavemen fought in the in the fields outside the cave till today through Afghanistan, we all have some type of PTSD. I have a very little bit, I mean, practically nothing. I grew up in a solid family. I was raised in the steel mill areas of East Chicago and Gary, Indiana, where the steel mills line like Michigan. And so we have a great sense for the combat wounded vets and their needs. And my PTSD coming from that solid environment is very small. Ive seen people with PTSD so intense, they cant even stand up. They fall over like a pillar frozen. And different, you know, drugs, alcohol, I mean, you can get into a lot of things with PTSD. So we are out, our organization, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, were all out into every state in the union with service officers and local chapters where the rubber meets the road. And the service officers deal directly with the with the vets and any way that they have a need. For instance, if they need help with the venturing into the bureaucracy of the VA, our people know exactly how to do that smoothly. We have the highest percentage of return rate of any of the other service organizations. In 90 percent of the cases we take, we solve and return benefits to that individual. The others average about 60 percent. Now, maybe were a little easier, I dont know, because were combat wounded, and we do get a little more attention. So, thats what we do. Mr. Jekielek: So thats the purpose of the, you know, you said you have about one-tenth of the combat wounded. Mr. Greenlaw: Ten percent. In 500,000 weve got about 50 [thousand]. So were a smaller organization. Were not as big, but were a 100 percent combat wounded vets with Purple Heart recipients. We carry extra weight in legislative issues and on the Hill in D.C., and win the hearts and souls of America and everybody. My uncle has a Purple Heart, my grandfather has one, you know, my son just got back from Afghanistan, he has a Purple Heart. So were loved by the far left. Were loved by the far right. Everybody loves the combat vetsmaybe for different reasons. You know, the far left considers us victims of the war machine, but were not accountable for war. We were just the ones that are fighting. The far right thinks were warriors, you know, go. So in reality, were all somewhere in between. Mr. Jekielek: And you exist, and I dont know if all 50,000 members work for this purpose, but basically to support the rest, right? Mr. Greenlaw: Yes. And there is a true blood brotherhood here. Its real. Its as real as PTSD. If I meet a combat wounded vet in the airport in Los Angeles within 30 seconds, and we dont normally wear the medal, but theres a little lapel pen, a purple lapel pin, tiny bar you can wear on your lapel, and if I spot one of those, Ill walk right over to them. And they do the same with me. And theres an instant bond. So we have a strong bond among our ourselves and with each other. Mr. Jekielek: Do you feel, you know, theres only some small percentage of people that have actually been, that even know people directly in their families and so forth that have been in combat or even been in the military. Do you feel theres some kind of a disconnect with the rest of the country at all, people not understanding? Mr. Greenlaw: Yeah, there is. Its more of a I wouldnt say a moral disconnect. Like I said, everybody loves how could you not like a guy that got wounded or a woman that got woundedwomen get wounded too. So its not a moral issue. Its more of just an informational issue. They dont know what it really means and what happened. And theres really a big curiosity factor there. And so we encourage our veterans to talk about their wounds. Not necessarily graphically, depending on who youre talking to. If you and I are having a beer or something, I might get a little more graphic just to explain it to you. But in a general situation, like today or when Im giving a speech, I evaluate the audience, and I sort of adjust to that because its extremely graphic when you I can get as graphic as anybody wants to hear. So I tend to sort of clean it up a little bit when Im talking about general wounds because some of these wounds are very traumatic. You read in the New York Times, Afghanistan, theres a roadside bomb, three were killed and 14 wounded. Well, you say, well, you know, its too bad for the three, but at least 14 lived and 14 are fine. Well, theyre not fine. Theyre not fine at all. Some of them face the worst lives you can imagine with their, you know, their faces burned off from the explosion and missing arms and legs, but theyre still alive and theyre thankful for that. Their families are, too. But, still, sometimes its not much of a life. Its a life, but its a different life. From one second to the next it changes, you know, 180 degrees. So its something we deal with on a daily basis. Mr. Jekielek: Wow. So do tell me about your particular story of the Purple Heart, but lets do the intermediate version, you know. Mr. Greenlaw: OK. I will do that. My first wound cannot be graphic. I mean, I was a infantry platoon leader, first lieutenant. I had 50 men in my platoon. And we ran a good platoon. And I used to go out with my men, and I wouldnt ask them to do anything that I wouldnt do or havent done. Id go out on patrols with them or ambushes or whatever we decided to do there or whatever I decided to do that night, always at night. But during the day we patrolled as a platoon. At night we would send out, you know, squads or teams. So we had a situation where we flew around in helicopters. So we do combat assaults in helicopters. Instead of airborne, we were just in these helicopters. You cant jump into the jungle. So we would fly in. And my platoon was the first platoon in the lead. And my job was with our platoon was to secure the area for the other helicopters that come in, and we would pop green smoke if it was secure and safe, wed pop red smoke if it wasnt secure. Well, they made a mistake. The helicopter pilots we had seven helicopters carrying my platoon, but, you know, five to seven combat guys in each helicopter. Flew in. They made a mistake and landed us about a thousand yards farther than they were supposed to. They landed us in the middle of a North Vietnamese battalion of about 400. So we are immediately target practice and overrun by a North Vietnamese regular troops, which are not Viet Cong. Viet Cong are the little farmers that go out at night and set booby traps or whatever. This was an organized fighting force. So it took them five hours to get to us. So we had to survive for five hours. And my platoon I dont remember exactly how many were wounded, but just about everybody was killed or wounded when getting off the helicopters. And I jumped off and immediately was shot in the leg. Now, it wasnt a serious wound. I mean at time I thought it was serious. It turned out to be not so serious, but it was behind my, behind my leg and the hamstring area. And so we fought for five hours, and I ended up bringing in four jets, phantom jets, to drop bombs on our own position, which it drove them away. And as they drove away another round of napalm came in. It was very ugly. Mr. Jekielek: Its just completely difficult to imagine for someone that hasnt faced something like that. Mr. Greenlaw: And I was the old man. I was 22 at that time old man at 22. So that was my first wound. And I went back to the rear area and had some minor surgery and fix my leg and it healed in country. So when it healed I got a brigade-level promotion. In that first effort I got a Silver Star a Purple Heart. And then I got a brigade-level promotion to company commander. So there I was a 23-year-old now, I had birthday. A 23-year-old infantry company commander commanding 158 men and responsible for their lives. And it was a transformational experience. I had no idea what I was doing, but we learned fast. We ended up having a good company. And, I, again, like I did as a platoon leader, I would go out on occasion on a, you know, on an ambush or a patrol. And I went out on a patrol one night, and we were in a bamboo forest. And I didnt realize that, you know, bamboo trees get this big around, you know, ancient forest. Were used to the fishing pole bamboo tree. So there was an artillery shell booby trapped with a trip wire, and it was about head high and it tripped it, you know, three in front of me were killed and one behind me. And I was wounded in the neck, the face, a compound fracture in my right leg, lost my left kneecap, and I had a piece of bamboo that nailed my left arm to my chest. I was a mess. They stopped the bleeding in my neck. When people die on the battlefield they usually dont get shot dead. They bleed out. Mr. Jekielek: They hit an artery or something like that. Mr. Greenlaw: They just bleed out. Or even internally, it will bleed out. And you cant save them fast enough. They actually got a good grip on my veins and arteries in my neck and kept me alive on the helicopter. It just happened to be a resupply helicopter coming in that evening. They threw me on a helicopter, sent me to a mass unit where they gave me the last race. I wasnt gonna make it. So this Catholic priest gave me the last rites. Mr. Jekielek: Unbelievable. Mr. Greenlaw: And the ironic thing isthis is an interesting thingmy Officer Candidate School (OCS) roommate walked into the MASH tent to identify some bodies. He walked over to meits a guy I knew intimately well, a great guy. He looked right at me and he said, Boy, what happened to this guy? He didnt even [recognize] . it was all messy. So that retired me from, not only from Vietnam, but the army. So they sent me to Yokohama in Japan for plastic surgery on the face and the neck Mr. Jekielek: He did a fantastic job. I would never have guessed. Mr. Greenlaw: Well, they give you a book. You can pick who you want. You want Rock Hudson? No, not really. They do an amazing job. And a general in the military operated on me, and he was doing some experimental things, you know, they learn a lot in wartime. They learn a lot about how to .. all these Mr. Jekielek: Put things back together. Mr. Greenlaw: Complex cases they faced, you know. So, they gave me the last rites, and then finally a young doctor about my age, I thought, he said: I think this guys gonna make it. And that was nice to hear because I was totally aware of what was going on. Although they didnt know it. Mr. Jekielek:I dont know whether to laugh or cry when you hear this kind of thing, right? Mr. Greenlaw: Laugh, laugh. Its almost like a dream, but except it was actually me. So they took me to the hospital, and the MASH unit just sort of ties you up and stops the bleeding. Put me on another helicopter to a hospital in Danang, a fairly good sized military hospital where they fixed my leg, reset my leg. They found my kneecap, they reattached that, and sort of put me together in a better sense. And they crated me up just like you would, you know, a FedEx. And they sent me to Yokohama, Japan, where I had additional plastic surgery and rehabilitation and I recovered there. And then the last three months, they ask where youre from. And I said, Im from the Chicago area. So they sent me to Fort Sheridan Hospital in the Chicago area, so I can be near my family to recuperate and finish my rehabilitation. So thats it. And Ive been happy and healthy ever since. I work out five days a week. Im in good shape, Im happy, and Im doing the right thing with the Military Order of the Purple Heart. Mr. Jekielek: Well, so how is it that you ended up working with this group? Mr. Greenlaw: Well, I was introduced to it in 1996. The Military Order was founded by Congress, actually chartered by Congress in 1932 to give recognition to World War I veterans. And then it evolved over the years to be for, you know, for combat wounded. And I think FDR came up with this modern design for World War II. And I was introduced by the Order by Senator Bob Dole who I helped during his during his election run in 1996. He didnt win, but, he introduced me to the Order. One day I was around him and I had my lapel pin in, not this, but the lapel pin. And he said, Hey, you a Purple Heart recipient? I said, Yes, sir. And he said, You should join the Military Order of the Purple Heart. And I said, Whats that? And he explained it to me, and I joined, and Ive been there together with them since 96. I founded a chapter. So I know all about the chapter level is really important. And then I ran for state commander of South Carolina and got elected to that and served my term there. And then I ran for national commander last year in 18 and won. So my tour, its only a one-year tour. Itll be up this July. Mr. Jekielek: Its an elected position. Thats very interesting. Mr. Greenlaw: It is. The body of the Order elects caucuses, its like real politics. You caucus, you vote. And so, but we dont get nasty like they do in Washington, D.C. We just talk about our ethics and our ability to do the job, and hopefully they pick the right guy every time, every year. Mr. Jekielek: So, Doug, you were mentioning how a big part of what the Military Order of the Purple Heart does is work with the VA. And so, you know, weve known for years the VA was in big need of reform, veterans werent getting the service they needed. How are things today? Mr. Greenlaw: Im not an expert on VA, but I do know it from the grassroots level. The vets get excellent treatment. Excellent. My residence is in the northern part of South Carolina called the Upstate. We have a brand new 78,000-square-foot clinic there that covers everythingaudiology to pharmacy to they assign you a doctor and theyre easy to get to, very responsive and do excellent work. And it doesnt cost a vet a penny and they run 850 to 900 veterans a day through that clinic. They crank them in. Yeah. And every age you can imagine from Afghan vets to Korea vets, there arent many World War II vets left. So I think its sort of like the Military Order of the Purple Heart. You can find problems with the leadership and politics and all that. When you get down to our service officer programs, its really well run. And its the same with the VA in my opinion. I dont have a lot of experience. Charles Eagleson doesthe fellow were going to talk about in a minute. He has got a lot of experience with the VA hospital system, and theyve treated him fine. I will say combat wounded vets, Purple Heart recipients get a little, special attention. I dont know that we should, but we do. And so maybe Im a little prejudice, but, and Im sure a big organization like that has many problems they deal with on a daily basis. But Id say that, overall, theyre doing a pretty doggone good job. Thats what I would say. Mr. Jekielek: So, Doug, you mentioned PTSD and how basically anyone wounded in combat will suffer some element of it, maybe light to extremely heavy. What are some cases that youre aware of? Mr. Greenlaw: Lets take my case to start with. A very small part of me has PTSD. I might have a sweaty dream once in awhile. I dont have any flashbacks. I dont have any nerve issues. I dont drink. I dont smoke. I might have a beer with you or something. Thats about all I do. And Ill nurse the same beer all night. So I dont have any bad habits. I work out so I would be on one end of the extreme. OK? Im the one that you would never even know I had anything. My wife knows because I sweat in the bed, and its uncomfortable for her and me, but thats very rare. On the other end of the spectrum, you have people that have, you know, alcohol problems, drug problems, severe mental issues, and sometimes traumatic brain injury (TBI). And you combine all of this and just have a hard time with life. Ill tell you whythis is my opinionthat we were all so young. I was the old man at 23. I mean, literally the old man. I wrote letters for people, you know, to send home. And Ill give you an example. I know, and its not just Vietnam. I know a man fromit was in the Korean War. He was wounded, and the Chinese captured him. And as they were dragging them back to their camp, they said: When we get there, were going to interrogate you, and were going to get all the information we can get, and then were going to kill you. Well, he thought to himself: If theyre going to kill me, theyre going to kill me escaping. So sure enough that night, in the middle of the night, he had two guards on him. Hes a big strong kid from Alabama. He killed both of the guards, and he escaped wounded. He escaped weakened, found his way back somehow to his unit. And the shocking thing is he had just turned 18 years old, right out of high school. So, and thats the Korean War. I spoke to a I have a trivia winner for you. Youre not a betting person, I bet. Im not either. But this is a cute betting. If you want to bet someone, a gentlemans bet. Ask them how long it took on the storming of Normandy. How long did it get from the beachIm going to ask you this questionhow long do you think it took from the beach, when it hit the beach, to go up the beach and up the cliff to top of the cliff? How long do you think that took? Mr. Jekielek: Under fire? Mr. Greenlaw: Oh yeah, it was total under fire, 100 percent under fire. Mr. Jekielek: Oh my gosh. I cant even imagine. A really really long time. Mr. Greenlaw: You know, mortars, they had these machine guns. They had these big cement billets up there with machine guns in it. How long do you think it took? Take a guess. Mr. Jekielek: I dont know. I mean I Mr. Greenlaw: Take a guess, a wild guess. Mr. Jekielek: Well, OK. A day. Mr. Greenlaw: A day? Twenty minutes. You know why? Why? Because they were 19 years old, 18, 17. A lot of them lied to get in at 16. The youngest they had was 13. Heres what happened. They hit the beach. Theyre 19 years old. They run like crazy. Theres a gallon of adrenaline pouring directly on their heart. So they flew up the beach, when they hit the groundand I got this from a vet that did it, so this is a firsthand account, because I meet them from all warshe raced across the beach. His friends were falling all around him. And they start off with 173 men from their company hit the beach at once. They got to the cliff with 70, so they lost a hundred on the beach. They had 70 at the base of the cliff. They got to the top of the cliff with 12. He was one of the 12 that made it to the top, and they held the ground there until more could come behind them. Mr. Jekielek: This is just so hard to imagine, actually. It just goes to show someone who hasnt been in combat, or anywhere close to it, doesnt have an idea of the reality. Mr. Greenlaw: No. Adrenaline plays a big part. In Vietnam we would be trudging across a rice patty, sinking up to your shins and slogging and one foot out, you know, and another foot out and just could barely move, right? The first sniper shot that comes through, they ran like Carl Lewis, you know, like a sprinter, a world class sprinter to get out of that rice patty because of the adrenaline. And you get to the other side and its like there was no mud at all. Their complaining turned into, you know, adrenaline rage to get to the other side. Some of these rice paddies, you know, are half a mile square, you know, theyre huge. And when you get in the middle of one thats when the snipers start shooting. So, again, this is youth factor. You dont see 40-year-old Harvard MBAs out there fighting wars or MIT Ph.D. grads. No, you see 18-, 19-year-old warriors right out of high school. And the leaders are second and first lieutenants. I was a first lieutenant, and we were just a couple of years older, you know, I was, like I said I was 23. And, so, ask any vet you see, an older vet, somebody my age or if you can get a Korean vet: How old were you when you fought? And hell say 18, 19, 17, or I lied to get in. So I was 16. So thats who fights the wars. And the reason is that theyre supermen. They think the bullets are going to glance right off of them, and they dont think thateverybody here can be killed, including me. Everybody here is going to get killed. Ill make it. Thats just human nature. So you combine the youth plus being big and strong. Were all strong as oxes in those days. And its just the way it. Were Americans. Were big, tough people. And made by the Poles and the Jews and the Europeans that came here, the Italians, the Irish, thats who we are. And so we have a tough group to begin with. Nobodys tougher than the Poles. Im from Chicago area. Theyve got more Poles in Chicago than they do in one of the big cities. So thats who we are. Mr. Jekielek: And the African Americans, right? Mr. Greenlaw: The African Americans, yeah, absolutely. Theres no racism in war. If the percentage of African Americans in America here is but 12 percent or something like that. In the military, its more like 25 or even, you know, between 25 and 30 percent. Right. So we had a lot of our black brothers we were fighting with, and there was no racism. Wed huddle up at night and wed take our, you and I would take our rubber poncho during a monsoon rainstorm. Wed get together under the Poncho so we can warm it up because anything under 80 degrees is cold at night when youre soaking wet. And wed huddle together. I didnt care who it was and neither did he. So its a brotherhood. It really is. So its and young people. Mr. Jekielek: You know, something that just struck me though is that, you know, the opioid crisis here has been wreaking havoc on the civilian population. When Im hearing about a lot of folks suffering from PTSD at different levels Id imagine its a significant issue in the military as well. Mr. Greenlaw: It is, and its easy to get. And a lot of times it was started in Vietnam, during my era, because there was a lot of marijuana over there. But they would lace it with heroin. So guys would get addicted without even knowing it. And so fortunately I didnt touch any of that stuff and none of my men did either. I made sure that didnt happen. But its the low-level leaders, you know, the sergeants and the lieutenants and the captains that are down on the ground that make it safer for the soldiers because thats our job is to save their liveswin and save their lives. And so we were very conscious of that.But other loose leadership, I was on my people everyday. Clean your rifle because if it doesnt go off, youre going to be killed. I had them clean their rifle every day. I had them keep clean. We took, wed get a stream, wed put guards up, wed take baths in a stream, stay clean, clean your uniform. And, first thing you do is get rid of your underwear and your socks because they go bad right away. Get rid of them. You dont need them. Your feet get strong and tough and need discipline. And so when you come out of that situation, if you ever want to hire a good solid person, hire a vet. They come to you disciplined, they show up on time, they work hard, theyre good under adversarial circumstances, and theyll defend the place if they need to. So, were a good bet. And thats why were as popular as we arethe combat wounded vet version of us. Is that, you know, we get things done, and we try to do the right thing. Weve seen the ugly part, you know, stared death down or we wouldnt be here. Mr. Jekielek: So we were talking about your friend Charles who you met Mr. Greenlaw: Yeah. Charles Eggleston. Hes a very good friend of mine, and hes an African American, and he is a piece of work. I love him. Hes a great guy. And he was wounded gravely. Remember I said I thought I had a bad. Charles was a special-ops team leader. And he was attacked in Iraq by gunfire and also by mortar and rocket attacks. And they were moving forward, and he was attacked from behind. He was the only survivor of his team. They were all killed, and he was almost killed. He was very, very lucky to be alive. He was wounded so seriously that they were taking human bones out of his back from his men behind him. Today he walks around with shards of bone from others inside of his body. Now you try to say he does not have PTSD. He does, but boy, he controls it. Hes a solid citizen. Hes a great person and he went to the, they like they did me. They put him back together and then shipped him. They actually crated me in a cast. I came back crated so I couldnt move around. And he, the same, they would crate you up in a body cast and send you back to the U.S. for surgery. He had 60 surgeries, I think 61. He had 60 surgeries. And his face, his head, steel, titanium down both sides. And hes alive and well today. And you look at him, hes handsome. All of our scars are underneath. Ive got some here, but you cant really notice them with plastic surgery and youd never know theres anything wrong with him. But the truth comes out. Charles was hit very, very hard. He was in Walter Reed Hospital for three-and-a-half years. Mr. Jekielek: And hes now working with you. Mr. Greenlaw: Yes, hes our, hes the region we have six big regions across the countrythe Order does. And Region 1 is the East Coast, Region 6 is the West Coast. And youve got them divvied up along the way. Hes commander of Region 1, and hes a good strong commander. Im very lucky to have him. Mr. Jekielek: Fantastic. Mr. Greenlaw: I know a man in Atlantawoke up in a zipped up body bag in the cooler. Yeah. I mean, you know, and hes semi-normal. Mr. Jekielek: Thats something from the movies. Mr. Greenlaw: Yeah. He, and he had a religious experience in the bag. He woke up and he said, God visited me in that bag. And I said, Really? He said, Yes. And he said, God told me that Jesus never died. Jesus woke up in a tomb, just like I did, showed everybody has wounds, married Mary Magdalene, had kids, lived a life. And my pastor tells me its called the swoon theory. Its fairly common. But its not a theory to this guy in a bag. I asked him Whats God look like? And he said, he, I dont think hed ever been asked that question. Because he was in the bag with you, right? Yeah, he was. But I said, Whatd he look like? Sort of like Tom Hanks I think He did, he said he looked sort of like Tom Hanks. Well, whether its a dream or out-of-body experience or it really happened, who am I to judge? Right? So I just took it as it was, thats his belief. Maybe its PTSD. I dont know. Maybe it actually happen. I dont know. Who knows? So there I am. So Ive got stories like that, that go on and on and stories like John Kerry, Senator John Kerry, the former secretary of state. You know, he faked a Purple Heart. John, if youre watching this, Im going to say it. He faked his first Purple Heart. If you shoot yourself in the foot, you dont get a Purple Heart. If somebody else shoots you in the foot, you get a Purple Heart. Well, he shot a M79 grenade launcher. Its like a big shotgun. You put a grenade, big bullet in the back, snap it shut. He shot it against, I guess, a rock. He was a riverboat captain, a rock along the river, and it blew the rock up in a piece of granite or whatever the rock was. Stuck in his arm, about the size of a grain of sand. He pinched it out and applied for a Purple Heart and didnt get it. And he reapplied through his battalion commander and got his Purple Heart. So, and I looked him up on the Internet and I couldnt find anything about it. He got three Purple Hearts. I couldnt find anything about his other two Purple Hearts. Now maybe they were real, I dont know. But so you have one extreme, pinched the grain of sand out. And then the other extreme is Charles Eggleston, he gets blown to bits. And, so thats, thats the story of the Purple Heart. Mr. Jekielek: So, you know, something, another thing just struck me, you know, the vast majority of the population of this country has not experienced combat, has not been in a military setting. Theres other places say Israel, you know, where everybody has, theres just a mandatory draft. Everyone has to serve there. So a few years. Do you think thats something that would help in America for people to understand the realities, [inaudible] have a draft? Mr. Greenlaw: Yeah. Yes, I actually do, I do, I think the draft is a good thing. The volunteer military is suffering right now because people dont want to join. So now they are offering benefits to join. For instance, if youre a high school senior, at least in South Carolina, and I know many states are like this. In South Carolina if youre a high school senior, a junior going into your senior year, if you sign up for one of the militaries, any of them, you will get a signing bonus. No. In your first senior year, youll get $500 a month your whole senior year. Thats a lot of money for a high school kid. Mr. Jekielek: Certainly wouldve been for me. Mr. Greenlaw: Oh, me too. You dont get the money until you join and go through basic training and youre in. But then you get the check. And once you sign up after you graduate and you literally sign the documents and give the, you know, the Honor Code, you get a check from between something, depending on your MOS and your job, whatever your job is. Some pay more than others. They will give you a signing bonus for $20,000 to $40,000 for a kid right out of high school because theyre trying to compete with Google and Amazon and, you know, all the jobs out there, or going to college or whatever. So, yeah, its a competitive environment. So I think the draft is a good idea because, you know, World War II and not so much Vietnam, but World War II the Rockefellers were in there. You know, youd be next to the senators son, you know, and maybe they can pull a few strings, but you still were in. You know, good Al Gore is a good example. Al Gore, everybody complains about him. He went to Vietnam but he was a photographer. He was a journalist. He really wasnt in the hey, tell you what, you put your foot down on the ground in Vietnam youve got my respect because you could get killed. And, its Al Gore, you know, I think he was drafted, I think. But so, yeah, I think the draft is a good idea. I really do. Let everybody go. Mr. Jekielek: So, you know, today, its Memorial Day. Its our Memorial Day show. Do you have anything youd like to share with the American people and maybe internationally on Memorial Day? Mr. Greenlaw: Memorial Day is a special day. It really is. Were memorializing those that were killed in combat and God bless them. You know, a lot of them had Purple Hearts, maybe most of them, depending on how they were killed. So, yeah, Im all for memorializing our dead from World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, you know, the Gulf War, Afghanistan, Iraq. We all deserve respect for those that were killed. And so I have a full day planned on Monday, today, on this Memorial Day to pay my respects in Washington, D.C. And its well deserved. Its an honor to have them, you know, in our history. Mr. Jekielek: So you just mentioned how people arent so interested in joining the military or maybe less interested. How does patriotism fit into this? So thats what struck me. Mr. Greenlaw: Well, Im not saying that people that dont want to be in the military, first of all, theyre not all needed. You know, like Vietnam, you know, some of my best friends didnt go, its fine. We didnt need every person over there. Wed have, you know, 25 million soldiers. We dont need that many. So I have, I think there the vast majority of Americans on both sidesthe liberals, the conservatives, those of us in the middle are patriots. They love this country. If you travel at all, which I know you probably have, you realize what a great country this is. The developed countries arent America. Ive been around the world. Ive been to China, Ive been to Russia, Ive been all over Europe. Ive climbed mountains in South America and Ive seen many, many countries, probably more than most. None of them are like America. None of them. And thats why people want to come to America. You can, you can come here with nothing. And I know youre from an immigrant family. Im sure they started out at the bottom and work their way up to the top. And Im proud of you for that. And thats what America is all about. You dont have to be a veteran. You dont have to be a combat wounded veteran. You just have to be an American, I think, to understand that. Mr. Greenlaw: Im a high-altitude mountain climber. I climbed Kilimanjaro and Aconcagua in Argentina. Ive been in Russia, backpacking China. I backpacked the Great Wall. Ive been all over Europe. Ive been everywhere. Mr. Jekielek: Still do that? Mr. Greenlaw: Yeah, I do. So Ive seen it all. And I can say for a fact, there is no country like America, United States of America. This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. American Thought Leaders is an Epoch Times show available on Facebook and YouTube. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) speaks to reporters at the Capitol in Wash., on April 9, 2019. (J. Scott Applewhite/Photo via AP) Mitch McConnell Says Hell Fill Any Supreme Court Vacancy in 2020 Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said that he would fill a Supreme Court vacancy if a spot became open in 2020. Nationwide elections are slated for 2020. President Donald Trump, a Republican, is running for re-election while a slew of candidates are vying for the Democratic nomination to run against him. McConnell, speaking on May 28 at a Paducah Chamber luncheon, was asked about a vacancy arising on the nations highest court in 2020 if a justice died. McConnell smiled and said, Oh, wed fill it. The crowd laughed and applauded. The reason I started with the judgesas important as all the other things are that were talking aboutif you want to have a long-lasting positive impact on the country, everything else changes, McConnell also said. What cant be undone is a lifetime appointment to a young man or woman who believes in the quaint notion that the job of the judge is to follow the law. Thats the most important thing for the country, which cannot be undone. Democratic officials and activists slammed McConnells stance on filling a potential 2020 vacancy, claiming he was being hypocritical after refusing to bring former President Barack Obamas nominee Merrick Garland to a vote in 2016 after Justice Antonin Scalias death as Trump and Hillary Clinton vied for the presidency. McConnell said at the time that voters could vote in whichever president they wanted and that the new president would get to nominate someone to the vacant seat. The American people may well elect a president who decides to nominate Judge Garland for Senate consideration, McConnell said at the time. The next president may also nominate somebody very different. Either way, our view is this. Give the people a voice in filling this vacancy. Trump, after he took office, nominated Neil Gorsuch to the vacancy. After Justice Anthony Kennedy stepped down, he nominated Brett Kavanaugh to the new vacancy. McConnell later said that the situation in 2016 was different from the one now, noting that Obama was facing a Republican Senate in the final years of his presidency while Republicans currently control both the White House and Senate. You have to go back to 1880s to find the last time a Senate controlled by a party different from the president filled a vacancy on the Supreme Court that was created in the middle of a presidential election year, McConnell told the openly right-wing Fox News website last year. After McConnells comments on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Senator emphasized the difference in the situations. Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.) said last year that any vacancies that open up in 2020 would not be filled. If an opening comes in the last year of President Trumps term and the primary process has started, well wait until the next election, Graham said. Hes currently chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which provides advice and consent for judicial nominations. Since 1900, only eight judges have been considered during a presidential election year, the Wall Street Journal noted in 2016. The last one was Kennedys nomination by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 following the 1987 retirement by Justice Lewis Powell. Kennedy was nominated after Democrats spiked the nomination of Reagans first choice Robert Bork and a second nominee, Douglas Ginsburg, withdrew from nomination. According to Josh Blackman, a law professor and adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute, there have been 10 vacancies on the Supreme Court since the Civil War that actually arose in a presidential election year. Of those 10, eight were filled. The Senate and presidency were of the same party in six of those eight1888 was the last time a nominee was confirmed with a divide between the Senate and the President. The Supreme Court situation has ignited passions on both sides. The Kavanaugh nomination included five sexual assault accusations against Kavanaugh and critics said the nomination should be withdrawn. Three of the accusations were later shown to be false and the other two remained unsubstantiated. The Supreme Court after Kavanaughs confirmation became 5-4 in favor of conservative-nominated justices. The two oldest justices are liberals. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 86, has suffered a number of health issues in recent years, including cancerous growths in her lung and broken ribs. She returned to the bench on Feb. 19 after two months away. Justice Stephen Breyer, 80, nominated by President Bill Clinton, is the second oldest judge on the court. From NTD News Special Counsel Robert Mueller speaks on the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential election, at the US Justice Department in Washington, DC, on May 29, 2019. (Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images) Mueller Formally Closes Special Counsels Office, Ends Russia Probe, Resigns From DOJ Special counsel Robert Mueller on May 29 formally closed the special counsel office, announced an end to the Russia investigation, and said he will return to private life. Mueller, speaking before reporters at the Department of Justice, said he will make no further comments about the investigation. The special counsel reiterated the findings of his final report and said any further inquiries should refer to the document as his testimony. Mueller also clarified the reports findings regarding obstruction of justice. The special counsel said that under long-standing Department of Justice policy it was not an option to charge the president with obstruction of justice. Mueller concluded his 22-month investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election in March. Attorney General William Barr released a redacted version of Muellers 400-plus-page report on April 18. The special counsel concluded that there is not enough evidence to establish that President Donald Trump, or anyone on the Trump campaign, colluded with Russia. Mueller also decided against charging the president with obstruction of justice. After Barr released the report, the Democrat-led House Judiciary Committee issued a subpoena for a full unredacted version of the document and requested that Mueller appear to testify about the report. The negotiations for the testimony stalled after the White House asserted executive privilege over the Mueller report in response to a Democrat-led effort to initiate contempt proceedings against Barr. Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) told Rachel Maddow on May 23 that Mueller wanted to testify in a private session. Mueller would make his opening statement publicly but asked to take the rest of the session behind closed doors. Nadler speculated that Mueller wanted to testify in private because he doesnt want to participate in anything that he might regard as a political spectacle. While Trump has said he doesnt want Mueller to testify, Barr has said the decision is up to Mueller himself. The White House was notified the night before May 29 that Mueller may make a statement at the Justice Department. Muellers announcement comes one day after the special counsels office denied a claim in an upcoming book that Mueller had drawn up an indictment charging the president with obstruction of justice. The documents that youve described do not exist, a spokesman for Muellers office said. A significant portion of the Mueller report deals with instances of potential obstruction of justice by Trump. But Mueller did not charge the president with obstruction of justice. Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein reviewed the report and determined there was not enough evidence to bring an obstruction charge in a court of law. Democrats have nonetheless seized on the fact that Mueller did not draw a conclusion regarding obstruction of justice charges. Two separate House committees have also issued subpoenas for the unredacted Mueller report. Barr has made a minimally redacted version of the report available to members of Congress. As of May 8, not a single Democrat has viewed the less-redacted report, including the lawmakers who have issued the subpoena for the full document, according to White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders. My Heart Dropped: 11-Year-Old Sister Saved Younger Brother From Kidnappers Grasp An 11-year-old girl has saved her 6-year-old brother from an attempted abduction outside their home in Cleveland on May 23. A man approached Julianne and Hayden Moore while they were playing outside their home at Old Brooklyn on Thursday night, reported Fox8. Julianne said the man tried to talk to them but they couldnt understand what he was saying. It was like gibberish so we really didnt think much of it, the 11-year-old told Fox8. She said after that the man walked away but suddenly turned back, grabbed Hayden by the hand and tried to pull him away. I just grabbed my brother and went into the back yard because there was no time to panic. https://t.co/rMd72pR8KE fox8news (@fox8news) May 27, 2019 When he tried to grab my brother, I knew like this was serious. This was not like any handshake or anything, Julianne said. She said she followed her parents lessons who had always taught her to watch over her younger brother. I just grabbed my brother and went into the backyard because there was no time to panic. You just have to go with it, she said. Their father Joshua Moore explained what happened that day: My daughter came running back there with my son, dragging him by the arm and screaming. I said, Julianne, whats wrong? She said a man tried to abduct Hayden. Moore said he ran to where the children were playing and saw the man walking down the street. Boy, 6, is saved from an attempted abduction by hero big sister, 11, who held on to him when a man grabbed his hand and tried to pull him away outside their home Pedro Luyando, 33, has been arrested and charged with abductionhttps://t.co/wIiyWMQI1e via @MailOnline Roxanne (@Roxanne060979) May 28, 2019 I said, Excuse me, did you touch my child? And he just threw his arms out like this and continued walking. At that point, I came back. My daughter was crying and upset, and we called the police, the father told Fox8. The family reported the matter to the police and, based on Juliannes description, the Cleveland Division of Police arrested Pedro Luyando, 33, of Cleveland on charges of abduction. Julianne said she has been affected by what happened that day. My heart dropped because I know that I saved my brother. He would not be here right now, she said. Child Abductions in the United States A child becomes missing or gets abducted every 40 seconds in the United States, according to Parents.com. It says based on the identity of abductor there are three types of kidnappingsfamily kidnapping where the child is abducted by someone from within the family, acquaintance kidnapping, and stranger kidnappings. Family kidnappings account for 49 percent of the total, acquaintance kidnapping about 27 percent, and stranger kidnapping about 24 percent. Child Abduction Statistics for Parents https://t.co/5faUnQuvvT Scott Michael (@scotiebee) May 28, 2019 The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) reports that in 2018 it helped law enforcement and families with 25,000 cases of missing children. Out of these, 92 percent were endangered runaways, 4 percent were family abductions, and less than 1 percent were non-family abductions. Reuters quotes the FBI as saying that since 2010 there have been fewer than 350 cases of abductions of people below 21 years of age each year. It doesnt happen very often, but theyre certainly the cases that capture our attention because they strike at our worst fears, Robert Lowery, a vice president at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children told Reuters. Kidnapped children make headlines, but abduction is rare in U.S. https://t.co/6CiD60qy2c pic.twitter.com/nCUxDzzLRp Reuters Top News (@Reuters) January 12, 2019 Most of the stranger kidnappings happen in outdoor locations and victimize more females than males. Most of these happen on the street and the abductor tries to grab the victim or lure them into vehicles. In 80 percent of abductions by strangers, the first contact between the child and the abductor occurs within a quarter mile of the childs home, said Parents.com. The portal says acting fast is critical. In abduction cases where children are ultimately murdered, 74 percent of children are found dead within three hours of kidnapping. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) speaks during her weekly news conference on the Capitol on May 2, 2019. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Nancy Pelosi Reacts to Mueller Statement, Avoids Mentioning Impeachment House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), viewed by many as the leader of the Democratic party, reacted on May 29 to a statement by special counsel Robert Mueller issued earlier in the day. Mueller, in a statement read at the Department of Justice headquarters, said that he was resigning since the investigation into Russian election interference was complete. The former FBI director also made the unusual claim that his team wasnt able to state definitively that Trump did not commit obstruction. The team said in its report that it couldnt establish collusion between Trumps campaign and Russian actors, the main thrust of the investigation, but merely presented evidence regarding obstruction and left that determination to Attorney General William Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Pelosi issued a statement later Wednesday saying she respected Mueller and thanking him for his work. Despite Department of Justice policy to the contrary, no one is above the law not even the President. Read my full statement here: https://t.co/6m2Q6s9kEC Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) May 29, 2019 Special Counsel Mueller made clear that he did not exonerate the President when he stated, If we had confidence that the President clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so,' Pelosi said. Barr previously said that Mueller was not able to explain why his team avoided the traditional prosecutorial decision of either recommending prosecution or not recommending prosecution. If Mueller knew the whole time he was not going to be able to recommend prosecution, Barr said on May 1, then he shouldnt have probed the situation. The other thing that was confusing to me was that the investigation carried on for a while as additional episodes were looked into, episodes involving the president, and so my question was why were those investigated if at the end of the day you werent going to reach a decision on them? Barr said. Barr said during a press conference in mid-April that he and Rosenstein reviewed the evidence Mueller presented and determined it was not sufficient to establish that the president committed an obstruction-of-justice offense. In her statement on May 29, Pelosi focused on Muellers avoidance, suggesting the president committed wrongdoing based on the 11 situations involving obstruction that Mueller probed in the report. The Congress holds sacred its constitutional responsibility to investigate and hold the President accountable for his abuse of power, she added. We the American people must have the truth. Pelosi was scheduled to speak on Wednesday at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco. Given that Special Counsel Mueller was unable to pursue criminal charges against the President, it falls to Congress to respond to the crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump and we will do so. No one, not even the President of the United States, is above the law. https://t.co/w61a8rRQeK (((Rep. Nadler))) (@RepJerryNadler) May 29, 2019 She and some other top Democrats avoided mentioning the potential of opening impeachment proceedings against Trump for his alleged wrongdoing. Rep. Jerold Nadler (D-N.Y.), another House Democratic leader, said in a statement that Congress would keep investigating Trump but did not mention impeachment. His statement closely mirrored Pelosis. Other Democrats used Muellers statement as fuel for a call for impeachment. Robert Muellers statement makes it clear: Congress has a legal and moral obligation to begin impeachment proceedings immediately, said Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), a presidential candidate. What Robert Mueller basically did was return an impeachment referral, added Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), another presidential candidate. Now it is up to Congress to hold this president accountable. We need to start impeachment proceedings. Its our constitutional obligation. President Donald Trump responded to special counsel Robert Muellers announcement that the special counsels office is formally closed and that the Russia investigation is completed. Nothing changes from the Mueller Report, Trump wrote on Twitter. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you. Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2019 Epoch Times reporter Ivan Pentchoukov contributed to this report. From The Epoch Times Navy SEAL Seeks to Toss Slaying Case Over Withheld Evidence SAN DIEGOLawyers for a Navy SEAL accused of killing an ISIS prisoner in Iraq in 2017 want the case thrown out because of alleged prosecutorial misconduct that include withholding evidence and conducting surveillance on the defense. Attorneys for Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher plan to ask a military court Wednesday in San Diego to dismiss the case or remove the prosecutor and, possibly, have the judge himself step aside. Gallaghers case has been irreparably corrupted by a government campaign of outrageous and illegal conduct, attorney Tim Parlatore said in the opening salvo of his motion to dismiss the charges. This prosecution threatens to make an unequivocal farce of our justice system. The motion comes with Gallaghers trial less than two weeks away and amid mounting pressure from the defense after lawyers discovered prosecutors planted tracking software in emails sent to the defense team and a journalist that may have violated attorney-client privilege and other constitutional rights. The Navy has said it did nothing wrong and has no plans to remove the prosecutor. A spokesman wouldnt comment on the motions. Among the evidence apparently kept from the defense were results of a polygraph exam Gallagher was given weeks before his arrest on charges that he fatally stabbed an injured young teenage terrorist and picked off civilians from a snipers perch. Gallager knew at the time he was under investigation and denied committing any war crimes during the test, Parlatore said in court papers. Gallagher was told he passed the exam. Parlatore said he only knows about the exam because his client told him about it and investigation documents showed efforts to schedule the test. Polygraphs, commonly referred to as lie-detector tests, are not admissible in civilian or military courts because they are not an indication of truth, said Gary Solis, a former military judge and Marine Corps prosecutor who teaches law at Georgetown. Passing such a test means the person answered most of the key questions without any indication of lying. Its debatable whether the results would be considered evidence of innocence, and therefore the prosecution would not necessarily have to turn them over to the defense, Solis said. The judge could admonish the defense for revealing polygraph results because it could taint the jury in the case, Solis said. The effort to get the case thrown out comes as President Donald Trump has considered pardoning several service members accused of war crimes. Gallaghers family has lobbied vigorously for his freedom and some Republican lawmakers have rallied to his cause. He has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors have said Gallagher stabbed the injured terrorist and then posed for a photo with his corpse for his re-enlistment ceremony. He sent a text to fellow SEALs later saying, I got this one with my hunting knife. Parlatore dismissed that as a joke that reflects the dark humor of a warrior. No blood was found on the knife by forensics experts, he added. Parlatore said hes aware of evidence that showed at least one member of Gallaghers squad practiced medical procedures on the terrorist when he was dead or nearly dead, which might indicate he died from a different cause. He said witnesses would be willing to testify to that, but prosecutors have said theyre unaware of anything performed on him that was not medically necessary or any alternative cause of death. Parlatore also claimed that prosecutors cant prove that Gallagher shot a young girl and old man because charges of attempted murder are based only on rumors and inadmissible hearsay. Gallagher faces trial June 10. A replica hung in place of the stolen infamous 'Arbeit macht frei' sign at the former Nazi death camp Auschwitz in Oswiecim, Poland, on Dec. 18, 2009. (Jacek Bednarczyk/AFP/Getty Images) Oregon Will Require Schools to Teach Students About the Holocaust Oregon lawmakers have voted to pass legislation that would it make it a requirement for schools in the state to educate students about the atrocities committed during the Holocaust and other genocides. The bill, which was passed unanimously by the state chamber on May 28, will require schools to teach about the Holocaust starting in the 2020-2021 school year. Under the legislation, Oregon high schools will be required to include specific references to the Holocaust and genocide into their social studies curriculum, Oregon House said in an announcement (pdf). The move comes as a recent poll found that one in five millennials in the United States admitted they were unfamiliar with the Holocaust. In a statement, Oregon Rep. Janeen Sollman, a chief sponsor of the legislation, said the bill is about keeping history alive, and preventing such atrocities from happening again. As we lose our lived history from that era, it becomes even more important to have Holocaust and genocide education in our classrooms, Sollman said in the announcement. Oregon schools will be required to teach about the Holocaust. A 14-year-old made it happen. https://t.co/KEtMUxseP2 The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) May 29, 2019 This legislation is about ensuring that our students learn about our true history, learn to appreciate and understand our survivors stories, and continue to tell those stories to prevent such actions again. The curriculum will be implemented in school districts with the help of the Oregon Department of Education, which will provide technical assistance. Sollman added that the bill is also in honor of Holocaust survivor Alter Wiener, who was killed last December in a traffic accident aged 92. Wiener had spent three years in concentration camps, including the one in Auschwitz during the German occupation, and was the only member of his family to survive the Holocaust. When he was liberated in 1945, he weighed just 80 pounds. Oregon lawmakers add Holocaust education to required school curriculum https://t.co/mEJl4uwpQS Auschwitz Memorial (@AuschwitzMuseum) May 28, 2019 Towards the end of his life, he had been working to convince state lawmakers to create and pass the bill, dubbed the Genocide Curriculum bill. According to the announcement, 13-year-old student Claire Sarnowski from Lake Oswego initially brought forward the idea for the legislation. Sarnowski said, Alters dream was to mandate education which would continue the legacy of the Holocaust and genocides. The high school student first met Wiener around four years ago, when she attended one of his talks and they became friends, according to the Lake Oswego Review. Although he is not here with me today, he prepared me to carry on this mission and to persevere in making this a reality We need to ensure these atrocities are never forgotten nor ignored, she added. As a Jewish kid, I never learned about the Holocaust once in Portland Public Schools so this is huge.https://t.co/CR9ZGbu5rV Frankie Kerner (@frankiekerner) May 29, 2019 A signature is now needed from Democratic Gov. Kate Browns desk, and if signed, Oregon would be joining 10 other states to pass legislation requiring schools to teach students about the Holocaust and other genocides. California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island, have passed similar legislation for schools, according to news reports. Rise in Anti-Semitic Attacks in the United States The move comes as the United States has seen a recent spike in anti-Semitic attacks across the country. This year, hate crimes have spiked by 67 percent in the first quarter of the year across New York, with anti-Semitic incidents taking top place, according to the NYPD. Between January and April this year, there were 145 hate crime incidents reported in the city, up from 87 in the same time period last year. Of the incidents reported this year, 82 were anti-Semitican increase of 82 percent. NYPD Says Anti-Semitic Hate Crimes Up Staggering 82 Percent: CBS New York https://t.co/W3I9qkfk34 | More w/ EcoSearch: https://t.co/HfaZViJyqk EcoInternet (@EcoInternetDrGB) May 5, 2019 Last month, one person was killed and three others were wounded after a 19-year-old gunman opened fire at a synagogue in California. The attacker, named John Earnest, burst into the synagogue in Poway, north of San Diego, just after it had hosted a Passover celebration. The incident came just six months after a shooting in Pittsburgh, which killed 11. The shooting is thought to be the worst anti-Semitic attack in recent U.S. history. Residents are advised to be vigilant after two Raccoon dogs escape in Clarborough (Nottinghamshire Police) Police Issue Warning About Raccoon Dogs on the Loose in English Village Raccoon dogs, which arent raccoons or dogs, are reportedly on the loose in a village in England, according to reports. A raccoon dog is also known as the tanuki, mangut, or neoguri. It is a canid species found mostly in East Asia, and its not related to raccoons but distantly related to dogs. Police in Nottinghamshire called on residents to be vigilant after two raccoon dogs escaped. The village under siege by RACCOON DOGS https://t.co/zvqDE6svB3 Daily Mail U.K. (@DailyMailUK) May 29, 2019 They went missing from an enclosure in Big Lane, Clarborough at around 6 a.m. this morning (Tuesday 28 May 2019), said the news release. The animals, which are described as being the same size of a medium- to small-sized dog, are potentially dangerous if approached as they are not domesticated. People who see the animals should report them to the local authorities. At least one other police department in the United Kingdom issued a warning about the animals. Police are advising anyone who sees the animals to report any sightings by calling 999, said the Retford Police. Villager Mandy Marsh said she was woken by a blood-curdling scream earlier this week before her husband, Dale, and spotted the animal confronting the couples goat and pony, reported Fox News. Absolutely mad raccoon dogs are terrorizing this small English village https://t.co/DDTkkEUpZh pic.twitter.com/GZi6PNADY7 New York Post (@nypost) May 29, 2019 He came back and he said to me you are going to have to come and see this, there is something in the field attacking the pony and I have absolutely no idea what it is, Fox quoted Marsh as saying. This raccoon was absolutely crazy. It was hissing and screaming and snarling, Marsh said. It was going absolutely mad. The couple said they grabbed pieces of wood and chased the angry raccoon dog away, adding that it took about two hours. Their goat was scratched by the animal. According to the report, the animal confronted a dog in the English village a short while later. Have you ever seen a raccoon dog? Well Mandy Marsh awoke to screaming in the early hours of the morning when an escaped pair of raccoon dogs started attacking her pygmy goat Betty. Police have warned people in Nottinghamshire not to approach the animals. pic.twitter.com/Pq9cZg4AxF Channel 5 News (@5_News) May 29, 2019 March said that a local wildlife tracker offered his services to track down the raccoon dogs. He told her that something was attacking other animals recently. The raccoon dogs have markings and curved claws similar to raccoons, says the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums on its website. They can weigh between 8 and 13 pounds and reach between 19 and 26 inches in length. They eat rodents, lizards, birds, frogs, fruit, and sea creatures. Have you ever seen a raccoon dog? Well Mandy Marsh awoke to screaming in the early hours of the morning when an escaped pair of raccoon dogs started attacking her pygmy goat Betty. Police have warned people in Nottinghamshire not to approach the animals. pic.twitter.com/Pq9cZg4AxF Channel 5 News (@5_News) May 29, 2019 Sweden classifies the animals as an invasive species. In 2009, the government called on elk hunters to shoot on sight any they might see, UPI previously reported. The animals are known carrier of rabies and tapeworm. Meanwhile, they threaten certain species of birds. Japanese raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes viverrinus viverrinus) at a feeder, Bergcot, Honshu. #mammalwatching pic.twitter.com/Pxzb7vqhM8 Vladimir Dinets (@VladimirDinets) May 16, 2019 Raccoon dogs are wild animalsrather than domesticated pets, U.K.s Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) says, noting that the animals present a highly invasive risk to native species in Europe. Raccoon dogs entered the popular lexicon after several Mario video games featured the ability to wear a Tanooki Suit, allowing Mario to fly, spin his tail, and turn into a statue. Police Rescue Turns Into Persecution: Woman in Bike Accident Arrested and Imprisoned for Her Faith After a woman fell from her bike while out on a ride, the police were called to assist her. But instead, they arrested the woman for carrying materials about her faith. The woman was detained and then transferred to a mental hospital where she was forced to take drugs that have caused her to have persistent hallucinations, according to the Minghui.org, a website that documents the persecution of Falun Gong in China. The woman, named Yu Qionghua, was riding her bike in Kunming City, the capital of the southwestern Chinese province of Yunnan on May 5. She was carrying materials about the meditation practice known as Falun Gong, a peaceful belief-system that focuses on self-improvement and teaches its adherents to follow the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance. Yu fell off her bike, and bystanders called the police to help her out. But when the police arrived, they saw the Falun Gong literature. Instead of helping Yu, they arrested her. She was detained for two weeks, then transferred to a mental hospital where she was forced to take drugs. The Chinese regime has banned Falun Gong since it began a brutal crackdown on the practice in 1999. Adherents have suffered 20 years of persecution under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Police Rescue Turns to Persecution Yu, 51, was described as having a small and frail stature, according to Minghui.org. On the evening of May 5, she was out riding her bike in Kunming City, but fell off. When police arrived to assist her, they found that she had materials in her bag that told of the atrocities committed by the CCP against practitioners of Falun Gong. Instead of taking her to the hospital, the police took her directly to a detention center. On May 6, the police took Yu to her house, but not to send her home. When Yus 79-year-old mother answered the door, she asked them, What are you ransacking us for? We dont have anything, according to Minghui.org. The police told Yus mother that they were searching for the materials that they found on her daughter. However, after illegally searching the house, they found nothing, and took Yu away once more. Later that same day, a police officer threatened Yus parents with a notification that their daughter would be detained for three to four years. Yus 92-year-old father couldnt eat for several days after hearing the news. To make matters worse, Yu was the only family member looking after her elderly parents. Drugs and Confinement: Punishment for Ones Faith On May 11, Yus mother, with the help of other family members, began demanding that the police release Yu from custody. The police made an excuse that they are not allowed to directly release detained individuals, and said that if the family members agree to send Yu to a mental hospital for one week, she would be turned over to the family, the report said. The family members said that Yu had no mental illnesses, and that there was no reason to send her there. However, the police responded that if they did not comply, Yu would still be detained. Under these conditions, the family members complied with the police coercion, and agreed to have Yu sent to a mental hospital. While Yu was in the detention center, she was persistently shackled by the wrists and ankles. At the same time, she was forced to consume unknown drugs, the report said. After Yu was sent home, her two hands have remained numb at all times. She has difficulty maintaining consciousness, and sleeps all day. When she is awake, she constantly says that she has to move out of the house and live elsewhere. All of these symptoms are by-products of the CCPs persecution against Yu. Protesters stand in front of the World Journal office in Millbrae, Calif., on May 24, 2019. (Nathan Su/The Epoch Times) Protesters Accuse World Journal of Publishing Fake News About Petition MILLBRAE, Calif.San Francisco Chinatown residents showed up at the office of World Journal, a New York-based, Taiwanese-owned Chinese newspaper, on May 24 to protest a recent report by the paper. The protesters said the report deviated from the facts, misled readers, and caused harm to the community. They held signs such as World Journals Fake News Misled Readers and Protest Against World Journals Twisting Facts and Hurting People, while standing in front of World Journals Millbrae office in the early afternoon. The protesters said they are volunteers from the Coalition Against Naming After Rose Pak (CANARP). CANARPs mission is to prevent the central subway station in Chinatown from being named after the late Rose Pak, who was a well-known political power broker in San Francisco and had deep ties with communist China. The protesters held signs written in Chinese asking World Journal and Huang Shaohua, the author of the controversial report, to make a public apology. World Journal published a news report on May 17 questioning the factual basis of a list of signatures from about 400 San Francisco Chinatown businesses. The signatures were in support of using the name Chinatown Station instead of Rose Pak Chinatown Station for the new subway station, which is likely to open in December. CANARP presented the list of signatures at the weekly meeting of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors on May 14 at City Hall. The World Journal reports title in Chinese read, More Than 400 Businesses Sign the Petition? Chinatown Merchants Deny. The report stated that a World Journal reporter visited businesses in Chinatown on May 16 and found that most of the businesses in Chinatown denied that they had signed to support CANARPs effort. Rui Wang, one of the protesters, told The Epoch Times that the World Journal never made any effort to contact CANARP to ask how they had worked to collect the signatures. She questioned how the World Journal reporter could deny that the signatures were collected if the reporter did not know how the signatures were collected. Abel Wang, a CANARP activist, said that although they said at the Board of Supervisors meeting on May 14 that they had collected more than 400 signatures, they did not formally submit the list of signatures to the Board until May 21. He questioned how the World Journal reporter could have verified the signatures if the reporter did not know who had signed. Ken Lo, president of World Journal, met and addressed the CANARP protesters shortly after the protest began. CANARP said that 14 volunteers spent two weekends collecting the signatures, and they asked Lo how many businesses the World Journal reporter had visited. Rui Wang told Lo that World Journals report stated that a Mrs. Guo from a Vietnamese restaurant said she did not sign, and the report used Guos words as an example to show that the restaurant businesses denied supporting CANARPs effort. However, Rui Wang showed Lo a signature of another person working at the same restaurant who signed the petition. Abel Wang told Lo that World Journals report made it sound like the group of volunteers were deceiving people to get signatures, which had a significant negative impact on CANARP. He demanded an apology from the paper. Lo said to the protesters that he would talk to his editors and reporters, and he would need to understand all the facts before he would know what to do. As the $1.6 billion Central Subway project approaches its completion, three different names have been proposed for the station in Chinatown: Chinatown Station, Sun Yat-Sen (Chinatown) Station, and Rose Pak Chinatown Station. Sun Yat-Sen was the founding father in mainland China of the Republic of China (also known as Taiwan). Sun built the first democratic republic nation in Asia, drawing his ideas from Abraham Lincoln and Confucius. Few people have voiced opposition to the first two choices. Naming the station after Pak is the only one that has been controversial. Those who oppose naming the station after Pak have said that their opposition is mainly because of Paks ties with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and because of the FBIs investigations into Paks possible involvement in corruption. Pak was infamous for defending Chinas human rights crimes, including the Tiananmen Square Massacre and the CCPs persecution of the spiritual group Falun Gong. World Journal is one of the largest Chinese newspaper publications outside China. In recent years, there has been controversy over most Chinese-language media in the United States, as they have been accused of being penetrated by or under the influence of communist China. The Hoover Institution recently published a report summarizing Chinas penetration into U.S. media. The report, titled Chinese Influence and American Interests, states that the majority of the local Chinese-language media have built ties with China and have been penetrated by the Chinese regime. The Hoover report stated: World Journal was for years the premier Chinese-language paper in the United States. It, too, has softened its stance on the PRC in recent years. After the meeting between the CANARP protesters and Lo, The Epoch Times sent a follow-up email to Lo requesting the result of his decision on how to respond to the protesters. By the time this article is published, the World Journals investigation was still ongoing. Restrictions on Investment and Technology Are More Disruptive Than Tariffs, Experts Say WASHINGTONThe U.S.China trade dispute has escalated recently with both sides slapping new tariffs on each other. While tariffs have a meaningful effect on the worlds two largest economies, restrictions on investment and the flow of technology will be much more disruptive, experts claim. Many Chinese businesses and the regimes leadership grasp that this isnt just a tariff war, according to Adam Posen, president of Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE), a Washington-based think tank. Tariffs are tariffs, but investment barriers and the flow of intellectual property are actually much more important, he told reporters, following PIIE economists recent meetings with Chinese officials in Beijing. The current dispute between Beijing and Washington has turned into a tech war, he said. The Trump administration recently banned Huawei from importing U.S. technology, which was considered a major escalation in the trade war between the United States and China. The decision forced several U.S. firms, including Google, Microsoft, Qualcomm, and Intel, to suspend their business with the company. However, the U.S. government later eased the ban by issuing a 90-day temporary license. The tariff threats, which arguably affect a much larger amount of trade, did not really change the messaging very much in Beijing, said Martin Chorzempa, a research fellow at the PIIE. But once this [Huawei] case was announced, we went from talking about trade frictions to talking about a trade war. And now we have these highly nationalist films about fighting the United States in the Korean War playing on the state media, he explained. According to Chorzempa, this issue is the No. 1 thing in China and is being used by the Chinese regime to drive anti-U.S. sentiment to gain more political power. The Trump administrations increased crackdown on Chinese investment in the United States also amplifies the effect of the trade war, according to the PIIE. The new U.S. legislation, which was signed into law in 2018, granted more power to regulators to monitor Chinese investments in the United States. Regulators such as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States and the Federal Communications Commission have increasingly blocked deals for national security reasons. As a result, the Chinese foreign direct investment in the United States fell 84 percent in 2018 compared to the previous year. Having an ongoing environment of tariffs and the uncertainty and, more so, the associated hostility and concerns about cross border tech flows is something that diminishes useful investment, diminishes productivity growth in a meaningful way, Posen argued. He said the direct effects of tariffs were meaningful but not huge. However, the medium-term effects of the trade war on investment and, therefore, productivity is substantial for both countries. Clearly, we are much further away from a deal than we were at the end of April and partly because of the increased friction on the investment front and the high-tech front, said Jeffrey Schott, a senior fellow at the PIIE, focusing on international trade policy and economic sanctions. And that may make it harder to close a deal, but I dont think the doors shut, he added. According to Schott, Chinese are buckling down for a long trade war and they arent ready for a deal in June. And Chinas recent retaliation was strategic, he said, as they avoided raising tariffs on U.S. goods that are significant for Chinese consumers and companies. China announced on May 13 that it would increase levies ranging from 5 to 25 percent on 5,140 U.S. products, worth about $60 billion. These new tariffs, however, dont include essential products for Chinese companies, as well as foods that many people in China consume, such as fresh pork, soybeans, wheat, and sorghum. Rights Group Urges US to Sanction China Over Xinjiang Camps GENEVAThe United States, embroiled in a trade war with China, should also impose sanctions on China for detaining an estimated one million Uyghurs in its Xinjiang region, where repression has not abated, Human Rights Watch said on May 29. The Trump administration has been weighing sanctions against Chinese officials, including Xinjiang Communist Party chief Chen Quanguo, since late last year, and though it has ramped up criticism, it has held back from imposing the measures. China has faced growing global condemnation for setting up complexes in the remote western region that U.N. experts describe as mass detention centers holding more than one million ethnic Uyghurs and other Muslims. Here we have got a U.S. administration that is clearly fine with the idea of imposing serious economic sanctions, but then seems to be lagging behind on imposing them for serious human rights violations, Sophie Richardson, China director of Human Rights Watch, told a briefing in Geneva. A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers last month faulted the Trump administration for failing so far to impose sanctions over Chinas alleged rights abuses against its Muslim minority and called for punitive measures against a senior Communist Party official and Chinese companies. The lawmakers called on the administration to apply sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act. This federal law allows the U.S. government to target human rights violators around the world with freezes on any U.S. assets, U.S. travel bans and prohibitions on Americans doing business with them. We believe that senior Xinjiang officials and national officials who are implicated in the crisis in Xinjiang should be subject to global Magnitsky sanctions, Richardson said. The situation in Xinjiang is far from improving. If anything, (there is) the failure to release large numbers of people, and the desire to spin this as some sort of essential national security strategy that really is about vocational training rather than arbitrary detention, she said. The U.S. Senate and House are considering draft bills, variations of the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act, both of which enjoy very broad bipartisan support, she added. Human Rights Watch published a report this month entitled Chinas Algorithms of Repression, on a mass surveillance app used by Xinjiang police to track citizens that has led to arrests. One of our concerns coming out of this project really is about these oceanic data sets that the Chinese government has now gathered and how exactly they are being used, Richardson said. The U.S.-based activist group is lobbying the 47 member states of the U.N. Human Rights Council to hold China to account for abuses at the three-week session opening on June 24. By Stephanie Nebehay Robert Mueller to Speak About Investigation Into Russian Election Interference Special counsel Robert Mueller is set to speak about the investigation his team conducted into Russian interference into the 2016 presidential election, the Department of Justice said. Mueller is set to make public remarks at 11 a.m. EST on May 29. Its the first time Mueller will have spoken in public since submitting his report to Attorney General William Barr. A senior White House official said that the White House was notified on Tuesday night that Mueller would be speaking on Wednesday, so the news didnt catch the administration off guard. Statement from Special Counsel Robert Mueller LIVE at 11am ET on C-SPAN, @cspanradio & online here: https://t.co/WRbPSsYYEX pic.twitter.com/gNfwxmNRO1 CSPAN (@cspan) May 29, 2019 Muellers team found no collusion between Trump or his campaign and Russia despite years of allegations by top Democrats and many media outlets. Although the investigation established that the Russian government perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency and worked to secure that outcome and that the campaign expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts, the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government, Muellers final report stated. Mueller outlined a case for obstruction but did not recommend prosecution or say obstruction didnt occur. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who as acting attorney general appointed Mueller in 2017, and Attorney General William Barr determined that obstruction did not occur. After carefully reviewing the facts and legal theories outlined in the report, and in consultation with the Office of Legal Counsel and other department lawyers, the deputy attorney general and I concluded that the evidence developed by the special counsel is not sufficient to establish that the president committed an obstruction-of-justice offense, Barr said at a press conference on April 18. He also said that Mueller could not explain why his team didnt decide whether or not to recommend charges against President Trump over potential obstruction. We were frankly surprised that they were not going to reach a decision on obstruction, Barr said in his opening statement before the Senate Judiciary Committee on May 1, reported the Wall Street Journal. We did not understand exactly why the special counsel was not reaching a decision and when we pressed him on it, he said his team was still formulating the explanation, Barr said of the March 5 meeting. Muellers team stated in the report (pdf): We determined not to make a traditional prosecutorial judgment. The team cited an Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) opinion that the president could not be indicted or prosecuted while in office, but Barr said on Wednesday that Mueller had told him the offices opinion was not a factor in his decision not to bring charges. While the team could not establish obstruction, it said if it had confidence that the president did not, it would have said so. Barr said on Wednesday that once the team made the decision to punt on obstruction, it became his responsibility to make the choice based on the evidence gathered by Mueller in addition to other evidence from outside the investigation. We dont conduct criminal investigations just to collect information and put it out to the public, Barr said. I think that if he felt that he shouldnt go down the path of making a traditional prosecutive decision, then he shouldnt have investigated. Barr said at the press conference that Muellers team did not make a traditional prosecutorial judgment regarding this allegation. Barr said that he and Rosenstein kept in mind that Trump was facing an unprecedented situation. As he entered into office, and sought to perform his responsibilities as President, federal agents and prosecutors were scrutinizing his conduct before and after taking office, and the conduct of some of his associates. At the same time, there was relentless speculation in the news media about the Presidents personal culpability. Yet, as he said from the beginning, there was, in fact, no collusion. From NTD News Shot in the Head While Dancing in a Parking Lot, Teen Dies Days Before Graduation Days before her graduation, an 18-year-old high school senior died after being shot in the head while she was dancing in a parking lot in Pennsylvania on May 24. Morgan Dunston died on Friday morning after being shot while she was dancing with a group of friends in a parking lot at South Side Flats at 3 a.m., reported The Post-Gazette. Someone came up from behind and started shooting and my baby got shot, Morgans mother, Angie Krimm, 41, told The Post-Gazette. According to a fundraiser on GoFundMe, Dunston was set to graduate from McKeesport High School this week. Angie Krimm will accept her daughters diploma on Thursday and hold her funeral on Friday after she was fatally shot mere days before she was due to receive her diploma from McKeesport Area High School. https://t.co/Gwu7ittqb2 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (@PittsburghPG) May 27, 2019 Dunstons small group of friends that was dancing with her rushed her to a hospital, but she didnt survive the fatal shot to the head. Krimm will accept Dunstons diploma during the school graduation on Thursday, and on Friday theyll hold her funeral. She wasnt in a gang. She wasnt with the wrong crowd. She was at the wrong place at the wrong time, trying to enjoy life, Krimm said. The family will hold a graduation party and a celebration of life on Saturday. The mother said her slain daughter was to attend a cosmetology school in August and described her as a kind and bubbly person with a beautiful smile. Dunstons twin sister is grief-stricken and is trying to cope up with the loss before she attends Slippery Rock University on a full scholarship. Theres not one day I lived without my sister, her twin, Jordyn Dunston told WPXI. Krimm said Dunston was very proud of her twin, Jordyn. She feels like, If I go on and live my life, I am leaving my sister behind, Krimm said. And I said, Jordyn, you have to do it for her. Because thats what she would want you to do. After the graduation and funeral, Krimm is planning to take her daughters ashes to the beach. She always wanted to go to the beach and I could never afford to take her, the grief-stricken mother said. Investigators are treating it as a case of homicide. However, police have yet to make any arrests, reported WPXI. Ill keep fighting for her until I know something, because shes not another number in somebodys tablet. I promise you that much, Krimm told WPXI. 18-year-old shot, killed in South Side days short of graduating high school https://t.co/ToEeRLuWJo via @WPXI joseph wysocki (@rumrot) May 26, 2019 The parking lot was next to a church, but the pastor declined that the shooting had got anything to do with the church. Ideally the church is in a place where things are happening and not always the best things are happening, and weve had different things that have happened in this space and around this community before, Pastor Jeff Eddings told WPXI. My heart is really just concerned with the victim and what happened with whoever was here, he said. The traditions of the Pacific Islands, where art is life AUCKLAND, New ZealandIts the closest Ive come to a Narnia experience, where Ive walked into something utterly unexpected. Here, the wardrobe in Narnia is replaced by a warehouse on the edge of the Corban Estate Art Center in Henderson, West Auckland, on New Zealands North Island. At the warehouse entrance, Im faced with what seems like an ocean of concrete. I follow the sound of singing in a language foreign to my own. As I cross the concrete, I am warmly greeted by a woman crowned with a garland of flowers and clothed from head to toe in color: the traditional dress of Tuvalu, a South Pacific island nation consisting of nine coral islands between Hawaii and Australia. You must be hungry. Come eat, she gestures, as she welcomes me in. Further into the warehouse, I can see the singing comes from where the Tuvaluan community members have gathered on an island of 50 mats. Each mat has been woven by a woman from the community for the occasion. The men sit in a circle near the front of the group, drumming on the mats, keeping the rhythm for the rest of the community to chant, sing, and dance. The rhythm gets faster and faster, with more and more laughter. The songs convey messages, tell a story, or recall historic events. I am told this particular song is about keeping to your word. About eight women dance the traditional fatele (pronounced far-tell-eh), joyfully swaying and wearing the pandanus skirts, which we often call grass skirts. However, contrary to our notion that these are made of grass, the pandanus, or screw pine, is actually a type of tree with palm-like leaves. There seems to be celebration in each song. I cant help but smile and even feel that I belong here. Of course, this is no Narnia. What I witness in front of me are the true traditions of the Tuvaluan people at the inaugural Tuvalu Arts Festival, an event to share and preserve the knowledge of their nation. The festival is hosted by the Fafine Niutao Aotearoa, a group of women from Niutao Island in Tuvalu who live in New Zealand (Aotearoa) and are committed to passing on Tuvalus traditions to their community. Ive been invited to the festival by Jarcinda Stowers-Ama, director of the Pacifica Arts Center, at the Corban Estate Arts Center. She heads up the organization that supports these events. The Pacifica Arts Center was established in the late 1980s by the Pacifica Mamas, a group of heritage artists who were all first-generation Pacific immigrants to New Zealand and are all keen to preserve their island traditions. Stowers-Amas mother, Mary Ama, is a founding member of the group. Here, Stowers-Ama introduces us to a little piece of Pacific Island life, both on the islands and in New Zealand. The Epoch Times: What do you do at the Pacifica Arts Center? Jarcinda Stowers-Ama: We are a home base so people can come together from all around the Pacific to practice their arts, to gather, to share, to socialize, really to find a safe space and do what youve experienced here today, through our dance and through our crafts. I say safe space because a lot of our Pacifica people that live here in New Zealand live very busy lives. A lot of these people you see here today live in a community where they may be the only Pacific Island person and may not feel completely comfortable doing their cultural practice or feel OK speaking their language. When you walk into our space, there is no judgment. You can do what you do, you can be who you are, and thats the beauty of it. The Epoch Times: What does the word Pacifica mean? Ms. Stowers-Ama: Pacifica is a coined phrase used to sum up people of the Pacific Islands. For a long time, weve used the term Pacifica, and were now starting to go back to our indigenous languages. We are changing the terminology we use at the Pacifica Arts Center, including looking at our organizations name. A lot of our own names have been shortened: But if people can say tiramisu, they can say our names. If they can learn to say that, or all these different gelatos, Im sure they can learn to say our indigenous languages and names. The Epoch Times: What role does traditional art play in Pacific Island communities? Ms. Stowers-Ama: In general, we dont distinguish art from breathing: It is part of who we are; it is part of what we do. It runs through our bloodits our way of life. For us, the term art was a Western concept and a term that many of us were unfamiliar with until moving to New Zealand, and people saying to us: What you do is art. I will make a very general statement about the people of the Pacific, in the sense that our art is special because its who we are: Its in the way we move, the way we chant, and the way we pray. All of it to usour rituals and our protocolis our way of life, and art is a new term that weve only just learned. My parents are both artists. My father is a musician and my mother is a well-known visual artist, but Id never heard the word artist until I was in high school, and Id studied art history. I was like, Ah, thats what it is, because I just thought it was life. The Epoch Times: Can you talk me through some of the Pacific arts? Ms. Stowers-Ama: There are so many different art forms when we look at the Pacific. From island to island, youll find there are similarities, but you will still find something unique to a specific island that no one else does. The easiest way, if we have to categorize them, is that we have visual arts in terms of what you see around you, in terms of our fans and mats, and these can quite often be referred to as craft. We are also very strong in our performing artsso our singing, chanting, dancing, and drumming. Besides those two categories, the list is huge. The Epoch Times: What about the flower headdresses; are they found across the Pacific? Ms. Stowers-Ama: Yes. On the Cook Islands, where I come from, we call them an ei katu pronounced Ay kah-too. A lot of your readers will probably be familiar with the term lei, which is Hawaiian. Normally, theyre something we make for someone as a gift, as a sign of love, or out of respect. I can look around the room, and depending on the type of flower someone has used [in their headdress], I can tell where someone comes from. If theyre really good, and theyve done the colors of the village, sometimes I can tell what village someones from. The Epoch Times: Are the headdresses worn day-to-day? Ms. Stowers-Ama: Yes, they can be, absolutely. So you might have your everyday one, and then you might have an occasion one that you bring out that might have a bit of black pearls or something in it. The Epoch Times: The fatele, Tuvalus traditional dance that we just saw, can you tell us about that? Ms. Stowers-Ama: To our Tuvaluan community, it is a dance about bringing people together to connectyoung and old. Its more about a feeling as opposed to a performance or a dance. I know that you said that when you came here you felt happy; thats the whole idea of that dance. Its about that feeling of community and connection. Now, Im not Tuvaluan, but thats the way that it was explained to me the first time I saw it some 20 years ago. Thats always stuck with me: Dont dance it, dont sing itfeel it. The Epoch Times: Whats your favorite art or craft piece in your culture? Ms. Stowers-Ama: For me as a Cook Islander, it has to be the ei katu, the flower headdress, that I have on my head. I am naturally drawn to the art forms from my homeland. My father is Samoan-German and my mother is a Cook Islander, but both came to New Zealand, so Im a first-generation New Zealander. I am fortunate enough to come from a family of orators and artists. A lot of my artwork at home comes from my family, including my mother, and even great-great-grandfather. In fact, my great-great-grandfather currently has his work in an exhibition at the New Zealand Portrait Gallery in Wellington. His work is held in the collections of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Im really lucky. Not only do I have my family that I can connect to through art, but I work in a space where Im surrounded by art and culture every single day. Im really, really fortunate. I think for us, its really important to know where we come from, the legacy thats already been built for us. We come from the greatest navigators in the world; we come from these heroes that are fantastic; and somewhere along the line, I think we forgot that. The fact that my ancestors were fantastic has set the foundation for me now going forward. The Epoch Times: How do you balance being in New Zealand, as a first-generation New Zealander, and practicing your cultural heritage? Ms. Stowers-Ama: I have never found it difficult to balance. Ive been really fortunate that Ive grown up with really strong role models. I think it comes from the fact that I know where I come from. Im strong in that. For me, its been really important being here in New Zealand and understanding tangata whenua, meaning the native people, the Maori cultureknowing the people of this land that we are on now, and respecting that. I think its a really beautiful thing to be living here and being able to contribute my culture to the landscape of whats already here in New Zealand. The Epoch Times: What can other cultures learn from Pacific Island cultures? Ms. Stowers-Ama: Im not sure I would use the term learn, but what I will say is that when I think about our Pacific people in general, I think about connection, I think about family, I think about being strong with their valueswhether that be religious, or family values. One thing I will say is that our communities are generous; were generous with aroha (love). You will never walk away from a home hungry, because we share everything. I know Im really fortunate to grow up in this community and just be surrounded by that all the time and always feel like I am supported. And even though I was born here in New Zealand, I always think of the Cook Islands and Samoa as my homeland when I go back there. The fact that youre here with me today at a Tuvaluan function, and Im not Tuvaluan and I feel totally at home, and the fact that you can come in and sit on the mat straight away and probably everybodys asking you to eat something. I think thats an indication of our hospitality, and our connection to, and our love for other people. To find out more about the Pacifica Arts Center, visit PacificaArts.org Shenandoah, IA (51601) Today Cloudy with snow showers developing for the afternoon. High 27F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 50%. Snow accumulations less than one inch.. Tonight Some clouds. Low 16F. Winds light and variable. Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore speaks about the race against his Democratic opponent Doug Jones is too close and there will be a recount. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Trump Urges Roy Moore to Forgo Running for Alabamas US Senate Seat President Donald Trump urged Roy Moore to drop out of the race for one of Alabamas U.S. Senate seats, saying he cannot win. Trump took to Twitter on May 29 to say he supported Moore during the 2017 special election for the seat but does not for the 2020 election. Republicans cannot allow themselves to again lose the Senate seat in the Great State of Alabama. This time it will be for Six Years, not just Two, he said. I have NOTHING against Roy Moore, and unlike many other Republican leaders, wanted him to win. But he didnt, and probably wont. Republicans cannot allow themselves to again lose the Senate seat in the Great State of Alabama. This time it will be for Six Years, not just Two. I have NOTHING against Roy Moore, and unlike many other Republican leaders, wanted him to win. But he didnt, and probably wont.. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2019 If Alabama does not elect a Republican to the Senate in 2020, many of the incredible gains that we have made during my Presidency may be lost, including our Pro-Life victories. Roy Moore cannot win, and the consequences will be devastating.Judges and Supreme Court Justices! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2019 Trump said that if Moore wins and the seat ends up going to a Democrat, the results could be devastating. If Alabama does not elect a Republican to the Senate in 2020, many of the incredible gains that we have made during my Presidency may be lost, including our Pro-Life victories. Roy Moore cannot win, and the consequences will be devastating.Judges and Supreme Court Justices! he said. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate. Moore, 72, a former Alabama Supreme Court Justice, lost to Democrat Doug Jones in the special election to fill the seat vacated by Jeff Sessions when he became the Attorney General. Moore has not officially announced his intention to run against Jones in 2020 but he shared a post on his own Twitter account late Tuesday that stated, Hes running and hes going to win the primary. Shortly after Trump issued his missives, Moore wrote: Ever wonder why the mere mention of my name scares the hell out of the Washington DC establishment, liberals, and LGBT? Like Pres Trump, I want to see America great again, but that is a job only God can do! Ever wonder why the mere mention of my name scares the hell out of the Washington DC establishment, liberals, and LGBT? Like Pres Trump I want to see America great again, but that is a job only God can do! Judge Roy Moore (@RealJudgeMoore) May 29, 2019 Moore is expected to officially join the race soon. Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-Ala.), who is running for the Republican nomination for the seat, told The Hill on Tuesday that multiple sources have informed him Moore will announce soon. People who I believe know what theyre talking about say that Judge Moore intends to announce his candidacy for the U.S. Senate in June. I welcome him to the race, Byrne said, noting he did not speak to Moore. The race between Jones and Moore was marred by smears against both parties. In 2018, it was revealed that a secretive project funded by a tech billionaire used disinformation to support Jones while Moores run was marred with accusations of sexual assault. After the operation was made public, the states attorney general called for a federal probe into the election. Polls indicate that Jones is one of the most vulnerable Democratic Senators. A recent poll (pdf) of Alabama Republican voters saw Moore beating out others vying for the GOP nomination, including Byrne, Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), and Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Ala.). So far, Byrne is the only Republican who was tested in the poll to officially enter the race. But top Republicans are urging Moore not to run, including Trumps son Donald Trump Jr. After Moore said hed beat Jones if he ran, Trump Jr. responded: You mean like last time? Youre literally the only candidate who could lose a GOP seat in pro-Trump, pro-USA ALABAMA. He added, Running for office should never become a business model. If you actually care about #MAGA more than your own ego, its time to ride off into the sunset, Judge. You mean like last time? Youre literally the only candidate who could lose a GOP seat in pro-Trump, pro-USA ALABAMA. Running for office should never become a business model. If you actually care about #MAGA more than your own ego, its time to ride off into the sunset, Judge. https://t.co/Twg9isFRkY Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) May 28, 2019 From NTD News Veteran Chinese dissident Wang Dan speaks during a press conference in Tokyo on May 29, 2019. Wang is urging Western nations to restore the link between human rights and trade with China in the press conference, days ahead of the 30th anniversary of the 1989 student pro-democracy protests centered on Beijings Tiananmen Square, of which he was a key leader. Former chief editor of the Beijing Spring Magazine Hu Ping is seen at left.(Koji Sasahara/AP) Veteran China Dissident Urges Linking of Human Rights, Trade TOKYOVeteran Chinese dissident Wang Dan urged Western nations to restore the link between human rights and trade with China in a speech on May 29 just days ahead of the 30th anniversary of the 1989 crackdown on student pro-democracy protests centered on Beijings Tiananmen Square. Chinas authoritarian government is spreading its influence to free societies everywhere, requiring foreign nations to take tougher action to curb its abuses, Wang told reporters in Tokyo. He said the overthrow of the one-party Communist regime must be the ultimate goal of such a campaign. China becomes a threat for the free world, and in my opinion, I think it is time to relink trade and human rights issues. That might be the only way to deal with this problem, Wang said. I know a lot of Western countries dont want to ruin their relationship with China, and dont want to see any regime change in China, but I have to say, if theres no regime change, nothing can be resolved. Wang said free trade should be conditional on Chinas respect for freedoms, including labor rights and an open internet. He said putting rights on the agenda could also help reduce the U.S.-China trade imbalance. You dont have to pass a bill, you can just use this way to link trade and human rights, Wang said. The last significant attempt at such an approach came during the 1980s and 1990s, when the United States made Chinas most favored nation trading status conditional on an annual review of issues including human rights. Rights took an increasingly prominent place following the Chinese militarys bloody crackdown on the Tiananmen demonstrations on the night of June 3-4, 1989. However, under pressure from the business community, then-U.S. President Bill Clinton first changed the wording to normal trade relations in 1998, then ended the annual review by granting China permanent normal trade relations in 2000. That move, along with Chinas entry into the World Trade Organization the following year, helped usher in an era of unprecedented economic growth for China, while vastly reducing the leverage and influence of human rights advocates. Wang, then a freshman at Peking University, was a key leader of the student protests and ended up at the top of the governments most-wanted list following the crackdown in which hundreds, possibly thousands are believed to have died. China has never given an accounting of the events, which remain among the most politically taboo topics in Chinese society today. Wang served two prison terms before being freed in 1998 and allowed to move abroad. Wang, who has taught at a university and now lives in the United States, remains committed to the cause of bringing democracy to China. It is time for us now, for the whole democratic countries now, to re-recognize the true face of the (Communist Party of China) and try to learn some lessons from the Tiananmen massacre, Wang said. Suzanne Eser, 58, was charged with animal cruelty after police stopped her van and found over 20 dogs and a macaw living in squalor conditions, police said. (Wethersfield Police Department) Woman Charged After More Than 20 Dogs, Macaw Were Discovered Living in Filthy Van A Massachusetts woman has been arrested during a police stop after authorities discovered over 20 dogs and a macaw living in her van that was covered in garbage and animal waste. Suzanne Eser, 58, was stopped at about 9:30 a.m. on May 27 for a motor vehicle violation in a restaurant parking lot on 1519 Silas Deane Highway, in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, reported Hartford Courant. Police said in a statement that during the stop they found several small dogs in the front passenger compartment and decided to investigate further. After gaining access to Esers Ford Transit Van they found in total 22 dogs and a macaw, according to the statement. All animals have since been transported to nearby shelters for evaluation, police said. Wethersfield Police Chief James Cetran told the Hartford Courant that there was a smell emanating from the van that could be picked up 30 feet away. He said that authorities found a Husky and 20 or so smaller dogs, possibly poodle mixes, according to the news website. Wethersfield police: Woman lived in van with a parrot and 22 dogs https://t.co/SwTsUI2xiT pic.twitter.com/w2NNuNAI4L Hartford Courant (@hartfordcourant) May 28, 2019 Seven of them looked like they were about to die, Cetran said. Eser told officers that she had been living in the van with her animals for several months. Cetran said they were unclear of Esers motives, reported the news website. It could be a matter where she was rescuing these animals. She might have been trying to help these animals, he said. Esers van was towed away because it was not properly registered. She has been charged with animal cruelty and has posted a $1,000 cash bond. In a similar case, a 20-year-old man from Missouri was charged with animal abuse for buying cats on a popular listing site before torturing and eventually killing them, according to reports. Kaine Louzader has been charged with two counts of animal abuse after he admitted to police that he was abusing the animals, according to Fox 2 Now. Between January and May this year, dozens of cats and kittens were found dead in the area of Wild Deer Lane, according to a probable cause statement obtained by the news website. The prosecutors office said many of these cats appeared to be killed, while some kittens were found mutilated. Court documents revealed graphic details of the type of torture Louzader allegedly inflicted on the animals including strangulation and dismemberment. Moreover, police said Louzader had cuts and scratches on him, which he initially said was caused by an elderly patient at the hospital he was working at. But after further questions, he told police the injuries were caused by cats that tried to escape him. The hospital also released a video of Saybie after announcing she was sent home months after birth. (Sharp Mary Birch Hospital) Worlds Smallest Surviving Baby Sent Home From California Hospital, Officials Say A baby described by some as the worlds smallest to survive was sent home healthy this week, according to news outlets in California. Saybie was delivered at just 23 weeks at San Diegos Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women and Newborns, 10News in San Diego reported. The girl didnt even weigh one pound and was only 8.6 ounces, which is about as much as an apple, the hospital said at the time. She was born in December 2018. No one expects their baby to be born with complications, said Trisha Khaleghi, senior vice president and chief executive officer at Sharp Mary Birch, in a statement to 10News. But when the unexpected occurs, Sharp Mary Birch is equipped with the latest technologies, equipment, research, and specially trained experts to care for even the worlds smallest baby. The girl was sent home sometime in mid-May, and hospital officials described her as healthy at around 5 pounds. The hospital also released a video of Saybie after announcing she was sent home. But when she was born, doctors advised her parents that she might not survive for even 24 hours, NBC San Diego reported. At birth, she was roughly the same weight as a large apple or a childs juice box, hospital CEO Trisha Khaleghi said. A doctor who treated her, Paul Wozniak, said the baby was born with a strong heartbeat, but she needed special equipment and custom-sized diapers and other items. She was a fighter from the get-go, said Kim Norby, a nurse. I immediately fell in love with her and her family, said Devyn Kohl, another nurse. It was a true honor to be part of her familys journey. Khalegi said that the baby is the smallest surviving baby, according to the tiniest baby registry, which is operated by the University of Ohio. A baby described as the worlds smallest surviving boy, weighing just 9.45 ounces at birth, also went home earlier this year. The baby, who hasnt been named in reports, was delivered through Caesarean-section last August after he failed to gain weight during the pregnancy and doctors feared his life was in danger after his 24-week scan. I am grateful that he has grown this big because, honestly, I wasnt sure he could survive, the boys mother told Reuters. Epoch Times reporter Simon Veazey contributed to this report. File photo of a small battery, similar to the one that killed Francesca Asan, who died in May 2016 after swallowing a button battery. (CC0/Pixabay) Worried Mom Shares Photos of Devastation Swallowed Battery Can Cause to Children A worried mother has shared a series of powerful photographs to warn parents of the havoc a swallowed battery can wreak on their childs insides. Sarah Hunstead, founder of CPR Kids, posted the graphic pictures on the organizations Facebook page as a somber warning. Hunstead left a button battery on a chicken fillet to illustrate how quickly it sears the flesh. She described the effect at several intervals. Her photographs show how quickly a swallowed battery can char a childs delicate skin. Speaking to the Mail Online, Hunstead said: [This is to show] just how corrosive button batteries are. The first was taken just 30 minutes after exposure the second after only four hours. It really demonstrates how much damage it can cause when a child swallows a button batterythis is why it is deemed a medical emergency. Most importantly, know how to help your child in an emergencydont put it off any longer! Dozens of parents reacted to the graphic photos, some sharing their own often terrifying experiences. One parent wrote, My son swallowed one when he was three, [it was] the size of a 10c coin. Another parent wrote: The coin stayed in him the next day until we got sent to the childrens hospital. It had burnt his stomach lining and his esophagus went through hell. Now mothers, I dont leave any batteries in the house. A third parent wrote, I dont understand why they havent stopped button batteries being put in childrens toys. According to The Battery Controlled website, when a lithium button battery gets stuck in a childs throat the saliva triggers an electrical current, resulting in a chemical reaction that can cause severe burns. The site warns, If this has happened to your child, they will likely start coughing, drooling or complain about discomfort. To keep your children safe, look in your home for any items that may contain coin-sized button batteries. Place devices out of sight and out of reach of small children. Keep loose or spare batteries locked away. The site says children under four are at the greatest risk. Warning After Child Is Killed by Button Battery The Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) is another organization that is raising the alarm on button batteries in households with children after a child swallowed one last year and died. These batteries pose a very real risk to small children and babies, said HSIBs medical director, Dr. Kevin Stewart, according to the Daily Mail. The consequences of swallowing a button battery can be truly devastating. The new warning comes after health investigators reviewed the case of a young child that died after swallowing a button battery, the type often found in remote controls and toys. The safety body said that as soon as the battery comes into contact with a wet surface, such as in the throat, nose, or ear, it begins to pose a health hazard. Contact with a moist surface causes the battery to start to discharge its current and begin a chemical reaction, which can cause surrounding body tissue to suffer significant damage. Serious internal burns can occur, resulting in long-term problems with breathing and swallowing, and in extreme cases, these chemical burns can even cause death. Its important that everybody knows that these batteries can be found everywhere, from toys to gadgets such as remote controls, digital scales, and car fobs, Dr. Stewart said, according to the report. The best way to protect children is to place everything securely out of reach and double check that all toys have screws to secure any batteries. I Didnt Listen To My Instincts George Asan, a father whose toddler Francesca died after swallowing a button battery, said in an interview with the Child Accident Prevention Trust, I feel guilty because in that period of time I didnt listen to my instincts. Francesca Asan died in May 2016 after swallowing the item. It was a button battery, said Asan, who learned later from doctors what killed his daughter. I went to the cabinet drawer, where I knew that we have the 3-D glasses for the TV. It was one of the spare batteries. Seek Medical Help Dr. Rachel Rowlands of Leicester Royal Infirmary said the batteries can cause fatal injuries even if they do not have enough charge to power a device, according to the Metro. Parents or carers should bring their child to the nearest emergency department immediately if they think a child has swallowed or inserted a button battery, she said. Katrina Phillips, chief executive of the Child Accident Prevention Trust, told the Daily Mail: Were concerned that small children put everything in their mouths, with potentially lethal consequences. Were encouraging families to keep potentially dangerous products out of reach of babies, toddlers, and small children, and to be equally careful about where they store spare and used batteries. The Child Accident Prevention Trust has published guidelines on protecting children from the hazards of button batteries: Keep all spare batteries in a sealed container out of childrens reach and sight, ideally in a high-up, lockable cupboard. Keep products with batteries well out of reach if the battery compartment isnt secured. Put flat or dead batteries out of reach straight away and recycle them safely. Avoid toys from markets, discount stores, or temporary shops as they may not conform to safety regulations, and take care when buying online or from overseas. Teach older children that button batteries are dangerous and not to play with them or give them to younger brothers and sisters. Steve Emery Cummings most recently served as president and CEO of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group in the Americas. Previously, he was global head of corporate and investment banking at Wachovia Bank. In this series called Member Showcase, we publish interviews with members of The Oracles. This interview is with Ines Ruiz, founder and CEO of Medita Spanish, the world's first language learning and guided meditation app. It was condensed by The Oracles. Who are you? Ines Ruiz: Im a former Cambridge University professor, military spouse, and the founder of Medita Spanish, the worlds first language learning and guided meditation app. Im originally from Spain but now live and work in the U.S. My experience as a teacher showed me that students who struggled to learn had one thing in common: their mindset. I used my love for languages and my own unique learning method to create a Spanish teacher certification company. After its massive success, I realized how many people in the U.S. still can't speak Spanish despite years of studying it in school. I created Medita Spanish because I'm passionate about transforming traditional learning to be more modern and mindful. What is one of your proudest moments? Ines Ruiz: When everything in my business seemed to be falling apart, I stopped focusing on what some of the so-called industry gurus say to do. Instead of giving up or letting it get me down, I listened to my intuition. I realized that I was already a leader after all, I created a seven-figure business in less than three years. My team was counting on me. People who werent involved with my business and didnt understand it or the strengths of my team didnt matter. I stepped up to the plate and finally listened to my own voice. The minute I did, everything fell into place. What excites you the most about your business right now? Ines Ruiz: Were not just changing how people learn a second language. Were also on the verge of changing traditional learning methods altogether through mindset practices, meditation techniques, and neuro-linguistic programming. We want to disrupt the antiquated education system and help people enhance their learning experience with innovation and mindfulness. What book changed your mindset or life? Ines Ruiz: Rocket Fuel, by Gino Wickman and Mark C. Winters, changed everything for me and my business. It made me understand my own ways of operating and the distinction between visionaries and integrators. Visionaries are the big-picture thinkers, and integrators are the ones who make the big picture a reality. Rocket Fuel showed me that I wasnt operating from my zone of genius. I was a visionary trying to be an integrator, which is why I always felt disconnected from my business. The minute I recognized this, I course corrected and played to my strengths instead of trying to do everything on my own. What was your biggest, most painful failure? Ines Ruiz: When I was 23, I was finishing my degree in translation and needed an internship to graduate. I had been building a relationship with the company where I wanted to intern for a year. Just before I was going to start, they sent me a final piece of paperwork, and I rushed to complete it. The day after I returned it, they canceled my internship. I had forgotten one Spanish accent mark, and they couldnt accept anyone who didnt pay attention to details. I was devastated and had to take an internship as a Spanish teacher in the United Kingdom instead. The irony is, that missing accent mark led me to become a Spanish teacher at Cambridge University and ultimately immigrate to the U.S. Now I have two successful business ventures. How do you define great leadership? Ines Ruiz: Great leadership is the culmination of several qualities and skills: emotional intelligence, honest communication, a growth mindset, accountability, resilience, and a willingness to take action. Leaders have both great humility and the confidence and capabilities to be strategic when necessary. Leadership means failing forward and understanding that mistakes are opportunities to uncover the path to success. How do you hire top talent? Ines Ruiz: Hiring the right people is about recognizing the potential in others more than anything. Its not always about degrees or the best credentials; its about integrity and willingness to take action. Its about finding people you can trust who are real and unafraid to make mistakes and be accountable for them. Look for those who are willing to grow with you and show up, no matter how difficult it might be. You have to listen to your gut. Having a strong intuition in business can save you a lot of time, money, and stress. Which single habit gives you 80 percent of your results? Ines Ruiz: Focusing on my mindset and being self-aware, without a doubt. When I finally started doing mindset work and truly focusing on being more aware of my thought patterns and behavior, I was able to get out of my own way and grow a business and lifestyle that benefited me in every way. What are you working on right now? Ines Ruiz: My team and I are in the development stage of an amazing startup the worlds first language learning and guided meditation app. Our unique method is built on meditation techniques and mindset practices fused with Spanish language instruction. We use mindful learning applications that help people gain motivation, confidence, and resilience to finally speak Spanish fluently. What do you want to be known for, or what do you want your legacy to be? Ines Ruiz: I want to make learning a second language easy and accessible to the whole world. I also want to change traditional learning methods so they are more modern and innovative. They should focus on the process of learning, not the content itself. I believe that mindset is the missing link between students who succeed and those who dont. By making learning more mindful, we can transform a students motivation, confidence, and resilience so they can learn at peak performance. Connect with Ines on Instagram and Facebook, or visit her website. Related: Copyright 2019 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved NORWALK A Norwalk man is facing possible deportation after being charged in an armed robbery case. The robbery occurred in the area of School Street around 5 p.m. May 22 during a drug deal, according to a police report. The incident began when an unidentified 22-year-old Norwalk man agreed to meet with his childhood friend, 21-year-old Braulio Gonzalez, in the hopes of buying a half-pound of marijuana, according to the report. The two hung out and smoked, the report said, but things took a turn when the driver tried to drop off Gonzalez at a School Street apartment. The man told police a black male with dreadlocks approximately 19-20 years old wearing sweat pants, and a black tank top entered his car once he stopped and pressed a gun against the back of his head, the report said, as Gonzalez also pulled another gun from an ankle holster. The second suspect, who police have not yet identified, then choked the driver and told him to give them everything he had, according to an affidavit. The affidavit said Gonzalez and his accomplice then threatened to kill the man, his girlfriend and his family if he told police anything. The report said Gonzalez and the other man robbed the driver of $2,000 in cash and his wallet, a cell phone, a social security card, a debit card, 24 grams of marijuana, a folding knife and a gray and black stun gun. Police searched a School Street apartment where the suspects had been spotted moments after the robbery. They found some of the items that had been taken during the incident, the affidavit said, but none of the suspects. Around the same time, a patrol unit sighted a man fitting Gonzalezs description in the nearby parking lot at 94 Main St. Police did not find any contraband or guns on Gonzalez, according to the incident report, but he was detained and later identified by the alleged victim through a photo lineup. The robbed individual was later transported to Norwalk Hospital for evaluation after he complained of neck and head pain. Gonzalez, of Cross Street, was charged with first-degree robbery, conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery and third-degree larceny. He was held on $75,000 bond. Gonzalez also had an immigration detainer placed on him by the Department of Homeland Security, which claimed that there was probable cause for deportation to Mexico. He is scheduled to appear at Norwalk Superior Court on June 25. The second man wanted in the robbery is still at large, police said. The investigation into the incident is still ongoing. NORWALK The city now has its second ever poet laureate. Longtime Norwalker William Hayden was selected after a several-month search for a replacement to teh citys first poet laureate, Laurel Peterson. His appointment was announced at last weeks LitCrawl, sponsored by the Norwalk Public Library. Peterson announced shed step down from the role in the fall after three years. The poet laureate is an important role, and I look forward to working more closely with Bill. I know he is excited to promote and expand access to poetry and arts in Norwalk. I wish him luck and know he will do great, said Mayor Harry Rilling, who created the honorary position in 2016. Hayden grew up in Westchester, N.Y., where he first experimented writing poems about nature as a teenaged lifeguard. He went on to a career as a logistics manager in international shipping, but maintained an abiding love for words. Even before his appointment as poet laureate, has been an active member in Norwalks literary community. He regularly participates in Curleys Dinner Poetry Group in Stamford, the Poetry Salon at the Fairfield Public Library, and Monday Expressions East at the Never Ending Bookstore in New Haven. Hes been published in 2018s Oysterville, the digital recording and chapbook organized by Peterson that features Norwalk poets, the Anthology of Norwalk Poets Tuesday Night Life and the Anthology of Curleys Poets, as well as The Little Apple Literary Magazine. Haydens also an avid reader I typically have at least a dozen books out of the library at any one time, particularly poetry, Hayden said. At the moment, hes reading the memoir of the poet Stanley Kunitz, called The Wild Braid, mixed with several books on street arts and murals in cities nationwide. The latter is research, he said, inspired by a recent trip to Dennis Bradburys 22 Haviland Gallery, where an exhibition celebrating public art, and calling on proposals for new installations at Ryan Park, grabbed his attention. Im a visual artist as well. I like painting and visual arts quite a bit and I was stimulated by the idea of mural painting. I like the idea that its a new thing to me, Hayden said. Like Peterson before him, Hayden hopes to bring an interdisciplinary approach to the position. For 28 years, he and his wife, Brandi, have run the Good Folk Coffeehouse at the Rowayton United Methodist Church, where he organized mixed music and poetry performances. Most recently, at a celebration of poetry and jazz on April 5 at the Norwalk Inn & Conference Center, Hayden read one of his poems backed by the jazz musician Neddy Smith and his trio. His early plans as laureate include creating a writers workshop at the Norwalk Library that meets once or twice a month. Hayden is also hoping to partner with a local gallery on an ekphrastic poetry event, in which the poetry is based on the writers viewing of some other work of art, usually paintings, photographs or statues. Ekphrasis was also a keen interest of Petersons, with whom Hayden said hes conferred regularly since he learned of his appointment. Bill brings to the position a love of words and sounds, and an enthusiasm for reaching out to young people. Involved in our poetry community from the start, he contributed to the printed and audio collection Oysterville: Poems. Bills understanding of poetrys history, forms and craft will only enrich our community, Peterson said. Now, though, hes ready to assume the mantle and pursue his own creative ambitions as laureate. I picked her brain quite a bit before she handed over the baton to me, Hayden laughed. But now its time to give her a rest. To contact William Hayden, email poet_laureate@norwalkpl.org. justin.papp@scni.com; @justinjpapp1; 203-842-2586 Most of President Donald Trump's immigration policies and initiatives have been both harsh and ill-advised. From his policy of separating migrant adults and children at the border to his reduced acceptance of refugees to his encouragement of more aggressive tactics by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Trump has needlessly targeted the most vulnerable people trying to get into the country. Meanwhile, various Trump administration initiatives have made life harder for H-1B visa applicants and holders, immigrant entrepreneurs, overseas students and immigrants serving in the U.S. military. Trump, who campaigned in 2016 on a vow to limit immigration to the U.S., seems to be doing his best to keep that promise. However, so far, Trump has been nibbling around the edges, unable to touch the main pillar of U.S. immigration -- the green-card system. In 2017, the U.S. granted more than a million lawful permanent residencies, a number little changed from recent years: Although Trump can try to limit this number via administrative measures, changing it substantively would probably require an act of Congress. In 2017, Republican Sens. Tom Cotton and David Perdue introduced a bill called the RAISE Act that would have cut immigration levels by half, but it didn't pass. Now, with Democrats in control of the House of Representatives, getting such legislation through both houses of Congress seems even more remote. The core of the U.S. immigration system looks likely to remain intact. But Trump recently released another proposal for reforming legal immigration that deserves some consideration. Designed by Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, the bill wouldn't reduce overall legal immigration levels; instead, it would shift green cards away from family sponsorship and the lottery now used to ensure geographical diversity and toward skills-based immigration. It would also include measures for increased border security, including Trump's long-sought border wall. The idea of shifting to a more merit-based legal immigration system is a good one. Because the American public as a whole demands some sort of numerical limit on immigration, it's probably good to make sure that a high percentage of those immigrants have employable skills that will allow them to thrive in the U.S., and to help the U.S. maintain its technological dominance. Skilled immigrants also tend to come with big fiscal benefits for cash-strapped local and state governments: Emigrants also tends to be a boon for their native countries, since they and their descendants often transfer capital and knowledge back, and since education levels often rise in those countries to compensate for the outflow of degree holders. The U.S. regime now is tilted less toward immigrants with skills than the systems in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The Trump administration estimates the following percentages for the various countries: The details of the Trump-Kushner proposal are still vague, but it promises to bring the skilled percentage up to 57 percent, while reducing the family percent to 33 percent. If done right, that would be a good idea. The current system isn't bad -- the education levels of U.S. immigrants have gone up a lot in recent years all on their own. But Canada's system works great, and the U.S. might as well copy its success. Skilled immigration is also extremely popular with the U.S. public. Some will inevitably leap to defend the sanctity of the present system. But there's no deep moral reason that the U.S. system is so heavily tilted toward family sponsorship, which is largely an accident of history. In 1965, when the outlines of the current immigration system were put in place, Rep. Michael Feighan of Ohio was worried that the new law would lead to too much non-white immigration. So he insisted on increasing the percentage of slots for family sponsorship, reasoning that they would mostly go to the European family members of white Americans. Of course, things didn't turn out that way. But it's important to remember that the U.S.'s family-focused system is the result of a policy that was racist by design. (As an aside, it's also worth noting that a shift toward skill-based immigration, such as the one proposed by Trump and Kushner, would draw mostly Asian and African immigrants.) Although the basic idea of a more skills-based system is a good one, the devil is in the details. Most family-based immigrants to the U.S. -- about two-thirds -- are the immediate family of U.S. citizens, and who are thus not covered under the quota system put in place in 1965. If the Trump-Kushner plan would bring citizens' immediate family members under the quota system, then it should be regarded as a non-starter. Also, preventing permanent residents from bringing their own spouses and children over, as some predict the plan will do, would be a very bad change. Limitation of family sponsorship immigration should be done only by reducing the number of visas allocated toward siblings and adult children. So instead of rejecting Trump and Kushner's plan, Democrats should give it a fair hearing. If the details of the plan are reasonable, the Democrats should consider cutting a deal -- relief for undocumented immigrants facing deportation, and a path to citizenship, in exchange for border security and a rebalancing of legal immigration toward merit and skills. That deal, which would be similar to a broad immigration reform proposed in the Senate in 2013, would have the potential to make the U.S. system better for the next century. - - - Smith is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He was an assistant professor of finance at Stony Brook University, and he blogs at Noahpinion. We appreciate all of the support from volunteers who came and helped us clean everything up at the time, McIntyre said. Its been tough on everyone financially and emotionally, so we are here and we are here to stay. Despite the successes of recovered buildings and businesses, the post office, the community center and the Pawnee Arts Center are still striving toward being reopened soon. Misty Garcia, the village clerk and treasurer, said her office has officially been transferred from the Archer Cooperative Credit Union to Dansk Hall, the community center. Garcia says the recovery has been a long process and it may take up to years, but volunteers and donations have been very helpful. We were able to qualify for individual assistance through FEMA, so theyve been in and out of here helping setting up a station where people can go and talk to them, Garcia said. NEMA has been in and out of here helping with things too. Garcia said these past months have been a learning experience that she has not experienced until now and does not hope to experience again. She said that people can help out by sending monetary donations to the Archer Cooperative Credit Union. That open phone line occurred when officers were able to locate a phone number of one of the parties inside and called it. Miller said officers did not have a conversation with either party, although the line remained open. As soon as officers entered the apartment, they heard two gunshots from behind a locked bedroom door. Officers forced entry in the bedroom to find Arcos and Edwards with gunshot wounds caused by a .40 caliber handgun that was recovered at the scene. Oriana was pronounced dead right away. Marquise was still alive, but he was in bad shape. Norfolk Rescue was already staged in the area, and they came and transported Marquise to Faith Regional Health Services, where he eventually passed away from his injuries as well, Miller said. Three separate yet related calls for service were logged on the Norfolk Police Divisions police blotter over the weekend. On Saturday at 4:02 p.m., a call regarding a domestic disturbance was made to 1406 Country Club Road, Apt. 20. Another call to the same address was made that same day at 7:28 p.m. with a check welfare request for a 23-year-old female. Steele asked Collins to do a comprehensive study of the drainage issue in that area and to work with other entities, such as the Central Platte NRD about possible solutions. The council also defeated a resolution for a Nebraskas Civic and Community Center Financing Fund (CCCFF) Planning grant for the former armory building. It defeated the grant resolution as council members, including Steele, felt that the city could accomplish the task of the grant with its resources without having to spend the $15,000 the matching grant required of the city. In 2018, the City of Grand Island purchased the former National Guard Armory, 2900 West Old Potash Highway, from the State of Nebraska. The facility was purchased due to the need to preserve public parking for the adjoining ball fields and recreation areas, to provide a potential future entrance to existing parking areas, to provide storage for Parks and Recreation, archival storage of city records and for additional possible municipal purposes. The members of the 295th Ordnance Co. are planning to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their return from Vietnam, and they dont want to leave anybody out. The group sent out 150 invitations to the reunion, which will be Aug. 10 at the Ramada by Wyndham Midtown in Grand Island. Organizers heard back from 83 of those people, and theyd love to hear from 67 more. Theyd also like to see people for whom they no longer have correct addresses. The Nebraska Army Reserve unit was in Vietnam for a year, beginning in October of 1968. An ammunition company, it consisted of platoons from Grand Island, Hastings and York. The reserve unit was called to active duty in May of 1968. A total of 218 members went to Vietnam. The company was split into three units, operating ammunition supply points at Chu-Lai, Duc-Pho and Hill 63. They returned from Vietnam on Oct. 19, 1969. Don Mehring was the groups operation officer. Lets relive the 50 years and honor all of you, organizers say. Hartman said he has issues with Hall County taking on the costs of hiring an architect and also voted no. If we dont have anybody in this organization smart enough to take on something, how in the hell are we going to do the sprinkler system to keep it (courthouse) from burning down? he said. We better start looking. If we hire an expert every time we turn around, thats why we are in trouble money-wise. Why are we going to give them more money? Sure, those people do a good job, but they also cost a lot of money. Humphrey said another issue with the courthouse is the lack of fire escape in the building. He said it was recommended at the ad hoc committee meeting that fire escapes be placed on each of the courthouse as there is a possibility of smoke and fire coming out of the rotunda. There are also Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) issues with the courthouse, Humphrey said. The expansion project will allow the company to capitalize on increased international demand forecasts for high-quality U.S. beef and value-added beef products, said Zack Ireland, Grand Island plant manager. JBS Grand Island has been a standard-bearer for American beef for over half a century, Ireland said. Our team sends the best U.S. beef products the country has to offer to customers both domestically and globally. He said the expansion will strengthen our longstanding commitment to local farmers and ranchers, our team members, key customers and the community of Grand Island, whose support has been critical to our ongoing success. Originally built in 1965 by Swift & Co., the Grand Island beef facility, as a part of the JBS USA family, produces nearly 1 billion pounds of quality beef and beef products each year. It is a two-shift beef-processing facility that employs more than 3,500 people. The plant was purchased by Monfort in 1979 and was acquired by JBS in 2007. GENOA Brett Swantek, the missing Genoa firefighter, has not yet been found as of early Wednesday afternoon. A note on the Genoa Volunteer Fire Departments Facebook page early Tuesday evening noted that the fire and rescue effort has been pulled back due to the Loup River getting close to flood stage. It was unsafe to continue searching till water levels drop. If you know anyone still out there looking please ask them to pull back till it is safe, the post said. Swantek, 29, has been missing since Saturday. At 5:50 p.m. Saturday, the Nance County Sheriffs Office received a 911 call reporting someone had fallen out of a kayak while attempting to go over the Loup Public Power diversion dam on the Loup River. Several witnesses on the bank of the river attempted to reach the victim, but due to the strong currents in the area were unable to reach him. The Fullerton Volunteer Fire Department, Fullerton Volunteer Rescue Squad, Genoa Volunteer Fire Department, Genoa Volunteer Rescue Squad and the Nance County Sheriffs Office responded to the call. This isnt my first legislative rodeo and will not be my last. The final days of the legislative session mimic the treacherous sport of bull riding. My ride, a scaled-down property tax relief proposal, stalled in the Legislature May 22 after a failed cloture vote. Introduced by Albion Sen. Tom Briese, LB183 was meant to reduce property taxes by raising the state sales tax rate, imposing state sales tax on approximately 20 services and directing the additional revenue to Nebraskas public schools. LB183 was designed to provide property tax relief for all Nebraskans and help modernize the states sales tax code while avoiding contentious debate about school funding reform. My eye was on the prize money, $100 million in additional revenue each year directed to the states Property Tax Credit Cash Fund. After three hours of select file debate, the motion for cloture failed, 23-7. Thirty-three votes were needed. The ride was over. I voted no on LB720, a new business tax incentive program to replace the Nebraska Advantage Act, which is set to end next year. I cant give away additional revenue before I can find monies to fund property tax relief. GRANITE CITY The fourth annual Food for Families Drive recently collected 12,000 pounds of food for five food pantries in the Metro East with the help of Edwardsville and Maryville schools, among other groups. Several local schools and companies partnered with United Way of Greater St. Louis to sponsor and participate in the drive to make it a success. This community is always so generous when it comes to helping out our neighbors, and the Food for Families drive is a great example of this, said Terry Biggs, labor liaison for United Way of Greater St. Louis. Thank you to all of the schools and their administrations for participating, to our generous sponsors, and to everyone who dropped off a donation and supported the drive. Nearly a dozen schools participated in the drive, competing to bring in the most food by poundage per student in order to win a cash prize. The winning schools were: In first place, St. John Neumann School in Maryville received $1,000 for collecting 4,060 pounds of food In second place, Venice Elementary School in Venice received $750 for collecting 1,262 pounds of food In third place, Father McGivney Catholic High School received $250 for collecting 589 pounds of food Other participating schools include Boys & Girls Club of Bethalto, Granite City High School, Highland Middle School, Lovejoy Elementary School, Mitchell Elementary School, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and West Elementary School. Additionally, United Steelworkers Locals 1899 and 1063, the Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees and the Greater Madison County Federation of Labor participated in the drive. All items collected were distributed to the Community Care Center in Granite City, Catholic Charities of Madison County, Crisis Food Center in Alton, Venice Township Food Pantry in Venice, and Highland Area Christian Service Ministries Food Pantry in Highland. The drive was sponsored by Andys Auto Body Towing & Storage, Dickey Sign Company, Dynamic Transit Company, First Bank, GCS Credit Union, Schnucks and TheBank of Edwardsville. After a lengthy and emotional debate, the Illinois House passed a controversial abortion rights bill Tuesday amid a growing sense of urgency to establish protections for access to the procedure as other states pass more restrictive laws. The bill would repeal the Illinois Abortion Law of 1975 and replace it with a new law that removes measures that call for spousal consent, waiting periods, criminal penalties for physicians who perform abortions and other restrictions on facilities where abortions are performed. Today, Illinois says we are better than this war on women, Chicago Democrat Rep. Kelly Cassidy said just before the vote. Illinois says we trust women. Please join me in saying that loud and clear: We trust women. After the Houses 64-50 vote in favor of the Reproductive Health Act, the bill now heads to the Senate. A number of measures in the current Illinois abortion law are not enforced because of court injunctions. Proponents of the bill that passed Monday argue that several court cases that are in the pipeline to the Supreme Court could provide a path to overturning the landmark 46-year-old Roe v. Wade case, which legalized abortion nationwide. While abortion would remain legal under Illinois law, access to abortions could be impeded, said Cassidy, who sponsored the bill. Since Roe v. Wade was decided in 1973, efforts to undermine reproductive rights have been constant, Cassidy said. Six states in recent weeks have passed restrictive abortion laws, which in some cases virtually ban the practice. Downstate Republican Rep. Avery Bourne, who is visibly pregnant, characterized the bill as a broad expansion, while Democratic supporters of the bill repeatedly said the legislation codifies current practice in the state. This bill is not about keeping abortion legal in Illinois, Bourne said during a lengthy back-and-forth with Cassidy. This is about a massive expansion that will impact viable babies, and that is wrong. In a statement after the vote, the Catholic Conference of Illinois characterized the move as extreme and a collective moral failure. Illinois has previously distinguished itself by recognizing and upholding human dignity, the statement said. Democratic lawmakers argued that more restrictive abortion laws drive women underground to get abortions where they are less safe, disproportionately affecting lower-income and more vulnerable populations. Freshman Democratic Rep. Maurice West II, a minister from Rockford who said he has received death threats over supporting the bill, said he is gravely concerned by restrictions passed in other states that are putting chains on women. At this time, Ive decided to trust women to do whats best for themselves, West said. Women, I trust you. EDWARDSVILLE An assistant Madison County public defender has been fired for falsely claiming she had a law license. Madison County Public Defender John Rekowski on Wednesday afternoon said he had fired Kelcie Miller of Edwardsville. Miller had worked on about 80 felony and misdemeanor cases, including Zachary Capers of Collinsville, accused in April of four counts of first-degree murder. Rekowski said Miller was working with him on the Capers case. The case should not be affected by Millers alleged misdeeds, he said. He said it was a fortuitous happenstance that he learned of the problem. A court reporter had asked a judge how to spell Millers name, and the judge looked the name on the web site of the Illinois Registration and Disciplinary Commission, which did not list her name as being licensed. The judge then informed Rekowski. The Madison County States Attorneys office is considering criminal charges against Miller, who earned $57,000 a year as an assistant county public defender. She also may face civil suits over the receipt of that salary because she did not have a license to practice law. These are very serious matters, Madison County States Attorney Tom Gibbons said after Rekowskis news conference. He said the case will take a few days to develop. The Madison County Sheriffs Office and the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission have been informed of the problems. Rekowski said he is working with Gibbons to determine how to handle the cases. He said each defendant will be contacted to determine how each wants to proceed. Many of the defendants are on probation, so it may be no problem getting in touch with them, he said. All of the cases involved negotiated plea agreements. Additional part-time public defenders may be called on to help, he said. Miller graduated from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville in 2014 before studying law at Valparaiso University in Indiana. Her LinkedIn page states she earned a law degree in 2018 from the school and had interned 20 months with the Madison County States Attorneys office. She had been working for the public defenders office since October, Rekowski said. Miller had no problems with her work, Rekowski said, other than mistakes most new attorneys encounter. Rekowski said Miller had lied and told him she had passed the bar; in fact, she failed the exam twice. He said he took full responsibility for the matter and, that in all his years as a public defender, he has never encountered such a situation. He never thought to ask if she had a license because in all his years working with thousands of lawyers, he never had to ask, he said. He said he never thought someone would lie about passing the bar exam and is implementing procedures to prevent a similar incident from happening again. He made sure all the current assistants have licenses, he said. Im more worried about the reputation of this office, he said. It is such an honor being in this position. It (lying about a law license) is so far off our radar. ALTON City officials on Wednesday extended Altons flood wall as officials declared Madison County a major disaster and called for the National Guard to aid flood-fighting efforts. Weve been vigilant this flood season and we do not want to take any chances, Madison County Chairman Kurt Prenzler said Wednesday. Prenzler met with Illinois Emergency Management Agency Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau and requested help from the National Guard. The countys proclamation states a disaster exists due to record breaking flooding along the Mississippi River throughout Madison County and the ongoing efforts to contain said flooding. Prenzler said he sent a letter to Gov. J.B. Pritzker requesting the National Guard be deployed to monitor the 44 miles of levees within the Madison County. The river is expected to crest at 39.3 feet on Tuesday in Alton, just short of the 1993 record of 42.72. Even though our levee system is upgraded, our intent is to have resources available so we can react quickly if need be, Prenzler said. We need to be prepared for the what ifs and not the what happened. The Flood Prevention District of Southwest Illinois, with the help of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has made significant upgrades to the levees over the past decade. Prenzler said that, with the length and intensity of the flooding, the county wants to do everything it can to make sure any potential issues with the levees are immediately spotted. He thanked Tate-Nadeau for visiting with Alton, Metro East Sanitary District, Wood River Drainage and Levee District and Madison County officials. Earlier this month, Pritzker signed a proclamation declaring 34 counties, including Madison, as a disaster. The declaration makes a wide variety of state resources available and sets in motion the ability to receive federal assistance. Everyone is working hard to ensure public safety and protect the residents and businesses of the county, Prenzler said. That work in Alton on Wednesday prepared the city for rising floodwaters by extending the flood wall across U.S. 67 at Broadway. The National Weather Service now forecasts a crest of 39.3 feet, the second highest recorded, is expected to hit Alton at 1 p.m. June 4. As of noon Wednesday, the river was at 35.37 feet. It is expected to gradually rise over the next day or so, then start to go up dramatically Friday afternoon. Alton Public Works Director Robert Barnhart and Fire Chief Bernie Sebold, who is also the citys emergency services director, were checking elevations along Piasa Street in anticipation of raising the wall at about 11 a.m. Wednesday. The wall is currently in place along Sugar Alley about 50 feet from Piasa Street. Eventually it will be built across the highway and into The Telegraphs parking lot. In Grafton, the crest is expected to reach 36.3 feet, also the second highest in recorded history, at 7 p.m. June 3. After that, it it is expected to maintain that level for several days before starting to fall. Local and state officials met Wednesday morning to discuss the flooding, with other meetings set for later that day. About 20 minutes ago we found out they raised the crest nearly another foot to 39.3, Barnhart said just before 1 p.m. The additional wall we are installing right now gets us over the 40-foot mark. So were good. As the day progresses were going to look at dealing with stormwater and sanitary issues as they affect the downtown businesses, he added. Were going to try to contain those and just be prepared for the rains that come in tonight. Were going to have to get additional pumps. because the stormwater will not be able to drain to the river anymore, he said. He also noted workers were hand-filling sandbags after the sandbagging machine on loan from Madison County Emergency Services went down because of a faulty hydraulic pump. A person was sent to Kansas City to pick up a new part, Barnhart said, and the machine is expected to be working again Thursday. ALTON Alton police had a busy weekend, including a shooting Saturday and a home invasion on Washington Avenue Sunday. Three people were charged in each incident. In the shooting incident, Alton Police are seeking an Alton man who is facing charges of aggravated battery with a firearm, a Class X felony and unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, a Class 3 felony. Jalen D. Jones, 20, of Cahokia, was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, a Class 3 felony, and possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number, a Class 3 felony. DAnthony M. Jones, 19, of East St. Louis, was charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm, a Class 1 felony. According to court records, DAnthony Jones fired a gun at the unnamed suspect who allegedly had shot Jalen Jones in the leg with a handgun. As of Tuesday afternoon, the unnamed suspect had not been arrested. His bail was set at $200,000. The other two defendants were in custody with bail set at $80,000. It was not known if they were related. Jalen Jones, who was convicted for felony aggravated fleeing and eluding a peace officer when he was 14, was found to be in possession of a .380 caliber handgun with a defaced serial number. Further information was unavailable. On Sunday, three people allegedly committed a home invasion in the 1100 block of Washington Avenue in Alton. Ricardia C. Bailey, 22, and Shakiyla R. Phipps, 27, both of Alton, and Chabrion N. Vann, 23, of San Antonio, Texas, were each charged with one count of home invasion, a Class X felony. The three allegedly broke into a home and beat the occupant. Bail was set at $150,000 each. As of Tuesday afternoon Vann was in custody, but Bailey and Phipps were not. Reach reporter Scott Cousins at 618-208-6447. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Retno LP Marsudi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 29, 2019 14:51 945 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873a70ec4 3 Opinion civilians,armed-conflict,UN-Security-Council,UNSC,United-Nations Free As we mark the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Fourth Geneva Convention 1949, the first international legal instrument to codify the principles regarding the protection of civilians in armed conflict, we cannot help but reflect on what we have achieved so far, and more importantly, on what more we can do to improve the protection of civilians in situations of conflict. From Indonesias standpoint, the protection of civilians in armed conflict has always been an issue of utmost importance. Both in the regional and multilateral context, Indonesia has been steadfast in advocating the protection of human rights and humanitarian access for civilians in conflict-affected areas. Furthermore, 20 years have passed since the adoption of the first United Nations Security Council resolution on the protection of civilians in armed conflict. Tragically, one of the findings of a recent report by the UN secretary-general concludes that the state of the protection of civilians today remains similar to how it was 20 years ago. Since 2008, the number of major crises and conflicts has tripled. Clashes have increasingly taken place in densely populated areas, oftentimes involving the use of high-yield explosives, targeting civilian objects such as schools and hospitals. In 2018, more than 40 million people were internally displaced, and more than 28.5 million people have become refugees and asylum seekers as a result of armed conflict. In addition to violence and persecution, natural disasters and the destructive impacts of man-made climate change continue to add to the burden on global humanitarian efforts. Finding the solutions to these problems has become more difficult, as they are further compounded by the rise of extremism and the misplaced notion that global issues can be better addressed unilaterally. Indonesia, in its capacity as presidency holder of the UN Security Council, held on May 23 an open debate on the Protection of civilians in armed conflict, which I chaired. The underlying message that I conveyed is clear-cut: the protection of civilians must continue to be the main focus of the UN Security Council. A people-centered approach must continue to underpin all UN efforts. The UN therefore, has the duty to fulfill this people-centered approach in all aspects of its work. The litmus test for the UN is how meaningfully it can impact the lives of people, especially those who are affected by conflict and disaster, the marginalized and the vulnerable. I believe that we can fundamentally change and evolve the way we protect civilians despite such dire circumstances. There are three main points that I would like to share in this regard. First, strengthening the national capacities of concerned states is crucial. Without question, the task to protect civilians lies primarily in the hands of the state concerned. A states willingness and capacity to uphold the law, especially humanitarian law, is thus a main crux in ensuring that civilians and their basic rights are protected in times of conflict. More often than not, states in conflict or post-conflict situations lack the institutional and financial capacity to maintain the rule of law. The forging of effective international partnerships to fill such capacity gaps would therefore be a key move. Further, focus should also be placed on strengthening community engagement and empowerment. Civilian protection programs in conflict and post-conflict areas should be tailor-made to meet the needs of affected communities. Most importantly, local community members, especially women, must have the opportunity to take part in shaping the design and implementation of such programs. As women and children face the highest risks in situations of conflict, the participation of women in these programs will help increase the programs effectiveness. For its part, Indonesia has been proactive in efforts to empower Palestinian communities to allow them to gain better access to basic needs. Just three years ago, we built a hospital in Gaza that has been providing much-needed healthcare, easing the suffering of civilians living under Israeli occupation. Earlier this year, we also significantly increased our financial contribution to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNWRA), helping UNWRA in providing education, health care, relief and social services, as well as emergency assistance, including in times of armed conflict. Second, ensuring the effective implementation and compliance of civilian protection frameworks. For decades, the Geneva Conventions and the many UN resolutions on the protection of civilians have been at our disposal. Effective implementation ultimately requires the respect of international humanitarian and human rights laws by state and non-state actors alike. In this connection, I believe that engagement with all parties to a conflict is crucial to encourage them to implement the existing legal frameworks. As the UN secretary-general rightly highlighted in his report, implementation and compliance are most likely achieved through the pursuit of national-level initiatives. To that end, international support toward efforts to promote national policies on preventing civilian casualties in times of conflict must be redoubled. National policy frameworks to protect civilians in conflict should, among other things, set out proactive measures that mitigate and respond to harm suffered by civilians in times of conflict, provide stricter regulations for the trade of arms and improve national capacities to protect civilians in times of war. Third, innovative and practical ways to protect civilians on the ground must continue to be pursued. On the frontlines, UN peacekeepers and humanitarian actors remain our primary agents. The skill-sets and capacities of peacekeepers and humanitarian actors, therefore, must continuously be updated and strengthened so they can be better equipped in tackling new and emerging challenges on the ground. Based on the experience of Indonesias peacekeepers, the mastery of soft skills or people-to-people skills has been proven to positively contribute to building the trust of local communities. Furthermore, intelligence-gathering skills are necessary to ensure the success of early warning systems to detect and prevent potential humanitarian crises. In many instances, the formulation of such policies would require engagement with non-state armed groups. In this regard, the UN Security Council might need to consider how humanitarian actors can effectively serve as honest brokers in bridging consensus between state and non-state actors. The 20th anniversary of the first Security Council resolution on the protection of civilians should serve as a reminder. Not only of our political commitments, but also of our duties to implement those commitments to ensure the primacy of human safety and security. After all, the UN was established upon the mandate of We the Peoples of the United Nations. We must not let our people down. *** The writer is Indonesias foreign minister. Indonesia is president of the United Nations Security Council for May 2019. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Julia Suryakusuma (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 29, 2019 The April 17 elections have come and gone. Except that they havent, certainly not for Prabowo Subianto, Sandiaga Uno, their supporters and those who have a vested interest in the two becoming president and vice president for the 2019-2024 term. The General Elections Commission (KPU) was supposed to announce the official result of the presidential elections on May 22, but surprised everyone by doing it earlier, just after midnight on May 21. This was presumably to avoid the use of people power threatened by Prabowo supporters, but the riots happened anyway. The authorities said eight were killed and over 700 injured. The KPU announced the incumbent, Joko Jokowi Widodo, as the winner, garnering 55.5 percent of the vote compared to Prabowos 45.5 percent. However, the twice-failed presidential candidate refused to accept the results, claiming that a real count by his side showed he won 62 percent of the vote. 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 Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Andrean Sangabie Sancaya and Felicia Clarissa (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta/Nunukan Wed, May 29, 2019 This is my first-time setting foot in Indonesia, claimed Sarah (not her real name) with a confused, anxious face. Sarah, an Indonesian national, was born in Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia, of Indonesian parents and had lived there all her life. However, in 2018, together with her two children, she was deported to Indonesia through Nunukan, North Kalimantan, to her home country, which did not recognize her as its citizen. Sarah, de jure, is an Indonesian as a consequence of Indonesia holding to the jus sanguinis principle, or acquiring citizenship based on that of the parents. However, before the Indonesian consulate in Tawau assessed her upon a referral from the Malaysian Immigration Office, she had not been acknowledged either as a Malaysian or an Indonesian. She lived as a stateless, undocumented person. Thousands of people like Sarah live in Sabah, where inter-generational migrants from Indonesia settle down with improper (if any) documents. In the absence of figures for the actual number of Indonesia-origin migrants in Sabah, deportation records shed some light. While last year alone, 1,132 people were deported from Sabah through Nunukan for illegal stay and overstay, the real number of undocumented Indonesian descendants, invisible under the radar, is much higher. Most of these migrants originate from South Sulawesi and East Nusa Tenggara. 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 Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Gael Bnrachereau (Agence France-Presse) Stockholm Wed, May 29, 2019 07:02 945 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873a5448a 2 Environment Greta-Gerwig,climate-change,environment Free They're the faces of the climate alert that propelled Green parties to strong gains in EU elections: Greta, Luisa and Leah lead a generation of youths that have put the planet atop the political agenda. Without these youngsters, some of whom are still not old enough to vote, Europe's Green parties might have still posted strong scores, as the climate has become one of voters' main concerns. But their ubiquitous activism -- in the streets, on social networks, and in the media -- has had an undeniable effect mobilizing voters. "The Green parties' results are due to all the young people striking, climate activism is getting more important, especially among young women. They are the ones who set the agenda for the European elections," said Katri Ylinen, a spokeswoman for the Federation of Young European Greens. At just 16, Sweden's Greta Thunberg has become a figurehead for a movement that has gone global, inspiring hundreds of thousands of other youths in dozens of countries to strike from school in "Fridays For Future" protests. One of them is Luisa Neubauer, a 23-year-old university student who has been dubbed "the German Greta". The pair have met on several occasions in recent months, including in December in Poland at the Cop24 summit and in Hamburg in March for a climate march. Social media play a decisive role in mobilising youths and getting them to take to the streets. From street to ballot box Known for her long braids and serious demeanor, Greta has also inspired other young girls and women, including Belgian students Anuna De Wever, 17, and Kyra Gantois, 20, and Ugandan 14-year-old Leah Namugerwa, all of whom have risen to the forefront of climate activism in their countries in recent months. Green parties posted strong gains across Europe, in particular in Germany where they took 20.5 percent of votes, in France (13.47 percent) and Britain (12.1 percent). Read also: Teen activist Greta Thunberg's speeches to be released in a book "The European elections show that we're not only bringing the climate crisis to the streets but also to the ballot boxes," Luisa Neubauer wrote on Twitter. Greta's most recent Instagram post was on Sunday. The teen, who was on a train headed for Austria and who is too young to cast a ballot yet, urged Europeans to vote "for the future". 'Greta effect' Swedish liberal-leaning newspaper Dagens Nyheter said Monday there was "a Green wind blowing in Europe", thanks in part to "the Greta effect". "But you're never a prophet in your own country," it noted. In Sweden, the Greens party lost two of its four seats in the European Parliament. However, its 11.4 percent score was a sharp rise from the 4.4 percent it scored in legislative elections in September 2018, before Greta's school strikes became a worldwide phenomenon. Around 15 percent of Swedish women voted for the Greens party, according to exit polls by public broadcaster SVT. "Greta is very inspiring, she motivates us. She influenced my vote, I really took to heart some of the things she said, like 'Maybe my grandchildren will ask why we didn't do anything'," said Louise Wirman, an 18-year-old high school student. The fact that many young activists are girls can be attributed to the fact that "young women are drawn to liberal parties, while older men (lean) to the right and to some extent to populist parties," political scientist Sofie Blomback told AFP. Some are threatened by these youngsters, and Greta, who has been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, has been subjected to harsh criticism from far-right climate sceptics. In France and Germany, activists used her handicap to discredit her campaign, accusing her of being manipulated by "ecofascists", according to the London-based Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD). Greta's student movement has nonetheless spread around the world. In Uganda, 14-year-old Leah Namugerwa is leading a campaign against plastic bags that litter the streets of Kampala. She has started a petition urging President Yoweri Museveni to ban them. Like Greta, Namugerwa is also striking from school, though she says she was inspired by a New York girl of the same age, Alexandria Villasenor, who organises recurring demonstrations outside the United Nations building. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Reuters) London, United Kingdom Thu, May 30, 2019 01:04 944 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873a7a324 2 Entertainment James-corden,Gavin-and-Stacey,television,series,Christmas Free Actor and talk show host James Corden said on Tuesday he was returning to his British comedy television roots this Christmas, co-writing and starring in a one-off special of hit show Gavin & Stacey. The 40-year-old, who since 2015 has hosted The Late Late Show in the United States, shared a picture on Twitter of a script for the Christmas episode of the award-winning series about a young couple's long distance romance. "Ruth Jones and I have been keeping this secret for a while... We're excited to share it with you. See you on Christmas Day," Corden wrote beside the photo, referring to his series co-writer and co-star. Gavin & Stacey followed the titular characters, respectively from Essex and Barry Island in Wales, who regularly speak to each other on the phone through work. They meet in London for a date and romance blossoms. Corden and Jones played their quirky friends Smithy and Nessa. "Over the last ten years we've talked a lot about Gavin and Stacey - where they might be today and what their lives might look like. And so in secret we took the plunge and wrote this one hour special," Corden and Jones said in a joint statement. Read also: Paul McCartney makes James Corden tear up in Carpool Karaoke "We've loved revisiting Barry and Essex again and bringing the characters back together has been a joy." Gavin & Stacey ran from 2007 to 2010, with a Christmas special airing in 2008. Fans of the show were quick to share their delight about the upcoming Christmas special on social media with the hashtags #Gavin and #Stacey trending on Twitter. Corden, who first gained prominence on British television, has starred in movies like Into the Woods, Trolls and Peter Rabbit. He gained fame in the United States with The Late Late Show on CBS. His Carpool Karaoke segment, where music stars join him in the car to belt out their hits, has proved particularly popular with audiences. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Los Angeles, United States Wed, May 29, 2019 11:00 945 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873a5db19 2 Entertainment Netflix,Georgia,abortion,investment Free Netflix on Tuesday became the first major studio to say it would reconsider its investment in Georgia should a controversial abortion law in the US state, known as the Hollywood of the South, go into effect. "We have many women working on productions in Georgia, whose rights, along with millions of others, will be severely restricted by this law," Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos said in a statement to Variety. "It's why we will work with the ACLU and others to fight it in court. "Given the legislation has not yet been implemented, well continue to film there -- while also supporting partners and artists who choose not to. Should it ever come into effect, we'd rethink our entire investment in Georgia." The southeastern state is among several that recently adopted tough abortion legislation that they hope will ultimately lead to a reversal of the landmark 1973 US Supreme Court ruling Roe v Wade that made abortion legal nationwide. Read also: Heartfelt stories are main dish in Netflixs 'Street Food' Following adoption of the law in Georgia, where a huge number of blockbusters, including "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Black Panther," as well as TV series such as AMC's "The Walking Dead" and Netflix's "Stranger Things" and "Ozark" are shot, there have been mounting calls for Hollywood to snub the state. Such a move would lead to major economic losses for Georgia which last year reported some 92,000 jobs and an economic impact of more than $9 billion from production. Several major studios contacted by AFP to comment on the issue have declined comment. A number of actors, however, have pledged to boycott filming in the state, including "Ozark" star Jason Bateman, Alec Baldwin and Judd Apatow. "A womans right to make choices about her own body is fundamental to her personal and professional well-being," Kirsten Schaffer, executive director of the nonprofit group Women in Film, told AFP in a statement. "We support people who make the choice not to take their production to Georgia or take a job in Georgia because of the draconian anti-choice law. "To that end, weve compiled a list of pro-choice states that offer meaningful tax rebates and production incentives, and encourage everyone to explore these alternatives: California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Washington," she added. Topics : Netflix Georgia abortion investment Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Song Su-hyun (The Korea Herald/Asia News Network) Wed, May 29, 2019 22:01 945 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873a78f6f 2 Science & Tech Samsung,Galaxy-Fold,smartphone Free Samsung Electronics seems to be taking more time than expected to fix flaws in the main display of its first foldable smartphone Galaxy Fold, according to industry sources Tuesday. It has been more than one month since the South Korean tech giant officially announced the postponement of the foldable devices launch in the United States, but it keeps maintaining that a new schedule will be announced in coming weeks. Some telecom officials say that the launch is likely to take place after June, Samsungs initial goal. Since the firm has been conducting network connection tests on devices with local mobile carriers, the process of addressing the display defect is known by industry sources. Read also: Samsung may gain from Huawei's plight in ongoing trade war: Fitch However, the company denied such speculation saying, The improvement process is taking place extremely confidentially, and comments from telecom industry sources cant be confirmed. On May 9, Samsung CEO Koh Dong-jin said the company will soon announce a rescheduled plan for the Galaxy Folds launch in the US and other markets, adding that it wont be too late. No official confirmation on the launch schedule has been made for the past three weeks, raising speculations that the display defect is more serious than previously thought. Due to the undecided schedule, Samsungs biggest US retail partner Best Buy said Friday it has canceled all preorders. Topics : This article appeared on The Korea Herald newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Kharishar Kahfi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 29, 2019 Back in 2015, President Joko Jokowi Widodo kicked off the ambitious program of social forestry, in which his administration is expected to distribute 12.7 million hectares of forests to be managed by communities throuvarious schemes, including hutan adat (customary forests). Customary forests are distributed to local neighborhoods that have been established as an indigenous community through a regional bylaw. However, activists have been lambasting the government for its sluggish progress in recognizing and granting forest tenure to indigenous people despite a historic court ruling around six years ago mandating that the government recognize their tenure rights. 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 Wed, May 29, 2019 08:08 945 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873a55bbd 1 City #ElectionProtest,post-election-riot,road-closure,reopening,jakarta Free City thoroughfares are busy again as they were reopened on Tuesday after being closed for around a week following protests staged by supporters of losing presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto that turned into riots in Central and West Jakarta on May 21 and 22. Riots broke out in the vicinity of the Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) on Jl. MH Thamrin in Central Jakarta on the night of May 21 and spread to other locations, such as nearby Tanah Abang and Slipi in West Jakarta, where Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said eight people died, while hundreds were injured, including journalists and humanitarian workers. The riots caused authorities to close some sections of roads in Central Jakarta, namely Jl. MH Thamrin, Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat, Jl. Medan Merdeka Utara and Jl. Majapahit in the vicinity of the Presidential Palace and the Constitutional Court building, and Jl. Imam Bonjol where the General Elections Commission (KPU) is located. Traffic around the House of Representatives complex was also rerouted. All the roads have been reopened on Tuesday, head of law enforcement of the Jakarta Police traffic division, Comr. Muhammad Nasir, said as quoted by kompas.com on Tuesday, adding that only two lanes of Jl. MH Thamrin had been reopened as the police still needed to locate movable concrete barriers in front of the Bawaslu building. The May 22 incident also prompted managers of buildings and businesses in the area to cease operations over safety concerns. Prominent shopping centers such as Sarinah, Plaza Indonesia and Grand Indonesia as well as Southeast Asia's largest textile market in Tanah Abang were among the places impacted by the rioting, which compelled them to close for several days causing estimated losses of more than Rp 1 trillion. Traders in Tanah Abang Market alone suffered Rp 200 billion (US$13.9 million) per day in lost revenue due to the closure. The re-opening of Jl. MH Thamrin has also resumed the operation of city-owned Transjakarta buses passing by the area. Previously, some routes, such as Transjakartas Corridor 1 serving Blok M to Kota, needed to be modified following road closures and traffic diversion. From today on, Transjakarta will resume picking up and dropping off passengers as usual, PT Transjakarta spokeswoman Nadia Diposanjoyo said. Governor Anies has expressed hope that the re-opening of the roads would not trigger further violence in the area. The governor went on to say that the city administration has assigned its agencies, including health, environmental and fire and rescue agencies, to keep monitoring the area for possible disturbances. Our authorities are always ready in those areas, Anies said. (das) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 29, 2019 The lack of varied and critically minded student movements might have contributed to the growing radicalism in campuses after the fall of Soeharto, experts say. Campuses have long been recruitment grounds for radical Islamic groups, with the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) noting in 2017 that 39 percent of state university students across 15 provinces in Indonesia had shown an interest in radical teachings. Radical [Islamic] teachings started entering universities when the Soeharto regime implemented the NKK/BKK policy in the 1980s, by which students were banned from political activities. The vacant political space then made room for radical groups to enter, The Habibie Center research director Mohammad Hasan Ansori said during a discussion on campus radicalism on Thursday. 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 Stefanno Reinard Sulaiman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 29 2019 Uncertainties over the development of the gas-rich Masela Block in eastern Indonesia will likely come to end as the Indonesian government and Japans Inpex Corp. have reached an agreement on substantial matters. The Indonesian government has targeted to ink the final plan of development (PoD) of the block by the end of June this year during the G20 Summit in Japan. Energy watchdogs lauded the development as a positive step to ending the uncertainty related to the development of the Masela Block, touted the largest in Southeast Asia. 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 Vela Andapita, Marguerite Afra Sapiie and Arya Dipa (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta and Bandung Wed, May 29, 2019 Holidaymakers are expected to start leaving the capital city on Thursday, a week before the largest Muslim holiday of Idul Fitri on June 5 and 6, with millions expected to take the newly inaugurated trans-Java toll road to reach home, according to official forecasts. The Transportation Ministrys research body estimates that 14.9 million residents of Greater Jakarta, 44.1 percent of the total population of the area, will leave the capital for their hometowns, with Central Java as the most popular destination with 37.68 percent of travelers, followed by West Java (24.89 percent) and East Java (11.14 percent). The ministry expects an increase in the number of motorists amid stubbornly high airfares that have coincided with the opening of the trans-Java toll road. The data suggests that 4.45 million travelers, around 30 percent, will travel by public bus, while another 28.9 percent will use private cars. The remaining holidaymakers are expected to travel by train (16.7 percent), by air (9.5 percent) and by motorcycle (6.3 percent). 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 An Ethiopian Airlines pilot told senior managers at the carrier months before one of its Boeing 737 Max jets crashed that more training and better communication to crew members was needed to avert a repeat of a similar disaster involving a Lion Air flight. According to emails and documents reviewed by Bloomberg News, the pilot in December urged his superiors to bolster training on a 737 Max flight-control feature so crews would be better prepared for what the Lion Air pilots encountered in October before plunging into the Java Sea, killing all aboard. It will be a crash for sure, if pilots struggling with a malfunction of Boeings flight-control system on the 737 Max also encountered, for example, a cockpit warning that they were flying too close to the ground, the pilot, Bernd Kai von Hoesslin, wrote in a Dec. 13 email. On March 10, an Ethiopian Airlines plane operated by two other pilots crashed minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa, killing 157. While the crash played out differently from how von Hoesslin described, he accurately foresaw the chaos and peril of multiple cockpit warnings that pilots dealt with during the March crash. Von Hoesslins communications add another layer to the competing narratives that have shaped the publics view of the 737 Max crisis -- and of whos most responsible for what went wrong. In 418 pages of previously unreported correspondence and documents he sent to airline managers, von Hoesslin cited a number of concerns he said needed to be addressed relating to maintenance, pilot rest and operational procedures. His concerns bring fresh attention to the crash of the Ethiopian Airlines jet, which prompted a worldwide grounding of Boeings top-selling passenger jet and the companys most significant crisis in decades. Von Hoesslin declined to comment for this story. The documents seen by Bloomberg came from another person who asked not to be identified. Ethiopian Airlines spokesman Biniam Demssie said by phone: I cant comment on anything right now. The airline has said its pilots have completed all the training that Boeing and the FAA recommended. Its unclear whether von Hoesslins suggestions for training would have made a difference, said Jeffrey Guzzetti, the former director of the US Federal Aviation Administrations Accident Investigation Division, noting that crash investigators, regulators and airlines are still evaluating the extent of additional training needed. I bet there were numerous other similar discussions within other 737 Max airlines following the Lion Air accident, and I bet considerations were made in some fashion with most of those airlines, he said. Von Hoesslins bosses at Ethiopian Airlines, as well as the nations Transport Minister, have cast suspicion on a malfunction of the 737 Max feature known as the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System. The Chicago-based planemaker, while careful not to be seen blaming a customer, has noted the role pilot actions also played in the Ethiopian and Lion Air disasters. In both, pilots unsuccessfully battled automatic nose-down movements commanded by MCAS. The movements were triggered by erroneous readings from one of the Maxs two weather vane-like angle of attack sensors on either side of the jets nose. In the December email, von Hoesslin reminded managers that flight crews could be overwhelmed by multiple warnings and cockpit alerts that can sound during an errant activation of MCAS. Problems with the system led to the 737 Maxs global grounding in March and shook confidence in Boeing and its regulator, the US Federal Aviation Administration. Von Hoesslin, who identified himself in the documents as a certified 737 instructor, submitted his resignation to Ethiopian Airlines in April. The documents reviewed by Bloomberg, including the December email urging additional training, were attached to von Hoesslins resignation letter. In his email to several bosses, including those responsible for flight operations and safety, von Hoesslin called attention to the airlines flight simulator program. The simulators were based on Boeings earlier 737 Next Generation, or NG, family of jets, and the program didnt replicate MCAS, he said. Although regulators and airlines around the world did not require that pilots train on a Max simulator after the Lion Air crash, Hoesslin took issue with the airlines approach. The sim program does not simulate the MCAS, thus using this older NG has serious drawbacks in our training when operating the Max, von Hoesslin wrote in an email. I suggest alternate training methods. In a separate email in November, von Hoesslin asked airline managers to provide more detail about MCAS to those Max pilots who are not fully or even aware of how the Max MCAS system functions. The request came after a flight operations manager at the airline circulated Boeings November 6 service bulletin that described, without naming MCAS, how erroneous sensor data could cause the jet to pitch toward the ground automatically, and how pilots should respond. In response to von Hoesslin, the manager circulated more details about MCAS that the manager said came from Boeing and that explained the automated flight-control feature in greater detail. Earlier this month, Ethiopian Airlines said it is among the very few airlines in the world that operates a full-flight simulator for the Boeing 737 Max 8 but that it wasnt configured to simulate MCAS. On May 17, two days after a US House hearing in which Missouri Republican Sam Graves cited pilot error as a factor in the fatal crash, Ethiopian Airlines said in a statement that any effort to divert public attention from the flight control system problem of the airplane is a futile exercise because it is not based on factually correct analysis. While US aviation regulators and Boeing issued warnings in November that included instructions on how pilots should respond to MCASs activation, there was no call for simulator training. Ethiopian Transport Minister Dagmawit Moges has said the pilots followed proper procedures issued after the Lion Air crash. In an April 4 statement, Ethiopian Airlines said the preliminary report into the March 10 crash clearly showed that the pilots followed correct procedure. However, that report shows the pilots left the thrust too high and turned the motor driving MCAS back on after initially switching it off. In his resignation letter, von Hoesslin said he felt the airline hadnt fully responded to his complaints. Some of these concerns were safety-related and well within the duty of the airline to adequately address, he wrote. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 29, 2019 11:04 945 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873a5e91e 1 Business airfare,Papua,petition Free Thousands of have signed the petition #TurunkanTiketPapua on change.org to urge Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi to regulate airfares to and from Papua. As of 9:49 a.m. on Wednesday, 114, 238 people had signed the petition posted by Paul Hendri Eria, who said many people in Papua had complained about domestic airfares because they were not affordable. He said many Papuans could not visit their hometowns because of the high prices of airplane tickets to Papua. Not all Papuans who study in other parts of the country are rich, Paul said in a statement on Wednesday. We want to get a good education. We also want to have experience working outside of Papua. But how can we realize our dream if airfares are that high? We also want to learn [culture] in other parts of Indonesia. Airfare from Jakarta to Jayapura, for example, is currently priced between Rp 4.16 million (US$288.91) and Rp 5.21 million. Paul said lower ticket prices to Papua would also allow more peoplen from other parts of the country to enjoy the beauty of our nature. Among those who signed the petition was Astriani Tjandra from Sorong. I feel the same. I was born ion Sorong and I could not return to Sorong for eight years because I could not afford a ticket, she commented. Of a similar opinion was Putrid Arti Lestari, a student from Jayapura, who is waiting to visit her parents back home. Meanwhile, Nurunisa Rauhillah commented that the high airfares had discouraged people from visiting Papua. (bbn) Topics : airfare Papua petition Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Stefanno Reinard Sulaiman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 29, 2019 17:36 945 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873a73bee 1 Business PLN,shareholders-meeting,reshuffle Free The government has reshuffled the management of state electricity company PLN, but it has yet to appoint a definitive president director of the company after the resignation of Sofyan Basir, who was named a suspect in a graft case. The reshuffle was made during an annual shareholders meeting at the State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Ministry in Jakarta. PLN strategic procurement director 2 Djoko Abumanan was appointed acting president director. During the meeting, shareholders also appointed Supangkat Iwan Santoso, the former PLN strategic director 2, to chair PLN's regional business arm for the eastern part of Java, Bali and Nusa Tenggara as well as Sripeni Inten Cahyani, the president director of PLN subsidiary PT Indonesia Power, as the new PLN strategic procurement 1 director. The meeting also approved Sofyans resignation, which was submitted to PLN recently. Sofyan was named a suspect by the Corruption Eradication Commission in late April in a corruption case related to the US$900 million coal-fired power plant (PLTU) Riau 1. Djoko replaced PLN human capital management director Muhammad Ali, who was appointed as PLN acting chief after Sofyans resignation. The shareholders need to study further about it [the appointment of the PLN president director]. The position should be filled before year-end, Djoko said after the shareholders meeting. Before the meeting, Alex Sinaga, former president director of state telecommunications company PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia, was rumored to be named the new PLN president director. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 29, 2019 13:21 945 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873a6b93a 1 City child-abuse,violence-against-children,child-protection,Depok Free The Depok Police in West Java are searching for a woman identified only as SN for allegedly abusing her adoptive child, identified as S. SN reportedly doused S with hot water on May 24 in her house in Cinere district. S, thought to be 10 or 11 years old, is being treated at Fatmawati Hospital in South Jakarta. S was a homeless child before being adopted by SN and her husband, identified only as U. Locals in the neighborhood said they first noticed signs of child abuse as several of them saw S with burns to her body. She was in a very bad condition. Some people approached her and asked what happened, community elder Suryadi said on Tuesday as quoted by kompas.com. Suryadi added that initially S was tight-lipped over the abuse but she eventually revealed to neighbors that she was frequently abused by her stepmother. She was doused with boiling water after playing with a bag of hot soto (chicken soup). S had just bought the soto in a plastic bag. She came home and teased SNs child as a joke. She tapped the plastic bag with the hot soto broth on the childs cheek, Suryadi said. The child cried and tattled to SN. SN, who was furious at S for the act, then allegedly poured the hot water as a punishment to S. While some local residents rushed S to the hospital, some filed a report to the Depok Police. The woman and child protection unit's First Insp. Tamar said the police were investigating the case. We have received the report, the child has received medical treatment at Fatmawati Hospital. Officers from Limo Police [under the Depok Police] have visited the residence where the alleged case happened, Tamar said. SN was nowhere to be found. (vla) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Nurul Fitri Ramadhani and Karina Tehusijarana (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 29, 2019 14:44 945 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873a6f41a 1 Politics #Gerindra,#Prabowo,#Dubai,#Vienna,#health,Gerindra-Party,Prabowo,Prabowo-Subianto,Dubai,Vienna Free Presidential candidate and Gerindra Party chairman Prabowo Subianto left Indonesia on Tuesday morning for a trip to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, and Vienna, amid speculation that his party was linked to the May 22 riot. Gerindra executive Ahmad Riza Patria confirmed that Prabowo had flown to Dubai with several friends on a private jet for a medical checkup. He is there for a routine medical checkup, something that he regularly does. He will also meet several business colleagues there, Riza said. His friends were reported to be Russian nationals, namely Mikhail Davydov and Amzhelika Butaeva, as well as German nationals and an American . According to a release by the official website of the House of Representatives published on April 14, Davydov and Butaeva were two members of the Russian Legislative Body who were invited to the House by Deputy Speaker Fadli Zon, a Gerindra deputy chairman, to observe the election. Riza, however, could not give details on how long Prabowo would be out of the country. Immigration office spokesperson Sam Fernando confirmed that Prabowo had traveled to Dubai on Tuesday. "We haven't received any information about [Prabowo going to] Austria," he said on Wednesday. Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, a Gerindra deputy chairman, confirmed that Prabowo would continue to Vienna for business purposes, saying that the trip had been planned long ago but postponed because of the April 17 elections. He will be there just to meet several business colleagues. Maybe he will spend three days [in Vienna]. They [Prabowos companions] have befriended Prabowo for business matters, Dasco said. Gerindra has been in the spotlight after the police confiscated an ambulance marked with the party's logo and filled with rocks during the riots over President Joko Jokowi Widodo's election victory in Sabang, Central Jakarta -- near the office of the Elections Supervisory Agency -- last week. The party claimed the ambulance had nothing to do with the riots and was there to help injured protesters. Hes not running away. We condemn such speculation, Dasco said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Cheng Yu, Chen Meiling, Lu Haoting (China Daily/ANN) Beijing Wed, May 29, 2019 08:45 945 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873a570c3 2 Business #China,#Europe,#USA,#Huawei,#trade-war,China,Europe,USA,Huawei,trade-war Free United States government restrictions on Chinese technology champions like Huawei provide enormous opportunities for European counterparts, according to industry insiders. Technology firms from the United Kingdom and other European nations still have synergistic business relationships with Chinese counterparts. The UKs 5G development needs participation from Huawei. The UK government and companies should make decisions by measuring Huaweis merits rather than political powers, said John McLean, director of the China-Britain Business Council, in an exclusive interview with China Daily. Technology is reshaping the world order and has become a determining factor for countries to reposition themselves in the global arena, said McLean, who is also special adviser to the lord mayor of London on China. The US is leveraging political power to influence global free trade. The real purpose is not just about tariffs, its about a whole package to force China to do something in the trade war. The US is so eager because the biggest world power is facing rising technological challenges from burgeoning economies, including China, he added. He said no party should harm the free choice of customers. If it works for businesses and customers, it should work for everybody. The economic cooperation between China and Europe has great potential. Enormous opportunities await to be tapped in sectors including technology, education and healthcare, McLean added. His words came as China and the US, the worlds two largest economies, have been embroiled in a trade confrontation over the past year. Washington has also increased tensions by adding Chinese tech firms, including Huawei, to its Entity List, which would effectively ban US companies from selling components and software to them. The worst part of the current trade tension between China and the US is having created uncertainty in the global economy, said Luigi Gambardella, president of ChinaEU, an international association in Brussels that promotes digital and internet cooperation. Global US companies are likely to suffer heavily if they are prevented from striking deals with Chinese subcontractors and clients, Gambardella said. Think about companies like Apple and Microsoft what will happen to them if globalization is rolled back? he added. Both McLean and Gambardella suggested that China and Europe have great potential for cooperation in key emerging sectors. China and Europes cooperation on big data will be promising and the two sides should jointly build a better global digital community, Gambardella added. Logistics chain, transportation and production can be largely improved by digitalization. Xiang Ligang, director-general of telecom industry association Information Consumption Alliance, said Chinese companies have long attached great importance to Europe as epitomized by Huawei, which has established 23 research and development centers cross 14 European countries. Topics : This article appeared on the China Daily newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, May 29, 2019 14:15 945 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873a6db68 1 City transjakarta,#ElectionProtest,post-election-riot,loss,passenger Free City-owned bus operator Transjakarta lost Rp 8 billion (US$555,460) in potential revenue mainly because of road closures and diversions in some areas in the city due to the deadly postelection riots in Central and West Jakarta on May 21 and 22. Transjakarta president director Agung Wicaksono said on Tuesday that the company experienced a steep decline in passenger numbers from May 21 to 24. The lost potential revenue because of the decrease in the number of customers was around Rp 8 billion, he said during a media briefing in Cikini, Central Jakarta. The riots that claimed eight lives and injured hundreds other caused the authorities to close some road sections in Central Jakarta, namely on Jl. MH Thamrin, Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat, Jl. Medan Merdeka Utara and Jl. Majapahit in the vicinity of the Presidential Palace and the Constitutional Court building, and Jl. Imam Bonjol where the General Elections Commission (KPU) is located. Traffic around the House of Representatives complex was also rerouted. Transjakartas operational and technical director Daud Joseph said that the company served around 800,000 passengers per day. However, on May 21, which was the first day of the elections protest, the number decreased to 720,000 passengers. It went down to 524,554 passengers the next day. The number climbed to 618,062 on May 23 and 681,554 on May 24. The number of lost customers equals the number of passengers on a normal day. We lost 670,000 passengers [during the incident, Joseph said. He went on to say that passenger numbers went back to normal on Monday. In addition to lost potential revenue, several Transjakarta bus stations were damaged following the riots. (das) female-dominated field As a former school teacher, Londoner Ashlea Atigolos latest gig couldnt be more different to her days as an educator: once working in a, its believed that less than 14% of major fashion brands in the world are female-led - so as a menswear designer she is now one of just a handful of women doing so. Image courtesy of John and Ashlea at EBYAK. A man's world Her mission is to empower more women to challenge the enduring trend of men heading up major fashion labels and break down the barriers her fellow ladies face when attempting to enter the boys club streetwear scene and menswear industry. As if that wasnt enough shaking up of the male-centric status quo, shes also making sure her ventures dont have a negative impact on the environment, with her streetwear label EBYAK being a committed sustainable brand. She has combined the popular, commercial streetwear style with an ever-increasing awareness of the detrimental effects fast fashion is having on our planet to produce a collection that has style and sustainability at its core, with neither of those characteristics being sacrificed for the other. The eco outlook GOTs- This is not a case of green-washing; Atigolo has left no stone unturned when ensuring EBYAK pieces are sustainably and ethically made from start to finish. The garments are allapproved, made with 100% certified organic cotton in an ethically accredited factory, and hand-finished in the UK with revolutionary production techniques and low-ink waste technology. Image courtesy of John and Ashlea at EBYAK. The Collection And theres more: all of the garments are GM-free and animal free, with being awarded PETAs vegan seal of approval. Atigolo has proven that theres more to vegan fashion than breezy, muted hemps and linens, and given the more urban among you a chance to maintain true to your sense of style and your morals. Style and substance Better yet, despite its sustainable status, this is a brand that refuses to scrimp on style: The Collection went viral on Trend Hunter, the worlds largest trend insight platform, and t his August The Collection will be showcased at the UKs first vegan fashion show, , alongside other ethical and sustainable brands including Kat Von D Beauty. Basically, this is a brand for every man. With that said, we couldnt help but wonder if Atigolo was at all tempted to start designing for women too? Image courtesy of John and Ashlea at EBYAK. I would never say never!" she says. "Once I have been able to highlight the equality issues surrounding women in the menswear industry and educate [sic] more people about sustainable fashion alternatives like EBYAK., I will definitely look into designing a sustainable womenswear label. To be honest, I don't think that Ill be able to get away from doing womenswear as I'm continually approached by women asking me when I am going to design for them, so it could be on the cards! A word of advice isnt designed to nurture a more ethical approach Its clear that Atigolo is a woman on a mission to change the face and practice of our troubled fashion industry, and were so here for it. It cant be easy sticking to your guns in a business that, but Atigolo has some great advice for any student hoping to make it in the big, wide fashion world: Image courtesy of John and Ashlea at EBYAK. Have your own vision, no matter what it might be. Stay true to yourself, and create clothing that makes you feel good, and it doesn't matter what other people think. If you're setting up your own label, perseverance, networking and Google are your best friends. All this time weve been looking to the runways for our fashion inspiration, maybe we shouldve been paying more attention to the streets. here For more like this, check out other features in our Behind the Brand series Lead image: courtesy of John and Ashlea at EBYAK. After finding success in the Netherlands and Germany, Project Cece, the online search engine for sustainable and ethical clothing, is coming to the UK. Founded by three students from Amsterdam - Marcella Wijngaarden, Melissa Wijngaarden and Noor Veenhoven - the Dutch fashion and tech start-up collates sustainable fashion from over one hundred online retailers onto one website. With Cece acting as an abbreviation for Conscious Clothing, think ASOS, but with a smaller carbon footprint. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Project Cece (@project_cece) on Apr 19, 2019 at 9:25am PDT The ethics of what we wear is slowly edging to the forefront of public consciousness thanks to the popularity of documentaries such as The True Cost and Stacy Dooley Investigates: Fashions Dirty Secrets. Weve always been aware of the exploitative conditions faced by workers in sweatshops, but this increased coverage is making the uncomfortable truth harder to ignore. As climate change becomes an ever-pressing crisis, theres also increased awareness of the pollution produced by the fashion industry and its ill-effects on the environment. When asked if they would buy clothes from unethical brands, 55% of UK consumers say they would prefer not to - but seeking out fairer alternatives isnt always easy. There is a wealth of fast fashion outlets at our fingertips, but where can you find sustainable, ethical clothing for every occasion? View this post on Instagram A post shared by Project Cece (@project_cece) on May 19, 2019 at 11:09pm PDT Project Cece aims to answer this question. Co-founder Marcella Wijngaarden, a recent graduate who studied programming in the Netherlands, was frustrated that there wasnt an easier way of finding ethical clothing online after she decided to make her wardrobe more sustainable. She thought there should be a website that brought everything together, like an Amazon of conscious clothing If such a website does not exist, I will build it myself! A year after Wijngaardens initial idea Project Cece launched in the Netherlands, utilising in-house developed web tools to give consumers a complete overview of ethical clothing available to buy online. Using no-nonsense, helpful product descriptions and filters, the search engine helps customers browse easily to find clothing that fits their style, budget and values. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Project Cece (@project_cece) on May 5, 2019 at 11:01pm PDT After spreading to Germany, the site is now making its debut in the UK with the aim of helping British consumers make the switch from fast fashion to ethical clothing in a way thats both easy and fun. Heartened by the increased support of ethical fashion in the UK, the women behind Project Cece are hoping their site will help make British wardrobes a little kinder and a little greener. here For more eco fashion, take a look at our Behind the Brand series The four stars of the tvN drama "Arthdal Chronicles" during the press event Tuesday at the Imperial Palace Seoul. Courtesy of tvN By Dong Sun-hwa Mixed expectations precede the June 1 premiere of cable channel tvN's fantasy drama "Arthdal Chronicles." Producer Kim Won-seok was antsy when he met the press Tuesday with the star-studded cast at the Imperial Palace Seoul. "We do not expect compliments just because we worked hard, but the cast and crew believed Korea should have a drama like this," he said. "Please evaluate it after watching at least the first two episodes." The 18-episode big-budget series, which revolves around the birth of the first civilization "Arthdal" on the fabled continent "Arth," has been one of the most anticipated TV dramas this year thanks to its unique setting and cast members Song Joong-ki, Jang Dong-gun, Kim Ji-won and Kim Ok-vin. The actors wear "tribal" makeup and animal skins to recreate the ancient times. Most scenes required computer-generated imagery (CGI) and special effects to create an imaginary world that has a sense of reality. The actors and crew admitted they were nervous and excited at the same time. Song Joong-ki and Jang Dong-gun pose during the press event Tuesday at the Imperial Palace Seoul. Courtesy of tvN "'Arthdal Chronicles' is probably the most challenging drama for me," Song said. "I needed courage to star in the work but I thought I should walk out of the comfort zone as an actor. I also trusted the writers and the producer who I previously teamed with." Song has the role of "Eun-seom," a cursed child who later takes control of Arthdal. "I was pressured to appear in the masterpiece, but I could rely on Jang," he said. Jang plays "Ta-gon," an ambitious war hero and the rival of Eun-seom, who desires to become the first monarch of the imaginary continent. "Ta-gon is a three-dimensional figure who crosses the line between good and evil," Jang said. "I desired to take this role and was thrilled to read the scripts." Kim Ok-vin and Kim Ji-won pictured during the press event Tuesday at the Imperial Palace Seoul. Courtesy of tvN Chalong underpass to open this Friday PHUKET: More than three years and 11 months in the making, the 350-metre long Chalong Underpass is now scheduled to open to motorists this Friday (May 31), The Phuket News has been told. transportconstruction By Tanyaluk Sakoot Wednesday 29 May 2019, 02:13PM The golden lotus tower in the centre of Chalong Circle is also on target to be complete by this wekeend. Photo: Phuket Highways Office Appraoching five years since the project began, the Chalong Underpass is set to open this Friday (May 31). Photo: Phuket Highways Office Workers vehicles stand parked at the entrance to the Chalong Underpass this morning as the final works are completed inside the tunnel. Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot The final electrical systems are being installed, with the contractor promising to have the work done by midnight Thursday (May 30), in line with the extended contract, Phuket Highways Chief Somwong Lohanut explained to The Phuket News. We will not open the tunnel after midnight on May 30 because it would be too dangerous for drivers, he said. We will make sure all the systems are working, especially the electrical systems inside tunnel, in the morning on May 31, he added. Once the final checks are complete, the underpass will be opened to motorists, he said. Chief Somwong confirmed that the underpass will open with one lane for traffic in each direction, with only orange plastic poles as lane dividers. After confirming that each lane is 3.5 metres wide, lanes Chief Somwang assured that the lanes are wide enough for tour buses to pass in each in opposing directions. We are sure that tour buses can pass inside the underpass as the width of the lanes are international standard, he said. Somkiet Yimpong, Project Manager at the Phuket office of the Highways Department, explained that construction of the overall project, including decorative features, is about 98% complete. Now we are installing some security systems. Once the security system is complete, we will open the Chalong Underpass to traffic on May 31, he confirmed. However, Mr Somkiet allowed for some last-minute delays in his assurance the tunnel will open this weekend. The contractor has promised that everything will done on May 30, but I will need to inspect the construction. If I find that any defects making the tunnel unsafe or not secure, the contractor will have to fix the construction, he said. I will confirm on May 30 whether or the Chalong Underpass will open to traffic or not, but only after I have completed my inspection, he said. Mr Somkiet also pointed out, The Chalong Underpass is not the same as Phuket Airport Underpass or the Bang Khu Underpass. The Chalong Underpass tunnel is 350m long and the road is curved. The Phuket Airport Underpass tunnel in only 160m and it is straight, giving motorists a clear view through the tunnel from beginning to end. So with the Chalong Underpass we cannot have workers complete the finishing touches in the tunnel while opening one lane of the underpass to motorists at the same time. We must wait for everything to be done and the security system completed before we open the Chalong Underpass to traffic. If we opened it now, accidents will happen, he said. The golden lotus tower, being built in the middle of Chalong Circle at a cost of B3 million as part of the overall B546mn budget for the entire underpass project, will also be completed by weeks end, Mr Somkiet assured. The tower features a sculpture of a lotus bulb, a Buddhist symbol of peace, as its crowning glory. The construction of the golden lotus tower isnt finished just yet. We must finish painting it and complete a lot of detail, but it will be finished on time on May 30, Mr Somkiet said. Additional reporting by Waranya Prompinpiras Murder suspect caught trying to enter Phuket with loaded guns PHUKET: A man wanted for murder in Phatthalung has been caught at a checkpoint in Phuket with two guns and crystal meth. murderdrugspolice By Eakkapop Thongtub Wednesday 29 May 2019, 11:53AM Murder suspect Kriangkrai Kochaphan was caught with guns and crystal meth trying to enter Phuket. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub Murder suspect Kriangkrai Kochaphan smiles as he is photographed with guns he was caught with while trying to enter Phuket on Tuesday (May 28). Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub Kriangkrai Kochaphan, 34, was stopped at the Phuket Checkpoint, at the entry into Phuket from Phang Nga, for a routine search when Tha Chatchai Police found a gun on the front passenger seat. Further inspections led to them finding another gun in the drivers door as well as some crystal meth. The findings led officers to investigate further, leading to the discovery of an arrest warrant issued by Phatthalung Provincial Court for a murder charge. The warrant was related to an incident in Phatthalung on May 16. Rattana Kongnoo, 32, who has two young daughters with Kriangkrai aged four and seven, broke up with him five months ago due to his lack of support for the family as he did not work. Kriangkrai repeatedly tried to convince Ms Rattana to take him back but she refused. On May 16, Ms Rattana got married to Sarawut Srinun, 40. Ten days later on May 26, Kriangkrai went looking for Ms Rattana at her home and got angry when he couldnt find her and fired two shots in the air, according to local witnesses. He drove around on his motorbike searching for her and eventually found the couple in a pickup truck as they were on their way back from feeding cows in a field. Kriangkrai stopped his motorbike in front of the truck, pointed his gun at the couple and demanded that they open the door or window. They refused and Kriangkrai used the butt of his gun to smash the driver side window and shot at the couple. Ms Rattana was injured while Mr Sarawut died from six shots. The attack led to a warrant being issued the following day for Kriangkrais arrest but police were unable to find him. At 3pm yesterday (May 28), Kriangkrai was arrested by Tha Chatchai Police while trying to enter Phuket in a black Mitsubishi pickup truck. He was taken into custody and charged him with murder, illegal possession of a category 1 drug and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. Rape redefined, penalties toughened BANGKOK: The Criminal Code has been amended to increase penalties for rapes and indecent assaults, including those recorded on video. crimeviolencesex By Bangkok Post Wednesday 29 May 2019, 08:58AM Activists campaign against sexual violence at the Victory Monument in Bangkok. Photo: Bangkok Post / file The Royal Gazette late on Monday (May 27) published the amendments to many sections related to rape and indecent assault in the Criminal Code. Section 280/1 stipulates a rape or an indecent assault recorded on video for commercial or other illegal purposes, such as blackmail, is subject to one-third harsher punishment and if such recordings are forwarded to others, the punishment can increase by half. The base punishment is five to 20 years in jail and/or a fine of up to B300,000. Section 281 revokes any settlement plan with rape victims who are not married to the perpetrator. Under Sections 285 and 285/2, rapes of parents, siblings, other relatives, those over whom the perpetrator has authority and those who are unable to defend themselves carry one-third greater punishment. The base punishment for those crimes is a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of up to B400,000. Under Section 286, offences related to procurement of rape victims carry jail terms of up to life imprisonment and a fine of up to B400,000. Section 366/1 sets a jail term of up to three years and/or a fine of up to B60,000 against those who insert their sex organs into a corpse's vagina, anus or mouth. The death penalty remains for rapists who cause the death of their victims. The legal amendment also defines rape as the insertion of an offenders sex organ into the vagina, anus or mouth of another person. The new definition no longer considers using an object to penetrate the victim as rape. That abuse is instead defined as indecent assault, but carries the same punishment as rape. Read original story here. Southern Pines, NC (28387) Today Partly cloudy this morning. A few showers developing during the afternoon. Record high temperatures expected. High 76F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight A few showers early with scattered thunderstorms arriving overnight. Low 64F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Impeachment hearings for Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg start Monday South Dakota House members will meet this week to deliberate if Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg should be impeached for killing a pedestrian last year. A man walks past Kiwoom Securities, whose proposal for an internet bank was rejected on May 26. Yonhap By Park Hyong-ki The financial sector was shocked by the regulator's May 26 announcement that it had rejected business proposals for an internet bank from both Kiwoom Securities and Viva Republica. Even Financial Services Commission (FSC) Chairman Choi Jong-ku said he was surprised when he heard the decision made by an external committee that reviewed the proposals. The reasons behind the rejection were Kiwoom Bank's proposal was not innovative enough, and Viva's Toss Bank had a governance problem. "I honestly thought one of them would make it. I think the committee was very cautious about picking another internet bank that would end up looking like other banking applications in the market," an industry source said. All commercial and internet banks say in the beginning they will offer something different and unique. But they have all become similar or the same, the source added. "So this begs the question: Do we really need another same app in this small market?" he asked. "To create a game-changing, innovative service, one needs to think outside the box." However, the country's old rule that strictly separates finance and non-finance sectors has been a "roadblock" to thinking outside the box, industry sources and analysts say. In the age of convergence where business borders are blurring and vanishing, another industry source agreed the rule has been detrimental. "To achieve innovation or deliver something new, one has to create and generate synergy with businesses outside one's core interests or comfort zone," the source said. "But here, insurance, banks and brokerages have to operate within their own boundaries. They can't go beyond those under the rule." Even with a slight relaxation of the rule allowing tech conglomerates to own up to a 34 percent voting share in internet banks, K bank and Kakao Bank are having trouble raising capital from their non-financial groups because of the Antitrust Law. The FSC recently suspended its review on whether to allow KT to increase its stake in K bank as some KT executives are facing prosecution over alleged collusion in a public project. Lee Tae-kyu, an analyst at the Korea Economic Research Institute (KERI) said the rule hinders non-financial companies from setting up an internet bank that can offer niche services. "I personally think a retailer has a chance to offer a unique banking service by using its own network and financial ties, but that's really not possible," Lee said. As an example of convergence, he pointed to Seven Bank in Japan run by Seven & I Holdings which operates 7-Eleven convenience stores. The internet bank is known for providing niche services via 7-Eleven's ATMs. "Under the rule, some people here see Seven Bank not as a unique bank, but as a company that just offers an ATM service. It is unfortunate how our environment hinders us to think outside the box," Lee said. Brookfield Asset Managements New York-based real estate unit is seeking to raise $1 billion (U.S.) for a fund that would take advantage of generous new tax breaks available to investors in low-income U.S. communities, according to people familiar with the matter. The fund plans to invest in six projects in designated opportunity zones, including residential developments in Brooklyn and the Bronx, and a shopping centre in Connecticut, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing the private effort. A representative for Brookfield declined to comment. Opportunity zones have set off a frenzy since they were tucked into President Donald Trumps 2017 federal tax overhaul. Even so, fundraising for projects in the low-income areas has been slow, in part because investors were waiting for more complete regulations from the government on how the incentives would work. Last month, the U.S. Treasury Department released a set of guidelines that cleared up much of the lingering uncertainty. Thats given more encouragement to firms including Starwood Capital Group, Bridge Investment Group and RXR Realty that are setting up funds to take advantage of the tax breaks. If Brookfield succeeds in raising $1 billion, it would be among the largest such pools of capital. Brookfield had already been working on several projects in areas that have been designated as opportunity zones, including a 22-acre site in Brooklyn, not far from where Amazon.com Inc. was planning to build a new headquarters. The developer is also behind a shopping centre in a zone in Norwalk, Connecticut, that would be anchored by a Nordstrom and Bloomingdales. Both properties are slated to be part of the new fund, one of the people said. While investors are just beginning to fund developments in opportunity zones, the tax breaks have inspired fierce debate. Backers say the incentives will draw much-needed money to struggling communities. Critics counter they could end up being a handout to the wealthy, benefiting projects that were already in the works while doing little for low-income residents. Sundar Pichai was, for years, one of the worlds highest-paid corporate executives. Now hes facing the opposite reality: No big paychecks at all. The Google chief executive officer hasnt received an equity award in more than two years. A key reason is that Pichai turned down a big new grant of restricted stock in 2018 because he felt he was already paid generously, according to a person familiar with the decision. Its unclear how much he passed up. But another giant payday on top of hundreds of millions of dollars in previous awards could have sparked a new round of controversy for the mild-mannered executive. Technology companies are being increasingly blamed for all sorts of societal ills including rising income equality. Pichai, given the top job in 2015 for his engineering prowess, has had to address these concerns, while juggling a host of other politically charged issues. He may have looked at these numbers and said: Ive had enough or he might just be trying to manage the optics of his pay, said David Larcker, a professor who researches corporate governance at Stanford Graduate School of Business. The board of Google parent Alphabet Inc. is scheduled to revisit the CEOs pay later this year, said the person, who asked not to be identified discussing private matters. By then, almost all Pichais previous stock awards will have vested. That makes him an anomaly among U.S. corporate leaders, and is even raising questions about whats next for the 46-year-old. Clearly theres very little retentive effect left for Pichai, said Fabrizio Ferri, an associate professor at the University of Miami who studies executive pay. A Google spokeswoman declined to comment, and said the Alphabet board wont comment either. The company and its directors have said nothing publicly about the CEO leaving any time soon. Pichai has never mentioned moving on either. Google is known for its willingness to pay lavishly to attract and keep talented employees in the executive suite and beyond. Pichai had been among the top benefactors. In 2014, shortly before Pichai was promoted to take over many of Google co-founder Larry Pages responsibilities, he received restricted stock worth about $250 million (U.S.). The following year, when he became Google CEO, he got $100 million of stock. And in 2016, Pichai received another grant worth almost $200 million. That was the year the Google CEO job began to morph from a technical leadership role into a political minefield. Employees marched in protest of President Donald Trumps immigration plan in early 2016. Less than a year later, a memo from James Damore, a Google engineer claiming the company was biased against conservatives, exploded into a national scandal. In 2018, Google workers revolted over a military contract and a proposed censored search engine in China. In the fall of that year, thousands of staff walked out of their offices after discovering the company had given big bonuses to executives accused of sexual harassment. At a staff meeting earlier this year, one Google worker asked why Pichai was paid hundreds of millions of dollars, while some employees struggle to afford to live in Silicon Valley, people familiar with the situation told Bloomberg at the time. The criticism has been just as loud from outside the company. Google is facing multiple antitrust investigations around the world, and rising scrutiny in the U.S. over its size, power and access to personal data. Co-founders Page and Sergey Brin, have stepped away from day-to-day management, and former CEO Eric Schmidt, who used to handle politics, is leaving the board. On Dec. 11, just over three years after taking the CEO job, a noticeably grayer Pichai sat before Congress being questioned about the political slants of his staff and algorithms, Chinese censorship and surveillance, and even a conspiracy theory about Hillary Clinton that spread on Googles YouTube video service. Sundar is aging quickly, said Matt McGowan, a former Google executive who left in 2016. When you have a billion customers around the world, theres always going to be hundreds of people who disagree with your decisions. And theyre loud. People who have worked with Pichai describe him as a consensus-builder who shies away from conflict. Key parts of the CEO job nowadays, like testifying before Congress and policing internal rancour, are not his favourite. Hes not a well-seasoned CEO who has been through these types of crises before. But he appears to be learning quickly, McGowan said. Pichai has revived revenue growth at Google, helping shares of parent Alphabet Inc. rise more than 50 per cent since he took over the internet giant. However, the company missed Wall Street estimates last quarter and the CEO frustrated analysts on a recent conference call. Reputation Institute, a management consultant, ranked Pichai first among major CEOs last year. In this years ranking, Pichai fell out of the top 10. Maybe there are a few elements of doubt around his leadership credentials, said Stephen Hahn-Griffiths, an executive at Reputation Institute. Since that big 2016 stock award, Pichai has collected a $650,000 annual salary and typical CEO perks such as the cost of personal security. As of Tuesdays close, he had 51,249 unvested Google shares, worth about $58.1 million, left to earn. They will vest in June, September and December, regulatory filings show. Read more about: South Korea's global competitiveness ranking fell by one notch this year as exports and facility investments slowed down, an international institute said Wednesday. The International Institute for Management Development (IMD) said in its annual report that South Korea ranked 28th in terms of world competitiveness among 63 countries surveyed, down from 27th the previous year. IMD is a Switzerland-based organization that releases annual competitiveness rankings based on a country's economic achievements, infrastructure, and government and corporate efficiency. It has been issuing the report since 1997. In terms of economic performance covering the domestic economy, international trade and employment South Korea placed 27th, down seven spots from a year earlier, as the pace of growth slowed in exports, investments and employment. The South Korean economy expanded 2.7 percent in 2018, down from a solid 3.1 percent the previous year. In the first quarter of the year, Asia's fourth-largest economy contracted an estimated 0.3 percent from three months earlier, the worst performance in a decade. In the infrastructure sector, South Korea fell by two notches, to 20th, on a decline in technology and education. South Korea jumped to 34th place in business efficiency in 2019 from 43rd a year earlier due to improved labor market and entrepreneurship. South Korea's standing in government efficiency dropped by two notches to 31st this year. Singapore climbed to the top from third place in the 2019 findings. Hong Kong remained unchanged in second place while the United States fell to third place from the top a year earlier. China fell by one to place 14th this year, while Japan finished 30th, down from 25th a year earlier. (Yonhap) Indigo Books & Music Inc. will rethink its general merchandise strategy as sales slowed in the past year, said the companys founder, but it remains convinced thats where the companys future growth lies and not with a return to books. Last year, we just hit a wall, said CEO Heather M. Reisman during a conference call with analysts Wednesday, a day after the company released its fourth-quarter and full-year financial results. Up until last year, the company had several years of roughly 20 to 30 per cent year-over-year growth in general merchandise, she said. Partly due to the lack of recent growth, Indigo decided to change its creative direction and take a fresh look at how it approaches the category, she said. Theres a real need for newness on a continuing basis and thats our job, she said, adding the company wants to put its efforts this financial year into the overall evolution of its general merchandise and lifestyle products. The company announced Tuesday it hired Nathan Williams to be its chief creative officer starting June 3. Williams co-founded Kinfolk magazine and Ouur, an apparel and home wares collection. Reisman said it will take a couple of quarters for his impact to come onboard. She noted the future of the business does not lie in returning to books, which remain the base, but in making sure the general merchandise category is strong and growing. Once thats established, she said, the company will return to look at its U.S. strategy. Indigo opened its first American store this past financial year in New Jersey. Its going to do okay, she said. Its not knocking it out of the park. The traffic in the mall where the store is located took a significant dip this year, she said, noting the customers who have visited tend to become repeat customers. The margins in the American store are also so much higher than in Canadian Indigo locations, she said, as the company prices items the same in both countries. Indigo feels the basic orientation of its American strategy is correct, she said. I say that respectfully given these numbers are nowhere near what any of us want them to be, she said, adding the company wont open any new stores this year. The commentary came a day after Indigo reported a nearly $40-million net loss for its 2019 financial year, widely missing analyst expectations. The company said the loss was due partly to a Canada Post strike and less consumer spending in the final quarter. Companies in this story: (TSX:IDG) MONTREAL - A Quebec judge has ruled there is enough evidence to send SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. to trial on charges of fraud and corruption, surprising few and prompting a further tumble in the beleaguered firms share price. Given the threshold to be met by the prosecution at the stage of the preliminary inquiry, this outcome was expected, said SNC-Lavalin chief executive Neil Bruce in a statement. The company has previously pleaded not guilty and Bruce said that we will vigorously defend ourselves to get the right outcome and be acquitted. The Montreal-based engineering and construction giant is accused of paying $47.7 million in bribes to public officials in Libya between 2001 and 2011. The company, its construction division and a subsidiary also face one charge each of fraud and corruption for allegedly defrauding various Libyan organizations of $129.8 million. Judge Claude Leblonds decision, which is subject to a publication ban, is the latest step in criminal proceedings that began last fall after SNC-Lavalin failed to secure a deferred prosecution agreement, a kind of plea deal that would have seen the firm agree to pay a fine rather than face prosecution. Over the past four months, SNC-Lavalin has been at the centre of a political controversy following accusations from former attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould that top government officials pressured her to overrule federal prosecutors, who had opted not to negotiate a deferred prosecution agreement with the company. The director of public prosecution has made a decision in that regard, said prosecutor Richard Roy, asked by reporters whether SNC-Lavalin could still secure an agreement and sidestep a trial. Despite the high profile afforded to the case, SNC-Lavalin will have a fair trial, he added. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has argued that a criminal trial could trigger the companys exit to the United States and the loss of thousands of jobs, a sentiment that was supported by an internal SNC-Lavalin document obtained by The Canadian Press. We respect the independence of our judiciary and were not going to comment on an ongoing court case, but as Ive said many times, were always going to fight for Canadian jobs in ways that uphold the rules, Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa Wednesday. SNC-Lavalin warned federal prosecutors last fall about a possible plan to split the company in two, move its offices to the U.S. and chop its Canadian workforce to 3,500 from 8,700 before eventually shuttering its domestic operations if it didnt get a deal to avoid criminal prosecution. Experts viewed the ruling as expected, though that didnt stop SNC shares from falling more than three per cent Wednesday to close at $24.17, a 14-year low capping off a month that opened with disappointing earnings results. The companys market valuation has dropped by $1.59 billion, or 27 per cent, over the past 30 days to $4.25 billion. Shares are trading at roughly half their October prices. A conviction could lead to a ban on federal bidding for up to 10 years. It could also prompt a ban on bidding for projects backed by the World Bank, which is not a big percentage of what they do, said Karl Moore, an associate professor at McGill Universitys business school. He said a potential conviction would allow competitors to make hay of the companys situation. They would make sure that their potential clients and current clients around the world are aware of it, and go, Even their own government doesnt trust them, Moore said, echoing concerns from the CEO. If the company is convicted, you cant invoke the defence that this was a bunch of rogue employees, added Ian Lee, an associate professor at Carleton Universitys business school. Nearly one-third of SNC-Lavalins $9.3 billion in revenues in 2017 came from Canada, down from roughly 60 per cent of revenue in 2014. Analysts estimate that up to one-half of home-turf revenues stem from federal contracts. Attorney general David Lametti, who declined to comment, could technically extend an offer for a deferred prosecution agreement up until a guilty finding is handed down. In the meantime, SNC-Lavalin continues to remain unrestricted in bidding and winning Canadian government funded contracts, said analyst Derek Spronck of RBC Dominion Securities in a note to investors. In a wide-ranging interview Wednesday, Wilson-Raybould said SNC-Lavalins trial will proceed in the way that its supposed to proceed. Im very comfortable and confident with the approach that I took as the attorney general with respect to SNC and with respect to my role generally throughout the three and a bit years that I was in that position, said the former attorney general. The company is due back in court in Montreal on June 7 to choose a trial by jury or by judge alone. Prior to that, it can opt to apply within 30 days to the Superior Court of Quebec to have Wednesdays lower court decision quashed. We are evaluating whether errors at law could justify seeking a judicial review of the decision, the company said in an email. Companies in this story: (TSX:SNC) - With files from Kristy Kirkup Canadas prime minister said hell raise his concern that the U.S. is backsliding on womens rights during a visit Thursday by Vice President Mike Pence, a noted abortion opponent. Justin Trudeau, speaking to reporters in Ottawa on Wednesday, said his meeting with Pence will mostly centre on the new trade deal between the two countries and Mexico to replace Nafta. But he signalled hell also address abortion. Trudeau and his government are avowed defenders of abortion rights. Obviously, Im very concerned with the situation around the backsliding of womens rights that were seeing from conservative movements here in Canada, in the United States and around the world, Trudeau said, according to video from the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. I will have a broad conversation with the vice president of course thatll come up, but were going to mostly focus around the ratification process on Nafta and making sure that we get good jobs for Canadians. Trade push Pence announced the trip earlier this month and said he was going to call for swift adoption of the new continental trade deal. A senior official in President Donald Trumps administration, speaking on condition of anonymity ahead of the trip, said the White House is calling on Congress to bring the deal up for a vote. Canada introduced its ratification bill Wednesday. Trudeau and Pence are also expected to discuss the situation in Venezuela, where President Nicolas Maduro has been accused of stealing his last election. Juan Guaido, the head of opposition-dominated National Assembly, says he is the countrys rightful leader. Both the U.S. and Canada support Guaido. Pence and Trudeau also plan to discuss Chinas Huawei Technologies Co., the U.S. official said. The Trump administration is seeking to choke off Beijings access to key technologies by limiting the sale of vital U.S. components to the Chinese telecommunications equipment maker over security concerns. Canada is concerned about its citizens held captive in China since Canada arrested Huaweis chief financial officer in December at the request of the U.S. Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were seized by Chinese authorities nine days later, in a move many analysts said looked like retaliation. Two other Canadians have also been sentenced to death in drug cases. Asked about Trudeaus concern about backsliding womens rights, the U.S. official said theyd see what Trudeau has to say during the meeting. High court The U.S. Supreme Court this week made a move toward strengthening state powers to regulate abortion by upholding an Indiana law requiring clinics to bury or cremate fetal remains. The measure was signed into law in 2016 by Pence, then the states governor. Meanwhile, several Republican-dominated U.S. states including Georgia, Alabama and Missouri have passed laws this year criminalizing most abortions. The measures are seen as an attempt to prompt lawsuits that may lead to the Supreme Court overturning the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that made abortion legal nationwide. Trudeau and Pence could hardly have more different views on abortion. In 2017, Pence became the first sitting vice president to address an annual anti-abortion march in Washington, celebrating Trump as a president who I proudly say stands for the right to life. Trudeau heads into an election this fall against a rival Conservative Party thats leading in polls. Trudeaus government describes itself as feminist, and Trudeau has said he firmly defends a womans right to choose whether to bring a child to term. Read more about: President Donald Trumps decision to blacklist Huawei Technologies is making it more expensive to fatten up Chinas seafood. Futures on rapeseed meal, which is used to feed Chinas massive aquaculture industry, posted their longest winning streak since October on expectations supplies will tighten. The worlds top fish producer has stopped buying Canadian rapeseed, also known as canola, for the coming months a time when China usually boosts purchases. There have so far been no purchases of Canadian canola for arrival between April to August, said Hou Xueling, an analyst at Everbright Futures. That means the bulls could drive up prices to an unimaginable level. China, the largest buyer of Canadian canola, typically increases imports from April to August to make rapeseed meal. This period is the peak demand season for its fish farming sector, Hou said. The official China National Grain and Oils Information Center also confirmed that the Asian country hasnt bought any Canadian canola for the coming months. The ongoing diplomatic spat after Canadas arrest of Huaweis chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou late last year on a U.S. extradition request has stunted trade flows of the commodity. While the latest data from China showed a bump in shipments in April, thats likely only because canola cargoes had been held up in the earlier months for customs inspections. Read more: Canada-China relations hit rock bottom and at freezing point, according to Chinese envoy Premier hopes Nova Scotia can stay out of international feud with China Trump linking Huawei sanctions with trade defies security claims September futures for rapeseed meal surged 4.6 per cent on Wednesday to 2,592 yuan per ton. The most-active contract gained a fifth day for the longest winning streak since October, while open interest rose to the highest since March. Rapeseed meal prices jumped more than its rival soybean meal, which also rallied on U.S. weather concerns. If the trade rift continues, the risk rises that the physical delivery for the September contract will fail, as rapeseed meal produced from Chinese crops wont qualify for delivery on the Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange where the futures are traded. Still, the exchange may take measures to prevent such failures, said Lu Yun, an analyst at Shanghai JC Intelligence. Read more about: OTTAWAA Senate committee is launching an inquiry into the failed prosecution of Vice-Admiral Mark Norman. The Senates national defence committee has voted 7-5 on a motion from Conservative Sen. Jean-Guy Dagenais to examine the circumstances that led to the militarys second-in-command being suspended and charged with breach of trust. Normans two-year ordeal ended earlier this month when the charges were stayed. Conservatives, who allege Prime Minister Justin Trudeau politically interfered with the case, tried to get the House of Commons defence committee to initiate an investigation but the Liberals used their majority to block that effort. Conservatives had better luck Tuesday at the Senate committee, passing Dagenais motion with the support of independent Sen. Diane Griffin and unaffiliated Sen. David Richards. The motion calls on the committee to explore why the charges were laid and subsequently stayed, inviting Norman, Gen. Jonathan Vance, chief of defence staff, and Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan to testify, along with any other witnesses it deems pertinent. Read more: Collapse of trial of Vice Admiral Mark Norman reverberates across Ottawa Kenney says he offered to testify in Vice-Admiral Mark Normans defence on breach of trust charge Opinion | Susan Delacourt: Mark Normans prosecution couldnt end soon enough for Justin Trudeau The committee is to conduct its inquiry and report to the Senate by no later than June 20. Norman had been accused of leaking government secrets to Quebecs Davie shipyard, supposedly to help it nail down a $700-million contract for a navy supply ship that had been approved by the previous Conservative government and which the new Liberal government decided to review in 2015 before eventually finalizing it. In staying the charges, Crown prosecutors told the judge that new evidence theyd received from Normans defence team had led them to conclude there was no reasonable chance of convicting him. Both the Public Prosecution Service of Canada and RCMP have insisted they acted independently and professionally, without any political interference. Dagenais said his motion wasnt aimed at creating a political circus. Rather, he said its a chance for Norman to tell his side of the story after two years of having his reputation shredded in public. But independent Liberal Sen. Terry Mercer, who said Norman is a friend, predicted the committee inquiry will be a fishing expedition aimed at damaging the Liberals just months before this falls federal election. Mercer suggested the committee should also hear from officials in former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harpers office and his defence minister, Peter MacKay, who told Normans defence lawyers that theyd authorized the vice-admiral to stay in direct contact with Davie about the supply ship contract. He questioned why the Conservatives didnt volunteer that information to the RCMP or prosecutors. What bothers me about this, they knew this but they let Vice-Admiral Norman go through this for two years. You could have ended it by coming forward and saying, Hold it guys, we asked him to do this, we directed him to do this, he did nothing wrong. A number of independent senators expressed concern that Norman may not want to face a grilling before a Senate committee after everything hes been through. And even a Conservative senator who voted for the motion, Sen. Thomas McInnis, predicted Norman wont accept the invitation or, if he does, will say very little because it might be injurious to a potential civil suit. ASSINIBOIA, SASK.A former Saskatchewan Mountie is facing criminal charges for allegedly taking money from a community charity. RCMP say Cpl. Jason St. Pierre was working out of its detachment in Assiniboia, southwest of Regina, when he led an initiative to raise funds for a charity in 2015. Two years later, it was discovered that the charitys bank account was empty. An investigation revealed that over $16,000 had been withdrawn and the account had been closed. St. Pierre, who resigned last year from the police force, was charged earlier this week with criminal breach of trust. The 42-year-old is to appear in Assiniboia provincial court on Aug. 8. OTTAWAThe federal government failed to reach a planned agreement Wednesday on a specialized health facility with a northern Ontario First Nation plagued by mercury contamination. Ottawa had expected to sign a memorandum of agreement during a much-anticipated visit to the community by Indigenous Services Minister Seamus ORegan but the chief of Grassy Narrows First Nation said it wasnt possible because he needs action his people can rely on. I am disappointed, but we are not done, said Chief Rudy Turtle after lengthy negotiations with ORegan. We need to be certain that our loved ones who are hurting from mercury poisoning will finally have a place where they can be cared for with dignity. I will not rest until I am sure that the promise of the mercury home will be kept. A news advisory issued earlier this week ahead of ORegans visit to the community said there would be a memorandum of agreement outlining a path forward to meet the long-term health needs of the community which has been impacted by exposure to mercury. The ministers office generated much anticipation for the visit by promoting that there would be a signing ceremony, the community said in a statement. Ultimately, a deal could not be reached. On Tuesday, Turtle told The Canadian Press that discussions were still underway with Ottawa on the contents of the proposed agreement, which would not be legally binding. The proposed mercury home is envisioned as a specialized medical facility where members of Grassy Narrows First Nation who live with lasting impacts of mercury poisoning, including impaired peripheral vision, hearing and speech, can seek treatment in the community. The contamination stems from when a paper mill in Dryden, Ont., dumped 9,000 kilograms of the substance into the English-Wabigoon River system in the 1960s. Help for the community seemed to be on the way when the federal government promised a specialized treatment facility in November 2017 and a feasibility study was produced last fall outlining costs and design ideas. Turtle has urged the federal government to put $88.7 million the estimated 30-year cost for the facility, according to the feasibility study into a trust fund for the community to ensure the project moves ahead no matter the results of the October federal election. In a statement late Wednesday, ORegan said he is obviously disappointed an agreement was not signed, but stressed the federal government has made progress. Building a health facility in Grassy Narrows is our priority; thats why Chief Turtle and I met in the community today, ORegan said. The people of Grassy Narrows have suffered for over 50 years. Were working in close partnership in the best interest of the community. And were committed to getting this right. In January of 2017, a spokesperson for the prime minister said he would deal with the mercury crisis once and for all, the community said. Grassy Narrows has invited Trudeau to visit five times, but he has never accepted, it added. At the end of March, Trudeau apologized for his response to a protester who interrupted a Liberal fundraising event to draw attention to the mercury poisoning in Grassy Narrows. As security escorted the woman out, Trudeau thanked her for her donation: I really appreciate your donation to the Liberal Party of Canada. OTTAWAGarth Webb was a 25-year-old lieutenant when he landed on the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944, one of thousands of Canadian soldiers to take part in the greatest amphibious landing in military history and the turning point in the Second World War. When Webb joined other veterans in commemorating that pivotal event five decades later, he was struck by the lack of a tangible reminder of the sacrifices that he and the rest of the Canadians made on D-Day and he set out to build a centre dedicated to that purpose. The Juno Beach Centre in Courseulles-sur-Mers, France, was the result of that effort, and while Webb died in May 2012 at the age of 93, the centre remains as a tribute not only to his perseverance, but that of all Canadians during the Second World War. Some 15 years after it opened, however, the Juno Beach Centre is starting to feel the pinch, which is putting its immediate and long-term operations under pressure, if not at risk. We are just at the covering-costs phase right now, said Mike Bechthold, executive director of the Juno Beach Centre Association. And if things continue unchanged, the cash reserves of the organization are going to be gone in three years maybe less, because were having to fund that operational shortfall. The Juno Beach Centre was officially opened in 2003 after years of fundraising by Webb and other veterans and volunteers, including donations from the federal government and Walmart Canada, both of which continued to provide financial support over the next decade. About 1.1 million visitors have been to the museum, while the not-for-profit association behind it has hosted groups of Canadian teachers and students in France and organized exhibits and other activities at home to raise awareness of Canadas Second World War history. Walmart, which between 2009 and 2013 had contributed an average of $660,000 to the centre and the association, officially ended its support in 2015. And while the federal government recently renewed its annual $500,000 contribution for the next five years to help with the museums operations, which Bechthold said was welcome, Ottawas contribution has remained the same for 16 years even as expenses have gone up. Inflation is certainly part of it, he said of the rising costs. One thing that people dont generally think about is the security environment has changed considerably since 2003, and now there are significant new costs that we have to deal with every year for security. Last year, the centre and association posted a $236,000 loss. One reason was the costs associated with a fundraising campaign that Bechthold admitted fell far short of its goals, thanks in part to donor fatigue from the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge in 2017. Yet the Juno Beach Centre Association also posted weak financial returns in 2017, and there are fears their new normal will endanger the organizations different projects, such as a teacher-training program and the centres overall renewal. The museum is getting to that point in its lifecycle where its time to revisit some of the exhibits, said Bechthold. Things need to be overhauled, renewed and changed. One example is the Canada Room, the last room in the museum, which is intended to tell the story of Canada today, 75 years after D-Day. The room, Bechthold said, is tired and in desperate need of a $750,000 upgrade the museum cant afford. Weve drawn up everything, weve gone as far as contracting a museum-services company to get the thing done, but we dont have the money to make it happen. The federal government does have a special fund to help museums and organizations commemorate Canadas military history, but it only covers commemorations on Canadian soil, which means the Juno Beach Centre does not qualify. Read more about: OTTAWAThe prime minister and the premier of Manitoba say theyll try to find common ground on a new hydro line so the province can sell more surplus electricity to Minnesota. The two met in Ottawa Wednesday afternoon, where Justin Trudeau and Brian Pallister said theyd discuss the transmission corridor, which needs federal approval. The plan has drawn objections from Indigenous groups in Manitoba, who say their concerns about it havent been listened to. Trudeaus government is reportedly worried that a hasty approval could see the project end up in court, much like the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. Before their meeting in Trudeaus office, Pallister pointed out that Winnipeg MP and Liberal minister Jim Carr has advocated for hydro development and big international projects that make cross-border trade easier. Manitoba Hydro generates more electricity than the province uses and selling more to Minnesota would be good for its bottom line. Read more about: CHARLOTTETOWNThe interim Liberal leader on Prince Edward Island says hell take time before deciding whether to step down after wading into a controversy over abortion. Some people at pro-choice rally in front of Province House on Tuesday called for Robert Mitchells resignation after he attended an anti-abortion rally last weekend. But Mitchell says he was just at the event to gather information. Mitchell says when he assumed the job this month following the partys election loss, he promised to listen to all Islanders on all sides of issues. He said he plans to attend a pro-choice event this weekend. Mitchell says he has the support of his caucus to remain in the job but wants to make sure hes not hurting the party or damaging its image. Line Pay CEO Ko Young-su / Courtesy of Line Pay Mobile payment firm expands ties with startups, merchants to boost ecosystem By Park Hyong-ki Line Pay is moving to become more than just a mobile payment service provider, according to Line Pay Chief Executive Ko Young-su. The Japan-based tech company said it is seeking to become a platform where people can not only be able to make financial transactions, but also play music, listen to the radio, read the news, get the latest on the weather and interact with other people. Line will invest $180 million this year to develop fintech services and optimize the Line Pay platform for both users and merchants. "Our focus is to provide a seamless and convenient service customized to users' needs and preferences," Ko said in an email interview. "We are aiming to become the world's leading smart portal, a one-stop mobile lifestyle platform that enables people to connect to all information, services, products and other people in their lives." Line Pay is part of Tokyo-based Line, a popular mobile messenger in Japan and some markets in Southeast Asia. It has more than 4.3 million monthly active users globally, according to the company. It was launched in 2014 in line with the Japanese government's efforts to promote a cashless society. Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is pushing to increase the use of digital payment applications and credit cards to 40 percent by 2025, currently from 20 percent. "Aligned with Japan's vision to realize a cashless society, our mission is to close the distance between people, money and services," Ko said. gettyimagesbank Overseas ventures It will also carry out its mission in overseas markets such as Taiwan and Thailand via partnerships, he added. Line Pay has strategically invested in Taiwan-based iPass Corp., a provider of smart cards and an electronic wallet application that can be used to pay for public transportation and goods at convenience stores. The number of Line Pay iPass accountholders has reached 1.45 million in Taiwan, Line Pay said. There are more than 6 million Line Pay users, and 120,000 merchants accept it for mobile payments in Taiwan, according to Marketech International. In Thailand, Line Pay established a joint venture with BTS Group, the operator of public bus and elevated train systems. Also, it has a joint venture with Advanced Info Service (AIS), Thailand's biggest mobile operator, to boost mobile payments. "In Thailand, we have partnered with public transportation to broaden our services that our users need every day," Ko said. "Both BTS Group and AIS have a strong determination to providing cashless payment services to people in Thailand." Ko added Line Pay will further expand its alliances to contribute to a cashless society in Japan, Taiwan and Thailand. The company currently has startup accelerator programs both in Taiwan and Thailand to help Line Pay boost its ecosystem. "We are actively providing gateways to startups in accessing technologies and attracting investments," Ko said. "Line has Line ScaleUp accelerator program to help Thai startups to get technical consultation and go overseas. In Taiwan, we have Line Protostar program to help startups there to scale their businesses by using Line's technologies and platform." Blockchain for next growth The company said it has built a digital token platform called Line Token Economy using blockchain technology. It also launched a blockchain-based question and answer service called Wizball, aimed at boosting knowledge sharing. "We plan to optimize the token platform to share value and promote mutual growth as we continue to transform in the new digital era. We will further develop blockchain technology with small- and medium-sized developers as well," Ko said. "Blockchain, AI and fintech will drive the next growth of our strategic businesses." Line characters Prominent nutrition labels and taxes on sugary products can help consumers opt for healthier options, researchers said Wednesday a day after the federal government ruled out imposing a tax on sugary drinks. The years-long study from researchers at the University of Waterloo looked at the buying behaviour of more than 3,500 people when it came to drinks and snacks. It found that a 20 per cent tax on high-sugar products led to participants buying food and drinks with 20 per cent less sugar and 20 per cent fewer calories. Meanwhile, participants who looked at products with nutrition labels on the front ended up buying items that had 20 per cent less sugar than those who didnt look at nutrition labels at all. Most of us are trying to eat healthier, most of us like to save money, these are ways to give people extra incentive to do that, said David Hammond, a public health professor and lead author of the study published this month in the International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity. People shift toward products like water, shift toward unflavoured milk, shift away from high sugary foods to less sugary foods. The study comes as the federal health minister said on Tuesday that Ottawa would not place a tax on sugary drinks. Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor said such a tax wasnt a priority and pointed to other measures the government has worked on, including an updated food guide. She did say, however, that the government would focus on the issue of front-of-pack labelling. Health Canada is proposing mandatory labelling on the front of food and drinks, looking in particular at whats known as high in labelling as in high in sugar, or high in sodium, which would feature prominently on the product. The ideas are part of the governments work to tackle a growing weight problem in the country. In 2017, 64 per cent of Canadian adults were overweight or obese, up from 49 per cent in 1979, according to data from the Public Health Agency of Canada. Being overweight or obese is one of the top preventable risk factors for many chronic diseases including, Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease and some cancers, the agency said. Hammond, who lamented the governments refusal to tax sugary drinks, said prominent labelling and taxes on such products are key measures that are needed. They dont solve obesity, but boy they have a pretty decent impact in terms of helping people to shift away from products that are less healthy, he said. Most consumers want to do that, but theres a lot of confusion about fruit drinks, and things like granola bars and yogurt, it makes it easier for Canadians to go, Ok, that ones a bit better for me, Ill go for that one. Hammond said his research saw a team, lead by PhD student Rachel Acton, roam many malls in Toronto, Waterloo and Kitchener, asking shoppers to participate. The researchers had a big poster with various products on it, displayed as they might look in a vending machine. Each participant, aged 13 or older, would be given $5 and told to pick a drink, for example. Participants would pick one, use the money and receive change. Theyd keep the product and the change. The posters would be set up in a variety of ways to figure out the shoppers behaviour, Hammond said. On the control boards, for example, a regular Coca Cola would be the same price as a Diet Coke, as it is in the real world. In other instances, the Coca Cola would be priced 20 per cent higher than Diet Coke. In the labelling tests, the researchers used various approaches found throughout the world, including the high in model used in Chile that Health Canada is examining. Taxes and labelling have changed consumer and industry behaviour in both Chile and the United Kingdom, which taxes drinks based on its sugar content and has a voluntary labelling program, Hammond said. Research on labelling shows consumers do shift and it incentivizes the industry, he said. In both the U.K. and Chile the industry went and reduced sugar levels. The Ford government is not restoring a $50 million fund that helped daycares keep fees down for parents, despite the premiers pledge this week to reverse provincial child care cuts. The fund was a one-time measure introduced by the previous Liberal government to cover increased labour costs to daycares after the minimum wage was increased to $14, a spokeswoman for Education Minister Lisa Thompson said Tuesday. As was confirmed in the budget, the fee stabilization support will not be continued, said Kayla Iafelice. The previous Liberal government suddenly raised Ontarios minimum wage by more than 20 per cent, a move that was unmanageable for Ontarios child care sector, she said in an email. Instead of reacting to the previous governments short-sighted policies, we are continuing to support the sector by investing more than $2 billion in child care and early years, including 30,000 new child care spaces, the new Childcare Access Relief from Expenses tax credit, or CARE, continuing the wage enhancement grant, and the home child care enhancement grant, she said. But Toronto Councillor Mike Layton, who protested child care cuts outside a daycare in Premier Doug Fords Etobicoke North riding last week, said parents will pay the price. Read more: Were a government that listens: Doug Ford cancels retroactive cuts to municipalities Province to axe child benefit for refugee claimants and others waiting for support Fords Toronto riding among those facing deepest child care cuts, city says This was on the chopping block and all of us assumed it would be brought back after the premiers comments, he said. But it appears they are not exactly telling us everything. The city was facing an estimated $84.8 million in cuts to local child care programs, including the loss of 6,166 fee subsidies, before Ford announced Monday he was cancelling retroactive budget cuts to child care, public health and emergencies services. In total, Toronto was facing $177 million in cuts that the city warned would jeopardize services. Without the child care fee stabilization fund, worth $8.3 million to Toronto, parents could see their costs jump by an average of 4.7 per cent this year, Layton said. It is concerning the province is leaving that (cut) on the table, he said. Its not an efficiency, its downloading the cost to parents. On Monday, Toronto Mayor John Tory said he welcomed the opportunity to work with the province to find efficiencies, but would not put city services at risk. City staff are still trying to understand the impact of Fords announcement, said Karen Gray, interim general manager for Toronto Childrens Services. Staff are working through all of these details now ... and will report to executive committee next week and then council, she said in an email Tuesday. Carolyn Ferns of the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care said without the extra provincial funding, centres will have to raise fees in a province where parents already pay the highest costs in the country. In Toronto, the cost of infant child care tops $20,000 a year. The minimum wage went up and those costs still exist, she said. I dont think the province is being straight with people. To say one day everything is going back to pre-budget levels and the next day to say, except for this, is just jerking people around. The province quickly needs to clarify what is happening because child care programs cant run on rumour, Ferns added. Its not fair to put programs and families in this situation. Fees are going to go up because this funding has been cut. And that is just not OK. NDP child care critic Doly Begum said the Ford government is creating chaos for child care in Ontario. This is another cruel cut by the Ford government that will hurt families and make child care even more expensive than it already is in Toronto and in cities across the province, she said. We should be investing in affordable, licensed, publicly-delivered child care for the good of every Ontarian as well as our economy. With files from Kristin Rushowy Read more about: The Canadian Federation of Students has launched a court challenge against the Ontario governments decision to allow college and university students to opt out of certain fees. The group, along with the York Federation of Students, filed a notice of application for judicial review asking the Ontario Superior Court to quash the policy directive. They say the move will cut funding for student associations, campus newspapers, student legal aid clinics and sexual diversity offices. The student groups allege that the government issued the directive for improper purposes, unfairly targeting student unions, and interfered with the autonomy and independence of schools. They point to a Progressive Conservative fundraising email from Premier Doug Ford, in which he bemoaned what he called crazy Marxist nonsense from student unions and said he fixed that by making student union fees optional. The premiers letter is evidence that the impetus behind the directives was not to protect student choice, but to marginalize and silence student groups which are perceived as critics of the governing party and its political objectives in respect of post-secondary education, the student groups lawyers write in the application. Sofia Descalzi, the CFS national incoming chairperson, said deeming the fees non-essential will harm the ability of students to advocate collectively for their interests. The government claims this will expand student choice and save students money, she said. In reality, this is a concerted attack on democratic and equity based organizations this government opposes. Training, Colleges and Universities Minister Merrilee Fullerton said the initiative was created to make sure students had more control over how they spend their money. I see the student choice initiative as very consistent with giving more freedom to students, she said Tuesday. Lawyers are asking the court to hear the case before the start of the new school term in September, and if that cant happen, to issue an injunction in the meantime. Peel Regional Police officers who handcuffed a 6-year-old Black girl inside a Mississauga school decided to restrain her based, at least in part, on her race, a lawyer for the childs mother argued at the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal Wednesday. In his opening statement, Roger Love, the lawyer representing the child and her mother, said the girl never should have been handcuffed on both her hands and her feet inside a Peel region elementary school in September 2016. This girl was unarmed, and experiencing a tantrum... However extreme this episode may have been, it didnt warrant the use of physical restraints, said Love, a lawyer with the Human Rights Legal Support Centre, told the tribunal. There were other options and the decision to handcuff was, at least in part, based on race. The woman and her child neither of whom can be identified based on a publication ban applied Wednesday filed an application to the provinces Human Rights Tribunal alleging police brutalized and used excessive force against the child. The claim, filed against the Peel Regional Police Services Board, alleges discrimination based on colour and race, saying its an example of anti-Black racism. At the first day of the hearing, lawyer Paula Rusak said the police board strongly disputes the allegations, which she called reckless and false. She said the written human rights claim contained hyperbole and highly provocative and inflammatory words, alleging there was no due diligence taken to ensure that what was being alleged is true. Rusak argued the evidence will show that officers acted reasonably and that the child needed to be restrained because she was in danger of hurting herself or others around her. The optics are not great, but I think we all know that children sometimes can be difficult to handle, and in this particular case, the officers had no alternative but to restrain her as best they could, Rusak said. At that time its easy to Monday-morning quarterback but at that time, that was the best thing to do. The facts as presented by in the human rights claim, she said, are not going to be provable. The incident stems from a Sept. 30, 2016, incident, when police were called to Nahani Way Public School, after a teacher claimed the child had been assaulting students and staff, according to the human rights application filed by the mother. According to the mothers written claim, it was the third time that month that police had been called to the school because the child was misbehaving. The officer who arrived first said he found the child flanked by school officials and observed that she was calm, the claim states. After a second officer arrived, the child became agitated and started running throughout the school, according to the officers notes, quoted in the application. The officers located her at the schools gymnasium, where there was an assembly going on, and picked the 48-pound child up and carried her to the main office, according to the application. The officers then handcuffed her wrists and ankles while she sat in a chair, then later, laid her down on her stomach and handcuffed her hands behind her back, according to the claim. The officers then called paramedics, although the claim alleges that the officers provided no reasons in their notes that would support that decision. Read more: Black and Indigenous people less likely to trust Toronto police, survey finds Toronto police have been using facial recognition technology for more than a year Toronto cop pleads guilty to police misconduct over assault on Black man a judge called a shocking violation The mother was contacted at work and came to the school to pick up her daughter. She has since filed the human rights claim, launched a complaint to Ontarios Office of the Independent Police Review Director and initiated a lawsuit against the police. Asked by Love why she took legal action, the mother, who was called as a witness Wednesday, said she believes her daughter was only handcuffed because she is Black. I believe that light needed to be shone on the issue of police brutality. I believed that the parties responsible had to pay, she said. So that another 6-year-old girl doesnt get shackled. On the stand, the mother acknowledged that her daughter had behavioural issues at school at the time. She stated her child was processing traumatic incidents in the fall of 2016, including the mothers own recent cancer diagnosis and treatment. She stated she was working with the school staff, including its social worker, and others to find ways to address the causes of her daughters behavioural issues and improve her parenting skills. She felt that she did everything in my power to try and see what the underlying reasons were. In cross-examination, Rusak asked the mother about the specifics of prior violent incidents the school claimed the child was involved in, some leading to the child being suspended multiple times. Those incidents included that she bit one of the school staff members through a jean jacket, drawing blood; that she rode a bicycle into a staff member; that she threw scissors and a sharp pencil at a staff member; that shed gone outside and started throwing rocks, and that shed been violent with other students. The mother claimed that when she was called to pick her child up from school, the school generally did not give specifics about her daughters problematic behaviour. The mother acknowledged that she knew there were behavioural concerns. The tribunal continues Thursday. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.Congress has so far thwarted U.S. President Donald Trumps plan to build a wall along the border with Mexico. But that hasnt stopped some supporters from finding a way to build their own barrier. A group that pushes for stricter border control is spending $6 million (U.S.) to construct less than a mile of border fencing on private land in southern New Mexico. Their hope is for the project to help limit the flow of migrant families trying to enter the United States around El Paso, Texas. It really was ridiculous how easy it was to get around the El Paso wall until we built this, said Kris Kobach, who is known for his hard-line stance on immigration and is on the advisory board of the group, We Build the Wall, which collects donations to finance a barrier on the southern border. Kobach unveiled the fencing on Memorial Day on land in Sunland Park, New Mexico, owned by the American Eagle Brick Co. He said that the company hired to build the wall, Fisher Industries of North Dakota, hoped to complete the project in a few days. The walls effectiveness and legality, though, are in doubt. The stretch of wall could simply push migrant families toward crossings in more remote areas, as other portions of border fencing have done. Still, the project has already come under criticism from elected leaders in New Mexico and Texas who see it as a publicity ploy, while others point to the ties between We Build the Wall and a right-wing militia whose leader is in jail on weapons charges. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, focused scrutiny on Kobach, the former Kansas secretary of state who ran unsuccessfully for governor last year, and Steve Bannon, a former adviser to Trump who is chairman of We Build the Walls advisory board. Its deeply disturbing when outsiders, like Kris Kobach and Steve Bannon, come in and use our community and people as a backdrop to further their racist agenda, Escobar said in a statement. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, also a Democrat, said: To act as though throwing up a small section of wall on private land does anything to effectively secure our southern border from human and drug trafficking or address the humanitarian needs of the asylum-seekers and local communities receiving them thats nonsense. The mayor of Sunland Park, Javier Perea, said the city issued a cease-and-desist order Tuesday after determining that the builders had failed to obtain the required permits for the project. The construction of the wall at this point is in violation of city ordinances, Perea said, saying that a survey had not been filed and that the fencing exceeded the maximum allowed height of 6 feet. Dustin Stockman, a vice president of We Build the Wall, said that the project was on strong legal footing and would be completed. We Build the Wall was started in December as a GoFundMe online fundraising campaign by Brian Kolfage, a disabled Air Force veteran. The organization said it hoped to raise $1 billion. So far, it has collected $20 million from private donors. Jeff Allen, a co-owner of the company on whose land the wall is going up, told the El Paso Times why he favoured the project. We have been burglarized by illegals, he said. We have drug traffickers coming through here, and anyone who is against this is against America. The desert near Sunland Park has been the site of militia activity. A group called the United Constitutional Patriots uploaded video to social media showing its members detaining migrant families. We Build the Wall used video recorded by the militia in its fundraising pitches, according to a report by Phoenix New Times. While Kobach claimed Tuesday that We Build the Wall was not tied to the militia, Jim Benvie, the spokesman for the militia, said that he had dealt with Kolfage, the founder of We Build the Wall, and expressed delight with the project. This is our stomping ground, Benvie said about the area where the wall was being built. He added that the group considered the project a victory and planned to patrol in other areas in Texas, Arizona or New Mexico. Trump has encountered one obstacle after another in his quest to build a wall along the entire border. After Congress refused to allocate money for the project, a federal judge in California granted an injunction this month preventing the Trump administration from redirecting funds for the wall using a national emergency declaration. Even before this flare-up of militia and construction activity, residents along the border have long been grappling with existing fenced sections. Researchers say that the expansion of border fencing during the Bush administration pushed migrants toward crossing in more remote territory, resulting in hundreds of deaths from exposure to extreme desert heat. Kobach, who came under scrutiny this month for his list of conditions, including an on-call jet, if he were to become the Trump administrations immigration czar, disputed assertions that this new portion of wall would place migrant families at risk. I dont think this fence endangers anyones life, Kobach said, while claiming that migrants would not seek to cross the border at the point where the new portion of wall ends, near a cliff. I doubt that theyre going to try to climb over an 18-foot bollard wall, he said. Still, as debate unfolds about the wall, the desert is claiming lives. In one grim episode this month, a 26-year-old Mexican man was found dead near another portion of border wall in southern New Mexico. Investigators are looking into whether he fell to his death while trying to scale the wall. Read more about: WASHINGTONSeveral Democrats running for president demanded Wednesday that Congress immediately begin impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump, increasing the pressure on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has been reluctant to do so. Half a dozen presidential candidates issued the demand just minutes after special counsel Robert S. Mueller III reiterated that his report did not exonerate Trump. If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so, Mueller said. He added that the Justice Department policy that forbids indicting a sitting president explicitly refers to alternatives. The opinion says the Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing, he noted. What Robert Mueller basically did was return an impeachment referral, Sen. Kamala Harris, who has previously supported impeachment, said on Twitter as she campaigned in South Carolina. Now it is up to Congress to hold this president accountable. New calls for impeachment proceedings came from Sen. Cory Booker and former Rep. Beto ORourke. We have one remaining path to ensure justice is served. It is our legal and moral obligation to hold those who have committed crimes accountable. Its clear that the House must begin impeachment proceedings. No one is above the law, Booker said. He had previously said impeachment talk was premature. ORourke, who previously said grounds for impeachment existed but left the decision to Congress, responded to Mueller with a more decisive call for Congress to act. There must be consequences, accountability and justice. The only way to ensure that is to begin impeachment proceedings, he said. The onslaught of impeachment support from the 2020 contenders will undoubtedly increase pressure on Pelosi, who has thus far opposed starting an impeachment inquiry. She has accused Trump of a cover-up, but has argued that impeachment would be divisive without bipartisan support for the procedure. So far, only one Republican member of the House, Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan, and no Republican senators have supported impeachment proceedings. But impeachment has become all but a litmus test for the progressive left, both among House Democrats and the 2020 field. South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg said the question now lies with the legislative branch. The message really is, over to you, Congress, he said, in an interview with NBC News. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, who was the first major 2020 Democratic presidential candidate to call for Trumps impeachment, said she was vindicated by the Mueller statement. Muellers statement makes clear what those who have read his report know: It is an impeachment referral, and its up to Congress to act, she said. They should. Read more about: WASHINGTONThe Trump administration believes Russia has restarted very low-yield nuclear tests, officials said Wednesday in a finding that could be used to renew in earnest the arms race between Moscow and Washington. But the significance of the statements by the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency and a senior National Security Council official was immediately debated by nuclear weapons experts. Some experts said claims of low-yield tests would be nothing new. Intelligence officials and nuclear analysts in Washington have long raised the possibility of such violations going back nearly two decades, to when Russia ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 2000. Other nuclear weapons experts have argued that significant Russian cheating on the treaty is unlikely because the designs of the countrys nuclear warheads tend to be very robust. The small returns, they have said, would make the geopolitical costs of getting caught prohibitively high. Lt. Gen. Robert P. Ashley Jr., the director of the Pentagons intelligence arm, said Russia appeared to have enhanced its ability to develop new nonstrategic nuclear weapons and to manage its existing stockpile by its testing capability. The United States believes Russia is probably not adhering to the nuclear testing moratorium in a manner consistent with the zero-yield standard, Ashley said in remarks at the Hudson Institute. In a question-and-answer session afterward, he appeared to soften that statement, saying only that Russia has the capability to conduct a test with a low nuclear yield. But in a later panel, Tim Morrison, a senior director at the National Security Council, said Russia had already violated the test ban treaty. General Ashley was clear that we believe that Russia has taken actions to improve its nuclear weapons capability that run contrary to the scope of its obligations under the treaty, Morrison said. The government officials said Russia had been developing a range of new tactical nuclear weapons including low-yield arms meant to be used on conventional battlefields that the tests could help make more reliable. Siegfried S. Hecker, a former director of the Los Alamos weapons laboratory in New Mexico, said any low-yield testing by Russia at Novaya Zemlya, an Arctic Ocean archipelago, would most likely relate to experiments to enhance the safety and reliability of Russias nuclear arsenal not trying to develop new kinds of warheads. Read more about: JUBA, South Sudan - Oil-rich South Sudan is struggling to increase production of crude several months after the end of its civil war, and the political upheaval in neighbouring Sudan is in part to blame. The signing of a peace deal in September helped open the way to resuming drilling in South Sudans key region of Unity state, but output has been more sluggish than expected in the country with Africas third-largest oil reserves . We had wanted to be farther along but its not an easy task, the oil ministrys director-general, Awow Daniel Chuang, told The Associated Press. That has hurt recovery from a five-year conflict that killed nearly 400,000 people. Billions of dollars in oil revenue were lost during the war as many oil rigs were shut down or destroyed. Production in Unity state has increased to 175,000 barrels a day since September but is far from the target of 200,000 barrels. Before the civil war began in late 2013, production across the country had been about 350,000 barrels a day, according to the oil ministry. Chuang attributes the slow recovery in part to technical challenges, the lack of funds for new machinery and fluctuating oil prices. The surprise ouster of Sudans long-time dictator Omar al-Bashir in April also has complicated recovery. South Sudan and Sudan share an oil pipeline and other resources, and earlier this month South Sudans oil minister had to travel to Sudan to release materials stranded at Port Sudan, the sole port for South Sudans oil exports, because workers were busy protesting issues related to the post-Bashir transition. Despite the obstacles, South Sudans government says it should come close to achieving its oil production target by years end when it expects all five rigs in Unity state to be operational. Three are now functional. But industry experts say the reality on the ground has shocked potential investors and is starkly different from what the government is conveying, Shawn Duthie, senior analyst with Africa Risk Consulting, told the AP. Our in-country sources have said that oil production has not really increased in the north and that infrastructure in some parts of Unity state were almost non-existent, Duthie said. The International Monetary Fund, which visited South Sudan earlier this year, cited an increased daily oil production of about 20 per cent. That contrasts the governments numbers, which reflect twice that amount. South Sudans oil ministry said it needs approximately $1.5 billion over the next five years to invest in updated equipment to extract more oil and map unexplored areas. Many of the countrys oil fields are old, which means they are producing more water than oil, the ministry said. The government is reaching out to foreign investors. South Africa this month signed a $1 billion deal for oil exploration and production expected to begin this year. South Sudans oil sector continues to face scrutiny by the international community as a major driver of violence and human suffering, according to a report by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan in February. The sector is also accused by human rights groups, the U.N. Security Council and others of lacking transparency. Earlier this month President Salva Kiir confirmed plans to allot 30,000 barrels of oil per day to fund a road construction project signed with Chinas state-owned Shandong Hi-Speed Group. Instead of putting the oil money into South Sudans Central Bank, as stipulated by last years peace deal, the money is being deposited into a special fund in China to make the transfers easier, Information Minister Michael Makuei told the AP. The deal is sounding loud alarm bells due to its lack of transparency and accountability, said Nelly Busingye, regional co-ordinator for east and southern Africa for Publish What You Pay, a global campaign for an open and accountable extractive industry. This is all the more alarming because in recent years oil revenue has been used to procure weapons, fund militias and line the pockets of those in power, said Brian Adeba, deputy director of policy at the Enough Project, a Washington-based advocacy group. ___ Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa GUATEMALA CITY - Guatemalan authorities said Wednesday they have broken up a people-smuggling ring that purportedly moved 800 migrants a year through the country and took in some $10 million doing so. The announcement came amid a visit by the acting U.S. Homeland Security secretary, Kevin McAleenan, during which the two countries signed an agreement on jointly addressing migration and people-trafficking. Guatemalan prosecutors and National Civil Police arrested nine people in the case, including the alleged ringleader. The suspects were said to have housed migrants from Central and South America in Guatemala and moved them across the border from the town of Gracias a Dios, Huehuetenango department, into Mexico, bound for the United States. The smugglers allegedly charged $11,000 to $12,000 per adult and $3,500 for minors. Officials said the operation was carried out with support from U.S. Homeland Security Investigations. MEXICO CITY - Mexican authorities have issued an arrest warrant for the former director of state oil firm Petroleos Mexicanos in what looks to be the most ambitious anti-corruption push yet by the new administration. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who took office on Dec. 1 on vows to stamp out endemic public corruption but to not target former government officials, defended the case on Wednesday as the continuation of an investigation that began under his predecessor, Enrique Pena Nieto. There is no political persecution, Lopez Obrador said during his early morning press conference. These are facts, alleged crimes, that have to be pursued. Attorney General Alejandro Gertz told Mexican broadcaster Televisa on Wednesday that efforts to locate former Pemex chief Emilio Lozoya have not been successful, but that the case against him is solid. Also on air with Televisa, Lozoyas personal lawyer, Javier Coello, suggested that Pena Nieto be called in for questioning. Lozoya managed Pena Nietos campaign for president before being placed at the helm of Pemex, from 2012 to 2016. The case against Lozoya centres on the 2015 sale of a fertilizer plant by steel maker Altos Hornos Mexicanos SA, or AHMSA, to Pemex for what auditors say was an inflated price. Investigators say Lozoya appears to have received a substantial personal payment for facilitating the purchase, at the expense of taxpayers. His accounts have been frozen. AHMSA Chairman Alonso Ancira was detained in Spain on Tuesday, though AHMSA accounts were unfrozen early Wednesday so that the steelmaker, which employs more than 20,000 workers, can continue operations. Coello said in a Tuesday statement that he had filed judicial actions contesting the account freeze and any potential arrest warrant for Lozoya. A judge in Mexico City issued a provisional suspension against his detention on Wednesday. Legal injunctions are frequently deployed in Mexico to prevent arrests. Liliana Veloz, executive director of the Network for Accountability at Mexican research university CIDE, said what remains to be seen is whether the investigation will hold up or whether Lozoya and Ancira become fat fish that are caught and later released, serving as a political stunt for the new administration. The apprehension orders are a way for the government to convey that there is an idea of being able to dismantle large networks of corruption, she said. Beyond punitive actions, what the government needs is to prevent corruption, she added. Corruption has permeated all public domains, said Veloz. Mexico scored 28 out of 100 points in Transparency Internationals 2018 Corruption Perceptions Index, where a lower score indicates higher levels of corruption. That puts Mexico on par with Russia and behind countries such as Honduras and Bolivia on perceptions of clean business. Mexicos Financial Intelligence Unit said Monday that there were various transactions with funds that presumably did not come from legal activities in the frozen accounts and the funds are presumed to have originated in acts of corruption. Santiago Nieto, head of the unit, called the account freezes a hallmark of the new Finance Ministry. The policy of the Mexico government is zero tolerance for corruption and impunity, he wrote on Twitter. Nieto was a top corruption investigator in the administration of Pena Nieto until he was abruptly fired in 2017 in the middle of a probe into Lozoyas dealings while head of Pemex. Nieto reopened the case in his new position with Lopez Obrador. Lopez Obrador expressed support for Nietos investigation and those of any other public servant who spots apparent misdeeds. Public servants like Nieto have been told not to cover anything up or protect anyone, and to immediately present findings of potential misuse of public funds to the attorney generals office, Lopez Obrador said. He added that the attorney generals office will decide whether to broaden the case to include other government officials who approved Pemexs acquisition of the Fertinal fertilizer business. Including capital improvements, Lopez Obrador said Pemex has invested nearly $1 billion into a factory that was practically junk and not operational when purchased. Lozoya and Altos Hornos have also been mentioned, but not charged, in corruption scandals involving Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht. Lozoya has previously denied taking bribes from Odebrecht, while AHMSA acknowledged a $3.7 million payment for services to a company that has been identified as a possible vehicle that Odebrecht used to disguise illicit payments. The so-called Car Wash investigation into illicit payments by Odebrecht to government officials has led to multiple arrests and prosecutions in Latin American countries over the past five years, but none in Mexico. U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump walk across the South Lawn as they return to the White House in Washington, DC on May 28. AFP-Yonhap U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday deflected criticism that he insulted a fellow American over a dictator when he agreed with North Korea's harsh assessment of Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden. Trump has come under fire since he made remarks on Twitter and during a press conference in Tokyo over the weekend that supported North Korea's statement last week on the former vice president. In a commentary published by the state-run Korean Central News Agency, Pyongyang slammed Biden as a "a fool of low IQ," apparently in response to the presidential candidate's labeling of Kim Jong-un as a tyrant and dictator. U.S. Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden runs up the steps onto the stage to begin the kickoff rally of his campaign for the 2020 Democratic presidental nomination in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., May 18. Reuters-Yonhap WASHINGTON - Facing new trade sanctions and a U.S. clampdown on its top telecommunications company, China issued a pointed reminder Wednesday that it has yet to unleash all its weapons in its trade war with the Trump administration. Chinese state media warned that Beijing could cut America off from exotic minerals that are widely used in electric cars and mobile phones. The threat to use Chinas rich supply of so-called rare earths as leverage in the conflict has contributed to sharp losses in U.S. stocks and sliding long-term bond yields. For months, the worlds two biggest economies have been locked in a standoff over allegations that China deploys predatory tactics including stealing trade secrets and forcing foreign companies to hand over technology in a drive to supplant U.S. technological dominance. The Trump administration has imposed 25% tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese imports and is planning to tax the $300 billion in imports that have so far been spared. And it escalated the stakes this month by putting the Chinese telecom giant Huawei on a blacklist that effectively bars U.S. companies from supplying it with computer chips, software and other components without government approval. The U.S. claims Huawei is legally beholden to Chinas ruling Communist Party, which could order it to spy on their behalf. Washington has offered no evidence that the Huawei has done that, however. Huawei is trying to beat back one punitive U.S. measure in federal court. In a motion filed late Tuesday in eastern Texas, the company argued that a 2018 law that bars it from selling telecom gear to U.S. government agencies and contractors should be struck down as unconstitutional. The move for summary judgment in a case filed against the U.S. government in March says the law violates a constitutional prohibition against trial by legislature of individual entities. Congress thus acted unconstitutionally when it adjudicated Huaweis guilt and blacklisted it, the motion argues. An attorney representing Huawei in the U.S. case, Glen Nager of Jones Day, asserts that Congress alone cannot constitutionally impose punishment on an individual company which the punitive law does in singling out Huawei by name. The law is intended to drive Huawei out of the U.S. i.e., to banish it, Nager argued. It stigmatizes Huawei as a tool of the Chinese government with no right to a fair hearing, he added. Steven Schwinn, a professor at John Marshall Law School in Chicago, suggested that Huaweis arguments fall short constitutionally, and given that this relates to national security, we can expect the courts to be fairly deferential to the government. The nationalistic Chinese newspaper Global Times warned that China has plenty of ways to retaliate against the United States, including the threat of cutting off supplies of rare earths. China last year produced 78% of the worlds rare earths, according to researchers at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. If the U.S. fails to exercise restraint, it will see that China is far from running out of cards, and we have the will and determination to fight the U.S. to the end, the papers editorial said. An official of Chinas top economic planning agency did not rule out using rare earths as a countermeasure against the U.S.s unwarranted suppression. President Xi Jinping visited rare earth-related businesses in southeastern Jiangxi province earlier this month. He called rare earths an important strategic resource while stressing the importance of owning independent core technologies, the state-run China Daily reported. China has used rare earths as a cudgel before. Five years ago, the World Trade Organization slapped down Chinas attempt to restrict the export of rare earths, rejecting its claim that it just wanted to protect the environment and conserve supplies. Instead, the move appeared to be aimed at hurting Japan with which Beijing was having a diplomatic tiff. Scott Kennedy, director of the project on the Chinese economy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the Chinese might benefit even less if they try to weaponize rare earths again. Its not the threat that it was ... when the Chinese threatened to cut off the Japanese, he said. First, users of rare earths have stockpiled the minerals for a rainy day. Second, they also have figured out how to use less rare earth to achieve the same results in such products as lasers and magnets. And third, different minerals and chemicals are increasingly being used as rare earth substitutes. Kennedy predicts that once investors have realized the threat wasnt as dire, markets would bounce back. Still, he isnt optimistic about the U.S.-China trade negotiations, which broke off May 10 after an 11th round of talks failed to produce an agreement. U.S. officials accused the Chinese of reneging on agreements theyd made in earlier rounds. The Chinese first are going to have to signal they will talk, he said. Then they will have to go back to where they stood before they backpedaled on earlier concessions. I dont see any body language from the Chinese that theyre about to do that, Kennedy said. ___ Yanan Wang reported from Shenzhen, China, and Bajak from Boston. AP video producer Olivia Zhang in Shenzhen and writer Christopher Bodeen in Beijing contributed to this report. SINGAPORE - Asian shares slipped Wednesday on expectations that a trade dispute between China and the United States would simmer and possibly weigh on growth. With a lull in economic releases closer to home, investors digested President Donald Trumps comments that the country was not ready for a trade deal with China. Trump spoke to reporters in Tokyo on Monday. Japans benchmark Nikkei 225 gave up 1.2% to 21,003.37. The Kospi in South Korea tumbled 1.3% to 2,023.32 and Hong Kongs Hang Seng was 0.2% lower at 27,348.03. Australias S&P/ASX 200 eased 0.7% to 6,440.00. The Shanghai Composite reversed early losses to edge 0.5% higher to 2,923.88. Stocks fell in Taiwan and Singapore but advanced in Indonesia. Earlier this month, China and the U.S. concluded their 11th round of trade talks with no agreement. The U.S. has since raised tariffs on Chinese exports, triggering retaliation from China. The Trump administration has also mounted sanctions on Huawei. But it refrained from labelling China or any other country as a currency manipulator in a report to Congress on Tuesday. To some extent, the sparing of China as a currency manipulator had been expected but provides some relief for one watching the U.S.-China trade impasse, Jingyi Pan of IG said in a market commentary. She added that Chinas official PMI for May, which will be released on Friday, would be watched an indicator of the initial impact of tariffs on growth. Over on Wall Street, stocks closed broadly lower as investors who felt jittery about long-term growth shifted money into bonds. The yield on the benchmark 10 year Treasury fell to 2.26%, its lowest level since September 2017. The broad S&P 500 index slipped 0.8% to 2,802.39 on Tuesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 0.9% to 25,347.77 and the Nasdaq composite was down 0.4% at 7,607.35. The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks retreated 0.7% to 1,504.02. ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude lost 73 cents to $58.41 per barrel. The contract rose 51 cents to $59.14 per barrel on Tuesday. Brent crude, the international standard, fell 63 cents to $68.04 per barrel. It settled 10 cents lower at $68.67 per barrel in the previous session. CURRENCIES: The dollar weakened to 109.21 yen from 109.36 yen late Tuesday. The euro was slightly higher at $1.1162 from $1.1161. ISLAMABAD - Pakistani police have arrested dozens of activists from an opposition party to prevent them from reaching the main office of an anti-graft body that is questioning the partys leader about alleged corruption. Several activists were beaten by police with batons during clashes Wednesday in Islamabad. The violence erupted when about 200 supporters of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party, marched toward the main building of the National Accountability Bureau to express solidarity with their leader, who faced questions there in connection with a corruption case. Pakistani authorities have arrested several politicians and businessmen on corruption charges since Prime Minister Imran Khan came to power last year following the removal of Nawaz Sharif by the countrys top court also over corruption allegations. GENEVA - The Boeing 737 Max jet that was grounded after two deadly crashes will not fly before mid-August at the earliest, the global airline trade group said Wednesday. The spokesman for the International Air Transport Association, Anthony Concil, said the group estimates the planes will remain grounded for at least another 10-12 weeks, though regulators like the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration will have final say. The plane was grounded in mid-March after the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines Max. A Lion Air Max crashed in October off the Indonesian coast. In all, 346 people died. Concil said IATAs estimate is based on comments from U.S. carriers that they wouldnt be scheduling commercial flights of the planes through August, and that the FAA hasnt yet provided a timeline on decisions that could allow the planes to resume service. Concil spoke from Seoul, where IATA is preparing its annual meeting. IATA has 290 members, representing 82% of world commercial cargo and passenger traffic. Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg, meanwhile, declined on Wednesday to give a timetable. Speaking at an investor conference in New York, he said he hopes all regulators will clear the plane for flying when the FAA does, but there may be some international authorities that operate on a different schedule. Boeing is working on changes to flight-control software and additional pilot training but has not submitted a formal application yet to the FAA. CAEN, France - The emotion of being liberated from Nazi occupation was so sweet and intense that the French refugees burst into song, a spontaneous rendition of La Marseillaise that echoed around the underground network of dank, dark tunnels where they had been sheltering for weeks since D-Day, amid filth, fleas and the rumble of bombs. A girl of just 11 in that world-changing summer of 1944, when the Allied liberation of western Europe began, Yvette Lethimonnier, recalls with vivid clarity how their saviours, a unit of Canadian troops, saluted when they found the refugees in their cavernous hiding place. Even the most elderly clambered to their feet, roused by the thrill of sudden freedom. All their voices joined in belting out the rousing words of the French anthem: Arise children of the fatherland, the day of glory has arrived! It was such a deliverance, infinite happiness, the now 86-year-old Lethimonnier remembers. In fact, every time I hear La Marseillaise, it has an indescribable effect on me. Because I see my father again, in the quarry, singing it. Without the huge underground stone quarries that sheltered thousands of people in and around the city of Caen, a major objective of the Allied force that landed on beaches to the north on June 6, 1944, the civilian toll of roughly 20,000 French dead in the battle for Normandy might have been steeper still. When World War II veterans gather with leaders of still-grateful Allied nations in Normandy for the 75th anniversary of D-Day to remember the feats and sacrifices, therell also be lower-key ceremonies to honour civilian casualties. Even now, the work of understanding how civilians in Normandy suffered through and survived their liberation continues. Archeologists using laser scanners are mapping the quarry where Lethimonnier and other families found refuge in the outskirts of Caen, shedding new light on an under-explored aspect of D-Day history dominated by Allied military exploits. The cavern, inaccessible to the public but visited by an Associated Press team, is one of the best-preserved makeshift bomb-shelters in Caen, a 1944 time-capsule filled with traces of the civilians who hid there and their ordeals. There are abandoned shoes, a dolls head, broken plates, a rusty key, cutlery, a rosary, and other personal objects that spark the imagination. Abandoned vials show where a first-aid station used to be. The long-rotten remains of straw beds amid the puddles and gooey mud eloquently speak of the extreme discomfort the refugees endured. We slept as we could, Lethimonnier recalls. There were lice, bedbugs, fleas, cockroaches. The extreme precision of laser mapping is allowing programmers to computer-generate 3-D visualizations of the underground space and its abandoned objects, preserving the history. When posted online, possibly next year, the 3-D modeling will allow viewers to virtually tour the cavern and get a taste of the refugees rat-like existence. It will enable the public to understand what happened in the quarry, to visit it without actually going down, says Laurent Dujardin, a Caen historian who has documented the quarries wartime role and is working with the archeological teams. The aim is to make what happened here understandable. To dislodge Adolf Hitlers forces from towns and villages of northern France where theyd had four years to build defences and dig in, the Allies sometimes had to destroy them, dropping tens of thousands of tons of bombs, firing salvos from warships at sea, and unleashing hundreds of thousands of ground troops who battled their way inland from the landing beaches. St.-Lo, to name just one martyred Normandy town, was all but destroyed and later unflatteringly named The Capital of the Ruins by playwright Samuel Beckett. Allied leaflets dropped before raids urged people to: Leave now! You dont have a minute to lose. Caen was heavily bombed and shelled and some 2,000 of its inhabitants were killed. D-Day planners expected Allied troops to quickly take the strategic city but German resistance was so furious that its liberation instead took six weeks. A saving grace for Caen were the quarries from which its famous creamy limestone had been extracted for centuries, for churches and castles and faraway monuments such as the Tower of London and Cologne Cathedral. Roughly one-third of the 60,000 inhabitants took refuge in the caverns, the biggest sheltering thousands of people. During breaks in the fighting, refugees scavenged outside for food. Lethimonnier says her father sliced meat for stew off the carcasses of farm animals that had been killed. She would sneak out, too, clambering up a narrow shaft from the quarry to see the destruction for herself. On one such escapade, chasing a rumour that spread among kids in her cave that soldiers outside were distributing chocolate, she was injured in the left leg by shrapnel from a shell-burst. The smells were horrific. There was a smell of burning. You could see a foot, an arm or a body in the ruins, Lethimonnier recalls. The smoke lingered for I dont know how long. The inevitable vanishing of witnesses from World War II makes the work of preserving the history only more urgent, a race against time. To help archeologists better understand how refugees organized themselves, with latrines in one corner, a makeshift kitchen by the quarry entrance, and families marking out spaces in the dirt, Lethimonnier agreed to go back into the dark, lowered into the quarry on a rope down the same narrow shaft shed scaled as a girl. She says returning to the cave was cathartic. A picture of innocence when she went down the hole on the morning of D-Day, muddying the white dress she was wearing to mark her first communion two days earlier, Lethimonnier was a changed kid when her family finally emerged after nearly two months, with the Allies then heading for Paris and beyond. Their house was ruined, leaky with blast holes. She remembers her father taking the boots off a German officers corpse, because hed lost his own shoes. Lethimonnier says she has come to understand that destruction couldnt be avoided. They did what was necessary for us to get back our freedom, she says. It was difficult. But the simplest thing is to say, Thank you. BRUSSELS - The European Commission on Wednesday urged European Union nations to open membership talks with Albania and North Macedonia, saying the Balkans countries have delivered on reforms. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini told reporters that accession talks with the two countries should start as soon as possible. They are ready. This is our assessment. However, the expansion over the years of the 28-nation EU has complicated decision-making in the worlds biggest trade bloc, and its unclear whether member states will endorse the move. Upon taking up his post as commission president in 2014, Jean-Claude Juncker said no countries would join the EU during his term, which ends on Oct. 31. Mogherini said its not as if Albania and North Macedonia would join the union tomorrow morning. Its a complicated process. The prospect of EU membership has been a powerful force for reforms in the volatile Balkans since the former Yugoslavia disintegrated into war in the early 1990s. North Macedonian President Stevo Pendarovski welcomed Mogherinis comments, saying he expects his country to get a fair chance and to transform itself through the opening of each separate chapter of the accession talks. Until recently known as Macedonia, the country has been an EU candidate member since 2005 but never opened accession talks because of a dispute with Greece. The two neighbours struck a deal last year for Macedonia to rename itself North Macedonia, in exchange for Greece dropping its objections to the country joining NATO and, eventually, the EU. Mogherini warned that Europe is at a crossroads. We always say that it is a merit-based process, so when merit is assessed as positive it needs to be acknowledged. Failure to recognize and respond to objective progress would damage the European Unions credibility, she said, adding that it could also undermine stability and seriously discourage further reforms. Her warning comes a day after Serbia put its troops on full alert after armed Kosovo police fired tear gas and arrested about two dozen people in Serb-dominated northern Kosovo in what they called an operation against organized crime. EU-backed talks between Serbia and Kosovo on normalizing relations are bogged down. KIEV, Ukraine - Georgias ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili has arrived in Ukraine a day after its new leader reinstated his citizenship. Saakashvili arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday following the decision by Ukraines new president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, to restore his citizenship. He praised Zelenskiy for a quick and brave decision to give back his citizenship. Speaking to reporters at Kyivs airport, he promised to help make Ukraine the most successful country in Europe. Saakashvili took up Ukrainian citizenship in 2015 after giving up citizenship of his native Georgia where he faced abuse of power charges related to his time as president between 2004 and 2013. He moved to Ukraine, where then-president Petro Poroshenko appointed him governor of Odesa region. The two fell out and Saakashvili was stripped of his Ukrainian citizenship in 2017. ATHENS, Greece - Greeces left-wing government says it is planning to appoint new top judges before a July 7 general election, a decision that has drawn criticism from opposition conservatives who hold a big lead in opinion polls. Government officials said Wednesday that the government was expected to back the move before the current term of the judiciary leadership expires at the end of June. The conservative New Democracy party is demanding that the appointments be delayed until after the election. New Democracy won the European election vote in Greece on Sunday by a wide margin. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras called early national elections as the results came in. His Syriza party trailed New Democracy by more than 9 percentage points. PARIS - The Louvre museum in Paris reopened to the public Wednesday after being shut down for a day when workers complained about overcrowding and walked out Monday. Union representatives met Wednesday to discuss plans from the museums management on how to ease the traffic flow at the worlds most visited museum. They say the current dispute is linked to renovation work around the Mona Lisa, the museums most famous painting, which has caused organizational problems, huge queues and the harassment of staff by frustrated tourists. Unions decided to reopen the museum at 11 a.m., some two hours after its regular start time, after management agreed to bring in 30 more employees on a temporary basis over summer. Satisfied is not the word. Its a short-term band-aid dressing to the problems of overcrowding, said Christian Galani of the CGT Culture union. Thirty extra temporary workers will be hired in June. But what we want are permanent civil servant positions to solve the problem once and for all, he added. Unions note that staff numbers have dropped over the past decade even though the number of visitors to the Louvre has risen 20%. Hundreds of frustrated tourists, some who had been waiting several hours in line Wednesday, expressed relief that they would be allowed into the venerable institution. Lauren Berry, a 24-year old tourist from Oxford, Mississippi, said that she and her family had already been turned away from the Louvre on Monday but came back on Wednesday in hopes that it would reopen. The museum is closed on Tuesdays. We had planned our entire trip around coming to the Louvre because we are huge art lovers, Berry said. The gallery in which the Mona Lisa is exhibited is undergoing a months-long renovation. Because the Leonardo Da Vince masterpiece is so valuable, it cannot be moved during the building works like all the other paintings in that gallery. It is currently the only painting remaining in the Salle des Etats room, and tourists are cramming together just to get a glimpse of it for a few seconds. Pierre Zinenberg, a Louvre employee and union representative, told The Associated Press that the staff cant work under these conditions. Tourists are being aggressive to employees near the Mona Lisa because they are being squeezed into a small space, he said. A new security window for the masterpiece, which will enable the painting to be temporarily moved to a more practical location further away from the renovations, is expected to be installed as early as July. BUDAPEST, Hungary - Hungarian police detained the captain of a cruise ship that collided with and sank a sightseeing boat packed with South Korean tourists, as rescue crews geared up to raise the vessel from the bottom of the Danube River in the heart of Budapest while scouring the waters for 21 people still missing. Seven people are confirmed dead and seven have been rescued, all of them South Koreans, Hungarian officials said. Hungarys state TV reported that all those rescued have been released from the hospital except one who is being treated for broken ribs. Officials said preparations to bring up the 70-year-old boat, which was built in the former Soviet Union, could take days. Police, who launched a criminal investigation into the incident, said late Thursday that they had detained and questioned the Ukrainian captain of the larger vessel. The 64-year-old man is suspected of endangering water transport leading to a deadly mass accident.In line with Hungarian laws, the suspect was identified only as Yuriy C., referencing his first name and the initial letter of his last name. Police proposed the arrest of the Odesa resident, described earlier by police as an experienced sailor. So far, only seven of the 35 people onboard, that included 33 South Koreans, are known to have survived the incident near the Hungarian Parliament in Budapest. Seven others are confirmed dead and 21 remain missing. A South Korean group on a package tour of Europe including 30 tourists, two guides and a photographer were on an hour-long sightseeing tour of Budapest when their boat collided with a Viking cruise ship during a downpour Wednesday evening. Nineteen South Koreans and two Hungarian crew members the captain and his assistant remain missing. A map released by Hungarian police showed the locations and times the seven bodies were recovered, with one body found nearly 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) downstream, nearly 2- 1/2 hours after the collision. Those contributing to the search will continue to do everything possible ... along the full Hungarian stretch of the Danubes coasts in the interests of the locating the missing persons, Budapest police said in a statement, adding that the river was flowing at speeds of 9-11 kilometres (5.6-6.8 miles) per hour. A crisis management team from the South Korean government arrived in Budapest late Thursday, as well as representatives from the South Korean tourist agency which organized the ill-fated trip. The most important emphasis of our government is the protection of Korean nationals overseas, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Secretary Oh Sai Juengh said upon his arrival in Budapest. The sunken boat was located early Thursday near the Margit Bridge, not far from the neo-Gothic Parliament building on the riverbank. Video released by Hungarian police showed the sightseeing boat, identified as the Hableany (Mermaid), travelling closely side by side and in the same direction as a German-built Viking cruise ship as they approached the bridge Wednesday night. The Hableany then appeared to steer slightly to its left, into the path of the 135-meter (443-feet) long cruise ship, which continued to sail on at the same speed. The two collided and the sightseeing boat was then seen tipping on its side between the bridges two supports. As the Viking comes into contact with (the Hableany), it overturns it and in about seven seconds, as it turn on its side, it sinks, Police Col. Adrian Pal said. Pal said its unclear what caused the Hableany to steer into the path of the Viking. He said several people aboard the Hableany fell into the water after the collision. The South Korean government said none of those on board was wearing a life jacket. Police said rescue operations were hampered by the rain and the fast flow of the rising Danube. The search for the 21 missing extended far downstream, even into Serbia, where the Danube goes after leaving Hungary. The river, which is 450 metres (500 yards) wide at the point of the accident, was fast-flowing and rising as heavy rain continued in the city. Water temperatures were about 10 to 12 degrees Celsius (50-53 Fahrenheit). Hajoregiszter.hu, a local ship-tracking website, lists the Hableany as having been built in 1949 in the former Soviet Union. The Viking Sigyn was built this year, according to cruisemapper.com. CCTV footage recorded on Wednesday night showed that the river was busy with boats of different sizes travelling in both directions. Budapest has enjoyed a boom in overseas tourism in recent years. Long-haul flights from as far away as Dubai and Beijing increasingly fly visitors from Asia and the Middle East to the Hungarian capital, a relatively affordable but history-rich European destination. Earlier, the news website Index.hu said one of those rescued was found near the Petofi Bridge, about 3 kilometres (2 miles) south of Parliament. Police have questioned the Ukrainian captain of the Viking ship, but no details have been released. Authorities said both vessels captains are experienced, with many years of service with their companies. South Korean officials said the tourists were not wearing life jackets. Relatives and a team of 25 official rescue workers were on their way from South Korea to Budapest Thursday. The team of fire, navy and coast guard workers includes some who had been involved in rescue operations for the 2014 South Korean ferry disaster that killed more than 300 people one of the countrys worst maritime accidents. Seouls presidential Blue House said President Moon Jae-in has called Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to discuss rescue operations. Moon thanked Orban for the Hungarian governments rescue efforts, and requested further support for efforts to find the missing, treat the survivors and recover bodies. The Blue House said Orban told Moon that more than 200 divers and medical staff are involved in the rescue efforts and that officials are planning to locate and hoist the ship. Employees from the South Korean Embassy in Budapest were assisting Hungarian officials in identifying those rescued and the deceased. Budapests Disaster Management Office Chief Col Zsolt Gabor Palotai said the Hungarian army is setting up a pontoon near the capsized ships wreck and divers will go into the Danube from there. The Very Good Tour agency said the tourists left South Korea on May 25 and were supposed to return June 1. Most of them were family groups, and they included a 6-year-old girl. Her status wasnt immediately clear but she didnt appear on a list of survivors provided by the tour agency. Senior agency official Lee Sang-moo disclosed the identities of the seven rescued South Koreans six women and one man, aged between 31 and 66. The company is arranging for family members of the tourists to travel to Hungary as soon as possible. The Hableany is described on the sightseeing companys website as one of the smallest members of the fleet. It has two decks and a capacity for 60 people, or 45 for sightseeing cruises. Mihaly Toth, a spokesman for the Panorama Deck boating company, said the Hableany was on a routine city sightseeing trip when the accident happened. He told state television that he had no information about any technical problems with the boat, which he said was serviced regularly. The Margit Bridge connects the two halves of the city, Buda and Pest, with a large recreational island in the middle of the Danube. It is the bridge just north of the famous Chain Bridge, a suspension bridge originally built in the 19th century that, like the Parliament, is a major tourist draw in the heart of the city. Index.hu reported that other riverboats shined spotlights into the water to aid with the search, and that a film crew operating on the Liberty Bridge farther down the river directed its lighting equipment toward the Danube to assist. ___ Hyung-jin Kim reported from Seoul, South Korea. Associated Press writers Adam Schreck in Bangkok and Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul, South Korea, contributed to this report. Andrew Kim speaks to Korean reporters at Stanford University on Feb. 22. Yonhap By Park Si-soo Andrew Kim, former head of the CIA's Korea Mission Center, said North Korea would test-fire "one or two more missiles" at times selected by its leader Kim Jong-un and then return to the negotiation table with the United States to discuss denuclearization. Kim made the remark during a panel discussion on the sidelines of an annual intelligence meeting at Westin Chosun Hotel in Seoul, Wednesday, hosted by the Institute for National Security Strategy (INSS), a think tank under the National Intelligence Service of Korea. The Korean-American negotiated the agenda and other details with the North in the lead-up to the historic June 12 summit between Kim and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump in Singapore. He stepped down ahead of the two leaders' second meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam. Kim said the North's future test-firings, if any, would be to satisfy "internal needs," not for the widely speculative reason of "shaking up the negotiation framework" with the U.S. "If the last test was successful, no more test-fires would happen," he said. "But if it failed, it would fire more during a certain period of time. In my view, one or two more test-firings are possible, and then (it) would return to the negotiation table." He said "lack of trust" was the biggest obstacle stopping the talks moving forward. But another problem is that the North and U.S. have "different ideas of building trust." "From the U.S. perspective, to become a new friend, they need to meet and talk frequently," Kim said. "North Korea engages in talks only when it needs it. When it doesn't need talks, the North avoids it. From heavy to light issues, the two sides need to communicate and deepen their understanding of each other in various ways and manners." Kim said the denuclearization process "has come this far" thanks to Kim's commitment to denuclearization, Trump's corresponding commitment and that of South Korean President Moon Jae-in as a middleman. Nevertheless, he said the established "top-down" negotiation process for pre-summit bilateral talks would see changes in terms of format because the two sides have found its limit. BELGRADE, Serbia - Russia and its traditional ally Serbia on Wednesday blamed NATO and the European Union for the recent increase in tensions in Kosovo, where local police launched a raid in the Serb-dominated north of the country. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Tuesdays incident, which saw heavily armed Kosovo police carry out what they said was an organized crime operation, was instigated by those who want to create a buffer zone from Russia on the Balkans and who want to push everyone to NATO. Speaking to reporters in Slovenia where he was on an official visit, Lavrov said the two bodies hold sway over the authorities in Kosovo. Tuesdays raid saw Kosovo police arresting more than two dozen people including a Russian U.N. employee. Several people on both sides were injured in the clashes. The operation angered Serbia, which immediately put its army on full alert in response. Any Serbian armed incursion into Kosovo could lead to a standoff with NATO-led peacekeepers there. NATO troops have been present in Kosovo since 1999, when a bloody war between Serbia and its former province ended only after the western military alliance intervened. Serbia has in recent months made military threats against Kosovo as its political and military alliance with Moscow grows stronger despite a proclaimed ambition to join the EU. Serbia and Russia do not recognize Kosovos 2008 declaration of independence, while the U.S. and more than 100 other countries do. The lingering dispute has stalled both countries efforts to become EU members. For his part, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic accused NATO-led peacekeepers in Kosovo of lying when they said they had informed Belgrade in advance of the police action. He also criticized them for insisting that Tuesdays raid in the north was a regular police operation. NATO should do its job, and when they dont do it, there are others who will, Vucic warned. They are not telling the truth. The situation for the Serb population in Kosovo is much worse than it was up until yesterday. The KFOR peacekeeping mission spokesman, Col. Vincenzo Grasso, said he had been informed days before the raid. That was not a surprise. Everybody was informed. That was on the news, he said. The European Unions top diplomat Federica Mogherini urged Kosovo and Serbia to return to the negotiating table and normalize relations amid tensions. She warned about the risk of the dark forces of the past coming back, in terms of confrontation, even of conflict if the two sides continue facing off. Thousands of people gathered Wednesday at a rally in the northern, Serb-dominated part of the divided city of Mitrovica to protest the arrests. The protesters waved Serbian flags and banners with the names of those who were detained. Politician Goran Rakic blamed the West for being behind Tuesdays police move. I implore you not to respond to their provocation cooked up in Western kitchens, Rakic told the crowd. They want us to negotiate with those who beat us. If they want to root out crime, they should start in their own yard. ___ AP Writers Jovana Gec in Belgrade and Nataliya Vasilyeva in Moscow contributed to this report. ISTANBUL - Turkeys Defence Ministry says two Turkish soldiers have been killed in northern Iraq in a new operation against Kurdish militants. Turkeys official Anadolu news agency said Wednesday the soldiers were wounded by an improvised explosive device placed by the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK. The ministry announced that they died hours later. Turkey on Monday launched the Claw Operation against PKK targets in Mount Khakurk with commando units, airstrikes and artillery. Turkey regularly conducts airstrikes in the region and the Turkish parliament has renewed a mandate allowing Turkey to conduct cross-border operations into Iraq. Turkey and its Western allies consider the PKK a terror organization, which has waged an insurgency against Turkey since 1982. BAGHDAD - Iraq on Wednesday handed over 188 Turkish children of suspected Islamic State militants to Turkey, while a court sentenced two former Islamic State members to death for joining the extremist group. They included one Frenchman and a Tunisian resident of France, bringing the number of French nationals condemned to death in the past week to seven. The two developments Wednesday point to the enormous legacy left behind by IS and its so-called caliphate that once spanned a third of both Iraq and Syria. Besides the atrocities and devastation the group wreaked, thousands of foreigners including hundreds of children born to parents who lived under or fought with the Islamic State group have been caught in Iraqs justice system. At Baghdad airport, the 188 Turkish children were handed over to Turkish government representatives in the presence of Iraqi government officials and the U.N. childrens agency, Judge Abdul Sattar Bayraqdar said. The French citizens are among 12 Frenchmen whom the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces handed over to Iraq in January. The Kurdish-led group spearheaded the fight against IS in Syria and has handed over to Iraq hundreds of suspected IS members in recent months. Trials for the 12 began Sunday and are considered a test for how the international community handles the thousands of foreign nationals who stayed, or were trapped, with the Islamic State group through its dying days. Iraqi prosecutors say the French nationals are accused of belonging to IS, were parties or accomplices to its crimes, and threatened the national security of Iraq. Simply belonging to the extremist group is punishable by life in prison or execution under Iraqs counter-terrorism laws. On Wednesday, the Iraqi Criminal Court in Baghdads Karkh district sentenced a French man identified as Yassin Sakkam, 29, who left France in 2014 to fight with IS. The court also sentenced to death Mohammed Berriri, a 24-year-old who told the judge he worked as a sentry at an IS camp and did not take part in any battles in Syria, and never travelled to Iraq. He said he regretted joining IS but did not regret travelling to Syria, adding that his goal was to help the Syrian people after watching videos of Syrian government bombardment of civilians. The judge said Berriri, a Tunisian, was a resident of France. I did not kill anyone, the Tanzeem kills. ... I am innocent and I regret joining this group, he said, using an Arabic word that means organization to refer to IS. The sentencings in Iraq come amid controversy about the legal treatment of Iraqis and foreigners suspected of joining IS at the height of its power in Syria and Iraq, when the militant group declared its self-styled caliphate. Human rights groups are concerned they are being rushed through Iraqi counterterrorism courts in trials that raise questions over whether justice is being done. Convictions are often based on confessions that defendants and rights groups say are extracted by intimidation, torture and abuse and without due process. Although European IS members have been sentenced to death, none has actually been executed in Iraq. France has said Iraq does have jurisdiction to put the French men on trial, but said it will fight the death penalty. In a statement, Judge Bayraqdar said there were also a few adults among the group of children handed over to Turkish authorities. They had been convicted of illegally crossing the border and have served out their sentences. In an interview with Turkeys official Anadolu news agency earlier in May, Turkeys ambassador in Baghdad said he aimed to repatriate all children of Turkish IS families from Iraq ahead of Eid. Ambassador Fatih Yildiz also said Turkey asked Iraq to return all Turkish citizens but the process was complicated by an agreement that barred suspects with terror links from repatriation. Iraqi President Barham Salih made a brief visit to Turkey on Tuesday and held talks with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. ___ Associated Press writer Zeynep Bilginsoy in Istanbul contributed reporting. JERUSALEM - Israels prime minister has been a vocal critic of Iran over the years, accusing the Islamic Republic of sinister intentions at every opportunity. But the outspoken Benjamin Netanyahu has remained uncharacteristically quiet throughout the current crisis between the U.S. and Iran. While Israel has welcomed Washingtons pressure on Tehran, the crisis has nonetheless put Netanyahu in a delicate position, not wanting to be seen as pushing the Americans into a military confrontation and wary of being drawn into fighting with Irans powerful proxy, the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. In recent developments, Israel has taken the backseat. Theres one reason for this: its not in Israels interest to take the lead, said Yoel Guzansky, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies, a Tel Aviv think-tank , and former Iran analyst in the prime ministers office. Its a new look for Netanyahu, who has made Iran his top priority during his decade-long tenure. Netanyahu has repeatedly accused Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons a charge it denies and criticized its support for anti-Israel militants, development of long-range missiles and frequent calls for Israels destruction. He has compared the Islamic Republic to Nazi Germany, and famously gave a speech to the U.S. Congress against the U.S.-led international nuclear deal with Iran in 2015. The speech infuriated then-President Barack Obama, and remains a sore spot with U.S. Democrats. Since President Donald Trump was elected, things have shifted in Netanyahus favour. The Israeli leader strongly encouraged Trumps decision last year to withdraw from the nuclear deal. He also has welcomed the renewal and tightening of U.S. sanctions on Iran. The U.S. pullout from the nuclear deal, which gave Iran relief from painful economic sanctions in exchange for limits on its nuclear activities, lies at the root of the current crisis. Echoing Israels arguments, Trump has said the deal failed to sufficiently curb Irans ability to develop a nuclear-weapons capability and did not address Tehrans support for militant groups and its missile program. The renewed sanctions, meanwhile, have sent Irans economy into freefall. In recent weeks, tensions have soared as the U.S. beefed up its military presence in the Gulf in response to a still-unexplained threat from Iran. The U.S. also has accused Iran of being behind a string of incidents, including alleged sabotage of oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and a rocket that landed near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, while Yemens Iran-aligned Houthi rebels have launched a string of drone attacks targeting Saudi Arabia. Iran in turn has announced it is quadrupling its production capacity of low-enriched uranium, making it likely the country will soon exceed stockpile limits set by the nuclear accord. Iran also gave Europe a July 7 deadline to set new terms for a nuclear deal or it will enrich uranium at higher levels, closer to weapons grade. If Iran begins ramping up uranium enrichment, all eyes will turn to Israel, which in the past has issued veiled threats to strike and carried out similar assaults on Syrian and Iraqi nuclear facilities. Earlier in this decade, Israeli officials strongly considered attacking Iranian nuclear installations, though doing so would be a difficult task. Iran, about 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) from Israel, has a sophisticated air defence system and has spread out its nuclear facilities, building some underground or in the side of a mountain. All of this has made Netanyahus low profile especially noticeable. In a recent speech, he repeated his longstanding position that Israel will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. Otherwise, he and other officials have said little, trying to portray the standoff as a U.S.-Iran dispute. Israeli Cabinet minister Tzachi Hanegbi, who is close to Netanyahu, said earlier this month that he sees two potential outcomes of the crisis, both of which he described as good for Israel. The Iranians, he said, will meet U.S. demands, return to negotiations and reach a new and improved agreement, or there will be a conflict. I dont really believe that the Iranians or the Americans are currently seeking a conflict, Hangebi told the Army Radio station. If there is one, Iran stands no chance against a super power like America, he said. Guzansky, the Tel Aviv researcher, said Israel has to be careful about being seen as encouraging the U.S. to attack Iran. In 2002, a year before the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Netanyahu, as a private citizen, testified to Congress that toppling Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein would be a good choice that would benefit the region. Israel cannot risk being seen as the one who led the U.S. and Iran to a confrontation, in the case of a loss of American lives. The price in U.S. public opinion and in world leaders opinions would be too high, Guzansky said. He said the fact that Israel has become a very partisan issue with support much stronger among Republicans than Democrats added to the risk. For now, Israeli officials believe the risk of a direct confrontation with Iran remains unlikely. Instead, they believe the biggest immediate threat is the possibility of Iran unleashing its regional proxies along Israels borders Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria and Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip as retaliation for a U.S. attack. Even that scenario seems distant. Israeli officials say the situation on the ground has not changed fundamentally. Israel has closely monitored Hezbollah and its other enemies for years, and occasionally acts against them. Israel has acknowledged carrying out hundreds of airstrikes against Iranian and Hezbollah positions in Syria in recent years. On Monday, for instance, the Israeli military said it struck an anti-aircraft position in Syria after it fired at an Israeli warplane. We monitor, said an Israeli military official. Were not looking to escalate. He spoke on condition of anonymity under army protocol. But it may be difficult for Israel to keep its distance if fighting breaks out between the U.S. and Iran. Yaakov Amidror, Netanyahus former national security adviser, said the biggest threat to Israel, by far, is Hezbollah, a powerful militant group that fought Israel to a stalemate during a 2006 war. Since then, Hezbollah has gained valuable battlefield experience fighting alongside government troops in Syrias civil war and is believed to have amassed a vast arsenal of missiles aimed at Israel. Wed have to face 130,000 rockets and missiles. It would lead to a devastating war, Amidror said. Israel would be in the direct line of fire and the burden would fall on our shoulders directly. ___ Associated Press writers Ilan Ben Zion and Isabel DeBre in Jerusalem contributed to this report. ISTANBUL - A prominent Turkish journalist sent back to prison Wednesday in connection with convictions for terror charges handed last year to an opposition newspaper was released hours later. Kadri Gursel tweeted Wednesday evening that he was released from an Istanbul prison. He had turned himself in earlier that day to serve out his 30-month prison sentence for knowingly and willingly aiding a terror group without being a member. Turkeys official Anadolu news agency said he was released on probation. The former Cumhuriyet columnist tweeted earlier Wednesday that he was convicted without evidence and unjustly for journalistic activities and that he was facing further injustice by being put behind bars again. Gursel spent 11 months in pre-trial detention. Thirteen other former Cumhuriyet journalists and senior staff members were convicted in April 2018. Six of them returned to prison last month after an appeals court confirmed their convictions. The Journalists Union of Turkey says 140 journalists and media workers are in prison. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Qatars prime minister will travel to Saudi Arabia for two summits in the kingdom, authorities announced Wednesday, a visit that would mark the highest-level contact between the neighbouring nations since a kingdom-led boycott of Doha began in 2017. The decision by Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser Al Thani comes after a letter from Saudi King Salman inviting the Qataris to the summits on recent attacks around the Persian Gulf that the U.S. attributes to Iran, and a meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. It remains unclear what such a trip could mean for the ongoing boycott, part of a political dispute between Qatar and four Arab nations Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The four nations say the crisis stems from Qatars support for extremist groups in the region, charges denied by Doha. They have also pointed to Qatars close relationship with Iran, with which it shares a massive offshore gas field that provides the peninsular nation its wealth. Qatar restored full diplomatic ties to Iran amid the dispute. However, the trip comes after efforts by the U.S. and Western powers to mend the split largely have gone nowhere. Heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran also have seen American officials increasingly call for Gulf Arab nations to band together. Qatar-funded satellite news channel Al-Jazeera first reported the news Wednesday night citing what it described as a high-level source. Qatari Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Lolwah al-Khater later confirmed on Twitter that Sheikh Abdullah would attend the summit. There was no immediate reaction from Saudi Arabia. FlightRadar24.com, a flight-tracking website, showed a Qatari government aircraft had flown into the Red Sea port city of Jiddah earlier this week. Sheikh Nasser became prime minister in 2013 after Qatars ruling emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, took power following his fathers abdication. King Salman had sent an invitation for Sheikh Tamim to attend the summit. Al-Jazeera, citing sources familiar with the situation, said Sheikh Tamim was unlikely to attend. Thats not surprising given recent history. Kuwaits ruling emir has suggested the countries involved were on the precipice of military conflict in June 2017 when launching the boycott. In late 2017, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri stunned his country by resigning via television during a visit to Saudi Arabia, prompting speculation the kingdom held him against his will. Hariri later left the kingdom and renounced his resignation. Since the boycott began, countries involved have stopped Qatar Airways flights from using their airspace, closed off the small countrys sole land border with Saudi Arabia and blocked its ships from using their ports. The U.S., which has some 10,000 troops stationed at Qatars sprawling al-Udeid Air Base, has sought without success to end the crisis. Qatar, a nation that sticks out like a thumb into the Persian Gulf, has one of the worlds highest per-capita income due to its natural gas reserves, the third-largest on the planet after Russia and Iran. Its people follow an ultraconservative form of Islam known as Wahhabism, though unlike neighbouring Saudi Arabia, women can drive and foreigners can drink alcohol. Qatar will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. ___ Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP . BEIRUT - Syrian activists and rescuers say government warplanes and artillery have pounded the last rebel stronghold in the country, killing at least 14 people by midday. Wednesdays attacks mark a month since government forces escalated their offensive on the rebel stronghold in northwestern Syria, home to 3 million people. The U.N. has warned its humanitarian operations in the region are at risk. Rescuers say they struggled to respond to the intense bombing that began before dawn. Civil defence volunteers, known as White Helmets, said at least 15 were killed in Baraa, Serja and Habeet villages in southern Idlib. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and activist-operated Baladi News agency reported 14 killed. Syrian state media said one woman was killed in government-held northern Hama province after rebel shelling of the area. ISTANBUL - Serkan Golge, a Turkish-American scientist imprisoned in Turkey for nearly three years, has been released. Morgan Ortagus, a U.S. State Department spokeswoman, welcomed the decision but declined to discuss why he was released. However, she told reporters Wednesday it was the right thing to do. Golge was on a family visit in southern Turkey when he was arrested in the aftermath of a failed coup, which Turkey blames on U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen. Golge was convicted in February 2018 for membership in a terror group and sentenced to 7 1/2 years, subsequently reduced to five by the appeals court. His wife Kubra Golge told The Associated Press that she spoke on the phone with him upon his release and that he was very happy. Golge denies links to Gulens network. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The only Republican in Congress to accuse President Donald Trump of impeachable conduct faced voters in his Michigan district Tuesday, receiving standing ovations from many who saluted his courage while sparring with some former supporters who faulted him for embracing a Democratic smear attack against Trump. Over two hours, fifth-term Rep. Justin Amash fielded more than two-dozen questions from an estimated crowd of 900 that packed a high school auditorium in Grand Rapids. He said those who read special counsel Robert Muellers report on Trumps conduct during and after the 2016 presidential election will be appalled, and said Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is trying to hold the majority rather than uphold the law. We cant let conduct like that go unchecked, Amash said. Congress has a duty to keep the president in check. Asked by one questioner whether impeachment proceedings are worth the time since Trump is up for re-election next year, he said he is concerned the country has reached the point where impeachment may never be used in any circumstance. That is a greater risk than the risk that it will be used too often, he said, noting the high hurdles that exist before impeachment would lead to a president actually being removed from office. It is more dangerous for our country to allow a president to mislead people, make things up. Amash said Mueller determined that Trump asked former White House counsel to create a false record. House Oversight and Reform National Security subcommittee member Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., looks out from the dais on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 22, 2019, during the House Oversight and Reform National Security subcommittee hearing on "Securing U.S. Election Infrastructure and Protecting Political Discourse. Things like that to me reflect incredible dishonesty and really harm the office of the presidency. I dont think that you can just let that stuff go. I think you have to have proceedings to deter this kind of conduct even if ultimately the person is not convicted. Several people thanked Amash for his stance drawing sustained applause while some in attendance told him that he is in trouble politically and those praising him are Democrats who hate Trump. Two Republicans are running against Amash, who has not ruled out potentially running as a Libertarian for president. Ive been your supporter since you started running for Congress, and I cant tell you how disappointed I am, said Diane Luke of Grand Rapids, who characterized Muellers report and Democratic criticism of Trump as a smear attack. But another woman, Pamela Medford-Conley of Cedar Springs, said she read Muellers report and agreed with Amashs assessment. If you actually read the whole thing, I dont know how you can come to different conclusions, she said after the town hall event. Now whether or not we should actually impeach him, I dont know. In one particularly testy exchange, Anna Timmer of Grand Rapids told Amash that a lot of people cheering him on most likely didnt vote for you. She said she made hundreds of calls on his behalf during his first congressional campaign, in 2010, and has voted for him every two years. I was there for you from the very beginning. I would like to say since that time, I have changed my position on you, Timmer said. You have spent the last two years failing to do your job, which is to directly represent the popular will of your constituents. Amash responded: My job is to uphold the Constitution. Timmer said there is no proof that Trump had a corrupt intent. Impeachment would tear this country apart, she said. She accused Amash of political grandstanding to raise his profile nationally. You know you have no future in this district as a Republican, she said. Another woman yelled: This Republican still loves you Justin! Earlier, when a man asked if Amash is going too far to fall on your sword to do what you believe is right, he said he is not worried about losing in 2020. I believe in the people I represent, he said. I believe the people are smart enough to figure out whats going on. ... The president did much worse than I did in this district. ___ Follow David Eggert on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00 BELLFLOWER, Calif. - The father of a baby girl found dead outside a Los Angeles-area mortuary is a person of interest in her death, authorities said. Officials are seeking Alexander Echeverria of South Sacramento after his daughters body was found late Monday morning outside the Funeraria del Angel Bellflower Mortuary in suburban Bellflower. The Los Angeles Sheriffs Department believes 8-month-old Alexia Rose Echeverria died in Sacramento. TV footage showed a memorial of flowers, balloons, candles and stuffed animals outside the Southern California mortuary for the baby, whose body was discovered in a car seat outside a trash container and partially covered by a blanket. The girls mother, Karla Alvarado, told KOVR-TV that Echeverria had said he was going to pick up his brother in San Francisco. He later called Alvarado crying but didnt say anything else. Alvarado, who lives with Echeverria, said she demanded he come home with their daughter or she would call police. She had just had just learned how to say, Mama. She was already calling me mama. She was clapping for everything, Alvarado said. Authorities didnt immediately release details about the girls death or why an Amber Alert was not issued. Sarah Ardalani, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County coroners office said law enforcement had put a security hold on the case that prohibited her from releasing further information. Echeverria was last seen in Southern California early Monday morning, the Sacramento County Sheriffs Department said in a statement on Tuesday. Officials believe he suffers from depression and had made suicidal statements to his family, who reported him missing on Memorial Day. Echeverria has been driving a gray 2014 Volkswagen Jetta with the California license plate 7FFT866. The father is 22 years old. He was last seen alone Sunday around 10:30 p.m., according to an alert issued Tuesday evening by the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. The Sacramento County Sheriffs Department, which is handling the case, and a spokesperson for the mortuary did not immediately return requests for additional comment. Korean plaintiffs condemn a Japanese court's decision to reject their request to remove the names of their family members from the Yasukuni Shrine, following a court decision in Tokyo, Wednesday. Their family members died while forcibly participating in Japan's war efforts during World War II. / Yonhap By Kim Jae-heun A Japanese court has denied a request by 27 Korean people to remove the names of their family members from the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo. The shrine honors Japan's war dead, including Class A war criminals. It took five years and seven months for the Tokyo District Court to make a decision on the lawsuit filed in September 2013. The court did not offer an explanation for its decision. Moreover, it ordered the plaintiffs to cover the trial costs. According to Kyodo News, Tuesday, the court did not accept the plaintiffs' claim that the enshrinement damaged the deceased Koreans' honor, saying their enshrinement has not been made public, which leaves no chance for it to become known to unspecified individuals. Yasukuni Shrine honors 2.4 million of Japan's war dead, including 1,068 convicted Pacific War criminals, 14 of whom were Class A. The names of 21,181 Koreans, many of whom were forced to participate in the war during the 1910-45 Japanese occupation of Korea, have been engraved on stones there since 1959, according to Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. The shrine only lists the names, origin, birthdates and places of death, while their remains and ancestral tablets are kept elsewhere. The Japanese government has been arguing that the shrine only serves as a religious facility, but many ultranationalists visit the venue every year, making it a symbol of Japanese imperialism. One of the plaintiffs, Park Nam-soon, criticized the Japanese court for its decision and asked for his father's name to be removed from the list as soon as possible. "I lived like an orphan after Japan took my father away. Japan took him, killed him and enshrined him there at its discretion," Park said in a media briefing in front of the court after the ruling. "My father did not die in the war serving the Japanese emperor. Why does he have to be honored in Japan? If the court knew the hardships we went through, it would not have made such a decision." The Center for Historical Truth and Justice, which supported the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, also denounced the court's decision. "We can't accept the fact that victims, who died after forcibly being mobilized for Japanese imperialist wars, are named at Yasukuni along with war criminals even 74 years after Korea's liberation from Japan," it said in a statement. "Without hesitation, we'll appeal to a high court, as well as to the international community." The very first lawsuit filed to demand the removal of the names took place in February 2007. In the first suit, the plaintiffs lost the case at local and high court trials. With more victims' families joining, they filed the second suit, the ruling of which was made Tuesday. SAN DIEGO - The sole suspect in a fatal shooting at a Southern California synagogue pleaded not guilty to federal hate crimes and other charges Tuesday. John T. Earnest entered the plea a week after a grand jury returned a 113-count indictment that largely mirrors a complaint filed shortly after his arrest on April 27. The indictment added four counts of using and carrying a firearm during commission of a violent crime. Earnests parents attended the brief hearing but did not seem to exchange eye contact with their 19-year-old son. The suspect spoke only once, to acknowledge his name. Two days after the shooting, the family said their sons actions were informed by people we do not know, and ideas we do not hold. To our great shame, he is now part of the history of evil that has been perpetrated on Jewish people for centuries, they said in their only public statement since the shooting. Earnest looked blankly ahead as one of his attorneys argued that shackles should be removed from his wrists, ankles and waist during the hearing. Peter Ko, a prosecutor, countered, He tried to commit mass murder, and the judge, Michael Berg, denied the defence request. Earnest also faces charges of murder and attempted murder for the attack on Chabad of Poway on the last day of Passover. One person died and three were injured. He is being represented by public defenders. His family is not paying his legal costs. Both federal and state crimes make him eligible for the death penalty if convicted but prosecutors have not said if they will seek it. LOS ANGELES - The Latest on a restraining order against a former associate of Britney Spears (all times local): 4:50 p.m. A hearing on a restraining order against Britney Spears former manager has adjourned and the restrictions will remain in place for roughly two more weeks. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny ruled the order against Sam Lutfi to remain in place until June 13, when a hearing will resume on whether the order can be extended for several years. Lutfi testified Tuesday and Spears father Jamie began testimony that will continue at the next hearing. The courtroom was sealed Tuesday for most of the proceedings after an attorney for the pop singer argued allowing public testimony would be harmful to Spears vulnerable emotional state. Spears former manager has been accused of harassing Spears and her family on social media. Lutfi denies wrongdoing and says extending the order would infringe on his First Amendment rights. ___ 2:40 p.m. A Los Angeles courtroom has been cleared of media and other audience members at a hearing on the extension of a restraining order obtained by Britney Spears against a former associate. Attorneys for Spears and her father argued that media reports of private details from the Tuesday hearing would be harmful to her vulnerable emotional state. Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny agreed and cleared the courtroom for the testimony of three witnesses, including Spears father Jamie, who controls most of her affairs through a court-ordered conservatorship The hearing was held as the singer seeks an extension of a temporary restraining order against Sam Lutfi, a former confidante who has been in legal battles with the family for years. Lutfi argued in documents that the orders restraint of his speech was unconstitutional. ___ 10 p.m. A Los Angeles judge will consider whether to extend a temporary restraining order Tuesday that keeps a former associate of Britney Spears away from her and her family. Sam Lutfi has been ordered to stay at least 200 yards (183 metres) away from Spears, her parents and her two sons, and to refrain from contacting or disparaging them. That order could get a long extension at the Tuesday afternoon hearing. The family alleges that Lutfi has been harassing them through text messages and social media. Lutfis attorney says the order is a violation of his rights and he intends to fight it. Lutfi is a onetime confidante of Spears who has said he once had a contract to be her manager. The family has been in legal fights with him for a decade. BELLFLOWER, Calif. - The Latest on the death of an 8-month-old baby and her missing father (all times local): 4:40 p.m. Authorities say the father of a baby girl found dead outside a Los Angeles-area mortuary is a person of interest in her death. The Sacramento County Sheriffs Department says its seeking Alexander Echeverria of South Sacramento in connection with the death of his 8-month-old daughter. Officials say the body of Alexia Rose Echeverria was found outside a Bellflower mortuary on Monday morning. Investigators believe she died in Sacramento and was taken to Southern California. Authorities didnt immediately release details about the girls death. The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department says Echeverria and his daughter were last seen Friday in Bellflower. Authorities say Echeverria suffers from depression and had made suicidal statements to his family. Echeverria was driving a gray 2014 Volkswagen Jetta with the California license plate 7FFT866. ___ 11:45 a.m. Los Angeles County sheriffs homicide investigators have confirmed that a baby girl found dead is the daughter of a missing Northern California man. A Sheriffs Department statement says the babys body was found late Monday morning in suburban Bellflower. The department says she was the daughter of 30-year-old Alexander Echeverria, who was last seen at 10:30 p.m. Friday in Bellflower with the 8-month-old baby. A missing person bulletin issued earlier described Echeverria as suffering from depression and said his family was concerned for his well-being. Los Angeles County investigators believe the infant died in Sacramento and the investigation is now being handled by the Sacramento County Sheriffs Department. Echeverria has been driving a gray 2014 Volkswagen Jetta with the California license plate 7FFT866. ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Two Alaska men who worked for the National Park Service were killed in Canada while flying north in a private airplane purchased in Minnesota. The Anchorage Daily News reports 56-year-old Charles Benson of Palmer and 58-year-old Jeffrey Babcock of Wasilla died Monday night after taking off from Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. Yukon chief coroner Heather Jones in a prepared statement says the men took off at about 5:30 p.m. for Anchorage in the 1952 Cessna 170. They crashed in trees about 2,000 feet (600 metres) off the end of the runway. They died at the scene. National Park Service spokesman Peter Christian says Babcock was in charge of the agencys aviation program and oversaw about 15 pilots and 20 aircraft. Benson was regional safety manager for the agency in Alaska. ___ Information from: Anchorage Daily News, http://www.adn.com CAMP HUMPHREYS, SOUTH KOREACathrine Schmid longed to be a soldier. To wear the uniform her grandfather wore. She had a secret reason too: to belong somewhere that would suppress her innermost self. Maybe the Army will make these feelings go away, she told herself. The Army will make a man out of me. That was 14 years ago, when, as a man, she enlisted. Schmid wore the uniform and guarded her secret self at military bases in Missouri, Arizona, Germany, Kansas, Florida, Iraq, Washington and Korea. The Army didnt change her, hard as it, and she, tried. Instead, in eventually becoming herself, Schmid took part in a still uncertain effort to change the Army. When she finally put on the uniform that felt right the dress blues with knee-length skirt and gold braid she danced for joy with her spouse in front of soldiers who had known her as a man. Maybe for the first time she belonged. But now, the military that embraced Schmid has been directed once again to shun soldiers like her. A ban ordered by President Donald Trump went into effect April 12, overturning a three-year-old Pentagon directive that said transgender soldiers would no longer be forced to hide. In June Im up for promotion again, the 34-year-old Schmid said in a Twitter message last month. What is the likelihood that I am considered based on my merits and not on the fact that Im trans? The Los Angeles Times contacted her after seeing her Twitter feed, and she agreed to be interviewed. In Army parlance, Schmid is a 35N, a signals intelligence analyst. She heads an eight-soldier team in the 532nd Military Intelligence Battalion that processes intercepted communications traffic from North Korea. Intelligence is the Armys nerd clique, less macho and more accepting than a hard-core infantry company. I know her as female Sgt. Schmid, and shes been a blessing, said a noncommissioned officer. I wish I had more like her, he added, asking not to be identified given the uncertain climate. Small and athletic, in horn-rim glasses, Schmid sits at the front desk just inside her barracks, a dun-coloured building at Camp Humphreys, her base far away from a former life. Its her turn for staff duty, an all-night shift walking hallways and keeping tabs on her Joes, 18- and 19-year old privates on their first overseas deployment. Theyre off duty, in sweat pants and hoodies, more like freshmen in a dorm than soldiers in a barracks. One by one, several walk up to Schmid carrying dress-blue uniforms on hangers. A formal battalion dinner is coming up, and they want to look squared away. Schmid, with the stripes of a staff sergeant and her wavy brown hair in a regulation Army bun, is the authority on uniforms an irony given a history that few of the Joes fully know. She lays the jackets on the desk and pulls out a slim silver ruler. Is the nameplate centred on the left pocket flap, as regulations require? Are the badges one-eighth of an inch above the pocket? Not quite. She tells a hulking private that the brass U.S. medallions on his lapels are tarnished. Use a Q-tip, she says. He nods. A female soldier in fuzzy slippers says her blues sometimes look askew, the badges and insignias off-kilter. She cant figure out why. Wear the same bra every time, Schmid advises. Thanks, staff sergeant. For years, it was Schmids uniform, and life, that felt askew. She came from a religious family with a strict father who served in the Air Force. In her childhood, they lived on a remote airbase in northern Michigan. At night, she says, she wrapped herself in her blanket. Like a cocoon, so that when I woke up, Id have metamorphosed into a girl. Schmid carried the secret through high school in Gresham, Ore., and in 2002 enrolled in Bible college. She flunked out a semester later. She worked as an appliance repairman and married her high school girlfriend. I had spent my entire life trying to overcome dysphoria through every means prayer, hard work and good old-fashioned heterosexual activity, she said. Two months after her wedding, Schmid enlisted in the Army for reasons not that different from those that drove other young, male recruits patriotism, steady pay, escape from a dead end. To prove something. The Armys rigid rules werent the refuge she hoped. Schmid was reprimanded for taking another soldiers helmet when she couldnt find hers. Sometimes shed hide lip gloss or some other feminine item like a talisman in her uniform pocket. Shed create social media accounts under a female name. Then Id feel overwhelmed with shame and purge everything, and swear to never do it again, she said. Schmids wife knew of her gender uncertainty and wondered whether their marriage could last, even as Schmid vowed she had no desire to transition to a woman. In public, Schmid was a husband and father. A daughter was born in 2007 while the Schmids were stationed in Germany. Another daughter arrived five years later. She watched her words, trying not to sound feminine, worried that others suspected her. In private, there was furtive cross-dressing, depression and suicidal thoughts. After checking into the base hospital in 2008, she told therapists that she didnt want to be male. They warned that seeking treatment for gender dysphoria could end her Army career. Forget what I said, she told them. Three years later, in her first South Korea tour, she and her wife recorded a video, smiling, hugging their daughters and waving in a Christmas greeting recorded by the Pentagons Hometown News Service for their families back in the U.S. We want to say to all the family back in Oregon, Merry Christmas, the video shows them saying. By 2013, she was in Iraq, alone in her quarters with time to think, filling a journal with math problems and musings about a failing marriage. One day, in the margin of a page, she wrote in tiny block letters: I think I am transgender. It was the first time she had spelled out the word. A few weeks later, she said it out loud in a phone call with her wife, who was living at the couples house near MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla. Schmids wife asked for a divorce and took the children to Oregon. The breakup left Schmid once again suicidal. I drove to the Tampa Bay Bridge and stood there, ready to jump, she said. She called a crisis hotline instead and was hospitalized for a month at MacDills health clinic. Schmid begged her therapist not to tell her commander about her identity. When the doctor said he had no choice, she decided the only chance of saving her career was to out herself. It was, she said, the hardest ordeal of her life. I have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria, she told the captain in the clinic conference room, reading from a one-page memo she wrote. This diagnosis is something I have fought my entire life, avoiding the negative impacts on my family and my military career. Even more than in the civilian world, trans service members in the U.S. estimates of their number range from just over 2,000 to 15,000 were expected to stay invisible. They were officially deemed unfit for service, lumped with voyeurs and exhibitionists in the militarys eligibility standards. The Defense Department rules required trans people to hide and lie about themselves, Schmid told the captain. Until the regulations were changed, Schmid promised not to begin hormones or any surgical procedures to change gender. But I am convinced that informing my chain of command and being honest to myself and others will help alleviate many negative psychological symptoms and make me a better soldier. Therefore, she concluded, It is my request that I, in the face of extenuating circumstances, may continue my service in the U.S. Army. Calling Schmid back to the room 20 minutes later, the captain said coldly he would not discharge her as long as she didnt slip up. The decision left Schmid elated but in limbo. She was out of the closet, but still had to live as a male while on duty. That proved harder in some ways than living in denial. She was briefing senior officers at U.S. Central Command headquarters on Middle East intelligence, while enduring snap inspections from senior noncommissioned officers, who tried to catch her violating Army rules on uniforms and grooming. Someone reported her for wearing nail polish after she buffed her nails to make them shine. One soldier posted on Facebook that he worked with a tranny. Her hair length was checked to make sure it complied with male haircut standards. A Facebook picture she posted of herself wearing makeup drew a reprimand. Away from work, Schmid took the first steps toward transitioning, with a boldness she had never allowed herself before. She remarried to a spouse who was herself transgender. She took to calling herself a humanist, abandoning the religion of her childhood. Im never going back, she told herself, even after her best friend from childhood shunned her. A few months later, she legally changed her name to Cathrine. When her commanders heard, they reamed me out at a four-hour meeting, accusing her of bringing my personal life to work. She left in tears. But an investigation into whether she could be discharged found she had not violated any rules. Others went out of their way to be supportive. A sergeant invited Schmid and her spouse to Thanksgiving at his house after Schmids parents told her not to fly home to Oregon for the holiday because they werent ready to accept her as a woman. And within the military hierarchy, the climate for transgender soldiers was changing. When Schmid was reassigned to Joint Base Lewis-McChord outside Tacoma, Wash., in March 2016, her new unit halted the harassing inspections. Five years earlier, the law ending the militarys dont ask, dont tell rule had gone into effect. Now, rumours spread that the Obama administration would shortly lift the transgender ban. In June of that year, her new commander permitted her to wear a female uniform for the first time at the annual Army Ball. Since the event at a Tacoma hotel was technically after duty hours, he reasoned that the rule prohibiting a male soldier from donning female dress blues didnt apply. Schmid and her wife danced surrounded on the ballroom floor by other soldiers, feeling like she wasnt ostracized anymore, she said. Two months later, the Pentagon lifted the transgender ban. She began hormone therapy, changed her gender designation to female in Army personnel records, and was preparing to undergo gender reassignment surgery. On July 26, 2017, a little before 6:30 a.m. in Korea, she received a phone alert that Trump was restoring the transgender ban. Due at morning formation minutes later, she stared at the screen in disbelief. After consultation with my generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States government will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. military, Trump wrote in a series of Twitter messages. The armed forces cannot be burdened with the disruption that transgender in the military would entail. Instead of a planned four-mile run with her unit, Schmid asked for permission to run by herself. She headed deep into the backwoods on the base. But rather than returning to silence, Schmid joined the lawsuit filed against the new ban in federal court in Washington state, declaring in an affidavit that Trumps action throws my future and livelihood into jeopardy. She went through with her gender surgery last August, though she had to appeal directly to the Army surgeon general to get consent for the procedure. The approval came only 12 hours before her procedure was scheduled at a private clinic in Arizona. She spent two weeks on light duty while recovering and then deployed to Korea with her unit a few months later. Because her dysphoria diagnosis was treated before Trumps policy took effect, Schmid is not in immediate danger of being discharged. But other trans service members who have not yet come out face removal or life in the closet. In her off-hours, Schmid fields desperate messages from some of them asking for advice. She forwards them copies of the memos she wrote her commanders, pleading for the same loyalty that the Army demands of its soldiers. She hates the idea that the Army she has come to love is once again treating trans soldiers like outcasts. She thought the fight was won. She thought the uniform finally fit. KODIAK, Alaska - An Alaska senator has written to the U.S. trade representative asking for Alaska fish species to be removed from a list of goods facing tariffs, a report said. Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer last week, The Kodiak Daily Mirror reported Tuesday. As part of an ongoing trade dispute with China, earlier this month the Trump Administration announced an increase in tariffs from 10% to 25% on $200 billion worth of products and tariffs on an additional $300 billion worth of Chinese imports. Sullivan said he asked Lighthizer to consider removing tariffs from seafood fished in Alaska including salmon, some species of rockfish and flatfish, Pollock, and Pacific cod. The increase in tariffs is creating tremendous uncertainty for the industry and is deeply troubling, because they continue to potentially negatively impact the very Americans the administration is trying to help, Sullivans letter said. The letter was also signed by Sen Lisa Murkowski and Rep. Don Young, who are both Republicans. The administration risks losing critical congressional support if the tariffs result in targeting Americans, like hard working Alaskan fisherman who harvest a world class product from our well-managed fisheries, the letter said. Sullivan said he met with Lighthizer last week. He was very engaged. My office and his office have been working this non-stop for the last couple of weeks, Sullivan said. Sullivan said he hoped the request would encourage the administration not to repeat the inadvertent shooting of ourselves in the foot. ___ Information from: Kodiak (Alaska) Daily Mirror, http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com LOS ANGELESJeopardy! host Alex Trebek says his doctors say hes in near remission of advanced pancreatic cancer and his response to the treatment is kind of mind-boggling. The 78-year-old TV personality tells People magazine hes responding very well to chemotherapy and the doctors have told him they hadnt seen this kind of positive results in their memory. Trebek says some of the tumours have shrunk by more than 50 per cent. Trebek announced his diagnosis in March, but said he intended to keep working. He said he planned to beat the diseases low survival rate with the love and support of family and friends and with prayers from viewers. The American Cancer Society estimates 3 per cent of patients with stage four pancreatic cancer are alive five years after being diagnosed. Trebek says he still has several more rounds of treatment to hopefully get into full remission. COLUMBIA, S.C. - A South Carolina man who confessed to killing his five children was both a doting father and a demanding disciplinarian who beat them with a belt once during a trip to Disney World several babysitters testified at his death penalty trial Wednesday. The babysitters were among two dozen witnesses called by Timothy Jones Jr.s defence as they argue he is not guilty by reason of insanity in the deaths of his children. Prosecutors said Jones strangled and beat his children, ages 1, 2, 6, 7 and 8, in their Lexington home in August 2014 after snapping over the middle child breaking an electrical outlet. For much of his defence, Jones lawyers called doctors and other experts to discuss a brain injury he suffered in a car crash as a teen and whether Jones, 37, had schizophrenia which would have prevented him from knowing right from wrong as he killed his kids. But on Wednesday, testimony shifted to the babysitters and Jones father, who said on the witness stand that his son wasnt worthy to raise children because of his overly religious beliefs. Joy Lorick was a babysitter who accompanied the Jones family to Disney and on a beach vacation in the months before their deaths. She cried as she remembered how much fun the children had on those trips and as defence lawyers showed pictures of the beaming children with Cinderella and with mouse ears on. She also cried when she told a prosecutor she called social workers in August 2014 after seeing Jones whip 6-year-old Nahtahn and 2-year-old Gabriel with a belt. That investigation was open when the kids were killed. Lorick also remembered Jones getting furious when he found someone had painted 8-year-old Meras fingernails because he said women were supposed to wear long skirts and not have flashy accessories. And she recalled how Jones made the 2-year-old eat alone when he wouldnt close his mouth to chew. They loved their daddy. And I know they loved their daddy, Lorick said. But they just knew when they did something you could tell they were going to get in trouble a lot. Chrystal Ballentine testified she started babysitting for Jones just after turning 17 and quickly became his live-in girlfriend. She said he became over-angry about small things and didnt try to calm himself before disciplining the children. She said she could hear him beat his children through the walls of their home. Ballentine said her relationship with Jones started to sour when he started controlling what she wore. She said the last straw was when Jones looked like he was going to spank her daughter, who was not quite 1, when she knocked over a drink while grabbing a table to try to walk. He knew what was right and wrong. He knew about God. He knew about what you should do in life. He was pretty sure about himself. He was pretty sure about everything, Ballentine testified. If the jury finds Jones guilty, then the trial moves into a penalty phase to decide if he is sentenced to life without parole or death. The defence appeared to be questioning witnesses in part with that possibility in mind as they tried to elicit sympathy for Jones. They portrayed him as a single father with five children who had a rough upbringing but pulled himself together to get an $80,000 computer engineer job before slowly losing control after he left his wife because she was unfaithful. Wednesday afternoon, the defence called Jones father, Timothy Jones Sr., to the stand to try to hammer home those points. The father testified that Jones saw his grandparents physically fight with each other and other people and there was drug and alcohol use although no LSD or (expletive) like that, he said. Jones Sr. cursed so casually and so often on the stand that Judge Eugene Griffith admonished him about an hour into his testimony that his language was too salty. Jones Sr. said the son he saw on trial was the man he was always scared he was going to see after his mother was sent to a mental institution for decades for schizophrenia. Its unfortunate. Its just bad DNA, I guess. Hes just a sick man, the father said. Jones Sr. said he was proud of his son for making it through college and getting a nice computer job, but he didnt think he had the right stuff to be a father, especially to five children. When his son told him his wife was cheating, Jones Sr. said he first cracked a joke about who she could possibly have found, and then gave him some advice. Let her take the kids. Pay your child support. Be the hero every two weeks, Jones Sr. said. The trial is being livestreamed from the Lexington County courthouse. ___ Follow Jeffrey Collins on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JSCollinsAP ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Tribal representatives in Alaska told U.S. Attorney General William Barr on Wednesday that rural Alaska Natives suffer from multiple public safety problems, including no law enforcement presence in multiple villages, substance abuse and alarmingly high rates of violence and sexual assault. Barr is at the start of a four-day visit to Alaska. Among his first actions in the visit, Barr heard from Alaska Natives Wednesday who participated with him in an Alaska Native justice roundtable in Anchorage. His visit came the same day special counsel Robert Mueller countered criticism from Barr and others that he should have decided whether to charge President Donald Trump with obstruction of justice during his investigation into Russian election meddling. In his first public comments since the investigation began two years ago, Mueller said indicting a sitting president was not an option because of a Justice Department legal opinion. Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decided the evidence didnt support an obstruction charge against Trump. At the roundtable meeting, Barr did not address Muellers remarks or take questions from reporters. As he left the discussion, he didnt respond to a question from The Associated Press about Muellers remarks. During the roundtable meeting, Vivian Korthius, representing the Association of Village Council Presidents, echoed others in saying more law enforcement officers are needed. She noted that there were six press cameras in the room. Thats the same number of village public safety officers in her 48-village region, she said. So simply put, we need your help, she said. Communities with no police presence often must wait long stretches before state troopers can arrive to investigate crimes. Sometimes the wait is as long as a full day, participants said. They also spoke about the need to strengthen tribal courts. Barr spent most of his time listening to tribal representatives detail the lack of law enforcement in villages, the slow response times, the violence against women and abuse of alcohol and drugs, including opioids. In the larger rural hub communities, victims of domestic violence and sexual assault have limited services available, or none at all in the villages, according to participants. Near the end of the session, Barr said he was open to a follow-up as suggested by a participant. I consider this an introductory discussion, he said of the roundtable. Earlier in the day, he met with top Alaska law enforcement officials. Plans also included visiting the state crime lab. Barr will wrap up the visit with the rural communities of Bethel, Galena and Napaskiak. Barrs Alaska trip comes as Congress and advocates have renewed a focus on violence against Native American and Alaska Native women. Federal figures show they are victims of violence at astonishing rates. The most recent numbers show that more than half have faced sexual and domestic violence at some point in their lives. A 2013 federal report found that at least 75 Alaska Native communities had no law enforcement presence. Tribal leaders have spoken candidly about barriers that victims face in seeking justice, saying some sexual assault victims must take boats or planes to urban areas to get a medical forensic exam. State authorities handle criminal investigations in more than 200 Alaska Native villages. Alaska Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, both Republicans, are joining Barr on parts of his visit, and Sullivan participated in the roundtable discussion. Loretta Lynch, who served as attorney general under President Barack Obama, also visited Alaska Native leaders to discuss public safety and other issues in June 2016. ___ Associated Press writer Mary Hudetz in Albuquerque, New Mexico, contributed to this report. NEW YORK - The degradation of relations between the U.S. and Cuba under President Donald Trump has begun to cut into scientific and medical co-operation on issues ranging from treatment of infectious diseases to coral reef preservation. A biomedical fellowship exchange program has been put on hold. Cuban cardiac nurses have stopped providing training to universities in Georgia and Maryland. A Cuban marine researcher has stopped accepting invitations to events in the U.S. because its nearly impossible to get visas. The economic crackdown on Cuba does not specifically target science or academic and professional travel for U.S. citizens to the island, which is still allowed without having to ask for permission to the Department of Treasury. Scientists, however, say uncertainty around co-operation has already prompted fewer trips to Cuba and some projects have already been affected. Three Cuban biomedical fellows who were selected in 2018 by the American Association for the Advancement of Science to study in the U.S. have been forced to remain in Cuba because of the difficulty to travel. The U.S Embassy in Havana took most of its staff out of Cuba after mysterious health incidents affected U.S. diplomats, forcing Cubans to travel to third countries to apply for a visa. Julia MacKenzie, senior director of International affairs for the AAAS, said that was too big an obstacle for the Cuban scientists. The same problem affects the group Medical Education Cooperation With Cuba, a non-profit known as Medicc based in Oakland, California, that promotes U.S.-Cuba health collaboration. The group in the past has invited a group of Cuban eye doctors to Chicago, and four nurses from the William Soler childrens heart centre in Havana travelled to universities in Georgia and Maryland to exchange experiences about the care of children with congenital heart problems. We can no longer do that, said Gail Reed, Mediccs director of co-operation and executive editor of Medicc Review, which publishes research from Cuba and other developing countries. Cuban officials said last week that more than 200 professors and researchers were denied visas to attend the annual conference of the Latin American Studies Association in Boston this month. Cuba said only 24 were allowed to travel to the conference, one of the hemispheres largest academic meetings on Latin American affairs. The association, in turn, said it would not meet in the United States for the foreseeable future, due partly to the difficulty that foreign academics have had in travelling to meetings in the U.S. It also blamed the Trump administrations hostile attitude toward immigrants. The United States has enforced a trade embargo against Cuba since the early 1960s. However, U.S. President Barack Obama started a more open relationship with the island in 2014, leading to soaring numbers of American trips for cultural and educational exchanges. The Trump administration has reversed course. Washington recently announced a new cap on the amount of money that families in the U.S can send relatives in Cuba. The U.S. also has opened the way for lawsuits against foreign firms operating on properties that Cuba seized from Americans after the 1959 revolution, including suits by Cubans who later emigrated to the United States. Reed said she is concerned Trump could reverse Obamas executive order that removed extra licensing requirements for Cuban medicines and biotech products going through the Food and Drug Administration approval process to reach U.S. patients. She is also concerned the new policies will discourage U.S. investors from joining ventures in Cuban biotechnology. A spokesperson at the U.S. Department of State did not reply to requests for comment by The Associated Press. Patricia Gonzalez, director of the University of Havanas Center for Marine Research, said she used to travel often to the U.S. for meetings and to visit laboratories but now she declines the invitations she gets. The number of scientific visas that they (the U.S.) are giving is minimal. It is nothing compared to before, when it was really difficult to deny an academic visa, she said. Gonzalez also said some U.S. scientists are afraid of travelling to Cuba, worried about some sort of retaliation when they return to the U.S. Travel difficulties in both directions, she said, have really hurt the academic relationship. Taking care of species like sharks or endangered sawfish only makes sense if it is done regionally because they travel all around, Gonzalez said. The same regional approach needs to be taken for climate change or natural disasters, she added. What happens if there is an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico? How are we going to jointly face the problem? Because that is a threat that exists, she said. Some projects, like a clinical trial in New York of a vaccine for lung cancer patients developed in Cuba, are moving forward. And some scientists try to be optimistic. We have been able to ride the waves of political relations and we hope to be able to continue to do that, said Dan Whittle, senior director with the New York-based Environmental Defence Fund, which has worked with Cuban universities, research centres and the Cuban government for 19 years on marine and coastal conservation. Science and the environment transcend politics, Whittle said. ___ Associated Press writer Michael Weissenstein in Havana contributed to this report. South Korea plans to partially resume flights this week of its KF-16 fighter jets that were grounded after one of them crashed in February, as an investigation has determined a cause and safety checks were carried out on the other jets, the Air Force said Wednesday. The two-seat KF-16D warplane fell into the Yellow Sea on Feb. 27, around 13 minutes after taking off from an air base in Gunsan, 274 kilometers south of Seoul. The pilots aboard the airplane safely ejected. Following the accident, the Air Force suspended the flying of around 120 KF-16 jets. According to the preliminary results of the investigation by a group of military officers and experts, including those from its manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, a failure in the fuel supply to the combustion chamber is believed to have caused the engine flameout. "We are working to verify exactly what caused the fuel supply blockage," the Air Force said, adding that it is the first reported case of such fuel system problems causing a flameout. Noting that the military has been carrying out special checkups on the jets and changed an internal filter, one of the key parts, the Air Force said the jets were found to be safe enough and are scheduled to resume flights starting Friday. The KF-16 warplanes were delivered to the Air Force in 1998. (Yonhap) SEATTLE - Authorities say a ferry hit a whale near Seattle and that the Coast Guard is searching for it. KING5 television reports the whale breached about five feet (1.5 metres) in front of the M/V Wenatchee during the ferrys 8:15 p.m. trip from Seattle to Bainbridge Island on Tuesday. A spokesperson for the Washington State Ferry system said crew members did not see the whale coming and did not have time to manoeuvr away from it. The ferry was travelling at about 16 knots, or 18 mph (29 kph), when the whale was hit about three minutes into the ferrys route. Passengers who were on the ferrys passenger deck say they saw an injured whale bleeding and one believed it was a gray whale. The strike was reported to government officials. WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. - Millie Bobby Brown may use brute force against demon monsters in Stranger Things, but the teenage actress relies more on intelligence to outsmart the 500-foot-tall behemoths in the new Godzilla film. Brown plays Madison Russell, the quick-witted 14-year-old daughter of two divorced scientists who are each thrust in the middle of an epic earth-shattering battle in Godzilla: King of the Monsters. The characters are completely different. Ones got superpowers, and one doesnt, said Brown, who portrays the mysterious Eleven, who wields telekinetic superpowers in the Netflix sci-fi series Stranger Things. Ive never played a daughter before, so that was actually really quite different, she said. Usually Im like adopted or like an orphan or something like that. Ive never had a good upbringing in a project Ive done. The film, out Friday, is the first starring film role for the British actress. Vera Farmiga, who plays Madisons mother Dr. Emma Russell, called Brown a professional who made the jump from TV to the big screen in a confident stride. Shes an old pro at it, Farmiga said of the 15-year-old Brown. Shes a student. If she wasnt on screen, she was at the screen like looking at the different ratios of film and studying everything. Shes a quick study. Godzilla: King of Monsters is a follow up to 2014s Godzilla reboot and the 35th film in the franchise that began in 1954. The sequel highlights the battle between Godzilla and other monstrous creatures called the titans including Rodan, Mothra and his three-headed nemesis King Ghidorah. Brown said director Michael Dougherty helped her evolve in scenes where her character had to grow from being pretty simple to become complicated. The young actress will also star in the sequel Godzilla vs. Kong, which recently wrapped up filming and is expected to release next year. The films are part of Warner Bros. MonsterVerse featuring Godzilla and King Kong, which underwent his own big screen makeover in 2017s Kong: Skull Island. Brown said the new Godzilla film is a culmination of the cinematic legacy of the radiation-spewing reptilian monster, who she jokingly called a bit of a diva. Hard to work with occasionally, but all right. OShea Jackson Jr., who plays a military officer, said as a child he would park in front of the television and watch Godzilla movies with his father, rapper Ice Cube, and brother and uncle. I was born to play in this film, he said giddily during a recent interview. I never thought in my wildest dreams, except for playing as a little kid knocking down Legos with Godzilla. Brown said the new Godzilla is suited for fans like Jackson. Imagine all the others that like, teenage boys have created in their bedroom with Legos, you know? So for me, its part of a love story with all of these incredible movies and these die-hard fans that literally come here, not to see any of us, but to see that monster. I think its so powerful, she said at the films premiere. Dougherty said the new film is sort of a passion project because hes been a fan of the Godzilla story since he was a child. He praised film production company Toho for originally creating Godzilla and pioneering the concept of a cinematic universe. I grew up with the guy. I feel like Ive been best friends with Godzilla since I was old enough to walk, said Dougherty, who also co-wrote the film. I used to draw Godzilla in my Bible in Catholic school. Much to the chagrin of the nuns. He was sort of my spirit animal growing up in the weirdest way. Godzilla: King of Monsters follows the efforts of the secret crypto-zoological agency Monarch as it faces off against the ancient monsters who were thought to be myths at first, but rise up to once again put humanity in jeopardy. The film touches on overpopulation and the monsters impact on climate change through radiation that causes earthquakes, forest fires, hurricanes and tsunamis. Kyle Chandler, who plays Madisons father, said the monsters effect on climate change was obviously a theme. Dougherty said he wanted to highlight Godzilla and other monsters as iconic figures. He also felt the need to show compassion toward the main character, who he says is misunderstood. You know with Godzilla and the other creatures, they have something to tell us if we are willing to listen, he said. Theyre not just monsters for the sake of having monsters. Theyre truly mythic. I really wanted to elevate the creatures in a way and really portray them as sort of these ancient deities. Go biblical with them. I just felt like that would make them resonate a little bit more than just seeing big animals, beating the crap out of each other, really giving them personalities and souls. ___ AP Entertainment Writer Ryan Pearson contributed to this report in Los Angeles. ___ Follow AP Entertainment Writer Jonathan Landrum Jr. on Twitter: http://twitter.com/MrLandrum31 YUMA, ARIZ.Central American parents and children started pouring into this desert border community faster than anyone had predicted. Out of desperation, the Salvation Army opened a shelter in a strip mall in March, thinking it would be temporary. At first, they had 50 people. Then 150. Then the numbers doubled by the week. Churches issued urgent calls for diapers, baby formula, colouring books and crayons. Aid workers flew in from Washington. The mayor, who opposes illegal immigration, declared an emergency and implored the White House to help because the flow of people coming out of federal detention at the border was unlike anything Yuma had ever seen. Im not interested in seeing homeless and hungry families walking around the city looking for resources and all the issues that come with that, Republican Mayor Douglas Nicholls said in a recent interview at City Hall. Its a big issue. In the Border Patrols Yuma sector, which stretches from California deep into the Arizona desert, half of the apprehensions this year have been of children the highest share on the U.S. southern border. The tally is rising fast in Yuma, a sparsely populated farming community in Arizonas southwest corner, driven in part by migration patterns that shift frequently as people try to determine the path of least resistance to the United States. Asylum-seeking migrants arriving dusty and exhausted here in recent days said it is easier than ever to enter the United States if they surrender with a child. Because minors generally cannot be held for long periods, most are released with their families or to a shelter. Nearly 169,000 youths have surrendered at the southern border in the first seven months of this fiscal year, and more than half are ages 12 and under, according to federal records and officials familiar with Customs and Border Protection statistics. Minors now account for nearly 37 per cent of crossings far above previous eras, when most underage migrants were teenagers and accounted for 10 per cent to 20 per cent of crossings. I dont think weve ever seen anything near this, said John Sandweg, an acting director for Immigration and Customs Enforcement under the Obama administration. The children have shattered a multibillion-dollar system that Congress and the White House built over the past two decades to quickly catch and deport adults, and border scenes involving children have been surreal: One boy recently surrendered in a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles costume, a girl carried a pink-clad doll, and border agents are feeding formula to newly apprehended babies. Migrants say they are coming to the United States because droughts are frying Central American harvests, they cant pay their bills, and gangs are recruiting children. I want to study, said Cesar Gonzalez, 13, of Guatemala, wearing a donated sweatshirt with USA emblazoned across his chest, soon after he was released from custody, as he and his family waited at the Yuma airport for a flight to Boston. And then I can work to help my father. Families are increasingly heading to the desert dunes of Arizonas southwest corner because they sense the U.S. governments focus is on the Texas border along the Rio Grande and because Arizona has less space for detention beds, meaning they are more likely to be released quickly. On other borders, theyre deporting people, said a mother of three named Queny, who asked not to disclose her last name. She said her Central American family of five, including a nursing 1-year-old, paid less than $6,000 to cross, cheaper than the price for smuggling an adult. In Arizona, they were released within days. Yuma traces its roots to the 19th-century gold rush; it is now known as the nations winter lettuce capital and is home to the militarys Barry Goldwater bombing range. Most newcomers are either migrant farmworkers from Mexico or snowbirds heading south for the winter. In October, the Border Patrol released about 200 Central American family members, and non-profit groups, lacking shelter space, housed them in local motels. Federal agents have apprehended more than 31,000 family members here since, nearly four times the amount from the same period last year, and warned Yuma to expect hundreds more in a city that has a small airport, a few bus stops and an occasional train. The Salvation Army stunned neighbouring business owners in a Yuma strip mall when it opened a shelter in March, installing portable toilets and showers behind the building. I thought it was a joke, said Alma Mosier, a registered nurse who owns Cheekie Boutique, a womens clothing store. She expressed concern about federal officials assertions that some children are making repeat trips to help adults enter the United States. Where are the little kids coming from? Are they recycling the kids over and over? You want to protect the kids, you know? Latinos make up more than 60 per cent of Yuma Countys population, and more than a quarter of the countys population are immigrants. Though Latinos generally lean left, Yuma is politically divided. Some embrace President Donald Trumps hard-line approach to immigration policy; a few have driven by the shelter and shouted at the families to go home. Others help. They serve meals, sort donated clothes and monitor the shelter around the clock. Some drive families to the airport, or escort them to the new bus stop out back. Piles of shampoo, diapers and canned goods are arriving, but its difficult to keep up with demand. Its basically a revolving door, said Salvation Army Captain Jeffrey Breazeale. Ive been told its not going to slow down. Sister Mary Beth Kornely, a member of the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity in Yuma, said the local Immaculate Conception Catholic Church asks for volunteers or supplies at Sunday services. The need is extremely great because the numbers just keep pouring in, Kornely said. Though Trumps proposed $4.5 billion in border spending includes humanitarian aid and enforcement, Democrats worry that the approach doesnt adequately address the children, whom one lawmaker called the cannon fodder in Trumps reelection campaign. Ive never seen it this bad, and I think its going to get worse, said U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., who recently visited Yuma. As kids, they are now part and parcel of a presidential election. As that campaign escalates as they become more desperate, so will the situation on the border. So far, locals have shouldered the cost. The mayor, a Republican married to the daughter of a Mexican immigrant, has dispatched city workers to help. The Democrat-led County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to spend up to $25,000 (U.S.) to cover shelter utilities, if it expands. I oppose illegal immigration because its illegal, but what you see now is migration. Its lawful, said Russell McCloud, board vice chairman and a Republican, referring to Central American asylum claimants. Thats the issue, right? Otherwise they would be stopped and turned away. At Border Patrol facilities, advocates say, children fall eerily silent. But at the shelters, they come alive. They play, throw tantrums, cuddle with stuffed animals. They have their own thoughts about what is good about America. Some wish for a bicycle, others for a better education. Some said they want to send money to the parents and siblings left behind. Inside a converted monastery in Tucson run by Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona, adults sipped coffee and children rode bicycles past orange trees in the yard one recent day. Medics roamed the halls. Offices were set aside for consulates, lawyers, phone calls, and clothing donations. Children carried stuffed animals: a teddy bear, a dinosaur, a lamb. And they pointed to their destinations on giant maps of the United States: Tennessee, Arkansas, Florida. Emmanuel and Ayembi, twin brothers from Guatemala, are going to Pennsylvania to meet their grandfather for the first time. Their mother, Beisy, 22, hasnt seen him since he left Guatemala 15 years ago to work and send money home. A Honduran woman named Lilian burst into tears when asked how smugglers treated her along the journey. She said she left Honduras because her mother has cancer and needs more money to pay for treatment. I couldnt afford it, she said, wiping away tears so her daughter, Adriana, 3, wouldnt see. Nearby, 4-year-old Sofia roamed the second-floor hallway in blue pajamas, keeping an eye out for Mickey Mouse. To quiet Sofia and her siblings Rigoberto, 1, and Claudia, 8 their mother had told them they were going to Disneyland. Where is he, Mami? the girl kept asking, hoping to see the famous Disney character, her mother said. When are you going to take me to him? She thinks were going on vacation, Queny said with a whisper, saying she fled a cheating husband and plans to stay with a friend in North Carolina. We are going to work. South of Yuma, on the other side of the Mexican border, more families are waiting to get in. One recent night, children played with Barbie dolls and colouring books on a filthy sidewalk beside a traffic-clogged street. They slept under blue tarps weighed down with rocks and pressed against a towering border fence fortified with razor wire. They pay a few pesos to a lady down the street to bathe or wash their hair. They are trying to cross legally, and they have been waiting for three months. A boy played on a towering fence that separates Mexico and the United States. Another swung police tape like a cowboy lariat. A stray dog followed them wherever they went. They named him Firulay. The people who suffer are the children, said Rosa, who travelled to the border with her 10-year-old daughter, Ruth, an aspiring airline stewardess from El Salvador. They could be smiling and playing, but only they know how they feel. Evelyn, a gaptoothed little girl from Mexico travelling with her mother, Marisol, held up a doll and smiled. She turns 6 in November. My birthday will be on the other side, she said. When President Barack Obama nominated Judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court in 2016, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., refused to consider him, blocking the nominee until after the years presidential election. But with his party in the White House, McConnell said Tuesday hed try to push through any nomination that President Donald Trump might make to the high court even if it comes during an election year. Some saw that stance, which McConnell has signalled before, as disingenuous. He held up Garlands nomination in 2016, saying then that the American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice. The tactic cost Garland his spot on the court. McConnell responded to the hypothetical question at a Chamber of Commerce luncheon in Paducah, a city in Southwest Kentucky. Should a Supreme Court justice die next year, what will your position be on filling that spot? an attendee asked, setting up a scenario that would mirror 2016, when Justice Antonin Scalia died suddenly. Uh, wed fill it, McConnell said with a wry, tight-lipped smile. Its his most direct comment yet about what would happen if a surprise retirement or death presented McConnell with a 2016 redux, something liberals began to worry over in earnest when Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg missed work after being diagnosed with lung cancer. (She had surgery and returned to the court in February.) Read more: Democrats slam McConnell for delay on domestic violence bill At the event, which local news channel WPSD recorded, McConnell said that confirming judges is the best way to have a long-lasting positive impact on the country. Everything else changes, he said, before adding that, What cant be undone is a lifetime appointment to a young man or woman who believes in the quaint notion that the job of the judge is to follow the law. Thats the most important thing weve done in the country, which cannot be undone. After his comments circulated Tuesday evening, McConnells critics said it was another example of his backhanded partisan gamesmanship. History will record McConnell as the true villain of some of the ugliest moments in this period of US history, said Susan Hennessey, the executive editor of the Lawfare blog, in a tweet. Matthew Yglesias, the co-founder of Vox.com, argued that McConnells tactics were blatantly opportunistic, but hardly unique. At times, political leaders stake out positions on process issues that seem hypocritical or opportunistic, he wrote on Twitter. Mitch McConnell stands out from the pack somewhat in how open and unembarrassed he is about this, though the basic pattern is far from unique. But David Popp, McConnells spokesman, said there was nothing new in the majority leaders remarks, pointing to October 2018 interviews where McConnell left open the possibility that he would help advance a Trump nominee in 2020. What the leader did today is emphasize what he has said since October, Popp told the Washington Post. In October, McConnell said at a news conference that his decision to block Garlands appointment was based on a tradition that opposition parties in control of the Senate do not confirm Supreme Court nominees during presidential election years. He claimed the precedent only applies when different parties control the Senate and the White House which was the case in 2016, but would not be in 2020. The tradition going back to the 1880s has been if a vacancy occurs in a presidential election year, and there is a different party in control of the Senate than the presidency, it is not filled, McConnell told reporters then. Look, its practical, he added. Think about it. Theres no chance that an opposition party in control of the Senate is going to fill a Supreme Court vacancy occurring in the middle of a presidential election year, and thats why it hasnt happened since the 1880s. But McConnells comments this week have a new resonance since former vice president Joe Bidens entry into the race for the Democratic nomination. During a recent campaign stop, Biden touted his bipartisan credentials and claimed the public would witness an epiphany occur among many of my Republican friends. GOP lawmakers, Biden predicted, would be willing to work with him once Trump left office. McConnell and Biden do indeed have a history of working with one another, like in 2013, when together they pulled the country back from the fiscal cliff. But much has changed since then, and many saw Bidens comments as naive, especially since he made no mention of McConnells role in keeping Garland off the court. Ironically, in doing so, McConnell cited the so-called Biden rule, a reference to a 1992 speech in which Biden argued that President Bush should delay the hypothetical confirmation of a Supreme Court justice, should an opening occur before that Novembers election. But later in his Tuesday talk, McConnell hinted that he, too, misses the days when Democrats and Republicans got along better. Although lawmakers maintain interparty friendships, McConnell mused, things have pretty gotten ugly outside the Capitol walls. Outside the chamber, he said, theres been a serious decline in civility. JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Missouris health department said Wednesday that the license for the states only abortion clinic is in jeopardy because of a litany of problems, including failed surgical abortions in which patients remained pregnant and concerns about patient safety. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services responded to the lawsuit filed a day earlier by Planned Parenthood that seeks to keep open the clinic in St. Louis. A judge on Thursday will hold a hearing on the request for a restraining order that would stop the state from its threat to not renew the license. Republican Gov. Mike Parson said it would be reckless for a judge to weigh in until the state takes action. Planned Parenthoods license for its St. Louis clinic is set to expire Friday unless the state renews it. But Parson said the state health department found a series of deficiencies at the clinic. He did not elaborate, citing an ongoing investigation, but the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services later put out a news release saying concerns were initially raised after inspections in March. The agency cited at least one incident in which patient safety was gravely compromised. It also cited what it called failed surgical abortions in which women remained pregnant, and an alleged failure to obtain informed consent. The department did not elaborate on the allegations. Planned Parenthoods apparent disregard for the law, their failure to complete complication records, and the accuracy of medical records are all serious concerns that need to be addressed prior to any license renewal, Parson said. They still have two days to comply. Planned Parenthood Federation of America President and CEO Dr. Leana Wen said Parsons comments are simply not based on medicine, facts, or reality. A court hearing on the groups lawsuit is set for Thursday morning. Governor Parson and his health department continue to move the goal post on compliance issues and then threaten Planned Parenthoods license. Planned Parenthood has been responsive to every demand, including those that interfere with high quality medical care, yet the Governor continues to insist that our license is in jeopardy, said Dr. Colleen McNicholas, an abortion provider at Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region. According to Planned Parenthoods lawsuit, the state health department visited the clinic in April to investigate a patient complaint. Planned Parenthood says the agencys subsequent investigation has identified a large number of potential deficient practices requiring explanation by the physicians directly involved in patient care, as well as the attending physicians. The lawsuit says the state wanted to interview seven physicians, including medical fellows who no longer provide care at the clinic. It says two staff doctors agreed but the others did not, and Planned Parenthood cant compel them because theyre not staff. The health department said the refusal of physicians to be interviewed obstructs the States ability to verify that this facility is in compliance. According to the lawsuit, the health department wont decide on renewing Planned Parenthoods license until the investigation is complete. If the license is not renewed, the organization says Missouri would become the first state without a functioning abortion clinic since the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision. The dispute comes days after Parson signed a bill banning abortions on or beyond the eighth week of pregnancy, with no exceptions for rape or incest. Missouri is among half a dozen states that have passed sweeping anti-abortion measures. If the St. Louis clinic no longer can provide abortions, the nearest clinics performing abortions are in a Kansas suburb of Kansas City and in Granite City, Illinois, just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis. The Kansas clinic is about 260 miles (420 kilometres) from St. Louis. Even before the latest legislation, Missouri already had some of the most restrictive abortion regulations in the nation, including a requirement that doctors performing abortions have partnerships with nearby hospitals. A total of 2,910 abortions occurred in 2018 in Missouri, according to provisional data provided by the state health department. That includes 433 abortions at eight weeks of pregnancy and 267 at six weeks or earlier. ___ Salter reported from St. Louis. WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump angrily assailed special counsel Robert Muellers motives on Thursday, a day after Mueller bluntly rebuffed Trumps repeated claims that the Russia investigation had cleared him of obstructing justice. The president also offered mixed messages on Russias efforts to help him defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 campaign. Early in the day, Trump tweeted he had nothing to do with Russia helping me get elected. That was the first time he seemed to acknowledge that Russia tried to help his campaign. Then on the White House South Lawn, Trump told reporters: Russia did not help me get elected. You know who got me elected? You know who got me elected? I got me elected. Russia didnt help me at all. Muellers report said Russia interfered in the election in hopes of getting Trump elected, but his findings and intelligence officials have stopped short of saying the efforts contributed to Trumps victory. Trumps 20-minute eruption underscored that he remains deeply distressed over the probe that has shadowed his presidency for nearly two years, even after Mueller announced his resignation and the closure of his office. Democrats are mulling the possibility of impeachment proceedings. Trump insisted that hes been tough on Russia and that Moscow would have preferred Clinton as president. But thats not what Russian President Vladimir Putin has said. When asked last year in Helsinki whether he wanted Trump to become president, Putin replied: Yes, I did. On Wednesday, Mueller, in his first public remarks on the Russia investigation, pointedly rejected Trumps claims repeated almost daily that the special counsels investigation cleared him of criminal activity and was a witch hunt. Mueller emphasized that he had not exonerated Trump on the question of whether he obstructed justice, but said charging Trump with any crime was not an option because of Justice Department rules. If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so, Mueller declared. Attorney General William Barr, however, said Mueller could have reached a decision on whether Trump obstructed justice. Barr said in an interview with CBS This Morning that though Justice Department rules prevent the indictment of a sitting president, Mueller nonetheless could have decided whether Trump had committed a crime. Trump repeated his baseless claims that Mueller is conflicted, contending that Mueller, who served as FBI director under President George W. Bush, wanted his old job back, but that he had told him no. He said Mueller, a Republican, was a true never Trumper and didnt get a job that he wanted very badly. Mueller had been considered for the FBI director position shortly before being named as special counsel. But then-White House chief strategist Steve Bannon has said that while the White House had invited Mueller to speak to the president about the FBI and thought about asking him to become director again, Mueller did not come in looking for a job. Trump also said Mueller should have investigated law enforcement officials who the president claims tried to undermine him. Muellers mandate, however, was to investigate Russian election interference, possible co-ordination with the Trump campaign and any obstruction of that investigation. Among those whom Trump says Mueller should have investigated were members of the special counsels own team, including Peter Strzok, a former FBI agent who helped lead the investigation and exchanged anti-Trump text messages during the 2016 election with ex-FBI lawyer Lisa Page. Strzok was removed from Muellers investigative team following the discovery of the texts and later was fired from the FBI. Page has left the bureau. Strzok told Congress that there was no conspiracy at the FBI to prevent Trump from becoming president. Trump, asked about impeachment by Congress, called it a dirty word and said he couldnt imagine the courts allowing him to be impeached. I dont think so because theres no crime, he said. Mueller made clear that his team never considered indicting Trump because the Justice Department prohibits the prosecution of a sitting president. He and others have indicated that the next move, if any, is up to Congress, which has the power of impeachment. Trump has blocked House committees subpoenas and other efforts to dig into the Trump-Russia issue, insisting Muellers report has settled everything. ___ Associated Press writers Eric Tucker, Chad Day, Mike Balsamo, Mary Clare Jalonick and Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report. SAN DIEGO - Lawyers for a Navy SEAL accused of killing an Islamic State prisoner in Iraq in 2017 want the case thrown out because of alleged prosecutorial misconduct that includes withholding evidence and conducting surveillance on the defence. Attorneys for Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher plan to ask a military court Thursday in San Diego to dismiss the case or remove the prosecutor and, possibly, have the judge himself step aside. Gallaghers case has been irreparably corrupted by a government campaign of outrageous and illegal conduct, attorney Tim Parlatore said in the opening salvo of his motion to dismiss the charges. This prosecution threatens to make an unequivocal farce of our justice system. The hearing originally scheduled Wednesday but postponed for a day comes with Gallaghers trial less than two weeks away and amid mounting pressure from defence lawyers who discovered prosecutors planted tracking software in emails sent to them and a journalist that may have violated attorney-client privilege and other constitutional rights. The Navy has said the software was used as part of an investigation to find the source of news leaks and that it did nothing wrong and has no plans to remove the prosecutor. A spokesman wouldnt comment on the motions. Among the evidence apparently kept from the defence were results of a polygraph exam Gallagher was given weeks before his arrest on charges that he fatally stabbed an injured young teenage militant and picked off civilians from a snipers perch. Gallager knew at the time he was under investigation and denied committing any war crimes during the test, Parlatore said in court papers. Gallagher was told he passed the exam. Parlatore said he only knows about the exam because his client told him about it and investigation documents showed efforts to schedule the test. Polygraphs, commonly referred to as lie-detector tests, are not admissible in civilian or military courts because they are not an indication of truth, said Gary Solis, a former military judge and Marine Corps prosecutor who teaches law at Georgetown. Passing such a test means the person answered most of the key questions without any indication of lying. Its debatable whether the results would be considered evidence of innocence, and therefore the prosecution would not necessarily have to turn them over to the defence, Solis said. The judge could admonish the defence for revealing polygraph results because it could taint the jury in the case, Solis said. The effort to get the case thrown out comes as President Donald Trump has considered pardoning several service members accused of war crimes, including Gallagher, who has pleaded not guilty. Gallaghers family has lobbied vigorously for his freedom and dozens of Republican lawmakers have rallied to his cause. Prosecutors have said Gallagher stabbed the injured militant and then posed for a photo with the corpse for his re-enlistment ceremony. He sent a text to fellow SEALs later saying, I got this one with my hunting knife. Parlatore dismissed that as a joke that reflects the dark humour of a warrior. No blood was found on the knife by forensics experts, he added. Parlatore said hes aware of evidence that showed at least one member of Gallaghers squad practiced medical procedures on the militant when he was dead or nearly dead, which might indicate he died from a different cause. He said witnesses would be willing to testify to that, but prosecutors have said theyre unaware of anything performed on him that was not medically necessary or any alternative cause of death. Parlatore also claimed that prosecutors cant prove that Gallagher shot a young girl and old man because charges of attempted murder are based only on rumours and inadmissible hearsay. Gallagher faces trial June 10. ___ Melley reported from Los Angeles. ALBANY, N.Y. - New Yorks Legislature could soon repeal one of the nations last bans on paid surrogacy contracts, in which a woman is compensated for carrying the child of another person or couple. New York and Michigan are now the only two states that expressly forbid surrogacy contracts, forcing many prospective parents to go to other states to start a family. A measure pending in the Legislature would permit and regulate such contracts and impose rules intended to protect surrogates, future parents and babies. Speaking at a Senate hearing on the bill Wednesday in Albany, Dennis Williams told lawmakers about his struggle to find a surrogate outside of New York. In a twist, he ultimately found one in Kansas, Williams own birth state. He said he left years ago because as a gay black man, he felt more welcome in New York. Its more than a little ironic to me that New York has given me some of the best parts of my life and yet could not or would not give me what I wanted most, he said. He and his now five-year-old son live in Brooklyn. Sen. Brad Hoylman, D-Manhattan, is the sponsor of the bill and the father of two daughters born to a surrogate in California. He said New Yorks law hasnt kept up with medical advances in gestational surrogacy, in which a woman carries a fetus she is not genetically related to. In many cases, prospective parents may find a surrogate in another state with lax regulations, he said. Lets have the best laws in the country, and regulations, that protect all the parties, he said at Wednesdays hearing. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the legislation is one of his top priorities for the remainder of the legislative session, which is scheduled to end next month. While no vote is scheduled yet, the bill has strong support in the Democrat-led Senate and Assembly. Cuomo said the states ban on surrogacy contracts hits same-sex couples especially hard, which he said is odd given the states early approval of same-sex marriage. And now youre saying, in essence, an infertile couple or a gay couple cant have a child? he said during a public radio interview Tuesday. Its absurd to me. The bill contains several safeguards intended to prevent surrogates from being exploited, and to ensure the legal responsibilities for the child rest with the intended parents. They include requirements that surrogates be 21 or older and have independent legal representation, as well as a process allowing the intended parents to obtain a court judgment naming them the parent of the child before their birth. Opponents to the bill include the New York State Catholic Conference. In a memo outlining its concerns, the conference wrote that surrogacy contracts have been used to exploit surrogates around the world. The international commercial surrogacy trade has been exposed, and several countries such as India, Nepal, Thailand and Cambodia, where brokers found access to impoverished women willing to serve as surrogates, have banned the practice, the conference wrote. MIAMI - Federal prosecutors in Miami on Wednesday successfully appealed a judges decision to release rapper Kodak Black on bond after his arrest for a weapons violation. In a hearing in U.S. District Court, Judge Federico Moreno said the 21-year-old rapper was a danger to the community based on his lengthy criminal record. Black was arrested during a Miami-area hip-hop festival earlier this month that was marred by several violent incidents outside the venue. Authorities are investigating three unrelated shootings in the Miami area with possible connections to the festival. Prosecutors say that on two occasions Black had falsified information on federal forms to purchase firearms from a Miami-area gun shop. Black purchased a 9 mm handgun, a .380-calibre handgun and a semi-automatic Mini Draco weapon, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Brown. The rapper pleaded not guilty, and a judge previously granted his release on $550,000 bond and house arrest. Moreno overturned that decision, saying the type of weapons purchased by Black was concerning. The judge suggested it was unlikely Black could remain out of trouble even if placed under supervised house arrest. When asked about why Black needed firearms, his attorney, Bradford Cohen, responded that the rapper faced security threats from gangs and other rivals. Authorities said one of the weapons purchased by Black was found at the scene of a recent shooting in nearby Pompano Beach. The rapper also faces drug, weapons and sexual assault charges in other states. He will be held in custody in Miami while he awaits a trial date likely to be scheduled before the end of the summer. Prosecutors said Black could face up to eight years in prison if convicted. ___ This story has been edited to correct the spelling of attorney Bradford Cohens name. NEW YORK - Robert Mueller spoke for only 10 minutes, and his statements yielded no new information on the Russia probe. But for much of the American media, the special counsels first public comments in two years warranted wall-to-wall coverage. Many journalists focused Wednesday on whether Muellers remarks on his investigation into interference in the 2016 presidential election increased the chances that Congress will go forward with impeachment proceedings, with elections looming in 2020. The comments were covered with fanfare. ABC, CBS and NBC broke into regular programming to cover the appearance live, and Fox offered a feed to local affiliates. Cable news outlets including CNN, Fox News and MSNBC offered extensive analysis. Online, The New York Times led with the fact that Mueller declines to clear Trump, while the conservative news outlet Breitbart said the statement pours gas on impeachment mania. The coverage came after news organizations were criticized by some over how they covered the investigation when the report finally came out in March. Still, CNNs Wolf Blitzer declared, We are seeing a historic day unfolding. The network spent the next several hours with paid commentators, picking apart Muellers words and trying to analyze what they might mean for impeachment, the 2020 presidential elections and the attorney general, William Barr. Blitzer called it a remarkable statement after two years of public silence from the special counsel that injected new drama into the debate over impeachment. Like other media outlets, CNN zeroed on Muellers statement that if we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so. Thats a pretty damning thing for the special counsel to say, anchor Jake Tapper said. James Clapper, former director of national intelligence and a paid security analyst for CNN, weighed in to call the appearance classic Bob Mueller. Understated, but I think he clearly thought about every word. On Fox, commentators focused on statements by 2020 presidential hopefuls calling for impeachment, including a tweet from Sen. Cory Booker, a New Jersey Democrat, who said that starting impeachment proceedings was the only path forward. Fox anchor Bret Baier also noted Muellers statement Wednesday that charging President Donald Trump with a crime was not an option due to longstanding guidelines from the Department of Justice. That comment, Baier said, appeared at odds with Barrs statement in March that department guidelines had no impact on the report. Trump, who has repeatedly and falsely claimed that Muellers report cleared him of obstruction of justice, aired his position on Twitter. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! he tweeted. Hosts, correspondents and analysts on the left-leaning MSNBC cable news channel largely cast Muellers statement as encouragement for Congress to act. They dismissed tweets from Trump and his lawyers and staff, saying Muellers comments did not mean case closed. Speaking to the network by phone, Neal Katyal, the former acting solicitor general of the U.S., said Mueller s comments were a damning portrait of the president, and the next step rests with Congress. I dont think there is any other way to read what was said today than that, Katyal said. Kasie Hunt, who covers Congress for MSNBC, said Mueller was trying to make clear that he does not have anything to add, and that Congress will be the next theatre of action. Pressure for impeachment already sharply escalated in the hour or so after Mueller concluded remarks, Hunt said. On social media, Dan Rather, who covered Richard Nixons presidency and the Watergate scandal when he was White House correspondent at CBS, said on Twitter that Muellers statement was going through the Rorschach test of our current political divisions. But in essence it echoes all of the devastating reality in his report and his belief that ultimate accountability for the President must be the duty of Congress, added Rather, a longtime anchor of the CBS Evening News. Chris Matthews, the host of Hardball on MSNBC, tweeted that its a now or never moment for House Democrats and Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Today, Mueller clearly pointed to the 400-page document saying here is the evidence, Matthews wrote. Democrats have the chance to move on impeachment with that report. Fox host Sean Hannity, meanwhile, fired off several tweets emphasizing that the special counsels office is closing. TRUMP TO MUELLER: The case is closed! Thank you, he tweeted , linking a story from his website that quotes the Presidents statement saying the case is closed. ___ Associated Press writers Tali Arbel and Alexandra Olson in New York and Barbara Ortutay in San Francisco contributed to this report. By Lee Suh-yoon The Seoul Central District Court ordered a well-known plastic surgery clinic in Gangnam, southern Seoul, Wednesday, to pay 430 million won ($360,000) in compensation to the family of a young man who died on an operating table there. The man, Kwon Dae-hee, fell into a coma from excessive blood loss while undergoing a facial contouring operation in September 2016. He was moved to a university hospital but died there a month later. The court ruled the medical staff failed to take proper measures, such as starting a blood transfusion, despite being aware of the amount of blood the patient had lost. CCTV footage from the clinic's operating theaters showed the surgeon in charge operated on several patients at once, moving between rooms. The nurse who was left to treat the blood hemorrhage on her own was filmed fixing her makeup and playing with her smartphone. The hospital also failed to properly inform Kwon of the risks associated with the procedure, the court added. Throughout the long court battle, Kwon's family campaigned, along with other victims and civic activists, for the mandatory installation of CCTV cameras in operating rooms. Doctors' groups, however, have adamantly opposed the move, saying it could symbolically erode the "trust between patients and medical personnel." TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Latest on the Florida Cabinet meeting in Israel (all times local): 9:20 a.m. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Cabinet are meeting in Israel. The meeting opened Wednesday with the signing of a proclamation expressing Floridas support of Israel. It was followed by discussions on terrorism, water supplies and emergency response. The First Amendment Foundation and a coalition of news outlets sued to stop the meeting, saying it violates the states open government laws because public didnt have full access. A judge denied the emergency motion on Tuesday because court papers had not been served yet to attorneys for the governor and cabinet members. The meeting was live-streamed in the Cabinet meeting room in the state capitol, though technical glitches hampered the start of the meeting and sound quality was often bad. ___ 8:09 a.m. A judge in Florida denied an emergency motion from the First Amendment Foundation seeking to prevent Gov. Ron DeSantis from convening a Cabinet meeting during a trip to Jerusalem. The judge said he couldnt stop the Wednesday morning meeting because attorneys for DeSantis and Cabinet officials had not been served with court papers. Foundation President Barbara Petersen says an emergency motion for reconsideration has been filed. A coalition of media organizations says the meeting is in violation of Floridas open government laws, which require Cabinet meetings to be accessible to the public. The governor is on a four-day trade mission to Israel. His office says the meeting is only ceremonial. It is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. EDT. SAN DIEGO - The Latest on the case of a Navy SEAL accused of killing an Islamic State prisoner in Iraq (all times local): 9:45 a.m. A San Diego military court hearing has been postponed in the case of a U.S. Navy SEAL accused of killing an Islamic State prisoner in Iraq in 2017. The defence had been expected to seek dismissal of the case Wednesday but instead asked for a continuance, which the judge granted. No reason was given. The hearing has been rescheduled for Thursday morning. Attorneys for Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher are expected to argue that the case against him has been tainted by lies, evidence withholding and surveillance conducted on the defence. Defence lawyer Tim Parlatore has said that if the case goes forward, the prosecutor should be removed and the judge may have to step aside. The Navy has said it did nothing wrong and has no plans to remove the prosecutor. Gallagher faces trial June 10. ___ 10 p.m. Lawyers for a Navy SEAL accused of killing an Islamic State prisoner in Iraq in 2017 are seeking to have the charges dismissed for alleged prosecutorial misconduct. Attorneys for Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher are scheduled to argue in military court Wednesday that the case against him has been tainted by lies, withholding evidence and conducting surveillance on the defence. Defence lawyer Tim Parlatore says if the case goes forward, the prosecutor should be removed and the judge may have to step aside. Parlatore says the governments outrageous and illegal conduct has made a farce of the justice system. The Navy has said it did nothing wrong and has no plans to remove the prosecutor. A spokesman wouldnt comment on the court motions. Gallagher faces trial June 10. ___ Melley reported from Los Angeles. DALLAS - A third Dallas man has been charged with federal hate crimes in connection with a string of kidnappings and robberies in 2017 that targeted gay men lured to an apartment from posts on a dating app. Court records show that Daryl Henry, 22, is charged with nine counts, including conspiracy to commit hate crimes, kidnapping and carjacking, according to The Dallas Morning News. Henry pleaded not guilty on Tuesday, and a judge ordered him held without bond pending trial. Investigators said Henry guarded the victims after they were kidnapped. His attorney said Henry hasnt committed any violent crimes and had asked that he be released on bond. If convicted, Henry could face up to life in prison, according to prosecutors. The federal indictment said the defendants used the gay dating app Grindr to create fake profiles and pose as gay men interested in dates to lure gay men. Once the victims arrived, the suspects forced them into the Dallas apartment. Authorities were alerted when one of the nine victims got away. When Dallas police showed up at an apartment where that victim had been held, they found four other victims lying face down in an empty bedroom. The men told police the suspects had run out the back door just before officers arrived, an arrest warrant affidavit said. The men were robbed, pistol-whipped, beaten and sexually assaulted, federal authorities said. At least two victims were smeared with feces and urinated on, court records said. Another was sexually assaulted with an object, prosecutors said. The indictment said that during the assaults, the men were also subjected to gay slurs. Hallie Ivy, a lead FBI agent for the case, said Henrys involvement consisted of standing guard over the victims who were held in one of the bedrooms. She said the defendants threatened the victims, telling them they knew from their drivers licenses where they lived. Henry is on probation for a drug case out of Dallas County for which he is expected to face probation revocation, according to a prosecutor. ___ Information from: The Dallas Morning News, http://www.dallasnews.com MONTGOMERY, Ala. - President Donald Trump on Wednesday discouraged Alabama Republican Roy Moore from running for U.S. Senate again in 2020, saying the GOP must regain the once reliably red state and Moore cannot win. Moore, who contends establishment Republicans are trying to keep him from running, disputed the assertion saying, everybody knows I can win. Moore lost the 2017 special election to Democrat Doug Jones amid sexual misconduct allegations. He is considering a second run in 2020. Republicans cannot allow themselves to again lose the Senate seat in the Great State of Alabama, Trump wrote in a Wednesday morning tweet. Trump, who backed Moore in 2017 despite the allegations, tweeted I have NOTHING against Roy Moore, but warned Roy Moore cannot win. Trump added that if Democrats retain the seat in 2020, many of the incredible gains that we have made during my Presidency may be lost. Moore told The Associated Press in a telephone interview that he has not made a decision about whether to enter the 2020 race, but Trumps comments will not influence him. I think the president is coming under pressure from people in Washington, scared that I will run for the Senate, scared I will win and know I can win, Moore, 72, said. Everybody knows I can win and thats whats worrying in Washington. Moore said he will announce a decision in June. Jones defeated Moore in 2017 by 22,000 votes out of 1.3 million cast in a special election to fill the seat previously held by Jeff Sessions, who became Trumps attorney general. Republicans control the Senate 53-47 and view defeating Jones as a top priority. Jones, 65, is considered the most endangered Democratic incumbent facing re-election in 2020, a year when several GOP senators are vulnerable and control of the chamber will be at stake. As he weighs a possible rematch with Jones, Moore contends the 2017 election was a fraud adding he has tried to repudiate the false accusations that came against me. Six women accused Moore of pursuing romantic or sexual relationships with them when they were teenagers as young as 14 and he was an assistant district attorney in his 30s. Two accused him of assault or molestation, accusations that he has vehemently denied. A crowded GOP primary field is taking shape for the 2020 race in Alabama. Congressman Bradley Byrne, former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville and legislator Arnold Mooney have announced Republican primary bids. Moore retains a strong following among some evangelical voters in the state. He was twice elected as the states chief justice but was twice stripped of those duties. A judicial ethics panel said he defied, or urged defiance of, federal court orders regarding same-sex marriage and the public display of the Ten Commandments. Student faces deportation over work, May 27 If J.S. Sandhu, on a student visa, did not know or wilfully ignored the law, he should know that Canada is a rules-based society and there are consequences to breaking the law. By overworking his maximum 20 hour per week limit, Sandhu broke the law and he must face the consequences, i.e. be deported. When one applies for a student visa to Canada, it is very clear that one has to prove to authorities that they have sufficient funds for the duration of their student visa. His stating that: I had no other option. I would have to stop my studies if I didnt work to pay for school is a lame excuse. You, Sandhu, were supposed to have the required funds for the duration of your student visa. Many people come to Canada on a student visa knowing full well that their prime purpose is to work near full time, overstay their student visa and continue to stay in Canada illegally. Also, if one follows the rules and graduates, there is no guarantee, if they apply, that they will be accepted as permanent residents of Canada. Sandhu working 40 hours a week deprived a Canadian and/or a permanent resident of a job. Whether Sandhu collected 50,000 or 100 signatures on a petition is not the point. Sandhu broke the law and must face the consequences. OTTAWAAs key pieces of the federal governments environmental agenda hit road blocks in the Senate, environmental groups and a collective of B.C. First Nations say unelected members of the upper house shouldnt significantly change or defeat legislation the Trudeau Liberals promised during the last election. In an open letter to all senators and MPs Tuesday, the president of the Coastal First Nations said a looming Senate vote on whether to kill Bill C-48 legislation to ban heavy oil tankers from the north coast of British Columbia could scupper public trust in government. The Senate transport committee voted to defeat the bill at a meeting May 15, and that recommendation is expected to go to the floor of the upper house in the coming days. We dont agree that senators have a democratic mandate, and therefore the legitimacy, to kill this bill, wrote Chief Marilyn Slett in her letter Tuesday. Please defer to the will of the people and pass into the law the oil tanker ban. Meanwhile, in a basement meeting room at a hotel near Parliament Hill, environmental groups hosted what they called a Peoples Hearing on Bill C-69, another piece of Liberal legislation being considered by the red chamber. The bill slagged by Conservative opponents as the No New Pipelines Act would overhaul how the federal government assesses major development proposals like cross-boundary pipelines and major nuclear projects. The government says the legislation is meant to bring in predictable timelines for assessments, ensure broader impacts on gender, Indigenous communities and climate change are considered, and that obstacles to public participation in the process are removed. But industry opponents and Conservative politicians have argued the bill will make it harder for worthy projects to be approved by opening the door too wide by including people not directly affected in public consultations, as well as transferring authority for major reviews from sector-specific regulators to a new Impact Assessment Agency. Earlier this month, after months of hearings that included a road tour to different regions of the country, the Senate committee proposed close to 200 amendments to the bill. While the changes were welcomed by Alberta Premier Jason Kenney who had just weeks earlier warned the bill could spark the flames of separatism in his province environmental advocates denounced the amendments. On Tuesday, Anna Johnston, a staff lawyer with West Coast Environmental Law, warned of a democratic crisis in Canadas parliament if the Senate decides to pass the bill with the committees amendments. Taken as a whole, she said the amendments erode the bill to the point of breaking Liberal election promises to make the new assessment process more credible and to restore environmental protections removed when the previous Conservative government implemented a suite of changes in a 2012 omnibus budget bill. This government was elected on the promise of restoring credibility and public trust, restoring lost protections and introducing modern safeguards, said Johnston. The amendments the Senate has made totally undermine those against the will of the electorate. I think this is absolutely at its core a democratic crisis. Conservative Sen. David Tkachuk, the partys critic in the upper chamber for C-69, said it is not unusual for the Senate to improve government bills, pointing to the Harper governments accountability legislation in 2006, which he said received about 100 amendments. He added that the government in the House of Commons will get last say on amendments from the upper house. And though he said he has only seen one government bill defeated in the Senate after 25 years in the upper chamber, Tkachuk said there is nothing inappropriate about Conservative senators opposing Liberal legislation, and that if they succeed in defeating it with the help of Independent senators appointed by the government, thats fine too. Thirty senators from the Conservative side cannot defeat a bill. We can fight for our position, which is what were trying to do, said Tkachuk, who is chair of the Senate transport committee that recommended killing Bill C-48. As far as Im concerned, thats a perfectly legitimate thing to happen, he said. Frances Lankin, an Independent senator appointed in 2016, said she believes the role of the upper house is to examine, consult and recommend changes. The decision to strike down a government bill should only be taken in rare circumstances, such as when legislation tramples on rights protected in the Constitution, she said. I dont believe that this particular bill rises to the kind of exceptional circumstances within the scope and purview of the Senates role for the Senate to do that, she said. OTTAWALiberals are dismissing a report that party insiders are plotting a successor to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should the party falter in Octobers election, calling the move totally ridiculous, dopey and boneheaded. Liberal MPs and cabinet ministers emerged from Wednesdays caucus meeting voicing support for Trudeau and decrying those who would scheme against his leadership, just months before the party tries for a second term. Its someone who is trying to hurt the party. Its ridiculous, totally ridiculous Its really dopey, said Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Carolyn Bennett, dismissing talk that Trudeau faces a credible leadership challenge. The Stars Chantal Hebert reported Tuesday that unnamed Liberals were strategizing to have Mark Carney, a Canadian who is currently the governor of the Bank of England, take over the helm of the party if it comes up short in the fall election. According to the report, it was the topic of a recent conference call among participants who harbour doubts that the party down in the polls after the bruising SNC-Lavalin controversy can hold on to its majority. A spokesperson for the Bank of England declined to comment on the Star story. Carneys term at the bank was extended to Jan. 31, 2020 to cover the period of Britains exit from the European Union. Read more: Conservatives maintain edge over Liberals in new poll Opinion | Chantal Hebert: Former Liberals play the long game with Independent campaigns Opinion | Chantal Hebert: Liberal insiders looking at Mark Carney as Trudeaus successor A source told the Star that Carney himself was unaware of the backroom discussions. However its not the first time efforts have been made to recruit Carney into politics. Carney dashed similar hopes in 2012 when he agreed to take on the governors role in England, moving from the same post he had held at the Bank of Canada. The idea he should be wooed again had little traction among Liberal MPs Wednesday. Transport Minister Marc Garneau, who was a contender in the 2013 party leadership contest that Trudeau won, dismissed the report as silly season. I think we collectively can be proud of what weve done and I think Canadians will want to hear what we have for the next mandate. I fully intend to be there right behind him, Garneau said. Infrastructure Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne described Carney as a friend, but said theres no one talking about issues with respect to leadership, and said he for sure was not on any such call. I dont think it has its place. I mean we are in a good position, the leader is in a very good shape, we are going to win the next election, Champagne told reporters. Before running in the last election, Champagne lived in London, where Carney still resides. I like Mark. Mark is the governor of the Bank of England so hes doing a fabulous job, but that being said theres no question whatsoever about leadership. Outgoing Liberal MP Rodger Cuzner shrugged off the report that Liberal insiders were nervous. They wouldnt be any insiders I know, he said. A lot of people set themselves up as insiders. Any insiders I know support the prime minister 100 per cent. He added that if his own personal decision not to run again was based on leadership of the party, my name would be on the ballot again. Jean-Yves Duclos, minister of families, children and social development, said there was no dissension in the party ranks despite the challenges of recent months a theme several others took up. What Im hearing is a lot of confidence in our government, in our leader. We have an extremely strong leader of whom I am very proud. He inspires me every day, Duclos said. Pablo Rodriguez, minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism, declared that the discussions were news to him. I never heard any talk about that. Never, he said. Marie-Claude Bibeau, the agriculture minister, reacted with eyebrows raised. Im extremely surprised to learn this from you, because frankly the background noise and the sense of solidarity at the heart of our team is very strong. So I have no idea where that comes from, perhaps there are others who want to destabilize us. But frankly were very solid. Still, the report of backroom discussions is evidence of the problems suffered by the Liberals this year that have called Trudeaus leadership into question and seen the party lagging Andrew Scheers Conservatives in the polls and appearing vulnerable in the coming election. Peter Donolo, who served as director of communications to prime minister Jean Chretien, said theres no doubt that the events of recent months have spooked many Liberals, especially since some of the governments problems around SNC-Lavalin which cost it two cabinet ministers protesting alleged political interference in an ongoing court case were self-inflicted. Yet he had harsh words for the insiders who were questioning Trudeaus leadership, warning that it risked stirring the very sort of bitter infighting that has damaged the party in the past. This is the most boneheaded move Ive seen in a long-time. I dont know who these people are but they are idiots, Donolo said in an interview. Justin Trudeau doesnt deserve this. He took the Liberal party from the edge of oblivion to the centre of power, Donolo said, referring to Liberal success in the 2015 election. Indeed, when Trudeau took the reins of the party in 2013, the Liberals had been knocked down to 34 seats under a string of leaders over the previous decade. In the 2015 election under Trudeau, the Liberals won 184 seats. Yet Donolo said the Liberals have a saviour complex, always seeking to go after the next bright shiny object, certain that the next leader is always the best one. Its created no end of problems for the Liberal party, said Donolo, currently the vice-chair of H+K Strategies Canada. Still barring any political missteps by the Liberals ahead of the Oct. 21 election, he doubted that the discussions would grow into a serious threat to Trudeaus leadership. I would think that the blow back from this would be so severe that no one is going to stick their hand up and say, I think this is a good idea, Donolo said. Read more about: VANCOUVERPort workers across the West Coast will be locked out by their employers Thursday, raising the prospect of a work disruption that could paralyze Canadas shipping trade in the region. The lockout is the latest action in an ongoing labour dispute between port workers and their employers that could shut down ports all along B.C.s coast: from Vancouver and Port Rupert to Vancouver island. Container traffic through the Ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert alone account for roughly 67 per cent of the countrys total, according to Greg Wilson, director of government relations for the Retail Council of Canada. That means the lockout would be disastrous for the province and country, said Rob Ashton, International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada president, of the decision by the B.C. Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA). This is a reckless, irresponsible and needless decision that will undermine the economy of B.C. and Canada, Ashton said in a statement. The ILWU represents 6,500 longshore workers throughout B.C. The lockout would apply to all West Coast ports, but would not impact workers serving grain operations and cruise ships. Read more: Retailers anxious as possibility of full-blown strike looms at Canadas largest port How essential is dock work? Answer could determine if longshoremen can strike Liberals back-to-work legislation is like putting the charter on hold for Christmas, law professor says The Port of Vancouver is Canadas busiest port, and the third largest in North America, according to the Association of Canadian Port Authorities. Its also Canadas Asia-Pacific gateway and the heart of the countrys shipping trade with more than 170 world economies. In a Tuesday news release, the BCMEA confirmed the impending lockout, saying the action represents an extremely difficult conclusion, arrived at after 17 months of fruitless bargaining. The impact will be significant for the average Canadian who depends on the reliable flow of goods that move through our B.C. ports, Jeff Scott, Chair of the BCMEA board is quoted saying in the news release. Negotiations already under mediation by a federal appointee broke down over the weekend, and no new date had been set for talks to restart. Monday morning, ILWU members began limited and targeted job action at the Port of Vancouvers Vanterm and Deltaport container terminals, both operated by Global Container Terminals Canada. Scott said in an interview Tuesday that the safety of port workers and the efficiency of port operations had already been impacted by that job action. With that in mind, he said the BCMEA made the regrettable decision to shut down West Coast port operations altogether. The move, he said, would hopefully force the federal government to intervene in the dispute. In a statement Tuesday, Federal Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour Patty Hajdu said the government still hopes the parties can reach an agreement in mediation. Minister Garneau and I have reached out to both parties on numerous occasions to encourage them to reach a deal, Hajdu wrote, referring to transportation minister Marc Garneau. I am disappointed an agreement has not been reached and expect both parties to negotiate an agreement as soon as possible. The BCMEA has been negotiating a new contract with the waterfront workers since March 2018, when the last one expired. The current job action is being carried out by roughly 2,000 members of locals 500 and 502, who work at flagship terminals Vanterm and Deltaport. A 2014 strike among container truck drivers servicing Vancouvers ports sent the countrys largest retailers scrambling to reroute goods and left many smaller retailers in the lurch, Wilson said. Ashton said avoiding just such a scenario is why the ILWU had chosen targeted job action over a full-blown strike. If we wanted to shut the ports down, we would have gone on strike, he said in an interview Tuesday. We didnt want this to happen. At the crux of the stalemate is the BCMEAs insistence on introducing technologies to the ports that would threaten union jobs, according to Ashton, as well as the health of the B.C. economy and the communities that rely on this industry. The expired collective agreement contains provisions to protect workers in the event of displacement by automation including retraining for alternate work opportunities and voluntary early retirment plans. It also allows the employer to require that employees retire at age 62, as long as the employee is fully covered by a supplementary pension plan. If it goes forward, the lockout will mean significant wage losses for affected workers. The expired agreement, which was signed in 2010, sets hourly wages for 2017 between $42.01 per hour for a typical daytime shift, to $84.02 per hour for a holiday shift. That means locked out employees could lose more than $300 per day. Mo Amir, general manager at B.C. wholesale lumber exporter SPF Precut Lumber, said the labour dispute has already begun to impact his business. SPF Lumber ships between 50 and 100 containers each week to customers in 20 countries worldwide, many of whom, Amir said, are end users and base their production schedules around when their lumber arrives. The biggest uncertainty is we have another 40 or 50 containers we were planning to deliver to the port this week, so what happens to them? Amir said Tuesday. The SPF lumberyard in Surrey, meanwhile, consistently manages 15 million board feet of lumber at any one time, which is delivered by rail, processed and shipped to the ports by truck. A lockout means that stock accumulates fast and staff are hard pressed to manage it, Amir said, noting the same thing happened during the 2014 truckers strike. The company has no plans to send its workers home, he said, but truckers with whom the lumber yard partners for transportation will be stopping work as soon as the lockout begins. Read more about: By Bahk Eun-ji A group of Vietnamese people have been apprehended for making fake Vietnamese driver's licenses for their countrymen here to help them get Korean driver's licenses more easily, police said Wednesday. Busan Police Agency said they detained a 28-year-old Vietnamese man and booked four others without physical detention for interfering with public duty and private document forgery. They also booked 26 other Vietnamese people who obtained Korean driver's licenses illegally from the group in return for money. A group of Vietnamese people were caught for helping fellow Vietnamese get Korean driver's licenses illegally. Korea Times file Boeing Co. has begun carefully mapping out the steps to ease its 737 Max back into commercial service once regulators lift a global grounding for its best-selling jetliner. The Chicago-based planemaker is planning the Max's comeback with airlines in a series of meetings it's been holding from Miami to Moscow, Boeing Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg told the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference on Wednesday. But the chief executive of a global airline association offered a cautious assessment of when airworthiness authorities might give the Max a clean bill of health. Flights aren't expected to resume for at least 10 to 12 weeks, Alexandre de Juniac, chief executive officer of the International Air Transport Association said on a call with reporters. "We are preparing a meeting between regulators, the aircraft manufacturer and the operators to make an assessment of the situation," De Juniac said. "But it is not in our hands. It's in the hands of regulators." Boeing shares dipped 1.3% to $350.39 at 9:59 a.m. in New York. Through Tuesday, the stock has tumbled 16 percent since the March 10 crash of an Ethiopian Airlines jetliner. Muilenburg is navigating one of the worst crises in Boeing's 103-year history after regulators grounded the 737 Max, the company's largest source of profit, following two fatal accidents that killed 346 people. The Boeing CEO described a "disciplined" schedule that would start with Boeing teams helping to take the nearly 500 parked 737 jets out of storage. That total includes about 100 newly built Max that can't be delivered until the grounding is lifted. They are stashed around the Seattle area and on a sprawling Boeing maintenance base in San Antonio, Texas. The planemaker has two other sites it could tap if needed, Muilenburg said. Boeing doesn't plan to increase the tempo at its main 737 factory -- nor reinstate its financial forecast -- until it's clear that its supply-chain is healthy and moving in sync, Muilenburg said. Boeing suspended its outlook and share repurchases when regulators halted commercial flights in March. The planemaker has been working to reassure travelers, pilots and regulators of its engineering prowess and commitment to safety after an obscure software system, called MCAS, was linked to two crashes. The company also faces a criminal probe and civil inquires from the U.S. Congress and the Securities and Exchange Commission for its role in the accidents and close ties to federal regulators. Boeing has largely completed work on a redesigned version, but has yet to submit the final paperwork to the Federal Aviation Administration. Muilenburg said he was encouraged by a one-day summit last week with counterparts at global airlines on the steps required to return the grounded Boeing jetliner to service, including the need for additional pilot training. But at least one regulator has reaffirmed plans to do a separate, in-depth review. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency plans to examine the 737 Max's entire flight control system, including the plane's displays, alerts and air-data systems, as well as the aircraft's autopilot function, EASA Director Patrick Ky wrote in a letter dated May 27 and seen by Bloomberg. "The regulators aren't on the same page," De Juniac said in a phone interview. "Otherwise they'd have a similar time line, a similar set of measures." Airlines, regulators and Boeing will meet in five to seven weeks to try and set a common schedule for returning the Max to service and restoring trust in the plane, De Juniac said in the interview. While the location has yet to be confirmed, IATA would like to see a single regulator making the call on airworthiness to avoid "useless complexity and additional costs," he said. IATA represents some 290 airlines, or more than 80% of total air traffic. The group will hold its annual meeting in Seoul this weekend, in the biggest gathering of airline and plane-company executives since the Boeing tragedies in October and March. The three U.S. operators of the Max have dropped the jet from their flight schedules through early August, in line with the timeframe cited by De Juniac. Meanwhile, SpiceJet Ltd. said Boeing representatives told it the 737 Max should be back in the air by July, signaling a quicker return for the plane. "The timeline communicated to us based on their experience is July -- end of June basically," SpiceJet's Chief Financial Officer Kiran Koteshwar said in an interview. "We are expecting it to be July." Representatives for Boeing in India didn't comment. WeWork is in talks with banks about arranging a $2.75 billion credit line before a planned initial public offering, according to people with knowledge of the matter. JPMorgan Chase is leading the potential financing, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans aren't public. Representatives for the bank and WeWork declined to comment. WeWork, which rents office space and desks to workers around the world, said in April it had filed documents confidentially with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for an IPO. It could be the year's biggest offering after Uber Technologies'. WeWork's largest backers include SoftBank Group, which earlier this year decided against taking a controlling stake. Securing a credit line from Wall Street often precedes an IPO. Companies going public routinely reward banks that make big credit commitments with roles in their IPOs, with lenders sometimes offering better terms on the financing in return. WeWork was founded in 2010 and rose to become one of the world's most valuable startups. The New York-based company has ambitions to go beyond the office with nascent businesses in apartment rentals and elementary schools. It took a symbolic step toward encapsulating those goals in January by rebranding itself as We Co., though it hasn't reincorporated under the new moniker. In 2014, WeWork obtained a $650 million revolver led by JPMorgan that expires in late 2020, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The company's junk-rated bonds, priced in 2018 and due in 2025, closed at $93.50 on Tuesday, a decline from a peak of $99.63 earlier this month WeWork said earlier this month that its loss narrowed slightly, to $264 million, in the first quarter. Its IPO will test public investors' appetite for another tech-infused, cash-burning business after Uber's debut. President Moon Jae-in, right, leads a cabinet council at presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Wednesday, with the Foreign Affairs Minister Kang Kyung-hwa, left, joining the meeting. Yonhap President Moon Jae-in denounced the main opposition party in an unusually strong tone Wednesday for its stance on the leak of a recent phone conversation he had with U.S. President Donald Trump. "It was a thing that should have not happened, with no room for excuses," he said at the start of a weekly Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul. It was the president's first public remarks on the case that has added to a drawn-out partisan strife here. A South Korean diplomat working at the country's embassy in Washington leaked details of the May 7 phone conversation between Moon and Trump to Rep. Khang Hyo-shang of the Liberty Korea Party (LKP). Rep. Khang Hyo-shang of the Liberty Korea Party. Yonhap Glenstone - the recently expanded museum of contemporary art in Potomac, Maryland, near the District of Columbia - is the most exciting new private museum in America. Envisioned by its founders, Emily and Mitch Rales, as "not only a place, but a state of mind," Glenstone is a 21st-century version of the Frick, the Phillips Collection or the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. And it's the equivalent, among its contemporaries, of such celebrated art sanctuaries as Naoshima in Japan and Louisiana in Denmark. See it for yourself. Relax into it. I think you'll probably agree. That doesn't mean you won't have legitimate reservations. Some of those reservations may have to do with the art, which is most definitely not like the Phillips, the Frick or the Gardner. I happen to like it - a lot - and I'll happily proselytize (it's really no strain) on behalf of such artists as Ruth Asawa, Louise Bourgeois, Richard Serra, Eva Hesse, Martin Puryear, Cy Twombly, Mark Rothko, Lee Bontecou, Willem de Kooning, Lynda Benglis, Martin Kippenberger, Jackson Pollock, Yayoi Kusama and David Hammons, all of whom are present at Glenstone, along with many others of similar stature. (And now, you can add Lee Krasner to that list: The Raleses just bought one of her paintings for $11.7 million, doubling the previous record for Krasner, who was married to Jackson Pollock.) But I concede, if you insist, that not all of it is for everyone. Other reservations may stem from the fact that the Glenstone experience can feel, at least initially, a little weird. A little too ... controlling. This is trickier territory, and you could argue it both ways. But on balance, I'd argue, it's actually the opposite: More than most museums, Glenstone, which is situated on an undulant, nearly 300-acre campus in verdant horse country, wants you to have your own experience. Certainly, on my first return visit since last year, I watched scores of people doing just that. The day was overcast yet warm. Spring leaves were screechy green against the slate sky. Birdsong - little sonic bubbles let loose on the air - provided an intermittent descant of optimism. Up on the hill, Jeff Koons's "Split-Rocker" was coming into flower. The rust-colored surface of Serra's "Contour 290," a curving steel wall in the cushioning fold of a nearby slope, was being embroidered by busy spiders and insects. And down by the Sandy Branch River, a boardwalk zigzagged up through a wrinkle in the bosky slope. The art and the setting seemed in wordless agreement, like lovers making up after a night of wordy squabbling. There wasn't a didactic wall text in sight. Yet it's strange: Even as you sigh and breathe more deeply at Glenstone, you can't help but feel that the people who set all this up - a billionaire couple who live on the property - have designs on you. And part of you - or part of me, anyway - wants to resist. In an era that has seen private museums multiply around the world, few, if any, have been as carefully thought through as Glenstone. It's hard not to be impressed. But it's also true that the whole thing can begin to feel a bit Willy Wonka-ish. Open Thursday through Sunday, Glenstone is free. Yet the Raleses want to preserve the experience as they intended it - "uncrowded, unrushed" - so they limit admission to 400 to 450 visitors a day. That means you need a ticket. But since the reopening last year, demand has been so high that it's maddeningly difficult to get one. (If you come by public transport, you can get in without a ticket, but the Montgomery Country Ride On buses are so infrequent that a trip from the city may take most of the morning. You can also arrive by car after midday without a ticket and the museum will try to accommodate you, but admission isn't guaranteed.) On top of all that, children younger than 12 are not admitted. That seems unfortunate, since it's hard to imagine any child who wouldn't love the place. And, oh, by the way, you can't take photos in the galleries. In all of these ways, Glenstone is the opposite of such grand public museums as the National Gallery of Art, the Metropolitan Museum or the Art Institute of Chicago. You know those places are meant for you. They're part of the urban fabric, staffed by benign retirees and charged with youthful, antic energy. You enter off a busy city street, dodging school groups and their nervous, shouty chaperones. You feel connected to a history, a civic ideal, which is messy and imperfect but richly layered and democratic. At Glenstone it's different. If you come by car, you turn off into what feels like a very private estate, with two men waiting in the middle of the road. You come to a halt and lower the window. They're there to greet and direct you - they're all smiles - but the situation is intimidating. You feel as if you've driven onto the secret compound of a cult or a paranoid foreign government in exile. The Arrival Hall beside the car park feels like a vast, abandoned Nordic sauna, and the bathrooms are painted a white so incandescently bright that you feel obliged to don sunglasses. The staff wear futuristic gray uniforms. It's all just slightly odd. From here, however, everything changes. After the Arrival Hall, you follow a winding path on a slight incline through a lush meadow. Everything leads your eye upward and outward. The sky seems suddenly big. Your ears tune into a new frequency. A cluster of gray rectangular blocks comes into view. It's Glenstone's new building, the Pavilions, designed by Thomas Phifer and Partners. You walk in and, again, the ambiance is intimidatingly hygienic, like a house in which nothing "sparks joy" and as a result absolutely everything has had to go. But then you walk down a set of white steps with wooden handrails and ... oh, it's lovely! A wide internal walkway, walled on one side with glass, surrounds a giant lily pond. It's an "A-ha!" moment, not unlike walking into the courtyard of the Gardner Museum. It's as if you've entered a beautiful sanctuary, possibly in another hemisphere, maybe another era. Although you've descended, you actually feel a kind of lift, a buoyancy, such as what birds must feel when they catch warm air currents. You exhale. You feel liberated from everyday cares. You're ready for the art. And here it comes: Asawa, de Kooning, Pollock, Rothko ... Still, part of you may still be holding out. It just looks so ... expensive. So you may wonder: Do I belong here? Who is Glenstone for? Whose ego is its existence stroking? If it's really the upshot of an altruistic urge, why, out of all the possible options, this particular outlet for it? I can't answer those questions. But I do think, for what it's worth, that Glenstone is for you. It's a remarkable place. It's rewarding. And it's also remedial: It provides a welcome antidote to prevailing ideas of how art should be experienced. Instead of compromising aesthetic encounters with endless commentary, it lets you make up your own mind. Glenstone has a clear, underlying philosophy, which has emerged in large part from the Raleses' understanding of how artists themselves want their art to be seen. It proposes that art should not be glibly explained away by wall labels but experienced and reflected upon. According to this philosophy, it's not a problem - in fact, it's to the good - if, in the course of experiencing the art, you find yourself on unstable ground, indulging in interpretive guesswork or blind speculation. You won't be harmed. You may be motivated to go away and learn more. Or you may choose to engage in conversation with one of the uniformed attendants (who, from everything I noticed, are very adept at making such conversations interesting). But even if you don't care to converse and don't wish to go away and learn more, you will have seen something new. You are free to come away from the experience changed or unchanged. No one will hold you to account. This is a philosophy I like. In fact, I love it. But it does make some visitors uncomfortable. Much of the art is difficult to get a handle on if you know nothing about the lives of the artists who made it, or the ideas from which it emerged. My sense is that young people are more relaxed about this than older people, who tend, as one gallery attendant told me, to want a "takeaway." "I think it's super cool," one teenager told me when I asked how she was finding Glenstone. She and a friend were there to complete a school assignment, which involved watching a video by Pipilotti Rist. "I don't know exactly what I was expecting, but it's unlike any museum I've been to before," she said. For others, the experience is more ambivalent. When they first walk into the Pavilions, they may feel as if the museum is snubbing them, ignoring their helplessness, letting them wallow in ignorance. They may panic, or feel let down by their hosts. I noticed in the first two galleries in particular that the attendants had to work hard to challenge assumptions, soothe insecurities and explain Glenstone's philosophy. They were good at it, though. And what seemed to emerge were genuine and fruitful exchanges, subtle shifts in attitude and a new willingness to relax into the experience. I wouldn't want all museums to follow Glenstone's approach. Good didactics and judicious displays can provide crucial information, helping people find ways into art that can otherwise seem esoteric. But I think it's wonderful that places like Glenstone and the Gardner Museum (which has, since Gardner's day, taken a similar approach, emphasizing spiritual experience over academic interpretation) exist. These places may be eccentric. They may even appear slightly fanatical. And, yes, they may be possible only in a society that believes good can come from tolerating the pet projects of the ultrarich. But they're also a gift, providing extraordinary settings in which to present high-level creativity in its many dazzling forms. They recognize that art cannot, finally, be reduced to pat explanations. And they are willing - at a time when so many forces are working in the opposite direction - to nurture the imagination, to give it room to move. Almost every Monday night, Gaby Dalkin, hosts a live cooking demo from her home in southern California on her Instagram account, Whats Gaby Cooking. The show is under an hour and Dalkins husband, Thomas Dawson, records it and reads out questions and comments from viewers. Dalkin, who went to culinary school and has worked as a private chef, will offer tips for de-boning salmon and cleaning mushrooms and joke about her polka dot sweatsuit that Thomas says resembles pajamas. Its all very casual and doable, which Dalkin said is the point. Its like youre cooking alongside your best friend in the kitchen, Dalkin said in a recent interview. I dont want to spend five hours cooking a meal and I know everyone else doesnt. Lets show people how to make something simple and delicious and go about our lives. It turns out there is an audience who make tuning in a ritual. We have people in India where its their morning when theyre watching, Dalkin said. She recently got a message from a viewers husband who said every Monday night he falls asleep listening to her voice because his wife is watching as they go to bed. He wanted not to like her, but now hes a fan. She also encourages her followers to make the recipes throughout the week and tag her on Instagram, which Dalkin notes, is free marketing and publicity. Thomas may be heard and not seen in the cooking demos, but hes earned his own devotees. Theres an Instagram account, Whats Thomas Eating, where hes often poking fun at his wife. He sometimes posts his own videos when hes home alone and cooking her recipes. He started Whats Thomas Eating as a total joke and I think sometimes hes more influential than I am, Dalkin said with a laugh. Dalkin isnt looking for a traditional cooking show because she feels like shes already doing that online, she said. Back in the day, all I wanted was to be the Next Food Network Star. I applied three years in a row and got denied three years in a row. Yes, we would do some sort of TV series, but I would need it to be a lot more animated and fun and maybe even lifestyle and travel-related. Dawson is in the process of transitioning from his day job in advertising to work with Gaby full-time. The goal is to ramp up their content and produce more videos for her website, YouTube and Instagram accounts. Dalkin also has two cookbooks, Absolutely Avocados (fans know she seriously loves avocados,) and Whats Gaby Cooking: Everyday California Food. Shes now working on a third. I havent taken a day off in the last probably five years, Dalkin said. Sometimes Ill have a full meltdown because I cant think of any recipes and Thomas is good about being like, Lets go for a walk and remove ourselves from the kitchen and where we normally work. I was on the couch breast-feeding my newborn second child when her older sibling snuggled up close and asked, "Mama, can I have some mau, too?" She is almost 4 - she can say "milk," and she does - but milk comes from a supermarket, while "mau" is the much more personal, magic elixir only mama can provide. During my pregnancy, "'mau' went on holiday." (She's a casualty of the #PeppaEffect, children who pick up a British lilt from watching the cartoon "Peppa Pig.") Upon realizing it was back, she began badgering about breast-feeding. "Mau is for babies," I said. "Please? Just a teeny sip?" "No." She burst into tears. Dismayed we were back here again after a long, arduous weaning process (she didn't self-wean, as I'd expected, at around a year, 15 months, 18 months or at 2). I thought of my own mother's claim that I self-weaned at 8 months, and our conversations surrounding my extended breast-feeding. "Going to let her breast-feed till she goes off to college?" she'd chided. "I'll send her frozen baggies of 'mau' in care packages." I tried to make light of what I later realized is an un-funny matter - shaming breast-feeders. After a few weeks of annoyance and deflection, another parent told me that breast milk tasted different for different babies and the older kid wouldn't like the new flavor. Armed with this, I agreed on the "one tiny sip." She'd try it, be repulsed, and we'd be done. She took her "sip." "Yucky?" "Mmmmm," she said. "That was delicious." My stomach sank. "It tastes like vanilla strawberry mint chocolate chip!" I laughed. Maybe this wasn't tragic. Still, it was a one-time thing. But a few days later, she scraped a knee, looked at me through tears, and asked, "Can I please have some mau to cheer me better?" She'd weakened my resolve. She was maybe not as "big" as I sought to claim. I decided to stop viewing the inability to get weaning to stick as a personal failure. I hadn't created this breast-milk monster. She was like this on her own. I parent by a combination of intuition and reason, and in this scenario, my instincts informed me of three things: that she wanted to nurse more than I wanted her not to; that child development is, like many other learning curves, not a linear process; and that this nursing relationship was private - I worried that I would be shunned even in our "crunchy" California town. I didn't even tell my husband, with whom I usually share every last unnecessary detail. This stemmed from my own bias. If I'd seen someone else breast-feeding a preschooler, I would probably have commented to my husband that it was creepy. I would have said, "If they're old enough to ask for it, they're too old to have it." In the midst of this renegotiation, Kristin Wilson, an anthropologist I'd met in a martial arts class, invited me to host the Q&A portion of an event for her latest book, "Others' Milk: The Potential of Exceptional Breastfeeding" (Rutgers University Press). Wilson, who interviewed over 80 "exceptional" breast-feeders, coined the term as a double-entendre: an exception to the norm, and also as in "outstanding." Maybe I wasn't so weird. Before I had kids, I had no idea breast-feeding was controversial. Whether you cover up or not, nurse in public, or nurse past infancy, judgment lurks everywhere when you're a breast-feeder, especially if you become, to borrow Wilson's term, an "exceptional" one. Secrecy and shame surrounding exceptional breast-feeding is unfortunate, because once I accepted that we were still doing this, I discovered that breast-feeding a 3-year-old is hilarious primarily for the reason many find it strange: She can talk about it. I started keeping a log of funny things said, including, "I saved some for Little Goo" (her sister), and "can I have some mau to warm me?" It turned out something I was initially ashamed of doing ultimately felt normal. Her current vocabulary for it is "Mom can I have a teeny?," as in "a teeny sip." When she asks for "more teeny" it sounds exactly like "martini" - to her, it's always five o'clock somewhere. The reasons our culture is so uptight about breasts and breast-feeding aren't medical or scientific. The Mayo Clinic advises that breast-feeding is "recommended as long as you and your baby wish to continue," with benefits including "boosted immunity" and "improved health" for the child and "reduced risk of certain illnesses," including breast and ovarian cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, for the mother. The Mayo Clinic website states that children are weaned on average between ages 2 and 4 worldwide, and in some cultures, extended breast-feeding continues for a couple years past that, while the American Academy of Family Physicians recommends breast-feeding past infancy and gradual weaning at no precise age. When I asked our family pediatrician, she concurred - continue until one of you is done. So in our culture, why isn't any choice a consensually breast-feeding duo make a nonissue? "It has to do with controlling women's bodies," Wilson said at a craft beer house in Santa Cruz, California, where I asked her to meet to discuss her work. "We're able to make distinctions when it comes to dual-uses of our genitals, but "we don't do that with breasts and breast-feeding." I wondered what would happen if our culture of judgment around the various ways we 'do motherhood' lightened up. More openness, less shame can only beget more of the positive qualities we'd want to imbue in our children, and ourselves. "Look around this restaurant." Wilson pointed out kids and dogs. "Kids can walk around while parents have a beer. It reminds me of how in Europe there are more easygoing attitudes and not such strict boxes. It's the 'boxes' thing that's making you uncomfortable, the idea that there's a time and space for this, a time and space for that. . . . There's a larger theme of putting things in boxes and what needs to happen by when, and where, and with whom. Women bear the brunt of that." Wilson calls breast-feeding a form of activism. I hadn't thought about the act as vigorous campaigning to bring about social change, but during my experience I realized I'd become passionate about the erroneous and narrow social construction of our views on breast-feeding. I began my campaign at home, letting my husband in on my exceptional breast-feeding. "She wore down your resistance," he said. "I won't use the word pushover, but . . ." An elementary school special education teacher with experience in behavior management, he worried that my giving in to our child's demands to nurse, after I had been wanting to cut it off, would lead to further demand. But what about the extended breast-feeding itself? I asked, given that my stance on it had changed. "It did surprise me when you were still nursing past the age of about 2," he said. "But I figured, whatever works for the two of you must be fine." If I were rating his answer on a survey I'd have checked off "highly satisfied." Acceptance, even of choices one wouldn't make oneself, leads to the openness to have conversations and empower families to do what is right for them even in situations where others don't approve or understand. After all, I'm getting this essay written because both the baby and the preschooler are tandem nursing as I type - talk about multitasking. As Wilson's book reveals, what appears to be "exceptional" is actually a hidden norm. What if more of us came out of our boxes and shared our stories? We'd evolve past harmful judgment - and have a few more laughs. Franklin and Jessica Richardson had planned for a relaxing Memorial Day weekend. They would spend Sunday picnicking on the sandy shores of Oktibbeha County Lake, a popular fishing destination on the outskirts of Starkville, Mississippi, and maybe even rent a cabin for the night. Instead, within minutes of their arrival, the young black couple were facing down a white campground manager who pulled out a gun and told them to leave. A spokesman for Kampgrounds of America, a chain that oversees hundreds of commercial campgrounds nationwide, told The Washington Post on Tuesday that the property manager for the Starkville location had been fired. But for the Richardsons, the experience was made all the more harrowing - and somewhat ironic - by the fact that Franklin, a sergeant in the Army National Guard, had recently returned from a nine-month deployment in the Middle East, according to WCBI. "It's kind of crazy," he told the station. "You go over there and don't have a gun pointed at you, and you come back home and the first thing that happens is you have a gun pointed at you." The incident appears to have stemmed from confusion over whether the picnic spots by the lakefront were public or private property. To Jessica Richardson, who documented a snippet of the confrontation in a 39-second video that had been viewed more than 500,000 times on Facebook as of early Wednesday, the manager's response proved that racism was "alive and well." "You can feel the intent behind it," she told WCBI. "I felt it. I felt the heat from it. I felt it in her eyes. I knew exactly what it was." After waking up to beautiful weather on Sunday, the couple researched lakes where they could picnic with their 2-year-old dog, she wrote on Facebook. They settled on Oktibbeha County Lake, roughly 10 miles from Starkville, the home of Mississippi State University. Less than five minutes after they arrived, Richardson wrote, "a truck pulls up and a white lady screams at us." The woman, who identified herself as the property manager, jumped out of the black Dodge Ram and kept one finger on the trigger as she pointed a gun at them, Richardson told WCBI. "She was just like, 'Get, get, you don't belong here, you don't belong here, you don't belong here,' " Richardson said. Richardson pulled out her cellphone and began filming. In the video that she posted to Facebook on Sunday afternoon, a woman with short white hair and a yellow Kampgrounds of America T-shirt can be seen approaching the couple with her gun drawn and pointed at the ground. "This lady literally just pulled a gun because we're out here and didn't have reservations, for a lake that we didn't even know we had to have reservations for," Richardson narrates as the woman walks closer, a stern expression pressed on her face. "The only thing you had to do was tell us." The woman can be heard telling the couple that they should have checked in with the campground's office. "We didn't know," Richardson said in the video. "The only thing you had to tell us was to leave, we would have left. You did not have to pull a gun." The woman tucked the gun back into the pocket of her denim shorts. "Well, I'm just telling you, you need to leave because it's under private ownership," the property manager replied. "Y'all just can't be out here. KOA won't let you." The couple left, Richardson wrote. On their way out, they stopped by the campground's office. There, they met another property manager, who happened to be the woman's husband. Confusingly, he contradicted what his wife had told them. "I get out and start talking to him," Franklin Richardson told WCBI. "The first thing he says is, 'Oh, you don't need a reservation for the lake.' Then, she pulls up flying, hops out of the car, then proceeded to yell at my wife, 'Get in the car, you need to get back in the car,' just cussing her out and she's not even saying anything." In a statement shared with The Post, Kampgrounds of America spokesman Mike Gast said that the company "does not condone the use of a firearm in any manner on our properties or those owned and operated by our franchisees." "The employee involved in the incident has been relieved of her duties at the Starkville KOA," he added. It's unclear whether the Richardsons were inadvertently trespassing when the incident took place. Gast said that the couple had been "seeking to access a lake via the campground's private property." But Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors President Orlando Trainer told the Commercial Dispatch that he wasn't sure if the area where they were picnicking would actually be considered private property, because the KOA in Starkville is located on land that belongs to the local school district. The lake itself is public, and online reviews suggest the Richardsons aren't the first to be confused: Fishermen and photographers have previously reported that the campground's manager screamed at them for trespassing on private property when they showed up without a reservation. The incident is the latest to call attention to the way that black people engaging in everyday activities are treated with suspicion, resulting in aggressive questioning or phone calls to the police. Parks and outdoor recreation areas, in particular, have a long history of racial discrimination: In the early 20th century, the administrators of national parks discouraged African Americans from visiting, and camping facilities were strictly segregated. Visitors to those parks remain predominantly white, despite the efforts of groups that aim to encourage more people of color to explore the outdoors. Researchers have found that parks are still widely perceived as places where African Americans will face unwelcoming, or downright hostile, treatment. The experience that the Richardsons described would seem to confirm that. To Jessica, the most shocking part of Sunday's confrontation was hearing the campground manager say, "Get, get" to her and her husband, making her feel that they were being treated like animals. "You say 'Get, get' to a stray dog that's on your porch," she told WCBI. "That 'Get, get' got to me more than 'You don't belong here.' " ALTON Local residents of all ages have gathered this week to witness the biggest flood this area has had in years as the Mississippi River continues to rise. Viki and Ken Hale said they lived in Alton during the April 1973 flood when the Mississippi River crested at 36.89 feet. They moved to Indianapolis but returned to the area to help during the 1993 flood. They now live in Godfrey, but they recall helping to set sandbags around the area in earlier years. Weighing just 8.6 ounces (no, that is not a typo), a baby girl born at a California hospital is thought to be the world's tiniest surviving baby. The baby, whose family wishes to remain anonymous, was born in December 2018 at the Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns in San Diego. She was 9 inches long at birth. After a nearly five-month stay at the hospital, the baby, who was nicknamed Saybie by the hospital's NICU team, was discharged this month at 5.6 pounds and 16 inches. She is believed to be the world's smallest newborn, hospital officials said, citing the Tiniest Babies Registry. The registry, which is maintained by the University of Iowa, Saybie weighed 7 grams less than the previous smallest baby, who was born in 2015 in Germany. "No one expects their baby to be born with complications," said Trisha Khaleghi, the senior vice president and CEO of the hospital. "But when the unexpected occurs, Sharp Mary Birch is equipped with the latest technologies, equipment, research and specially trained experts to care for even the world's smallest baby." Saybie's mother experienced severe pregnancy complications. She was born via emergency cesarean section at 23 weeks and 3 days gestation in the womb. A typical pregnancy usually lasts 40 weeks. Being born before 28 weeks gestation, Saybie was considered a micro-preemie. Preterm newborns face a number of life-threatening medical challenges, hospital officials said. Saybie experienced none of the medical issues preterm newborns typically face. Some of the most common issues can include brain bleeds and heart and lung issues. A man was arrested outside a California restaurant after being taken down by a K9, police said Monday. Ryan James Heater, 24, was taken into custody Saturday, Roseville police said. His arrest was captured on video by witness Victor Alarcon and posted on Facebook, where it got more than 830,000 views as of Monday night. Officers responded to the IHOP in the 100 block of North Sunrise Avenue during breakfast hours after getting reports of a man acting erratically, threatening staff and jumping over the service counter. According to Alarcon, Heater was looking for his wife who was an employee at the restaurant. started walking through the kitchen, in and out, continuously looking for his wife. And so, eventually he found her, Alarcon said. He started punching the swinging door. He started punching it and kicking it, trying to break it. One of Alarcon's friends stepped in. Eventually, one of my friends, who is a Marine, was able to pull him away, take him outside and when he was outside, thats when the police arrived, Alarcon said. Police said an officer and his K9 partner, Lance, were the first to arrive and met Heater outside of the restaurant. Heater then began threatening the officer and moved toward the officer and the K9. In the video, the suspect is seen moving toward the officer and K9 while the officer and the K9 move backward away from him. At one point, the man raises his arms and quickly brings them down as he continues to move toward the officer and K9. The suspect continued to advance, closing the distance and threatening to kill the K9, Roseville police said in a news release. At that point, the Officer released the K9. The suspect was quickly subdued by the K9 and responding Officers. In the video, the suspect is seen struggling with the K9 before the officer comes over, grabs him from the back and pushes him to the ground. Another officer runs over to the fight, keeping the suspect on the ground. Two more officers then run over to the struggle. In the video, three of the officers are seen holding the suspect down while the fourth officer holds onto his K9 partner. This K9 and this officer did exactly what they were trained to do, Roseville police spokesperson Rob Baquera said. Last year, Roseville police officers deployed K9s a total of 307 times, including for narcotic searches. Baquera said situations like these are what officers and their K9s train for. This example is a perfect example of a situation that is not de-escalating and an officer does not have the ability or willingness to back away and stand down from a suspect who is approaching and coming on to the officer, Baquera said. Not only is it a threat to the officer, the K9 partner, but also to everybody else there at the restaurant or in the community. Baquera said this was a split-second strategic decision. Its about de-escalation, and the option to use other tools that an officer had were all at play, Baquera said. Ultimately, at the end of the day, this would be considered a less-than-lethal option to be able to subdue someone who is advancing at an officer. Alarcon said he started recording with his phone because he was curious how the situation would unfold and was hopeful for a successful ending. You dont know whats going to happen nowadays when police are involved, Alarcon said. But, I feel like they were able to control the situation very well. He commended the officers' training. They didnt get real physical, he said. They only got physical when they pinned him down. But other than that, they didnt Tase him. They didnt pull out a weapon. They backed away, gave him a couple minutes to comply. He didnt, so they just let the dog loose. Police said Heater was detained, received medical treatment and then was booked into South Placer County Jail on charges of resisting arrest. The ruling Democratic Party Rep. Song Ki-hun speaks to journalists as he enters the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in the city's Seocho-gu, May 24, with a writ charging Rep. Khang Hyo-shang of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party of leaking the country's confidential diplomatic information to the public. Yonhap The ruling Democratic Party (DP) said Wednesday it will file a petition with the parliamentary ethics panel against an opposition party lawmaker who leaked the content of phone talks between the presidents of South Korea and the United States. Rep. Khang Hyo-shang of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) is accused of having leaked the May 7 phone conversation between President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump after he was told what was discussed between the leaders by a diplomat who worked at the Korean embassy in Washington D.C. The DP said it will ask the ethics panel to punish Khang over the leak. "Khang claimed his illegal disclosure of the Moon-Trump phone talks was aimed at serving the people's right to know, but this is an absurd claim," Rep. Jung Choun-sook, DP floor spokeswoman, told a press briefing. During the phone talks, Moon reportedly asked Trump to visit Seoul immediately after his May 25-28 trip to Japan, and Trump proposed a short stop in Seoul on his way back home from Tokyo. MOSBY, Mo. The residents of this small riverside town have become accustomed to watching floods swamp their streets, transform their homes into islands and ruin their floors and furniture. Elmer Sullivan has replaced his couch, bed and television. Hes torn up water-buckled floorboards. And he put a picket fence against the front of his house to cover up a gap left when waters washed out part of the stone foundation. I just dont want to mess with it anymore. Im 83 years old and Im tired of it, and I just want to get out of it, Sullivan said. Finally fed up, Sullivan and nearly half of the homeowners in Mosby signed up in 2016 for a program in which the government would buy and then demolish their properties rather than paying to rebuild them over and over. Theyre still waiting for offers, joining thousands of others across the country in a slow-moving line to escape from flood-prone homes. Patience is wearing thin in Mosby, a town of fewer than 200 people with a core of lifelong residents and some younger newcomers drawn by the cheap prices of its modest wood-frame homes. Residents watched nervously this past week as high waters again threatened the town. It really is frustrating, because here we are, were coming through a wet season. Theres a chance that we could possibly flood, and were still waiting, said Jason Stooksbury, an alderman who oversees the towns efforts to curb flooding. Its not a good situation, but what are you going to do its the government process. Over the past three decades, federal and local governments have poured more than $5 billion into buying tens of thousands of vulnerable properties across the country, according to an Associated Press analysis of data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The AP analysis shows those buyouts have been getting more expensive, with many of the costliest coming in the last decade after strong storms pounded heavily populated coastal states such as Texas, New York and New Jersey. This years record flooding in the Midwest could add even more buyouts to the queue. The purchases are happening as the climate changes. Along rivers and sea coasts, some homes that were once considered at little risk are now endangered due to water that is climbing higher and surging farther inland than historic patterns predicted. Regardless of the risks, the buyouts are voluntary. Homeowners can renew taxpayer-subsidized flood insurance policies indefinitely. With more extreme weather events, flooding is going to become more and more of an issue, and there will be more and more properties that are at risk of total loss or near total loss, said Democratic U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio of Oregon, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which has jurisdiction over FEMA. Then the question is: Are we just going to keep selling them insurance and building in the same place? DeFazio wants to expand and revamp a buyout process that he describes as inefficient and irrational. Hes backing a proposed pilot project that would give homeowners a break on their flood insurance premiums, as long as they agree in advance to a buyout that would turn their property into green space if their homes are substantially damaged by a flood. Buyout programs rely on federal money distributed through the states, but they generally are carried out by cities and counties that end up owning the properties. Most buyouts are initiated after disasters, but Congress has become more proactive. Appropriations for FEMAs Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program which funds buyouts and other precautions, such as elevating homes before disasters strike have risen from $25 million in 2015 to $250 million this year. A recent study for the National Institute of Building Sciences found that society as a whole saves $7 in avoided costs for every $1 spent through federally funded grants to acquire or demolish flood-prone buildings. Yet its harder to gauge the benefits for the individuals who move. After Superstorm Sandy pummeled New Jersey and New York in 2012, Duke University graduate school student Devon McGhee researched what happened to hundreds of Staten Island homeowners who took buyouts. She found that all but two of the 323 homeowners she tracked relocated to areas with higher poverty levels. Three-quarters remained on Staten Island, and about one-fifth moved to homes that still were exposed to coastal flooding hazards. When people take the buyouts, sometimes the money they are given on their home is not enough to buy a comparable home in a lower-risk area, said McGhee, who now works as a coastal management specialist for an engineering and consulting firm. The prolonged buyout process also can take an emotional toll on people who are uprooted. Maybe they find a home, and its a good home, but its not their home where their kids grew up and had birthday parties and that sort of thing. There are these losses that occur in that transition process that can have implications for years, said Sherri Brokopp Binder, an Allentown, Pennsylvania-based consultant who researches disaster buyouts. Multiple layers of government bureaucracy can slow the buyout process. So can the typical hiccups that come with property sales. In Kingfisher, Oklahoma, officials are still working to complete a buyout prompted by Tropical Storm Erin in 2007, even as the city has found itself inundated by flood waters again this week. The city initiated a buyout in 2010, then received additional money to buy more homes about five years later. Its purchased more than 80 so far, with about 10 more to go, said Annie Vest, a former Oklahoma state hazard mitigation officer who now works for an engineering firm administering Kingfishers grant. The process is just getting started in some Texas communities swamped by Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Officials in Liberty County, northeast of Houston, held a meeting with residents last month to discuss a $6.7 million HUD grant to buy out homes near the Trinity River. The county still must get appraisals of the homes, conduct asbestos inspections and take bids for a demolition contractor. Local officials hope to start taking buyout applications by the end of the year, said David Douglas, the Liberty County engineering administrator and flood plain manager. Formal discussions of a federally funded buyout likely are a long way off in Hamburg, Iowa, which was inundated in March by a breach of a Missouri River levee. But local officials arent waiting around. Mayor Cathy Crain said they are looking into the potential for a private developer to relocate some houses and to acquire higher land where new homes and businesses could be built. Relocating to higher ground isnt likely in Mosby, unless residents are willing to go elsewhere. The entire core of the town is in a floodway, which means that new development is limited. Located just northeast of Kansas City, Mosby began as a railroad town in 1887 and expanded with coal mines in the early 20th century. At one time, it had a school, bank, grocery store and lumber yard. Those are gone now, and the trains merely pass by. In 2015, financial strains led the town to eliminate its small police force. Mosby experienced some of its worst flooding that same year, with three floods in less than six weeks. The next year, city officials began pursuing the buyouts, and more than 40 homeowners signed up. Theyve been in limbo ever since. Local officials sought nearly $3 million in funding, submitted a revised application, obtained property appraisals and conducted environmental reviews. Some residents have been scouting for new housing. Others are waiting to see the bids, which are expected this summer. Sullivan hopes to get $28,000 for his home. He would move near his sister in southeastern Missouri, but hes getting impatient. Im just about ready to tell them, Take it and shove it, he said. Sitting on the concrete porch of the white wooden house where shes lived for the past 36 years, Tammy Kilgore explains that everybodys just really on edge and ready to leave. The floods, Im tired of dealing with them, I really am, she said. I think they should have bought out this town a long time ago. EDWARDSVILLE An East St. Louis man faces a felony weapons charge after he was found in possession of a handgun Tuesday by Edwardsville police. Emmett Crowell, 49, was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, a Class 4 non-probationable felony. According to court documents, on Tuesday Crowell allegedly was in possession of a loaded weapon and did not have a valid concealed carry license or Firearm Owners Identification Card. His bail was set at $20,000. Other felony charges filed Tuesday by the Madison County States Attorneys Office included: Raymond W. Austin, 45, of Edwardsville, was charged with disorderly conduct, a Class 4 felony. According to court documents, Austin on May 24 made a false 911 call to the Glen Carbon Police Department requesting an ambulance, EMTs or paramedics knowing that no medical assistance was required. Bail was set at $25,000. Clifford D. Collier, 43, of Granite City, was charged with offenses relating to a motor vehicle, a Class 2 felony. According to court documents, on May 25 Glen Carbon Police found Collier allegedly in possession of a stolen 2008 Buick Lucerne. Bail was set at $75,000. Donte D. Fuller, 37, of Glen Carbon, was charged with driving while license revoked, a Class 4 felony. According to court documents, Glen Carbon Police on May 24 found Fuller driving on Glen Carbon Road with a revoked license. He has a previous conviction for DUI and driving with a revoked license. Bail was set at $15,000. Christopher M. Cherry, 33, of Alton, was charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony. According to court records, on May 27 Madison County Sheriffs deputies allegedly found Cherry in possession of less than five grams of methamphetamine. Bail was set at $20,000. Anthony R. Ashbrook, 41, of Affton, Missouri, was charged with retail theft under $300 (second subsequent offense), which is a Class 4 felony. According to court documents Ashbrook allegedly took electronics from the Godfrey Walmart and has a previous conviction for stealing in St. Louis County. Bail was set at $15,000. Matthew A. Yost, 36, of Cottage Hills, was charged with unlawful failure to register as a sex offender. According to court documents, Yost on May 27 failed to register within three days of changing his address. According to the Illinois Sex Offender database, Yost had prior convictions for grooming and criminal sexual abuse out of Jersey County and was listed as a sexual predator. Bail was set at $20,000. EDWARDSVILLE Chairman Kurt Prenzler signed a proclamation on Wednesday declaring Madison County a major disaster and is calling for the National Guard to aid in its flood fighting efforts. Weve been vigilant this flood season and we do not want to take any chances, Prenzler said. Prenzler met with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau and requested assistance from the National Guard. The proclamation states that a disaster exists due to record breaking flooding along the Mississippi River throughout Madison County and the ongoing efforts to contain said flooding. Prenzler said he sent a letter to the governor requesting the National Guard be deployed to monitor the 44 miles of levees within the county. The river is expected to crest at 39.3 feet on Tuesday in Alton, just short of the 1993 record of 42.72. Even though our levee system is upgraded our intent is to have resources available so we can react quickly if need be, Prenzler said. We need to be prepared for the what ifs and not the what happened? The Flood Prevention District of Southwest Illinois, with the help of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, made significant upgrades to the levees over the past decade. Prenzler said that with the length and intensity of the flooding the county wants to do everything it can to make sure any potential issues with the levees are immediately spotted. He thanked Tate-Nadeau for visiting this morning with officials from Alton, Metro East Sanitary District, Wood River Drainage and Levee District and Madison County. With the river rising day after day, we appreciated that she came down to meet with us and hear our concerns, Prenzler said. The governor signed a proclamation earlier this month, declaring 34 counties, including Madison, a disaster. The declaration makes a wide variety of state resources available and sets in motion the ability to receive federal assistance. Everyone is working hard to ensure public safety and protect the residents and businesses of the county, Prenzler said. MEXICO CITY - Mexico's government has issued an arrest warrant for the former director of the country's state-run oil company, the state news agency reported Tuesday. The arrest of former Pemex Director Emilio Lozoya on corruption charges would be the boldest yet by President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador - and one likely to antagonize Mexico's political elite. The warrant comes a day after Mexico's government announced it was freezing Lozoya's bank account and the bank account of one of Mexico's largest steel companies, Altos Hornos de Mexico, or AHMSA. The government said in a statement that the accounts included funds "presumed to be derived from acts of corruption." Lopez Obrador won the presidential election last year on an anti-corruption platform that resonated with voters tired of predecessor Enrique Pena Nieto's scandal-ridden administration. Lopez Obrador spoke frequently of the "mafias of power" who he said had long ruled the country, and promised a zero-tolerance approach against graft. But in the first months of his presidency, some supporters expressed disappointment that the new administration hadn't made more progress. Lozoya's arrest would be significant. Pemex is the second largest enterprise in Latin America, after the Brazilian oil giant Petrobras, and Lozoya was a prominent member of Pena Nieto's inner circle. Lozoya's attorney said Tuesday that "we will defend ourselves." "We have never hidden," attorney Javier Coello Trejo told radio host Ciro Gomez Leyva before news of the warrant was published. "If they do things that are incorrect and have no legal basis, then we will defend ourselves with the law in hand." The state news agency report did not provide details of the warrant. The attorney general's office declined to comment. The country's finance ministry said Monday that freezing Lozoya's account "reaffirmed that the policy of zero tolerance for corruption is one of the central axes of the government of Mexico." The president's financial crimes chief, Santiago Nieto, told The Wall Street Journal on Monday that the government had frozen Lozoya's account over the $475 million sale of a fertilizer plant in 2014 from AHMSA to Pemex while Lozoya was director. Nieto said government investigators allege that bribes were paid as a part of that purchase. Alonso Ancira, the head of AHMSA, was detained by Interpol in Spain on Tuesday, according to several news reports. Mexico's attorney general's office declined to comment on Ancira's case. AHMSA on Monday called the freezing of its account "unprecedented, arbitrary" and said it "violated (its) rights." "It was a total surprise," AHMSA spokesman Francisco Ocuna told Bloomberg News on Tuesday. "It's absolutely illegal, the (financial intelligence unit) is acting as prosecutor and judge, without any due process." If Lozoya and Ancira were arrested, the next major challenge for Lopez Obrador would be in using Mexico's notoriously weak judiciary to secure convictions. According the Universidad de Las Americas Puebla, which conducts an annual study of crime reporting and conviction rates, Mexico consistently has the highest level of impunity in Latin America. MORO A teen student will receive a $16,000 college scholarship from the Phillips 66 Dependent Scholarship Program. Kharissa Norvell, of Moro, the daughter of Phillips 66 employee Scott Norvell, is a senior at Civic Memorial High School. The competitive program awards outstanding college-bound students whose parents work for Phillips 66 or one of its subsidiaries. The Phillips 66 scholarship program demonstrates the companys commitment to higher education and ensuring success for future generations, said Claudia Kreisle, Phillips 66 director of Philanthropy & Community Engagement. We congratulate Kharissa and the recipients of this years scholarship on their achievements inside and outside the classroom and wish them every success in college. The awards are based on academic excellence, community service and financial need. Scholarship America, a neutral, third-party administrator of educational assistance programs, selects the recipients and manages the program for Phillips 66. Phillips 66 processes, transports, stores and markets fuels and products globally. The company has 14,300 employees. For more details, visit phillips66.com. President Moon Jae-in speaks at the start of a weekly Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Wednesday. Left is Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha. Yonhap By Kim Yoo-chul President Moon Jae-in criticized the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP), Wednesday, for defending people involved in the leaking of the content of his telephone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump. Moon lamented the LKP's "irrational" behavior, saying confidentiality is an integral part of diplomacy, and the LKP should know this. "I am very sorry to see the LKP labeling the leak of a phone conversation between heads of state as the people's right to know and attempting to defend the persons involved. Because telephone conversations between heads of state include sensitive details on diplomatic matters, this can't be a source of political strife," Moon said at the start of a weekly Cabinet meeting. "The government offers an apology for the leak of classified information that may affect national security. It's not excusable or explainable as it shouldn't have happened." The remarks came a day after Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said the ministry will file a criminal complaint against a diplomat working at the South Korean Embassy in Washington, D.C., and LKP Rep. Khang Hyo-shang for leaking details of the telephone conversation with Trump on May 7 (KST). A man is behind bars Tuesday after authorities charged him in the death of an Iowa mother of three. Authorities charged Jerome Moyer with first-degree murder after finding 23-year-old Roseanna Otto dead in her home. Moyer is Ottos ex-boyfriend. "She was totally outgoing, said Lilly Steil, Ottos sister. She was an amazing, amazing mother. She loved her kids very much." Steil said Ottos children were in the home when Moyer entered and shot her Monday night. "She had multiple gunshots in her bed in a pool of blood, she said. The Dubuque County Sheriff's Office arrested Moyer after a traffic stop. Otto shared two of her three children with Moyer. All three children are under the age of 10. "I don't know how you could put your children at risk like that, Steil said. One of those girls could've woken up and found their mother that way, and to me that just shows how little remorse he has." Police have not released a possible motive for the shooting. Ottos family said they want the public to focus on the victim rather than the alleged perpetrator. All over social media you see his picture, and everyone is posting about how he's such a bad guy, but I want everyone to be posting about how amazing she is and share her picture, not his picture, Steil said. She said her family focused on remembering Otto and making sure her young daughters know how much their mother loved them. "Those girls are really going to miss her, Steil said. Growing up without their mom, it's going to be hard. Moyer is being held in Dubuque County Jail and will be transported to Madison County for his trial. Ottos family created a Roseanna Otto Memorial Fund at Banker's Trust to help support her three daughters. By Lee Min-hyung Kim Han-sol, son of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's half-brother Kim Jong-nam Kim Han-sol, the son of the assassinated half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, reportedly contacted the de facto leader of an anti-North Korea political organization for help with an "emergency escape" to an undisclosed location after his father was killed in Malaysia in 2017. In video footage of Han-sol, he is seen expressing gratitude to Adrian Hong Chang, known as the leader of Free Joseon, for the group's assistance in his escape. "I am very grateful for Adrian and his team for the help," Han-sol said in the video released by local news outlet Channel A. The video also showed parts of his passport that were signed by Choe Myong-nam, deputy director of the North's foreign ministry. Choe was serving as Pyongyang's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva at the time Han-sol's father Kim Jong-nam was killed with nerve poison. No other details have been shared through the footage, but Free Joseon claimed in a statement that Han-sol's "urgent rescue request" was sent immediately to the organization, as its team is very skilled and active internationally. "We have secured footholds across the world, including Pyongyang, over the past decade to ensure speedy and accurate actions," the organization said in the statement. A short-range missile is launched from Kusong, North Pyongan Province, in northwestern North Korea, May 9, in this photo released the following day by the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). North Korea fired two short-range missiles into the sea off its east coast five days after its launch of multiple "unidentified" projectiles on May 4. KCNA-Yonhap By Jung Da-min The United States and North Korea are at odds over whether North Korea's launch of short-range missiles earlier in the month was a violation of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions regulating North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear technologies. The U.S. Department of State spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus told reporters in Washington on Tuesday that the department's view is that North Korea's whole weapons of mass destruction (WMD) program is in conflict with the UNSC resolutions. "I think that the entire North Korean WMD program, it's in conflict with the U.N. security resolutions," Ortagus said, adding that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is focused on supporting U.S. President Donald Trump in efforts to negotiate a peaceful end to North Korea's WMD program. Although the spokeswoman did not mention the word "missile" directly, missile is one of the WMD categories along with chemical weapons, according to the U.S. interpretation. Earlier this week, North Korea indirectly admitted it fired ballistic missiles by saying any object launched is "bound to fly in trajectory," in reference to the North's firing of "unidentified" projectiles and short-range missiles on May 4 and 9. "What the U.S. is taking issue with is not about the range but the prohibition of the launch itself using ballistic technology," North Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said in a statement carried on the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) website, Monday. Liberty Korea Party Chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn speaks during a seminar on the economy at Korea University, Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap By Park Ji-won Liberty Korea Party Chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn strongly condemned the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Wednesday over recent clashes with police and management during rallies, saying its "violent acts and illegal activities" were not properly handled. He also criticized the Moon Jae-in administration for going easy on "lawlessness" seen at rallies by members of the nation's biggest umbrella union. "Recently, the KCTU has been staging protests in front of firms which hired other trade union members, attempting to force them to hire KCTU members," Hwang said during a seminar at Korea University, Wednesday. "This shouldn't be allowed to happen in a country with a liberal democracy. In late July 2017, President Donald Trump gathered the media at the White House to announce that Taiwanese corporate giant Foxconn Technology Group would be building a $10 billion manufacturing plant in southeastern Wisconsin. "This is a great day for American workers and manufacturers and for everyone who believes in the concept and the label 'Made in the USA,' " boasted Trump, promising a "state of the art manufacturing facility for the production of LCD panel products." Trump made room in his victory declaration to include Foxconn Chairman and CEO Terry Gou, praising him for his "faith and confidence in the future of the American economy." "If I didn't get elected, he definitely would not be spending $10 billion," Trump said of Gou, at which point he turned and grabbed the unsuspecting businessman, engaging him in an awkward left-handed bro-grip. Soon, it will be up to Gou to determine whether that cringe-inducing moment was more of a political death grip. Since its 2017 unveiling, the Foxconn project has been beset by negative news. By the end of last year, the company had spent only 1% of the amount it had pledged to build the factory and had hired only about 10% of the employees it anticipated hiring by the end of the project's first year. In June 2018, the company announced it was downgrading the plant from a "Generation 10.5" facility to a "Generation 6 plant," which would produce smaller LCD panels. In January, the company announced it was scrapping the LCD portion of the factory altogether, but it quickly backtracked after a call from Trump. In February, the company boldly announced it would be moving forward with construction of a factory, which is only notable because . . . the public believed that was the plan all along. This is like getting a random call from your wireless provider telling you your phone is definitely not going to burst into flames tomorrow. At that point, it might be time to worry. In recent weeks, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, has said he does not believe Foxconn will live up to its promise to create 13,000 new jobs and has sought changes to the contract with the state. Foxconn responded by saying it has "never wavered from our commitment to our contract with the State of Wisconsin and the creation of 13,000 jobs as part of our broader effort to make the Badger state a global technology hub." However, while once thought to be a big electoral winner, the project could end up sinking Trump in Wisconsin, a state that he won in 2016 by a deli-thin margin of less than 23,000 votes. As part of the Foxconn deal, the company was awarded $4 billion in government incentives to locate its plant in the city of Mount Pleasant, well beyond any package ever offered by a state to a foreign company. Foxconn supporters, who hoped the plant would have the transformational effect on the community that medical software giant Epic Systems has had on nearby Madison, argue that virtually the entire benefit being offered to the company is in the form of tax abatements; if the company doesn't produce the promised jobs and economic development, it won't reap the tax benefits it seeks. Yet while the lion's share of the public subsidy is in the form of tax breaks on projected economic activity, real money is already being spent on the plant. The state has received $160 million in federal money to renovate Interstate 94 near the plant. Local governments have borrowed nearly $350 million for infrastructure improvements. About 75 houses have been bulldozed to make room for the expansive plant footprint. Further questions remain about the competence of the administrators charged with managing the massive project. A recent state audit of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, the department in charge of overseeing the Foxconn project, found that it had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of taxpayer funds on companies that created jobs in other states. Further, the WEDC failed to collect $400,000 in tax credits and more than $4 million in loans it could have recouped when employers didn't live up to the terms of their agreements with the state. The idea of providing public subsidies for private businesses in Wisconsin certainly is not new. At one point, the state's Commerce Department represented a $190 million slush fund from which governors could hand out perks and incentives to businesses looking to soak taxpayers for handouts. In 2007, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel analyzed 25 companies that had received more than $80 million in subsidies from the state and found that about 40% of the jobs those companies had promised never materialized. It's possible that the Foxconn project will pull itself out of its negative public relations spiral, but it all depends on whether the Taiwanese are willing to live up to the terms of their agreement. Betting on the manufacturing plant's success is a fool's errand; only Gou knows whether he intends to see the massive project through. The dangers of subsidizing a private corporation with the allure of public money were clear throughout the process. Subsidizing big businesses simply rewards unsustainable business practices, leaving taxpayers scouring their pockets for change to bail out companies. And predicting the market for technologies consumers would be purchasing years down the road is not something a deliberative government is typically equipped to handle. It is yet to be seen whether Trump's association with Foxconn will become a liability. What we do know is that when he watches results on election night 2020, he almost certainly won't be doing so on an American-made Foxconn TV screen. - - - Schneider is a reporter for the College Fix and author of "1916: The Blog." He is formerly a columnist for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and served as spokesman for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation in the Scott Walker administration last year. Unionized workers of Hyundai Heavy Industries stage a sit-in at Hanmaum Community Center in Ulsan, Wednesday, to prevent a shareholders' meeting scheduled for Friday that will decide on a split-up plan by the company for the takeover of Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering. / Yonhap By Kang Seung-woo The ongoing sit-in strike by the union of Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) is raising concern with local police about it possibly turning violent ahead of the company's shareholders meeting. The union organized the strike to protest HHI's takeover of Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME). In March, HHI signed a 2-trillion-won ($1.68 billion) deal with the Korea Development Bank, DSME's largest shareholder, to buy its smaller rival. Under the agreement, HHHI will be split into two one half will become a sub-holding company under a different name, while the other will be a reorganized entity that will carry out shipbuilding and offshore businesses. However, the union is claiming the split will force the newly reorganized HHHI to inherit massive debt, which will lead to restructuring and job cuts. Members have been staging partial strikes since May 16 and started the ongoing full-scale strike Tuesday. As a shareholders' meeting to decide on the issue is to be held Friday with participants expected to approve the division and takeover police are preparing for possible violent clashes as the union could attempt to stop the meeting from taking place. Several unionized workers having already been apprehended for stockpiling paint thinner and iron pipes. On Monday, the strikers took over Hanmaeum Community Center near the company's headquarters in Ulsan intending to block the meeting, which is scheduled to be held there. According to the Ulsan Metropolitan Police Agency, 250 union members are inside the community center building, blocking the entrance, while another 200 are staging a rally outside, surrounding the building and supplying food for strikers inside. To prevent any possible clashes, 2,000 police officers from 19 units have been dispatched to the site. Out of concerns over possible violence, a foreign school located in the center and nearby stores have been temporarily closed. The Hyundai Heavy union plans to continue the occupation until Friday. While requesting the police remove strikers from the center, the company has been calling for talks with the union, promising job security for the workers and the retaining of terms of an existing agreement between the company and the union after the company is reorganized. An Ulsan court approved Monday an injunction filed by the company prohibiting the union from interrupting the shareholders' meeting. On Tuesday night, a vehicle leaving the union's headquarters carrying a 20-liter container of paint thinner, a tank of gasoline and 39 iron pipes was stopped by a security guard who reported it to police. The union members in the vehicle claimed the items were commonly used for "propaganda activities," such as painting slogans on banners and supporting tents, but the police confiscated them out of concern that they would be used as weapons. Meanwhile, the union of Hyundai Motor is providing support, sending some of its members to join the sit-in. "In order to block the shareholders' meeting, we have decided to show solidarity and take action," it said Wednesday. A thousand members of the automaker's union participated in two afternoon rallies the same day, and also plan to do so today and Friday. "If the company attempts to forcibly disperse the strikers using the police or other illegal means, the entire union will join the strike," it added. Job Title: Finance & Administrative Assistant Organization: International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Duty Station: Uganda Reports to: Head of Office About US: The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a neutral and independent international humanitarian organisation, which assists and protects victims of armed conflicts and other situations of violence. The ICRC Tracing team, in cooperation with Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS), provides services to people separated by conflicts and other situations of violence in order to search for their family members and re-establish contact between them, especially unaccompanied children. Key Duties and Responsibilities: Financial Management Ensures the implementation of the ICRC Uganda Financial Rules. according to the guidelines. Explains financial procedures to staff members and implements themaccording to the guidelines. of office. Ensures a daily funds report from the accounting system to the Headof office. approvals by Head of office. Participates in the closure of the monthly accounting and ensuresapprovals by Head of office. Cash and Bank handling Ensures that the office has enough funds to run the operations at any time. Handles all cash and bank transactions in relation with the office.Ensures that the office has enough funds to run the operations at anytime. Handles bank reconciliations and funds request from Yumbe office measures and explains any discrepancies or specific administrative financial issues to the Head of office. Analyses certain expenses, ensures follow up and proposes correctivemeasures and explains any discrepancies or specific administrativefinancial issues to the Head of office. Handles minor purchases. Human Resources shares infor-mation with all staff Ensures respect of employment conditions and rules at all times andshares infor-mation with all staff at all times. Ensures respect of employment conditions for daily/temporary workersat all times. Supervises the support staff for the office and residences. Premises Management electricity and water. Ensures that the office and the residences have the necessaryelectricity and water. when needed. Ensures maintenance of premises and the replenishment of equipmentwhen needed. Supervises renovation/ maintenance works and service providers Supervises the performance of the security companies. Carries inventories for equipment and furniture regularly. Travel and accommodation Organises accommodation for new comers and visitors Handles the reception of visitors events. Organises the necessary facilitation to support planned field andevents. Others the functionality of ICT infrastructure. ICT relay in the field, updating the ICT department in Kampala onthe functionality of ICT infrastructure. Qualifications, Skills and Experience: Administrative Assistant job should preferably hold a University degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Commerce. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Finance &Administrative Assistant job should preferably hold a University degree inBusiness Administration, Finance, Accounting, Commerce. Three years of work experience in a similar field Proficiency in written and spoken English and local language of area Very good computer skills Good planning and organisation skills Discrete and reliable person, trustful and rigorous Available for immediate deployment How to Apply: All suitably qualified and interested candidates will have to submit their application, CV and copies of only academic certificates/transcripts to kam_hrrecruitment_services@icrc.org. Please attach all your documents as a single file/document. Deadline: 5th June 2019 For more of the latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline Around 33million polluting diesel cars and vans in Europe that were found to be producing illegal levels of harmful emissions following the Dieselgate scandal have still not been recalled and fixed, a new report claims. Just 10.4million of 43million models identified for emitting dangerous amounts of Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) have so far received software updates to reduce their outputs, green campaigning group Transport & Environment says. At the current rate of recalls, all cars will not be fixed until 2021 - some six years after the scandal hit headlines and the Volkswagen Group first initiated call backs for impacted models. Central and Eastern Europe is particularly lagging behind with updates specifically to affected VW Group models, while a quarter of UK cars have still not been repaired, the data shows. Dieselgate dilemma rolls on: Transport & Environment claims that 33m older diesel cars are still producing illegal levels of emissions following the VW Group's scandal T&E's report said the necessary measures required to rectify the emission output of impacted vehicles are the 'cheapest, least effective form of fixes', but still some European nations were moving at a 'snail's pace' in their efforts to complete recalls. This includes call backs for Volkswagen Group models using the EA189 engines highlighted by the scandal four years ago. In Romania, for example, just 37 per cent of these affected VW Group cars have been fixed, according to the data. Other nations that have fallen behind include Poland, Croatia, Slovakia and Bulgaria, all of which have completed around half of software update on impacted cars, the report said. At the other end of the spectrum, 99 per cent of German Dieselgate models have been fixed, as have 95 per cent in Finland. Four in five impacted cars in Austria, Portugal, Denmark, Luxembourg and Spain have had the required software updates done. The standings suggest that three quarters (75 per cent) of the 1.2million affected vehicles in the UK have been repaired so far. That means around 300,000 Volkswagens, Audis, Seats, Skodas and Porsches are still emitting illegally high levels of nitrogen oxides (NOx) on our roads today. Almost all VW Dieselgate cars have been recalled in the car maker's home country, though a quarter are still outstanding in the UK and almost two thirds in Romania have yet to be fixed T&E said the European Commission and EU governments need to 'accelerate software updates across the whole Single Market' but also wants 'more effective hardware retrofits where technically feasible' to ensure that cars are emitting the smallest amount of pollutants as possible. Florent Grelier, clean vehicles engineer at T&E, said: 'The current snail's pace to clean up diesel cars across Europe is unacceptable. 'The industry has had four years since the diesel scandal broke but has failed to deliver even on its own commitments to fix manipulated cars. 'It's time for governments to get tough and order mandatory recalls across the EU. 'This does not require any new laws but just political will.' The green transport body said public health in Central and Eastern Europe was a growing concern, with just 55 per cent of the Volkswagen Group's Dieselgate cars being recalled so far. That compares to 83 per cent of impacted cars being repaired across Western Europe. It said one of the reasons for the escalating problem in Central and Eastern Europe was the number of dirty diesels being imported into the region from nations where bans are being introduced in cities for older diesel models - such as Paris, Madrid and Hamburg. For instance, around 350,000 'dirty' second-hand diesel cars were exported to Poland in 2017, mainly from Germany. Hundreds of thousands of older diesel cars are being exported to Central and Eastern Europe from countries where bans on high-polluting vehicles are being imposed, such as in Paris (pictured) T&E said EU governments need to introduce restrictions that dictate that Dieselgate cars cannot be exported unless they have had the relevant software updates to ensure they're producing legal levels of emissions. Grelier added: 'The EU Single Market fails when it comes to emissions of cars. It only works for selling cars, but not for recalling them when things go wrong. 'There must not be any second class citizens in Europe. Every European has an equal right to clean air.' According to T&E's latest estimations, there are currently around 43million 'grossly polluting' Euro 5 and Euro 6 cars and vans on Europe's roads, all of which emit more than three times what legal limits dictate. The Dieselgate scandal struck in September 2015, with millions of vehicles affected across Europe - 1.2m of these in the UK The VW Group initiated recalls for models fitted with affected EA189 engines four years ago, though there are millions across Europe that have still yet to be rectified Around 10million of these have so far received updates to reduce their pollution outputs. And they're not solely VW Group vehicles. European Commissions data indicates that there are Euro 5 and Euro 6 diesel cars from other manufacturers that are emitting at least more than six times their respective limits, though some are currently not subject to recalls. This includes Jaguar Land Rover models that were recalled in March after they were found to be breaching CO2 pollution limits. 'To date, only a quarter of these vehicles (10.4million) has been officially classified as manipulated and subject to recall, leaving three quarters of grossly polluting cars and vans without any official measures to potentially clean them up,' T&E's report said. DOHA, May 29 (Reuters) - Qatar's prime minister will attend an Arab summit in Saudi Arabia to discuss regional security, the Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday, the highest level Qatari official to visit the kingdom during a diplomatic rift. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt imposed an economic and diplomatic boycott on Qatar in June 2017 over allegations that Doha supports terrorism, a charge Qatar denies. The emergency summit in Mecca, Islam's holiest city, on Thursday will discuss tensions with Iran following attacks on oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and drone strikes on oil pumping stations in Saudi Arabia, both of which Tehran denies involvement in. Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani had received an invitation from Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud earlier this week to attend both the summit of Gulf Arab rulers and a wider meeting of Arab leaders. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Lolwah Al-Khater said in a tweet that Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser Al Thani would attend the summits, writing that the region's quickly escalating tensions made high-level participation a "national and humanitarian duty to achieve collective security". The United States has been trying to unify the Gulf bloc in order to confront Iran, although it was not immediately clear whether the visit was a sign of a thaw in the two-year dispute. U.S. national security adviser John Bolton said on Wednesday that naval mines "almost certainly from Iran" were used to attack the tankers, and warned Tehran against conducting new operations. (Reporting by Ali Abdelaty; Writing by Eric Knecht; Editing by Alison Williams) There is not enough analysis data for Buffalo Coal. 3.6 Community Rank Outperform Votes Buffalo Coal has received 51 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Buffalo Coal has received 42 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Buffalo Coal has received 54.84% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Buffalo Coal and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe BUF will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe BUF will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next HDFC Bank Ltd. engages in the provision of banking and financial services, including commercial banking and treasury operations. The firm also provides financial services to upper and middle income individuals and corporations in India. It operates through the following segments: Treasury, Retail Banking, Wholesale Banking and Other Banking Operations. The Treasury segment consists of bank's investment portfolio, money market borrowing and lending, investment operations and trading in foreign exchange and derivative contracts. The Retail Banking segment provides loans and other services to customers through a branch network and other delivery channels. The Wholesale Banking segment provides loans, non-fund facilities and transaction services to large corporates, emerging corporates, public sector units, government bodies, financial institutions, and medium scale enterprises. The Other Banking Business segment includes income from para banking activities such as credit cards, debit cards, third party product distribution, primary dealership business, and the associated costs. The company was founded by Aditya Tapishwar Puri in August 1994 and is headquartered in Mumbai, India. Read More National Bank of Canada provides various financial products and services to retail, commercial, corporate, and institutional clients in Canada and internationally. It operates through four segments: Personal and Commercial, Wealth Management, Financial Markets, and U.S. Specialty Finance and International. The Personal and Commercial segment offers personal banking services, including transaction solutions, mortgage loans and home equity lines of credit, consumer loans, payment solutions, savings and investment solutions; various insurance products; and commercial banking services, such as credit, and deposit and investment solutions, as well as international trade, foreign exchange transactions, payroll, cash management, insurance, electronic transactions, and complimentary services. The Wealth Management segment provides investment solutions, trust and estate services, banking services, lending services, guaranteed investment certificates, mutual funds, notes, structured products, and other wealth management solutions through internal and third-party distribution networks. The Financial Markets segment offers risk management products and services; and debt and equity underwriting; advisory services in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, and financing. The U.S. Specialty Finance and International segment provides specialty finance expertise; financial products and services to individuals and businesses in Cambodia; and the activities of targeted investments in certain emerging markets. The company also offers credit cards. It provides its services through a network of 483 branches and 1,573 banking machines. The company was founded in 1859 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. Read More The Federal Railroad Administration's decision to formally cancel a $929 million federal grant made in 2010 to the hugely troubled California bullet-train project was immediately depicted by Gov. Gavin Newsom as "political retribution" by President Donald Trump. But there are two key facts that strongly undercut Newsom's claim. The first is that the FRA's deep concerns about the propriety of the project's use of federal funds emerged during the final year of the Obama administration. In December 2016, federal rail officials warned _ correctly, as it turned out _ of a potential 50 percent cost overrun as well as years of delays on the construction of the initial high-speed rail segment in the Central Valley. They also attached new conditions to the $929 million grant that effectively delayed state access to the funding by five years. The second is that the FRA has an overwhelming case that California has failed to meet the core requirement of the grant: that the state is making "reasonable progress" on the project. Instead, it's at least a decade behind schedule, at least $45 billion over budget and a constant target of critical state audits and investigative journalists. In February, Newsom acknowledged the project's deep problems when he installed new leadership on the California High-Speed Rail Authority's board and said the agency didn't have a credible plan to build a statewide network of bullet trains. For him to now blast the Trump administration for its concerns makes no sense. The feds' critique echoes the one the governor himself made three months ago. The above editorial appeared in the San Diego Union-Tribune. It was distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. 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 Cenovus Energy Inc., together with its subsidiaries, develops, produces, and markets crude oil, natural gas liquids, and natural gas in Canada, the United States and the Asia Pacific region. The company operates through Oil Sands, Conventional, and Refining and Marketing segments. The Oil Sands segment develops and produces bitumen in northeast Alberta. Its bitumen assets include Foster Creek, Christina Lake, and Narrows Lake, as well as other projects in the early stages of development. The Conventional segment holds assets primarily located in Elmworth-Wapiti, Kaybob-Edson, and Clearwater operating areas of British Columbia and Alberta, as well as various interests in natural gas processing facilities. The Refining and Marketing segment transports and sells crude oil, natural gas, and NGLs. This segment owns a 50% ownership in Wood River and Borger refineries located in the United States; and owns and operates a crude-by-rail terminal in Alberta. Cenovus Energy Inc. was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Read More Airbus SE engages in the design, manufacture, delivery and provision of aerospace products, space and related services. It operates through the following segments: Airbus Commercial Aircraft, Airbus Helicopters and Airbus Defence and Space. The Airbus Commercial Aircraft segment develops, manufactures, markets and sells commercial jet aircrafts and offers aircraft conversion and related services. The Airbus Helicopters segment deals with the development, manufacture, marketing and sale of civil and military helicopters. The Airbus Defence and Space segment covers systems and services in the field of defence and space for governments, institutions, and commercial customers. The company was founded on December 29, 1998 and is headquartered in Leiden, the Netherlands. Read More By Casey Lartigue, Jr. During my recent trip to the U.S., I participated in the 16thannual North Korea Freedom Week, hosted by Suzanne Scholte's North Korea Freedom Coalition. The theme: "Listen to the North Korean defectors: Then you will know the truth!" As I returned to Seoul, I wondered: Do people really listen to North Korean exiles? There seems to be more talk about listening than there is actual listening. North Korean refugees often complain that government officials ignore their advice, starting from what to do about the Hanawon re-education center that almost every North Korean refugee has gone through over the past two decades. It remains a rude welcoming focused more on security rather than actual adjustment. Are reporters and researchers listening? When I explain to them what I have learned from working with more than 400 refugees the past seven years, it is like explaining the birds and bees to children who are covering their ears because they don't want to hear new information. Reporters who get paid for articles (or are shopping articles) will cite "journalistic ethics" as a reason they can't pay sources. Can media tell the difference between a) staff hired by organizations to promote their work b) North Korean refugees who on average have salaries 50 percent those of South Koreans or are not employed at all? Employed refugees are expected to take time away from jobs to get grilled by a reporter or researcher anywhere from an hour to a full day of getting followed around. Refugees don't get paid for stories about risking their lives, but the reporters, translators, fixers, photographers and editors do get paid. Yes, really. Why should they be surprised their "heads-we-get-paid, tails-you-get-to-volunteer" is unpopular with unpaid sources who are expected to answer every question no matter how personal or embarrassing? I try explaining it, but reporters and researchers are covering their ears. Even many activists for North Korean refugees don't listen. Back in 2012, I was one of them. Inspired to get involved, I plunged in, helping to send air balloons and USB drives to North Korea, speaking out against China and North Korea, and trying to attract funding to organizations to expand their programming. By Troy Stangarone The world's population is aging. The population of those over the age of 60 is growing faster globally than any other age group. This is especially true in much of the developed world where countries like Germany, Italy, and Japan were among the first to become super-aged societies with more than 20 percent of their populations over the age of 65. South Korea, however, will experience the same transition in a much shorter timeframe than most countries. For European countries such as Germany and Italy, population aging was gradual as they moved from an aging society with 7 percent of the population over the age of 65, to a super-aged society over the course of a little less than 80 years for both countries. In the case of Japan, the transition was a relatively brisk 36 years. For South Korea, it will likely only take 26 years to move from an aging society to a super-aged society. South Korea's shift from a relatively young society to a super-aged society is the result of one very positive trend, but also one that is concerning for the future. South Koreans are living longer than ever. Since 1970, 20 years has been added to the average life span. The trend is continuing. According to a study in the British medical journal Lancet, a South Korean woman born in 2030 will have a 57 percent chance of living past the age of 90. This would give them the longest expected life span in the world. South Korean men can expect to be among the third-longest living group of men in the world. The cause for concern is South Korea's declining birthrate. In the early 1980s the total fertility rate fell below the replacement level and has remained there. Last year the birthrate fell below one for the first time. These two trends taken together have broad significance for South Korea's future. As South Korea's population ages, its workforce will shrink and South Korea's economic growth potential will decline to less than 2 percent over the next two decades. The changing demographics will also affect other parts of South Korean society. South Korea currently has the highest level of old age poverty in the OECD. As the percentage of South Koreans over the age of 65 rises to over 30 percent of the population in 2040, there will be increasing strain on South Korea's pension system. Healthcare expenditures will rise as well. A separate study by Lancet estimates that by 2040 South Korea will need to spend an additional 3 percent of GDP to cover healthcare costs and total healthcare expenditures will rise to 10.1 percent of GDP. The shrinking population of those under the age of 65 will also have implications for South Korea's national security as fewer young males are available for military service. The Moon Jae-in administration is planning to reduce the military to 500,000 personnel, but the declining number of young males means that over the next two decades further cuts may be needed. While no one policy will address all of the challenges South Korea will face over the next two decades, integrating more women into the workforce will play a significant role in helping South Korea maintain the economic growth it will need to manage growing health and pension costs, while investing in the types of technologies that will help the military deal with the declining pool of young males that will be eligible for military service. According to a recent study by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), if female participation in the labor force continues to grow at its average over the last decade to 2035South Korea will face declining production as the decline in South Korean females will outpace the increase in participation in the workforce. However, South Korea could add 7 percent to its GDP, in spite of its declining workforce, if female labor participation is able to close the gap with male labor participation by 2035. If the rate of female labor participation were only to continue increasing at the rate of other advanced economies over the same period, South Korea's GDP would grow by 4 percent. These are not insignificant numbers. A 7 percent increase in GDP is only slightly less than South Korea currently spends on healthcare, according to World Bank data. There is no one solution to address the consequences of South Korea's changing demographics. The current and future governments will need to consider changes to the retirement age, creating incentives to increase automation in the workplace, and reforms to improve productivity in the services sector. These will all be important steps in dealing with changes that will come over the next two decades, but increasing the participation of women in the workforce will play an important role in South Korea's ability to manage the challenges of an aging society. Troy Stangarone (ts@keia.org) is the senior director of congressional affairs and trade at the Korea Economic Institute. In February 2018, the House Intelligence Committee released the so-called Nunes memo. In four pages, the document, from the committees then-chairman Rep. Devin Nunes, revealed much of what the public knows today about the FBIs reliance on the Steele dossier in pursuing since-discredited allegations that the Trump campaign and Russia conspired to fix the 2016 election. Specifically, it revealed that the FBI included unverified material from the dossier in applications to a secret spy court to win a warrant to wiretap Trump foreign policy volunteer adviser Carter Page. All that was classified. To release it, the committee appealed to President Trump, who made a declassification order. That is the only way Americans know about the Page warrant. From that knowledge came later revelations about the FBIs use of confidential informants and undercover agents to get information on Trump campaign figures. It is good that the public knows such things, just as it is good that the public knows what is in the Mueller report. But in the days before the Nunes memo was declassified, many of the nations top current and former intelligence officials, members of Congress, and analysts in the press warned that declassification would do grave damage to American national security. It didnt happen. Now, some of the same people are issuing somber warnings of the damage that will be done if Attorney General William Barr declassifies documents showing what else the nations law enforcement and intelligence agencies did in the 2016 Trump investigation. In 2018, former CIA Director John Brennan said of the Nunes memo, I never witnessed the type of reckless partisan behavior I am now seeing. Recently, Brennan called the Barr declassification project a reckless, reckless initiative. In 2018, Rep. Adam Schiff, the current chairman of the Intelligence Committee, said the Nunes memo crosses a dangerous line. Recently, he said the Barr initiative marks a new and dangerous phase. In 2018, former Attorney General Eric Holder called the Nunes memo unheard of, dangerous and irresponsible. Recently, he called the Barr initiative the height of irresponsibility and a dangerous precedent. Many others echoed Brennans and Schiffs and Holders sentiments. The problem is, they were wrong then, and they are likely wrong again now. The revelation that the FBI used the Steele dossier the collection of unconfirmed anti-Trump dirt compiled for the Hillary Clinton campaign by the former British spy Christopher Steele set off a tremendous argument about the dossiers reliability. But there was no doubt that the Nunes memo was correct, that the FBI had indeed cited the dossier as evidence in its argument that Carter Page should be wiretapped. Its hard to avoid the conclusion that some of the loudest voices denouncing Nunes were angry about the exposure of the FBIs questionable actions, and not the fact that the FBIs actions were indeed questionable. Indeed, after the release of the Nunes memo, there was little discussion of any specific damage it had done to U.S. national security. Now, there is another fight about declassification. Nunes himself has heard this all before. Every time we have tried to get information on the Russia hoax, the left as well as the media and their leakers claimed it would devastate national security, Nunes said in a text exchange. Now we hear the same argument from the same reporters, leakers and leftists, even though all their previous doomsday warnings proved false. These people simply use national security as a false justification to hide information that would reveal their abuses. Nunes summed up with one more line: Democracy dies in darkness. The resistance to declassification is likely to be ferocious. Almost immediately after President Trump ordered intelligence agencies to cooperate with Barr and gave the attorney general full and complete authority to declassify information from the Trump-Russia investigation, the intelligence world struck back when The New York Times reported that Barrs project could endanger one of the CIAs most prized sources. Attributing its story to former officials, the Times said the source was someone close to (Vladimir) Putin who gave the CIA information about (Putins) involvement in U.S. election interference, and specifically turned over evidence to support the conclusion that Putin himself was behind the Russia hack. The source had been long nurtured by the CIA and was highly valued by Brennan when he was director. All of that work might be at risk if Barr moves ahead, the Times suggested. Now, if anything might endanger such a source, it would be exposure in The New York Times. But the story showed that the intelligence world will push back hard against this new effort to investigate its record. The fight could be messy. But Barr, like Nunes, has heard such threats before. Its time to find out what the CIA, FBI and other agencies did in those difficult days of the 2016 campaign. (Byron York is chief political correspondent for The Washington Examiner.) By Baek Byung-yeul LG Electronics has been drawing an enthusiastic response from Vietnam as government officials and jobseekers there are welcoming its recent decision to move high-priced smartphone production lines from Korea to the Vietnamese city of Hai Phong, company officials said Tuesday. "The Vietnamese people have welcomed the news as they expect that producing premium smartphones in the country's third-largest city signals that more investment could come," an LG spokesman said. "While we have produced budget and midrange smartphones and other home appliances at the Hai Phong factory, we decided to produce premium smartphones there as well starting the second half of 2019. We expect this will improve the profitability of the firm's smartphone business." The spokesman said Hai Phong will be one of the largest production base for the firm as LG will invest $1.5 billion in the city from 2013 through 2028. In addition, LG Group's component-producing arm LG Innotek will also invest $500 million there to expand its camera module production factory. Given the city has geographical advantages as it is located only 90 kilometers north of the capital Hanoi and is close to the South China Sea, industry officials said the Hai Phong plant will help LG improve competitiveness in its struggling smartphone business. LG's decision to shut down its smartphone factory in Korea also sheds light on LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo's bold initiative to beef up the firm's smartphone capabilities. LG has been criticized for its slow and bureaucratic decision-making but has been showing bold moves under the leadership of the fourth-generation leader, they said. They added LG should have made the relocation decision earlier because the firm would have achieved price competitiveness from cheap labor there and could invested more in R&D, making it more competitive. The firm has produced 5 million premium smartphones such as the G and V series in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province a year, but recently said it will phase out the Pyeongtaek factory by the end of 2019 and shift production to Hai Phong. LG has produced 6 million budget and midrange smartphones annually in Hai Phong since 2014. Once the relocation of the manufacturing site is completed, the Hai Phong factory will have an annual production capacity of 11 million. Hai Phong has been attracting foreign investment by providing tax exemption for four years. The city also has a major advantage in terms of labor cost as the minimum monthly wage is $184, much cheaper than Shanghai ($365.60) and Jakarta ($256.10), according to data from the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency. Thanks to this policy, U.K.-based property service provider Savills said Haiphong has seen an increasing number of foreigners as 7.8 million visited the city in 2018, a 12 percent increase year-on-year. It added the visitors include a large number of business visitors who played a very important role in increasing revenue for hotels and apartments there. A real estate broker who specializes in the Hai Phong region said it has been receiving increasing inquiries for apartments, offices and stores from Korean investors. "The city has become a popular investment destination among Korean investors. This is mainly because of LG. We expect there will be more inquiries seeking investment opportunities as LG is shifting its phone manufacturing lines," the broker said. Saratoga Springs With Vice President Mike Pence set to meet with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday in the Trump Administration's push to get the "new" NAFTA agreement signed by Canada and Mexico, business and economic development leaders in Saratoga County hosted Phyllis Yaffe, Canada's consul general to New York, on Wednesday to talk about the future of the trilateral trade agreement. Yaffe and officials from IBM, the Semiconductor Industry Association and the National Foreign Trade Council had been invited to participate in a forum on the trade deal that was held at Saratoga National by the Saratoga County Prosperity Partnership. "We really do have a special relationship," Yaffe said about the United States and Canada. "We all knew that (NAFTA) could be improved." Although Yaffe and others touted the benefits of the new NAFTA, officially known as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, there was definitely trepidation among the panelists and the crowd that politics could sideline the agreement for a couple of years, even though getting it implemented is a huge policy goal of the Trump administration. Vanessa Sciarra, vice president for legal affairs and trade and investment policy for the National Foreign Trade Council, said the Democratic majority in the U.S. House of Representatives has major issues with USMCA, the successor to NAFTA. For instance, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi says Democrats won't approve the USMCA until after Mexico implements new labor law reforms required by the deal. "The problem is the House," Sciarra said. "We all want to see what the House does." President Trump wants Congress to pass the new trade deal by August. After that, it becomes election season in both the U.S. and Canada, and politicians are extremely wary of voting on trade deals while they are campaigning lest they become a negative election issue for them. "It's hard to hold a trade vote when you are in an election season," Sciarra said. Although ratification of the USMCA could be years away, Yaffe said Canadians are thrilled that President Trump recently lifted the tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. "That was a major irritant in Canada," Yaffe said. "The good news is those tariffs have been removed. These are good times with the relationship." Still, Yaffee says the USMCA was about compromise, so when Canada does eventually ratify it, it will mean pain for some in Canada, including dairy farmers. "We took a little water in our wine," Yaffe said. Yaffe said U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer was particularly hard-edged in his defense of New York dairy farmers to try and open up Canadian markets under the new agreement. Yaffe said Canada will have to subsidize those Canadian dairy farmers who lose out to American imports. "We have to make concessions, and Sen. Schumer made it happen but at a cost to Canadian farmers," Yaffe said. Bethlehem National Grid believes it has gotten a handle on chronic outages in a neighborhood in Slingerlands off New Scotland Road, although homeowners there still aren't satisfied. The utility assigned a team to tackle the issue earlier this year after a cluster of customers who live in the neighborhood just west of Font Grove Road on Carstead Drive, North Helderberg Parkway and Mayfair Drive, complained of a high level of outages. Bethlehem Supervisor David VanLuven also contacted the utility to air the residents' concerns. "We had customer issues there, and we always take them very seriously," said National Grid spokesman Patrick Stella. However, homeowner Brian Sinkoff, who moved into the neighborhood four years ago and has led an effort to get National Grid's attention about the problem, says National Grid isn't doing enough. "We lost power 14 times last year," Sinkoff says. "It is a problem that had occurred for decades." National Grid says the problem of outages occurred because electrical service poles and wires in that neighborhood are all located in the backyards of customers. And trees and shrubbery of those backyards had grown thick and tall over the years, creating problems with branches and limbs falling on power lines that could trigger outages. "There's a lot of back lot service there," Stella said. "It's pretty heavily wooded." National Grid officials said that while the utility is on a vegetation management plan where it revisits neighborhoods for tree trimming every five years, some neighborhoods may need more attention than others due to the age and size of trees and their location. Disease, insects and invasive species can also play a role, especially the emerald ash borer beetle, which can make them susceptible to falling over. And with that much vegetation in the backyard, it doesn't take a major storm to cause an outage. A strong wind storm can be all that it takes to blow down limbs or branches that will trip a circuit. The solution was to go in and take down some trees and prune others. And National Grid also added some new technology to its distribution poles in that neighborhood called "trip savers" that keep any outages that can't be prevented to less than a minute. When a tree branch or limb falls on a utility's electrical wire, it stops the electrical current flow, causing an overload of the system in the opposite direction, triggering a circuit-breaker that essentially shuts down the section of the power line where the contact with the wire occurred, like when a fuse is blown in your house. Usually, the circuit must be restored manually, which can take time, based on getting utility personnel to the area. But the "trip saver" closes the circuit itself right on the line about 30 seconds after the outage, bringing power back to customers without lengthy delays. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. "Trip savers are good for that type of neighborhood (with lots of trees)," said Casey Kirkpatrick, an electrical engineering manager. Sinkoff says he doesn't believe that overgrown trees are the problem. He says the distribution network in that area of Slingerlands can't handle the power. "It's infrastructure," Sinkoff said. National Grid ended up installing trip savers on the poles at two separate locations in the neighborhood, removed over 125 danger trees, and did additional pruning of the surrounding trees. New poles were also installed, with cross arms put in along areas with thick forest. The utility will also return to the neighborhood within 18 months and plans to install animal guards at certain locations and add a lightning arrester in the future that will protect equipment from lightning strikes. After a meeting with neighbors in March at Bethlehem Town Hall, National Grid was scheduled to meet again with neighbors on Wednesday night to provide them with an update of the work. National Grid officials say the outages have decreased since the tree removal and equipment upgrades. "We've seen progress," said Michael DiAcetis, National Grid's customer and community program manager. "It's an ongoing process. We're doing a lot of work." But Sinkoff disagrees. He says since the March meeting, he has lost power six to eight times. "They don't want to face the fact that they have an infrastructure problem," Sinkoff said. "It's not trees." On this date in ... 1919: A 17-year-old wife, Eva Spain Albright, won the divorce suit brought against her by Frank Albright, 21, in state Supreme Court in Troy. The judge ruled that during the month-long union the "fraud and fear" the husband alleged was "brought to bear upon him" by his wife was non-existent, and that an annulment on his behalf was denied. Albright instead had to pay alimony to the former Eva Spain. The judge also bemoaned the "carelessness" of youth that led to these actions. The couple had become acquainted due to a flirtation and then quickly got married following "relations warranting such a ceremony." 1969: At the annual meeting of the North Colonie school district, two anti-school budget board candidates were outnumbered by at least eight board candidates who spoke for the budget. More than 100 people, including teachers and students, came to Shaker High School to hear board President George Ansell explain the budget and listen as the 10 school board candidates outlined their positions. One candidate was Julia Kilby, who said she would vote for the budget, and was running to replace Louise Wise, because "there should be a female on the board. It can be an advantage to have a woman's point of view." 1994: The roses your sweetheart bought in Albany actually could have been picked by a field worker in Colombia or Israel, and the carnations were probably from Italy, Ecuador or Kenya; the lilies, from Belgium or Swaziland; and the tulips and alstromeria, from Holland. Even the most commonplace daisy and carnation were rarely grown locally anymore. As the floral industry moved into the jet age, once rare or only seasonal blooms could sit on your table every day of the year. Most local florists purchased their stocks of cut flowers through three major wholesale houses: Seagroatt-Riccardi in Colonie, Seagroatt Floral Co. in Albany and Nyren Bros. in Clifton Park. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Want to read more about the Capital Region's past? Have any memories or thoughts about how our history relates to today's events? See http://blog.timesunion.com/history/ STONY POINT, N.Y. A suburban New York homicide suspect has been placed on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. The agency said on Wednesday that it's offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information directly leading to the arrest of 80-year-old Eugene Palmer. A federal warrant says he fled to avoid prosecution in the September 2012 shotgun death of his daughter-in-law Tammy Palmer outside her Stony Point, Rockland County, home. After firing three shots at the 39-year-old woman, Palmer was last seen entering Harriman State Park. According to the Journal News, Eugene Palmer's relatives have said they think he died in the woods. That newspaper reported in September 2014 that a court had awarded over $2 million from Eugene Palmer's estate for Tammy Palmer's two children. Her estate administrator said at the time that Eugene Palmer was presumed alive unless proven otherwise but that his estate could still be liquidated. Haverstraw Police Detective Michael Cruger said, because no body was found during multiple searches, he believes Palmer is very much alive, according to the FBI. Palmer is still considered armed and dangerous. "His age doesn't change the level of violence in this crime," FBI Special Agent Andrew Fisher said. Tammy lived with Palmer's son and their two children at the time of her death. Police said Eugene and Tammy's relationship was strained as her marriage began to deteriorate and a judge had issued an order of protection. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Tammy had just walked to kids to the school bus on the morning of Sept. 24, 2012, when Eugene allegedly sprung from the woods and shot her in the driveway. The first two shots were from a distance, with the first bullet hitting her arm and the second missing. The third, fatal shot struck her chest at close range, the FBI said. After the shooting, Eugene allegedly fled into the wooded 45,000-acre state park, which borders the property. "He drove his truck about 100 yards into Harriman State Park and walked in," Fisher said. Palmer is described as being mostly bald with some grey hair. He is 5-foot-10, weighs 220 pounds and has brown eyes and a misshapen left thumb. He is a car racing enthusiast and an experienced hunter and outdoorsman. Anyone with information on Eugene Palmer is asked to call their local FBI office, or nearest American Embassy or Consulate. Tips can also be submitted at tips.fbi.gov. "I want to bring the family closure. It hit me hard that we couldn't capture him before Tammy's mother passed," Cruger said. "It's unfinished for us." MOHAWK - A Fulton County man is accused of grabbing money from a person he was hoping to sell narcotic pills to, State Police said Wednesday. Police said James E. Anderson, 43, of Johnstown took a taxi to a house in the Montgomery County town of Mohawk where he was to make the sale. After tussling with residents, he broke free and went back into the cab, but the driver, scared, had left, troopers said. TROY A Rensselaer County State Supreme Court jury heard just a few minutes of the start of a jailhouse confession in a 2016 murder trial Tuesday until the defense objected, leading the judge to order a mid-trial suppression hearing. It was the latest twist in a 31-month-old case that began as a double-homicide investigation. The case has shrunk to one trial as three rounds of indictments for murder charges against the four original defendants were tossed. That came after former District Attorney Joel E. Abeloves office failed to provide evidence to back up the accomplice testimony it had presented before three county grand juries. Co-defendant Magdaleno Perez Calixto, 31, who cut a deal, stunned the defense for Luis Alfredo Monges Guevara, 23, when he said that Guevara had described how he killed Javier Gomez Bartolon, 24, by stabbing him in his 1 East Glen Ave. apartment the morning of Oct. 17, 2016. Defense attorney Jay Hernandez III objected, saying he had never been informed by the prosecution about this statement. Hernandez said there was no timeframe for the alleged confession. Assistant District Attorney Andrew Botts said he did not believe he had to disclose the nature of Calixtos testimony before he took the stand. Judge Andrew Ceresia ruled that Guevara was entitled to a suppression hearing as to whether Calixto was acting as an agent for authorities. Ceresia will decide Wednesday if Calixtos testimony will be admissible. Guevara is on trial for two counts of second-degree murder and a count of first-degree murder. Calixto reached a deal in Dec. 2017 in which he pleaded guilty to first-degree kidnapping and first-degree burglary in return for two concurrent prison sentences of nine years. Calixto is the only one of the four defendants to plead guilty to charges related to the two homicides that occurred on Oct. 16, 2016 in Brunswick and Oct. 17, 2016. The four defendants are undocumented Mexican nationals, as were the two victims. On Oct. 16, 2016, Guevara, Calixto, co-defendant Salomon Najera Hernandez, 23, and Cresencio Salazar, 28, who was charged and later freed on a technicality, were partying with Cristian Gonzalez Hernandez, 26, at a Colonie motel. Hernandez was Bartolons roommate. No one has been tried for Hernandezs homicide. Salomon Hernandez also cut a deal with the prosecution, pleading guilty to first-degree burglary in exchange for a five-year prison sentence. Salazar was never reindicted and was turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be deported to Mexico. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. The party ended with a violent attack against Hernandez, who was beaten as part of a robbery, according to police and court records. The four defendants drove the badly bludgeoned Hernandez to Blue Factory Hill Road in Brunswick where they allegedly slit his throat before tossing his body into the Quacken Kill creek. They then decided to go to Hernandezs apartment the next day to steal money and drugs. The deceased victim, the witness and the defense attorney are not related. Calixto opened his testimony describing how he drove the four of them to Troy in his 2002 red Ford Explorer. He said they entered Bartolons apartment that Oct. 17. He said he heard Bartolons voice and left with Salomon Hernandez. Calixto testified that it was Guevaras idea to steal money and drugs from the North Central apartment where Hernandez and Bartolon lived. The goal was to rob valuable articles from the house. Alfredo knew no one was home, Calixto said speaking through a Spanish interpreter. Calixto never reentered the apartment. He said Salazar and Guevara threw bags away in dumpsters at his apartment complex. The trial halted when Calixto began his testimony regarding the jailhouse statement by Guevara. Ceresia then ordered the hearing on the admissibility of the statement. Earlier in the trial, testimony had shown that bloody sneakers, a knife and a hammer were tossed. The testimony alleged that Salazar fatally hit Bartolon with the hammer, while Guevara fatally stabbed him. COHOES Supporters for the senior police lieutenant who was suspended without pay came out on Tuesday evening to tell the city's Common Council Public Safety Committee that Lt. Tim Keefe is an outstanding officer caught up in a contentious mayoral primary. Danielle Newell, a long-time friend of Keefe's, told the committee that Keefe's suspension for two weeks "was political" and she wanted the committee to do something about it. "This needs to stop. This 100 percent needs to stop," Newell said. "There is no one who is more devoted to the police department and the community. He's a great police officer and a great friend." Newell, along with William LeBeau of the police union's council 82, were among those who spoke at the top of the meeting that moved into a long executive session. No decision was announced Tuesday evening. More than a dozen police officers also attended. The police officers could not speak, LeBeau said, but were there in support of Keefe. "These are baseless allegations," LeBeau said. "His reputation goes outside of the City of Cohoes. This department and other departments support him." Keefe was suspended for alleged unauthorized entry into the scene of a March 3 homicide at Schuyler Street. He was also accused of allegedly not overseeing morning roll call at police headquarters because he was at the scene. More for you Cohoes suspension of police lieutenant seen as political Newell and others who spoke at the meeting said they felt that Keefe is being targeted because the police union endorsed former New York State Police Major William Keeler for mayor. They also feel that current Mayor Shawn Morse, who is running for re-election and also serves as police commissioner, wants to give the chief of police job to a friend. As previously reported by the Times Union, Keefe is the only one eligible to succeed current police Chief William Heslin. Last week, Morse said the move was not political and that those claiming it is are "crybabies." Morse currently faces a seven-count federal felony indictment that alleges he conspired with his former campaign treasurer to use political donations for personal expenditures, including vacations and home repairs. Edward Kinner, a volunteer with the Morse's campaign, defended Morse, saying this that the mayor has nothing to do with the suspension. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. "This is internal in the police department," Kinner said. "It should have never been released to the public. It's an employee issue." He called Keefe "a great officer and a great guy." LeBeau would not say the suspension was political. But he did say "politics are rampant in the City of Cohoes right now." "I'll let you draw your own conclusions," LeBeau said. "Out of respect for Lt. Keefe's family, I'm not going to say anymore. But we do look very forward to going in front of an independent arbitrator. He will be fully exonerated." Chairing the Public Safety Committee is Stephen Napier, another candidate for mayor. Also running is former city treasurer Peter Frangie. In February, the city Civil Service Commission rejected a request by Morse to change the qualifications to be promoted to police chief and other positions. Among the changes was eliminating lieutenants as being eligible for promotion. Samsung Galaxy Fold / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics By Jun Ji-hye Samsung Electronics apparently needs more time than previously expected to check out the hardware requirements of its first foldable smartphone Galaxy Fold, industry officials said Wednesday. This is raising the possibility that the launch of the next-generation mobile phone, anticipated for June, could be pushed back further. The Korean tech giant was planning originally to release the Galaxy Fold in the United States in April and in Korea in May, but postponed the launch after tech reviewers claimed they found flaws in the main display of the foldable smartphone. When announcing the postponement on April 23, Samsung said it was going to fully analyze the feedback and run further internal tests. At the time, the company said a new release date will be announced "in the coming weeks," but no official confirmation has been made since then. Telecom officials here said Samsung has been carrying out network connection tests on the foldable devices. "We have not been informed about the launch schedule yet," a telecom company official said, asking not to be named. Officials said it seems it is taking longer than expected for Samsung to inspect components such as displays and films. Amid growing uncertainty, the U.S. electronics retailer Best Buy has canceled preorders for the troubled foldable device, citing the lack of a new release date. Last week, the retailer sent a cancellation notice to customers who preordered the phone. In its email, the retailer noted "with breakthrough designs and technology come many hurdles and the possibility to face a plethora of unforeseen hiccups. These hurdles have led Samsung to postpone the release of the Galaxy Fold, and Samsung has not provided a new release date," according to The Verge. Regarding the issue, a Samsung Electronics official maintained the firm's initial position, saying, "Nothing has been decided yet. A new announcement regarding the launch date will be made in coming weeks." Industry officials noted Samsung may have more time to improve the quality of the Galaxy Fold as it is uncertain when rival Huawei will launch its foldable smartphone Mate X amid a prolonged trade war between the United States and China. The Chinese tech giant was expected to release its foldable device in June, but is facing a serious setback to do so following the Donald Trump administration's order that effectively barred U.S. firms from selling components and software to the Chinese tech giant. Following the order, Google said it would comply with U.S. government restrictions, which could restrict Huawei devices' access to the Android operating system. STILLWATER Karen Reed suffers demons. The retired Iraq and Afghanistan veteran who served as a captain in the United State Air Force from 2006 to 2015, said they come at night visions of children blown up by road side bombs, friends dying in battle and then, after the return home, her boyfriend Rick's death. She said he was also a veteran haunted by war memories, and died by alcohol poisoning three years ago. "He died in front of me," said Reed, who is medically retired and wears a bracelet to memorialize him. "We survived but are losing the fight back home. We are still fighting the fight." She, as well as 32 other veterans, are finding some solace and purpose in an archaeological dig on a battlefield at the Saratoga National Historical Park. There, under the guidance of archaeologist William Griswold of the National Park Service and trainers from Advanced Metal Detecting for the Archaeologist, the veterans from around the country have gathered to excavate the site of the second battle of Saratoga. Known as the Revolutionary War's Turning Point, it is the fight that historians say paved the way for America. "This is the battle that made the British surrender," park Superintendent Amy Bracewell said. "The battle was critical to the American victory." Yet the field, where Simeon Barber grew wheat in the 1770s, has never been excavated. It's something Bracewell always wanted to do and placed on her long-term projects list. Then came along a $5,000 grant from American Battlefield Trust, which has a mission to preserve the American lands where armies fought and died. That led to teaming with American Veterans Archaeological Recovery (AVAR), a nonprofit that teaches veterans to excavate important archaeological sites as a means to help them reconnect and work toward a common goal, something that Nichol Fuentes, the COO of AVAR said is in their DNA. "A lot of veterans miss the camaraderie and being in a unit, working with other veterans, being part of something bigger than they are, completing missions," said Fuentes, who is also a retired Marine sergeant. "We provide community, the ability and the support network ... This gives us something to enjoy and bond over." The four-week project that began on May 20 has four phases. First, the park took aerial-captured data. This week, the AVAR crew is transecting the field with a metal detectors and excavating. They are also completing GIS mapping and penetrating the ground with radar. The final phase is cataloging and documenting the items found. Bracewell said she can't believe how much the veterans have already accomplished, even working through Monday's heavy rainfall. She said the effort will help the park historians map out the battle where the troops stood, fought and died. It's a goal that the American Battlefield Trust is happy to advance. "This will help us confirm the lines of forces," said Nicole Ryan of the American Battlefield Trust. "Where were the troops on the field; it's incredibly exciting." What historians do know is that on Oct. 7, 1777, 1,700 starving British and German troops came to the Barber's wheat field to find food. As they were foraging, 12,000 Americans descended on Lt. General John Burgoyne's troops from the surrounding woods. In less than an hour, the Americans forced the British retreat into and subsequent surrender at the village of Victory. On the battlefield on Wednesday, flags marked each spot where artifacts were found. Some items are important, like musket balls, cannon shot and others less so, like old nails. Yet each item found in the now rain-soaked soil sparks a joy of discovery in the animated veterans searching the field. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. "I don't do a lot of those veteran things," Thomas Wyatt, an Army veteran from Texas, said as he took a break from digging in the dirt. "But this ... everybody here is great. To come out, you are learning about archaeology and you are changing history. You literally are rewriting it." Zeth Lujan, an Army veteran who is studying archaeology at the University of Rochester, has gone on digs in Israel and at the Mount Lebanon Shaker site with AVAR. He says he feels lucky to have found AVAR because he is gaining important field experience, which is costly. AVAR pays for room and board while on the site and sometimes can help a veteran pay to fly into the region for a dig. Moreover, he said AVAR has helped him restore his self-worth, something he lost after he left military life. "When you are transitioning out, it's really hard to relate to other people," Lujan said. "There is also a stigma of joining the military. There is a perception of veterans that keeps me from talking about my time in. Meeting people with like-minded mentality, it was exciting. Knowing that even though they have disabilities, they are still able to contribute and work." Reed agreed, adding the experience also reminds her of the importance of military history and its direct line to her. "This is our genealogy, our lineage," she said. "This is walking the paths of American soldiers that came before me. That to me is very special. This is where America happened." HONG KONG An all-white, albino panda has appeared in a natural reserve in China, the first of its kind to be documented, an expert said this week. The panda was photographed in April with an infrared camera at the Wolong National Nature Reserve in the southwestern province of Sichuan, local authorities said in a statement. Li Sheng, who belongs to the Species Survival Commission of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, said it was the first recorded image of a wild giant panda that is fully white. (There have been sightings of brown-and-white pandas in Qinling, a mountainous region in the northwestern Chinese province of Shaanxi.) The white pandas appearance is caused by albinism, a rare genetically inherited condition that prevents the normal synthesis of melanin, resulting in white hair or pale skin, as well as reddish eyes. Giant pandas are one of eight bear species, and albinism has been recorded in many other species of bears, though rarely. I personally think its quite random for it to be discovered, since albinism manifests itself so infrequently, Li said in a telephone interview. This was recorded just in time. Aside from sensitivity to sunlight, albinism does not usually have a negative effect on the anatomy or life functions of animals, but their unusual appearance can make them easier to detect in the wild. Based on the photo, albinism has not affected the life of the white panda much, said Li, who is also a researcher at Peking University. It looks quite well, quite strong. Duan Zhaogang, the Communist Party secretary of the Wolong district, said in the statement that the reserve would increase its use of infrared cameras to track the growth and movements of the panda, which is estimated to be 1 or 2 years old, and its potential offspring. (The mutation, which comes from a recessive gene, can be passed down.) Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Wild pandas can be difficult to study because they mostly live alone, often in remote areas. To facilitate research, a Chinese conservation center has developed a facial recognition app that can distinguish one panda from another, the state news media said this month. Nearly 10,000 images of pandas from a database have been analyzed since 2017. There are about 1,900 giant pandas living in the wild, according to a 2016 report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Citing an increase in the panda population that was credited to the Chinese government, the group changed the pandas conservation status at that time from endangered to vulnerable. But Chinese officials opposed the move, arguing that pandas still struggle to reproduce in fragmented patches of wilderness. Also this month, a rare Asiatic black bear was caught on camera in the Demilitarized Zone that separates North and South Korea. Flora and fauna thrive in the region, also known as the DMZ, because it is rarely disturbed by humans. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. [May 29, 2019] Cresco Labs Launches Cannabis Industry's First Comprehensive National Social Equity & Education Initiative Cresco Labs Inc. ("Cresco Labs" or the "Company") (CSE: CL) (OTCQX: CRLBF), one of the largest vertically integrated multistate cannabis operators in the United States, today announced the launch of its Social Equity & Educational Development (SEED) program, the cannabis industry's first national social equity initiative promoting inclusion, expungement, equality, access and community engagement. "With the U.S. cannabis industry at an inflection point with changing public perception, political support and legalization of adult use being considered, the industry is poised to become one of the leading job creators in the country," said Cresco Labs CEO & Co-Founder Charlie Bachtell. "Our SEED initiative is designed to ensure that all members of our society have the skills, knowledge and opportunity to work in and own businesses in this industry. From collaborating with universities to develop cannabis-focused curriculum to working with local agencies and community organizations to sponsor expungement events, the SEED initiative consists of impactful programs and actionable solutions-based approaches that we believe will help make the cannabis industry a highly inclusive force for job creation. We are also focused on providing a pathway to business ownership through our comprehensive incubator program, which we believe will assist states in achieving the diversity goals they have established for their regulated cannabis programs. Through our commitment to driving positive social change and the various programs in the SEED initiative, our goal is to provide 20,000 individuals with the opportunity to seek employment in the cannabis industry by 2022." Cresco Labs began developing elements of the SEED program in early 2018 that focused around three main areas: Social Equity, a Community Impact Incubator program and Workforce Development/Education. Social Equity Collaborating with community organizations and local agencies to facilitate expungement events that assist individuals formerly convicted of expungable offenses in obtaining clearance to work within the cannabis industry. Developing systematic outreach efforts to veteran, minority- and women-owned businesses to increase the diversity of vendors supporting the cannabis industry. Providing cannabis-focused small business development and support through educational events. To date, Cresco Labs has begun activating on many of its social equity initiatives including supporting an expungement event for nearly 150 people with cannabis convictions in Illinois, conducting a Veteran's Hiring Fair in Pennsylvania, developing a community workforce program with organizations in Brooklyn, NY, and participating in a Cannabis Health and Wellness Fair on Chicago's southside. Community Impact Incubator Cresco Labs has developed a model for a business incubator program that will provide or support the raise of the capital needed to build and ramp-up operations for licensed cultivators and/or dispensaries. Eligibility will be for state-licensed applicants who enhance the diversity goals of Cresco Labs and the individual program of the state in which they reside. The long-erm goal of the incubator will be to have participants own the majority share of their business. Cresco Labs will provide practical, real-life experience in all facets of the cannabis business including business formation, regulatory, compliance, cultivation, manufacturing and operational support. Education & Workforce Development Developing curriculum/course work with colleges and universities to educate and prepare students for pursuing a career in the cannabis industry. Collaborating with civic leaders and organizations to develop community education activities to help individuals better understand the employment opportunities available in the cannabis industry. Partnering with universities, colleges, and community colleges to develop pathways to employment in the cannabis industry including for those newly eligible for employment through expungement: Internship programs Job training and placement assistance Career services Scholarships Entrepreneur program support Cresco Labs is working with the leadership at multiple community colleges, state universities, and Ivy League universities to establish the following: cannabis-focused courses of study in their respective business, agriculture, and entrepreneurship programs; scholarships for people from communities most negatively impacted by the war on drugs; and scholarly research in plant science. The company has a targeted internship program and has develop scholarship programs designed specifically for Central State University and Wilberforce University in Ohio. Additionally, Cresco Labs launched a national summer 2019 internship program for 50 cannabis-focused candidates to work at the Company. Cresco Labs is proud to have identified and engaged a set of partners whose work in the community improves all of our experiences. True community integration requires acknowledging the interconnectedness of non-profit community groups and the role successful corporations like Cresco Labs have to support their work. Cresco Labs' community partnerships proudly include The Monroe Foundation, Central State University, Agraria, The 4th Episcopal District, AME Church, Montessori School of Englewood, North Lawndale Employment Network, Chicago NORML, Help Heal Veterans, Teamwork Englewood, Rotary Club of Carpinteria, Howard Brown Health Center, Amplify, T.R.E.A.D. and Susan G. Komen For the Cure. Cresco Labs is deeply committed to effecting positive social change through inclusion, equality and community involvement. The Company has hired Barrington Rutherford as its Senior Vice President of Community Integration to head up its SEED initiative. Rutherford brings with him 20 years of community activism spanning religious, non-profit and educational organizations. About Cresco Labs: Cresco Labs, based in Chicago, is a leading U.S. cannabis company with experienced management, access to capital and a demonstrated growth strategy. As a differentiated grower, processor and retailer of premium cannabis operating across the United States, the company focuses on entering highly regulated markets with outsized demand potential and strong regulatory structures. Its impressive speed-to-market gives Cresco a distinct competitive advantage as it replicates its model to expand its national footprint. Cresco's proven ability to execute is complemented by a cutting-edge brand strategy spearheaded by several of the brightest minds in consumer marketing in the nation. Cresco's products are tailored to all major consumer segments: everyday cannabis, medicinally focused, connoisseur grade, and chef inspired edibles by James Beard Award-winning pastry chef Mindy Segal. Learn more about Cresco Labs at www.crescolabs.com. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and may also contain statements that may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only the Company's beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company's control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as, 'may,' 'will,' 'should,' 'could,' 'would,' 'expects,' 'plans,' 'anticipates,' 'believes,' 'estimates,' 'projects,' 'predicts,' 'potential' or 'continue' or the negative of those forms or other comparable terms. The Company's forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including but not limited to those risks discussed under "Risk Factors" in the company's CSE Listing Statement filed with SEDAR; and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Because of these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements. No assurances are given as to the future trading price or trading volumes of Cresco's shares, nor as to the Company's financial performance in future financial periods. The Company does not intend to update any of these factors or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the Company's forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of new information, any future event or otherwise. Except as otherwise indicated, this press release speaks as of the date hereof. The distribution of this press release does not imply that there has been no change in the affairs of the Company after the date hereof or create any duty or commitment to update or supplement any information provided in this press release or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005246/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Delaware Entity Lawyer Amelia Messa Joins Dorsey's Delaware Office International law firm Dorsey & Whitney LLP is pleased to announce that Amelia Messa has joined the Firm as Of Counsel in the Finance & Restructuring Group in Delaware. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005940/en/ Amelia Messa has joined Dorsey as Of Counsel in the Finance & Restructuring Group in Delaware. (Photo: Dorsey & Whitney LLP) Ms. Messa's practice focuses on business transactions using Delaware alternative entities, including limited liability companies, partnerships (limited and general), nd statutory trusts. She assists in all aspects of the operation of Delaware alternative entities, including advising on their formation, governance, reorganization, contract interpretation, fiduciary duties, and dissolution. Prior to joining Dorsey, Ms. Messa practiced in the corporate group at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. She previously practiced for several years at Richards, Layton & Finger in Delaware. She received a B.S. in Finance from The Pennsylvania State University and a J.D. from the Villanova University School of Law. "Amelia brings with her a wealth of Delaware entity expertise and is a great addition to Dorsey's excellent corporate group," noted Bill Stoeri, Managing Partner of Dorsey & Whitney. "She is a strong strategic fit with a number of our practice areas including M&A, private equity and the broader investment funds area." "I am extremely happy to be joining Dorsey and its incredible group of lawyers around the world," added Ms. Messa. "Dorsey's corporate transactional and compliance practices have great depth, and I look forward to contributing to all that the Firm has to offer clients." About Dorsey & Whitney LLP Clients have relied on Dorsey since 1912 as a valued business partner. With locations across the United States and in Canada, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, Dorsey provides an integrated, proactive approach to its clients' legal and business needs. Dorsey represents a number of the world's most successful companies from a wide range of industries, including leaders in the banking, energy, food and agribusiness, health care, mining and natural resources, and public-private project development sectors, as well as major non-profit and government entities. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005940/en/ Dam failure in the district of southeastern Laos, in this July 24, 2018 file photo. Reuters-Yonhap By Kwak Yeon-soo A panel of international experts has concluded that the deadly dam collapse in Laos last summer was a preventable man-made disaster, blaming SK Engineering & Construction (SK E&C) for the accident, Laotian government officials said Wednesday. The investigators cited poor construction, undertaken by SK Group's construction unit, as the main cause of the collapse, which claimed more than 100 lives, they added. However, the builder has rejected the claim, saying the investigators had no scientific evidence to prove their claim. The accident occurred on July 23, 2018, when a dam at the Xe Pian Xe Namnoy project collapsed following heavy rain, sending torrents of water downstream that flooded villages nearby. According to reports, at least 40 people have been confirmed dead and more than 100 are still missing. "The International Expert Panel (IEP) found that the major cause of the Xe Pian Xe Namnoy Dam collapse was the high-absorbency of the foundation of the saddle dam, coupled with soil being easily eroded, and the level of rising water," Singpheth Bounsavathiphanh, vice chairman of the Government Inspection Authority and vice chairman of the Lao National Investigation Committee, told local reporters. "These conditions caused erosion within the foundation. When the erosion reached a certain level, the dam became unstable. At some point, the saddle dam broke, causing a massive amount of water to flood out of the reservoir." SK E&C company dismissed the IEP's findings, questioning their scientific basis. "If the destruction was a result of what the IEP claimed, a large amount of soil leakage should have been found at the bottom of the saddle dam before the accident, but there was no sign of it," a company official said in a statement. The company said that the IEP conducted soil analysis through a designated location methodology and third-party analysis, and thus it was hard to believe it followed global standards for such investigations. "The team sent by Korea government as observers and some leading engineers said they disagreed with IEP's findings on the cause of the accident, saying it was hard to determine," the official added. According to the company, the dam was constructed adhering strictly to industry standards for such dams. A new saddle dam is now under construction a kilometer away from the one that collapsed. [May 29, 2019] DeWyngaert Will Retire as EVP, Chief Lending Officer at Bankwell Heidi DeWyngaert will retire from her role as EVP, Chief Lending Officer at Bankwell, a job she has held for the last fifteen years. DeWyngaert's retirement was announced by Chris Gruseke, CEO at Bankwell's annual Shareholder Meeting today. She will remain with the bank through year end and will help coordinate an effective transition as Bankwell begins a search for an addition to its executive team. With more than forty years of commercial real estate and commercial banking experience, DeWyngaert managed the company's loan portfolio since the bank's early days as The Bank of New Canaan. She was chief architect of the plan to move the Bank away from its roots as a traditional small town residential lender and to develop strategies to expand the bank's commercial banking capabilities. Joining the Bank in 2004 with a balance sheet of only $70 million, she oversaw a transformation which resulted in a loan portfolio totaling nearly $1.6 billion today. Notes Gruseke, "Heidi has made invaluabe contributions during her tenure at Bankwell and has been instrumental in the bank's evolution and growth. Her collaborative process and relentless focus on credit quality will be hallmarks of Bankwell's culture for many years to come. On behalf of the employees, directors, and shareholders of the Bank, we congratulate Heidi for a job well done and thank her for all her contributions to our company." DeWyngaert received her undergraduate degree from the University of Rochester and her MBA from American University. In addition to her banking career, Heidi has been very active in professional, civic and community organizations. She is currently on the Board of the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority. She was previously President of the Real Estate Association for Fairfield County and served on the Board of Directors of that organization as well as the Greater Norwalk Chamber of Commerce and The Housing Development Fund in Stamford. DeWyngaert resides in Norwalk, CT with her husband. Following her tenure at Bankwell, DeWyngaert plans to enjoy her retirement, and to serve on several boards. Bankwell is a community bank that serves the banking and lending needs of residents and businesses throughout Fairfield and New Haven counties. More about Bankwell can be found at www.mybankwell.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005931/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] dynaCERT Honoured by 2019 German Innovation Awards TORONTO, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- dynaCERT Inc. (TSX VENTURE: DYA) (OTCQB: DYFSF) (FRA: DMJ) ("dynaCERT" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that its HydraGEN Technology has received, from the German Design Council, the prize for Energy Solutions in 2019 in the Business-to-Business category at the German Innovation Awards (GIA) competition. Enrico Schlaepfer, Global Marketing Vice President of dynaCERT, as well as Wolfgang Klatzer, European Marketing Manager of dynaCERT, attended the GIA ceremony in Berlin on May 28, 2019. The German Innovation Awards honour products across all industrial sectors. The GIA considers products that distinguish themselves primarily by their enhanced value to users when compared with earlier technology or design. The organization selectively grants awards for innovations that shape the future and improve our lives. The competition is aimed not only at industrial giants but also for everyone who contributes to a better future with their innovations to society, such as dynaCERT. In addition to recognizing the best engineering or other technological achievements, the German Design Council promotes dialogue between small, medium and large enterprises, governments, suppliers and manufacturers, potential partners and the general public. Jim Payne, President and CEO of dynaCERT stated, It is a great honour to receive this notable award in the Energy Solutions category as we set out to prepare to market and sell our products in Germany and throughout Europe. I commend all our people at dynaCERT for successfully teaming up to further the HydraGEN Technology internationally and I also thank the German Design Council for this gracious award. Our HydraGEN Technology is gaining recognition in many respectable organizations that are interested in finding solutions for pollution within the European community. European business managers are demonstrating sensible leadership in this regard. About dynaCERT Inc. dynaCERT Inc. manufactures, distributes, and installs Carbon Emission Reduction Technology for use with internal combustion engines. As part of the growing global hydrogen economy, our patent-pending technology creates hydrogen and oxygen on-demand through electrolysis and supplies these through the air intake to enhance comustion, resulting in lower carbon emissions and greater fuel efficiency. Our technology is designed for use with all types and sizes of diesel engines used in on-road vehicles, reefer trailers, off-road construction, power generation, mining and forestry equipment, marine vessels and railroad locomotives. Website: www. dynaCERT .com READER ADVISORY Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. In particular, forward-looking information in this press release includes, but is not limited to the potential expansion into new markets, industries and segments, such as diesel- powered use of any the dynaCERT products and sales. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. We cannot guarantee future results, performance of achievements. Consequently, there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward- looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause the results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information include, but are not limited to: uncertainty as to whether our strategies and business plans will yield the expected benefits; availability and cost of capital; the ability to identify and develop and achieve commercial success for new products and technologies; the level of expenditures necessary to maintain and improve the quality of products and services; changes in technology and changes in laws and regulations; the uncertainty of the emerging hydrogen economy; including the hydrogen economy moving at a pace not anticipated; our ability to secure and maintain strategic relationships and distribution agreements; and the other risk factors disclosed under our profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com . Readers are cautioned that this list of risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. We undertake no duty to update any of the forward-looking information to conform such information to actual results or to changes in our expectations except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the release. On Behalf of the Board Murray James Payne, CEO For more information, please contact: Jim Payne, CEO & President dynaCERT Inc. #101 501 Alliance Avenue Toronto, Ontario M6N 2J1 (416) 766-9691 x 2 [email protected]dynaCERT.com Investor Relations dynaCERT Inc. Nancy Massicotte (416) 766-9691 x 1 [email protected] dynaCERT .com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Enerkem named finalist of The Sky's the Limit Challenge MONTREAL, May 29, 2019 /CNW Telbec/ - Enerkem Inc., a world-leading waste-to-biofuels and chemicals producer, was named today, at the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) 10 & Mission Innovation 4(MI-4) event hosted by the Government of Canada in Vancouver, British Columbia, finalist of The Sky's the Limit Challenge led by Natural Resources Canada. As one of the four finalists of the Green Aviation Fuels Innovation Competition, Enerkem will receive $2 million to support its next endeavour: an 18-month competition to produce the most economical and environmentally sustainable aviation fuel and win the $5-million grand prize. Initially announced in August 2018 by Canada'sAmarjeet Sohi, The Sky's the Limit Challenge is part of a nationwide challenge to Canadians to develop the cleanest, most affordable and sustainable aviation fuel for the aviation sector to further reduce its carbon footprint and fight climate change. "It is an honor and privilege for our innovative technology to be recognized as a pathway and solution to some of the most pressing issues facing Canadians today", shared Dominique Boies, President and CEO (acting) and Chief Financial Officer, Enerkem. "By expanding the range of biofuels and biochemicals enabled by our technology, Enerkem will be able to set new global standards in waste management, biofuels and renewable chemicals and be at forefront of the circular economy." Beyond waste-to-biofuel, the future of the circular economy will increasingly be driven by science. Enerkem researchers and scientists are looking ahead at waste management processes, as well as the biofuels and green chemicals of the future by addressing new markets such as aviation fuel. Enerkem research and engineering to date has resulted in 22 patent families, over 100 international patents and countless innovative breakthroughs since the company's inception in 2000. The Sky's the Limit Challenge is the second of five planned challenges under Natural Resources Canada's $75-million Impact Canada Initiative, which is helping to drive innovation and accelerate the clean growth economy. These challenges reward the best ideas and focus on achieving stronger social, environmental, and economic outcomes for citizens. About Enerkem Enerkem produces advanced biofuels and renewable chemicals from waste. Its disruptive proprietary technology converts non-recyclable, non-compostable municipal solid waste into methanol, ethanol and other widely-used chemicals. Headquartered in Montreal (QC), Canada, Enerkem operates a full-scale commercial facility in Alberta as well as an innovation centre in Quebec. Enerkem's facilities are built as prefabricated systems based on the company's modular manufacturing infrastructure that can be deployed globally. Enerkem's technology is a prime example of how a true circular economy can be achieved by diversifying the energy mix and by making everyday products greener while offering a smart, sustainable alternative to landfilling and incineration. www.enerkem.com SOURCE Enerkem Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] FedEx Logistics Launches New Historically Black College and University Employment Program at Mississippi Valley State University FedEx Logistics, Inc., a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX), today announced the launch of its program designed to offer employment opportunities at Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs). The company is collaborating with Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU) to provide professional opportunities for students and build a pipeline of talent to support its industry-leading customs brokerage operations. FedEx Logistics will establish a satellite office on the MVSU campus in Itta Bena, Miss., staffed with qualified students. Students will have access to part-time employment while they are in school, with the potential for full-time employment upon graduation. "I am extremely proud of this groundbreaking program and working with MVSU to help deliver a better future for its students and FedEx Logistics," said Thanh Anderson, vice president of Global Support Services at FedEx Logistics. "MVSU and FedEx Logistics share similar values and a people-first philosophy, which makes this collaboration ideal. Connecting people and possibilities and developing diverse talent in the communities where we live and work are priorities for FedEx Logistics, and I look forward to growth and success for all involved." "We are thrilled FedEx Logistics has chosen MVSU as the first institution for its HBCU campus satellite office program," said Dr. Jerryl Briggs, Sr., president of MVSU. "Our students' response to joining the FedEx Logistics team during their matriculation at MVSU has been tremendous. We envision a long-lasting relationship with FedEx Logistics that will be beneficial to both organizations, and we are excited about the opportunities this collaboration will provide for our students." FedEx Logistics and MVSU are working together to open the satellite office on campus in Augst 2019. Recruitment efforts are underway to hire students to operate the facility. Applicants must be enrolled MVSU students in good standing and can apply for one of the available positions here, or contact the MVSU Career Services Center. About FedEx Logistics FedEx Logistics plays a key role within the FedEx portfolio, connecting 95 percent of the world's gross domestic product (GDP) with its comprehensive suite of specialty logistics solutions. The company provides air and ocean freight forwarding, supply chain solutions, specialty transportation, cross border e-commerce technology services, customs brokerage, and trade management tools and data from a single trusted source. For more information, visit fedex.com/logistics. About FedEx Corp. FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $69 billion, the company offers integrated business solutions through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world's most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 450,000 team members to remain focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. To learn more about how FedEx connects people and possibilities around the world, please visit about.fedex.com. About Mississippi Valley State University Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU), as a Carnegie Classified Master's University, provides comprehensive undergraduate and graduate programs in education, the arts and sciences, and professional studies. The University is driven by its commitment to excellence in teaching, learning, service, and research - a commitment resulting in a learner-centered environment that prepares critical thinkers, exceptional communicators, and service-oriented, engaged, and productive citizens. MVSU is fundamentally committed to positively impacting the quality of life and creating extraordinary educational opportunities for the Mississippi Delta and beyond. For more information, visit mvsu.edu. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005685/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] FinTech Consortium Announces The Launch Of Silicon FinTech Bay REDWOOD CITY, Calif., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- FinTech Consortium USA (FTC) today announced the launch of Silicon FinTech Bay (SFB), a fintech corporate acceleration and startup incubation hub located in Redwood City. The announcement marks the first opening of a physical North American location for the global FinTech brand. DBM Cloud Systems, Flagstar Bank, Franklin Templeton, Fujitsu Laboratories of America and Principal Financial Group are welcomed as initial founding corporate partners, in advance of SFB's June opening. Furthermore, Greg La Blanc, faculty director of the Berkeley Fintech Institute and distinguished teaching fellow at theUniversity of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business, was welcomed as an independent director of SFB's advisory board. FinTech Consortium is expanding its model, after success across Asia and the Middle East and North Africa region, emanating from Singapore FinTech Bay and Bahrain FinTech Bay, respectively. "Silicon FinTech Bay's global partnership network allows startup residents to thrive," said Rick Frisbie, CEO of Silicon FinTech Bay. "Our world-class ecosystem provides corporate partners with an ideal environment to deliver upon key innovation initiatives." The state-of-the-art SFB, located in the heart of Silicon Valley at 2125 Broadway Street, Redwood City, overlooks the pedestrian promenade and houses communal ideation spaces, hot and permanent desks and offices. A short walk from/to the Redwood City Caltrain Station, it is an ideal location for corporate innovation labs and fintech startups. FinTech Consortium USA has been appointed as the ecosystem builder and operator of Silicon FinTech Bay. FTC will apply digital solutions and physical resources to manage the hub, as well as integrate SFB into its numerous global platforms, including blockchain (BlockOn), insurance technology (InsurByte) and regulatory technology (RegFact). SFB opens as part of FTC's global network of locations across Bahrain, Detroit, Singapore and now Silicon Valley. Maissan Almaskati, chief executive officer of FTC's U.S. operations, and Singapore-based Gerben Visser, the founder of FinTech Consortium, have helped lead the launch of the group's first FinTech Bay in the U.S. market. Mr. Almaskati expressed, "We are excited to leverage the success of our global footprint. SFB represents a natural and strategic stage in the growth of our capabilities." Mr. Visser added, "Our partnership networks and platforms are uniquely positioned to advance and contribute to the future-proofing of the financial industry. We have achieved our success by being dedicated to fintech, and are thrilled to open our next Bay in the very heart of Silicon Valley." For more information about Silicon Valley FinTech Bay please visit: https://www.siliconfintechbay.com/ MEDIA CONTACT Adela Piper Siren PR for FinTech Consortium 586.212.4792, [email protected] ADDITIONAL CONTACT Jolyn Goh, FinTech Consortium Email: [email protected] ABOUT SILICON FINTECH BAY Silicon FinTech Bay ("SFB") is a FinTech platform to incubate insightful, scalable and impactful FinTech initiatives and innovations and a foothold into the North American FinTech ecosystem in a resurgent and fast-changing part of the Bay Area. Silicon FinTech Bay will further the relationships of FinTech Consortium, with governmental bodies, financial institutions, corporates, consultancy firms, universities, associations, media agencies, venture capital and FinTech startups to bring the full spectrum of financial market participants and stakeholders together. We believe in partnership and collaboration to drive forward Silicon Valley's FinTech ecosystem. https://www.siliconfintechbay.com ABOUT FINTECH CONSORTIUM The FinTech Consortium is a FinTech Incubator and venture & ecosystem builder that aims to further the development, interaction and acceleration of the global FinTech landscape. We foster synergies among market players, including government bodies, financial institutions, corporates, investors and innovators, who believe that technology can bring added value to the financial industry. We facilitate corporate incubation and venture acceleration as well as access to analytical tools and FinTech related resources. http://www.fintech-consortium.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fintech-consortium-announces-the-launch-of-silicon-fintech-bay-300857846.html SOURCE FinTech Consortium [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] George Clinical Expands Asia-Pacific Footprint with New Location in the Philippines SYDNEY, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- George Clinical, a global scientifically-backed clinical research organization (CRO), has again expanded its extensive Asia-Pacific footprint through the opening of a new office in the Philippines. The office is based in the capital city, Manila and compliments the organization's growing list of global locations. The opening of this office formalizes a long-standing strategic focus on the country and the region, by increasing investigator networks and collaborative solutions to enhance study quality, study performance and shorten start timelines. The Philippines is a strong performer in the Asian clinical trial landscape, not only due to a large cohort of treatment naive patients, but generally good treatment adherence, and a high level of English literacy. "George Clinical is honoured to formalize our presence in the Philippines," Evon Hui, Head of Business Operations, East Asia said. "We have a long standing strategic focus on building the clinical trial infrastructure in the Philippines. Through the development of this entity, George Clinical looks forward to working with sponsors to make the most of thebenefits that running a clinical trial in the Philippines will provide." Historically, The Philippines has a particularly strong track record in the conduct of infectious diseases, oncology, metabolic disorders, respiratory and cardiovascular trials. George Clinical has an extensive track record in chronic disease trials that correlates directly with the most prevalent indications in the country. About George Clinical George Clinical is a leading global clinical research organization founded in Asia-Pacific driven by scientific expertise and operational excellence. With 20 years of experience and more than 300 staff managing 38 geographical locations throughout the USA, Asia-Pacific region and Europe, George Clinical provides the full range of clinical trial services to biopharmaceutical, medical device, and diagnostic customers, for all trial phases, registration and post-marketing trials. Contact: [email protected] Website: https://www.georgeclinical.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/george-clinical-pty-ltd Twitter: https://twitter.com/george_clinical Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgeclinical View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/george-clinical-expands-asia-pacific-footprint-with-new-location-in-the-philippines-300858071.html SOURCE George Clinical [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Human API and Complete Wellness Solutions combine forces to power "bring-your-own-device" Employee Wellness Programs SAN MATEO, Calif., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Human API, the nation's largest consumer-centric health data network, has announced a partnership with Complete Wellness Solutions (CWS), to enable fitness tracking and wellness programs for their employer customers. Utilizing the Human API platform, CWS can now connect data from a network of hundreds of wearable devices, activity trackers and health apps through one simple consumer experience. With Human API embedded into the CWS corporate wellness portal, employees at companies across the Midwest can connect their own wearable devices and apps, including Fitbit, Apple, Garmin, Strava, GoogleFit, MyFitnessPal and many others. Chuck Zumbrun, the Chief Information Officer at Complete Wellness Solutions, explained the value of the Human API partnership. "Human API enables us to offer a frictionless bring-your-own-device approach to employee wellness. Instead of building and maintaining integrations with multiple activity trackers, we can now access hundreds of devices through a single relationship. We embedded Human API into our wellness platform in less than two weeks and started collecting real-time data immediately." "CWS is an ideal partner for Humn API; they modeled data across their client base to confirm that verified activity - via device integration - yields statistically significant results in core areas of health improvement, like Blood Pressure and Weight Loss," said Christian Wieland, SVP of Growth at Human API. "We are excited to be part of the equation with CWS to truly impact the lives of their end consumers." In addition to tracking key metrics such as steps, activities, sleep, and weight, Human API now offers detailed heart rate data and blood pressure information through a standardized API. As employers and health plans push beyond wellness programs into population health management, Human API enables the integration of clinical data into the same platform, empowering consumers to connect and share their medical data from a rapidly expanding network of electronic health records (EHR), labs, and pharmacies in order to see their achievements in addition to their activity. About Human API Human API is the nation's largest consumer-centric health data network. The Human API platform connects health data from our network of over 20,000 unique integrations spanning more than 100 wearable devices and 600,000 medical providers. They empower industry-leading applications built by fast-growing startups and Fortune 500 companies in corporate wellness, insurance, digital therapeutics and clinical research. To learn more, visit www.humanapi.co About Complete Wellness Solutions Complete Wellness solutions is a corporate wellness company, helping people and businesses thrive through wellness programs and software. CWS delivers comprehensive, interactive and secure online wellness software providing resources for employers, wellness clinics, hospital systems, fitness centers and more. CWS is based in Fort Wayne, Indiana and can be found on the web at www.completewellnesssolutions.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/human-api-and-complete-wellness-solutions-combine-forces-to-power-bring-your-own-device-employee-wellness-programs-300858065.html SOURCE Human API [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] JRNI Opens Its First U.S. Development Office in Manchester, New Hampshire JRNI, Inc., formerly BookingBug, the leading customer engagement platform for omnichannel conversion, today announced that it has opened its first U.S. development office in Manchester, N.H. as part of its aggressive U.S. growth and hiring strategies this year. Located in downtown Manchester, JRNI's new office headquarters the company's U.S. development operations led by a team of front-end developers. The office, which includes various working spaces and meeting rooms, is JRNI's second U.S. base, and located close to the company's Boston, Mass. office. "Manchester represents the next step in our U.S. growth because the city is a vibrant technology and entrepreneurial hub that boasts top talent from the state's top universities," said Nick Barnes, JRNI's head of customer experience, U.S. "The office nicely complements our development efforts in London and guaantees that we have a team available around the clock. We're looking forward to immersing ourselves in the Manchester community, and growing our development operations in New Hampshire." "Downtown Manchester is a perfect fit for JRNI because they can attract local college graduates who want to live and work in a fast-growing and challenging technology community," said Michael Bergeron, New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs' senior business development manager. "We're very excited to welcome JRNI to the Manchester technology community and support them in their hiring initiatives." JRNI has bold hiring plans for its Manchester and Boston offices as it continues to grow rapidly in the U.S. this year. For more information about JRNI's current and future career opportunities, please visit here. About JRNI, Inc. JRNI is designed to facilitate powerful human-to-human experiences that increase conversion and revenue, customer loyalty, and lifetime value. Forward-thinking executives from companies like U.S. Bank, ANZ, John Lewis & Partners, and LEGO rely on JRNI's AI-driven scheduling engine to deliver predictive actions across touchpoints - appointments, events, concierge, queuing - and optimize resources to deliver superior quality of experience. To learn more, visit www.jrni.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005097/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Knovva Academy Partners with Government of Mexico to Offer Leadership Summit for Mexican Youth On May 18, 2019, Knovva Academy, in partnership with the Government of Mexico, the Ministry of Labor and the Consejo Coordinador Empresarial, successfully conducted the inaugural Jovenes Lideres en Accion, or Youth Leadership Day of Action (YLDA). Held at the prestigious Tecnologico de Monterrey university in Mexico City, the YLDA brought together 150 students from around the country in a summit designed to prepare Mexico's youth to be successful in the modern workforce. The YLDA represented a tri-sector collaboration in educational programming. The Mexican government, selected students with exceptional potential to join the day's events. Mexico's Secretary of Labor, Luisa Maria Alcalde Lujan, delivered the opening keynote. The Tecnologico de Monterrey, often called the "MIT (News - Alert) of Mexico", hosted the event at its Santa Fe campus. Knovva Academy, the leader in blended learning and experiential learning for global youth, created the curriculum based on its prominent Model G20 events. Combining intensive instruction in 21st-century skills with hands-on workshops, the program empowered its 18-24 year-old participants with both academic knowledge and practical training. Students who attended the YLDA gained the opportunity to: Engage in a series of challenges and scenarios familiar to the workplace in a supportive, collaborative environment Practice leadership, decision-making, and teamwork in the context of enhancing interview skills and employability Learn effective problem-solving strategies and an understanding of frameworks for navigating situations in the workplace Recognize themselves as resources not only to their country, but to each other as they cultivated an exchange of knowledge, perspective, personal and social agency "The Jovenes Lideres en Accion inspired and enabled the youth of Mexico to face the challenges of a dynamic, global economy," remarked Mexican Labor Secretary, Luisa Maria Alcalde Lujan. "It was an honor to participate in such a ground-breaking event and see the passion and potential of Mexico's future leaders." Knovva Academy will continue its commitment to youth leadership, global citizenship, and cross-cultural understanding at its upcoming summits in Boston, USA and Cambridge, UK. Knovva looks forward to continue working with the public and private sectors in Mexico to further support innovative offerings such as the YLDA. Knovva Academy is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts and is the official knowledge partner of the Youth20 Summit Japan. For more information, visit https://www.knovva.com/. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005022/en/ [May 29, 2019] Medial EarlySign Announces First Suite of Machine Learning-based Predictive Diabetes Risk Solutions HOD HASHARON, Israel, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Medial EarlySign (earlysign.com), a leader in machine-learning based solutions to aid in early detection and prevention of high-burden diseases, today announced its first suite of diabetes risk predictors for healthcare organizations. Expanding the company's portfolio of clinical risk predictors, these new diabetes-focused AlgoMarkers are designed to help healthcare systems identify and engage patients at high risk for diabetes and downstream complications. The initial suite includes EarlySign's Pre2D AlgoMarker solution to identify prediabetic patients at highest risk of progressing to diabetes within a one-year period; and the Diabetes to CKD AlgoMarker, which identifies type 2 diabetic patients at high risk for developing stage 2-4 chronic kidney disease (CKD) within three years. "In the U.S. alone, approximately 1.5 million prediabetic adults will become diabetic this year, while between 20% and 40% of diabetic patients worldwide suffer from diabetes-related kidney complications," said Ori Geva, CEO of Medial Early Sign. "Our Pre2D and Diabetes to CKD solutions provide healthcare systems opportunities to identify and reach out to high-risk patients within an actionable timeframe, when preventative measures can be initiated, and resources allocated to potentially delay or prevent the onset of disease." EarlySign's Pre2D predictive solution applies advanced machine learning-based algorithms to identify "hidden signals" residing in existing, routine blood tests. Factoring in age, gender and BMI and requiing no special patient preparation it flags those prediabetic patients at high risk for progressing to diabetes in one (1) year or less. In a retrospective data study of 1.1 million prediabetic patients, the Pre2D AlgoMarker flagged the top 10% of the prediabetic population at risk and successfully identified 58.3% of patients who became diabetic within a 12-month period. This is a 14.7% increase over a logistic regression model that, by flagging 10% of the population, identified only 43.6% of future diabetics. The Diabetes to CKD risk predictor uses basic demographic data, routine lab results, diagnostic codes, and medication information to flag type 2 diabetic patients most likely to develop stages 2-4 of chronic kidney disease in 3 years or less. In a retrospective data study of hundreds of thousands of diabetic patients, the algorithm was able to capture 25.5% of those most likely to progress to CKD within three years, by flagging only 3% of the diabetic population. This amounts to 77% more patients than would have been identified if the last eGFR value was used. Medial EarlySign will exhibit the Pre2D and Diabetes-to-CKD AlgoMarker solutions at the ADA's 79th Scientific Sessions in San Francisco, CA, June 7-11 at Booth 1940. About Medial EarlySign Medial EarlySign helps healthcare systems with the early detection and prevention of high-burden diseases. Their suite of outcome-focused software solutions (AlgoMarkers) find subtle, early signs of high-risk patient trajectories in existing lab results and ordinary EHR data already collected in the course of routine care. EarlySign's AlgoMarkers help clients identify patients at high risk for conditions such as lower GI disorders, prediabetic progression to diabetes, downstream diabetic complications, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and first coronary artery disease (CAD) and equivalent events. As healthcare systems transition from volume-based to value-based care, EarlySign partners with healthcare organizations to support outcome-focused care delivery, while potentially preventing or delaying the onset of high-burden diseases, downstream complications, and their associated costs. The company's machine learning platform has been supported by peer-reviewed research published by internationally recognized health organizations and hospitals. Founded in 2009, Medial EarlySign is headquartered in Hod Hasharon, Israel with US headquarters in Boston, MA. For more information, please visit http://us.earlysign.com/. Follow Medial EarlySign on LinkedIn: Medial EarlySign and Twitter: @MedialEarlySign Media Relations Contact: Goel Jasper [email protected] 929-222-8002 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/medial-earlysign-announces-first-suite-of-machine-learning-based-predictive-diabetes-risk-solutions-300858138.html SOURCE Medial EarlySign [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Daewoo E&C employees and their families pack boxes that contain six kinds of grains before delivering them to underprivileged households at the firm's office in Seoul, May 11. / Courtesy of Daewoo E&C By Baek Byung-yeul Daewoo Engineering & Construction (E&C) employees have been performing volunteer activities to help people who need support and care, the firm said Wednesday. The construction firm said its employees have visited people living in dilapidated houses in Seoul every year to carry out repair work. From changing a kitchen sink to repapering or repainting walls, they have provided various kinds of support for the needy. "Daewoo E&C employees began carrying out volunteer activities after a group of employees provided assistance and delivered daily necessities to low-income disabled residents in Yongsan, central Seoul, March 14, 2012," a company official said. "Since then, more than 2,000 employees have performed volunteer activities over 100 times." The latest activity came May 11 as 150 employees and their family members delivered a "healthy hope box" to 360 underprivileged households in Seoul. "Each box contains six kinds of grains. We prepared the boxes with the hope that they can enjoy healthier meals," the company official said. The firm has also been collecting coins to raise money since 2006. This is one of the oldest donation programs the firm has implemented. Thus far, the firm has raised 170 million won ($142,265) and donated the money to social welfare organizations such as the Holt Ilsan Center, a childcare center operated by Holt Children's Services, and Table Community and Yeontan Bank, nonprofit organizations that provide charcoal briquettes to the needy. "Daewoo E&C have been actively engaged in corporate social responsibility activities. In cooperating with the Beautiful Store Foundation, a nonprofit organization that operates charity shops, we have held bazaars," the company said. Employees donated old garments, books and daily necessities and sold them at the bazaar. The profits earned on the sale of these items were donated to local social welfare organizations." The volunteer activities of Daewoo E&C employees also takes place at the end the year. Since 2011, employees have delivered charcoal briquettes to underprivileged households. They have also made kimchi in the firm's dining hall and delivered it to child welfare facilities in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, since 2015. [May 29, 2019] The New Bedtime Companion: Devices SAN FRANCISCO, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The New Normal: Parents, Teens, Screens, and Sleep in the United States, the latest research from Common Sense, found that a staggering 68% of teens and 74% of parents now take their mobile devices to bed with themwith 29% of teens actually sleeping with them. More than a third of teens and more than a quarter of parents wake up during the night to check the devices for something other than the time. The study, which was released today, surveyed 1,000 teens and parents in the United States and is the second wave of ongoing research by the organization to understand mobile device use by parents and teens and to surface attitudes and concerns about how the technology is affecting family relationships. Key findings: We don't listen to our own advice. Screen time usually doesn't stop in the hour before bed, even though doctors and researchers recommend it. Seventy percent of teens and 61% of parents check their mobile device within 30 minutes of falling asleep. Parents now feel they spend too much time on their mobile devices, and teens now feel that they don't, a flip from 2016. More than half of parents (52%) feel they spend too much time on their deviceup from 29% in 2016. But the opposite is true for teens: Thirty-nine percent of teens say they spend too much time on their device today, compared to 61% in 2016. More kids wish their parent would get off their device. There has been an 11-point increase in the number of children who think their parent spends too much time on their device (28% in 2016 vs. 39% today). There is also a 22-point decrease in the number of children who think their parent spends the right amount of time on their mobile device (64% in 2016 vs. 42% today). While the percentage of parents who think their child's use of a mobile device has hurt their relationship increased to 28% from 15% in 2016, in general, conflicts over mobile devices are less common than they were three years ago, and most parents and children reportthat devices are not hurting their relationship. Children do see an impact on their relationship when they believe their parent is addicted to their mobile device. Children who believe their parent is addicted to their device are 18 points more likely to believe that their parent's behavior has hurt their relationship (20% of children who think their parent is addicted vs. 2% who do not). James P. Steyer , founder and CEO of Common Sense. "If technology harms our health and relationships, we need to change our ways. It's as simple as that." The findings from The New Normal: Parents, Teens, Screens, and Sleep in the United States will be presented today at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California, during a conference hosted by Common Sense. Designing for Our Future: Solutions for Digital Well-Being will convene tech leaders, engineers, and industry experts to encourage industry to design less manipulative technology and commit to creating quality products from the start that benefit the well-being of families. Speakers include Tristan Harris, founder of the Center for Humane Technology; Ellen Pao, CEO of Project Include; Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist and Craig Newmark Philanthropies; Dave Eggers, co-founder of 826 National; and Cameron Kasky, co-founder of March for Our Lives. (The conference will be livestreamed here .) Methodology Lake Research Partners designed and administered this mixed-mode survey using professional telephone interviewers February 2 to February 27, 2019, and an online platform February 19 to March 1, 2019. The survey reached a total of 1,000 parents and their children nationwide (paired interviews of 500 parents and 500 children between the ages of 12 and 18). Of the 1,000 completes, 43% (n = 428) were conducted by phone and 57% (n = 572) were conducted online. The telephone and online data were combined and weighted overall to be representative of the actual population of parents and children. The margin of error for each sample is +/-4.4%. The Common Sense Research Program is supported by Eva and Bill Price, the Price Family Research Fund, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, and Carnegie Corporation of New York. About Common Sense Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century. Learn more at commonsense.org . Press contact: Susan Skinner Director of Communications | Common Sense Media (415) 553-6792 [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-new-bedtime-companion-devices-300857932.html SOURCE Common Sense [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Ohio Virtual Academy Celebrates Graduates with In-Person Commencement Ceremony Ohio Virtual Academy (OHVA), an online public-school serving K-12 students throughout the state, will celebrate the Class of 2019 at an in-person commencement ceremony on Saturday, June 1st. The ceremony will take place at 1 pm at the World Harvest Church in Canal Winchester, outside of Columbus. Many assume that attending an online public school like OHVA means that students miss out on the 'real' high school experiences, but this in-person graduation proves quite the opposite. This year, OHVA will graduate over 800 students, over 5% more than 2018, with more than 70 students graduating with honors. Collectively, the class reports having been offered over $1.75 million in scholarships and being accepted to colleges and universities across the country, including: The Ohio State University, University of Toledo, Columbus State University, Seattle Pacific University, and University of Akron. "OHVA's Class of 2019 has shown the determination in their education that will serve them well in college and beyond," said Kevin P. Chavous, president of academics, policy, and schools at K12, and keynote speaker for the OHVA graduation ceremony. "Like most kids, they have struggled, and they have succeeded, but it is these life lessons that will set them up fr success as they begin the next chapter of their lives." Minahil Mustafa will serve as Valedictorian and plans to attend John Carroll University. Haley Shirley will serve as Salutatorian and plans to attend Kent State University. Both students, as well as Dr. Kris Stewart, Head of School, and Principal Kyle Wilkinson, will be available for media interviews. Students enroll in virtual school for a number of reasons, including those looking to escape bullying, some who may have fallen academically off track, or those looking for an alternative to the traditional brick-and-mortar classroom setting. OHVA students access a robust online curriculum in the core subjects and a host of electives and attend live virtual classes taught by state-licensed teachers. Details of the graduation ceremony are as follows: WHAT: Ohio Virtual Academy 2019 Graduation Ceremony WHEN: Saturday, June 1, 2019, 1:00 PM EDT WHERE: World Harvest Church, 4595 Gender Road, Canal Winchester, OH 43110 About Ohio Virtual Academy Ohio Virtual Academy (OHVA) is an accredited, full-time online public charter school authorized by the Ohio Council of Community Schools (OCCS) that serves students in grades K through 12. As part of the Ohio public school system, OHVA is tuition-free, and gives parents and families the choice to access the engaging curriculum and tools provided by K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN), the nation's leading provider of proprietary K-12 curriculum and online education programs. For more information about OHVA, visit ohva.k12.com and follow on Facebook. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005009/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Pacejet Enterprise Shipping for Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations now on Microsoft AppSource COLUMBUS, Ohio, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Pacejet, the leading cloud shipping solution for mid-market companies is now available through Microsoft's AppSource online application marketplace with full integration for Dynamics365 for Finance and Operations (formerly Dynamics AX). The inclusion of Pacejet makes its comprehensive real-time cloud network of parcel and Less-than-Truckload (LTL) carriers available to distributors and manufacturers. Pacejet met Microsoft's overall quality standards set by Microsoft's Engineering Team for inclusion on AppSource through staging and testing. "In the era of cloud computing, easy access to applications such as Pacejet's Enterprise Shipping for D365 Finance and Operations is essential. Microsoft's AppSource and commitment to the partners participating on this service supports this modern cloud experience," commented Bill Knapp, CEO at Pacejet. Pacejet Shipping Software leveages SaaS technology and over a decade in the cloud to provide companies next generation logistics and shipping technology. Pacejet also brings advanced capabilities for analyzing information and agile decision making, which is core in all Dynamics 365 strategies. "Pacejet has hundreds of cloud installations. As we have done this, we have been able to reimagine shipping software as a fully connected real-time direct carrier network, which has grown rapidly to ship billions of dollars of products globally," added Knapp. Who is Pacejet: Pacejet shipping software is an award-winning fully connected platform offering seamless integrations into Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations and the other systems businesses rely on to run operations every day. Pacejet offers connectivity to many parcel, freight, and 3PL carriers and provides a RESTful API for additional flexibility. Visit the Microsoft AppSource to learn more about Pacejet Enterprise Shipping for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations or call 877-722-3538. Contact: Sam Bush 6145057290 [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pacejet-enterprise-shipping-for-microsoft-dynamics-365-for-finance-and-operations-now-on-microsoft-appsource-300857857.html SOURCE Pacejet [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Rejenevie Therapeutics Announces Start of Phase II Immune Restoration Treatment Clinical Trial HOUSTON, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Rejenevie Therapeutics announced the commencement of the company's Phase II clinical trial to study the safety and effectiveness of its proprietary AR-100 immune restoration therapy to boost the function of the aging immune system. The clinical-stage biotechnology company develops first-in-world stem cell restoration treatments targeting age-related diseases. The Bahamian National Stem Cell Ethics Committee recently approved Rejenevie's proposed trial protocol which will administer and monitor the treatment of up to 20 patients. Phase II trial participants will receive treatment at the Okyanos Center for Regenerative Medicine in Freeport, Bahamas. During the Phase I clinical trial that concluded in February 2019, five patients received Rejenevie's AR-100 immune restoration therapy to evaluate its safety in human patients. To date, no serious adverse events have been reported in any of the trial's participants. "We've been very pleased with the results in the patients who participated in the Phase I trial," said Dr. Steven Greco, Chief Science Officer, Rejenevie Therapeutics. "We found the majority of patients experienced an increase in natural killer cell function, which is a measure of our immune system's ability to fight and kill cancer cells. We also noted an increase in the ratio of infection- and cancer-fighting immune cells compared to pro-inflammatory immune cells. Finally, and most impressively, we saw a dramatic decrease in the number of aging- and senescence-related genes expressed in the circulating immune cells of the patients." As people age, the immune system's functions diminish increasingsusceptibility to immune-related diseases, including cancer. The goal of the AR-100 clinical trial is to address the declining capacity of the aging immune system through a mixed-age (heterochronic) cell culture model to stimulate production of rejuvenation factors from young blood cells. "Our mission at Rejenevie is to give aging patients an improved quality of life and healthspan," said Mark Benerofe, President and COO, Rejenevie Therapeutics. "With promising results observed in our Phase I trial and the potential of the Phase II study, we believe our science, methods and technology will give an aging world population hope to prevent or defeat a variety of age-related diseases." Patients participating in the Phase II clinical trial must be 55 years of age or older and determined to be in good health by a physician. Qualifying patients will have their blood stem cells mobilized, collected and cryopreserved within the United States. "The clinical trial has the potential to be a landmark study to determine if Rejenevie's immune restoration therapy is the key to unlock, restore and strengthen the power of an aging immune system," said Dr. Vincent Burton, President and Chief Anesthesiologist, Okyanos Center for Regenerative Medicine. "At the Okyanos Center, we are privileged to participate in the study to potentially help older individuals lead healthier and productive lives." Prior to treatment, the patient's stem cells will be transferred to the cGMP-certified Rejenevie laboratory at the Okyanos Center in Freeport to undergo a seven-day manufacturing process using Transwell technology. In the Transwell system, two-chambers are separated by a nano-porous Transwell filter. The patient's aged stem cells are placed in one chamber, while younger cells are put in the other. The cells interact but do not mix. The interaction allows young "factors" to penetrate the filter's nano-pores to be absorbed into the aged stem cells. Upon arrival at the Okyanos Center, the restored stem cells are delivered back into the patient through intravenous infusion in a process lasting approximately one hour. After the patient is discharged and returns home, he or she receives periodic blood testing over a 12-month period using a kit developed with global diagnostics company Quest Diagnostics to ensure safety and to determine the therapy's effectiveness. Rejenevie plans to expand its cell-based therapeutic program beyond age-related diseases to include cell- and gene-based therapies to treat patients with certain types of cancer and infectious disease, among other potential indications. About Rejenevie Therapeutics Rejenevie Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing first-in-world immune restoration treatments that target age-related diseases. Based on the science of parabiosis, the company's pioneering approach is focused on identifying factors found in the cells of young healthy individuals and using them to improve the function of aging stem cells and aging cells. Rejenevie plans to expand its therapeutic program beyond age-related immune restoration to treat specific types of cancer and infectious disease across all age groups. Rejenevie Therapeutics is located in Houston, Texas. For more information visit: www.rejenevie.com Media Contact: Rand Walton [email protected] +1 804 647 4526 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rejenevie-therapeutics-announces-start-of-phase-ii-immune-restoration-treatment-clinical-trial-300857866.html SOURCE Rejenevie Therapeutics [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Sharp's Saundra Merollo and Mehryn Corrigan Honored as CRN's 2019 Women of the Channel MONTVALE, N.J., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America, a division of Sharp Electronics Corporation, announced today that CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has named Saundra Merollo and Mehryn Corrigan to its prestigious 2019 Women of the Channel list. The leaders placed on this annual list reflect all areas of the IT channel ecosystem; representing technology suppliers, distributors, solution providers, and other IT organizations. Every woman is recognized for her contributions to channel advocacy, channel growth and visionary leadership. CRN editors choose the list from a multitude of channel leadership applicants and select the final honorees based on their professional accomplishments, demonstrated expertise, and ongoing dedication to the IT channel. As an associate director, Mehryn has advanced Sharp's smart office strategy by building strategic alliances and channel programs that support this critical corporate initiative. With the launch of several smart office bundles, Mehryn brought together industry leaders to create best-in-class channel solutions. Her continued success has been marked by a deep understanding of channel partner needs and the ability to bring together alliance partners to create unique offerings. With more than 15 years of experience in the technology, integration and audio visual industry, Saundra has accelerated Sharp's success and stature by training and educating partners about market requirements, user needs and the value Sharp technologies deliver. With her pulse on industry changes and ability to distill technical information into easily understandable terms, her training often speeds audiences toward technical certifications and helps solidify Sharp's thought-leader status. "CRN's 2019 Women of the Channel list honors influential leaders who are accelerating channel growth through mutually-beneficial partnerships, incredible leadership, strategic vision, and unique contributions in their field," said Bob Skelley, CEO of The Channel Company. "This accomplished group of eaders is driving channel success and we are proud to honor their achievements." "We are fortunate to have not one, but two, amazing professionals recognized as Women of the Channel," said Mike Marusic, President and CEO, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America. "Saundra and Mehryn possess incredible leadership skills and work ethic, with each bringing her own skillset to change how we think and work at Sharp. We're proud to have them as part of our team." The 2019 Women of the Channel list will be featured in the June issue of CRN Magazine and online at www.CRN.com/WOTC. About Sharp Electronics Corporation Sharp Electronics Corporation is the U.S. subsidiary of Japan's Sharp Corporation. Sharp is a worldwide developer of one-of-a-kind home appliances, networked multifunctional office solutions, professional displays and energy systems. Sharp was honored as an inaugural Thomson Reuters Top 100 Global Technology Leader in 2018, recognized as one of the tech industry's most operationally sound and financially successful organizations. About Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America Sharp Imaging and information Company of America, a division of Sharp Electronics Corporation, markets Sharp's business products, including the advanced MX Series multifunction printer (MFP), that help companies manage workflow efficiently and increase productivity. As a leader in security within the MFP industry, Sharp MFPs feature the Sharp OSA development platform, which seamlessly integrates network applications to create a personalized MFP that can meet virtually any business need, and Scan2 technology, which scans two-sided documents in a single pass to enhance scanning reliability and preserve document integrity. For more information on Sharp's business products, contact Sharp Electronics Corporation, 100 Paragon Drive, Montvale, N.J., 07645. For online product information, visit our website at siica.sharpusa.com. About The Channel Company The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequalled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelcompany.com Follow The Channel Company: Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook Copyright 2019. CRN is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, LLC. All rights reserved. The Channel Company Contact: Jennifer Hogan The Channel Company [email protected] Contact: Paul Merchan Peppercomm 212-931-6172 [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sharps-saundra-merollo-and-mehryn-corrigan-honored-as-crns-2019-women-of-the-channel-300858047.html SOURCE Sharp Electronics Corporation [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Startup Vietnam Foundation Bolsters Commitment to The National Innovation System HO CHI MINH, Vietnam, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Vietnam Science and Technology Day in May has been celebrated since 2014 and the 2019 occasion witnessed huge activities both from the government and supporting forces. Notably the international conference "Science, Technology, and Innovation as a Pillar for Socio-Economic Development in Vietnam" in Hanoi, Vietnam marked the first national think tank activities opened for discussion between global participants. Startup Vietnam Foundation (SVF), the first and only Socialized and Non-profit Foundation to support open innovation ecosystem in Vietnam, was one of the key contributors in the National Innovation System session, hosted by Vietnam Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) and Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc attended the conference, together with major leaders from the government, relevant ministries, provinces, international donors and partners. Together with experiences and suggestions from these experts, the think tank pushed forward the valuable initiatives to contribute to Vietnam's Digital Strategy 2020 - 2035. Remarkably, Vietnam's Future Digital Economy research presented at the conference was the result of cooperation between the Australian CSIRO/Data61 and MoST. As Vietnam continues its remarkable journey of development from one of the poorestcountries in the world 30 years ago to one of the most dynamic countries in the East Asia region, it will be imperative for a wide range of stakeholders to work together to ensure this latest wave of technological possibility becomes a force for good in progressing. As the open innovation ecosystem builder, SVF further commits to dedicate its resources to support ecosystems, empower technology development, and connect investments from the global and local networks. "50 full-time experts, and hundreds of partners and advisors helped SVF to directly engage and impact to 25 different cities / provinces and 10,000 entrepreneurs / startup founders in the last five years. We are connected by a big, but very simple dream. We aspire to mark Vietnam on the global map of science, technology and open innovation. And that all starts with bringing our local talents to the best of their potentials and triggering their united passion for the country's good." - shared Mr. Pham Duy Hieu - Vice Chairman of SVF. Mr. Hieu is a frequent advisor and speaker at national-level conferences in leaderships and open innovation mindset transformation. With more than 16 years of experience knowledge in banking and finance, he has taken major management and consulting roles in the biggest banks, fund management companies, and IPA Investment. Spending multiple years to different global think tanks and ecosystem practices masterclasses in the US and EU, his philosophy is that people development is the foundation of the success of a national innovation system. "Enlighten the good things and willing to do the work of people development are always the foundation of SVF since the begining. In its fifth year of operation, SVF will officially announce the strategy for nation-wide impact initiatives with the mission 'For You, For Vietnam' this July," Mr. Hieu further revealed. About Startup Vietnam Foundation (SVF) Startup Vietnam Foundation (SVF) is the first Socialized and Non-profit Fund to support open innovation ecosystem in Vietnam by providing open information, curating open training and sourcing the best partners for startups and entrepreneurs at all stages, and from all regions. With the ultimate mission "For You, For Vietnam", we have actively supported in creating and developing innovation programs for open innovation ecosystem via engaging with multiple local and global stakeholders from the government, universities, accelerators, incubators, mentor communities, investors. Website: www.svf.org.vn Partners & Media Contact Startup Vietnam Foundation (SVF) [email protected] (+84) 913 095 439 SOURCE Startup Vietnam Foundation [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] TRUSTDOCK - Japan's only provider of e-KYC / identity verification APIs - raises funds from multiple investors including STRIVE TOKYO, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- TRUSTDOCK, Japan's only provider of e-KYC (Know Your Consumer) / identity verification APIs has announced new investment from STRIVE, 500 Startups Japan, Sony Innovation Fund, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, Mizuho Capital, and SMBC Venture Capital. With the investment, TRUSTDOCK will accelerate its efforts to build a social infrastructure by offering digital identity that is compliant with laws and regulations in different industries, including the e-KYC requirements of Japan's new Anti-Money Laundering Act. Digital ID app enabling e-KYC as well as official identity verification using Individual Number Card TRUSTDOCK is currently developing Japan's only Identity Verification & Digital ID app. It will enable the e-KYC processes defined in Japan's new Anti-Money Laundering Act (The Act on Prevention of Transfer of Criminal Proceeds), as well as official identity verification (by reading IC chip on the Individual Number Card), also included in the Act. TRUSTDOCK has already developed and been managing the operation of an identity verification app using the Individual Number Card in the PoC, which is supervised by Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan. It plans to promote the use of the Individual Number Card for identity verification for both government and private services, and contribute to the realization of digital society led by the government of Japan, outlined in the "Digital First Bill" and the "Digital Government Action Plan". Developing various KYC API products with different partners in/outside Japan as an identity verification API vendor TRUSTDOCK is a KYC / identity verification specialist offering API solutions for all sorts of KYC & e-KYC related business processes. It will further strengthen its partnership with both Japanese and global partners to both accelerate development of API products and expand operations in other countries. High expectation for digital ID in Japan from various industries TRUSTDOCK has received enthusiastic welcomes at various FinTech & RegTech events in Japan as the only pure-play company that drives the full-digitalization of KYC/identity verification. Investors in the new round also place high expectations for its attempt to create infrastructure in the digita society. Tatsuo Tsutsumi / STRIVE "The question of how to secure individual identities in the post-digital era is both grand and profound. I believe the TRUSTDOCK team is in a great position to achieve its goal of creating a digital identity infrastructure. I am proud to be part of their team and fully support them." Yohei Sawayama / Coral Capital (500 Startups Japan) "We were TRUSTDOCK's first investor after its spin-out, and we have witnessed the company's significant growth both in its business and in its team. TRUSTDOCK is now growing even more as a KYC platform offering an infrastructure for wide range of services. I am glad that the company has gained new investors in this round to further accelerate its growth. We will continue to give our full support to the TRUSTDOCK team." Atsushi Kitagawa / Sony Innovation Fund "We believe TRUSTDOCK is a startup that can offer 'well-grounded' solutions for large social issues surrounding KYC, such as preventing fraud and streamlining business operations to tackle labor shortages, with a hybrid model of technology and operational design capability. We expect TRUSTDOCK to drive the formation of an eKYC-related ecosystem and its societal implementation, which should lead to breakthrough customer experiences." Hiroki Yamamoto / Mitsubishi UFJ Capital "We are very glad to be part of this financing round. We hope that the spread of TRUSTDOCK's service will lead to the establishment of eKYC as social infrastructure and help accelerate growth for FinTech companies. We will work together, not only with FinTech but also with various other companies, to realize a society where people will be freed from troublesome identity verification processes and be able to smoothly use any service." Katsuya Hori / Mizuho Capital "E-KYC is attracting more and more attention in Japan every day, following the revision of the Act on Prevention of Transfer of Criminal Proceeds in last November. We started investing in TRUSTDOCK in the last round, and decided to continue our support in this round also, as they have been able to steadily expand their service while working within the various laws that have recently been passed. E-KYC is one of the most important areas in the financial industry and, as a bank-affiliated venture capital fund, we are pleased to continue supporting the growth of TRUSTDOCK." Ryo Morita / SMBC Venture Capital "TRUSTDOCK has a great team that is excellent in planning and designing products. The company has steadily grown since the last capital increase, tackling the revision of laws and regulations head-on as a RegTech venture company. As every service is going online, KYC in non-face-to-face transactions is becoming more and more important. In the sphere of FinTech, which has been gathering momentum, compliance with laws and high ethical standards are required along with the ability to innovate." KYC as a Service "TRUSTDOCK" KYC as a Service "TRUSTDOCK" is Japan's only API service for e-KYC/identity verification. By only embedding APIs, it ensures KYC that is compliant with different laws including the Act on Prevention of Transfer of Criminal Proceeds, Mobile Phone Misuse Prevention Act, Secondhand Articles Dealer Act, Worker Dispatching Act, Online Dating Site Regulation Act, Private Lodging Business Act, etc. With TRUSTDOCK, service providers can conduct identity verification at a low cost without having to develop an identity verification management screen, recruit and train operators, or manage 24/7 work shifts. Any company with an ID service or platform with online member registration, or with existing customer databases, can use the service irrespective of business category or size. TRUSTDOCK can provide "identity proof" for each individual user in a full-digital and law-compliant manner by only embedding API in the system. As TRUSTDOCK has various independent APIs ready, a service provider can execute an applicable API as needed depending on the workflow, for example, upon transaction when detecting fraud, periodical customer data update, upon activation of dormant account, let alone the time of new account opening. TRUSTDOCK has also developed a digital ID app "TRUSTDOCK", that fully realizes online identity verification without having to use snail mail for address verification according to the revision of the Criminal Proceeds Act. We will keep contributing to the digital society both inside and outside of Japan, as a KYC platform that is securely linked with digital ID app via APIs. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/trustdock---japans-only-provider-of-e-kyc--identity-verification-apis---raises-funds-from-multiple-investors-including-strive-300858331.html SOURCE Sony; TRUSTDOCK [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 28, 2019] Powerhouse Law Firm Quinn Emanuel Staged Live Chinese-Style Trial With Zhong Lun to a Packed House at the Four Seasons San Francisco Quinn Emanuel: This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190528005843/en/ Mark Tung, partner at Quinn Emanuel (Photo: Business Wire) WHAT: Quinn Emanuel hosted an unprecedented, one-of-a-kind sold-out event in the US in conjunction with a major legal firm from China, Zhong Lun in front of a standing room only crowd. The firms partnered and showcased a mock patent trial that took place in China, in which a foreign company was able to enforce its patents in China. A panel with the Chinese lawyers and judge as well as attorneys from Quinn Emanuel took place immediately following addressing key issues of intellectual property (IP) litigation in China and beyond. WHO: Quinn Emanuel attorneys; top Zhong Lun Chinese IP lawyers and a former judge from China; regional and global notables; industry VIPs; dignitaries; etc. WHEN: Thursday, May 23, 2019- 10:00am to 2:30pm WHY: China is now the third most important IP jurisdiction in the world. Already, more patents are filed in China than in any other country. Although Western companies are litigating IP disputes in China more frequently, most have little knowledge or experience of what a Chinese patent trial actually entails. Foreign lawyers are not even permitted to attend patent trials in China. This demonstration Chinese mock trial by Chinese lawyers before a Chinese judge is a unique opportunity to observe the process. SERVICING: Upon request, we are happy to provide additional information as well as access to tagged images accompanied with photo IDs and/or event video. As well, we will arrange and facilitate interviews with Quinn Emanuel attorneys per inquiry. ABOUT QUINN EMANUEL Quinn Emanuel is a 800+ lawyer business litigation firm-the largest in the world devoted solely to business litigation and arbitration with 23 global office locations. Firm lawyers have tried over 2,300 cases, winning 88% of them. When representing defendants, Quinn Emanuel's trial experience gets better settlements or defense verdicts. When representing plaintiffs, Quinn Emanuel lawyers have won over $70 billion in judgments and settlements. Quinn Emanuel has also obtained five 9-figure jury verdicts, forty-three 9-figure settlements, and nineteen 10-figure settlements. www.quinnemanuel.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190528005843/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 28, 2019] Transphorm's Gen III JEDEC-Qualified GaN to Power Wentai's New 1.6 kW Titanium ATX PC Gaming Power Supply Transphorm Inc.-the leader in the design and manufacturing of the highest reliability, first JEDEC- and AEC-Q101 qualified high-voltage (HV) Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductors-today confirmed that Taiwanese Original Equipment Manufacturer Wentai Technology Corporation has developed a Titanium ATX gaming power supply series called Aidan. The flagship product, the Aidan-T1616, uses Transphorm's TP65H050WS Gen III 50 milliohm GaN FET in an interleaved CCM (News - Alert) boost PFC. The result is a fully-modular, low-noise 1616 W 80 PLUS Titanium power supply unit (PSU) with close to 95 percent efficiency. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190528005323/en/ Wentai's new 1.6 kW ATX PC Gaming PSU uses Transphorm's Gen III GaN FETs to achieve an 80 PLUS Titanium power rating with approx. 95% efficiency. (Photo: Business Wire) The Aidan ATX PSU series targets consumer computing markets requiring ultra-high power such as PC gaming, Esports, artificial inteligence (AI), and cryptocurrency mining. When compared to Wentai's Silicon-based 1.28 kW PSU, the Aidan-T1616 offers 328 W more power and approximately one percent higher efficiency at 50 percent full load-all within the same form factor. This equates to a 20 percent increase in power density. The high-performant PC market uniquely serves use cases such as immersive gaming, artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual currency mining that requires a large amount of reliable power in comparison to everyday PC use," said Aidan Liao, Senior RD Director, Wentai. "GaN provided the right technological advantage for us to conceive the Aidan PSU's design to answer that need. Transphorm's GaN provided the right quality, reliability and performance advantage for us to ultimately deliver on our vision with a top-quality, fairly priced power supply." Wentai's power system development project occurred over the course of 18 months. Throughout that time, the company worked with Transphorm's regional application support team whose positive reputation, according to Liao, was another influencing factor behind Wentai choosing Transphorm's GaN devices. Scheduled for formal release in early 2020, the Aidan-1616 will be demonstrated in Wentai's Computex exhibit in Hall 1-1F, Booth Number I1307. The Aidan product line will expand to include PSUs offering various wattages, including 777 W, 888 W, 1111 W, 1288 W, and 1388 W. About Wentai Technology Corporation Wentai Technology is an LED lighting and power supply manufacturer. The company's R&D team has continuously improved its technical and innovative capabilities, enabling Wentai to obtain several patents year over year that meet market demand and customer needs. Headquartered in Taipei, Wentai increases its production capabilities and reduces related costs through the use of its two production facilities located in Shenzhen, China and Suzhou, China. Welcome to the GaN Revolution (News - Alert)! Transphorm designs and manufactures the highest performance, highest reliability 650 V and 900 V GaN semiconductors for high-voltage power conversion applications. Holding one of the largest IP portfolios (600+ patents), Transphorm produces the industry's only JEDEC and AEC-Q101 qualified GaN FETs. This is due to a vertically-integrated business approach, which allows for innovation at every development stage: design, fabrication, device, and application support. Transphorm: moving power electronics beyond Silicon limits. Website: transphormusa.com Twitter (News - Alert): @transphormusa View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190528005323/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Growatt Ranked No.3 in World Single-Phase PV Inverter Supplier - IHS Markit SHENZHEN, China, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Growatt, a Chinese inverter brand which focuses on rooftop solar inverter solutions and has been gaining market share for the past three years, has been ranked No.3 in "World grid-connected single-phase PV inverter supplier market share estimates", according to IHS Markit, and is on track to increase in ranking in the future. According to Photovoltaic Brand Lab (PVBL), Growatt is the No.1 residential inverter brand in China. IHS Markit released its annual PV inverter market report in early May. The world grid-connected PV inverter shipments remained almost flat in 2018. While the world grid-connected three-phase PV inverter shipments were slightly down at 93,427 MW, shipments of the single-phase segment increased by 11.2% to 11,098 MW last year. The growth was boosted by strong residential PV demand across the globe. SolarEdge and SMA, which remained the No.1 and No.2 single-phase inverter supplier respctively, were followed by Growatt in third place. According to IHS Markit, there's an apparent growth transition from utility-scale solar farms to distributed solar installations. This process has taken place in the US, Europe and China. Furthermore, in Germany, the installations of utility-scale solar farms are very limited now, leaving room for smaller solar systems to be developed for residential and commercial use. Another trend in rooftop solar is the self-consumption model, which means solar storage solutions will play an increasingly important role in this sector. As the growth momentum of utility-scale solar weakens, inverter companies are looking at the rooftop market for higher growth. However, the landscape of rooftop solar are quite different. Rooftop solar systems are widely scattered, and product reliability and service capability really matter. Customers prefer inverters companies that provide high-quality products, local after-sales services and online service capabilities. Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20190529/2480419-1 SOURCE Growatt [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Ekinops Acquires OTN Technology From Padtec: Aiming to Triple Optical Transport Business in 5 Years PARIS, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Ekinops (EuronextParis: EKI) (ISIN: FR0011466069), a leading supplier of telecommunications solutions for telecom operators, today announces the signing of definitive agreements, subject to conditions precedent, to acquire the OTN-Switch (Optical Transport Network) platform developed by Padtec, an optical communications system manufacturer based in Brazil. Group's cash resources and debt will finance the acquisition, for an amount of 10 million in cash. To strengthen its balance sheet, but subject to favorable market conditions, the Group plans to carry out a capital increase by private placement over the coming weeks, for an amount capped at 10% of the capital stock. OTN technology is used to switch data traffic over optical fibers, significantly optimizing network bandwidth utilization. The OTN technology developed by Padtec will allow Ekinops to meet growing market demand for this type of technology. This strategic acquisition will enable the Group to become a leader in this field and deliver additional revenue from new OTN products starting in 2020. It is estimated that over 40% of the optical network market uses OTN solutions. Ambition: target major operator core networks The rapid growth of data traffic on the Internet, which is fueled by new services such as big data, cloud computing and 5G, requires the construction of new networks providing higher bandwidth (200G-400G) and meeting strict requirements in terms of latency, synchronization and flexibility. OTN technology provides a solution built around a scalable architecture, making it possible to (i) rapidly increase switching capacity an (ii) support Packet Optical Transport (network layer 2). By developing a new generation of OTN products, Ekinops will meet the requirements of mobile operators, in particular for their 5G networks. With this acquisition, Ekinops expects to be able to offer a complete OTN/DWDM solution for optical networks from early 2020, enabling flexible data traffic and support for the evolution of data speeds and protocols transmitted over 200-400G modulated optical wavelengths, eventually reaching 1Tbps (terabit per second). The new product line will enable Ekinops to target the major operator core networks market segment with the objective to triple its optical transport product sales within 5 years. Main transaction terms Through this transaction, Ekinops will acquire OTN technology and an R&D team comprising 25 engineers based in Campinas, near Sao Paulo (Brazil) for 10 million in cash. Brazilian operations will be overseen by Jean-Luc Pamart, co-founder of Ekinops and VP of R&D for optical transport. The acquisition is financed by the Group's cash resources (14.2 million net cash[1] at December 31, 2018) and debt. The Group raised 6.5 million of bank loans in Q2 2019. To strengthen its balance sheet, the Group plans to carry out a capital increase over the coming weeks, provided that market conditions are favorable. It will take the form of a private placement with qualified investors for an amount capped at 10% of the capital stock. The major shareholders sitting on the Board of Directors, Aleph Golden Holdings Sarl and Bpifrance, have notified the company of their intention to take part. This acquisition is subject to the usual conditions precedent for this type of acquisition. Ekinops SA's works council (IRP) has been consulted and has delivered a favorable opinion. The Group intends to close the acquisition in Q3 2019. Padtec CEO Manuel Andrade said: "The acquisition of the OTN-Switch Platform by a globally recognized company such as Ekinops is a validation of the capability of Padtec's engineers to develop state-of-the-art technologies deployable worldwide. Additionally, we are happy to enter into commercial agreements with Ekinops that will enable Padtec to offer the OTN-Switch on an OEM basis to our customer base in Latin America. This is a clear win-win agreement for both companies." Didier Bredy, Chairman & CEO of Ekinops, made the following comments: "The OTN technology developed by Padtec is particularly innovative and will enable Ekinops to take a major technological and commercial leap forward in order to advance its position with leading telecom operators. The agreements with Padtec, the leading Latin American manufacturer and supplier of optical networking equipment, will also allow Padtec to source the OTN products it needs from Ekinops. This major strategic acquisition means that Ekinops can target to triple its sales of optical transport products within 5 years." [1] Cash and cash equivalents minus borrowings (excluding bank debt relating to CIR research tax credit pre-financing) View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ekinops-acquires-otn-technology-from-padtec-aiming-to-triple-optical-transport-business-in-5-years-300858000.html SOURCE Ekinops [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Your Coffee Purchase Can Help Change a Life on Tim Hortons Camp Day On June 5, your coffee purchase can help make a difference in the lives of youth from disadvantaged circumstances across the country. On Tim Hortons Camp Day, restaurant owners of participating restaurants donate 100% of proceeds from every brewed coffee purchased in North America to Tim Hortons Foundation Camps. A leader in youth development programming, Tim Hortons Foundation Camps support youth from low income homes between the ages of 12 to 16 - an important developmental time that helps shape who they will become as adults. Through a multi-year, camp-based program, youth learn skills like leadership, resilience and responsibility which empower them to believe in their own potential and change their stories for the better. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005192/en/ Your coffee purchase can help change a life on Tim Hortons Camp Day (Photo: Business Wire) With seven camps in North America that run Summer and year-round School Programs, youth are supported to thrive when they return home, to excel in post-secondary education, to succeed at work and to contribute positively to their communities. Entirely supported by restaurant owners, guests, and sponsors, Tim Hortons Foundation Camps invest in youth in every community Tim Hortons serves. Supporting Tim Hortons Foundation Camps Through June 5, guests can donate $2 to receive a limited-edition red, blue, green or orange Camp Day bracelet, while supplies last On June 5, 100% of proceeds from every brewed coffee purchased in the U.S. and Canada is donated Guests can round up their order total to the nearest dollar at participating Tim Hortons locations Guests can make a one-time or recurring donation online any time simply by going to https://www.timhortons.com/ca/en/childrens-foundation/donate-now.php Quotes "Camp was the constant variable in our lives that showed up and continued to say 'you can!' I would not be where I am today without the support of Tim Hortons Foundation Camps." - Shelagh Cole, Tim Hortons Foundation Camps Alumni "Camp Day is as much a part of Tim Hortons as our Double Double is. In 2018, our guests helped us donate more than $13.1 million on Cap Day and this year I hope we can exceed this to help even more youth change their stories." - Alex Macedo, President, Tim Hortons "Over the last 45 years we have helped give 275,000 youth a chance to change their future - but we can't do this alone. It's the generosity of Tim Hortons Restaurant Owners, guests and supporters year-round - but most importantly on Camp Day - that allow us to continue to provide more kids with lifelong benefits of this very specialized Tim Hortons camp experience." - Dave Newnham, President & Executive Director, Tim Hortons Foundation Camps Facts The Foundation was established in 1974 by Ron Joyce, co-founder of Tim Hortons, in honor of Tim Horton's love for children and his desire to help those less fortunate. Attending Tim Hortons Foundation Camps comes at absolutely no cost to youth or their families. comes at absolutely no cost to youth or their families. One in five youth grow up in poverty and when they grow up in disadvantaged circumstances the chances of the cycle of poverty repeating increases and their ability to develop necessary skills to become successful adults decreases* Youth from low-income homes face additional obstacles when it comes to academic performance, relationship building and physical and emotional well-being* Youth from low-income homes are more likely to experience a wide variety of illnesses, hospital stays, accidents, mental health problems, lower school achievement and early drop-out, family violence and child abuse* Join the Camp Day conversation Use the hashtag #CampDay Tag or follow us on Instagram @TimHortonsUS & @TimsCamps Tag or follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) @TimHortonsUS & @TimsCamps Subscribe to us on YouTube (News - Alert) @TimHortonsUS & @TimsCamps Like us on Facebook (News - Alert) Tim Hortons US & Tim Hortons Foundation Camps Visit TimHortons.com/CampDay About Tim Hortons Foundation Camps Tim Hortons Foundation Camps is a non-profit charitable organization founded in 1974 helping kids to change their stories for the better through multi-year, camp-based programs that empower youth from disadvantaged circumstances to believe in their own potential. The Foundation's funding comes from Tim Hortons Camp Day, fundraising activities, special events, and year-round public donations collected through counter and drive-thru coin boxes, as well as other donations. More than 275,000 kids have attended a Foundation camp at no cost to them or their families. For more information about Tim Hortons Foundation Camps, please visit timhortons.com/foundation. About Tim Hortons Tim Hortons is one of North America's largest restaurant chains operating in the quick service segment. Founded as a single location in Canada in 1964, Tim Hortons appeals to a broad range of guest tastes, with a menu that includes premium coffee, hot and cold specialty drinks (including lattes, cappuccinos and espresso shots), specialty teas and fruit smoothies, fresh baked goods, grilled Panini and classic sandwiches, wraps, soups, prepared foods and other food products. Tim Hortons has more than 4,800 system wide restaurants located in Canada, the United States and around the world. More information about the company is available at www.timhortons.com. *https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/as-sa/98-200-x/2016012/98-200-x2016012-eng.cfm View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005192/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Brett Drexelius Joins Medata as Executive Vice President Medata, the leading medical cost containment technology company in workers' compensation and auto liability lines, has selected Brett J. Drexelius as Executive Vice President of Growth. Accelerating top-line growth and assisting in the development of Medata's national sales processes and methodologies are among his responsibilities. He will also oversee the sales leaders of the company's product lines, which include bill review, utilization review, document management, and business intelligence and fee negotiations. "Brett brings deep expertise in healthcare cost management and workers' compensation to the role," said Medata President Tom Herndon. "His understanding of the P&C space along with his energy and winning attitude complement Medata's abilities to meet our customers' needs as we continue to introduce innovative products to the marketplace." Drexelius has nearly 20 years of busiess development experience in the workers' compensation and healthcare industries. Most recently he served as Chief Sales Officer of Optum's Workers' Compensation and Auto No-Fault division, and he previously held similar roles with Helios, PMSI, and Coventry Healthcare. Drexelius earned a bachelor's degree in Information Systems from Canisius College, a Master of Business Administration degree from Villanova University, and a Certified Healthcare Executive credential from the American College of Healthcare Executives. In addition, he serves on several boards including the Core Funders Board of the Workers' Compensation Research Institute, the board for the Center for Creative Arts, a non-profit serving special-needs adults, and the board for the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai in New York City. "Medata is in an exciting and customer-centric environment and I'm looking forward to working with the leadership team and the industry we serve to help the company continue to develop innovative, value-based product offerings and accelerate its solid growth trends," Drexelius said. ABOUT MEDATA A privately held company based in Irvine, California, Medata originated medical bill review in 1975 and continues to provide the most comprehensive cost containment and document management software and solutions for the insurance industry. The company serves insurance carriers, self-insured companies, third-party administrators, state funds, and public entities in the workers' compensation and auto liability industries and can be reached at 800-854-7591 or via www.medata.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005010/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Frelii Issues Letter to Shareholders Frelii Inc. (OTCQB: FRLI) ("Frelii" or "the Company") today announced it has issued a press release with the following letter to shareholders. Dear fellow shareholders, The last several months have been very eventful for Frelii and I wanted to take the opportunity to bring you up to date on the excellent progress we have been making. We recently posted our quarterly financial statement, which can be viewed at www.frelii.com. We've entered into a relationship with our first customer, and we've continue to gain positive interest from legitimate media and investors. In spite of many good announcements and positive milestones achieved, I also want to address a concern regarding our common stock. The Frelii common stock is traded under the ticker symbol FRLI on the OTCQB Venture Market, which is designed for early stage and developing U.S. and international companies. It is part of OTC Markets Group Inc. ("OTC"). On May 14, 2019 OTC informed us that they were seeing some unauthorized promotional activity, including newsletters, emails and online items highlighting our common stock. These pieces included wildly speculative claims such as "hypothetical" graphs showing the stock increasing by nearly 1,000% over the next several months and other exaggerations, false assertions and incomplete and misleading statements targeted at potential investors. In addition, we noted that the Company has been included on some stock "watch lists" or buy/sell recommendation lists that are published by third parties, including bloggers who are in no way affiliated with the Company. It is regretful that our good name and the positive progress we are making have been tarnished by those who do not share the same values of honesty and transparency that we do, including their posting of unauthorized promotional content. Recently, as a result of this type of third-party unauthorized online promotional content, our symbol was flagged for "stock promotion" and was placed under subsequent trade restrictions, which we hope to have lifted soon. We posted a press release on May 16, entitled, "Frelii, Inc. Issues Statement Regarding Unauthorized Promotional Activity Involving Its Common Stock", to ensure the market and our loyal shareholders, customers and partners that we in no way engaged in or knowingly allowed anyone to post unauthorized promotional content. I want to again reiterate, in no uncertain terms, that FRLI does not have and has never had any association with the people and the organizations that have conducted these promotional activities. They have had no access to non-public information regarding the Company or its future plans. We further advise that anyone interested in Frelii should not buy or sell any shares based upon contact with any party that solicits prospective investors or makes claims about the Company that have not been publicly disclosed by the Company itself. This content was not commissioned, sanctioned or paid for by the Company and we had no editorial control over any of those materials. We have conducted inquiries of management and known shareholders, to the very best of our knowledge, neither the Company, nor any of its officers, directors, IR team or any controlling shareholders have been involved with the creation or distribution of promotional newsletter emails or online content that make exaggerated or misleading claims related to the Company and its securities. Over the past months FRELII has announced legitimate news properly and exercised appropriate PR and IR efforts to ensure all of our news and market-facing statements created millions of impressions acros legitimate news and Market information sites. We've received positive coverage in legitimate business and industry outlets, and our brand continues to gain popularity through the accurate information Frelii is responsible for making available to the public and shareholders. We pride ourselves on making it easy to access legitimate information about our company and business activities. We frequently update our website at www.frelii.com with all legitimate news, company statements and legitimate media coverage. We encourage shareholders, customers, partners and potential investors to return frequently to learn about us and the advancements we are making through our press releases, our filings and disclosures made with the SEC (News - Alert) (through the EDGAR Database) and OTC Markets Group. Another important point is that this unauthorized promotional activity coincided with a higher than average trading volume and volatility in our stock price. We believe that the promotion may have impacted the market activity, but our stock price was on an upward trajectory primarily due to other factors including the fact that we announced the boarding of our first revenue-generating client Optivida on May 1, 2019 (see that press release here), and we have more on the way. We also have growing awareness by legitimate industry media and our solutions align with the cannabis/CBD space, which is an industry that is attracting a great deal of investor interest. We have been working diligently for the past eight months to launch the company and introduce our AI technology and new products to the market (including the CBD industry) through traditional IR and PR efforts, participation in industry conferences and executing on our business growth plans. We also recently added three new members to our executive management group who bring powerful and deep expertise across all functional areas of the organization to round out our leadership team. These are in addition to Jayson Uffens, who is one of the industry's finest CTOs in charge of our unique technology. I believe these actions, coupled with our strategic business plans, will prove to generate strong and sustainable growth opportunities for Frelii and its shareholders in the coming months and foreseeable future. We will continue to address the challenges we face in the wake of the unauthorized activities and we will always keep our investors and shareholders aware of legitimate and credible news from Frelii. Thank you for your continued support. Sincerely, Ian Jenkins, CEO About Frelii Inc. Frelii Inc. is a biotech company that uses human DNA gene sequencing and artificial intelligence (AI) to assess more than 3.2 billion markers on the human genome. The results are aligned and leveraged against its AI, as a means of creating a very strong and powerful data platform for use by the Health & Wellness, Healthcare, Medical Cannabis and Pharmaceutical industries. Frelii's technology generates accurate and profoundly valuable insight into an individual's DNA. The company provides DNA Kit Packages and customized reporting for consumers, patients and healthcare providers to ensure the ideal treatment, drugs and dosing are a prime "fit" to the individual. For more information, please visit www.frelii.com. Frelii (OTCQB: FRLI) trades on the #OTCQB Venture Market for early stage and developing U.S. and international companies. Companies are current in their reporting and undergo an annual verification and management certification process. Investors can find Real-Time quotes and market information for the company on www.otcmarkets.com. Follow Frelii online at: Frelii Facebook (News - Alert) Page https://www.facebook.com/livefrelii/ Frelii Twitter Feed @livefrelii Frelii Instagram Page @livefrelii Frelii LinkedIn (News - Alert) Page linkedin.com/company/frelii/ Safe Harbor Statement: This release contains certain "forward-looking statements" relating to the business of the Company. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included herein are "forward-looking statements" including statements regarding: the continued growth of the e-commerce segment and the ability of the Company to continue its expansion into that segment; the ability of the Company to attract customers and partners and generate revenues; the ability of the Company to successfully execute its business plan; the business strategy, plans, and objectives of the Company; and any other statements of non-historical information. These forward-looking statements are often identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes," "expects" or similar expressions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they do involve assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, and these expectations may prove to be incorrect. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those discussed in the Company's periodic reports that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on its website (http://www.sec.gov). All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Other than as required under the securities laws, the Company does not assume any duty to update these forward-looking statements. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005300/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Delta's Green Theater Dazzles COMPUTEX 2019 with its Ground-breaking 8K Projection and IoT-based Energy-Saving Solutions TAIPEI, Taiwan, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Delta, a global leader in power and thermal management solutions, today unveiled, at COMPUTEX 2019, its state-of-the-art 25,000-lumen 8K display technology and its portfolio of IoT-based smart energy-saving solutions to demonstrate an 8K Green Theater for sustainable cities. Visitors will experience a uniquely intelligent, eco-friendly theater environment enabled by Delta's building automation solutions. In addition, the Theater not only features a parking lot with a microgrid-supported electric vehicle (EV) charging site, but also a select area with Delta's consumer electronics products and indoor air quality solutions. Mr. Ping Cheng, Delta's chief executive officer, remarked, "Cities are reinventing themselves as intelligent low-carbon entities and Delta is contributing to that megatrend by enhancing the energy efficiency, productivity and safety of buildings, transportation and infrastructure. That said, our IoT-based smart green solutions enable smart control of HVAC, lighting, surveillance, and overall infrastructure to create complete building management platforms. The rapid development of e-mobility has also inspired Delta to develop its V2H/V2G EV Charger, a cutting-edge device capable of improving the energy resilience of cities by enabling bidirectional energy transfer between EVs and the electricity loads. Our Datacenter Infrastructure Solutions are also a pillar of cities' digital transformation by upgrading ICT infrastructure into eco-friendly facilities, such as our Delta headquarters' data center, the world's first LEED Platinum-certified data center." Ms. Shan-Shan Guo, Delta's chief brand officer, said, "The Theater is a unique venue for creation and serves as a leisure place for citizens of sustainable cities. At this year's COMPUTEX we built the Delta 8K Green Theater with our leading 8K projection technology, meaning there are a total of 33 million pixels, at 25,000-ANSI lumen brightness, on a large projection screen. To enhance user experience, the theater environment also integrates Delta's building automation solutions that create three audience-oriented operation modes: Welcome -- Projection -- Ending, based on smart tunable white lighting and curtain control. Our indoor environment quality and surveillance systems integrate smart management software platforms to ensure optimum levels of comfort and safety in the Theater as well." Outside the Theater, Delta's renewable energy solutions, energy storage systems and EV charging solutions realize microgrid infrastructure that helps sustainable cities manage energy efficiently, a critical capability in the advent of the global EV revolution. Delta's AC Mini Plus EV charger, winner of the 2019 Taiwan Excellence Award, will demonstrate its IoT connectivity features by linking with an EV charging site management system via Wi-Fi. The Delta Select Area of the Theater exhibits Delta's consumer electronics products, including the brand new Innergie 45H, a 45W USB-C adapter to recharge a broad range of mobile devices. The Vivitek Qumi Z1H mini projector will also be unveiled at COMPUTEX 2019. Delta's new wall-mount energy recovery ventilator (ERV) system is an indoor air quality solution equipped with our in-house DC motor and a high-efficiency filter to improve the health conditions in homes by purifying the indoor air while also automatically detecting PM2.5 particles, CO2 levels, and volatile organic components (VOCs). Delta welcomes visitors to its exhibition site at COMPUTEX 2019, located at Hall 1, 4th floor, stand M0110, from May 28 to June 1st. During the tradeshow, Delta's 8K Green Theater will host daily noon and afternoon sessions to display the Delta Electronics Foundation-sponsored "Water with Life in Taiwan", which is the first 8K environmental documentary in Taiwan. The 8K-resolution images of the film will offer the audience an unparalleled level of details of Taiwan's environmental resources and challenges. Delta's Key Highlights @ COMPUTEX 2019: 8K Green Theater NSIGHT Laser 8K Projector: The world's first 25,000-lumen 8K DLP laser projector will offer the COMPUTEX 2019 audience a dazzling 8K (7680x4320) resolution. The INSIGHT Laser 8K also boasts 20,000:1 contrast and a light source with up to 20,000 hours of lifetime. Highly sophisticated applications such as large-scale projection and broadcasting, planetariums, simulation and visualization, will find the INSIGHT Laser 8K as the ideal solution to captivate audiences or demonstrate unparalleled levels of detail. Building Automation Solutions: The web-based building management software system enteliWEB is capable of integrating the control of HVAC, lighting, surveillance and other building systems, execute energy analytics, and manage a broad range of operations and processes. O3 Room Automation System: O3 series, including room controllers and sensors, is a human-centric intelligent sensing and control solution. The O3 Room Controller combines modular I/O with room-level integration and is a complete solution that combines HVAC, access and lighting control in a modular system. The O3 Sensor Hub provides an all-in-one sensor solution for HVAC, access, lighting, sound, and motion to deliver an enhanced occupant experience. LED Lighting Luminaries: The Versa DALI luminaries feature tunable white lighting technology via DALI controllers and sensors to improve the user comfort in indoor environments by achieving daylight harvest. Smart Surveillance: VIVOTEK's Fisheye Camera boasts CMOS light sensor technology and 12-megapixel resolution to provide optimum video imaging quality, both with 180 or 360 degrees depending on the installation parameters, thus, ideal for large-crowd venues requiring high security standards such as airports, shopping malls, and office complexes. Our showcase will also include VIVOTEK's People Counting Camera, which functions with 3D depth technology and image surveillance functions to collect user counts and preferred areas within commercial areas, both key data to improve the effectiveness of marketing, resource allocation and service time plans. Facial recognition technology uses edge computing, high-speed and high-precision real-time analysis of facial features and effective multi-person detection. It is suitable for commercial offices, shopping malls and factories. It can effectively reduce labor costs and master data and improve overall operational efficiency. UNO Indoor Environment Quality Solution: A system leveraging the latest cloud-based IoT technology to provide the best air quality conditions for building users via the UNOsense indoor super sensor, the energy-efficient UNOac air conditioning, the energy-saving UNOerv energy recovery ventilation and the UNOcloud cloud platform. InfraSuite Datacenter Infrastructure Solution: A comprehensive platform to enhance the power usage effectiveness, productivity and operating efficiency of data centers by providing eco-friendly precision cooling, power supply, modular cabinets and racks as well as a environment monitoring platform. InfraSuite is capable of creating green data centers by facilitating energy savings of up to 25%. Theater Microgrid: EV Charging Solutions: Delta is showcasing its V2H/V2G EV Charger at COMPUTEX 2019. This solution is capable of turning EVs into virtual power plants by allowing bidirectional power transfer between an EV battery and a home, building or electricity grid. The Delta AC Mini Plus EV charger not only supports the CNS 15511 charging standard and the OCPP communication protocol, but also offers user identification card reader and a compact stylish design to fit residential and commercial EV charging sites. Renewable Energy Solutions: Delta's solar PV inverter M70A series offers energy conversion efficiency up to 98.7% and provides cloud-based communication capabilities for real-time monitoring and control of power generation conditions. Power Conditioning System (PCS): The PCS 100kW system facilitates bidirectional power conversion between a battery energy storage system and the electricity grid so that customers can benefit from lower electricity costs and smarter, more eco-friendly energy management practices such as load shifting, peak shaving, demand response, and more. The PCS 100kW also supports real power and reactive power conditions to improve power quality. Battery Energy Storage System: Delta's Lithium-ion battery energy storage system is designed to support fast charge / fast discharge for highly demanding energy requirements, such as demand response, peak shaving, load shifting, etc. Its Standalone Mode also supports micro-grid islanding functions. Theater Delta Select Area: Consumer Power Products Innergie, a brand of Delta: The Innergie 45H USB-C is a compact 45W power adapter that supports everything from laptops to smartphones, from USB to USB-C devices. The market's smallest 60W power adapter Innergie 60C Pro USB-C will be featured at COMPUTEX again. Projectors Vivitek, a brand of Delta: The Vivitek Qumi Z1H mini projector, unveiled at COMPUTEX for the first time, offers 300 lumens of brightness with a slim, lightweight and highly portable case. It also boasts an embedded battery to support continuous projection of up to 2 hours. Smart Conference Room/Classroom Solutions: The NovoTouch LK7530i features an ultra-high-definition 4K 75" IPS backlit LED panel with up to 20-point finger touch interactivity (10-point writing/20-point touch), which offers easy-to-use, multi-screen, cross-platform/device wireless interactive collaboration functions for the use of conference rooms and classrooms. The Novo DS4K digital signage system, featuring an excellent playlist function and remote management for multiple devices, is also displayed in Delta's area. 75" IPS backlit LED panel with up to 20-point finger touch interactivity (10-point writing/20-point touch), which offers easy-to-use, multi-screen, cross-platform/device wireless interactive collaboration functions for the use of conference rooms and classrooms. The Novo DS4K digital signage system, featuring an excellent playlist function and remote management for multiple devices, is also displayed in Delta's area. Indoor Air Quality Solution: Air pollution is a top concern in Taiwan . Delta is developing products to improve indoor air quality, such as a wall-mount ERV system equipped with its own energy-efficient DC motor fans. This solution boasts a high-efficiency filter to purify the air, and automatically detect PM2.5 particles, CO2 levels, and VOCs. About Delta Delta, founded in 1971, is a global provider of switching power supplies and thermal management products with a thriving portfolio of smart energy-saving systems and solutions in the fields of industrial automation, building automation, telecom power, data center infrastructure, EV charging, renewable energy, energy storage and display, to nurture the development of smart manufacturing and sustainable cities. As a world-class corporate citizen guided by its mission statement, "To provide innovative, clean and energy-efficient solutions for a better tomorrow," Delta leverages its core competence in high-efficiency power electronics and its CSR-embedded business model to address key environmental issues, such as climate change. Delta serves customers through its sales offices, R&D centers and manufacturing facilities spread over close to 200 locations across 5 continents. Throughout its history, Delta has received various global awards and recognition for its business achievements, innovative technologies and dedication to CSR. Since 2011, Delta has been listed on the DJSI World Index of Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for 8 consecutive years. In 2017, Delta was selected by CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project) for its Climate Change Leadership Level for the 2nd consecutive year. For further information about Delta, please visit: www.deltaww.com View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/deltas-green-theater-dazzles-computex-2019-with-its-ground-breaking-8k-projection-and-iot-based-energy-saving-solutions-300858136.html SOURCE Delta [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Evolent Health Expands Partnership with Passport Health Plan to Support Medicaid Beneficiaries in the Commonwealth of Kentucky WASHINGTON, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Evolent Health (NYSE: EVH), a company providing an integrated value-based care platform to the nation's leading providers and payers, today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to partner with the current owners of Passport Health Plan in continuing to serve the Kentucky Medicaid market. The current owners, which include The University of Louisville, University of Louisville Physicians, University Medical Center, Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence, Norton Healthcare and the Louisville/Jefferson County Primary Care Association, have been seeking a partner to provide expanded management and operational support, as well as capital through joint ownership of the health plan, and have selected Evolent as its long-term financial and operating partner. Per the terms of the agreement, Evolent will acquire an ownership interest in Passport Health Plan and will expand the scope and term of its long-term Management Services Agreement with the health plan. Passport will be jointly owned and operated in partnership between Evolent, The University of Louisville and other Passport owners. Passport is a Louisville-based health plan that serves more than 300,000 Medicaid beneficiaries and has provided managed care services in Kentucky for over 20 years. Evolent has provided extensive services to Passport since 2016, when the organizations formed a relationship to launch the Medicaid Center of Excellence, focused on improving health outcomes for Medicaid beneficiaries in Kentucky and in several states nationwide. Since partnering with Passport, Evolent has directly engaged thousands of Passport members through innovative clinical programs and an integrated model of care in partnership with local providers. "We strongly believe in Passport's mission and have been proud to partner with Passport's leadership team to serve the Commonwealth of Kentucky," said Evolent Health Chief Executive Officer Frank Williams. "We are honored by the vote of confidence the owners of Passport have given us to continue to build on an extraordinary legacy of delivering an excellent member experience to Kentucky's Medicaid beneficiaries. We are confident that by leveraging our value-based care platform and the full scope of our clinical programs, as well as providing enhanced functional expertise, we can drive strong operational and financial performance. We look forward to collaborating with The University of Louisville and other Passport ownersas well as local and state regulatory agencies and other key stakeholdersto continue driving improved health outcomes and critical support to one of the Commonwealth's most vulnerable populations." "The University of Louisville helped create Passport Health Plan in 1997, paving the way for what has become a national model for managed care," said The University of Louisville President Dr. Neeli Bendapudi. "Now, we are proud to partner with Evolent Health to begin a new chapter that will continue to spark innovation in the delivery of care." "For the past 20 years, Passport has been proud to work with the Commonwealth, our provider partners and other valued supporters to deliver a quality health plan that promotes our members' best interests and health outcomes," said Passport Health Plan Chief Executive Officer Mark Carter. "I am confident that Passport has a bright future ahead, thanks to the solid foundation we've built and the significant investment, expertise and support that Evolent brings to the table. Evolent and Passport are dedicated to finding ways to bring the West Louisville Health and Wellbeing Campus to life, as we believe it will significantly positively impact the health of the community. Evolent and Passport will be working with developers and key stakeholders to create a definitive plan and select a real estate developer to bring the project to fruition." Transaction Details Per the terms of the agreement, Evolent will contribute $70 million for a 70 percent ownership interest in Passport Health Plan and will also provide interim balance sheet support if necessary to meet near-term regulatory capital requirements. Evolent Health expects to account for its ownership interest in the joint venture as an equity method investment. for a 70 percent ownership interest in Passport Health Plan and will also provide interim balance sheet support if necessary to meet near-term regulatory capital requirements. Evolent Health expects to account for its ownership interest in the joint venture as an equity method investment. Passport will be jointly owned and operated through a partnership between Evolent, The University of Louisville , University of Louisville Physicians, University Medical Center, Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence, Norton Healthcare and the Louisville /Jefferson County Primary Care Association. The plan will be governed by a newly formed board of directors upon closing with joint representation from the current owners and Evolent Health. , Physicians, University Medical Center, Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence, Norton Healthcare and the /Jefferson County Primary Care Association. The plan will be governed by a newly formed board of directors upon closing with joint representation from the current owners and Evolent Health. As part of the transaction, Evolent will expand its existing Management Services Agreement (MSA) with Passport, taking on additional responsibilities for day-to-day management of the health plan including administrative, clinical and financial operations and oversight. Evolent will also enhance its clinical scope with additional clinical program support, network optimization and specialty care management, specifically in oncology and cardiovascular services. The amended MSA will have a 10-year term. The agreement is subject to normal closing conditions including approval from several state and federal regulatory agencies. Advisors Wyatt Tarrant and Combs, LLP is acting as legal counsel to The University of Louisville and provider sponsors. Bass, Berry & Sims PLC is acting as legal counsel to Evolent. Conference Call and Webcast Details Evolent will hold a conference call to discuss details of the transaction today, May 29, 2019, at 8:00 a.m., Eastern Time. The conference call will be available via live webcast on the company's Investor Relations website at http://ir.evolenthealth.com. To participate by telephone, dial 1.855.940.9467 and ask to join to the Evolent call. Participants are advised to dial in at least 15 minutes prior to the call to register. The call will be archived on the company's website for 90 days and will be available beginning later this evening. Evolent invites all interested parties to attend the conference call. Forward Looking Statements: Cautionary Language Certain statements made in this release contain certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended (the "PSLRA"), including, but not limited to, statements regarding the pending expanded partnership with Passport Health Plan and pending expanded management services agreement. Evolent and Evolent Health LLC (the "Evolent Entities") claim the protection afforded by the safe harbor for forward-looking statements provided by the PSLRA. Actual events or results may differ materially from those contained in these forward-looking statements. The factors that could cause future events or results to vary from the forward-looking statements contained herein include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties related to the consummation of the transaction, including the ability to obtain regulatory approvals, and risks and uncertainties relating to the ongoing operation of Passport Health Plan, including unanticipated costs, the ability of Evolent to provide interim balance sheet support to meet near-term regulatory capital requirements and the results of the ongoing Kentucky Medicaid managed care request for proposal. Please refer to the periodic reports that Evolent has filed with the SEC, including its Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K and the risk factors noted therein. Such periodic filings by Evolent identify and address other important factors that could cause future events or results to vary from the forward-looking statements set forth in this Current Report on Form 8-K. In addition, the Evolent Entities disclaim any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date hereof. About Evolent Health Evolent Health partners with leading provider and payer organizations to achieve superior clinical and financial results in value-based care and under full-risk arrangements. With a provider heritage and over 20 years of health plan administration experience, Evolent partners with more than 35 health care organizations to actively manage care across Medicare, Medicaid, commercial and self-funded adult and pediatric populations. With the experience to drive change, Evolent confidently stands by a commitment to achieve results. For more information, visit evolenthealth.com . Contacts: Bob East or Asher Dewhurst 443.213.0500 Investor Relations [email protected] Robin Glass 415.505.8152 Evolent Media Relations [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/evolent-health-expands-partnership-with-passport-health-plan-to-support-medicaid-beneficiaries-in-the-commonwealth-of-kentucky-300857821.html SOURCE Evolent Health [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] EnteroBiotix Secures 2m Seed Extension Investment EnteroBiotix, a leading clinical stage microbiome therapeutics company headquartered in Aberdeen (News - Alert), Scotland, has closed an oversubscribed seed extension investment and is set for international expansion following the opening of a new office in Boston, US. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005399/en/ Senior Healthcare Scientists at EnteroBiotix's MHRA licensed facilities in Aberdeen, Scotland (Photo: Business Wire) The pre-series A round was led by Scottish angel firm Equity Gap and supported by existing investors the Scottish Investment Bank (the investment arm of Scottish Enterprise), the University of Aberdeen and the Bank Workers Charity. The company welcomed new investment from Barwell Plc, Gabriel, Syndicate Room, Fnd Twenty8, NCIMB Limited and SIS Ventures. The new office in Cambridge, Massachusetts is supporting EnteroBiotix's operations and business development activities in the US. EnteroBiotix has also launched a strategic collaboration with the University of Glasgow to support translational research focused on identifying and evaluating precision antimicrobials that the company will combine with its whole ecosystem therapeutics to create an entirely novel medicinal product. The collaboration is supported by the Medical Research Council (MRC) Confidence in Concept (CiC) scheme. Dr James McIlroy MBChB, Founder and President of EnteroBiotix, said: "We are delighted with the support of both existing and new investors as we strengthen our leadership position in the field of microbiome therapeutics. This investment round and our new office in the States enables us to achieve key regulatory, operational and clinical milestones as we continue to develop and advance our product pipeline for the benefit of patients." Fraser Lusty, Investment Director at EquityGap, said: "Equity Gap are delighted to provide further investment into EnteroBiotix as they scale up operations, both domestically and internationally, with exciting emerging opportunities for their innovative microbiome solutions." Kerry Sharp (News - Alert), Director of the Scottish Investment Bank, said: "SIB is delighted to provide follow on funding alongside existing and new investors in Enterobiotix. This round of investment will fund ongoing scientific advances which will bring significant health benefits to patients as well as support expansion overseas. We look forward to continuing to work with this High Growth Account Managed company to support it in achieving its growth ambitions." About EnteroBiotix EnteroBiotix is leveraging the untapped potential of the gut microbiome to develop novel medicinal products that restore health and prevent disease, with a specific focus on drug-resistant bacterial infections and gastrointestinal conditions. The company has raised over 2.5m of seed investment and is using its MHRA-licensed platform capabilities, industry experience and patent pending technology to advance three core product portfolios that build on the science of the medical treatment known as faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). EnteroBiotix has established a UK/EU wide service to supply minimally manipulated microbiota products on a named patient basis under an MHRA manufacturers 'specials' license. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005399/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Trend Micro Partners with Market Leading Security Awareness Vendors to Offer Comprehensive Free Training Content Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704; TSE: 4704), a global leader in cybersecurity solutions, today announced partnerships with several leading cybersecurity training providers to help businesses protect their employees from the latest cyber threats. To ensure customers have a wide variety of training styles and formats, Trend Micro (News - Alert) is teaming up with four leading partners: NINJIO, InfoSec, NextTech Security, and GoldPhish. The new traning materials are available on Trend Micro's Phish Insight tool, which is a free, highly flexible security awareness solution. This new educational platform will offer customers a diverse library of training content to enhance employee awareness initiatives and arm organizations with the resources they need to improve overall enterprise security. "All businesses today are susceptible to socially engineered phishing emails and BEC attacks, which can cause severe financial and reputational damage," said Wendy Moore, vice president of product marketing for Trend Micro. "We want to help make the digital world safer, and have partnered with four leading organizations from around the world to offer educational resources to complement our free Phish Insight tool. Adding educational resources allow companies to not only test their employees' security awareness, but also improve this awareness." Reported BEC attacks cost global businesses nearly $1.3 billion in 2018, more than any other threat category, and phishing emails are linked to a third of data breaches and 94% of malware occurring last year. The latest improvements to Phish Insight will enable businesses to better train staff to curb the impact of these threats. In line with customer feedback, Trend Micro is working with multiple proven training providers to offer a wide range of content to fit the broadest possible variety of organizational cultures - whether that's a more conservative teaching style or animated story telling. Some firms will prefer micro learning experiences for their employees whereas others will prefer longer more detailed training sessions; the key is to have enough choice to meet this demand. Customers will have access to the content that best fits their needs with no contracts or subscriptions, completely free for the first six months during a beta period. For more information on the new resources and free phishing simulation tool, please visit https://phishinsight.trendmicro.com/en/training. About Trend Micro Trend Micro Incorporated, a global leader in cybersecurity solutions, helps to make the world safe for exchanging digital information. Our innovative solutions for consumers, businesses, and governments provide layered security for data centers, cloud workloads, networks, and endpoints. All our products work together to seamlessly share threat intelligence and provide a connected threat defense with centralized visibility and investigation, enabling better, faster protection. With more than 6,000 employees in 50 countries and the world's most advanced global threat research and intelligence, Trend Micro enables organizations to secure their connected world. For more information, visit www.trendmicro.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005118/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Alyce Teams Up with Two Boston Nonprofits to Bring Socially-Conscious Door Opener to B2B Sales and Marketing Alyce Inc. ("Alyce"), the Boston startup that's redefining direct mail and swag, today announced that it has partnered with two local nonprofits, Artists For Humanity (AFH) and ArtLifting, to bring original art prints from under-resourced Boston teens and artists who are homeless or have disabilities, to its Gallery Edition gift invitation. The partnership offers AFH and ArtLifting artists national exposure for their artwork while giving marketing and sales teams on the Alyce platform the ability to delight prospects and customers while also giving back. Alyce gives sales reps the ability to break through the noise and engage with their prospects in a real and meaningful way through gifting-and allows marketing to report on the performance of their direct mail efforts. The Gallery Edition of Alyce's physical gift invitation will feature a high-quality print of an original artwork from an AFH or ArtLifting artist inlaid in the box top and the story of the artist contained within. "Both Artists For Humanity and ArtLifting are doing incredibly important, impactful work and we are honored to help further their missions with these partnerships," said Greg Segall, founder and CEO of Alyce. "We're also thrilled to be able to facilitate more giving back on behalf of marketers and sales reps, and through our exclusive agreement with ArtLifting offer the only socially-conscious door opener in B2B marketing with the Gallery Edition." ArtLifting empowers artists living with homelessness or disabilities through the celebration and sale of their artwork. ArtLifting offers its artists the chance to secure their own income through the sale of original paintings, prints, and products. Every artist earns 55 percent of the profit from each sale; another one percent goes toward strengthening art programming at social service agencies, shelters, and disability centers. ArtLifting has impacted artists in 21 states and customers in 46 states and 5 continents. "Our goal is to increase opportunity for our amazing artists who are homeless and have disabilities. We constantly think about how we can help artists earn endless amounts of money from each artwork they create. We are excited to have Alyce's team sell our artists' work with this innovative new product," said Liz Powers, ArtLifting's Co-Founder and Chief Happiness Spreader. Artists For Humanity (AFH) employs enterprising teens from Boston neighborhoods to work in collaboration with its professional art and design mentors. Its pioneering social enterprise produces innovative multimedia projects commissioned by businesses and individuals across Boston and beyond. With one of the largest collections of youth-created works in the country, AFH became a perfect partner for Alyce, who now features AFH art on its Gallery Edition gift invitations and hired AFH for other exciting projects as well. Learn more at afhboston.org. "Watching the teens go above and beyond to design boxes and graphics for Alyce and witnessing their level of engagement with the commission was truly inspiring. We're thrilled to work with a company that embeds social equity into their business practices," said founding Executive and Artistic Director Susan Rodgerson. The Alyce model is all about building real, human relationships through giving gifts people actually want and making it all about their interests. This includes eye-catching door openers like the Gallery Edition box with original artwork prints which contains within an invitation to accept, exchange or donate the selected gift. More than 10 percent of Alyce's redeemed gifts are donated to a charity of the recipient's choice. The Gallery Edition gift invitation boxes are now available for customers using the Alyce platform. ABOUT ALYCE Alyce is the AI-powered platform that's redefining direct mail, swag and gifts with its scalable, sustainable, hyper-personalized approach to account-based marketing. Alyce builds real, human relationships that deliver up to twice the named account penetration versus traditional approaches. Founded in December of 2015, Alyce is a privately held company headquartered in Boston, MA. Learn more at www.alyce.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005272/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Elastifile Announces Enhanced API For Elastifile Cloud File Service Elastifile, the pioneer of enterprise-grade, scalable file storage for the public cloud, today announced enhanced support for API-based access to Elastifile Cloud File Service, the company's fully-managed, scalable file storage service on Google (News - Alert) Cloud. The enhanced service API allows users to fully automate use of cloud file storage to optimize a broad range of workflows including: SAP (News - Alert) infrastructure, electronic design automation (EDA), HPC processing, Kubernetes deployments, and more. As enterprises increasingly integrate cloud resources, the workflows supporting critical business processes must evolve to maximize the capabilities of flexible, cloud-based infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS). Effectively managing dynamic, interdependent cloud resources often relies on the ability to perform complex tasks quickly, efficiently, and without the need for manual intervention. As a result, API-based automation has emerged as a crucial enabler for high-productivity cloud workflows. With enterprise file storage recognized as a key element of cloud application infrastructure, corresponding API-based storage management capabilities are necessary to deliver the required workflow automation. Via Elastifile's enhanced service API, users can programmatically control the deployment, management, and scaling of Elastifile Cloud File Service...thus enabling dynamic alignment of storage capacity and performance to suit the needs of associated applications. Additional features and functionality supported by Elastifile's enhanced API include snapshots, access-control lists (ACLs), and enterprise high-availability features. "Cloud-based automation represents a massive opportunity to simplify enerprise IT," said Adi Sprachman, Vice President of Product Management at Elastifile. "With Elastifile's enhanced API, we've delivered complete, programmatic control over scalable, cloud-native file storage, enabling fully-automated, turnkey data management." The enhanced API for Elastifile Cloud File Service further complements Elastifile's robust portfolio of cloud-native data management technologies, including support for automated container orchestration via Elastifile's container storage interface (CSI (News - Alert)) driver and automated data tiering to object storage via Elastifile ClearTier. Elastifile is generally available on Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Amazon Web Services (AWS), and bare metal on-premises environments, with Microsoft (News - Alert) Azure availability coming soon. To try Elastifile as a fully-managed storage service on Google Cloud, visit the Google Cloud Platform Marketplace or, to learn more about Elastifile's products and technology, visit https://www.elastifile.com. Follow Elastifile: https://twitter.com/elastifile https://www.linkedin.com/company/elastifile https://www.facebook.com/Elastifile/ About Elastifile Elastifile helps organizations adapt and accelerate their business in the cloud era. Powered by a dynamically scalable, enterprise-grade distributed file system with intelligent object tiering, Elastifile augments existing public cloud services and facilitates frictionless cloud adoption. With Elastifile, organizations can deploy and manage cloud-native file storage themselves and/or benefit from the advantages of fully-managed file storage services, eliminating the need for manual storage management and CapEx-intensive IT forecasting. Elastifile's unique combination of features and flexibility empowers organizations to seamlessly integrate cloud resources, with no application refactoring required...thereby modernizing their infrastructure and achieving their crucial IT agility and efficiency goals. Elastifile is based in Santa Clara, California and Herzliya, Israel, with global Sales and Marketing offices in North America and Europe, and R&D in Israel. Founded in 2013, Elastifile is backed by Battery Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, CE Ventures, and seven strategic investors from the cloud, data center, and storage industries, including Dell (News - Alert) EMC, Cisco, and Western Digital. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005365/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] By Jung Min-ho A teenage girl has killed herself in Malaysia after her Instagram followers voted for death in a poll she posted to ask them whether she should live or die. The girl, 16, whose identity is unknown, had run a poll on the photo-sharing app with the question, "Really Important, Help Me Choose D/L (Death/Life)," before jumping off the top of a building in the east Malaysian state of Sarawak on Monday (local time). A total of 69 percent of those took part in the poll chose "D." It is unclear whether the result affected her suicide decision. Malaysian police are investigating the case, including whether those who voted for her to die should be held accountable for abetting suicide. Under Malaysian law, a person found guilty of abetting the suicide of a minor could face the death penalty or up to 20 years in prison. Padawan district police deputy chief DSP Merbin Lisa said investigators found that the girl had suffered depression. "According to her mother, the victim was close to her stepfather but since the stepfather married a Vietnamese woman, he rarely returned to Kuching to meet the victim," Lisa . "It caused the victim to feel sad." On Tuesday, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission issued a statement advising social media users to be more attentive and sensitive to suicidal postings. It urged them to report such messages to their family, friends and police. In February, Instagram said it would adopt a "sensitivity screens" system to block images of self-harm. The decision came after the death of a British teenager, 14, whose parents believed that viewing such images on Instagram contributed to her suicide in 2017. [May 29, 2019] Pascal Biosciences to Present at 2019 BIO International Convention Vancouver, BRITISH COLUMBIA and SEATTLE, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pascal Biosciences Inc. (TSX.V:PAS) (Pascal or the Company), a drug discovery and development company, today announced the Company will present at the upcoming BIO International Convention taking place June 3-6 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. The BIO International Convention is the premier annual meeting for biotech and pharma, with more than 16,000 attendees gathering for partnering and networking opportunities. Kevin Egan, VP Business Development at Pascal, will provide a corporate overview presentation highlighting the Companys therapeutic pipeline on Tuesday, June 4 at 4:30 p.m. EDT in Theater 2, Level 200. Mr. Egan will describe recent advances in Pascals PAS-403 program for glioblastoma, which is advised by a world class group of neuro-oncologists. In addition, advances for PAS-393, a cannabinoid for enhancing immune checkpoint inhibitors for cancer, will also be presented. Members of the Pascal management team will be available for meetings during the BIO International Convention. To arrange a meeting with management, please contact [email protected] or visit the BIO One-one-One Partnering webpage to schedule a meeting directly. About Pascal Biosciences Inc. Pascal Biosciences is a biotechnology company focused on advancing innovative approaches for the treatment of cancer. Pascal is directed by a strong group of seasoned veteans of the biotech industrythese experts have started more than ten successful companies and also have discovered five approved therapeutics. The companys leading portfolio includes cannabinoid-based therapeutics and targeted therapies. A small molecule therapeutic, PAS-403, is advancing into clinical trials for the treatment of glioblastoma, and the immuno-stimulatory cannabinoid PAS-393 will be used in combination with checkpoint inhibitor therapy. In addition, Pascal is developing a B-cell targeted antibody for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. For more information, visit www.pascalbiosciences.com . Investors: [email protected] Media Contact: Julie Rathbun [email protected] Tel: 206-769-9219 DISCLAIMER Certain statements in this press release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 or forward-looking information under applicable Canadian securities legislation that may not be based on historical fact, including without limitation statements containing the words believe, may, plan, will, estimate, continue, anticipate, intend, expect and similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements or information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, events or developments, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, events or developments express or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such factors include, among others, our stage of development, lack of any product revenues, additional capital requirements, risk associated with the completion of clinical trials and obtaining regulatory approval to market our products, the ability to protect our intellectual property, dependence on collaborative partners and the prospects for negotiating additional corporate collaborations or licensing arrangements and their timing. Specifically, certain risks and uncertainties that could cause such actual events or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from any future events or results expressed or implied by such statements and information include, but are not limited to, the risks and uncertainties that: products that we develop may not succeed in preclinical or clinical trials, or future products in our targeted corporate objectives; our future operating results are uncertain and likely to fluctuate; we may not be able to raise additional capital; we may not be successful in establishing additional corporate collaborations or licensing arrangements; we may not be able to establish marketing and the costs of launching our products may be greater than anticipated; we have no experience in commercial manufacturing; we may face unknown risks related to intellectual property matters; we face increased competition from pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies; and other factors as described in detail in our filings with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities at www.sedar.com . Given these risks and uncertainties, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements and information, which are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. All forward-looking statements and information made herein are based on our current expectations and we undertake no obligation to revise or update such forward- looking statements and information to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Octo Wins a Five-Year, $11M Contract to Support Core Mission Systems that Deepens Its Relationship With the Army Octo Consulting Group today announced it has been awarded a five-year, $11 million contract with the U.S. Army to operate and maintain its Property Book Unit Supply Enhanced (PBUSE) enterprise software application. This system provides an efficient way to maintain accountable records for Government Assets and Total Asset Visibility. PBUSE is a custom, classified, enduring legacy system that integrates commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware and software to sustain Army and Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) property book accountability and unit-level logistics functionality. This includes real-time asset visibility, administrative adjustment reports, military standard requisitioning and issue procedures transactions, component management, and organizational and individual equipment records management. With this win, Octo deepens its relationship with the U.S. Army Program Executive Office for Enterprise Information Systems (PEO-EIS), supporting the Product Lead Logistics Information Systems (PL LIS), and expands its software development and infrastructure business into another mission-critical defens business system. "We are ecstatic to be working with the Army on this project. We believe our modernization focus will greatly enhance the PBUSE system, which is a core mission system within the Army," said Jim Vant, Octo's Executive Vice President for Defense and Intelligence. "We are thrilled the Army selected Octo for this work and to continue our growth within and support to the Army," said Octo's CEO Mehul Sanghani. "This represents an exciting foray into a new area of the Army and the Fort Lee community." This win adds a Richmond office to Octo's expanding national presence, which also includes Boston, St. Louis, Dayton, Ohio, and several offices in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area. About Octo Consulting Group A premier provider of technology solutions, Octo empowers federal agencies to modernize faster. Our combination of technical innovation and pragmatic execution unleashes new capabilities, bolsters security, and transforms service delivery. We specialize in scalable Agile (News - Alert) software development, user experience design, and cloud engineering solutions to improve, modernize, and optimize government IT systems. Known for challenging the status quo and continually exploring new ways to deliver value, our superior outcomes are the result of our collaborative analytical approach and partnering with our customers. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Octo builds flexible solutions that evolve as missions change, delivering results that last. Learn more at octoconsulting.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005048/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Club OS Announces New Vice President of Product PHILADELPHIA, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Club OS, the premier sales and retention software in the fitness market, has announced the promotion of Nick Hahn to Vice President of Product. Mr. Hahn previously held the position of Director of Engineering where he is credited as synchronizing the department's efforts to boost efficiency. "Nick puts a premium on communication to ensure every team member understands how their work fits into the larger objective," said Club OS Founder and President Adam Stokar. "As Vice President of Product, Nick is positioned to leverage that skill set across every stage of product development and management." Currently utilized in over 3,000 fitness clubs, Club OS has seen rapid growth in the last year. Mr. Hahn believes the key to sustaining this growth is building a product that consistently outperforms client expectations. "It's one thing to build a solution your customers ask for. It's another thing to solve problems they didn't know existed," Mr. Hahn said of his vision for the product team. "We want to create a software that our customers love to use." To achiee this, he plans to hire more product team members, revamp strategic planning processes, and tighten internal development cycles to enhance efficiency. Before joining Club OS, Mr. Hahn spent ten years in various development roles with software companies specializing in health care insurance administration solutions. "Like health care, the fitness industry directly impacts its customers' quality of life," Mr. Hahn said. "My passion has always been to help people do things easier, better, and faster. I'm excited to bring that passion to the fitness market and build the absolute best software tools possible for our customers." About Club OS Founded in 2011, Club OS has established itself as the leading sales and retention solution in the fitness industry. Developed specifically for fitness businesses, Club OS is equally effective to empower a stand-alone fitness center or studio or to unify the efforts of an enterprise organization. Software features include prospecting tools, billing partner integration, scheduled prospect and member marketing tools, and automated touchpoints. For more information about how Club OS can grow your fitness center or studio, visit: www.club-os.com . Media Contact: Kevin Talley [email protected] (512) 715-4841 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/club-os-announces-new-vice-president-of-product-300857896.html SOURCE Club OS [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] TEMPOE Moves Headquarters To Downtown Cincinnati CINCINNATI, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- TEMPOE LLC, a national retail FinTech firm, announced it is moving its headquarters to downtown Cincinnati on June 1. Located in the Sawyer Point Building off the riverfront, the new address offers a central downtown location that includes nearby parks and walking trails. "TEMPOE is celebrating 10 years in business and we are excited to be expanding to the Cincinnati waterfront," said President Chris Garrido. "Our new address is a few blocks away from the Cincinnati Reds and the Bengals, and directly behind the Sawyer Point amphitheater." In addition to transferring the headquarters from Manchester, NH, the move finalizes the strategy to combine TEMPOE's SmartPay brand into a single office relocating from San Francisco CA, and consolidates office space from the Kenwood location in north Cincinnati. "We will have room to grow our workforce and have the space to gather more employees into a centralized location. This will allow greater collaboration and enhanced synergies amongst the teams," said Martin Kuhn, Chief Financial Officer. The new building will house almost all areas of the business including the corporate team, markting and sales, finance, IT, legal, and HR. The company has three Customer Service centers in Fairfield, OH, Honduras, and Mexico. "While we considered many options for our move, Cincinnati is at the heart of the local consumer finance and technology industries. The city offers a vibrant place to do business with a diverse and educated workforce. We believe this area will help attract new talent," said Garrido. "In addition, we will house all our companies under one roofTEMPOE, SmartPay, and FlexPay." "Our new office space fits the tone and style of what TEMPOE represents," Garrido continued. "TEMPOE and its affiliated employees are forward-thinkers and we truly are like a family. With an outdoor terrace and convenient access, there is space to enjoy our fellowship. We look forward to this next stage in the evolution of the company." The new address is 720 East Pete Rose Way, Suite 400, Cincinnati, OH 45202. About TEMPOE: TEMPOE's vision to be the Obvious Choice connects retailers and consumers in an omni-channel platform, eCommerce, and mobile experience. TEMPOE serves a broad market throughout the U.S., Guam, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands. The SmartPay brand offers a lease-to-own platform for mobile devices and wireless plans nationwide. Learn more at www.TEMPOE.com and www.smartpaylease.com Media Contact: Kamela Barrier (603) 714-7348 [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tempoe-moves-headquarters-to-downtown-cincinnati-300857902.html SOURCE TEMPOE [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Knee Replacement Patients Enjoy Life-Changing Surgical Outcomes with RSIP Vision's Revolutionary AI Solution JERUSALEM, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- RSIP Vision, a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI), computer vision, and image processing technology, has announced the release of a new AI module that promises a life-changing impact on the millions of patients who undergo knee surgery every year. For most, knee replacement surgery is a difficult option, with a painful recovery and a long, rigorous rehabilitation period. Now the superior accuracy and precision of the RSIP Vision AI solution, unmatched in the market today, revolutionizes knee surgery to provide remarkably improved outcomes for patients. By helping surgeons match patients with the best possible implants, the groundbreaking technology offers patients far greater comfort, less pain, and a faster road to full mobility. The innovative AI solution, developed explicitly for knee surgeries and based on advanced CT segmentation technology, represents a dramatic shift in the industry. Deployed by medical device companies, the AI technology supports doctors and radiologists with a faster, more exacting pre-operative process for knee replacement surgeryone of the most prevalent orthopedic surgeries in the U.S. today. Since implants often last for more than 20 years, the AI technology contributes to a knee patient's higher quality of life for many years to come. The new module is the first in a series of advanced solutions that RSIP Vision develops based on advanced AI segmentation and computer vision technologies. When integrated into the software environments of medical devices, these modules enhance capabilities and outcomes in various fields, including orthopedics, pulmonology, and cardiology. The AI modules solve complex technological challenges and add value to these vendor offerings by ensuring greater precision, shorter time to market, and lower costs. Knee replacement, also called total knee arthroplasty (TKA), is a surgical option for patients with painful knee damage typically caused byarthritis or injury. Damaged cartilage and bone are removed from the knee joint and replaced with an implant made of metal, plastic, or ceramic. The new generation of AI technologies are trained on thousands of patient records to learn what different bones look like, streamlining and accelerating all aspects of the complex surgery for both radiologists and surgeons. RSIP Vision's new AI module enables radiologists to analyze patient's CT scans far more efficiently, and produce exact measurements for every part of the body that makes contact with the implant. This type of precision is crucial to finding the right implant for each patient, whether choosing from a manufacturer's selection or printing a personalized implant to match the knee perfectly. The module eliminates tedious effort and saves considerable time for radiologists, while also improving the speed and accuracy of their results. This new AI technology also facilitates the planning process for surgeons, helping them find the right match for each implant and showing them exactly where to cut the bones. The AI results are applicable to robotic surgery as well, since they clearly define the correct regions for cutting bones and indicate boundaries for drilling, decreasing the risk of harm to the patient. "As AI grows increasingly essential to every industry, we're dedicated to solving technology challenges for a wide range of businesses," RSIP Vision founder and CEO Ron Soferman said. "In bringing our expertise in deep learning, image processing, and computer vision to knee replacement surgery, it's particularly gratifying to know that our AI module makes a tremendous difference in patients' comfort and safety during a very stressful experience." About RSIP Vision RSIP Vision is a global leader in artificial intelligence, computer vision, and image processing technology. The company draws on a depth of knowledge and experience to provide customized services, sophisticated algorithms, and deep learning technology to businesses of all kinds, most notably medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and autonomous driving. RSIP Vision develops practical AI modules that ensure precision, reduce time to market, cut costs, and free the core R&D team for other endeavors, saving significant time and money and giving businesses a real edge over the competition. RSIP Vision partners with customers on scientific research and development projects using customized algorithms in fields including physics, computer science, mathematics, biomedicine, and neuroscience. RSIP Vision is headquartered in Jerusalem, with U.S. offices in San Jose, CA, and Boston, MA. More information is available on the company website: www.rsipvision.com. Media Contact: DeeDee Rudenstein 267-521-9654 [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/knee-replacement-patients-enjoy-life-changing-surgical-outcomes-with-rsip-visions-revolutionary-ai-solution-300857984.html SOURCE RSIP Vision [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Computer Design & Integration LLC (CDI LLC) Achieves Three VMware Master Services Competencies Computer Design & Integration LLC (CDI LLC) announced today that it has successfully achieved three VMware Master Services Competencies in Network Virtualization, Data Center and Cloud Management and Automation. VMware Master Services Competencies are designed to help partners demonstrate customer-centric solutions and technical proficiency, with proven success and expertise in a specialized area of business. These competencies also allow partners to differentiate in specific solution areas. CDI has achieved competencies in the following: Cloud Management and Automation : Designates expertise in delivery of VMware Cloud Management and Automation solutions and services with deep understanding and execution of cloud management design principles and methodologies. : Designates expertise in delivery of VMware Cloud Management and Automation solutions and services with deep understanding and execution of cloud management design principles and methodologies. Data Center Virtualization : Designates expertise in delivery of VMware vSphere environments and digital infrastructure services with deep understanding of and execution in Data Center Virtualization design principles and methodologies. : Designates expertise in delivery of VMware vSphere environments and digital infrastructure services with deep understanding of and execution in Data Center Virtualization design principles and methodologies. Network Virtualization: Designates expertise in the delivery of VMware NSX environments and services with deployment and optimization of NSX environment capabilities. "Achieving these Master Services Competencies further demonstrates our VMware proficiency and commitment to helping enterprises accelerate their digital transformation initiatives," said William Huber, CTO, Services and Solutions, CDI. "By leveraging advanced VMware technologies and validated services delivery capabilities, our customers are able to meet their loud and software-defined business objectives across many solution areas." CDI is a VMware Enterprise Service Provider, a VMware Premier Solution Provider and holds many VMware distinctions, including: the VMware Cloud on AWS Solution Competency, VMware's Americas Software-Defined Data Center Partner of the Year, VMware Cloud and Services Partner Technical Advisory Board Member, VMware Cloud Provider Program Service Provider, VMware Certified Design Experts (VCDX) and VMware vExpert awardees. "VMware is pleased to recognize CDI for achieving three Master Services Competencies in Network Virtualization, Data Center and Cloud Management and Automation," said Shawn Toldo, vice president, Worldwide Solution Partners, VMware. "This achievement shows customers that partners like CDI are dedicated, invested and have validated expertise in advanced VMware technologies. We value CDI as a VMware partner, and appreciate their efforts in achieving this VMware distinction as they work to increase their service delivery capabilities." The VMware Partner Network is the framework for collaboration between VMware and its partners, offering a wide-range of benefits, training, certifications and rewards that meet the needs of a variety of partner expertise. About Computer Design & Integration LLC (CDI LLC): CDI LLC was founded in 1995, with corporate headquarters in New York City, as well as office locations in Teterboro, N.J., Philadelphia, Atlanta, Boston and Charlotte. The firm has been recognized as one of the nation's top 500 IT solution providers offering clients and businesses of all sizes the most up-to-date hybrid IT technology solutions that solve today's most complex business challenges. CDI LLC continually focuses on achieving client satisfaction by developing and implementing comprehensive and innovative technology solutions that enhance day-to-day business workflow processes. As one of the largest solution providers, CDI LLC combines the required experience, exceptional talent, quality assurance and stability that its clients strive to achieve. For more information, visit cdillc.com or call 1-877-216-0133. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube. VMware, vSphere, Workspace ONE, Horizon, and NSX are registered trademarks or trademarks of VMware, Inc. in the United States and other jurisdictions. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005060/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Innovation Pharmaceuticals to Attend 2019 BIO International Convention, June 3-6 BEVERLY, Mass., May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Innovation Pharmaceuticals (OTCQB:IPIX) (the Company), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, announced today that the Company will be attending the 2019 BIO International Convention, held June 3-6, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Industry representatives interested in scheduling one-on-one meetings with Innovation Pharmaceuticals management can email the Company, with available timeslots, at [email protected] . The three day-long conference is hosted by the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), which represents more than 1,100 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations. Innovation Pharmaceuticals plans to leverage the conference to continue to build and strengthen business development relationships across its clinical pipeline, which includes: Brilacidin , an immunomodulatory drug candidate with anti-inflammatory and antibiotic properties granted Fast Track designation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); and Kevetrin , an FDA Orphan Drug-designated p53-modulating anti-cancer drug candidate. Its an exciting time for the Company as we work toward solidifying Pharma partnershipsadvancing ongoing licensing efforts that are already well underway, as well as generating interest among other potential partners, said Arthur P. Bertolino, MD, PhD, MBA, President and Chief Medical Officer at Innovation Pharmaceuticals. Both Brilacidin and Kevetrin are Platform drug candidates with multiple therapeutic applications given unique mechanisms of action and properties. We feel strongly that these drug candidates hold tremendous treatment potential for improving the lives of countless patients and look forward to continuing to evaluate them in clinical trials. Additional 2019 BIO International Convention details ca be found by clicking here . Alerts Sign-up for Innovation Pharmaceuticals email alerts is available at: http://www.ipharminc.com/email-alerts/ About Innovation Pharmaceuticals Innovation Pharmaceuticals Inc. (IPIX) is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing a world-class portfolio of innovative therapies addressing multiple areas of unmet medical need, including inflammatory diseases, cancer, infectious disease, and dermatologic diseases. Brilacidin, a versatile compound with broad therapeutic potential, is in a new chemical class called defensin-mimetics. A Phase 2 trial of Brilacidin as an oral rinse for the prevention of Severe Oral Mucositis (SOM) in patients with Head and Neck Cancer, met its primary and secondary endpoints, including reducing the incidence of SOM. The Company plans to advance Brilacidin oral rinse into Phase 3 development, subject to available financial resources. Positive results were also observed in a Phase 2 Proof-of-Concept trial treating patients locally with Brilacidin for Ulcerative Proctitis/Ulcerative Proctosigmoiditis. A Phase 2b trial of Brilacidin showed a single intravenous dose of the drug delivered comparable outcomes to a seven-day dosing regimen of the FDA-approved blockbuster daptomycin in treating Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infections. Kevetrin is a novel anti-cancer drug shown to modulate p53, often referred to as the Guardian Angel Gene due to its crucial role in controlling cell mutations and has successfully completed a Phase 2 trial in ovarian cancer. More information is available on the Company website at www.IPharmInc.com . Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 including statements concerning projected timelines for the initiation and completion of clinical trials, including planned Phase 3 trials of Brilacidin, our future drug development plans, other statements regarding future product developments, and markets, including with respect to specific indications, and any other statements which are other than statements of historical fact. These statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause the Companys actual results and experience to differ materially from anticipated results and expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements. The Company has in some cases identified forward-looking statements by using words such as anticipates, believes, hopes, estimates, looks, expects, plans, intends, goal, potential, may, suggest, and similar expressions. Among other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements are the Companys need for, and the availability of, substantial capital in the future to fund its operations and research and development; including the amount and timing of the sale of shares of common stock under securities purchase agreements; the fact that the Companys compounds may not successfully complete pre-clinical or clinical testing, or be granted regulatory approval to be sold and marketed in the United States or elsewhere. A more complete description of these risk factors is included in the Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly the results of any revisions to any such forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by applicable law or regulation. INVESTOR AND MEDIA CONTACT Innovation Pharmaceuticals Inc. Leo Ehrlich [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Dallas Based Entrepreneurs Launch Medical Hologram B+A and Marketing Assistant Serving the Aesthetic Community DALLAS, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Aestheia Imaging, a hologram content management, and advertising subscription company introduced its disruptive technology at the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery last week at The Aesthetic Meeting in New Orleans. The company breaks the mold of in-practice marketing with the unveiling of XTHEIA; an interactive hologram display toting a Virtual Consult Assistant for medical office waiting rooms. Aestheia's launch poses a resolution to poor patient awareness; an underserved focal point of product education in the aesthetics industry. The company is led by Austin JM Podowski, CEO and accomplished Dallas Healthcare Business Tech executives Mike McDonald, President and Paul Herchman, Advisory Board Member. Well known Plastic Surgeon and photographer Dr. Barry DiBernardo of New Jersey Plastic Surgery leads the companies Medical Advisory Board and will continue to work to enhance upon the application. The company offers a connected holographic media platform to story map the patient jourey to brand and product education. Through the research and development of Aestheia's Medical Advisory Group, the company will offer holographic before and afters to patients so they can see pre-operative and post-operative procedure outcomes in true 3D, not previously available in the space. "We are dedicated to providing novel and ground breaking product innovation for the entire Aesthetic Community," comments McDonald. The company today offers a fully-automated and comprehensive holographic playlist for physician waiting rooms tethered to a cloud-based solution developed by the management team. "We are changing the way medical companies and physicians communicate with their customers and patients. The ALEXA of Aesthetics is now in the room," states Podowski. The team has also designed a customer facing iPad Pro application that allows a physician to remote control the device offering an in-app camera for patient photos. Mr. Podowski later comments, "The response received at ASAPS The Aesthetic Meeting affirms that our vision and product meet a need and resuscitate a lost connection with the consumer." The management team is dedicated to further pioneering advancements in hologram, AI, and AR in the evolving medical practice of the 21st century. The company is finalizing a third-round capital raise and will begin placement of their technology throughout Plastic Surgery Offices in North America in July 2019. The technology will also be on display in direct to consumer retail kiosks throughout the United States later this year. To get a sneak peak of Aestheia, follow the team's development, or learn more about the technology, follow @aestheiaimaging or visit www.aestheiaimaging.com. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dallas-based-entrepreneurs-launch-medical-hologram-ba-and-marketing-assistant-serving-the-aesthetic-community-300857844.html SOURCE Aestheia Imaging [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Travelocity Helps Vacation BFFs Plan Their Next Trip Drama-Free DALLAS, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- While planning a vacation with your best friend may sound like a fun way to spend time together, a recent study by Travelocity1 finds that friends can actually make the worst travel companions. In an online survey fielded ahead of National Best Friends Day on June 8, at least half of all millennial travelers say they've had a terrible travel experience with a friend, and for Gen Z travelers, a bad trip has big consequences. More than half (52%) of travelers ages 18-24 stopped speaking after a lousy vacation together. "More than 80 percent of travelers agree that you don't really know someone until you travel with them," said Laura Molnar, senior brand manager at Travelocity. "Personality differences are the biggest problem. Nearly half of respondents (48%) told us that they just couldn't deal with loud, rude or annoying friends or those who didn't share the same interests." Best friends aren't always the best travel companions According to study, friends make the worst travel companions (47%), followed closely by family members (30%). Significant others (15%) ranked third on the list, while spouses and coworkers faired the best. "Respondents were half as likely to cite their spouses as bad travel companions, proving there might be something to traveling with someone before you marry them," said Molnar. Age and maturity were also strong indicators of whether or not a friendship can withstand a vacation together. Millennials (44%) and Gen Z (37%) were most likely to report a bad travel companion while Boomers are the least likely to complain about a travel partner. "Younger travelers are nervous about taking a trip with someone they haven't traveled with before," said Molnar. "It seems that with age comes either the ability to put up with more or the wisdom to select a better travel mate." Don't get burned by a bad travel partner Based on results from their survey, Traveocity created a short quiz to help vacationers find out whether they'll be travel BFFs before embarking on a trip this summer. From June 8 through June 30, anyone who completes the quiz at Travelocity.com/TravelCompatible will receive a 10 percent off promo code to book a trip, whether they decide to travel together or not. "We want to help travelers plan a stress-free trip together, even before they pick a travel partner," said Molnar. "The more friends know about their vacation styles, the better they'll be able to plan a successful vacation, no matter where their travels take them." Via the quiz, travelers match with one of six travel personality types based on how they like to spend their time on vacation and the level of decision-making they want. The profiles range from "Explorer" and "Vacation Bum" to "Balance Seeker" and "Take Charge" traveler. From there, quiz takers learn which companions are best suited for their style and explore ideal destinations and activities for a drama-free trip together, like enjoying the spa, hanging by the pool, or hiking the toughest trails in Yosemite National Park. Some recommendations for "Vacation Bums" include lounging beachside in sunny Fort Lauderdale or aligning chakras in low-key Sedona. For "Balance Seekers" Travelocity suggests a vacation that's an equal mix of action and relaxation, like biking and sipping around Napa or surfing and snoozing along Hawaii's best beaches. Travel Companion Fast Facts Friends make the worst travel companions (47%), followed by family members (30%), significant others (15%) and spouses (7%). Of those who have had a bad travel companion, 40% of respondents said they stopped talking indefinitely or for a period of time. Men are more likely to cite spouses (13%) and coworkers (19%) as bad travel companions. Women would most like to skip a trip with family members (21%). 3-in-4 travelers say you never really know someone until you've traveled with them. Women (57%) and Gen Z (71%) travelers are more likely to get more nervous about traveling with someone new. Nearly half (50%) of millennial travelers have had a bad travel companion. Almost 40% of other travelers have, too. Of those who've had a bad travel companion, nearly half (48%) said personality differences ruined the trip. Being loud, rude or annoying were the most problematic traits (23%). "The companion seemed restless, angry, and told me about people that he disliked. I was glad to get rid of him." Not sharing the same interests was another top challenge (22%). "The partner was just focused on finding Wi-Fi and Starbucks rather than getting out and exploring the destination." Age and maturity have a lot to do with whether or not you should travel with a friend. While 36% of respondents overall said they've had a bad travel companion, the number jumps to almost 50% for millennials and Gen X. Gen Z (18-24) is the most likely to stop speaking to someone after a bad travel experience (52%). 1-in-3 said they've had a bad travel companion (37%). Millennials (25-44) were most likely to have traveled with a bad companion (44%) and get the most nervous about traveling with someone they don't know (19%). 40% of Gen X (45-54) travelers had a bad travel companion, the second highest behind Millennials. Boomers (55+) were the least likely to have a bad travel companion (27%), get nervous about traveling with someone (30%) or stop speaking to them (14%). Almost everyone agrees: 81% of respondents say that you should pick your travel partners carefully. 1 Report based on online survey conducted by Qualtrics in November 2018 among 507 U.S. respondents ages 18-64 who have traveled for leisure in the past 24 months. For more information: Mel Dohmen Sr Manager, Brand Marketing Travelocity Press Office [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/travelocity-helps-vacation-bffs-plan-their-next-trip-drama-free-300858257.html SOURCE Travelocity [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Managed IT Infrastructure Service Provider ServerCentral Turing Group Welcomes Thomas Johnson as Chief Information Security Officer CHICAGO, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In recognition of the increased financial, legal, regulatory, and operational risks facing companies as they undergo digital transformation, ServerCentral Turing Group (SCTG), a managed IT infrastructure service provider, today welcomes compliance and information security veteran Thomas Johnson as Chief Information Security Officer. Johnson brings 25 years of experience with helping Fortune 500 companies in the highly regulated healthcare, banking, government, and manufacturing industries to manage disaster recovery, business continuity, data protection, security products, and risk management projects. With his addition to its executive leadership team, SCTG reaffirms its focus on cybersecurity and helping clients manage complex compliance mandates. Cybersecurity risks have always existed and have been a priority for us, which is why were excited to appoint a Chief Information Security Officer to lead these efforts, said Daniel Brosk, Chief Operating Officer at SCTG. As our customers become more aware of the increased risks and regulations they face as they transform their businesses, SCTG is well positioned to guide our clients through their governance and cybersecurity initiatives. Because of its work in the healthcare, manufacturing, finane, and higher education sectors, SCTG understands that compliance requirements are evolving faster than ever and understands that non-compliance can have disastrous consequences. Companies in these industries need highly experienced information security experts to help them adhere to strict compliance mandates and ensure that organizational processes and procedures are adopted as the regulatory environment changes. Johnson is an Adjunct Professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology in its Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics department. Prior to SCTG, he was a security consultant at Peters and Associates, where he served as Chief Information Security Officer for various companies in the healthcare, banking, government and manufacturing sectors. Johnson has also served as Chief Information Security Officer at Metropolitan Bank Group, which is now Byline Bank. For more information about ServerCentral Turing Group and its cloud-native software development, Amazon Web Services consulting, cloud infrastructure, and global data center services, visit www.servercentral.com . About ServerCentral Turing Group At ServerCentralTuringGroup , we enable and transform businesses using technology. SCTG is one of a select number of global organizations to be an Equinix Gold Partner, a Digital Realty Trust Gold Partner, a VMware Gold Partner and an Amazon Web Services Advanced Consulting Partner, Managed Service Provider Partner and Authorized Public Sector Partner. Learn more at www.servercentral.com or by calling (888) 875-4804 or (312) 829-1111. Media Contact: Jack McHugh, [email protected] , (816) 679-8277 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] By Jung Min-ho China has threatened to use its position as a leading exporter of rare earths raw materials that are crucial for electronics in the escalating trade war with the United States. "If any country wants to use products made of China's rare earths exports to contain China's development, the Chinese people would not be happy with that," a spokesperson from the National Development and Reform Commission, China's state planner. According to the Global Times, a tabloid owned by the Communist Party's main mouthpiece, the People's Daily, Tuesday, rare-earth analyst Wu Chenhui claimed scaling down the exports to the United States would be a "smart hit" because U.S. companies depend on China for the material. "It could inflict substantial damage on the U.S. military and tech industry, as rare earths are a key material in manufacturing chips, radar, fiber optics, night-vision goggles, missile guiding systems and tank armor," the analyst said. "Just name a few big-name U.S. companies like Apple, Qualcomm and Raytheon they could suffer a lot from the countermeasures." Rare earths are a group of 17 elements used in producing various products including wind turbines, smartphones and even missiles. They are found in many parts of the world, but few countries mine or produce them because of environmental reasons. China accounted for 80 percent of the rare earths the United States imported from 2014 to 2017. The U.S. and its key allies can develop their own systems to mine and produce rare earths, but it will take some time. If China decides to reduce or ban the exports, short-term damage to the U.S. economy is inevitable. , Beijing banned the export of rare earths to Japan after it detained a Chinese fishing trawler captain. [May 29, 2019] CognitiveScale and Blue Prism Join Forces to Realize Intelligent Process Automation AUSTIN, Texas, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CognitiveScale Inc ., an Enterprise AI software pioneer, today announced it has joined the Blue Prism (AIM: PRSM) Technology Alliance Program (TAP). This alliance between CognitiveScale and Blue Prism will bring the power of open, scalable and trusted AI into RPA, driving Intelligent Process Automation (IPA) forward. The IPA market is estimated to be worth USD 13.75 billion by 2023 , largely fueled by the demand for automated systems that serve dynamic customer requirements, need for optimized resource utilization and enhanced decision-making, and increased investments for digital transformation of organizations. The business process automation segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. As part of the collaboration, CognitiveScales Amplify AI product suite will be available on Blue Prisms Digital Exchange (DX) platform starting with the Process Insights Agent. The Process Insights Agent automatically and transparently extracts, interprets, and unlocks knowledge and predictions in complex documents and business processes scaling human expertise and boosting productivity for core processes such as compliance, claims, underwriting, asset management, and digital procurement. Critical AI capabilities added within a Blue Prism Digital Worker as a result of the collaboration include named entity extraction, temporal topic modeling, optical character recognition, text extraction, document classification, explainability, and automated learning. CognitiveScale will soon add its Engage AI product suite including the Customer 360 Agent, which provides AI powered hyper-personalization and engagement, to Blue Prisms DX. The Customer 360 Agent helps businesses bring together both transactional and experience data including multi-structured content like text, images, audio, and video to generate a unique profile of one. This unique profile of one can then be used to power hyper-personalized experiences, predictions, and offers with evidence to build user trust. The Customer 360 Agent can be built on top of most enterprise CRM, commerce, and transactional systems using a built-in library of 122 adapters and connectors and can be deployed on mobile devices, chat services, and IoT devices, with support for rich message formatting and API connectivity. Blue Prism assets will also be available on CognitiveScales Cortex Marketplace, creating a larger ecosystem for enterprises seeking to achieve IPA to improve efficiencies and reduce costs. Customer quote: A few years ago, I brought CognitiveScale and Blue Prism together in the course of work we weredoing adding Artificial Intelligence to our payables automation program. AI plus RPA delivers true Intelligent Automation needed for complex processes. CognitiveScale and Blue Prism are long term key partners in our Intelligent Automation program as we are digitizing work, freeing up our teams to do much higher value work, added Lee Coulter, CEO of Ascension Shared Services. Analyst quote: "Despite offering the technical capability and the real advantage of breathing life into legacy systems and processes, standalone RPA hasnt inspired enterprises to rewire their business processes its really just helped them move data around the company faster and require less manual intervention. Our extensive research shows that business problems are not effectively solved by one stand-alone technology but by a combination of technologies, which is why a smart integration of RPA and AI is crucial for many of today's static RPA deployments to become part of a transformation journey. With Blue Prism's wealth of true, unattended RPA experience and CognitiveScale's exciting cognitive platform and process accelerators, we have a foundation for self-learning digital worker capability that adapts to enterprise needs and supports the evolution of digital business models," said Phil Fersht, CEO and Chief Analyst, HFS Research. CognitiveScale and Blue Prism spokespersons quotes: Enterprises can unlock tremendous value from their RPA investments with AI, said Akshay Sabhikhi, CEO of CognitiveScale. This partnership will enable CognitiveScale and Blue Prism to bring IPA to life by revolutionizing customer engagement and enabling smarter, more efficient business processes. Talking about the collaboration, Linda Dotts, SVP Global Partner Strategy and Programs for Blue Prism, said, RPA has evolved to become a key component in building out broader AI capabilities. We are heavily focused on solutions that will empower the digital workers to scale, learn and be more productive. This partnership is a step in that direction. CognitiveScales Cortex is the worlds first open enterprise AI software that radically simplifies design, development, delivery, and control of trusted and transparent AI systems. To help identify and mitigate ethical biases in AI engines, Cortex is built on the five pillars of Trusted AI: Data Ownership and Rights; Explainability; Fairness; Robustness; and Industry compliance. Blue Prisms connected-RPA platform gives enterprises a game changing way of staying competitive and accelerating time to market for new services and products by easily accessing and exploiting leading-edge cloud, AI and cognitive capabilities. About Blue Prism In this digital era where start-ups are constantly disrupting markets, only the most agile and innovative enterprises survive and thrive. At Blue Prism, we pioneered Robotic Process Automation (RPA), emerging as the trusted and secure intelligent automation choice for the Fortune 500 and public-sector market. Now we bring you connected-RPA supported by the Digital Exchange (DX) app storemarrying internal entrepreneurship with the power of crowdsourced innovation. Blue Prisms connected-RPA can automate and perform mission critical processes, allowing your people the freedom to focus on more creative, meaningful work. More than 1,300 global customers leverage Blue Prisms digital workforce, empowering their people to automate billions of transactions while returning hundreds of millions of hours of work back to the business. Visit www.blueprism.com to learn more about Blue Prism (AIM: PRSM). Follow Blue Prism on Twitter @blue_prism and on LinkedIn . About CognitiveScale CognitiveScale is an Enterprise AI software pioneer that pairs humans and machines to bring practical, scalable, trusted AI solutions to life. NBC Universal, Dell, Jackson and Anthem are among the top global innovators that trust CognitiveScale to transform customer engagement and optimize business processes using AI. CognitiveScales award-winning and proven Cortex software and expert teams empower financial services, digital commerce and healthcare organizations to radically simplify the development, deployment and management of their AI systems. Cortex is available on public, private, hybrid, and multi-cloud environments. CognitiveScale implements the Cognitive Agent Modeling and Execution Language (CAMEL) which defines an open, language, and platform-agnostic specification for programming cognitive agents. Enterprises can leverage CAMEL AI to create AI agents, skills, models and datasets to avoid vendor lock-in. CognitiveScale is #1 in AI patents among privately held companies and #4 overall since 2013. The company is headquartered in Austin, Texas, and has offices in New York, London and Hyderabad. Investors include Norwest Venture Partners, Intel Capital, IBM Watson, M12 (Microsoft Ventures), and USAA. CognitiveScale is recognized by the World Economic Forum as well as top industry analysts for positively impacting business and society with AI. Follow CognitiveScale on Twitter @cognitivescale and on LinkedIn . Media Contact Cassady Nordeen Blast PR on behalf of CognitiveScale 718-644-0273 [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Ordr Systems Control Engine App Now Available on Cortex by Palo Alto Networks SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Ordr, the leader in actionable AI for the hyper-connected enterprise, today announced the availability of the Ordr Systems Control Engine (SCE) app on Cortex by Palo Alto Networks the industry's only open and integrated AI-based continuous security platform. Building on Cortex allows partners to use normalized and stitched together data from customers' entire enterprises to build cloud-based apps that constantly deliver innovative cybersecurity capabilities to joint customers. With the quantity and heterogeneity of network-connected devices expanding faster than they can be regulated and secured, more critical devices are left vulnerable to service disruption, data theft, compromise for ransom, or the potential to serve as a launchpad for other attacks. The most effective means to protect IoT and digital OT devices is through micro-segmentation and Zero Trust policy rules. The Ordr app on Cortex utilizes contextual data from Cortex Data Lake to discover, classify and group all devices connected to the network and dynamically generate Palo Alto Networks next-generation firewall security policy rules to deliver streamlined micro-segmentation. "The hyper-connected enterprise has grown increasingly vulnerable from an access perspective, to the point that securing it requires visibility and control at a microscopic level," said Gnanaprakasam Pandian, Chief Product Officer at Ordr." The Ordr app on Cortex can passively discover every connected device with high-definition detail and without the use of agents. This is micro-segmentation at its most efficient, and it is the best way to allow devices to properly function while protecting them from insider or outsider atack." "Cortex partners can leverage the vast amount of rich data available from across the enterprise to create AI-based innovations that provide more automated and accurate security outcomes to our joint customers," said Karan Gupta, SVP of Engineering for Cortex at Palo Alto Networks. "We're proud to welcome Ordr to our expanding ecosystem of developers building innovative apps." Cortex is designed to radically simplify and significantly improve security outcomes. Deployed on a global, scalable public cloud platform, Cortex allows security teams to speed the analysis of massive data sets. Cortex is enabled by the Cortex Data Lake, where customers can securely and privately store and analyze large amounts of data normalized for advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning to find threats and orchestrate responses quickly. Visit Ordr at the Palo Alto Networks Ignite conference, June 3-7 2019, in Austin Texas. Availability The Ordr Systems Control Engine app is now available worldwide to customers on the Cortex hub. About Ordr Ordr is delivering the first actionable artificial intelligence (AI)-based systems control engine for the hyper-connected enterprise, providing complete visibility and exhaustive control over every class of connected device and system. The Ordr Systems Control Engine is purpose-built to fully map the device flow genome at massive scale, to continuously inspect, classify and baseline the behavior of every device. Ordr's architecture is unique in its ability to process enormous quantities of data in real-time, using sophisticated AI to deliver closed-loop security, automatically generating and implementing policies by integrating with existing multi-vendor network and security infrastructure. Founded November 2015, Ordr is headquartered in Santa Clara,CA. For more information visit: www.ordr.net Palo Alto Networks and Cortex are trademarks of Palo Alto Networks, Inc. in the United States and in jurisdictions throughout the world. All other trademarks, trade names or service marks used or mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. Media Contact: Andy Meltzer [email protected] 617-821-4829 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ordr-systems-control-engine-app-now-available-on-cortex-by-palo-alto-networks-300858130.html SOURCE Ordr [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Purpose Messages Evoke Greater Attention, Arousal And Emotion, According To First-Of-Its-Kind Biometrics Research By Porter Novelli/Cone 79% of Americans feel a deeper personal connection to companies with values similar to their own NEW YORK, May 29, 2019 /CNW/ -- Americans are more likely to have a positive image of (89%), trust in (86%) and be loyal (83%) to brands that lead with Purpose, according to the 2019 Porter Novelli/Cone Purpose Biometrics Study. This first-of-its-kind biometrics study, examines not only what consumers say they will do to support responsible brands, but also how they feel and physically react when exposed to Purpose-driven messaging. "After tracking consumer data for more than 25 years, we're confident the consumer appetite and demand for Purpose-driven brands continues to be strong," says Brad MacAfee, CEO, Porter Novelli. "However, in this study, we wanted to explore the power of Purpose in creating deeper emotional connections with consumers, that then inspire them to act." The research combined an online study of more than 1,000 American adults with the results of biometrics testing among a select group of respondents. It measured facial, heart rate and skin conductance impulses that captured levels of emotion, attention and arousal/stimulation upon viewing a randomized set of advertisements. Respondents viewed two ads from the same brand a Purpose-driven advertisement (e.g., support of a social issue, responsible business practice) and an advertisement focusing on the functional attributes of the product (e.g., performance, features or specifications). The research found that Purpose-driven messaging has a greater ability to capture the physical and emotional attention of respondents compared to functional narratives. Purpose ignites physical and emotional responses Brands that share Purpose messages evoke demonstrable heightened physical responses. The results of the biometrics study found the Purpose-driven advertisements were most effective in two-out-of-three brand categories tested with higher levels of attention, emotion and arousal from these advertisements overall. Further, when the advertisements' narrators homed in on the aim of each ad either sharing the product attribute/functional message or Purpose-driven message, the Purpose narrative outperformed among all three advertisement sets with increased attention and arousal, and in cases, more positive emotion. In comparison, during the functional narratives, attention wavered, arousal often decreased and in one instance, respondents felt a negative emotion bordering on annoyance. Purpose builds deeper bonds By leading with Purpose and connecting with consumers on shared values, companies are poised to build significant and lasting relationships with individuals. Nearly eight-in-10 (79%) Americans say they feel a deeper personal connection to companies with values similar to their own. And, nearly three-quarters (72%) of consumers believe Purpose-driven companies care about them and their families more. During the biometrics survey, when asked about each of the advertisements they were exposed to, participants overwhelmingly felt better about the companies behind the Purpose-driven ads. Respondents also felt the Purpose-driven advertisements were more unique, and in two-out-of-three instances, inspired more trust. The exception to this rule was an automotive advertisement, where a narrative around functional and safety features led respondents to trust the car brand more. However, in all three cases, respondents readily agreed they felt a more positive emotional connection to the brands behind the Purpose messages. Automotive Household Cleaning Technology Functional Purpose Functional Purpose Functional Purpose Feel better 14% 86% 5% 95% 5% 95% More unique 14% 86% 38% 62% 19% 81% Inspired more trust 52% 48% 19% 81% 14% 86% Positive emotional connection 5% 95% 14% 86% 5% 95% "Through conducting biometrics research, we see the power of Purpose messages to break through and resonate with consumers on a deeper level," says Alison DaSilva, EVP, Purpose, Porter Novelli/Cone. "Purpose-first communications spark an often-unconscious physical reaction by speaking to the hearts and minds of consumers, ultimately forming deeper emotional connections by appealing to individual values and what matters most." Purpose inspires brand advocates and amplification The emotional bonds formed by leading with Purpose inspires individuals to promote the brand in many ways: 72% - Feel proud to be associated with the brand (e.g., wearing the company logo) 74% - Tell others to buy products from that company 62% - Share information about that company on their social networks These ardent supporters are also keen to support Purpose-driven companies even in tough times. Seventy-five percent of Americans said they'd be more willing to forgive a company if it makes a misstep, and the same amount (75%) would defend that company if someone spoke badly of it. The biometrics research proved Purpose-driven advertisements also led to greater propensity for respondents to become promoters on behalf of the brand. After viewing the Purpose-driven advertisements, respondents were then inspired to talk, share and advocate for these companies. In all three advertisement sets, respondents said they'd be more likely to talk about the advertisement and the brand with friends and family and share and discuss the advertisement on social media. Automotive Household Cleaning Technology Functional Purpose Functional Purpose Functional Purpose Talk to friends and family about the commercial 19% 81% 29% 71% 24% 76% Talk to friends and family about the brand 38% 62% 10% 90% 19% 81% Share advertisement on social media 24% 76% 29% 71% 5% 95% Discuss brand on social media 19% 81% 19% 81% 10% 90% Purpose creates audiences primed to take action Americans indicate support of Purpose-driven companies in ways that will directly impact a company's bottom-line as nearly nine-in-10 (86%) consumers say they are likely to purchase from these companies. Beyond using their wallets, Purpose becomes a key consideration in where to work and what companies to invest in. Americans are motivated to support these companies in the following ways: 86% - Purchase products and services from that company 81% - Support that company in their community 70% - Want to work for that company 64% - Want to invest in that company Here, the biometrics research produced divergent results. When asked about the propensity to purchase, biometrics participants felt they'd be more likely to choose the advertisement featuring the product attributes in two of the three categories. "When a company authentically communicates and delivers upon its Purpose, it will capture the hard-to-secure attention, favorability and trust of consumers. But it alone won't trigger a sale," says DaSilva. "Companies must find the right balance of sharing both their Purpose and functional product benefits to drive purchase. Equally important is that these messages are backed up with strong programs and policies. Consumers will do research and due diligence to make sure a company claiming it leads with Purpose is walking the talk and living upon those values both internally and externally." Americans feel the urgency to support Purpose-driven brands There's a clear reason Americans feel a strong sense of loyalty toward companies that pursue Purpose. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of Americans say that in today's uncertain social and political times, they feel an urgency to support issues in every way they can. And that sense of urgency is filtering into the brands consumers want to engage with. In fact, 72 percent of Americans say they feel it is more important than ever that the companies they buy from reflect their values. And supporting these organizations helps Americans feel they are contributing to issues that are important to them: 79% say supporting companies that have similar values is a way for them to show the world they care 76% say supporting companies that are addressing social and environmental issues helps them feel they're doing their part This push to support companies with values that align with consumers' own also contributes to a shift in how Americans view businesses' role in society evolving. Today, more than three-quarters (76%) of Americans believe it is no longer acceptable for companies to just make money; they expect them to positively impact society, as well. And although the majority believe companies should address issues that impact or are impacted by the business directly, such as the environment or human rights, the scope of a responsible business also extends beyond this. Americans believe companies should address: 86% - Issues that directly impact, or are impacted by, the business 79% - Issues that are important to them personally 75% - Issues that are widely discussed in news and society "In a time where consumers feel a heightened sense of urgency to address the issues they see as critical, they are looking to embrace brands that share those same values," says MacAfee. "Now more than ever, brands that lead with Purpose can connect with consumers on the values that matter most to them forming an emotional connection that builds deeper bonds, inspires brand advocates and ignites action that transcends any transactional relationship." About the Research The 2019 Porter Novelli/Cone Purpose Biometrics Study is a multi-methodology study that presents the findings of an online survey conducted by Toluna from March 21-26, 2019 among a random sample of 1,193 American adults age 18+, comprising 510 males and 683 females. The margin of error for a sample of this size is 3% at a 95% level of confidence. The study also presents the findings of biometrics research conducted by HCD Research among a random sample of 21 American adults ages 23-38, comprising 10 males and 11 females. Participants were hooked up to biometric sensors (facial EMG [electromyography], heart rate and GSR [galvanic skin response] sensors) synced with eye tracking software to help gain an aggregate understanding into consumers' subconscious reactions to testing stimuli. Participants were also asked to fill out a brief survey about the testing stimuli to help gain an understanding into their conscious reactions. About Porter Novelli & Cone Porter Novelli is a global public relations agency born from the idea that the art of communication can advance society. More than 45 years ago, we opened our doors and people's eyes and minds for brands driven to make a positive impact. Today, we believe that organizations must find, live and tell their Purpose in order to thrive. Those companies will motivate action, secure loyalty and encourage advocacy all in service to a healthier bottom line. In 2017, Cone joined Porter Novelli, and the next year formed the world's largest dedicated Global Purpose Practice. Together, with a collective 80 years of experience and more than 100 subject matter experts, Porter Novelli and Cone help more than 140 organizations define their authentic Purpose, weaving it into the brand DNA to both grow the business and positively impact the world. Our deep subject matter expertise in Purpose Brand Strategy, CSR, Social Marketing, Social Impact and Brand Communications creates breakthrough work and unforgettable experiences to ignite action around issues that matter. For additional information, please visit www.porternovelli.com/. Porter Novelli is a part of the Omnicom Public Relations Group. About Omnicom Public Relations Group Omnicom Public Relations Group is a global collective of three of the top global public relations agencies worldwide and specialist agencies in areas including public affairs, marketing to women, global health strategy and corporate social responsibility. It encompasses more than 6,300 public relations professionals in more than 370 offices worldwide who provide their expertise to companies, government agencies, NGOs and nonprofits across a wide range of industries. Omnicom Public Relations Group delivers for clients through a relentless focus on talent, continuous pursuit of innovation and a culture steeped in collaboration. Omnicom Public Relations Group is part of the DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) that includes more than 200 companies in a wide range of marketing disciplines including advertising, public relations, healthcare, customer relationship management, events, promotional marketing, branding and research. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/purpose-messages-evoke-greater-attention-arousal-and-emotion-according-to-first-of-its-kind-biometrics-research-by-porter-novellicone-300857801.html SOURCE Porter Novelli [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Arjuna Capital: Oil Majors Face "Existential Threat" from Near-Sighted Response to Climate Change ExxonMobil and Chevron (News - Alert) will square off at annual meetings today with concerned investors who want to see greater action to address climate change risk, and a tangible shift in the corporate culture behind the companies' intransigence. Exxon is telling its shareholders to vote against a proxy resolution filed by Arjuna Capital, urging the oil giant to create a new climate change board committee for the purpose of ensuring that the "existential threats" of climate change are being fully addressed. Chevron is opposing the same resolution, up for a vote today, led by Arjuna and co-filed by As You Sow. Arjuna Capital's Climate Change Board Committee Exxon proposal and memo to shareholders are available for download online at: https://arjuna-capital.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Exxon-2019-Climate-Change-Committee.pdf and https://arjuna-capital.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/XOM_Memo_Climate-Change-Board-Committee_2019.pdf. Arjuna Capital's proposal, co-filed by As You Sow, at Chevron on the Climate Change Board Committee is available online at: https://arjuna-capital.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Chevron-2019-Climate-Change-Committee-Proposal.pdf. The ExxonMobil shareholder proposal states: "Shareholders request the [ExxonMobil] Board of Directors charter a new Board Committee on Climate Change to evaluate ExxonMobil's strategic vision and responses to climate change, and better inform Board decision making on climate issues. The charter should explicitly require the committee to engage in formal review and oversight of corporate strategy, above and beyond matters of legal compliance, to assess the company's responses to climate related risks and opportunities, including the potential impacts of climate change on business, strategy, financial planning, and the environment." Natasha Lamb, managing partner at Arjuna Capital said: "It's clear to investors that Exxon and Chevron face an existential threat that will not be assuaged by denial or simple lip service. It should be the responsibility of the companies' boards to pivot the businesses for success in a low carbon economy. Instead, proactive climate change strategy appears divergent to board priorities. Given the severity of the climate crisis, dedicated committees with climate expertise are far overdue at the oil majors. As investors, we have been pressing on these issues every year, but there is no accountability to change. This year's proposal elevates the issue to the board, so as to clarify the fiduciary responsibility of the board members. This is a pragmatic approach that we think deserves broad support from shareholders." Arjuna Capital's Climate Change Board Committee proposal at ExxonMobil and Chevron seeks to establish a unique group with delineated duties to make sure that climate change is given adequate, rather than tangential, focus. The envisioned climate change committee will create clear lines of responsibility, in terms of who is setting policy on climate change. It will strengthen the entire board, making it more climate-competent. Lamb continued: "Investor capital is at substantial risk in the face of climate change policy, competition from renewables, peak oil demand, and unburnable fossil fuel reserves. Implementing our Proposal would formalize board-level oversight of climate change strategy so our company may remain successful in an increasingly decarbonizing economy." Arjuna Capital is urging ExxonMobil shareholders to vote in support of "Proposal #7" at its annual shareholder meeting in Dallas for the following reasons: Exxon faces unprecedented disruption to its business model if it fails to adequately plan for a low carbon transition. A board committee can provide the full board with the data needed to make a strategic companywide pivot, encourage GHG reduction goals, and redirect its business model and financial flows consistent with the Paris Agreement. A formal board committee charter delineates responsibility and clarifies a fiduciary duty of care to become well informed on climate issues. Arjuna Capital is an investment firm focused on sustainable and impact investing. Lamb and Arjuna Capital have been recognized for using shareholder resolutions to promote gender pay equity in the tech, banking, and retail sectors. Natasha Lamb was named to the "Bloomberg (News - Alert) 50" list of influencers who defined global business in 2017. For more information, visit www.Arjuna-Capital.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005634/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Business Owners to Learn How to Protect their Dream at International Franchise Expo HOBOKEN, N.J., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Carl Mazzanti, the President and Co-founder of eMazzanti Technologies, a NYC area small business managed services provider (MSP) and IT security consultant, will address entrepreneurs and future business owners as a featured speaker at the New York International Franchise Expo (IFE). The three-day event is scheduled for May 30 to June 1 at the Javits Center, 11th Avenue and 37th Street, New York City. Mazzanti will be presenting on the topic, "You Built it, Customers Love it Learn how to protect your Dream Now" on Thursday, May 30th, from 2:30 pm to 3:15 pm. IFE attendees can hear Mazzanti's address at the Business Resource Center, a regular component of the IFE, located in the Javits Center. The Business Resource Center/IFE, New York Expo continues to be an outstanding feature of the show, now in its 27th year. In addition, eMazzanti's small business cyber-security experts will be available during the show to discuss revenue, productivity and growth enhancing technologies. Exhibit hours are 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Thursday, May 30 and Friday, May 31, and 10:00 am to 4:00 pm Saturday, June 1, 2019. Business leaders pursuing small business cyber-security solutions should meet with eMazzanti Technologies small business cyber-security experts during exhibit hours in booth 372. Or, they can call Carl Mazzanti at 201-360-4410 to arrange a meeting. Interested parties can also Register for the event here. The three-day nternational Franchise Expo is recognized as one of the leading educational forums available to the business community. Organizers attribute this success to the involvement of recognized industry experts like Carl Mazzanti. A synopsis of his presentation follows. You Built it, Customers Love it Learn how to protect your Dream Now "Hackers and natural disasters pose real threats to business survival. Learn how high availability and an effective cyber-defense keep you in business even when others are trying to take you down." IFE attendees come to learn how to own their own franchise and be their own boss. At the show, they can meet hundreds of proven franchise brands at every investment level, in every industry starting under $10,000. Those looking to invest in a franchise or franchise their existing business will find multiple seminars to meet their needs. The International Franchise Expo (IFE) is the premier annual event for the franchise industry with hundreds of franchises on display. IFE also offers the industry's most comprehensive conference and educational program to gain the ins and outs and behind the scenes information needed for success right from the start. Billed as the largest franchise expo in the country, the International Franchise Expo brings together thousands of entrepreneurs and future business owners with over 400 proven franchise opportunities from every industry and every investment level, full-time and part-time. Business Owners Get Technology Help eMazzanti Technologies brings 18 years of hands-on experience helping small businesses survive difficult challenges and prosper during good times and bad. The company's productivity-enhancing small business cloud solutions, retail technology and defense-in-depth cyber-security offerings are tailored to the needs of small and mid-size businesses. Call 1-866-362-9926 today to learn more. Related resource information: Visuals for the Win: Essential Website Design Tips Carl Mazzanti, New Jersey Information Governance Highlighted by ARMA New Jersey About eMazzanti Technologies eMazzanti's team of trained, certified IT experts rapidly deliver increased revenue growth, data security and productivity for clients ranging from law firms to high-end global retailers, expertly providing advanced retail and payment technology, digital marketing services, cloud and mobile solutions, multi-site implementations, 247 outsourced network management, remote monitoring and support. eMazzanti has made the Inc. 5000 list eight consecutive years, is a 3X Microsoft Partner of the Year, the #1 Ranked NYC Managed Service Provider, NJ Business of the Year, and 5X WatchGuard Partner of the Year! Contact: 1-866-362-9926, [email protected] or http://www.emazzanti.net Twitter: @emazzanti Facebook: Facebook.com/emazzantitechnologies. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/business-owners-to-learn-how-to-protect-their-dream-at-international-franchise-expo-300858169.html SOURCE eMazzanti Technologies [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] EY Announces Adam D. Vincent of ThreatConnect, Inc. Entrepreneur Of The Year 2019 Mid-Atlantic Award Finalist EY today announced that CEO Adam Vincent of ThreatConnect, Inc., provider of the industry's only intelligence-driven security operations platform, is a finalist for the Entrepreneur of The Year 2019 Mid-Atlantic Award. This program recognizes entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies who are excelling in areas such as innovation, financial performance, and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Now in its 33rd year, the program has expanded to recognize business leaders in more than 145 cities and more than 60 countries throughout the world. The program makes a difference by encouraging entrepreneurial activity among those with potential and recognizes the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. Vincent was selected as a finalist by a panel of independent judges. The independent judging panel includes previous award winners, leading CEOs, private equity and venture capital investors, and other regional business luminaries "It's an honor to have been chosen as a finalist again," said Vincent. "I continue to be amazed at the accomplishments of the finalists and am grateful to be part of this group. Getting to this point would not have happened had it not been for the inspiring group of people I am lucky to call colleagues. I am proud of the company's 2018 growth and hope for more of the same this year." In 2018, ThreatConnect was selected by Inc500 as one of the fastest growing companies in the US, and as one of the DC area's 75 Fastest Growing Companies by Washington Business Journal. Award winners will be announced at a special gala event on June 13, 2019 at the Ritz-Carlton, Washington, DC. Regional award winners are eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year National competition. About ThreatConnect ThreatConnect, Inc. provides a proactive and efficient approach to security by enabling enhanced detection, shortened response, and reduced risk. Designed by analysts but built for the entire team (security operations, threat intelligence, incident response and security leadership), ThreatConnect's intelligence-driven security operations platform is the only solution available today with intelligence, automation, analytics, and workflows in a single platform. To learn more about our threat intelligence platform (TIP) or security orchestration, automation, and response (SOAR) solutions, visit www.ThreatConnect.com. About Entrepreneur Of The Year Entrepreneur Of The Year, founded by EY, is the world's most prestigious business awards program for entrepreneurs. The program makes a difference through the way it encourages entrepreneurial activity among those with potential and recognizes the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. As the first and only truly global awards program of its kind, Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognizing them through regional, national and global awards programs in more than 145 cities and more than 60 countries. ey.com/eoy About EY EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities. For more information, please visit ey.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005557/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] ADDING and REPLACING New Arizona State Trade Office in Israel Celebrated by the Arizona Israel Technology Alliance and Arizona Technology Council In release dated May 28, 2019, please note the addition of a new sentence at the end of the first paragraph. Also, text has been added in the second sentence of the fourth paragraph. It now reads: "Our partnership with AITA and the Arizona Commerce Authority has helped..." The corrected release reads: NEW ARIZONA STATE TRADE OFFICE IN ISRAEL CELEBRATED BY THE ARIZONA ISRAEL TECHNOLOGY ALLIANCE AND ARIZONA TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL Trade Office to Fulfill the Non-Profit Organizations' Vision of Strengthening Deep Ties Between Arizona and Israel Following the passage of the Arizona state budget that includes funding for the establishment of an Arizona trade office in Israel, the Arizona Israel Technology Alliance (AITA) and the Arizona Technology Council (AZTC) today celebrated the move. AITA and AZTC have been instrumental in strengthening ties between Israel and Arizona, and have worked tirelessly to ensure the trade office became a reality. The new office will be overseen by the Arizona Commerce Authority, the state's lead economic development agency, and AITA and AZTC looks forward to collaborating with them. "Our goal has always been to promote trade and investment between Arizona and Israel, and establishing a trade office is a huge leap forward in that collaborative process," said Leib Bolel, president and CEO of the AITA, and venture partner at Grayhawk Capital. "We applaud Gov. Ducey and the state Legislature for recognizing the potential of trade relations between these two innovative powerhouses, which will reap economic benefits for years to come." Steven G. Zylstra, president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council, shares Bolel's vision of increasing bilateral trade. He also serves on AITA's advisory board. "The Arizona Technology Council fully supports the new trade office in Israel," said Zylstra. "Our partnership with AITA and the Arizona Commerce Authority has helped both Arizona and Israel solidify their global presence in the technology community. The passing of this legislation represents another step forward in establishing Arizona and Israel as influential leaders in innovation." ince AITA's inception, the number of Israeli companies with operations in Arizona has increased from 12 to 18. This increase doubled the workforce of local, Israeli-owned companies and led to numerous trade delegations between the two areas. To date, AITA has supported more than 100 Israeli companies seeking to increase ties with Arizona. AITA also created an advisory board in late 2018 to increase business and bilateral trade through B2B initiatives, business attraction and investment. AITA, which was established in October 2017, has been instrumental in helping Israeli industry leaders like Airobotics, Eviation and IMNA Solutions open their U.S. headquarters in Arizona. "To see Arizona create a trade office in Israel aligns with the efforts and successes of the Arizona Israel Technology Alliance," said Eitan Weiss, consul general of Israel, Los Angeles. "I would like to thank Gov. Ducey for his vision and leadership, the Arizona legislature and the head of the legislative international committee, state representative Tony Rivero. I look forward to the ever-strengthening relations." The relationship between Arizona and Israel benefits both parties because both areas align in key industries, including autonomous vehicles, digital health, aerospace and cybersecurity. AITA is embracing similarities to help propel both Arizona and Israel forward in the global trade economy. The legislation that created the trade office was spearheaded by Arizona Rep. Tony Rivero and supported by a variety of public and private sector leaders. Rep. Rivero advocated to include funding in Arizona's budget for the Israeli office, as well as for expanding Arizona's trade presence in Mexico. "Israel's new trade office is a major victory for Arizona," said Rivero. "This development not only helps reinforce Arizona's reputation as a business-friendly state, but it also provides Arizona and Israeli companies with an additional avenue to succeed in the global marketplace." About the Arizona Israel Technology Alliance The Arizona Israel Technology Alliance (AITA) serves as the premier resource for companies and organizations in Arizona and Israel on collaborative initiatives. AITA is dedicated to promoting and strengthening business, investment, entrepreneurship, technology and trade relations between the technology communities of Arizona and Israel. AITA's purpose is to increase and support bilateral trade and investment between Arizona and Israel, with each offering resources and opportunities across the technology industry. Visit the Arizona Israel Technology Alliance's website at www.arizonaisrael.com. About the Arizona Technology Council The Arizona Technology Council is Arizona's premier trade association for science and technology companies. Recognized as having a diverse professional business community, Council members work towards furthering the advancement of technology in Arizona through leadership, education, legislation and social action. The Council offers numerous events, educational forums and business conferences that bring together leaders, visionaries and community members to make an impact on the technology industry. These interactions contribute to the Council's culture of growing member businesses and transforming technology in Arizona. To become a member or to learn more about the Arizona Technology Council, please visit www.aztechcouncil.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190528005836/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Los Angeles AI Company Brings First of Image Cognition (the Future of Computer Vision) to the Phone CloudSight, an award-winning AI company, releases its groundbreaking image cognition engine for mobile devices. "Most AI is like a toddler, calling things 'purse,' 'chair,' or 'table.' Our AI is the grown-up version. It says, 'pair of men's black derby shoes,' 'white 3-seat leather sectional sofa with chaise,' or 'round black Michael Kors chronograph watch with brown leather strap.' Developers now have tremendous flexibility to create friendly and intelligent apps, robotics, toys, and other products using our powerful image recognition," said Brad Folkens, CEO. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005295/en/ CloudSight's tehnology achieves human-like visual intelligence from trillions of visual components it has seen over the past seven years. The proprietary system learns continuously when it sees new images, preventing it from becoming obsolete when new objects appear in the world. "It's breathtaking. There are many privacy concerns with AI today, but what if those images never left your phone? It's complete security," said Folkens. About CloudSight Inc. CloudSight is a Los Angeles-based tech company founded in 2012. With a unique system that learns over time, CloudSight utilizes real-world data curated over the last seven years to train deep learning neural networks to understand visual media. The company is backed by over $10 million in funding and has over 30 patents pending worldwide. Its mission is to bring visual cognition and understanding to artificial intelligence, giving AI the ability to understand what it sees. Website: https://cloudsight.ai/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005295/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Penumbra Brands Adds Former Xfinity Mobile, Samsung, and Sprint Growth Leader to Executive Team Penumbra Brands, a leading mobile device accessories and technology company, today announced the appointment of Anne "Petey" McKnight as vice president of marketing. McKnight will direct the company's marketing efforts and dotcom initiatives for the Gadget Guard, Black Ice and alara brands, working to catapult these brands to similar success as Xfinity Mobile, Samsung (News - Alert) and Sprint. As a member of the executive team, she will craft messaging and go-to-market strategies for the company's device protection products along with its innovative RF radiation reduction solutions, both domestically and internationally. "We hired Petey because we want her experience and leadership to guide us through the launch of some incredible innovations we have planned in the mobile device market over the next couple of years," said Gentry Jensen, CEO for Penumbra Brands. "Her knowledge of the mobile landscape and her track record of success will help Penumbra Brands continue to win nationally and internationally." McKnight brings extensive marketing experience in the wireless industry with a proven ability to successfully launch new generations of wireless products and services with on-point messaging, integrated product launches, nd channel promotions. Most recently, McKnight served as vice president of marketing for Xfinity Mobile, where she led the brand development and launch at Comcast (News - Alert). That launch gained more than 200,000 customers in less than 4 months and more than 1 million customers by the end of its first year, winning multiple national marketing and international awards. At Samsung Telecommunications America, she and the marketing team grew revenue five-fold from 2009 to 2014 and built Samsung into a top 10 brand worldwide. McKnight was the marketing leader on the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S 3, 4, and 5 and several other iconic brands, changing paradigms of the industry. McKnight also spent 11 years at Sprint (News - Alert) PCS in executive roles, including director of strategic planning and as one of the company's first directors of consumer marketing. She pioneered the idea of Sprint PCS Free & Clear, which helped Sprint PCS reach $10 billion in revenue. She also led marketing efforts for the launch of text messaging and Wireless Web, both industry firsts in the U.S. "I look forward to helping establish Penumbra as an industry innovator in creating mobile device accessories and stepping forward as the category leader in protection from cell phone radiation," McKnight said. "I'm excited about the future of our unique products for mobile devices as well as advancing Penumbra Brands' initiatives around the education of implications of mobile phone RF frequencies and the implementation of 5G." For more information, visit PenumbraBrands.com. About Penumbra Brands Penumbra Brands offers and supports products that improve the performance, aesthetic and lifespan of mobile devices while increasing retailer profitability and customer peace of mind. We are the innovation leader in our industry sector, delivering products that protect and enhance our customers' devices. We are progressively raising the bar for the safe and healthy use of mobile devices by continually developing new technology, materials and products. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005706/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] SAF+ CONSORTIUM Finalist of the Sky's the Limit Challenge Its clean fuel production technology will revolutionize the aviation industry MONTREAL, May 29, 2019 /CNW Telbec/ - SAF+ CONSORTIUM is proud to have been selected as a finalist in Impact Canada's / Natural Resources Canada's Challenge. The technology and the highly innovative approach on which the Consortium's clean fuel is developed, convinced the jury of the huge potential for the aviation industry. Using an innovative circular economy solution, SAF+ CONSORTIUM transforms CO2 emitted by industries into an alternative fuel that has the same chemical properties as kerosene, while reducing carbon footprint by 80% over its life cycle. We would like to thank Natural Resources Canada for implementing this Challenge. This is an exceptional opportunity to value the efforts being made to find sustainable approaches, both economically and environmentally, to the challenges facing the aviation industry. , says Jean Paquin, President and CEO, SAF + CONSORTIUM. The civil aviation sector needs to find sustainable and cost-effective alternatives to meet the obligations set forth by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). This new clean fuel will lead to a revolution in the aviation industry while contributing to the achievement of GHG reduction targets in Quebec and Canada and promoting their respective economic developmet. The $2 million prize we receive today will allow us to complete our first demonstration plant that will showcase our technology. , adds Mr. Paquin. To carry out this major project, SAF+ CONSORTIUM can rely on several renowned partners who will ensure, among other things, the integration of sustainable fuel into the aviation value chain. Among them, Carbon Consult Group, expert in carbon footprint management, CO2 Solutions, with its CO2 capture technology, the airline company Air Transat, which will test the sustainable fuel on its fleet of aircraft and ADM Aeroports de Montreal, which will provide fuel delivery logistics support at the YUL Montreal-Trudeau International Airport. It is crucial for Air Transat to work on finding a sustainable aviation fuel solution that can meet the needs of airline operations such as ours, but also meet the industry's goals for carbon-neutral growth. , says Jean-Francois Lemay, President and CEO, Air Transat. The solution that SAF+ CONSORTIUM is working on is a perfect fit with our efforts to reduce our environmental footprint. We are committed to putting our expertise to work in this great project of interest. ADM is committed to working actively with its partners to support initiatives and pilot projects that help reduce the environmental impact of aviation activities. We are proud to be supporting the development of this innovative CO2-based fuel technology by SAF+ CONSORTIUM. , noted Martin Masse, Vice President, Public Affairs, ADM. Capturing and recovering CO2 to produce a low-GHG aviation fuel is a highly promising approach to addressing climate change while creating a new economic sector. , says Evan Price, President and CEO, CO2 Solutions. There is currently an undeniable momentum around climate issues, reflecting the need and urgency to take actions. As a result, the technology developed by SAF + CONSORTIUM is a significant step forward in supplying low-carbon fuel for the aviation industry. , concludes Mr. Paquin. About SAF + CONSORTIUM SAF+ CONSORTIUM (www.safplusconsortium.com) is a Quebec firm specializing in the development of clean fuel made by capturing CO2 emissions from industrial sources. It brings together leading actors spanning the entire aviation value chain to provide Canadians with a sustainable business solution for low-carbon flights. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/saf-consortium-finalist-of-the-skys-the-limit-challenge-300858296.html SOURCE SAF+ CONSORTIUM [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] CertifyNation Receives EASA STC Validation For ADS-B System Installation SUSSEX, Wis., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- CertifyNation A Division of The Angelus Corporation, an aerospace engineering and certification services company, has received a supplemental type certificate (STC) validation by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for retrofit installation of Honeywell's TRA-lO0B Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast (ADS-B) Out ATC Transponder System on Boeing 737 aircraft. EASA's ADS-B mandate goes into effect June 7, 2020, and requires aircraft flying in European airspace to be equipped with an ADS-B system. The mandate is an important step towards air traffic modernization in Europe. "ADS-B transmits information about altitude, airspeed, heading and location derived through GPS from an equipped aircraft to ground stations and to other equipped aircraft in the vicinity. Air traffic controllers use the information to 'see' participating aircraft in real tme with the goal of improving air traffic management," says Ryan Beech, CertifyNation General Manager. Aircraft that are not in compliance by the June 7, 2020, deadline will not be allowed to fly in most controlled European airspace. The EASA validation is one of many international certification programs that CertifyNation has successfully completed. CertifyNation has experience with a variety of international civil aviation authorities, including DGCA (India), CASA (Australia) and CAAC (China), and helps customers around the world secure certifications for their aircraft modifications. For more information regarding CertifyNation's engineering and certification services, visit www.CertifyNation.com. About The Angelus Corporation The Angelus Corporation is a global product and services provider for aerospace and defense industry solutions. The Angelus Corporation divisions include PIC Wire & Cable, specializing in aircraft cable, connectors and cable assemblies for over 45 years, and CertifyNation, offering engineering, certification, and kitting solutions, with decades of experience in the commercial aviation industry. Together, these divisions advance The Angelus Corporation's mission to make its customers' jobs easier. For more information, visit www.TheAngelusCorp.com. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/certifynation-receives-easa-stc-validation-for-ads-b-system-installation-300858311.html SOURCE CertifyNation [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Securian Advisors of New England Celebrates Grand Opening in Braintree Securian Advisors of New England, a wealth management firm owned and operated by financial advisor Brian S. Falconer, celebrated its grand opening at the Braintree Hill Office Park on Thursday, May 16. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005717/en/ Brian Falconer (in green tie) of Securian Advisors of New England and Braintree Mayor Joseph Sullivan (in red tie), along with Falconer's wife, Merideth, held a ceremonial ribbon cutting to celebrate the grand opening of Falconer's wealth management firm in Braintree on May 16. (Photo: Business Wire) Since founding the firm in 2017 as a sole proprietor, Falconer has hired 12 financial advisors and two support staff-quickly outgrowing the temporary office space Securian Advisors of New England previously occupied in Mansfield. Falconer and Braintree Mayor Joseph Sullivan held a ceremonial ribbon cutting at the grand opening attended by Securian Advisors of New England personnel and clients. Falconer's firm also made a $1,000 donation at the event to Junior Achievement, a nonprofit organization that offers financial literacy education to K-12 students and which Falconer serves as a voluteer in Boston-area classrooms. "I couldn't be prouder of how much our firm has grown in such a short period of time, punctuated by the need to open our new home here in Braintree," said Falconer. "The Braintree Office Park is an impressive facility and the perfect place for Securian Advisors of New England to plant our roots as we help New Englanders plan for and realize their financial aspirations." Securian Advisors of New England is an associated firm of Securian Financial Services, a broker-dealer and registered investment advisory firm offering a full range of financial services through a network of independent, locally owned firms and 1,200 associated financial advisors. Falconer has more than 20 years of financial services experience and previously served as a managing director with Baystate Financial, an agency of MassMutual. Securian Advisors of New England is located at 35 Braintree Hill Office Park, Suite 106, Braintree, Massachusetts 02184. ABOUT SECURIAN FINANCIAL At Securian Financial, we're here for family. And we're here because of it. We're guided by our purpose: helping customers build secure tomorrows. Since 1880, we've been building a uniquely diversified company that has outlasted economic ups and downs while staying true to our customers. We're committed to the markets we serve, providing insurance, investment and retirement solutions that give families the confidence to focus on what's truly valuable: banking memories with those who matter most. Brian Falconer is a registered representative and investment advisor representative of Securian Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Securian Financial is the marketing name for Securian Financial Group, Inc., and affiliates. Insurance products issued by affiliated insurance companies, Minnesota Life Insurance Company and Securian Life Insurance Company. Securities and investment advisory services offered through Securian Financial Services, Inc., registered investment advisor, member FINRA/SIPC. DOFU 05-2019 855334 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005717/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Robotic Inspection of In-Service Diesel Storage Tank a Success Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX), a diversified energy manufacturing and logistics company, Square Robot, Inc. and Veritank, Inc., have collaborated to successfully deploy an autonomous robot that safely performed its first in-service inspection of the interior of an aboveground diesel storage tank. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005754/en/ Square Robot's autonomous robot in preparation for deployment (Photo: Business Wire) The autonomous robot, designed and manufactured by Square Robot, has received National Electric Code Class 1, Division 2 (C1D2) certification allowing inspections to occur while the tank is in-service and filled with product. Veritank's service to evaluate tank bottom integrity without draining product saves significant expense and reduces the need for personnel to enter tanks. The robot also captures high-clarity visual images of the interior and provides insight into the tank's sediment levels and coating condition. "The ongoing collaboration with the Phillips 66 team of inspection and safety experts has been invaluable during the testing and qualification phase," said Clint Collins, CEO of Veritank. "As we launch and commercialize this new service offering, it is paramount that we maintain our focus on safety and install robust deployment processes while continuing to find new ways to provide value-added services to tank owners and operators." "We continue to find immense value in being able to better understand the internal condition of our tanks while they remain in service," said Todd Denton, general manager, Midstream Operations, Phillips 66. "We see numerous applications for this service and look forward to its continued deployment across our portfolio." "The Phillips 66 team, beginning with their investment in December 2016, has helped Square Robot deliver on its commitment to build autonomous robots to safely inspect tank interiors," said Square Robot Co-Founder Eric Levitt. "In the next phase of development, we will deliver a system certified forC1D1 operations, allowing in-service inspections of lower flash point liquid storage tanks, such as crude and gasoline." About Veritank, Inc Veritank, a wholly owned subsidiary of Square Robot, was established in 2018 to provide robotic in-service tank inspections of aboveground storage tanks utilizing Square Robot technology. Veritank brings together state-of-the-art autonomous robots and experienced tank inspection professionals to provide unparalleled safe access, inspection and value to tank owners and operators. www.veritank.com About Phillips 66 Phillips 66 is a diversified energy manufacturing and logistics company. With a portfolio of Midstream, Chemicals, Refining, and Marketing and Specialties businesses, the company processes, transports, stores and markets fuels and products globally. Phillips 66 Partners, the company's master limited partnership, is integral to the portfolio. Headquartered in Houston, the company has 14,300 employees committed to safety and operating excellence. Phillips 66 had $58 billion of assets as of March 31, 2019. For more information, visit http://www.phillips66.com/ or follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) @Phillips66Co. About Square Robot Square Robot was started by three robotics professionals in May 2016, specifically to address the growing need for swimming autonomous robots for oil and gas applications. Aside from terrestrial tanks, the same autonomous hovering technology has broad ranging applications for subsea infrastructure inspection. The Boston based start-up recently completed a Series B funding round, raising over $10M from strategic industry partners. The company has 20 employees with a heavy focus on autonomy and robotics. www.squarerobots.com CAUTIONARY STATEMENT FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE "SAFE HARBOR" PROVISIONS OF THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995 This news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created thereby. Statements in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance or outcomes and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecast in such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements herein include statements regarding Square Robot's efforts to develop and commercialize the technology with the capabilities, and Phillips 66's ability to use the technology, as described in this press release. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, technical or legal issues that may arise in the development, protection or commercialization of the technology, as well as the possible introduction by others of competitive technology. These factors could, among other things, delay or prevent the development of the technology and Phillips 66's expected benefits therefrom. The forward-looking statements contained herein are made only as of the date of this press release and neither Square Robot nor Phillips 66 undertake any obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005754/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] MDxHealth (R): Annual General Shareholders' Meeting NEWS RELEASE REGULATED INFORMATION Annual General Shareholders Meeting IRVINE, CA, and HERSTAL, BELGIUM [18:00 CEST], May 29, 2019 MDxHealth SA (Euronext: MDXH) held today its Annual General Shareholders' Meeting in Brussels. The shareholders approved all agenda items of the Annual General Shareholders' Meeting, including the financial statements for the financial year ended December 31, 2018. In addition, the company held an Extraordinary General Shareholders' Meeting. As the required quorum was not met for this meeting, a new Extraordinary General Shareholders' Meeting will be held on June 21, 2019. About MDxHealth MDxHealth is a multinational healthcare company that provides actionable molecular diagnostic information to personalize the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The company's tests are based on proprietary genetic, epigenetic (methylation) and other molecular technologies and assist physicians with the diagnosis of urologic cancers, prognosis of recurrence risk, and prediction of therapeutic response. The Company's European headquarters are in Herstal, Belgium, with laboratory opeations in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, and US headquarters and laboratory operations based in Irvine, California. For more information, visit mdxhealth.com and follow us on social media at: twitter.com/mdxhealth, facebook.com/mdxhealth and linkedin.com/company/mdxhealth. For more information: Consilium Strategic Communications David Daley, Chris Welsh, Jonathan Birt, Marieke Vermeersch UK: +44 20 3709 5701 [email protected] NOTE: The MDxHealth logo, MDxHealth, ConfirmMDx, SelectMDx, AssureMDx, PredictMDx and UrNCollect are trademarks or registered trademarks of MDxHealth SA. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.Disclaimer This press release contains forward-looking statements and estimates with respect to the anticipated future performance of MDxHealth and the market in which it operates. Such statements and estimates are based on assumptions and assessments of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which were deemed reasonable but may not prove to be correct. Actual events are difficult to predict, may depend upon factors that are beyond the company's control, and may turn out to be materially different. MDxHealth expressly disclaims any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements in this release to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based unless required by law or regulation. This press release does not constitute an offer or invitation for the sale or purchase of securities or assets of MDxHealth in any jurisdiction. No securities of MDxHealth may be offered or sold within the United States without registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or in compliance with an exemption therefrom, and in accordance with any applicable U.S. securities laws. Attachment MDxHealth - AGM EGM 2019 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Deep Technology Insights and Innovation to be found at the 56th Design Automation Conference in Las Vegas When the 56th Design Automation Conference opens June 2, in Las Vegas, several first-time and returning exhibitors will greet design engineers as they embark on a week-long journey turning sin city into tech city. Exhibitors such as IBM Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft and Google, Inc. as well as the presence of long-time exhibitors Cadence Design Systems, Mentor, a Siemens (News - Alert) Business, and Synopsys will be showcasing the latest technology advances for the electronic design industry. More than 50 companies will exhibit at the Las Vegas Convention Center, including 21 first-time exhibitors to the show. DAC has always attracted electronics systems designers, who are inventing tomorrow. The companies that exhibit at DAC realize if they want to contribute to the future of design, then DAC is the event to attend. Rob van Blommestein, DAC Exhibits Chair and vice president of marketing at One Spin, said driving the surge in DAC's exhibit participation has been a steady expansion of the technical program targeted towards designers and IT professionals in recent years. This year's DAC program features technical topics such as AI/machine learning, autonomous systems, and security, along with the traditional technical sessions on electronic design automation (EDA), IP and embedded systems. Highlighting the exhibition floor is the addition of the Design Infrastructure Alley, featuring exhibitors targeting the IT and design-on-cloud engineers, and the Design-on-Cloud Pavilion sponsored by Google (News - Alert), hosting daily presentations. "No other event brings the entire design ecosystem together into a place wher designers, researchers and decision-makers can interact with each other while seeing and learning first-hand the latest innovations, tools and best practices," said 56th DAC General Chair, Rob Aitken. DAC Pavilion The DAC Pavilion, sponsored by Cadence, has become a tradition for attendees to enjoy daily SKY Talks (mini-keynotes), straight talk chats with industry leaders and intriguing panel discussions. This year the Pavilion will feature a [email protected] - live demo of how Mirai malware works on real IoT devices. The demo will illustrate the attack process step by step to explain the attack mechanisms as well as the consequences in detail for each attack stage. For a complete lineup of DAC Pavilion activities, visit: https://www.dac.com/events. Design-on-Cloud Pavilion The Design-On-Cloud Pavilion, sponsored by Google, will host Design Infrastructure Alley exhibitors and invited presentations each day of the exhibits. Presentations will start each day at 10:30 am and end at 5:30 pm. Presentations will focus areas of compute, licensing, storage, security and cloud. The Pavilion will also host a networking reception on Monday afternoon at 5:00 pm for all attendees. Design Infrastructure Alley exhibitors include Altair, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Cadence, ClioSoft, Google, IBM, Microsoft, Methodics, Metrics, Reshape, Si2, Pure Storage and Univa (News - Alert). Registration is now open. For more information on exhibits, conference and registration visit the Design Automation Conference www.dac.com. About DAC The Design Automation Conference (DAC) is recognized as the premier event for the design of electronic circuits and systems, and for electronic design automation (EDA) and silicon solutions. A diverse worldwide community representing more than 1,000 organizations attends each year, represented by system designers and architects, logic and circuit designers, validation engineers, CAD managers, senior managers and executives to researchers and academicians from leading universities. Close to 60 technical sessions selected by a committee of electronic design experts offer information on recent developments and trends, management practices and new products, methodologies and technologies. A highlight of DAC is its exhibition and suite area with approximately 200 of the leading and emerging EDA, silicon, intellectual property (IP) and design services providers. The conference is sponsored by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE (News - Alert)), and is supported by ACM's Special Interest Group on Design Automation (ACM SIGDA). Design Automation Conference acknowledges trademarks or registered trademarks of other organizations for their respective products and services. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005259/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] ClickIT Joins Accelerance Global Network As A Certified Partner CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Accelerance, a US-based company that helps clients around the world create and execute effective strategies for global software outsourcing, recognizes ClickIT of Saltillo, Mexico as a Certified Partner within the Accelerance Global Network. ClickIT is among the 3% of top rated software development companies worldwide known as the Accelerance Global Network . Each Certified Partner in the Accelerance Global Network is investigated across over 500 business and technology criteria that indicate proven software outsourcing readiness for custom software development in Western markets. ClickIT is a Cloud and DevOps Nearshore Solution Provider helping companies in Healthcare, Fintech and MarTech with superior solutions focused on Cloud Migration, Continuous Delivery, DevSecOps, Micro services and AWS Managed services. ClickIT is a company with experienced professionals skilled in AWS, Google Cloud, DevOps, Development and Cloud Solutions for MarTech Agencies. "What impresses us most about ClickIT is their commitment to education, communication, continuous innovation, embracing technology, working smarter and their end goal -- to create effective software and remarkable experiences. We are proud to include them within the Accelerance Global Network," says Ryan Schauer , Partner Success Manager at Accelerance. Accelerance Partner Showcase Provides In-Depth Details About ClickIT Accelerance published their findings in the ClickIT Partner Showcase - a resource for companies looking to outsource software development. The showcase provides company reviews and interviews with key company leaders on topics such as: capabilities, processes, and company reviews. In the Partner Showcase page Accelerance provides some of the most important details about ClickIT: Certified AWS Engineers Premium Nearshore Proximity 100+ AWS DevOps Projects 500+ Customers in the U.S. 7+ years deploying AWS services "We are proud to receive the Accelerance certification. This reflects the level of commitment our team has to create custom software development projects in the most effective way," said Guillermo Velez , COO at ClickIT. About Accelerance, Inc. Accelerance provides professional guidance for planning, sourcing and managing global software teams. By working with Accelerance, clients tap into domestic software development leadership and the largest network of proven software outsourcing companies in the world. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/clickit-joins-accelerance-global-network-as-a-certified-partner-300858376.html SOURCE Accelerance [May 29, 2019] Edwards Responds to United Nations' New Greenhouse Gas Guidelines The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the United Nations' body for assessing the science related to climate change, has just released the latest refinement to its 2006 Guidelines. As part of an effort to tackle climate change, the refined regulations tighten control on new greenhouse gases used in semiconductor manufacturing and increase requirements for reporting and accountability for manufacturers. "The IPCC has recognised that there is a gap between the amount of greenhouse gas measured in the atmosphere and the amount calculated from the inventory of known sources of emission," said Prof. Mike Czerniak, Visiting Industrial Professor, Bristol University, and Environmental Solutions Business Development Manager, Edwards. "The gap is of particular concern for gases such as perfluoro compounds (PFCs), which not only have extraordinarily high global warming potentials (GWP) but also extremely long lifetimes in the atmosphere, as long as 50,000 years." Two new mechanisms for PFC formation during semiconductor manufacturing have been identified and emission factors have been added to the latest IPCC refinement: 1) CF 4 formation when cleaning chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber deposits. 2) CF 4 formation by reaction of fluorine with hydrocarbon fuel in combustion-based abatement in systems that mix the fuel and process chamber effluent. "For the first time ever, there is a new emisson factor for combustion-based abatement of fluorine - direct accountability is now required, in the form of a data-backed certification from the equipment manufacturer that the reaction is minimised," said Prof. Czerniak. "PFC formation can be minimised by appropriate combustor design." Edwards' inward-fired combustor avoids the mixing of chamber exhaust and fuel that, in other designs, can lead to the production of PFCs where they did not exist in the original exhaust stream. The lower, more uniform temperature profile of the inward-fired combustor ensures a high destruction removal efficiency (DRE), with low NOx generation. Inward-fired combustors have been standard on Edwards' abatement systems since the company started developing them in the 1990s. Visit Edwards (booth #750) during SEMICON West to learn more about the latest IPCC guidelines and best practices for reducing greenhouse gases. SEMICON West takes place July 9-11, 2019, in San Francisco, Calif. Further information about Edwards can be found at www.edwardsvacuum.com. About Edwards Edwards is celebrating its 100-year birthday in 2019. The founder, FD Edwards, began by providing vacuum equipment from a small office in South London; 100 years later Edwards has over 6,000 employees worldwide engaged in the design, manufacture and support of high technology vacuum and exhaust management equipment. Edwards' innovations are integral to manufacturing processes for semiconductors, flat panel displays, LEDs and solar cells. They are also used within an increasingly diverse range of industrial processes including power, glass and other coating applications; steel and other metallurgy; pharmaceutical and chemical; and for scientific instruments in a wide range of R&D applications. Edwards has state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Europe, Asia and North America. About the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) The IPCC is the scientific organization supporting the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Organized by the United Nations and the World Meteorological Organization, the IPCC's reports provide the scientific underpinnings for the international climate negotiations that led to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol and the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change. The IPCC reviews the state of the science of climate change every 5-7 years. For more information, visit https://www.ipcc.ch. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005440/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] The American Jewish Congress Launches the first "Jewish Guide to U.S. Politics" NEW YORK, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Jewish Congress is launching a one-of-a-kind Jewish Guide to U.S. Politics (www.jewishpoliticalguide.com) - a platform which summarizes the positions and voting records of the 2020 Presidential candidates and all U.S. Senators, on relevant facts that American Jews and pro-Israel voters should know about. The guide will continuously update as events unfold in the runup to the 2020 elections. American Jewish Congress President, Jack Rosen said: "The Jewish Guide to U.S. Politics is all about civic engagement and education. We are at a point in or history where maximum information can make maximum impact on the way we vote - as individuals, and as members of the Jewish community. We are also letting our politicians know we are paying attention to what they do, what they say, and how they vote on the issues that are most pressing to us today." The Jewish Guide to U.S. Politics allows voters to examine voting records, executive actions, and public statements made by Senators, House Members, and presidential candidates Republican and Democrat on issues important to members of the American Jewish community and its allies. Founded in 1918, the American Jewish Congress has actively worked to advance the rights of not only Jewish Americans, but of all minority groups in the United States through civic engagement and discourse. The American Jewish Congress is one of the most active and influential Jewish advocacy organizations in the country. With that said, the Jewish Guide to U.S. Politics does not offer endorsements for any candidate. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-american-jewish-congress-launches-the-first-jewish-guide-to-us-politics-300858389.html SOURCE American Jewish Congress [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] KCP Releases Special Report: Robert C. Morgan - CMBS Exposure Update Kroll Bond Rating Agency (KBRA) releases its Robert C. Morgan - CMBS Exposure Update special report, in which we examined the latest developments in the ongoing investigation of Robert C. Morgan and affiliated entities and the resulting impacts to CMBS transactions with exposure to Robert C. Morgan. On May 22, 2019, the US Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York issued a press release announcing a 114-count superseding indictment charging four individuals, including 46 counts against Robert C. Morgan himself, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud. The indictment states that the object of the conspiracy was to induce financial institutions to issue mortgage loans based on false pretenses and to provide false information to mortgage loan servicers to conceal such misrepresentations for personal gain. The superseding indictment came several days after the COO of Morgan Communities and Morgan Management, Scott Cresswell, pleaded guilty to fraud charges that implicated Robert C. Morgan's involvement in an insurance fraud conspiracy. Concurrent with the criminal charges against Robert C. Morgan, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC (News - Alert)) filed an emergency action charging Morgan with defrauding investors with a Ponzi-like scheme related to two of his entities, Morgan Mezzanine Fund Manager LCC and Morgan Acquisitions, LCC. The civil charges include requests by the SEC to freeze Morgan's assets and appoint a temporary receiver over the relevant investor funds. Permanent receivership is being sought over the entities named in the complaint as well as permanent injunctions. The SEC complaint also requested final judgments ordering Morgan to disgorge ill-gotten gains and pay civil monetary penalties. KBRA Credit Profile (KCP) has been monitoring the Robert C. Morgan investigation since the fall of 2017 at which time we published a special report examining CMBS exposure to identify more than 150 loans affiliated with Morgan and related entities as a sponsor. KCP published updates on the investigation in May 2018 and December 2018 highlighting, among other developments, loans that transferred to special servicing and loans that were secured by properties specifically referenced in the May 2018 indictment. The superseding indictment re-alleges conspiracy charges in connection with the properties originally named in the May 2018 indictment and requires forfeiture of the assets upon conviction. KCP identified six CMBS transactions with exposure to properties that would be subject to forfeiture in the event of a conviction. As of the May 2019 remittance period, a total of five loans with an aggregate unpaid balance of $134.3 million have transferred to the special servicer. As the criminal and civil cases against Robert C. Morgan progress, we will continue to monitor the proceedings with regards t potential asset forfeitures as well as the workouts for loans with the special servicer. We will incorporate any developments as we complete our monthly analysis for each of the respective transactions. Our updated Robert C. Morgan exposure list identified 170 loans totaling $1.79 billion across 81 transactions. Approximately 58% of the exposure by balance, or $1.04 billion, comprises loans securitized across 35 Freddie K transactions. The remaining balance of $747.7 million (42%) is made up of loans securitized in 46 post-crisis conduit transactions. For subscribers of the KCP platform, an updated loan list as of May 2019 is available by clicking here. To access the full report, click here. The KCP platform is a subscription-based surveillance service that covers roughly 1,000 commercial real estate (CRE) securitizations with an aggregate balance of over $600 billion. For each deal, monthly reports are posted to our website that contain color and commentary for CMBS transactions and their underlying loan collateral. Unlike other sources of valuation and loss data, which primarily rely on models, the service is supported by a dedicated team of analysts, who can more readily appreciate the non-homogeneous nature of CRE, loan, and transaction structures, as well as imperfect servicer information. Related Publications: KCP Special Report: Robert C. Morgan Developments- Guilty Plea and Special Servicing Transfers (December 2018) (December 2018) KCP Special Report: Robert C. Morgan Update (May 2018) (May 2018) KCP Special Report: Robert Morgan & Morgan Companies - CMBS Exposure (October 2017) CONNECT WITH KBRA Twitter LinkedIn Download the iOS App YouTube About KBRA and KBRA Europe KBRA is a full-service credit rating agency registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as an NRSRO. In addition, KBRA is designated as a designated rating organization by the Ontario Securities Commission for issuers of asset-backed securities to file a short form prospectus or shelf prospectus. KBRA is also recognized by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners as a Credit Rating Provider, and is a certified Credit Rating Agency (CRA) by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA). Kroll Bond Rating Agency Europe Limited is registered with ESMA as a CRA. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005806/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Streaming Video Alliance Kicks Off Its Five-Year Anniversary and Holds Annual Member Meeting at the Comcast Technology Center FREMONT, Calif., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Streaming Video Alliance (the Alliance), an industry forum solving challenges to improve the video experience, convenes today in Philadelphia, Pa. at the new Comcast Technology Center . Highlights from the two-day Annual Member Meeting include multiple breakout sessions for the Working Groups, keynotes by Comcast CTO Mark Zelesko and Comcast SVP Business and Industry Affairs Mark Hess, and nominations for the Board of Directors. "We have a lot of ground to cover in these next two days with a robust agenda for the Working Groups. As the Alliance has grown, the two-day meeting format has become our new standard, allowing us to dive deeper into the important contributions our members are making within the Working Groups," said Jason Thibeault, Executive Director at the Alliance. "The Comcast Technology Center is a great venue to kick off this year's celebration of the Alliance's fifth anniversary, and I look forward to the progress the Alliance will make this year." The Alliance's Working Groups will meet in person to discuss their latest initiatives and papers. Highlights include: Advertising Working Group: Discussion on thead monitoring proof of concept. Discussion on thead monitoring proof of concept. Open Caching Working Group: Discussion on the Standards URI Tokenization format; updates on MEC and ES-OCN/Home Caching; and a discussion on the VR Caching proof of concept. Discussion on the Standards URI Tokenization format; updates on MEC and ES-OCN/Home Caching; and a discussion on the VR Caching proof of concept. QoE/Measurement Working Group : Discussion on the current status of the group's End-to-End Monitoring document. : Discussion on the current status of the group's End-to-End Monitoring document. Privacy and Protection Working Group : Working session on the Streaming Security document. : Working session on the Streaming Security document. Network and Transport Working Group: A session on the taxonomy of OTT media uses and transport protocols; and a discussion on the development of Quic (rebrand of HTTP3). A session on the taxonomy of OTT media uses and transport protocols; and a discussion on the development of Quic (rebrand of HTTP3). Live Streaming Working Group: Review of the document status and the group's open items. Review of the document status and the group's open items. VR Study Group: Review of the timeline for the 360-degree Video Streaming Latency proof of concept. June 2019 . Members of the Alliance include companies from across the streaming video ecosystem such as network operators, technology providers, service providers, and content owners. Current members are: Adobe, Amazon Web Services, Anevia, Broadpeak, CBC, CDNetworks, Citrix, CenturyLink, Charter Communications, Comcast, Commscope, Compira Labs, Concurrent, ContentArmor, Conviva, Datazoom, Digital Element, Disney Streaming Services, Dolby, Edgeware, Eluvio, Endeavor Streaming, Ericsson, Espial Group, FOX Networks, Friend MTS, Globo, Harmonic, HellaStorm, Hughes Satellite Systems, IBM, Interra Systems, Irdeto, Liberty Global, Limelight Networks, NAGRA, NBCUniversal, NCTA, NetInsight, Neustar, Nice People at Work, NTT East, Opticom GmbH, Penthera, Quibi, Quortex, Qwilt, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Sky, SSIMWAVE, Streamroot, System73, Tektronix, Telecom Italia, Telefonica, Telestream, Toshiba, Touchstream, Velocix, Verimatrix, Verizon, Viacom, ViaSat Inc., Western Digital Corp., and Wowza Media Systems. For more information on the Alliance, the Working Groups, or to inquire about becoming a member, visit www.streamingvideoalliance.org . About the Streaming Video Alliance Founded in 2014, the Streaming Video Alliance is a global association of organizations from across the video ecosystem that have come together to collaborate on building solutions to the technical challenges facing the streaming video industry. Through best practices, specifications, functional requirements, proof-of-concepts, and other documents published by its working and study groups, the Alliance strives to improve the end-user video experience and promote increased adoption of streaming. For more information, please visit www.streamingvideoalliance.org . Press Contact Amber Winans Bhava Communications (510) 984-1526 [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/streaming-video-alliance-kicks-off-its-five-year-anniversary-and-holds-annual-member-meeting-at-the-comcast-technology-center-300858451.html SOURCE Streaming Video Alliance [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] ART REVIEW: For the past 13 years, the San Diego Art Prize, sponsored by San Diego Visual Arts Network, has been awarded to two established artists, with each one asked to choose an emerging artist to share the cash award and exhibition. This year, at the May 10 opening of the exhibit at La Jolla Athenaeum which has hosted the Art Prize since 2011 SDVAN founder/coordinator Patricia Frischer announced a new direction. From now on, all four prize-winners will be emerging artists, and the Art Prize will have a new curator/administrator, Chi Essary, who curated the excellent art-and-science show Extra-Ordinary Collusion at San Diego Art Institute in 2017 and is a board-member-at-large of Vanguard Culture. Essary has strong connections with artists on both sides of the border including her soon-to-be husband, Einar de la Torre so this sounds like a nice infusion of young blood into the Art Prize. But the news was not the main feature of the evening, which was the art. Anne Mudges intricate wire sculptures delicately commanded almost half the gallery and demonstrated why shes been called an artists artist. Her choice for emerging artist, furniture maker Erin Dace Behling, showed several austerely attractive wood-and-concrete tables, inspired by her observations of desert plants strong, with minimal undergrowth. Robert Matheny, who started making art over half a century ago because, as he says, it pleased me and challenged my intellect, had only three small framed pieces on display a Real and a Fake Two-Dollar Bill and a Black Hole made of wood, glitter and an LED light but they gave a glimpse of his thinking and sense of humor. His emerging artist, Max Robert Daily, has a notable talent for whimsy. Hes best known for his sardine bar/edible art-installation at Bread & Salt in Barrio Logan its currently off on a national tour but will be back at Art San Diego in Del Mar in October. At the Athenaeum, he strolled around selling artist print sardine boxes (sardines included), passing out red rubber clown noses, and offering quarters to anyone who wanted to get a handful of sea glass and skipping stones from his seaside carnival gumball machine. IF YOU GO: San Diego Art Prize Exhibition runs thrugh July 11, 2019 at Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, 1008 Wall St., La Jolla. NOTE: Dont miss the SDSU Art Council Scholarship Exhibition in the Athenaeums Rotunda Gallery with interesting work by this years award-winning student artists. (858) 454-5872. ljathenaeum.org Max Robert Daily with his gumball machine ( Maurice Hewitt ) Anne Mudge with some of her wire sculptures ( Maurice Hewitt ) Robert Matheny with his three small pieces at the opening ( Maurice Hewitt ) Erin Dace Behling with her triangular triangular wood and concrete side table ( Maurice Hewitt ) [May 29, 2019] SAGE Publishing and Copia Interactive Collaborate to Make Powerful Digital Learning Materials More Accessible and Affordable for College Students A new agreement between SAGE Publishing and Copia Interactive, a leading provider of digital learning materials, will make it even easier for colleges to provide students with effective, affordable course materials via "inclusive access" programs. A growing number of institutions are starting or expanding inclusive access programs, which automatically delivers to students digital course materials on the first day of class or earlier at a much lower cost. Through the agreement, SAGE digital course materials will be accessible to colleges that use Copia's platform for inclusive access. The collaboration is part of an effort by both companies to increase student success by making course materials more affordable. Copia provides a suite of powerful tools that enable faculty to create engaging learning environments that are fully aligned with course objectives. Customizable discussions, multimedia links, and assessments can be embedded seamlessly inside the content, deepening students' engagement with their materials and faculty. Copia ensures educators are supported every step of the way by providing individualized services focused on creating instructional experiences that evolve with students' needs. Through the agreement with Copia, students can now gain access to SAGE course materials directly through the Copia Class digital platform. When institutions provide inclusive access programs, students can choose to have their digital materials automatically delivered to them and they benefit from significantly redced prices for their required course materials. "SAGE College is committed to student success not only by curating high-quality content from expert authors and delivering that content in a variety of formats, but also by expanding access and affordable purchase options," said Michele Sordi, Senior Vice President and Head of US College. "We believe that providing students more options for access to high-quality course materials will empower them to take control of their learning and enhance their engagement with their courses. We are delighted to be partnering with Copia to expand the inclusive access option through a customizable, user-friendly platform." "SAGE has a strong commitment to supporting students and instructors and is a trusted content partner of Copia's," said Ben Lowinger, executive vice president and founder of Copia. "We are thrilled to take our partnership to the next level by offering an inclusive access program that will give students a cost-effective way to hit the ground running with all the digital content necessary for success." About SAGE Publishing Sara Miller McCune founded SAGE Publishing in 1965 to support the dissemination of usable knowledge and educate a global community. SAGE is a leading international provider of innovative, high-quality content publishing more than 1,000 journals and over 600 new books each year, spanning a wide range of subject areas. Our growing selection of library products includes archives, data, case studies and video. SAGE remains majority owned by our founder and after her lifetime will become owned by a charitable trust that secures the company's continued independence. Principal offices are located in Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore, Washington DC and Melbourne. www.sagepublishing.com About Copia Interactive Copia Interactive, a New York-based educational technology company, develops digital learning platforms that facilitate collaboration between students and educators directly within cutting-edge course materials from leading publishers and content creators. Visit us at www.CopiaClass.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005854/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Inkling CEO Jeff Carr to Share Success of Mobile Learning Enablement at Future Stores Seattle 2019 SAN FRANCISCO, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Inkling, a mobile learning enablement platform for distributed workforces, today announced that CEO Jeff Carr will be one of the featured speakers discussing transformative store experiences at Future Stores Seattle 2019, June 4-7. Carr will join Eric Roth, manager of Learning and Development at Love's Travel Stops, for an educational session taking place at 11:35 a.m. on Wednesday, June 5. Carr and Roth will share results of Love's implementation of the Inkling modern, mobile content solution during the session "Empowered Employees = Happy Employees. Just Ask Love's." Loves leveraged Inkling to provide its more than 17,000 workers with training and on-the-job reference materials, enabling them to excel at their jobs. During the session, the speakers will explain how Love's addressed its challenges training a diverse group of distributed employees and achieved an initial adoption rate of 91 percent within two weeks of releasing mobile content to their stores. They also will discuss how Inkling supports proper execution of marketing programs by in-store employees by providing increased awareness and knowledge. "One of the main reasons why employees leave their job is because they don't feel equipped with the information or tools to succeed," said Inkling CEO Jeff Carr. "By putting content in their hands, when and where they need it, Inkling empowers employees with the resources they require to feel confident in their abilities. Love's is a perfect example of how new mobile content resources are being implemented to meet the needs of the modern employee." Inkling also will be in booth 213 at Future Stores Seattle 2019. To learn more, read the Love's customer story , visit Inkling's booth, or contact Katie Arsenio, [email protected] to set up a meeting. About Inkling Inkling is a mobile learning enablement platform designed for distributed workforces. Inkling brings together learning and doing to improve the employee experience from day one and every day after that by delivering mobile, effortless access to the training and resources they need to be successful in their role. Leading brands trust Inkling to help them efficiently onboard employees, ensure continued performance enablement and successfully execute corporate initiatives while providing new levels of visibility into critical operating metrics. Founded in 2009, Inkling is based in San Francisco, Calif. For more information, visit www.inkling.com. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/inkling-ceo-jeff-carr-to-share-success-of-mobile-learning-enablement-at-future-stores-seattle-2019-300858491.html SOURCE Inkling [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Regents' Professor Emeritus Robert Cialdini Elected to National Academy of Sciences TEMPE, Ariz., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of his outstanding achievements in original research, Regents' Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Marketing Robert Cialdini has been elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences, one of the most distinguished scientific organizations in the country. Cialdini was hired by Arizona State University's Department of Psychology in 1971 but in the mid-1980s was asked by ASU's W. P. Carey School of Business to apply his research to consumer behavior and the science of influence. His books, including "Influence: Science & Practice," are the result of decades of peer-reviewed research on why people comply with requests. "Influence" has sold over 3 million copies in more than 30 languages and is a New York Times Bestseller. Cialdini's latest book, "Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade," published by Simon & Schuster, quickly became a Wall Street Journal and a New York Times Bestseller. Because of the world-wide recognition of Cialdini's cutting-edge scientific research and his ethical business and policy applications, he is frequently regarded as the "Godfater of influence." "There's a combination of feelings in that I'm deeply gratified and, secondly, thrilled by it," said Cialdini, whose research in developing and testing theories of consumer behavior is considered groundbreaking by his peers. That research is also the reason why the W. P. Carey School of Business Department of Marketing opened the Robert B. Cialdini Behavioral Research Lab, which has conducted over 10,000 hours of research and more than 200 separate behavioral experiments. He received his doctorate from the University of North Carolina and postdoctoral training from Columbia University. He has held visiting scholar appointments at Ohio State University, the University of California, the Annenberg School of Communications, and the Graduate School of Business of Stanford University. Cialdini is CEO and President of Influence at Work, focusing on ethical influence training, corporate keynote programs, and the CMCT (Cialdini Method Certified Trainer) program. His clients include such organizations as Google, Microsoft, Cisco Systems, Bayer, Coca-Cola, KPMG, AstraZeneca, Ericsson, Kodak, Merrill Lynch, Nationwide Insurance, Pfizer, AAA, Northern Trust, IBM, Prudential, Mayo Clinic, GlaxoSmithKline, Kimberly-Clark, Harvard University Kennedy School, The Weather Channel, the United States Department of Justice, and NATO. Established in 1863, the National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit institution that, along with the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Medicine, provides science, engineering, and health policy advice to the federal government and other organizations. Cialdini is among 100 new members and 25 foreign associates added to the society this year, including two other Arizona State University professors. About the W. P. Carey School of Business The W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University is one of the top-ranked business schools in the United States. The school is internationally regarded for its research productivity and its distinguished faculty members, including a Nobel Prize winner. Students come from more than 100 countries and W. P. Carey is represented by alumni in over 160 countries. Visit wpcarey.asu.edu. Contact: Shay Moser [email protected] 480-965-3963 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/regents-professor-emeritus-robert-cialdini-elected-to-national-academy-of-sciences-300858502.html SOURCE W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University [May 29, 2019] Class Counsel Announce $135 Million Proposed Class Action Settlement of Federal Navistar Diesel Engine EGR Emissions Defect Lawsuits Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, together with co-lead counsel DiCello Levitt Gutzler and Audet & Partners LLP and liaison counsel The Bellows Law Group announce that the parties in the In re Navistar MaxxForce Engines Marketing, Sales Practices and Products Liabilities Litigation reached an agreement to settle the nationwide federal class action lawsuit relating to certain MaxxForce 11- or 13-liter diesel engines equipped with an allegedly defective EGR emissions system. Plaintiffs filed the proposed settlement, under which Navistar International and Navistar, Inc. (NYSE: NAV) must pay out $135 million, with Judge Joan B. Gottschall of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois for her consideration and approval. Lieff Cabraser partner Jonathan Selbin, co-lead counsel for he plaintiffs in the action, commented, "After years of hard fought litigation we believe this settlement represents an outstanding result for class members. In particular, we are proud of the choices it provides class members, who can choose a 'no questions asked' cash payment of up to $2500 per truck or $10,000 rebate off the best negotiated price of purchase of a new truck, or can prove up and recover out of pocket damages related to this defect of up to $15,000 per truck." He added: "We are also pleased Navistar stepped up to take care of its customers." Subject to certain exclusions, the proposed class will include all entities and natural persons who owned or leased a 2011-2014 model year vehicles equipped with a MaxxForce 11- or 13-liter engine certified to meet EPA 2010 emissions standards without selective catalytic reduction technology, provided that vehicle was purchased or leased in any of the fifty (50) States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and all other United States territories and/or possessions. The proposed settlement must be approved by the Court. If the Court grants final approval, Class members will have six months to make their elections and file a claim. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005881/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Wacom President and CEO Nobu Ide to Keynote CES Asia 2019 The Consumer Technology Association (CTA)TM today announced that Mr. Nobu Ide, president and CEO of Wacom, will deliver a keynote address at the upcoming CES Asia 2019. Now in its fifth year, CES (News - Alert) Asia will run June 11-13, 2019 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC) in Shanghai, China. Nobu Ide's keynote is scheduled for 4PM on Wednesday, June 12. He will unveil Wacom's vision for the future of digital ink in today's digital world, as well as the company's innovative solutions in Extended Reality (XR) to bring new opportunities to the creative community. Mr. Ide joined Wacom in 2013 and assumed the role of Representative Director, President and CEO in April 2018. "Wacom is a pioneer in digital creativity, opening up a new world of opportunity for digital collaboration that transcends markets," said Karen Chupka, executive vice president, CES, CTA. "Wacom's advancements in digital ink and XR demonstrate how technologies are driving the unprecedented changes across the creative industries. We welcome Mr. Ide to the CES Asia stage to share his vision for the future of digital creation." Mr. Ide joins top executives from Audi, Huawei (News - Alert) and Hyundai as confirmed CES Asia keynote speakers. Additional industry thought leaders will be added to the keynote stage in the coming weeks. All CES Asia keynotes will take place at the Kerry Hotel in Shanghai Ballrooms 2-3. As one of Asia's fastest growing tech events, CES Asia is the only event in Asia that brings together the entire tech ecosystem to build brands, forge partnerships and celebrate the best in consumer tech in Asia. The show will focus on the latest innovation in transportation tech, AI, 5G and startups from around the world, featuring more than 550 exhibiting companies, including more than 115 startups. Visit CESAsia.com for more information or to register. WeChat registration for CES Asia 2019 is now available. Follow us on WeChat (ID: CESAsia_II) to register. Note to Editors: High-definition video b-roll is available for easy download on CESbroll.com. Visit the CES Asia photo gallery for the latest pictures from CES Asia 2018. Journalists traveling from outside of China will require a J-1 or J-2 visa. For questions about exhibiting at CES Asia, contact Brian Moon at [email protected] or +1 703-907-4351. About CES Asia: Owned and produced by the International CES (Shanghai) Exhibition Co. Ltd. and co-produced by Shanghai Intex Exhibition Co., Ltd (Shanghai Intex), CES Asia is the premier event for the consumer technology industry, showcasing the full breadth and depth of the innovation value-chain in the Asian marketplace. Key global businesses come to this event to grow and reinforce their brand by showcasing the latest products and technologies to consumer tech industry executives, foreign buyers and international media. Attendees have exclusive access to some of the largest brands from China and around the world, while celebrating the innovation that defines the consumer technology sector. About International CES (Shanghai) Exhibition Co. Ltd. and CTA: International CES (Shanghai) Exhibition Co. Ltd. is a wholly foreign-owned enterprise by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), a trade association representing the $398 billion U.S. consumer technology industry, which supports more than 18 million U.S. jobs. More than 2,200 companies - 80 percent are small businesses and startups; others are among the world's best known brands - enjoy the benefits of CTA membership including policy advocacy, market research, technical education, industry promotion, standards development and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CTA also owns and produces CES - the world's gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. Profits from CES are reinvested into CTA's industry services. About Shanghai Intex: Taken independent in July 2016, Shanghai Intex Exhibition (Co., Ltd.) was originally founded in 1995 as the pioneering exhibition organizing business of Intex Shanghai, the first joint venture venue management business in Shanghai. Shanghai Intex is jointly overseen by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) Shanghai and PNO Exhibitions, giving it the perfect combination of domestic and international resources. Over the last 20 years, Shanghai Intex has organized more than 100 tradeshows and over 1000 conferences, with a sum total show space in excess of 2 million square meters. Shanghai Intex runs a number of internationally renowned exhibitions covering the music industry, healthcare, lifestyle, advanced manufacturing, public transportation, floriculture, consumer electronics, technology and more. UPCOMING EVENTS CES Asia 2019 June 11-13 - Shanghai, China CEO Summit June 23-26 - Prague, Czech Republic CES Unveiled in Paris October 22 - Paris, France CES Unveiled in Amsterdam October 24 - Amsterdam, Netherlands CES 2020 January 7-10, 2020 - Las Vegas, NV View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005823/en/ [May 29, 2019] DATA Communications Management Corp. Report of Voting Results DATA Communications Management Corp. ("DCM (News - Alert)" or the "Corporation") (TSX: DCM) today announced that the annual meeting (the "Meeting") of the shareholders of the Corporation was held on May 29, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario. 26 shareholders holding a total of 10,292,897 common shares of the Corporation ("Common Shares") were represented at the Meeting in person or by proxy, representing approximately 47.82% of the total votes attached to all issued and outstanding Common Shares as of April 18, 2019, the record date for the Meeting. Appointment of Auditors The resolution to appoint PricewaterhouseCoopers (News - Alert) LLP, Chartered Accountants, as auditors of the Corporation, to hold office until the next annual meeting of shareholders of the Corporation or until their successors are appointed and to authorize the directors to fix the auditors' remuneration, was adopted on a vote by at least a majority of shareholders on a show of hands. Election of Directors All seven directors proposed for election at the Meeting were elected on a vote by ballot. The votes cast by shareholders present in person or represented by proxy at the Meeting for the election of directors were as follows: Votes For Votes Withheld # % # % William M. Albino 10,030,005 99.77% 22,773 0.23% Gregory J. Cochrane 10,030,112 99.77% 22,666 0.23% Merri L. Jones 10,026,083 99.73% 26,695 0.27% James J. Murray 9,824,394 97.73% 228,384 2.27% Michael G. Sifton 10,029,531 99.77% 23,247 0.23% J.R. Kingsley Ward 10,028,156 99.76% 24,622 0.24% Derek J. Watchorn 10,028,155 99.76% 24,623 0.24% About DATA Communications Management Corp. DCM is a communication solutions partner that adds value for major companies across North America by creating more meaningful connections with their customers. We pair customer insights and thought leadership with cutting-edge products, modular enabling technology and services to power our clients' go-to market strategies. We help our clients manage how their brands come to life, determine which channels are right for them, manage multimedia campaigns, deploy location-specific and 1:1 marketing, execute custom loyalty programs, and fulfill their commercial printing needs all in one place. Our extensive experience has positioned us as experts at providing communication solutions across many verticals, including the financial, retail, healthcare, consumer health, energy, and not-for-profit sectors. Thanks to our locations throughout Canada and in the United States (Chicago, Illinois and New York, New York), we are able to meet our clients' varying needs with scale, speed, and efficiency - no matter how large or complex the ask. And we can do it all with advanced DCM security, regulatory compliance, and bilingual communications, in print or digital. Additional information relating to DATA Communications Management Corp. is available on www.datacm.com, and in the disclosure documents filed by DATA Communications Management Corp. on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) at www.sedar.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005915/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Shopify Announces Results of Its 2019 Annual Meeting of Shareholders Shopify Inc. (NYSE:SHOP)(TSX:SHOP) ("Shopify" or the "Company"), the leading multi-channel commerce platform, today announced the results from its Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the "Meeting") which took place today. All director nominees were re-elected to the Board of Directors and PricewaterhouseCoopers (News - Alert) LLP was appointed as auditors as further described in the Company's management information circular dated April 17, 2019 (the "Circular"). Shareholders approved the advisory resolution on the approach to executive compensation disclosed in the Circular. The detailed results of the Meeting were as follows: 1. Election of Directors The six (6) nominees for Director that were proposed by management of the Company were elected pursuant to a vote conducted by ballot. The votes were cast for each nominee as follows: Director Votes for % of Votes for Votes Withheld % of Votes Withheld Tobias Lutke 184,994,109 99.52% 896,537 0.48% Robert Ashe 181,202,249 97.48% 4,688,397 2.52% Gail Goodman 185,052,578 99.55% 858,068 0.45% Colleen Johnston 185,842,907 99.97% 47,738 0.03% Jeremy Levine 185,163,144 99.61% 727,502 0.39% John Phillips 184,918,115 99.48% 972,531 0.52% 2. Appointment of Auditor PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP were appointed as the Company's auditors and the directors were authorized to fix the auditor's compensation pursuant to a vote conducted by show of hands. Proxies were received as follows: Votes for % of Votes for Votes Withheld % of Votes Withheld 199,962,872 99.73% 535,299 0.27% 3. Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation The advisory vote on executive compensation was approved pursuant to a vote conducted by ballot. The votes were cast as follows: Votes for % of Votes for Votes Against % of Votes Against 172,224,944 92.65% 13,662,437 7.35% Following the Meeting, the Board of Directors selected Tobias Lutke to continue to serve as Chair of the Board of Directors, and Robert Ashe to continue to serve as Lead Independent Director. About Shopify Shopify is the leading multi-channel commerce platform. Merchants use Shopify to design, set up, and manage their stores across multiple sales channels, including mobile, web, social media, marketplaces, brick-and-mortar locations, and pop-up shops. The platform also provides merchants with a powerful back-office and a single view of their business, from payments to shipping. The Shopify platform was engineered for reliability and scale, making enterprise-level technology available to businesses of all sizes. Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, Shopify currently powers over 800,000 businesses in approximately 175 countries and is trusted by brands such as Unilever, Kylie Cosmetics, Allbirds, MVMT, and many more. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005958/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] Canon Solutions America Supports The University of Alabama On Launch Of New Printing Services Program, Print Camp 2019 MELVILLE, N.Y., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Canon Solutions America, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A., Inc. is proud to support The University of Alabama's first-ever Print Camp, a program led by the university's printing services director, Tom McLeod. The program, held May 20-22, was a mini print boot camp that brought together various departments from the university, nearby colleges, churches, and organizations to train alongside print industry experts. Canon Solutions America Account Executive Bradley Leonard was at the camp to share tips and techniques for creating printed material with Canon digital technology. The inaugural program aimed to empower groups within the university, as well as local organizations that have limited resources, by helping them stay up-to-speed with the latest design trends and printing techniques. This knowledge will help enable them to be self-sufficient, avoid the need to outsource their printing needs, and obtain the greatest value from their budgets. From jobs that require a robust print environment to techniques that can be used on an office copier or printer, Print Camp provided participants a wide range of options to create dynamic printed pieces. "The overall focus of Print Camp 2019 was based on my many happy years interacting with friends, colleagues, and customers who need all manner of printed material," said Tom McLeod, Printing Services Director, The University of Alabama. "Our commitment is to help participants deliver printed media with confidence and appeal, even if they don't have access to a print service provider. Print Camp 2019 allows them to make the most out of their budgets regardless of where or how the printed material is produced." "Print Camp was such a worthwhile and thought provoking experience for me," said Kelly Marshall, Communications Director, Alabama Rivers Alliance. "Working for a non-profit organization, you find yourself wearing all sorts of different hats throughout a typical day. Print Camp allowed me the opportunity to slow down and thoughtfully consider the materials we present to our audience, how they are received, and what I can do on the front end to ensure the most effective piece for my organization. I look forward to putting some of the things I learned into action soon!" Each session was led by one or more subject matter experts, who were available for Q&A during and after the sessions. Participants actively engaged in discussions and hands-on activities that reinforced the concepts and techniques shared by the print professionals. Additionally, written materials were provided for the students to take back to their teams, including the latest edition of Canon Solutions America's Designer's Guide to Inkjet book. "We are so proud to support The University of Alabama on this great initiative," said Peter Kowalczuk, President, Canon Solutions America. "Print offers many possibilities to all types of organizations and we were excited to have the opportunity to educate people on how they can best leverage their printed material for the success of their business. We thank The University of Alabama for inviting us to participate, and we look forward to seeing this program grow." About Canon Solutions America, Inc. Canon Solutions America provides industry leading enterprise, production, and large format printing solutions, supported by exceptional professional service offerings. With the technology offerings of the Canon and Oce brands, Canon Solutions America helps companies of all sizes find ways to: improve sustainability, increase efficiency, and control costs in conjunction with high volume, continuous feed, digital and traditional printing, and document management solutions. A wholly owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A., Inc., Canon Solutions America is headquartered in Melville, N.Y. and has sales and service locations across the U.S. For more information on Canon Solutions America, please visit csa.canon.com. Editorial Contact: Canon Solutions America, Inc. Website: Tara Vetro http://csa.canon.com 631-330-2681 For sales info/customer support: [email protected] 1-844-443-INFO (4636) Canon is a registered trademark of Canon Inc. in the United States and elsewhere. Oce is a registered trademark of Oce-Technologies B.V. in the United States and elsewhere. All other referenced product names and marks are trademarks of their respective owners and are hereby acknowledged. 2019 Canon Solutions America, Inc. All rights reserved. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/canon-solutions-america-supports-the-university-of-alabama-on-launch-of-new-printing-services-program-print-camp-2019-300858686.html SOURCE Canon Solutions America, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP Announces Investigation on Behalf of ASGN Incorporated Investors (ASGN) Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP ("GPM") announces an investigation on behalf of ASGN Incorporated ("ASGN" or the "Company") (NYSE: ASGN) investors concerning the Company and its officers' possible violations of federal securities laws. If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate. If you wish to learn more about this action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Lesley Portnoy, Esquire, at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, or by email to [email protected], or visit our website at www.glancylaw.com. On May 28, 2019, the Company announced the resignation of one of its directors, Peter T. Dameris. On this news, the Company's share price fell sharply during intraday trading, thereby injuring investors. If you purchased ASGN securities, have information, or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Lesley Portnoy, of GPM, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100, Los Angeles, CA (News - Alert) 90067 at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, or visit our website at www.glancylaw.com. If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005966/en/ [May 29, 2019] Almonty Announces the Signing of the Power Supply and Consumption Agreement for the Sangdong Mine Development with Korea Electric Power Corporation Almonty Industries Inc. ("Almonty" or the "Company") (TSX:AII / OTCQX: ALMTF / Frankfurt: 1MR)) announces that it has signed a Power Supply and Consumption Agreement with Korea Electric Power Corporation ("KEPCO") for the construction and supply of a power line to the Sangdong Tungsten Mine located in the Republic of Korea. The Power Supply and Consumption Agreement, entered into on May 29, 2019 between Almonty Korea Tungsten Corp. ("AKTC"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Almonty, and KEPCO, a state-owned monopoly power supplier, is for the construction and installation of a 10MW exclusive power line to the site of the Sangdong Mine. Under the Power Supply & Consumption Agreement, KEPCO is responsible for building the high voltage power line (22.9kV) of 22.8 km and auxiliary facilities connecting the Taebaek Sub-station of KEPCO and the transfer point designated inside the Sangdong Mine site. The construction cost of KRW2,044 million (approx. US$1.7 million) will be entirely borne by KEPCO as a part of its power line subsidy program for industrial promotion. KEPCO will commence the construction of the power line with the target completion by June 23, 2020, which will be several months before the scheduled completion of the processing plant at the mine. Almonty's Chairman, President and CEO Lewis Black said: "The signing of the Power Supply and Consumption Agreement for the Sangdong Mine development will be another important and meaningful step to Almonty for bringing what was historically one of the largest and lowest-cost tungsten mines in the world back into production. We are particularly pleased and grateful for KEPCO's subsidized construction of the power line. The subsidized power line extension by the government power company, in addition to the subsidized connection of potable water line by the County Government in 2017, signifies the continued support of the South Korean government for the development of the Sangdong Mine. The in-time supply of power will contribute to ensuring the scheduled completion of the processing plant and other facilities at the Sangdong Mine, enabling AKTC to meet targeted commercial production in Q4 2020." About Almonty Industries Inc. The principal business of Toronto, Canada-based Almonty Industries Inc. is the mining, processing and shipping of tungsten concentrate from its Los Santos Mine in western Spain and its Panasqueira mine in Portugal as well development of its Sangdong tungsten mine in Gangwon Province, South Korea and the development of the Valtreixal tin/tungsten project in north western Spain. The Los Santos Mine was acquired by Almonty in September 2011 and is located approximately 50 kilometres from Salamanca in western Spain and produces tungsten concentrate. The Panasqueira mine, which has been in production since 1896, is located approximately 260 kilometres northeast of Lisbon, Portugal, was acquired in January 2016 and produces tungsten concentrate. The Sangdong mine, which was historically one of the largest tungsten mines in the world and one of the few long-life, high-grade tungsten deposits outside of China, was acquired in September 2015 through the acquisition of a 100% interest in Woulfe Mining Corp. Almonty owns 100% of the Valtreixal tin-tungsten project in north-western Spain. Further information about Almonty's activities may be found at www.almonty.com and under Almonty's profile at www.sedar.com. Legal Notice The release, publication or distribution of this announcement in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law and therefore persons in such jurisdictions into which this announcement is released, published or distributed should inform themselves about and observe such restrictions. Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Statements When used in this press release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. These statements and information are based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and reflect Almonty's current expectations. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the expected use of proceeds of the Debenture Offering. The forward-looking statements and information in this press release include information relating to the intentions of management. Such statements and information reflect the current view of Almonty with respect to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to vary. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Almonty to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: the receipt of all required approvals, unanticipated costs and expenses, general market and industry conditions and operational risks, including large project risk and contractual factors, any specific risks relating to fluctuations in the price of ammonium para tungstate ("APT (News - Alert)") from which the sale price of Almonty's tungsten concentrate is derived, actual results of mining and exploration activities, environmental, economic and political risks of the jurisdictions in which Almonty's operations are located and changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, forecasts and assessments relating to Almonty's business, credit and liquidity risks, hedging risk, competition in the mining industry, risks related to the market price of Almonty's shares, the ability of Almonty to retain key management employees or procure the services of skilled and experienced personnel, risks related to claims and legal proceedings against Almonty and any of its operating mines, risks relating to unknown defects and impairments, risks related to the adequacy of internal control over financial reporting, risks related to governmental regulations, including environmental regulations, risks related to international operations of Almonty, risks relating to exploration, development and operations at Almonty's tungsten mines, the ability of Almonty to obtain and maintain necessary permits, the ability of Almonty to comply with applicable laws, regulations and permitting requirements, lack of suitable infrastructure and employees to support Almonty's mining operations, uncertainty in the accuracy of mineral reserves and mineral resources estimates, production estimates from Almonty's mining operations, inability to replace and expand mineral reserves, uncertainties related to title and indigenous rights with respect to mineral properties owned directly or indirectly by Almonty, challenges related to global financial conditions, risks related to future sales or issuance of equity securities, differences in the interpretation or application of tax laws and regulations or accounting policies and rules of the TSX. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including but not limited to, the receipt of all required final approvals, no unanticipated delays in the project financing, no material unanticipated costs and expenses, no material adverse change in general market and industry conditions and no unanticipated material operational risks, including large project risk and contractual factors, no material adverse change in the market price of APT, the continuing ability to fund or obtain funding for outstanding commitments, expectations regarding the resolution of legal and tax matters, no negative change to applicable laws, the ability to secure local contractors, employees and assistance as and when required and on reasonable terms, and such other assumptions and factors as are set out herein. Although Almonty has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results, level of activity, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and even if events or results described in the forward-looking statements are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, Almonty. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and are cautioned that actual outcomes may vary. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. Almonty cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on Almonty's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Almonty has also assumed that material factors will not cause any forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF ALMONTY AS OF THE DATE OF THIS PRESS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON (News - Alert) FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. WHILE ALMONTY MAY ELECT TO DO SO, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005968/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Some of La Jollas early cinematic tales are truly destined for the silver screen. Theres the mystery of whatever happened to Baby Peggy, the child star of the silent-film era; the tragic losses of The Villages Unicorn Theater and Cove Theater; the dramatic life of one-time La Jolla resident and actress Carol Dempster; and campy looks at Andy Warhols time working at Windansea Beach. Behind-the-scenes looks at these, and so many other pieces of La Jollas film history, make up the exhibit History in Motion: Devices & Wizardry in Early Cinema, which opens Saturday, June 8 at the La Jolla Historical Societys Wisteria Cottage Gallery, 780 Prospect St. Using an early 1900s vintage multi-media approach, the exhibit features a study of the silent melodrama films of La Jolla Cinema League; magic lantern-style slide presentations of La Jolla Historical Society archival holdings; stereoscopically enhanced views of the past, using vintage tools and current technology; a survey of the old movie palaces of La Jolla; silent film secrets of San Diego County; surprising multi-media tools of the past with a look to the virtual reality future; and revelations from vintage La Jolla home movies from underwater films to underground Warhol sightings. Cinema provides an opportunity for time travel, especially in this case, said curator Scott Paulson. You get to be transported to another time. La Jolla is an interesting town, but its hard to imagine what it was like in the 1920s. Photos are fine, but it is so engaging when it is 3-D or motion pictures. Thats what were celebrating. Shining the spotlight on the La Jolla Cinema League, Paulson added: They were a delightful amateur film club in the 1920s that made professional silent films. They had access to equipment and they made these wonderful movies and weve got them! It was run by a family. They made these spectacular films, some were quasi-experimental. They were responsible for the first viral cat video they photographed their cat wandering ... sitting in a Quaker Oats box ... Im sure this was the first. A film still from a La Jolla Cinema League production, the amateur film club of the 1920s. Courtesy Then theres the story of Carol Dempster, the silent film star who retired in La Jolla in the 1960s and was written out of the history books, Paulson said. At one point, she just disappeared from everyones radar, at a time where you just didnt do that. As for Baby Peggy? With parents in the industry, she was spotted on a film lot and signed to a staggering $1.5 million contract as a child (thats more than $19 million in todays dollars). Now, at age 100, Peggy Montgomery lives in the Bay Area. But for a time, she worked at the UC San Diego bookstore. She wore pancake makeup and 1920s hair, and it still looked good on her, Paulson said. Movie posters and biographical information help share these stories and more. But a film industry cannot survive on actors alone. It needs technology, and in the ever-changing 1900s, equipment was changing faster than a film reel. We have magic lanterns, which predate photos and videos as a way to project images and information; and we have stereoscopes, Paulson said. They involve looking at a card through a viewer and it becomes like 3-D. They were a great way to do virtual tourism, because many of those slides were of the pyramids or Paris. For this exhibit, you will be able to use your smartphone, and put it in a vintage stereoscope and see a 3-D picture. The exhibit also has a collection of 1920s cameras and projectors, and virtual reality booths with looks at long-gone landmarks such as La Jollas Windemere Cottage. And in La Jolla, beloved movie houses provided a place to view these masterpieces. There was an early outdoor theater called the Unicorn Theater, and the Cove Theater up on Girard, said La Jolla Historical Society executive Heath Fox. There is the story of these houses that developed in that part of the century. And well tell that story through this exhibition. (The Unicorn Theater closed in the 1980s and the Cove Theater in 2003.) Logo for the long-gone Unicorn Theater Courtesy Concurrent with the exhibit, a curated silent film festival with live music will be presented in collaboration with Vanguard Culture at Idea 1 in downtown San Diego. Titled the Not-So-Silent Short Film Fest, the three-themed presentations will be held June 22, July 6 and Aug. 3 (details at lajollahistory.org). At the La Jolla Historical Society, a short film festival with live music by Paulsons Teeny Tiny Pit Orchestra, titled Movies by Moonlight, will be held evenings Aug. 15-18 (and yes, Paulson made sure there is a full moon those nights). Those who wish to attend can bring a low chair and picnic dinner. Im excited for this exhibit because this is a history that is directly related to this community, Fox said. Years ago, we did a project called Judith Dolan: On Broadway. As part of that, we covered the history of the performing arts in La Jolla, and its interesting to think about how that history developed in parallel to the history of film and theater and its a lot of fun. [May 29, 2019] Significant Patent Win for TQ Delta TQ Delta LLC, a technology development and licensing firm, secured another favorable judgment last week when a Delaware federal jury found that 2Wire Inc. infringed three of TQ Delta's patents related to Digital Subscriber Line ("DSL") technology. 2Wire is a subsidiary of ARRIS Solutions, which was recently acquired by CommScope Inc. TQ Delta's patents cover important memory sharing capabilities for DSL modems and central office equipment, among other inventions. TQ Delta notes that these inventions are widely employed not just in the United States, but around the world. This ruling represents another victory for TQ Delta's ongoing licensing business. Earlier this year, the High Court of Justice of England and Wales also found in favor of TQ Delta on another patent from its deep portfolio of DSL inventions. The UK Proceeding against ZyXEL Communications (News - Alert) UK Ltd and its Danish parent company, ZyXEL Communications A/S (both subsidiaries of Unizyx Holding Corporation) found TQ Delta's European Patent (UK) 1 453 268 valid and infringed, as well as essential to the standards for ADSL2 and VDSL2. The Court granted an immediate injunction and award of costs against the ZyXEL defendants. ZyXEL defendants have appealed some elements of the judgment and that appeal is pending. TQ Delta's worldwide portfolio spans a broad range of standard essential patents ("EPs") and non-SEPs that are central to key broadband network technologies. In addition to validation by courts in the US and UK, TQ Delta has successfully licensed its technology to key market participants. The most recent verdict was announced on May 23 following a nearly four-day trial in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware. After deliberation, the eight-member jury returned a favorable verdict on all eleven counts, finding that 2Wire infringed U.S. Patent nos. 7,836,381, 7,844,882 and 8,276,048, that those patents were not obvious over prior art, and that two certificates of correction were not invalid. "We are pleased with the jury's decision affirming the strength and importance of our portfolio of inventions, which are the culmination of years of investment in standards development and communications technologies," said Abha Divine, Managing Director of TQ Delta. TQ Delta has supported continued development of DSL markets by maintaining a longstanding business strategy designed to ensure advancements in the technology. "The TQ Delta portfolio and continued investment in the field contributes to the past, present, and future of high-speed DSL connections around the world. We have already licensed several companies to practice the important inventions under our DSL portfolio and will continue to seek to license others through business negotiations," said Divine. TQ Delta was represented by McAndrews, Held, and Malloy, Ltd., a firm specializing in intellectual property prosecution, counselling, and dispute resolution. Lead trial attorney, Peter McAndrews, explained that "The Defendant's strategy was to trivialize the important inventions at issue. We are pleased that the jury vindicated the inventors' hard work and our client's commitment to innovation." TQ Delta maintains a sizable patent portfolio for digital communication technology, including DSL. About TQ Delta TQ Delta is a technology development and licensing company aimed at providing needed solutions for the communications industry and beyond. The company's technical investments span nearly two decades of contributions and innovation in the field of communications. TQ Delta's technologies are used in leading products and services worldwide spanning broadband communications and media distribution. For more information, visit http://www.tqdelta.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190529005990/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 29, 2019] ION announces executive leadership transition HOUSTON, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- ION Geophysical Corporation (NYSE: IO) today announced the retirement of Brian Hanson, its President and Chief Executive Officer, and his resignation from its Board of Directors, both effective June 1, 2019, and the appointment of Chris Usher, previously Executive Vice President of ION's Operations Optimization segment, to succeed Mr. Hanson as President and CEO. Mr. Usher has also been elected to serve on the Board of Directors. Mr. Hanson has had a long tenure at ION, serving as the Chief Financial Officer from 2006 to 2011 and in his current role as President and CEO from 2011 to present. Brian has been contemplating the right time to retire for some time and initiated formal succession planning last year. Chris Usher was identified as a natural fit for the role as he's led a number of large technology businesses and can seamlessly continue to drive ION's strategy and shareholder value. With the industry upturn, all parties felt like this was an opportune time to make the transition. "Brian has been instrumental in successfully navigating through one of the toughest industry downturns and transforming the company from a solutions provider to a streamlined technology company focused on delivering higher value, higher potential return offerings," commented Jay Lapeyre, Chairman of the Board. "On behalf of ION, I would like to extend our gratitude for his many contributions and years of service." Chris Usher brings over thirty years of energy and technology leadership to the role with hands-on experience in data processing and imaging, software development and new product commercialization. Mr. Usher began his career in field operations at Western Geophysical. In 2000, he moved to PGS in London where he served as President of its global data processing division until 2004. From 2004 to 2005, Chris served as Senior Corporate Vice President, Integrated Services, at Paradigm Geotechnology in London. In 2005, Mr. Usher joined Landmark Software and Services, a division of Halliburton, as Senior Director. From 2010 until 2012, Mr. Usher served as Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer for Global Geophyical. Chris joined ION's executive team in December 2012 and has run a number of ION's businesses in the time since. Mr. Usher is a graduate of Yale University with a Bachelor of Science degree in geology and geophysics. "Serving as President and CEO of ION has been the most rewarding role of my career and I am proud of what we have accomplished," said Brian Hanson. "After almost fifteen years at ION, I am ready to retire from public company life and am looking forward to pursuing other personal interests. Chris has been a key member of our executive team for many years and I am confident that under his leadership ION will continue to grow and prosper. He has an excellent track record and the right mix of leadership skills, industry knowledge and strategic vision to bring ION into the next era of digitalization and decision intelligence." Chris Usher stated, "I am delighted to be selected for this role and am looking forward to working with our incredibly talented team to deliver long-term growth and value to our customers and shareholders as we enter a new market cycle. There are exciting opportunities ahead of us to build on ION's traditional data library and imaging strengths, commercialize new technology we've been developing and modify our cutting-edge capabilities for new markets. Our leadership team is focused on matching our clients' needs with innovative offerings that enable smarter decisions about their investments and operations." About ION ION develops and leverages innovative technologies, creating value through data capture, analysis and optimization to enhance critical decision-making, enabling superior returns. For more information, visit iongeo.com. Contacts ION (Investor relations) Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Steve Bate, +1 281.552.3011 [email protected] ION (Media relations) Vice President, Communications Rachel White, +1 281.781.1168 [email protected] The information herein contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements may include information and other statements that are not of historical fact. Actual results may vary materially from those described in these forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements reflect numerous assumptions and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include the risks associated with the timing and development of ION Geophysical Corporation's products and services; pricing pressure; decreased demand; changes in oil prices; and political, execution, regulatory, and currency risks. These risks and uncertainties also include risks associated with the WesternGeco litigation and other related proceedings. We cannot predict the outcome of this litigation or the related proceedings. For additional information regarding these various risks and uncertainties, including the WesternGeco litigation, see our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, filed on February 8, 2019. Additional risk factors, which could affect actual results, are disclosed by the Company in its fillings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including its Form 10-K, Form 10-Qs and Form 8-Ks filed during the year. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ion-announces-executive-leadership-transition-300858754.html SOURCE ION Geophysical Corporation [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Samsung might have a new method for getting you to beam your Galaxy Note 10 screen to your desktop. (Image credit: Tom's Guide) The folks over at GalaxyClub on Wednesday (May 29) discovered a trademark application Samsung filed in the European Union that describes a new device called the "Dex Live." In the description, Samsung said that the device is "application software, namely, for projecting the screen of mobile device to displays via computer peripheral devices and wireless networks." Samsung's DeX Station was a way for folks to beam their mobile devices to a monitor to act like a traditional computer. You could pop in your Samsung smartphone into the DeX Station and connect it to a keyboard, mouse, and monitor. You could then use your smartphone like a PC. But no one wanted to spring for an extra accessory. With the Galaxy Note 9, Samsung simplified DeX by merely requiring a USB-C to HDMI adapter for connecting to any monitor. But Dex Live should make things even easier - no cables required. MORE: Galaxy Note 10 Rumors: Release Date, Price, Specs and More There have been rumblings over the last several months that Samsung was looking for a way to improve upon its DeX Station with a wireless alternative. However, those rumors didn't say when the feature might launch and how it might work in the real world. Given the timing on the trademark application, however, it would seem likely that Samsung is lining up the possible DeX Live to launch alongside the Galaxy Note 10 the company has planned for this summer. Indeed, the DeX Stations have launched alongside flagship Samsung smartphones in the past. It would make sense for that to happen again in 2019 with the DeX Live. Of course, Samsung isn't discussing its plans for the future, so we won't know for sure what will become of the DeX Live until later this year. Until then, expect to hear more about the device as rumors continue to surface. The first 5G phones that started arriving in the U.S. this month share at least one trait beside the ability to connect to faster 5G networks they're also pretty expensive. But a new 5G chipset just unveiled by MediaTek could broaden the range of 5G-ready phones starting next year. At the Computex trade show in Taiwan, MediaTek announced a new integrated system-on-chip meant to power 5G-capable phones. The chipset includes the Helio M70 5G modem the chip maker showed off during Mobile World Congress earlier this year. As significant as the 5G modem is, it's not the only noteworthy thing about MediaTek's new smartphone chipset. The 7-nanometer 5G SoC will feature the latest Cortex-A77 CPU and Mali-G77 GPU designs unveiled by ARM at Computex earlier this week. The chipset has a new AI processing unit the third-generation of MediaTek's AI efforts, the company says that's capable of more tasks like de-blurring photos captured by a phone's camera. MediaTek's new SoC can also support 80-megapixel cameras while offering 4K video encoding and decoding at 60 frames per second. But since we're living at the dawn of the age of 5G, it's that integrated modem that catches the eye. It's capable of delivering 4.7 Gbps download speeds and 2.5 Gbps upload speeds on networks capable of providing that. It also works with sub-6GHz 5G networks, which figure to be more widespread than the mmWave-based networks that have popped up initially. The modem on MediaTek's new SoC also supports standalone and non-standalone network architectures, something that increases its appeal to wireless network operators. The modem also offers multimode support, meaning it can connect to anything from 2G to 4G networks for whenever 5G isn't available. Contrast that with Qualcomm's X50 modem found in current 5G phones like the Galaxy S10 5G. That modem can only connect to 5G, requiring the phone to include a separate LTE modem. Qualcomm's X55 5G modem integrates compatibility with other networks, and adds standalone/non-standalone support among other features. You'll find the X55 in phones later this year. MediaTek's 5G SoC should extend 5G support to different types of phones beyond high-priced premium handsets. Russ Mestechkin, MediaTek's senior director for sales and business development in the U.S. and Latin America, described the new chipset as "flagship quality. You could build a best-in-class phone with it." But he also acknowledged that MediaTek is "very much in the mainstream company" when it comes to mobile chips, so expect to see this chipset in a less pricey category of phones. MediaTek says the 5G SoC will be available in the third quarter of 2019. Look for phones powered by the chipset to arrive by early next year. Image Credit: MediaTek Roanne Somes presents at Microsoft's press conference. (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) At Microsofts Computex keynote here in Taipei, Roanne Sones, corporate vice president of operating systems platforms, detailed Microsofts vision for a modern version of Windows. It includes, she said, enabling features, like seamless updates, security, 5G and LTE and sustained performance. Additionally, she pointed out that there should be delighting factors such as cloud connectivity, the ability to fit on several form factors, and inputs from pens, touch and even gaze. (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) To highlight these features, the company detailed some existing Windows 10 features, like cloud connectivity and Your Phone; machine learning and facial recognition; and Microsoft inking, which now has improved Asian character support for Windows and Office. Microsoft is rumored to be working on a Core OS that works on foldables and other devices, but that wasnt brought up at the keynote. (It exists, in some sense, already in the Surface Hub 2X.) Certainly, some new features will be needed for all of the folding and dual-screen devices weve been seeing the last few weeks. This seemed like Microsoft acknowledging the elephant in the room, but not naming it. The company highlighted a few devices during the keynote, including the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1, Lenovo ThinkPat T495 and Asus ZenBook Pro Duo. At the same event, Nick Parker, corporate vice president of consumer and device sales, highlighted some new devices and reiterated the goal of Microsoft working in both the cloud and edge computing. Rodney Clark, vice president of IoT and mixed reality sales, discussed benefits of cloud services and how businesses need to adjust their attitudes in order to embrace the cloud. Respect For KC's Signature Street Artist Scribe's Graffiti mural art brightens Kansas City You've seen his work from Southwest Trafficway to downtown. The spray painted mural art has made Kansas City unique and is sort of a love letter to the city. Meet TV Drama Makeup After Storm Fear Programming alert for Tuesday night shows FAIRWAY, KS (KCTV) - Severe weather coverage pre-empted parts of CBS prime time programming Tuesday. The 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. encore episodes of NCIS were pre-empted. Since they were repeat episodes, KCTV5 will not re-air them. They will be available on CBS.com. The 9 p.m. episode of Blood & Treasure aired as scheduled. Kansas Flyaway Freedom!!! Fugitive Flamingo that Escaped Kansas Zoo Spotted in Texas 14 Years After it Flew the Coop Flamingo 492, as the bird is known to the Sedgwick County Zoo of Wichita, Kansas, is flaunting its freedom. According to The Wichita Eagle , the crafty flamingo escaped from the zoo with another flamingo in June 2005. Flamingo 492, who had recently arrived at the zoo, was able to fly away thanks to "strong storm winds" and "not-yet-trimmed flight feathers." Show-Me Lesson In Fear Bear Gets Trapped in Missouri Middle School, Chaos Ensues Demonstrating that the follies of youth aren't the exclusive domain of humans, a young bear spotted earlier today bounding around Eureka, Missouri, now appears to be trapped in a Catholic middle school, and, like many a youngster before him, is probably having a real bad time. Nearby Teachable Moment Angst Effort underway to have Smithville School District audited Hide Transcript Show Transcript ABOUT THE REASONS WHY. >> NUMBERS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO LISA TAYLOR, ESPECIALLY SINCE SHE HAS REQUESTED AN AUDIT OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. >> WE'RE QUESTIONING WHAT IS GOING ON AS FAR AS THE FINANCES. >> SHE IS CONCERNED SINCE THE DEFICIT OF $1 MILLION THIS YEAR. Old School KC Drama Debuts Aging in Place: KCAT's "Morning's at Seven" Showcases Fine Comic Performances - KC STUDIO Kansas City Actors Theatre brings together an ensemble of gifted stage veterans for its thoughtful production of Paul Osborn's gentle 1939 comedy "Morning's at Seven." And the results are what you might expect: detailed character work, great timing and a level of commitment that actually elevates the material. Kansas City Baseball Always Ends Badly This first pitch at Royals-White Sox game took a wild turn that the photographer never saw coming We've seen some pretty bad first pitches over the years. Some that don't even make the plate, some that go sailing well over the plate, and some that just made us laugh (we're looking at you, 50 Cent). Hottieinspires this quick update on all things pop culture and worth a peek:Closer to home, here are more than a few news links worth a look right now . . . Kodak Black - Needing Something is the song of the day and this is thefor right now . . . KANSAS CITY, Mo. - After a shooting sent bullets through a Midtown neighborhood Friday, neighbors want the home where it happened to be shut down. Residents near Gillham Road and Locust Street woke up to dozens of gunshots just before 3 a.m. Friday. Journalists often preach that REAL NEWS is supposed to accurately reflect the issues and challenges confronting the community covered by media professionals. And while TV news often gets away with storm sensationalism by using the shady excuse that their "TV VIEWING AREA" is impacted . . . The reality is that local population centers were not in much danger from tornado warnings whilst barn destruction topped news broadcasts last night. DID THE MEDIA AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES INDULGE IN DISASTER PR0N LAST NIGHT IN ORDER TO FLEX THEIR CONTROL OVER THE LOCAL POPULATION?!?! Thankfully, this is the Midwest and flyover country culture dictates that a tornado warning is always a good time to enjoy a beverage on the front porch, make a gas station run or maybe visit a favorite box store. Possibly all three along with a marriage proposal . . . However, in a metro area and nation so hopelessly divided . . . Finding commonality even in the midst of local tragedy is becoming increasingly problematic. KCI TORNADO AFTERMATH FEAR!!! Several early morning flights canceled at KCI KANSAS CITY, Mo. - KCI had to close the airport for a couple of hours Tuesday night after debris from severe storms littered the runway. The airport reopened a little after midnight once crews were able to clear the runways and they were deemed safe. Kansas City Fears Flying Junk?!?! Debris from Linwood, Kansas, found more than 50 miles away after tornado Tuesday night's storm carried a large rotation and very strong winds.At times, on radar, the rotation from the tornado measured at more than a mile wide. Airport Lock Down Last Night KCI Airport moves passengers to safety after tornado warning issued Hide Transcript Show Transcript AIRPORT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE WERE SAFE TONIGHT. STEV: A LOT OF ACTION AT KCI. IT HAS BEEN A COUPLE OF HOURS AND SAFEWAY HAS LEFT. A LONG LINE OF PEOPLE TRYING TO GET REBOOKED. Just The Tip Tornadoes strafe Kansas City area in latest spasm of storms KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV/AP) - A vicious storm tore through the Kansas City area, spawning tornadoes that downed trees and power lines, damaged homes and injured at least a dozen people in the latest barrage of severe weather. The storms in Kansas City Tuesday were the 12th straight day that at least eight tornadoes were reported to the National Weather Service. Foot Fetish Weather Journalism Man says he remembered to put shoes on before tornado hit "We had just talked about the last thing that people don't think about during a storm is having shoes on in case of having to walk through it. So I went over a... More Deets On Airport Scare Debris from Linwood tornado rains down on KCI shutting down airfield and runways KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Tornadoes that moved through the Kansas City area Tuesday night picked up debris and dropped it nearly 50 miles away at Kansas City International Airport forcing crews to temporarily shut down the airfield and runways. "A tornado destroyed homes and businesses miles away and debris rained down onto the airport. Newsies Note "Near" As In 50 Miles Away Large Tornado Touches Down Near Kansas City, At Least 12 Injured At least 12 people were injured in a massive rain-wrapped tornado that touched down on the western edge of Kansas City, Kansas, on Tuesday. The large and dangerous twister hit just outside of Lawrence, ripped through Pleasant Grove, Bonner Springs and Linwood, in what has become a brutal stretch of severe weather across the central and southern plains that has left chaos and destruction in its wake. Important Hand Up For Those Who Need More Than Local Television Ratings Boost Heart to Heart International going to help Kansas City area tornado victims KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) - Advance teams from Heart-to-Heart International were deployed Tuesday night to access damage and determine needs following a round of tornadoes in the Kansas City area. According to the charity, teams have already gone out to Douglas County where there was extensive damage, especially in the Linwood area. Kleenex At Command Central Kansas City emergency managers work to keep metro weather aware KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Emergency management workers in the metro monitored severe weather at the Emergency Operations Center closely on Tuesday. Managers used radar and cameras across the metro to keep people safe and weather aware as storms that included tornadoes pushed west to east through the metro in the evening. Prez Trump Saves Kansas?!?! President Trump grants federal emergency disaster declaration for 18 Kansas President Donald Trump has granted a request from Governor Laura Kelly for an emergency federal disaster declaration for 18 Kansas counties affected by severe weather, heavy rains and flooding that currently is impacting the state. The president's assistance is for the counties of Anderson, Butler, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Coffey, Cowley, Crawford, Elk, Franklin, Greenwood, Harvey, Montgomery, Neosho, Osage, Reno, Sumner, Wilson, and Woodson. National News Hot Take Tornadoes in Kansas: Images show destruction in Lawrence and Linwood Near Kansas City Parts of a city in Kansas was ripped apart by tornadoes overnight on Tuesday, with severe weather continuing to hammer the Midwest. According to the Associated Press, "one or more tornadoes" took down trees and power lines, damaged homes and injured at least 12 people. Barn Destruction Documented Kearney hit hard by Tuesday's tornado KEARNEY, MO (KCTV) -- A couple miles east of I-35 about half way between 92 Highway and 69 Highway, a friend of the couple who lives in a house said a neighbor down the road lost two barns, another had some home damage, and trees are down all over. Drone Pix And Weather Terms Drone photos show extent of tornado damage in Douglas County Areas of Lawrence, Linwood impacted by wedge tornado Last night Downtown and Midtown residents were encouraged to retreat to their soggy basements because of a weather event nearly 50 miles away.This morning mainstream journalists and public safety officials are backpedaling and hoping their old school viewing audiences accept that danger from trash floating in the air was important enough to delay the latest episode ofBottom line . . .In a digital world where "the algorithm" can be refined to bring everybody with a mobile phone a highly customized-- Asking anyone to think about the big picture is a tough sell.Meanwhile in KCMO, there was a deadly youngster gun fight, continued debate among the mayoral candidates and all of the low-rent politicos running for councilcontinued infrastructure neglect along with potholes that still haven't been filled despite promises.And so we ask . . .Our favorite part of last night's social media discussion is how newbie or 20-nothing locals encouraged their neighbors to run and hide whilst longtime KCMO locals know that the news is notoriously panicky and wrong during Springtime and the rest of the year . . .None of this is to say that there wasn't a serious weather danger for folks in the stix and on the outside edge of town . . .Accordingly, after the jump we'veso that we might all garner a bit more information not only on the disaster but also for use as a gauge local MSM hyperbole and storytelling amid the era of Internets push back . . .You decide . . . On Memorial Day, San Diego saluted U.S. Navy legend Doris Dorie Miller. Americas Finest City may have also given the Texas native and World War II hero a political boost. Millers story was the centerpiece of May 27, 2019 ceremonies at Mount Soledad National Veterans Memorial in La Jolla . Sometimes rousing and often somber, the hour-long affair paid tribute to American men and women in uniform who had made the ultimate sacrifice. The Marine Band played America the Beautiful; World War II-era planes roared overhead in the missing-man formation; and Boy Scouts polished the memorials 5,100 black granite plaques that honor veterans living and dead. We do it every year, said E.J. Kovacs-Morgan, an 11-year-old Tenderfoot with Troop 4. Every Memorial Day. Likewise, every year, the memorials caretakers spotlight one notable veteran. This years choice was Miller, who was a 22-year-old cook aboard the battleship West Virginia when it was moored in Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. That morning, Japanese aircraft struck without warning, bombing and strafing his ship. Torpedoes had destroyed his battle station, so Miller helped carry to relative safety many wounded men, including the ships dying skipper, Capt. Mervyn S. Bennion. In an after-action report, the ships executive office credited Miller with unquestionably saving the lives of a number of people who might otherwise have been lost. As the attack continued, Miller went forward to man a machine gun. Although untrained in this weapon, he learned quickly, firing until he ran out of ammunition. It wasnt hard, he said later. I just pulled the trigger, and she worked fine. In 1942, Miller became the first African- American awarded the Navy Cross. The decoration was personally pinned on him by Adm. Chester Nimitz, the Pacific Fleets commander in chief. In November 1943, Miller was lost at sea when a Japanese submarine sank the escort carrier Liscome Bay. The Navy Cross is a high honor but not high enough, said Neil OConnell, a retired Marine Corps sergeant major and president of the Mount Soledad National Veterans Memorial Association. His actions, OConnell said, were surely deserving of much more. OConnell noted that Joseph Dioguardi, a former Republican Congress member from New York, and the Texas congressional delegation have urged President Donald Trump to posthumously bestow on Miller the Medal of Honor. This campaign may soon have some West Coast support from Congress member Scott Peters, D-San Diego. Id better look into that and see if I can get in on it, said Peters, who attended the Mount Soledad ceremonies. Would he support this cause? Yes, he said, I think so. Doris Dorie Miller, a Navy Mess Attendant, was honored during the Memorial Day ceremony May 27 at Mount Soledad National Veterans Memorial in La Jolla. He was the first African-American awarded the Navy Cross. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune) For most in the audience, World War II was history. For Bill Galbraith and Max Gurney, it was memory. Galbraith, 95, was an Army paratrooper who survived D-Day. Gurney, 98, was part of the 1943 Allied invasion of Sicily. Both men plan to be in France next month for the 75th anniversary of D-Day, spending time with old friends. The French people that we knew then were truly courageous, Gurney said. They helped us, and they like us. A version of Millers story is told in Michael Bays 2001 movie, Pearl Harbor, in which the Texan is portrayed by Cuba Gooding Jr. The true story may be best known in Texas, where a statue of Miller was erected in his home town, Waco, and his name adorns three schools. Only one other school in the U.S. has that honor: Doris Miller Elementary in San Diegos Tierrasanta neighborhood. I think his story is more well-known today than ever before, said Leroy Ellis III, a great-nephew of Dorie Miller, who joined his cousin Thomas Bledsoe at the ceremonies. Its known more and more and more. More than a thousand people attend the Memorial Day ceremony May 27 at Mount Soledad National Veterans Memorial in La Jolla. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune) Certainly, the word was spread on Mount Soledad, where an estimated 1,200 turned out for the afternoon event. The crowd was so large, the memorials hilltop parking lots were filled hours in advance. Shuttle buses ferried people up and down Mount Soledad, while scores of hardy souls trekked up the steep slope. Among them was 81-year-old Mike Miller, a former educator and Marine lieutenant from Pacific Beach (hes no relation to Dorie Miller). He was slower than some hiking up Mount Soledad, but no one was more determined to reach the summit. Not as lean, not as mean, Miller said. But still a Marine. Peter Rowe is a reporter for The San Diego Union-Tribune. KCK police fired cadet after she reported sexual assault by her supervisor: lawsuit Steven Rios, a Kansas City, Kan., police officer has been charged with sexual battery against a co-worker. He allegedly committed the crime while on duty, said Wyandotte County District Attorney Mark Dupree during a press conference Tuesday. A Kansas City, Kansas, police cadet says she was fired after pressing sexual battery charges against her supervisor, according to a lawsuit filed in U.S. Here's a glimpse at #METOO allegations across the State Line that we hinted about yesterday, now part of an ongoing beef betwixt faction among the not-so-unified-goverment. 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These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. List of Partners (vendors) Street Sweeping LA Parker is correct in his complaint about the street sweepers in Trenton. I live in the West Ward West State Street area and we have not seen the street sweeper in three weeks. We diligently move our cars every Friday and Monday to no avail. We sweep the street ourselves, which is no problem, but where are the street sweepers? Why are they not doing their job? What do they do and where are they when they are not working? To whom are they accountable? This is so unfair to the taxpayers. If they are not going to work, just let us know so retirees dont have to get up in the morning and move their cars. It is such an easy thing to fix and it seems as if the administration just doesnt care. All we are asking is for them to do what they were hired to do! A reader Public Works department is your first call, I believe. The citys website has a bunch of numbers to call in that department, but this seems like a good one, For help getting streets and alleys cleaned call 989-3200. Or if thats not getting you anywhere, the Public Works Directors office is 609-989-3151. Ed Note Recreational marijuana Shame on our State legislators for punting the question of legalizing recreational marijuana to the voters! Dont the legislators realize the serious health hazards associated with recreational marijuana, as well as the potential for black market activity? The health hazard alone is reason to prevent legalization. With proper safeguards and controls, medical marijuana can be acceptable for use. But recreational marijuana is a different matter altogether, and its approval by the voters would be a huge mistake. Hamilton Reader How dare they let the people have a voice on an issue? Ed Note City leaders dont want to say, so well have to say if for them. Trenton has a gang problem. Still. Not again, but still. The frequency of violence ebbs and flows, but the core of that problem is still there. Desperation. Trenton youth have to grow up in a harsh reality where limited opportunities for education and jobs cause many to lean toward a violent life with drugs and gangs. City leaders try to deflect from admitting this by talking about possibilities of road rage and glossing over victims connection to gangs and violence before their death. By no means did any of these victims deserve what happened. To say that would be inhumane and wildly callous. We need to acknowledge the connections to that life though to create a full picture of why these young men and woman are getting murdered. We cant fix the problem until we admit that there is one, as the old cliche says, step one is admitting the problem. Monday night, a young man with ties to a Trenton gang was murdered in another mass shooting. But that gang affiliation, which he proudly posted about on social media, was only one aspect of who he was. Unique Boogie Anderson was a father, a friend, a son. An outpouring of posts online talk about him as a young man who was loved by many, though some ominously warned of retaliation. Much of the sadness expressed acknowledged the street aspect of his murder, talking about this shooting as retaliation for another shooting. We need to confront this problem so that we dont lose another young life. Councilman Jerell Blakeley admits on Facebook that Trenton is in the midst of a war, but other city leaders seem to chalk it up to Trenton being Trenton. We cant accept that. Fingers are pointed at lax federal gun laws, or policy changes within the Trenton Police Department, or police not having the resources they need, or a million other things. Reality is, all those problems contribute, but they are reactive answers, not proactive answers. Opportunity needs to exist for young people outside of the gang life. Education needs to uplift them. Jobs need to be available here in Trenton. A police force of 500 or the National Guard rolling into Trenton will lock up the bad actors, but the power vacuum will just bring up new criminals. The way out isnt more cops, the way out is more opportunity. Opinion / Letters to the Editor / Our Readers Write: The following are Letters to the Editor from recent issues of La Jolla Light as La Jollans speak out on local issues. Letters published in La Jolla Light express views from readers in regard to community issues. To share your thoughts in this public forum, e-mail them with your name and city of residence to editor@lajollalight.com or mail them to La Jolla Light Editor, 565 Pearl St., Suite 300, La Jolla, CA 92037 Welcome to the old, rusting toilet/shower facility at La Jolla Cove. (Photo by Alice Perricone) A La Jolla Cove bench is missing a seat plank. (Photo by Alice Perricone) Tarnishing Our Jewel The photos above were taken last week during my walk at The Cove. I appreciate that the La Jolla Light helps try help clean up the eyesores that are Tarnishing Our Jewel. I often wonder where my tax money is being spent, other than for building parking for the not made-in-America scooters racing around on the sidewalks and grass at the parks that used to be a place to relax, as long as one stays clear of the restrooms and now the walking paths. Alice Perricone Secede already! I am sure I dont appreciate the complexities involved in La Jolla breaking free the from the anchor that is being part of the City of San Diego . I would love to hear about them. Are they really insurmountable? I moved to La Jolla from Solana Beach about 10 years ago to join my lovely wife here in La Jolla. Every week I hear (in the La Jolla Light and by word of mouth) about how the City wont allow this and wont allow that improvement, largely related to road and traffic issues, but the list goes on. And the roads, dont get me started. I have become an expert obstacle course driver trying to spare my low clearance car from poor road repairs and potholes, suffering a flat or worse. This cant be a safe practice! I am a scientist and our lifeblood is what we call a control experiment. Well, you, too, can do a control experiment pick a nice sunny day and take a drive north on Torrey Pines Road until you reach Solana Beach. No need to read the signs or use Google maps. You will know you have arrived when your tire noise drops to a whisper, sidewalks are like new and the aesthetic and thoughtful landscaping, bike paths and beachfront (Fletcher Cove) surround you. This is what a town feels like that has seceded from the City of San Diego. La Jolla is an enchanting place to live, but it pales in comparison to Solana Beach in terms of the overall quality of the environment and infrastructure. It is a shame that La Jolla cant break free and would rather fight a nickel-and-dime war with the City on every desired improvement. Einstein said it aptly: Insanity is trying the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome. Being a part of the City of San Diego isnt working, so lets take control of our future and bust free already! S. Reich Pedestrians vs. motorists Only in La Jolla would drivers need to be reminded to yield to pedestrians in a school zone and only in La Jolla would anyone expect this to improve pedestrian safety. I would hope that every driver would already know, in California, pedestrians in crosswalks have the right of way. The Lights recent article mentions that because drivers can only turn left or right when coming south on Fay Avenue and during that same cycle of the lights pedestrians are crossing Nautilus yielding to the pedestrians often limits the number of cars that can get through each cycle of the lights. This intersection seems like an ideal place for what many cities, including Carlsbad , have recently implemented: at a certain time in the cycle of the lights, traffic in all directions is stopped and pedestrians can move through the intersection in any direction. When the cars are allowed to move pedestrians are required to stay out of the street. In Carlsbad, theyve implemented this along Pacific Coast Highway at a four-way intersection, and pedestrians are allowed to cross in any direction including diagonal during the pedestrian-only cycle. My guess is that, even with the pedestrian-only cycle, traffic would flow more smoothly through this intersection since the cars would not be competing with the walkers. Joel Goldberger People need Childrens Pool more than seals do Thanks to Erik Holtsmark for his letter to the Light last week. He makes points that are often ignored. Regarding the Childrens Pool, Ive seen letter writers make such comments as, Why dont you just go to another beach? and With so many swimming pools here, why not just swim in those? Such comments miss the point entirely and show an ignorance of what the Childrens Pool has always been about. Its not about just another patch of sand to sit on. The Pool has always been a place where children (and adults) can swim safely in the ocean and learn to appreciate the marine environment. There isnt really anywhere else (besides La Jolla Cove) when kids can put on their fins and masks and explore the undersea wonders the Pool affords. Its like swimming in an aquarium exhibit. The eelgrass ebbs and flows with each swell, and the calico bass and opaleye, with their distinctive white eye spots, hide under the shallow ledges. The bright orange garibaldi are magical, and the juvenile ones with their neon blue spots make a special sight. There are sometimes octopi, sea hares, spider crabs, sea stars, sea urchins in their little cubbyholes with their purple spines, lobsters hiding in their holes, and all too rarely, abalone. I once counted 26 types of fish in one summer. This experience can grow into a lifelong love of the ocean, as kids grow up and venture beyond the pool. When swimming and diving in the sea, one is immersed in nature, not merely being a spectator. Its a powerful force for instilling a love of all nature. Other local beaches, such as Windansea and La Jolla Shores, are too churned up to see anything but sandy water without swimming out past the surf line. That isnt practical or safe for children. (Just ask the lifeguards.) Another issue that is often overlooked is that of non-interference with nature. A guiding principle of wildlife preservation is to let nature take its natural course. We prohibit feeding the animals, we avoid interfering with wildlife, and we try to keep their habitat in its natural state. But the Childrens Pool sandy beach is not a natural habitat, its man-made. Its not like our beautiful natural wetland preserves. The harbor seals dont need this man-made beach; they are thriving on a thousand miles of coastline. They dont need our help, just as they never needed this beach for the first 60 years of its existence. Coddling these seals is akin to feeding the animals its interfering with nature. Just because theyre cute doesnt make it right. Please consider the unique, special nature of the Childrens Pool. Its a rare treasure for children (and adults) and its loss would be tragic. Let people enjoy it! John Welsh, La Jollan since 1951 Childrens Pool belongs to children Id like to thank Erik Holtsmark for his intelligent, fact-based letter in the May 23 issue. Ive been coming several times a year to La Jolla since 1977 and have been amazed at the ongoing nonsensical public debate about the seals at Childrens Pool. Ive traveled the West Coast many times and have seen countless areas where seals go forth and multiply to their hearts content. Why are some folks compelled to deny children (and their families) access to that which was given to them in the first place? Ellen Browning Scripps must be rolling over in her grave. Natexa Verbrugge Whats on YOUR mind? Letters published in La Jolla Light express views from readers in regard to community issues. To share your thoughts in this public forum, e-mail them with your name and city of residence to editor@lajollalight.com or mail them to La Jolla Light Editor, 565 Pearl St., Suite 300, La Jolla, CA 92037. Letters reflect the writers opinions and not necessarily those of the newspaper staff or publisher. A little over two hours after their May 21 meeting at the Rec Center adjourned, La Jolla Development Permit Review (DPR) committee members discovered that the project they advised the City not to approve a Substantial Conformance Review (SCR) for a 30-inch-high retaining wall built just below the Childrens Pool Lifeguard Tower in December 2015 had already been approved by the City (through its Development Services Department) before the DPR meeting even got underway. At the meeting, City Public Works staffers Jason Grani, Marlon Perez and Juan Beligad sought a recommendation for the SCR. The staffers stated that the wall was necessary to provide additional support for the gate posts, to retain about a foot of soil, and to serve as a safety barrier for the ramp. The construction change was approved by Development Services without being brought to any community groups for input. DPR members strongly disagreed with the Citys position, voting 5-0-1 that findings could not be made that the wall substantially conforms to Coastal Development Permit (CDP) No. 549686, recorded on Feb. 17, 2012. In its motion, DPR reasoned that the wall blocks a pre-existing access path identified in the La Jolla Community Plan. While the original CDP only promised Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) access down to the lifeguard towers bathroom level, it also promised that the development will not encroach upon any existing physical access way that is legally used by the public or any proposed public access way identified in a Local Coastal land-use plan and that the existing plaza will be reconfigured to provide a ramp for emergency vehicles to the beach. The ramp in question, DPR chair Brian Will noted, was built in the 1940s and regularly used by beach-goers, lifeguards and City staff until the City allowed it to fall into disrepair and locked the gate, without public notice, to prevent its use in the late 1990s. That ramp was outside of our jurisdiction, Grani argued. Were not blocking it. We didnt do anything to that ramp. Grani stated that the path did not fall within the scope of the SCR they were currently seeking, and that a new, ADA-compliant access ramp could be built, if a new CDP were obtained. This elicited the following rebuke from Will: When your project was permitted, it didnt make any changes to that path. You actively blocked that path. And now your statement is that to undo that damage, its a new project and needs to be brought up to ADA. That piece of concrete was clearly in your scope. Grani replied that we had to protect that bluff, to which Will replied: Thats not a bluff. You can clearly see thats a coastal access road. City Public Works staffers Jason Grani and Juan Beligad argue their case for a Substantial Conformance Review that, unbeknownst to DPR trustees, had already been approved by the City. (COREY LEVITAN) DPR also found the wall inconsistent with both the Citys adopted local coast program and with former Coastal Commissioner Martha McClures request to investigate improving ADA and emergency-vehicle access. Finally, as Will noted, this was a review to determine whether a project substantially conforms to a CDP in which the applicant made no attempt to argue why it conforms. This wall is an afterthought at best, beach-access activist Ken Hunrich said. At worst, its a spiteful way to prevent access to the beach. There are some people who are adamantly opposed to people going down to the beach, for some reason. (The consensus among the beach-access activists in the room who also included Melinda Merryweather, Phyllis Minick and John Leek was that the wall is part of an intentional City effort to trade human access to the Childrens Pool for pinniped access.) DPR trustee Diane Kane noted that the City had been relying on a five-year-old environmental document to substantiate its position when, during that period, field conditions had changed as a result of project changes. This fact requires some sort of amendment to the previous environmental work that would identify the degree of the impact and develop mitigation, she said. The most likely remedy would be to re-open the ramp by leveling the grade on both sides of the wall. Other than the three City employees, not one of the 20 or so people who spoke at the May 21 DPR meeting agreed with the Citys position on the retaining wall. (COREY LEVITAN) DPR voted to fast-track its no-vote so it could send the recommendation to the La Jolla Community Planning Association (LJCPA) before its June 6 vote on this project. (The City was originally supposed to make its presentation to DPR at its May 14 meeting, but bumped it a week, offering no specific reason.) Should LJCPA also find against recommending the already-granted SCP, it will have the opportunity to file an appeal with the San Diego City Council and then, if either side is dissatisfied with the decision made there, the California Coastal Commission. Following the meeting, the Light asked the City to explain how blocking an access way can achieve substantial conformance to a CDP promising not to do exactly that. A public information officer e-mailed the following response: The 30-inch tall retaining wall, located between the posts of the existing gate, was necessary to protect the ADA-compliant access ramp to the restrooms from the exposed bluff and prevent further erosion. As indicated by the Site and Coastal Development permits, the project provided emergency vehicle access to the beach and pedestrian access to the lower level accessible restrooms and showers. Please note that lifeguards dont have a need to get access to that point of the beach with vehicles. If a water rescue is necessary, they use the seawall (on foot) versus going through the gate. Also at DPR Kornberg concedes: Architect Christian Rice, representing applicant Jason Kornberg, got the green light for a CDP to demolish an existing house at 2605 Ellentown Road in Scripps Estates and build a 3,449-square-foot replacement with 462-square-foot attached garage and 701-square-foot companion unit. The vote was 4-1-1, with only trustee Beth Gaenzle opposing. At the May 14 DPR meeting, trustees and 10 neighbors objected to plans, including an elevated deck, that placed the proposed structure 18 inches over the communitys self-imposed 15-foot height limit. But the plans were since revised, reducing the height to comply with the homeowners associations (HOA) Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions. (A rep from the HOA affirmed its approval of the plans as presented.) The only remaining issue was relatively minor: whether guest parking in front of the new house should remain wild or landscaped. Rice proposed installing a gravel driveway, but neighbors objected, something both sides agreed to work out in the HOAs landscape committee. Unit fast-tracked: DPR voted to fast-track its recommendation for a CDP to add a 500-square-foot attached companion unit, a 154-square-foot dining room addition, and a 382-square-foot bedroom and bathroom addition to a house at 1264 La Jolla Rancho Road. Extension extended: DPR unanimously recommended an extension of a CDP for a lot-line adjustment for a project at 1550 Via Corona, which expired in March. DPR next meets 4 p.m. Tuesday, June 11 at the La Jolla Rec Center, 615 Prospect. St. vermaajay1968@gmail.com New Delhi: The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) on Tuesday gave four weeks time to Vikram Bakshi to settle his dispute with state owned HUDCO which is claiming dues of Rs 195 crore from the McDonalds estranged partner. A two-member Bench of the appellate tribunal headed by chairman Justice SJ Mukhopadhaya said this would be the last chance to Bakshi to settle the dispute with HUDCO. PTI kavishakohli@gmail.com New Delhi, May 29 Lenders of Jaypee Infratech have asked state-owned NBCC to sweeten its bid to acquire the debt-laden realty firm and have demanded that the public sector firm should offer 1,426 acre land instead of 950 acre besides taking the onus of getting approvals from income tax and development authorities. As per the direction of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), lenders are negotiating with the NBCC on the latter's bid to acquire Jaypee Infratech and complete stuck housing projects comprising over 20,000 units. The IDBI-led lenders' consortium has written to NBCC that its bid would be considered "favourably" if the public sector firm meets its five conditions. The letter was written to NBCC on Monday, two days before the meeting of the committee of creditors (CoC). "The resolution plan should reinstate 1,426 acres of land that was earlier offered to the secured financial creditors under the debt asset swap," law firm Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas has written on behalf of lenders consortium comprising 13 banks. The land parcel should be made available to secured financial creditors pro-rata to their debt, it added. NBCC should undertake to get the requisite approval from Yamuna Express Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) if the "deemed approval" from YEIDA as proposed in the bid for transfer of Yamuna Expressway and land to special purpose vehicles (SPVs) are not approved by the adjudicating authority, the letter said. Lenders have also put a condition that NBCC should also undertake to get necessary nod from the Income Tax authorities for implementation of the bid if the relief sought by the public sector firm for any future tax liability is not approved by the adjudicating authority. The creditors would consider providing financial assistance to NBCC in respect of unsold flats, provided such assistance is guaranteed by the centre. "Any income tax liability or GST liability or corporate tax liability which arises in future on account of transfer of land parcels, the same shall be borne by the resolution applicant and not by the secured financial creditors," the letter said. The CoC will meet on May 30 to discuss NBCC's bid. As many as 13 banks and 23,000 homebuyers have voting rights in the committee. Earlier this month, the CoC rejected a bid by Mumbai-based Suraksha Realty through a voting process. Later, the panel decided to put on vote NBCC's offer even as bankers were opposed to this move citing certain conditions in the resolution plan submitted by the public sector firm. On the bankers' plea, the NCLAT had on May 17 annulled voting by homebuyers and lenders on NBCC's bid and allowed renegotiation on the offer by May 30. The voting process could start from May 31. Sources had earlier said that NBCC was unlikely to dilute certain conditions, including exemption from future tax liability, mentioned in its bid, but the public sector firm was open to negotiating on the offer related to unsold flats. Lenders have shown reluctance to acquire up to 2,207 unsold flats worth Rs 1,756 crore as proposed by NBCC in its revised offer. In its latest offer, NBCC had proposed infusion of Rs 200 crore equity capital, transfer of 950 acres of land worth Rs 5,000 crore as well as Yamuna Expressway to banks and completion of flats by July 2023 in order to settle an outstanding claim of Rs 23,723 crore of financial creditors, including banks and home buyers. On this bid, lenders had reservations on certain relief and concessions sought by NBCC and had sought clarifications from the firm. However, NBCC decided not to dilute the conditions of exemption from future income tax liability as well as from taking consent of development authorities for transfer of businesses, including land parcels and Yamuna Expressway. Clarifications from the NBCC were sought in the wake of Jaypee Infratech's Interim Resolution Professional (IRP) Anuj Jain flagging to the lenders that the state-owned firm's bid was conditional and non-binding because of conditions like extinguishing of tax liability and exemption from seeking YEIDA consent for any business transfer. In 2017, Jaypee Infratech went into insolvency process after the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) admitted an application by an IDBI Bank-led consortium seeking revival of the realty firm. In the first round of insolvency proceedings conducted last year, the Rs 7,350-crore bid of Lakshdeep, part of Suraksha Group, was rejected by lenders. amansharma@tribunemail.com New Delhi, May 29 Vehicle safety group Global NCAP has given three stars safety ratings out of five for adult occupant protection to Maruti Suzuki Indias (MSI) premium hatchback Ignis sold in South Africa after conducting crash tests. The model, which is manufactured at the companys Gurgaon plant and exported to South Africa, achieved three stars in frontal crash test at 64km/hr. The crash tests were conducted by Global NCAP and the Automobile Association of South Africa as part of its latest #SaferCarsforAfrica initiative, the vehicle safety group said in a statement on its website. Global NCAP rated the structure of Ignis as unstable due to weak chest protection for the driver. It pointed out that the model got a low score in child safety too as Suzuki did not recommend a specific Child Restraint System (CRS) in the test car. The South African Ignis comes with two airbags and ABS as standard, while the European version of the model offers six airbags and electronic stability control as standard fitment. These results are encouraging but indicate more work needs to be done to protect child occupants in vehicles. While we have minimum safety standards for vehicles in South Africa, we need to appreciate that minimum is not good enough, the Automobile Association of South Africa Executive Chairman Sikkie Kajee said in a statement. In a similar crash test, the Honda Amaze achieved four stars for adult occupant protection in the frontal crash test at 64km/hr. Global NCAP rated its structure as stable. It, however, achieved a one star rating for child occupant protection. Using the child seats recommended by Honda, the Amaze only achieved a one star rating for child occupant protection, Global NCAP said. PTI ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 28 More than two years after former Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singhs relative Akansh Sen was crushed to death under the wheels of a BMW car in Sector 9, the Punjab and Haryana High Court was today told that the trial was at its concluding stage. Appearing before Justice Rajan Guptas Bench, UT counsel Gautam Dutt submitted that the case was fixed for hearing before the trial court on June 3 and 4. He also placed before Justice Guptas Bench a status report submitted in a sealed cover by Dutt on the investigation done by the UT police. After going through the report, Justice Gupta ordered its re-sealing before fixing the case for further hearing on July 17 for a fresh status report. An FIR in the matter was registered on February 9, 2017, for attempt to murder and another offence under Sections 307 and 34 of the IPC at the Sector 3 police station. The development took place on a petition filed by Ramanjit Kaur against the UT Administration and other respondents. Mother of one of the accused, she, through counsel Pawan Kumar, was seeking issuance of directions to the UT Administration for referring the matter to the CBI for investigation. It was alleged that the petitioner and her family were being harassed in the name of investigation. Victim Akansh was allegedly hit and dragged under the wheels of the BMW in Sector 9. Following the incident, the police slapped murder charges against two accused Balraj Singh and Harmehtab Singh. Referring to the events as narrated in the FIR, one of the accused had earlier claimed in his anticipatory bail plea that the victim, along with another person, visited the house of Deep Sidhu early morning to enquire about a friend Shera. They were apprehending that Shera and Harmehtab Singh were together in the house. It was then that Balraj Singh got into his car with Harmehtab Singh sitting on the passenger side and drove the car over the victim. shriaya.dutt@tribuneindia.com Sandeep Rana Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 29 A Hindu couple from Bihar and a Muslim couple from Kashmir helped save each others lives by swapping kidneys. Divided by miles, the two families got in touch with each other through internet. The 46-year-old Sujeet Kumars kidney was found to be a good match for 53-year-old Abdul Aziz. Azizs 50-year-old wife Shazia meanwhile proved the right match for Sujeet Kumars 42-year-old wife Manjula Devi. Both families underwent surgeries for a paired kidney exchange at a private hospital in Mohali in December. The transplant cost Rs 6 lakh each. The families found each other on iKidney, a mobile application for kidney transplants. I was registered on a kidney transplant app, based on which I was contacted by the hospital. They told us that there were matches for our kidneys. We came to the hospital and met the family and got the transplant done, said Sujeet, a retired sergeant from Indian Air Force, who is currently working at the Indian Overseas Bank. Earlier, I felt hungry all the time, had high blood pressure and felt unusually cold. After the transplant, I have a got a new life, his wife Manjula said. The Patna-based couple has a 19-year-old daughter. Abdul also said he got in touch with the family online while looking for a kidney match. The couples said their religious differences with their kidney matches were never an issue. Life is first and religion comes after that, Manjula said. The religion does not matter. Whether its Hindu or Muslim, their kidneys are same, Sujeet said. Theres no such thing as Hindus and Muslims in Kashmir. Hindus join Muslims in their happiness and vice-versa. Man is man, Abdul, a Baramulla native, added. The kidney transplants have brought the two families together. We now often talk to each other over phone to know about well being, said Abdul. They have invited me to Kashmir and we have invited them to Patna. We would like to visit them some day, Sujeet said. Dr Priyadarshi Ranjan, who performed the transplant, said: "This is the first such case at our hospital. It has sent the message of unity in diversity". ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Ramkrishan Upadhyay Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 28 A major tragedy was averted after an electric panel installed in the staircase on the ground floor of a building in Sector 17 caught fire this afternoon. The incident created panic as 21 employees of the State Bank India were working in the building at the time of the fire. With no escape route, the employees were rescued by persons working in the adjoining building from the rear side of the third floor. An employee was injured during the rescue operation. Sources said the Fire Department received information around 4.45 pm about a fire in a building (SCO 124- 125) in Sector 17. Within minutes, a fire engine reached the spot. The fire was controlled within 20 minutes. However, it took one hour to clear the smoke. One of the employees said 21 employees were working on the third floor when the fire was noticed. All of them panicked and ran away to the rear side of the third floor. An employee said luckily the employees of offices of the adjoining building helped them in crossing the building and all of them were rescued safely. Employees working in nearby buildings came out from their offices soon after the fire incident. Many institutions, including an aviation school, are being run from nearby buildings. The ground and first floors of the building were vacant, while the office of the SBI was situated on the third floor. The IT section of the SBI, engaged for software development, was on the third floor. One of the employees said if they had not been rescued by employees of the adjoining building, the tragedy could have been immense. Fire in Sector 17 is nothing new. Every time an incident happens, the department reacts, but after sometime, things are back to square one. Fire at Sector 19 house A fire incident was reported from a house in Sector 19 late on Tuesday night. The Fire Department got a call around 10.15 pm that a fire has broken out at house number 2109 in Sector 19, following which two fire tenders were rushed to the place. The fire was brought under control within half an hour. Household items lying in the open were burnt. Will check if fire safety norms were violated in building, say Officials Fire officials said they would check if any fire safety norms were violated in the building. The fire in the building has once again raised questions about fire safety norms in Sector 17 buildings. The electric panel was installed on the staircase, which is against the rules. Besides, there was no escape route on the other floors. The electric panel reportedly caught fire due to a short circuit. This led to smoke in all floors, making it difficult for employees to breathe. Fire official ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Naina Mishra Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 28 While some retired professionals have been teaching in government schools under the UT Education Departments voluntarily teaching scheme since 2016, four-time MP and former Union Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, who had also volunteered to teach, has alleged that his term was ended by the department abruptly. Bansal started teaching at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 19, as a volunteer teacher of legal studies in the first year of the introduction of voluntary teaching in government schools. Talking to The Tribune, Bansal said, I did not use any political tone anywhere. As a matter of fact, I talked of environment laws, Constitution, lawmaking and consumer rights. Every week, I used to take up a different matter in the class. All this doesnt suit BJP people. They werent happy with a political person of another party going there. Bansal said he taught till the end of the term. After the exams, he said, he checked with the school people, who dilly-dallied on the issue. Asked whether he would like to apply this year for voluntary teaching, he said, Certainly not as I have seen their stance, even though I want to. During that term, I got to know that some youngsters from Deendayal Upadhyaya Foundation were going to the school in rotation in the name of save the girl child, but were talking of everything possible under the sun about their organisation. Bansal said he even wrote a lengthy letter to UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore describing what was going on there and informed him what members of the BJP forum were up to, but he did not receive a response to his letter. City BJP chief Sanjay Tandon, however, refuted Bansals allegations. Tandon said, This is baseless. We have no knowledge that he was teaching. I wonder if he was teaching at all. There was no pressure from the BJP. I refute the allegations. When checked with officials of the Education Department, it came out that Bansal himself backed out of teaching citing a busy schedule. Sanjay Walia, Principal of the GMSSS, Sector 19, said, We had checked with Bansal and even visited his home to know why he left teaching. He told us that he was busy. Thats all I know. SK Setia. a retired HCS officer, is at present teaching in government schools. Wing Commander JS Bhalla (retd), who is 81 years old, is also involved in the scheme since 2016. The UT Education Department invited applications from retired bureaucrats, doctors, judicial officers, journalists, engineers, defence officers, advocates and other professionals for voluntary teaching in government schools on Monday. At present, 80 volunteers are teaching in government schools. The department has been inviting applicants since 2016 for voluntary teaching. Sunil Gatade Sunil Gatade Senior Journalist It was not exactly a case of finding scapegoats for the shocking defeat of the Congress in the Lok Sabha elections but to state as to what all went wrong in what now appears to be a badly bungled exercise. Ashok Gehlot, Kamal Nath and P Chidambaram were in the firing line in the just-concluded meeting of the Congress Working Committee and rightfully so. None other than Congress president Rahul Gandhi found fault with them for pushing for ticket to their children in the Lok Sabha polls despite Gandhi expressing reservations due to the larger context. They were accused of putting the interests of their sons above the party at a time when the Congress was fighting with its back to the wall to keep Narendra Modi out of power. P Chidambarams son Karti Chidamabaram and Kamal Naths son Nakul Nath were elected from the constituencies of Sivaganga in Tamil Nadu and Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh, respectively. However, Ashok Gehlots son Vaibhav Gehlot lost the poll from his home turf of Jodhpur. The Congress ended up winning just 52 seats nationwide, a mere eight seats more than its tally in 2014, which was the lowest tally for the grand old party since Independence. From the detractors, there were more than taunts to the Congress president on the issue of accountability despite the fact that he had fought a hard battle. In the backdrop of the Congress debacle, the accusation of the beleaguered party chief might be 100 per cent correct. But at the same time, it is a fact that the three senior leaders have not done anything earthshaking against the interests of the party where the norm among the leaders from top to bottom is virtually to promote their children, whether competent or otherwise. In fact, whether right or wrong, the DNA of the Congress in the last over half a century has become that of the dynasty of pushing the progeny of the leader, big or small. When Sonia Gandhi was herself confronted with the dynasty question some 15 years back when Rahul was named the Congress candidate from Amethi, the then Congress president had somewhat angrily countered asking as to why the media was not questioning various regional parties, including the DMK, on the issue. It meant that the party which brought freedom to the country from British rule by mobilising people from all walks of life under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi was justifying the role of the family by pointing towards regional parties which are dime a dozen. The first family has dominated the grand old party for more than 60 years. Indira Gandhi was made Congress president in the late 1950s when Jawaharlal Nehru was the Prime Minister. Indira Gandhi, however, institutionalised the practice of having the same person as the party chief and the Prime Minister after the second Congress split of 1969. Rajiv Gandhi continued that practice. Though Sonia Gandhi made Manmohan Singh the Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014, she remained both the Congress president as also the Chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party. She has been Chairperson of the UPA since the Congress experiment of sharing power at the Centre began in May 2004. When the question of passing the baton arose, Sonia thought that only Rahul fit the bill. During 1885-1933, the presidency had a term of one year only. Traditionally, the post rotated among prominent members of the party, successive terms for the same person being frowned upon. Motilal Nehru was Congress president in 1928 and the next year it was Jawaharlal Nehru. During Nehrus premiership, he rarely held the presidency of the INC. Though Indira Gandhis reign as Prime Minister saw the same person as Congress president and PM after 1969, there were a few other presidents. They included Dev Kant Barooah who was at the helm in 1975 and had famously remarked that Indira is India, India is Indira. Her son, Rajiv Gandhi, continued that practice. Rajiv was brought into politics by Indira after the accidental death of Sanjay Gandhi, who was general secretary of the party and a major influence on his mother during the Emergency days. Sonia Gandhi has created a record by being at the helm of Congress for nearly two decades. She passed on the mantle to Rahul some two years back. Rahul brought Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as party general secretary some three months ago. It is not that the BJP does not have dynasties in Parliament or the state level, but the spread and the influence of the family from top to bottom in the Congress is something which is in another league. The dynasty is both an asset and a liability for the Congress. The Gandhi-Nehru family has been the glue which has helped maintain the unity of the organisation in turbulent times. Loyalists have often used the elective merit argument to justify the prime role of the family. However, the dynasty has made the party increasingly dull and dumb in the changing political times. It has prevented infusion of fresh blood at various levels. Leaders out to promote their progeny have gone out of the way to harm their detractors within the party, leading to nepotism, groupism, internal tussles and sabotage, which has often proved a bane for the organisation. Dynasty has also given rise to the industry of sycophancy in the party which has resulted in the grass root worker not getting the due and the leadership not getting the clear feedback. It has also stunted the growth of powerful regional leaders in the party. In the days of Nehru, there were umpteen leaders in the states who were leaders in their own right. In fact, the unwritten philosophy behind the dynasty culture in the Congress, lapped up by other parties, is that if the son of a doctor becomes doctor and lawyer becomes lawyer, then what is wrong if a leaders son becomes a leader. If Dhirubhai Ambanis sons dominate the corporate space, then what is wrong in a Gandhi-Nehru doing so? If Rahul Gandhi remains adamant on his offer of resignation, then the party is in for turbulent times in the short term. But such a move would help the process of metamorphosis of the party at a time when calls for a Congress-mukt Bharat are being made. Narendra Modis naamdar vs kaamdar rhetoric has hurt the grand old party deeply. Since the issue of dynasty is inseparable from the Congress culture, Rahul has raised the basic question, unafraid to strike on the root of the matter that had brought him to the top. He that is down need fear no fall. Rahul is the first Congress leader from the Gandhi-Nehru family in Independent India who has had to establish his leadership through struggle, especially in the past five years. If he plays the gamble, things could lighten up for the Congress at a time when the chaiwala narrative has captured the public imagination. It will show there is much fight left in the oldest political party in the country. La Jolla stars in novel Author J.A. Gasperetti will discuss and sign his new La Jolla-set historical novel, The Seals Lair, noon to 2 p.m. Sunday, June 2 at Warwicks, 7812 Girard Ave. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 5 at La Jolla Riford Library, 7555 Draper Ave. Much of the book, distributed by self-publishing company AuthorHouse, takes place in 1969 at the La Valencia Hotel, and it and starts with the discovery of a body underneath The Shack at Windansea. It is a book that wants to alert us to hate, which is portrayed during the story and still plagues us today, Gasperetti said. Water (director) under the bridge? The City of San Diego has named Shauna Lorance its new Director of Public Utilities. The department had been without a permanent director since Vic Bianes retired in August 2018, Water (director) under the bridge? The City of San Diego has named Shauna Lorance its new Director of Public Utilities. The department had been without a permanent director since Vic Bianes retired in August 2018, following a City audit that found that water customers were incorrectly charged at least 2,750 times in 2017, leading to overcharges of more than $2 million.Our job is to earn back the trust of San Diegos communities, and I am looking forward to getting started, said Lorance, who currently serves as interim general manager of the Monterey County Water Resources Agency. Lorance starts Aug. 1, replacing City Department of Finance assistant director Matt Vespi, who currently serves as interim public utilities director. Church concert evokes Civil War Songs from the Civil War era, interwoven with readings of authentic Civil War letters, will be showcased in Get Ready for the Jubilee: Songs of the Civil War Era. The second concert of Congregational Church of La Jollas Re-Discovering and Re-Defining America series, it was conceived and produced by the Pacific Coast Chorale, The music, and the writings of the men and women on both sides of the conflict, provide us hope that even in the most divisive times in history, our American spirit continues to inspire us to become a stronger, more resilient and more inclusive people, said Congregational Church pastor Tim Seery The concert will take place 7 p.m. Sunday, June 2 at the Congregational Church of La Jolla 1216 Cave St. Its free, but guests are invited to donate to a campaign dedicated to restoring the churchs pipe organ. REAL change coming Starting Oct. 1, 2020, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will require passengers to show a valid passport or other federally approved document, such as a REAL ID driver license or identification card, to board flights within the U.S. and to access secure federal facilities and military bases. Californians applying for a REAL ID driver license or ID card are required to show three different documents at a DMV office: 1) one proof of identity such as a valid passport or birth certificate; 2) one proof of Social Security number; and 3) two different proofs of California residency such as a utility bill, cell phone bill or bank statement. For a complete list of acceptable documents, visit REALID.dmv.ca.gov. Customers are encouraged to fill out the online driver license application before their office visit at eDLapp.dmv.ca.gov To date, the California DMV has issued 4.1 million REAL ID driver licenses and identification cards. Toast to the Coast Hearts for San Diegos fifth annual Toast to the Coast Luau will take place 6 p.m. Saturday, June 1 at the Soledad Club, 5050 Soledad Road. Sponsored by Sand Straw, the fundraiser will benefit $1 for the Ocean, a local nonprofit allowing consumers to vote ocean-friendly with their wallets. (With every purchase, participating businesses donate $1 to a partnering non-profit engaged in ocean protection.) The event will feature Polynesian dancers, a sunset toast and a Luau Oympics for $1,000 in prizes. Tickets are $25 until midnight May 31 online, or $35 at the door. 21 and over only. heartsforsd.org/toasttothecoast2019 Compiled by Corey Levitan from local reports amansharma@tribunemail.com Parveen Arora Tribune News Service Karnal, May 28 Three miscreants opened fire on a police team at the new bus stand in Karnal today and managed to free from custody a dacoity case convict being taken back from court. Two police personnel, who received bullet injuries in the incident, were rushed to the hospital, where their condition was stated to be stable. The convict was identified as 23-year-old Sunil, alias Kheera, of Bahadad village in Panipat. At present, he resides in Karan Vihar here. Sunil is facing one case each of dacoity, murder and under the NDPS Act, besides two cases of looting. Yamunanagar police Sub-Inspector Suresh Pal and Constables Sandeep and Vinod had brought Sunil to a Karnal court for hearing in connection with a murder case registered at the Sadar police station in 2016. The incident took place around 1 pm, while Sunil was being taken back to Yamunanagar and the officials, along with the convict, were waiting for the bus. Of the three policemen, only Vinod had a weapon. The miscreants targeted him with pepper spray and opened fire at Suresh Pal and Sandeep. Director General of Police Manoj Yadav has announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for any information leading to the arrest of criminals. Seven teams have been formed to arrest Sunil and his aides, the police said, adding it was a well-planned attack. The CCTV cameras installed at the bus stand were not functional. monicakchauhan@gmail.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 29 Trouble for former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda appears to have compounded as the adjudicating authority under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in an order has ruled that the Congress leader as head of the government in the state made unfair gains while allotting a plot in Panchkula to Associated Journals Limited. In an official release, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said, Now the adjudicating authority PMLA, New Delhi, has held that the defendants have committed the schedule offence, generated proceeds of crime and further found that the properties attached are proceeds of crime beyond any doubt and thereby ordered for confirmation of the provisional attachments order. The ED had issued provisional attachment order against the said property in December last year. Then, the ED had said, The plot no. C-17, Sector 6, Panchkula was illegally allotted to Associated Journals Limited (AJL) by then Chief Minister of Haryana Bhupinder Singh Hooda. This plot was initially allotted to AJL in 1982. But it was taken back by the Estate Officer, HUDA, through an order on October 30, 1992 as AJL did not comply with the conditions of allotment letter. The resumption order attained finality after dismissal of the revision petition in 1996. However, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the then Haryana CM, blatantly misused his official position and dishonestly allotted the said plot afresh in the guise of re-allotment to the AJL at original rates plus interest in violation of necessary conditionsThe then CM caused wrongful loss to HUDA and wrongful gain to AJL by ignoring legal opinion, the ED said in its release. It went on to add: Bhupinder Singh Hooda did not stop here but further favoured AJL by illegally granting them three undue extensions for construction on plot from May 1, 2008 to May 10, 2012 until AJL completed the construction in 2014. editorial@tribune.com Sumedha Sharma Tribune News Service Faridabad, May 28 Within hours of arrest of five policemen booked on the charge of thrashing a woman in custody, a local court released them on bail on Tuesday, raising questions on IPC sections slapped in the FIR. The Haryana State Commission for Women has demanded a re-investigation into the matter, as it says that a lenient FIR helped the accused get bail. We have spoken to the Commissioner of Police (CP), asking him to conduct an internal inquiry and look into IPC sections added to the FIR. The FIR wasnt strong enough. So, the accused managed to get bail within hours of the arrest, said womens commission member Renu Bhatia. Two of the accused head constables Baldev and Rohit were nabbed on Monday night, while the other three Special Police Officers (SPOs) Krishan, Harpal and Dinesh were arrested on Tuesday. The SPOs have been dismissed from service, while the head constables have been suspended. All five were caught on video beating up a woman with a belt during interrogation after she was reportedly found with a man in a compromising position in a park. The man escaped, while the woman was detained. The video, which was secretly shot by a policeman in October 2018, did the rounds on social media on Monday. Subsequently, all five were booked on the charge of causing hurt and outraging the modesty of a woman. Navdeep Singh Virk, ADGP (Law and Order), said the police would file the chargesheet in record time and efforts for a speedy trial. The Faridabad CP has been directed to monitor the investigation and the trial, read a statement issued by Virk. Womens panel has traced victim editorial@tribune.com Geetanjali Gayatri Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 28 Rattled by the complete washout of the Congress in Haryana in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, coupled with the upcoming Assembly poll scheduled later this year, the state leadership seems to have woken up to the need to analyse the debacle and prepare a blueprint for the next election. Congress general secretary and state affairs incharge Ghulam Nabi Azad has called a meeting of all senior leaders and candidates who contested the Lok Sabha elections on the party ticket to draw up reasons for their loss and surge of the saffron party. Since the state will face another election in less than five months, the party does not want to be caught napping. A laid-back approach or infighting can prove detrimental to the party. The meeting will be held in New Delhi on Wednesday. The party has 17 MLAs in the Vidhan Sabha. It was the third largest party till the split in the INLD and formation of the JJP. While Congress candidates attributed their loss primarily to a Modi wave, they claimed that infighting within the party, lack of organisational structure at the grassroots, uninspiring leadership and inability to put up a united face despite the parivartan yatra were among the reasons for the defeat. The drubbing at the hands of the BJP saw only Rohtak candidate Deepender Hooda put up a fight while all other seats seemed a cakewalk for the BJP, with its candidates walking away with huge margins. Unlike in other states, including neighbouring Punjab, Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee chief Ashok Tanwar has not tendered his resignation owning moral responsibility for the defeat. Rival factions within the party may press for it since many unsuccessful attempts to change the leadership in the state have been repeatedly made in the past. Senior leaders seem prepared with their reasons for the stock-taking exercise, but are yet to come up with ideas of revving up the demoralised rank and file of the Congress to gear up for the next election. Sources said the disinterest of the top brass in resolving issues concerning state leaders and bringing about some semblance of discipline in the party, combined with the tendency to remote control the state from the national capital without keeping in touch with ground realities, had also cost the party heavily. In the last couple of years, hardly any meeting had been called by the general secretary incharge in the state. The top brass had preferred meeting senior state leaders in New Delhi, with absolutely no attempt at bringing them on a common platform. The parivartan yatra just before the Lok Sabha poll was the solitary occasion when the states senior leaders were seen together, implying that the top brass in the state could not absolve itself of the responsibility of the defeat on Wednesday. Post debacle talks ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Dinesh Kanwar Hamirpur, May 28 The fear of losing crores of rupees looms among thousands of investors of Adarsh Co-operative Society here after the arrest of 11 members of top society members on May 25 in Rajasthan. The Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Rajasthan Police arrested office-bearers of the cooperative society on charges of duping lakhs of investors of over Rs 8,000 crore. This was stated by SOG Director General Bhupendra Singh Yadav in a statement. The society is operating with 806 branches in 26 states, including one at Hamirpur. It was learnt that the branch at Gandhi Chowk here has over 4,200 investors (account holders) for the last about seven years. It was estimated that the society had appointed around 450 agents. Sources revealed that the society had got business of about Rs 12 crore in the shape of FDs and RDs. A number of investors have now started demanding their funds but they were refused by the society staff. Ashok Kumar, an agent, said many investors were demanding their money back but they were unable to return these as they had neither funds nor any directions from the head office. Mahender Kumar, branch in charge of the society, said they had not stopped the operations of the society but were unable to pay back the money. They were releasing small amounts but major amounts were put on hold. They were hopeful that the society would soon start its normal working, he added. Many investors are demanding their money back but we are unable to return these as we have neither funds, nor any directions from the head office Ashok Kumar, An agent ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Tribune News Service Dharamsala, May 28 JBT teachers today staged a protest against the state governments decision to recruit BEd candidates against their vacancies in primary schools. They carried out a procession in front of the Deputy Commissioners office and submitted a memorandum of demands to the authorities. The protesters said the government had recently advertised 671 posts of primary teacher. It received 36,000 applications 33,000 of BEd qualified and the remaining of JBT teachers. The JBT teachers said they were specially trained for teaching primary students, whereas BEd teachers were trained for middle and higher classes. JBT degree holders could only be employed for teaching in primary schools and could not be recruited in middle and higher schools. Their employment opportunities were limited. Sources said there were 20,000 unemployed JBT teachers in the state. The protesters threatened to intensify their agitation. Government had advertised 671 posts editorial@tribune.com Our Correspondent Anantnag, May 28 Two Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) militants were killed in a gunfight with security forces in the Kokernag area of Anantnag district on Tuesday. The identities of the slain militants are yet to be ascertained. We have retrieved the bodies and recovered arms and ammunition from them. We are trying to ascertain their identities, said a senior police officer in Anantnag. The police officer said the initial leads suggested that one of the slain militants was a foreigner and another was a local. We had prior leads that they belong to the JeM, the officer said. The gunfight erupted around 1 pm in the Kazhwan forest area of Kokernag in Anantnag. We had prior inputs regarding the presence of militants in the area. Acting on the inputs, a cordon and search operation was initiated in the forest area on Tuesday morning, the officer said. He said the contact with the militants was established after searches were carried out in the forest area for a couple of hours. The militants opened fire to try to escape but the fire was retaliated and both militants were gunned down in the brief exchange of fire, the police officer said. He said the bodies were retrieved and had been taken to the Anantnag main town for the identification process and other medico-legal formalities. Meanwhile, as news of the gunfight spread in the area, some local youths assembled in Andoo village near the forest area and tried to march towards the gunfight site. The youths threw stones at security forces, who fired tear-smoke shells and pellets to disperse the protesting youths. No one was, however, injured in the clashes. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Jammu, May 28 The National Conference (NC) on Tuesday said the party would perform better than the 1996 Assembly elections in the forthcoming state polls and will not require help from any other party to form the government. Given the support of the people, the NC will improve and surpass its 1996 tally of 39 Assembly seats in Kashmir, 15 in Jammu and three in the Ladakh region, said Devender Singh Rana, NC provincial president. Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Rana said the state unit of the BJP should know that the mandate given by people to them during the Lok Sabha elections was not for the party but to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Though he was not sure when the Assembly elections will be held, Rana said, I think only a couple of people in the country know when the elections will be held in the state. The Election Commission should have this information. We were ready for the simultaneous elections earlier, we are ready for the elections now and we are ready for the elections anytime. Taking on the state BJP unit, the NC provincial president asked the saffron party to show at least 10 works done for Jammu by them during their three-year rule in the state. They dont have anything to show. Rather they surrendered everything while forming the coalition government with the Peoples Democratic Party when the BJP didnt even ask for a rotational Chief Minister. After the fall of the government, the BJP was even ready to support a party with only two MLAs to form the government, Rana said. editorial@tribune.com Majid Jahangir Tribune News Service Srinagar, May 28 Recovering from a shocking defeat, the PDP has blamed the BJP for cheating them by not implementing the Agenda of Alliance, which became the basis for voters apathy towards the party. These observations were made during the Political Affairs Committee meeting of the PDP, chaired by Mehbooba Mufti, a party insider said. The meeting discussed the PDPs performance in the recent elections, current political situation and the way forward, a party spokesman said. The PDP was routed in the recently concluded polls as it lost all three Lok Sabha seats in the Valley. Of 46 Assembly segments in Kashmir, the party managed to lead in only four. In the 2014 Assembly polls, the party had won 25 seats in Kashmir, while in the 2014 parliamentary elections, when it won all three seats, it had managed to get a lead on 39 seats. The meeting on Tuesday was the first after the poll debacle and was attended by top party leaders from across the state. Party insiders said the major reason put forth by the leaders for the loss was the non-implementation of the Agenda of Alliance, which was drafted by the PDP-BJP in 2015 to run the coalition government in J&K. The BJP cheated us by not implementing the Agenda of Alliance, leaders said during the meeting. The failure to reach out to the cadres, growing separatist sentiment and general anger against mainstream parties were other reasons for the partys defeat, PDP leaders said. They said the voters were being fragmented to disempowering Kashmir. The party, however, vowed to fight back together and also decided to try to woo the rebel leaders into the fold. There was a view among the members that several party leaders who are not part of the organization now have contributed for the growth of party and efforts could be made to reach out to them for the larger interests of the state, the party spokesman said. The party also asserted that it shall be open for joint response to the new emerging political challenges the state was facing. harinder@tribunemail.com Dr. Amol Gawande MBA and PGDM are two postgraduate programmes that are often used interchangeably. Whenever fresh graduates or working professionals want to pursue management course, they tend to consider these programmes but often get confused with the choice. Are MBA and PGDM same? If no, whats the difference? Which is better? Lets address the MBA vs PGDM dilemma here so that you can make an informed decision. Understanding the terminology MBA stands for Master of Business Administration while PGDM stands for Post Graduate Diploma in Management. The confusion starts because the word diploma is attached to PGDM. So, students think that PGDM is a diploma programme. However, this is not the case. MBA is a degree course offered by institutes that are affiliated to universities. The exams are held by universities. PGD is a diploma course offered by autonomous institutes not affiliated to any university. These autonomous institutes are duly recognised by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), a statutory body that falls under the purview of Ministry of Human Resource Development. Even the most reputed and top ranking management institutes in India offer PGDM and not an MBA. The exams are organized by institutes as per their own schedule. You should also note that the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) considers the accreditation of MBA course equivalent to that of PGDM. Curriculum The curriculum of MBA is strictly governed by the universities. This means that the institute offering MBA has to adhere to the guidelines laid down by the universities strictly. The focus is purely on theoretical and technical concepts and is highly-oriented towards exams. The curriculum is usually updated only once in 3-5 years. Since institutes offering PGDM are independent of universities, they have the liberty to design their own curriculum. They ensure that the curriculum is updated in real-time in accordance with the industry needs and real-world business situations. Apart from the core traditional subjects such as finance, marketing, human resources and operations, good PGDM courses also include new-age subjects such as design thinking, innovation, entrepreneurship, data science and analytics among many others. The curriculum also lays strong emphasis on the development of soft skills such as communication, leadership, team-building, problem-solving, critical thinking, etc. PGDM institutes also ensure that the pedagogy includes case studies, projects, presentations, simulations and practical training other than theory. Placements Most MBA institutes do not take active participation in placements. Hence, there is always a possibility that students may have to explore other avenues for landing jobs on their own. Since PGDM institutes have strong industry tie-ups, they take their placement activities seriously and make dedicated efforts to help their students get jobs. Fee and amenities While MBA courses have lower fees as compared to PGDM courses, the later provide far better amenities in terms of campus infrastructure and resources. So, even if any PGDM institute charges a little higher, it is worth the facilities that students get. What do the employers think? MBA and PGDM are regarded as equivalent to each other in India and abroad. Also, there are more PGDM institutes than MBA in India. The industry is aware of this fact and hence, do not differentiate much between MBA and PGDM. The employers give more weightage to the reputation of the institute and student's capability to perform the job. Impact on higher education chances abroad Students who want to pursue higher studies such as PhD or double post graduation abroad after MBA or PGDM in India can easily do so with either of the degrees. While the eligibility criteria differ from one foreign institute to another, a majority of them accept both MBA and PGDM as equivalents. Verdict Per se, PGDM definitely has advantages over MBA in terms of industry-relevant curriculum, placements and amenities. Moreover, a large percentage of institutes in India offer PGDM instead of MBA. Unless there is a particular reason for opting for an MBA, it is advisable to enrol in a PGDM institute. The writer is Assistant Director, Dr. D. Y. Patil B-School harinder@tribunemail.com Sheffield Hallam University, UK invites Indian students to avail scholarships for pursuing undergraduate or postgraduate studies at the university. The scholarship aims to nurture international talent in diverse curriculum of the university with financial aid. Eligibility: Indian students with requisite english proficiency and higher secondary qualification for undergraduate admissions or graduation degree for postgraduate admissions at the Sheffield Hallam University, UK may apply for this scholarship program. Details: All selected undergraduate scholars will be awarded with 50% tuition waiver for the complete course duration while the selected postgraduate scholars will be awarded a 50% tuition fee waiver for the first year of their studies. Deadline: May 31, 2019 How to apply: Online Short Source URL: http://www.b4s.in/JC/TTS7 Queen's University Belfast Scholarship Queen's University Belfast, UK is offering merit-based scholarships to aspiring Indian students & professionals for pursuing under-graduation and post-graduation from UK. The scholarship is open for all the programmes offered by the university. Eligibility: For under-graduation courses, the applicants must have minimum of 75% in class XII board. For post-graduation courses, the applicants must have minimum of 60% in graduation degree. IELTS score of 6.5 bands with 6 bands in each component is also required. Details: Varying scholarships from GBP 2000 to 3000 is available. Students will also be eligible for consideration of fully funded Vice-chancellor's international scholarship. Deadline: May 31, 2019 How to apply: Online Short Source URL: http://www.b4s.in/JC/QUB1 DST Postdoctoral Fellowship Jawaharlal Nehru Center for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) is awarding monthly fellowship and other benefits to selected research applicants for undertaking R&D projects, studies, etc at recognised research institutions in India. The fellowship also covers other benefits as scheduled by government norms and research necessities. Eligibility: Indian students who have a PhD degree in Science or Engineering; or have submitted the PhD thesis for interests in nano-science and technology may apply for this fellowship if they are below 40 years of age. Details: Selected Fellows will be provided with a monthly stipend of ?55,000 (fellows with Ph.D.) or ?45,000 (fellows with submitted thesis) along with a contingency research grant of ?2,00,000 per annum for a period of two years. Deadline: Applications open all year How to apply: Offline applications Short Source URL: http://www.b4s.in/JC/DPF1 SERB National Post Doctoral Fellowship Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Govt. of India; is providing financial assistance to young researchers for conducting post-doctoral research in the fields of science and engineering. Eligibility: Indian citizens with PhD/MS/MD degree willing to pursue post-doctoral research may apply for this fellowship. All applicants should not be more than 35 years of age. Details: A monthly stipend of Rs 55,000. Selected applicants with pending degree status will get monthly stipend of Rs 35,000 for research duration. All selected scholars will get a research grant of Rs 2 lakh per annum and a contingency grant of Rs 1 lakh per annum. Deadline: May 30, 2019 How to apply: Online Short Source URL: http://www.b4s.in/JC/SNPDF290 Inputs courtesy: www.buddy4study .com monicakchauhan@gmail.com Tribune Web Desk Chandigarh/Mumbai, May 29 Arjun Kapoor on Tuesday snubbed a woman who accused him of showing hatred towards the late actor Sridevi, his father Boney Kapoor's second wife. The woman, who claimed to be a fan of actor Varun Dhawan, on Tuesday accused Arjun of "double standards", saying that he used to hate Sridevi but has no problem dating Malaika. Arjun (33), who recently made his relationship with Malaika Arora (45) official, initially had kept the relationship under wraps, but are more open now. Malaika was married to actor-director-producer Arbaaz Khan but got divorced in 2017. "You hate your father's second wife because your father left your mother, and now you are dating a woman who is 11 years elder to you and has a teenage son. Why double standards @arjunk26 ???" the woman wrote on Twitter. Sridevi, who died in February 2018, was Boney's second wife. The producer was previously married to Arjun's mother Mona Shourie Kapoor. Replying to the woman, Arjun said he used to maintain distance from the late actor and had he hated her, he would not have been present at her funeral. "I don't hate anyone... We kept a dignified distance, If I did I wouldn't have been there for my dad, Janhvi & Khushi at a sensitive time... It's easy to type & judge, think a little. You're @Varun_dvn fan, so I feel I should tell you don't spread negativity with his face on your DP," he wrote. The woman later deleted her posted and in another tweet, she apologised to the actor. "I apologise if I have hurt anyone's sentiments. I meant to do no harm. Extremely sorry to all @arjunk26 Fans.... Please Forgive me. It was just my opinion. Have nothing against @arjunk26 Sir or #MalaikaArora Ma'am. . SORRY SIR @arjunk26," she wrote. Varun said he is "glad" the woman and added that Arjun has a very big heart. "I'm glad you apologised. It's okay, Arjun is not upset. Lets just all live our own lives. Arjun has a big heart like I always say. I don't want any of my fans to talk bad about any actors #keepiteasy" he posted. With inputs from PTI vinaymishra188@gmail.com Vibha Sharma Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 28 Enjoying a stature almost on a par with PM Narendra Modi, one thing is clear that if BJP chief Amit Shah wants to be part of the new Cabinet, there can be no two ways about it. Therefore, the question, two days before Modi is sworn in for the second term on May 30, is not whether Shah joins or not, it is whether they both think the step will benefit the BJP and help the new government further its agenda in the next five yearseconomic strengthening, generation of jobs and increasing profitability of farmers. Party sources say Shah is playing a key role in deciding who will be a part of the new dispensation. Being a part of his closest team and helping Modi achieve two convincing victories in a row, there should be issues in case he does wants to join. With senior leader Arun Jaitley indisposed, the speculation of Shah becoming the next Finance Minister has gained strength. Since the party has one-man-one-post rule, Shah will have to step down as the BJP chief and leave the organisation in the hands of someone who is as capable and dedicated. It is in this context that the names of some of his closest confidantes like Jagat Prakash Nadda, Bhupendra Yadav and Dharmendra Pradhan are doing the rounds. Anyone who steps into his shoes will certainly have a tall order to follow. Shah is a key architect of PM Modis 2019, almost presidential style, election campaign revolving around Modi versus who. He personally logged thousands of kms (1.58 lakh km in his own words), holding two, at times more rallies/meetings in a day and road shows across the country, and still leaving the PM enjoy larger share of limelight. While the PM headed for Kedarnath and Badrinath after the campaign, Shah also headed for Somnath in Gujarat. At end of every election campaign, I go to the Somanth temple, he told The Tribune in an interview where he also explained how the partys election campaign shaped during the course of almost three-month election campaign. As a Rajya Sabha member, Shah could have become a minister in the last government too. However, that he would be assigned an important responsibility in the PM Modis team gained ground after his name was announced as a candidate for the prestigious Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency. Knowing the ability of Shah and Modi to spring surprises, one will have to just wait till that actually happens. It is unlike 2014 when PM Modi depended on Delhi-based BJP leaders for advice. This time, he has no such compulsion. He is said to be selecting members for the new council of ministers on the basis of personal assessment and political considerations in states where the BJP just made inroads. Shah can be easily counted among the most successful BJP presidents, turning the saffron party into an election-winning machine, spinning victories and increasing its footprint across the country over the past five years. It will be a difficult job for anyone who succeeds him, but, as the sources say, he is equally needed for speedy implementation of Modis ambitious agenda during his second term. But then, on the anvil are elections in key states of Haryana, Maharashtra, Delhi. monicakchauhan@gmail.com New Delhi, May 29 In last three decades of India's electoral history they were the strong voices of their party, states and respective constituencies in Lok Sabha but their voices will not be heard in the 17th Lok Sabha, which gave a decisive mandate to Narendra Modi government. Prominent among them, who influenced the national politics for decades, are Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veterans L.K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Sumitra Mahajan, Hukumdev Narayan Yadav, former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, former Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and his deputy Jyotiraditya Scindia. The BJP veterans didn't contest 2019 Lok Sabha polls as they were denied tickets on age ground while Deve Gowda, Kharge and Scindia, who were bitter critics of Modi, tasted defeats in their respective constituencies. Advani, who was the oldest member in the outgoing Lok Sabha at 91 years, has represented the Gandhinagar constituency since 1991 and has been winning all the last five general elections by big margins. If Advani had contested, he could have become the oldest MP ever to fight the Lok Sabha elections after Ram Sunder Das of the Janata Dal-United, who won from Hajipur in 2009 at age 88 and ended his stint at the age of 93. Advani, remembered mostly for the rath yatra he undertook in 1990 to press for the demolition of the Babri mosque and building a Ram temple in its place, has served as Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. His yatra, however, created the momentum that led to the demolition and large-scale riots but also established the BJP as a major political force in the country. Besides Advani, party veterans Joshi, Mahajan, Shanta Kumar, Kalraj Mishra and Bhagat Singh Koshyari also didn't contest Lok Sabha polls. Joshi, who won in 2014 from Kanpur, was the BJP President between 1991 and 1993 and has also represented Allahabad and Varanasi in Parliament. In 2014, he was shifted to Kanpur after the party decided to field Narendra Modi from Varanasi. He also held several posts in the Union government. Advani and Joshi are considered three top leaders of the BJP after late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who shaped the BJP which in 2019 elections alone won 303 seats. Sumitra Mahajan was elected the Speaker in the 16th Lok Sabha but she did not contest the general elections this time. In 2014, she got elected to the Lower House for the eighth time. She is currently the longest-serving woman member and has represented the Indore constituency of Madhya Pradesh since 1989. As a Union Minister she held the portfolios for Human Resource Development, Communications and Petroleum. Hukumdev Narayan Yadav, a five time Lok Sabha MP, was known for oratory skills in the Lower House. Yadav, a socialist leader who served as head of panchayat, was elected as MLA and entered the Lok Sabha in 1977. Since then, he has represented Madhubani parliamentary constituency but he chose not to contest this time. Deve Gowda, the former Prime Minister and a strong voice from the state of Karnataka for the past three decades, couldn't enter Parliament for the first time. He was expecting a sixth win in a row from Tumkur but was defeated by BJP's G.S. Basavaraju. Elected to Parliament from Hassan constituency in 1991, Gowda was instrumental in bringing the problems of Karnataka, especially of farmers, to the forefront. Kharge, who was leader of the Congress party in the 16th Lok Sabha, had served as Union Cabinet Minister - Labour and Employment, Railways and Social Justice and Empowerment in the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government. He lost from Gulbarga parliamentary constituency in Karnataka by a margin of 95,452 votes against BJP's Umesh G. Jadhav. Scindia, the young face of Congress in the outgoing Lok Sabha, also tasted defeat for the first time in his electoral career. A close associate of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Scindia was defeated by BJP's Krishna Pal Yadav from Guna parliamentary constituency of Madhya Pradesh. Guna was earlier known as the family bastion of the Scindia family. Another Congress leader, Tariq Anwar was also defeated in the elections from his traditional Katihar seat in Bihar while Shiv Sena veteran Ananth Geete also failed to make it to the Lok Sabha. Mohammad Saleem, a prominent voice of the Communist Party of India-Marxist too lost his seat. This change in the Lok Sabha indicates a generational shift in Indian politics as out of the 542 newly-elected members, over 300 are first-timers while several heavyweights were defeated. IANS vinaymishra188@gmail.com Ranchi, May 28 Twenty-six security personnel, including CoBRA battalion of the CRPF, Jharkhand Jaguar and the state police, were injured in a series of IED blasts triggered by Maoists in Saraikela-Kharsawan district of Jharkhand this morning. The injured were airlifted to Ranchi for treatment. The condition of five jawans was said to be critical. The blasts occurred while a team of the CoBRA battalion, the police and Jharkhand Jaguar were carrying out anti-Naxal operations in the Kuchai forest of the district. ADG, Naxal operations, Muralilal Meena said: During the anti-Naxal operations in Kuchai forest of Saraikela-Kharsawan, 26 jawans of 209 battalion of CoBRA, Jharkhand Jaguar and the state police were injured after Maoists triggered a series of IED blasts. The injured were airlifted to Ranchi. The area was cordoned off and an anti-Naxal operation was launched at the blast site. The Maoists might have planted IEDs to carry out serial blasts during the recently held Lok Sabha poll, but these did not go off during that period. Now, the blasts occurred during the search operation, said Jharkhand DGP DK Pandey. Naxal commander Anal, alias Patiram Manjhi, had allegedly planted IEDs at several places during the election period, he claimed. TNS rchopra@tribunemail.com Sandeep Dikshit Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 29 There may be prospects of a thaw in the Indo-Pak relations but ties at the ground level continue to be hostile as the latest incident that occurred outside the Pakistan High Commission on Tuesday shows. Pakistan is understood to have decided to protest against the harassment of guests invited for Iftaar at the High Commission on Tuesday evening. Videos have emerged of armed security personnel rummaging in personal vehicles and plainclothes men asking invitees to produce identity cards that were then photographed while those of presumably another security agency were seen writing down I-card numbers of the invitees. The harassment may cast a shadow on the Iftaar scheduled by Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria on Friday as security agencies of both countries reciprocate will full measure. The close questioning of invitees, an aggressive search of some of the cars and exhortations by uniformed and plainsclothes security personnel was a repeat of the intimidation on Pakistan Day celebrations at the same venue in March. At that time, security personnel were heard asking invitees to join the Indian government in boycotting the Pakistan Day celebrations. We have decided on a full court press [against Pakistan], said an intelligence official while declining to comment on the incident. The past years of acrimony have seen diplomats of both sides being harassed by security agencies of the other side. In India, Pakistan has claimed that even cars of school-going children of diplomats have not been spared by Indian security agencies. In Indias case, the latest harassment took place last month when two of its diplomats were locked up in a room for over 20 minutes at Gurdwara Sacha Sauda near Lahore. India sent a note verbale last month protesting against the harassment. Pakistan is likely to send a note verbale on the Iftaar event. At the apex level, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had sent a congratulatory message to PM Modi that was followed by a phone call. Pakistan, which has shut its airspace to all flights to and from India, made an exception for External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj who was on way to Bishkek for a multi-nation meeting of Foreign Ministers. However, civility is yet to return to the Indo-Pak ties on the ground. monicakchauhan@gmail.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 28 After the BJPs best performance ever in West Bengal by winning 18 Lok Sabha seats, three MLAs from the state, including BJP leader Mukul Roys son Subhrangshu Roy, TMCs Tusharkanti Bhattacharya and CPMs Debendra Nath Roy, as well as over 50 municipal councillors, most of them from the TMC, joined the saffron party today. BJP general secretary and incharge of partys state affairs Kailash Vijayvargiya and Mukul Roy claimed that more MLAs from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-headed TMC would cross over to BJP in the coming days. Like the seven-phase polling in West Bengal, more leaders will join the party under a seven-phase programme, Roy claimed. He dismissed Mamatas claim that she wanted to quit after her partys dismal show as mere drama, claiming she would stick to her chair at any cost till the people decide to oust her. He also claimed that in the 2021 Assembly polls, her party would struggle for adequate seats to get Leader of the Opposition status. With over 50 councillors joining the BJP, the party is now in majority in at least three municipal councils. Vijayvargiya said PM Narendra Modi had pointed out during campaigning that over 40 TMC MLAs were in touch with the BJP owing to Mamatas dictatorial ways. We want her government to continue till 2021, but if it falls due to her own doings, we cannot help it, he said. Only 2 of 221 MLAs have left: TMC Kolkata: TMC played down the desertions, pointing out only two of its 221 MLAs in the 294-member Assembly had left. One was a son a step in the right direction to encourage dynastic politics, it said. The dynasty dig is directed at Subhrangshu Roy, TMC MLA and son of defector Mukul Roy. Tushar Bhattacharya, the second MLA to have left the TMC, had won on the Congress ticket. TNS Mamata to attend swearing-in Kolkata: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said she would attend the swearing-in ceremony of PM Narendra Modi on Thursday. She said the invitation arrived on Tuesday and she would be attending it as constitutional courtesy. I have spoken to a couple of other CMs and have decided to attend it. There are certain ceremonial programmes under the Constitution. We try to attend such events, she added. PTI rchopra@tribunemail.com Bijnor, May 29 A Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader and his nephew were shot dead in Bijnor district on Tuesday. Haji Ahsan, 55, was at his office with his 28-year-old nephew Shadab on Tuesday evening, when two men came inside and opened fire. Police reports said the number of assailants was three. A senior police official said: One of the three men waited outside the office, while two moved in with a pistol hidden in a sweet box. They opened fire at Haji Ahsan and when his nephew tried to stop them, they shot at him too. Both of them died on the spot. The police said there was no indication of any personal enmity. The police have set up teams to nab the killers. This is the third attack on a political party worker since the Lok Sabha election results were declared on May 23. A former village head in Amethi, who worked closely with BJP leader Smriti Irani during her campaign, was shot dead on Sunday. Before that, a Samajwadi Party leader and zila panchayat member Vijay Yadav was shot dead in Ghazipur. On Monday, another SP leader and former MP Kamlesh Balmiki was found dead under mysterious circumstances at his home in Bulandshahr district. IANS monicakchauhan@gmail.com Washington, May 29 India saw its best phase of macro-economic stability in the past five years and is set to become the fifth largest economy in the world by the end of this year, the country's top diplomat in the US has said, urging the young American students to come and study in India. Speaking at the ongoing 71st Annual Conference and Expo of Association of International Educators, India's ambassador to the US Harsh Vardhan Shringla said the University Grants Commission (UGC) is a statutory organisation established for the coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of university education. The UGC even hosts the list of fake education institutions in India on its website so that there is no fraud with the students, he said. "You are guaranteed of the excellent quality education as we have a robust ranking/accreditation system, which you may study while taking admission in Indian University," Shringla said Tuesday. "Look at the other advantages of studying in India; you will be part of fastest growing major global economy. Studying for short term or long term in India would provide students with an opportunity to understand the government systems, culture, and markets closely," he said. It would provide the international students with a unique perspective and understanding of India that would be useful in their careers in the business, government or non-profit sector, he said. Shringla said that India witnessed its best phase of macro-economic stability in the past five years. "From being the 11th largest economy in the world in 2013-14, we are heading to become fifth largest economy in the world by end of this year," he said. In Purchasing Power Parity terms, today, India is the third largest economy in the World, after China and the USA, he said. India is poised to become a five trillion dollar economy in the next five years and aspires to become a ten trillion dollar economy in the next eight years thereafter. "Due to a stable and predictable regulatory regime, growing economy and strong fundamentals, India could attract massive amount of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) during the last five years - as much as USD 239 billion," he said. "This period also witnessed a rapid liberalisation of the FDI policy, allowing most FDI to come through the automatic route. The last five years also witnessed a wave of next generation structural reforms, which have set the stage for decades of high growth," said the Indian Envoy. The Indian education system is the world's third largest higher education system with 907 universities, 43,000 colleges and a capacity of enrolling more than a whopping 30 million students, the envoy said. Shringla said the higher education institutions in India offer courses and degrees that are competitive in the world market in terms of quality but are delivered at one-fourth the cost. The Indian education system is vast in size, as well as its academic offerings. It ranges from exposure to the latest advancements of science and technology like Virtual and Augmented Reality, Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Computing to Yoga, Ayurveda, Sanskrit, languages and classical music and dances. This vastness of the Indian education system directly translates to enhanced opportunities for its students and global learning for an all-round academic and personal development, the envoy said. A burgeoning IT and Services sector have led to a robust placement-oriented education as about 200 of the Fortune 500 companies hire regularly from Indian campuses, Shringla said, adding that India has been and continues to be home to innovation, creativity and leadership. The strength of India's education system may be gauged from the fact that the world's leading companies are being led by students of Indian education system, he said. To give you a few examples - CEO Microsoft Satya Nadella is an alumni of Manipal Academy of Higher Education, CEO, Google Inc Sundar Pichai studied at Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur and Indira Nooyi, CEO of Pepsi Co is an alumnus of Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta, Shringla said. PTI gspannu7@gmail.com New Delhi, May 29 A Delhi court on Wednesday allowed Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, accused in a case related to his wife Sunanda Pushkars death, to travel abroad. Special Judge Arun Bhardwaj granted permission to Tharoor to go to the United Kingdom and France from June 2 to July 1. In his application, Tharoor claimed he has to attend and speak at different events there. The applicant has to travel to United Kingdom and France as he has been invited to speak at different events, scheduled to be held from June 2 to July 1. The applicant has been invited to attend and speak at several events across the United Kingdom during this period, the application said. While granting him bail in the case, the court had directed him not to leave the country without its prior permission. The former Union minister has been charged under Sections 498-A (husband or his relative subjecting a woman to cruelty) and 306 of IPC, but he has not been arrested in the case. Pushkar was found dead in a suite of a luxury hotel in the city on the night of January 17, 2014. The couple was staying in the hotel as the official bungalow of Tharoor was being renovated at that time. PTI vinaymishra188@gmail.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 28 Some of the invited foreign dignitaries may not make it for Prime Minister Narendra Modis swearing-in ceremony on May 30 due to prior commitments, said sources here. Modi has invited six countries of the BIMSTEC grouping in an effort to keep out Pakistan, which would have made it to the guest list had the invitation had gone out, like last time, to members of SAARC. But the paucity of time has led to the inability of Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina and First State Counsellor of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi to back out from their previous commitments. In Thailand, the army is still negotiating for a coalition that will elect a Prime Minister after general election in March threw up a hung verdict. This means, the expected guest list from half of the six BIMSTEC countries may not materialise. In deference to Indian wishes, Hasina has withdrawn the earlier proposal to send senior-most minister AKM Mozammel Haque and asked Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid to stand-in. Hasina may make a stopover in Delhi to meet Modi on her return from the three-nation tour. Thailand and Myanmar have yet to communicate their nominees for the swearing-in. The two non-BIMSTEC invitees Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov and Mauritius PM Pravind Jugnauth are expected to attend. Meanwhile, sources said all Chief Ministers, Governors and leaders of all opposition parties have been invited for the ceremony. Half of BIMSTEC invitees to skip kavishakohli@gmail.com Kolkata, May 29 West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will not attend the oath-taking ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, after rejecting the BJP's claim that scores of saffron party workers were killed in violence perpetrated by her TMC. The TMC supremo's announcement on Twitter came in apparent remonstrance after the families of over 40 BJP workers allegedly slain by her party were taken by train to New Delhi to attend the swearing-in ceremony. Banerjee had on Tuesday received an invitation and told reporters she would attend the event as a matter of "constitutional courtesy" after having spoken to a couple of chief ministers of other states. However, after it transpired that family members of over 40 BJP workers, who were killed in political violence in West Bengal in the last one year, have also been invited, a livid Banerjee said she will not attend as the "occasion to celebrate democracy should not be devalued to score political points". "Congratulations, new Prime Minister, Narendra Modi ji. It was my plan to accept the 'Constitutional invitation' and attend the oath-taking ceremony. However in the last one hour, I am seeing media reports that the BJP are claiming people have been murdered in political violence in Bengal. "This is completely untrue. There have been no political murders in Bengal. These deaths may have occurred due to personal enmity, family quarrels and other disputes; nothing related to politics. There is no such record with us," she wrote on Twitter. Banerjee said she, therefore, was "compelled" not to attend the ceremony. "The ceremony is an august occasion to celebrate democracy, not one that should be devalued by any political party which uses it as an opportunity to score political points. Please excuse me," she added. The state unit of the BJP reacted sharply, insisting over 100 political killings had taken place in the state under Banerjee. "Our young workers are being killed and hanged from trees. Over 100 political killings have taken place during Banerjee's rule. We had taken the families of victims of such killings to the President, now we want to present them before the nation," state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh said. Chandra Kumar Bose, a BJP leader and the party's losing candidate for Kolkata South constituency, said Banerjee cannot escape responsibility for the political killings as she also holds the home portfolio. Bose, a grandnephew of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, said the people of West Bengal had risen against the TMC rule in the state where "law and order doesn't exist and police has become a 'morcha' (front) of the ruling party". Its consequences were seen in the election results, he said. The seven-phase Lok Sabha poll in West Bengal was a violent affair, with incidents of violence, arson and rioting being reported during each phase of polling. Reports about incidents of clashes between TMC and BJP supporters continue to trickle in days after the results were announced on May 23. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah had made alleged violence by TMC workers against saffron party supporters a major election issue. Violent clashes had erupted in Kolkata during a road show by Shah in which several people were injured and vehicles burnt. A bust of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, a Bengal Renaissance icon, was vandalised at a college named after him. Banerjee's earlier decision to attend Modi's swearing-in ceremony was seen by many as an extension of olive branch to the prime minister after an acrimony-filled campaign and the stunning reverses the TMC faced in the election which saw its tally plunge to 22 from 34 and the BJP's soar from a paltry two to 18. Sit-in Banerjee said she would participate in a TMC sit-in demonstration outside the Naihati municipality on Thursday to protest against the violence. "Tomorrow, we will organise a sit-in outside the Naihati municipality in protest against our workers being rendered homeless by BJP goons. Our party supremo Mamata Banerjee will also participate in it," a senior TMC leader said on Wednesday. The decision comes hours after Banerjee said she would not attend the swearing-in ceremony of Narenda Modi as the prime minister, citing "untrue" claims made by the BJP that 54 of its workers were killed in political violence in Bengal. The TMC supremo had on Tuesday said she would attend the ceremony to be held in New Delhi on Thursday. Incidentally, the Naihati municipality is located in the Barrackpore area of North 24 Parganas district, which has witnessed violent clashes between TMC and BJP workers since the results of the Lok Sabha polls were announced on May 23. On Tuesday, a majority of the councillors of the Bhatpara, Halisahar, Naihati and Kanchrapara municipalities in North 24 Parganas joined the BJP, passing over the control of these civic bodies from the TMC to the saffron party. As many as 29 of the 31 councillors in the Naihati municipality joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday. Clashes have since been reported from the Bhatpara and Kakinara areas, which fall under the Barrackpore Lok Sabha segment, where the BJP's Arjun Singh defeated Dinesh Trivedi of the TMC in the just-concluded polls. Violent incidents have been reported from across the state post the general election. Two people were killed and many injured in the clashes that broke out between the TMC and the BJP since the poll results were declared, officials said. The BJP won 18 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in Bengal, only four less than the TMC's 22. The remaining two seats were bagged by the Congress, while the Left Front drew a blank. PTI laxmi@tribune.com Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 28 Amid a deepening crisis in the Congress, party president Rahul Gandhi appeared increasingly unlikely to budge from his I wont be party president stand as top leaders returned from his official residence without getting an audience for the third day in a row. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi met son Rahul during the day, as did his sister and AICC general secretary Priyanka Vadra, but the suspense over the future of the party and its leadership continued. The Congress Working Committees May 25 resolution rejecting Gandhis offer to quit did not seem to cut much ice with the party chief, who, sources said, was adamant on stepping aside. He spoke of feeling constrained by organisational engagements as Congress president and felt he needed time to counter the RSS and BJP ideologically. This, he argued, was why a non-Gandhi should step in as Congress president, a CWC leader said today. The crisis progressed parallel to a similar crisis in state units, with the JDS-Congress coalition in Karnataka looking shaky and reports coming in of some Rajasthan Congress MLAs feeling edgy and frustrated after the rout. Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and Deputy CM Sachin Pilot sought an appointment with Gandhi to discuss a range of issues today, but to no avail. Asked what options Gandhi could be contemplating, Congress seniors said they did not have a clue. A section in the party said he could start off as leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party, a post Sonia Gandhi currently holds. That can be done easily. That does not even require any formal restructuring. Sonia Gandhi wont mind stepping aside for her son, a Congress veteran said. Other options were also on the table with Gandhi said to have told his colleagues they needed to think about how to take the party forward and which non-Gandhi could lead it. Rahul Gandhi feels he can puncture BJPs Gandhi dynasty control campaign against the Congress if he retreated from his post. Meanwhile, Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee which Sheila Dikshit heads today appealed to Rahul Gandhi to reconsider his move. Haryana and Rajasthan units are expected to meet tomorrow to pass similar resolutions. But old-timers say there seemed to be no burning urge in the Congress to stop Gandhi from quitting as party chief. When Sonia Gandhi, then Congress president, had similarly resigned, there was a groundswell of emotion in her favour. People threatened to kill themselves if this happened. AICC office was stormed by workers. That frenzy is missing this time, said a senior, hoping though that Rahul Gandhi stayed to steer the party in the Haryana, Delhi, Maharashtra and Jharkhand elections, due soon. Options on table shriaya.dutt@tribuneindia.com Tribune Web Desk Chandigarh, May 29 The debate over Prime Minister Narendra Modis rather controversial `cloud-cover theory continues to rage with the Indian Air Force (IAF) top brass and some defence experts are now putting their weight behind the `theory. During a TV interview, the Prime minister as a run-up to the Lok Sabha elections claimed that he had asked the IAF to go ahead with the strike using `cloud cover to evade enemy radars. The remarks had sparked a nationwide debate with many experts questioning the PMs `expertise on a defence subject matter. Social media was flooded with tweets, memes and posts criticising Modi for talking about strategic missions without an in-depth knowledge of defence matters. However, the recent statements of Army Chief General Bipin Rawat and Air Marshal Raghunath Nambiar, commanding-in-chief of the Western Air Command, supporting the PMs remark have yet again ignited the debate. "There are various kinds of radars working with different technologies. Some have the capacity to see through, some don't have the capacity to see through [clouds]," Army chief General Rawat said while interacting with the media. The chiefs statements, too, backed Modis logic that heavy rain and thick clouds could have adverse effect on enemy radars. The debate revolved around the IAF strike on a Jaish terror camp in Pakistans Balakot in the early hours of February 26, when that region of Pakistan had a dense cloud cover and it was heavily raining. During the TV interview, the PM had said: The weather suddenly turned bad, there were clouds... heavy rain. There was a doubt about whether we can go in the clouds. During a review (of the Balakot plan), by and large, the opinion of experts waswhat if we change the date. I had two issues in mind. One was secrecy; second, I said I am not someone who knows science. I said there is so much cloud and rain. There is a benefit. I have raw wisdom, the clouds can benefit us too. We can escape the radar. Everyone was confused. Ultimately I said there are clouds... let's proceed. vinaymishra188@gmail.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 28 The Supreme Court today refused to pass any orders for further probe into the Hapur lynching case and filing of a supplementary chargesheet. A Vacation Bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Aniruddha Bose, however, asked the trial court to take note of statements of two witnesses recorded before a magistrate under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The incident occurred on June 18, 2018 a day after the Supreme Court issued guidelines to check lynchings when one of the survivors, 65-year-old Samaydeen, was with 45-year-old meat trader Qasim Qureishi. An alleged mob of gau rakshaks had attacked them for allegedly killing a cow. Video-reordering of the incident showed that both Qureishi and the petitioner were beaten up. Qureishi died in the incident. Survivor Samaydeen has moved the top court for a direction to the Uttar Pradesh Police to further probe the case and file a supplementary chargesheet. Having considered the matter, we are of the view that no such direction, as prayed for, ought to be issued, the Bench said. The court said it would appropriate at this stage to permit the petitioners to draw the attention of the trial court to the statements of Saleem and Nadeem brothers of the deceased recorded under Section 164 CrPC on May 15, 2019, before the Hapur Chief Judicial Magistrate. Noting that the trial court would pass appropriate orders on the issue, the Bench ordered the matter to be listed after summer vacation. It also gave liberty to the petitioner to file additional documents. The Uttar Pradesh Government had earlier informed the court that it had filed a fresh status report on investigation into the Hapur lynching case in terms of the courts April 8 order. The top court had on September 5, 2018, asked the Inspector General of Police, Meerut range, to supervise the investigation. Earlier, Samaydeen had demanded an SIT probe into the case to ensure an impartial, competent and fair investigation. He had sought compensation for the victims family. Victims of cow vigilantism rchopra@tribunemail.com Ranchi, May 29 A special CBI court here on Wednesday convicted 16 people in a multi-million-rupee fodder scam and jailed them for three to four years. According to a government lawyer, the Special CBI court of SN Mishra convicted them of fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 37 crore from Chaibasa treasury. The court sentenced 11 of them to three years in jail and five others to four years imprisonment. The special CBI court had convicted former Bihar chief ministers Lalu Yadav and Jagannath Mishra in the same case in 2013. The CBI filed the chargesheet against the 16 later. Fourteen of them supplied fodder and two were government officials. CBI courts have delivered judgment in 42 cases related to the fodder scam. IANS laxmi@tribune.com New Delhi, May 28 Actors-turned-politicians Mimi Chakraborty and Nusrat Jahans choice of Western wear for their first visit to Parliament after their victory in the Lok Sabha election was questioned by a section of social media users. The two actresses contested the elections as Trinamool Congress representatives and won by good margins. Mimi, who contested from Jadavpur, uploaded a photograph in which she is seen posing in front of Parliament wearing a white shirt and a pair of denims. Basirhat MP Nusrat opted for a wine coloured fitted ensemble a pair of pants with a peplum zipped top for her visit to Parliament. These were far different from the saris and salwar suits that a lot of women politicians wear to Parliament. One social media user commented: Parliament is not a photo studio, while another user slammed Mimi, saying she is not suitable for the position. Another comment read: You should wear some Indian attire in Parliament. You are going for people not for movie promotions. And keep some respect towards your Bengali society. Wear sari in Parliament. You look like a tourist there, one netizen wrote on Nusrats image, highlighting the stereotypes attached to women politicians in India. Amid criticism, Mimi and Nusrat found support from certain people. One user praised Nusrat for her attitude. Another one congratulated her on her victory and encouraged her to work like a lioness. This is not the first time that a woman politician has had to face peoples wrath due to her choice of clothes. Earlier this year, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadras change of display picture on Twitter from a sari-clad look to one in a pair of jeans too sparked debate on social media. IANS rchopra@tribunemail.com Washington, May 29 The US on Tuesday removed India from its currency monitoring list of major trading partners, citing steps being taken by New Delhi which addressed some of the Trump administrations major concerns. For the first time, the US placed India in its currency monitoring list of countries in May 2018 with potentially questionable foreign exchange policies. Switzerland is the other nation that has been removed from the list, which among others includes China, Japan, South Korea, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam. India has been removed from the monitoring list in this report, having met only one out of three criteria a significant bilateral surplus with the US for two consecutive reports, the Treasury Department said in its latest semi-annual report on macroeconomic and foreign exchange policies of major trading partners of the US sent to the Congress. After purchasing foreign exchange on net in 2017, the central bank, Reserve Bank of India, steadily sold reserves for most of 2018, with net sales of foreign exchange reaching 1.7 per cent of GDP over the year, it said. India maintains ample reserves according to the IMF metrics for reserve adequacy, the Treasury Department said in its report. In both Switzerland and India, there was a notable decline in 2018 in the scale and frequency of foreign exchange purchases, the report said. PTI Key parameters 2% of GDP or higher current-account surplus with US makes country eligible to be on watch list $20 bn or higher trade surplus, persistent intervention in markets for a nations currency other two thresholds 2 of the three criteria can put countries on the watch list. India meets only one trade surplus 1.7% of GDP is where net sales of Indias foreign exchange stand. RBI sold reserves for most of 2018 MEA: No date for Modi-Xi meet yet rchopra@tribunemail.com Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 29 The Saturday meeting of the Congress Working Committee continues to make news for a range of issuesfrom Congress president Rahul Gandhi refusing to take his resignation back to taunting the veterans for putting their sons before the party. Its now learnt that Ashok Gehlot, P Chidambaram and Kamal Nath were not the only ones Gandhi confronted. He also ticked off sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on two occasions. The first was when Priyanka, who joined as the AICC general secretary in January, gave the CWC her piece of mind saying, Those responsible for the defeat of the Congress are all in this room. At this Rahul interrupted her saying, Thats not correct. Gandhi again interjected his sister when she said, I have known my brother for 50 years. He wont take his resignation back. At this Gandhi said, You could not have known me for 50 years. I am only 48. At this, the serious-looking gathering broke into laughter. editorial@tribune.com Gurjeet Singh Aujla won the Amritsar seat for the second consecutive time. He took a round of Guru Nanak Dev Hospital a day after the poll result and declared to grant half of his annual discretionary funds to revamp facilities there. Talking to The Tribune reporter GS Paul, Aujla spells out his vision. What is the first thing on your mind for Amritsar that you want to work on? I owe my current success to the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. I won't make tall claims of making Amritsar a "California" or "London". If I am able to offer better basic amenities, like safe drinking water, health, education and job prospects, I will consider myself fortunate enough to live up to the expectations of people who have shown faith in me. How will you realise your vision? I have already started my task. I visited government hospital here and after getting to know the shortcomings there from the medical superintendent, I promised them to give Rs 2.5 crore from my annual discretionary funds as soon as I receive my first instalment. The Rs 3,000-crore canal-based water supply system from the UBDC in Amritsar has been in limbo for a long time. As an MP, I can be a conduit between the Centre and the state government to get it started. Since the MP heads the district development and monitoring committee, I will hold regular meetings with officials to get updates on weaknesses and methods to resolve them. Amritsar, being a border belt, has its own issues. Whats your take? Amritsar is in dire need of getting a package under the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) programme for border belt. The SEZ package announced during the UPA regime at the Centre was caught in official rigmarole after the change of command. My priority will be to get that package sanctioned so that agro-industry can be set up in the border area. This will open up various avenues for border residents who have agriculture as the main profession. Similarly, the norms for those who have land beyond the Indo-Pak border fencing, too, should be liberalised and their demand of adequate compensation should be heard by the Centre. Isn't drug menace a major issue? I admit there are flaws in the system to tackle it. Very shortly, I am going to take it up with Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to allow making it a law to fix the accountability of 'police thana incharges' concerned and the administrative officials if any drug trade propelled in the area falling under their jurisdiction. Similarly, efforts will be there to break the supply chain and set up rehabilitation centres. Do you think that while sitting in Opposition, your voice will be heard? At present, Amritsar has an elected Lok Sabha member, a nominated Rajya Sabha member and Puri saheb (Union Minister of State for Urban Affairs and Housing Hardeep Singh Puri, his rival in Lok Sabha polls). If still the voice of Amritsar is not heard in Parliament, then it will be a case of utter misfortune due to political vendetta only, I believe. Whats your equation with Hardeep Puri since none of you indulged in mudslinging? Puri Saheb and I always shared cordial relations. His diplomatic, suave humble behaviour and the respect I have for him can never allow us to go in for mudslinging. I am overwhelmed at his gesture of congratulating me and extending a helpful hand to me for development of Guru di Nagri. I have no hesitation in approaching him for cooperation as he heads a very important department. Around 3.45 lakh residents voted in his favour. I will be their voice too and seek his assistance in making Amritsar a tourist hub with religious, cultural and medical perspective. editorial@tribune.com Deepkamal Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, May 28 Ten years on, the sight of a mob burning 19 cars outside the venue of his grandsons mundan function just cannot get off the mind of Jalandhar resident Vinod Kumar Kochhar. The ceremony had just begun and about 50 guests, who were well in time, were the first ones to bear the brunt of the riots that were triggered after the killing of Dera Sachkhand Ballan chief Sant Ramanand at Vienna in Austria. Kochhar rues that six of the 19 car owners, who came to his function on May 24, 2009, at a resort here, are still to get any compensation from the Claims Commission and had got only partial claim from the insurance companies. In the riots that continued for two days, a total of 170 vehicles were set ablaze in various parts of Doaba, the owners of which are still awaiting compensation. Eighteen bogies of the Madurai Express were also set afire near the Jalandhar Cantt railway station. The total damage during the agitation was calculated to be around Rs 7 to 8 crore. Justice VK Bali (retd), who is heading the Claims Commission, set up by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, said he had already submitted his report to the court about a year back. The court was to pass the directions to the government, which is to give the claims. So, if people are saying that they have not received the compensation, they are right. I am currently working on the second aspect of the report which is to point out as to who was responsible for the riots. I hope that I will be able to submit the report within a month or two, Justice Bali said. While about 30 of the 45 FIRs got quashed, nearly 15-odd FIRs out of the total 45 in Lambra, Phillaur and Jalandhar city are still pending. The members of the 21-member Vienna Kand Sangharsh Committee, who are sympathisers of those booked for the riots, have been working on withdrawal and cancellation of the pending cases. Dr BS Johal of Johal Hospital, who had reportedly filed a case against about a dozen accused for attempting to attack him, said he was still contesting the case in the court of the Additional District and Sessions Judge here. Rajesh Bali, whose Alto car got burnt at a function, said, We did not get complete amount from the insurance firm as it wanted the burnt cars as salvage which we could not give owing to the pending court case. Our cars are still a property in the ongoing case. monicakchauhan@gmail.com Chandigarh, May 29 Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to pressurise the Pakistan government to undertake a probe into the destruction of the centuries-old Guru Nanak Palace in Narowal. He also offered to get the property rebuilt by his government if the Centre is able to secure Islamabads permission for the same. Drawing his attention to the destruction of the Sikh heritage property located in Pakistans Punjab, Captain Amarinder has written to Modi, requesting him to take up with the government of Pakistan to probe the wanton destruction of the property in question and to bring to justice all the guilty persons associated with this unfortunate act. Calling for urgent steps to restore the remaining structure through scientific conservation and restoration, the Chief Minister has also sought to impress upon the government of Pakistan to preserve all such monuments that have an association with Sikh heritage in an institutionalised manner so that such incidents do not recur in future. If the government of India arranges permission from Pakistan government, the Punjab government (India) would rebuild the historic property, the Chief Minister later said in a press statement. Strongly condemning the shocking incident, Captain Amarinder said it had hurt the sentiments of Sikhs around the world. In his letter to the prime minister, Captain Amarinder wrote: The building, which some media reports cite to be around four centuries old and has been visited by large number of Sikh pilgrims, has been rapaciously pillaged and destroyed. The incident, he said, had caused great consternation in the state and it was almost ironic that it had happened at a time when the two countries were poised to celebrate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. editorial@tribune.com Ravi Dhaliwal Tribune News Service Batala, May 28 The Batala police today arrested category A gangster Shubham and his accomplice Manpreet Singh Manna after a long chase in which several rounds of fire were exchanged between them. Subham was involved in the murder of Amritsar municipal councillor Gurdeep Pehalwan in June last year. Opinderjit Singh Ghuman, SSP, said the cops were hot on the trail of Shubham for the last several months. He was spotted in Batala on a couple of occasions, but every time he managed to hoodwink us. Today, after receiving specific information that he would pass through the area, we set up four check posts on the Fatehgarh Churian road, the SSP said. The gangster, who was driving a Hyundai i-20 car, was signalled to stop, but he sped away. Later, Shubham and Manna abandoned the car and snatched a motorcycle from a passerby. By this time, the control room had alerted the Fatehgarh Churian police following which a DSP, two SHOs and their team spotted the duo and chased them on the Fatehgarh Churian-Dera Baba Nanak road. As many as four police vehicles followed the gangsters for nearly 4 km. The gangsters kept firing at the police following which the latter retaliated, he added. The SSP said a police vehicle finally overtook the motorcycle and blocked its path. The gangsters again tried to flee towards the fields, but were overpowered by the cops who outnumbered them, he said. A case under various sections of the IPC, including attempt to murder, has been registered at Fatehgarh Churian police station. In October 2017, Shubham and another gangster Saraj Singh Sandhu had gunned down Hindu Sangharsh Sena leader Vipin Sharma in broad daylight in the Bharat Nagar locality of Amritsar. A month before the murder of Vipal Sharma, Saraj and his accomplices had freed Shubham from police custody when they were taking him for a court hearing in Amritsar. editorial@tribune.com Vishav Bharti Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 28 Taking cognisance of The Tribune report on how tuberculosis (TB) had become a leading killer in the states overcrowded jails, Jail Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa has ordered screening of all the prisoners for the disease. Officials confirmed that the minister called a meeting of jail and health officials on Friday and issued directions that all new inmates would be screened for HIV, Hepatitis-C, drug addiction and TB before they enter the jails. So far as already admitted inmates are concerned, it was decided that all of them be screened for both diseases by June 30. He also reviewed the treatment arrangements for screening and treatment of HIV, Hepatitis-C and drug addiction for the inmates. Randhawa confirmed that the health officials explained to him that HIV screening and ART treatment, screening for Hepatitis-C and for drugs was being provided since September 2016. Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) centres have been set up in eight jails. And for Central Jail, Hoshiarpur, the matter has been taken up with Deputy Commissioner and the authorities concerned for providing adequate space for the OOAT centres. He said over 4,000 inmates had been enrolled for de-addiction treatment at these centres. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 28 Patting its back for improvement in results in the Lok Sabha polls as compared to the 2017 Vidhan Sabha elections, the core committee of the SAD today claimed the party led in 35 Assembly segments against 17 two years back. The party claimed to have bagged at least 51 lakh votes out of the total 2.07 crore polled. At the same time, its political rival Congress lost four lakh voters. The SAD improved its vote share while the share of the Congress and AAP fell significantly, the core committee claimed. A resolution passed by the committee acknowledged that the Almighty decimated those who committed or planned the sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib. The PPCC chief was leading the Congress-sponsored elements, who had formed the so-called morchas on the sacrilege issue. He was defeated as were his co-conspirators, including Sukhpal Khaira, Baljeet Singh Daduwal, Dhian Singh Mand, Simranjit Singh Mann and the so-called Taksalis, the SAD chief said. In another resolution, the party came down heavily on the hike in the electricity tariff. They said the hike was unjustified when the facility of 200 free units to the poor was withheld. Farmers, industry, traders and the domestic sector were reeling under the burden imposed on them by the Congress government. The committee also took note of the BSP affecting the SAD vote share, particularly in Doaba. The committee expressed grave concern over the growing incidents of rape and murder in the state. It also expressed shock over an incident in which a teacher committed suicide following the governments refusal to consider the demand of contractual teachers. In another resolution, the core committee asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take up with Pakistan the issue of demolition of a heritage and religious site connected with the life of Guru Nanak Dev. PM must intervene on Pak shrine demolition Chandigarh: Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take up with his Pakistan counterpart Imran Khan the issue of partial demolition of Guru Nanak Palace in Pakistan's Punjab province. She said Sikhs were deeply anguished over the incident and she joined the community in condemning the act. uttara@tribuneindia.com London, May 29 A British Sikh group lobbying for Sikhism to be added as a separate ethnicity tick box in the next UK census in 2021 is considering taking legal action against the UK government over its rejection of such a categorisation. Sikh Federation UK claims to have the support of over 120 Gurdwaras and Sikh organisations as it issued a letter before action to the UK Cabinet Office last week, demanding a reassessment of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) decision to reject the need for such an additional tick box. Our clients have identified a number of flaws within the process for determining whether to include a Sikh ethnicity category in the 2021 Census, Rosa Curling, solicitor from UK law firm Leigh Day, which is representing the group, said. They believe it is crucial that individuals are able to identify as ethnically Sikh in the next Census to ensure a more accurate picture of the community is taken. This will ensure public bodies are fulfilling their duties under the Equality Act when making decisions about the allocation of vital public services, she said. Sikh Federation UK believes that it would be unlawful for the Cabinet Office to lay before the Parliament a Census order based on the proposals set out by the ONS in their December 2018 White Paper. The draft Census order is due to be laid before the House of Commons later this year. Without public bodies monitoring Sikhs as a distinct ethnic group they cannot be aware of the barriers Sikhs face as a religio-ethnic community, Bhai Amrik Singh, Chair of the Sikh Federation UK, said. We hope that the government will listen to our arguments and agree to apply a lawful approach to this decision without the need for the case to be fought in the courts, he said, indicating that unless the group receives a satisfactory response to its letter before action, the group will consider initiating judicial review proceedings in the UK courts. The issue has divided the British Sikh community, with the Network of Sikh Organisations among those who have been against such a separate tick box. They should accept the ONS decision to reject their ridiculous 'ethnic' tick-box campaign, said Lord Indarjit Singh, a Sikh peer in the House of Lords and Director of the Network of Sikh Organisations. Sikhism is a great world faith open to all, and the Gurus explicitly rejected all man-made divisions in society including race, caste and by extension, the misuse of the word ethnicity. We'd like someone in the SFUK to explain what an 'ethnic Sikh' is. Is it something like an atheist Christian, he questioned. Sikhs are recognised as a separate religion in the optional religious question introduced in the 2001 Census. The UK's Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 placed an obligatory duty on the country's public authorities to monitor and positively promote race equality in the provision of public services. According to some British Sikh groups, public bodies tend to only reference the ethnic groups used in the census and demand a separate Sikh ethnic tick box to ensure Sikhs have fair access to all public services. The Office for National Statistics (ONS), which had consulted over the issue in preparation of its White Paper to be tabled in the UK Parliament, believes that the country's first digital census in 2021 will ensure that all groups are covered. A spokesperson for the ONS said: The ONS recommendations follow extensive research and consultation with groups and individuals and everyone who wishes to identify as Sikh will be able to do so". "The religion question will have a specific Sikh tick box response option and everyone who wishes to identify as Sikh in response to the ethnicity question will be able to do so through a write-in option. We believe these proposals will enable public bodies to work with the Sikh community in shaping public services to meet their needs, the spokesperson added. PTI vinaymishra188@gmail.com HYDERABAD, May 28 (PTI)Police opened fire on a riotous crowd believed to be supporters of separate Telangana at Yadula village in Mahboobnagar district last night. The 500-strong crowd indulged in stone-throwing in which three policemen were injured. In Hyderabad city, the house of a municipal councillor, Mr. Yadgiri, who is a supporter of the united Andhra Pradesh, was set on fire by a crowd, which threw stones, smashed lights and window-panes of the house and after breaking open the main door poured petrol on the furniture and set it ablaze. A four-year-old child and a relative of Mr. Yadgiri were hit by stones. vinaymishra188@gmail.com TEHRAN, May 28 (AP)The United States is trying to sponsor talks between India and Pakistan on Kashmir. U.S. Secretary of State William Rogers is believed to have made efforts in this direction during his recent Asian tour in pursuance of a policy of United States detachment from the conflicts of Asia. It was the Nixon Administrations decision to begin detaching U.S. forces by peace-making or by replacement with South Vietnamese troops, which helped determine the nature of Mr. Rogers mission through Asia. The decision to cut the cost in Viet Nam had raised grave questions in Asian capitals as to whether President Nixon had decided to abandon Asia entirely. Mr. Rogers has told the Asians that his country is cutting its involvement and intends to have no more Viet Nams. He, however, gave an assurance that treaty commitments would be kept. Going beyond the Administrations Viet Nam peace policy he has begun a process of detachment of the USA from the conflicts of Asia and the promotion of a substitute policy of regional self-reliance. shalender@tribune.com Brussels, May 28 European leaders headed on Brussels on Tuesday to launch the hunt for candidates for top EU jobs in the wake of polls that shook up traditional alliances and boosted nationalists, the Greens and liberals. The haggling over jobs, including a replacement for EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, is likely to last several months. For the first time the big centrist blocs no longer have a majority as the European Parliament elections boosted nationalists, the Greens and liberals. It leaves the EU more fragmented, so finding consensus may be harder than in the past, the BBC reported. The talks over dinner on Tuesday may not even result in a shortlist of candidates. Outgoing UK PM Theresa May will participate, but reports say that there will be little or no discussion of Brexit. It is more an occasion for leaders to assess the political mood and explore possible combinations, to ensure a stable balance of political opinions, geography and gender. The other top EU officials to be replaced later this year are: European Council President Donald Tusk (Polish), European Central Bank President Mario Draghi (Italian) and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini (Italian). The new top officials will take up their posts on November 1, except for the new European Council chief, who starts on December 1. In 2014, Juncker was chosen to head the Commission as the centre-right European Peoples Party candidate, after the EPP had won the election. But it is a much tougher challenge this time for the EPPs candidate Manfred Weber - a German - after his bloc shrank from 217 seats to 180 in the 751-seat Parliament. He has the backing of German Chancellor Angela Merkel. On the selection of the European Commission President, the European Parliament said the winner only had to be someone who made his/her programme and personality known prior to the elections and engaged in a European-wide campaign. That opens the door to candidates who werent strictly candidates before, such as Denmarks Margarete Vestager or maybe even the Chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, the BBC said. IANS shalender@tribune.com Washington, May 28 Tornadoes pulverised western Ohio early on Tuesday, killing one person, injuring scores of others and requiring emergency officials to send out snowplows to clear debris from a major highway. At least one tornado hit Dayton and at least two touched down near the city, including one near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, just east of the city, media reports said. An 81-year-old man was killed in Celina, a small city 105 km north of Dayton, after a tornado sent a vehicle crashing into his home, Celina Mayor Jeffrey Hazel said at a news conference on Tuesday. Another seven people were injured in the storm, three of them seriously, he said. At least 35 persons in and around Dayton went to hospitals with injuries, most of them minor. The latest storm follows tornadoes and floods killed at least six people in Oklahoma during the previous week, including two people in El Reno on Saturday. More than 60,000 homes and businesses in Ohio were left without power on Monday morning, according to the PowerOutage. AFP gspannu7@gmail.com Lahore, May 29 Six members of the Masood Azhar-led Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) have been arrested for allegedly collecting funds for the proscribed terror group, amid a pressure from the global community on Pakistan to curb terror financing. The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of the Punjab Police said on Wednesday it has intensified crackdown on terrorism financing and arrested six more JeM activists in Gujaranwala, about 130-km from here. The CTD teams raided the JeMs safe house and arrested Muhammad Afzal, Muhammad Amir, Allah Ditta, Muhammad Iftikhar, Muhammad Ajmal and Muhammad Bilal Makki, and recovered lakhs of rupees from their possession. The suspects were collecting funds to finance the activities of JeM. Charge-sheets against them have been submitted to the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Gujranwala and they are being interrogated, the CTD said in a statement. No one will be allowed to collect founds for any proscribed organisation, it said. Last week, six activists of the JeM and the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) were arrested by the CTD from Gujranwala, Rawalpinid, Multan and Lahore for allegedly collecting funds to finance terrorism. On Monday, three terrorists belonging to the Islamic State (IS) and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) militant groups were arrested by the CTD officials in Pakistans Punjab province. Sources, however, said the accused were not presented before the ATC. Also, the CTD did not seek their remand from the court or the magistrate. The suspects have been shifted to undisclosed location for further interrogation, the source added. Paris-based international terror financing watchdog FATF in June last year placed Pakistan onto its watch list in a bid to push the country to halt support for militant groups. In February, the FATF decided to continue the Grey listing of Pakistan for its failure to stop funding of terrorist groups such as the JeM, the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the JuD. The Pakistan government have arrested over 100 members of banned outfits including JeM chief Azhars son and brother and also taken control of JeM, JuD and FIFs properties including seminaries and mosques across the country. The crackdown came amid tensions with India following a suicide attack in Jammu and Kashmirs Pulwama district on February 14 by the JeM that killed 40 CRPF soldiers. The Pakistan government has termed the action in accordance with the National Action Plan and meeting the obligations of the FATF. The United Nations on May 1 designated Azhar as a global terrorist after China lifted its hold on a proposal to blacklist the Pakistan-based JeM chief, a decade after New Delhi approached the world body for the first time on the issue. PTI SEVERAL hardware stores have started selling cement across a range of prices after Trinidad Cement Ltd (TCL) increased the price of its product by 15 per cent earlier this month. On December 13, TCL informed clients that we have been absorbing rising input costs for a long time and are now unable to continue to maintain our prices. The main attributing cost factors are natural gas, imported spares and other raw materials that go into the manufacturing of the highest quality cement brands, which you represent. THE sister of a Santa Cruz man who was reported missing to police received news on Monday that he died of the Covid-19 virus several weeks ago. Maria Virgil, 62, was informed by hospital authorities that her brother, Sonny Fitzgerald Virgil, 78, of La Canoa, died at the Arima Hospital on December 1. The snap general election called by the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, could not be any snappier. With nomination day set for January 3, one week from the announcement of the January 19 election, PM Mottley has used her power to set the election date to maximum effect. With all of 17 months of her five-year term still to go, she has clearly calculated that an immediate return to the polls is her best opportunity for consolidating her hold on power and extending her term for another five years until 2027. The whole country, especially women, went into frenzy when witty Facebook comedian Desmond Otieno, known to many as Wamama, announced he was coming back to Kenya from Oman where he has been working. Many were excited because they were finally going to meet the man who has been making their days on the popular women group on Facebook, Kilimani Mums. READ ALSO: Kilimani Mums Wamama shares photos of his new set of teeth following remarkable dental makeover READ ALSO: Kilimani Mums' Wamama gets new set of teeth after TUKO.co.ke highlighted his plight Well, the plane that was carrying the Kenyan born and raised man touched down at the JKIA and that marked yet the beginning of another great journey for him and his fans respectively. Wamama's fans and followers were super excited after learning he was finally home and countless of them came out in large numbers to meet him face to face. A celebrity of some sort he became as he mingled with his fans at a personal level. Thanks to his newly acquired fame, cooperate companies rushed and offered him brand ambassadorial gigs which greatly boosted his finances. He also got a new set of teeth after he shared his sad story with TUKO.co.ke, that his poor dental formula had denied him a decent job at Oman, forcing him to be relegated to washing toilets. Wamama even at some point revealed he was not contemplating going back to Oman and promised to stay in Kenya. However, no sooner had Kenyans gotten enough feel of him than he announced his flight back to the Arab country. READ ALSO: Kilimani Mums' Wamama was forced to wash toilets at night because his teeth were unappealing In a Facebook post seen by TUKO.co.ke on Sunday, May 26, he revealed he was planning to fly back to Oman on Tuesday, May 28, night. Wamama even told his fans and followers to join him at the airport to bid him good bye. ''To all my friends, my family, my lovely queens, let me announce to you that I'll be traveling back to Oman on Tuesday, May 28, 2019. The flight will depart at 7pm but I'll arrive in JKIA at 3pm. You are all welcome,'' he wrote. The comedian left the country on Tuesday and duly informed his fans about his flight back. ''To all my friends and family, on my way to airport,'' he posted. READ ALSO: Mamake Gavana Anyang' Nyong'o aaga dunia akiwa na umri wa miaka 98 The young man kept updating his fans about the developments of his journey, with his last post revealing he had arrived at JKIA ready for his flight back. Following his posts, Kenyans thronged the comments sections and wished him well even as he departs. Other could not hold back their emotions and revealed how much they were going to miss him and his theatrics. Judging with thousands of comments from fan on his posts, it is clear he is dearly loved and will be missed a lot while away. Do you have a life-changing story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. I hate seeing children sleeping in the streets Source: TUKO.co.ke Chelsea manager, Maurizio Sarri, cut a frustrated figure as he walked out of training on Tuesday, May 29, at the Baku Olympic Stadium ahead of the Europa League final against Arsenal in Azerbaijan. Sarri was spotted taking out his anger on his Chelsea cap, throwing it off his head and then furiously kicking it before storming out of the grounds. READ ALSO: Victor Wanyama: 5 reasons Harambee Stars captain could win Spurs the Champions League Maurizio Sarri, Manager of Chelsea kicks his cap in frustration during the Chelsea FC training session on the eve of the UEFA Europa League Final against Arsenal at Baku Olimpiya Stadion. Source: Getty Images READ ALSO: KOT praise Simon Cheprot's selfless heroics after ditching victory to rescue opponent According to BBC, striker Gonzalo Higuain and David Luiz were involved in a heated argument after a confrontation while training just before Sarri lost his cool. Interestingly, the Blues sought to clarify the incident and claimed the manager's anger was not directed at the team but rather "due to not being able to play set-plays" owing to media presence. READ ALSO: Sifa 5 kuu za Victor Wanyama zinazoweza kuisaidia Spurs kutwaa kombe la UEFA However, things have not been too peachy for the Italian at Stamford Bridge and speculation is rife he may indeed be on his way out of the club if he does not bring in the silverware. His predecessor Antonio Conte was sacked in 2018 despite winning the FA Cup after the Blues failed to secure Champions League qualification. TUKO.co.ke reported that Sarri threatened to walk out of his contract if winning the Europa League was the only condition to keep his job. PAY ATTENTION: Become a member of the leading sports Facebook group 'TUKO Michezo' And when asked whether he needs to win the Europa League title to save his position, Sarri said: "If the situation is like this then I want to go immediately." "After 10 months of work then I have to play for everything in 90 minutes. It is not the right way. You are either happy with my work or not," he said. And it seems that Chelsea finishing third and qualifying for Champions League may not be enough to to see the 60-year-old stay on. His future at Stamford Bridge became uncertain after Massimiliano Allegri was released by Juventus at the end of the recently concluded Serie A. PAY ATTENTION: Install Pitch Football app for FREE to easily access stats, news and live updates "We had a very good season but we need to do more and improve. I don't know what to say about the market, my future is the final," he added. Sarri's revelation came shortly after Juventus made him their priority target to replace the outgoing Allegri. The former Napoli boss has said he will speak with club executives on his future after the final. Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. VOX POP: Come lets bury our survivors | Tuko TV Source: Sports Brief News Nigerian tycoon Onye Eze has finally mended things with nemesis Blessing Okoro. Blessing, a relationship blogger, had earlier lied she owned a seven bedroom mansion that belongs to the millionaire. READ ALSO: Socialite Vera sensationally reveals she lost her virginity at 20 READ ALSO: Kijogoo ajutia kufungua sava na kula uroda hadharani Uhuru Park Onye announced through Instagram he and the blogger were no longer feuding and even met up for drinks. The pair was spotted exchanging niceties as they laughed together and chatted like two longtime friends. READ ALSO: Woman tries to prove lover is cheating on her, finds him sleeping with another man A lady believed to be Onye's girlfriend also pleaded with social media users to forgive the 30-year-old blogger for her misconduct. Blessing left people in awe during her birthday when she claimed she built a massive mansion eight years after splitting with her ex-hubby. She even attached photos of the house and claimed her success was a result of prayer, determination and hard work. A day later, Onye claimed the woman was a con who gained access to his property and claimed it was hers. He then jetted to Nigeria from China and slapped handcuffs on the lady. Blessing was trolled by people who congratulated her fake success with many people branding her a fraud. Do you have a life-changing story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. The Unwanted Children of Kasarani. Source: TUKO.co.ke Linda Verin, aka Linda Soundtrak, known for her wacky onscreen persona and television ads promoting a chain of electronics stores during the 1970s and 80s, is coming to Tulsa to help raise money for flood victims. Soundtrak will make an appearance from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Saturday, June 1, at the Swamp House, a new restaurant and music venue at 1529 E. Third St., according to Eric Warren, a Tulsa businessman and relative of Verin. If you were around then, you will for sure remember Linda Soundtrak, Warren said. Everyone had an opinion about her. Verin moved from Oklahoma to Alabama in the early 1990s. She will meet and greet visitors and accept cash donations for the Tulsa Area Salvation Army flood relief fund, according to Warren. Other ways to donate to the Salvation Army: Mail: The Salvation Army, P.O. Box 1959, Atlanta, GA 30301. Designate May 2019 OK/AR Storms on all checks. Phone: 1-800-725-2769 Text: STORM to 51555 to receive a donation link for mobile giving. When we started planning this, we estimated that we would have at most about 200 people attending, Latham said. Were now up to 500 people registered, coming from all over the world to be a part of this symposium. The World of Bob Dylan will provide a deep dive into aspects of Bob Dylans work as a writer, performer, filmmaker, artist and public figure that range from in-depth examinations of individual songs and albums and how they came to be, to presentations that link Dylan to such concepts as that of the Trickster in Native American mythology. It will also examine how religious themes and imagery inform Dylans music beyond the three albums that make up his born again phase in the early 1980s, and the way he addressed concepts of social justice and politics in his songs. Many agencies and businesses are offering help for storm and flood victims. Oklahoma residents seeking nonemergency disaster or health and human service information, please contact your local 2-1-1. Services are available 24 hours a day by dialing 2-1-1 from your home or cellular telephone. Please only call 911 for emergencies. Free self storage from U-Haul U-Haul Companies of Tulsa and Oklahoma City are making 18 facilities available for 30 days of free self-storage to Oklahomans affected by continued flooding across the state. People seeking additional information or needing to arrange 30 days free self-storage should contact the nearest participating U-Haul store location. Find locations at uhaul.com. Tetanus shots All Tulsa Health Department immunization clinics will offer tetanus shots at no cost to anyone affected by the weather events in Tulsa County. Visit tulsa-health.org/vaccines or call 918-582-9355 for hours and locations. Anyone who has sustained significant injuries is encouraged to seek medical attention from their primary care provider or urgent care. Many local pharmacies also offer tetanus shots. Crisis cleanup Renaissance Brewing Co., 1147 S. Lewis Ave., launches its newest beer, The Tulsamerican. Named after the last WWII B-24 bomber built in Tulsa, the beer is brewed to commemorate the Tulsamerican, the last liberator bomber built at the Douglas factory in Tulsa. The plane, along with its crew, crashed into the depths of the Adriatic Sea in which it set until its rediscovery in 2010. The beer is a deep, dark, cold fermented, cold lagered, craft product. It has subtle hints of roast from the grains, minimally hopped and high drinkable profile from the lager yeast. The Baltic Porter-style beer comes in at 8.3% alcohol by volume. The new beers launch comes on what would have been the 95th birthday of the Tulsamericans last pilot. Eugene Ford. Lt. Ford piloted the Tulsamerican on its last mission, taking the airplane and its crew into combat against the Nazis on Dec. 17, 1944. After suffering severe damage from repeated enemy attacks, Ford was able to get the Tulsamerican back to the coast of Croatia, where American and British rescue crews were stationed. When the Tulsamerican crashed into the Adriatic Sea, Ford and two other airmen lost their lives. Seven of the crew, however, survived due to the heroic efforts of Ford. Disaster aid blocked in House by conservative WASHINGTON A second conservative Republican on Tuesday blocked another attempt to pass a long-overdue $19 billion disaster aid bill, delaying again a top priority for some of President Donald Trumps most loyal allies on Capitol Hill. Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky said that if Democratic leaders like Speaker Nancy Pelosi thought the measure was so important, they should have kept the House in session in Washington late last week to slate an up-or-down roll call vote. If the speaker of this House thought that this was must-pass legislation, the speaker ... should have called a vote on this bill before sending every member of Congress on recess for 10 days, Massie said. Massies move earned swift rebukes from top Democrats. Key Democrat warns of Barrs expanded powers WASHINGTON The top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee is sounding the alarm about the new powers that President Donald Trump has granted to Attorney General William Barr. A man was fatally shot at an east Tulsa apartment complex early Wednesday, and police arrested a man they believe to be the shooter. Antwan Barnes, 42, died at the Sierra Pointe Apartments, 1300 S. 107th East Ave., after being shot there about 1 a.m., police said. Homicide detectives identified Shaquel Mullins, 25, as a suspect, and he was arrested without incident in the 100 block of North Garnett Road later Wednesday morning, according to a Tulsa Police Department news release. Mullins was jailed on a complaint of first-degree murder, five complaints of shooting into an occupied dwelling and one complaint of possessing a firearm after a felony conviction, jail records show. Barnes death is Tulsas 30th homicide of 2019. Stetson Payne 918-732-8135 stetson.payne@tulsaworld.com Twitter: @stetson__payne McLain High School Principal John Williams has resigned nearly two years after starting the position. The Tulsa school board accepted Williams resignation during a special meeting last week. Renee Rabovsky, who joined Tulsa Public Schools 11 years ago and has been McLains assistant principal for four years, will step in as interim principal for the 2019-20 school year. Williams resigned to pursue other opportunities closer to his family, TPS spokeswoman Lauren Partain said in a statement. He was selected as principal at McLain, 4929 N. Peoria Ave., ahead of the 2017-18 school year after the resignation of Enna Dancy, who wanted to move home to Missouri. Williams began his career as a teacher in 1996 and moved into leadership roles in Georgia before joining Kansas City Public Schools in 2014. He served as principal of Central Middle School in Kansas City, Missouri, before accepting the McLain post. The move to release the documents was initiated by former Greenwood Cultural Center employee Bill White, who asked that they be made available leading up to the centennial commemoration of the massacre. The chambers board of directors agreed with the suggestion but first sought counsel from city and community leaders, including members of the Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission, before ultimately making the final decision. The presentation is consistent with the climate of transparency that is appropriate and needed as we approach the anniversary of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, said Greenwood Cultural Center program coordinator Mechelle Brown. Through continued transparency, honesty and acknowledgement of our shared past, we can create a more just and equitable and cohesive community that truly reflects our values and morals. An examination of the minutes revealed that city leaders blamed black Greenwood residents for the violence and considered plans to take land from Black Wall Street business owners. The minutes also revealed that members recognized the severity of the event, calling it the greatest wound (to) Tulsas civic pride (the city) has ever received. NORMAN Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter on Tuesday told a Cleveland County district judge that greedy opioid makers were responsible for drug addictions and deaths and have created the worst man-made public health crisis in the state. An attorney for one of the drugmakers argued that the company supplied medication that was regulated by the government and lawfully prescribed by doctors. Opening statements in Oklahomas lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson and its affiliate Janssen Pharmaceuticals began Tuesday before Cleveland County District Judge Thad Balkman, who will ultimately rule in the case. Two other companies, Purdue and Teva, reached settlements with the state before the trial began. The trial has drawn international media attention. Some consider it a litmus test for cases against opioid makers in other states. In their zeal to provide a magic drug, Hunter said in his opening statement, the companies ignored science. Money may not be the root of all evil, but it can make people and businesses do bad things, the attorney general said. He accused the company of a multimillion-dollar brainwashing campaign to sell more drugs. Fundraisers have been set up to assist those affected by recent storms and flooding. Here are ways to help. This is a coordinated effort by a number of public health professionals, Burnsed said in a statement. It is important for us to identify settings where individuals may have been exposed to advise them of their risk and implement measures to prevent the spread of illness to those who may be unvaccinated, and persons who may be at greater risk of illness due to compromised immune systems or children who may not be old enough to receive full protection. People are protected if they were immunized with two doses of a measles-containing vaccine after their first birthday, if they were born during or before 1957 or if they have previously had the measles. Anyone who is concerned about possible exposure should contact public health officials at 800-234-5963. The Tulsa Health Department is offering the MMR vaccine at no cost to those exposed at all immunization clinics. View information about locations and hours at tulsa-health.org/vaccines. All county health departments will also be providing MMR immunizations. Immunization records may be obtained at tulsa-health.org/shotrecords or through your private health care provider or school. Update: (4:01 p.m.): The flash flood warning for Tulsa and Creek counties has been extended until 8:15 p.m. "Significant ongoing flooding has been reported in Tulsa at 31st and Jackson, as well as the Gathering Place along the Arkansas River and Riverside Drive," forecasters said. "Excessive runoff from heavy rainfall will cause flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other drainage areas and low-lying spots." Update (3:45 p.m.): Area rainfall amounts on Wednesday have ranged from about an inch in Osage County to about an inch and a half in Bixby to slightly more than 3 inches in Porter, according to the Oklahoma Mesonet. Update (2:32 p.m.): The National Weather Service in Tulsa said a flood warning is in effect "until further notice" for the Arkansas River for Tulsa, Muskogee and Wagoner counties. The Arkansas River at Tulsa will remain near 23.3 feet, forecasters said. Flood stage is 18 feet. Bynum said he would not hesitate to seek mandatory evacuations if he thought they were necessary but that he had not yet reached that conclusion. We continue obviously, 24 hours a day to monitor the condition of the levees; and if we are ever told by the Corps experts who are monitoring the stability that there is an emergency, we will immediately evacuate that area, he said. David Williams, chief of hydrology and hydraulic engineering for the Army Corps of Engineers Tulsa District, said the Corps plans to keep the release out of Keystone Dam at 275,000 cfs through Thursday. The good news is that the elevation of the reservoir is peaking today, and you will see it begin to fall later during the day, Williams said. The bad news or problematic issue as Williams described it is the rainfall forecast for Tulsa and upstream Tuesday night and Wednesday. The Acting Top Cop says he is confident there will not be chaos and fallout in the police se The integration of the Ukrainian energy system with the European network will enable the state to reduce to a minimum its dependence on Russia. Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Ivanna Klympush-Tsyntsadze stated this at the meeting "Integration of Ukraine to ENTSO-E (the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity): Key Benefits and Challenges, the Government portal reports. "It is necessary to develop a special document with a detailed plan of measures for the integration of the domestic energy system to the European one, which, in fact, is a visa-free energy regime that will enable Ukraine to become part of the European energy space and to reduce its dependence on Russia to a minimum," she said. According to Ivanna Klympush-Tsyntsadze, Ukraine over the past two years has been working on the reform of the electricity market, an integral part of which is the integration into the ENTSO-E. "In this context, the government is positively evaluating the dynamics of implementation of the tasks envisaged in the Action Plan on Synchronization of the United Energy System of Ukraine with the Association of Power Systems of the EU Member States," she said. At the same time, she said that a successful fight for a visa-free energy regime" is impossible without the support of key international partners. "We are very grateful for the assistance provided by our partners - the United States, the European Union, KfW, the European Investment Bank, the World Bank and others. Also, special thanks to our Moldovan partners, with whom we are moving side by side towards the European energy market and I hope that this pace will not decrease, said the official. iy U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker believes that Hungary makes a mistake by blocking high-level meetings between NATO and Ukraine because of the language law adoption. I think that Hungary is making a mistake by using NATO as a tool to try to put pressure on this issue. Ukraine faces important external challenges the attack, the invasion, and the occupation by Russia. That is something that should be of concern to every NATO ally, including Hungary. And blocking high-level meetings between NATO and Ukraine, I believe, is a mistake, Volker said during a video conference on Tuesday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. He noted that no progress had been made so far in that issue. I do hope that with the election of President Zelensky, and let me remind that he is a native Russian language speaker who also speaks Ukrainian, there needs to be an agreement between Hungary and Ukraine on how to deal with the question of national minorities, the rights of those minorities to speak and have the education in their own language and at the same time to ensure that the citizen of Ukraine, all of them, also learn and use Ukrainian as part of their communication in the official language in the country, the U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations added. As reported, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto called the language law, which was passed by the Parliament of Ukraine on April 25, unacceptable. The Hungarian government warned NATO that it would further block the meetings of the NATO-Ukraine Commission in response to the Parliaments adoption of the language law. The Law of Ukraine On Ensuring the Functioning of the Ukrainian Language as a State Language takes into account the recommendations of the Venice Commission regarding the consideration of the interests of national minorities in accordance with the international obligations of Ukraine. ol Ukraine and Georgia sent a joint letter to co-chairs of the intergovernmental talks on reforming the UN Security Council at the current session of the General Assembly, calling for limiting the use of veto power if one of the permanent members is a party to the conflict. "As some member states have repeatedly stated during the intergovernmental negotiations [on the UN Security Council reform], the veto power should be limited when a permanent member is a party to the conflict or situation under consideration and cannot participate in an unbiased vote due to conflict of interest. Our common principled position is that the issue of limiting the use of veto power in these situations should be considered in the context of intergovernmental negotiations and be an integral part of the UN Security Council reform," reads the Ukrainian-Georgian letter available to Ukrinform. As Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations Volodymyr Yelchenko said in an exclusive commentary to an Ukrinform correspondent, the restriction of the veto power is a key element of Ukraine's position on the reform of the United Nations and the UN Security Council in particular. "One does not have to tell Ukraine about the implications of the abuse of veto power by a UN Security Council permanent member. Let's recall the draft resolutions on the territorial integrity of Ukraine or the establishment of an international tribunal to investigate into MH17 crash, which were blocked by Russia. There are other recent notorious cases: Salisbury, Syria. The application of the veto power by a party concerned paralyzes the work of the worlds key security platform, its ability to respond promptly to threats posed to international peace and security," the Ukrainian diplomat said. The talks about any UN reform are not serious if a veto power is not reconsidered, Yelchenko added. "We are pleased that this position is shared by other states. A joint appeal with Georgia will have additional political weight in further negotiations," the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations summed up. ol Mikheil Saakashvili, former president of Georgia, former chairman of the Odesa Regional State Administration and leader of the "Movement of New Forces", is ready to help and counsel a new team of Ukrainian authorities, but has no career plans. "I want to help the new team, the new wave that has really appeared in Ukraine. If my advice, my consultation or just presence will be useful to someone, I will do it," Saakashvili told reporters on Wednesday at the Warsaw Chopin Airport before leaving for Ukraine, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. He added that he had no aspirations to "get a certain office or some formal post because it ends badly." Before leaving for Ukraine, Saakashvili was issued a certificate for return to Ukraine at the Ukrainian consulate in Warsaw. ol facebook like button Tweet tweet button for twitter Published May 20, 2018 The University of Louisiana Monroe releases the Spring 2019 Dean's and President's List Eligibility to the ULM President's or Dean's List requires full-time undergraduate enrollment (minimum of 12 semester hours completed). Graduate or doctoral candidates are not eligible for the President's and Dean's List. President's List: a student is required to earn at least a 3.9-grade point average. Dean's List: a student is required to earn at least a 3.5-grade point average. The GPA requirements DO NOT include a student's cumulative GPA, only the current term (Spring 2019) GPA. For example, if a student has a cumulative 3.7 GPA, and a 3.2 GPA for the current term, the student would not be included in the list. If a student has a 3.4 cumulative GPA and received a 3.9 for the current term, they are included on the President's list. The same applies for the Dean's List. If a student is not on the President's and Dean's List and should be, please contact the ULM Office of Marketing and Communications. If the omission was a clerical error, the list will be corrected. However, if the error is beyond that, please contact Office of the Registrar. Due to the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act, the Office of Marketing & Communications is limited to what information they can provide over the phone, email or social media. The student (not his or her parent or guardian) must contact the Office of the Registrar to correct any errors in their grades or school record. For the complete list, click this link, Spring 2019 Dean's and President's List Ankara UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner today concluded his first country visit to Turkey during which he met with leaders of government and business, investors, the heads of UNDP partner agencies in Turkey, and members of the diplomatic community, and opened the UNDP flagship event the Istanbul Development Dialogues. Turkey and UNDP have been partners for over 50 years and more recently Turkey has been a beacon of hope for more than 3.6 million Syrian refugees. said Achim Steiner. I appreciated the frank exchanges on the future direction of UNDPs work in Turkey and I look forward to our continued partnership. The UNDP Administrator, accompanied by UNDP Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, met with Vice President of Turkey H.E. Fuat Oktay and Minister of Foreign Affairs H.E. Mevlut Cavusoglu to discuss Turkeys continued support for UNDPs work in Turkey, the region, and globally. They also discussed the continued need for supporting Turkey in its work hosting refugees from Syria. Turkey currently hosts more than 3.6 million Syrian refugees and provides many with free access to education, health care, employment and social security. Turkey provides both immediate life support for Syrians and an opportunity for them to plan for the future. It is an exemplary model for other countries to emulate, Mr. Steiner said. The Government of Turkey has pledged an additional $4 million annually for three years towards UNDP programmes. As part of a 2011 agreement, Turkey has already contributed US$15 million towards UNDPs regional programme in Europe and Central Asia and supports the Istanbul Regional Hub and UNDPs global private sector center in Istanbul. As we look to the future, I hope we continue to build on this foundation as Turkey supports programmatic work of UNDP both at regional and global level. The latest commitments are a welcome signal of this partnership. said Mr. Steiner. UNDP has been present in Turkey for 5 decades, supporting the country in its development planning as it achieved major reforms and opened to foreign trade and finance. In Istanbul, the Administrator and his delegation also met with business representatives, stressing their role in creating innovative partnership and models to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Turkish businesses have been playing a key development role within the country and in the Balkans, Central Asia, and Caucasus, and there are significant new opportunities for them to scale up their engagement towards achieving the SDGs said Mr. Steiner. On 27 May, Mr. Steiner delivered keynote address at the Istanbul Development Dialogues on Financing for Development, speaking to more than 200 investors, business leaders, development experts and government representatives alongside Mr Naci Agbal, Head of the Strategy and Budget Presidential Office, Presidency of Turkey. If the connection can be made between the 2030 Agenda and financial markets, the SDGs are possible - in Turkey and beyond, said Mr. Steiner. Aligning trillions of dollars in private assets with public policies to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals is an urgent necessity and the way of the future, Mr. Steiner told the audience. Danyliuk: Current program with IMF remains in place 00:59, 29.05.19 1658 He says the positions of Ukraine and the IMF "match completely." NBU: Ukraine's international reserves enough to fulfill debt obligations 10:17, 29.05.19 1013 Ukraine is to pay more than US$5 billion in foreign and domestic currency liabilities by the end of this year. Danyliuk: Declaring default in Ukraine not an option 10:35, 29.05.19 1113 The Ukrainian government's position is to protect citizens' interests. Late summer or autumn: Ukraine's official predicts deadline for next IMF tranche 11:26, 29.05.19 2981 A new tranche is expected after the formation of a new government. Ukraine's Dragon Capital sells Chumak food producer to Delta Wilmar 13:55, 29.05.19 3287 Delta Wilmar is a joint venture between Wilmar International Ltd and Delta Exports Pte Ltd, Singapore. Ukraine continues cooperation with IMF President Zelensky 14:50, 29.05.19 815 The president says that the new parliament will provide the basis for the next IMF disbursement. This will be the new president's first official visit abroad. New Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is reportedly visiting Brussels next week. The visit is scheduled for June 5 and will become the new president's first official travel abroad, the Ukrainian-based European Pravda news outlet said, citing own sources. Read alsoPresident Zelensky pays first working visit to Donbas (Photos) Radio Liberty's Ukrainian service, in turn, reported that Zelensky is scheduled to meet with European Union leaders, namely President of the European Council Donald Tusk and President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker. On Zelensky's agenda are also a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and a joint press conference following the meeting. Zelensky's press service on May 29 confirmed this report, saying that the Ukrainian president will inform partners in the EU and NATO about the security situation in the east of Ukraine, discuss ways to intensify international efforts to end the war in Donbas, and will exchange views with leaders of EU and NATO institutions on further key reforms in Ukraine. During his election campaign, Zelensky promised voters to submit the impeachment bill to the Verkhovna Rada. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has submitted a draft law to the Verkhovna Rada on a special procedure for removing the president from power. This was announced by presidential representative in parliament Ruslan Stefanchuk at a briefing on May 29, according to an UNIAN correspondent. Read alsoZelensky voices Campaign's key messages "As promised amid the election campaign, President Zelensky has submitted a draft law to the Verkhovna Rada today [to introduce] a special procedure for dismissing the president (impeachment). What was promised has been done," he said. Along with the impeachment bill, the president sent a reminder that parliamentarians should also pass a bill on the procedure to strip lawmakers of parliamentary immunity. "And it would be fair if together we would have these two bills passed, then the president and the Verkhovna Rada would have their procedures," Stefanchuk said. On the same day, May 29, bill No. 10339 on a special ad hoc investigative commission of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to probe into the president's state treason or other crime (the impeachment bill) was registered in parliament. The author of the bill is MP from the Bloc of Petro Poroshenko parliamentary faction Oleksiy Honcharenko. The Samopomich parliamentary faction said it had prepared a draft law on the President of Ukraine, in which they want to clearly regulate the powers of the head of state and include provisions on impeachment. The main novelty mentioned by the authors is to restrict the president's right to appoint people to a number of posts. In particular, the draft law proposes that the right to appoint the director of the National Anti-corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the head of the State Bureau of Investigations be given to the prime minister. They also suggest that the appointment of the chief of the Security Service of Ukraine, which is now within the president's jurisdiction, should be given to the Verkhovna Rada. Stefanchuk reiterated the president has no authority to dismiss the current government. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's envoy to the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, Ruslan Stefanchuk says the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine will continue to work if the Verkhovna Rada fails to vote for its resignation on May 30. "If the resignation of the government is not voted, we know there is a procedure the government continues to work," he said at a briefing on Wednesday, according to an UNIAN correspondent. Read alsoPM Groysman's resignation letter registered in Ukraine's parliament Stefanchuk reiterated the president has no authority to dismiss the current government. "You know this is an issue of factions, factional agreement. Therefore, we sincerely hope it will be voted. And if not, then we will wait for July 21 [early parliamentary elections] so that we could legally register the Servant of the People Party in parliament and form a real government," he said. As UNIAN reported earlier, Volodymyr Zelensky officially became President of Ukraine on May 20, 2019. During his swearing-in speech, he announced the dissolution of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, and called on the Ukrainian government to resign. On the same day, Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman stated he would resign after the Cabinet of Ministers meeting on May 22. On May 27, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, Andriy Parubiy said the issue of the resignation of the Cabinet of Ministers, Ukraine's government, would be considered on Thursday, May 30. By another decree, he appointed Oleksiy Otserklevych new agency's head. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed Chief of the State Security Administration of Ukraine Valeriy Geletey. Read alsoChief of Ukraine's State Security Administration to resign By another decree, he appointed Oleksiy Otserklevych new agency's head. The relevant decrees have been posted on the president's official website. In addition, First Deputy Chief of the State Security Administration of Ukraine Volodymyr Dakhnovsky has been replaced with Viacheslav Shtuchny. Lt.-Col. Otserklevych was deputy commander of the 1st mechanized battalion of the 93rd separate mechanized brigade, took part in fighting for the Donetsk airport. The Foreign Ministry says it is working to return all Ukrainian sailors detained abroad. Deputy Director-General for Consular Service and Head of the Consular Support Department at Ukraine's Foreign Ministry Vasyl Kyrylych has said another nine Ukrainian crewmembers of a Panama-registered oil tanker, Sea Shark, detained in Egypt in December 2018 for the violation of Egypt's borders, are returning home. "The day ends with an answer to the question when another nine Ukrainian sailors of the Sea Shark [vessel] return home: the departure is on May 29. We are working to get similar responses in cases of all Ukrainian sailors detained abroad," he wrote on Twitter on May 29. Read alsoAnother five Ukrainian sailors of Panama-registered oil tanker detained in Egypt return home As UNIAN reported earlier, a member of the Sea Shark crew informed Ukraine's Embassy in Egypt about the detention of the oil tanker by the Egyptian authorities for the violation of Egypt's borders. The captain of the vessel, Vitaliy Nesterenko, confirmed that the vessel had gone adrift and accidentally entered into the territorial waters of Egypt. At that time, the ship was in the port of Berenice (subordinate to the Ministry of Defense of Egypt). The Egyptian side fined the shipowner company over the said offense and the crew's passports were seized. Having receiving the relevant permission of the Egyptian naval forces, the Sea Shark vessel was on April 25 removed from the anchor in the port of Berenice and departed to Egypt's Ein El Sokhna Port, located 100 km from Cairo, where the replacement of crew members was to take place. Yet, on April 27, when the ship arrived at the port of Ein El Sokhna, the Egyptian military prosecutor's office demanded that the crew unload the crude oil the ship was carrying over an alleged environmental threat that is possible if it leaked into the water area. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry demanded that the Egyptian side explain the detention of a tanker with 17 Ukrainians on board. On May 19, the Egyptian military banned access of Ukraine's consul to 17 Ukrainian sailors kept at the Egyptian Navy's base. On May 20, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry promised to help Ukrainians return home. On May 27, five Ukrainian crewmembers of the Sea Shark vessel finally returned to Ukraine. On May 28, another five Ukrainian sailors returned home. One member of Ukraine's Joint Forces was wounded in action. Russia-led forces mounted 11 attacks on Ukrainian positions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, on May 28. "In particular, 152mm artillery systems and 120mm and 82mm mortars, which are banned under the Minsk agreements, were used in six instances," the press service of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) headquarters said in a morning update on Facebook on May 29. Enemy troops also opened fire from grenade launchers of various systems, large-caliber machine guns, and small arms. Read alsoOne Ukrainian serviceman goes missing after skirmish near Popasna in Donbas Hot spots were the towns of Avdiyivka and Maryinka, as well as the villages of Shyrokyne, Pyshchevyk, Lebedynske, Kamianka, Vodiane, Pavlopil, Chermalyk, Popasna, and Zalizne. "One member of the Joint Forces was wounded in action. Every enemy attack received an adequate response," the update said. According to Ukrainian intelligence reports, there enemy troops were eliminated, another one was wounded. Since Wednesday midnight, Russia-led forces have mounted three attacks on JFO positions in the Skhid (East) sector near the villages of Pisky and Hnutove, and Maryinka. The country considers Kasem a "threat to national security." The chief editor of Sputnik's Lithuanian branch has been kicked out of the Baltic nation amid growing concerns in the West over Russian state media influence. Marat Kasem was stopped by Lithuanian border guards after landing at Vilnius airport from Moscow on May 28 and later deported to Latvia, the state-run Sputnik news agency said on its website, according to Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty. Kasem, who holds Latvian citizenship, was banned from entering Lithuania for five years, the Russian news agency said. The country considers Kasem a "threat to national security," according to a document he posted online from the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service. In a video post from Riga after the incident, Kasem said he was detained about six hours at the Vilnius airport and questioned by authorities. He said he was asked whether he had any connections to the Russian secret services, among other things. Read alsoBloomberg: Former banker wins by landslide in Lithuania's presidential vote "It is surprising how much [Lithuanian authorities] fear their own shadow," he said in the video post. Lithuanian border service could not be immediately reached. Lithuania faces tense relations with Russia. The Baltic country has arrested and charged several people in recent months accused of spying for Moscow. Western politicians and intelligence officers have increasingly expressed concern over Russian state-owned media outlets including Sputnik and RT, formerly known as Russia Today, calling them propaganda tools of the Kremlin. The Department of Justice forced RT America to register as a foreign agent in 2017 after U.S. intelligence agencies said the news agency contributed to the Kremlin's campaign of interfering in the 2016 presidential election. The report is due to be debated by the plenary Assembly Strasbourg on June 27. PACE's Legal Affairs and Human Rights Committee has called on the Russian authorities to "re-open and continue" their investigation into the murder of opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, listing a number of "serious concerns" over its independence and effectiveness. The committee, approving a report by Emanuelis Zingeris (Lithuania, EPP/CD) at a meeting in Paris, concluded that "not all relevant aspects of the case have been examined and the full truth has not been revealed," PACE's website said. It cited, in particular: a failure to identify and locate possible video evidence, including from Russia's Federal Protection Service which is responsible for Kremlin security; a failure to question possible witnesses, including those seen on the bridge at the time of the shooting and the drivers of known vehicles; "irregularities, inconsistencies and implausibilities" in the forensic evidence relating to the bullets and shell casings that were recovered and the injuries suffered by Nemtsov. PACE also notes "significant inconsistencies and contradictions" in the evidence given by crucial witnesses; and a series of irregularities in the conduct of the trial, including the dismissal of jurors on spurious or weak grounds. In a draft resolution, the committee also pointed out that two of the men involved in the murder, gunman Zaur Dadayev and Chechen army driver Ruslan Mukhudinov who supposedly paid 15 million roubles for the killing, were "closely connected to the highest levels of military and political authority in Chechnya." Read alsoRFE/RL: U.S. sanctions Chechen officials allegedly linked to 'gay purge,' killing of Nemtsov It was extremely unlikely these men "could or would have staged a complex operation to murder a prominent political personality in public in central Moscow without at least the fore-knowledge and approval of, if not direct instructions from their hierarchical superiors," the committee said. The motive attributed to Mukhudinov for commissioning the crime was "unsupported by any evidence" and there was no explanation of how he had obtained the money to pay the killers. The committee named General Alexander Bastrykin, head of the investigative committee looking into the murder, and Deputy Prosecutor General Victor Grin as having "particular responsibility for the failure of the investigation and the lack of credibility of the prosecution case." It invited states that have adopted "Magnitsky laws" to consider including in the list of sanctioned persons "those responsible for the failure to take the necessary investigative measures required to identify the instigators and organisers of the murder of Boris Nemtsov." The report is due to be debated by the plenary Assembly Strasbourg on June 27. Nursing is the largest healthcare profession in the world, but there is a drastic shortage of millions of nurses every single year. There are just not enough graduates that are qualified to fill the available positions because nursing as a field has a Bureau of Labor Statistics projected growth of 16% by the year 2024. Nursing is a promising career; graduates that hold a Ph.D. in Nursing earn an average of $95,577 annually and Doctor of Nursing Practice can make an average of $96,807. The new ranking published by OnlineCollegePlan covers all these details and so much more as it ranks the Top 30 Online Colleges with the Best Ph.D. in Nursing. The top ranking school, Vanderbilt University, scored 189 points out of a possible 200 according to OCP's methodology. That methodology scored all the accredited schools in the country that offer hybrid or fully-online doctorate programs in nursing based on their Freshman Retention Rate and Graduation Rate. Vanderbilt, a beautiful piece of history that has flourished into a highly-regarded research university in Nashville, ranked first place thanks to its Freshman Retention Rate of 97% and Graduation Rate of 92% (both well above the national average). The nursing programs provide rigor and flexibility to students, presented both online and on-campus. The majority of the degree programs featured are accredited by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing - Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Hailing from all over America, each institution brings something unique to the table that makes it stand out from the rest. One of the greatest advantages of pursuing a doctorate in nursing online is that students can typically continue working while obtaining this terminal degree. Nurses have notoriously busy schedules, and the implementation of online programs have opened up doors for them to advance academically without putting their professions on hold. Other prestigious universities that have nursing programs among the top in the nation include Johns Hopkins, George Washington University, and more. The entire list of schools in descending order is as follows: 30. University of Kansas (Lawrence, KS) 29. Georgia College and State University (Milledgeville, GA) 28. Florida International University (University Park, FL) 27. University of Arkansas (Fayetteville, AR) 26. Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond, VA) 25. Regis University (Denver, CO) 24. Seton Hall University (South Orange, NJ) 23. University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa, AL) 22. Misericordia University (Dallas, PA) 21. Simmons College (Boston, MA) 20. University of Central Florida (Orlando, FL) 19. University of Iowa (Iowa City, IA) 18. Drexel University (Philadelphia, PA) 17. Maryville University of Saint Louis (St. Louis, MO) 16. Bradley University (Peoria, IL) 15. Samford University (Homewood, AL) 14. University of New Hampshire (Durham, NH) 13. Saint Louis University (St. Louis, MO) 12. Duquesne University (Pittsburgh, PA) 11. Endicott College (Beverly, MA) 10. University of Massachusetts-Amherst (Amherst, MA) 9. Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis (Indianapolis, IN) 8. Indiana University-Bloomington (Bloomington, IN) 7. Creighton University (Omaha, NE) 6. University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, PA) 5. George Washington University (Washington, DC) 4. Ohio State University (Columbus, OH) 3. University of Florida (Gainesville, FL) 2. Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD) 1. Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN) May 29 2019 The UK government is facing calls to relax migration rules around the recruitment of overseas architects as part of measures aimed at addressing skills shortages in the labour market. The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) highlighted architecture among several professions for which demand currently outstrips supply, amid calls for the sector to be included on a Shortage Occupation List (SOL) which expedites the immigration of key workers from outside the European Economic Area. At present only architects from Europe have the freedom to accept UK roles without the need for a visa but if the measure is adopted workers from throughout the world could benefit from relaxed entry requirements and reduced visa fees. Only 20,700 highly skilled non-EEA migrants are permitted access each year with a threshold salary of 30,000 under the current rules, with priority given to SOL occupations. Last year this resulted in labour shortages in key areas after the cap was hit - cutting off professions not on the list. Professor Alan Manning, MAC chairman, said: "Today's labour market is very different to the one we reviewed when the last SOL was published in 2013. That is why we have recommended expanding the SOL to cover a range of occupations in health, information and engineering fields." If a job title is classified on the SOL list then employers face no requirement to offer the role to UK workers as well as lower visa fees and no requirement to meet the 35,800 salary threshold for settlement after five years. (@ChaudhryMAli88) LJUBLJANA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th May, 2019) Slovenia's bilateral relations with the United States do not have any effect on Ljubljana's contacts with Moscow, with which it enjoys good cooperation in economy and culture, Slovenian Foreign Minister Miro Cerar said on Wednesday. "As for [Slovenia's] relations with the US side, our policy toward this country has no impact on relations with Russia. We have great economic and cultural cooperation. And all we want is normal cooperation," Cerar said at a press conference after his talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who is in Ljubljana on a working visit. Cerar stressed that Slovenia intended to further strengthen its bilateral relations with Moscow. According to Slovenia's foreign policy concept, Ljubljana and Washington have close relations, established through NATO and cooperation in defense and nuclear energy sectors. Slovenia calls the United States "the world's only superpower." Russia is seen as "an important market" for Slovenia, which seeks cooperation in tourism, agriculture, education and culture. Wyoming SBDC Network Selects Associate State Director Paul Johnson A University of Wyoming alumnus who has 25 years of small business experience has been hired to serve as associate state director of the Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network. Paul Johnson will continue the organizations mission of helping small businesses succeed. He will assist Jill Kline, Wyoming SBDC Network state director, in administering all aspects of the agency and to continue the strong impetus small businesses provide to Wyomings economy. The Wyoming SBDC Network offers no-cost, confidential advising and technical assistance to small businesses in every industry in multiple locations throughout the entire state. The Wyoming SBDC Network is hosted by UW with state funds from the Wyoming Business Council and funded, in part, through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. Johnson has 25 years of small business experience with entrepreneurial-minded LinguiSystems Inc., where he served as editor-in-chief and chief marketing strategist. He specialized in product development, technological innovation, corporate growth strategy, and marketing strategy and implementation. Johnson most recently held the position of instructional technology educational specialist with UW Extension, where he developed and administered online programmatic and educational efforts. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in communication, with minors in English and marketing from Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill., in 1990. He earned his Master of Arts degree in communication from UW in 2017. Johnson says he is a strong believer in the power of small businesses to build economic impact. Ive seen firsthand how a small business can not only contribute to the local economy on a substantial scale, but it also can create a place for careers and lives to grow, Johnson says. The people who take the risk to go out on their own and build something are amazing. They fulfill their dreams and bring others along with them. I look forward to helping with program oversight and development so the phenomenal Wyoming SBDC Network advising team can continue to assist budding entrepreneurs and existing businesses make that notion a reality here in Wyoming. For more information about the Wyoming SBDC Network, visit www.wyomingsbdc.org. Culture / Events May 29, 2019 | By Angelyn Tan Stelliers Host its Sixth Edition of The Annual Hotelier Awards Stelliers, formally known as The Hotelier Awards, heralded its sixth edition with an extravagant gala at the iconic Marina Bay Sands on 28 May 2019. For the second consecutive year, Singapore is the host country for this stellar event supporting the nation-states top hotels, supported by partners RH Contract, Lavazza Group and LUXUO to name a few. Stelliers has become a recognised symbol of excellence and is known to be a powerful establishment for inspiring young individuals to enter the hospitality industry as their career choice. The evening celebration bought together over 300 hoteliers, industry professionals, their friends and families as they commemorated the announcement of the 2019 Asia & South Asia Hoteliers of the Year. For the 2019 awards show celebrating Asias and South Asias top hoteliers, Stelliers welcomed applications from over 100 properties across 19 different countries. Winners of each category were decided by an expert panel of judges over the course of the year. Based on a combination of facts presented in the applications, interviews, and testimonials, the two-round judging process ensures that the winners in each category are truly deserving of the title. Stelliers is more than an awards show for hotels and hoteliers, in addition to the laudatory trophies, it is a celebration which also recognises the effort and professional excellence of the industrys most outstanding across two competitions all across Asia. Earlier this year, Stelliers proudly announced its expansion into India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Pakistan, opening up the opportunity to a greater number of hotelier heroes. Awards were presented for each competition throughout the evening, resulting in a total of 34 hotelier winners being honoured with a Stellier Award. Bringing home the title of Corporate Hotelier of the Year 2019 was Markus Engel from Urban Resort Concepts for APAC while the highly anticipated General Manager of the Year Award for South Asia went to Nitesh Gandhi of JW Marriott New Dehli Aerocity and for South East-Asia, the General Manager of the Year Award went to Wiliam Haandrikman of Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi. The awards will continue to draw attention to these exceptional professionals in years to come, giving them due recognition which the hospitality industry rarely commemorates in a formalised manner. Hoteliers from around Asia are kindly invited to participate in next years exciting awards. The Archbishop of Malanje in Angola, Benedito Roberto, has expressed hope that the Angolan Government will help in the reconstruction of Church Missions and training centres destroyed during the Angolan civil war that lasted for 27 years. Anastacio Sasembele - Luanda, Angola Rebuild Missions and major training centres of the past Archbishop Benedito Roberto, C.S.Sp. says that since the peace and reconciliation efforts have endured in the country, it was time now to focus on the reconstruction of infrastructures such as Mission Churches and centres that in the past were places of learning and imparting various trade skills. Angolan President visits Malanje Province Archbishop Roberto made the remarks when he met Angolas Republican President Joao Lourenco, in the city of Malanje. The Archbishop also expressed concern over the lack of job opportunities for young Angolans. The Angolan President was recently on a two-day visit to the northern Malanje province. Angolas civil war devastated lives, displaced thousands and damaged infrastructure The armed conflict in Angola began in 1975 and continued for 27 years until 2002. The war started immediately after Angolas independence from Portugal in November 1975. During the decades-long conflict, hundreds of thousands were killed, while millions of persons were displaced. The countrys development, economy and infrastructure were destroyed. Initially, the war began as another proxy war between the then Soviet and Cuban-supported MPLA government of Angola who had just taken power from the Portuguese. On the other hand, the United States backed UNITA rebels were also fighting for the control of Angola. The war only ended upon the death of Joseph Savimbi, the leader of UNITA. Churches were not spared destruction during the war. Pope Francis sends a video message to the people of Romania on Tuesday, ahead of his Apostolic Journey to the country. He says that he is coming to the country as a pilgrim and a brother. In the video message sent ahead of his visit, Pope Francis says that the blood shed by the apostoles and the martyrs of recent times is too precious a legacy to be forgotten. During his short visit, he will proclaim Blessed seven Greek-Catholic bishops who were killed for their faith. Pope Francis will travel to Romania from the 31st May to the 2nd of June. Industrial Zones (IZs) in Vietnam are a popular destination for foreign investors. But what are they? IZs are locations earmarked by Vietnams government for the industrial production of goods and services. Investors often locate in an IZ because IZs often have regionally competitive facilities, infrastructure, and logistics. Foreign invested companies are also able to tap into resources provided by the IZ as well as cost savings and financial incentives. Nevertheless, IZs differ significantly according to location, structure, incentives, and so on. Investors choosing to set up in an IZ should evaluate IZs closely in order to find a location that best suits their needs. Investors should consider several factors, when making a choice about where or if an establishment in an IZ makes sense for a given investment. Learning more about IZs is increasingly important. With investors moving factories to Vietnam, the domestic property market has experienced a boom with prices steadily rising. Ready to build factories were in the highest demand, which recorded more than an 85 percent occupancy rate. Binh Duong and Dong Nai in the southeast are the markets with the highest demand, given their access to transport infrastructure. Here, we highlight and compare three industrial zones in the north, central and southern part of the country which foreign investors can begin examining. This introduction can provide you and your team a good basis to begin assessing your next investment destination. Northern spotlight Dinh Vu Industrial Zone Hosting over 420 investment projects representing a cumulative value in excess of US$10 billion Dihn Vu Industrial Zone (DVIZ) is a well-established option for expansion to northern Vietnam. In addition to successfully hosting industry champions such as Chevron and Tamada, the completion of Lach Huyen Deep seaport capable of docking ships up to 100,000 TUE places DVIZ in direct proximity of northern Vietnams largest point of sea-based egress. Dinh Vu specializes in petrochemicals and heavy industry. Investors in the park include Petrolimex, Petro Vietnam, Nakashima, and Bridgestone, among others. Resources for investors Investors in DVIZ benefit from access to utilities and regulatory assistance that ensure operations function at full capacity. For firms seeking quick alternative sources of production, the ability to procure ready-made factories, and tap into Hai Phongs high skilled labor pools, ensure operations can be started and staffed in a timely manner. Exporters benefit from close proximity to Cat Bi International Airport, the newly constructed Highway 5, and proximity to the Chinese border. Cost savings instruments For companies interested in leveraging Vietnams cost competitiveness to its full potential, unconditional tax holidays present direct cost savings opportunities that can be factored into costs immediately. Within Dihn Vu, all investors are entitled to a four-year tax holiday on Corporate Income Tax, followed by nine years at 50 percent of the going CIT. Furthermore, enterprises exporting 100 percent of their goods to international markets qualify for a 100 percent exemption for import and export duties as well as a free VAT on certain purchases. Central SEZ spotlight Hoa Khan Industrial Zone (HKIZ) The Hoa Khan Industrial Zone (HKIZ) in central Vietnam offers investors access to a variety of Vietnams largest cities, as well as international export destinations via the North-South Railway at Da Nang Station, access to Han River Port, and proximity to highways 1A and 1B. HKIZ specializes in mechanical assembly and electronics manufacturing, and hosts companies like Seto Vietnam and Truong Giang Electric. HKIZ also houses a number of companies in the petrochemicals, garments, and agriculture industries. Resources for investors Within the industrial zone, investors benefit from infrastructure and facilities structured to meet the needs of Vietnams growing industries, such as garments and electronics. This includes access to water, electricity, as well as banking services. HKIZ also benefits from a steady pool of talent from Da Nang, the Central regions business hub. Cost saving Instruments In addition to up to five years of corporate income tax holidays, foreign investors are able to exempt all fixed assets and other materials essential to the upkeep of machinery needed for the production of goods within the zone. These advantages have not gone unnoticed to investors. With substantial growth in recent years, HKIZ is home to over 48 investment projects from the likes of Mabuchi Motor, Truong Giang Electric, and Seto. Southern SEZ spotlight VSIP Located in Binh Duong provinces Thuan An district, the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) is a good opportunity for those looking to establish themselves in the heart of Vietnams economic core. Specializing in mechanical, electric, and medical equipment, the park has been a massive success in recent years attracting 238 individual projects with a total value of US$2.6 billion. Resources for investors The park successfully integrates industrial, commercial, and residential facilities in a manner that meets the needs of a variety of investors. Within the park, investors benefit from access to an onsite customs office, ready built factories, as well as an educated workforce sourced from the Vietnam-Singapore Vocational College. These services are complemented by close proximity to the north-south railway, Ho Chi Minh Citys Tan Son Nhat international Airport, and multiple points of sea-based transport, including Saigon Port. Cost savings instruments To further incentivize investment, a series of tax incentives are also offered to investors within VSIP. For the first two years, investors are waived the requirement to pay any CIT. Following this two-year period, CIT is required, but at a discounted rate. The first conference by Euromonitor International will be held on June 11 at Ho Chi Minh City According to Euromonitor, 13 million of the Vietnamese population will be aged 65+ in 2030 and their purchasing power is set to grow the fastest among all age groups, by 5 per cent per year on average between 2018 and 2030. Older consumers feel, behave, and want to be treated as they were younger. They want branding to focus more on needs, interests, and values that include consumer experience, convenience, authenticity, and novelty, says An Hodgson, income and expenditure research manager at Euromonitor. Businesses that adopt more universal strategies rather than being age labels can effectively win ageing consumers while also appealing to younger consumers, she added. In 2030, Vietnam will be the fifth largest economy in Southeast Asia where 50 per cent of the households will have an annual disposable income between $5,000 $15,000. Representing an increase of 34 per cent from 2018, Vietnamese middle class consumers are aspirational, brand aware, and price conscious. Although the population is price sensitive, the willingness to pay premium for branded products deemed to be healthier or better-quality sits among the consumers. Furthermore, internet retail is set to double its market size and to reach $5 billion by 2023. While online shopping is not yet prevalent in Vietnam, brands and retailers should stay ahead of e-commerce. Pham Hoang Mai, director general of the Ministry of Planning and Investments Department of Science, Education, Natural Resources and Environment, talked with VIRs Thanh Tung about the financial demand of the strategy and how overseas partners have assisted. The National Green Growth Strategy and the Action Plan on Green Growth have been deployed for several years now. How much capital do they require for implementation? The demand for climate change-related capital in Vietnam in the time to come is huge, which is for adaptation and mitigation. According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), climate change can annually deprive Vietnam of 4-6 per cent of its GDP. Thus, in order to limit and overcome losses, the Vietnamese government needs to earmark an equivalent sum of the loss for implementing important projects, especially infrastructure ones. For the target of reducing greenhouse gases (GHG) and effectively using natural resources within the National Green Growth Strategy, it is calculated that the country would need about $30 billion for projects in various sectors, of which about 70 per cent will come from investment of enterprises. What is the investment situation from the private sector into the green growth strategy? Private investment in green growth has been largely focused on energy efficiency, renewable energy, usage of natural resources, forest plantation, and environmental protection. State-owned enterprises and foreign-invested enterprises are taking the lead in these sectors as they have an advantage about technology and capital. According to a study within the Strengthening Capacity and Institutional Reform for Green Growth and Sustainable Development project, jointly conducted by the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the United States Agency for International Development, and the United Nations Development Programme, in the 2010-2015 period, international partners funded $440 million for private investment in green growth via programmes and projects, $420 million worth of official development assistance (ODA), and another non-refundable sum worth $15.5 million. Besides, total private investment into energy efficiency in the sectors of steel, cement, paper, and sugar and sugar cane was $628 million, while demand totaled $1.766 billion. How has the international community supported Vietnam in implementing the Green Growth Strategy? In the 1993-2010 period, regarding sustainable development, environmental protection, and climate change, Vietnam with international support reaped many important achievements in institutional and policy development. Legally, the government has compiled and issued a series of related strategies and national programmes with a view to creating a framework for the implementation of plans on effectively responding to climate change. Besides, the government has also promulgated many related programmes on forest protection, preventing natural disaster, and energy efficiency. As for climate change and green growth, in December 2007, Vietnam participated in the 13th Conference of the Parties (COP13) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the third meeting of the Kyoto Protocol in Indonesia. Since then, Vietnam has annually partaken in COPs and attracted much international support to fight climate change and boost green growth. Remarkably, Vietnam is one of the first countries to ratify Paris Agreement after COP21 and also presented the Voluntary Report on Sustainable Development Goals at the High-level UN Summit on sustainable development in New York in July 2017. Successes in implementing the National Green Growth Strategy and the Action Plan on Green Growth over the past years have been made remarkably by international partners. Via different forms of support and co-operation, the governments of some countries and international organisations have directly boosted Vietnams green growth activities from the grassroots to the central levels, luring the participation of authorised agencies, firms, and inhabitants in many areas. What are the forms of assistance and co-operation with the international community? The forms are diversified. For example, the international community has provided technical support for ministries and central agencies in institutional development in order to boost green growth. They also provided the same support for localities in building up action plans and implementing projects. Furthermore, they have also provided credits in order to establish green growth-oriented funds. However, because Vietnam has recently become a medium-income country, development partners will continue their support programmes but have and will adjust the programmes in a manner suitable to the countrys demand and development level. A number of bilateral development partners will continue assisting Vietnam in the traditional sectors such as policymaking and institutional development, national governance improvement, strengthening human capacity, response to climate change and mitigating natural calamities, sustainable poverty reduction, education and training, and healthcare. However, the scale of assistance will gradually reduce, with more focus and more flexible support methods. A number of bilateral development partners have planned to end their ODA for the 2016-2020 period for Vietnam. What can you tell us about particular global partners and their specific assistance? The European Commission will continue their development co-operation programme that has been in place for six years, and will focus more on supporting Vietnam in the sectors relevant to the implementation of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement. Elsewhere, organisations under the United Nations are boosting their co-operation with the Vietnamese government in further riveting the role of the UN in the country, providing further support as development policy advisors instead of as donors. More flexible assistance models will be applied, with closer co-operation with Vietnamese authorised agencies in mobilising supplementary resources in order to meet growing demand for assistance, in the context of the narrowing budget of the United Nations. Meanwhile, groups of lenders including the Asian Development Bank, French Development Agency, Japan International Cooperation Agency, the German government, GIZ, International Climate Initiative, KfW, ExportImport Bank of Korea, and the World Bank, who are providers of ODA and preferential loans for Vietnam, have focused on investing in socio-economic infrastructure works such as roads, sea and airports, power plants, and power transmission and distribution systems. They have also centred on developing in Vietnam urban infrastructure works such as water provision and drainage, waste treatment, and inner-city roads, and on agricultural and rural development in combination with poverty reduction, construction of irrigation systems, healthcare, and educational development. They have also supported Vietnam in environmental protection, effective usage of natural resources, scientific and technological development, and policymaking so as to assist the country in economic reform and human capacity enhancement. What are you expecting from international support for Vietnam in the time to come? According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, over the next four years the development banks will continue providing their ODA for Vietnam, but the preferential level of will gradually reduce. For example, the ODA from the International Development Association, which is part of the World Bank, for Vietnam ended in 2017, while preferential ODA for Vietnam from the Asian Development Fund, which provides grants to the ADBs lower-income developing member countries, ceased earlier this year. Thus loans will be more costly, forcing local authorised agencies to make thorough calculations when making any decision about using capital from the development banks in order to ensure effectiveness of investment and public debt. Previously, non-refundable capital was largely used for hunger alleviation and poverty reduction, policy capacity strengthening, and public infrastructure development. Regarding green growth, many donors and partners have been actively supporting Vietnam in formulating and implementing the National Green Growth Strategy, and actions about reducing GHG emissions in a manner that is suitable to the nationally appropriate mitigation actions. Notably, over the past few years, there has been a shift in international support to green growth investment in the sectors of energy, waste management, water provision, and both urban and rural infrastructure improvement. Solutions from groups such as Akzonobel can ensure the evolution of a circular society For the last half-decade, AkzoNobel has been embracing circular economy principles and strongly endorsed the concept as the necessary route towards a sustainable society. There will be more people living in urban societies in the world, which will be too much for this planet to bear with its limited natural resources. This is why the circular economy concept is appealing to the company and motivates it to move forward with sourcing more renewable raw materials and energy, and accelerating the production and adoption of sustainable products. Pamela Phua, general director of AkzoNobel Vietnam, said, By 2020, we are targeting to generate 20 per cent of our revenue from products that are more sustainable for our customers than those of our competitors, and 25-30 per cent more efficient resource and energy use across the entire value chain. We also aim to maintain the proportion of renewable energy at 45 per cent through the next year. By 2050, the figures will be 50 per cent of products providing sustainability benefits and 100 per cent renewable energy usage and carbon neutrality. Not only focusing on upgrading operations to reduce carbon emissions, waste, or the use of hazardous substances, AkzoNobel is also involved in sustainability partnerships which support long-term sustainable value creation. For example, in the Netherlands, AkzoNobel led a consortium of Dutch companies including DSM, and Philips as well as global giant Google to realise additional wind projects and further expand approach to other energy intensive-locations across the globe. With the total capacity of over 140 megawatts, they are able to power approximately 140,000 households. Another recent effort was to improve the energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness of AkzoNobels operations with a solar energy project built on zero capital and operational expenses. The installation of 1,393 solar panels in Lahore city of Pakistan will provide 520 megawatt-hour of green energy per annum, estimated to deliver an annualised saving of around 14,000 ($15,700). At cities experiencing seasons with high temperatures, cooling buildings is a significant source of energy consumption. AkzoNobel has successfully developed the first generation of paints that offer vivid colours together with the ability to keep the surface cooler. This technology, KeepCoolTM, is based on special pigments that have been selected based on their ability to reflect better in the near infrared region of the solar spectrum, which contributes to 40 per cent of solar energy. The result is that the surface can be 5 degrees Celsius lower than without this technology, leading to potentially reducing energy usage by 10-15 per cent for the building. AkzoNobel also focuses on products that use less materials and last longer. Exterior paintwork usually requires rejuvenation after five years, mainly due to lackluster outlook. With TimeResistTM Technology, AkzoNobel makes it possible for paint to last up to 15 years. These efforts are not all, as sustainability is a shared goal across the whole community. That is why AkzoNobel is investing hugely in community projects to raise awareness about a circular lifestyle which is non-waste and no-impact. Globally, under AkzoNobel Cares, AkzoNobel has been donating its paint products to repaint structures and villages in coastal areas, which not only cover them with a new protective coat but also turn them into impactful messengers advocating the conservation of nature and our future. Sustainability is in our companys DNA. It will be tough to go circular as AkzoNobel is one of the first ones to set the stage. But if not us, who will make the first step? It is a valuable investment as with less we can gain more, thus give more back to the community, said Phua. A photo taken by Nirmal Purja of Project Possible - who is aiming to climb all 14 of the world's 8,000 metre-plus peaks - shows heavy traffic of climbers lining up to summit Mount Everest. (AFP/Handout) Waiting for more than seven hours last week to get to the top of Everest and then back to the safety of his camp - in a pile-up that he documented in a photo that has gone viral - injected doubts into Purja's minute-by-minute strategy. "My plan was to climb Everest and Lhotse as fast as possible, breaking my own previous record but that day, I was stuck in traffic," Purja told AFP back in the comfort of Kathmandu. In 2017, the ex-British special forces member climbed the two mountains in a record 10 hour and 15 minutes. "I sat four hours on the way up and three and half hours on the way down and that kind of made me (worry) like I won't be able to achieve the record," he said. In the end, the phenomenal 35-year-old climber completed the 8,848-metre Everest, Lhotse at 8,516 metres and the 8,485-metre Mount Makalu - three of the world's five highest mountains - in 48 hours and 30 minutes, according to his backup team. Also a record: he tackled the three peaks in five days. SPEED CLIMBER This season, Purja has climbed six mountains above 8,000 metres in 31 days. But the jams on Everest have been blamed for at least four of the 11 climber deaths on the peak. The iconic photo Purja snapped of the queue of mountaineers leading up to the summit has triggered calls for better management of the crowds and screening of climbers to avoid fatalities. "Of course there are certain worries - you are cold and you cannot move," said Purja. Other climbers said that some of those who attempted to climb Everest were grossly unprepared. Nepal issued a record 381 Everest permits this season and a short weather window resulted in some teams waiting several hours in the "dead zone", running out of oxygen and risking fatal exhaustion. Purja was better prepared. A teenager when he joined the British Gurkha service, he was inspired to start Project Possible by his 2017 climbs. But tackling the world's 14 highest mountains in seven months was radically ambitious. Purja says he will complete the mission by November. In the 1980s, it took Polish climber Jerzy Kukuczka seven years, 11 months and 14 days to climb the 14 peaks. South Korean climber Kim Chang-ho managed the feat in about a month less without supplemental oxygen. "When I first said I would climb all 14 highest mountains in seven months, everyone said it was impossible. I am doing this to prove the power of the concept of possible," he said. Purja is to leave for Pakistan within a week to climb the next five mountains, including K2 and Nanga Parbat, while raising funds for his expeditions. He expects his next climb to start in June. "I absolutely believe I am one in eight billion people who can do this ... in terms of decision-making ability, stamina, endurance. everything," he said. Developers, data scientists, and energy industry executives are all welcome to join the two-day competition with VND100 million ($4,350) in prize offerings. Hackathons are creative sprint-like events allowing to identify new solutions to problems while providing a platform for teams to form and potentially take ideas further into new ventures afterward. The term smart energy refers to the intelligent integration of renewable energy sources for low/no-carbon generation (solar, wind, sustainable biomass, hydropower etc), efficient distribution and transmission (smart and cross-border grids, energy markets, infrastructure, etc.) and efficient and optimal consumption (demand-side management, storage, smart metering, prosumers, etc.) forming the future energy ecosystem. The Smart Energy Hackathon provides startups a path to develop localised software solutions that span the entire energy value chain, including Internet of Things (IoT), electric vehicle (EV) charging management, smart grid, energy management, on-demand customer service, and more. The digitisation of the energy industry in Vietnam will allow greater flexibility for utilities to manage the integration of renewable energy sources, grid protection, smart asset management, and provide better customer service. There is more focus on creating specific coastal activities to further boost tourism in the region The central coast, consisting of 14 coastal cities and provinces from Thanh Hoa to Binh Thuan, accounts for 50 per cent of Vietnams cities and provinces with coastlines. Stretching nearly 1,900 kilometres, this expanse comprises 57 per cent of the countrys 3,260km of coastline. They range from the central city of Danangs 70km stretch to Phu Yen which boasts 189km of waterfront. The central region has many large seaports, such as Nghi Son, Dung Quat, Nha Trang, and Cam Ranh. There are also dozens of charming islands along the coast. The tourism market in these areas is rapidly presenting a new and more vivid image. This is courtesy of a breakthrough in quality and quantity that in turn has spurred a further wave of investment in the luxury hospitality and tourism property sectors. The regions long and white sandy beaches, clear blue water, and wonderful underwater life are key to the remarkable rise in sea tourism. Both local and international investors have been quick to see the opportunity and return on investment that new projects here are providing. However, the rocket-like speed in development has created challenges in the management of the coastal areas and ensuring that the careful exploitation of the region remains commensurate with its potential without damage that exceeds its benefits. Developing sea and island tourism as a spearhead sector is an important strategy in the countrys road to sustainable socio-economic development. Ensuring that the provinces develop a close connection with the regions ecology, while maintaining a rational exploitation of its potential, is key. With such an approach, this region will continue to be an ideal and desirable destination in the near future. Nguyen Van Son, Deputy Chairman of the Hoi An Peoples Committee, recognised that the tourism economy is posing many challenges to localities in the central region, including the marine environment of Hoi An. The pollution caused by waste water and the litter of businesses and tourists has not been handled well. It is time to harmonise the relationship between conservation and development, between economic growth and landscape preservation and marine environmental protection, Son said. We are focusing on building specific coastal products such as sightseeing tourism combined with eco-tourism, heritage tourism associated with resorts, marine sports, and many other auxiliary products. Another matter facing central coastal cities and provinces that requires attention is that of sea erosion and landslides. In recent years, beaches have become seriously eroded, requiring the government to spend millions of US dollars on building embankments to prevent landslides. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc recently asked the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Quang Nam Peoples Committee to study information related to the proposal of constructing artificial islands to prevent coastal erosion in Hoi An. Among the hardest hit erosion areas in the central coast is Cua Dai Beach, which lies within the protection area of the World Cultural Heritage site of Hoi An. It is now on red alert, after suffering from serious erosion. Over the past 10 years, the landslide problem at Cua Dai Beach has become increasingly complicated, escalating to the point where the central province has had to spend a considerable amount of money on a solution. Seeking a more comprehensive and adaptive answer, the local authorities plan to spend 42 million ($47 million) on potential solutions with the assistance of an international expert team. Dinh Van Thu, Chairman of the Quang Nam Peoples Committee, said the province has crafted a solution to submit to the government. It would require an investment capital amount of VND700 billion ($30.43 million) on more dykes, sand bank protection, and dredging at Cua Dai Beach. The scope of the proposed project encompasses 2.5km at the most serious landslide sites. In addition, the province is studying a long-term project, also worth 42 million ($47 million), to completely solve the landslide issue at Cua Dai Beach. We have invited international and domestic experts to study and set up incentives for the investment, Thu said. Two foreign expert teams from France and Japan, and a group of leading experts in Vietnam, are currently studying the most optimal plan. Serious landslides not only risk destroying one of Asias most beautiful beaches but also affect the daily life and business activities of many coastal shops and restaurants. Just five years ago, erosion caused a major collapse at the million-dollar Fusion Alya resort, forcing the investor to abandon the project. According to the Quang Nam Peoples Committee, in order to save Cua Dai Beach, the local authorities have monitored the changes in sedimentation in the area. Scientific conferences have also been organised to offer the best solutions with thousands of US dollars having been invested. But more will need to be done. Up to now, three measures of emergency treatments to deal with landslides at Cua Dai Beach have been applied. They include making hard embankments, placing soft dikes 200m away from the shore, and adding sand to landslides. Recently, as part of a delegation of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to Cua Dai Beach, Dutch Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management Cornelia van Nieuwenhuizen proposed the building of an artificial island there. She proposed that the approach could be an appropriate solution to the landslide challenge in the area. Meanwhile, Phung Quoc Hien, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly, suggested that Quang Nam authorities consider the plan of building of a two-layer breakwater. According to Hien, the southernmost province of Ca Mau is effective evidence that Quang Nam could apply it. Vietnam is particularly appealing to Asian investors and homebuyers Since 2015 when Vietnam legalised foreign property ownership, the market has been receiving increasing interest from foreign buyers, specifically Asian investors taking advantage of the bargain price compared to the rest of the continent. Henri Limyuen, a 36-year-old from the Philippines, told VIR that he is looking for a suitable apartment to buy in Ho Chi Minh City. Limyuen was visiting a launching ceremony of the Rome Residential project which is located in District 2. He said he has worked and lived across different Asian countries, and Vietnam is a top destination of his in terms of purchasing a home. I think the regulations to permit foreigners to buy a house in Vietnam are open, and I see an opportunity for a good house here at a much cheaper price compared to other neighbouring countries, he said. Limyuen added that the price of homes in Vietnam still remains lower than those in other neighbouring countries such as Singapore or Thailand. Buying an apartment in Vietnam, he can live in or lease it to have rental yield which is also higher at around 7 per cent per year, compared with only 2 per cent in other countries. With robust economic growth enjoyed over the past several years, foreigners, especially from Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, and mainland China are finally diving into the real estate market. The trend is evident by a pent-up demand from overseas nationals looking to buy. Nguyen Hoang, director of research and development of real estate consultancy DKRA, said that since 2017 Chinese mainlanders have increased their interest in buildings in Ho Chi Minh City, especially luxury and premium apartment units. Most come from Shanghai to buy homes in Vietnam for investment purposes. At the end of last month, a group of more than 30 real estate agencies under Asia Bankers Club from Hong Kong came to Vietnam to visit River Panorama and Sky89 developed by An Gia Group and take a better look at the Vietnamese real estate market, as well as promote Vietnamese projects abroad. Asia Bankers Club, which is one of the most active international real estate investors operating in Vietnam, has co-operated with many developers in the country such as Keppel Land, CapitaLand, Gamuda Land, and other domestic developers. Asia Bankers Club had been looking into Vietnam for quite some time, but what really awakened its interest was when Vietnam loosened the rules on foreign real estate ownership. Luxury and premium on the rise The luxury and premier residential projects in Ho Chi Minh City has seen most attraction from foreign buyers coming from Asian countries. Property trading centres and consultants noted that luxury and high-end apartment projects in downtown Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are attracting the greatest interest from foreigners who are eligible to buy property in Vietnam. These are mostly individuals who buy property and then re-lease it for a rental fee or re-sell it for profit. In Hanoi, major projects located in the city centre the heart of culture in Hanoi and around the West Lake, which offers the greenest living space of the whole city, are attracting strong foreign interest. The Manor and Keangnam Landmark Tower in Hanoi are favoured by South Korean buyers, while Ecopark, Ciputra, Sunshine City, Eldorado, and Pacific Place are very popular among foreigners. Meanwhile in Ho Chi Minh City, Phu My Hung New Urban Area remains a popular destination for its advantages of being very well planned and for having good infrastructure. Some high-rise projects in Phu My Hung are now reserved especially for the South Korean and Japanese community. Phu My Hung has a population of 30,000 people, of whom 40 per cent are foreigners, including buyers and leasers. Some other outstanding projects are Vinhomes Golden River and Vinhomes Central Park, both invested by Vingroup, The Nassim by Hongkong Land, and Keppel Lands Estella Heights. In 2018, purchases by foreigners reached unprecedented levels with the vast majority of high-end projects hitting their 30 per cent foreign quota at launch. One of the main reasons foreign buyers focus on high-end apartments is the buy-to-let method. High-end apartment projects in districts 2 and 9 of Ho Chi Minh City now receive a rental yield of 6-8 per cent, which is considered acceptable for investing. Meanwhile, vacation and hospitality properties in the coastal areas are also garnering interest from foreign buyers. the southern cities of Vung Tau and Phan Thiet, the central cities of Danang and Nha Trang, the northern province of Vinh Phuc and the northern port city of Haiphong are all popular destinations for foreign buyers seeking a second home. According to CBRE Vietnam, through only CBREs successful transaction, only 2 per cent of the foreign buyers was Chinese in 2016 and 4 per cent in 2017. This rate however increased to 31 per cent in the third quarter of 2018. The reason for Vietnams property market is more attractive to foreign investors, was because the Vietnamese government has opened up for foreign buyers since 2015, said Dung Duong, senior director at CBRE Vietnam Moreover, Vietnamese developers have also actively bringing their projects abroad, to introduce to potential buyers. Foreign ownership limit According to many experts, since the home ownership ceiling for foreign buyers currently being reached in several estate projects, it should be considered to be loosened. Bui Quang Tin, general director of BizLight Business School, said that as bank credit for the real estate sector is tightened while other capital sources, such as the stock market, are more difficult, it is necessary to lift the foreign ownership limit to lure more foreign investors. The rise should be made gradually, to 35 to 40 per cent in the immediate future, instead of 30 per cent currently, Tin said. Meanwhile, Le Hoang Chau, chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Real Estate Association, maintained that local authorities should issue as soon as possible the certificates of homeownership/land-use rights for foreigners. At the same time, effective measures should be taken to prevent illegal foreign estate business or speculation in Vietnam. According to Chau, foreign direct investment in the realty industry is an important capital source for developers in the context that commercial banks are tightening their control on credit for real estate. Official figures on the number of foreigners and overseas Vietnamese owning homes in Vietnam remain undisclosed. However, according to the Ministry of Construction, there are fewer than 200 foreigners and fewer than 700 overseas Vietnamese who have already received a red book or the ownership certificate in the country. This is a very modest proportion of the 100,000 foreigners and five million overseas Vietnamese who live and work in the country. Port of Haiphong JSC has recently put the Terminal Operating System (TOS) specialised software package into operation at Tan Vu Container Terminal, replacing the Management Information System to increase production and management efficiency as well as enhance productivity, competitiveness, and management efficiency. The TOS software is supported by the Differential Global Positioning System, which was previously equipped by the port, with the features of wharf planning, ship loading/unloading planning, container handling at the yard, container position management, terminal operation monitoring, charging, as well as data exchange with customers through EDI (Electronic Data Interchange). The operation of the entire system is implemented through an Operations Centre, which connects all operating points and related parts to ensure timely production monitoring and instruction in real time. In addition, the system has all statistics needed for macro-management. The TOS software also provides all the information and data for all workstations at the site so that they could together enable smooth on-site container exploitation operations, as well as allow the tracking of the exploitation and the adjustment of the exploitation plan according to the real-time progress at the site, based on the validation and adjustment from the workstations. The specialised TOS software system has been successfully connected to the electronic customs clearance system monitoring and controlling the import and export of goods as well as their movements between warehouses, yards, and Haiphong Port. It was put into use in September 2017. For export-import enterprises, as declarations and consignments of goods can now be submitted electronically, the time to deal with administrative procedures has been greatly reduced. After completing the customs procedures, import and export enterprises can take their goods out of the port regardless of the time of day. Phung Xuan Ha, chairman of the Board of Directors of Port of Haiphong JSC, said, Haiphong Port is being equipped with advanced technical infrastructure, applying software synchronously in the management and governance of business activities in line with VIMCs IT development strategy, aiming to meet the demands of shipping lines and relevant agencies. In particular, Haiphong Port is upgrading eDO service and applying e-Port instead of using DO service to increase the service quality of shipping lines and the port. Tan Vu Container Terminal has five wharfs with the total length of 980.6m. All wharfs are being used for container exploitation and can accommodate vessels of 40,000 deadweight tonnage (DWT) and 55,000 tonnes of load reduction. Tan Vu Container Terminal is equipped with the most modern equipment on the Dinh Vu Peninsula, Haiphong, including container handling gantry cranes and RTG multi-function cranes with a load capacity of up to 40 tonnes, wheel-mounted cranes, fork-lift trucks with the load capacity of up to 45 tonnes, and plenty of means of container transport. The total area of the yard is 32,4 hectares with a designed capacity of one million TEUS. The storage facility has an area of 7,200 square metres. The refrigerated container yard could accommodate 800-1,000 containers. In order to increase the capacity of container loading, unloading, and receiving and so improving the competitiveness of the entiere northern region in the middle of 2017, Haiphong Port was equipped with two QC container handling gantry cranes for loading and unloading at wharf No. 1 of Tan Vu Terminal. These cranes were manufactured in Germany in 2017. They are specialised cranes with the handling capacity of up to 50 tonnes. The cranes could load 14 container lines horizontally, and six containers vertically. In 2018, the volume of goods shipped via Tan Vu Container Terminal was over 1.1 million TEUs, making up 40 per cent of the total container throughput shipped via ports in the northern region. Haiphong Port closes first day at HSE with success Trading of Haiphong Ports shares, which are owned by Haiphong Joint Stock Company, started on August 12 on the Hanoi Stock Exchange. Vinalines $60.8 million divestment from Haiphong port The state-run Vietnam National Shipping Lines (Vinalines) has decided to sell a 29.68 per cent stake in Haiphong port to Vietnam-Oman Joint Stock Company (VOI) ... The launching ceremony of the Van Don-Shenzhen route The flight, which departed from Shenzhen Baoan International Airport in China, was operated by Chinas Donghai Airlines which exploits the Van Don-Shenzhen route with charter flights twice a week on Monday and Friday. Van Don International Airport held a ceremony with a memorable water salute and ribbon cutting to mark the new air route. The ceremony was attended by Dang Huy Hau, Deputy Chairman of the Quang Ninh Peoples Committee, as well as representatives from local authorised management agencies, Van Don Airport, and related airlines. Addressing the ceremony, Pham Ngoc Sau, director of Van Don International Airport, promised to ensure the best conditions for Donghai Airlines operations, while simultaneously stepping up promotion activities about Van Don and Ha Long destinations in Shenzhen province and the larger Chinese market. The launching of the Van Don-Shenzhen route is a stepping stone for Van Don Airport to embrace its strategy of heading towards global markets, beginning with Asias most populous markets like China, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea, and Japan. In Saus words, the launching of the Van Don-Shenzhen route is a stepping stone for Van Don Airport to embrace its strategy of heading towards global markets, beginning with Asias most populous markets like China, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea, and Japan. Accordingly, in June 2019 Van Don Airport will open new routes to other international destinations, such as Van Don-Taiwan (Bamboo Airways) or Van Don-Incheon (South Korea, by Vietnam Airlines). Regarding the Chinese market, there will be new routes to Hainan, Nanning, and Guangzhou. Late this year, we will receive flights from Japan and Bangkok, while our domestic flight network will continue to expand with flights to Danang city and to Phu Quoc Island, Sau shared. After nearly five months in operation, Van Don International Airport has been continuously opening new routes to destinations at home and abroad and got plaudits from prestigious ratings agencies for its comprehensive infrastructure and service quality. From the onset of 2019, the airport welcomed more than 90,000 passengers with 664 flights offered by Vietnams leading airlines, including national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, budget carrier Vietjet Air, and newcomer Bamboo Airways. Van Don is also the only Vietnamese airport that has carved out a spot among the top five airports offering the highest services quality in Vietnam Airlines worldwide operation network in the first quarter of 2019 by the Airport Performance Measurement Programme (APMP) announced by Vietnam Airlines. Modern waiting rooms await at Van Don International Airport In pursuit of the strategy of launching new routes, particularly to potential international markets, Van Don Airport is conceiving diverse market promotion plans this year. In early March, the first major promotion conference took place in Quang Ninh, attracting more than 60 airlines and over 100 travel firms who came there to seek opportunities to open new routes and tours to tap into the provinces abundant potential. The water salute for the first international flight at Van Don International Airport Numerous co-operation agreements were inked at the event. Van Don Airport is expected to help Quang Ninh to realise its bold target of welcoming 15-16 million visitors, including seven million international visitors by 2020, increasing to 30 million visitors by 2030, half of whom will be international visitors. This will contribute to turning tourism into a spearhead sector in Quang Ninh, as well as turning Quang Ninh into an international tourism centre and a top travel destination in Vietnam, thus matching the provinces tourism development master plan to 2020, with vision towards 2030. As a 4E-grade airport under International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, Van Don International Airport can receive even the most state-of-the art aircraft. Its first-phase terminal capacity is 2.5 million passengers per year that could reach five million passengers per year by 2030 after expansion. Cambodian political observers say intimidation has been a widely used tool in the government for decades but that recently, there has been a shift in the practice to ensure the ruling party wins the next national election. Scores of former opposition members and activists were summoned to court, self-exiled opposition leader Sam Rainsy was sentenced to prison, and a group that included opposition supporters was interrupted while eating traditional Cambodian noodles. Authorities say the summoning of opposition members was needed to investigate alleged illegal activities and the disregarding of court orders. But Mu Sochua, vice president of the now-dissolved opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, thinks the developments are part of a long-term strategy by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sens party to secure a victory in the elections scheduled for 2023. She said local authorities wouldnt dare act without direction from their superiors and were implementing orders from the prime minister. He [Hun Sen] is very certain that he cannot compete with us. And he is now even more threatened, she said. He knows that the grassroots of the CNRP are very, very deep, deep in every single village. He knows it because after 2017, when the party was dissolved, the grassroots did not defect as he expected... Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch, agreed, and said in an email to VOA that the court summonses serve to "harass and intimidate local CNRP councilors." Clearly, the government aims to compel silence at the grassroots in the provinces and further pressure exiled CNRP leaders to dedicate precious time and efforts to defend their members. So far, the Cambodian government has been effective in stampeding many activists out of the country and it looks like they are now taking aim at the thousands of local CNRP councilors, who were stripped of their seats when the government-controlled court banned the party, he said. Last week, human rights group Civicus Monitor observed ongoing judicial harassment and attacks on opposition leaders and activists." Cambodia government spokesman Phay Siphan denied that authorities were attempting to harass local opposition activists. Instead, he said they were investigating whether national security was under threat, with local activists potentially meeting to plot against the government. They were also collecting evidence, he said, as to whether a Supreme Court ruling that banned 118 opposition members from politics for five years had been disregarded. It doesnt mean ex-opposition party members have the right to do everything they like, no! They have to respect national security, he said. Old strategy in a new framework Robertson and Sochua said they believed that intimidation of the opposition had long belonged to the ruling Cambodian People's Partys playbook on how to govern; however, they both argued that a perceived shift had taken place in recent months. What's new in the government's strategy is the focus on targeting local CNRP councilors who have previously been largely ignored while the authorities went after party leader Kem Sokha, national [members of parliament], and CNRP leaders in exile, Robertson said. The apparent targets are the provinces Battambang, Banteay Meanchey and Kampong Thom, regions that traditionally have supported opposition parties. While agreeing that a shift had taken place since the dissolution of the CNRP, political analyst Meas Nee views the recent action in a larger context. He argues that the Cambodian People's Party, or CPP, had lost its grip over local communes and was now trying to re-establish control of villages and communes that it had held in the 1980s, but had gradually lost since. I think the structure of the ruling party to control the people has been weakened, he said, explaining that human rights abuses, such as land grabbing, had pushed people to increasingly support opposition movements. But while in the 1990s many people were too afraid to openly align with opposition parties because some supporters were killed, he said people were now less afraid to support the CNRP. The CPP, he argues, was therefore attempting to regain control by monitoring people on the local level. Now I think [authorities] have their own system back in place, he said. The ruling party ran a two-coin strategy, Nee said, of strengthening its own local structure, while at the same time attempting to destroy the opposition. For opposition figure Sochua, the government pretexts to intimidate the opposition were unlikely to stop soon, and would often take place under the justification of an alleged color revolution, or resistance effort, being planned by the opposition. Whether we eat noodles, whether we drink coffee, whether we dig a hole together, whether we stand on a street together, there will always be an excuse used to label it as color revolution. Whether we walk around naked, it will still be a color revolution, she said. Acting Secretary of Defense Pat Shanahan said Wednesday that China remained his top defense priority, but that message could ring hollow during his current trip to Asia as Iranian threats loom over American plans to focus on great-power competitors. Speaking to reporters en route to Jakarta, Shanahan said threats in the Middle East and North Korea would "consume time," but the United States must not lose sight of China's growing military power. "Implementation of the National Defense Strategy is my top priority, [and] China is the priority within the National Defense Strategy," he said in response to a question from VOA. He was referring to the Trump administration's shift from a mostly counterterror approach to a policy that focuses more on competition with Russia and China. Shanahan has embarked on what officials call a "listening trip" to the Asia-Pacific region that aims to reassure allies of the U.S. commitment to them. Shanahan is set to deliver a major speech on U.S. military posture in Asia, with a particular focus on China, during the annual Shangri-La defense forum in Singapore later this week. "I am not there to sell," Shanahan said. During the forum, the acting U.S. defense secretary is expected to meet with Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe. Shanahan said he would identify areas of cooperation with Beijing and candidly point out issues where China and the U.S. disagree. The two countries are deeply entrenched in a trade war as their militaries continue to vie for influence in the region. The U.S. military has carried out multiple freedom-of-navigation operations in the South China Sea in recent weeks to support universal passage through international spaces controversially claimed by China. U.S. military ships also have transited through the strategic Taiwan Strait at least once a month since the start of this year. The U.S. supports self-ruled Taiwan, which China claims as its own. Earlier this month, Shanahan identified Beijing's aggressive military buildup, theft of technology and subversion of international law as major worries. The Pentagon refers to China as a "near peer competitor," but Bradley Bowman, a defense expert with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said that term was quickly becoming "outdated." "In many areas, China now has capabilities that are as good as ours or better," Bowman said, "and I don't enjoy saying this, but it's not clear how certain conflicts might end up today, if we were to go to war with China." North Korea Shanahan started his trip in the U.S. state of Hawaii, where he met with Adm. Philip Davidson, head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, before visiting Indonesia. After the Shangri-La defense forum, Shanahan will visit with his counterparts in South Korea and Japan. U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe differed Monday on whether recent North Korean missile tests violated a U.N. Security Council resolution, but they remained united on the goal of achieving a denuclearized Korean Peninsula. At a joint news conference in Tokyo, Trump said he viewed the tests as a bid for attention by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and that he was not personally bothered by them. Abe, however, said the tests did violate the Security Council resolution. Shanahan condemned the tests Wednesday and told reporters both the U.S. and Japan were committed to denuclearizing the peninsula. "Let me just be clear, these were short-range missiles. Those are a violation" of the resolution, he said. Michael O'Hanlon, a senior defense expert with the Brookings Institution, told VOA that while the launch was worrisome, it was not a "top-tier concern" yet. "North Korea is signaling, I believe, that it could do more," said O'Hanlon, "and I'm afraid we have to expect more of that, not less, given the path we're on." Iran Shanahan's trip follows recent decisions to reinforce U.S. defenses in the Middle East to protect American forces from potential Iranian threats. "The Iranian threat to our forces in the region remains," Shanahan said Wednesday. Officials have said Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iranian-backed proxy forces in the region posed credible threats to U.S. service members. They have blamed Iran for the sabotage of oil tankers in the region, a drone attack on a Saudi pipeline and an attack on the Green Zone in Iraq, but have not yet made public evidence to support these claims. Shanahan said the Pentagon was being as transparent as possible while protecting its intelligence sources. The U.S. is sending about 900 troops to Saudi Arabia and Qatar for additional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support, along with increased air and engineering support to harden the defenses of American facilities. A 600-person Patriot battalion has extended its deployment in the region to defend against missile threats, another Patriot battery has been sent to assist this mission, thousands of sailors in an aircraft carrier strike group have deployed to the region ahead of schedule, and the USS Arlington transport landing dock ship has been rerouted to the area. Amnesty International is accusing Myanmar's military of committing new atrocities in northwestern Rakhine state, where it conducted a brutal crackdown against Rohingya Muslims less than two years ago. The military has deployed thousands of troops to Rakhine to battle the Arakan Army rebel group, which is seeking greater autonomy for the state's ethnic Buddhists. In a report published Wednesday, the human rights watchdog listed numerous "war crimes" carried out by Myanmar troops, including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, torture and enforced disappearances. Nicholas Bequelin, Amnesty's regional director for East and Southeast Asia, says the military's latest operations in Rakhine "show an unrepentant, unreformed and unaccountable military terrorizing civilians." But Amnesty also accused the Arakan Army group of committing abuses against civilians. More than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims were forced to flee Rakhine state into neighboring Bangladesh after Myanmar's military launched a scorched earth campaign August 2017 in response to attacks on state security posts by Rohingya militants. Numerous survivor accounts of murder, rape and arson has led the United Nations to accuse Myanamar's military of carrying out the crackdown with genocidal intent. The majority-Buddhist country considers the Rohingyas as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, and have denied them citizenship and other basic rights. Police in Bangladesh filed charges Wednesday against 16 people in connection with the burning death of a teenage girl who made sexual harassment allegations against her school principal. Nusrat Jahan Rafi, 19, was soaked with kerosene and set ablaze on the rooftop of her Islamic school on April 6, just days after filing her complaint against principal Siraj Ud Doula. Police said Doula, who was arrested after the complaint was filed, ordered the girl's murder from jail. Police said Rafi was lured to the rooftop where her alleged attackers asked that she withdraw her complaint. After she refused, she was set on fire and died a few days later. Rafi's death sparked nationwide protests and highlighted a sharp increase in sexual harassment cases in the South Asian country. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has vowed to prosecute everyone involved. The alleged attackers intended to make the murder appear as a suicide, but police said she was able to give a statement before she died on April 10. Murder charges were formally filed against the alleged attackers, two of whom were girls in Rafi's class. Prosecutors are calling for the death penalty for all of the suspects. Rafi's brother, Mahmudul Hasan Noman, agreed with the prosecutors, telling the French news agency the family wants the attackers prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. "We want all the culprits to be hanged to death," he said. The head of the women's human rights group Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, Maleka Banu, demanded that more be done to ensure the safety of women in Bangladesh. "Justice has to be ensured," she said, "[but] just ensuring that the Nusrat case is taken care of is not enough. We need to do more to make the situation better for Bangladeshi women." A study conducted by the rights group found that some 950 women were raped in the country last year. Rights groups are raising concerns about the lack of due process for hundreds of suspected IS fighters in Iraqi prisons as Baghdad this week condemned six French Islamic State members to death. An Iraqi court on Tuesday issued capital punishment to two French nationals who were found guilty of membership in the IS terror group. Another four French former jihadists were sentenced to death earlier this week. London-based human rights organization Amnesty International charged it was "extremely concerned" the process could be used as retribution rather than justice for about 20,000 Iraqis and foreign nationals held in Iraq and awaiting trial on charges of committing crimes on behalf of IS and other jihadist groups. "We're very concerned about the sheer number of people that have been arrested and detained by Iraqi authorities and certainly the rapid movement of the judicial system in just trying them, and in many cases sentencing them," Philippe Nassif, the Middle East and North Africa advocacy director at Amnesty International, told VOA in a telephone interview. "Several thousands of them have been sentenced to death. That's a really big concern." Nassif said the unwillingness of countries to take back their citizens who joined IS and try them at home has added to the rapid executions. He added that many who are detained by Iraq have potentially committed crimes against civilians in Iraq and Syria, but many of the details remains unclear due to a lack of transparency and accountability in the swift trial process. "We don't know what exact crimes these individuals have committed because they are tried within 10 minutes and they are sent to be executed, and we've never had the opportunity to find out what it is that they did," he said, adding the U.S. and European Union should step up efforts to help the Iraqi judicial body in facing this "gigantic problem." The six French men identified as Kevin Gonot, Leonard Lopez, Salim Machou, Mustapha Merzoughi, Karam el-Harchaoui and Brahim Nejara have 30 days to appeal their death sentences. They are among six other French citizens handed over to Iraq by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces after their capture in the operation against IS. France's reaction France on Monday said it has informed its embassy in Baghdad to take "the necessary steps" to prevent Iraq from carrying out the sentences, reiterating its opposition to capital punishment while at the same time asking for accountability for IS crimes. "France is opposed in principle to the death penalty at all times and in all places," the country's foreign ministry said in a statement. Iraq began trying suspected IS local and foreign members shortly after declaring its final victory over IS in December 2017. Earlier this month, the Iraqi judiciary said it had sentenced 514 suspected IS foreign fighters and acquitted 11 others since the start of 2018. Iraqi officials in the past have said they will continue to hold the individual foreign fighters liable for damages in a fair process, rejecting accusations against the Iraqi judiciary. In March, the speaker of Iraq's Council of Representatives said his country should be compensated monetarily as well. "The Iraqi parliament will formally demand all countries whose citizens have either committed crimes inside Iraq [or] brought damage and harm to the Iraqi people ... bring those criminals to justice and compensate Iraq for the crimes they did to Iraq and the Iraqi people," Mohammed al-Halbousi told reporters in Washington. Foreign fighters Both the Iraqi government and U.S.-backed SDF have complained about the burden of holding hundreds of foreign fighters and their families after IS lost its self-proclaimed physical caliphate across Iraq and Syria. Some experts say Iraqi courts could provide a window for Western countries as they grapple with the issue of what to do with IS foreign fighters. The United States' current position is that jihadists ought to be tried in their home countries. But the United Kingdom and France have been reluctant to agree to such an arrangement. "The official French statement condemning the death sentences given to these individuals was largely to soothe its EU allies who are against the death penalty," said Watheq al-Hashimi, director of the Iraqi Group for Strategic Studies, a Baghdad-based group that advises the Iraqi government. While fundamentally against capital punishment, "in reality France would like to see Iraq try more French citizens who have joined IS," al-Hashimi added. He said the trial of all IS foreign fighters could be a lengthy and expensive process requiring international assistance. "Iraqi authorities are overwhelmed with the large number of IS foreign fighters detained in Iraq. Logistically, Iraq can't keep these individuals for a long time. For one thing, prisons are overcrowded. That's why Iraq has offered to try all IS foreign fighters for about $1.8 billion. But no response has been received yet from the international community." The possibility of new Israeli parliament elections loomed large Wednesday, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unable to form a new government in the waning hours before a midnight deadline. There was no sign of a breakthrough in the Israeli leader's talks with former defense minister Avigdor Lieberman, whose five-seat bloc in the 120-member Knesset is crucial to Netanyahu's efforts to gain a controlling majority. But Netanyahu has refused to meet Lieberman's demand that ultra-Orthodox Jews be subject to conscription into the Israeli military as other Israeli Jews are, rather than exempted as they have been. "Everything stands in the same place where it was," Lieberman said. Israeli lawmakers are debating whether to dissolve the parliament, triggering new elections just seven weeks after an early April vote appeared to leave Netanyahu in a strong position to form a new government, and become prime minister for a fifth time and the country's longest-serving leader. Netanyahu and Lieberman, sometimes allies and often rivals through the years, also could reach a last-minute accord, or President Reuven Rivlin could ask another lawmaker to try to form a new government, possibly ending the 69-year-old Netanyahu's hopes of remaining as the leader. Netanyahu's Likud party said it has enough votes to push through a dissolution of parliament, requiring a new election, to keep Rivlin from tapping another lawmaker to try to form a government. Criminal charges Netanyahu is also facing the possibility of indictment on bribery, fraud and breach of trust charges in the coming months. He had been hopeful a new parliament would approve legislation granting him immunity. His wife Sara reached a plea bargain deal herself on Wednesday in a separate corruption case, agreeing to pay a $15,215 fine in a case linked to $100,000 worth of catered meals at the prime minister's residence while concealing the fact that the residence also employed a cook. The political impasse in Jerusalem came as U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt, both presidential advisers, were in Amman meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah II about efforts to resolve the decades-long conflict between Israeli and the Palestinians. Jordan has stood by its support for a two-state solution, while Washington lately has been trying to woo support for economic investment in Israeli-controlled Palestinian territories as a way of improving the well-being of Palestinians. Jordan has not yet said whether it will attend the June 25-26 meeting in Manama, capital of the Persian Gulf state of Bahrain, where Kushner plans to offer an economic plan, but no details for any political solution or Palestinian statehood. The Palestinians have said they will not attend the meeting and have rejected the Trump administration's Mideast peace plan. After the April Israeli elections, Likud emerged tied as the largest bloc in the 120-member parliament. And with the addition of traditional minor party allies, it appeared to be in control with a solid 65-55 majority. But without Lieberman's bloc of five lawmakers in the Yisrael Beiteinu party, Netanyahu cannot reach a Knesset majority. "The draft law has become a symbol, and we will not capitulate on our symbols," Lieberman said. Ultra-Orthodox parties consider military conscription a violation of their religious beliefs, fearing that military service will lead to secularization. But such exemptions from military service are widely resented by Israel's other Jews. Some Likud adherents say Lieberman is motivated by his personal spite for Netanyahu, but Lieberman says he will not give in to religious coercion. "I will not be a partner to a Halachic state," he said, using the word for Jewish law. Trump, a staunch Netanyahu ally, took note of the Israeli political impasse while on a state visit last weekend to Japan, referring to his friend by his well-known nickname, Bibi, in a Twitter post, Iran's deputy foreign minister, Abbas Arakji, wound up a three-nation Gulf visit to Oman, Kuwait and Qatar just as U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton began a diplomatic visit to the United Arab Emirates. The diplomatic ballet comes just hours before Saudi Arabia convenes Arab, Islamic and Gulf summits in Mecca to discuss escalating tensions with Iran. As preparations continue for the historic triple summit in Mecca Thursday, Iran, the United States and its Arab allies continue their diplomatic ballet in the lead-up to the talks. Fifty-seven nations are expected to attend the Islamic summit, which will take place alongside smaller Arab and Gulf Cooperation Council meetings. At the same time, U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton told journalists during a visit to the United Arab Emirates Wednesday that Iran "was almost certainly behind" recent attacks on four ships off the coast of the Emirate of Fujeirah. Bolton also alleged Iran had launched a foiled attack on the Saudi oil port of Yanbah. Separately, Bolton warned Iran's Revolutionary Guard commander Qassem Soleimani not to use Shi'ite proxy militias to attack U.S. interests in Iraq. Iran has denied responsibility for the attacks off Fujeirah, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Moussavi calling Bolton's accusation "ridiculous."Iran's deputy foreign minister, Abbas Arakji, told Arab states at the conclusion of a three-nation visit to Oman, Kuwait and Qatar Tuesday that Tehran was "ready to sign security agreements" with its Gulf neighbors. During a visit to Iraq earlier this week, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif urged Gulf states to enter into security agreements with Tehran. He said that Iran has made multiple offers of dialogue and cooperation with the countries of the region, including signing non-aggression treaties with the countries of the Persian Gulf region, and those proposals are still on the table. Hilal Khashan, who teaches political science at the American University of Beirut, told VOA that Iran has made similar offers to conclude security agreements with the Gulf States in the past, but to no avail. "There is nothing new about the Iranian announcement. The Iranians have all along been willing to reach out to Arabs, mainly Saudi Arabia and reach some sort of understanding. I don't think the summit in Mecca will do anything. The issue at hand is not really between Saudi Arabia and Iran; it is between the U.S. and Iran," he said. Dilemma for Iran Khashan said that the Saudis have been "prodding the U.S. to take a tough position against Iran for a long time," so he doubted Riyadh is ready to reach out to Iran. He believed that the U.S. will "continue to tighten the sanctions against Iran" until it comes to the negotiating table. The dilemma for Iran, he added, is that if it talks to the U.S., it will have to make "dreadful concessions it does not want to make. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Arakji told the Chatham House research institution last year that Iran and the P5+1 group of countries that signed the 2015 nuclear accord (JCPOA) deliberately avoided some of the issues the Trump administration would now like to tackle, such as ballistic missiles and proxy militias. "We decided intentionally to de-link Iran's nuclear program from any other issue, being regional issues, Iran's ballistic missile issue, whatever. And that was for a reason....otherwise, I'm sure we would still be negotiating if we wanted to have a package of everything: regional issues, ballistic missiles, nuclear program," he said. The Trump administration imposed a wide range of economic sanctions on Tehran in November of 2018, with the hope that Tehran would agree to new negotiations. Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has repeatedly refused to do so, although some political leaders have left the door open for eventual negotiations with the U.S. The World Health Organization says success in ending the Ebola epidemic in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo hinges upon improving security in North Kivu and Ituri provinces. The region has been engulfed in conflict for many years, and many locals do not trust outsiders, even the ones trying to stop the spread of the deadly virus. The U.N. health agency reports security incidents in eastern DRC have increased dramatically in the past few months. So far this year, it reports 174 attacks by armed groups in North Kivu on health care facilities, workers and patients. These include five deaths and 51 injuries. In mid-April, Cameroonian Dr. Richard Mouzoko was shot and killed while working in a hospital in Butembo, North Kivu. This incident was seen as a big setback to the Ebola operation. This past Saturday, villagers killed a health worker in the health sector of Mabalako. WHO Regional Director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, says health workers are being intimidated and threatened by armed men and live in fear, not knowing when the next violent attack may occur. She says this insecurity is leading to a lack of access and driving the increase in cases. When the response cannot reach people," she said, "they do not get the chance to be vaccinated or to receive life-saving treatment if they do fall ill. "The technical means to stop this Ebola outbreak are available," she added. "But without access or a secure operating environment, they cannot be deployed optimally and effectively enough. This is why the response is one of the most complex health emergencies the world has faced. The latest WHO figures show 1,920 Ebola cases in the region, including 1,281 deaths. A new structure for coordinating and strengthening the Ebola response was presented at the World Health Assembly this week. WHO Executive Director of Health Emergencies Michael Ryan says key partners will have to scale up their operations and take charge of crucial aspects of the new strategy. We believe the work on security, the work on non-humanitarian interventions and the work on sustainable financing are the things that need to happen to provide the environment in which public health operations can continue to progress and be successful, he said. However, he warns if there are further large-scale security incidents than all bets are off. He says the likely impact of this ongoing instability will have on the Ebola emergency operation is unpredictable, but worrisome. The U.N. refugee agency says an upsurge in violence in northwest Nigeria since April has driven an estimated 20,000 people to seek safety in neighboring Niger. U.N. refugee spokesman Babar Baloch says the jump in violence is not linked to the Boko Haram insurgency, which has displaced 2.4 million people in the Lake Chad Basin since 2009. "People are fleeing due to multiple reasons, as far as we understand, including clashes between farmers and herders of different ethnic groups, vigilantism, as well as kidnappings for ransom in Nigeria's Sokoto and Zamfara states," he said. Baloch says the majority of those fleeing are women and children, and new arrivals in Niger's Maradi region describe the horrors they have witnessed.They say civilians were the victims of ferocious violence, including machete attacks, kidnappings and sexual violence. Aid agencies do not know what is driving the inter-ethnic violence, Baloch told VOA. "We know there is the general sense of insecurity in these areas and that is the reason that this is out of reach for humanitarians so far," he said. "So, we will need to try to analyze and understand. ... The worry is this adds a new dimension into the ongoing conflict that is already affecting Nigeria." The Boko Haram insurgency spilled over into Niger's Diffa region in 2015. The displacement crisis has escalated, with the region currently hosting nearly one-quarter million displaced people. They include mainly Nigerian refugees and thousands of local people displaced inside their own country. Baloch says many of the newly arrived refugees are staying close to the Nigerian border, leaving them at high risk of armed incursions from Boko Haram. The UNHCR and partners are conferring with the government about the possibility of moving them inland, away from the dangerous border area. The U.S. Defense Department has submitted a report to Congress on rare earth minerals as it looks to reduce American reliance on China, the Pentagon said on Wednesday, amid mounting concern in Washington about Beijing's role as a supplier. Although the Pentagon did not provide details of the report, it said the document was tied to a federal program designed to bolster domestic production capabilities through targeted economic incentives. Rare earths are a group of 17 chemical elements used in a wide range of consumer products, from iPhones to electric car motors, as well as military jet engines, satellites and lasers. Rising tensions between the United States and China have sparked concerns that Beijing could use its dominant position as a supplier of rare earths for leverage in the trade war between the world's top two economic powers. Between 2004 and 2017, China accounted for 80% of U.S. rare earth imports. "The department continues to work closely with the president, Congress and the industrial base to mitigate U.S. reliance on China for rare earth minerals," Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Mike Andrews, a Pentagon spokesman, told Reuters. "The department recently submitted a Defense Production Act III rare earth mineral report to Congress, demonstrating the department's continued focus on reducing reliance on China," Andrews said. While China has so far not explicitly said it would restrict rare earths sales to the United States, Chinese media has strongly implied this will happen. In a commentary headlined "United States, don't underestimate China's ability to strike back," the official People's Daily noted the United States' "uncomfortable" dependence on rare earths from China. "Will rare earths become a counter weapon for China to hit back against the pressure the United States has put on for no reason at all? The answer is no mystery," it said. The Pentagon has repeatedly flagged its concerns about American reliance on China for rare earth minerals, including in a 2018 report on vulnerabilities in the U.S. defense industrial base. The Defense Production Act Title III program was designed "to create, maintain, protect, expand, or restore domestic industrial base capabilities," according to a Defense Department website. The website noted that the program gives the president "broad authority to ensure the timely availability of essential domestic industrial resources to support national defense and homeland security requirements through the use of highly tailored economic incentives." It was unclear if the Pentagon offered any new suggestions for economic incentives as part of the report to Congress. The Defense Department accounts for about 1% of U.S. demand, which in turn accounts for about 9% of global demand for rare earths, according to a 2016 report from the congressional U.S. Government Accountability Office. Companies such as Raytheon Co, Lockheed Martin Corp and BAE Systems Plc all make sophisticated missiles that use rare earths metals in their guidance systems, and sensors. Some rare earth minerals are essential in military equipment such as jet engines, missile guidance systems, antimissile defense systems and satellites, as well as in lasers. Lanthanum, for example, is needed to manufacture night vision devices. Few alternative suppliers were able to compete with China, which is home to 37% of global rare earths reserves. California's Mountain Pass mine is the only operating U.S. rare earths facility. But MP Materials, owner of Mountain Pass, ships the roughly 50,000 tonnes of rare earth concentrate it extracts each year from California to China for processing. China has imposed a tariff of 25% on those imports during the trade war. Facebook has dropped 51 accounts, 36 pages, and seven groups after the cybersecurity firm FireEye revealed they were fake accounts originating in Iran. Three Instagram accounts were also deactivated. The FireEye report Tuesday says the phony accounts pretended they came from the United States and impersonated legitimate Middle Eastern news sources to push a pro-Iranian agenda. Posts written in both English and Arabic included discussions about American and British politics, Islam, Arab minorities, and the influence of Saudi Arabia. The posts represented both conservative and liberal points of view. One post said the best way to honor the memory of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was for the U.S. to stop sending aid to the Saudi coalition fighting Iranian-backed rebels in Yemen. The fake posters even succeeded in getting letters to the editors published in a number of U.S. newspapers, includingThe Los Angeles Times and The New York Daily News. The author of the FireEye report, Lee Foster, was careful not to directly blame the Iranian government for the illegitimate accounts, saying the investigation is continuing. Facebook says it is also investigating and is sharing information with law enforcement. "We're constantly working to detect and stop this type of activity because we don't want our services to be used to manipulate people," Facebook said. It added it canceled the suspect accounts for their behavior, and not because of content. The Friday Prayer Imam of the city of Kazeroun, in Fars province, southern Iran, has been stabbed to death, the town's police announced on Wednesday, May 29. The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)-run news agency, Fars, cited the provincial deputy police commander for social affairs, IRGC Colonel Kavous Mohammadi, as saying "Hojat ol Eslam [a mid-ranking cleric title] Mohammad Khorsand was stabbed an hour ago in front of his residence. He was taken to the city's hospital but died of deep injuries." The cleric was returning from a religious ceremony at 3:30 Wednesday morning when he was attacked, Colonel Mohammadi said "the assailant has been identified, and security forces are searching for him." Later in the day local media reported that the killer, a 47-year old man, was arrested in "his hiding place." There is no news yet on the motive behind the deadly attack. Kazeroun was the scene of large-scale protests and clashes between citizens and security forces on May 16-17, 2018. A controversial proposal to divide the ancient city's boundaries into two separate entities enraged Kazeroun residents who poured into the streets and invaded the Friday Prayers location. Fars news agency reported at the time that the demonstration was organized on the social networking platform Telegram. Etemad Online also wrote at the time that a local MP, who tabled the motion for new demarcation of Kazeroun, wanted to promote his hometown Qaemieh, to a "city." However, the Friday Prayer Imam of the city, who is appointed by the Islamic Republic Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, was vehemently against the division. At least one person died during the protests, and dozens detained. The unrest culminated in a massive rally in front of the Intelligence Ministry's local office May 16, 2018. Israels parliament voted early Thursday morning to dissolve itself and hold an unprecedented second early election after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to put together a coalition government. The lawmakers voted 74 to 45 to break up and hold a new vote Sept. 17. Netanyahu had a Wednesday deadline to form a new government after winning the April 9 election. He was hoping to form a coalition between his conservative Likud Party, ultra-Orthodox lawmakers and another conservative bloc led by former defense minister Avigdor Lieberman. WATCH: New Elections for Israel After Netanyahu Fails to Build Coalition But negotiations fell apart when Netanyahu and the ultra-Orthodox refused to heed Liebermans demands that ultra-religious Jews be drafted into the Israeli army and serve just like other young Israeli men and women are required to do. Ultra-Orthodox Jews consider military conscription a violation of their religious beliefs, fearing that military service will lead to secularization. But such exemptions from military service are widely resented by other Israeli Jews. Everything stands in the same place where it was, Lieberman said, while Netanyahu said he is confident his Likud Party will win again in September. We will run a sharp, clear election campaign, which will bring us victory. We will win, and the public will win, Netanyahu said after the parliamentary vote. Opposition leader Benny Gantz, who lost to Netanyahu in April and would have likely been given a chance to form a government if parliament did not dissolve, angrily accused Netanyahu of being more concerned about his own political future instead of what is good for the country. Gantz says Israel is now in for three crazy months of another political campaign costing millions of dollars. He also called Netanyahu legally incapacitated because of possible indictments for alleged corruption. Netanyahu had been hopeful a new parliament would approve legislation granting him immunity. Netanyahus wife, Sara, reached a plea bargain Wednesday in a separate corruption case. She agreed to pay a $15,000 fine in a case linked to $100,000 worth of catered meals at the prime ministers residence while concealing the fact that the residence also employed a cook. Israel's prime minister has been a vocal critic of Iran over the years, accusing the Islamic Republic of sinister intentions at every opportunity. But the outspoken Benjamin Netanyahu has remained uncharacteristically quiet throughout the current crisis between the U.S. and Iran. While Israel has welcomed Washington's pressure on Tehran, the crisis has nonetheless put Netanyahu in a delicate position, not wanting to be seen as pushing the Americans into a military confrontation and wary of being drawn into fighting with Iran's powerful proxy, the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. "In recent developments, Israel has taken the backseat. There's one reason for this: it's not in Israel's interest to take the lead," said Yoel Guzansky, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies, a Tel Aviv think tank, and former Iran analyst in the prime minister's office. It's a new look for Netanyahu, who has made Iran his top priority during his decade-long tenure. Netanyahu has repeatedly accused Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons a charge it denies and criticized its support for anti-Israel militants, development of long-range missiles and frequent calls for Israel's destruction. He has compared the Islamic Republic to Nazi Germany, and famously gave a speech to the U.S. Congress against the U.S.-led international nuclear deal with Iran in 2015. The speech infuriated then-President Barack Obama, and remains a sore spot with U.S. Democrats. Nuclear deal Since President Donald Trump was elected, things have shifted in Netanyahu's favor. The Israeli leader strongly encouraged Trump's decision last year to withdraw from the nuclear deal. He also has welcomed the renewal and tightening of U.S. sanctions on Iran. The U.S. pullout from the nuclear deal, which gave Iran relief from painful economic sanctions in exchange for limits on its nuclear activities, lies at the root of the current crisis. Echoing Israel's arguments, Trump has said the deal failed to sufficiently curb Iran's ability to develop a nuclear-weapons capability and did not address Tehran's support for militant groups and its missile program. The renewed sanctions, meanwhile, have sent Iran's economy into freefall. In recent weeks, tensions have soared as the U.S. beefed up its military presence in the Gulf in response to a still-unexplained threat from Iran. The U.S. also has accused Iran of being behind a string of incidents, including alleged sabotage of oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and a rocket that landed near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, while Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi rebels have launched a string of drone attacks targeting Saudi Arabia. Uranium enrichment Iran in turn has announced it is quadrupling its production capacity of low-enriched uranium, making it likely the country will soon exceed stockpile limits set by the nuclear accord. Iran also gave Europe a July 7 deadline to set new terms for a nuclear deal or it will enrich uranium at higher levels, closer to weapons grade. If Iran begins ramping up uranium enrichment, all eyes will turn to Israel, which in the past has issued veiled threats to strike and carried out similar assaults on Syrian and Iraqi nuclear facilities. Earlier in this decade, Israeli officials strongly considered attacking Iranian nuclear installations, though doing so would be a difficult task. Iran, about 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) from Israel, has a sophisticated air defense system and has spread out its nuclear facilities, building some underground or in the side of a mountain. All of this has made Netanyahu's low profile especially noticeable. In a recent speech, he repeated his longstanding position that Israel will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. Otherwise, he and other officials have said little, trying to portray the standoff as a U.S.-Iran dispute. Possible outcomes Israeli Cabinet minister Tzachi Hanegbi, who is close to Netanyahu, said earlier this month that he sees two potential outcomes of the crisis, both of which he described as good for Israel. The Iranians, he said, will meet U.S. demands, return to negotiations and reach a new and improved agreement, or there will be a conflict. "I don't really believe that the Iranians or the Americans are currently seeking a conflict," Hangebi told the Army Radio station. If there is one, Iran stands no chance against a super power like America, he said. Guzansky, the Tel Aviv researcher, said Israel has to be careful about being seen as encouraging the U.S. to attack Iran. In 2002, a year before the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Netanyahu, as a private citizen, testified to Congress that toppling Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein would be a "good choice" that would benefit the region. "Israel cannot risk being seen as the one who led the U.S. and Iran to a confrontation, in the case of a loss of American lives. The price in U.S. public opinion and in world leaders' opinions would be too high," Guzansky said. He said the fact that Israel has become a "very partisan" issue with support much stronger among Republicans than Democrats added to the risk. For now, Israeli officials believe the risk of a direct confrontation with Iran remains unlikely. Instead, they believe the biggest immediate threat is the possibility of Iran unleashing its regional proxies along Israel's borders Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria and Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip as retaliation for a U.S. attack. Even that scenario seems distant. Israeli officials say the situation on the ground has not changed fundamentally. Israel has closely monitored Hezbollah and its other enemies for years, and occasionally acts against them. Israel has acknowledged carrying out hundreds of airstrikes against Iranian and Hezbollah positions in Syria in recent years. On Monday, for instance, the Israeli military said it struck an anti-aircraft position in Syria after it fired at an Israeli warplane. "We monitor," said an Israeli military official. "We're not looking to escalate." He spoke on condition of anonymity under army protocol. Hezbollah threat But it may be difficult for Israel to keep its distance if fighting breaks out between the U.S. and Iran. Yaakov Amidror, Netanyahu's former national security adviser, said the biggest threat to Israel, by far, is Hezbollah, a powerful militant group that fought Israel to a stalemate during a 2006 war. Since then, Hezbollah has gained valuable battlefield experience fighting alongside government troops in Syria's civil war and is believed to have amassed a vast arsenal of missiles aimed at Israel. "We'd have to face 130,000 rockets and missiles. It would lead to a devastating war," Amidror said. "Israel would be in the direct line of fire and the burden would fall on our shoulders directly." Japanese police on Wednesday searched the home of the suspected perpetrator behind a series of stabbing attacks in Kawasaki the day prior that left two people dead and 17 others injured. Sixteen of the injured were children, and an 11-year-old school girl was among the dead, raising safety concerns for Japanese school children. The attacker approached a bus stop, wielding two knives and slashing at the children, yelling "I will kill you," before fatally stabbing himself. Japanese police have identified the alleged attacker as Ryuichi Iwasaki, a 51-year-old man who lived with his aunt and uncle in Kawasaki. Fatal violence is uncommon in Japan, with a homicide rate of .28 victims per 100,000 people in 2016, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. The motive behind the attacks is still unknown and police declined to provide more details about Iwasaki. Relatives of the suspect had contacted local officials 14 times between November 2017 and January 2019, citing his inconsistent employment history and isolation. Relatives proceeded to tell officials to refrain from reaching out to Iwasaki. Neighbors of the man reported they had little contact with him. In the aftermath of the attack, Japanese officials are taking steps to ensure safety for children who commute to their schools. At a meeting on children's safety, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said, "The incident in Kawasaki was very grievous and I feel strong anger that young children were victimized." After the meeting, government spokesperson Yoshihide Suga told reporters the Japanese government would "work in unison to ensure the children's safety," Abe has called for an examination of current school routes following the attack. The school the victims attended is closed for the rest of the week and will offer counseling and support for students it reopens. Pro-government forces in Syria have been deliberately targeting journalists covering the war there, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, which notes that a number of reporters have been injured by suspected pro-government forces in recent days. "The Syrian government and its allies seem to be intent on not only violating the human rights of the country's people, but also on attacking journalists who cover those violations," said Ignacio Miguel Delgado Culebras, the CPJ's Middle East and North Africa representative. "As long as no one in power in Syria pays the price, this cycle of impunity and violence will continue," he said. The CPJ notes that in the span of three days, three reporters came under attack while covering airstrikes and clashes in northwestern Syria. The media rights group cited regional press groups, news reports, and Facebook posts and videos from the journalists. The CPJ says in one incident, journalists came under shelling from pro-government forces in Hama. Those journalists included a Sky News crew and Bilal Abdul Kareem, an American reporter and activist who posted video on social media. The CPJ says that according to Sky News and Abdul Kareem's posts, he was struck in the armpit by a piece of shrapnel. Media reports say he was taken to a hospital in another town. The team asserts that they were "clearly identified as journalists," according to the CPJ. Sky News correspondent Alex Crawford says the group's location was pinpointed by a military drone and faced shelling from a tank identified as belonging to pro-government forces, says the CPJ. Two journalists working for pro-opposition broadcasters also alleged they were targeted by government forces last week. Mustafa al-Abbas and Mustafa al-Khalaf said they were injured by shrapnel. Al Khalaf suffered an eye injury, while al-Abbas took shrapnel to the face and shoulders. In social media footage, al-Khalaf is wearing a jacket marked "Press," according to the CPJ. Separately, the media rights group also noted that another reporter working for pro-opposition media suffered leg burns in a bombing south of Idlib. The CPJ says 22 journalists have been killed in Syria since 2011. The group is urging Syria's government to respect the civilian status of journalists covering the war. The CPJ says the Syrian Defense Ministry did not immediately reply to the group's request for comment. Kenya is facing one of the worst stretches of drought in years, causing underdevelopment, fights over water, and fears of starvation. However, a village in western Kenya is using a high-tech solution to water scarcity with so-called "digital wells" in a bid to improve local livelihoods and prevent waste. In Nakuru County's Solai village, a group of women carry jerrycans to the local well to collect water. Solai villagers have long been dependent on seasonal rivers and salty Lake Solai for their animals and irrigation. But drought ravaging much of Kenya has reduced the local river into a stream. Residents like Anne Chesire said the drilling of so-called "digital wells" in December has been a lifesaver. Previously, she said, they would have to wake up very early to beat the queue at the watering hole, which is kilometers away. The water was salty, said Chesire. But, since receiving the new taps, she said, life has become so much easier. World Vision Kenya and the Nakuru County government funded the wells, giving residents access to clean drinking water, but also using a high-tech solution to prevent waste. Villagers use cards fitted with microchips and pre-loaded with money to dispense and pay for the water, helping to fund the costs of drilling wells. Charles Kimutai is the Chepkulu Water Project Chairman. Kimutai said the card system has been very helpful since he no longer has to chase people down to get them to pay their water bill. The project has brought much-needed water closer to home and extra income for locals, like mother of two Brenda Chepngetich. She said she is now growing vegetables in her backyard which she also sells. It has helped her sustain a comfortable livelihood, said Chepgngetich. Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui called on residents of Solai to take advantage of the new water access to grow and sell produce. "As we move forward we will want to get the water not just into the water kiosks but even closer to the homes and actually into the homes, eventually," Kinyanjui said. Project manager for World Vision Kenya John Mwaura said they have built 11 boreholes and water dispensing machines in the area since December 2018. "Since we entered into the area, life has changed," Mwaura said. "As per an evaluation we did, water penetration was at 37%. And to date we have gone to 54%. So we can say this is an achievement and all this achievement is due to the project that World Vision is doing. And we hope to go far with the partnership we are doing with the government." For the villagers of Solai, the access to clean, safe drinking water has literally taken a load off their backs. A prominent Egyptian militant wanted for scores of terror attacks in his country was handed over by Libyan forces loyal to a commander pushing to take the capital of Tripoli and flown back to Egypt on Wednesday. Egyptian TV networks aired footage of a blindfolded Hisham el-Ashmawi, a former army officer turned militant, landing in Cairo and being taken off a military plane. El-Ashmawi was captured last October in the Libyan city of Derna, a longtime bastion of Islamic militants, by commander Khalifa Haftar's self-styled Libyan National Army. Haftar's forces now are battling to take Tripoli, fighting militias allied to a U.N.-supported government based in the Libyan capital. El-Ashmawi's return to Egypt came after a meeting Tuesday between Haftar and Egypt's intelligence chief, Abbas Kamel, in the eastern city of Benghazi, which serves as Haftar's base. The handover reflects the close ties between Egypt and Haftar, whose divisive campaign against Tripoli, which started in April, has so far killed over 560 people, mainly combatants but also civilians, and displaced tens of thousands. Hifter's forces said on their Facebook page late Tuesday that el-Ashmawi was being returned to his home country. Another Egyptian militant, wanted for attacks in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, was also sent back, according to Egypt's state-run MENA news agency. After his capture, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi had called for el-Ashmawi's extradition so that he can be "held accountable." El-Ashmawi served in the Egyptian special forces before his dismissal in 2011 following a military trial in which he was accused of spreading radical Islamic ideas. After his dismissal, he joined militants in the Sinai Peninsula and helped establish an al-Qaida affiliate that later pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group. At that point, el-Ashmawi broke up with the newly established Islamic State affiliate, choosing to remain loyal to Egyptian militant Ayman al-Zawahri who succeeded Osama bin Laden as leader of al-Qaida's global terror network. Egyptian officials say el-Ashmawi subsequently travelled to Syria, the Gaza Strip and Libya to join various militant groups. Libya's turmoil in the wake of the 2011 toppling and later killing of longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi had enabled the rise of Islamic militants there. In Libya, el-Ashmawi set up the militant al-Mourabitoun group blamed by Egypt for several attacks in the Western Desert, near the Libyan border. The attacks include a 2017 ambush that killed nearly 30 Christian pilgrims travelling to a remote monastery and an attack on a military checkpoint that killed more than two dozen troops, according to court documents obtained by The Associated Press. Egyptian authorities believe el-Ashmawi also was behind a 2013 attempted assassination in Cairo of Egypt's then-Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim. He was sentenced to death in absentia by military courts in at least two cases but will have to be retried following his handover, according to Egyptian officials speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to reporters. Mexican authorities have frozen the bank accounts of Emilio Lozoya, the former head of Mexico's state-owned oil company, and those of steelmaker Altos Hornos de Mexico, in what looks to be a major new push to punish alleged corruption. Altos Hornos de Mexico said later Tuesday in a statement that its president Alonso Ancira Elizondo was arrested in Spain for reasons it had not ascertained. The company said it was awaiting a response from Mexico's finance ministry to its request to release its accounts. The actions were "illegal and arbitrary," the company said in its statement. The Financial Intelligence Unit said Monday that "there were various transactions with funds that presumably did not come from legal activities" in the frozen accounts and the funds "are presumed to have originated in acts of corruption." Santiago Nieto, head of the unit, called the account freezes a hallmark of the "new" Finance Ministry. "The policy of the Mexico government is zero tolerance for corruption and impunity," he wrote on Twitter. Lozoya's lawyers did not return calls for comment. Nieto was a top corruption investigator in the administration of former President Enrique Pena Nieto. But he was abruptly fired in 2017 in the middle of an investigation he led into Lozoya's dealings while head of state oil company Petroleos Mexicanos, or Pemex, also under Pena Nieto. Nieto has reopened the case in his new position in the administration of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who took office on Dec. 1 and vowed to stamp out endemic public corruption. Lozoya and Altos Hornos have been mentioned, but not charged, in corruption scandals involving Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht. The so-called Car Wash investigation into illicit payments by Odebrecht to government officials has led to multiple arrests and prosecutions in Latin American countries over the past five years, but none in Mexico. Mexico scored 28 out of 100 points in Transparency International's 2018 Corruption Perceptions Index, where a lower score indicates higher levels of corruption. That puts Mexico on par with Russia and behind countries such as Honduras and Bolivia on perceptions of clean business. Ricardo Alvarado, a researcher with non-profit Mexicans Against Corruption and Impunity, told The Associated Press that Mexico needs an "emblematic" case to send a strong signal to society that the government is serious about stemming corruption. Former Odebrecht officials have given evidence to Brazilian prosecutors implicating Lozoya in the company's bribery scandal. Lozoya has denied receiving bribes, though last week, the government banned Lozoya from holding public positions for 10 years. Altos Hornos, meanwhile, paid $3.7 million in 2014 to a company called Grangemouth, which it said was hired to advise on selection and pricing of equipment and to facilitate purchases of metallurgical coal to produce steel. Grangemouth has been identified as a possible shell company for Odebrecht. In a statement, Altos Hornos de Mexico SA called the freezing of its accounts "without precedent, arbitrary and in violation of every right." The company said it employs more than 20,000 people and has thousands of suppliers. In a separate statement, AHMSA assured creditors that it would make its debt payments. The account freezes may stem from Pemex's decision to purchase fertilizer business Fertinal from AHMSA for $635 million in 2015, when Lozoya headed Pemex. Lopez Obrador has called the fertilizer plant "junk" and said that Pemex overpaid. Now the government must decide whether to put more money into the plant or bring in a private partner. "I would very much like to re-establish fertilizer production, and for us to be self-sufficient," Lopez Obrador said Tuesday during his morning press conference. Americans have long felt the call to go west, but they're also moving south. Between July 2017 and July 2018, more people relocated to counties in the West and South of the United States than moved out, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Overall, suburbs in the South and West welcomed more people than counties in the Midwest and Northeast. Texas is particularly popular. Four counties in the Lone Star State are in the top 10 spots. They include Harris, just outside of Houston; Collin, about 64 kilometers from Dallas; Tarrant, outside of Forth Worth; and Bexar, near San Antonio. Texas state demographer Lloyd Potter says there's a reason newcomers are heading to areas outside the state's core urban counties. "Many jobs are being created in these counties, but there is also affordable and newer housing, and the quality of schools is generally pretty good relative to urban core counties," he told VOA via email. When it comes to domestic migration, most of the Americans moving to Texas are coming from nearby. "According to the American Community Survey (2017), most net domestic migrants move to Texas from California, then Illinois, Louisiana, New York, Mississippi and Pennsylvania," Potter said. Special counsel Robert Mueller reiterated on Wednesday that charging U.S. President Donald Trump with obstruction of justice was not an option his office could consider under Justice Department guidelines. Mueller also announced the closure of his office after concluding in late March a two-year probe into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and whether Trump had obstructed justice. Explaining his decision not to bring formal charges against Trump despite uncovering nearly a dozen potential instances of obstruction of justice, Mueller said he was barred by a long-standing Justice Department legal opinion that says a sitting president cant be indicted. The special counsels office is part of the Department of Justice and, by regulation, it was bound by that department policy, Mueller said in his first public remarks since his appointment more than two years ago. Charging the president with a crime, therefore, was not an option we could consider. WATCH: Mueller on indicting a sitting president The former FBI director was appointed as special counsel in May 2017 after Trump fired then-FBI Director James Comey. Mueller was tasked with investigating any links or coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia, and whether Trump later interfered with the investigation. Speaking from a podium at the Justice Department, Mueller said his decision not to charge Trump was informed in part by the view that the U.S. Constitution provides for a separate process for accusing a sitting president of wrongdoing, an apparent reference to the process of impeaching a president. And beyond department policy, we were guided by principles of fairness, Mueller said. It would be unfair to potentially accuse somebody of a crime when there can be no court resolution of an actual charge. No exoneration However, Mueller said that while there was insufficient evidence to charge Trump with a broader conspiracy during the election, he stressed that his investigation had not exonerated the president of wrongdoing, saying, If we had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said that. WATCH: Mueller Makes First Public Comments on Russia Probe Muellers final statement as special counsel appeared in part intended as a defense of his investigation against renewed criticism from Trump and his Republican allies. Trump continues to deride the investigation as a witch hunt and a waste of money, while Attorney General William Barr has questioned the constitutionality of investigating Trump for obstruction of justice and launched a review to determine whether intelligence agencies engaged in improper spying of the Trump campaign. Mueller rebutted those criticisms by noting that that his investigation had gathered evidence of Russian efforts to interfere in our political system. They needed to be investigated and understood, Mueller said of the Russian election meddling. WATCH: Mueller on returning to private life Because of the paramount importance of the investigation, Mueller said, it was critical for investigators to obtain full and accurate information from every person we questioned. When a subject of an investigation obstructs that investigation or lies to investigators, it strikes at the core of the governments effort to find the truth and hold wrongdoers accountable, he said. In his 448-page confidential report on the investigation, Mueller wrote that he found no evidence of a criminal conspiracy between the Trump presidential campaign and Moscow. As to whether Trump criminally obstructed the investigation, the special counsel wrote that while he could not charge the president, he could not exonerate him either. That left it to the attorney general, who, in a controversial decision made in consultation with senior Justice Department officials, determined that Trump could not be charged with obstruction based on the evidence uncovered by Mueller. Barr said he made the determination irrespective of the Justice Department policy against charging a sitting president, even thoughMueller suggested that it would have been inappropriate to do so. Barrs decision outraged Democrats, who have accused the attorney general of misrepresenting Muellers conclusions and had been pressing for the special counsel to testify before Congress.While not ruling out a congressional appearance, Mueller said, to the disappointment of many Democrats, that he would not go beyond the report if he were to testify. The report is my testimony, he said. I would not provide information beyond that which is already public in any appearance before Congress. In his statement, Mueller sought to play down reported friction with the attorney general over the manner in which the report was released to Congress and the public. Barr initially sent a four-page summary of the reports principal conclusions to Congress, followed by a redacted version of the full report last month.The Democratic-controlled House Judiciary Committee later voted to hold Barr in contempt of Congress for failing to release the full report along with the underlying evidence used to prepare it. Mueller said that while he asked the attorney general to release certain portions of the report to Congress early on, he did not question the attorney generals good faith in deciding to make the entire report public at a later date. In a statement, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said,Mr. Mueller explicitly said that he has nothing to add beyond the report, and therefore, does not plan to testify before Congress. The report was clear there was no collusion, no conspiracy and the Department of Justice confirmed there was no obstruction. Special counsel Mueller also stated that Attorney General Barr acted in good faith in his handling of the report, Sanders said. After two years, the Special Counsel is moving on with his life, and everyone else should do the same. In a tweet after Muellers statement, Trump wrote: Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent.The case is closed! Thank you. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler responded to Muellers remarks, saying, It falls to Congress to respond to the crimes, lies and other wrongdoings of President Trump and we will do so. The story was bizarre, but yet simple and straightforward by all Iranian standards: The former mayor of Tehran killed his second wife, disappeared for about seven hours and finally turned himself in to the police. This was the simple and straightforward part of the sad story of a well-known Iranian politician, MIT educated Mohamad Ali Najafi, 68, who served briefly as Tehran's mayor in 2018 before resigning for "personal reasons" in less than 6 months. His career included posts such as the Minister of Education and vice-president in charge of the Planning and Budget Organization. When he stepped down as mayor of Tehran, it was not clear if it was for his "health problems," as he declared to the media, or if it was under pressure from his political rivals, as the press speculated. However, it was soon revealed that the reason was altogether different. Najafi had taken a second wife, a young woman named Mitra Ostad, and romantic pictures of the couple leaked to social and traditional media, harming Najafi's image and effectively putting an end to his political career. Polygamy is not illegal for men in Iran, who can have as many as four officially wed wives and as many temporary marriages as they can afford. Murder investigation After his resignation as mayor, Najafi disappeared from the public scene until May 28, when the murder took place. Interviews with Najafi at the police station showed him unshaken. Well-dressed, he was seen enjoying tea with the police chief while a state TV reporter emptied Najafi's gun, counted the bullets and explained the murder in dramatic detail. Later videos showed Najafi shaking hands with the police chief and others who were bending before him in full respect. They escorted him out of the office without handcuffs, but wearing his politician's smile. Overnight, the morning papers released updated versions of the story on the internet with more details, some of which contradicted initial reporting. For instance, it became clear the young woman was not killed in the bedroom as was earlier said, but was murdered in the bathroom. Najafi says that he only wanted to scare his wife, but somehow he fired five times and two bullets hit the victim, one ripping through her heart. Some reports say he first shot one bullet at the tiled bathroom wall, but it ricocheted and hit Najafi's leg. However, there is no sign of such an incident, as Najafi walked comfortably and normally past the cameras. Also it is not clear whether Najafi turned himself in, or was arrested near the Iranian Bureau of Investigation, in downtown Tehran. Different reports give varying accounts. Some say Najafi went to Qom to consult with top clerics before turning himself in. The only political reaction came from another former mayor of Tehran, and the leader of the political party to which Najafi belonged the Executives of Construction. Gholamhossein Karbaschi said Najafi should not have been elected mayor in the first place because he was not ready for it. Media coverage However, the most interesting part of the story is the way the media behaved. The state TV's news channel gave extensive coverage to the event, broadcasting live from police headquarters. The news agencies and newspapers' coverage was even more extensive. The papers published impressive pictures and wrote headlines that, as a whole, can be translated as: "We don't know what happened." This is not how major media in Iran, all controlled by one or another state entity, cover scandals or sensational news. Usually, officials say little, give very limited access to media to investigate, and even name individuals in major corruption or murder cases just by the first letters of their names. Some people on social media expressed disbelief that a suspect could be interviewed on camera before prosecutors made an indictment. Social media users were highly active with adrenaline-charged posts that pointed fingers at the intelligence agencies, accusing them of conspiracy while also lashing out at state TV and the press for politically incorrect interviews and lack of fairness. Some social media activists went out of their way to prove there was something suspicious in the story. As investigations are ongoing and the truth is not yet clear, the story, once again, showed that the Iranian public do not trust official accounts about any story, even a family drama. A civil lawsuit brought by the state of Oklahoma against drugmaker Johnson & Johnson went to trial Tuesday over the company's alleged role in the U.S. opioid epidemic. The first-of-its-kind trial, which holds opioid manufacturers responsible for the drug crisis gripping the country, could have a large impact on other states seeking similar compensation. In opening statements, Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter called the prescription opioid epidemic the "worst man-made public health crisis in the history of our state and country." Hunter further characterized Johnson & Johnson as being motivated by greed and having been engaged in "a cynical, deceitful multimillion-dollar brainwashing campaign." Drugmakers named in the lawsuit denied claims made by the state, which is located in the U.S. Great Plains. Two of those companies settled with the state before the trial began. In an opening statement, Larry Ottaway, a Johnson & Johnson defense lawyer, told the court that Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, advertised its drugs in compliance with a Food and Drug Administration consensus that said opioids "only rarely caused addiction." The state of Oklahoma alleges Johnson & Johnson created a surplus of painkillers and is responsible for creating a "public nuisance." "If you have an oversupply, people will die," said Brad Beckworth, a private attorney hired by the state of Oklahoma. In explaining some of the numbers behind the crisis, he told the court there were 135 opioid pills available for every adult in Cleveland County, which has a population of about 280,000. Cleveland County is where the trial is being held. County District Judge Thad Balkman will decide the case, in lieu of a jury. On Sunday, Israel-based Teva Pharmaceuticals Ltd. reached an $85 million settlement with the state. Teva said in a statement, "The settlement does not establish any wrongdoing on the part of the company. Teva has not contributed to the abuse of opioids in Oklahoma in any way." In March, Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, settled with the state for $270 million. Other lawsuits Nationwide, states, cities and tribal governments have brought more than 1,600 lawsuits against drugmakers, seeking compensation for money spent addressing the opioid epidemic. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, there were 388 overdose deaths involving opioids in Oklahoma in 2017, a rate of 10.2 deaths per 100,000 persons. The national rate was 14.6 deaths per 100,000 persons. In his opening statement, Attorney General Hunter said opioid overdoses had killed 4,653 people in the state from 2007 to 2017. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drug overdose deaths involving prescription opioids rose from 3,442 in 1999 to 17,029 in 2017, the latest year for such data. Drug overdose deaths involving any opioid prescription opioids (including methadone), synthetic opioids and heroin rose from 18,515 deaths in 2007 to 47,600 deaths in 2017, according to the CDC. Indian troops fired live rounds during protests at two places in Indian-controlled Kashmir on Wednesday, killing one person and injuring at least 50, police and an eyewitness said. A senior police officer told Reuters a civilian, Sajjad Ahmad Parray, died after Indian troops fired ammunition, including live rounds and metal pellets, in Pinjoora, a village in South Kashmirs Shopian district. "At least 20 including two girls received pellet injuries, some of them in their eyes," added the officer, who asked not to be named. Eyewitness Aijaz Ahmad told Reuters Parray died on the way to hospital after being shot at by troops. The protests came during a gun battle in the village between two militants and Indian troops, the officer said. Muslim-majority Kashmir is the subject of decades of hostility between nuclear rivals India and Pakistan, who have fought two wars over the territory. They came close to a third war earlier this year after a suicide car bomb by a Pakistani militant group killed dozens of Indian police in the region. Many people in Indian-controlled Kashmir resent Indian rule, and often protest in support of separatist militants. The senior officer said that at a second gun battle, also on Wednesday, protesters threw stones at troops to disrupt an operation in Muhammad Pora village in Kulgam district. At least 30 people were hurt, one hit by a bullet and others with pellets. He said that militants trapped at the second site managed to escape from the gun battle. Police and army spokesmen did not respond to requests for comment. In recent weeks, Australia and India have re-elected incumbent prime ministers. These Asia-Pacific countries, who have a difficult relationship with China, are unlikely to make the kind of policy changes that Beijing has been seeking for a long time, analysts said. Australia this month re-elected Prime Minister Scott Morrison stunning pollsters who had anticipated his defeat for several months. India gave a landslide victory to Prime Minister Narendra Modis Bharatiya Janata Party, who campaigned largely on a nationalistic agenda. China wants support from Australia and India on issues like the U.S.-China trade war, the Huawei controversy, South China Sea controversy and the Belt and Road Initiative. The Communist Party in Beijing attaches great importance to obtaining support from democratic countries as a means to enhance Chinas global influence. It has spent huge sums to obtain the support of the relatively poor European countries like Greece in order to expand the Chinese footprint. But Australia and India are unlikely to support China on many of the issues that are core to Beijings foreign policy. But there may be some exceptions. India has invited Huawei to start trials of its 5G telecommunications network while Australia has blocked it. Australia was the first country to reject Huaweis 5G technology and it is very hard to see how it is going to revisit the decision, said Richard McGroger, senior fellow at Lowy Institute in Sydney. Chinas official media expressed dissatisfaction over a statement by Morrison describing China as a customer of Australia and the United States as a friend. He made a clear distinction between the two countries when he said, "China is an incredibly important country for Australia's future. Our relationship with China is of course different to our relationship with the United States," he said during the elections. McGregor said there was no reason to be upset over the remarks. I think it was not a good choice of words. I am sure the Prime Minister did not intend to send any kind of wrong signal and I doubt very much he will be describing China that way again, he said. Beijing may have preferred a change of government in Australia which would revisit some of the decisions taken by the coalition under Morrison earlier. But Morrison is back as Prime Minister and he is unlikely to review past decisions. Besides, Australia has its own domestic reasons to support the United States on issues like opposing Chinas military build up in the South China Sea. Of course, Australia is worried about the Chinese bases in the South China Sea, since most Australian trade passes through those waters, he said. China-India relations In his congratulatory message to Indias re-elected prime minister, Chinese President Xi Jinping called on Modi to continue joint efforts with China in promoting multi-polarization and economic globalization as well as upholding multilateralism. Analysts see this statement as a sign that Xi wants India to join in a broad coalition against the dominating influence of the United States. Xis choice of words is significant because they come ahead of the meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Kyrgyz Republic capital, Bishkek, on June 13-14. He will meet Modi along with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and heads of central Asian countries. China will once again push forward its agenda for opposing U.S. trade policies. As the re-elected government settles down in New Delhi after a stormy election, envoys from India and China are making swift preparations for a series of exchanges between the leaders. A meeting of foreign ministers will happen soon. Modi is inviting Xi to his election constituency and pilgrimage city of Varanasi in northern India for an informal summit in September. The first Mar-a-Lago style informal summit took place with the two leaders meeting each other without aides took place in the Chinese city of Wuhan last year. The idea is for the two leaders to understand each other, see issues from a larger canvass and give strategic guidance to their ministers on enhancing India-China relations. The Wuhan summit took place one year after India and China were engaged in a 72-day long border spat at a place called Doklam near the Bhutan border. There will be some serious effort to improve relationship. I think they will also look at the possibility of finding an early solution to the border dispute between the two countries, said Phunchok Stobdan, former Indian diplomat and strategic expert. They might also discuss the Dalai Lama issue, he said. The Tibetan leader fled China and came to India in 1959. He has since been demanding greater autonomy for Tibetan speaking people in China while Chinese leaders describe him as a separatist and splittist element who is instigating a section of Tibetans to break up from China. Modi will also be careful about allowing implementation of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative because it can be an emotional issue, more so because the Indian public regards Beijing as Pakistans biggest ally and protection. Modi and his party fought the election speaking against what he regards as Pakistan based terrorists causing mayhem in India. An important issue on Xis mind is to garner support from different countries against Washingtons aggressive trade actions, which has also affected India and other countries. An important question is whether he will manage to persuade Modi to come out openly against the trade war. India usually tries to stay middle of the road instead of choosing between the U.S. and China. It is unlikely to come out strongly against U.S. trade actions, Stobdan said. India cancelled oil shipments from Iran under pressure from Washington, incurring huge losses. But it is likely to go back to the earlier practice of importing Iranian oil despite U.S. sanctions, Stobdan said. India is ready to make exceptions when it comes to its long-term a relationship with Iran and Russia. Everyones watching if India would regard its relationship with China at the same level, he said. Activists from a local rights movement are demanding Pakistan's military vacate the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan as calls grow to investigate an incident in which several members of the group died in a skirmish with the military Sunday. Pakistan's military claims the clash started when members of Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) attacked its check post on their way to a protest rally over alleged military abuses. PTM leaders deny the accusation, however, instead claiming the military fired on peaceful protesters. Several cellphone videos of the incident circulating on social media seem to show that the protesters were unarmed. VOA could not independently verify any of the videos. Mohsin Dawar, a leader of the movement who is also an elected member of Pakistan's national legislature, is leading a sit-in in Miranshah, the administrative headquarters of North Waziristan, an area formerly known for being a militant safe haven. Dawar spoke to BBC via satellite phone because cellphone service in the area has been suspended. He said authorities were trying to prevent PTM supporters from elsewhere from reaching the protest site. The activist group, however, plans to continue the sit-in until their demands are met, he added. He told BBC that one of the group's main demands is for the army to vacate the Waziristan area. The military entered the North Waziristan area in 2014 as part of an operation to clear out militant safe havens, and said it is trying to solidify hard-earned gains against terrorism. Various human rights groups, however, are demanding an independent inquiry into Sunday's incident. "If the reports are correct that the army killed protestors by unlawfully using live ammunition, this would be a very serious violation of international law," Rabia Mehmood, South Asia Researcher at Amnesty International, said in a statement. The region is under curfew, with access to the area severely restricted, making it difficult for international media or other monitoring groups to assess the situation. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, an independent body, has expressed "alarm" at the military's alleged use of force, stating this might drive a permanent wedge between the state and the people of the area. "There must be a serious attempt to genuinely address the grievances of the local population, which the PTM has been articulating peacefully for well over a year," an HRCP statement said. Pakistan Bar Council, a body representing lawyers qualified to appear in the Supreme Court, in a statement expressed "great concern" over the PTM incident and urged the government to "take all the stakeholders on board immediately." While the ruling political party Pakistan Tehreek e Insaaf (PTI) is supporting the military's version of events, many of the country's opposition parties are backing PTM and demanding a probe into the incident. Several political leaders have urged the government to enter into a political dialogue with PTM rather than dealing with this issue with force. PTM, a self-declared nonviolent movement, gained popularity last year after running a campaign to bring to justice a police officer accused of extrajudicially killing a Pashtun man. It also has become a strong critic of Pakistan's military and has openly accused the institution of human rights violations in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas during counterterrorism operations. The FATA area for years had been the center of conflict between the security forces and Taliban militants. The military has in turn accused PTM of receiving funding from hostile intelligence agencies of India and Afghanistan and promoting an anti-Pakistan agenda, a charge PTM denies. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said last month that PTM's grievances were justified, but the manner in which they incited the population against the military was not good for the country. International and domestic watchdogs are denouncing the arrest in Pakistan of a journalist for reporting on demonstrations of activists linked to a local ethnic Pashtun rights movement. Gohar Wazir, who works for private Satellite TV station Khyber News and runs his personal YouTube channel as well, was taken into custody by security forces along with 21 other people earlier this week on charges of disturbing public order. The rest of the detainees are activists of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM). The U.S.-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has cautioned restrictions on local media would only serve to undermine the strength of Pakistans democracy and demanded the reporter be unconditionally released. Gohar Wazir should not have to face arrest merely for doing the job of reporting the news, even reporting on controversial events such as protests by the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement," said Steven Butler, CPJ Asia program coordinator. Local rights defenders also have called for Wazirs release. The recently formed Pakhtun Journalists Association has condemned the reporters detention as an "attack on journalism. CPJ noted in its statement that although the killing of journalists has declined in Pakistan in recent years, the rights defender has documented a rising trend of censorship owing to pressure from the military. The arrests stemmed from Sundays skirmishes between Pakistani troops and PTM members in the volatile North Waziristan district near the Afghan border, killing several activists and wounding many more. The militarys media wing claimed PTM demonstrators on their way to a rally attacked a security checkpoint. PTM leaders deny the accusations, however, instead claiming troops fired on peaceful protesters who are agitating against alleged military abuses in the district headquarters of Miranshah. It was not possible to independently verify either claims because the area is currently under curfew and journalists are not allowed to freely travel there. Wazir interviewed Mohsin Dawar, a central PTM leader who is also an elected member of Pakistan's national legislature, and released it Monday through his YouTube channel before he was rounded up by security officials from his native northwestern city of Bannu. Dawar was leading Sundays rally and managed to escape the arrest but has since spoken to foreign media as well as some local journalists from his hiding place. In his interview, the PTM leader, has called for investigating the deadly incident and also made a controversial demand for Pakistans military to withdraw from the Waziristan district. The remote Pakistani region had long been beyond the control of the government and condemned by the United States as the epicentre of international terrorism. Under persistent U.S. pressure, Pakistani troops undertook a major ground and air offensive in 2014, dismantling terrorism infrastructure that was blamed for orchestrating deadly attacks inside the country and across the border in Afghanistan. The security operations also rid adjoining areas of militant networks. Pakistani officials say the counter-militancy offensives were conducted to secure the volatile border in support of the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan. Retaliatory militant attacks around the country have killed tens of thousands of Pakistanis, including members of security forces. Pakistani authorities say a military-led construction effort is currently underway to install a robust fence and new outposts on the nearly 2,600 kilometer traditionally porous border to consolidate hard-earned security gains and deter illegal movements in either direction. PTM accuses security forces deployed in the boarder region of committing human rights abuses. The movement says it is seeking justice, an end to enforced disappearances, and removal of all checkpoints as well as landmines from the Waziristan territory. For their part, military officials deny allegations of rights abuses as unfounded, and say security posts in the Waziristan region are being gradually reduced to ease hardships facing local population. But the state is determined not to ease military pressure in the rugged mountain border area, warning it would allow fugitive militants sheltering in Afghan border regions to return to their old strongholds. A Sudanese rebel leader has returned home despite a 2014 death sentence given in abstentia, saying he will stay even though Sudan's military junta has asked him to leave. Yasir Arman told VOA's South Sudan in Focus that he is in Sudan to help resolve the ongoing standoff over who should lead Sudan's transitional government for the next three years. Arman, deputy chairman of a faction of the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N), flew into Khartoum on Saturday after more than 20 years of living in Kenya or in Sudan's restive Blue Nile state and Nuba Mountains area, on the border with South Sudan. He said the ruling military junta sent him a message Tuesday ordering him to leave, but Arman said he intends to stay, as Sudan is his country. "This voice for peace and for political settlement is not being heard by the [transitional] military council. That is regrettable because we need this new development in Sudan to take us into a comprehensive peaceful settlement," he said. Threats from junta Arman first took up arms against Sudan's government in 1986 with the rebels of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement, under the late John Garang. After South Sudan won independence in 2011, he became involved in the rebellion against then-President Omar al-Bashir in Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan states. Arman and fellow SPLM-N leader Malik Agar were sentenced to death in absentia in March 2014 by a Sudanese court in Sanjia, Sennar state, for their role in the Blue Nile rebellion. However, Arman is not taking the death sentence seriously. "I am not scared because that was a political scheme," Arman told VOA. "General Bashir started the war. He removed an elected governor in Blue Nile [state] and he killed the people of the Nuba Mountains and in Blue Nile and we were defending those people.'' The junta has made no public comment on the return of Arman or other SPLM-N leaders. Arman says that since his return, he has met with leaders of several opposition groups. VOA Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb contributed to this report. Leading U.S. defense and security officials warn Iran was getting ready to unleash a wave of attacks across the Middle East targeting the United States and its allies when the decision was made to send more troops to the region. Speaking separately, the acting secretary of defense and the country's top-ranking general Wednesday defended intelligence reports suggesting Tehran had planned to raise the stakes in the already volatile region. 'High confidence' in reports "We get intelligence consistently that speaks to the threats in the region. This was an anomaly," acting Defense Secretary Pat Shanahan told reporters, while en route to Jakarta. "I have very high confidence in the reporting," he added. In Washington, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford likewise confirmed the intelligence that prompted the military to send reinforcements to the region was "qualitatively different." "We saw something that looked more like a campaign," he said. "What is new was a pattern of threat streams that extended from Yemen, threats in the Gulf and threats in Iraq." Dunford cited attacks on oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, drone strikes and rocket attacks "in the proximity" of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad as part of the Iranian campaign. Also Wednesday, during a visit to Abu Dhabi to discuss security matters, White House national security adviser John Bolton said Iran was "almost certainly" responsible for the mine attacks off the UAE coast. Iran Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi rejected Bolton's accusation as "ridiculous." U.S. deployment Earlier this month, the United States rushed the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group, including fighter jets, helicopters, naval destroyers and about 6,000 sailors, and deployed a bomber task force to the region in response to the increased threat. Last week, defense officials announced they were sending 900 more troops to the region while extending the deployment of another 600 troops, part of a Patriot missile defense battery. Tensions between Iran and the United States have escalated since President Donald Trump announced his decision to try to eliminate Iran's oil exports to pressure the Iranian government to alter its aggression in the Middle East. In response, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accused top U.S. officials of "warmongering" and said the Trump administration's reimposition of sanctions against Iran amounted to "economic terrorism." But Shanahan, who said Wednesday that the additional U.S. forces were being sent to Saudi Arabia and Qatar, rejected the Iranian accusations. "Nobody wants a war," he said. "When the president says he doesn't want a war with Iran, I think that's pretty clear." U.S. defense officials also said Tehran was told in advance that the U.S. moves were not designed to increase its offensive capabilities but merely to protect forces already in the region. Open to talks Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told a Cabinet meeting Wednesday that the "road is not closed" to negotiations with the United States if it returns to the 2015 international nuclear deal that Trump abrogated. The pact was aimed at curbing Tehran's nuclear weapons development while lifting economic sanctions on Tehran. "The road is not closed for them, whenever they put aside their cruel sanctions and return to the negotiation table that they left," Rouhani said. This article originated in VOAs Persian Service. Nike Ching contributed from the State Department. The Trump administration has expressed concern about reports that Iranian authorities have made progress in developing a domestic intranet and firewall system to shield Iran from the global internet. In a written response to VOA Persian questions, a State Department spokesperson said its concern centered on new measures in Iran to create a so-called National Information Network and repress internet freedom through draconian surveillance. Countries that take such desperate actions prove to the world that they are afraid of their own people, the State Department said in its May 23 statement. Recent Iranian state media reports have cited officials as saying Irans yearslong development of the intranet and firewall system that it calls the National Information Network (NIN) is 80% complete. The reports described the NIN as an ongoing project to develop a secure and stable infrastructure network in Iran. Officials have said the NIN will protect Iran from cyberattacks and enable Iranians to access high-speed, low-cost and Islamic-friendly content through an intranet isolated from the rest of the online world. Irans state-approved Financial Tribune newspaper has said the NIN comprises several projects, including the expansion of the local fiber-optic network, installation of Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) and giving a boost to Content Delivery Networks (CDNs). The first mention of Irans NIN being 80% complete came in reported remarks by Irans Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution (SCCR) Secretary Saied Reza Ameli to a May 19 ceremony marking World Telecommunication Day. SCCR is a policymaking body that has an influential role in shaping internet governance in Iran in accordance with Islamist principles. Irans Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi also cited the figure in a tweet on Sunday, saying 80% of Irans tasks in relation to the NIN have been completed. The two officials statements did not explain what those tasks involved. But some of the recent state media reports said Iran has connected 80% of its rural population to the NIN. Former U.S. National Intelligence Manager for Iran Norman Roule, in a recent VOA Persian phone interview, said Iran has been developing the NIN since 2006 with several goals in mind. By 2006, the Iranian regime saw that the internet meant a vast amount of foreign culture coming into the country. It also allowed opposition elements to freely interact and promulgate their ideas among the Iranian people. And this was intolerable, Roule said. The NIN allows Iran to monitor what its people are looking at and make progress in turning off the virtual private networks (VPNs) they have used to get around censorship of foreign websites. So in essence, this is about stifling opposition. Iranians have used VPNs to access foreign websites and social media sites that their government has blocked in recent years. In a speech Sunday reported by state news agency ISNA, Iranian Brigadier-General Golamreza Jalali of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said Tehran will tighten blockages of foreign social media sites if recent U.S.-Iranian tensions escalate into a war, in order to stop the U.S. government from using them to influence Iranian public opinion. In his May 19 speech, SCCR Secretary Ameli said Irans investment in the NIN has amounted to 120 trillion rials in government funds and 70 trillion rials in private sector funds, or $2.85 billion and $1.66 billion, respectively, according to Irans official exchange rate. There is an economic benefit to the NIN, too, because it creates an Iranian cyber industry, Roule said. He said the only apps and software permitted in the NIN are those created within Iran, which he described as one of the foremost producers of engineers in the world. But Roule said the exclusion of foreign technology from the NIN also could have a negative impact on Irans job market. It may well contribute to the brain drain that Iran is seeing, because their best engineers want to work with the best technologies being developed across the region, and they simply will not be in Iran," he added. Iranian ICT Minister Azari Jahromi, who appeared at the same May 19 event as Ameli, used the event to highlight the NINs role in protecting Iranian industry from external cyberthreats, such as the Stuxnet computer worm, which damaged Tehrans nuclear enrichment facilities in 2010. State media said Azari Jahromi announced that Iran has installed the NINs firewall on industrial control systems manufactured by German conglomerate Siemens and will soon do the same for industrial control systems made by other brands. Industrial control systems are used to operate and automate industrial processes. Siemens website says it has contributed to key infrastructure projects in Iran for almost 150 years. A Germany-based Siemens spokesman declined to comment to VOA Persian on Irans assertion that Siemens equipment has been incorporated into the NIN. It is not imprudent that in time of a conflict you would want to maintain infrastructure if you were under international cyberattack, Roule said. The NIN has advantages in terms of cyber protection, but by isolating itself from the world, Iran is relying on decades-old cyber technologies that are increasingly creaky. The retired, 34-year veteran of the CIA said it would be a challenge for Iran to bring those dated technologies into the NIN. I suspect that they probably have a lot more problems than they are willing to admit, he said. In its statement to VOA Persian, the State Department said it will continue to work with technology companies and the U.S. Treasury Department to support the free flow of information in Iran. A total of six American troops have been identified so far from 55 boxes of human remains that North Korea turned over last year, the U.S. military said on Tuesday. Lieutenant Colonel Ken Hoffman, a spokesman for the U.S. Defense POW/MIA Account Agency (DPAA), said four families have been notified of the remains, while two other families are awaiting notification. The remains were returned to the U.S. by North Korea after a summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore in June 2018. The two leaders had signed an agreement allowing for recovery of the remains of U.S. soldiers from the 1950-53 Korean War. However, after a second summit between Trump and Kim in Hanoi in February ended with no agreement, the military said earlier this month it had suspended efforts with North Korea to recover U.S. soldiers' remains. The DPAA, based in Hawaii, recovers U.S. soldiers' remains from around the world. Military officials say about 5,300 American troops are believed lost in what is now North Korea. A senior U.S. official said Wednesday that Washington does not believe Russia will allow an all-out military offensive on the Syrian province of Idlib, which has been under Syrian government assault for the past month. "Our conversations with the Russians have not indicated that the Russians are ready to support a full-scale offensive into Idlib," U.S. Special Representative for Syria James Jeffrey told reporters. "They tell us that this is only a limited set of military operations against specific terrorists." Jeffrey, who was in New York for a closed-door U.N. Security Council meeting on the political situation in Syria, said Washington's main concern is not the terrorists, but the civilians who are affected by the violence. More than three million people live in Idlib, many of them displaced from other parts of the country. In September, a deal was struck with the assistance of Russia and Turkey to make the area a "de-escalation" zone, but in the past month, President Bashar al-Assad, with military support from Russia, has intensified ground and air attacks on the region. The United Nations said this week that more than 160 civilians have been killed and 270,000 displaced in the escalation. Idlib is largely controlled by Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS) formerly the al-Qaida affiliate Jubhat al-Nusra. The U.N. has warned for months that a full-scale military operation to root out the terrorists risks triggering a major humanitarian catastrophe. "Too many people have been killed already and we need, obviously, an end to the fighting that is going on," said U.N. Syria Envoy Geir Pedersen. He acknowledged that HTS is dominating most of Idlib, but fighting the group, he said must be done with respect for international humanitarian law which means protecting civilians. The United Nations said earlier this month that 17 schools had been damaged or destroyed and at least 18 health facilities hit with aerial bombs, shelling or other fighting in recent weeks. Only the Syrian government and the Russians have air assets in that part of Syria. Russia's deputy foreign minister denied his government is striking these facilities. "We do not bomb hospitals," deputy foreign minister Sergey Vershinin told reporters. "We can tell you that what we do is smart, concrete and targeted operations against terrorists that are in control of [the] Idlib de-escalation zone." Tornadoes damaged homes and knocked down trees and power lines Tuesday in the U.S. state of Kansas in the latest round of severe weather that has repeatedly battered the central part of the country since last week. The tornado activity just west of Kansas City injured at least 12 people, while severe storms sparked warnings as far east as New York. Residents of the Midwestern states of Ohio and Indiana spent Tuesday sifting through the ravages of a series of powerful tornadoes that killed at least one person, injured more than 130 others and destroyed homes, schools and business. Two of the devastating twisters struck the Dayton, Ohio, suburbs of Beavercreek and Trotwood, while a third touched down 128 kilometers northwest in Celina, Ohio. The National Weather Service classified all three as EF3s on the Enhanced Fujita scale, meaning they packed estimated wind speeds of between 218266 kilometers per hour and were capable of severe damage. At least a dozen communities suffered damage late Monday and early Tuesday as storms raced through the area. The National Weather Service (NWS) said as many as 55 tornadoes may have touched down late Monday into Tuesday across eight states stretching eastward from Idaho and Colorado. Storm reports posted online by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Storm Prediction Center said 14 suspected tornadoes touched down in Indiana, 12 in Colorado and nine in Ohio. Seven were reported in Iowa, five in Nebraska, four in Illinois, three in Minnesota, and one in Idaho. The storms tore roofs off homes, toppled trees, downed power lines and created so much debris that cleanup crews had to use a snowplow to clear one highway in Ohio. According to NWS, Tuesday was the 12th consecutive day where multiple tornadoes were reported in the United States. While the high number of twisters is not unusual, they are usually not as widespread. As the stormy weather plagued the central U.S., several cities in the South experienced record-shattering high temperatures. Over the weekend, Augusta, Georgia, tied a 141-year-old record high, as the temperature soared to 98 degrees Fahrenheit. Savannah, Georgia, tied the record for the earliest occurrence of triple-digit heat in the city, and Charleston, South Carolina, and Wilmington, North Carolina, reached 100 for the first time ever in May. Meteorologists predict the scorching trend will continue, and high temperature records will be set in cities from Louisiana to Virginia. Also breaking records was flooding along the Mississippi River in eight states. NWS said the flooding is the longest-lasting since the "Great Flood" of 1927. The river has remained above flood stage since February 17, while in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, it has remained there since early January. By contrast, instead of sunshine and warmth, California has been hit by a rare late May snowstorm, bringing record low temperatures. In the mountains of Northern and Southern California, surprise snowfalls have extended the ski season. Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort announced plans to stay open into August. The Holy Sees communications office corrected comments by Pope Francis, made in response to a reporter asking whether he had knowledge of disgraced U.S. Cardinal Theodore McCarrick's sexual activities prior to an investigation. The Vaticans communications coordinator said the discrepancy was caused by the quick turnaround in translating a long interview in Spanish granted by the pope to a Mexican journalist. It is not the first time translation issues in papal comments have given rise to doubts about the true meaning of the popes words. Until now, Pope Francis has never been completely clear on whether he was or was not personally aware that former Washington Archbishop Theodore McCarrick sexually abused minors and adult seminarians until a Church investigation was carried out, which led to the popes decision to defrock the cardinal in February this year. A retired Vatican ambassador to the United States, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, has claimed for some time that he told Pope Francis about McCarricks behavior in a private audience in June 2013. Last week, a Mexican journalist interviewed the pope and asked Francis straight out whether he had knowledge of McCarricks sexual activities before the investigation, which many say was an open secret in the Church. The response given by the pope was initially made available in an Italian translation of the original Spanish interview but it was incomplete. An Associated Press journalist noticed and asked about the omission. The first version in Italian stated Francis responded by saying he knew absolutely nothing about McCarrick. In reality, Pope Francis full response also included that he did not remember whether Vigano had spoken to him about the archbishop of Washington. The text of the interview in Italian was immediately amended and the Vaticans communications coordinator Andrea Tornielli declared the discrepancy was caused by the quick turnaround in translation of the full Spanish text of the interview. In the past there have been other incidents at the Vatican where communication regarding papal comments have been unclear. Last year the Vatican communications office published a partial quote by Pope Benedict in a letter that completely misrepresented its meaning, leading to the resignation of the head of the communications office. Others have argued that Pope Francis' famous comment on gays who am I to judge, made aboard a plane, was taken out of context and misinterpreted due to the fact the full transcript only appeared in Italian. The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. Zimbabwes disused mines continue to be a death trap for desperate illegal miners in search of the precious minerals to earn a living. Columbus Mavhunga travelled to Matopo a gold rich area about 500 kilometers south of Harare, where mining continues despite some having been trapped this month. San Francisco, California recently became the first U.S. city to ban police and other city agencies from using facial recognition technology. The city is not alone. More people are growing wary of the powerful tech, at the same time that others are embracing it. Deana Mitchell reports. No media source currently available The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. U.S. President Donald Trump says he is not personally bothered by North Koreas recent short-range ballistic missile tests, suggesting it doesn't matter whether those launches violated United Nations Security Council resolutions. VOAs Bill Gallo reports. President Peter Mutharika was sworn in for a second term Tuesday after beating six other candidates in the tightly contested presidential election. There was jubilation and ululation from hundreds of people who trooped to Kamuzu Stadium, in Blantyre, to witness Mutharika and his vice president Everton Chimulirenji taking the oath from Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda. "I Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, do solemnly swear that I will well and truly perform, the functions of high office as president, Mutharika said. Mutharika, the leader of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), narrowly won the May 21 presidential election. The incumbent leader got 38.57% while his opponent, Lazarus Chakwera, leader of opposition Malawi Congress Party trailed with 35.41%. Vice President Saulos Chilima of the opposition United Transformation Movement Party came third with 20.24%. In his short acceptance speech Mutharika asked political leaders who contested the May elections to move forward. "I also want to thank leaders of various political parties who competed with me in this election, Mutharika said. Most of them have accepted that there is only one winner at a time. So, it's now time to move on. The election is over; there is a time to fight, there is a time to unite." A local radio station reported Tuesday that police dispersed Malawi Congress Party supporters who protested the official results. However, the party, which originally demanded a recount, has no further plans to challenge the vote tally. The leader of the United Democratic Front, Atupele Muluzi, finished fourth in the presidential race. Muluzi told state media Tuesday that he is looking forward to Mutharika's leadership in the next five years. "I hope that his government will be able to continue to make sure that he stabilizes the economy and provide quick wins especially jobs for young people and re-unify our beautiful country following such a challenging election, Muluzi said. Some Mutharika supporters said although the president has performed well in the past five years, they expect even more. Jane Chiwamba is one of the Mutharika supporters. She said she would like to see more rural technical colleges which Mutharika administration started establishing in rural areas, because these, Chiwamba said, will help empower youths to be self-reliant citizens. The official inauguration ceremony for Mutharika is scheduled for Friday. Special counsel Robert Mueller reiterated Wednesday that charging U.S. President Donald Trump with obstruction of justice was not an option his office could consider under Justice Department guidelines. Mueller also announced the closure of his office after concluding in late March a two-year probe into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and whether Trump had obstructed justice. Explaining his decision not to bring formal charges against Trump despite uncovering nearly a dozen instances of possible obstruction of justice, Mueller said he was barred by a long-standing Justice Department legal opinion that says a sitting president can't be indicted. "The special counsel's office is part of the Department of Justice and, by regulation, it was bound by that department policy," Mueller said in his first public remarks since his appointment more than two years ago. "Charging the president with a crime, therefore, was not an option we could consider." WATCH: Mueller on indicting a sitting president The former FBI director was appointed as special counsel in May 2017 after Trump fired then-FBI Director James Comey. Mueller was tasked with investigating any links or coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia, and whether Trump later interfered with the investigation. Speaking from a podium at the Justice Department, Mueller said his decision not to charge Trump was informed in part by the view that the U.S. Constitution provides for a separate process for accusing a sitting president of wrongdoing, an apparent reference to the constitutional process of impeaching and removing a president. "And beyond department policy, we were guided by principles of fairness," Mueller said. "It would be unfair to potentially accuse somebody of a crime when there can be no court resolution of an actual charge." No exoneration However, Mueller said that while there was "insufficient evidence" to charge Trump with a "broader conspiracy" during the election, he stressed that his investigation had not exonerated the president of wrongdoing, saying "if we had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said that." Mueller's final statement as special counsel appeared in part intended as a defense of his investigation against renewed criticism from Trump and his Republican allies. Trump continues to deride the investigation as a "witch hunt" and a waste of money, while Attorney General William Barr has questioned the constitutionality of investigating Trump for obstruction of justice and launched a review to determine whether intelligence agencies engaged in improper "spying" of the Trump campaign. Mueller rebutted those criticisms by noting that his investigation had gathered evidence of Russian efforts to "interfere in our political system." "They needed to be investigated and understood," Mueller said of the Russian election meddling. WATCH: Mueller on returning to private life Because of the "paramount importance" of the investigation, Mueller said, it was critical for investigators to "obtain full and accurate information from every person we questioned." "When a subject of an investigation obstructs that investigation or lies to investigators, it strikes at the core of the government's effort to find the truth and hold wrongdoers accountable," he said. In his 448-page confidential report on the investigation, Mueller wrote that he'd found insufficient evidence of a criminal conspiracy between the Trump presidential campaign and Moscow. As to whether Trump criminally obstructed the investigation, the special counsel wrote that while he could not charge the president, he could not exonerate him either. That left it to the attorney general, who, in a controversial decision made in consultation with senior Justice Department officials, determined that Trump could not be charged with obstruction based on the evidence uncovered by Mueller. Barr said he made the determination irrespective of the Justice Department policy against charging a sitting president, even though Mueller suggested that it would have been inappropriate to do so. Barr's decision outraged Democrats, who have accused the attorney general of misrepresenting Mueller's conclusions and had been pressing for the special counsel to testify before Congress. While not ruling out a congressional appearance, Mueller said, to the disappointment of many Democrats, that he would not go beyond the report if he were to testify. "The report is my testimony," he said. "I would not provide information beyond that which is already public in any appearance before Congress." In his statement, Mueller sought to play down reported friction with the attorney general over the manner in which the report was released to Congress and the public. Barr initially sent a four-page summary of the report's principal conclusions to Congress, followed by a redacted version of the full report last month. The Democratic-controlled House Judiciary Committee later voted to hold Barr in contempt of Congress for failing to release the full report along with the underlying evidence used to prepare it. Mueller said that while he asked the attorney general to release "certain portions of the report" to Congress early on, he did "not question the attorney general's good faith" in deciding to make the entire report public at a later date. In a statement, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said, "Mr. Mueller explicitly said that he has nothing to add beyond the report, and therefore, does not plan to testify before Congress." "The report was clear there was no collusion, no conspiracy and the Department of Justice confirmed there was no obstruction. Special counsel Mueller also stated that Attorney General Barr acted in good faith in his handling of the report," Sanders said. "After two years, the special counsel is moving on with his life, and everyone else should do the same." In a tweet after Mueller's statement, Trump wrote: "Nothing changes from the Mueller Report. There was insufficient evidence and therefore, in our Country, a person is innocent. The case is closed! Thank you." House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., responded to Mueller's remarks, saying, "It falls to Congress to respond to the crimes, lies and other wrongdoings of President Trump and we will do so." Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari began his second term as head of Africa's most populous nation on Wednesday, facing heightened pressure to defeat Islamic extremism and boost the oil-dependent economy amid concerns over his health. The 76-year-old former military dictator read the oath of office from a card as he stood beside his wife, wearing a traditional white robe and sunglasses. He did not make a speech. Governors also were sworn in across the West African nation, though the ceremony was canceled in Buhari's home state of Katsina in the north because of security concerns. Buhari won the February election despite serious questions about his health, having spent more than 150 days outside the country for unspecified medical treatment during his first term. Along with a 25 percent unemployment rate and widespread poverty, Nigeria continues to confront a multitude of security threats that loom over Buhari's second term. A new extremist faction pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group has made a deadly resurgence in recent months, overrunning military bases in the northeast and raising questions about how much support Nigeria's troops receive from the government. The decade-old Boko Haram insurgency also remains a threat. Deadly clashes between largely Christian farmers and largely Muslim herders over increasingly scarce land also have wracked central Nigeria. Buhari has faced particularly sharp criticism over the crisis, as many Nigerians worry that he sympathizes with the herders as a fellow ethnic Fulani from the north. The United States says Zimbabwe should stop harassing civil society leaders amid calls for President Emmerson Mnangagwas government to free all citizens arrested in the past few days following reports of planned streets protests over the deteriorating economic situation in the southern African nation. In a tweet Wednesday, the U.S Embassy in Harare said, Harassment and targeted arrests of civil society leaders damages Zimbabwes reputation and economic future. We call on the Zimbabwean government to uphold its constitution, respect rule of law, and foster an environment where all can contribute to the nations progress. All citizens and their civic leaders, political parties, or civil society organizations have the constitutional right to peaceful assembly and association. All have important roles to play in contributing to Zimbabwes future and must be given the space and freedom to do so. Police arrested Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) lawmaker Joanna Mamombe on Wednesday and charged her with violating some sections of the Electoral Act. According to party spokesperson, Jacoba Mafume, Mamombe allegedly provided a false address to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission before the 2018 general elections. Mamombe, who was granted bail, is currently facing treason charges emanating from violent protests over fuel price increases announced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in January this year. Prosecutors claim that she was planning to overthrow the government. Her arrest follows the recent crackdown on civic society leaders who were picked up by state security agents at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport for planning to overthrow Mnangagwas government. At the same time, Amnesty International has condemned the arrest on Monday of civic society leaders Stabile Dewah and Rita Nyamupinga and five others currently charged with attempting to overthrow the Zimbabwean government. In a statement, Muleya Mwananyanda, Amnesty Internationals Deputy Director for Southern Africa, said, The first five human rights defenders arrested are facing trumped up charges for exercising their human rights. They should be released immediately and unconditionally. The charges against them fit into a much wider pattern of repression we have documented in Zimbabwe. George Makoni, Tatenda Mombeyarara, Gamuchirai Mukura, Nyasha Mpahlo and Farirai Gumbonzvanda have been accused of plotting to overthrow President Emmerson Mnangagwas government. The two activists arrested Wednesday are also likely to be charged with subverting a constitutional government. Since Januarys protests we have witnessed a mounting crackdown on human rights defenders and activists. Lawyers, journalists and even medical doctors have not been spared. Zimbabwes authorities have declared anyone who exercises their right to freedom expression and association an enemy of the state. This witch-hunt must stop, said Muleya Mwananyanda. The activists, who were arrested at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, have been accused of attending a workshop organised by a Serbian non-governmental organization in the Maldives called the Centre for Applied Non-Violent Action and Strategies (CANVAS). They were formally charged with plotting to overthrow President Emmerson Mnangagwas government on May 21 and remanded in Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison. Police confiscated their laptops and mobile phones, which were reportedly handed over to the Postal and Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe for extraction of evidence. The evidence, including some notes recorded during the meeting, will be produced in court as evidence against the activists. Zimbabwean authorities must stop using trumped-up charges to intimidate and harass human rights defenders and civil society leaders. The rights to freedom of expression and association are not just nice to have constitutional requirements; they are legal human rights that all Zimbabweans must live and enjoy every day, said Muleya Mwananyanda. [ST. PAUL, MN] Often times the multitude of bills being signed into law at the state capitol get lost in the wake of politics. As of last Friday Governor Tim Walz signed twenty-six bills into law this past week. Chapter 40, S.F. 1100: This bill empowers the Prairie Island Indian Community to exercise concurrent state law enforcement jurisdictional authority. Chapter 41, S.F. 328: This bill removes two restrictions placed on a hospital bed moratorium exception granted to Ridgeview Medical Center in Carver County. Chapter 42, H.F. 148: This bill permits community emergency medical technicians to be members of basic life support ambulance services. Chapter 43, H.F. 873: This bill repeals state protections against the unauthorized use of the word Portorama. Chapter 44, H.F. 892: This bill modifies pharmacy licensure requirements to allow manufacturers and distributors of dialysate or devices to perform home peritoneal dialysis on patients with end-stage renal disease. Chapter 45, H.F. 51: This bill allows homeowners to legally discharge restrictive covenants affecting protected classes from their property title. Chapter 46, S.F. 2081: This bill modifies the requirements for facility or organization participation in the volunteer health care provider program. Chapter 47, H.F. 359: This bill further prohibits the use of flame-retardant chemicals in certain household products and bans the use of certain firefighting foams. Chapter 48, H.F. 2097: This bill modifies the qualification requirements for the Hennepin County library director. Chapter 49, H.F. 637: This bill updates the provisions governing background checks conducted by health-related licensing boards and procedures related to temporary suspensions. Chapter 50, H.F. 1065: Revisors Bill; this bill makes miscellaneous corrections to existing laws and statutes and removes redundant, conflicting, and superseded provisions. Chapter 51, H.F. 2697: This bill settles claims against the state as related to the Department of Corrections and appropriates money. Chapter 52, H.F. 1262: This bill modifies provisions related to the Board of Marriage and Family Therapy. Chapter 53, H.F. 129: This bill requires compensation and expense reimbursement for public members of the Governors Council on Developmental Disabilities. Chapter 54, S.F. 573: This bill recodifies and makes technical changes to the chapter relating to elderly waivers. Chapter 55, S.F. 1003: This bill designates a section of U.S. Highway 61 near Jordan, Minnesota as the Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway. Chapter 56, S.F. 1261: This bill designates a segment of marked Trunk Highway 23 in Kandiyohi County between New London and Spicer as the "Ryane Clark Memorial Highway. Chapter 57, S.F. 2089: This bill modifies the membership of the Nonemergency Medical Transportation Advisory Committee. Chapter 58, H.F. 990: This bill adds an exemption to licensing requirements for residential mortgage originators and provides for conformity with federal truth in lending requirement Chapter 59, H.F. 1960: This bill makes technical changes to provisions administered by the Department of Commerce. Chapter 60, H.F. 90: This bill establishes licensure requirements for assisted living facilities and protections for residents of assisted living facilities. Chapter 61, S.F. 1257: This bill authorizes individuals who undergo required training to possess and administer epinephrine auto-injectors. Chapter 62, S.F. 316: This bill requires state agencies to provide an opportunity for user acceptance testing of new information technology software to a local government if the local government will be the primary user and if operations of the local government will be significantly impacted. Chapter 63, H.F. 400: This bill enacts a fee on opioid manufacturers and distributors and provides local communities with resources to combat opioid addiction, intervention, treatment, and recovery. Chapter 64, S.F. 2415: This bill provides a budget and policy changes for the Office of Higher Education, the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, and the University of Minnesota. Chapter 65, S.F. 973: This bill establishes an advisory council on rare diseases through the University of Minnesota. Now that the legends wills have been discovered, its up to the courts and her sons to decipher them. Photo: Angello Picco/REX/Shutterstock When Aretha Franklin died in 2018 at the age of 76, her family believed she hadnt left behind a will. That would have made things fairly easy for her four sons Clarence, Edward, Teddy, and Kecalf as Michigan law declares that each of them would inherit a quarter of the estate, leaving them to decide the particulars among themselves. But then, in a mid-May plot twist, Franklins family discovered three wills handwritten by the Queen of Soul: Two dating from 2010 were locked away in a cabinet, and another from 2014 was found in a spiral notebook left under a couch cushion. Though fairly detailed and seemingly fair to each of her sons, the wills are now headed to court over questions about their validity and details, some of which contradict each other or are too difficult to decipher because of Franklins scribbled penmanship. It appears that Franklins estate wont be nearly as complicated as the mess Prince left behind (with all of his sibling drama and extremely convoluted finances, which included hefty tax bills and a trove of unreleased recordings), but there are still plenty of questions. Just as we did with the Purple Ones complex legacy, Vulture is attempting to break down what Franklins wills mean for her estate, how any of this might get settled in or out of court, and what the last testaments reveal about her life such as the paternity of one of her children and which employees she felt the need to take a few digs at. The Wills Both newly discovered wills have a few things in common. Aretha says shes of sound mind, though she notes in her 2010 will that she wasnt completely of sound body, having high blood pressure and a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor that caused her to cancel tour dates that year and ultimately proved fatal. Another document included with that will states that a different handwritten will from 1972-1973ish was either stolen or went missing and is no good today. All three documents viewable here, here, and here via the Detroit Free Press as well as a petition for the courts to validate the 2014 will brought by Franklins youngest son, Kecalf include a lot of underlining and strike-throughs, additions above and below the lines of text, and notes in the margins. The 2014 will includes a line that first names her third son, Teddy, as the executor of her estate, but then his name is crossed out, leaving Kecalf + _______?? on the page with a note reading Fill in written next to it. At the end of this document, Franklin drew a smiley face next to her last name, which one can assume is meant to be her official signature. Without the aid of an attorney or another representative having drawn this up in an editable digital format, Franklins will sometimes reads like stream of consciousness with occasionally illegible notes added in bolder ink. Still, its clear Franklin had a good grasp of her estate, including her properties, possessions, record contracts, tax bills, and more, many elements of which are very detailed. Why she never had her will professionally done remains a mystery, though her mentions of inept employees her primary but grossly inefficient attorney and an accountant who forgot to remind her about a tax payment that ended up costing her $90,000 suggest she was wary of letting anyone else handle the task. The Heirs While Princes estate was set to be divided among his sister Tyka and his five half-siblings with nothing slated for his deceased brothers children, Franklins will accounts for her sons. According to the New York Times, two of them, Kecalf and Edward, favor abiding by the 2014 will, while Teddy and Clarence dont. Eldest child Clarence, whom Aretha had when she was 12 years old, is the only son not to receive one of her three houses in the will, leaving him out of any money his brothers would gain from their sale. Its unclear why Franklin left Clarence out of any financial gains from the homes, but it is apparent why she didnt leave him a house because of unspecified special needs, the 64-year-old lives in a Detroit group home. While the 2014 will says his brothers and other representatives of the estate are to look after him, the 2010 version is more specific, giving Clarence $150 per week and leaving instructions to provide him with seasonal clothing. Franklin also included a note to herself to transfer guardianship of Clarence to her niece, Sabrina Owens. Another surprise in the 2010 will is Franklins naming of Edward Jordan Sr. as Clarences father. He was already known as the father of her second son, Edward, but many had speculated that Clarences father was Franklins school friend, Donald Burke. Either way, Franklin stipulated that Jordan should never receive or handle any money or property belonging to Clarence because he has never made any contribution to [Clarences] welfare, future or past. She underlined never for emphasis. Owenss role in the estate is now unclear. After Franklins death, the four brothers unanimously approved of her becoming executor, while the 2014 will says Kecalf should fill that role; instead, Owens would receive $200,000, with $50,000 going to Franklins now-deceased half-sister, Carl Ellan Kelley. Owens has already served the estate well, spearheading the release of the critically acclaimed Franklin documentary Amazing Grace. The Possessions and Funds Franklins wills include provisions to distribute her finances to her children, grandchildren, and other family members, with the sons inheriting most of her possessions and contracts related to song royalties and upcoming projects, including a biopic that will reportedly star Jennifer Hudson. The financials are a bit murky, as at times they are said to be distributed equally but it is also specified that Clarences situation be handled separately. The 2010 will says Kecalf and Edward must take classes in business administration and earn a degree or certificate in order to receive the aforementioned things in the will, including the properties and shares of her estate. Franklin specifically willed her gold records and CDs, awards, cars, and piano to her children as well as her papers, which she wanted to see donated to a college music department. Her gowns, shoes, and other clothing items were also left to them to be sold at auction by Sothebys or given to the Smithsonian or other museums of their choice. The Next Steps Initial court documents filed over the wills seek to have Franklins catalogue and likeness be appraised by Shot Tower Capital, which has handled the cases of Prince and Michael Jackson. On June 17, a Michigan judge is set to rule on whether the 2014 will is admissible, but Franklins heirs will still have to decide many of the next steps in managing her legacy and business matters and agree upon all the vagaries of the document. The estate is currently represented by David J. Bennett, the same lawyer Franklin called grossly inefficient in 2010, and he hopes the four brothers and their attorneys will, with the help of a mediator, come to an agreement on all matters before ending up in court like Princes family. Update, August 21: According to a New York Times report, the drama over the validity of Franklins handwritten wills and which of her four sons Clarence, Kecalf, Edward, and Teddy Jr. gets what has, indeed, spilled over into court. The court-appointed guardian for her eldest son, Clarence, has argued in court that the wills cannot be authenticated. Kecalf is still arguing that the 2014 will be recognized and has challenged Franklins niece, Sabrina Owens, as executor of the estate, requesting that he be appointed executor instead. In recent court docs, he accused Owens of mismanaging Franklins estate and taking her Mercedes-Benz for personal use, which Owens denied; she claims that Kecalf asked permission for his son to use the car. Edward remains sided with Kecalf in advocating for the 2014 will. Meanwhile, Teddy has asked that all three wills be recognized as a summation of Franklins wishes, and that he be added as executor alongside Owens. David J. Bennett, the lawyer for Franklins estate, has come out against Kecalfs petition for executor, saying he lacks the capability to be a personal representative. The judge in the case is asking that the family find a mediator to settle their differences out of court. Per the Times, under Michigan law, the family could bypass questions of the validity of the wills if all heirs can come to an agreement. In the interim, a lack of control over the estate has put its business interests on hold: The Times reports that an MGM Aretha Franklin biopic starring Jennifer Hudson will move forward without the estates permission, claiming to have secured the necessary rights and Franklins blessing while she was alive, as will a NatGeo season of Genius dedicated to the singer. Another revelation from the report: Even Barack Obama is caught up in the drama. At a recent hearing where a judge considered distributing some personal keepsakes to her sons, Bennett claimed that Obama has asked to be given the iconic silver-bow hat she wore to his first inauguration. Photo: Jessica Miglio/Netflix This month, the so-called Hollywood of the South was dealt a damaging blow. First, Time reported that director Reed Moranos upcoming Amazon Studios TV series The Power was canceling all plans to shoot in Georgia as a result of Governor Brian Kemps May 7 decision to sign into law one of the nations most restrictive abortion bills. Then, a representative for Kristin Wiig confirmed the Bridesmaids stars upcoming Lionsgate comedy Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar is also yanking its planned production in Georgia as a form of protest against the bill. Not long after, Netflix announced it would rethink its investment in the state should the law come into effect. And in the most potentially consequential remark any Hollywood power player has made about the dispute to date, Walt Disney Company chief executive Robert Iger said it would be very difficult for the media company to continue filming in Georgia if the new anti-abortion legislation is enacted. Whether these deciscions should be regarded as harbingers of a more sweeping production exodus still remains to be seen. Whats certain is that in recent years, Georgia has become a go-to production hub for blockbuster movies like Avengers: Endgame and hit TV series such as AMCs The Walking Dead. Its generous, 20 to 30 percent tax incentives have resulted in an enormous influx of entertainment-industry cash the state took in $2.7 billion in TV and movie revenues in the 2017 fiscal year and currently an estimated 92,000 Georgians hold jobs at all levels of the industry food chain. Now, anti-abortion legislation is causing a rift in the sympatico relationship between Georgia and Hollywood. Showbiz responses to the highly controversial legislation fall into three neat categories: There are the boycotters actors, filmmakers, and production companies calling for TV and film projects to pull out of Georgia en masse. The hope is that such a boycott would amount to severe economic penalties if Disneys Marvel Studios alone stopped shooting there, Georgia would lose hundreds of millions of dollars a year and dissuade the state from allowing the law to take effect on January 1, 2020. I guess we wont be shooting movies and TV in Georgia anymore if this moves forward, Judd Apatow tweeted. Then there are the major movie studios, streaming services, and TV networks that have opted for silence, refusing to acknowledge the controversy or publicly articulate their position on the bill. They have hardly come out in favor of the legislation, but they are ostensibly continuing to do business in the state while their peers exit in protest. And then there is a third branch, which has been gathering momentum recently: captains of the entertainment industry who support toppling the law, who vow to stand with women and plan to defer portions of their earnings to support organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union in battling newly restrictive laws that are popping up across the country but who have publicly stated that their productions will remain in Yallywood. We know that the only way to fight the massive, now national incursion on womens rights is through a legal battle. Chernin Entertainment Exhibit A: When the bill (known as HB 481) was signed into law, Chernin Entertainment was already deep into production on a film trilogy, Fear Street, and a TV series, P-Valley. While executives at the company found the bill abhorrent it makes abortions illegal as soon as cardiac activity can be detected in an embryo, which can be as early as six weeks into pregnancy (even though many women dont realize they are pregnant until they are past the six-week point) they felt conflicted about pulling business out of Georgia. [If] we chose the boycott route, thousands of jobs would be lost, ultimately damaging workers who rely on production for livelihood, including many women, Chernin said in a statement. We also know that the only way to fight the massive, now national incursion on womens rights is through a legal battle, a battle that needs funding on the ground and support via organizations like the ACLU who are powering up to overturn the law. So our choice became pretty clear. We will stay in Georgia, stand shoulder to shoulder with the women of that state and the states under attack, and fight to win. (The company pledged to make a significant donation to the ACLU.) J.J. Abrams and Jordan Peele delivered a joint statement earlier this month announcing that their HBO series Lovecraft Country will also film in Georgia despite the co-producers unease with the anti-abortion law. In a few weeks, we start shooting our new show Lovecraft Country and will do so standing shoulder to shoulder with the women of Georgia, Peele and Abrams said. Make no mistake, this is an attack aimed squarely and purposely at women. We stand with Stacey Abrams and the hardworking people of Georgia and will donate 100 percent of our respective episodic fees for this season to two organizations leading the charge against this draconian law: the ACLU of Georgia and Fair Fight Georgia. Oscar winner Ron Howard issued a similar joint statement with his longtime producing partner Brian Grazer, explaining that after much thought and deliberation, their film Hillbilly Elegy will shoot in Georgia next month. We felt we could not abandon the hundreds of women and men whose means of support depend on this production, Grazer and Howard said. We see Governor Kemps bill as a direct attack on womens rights, and we will be making a donation to the ACLU to support their battle against this oppressive legislation. They added: Should this law go into effect in January, we will boycott the state as a production center. On Tuesday, Netflix spoke up in kind, announcing that it will continue production on original series like Ozark and Insatiable. Should HB 481 come into effect, however, the streaming giant will consider transferring production elsewhere. We have many women working on productions in Georgia, whose rights, along with millions of others, will be severely restricted by this law, Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos said in a statement sent to CNBC Tuesday. Its why we will work with the ACLU and others to fight it in court. Given the legislation has not been implemented yet, well continue to film there while also supporting partners and artists who choose not to. Should it ever come into effect, well rethink our entire investment in Georgia. We felt we could not abandon the hundreds of women and men whose means of support depend on this production. Ron Howard and Brian Grazer (A source close to MRC, the studio behind Ozark, confirmed a donation was made to the states chapter of the ACLU.) Most major studios, streamers, and networks have circled the wagons when it comes to discussing how Georgias law will affect their productions moving forward. Fox (and initially Disney) referred Vulture to a prepared statement by the Motion Picture Association of America. It is important to remember that similar legislation has been attempted in other states, and has either been enjoined by the courts or is currently being challenged, said MPAA spokesman Chris Ortman. The outcome in Georgia will also be determined through the legal process. We will continue to monitor developments. Lionsgate and Universal/Focus Features did not respond to requests for comment. Oprah Winfreys OWN declined to comment for this story. All of those media companies currently have projects in production in Georgia. According to Jason E. Squire, professor at USCs School of Cinematic Arts and editor of The Movie Business Book, Hollywoods power players may be taking a wait-and-see attitude toward the bill, which is all but destined to face lawsuits by such organizations as Planned Parenthood, the Center for Reproductive Rights, and the ACLU. This whole issue is just beginning, Squire says. Its a long road to enactment. I wouldnt be surprised if some of the larger media companies are not planning an alternative. I wouldnt be surprised if they were engaged in some quiet form of diplomacy with lawmakers behind the scenes. Disney chief Iger, meanwhile, was asked point blank on Wednesday if Disney would continue to film blockbuster movies (with budgets in the $200 million to $400 million range) such as Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War in the state if the law took effect. His reply left little uncertainty about the studios position: I rather doubt we will. I think many people who work for us will not want to work there, and we will have to heed their wishes in that regard. The executive added that if HB 481 is enacted, I dont see how its practical to continue to shoot there. The next day, AMC sent Vulture the following statement: If this highly restrictive legislation goes into effect, we will reevaluate our activity in Georgia. Similar bills some even more restrictive have passed in multiple states and have been challenged. This is likely to be a long and complicated fight and we are watching it all very closely. WarnerMedia, NBCUniversal, Sony, CBS and Viacom issued similar statements on Thursday, as well. Producer Christine Vachons Killer Films, Hunger Games producer Nina Jacobsons Color Force production company, Counter Narrative (the company behind Netflixs Triple Frontier), and The Wire writer-producer David Simon have all pledged to withhold business from Georgia in light of the law. Mark Duplass, whose Duplass Brothers Productions has a four-picture deal with Netflix, earlier this month tweeted, Dont give your business to Georgia. Will you pledge with me not to film anything in Georgia until they reverse this backwards legislation? Even before it was passed into law, the Writers Guild of Americas East and West Coast branches condemned HB 481 in a joint letter for making Georgia an inhospitable place for those in the film and television industry to work and pointedly noted that it is entirely possible that many of those in our industry will either want to leave the state or decide not to bring productions there. Alyssa Milano, co-star of Netflixs Insatiable, and Jason Bateman, co-star of the streaming giants series Ozark, both have respectively said they will discontinue working in the state if the law is enacted. In an open letter addressed to Georgia House Speaker David Ralston and Governor Kemp in March, dozens of celebrities, including Ben Stiller, Alec Baldwin, Rashida Jones, and Don Cheadle, publicly vowed to push production companies to abandon the Peach State if the bill was passed. (Speaking at a state Republican convention earlier this week, Kemp scoffed at the boycott pile-on. We value and protect innocent life even though that makes C-list celebrities squawk, he said.) I think many people who work for us will not want to work there, and we will have to heed their wishes in that regard. Robert Iger That growing initiative has the Georgia chapter of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Workers, a trade group of craftspeople who work on movies and TV, deeply concerned. In an open letter to the IATSEs Local 479 written in response to widespread hand-wringing within the organization, the Alliances business agent Michael Akins took pains to assure members that HB 481 has a relatively slim chance of taking effect. These sorts of lawsuits normally trigger an injunction, temporarily suspending enforcement of the law until such time as the courts issue a final order on the lawsuit, Akins wrote. Between hearings, appeals, and other deliberations, several years could pass before a final decision is reached, possibly by the United States Supreme Court. Therefore, in the event a court injunction ensues, we can be reasonably assured that, for the foreseeable future, this new legislation will not be enforced for quite some time, if ever. One Hollywood media adviser, who frequently works with major entertainment companies in Georgia, summed up the sentiment driving players in Hollywood: Boycott efforts will ultimately be less effective than mounting a legal counterattack aimed at defending reproductive freedoms. It doesnt make sense. You want to force them to leave so you can have a headline and feel better about not working in the state? this person tells Vulture. Even if youre boycotting, you need to write a check to the ACLU. You can boycott all you want, but the two arent mutually exclusive. Its disappointing that Gov. Kemp, by signing this bill, feels he needs to gain access to a womans right to her own body, Stephen Campbell, director of photography on The Walking Dead, wrote in an email to Vulture. We are so busy right now that even with this news our cast and crew know the courts have to get involved with a decision as great as this one. There is a movement in place that disregards this bill and stresses the importance of the motion picture industry and all of the work it provides for women and men alike. We have to keep it positive. Josef Adalian and Jackson McHenry provided additional reporting for this story. *This story has been updated to include statements from The Walking Deads Stephen Campbell, Netflix, AMC, and Disney. On May 30, 1979, Downeast Airlines Flight 46 crashed in thick fog in Owls Head killing 17 people. One person survived. 40 years later, John McCafferty went back to the crash site with one of his rescuers from that terrible night. They had never met, until last week. What transpired was cathartic for both men as they were taken back to a night that neither one will ever forget. "You walk into a place like this, right now it's so peaceful, you couldn't even imagine what happened here." "No. Yeah, 40 years. I doubt it's really changed all that much." When I met up with John McCafferty and headed to the Knox County Regional Airport, little did we know what was about to happen. Two airport employees had a connection to that awful night 40 years ago. Paul Willis was just 16 at the time. He helped lead authorities to the crash site. Jim Philbrook was an 18-year-old first responder on the scene. Neither wanted to talk on camera, but they both wanted to meet John. At first, I'm not sure anyone really wanted to visit the crash site because of the memories of that night, but after everyone talked it over, going back together proved to be a cathartic experience. "Glad to have seen them after all these years. I'm glad they're still around to come back here with me, and I definitely appreciate the help that they gave me that night, and I always will." John, just 16 at the time, remembers the moment he knew the plane was going to crash as he saw the trees through the window. "Well, that tree right there, it was actually clipped." "It kept clipping more trees and more pieces of the plane kind of breaking up and falling off. It left quite a trail of debris, I guess." One can only imagine how difficult it was for rescuers that night in thick woods and dark, foggy conditions. Jim remembers hearing John crying out in the night. Severely injured, he had somehow managed to get away from the wreckage. "JImmy, did I crawl uphill, or did I crawl out here? Over here? Okay." "You've got to remember it was all just like that. All these alders. Yeah, it wasn't cleared out like this." John says despite surviving the crash itself, he still thought he was going to die in the woods, until he saw a flashlight shine on him, hearing a rescuer say, "Oh my God." "Thank God you guys showed up. If I'd have been out here another, before you guys started getting bandages on me, if I'd gone another 20-25 minutes, I'd have been dead for sure." John was in the hospital for a couple of weeks. He says the worst part was struggling with the guilt of being the only survivor. "It was really upsetting to know that everybody else was gone and that so many families would be affected." 40 years later, John says he still has nightmares about that night, but he's glad to be alive. He says he'll always wonder why, knowing it was a miracle he survived. "So, how long has it been since you've been back here, John? I came down here five years ago. And you've only been here a couple of times since the crash? Yup. I can't imagine it get any easier coming here. No. This is probably the last time I come down here." We want to thank John and the guys from the airport for letting us come along. We had not planned it, but it was an amazing experience to witness for all involved. As John mentioned, he is trying to write a book to both record his thoughts and honor the victims. He says he isn't a writer and could use a little help. You can email him at johnmccaffertysolesurvivor at gmail.com. In the last three years, BBB has received more than 2,000 complaints and more than 500 Scam Tracker reports from people who have shopped for goods online and received counterfeits instead of what they ordered. The Federal Bureau of Investigations Internet Crime Complaint Center, known as IC3, processed 2,249 complaints about counterfeit goods (including pirated goods) in 2018, while the Federal Trade Commission processed 552 complaints representing a total financial loss of more than $752,000. That being said, many victims do not file complaints, making it difficult to get a firm grasp on how often people pay for goods that are counterfeit or not as advertised. We hope to get started within a month, and we see a 9-to-12-month construction process for the restaurant and the exterior, a couple of months more for the sanctuary, Murphy said. The restaurant will be in the basement, in the old fellowship hall, which is where our partners in Los Angeles come in. They have experience in creating unique dining experiences. Everything food and drink related will be in the basement, including sit-down service and a bar to go with it. That will allow us to use the sanctuary for community events, concerts and weddings. Were having many conversations, hoping to complement Wacos growing creative element. The Transformation Waco Board of Trustees voted unanimously Tuesday to approve hiring a Temple educator to serve as principal of G.W. Carver Middle School next school year. But it will not be new territory for Phillip Perry, who previously served as assistant principal at Carver from 2013 to 2015. Perry, principal at Fred W. Edwards Academy in Temple, will replace James Stewart, who is heading to Waco High School to become principal there next school year. Perry has led the Temple school since 2015. Longtime Waco High School Principal Ed Love is passing the baton to Stewart, as Love moves into an administrative position with Transformation Waco, an in-district charter of five chronically underperforming schools in the Waco Independent School District. Love will be the executive director of school leadership, overseeing the campus principals. Perry said he is prepared to continue the progress Stewart has made as principal at Carver. Its a dream to come back and finish what we started, Perry said. "Underland: A Deep Time Journey," by Robert MacFarlane, (June 4) If you haven't read MacFarlane's travelogue "The Old Ways," please remedy that - because its survey of surfaces will inform your reading of his new book, a deep dive into what lies beneath. With wisdom and compassion, MacFarlane surveys burial chambers, ice caps, catacombs, fungal networks, nuclear storage facilities and more. His real goal in looking inward is to change the way the rest of us view our changing planet. "On Being Human: A Memoir of Waking Up, Living Real, and Listening Hard," by Jennifer Pastiloff (June 4) Although nearly deaf, Pastiloff hears people loud and clear. Maybe it was her 13 years as a waitress that fine-tuned her ability to know what makes each of us tick. But it was when she began leading yoga retreats that Pastiloff discovered how to heal herself, and in so doing, learned how to help others do the same. "Fall; or, Dodge in Hell," by Neal Stephenson (June 4) Risking apprehension to address audiences in the North, Tubman became the emblem of defiance to tyranny. Captives as far away as Louisiana, like Thomas Cole, spoke in his recollections of the colored woman ... that comes down here next to us and gets a man and his wife and takes them out and they dont get ketched. Frederick Douglass knew no one, except the abolitionist John Brown, who willingly encountered more perils. Tubman became one of the most prominent members of the generation that challenged slavery. But her patriotic contributions did not end when war broke out. Tubman served the American cause on the occupied Sea Islands of South Carolina. According to the brigadier general who later recommended her for a military pension, Tubman operated as a spy who made many a raid inside the enemys lines, displaying remarkable courage, zeal, and fidelity. She staged her most epic raid in June 1863 when Union defeats still outnumbered victories and foreign observers were convinced that Lincoln would lose. According to eyewitness testimony, Tubman inspired, devised and guided the perilous raid on the Combahee River that liberated 756 people in one day, destroyed four of the Confederacys richest plantations and brought more than 200 black men into the army. While controversy about a prayer may feel new for some in Baylors leadership, it isnt new at all for people of faith. This theme is all over both the Old and New Testaments. We learn in Deuteronomy, Ezekiel, Isaiah and Psalms how God cares about the marginalized, but when the prophets preach it, they are stoned. It gets even more serious in the New Testament. The Gospel of Luke reports that Jesus went back to the synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth and opened the scripture. The word Jesus read that day was from the prophet Isaiah, claiming good news for the poor and marginalized. People were distraught that a person from their hometown was speaking like this. The people took him to a hill and attempted to throw him off the edge. It was about five years ago that he started recording songs. I got them out so its not rattling around in my head, he said. Then he said his wife, Jen, encouraged him to stop moping around do something with it. Geiler had recorded some of the music he wrote so he wouldnt lose it, but that was the encouragement he needed to do some pop/indie single releases. That was great because of the connection to the underground pop scene in LA, he said. About a year and half ago, he got a call from a guy who would become his record producer. He said I like that vintage vibe you have going, Geiler recalled. The seed for an album was planted and it was recorded over six weeks last year. Fridays live performance is going to be a new experience for the veteran entertainer. Ive been a studio guy for a long time. Ive been live with my comedy, but not with my music, he said. Stocks Break Downward In Afternoon Trading The afternoon price breakdown in the YM (Down Futures) continues to confirm our recent analysis. We authored a three-part research post near mid-May discussing how the global tensions would likely play out in the global stock markets. We also authored another, more recent, research post about how the US stock markets would likely find weakness as news is digested after the US Memorial Day holiday weekend. If we go far enough back in our research, we can find a very interesting research post from March 31, 2019, where our research team suggested July 2019 would be a key date for a potential market top formation. Today, we are going to focus on the downside price rotation that is happening in the YM (Dow Futures) and how it points to an extended sideways Pennant/Flag price formation over the next few weeks before a breakdown move may cause havoc in the markets. This Weekly YM chart highlights our expectations that the US stock market is entering a sideways price pattern formation that will likely result in a Pennant/Flag setup. After the deep downward price rotation in Jan/Feb 2018 and another one over the Oct to Dec 2018 span, this recent upside price move failed to breach our Adaptive Fibonacci bullish price trigger level near $26,990. This failure results in a failed upside leg currently suggesting a new downside price leg will form in an attempt to re-establish price support before any new upside price leg will begin again. Currently, the Bearish Fibonacci Price trigger level is near $21,415. We do not expect the YM price to fall to this level right away yet it is a possible target if the markets fail to find any support or the global perspective changes regarding the US stock market. Our expectation is that support near $24,250 to $24,500 will hold up throughout this current rotation over the next 4 to 10+ weeks. This Daily YM chart provides a better shorter-term look at price rotation and our Adaptive Fibonacci price modeling system. It is clear that the recent lows near May 13 prompted a new price low setup. This is key to understanding the fundamental elements of the Fibonacci Price Theory. This new price low tells us the current trend is Bearish and that until the price is able to breach the $26,800 level, we should consider the trend bias to be moderately bearish. The BLUE downside price target near $24,400 now becomes our support level and the multiple lows near the $25,215 level become our immediate price floor. This 240-minute YM chart highlights the peak/valley price rotation levels that have supported this downside price move over the past few weeks. Pay very close attention to how these peaks/valleys have all aligned in a downward trend and how our Adaptive Fibonacci price modeling system is suggesting a move toward $24,900 is about to unfold. Now is the time for traders to prepare for a weakening US stock market price rotation with a very strong potential for a retest of support levels. Our expectations are support will be found near $24,200 (-8.9% from recent highs) or near $21,450 (-19% from recent highs). The key to how this move plays out is if the Pennant/Flag formation we are suggesting will form or not. If it does, well have lots of time to prepare for this downside move. If not, it could be a very fast decline to support levels. Remember, weve been warning about this move for many months. We keep suggesting that 2019 and 2020 are going to be incredible years for members of our Wealth Trading Newsletter. Weve recently authored multiple articles calling for a July/Aug top in the markets and our research continues to suggest that Gold and Silver are dramatically undervalued right now. Its almost like the old saying we told you so but we just want everyone to be prepared for what is likely to happen. Read our research posts from earlier this year and please try to understand that our proprietary predictive modeling solutions allow us to see into the future with some extra level of clarity that many people dont have. 3 DAYS LEFT TO GET YOUR FREE SILVER ROUNDS WITH SUBSCRIPTION! We continue to see money flow into the safe-haven assets like the Utility sector, bonds, and most importantly precious metals. I anticipated this and our XLU utilities ETF taken with members for 4.4% already, and our VIX ETF trade we closed for a 25% last week. For May I am going to give away and ship out silver rounds to anyone who buys a 1-year, or 2-year subscription to my Wealth Trading Newsletter. You can upgrade to this longer-term subscription or if you are new, join one of these two plans listed below, and you will receive: SUBSCRIBE TO MY TRADE ALERTS AND GET YOUR FREE SILVER ROUNDS! Chris Vermeulen www.TheTechnicalTraders.com Chris Vermeulen has been involved in the markets since 1997 and is the founder of Technical Traders Ltd. He is an internationally recognized technical analyst, trader, and is the author of the book: 7 Steps to Win With Logic Through years of research, trading and helping individual traders around the world. He learned that many traders have great trading ideas, but they lack one thing, they struggle to execute trades in a systematic way for consistent results. Chris helps educate traders with a three-hour video course that can change your trading results for the better. His mission is to help his clients boost their trading performance while reducing market exposure and portfolio volatility. He is a regular speaker on HoweStreet.com, and the FinancialSurvivorNetwork radio shows. Chris was also featured on the cover of AmalgaTrader Magazine, and contributes articles to several leading financial hubs like MarketOracle.co.uk Disclaimer: Nothing in this report should be construed as a solicitation to buy or sell any securities mentioned. Technical Traders Ltd., its owners and the author of this report are not registered broker-dealers or financial advisors. Before investing in any securities, you should consult with your financial advisor and a registered broker-dealer. Never make an investment based solely on what you read in an online or printed report, including this report, especially if the investment involves a small, thinly-traded company that isnt well known. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report has been paid by Cardiff Energy Corp. In addition, the author owns shares of Cardiff Energy Corp. and would also benefit from volume and price appreciation of its stock. The information provided here within should not be construed as a financial analysis but rather as an advertisement. The authors views and opinions regarding the companies featured in reports are his own views and are based on information that he has researched independently and has received, which the author assumes to be reliable. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content of this report, nor its fitness for any particular purpose. Lastly, the author does not guarantee that any of the companies mentioned in the reports will perform as expected, and any comparisons made to other companies may not be valid or come into effect. Chris Vermeulen Archive 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. The Tidal Basin was coated with two inches of snow Jan. 31. (Kevin Ambrose for The Post) The region experienced rare tornadoes, intense coastal flooding, extraordinary winds and many, many hot days. This 1.1$-Trillion Industry Will End Up Like Retail Which Is a Huge Investment Opportunity Banks have grown very, very rich in the last 30 yearsthanks to their privileged monopoly position. JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Americas largest bank, has grown profits by 2,000%+ in the last 30 years. Bank of America (BAC), the second-largest American bank, has seen its profits surge 4,700%. JP Morgan Chase and Bank of America are the 10th- and 13th-biggest public companies not just in the US, but on earth. And as we all know, bankers enjoy some of the biggest salaries around. In 2017, the top five US bank CEOs earned a combined $100 million. But quietly, banks grip on money is slipping away... Bank Branches Are Closing by the Day Did you know that since 2008, 15,000 bank branches have shut their doors? By now most Americans know how Amazon (AMZN) has changed shopping forever. They sell stuff online for cheap. This shut down whole shopping malls and put big stores like Toys R Us, Radio Shack, and The Bon-Ton out of business. But what many investors dont know is a similar revolution is happening in banking. Disruptive companies like Amazon are starting to steal banks business. In many ways, banking is following the same script as retailonly 10 years later. Foot traffic in branches has fallen close to 50% in the past decade. Its expected to fall another third in the next five years, according to financial research firm CACI. Banks Physical Presence Used to Be a Great Asset It was how they attracted new customers. Remember when you used to get a free toaster for opening a savings account? Once folks walked in the door, banks could upsell expensive banking services. These days, maintaining marble floors and fancy lobbies is mostly just a waste of money. Sure, high-net-worth individuals may still care about these things. But most Americans just want a fast and convenient way to manage their money. According to a 2014 Wall Street Journal study, it costs a bank roughly $4 every time you make a transaction in one of its branches. But the average online transaction costs the bank just 17 cents! In other words, costs drop 95% when you bank on the internet. The average bank branch in the US costs roughly $24 million to set up. It costs another $200,000400,000/year to operate, according to Mercator Advisory Group. US bank Wells Fargo (WFC) operates roughly 8,000 branches in America. It costs between $1.63.2 billion/year to keep them up and running! Non-Banking Competitors Join the Race Just like Amazon disrupted tired old retailers, hungry competitors are picking off businesses that banks used to dominate. Take money lending for examplea business banks had owned for centuries. Last year, more than half of all mortgages were issued by non-bank lenders. Thats up from just 9% in 2009. In fact, six of the top 10 mortgage lenders in the US today are non-banks. Quicken Loans is both Americas largest mortgage lender and the fastest-growing firm in the industry. Quicken does not operate branches. Instead, it evaluates borrowers using online applications. And it connects with its customers online and by phone. Quicken is owned by Intuit (INTU)a powerhouse autopilot stock Ive liked for a long time. Its stock chart is a thing of beauty: The Wealth Management Business Is Slipping Away from Big Banks Swiss bank UBS (UBS) and Wall Streets Morgan Stanley (MS) are the two largest wealth managers in the world. They both get roughly half their revenue from managing clients money. But online robo-advisors are invading this lucrative business. Robo-advisors are online platforms that give you automated, computer-driven financial planning services. Theyre far cheaper than getting financial advice from a bank. A robo-advisor might charge 0.25%0.5% of your assets annually. Wealth manager fees typically start at 11.5% of your assets and can go as high as 3%. Vanguard set up its robo-advisor service in 2018. US investors have already entrusted it with $130 billion. And its growing by 1015% per year. Vanguard operates completely online. It avoids all the costs and hassle of running physical branches. This allows it to offer the same services as a bank, but for far cheaper. $1.1 Trillion Is Up for Grabs The five largest publicly traded US banks are worth $1.1 trillion in market capitalization. Disruption in banking is still in the early innings. The average guy has no clue this is happening. Thatll change as big-name banks that cant adapt start to die off. And keep in mind, the $1.1 trillion in wealth wont vanish. Instead, it will change hands. Hundreds of billions will be up for grabs as disruptor stocks shake up banking, just like they did to shopping. Now you may ask, Where should I invest, Stephen? For now, stay away from bank stocks. Fintech disruptors like Quicken Loans are going to continue eating their lunch. As I mentioned, the banking revolution is still early in the process, but investment opportunities are starting to show up. Take a look at Global X FinTech ETF (FINX). Its one of my favorite fintech ETFs holding most of the companies that are successfully tapping into this lucrative banking process. This is a huge money-making trend Ill be covering for a long, long time. Stay tuned! By Stephen McBride http://www.riskhedge.com 2019 Copyright Stephen McBride - All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors. 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. That change is reflected in their graduation gifts, too. In the 1970s, Lerer recalls, new graduates commonly received a copy of Rogets Thesaurus and a fancy pen-and-pencil set. The belief was that when you graduated, when you had a period of transition, you needed to be ready to read and write, that the transition was a transition of literacy, Lerer says. What Dr. Seuss hit in Oh, the Places Youll Go and the reason its been adopted is because many people now think that the transition is not about reading and writing, its about action. Its about doing. Its about going places. That speaks to a lot of what many people would like to believe about the world now: Armed with your iPhone and Dr. Seuss, you can conquer the world. Jane the Virgin (CW at 9) Jane tries to find time to work on her novel and her script for the network. I was excited. How often does one get the chance to revise history? But first, I had to verify the story, and Ed didnt have any proof beyond his memories. He had joined HS-3 in 1954, and Willis, whose first name he couldnt recall, became HS-3s commanding officer in 1955. In his office, Willis apparently had a photo of Truman either getting on or off the helicopter, and handling what Ed called a Mae West, naval slang for a yellow life preserver (because of the way it plumps up a seamans chest). Fairfax Dr., 3500 block, 4:25 p.m. May 19. A man robbed a business of merchandise and struck an employee when he was confronted. The man fled on foot. U-Va. will become the only big-name state flagship school in the country to use early decision. The shift comes as growing numbers of students seek to improve their chances of admission to prestigious schools by applying early. Students using the U-Va. version would apply by Oct. 15 and learn the outcome two months later, according to a university statement Wednesday. I have a card that Ive been carrying most of my life that says a friend is a person who knows all about you and still loves you, Lee said. So, the way we show it is by showing up for one another. When somebodys wife passes, we are there for them. One of us gets sick, we visit the hospital. If you need anything, just let us know, and thats about it. Winterset Ct., 46600 block, 6 a.m. May 21. A Lexus GX460 and was stolen from a residence. A wallet with cash and credit cards inside the vehicle was also stolen. An author has to feel that they know an editor, Mr. Bernstein told Newsday in 1991. A book company is a service company for authors it edits them, promotes them and, in a way, it has to love them. I remember Bennett telling me he once lost an author because he didnt send a car to the airport. That may be an overstatement, but thats one of the ways I felt some other publishers were hurt. They didnt pay attention to the chemistry between themselves and their authors. The District government has filed more than 1,100 administrative charges against employers who continue to ask about criminal histories on job applications despite a 2014 law that banned the practice. Those charges have netted the city more than $500,000 in fines for failing to ban the box, according to a report by the D.C. Office of Human Rights. About 1 a.m. May 24, 2018, Montgomery County police were called by a concerned resident in the Walden Road area, about a mile east of downtown Silver Spring. Officers who went to the street found a black Dodge Charger, parked with its lights on, according to an affidavit Montgomery County detectives filed in court. An initial account posted just before 1 a. m. on the departments Twitter feed indicated that high levels of gas were found in the basement of the restaurant. Initially it was thought that the gas might be carbon monoxide, the fire department said. A 17-year-old girl from Alexandria, Va., who was sight-seeing with a cousin visiting from Bolivia, saw part of the incident and captured it on video. She sent it to her father, who posted it on Twitter. His sister, Deannah Byrd, came, too, visiting from Detroit. She was with Brandon when he first spied a Piaggio Ape. That was nine years ago when the two of them were in Sri Lanka for a wedding. The putt-putting three-wheelers are ubiquitous in countries such as Sri Lanka and India, where they are known as tuk-tuks. There have been constant international efforts to find common ground between the two former foes, but there has been no comprehensive agreement so far. European Union officials have mediated negotiations designed to normalize relations between Serbia and Kosovo, and some areas have seen results, like introducing freedom of movement and multiethnic police. Serbia pulled out of the talks after Kosovo imposed a 100% import tax. An idea has been floated for border changes as the way forward, but this was rejected by many EU countries out of fears that it could cause a chain reaction in other ethnically mixed areas in the Balkans and trigger more trouble in the region. The company countered that its products make up just a tiny portion of the painkillers that have been consumed in Oklahoma, and it said its business from the poppy farms of Tasmania to its products in U.S. drugstores is closely regulated by federal and state agencies. With manufacturers, distributors, doctors and pharmacists all involved in bringing painkillers to patients, the state cannot prove that Johnson & Johnson caused rampant addiction and overdose deaths, its attorney said. The executive order, likely to be announced by mid-June and first reported by the Wall Street Journal, would carry the force of law but not bring about immediate change. Such orders essentially direct federal agencies to rewrite rules to advance their goals in this instance, the departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Justice, according to people familiar with the White Houses plans. University of Wisconsin student Mark Lindblom apologized Tuesday and received a years probation after federal prosecutors agreed he meant no harm when he sneaked into the Palm Beach club. Lindblom, who was charged with entering a restricted area, was visiting his grandparents at a neighboring resort on Nov. 23 when he walked down a beach and got in line with entering Mar-a-Lago members and guests, wanting to see if he could get in. Sudanese protesters begin strike: Sudan's protest leaders launched a two-day general strike to press the ruling military to hand over power to a civilian-led authority in the wake of last month's overthrow of autocrat Omar Hassan al-Bashir amid demonstrations against his rule. Talks between the protesters and the military council, which took over Sudan after Bashir's ouster, are deadlocked over the makeup and leadership of a sovereign council to run the nation during a three-year transition period. NASA scientist released from Turkish prison: Serkan Golge, a Turkish American scientist imprisoned in Turkey for nearly three years, has been released. Morgan Ortagus, a spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department, welcomed the decision but declined to discuss why he was released. Golge was on a family visit in southern Turkey when he was arrested in the aftermath of a coup attempt that Turkey blames on U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen. Golge was convicted in February 2018 of membership in a terror group and sentenced to prison. Golge denies links to Gulen's network. Its certainly true that malicious states, hacking collectives and individuals are hunting for vulnerabilities as rigorously as the NSA is, and it is possible that one of them would have found the problem if the U.S. government had not. Its also true that institutions that have failed to install the patch that Microsoft provided to fix the flaw, two years later, bear some responsibility for remaining at risk. Even more important, especially when it comes to critical infrastructure, companies and cities alike should try to ensure their systems are dependable before depending on them setting them up to be robust against attack rather than just to work. George F. Will, in his May 26 op-ed, Trump wont be the only one to blame for war with Iran, noted that then-Secretary of State Colin Powell spent days at the CIA before the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 receiving assurances about the intelligence used to justify the attack. As a bipartisan Senate report concluded, years later: It was a Department of Defense group who repeatedly presented intelligence as fact, when in reality it was unsubstantiated, contradicted, or even non-existent. As a result, the American people were led to believe that the threat from Iraq was much greater than actually existed. Trump enters the 2020 cycle as the incumbent, but with a strange chip on his shoulder. Hes seeking next year the popular mandate he thinks was stolen from him by the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election to tilt the outcome in his favor. One Republican says he has heard that Trump ruminates about revenge: Our policies are resisted at home and abroad. But when we are reelected, they know they have to deal with us. In Yekaterinburg, Russias fourth-largest city, two local copper oligarchs, along with church and city officials, decided to build a cathedral, a replica of St. Catherines, which was destroyed by the Bolsheviks in 1930 at the peak of their campaign to suppress religion in the Soviet Union. The new cathedral was to be erected on a public park near the citys October Square, on the bank of the Iset River. Although the project had been long discussed, when a fence went up to mark the construction site, it infuriated many who loved the park. On May 13, demonstrators ripped down the fence and tried to sink it in the river. On subsequent days, the authorities brought in riot police, used cement to anchor the fence and detained protesters . But the protesters did not give up. The masterful, brazen manipulation of the U.S. tax code in favor of financial support for aspiring conservative nominees seeking judicial appointments was brilliantly described in the May 22 front-page article The activist behind the push to reshape U.S. courts. The Federalist Society purports to be a charity, and as a charity says it doesnt support specific nominees. Yet its executive vice president is deeply engaged in creating and manipulating tax-exempt organizations to channel millions of dollars from unknown sources to support the installation of conservative judges. Congress and professional oversight groups need to investigate the moral and ethical behavior of Leonard Leo and his cohort. Oh, wed fill it, McConnell said quickly, with that small smile of his. Court-packing excuse me, loading the court with your ideological friends is the one way you can set the nations political course no matter what voters decide year to year. You want to have a long-lasting positive impact, he explained. Everything else changes. . . . What cant be undone is a lifetime appointment to a young man or woman who believes in the quaint notion that the job of a judge is to follow the law. The IRS is reeling from nearly a decades worth of budgetary restriction, imposed by Congress at Republican insistence beginning in 2011. The IRSs fiscal 2018 appropriation of $11.4 billion was almost 20 percent lower than what it got in fiscal 2010. Not surprisingly, staffing for enforcement has declined by about a quarter in that period, according to a recent report by the Government Accountability Office. Technology makes it possible for each remaining auditor to do more and obviates the need to undertake certain audits in the first place. Still, there is widespread recognition that the IRS cannot keep trying to do more with less. Instead, it has been obligated to do less with less. In addition, according to the GAO, cuts have forced the agency to scale back planning for future workforce needs as it scrambles to keep up with current demands. As I read the May 25 Metro article Priest assails letter on gay marriages, about the posting by Monsignor Edward J. Filardi, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Bethesda, in the Sunday bulletin, I just shook my head in dismay. I went to a Catholic high school (the now-defunct Ursuline Academy), and I give money annually to the order of nuns who taught me. I initially did this to help support those nuns who were my teachers. Most of them are dead now, but I continue to support the order because I have always said it is the women who will lead us out of this abyss in the Catholic Church. I firmly believe we need more clearheaded and sensible thinking like that evidenced by Sister Mary Berchmans. I might start donating to Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School. The vice-presidential candidate often plays the attack dog in a campaign hurling invectives, slinging mud and taking the heat for expressing the id of the candidate, who can remain more statesmanlike. Not that Trump has ever shied from exercising his terrible tongue, but this go-round, as it increasingly appears that former vice president Joe Biden could whup him in the general election, Trump has resorted to quoting other reckless idiots. ORourkes plan which he is calling In Our Own Image contains many ideas he already regularly talks about on the campaign trail, along with several new ones. In writing it, ORourke consulted with immigration lawyers and advocates who are helping to address an influx of the number of migrants in the El Paso area, according to the El Paso Times. ORourke said in a tweet that the plan would provide the most sweeping rewrite of U.S. immigration law in a generation, and he recently told CNN: I think we go a lot further than really anyone in this plan. In pointing to the various investigations, Pelosi implied that there could yet be other evidence produced that would put the president in jeopardy beyond any questions of obstruction of justice. She argued that any case against the president must be compelling iron clad, as she put it to create support for further action and possibly affirmation by the Senate. We want to do what is right and get results, she said, emphasizing results as her ultimate goal. Intent on going out on his own terms, Mueller insisted repeatedly that his report was his final word. The report is my testimony, he said, seeming to decline an invitation to testify to Congress. Yet he had clearly concluded that he needed to say something beyond what was in his 448 pages of written work. I hope and expect this to be the only time that I will speak to you in this manner, Mueller said. Nothing is off the table, but we do want to make such a compelling case, such an ironclad case, that even the Republican Senate will be convinced of the path that we have to take as a country, Pelosi said Wednesday, speaking in California. Many constituents want to impeach the president. But we want to do what is right and what gets results. Sanders consistently polls second to former vice president Joe Biden, but often in the teens, a precarious spot for someone who is known by virtually all Democratic voters. One of his trademark proposals Medicare-for-all has attracted fewer co-sponsors in Congress than two years ago. And although Sanders continues to draw larger crowds than most candidates, they are generally less diverse than the Democratic Party, highlighting one of his key weaknesses. The doctor who performed the surgery said the lipoma, which he described as atypical, had been successfully removed. He added that he will consult with my team and Senator Alexander to determine whether additional treatment is necessary. To appear in the partys third debate, to be broadcast by ABC News and Univision, candidates will have to earn at least 2 percent support in four party-approved polls between late June and August. In addition, they will have to show that they have attracted at least 130,000 donors since the start of the campaign, including at least 400 contributors from a minimum of 20 states. Democrats vowed to press ahead with their investigations of Trump, and they did not immediately abandon the idea of compelling Mueller to testify. House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) said in a statement after the news conference that Mueller needs to testify before Congress and that Muellers full, unredacted report needs to be turned over to lawmakers. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.) said, While I understand his reluctance to answer hypotheticals or deviate from the carefully worded conclusions he drew on his charging decisions, there are, nevertheless, a great many questions he can answer that go beyond the report, including any counterintelligence issues and classified matters that were not addressed in his findings. If we presume that every culture is equal and has an equal amount to contribute to our civilization, then were devaluing the contributions of the people that laid the foundation for America and thats our Founding Fathers, King said. We need to hang on to those principles and restore them and refurbish the pillars of America exceptionalism. I have NOTHING against Roy Moore, and unlike many other Republican leaders, wanted him to win, Trump wrote. But he didnt, and probably wont. If Alabama does not elect a Republican to the Senate in 2020, many of the incredible gains that we have made during my Presidency may be lost, including our Pro-Life victories. Roy Moore cannot win, and the consequences will be devastating . . . Judges and Supreme Court Justices! Yet it also draws attention to Trumps mixed history on criminal justice matters, including his focus on the Central Park Five, a group of black and Latino teenagers who were wrongfully imprisoned after a white female jogger was sexually assaulted in Central Park in 1989. At the time, Trump took out full-page ads in New York publications, calling for reinstatement of the death penalty following the incident, and Trump continued to insist that the Central Park Five were guilty even though the five men were exonerated and another man confessed to the crime as recently as 2016. The legislation was a centerpiece of the tough-on-crime movement of the 1990s that Biden is having to confront on the campaign trail more than two decades later. Views on criminal justice have shifted, and the law is now controversial because of its disparities in sentencing guidelines for crack and powder cocaine offenses and its role in increasing incarceration rates. Rep. Justin Amash, the sole congressional Republican to call for President Trumps impeachment, came under renewed fire Wednesday from the White House, the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee as he continued to make the case that Congress should take action against the president. Harrison, who was the state partys first black chairman and is a former aide to Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.), has been encouraged to run by national party leaders in a state that has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1998. That reunion was awkward, but the love for West Africa stuck. Over the years, he has voiced intentions to establish his own roots in the region. And by Monday, he was posing on Instagram with Senegalese President Macky Sall in celebration of the opening of @blackrocksenegal. She and her remaining sisters, Emeteria and Osmena, were taken to the garrisons. The last thing she heard was her father screaming. As they were dragged away, their house went up in flames, she said. The ruling comes while jockeying is underway to replace Prime Minister Theresa May, who announced last week she would resign as Conservative Party leader on June 7 and make way for a new prime minister this summer. Johnson is one of 11 Conservative lawmakers who have declared their candidacy. The new leader is expected to be announced in July. Russian womens rights activists say the culture of victim-shaming is ingrained in Russian society and endorsed by the countrys macho leader. Since Putin first took office almost 20 years ago, he has joked at least twice in public about raping women. He famously boasted that his countrys prostitutes are the best in the world and has ridiculed women for menstruating. Huawei is a national champion that was founded by Ren Zhengfei, a former engineer in the Peoples Liberation Army and a member of the Communist Party of China who is often seen with Chinese political leaders. Ren has insisted that Huawei is a private company and does not take instruction from Beijing, but many analysts say that if the party asks for information, the company is powerless to resist. The tests on the murder weapon, from the finger prints to matching the bullets with the ones in the victims body, cannot possibly be done in less than 24 hours, she said, adding that the murder weapon should not be given to a random person to play with in front of the camera. Under the Israeli parliamentary system, the prime minister is not necessarily the leader of the largest bloc in the Knesset but the person able to form a government by lining up a majority of members. In 2009, when Tzipi Livni failed to form a government even though her Kadima party won the most seats in the elections, it opened the way for Netanyahu to do so and become prime minister. While he warned of a very strong response from the United States against Iran and its proxies, Bolton did not specify what would trigger that reaction. He is in the Middle East to consult more closely with our allies in the region to discuss what to do next, Bolton said. That was the Justice Department policy, and those were the principles under which we operated, Mueller said. From them we concluded that we would not reach a determination one way or the other about whether the president committed a crime. That is the offices final position, and we will not comment on any other conclusions or hypotheticals about the president. Putin has said Russia is prepared to extend New START. But in a 2018 interview with Fox News Channel, he said the United States and Russia must first agree on specifics because Moscow has some questions for its American partners. We think that they are not fully compliant with the treaty, but this is for experts to decide, he said. Obviously, I am very concerned with the backsliding of womens rights we are seeing from conservative movements here in Canada, in the United States and around the world, Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa. I will have a broad conversation with the vice president, in which that will of course come up, but we are mostly going to focus on the ratification process of NAFTA and making sure we get good jobs for Canadians. MEXICO CITY Mexicos government has issued an arrest warrant for the former director of the countrys state-run oil company, the state news agency reported Tuesday. The arrest of former Pemex director Emilio Lozoya on corruption charges would be the boldest yet by President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and one likely to antagonize Mexicos political elite. Netanyahu was reelected in April and all he had left to do was build a ruling coalition with at least 61 of 120 seats to secure his spot as prime minister. Or so he thought. For the past week, Avigdor Liberman, the staunchly secular head of the Yisrael Beiteynu (Israel is Our Home) party has refused to join Netanyahus coalition unless the prime minister ensured that Libermans version of a Haredi draft bill would pass to which the main ultra-Orthodox parties, also part of Netanyahus coalition, objected. It was peak Israeli-style political chicken. Bermuda based media mogul Bruce Gordon has loosened his grip on regional broadcaster Prime Media Group after a selldown of shares reduced his voting rights and stake in the company from 15 per cent to 3.25 per cent. Mr Gordon still retains a big interest in the company though, via a complex share transaction that was also announced on Wednesday and gives him exposure to a further 14.5 per cent of the company's issued stock. A notice lodged with the ASX on Wednesday reported that one of his private companies, Birketu Pty Ltd, is no longer Prime Media's largest shareholder after selling 43 million shares it directly owns for $8.9 million. But it also entered into cash settled share swap transactions in April and May which gives Mr Gordon exposure to the price movements of 53.3 million shares. The exposure to these shares do not include voting rights. Mr Gordon's flagship media group, WIN Corp, was approached for comment. Representatives from Prime Media were also contacted for comment. A heavily guarded Ivan Milat has been moved from a high-security ward in Sydney's Prince of Wales hospital to Long Bay Jail hospital in a convoy of three cars. The convicted serial killer has been in the Randwick hospital since May 13, when he was first transported from his cell at Goulburn supermax jail. He has been diagnosed with advanced cancer of the oesophagus, and told he may only have weeks to live. On Tuesday the 74-year-old travelled in the convoy of cars that left Prince of Wales hospital around 12.25pm.He was seated in the right-hand, back seat of a white Nissan 4WD, which stopped briefly on Randwick's Hospital Road as a large media scrum surrounded the vehicle. Female university students were pressured into giving lap dances, sharing intimate details of their sexual experiences, and being "slapped on the ass by everybody" as they ran past a group of men before entering a party as part of college hazing at the University of New England. The hazing was documented in a report on the Armidale university's residential colleges by the Human Rights Commission. The University of New England in Armidale. The university asked the commission to conduct the report in the wake of its damning 2017 report on sexual assault and harassment across Australian universities, which found the University of New England had the highest rate of sexual assault of any university in the country. Some students told the commission they encountered men at the colleges who either did not understand or did not respect sexual consent. The $1 billion plant being built in Kemerton, just outside Bunbury, to process spodumene ore mined at Greenbushes will be Australia's largest lithium plant when complete. Right now the mine sends the ore to China for processing, but bringing that job to the Kemerton plant, and another plant nearing completion in Kwinana, represents an effort to add to the role WA plays in the emerging battery production industry. US lithium giant Albemarle expects production to ramp up to 100,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide a year by 2025. Cleanaway has applied to take the waste material from that up to 600,000 tonnes a year. It has proposed to dig a 522,000-tonne capacity cell for the tailings within its existing premises. Once this cell is full, it plans to stack the tailings in layers against existing landfill cell embankments and to build additional storage areas in the future. Cleanaway is also separately negotiating a lease to expand its footprint. Residents are worried about the sheer quantity of the waste given the existing bulk of the site and the existing problems with dust, litter and runoff into farmland, conservation park and state forest on the doorstep of a wine and tourism region. Dardanup Environmental Action Group, of which Mr Manning is part, is now fighting. More than 500 people total have turned up to three community meetings at Dardanup and Ferguson halls. This week they erected signage against the proposal. A community meeting at Dardanup Hall. We are not against a lithium boom. We encourage and welcome it and love the idea of more jobs, more wealth and prosperity coming to a struggling area of WA, Mr Manning said. But this is not the place for an ever-expanding waste dump. The residents and the people of the Ferguson Valley, the tourist operators, the vineyards and restaurants in a part of WA known around the world, wonder where this will stop? We have said this so many times to their managing director, the attitude of the town has been made vehemently, desperately clear to him, Damien Burton, that we dont want this. Stop now. Please. Enough is enough. They say they want to be a good neighbour. A good neighbour would listen. But all they hear is dollars and profit. They just think, wheres Dardanup? Oh, down there ... suck it up guys, take one for the team. "Its not a matter of not in our backyard, its just the ridiculousness of this ever-expanding site expanding and creeping insidiously through the South West." Residents are also worried about the potential for dust and leachings from the tailings to pollute the region, given they are a relatively unknown substance in Australia. The tailings dont fall into any of WAs already-defined waste classifications and Cleanaway had to supply an analysis from a Melbourne laboratory done on tailings from a similar plant in China. It was provisionally classified as Class IV on the basis of elevated total concentrations of beryllium and mercury, a classification that required further assessment according to the consultant report. Community protest action is ramping up. If this was in Margaret River there would be a massive national protest," Mr Manning said. There is an industry, an environment and a way of life at risk here. We dont benefit from the lithium boom, we just end up with this toxic scar on the landscape. Dont give us that bullshit. Were not stupid. Theyre not coming clean with us. Cleanaway wrote in its application that the tailings were inert and non-toxic. There were no markets in Australia to recycle such volumes as these, it wrote. But it said: By storing tailings in dedicated storage cells, in the event a sustainable market for reuse was developed, the material might one day be recovered. After a community request was made at a special council meeting, Dardanup Shire referred the proposal to the Environmental Protection Authority, outlining potential concerns. The EPA is considering whether to assess the proposal and if so, what level of assessment would be appropriate. A Cleanaway spokesman would not confirm the size of the additional land the company had applied to lease, saying landlord negotiation was continuing and there were no current plans for the additional land. The spokesman also would not reveal information regarding truck movements, saying this was commercially sensitive as we are still in negotiation with our potential client. A traffic management plan would be part of the development application to the Joint Development Assessment Panel when this was made, he said. "We are committed to playing our role in a job-creating lithium industry. It will mean more local jobs in the South West region, which has an unemployment rate higher than the states average, he said. It will also make WA a hub for innovation and support greater up-take of renewable energy generation by reducing the price of one of the key components of large storage batteries. The joint Development Assessment Panel will consult with the Shire of Dardanup and the community. We have been a member of this community since 2006 and we are committed to ongoing engagement. The feedback we receive is important to us. We are listening ... an example of this is our withdrawal of an application seeking a 24-hour operating licence. The spokesman said operating procedures were designed to minimise litter. Cleanaway also employed a full-time rubbish picker to pick up wind-blown debris and had recently contracted Activ, a disability employment agency, to provide a regular rubbish pick-up service. Top left: Dardanup. Bottom right: Cleanaway sites. Credit:Google Stormwater runoff from the site sometimes occurred after extreme rainfall but short term improvements were recently made to stormwater management onsite and in consultation with the government in relation to the water coming from the adjoining conservation park. Tony Mokbel and one of his attackers embraced an hour before he was knocked unconscious and stabbed up to seven times in a frenzied assault with a makeshift knife inside Barwon Prison that has left the drug kingpin with brain injuries. His attackers, 21-year-olds Teira Bennett and Eldea Teuira, both pleaded guilty to two charges in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday over the onslaught that left Mokbel fighting for his life and needing rehabilitation for cognitive impairments. Eldea Teuira and Teira Bennett faced court in Geelong last year Credit:Nine News Mokbel was airlifted to Royal Melbourne Hospital and underwent an emergency craniotomy to treat injuries including "displacement of brain tissue" after the attack. He suffered skull and facial fractures and other injuries medical experts said would have been fatal without swift emergency intervention. Labor frontbencher Ed Husic will quit the frontbench to make room in the ministry for his colleague Kristina Keneally. Senator Keneally had wanted the position of deputy Senate leader but lacked factional support, leading to criticism new leader Anthony Albanese would struggle to have enough women in senior positions. Mr Albanese said on Wednesday morning he wanted to see Senator Keneally on his frontbench, which is expected to be announced at the weekend or early next week. Kristina Keneally is set to be promoted to the Labor frontbench. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen "I'm making it very clear, as the leader of the Labor Party, that I want the best team - the best team includes Kristina Keneally," Mr Albanese told reporters at Parliament House. 'Every day of delay is a nightmare' Mr Lee had documented his frustrations in the lead up to his Everest climb on social media throughout May. "Plans getting worse by the day," Mr Lee wrote on Facebook on May 9. "Lot of wind at the summit from the south side direction." He wrote that he was based at the Chinese Base Camp, which is less popular than the base camp on the Nepalese side, but that the Chinese rope fixing team who prepare the path for climbers had not arrived. "Every day of delay is a nightmare," Mr Lee wrote. And he spoke about the particular challenges of trying to prepare for an Everest ascent without using oxygen cylinders. Mr Lee said that without being able to climb higher than Camp One, he was unsure about acclimatising to the low oxygen levels further up the mountain. "The science for acclimatisation for non-O2 [oxygen cylinder climbing] is not as well known. Does one really need to hit high high? Last year a higher point worked OK. It's all out of my hands ... horrible feeling," Mr Lee concluded. Climbing without oxygen appeared important for Mr Lee. When a friend queried his decision on Facebook, Mr Lee said that if he were climbing with oxygen "I might as well chop 50 per cent of the mountain height off." Loading He said he had summitted another extremely high peak, Manaslu, which is the eighth highest mountain in the world and also in Nepal, without oxygen tanks. A day earlier, Mr Lee had been more optimistic, writing that his "support and sherpa team are looking strong and committed." In a post on his blog, he described climbing Everest as "unfinished business" because of a failed attempt that he blamed on "being horrendously let down by the expedition company", which he called an inexperienced, Indian-run company. "I have put a lot of pressure onto myself. I am running out of $$ to keep chasing this dream," Mr Lee wrote. "I will never take supplemental O2, as it is just not me. It is like asking Alex Honnold to use a rope in his monumental solo climb up El Capitan. Defeats the purpose of being there in the first place in my opinion. This will be the last throw of the dice." A mountain under strain The heavy death toll from this year's climbing season has put the issue of overcrowding on the iconic mountain back in the spotlight. Climbers have shared photos taken just below the summit, showing them queued up in a tight column, waiting for their moment to push for the summit. Canadian adventurer and filmmaker Elia Saikaly said he was unlikely to ever return after the chaos he witnessed as he made the summit last Thursday. Mr Saikaly returned from his eighth Everest expedition with a sense of abhorrence, saying he had watched people clamber over dead bodies. "I cannot believe what I saw up there. Death. Carnage. Chaos. Lineups. Dead bodies on the route and in tents at camp 4," he posted on social media after making it safely back to base camp. "People who I tried to turn back who ended up dying. People being dragged down. Walking over bodies." Loading He later told the Ottawa Citizen he was unlikely to make another journey to the summit. "It's a really messed up thing to be in a position where you have to walk over a dead body," he said. "Do I think I'll go back? I don't think so. Not after this season. It was pretty horrific." American doctor Ed Dohring, who made the summit a few days ago, told the New York Times it was "like a zoo" up there, with climbers jostling to take selfies and lined up chest to chest. Along with our Great Barrier Reef and America's Grand Canyon, Mount Everest is commonly and justifiably included in the list of the worlds greatest natural wonders. Like the former two, its the whole Everest massif, not just its singular, pre-eminent summit that constitutes this wondrous phenomenon. The stellar cluster of adjacent peaks and the glaciers they feed; on the southern, Nepal side, the valleys carved deep by tumbling rivers, cloaked in rich and distinct altitude-graduated vegetation; on the other side, the starkly different, high undulating plateau of Tibet, where aridity lies bare, the bones of the earth exposed to the thin cold air and intensely bright high-altitude light. All add to the richness and complexity. The mountain itself is the central jewel, the enduring symbol of human hope, striving and achievement, the primary reason why, especially on the more diverse Nepal side, tens of thousands flock to make the arduous trek up towards points below it to gaze in wonder at the all-round spectacle, and why climbers, and those who aspire to be climbers, harbour the desire to stand on the highest point on earth. The crowds have brought comparatively great wealth to the Sherpa people, who live in the valleys on the Nepal side. Theres hardly a house where glass windows dont feature prominently, whereas in other parts of Nepal, adorned by lower but no less spectacular mountains, glass windows are rare or non-existent, the people are poor. The government reaps a rich reward as well, collecting more than $4 million annually from climbing permits alone. Yet little of this gets put back into managing the burgeoning problem of overcrowding. London/Brussels: The European Union will not renegotiate the Brexit deal that Prime Minister Theresa May agreed, Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said on Tuesday, as concerns grew that a successor to May could trigger a confrontation with the bloc. Brexit is up in the air after May announced plans to step down, triggering a leadership contest in the ruling Conservative Party that could bring a new prime minister to power who wants a much more decisive break with the EU. One of the candidates, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, said it would be "political suicide" to pursue a 'no deal' Brexit, a reprimand to frontrunner Boris Johnson who said last week that Britain should leave with or without a deal by the end of October. Hunt, who voted to stay in the EU in the 2016 referendum but now accepts Brexit, said he would try for a new agreement that would take Britain out of the EU customs union while "respecting legitimate concerns" around the Irish border. Washington: At a parliamentary hearing in Ottawa on Tuesday sat two name cards - "Mark Zuckerberg" and "Sheryl Sandberg" - and two empty chairs. For the second time in less than a year, Facebook's founder and its chief operating officer declined to appear before an international committee of legislators from nearly a dozen countries who are investigating privacy, big data and democracy. Facebook's most senior executives, Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg, were no-shows. Credit:AP This did not please the Canadian hosts of the committee, who blasted the pair for not appearing, and the panel issued an unusual, open-ended summons: Zuckerberg and Sandberg will be required to come before Parliament should they venture to Canada for any reason. "If Mr Zuckerberg or Ms Sandberg decides to come here for a tech conference, or to go fishing, Parliament will be able to serve that summons and have them brought here," said Charlie Angus, a member of the left-wing New Democratic Party. New York: Special Counsel Robert Mueller has spoken publicly for the first time about his investigation into Russian election interference, using the occasion to emphasise he did not exonerate US President Donald Trump of a crime. Mueller's surprise 10-minute statement at the Department of Justice in Washington, on Wednesday, US time, was the first time Americans had heard from a man who has been one of the most important and influential figures of the Trump presidency. The former FBI director was hardly ever seen in public, and wasn't photographed, in the two years between his appointment as special counsel and the delivery of his final report. His appearance will intensify demands among high-profile Democrats for the House of Representatives to open impeachment proceedings against Trump. The Australian teenager dubbed "Egg Boy" after he smashed a raw egg on the head of far-right Senator Fraser Anning has donated $100,000 toward helping those affected by the Christchurch mosque attacks. The money was raised on two Go Fund Me pages set up by others after Will Connolly, 17, egged Anning, who had blamed Muslim immigration for the shooting. Egg Boy Will Connolly. Credit:Channel 10 In an Instagram post, Connolly said he had donated $99,922.36 to the Christchurch Foundation and Victim Support. The post did not say whether that was Australian dollars, but if it is, the amount would be nearly NZ$106,000. The money was transferred "after a huge amount of red tape", Connolly said in the Tuesday evening post.